Daf 55a (דַּף נ״ה ע״א)
And the Holy One, blessed be He, has seventy Names (וְע׳ שֵׁמוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לַקָּבָּ״ה),p1-56 and the seventy holy princes prevail over the seventy princes of impurity (וְע׳ שָׂרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים מְנַצְּחִים אֶת הָע׳ שָׂרֵי הַטֻּמְאָה), whose power is Mar [Bitter], the numerical value of Amalek (אֲשֶׁר כֹּחַ שֶׁלָּהֶם מָ״ר בְּגִי׳ עֲמָלֵק), and this is the mystery of what is said concerning Eliyahu, “He sat beneath one Retem [Broom Tree], and requested for himself that he might die” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הַנֶּאֱמָר בְּאֵלִיָּהוּ וַיֵּשֶׁב תַּחַת רֹתֶם אֶחָד וַיִּשְׁאַל אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ לָמוּת) (I Kings 19:4), and the word Retem [Broom Tree] equals the numerical value of the three hundred and twenty Judgments of his side and the three hundred and twenty of his Nukvah (וּמִלַּת רֹתֶם גִּי׳ ש״ךְ דִּינִים דִּידֵיהּ וְש״ךְ דְּנוּקְבֵיהּ), therefore he requested for himself to die (לָכֵן שָׁאַל אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ לָמוּת), because from them comes Mar [Bitter] from Mavet [Death] (כִּי מֵהֶם בָּא מָ״ר מִמָּוֶת), and their rectification is the Light of the Zivug [Union] of the Shemesh [Sun] (וְתִקּוּנָם הוּא אוֹר הַזִּוּוּג שֶׁל הַשֶּׁמֶ״שׁ), for Shemesh [Sun] equals the numerical value of Tamar [Palm Tree] and Retem [Broom Tree] (כִּי שֶׁמֶשׁ בְּגִי׳ תָּמָר וְרֹתֶם),p1-57 and Shemesh is the Yesod [Foundation], the organ of the Covenant serving the Shekhinah (וְשֶׁמֶשׁ הוּא יְסוֹד אֵבֶר הַבְּרִית הַמְשַׁמֵּשׁ בַּשְּׁכִינָה), and this is the mystery of the word Me'arah [Cave] (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד מִלַּת מְעָרָה), and through this the Name Elohim in its squared form, whose numerical value is two hundred, is also sweetened (וּבָזֶה נִמְתָּק גַּם כֵּן שֵׁם אֱלֹהִים בְּרִבּוּעוֹ הָעוֹלֶה מָאתַיִם), and this is the mystery of the word Me'arah [Cave] (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד מִלַּת מְעָרָה), namely M"H and R'A [270] (שֶׁהוּא מ״ה ר״ע), that is, the Name M"H and the squared Name Elohim, whose numerical value is two hundred (דְּהַיְינוּ שֵׁם מ״ה וְשֵׁם אֱלֹהִים בְּרִבּוּעוֹ עוֹלֶה ר׳). And the seventy Names of the Holy One, blessed be He (וְשִׁבְעִים שֵׁמוֹת לַקָּבָּ״ה), proceed from the Name Havayah (וּמִן שֵׁם הוי״ה), whose four letters are the four corners of the Merkavah [Chariot], namely Abba, Imma, Ze'ir Anpin, and Nukvah (שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָּעָה פִּנּוֹת הַמֶּרְכָּבָה שֶׁהֵם אַבָּא וְאִמָּא וּזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ סוֹד ד׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת הוי״ה), from which emerge below the twelve combinations of Havayah in the Heikhalot [Palaces] (יָצְאוּ י״ב צֵרוּפֵי הוי״ה לְמַטָּה בַּהֵיכָלוֹת), the mystery of the twelve gates of Gan Eden and the gates of the Supernal Yerushalayim (סוֹד י״ב שַׁעֲרֵי גַּן עֵדֶן שַׁעֲרֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה), “The gate of Reuven, one...” (שַׁעַר רְאוּבֵן אֶחָד וְגוֹ׳) (Ezekiel 48:31),p1-58 and through them spread the thirteen rivers of pure Afarsemona [Persimmon Balsam] (וְדַרְכָּם מִתְפַּשְּׁטִים י״ג נַהֲרֵי אַפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא), namely the twelve combinations of Havayah together with the inclusive Name (דְּהַיְינוּ י״ב צֵרוּפִים שֶׁל הוי״ה וְשֵׁם הַכּוֹלֵל), which are truly the mystery of the thirteen rivers of pure Afarsemona [Persimmon Balsam] (הֵם מַמָּשׁ סוֹד י״ג נַהֲרֵי אַפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא), and within the gates sit the twelve tribes (וּבְתוֹךְ הַשְּׁעָרִים יוֹשְׁבִים הַי״ב שְׁבָטִים), calling to every Tzaddik [Righteous One] who ascends above (וְקוֹרְאִים לְכָל צַדִּיק הָעוֹלֶה לְמַעְלָה), informing him to which tribe he belongs (וּמוֹדִיעִים אוֹתוֹ בְּאֵיזֶה שֵׁבֶט הוּא), and in which Heikhal [Palace] his place is (וּבְאֵיזֶה הֵיכָל מְקוֹמוֹ), and this is the mystery of what Scripture says, “Yerushalayim, built as a city joined together” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד שֶׁאוֹמֵר הַכָּתוּב יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו) (Psalms 122:3), “there the tribes ascended, the tribes of Yah, a testimony to Yisrael, to give thanks to the Name of Hashem” (שֶׁשָּׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם ה׳) (Psalms 122:4), because they did not enter Gehinnom (שֶׁלֹּא נִכְנְסוּ לְגֵיהִנָּם), nor did they remain there (וְיִשָּׁאֲרוּ שָׁם), but were delivered from Gehinnom as they passed by that way (וְנִצּוֹלוּ מֵהַגֵּיהִנָּם בְּלֶכְתָּם דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם), as it is said, “I will set him on high because he knows My Name; he shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I am with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲשַׂגְּבֵהוּ כִּי יָדַע שְׁמִי יִקְרָאֵנִי וְאֶעֱנֵהוּ עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה אֲחַלְּצֵהוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֵהוּ) (Psalms 91:14–15), in the Heikhalot [Palaces] of Delight (בְּהֵיכְלֵי הַחֶמְדָּה), Amen (אָמֵן).
Notes
Compare Midrash Zuta, Shir HaShirim (Buber), Parashah 1 (הַשְׁווּ מִדְרַשׁ זוּטָא, שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים (בּוּבֶר), פָּרָשָׁה א): “Rabbi says: He who fulfilled for the children what He had fulfilled for the Patriarchs (רַבִּי אוֹמֵר מִי שֶׁהִשְׁלִים לַבָּנִים מַה שֶׁקִּיֵּם לָאָבוֹת), as it is said, ‘Your seed shall surely be strangers... and also the nation whom they shall serve will I judge’ (שֶׁאוֹמֵר כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ וְגוֹ׳ [וְגַם אֶת הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ דָּן אָנֹכִי]) (Genesis 15:13–14), fulfilled it for them through two letters, for He is their Redeemer (בִּשְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת קִיֵּם לוֹ שֶׁהוּא גּוֹאֲלָם), and with seventy letters He redeemed them (וּבְשִׁבְעִים אוֹתִיּוֹת גְּאָלָם), as it is said, ‘By trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war...’ (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּמַסּוֹת בְּאֹתוֹת וּבְמוֹפְתִים וּבְמִלְחָמָה וְגוֹ׳) (Deuteronomy 4:34), corresponding to the seventy who went down with Yaakov to Egypt (כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים שֶׁיָּרְדוּ עִם יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם), and with the seventy that He gave him, corresponding to the seventy languages (וּבְשִׁבְעִים שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים לְשׁוֹנוֹת), as it is said, ‘He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Yisrael’ (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר יַצֵּב גְּבֻלֹת עַמִּים לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Deuteronomy 32:8), corresponding to them Yisrael was called by seventy names (כְּנֶגְדָּן נִקְרְאוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁבְעִים שֵׁמוֹת), Yerushalayim by seventy names (וְלִירוּשָׁלַיִם שִׁבְעִים), the Torah by seventy names (וְלַתּוֹרָה שִׁבְעִים), corresponding to the seventy Names by which the Holy One, blessed be He, is called (כְּנֶגֶד שִׁבְעִים שֵׁמוֹת שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ לַקָּבָּ״ה).” Further there it states (וּבְהֶמְשֵׁךְ שָׁם): “‘My Beloved is radiant and ruddy’ (צַח וְאָדוֹם דּוֹדִי) (Song of Songs 5:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, is called by seventy Names (נִקְרָא הַקָּבָּ״ה בְּשִׁבְעִים שֵׁמוֹת), and He chose Yisrael, who are called by seventy names (וּבָחַר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בְּשִׁבְעִים שֵׁמוֹת), and He gave them the Torah, which is called by seventy names (וְנָתַן לָהֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת שִׁבְעִים שֵׁמוֹת), and in the future He will comfort Yerushalayim, which is called by seventy names (וְהוּא עָתִיד לְנַחֵם בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת שִׁבְעִים שֵׁמוֹת).” Compare Sefer Chanokh, Synopsis Hekhalot, §§74, 84, 84b, concerning the seventy Names of the Holy One, blessed be He, which correspond to the seventy Names of Metatron (הַשְׁווּ סֵפֶר חֲנוֹךְ, סִינוֹפְּסִיס הֵיכָלוֹת עַל שִׁבְעִים שְׁמוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ״ה, שֶׁהֵם כְּשִׁבְעִים שְׁמוֹתָיו שֶׁל מַטַּטְרוֹן).
Compare Emek HaMelekh, Part 1, Gate 11, Chapter 10 (רְאוּ עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ, א, שַׁעַר יא, פֶּרֶק י): “Concerning him it is said, ‘He sat beneath one Retem [Broom Tree], and requested for himself that he might die’ (וְנֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וַיֵּשֶׁב תַּחַת רֹתֶם אֶחָד וַיִּשְׁאַל אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ לָמוּת) (I Kings 19:4), for Retem [Broom Tree] and Tamar [Palm Tree] together equal the three hundred and twenty Judgments of his side and of his Nukvah (כִּי רֹתֶם וְתָמָר עוֹלִים שׁ״ךְ דִּידֵיהּ וְדְנוּקְבֵיהּ), and from the Judgments comes death to every human being (וּמֵהַדִּינִים בָּאָה הַמִּיתָה לְכָל אָדָם).”
Compare Emek HaMelekh, Part 1, Gate 1, Chapter 4 (רְאוּ עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ, א, שַׁעַר א, פֶּרֶק ד): “For when you reverse the letters of Tamar [Palm Tree], you obtain the word Retem [Broom Tree] (כִּי כְּשֶׁתַּהֲפוֹךְ תָּמָר תִּמְצָא מִלַּת רֹתֶם), and this is the mystery of the Retem [Broom Tree] of Eliyahu, of blessed memory (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הָרֹתֶם שֶׁל אֵלִיָּהוּ ז״ל), as it is said, ‘He sat beneath one Retem [Broom Tree], and requested for himself that he might die’ (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיֵּשֶׁב תַּחַת רֹתֶם אֶחָד וַיִּשְׁאַל אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ לָמוּת) (I Kings 19:4). This applies specifically when the Gevurot [Powers of Judgment] extend downward into the lower worlds (וְזֶהוּ דַּוְקָא כְּשֶׁמִּתְפַּשְּׁטִים הַגְּבוּרוֹת לְמַטָּה בָּעוֹלָמוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים), and it is she who gives wisdom to the downtrodden (וְהִיא הַנּוֹתֶנֶת חָכְמָה לַנִּדְכָּאִים), and she rests only upon the downtrodden (וְאֵינָהּ שׁוֹרָה כִּי אִם עַל הַנִּדְכָּאִים), and her name is Cheshbon [Calculation] (וְנִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן), because through the intellect of her Chokhmah [Wisdom] she comprehends every need of the created beings (לְפִי שֶׁהִיא תּוֹפֶסֶת בְּשֵׂכֶל דְּחָכְמָתָהּ כָּל צֹרֶךְ הַנִּבְרָאִים), providing them with sustenance and support (וְזָן וּמְפַרְנֵס אוֹתָם), and she knows the exact number of heads that she must sustain and oversee (וְיוֹדַעַת חֶשְׁבּוֹן כַּמָּה קַרְקַפְתָּא אֲשֶׁר הִיא צְרִיכָה לְפַרְנֵס וּלְהַשְׁגִּיחַ עֲלֵיהֶם).”
Compare Emek HaMelekh, Part II, Gate 11, Chapter 5 (רְאוּ עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ, א, שַׁעַר יא, פֶּרֶק ה): “Beneath the Patriarchs are the twelve tribes (וְתַחַת הָאָבוֹת הַי״ב שְׁבָטִים), standing at the gates of the twelve Heikhalot [Palaces] of the Supernal Yerushalayim (הָעוֹמְדִים עַל שַׁעֲרֵי י״ב הֵיכָלוֹת שֶׁל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנָה), and they stand and gather around them (וְעוֹמְדִים וּמִתְאַסְּפִים עֲלֵיהֶם), calling all their children who arrive from this world (בִּקְרִיאָתָם כָּל בְּנֵיהֶם הַבָּאִים מִזֶּה הָעוֹלָם), of whom it is said, ‘All who see them shall recognize them, that they are the seed whom Hashem has blessed’ (אֲשֶׁר כָּל רֹאֵיהֶם יַכִּירוּם כִּי הֵם זֶרַע בֵּרַךְ י״י) (Isaiah 61:9). If he is from Reuven, Reuven calls him to himself (אִם הוּא מֵרְאוּבֵן, רְאוּבֵן קוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ אֵלָיו), saying, ‘You belong to me; come to my Heikhal [Palace]’ (וְאוֹמֵר מִשֶּׁלִּי אַתָּה לְהֵיכָלִי), and so it is with all of them (וְכֵן כֻּלָּם).” There, Part II, Gate 14, Chapter 55 (שָׁם, ב, שַׁעַר יד, פֶּרֶק נה): “They are the twelve gates of the Supernal Yerushalayim (וְהֵם י״ב שַׁעֲרֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנָה), as it is said, ‘The gate of Reuven, one... the gate of Yehudah, another’ (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שַׁעַר רְאוּבֵן אֶחָד שַׁעַר יְהוּדָה אַחֵר) (Ezekiel 48:31), and so on (וְכֵן הָלְאָה), the twelve gates of Gan Eden (י״ב שַׁעֲרֵי גַּן עֵדֶן), the twelve orders of prayer (י״ב מִנְהָגֵי הַתְּפִלּוֹת), and they are the mystery of Yechidah [Singular Soul] (וְהֵם סוֹד יְחִידָה), which a person must attain through repeated reincarnations, as is known (שֶׁמֻּכְרָח הָאָדָם לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל עַד שֶׁיַּשִּׂיג יְחִידָה כַּנּוֹדָע), and they are the twelve rivers of pure Afarsemona [Persimmon Balsam] (וְהֵם י״ב נַהֲרֵי אַפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא), which are the furthest point to which a human being can ascend (שֶׁהוּא הַקָּצֶה הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁיָּכוֹל הַבֶּן אָדָם לַעֲלוֹת אֵלָיו).”