Otzar MolchoThe Treasury of Molcho
Primary textDaf 59a (דַּף נ״ט ע״א)

Daf 59a (דַּף נ״ט ע״א)

And our Rabbis of blessed memory said that the Shekhinah would contract Herself between the two poles of the Ark (וְאַרְזַ״ל שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה הָיְתָה מִצְטַמְצֶמֶת עַצְמָהּ בֵּין שְׁנֵי בַּדֵּי הָאָרוֹן), that is to say, the Speech had to contract so that Moshe Rabbenu, peace be upon him, could receive the Speech (כְּלוֹמַר הַדִּבּוּר הוּצְרַךְ לְהִתְצַמְצֵם כְּדֵי שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ ע״ה יָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל הַדִּבּוּר), unlike at the Giving of the Torah, where it is said, “My soul went forth when He spoke” (וְלֹא כְּמוֹ בְּמַתַּן תּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נַפְשִׁי יָצְאָה בְדַבְּרוֹ) (Song of Songs 5:6).p1-61

And the second General was the Ohr Makif [Encircling Light], which is above everything (וְהַכְּלָל הַשֵּׁנִי הָיָה הָאוֹר מַקִּיף שֶׁהוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַכֹּל), and this is the meaning of what it says afterward, “This General returned to become General, Particular, and General” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר אַחַר זֶה הָיָה חוֹזֵר הַכְּלָל הַזֶּה לְמֶהֱוֵי כְּלָל וּפְרָט וּכְלָל), “Until this point everything depended upon the Avir [Air], from the mystery of the Ein Sof” (עַד הָכָא הֲוָה כָּלָא תַּלְיָא בַּאֲוִירָא מֵרָזָא דְּאֵין סוֹף).

Its explanation is: until this point, before the particulars emerged and enclosed the General, which is the Ohr Penimi [Inner Light] (פֵּרוּשׁוֹ עַד הָכָא קֹדֶם שֶׁיָּצְאוּ הַפְּרָטִים וְסָגְרוּ הַכְּלָל שֶׁהוּא אוֹר פְּנִימִי), and before the Ohr Makif [Encircling Light] came into being (וְקֹדֶם שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה אוֹר מַקִּיף), and before the General, Particular, and General emerged into manifestation (וְלֹא יָצְאוּ לָאוֹר כְּלָל פְּרָט וּכְלָל), they were still suspended in the Avir [Air] (עֲדַיִן הָיוּ תְּלוּיִים בָּאֲוִיר), which is the mystery of the Primordial Avir [Air] (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד אֲוִיר קַדְמוֹן), and it is the Light of the Yod of the Primordial Avir [Air], called the Nekudah [Point] (וְהוּא אוֹר הַיוֹ״ד שֶׁל אֲוִיר קַדְמוֹן הַנִּקְרֵאת נְקוּדָּה), and it stood between the Light of the Essence of the parchment and the Neshamah [Soul] of the Reshimu [Impression] of the Ohr [Light] of the Ein Sof (וְהִיא הָיְתָה בֵּין אוֹר הָעַצְמִיּוּת שֶׁל הַנְּיָיר נִשְׁמַת רֹשֶׁם אוֹר אֵין סוֹף),p1-62 and the Yod entered between the Vav and the Resh, becoming Avir [Air] (וְנִכְנֶסֶת יוֹ״ד בֵּין וָי״ו לְרֵי״שׁ וְנַעֲשֵׂית אֲוִיר), and it was like a point within its circle (וְהָיְתָה כִּנְקוּדָּה בְּתוֹךְ עִגּוּלָהּ), and it was not divided into parts, numerous particulars, or the Judgments of MNTZPKH and Elohim, namely the Kelim [Vessels] enclosing the Ohr Penimi [Inner Light] (וְלֹא הָיְתָה מִתְחַלֶּקֶת לַחֲלָקִים וְלִפְרָטִים רַבִּים וְלַדִּינִים שֶׁל מנצפ״ך וֶאֱלֹהִים הַכֵּלִים הַסּוֹגְרִים הָאוֹר הַפְּנִימִי), and everything was hidden and concealed within the Holy Covenant (וְהַכֹּל גָּנוּז וְאִתְטַמַּר בִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא), namely this Yod of the Primordial Avir [Air] (שֶׁהִיא הַיוֹ״ד הַזֹּאת שֶׁל אֲוִיר קַדְמוֹן), which afterward was joined by the Yod of the Garment (שֶׁהָיְתָה אַחַ״כ עִמָּהּ יוֹ״ד שֶׁל הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ), and consequently all the particulars and all the generals were hidden in the mystery of the Avir [Air] of the Yod (וּמִמֵּילָא כָּל הַפְּרָטִים וְכָל הַכְּלָלִי הָיוּ נִגְנָזִים בְּסוֹד הָאֲוִיר שֶׁל הַיוֹ״ד), “from the mystery of the Ein Sof” (מֵרָזָא דְּאֵין סוֹף), namely the Garment itself, which is called Ein Sof (שֶׁהוּא הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ עַצְמוֹ שֶׁנִּקְרָא אֵין סוֹף), whose numerical value is Ohr HaLevush [Light of the Garment] (שֶׁהוּא בְּגִי׳ אוֹ״ר הַלְּבוּשׁ), for its Lights are without end in their Spellings in Full (כִּי הָאוֹרוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ אֵין סוֹף לְמִלּוּאָיו), and it has no Kli [Vessel] enclosing it (וְאֵין לוֹ כְּלִי שֶׁסּוֹגֵר אוֹתוֹ), therefore it can emanate many thousands of letters in a single instant (וְלָכֵן יָכוֹל לְהַאֲצִיל כַּמָּה אֲלָפִים אוֹתִיּוֹת בְּרֶגַע אֶחָד), and for this reason it is called Ein Sof (וּמִטַּעַם זֶה נִקְרָא אֵין סוֹף), but the Emanator who surrounds everything possesses no form of Light (אֲבָל הַמַּאֲצִיל הַכֹּל הַסּוֹבֵב אֵין לוֹ תְּמוּנַת אוֹר), only absolute concealment, called Choshekh [Darkness] (אֶלָּא הֶעְלֵם הַמֻּחְלָט הַנִּקְרָא חֹשֶׁךְ), not as a color but as an indication of concealment (לֹא גַּוְונִי אֶלָּא מוֹרֶה הִתְעַלְּמוּת), and this is the meaning of, “from the mystery of the Ein Sof” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאוֹמֵר מֵרָזָא דְּאֵין סוֹף).

Notes

  1. Compare Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:68 (רְאוּ מִדְרַשׁ שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים רַבָּה א, סח): “Before the Beit HaMikdash [Holy Temple] was built, the Shekhinah contracted Herself between the two poles of the Ark (עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִבְנָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיְתָה הַשְּׁכִינָה מִתְמַצַּעַת בֵּין שְׁנֵי בַּדֵּי הָאָרוֹן), but after the Beit HaMikdash [Holy Temple] was built, ‘the poles were drawn out’ (מִשֶּׁנִּבְנָה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וַיַּאֲרִיכוּ הַבַּדִּים) (I Kings 8:8).” Compare Yalkut Shimoni, Shir HaShirim, Chapter 1, §983 (הַשְׁווּ יַלְקוּט שִׁמְעוֹנִי, שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים, פֶּרֶק א, רֶמֶז תתקפג): “‘A bundle of myrrh is my Beloved unto me’ (צְרוֹר הַמֹּר דּוֹדִי לִי) (Song of Songs 1:13). No spice is as fragrant as myrrh (אֵין עָרֵב בְּכָל הַבְּשָׂמִים כַּמֹּר), likewise the Holy One, blessed be He, is foremost over all who enter the world (אַף הַקָּבָּ״ה רֹאשׁ לְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם). Why is the Holy One, blessed be He, compared to a bundle (וְלָמָּה מְדַמֶּה הַקָּבָּ״ה בִּצְרוֹר)? Because the entire world is not worthy before Him (לְפִי שֶׁאֵין כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ כְּדַאי לְפָנָיו), yet He contracts His Shekhinah between the two poles of the Ark (וּמְצַמְצֵם שְׁכִינָתוֹ בֵּין שְׁנֵי בַּדֵּי הָאָרוֹן), as it is written, ‘Between my breasts’ (דִּכְתִיב בֵּין שָׁדַי).” (Song of Songs 1:13).

    Compare the Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 88b (רְאוּ בַּבְלִי, שַׁבָּת פח ע״ב): “Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: With every single utterance that went forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, the souls of Yisrael departed (וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר שֶׁיָּצָא מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יָצְתָה נִשְׁמָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is said, ‘My soul went forth when He spoke’ (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נַפְשִׁי יָצְאָה בְדַבְּרוֹ) (Song of Songs 5:6). Since their souls departed after the first utterance, how did they receive the second utterance (וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁמִּדִּבּוּר רִאשׁוֹן יָצְתָה נִשְׁמָתָן דִּבּוּר שֵׁנִי הֵיאַךְ קִבְּלוּ)? He brought down the dew by which He will one day revive the dead, and revived them (הוֹרִיד טַל שֶׁעָתִיד לְהַחֲיוֹת בּוֹ מֵתִים וְהֶחֱיָה אוֹתָם), as it is said, ‘You, O Elohim, caused a plentiful rain to descend; when Your inheritance was weary, You sustained it’ (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר גֶּשֶׁם נְדָבוֹת תָּנִיף אֱלֹהִים נַחֲלָתְךָ וְנִלְאָה אַתָּה כּוֹנַנְתָּה) (Psalms 68:10).

  2. Compare Emek HaMelekh, Part I, Gate 1, Chapter 4 (רְאוּ עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ, א, שַׁעַר א, פֶּרֶק ד): “The one who understands will understand (וְהַמֵּבִין יָבִין), that this Primordial Torah is the very root and essence of all the worlds beneath it (כִּי הַתּוֹרָה קְדוּמָה הַזֹּאת הִיא שֹׁרֶשׁ עִיסַת פְּנַת שֶׁל כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת אֲשֶׁר תַּחְתֶּיהָ), and of all that emanates from its letter-combinations and its letters (וְהַמִּשְׁתַּלְשְׁלִים מִצֵּרוּפֶיהָ וְאוֹתִיּוֹתֶיהָ), for Above there exists nothing except letters of Light (כִּי לְמַעְלָה אֵין שׁוּם דָּבָר רַק אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל אוֹר), standing in the mystery of the form of Adam (עוֹמְדִים בְּסוֹד תְּמוּנַת אָדָם), ‘Male and female He created them... and He called their name Adam’ (זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם... וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמָם אָדָם) (Genesis 5:2), and they literally stand in the form of male and female (וְעוֹמְדִים מַמָּשׁ בְּצוּרַת זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה), and this form and likeness descends through all the worlds (וְיוֹרֵד הַמִּדּוֹת וְהַצֶּלֶם הַזֶּה בְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת), even into the world of the angels (אֲפִלּוּ בְּעוֹלָם הַמַּלְאָכִים), concerning which Rabbi Yishmael the Kohen Gadol wrote in Pirkei Heikhalot (שֶׁכָּתַב רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּפִרְקֵי הֵיכָלוֹת): ‘Among the angels there are those in the form of men and those in the form of women’ (בַּמַּלְאָכִים יֵשׁ מֵהֶם צוּרַת אֲנָשִׁים, יֵשׁ מֵהֶם צוּרַת נָשִׁים), but they are all letters (אֲבָל הֵם כֻּלָּם אוֹתִיּוֹת), and they are nourished, or derive benefit, from the Light of this parchment, which is, as it were, the Light of the Essence (וְהֵם נִיזוֹנִים אוֹ נֶהֱנִים מֵאוֹר הַנְּיָיר הַזֶּה, שֶׁהוּא אוֹר הָעַצְמִיּוּת כִּבְיָכוֹל), after many partitions and walls of His, blessed be He, providence over them (אַחַר כַּמָּה מְחִיצוֹת וְכֹתָלִים שֶׁל הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ עֲלֵיהֶם), as it is said, ‘Behold, He stands behind our wall, looking through the windows’ (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הִנֵּה זֶה עוֹמֵד אַחַר כָּתְלֵנוּ מַשְׁגִּיחַ מִן הַחַלֹּנוֹת) (Song of Songs 2:9), these are the five Chesedim [Kindnesses] (וְהֵם ה׳ חֲסָדִים), ‘glancing through the lattices’ (מֵצִיץ מִן הַחֲרַכִּים) (Song of Songs 2:9), these are the five Gevurot [Powers of Judgment] (הֵם ה׳ גְּבוּרוֹת), and it is derived from the expression, ‘The little one charred his sack’ (וְנִגְזַר מִלְּשׁוֹן קְטִינָא חָרִיךְ שַׂקֵּי) (Berakhot 46a).”