Daf 12a (דַּף י״ב ע״א)

Rabbi El'azar said: Abba, I have heard about love in completeness. (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אַבָּא, רְחִימְתָּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ אֲנָא שְׁמַעְנָא בֵּיהּ). He said to him: Say, my son, before Rabbi Pinḥas, for he stands in this level. (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אֵימָא בְּרִי קַמֵּי דְּרִבִּי פִּינְחָס, דְּהָא אִיהוּ בְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא קָאֵים). Rabbi El'azar said: Ahavah Rabbah-this is perfect love in the wholeness of two sides, (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אַהֲבָה רַבָּה הַיְינוּ אַהֲבָה שְׁלֵימְתָּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ דִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין) and if it is not included in two sides, it is not love properly in completeness. (וְאִי לָא אִתְכְּלִיל בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין, לָאו אִיהוּ אַהֲבָה כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת בִּשְׁלִימוּ). And concerning this we have learned: in two sides is expressed the Ahavah, the love of Kudsha Berikh Hu. (וְעַל דָּא תָּנִינָן: בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין אִתְפְּרַשׁ אַהֲבָה, רְחִימוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). There is one who loves Him because he has wealth, long life, children surrounding him, he rules over his enemies, his ways are made straight for him-and because of this he loves Him. (אִית מָאן דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ מִגּוֹ דְּאִית לֵיהּ עוּתָרָא, אוֹרְכָּא דְּיוֹמִין, בְּנִין סַחֲרָנֵיהּ, שַׁלִּיט עַל שַׂנְאוֹי, אָרְחוֹי מִתְתַּקְּנָן לֵיהּ, וּמִגּוֹ כָּךְ רָחִים לֵיהּ). But if all this were reversed, and Kudsha Berikh Hu would bring upon him a cycle of harsh judgment, he would hate Him and not love Him at all. (וְאִי לְהַאי יְהֵא בְּהִיפּוּכָא, וִיהַדַּר עֲלֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גִּלְגּוּלָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, יְהֵא שַׂנְיָא לֵיהּ, וְלָא יִרְחֵם לֵיהּ כְּלָל). And because of this, this love is not the kind of love that has a root. (וּבְגִין כָּךְ רְחִימוּ דָא לָאו אִיהוּ אַהֲבָה דְּאִית לֵיהּ עִיקָּרָא).

The love that is called perfect is that which is in two sides-both in judgment and in goodness. (רְחִימוּ דְּאִקְרֵי שְׁלִים, הַהוּא דְּהֲוֵי בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין, בֵּין בְּדִינָא בֵּין בְּטִיבוּ). And the fixing of the path of one who loves his Master is as we have learned: even if He takes your soul from you. (וְתִקּוּנָא דְּאָרְחוֹי דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ לְמָארֵיהּ, כְּמָה דִּתְנֵינָן: אֲפִלּוּ הוּא נָטִיל נִשְׁמָתְךָ מִינָךְ). This is perfect love, which exists in two sides. (דָּא אִיהוּ רְחִימוּ שְׁלִים דְּהֲוֵי בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין). And concerning this, the light of Ma’aseh Bereshit went forth and afterwards was hidden. (וְעַל דָּא אוֹר דְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית נָפַק וּלְבָתַר אִגְנִיז). When it was hidden, harsh judgment emerged, and the two sides were joined as one to become the wholeness of this Ahavah as is fitting. (כַּד אִגְנִיז, נָפַק דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא, וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ תְּרֵין סִטְרִין כְּחֲדָא לְמֶהֱוֵי שְׁלִימוּ דָּא אַהֲבָה כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).

Rabbi Shimon took him and kissed him. (נָטְלֵיהּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ). Rabbi Pinḥas came and kissed him and blessed him, and said: Surely Kudsha Berikh Hu sent me here. (אֲתָא רִבִּי פִּינְחָס וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ וּבֵרָכֵיהּ וְאָמַר: בְּוַדַּאי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שַׁדְּרַנִי הָכָא). This is the subtle light (as above, Daf 11a) they told me that was included in my house, and afterward it illumined the entire world. (דָּא הוּא נְהִירוּ דַּקִּיק דְּאָמְרוּ לִי דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בְּבֵיתָאִי, וּלְבָתַר נָהִיר כָּל עָלְמָא).

Rabbi El'azar said: Surely, it is not necessary to repeat Yirah with every commandment; all the more so with this commandment, Yirah is needed to cleave to it. (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: וַדַּאי לָא אִיצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְנְשֵׁי יִרְאָ״ה בְּכָל פִּקּוּדִין, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּפִקּוּדָא דָא אִצְטְרִיךְ יִרְאָה לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּהַאי). How does it cleave? Ahavah is on one side-goodness, as it is said, that He gives wealth and goodness, length of days, children, sustenance (הֵיךְ אִתְדַּבְּקָא אַהֲבָה אִיהִי בְּסִטְרָא חַד, טַב, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר: דְּיָהַב עוּתְרָא וְטַב, אוֹרְכָּא דְּחַיֵּי, בְּנֵי, מְזוֹנֵי) then one must arouse Yirah, and fear lest he cause guilt. (כְּדֵין אִיצְטְרִיךְ לְאַתְעָרָא יִרְאָה, וּלְמִדְחַל דְּלָא יִגְרוֹם חוֹבָא). And regarding this it is written (Mishlei 28): “Happy is the man who fears always”-for Yirah is included in Ahavah. (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מְפַחֵד תָּמִיד, בְּגִין דְּהָא כָּלִיל יִרְאָ״ה בְּאַהֲבָ״ה). And so it is necessary on the other side, of harsh judgment, to arouse Yirah. (וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ בְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא לְאַתְעָרָא בֵּיהּ יִרְאָה). When he sees that harsh judgment rests upon him, then Yirah is aroused and he fears his Master properly and does not harden his heart. (כַּד חָמֵי דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא שָׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ, כְּדֵין יִתְעַר יִרְאָה וְיִדְחַל לְמָארֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, וְלָא יַקְשֶׁה לִבֵּיהּ). And concerning this it is written (Mishlei 28): “And one who hardens his heart shall fall into evil.” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וּמַקְשֶׁה לִבּוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָה). In that other side, which is called Ra’ah, evil. (בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא דְּאִקְרֵי רָעָה). It is found that Yirah is united in two sides and is included from them, and this is perfect Ahavah as is fitting. (אִשְׁתְּכַח: יִרְאָה דְּאִתְאַחֲדַת בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין, וְאִתְכְּלִילַת מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְדָא אִיהוּ אַהֲבָה שְׁלֵימָתָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).

The third commandment is to know that there is a great and ruling God in the world. (פִּקּוּדָא תְּלִיתָאָה לְמִנְדַּע דְּאִית אֱלָהָא רַבְרְבָא וְשַׁלִּיטָאָה בְּעָלְמָא). And to unify Him each day with a proper unification in those six supernal directions. (וּלְיַיחֲדָא לֵיהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא יִחוּדָא כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת בְּאִנּוּן שִׁית סִטְרִין עִלָּאִין). And to make them one unification with the six words of Shema Yisrael and to direct intention of the will above through them. (וּלְמֶעְבַּד לוֹן יִחוּדָא חֲדָא בְּשִׁית תֵּבִין דִּשְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְכַוְּונָא רְעוּתָא לְעֵילָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ). And for this reason Echad must be extended in six letters. (וְעַל דָּא אֶחָד אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַרְכָּא לֵיהּ בְּשִׁית תֵּבִין). And this is what is written: “Let the waters be gathered from beneath the heavens to one place” (Bereshit 1:9). (וְדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד). Let the levels beneath the heavens be gathered to unite in it to be complete with six directions as is proper. (יִתְכַּנְּשׁוּן דַּרְגִּין דִּתְחוֹת שְׁמַיָא לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בֵּיהּ (יִרְאָה) לְמֶהֱוֵי בִּשְׁלִימוּ לְשִׁית סִטְרִין כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And with all this, in that unification one must bind to it Yirah, which must be extended in the Dalet of Echad, for the Dalet of Echad is large. (וְעִם כָּל דָּא בְּהַהוּא יִחוּדָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְקַשְׁרָא בֵּיהּ יִרְאָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַרְכָּא בְּדָלֶ״ת דְּאֶחָד. דְּדָלֶ״ת דְּאֶחָד גְּדוֹלָה). And this is what is written: “And let the dry land appear” (Bereshit 1:9)-that the Dalet should be seen and bound, for the Dalet is dry land, in that unification. (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה, דְּתִתְחֲזֵי וְתִתְקַשֵּׁר דָלֶ״ת דְּאִיהוּ יַבָּשָׁה בְּהַהוּא יִחוּדָא). And after it is bound above, it must be bound below in the assembly with the six other lower directions: Barukh Shem Kevod Malkhuto le‘olam va‘ed, which has in it six other words of unification. (וּלְבָתַר דְּאִתְקַשַּׁר תַּמָּן לְעֵילָא אִיצְטְרִיךְ לְקַשְּׁרָא לָהּ לְתַתָּא בְּאֻכְלוּסָהָא בְּשִׁית סִטְרִין אָחֳרָנִין דִּלְתַתָּא, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. דְּאִית בֵּיהּ שִׁית תֵּבִין אָחֳרָנִין דְּיִחוּדָא). Then that which was dry land becomes Eretz, to produce fruits and seeds and to plant trees. (כְּדֵין מַה דְּהֲוַת יַבָּשָׁה אִתְעֲבִידַת אֶרֶץ לְמֶעְבַּד פֵּירִין וְאִיבִּין וּלְנָטְעָא אִילָנִין). And this is what is written: “And Elohim called the dry land Eretz” (Bereshit 1:10)-in that lower unification the land becomes perfect desire as is proper. (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לַיַּבָּשָׁה אֶרֶץ, בְּהַהוּא יִחוּדָא דִּלְתַתָּא אַרְעָא רַעֲוָא שְׁלִים כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And therefore ki tov, ki tov-twice. (וְעַל דָּא כִּי טוֹב, כִּי טוֹב תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי). One upper unification and one lower unification. (חַד יִחוּדָא עִלָּאָה וְחַד יִחוּדָא תַּתָּאָה). Once they are unified in two sides, from here onward: “Let the earth bring forth grass…” (Bereshit 1:11). (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְאֲחִיד בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין, מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה: תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא). It is made ready to produce fruits and seeds as is proper. (אִתְתַּקָּנַת לְמֶעְבַּד פֵּירִין וְאִיבִּין כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).