Daf 22b (דַּף כ״ב ע״ב)

She said: Since his sin is dependent on Imma and not on Abba, I desire to create him in my likeness (אִיהִי אָמְרָה בָּתַר דְּחוֹבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא בְּאִמָּ״א וְלָא בְּאַבָּ״א אֲנָא בָּעִינָא לְמִבְרֵי לֵיהּ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דִילִי). This is what is written: “And Elohim created man in His image” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ), and Abba did not desire to join in him (וְלָא בָּעָא לְאִשְׁתַּתָּפָא בֵּיהּ אַבָּ״א). When he sinned, what is written? “For your iniquities your mother was sent away” (בְּזִמְנָא דְּחָב מַה כְּתִיב וּבְפִשְׁעֵכֶם שֻׁלְחָה אִמְּכֶם) (Isaiah 50). The King said to Imma: Did I not say to you that he is destined to sin? (אָמַר מַלְכָּא לְאִמָּ״א וְלָא אֲמָרִית לָךְ דְּעֲתִיד הוּא לְמֶחֱטֵי). At that time he will need you, and Imma will be required with him (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא תָּרִיךְ לֵיהּ וְתָרִיךְ אִמָּא עִמֵּיהּ). And because of this it is written: “A wise son makes glad his father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother” (וּבְגִין דָּא כְּתִיב בֵּן חָכָם יְשַׂמַּח אָב וּבֵן כְּסִיל תּוּגַת אִמּוֹ) (Proverbs 10). A wise son—this is Adam who is in the path of Atzilut (בֵּן חָכָם, דָּא אָדָם דְּאִיהוּ בְּאֹרַח אֲצִילוּת). And a foolish son—this is Adam of Beri’ah (וּבֵן כְּסִיל, דָּא אָדָם דִּבְרִיאָה).

All the friends arose and said: Rabbi, Rabbi, is there then separation between Abba and Imma, that from the side of Abba it is in the path of Atzilut, and from the side of Imma in Beri’ah? (קָמוּ כֻּלְהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא וְאָמְרוּ רִבִּי רִבִּי, וְכִי אִית פִּירוּדָא בֵּין אַבָּ״א וְאִמָּ״א דְּמִסִּטְרָא דְּאַבָּא אִיהוּ בְּאֹרַח אֲצִילוּת וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּאִמָּא בַּבְּרִיאָה). He said to them: friends, friends, not so! (אָמַר לוֹן חַבְרַיָּיא חַבְרַיָּיא לָאו הָכִי הוּא). For the Adam of Atzilut, male and female, was from the side of Abba and Imma (דְּהָא אָדָם דְּאֲצִילוּתָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא הֲוָה מִסִּטְרָא דְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּ״א). And this is “And Elohim said: Let there be light, and there was light” (וְדָא אִיהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר). “Let there be light” is from the side of Abba (יְהִי אוֹר מִסִּטְרָא דְּאַבָּא), “and there was light” is from the side of Imma (וַיְהִי אוֹר מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִמָּ״א). And this is Adam, two partzufin (וְדָא אִיהוּ אָדָם דוּ פַּרְצוּפִין). But this one had not in him image and likeness (אֲבָל לְהַאי לֵית בֵּיהּ צֶלֶם וּדְמוּת). Rather, Imma Ila’ah had one appellation that ascended into the account of Elohim (אֶלָּא אִמָּא עִלָּאָה הֲוָה לֵיהּ חַד כִּנּוּ״י דְּסָלִיק לְחוּשְׁבַּן אֱלֹהִים). And that appellation is light and darkness (וְהַהוּא כִּנּוּי אִיהוּ אוֹר וְחֹשֶׁךְ). And because of that darkness that was in that appellation, Abba said: Adam of Atzilut is destined to sin (וּבְגִין הַהוּא חֹשֶׁךְ דְּהֲוָה בְּהַהוּא כִּנּוּי, אָמַר אַבָּא דְּעֲתִיד לְמֶחֱטֵי לְאָדָם דְּאֲצִילוּת). Some say: of Beri’ah (נ״א: דְּבְרִיאָה). For he is light in supernal garment (דְּאִיהוּ אוֹר לְבוּשׁ עִלָּאָה). Some say: upper garment (נ״א: עֶלְיוֹן). And this is the light that Kudsha Berikh Hu created on the first day, which He concealed for the Righteous (וְהַאי אִיהוּ אוֹר דְּבָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן דִּגְנָזוֹ לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא). And that darkness was created on the first day for the wicked, as it is said: “And the wicked in darkness are silenced” (וְהַהוּא חֹשֶׁךְ דְּאִתְבְּרֵי בְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה לְרַשִּׁיעַיָּיא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וּרְשָׁעִים בַּחֹשֶׁךְ יִדַּמּוּ) (I Samuel 2). And because of that darkness which was destined to cause that light to sin, Abba did not desire to join in him (וּבְגִין הַהוּא חֹשֶׁךְ דְּהֲוָה עָתִיד לְמֶחֱטֵי לְהַהוּא אוֹר, לָא בָּעָא אַבָּא לְאִשְׁתַּתָּפָא בֵּיהּ). And because of this it is said: “Let Us make man in our image”—that is the light (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ הַהוּא אוֹר). “After our likeness”—that is the darkness, which is a garment to the light (כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ הַהוּא חֹשֶׁךְ דְּאִיהוּ לְבוּשָׁא לָאוֹר). In the likeness of the body, which is a garment to the Neshama, as it is written: “Skin and flesh You clothed me” (כְּגַוְונָא דְגוּפָא דְּאִיהוּ לְבוּשָׁא לְנִשְׁמְתָא הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב עוֹר וּבָשָׂר תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי) (Job 10). All of them rejoiced together and said: Happy is our portion, that we merited to hear words not heard until now (חָדוּ כֻּלְהוּ וְאָמְרוּ זַכָּאָה חוּלְקָנָא דְּזָכִינָא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמָעוּ עַד כְּעָן).

Rabbi Shimon further opened and said: “See now that I, I am He, and there is no Elohim with Me…” (פָּתַח עוֹד רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי וְגוֹ') (Deuteronomy 32). He said: Friends, hear ancient words that I wish to reveal, after supernal permission has been given to say (אָמַר חַבְרַיָּיא שִׁמְעוּ מִלִּין עַתִּיקִין דְּבָּעֵינָא לְגַלָּאָה בָּתַר דְּאִתְיְהִיב רְשׁוּ עִלָּאָה לְמֵימַר). What is this that is said: “See now that I, I am He”? (מַאי נִיהוּ דְּאָמַר רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא). Rather, this is the Cause of all causes (אֶלָּא דָּא הוּא עִילַּת עַל כָּל עִלּוֹת). The one called the Cause of causes, cause of these causes (הַהוּא דְּאִתְקְרֵי עִילַּת הָעִלּוֹת עִלַּת מֵאִלֵּין עִלּוֹת). For none of these causes can do any work until it receives permission from the One above it (דְּלָא יַעֲבִיד חַד מֵאִלֵּין עִלּוֹת שׁוּם עוֹבָדָא עַד דְּנָטִיל רְשׁוּת מֵהַהוּא דְּעֲלֵיהּ). As we established above regarding “Let Us make man” (כְּמָה דְאוֹקִימְנָא לְעֵילָא בְּנַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם). “Let Us make”—certainly. It is said upon two (נַעֲשֶׂה וַדַּאי. עַל תְּרֵין אִתְּמָר). For this one says to the one above it: Let us make (דְּאָמַר דָּא לְהַהוּא דִלְעֵילָא מִינֵּיהּ נַעֲשֶׂה). And it does nothing except with permission and word from the one above it (וְלָא עָבִיד מִדָּעַם אֶלָא בִּרְשׁוּ וַאֲמִירָה מֵהַהוּא דִלְעֵילָא מִינֵּיהּ). And the one above it does nothing until it takes counsel from its companion (וְהַהוּא דִלְעֵילָא מִנֵּיהּ לָא עָבִיד מִדָּעַם עַד דְּנָטִיל עֵצָה מֵחַבְרֵיהּ). But the One called the Cause of all causes—there is none above Him, and none below Him equal to Him (אֲבָל הַהוּא דְאִתְקְרֵי עִילַּת עַל כָּל עִלּוֹת דְּלֵית לְעֵילָא מִנֵּיהּ וְלָא לְתַתָּא שָׁוְה לֵיהּ). As it is said: “And to whom shall you liken Me, and I shall be equal? says the Holy One” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְאֶל מִי תְדַמְיוּנִי וְאֶשְׁוֶה יֹאמַר קָדוֹשׁ) (Isaiah 40). He said: “See now that I, I am He, and there is no Elohim with Me”—from whom to take counsel (אָמַר רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי, דְּנָטִיל עֵצָה מִנֵּיהּ). In the likeness of that which said: “And Elohim said: Let Us make man” (כְּגַוְונָא דְהַהוּא דְּאָמַר וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם).

All the friends arose and said: Rabbi, give us permission to speak in this place (קָמוּ כֻּלְהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא וְאָמְרוּ רִבִּי הַב לָנָא רְשׁוּ לְמַלָּלָא בְּהַאי אֲתַר). They said: But did you not establish above that the Cause of causes said to Keter, “Let Us make man”? (אָמְרוּ וְהָא לָא אוֹקְמַת לְעֵילָא דְּעִלוֹת הָעִלּוֹת אָמַר לְכת״ר נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם). He said to them: Let your ears hear what your mouths speak (אָמַר לוֹן הֲווּ שְׁמָעִין אוּדְנַיְיכוּ מַה דְּפוּמְכוֹן מְמַלְּלָן). For I did not say to you now that there is One who is called the Cause of causes, and He is not the One who is called the Cause of all causes (וְהָא לָא אֲמָרִית לְכוּ הַשְׁתָּא דְּאִית דְּאִתְקְרֵי עִלַּת הָעִלּוֹת וְלָאו אִיהוּ הַהוּא דְאִתְקְרֵי עִלַּת עַל כָּל עִלּוֹת). For the Cause of all causes has no second from whom to take counsel, for He is one before all, and has no partner (דְּלְעִלַּת עַל כָּל עִלּוֹת לֵית לֵיהּ תִּנְיָינָא דְּנָטִיל עֵצָה מִנֵּיהּ דְּאִיהוּ יָחִיד קֳדָם כֹּלָּא וְלֵית לֵיהּ שׁוּתָּפָא). And because of this He said: “See now that I, I am He, and there is no Elohim with Me”—from whom to take counsel (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי דְּנָטִיל עֵצָה מִנֵּיהּ). For He has no second, no partner, and no reckoning (דְּלָא אִית לֵיהּ תִּנְיָינָא וְלָא שׁוּתָּפָא וְלָאו חוּשְׁבְּנָא). For there is One in partnership, as male and female, of whom it is said: “For I called him one” (דְּאִית אֶחָד בְּשִׁתּוּף כְּגוֹן דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא וְאִתְּמָר בְּהוֹן כִּי אֶחָד קְרָאתִיו) (Isaiah 51). But He is One without reckoning and without partnership (אֲבָל אִיהוּ חַד בְּלָא חוּשְׁבָּן וְלָא שִׁתּוּף). And because of this it is said: “And there is no Elohim with Me” (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי). All of them arose and prostrated before Him and said: Happy is the man whose Master has agreed with him to reveal hidden secrets which were not revealed even to the holy angels (קָמוּ כֻּלְהוּ וְאִשְׁתַּטָּחוּ קַמֵּיהּ וְאָמְרוּ זַכָּאָה בַּר נָשׁ דְּמָארֵיהּ אִסְּתְּכַּם עִמֵּיהּ לְגַלָּאָה רָזִין טְמִירִין דְּלָא הֲווּ מִתְגַּלְּיָין לְמַלְאָכַיָּיא קַדִּישַׁיָּיא).