Daf 28a (דַּף כ״ח ע״א)

And the woman who has blood of purity and blood of niddah (וְאִתְּתָא דְּאִית לָהּ דַּם טוֹהַר וְדַם נִדָּה). From the side of Mishnah she is set for him (מִסִּטְרָא דְּמִשְׁנָה אִיהִי שַׁוְיָא לֵיהּ). But she is not his mate of unification (וְלָאו אִיהִי בַּת זוּגֵיהּ יִחוּדָא דִּילֵיהּ). For there is no unification until the Erev rav are blotted out from the world (דְּלֵית יִחוּדָא עַד דְּעֵרֶב רַב יִתְמָחוּן מֵעָלְמָא). And because of this Moshe was buried outside the holy land (וּבְגִין דָא אִתְקְבַר מֹשֶׁה לְבַר מֵאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). And his burial is Mishnah (וּקְבוּרְתָּא דִילֵיהּ מִשְׁנָה). And no man knew his burial place until this day (וְלָא יָדַע גְּבַר יַת קְבוּרְתֵּיהּ עַד יוֹמָא הָדֵין). His burial is Mishnah that rules over the Matronita (קְבוּרְתָּא דִילֵיהּ מִשְׁנָה דְּשָׁלְטָא עַל מַטְרוֹנִיתָא). Which is Kabbalah for Moshe (דְּאִיהִי קַבָּלָה לְמֹשֶׁה). And the King and the Matronita are separated from her Husband (וּמַלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִבַּעֲלָהּ). Because of this: “Under three the earth trembles… under a servant when he reigns” (Proverbs 30) (בְּגִין דָּא תַּחַת שָׁלוֹשׁ רָגְזָה אֶרֶץ וְכוּ׳ תַּחַת עֶבֶד כִּי יִמְלוֹךְ). This is the known slave (דָּא אִיהוּ עַבְדָא יְדִיעָא). And the maidservant—this is Mishnah (וְשִׁפְחָה דָּא מִשְׁנָה). And “a fool when he is filled with bread”—this is the Erev rav (וְנָבָל כִּי יִשְׂבַּע לָחֶם דָּא עֵרֶב רַב). “A vile nation without wisdom” (וְגו׳ עַם נָבָל וְלֹא חָכָם). Again he opened and said (עוֹד פָּתַח וְאָמַר). “And Hashem Elohim formed from the earth every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens” (Bereshit 2) (וַיִּצֶר יְיָ אֱלֹהִים מִן הָאֲדָמָה כָּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה וְכָל עוֹף הַשָּׁמָיִם). Woe to the world that are stupid of heart and closed of eyes (וַוי לְעָלְמָא דְּאִנּוּן אַטִּימִין לִבָּא וּסְתִימִין עַיְינִין). That do not look into the secrets of the Orayta and do not know (דְּלָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין בְּרָזֵי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא וְלָא יָדְעִין). For surely “beasts of the field” and “birds of the heavens” are the common people (דְּוַדַּאי חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה וְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם אִנּוּן עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ). And even in these, which are nefesh ḥayah, no help was found in them for the Shekhinta in exile, nor for Moshe who is with her (וְאֲפִילּוּ בְּאִלֵּין דְּאִנּוּן נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח עֵזֶר בְּהוֹן לִשְׁכִינְתָּא בְּגָלוּתָא וְלָא לְמֹשֶׁה דְּאִיהוּ עִמַּהּ). For at every time the Shekhinta went into exile, he did not depart from her (דְּבְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּגָלַת שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא זָז מִנָּהּ).

Rabbi El‘azar said: But who gave the work of Adam to Yisrael and to Moshe? (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְהָא מַאן יָהִיב עוֹבָדָא דְּאָדָם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְמֹשֶׁה). He said to him: My son, and you said thus—have you not learned: “Declaring the end from the beginning”? (Isaiah 46) (אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּרִי וְאַנְתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ הָכִי וְכִי לָא אוֹלִיפַת מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית). He said to him: So it is indeed (אָמַר לֵיהּ הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). And because of this, Moshe did not die, and he was called Adam (וּבְגִין דָּא מֹשֶׁה לָא מִית וְאָדָם אִתְקְרֵי אִיהוּ). And concerning him it is said: in the final exile, “But for Adam no help was found, only all against him” (Bereshit 2) (וּבְגִינֵיהּ אִתְּמָר בְּגָלוּתָא בַּתְרָאָה וּלְאָדָם לֹא מָצָא עֵזֶר אֶלָּא כֻּלְהוּ כְּנֶגְדוֹ). And so for the middle pillar it is said: “But for Adam no help was found” (Bereshit 2) (וְכֵן עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא אִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ וּלְאָדָם לֹא מָצָא עֵזֶר). That he brought out the Shekhinta from exile (דְּאַפִּיק שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ מִן גָּלוּתָא). As it is written: “And he looked this way and that way, and saw there was no man” (Exodus 2) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ). And Moshe is truly in his image, of whom it is said: “No help was found opposite him” (וּמֹשֶׁה אִיהוּ בְּדִיּוֹקְנֵיהּ מַמָּשׁ דְּאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ לֹא מָצָא עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדוֹ). At that time: “And Hashem Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man” (Bereshit 2) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא וַיַּפֵּל יְיָ אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה עַל הָאָדָם). Hashem Elohim — Abba and Imma (יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אַבָּא וְאִמָּא). “A deep sleep” — this is exile (תַּרְדֵּמָה דָּא גָלוּתָא). As it is said: “And a deep sleep fell upon Avram” (Bereshit 15) (דְּאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ וְתַרְדֵּמָה נָפְלָה עַל אַבְרָם). He lifted it upon Moshe, and he slept (אֲרָמֵי לֵיהּ עַל מֹשֶׁה וַיִּישָׁן). There is no “sleep” except exile (לֵית שֵׁינָה אֶלָּא גָלוּתָא). “And He took one of his sides” (Bereshit 2) (וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעוֹתָיו). From his sides — of whom? (מִצַּלְעוֹתָיו דְּמָאן). Rather, from those worlds of the Matronita, Abba and Imma took one of them (אֶלָּא מֵאִלִּין עוּלֵמִין דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא נְטָלוּ אַבָּא וְאִמָּא חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ). And it is the white side, fair as the moon (וְאִיהוּ סִטְרָא חִוָורָא. יָפֶה כַלְּבָנָה). “And He closed up the flesh beneath it” (Bereshit 2) (וַיִּסְגּוֹר בָּשָׂר תַּחְתֶּנָּה). This is the flesh of which it is said: “Inasmuch as he also is flesh” (Bereshit 6) (דָּא בָּשָׂר דְּאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ בְּשַׁגָּם הוּא בָּשָׂר). The flesh of Moshe is red (בָּשָׂר דְּמֹשֶׁה סוּמָק). Of him it is said: “The face of Moshe was like the face of the sun” (בְּעָלֵיהּ אִתְּמָר פְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה כִּפְנֵי חַמָּה). And because of this: “Fair as the moon, clear as the sun” (Song of Songs 6) (וּבְגִין דָּא יָפָה כַלְּבָנָה בָּרָה כַּחַמָּה).

Another matter: “And He closed up the flesh” — they sought to defend it over him (דָּבָר אַחֵר וַיִּסְגֹּר בָּשָׂר בָּעָאן לַאֲגָנָא בָּהּ עֲלֵיהּ). As it is written: “And Hashem shut him in” (Bereshit 7) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּסְגֹּר יְיָ בַּעֲדוֹ). Another matter: “And He closed” — as you say, “opposite the border; a border that stands,” in which the Matronita “shall be closed the six working days” (Leviticus 25; Ezekiel 46) (דָּבָר אַחֵר וַיִּסְגֹּר כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר לְעוּמַת הַמִּסְגֶּרֶת, מִסְגֶּרֶת מִתְקַיֶּמֶת, דְּבָהּ מַטְרוֹנִיתָא יִהְיֶה סָגוּר שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה). “And Hashem Elohim built the side” (Bereshit 2) (וַיִּבֶן יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע).

Here is hinted the secret of Yibbum; of which they said: “If he did not build, he shall not build again,” as it is written: “Who did not build up his brother’s house” (Deuteronomy 25) (הָכָא אִתְרְמִיז רָזָא דְיִבּוּם דְּאָמְרוּ בֵּיהּ כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא בָּנָה שׁוּב לֹא יִבְנֶה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִבְנֶה אֶת בֵּית אָחִיו). But regarding Kudsha Berikh Hu it is said: “And Hashem Elohim built”—Abba and Imma build for her; of this it is written: “Hashem builds Jerusalem” (Psalms 147) (אֲבָל לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ וַיִּבֶן יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אַבָּא וְאִמָּא בָּנֵי לָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם יְיָ). The Vav, who is the son of YH, Abba and Imma, of them it is said: “And Hashem Elohim built the side” (ו' דְּאִיהוּ בֶּן י״ה אַבָּא וְאִמָּא. עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר וַיִּבֶן יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע). “Which He had taken from the man”—this is the middle pillar (אֲשֶׁר לָקַח מִן הָאָדָם דָּא עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). “And He brought her to the man”—He brought to him the side taken from the Heh, her youthful world (וַיְבִיאֶהָ אֶל הָאָדָם אַיְיתֵי לֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי צֵלָע דְּנָטִיל מִן ה' עוּלֵימָא דִילָהּ). Of her it is said: “And I will be to her, says Hashem, a wall of fire round about” (Zechariah 2) (וְעֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר וַאֲנִי אֶהְיֶה לָהּ נְאֻם יְיָ חוֹמַת אֵשׁ סָבִיב). And because of this, on this mountain shall the Temple be built; by the hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu it shall stand for generations (Haggai 2) (וּבְגִין דָּא בְּטוּרָא דָא אִתְבְּנֵי בֵּי מִקְדְּשָׁא. עַל יְדָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְהֵא קַיָּימָא לְדָרֵי דָּרִין). And of it is said: “Greater shall be the glory of this latter house than the former” (Haggai 2) (וְעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר גָּדוֹל יִהְיֶה כְּבוֹד הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה הָאַחֲרוֹן מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן). For the first was built by the hand of man, and this by the hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu; and because of this: “If Hashem does not build the house, its builders labor in vain” (Psalms 127) (דְּקַדְמָאָה אִתְבְּנֵי עַל יְדָא דְּבַר נָשׁ וְהַאי עַל יְדָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וּבְגִין דָּא אִם יְיָ לֹא יִבְנֶה בַיִת שָׁוְא עָמְלוּ בוֹנָיו בּוֹ). And so it is said in Moshe: “And Hashem Elohim built the side” (Bereshit 2) (וְכֵן אִתְּמַר בְּמֹשֶׁה וַיִּבֶן יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע). As you say: “And for the second side of the Mishkan” (Exodus 26) (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וּלְצֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן הַשֵּׁנִית). “Tzela (side)‘” indeed—from the side of Chesed, white; from there she is called “moon” (צֶלַע וַדַּאי מִסִּטְרָא דְחֶסֶד חִוָּור, מִתַּמָּן אִתְקְרִיאַת סִיהֲרָא). “And He closed up the flesh beneath it”—flesh that is red, from the side of Gevurah, and it is included in both (Bereshit 2) (וַיִּסְגֹּר בָּשָׂר תַּחְתֶּנָּה, בָּשָׂר דְּאִיהוּ סוּמָק מִסִּטְרָא דִגְבוּרָה וְאִתְכְּלִיל בְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ). At that time: “His left hand beneath my head, and his right hand embraces me” (Song of Songs 2) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי). “This time, bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Bereshit 2) (זֹאת הַפַּעַם עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי). This is the Shekhinta, the maiden betrothed to the middle pillar (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא נַעֲרָה הַמְאוֹרָסָה לְגַבֵּי עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). Of her it is said: “This time…” I know that she is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh (אִתְּמָר בַּהּ זֹאת הַפַּעַם וְגו׳ אֲנָא יָדַעְנָא דְאִיהִי עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי). “For this one shall be called woman”—from the supernal side, which is Imma (לְזֹאת וַדַּאי יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה מִסִּטְרָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִיהִי אִמָּ״א). “For from man this one was taken”—from the side of Abba, which is Yod (כִּי מֵאִישׁ לֻקָּחָה זֹאת, מִסִּטְרָא דְּאַבָּ״א דְּאִיהוּ יו״ד). And so for Moshe, in his image below (וְכֵן מֹשֶׁה בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דִּילֵיהּ לְתַתָּא).