Daf 32b (דַּף ל״ב ע״ב)

Since Yisrael abandoned it—when they were circumcising but not uncovering—what is written? Then the people of Hashem went down to the gates (כֵּיוָן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁבְקוּ לֵיהּ דְּהֲווּ גָּזְרִין וְלָא פָּרְעִין. מַה כְּתִיב, אָז יָרְדוּ לַשְּׁעָרִים עַם יְיָ) (Judges 5). Went down to the gates—these were the gates of righteousness, and they sat at the openings but did not enter within (יָרְדוּ לַשְּׁעָרִים, אִנּוּן שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק הֲווּ יָתְבִין לְתַרְעֵי וְלָא עָאלִין לְגוֹ). And at that time it is written, And the children of Yisrael forsook Hashem, etc. (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא כְּתִיב, וַיַּעְזְבוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת יְיָ וְגו') (Judges 2). Until Devorah arose and gave generously to them, as it is written, When breaches broke out in Yisrael, etc. (עַד דְּאֲתַת דְּבוֹרָה וּנְדִיבַת לוֹן בְּהַאי כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, בִּפְרוֹעַ פְּרָעוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְגו') (Judges 5). And because of this it is written, They ceased, open dwellings in Yisrael (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב חָדְלוּ פְּרָזוֹן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). “They ceased, open dwellings”—this is that “openness” which we said before (חָדְלוּ פְּרָזוֹן, דָּא הוּא פִּרְזוֹנוֹ דְּקָא אֲמָרָן). “They ceased, open dwellings”—the enduring holy one that was not breached (חָדְלוּ פְּרָזוֹן, קַיָּים קַדִּישָׁא דְּלָא אִתְפָּרְעוּן).

Until I, Devorah, arose; I arose, a mother in Yisrael (עַד שַׁקַּמְתִּי דְבוֹרָה שַׁקַּמְתִּי אֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל) (Judges 5). What is “a mother”? Rather, I descended, supernal waters from above, to sustain the worlds (מַאי אֵם. אֶלָּא אֲנָא נְחָתִית מַיִין עִלָּאִין מֵעֵילָא לְקַיְּימָא עָלְמִין). In Yisrael, both above and below, to show that the world is sustained only through this existence (בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל סְתָם לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּעָלְמָא לָא אִתְקַיָּים אֶלָּא עַל קְיָימָא דָא). And the secret of all is that which is written, The righteous is the foundation of the world (וְרָזָא דְּכֹלָא וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם כְּתִיב) (Proverbs 10). Three go forth from one; one in three is sustained; it enters between two (תְּלַת נַפְקֵי מֵחַד. חַד בִּתְלַת קַיְימָא עָאל בֵּין תְּרֵין). Two draw from one; one draws to many sides; then all is one (תְּרֵין יַנְקִין לְחַד, חַד יָנִיק לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין. כְּדֵין כֹּלָּא חַד). This is what is written, And there was evening and there was morning, one day (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד). A day in which evening and morning are included as one. This is the secret of the covenant of day and night, and in it all is one (יוֹם דְּעֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר כָּלִיל כְּחֲדָא. הַיְנוּ רָזָא דִבְרִית יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה וּבֵיהּ כֹּלָּא חָד). And Elohim said: Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate between water and water (וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם) (Bereshit 1).

Rabbi Yehudah said: Seven firmaments are above (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִים אִנּוּן לְעֵילָא). And all of them exist in supernal holiness (וְכֻלְהוּ קַיְימָא בִּקְדוּשָׁתָּא עִלָּאָה). And the holy Name is perfected in them (וּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּהוּ אִשְׁתַּכְלַל). And this firmament is in the middle of the waters (וְדָא רָקִיעָא הוּא בְּאֶמְצָעוּת מַיָא). This firmament exists upon other living creatures, and it separates between supernal waters and lower waters (דָּא רָקִיעַ קַיְימָא עַל גַּבֵּי חֵיוָותָא אָחֳרָנִין. וְאִיהוּ אַפְרִישׁ בֵּין מַיִין עִלָּאִין לְמַיִּין תַּתָּאִין). And the lower waters call to the higher waters, and from this firmament they are given drink. This is what separates them (וּמַיִין תַּתָּאִין קָרְאִין לְעִלָּאִין. וּמֵהַאי רָקִיעַ שָׁתָאן לוֹן. דָּא הוּא דְּמַפְרִישׁ בֵּינַיְיהוּ).

Because all the waters are included within it, and afterwards descend to those living creatures and drink from there (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְהוּ מַיָא בֵּיהּ כְּלִילָן. וּלְבָתַר נָחִית לוֹן לְהָנִי חֵיוָותָא וְשָׁאֲבִין מִתַּמָּן). It is written, A locked garden is my sister, my bride; a locked spring, a sealed fountain (כְּתִיב גַּן נָעוּל אֲחוֹתִי כַלָּה גַּל נָעוּל מַעְיָן חָתוּם) (Song of Songs 4). “A locked garden”—for all is hidden within it, and all is included in it (גַּן נָעוּל, דְּכֹלָּא אַסְתִּים בֵּיהּ. דְּכֹלָּא אִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ). “A locked spring”—for that river flows and goes out and enters within it, and is included, and does not go out, and its waters freeze within it and remain (גַּל נָעוּל, דְּהַהוּא נָהָר נָגִיד וְנָפִיק וְעֲיִּיל בֵּיהּ וְכָלִיל וְלָא אַפִּיק וְקָרְשֵׁי מַיָא בֵּיהּ וְקָיְימֵי). What is the reason? Because the north wind blows into those waters, and they freeze and do not go forth, until ice is formed (מָאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּרוּחַ צָפוֹן נָשִׁיב בְּאִנּוּן מַיָא וְאִתְקְרִישׁוּ וְלָא נָפְקֵי לְבַר עַד דְּאִתְעֲבִיד קֶרַח).

And if not for the side of the south, which strikes and weakens the strength of that ice, water would never go forth from it to the worlds (וְאִלְמָלֵא סִטְרָא דְדָרוֹם דְּאַקִישׁ תֻּקְפֵּיהּ דְּהַאי קֶרַח לָא נַפְקֵי מִנֵּיהּ מַיָּא לְעָלְמִין). And the appearance of that supernal firmament is like the appearance of that ice which congeals and brings within it all those waters (וְחֵיזוּ דְּהַהוּא רְקִיעָא עִלָּאָה כְּחֵיזוּ דְּהַאי קֶרַח דְּמִתְקַרְשָׁא וּמַכְנִיס בְּגַוֵיהּ כָּל אִנּוּן מַיִין). So that supernal one, upon which are gathered all those waters, and it separates between supernal waters and lower waters (כָּךְ הַהוּא עִלָּאָה דְּעֲלֵיהּ כָּנִישׁ כָּל אִנּוּן מַיִין וְאַפְרִישׁ בֵּין מַיִין עִלָאִין לְמַיִין תַּתָּאִין). And this that we said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, meaning in the middle—not so (וְהַאי דְּאֲמָרָן יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם. בִּמְצִיעוּת. לָאו הָכִי). Rather, “let there be” is written—that which came from it became in the middle of the waters, and it is above, standing upon the heads of the living creatures (אֶלָּא יְהִי כְּתִיב. הַהוּא דְּהֲוֵי מִנֵּיהּ בִּמְצִיעוּת מַיָא הֲוֵי. וְאִיהוּ לְעֵיל דְּקַיְימָא עַל רֵישָׁא דְּחֵיוָותָא).

Rabbi Yitzchak said: There is a membrane in the middle of a man’s belly which separates from below to above, and it draws from above and gives below (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק אִית קְרוּמָא בִּמְצִיעוּת מֵעוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ פָּסִיק מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא וְשָׁאִיב מֵעֵילָא וְיָהִיב לְתַתָּא). So too, this firmament is in the middle, standing upon those living creatures below, and it separates between supernal waters and lower waters (כָּךְ גַּוְונָא דָא רָקִיעַ אִיהוּ בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא וְקַיְמָא עַל אִנּוּן חֵיוָתָא דִלְתַתָּא. וְאִיהוּ פָּרִישׁ בֵּין מַיִין עִלָאִין לְתַתָּאִין). Come and see: those waters thickened and gave birth to darkness, and on this secret it is written, And the veil shall divide for you between the holy and between the Holy of Holies (תָּא חֲזֵי, אִנּוּן מַיִן אַעֲדוּ וְאוֹלִידוּ חֲשׁוֹכָא. וְעַל רָזָא דָא כְּתִיב וְהִבְדִּילָה הַפָּרוֹכֶת לָכֶם בֵּין הַקֹדֶשׁ וּבֵין קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים) (Exodus 26).

Rabbi Abba opened: Who roofs His upper chambers with waters, etc.—these are the supernal waters, through which the house was established, as it is said, Through wisdom a house is built, and with understanding it is established (רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח הַמְקָרֶה בַמַּיִם עֲלִיּוֹתָיו וְגו'. בַּמַיִם אִלֵּין מַיִין עִלָּאִין דְּכֹלָּא דְּבְּהוּ תַּקִּין בֵּיתָא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר בְּחָכְמָה יִבָּנֶה בָּיִת וּבִתְבוּנָה יִתְכּוֹנָן) (Psalms 104; Proverbs 24). Who makes the clouds His chariot—Rabbi Yessa Sava explained: clouds, cloud, sea. Cloud is darkness, the left side, standing upon the sea, this one (הַשָּׂם עָבִים רְכוּבוֹ. רִבִּי יֵיסָא סָבָא פָּלִיג עָבִים עָ''ב יָ''ם. עָב דְּאִיהוּ חשֶׁךְ שְׂמָאלָא דְּקַיְימָא עַל יָם דָּא). Who walks upon the wings of the wind—this is the spirit of the supernal sanctuary. And the secret is, two Keruvim of gold (הַמְהַלֵּךְ עַל כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ דָּא רוּחָא דְּמַקְדְּשָׁא עִלָּאָה. וְרָזָא דָא שְׁנַיִם כְּרוּבִים זָהָב) (Exodus 25). As it is written, And He rode upon a Keruv and flew, He soared upon the wings of the wind (כְּתִיב וַיִּרְכַּב עַל כְּרוּב וַיָּעוֹף וַיֵּדֶא עַל כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ) (Psalms 18). He rode upon a Keruv first; afterwards He was revealed upon the wings of the wind. Until this one was aroused, the other was not revealed (וַיִּרְכַּב עַל כְּרוּב חַד לְבָתַר אִיגְלֵי עַל כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ וְעַד דְּהַאי אִתְעַר לָא אִתְגְּלִי בְּהַאי).

Rabbi Yosi said: It is written, He measured the waters by measure (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר כְּתִיב וּמַיִם תִּכֵּן בַּמִּדָּה) (Job 28). By measure indeed He established them when they entered within (בַּמִּדָּה מַמָּשׁ אַתְקִין לְהוּ כַּד מָטוּן לְגַוָּוהּ). And these are the arrangements of the world, when they reach from the side of Gevurah (וְאִנּוּן תִּקּוּנָא דְעָלְמָא כַּד מָטוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִגְבוּרָה). Rabbi Abba said: So the sages of old would say—when they reached this place, they murmured the lips of wisdom and said nothing, so that they would not be punished (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא כָּךְ הֲווּ קַדְמָאֵי אָמְרֵי כַּד הֲווּ מָטָאן לְהַאי אֲתַר מְרַחֲשָׁן שִׁפְוָון דְּחַכִּימִין וְלָא אָמָרִין מִדִּי בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְעַנְשׁוּן).