Daf 33a (דַּף ל״ג ע״א)

Rabbi El'azar said: The first letter of the letters was hovering upon the face of the pure knot (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר אָת קַדְמָאָה דְּאַתְוָון הֲוָה שַׁטְיָא עַל אַנְפּוֹי דְּקִיטְרָא דַכְיָא). And it was crowned from above (וְאִתְעַטַּר מִלְּעֵילָא). And it ascended and descended (וְסָלִיק וְנָחִית). And the waters were engraved in their engravings (וּמַיָא מִתְגַּלְּפֵי בְּגִלּוּפַיְיהוּ). And they settled in their places (וּמִתְיַישְׁבָן בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ). And they were included one with the other (וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ חַד בְּחַד). So too all the letters were included one with the other (וְכֵן אַתְוָון כֻּלְהוּ כְּלִילָן דָּא בְּדָא). And they were crowned one with the other (וּמִתְעַטְּרָן דָּא בְּדָא). Until structure and foundation were built upon them (עַד דְּאִתְבְּנֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ בִּנְיָינָא וִיסוֹדָא). And when they were all built and crowned (וְכַד אִתְבְּנִיאוּ כֻּלְהוּ וְאִתְעַטְּרוּ).

The supernal waters mingled with the lower waters (הֲווּ מַיִין עִלָּאִין מִתְעָרְבִין בְּמַיִין תַּתָּאִין). And they brought forth the house of the world (וַאֲפִיקוּ בֵּיתָא דְעָלְמָא). And they brought forth two lights, one called earth and one called heaven (ועל דא אפיקו תרין נהורין חד דאקרי ארץ ונהורא דאקרי שמים). And therefore the Bet appeared first (וְעַל דָּא ב' אִתְחַזֵּי בְּרִישָׁא). And the waters ascended and descended until the firmament was made and separated them (וּמַיִין סָלְקִין וְנָחֲתִין עַד דְּהַאי רָקִיעַ הֲוָה וְאַפְרִישׁ לוֹן). And contention was on the second day (וּמַחְלוֹקֶת הֲוָה בַּשֵּׁנִי). In it Gehinom was created, a fire burning, as it is said, For Hashem your Elohim is a consuming fire (דְּבֵיהּ אִתְבְּרֵי גֵּיהִנֹּם דְּאִיהוּ נוּרָא דְדָלִיק כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר אֵשׁ אוֹכְלָה הוּא) (Deuteronomy 4). And it is destined to dwell upon the heads of the guilty (וְזַמִּין לְאַשְׁרָאָה עַל רֵישַׁיְיהוּ דְּחַיָּיבַיָא).

Rabbi Yehudah said: From here we learn that every contention which is for the sake of heaven, its end is to endure (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה מֵהָכָא כָּל מַחְלוֹקֶת דְּאִיהוּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם סוֹפָהּ לְהִתְקַיֵּים). For here the contention was for the sake of heaven, and in this the heavens endured (דְּהָא הָכָא מַחְלוֹקֶת דְּאִיהוּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם הֲוָה וְשָׁמַיִם בְּהַאי אִתְקַיָּים). After this it is written, And Elohim called the firmament Shamayim (לְבָתַר דָּא דִּכְתִיב וַיִּקְרָא אֱלהִים לָרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם) (Bereshit 1).

By the supernal engraving, in their places they were found and established (בְּקַטְפִירָא דְּעִילִיתָא בְּקִסְטַיְיהוּ שְׁכִיחֵי וְאִתְקַיְימוּ). For we have learned, it is written, And the veil shall divide for you between the holy and between the Holy of Holies—precisely, for this is the firmament which divides in the middle (דְּהָא תָּנִינָן כְּתִיב וְהִבְדִּילָה הַפָּרוֹכֶת לָכֶם בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבֵין קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים דַּיְיקָא, דְּהָא אִיהוּ רָקִיעַ דִּמְפָרֵשׁ בְּגוֹ בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא) (Exodus 26).

Come and see: It is written afterwards, Let the waters be gathered together from under the heavens to one place (תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב לְבָתַר יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד) (Bereshit 1). From under the heavens—truly (מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם מַמָּשׁ). To one place—to the place that is called One (אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד. לְאֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי אֶחָד). And this is the lower sea, for it completes the One, and without it, it is not called One (וְאִיהוּ יַם תַּתָּאָה דְּהָא אִיהוּ אַשְׁלִים לְאֶחָד. וּבְלָּא אִיהוּ לָא אִקְרֵי אֶחָד). And the meaning of “be gathered” is that in it all waters are gathered, as it is said, All the rivers go to the sea, etc. (וּמַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב יִקָּווּ דְּבֵיהּ מִתְכַּנְשִׁין כֻּלְהוּ מַיָא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם וְגו') (Ecclesiastes 1).

Rabbi Yessa said: To one place—this is the place of which it is written, My covenant of peace shall not be removed (רִבִּי יֵיסָא אָמַר אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד, דָּא אִיהוּ אֲתַר דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ וּבְרִית שְׁלוֹמִי לא תָמוּט) (Isaiah 54). For this one takes all and casts it into the sea, and in it the earth was established, as it is written, And let the dry land appear, that is the earth, as it is said, And Elohim called the dry land earth (דְּהָא אִיהוּ נָטִיל כֹּלָּא וְשָׁדֵי בְּיַמָּא וּבֵיהּ אִתְתַּקָּנַת אַרְעָא דִּכְתִיב וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה דָּא הוּא אֶרֶץ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לַיַּבָּשָׁה אָרֶץ) (Bereshit 1). Why is it called dry land? Rabbi Yitzchak said: It is that which is written, Bread of affliction—bread of poverty it is written (אַמַּאי אִקְרֵי יַבָּשָׁה. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב לֶחֶם עוֹנִי לֶחֶם עָנִי כְּתִיב) (Deuteronomy 16). And because it is bread of poverty, it is called dry land (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ לֶחֶם עָנִי אִקְרֵי יַבָּשָׁה). And it draws into itself all the waters of the world, and it becomes dry, until this place fills it, and then the waters flow forth, the paths which are the springs (וְשָׁאִיב בְּגַוָּוהּ כָּל מֵימִין דְּעָלְמָא וְאִיהִי יְבֵשָׁא הֲוֵי. עַד דְּאֲתַר דָּא אִמְלֵי לָהּ וּכְדֵין נַגְדִין מַיָא אוֹרַח דְּאִנּוּן מְקוֹרוֹת). And to the gathering of the waters He called seas—this is the gathering house of supernal waters, where all the waters are gathered, and from there they flow and go forth (וּלְמִקְוֵה הַמַּיִם קָרָא יַמִּים דָּא הוּא בֵּית כְּנִישׁוּת מַיִין דִּלְעֵילָא דְּתַמָּן מִתְכַּנְשִׁין כָּל מַיָא וּמִתַּמָּן נָגְדִין וְנָפְקִין).p1-43

The seventh is in the east of the world (שְׁבִיעִי הֲוֵי בְּמִזְרָחוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם), and from there comes the seed of Yisrael (וּמִשָׁם בָּא זָרְעַם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל), for the spinal cord is drawn from the brain of a man and comes to the organ, and from there is the seed (כִּי חוּט הַשִׁדְרָה מָשׁוּךְ מִן הַמוֹחַ שֶׁל אָדָם וּבָא לַאָמָּה וּמִשָׁם הוּא הַזֶרַע), as it is written, From the east I will bring your seed (מִמִּזְרָח אַבִיא זַרְעֲךָ) (Isaiah 43). When Yisrael are good—from this place I will bring your seed; a new seed will be renewed for you (כְּשֶׁיִשְׂרָאֵל טוֹבִים מִזֶּה הַמָּקוֹם אַבִיא זַרְעֲךָ יִתְחַדֵּשׁ לְךָ זְרַע חָדָשׁ). And when Yisrael are bad—from the seed that has already come into the world, as it is written, A generation goes and a generation comes (וּכְּשֶׁיִשְׂרָאֵל רָעִים מִן הַזֶּרַע שֶׁכְּבָר בָּא לְעוֹלָם דִכְתִיב הוֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא) (Ecclesiastes 1). A generation that has already come (דוֹר שֶׁכְּבָר בָּא). And what is From the west I will gather you (וּמָאי מִמָעֲרָב אֲקַבְּצֵךְ)? From that attribute that always inclines to the west (מֵאוֹתָה מִדָּה שׁנוֹטֶה תָּמִיד לְמַעֲרָב). And why is it called west? Because there all the seed is mixed (וְלָמָּה אִיקְרֵי מַעֲרָב, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשָּׁם מִתְעָרֵב כָּל הַזֶּרַע).

A parable: to what is the matter comparable (מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה)? To a king’s son who had a beautiful and modest bride in his chamber (לְבֵן מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ כַלָּה נָאָה וּצְנוּעָה בְּחַדְרוֹ), and he would take from his father’s house wealth and bring it to her constantly (וְהָיָה לוֹקֵחַ מִבֵּית אָבִיו עוֹשֶׁר וּמֵבִיא לָהּ תָּמִיד), and she would take everything and hide it always and mix it all (וְלוֹקַחַת הַכֹּל וּמָצְנָעַת אוֹתוֹ תָּמִיד וּמְעַרֶבֶת הַכֹּל). At the end of days he sought to see what she had gathered and collected (לְסוֹף יַמִּים בִּיקֵשׁ לִרְאוֹת מָה אֲסָף וּמָה קִיבֵּץ), this is what is written, And from the west I will gather you (הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב וּמִמָעֲרָב אֲקַבְּצֵךְ). And what is his father’s house, as it is written, From the east I will bring your seed (וּמַאי נִיהוּ בֵּית אָבִיו דִכְתִיב מִמִּזְרָח אַבִיא זַרְעֲךָ)? It teaches that from the east He brings and sows in the west, and afterwards He gathers what He sowed (מְלַמֵּד שְׁמִמִזְרָח מֵבִיא וְזוֹרֵעַ בַּמָעֲרָב וְאַחַר כָּךְ הוּא מְקַבֵּץ מָה שְׁזָרָע).p1-44

Rabbi Hiyya said: The gathering of the waters—this is the Tzaddik (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא מִקְּוֵה הַמַיִם דָּא צַדִּיק). For when it reaches the gathering of the waters it is written, And Elohim saw that it was good (דְּכַד מָטָא לְמִקְוֵה הַמַּיִם כְּתִיב וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים כִּי טוֹב), and it is written, Say of the Tzaddik that it is good (וּכְתִיב אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב) (Isaiah 3). (And likewise the primordial light is called “good”; and thus regarding all of them it is written “that it was good,” except the second day in which “that it was good” is not written) ((וכן אור קדמאה טוב אקרי. וכן כלהו כתיב בהו כי טוב. בר יומא תניינא דלא כתיב ביה כי טוב)). Rabbi Yosi said: Yisrael is the gathering (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר יִשְׂרָאֵל מִקְוֵה אִיהוּ), as it is written, The gathering of Yisrael is Hashem (דִּכְתִיב מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ) (Jeremiah 17).

Rabbi Hiyya said: This is the Tzaddik; this is what is written, He called seas (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר דָּא צַדִּיק. הַיְנוּ דִּכְתִיב קָרָא יַמִּים). Because streams and springs and rivers—all of them he takes, and he is the source of all, and he takes all; therefore “seas” (בְּגִין דִּנְחָלִין וּמַבּוּעִין וּנְהָרִין כֻּלְהוּ נָטִיל לוֹן וְאִיהוּ מְקוֹרָא דְּכֹלָּא וְאִיהוּ נָטִיל כֹּלָּא בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ יַמִּים). And therefore, And Elohim saw that it was good; and it is written, Say of the Tzaddik that it is good (וְעַל דָּא וַיַּרְא אֱלהִים כִּי טוֹב וּכְתִיב אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב) (Isaiah 3). And because it was inscribed, he separated between the first day and the third, and “that it was good” was not said within them (וּבְגִין דְּאִתְרְשִׁים אִיהוּ אַפְרִישׁ בֵּין יוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה לִתְלִיתָאָה וְלָא אִתְּמָר כִּי טוֹב בְּגַוַיְיהוּ). For on the third day the earth made herbs from the power of this Tzaddik, as it is written, And Elohim said: Let the earth sprout grass, herb yielding seed, fruit tree (דְּהָא בְּיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה עָבְדַּת אַרְעָא אִיבִין מֵחֵילָא דְּהַאי צַדִּיק דִּכְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלהִים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע עֵץ פְּרִי). What is “fruit tree”? This is the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, which makes buds and fruits (מַאי עֵץ פְּרִי. דָּא עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד אִיבִּין וּפֵרִין). “That makes fruit”—this is the Tzaddik, the foundation of the world (עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי דָּא צַדִּיק יְסוֹד דְּעָלְמָא).

According to its kind—of all human beings who have a holy spirit (לְמִינוֹ דְּכָל בְּנֵי נְשָׁא דְּאִית לוֹן רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא). For it is the bud of that tree; the inscription is upon them according to its kind (דְּאִיהוּ אִיבָּא דְּהַהוּא אִילָנָא רָשִׁים בְּהוּ רְשִׁימָא לְמִינוֹ). And what is it? The holy covenant, the covenant of peace (וּמַאי אִיהוּ, בְּרִית קֹדֶשׁ בְּרִית שָׁלוֹם). And the sons of faith—according to its kind; according to its kind they enter and do not separate from it (וּבְנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא לְמִינוֹ, לְמִינוֹ עָאלִין וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן מִנִּיהּ). And the Tzaddik “makes fruit” (וְצַדִּיק עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי הוּא). And that tree becomes pregnant and brings forth that fruit according to its kind (וְהַהוּא אִילָנָא אִתְעַבְרַת וְאַפִּיקַת הַהוּא פְּרִי לְמִינוֹ). According to its kind—that this “maker of fruit” should be like it (לְמִינוֹ דְּהַהוּא עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי דְיֶהוֵי כַּוָּותֵיהּ).

Happy is the portion of one who resembles his mother and his father (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ מַאן דְּדָמֵי לְאִמֵּיהּ וְלְאֲבוֹי). Therefore the holy inscription is on the eighth day, so that he resemble his mother (וְעַל כֵּן רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּיוֹמָא תְּמִינָאָה בְּגִין דְּיִדְמֵי לְאִמֵּיהּ). (Because she is the eighth degree, and that soul which flew from her needs to appear before her for eight days) ((בגין דהיא דרגא תמינאה וההיא נפשא דפרח מנה אצטריכת לאתחזאה קמה לתמניא יומין)). And when it is uncovered and the holy inscription is revealed, it is so that he resemble his father (וְכַד אִתְפְּרָעַת וְאִתְגַּלְיָיא רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּגִין דְּיִדְמֵי לְאֲבוֹי). And therefore “fruit tree”—this is Imma; “that makes fruit”—this is the holy covenant, the father (וְעַל דָּא עֵץ פְּרִי דָּא אִמָּא. עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי דָּא בְּרִית קֹדֶשׁ אֲבוֹי). According to its kind—that he resemble him and be inscribed in him (לְמִינוֹ דְּיִדְמֵי לֵיהּ וְאִתְרְשִׁים בֵּיהּ).