Daf 33b (דַּף ל״ג ע״ב)

“Whose seed is in it upon the earth” (אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בּוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ). His seed is in it (זַרְעוֹ בּוֹ). It ought to have said “seed in it” (זֶרַע בּוֹ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). What is “his seed in it” (מַאי זַרְעוֹ בּוֹ)? Rather: seed—and the Vav—in it (אֶלָּא זֶרַע וָא״ו בּוֹ). Upon the earth—it is indeed so (עַל הָאָרֶץ הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). For that seed is cast upon the earth (דְּהָא הַהוּא זַרְעָא אַשְׁדֵי עַל אַרְעָא). Happy is the portion of Yisrael, who are holy and resemble the holy (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִנּוּן קַדִּישִׁין וְדַמְיָין לְקַדִּישִׁין). And therefore it is surely written, And your people are all Tzaddikim (וְעַל דָּא וַדַּאי כְּתִיב, וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים) (Isaiah 60). All of them surely Tzaddikim—for from these they came forth, and to these they resemble (כֻלָּם צַדִּיקִים וַדַּאי. דְּהָא מֵהָנֵי נָפְקוּ וּלְהָנֵי דַּמְיָין). Fortunate are they in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאֲתֵי).

Rabbi Hiyya said: It is written, He makes the earth by His power (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא כְּתִיב, עוֹשֶׂה אֶרֶץ בְּכֹחוֹ) (Jeremiah 10; 51). What is “He makes the earth”?—“made the earth” should have been said; rather “makes” indeed—continually—Kudsha Berikh Hu prepares this earth (מַאי עוֹשֶׂה אֶרֶץ… עָשָׂה אֶרֶץ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא עוֹשֶׂה וַדַּאי תְּדִיר וּמְתַקֵּן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְהַאי אַרְעָא). This is Kudsha Berikh Hu above (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעֵילָא). By His power—this is the Tzaddik (בְּכֹחוֹ דָּא צַדִּיק). He establishes the world by His wisdom (מֵכִין תֵּבֵל בְּחָכְמָתוֹ). “Tevel”(world)—this is the lower earth (תֵּבֵל דָּא אֶרֶץ דִּלְתַתָּא). “By His wisdom”—this is Tzedek, as it is written, And He shall judge the world with righteousness (בְּחָכְמָתוֹ דָּא צֶדֶק דִּכְתִיב וְהוּא יִשְׁפּוֹט תֵּבֵל בְּצֶדֶק) (Psalms 9). “He makes the earth”—this is Kudsha Berikh Hu, who prepares the earth and prepares its paths; and with what?—with His power, as said (עוֹשֶׂה אֶרֶץ דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּהוּא מַתְקִין אַרְעָא וּמַתְקִין אָרְחוֹי. וּבְמָּה. בְּכֹחוֹ כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן).

Rabbi Yehudah said: In the engraved letters of Rabbi El'azar there are knots of the letters—twenty-two bound as one (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר בְּאַתְוָון גְּלִיפָן דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אִית קוּטְרֵי דְּאַתְוָון כ״ב קְטִירִין כְּחֲדָא). Two letters—this one ascends and this one descends; and the one that ascends descends, and the one that descends ascends (תְּרֵין אַתְוָון דָּא סָלִיק וְדָא נָחִית וּדְסָלִיק נָחִית וּדְנָחִית סָלִיק). And the sign is, Surely in You, El (וְסִימָן דָּא אַ״ךְ בָּ״ךְ אֵ״ל) (Isaiah 45).

Rabbi Yosi said: The tip of the scales stands in the middle (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר טִיפְסָא דְּשִׁיקְלָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא קַיְימָא). And the sign is, In measure, in weight, etc. (וְסִימָן בְּמִדָּה בְּמִשְׁקָל וְגו׳) (Leviticus 19). “Weight”—a tongue that stands in the middle (מִשְׁקָל לִישָׁן דְּקַיְימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא). And the secret is, The shekel of the sanctuary is written (וְרָזָא דָּא שֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ כְּתִיב) (Exodus 30). And balances stand in it and are weighed (וּמֹאזְנַיִם בֵּיהּ קַיְימָן וְאִתְקָלוּ). Who are “balances”?—as you say, Just balances (מָאן מֹאזְנַיִם כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, מֹאזְנֵי צֶדֶק) (Leviticus 19). And all stand in weight by the shekel of the sanctuary (וְכֻלְהוּ קָיְימִין בְּמִשְׁקָל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ). Rabbi Yehudah said: “By the shekel of the sanctuary”—this is the Holy Spirit (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ דָּא רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ).

Rabbi Yitzchak said: It is written, By the word of Hashem the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק כְּתִיב, בִּדְבַר יְיָ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם) (Psalms 33). “By the word of Hashem the heavens were made”—these are the lower heavens made by the word of the upper heavens (בִּדְבַר יְיָ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ. אִלֵּין שְׁמַיָא דִלְתַתָּא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ בִּדְבַר שָׁמַיִם דִּלְעֵילָא). “By the breath”—that sends forth a voice until it reaches that river that flows and goes out, and its waters do not cease forever (בְּרוּחַ. דְּאַפִּיק קָלָא עַד דְּמָטֵי לְהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק וְלָא פָּסְקִין מֵימוֹי לְעָלְמִין). “And by the breath of His mouth all their host”—all the lower ones stand by the breath which is male (וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם. כֻּלְהוּ תַּתָּאֵי קָיְימִין בְּרוּחַ דְּאִיהוּ דְּכַר). “He waters the mountains from His upper chambers; from the fruit of Your works the earth is satisfied” (מַשְׁקֶה הָרִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָיו מִפְּרִי מַעֲשֶׂיךָ תִּשְׂבַּע הָאָרֶץ) (Psalms 104). “He waters the mountains from His upper chambers”—what are “His upper chambers”? As said: Who roofs His upper chambers with waters (מַשְׁקֶה הָרִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָיו. מָאן עֲלִיּוֹתָיו כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן. דִּכְתִיב, הַמְקָרֶה בַמַּיִם עֲלִיּוֹתָיו) (Psalms 104). “From the fruit of Your works the earth is satisfied”—the secret of that river which flows and goes forth below; this is that which is written, “that makes fruit whose seed is in it,” etc., and this has been said (מִפְּרִי מַעֲשֶׂיךָ תִּשְׂבַּע הָאָרֶץ. רָזָא דְהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק לְתַתָּא הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ בּוֹ וְגו׳ וְהָא אִתְּמָר).

Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to shine upon the earth (יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ). Let there be lights is defective (יְהִי מְאֹרֹת חָסֵר). Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said: Me’orot—in which resides the force of judgment (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אוֹמֵר: מְאוֹרֹת דְּשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ תּוּקְפָא דְּדִינָא). The vessel of judgment (קִילְטָא דְּדִינָא). Rabbi Yose said: Let there be lights below—this is the moon, which is the cause of suffocation in infants of the world (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר: יְהִי מְאֹרֹת לְתַתָּא, אִיהִי סִיהֲרָא, דְּבָהּ תַלְיָא אַסְכָּרָה לְרַבְיֵי עָלְמָא). And upon her depend the lights/curse (Me’erot) (וּבָהּ תַּלְיָא מְאֹרֹת), for she is the smallest light of all the lights (בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי נְהוֹרָא זוּטְרָא מִכָּל נְהוֹרִין), and there are times when she becomes darkened and does not receive light (וְזִמְנִין דְּאִתְחַשְּׁכָא וְלָא מְקַבְּלָא נְהוֹרָא).

In the firmament of the heavens—this is the firmament which is the totality of all (בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם, דָּא הוּא רְקִיעָא דְּאִיהוּ כְּלָלָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ), for it receives all lights and shines to that light which does not shine (בְּגִין דְּנָטִיל כָּל נְהוֹרִין, וְהוּא נָהִיר לְהַאי נְהוֹרָא דְּלָא נָהֲרָא). And she depends upon it, for that curse cleaves to her, and upon it depend below all those other weapons, due to the smallness of her light (וְהִיא תַלְיָא בֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִתְדַּבֵּק בָּהּ הַהוּא מְאָרָה, וּבֵיהּ תָּלְיָין לְתַתָּא כָּל אִינוּן זֵינִין אַחֲרָנִין, בְּגִין זְעֵירוּ דְּנְהוֹרָא).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: And even that firmament which does not shine (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר: וְאַפִּיק הַאי רְקִיעָא דְּלָא נָהִיר). Some say: And even (נ״א: וַאֲפִילוּ). We call it Kingship of Heaven, Land of Yisrael, and Land of the Living (וְקָרִינָן לֵיהּ מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם, וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים). The heavens—this is that firmament which shines (הַשָּׁמַיִם אִיהוּ הַאי רָקִיעַ דְּנָהִיר). Therefore, Let there be lights is written defective, missing the letter Vav (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ, יְהִי מְאֹרֹת חָסֵר וָו). What is the reason? Because without the Vav, it spells death in the world (מַאי טַעְמָא דְּהָא בְּלָא וָו מוֹתָא הוּא בְּעָלְמָא).

Let there be lights—all is dependent upon it, to include Lilith in the world (יְהִי מְאֹרֹת, כֹּלָּא בֵּיהּ תַלְיָא לְאַכְלָלָא לִילִית בְּעָלְמָא). As it is written: Small and great are there (כְּתִיב: קָטָן וְגָדוֹל שָׁם הוּא) (Job 3), and it is written: For there, mighty is Hashem for us (וּכְתִיב: כִּי אִם שָׁם אַדִּיר יְיָ לָנוּ) (Isaiah 33), and it is written: There Lilith rested and found for herself a place of rest (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: אַךְ שָׁם הִרְגִּיעָה לִילִית וּמָצְאָה לָהּ מָנוֹחַ) (Isaiah 34).

Rabbi El'azar said: Let there be lights—this is the mirror that does not shine from itself (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר: יְהִי מְאֹרֹת, מִרְאָה דְּלָא נַהֲרָא מִגַּרְמָהּ), but only through the hand of the supernal lights that shine to it, like a glass lamp that catches light and shines (אֶלָּא עַל יְדָא דִּנְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין דְּנָהֲרִין לָהּ, כַּעֲשָׁשִׁיתָא דְּלָקְטָא נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר). It is written: Behold, the Ark of the Covenant, the Lord of all the earth (כְּתִיב: הִנֵּה אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ) (Joshua 3).

Behold, the Ark—this is the mirror that does not shine (הִנֵּה אֲרוֹן, דָּא מִרְאָה דְּלָא נָהֲרָא). The Covenant—the shining mirror (הַבְּרִית, מִרְאָה דְּנָהֲרָא). Behold, the Ark—this is Me’orot (הִנֵּה אֲרוֹן, דָּא הִיא מְאֹרֹת). The Ark is the container to elevate within it the Written Torah (אֲרוֹן, תֵּיבוּתָא לְאַעֲלָאָה בְּגַוַיְהּ תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב). The Covenant—this is the sun that shines to her (הַבְּרִית, דָּא שִׁמְשָׁא דְּנָהִיר לָהּ). And she is in covenant with it—the Ark of the Covenant precisely (וְאִיהִי בְּרִית בַּהֲדֵיהּ, אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית דַּיְיקָא). The Lord of all the earth—the Covenant, who is the Lord of all the earth (אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ, הַבְּרִית דְּאִיהוּ אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ).