Daf 34a (דַּף ל״ד ע״א)

Because this Ark is Master (וּבְגִין דְּהַאי אֲרוֹן אִיהוּ אֲדוֹן), due to the sun that shines to it and shines to all the worlds (בְּגִין שִׁמְשָׁא דְּנָהִיר לָהּ וְנָהִיר לְכָל עָלְמָא). Thus it is called, and from it the Name is drawn (הָכִי אִתְקְרֵי וּמִנֵּיהּ נָקְטָא שְׁמָא). And this Ark is called Master by the secret of Alef, Dalet, Nun, Yod (וְאִתְקְרֵי הַאי אֲרוֹן אֲדוֹן בְּרָזָא דְּאָלֶ"ף דָלֶ"ת נוּ"ן יוּ"ד). Just as we say Tzaddik and Tzedek, so too Adon and Adonai—this and that are interdependent (כְּמָה דְּאַמְרִינָן צַדִּיק וְצֶדֶק, כָּךְ אֲדוֹ"ן אֲדנ"י, דָּא בְּדָא תַּלְיָין).

Come and see: stars and constellations exist in the Covenant (תָּא חֲזֵי, כֹּכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בִּבְרִית קַיָּימִין), which is the sun we have mentioned, and this is the firmament of the heavens in which are engraved and inscribed stars and constellations, and upon it they depend to shine (דְּאִיהוּ שִׁמְשָׁא דְּקָאָמְרִינָן, וְדָא רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּרְשִׁימִין בֵּיהּ וּגְלִיפִין בֵּיהּ כֹּכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת, וּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָין לְאַנְהָרָא). Rabbi Yesa Sava would say thus: Let there be lights—that are dependent upon the firmament of the heavens, and this is the moon that depends upon it (רִבִּי יֵיסָא סָבָא הֲוָה אָמַר הָכִי: יְהִי מְאֹרֹת דְּתַלְיָיא בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְדָא סִיהֲרָא דְּתַלְיָיא בֵּיהּ). Since it is written: "And they shall be for lights"—behold, the sun (כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִיב וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרוֹת, הָא שִׁמְשָׁא) (here it is lacking) (כָּאן חָסֵר), and "for appointed times"—these are festivals and holidays, months and Sabbaths that depend upon them and exist thereby (וּלְמוֹעֲדִים דְּהָא זִמְנַיָיא וְחַגִּין, יְרָחִין וְשַׁבַּתֵּי, בְּהוּ תַּלְיָאן וְהֲווּ). And all is in the supernal primordial act, in which His holy Name is unified, and He is all (וְכֹלָּא בַּעֲבִידְתָּא קַדְמָאָה עִלָּאָה, דִּשְׁמֵיהּ קַדִּישָׁא אִתְאַחִיד בֵּיהּ, וְאִיהוּ הוּא כֹּלָּא). Seven stars correspond to seven firmaments, and all of them direct the world, and the supernal world is upon them (שִׁבְעָה כֹּכְבֵי אִנּוּן לָקֳבֵל שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִין, וְכֻלְהוּ מַדְּבְרֵי עָלְמָא, וְעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ). And there are two worlds: the upper world and the lower world (וּתְרֵין עָלְמִין נִינְהוּ: עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה וְעָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה). The lower is in the likeness of the upper, as it is written: "From world to world" (דִּכְתִיב: מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם) (I Chronicles 16). The upper King, and the lower King (מֶלֶךְ עִלָּאָה, וּמֶלֶךְ תַּתָּאָה). It is taught: it is written: Hashem is King, Hashem was King, Hashem will reign forever and ever (כְּתִיב: יְיָ מֶלֶךְ, יְיָ מָלָךְ, יְיָ יִמְלוֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד). Hashem is King—above (יְיָ מֶלֶךְ לְעֵילָא). Hashem was King—in the middle (יְיָ מָלָךְ בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא). Hashem will reign—below (יְיָ יִמְלוֹךְ לְתַתָּא).

Rabbi Aḥa said: Hashem (Some say: this is supernal Chokhmah) is King—this is the upper world, which is the World to Come (רִבִּי אַחָא אָמַר: יְיָ (נ״א: דָּא חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה) מֶלֶךְ דָּא עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִיהוּ עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). Hashem was King—this is Tiferet Yisrael (יְיָ מָלָךְ, דָּא תִּפְאֶרֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). Hashem will reign—this is the Ark of the Covenant (יְיָ יִמְלוֹךְ, דָּא אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית). Some say: Rabbi Aḥa said: Hashem is King—this is supernal Chokhmah. Hashem is King—this is the upper world, the World to Come. Hashem will reign—this is Tiferet Yisrael (נ״א: רִבִּי אַחָא אָמַר: יְיָ מֶלֶךְ, דָּא חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה. יְיָ מֶלֶךְ, דָּא עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה דְּאָתֵי. יְיָ יִמְלוֹךְ, דָּא תִּפְאֶרֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). Another time came, and David reversed them from below to above, and said: Hashem is King forever and ever (אֲתָא זִמְנָא אָחֳרָא, דָּוִד וְאַהֲדַר לוֹן מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא, וְאָמַר: יְיָ מֶלֶךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד) (Psalms 10). Hashem is King—below (יְיָ מֶלֶךְ לְתַתָּא), forever—in the middle (עוֹלָם בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), and ever—above (וָעֶד לְעֵילָא). For there is the promise, and the confirmation, and the perfection of all (דְּתַמָּן וִיעוּדָא וְקִיּוּמָא וְאַשְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא). The King above will reign below (מֶלֶךְ לְעֵילָא, יִמְלוֹךְ לְתַתָּא).

Rabbi Abba said: All these lights are joined in the firmament of the heavens, to shine upon the earth, to illuminate upon the land (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר: כָּל הָנֵי מְאוֹרוֹת כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְחַבְּרָן בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם, לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ, לְאַנְהָרָא עַל אַרְעָא). Who is the firmament that shines upon the earth? Come and say: this is the river that flows and goes out from Eden, as it is written: "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden" (מָאן הוּא רְקִיעָא דְּנָהִיר עַל אַרְעָא הֲוֵי: אֵימָא, דָּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן, דִּכְתִיב: וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן).

Come and see, once the moon rules and is illuminated from that river that flows and goes out (תָּא חֲזֵי, כֵּיוָן דְּסִיהֲרָא שָׁלְטָא וְאִתְנְהִיר מֵהַהוּא נַהֲרָא דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק), all those heavens below and their hosts are increased in light (כָּל אִנּוּן שְׁמַיָא דִּלְתַתָּא וְחֵילֵיהוֹן כֻּלְהוֹן אִתּוֹסְפָן נְהוֹרָא). And the stars that are appointed over the earth all rule and cause plants and trees to grow (וְכֹכְבַיָא דִּמְמַנָּן עַל אַרְעָא כֻּלְהוּ שָׁלְטִין וּמְגַדְּלִין צְמָחִים וְאִילָנִין). And the world increases in all (וְעָלְמָא אִתְרַבֵּי בְּכֻלְהוּ). Even the waters and the fish of the sea all multiply more (וְאֲפִילּוּ מַיָא וְנוּנֵי יַמָּא כֻּלְהוּ בִּרְבוּ יַתִּיר). And many kinds of customs travel through the world (וְכַמָּה גַּרְדִּינִי נִימוּסִין שָׁאטָן בְּעָלְמָא), because all are in joy and increased strength (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְהוּ בְּחֶדְוָה בִּרְבוּ חֵילָא). When there is joy in the palace of the King, even those at the gates (כַּד חֶדְוָה הוּא בְּבֵי מַלְכָּא, אֲפִילוּ אִנּוּן מִבֵּי תַּרְעֵי), and even those of the house of the ostracized (וְאֲפִילוּ אִנּוּן מִדְּבֵי טַרְנָשֵׁי) — some say: outcast (נ״א: טַרְטְשֵׁי)—all rejoice and travel through the world (כֻּלְהוּ חָדָן וְשָׁטָאן בְּעָלְמָא). And the great ones of the world seek to be hidden (וְרַבְיֵי דְּעָלְמָא בַּעֲיָין לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא).

Rabbi Aḥa said: And Elohim placed them in the firmament of the heavens (רִבִּי אַחָא אָמַר: וַיִּתֵן אוֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם). And when all of them stand in it, then joy is with joy, then the moon diminishes its light before the sun (וְכַד כֻּלְהוֹן קַיָּימִין בֵּיהּ, כְּדֵין חֶדְוָותָא דָא עִם דָא, כְּדֵין סִיהֲרָא אַזְעִירַת נְהוֹרָא מִקַּמֵּי שִׁמְשָׁא). Whatever it receives is only to shine to her—this is what is written: to give light upon the earth (כָּל מַה דְּנָטִיל בְּגִין לְאַנְהָרָא לָהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ).

Rav Yitzḥak said: It is written, "And the light of the moon shall be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of the seven days" (רַב יִצְחָק אָמַר: כְּתִיב, וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה, וְאוֹר הַחַמָּה יִהְיֶה שִׁבְעָתַיִם כְּאוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים) (Isaiah 30). What are the seven days? These are the seven days of creation (מָאן שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים אִלֵּין אִנּוּן שִׁבְעַת יוֹמִין דִּבְרֵאשִׁית). Rabbi Yehudah said: These are the seven days of the consecration (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר: אִלֵּין אִנּוּן שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים). Consecration indeed, because at that time the world was perfumed and returned to its perfection, and the moon was not damaged by the evil serpent (מִלּוּאִים וַדַּאי, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִתְבַּסַּם עָלְמָא וְאִתְהַדַּר בְּאַשְׁלָמוּתֵיהּ, וְלָא אִתְפְּגִים סִיהֲרָא בְּגִין חִוְיָא בִּישָׁא). As it is written of him: "A whisperer separates a prince" (דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: וְנַרְגָּן מַפְרִיד אַלּוּף) (Proverbs 16). And when will this be? At the time that it is written: "He will swallow up death forever" (וְאֵימָתַי יְהֵא דָּא בְּזִמְנָא דִּכְתִיב: בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח) (Isaiah 25). And then it is written: "On that day, Hashem will be One and His Name One" (וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב: בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְיָ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד) (Zechariah 14).