Daf 45a (דַּף מ״ה ע״א)

Once this Ruach [Spirit] is joined with it (כֵּיוָן דְּהַאי רוּחָא אִתְחַבַּר בַּהֲדֵיהּ), and this is completed one within the other (וְאִשְׁתַּלִּים דָּא בְּדָא), and they are illuminated one by the other in complete perfection (וְאִתְנְהִירוּ דָּא בְּדָא בְּכָל שְׁלִימוּ), as is fitting through this desire, when a meritorious man prays (כְּדְקָא חָזֵי בְּהַאי רְעוּתָא דְּצַלֵּי בַּר נָשׁ זַכָּאָה), whose whole prayer ascends as is fitting (דְּסָלֵיק כוֹלָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי), until that place, to bind this love with that (עַד הַהוּא אֲתַר לְחַבְּרָא רְחִימוּ דָּא בְּדָא). Then—another reading: Shamayim [Heaven] is joined with this Ruach [Spirit] in love, in perfection, in illumination; they cleave one to the other, and then (כְּדֵין [ד״א: שָׁמַיִם אִתְחַבַּר בְּרוּחָא דָּא בְּרְחִימוּ בִּשְׁלִימוּ בְּאַנְהָרוּתָא מִתְדַּבְּקָן דָּא בְּדָא, כְּדֵין]) all these palaces and all these Ruchin [Spirits] that were included in this, each and every one from among those Ruchin [Spirits] and palaces that are included in the totality of Shamayim [Heaven] (כָּל אִנּוּן הֵיכָלִין וְכָל אִנּוּן רוּחִין דְּאִתְכְּלִילוּ בְּהַאי, כָּל חַד וְחַד מֵאִנּוּן רוּחִין וְהֵיכָלִין דְּאִנּוּן בִּכְלָלָא דְּשָׁמַיִם), each one takes that palace and that Ruach [Spirit] in the place—another reading: in that place—that is fitting for it to be joined with and completed with, as is proper (כָּל חַד וְחַד נָטִיל הַהוּא הֵיכָלָא וְהַהוּא רוּחָא [בַּאֲתַר] דְּאִתְחַזֵּי לֵיהּ לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ וּלְאִשְׁתַּלָּמָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יָאוּת). Another reading: because that sixth Ruach [Spirit], which is called Shamayim [Heaven], the supernal holy Ruach [Spirit], receives this palace—this Ruach [Spirit], which is called Ratzon [Will], ascends to them in that union, and thus Ratzon [Will] is joined in a kiss (ד״א: בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא רוּחָא שְׁתִּיתָאָה דְּאִתְקְרֵי שָׁמַיִם, רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא לְעֵילָא, נָטִיל הֵיכָלָא דָּא, רוּחָא דָּא דְּאִקְרֵי רָצוֹן, סָלֵיק לוֹן לְגַבַּיְיהוּ בְּהַהוּא יִחוּדָא, וְהֲכִי אִתְחַבַּרָן רָצוֹן לְאִתְנַשְּׁקָא), this with that, to be joined one with the other, to be completed one through the other (דָּא בְּדָא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא דָּא בְּדָא, לְאִשְׁתַּלָּמָא דָּא בְּדָא). And this is the secret of what is written (וְרָזָא דָּא): “And Ya'akov kissed Rachel…” (וַיִּשַּׁק יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל וְגו׳) (Genesis 29:11).

Avraham, who is the supernal right side (אַבְרָהָם דְּאִיהוּ יְמִינָא לְעֵילָא), took—another reading: omit "the palace we have mentioned"—the Palace of Ahavah [Love] (נָטִיל [ד״א: ל״ג הֵיכָלָא דְּקָאָמְרָן] [הֵיכָל אַהֲבָה]), the Ruach [Spirit] that is called Ahavah [Love] (רוּחָא דְּאִקְרֵי אַהֲבָ״ה), to be bound one with the other, to be joined one with the other, to become one (לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא דָּא בְּדָא, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא דָּא בְּדָא, לְמֶהֱוֵי חַד). And your sign is (וְסִימָנַיִךְ): “Behold now, I know that you are a beautiful woman in appearance” (הִנֵּה נָא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אִשָּׁה יְפַת מַרְאֶה אָתּ) (Genesis 12:11). And the beauty of a woman is in those breasts (וְשַׁפִּירוּ דְּאִתְּתָא בְּאִנּוּן שָׁדַיִם).

Yitzchak, who is the left side (יִצְחָק דְּאִיהוּ שְׂמָאלָא), took that palace (נָטִיל הַהוּא הֵיכָלָא), the house of judgment (דְּבֵי דִּינָא), from which all judgments are aroused (דְּכָל דִּינִין מִתְעָרִין מִתַּמָּן), a spirit that is called merit (רוּחָא דְּאִקְרֵי זְכוּתָא), to be joined this with that (לְאִתְחַבְּרָא דָּא בְּדָא), and to be completed this with that (וּלְאִשְׁתַּלָּמָא דָּא בְּדָא), so that all may be one (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד), as is fitting and proper (כְּדְקָא יָאוּת)., and other prophets took two palaces (שְׁאָר נְבִיאִים נָטְלִין תְּרֵין הֵיכָלִין), some say: from below (ד״א דִּלְתַתָּא). Two ruchin, Nogah and Zohar (תְּרִין רוּחִין נוֹגַ״הּ וְזוֹהַ״ר), in the secret of what is written (בְּרָזָא דִכְתִיב), The curves of your thighs… (Shir haShirim 7) (חֲמוּקֵי יְרֵכַיִךְ וְגו׳), to bind these with those to become one (לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין לְמֶהֱוֵי חָד).

Yosef the Tzaddik, the pillar of the world (יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק עַמּוּדָא דְעָלְמָא), took the Palace of Sapir (נָטִיל הֵיכָלָא דְסַפִּיר), the ruach that is called Livnat haSapir (רוּחָא דְאִקְרֵי לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר), and even though it is written (וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּכְתִיב), And under His feet… (Shemot 24) (וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו), it is because of the glory of the King (בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְמַלְכָּא), and so it is indeed (וְהָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). And afterward, this pillar took more (וּלְבָתַר עַמּוּדָא דָא נָטִיל יַתִּיר), this being the secret of secrets (דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא דְרָזִין), in the place of the seventh palace (בְּאֲתַר דְּהֵיכָלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה). Until here, levels are joined and joined one with another (עַד הָכָא מִתְחַבְּרָן דַּרְגִּין וּמִתְחַבְּרָן דָּא בְּדָא), to complete this with that so all will be one (לְאִשְׁתַּלָּמָא דָּא עִם דָּא לְמֶהֱוֵי כֻּלְהוּ חַד). All as it should be (כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי). And then (וּכְדֵין), Hashem, He is the Elohim (Melakhim I 18) (יְיָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים וְגו׳).

Blessed is his portion in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאֲתֵי), one who knows to bind them and to cleave to his Master (מָאן דְּיָדַע לְקָשְׁרָא לוֹן וּלְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּמָארֵיהּ). Here is kneeling (הָכָּא הַכְּרָעָה), some say: in the bowing here and adds Vavs (ד״א ל״ג בְּהַכְרָעָה הָכָּא וּמוֹסִיף וָוי״ן), and prostration (וְהִשְׁתַחֲוָאָה), and bending (וְקִידָה), and the spreading of palms (וּפְרִישׂוּ דְּכַפִּין), and the falling of the face (וּנְפִילָה דְאַפִּין), to draw down the will of the supernal ruach (לְאַמְשָׁכָא רְעוּתָא דְּרוּחָא עִלָּאָה), the neshamah of all souls (נִשְׁמָתָא דְּכָל נִשְׁמָתִין), which is suspended above until Ein Sof (דְּאִיהוּ תַּלְיָא לְעֵילָא עַד אֵין סוֹף), some say: the Sof (ד״א ל״ג סוֹף), from which comes forth illumination and blessing (דְּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקֵי נְהִירוּ וּבִרְכָאן), to complete all from above as is fitting (לְאַשְׁלָמָא כֹּלָּא מִלְּעֵילָא כְּדְקָא יָאוּת), and to make all complete from below and above (וּלְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ מִתַּתָּא וּמִלְּעֵילָא), and all faces shine on all sides as is proper (וְכָל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין בְּכָל סִטְרִין כְּדְקָא יָאוּת). Then all decrees of judgment are nullified (כְּדֵין כָּל גִּזְרֵי דִינִין מִתְבַּטְלִין), and every will is fulfilled above and below (וְכָל רְעוּתָא אִתְעֲבִיד לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא). And about this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), He said to me: You are My servant, Yisrael, in whom I will glory (Yeshayahu 49) (וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאֵר), and it is written (וּכְתִיב), Happy is the people that has it so, happy the people whose God is Hashem (Tehillim 144) (אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁכָּכָה לוֹ, אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁיְיָ אֱלֹהָיו).

The seventh palace-this palace has no form at all (הֵיכָלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה הֵיכָלָא דָא לָאו בֵּיהּ דִיוּקְנָא מַמָּשׁ), it is entirely concealed (כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ בִּסְתִימוּ), etc. (וְגו׳), some say: “etc.” (ד״א גו), a secret of secrets (רָזָא דְרָזִין), a veil that is spread (פָּרוּכְתָּא דִפְרִיסָא), some say: “a veil” (ד״א פְּרִיסָא), all the palaces are established not to be revealed (קָיְימִין כֻּלְהוּ הֵיכָלִין דְּלָא לְאִתְחַזָּאָה), two keruvim (תְּרִין כְּרוּבִים), some say: these face those, standing (ד״א ל״ג דָּא מִן דָּא קָיְימִין), inside that stands the kaporet (לְגוֹ מִן דָּא קָיְימָא כַּפּוּרְתָּא), the image of the Holy of Holies (דִּיוּקְנָא דְקֹדֶשׁ קוּדְשִׁין). Because of this, this palace is called the Holy of Holies (בְּגִין כָּךְ הֵיכָלָא דָא אִקְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים). This Holy of Holies is the place prepared for that supernal neshamah (הַאי קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים אֲתַר מִתְתַּקְנָא לְהַהוּא נִשְׁמָתָא עִלָּאָה), the generality of the World to Come (כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא עָלְמָא דְּאֲתֵי), to approach this supernal place (לְגַבֵּי הַאי עִלָּאֵי), some say: the Upper World (נ״א עָלְמָא עִלָּאֵי).

For when all the ruchin are joined, one with another (דְּהָא כַּד מִתְחַבְּרָן כֻּלְהוּ רוּחֵי דָא בְּדָא), and this is completed with that as is proper (וְאִשְׁתַּלִּימוּ דָּא עִם דָּא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי), then the supernal ruach is aroused (כְּדֵין אִתְעַר רוּחָא עִלָּאָה), the neshamah of all (נִשְׁמָתָא דְכֹלָּא), to rise toward the concealed Above of all concealments (לְגַבֵּי עֵילָא סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין), to arouse above all (לְאַתְעָרָא עַל כֹּלָּא), to illuminate them from above to below (לְאַנְהָרָא לוֹן מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא), and to complete them (וּלְאַשְׁלָמָא לוֹן), to ignite the luminaries(לְאַדְלָקָא בּוֹצִינִין).