Daf 4a (דף ד ע״א)

The letters were aroused to complete on this side and on that side (אִתְעָרוּ אָתְוָון לְאַשְׁלָמָא לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא), then Mem was brought forth (כְּדֵין אַפִּיק מ״ם). It took one for this side and one for that side (נָטִיל חַד לְהַאי סִטְרָא וְחַד לְהַאי סִטְרָא). The Holy Name was completed and became Elohim (אִשְׁתְּלִים שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְעֲבִיד אֱלֹהִים), likewise the Name of Abraham (גַּם כֵּן שְׁמָא דְּאַבְרָהָם). When this was completed, that was completed (כַּד אִשְׁתְּלִים דָּא אִשְׁתְּלִים דָּא). And there are some who say that Kudsha Berikh Hu took Mi (Who) and cast it into Eleh (These) and it became Elohim (וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּנָטַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִי וְשָׁדֵי בְּאֵלֶּה וְאִתְעֲבִיד אֱלֹהִים). And Kudsha Berikh Hu took MaH (What) and cast it into the organ and it became Avraham (וְנָטַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַ״ה וְשָׁדֵי בְּאֵבֶר וְאִתְעֲבִיד אַבְרָהָ״ם). And the word Mi (Who) hints to the fifty gates of Binah (וּמִלַּת מִ״י רוֹמֵז לַחֲמִשִּׁים שַׁעֲרֵי בִינָה), and it contains the Yod, the first letter of the Holy Name (וְאִית בָּהּ יוֹ״ד אוֹת קַדְמָאָה דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). And the word MaH (What) hints to the number of the Holy Name (וּמִלַּת מַ״ה רוֹמֵז לְמִנְיָנָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), and it contains the Heh, the second letter of the Holy Name YHVH (וְאִית בֵּיהּ אוֹת תִּנְיָינָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא יהוה). As it is said (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר), “Happy is the people that is so to them” (אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁכָּכָה לוֹ) (Psalms 144), and it is written, “He hangs the earth upon nothing (Beli MaH)” (תּוֹלֶה אֶרֶץ עַל בְּלִי מָ״ה) (Job 26). And then the two worlds were established (וּכְדֵין אִתְקַיְּימוּ תְּרֵין עָלְמִין): with the Yod, the World to Come (בְּיוֹ״ד עָלְמָא דְאָתֵי), and with the Heh, this world (וּבְהֵ״א עָלְמָא דָא). That is to say, with Mi (Who) He created the World to Come (כְּלוֹמַר, בְּמִ״י בָּרָא עוֹלָם הַבָּא), and with MaH (What) He created this world (וּבְמַ״ה בָּרָא עוֹלָם הַזֶּה). And this is the upper and lower allusion (וְדֵין הוּא רֶמֶז עִילָּא וְתַתָּא). And then He made offspring, and the Name was complete—what had not been before this (וּכְדֵין עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת וְנָפַק שְׁמָא שְׁלִים מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה קֳדָם דְּנָא). This is what is written: “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם) (Bereshit 2:4). All were dependent until the Name of Abraham was created (כֻּלְהוּ הֲווּ תַּלְיָין עַד דְּאִתְבְּרֵי שְׁמֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם). Once this Name of Abraham was completed, the Holy Name was completed (כֵּיוָן דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים שְׁמָא דָא דְּאַבְרָהָם, שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא אִשְׁתְּלִים). This is what is written: “On the day that Hashem Elohim made earth and heaven” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם) (Bereshit 2:4).

Rabbi Ḥiyya fell upon the earth and kissed the dust (אִשְׁתַּטַּח רִבִּי חִיָּיא בְּאַרְעָא וּנְשַׁק לְעַפְרָא), and he wept and said (וּבְכָה וְאָמַר): Dust, dust, how hard you are (עַפְרָא עַפְרָא כַּמָּה אַתְּ קְשֵׁי קְדַל), how insolent you are (כַּמָּה אַתְּ בַּחֲצִיפוּ). All the delights of the eye are consumed in you (דְּכָל מַחֲמַדֵּי עֵינָא יִתְבְּלוּן בָּךְ). All the pillars of light of the world you consume and grind (כָּל עַמּוּדֵי נְהוֹרִין דְּעָלְמָא תֵּיכוּל וְתֵידוּק). How insolent you are: The Holy Luminary who illumined the world, the great ruler, the appointed master whose merit sustained the world—you consumed him (כַּמָּה אַתְּ חֲצִיפָא, בּוֹצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּהֲוָה נָהִיר עָלְמָא, שַׁלִּיטָא רַבְרְבָא, מְמַנָּא דִּזְכוּתֵיהּ מְקַיֵּים עָלְמָא—אִתְבְּלֵי בָּךְ). Rabbi Shimon, radiance of the Luminary, radiance of the worlds—you were consumed in the dust, and yet you live and guide the world (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן נְהִירוּ דְּבוּצִינָא, נְהִירוּ דְּעָלְמִין—אַנְתְּ בָּלֵי בְּעַפְרָא וְאַנְתְּ קַיַּים וְנָהֵג עָלְמָא). He was silent for a moment (אִשְׁתּוֹמֵם רִגְעָא חָדָא), and said (וְאָמַר): Dust, dust, do not be arrogant, for the pillars of the world will not be delivered into you, for Rabbi Shimon has not been consumed by you (עַפְרָא עַפְרָא לָא תִתְגָּאֵי, דְּלָא יִתְמַסְּרוּן בָּךְ עַמּוּדִין דְּעָלְמָא, דְּהָא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לָא אִתְבְּלֵי בָּךְ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya arose and was weeping (קָם רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְהֲוָה בָּכֵי). Rabbi Yose went with him (אֲזַל וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי עִמֵּיהּ). From that day he fasted forty days to see Rabbi Shimon (מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִתְעַנֵּי אַרְבְּעִין יוֹמִין לְמֶחמֵי לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן). They said to him: You are not permitted to see him (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ לֵית אַנְתְּ רַשַּׁאי לְמֶחֱמֵי לֵיהּ). He wept and fasted another forty days (בְּכָה וְאִתְעַנִּי אַרְבְּעִין יוֹמִין אַחֲרִינִין). They showed him in a vision Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi El'azar his son (אַחֲזִיאוּ לֵיהּ בְּחֶזְוָוא לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ), who were engaged in this word that Rabbi Yose had said (דְּהֲווּ לָעָאן בְּמִלָּה דָא דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), and there were thousands listening to their words (וְהֲווּ כַּמָּה אַלְפִין צַיְיתִין לְמִלּוּלֵיהּ). Meanwhile, he saw many great supernal wings ascending over them (אַדְהָכִי חֲמָא כַּמָּה גַדְפִין רַבְרְבִין עִלָּאִין וּסְלִיקוּ עֲלַייהוּ), and Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi El'azar his son ascended into the heavenly academy (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ וּסְלִיקוּ לִמְתִיבְתָּא דִרְקִיעָא), and all those wings were waiting for them (וְכָל אִלֵּין גַּדְפִין הֲווּ מְחַכָּאן לְהוּ). He saw that they were transformed and renewed with radiance, brighter than the light of the sun (חֲמָא דְמִתְהַדְּרָן וּמִתְחַדְּשָׁן בְּזִיווֹן וּנְהִירוּ יַתִּיר מִנְהוֹרָא דְזִיוָא דְשִׁמְשָׁא).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): Let Rabbi Ḥiyya enter and see how much Kudsha Berikh Hu is prepared to renew the faces of the Righteous in the time to come (יִיעוּל רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְלֶיחמֵי בְּכְּמָה דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְחַדְתָּא אַנְפֵּי צַדִּיקַיָּיא לְזִמְנָא דְּאֲתֵי). Happy is he who enters here without shame (זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּעָאל הָכָא בְּלָא כִסּוּפָא), and happy is he who stands in that world like a pillar, strong in all (וְזַכָּאָה מַאן דְּקָאִים בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא כְּעַמּוּדָא תַּקִּיף בְּכֹלָא). And he saw that he entered, and Rabbi El'azar and the rest of the pillars who were sitting there arose (וְחֲמָא דְּהֲוָה עָאל, וְהֲוָה קָם רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וּשְׁאָר עַמּוּדִין דְּיָתְבִין תַּמָּן). And he was ashamed, lowered himself, and entered, and sat at the feet of Rabbi Shimon (וְהוּא הֲוָה כְּסִיף וְאַשְׁמִיט גַרְמֵיהּ וְעָאל וְיָתִיב לְרַגְלוֹי דְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן). A voice went forth and said (קָלָא נָפַק וְאָמַר): Lower your eyes (מָאִיךְ עֵינָךְ). Do not raise your head, and do not gaze (לָא תִזְקוֹף רֵישָׁךְ, וְלָא תִסְתַּכַּל). He lowered his eyes and saw a light that was shining from afar (מָאִיךְ עֵינוֹי וְחֲמָא נְהוֹרָא דְּהֲוָה נָהִיר לְמֵרָחוֹק). The voice returned as before and said (קָלָא אַהֲדַר כְּמִלְקַדְּמִין וְאָמַר): Supernal hidden concealments—those who have their eyes open, who wander in all the world—look and see (עִלָּאִין טְמִירִין סְתִימִין פְּקִיחֵי עֵינָא אִנּוּן דִּמְשָׁטְטִין בְּכָל עָלְמָא אִסְתְּכָּלוּ וְחֲמוּ). The lower ones [Some say: the sleeping ones] who are sleeping in their holes, be awakened (תַּתָּאִין [נ״א תְּנָאִין] דְּמִיכִין סְתִימִין בְּחוֹרֵיכוֹן אִתְעָרוּ). Who among you turns darkness into light and bitter taste into sweetness before they come here (מָאן מִנְכוֹן דִּי חֲשׁוֹכָא מְהַפְּכָן לִנְהוֹרָא וְטָעֲמִין מְרִירָא לְמִתְקָא עַד לָא יֵיתוֹן הָכָא)? Who among you waits every day for the light that shines when the King commands to ascend and is glorified, and is called King over all the kings of the world p1-11(מָאן מִנְּכוֹן דִּמְחַכָּאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא לִנְהוֹרָא דְנָהִיר בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְמַלְכָּא פָּקִיד לְאַיַּלְתָּא וְאִתְיַיקַר וְאִתְקְרֵי מַלְכָּא מִכָּל מַלְכִין דְּעָלְמָא)? Whoever does not await this every day in that world, has no portion here (מָאן דְּלָא מְצַפֶּה דָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא הָכָא).