Daf 50a (דַּף נ׳ ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), whenever a man is delayed on the road (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ אִתְעַכַּב בְּאוֹרְחָא), [he must] in all his strength guard his deeds ([בְּכָל חֵילֵיהּ] בָּעֵי לְנַטְרָא עוֹבָדוֹי), so that the supernal Zivug not be separated from him (בְּגִין דְּזִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה לָא יִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ), and he be found blemished without male and female (וְיִשְׁתְּכַח פָּגִים בְּלָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא). In the city, if his wife is with him, it is necessary (בְּמָתָא אִצְטְרִיךְ כַּד נוּקְבֵיהּ עִמֵּיהּ); all the more so here, where the Zivug Elyon is bound with him (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן הָכָא דְּזִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה אִתְקַשְּׁרַת בֵּיהּ). And not only this, but the Zivug Elyon protects him on the way (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּהָא זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה נָטִיר לֵיהּ בְּאָרְחָא), and does not separate from him until he returns to his house (וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ עַד דְּיִתוֹב לְבֵיתֵיהּ).

When he enters his house (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעָאל לְבֵיתֵיהּ), he must renew his house (בָּעָא לְחַדְתָּא דְּבֵיתֵהּ [נ״א: בֵּיתֵיהּ]), because it was his house that caused him that supernal Zivug (בְּגִין דִּדְבֵיתֵהּ גָּרְמָא לֵיהּ הַהוּא זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה). Once he comes to her (כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא לְגַבָּהּ), he must renew her for two reasons (בָּעֵי לְחַדְתָּא לָהּ בְּגִין תְּרֵין גַּוְונֵי): one, because of the joy of that Zivug - the joy of the mitzvah (חַד בְּגִין חֶדְוָתָא דְּהַהִיא זִוּוּגָא, חֶדְוָותָא דְּמִצְוָה), and the joy of the mitzvah is the joy of the Shekhinta (וְחֶדְוָותָא דְּמִצְוָה חֶדְוָותָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהוּ). And not only this, but peace is increased for the woman [some say: for the woman below] (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְאַסְגֵי שָׁלוֹם סְתָם [לְתַתָּא] [נ״א: לְאִתְּתָא]). This is what is written [Job 5] (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And you shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall visit your habitation and not sin” (וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי שָׁלוֹם אָהֳלֶךָ, וּפָקַדְתָּ נָוֶךָ וְלֹא תֶחֱטָא). For if he does not attend to his wife - it is a sin (וְכִי אִי לָא פָּקִיד לְאִתְּתֵיהּ - חֵטְא אִיהוּ). So it is indeed (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), because he diminishes the honor of the Zivug Elyon which is joined in him (בְּגִין דְּגָרַע יְקַר זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִזְדַּוְוגַת בֵּיהּ), and it is his house that caused it for him (וּדְבֵיתֵהּ גָּרְמָא לֵיהּ). And furthermore, if his wife becomes pregnant (וְחַד דְּאִי מִתְעַבְּרָא אִתְּתֵיהּ), the Upper Zivug pours into her a holy neshamah (זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה אֲרִיקַת בָּהּ נִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא), and this covenant is called the Covenant of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּהַאי בְּרִית אִקְרֵי בְּרִית דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And therefore one must intend with this joy as is fitting (וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי לְכַוְונָא בְּחֶדְוָותָא דָא), just as one must with the joy of Shabbat ([דְּשַׁבָּת] דְּכֵיוָן דְּבָעֵי) [some say: like the sages say] (דְּאַנּוּן חַכִּימִין), which is the Zivug of the sages (דְּאִיהוּ זִוּוּגָא דְּחַכִּימִין). And therefore: “And you shall know that your tent is at peace” (וְעַל דָּא: וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי שָׁלוֹם אָהֳלֶךָ) - for the Shekhinta comes with you and dwells in your house (דְּהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא אַתְיָא עִמָּךְ וְשָׁרְיָא בְּבֵיתָךְ). And therefore [Job 5] (וְעַל דָּא): “And you shall visit your habitation and not sin” (וּפָקַדְתָּ נָוֶךָ וְלֹא תֶחֱטָא). What is “and not sin”? (מַאי: וְלֹא תֶחֱטָא) - to engage in union before the Shekhinta, the joy of the mitzvah (לְשַׁמָּשָׁא קַמֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא: חֶדְוָותָא דְּמִצְוָה).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָא), Sages who separate from their wives during all the days of Shabbat (תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים דְּמִתְפָּרְשָׁן מִנְּשַׁיְיהוּ כָּל אִנּוּן יוֹמִין דְּשַׁבַּתָּא), in order to occupy themselves with Orayta (בְּגִין לְאִתְעַסְּקָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), the Zivug Elyon is joined with them (זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה אִזְדַּוַּוג בְּהוּ), and does not separate from them (וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנַּיְיהוּ), because male and female are found (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא). When Shabbat enters (כֵּיוָן דְּעָאל שַׁבָּת), the Sages must renew themselves toward their wives (בָּעְיָין תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים לְחַדְתָּא לִדְבִיתְהוּ), for the sake of the honor of the Zivug Elyon (בְּגִין יְקַר זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה), and to direct their hearts in desire of their Master (וּלְכַוְּונָא לִבַּיְיהוּ בִּרְעוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָא), this one whose wife is in her days of impurity (הַאי מַאן דְּאִתְּתֵיהּ בְּיוֹמֵי מְסָאֲבוּ דִילָהּ), and guards her properly (וְנָטִיר לָהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), during all those days the Zivug Elyon is joined with him (כָּל אִנּוּן יוֹמִין זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה אִזְדַּוַּוג בַּהֲדֵיהּ), because male and female are found (דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא). Once his wife is purified (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְדְּכִיאַת אִתְּתֵיהּ), he must renew with her the joy of the mitzvah (בָּעֵי לְחַדְתָּא לָהּ חֶדְוָה דְּמִצְוָה), which is supernal joy (חֶדְוָה עִלָּאָה). All these reasons which were said (וְכֻלְהוּ טַעֲמֵי דְּקָא אֲמָרָן), rise in one level (בְּחַד דַּרְגָא סָלְקִין). The simple understanding of the matter is: all those who are the sons of faith must direct their hearts and will in this (סְתָמָא דְּמִלָּה: כָּל אִנּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא בָּעֲיָין לְכַוְּונָא לִבָּא וּרְעוּתָא בְּהַאי). And if you say: if so, is it praise for a man when he goes out on the road, more than when he is in his home, because of the Zivug Elyon joined with him? (וְאִי תֵימָא: אִי הָכִי, שְׁבָחָא הוּא דְּבַר נָשׁ כַּד נָפִיק לְאָרְחָא יַתִּיר מִן בֵּיתֵיהּ בְּגִין זִוּוּגָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִזְדַּוְּוגַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when a man is in his house (בְּזִמְנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ הוּא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ), the essence of the house is his wife (עִקְּרָא דְּבֵיתָא: דְּבִיתְהוּ). For the Shekhinta is not removed from the house, because of his wife (בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָא לָא אִתְעַדֵּי מִן בֵּיתָא בְּגִין דְּבִיתְהוּ), as we have learned, as it is written [Bereshit 24] (כְּמָה דְּתָנִינָן): “And Yitzḥak brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother” (וַיְבִיאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ), and the lamp was kindled (דִּשְׁרַגָּא אִתְדְּלָקַת). What is the reason? Because the Shekhinta entered the house (מַאי טַעֲמָא בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָא אָתַת לְבֵיתָא).

The secret of the matter is this: the Supernal Imma is not found with the male (רָזָא דְּמִלָּה: אִמָּא עִלָּאָה לָא אִשְׁתַּכַּחַת גַּבֵּי דְּכוּרָא), except at the time when the house is properly prepared and male and female are united (אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִתְתַּקְנַת בֵּיתָא וְאִתְחַבְּרוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא), then the Supernal Imma pours forth blessings to bless them (כְּדֵין אִמָּא עִלָּאָה אֲרִיקַת בִּרְכָאן לִבָרוּכֵּי לוֹן).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָא), the Lower Imma is not found with the male (אִמָּא תַּתָּאָה לָא אִשְׁתַּכַּחַת לְגַבֵּי דְּכוּרָא), except when the house is prepared and the male comes to his female (אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִתְתַּקְנַת בֵּיתָא וְאָתֵי דְּכַר לְגַבָּהּ דְּנוּקְבֵיהּ), and they unite together (וְאִתְחַבָּרוּ כְּחֲדָא), then the Lower Imma pours forth blessings to bless them (כְּדֵין אִמָּא תַּתָּאָה אֲרִיקַת בִּרְכָאן לְבָרְכָא לוֹן). And for this reason, through two Nukvin, the male is crowned in his house (וְעַל דָּא בִּתְרֵי נוּקְבִין אִתְעַטַּר דְּכוּרָא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ), in the manner that is Above (כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָא). And this is the secret of what is written [Bereshit 49] (וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא דִכְתִיב): “Until the desire of the everlasting hills shall come” (עַד תַּאֲוַת גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם). This is the desire of the Giv‘ot Olam (primordial heights) within him (הַאי עַד תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְּגִבְעוֹת עוֹלָם בֵּיהּ): the Upper female to rectify him and to crown him and to bless him (נוּקְבָא עִלָּאָה לְאַתְקָנָא לֵיהּ וּלְאַעַטְּרָא לֵיהּ וּלְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ), and the Lower female to unite with him and to be nourished from him (נוּקְבָא תַּתָּאָה לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בֵּיהּ וּלְאִתְזְנָא מִנֵּיהּ). And in this manner, below, when the male takes a wife (וּכְגַוְונָא דָא לְתַתָּא, כַּד דְּכוּרָא אִינְסִיב), “the desire of the everlasting hills” is upon him (תַּאֲוַת גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם לְגַבֵּיהּ), and he is crowned with two females - one above, one below (וְאִתְעַטַּר בִּתְרֵי נוּקְבֵי: חַד עִלָּאָה וְחַד תַּתָּאָה): the Upper to pour over him blessings (עִלָּאָה לְאַרְקָא עֲלֵיהּ בִּרְכָאן), the Lower to be nourished from him and to unite with him (תַּתָּאָה לְאִתְזְנָא מִנֵּיהּ וּלְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ). And the man, in his house, the desire of the everlasting hills is upon him (וּבַר נָשׁ בְּבֵיתֵיהּ תַּאֲוַת גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם לְגַבֵּיהּ), and he is crowned with them (וְאִתְעַטַּר בְּהוּ).