Daf 5b (דַּף ה ע״ב)

Rabbi El'azar was going to see Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Shim‘on ben Lakonya his father-in-law, (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה אָזִיל לְמֶחמֵי לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקוֹנְיָא חֲמוֹי) and Rabbi Abba was with him, (וְרִבִּי אַבָּא בַּהֲדֵיהּ) and a certain man was following after them. (וְהֲוָה טָעִין חַד גַּבְרָא אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ). Rabbi Abba said: Let us open entrances of Orayta, (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא נִפְתַּח פִּתְחִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא) for now is a moment and a time to become rectified upon the way. (דְּהָא שַׁעֲתָא וְעִדָּנָא הוּא לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא בְּאָרְחָן).

Rabbi El'azar opened and said: “My Sabbaths you shall guard” (Leviticus 19). (פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי תִּשְׁמוֹרוּ). Come and see: in six days Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world. (תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשִׁית יוֹמִין בְּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא). And each and every day revealed its work and gave its power into that day. (וְכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא גָלֵי עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ וְיָהַב חֵילֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא). When was the work revealed and empowered? (אֵימָתַי גָּלֵי עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ וְיָהַב חֵילֵיהּ) On the fourth day. (בְּיוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה). Because the first three days were all concealed and not revealed, (בְּגִין דְּאִנּוּן תְּלַת יוֹמִין קַדְמָאִין כּוּלְהוּ הֲווּ סְתִימִין וְלָא אִתְגָּלוּ) once the fourth day came, it brought forth the work and the strength of them all. (כֵּיוָן דְּאֲתָא יוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה אַפִּיק עֲבִידְתָּא וְחֵילָא דְּכוּלְהוּ). For fire, water, and wind-even though they are the three supernal foundations, they were all suspended, (דְּהָא אֶשָׁא וּמַיָא וְרוּחָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִנּוּן תְּלַת יְסוֹדִין עִלָּאִין, כֻּלְהוּ תַּלְיָין) and their activity was not revealed until the earth revealed them. (וְלָא אִתְגְּלִי עֲבִידְתָּא דִלְהוֹן, עַד דְּאַרְעָא גָּלֵי לוֹן) Then the craftsmanship of each one became known. (כְּדֵין אִתְיְדַע אוּמְנוּתָא דְּכָל חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ). And if you say: But it was on the third day, for it is written: “Let the earth sprout grass…” and “The earth brought forth…” (וְאִי תֵימָא הָא בְּיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה הֲוָה דִּכְתִיב תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא וּכְתִיב וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ). Rather, even though it is written on the third day, it was the fourth, and it was included in the third to be as one, without separation. (אֶלָּא הַאי אַף עַל גַּב דִּכְתִיב בְּיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה, רְבִיעָאָה הֲוָה וְאִתְכְּלִיל בְּיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה לְמֶהֱוֵי חַד בְּלָא פִּירוּדָא). And after the fourth day, the work was revealed to bring forth each artisan to his own craftsmanship. (וּלְבָתַר יוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה אִתְגְּלִי עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ לְאַפָּקָא אוֹמָנָא לְאוּמָנוּתֵיהּ דְּכָל חַד וְחַד). For the fourth day is the fourth leg of the supernal Throne. (בְּגִין דְּיוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה אִיהוּ רַגְלָא רְבִיעָאָה דְּכֻּרְסְיָיא עִלָּאָה). And all their work whether of the early days or of the latter days (וְכָל עֲבִידְתַּיְיהוּ דְּכֻלְהוּ בֵּין יוֹמִין קַדְמָאִין וּבֵין יוֹמִין בַּתְרָאִין) were dependent upon the day of Shabbat (הֲווּ תַּלְיָין בְּיוֹמָא דְשַׁבָּתָּא) this is what is written (Bereshit 2) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) “And Elohim completed on the seventh day” (וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי) this is Shabbat (דָּא שַׁבָּת) and this is the fourth leg of the Throne (וְדָא הוּא רַגְלָא רְבִיעָאָה דְּכֻּרְסְיָיא). And if you say, “If so, what is meant by ‘My Shabbatot you shall guard’-two?” (וְאִי תֵימָא אִי הָכִי מַהוּ אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי תִּשְׁמוֹרוּ תְּרֵין) rather, it is the Shabbat of the eve of Shabbat (אֶלָּא שַׁבָּת דְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא) and the Shabbat of the actual day (וְשַׁבַּתָּא דְיוֹמָא מַמָּשׁ) they have no separation (לֵית לוֹן פִּירוּדָא). That traveler who was following after them said (אָמַר [לְהוּ] הַהוּא טַיְּעָא דְּהֲוָה טָעִין בַּתְרַיְיהוּ) “And My Sanctuary you shall revere” (וּמִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ). He said to him, “This is the sanctification of Shabbat” (אָמַר לֵיהּ דָּא קִדּוּשָׁא דְשַׁבָּת). He said to him, “And what is the sanctification of Shabbat?” (אָמַר לֵיהּ וּמַהוּ קִדּוּשָׁא דְשַׁבָּת). He said to him, “It is a sanctification that is drawn upon it from above” (אָמַר לֵיהּ דָּא קִדּוּשָׁא דְּאִתְמַשְּׁכָא [עָלָיה] מִלְּעֵילָא). He said to him, “If so, the work of Shabbat is not itself holy (אָמַר לֵיהּ אִי הָכִי עֲבֵידַת לְשַׁבָּת דְּלָאו אִיהוּ קֹדֶשׁ) rather, it is the sanctification that rests upon it from above” (אֶלָּא קִדּוּשָׁא דְּשַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי מִלְּעֵילָא).

Rabbi Abba said, “And so it is” (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא וְהָכִי הוּא) “And you shall call Shabbat a delight, to the holiness of Hashem, honored” (וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עוֹנֶג לִקְדוֹשׁ יְיָ מְכוּבָּד). Shabbat is mentioned separately, and the holiness of Hashem separately (אִדְכַּר שַׁבָּת לְחוּד וּקְדוֹשׁ יְיָ לְחוּד). He said to him, “If so, who is ‘the holiness of Hashem’?” (אָמַר לֵיהּ אִי הָכִי מַאן קְדוֹשׁ יְיָ). He said to him, “It is the sanctity that descends from above and rests upon it” (אָמַר לֵיהּ קְדוּשָׁא דְּנַחֲתָא מִלְּעֵילָא וְשַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ). He said to him, “If the sanctity that is drawn from above is called ‘honored’ (אָמַר לֵיהּ אִי קְדוּשָׁא דְאִתְמַשְּׁכָא מִלְּעֵילָא אִקְרֵי מְכוּבָּד) then it is seen that Shabbat itself is not honored (אִתְחַזֵּי דְּשַׁבָּת לָאו אִיהוּ מְכוּבָּד) but it is written, ‘and you shall honor it’” (וּכְתִיב וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ).

Rabbi El'azar said to Rabbi Abba (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לְרִבִּי אַבָּא) let this man be (אַנַח לְהַאי גַבְרָא) for in him is a word (דְּמִלָּה [חַדְתָּא]) of wisdom (דְחָכְמְתָא אִית בֵּיהּ) that we do not know in it (דְּאֲנַן לָא יְדַעְנָא בָהּ). They said to him, you say it (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ אֵימָא אַנְתְּ). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר) “My Shabbatot” (אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי) - et comes to include the boundary of Shabbat (אֶת לְאַסְגָּאָה תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת) which is two thousand cubits in every direction p1-12(דְּאִיהוּ תְּרֵין אַלְפִין אַמִּין לְכָל סִטְרָא). And for this reason et includes (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַסְגֵי אֶת) “My Shabbatot” (שַׁבְּתוֹתַי) - Some say: this is (נ״א דָּא) the upper Shabbat and the lower Shabbat (שַׁבָּת עִלָּאָה וְשַׁבָּת תַּתָּאָה) which are two joined as one and sealed as one (דְּאִנּוּן תְּרֵין כְּלִילָן כְּחֲדָא וּסְתִימִין כְּחֲדָא).

There remained another Shabbat (אִשְׁתָּאַר שַׁבָּת) which was not mentioned and was in shame (אָחֳרָא דְּלָא אִדְכַּר וְהֲוָה בְּכִסּוּפָא). She said before the Master of the Worlds (אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ מָארֵי דְעָלְמָא) “From the day that You made for Me Shabbat I have been called, and a day is not without its night” (מִיּוֹמָא דְּעַבְדַּת לִי שַׁבָּת אִתְקָרֵינָא וְיוֹמָא לָאו אִיהוּ בְּלָא לֵילְיָא). He said to her, “My daughter, you are Shabbat and I have called you Shabbat” (אָמַר לָהּ בְּרַתִּי שַׁבָּת אַנְתְּ וְשַׁבָּת קָרֵינָא לָךְ) “but behold I shall crown you with a higher crown beyond” (אֲבָל הָא אֲנָא מְעַטֵּר לָךְ בְּעִטְרָא עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר). A proclamation shall pass and say (אַעֲבַר כְּרוֹזָא וְאָמַר) “My Sanctuary you shall revere” (מִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ). And this is the Shabbat of the eve of Shabbat (וְדָא שַׁבָּת דְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבַּתָּא) which is Yirah (דְּאִיהִי יִרְאָה) and within her dwells reverence (וְשַׁרְיָא בָהּ יִרְאָה). And who is it? (וּמָאן אִיהוּ) Kudsha Berikh Hu included it and said, “I am Hashem” (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַכְלִיל וְאָמַר אֲנִי יְיָ). And I heard from Abba who said thus (וְאֲנָא שְׁמַעְנָא מֵאַבָּא דְּאָמַר הָכִי). And analyze the word et to include the boundary of Shabbat (וְדַיֵּיק אֶת לְאַסְגָּאָה תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת). “My Shabbatot” is the circle (שַׁבְּתוֹתַי דָּא עִגּוּלָא), and the square within it (וְרִבּוּעַ דִּלְגוֹ) and these are two (וְאִנּוּן תְּרֵין).

And corresponding to these two there are two sanctities that we mention (וּלְקֳבֵיל אִנּוּן תְּרֵין אִית תְּרֵי קְדוּשָׁתֵי דְּאִית לָנוּ לְאַדְכָּרָא) - one is “Vayekhulu” ('And they were finished') (חַד וַיְכֻלּוּ) and one is Kadosh (וְחַד קָדוֹשׁ). Vayekhulu contains thirty-five words (Bereshit 2) (וַיְכֻלּוּ אִית בֵּיהּ תְּלָתִין וְחֲמֵשׁ תֵּיבִין). And in the Kedushah (וּבִקְדוּשָׁה [וּבְקִידוּשָׁא]) that we sanctify, there are thirty-five words (דְּאֲנַן מְקַדְּשִׁין תְּלָתִין וְחֲמֵשׁ תֵּיבִין). And all of it ascends into the seventy Names of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְסָלִיק כֹּלָּא לְשִׁבְעִין שְׁמָהָן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) and Knesset Yisrael is crowned with them (וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְעַטַּר בְּהוּ). And because the circle and square are “My Shabbatot” (וּבְגִין דְּעִגּוּלָא וְרִבּוּעָא דָּא אִנּוּן שַׁבְּתוֹתַי) both are included in shamor as it is written “you shall guard” (כְּלִילָן תַּרְוַיְיהוּ בְּשָׁמוֹר דִּכְתִיב תִּשְׁמוֹרוּ). For the upper Shabbat here is not included in “guard” but only in “remember” (דְּהָא שַׁבָּת עִלָּאָה הָכָא לָא אִתְכְּלִיל בְּשָׁמוֹר אֶלָּא בְּזָכוֹר) for the supernal King is completed in “remember” (דְּהָא מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה בְּזָכוֹר אִסְתָּיָּים). And for that reason He is called the King whose peace is His (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִילֵיהּ) and His peace is zakhor (וּשְׁלָמָא דִילֵיהּ זָכוֹר אִיהוּ). And for that reason there is no division above (וְעַל דָּא לֵית מַחְלוֹקֶת לְעֵילָא).