Daf 6b (דַּף ו׳ ע״ב)

Master of Wonders (רַב פְּעָלִים), Master of all works and all supernal forces (מָארֵי דְּכָל עוֹבָדִין וְכָל חֵילִין עִלָּאִין), for all of them go forth from Him (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ נָפְקִין מִנֵּיהּ). Hashem Tzeva’ot is He (יְיָ צְבָאוֹת אִיהוּ), Ot is He-upon all His hosts His sign is inscribed (אוֹת הוּא בְּכָל חַיָילִין דִּידֵיהּ רְשִׁים הוּא), and He is greater than all (וְרַב מִכֹּלָא).

“Rav Pe‘alim” (Master of Wonders), He is Mekabtzi’el (רַב פְּעָלִים אִיהוּ מְקַבְצִאֵל), this is the great and precious tree (הַאי אִילָנָא רַב וְיַקִּירָא), greater than all (רַב מִכֹּלָּא). From where did it emerge? (מֵאָן אֲתַר נָפַק) From what level did it come? (מֵאָן דַּרְגָא אֲתָא) Return to the verse and it says: Mekabtzi’el a supernal hidden level (אַהֲדַר קְרָא וְאָמַר מְקַבְצִיאֵל דַּרְגָּא עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה), “that no eye has seen…” etc. (דְּעַיִן לֹא רָאֲתָה וְגו׳), a level in which everything is contained (דַּרְגָּא דְּכוֹלָא בֵּיהּ), and within it are gathered the inner radiance of the Supernal Light (וּכְנֵישׁ בְּגַוֵּיהּ מִגּוֹ נְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה), and from it all goes forth (וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפִיק כֹּלָּא). And it is the supernal hidden sanctuary (וְאִיהוּ הֵיכָלָא קַדִּישָׁא סְתִימָא), in which all levels are gathered and concealed (דְּכָל דַּרְגִּין כְּנִישִׁין וּסְתִימִין בְּגַוֵּיהּ). And within the body of this sanctuary (וּבְגוּפָא דְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא), the Tree stands (אִילָנָא קַיָּימִין), and all the worlds and all the holy forces are sustained from it (כָל עָלְמִין וְכָל חַיָּלִין קַדִּישִׁין), and they endure by their endurance (מִינֵּיהּ אִתְזָנוּ וְקַיְימֵי עַל קִיּוּמֵיהוֹן). He struck the two Ari’el of Moav (הוּא הִכָּה אֶת שְׁנֵי אֲרִיאֵל מוֹאָב), two sanctuaries were standing for his sake (תְּרֵין מִקְדְּשִׁין הֲווּ קַיָּימִין בְּגִינֵיהּ), and they were sustained through him-the First Temple and the Second Temple (וְאִתְזְנוּ מִנֵּיהּ מִקְדָּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן וּמִקְדָּשׁ שֵׁנִי). Once he departed (כֵיוָן דְּאִיהוּ אִסְתַּלַּק), the Nagid that was ruling from above was removed (נְגִידוּ דְּהֲוָה נְגִיד מִלְּעֵילָא אִתְמְנַע), as if-He struck them and destroyed them and cast them off (כִּבְיָכוֹל הוּא הִכָּה לוֹן וְחָרִיב לוֹן וְשָׁצֵי לוֹן). And the Holy Throne fell (וְכֻּרְסְיָיא קַדִּישָׁא נָפְלַת), this is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) “And I was among the exile” (וַאֲנִי בְּתוֹךְ הַגּוֹלָה) (Yechezkel 1).

That level called “Ani (I)” (הַהוּא דַרְגָּא דְּאִקְרֵי אֲנִי), it is in the exile (הוּא בְּתוֹךְ הַגּוֹלָה). Why? (אַמַּאי) By the River Kevar (עַל נְהַר כְּבָר), upon the river that flows and issues forth (עַל נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק), whose waters and springs have ceased, and it no longer flows as at first (דְּפָסִיק מֵימוֹי וּמַבּוּעוֹי וְלָא אִנְגִיד כַּד בְּקַדְמִיתָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) “A river dries up and is parched” (וְנָהָר יֶחֱרַב וְיָבֵשׁ) [Job 14] -”dried up” refers to the First Temple (יֶחֱרַב בְּבַיִת רִאשׁוֹן), and “parched” to the Second Temple (וְיָבֵשׁ בְּבַיִת שֵׁנִי). And for this reason, “he struck the two Ari’el of Moav” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ הוּא הִכָּה אֶת שְׁנֵי אֲרִיאֵל מוֹאָב). Some say: because in the beginning (ס״א דְּהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא), “Moav” (מוֹאָב), “for they were from the Father in Heaven” (דְּהֲווּ מֵאָב דְּבִשְׁמַיָא), and they were destroyed and cast aside because of him (וְאִתְחָרְבוּ וְאִשְׁתֵּצִיאוּ בְּגִינֵיהּ), and all the lights that once shone for Yisrael were darkened (וְכָל נְהוֹרִין דְּהֲווּ נְהִירִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְהוּ אִתְחֲשָׁכוּ). And further, he descended and struck the lion (וְתוּ הוּא יָרַד וְהִכָּה אֶת הָאֲרִי). In earlier times (בְּזִמְנִין קַדְמָאִין), when this river used to flow its waters below (כַּד הַאי נָהָר הֲוָה מָשִׁיךְ מֵימוֹי לְתַתָּא), Yisrael stood in completeness (הֲווּ קַיָּימִין יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁלִימוּ), for they would offer sacrifices and offerings for atonement upon their souls (דְּדַבְּחִין דִּבְחִין וְקָרְבְּנִין לְכַפָּרָא עַל נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ), and then a likeness of a lion would descend from above (וּכְדֵין הֲוָה נָחִית מִלְּעֵילָא דִּיוּקְנָא דְּחַד אַרְיֵה), and they would see him lying on the altar upon his prey (וְהֲווּ חָמָאן לֵיהּ עַל גַּבֵּי מַדְבְּחָא רָבִיץ עַל טַרְפֵּיהּ), consuming the offerings like a mighty warrior (אָכִיל קָרְבְּנִין כִּגְבַר תַּקִּיף). And all the dogs would hide themselves before him and not go outside (וְכָל כַּלְבִּין הֲווּ מִתְטַמְרִין מִקַּמֵּיהּ וְלָא נַפְקֵי לְבַר). Once sins caused it (כֵּיוָן דְגָרְמוּ חוֹבִין), he descended into lower levels (אִיהוּ נָחִית לְגוֹ דַּרְגִּין דִּלְתַתָּא) and slew that lion (וְקָטִיל לְהַהוּא אַרְיֵה), who no longer wished to offer his prey as before (דְּלָא בָעָא לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ טַרְפֵּיהּ כִּדְבְקַדְמִיתָא), as if, he killed him (כִּבְיָכוֹל קָטִיל לֵיהּ). He struck the lion indeed (הוּא הִכָּה אֶת הָאֲרִי וַדַּאי). Into the pit, before the eyes of the other, evil side (לְתוֹךְ הַבּוֹר לְעֵינָהָא דְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא בִּישָׁא). Once that other side saw this (כֵּיוָן דְחָמַאת הָכִי הַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא), she grew strong (אִתְתַּקְפַת), and sent a certain dog to consume the offerings (וְשַׁדְּרַת לְחַד כַּלְבָּא לְמֵיכַל קָרְבְּנִין). And what was the name of that lion? Ori’el (וּמַה שְּׁמֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא אַרְיֵ״ה אוֹרִיאֵ״ל), whose face was the face of a lion (דְּאַנְפּוֹי אַנְפֵּי אַרְיֵה). And what was the name of that dog? Bela’dan was his name (וּמַה שְּׁמֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא כַּלְבָּא בְּלַאדָן שְׁמֵיהּ), who is not in the category of man (דְּלָאו אִיהוּ בִּכְלַל אָדָם), but a dog with a dog’s face (אֶלָּא כַּלְבָּא וְאַנְפֵּי כַּלְבָּא). On the day of snow (בְּיוֹם הַשֶּׁלֶג), on the day when sins caused judgment to be executed above (בְּיוֹמָא דְּגָרְמוּ חוֹבִין וְדִינָא אִתְדָן לְעֵילָא), from the Supreme Court above (מֵעִם בֵּי דִינָא עִלָּאָה).

And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב) “She is not afraid of snow for her house” (לֹא תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג) [Mishlei 31], this is the supernal judgment (דָּא דִינָא עִלָּאָה). Why? (אַמַּאי) Because all her household is clothed in scarlet (בְּגִין דְּכָל בֵּיתָהּ לָבוּשׁ שָׁנִים), and can bear the fierce fire (וְיָכִיל לְמִיסְבַּל אֶשָּׁא תַּקִּיפָא). Until here is the secret of the verse (עַד כָּאן רָזָא דִקְרָא). What is written afterward? (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ) “And he struck the Egyptian man, a man of appearance” (וְהוּא הִכָּה אֶת אִישׁ מִצְרִי אִישׁ מַרְאֶה) [Shmuel II 23]. Here a secret of the verse comes to be revealed (הָכָא רָזָא דִקְרָא אֲתָא לְאוֹדָעָא): that in every time that Yisrael sinned (דִּי בְּכָל זִמְנָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל חָבוּ), he withdrew and withheld from them all the goodness and all the lights that shone for them (אִיהוּ אִסְתַּלַּק וּמְנַע מִנַּיְיהוּ כָּל טָבִין וְכָל נְהוֹרִין דְּהֲווּ נְהִירִין לוֹן). “He struck the Egyptian man” this is the light (הוּא הִכָּה אֶת אִישׁ מִצְרִי דָּא נְהוֹרָא), that very light that shone to Yisrael (דְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּהֲוָה נָהִיר לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And who is he? Moshe (וּמָאן אִיהוּ מֹשֶׁה), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב) “An Egyptian man saved us…” (וַתֹּאמַרְנָה אִישׁ מִצְרִי הִצִּילָנוּ וְגו׳) [Shemot 2]. For there he was born, and there he was raised, and from there he ascended to the supernal light (וְתַמָּן אִתְיְלִיד וְתַמָּן אִתְרַבֵּי וְתַמָּן אִסְתַּלִיק לִנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה). “A man of appearance”-as it is said (אִישׁ מַרְאֶה כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) “And the appearance, not in riddles” (וּמַרְאֶה וְלֹא בְחִידוֹת) [Bamidbar 12]. “A man,” as it is written (אִישׁ כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) “A man of the Elohim” (אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים) [Devarim 33]. As if to say: the master of that vision of the Glory of Hashem (כִּבְיָכוֹל בַּעֲלָהּ דְּהַהוּא מַרְאֶה כְּבוֹד יְיָ), who merited to lead this level in all his will upon the earth (דְּזָכָה לְאַנְהָגָא דַּרְגָּא דָא בְּכָל רְעוּתֵיהּ בְּאַרְעָא), in a way no other human being ever merited (מַה דְּלָא זָכֵי בַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא). And in the hand of the Egyptian was a spear (וּבְיַד הַמִּצְרִי חֲנִית).

This is the staff of the Elohim (דָּא מַטֵּה הָאֱלֹהִים), which was given into his hand (דְּהוּא אִתְמָסַר בִּידֵיהּ), as it is written (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “And the staff of the Elohim in my hand” (וּמַטֵּה הָאֱלֹהִים בְּיָדִי) [Shemot 17]. And this is the staff that was created on the eve of Shabbat during twilight (וְדָא אִיהוּ מַטֶּה דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת), and engraved upon it was a sacred name, a sacred glyph (וְחָקוּק בֵּיהּ שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא גְלִיפָא קַדִּישָׁא). And with this he struck the rock (וּבְהַאי חָב בַּסֶּלַע), as it is written (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “And he struck the rock with his staff twice” (וַיַּךְ אֶת הַסֶּלַע בְּמַטֵּהוּ פַּעֲמָיִם) [Bamidbar 20]. Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), “Moshe, I did not give you My staff for this purpose” (מֹשֶׁה לָא יְהָבִית לָךְ מַטֶּה דִילִי לְהַאי), “by your life, it shall no longer be in your hand from this point on” (חַיֶּיךָ לֹא יְהֵא בְיָדְךָ מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה).

Immediately (מִיָּד), “And he went down to him with the rod, with harsh judgment” (וַיֵּרֶד אֵלָיו בַּשֵּׁבֶט בְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא). “And he took the spear from the hand of the Egyptian” (וַיִּגְזוֹל אֶת הַחֲנִית מִיַּד הַמִּצְרִי) [Shmuel II 23]. For at that moment it was taken from him (דִּמְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אִתְמְנַע מִנֵּיהּ), and it was never again in his hand (וְלָא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ לְעָלְמִין). “And he killed him with his own spear” (וַיַּהַרְגֵהוּ בַּחֲנִיתוֹ)-for that transgression of striking the rock with that staff (עַל הַהוּא חוֹבָא דִּמְחָא בְּהַהוּא מַטֶּה), he died and did not enter the Holy Land (מֵת וְלָא עָאל לְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), and this light was withheld from Yisrael (וְאִתְמְנַע נְהוֹרָא דָא מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל). “From among the thirty” (מִן הַשְּׁלשִׁים) he was the most honored (הֲכִי נִכְבָּד), these are the thirty supernal years (אִלֵּין שְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה עִלָּאִין) from which he would draw and extend downward (דְּאִיהוּ נָטִיל מִנְהוֹן וְאִנְגִיד לְתַתָּא), and from them he would take and draw near (וּמִנַּיְיהוּ אִיהוּ הֲוָה נָטִיל וְאִתְקָרֵב).