Daf 9a (דַּף ט׳ ע״א)

“There is no speech and there are no words” in the other words of the world (אֵין אוֹמֶר וְאֵין דְּבָרִים בִּשְׁאָר מִילִין דְּעָלְמָא). For they are not heard before the Holy King and He does not desire to hear them (דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּמְעוּ קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא וְלָא בָּעֵי לְמִשְׁמַע לוֹן). But these words, “their sound has gone out through all the earth” (אֲבָל הָנֵי מִילֵי בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ יָצָא קַוָם) (Psalms 19). The servants of Mashiach are these words—supernal dwellings and lower dwellings (עַבְדֵי מְשִׁיחָא אִנּוּן מִלִּין מְדוֹרִי עִלָּאֵי וּמְדוֹרֵי תַּתָּאֵי).

From these were made firmaments, and from these the earth, from that praise (מֵאִלִּין אִתְעֲבִידוּ רְקִיעִין וּמֵאִלֵּין אֶרֶץ מֵהַהִיא תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא). And if you say that these words are in one place, they wander in the world (וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאִנּוּן מִלִּין בְּאֲתַר חָד, מְשַׁטְּטָא בְּעָלְמָא). “At the end of the world their words” (בִּקְצֵה תֵבֵל מִלֵּיהֶם) (Psalms 19). And since firmaments were made from them, who dwells in them (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְעֲבִידָא רְקִיעִין מִנְהוֹן, מָאן שַׁרְיָא בְהוֹן)? He returned and said: “For the sun He placed a tent in them” (הָדַר וְאָמַר לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ שָׂם אֹהֶל בָּהֶם) (Psalms 19).

That holy sun set its dwelling and habitation in them, and was crowned by them (הַהוּא שִׁמְשָׁא קַדִּישָׁא שָׁוֵי מְדוֹרֵיהּ וּמִשְׁכָּנֵיהּ בְּהוּ וְאִתְעַטַּר בְּהוּ). Since He dwells in those firmaments and is crowned by them, then “he is as a bridegroom coming out of his canopy” (כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁרֵי בְּאִנּוּן רְקִיעִין וְאִתְעַטַּר בְּהוּ, כְּדֵין וְהוּא כְּחָתָן יוֹצֵא מֵחֻפָּתוֹ) (Psalms 19). He rejoices and runs within those firmaments (חָדֵי וְרָהִיט בְּאִנּוּן רְקִיעִין). He goes out from them and enters and runs within another palace in another place (נָפַק מִנַּיְיהוּ וְעָאל וְרָהִיט גּוֹ מִגְדְּלָא חָדָא אָחֳרָא בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא). “From one end of heaven is his going forth” (מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם מוֹצָאוֹ) (Psalms 19).

Surely from the supernal world he goes out and comes, which is “the end of heaven above” (וַדַּאי מֵעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה נָפִיק וְאַתְיָא דְּאִיהוּ קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם לְעֵילָא) (Zohar 1b). “And his circuit” (וּתְקוּפָתוֹ) “unto their ends” (עַל קְצוֹתָם) (Psalms 19). Who is “his circuit” (מָאן תְּקוּפָתוֹ)? This is the end of heaven below (דָּא קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם לְתַתָּא), which is the cycle of the year that turns to all sides (דְּאִיהִי תְּקוּפַת הַשָּׁנָה דְּאַסְחְרָא לְכָל סָיְיפִין). And it is bound from the heaven above down to this firmament (וְאִתְקַשְׁרַת מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם עַד רְקִיעָא דָּא). “And there is nothing hidden from his heat” (וְאֵין נִסְתָּר מֵחַמָּתוֹ) (Psalms 19)—from that cycle, and from the cycle of the sun that turns to every side (דְּהַהִיא תְּקוּפָה דָא וּתְקוּפָה דְּשִׁמְשָׁא דְּאַסְחַר בְּכָל סִטְרָא). “And there is nothing hidden” (וְאֵין נִסְתָּר)—there is nothing concealed from Him, from all the supernal levels (לֵית דְּאִתְכַּסֵּי מִנֵּיהּ מִכָּל דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין), for they all surround and come to Him, and each one, there is no one who can hide from Him (דְּהֲווּ כֻּלְהוּ מְסַחֲרָן וְאַתְיָין לְגַבֵּיהּ וְכָל חַד וְחַד לֵית מַאן דְּיִתְכַּסֵּי מִינֵיהּ).

From his heat—at the time he grows warm and returns to them in complete repentance (מֵחַמָּתוֹ בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִתְחַמֵם וְתָב לְגַבַּיְיהוּ בִּתְּיוּבְתָּא שְׁלִים). All this praise and all this exaltation is because of Orayta, as it is written: “The Torah of Hashem is perfect” (כָּל שְׁבָחָא דָא וְכָל עִלּוּיָא דָא בְּגִין אוֹרַיְיתָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב תּוֹרַת יְיָ תְּמִימָה) (Psalms 19). Six times Hashem is written here (שִׁית זִמְנִין כְּתִיב הָכָא יְיָ), and six verses “The heavens declare” until “The Torah of Hashem is perfect,” and on this secret it is written “Bereshit”—behold six letters (וְשִׁית קְרָאֵי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם מְסַפְּרִים עַד תּוֹרַת יְיָ תְּמִימָה, וְעַל רָזָא דָא כְּתִיב בְּרֵאשִׁית הָא שִׁית אַתְוָון). “Elohim created the heavens and the earth”—behold six words (בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, הָא שִׁית תֵּבִין). The later verses correspond to the sixfold mention of Hashem, six verses, because of these six letters here (קְרָאֵי אַחֲרָנִין לָקֳבֵל שִׁית זִמְנִין יְיָ, שִׁית קְרָאֵי בְּגִין שִׁית אַתְוָון דְּהָכָא). Six Names, corresponding to the six words here (שִׁית שְׁמָהָן בְּגִין שִׁית תֵּבִין דְּהָכָא).

While they were sitting (עַד דְּהֲווּ יַתְבֵי), Rabbi El'azar his son and Rabbi Abba entered (עָאלוּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ וְרִבִּי אַבָּא). He said to them (אָמַר לוֹן): Surely you have beheld the faces of the Shekhinta (וַדַּאי אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא אַתְיָין), and because of this I call you Peni-El [Face of God] (וְעַל דָּא פְּנִיאֵל קָרֵינָא לְכוּ), for you have seen the face of the Shekhinta face to face (דְּהָא חֲמִיתּוּן אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין). And now that you have known, and the verse of Benayahu ben Yehoyada has been revealed to you (וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּקָא יְדַעְתּוּן וְגָלֵי לְכוּ קְרָא דְּוּנְיָהוּ בֶן יְהוֹיָדָע), surely this is a matter of Atika Kadisha, and the verse that follows it (וַדַּאי דְּמִלָּה דְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא אִיהוּ וּקְרָא דְּאֲבַּתְרֵיהּ). And they have spoken that which is concealed from all (וְהַהוּא דְּסָתִים מִכֹּלָא אָמְרוּ).

And this verse is in another place in this manner (וְהַאי קְרָא אִיהוּ בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא כְּגַוְונָא דָא). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And he struck the Egyptian, a man of measure, five cubits high” (וְהוּא הִכָּה אֶת הָאִישׁ הַמִּצְרִי אִישׁ מִדָּה חָמֵשׁ בָּאַמָּה) (I Chronicles 11). And all is one secret (וְכֹלָא רָזָא חָדָא אִיהוּ), from this Egyptian, the one that is known (מֵהַאי מִצְרִי הַהוּא דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע): “very great in the land of Egypt in the eyes of the servants…” (גָּדוֹל מְאֹד בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּעֵינֵי עַבְדֵי וְגו׳) (Exodus 11), great and honored, as that elder revealed (רַב וְיַקִּירָא כְּמָה דְגָלֵי הַהוּא סָבָא). And this verse was said in the supernal Academy (וְהַאי קְרָא בִּמְתִיבְתָּא עִלָּאָה אִתְּמָר). “A man of measure”—all is one (אִישׁ מִדָּה כֹּלָּא חַד). “A man of appearance and a man of measure”—all is one (אִישׁ מַרְאֶה וְאִישׁ מִדָּה כֹּלָּא חַד) (II Samuel 23). Because he is Shabbat and boundary, as it is written (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ שַׁבָּת וּתְחוּמָא דִּכְתִיב): “And you shall measure from outside the city” (וּמַדּוֹתֶם מִחוּץ לָעִיר) (Numbers 35), and it is written, “You shall not do injustice in judgment, in measure” (לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט בַּמִּדָּה) (Leviticus 19). And for this reason he is a man of measure (וְעַל דָּא אִישׁ מִדָּה אִיהוּ). And truly he is a man of measure, his length from one end of the world to the other end of the world (וְאִיהוּ מַמָּשׁ אִישׁ מִדָּה אִיהוּ אָרְכֵּיהּ מִסְּיָיפֵי עָלְמָא וְעַד סְיָיפֵי עָלְמָא). Adam HaRishon was thus (אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן הָכִי הֲוָה).

And if you say: Behold, it is written, “five cubits” (וְאִי תֵימָא הָא כְּתִיב חָמֵשׁ בָּאַמָּה), these five cubits were from one end of the world to the other end of the world (אִנּוּן חָמֵשׁ בָּאַמָּה מִסְּיָיפֵי עָלְמָא עַד סְיָיפֵי עָלְמָא הֲוָה). “And in the hand of the Egyptian was a spear” (וּבְיַד הַמִּצְרִי חֲנִית) (I Chronicles 11), as you say, “like a weaver’s beam” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כִּמְנוֹר אוֹרְגִים). This is the staff of the Elohim that was in his hand (דָּא מַטֵּה הָאֱלֹהִים דְּהֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ), engraved with the explicit Name (חָקִיק בִּשְׁמָא גְּלִיפָא מְפָרַשׁ), shining with the radiance of the combinations of letters (בִּנְהִירוּ דְּצֵרוּפֵי אַתְוָון), which Betzalel engraved, and his Academy that is called “weaver” (דְּהֲוָה גָּלִיף בְּצַלְאֵל וּמְתִיבְתָּא דִילֵיהּ דְּאִקְרֵי אוֹרֵג), as it is written: “He filled them… as craftsmen, and designers, and embroiderers…” (דִּכְתִיב מִלֵּא אוֹתָם וְגו׳ חָרָשׁ וְחָשֵׁב וְרוֹקֵם וְגו׳) (Exodus 35). And that staff shone with the engraved Name on all sides (וְהַהוּא מַטֶּה הֲוָה נָהִיר שְׁמָא גְּלִיפָא בְּכָל סִטְרִין), with the radiance of the sages who engraved the explicit Name p1-15(בִּנְהִירוּ דְּחֲכִימִין דְּהֲווּ מְגַלְּפִין שְׁמָא מְפָרַשׁ), in forty-two colors (בְּאַרְבְּעִין וּתְרֵין גְּווָנֵי). And the verse from here and onward is as was said: “Happy is his portion” (וּקְרָא מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה כְּמָה דְּאָמַר זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ).

Sit, precious ones, sit, and let us renew the adornment of the Bride on this night (תִּיבוּ יַקִּרִין תִּיבוּ וּנְחַדֵּשׁ תִּקּוּן דְּכַלָּה בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא). For whoever joins with her on this night shall be guarded above and below all that year, and the year shall go forth in peace (דְּכָל מָאן דְּאִשְׁתַּתַּף בַּהֲדָהּ בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא יְהֵא נְטִיר עֵילָא וְתַתָּא כָּל הַהִיא שַׁתָּא וְיַפֵּיק שַׁתָּא בִּשְׁלָם). Concerning them it is written: “The angel of Hashem encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them. Taste and see that Hashem is good” (עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב חוֹנֶה מַלְאַךְ יְיָ סָבִיב לִירֵאָיו וַיְחַלְּצֵם טַעֲמוּ וּרְאוּ כִּי טוֹב יְיָ) (Psalms 34).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): “In the beginning Elohim created” (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים) (Bereshit 1:1). This verse must be contemplated (הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ). For whoever says there is another God is uprooted from the worlds (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאָמַר אִית אֱלָהָא אָחֳרָא אִשְׁתְּצֵי מֵעָלְמִין). As it is said: “Thus you shall say to them: The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens” (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר כִּדְנָה תֵמְרוּן לְהוֹם אֱלָהָא דִּי שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְקָא לָא עֲבַדוּ יֵאבַדוּ מֵאַרְעָא וּמִן תְּחוֹת שְׁמַיָּא אֵלֶּה) (Jeremiah 10). Because there is no other God except Kudsha Berikh Hu alone (בְּגִין דְּלֵית אֱלָהָא אָחֳרָא בַּר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי).