Daf 108b (דַּף ק״ח ע״ב)

And to what place is he brought near? (וּלְאָן אֲתַר יִתְקְרִיב לְגַבֵּיהּ). To the door or to the mezuzah (אֶל הַדֶּלֶת אוֹ אֶל הַמְזוּזָה). Because this place is the supernal opening (בְּגִין דְּהַאי אֲתַר פִּתְחָא הוּא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and it is called mezuzah (וּמְזוּזָה אִקְרֵי), and this has already been explained (וְהָא אִתְּמַר). And since he directed himself to blemish this place (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִיהוּ אַכְוָון לְאַפְגָּמָא לְהַאי אֲתַר), that blemish remains with him in his body (הַהוּא פְּגִימוּ אִשְׁתְּאַר בַּהֲדֵיהּ בֵּיהּ בְּגוּפֵיהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): And his master shall pierce his ear with the awl, and he shall serve him forever (וְרָצַע אֲדוֹנָיו אֶת אָזְנוֹ בַּמַּרְצֵעַ וַעֲבָדוֹ לְעוֹלָם) (Exodus 21). He shall be a servant under the feet of his master (יֶהֱוֵי עַבְדָּא תְּחוֹת רַגְלוֹי דְּמָארֵיהּ), until the year of Yovel (עַד שַׁתָּא דְּיוֹבְלָא).

His ear-why? (אֶת אָזְנוֹ אֲמַאי). This has already been established (הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ). But hearing depends upon this place (אֲבָל שְׁמִיעָה תָּלֵי בְּהַאי אֲתַר), action above (עֲשִׂיָּה לְעֵילָּא). And because Yisrael, when they drew near to Mount Sinai (וּבְגִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּד קְרִיבוּ לְטוּרָא דְּסִינַי), and they were with the love of their hearts to draw near to Kudsha Berikh Hu (וַהֲווּ בִּרְחִימוּ דְּלִבַּיְיהוּ לְאִתְקָרְבָא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), they placed action before hearing (אַקְדִּימוּ עֲשִׂיָּה לַשְּׁמִיעָה). For hearing is first (דְּהָא שְׁמִיעָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterward action (וּלְבָתַר עֲשִׂיָּה). Hearing depends upon this Shemittah (שְׁמִיעָה בְּהַאי שְׁמִיטָה תַּלְיָא). And because he blemished this hearing (וְעַל דָּא הוּא פָּגִים לְהַאי שְׁמִיעָה), his hearing is blemished (יִתְפְּגִים שְׁמִיעָה דִּילֵיהּ), and the blemish remains in him (וְיִשְׁתְּאַר פְּגִימוּ בֵּיהּ). And he will not remain a servant to his master (וְלָא יִשְׁתְּאַר הוּא עַבְדָּא לְמָארֵיהּ), until he is brought near to that place which he blemished (עַד דְּיִתְקָרֵב לְהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּפָגִים), and he is blemished before it (וְיִתְפְּגִים הוּא קַמֵּיהּ), and the blemish remains in him (וְיִשְׁתְּאַר בֵּיהּ הַהוּא פְּגִימוּ). And therefore it is written (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, וְהִגִּישׁוֹ אֲדֹנָיו אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים סְתָם): to Elohim, plain (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא, וְשָׁבְתָה הָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַיְיָ): Six years you shall sow your field, etc., and in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath unto Hashem (שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְרַע שָׂדֶךָ וְגוֹ', וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן יִהְיֶה לָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַיְיָ) (Leviticus 25). And this has already been established (וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ). For it is written (דִּכְתִיב): And in the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, etc. (וּבַשְּׁבִיעִית תִּשְׁמְטֶנָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּהּ וְגוֹ') (Exodus 23).

What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). And the poor of your people shall eat (וְאָכְלוּ אֶבְיוֹנֵי עַמֶּךָ). Because the poor depend upon this place (בְּגִין דְּמִסְכְּנֵי בְּהַאי אֲתַר תַּלְיָין), and therefore He leaves it for them to eat (וּבְגִין כָּךְ שָׁבִיק לוֹן לְמֵיכַל). And concerning this: whoever has mercy on the poor (וְעַל דָּא, מַאן דְּרָחִים לְמִסְכְּנָא), gives peace into Kenesset Yisrael (יָהִיב שְׁלָמָא בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), and adds blessing into the world (וְאוֹסִיף בִּרְכָתָא בְּעָלְמָא), and gives joy and strength to the place that is called Tzedakah (וְיָהִיב חֵידוּ וְחֵילָא לַאֲתַר דְּאִתְקְרֵי צְדָקָה), to draw blessing into Kenesset Yisrael (לְאַרְקָא בִּרְכָתָא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And this has been established (וְאוֹקִימְנָא).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

And in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest, etc. (וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית שַׁבָּת שַׁבָּתוֹן וְגוֹ') (Leviticus 25). This commandment is to rest in the seventh year (פִּקּוּדָא דָּא לִשְׁבּוֹת בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית), and after it to rest on the seventh (וַאֲבַתְרֵיהּ לִשְׁבּוֹת בַּשְּׁבִיעִי). And after it, to remit debts in the seventh year (וַאֲבַתְרֵיהּ לְהַשְׁמִיט כְּסָפִים בַּשְּׁבִיעִית). And after it, to count seven years seven times, and they shall be to you the days of seven Sabbaths of years, forty-nine years (וַאֲבָתְרֵיהּ לִמְנוֹת שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים וְהָיוּ לְךָ יְמֵי שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת הַשָּׁנִים תֵּשַׁע וְאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה). Here is the secret of all the sevens (הָכָא רָזָא דְּכָל שְׁבִיעִיּוֹת): from the side of Shekhinta who is called seven (מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִתְקְרִיאַת שֶׁבַע), from the side of the Tzaddik, who is the seventh to Binah (מִסִּטְרָא דְּצַדִּיק דְּאִיהוּ שְׁבִיעִי לַבִּינָה). And she is the daughter of seven (וְאִיהִי בַּת שֶׁבַע), from the side of Imma Ila’ah (מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִימָא עִלָּאָה), of whom it is said (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ): Seven times a day I praise You (שֶׁבַע בַּיוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ) (Psalms 119).

Seven are their names (שֶׁבַע שְׁמָהָן אִינּוּן): ABGYTTZ (אַבְגִיתַ״ץ), and in them are forty-two letters (וּבְהוֹן מ״ב אַתְוָון). The total of letters and words are forty-nine (כְּלַל אַתְוָון וְתֵיבִין הֵם תֵּשַׁע וְאַרְבְּעִין). Imma Ila’ah is the fiftieth year (אִמָּא עִלָּאָה שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה), of which it is written: And you shall proclaim liberty (דְּבָהּ וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר) (Leviticus 25). In her shall be the lower Shekhinta (בָּהּ תְּהֵא שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה), liberty, redemption, and release for Yisrael (דְּרוֹר פְּדוּת וּשְׁבִיתָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is said of them (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth (וְהָיָה זַרְעֲךָ כַּעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ) (Bereshit 28).

Each sefirah from these seven (כָּל סְפִירָה מֵאִלֵּין שֶׁבַע) has six wings (שִׁית גַּדְפִין), which are six letters for each one (דְּאִינּוּן שִׁית אַתְוָון לְכָל חַד). And in them is Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta in every sefirah of these seven (וּבְהוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא [וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ] בְּכָל סְפִירָה מֵאִלֵּין שֶׁבַע). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִיב): With two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew (בִּשְׁתַּיִם יְכַסֶּה פָּנָיו, וּבִשְׁתַּיִם יְכַסֶּה רַגְלָיו, וּבִשְׁתַּיִם יְעוֹפֵף) (Isaiah 6). And Binah is one (וּבִינָה אִיהוּ אַחַת), and the lower Shekhinta is seven (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה שֶׁבַע). And above Binah are one and one (וּלְעֵילָּא מִבִּינָה, אַחַת וְאַחַת), behold ten Sefirot (הָא עֶשֶׂר סְפִירָן). Two (שְׁתַּיִם), three (ג׳), and four (וְד׳), and five (וְה׳), and six (וְו׳), and seven (וְז׳). Here “and he went, going and growing” (כָּאן וַיִּלֶךְ הָלוֹךְ וְגָדֵל) - from the foreign side (מִסִּטְרָא נוּכְרָאָה). And “the waters were going and diminishing” (וְהַמַּיִם הָיוּ הָלוֹךְ וְחָסוֹר), when? (אֵימָתַי). At the place where the lower Shekhinta rests in the seventh (בַּאֲתַר דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה שַׁרְיָא בְּז׳). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): And the ark rested in the seventh month (וַתָּנַח הַתֵּיבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְׁבִיעִי) (Bereshit 8) - this is the lower Shekhinta (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָא תַּתָּאָה). On the seventeenth day of the month (בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ) - she is the seventh and the tenth (אִיהִי שְׁבִיעָאָה וַעֲשִׂירָאָה). That ascends in them is Ehyeh (דִּסְלִיקַת בְּהוֹן אֶהְיֶה), which is Binah (דְּאִיהִי בִּינָה), the year of Yovel (שְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל). She is Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה) - twice Ehyeh (תְּרֵין זִמְנִין אֶהְיֶה), which is the number forty-two (חוּשְׁבָּן מ״ב), and with eight letters are fifty (וּתְמַנְיָּא אַתְוָון בְּהוֹן חַמְשִׁין). In them is the commandment to count the year of Yovel (דִּבְהוֹן פִּקּוּדָא לַחֲשׁוֹב שְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל).

And in it is the commandment to return to his possession in the Yovel (וּבֵיהּ פִּקּוּדָא לַחֲזוֹר לַאֲחֻזָתוֹ בַּיוֹבֵל): In this year of Yovel you shall return, etc. (בִּשְׁנַת הַיּוֹבֵל הַזֹאת תָּשׁוּבוּ וְגוֹ׳). Each one shall return in it to his level (כָּל חַד יַחֲזוֹר בֵּיהּ לְדַרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ), for his Neshama is held from there (דְּנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ אָחִיזָא מִתַּמָּן), as it has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ): And the spirit shall return to Elohim, etc. (וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ׳) (Ecclesiastes 12). Shemittah is the lower Shekhinta (שְׁמִיטָה: שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה), which is of seven years (דְּאִיהִי מִשְּׁבַע שְׁנִין). Yovel is Imma Ila’ah, Binah (יוֹבֵל: אִימָּא עִלָּאָה, בִּינָה), which is of fifty years (אִיהִי לְחַמְשִׁין שְׁנִין). And in her Yisrael are joined in their release from exile (וּבָהּ אִתְיַיחֲסִין יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַפְקָנוּתְהוֹן מִן גָּלוּתָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): And you shall return every man to his family (וְאִישׁ אֶל מִשְׁפַּחְתּוֹ תָּשׁוּבוּ) (Leviticus 25). In the likeness of the exodus from Egypt (כְּגַוְונָא דְּמַפְקָנוּ דְּמִצְּרַיִם), in which they were masters of Torah (דְּאִינּוּן מָארֵי תּוֹרָה בָּהּ), it is said of them (אִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): And the children of Yisrael went up armed (וַחֲמוּשִׁים עָלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 13). And it has been established (וְאוֹקְמוּהָ): one out of fifty (אֶחָד מֵחֲמִשִּׁים).