Daf 122a (דַּף קכ״ב ע״א)

Fortunate is the man who merits in Orayta (זַכָּאָה בַּר נָשׁ דְּזָכֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), to go and cleave to its ways (לְמֵיזָל לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּאוֹרְחוֹי). For when a man goes in the ways of Orayta (דְּכַד בַּר נָשׁ אָזִיל בְּאוֹרְחוֹי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), he draws upon himself a supernal holy spirit (מָשִׁיךְ עָלֵיהּ רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה). As you say: Until a spirit be poured upon us from on high (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר עַד יֵעָרֶה עָלֵינוּ רוּחַ מִמָּרוֹם) (Isaiah 32). And when a man strays from its ways (וְכַד בַּר נָשׁ סָטֵי אוֹרְחוֹי), he draws upon himself another spirit from the Sitra achra (מָשִׁיךְ עָלֵיהּ רוּחָא אַחֲרָא מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא), which is the defiled side (דְּהוּא סִטְרָא דְּמִסְאֲבָא). And the defiled side is aroused from the side of the female of the great Tehom (וְסִטְרָא דְּמִסְאֲבָא אִתְּעַר מִסִּטְרָא דְּנוּקְבָּא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא), for there are the dwellings of evil spirits (דְּתַמָּן מָדוֹרִין דְּרוּחִין בִּישִׁין), that harm mankind (דְּנַזְקֵי לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), that are called destroyers of the world (דְּאִקְרוּן נַזְקֵּי עָלְמָא).

For behold, from the side of the primordial Kayin they were found (דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּקַיִן קַדְמָאָה אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ). And Yitro at first was a priest to idolatry (וְיִתְרוֹ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כּוּמָרָא לְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הֲוָה), and to that side he served (וּלְהַהוּא סְטָר הֲוָה פָּלַח), and he drew upon himself a spirit from that place (וּמָשִׁךְ עָלֵיהּ רוּחָא מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר). And because of this he was called Kenite (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי קֵּינִי). Afterwards he separated from Kayin, truly (לְבָתַר נִפְרָד מִקַּיִן וַדַּאי). And he cleaved - Some say: and he joined (וְאִתְדְּבַק; נ״א וְאִתְחַבַּר) - to Kudsha Berikh Hu (בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). What does this teach? (מַאי מַשְׁמַע). That whoever cleaves to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִתְדַּבַּק בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and performs the commandments of Orayta (וְעָבִיד פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), so to speak, he sustains the worlds, the world above and the world below (כִּבְיָכוֹל הוּא קִיֵּים עָלְמִין עָלְמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא וְעָלְמָא דִּלְתַּתָּא).

And behold, it has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ): And you shall do them is written (וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אוֹתָם כְּתִיב) (Leviticus 18). And whoever transgresses the commandments of Orayta (וְכָל מַאן דְּעָבַר עַל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), so to speak, he blemishes above (כִּבְיָכוֹל פָּגִים לְעֵילָּא), he blemishes below (פָּגִים לְתַתָּא), he blemishes himself (פָּגִים לְגַרְמֵיהּ), he blemishes all the worlds (פָּגִים לְכָל עָלְמִין). It is compared to those who separate on the right, who sail - Some say: who travel (מְתַל לְאִינּוּן מַפְרֵישֵׁי יָמִין דְּשָׁאטֵי; ס״א דְּטָסְרִין) - in four, one fool arose among them (בְּאַרְבָּעָא, קָם חַד שַׁטְיָיא בֵּינַיְיהוּ), he wished to pierce it, etc. (בָּעָא לְנַקְבָא וְכוּ׳). And concerning this it is written: A man or a woman when they shall do, etc., the man, etc. (וְעַל דָּא אִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה כִּי יַעֲשׂוּ וְגוֹ׳, הָאָדָם וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 5).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): And they like Adam have transgressed the covenant (וְהֵמָה כְּאָדָם עָבְרוּ בְרִית) (Hosea 6). Adam transgressed one commandment of Orayta (אָדָם עָבַר עַל פִּקּוּדָא חַד דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), he caused death to himself (גָּרִים לֵיהּ לְגַרְמֵיהּ מִיתָה), and he caused for all the world (וְגָרַם לְכָל עָלְמָא), he blemished above (פָּגִים לְעֵילָּא), he blemished below (פָּגִים לְתַתָּא). And that guilt hangs until Kudsha Berikh Hu sustains the world as at the beginning (וְהַהוּא חוֹבָא תַּלְיָיא, עַד דִּיקַיֵּים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא כְּמִלְּקַדְמִין), and that blemish is removed from the world (וְיִתְעֲבָר הַהוּא פְּגִימוּ מֵעָלְמָא). This is what is written: He will swallow up death forever, and Hashem Elohim will wipe away tears from all faces, etc. (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח וּמָחָה יְיָ אֱלֹהִים דִּמְעָה מֵעַל כָּל פָּנִים וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 25). And because of this: When they shall do any of the sins of man (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כִּי יַעֲשׂוּ מִכָּל חַטֹּאת הָאָדָם) (Numbers 5). It is written: the man, Adam Kadma’ah (כְּתִיב הָאָדָם, אָדָם קַדְמָאָה). To commit a trespass against Hashem (לִמְעוֹל מַעַל בַּיְיָ), for one who departs from mercy and draws from judgment (דְּמַאן דְּיִפּוּק מֵרַחֲמֵי, וְיַנְקָא מִן דִּינָא), he is the one who causes blemish, etc. (הוּא גָּרִים פְּגִימוּ וְכוּ׳). And concerning this: May the Merciful save them from the guilty of this world and from their blemish (וְעַל דָּא, רַחֲמָנָא לִישֵׁזְבָן מֵחַיָיבֵי דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּמִן פְּגִימוּ דִּלְהוֹן). For how many righteous are taken away on account of them (כַּמָה זַכָּאִין מִסְתַּלְּקֵי בְּגִינַיְיהוּ), besides all that they cause above and below (בַּר כָּל מַה דְּגַרְמֵי לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

This commandment (פִּקּוּדָא דָּא) is the commandment of Teshuvah [Repentance] (הִיא מִצְּוַת תְּשׁוּבָה). And this is Binah [Understanding] (וְדָא אִיהִי בִּינָה). And because of our sins, since the Temple was destroyed (וּבַעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ מִדְּחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), nothing has remained to us except Viduy Devarim [confession of words] alone (לָא אִשְׁתְּאַר לָנוּ אֶלָּא וִדּוּי דְּבָרִים לְבַד), and this is Malkhut [Kingship] (וְדָא מַלְכוּת). And what is Binah [Understanding]? (וּמַאי בִּינָה). Ben Yah [Son of Yah] (בֶּן יָ״הּ). And this Son is certainly the Vav [the letter Vav] (וְהַאי בֶּן ו׳ אִיהוּ וַדַּאי). And whoever returns in Teshuvah [return] (וְכָל מַאן דְּחָזַר בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא), it is as though the letter Heh [the letter Heh] returned to the letter Vav [the letter Vav] (כְּאִלּוּ חָזַר אָת ה׳ לְאָת ו׳), which is Ben Yah [Son of Yah] (דְּאִיהוּ בֶּן יָ״הּ), and the Name YHVH is completed through it (וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בֵּיהּ יְדוָ״ד). And this is Teshuvah [Repentance] (וְדָא אִיהוּ תְּשׁוּבָה): the Heh [the letter Heh] certainly returns to the Vav [the letter Vav] (תָּשׁוּב ה׳ וַדַּאי לְגַבֵּי ו׳). For the letter Heh [the letter Heh] is certainly Viduy Devarim [confession of words] (דְּאָת ה׳ וַדַּאי אִיהוּ וִדּוּי דְּבָרִים). And the mystery of the matter is this (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה): “Take with you words and return to Hashem; say to Him … and we shall render the calves of our lips” (קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל יְיָ אִמְרוּ אֵלָיו… וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָּרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ) (Hoshea 14:3).

For certainly, when a person sins (דְּוַדַּאי כַּד בַּר נָשׁ אִיהוּ חוֹטֵא), he causes the Heh [the letter Heh] to be removed from the Vav [the letter Vav] (גָּרִים לְאִתְרַחֲקָא ה׳ מֵאָת ו׳). For this Ben Yah [Son of Yah], namely YHV [Yod–Heh–Vav], was removed from the letter Heh [the letter Heh] (דְּאִסְתְּלַּק בֶּן יָ״הּ דָּא יָהוּ מֵאָת ה׳). And because of this the Temple was destroyed (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), and Yisrael became distant from there (וְאִתְרַחֲקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתַּמָּן), and they were exiled among the nations (וְאִתְגְּלוּ בֵּינֵי עֲמַמְיָא). And because of this, whoever performs Teshuvah [Repentance] (וּבְגִין דָּא כָּל מַאן דְּעָבִיד תְּשׁוּבָה), causes the Heh [the letter Heh] to return to the Vav [the letter Vav] (גָּרִים לְאַחְזְרָא ה׳ לְאָת ו׳). And redemption depends upon this (וּפוּרְקָנָא בְּדָא תַּלְיָיא). And because of this, all depends upon Teshuvah [Repentance] (וּבְגִין דָּא הַכֹּל תָּלוּי בִּתְשׁוּבָה). For so said the predecessors (דְּכַךְ אָמְרוּ קַדְמָאֵי):

All the appointed times [for the coming of Mashiach] have passed, and the matter now depends only upon Teshuvah (כָּל הַקִּצִּין כָּלוּ, וְאֵין הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי אֶלָּא בִּתְשׁוּבָה) (Sanhedrin 97b, 99a), which is the completion of His Name (דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלִימוּ דִּשְׁמֵיהּ). And concerning this: I acted for the sake of My Name (וְעַל דָּא וָאֶעֱשֶׂה לְמַעַן שְׁמִי) (Ezekiel 20).

And further: For My sake, for My sake, I will act (וְעוֹד לְמַעֲנִי לְמַעֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה) (Isaiah 48). And if they do not return, I will raise over them a king whose decrees are harsher than those of Pharaoh (וְאִם לָאו חַזְרִין, אֲנָא אַעֲמִיד לוֹן מַלְכָּא שֶׁקָשִׁין גְּזִרוֹתָיו מִשֶּׁל פַּרְעֹה), and they will return against their will (וְיַחְזְרוּן עַל כָּרְחַיְּיהוּ). This is what is written: And you shall return unto Hashem your Elohim, unto YHVH certainly (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, עַד יְדוָ״ד וַדַּאי) (Deuteronomy 30). And this Teshuvah is called Life p1-14(וּתְשׁוּבָה דָּא אִתְקְרִיאַת חַיִּים): For from it are the issues of life p1-15(כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תּוֹצָאוֹת חַיִּים) (Proverbs 4) - these are the Neshamot of Yisrael (דְּאִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And it is the breath that goes out and enters into the mouth of man (וְאִיהוּ הֶבֶל דְּנָפַק וְעָאל בְּפוּמָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ), without toil and without labor (בְּלֹא עָמָל וּבְלֹא יְגִיעָה). The Heh in b’hibar’am (ה׳ דִּבְּהִבָּרְאָם). And concerning it, it is said: For upon every utterance of the mouth of Hashem shall man live (וְעָלָהּ אִתְּמַר כִּי עַל כָּל מוֹצָא פִּי יְיָ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם) (Deuteronomy 8). And it is upon the head of man (וְהִיא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ).

Concerning it, it is said: And the image of Hashem he beholds (עָלָה אִתְּמַר וּתְמוּנַת יְיָ יַבִּיט) (Numbers 12). Surely in a shadow does man walk (אַךְ בְּצֶּלֶם יִתְהַלֶּךְ אִישׁ) (Psalm 39). And because it is upon the head of man (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהִי עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ), it is forbidden for a man to walk four cubits with his head uncovered (אָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ לְמֵיזַל ד׳ אַמּוֹת בְּגִלוּי דְּרֵישָׁא).

For if it is removed from upon the head of man (דְּאֵם הִיא אִסְתָּלָקַת מֵעַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ), immediately life departs from him (מִיַּד אִסְתְּלָקוּ חַיִּים מִנֵּיהּ). And if you say that thus it rests upon the nations of the world (וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּכַךְ שַׁרְיָא עַל אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא), even though heaven and earth and all their offspring were not created through them (אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִתְבְּרֵי בְּהוֹן שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא וְכָל תּוֹלָדִין דִּבְהוֹן), it certainly does not rest (לָא שַׁרְיָא וַדַּאי). For Moshe asked of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּמֹשֶׁה בָּעָא מִקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), that the Shekhinta should not rest upon the nations of the world (דְּלָא תִּשְׁרֵי שְׁכִינָה עַל אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא), and it was given to him (וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ).

The breath that rests upon the nations of the world, from where does it come forth? (הָבְלָא דְּקַיְּימָא עַל אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא מֵאָן נָפְקָא). Either upon the guilty, who are the Erev rav who mingled with Yisrael (אוֹ עַל חַיָּיבַיָּא דְּאִינּוּן עֵרֶב רַב מְעוּרָבִין עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל). But surely not all faces are equal (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי לֵית כָּל אַפַּיָּיא שָׁוִין), even Yisrael themselves are not equal (אֲפִילּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאו אִינּוּן שַׁוְיָן), how much more so others (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אַחֲרָנִין). But surely upon this form of the letter Heh they have established it (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי עַל הַאי דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָת ה׳ אוּקְמוּהָ): A good gift I have in My treasure house, and its name is Shabbat (מַתָּנָה טוֹבָה יֵשׁ לִי בְּבֵית גְּנָזַי וְשַׁבָּת שְׁמָהּ). And when this rests upon Yisrael (וְכַד הַאי שַׁרְיָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל), they have no toil and no servitude (לֵית לוֹן יְגִיעָה וְלָא שִׁעְבּוּד). And in it the soul labors and finds rest: And He rested and was refreshed (וּבָה נֶפֶשׁ עֲמֵלָה וִיגֵיעָה שָׁבַת וַיִּנָּפַשׁ) (Exodus 31). For another soul is upon the head of man, which is called “servant” (דְּנֶפֶשׁ אַחֲרָא אִית עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ, דְּאִתְקְרִיאַת עֶבֶד). And it is an image upon man (וְאִיהוּ דִּיּוּקְנָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ).

And she is the Eved deMalka [servant of the King] (וְאִיהִי עֶבֶד דְּמַלְכָּא), who moves all the limbs of a person (דִּמְנַעְנְעָא כָּל אֵבָרִין דְּבַּר נָשׁ), to go in good ways (לְמֵיזָל בְּאָרְחִין טָבִין), and to fulfill through them the two hundred and forty-eight commandments (וּלְקַיְּימָא בְּהוֹן רמ״ח פִּקוּדִין), so that the Heh [the letter Heh] of Behibar’am [when they were created] may rest upon them (לְשַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ ה׳ דִּבְּהִבָּרְאָם), for thus Hibar’am [with Heh He created them] totals two hundred and forty-eight (דְּכַךְ סָלִיק הִבָּרְאָם לְרמ״ח). And another Diyukna [image] is upon his head (וּדְיוּקְנָא אַחֲרָא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ), which is called Yirah [awe] (דְּאִתְקְרִיאַת יִרְאָה), and this is Yod [the letter Yod] (וְדָא י׳). And concerning them it is said (וְעָלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “And Elohim created the man in His image, in the image of Elohim” (וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצֶלֶמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים) (Bereshit 1:27). Two good images (תְּרֵין דִּיוּקְנִין טָבִין), which are male and female (דְּאִינּוּן דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). The male is from the side of the Yod [the letter Yod] (דְּכַר מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָת י׳). The female is from the side of the Heh [the letter Heh] (נוּקְבָּא מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָת ה׳). And two letters arouse a person to Torah and to the commandment (וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון אַתְּעֲרִין לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ לַתּוֹרָה וְלַמִּצְוָה). The Yod [the letter Yod] is Yirah [awe] (י׳ יִרְאָה), and this is upon the head of a person (וְדָא אִיהִי עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ). And from it awe enters the heart of a person, to fear Kudsha Berikh Hu [the Holy One, blessed be He] (וּמִנָּהּ יֵיעוּל דְּחִילוּ לְלִבָּא דְּבַר נָשׁ לְמִדְחַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to guard himself so that he does not transgress the negative commandments (וּלְנַטְרָא גַּרְמֵיהּ דְּלָא יֶעְבַּר עַל פִּקוּדִין דְּלָא תַּעֲשֶׂה). The Heh [the letter Heh] is Ahavah [love] upon the head of a person (ה׳ אַהֲבָה עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ). And from it the love of Kudsha Berikh Hu [the Holy One, blessed be He] enters upon his two hundred and forty-eight limbs (וּמִנֵּיהּ עָאל רְחִימוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל רמ״ח אֵבָרִין דִּילֵיהּ), to fulfill through them the positive commandments (לְקַיְּימָא בְּהוֹן פִּקוּדִין דַּעֲשֵׂה). The Vav [the letter Vav] is upon the head of a person (ו׳ אִיהִי עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ). And from it utterances enter the mouth of a person (וּמִנֵּיהּ יִיעוּל עַל פּוּמָא דְּבַר נָשׁ), speech to study Orayta (מִלוּלִין לְאוֹלְפָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא).