Daf 129b (דַּף קכ״ט ע״ב)

From this forehead (מֵהַאי מִצְחָא), some say: from the lower one (ס״א דִּלְתַּתָּא), shine forth four hundred chambers of judgments (נַהֲרִין אַרְבַּע מְאָה בָּתֵּי דִּינִין). When this time of favor is revealed (כַּד אִתְגַּלְיָיא הַאי עֵת רָצוֹן), all of them are nullified before it (כֻּלְּהוּ מִשְׁתַּכְכִין קַמֵּיהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “The judgment sat” (דִּינָא יְתִיב) (Daniel 7), that is, He sat in His place and judgment was not carried out (כְּלוֹמַר יְתִיב בְּאַתְרֵיהּ וְדִינָא לָא אִתְעֲבִיד). And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): hair does not exist in this place (שַׂעֲרָא לָא קָאִים בְּהַאי אֲתָר), because it is revealed and not covered (מִשּׁוּם דְּמִתְגַּלְיָיא, וְלָא אִתְכַּסְּיָיא).

It is revealed so that the masters of judgment will look (אִתְגַּלְיָא, דְּיִסְתַּכְּלוּן מָארֵי דְּדִינָא), and be nullified (וְיִשְׁתַּכְּכוּן), and not be carried out (וְלָא אִתְעֲבִידוּ). It was taught (תָּאנָא): this forehead spreads into two hundred and seventy thousand shining lamps (הַאי מִצְחָא אִתְפְּשָׁט בְּמָאתָן וְשִׁבְעִין אַלְפִין נְהִירִין בּוּצִינִין), some say: rivers (ס״א דְּנָהֲרִין), from the supernal Eden (מֵעֵדֶן עִלָּאָה). For it is taught (דְּתַנְיָא): there is an Eden which shines to Eden (אִית עֵדֶן דְּנָהִיר לְעֵדֶן).

The supernal Eden is not revealed (עֵדֶן עִלָּאָה לָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא), for it is concealed in concealment and not divided into paths (וְהוּא סָתִים בִּסְתִּימָא וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁא לְאָרְחִין), as we said (כִּדְקָאַמְרָן). And this lower Eden (וְהַאי עֵדֶן דִּלְתַּתָּא), is divided into its paths, into thirty-two paths (מִתְפְּרַשׁ בִּשְׁבִילוֹי לִתְלָּתִין וּתְרֵין שְׁבִילִין). And even though this lower Eden is divided into its paths (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּמִתְפְּרַשׁ הַאי עֵדֶן בִּשְׁבִילוֹי), none knows it except Ze’ir Anpin (לֵית דְּיֵדַע לֵיהּ, בַּר הַאי זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין). And the upper Eden (וְעֵדֶן דִּלְעֵילָּא), none knows it nor its paths, except Arich Anpin (לֵית דְּיֵדַע לֵיהּ, וְלָא שְׁבִילוֹי, בַּר הַהוּא אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Elohim understands its way, and He knows its place” (אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ וְהוּא יָדַע אֶת מְקוֹמָהּ) (Job 28). “Elohim understands its way”—this is the lower Eden, which Ze’ir Anpin knows (אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ, דָּא עֵדֶן דִּלְתַּתָּא דְּיָדַע זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין). “And He knows its place”—this is the upper Eden, which Atik Yomin knows, concealed of all (וְהוּא יָדַע אֶת מְקוֹמָהּ, דָּא עֵדֶן דִּלְעֵילָּא דְּיָדַע עַתִּיק יוֹמִין סְתִימָאָה דְּכֹלָּא).

The eyes of the white head (עֵינוֹי דְּרֵישָׁא חִוָּורָא), are different from all other eyes (מִשְׁתַּנְיָין מִשְּׁאַר עַיְינִין). There is no covering upon the eyes (לֵית כְּסוּתָא עַל עֵינָא), and no brows upon the eyes (וְלֵית גְּבִינִין עַל עֵינָא). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “Behold, He does not slumber and does not sleep, the Guardian of Yisrael” (הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Psalms 121). Yisrael above (יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּלְעֵילָּא). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “Whose eyes are open” (אֲשֶׁר עֵינֶיךָ פְּקוּחוֹת) (Jeremiah 32). And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): everything that comes in mercy, there is no covering upon the eye, and no brows upon the eye (כָּל מַה דְּאָתֵי בְּרַחֲמֵי, לֵית כְּסוּתָא עַל עֵינָא וְלֵית גְּבִינִין עַל עֵינָא). How much more so the white head (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן רֵישָׁא חִוָּורָא), which requires nothing (דְּלָא בָּעָא מִידִי), some say: preserved (ס״א נְטִירוּ).

Rabbi Shim‘on said to Rabbi Abba (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְרִבִּי אַבָּא): to what is this hinted? (לְמָאי הִיא רְמִיזָא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): to the fishes of the sea (לְנוּנֵי יַמָּא), for there is no covering upon the eyes (דְּלֵית כְּסוּתָא עַל עֵינָא), and no brows upon the eyes (וְלֵית גְּבִינִין עַל עֵינָא), and they do not sleep (וְלָא נַיְימִין), and they do not require guarding over their eyes (וְלָא בַּעְיָין נְטוּרָא עַל עֵינָא). All the more so Atika of Atikin (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן עַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקָא), who requires no guarding (דְּלָא בָּעֵי נְטוּרָא). And all the more so, that He supervises all (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דְּאִיהוּ מַשְׁגַּח לְכֹלָּא), and all are nourished through Him (וְכֹלָּא מִתְּזָן בֵּיהּ), and He does not slumber (וְלָא נָאִים). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Behold, He does not slumber and does not sleep, the Guardian of Yisrael” (הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Psalms 121) — Yisrael above (יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּלְעֵילָּא). It is written (כְּתִיב): “Behold, the eye of Hashem is toward those who fear Him” (הִנֵּה עֵין יְיָ אֶל יְרֵאָיו) (Psalms 33). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “The eyes of Hashem, they roam throughout all the earth” (עֵינֵי יְיָ הֵמָּה מְשׁוֹטְטִים בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ) (Zechariah 4). There is no contradiction (לָא קַשְׁיָא): this is in Ze’ir Anpin (הָא בִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), this is in Arich Anpin (הָא בַּאֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין). Yet with all this, they are two eyes (וְעִם כָּל דָּא תְּרֵי עַיְינִין אִינּוּן), and they are united (וְאִתְחַוָורוּ), some say: they appeared (ס״א וְאִתְחַזְּרוּ), as one (לְחָד), an eye which is whiteness within whiteness (עֵינָא דְּאִיהִי חִוָּור בְּגוֹ חִוָּור), and whiteness that includes all whiteness (וְחִוָּור דְּכָלִיל כָּל חִוָּור).

The first whiteness (חִוָּורָא קַדְמָאָה), shines and ascends (נָהִיר וְסָלִיק), and descends to gaze (וְנָחִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא), some say: to be included (ס״א לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא), bound in binding (דְּצָרִיר בִּצְרוֹרָא). It was taught (תָּאנָא): this whiteness struck (בָּטַשׁ הַאי חִיוָּרָא), and lit three lamps (וְאַדְלִיק ג׳ בּוֹצִינֵי), which are called: Hod, Hadar, and Joy (דְּאִקְרוּן: הוֹד, וְהָדָר, וְחֶדְוָה). And they burn with joy in perfection (וְלַהֲטִין בְּחֶדְוָותָא בִּשְׁלֵימוּתָא).

The second whiteness (חִוָּורָא תִּנְיָינָא), shines, ascends, and descends (נָהִיר, וְסָלִיק וְנָחִית), and struck and brought forth (וּבָטַשׁ וְאַפִּיק), some say: and lit (ס״א וְאַדְלִיק), three other lamps (ג׳ בּוֹצִינִין אַחֲרָנִין), which are called Netzach, Chesed, and Tiferet (דְּאִקְרוּן נֶצַח, וָחֶסֶד, וְתִפְאֶרֶת). And they burn in perfection with joy (וְלַהֲטִין בִּשְׁלֵימוּתָא בְּחֶדְוָותָא).

The third whiteness (חִוָּורָא תְּלִיתָאָה), burns and shines (לָהִיט וְנָהִיר), and descends and ascends (וְנָחִית וְסָלִיק), and goes forth from the concealment of the brain (וְנָפִיק מִסְּתִימוּתָא דְּמוֹחָא). And it struck in the middle lamp, the seventh (וּבָטַשׁ בְּבוּצִינָא אֶמְצָעִיתָא שְׁבִיעָאָה). And it brought forth a path to the lower brain (וְאַפִּיק אָרְחָא לְמוֹחָא תַּתָּאָה), some say: and brought forth a path to the lower heart (נ״א וְאַפִּיק אָרְחָא לְלִבָּא תַּתָּאָה). And all the lamps below are ignited (וּמִתְלַהֲטָן כֻּלְּהוּ בּוֹצִינִין דִּלְתַּתָּא). Rabbi Shim‘on said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): it is fitting so (יָאוּת הוּא), and Atik Yomin will open this eye for you (וְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין יִפְקַח עֵינָא דָּא עֲלָךְ), at the time when you need it (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּתִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ).

It was taught: whiteness within whiteness (תָּאנָא חִוָּור בְּגוֹ חִוָּור), and whiteness that includes all whiteness (וְחִוָּור דְּכָלִיל כָּל חִוָּור). The first whiteness (חִוָּורָא קַדְמָאָה), shines and ascends (נָהִיר, וְסָלִיק), and descends below (וְנָחִית לְתַתָּא), some say: to three (ס״א לְתְּלַת), lamps on the left side (בּוּצִינֵי דְּלִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא). And they burn and are perfumed in this whiteness (וְלַהֲטִין וְאַסְחַן בְּהַאי חִוָּורָא), like one perfumed with good spices and scents (כְּמַאן דְּאַסְחֵי גּוּפֵיהּ בְּבוּסְמִין טָבִין וּבְרֵיחִין), upon that which had been upon him previously (עַל מַה דַּהֲווֹ עֲלוֹי בְּקַדְמִיתָא).

The second whiteness (חִוָּורָא תִּנְיָינָא), descends and ascends (נָחִית, וְסָלִיק), and shines into three lamps on the right side (וְנָהִיר לִתְלַת בּוּצִינֵי דְּלִסְטַר יְמִינָא). And they burn and are perfumed in this whiteness (וְלַהֲטִין וְאַסְחִין בְּהַאי חִוָּורָא), like one perfumed with good spices and scents (כְּמַאן דְּאַסְחֵי בְּבוּסְמִין טָבִין וּבְרֵיחִין), upon that which had been upon him previously (עַל מַה דַּהֲווֹ עֲלוֹי בְּקַדְמִיתָא).

The third whiteness (חִוָּורָא תְּלִיתָאָה), shines and ascends and descends (נָהִיר וְסָלִיק וְנָחִית), and goes forth the radiance of whiteness, inner within inner, from the brain (וְנָפִיק נְהִירוּ דְּחִוָּורָא דִּלְגוֹ לְגוֹ מִן מוֹחָא). And it struck into the black hair (וּבָטַשׁ בְּשַׂעְרָא אוּכָמָא), when needed (כַּד אִצְטְרִיךְ), in the head and in the brain of the head (וּבְרֵישָׁא וּבְמוֹחָא דְּרֵישָׁא). And it shines into three crowns that remain (וְנָהִיר לִתְלַת כִּתְרִין דְּאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ), as is needed for revelation (כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְגַלָּאָה), if it is agreeable before Atik, concealed of all (אִי נִיחָא קַמֵּי עַתִּיק סְתִימָא דְּכֹלָּא). And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): this eye is not concealed (לָא סָתִים הַאי עֵינָא). And they, the two, are whitened and united as one (וְאִינּוּן תְּרֵין וּמִתְחַוְורָן לְחָד), some say: appeared as one (ס״א וְאִתְחַזְּרוּ לְחָד). All of it is right side (כֹּלָּא הוּא יְמִינָא). There is no left there (לָא הֲוִי), some say: it does not contain left (ס״א לֵית בֵּיהּ שְׂמָאלָא). It does not slumber and does not sleep (לָא נָאִים וְלָא אַדְמִיךְ), and it requires no guarding (וְלָא בָּעֵי נְטִירוּתָא). There is no one to protect over it (לֵית מַאן דְּאָגִּין עָלֵיהּ). It protects over all (הוּא אַגִּין עַל כֹּלָּא), and it oversees all (וְהוּא אַשְׁגַּח עַל כֹּלָּא). And from the supervision of this eye all are nourished (וּמֵאַשְׁגָּחוּתָא דְּהַאי עֵינָא מִתְּזְנָן כֻּלְּהוּ).