Daf 131b (דַּף קל״א ע״ב)

Rabbi Yitzchak arose, opened and said (קָם רִבִּי יִצְחָק, פָּתַח וְאָמַר): As it is written (Micah 7): “Who is a God like You, Who bears iniquity… He will return and have mercy… You will give truth to Ya'akov…” (מִי אֵל כָּמוֹךָ נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וְגוֹ׳, יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ וְגוֹ׳, תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ׳). It was taught: Thirteen measures are seen here (תָּאנָא, תְּלֵיסַר מְכִילִין אִתְחָזוּן הָכָא), and all go forth from thirteen fountains of abundant anointing of the corrections of the holy beard, Atika of Atikin, hidden of all hidden (וְכֻלְּהוּ נָפְקִין מִתְּלֵיסַר מַבּוּעִין דִּמְשַׁח רְבוּת דְּתִיקּוּנֵי דִּיקְנָא קַדִּישָׁא, עַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקִין. טְמִירָא דִּטְמִירִין). It was taught: The correction of the beard is hidden and concealed, hidden and not hidden, concealed and not concealed. In its correction it is known and not known (תָּנָא, תִּקּוּנָא דְּדִיקְנָא טָמִיר וְסָתִים, טָמִיר וְלָא טָמִיר. סָתִים וְלָא סָתִים. בְּתִקּוּנוֹי יְדִיעַ וְלָא יְדִיעַ).

First correction: We have learned, every hair and hair, every strand and strand, does not cleave to its fellow (תִּקּוּנָא קַדְמָאָה. הָא תָּנֵינָן, דְּכָל שַׂעֲרָא וְשַׂעֲרָא וְכָל נִימָא וְנִימָא לָא מִתְדַּבְּקָא לְחֲבֵרְתָּה). And the strands of the beard remain to be corrected, in correction of the hair of the head (וְשָׁאֲרוּ נִימִין דְּדִיקְנָא לְאַתְקְנָא, מְתִקּוּנָא דִּשְׂעַר רֵישָׁא). Here it is to be considered: If all the strands of the hair of the head and the strands of the supernal precious beard are included in one strand—some say: in one balance they were weighed (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, אִי כָּל נִימִין דִּשְׂעַר רֵישָׁא, וְנִימִין דְּדִיקְנָא יַקִּירָא עִלָּאָה, בְּחַד נִימָא אִתְכְּלָלוּ, ס״א בחד מתקלא אתקלו), why are these long and these not long? Why are the strands of the beard not so long, and hard, while those of the head are not hard, but soft? (אֲמַאי אִלֵּין אֲרִיכִין, וְאִלֵּין לָא אֲרִיכִין. אֲמַאי נִימִין דְּדִיקְנָא לָא אֲרִיכִין כּוּלֵי הַאי, וְקַשְׁיָין. וְאִלֵּין דְּרֵישָׁא לָא קַשְׁיָין, אֶלָּא שְׁעִיעִין). Rather, all the strands are balanced—those of the head and those of the beard (אֶלָּא, כָּל נִימִין שְׁקִילִין דְּרֵישָׁא וְדִיקְנָא). Those of the head are long upon the shoulders, to flow to the head of Ze’ir Anpin (דְּרֵישָׁא אֲרִיכִין עַל כַּתְפִין, לְמֵיגַד לְרֵישָׁא דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין). From that drawing of the brain to his brain (מֵהַהוּא מְשִׁיכָא דְּמוֹחָא, לְמוֹחָא דִּילֵיהּ). Therefore they are not hard, but appear soft (וּבְגִּינֵי כַּךְ לָא הֲווֹ קַשְׁיָין. וְעַל דָּא אִתְחָזוּן לְמֶהֱוִי רְכִיכֵי).

It was taught (תָּאנָא), what is (מַאי) that which is written (דִּכְתִּיב), “Wisdoms cry aloud in the street” (חָכְמוֹת בַּחוּץ תָּרֹנָּה) (Proverbs 1). And at the end it is written (וּלְבַסּוֹף כְּתִיב), “In the broad places she gives forth her voice” (בָּרְחוֹבוֹת תִּתֵּן קוֹלָהּ). This verse—its beginning is not its end (הַאי קְרָא לָאו רֵישֵׁיהּ סֵיפֵיהּ), and its end is not its beginning (וְלָאו סֵיפֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ). Rather, “Wisdoms cry aloud in the street” (אֶלָּא חָכְמוֹת בַּחוּץ תָּרֹנָּה), when it flows from the hidden brain of Arich Anpin (כַּד נָגִיד מִמּוֹחָא סְתִימָאָה דַּאֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין), to the brain of Ze’ir Anpin (לְמוֹחָא דִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), through those threads (בְּאִינּוּן נִימִין). As if they were joined outside (כְּאִלּוּ מִתְחַבְּרָאן לְבַר), two brains (תְּרֵין מוֹחִין), and they become one brain (וְאִתְעָבִיד חַד מוֹחָא), for the lower brain has no existence (בְּגִין דְּלֵית קִיּוּמָא לְמוֹחָא תַּתָּאָה), except through the existence of the higher brain (אֶלָּא בְּקִיּוּמָא דְּמוֹחָא עִלָּאָה). And when it flows from this to that (וְכַד נָגִיד מֵהַאי לְהַאי), it is written (כְּתִיב), “She gives forth her voice—one” (תִּתֵּן קוֹלָהּ חַד). And because it flows from brain to brain through those threads (וּבְגִין דְּנָגִיד מִמּוֹחָא לְמוֹחָא בְּאִינּוּן נִימִין), as if two brains were joined outside and became one brain through those threads (כְּאִלּוּ מִתְחַבְּרָאן לְבַר תְּרֵין מוֹחִין וְאִתְעַבִּיד חַד מוֹחָא בְּאִינּוּן נִימִין), they are not found to be coarse (אִינּוּן לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ קְשִׁישִׁין).

What is the reason (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because if they were coarse (מִשּׁוּם דְּאִי אִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ קְשִׁישִׁין), wisdom would not flow into the brain through them (לָא נָגִיד חָכְמְתָא לְמוֹחָא בְּהוֹן). Therefore, wisdom does not go forth from a man who is coarse (בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, לֵית חָכְמְתָא נָפְקָא מִבַּר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ קְשִׁישָׁא)—Some say: difficult (נ״א: קשיא)—and masters of anger (וּמָארֵי דְּרוּגְזָא). As it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), “The words of the wise are heard in calm” (דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים בְּנַחַת נִשְׁמָעִים) (Ecclesiastes 9). And from here we learn (וּמֵהָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא), that one whose hairs of his head are coarse (מַאן דְּשַׂעְרוֹי דְּרֵישֵׁיהּ קְשִׁישָׁן), wisdom does not rest with him (לָאו חָכְמְתָא מִתְיַשְּׁבָא עִמֵּיהּ). And for this reason, those which are long are to bring benefit to all (וְעַל דָּא אִינּוּן אֲרִיכֵי, לְמֵיתֵי תּוֹעַלְתָּא לְכֹלָּא).

What is “to all” (מַאי לְכֹלָּא). To descend upon the cord of the spine (לְמֵיעַל עַל חוּטָא דְּשִׁדְרָה), which are nourished from the brain (דְּמִתְשַׁקְיָין מִן מוֹחָא). And because of this, the hair of the head does not hang upon the hair of the beard (וּבְגִין דָּא לָא תָּלֵי שַׂעֲרָא דְּרֵישָׁא עַל שַׂעֲרָא דְּדִיקְנָא). For the hair of the head hangs and rises over the ears to the back (דְּשַׂעֲרָא דְּרֵישָׁא תָּלֵי וְסָלִיק עַל אוּדְנִין לַאֲחוֹרוֹי), and does not hang upon the beard (וְלָא תָּלֵי עַל דִּיקְנָא), because it is not necessary that these be mingled with those (מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְעָרְבָא אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין), for all of them are distinguished in their own pathways (דְּכֻלְּהוּ מִתְפָּרְשָׁן בְּאָרְחַיְיהוּ).

It was taught (תָּאנָא), all the hairs, whether of the head or of the beard (כֻּלְּהוּ שַׂעְרֵי בֵּין דְּרֵישָׁא, בֵּין דְּדִיקְנָא), are all white as snow (כֻּלְּהוּ חִוָּורֵי כְּתַלְגָּא). And it was taught (וְתָאנָא), those of the beard are all coarse (אִינְהוּ דְּדִיקְנָא קְשִׁישָׁאֵי כֻּלְּהוּ). What is the reason (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because they are the mightiest of the mighty (מִשּׁוּם דְּאִינּוּן תַּקִּיפָא דְּתַקִּיפִין), to cover those thirteen measures (לְאַחֲסִין אִינּוּן י״ג מְכִילָן)—Some say: to lower them (נ״א: לְאַחֲתָא)—from Atik of Atikin (מֵעַתִּיק דְּעַתִּיקִין). And these measures rest before His ears (וַהֲנֵי מְכִילָן מִקַּמֵּי אוּדְנוֹי שַׁרְיָין), and these measures are closed ones (וַהֲנֵי מְכִילָן סְתִימָן אִינּוּן), that they not be mingled with others (דְּלָא יִתְעָרְבוּן בְּאַחֲרָנִין). They were covered below, and thus we learned: before His ears rest the hairs, because they are by themselves and are not mingled with others (דְּאִתְחֲסִינוּ לְתַתָּא וְהָכִי תְּנִינָא מִקַּמֵּי אוּדְנוֹי שַׁרְיָין שַׂעֲרֵי מִשּׁוּם דְּבְלַחֲוֹדַיְיהוּ אִינּוּן וְלָא אִתְעָרְבוּ בְּאַחֲרָנִין). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא) that there are none others like them (דְּלֵית אַחֲרָנִין כְּוָותַיְיהוּ).

No (לָא). For it is taught (דְּתַנְיָא): Thirteen measures of mercy from Atika Kadisha (תְּלֵיסַר מְכִילָן דְּרַחֲמֵי מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא): “Who is a God like unto You”—one (מִי אֵל כָּמוֹךָ, חַד). “That pardons iniquity”—two (נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן, תְּרֵי). “And passes over transgression”—three (וְעוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע, תְּלַת). “Unto the remnant of His heritage”—four (לִשְׁאֵרִית נַחֲלָתוֹ, אַרְבַּע). “He retains not His anger forever”—five (לֹא הֶחֱזִיק לָעַד אַפּוֹ, חָמֵשׁ). “For He delights in mercy”—six (כִּי חָפֵץ חֶסֶד הוּא, שִׁית). “He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us”—seven (יָשׁוּב יְרַחֲמֵנוּ, שִׁבְעָה). “He will subdue our iniquities”—eight (יִכְבּוֹשׁ עֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ, תְּמַנְיָא). “And You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea”—nine (וְתַשְׁלִיךְ בִּמְצוּלוֹת יָם כָּל חַטֹּאתָם, תִּשְׁעָה). “You will give truth to Ya‘akov”—ten (תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב, עַשְׂרָה). “Mercy to Avraham” eleven (חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם, חַד סָר). “Which You swore to our fathers” twelve (אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ, תְּרֵיסָר). “From the days of old” thirteen (מֵימֵי קֶדֶם, תְּלֵיסַר). Corresponding to this (לָקֳבֵיל דָּא), “Hashem, merciful and gracious, etc.”—these are below (אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן וְגוֹ׳, אִינּוּן לְתַתָּא). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), why did Moshe not say these supernal ones (מֹשֶׁה אֵיךְ לָא אָמַר אִלֵּין עִלָּאִין).

Rather, Moshe did not need them (אֶלָּא, מֹשֶׁה לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ), except in the place where judgment was found (אֶלָּא לְאֲתָר דְּדִינָא אִשְׁתְּכַח), and in the place where judgment was found (וּבַאֲתָר דְּדִינָא אִשְׁתְּכַח), it was not necessary to say so (לָא בָּעֵי הָכִי לְמֵימַר). And Moshe did not say them (וּמֹשֶׁה לָא אָמַר), except at the time when Yisrael sinned (אֶלָּא בְּעִידָנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל חָאבוּ), and judgment was hanging (וְדִינָא הֲוָה תַּלְיָיא), and therefore Moshe did not say them except in the place where judgment was found (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ לָא אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, אֶלָּא בַּאֲתָר דְּדִינָא אִשְׁתְּכַח). But in this place (אֲבָל בְּהַאי אֲתָר), the order of praise of Atik Yomin is arranged by the prophet (סִדוּרָא דִּשְׁבָחָא דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין מְסַדֵּר נְבִיאָה).