Daf 133b (דַּף קל״ג ע״ב)

It was taught (דְּתַנְיָא): the supernal path of the holy beard (אָרְחָא עִלָּאָה דְּדִיקְנָא קַדִּישָׁא)—the supernal Atika of Atikin (עִלָּאָה עַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקֵי)—that descends in its beard beneath the nostrils of Atik (דְּאִיהוּ נָחִית בְּדִיקְנֵיהּ תְּחוֹת נוּקְבֵי דְּחוֹטָמָא דְּעַתִּיקֵי). And this is the lower path (וְהַאי אָרְחָא דִּלְתַתָּא). Both of them are weighed together (שְׁקִילָן אִינּוּן בְּכֹלָּא): this one above, and this one below (דָּא לְעֵילָּא, וְדָא לְתַתָּא). Above, “passes over transgression” (לְעֵילָּא, וְעוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע). Below, “He does not retain His anger forever” (לְתַתָּא, לֹא הֶחֱזִיק לָעַד אַפּוֹ). And we learned (וְתָנֵינָן), “He does not retain”—because there is no place to remain (לֹא הֶחֱזִיק: דְּלָא אִית אֲתָר לְמֵיתַב). Just as above a place is given to pass (כְּמָה דִּלְעֵילָּא יָהִיב אַתְרָא לְאַעְבְּרָא), so too below a place is given to pass (כַּךְ לְתַתָּא, יָהִיב אֲתָר לְאַעְבְּרָא).

It was taught (תָּנָא): in every place where in this Atika, hidden of all, a path is revealed (בְּכָל אֲתָר דִּבְהַאי עַתִּיקָא טְמִירָא דְּכֹלָּא אָרְחָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא), good is for all those below (טַב לְכֻלְּהוּ דִּלְתַתָּא). For then it is seen to be the time to do good for all (דְּהָא אִתְחֲזֵי עֵיטָא לְמֶעְבַּד טַב לְכֹלָּא). But one who is closed and not revealed (מַאן דְּסָתִים וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא), there is no time, and no one knows him, except He alone (לֵית עֵיטָא, וְלֵית מַאן דְּיֵדַע לֵיהּ, אֶלָּא הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי). Just as the supernal Eden (כְּמָה דְּעֵדֶן עִלָּאָה), none knows it except He, Atika of Atikin (לֵית דְּיֵדַע לֵיהּ אֶלָּא הוּא עַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקֵי). And concerning this it is written (Tehillim 92) “How great are Your works, Hashem, very deep are Your thoughts” (וְעַל הַאי כְּתִיב, מַה גָּדְלוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יְיָ מְאֹד עָמְקוּ מַחְשְׁבוֹתֶיךָ). Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): may Your works be adorned for the World to Come (יִתְתַּקְּנוּן עוֹבָדָךְ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), from Atika of Atikin (מֵעִם עַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקִין).

The sixth adornment (תִּקּוּנָא שְׁתִיתָאָה): the hair is arranged (מִתְתָּקֵן שַׂעֲרָא) and ascends from below to above (וְסָלִיק מִלְּרַע לְעֵילָּא), and covers with the offering of good fragrance until the beginning of the upper mouth (וְחָפֵי תַּקְרוּבְתָּא דְּבוּסְמָא טָבָא עַד רֵישָׁא דְּפוּמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And the hair descends (וְנָחִית שַׂעֲרָא) from the head to the opening of the lower path of the mouth (דְּרֵישָׁא לְרֵישָׁא דְּפִתְחָא דְּאָרְחָא תַּתָּאָה דְּפוּמָא).

Arise Rabbi Yessa and arrange this adornment (קוּם רִבִּי יֵיסָא וְאַתְקִין תִּקּוּנָא דָּא). Rabbi Yessa arose (קָם רִבִּי יֵיסָא), opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Yeshayahu 54) “My kindness shall not depart from you” (וְחַסְדִּי מֵאִתֵּךְ לֹא יָמוּש). And it is written (Yeshayahu 54) “With everlasting kindness I have had mercy on you” (וּכְתִיב, וּבְחֶסֶד עוֹלָם רִחַמְתִּיךְ). These verses contradict each other (הָנֵי קְרָאֵי קַשְׁיָין אֲהַדְדֵי). And they did not raise a difficulty (וְלָא אַקְשׁוּ), for we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן): there is Chesed and there is Chesed (אִית חֶסֶד וְאִית חֶסֶד). There is Chesed above (אִית חֶסֶד דִּלְגוֹ), and there is Chesed below (וְאִית חֶסֶד דִּלְבַר). Chesed above (חֶסֶד דִּלְגוֹ), this is that which we have said of Atika of Atikin (הָא דְּאַמָרָן דְּעַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקִין), and it is hidden in this side of the beard (וְהוּא סָתִים בְּסִטְרָא דָּא דְּדִיקְנָא), which is called the corner of the beard (דְּאִקְרֵי פְּאַת הַזָּקָן). And a man must not harm this side (וְלָא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְחַבְּלָא הַאי סִטְרָא), because of this Chesed above of Atik Yomin (מִשּׁוּם הַאי חֶסֶד דִּלְגוֹ דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין). And because of this, with the priest below it is written (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, בְּכֹהֵן דִּלְתַּתָּא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ): (Vayikra 21) “They shall not make baldness upon their head, nor shall they shave the corners of their beard” (לֹא יִקְרְחֻה קָרְחָה בְּרֹאשָׁם וּפְאַת זְקָנָם לֹא יְגַלֵחוּ). What is the reason (מַאי טַעְמָא)? Because one must not harm the paths of Chesed of Atika, for the priest comes from this side (בְּגִין דְּלָא לְחַבְּלָא אוֹרְחוֹי דְּחֶסֶד דְּעַתִּיקָא, דְּכֹהֵן מִסִּטְרָא דָּא קָא אָתֵי). And it was taught in the Concealed Book (וְתָאנָא בִּצְנִיעוּתָא דְּסִפְרָא): in all, Chesed must increase and be built (בְּכֹלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ חֶסֶד לְאִתְרַבְּאָה וּלְמִבְנֵי), and not be cut off (וְלָא לְקַטְעָא לֵיהּ), and not be removed from the world (וְלָא אִשְׁתְּצֵי מֵעָלְמָא). And this that is written (Yeshayahu 54) “My kindness shall not depart from you” (וְהַאי דִּכְתִּיב וְחַסְדִּי מֵאִתֵּךְ לֹא יָמוּש): this is the Chesed of Atik Yomin (חֶסֶד דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין). And “with everlasting kindness” (וּבְחֶסֶד עוֹלָם), is the Chesed that is called everlasting kindness (חֶסֶד דִּאִקְרֵי חֶסֶד עוֹלָם). And this is another, of Ze’ir Anpin (וְהַאי הוּא אַחֲרָא דִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), as it is written (Tehillim 89) “I said, the world shall be built with kindness” (דִּכְתִּיב אָמַרְתִּי עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה). And this Chesed of Atik of Atikin (וְהַאי חֶסֶד דְּעַתִּיק דְּעַתִּיקִין), it is true Chesed (הוּא חֶסֶד דִּקְשׁוֹט). And true Chesed is not spoken of in the life of the body (וְחֶסֶד דִּקְשׁוֹט לָאו בְּחַיֵּי גּוּפָא אִתְּמַר), but in the life of the soul (אֶלָּא בְּחַיֵּי דְּנִשְׁמְתָא). And because of this it is written (Mikha 7) “For He desires kindness” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב כִּי חָפֵץ חֶסֶד הוּא). This is the sixth adornment of the precious beard of Atik of Atikin (דָּא הוּא תִּקּוּנָא שְׁתִיתָאָה דְּדִיקְנָא יַקִּירָא, דְּעַתִּיק דְּעַתִּיקֵי).

The seventh adornment (תִּקּוּנָא שְׁבִיעָאָה): the hair is interrupted (פָּסִיק שַׂעֲרָא), and is gathered into two apples with an offering of good fragrance (וְאִתְחָזְן ב׳ תַּפּוּחִין בְּתִקְרוּבְתָּא דְּבוּסְמָא), beautiful and pleasant to behold (שַׁפִּירָן וְיָאָן לְמֵחֲזֵי).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): (Shir haShirim 2) “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, etc.” (כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר וְגוֹ׳). Just as this apple is comprised of three colors (מַה תַּפּוּחַ זֶה כָּלִיל בִּתְלַת גְּוָונֵי), so too Kudsha Berikh Hu (כַּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Two apples include six colors (תְּרֵין תַּפּוּחִין כָּלִיל שִׁיתָּא גְּוָונֵי). And these two apples (וּתְרֵין תַּפּוּחִין אִלֵּין), which are the seventh adornment (דְּאִינּוּן תִּקּוּנָא ז׳), they are the inclusive sum of all six adornments that we have said (אִינּוּן כְּלָלָא דְּכָל שִׁיתָּא תִּקּוּנִין דַּאֲמֵינָא). And because of them it is fulfilled (Mishlei 16) “In the light of the king’s face is life” (וּבְגִינֵיהוֹן אִתְקַיָּים בְּאוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים).

And it was taught (וְתָאנָא), from these apples go forth life to the world (מֵהָנֵי תַּפּוּחִין נָפְקִין חַיִּין לְעָלְמָא), and they show joy to Ze’ir Anpin (וּמְחַזְיָין חֵידוּ לִזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין). It is written (Bemidbar 6) “May Hashem make His face shine upon you” (כְּתִיב יָאֵר יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ). And it is written (Mishlei 16) “In the light of the face of the King is life” (וּכְתִיב בְּאוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים). “In the light of the face of the King”—these are the two apples of the offering of good fragrance of which we have spoken (בְּאוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ אִלֵּין אִינּוּן תְּרֵין תַּפּוּחִין דְּתִקְרוֹבְתָּא דְּבוּסְמָא דַּאֲמֵינָא). “May Hashem make His face shine upon you”—the lower faces (יָאֵר יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, פָּנִים דִּלְבַר), that when they shine, the world is blessed (דְּכַד נְהִרִין מִתְבָּרֵךְ עָלְמָא). And it was taught (וְתָאנָא), whenever these lower radiances shine (כָּל זְמַן דְּהָנֵי בּוֹצִינֵי דִּלְבַר נְהִירִין), the whole world is blessed (כָּל עָלְמָא מִתְבָּרֵךְ), and wrath is not found in the world (וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח רוּגְזָא בְּעָלְמָא). And if these lower ones are so (וּמָה אִי הָנֵי דִּלְבַר כַּךְ), how much more so the two apples that shine continually, rejoicing continually (תְּרֵין תַּפּוּחִין דִּנְהִרִין תְּדִירָא, דְּחַדָּאן תְּדִירָא), by far more and more (עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה).

It was taught (תַּנְיָא), when these two apples are revealed (כַּד אִתְגַּלְּיָין תְּרֵין תַּפּוּחִין אִלֵּין), Ze’ir Anpin is seen in joy (אִתְחֲזֵי זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין בְּחֶדְוָותָא). And all those radiances below are in joy (וְכָל אִינּוּן בּוּצִינִין דִּלְתַּתָּא בְּחֶדְוָותָא). And all those below shine (וְכָל אִינּוּן דִּלְתַּתָּא נְהִרִין), and all the worlds rejoice (וְכָל עָלְמִין חַדָּאן), and are completed with all completion (וּשְׁלֵימִין מִכָּל שְׁלֵימוּתָא). And all rejoice and shine (וְכֹלָּא חַדָּאן וּנְהִרִין). And all goodness does not cease (וְכָל טִיבוּ לָא פָּסִיק). All are filled at one time (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְמַלְּיָין בְּשַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא), all rejoice at one time (כֻּלְּהוּ חַדָּאן בְּשַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the lower faces (פָּנִים דִּלְבַר), there is a time when they shine (אִית זְמַן דִּנְהִרִין), and there is a time when they do not shine (וְאִית זְמַן דְּלָא נְהִרִין). And because of this it is written, “May Hashem make His face shine upon you” (Bemidbar 6) (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב יָאֵר יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ). And (Tehillim 67) “May He cause His face to shine with us, Selah” (יָאֵר פָּנָיו אִתָּנוּ סֶלָה). This implies that it is not continual (מִכְלָל דְּלָא הֲוִי תְּדִירָא). But when the supernal apples are revealed (אֶלָּא כַּד אִתְגַּלְּיָין תַּפּוּחִין דִּלְעֵילָּא).