Daf 135b (דַּף קל״ה ע״ב)

When he ascended to be established (כֵּיוָן דְּסָלִיק לְאִתְיַשְּׁבָא), he could not stand within it (בֵּיהּ לָא קָאִים), and was not able to endure (וְלָא הֲוָה יָכִיל לְמֵיקָם), and all the worlds were destroyed (וְכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין אִתְחֲרָבוּ).

What is the reason (מַאי טַעֲמָא)? Because man was not yet rectified (מִשּׁוּם דְּאָדָם לָא אִתְתָּקַּן). For the rectification of man in his image (דְּתִקּוּנָא דְּאָדָם בְּדִיוּקְנֵיהּ), includes all (כָּלִיל כֹּלָּא), and is able to sustain all within him (וְיָכִיל כֹּלָּא לְאִתְיַשְּׁבָא בֵּיהּ). And because this rectification of man was not found (וּבְגִין דְּתִקּוּנָא דָּא דְּאָדָם, לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח), they could not stand or endure, and they were nullified (לָא יָכִילוּ לְמֵיקָם וּלְאִתְיַשְּׁבָא, וְאִתְבְּטָלוּ). And they were nullified—you might think that all of them were annulled, but behold all were included in Adam (וְאִתְבְּטָלוּ סַלְּקָא דַּעְתָּךְ וְהָא כֻּלְּהוּ בְּאָדָם אִתְכְּלִילָן).

Rather, they were nullified and removed from that rectification (אֶלָּא אִתְבְּטָלוּ וְאִסְתַּלָּקוּ מֵהַהוּא תִּקּוּנָא), until the rectification of Adam came (עַד דְּיֵיתֵי תִּקּוּנָא דְּאָדָם). Some say: until the image of Adam came (נ״א: דִּיוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם). And when this image came (וְכַד אָתָא הַאי דִּיּוּקְנָא), all of them were engraved—Some say: all were included (אִתְגֵּלָפוּ, נ״א: אִתְכַּלְּלוּ כֻּלְּהוּ), and returned to another existence (וְאִתְחֲזָּרוּ לְקִיּוּמָא אַחֲרָא). From some of them they were sweetened (מִנְּהוֹן אִתְבְּסָמוּ), and from some they were not sweetened at all (ס״א: מִנְּהוֹן אִתְבְּסָמוּ וְלָא אִתְבְּסָמוּ כְּלָל). And if you say: but it is written, “And he died, and he died” (וְאִי תֵּימָא וְהָא כְּתִיב וַיָּמָת, וַיָּמָת), meaning they were utterly annulled (דְּאִתְבְּטָלוּ לְגַמְרֵי).

Not so (לָאו הָכִי). Rather, anyone who descends from the former level he had stood in, of him it is said “death” (אֶלָּא כָּל מַאן דְּנָחִית מִדַּרְגָּא קַדְמָאָה דְּהֲוָה בֵּיהּ, קָארֵי בֵּיהּ מִיתָה). As you say (Shemot 2) “And the king of Egypt died” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם), meaning he descended from the former level he had been standing in (דְּנָחַת מִדַּרְגָּא קַדְמָאָה דְּהֲוָה קָם בֵּיהּ). And when Adam was rectified (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְתָּקַן אָדָם), they were called by other names (אִתְקְרוּן בִּשְׁמָהָן אַחֲרָנִין), and were sweetened in existence within him (וְאִתְבְּסָמוּ בְּקִיּוּמָא בֵּיהּ), and stood in their places (וְקַיְימִין בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ). And all were called by other names, different from the former ones (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְקְרוּן בִּשְׁמָהָן אַחֲרָנִין מִן קַדְמָאִין), except for that one of whom it is written (Bereshit 36) “And the name of his wife was Mehetavel, daughter of Matred, daughter of Mei Zahav” (בַּר הַהוּא דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ, וְשֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ מְהֵיטַבְאֵל בַּת מַטְרֵד בַּת מֵי זָהָב).

What is the reason (מַאי טַעְמָא)? Because these were not nullified like the others (מִשּׁוּם דְּהָנֵי לָא אִתְבְּטָלוּ כִּשְׁאַר אַחֲרָנִין). Because it was male and female (מִשּׁוּם דְּהֲוָה דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). Like this palm tree, that does not ascend except as male and female (כְּהַאי תְּמָרָא, דְּלָא סַלְּקָא אֶלָּא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). And because now male and female were found (וּבְגִין כָּךְ הַשְׁתָּא דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא), it is not written of them “death” like the others (לָא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ מִיתָה כְּאַחֲרָנִין), and they endured (וְאִתְקְיָימוּ). But they were not yet established until the image of Adam was rectified (אֲבָל לָא אִתְיָשָׁבוּ, עַד דְּאִתְתְּקַן דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם). And when the image of Adam was rectified (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְתְּקַן דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם), they returned and endured in another existence, and were established (אִתְחֲזָרוּ וְאִתְקְיָימוּ בְּקִיּוּמָא אַחֲרָא, וְאִתְיְישָׁבוּ).

It was taught (תָּאנָא), when the will of the white head was aroused (כַּד סָלִיק בִּרְעוּתָא דְּרֵישָׁא חִוָּורָא), to make glory for His glory (לְמֶעְבַּד יְקָרָא לִיקָרֵיהּ), He prepared and set and brought forth from the flame of severity (תַּקִּין וְזַמִּין וְאַפִּיק מִבּוּצִינָא דְּקַרְדִּינוּתָא), one spark (חַד נִיצוֹצָא). He blew into it, and it was corrected—Some say: it was rectified (נָשַׁב בֵּיהּ אִתְתּוֹקַּר, נ״א: אִתְתַּקֵּן)—and it ascended—Some say: His will ascended (וְסָלִיק רְעוּתֵיהּ)—and spread into three hundred and seventy limbs (וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט לִתְלַת מְאָה וְשִׁבְעִין עִיבָר). And the spark remained (וְנִיצוֹצָא קָאִים), and afterward a pure air went forth and was diffused (וְשָׁארִי נָפִיק אֲוִירָא דַּכְיָא וּמִתְגַּלְגְּלָא), He blew into it, and it was corrected (נָשַׁב בֵּיהּ אִתְתָּקָּן). And there went forth one mighty skull (וְנָפִיק חַד גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא תַּקִּיפָא), and it spread to the four sides (וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין). And in this pure air the spark was strengthened and united (וּבְהַאי אֲוִירָא דַּכְיָא, אִשְׁתְּאִיב נִיצוֹצָא וְאִתְאֲחָד), and was included within it—Some say: and it was completely included (וְכָלִיל בֵּיהּ, נ״א: וְאִתְכַּלִּיל בֵּיהּ). Within it you might think to ascend your mind (בֵּיהּ סַלְּקָא דַּעְתָּךְ). But it is concealed within it (אֶלָּא אִתְטָמַר בֵּיהּ). And because of this, this skull spread on its sides (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, הַאי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא אִתְפָּשַּׁט בְּסִטְרוֹי), and this air is the hidden of the hidden of Atik Yomin, in a concealed spirit (וְהַאי אֲוִירָא הוּא טָמִיר דִּטְמִירִין דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין, בְּרוּחָא דְּגָנִיז).

In this skull spread fire from one side, and air from one side (בְּהַאי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא אִתְפָּשָׁטוּ אֶשָּׁא מִסְּטַר חַד, וַאֲוִירָא מִסְּטַר חַד). And the pure air stood on this side (וַאֲוִירָא דַּכְיָא קָאִים עָלֵיהּ מֵהַאי סְטָר). And pure fire stood on this side (וְאֶשָּׁא דַּכְיָא קָאִים מֵהַאי סְטָר). What is fire here (מַאי אֶשָּׁא הָכָא)? Rather it is not actual fire (אֶלָּא לָאו הוּא אֶשָּׁא), but this luminary (Some say: this spark (אֲבָל בּוּצִינָא דָּא (נ״א: נִיצוֹצָא)—that was included in the pure air (דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בַּאֲוִירָא דַּכְיָא), shines to two hundred and seventy worlds (נָהִיר לְמָאתָן וְשִׁבְעִין עָלְמִין). And judgment is found on its sides (וְדִינָא מִסִּטְרוֹי אִשְׁתְּכַח). And because of this, this skull is called a mighty skull (וּבְגִין דָּא, הַאי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא אִתְקְרֵי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא תַּקִּיפָא).

In this skull sit ninety thousand myriads of worlds (בְּגוּלְגַּלְתָּא דָּא, יַתְבִין תִּשְׁעָה אַלְפֵי רִבּוֹא עָלְמִין), who draw from it and are supported upon it (דְּנַטְלִין עֲלוֹי וְסַמְכִין עֲלוֹי). In this skull drips dew from the white head (בְּהַאי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא, נָטִיף טַלָּא מֵרֵישָׁא חִיוָּורָא), which is always filled from it (דְּאִתְמְלֵּי מִנֵיהּ תָּדִיר). And from this dew that drips from His head, the dead are destined to be revived (וּמֵהַאי טַלָּא דְּאַנְעַר מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ, זְמִינִין מֵיתַיָּיא לְאַחֲיָּאָה). And this dew is included in two colors (וְהוּא טַלָּא דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בִּתְרֵי גְּוָונֵי), from the side of the white head (מִסִּטְרָא דְּרֵישָׁא חִיוָּרָא), white within it (חִיוָּור בְּגַוִיהּ). Some say: white because of it (נ״א: בְּגִינֵיהּ). For all is whitened within it (דְּכָלִיל כֻּלְּהוּ חִיוָּורֵי). Some say: all are whitened (נ״א: וְכֻלְּהוּ חִיוָּרִי). But when they are established in the head of Ze’ir Anpin (אֲבָל כַּד אִתְיַישְּׁבָן בְּהַאי רֵישָׁא דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין), red is seen within it (אִתְחֲזֵי בֵּיהּ סוּמָקָא). Like this crystal that is white (כְּהַאי בְּדוֹלְחָא דְּאִיהוּ חִיוָּור), and a red color appears within a white color (וְאִתְחַזְיָיא גַּוְונָא סוּמָקָא בְּגַוְונָא חִיוָּורָא). And because of this it is written (Daniel 12) “And many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב, וְרַבִּים מִיְּשֵׁנֵי אַדְמַת עָפָר יָקִיצוּ, אֵלֶּה לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם וְאֵלֶּה לַחֲרָפוֹת לְדִרְאוֹן עוֹלָם). “To everlasting life”—because they beheld that whiteness which comes from the side of Atik Yomin, Arich Anpin (לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם, בְּגִין דְּאִתְחֲזִיאוּ לְהַהוּא חִיוָּורָא, דְּאָתֵי מִסְטַר דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין, אֲרִיכָא דְּאַנְפִּין). “To shame and everlasting contempt”—because they beheld that redness of Ze’ir Anpin (לַחֲרָפוֹת לְדִרְאוֹן עוֹלָם, בְּגִין דְּאִתְחֲזִיאוּ לְהַהוּא סוּמָקָא דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין). And all is included in that dew (וְכֹלָּא כָּלִיל בְּהַהוּא טַלָּא). This is what is written (Yeshayahu 26) “For Your dew is a dew of lights” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, כִּי טַל אוֹרוֹת טַלֶּךָ). “Lights”—two (אוֹרוֹת: תְּרֵין). And that dew which drips, drips every day into the field of apples (וְהַהוּא טַלָּא דְּנָטִיף, נָטִיף כָּל יוֹמָא לְחַקְלָא דְּתַפּוּחִים), in the hues of white and red (כְּגְוָונֵי חִיוָּורָא וְסוּמָקָא).

This skull shines with two colors (הַאי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא אַנְהִיר בִּתְרֵי גְּוָונֵי), to this side and to that side (לְהַאי סְטָר וּלְהָאי סְטָר). And from this pure air the skull spread to its countenances one hundred and fifty myriad worlds (וּמֵהַאי אֲוִירָא דַּכְיָא, אִתְפָּשָׁט מְגוּלְגַּלְתָּא לְאַנְפּוֹי ק״נ רִבּוֹא עָלְמִין). And because of this, it is called Ze’ir Anpin (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִתְקְרֵי זְעֵיר אַפִּין). And at the time it is required, His countenances are spread and lengthened in that time (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ, אִתְפְּשָׁטוּ אַנְפּוֹי וַאֲרִיכִין בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא), because He gazes into the countenances of Atikei of Atikin (בְּגִין דְּאַשְׁגַּח בְּאַנְפּוֹי דְּעַתִּיקֵי דְּעַתִּיקִין), and has compassion upon the world (וְחָיֵיס לְעָלְמָא).