Daf 142a (דַּף קמ״ב ע״א)

It was taught (תָּאנָא), the male is rectified in his side (אִתְתָּקַן דְּכוּרָא בְּסִטְרֵיהּ), with two hundred and forty-eight adornments that are included in him (בְּמָאתָן וּתְמַנְיָא וְאַרְבְּעִין תִּקּוּנִין דִּכְלִילָן בֵּיהּ), some of them inward (וּמִנְהוֹן לְגוֹ), and some of them outward (וּמִנְּהוֹן לְבַר). Some of them are mercy (מִנְּהוֹן רַחֲמֵי), and some of them are judgment (וּמִנְּהוֹן דִּינָא). All those of judgment are united in the judgment of the back (כֻּלְּהוּ דְּדִינָא, אִתְאֲחָדוּ בְּדִינָא דַּאֲחוֹרוֹי), where the female spreads (דְּנוּקְבָּא אִתְפַּשָּׁטַת תַּמָּן). And they are united and spread in her side (וְאִתְאַחֲדוּ וְאִתְפָּשָׁטוּ בְּסִטְרָהָא).

And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): five 'Nakednesses' (Some say: adornment) (חֲמִשָׁה עֶרְיָיתָא [נ״א: תִּקּוּנִין])—are revealed in her (אִתְגַּלְּיָין בָּהּ), in the side of five judgments (בְּסִטְרָא דְּדִינִין חֲמִשָּׁה). And five judgments—Some say: “in the side of judgment and its judgments” (וְדִינִין ה׳ [נ״א: בְּסִטְרָא דְּדִינָא וְדִינָהָא])—spread into two hundred and forty-eight pathways (אִתְפַּשְׁטָן, בְּמָאתָן וְאַרְבְּעִין וּתְמַנְיָא אָרְחִין). And so it was taught (וְהָכִי תָּאנָא): voice in a woman is nakedness (קוֹל בְּאִשָּׁה עֶרְוָה), hair in a woman is nakedness (שֵׂעָר בְּאִשָּׁה עֶרְוָה), thigh in a woman is nakedness (שׁוֹק בְּאִשָּׁה עֶרְוָה), hand in a woman is nakedness (יַד בְּאִשָּׁה עֶרְוָה), foot in a woman is nakedness (רֶגֶל בְּאִשָּׁה עֶרְוָה). Even though two of these were not changed by our friends (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דִּתְרֵין אִלֵּין לָא שַׁנְיוּהָ חַבְרָנָא), these two are more than nakedness (וּתְרֵין אִלֵּין יַתִּיר מֵעֶרְוָה אִינּוּן).

And it was taught in the Concealed Book (וְתָאנָא בִּצְנִיעוּתָא דְּסִפְרָא): the male spreads and is rectified in his adornments (אִתְפָּשַׁט דְּכוּרָא וְאִתְתָּקַּן בְּתִקּוּנוֹי). He is rectified in the adornment of the pure covering (אִתְתָּקַּן תִּקּוּנָא דִּכְסוּתָא דַּכְיָא). And this is the pure amah (וְהָאַי הַוְיָא אַמָּה דַּכְיָא). Its length is two hundred and forty-eight worlds (אָרְכֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא אַמָּה, מָאתָן וְאַרְבְּעִין וּתְמַנְיָא עָלְמִין). And all depend upon the mouth of the amah (וְכֻלְּהוּ תַּלְיָין בְּפוּמָא דְּאַמָּה), which is called Yod (דְּאִתְקְרֵי יו״ד). And when the Yod of the mouth of the amah is revealed (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא יו״ד פּוּמֵיהּ דְּאַמָּה), supernal Chesed is revealed (אִתְגְּלֵי חֶסֶד עִלָּאָה). And this amah is the Chesed that is called (וְהַאי אַמָּה חֶסֶד הוּא דְּאִתְקְרֵי), and depends—Some say: and this Chesed depends—upon this mouth of the amah (וְתָלֵי [נ״א: וְהַאי חֶסֶד הוּא תָּלֵי] בְּהַאי פּוּם אַמָּה). And it is not called Chesed until the Yod of the mouth of the amah is revealed (וְלָא אִקְרֵי חֶסֶד, עַד דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא יו״ד דְּפוּם אַמָּה).

And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): Abraham was not called complete in this Chesed until the Yod of the amah was revealed (דְּלָא אִתְקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם שְׁלִים בְּהַאי חֶסֶד, עַד דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא יו״ד דְּאַמָּה). And when it was revealed he was called complete (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְגְּלֵי אִקְרֵי שְׁלִים). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Walk before Me and be complete” (הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וְהְיֵה תָמִים) (Bereshit 17)—truly complete (תָּמִים מַמָּשׁ). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “And I was complete before Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity” (וָאֶהְיֶה תָמִים לוֹ וָאֶשְׁתַּמְּרָה מֵעֲוֹנִי) (II Samuel 22). What is it speaking of—beginning and end (מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי, רֵישָׁא וְסֵיפָא)? Rather, everyone who reveals this Yod, and guards that it not be entered into another domain (אֶלָּא כָּל דְּגַלֵּי הַאי יו״ד, וְאִסְתְּמַר דְּלָא עַיְילֵיהּ לְיו״ד בִּרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא), he will be complete for the World to Come (לִיהֱוִי שְׁלִים לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), and will be bound in the bundle of life (וְלֶהֱוִי צָרִיר בִּצְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי). What is another domain (מַאי בִּרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא)? As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “and married the daughter of a foreign god” (וּבָעַל בַּת אֵל נֵכָר) (Malachi 2). And because of this it is written (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב): “And I was complete before Him” (וָאֶהְיֶה תָמִים לוֹ), because when he was complete in the revelation of the Yod, “and I kept myself from my iniquity” (וָאֶשְׁתַּמְּרָה מֵעֲוֹנִי). And when this Amah spreads (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְפְּשַׁט אַמָּה דָּא), the side of Gevurah spreads from those powers of Gevurah (סְטָר גְּבוּרָה מֵאִינּוּן גְּבוּרָאן), on the left—Nukvah (בִּשְׂמָאלָא דְּנוּקְבָּא)—and it sinks into the Nukvah in one place (וְאִשְׁתְּקַע בְּנוּקְבָּא בַּאֲתָר חַד), and marks in nakedness (וְאַרְשִׁם בְּעֶרְיָיתָא), her covering of the whole body of the Nukvah (כְּסוּתָהּ דְּכָל גּוּפָא דְּנוּקְבָּא). And in that place it is called the nakedness of all (וּבְהַהוּא אֲתָר אִקְרֵי עֶרְוָה דְּכֹלָא), the place to conceal that Amah, which is called Chesed (אֲתָר לְאַצְנְעָא לְהַהוּא אַמָּה, דְּאִקְרֵי חֶסֶד), in order that this Gevurah, which includes five Gevurot, be sweetened in this Chesed, which includes five Chasadim (בְּגִין לְאִתְבַּסְּמָא גְּבוּרָה דָּא דְּכָלִיל חָמֵשׁ גְּבוּרָאן, בְּהַאי חֶסֶד דְּכָלִיל בְּחָמֵשׁ חֲסָדִין). Chesed is the right (חֶסֶד יְמִינָא), Gevurah is the left (גְּבוּרָא שְׂמָאלָא). This is sweetened one in the other (אִתְבְּסָם דָּא בְּדָא), and is called Adam, including both sides (וְאִקְרֵי אָדָם, כָּלִיל מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין). And because of this, in all crowns there is right and left, judgment and mercy (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, בְּכֻלְּהוּ כִּתְרִין אִית יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא, דִּינָא וְרַחֲמֵי).

It was taught (תָּאנָא): before the adornments of the King were prepared (עַד לָא זַמִּין תִּקּוּנוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא), Atika of Atikin (עַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקִין) built worlds (בָּנָה עָלְמִין), and established adornments for them to be sustained (וְאַתְקִין תִּקּוּנִין לְאִתְקַיְּימָא). That Nukvah was not sweetened and did not endure (הַהוּא נוּקְבָּא לָא אִתְבַּסְמָא, וְלָא אִתְקְיָימוּ), until the supernal Chesed descended (עַד דְּנָחִית חֶסֶד עִלָּאָה) and they endured, and the adornments of the Nukvah were sweetened (וְאִתְקְיָימוּ, וְאִתְבְּסָמוּ תִּקּוּנֵי נוּקְבָּא), in this Amah which is called Chesed (בְּהַאי אַמָּה דְּאִקְרֵי חֶסֶד). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom” (וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים אֲשֶׁר מָלְכוּ בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם) (Bereshit 36), the place where all judgments are found (אֲתָר דְּכָל דִּינִין מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין תַּמָּן). And these are the adornments of the female (וְאִינּוּן תִּקּוּנֵי אִתְּתָא).

It does not say: “who were” but “Molcho” (אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לֹא כְּתִיב אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר מָלְכוּ). And they were not sweetened until all was rectified, and this Chesed went forth and was established in the mouth of the Amah (וְלָא אִתְבְּסָמוּ, עַד דְּאַתְקָן כֹּלָּא, וְנָפִיק הַאי חֶסֶד, וְאִתְיְשָׁב בְּפוּמָא דְּאַמָּה). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “and he died, and he died” (וַיָּמָת וַיָּמָת) (Bereshit 36), for they did not endure and were not sweetened—judgment with judgment (דְּלָא אִתְקְיָימוּ, וְלָא אִתְבְּסָמוּ, דִּינָא בְּדִינָא). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), if so that all are judgment (אִי הָכִי דְּדִינָא כֻּלְּהוּ), behold it is written: “And Sha’ul reigned after him, from Rechovot haNahar” (וְהָא כְּתִיב וַיִּמְלוֹךְ תַחְתָּיו שָׁאוּל מֵרְחוֹבוֹת הַנָּהָר) (Bereshit 36), and here judgment is not seen (וְהָא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי דִּינָא).

For we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן): Rechovot haNahar [Broad Places of the River] is Binah [Understanding] (רְחוֹבוֹת הַנָּהָר אִיהוּ בִּינָה), from which fifty gates of lights and lamps are opened (דְּמִינָהּ מִתְפַּתְּחִין חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין דִּנְהוֹרִין וּבוּצִינִין), to the six directions of the world (לְשִׁית סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא). It was taught (תָּאנָא): all are judgment (כֻּלְּהוּ דִּינָא), except for one which endures in the last one (בַּר מֵחָד דְּאִתְקַיָּים בַּתְרָאָה). And this Sha’ul from Rechovot haNahar [Broad Places of the River] (וְהַאי שָׁאוּל מֵרְחוֹבוֹת הַנָּהָר), is one side (דָּא הוּא חַד סִטְרָא), which spreads and goes forth from Rechovot haNahar [Broad Places of the River] (דְּאִתְפָּשָׁט וְנָפִיק מֵרְחוֹבוֹת הַנָּהָר). And none of them endured (וְכֻלְּהוּ לָא אִתְקָיָימוּ). Do not say that they were nullified (לָא תֵּימָא דְּאִתְבָּטָלוּ), but that they did not endure in that kingship (אֶלָּא דְּלָא אִתְקָיָימוּ בְּהַהוּא מַלְכוּ), and on the side of the Nukvah [Female] (וּבְסִטְר נוּקְבָּא), until this final one was aroused and spread forth from all of them (עַד דְּאִתְּעַר וְאִתְפָּשַׁט הַאי בַּתְרָאָה מְכֻּלְּהוּ). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “And Hadar reigned in his stead” (וַיִּמְלוֹךְ תַחְתָּיו הֲדַר) (Bereshit 36). What is Hadar? (מַאי הֲדַר). Supernal Chesed [Kindness] (חֶסֶד עִלָּאָה). And the name of his city was Pa’u (וְשֵׁם עִירוֹ פָּעוּ). What is Pa’u? (מַאי פָּעוּ). In this Pa‘i, a person merits the spirit of holiness (בְּהַאי פָּעִי בַּר נָשׁ דְּזָכֵי לְרוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא). And the name of his wife was Meheitav’el (וְשֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ מְהֵיטַבְאֵל). Here they are sweetened, one with the other (בְּכָאן אִתְבְּסָמוּ דָּא בְּדָא), and she is called his wife (וְאִתְקְרֵי אִשְׁתּוֹ), which is not written regarding all the others (מַה דְּלָא כְּתִיב בְּכֻלְּהוּ).

Meheitav’el (מְהֵיטַבְאֵל): the sweetening of this one with that one (אִתְבַּסְמוּתָא דְּדָא בְּדָא). “Daughter of Matred” (בַּת מַטְרֵד): the Tikkunim [adornments] from the side of Gevurah [Might] (תִּקּוּנִין דְּמִסְּטַר גְּבוּרָה). “Daughter of Mei Zahav” (בַּת מֵי זָהָב): they were sweetened and interincluded, one with the other (אִתְבְּסָמוּ וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ דָּא בְּדָא). Mei Zahav [Waters of Gold]: mercy and judgment (מֵי זָהָב: רַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא). Here the female cleaved to the male (כָּאן אִתְדַּבְּקוּ אִתְּתָא בִּדְכוּרָא).