Daf 145b (דַּף קמ״ה ע״ב)
It was taught (תָּאנָא): every person who possesses chasidut is called “the angel of Hashem Tzeva’ot” (כָּל אָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ חֲסִידוּת, נִקְרָא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת). This is what is written: “For the lips of the Kohen shall guard knowledge, and they shall seek Torah from his mouth, for he is the angel of Hashem Tzeva’ot” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, כִּי שִׂפְתֵי כֹהֵן יִשְׁמְרוּ דַּעַת, וְתוֹרָה יְבַקְשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ, כִּי מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת הוּא) (Malachi 2). Why did the Kohen merit to be called “the angel of Hashem Tzeva’ot” (מִפְּנֵי מַה זָכָה כֹּהֵן לְהִקָרֵא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת)?
Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): just as the angel of Hashem Tzeva’ot is the Kohen above (מַה מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת, כֹּהֵן לְמַעְלָה), so too the Kohen is the angel of Hashem Tzeva’ot below (אַף כֹּהֵן מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת לְמַטָּה). And who is the angel of Hashem Tzeva’ot above (וּמַאן הוּא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת לְמַעְלָה)? This is Michael the great prince (זֶה מִיכָאֵ״ל הַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל), who comes from the supernal Chesed (דְּאָתֵי מֵחֶסֶד שֶׁל מַעֲלָה), and he is the great Kohen above (וְהוּא כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁל מַעֲלָה).
Likewise, the great Kohen below is called “the angel of Hashem Tzeva’ot” (כִּבְיָכוֹל, כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל דִּלְתַּתָּא אִקְרֵי מַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת), because he comes from the side of Chesed (מִשּׁוּם דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד). And what is Chesed (מַהוּ חֶסֶד)? Compassion within compassion (רַחֲמֵי גוֹ רַחֲמֵי). And because of this, the Kohen is not found from the side of judgment (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, כֹּהֵן לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא). What is the reason the Kohen merited Chesed (מַאי טַעֲמָא זָכָה כֹּהֵן לְחֶסֶד)? Because of awe (בְּגִין הַיִּרְאָה). This is what is written: “But the Chesed of Hashem is from world to world upon those who fear Him” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְחֶסֶד יְיָ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם עַל יְרֵאָיו) (Psalms 103).
“From world to world”—what is this (עוֹלָם וְעוֹלָם מַהוּ)? Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): as it was arranged in the Idra kaddisha (כְּמָה דְּאִתְתָּקַן בְּאִדָּרָא קַדִּישָׁא)—one world, and another world (עוֹלָם חַד, וְעוֹלָם תְּרֵי). Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): if so, it should have been written “from the world to the world” (אִי הָכִי, מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): they are two worlds (תְּרֵי עָלְמֵי נִינְהוּ), but they are returned to one (וְאִתְהַדְּרוּ לְחַד).
Rabbi El'azar said to Rabbi Yitzchak (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לְרִבִּי יִצְחָק): until when will you conceal your words (עַד מָתַי תִּסְתּוֹם דְּבָרִיךְ)? “From world to world” is the totality of the supernal mystery (מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם, כְּלָלָא דְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה): Adam above and Adam below (אָדָם דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְאָדָם דִּלְתַּתָּא)—and this is “world and world” (וְהַיְינוּ עוֹלָם וְעוֹלָם). And it is written: “the days of old” (וּכְתִיב יְמֵי עוֹלָם) (Micah 7), and it is written: “the years of old” (וּכְתִיב שְׁנוֹת עוֹלָם) (Psalms 77), and this was already established in the supernal Idra Kadisha (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּאִדָּרָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה).
“Upon those who fear Him” (עַל יְרֵאָיו): for whoever fears sin is called Adam (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ דָּחִיל חַטָּאָה, אִקְרֵי אָדָם). When (אֵימָתַי)? Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): when there is within him awe, humility, and chasidut—the totality of all (דְּאִית בֵּיהּ יִרְאָה, עֲנָוָה, חֲסִידוּת—כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא).
Rabbi Yehuda said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): but have we not learned that Adam is the totality of male and female (וְהָא תָּנֵינָן אָדָם כְּלָלָא דִּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָּא)? He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): indeed, so it is here, in the totality of Adam (וַדַּאי הָכָא הוּא, בִּכְלָלָא דְּאָדָם). For whoever joins male and female is called Adam (דְּמַאן דְּאִתְחַבָּר דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, אִקְרֵי אָדָם), and then he fears sins (וּכְדֵין דָּחִיל חֲטָאָן). And not only this, but humility rests in him (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ עֲנָוָה). And not only this, but Chesed rests in him (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ חֶסֶד).
But whoever is not found with male and female (וּמַאן דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא), in him there is neither awe, nor humility, nor chasidut (לָא הֲווֹ בֵּיהּ לֹא יִרְאָה וְלֹא עֲנָוָה וְלֹא חֲסִידוּת). And because of this, Adam is called the totality of all (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִקְרֵי אָדָם כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא). And once he is called Adam, Chesed rests in him (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִקְרֵי אָדָם, שַׁרְיָיא בֵּיהּ חֶסֶד). As it is written: “I said, the world shall be built with Chesed…” (דִּכְתִּיב, אָמַרְתִּי עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 89). And it cannot be built if male and female are not found together (וְלָא יָכִיל לְאִתְבָּנָאָה, אִי לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). And it is written: “And the Chesed of Hashem is from world to world upon those who fear Him” (וּכְתִיב, וְחֶסֶד יְיָ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם עַל יְרֵאָיו) (Psalms 103). “Upon those who fear Him”—this is the totality of Adam (יְרֵאָיו כְּלָלָא דְּאָדָם). Another matter: “And the Chesed of Hashem is from world to world” (דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְחֶסֶד יְיָ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם)—these are the Kohanim who come from the side of Chesed (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן כַּהֲנֵי דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד), and who inherited that inheritance which descends from the world above to the world below (וְאַחֲסִינוּ אַחֲסָנָא דָּא דְּנָחִית מֵעוֹלָם דִּלְעֵילָּא לְעוֹלָם דִּלְתַּתָּא). “Upon those who fear Him”—the Kohanim below (עַל יְרֵאָיו, כַּהֲנֵי דִּלְתַּתָּא). As it is written: “And he shall atone for himself and for his house” (וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ) (Leviticus 16)—to be included in the totality of Adam (לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא בִּכְלָלָא דְּאָדָם). “And His righteousness to children’s children” (וְצִדְקָתוֹ לִבְנֵי בָנִים)—because he merited for his grandchildren (מִשּׁוּם דְּזָכָה לִבְנֵי בָּנִים). Rabbi Yehuda said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): if so, why does it say “and His righteousness” (אִי הָכִי, מַהוּ וְצִדְקָתוֹ)? It should have said “and His Chesed” (וְחַסְדּוֹ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ).
Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): this is the mystery of what we have learned concerning Zot [This] (הַיְינוּ רָזָא דְּתָנֵינָן בְּזֹאת), as it is written: “For from man was this taken” (כִּי מֵאִישׁ לֻקֳּחָה זֹּאת) (Bereshit 2), and it is written: “For this shall be called woman” (לְזֹאת יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה) (Bereshit 2). And Zot [This] is included in Ish [man] (וְזֹאת אִתְכְּלִילַת בְּאִישׁ)—that is Chesed [Kindness] (דְּהַיְינוּ חֶסֶד)—and Zot [This] is the Nukvah [Female] (וְזֹאת נוּקְבָּא). Chesed [Kindness] is male (חֶסֶד דְּכַר). And because of this, the male who comes from the side of whiteness is called Chesed [Kindness] (וּבְגִין כַּךְ דְּכַר דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּחִוָּורָא דָּא, אִקְרֵי חֶסֶד). And Zot [This] is called Tzedek [Righteousness] (וְזֹאת אִתְקְרֵי צֶדֶק), which comes from the side of redness (דְּאַתְיָא מִסְטַר סוּמָקָא). And because of this, she is called woman (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִקְרֵי אִשָּׁה). And this is what is written (וְהַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב): “And His Tzedakah [Righteousness]” (וְצִדְקָתוֹ). What is “and His Tzedakah [Righteousness]”? (מַאי וְצִדְקָתוֹ). The Tzedakah [Righteousness] of Chesed [Kindness]—his mate (צִדְקָתוֹ דְּחֶסֶד, בַּת זוּגוֹ)—is sweetened, one with the other (דְּאִתְבָּסְמָא דָּא בְּדָא). And because of this we have learned (וּבְגִין כַּךְ תָּנֵינָן): any Kohen [priest] who does not have a mate is forbidden in the service (כָּל כֹּהֵן שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בַּת זוּג, אָסוּר בַּעֲבוֹדָה), as it is written: “And he shall atone for himself and for his house” (דִּכְתִיב, וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ) (Leviticus 16).
Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): because the Shekhinta does not rest upon one who is not married (מִשּׁוּם דְּלֵית שְׁכִינְתָּא שַׁרְיָא בְּמַאן דְּלָא אַנְסִיב). And the Kohanim require, more than all the people (וְכַהֲנֵי בַּעְיָין יַתִּיר מִכָּל שְׁאַר עַמָּא), that the Shekhinta should rest upon them (לְאַשְׁרְיָיא בְּהוּ שְׁכִינְתָּא). And once the Shekhinta rests upon them (וְכֵיוָן דְּשָׁרַת בְּהוּ שְׁכִינְתָּא), Chesed rests upon them (שַׁרְיָא בְּהוּ חֶסֶד), and they are called chasidim (וְאִקְרוּן חֲסִידִים). And they are required to bless the people (וּבַעְיָין לְבָרְכָא עַמָּא). This is what is written: “And Your chasidim shall bless You” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְבָרְכוּכָה) (Psalms 145). And it is written: “Your Tumim and Your Urim be for Your pious one” (וּכְתִיב, תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ לְאִישׁ חֲסִידֶךָ) (Deuteronomy 33). And because the Kohen is called chasid (וּמִשּׁוּם דְּכַהֲנָא אִקְרֵי חָסִיד), he must bless (בָּעֵי לְבָרְכָא).
And because of this it is written: “Speak to Aharon and to his sons, saying: thus shall you bless” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב, דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ) (Numbers 6). What is the reason (מַאי טַעֲמָא)? Because they are called chasidim (מִשּׁוּם דְּאִקְרוּן חֲסִידִים). And it is written: “And Your chasidim shall bless You” (וּכְתִיב, וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְבָרְכוּכָה) (Psalms 145).