Daf 147a (דַּף קמ״ז ע״א)

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): all these twenty-two letters (דְּכָל הָנֵי כ״ב אַתְוָון), some say: mercies (ס״א: רַחֲמֵי), some say: all these twenty-two contain mercies (ס״א: דְּכָל הָנֵי כ״ב מְכִילָן דְּרַחֲמֵי)—Moshe spoke them twice (מֹשֶׁה אֲמָרָן בִּתְרֵי זִמְנֵי). The first time he said the thirteen vessels of Atika de-Atikin, hidden of all (זִמְנָא קַדְמָאָה אָמַר, י״ג מְכִילָן דְּעַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקִין סְתִימָא דְּכֹלָּא), to descend to the place where judgment is found, to subdue them (לְנַחְתָּא אִלֵּין לְאֲתָר דְּדִינָא אִשְׁתְּכַח, לְאַכְפְּיָא לְהוּ).

The second time, he said the nine vessels of mercy, which are included in Ze’ir Anpin (זִמְנָא תִּנְיָינָא, אָמַר ט׳ מְכִילָן דְּרַחֲמֵי, דִּכְלִילָן בִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and they shine from Atika, the hidden of all (וּנְהִירִין מֵעַתִּיקָא סְתִימָאָה דְּכֹלָּא). And all are included when the Kohen spreads his hands to bless the people (וְכֻלְּהוּ כָּלִיל כַּהֲנָא כַּד פְּרֵיס יְדוֹי לְבָרְכָא עַמָּא). And it is found that all the worlds—some say: the supernal ones (ס״א: עִלָּאִין)—are blessed in the side of mercy (וּמִשְׁתַּכְחָן דְּמִתְבָּרְכִין כֻּלְּהוּ עָלְמִין בְּסִטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי), drawn from Atika, hidden of all (דְּאִתְמַשְׁכָן מֵעַתִּיקָא טְמִירָא סְתִימָאָה דְּכֹלָּא). And all these twenty-two letters are vessels concealed (וְכָל הָנֵי כ״ב אַתְוָון, מְכִילָן סְתִימָאן).

“May Hashem bless you and guard you” (יְבָרֶכְךָ יְיָ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ) (Numbers 6)—these three verses (אִלֵּין תְּלַת קְרָאֵי), and three Names of twelve letters are included opposite them (וְג׳ שְׁמָהָן דִּתְרֵיסָר אַתְוָון כְּלִילָן לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן). And in all, the Kohen directs (וּבְכֹלָּא אִתְכְּוָון כַּהֲנָא). And all the supernal and lower ones are sweetened in the twenty-two letters (וְכָל עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי מִתְבַּסְּמָן בְּכ״ב אַתְוָון), concealed within these three verses (דִּסְתִימִין בְּהָנֵי ג׳ קְרָאֵי), opposite the twenty-two vessels of mercy which include all (לָקֳבֵיל כ״ב מְכִילָן דְּרַחֲמֵי דְּכָלִיל כֹּלָּא). And because of this, it is written “Amor” and not “imru,” as we have established (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב אָמוֹר, וְלָא אִמְרוּ, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). Amor: that he must direct in all these concealments, in all these levels (אָמֹר: דְּבָעֵי לְכַוְּונָא בְּכָל הָנֵי סְתִימִין, בְּכָל הָנֵי דַּרְגִין). Amor: in the hidden words above (אָמֹר: בְּמִלִּין סְתִימִין דִּלְעֵילָּא). Amor: calculation of 248 limbs of Adam, lacking one (אָמֹר: חוּשְׁבָּן רמ״ח אֵבָרִין דִּבְאָדָם חָסֵר חַד). Why? Because upon one all depend (מַאי טַעְמָא, דִּבְחַד תַּלְיָין כֻּלְּהוּ). And all are blessed in this blessing, in these three verses, as we have said (וְכֻלְּהוּ מִתְבָּרְכָאן בְּהַאי בִּרְכָתָא, בְּהָנֵי תְּלַת קְרָאֵי, כִּדְאַמַרָן). “To them” (לָהֶם): to be included in this blessing, supernals and lower ones (לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא בְּהַאי בִּרְכָתָא עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין).

It was taught (תָּאנָא), Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): one day I was sitting before Rabbi El'azar ben Rabbi Shimon (יוֹמָא חַד יָתִיבְנָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן). I asked him, I said (שָׁאִילְנָא לֵיהּ, אֲמֵינָא): “Rabbi, what did David see when he said, ‘Man and beast You save, Hashem’ (מַאי קָא חָמָא דָּוִד דְּקָאָמַר, אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ יְיָ) (Psalms 36)? Adam is understandable, but beast—why (אָדָם תִּינַח, בְּהֵמָה לָמָּה)?” He said to me (אָמַר לֵיהּ): “Well you asked (יָאוּת שָׁאַלְתָּ). All is in the number (כֹּלָּא בְּמִנְיָינָא הוּא): if they are meritorious, Adam; if not, beast (זָכוּ אָדָם, לֹא זָכוּ בְּהֵמָה).”

I said (אֲמֵינָא): “Rabbi, I seek the secret of the matter” (רִבִּי, רָזָא דְּמִלָּה קָא בָּעֵינָא). He said to me (אָמַר לֵיהּ): “All has been said. But come and see (כֹּלָּא אִתְּמַר, וְתָּא חֲזֵי): Kudsha Berikh Hu called Yisrael Adam, in the likeness of above (קָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָדָם, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And He called them behemah, and both are in one verse (וְקָרָא לְהוּ בְּהֵמָה, וְכֹלָּא בְּחַד קְרָא), as it is written: ‘And you My flock, the flock of My pasture, you are Adam’ (וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי, צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי… אָדָם אַתֶּם) (Ezekiel 34). ‘The flock of My pasture’—behold, behemah (וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי, הָא בְּהֵמָה). ‘You are Adam’—behold, Adam (אָדָם אַתֶּם, הָא אָדָם). And Yisrael are called Adam and behemah (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִקְרוּ אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה). And because of this it is written: ‘Adam and behemah You save, Hashem’ (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ יְיָ) (Psalms 36).

And further, the secret of the matter (וְעוֹד רָזָא דְּמִלָּה): if they merit, Adam in the likeness of above (זָכוּ, אָדָם כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). If they do not merit, they are called behemah (לֹא זָכוּ, בְּהֵמָה אִקְרוּן). And all are blessed at one time (וְכֻלְּהוּ מִתְבָּרְכָאן בְּשַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא): Adam above, and behemah below (אָדָם דִּלְעֵילָּא. וּבְהֵמָה דִּלְתַּתָּא). And how much more so since all is within Yisrael (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דְּכֹלָּא אִית בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). This is what is written: ‘Adam and behemah You save, Hashem’ (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ יְיָ) (Psalms 36). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): no blessing is found below until it is found above (לֵית בִּרְכָתָא לְתַתָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח, עַד דְּיִשְׁתַּכַח לְעֵילָּא). And once it is found above, then it is found below as well (וּמִדְּאִשְׁתְּכַח לְעֵילָּא, אוּף לְתַתָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח). And all is thus, depending for good and for evil (וְכֹלָּא הָכִי, תַּלְיָא לְטָב וּלְבִישׁ). For good: as it is written, “I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth” (אֶעֱנֶה אֶת הַשָּׁמָיִם, וְהֵם יַעֲנוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ) (Hosea 2). For evil: as it is written, “Hashem shall punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth” (יִפְקוֹד יְיָ עַל צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם, וְעַל מַלְכֵי הָאֲדָמָה עַל הָאֲדָמָה) (Isaiah 24).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): because of this—Tiferet opened in it—it is written “Say to them” (amor lahem) simply (בְּגִין כָּךְ [הַאי תִּפְאֶרֶת פָּתַח בֵּיהּ] כְּתִיב אָמוֹר לָהֶם סְתָם), so that the supernals and the lower ones be blessed, all as one (לְאִתְבָּרְכָא עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא). For it is written: “So shall you bless” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ) at the beginning, and afterward: “the children of Israel, say to them” (אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמוֹר לָהֶם סְתָם), so that all be blessed together (לְאִתְבָּרְכָא כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא).

“May Hashem bless you” (יְבָרֶכְךָ יְיָ)—above (לְעֵילָּא). “And guard you” (וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ)—below (לְתַתָּא). “May Hashem make His face shine” (יָאֵר יְיָ פָּנָיו)—above (לְעֵילָּא). “And be gracious to you” (וִיחֻנֶּךָ)—below (לְתַתָּא). “May Hashem lift His face” (יִשָּׂא יְיָ פָּנָיו)—above (לְעֵילָּא). “And give you peace” (וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם)—below (לְתַתָּא).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): all are blessed as one (כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא מִתְבָּרְכָאן), in the twenty-two engraved letters of the holy Name (בְּכ״ב אַתְוָון גְּלִיפָן דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), which are included and concealed here (דְּאִתְכְּלַל וְסָתִים הָכָא). In these twenty-two letters all are blessed (בְּכ״ב אַתְוָון מִתְבָּרְכָאן כֻּלְּהוּ). And they are mercy within mercy, in which no judgment is found (וְאִינּוּן רַחֲמֵי גּוֹ רַחֲמֵי, דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהוּ דִּינָא). But is it not written: “May Hashem lift up His face toward you” (וְהָא כְּתִיב, יִשָּׂא יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ) (Numbers 6)? Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): yissa means He shall remove and pass over (יִשָּׂא: יְסַלַּק וְיַעְבָּר), so that no judgment at all shall be found (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתַּכַח דִּינָא כְּלָל).

It was taught (תָּאנָא), Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): at the time when the Kohen spreads his hands (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּכַהֲנָא פְּרֵיס יְדוֹי), it is forbidden for the people to gaze upon him (אָסִיר לֵיהּ לְעַמָּא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ), because the Shekhinta rests upon his hands (מִשּׁוּם דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא שַׁרְיָא בִּידוֹי). Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): if so, since they do not see, what difference does it make to them (אִי הָכִי, כֵּיוָן דְּלָא חָמָאן, מַה אִכְפַּת לְהוּ)? For it is written: “For no man shall see Me and live” (כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי) (Exodus 33). In their lifetime they do not see, but in their death they do see (בְּחַיֵּיהוֹן לָא חָמָאן, אֲבָל בְּמִיתָתְהוֹן חָמָאן). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): because the holy Name is hinted in the fingers of his hands (מִשּׁוּם דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא רְמִיזָא בְּאֶצְבְּעָן דִּידוֹי), and a man must be in awe. Even though they do not see the Shekhinta (אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא חָמָאן שְׁכִינְתָּא), they must not gaze upon the hands of the Kohanim (לָא בָּעָאן לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בִּידַיְיהוּ דְּכַהֲנֵי), so that the people not be found brazen toward the Shekhinta (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן עַמָּא חֲצִיפָאן לְגַבֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא).

It was taught (תָּאנָא): at that time when the Kohen spreads his hands (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּכַהֲנָא פְּרֵיס יְדוֹי), the people must sit in awe, in fear (צְרִיכִין עַמָּא לְמֵיתַב בִּדְחִילוּ, בְּאֵימָתָא), and know that at that moment a time of desire—favorable will—is present in all the worlds (וְלִינְדַע דְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, עִידָן רְעוּתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין). And the supernals and the lower ones are blessed, and there is no judgment in all of them (וּמִתְבָּרְכָן עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, וְלֵית דִּינָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ). And that is the time when the concealed Atika of Atikin is revealed in Ze’ir Anpin (וְהוּא שַׁעֲתָא, דְּאִתְגְּלֵי סְתִימָא עַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקִין בִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and peace is found in all (וְאִשְׁתְּכַח שְׁלָמָא בְּכֹלָּא).