Daf 87a (דַּף פ״ז ע״א)

It is written: “And from the tree of knowledge of good and evil” (כְּתִיב וּמֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע) (Bereshit 2). And what-on account of this did Adam bring death into the world? (וּמַה עַל דָּא גָּרִים אָדָם מִיתָה בְּעָלְמָא). One who shows another deed not required-how much more so! (מַאן דְּאַחְזֵי עוֹבָדָא אָחֳרָא דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָה וְכַמָּה). Ox and donkey prove it (שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר אוֹכָחָן). From this side one is called ox (מִסִּטְרָא דָּא אִקְרֵי שׁוֹר), and from this side one is called donkey (וּמִסִּטְרָא דָּא אִקְרֵי חֲמוֹר). And concerning this it is written: “You shall not plow with an ox and donkey together” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב לֹא תַחֲרוֹשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמוֹר יַחְדָּו) (Deuteronomy 22). Do not make mixture together (לָא תַּעֲבִיד עִרְבּוּבְיָיא כַּחֲדָא), lest the Sitra achra be aroused to join as one, to corrupt the world (בְּגִין דְּאִתְעַר לְאִתְחַבְּרָא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא כַּחֲדָא, לְאַבְאָשָׁא עָלְמָא). And one who separates them brings peace in the world (וּמַאן דְּפָרִישׁ לוֹן, אַסְגֵּי שְׁלָמָא בְּעָלְמָא). So too here: one who separates them, as it is said-not to find wool spun and flax together (אוּף הָכָא, מַאן דְּפָרִישׁ לוֹן בְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא כְּמָה דְּאָמְרוּ, דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח שׁוּעַ טָווּי וְנוּז כַּחֲדָא)-that man increases peace for himself and for the whole world (הַאי בַּר נָשׁ אַסְגֵּי שְׁלָמָא עָלֵיהּ, וְעַל כָּל עָלְמָא).

The offering of Kayin was flax (קָרְבְּנָא דְּקַיִן הֲוָה פִּשְׁתִּים), and the offering of Hevel was wool (וְקָרְבְּנָא דְּהֶבֶל הֲוָה צֶמֶר). This is not like that, and that is not like this (לָאו דָּא כְּדָּא, וְלָאו דָּא כְּדָּא). The mystery of the matter is that Kayin was Kil’ayim [mixed species] (רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, קַיִן כִּלְאַיִם הֲוָה), an intermingling that was not required (עִרְבּוּבְיָא דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ), from the Sitra achra [Other Side], not of the species of Chavah and Adam (סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, דְּלָא זִינָא דְּחַוָּה וְאָדָם). And his offering came from that side (וְקוּרְבָּנֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא קָא אַתְיָא). Hevel was from one species, of Adam and Chavah (הֶבֶל מִזִינָא חֲדָא דְּאָדָם וְחַוָּה). And in the womb of Chavah, those two sides were joined (וּבְמֵעָהָא דְּחַוָּה אִתְחַבָּרוּ אִלֵּין תְּרֵין סִטְרִין). And because they were joined as one (וּבְגִין דְּאִתְחַבָּרוּ כַּחֲדָא), no benefit came to the world from them (לָא אַתְיָא מִנַּיְיהוּ תּוֹעַלְתָּא לְעָלְמָא), and they were destroyed (וְאִתְאֲבִידוּ). And until this day, their side endures (וְעַד יוֹמָא דֵּין, סִטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן קַיְּימָא). And one who manifests himself through the act of this joining (וּמַאן דְּאַחְזֵי גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּעוֹבָדָא דְּחִבּוּרָא דָּא), those sides are aroused upon him together (אִתְּעַר עָלֵיהּ אִינּוּן סִטְרִין כַּחֲדָא), and he can be harmed (וְיָכִיל לְאִתְזְקָא), and another spirit, which is not required, rests upon him (וְשָׁארִי עֲלוֹי רוּחָא אָחֳרָא, דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ). And Yisrael desire to arouse upon themselves a Ruach Kadisha [holy spirit] (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעָאן לְאִתְּעָרָא עָלַיְיהוּ רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא), to be holy (לְמֶהֱוִי קַדִּישִׁין), to be found in peace in this world and in the World to Come (לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בִּשְׁלָמָא, בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). It is written (כְּתִיב): “And the Kohen [priest] shall put on his linen garment, and linen breeches shall be upon his flesh” (וְלָבַשׁ הַכֹּהֵן מִדוֹ בַד וּמִכְנְסֵי בַּד יִהְיוּ עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ). “And with a linen sash he shall gird himself” (וּבְאַבְנֵט בַּד יַחְגֹּר). Why is it called Bad [linen]? (אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי בַּד). Singular (יְחִידָאי). Because this flax is not to be joined with another (בְּגִין דְּלָא בָּעֵי לְחַבְּרָא לְהַאי פִּשְׁתִּים בְּאָחֳרָא). And therefore it is not written, “his garment of flax” (וְעַל דָּא לָא כְּתִיב מִדוֹ פִשְׁתִּים), but rather, “Bad [linen],” singular (אֶלָּא בַּד יְחִידָאָה). And why must the Kohen [priest] appear in this? (וְכַהֲנָא אֲמַאי אִיהוּ בָּעֵי לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בְּהַאי).

Rather, these linen garments must be seen with them upon the altar of the burnt offering. (אֶלָּא אִלֵּין מָאנֵי בַּד, בָּעֵי לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בְּהוּ עַל מִזְבַּח הָעוֹלָה), when he would clear the ashes of the burnt offering (כַד הֲוָה מַפְנֵי קִטְרָא דְּדִשְׁנָא דְּעוֹלָה). For the burnt offering comes from the side of idolatry and evil thought (דְּהָא עוֹלָה מִסִּטְרָא דְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהִרְהוּרָא בִּישָׁא קָא אַתְיָא). And therefore, he must appear in them alone, and not in mixture (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, בָּעֵי לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בְּהוּ בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, וְלָא בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא), as we said, in order that atonement be made for man for all sins that come from that side (כְּמָה דְּאַמָרָן, בְּגִין דְּיִתְכַּפָּר לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ כָּל אִינּוּן חוֹבִין דְּאַתְיָין מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא). And when he enters the Sanctuary (וְכַד עָיֵיל לְמַקְדְּשָׁא), the place where perfection is found (אֲתַר דִּשְׁלִימוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח), and all those services of completeness, even though they are joined together, it does not matter (וְכָל אִינּוּן פּוּלְחָנֵי דִּשְׁלֵימוּתָא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְחַבְּרוּ, לֵית לָן בָּהּ), as we said regarding tzitzit (כְּמָה דְּאַמָרָן בְּצִיצִית). Because there are found and joined all those supernal kinds (בְּגִין דְּתַמָּן אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ וְאִתְחֲבְּרוּ כָּל אִינּוּן זַיְּינִין דִּלְעֵילָּא). And all those vessels of the Sanctuary, there are found many kinds differing one from another (וְכָל אִינּוּן מָאנֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא, מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין בֵּיהּ כַּמָה זַיְּינִין מְשַׁנְּיָין דָּא מִן דָּא), and all are included there as above (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְכְּלִילוּ תַּמָּן כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא).

Happy are Yisrael (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), that Kudsha Berikh Hu gave them the Orayta of truth (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב לְהוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּקְשׁוֹט), the Orayta of faith (אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and loved them more than all other nations, worshippers of idolatry (וְרִיחַם לְהוּ מִכָּל שְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה). As it is written: “I have loved you, says Hashem” (דִּכְתִיב אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר יְיָ') (Malachi 1).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened after him and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי חִיָּיא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ וְאָמַר): “When you come into the land, and you shall plant every food tree…” (כִי תָּבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם כָּל עֵץ מַאֲכָל וְגוֹ') (Leviticus 19). “And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a praise to Hashem” (וּבַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִית יִהְיֶה כָּל פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים לַיְיָ'). “When you come into the land”-this the friends have established (כִי תָּבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא).

But come and see (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי): a tree makes no fruit except in the land (דְּהָא אִילָנָא לָא עָבִיד פֵּירִין, אֶלָּא בְּאַרְעָא). And the land brings them forth, showing that budding to the world (וְאַרְעָא אַפִּיק לְהוֹן, וְאַחְזֵי הַהוּא אִיבָּא לְעָלְמָא). And the land makes no fruit except from another force upon it (וְאַרְעָא לָא עַבְדָּא פֵּירִין אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ חֵילָא אָחֳרָא דְּעָלָהּ), just as the female makes no fruit except from the force of the male (כְּמָה דְּנוּקְבָּא לָא עַבְדָּא פֵּירִין, אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ חֵילָא דִּדְכוּרָא). And that budding is not completed in wholeness until three years (וְהַהוּא אִיבָּא, לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא, עַד תְּלַת שְׁנִין). And force is not appointed over it above until it is completed (וְחֵילָא לָא אִתְפָּקְדָא עָלֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא עַד דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים). After it is completed, a force is appointed over it, and the land is established in it (בָּתַר דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים אִתְפָּקְדָא עָלֵיהּ חֵילָא וְאַרְעָא אִתְתְּקָנַת בֵּיהּ). For until three years the land is not established in it, nor perfected with it (דְּהָא עַד תְּלַת שְׁנִין אַרְעָא לָא אִתְתְּקָנַת בֵּיהּ וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִימַת עִמֵּיהּ). After it is completed and both are established together, then there is perfection (בָּתַר דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְתְּקָנוּ כַּחֲדָא כְּדֵין הוּא שְׁלֵימוּתָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): the female, until three times that she conceives, the budding of her womb is not completed (נוּקְבָּא, עַד תְּלָת זִמְנִין דְּאִתְעַבְּרָא, אִיבָּא דִּמְעָהָא לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים). After three times, the female is established in that budding, and they are perfected together (בָּתַר ג' עִידוּאָן, נוּקְבָּא אִתְתְּקָנַת בְּהַהוּא אִיבָּא, וְאִסְתְּכָּמוּ כַּחֲדָא). Then that budding is the perfection of all, the beauty of all (כְּדֵין הַהוּא אִיבָּא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא, וּשְׁפִּירוּ דְּכֹלָּא). After it goes forth, until three years it has no supernal force (בָּתַר דְּנָפַק, עַד ג' שְׁנִין לָא אִית לֵיהּ חֵילָא לְעֵילָּא). For then its ripening is completed (דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשׁוּלָא דִּילֵיהּ). Levi was favored above all (לֵוִי אִתְרְעֵי מִכֹּלָּא), the third to his mother (תְּלִיתָאָה לְאִמֵיהּ). For she was established in him, and perfected with him (דְּאִתְתָּקָּנַת בֵּיהּ, וְאִסְתַכְּמַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ).