Daf 98a (דַּף צ״ח ע״א)

And we have learned (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא), that the Orayta which one must occupy himself with on this night is the Oral Orayta (דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּבָעֵי לֵיהּ לְמִלְעֵי בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא, אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּבְעַל פֶּה), in order that they may be purified-some say: that they may cleave together-from the fountain of the deep river (בְּגִין דְּיִתְדְּכוּן, ס״א דִּיתְדַּבְּקוּ, כַּחֲדָא, מִמַּבּוּעָא דְּנַחֲלָא עֲמִיקָא).

Afterwards, on this day, let the Written Torah come and join with it (לְבָתַר, בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, לֵיתֵי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב, וְיִתְחַבֵּר, ס״א בְּהוֹ, בָּהּ), and they shall be found together in one Zivug above (וְיִשְׁתַּכְחוּן כַּחֲדָא בְּזִוּוּגָא חַד לְעֵילָּא). Then they proclaim over him and say (כְּדֵין מַכְרִיזֵי עָלֵיהּ וְאַמְרֵי): “As for Me, this is My covenant with them, says Hashem: My spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have placed in your mouth…” (וַאֲנִי זֹאת בְּרִיתִי אוֹתָם אָמַר יְיָ׳ רוּחִי אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ וּדְבָרַי אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְּפִיךָ וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 59).

And for this reason, the early pious ones would not sleep on this night (וְעַל דָּא, חֲסִידֵי קַדְמָאֵי לָא הֲווֹ נָיְימֵי בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא), but would occupy themselves with Orayta (וַהֲווּ לָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and would say: “Let us come to inherit the holy inheritance-for us and for our children in both worlds” (וְאַמְרֵי, נֵיתֵי לְאַחֲסָנָא יְרוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא, לָן, וְלִבְנָן, בִּתְרֵין עָלְמִין). And on that night, Knesset Yisrael was crowned over them (וְהַהוּא לֵילְיָא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְעַטְּרָא עָלַיְיהוּ), and came to be joined with the King (וְאַתְיָיא לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בֵּיהּ בְּמַלְכָּא). And both of them are crowned upon the heads of those who are meritorious for this (וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ מִתְעַטְּרֵי עַל רֵישַׁיְיהוּ, דְּאִינּוּן דְּזַכָּאן לְהָכִי).

Rabbi Shim‘on thus said (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הָכִי אָמַר): At the time when the friends gather on this night before her (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִתְכַּנְשֵׁי חַבְרַיָּיא בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא לְגַבֵּיהּ), let us come to prepare the adornments of the Bride (נֵיתֵי לְתַקְּנָא תַּכְשִׁיטֵי כַּלָּה), so that she may be found tomorrow in her adornments and her perfection before the King as is fitting (בְּגִין דְּתִשְׁתְּכַח לְמָחָר בְּתַכְשִׁיטָהָא, וְתִקוּנָהָא, לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא כַּדְקָא יָאוּת). Happy is the portion of the friends (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּחַבְרַיָּיא), for when the King asks the Matronita, “Who prepared her adornments, who illuminated her crown, who made ready her perfection?” (כַּד יִתְבַּע מַלְכָּא לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, מַאן תַּקִּין תַּכְשִׁיטָהָא, וְאַנְהִיר עִטְרָהָא, וְשַׁוִּי תִּקּוּנָהָא), there is no one in the world who knows how to prepare the adornments of the Bride except the friends (וְלֵית לָךָ בְּעָלְמָא, מַאן דְּיָדַע לְתַקְּנָא תַּכְשִׁיטֵי כַּלָּה, אֶלָּא חַבְרַיָּיא). Happy is their portion in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): The friends prepare on this night the adornments of the Bride (חַבְרַיָּיא מְתַקְּנֵי בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא תַּכְשִׁיטָהָא לְכַלָּה), and crown her with her crown before the King (וּמְעַטְּרֵי לָהּ בְּעִטְרָהָא, לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא). And who prepares for the King, on this night, to be found in her-the Bride-to be joined with her, the Matronita? (וּמַאן מַתְקִין לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא, בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא, לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בָּהּ בְּכַלָּה, לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בָּהּ בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). It is the supernal deep river, the river of all rivers, Imma Ila’ah (נַהֲרָא קַדִּישָׁא עֲמִיקָא דְּכָל נַהֲרִין, אִמָּא עִלָּאָה). This is what is written: “Go forth and see, daughters of Tziyon, the King Shlomo with the crown with which his mother crowned him” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, צְאֶינָה וּרְאֶינָה בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן בַּמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה וְגוֹ׳) (Song of Songs 3). Afterwards, when He is prepared and crowned, He comes to purify the Matronita and those who are found with her (לְבָתַר דְּאַתְקִינַת לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא, וְאַעְטְּרַת לֵיהּ, אַתְיַית לְדַכְּאָה לָהּ לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וּלְאִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי גַּבָּהּ).