Daf 150a (דַּף ק״נ ע״א)

They went the whole day (אָזְלוּ כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא), and when night fell (כַּד רָמַשׁ לֵילְיָא), they ascended to one place (סְלִיקוּ לְחַד אֲתָר), and they found a certain cave (וְאַשְׁכָּחוּ חַד מְעָרְתָּא). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): let us enter into this cave (לִיעוּל חַד גּוֹ מְעָרְתָּא), if a more fitting place be found within (אִי אִשְׁתְּכַח אֲתָר דְּאִיהוּ יַתִּיר מְתַּתְקָּן). Rabbi Yose entered (עָאל רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), and he saw another cave inside it (וְחָמָא מְעָרְתָּא אַחֲרָא בְּגַוֵּיהּ), in which was the light of a lamp (נְהוֹרָא דִּשְׁרָגָא בֵּיהּ). He heard a voice saying (שָׁמַע חַד קָלָא דְּהֲוָה אָמַר): “When you raise up the lamps, toward the face of the Menorah shall the seven lamps give light” (בְּהַעֲלוֹתְךָ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת אֶל מוּל פְּנֵי הַמְּנוֹרָה יָאִירוּ שִׁבְעַת הַנֵּרוֹת) (Numbers 8). Here Knesset Yisrael receives light (הָכָא נָטְלָא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל נְהוֹרָא), and Imma Ila’ah is crowned (וְאִמָּא עִלָּאָה מִתְעַטֶּרָא), and all the lamps shine from her (וְכֻלְּהוּ בּוּצִינִין מִינָהּ נַהֲרִין). Within her, two delicate forms soar (בָּהּ תְּרֵין טוּפְסִירִין דְּקִיקִין פַּרְחִין), groomsmen, some say: messengers (שׁוּשְׁבִינִין נ״א: שְׁבַשְׁבִין), all turning upward toward the supernal (כֻּלְּהוּ קֹטְרִין לְגַבֵּי עִלָּאָה), and from there descending downward (וּמִתַּמָּן לְתַתָּא).

Rabbi Yose heard and rejoiced (שָׁמַע רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְחַדֵּי), and came to Rabbi El'azar (אָתָא לְגַבֵּי רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר). Rabbi El'azar said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): let us enter, for Kudsha Berikh Hu has prepared this day for us (נֵיעוּל דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַקְדִּים לָן הַאי יוֹמָא), to perform miracles for us (לְאִתְרַחֲשָׁא לָן בְּנִסִּין). They entered (עָאלוּ), and as they entered (כֵּיוָן דְּעָאלוּ), they saw two men engaged in Orayta (חָמוּ תְּרֵין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דַּהֲווֹ לָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): “How precious is Your kindness, O Elohim, and the children of man take refuge in the shadow of Your wings” (מַה יָקָר חַסְדְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחֱסָיוּן) (Psalms 36). These ones rose and sat together (קָמוּ אִלֵּין וְיַתְבֵי כֻּלְּהוּ), and they all rejoiced (וְחַדּוּ כֻּלְּהוּ). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): “How precious is Your kindness, Elohim” (מָה יָקָר חַסְדְּךָ אֱלֹהִים), for we have found you (דְּאַשְׁכַּחְנָא לְכוּ). A kindness Kudsha Berikh Hu has done for us in this place (חֶסֶד עָבַד לָן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בַּאֲתַר דָּא), now kindle the lamps (הַשְׁתָּא אַדְלִיקוּ בּוּצִינִין).

Rabbi Yose opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְאָמַר): “When you raise up the lamps…” (בְּהַעֲלוֹתְךָ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת) (Numbers 8). “When you raise” literally (בְּהַעֲלוֹתְךָ מַמָּשׁ), in your kindling (בְּאַדְלָקוּתָךְ). For at once, through the hand of the Kohen, two services are performed (דְּהָא כַּחֲדָא אִתְעָבִיד עַל יְדָא דְּכַהֲנָא תְּרֵין פּוּלְחָנִין), which are one bond (דְּאִינּוּן קִשּׁוּרָא חֲדָא). And what are they (וּמַאן אִינּוּן)? Oil and incense (שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת), as it is written: “Oil and incense gladden the heart” (כְּדִכְתִּיב: שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב) (Proverbs 27). For it is written: “And Aharon shall offer upon it…” etc. (דִּכְתִּיב: וְהִקְטִיר עָלָיו אַהֲרֹן וְגוֹ') (Exodus 30), and it is written: “And when Aharon raises up the lamps at twilight, he shall offer it” (וּכְתִיב: וּבְהַעֲלוֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם יַקְטִירֶנָּה) (Exodus 30). What is the difference here that it says “when he prepares”, and there “when he raises” (מַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא בְּהֵטִיבוֹ וּמַאי שְׁנָא הָתָם וּבְהַעֲלוֹת)? Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): it is all one matter (כֹּלָּא חַד מִלָּה).

Rabbi Yose said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): “When he prepares” - as you say (בְּהֵטִיבוֹ: כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “For your love is better than wine” (כִּי טוֹבִים דּוֹדֶיךָ מִיָּיִן) (Song of Songs 1). Better - means saturated with wine (טוֹבִים: רָוִי חַמְרָא), as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “We were satisfied with bread and were well” (וַנִּשְׂבַּע לֶחֶם וַנִּהְיֶה טוֹבִים) (Jeremiah 44). Rabbi Yehudah said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): preparation literally (הֲטָבָה מַמָּשׁ), as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “A cheerful heart has a continual feast” (וְטוֹב לֵב מִשְׁתֶּה תָמִיד) (Proverbs 15). And “when you raise up” (וּבְהַעֲלוֹת): for at the time when they are watered and saturated from the flow of the stream (דְּהָא בִּזְמְנָא דְּאִתְּשַׁקְיָין וְאִתְרַוְיָין מִשַּׁקְיוּ דְּנַחֲלָא), then the supernal ones rise, and blessings - some say: the upper and lower - are found throughout all (כְּדֵין עִלָּאִין עִלּוּיָא וּבִרְכָּאן נ״א: עִלָּאִין מִתְּתָּאִין אִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ בְּכֻלְּהוּ), and joy is in all (וְחַדּוּ בְּכֹלָּא). And because of this it says “when you raise” (וְעַל דָּא: וּבְהַעֲלוֹת).

Rabbi Acha said (רִבִּי אֲחָא אָמַר): at the moment when the Depth of All radiates (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּעֲמִיקָא דְּכֹלָּא נָהִיר), some say: when the Sealed One of All illuminates (נ״א: דְּסְתִימָא דְּכֹלָּא נָהִיר), it shines into the stream (נָהִיר בְּנַחֲלָא), and the stream flows - some say: shines - in a straight path to water all (וְנַחֲלָא נָגִיד נ״א: נָהִיר בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר לְאַשְׁקָאָה כֹּלָּא). Then it is written: “When you raise” - some say: “When he prepares” (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב: בְּהַעֲלוֹת נ״א: בְּהֵטִיבוֹ), because from the Depth of All it goes forth (בְּגִין דְּהָא מֵעוּמְקָא דְּכֹלָּא נָפְקֵי), “When you raise” - meaning that which comes from the supernal side (בְּהַעֲלוֹת דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא עִלָּאָה), as in: “And Hashem visited…” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וַיֵּפֶת יְיָ אֶת שָׂרָה) (Bereshit 21:1), the Depth - some say: the Sealed One - of all, which is called thought (דַּעֲמִיקָא נ״א: דְּסְתִימָא דְּכֹלָּא דְּאִקְרֵי מַחֲשָׁבָה). And all is one matter (וְכֹלָּא חַד מִלָּה), and then Knesset Yisrael is blessed (וּכְדֵין כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְבָּרְכָא), and blessings are found in all worlds (וּבִרְכָּאן אִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין).

Rabbi Yitzchak opened (רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח): it is written (כְּתִיב): “I have surely built a house of habitation for You, a place for Your dwelling forever” (בָּנוֹ בָּנִיתִי בֵּית זְבוּל לָךְ מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ עוֹלָמִים) (I Kings 8). “House of Z’vul” - this is surely the House of Z’vul (בֵּית זְבוּל: בֵּית זְבוּל וַדַּאי), when all the treasuries of the King are entrusted into her hand (כַּד אִתְפְּקָדוּ בִּידָהָא כָּל גִּנְזֵי מַלְכָּא), and she has dominion over them (וְשַׁלְטָא בְּהוּ), then it is called the House of Z’vul (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי בֵּית זְבוּל). And there is one firmament that is called Z’vul (וְרָקִיעַ חַד אִית דְּאִקְרֵי זְבוּל), for it is found to receive blessings (דְּהָא דָּא אַשְׁכַּח לְקַבֵּלָא בִּרְכָּאָן), and to arrange everything (וּלְסַדְּרָא כֹּלָּא), and this is called the House of Z’vul (וְהַאי אִקְרֵי בֵּית זְבוּל).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): it is written (כְּתִיב): “And of Zevulun he said: Rejoice, Zevulun, in your going out, and Yissakhar in your tents” (וְלִזְבוּלוּן אָמַר שְׂמַח זְבוּלוּן בְּצֵאתֶךָ וְיִשָּׂשכָר בְּאָהֳלֶיךָ) (Deuteronomy 33). This teaches that they were joined as one (מְלַמֵּד דְּאִשְׁתָּתְּפוּ כַּחֲדָא): this one goes out to wage battle (דָּא נָפִיק וְאָגַח קְרָבָא), and this one sits and occupies himself with Orayta (וְדָּא יָתִיב וְלָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). And this one gives a share to that one (וְדָּא יָהִיב חוּלָקָא לְדָּא), and that one gives a share to this one (וְדָּא יָהִיב חוּלָקָא לְדָּא). In Zevulun’s portion is the sea (בְּחוּלָקֵיהּ דִּזְבוּלוּן יַמָּא), and Knesset Yisrael is called Sea of Kinneret (וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִקְרֵי יָם כִּנֶּרֶת). And so it appears (וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי), for tekhelet emerges from there (בְּגִין דְּהָא תְּכֵלֶת נָפִיק מִתַּמָּן), and it has been established (וְאוֹקְמוּהָ) that below is as above (דְּהָא לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא): Sea of Kinneret above, Sea of Kinneret below (יָם כִּנֶּרֶת לְעֵילָּא, יָם כִּנֶּרֶת לְתַתָּא); tekhelet (blue) above, tekhelet (blue) below (תְּכֵלֶת לְעֵילָּא, תְּכֵלֶת לְתַתָּא), and all is in one place (וְכֹלָּא בַּאֲתָר חַד). And for this reason, Zevulun inherited the role of going out to engage in battle (וְעַל דָּא יָרִית זְבוּלוּן לְמֵיפַּק לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא). And from where do we know this is so (וּמְנָלָן דְּהָכִי הוּא)? For it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “Nations will call to the mountain, there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness” (עַמִּים הַר יִקְרָאוּ שָׁם יִזְבְּחוּ זִבְחֵי צֶדֶק) (Deuteronomy 33). “Sacrifices of righteousness” - certainly so (זִבְחֵי צֶדֶק וַדַּאי). What is the reason (מַאי טַעְמָא)? “For they shall suck of the abundance of the seas” (כִּי שֶׁפַע יַמִּים יִינָקוּ). And Yissakhar’s portion is in Orayta (וְיִשָּׂשכָר חוּלָקֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and he gives Zevulun a portion in Orayta, certainly (וְיָהִיב לִזְבוּלוּן חוּלָקָא דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא וַדַּאי). And for this reason they are joined as one (וְעַל דָּא אִשְׁתָּתְּפוּ כַּחֲדָא), for Zevulun to be blessed from Yissakhar (לְאִתְבָּרְכָא זְבוּלוּן מִיִשָּׂשכָר), for the blessing of Orayta is the blessing of all (דְּבִרְכָתָא דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא הִיא בִּרְכָּתָא דְּכֹלָּא).