Daf 161b (דַּף קס״א ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when Kudsha Berikh Hu created man in the world (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בַּר נָשׁ בְּעָלְמָא), He prepared him according to the supernal pattern, precious (אַתְקִין לֵיהּ כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה [יְקִירָא]), and gave him His strength and His power in the middle of the body (וְיָהַב לֵיהּ חֵילֵיהּ וְתוּקְפֵּיהּ בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּגוּפָא), for there the heart dwells (דְּתַמָּן שַׁרְיָא לִבָּא).

That is nourishment, the strength of the whole body (דְּהוּא [מְזוֹנָא] תּוּקְפָּא דְּכָל גּוּפָא), and from there the whole body is nourished (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְּזָן כָּל גּוּפָא). And all the members of the body are nourished from there (וְכָל אִינּוּן שַׁיְפֵי דְּגוּפָא מִתַּמָּן אִתְּזָנוּ). And behold, the heart is grasped and empowered in the upper place above (וְהָא לִבָּא אָחִיד וְאִתָּקַף בַּאֲתָר עִלָּאָה דִּלְעֵילָּא), which is the brain of the head (דְּאִיהוּ מוֹחָא דְּרֵישָׁא), which dwells above (דְּשָׁארִי לְעֵילָּא), and is bound in it (וְאָחִיד בֵּיהּ), and this is connected with that (וְדָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּדָא). And in this manner Kudsha Berikh Hu prepared the world (וּבְגַוְונָא דְּדָא, אַתְקִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא). And He made it as one body (וְעֲבַד [לֵיהּ] חַד גּוּפָא), and prepared the members of the body surrounding the heart (וְאַתְקִין שַׁיְיפֵי דְּגוּפָא סַחֲרָנֵיהּ דְּלִבָּא), and the heart dwells in the middle of the whole body (וְלִבָּא שָׁארֵי בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּכָל גּוּפָא). And all those members are nourished from that heart (וְכָל אִינּוּן שַׁיְיפִין אִתְּזָנוּ מֵהַהוּא לִבָּא), which is the strength of all (דְּהוּא תּוּקְפָּא דְּכֹלָּא), and upon it everything depends (וְכֹלָּא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָין). And that heart is bound and unified with the supernal brain which dwells above (וְהַהוּא לִבָּא אִתְקְשַׁר וְאִתְאֲחָד בְּמוֹחָא עִלָּאָה דְּשַׁרְיָא לְעֵילָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא), He settled-some say: He arranged (אַשְׁרָא [ס״א: אַסְדַּר]) the ocean that surrounds all the inhabited world (לְיַמָּא דְּאוֹקְיָנוּס דְּאַסְחַר כָּל יִשּׁוּבָא דְּעָלְמָא). And the settlement of all the seventy nations He surrounded to Yerushalayim (וְיִשּׁוּבָא דְּכָל שִׁבְעִין אוּמִין כֹּלָּא אַסְחַר לִירוּשָׁלַם). And Yerushalayim dwells in the middle of the whole settlement (וִירוּשָׁלַם בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּכָל יִשּׁוּבָא שַׁרְיָא). And it surrounds the Temple Mount (וְהִיא אַסְחַרָא לְהַר הַבַּיִת). And the Temple Mount surrounds the courtyards of Yisrael (וְהַר הַבַּיִת אַסְחַר לַעֲזָרוֹת דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And those courtyards surround the Chamber of Hewn Stone (וְאִינּוּן עֲזָרוֹת סָחֲרָן לְלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית), where the Great Sanhedrin sat (דְּתַמָּן סַנְהֶדְּרֵי גְּדוֹלָה יַתְבִין).

And we have learned (וְתָנֵינָן): There is no sitting in the Courtyard, except for the kings of the house of David alone (לֵית יְשִׁיבָה בַּעֲזָרָה, אֶלָּא לְמַלְכֵי בֵּית דָּוִד בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ). And the Chamber of Hewn Stone surrounds the Altar (וְלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית אַסְחַר לַמִּזְבֵּחַ). And the Altar surrounds the House of the Vestibule (וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ אַסְחַר לְבֵית הָאוּלָם). And the Vestibule surrounds the Sanctuary (וְהָאוּלָם לָהֵיכָל). And the Sanctuary surrounds the House of the Holy of Holies (וְהֵיכָל לְבֵית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳדָשִׁים), where the Shekhinta dwells (דְּתַמָּן שְׁכִינָה שַׁרְיָא), and the Kaporet, and the Keruvim, and the Ark (וְכַפֹּרֶת וּכְרוּבִים וְאָרוֹן). And here is the heart of the whole land and world (וְהָכָא הוּא לִבָּא דְּכָל אַרְעָא וְעָלְמָא).

And from here are nourished all those places of habitation (וּמֵהָכָא אִתְּזָנוּ כָּל אִינּוּן אַתְרֵי דְּיִשּׁוּבָא), which are the limbs of the body (דְּאִינּוּן שַׁיְיפִי דְּגוּפָא). And this heart is nourished from the brain of the head (וְלִבָּא דָּא אִתְּזָן מִמּוֹחָא דְּרֵישָׁא), and this is bound with that (וְאִתְאֲחִיד דָּא בְּדָא). This is what is written: “The place You have made for Your dwelling, Hashem” (Exodus 15) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ פָּעַלְתָּ יְיָ). In this likeness, above, above (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), and it is in the mystery of the Supernal King (וְאִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), in a precious hidden mystery (בְּרָזָא יַקִּירָא סְתִימָאָה). The supernal sea corresponds to this (יַמָּא עִלָּאָה לָקֳבֵיל דָּא). For there is a sea above the sea (דְּאִית יַמָּא לְעֵילָּא מִן יַמָּא), and a sea from the sea (וְיַמָּא מִן יַמָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the river Dinur surrounds many encampments (נְהַר דִּינוּר אַסְחַר לְכַמָּה מַשִׁרְיָין). Opposite it are seventy directions (מִקֳבְלֵיהּ שִׁבְעִין סִטְרִין), engraved from seven flames (גְּלִיפִין מִשִּׁבְעָה דְּלִיקִין). And these surround the attendants who leap from them (וְאִינּוּן סָחֲרָן לְאִינּוּן שַׁמָּשֵׁי דִּלְגוֹ מִנַּיְיהוּ). And they surround the four chariots (וְאִינּוּן סָחֲרִין לְאַרְבַּע רְתִיכִין). And they surround that holy city which rests upon them (וְאִינּוּן סָחֲרָן לְהַהִיא קַרְתָּא דְּקַדִּישָׁא דִּרְבִיעָא עָלַיְיהוּ).

And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): There the courtyards are within courtyards (תַּמָּן עֲזָרוֹת לְגוֹ מֵעֲזָרוֹת). And there is no sitting in the Courtyard there, except for the kings of the house of David alone (וְלֵית יְשִׁיבָה בַּעֲזָרָה דְּתַמָּן, אֶלָּא לְמַלְכֵיהוֹן דְּבֵית דָּוִד בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ). And there they are found and sit (וְתַמָּן מִשְׁתַּכְחֵי וְיַתְבֵי). And the Great Sanhedrin are found there in the Chamber of Hewn Stone (וְסַנְהֶדְרֵי גְּדוֹלָה, מִשְׁתַּכְחֵי תַּמָּן בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית). And that court is above them (וְהַהוּא בֵּי דִּינָא עָלַיְיהוּ), which serves the place that it serves (דִּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ לַאֲתָר דִּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ). And judgment is given from there (וְדִינָא אִתְיְהִיב מִתַּמָּן), to the supernal holy ones (לְקַדִּישִׁין עֶלְיוֹנִין), until it reaches the place called the Holy of Holies (עַד דְּמָטָא לַאֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳדָשִׁים), in which is everything (דְּבֵיהּ כֹּלָּא). And there is the heart dwelling (וְתַמָּן הוּא לִבָּא שַׁרְיָיא), and this is nourished from the supernal brain (וְדָא אִתְּזָן מִן מוֹחָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and this is bound with that (וְאִתְאֲחִיד דָּא בְּדָא).

In this likeness, above, above (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), and it is in the mystery of the Supernal King (וְאִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), in a precious hidden mystery (בְּרָזָא יַקִּירָא סְתִימָאָה). Until it is found that everything is nourished from the supernal brain (עַד דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח, דְּכֹלָּא אִתְּזָן מִמּוֹחָא עִלָּאָה), the hidden one of all (סְתִימָאָה דְּכֹלָּא). And when the matters are contemplated (וְכַד יִסְתַּכְּלוּן מִלֵּי), all is bound, this with that and that with this (כֹּלָּא אִתְקְשַׁר דָּא בְּדָא וְדָא בְּדָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when Atika, the hidden one, shines in the brain (כַּד אַנְהִיר עַתִּיקָא סְתִימָא בְּמוֹחָא), and the brain shines to the heart (וּמוֹחָא אַנְהִיר לְלִבָּא), in the path of the pleasantness of Hashem (בְּדֶּרֶךְ נֹעַם יְיָ). And behold we have established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא), and this is the power of Hashem (וְדָא הוּא כֹּחַ יְיָ). That power which comes from Atika Kadisha (הַהוּא חֵילָא דְּאָתֵי מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא), the hidden one of all hidden ones (סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין). “Be great now” (Numbers 14) (יִגְדַּל נָא), that it be increased and magnified above, above (דְּיִתְרְבֵּי וְיִסְגֵּי לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), and extend and draw down below (וְיִתְנְגִיד וְיִתְמְשַׁךְ לְתַתָּא). “As You have spoken” (כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ), as it has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ). To say (לֵאמֹר), that from here all later generations may learn (לְמֵילַף מֵהָכָא כָּל דָּרִין בַּתְרָאִין), forever and to all eternity (לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין). To say: to say this at a time of distress (לֵאמֹר, לְמֵימַר לְדָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעַקְתָּא). To say this at a time of relief (לְמֵימַר דָּא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּרְוָוחָא). And what is this? (וּמַאי הוּא). “Hashem, slow to anger, etc.” (וְיְיָ אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְגוֹ׳). And behold, we have already established these words (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵּי).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): Why was “truth” removed from here? (אֱמֶת אֲמַאי סָלִיק מִכָּאן). Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): They themselves caused it to be removed (אִינּוּן גָּרְמוּ לֵיהּ דְּאִסְתָּלִיק מִכָּאן). For behold, by their lies they spoke (דְּהָא בְּשִׁקְרוּ דִּבְּרוּ), they themselves caused that in that very measure with which a man measures, he is measured (גַּרְמַיְיהוּ בְּהַהוּא מִדָּה דְּבַר נָשׁ מוֹדֵד בָּהּ, מוֹדְדִין לֵיהּ). And so with the other attributes it was removed (וְכֵן שְׁאַר אָחֳרֵי אִסְתְּלָקוּ), so that Moshe could not say them (דְּלָא יָכִיל מֹשֶׁה לְמֵימְרִינְהוּ), because they themselves caused it (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן גָּרְמוּ).

“I have pardoned according to your word” (Numbers 14) (סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶיךָ), according to your word literally (כִּדְבָרֶיךָ מַמָּשׁ). And behold, my friends have already aroused this (וְהָא אַתְּעֲרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא), and behold, it has been said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר).