Daf 178b (דַּף קע״ח ע״ב)

At that hour, when the day sought to sanctify itself (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּבָעָא יוֹמָא לְאִתְקַדְּשָׁא), the spirits of the shedin [demons] were going forth for their bodies to be created (הֲווֹ נָפְקֵי רוּחֵיהוֹן דְּשֵׁדִין לְאִתְבְּרֵי גּוּפָא דִּלְהוֹן). But the day was sanctified (וְאִתְקַדָּשׁ יוֹמָא), and they were not created (וְלָא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ). And the world remained as though blemished in its work, and turned about (וְאִשְׁתְּאַר עָלְמָא כְּמָה דְּאִתְפְּגִים מֵעֲבִידָתָא וְאִסְתֲחָר); [some say: and was deficient] (נ״א: וְאִתְחֲסַר). When Yisrael were sanctified (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְקָדָּשׁוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), and completed in their levels (וְאִשְׁתְּלִימוּ בְּדַרְגֵּיהוֹן), and the Levi’im were found on the side of the left (וְאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ לֵיוָאֵי בִּסְטָר שְׂמָאלָא), when that blemish of the world, from the side of the left, was completed (כַּד אִשְׁתְּלִים הַהוּא פְּגִימָא דְּעָלְמָא, דְּמִסְּטַר שְׂמָאלָא); [some say: then] (נ״א: כְּדֵין).

And for this reason the Levi’im needed to be purified (וְעַל דָּא בָּעָאן לְאִתְדַכְּאָה לֵיוָאֵי), and then everything was included in the right (וּכְדֵין כֹּלָּא אִתְכְּלִיל בִּימִינָא), and the world was not blemished (וְעָלְמָא לָא אִתְפְּגִים). And because of this it is written: “And the Levi shall perform it” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וְעָבַד הַלֵּוִי הוּא). He completed the side of the left (הוּא אַשְׁלִים לִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא). He completed the blemish of the world (הוּא אַשְׁלִים לִפְגִּימוּ דְּעָלְמָא). Even that side of the north, which remained lacking in the world when Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (וַאֲפִילּוּ הַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּצָפוֹן, דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר חָסֵר בְּעָלְמָא, כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא). The Levi in the Ark completed all (לֵיוָאָה בַּאֲרוֹנָא אַשְׁלִים לְכֹלָּא). What is “in the Ark”? (מַאי בַּאֲרוֹנָא) - In that burden which they would carry in the Mishkan (בְּהַהוּא מָטוּלָא דְּהֲווֹ נַטְלֵי בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא), all that blemish was completed by its hand (אִשְׁתְּלִים כָּל הַהוּא פְּגִימוּ עַל יְדֵיהּ).

He [HU] - above to the left (הוּא: לְעֵילָּא לִשְׂמָאלָא). He - included in the right (הוּא: אִתְכְּלִיל בִּימִינָא). Furthermore, He - this is Atika (תּוּ הוּא: דָּא עַתִּיקָא). Some say: Come and see, and do not read “furthermore” (נ״א: תָּא חֲזֵי וְל״ג מִן תּוּ). If judgment were not found in the world (אִלְמָלֵי דִּינָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעָלְמָא), the sons of man would not know the supernal faith (לָא הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא מְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה), and the sons of man would not strive in the Orayta (וְלָא יִשְׁתַּדְּלוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and the precepts of the Orayta would not endure (וְלָא יִתְקַיְימוּ פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא). The complete service that is to be found in the world before the Holy King (פּוּלְחָנָא שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעָלְמָא לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא) - who performs it? (מַאן עָבִיד לֵיהּ) You must say: This is the Levi (הֲוִי אוֹמֵר דָּא לֵיוָאָה).

And furthermore, “And the Levi shall perform it” (וְתוּ וְעָבַד הַלֵּוִי הוּא), as you say: “For Hashem, He is the Elohim” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: כִּי יְיָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים) (Deuteronomy 4). He completes the perfection (הוּא אַשְׁלִים שְׁלֵימוּתָא), so that all should be one (לְמֶיהֱוִי כֹּלָּא חַד). He - it is plain, to receive Knesset Yisrael (הוּא: פְּשִׁיטָא לְקַבְּלָא לִכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), as you say: “His left hand is under my head” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי) (Song of Songs 2), in order to join the Zivug as one (בְּגִין לְחַבְּרָא זִוּוּגָא כַּחֲדָא). Who aroused love? (מַאן אִתְּעַר רְחִימוּתָא) You must say: He (הֲוִי אוֹמֵר הוּא). Furthermore, He, as you say: (Some say: Furthermore, He, this is Atika, as you say: For Hashem, He is the Elohim (תּוּ הוּא כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר; (נ״א: תּוּ הוּא דָּא עַתִּיקָא כַּמָּה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כִּי יְיָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים). “It is He who made us, and not we ourselves, His people” (הוּא עָשָׂנוּ וְלֹא אֲנַחְנוּ עַמּוֹ) (Psalms 100). Therefore He is below (בְּגִין כָּךְ הוּא: לְתַתָּא). He is above (הוּא: לְעֵילָּא). He is revealed (הוּא: אִתְגַּלְיָיא). He is concealed (הוּא: סָתִים). He is Elohim (הוּא: אֱלֹהִים).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to illumine the moon as the light of the sun (זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַנְהָרָא לְסִיהֲרָא כִּנְהוֹרָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא). And the light of the sun shall be sevenfold upon one (וּנְהוֹרָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא יְהֵא עַל חַד שֶׁבַע זִמְנִין). This is what is written: “And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun…” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הֲחַמָּה וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 30). And it is written: “Your sun shall no more go down, neither shall your moon withdraw itself” (וּכְתִיב: לֹא יָבֹא עוֹד שִׁמְשֵׁךְ וִירֵחֵךְ לֹא יֵאָסֵף) (Isaiah 60). And it is written: “The sun shall no more be your light by day…” (וּכְתִיב: לֹא יִהְיֶה לָּךְ עוֹד הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 60).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

Every firstborn of the womb of all flesh… and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem’” (כָּל פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר וְגוֹ׳, וְאֵת בְּכוֹר הַבְּהֵמָה הַטְמֵאָה תִּפְדֶּה) (Numbers 18). This command is to redeem the firstborn of a donkey, to redeem for the World to Come (פִּקּוּדָא דָּא לִפְדּוֹת פֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר, לִפְדּוֹת לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And if, before he goes to that world, he does not redeem his Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama in the Orayta, he is destined to return to this world as before (וְאִי קוֹדֶם דְּאָזִיל לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא, לָא יִפְדֶּה נַפְשֵׁיהּ וְרוּחֵיהּ וְנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, עָתִיד לְאַחְזְרָא לְהַאי עָלְמָא כִּדְבְּקַדְמֵיתָא). “He shall return to the days of his youth” (יָשׁוּב לִימֵי עֲלוּמָיו) (Job 33), corresponding to the Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama (וְלָקֳבֵל נַפְשָׁא וְרוּחָא וְנִשְׁמְתָא).

It is written: “Behold, all these things God does, twice and three times with a man” (כְּתִיב: הֶן כָּל אֵלֶּה יִפְעַל אֵל פַּעֲמַיִם שָׁלֹשׁ עִם גָּבֶר) (Job 33). And Yisrael, because their redemption was without Torah, which is the silver yearning of the World to Come (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּגִין דְּפִדְיוֹן דִּלְהוֹן הֲוָה בְּלָא תּוֹרָה, דְּאִיהוּ כֶּסֶף כִּסּוּפָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), they were returned three other times in exile (אָהַדְרוּ תְּלַת זִמְנִין אַחֲרָנִין בְּגָלוּתָא). And in the final redemption, their redemption will be with the Orayta (וּבְפוּרְקָנָא בַּתְרַיְיתָא דְּפוּרְקָנָא דִּלְהוֹן יְהֵא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and they will never again return to exile (לָא יְהַדְרוּן לְעָלַם בְּגָלוּתָא).

The Sages came and blessed him (אָתוּ רַבָּנָן וּבָרִיכוּ לֵיהּ), and said: Ra’aya Meheimna, Kudsha Berikh Hu will redeem you (וְאָמְרוּ: רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִפְדֶּה לָךְ), and all Yisrael will be redeemed through you (וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל יִפָּדוּן עַל יְדָךְ), and you shall be renewed with them, and they with you (וְתִתְחַדֵּשׁ עִמְּהוֹן, וְאִינּוּן עִמָּךְ).

The command after this is to judge according to valuations of a house (פִּקּוּדָא בָּתַר דָּא, לָדוּן בְּעֶרְכֵּי בַּיִת). And in the secret of Chokhmah, the house of a man is the woman (וּבְרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא, בַּיִת דְּבַּר נָשׁ, דָּא אִתְּתָא). If she is a woman of good and evil, and he desires to exchange evil for good, he redeems her from that evil and gives her her valuation (אִי אִיהִי אִתְּתָא דְּטוֹב וָרָע, וּבָעֵי לְהָמִיר רָעָה בְּטוֹבָה, יִפְדֶּה לָהּ מֵהַהוּא רָע, וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ עֵרֶךְ דִּילָהּ).

But the woman of the Tree of Life - it is said of her: “It cannot be valued with gold or glass, nor exchanged for vessels of fine gold” (אֲבָל אִתְּתָא דְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּיא, אִתְּמַר בָּהּ: לֹא יַעַרְכֶנָּה זָהָב וּזְכוּכִית וּתְמוּרָתָהּ כְּלֵי פָּז) (Job 28), and she has no valuation (וְאֵין לָהּ עֵרֶךְ). As it is said: “A woman of valor is the crown of her husband” (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר: אֵשֶׁת חַיִל עֲטֶרֶת בַּעְלָהּ) (Proverbs 12). And it is said: “A woman of valor, who can find?” (וְאִתְּמַר: אֵשֶׁת חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא וְגוֹ׳) (Proverbs 31). And this is the Shekhinta (וְדָא שְׁכִינְתָּא). One who performs Chesed with her, there is no valuation for his reward (מַאן דְּגָמִיל חֶסֶד עִמָּהּ, לֵית עֵרֶךְ לְאַגְרָא דִּילֵיהּ). And one who sins against her, there is no valuation for his punishment (וּמַאן דְּחָאב לְגַבָּהּ, לֵית עֵרֶךְ לְעֹנְשָׁא דִּילֵיהּ).

How many maidservants she has that serve her (כַּמָה שְׁפָחוֹת אִית לָהּ דִּמְשַׁמְּשִׁין לָהּ), and each and every one of them has her valuation (וְכָל חֲדָא וַחֲדָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, אִית לָהּ עֵרֶךְ). And each and every one requires redemption (וְכָל חַד וְחַד צָרִיךְ פִּדְיוֹן). But one who inherits Neshama, or Ruach, or Nefesh from the Shekhinta does not require redemption (אֲבָל מַאן דְּיָרִית נִשְׁמְתָא, אוֹ רוּחָא, אוֹ נַפְשָׁא מִשְׁכִינְתָּא, לָא צָרִיךְ פִּדְיוֹן), for about the Shekhinta it is said: “I am Hashem, that is My Name, and My glory I will not give to another” (דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עָלָהּ אִתְּמַר: אֲנִי יְיָ הוּא שְׁמִי וּכְבוֹדִי לְאַחֵר לֹא אֶתֵּן) (Isaiah 42).

For her redemption depends upon Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּפִדְיוֹן דִּילָהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תַּלְיָא), who drew Yisrael to Him (דְּאַמְשְׁכָן לָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), with the bond of Tefillin (בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דִּתְפִילִּין), with the sign of Shabbat (בְּאוֹת דְּשַׁבָּת), with the sign of Yomim Tovin (בְּאוֹת דְּיוֹמִין טָבִין), with the sign of the covenant (בְּאוֹת דִּבְרִית), and Torah, with many commandments (וְתוֹרָה, בְּכַמָּה פִּקוּדִין). Her redemption depends upon Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּפִדְיוֹן דִּילָהּ תַּלְיָא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). This is what is written: “I acted for the sake of My Name” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וָאַעַשׂ לְמַעַן שְׁמִי) (Ezekiel 20), and because of her: “And yet for all that…” (וּבְגִינָה: וְאַף גַּם זֹאת) (Leviticus 26).

So then, how many commandments there are which men perform in order to receive reward (הָכִי כַּמָה פִּקוּדִין אִינּוּן דְּעַבְדִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס), and how many sins (וְכַמָּה חוֹבִין). And for every commandment there is a valuation in that world (וּלְכָל פִּקּוּדָא אִית לֵיהּ עֵרֶךְ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). Some say: but for punishment (נ״א: אֲבָל עוֹנְשָׁא), for every punishment for one who transgresses them, there is no valuation or measure (וּלְכָל עוֹנְשָׁא לְמַאן דְּאַעְבָּר עָלַיְיהוּ, אֵין לֵיהּ עֵרֶךְ וְשִׁיעוּר).