Daf 181a (דַּף קפ״א ע״א)

The secret of all is this which is written: “For the water of sprinkling, it is a sin-offering” (רָזָא דְּכֹלָּא, הַאי דִּכְתִיב: לְמֵי נִדָּה חַטָּאת הִיא) (Numbers 19), because all lower judgments (בְּגִין דְּכָל דִּינִין תַּתָּאִין), and all those which come from the side of defilement (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא), when it draws from the Sitra achra (כַד אִיהוּ יַנְקָא מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא), and it sits in judgment (וְיָתִיבַת בְּדִינָא), as you say: “It is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: מָלְאָה דָם הוּדַּשְׁנָה מֵחֶלֶב) (Isaiah 34). Then all of them are aroused and ascend, and dwell in the world (כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעָרֵי וּמִסְתַּלְקֵי וְשָׁרָאן בְּעָלְמָא). When they perform this act below (כֵּיוָן דְּעַבְדֵי הַאי עוֹבָדָא דִּלְתַּתָּא), and all this judgment is in this place of this cow (וְכָל הַאי דִּינָא בַּאֲתַר דָּא דְּהַאי פָּרָה), and they throw upon it cedar wood, etc. (וְרָמָאן עָלָהּ עֵץ אֶרֶז וְגוֹ׳).

Then their strength is weakened (כְּדֵין אִתְחֲלָשׁ חֵילָא דִּלְהוֹן), and in every place where they dwell they are broken and weakened and flee from it (וּבְכָל אֲתָר דְּשָׁרָאן אִתְּבָּרוּ וְאִתְחֲלָשׁוּ וְעַרְקִין מִנֵּיהּ). For their strength is seen in this form towards them (דְּהַאי חֵילָא דִּלְהוֹן אִתְחֲזֵי כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לְגַבַּיְיהוּ). Then they do not dwell in man, and he is purified (כְּדֵין לָא שָׁרָאן בְּבַר נָשׁ, וְאִתְדַכֵּי). And because of this it is called “the water of sprinkling” (וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרֵי מֵי נִדָּה), water to purify (מַיָּיא לְדַכְּאָה). When the world abides in judgment (כַד עָלְמָא שָׁארֵי בְּדִינָא), and the side of defilement is spread in the world (וְסִטְרָא מִסְאֲבָא אִתְפְּשָׁט בְּעָלְמָא), here are included all kinds of defilement, and all kinds of purification (הָכָא אִתְכְּלִילָן כָּל זִינִין מְסָאֲבָא, וְכָל זִינֵי דַּכְיוּ). And because of this - impurity and purity, a supernal generality of the Orayta (וּבְגִין כַּךְ טוּמְאָה וְטָהֳרָה, כְּלָלָא עִלָּאָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And this has been established by my friends (וְאוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא). Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): El'azar, you performed so that my friends would not say a word after you (אֶלְעָזָר, עַבְדַּת דְּלָא יֵימְרוּן חַבְרַיָּיא מִלָּה אֲבַּתְרָךְ).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

“The red heifer, perfect, in which there is no blemish, etc.” (פָּרָה אֲדוּמָּה תְּמִימָה אֲשֶׁר אֵין בָּהּ מוּם וְגוֹ׳), it is forbidden to plow on Shabbat, the plowing of an ox (אָסוּר לַחֲרוֹשׁ בְּשַׁבָּת חֲרִישָׁה דְּשׁוֹר), as it is said: “The plowmen plowed upon my back” (דְּאִתְּמַר: עַל גַּבִּי חָרְשׁוּ חוֹרְשִׁים) (Psalms 129). And the lower Shekhinta - she is the red cow, from the side of Gevurah (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה, אִיהִי פָּרָה אֲדוּמָּה, מִסִּטְרָא דִּגְבוּרָה). “Perfect” - from the side of Chesed (תְּמִימָה מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד), which is the degree of Avraham (דְּאִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא דְּאַבְרָהָם), as it is said of him: “Walk before Me and be perfect” (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ: הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וְהְיֵה תָּמִים) (Bereshit 17). “In which there is no blemish” - from the side of the middle pillar (אֲשֶׁר אֵין בָּהּ מוּם, מִסִּטְרָא דְּעַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָּעִיתָא). “Upon which no yoke has come” - from the side of the upper Shekhinta, which is freedom (אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָלָה עָלֶיהָ עוֹל, מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהִי חֵירוּ). In the place where she rules (בַּאֲתָר דְּאִיהִי שַׁלְטָא), the Sitra achra has no permission to rule (וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב לֵית רְשׁוּ לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה) - not the Satan, nor the Destroyer, nor the Angel of Death, who are from the side of Gehinom (לָא שָׂטָן, וְלָא מַשְׁחִית, וְלָא מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוְת, דְּאִינּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְּגֵיהִנָם). Thus concludes the Ra‘aya Meheimna (ע״כ רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר), “The One Who sends springs into the streams, etc.” (הַמְשַׁלֵּחַ מַעְיָנִים בַּנְּחָלִים וְגוֹ') (Psalms 104). “They give drink to every beast of the field, etc.” (יַשְׁקוּ כָּל חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי וְגוֹ'). These verses King David spoke with the Holy Spirit (הָנֵי קְרָאֵי דָּוִד מַלְכָּא בְּרוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא אַמָרָן), and it is necessary to contemplate them (וְאִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּהוּ). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), at the time that supernal Chokhmah struck within its engravings (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּחָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה בָּטַשׁ בִּגְלִיפוֹי), even though it is hidden on every side (אַף עַל גַּב דְּהִיא טְמִירָא בְּכָל סִטְרִין), it opened and a single river issued forth from it (פָּתַח וְאִתְנְגִיד מִנֵּיהּ חַד נַהֲרָא), filled (מַלְיָא) - some say: and filled to the gates (נ״א: וּמַלְיָא לִתְרָעִין) - with supernal gates (בְּתַרְעִין עִלָּאִין). Like a fountain and source of water that fills a great vessel from it (כְּמַבּוּעָא וּמְקוֹרָא דְּמַיָא דְּמָלֵּי קוּזְפָא רַבָּא מִנֵּיהּ), and from there flow forth springs of streams and rivers on every side (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְמַשְּׁכָן מַבּוּעִין דְּנַחֲלִין וְנַהֲרִין בְּכָל סְטָר), so too this one, through a single thin path that is not known (כַּךְ הַאי, בְּחַד שְׁבִיל דָּקִיק דְּלָא אִתְיְידַע), that river flows and issues forth (מָשִׁיךְ וְנָגִיד הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק), and fills that deep stream (וּמְמַלֵּי לְהַהוּא נַחֲלָא עֲמִיקָא), and from there flow forth fountains and streams (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְמַשְּׁכָאן מַבּוּעִין וּנְחָלִין), and they are filled from it (וְאִתְמַלְּיָין מִנֵּיהּ). This is that which is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “The One Who sends springs into the streams, etc.” (הַמְשַׁלֵּחַ מַעְיָנִים בַּנְּחָלִים וְגוֹ') (Psalms 104). These are the supernal holy rivers of the pure Afars’mon (אִלֵּין נַהֲרֵי עִלָּאֵי קַדִּישָׁא דְּאֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָיא), and all of them are watered as one from that fountain of the supernal holy stream that flows and issues forth (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְשַׁקְיָין כְּחַד מֵהַהוּא נְבִיעָא דְּנַחֲלָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא דְּנָפִיק וְנָגִיד).

Afterwards (לְבָתַר), “They give drink to every beast of the field” (יַשְׁקוּ כָּל חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי), this is that which is written (הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב), “And from there it separated and became four heads” (וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְהָיָה לְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים) (Bereshit 2). These four heads (הָנֵי ד' רָאשִׁין), these are the beasts of the field (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי), the generality of all those encampments (כְּלָלָא דְּכָל אִינּוּן מַשִׁרְיָין), and all those hosts (וְכָל אִינּוּן חַיָּילִין), that are held in them, of Shaddai (דַּאֲחִידָן בְּהוּ שָׂדַי). Do not read “field”, but rather “Shaddai” (אַל תִּקְרֵי שָׂדָי, אֶלָּא שַׁדָּי). For He takes and completes the Name from the foundation of the world (דְּהוּא נָטִיל, וְאַשְׁלִים שְׁמָא מִיְּסוֹדָא דְּעָלְמָא).

“They will quench the thirst of wild donkeys” (יִשְׁבְּרוּ פְרָאִים צְמָאָם), these are those of whom it is written (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ), “And the ofanim will be lifted up opposite them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the ofanim” (וְהָאוֹפַנִּים יִנָּשְׂאוּ לְעֻמָּתָם כִּי רוּחַ הַחַיָּה בָּאוֹפַנִּים) (Ezekiel 1). What is ‘living creature’? (מַאן חַיָּה). Rather, these are the beasts of the field (אֶלָּא אִלֵּין חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי), four they are (אַרְבַּע אִינּוּן), and each one to one side of the world (וְכָל חַד וְחַד לְחַד סִטְרָא דְּעָלְמָא). And that one is called ‘living creature’ (וְהַהוּא אִקְרֵי חַיָּה), and ofanim correspond to each and every one (וְאוֹפַנִּים לָקֳבֵיל כָּל חַד וְחַד). And they do not go except from the spirit of that living creature that goes upon them (וְלָא אַזְלִין אֶלָּא מֵרוּחַ דְּהַהִיא חַיָּה דְּאָזִיל עָלַיְיהוּ). And when these are watered from that supernal flow (וְכַד אִלֵּין מִתְשַׁקְיָין מֵהַהוּא שַׁקְיוּ עִלָּאָה), all the other hosts are watered (כָּל שְׁאַר חַיָּילִין אַחֲרָנִין אִשְׁתַּקְיָין), and they are satisfied (וְאִתְרַוָון), and they are rooted in their roots (וּמִשְׁתָּרְשָׁן בְּשָׁרְשַׁיְיהוּ), and these are united with those (וְאִתְאַחֲדָן אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין), in known degrees (בְּדַרְגִּין יְדִיעָן). This is that which is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “Upon them the bird of the heavens will dwell, etc.” (עֲלֵיהֶם עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׁכּוֹן וְגוֹ') (Psalms 104). “Watering the mountains from His upper chambers, etc.” (מַשְׁקֶה הָרִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָיו וְגוֹ') (Psalms 104). These are the other supernal degrees (אִלֵּין שְׁאַר דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין). After all this (לְבָתַר כָּל דָּא), “From the fruit of Your works the earth is satisfied” (מִפְּרִי מַעֲשֶׂיךָ תִּשְׂבַּע הָאָרֶץ) (Psalms 104) - some say: “Below, and all the worlds, etc.” (ס״א: לְתַתָּא וְכָל עָלְמִין וְכוּ'). The supernal holy earth (אַרְעָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא). And when she is blessed (וְכַד אִיהִי מִתְבָּרְכָא), all the worlds are joyful (כָּל עָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ חַדָּאן), and they are blessed (וּמִתְבָּרְכָאן). This is at the time when blessings are found (דָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבִרְכָּאן מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי), from the flow of the stream (מִשַּׁקְיוּ דְּנַחֲלָא), the deep of all (עֲמִיקָא דְּכֹלָּא) (Bereshit 221a). And at the time when the world sits in judgment (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּעָלְמָא יְתִיב בְּדִינָא), blessings are not found to descend into the world (דְּבִרְכָאן לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי לְנַחְתָּא בְּעָלְמָא). Then the sanctuary is defiled (כְּדֵין אִסְתְּאַב מִקְדָּשׁ). Some say: “And at the time when blessings are not found to descend into the world, then the world sits in judgment, and from the side of the left, a spirit is aroused and spreads in the world” (ס״א: וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּבִרְכָאן לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִי לְנַחְתָּא בְּעָלְמָא, כְּדֵין עָלְמָא יְתִיב בְּדִינָא, וּמִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא רוּחָא אִתְעַר וְאִתְפְּשַׁט בְּעָלְמָא). And many bands of demons are found in the world (וְכַמָּה חֲבִילֵי טְרִיקִין מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּעָלְמָא), and dwell in many places upon the sons of man (וְשָׁרָאן [בְּכַמָּה אֲתַרֵי] עַל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). And that spirit defiles them (וּמְסָאַב הַהוּא רוּחָא לְהוּ), like a man who has perished (כְּבַר נָשׁ דְּגָוַע). Some say: “like that spirit” (ס״א: כְּבַר הָאי רוּחַ). And an impure spirit rests upon him (וְרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ). So too it rests (הָכִי נָמֵי שַׁרְיָא), in order that it may draw near with him (לְמַעַן דְּיִקְרַב בַּהֲדֵיהּ).

This is that which is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “You hide Your face, they are terrified, etc.” (תַּסְתִּיר פָּנֶיךָ יִבָּהֵלוּן וְגוֹ') (Psalms 104). This verse, what does it speak about? (הַאי קְרָא מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי). Rather: “You hide Your face, they are terrified” (אֶלָּא תַּסְתִּיר פָּנֶיךָ יִבָּהֵלוּן), for they are not watered to have blessings found for the worlds (דְּהָא לָא אִתְשַׁקְיָין לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בִּרְכָאן לְעָלְמִין). “You gather their spirit, they expire” (תּוֹסֵף רוּחָם יִגְוָעוּן) - some say: “to arouse” (נ״א: לְאִתְעָרָא). And another spirit is aroused from the side of the left (וְאִתְּעַר רוּחָא אַחֲרָא מִסִּטְרָא שְׂמָאלָא), and an impure spirit rests upon the sons of man (וְרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא שַׁרְיָא עַל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), upon those who are dead (עַל אִינּוּן דְּמֵיתִין), and whoever stands with them (וּמַאן דְּקָאִים בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ), and upon the rest of the sons of man (וְעַל שְׁאַר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). What healing is there for them? (מַאי אַסְוָותָא דִּלְהוֹן). Behold it is written (הָא דִּכְתִּיב), “And to their dust they will return” (וְאֶל עֲפָרָם יְשׁוּבוּן) (Psalms 104). This is the dust of the burning of the sin-offering (דָּא עֲפַר שְׂרֵיפַת הַחַטָּאת). Some say: “This is the dust of the supernal sanctuary” (ס״א: דָּא עֲפַר מִקְדְּשָׁא דְּלְעֵילָא), in order to be purified through it (בְּגִין לְאִתְדַכְּאָה בֵּיהּ). And this is the secret (וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא), “All is from the dust” (הַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר) (Ecclesiastes 3), even the orb of the sun (וַאֲפִילּוּ גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה).