Daf 214b (דַּף ריד ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), in this manner was Pinchas (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא פִּנְחָס), that he did not depart from this world (דְּלָא אִסְתַּלָּק מֵעָלְמָא), until other garments were prepared before him (עַד דְּאִתְתְּקָנוּ קַמֵּיהּ לְבוּשִׁין אַחֲרָנִין), in which the spirit delighted itself for the world to come (דְּרוּחָא אִתְהֲנֵי בְּהוּ, לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). At one moment he stripped from these (בְּשַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא אִתְפְּשָּׁט מֵאִלֵּין), and clothed in those (וְאִתְלְבָּשׁ בְּאִלֵּין), to establish what is written, “Behold, I give him My covenant of peace” (לְקַיְּימָא דִּכְתִיב הִנְנִי נוֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם) (Numbers 25). While they were going (עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי), the sun was strong (שִׁמְשָׁא הֲוָה תַּקִּיפָא), and they sat beneath the shade of one rock of the wilderness (וְיָתְבוּ תְּחוֹת צִלָּא דְּחַד טִנָרָא דְּמַדְבְּרָא). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), surely this shade is the joy of the soul (וַדַּאי צִלָּא חֶדְוָותָא דְּנַפְשָׁא הוּא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said to Rabbi El'azar (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), these days (אִלֵּין יוֹמִין), from Rosh Hashanah until the last day of the festival (מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה עַד יוֹמָא בַּתְרָאָה דְּחַג), I wish to stand upon them (בָּעֵינָא לְמֵיקָם עָלַיְיהוּ).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), behold it has already been said (הָא אִתְּמַר), and the friends have been aroused upon them (וְחַבְרַיָּיא אִתְעָרוּ בְּהוּ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא), surely it is so (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא), but I heard from the Supernal Holy Luminary a word concerning them (אֲבָל אֲנָא שְׁמַעְנָא לְבוּצִינָא קַדִישָׁא עִלָּאָה מִלָּה בְּהוּ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), say that word (אֵימָא הַהוּא מִלָּה). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), not yet do I stand in it (עַד לָא קָאִימְנָא בֵּיהּ).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), even though the friends have established the matter, and it is good (אַף עַל גַּב דְּחַבְרַיָּיא אוֹקְמוּ מִלָּה, וְשַׁפִּיר הוּא), nevertheless the order of these days is the secret of Wisdom (אֲבָל סִדּוּרָא דְּהָנֵי יוֹמֵי, רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא הוּא), among the reapers of the field (בֵּין מְחַצְּדֵי חַקְלָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), behold it has been said (הָא אִתְּמַר), the order of all the union in one-how it is (סִדּוּרָא דְּיִחוּדָא כֹּלָּא בְּחַד הֵיךְ הֲוִי). And behold it has been said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “Hashem has made bare His holy arm” (חָשַׂף יְיָ אֶת זְרוֹעַ קָדְשׁוֹ) (Isaiah 52). This is one arm (דָּא דְּרוֹעָא חֲדָא), in which salvation depends (דְּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא יְשׁוּעָה), in which vengeance depends (דְּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא נוּקְמָא), in which redemption depends (דְּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא פּוּרְקָנָא). And why? (וְלָמָּה). To raise up Kenesset Yisrael from the dust (לְמֵיקָם לָהּ לְכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעַפְרָא), and to bring her to Himself (וּלְקַבְּלָא לָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ), to be joined as one in Zivug (לְאִזְדַוְּוגָא כַּחֲדָא). And when He is aroused toward her (וְכַד הַאי אִתְעַר לְקַבְּלָהּ), how much trembling spreads in the world (כַּמָה דְּחִילוּ שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא), until that arm rests beneath her head to be joined (עַד דְּיָנַח הַהוּא דְּרוֹעָא תְּחוֹת רֵישָׁהָא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא). As you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר), “His left hand is under my head…” (שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי וְגו׳) (Song of Songs 2). And then judgment is calmed (וּכְדֵין נַיְיחָא דִּינָא), and sins are atoned (וּמְכַפֵּר חוֹבִין).

Afterwards the right arm comes to embrace (לְבָתַר אָתֵי יְמִינָא לְחַבְּקָא), then joy rests in the world (כְּדֵין חֶדְוָותָא שַׁרְיָיא בְּעָלְמָא), and all faces shine (וְכָל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין). Afterwards there is Zivug in the body (לְבָתַר אִזְדַוְּוגַת בְּגוּפָא), and then all is called one (וּכְדֵין כֹּלָּא אִקְרֵי אֶחָד), without separation (בְּלָא פִּרוּדָא). Then there is the perfection of all (כְּדֵין הוּא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא), and the joy of all (וְחֶדְוָותָא דְּכֹלָּא), and true union (וְאָחִידוּ ודַּאי), such as is not found in any other times (מַה דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח הָכִי בִּשְׁאַר זִמְנֵי).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַאי), is the order of these days (סִדּוּרָא דְּהָנֵי יוֹמִין), from Rosh Hashanah until the last day of the festival (מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה עַד יוֹמָא בַּתְרָאָה דְּחַג). On Rosh Hashanah (בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה), the left arm is aroused (אִתְעַר דְּרוֹעָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), to receive the Matronita (לְקַבְּלָא לָהּ לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). And then all the world is in fear of judgment (וּכְדֵין כָּל עָלְמָא בִּדְחִילוּ בְּדִינָא), and it is necessary in that time for perfect repentance (וּבָעֵי הַהוּא זִמְנָא בְּתִיּוּבְתָא שְׁלִים), for the world to be found worthy before Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְאִשְׁתַּכְחָא עָלְמָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Afterwards the Matronita comes (לְבָתַר אֲתִיאַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא), and the children of the palace seek on the ninth of the month (וּבַעְיָין בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא בְּתִשְׁעָה לְיַרְחָא), to make joy (לְמֶעְבַּד חֶדְוָותָא), and to immerse in the river (וּלְמִטְבַּל בְּנַהֲרָא), to purify themselves for the Zivug of the Matronita (לְדַכְאָה גַּרְמַיְיהוּ בְּזִווּגָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). On the following day (בְּיוֹמָא אַחֲרָא), this is her Zivug (הוּא זִוּוּגָא דִּילָהּ), to make the left under her head (לְשַׁוָּואָה שְׂמָאלָא תְּחוֹת רֵישָׁהָא). Some say: under the head of the King (נ״א רֵישָׁא דְּמַלְכָּא). As you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר), “His left hand under my head” (שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי) (Song of Songs 2). And then Yisrael fast for their sins (וּכְדֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתַעֲנִיתָא עַל חוֹבַיְיהוּ), and atonement is made for them (וּמְכַפְּרָא לְהוּ). For surely the supernal Imma shines her face to the Matronita in Zivug (דְּהָא אִימָּא עִלָּאָה אַנְהִירַת אַנְפָּהָא לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא בְּזִוּוּגָהָא), and all the children of the palace are atoned (וּמִתְכַּפְּרִין כָּל בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא). Since the left receives her on this day (כֵּיוָן דִּשְׂמָאלָא מְקַבְּלָהּ לָהּ בְּהַאי יוֹמָא), the head of the Matronita rests upon the left (דְּרֵישָׁא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא שַׁרְיָיא עַל שְׂמָאלָא).

On the first day of the festival (בְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה דְּחַג), the right arm is aroused to receive her (יִתְעַר יְמִינָא לְקַבְּלָהּ), in order to embrace her (בְּגִין לְחַבְּקָה). And then all is joy (וּכְדֵין כָּל חֶדְוָוא), and all faces shine (וְכָל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין), and joy of clear waters (וְחֶדְוָותָא דְּמַיִם צְלִילָן), to pour out as libations upon the altar (לְנַסְּכָא עַל מַדְבְּחָא). And mankind must rejoice with all kinds of joy (וּבַעְיָין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְמֶחֱדֵי בְּכָל זִינִין דְּחֶדְוָה). For this is caused by the right side (דְּהָא יְמִינָא גָּרִים). In every place where the right rests (בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּשָׁארִי יְמִינָא), joy is required in all things (חֶדְוָותָא אִצְטְרִיךְ בְּכֹלָּא). Then joy is to delight (כְּדֵין חֶדְוָותָא הִיא לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא).