Daf 230a (דַּף ר״ל ע״א)

In thought within is Binah, the son of Yah (בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה מִלְּגוֹ בִּינָה, בֶּן יָהּ). Yisrael arose in thought (יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה). The contemplation of Chokhmah- for the wise by hint (הִרְהוּר חָכְמָה, לְחַכִּימָא בִּרְמִיזָא). Chokhmah arose in the thought, which is Binah-thought and contemplation are one (חָכְמָה עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה דְּאִיהוּ בִּינָה, מַחֲשָׁבָה וְהִרְהוּר כֹּלָּא חַד). Chokhmah is not known except through Binah, and Binah is in the heart (חָכְמָה לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע אֶלָּא בְּבִּינָה, וּבִינָה בַּלֵּב).

Therefore thought is in the heart, and contemplation in the heart (וּבְגִין דָּא, מַחֲשָׁבָה בַּלֵּב, הִרְהוּר בַּלֵּב). So too Orayta, the Sefer Torah- the mitzvah is to hear (וְכֵן אוֹרַיְיתָא סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה. מִצְּוָה לִשְׁמוֹעַ). So too in the nose: “a pleasing fragrance to YHVH” (וְכֵן בְּחוֹטָמָא, רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַיְהוָֹ״ה). The Shekhinta is His offering, His olah, and prayer is as an offering, and as a pleasing fragrance it rises to Him, and is offered to Him in prayer (שְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי קָרְבָּן דִּילֵיהּ, עוֹלָה דִּילֵיהּ, וּצְּלוֹתָא אִיהִי כְּקָרְבָּן, וּכְרֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ סְלִיקַת לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאִתְקְרִיבַת לְגַבֵּיהּ בִּצְּלוֹתָא). And so in speech: “Behold, My word is like fire, says YHVH” (Jeremiah 23) (וְהָכִי בְּדִבּוּר, הֲלֹא כֹה דְּבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם יְדוָֹ״ד). Hashem-the Shekhinta-is His speech (יְיָ שְׁכִינְתָּא, דִּבּוּר דִּילֵיהּ).

In this likeness, the Shekhinta is His vision (כְּגַוְונָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, אִיהִי מַרְאָה דִּילֵיהּ), His hearing (שְׁמִיעָה דִּילֵיהּ), His pleasant fragrance (רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ דִּילֵיהּ), and His speech (דִּבּוּר דִּילֵיהּ), in the head (בְּרֵישָׁא). So too, in the hands is the performance of His mitzvah [commandment] (הָכִי אִיהוּ בְּיָדִין, עֲשִׂיַּית מִצְּוָה דִּילֵיהּ); in the body is His kneeling (בְּגוּפָא כְּרִיעָא דִּילֵיהּ). In prayer is His standing upright (בִּצְּלוֹתָא זְקִיפָא דִּילֵיהּ); in prayer is His standing (בִּצְּלוֹתָא עֲמִידָה דִּילֵיהּ).

For she is His mazal [celestial influence] (דְּאִיהִי מַזָּלֵיהּ), who stands before Him everywhere (דְּאִיהוּ דְּקַיְּימָא קַמֵּיהּ בְּכָל אֲתָר). She kneels before Him (וּכְרָעַת לְגַבֵּיהּ), and falls at His feet in Nefilat Apayim [prostration] (וְאִתְנַפְּלַת לְרַגְלוֹי בִּנְפִילַת אַפַּיִם), to request mercy from Him for her children (לְמִשְׁאַל מִנֵּיהּ רַחֲמִים עַל בְּנָהָא). She is humility toward Him (אִיהִי עֲנָוָה לְגַבֵּיהּ), and she has shamefacedness from Him (וְאִית לָהּ בֹּשֶׁת פָּנִים מִינֵּיהּ). And she is not like the evil maidservant, Lilith (וְלָא כְּשִׁפְחָה בִּישָׁא, לִילִית)—insolent, without humility (חֲצּוּפָה בְּלָא עֲנָוָה), without shamefacedness (לֵית לָהּ בֹּשֶׁת פָּנִים), the mother of the Erev Rav [mixed multitude] (אִימָּא דְּעֵרֶב רַב).

And because of this Shlomo said (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה): “A woman of valor is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones” (אֵשֶׁת חַיִל עֲטֶרֶת בַּעְלָהּ, וּכְרָקָב בְּעַצְּמוֹתָיו מְבִישָׁה) (Proverbs 12). For the Shekhinta is the Matronita (דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא); her maidservant is Lilith (שִׁפְחָה דִּילָהּ לִילִית), who has no humility (לֵית לָהּ עֲנָוָה), nor shamefacedness before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְלָא בֹּשֶׁת אַנְפִּין מִקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And so are her children, the Erev Rav [mixed multitude] (וְהָכִי בְּנָהָא עֵרֶב רַב), and Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to remove her and her children from the world (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָתִיד לְאַעְבְּרָא לָהּ וְלִבְנָהָא מֵעָלְמָא), for they are mamzerim [illegitimate offspring] from the children of the nine traits (דְּמַמְזֵרִים אִינּוּן מִבְּנֵי ט׳ מִדּוֹת).

Asnat, the Overseer: an acronym: forced woman, hated woman, excommunicated, substitute, rebellious, drunkard, divorced of heart, insolent, mixture (אָסְנַ״ת מַשְׁגַּחַ״ת, ר״ת: אַנּוּסָה, שְׂנוּאָה, נִדּוּי, תְּמוּרָה, מוֹרֶדֶת, שְׁכוֹרָה, גְּרוּשַׁת הַלֵּב, חֲצוּפָה, תַּעֲרוֹבֶת). These are the Bastard Rabbanan (מַמְזְרֵי דְּרַבָּנָן). And so the Shekhinta is the service of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְכֵן שְׁכִינָה אִיהִי שִׁמּוּשׁ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), His union with the Tzaddik, the Life of the worlds (יִחוּד דִּילֵיהּ בְּצַּדִּיק חַי עָלְמִין). And she is His walking-“Righteousness shall go before Him” (Psalms 85) (וְאִיהִי הֲלִיכָה דִּילֵיהּ, צֶּדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ)-to do His will (לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ). “And it was, before he had finished speaking, behold Rebecca came out” (Bereshit 24) (וַיְהִי הוּא טֶרֶם כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר וְהִנֵּה רִבְקָה יוֹצֵּאת), running toward him, to do His will (רְהִיטַת לְגַבֵּיהּ, לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ).

In vision, in hearing, in smell, in speech, in action, in body, in service, in walking, in every limb-she is commanded to minister to Him and to do His will (בִּרְאִיָּה, בִּשְׁמִיעָה, בְּרֵיחָא, בְּדִבּוּר, בַּעֲשִׂיָּה, בְּגוּפָא, בְּשִׁמוּשׁ, בְּהִלוּךְ, בְּכָל אֵבֶר, אִיהִי מְצֻּוָּה לְשַׁמְּשָׁא לֵיהּ, וּלְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ). And her children are in her likeness-sons of humility, sons of shamefacedness-all according to her qualities (וּבְנָהָא, הָכִי אִינּוּן בְּדִיוּקְנָהָא, בְּנֵי עֲנָוָה, בְּנֵי בֹּשֶׁת אַנְפִּין, כֻּלְּהוּ כְּמִדּוֹת דִּילָהּ). And because of this, Kudsha Berikh Hu appointed to Moshe: “And you shall choose from all the people men of valor, fearers of Elohim, men of truth, haters of bribe” (Exodus 18) (וּבְגִין דָּא מָנֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, וְאַתָּה תֶחֱזְה מִכָּל הָעָם אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת שׂוֹנְאֵי בָצַּע). “Men of valor”-from the right side of Avraham, where is the vision of Orayta: “From His right, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33) (אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל, מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא דְּאַבְרָהָם, דְּתַמָּן רְאִיָּיה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ). “Fearers of Elohim”-from the side of Yitzchak, where is hearing, as Habakkuk said: “Hashem, I heard Your report, I feared” (Habakkuk 3) (יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים, מִסִּטְרָא דְּיִצְּחָק, דְּתַמָּן שְׁמִיעָה, דְּאָמַר חֲבַקּוּק נְבִיאָה יְיָ שָׁמַעְתִּי שִׁמְעֲךָ יָרֵאתִי).

“Men of truth”-from the side of Ya‘akov, where is “a pleasing fragrance to YHVH,” in the nose (אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת, מִסִּטְרָא דְּיַעֲקֹב, דְּתַמָּן רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַיְדוָֹ״ד, בְּחוֹטָמָא). “Haters of bribe”-from the side of speech, the fourth support of Adam HaRishon, who is attached to the Patriarchs (שׂוֹנְאֵי בָצַּע, מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִבּוּר, סַמְכָא רְבִיעָאָה, דְּאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, דְּאִתְחַבָּר בַּאֲבָהָן). Three Chayot are they-lion, ox, eagle-vision, hearing, smell; and Adam is in speech (תְּלַת חֵיוָן אִינּוּן, אַרְיֵה שׁוֹר נֶשֶׁר, בִּרְאִיָיה שְׁמִיעָה רֵיחָא, אָדָם בְּדִבּוּר). “And place over them chiefs of thousands”-from the side of the letter Alef (וְשַׂמְתָּ עֲלֵיהֶם שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים, מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָת א׳). “Chiefs of hundreds”-from the side of the letter Dalet-four hundred years that Yisrael were enslaved in Egypt (וְשָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת, מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָת ד׳, ד׳ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה דְּאִשְׁתַּעְבִּידוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְּרַיִם). (In the poverty of Orayta) “Chiefs of fifties”-Nun (בדְלוּת דְאוֹרַיְיתָא שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים נ׳). “Chiefs of tens”-Yod (וְשָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרוֹת י׳).

Yisrael are known by these middot-they are the children of Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta (יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאִינּוּן מִדּוֹת אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן, דְּאִינּוּן בְּנוֹי דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ). To be among them “men of valor”-like “a woman of valor is a crown to her husband,” masters of Chesed (לְמֶהֱוִי בְּהוֹן אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל, כְּגוֹן אֵשֶׁת חַיִל עֲטֶרֶת בַּעְלָהּ, מָארֵי דְּחֶסֶד). “Fearers of Elohim. Men of truth,” and not men of falsehood-for “the remnant of Yisrael shall do no iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth” (Zephaniah 3) (יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים. אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת, וְלָא אַנְשֵׁי שֶׁקֶר, דִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יַעֲשׂוּ עַוְלָה וְלֹא יְדַבְּרוּ כָזָב וְלֹא יִמָּצֵּא בְּפִיהֶם לְשׁוֹן תַּרְמִית). And “haters of bribe”-like a man content with his portion (וְשׂוֹנְאֵי בָצַּע, כְּבַּר נָשׁ שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ). And not like the Erev rav, children of the evil maidservant, who are like the serpent before all the earth (וְלָא כְּעֵרֶב רַב בְּנוֹי דְּשִׁפְחָה בִּישָׁא, דְּאִינּוּן כְּחִוְיָא דְּכָל אַרְעָא קֳדָמֵיהּ). As it is written: “And dust shall the serpent eat” (Isaiah 65) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְנָחָשׁ עָפָר לַחְמוֹ), and he fears to be satisfied from dust, for he fears it will be lacking to him (וְדָחִיל לְמִשְׂבַּע מֵעַפְרָא, דְּדָחִיל דְּתֶחְסַר לֵיהּ). And so are the masters of greed, who are never satisfied with all the money of the world (וְהָכִי מָארֵי בָּצַּע. דְּלָא שְׂבֵעִין מִכָּל מָמוֹן דְּעָלְמָא). And because of this the masters of the Mishnah established: not the study is the main thing, but the deed (וּבְגִין דָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, לֹא הַמִּדְרָשׁ הוּא הָעִיקָּר אֶלָּא הַמַּעֲשֶׂה).

For Kudsha Berikh Hu is hidden in the secrets of the Torah-by what is He known? By the mitzvot, which is His Shekhinta, which is His image (בְּגִין דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ סָתִים בְּסִתְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה, בְּמַאי אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע. בַּמִּצְּוֹת, דְּאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ, דְּאִיהִי דִּיּוּקְנֵיהּ). As He is humble, His Shekhinta is humility (כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִיהוּ עָנָו, שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ עֲנָוָה). He is pious, and she is pious (אִיהוּ חָסִיד, וְאִיהִי חֲסִידָה). He is mighty, and she is mistress over all the nations of the world (אִיהוּ גִּבּוֹר, וְאִיהִי גְּבֶרֶת עַל כָּל אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא). He is truth, and she is faith (אִיהוּ אֱמֶת, וְאִיהִי אֱמוּנָה). He is a prophet, and she is a prophetess (אִיהוּ נָבִיא, וְאִיהִי נְבִיאָה). He is Tzaddik, and she is Tzaddeket (אִיהוּ צַּדִּיק וְאִיהִי צַּדֶקֶת). He is king, and she is kingship (אִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ, וְאִיהִי מַלְכוּת). He is wise, and she is wisdom (אִיהוּ חָכָם, וְאִיהִי חָכְמֵתָא). He understands, and she is His Tevunah (אִיהוּ מֵבִין, וְאִיהִי תְּבוּנָה דִּילֵיהּ). He is Keter, and she is His crown-crown of Tiferet (אִיהוּ כֶּתֶר, וְאִיהִי עֲטָרָה דִּילֵיהּ, עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת). And because of this the sages established: whoever’s inside is not like his outside, let him not enter the Beit Midrash (וּבְגִין דָּא אוּקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן, כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵין תּוֹכוֹ כְּבָרוֹ אַל יִכָּנֵס לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ). In the likeness of Kudsha Berikh Hu-His inside, and the Shekhinta is His outside (כְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאִיהוּ תּוֹכוֹ וּשְׁכִינְתָּא בָּרוֹ). He is the inside within, and she is the outside without (אִיהוּ תּוֹכוֹ מִלְּגוֹ, וְאִיהִי בָּרוֹ מִלְּבַר). And she is not different, the outside, from that which is inside-to make known that she is His Atzilut, and there is no separation there at all (וְלָא אִשְׁתְּנִיאַת אִיהִי דִּלְבַר, מֵהַהוּא דִּלְגוֹ, לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא דְּהִיא אֲצִּילוּתֵיהּ, וְלֵית אַפְרָשׁוּתָא תַּמָּן כְּלָל). “From within and from without you shall overlay it” (Exodus 25) (דְּמִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ תְּצַּפֶּנּוּ). And because He, YHVH, is hidden within (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ יְדוָֹ״ד, סָתִים מִלְּגָיו), He is not called except in His Shekhinta, Adonai (לָא אִתְקְרֵי אֶלָּא בִּשְׁכִינְתֵּיה, אֲדֹנָי). And because of this the Sages said: not as I am written am I called (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמְרוּ רַבָּנָן, לֹא כְּשֶׁאֲנִי נִכְתָּב אֲנִי נִקְרָא). In this world I am written in YHVH and I am called in Adonai (בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, נִכְתָּב אֲנִי בַּיְדוָֹ״ד, וְנִקְרָא אֲנִי בַּאֲדֹנָ״י).

But in the World to Come, I am written in YHVH and I am called in YHVH (אֲבָל בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, נִכְתָּב בַּיְדוָֹ״ד, וְנִקְרָא בַּיְדוָֹ״ד). To be mercy from every side (לְמֶהֱוִי רַחֲמֵי מִכָּל סִטְרָא). And because of this Kudsha Berikh Hu appointed to the ministering angels: whoever is not inwardly as outwardly, in all inner and outer limbs, shall not enter this palace (וּבְגִין דָּא מָנֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, מַאן דְּלָא יְהֵא תּוֹכוֹ כְּבָרוֹ, בְּכָל אֵבָרִין פְּנִימָאִין וְחִצּוֹנִין, לָא יִיעוּל בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא). And because of this the verse says: “The Rock, His work is perfect” (Deuteronomy 32) (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר קְרָא, הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ). “You shall be perfect with YHVH your Elohim” (Deuteronomy 18) (תָּמִים תִּהְיְה עִם יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ).