Daf 233b (דַּף רל״ג ע״ב)

When he stood upon that place (כֵּיוָן דְּקָאִים עַל הַהוּא דּוּכְתָא), the eagle raised itself (אַגְבַּהּ נִשְׁרָא), and Solomon wrote a note (וּשְׁלֹמֹה כָּתַב פִּתְקָא), and cast it there (וְאַרְמֵי תַּמָּן), and was saved from those spirits (וְאִשְׁתְּזִיב מֵאִינּוּן רוּחִין). And the eagle was looking into the darkness of the mountains (וְנִשְׁרָא הֲוָה מִסְתָּכַּל גּוֹ חֲשׁוֹכָא דְּטוּרִין), to the place where Aza and Azael are (לַאֲתָר דְּתַמָּן עֲזָא וְעַזָאֵל), who are there bound in chains of iron, fastened in the depths (דְּאִינּוּן תַּמָּן אֲסִירִין בְּשַׁלְשְׁלָאֵי דְּפַרְזְלָא, נְעִיצָן גּוֹ תְּהוֹמֵי). And no man in the world is able to enter there (וְלֵית יָכִילוּ לְבַּר נָשׁ בְּעָלְמָא לְמֵיעַל תַּמָּן), and not even the birds of the heavens (וַאֲפִילּוּ עוֹפֵי שְׁמַיָּא). Some say: except the swallow (ס״א: בַּר בִּלְעָם). And when the eagle looked into the great darkness (וְכֵיוָן דְּנִשְׁרָא מִסְתָּכַּל גּוֹ חֲשׁוֹכָא רַבְרְבָא), it bent low (מָאִיךְ לְתַתָּא), and took King Solomon beneath its left wing and covered him (וְנָטִיל לֵיהּ לִשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא תְּחוֹת גַּדְפָהָא שְׂמָאלָא, וּמְכַסְּיָיא לֵיהּ). And it stood upon those chains (וְקַיְּימָא עַל אִלֵּין שַׁלְשְׁלָאֵי), and came near to them (וְאַזְלָא וּמְקָרְבָא לְגַבַּיְיהוּ), and Solomon then brought forth a ring (וּשְׁלֹמֹה כְּדֵין אַפִּיק עִזְקָא). Some say: a chain (ס״א: שׁוֹרטיגָא). Engraved upon it the holy Name (דְּחָקִיק עָלֵיהּ שְׁמָא קַדִישָׁא), and placed it in the mouth of the eagle (וְשַׁוִּי בְּפוּמָא דְּנִשְׁרָא).

And immediately they were saying: All that King Solomon asks (וּמִיַּד, אִינּוּן הֲווֹ אַמְרֵי, כָּל מַה דְּבָעֵי שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא). And from there Solomon knew wisdom, supernal wisdom (וּמִתַּמָּן הֲוָה יָדַע שְׁלֹמֹה חָכְמְתָא עִילָּאָה). This is what is written: “And he built Tarmod in the wilderness, in the land” (I Kings 9) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַיִּבֶן וְגוֹ׳ אֶת תַּרְמוֹד בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּאָרֶץ). Was he building a structure in the land? (וְכִי בִּנְיָינָא הֲוָה עָבִיד בָּאָרֶץ). Rather, what is “and he built”? (אֶלָּא מַהוּ וַיִּבֶן). He contemplated with understanding (אִסְתְּכַּל בְּסָכְלְתָנוּ), and knew that place (וְיָדַע לְהַהוּא דּוּכְתָא), to know supernal wisdom within it (לְמִנְדַּע בֵּיהּ חָכְמְתָא עִילָּאָה), as it is said: “And they understood the reading” (כַּמָּה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר, וַיָּבִינוּ בַּמִּקְרָא) (Nehemiah 8).

While they were sitting (עַד דַּהֲווֹ יַתְבֵי), behold, the eagle came to them (הָא נִשְׁרָא אַתְיָא לְגַבַּיְיהוּ), and one rose was in its mouth (וְשׁוֹשַׁנָּה חֲדָא בְּפוּמָהּ), and it cast it before them (וְשַׁדֵי קַמַּיְיהוּ), and went away (וְאַזְלַת לָהּ). They saw and rejoiced (חָמוּ וְחַדוּ).

Rabbi Pinchas said (אָמַר רִבִּי פִּנְחָס): Did I not tell you (וְלָאו אֲמֵינָא לְכוּ) that this eagle goes and comes on the mission of its Master? (דְּנִשְׁרָא דָּא בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָא דְּמָארָהּ, אַזְלָא וְאַתְיָא). This rose (שׁוֹשַׁנָה דָּא) is the Shushan Edut [Lily of Testimony] of which I spoke (אִיהִי שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת דְּקָאֲמֵינָא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu sent it to us (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁדַר לֵיהּ לְגַבָּן).

He opened as before and said: “For the chief musician, upon Shushan Edut, Michtam of David, to teach” (Psalms 60) (פָּתַח כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין וְאָמַר, לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת מִכְתָּם לְדָוִד לְלַמֵּד). And what is Shushan Edut, what testimony does it testify (וְכִי שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת מַאי סַהֲדוּתָא סָהִיד)? Rather, this Shushan is testimony to Ma‘aseh Bereshit, and it is testimony to Knesset Yisrael (אֶלָּא שׁוּשַׁן דָּא אִיהִי סַהֲדוּתָא לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, וְאִיהִי סַהֲדוּתָא לְכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). Testimony to the supernal union, and this it is (סַהֲדוּתָא לְיִחוּדָא עִלָּאָה, וְדָא אִיהוּ). Because this rose has thirteen petals, and all of them stand upon one root (בְּגִין דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה דָּא אִית בָּהּ תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין, וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימִין בְּעִקָרָא חֲדָא). And it has five strong petals outside that cover this rose and protect it (וְאִית בָּהּ חֲמֵשׁ עָלִין לְבַר תַּקִּיפִין, דְּחַפְיָין לְדָא שׁוֹשַׁנָה וְאַגִּינוּ עָלָהּ). And all is in the mystery of wisdom: thirteen petals, these are the thirteen measures of mercy which Knesset Yisrael inherits from above, and all are bound in one root (וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא הוּא, תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין, אִלֵּין תְּלֵיסַר מְכִילָן דְּרַחֲמֵי, דְּיָרְתָא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִלְּעֵילָּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ אֲחִידָן בְּעִקָרָא חֲדָא). Some say: these are the thirteen corrections of the lower beard of Arich Anpin, which are the thirteen supernal corrections of Ze‘ir Anpin (ד״א: דָּא אִינּוּן י״ג תִּיקּוּנִין דְּדִיקְנָא תַּתָּאָה דְּאֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין, דָּא אִינּוּן י״ג תִּיקּוּנִין עִלָּאִין דְּזְעִיר אַנְפִּין). And it is one covenant and the likeness of the covenant - the foundation of all (וְאִיהוּ בְּרִית חֲדָא וְדוּגְמָא דִּבְרִית יְסוֹדָא דְּכֹלָּא). Some say: union (ס״א: יִחוּדָא).

The five strong ones that surround it, these are the fifty gates, five hundred years of the Yesod, the holy covenant of the Tree of Life, that go with them (חֲמֵשׁ תַּקִּיפִין דְּסַחֲרָן עָלֵיהּ, אִלֵּין חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין, חֲמֵשׁ מְאָה שְׁנִין דְּיִסּוֹדָא, בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, אַזְלָא בְּהוּ). Some say: in the Temple (נ״א: בְּבֵי מִקְדְּשָׁא).

It is testimony to Ma‘aseh Bereshit. All Ma‘aseh Bereshit, all of them are known in tradition, and established in the calculation of Elohim of Ma‘aseh Bereshit (סַהֲדוּתָא לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית. כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, כֻּלְּהוּ תֵּיבִין יְדִיעָן בְּסוּכְלְתָנוּ, וְקַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא אֱלֹהִים דְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית). Some say: five hundred years of the Yesod, the holy covenant - all Ma‘aseh Bereshit are arranged, etc. (ס״א: חֲמֵשׁ מְאָה שְׁנִין דִּיסוֹדָא, בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא, כָּלְּהוּ מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית תַּיֵּיבִין וְכוּ׳). It shows above, and it shows below (אַחְזֵי לְעֵילָּא, וְאַחְזֵי לְתַתָּא). It shows above - in the mystery of the World to Come (אַחְזֵי לְעֵילָּא, בְּרָזָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). It shows below - in the mystery of Knesset Yisrael (וְאַחְזֵי לְתַתָּא, בְּרָזָא דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל).

The Rose is testimony to Ma‘aseh Bereshit (שׁוֹשַׁנָה סַהֲדוּתָא לְעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית), which stands in all these signs (דְּקַיְּימָא בְּכָל הָנֵי סִימָנִין), as it is written: “In the beginning Elohim created” (Bereshit 1) (דִּכְתִיב בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים), this is the rose (דָּא שׁוֹשַׁנָה). Thirteen petals (תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין). Some say: they are thirteen words until the second Elohim (נ״א: אִינּוּן תְּלֵיסַר תֵּיבִין עַד אֱלֹהִים תִּנְיָינָא). And these are: “et, the heavens, and et, the earth, and the earth, was, tohu, and bohu, and darkness, upon, the face, of the deep, and spirit” (וְאִינּוּן: אֵת, הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵת, הָאָרֶץ, וְהָאָרֶץ, הָיְתָה, תֹהוּ, וָבֹהוּ, וְחֹשֶׁךְ, עַל, פְּנֵי, תְהוֹם, וְרוּחַ). Behold, thirteen petals of the rose (הָא תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה).

The five strong ones that surround these are: “hovering, upon, the face, of, the waters, and said” (חֲמֵשׁ תַּקִּיפִין דְּסַחֲרָן לְאִלֵּין, אִינּוּן: מְרַחֶפֶת, עַל, פְּנֵי, הַמָּיִם, וַיֹּאמֶר). Behold, these are five others (הָא חָמֵשׁ אַחֲרָנִין). After “Let there be light,” behold the root and foundation of the rose, to which all are bound (לְבָתַר יְהִי אוֹר, הָא עִיקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה דְּכֹלָּא וַאֲחִידָן בָּהּ).

It is testimony to union (סַהֲדוּתָא לְיִחוּדָא). Five strong petals, root and union, to which these thirteen petals are bound (חֲמֵשׁ עָלִין תַּקִּיפִין, שָׁרְשָׁא וְיִחוּדָא, דַּאֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין אִלֵּין). “Hear O Yisrael, Hashem our Elohim, Hashem” (Deuteronomy 6) (שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְיָ), behold the five petals of the rose (הָא חֲמֵשׁ עָלִין דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה). “One” - this is the root and foundation, to which all are bound (אֶחָד, דָּא הִיא עִיקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דְּכֻלְּהוּ אֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ).p1-19 This is the secret of thirteen in the reckoning, the seal of the King (רָזָא דִּתְלֵיסַר בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, גּוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דְּמַלְכָּא).

Come and see, as it is in the likeness: “As a rose among thorns” (Song of Songs 2) (תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּגַוְונָא דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים), so are Yisrael among the nations, idol worshippers (הָכִי אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). And so is Knesset Yisrael among the other mighty appointed hosts (וְהָכִי כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, בֵּין שְׁאַר אֻכְלוּסִין רַבְרְבָן מְמָנָן). Whenever the rose stands closed, not opened, it has no fragrance, and it does not ascend, and it is not brought out from the pits (כָּל זְמַן דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה קַיְּימָא אֲטִימָא, דְּלָא פְּתִיחָא, לֵית בָּהּ רֵיחָא, וְלָא סַלְּקִין לָהּ, וְלָא מַפְקִין לָהּ מִגּוֹ גּוּבִין). At the time when the rose is opened, fragrance rises, then she is brought out from the pits (בְּשַׁעַתָא דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה פְּתִיחָא, סַלְּקָא רֵיחָא, כְּדֵין אַפִּיקוּ לָהּ מִגּוֹ גּוּבִין). And Knesset Yisrael delights in them, as it is said: “Open for Me, My sister, My companion” (Song of Songs 5) (וְיִתְהֲנֵי בְּהוּ כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר פִּתְחִי לִי אֲחוֹתִי רַעְיָתִי). And Kudsha Berikh Hu did not send her to us except to go in these ways (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא שַׁדְרָהּ לָן אֶלָּא לְמֵיהַךְ לְאוֹרְחָן).