Daf 234a (דַּף רל״ד ע״א)
Rabbi El'azar said to his father (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לַאֲבוּהִי), behold we have heard of these closed chambers, in the mystery of the offerings (הָא שְׁמַעְנָא אִלֵּין שַׁיְיפִין אֲטִימִין, בְּרָזָא דְּקָרְבְּנִין). The other chambers, what is their mystery (שַׁיְיפִין אַחֲרָנִין, רָזָא דִּלְהוֹן מַאי)? Rabbi Shimon said to Rabbi El'azar (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), El'azar my son, all the other chambers within, it is a supernal mystery (אֶלְעָזָר בְּרִי, כָּל שְׁאַר שַׁיְיפִין דִּלְגוֹ, רָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ).
Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): the heart—behold, it has been said (לִבָּא הָא אִתְּמַר). But this heart is a burning fire (אֲבָל לֵב דָּא אִיהוּ נוּרָא דְּדָלִיק). And were it not that the supernal King prepared for it the wings of the lung (וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּזַמִּין לְגַבֵּיהּ מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה כַּנְפֵי רֵיאָה), which bring to it wind (דְּאַתְיָין לְקַמֵּיהּ רוּחָא), from the wind that blows from within the supernal perfumes (מֵרוּחָא דְּנָשִׁיב מִגּוֹ בּוּסְמִין עִלָּאִין), it would burn up the world in a single instant (הֲוָה אוֹקִיד לְעָלְמָא בְּרִגְעָא חֲדָא).
Ra‘aya Meheimna
And in the first connection, Ra‘aya Meheimna said (וּבְחִבּוּרָא קַדְמָאָה, אָמַר רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא), Holy Luminary, all that you have said is right (בּוּצִּינָא קַדִישָׁא, כָּל מַה דְּאַמָרְת שַׁפִּיר). But the brain is water (אֲבָל מוֹחָא אִיהוּ מַיִם), and the heart is fire (לֵב אִיהוּ אֵשׁ), and both of them are mercy and judgment (וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ אִיהוּ רַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא): this is the throne of mercy (דָּא כִּסֵּא רַחֲמֵי), and this is the throne of judgment (וְדָא כִּסֵּא דִּינָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu is King (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֶלֶךְ): He rises from the throne of judgment (עוֹמֵד מִכִּסֵא דִּין), which is the heart (דְּאִיהוּ לֵב), and sits upon the throne of mercy (וְיוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רַחֲמִים), which is the brain (דְּאִיהוּ מוֹחָא).
And when sins multiply upon the limbs (וְכַד חוֹבִין מִתְרַבִּין עַל אֵבָרִים), and upon the arteries of the heart (וְעַל עַרְקִין דְּלִבָּא), which is the throne of judgment (דְּאִיהוּ כֻּרְסְיָיא דְּדִינָא), it is said of the heart (אִתְּמַר בְּלִבָּא): “And the King arose in His wrath from the banquet of wine” (וְהַמֶּלֶךְ קָם בַּחֲמָתוֹ מִמִּשְׁתֵּה הַיַּיִן) (Esther 7), which is the wine of Orayta (דְּאִיהוּ יִינָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And when the wings of the lung blow upon the heart (וּבְזִמְנָא דְּכַנְפֵי רֵיאָה נָשְׁבִין עַל לִבָּא): “And I heard the sound of their wings” (וָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת קוֹל כַּנְפֵיהֶם) (Ezekiel 1), “and the King’s wrath was pacified” (וַחֲמַת הַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁכָכָה) (Esther 7). For the two wings of the lung are as: “And the cherubs spread out their wings above, covering the ark-cover with their wings” (דִּתְרֵין כַּנְפֵי רֵיאָה, וְהָיוּ הַכְּרוּבִים פּוֹרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה סוֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת) (Exodus 25). This is the ark-cover of the heart (דָּא כַּפּוֹרְתָא דְּלִבָּא).
And by what means was the King’s wrath pacified? (וּבְמַאי וַחֲמַת הַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁכָכָה). Because: “And I heard the sound of their wings” (בְּגִין דְּוָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת קוֹל כַּנְפֵיהֶם) (Ezekiel 1), “and he heard the voice” (וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת הַקּוֹל) (Numbers 7). This is the voice of Torah (דָּא קוֹל תּוֹרָה), the voice of Keri’at Shema [Recital of the Shema] (קוֹל דִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע). “And He spoke to him” (וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו) (Numbers 7), in the prayer of the mouth (בִּצְּלוֹתָא דְּפוּמָא), which is: “Adonai [my Lord], open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise” (דְּאִיהוּ אֲדֹנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶךָ) (Psalms 51).
And that wind which blows in the wings of the lung (וְהַהוּא רוּחָא דְּנָשִׁיב בְּכַנְפֵי רֵיאָה) brings forth sound in the windpipe (אִיהוּ אַפִּיק קָלָא בְּקָנֶה), which is: “Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding” (דְּאִיהוּ קְנֵה חָכְמָה קְנֵה בִינָה) (Proverbs 4). And it is said of it (וְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “Thus says Hashem: Come, O spirit, from the four winds” (כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת בֹּאִי הָרוּחַ) (Ezekiel 37). These are the four letters of Yod–Heh–Vav–Heh (דְּאִינּוּן אַרְבַּע אַתְוָון יְדוֹ״ד). And this is the wind that strikes through all the arteries of the heart (וְהַאי אִיהוּ רוּחַ דְּדָפִיק בְּכָל עַרְקִין דְּלִבָּא), of which it is said: “Wherever the spirit was to go, they went” (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן, אֶל אֲשֶׁר יִהְיְה שָּׁמָּה הָרוּחַ לָלֶכֶת יִלֵכוּ) (Ezekiel 1).
The Holy Luminary said: Surely, Ra’aya Meheimna, this is your level, that in it “the King’s wrath was pacified” (Esther 7) (אָמַר בּוּצִּינָא קַדִישָׁא, וַדַּאי רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, דַּרְגָּא דִּילָךְ אִיהִי, דְּבֵיהּ וַחֲמַת הַמֶּלֶךְ שָׁכָכָה). “Happy is the people that is so” (Psalms 144), in gematria Moshe (אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם שֶׁכָּכָ״ה, בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא מֹשֶׁה). He said to him: Blessed are you, Holy Luminary, Luminary that burns before the King and the Matronita (אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּרִיךְ אַנְתְּ בּוּצִּינָא קַדִישָׁא, בּוּצִּינָא דְּדָלִיק קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). “The lamp of Hashem is the soul of man” (Proverbs 20), this is your soul (נֵר יְיָ, אִיהִי נְשָׁמָה דִּילָךְ).
He said to him: Behold you said brain and heart and the wings of the lung; the two kidneys, what are they (אָמַר לֵיהּ, הָא אַמְרַת מוֹחָא וְלִבָּא וְכַנְפֵי רֵיאָה, תְּרֵי כּוּלְיָין מַאי נִיהוּ)? Ra‘aya Meheimna said: Behold, we have established in the wings of the lung, “He makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flaming fire” (Psalms 104) (אָמַר רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, הָא אוֹקִימְנָא בְּכַנְפֵי רֵיאָה, עוֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת, כּוּלְּיָין מְשָׁרְתָיו אֵשׁ לוֹהֵט). And these are the two wings of the lung and the two kidneys, corresponding to the four living creatures of the throne (וְאִינּוּן תְּרֵין כַּנְפֵי רֵיאָה, וּתְרֵין כּוּלְיָין, לָקֳבֵל ד׳ חֵיוָן דְּכֻרְסְיָיא). The throne is the heart in the middle (כֻּרְסְיָיא, אִיהוּ לִבָּא בְּאֶמְצָּעִיתָא). And likewise the brain has four living creatures, for it is the throne of mercy (וְכֵן מוֹחָא, אִית לֵיהּ אַרְבַּע חֵיוָן, דְּאִיהוּ כֻּרְסְיָיא דְּרַחֲמֵי). And what are they? Sight, hearing, smell, speech (וּמַאי נִיהוּ. רְאִיָּיה, שְׁמִיעָה, רֵיחָא, דִּבּוּר). Sight is the lion (רְאִיָּיה: אַרְיֵה). Hearing is the ox (שְׁמִיעָה: שׁוֹר). Smell is the eagle (רֵיחָא: נִשְׁרָא). And four faces and four wings to each (וְד׳ אַנְפִּין וְד׳ כַּנְפִין לְכָל חַד). Speech is man (דִּבּוּר: אָדָם אִיהוּ). He holds above and below, with arms of which it is said “And our hands spread out like the eagles of heaven” (cf. Deuteronomy 28) (אָחִיד עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, דְּרוֹעִין דִּבְהוֹן וְיָדֵינוּ פְּרוּשׂוֹת כְּנִשְׁרֵי שָׁמַיִם). The body is lion, and the legs - “and their feet were like the foot of a calf” (Ezekiel 1) (גוּף אַרְיֵה, וְשׁוֹקַיִם, וְכַף רַגְלֵיהֶם כְּכַף רֶגֶל עֵגֶל). And of the body it is said: “The second chariot” (Bereshit 41) (וְעַל גּוּפָא אִתְּמַר, מֶרְכֶּבֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה). It is written “Mishnah” - language of the Mishnah (מִשְׁנָה כְּתִיב, לִישָׁנָא דְּמַתְנִיתִין). Until here Ra‘ya Meheimna (ע״כ רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא).
He opened and said: “And Hashem rained upon Sedom and upon Amorah brimstone and fire” (Bereshit 19) (פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וַיְיָ הִמְטִיר עַל סְדוֹם וְעַל עֲמוֹרָה גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ). Why did He ignite them (אֲמַאי אוֹקִיד לוֹן)? Because the wings of the lung did not blow at that time (בְּגִין דְּכַנְפֵי רֵיאָה לָא נְשִׁיבוּ בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא). And the secret of the wings of the lung, this is “The wings of a dove covered with silver” (Psalms 68) (וְסִתְרָא דְּכַנְפֵי רֵיאָה, דָּא כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה נֶחְפָּה בַכֶּסֶף). And these are Raphael and Tzadkiel (וְאִינּוּן רְפָאֵל, וְצַדְקִיאֵל). And about them it is said: “He makes His angels spirits” (Psalms 104) (וְעָלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר, עוֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת), to blow continually before the King (לְנַשְׁבָא תָּדִיר קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא). Some say: before the heart (ס״א: לֵבָא).
Spleen: The Holy Luminary opened and said: “And I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun, and behold the tears of the oppressed” (Ecclesiastes 4) (טְחוֹל, פָּתַח בּוּצִּינָא קַדִישָׁא וְאָמַר, וָאֶרְאֶה אֶת כָּל הָעֲשׁוּקִים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ וְהִנֵּה דִּמְעַת הָעֲשׁוּקִים). Who are the oppressed (מַאן אִינּוּן עֲשׁוּקִים)? These are the children who are in the strength of their mothers, who depart from the world by the hand of the Angel of Death (אִלֵּין יַנּוּקִין דְּאִינּוּן בְּתוּקְפָּא דְּאִמְּהוֹן, דְּסַלְּקִין מֵעָלְמָא, עַל יְדֵי מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת). And is it the Angel of Death that kills them, that he is the oppressor (וְכִי מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת קָטִיל לוֹן, דְּאִיהוּ עוֹשֵׁק)? Rather he returned and said: “And on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter” (Ecclesiastes 4) (אֶלָּא הָדַר וְאָמַר, וּמִיַּד עוֹשְׁקֵיהֶם כֹּחַ וְאֵין לָהֶם מְנַחֵם). What is that power (מַאן הַהוּא כֹּחַ)? This is what is written: “Let there be luminaries in the firmament of the heavens” (Bereshit 1) (דָּא הוּא דִּכְתִיב, יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם). And this is me’orot without a Vav (וְדָא הוּא מְאֹרֹת חָסֵר וָאו). And this is Lilith, who is appointed over that oppressor (וְדָא לִילִית, דְּאִיהִי מְמָנָא דְּהַהוּא עוֹשֵׁק). And she is called Spleen (וְאִיהִי אִקְרֵי טְחוֹל). And she goes and laughs with children, and afterward she brings upon them anger and tears, to weep over them (וְאִיהִי אַזְלַת וְחַיְיכָא בְּיַנּוּקֵי, וּבָתַר עָבְדַת בְּהוּ רוּגְזָא וְדִמְעָה, לְמִבְכֵּי עָלַיְיהוּ). The spleen goes to arm the liver (טְחוֹל לְזִינָא דְּכָבֵד אַזְלָא). This was created on the second day, and that on the fourth day of Ma‘aseh Bereshit (דָּא אִבְרֵי בַּשֵּׁנִי, וְדָא בָּרְבִיעִי בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית). And because of this there is no good sign on the second or the fourth (וּבְגִין דָּא, לֵית סִימָנָא טָבָא בַּשֵּׁנִי וּבָרְבִיעִי). The liver is the death of the great, the spleen is the death of the small (כָּבֵד מוֹתָא דְּרַבְרְבֵי, טְחוֹל מוֹתָא דְּזוּטְרֵי).