Daf 236a (דַּף רל״ו ע״א)

When they are ground, those who rule over them swallow and take, and they are called esophagus (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְטַחֲנָן, אִינּוּן דְּשַׁלְטֵי עָלַיְיהוּ, בַּלְעֵי וְנַטְלֵי, וְאִקְרוּן וְשֶׁ״ט). Why (אֲמַאי)? Because esophagus is the form of the Vav, it is the bent esophagus (אֶלָּא וְשֶׁט, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּוָא״ו, אִיהוּ וְשֶׁט כָּפוּף). And afterward it goes to eat drink, wine and water (וּלְבָתַר, שָׁט לְמֵיכַל מִשְׁתְּיָא, חַמְרָא וּמַיָּא). As it is written: “The people went about and gathered” (Numbers 11) (דִּכְתִּיב, שָׁטוּ הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ). Food for eating, drink of wine and water, libation of wine and libation of water (מֵיכְלָא לְמֵיכַל, מִשְׁתְּיָא חַמְרָא וּמַיָּא, נִסּוּכָא דְּיַיִן, וְנִסּוּכָא דְּמַיִם).

Into this esophagus it enters (בְּהַאי וְשֶׁט עָאל), and is absorbed in the lung (וְאִשְׁתְּאִיב בָּרֵיאָה). These Sarafim [fiery beings] (אִלֵּין שְׂרָפִים), [some say: Shayifin [limbs]] (ס״א שַׁיְּיפִין), take drink in their flame (בְּשַׁלְהוֹבִיתָא דִּלְהוֹן נַטְלֵי מִשְׁתְּיָא), and are called the lung (וְאִקְרוּן רֵיאָה), in one union (בְּחִבּוּרָא חֲדָא), and all is absorbed within them (וְאִשְׁתְּאִיב כֹּלָּא בְּהוֹן). And all of these take, each one as is fitting for it (וְכָל אִלֵּין, נַטְלִין כָּל חַד וְחַד, כַּדְּקָא חֲזֵי לֵיהּ). And since the Temple was destroyed (וּמִדְּחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְשָׁא): “And the grinders ceased because they are few” (וּבָטְלוּ הַטּוֹחֲנוֹת כִּי מִעֵטוּ) (Ecclesiastes 12), all of them (כֻּלְּהוּ). For their forms and their nourishment were diminished (דְּאַזְעִירוּ דִּיּוּקְנַיְיהוּ וּמְזוֹנַיְיהוּ), and there is no day without a curse (וְלֵית יוֹמָא דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ מְאֵרָה).

Rabbi Shimon raised his voice and said (אָרִים קָלֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): Woe, Jerusalem, the holy city (וַוי יְרוּשָׁלַם קַרְתָּא קַדִישָׁא); woe to the people (וַוי לְעַמָּא), for all these good things have been lost (דְּכָל טָבָאן אִלֵּין אַבְדִין): great, mighty, appointed ones, whose forms were diminished (רַבְרְבָן גִּיבָּרִין מְמָנָן אַזְעִירוּ דִּיּוּקְנַיְיהוּ). Over this the Chavraya [companions] wept (עַל דָּא בָּכוּ חַבְרַיָּיא). They said (אָמְרוּ): Woe, Rabbi (וַוי רִבִּי)! When you depart from the world (כַּד תִּסְתָּלַּק מִן עָלְמָא), who will reveal hidden, deep mysteries such as these (מַאן יְגַלֶּה רָזִין סְתִימִין עֲמִיקִין כְּאִלֵּין), which have not been heard from the day of King Shlomo until now (דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמָעוּ מִן יוֹמָא דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, וְעַד הַשְׁתָּא)? Fortunate is the generation that hears these words (זַכָּאָה דָּרָא דְּשַׁמְעִין מִלִּין אִלֵּין), and fortunate is the generation in whose midst you are (וְזַכָּאָה דָּרָא דְּאַנְתְּ בְּגַוִּיהּ); but woe to the generation that will remain orphaned from you (וַוי לְדָרָא דְּיִשְׁתַּאֲרוּן יַתְמִין מִנָךְ).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

And in the first union Ra‘aya Meheimna opened and said (וּבְחִבּוּרָא קַדְמָאָה פָּתַח רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא וְאָמַר): And behold, it is written (וְהָא כְּתִיב): “And our lips shall give praise like the expanses of the firmament” (וְשִׂפְתוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁבַח כְּמֶרְחֲבֵי רָקִיעַ) (Nishmat prayer). And the seven firmaments are (וְשֶׁבַע רְקִיעִין אִינּוּן): Vilon [Curtain] (וִילוֹן), Raqia [Firmament] (רָקִיעַ), Sheḥaqim [Skies] (שְׁחָקִים), Zevul [Dwelling] (זְבוּל), Ma‘on [Habitation] (מָעוֹן), Makhon [Abode] (מָכוֹן), and Aravot [Plains] (עֲרָבוֹת). Sheḥaqim [Skies] (שְׁחָקִים), in which are millstones that grind manna for the Righteous in the future to come (דִּבְהוֹן רֵיחַיִם דְּטוֹחֲנִים מָן לַצַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא). And they are called Sheḥaqim [Skies] (וְאִינּוּן אִקְרוּן שְׁחָקִים), after the name of: “And you shall grind some of it finely” (עַל שֵׁם וְשָׁחַקְתָּ מִמֶּנָּה הָדֵק) (Exodus 30). And these are Netzach [Eternity] and Hod [Splendor] (וְאִינּוּן נֶצַח וְהוֹד). Of them it is said (עָלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “And the skies shall pour down righteousness” (וּשְׁחָקִים יִזְּלוּ צֶדֶק) (Isaiah 45). This Tzedek [Righteousness] is the lower Shekhinta [Divine Presence] (דְּאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה).

Vilon [Curtain] (וִילוֹן), in which He brings in the evening and brings out the morning (דְּבֵיהּ מַכְנִיס עַרְבִית וּמוֹצִיא שַׁחֲרִית). Raqia [Firmament] is Yesod [Foundation] (רָקִיעַ, אִיהוּ יְסוֹד), in which shine the sun and the moon (דְּבֵיהּ נַהֲרִין שִׁמְשָׁא וְסִהֲרָא), which are the middle pillar and the lower Shekhinta [Divine Presence] (דְּאִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא וּשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And Elohim set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth” (וַיִּתֵּן אוֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ) (Genesis 1). And Tzaddik [Righteous One] is a sign (וְצַדִיק אוֹת), between Netzach [Eternity] and Hod [Splendor] (בֵּין נֶצַח וְהוֹד). And Edut [Testimony] is between Tiferet [Beauty] and Malkhut [Kingship] (וְעֵדוּת, בֵּין תִּפְאֶרֶת וּמַלְכוּת).

Netzach [Eternity] and Hod [Splendor] are two halves of the body (נֶצַח וְהוֹד תְּרֵין פַּלְגֵי גּוּפָא אִינּוּן), like the likeness of two twins (כְּגַוְונָא דִּתְרֵין תְּאוֹמִים). And because of this they are called Sheḥaqim [Skies] (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְקְרִיאוּ שְׁחָקִים). Both of them as one are Vav–Vav [VV] (תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כַּחֲדָא ו״ו אִינּוּן), from the esophagus (מִן וְשֶׁט), from the side of the left (מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא). And these are two millstones (וְאִינּוּן תְּרֵין טוֹחֲנוֹת), from the side of the right (מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא). “And Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him” (וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף עִמּוֹ) (Exodus 13). The bones of the Tzaddik [Righteous One] are the Yesod [Foundation] of the worlds (עַצְמוֹת צַדִיק יְסוֹד עָלְמִין), the level of Yosef the Tzaddik [Righteous One] (דַּרְגָּא דְּיוֹסֵף הַצַּדִיק). Of them it is said (וְעָלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “My offering, My bread for My fires” (אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי לְאִשַּׁי) (Numbers 28).

And there is no bread except Orayta (וְלֵית לֶחֶם, אֶלָּא אוֹרַיְיתָא): “Come, eat of My bread” (לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְּלַחְמִי) (Proverbs 9). And these are the clusters of the Tzaddik [Righteous One] (וְאִינּוּן: אַשְׁכְּלוֹת דְּצַדִיק). And the Tzaddik is a fruit-bearing tree (וְצַדִיק, עֵץ פְּרִי). And concerning him it is said: “And they bore it upon a pole between two” (Numbers 13) (וּבְגִינֵיהּ אִתְּמַר, וַיִּשָּׂאוּהוּ בַמּוֹט בִּשְׁנָיִם). And why “upon a pole”? Because there was not a Tzaddik there (וַאֲמַאי בַמּוֹט. בְּגִין דְּלָא הֲוָה תַּמָּן צַדִיק). And concerning them it is said: “He shall never suffer the righteous to fall” (Psalms 55) (וּבְגִינַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ, לֹא יִתֵּן לְעוֹלָם מוֹט לַצַּדִּיק). For he is the tree, of which it is said: “Is there a tree in it or not” (Numbers 13) (דְּאִיהוּ עֵץ, דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ, הֲיֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵץ אִם אַיִן). They uprooted the tree, which is the Tzaddik [Righteous One] (אַעְקְרוּ עֵץ דְּאִיהוּ צַדִּיק), those who brought forth an evil report concerning the land (אִלֵּין דְּאַפִּיקוּ שׁוּם בִּישׁ עַל אַרְעָא), and caused: “And they bore it upon a pole by two” (וְגָרְמוּ, וַיִּשָּׂאוּהוּ בַמּוֹט בִּשְׁנָיִם), Vav and Vav (ו׳ ו׳) (Numbers 13). Of them it is said (עָלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “She squeezed grapes” (סָחֲטָה עֲנָבִים). The Tzaddik [Righteous One] is Yesod [Foundation] (צַדִיק יְסוֹד), in him is the secret (בֵּיהּ סוֹד), which is the wine preserved in its grapes from the six days of Creation (דְּאִיהוּ יַיִן הַמְשׁוּמָּר בַּעֲנָבָיו מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית). These are the six levels of the letter Vav (דְּאִינּוּן ו׳ דַּרְגִּין דְּאָת ו׳). And these are the Seraphim [fiery beings] (וְאִינּוּן שְׂרָפִים), Vav and Vav (ו׳ ו׳): “Six wings for each one” (שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם לְאֶחָד) (Isaiah 6), from the left (מִשְּׂמָאלָא). And they bring forth waters from the right (וְאִינּוּן אַפִּיקוּ מַיִם מִימִינָא), and blaze in their flame from the side of Gevurah [Might] (וְצָחִין בְּשַׁלְהוֹבִיתָא דִּלְהוֹן מִסִּטְרָא דִּגְבוּרָה), and draw from the side of Chesed [Kindness] (וְשׁוֹאֲבִין מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד). And of them it is said (וְעָלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “He makes His angels spirits” (עוֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת) (Psalms 104), from the side of the middle pillar (מִסִּטְרָא דְּעַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), which blow upon the heart (דְּנַשְׁבִין עַל לִבָּא), which is the tenth level in the spirit of holiness (דְּאִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא עֲשִׁירָאָה בְּרוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא), which is among them (דְּאִיהוּ בֵּינַיְיהוּ). And it is the letter Vav [V] (וְאִיהוּ ו׳), a sign in its host (אוֹת בְּצָבָא דִּילֵיהּ), including the six joints of the two thighs (כָּלִיל ו׳ פִּרְקִין דִּתְרֵין שׁוֹקִין), as it is written concerning them (דִּכְתִיב בְּהוּ): “His thighs are pillars of marble” (שׁוֹקָיו עַמּוּדֵי שֵׁשׁ) (Song of Songs 5). And this is the Tzaddik [Righteous One], the sign of the covenant (וְדָא צַדִיק אוֹת בְּרִית).

The upper Vav is Tiferet [Beauty] (ו׳ עִלָּאָה, תִּפְאֶרֶת), between the six joints of the two arms (בֵּין שִׁית פִּרְקִין דִּתְרֵין דְּרוֹעִין). And because of this, Vav and Vav—body and covenant—are reckoned as one (וּבְגִין דָּא, ו׳ ו׳, גּוּף וּבְרִית חַשְׁבֵינָן חַד). And these are those who spread wings above (וְאִינּוּן פּוֹרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם לְמַעְלָה) (Exodus 25), to receive the upper Vav upon them (לְקַבֵּל ו׳ עִלָּאָה עָלַיְיהוּ). And from its side they are called the prophets of truth (וּמִסִּטְרֵיהּ, אִתְקְרִיאוּ נְבִיאֵי הָאֱמֶת), covering with their wings over the covenant (סוֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם עַל בְּרִית), which is the second Vav (דְּאִיהוּ ו׳ תִּנְיָינָא): “And the Tzaddik [Righteous One] is the foundation of the world” (וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם) (Proverbs 10). And because of this Netzach [Eternity] and Hod [Splendor] grind manna for the Tzaddikaya [Righteous ones] (וּבְגִין דָּא, נֶצַח וְהוֹד, טוֹחֲנִים מָן לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא), who are from the side of the Tzaddik [Righteous One], Yesod [Foundation] of the world (דְּאִינּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְּצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם), which is among them (דְּאִיהוּ בֵּינַיְיהוּ). And because of this they are called the grinders (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְקְרִיאוּ טוֹחֲנוֹת). And from the side of the esophagus (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּוְשֶׁט): “The people went about and gathered” (שָׁטוּ הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ) (Numbers 11). These are the gleanings of the rulings of the Mishnah (אִינּוּן לְקוּטוֹת דְּפִסְקוֹת דְּמַתְנִיתָא). “And they ground in the mill” (וְטָחֲנוּ בַרֵיחַיִם) (Numbers 11). From here, whoever brings forth words of Orayta (מֵהָכָא, מַאן דְּאַפִיק מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא) must grind them with his teeth (צָרִיךְ לְמִטְחַן לוֹן בְּשִׁנַיִים), and bring forth complete words (וּלְאַפָּקָא מִלִּין שְׁלֵימִין), and these words are called Shelamim [peace-offerings] (וְאִינּוּן מִלִּין אִתְקְרִיאוּ שְׁלָמִים). And others, who are fools (וְאוֹחֲרָנִין, דְּאִינּוּן שַׁטְיָין), eat words by gulping (דְּאַכְלִין מִלִּין בְּהַלְעָטָה), and do not grind them with their grinders and their teeth (וְלָא טוֹחֲנִין לוֹן בַּטּוֹחֲנוֹת דִּלְהוֹן וּבְשִׁינֵּיהוֹן). What is written concerning them? (מַה כְּתִיב בְּהוּ). “The flesh was yet between their teeth, and the anger of Hashem burned against the people” (הַבָּשָׂר עוֹדֶנּוּ בֵּין שִׁנֵּיהֶם וְאַף יְיָ חָרָה בָעָם) (Numbers 11). These are from the stock of the one who said (דְּאִינּוּן, מִגִּזְעָא דְּמַאן דְּאָמַר): “Let me gulp down” (הַלְעִיטֵנִי נָא) (Genesis 25). And Netzach [Eternity] and Hod [Splendor] are called Keruvim [cherubs] (וְנֶצַח וְהוֹד אִתְקְרִיאוּ כְּרוּבִים). And they are eight (וּתְמַנְיָא אִינּוּן): Chokhmah [Wisdom] (חָכְמָה), Binah [Understanding] (בִּינָה), Gedulah [Greatness] (גְּדוּלָה), Gevurah [Might] (גְּבוּרָה), Tiferet [Beauty] (תִּפְאֶרֶת), Malkhut [Kingship] (מַלְכוּת), Netzach [Eternity] (נֶצַח), Hod [Splendor] (הוֹד), Tzaddik [Righteous One] (צַדִּיק), and a crown upon his head (עֲטָרָה עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ). For he has no mate (דְּאִיהוּ לֵית לֵיהּ זוּג). And what is his crown? (וּמַאי עֲטָרָה דִּילֵיהּ). The supernal Keter [Crown] (כֶּתֶר עֶלְיוֹן). And because of this the masters of the Mishnah established (וּבְגִינֵיהּ אוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין): “The World to Come has neither eating nor drinking, but the Tzaddikim [Righteous ones] sit, and their crowns are upon their heads” (הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא אֵין בּוֹ לֹא אֲכִילָה וְלֹא שְׁתִיָּה, אֶלָּא צַדִּיקִים יוֹשְׁבִים וְעַטְרוֹתֵיהֶם בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶם) (Berakhot 17a). And this is what they established (וְהַיְינוּ דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ): Shabbat said before Kudsha Berikh Hu (אָמְרָה שַׁבָּת קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), “To all the days You gave a mate, but to me You did not give a mate” (לְכֻלְּהוּ יוֹמֵי נָתַתָּ בֶּן זוּג, וְלִי לֹא נָתַתָּ בֶּן זוּג) (Bereshit Rabbah, Bereishit 11). Until here Ra‘ya Meheimna (ע״כ רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא).