Daf 236b (דַּף רל״ו ע״ב)

Rabbi Shimon opened and said: “Hear, O Yisrael, Hashem our Elohim, Hashem is One” (Deuteronomy 6) (פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְיָ אֶחָד). Ayin is great, Dalet likewise (ע׳ רַבְרְבָא, ד׳ אוּף הָכִי). And the sign of this is Ed (וְסִימָנָא דָּא עֵד). As it is written: “Hashem is witness among you” (I Samuel 12) (הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, עֵד יְיָ בָּכֶם). The letters that remain are Shin and Mem, Mem open (אִשְׁתַּאֲרוּן אַתְוָון ש״מ, מ׳ פְּתוּחָה). Why not closed (מַאי טַעְמָא לָא סְתִימָא)? Because closed Mem is the supernal King - some say: the supernal world (בְּגִין דְּמ׳ סְתִימָא, מַלְכָּא [ס״א עָלְמָא] עִלָּאָה). Mem open is the lower King - some say: the lower world (מ׳ פְּתִיחָא, מַלְכָּא [ס״א עָלְמָא] תַּתָּאָה). The other letters that remain are Alef and Ḥet (אַתְוָון אַחֲרָנִין, אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ א״ח). Of this it is written: “The glory of Elohim is to conceal a matter” (Proverbs 25) (כְּבוֹד אֱלֹהִים הַסְתֵּר דָּבָר כְּתִיב).

I found in the book of Rav Ḥamnuna Sava [the Elder] (אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא): Whoever unifies this union every day (כָּל מַאן דִּמְיַיחֵד יִחוּדָא דָּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא), joy is prepared for him from above (חֶדְוָה זְמִינָא לֵיהּ מִלְּעֵילָּא), from the mystery of these letters (מֵרָזָא דְּאַתְוָון אִלֵּין): Shin–Mem [ShM] from this side (ש״מ מֵהַאי סִטְרָא), Alef–Ḥet [AḤ] from this side (א״ח, מֵהַאי סִטְרָא). And he combines the letters (וּמְצָרֵף אַתְוָון): in reverse order he begins with Shaddai [Almighty] (לְמַפְרֵעַ [שַׁדַּי] שַׁרֵי), and in direct order he completes with Ḥayyim [Life] (וּבְמֵישָׁר [חַיִּים] סִיֵּים). And the sign is “I will rejoice” (וְסִימָן אֶשְׂמַח), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “I will rejoice in Hashem” (אָנֹכִי אֶשְׂמַח בַּיְיָ) (Psalms 104). Truly (מַמָּשׁ), this is the holy union (דָּא יִחוּדָא קַדִישָׁא), and it is fitting (וְשַׁפִּיר אִיהוּ).

And thus it is in the Book of Enoch (וְהָכִי הוּא בְּסִפְרָא דְּחֲנוֹךְ), which says similarly (דְּאָמַר כִּי הַאי גַּוְונָא): Whoever unifies this union every day (דְּמַאן דִּמְיַיחֵד יִחוּדָא דָּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא), joy is prepared for him from above (חֶדְוָה זְמִינָא לֵיהּ מִלְעֵילָּא). Also, there is in it Shin–Mem [ShM] (תּוּ אִית בֵּיהּ ש״מ), which is included from seventy great ones (דְּאִתְכְּלִיל מִן ע׳ רַבְרְבָא). These are the seventy names (אִלֵּין שִׁבְעִין שְׁמָהָן), in the mystery of the holy Patriarchs (בְּרָזָא דַּאֲבָהָן קַדִּישִׁין), and this is Shema [Hear]: Shem [Name], Ayin [seventy] (וְדָא הוּא שְׁמַע: שֵׁם ע׳). “Yisrael, Hashem, Eloheinu, Hashem” (יִשְׂרָאֵל, יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְיָ)—these are the four compartments of the tefillin [phylacteries] (אִלֵּין אַרְבַּע בָּתֵּי דִּתְפִלִּין), which Alef–Ḥet [AḤ] holds (דְּאָחִיד לוֹן א״ח). Of this it is said (הַהוּא דְּאָמַר): “Open for me, my sister, my companion” (פִּתְחִי לִי אֲחוֹתִי רַעְיָתִי) (Song of Songs 5). Dalet (ד׳): this is the knot of the tefillin [phylacteries] (דָּא קֶשֶׁר שֶׁל תְּפִלִין), which is bound to them (דְּהִיא אֲחִידַת בְּהוּ). A mystery was entrusted to the wise (רָזָא לְחַכִּימִין אִתְמְסַר), not to reveal (דְּלָא לְגַלָּאָה).

Rabbi Shimon was silent (שָׁתִיק רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן). He wept and laughed (בָּכָה וְחַיִיךְ), and said (אָמַר): Imma [Mother] (אֵימָּא), for surely desire is found (דְּהָא וַדַּאי רַעֲוָא אִשְׁתְּכַח), and there is none like this generation until King Mashiach comes (וְלֵית כְּדָרָא דָּא עַד דְּיֵיתֵי מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא), when permission will be given to them to reveal (דִּיְהֵא רְשׁוּ לוֹן לְְגַלָּאָה).

Two straps go forth (תְּרֵין רְצוּעִין נָפְקִין), from this side and from that side (מִסִּטְרָא דָּא וּמִסִּטְרָא דָּא), the mystery of the two thighs below of this Alef–Ḥet [AḤ] (רָזָא דִּתְרֵין יַרְכִין דִּלְתַּתָּא דְּהַאי א״ח), to which the prophets of truth are bound (דִּנְבִיאֵי קְשׁוֹט אֲחִידָן בְּהוּ). For from above two straps go forth (דְּהָא מִלְּעֵילָּא נָפְקִין תְּרֵין רְצוּעִין), the mystery of the two arms (רָזָא דִּתְרֵין דְּרוֹעִין), from the right and from the left (מִימִינָא וּמִשְּׂמָאלָא), and the Dalet is bound with them (וְדָלֶ״ת אִתְאֲחִידַת בְּהוּ). Afterwards she descends (לְבָתַר נַחְתָּא), and the thighs are extended below (וְאִתְפְּשָׁטוּ יַרְכִין לְתַתָּא). When she is bound above as is fitting (כֵּיוָן דְּהִיא אִתְאֲחִידַת לְעֵילָּא כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת), she descends below (נַחְתָּא לְתַתָּא), to be joined with her hosts (לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בְּאֻכְלוּסָהָא). And when she is joined (וְכַד אִיהִי אִתְאַחֲדָת), she is held at the lower ends of the thighs (אֲחִידָא בְּשִׁפּוּלֵי יַרְכִין), and the mark of Yod [Y], the holy covenant, is upon her from above (וּרְשִׁימוּ דְּיוֹ״ד בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא עָלָהּ מִלְּעֵילָּא); then she is joined in one union (כְּדֵין אִיהִי אִתְאַחֲדָת בְּיִחוּדָא חַד).

This Yod is the mystery of the covenant (יוֹ״ד דָּא אִיהִי רָזָא דִּבְרִית). And because of this, whoever guards this covenant (וְעַל דָּא כָּל מַאן דְּנָטַר בְּרִית דָּא) is saved above (אִיהוּ אִשְׁתְּזִיב לְעֵילָּא), and is saved below (וְאִשְׁתְּזִיב לְתַתָּא). From where do we know this? From Pinchas (מְנָא לָן פִּנְחָס). Because he was zealous for this covenant (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ קַנֵּי עַל בְּרִית דָּא), he was saved from the supernal judgment (אִשְׁתְּזִיב מִן דִּינָא עִלָּאָה), and from the judgment below (וּמִן דִּינָא דִּלְתַּתָּא). And because of this, this Yod was marked within him (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִתְרְשִׁם יוֹ״ד דָּא בְּגַוִּיהּ), as it is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Pinchas son of El‘azar, son of Aharon the Kohen…” (פִּנְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 25). This Yod must never be removed from the hand-tefillah [phylactery] (יוֹ״ד דָּא, אִצְטְרִיךְ דְּלָא יִתְעֲדֵי כְּלָל מִגּוֹ תְּפִלָּה דְּיַד), so that it not make separation (דְּלָא יַעְבִּיד פִּרוּדָא). And all her joy is in this Yod (וְכָל חֶדְוָה דִּילָהּ, בְּהַאי יוֹ״ד). This Yod is in the male (אִיהוּ יוֹ״ד דָּא בִּדְכוּרָא אִיהִי), and not in the female (וְלָא בְּנוּקְבָּא). He is Tzaddik [Righteous One] (אִיהוּ צַדִּיק), and she is Tzedek [Righteousness] (וְאִיהִי צֶדֶק). And because of this she is brought near with him (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, אִתְקְרִיבַת בַּהֲדָהּ), and whoever distances himself from this place (וּמַאן דְּרָחִיק לֵיהּ מֵאֲתָר דָּא) is distant from the delight of the World to Come (רָחִיק הוּא מֵעִדּוּנָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

In the male he is Tzaddik (בִּדְכוּרָא אִיהוּ צַדִּיק), and she is Tzedek without Yod (וְאִיהִי צֶדֶק בְּלָא יוֹ״ד). He is man (אִיהוּ אִישׁ), and she is woman without Yod (וְאִיהִי אִשָּׁה בְּלָא יוֹ״ד). And because of this her joy - Some say: her repentance - is to draw near with him and to delight with him (וּבְגִין כָּךְ חֶדְוָה [נ״א: תְּיוּבְתָּא] דִּילָהּ, לְאִתְקָרְבָא בָּהּ, וּלְאִתְעַדְּנָא בַּהֲדָהּ). Whoever is distant from this delight is distant from the delight above (מַאן דְּרָחִיק עִדּוּנָא דָּא, יְרַחֲקוּן לֵיהּ מֵעִדּוּנָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And about this it is written: “For those who honor Me I will honor” (I Samuel 2) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, כִּי מְכַבְּדַי אֲכַבֵּד וְגוֹ׳).

Come and see, Pinchas stood before the harsh judgment of Yitzḥak and closed the breach (תָּא חֲזֵי, פִּנְחָס קָאִים קָמֵי דִּינָא תַּקִּיפָא דְּיִצְחָק, וְסָתִים פִּרְצָה). Because of this the mystery of Yitzḥak was completed with Pinchas (בְּגִין כַּךְ אַשְׁלִים לְגַבֵּי פִּנְחָס רָזָא דְּיִצְחָק). He stood in the breach, as it is written: “Then Pinchas stood and prayed” (Psalms 106) (קָם קַמֵּי פִּרְצָה דִּכְתִיב, וַיַּעֲמוֹד פִּנְחָס וַיְפַלֵּל). He stood in the breach before the judgment of Yitzḥak, to protect Yisrael (קָם בְּפִּרְצָה קַמֵּי דִּינָא דְּיִצְחָק, בְּגִין לְאַגָּנָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).p1-20 And because of this, this is included with that in the calculation (וְעַל דָּא כָּלִיל דָּא בְּדָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא). And if you say: This calculation depends only on her eyes, and here the calculation is above in Yitzḥak (וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא חוּשְׁבָּנָא לָא תַּלְיָיא אֶלָּא בְּעַיְינִין דִּילָהּ, וְהָכָא חוּשְׁבָּנָא לְעֵילָּא בְּיִצְחָק). Surely it is so, because Yitzḥak depends and is applied - Some say: extended - in that place which is the eyes (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, בְּגִין דְּיִצְחָק תַּלְיָא וְאִשְׁתַּמְּשָׁא [ס״א: וְאִתְמַשֵּׁךְ] בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִינּוּן עַיְינִין). There the judgments of all the world are judged (דְּתַמָּן דַּיְינִין דִּינִין דְּכָל עָלְמָא). For her eyes are seventy thrones, the place of the judgments of the world, and they are called Sanhedrin (דְּהָא עַיְינִין דִּילָהּ, אִינּוּן שִׁבְעִין קַתֶדְרָאִין, אֲתָר דְּדִינִין דְּעָלְמָא, וְאִקְרוּן סַנְהֶדְרִין). And because of this, all is one, for Yitzḥak and they go together as one, and all is right (וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא חַד, בְּגִין דְּיִצְחָק וְאִינּוּן כַּחֲדָא אַזְלִין, וְכֹלָּא שַׁפִּיר).