Daf 238b (דַּף רל״ח ע״ב)

And in the first connection: “Therefore say” (Numbers 25) (וּבְחִבּוּרָא קַדְמָאָה. לָכֵן אֱמֹר), in truth upon you, if it is in your will, and if not, say (בְּאוֹמָאָה עֲלָךְ, אִם הוּא בִּרְעוּתָךְ, וְאִי לָאו, אִימָּא). Rabbi Pinchas ben Ya’ir (רִבִּי פִּנְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר). That shadow struck the eyes of Rabbi Abba (הַהוּא טוּלָא בָּטַשׁ בְּעֵינוֹי דְּרִבִּי אַבָּא). And did not Kudsha Berikh Hu know if it was in his will or not (וְכִי לָא הֲוָה יָדַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִי הֲוָה בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ, אִם לָאו)? He said to him: If to Him it is revealed, is it revealed to others (אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִם לֵיהּ גָּלוּי, מִי גָּלוּי לְאַחֲרִינֵי)?

And because of this (וּבְגִין דָּא): “Therefore say” (לָכֵן אֱמוֹר) (Numbers 25). And furthermore, it was said in the first connection (וְתוּ אִתְּמַר בְּחִבּוּרָא קַדְמָאָה): “Mikhtam [inscription] of David” (מִכְתָּם לְדָוִד) (Psalms 60)—a sign which they showed David (סִימָנָא דְּאַחְזִיאוּ לֵיהּ לְדָוִד), when he sent Yoav to Aram-Naharaim and to Aram-Tzovah (כַּד שָׁדַר לְיוֹאָב לַאֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם וּלְאֲרָם צוֹבָה), to wage war against them (לְאַגָחָא בְּהוּ קְרָבָא).

Ra‘aya Meheimna said (אָמַר רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא): “Shoshan Edut [Lily of Testimony] (שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת)—this is the testimony of the Shekhinta (דָּא סַהֲדוּתָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), which is Shoshan Edut [Lily of Testimony] (דְּאִיהוּ שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת). For it is the testimony that stands over us (דְּאִיהִי סַהֲדוּתָא דְּקַיְּימָא עֲלָן), and bears witness concerning us before the King (וְסָהִידַת עֲלָן קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא), while supernal holy degrees are with her (וְדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין בַּהֲדָהּ), and holy assistance is for praise (וְסִיַּיעְתָּא קַדִישָׁא לְתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא).

Ra‘aya Meheimna said: Shoshan Edut, these are witnesses over Yisrael, who are the limbs, and she is the soul upon them (אָמַר רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא, שׁוּשַׁן עֵדוּת דְּאִינּוּן סָהֲדִין עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִינּוּן אֵבָרִים, וְאִיהִי נִשְׁמְתָא עָלַיְיהוּ). She is the heavenly assistance, as it is said of her: “And You shall hear in heaven” (1 Kings 8) (אִיהוּ סִיַּיעְתָּא דִּשְׁמַיָּא. דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ, וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם). She is the holy assistance, and from her depends that which is said: “One who assists you” (אִיהִי סִיַּעְתָּא קַדִישְׁתָא, [וּמִנָּהּ תַּלְיָא] דְּאִתְּמַר עָלָהּ תַּנְיָא דִּמְסַיֵּיעַ לָךְ). “Eitan is your dwelling, and set your nest in the rock” (Numbers 24) (אֵיתָן מוֹשָׁבֶךָ וְשִׂים בַּסֶּלַע קִנֶּךָ). Eitan, this is the Tanna (אֵיתָ״ן: תַּנָּ״א). There is the nest of the supernal eagle, which is the Shekhinta (תַּמָּן קִנָּא דְּנִשְׁרָא עִלָּאָה, וְאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא). And about her it is said: “As an eagle awakens its nest, hovers over its young” (Deuteronomy 32) (וְעָלָהּ אִתְּמַר, כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ עַל גּוֹזָלָיו יְרַחֵף). These are those who study halakhot and mishnayot (דְּאִינּוּן שׁוֹנֵי הֲלָכוֹת וּמִשְׁנָיוֹת). And every word and word that goes forth from the mouth of that Tanna (וְכָל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר דְּנָפִיק מִפּוּמוֹי דְּהַהוּא תַּנָּ״א), which he utters, whether concerning the Name of Yod–Heh–Vav–Heh (דְּאַפִּיק בֵּין לִשְׁמָא דִּידוָֹ״ד), whether in Orayta (בֵּין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), whether in prayer (בֵּין בִּצְלוֹתָא), whether in a blessing (בֵּין בִּבְרָכָה), or whether in every commandment and commandment (בֵּין בְּכָל פִּקּוּדָא וּפִקּוּדָא)—what is written concerning it (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ)? “He shall spread His wings” (יִפְרוֹשׂ כְּנָפָיו) (Deuteronomy 32).

That eagle is speech, in which is YHVH (הַהוּא נִשְׁרָא דְּהוּא דִּבּוּר, דְּבֵיהּ יְהוָֹ״ה). “He will take him, He will bear him on His pinion”-what is “on His pinion”? On that limb of man-Some say: on that eagle-in which the commandment of YHVH is, called the limb of the Shekhinta (יִקָּחֵהוּ יִשָּׂאֵהוּ עַל אֶבְרָתוֹ, מַאי עַל אֶבְרָתוֹ. עַל הַהוּא אֵבֶר דְּבַר נָשׁ [ס״א עַל הַהוּא נִשְׁרָא], דְּבֵיהּ מִצְוָה יְדוָֹ״ד, אִתְקְרֵי אֵבֶר דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). And because of this: “He will bear him on His pinion” (וּבְגִין דָּא יִשָּׂאֵהוּ עַל אֶבְרָתוֹ). “He will bear him”-like “Hashem lift His face to you” (Numbers 6) (יִשָּׂאֵהוּ: כְּגוֹן, יִשָּׂא יְדוָֹ״ד פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ). And what is “and set your nest in the rock” (וּמַאי וְשִׂים בַּסֶּלַע קִנֶּךָ)? Rather, David said about it: “Hashem is my rock and my fortress” (2 Samuel 22) (אֶלָּא אָמַר דָּוִד עָלֵיהּ, יְיָ סַלְעִי וּמְצּוּדָתִי).

So too, a Tanna in whom there is a halakhah strong as a rock (אוּף הָכִי תָּנָא, דְּאִיהוּ בֵּיהּ הֲלָכָה תַּקִּיפָא כַּסֶּלַע), which no hammer can shatter with all the questions of the world (דְּלֵית פַּטִישׁ יָכִיל לְפַצְּצָּא יָתָהּ בְּכָל קוּשְׁיָין דְּעָלְמָא). In this the eagle nests (בְּהַאי אִיהוּ מְקַנְּנָא נִשְׁרָא), and all the Tannaim are called her nests (וְכָל תַּנָּאִים אִתְקְרִיאוּ קִנִּים דִּילָהּ). And because of this (וְבְגִין דָּא): “If a bird’s nest chance before you” (כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן צִּפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ), “on the way, by chance” (בְּאֹרַח מִקְרֶה) (Deuteronomy 22)—at one time, like a guest and a lodger (זִמְנָא חֲדָא כְּאוּשְׁפִּיזָא וְאַכְסְנַאי), who happens to be in the house of his hosts according to the time (דְּאִזְדְּמַן לְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא בְּבֵי אוֹשְׁפִּיזֵיה).

And there are those whose Mishnah is a dwelling for the Shekhinta (וְאִית דְּאִינּוּן בְּמַתְנִיתָא דִּלְהוֹן דִּירָה לִשְׁכִינְתָּא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And the children of Yisrael shall keep the Shabbat, etc.” (וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת וְגוֹ׳), “for their generations” (לְדוֹרוֹתָם) (Exodus 31). Le-dorotam [for their generations] is written defectively (לְדֹרֹתָם חָסֵר), an expression of dwelling (לָשׁוֹן דִּירָה). And there are masters of Mishnah whose Torah is their craft (וְאִית מָארֵי מִשְׁנָה דְּתוֹרָתָם אוּמָנוּתָם), from whom the Shekhinta does not depart all their days (דְּלָא זָזַת שְׁכִינְתָּא מִנְּהוֹן כָּל יוֹמֵיהוֹן).

But these (וֲאֲבָל אִלֵּין): “If a bird’s nest chance before you” (כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן צִּפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ)—with them the Shekhinta is by chance (בְּהוֹן שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּאֹרַח מִקְרֶה). Sometimes She rests upon them and is found with them (זִמְנִין שַׁרְיָיא עָלַיְיהוּ וְאִשְׁתְּכָחַת עִמְּהוֹן), and sometimes She is not found with them (וְזִמְנִין לָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת עִמְּהוֹן). And the mystery of the matter is this (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה): sometimes, when She is found with them (זִמְנִין דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחַת עִמְּהוֹן), “you shall not take the mother” (לֹא תִּקַח הָאֵם) (Deuteronomy 22). And sometimes, when She is not found with them (וְזִמְנִין דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת עִמְּהוֹן), “you shall surely send away the mother” (שַׁלֵּח תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם) (Deuteronomy 22).

“Young” are masters of Mishnah (אֶפְרוֹחִים אִלֵּין מָארֵי מִשְׁנָה). Or “eggs,” masters of Scripture-those who do not fix their learning-“you shall surely send away the mother” (אוֹ בֵיצִּים, מָארֵי מִקְרָא, בְּאִלֵּין דְּלָא קַבְעִין לִמּוּדַיְיהוּ, שַׁלֵּח תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם). But in those who fix their learning-“you shall not take the mother upon the children” (וֲאֲבָל בְּאִלֵּין דְּקַבְעִין לִמּוּדַיְיהוּ, לֹא תִקַח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים). And there are masters of halakhot who are like the stars-this is what is written: “And those who make many righteous are as the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12) (וְאִית מָארֵי הֲלָכוֹת, דְּדַמְיָין לְכֹּכָבַיָּא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וּמַצְּדִּיקֵי הָרַבִּים כַּכֹּכָבִים לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד). Not like the stars of which it is said: “And all their host shall wither,” but like those stars of the World to Come that stand forever and ever (Nehemiah 9) (לָאו כַּכֹּכָבִים, דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן, וְכָל צְּבָאָם יִבּוֹל. אֶלָּא כְּאִינּוּן כֹּכָבַיָּא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דְּאִינּוּן לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד קַיְימֵי תָּדִיר).

“And Elohim said: Let us make man” (Bereshit 1) (וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם). After they completed their work, each and every artisan, Kudsha Berikh Hu said to them: I have one craft to perform, that it be a partnership of all of us (בָּתַר דְּאַשְׁלִימוּ לַעֲבִידְתַּיְיהוּ כָּל אוּמָן וְאוּמָן, אָמַר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אוּמָנוּתָא חֲדָא אִית לִי לְמֶעְבַּד, דִּיְהֵא שׁוּתָּפָא דְּכֻלָּנָא). Join together all of you as one, to perform in it each and every one from his portion, and I will join with you, to give to it from My portion (אִתְחַבָּרוּ כֻּלְכוּ כַּחֲדָא, לְמֶעְבַּד בֵּיהּ כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מֵחוּלָקָא דִּילֵיהּ, וַאֲנָא אֶשְׁתְּתַּף עִמְּכוֹן, לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ מֵחוּלָקָא דִּילִי). And this is: “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (וְהַיְינוּ נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ). And the Sages have established that “man” is none but Yisrael-this is what is written: “And you My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are man” (Ezekiel 34) (וְאוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן, דְּלֵית אָדָם אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְאַתֵּן צֹּאנִי צֹּאן מַרְעִיתִי אָדָם אַתֶּם). You are man, and not idolaters (אַתֶּם אָדָם, וְלָא עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). And because of this: “Let Yisrael rejoice in its Makers” (Psalms 149) (וּבְגִין דָּא, יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעוֹשָׂיו).

The Holy Luminary said (אָמַר בּוּצִּינָא קַדִּישָׁא): Surely that Tanna who was hidden in the rock of the serpent said this (וַדַּאי הַהוּא תָּנָא דְּאִתְטְמַר בְּסֶּלַע דְּחִוְיָא אָמַר דָּא). Of him it is written: “Eitan is your dwelling and set your nest in the rock” (Numbers 24) (דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ אֵיתָן מוֹשָׁבֶךָ וְשִׂים בַּסֶּלַע קִנֶּךָ). For the three Patriarchs are called Eitanim (דִּתְלַת אֲבָהָן נִקְרְאוּ אֵיתָנִים). And the fourth: “Eitan your dwelling” (וּרְבִיעָאָה אֵיתָן מוֹשָׁבֶךָ). In it halakhah is settled (דְּבֵיהּ מִתְיַשְּׁבָא הֲלָכָה). Of it is said: “Halakhah to Moshe from Sinai” (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי).

It spread over six hundred thousand of Yisrael (דְּאִיהוּ אִתְפְּשַׁט עַל שִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And shone for them with Torah (וְנָהִיר לוֹן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). Like the sun to the moon (כְּשִׁמְשָׁא [לְסֵיהֲרָא]). Which is hidden at night (דְּאִתְכַּסֵּי בְּלֵילְיָא). And gives light to all stars and constellations (וְנָהִיר לְכָל כּוֹכְבַיָּא וּמַזָּלֵי). And night is exile (וְלֵית לֵילְיָא אֶלָּא גָּלוּתָא). And she is: “Watchman, what of the night, watchman, what of the night” (Isaiah 21) (וְאִיהִי שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִּלַּיְלָה שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִלֵּיל). And she is revealed in the day (וְאִתְגַּלְיָא בִּימָמָא). As it is said: “The morning is light” (Bereshit 44) (דְּאִתְּמַר, הַבֹּקֶר אוֹר). “Morning”-that of Avraham (בֹּקֶר דְּאַבְרָהָם). Of him it is said: “And in the morning you shall see the glory of Hashem” (Exodus 16) (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ, וּבֹקֶר וּרְאִיתֶם אֶת כְּבוֹד יְיָ). And: “As Hashem lives, lie until the morning” (Ruth 3) (חַי יְיָ שִׁכְבִי עַד הַבֹּקֶר). Meanwhile Ra‘aya Meheimna came out from that rock (אַדְּהָכִי, הָא רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא נָפִיק מֵהַהוּא סֶלַע). And said: Holy Luminary, what use is it for me to hide from you (וְאָמַר, בּוּצִּינָא קַדִּישָׁא, מַה מוֹעִיל לִי לְאִתְטַמְּרָא מִקַּמָּךְ)? For there is no place that I did not enter to hide from you and not find you (דְּהָא לָא שְׁבַקְנָא אֲתָר דְּלָא עָאלִית לְאִתְטַמְּרָא מִנָּךְ, וְלָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא). If so, I have no hiding from you (אִי הָכִי לֵית לִי לְאִתְכַּסְיָיא מִנָּךְ).

The Holy Luminary said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ בּוּצִּינָא קַדִּישָׁא): After it is written: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Bereshit 1) (בָּתַר דְּאָמַר, נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ), what is this that is written afterward: “And Elohim created man in His image”? (מַאי נִיהוּ דְּאָמַר לְבָתַר, וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ). He said to him: As the masters of the Mishnah explained, that some of them said: “Let him be created,” and some said: “Let him not be created.” Kudsha Berikh Hu created him, as it is written: “And Elohim created man in His image” (Bereshit 1) (אָמַר לֵיהּ, מַה דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ עַל דָּא מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, דְּמִנְּהוֹן הֲווֹ אַמְרִין יִבָּרֵא, וּמִנְּהוֹן אַמְרִין לָא יִבָּרֵא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרָא לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב, וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ). He said to him: If so, then He gave no portion in him to any of them, and he was not made in their likeness, but in the form of the King, in His image and likeness, which is the form and pattern of His likeness (אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִי הָכִי אִיהוּ, לָא יָהִיב חוּלָקָא בֵּיהּ חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְלָא אִתְעָבִיד בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דִּלְהוֹן, אֶלָּא בְּאִיקוּנִין דְּמַלְכָּא, בְּצַלְמוֹ כִּדְמוּתוֹ, דְּאִיהוּ צֶלֶם דְּמוּת תַּבְנִיתוֹ). He said: Thus it is made known (אָמַר הָכִי אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע). He said: Heaven forbid (אָמַר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). But I say to you, he was created in all, and He gave him dominion over all (אֶלָּא אֲנָא אֲמֵינָא לָךְ, דְּאִתְבְּרֵי בְּכֹלָּא, וְאַשְׁלְטֵיהּ עַל כֹּלָּא). For if each had given in him its portion, when it was angry with him, each would have taken its portion from him-“For what is man to be accounted?” (Isaiah 2) (וְאִי הֲוָה יָהִיב כָּל חַד בֵּיהּ חוּלָקֵיהּ, בְּזִמְנֵיהּ דְּהֲוָה כַּעְסֵיהּ עָלֵיהּ, כָּל חַד, הֲוָה נָטִיל חוּלָקֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ, כִּי בַמֶּה נֶחְשָׁב הוּא).