Daf 239a (דַּף רל״ט ע״א)

Rather, Kudsha Berikh Hu created him, each and every one, in His image (אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרָא לֵיהּ [כָּל חַד וְחַד] בְּדִיוּקְנֵיהּ). This is the holy Malkhut, which is the form of all (דָּא מַלְכוּת קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִיהִי תְּמוּנַת כֹּל). In her Kudsha Berikh Hu looked and created the world (דְּבָהּ אִסְתַּכַּל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבָרָא עָלְמָא). And every creature that He created in the world He included in her (וְכָל בִּרְיָין דְּבָרָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְכָלַל בָּהּ). Supernal and lower, without any separation at all (עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, בְּלָא פִּרוּדָא כְּלָל). And He included in her the ten Sefirot (וְכָלַל בָּהּ עֶשֶׂר סְפִירָן). And all the Names, and appellations, and existences (וְכָל שְׁמָהָן וְכִנּוּיִין וְהַוָיָּין). And the Cause above all, Who is Master over all (וְעִלַּת עַל כֹּלָּא, דְּאִיהוּ אֲדוֹן עַל כֹּלָּא). And there is no God beside Him (וְלֵית אֱלָהָא בַּר מִנֵּיהּ). And nothing is found, supernal or lower, less than her (וְלָא יִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין פָּחוּת מִינָּהּ). Because she is the bond of all, the completeness of all (בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי קֶשֶׁר דְּכֻלְּהוּ, שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֻלְּהוּ). To establish in her: “And His kingdom rules over all” (Psalms 103) (לְקַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ, וּמַלְכוּתוֹ בַּכֹּל מָשָׁלָה). And because the Cause above all is not found, supernal or lower, less than her, not even in one of them, she is called the Faith of Yisrael (וּבְגִין דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח עִלַּת עַל כֹּלָּא בְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין פָּחוּת מִנָּהּ, אֲפִילּוּ בְּחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ, אִתְקְרִיאַת אֱמוּנַת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And from the side of the Cause above all, it is said of her: “For you saw no manner of form” (Deuteronomy 4) (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּעִלַּת עַל כֹּלָּא, אִתְּמַר בָּהּ, כִּי לֹא רְאִיתֶם כָּל תְּמוּנָה). But from the side of the rest of creation, it is said of her: “And the form of Hashem shall he behold” (Numbers 12) (אֲבָל מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׁאַר בִּרְיָין, אִתְּמַר בָּהּ, וּתְמוּנַת יְיָ יַבִּיט).

The Holy Luminary came, and the rest of the friends, and bowed before him (אָתָא בּוּצִּינָא קַדִּישָׁא וּשְׁאַר חַבְרַיָּיא, וְאִשְׁתְּטָחוּ קַמֵּיהּ). And they said: Surely now there is none who can take from him his portion, for no one in the world gave him a portion, but the Creator of Worlds, the Cause above all (וְאָמְרוּ, וַדַּאי כְּעַן לֵית מַאן דְּיָכִיל לְמֵיטַל מִנֵּיהּ חוּלָקֵיהּ, דְּלָא יָהִיב בֵּיהּ חוּלָקָא חַד בְּעָלְמָא, אֶלָּא בּוֹרֵא עָלְמִין, עִלַּת עַל כֹּלָּא). And in Him depends his punishment or his reward, and not in angel or seraph, nor in any creature of the world (וּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא עָנְשֵׁיהּ, אוֹ אַגְרֵיהּ, וְלָא בְּמַלְאָךְ וְשָׂרָף, וְלָא בְּשׁוּם בִּרְיָה דְּעָלְמָא). And because of this the Sages of the Mishnah established: He who joins the Name of Heaven with another thing is uprooted from the world (וּבְגִין דָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן דְּמַתְנִיתִין, הַמְּשַׁתֵּף שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם וְדָבָר אַחֵר, נֶעֱקַר מִן הָעוֹלָם).

Immediately when they heard these words that Rabbi Shimon, the Holy Luminary, said-one with Ra‘aya Meheimna (מִיַּד דְּשָׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בּוּצִּינָא קַדִּישָׁא חֲדָא רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא) - Some say: Ra‘aya Meheimna said to the Holy Luminary one thing (ס״א: דַּאֲמַר רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא בּוּצִּינָא קַדִּישָׁא חֲדָא). And all the friends blessed him, and said: Ra‘aya Meheimna, if a man had not come into the world except to hear this, it would have been enough (וְכָל חַבְרַיָּיא בָּרִיכוּ לֵיהּ, וְאָמְרוּ, רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא, אִי לָא הֲוָה אָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ בְּעָלְמָא אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע דָּא, דַּיֵּי).

Happy is he who strives in the last exile (זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ, מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּגָלוּתָא בַּתְרָאָה), to know the Shekhinta (לְמִנְדַּע לִשְׁכִינְתָּא), to honor her with all commandments (לְאוֹקִיר לָהּ בְּכָל פִּקוּדִין), and to endure for her many afflictions (וּלְמִסְבַּל בְּגִינָהּ כַּמָּה דוֹחֲקִין). As it is said: “The reward of the bride is hardship” (Berakhot 6b) (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר, אַגְרָא דְּכַלָּה דּוֹחֲקָא). “And he lay down in that place” (Bereshit 28) (וַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא), if the twenty-two letters of the Torah-she lay with him (אִם יֵשׁ כ״ב אוֹתִיּוֹת דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִיהִי שְׁכִיבַת עִמֵּיהּ).

What is Yesh [substance] (מַאן יִ״שׁ)? “Wisdom from Ein [nothingness]” (חָכְמָה מֵאַיִן). For where the supernal Shekhinta is found (דִּבְאֲתָר דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה תַּמָּן), wisdom is found there (חָכְמָה תַּמָּן). And concerning her it is said (וּבְגִינָהּ אִתְּמַר): “That I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance” (לְהַנְחִיל אוֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ) (Proverbs 8). And this is (וְהַיְינוּ): “And showing loving-kindness to thousands, to those who love Me” (וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לַאֲלָפִים לְאוֹהֲבָי) (Exodus 20), from the side of the love of loving-kindness (מִסִּטְרָא דְּאַהֲבַת חֶסֶד).

And Yesh [substance], which is wisdom, is on the right (וְיֵשׁ דְּאִיהִי חָכְמָה לִימִינָא), as they have established (דְּהָכִי אוּקְמוּהָ): “He who wishes to become wise should turn south” (הָרוֹצֶּה לְהַחְכִּים יַדְרִים) (Bava Batra 25b). And because of this (וּבְגִין דָּא): “That I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance” (לְהַנְחִיל אוֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ) (Proverbs 8).

Come and see in hidden mysteries (תָּא חֲזֵי בְּרָזִין סְתִימִין), in the measures of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּמִדּוֹת דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). That measure in which they strive and mention, about it it is said: “With the measure that a man measures, they measure to him” (Sotah 8b) (הַהִיא מִדָּה דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלִין בָּהּ, וְדַכְרִין בָּהּ, עָלָהּ אִתְּמַר, בַּמִּדָּה שֶׁאָדָם מוֹדֵד בָּהּ מוֹדְדִין לוֹ). And there are seventy faces to the Torah (וְשִׁבְעִין אַנְפִּין לְאוֹרַיְיתָא). And this is: “In every place where I cause My Name to be remembered”-it should have been written: “you shall cause My Name to be remembered.” But in that measure in which I cause My Name to be remembered, in that measure I will come to you and bless you (Exodus 20) (וְהַאי אִיהוּ, בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי, תַּזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא בְּהַהִיא מִדָּה דְּאַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי, בְּהַהִיא מִדָּה אָבֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ). Until here, Ra‘ya Meheimna (ע״כ רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא).

“According to the mouth of the lot, his inheritance shall be divided” (עַל פִּי הַגּוֹרָל תֵּחָלֵק נַחֲלָתוֹ), “between many and few” (בֵּין רַב לִמְעָט) (Numbers 26). Rabbi Yehuda opened and said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “I knew that whatever HaElohim does, it shall be forever; upon it none may add, and from it none may diminish” (יָדַעְתִּי כִּי כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הָאֱלֹהִים הוּא יִהְיֶה לְעוֹלָם, עָלָיו אֵין לְהוֹסִיף וּמִמֶּנּוּ אֵין לִגְרוֹעַ וְגו׳) (Ecclesiastes 3). King Shlomo, whose wisdom was greater than all the people of the world (שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, דְּחָכְמָתֵיהּ יַתִּיר עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא), did he not know that “whatever HaElohim does, it shall be forever” (לָא יְדַעְנָא כִּי כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הָאֱלֹהִים הוּא יִהְיֶה לְעוֹלָם)? And yet he said: “I knew”-that which no other human being knew (וְאִיהוּ אָמַר יָדַעְתִּי, מַה דְּלָא יָדַע בַּר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא).

Rather, certainly King Shlomo, his wisdom ascended above all the people of the world (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא חָכְמָתֵיהּ סַלְּקָא עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא), and what he knew, all the other people of the world did not know (וּמַה דְּאִיהוּ יָדַע לָא יַדְעֵי כָּל שְׁאַר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): the other artisans of the world (שְׁאַר אוּמָנֵי דְּעָלְמָא), when one performs a work (כַּד אִיהוּ עָבִיד עֲבִידְתָא), he inspects it (אַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ), and contemplates it once and twice (וְאִסְתָּכַּל זִמְנָא וּתְרֵין זִמְנִין), and performs it (וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ), and afterward adds to it (וּלְבָתַר אוֹסִיף עָלֵיהּ), or subtracts from it (אוֹ גָּרַע מִנֵּיהּ). But Kudsha Berikh Hu is not so (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָאו הָכִי): He brings forth a work in its truth from Tohu (אַפִּיק עֲבִידְתָּא לַאֲמִּתוֹ מִתֹּהוּ), which has no substance at all (דְּלֵית בָּהּ מַמָּשׁוּת כְּלָל), and He truly establishes it as it ought to be (וְאִיהוּ מַמָּשׁ אִתְתְּקַּן כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת), and it needs neither addition nor subtraction (וְלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאוֹסָפָא וּלְאַגְרְעָא מִנֵּיהּ).

Therefore it is written (בְּגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב): “And Elohim saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד) (Bereshit 1). Furthermore, “whatever HaElohim does” (תּוּ כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה הָאֱלֹהִים), for the Tikkun of the world (לְתִקּוּנָא דְּעָלְמָא), surely it shall be forever (וַדַּאי הוּא יִהְיֶה לְעוֹלָם). Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): If so, what is the meaning of “and HaElohim has done it so that they shall fear before Him”? (אִי הָכִי מַהוּ וְהָאֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה שֶׁיִּירְאוּ מִלְּפָנָיו). Rather, this verse we learn in this way (אֶלָּא הַאי קְרָא הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא), and it is a supernal secret among the friends (וְהוּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה בֵּין חַבְרָנָא): this verse should have said (הַאי קְרָא הָכִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ), “Whatever HaElohim has done, it shall be forever” (כִּי כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים הוּא יִהְיֶה לְעוֹלָם). What is “whatever HaElohim will do”? (מַהוּ כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה)? For behold, it is written: “That which was already is, and that which is to be, already was” (וְהָא כְּתִיב מַה שֶׁהָיָה כְּבָר הוּא וַאֲשֶׁר לִהְיוֹת כְּבָר הָיָה) (Ecclesiastes 3), and you say: “whatever He will do” (וְאַתְ אַמְרַת כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה)?