Daf 244b (דַּף רמ״ד ע״ב)

And because of this, whoever disgraces bread and throws it upon the ground (וּבְגִין דָּא, מַאן דִּמְזַלְזֵל בְּנַהֲמָא, וְזָרִיק לֵיהּ בְּאַרְעָא), poverty runs after him (עֲנִיּוּתָא רָדִיף אֲבַּתְרֵיהּ). And one appointed being is commanded over this (וְחַד מְמָנָא אִתְפְּקַד עַל דָּא), and he runs after him (וְאִיהוּ רָדִיף אֲבַּתְרֵיהּ), to bring him poverty (לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ עֲנִיּוּתָא), and he will not depart from the world until he needs the creatures (וְלָא יִפּוּק מִן עָלְמָא, עַד דְּיִצְטְרִיךְ לָבִּרְיָין). And about him it is written: “He wanders for bread, saying: Where is it?” (נוֹדֵד הוּא לַלֶּחֶם אַיֵּה) (Job 15). “He wanders” (נוֹדֵד הוּא) - and thus he is tossed about, moving from place to place (וְיֵהַךְ מִטַּלְטֵל, וְגַלֵּי מֵאֲתָר לַאֲתָר). “For bread, where is it?” - this is he (לַלֶּחֶם אַיֵּה הוּא). And there is no one who watches over him (וְלֵית מַאן דְּיַשְׁגַח עָלֵיהּ). This is what is written: “Where is it?” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אַיֵּה). Whoever has mercy upon him, it is so that he not be forgotten (מַאן דִּיְרַחֵם עָלֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁכַּח).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

And in the first connection, Ra‘aya Meheimna said (וּבְחִבּוּרָא קַדְמָאָה אָמַר רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא): Whoever disgraces crumbs of bread and throws them in a place where it is not fitting (מַאן דִּמְזַלְזִל בְּפִרוּרִין דְּנַהֲמָא, וְזָרִיק לוֹן בַּאֲתָר דְּלָא אִצְּטְרִיךְ). How much more so, whoever disgraces crumbs of the brain, which are drops of seed (הַאי כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַאן דִּמְזַלְזֵל בְּפִירוּרִין דְּמוֹחָא, דְּאִינּוּן טִפִּין דְּזֶרַע), and throws them on the earth, about which it is said: “For all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth” (דְּזָרִיק לוֹן בְּאַרְעָא, דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ) (Bereshit 6). Or who throws them in a niddah (אוֹ דְּזָרִיק לוֹן בְּנִדָּה), or in a daughter of a foreign god (אוֹ בְּבַת אֵל נֵכָר), or in a maidservant or in a harlot (אוֹ בְּשִׁפְחָה אוֹ בְּזוֹנָה). And how much more, how much more, whoever disgraces crumbs of the bread of Orayta (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן מַאן דִּמְזַלְזֵל בְּפִירוּרִין דְּנַהֲמָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), which are the crownlets of the letters and the tagin of the letters (דְּאִינּוּן קוֹצֵּי אַתְוָון, וְתָגֵי אַתְוָון), about which it is said: “Whoever makes use of the crown passes away” (דְּאִתְּמַר עָלַיְיהוּ כָּל הַמִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּתָגָא חֳלָף). How much more so, whoever delivers the secrets of Orayta, and the mysteries of Kabbalah, and the mysteries of Ma‘aseh Bereshit, or the mysteries of the letters of the Explicit Name (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַאן דְּמָסַר רָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְסִתְרֵי קַבָּלָה, וְסִתְרֵי מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, אוֹ סִתְרֵי אַתְוָון דִּשְׁמָא מְפֹרָשׁ), to men who are not worthy (לַאֲנָשִׁים דְּלָאו אִינּוּן הֲגוּנִים), over whom the evil inclination rules, the harlot woman (דְּשָׁלִיט עָלַיְיהוּ יֵצֶּר הָרָע, אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה). About her it is said: “For by means of a harlot one is brought to a loaf of bread” (דְּאִתְּמַר עָלָהּ, כִּי בְּעַד אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה עַד כִּכַּר לָחֶם) (Proverbs 6). And there is no bread except the twenty-two letters of Orayta (וְלֵית לֶחֶם אֶלָּא כ״ב אַתְוָון דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And there is no loaf except even one halakhah (וְלֵית כִּכָּר, אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ הֲלָכָה אַחַת). (And furthermore, Ra‘aya Meheimna – וְעוֹד רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא).

And in the earlier connection, the secret was not revealed in these crumbs, but only in the way of peshat, and no measure was given upon them (וּבְחִבּוּרָא קַדְמָאָה, לָא גַּלֵּי רָזָא בְּאִלֵּין פִּרוּרִין, אֶלָּא בְּאֹרַח פְּשָׁט, וְלָא יָהִיב בְּהוֹן שִׁיעוּרָא). But the masters of the Mishnah established (אֲבָל אוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין): the measure of crumbs is at least the size of an olive (דְּשִׁיעוּרָא דְּפִירוּרִין כַּזַּיִת לְפָחוֹת), how much more if they are the size of an egg (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִי אִינּוּן כַּבֵּיצָּה). For the masters of the Mishnah were exacting upon them (דְּמָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין דִּקְדְּקוּ עָלַיְיהוּ), that from an olive’s measure up to an egg’s measure, one must bless upon them (עַד כַּזַּיִת עַד כַּבֵּיצָּה לְבָרְכָא עָלַיְיהוּ).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

And in the way of secret: Ach is nine crumbs, three to each side (וְאֹרַח רָזָא, א״ח הוּא ט׳ פִּרוּרִין, שָׁלֹשׁ לְכָל סְטָר), three from four – twelve (תְּלַת מִן ד׳, תְּרֵין עֲשַׂר). The fourth is completion, to complete in it ten (רְבִיעִית אִיהוּ שְׁלִימוּ, לְאַשְׁלְמָא בֵּיהּ עֶשֶׂר). And to complete four, which are YHVH (וּלְאַשְׁלְמָא ד׳, דְּאִינּוּן יְהוָ״ה). What is ten? They are Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh (מַאי עֶשֶׂר. אִינּוּן: יוֹ״ד הֵ״א וָא״ו הֵ״א). The thorn of the letter Dalet is from Echad, its measure is like an olive (קוֹצָּא דְּאָת ד׳ מִן אֶחָד, שִׁיעוּרָא כַּזַּיִת). Yod from YHVH, its measure is like an egg (י׳ מִן יְהוָ״ה, שִׁיעוּרָא דִּילֵיהּ כַּבֵּיצָּה). She is the Dalet, the completion of the Merkava of Adam, and the completion of the four faces of Adam (אִיהִי ד׳, שְׁלִימוּ דְּמֶרְכַּבְתָּא דְּאָדָם, וּשְׁלִימוּ דְּאַרְבַּע אַנְפִּין דְּאָדָם). And because of this: “May YHVH lift up His face to you” (וּבְגִין דָּא, יִשָּׂא יְהוָ״ה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ) (Numbers 6). And the masters of the Mishnah established: And behold it is written, “Who does not lift up faces” (וְאוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, וְהָכְתִיב אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשָּׂא פָנִים) (Deuteronomy 10). Rather, the Holy One Blessed be He said: Did I not say to them, “And you shall eat and be satisfied”? (אֶלָּא אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְלֹא אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ) (Deuteronomy 11). And they were exacting upon themselves until the measure of an olive or the measure of an egg (וְהֵם דִּקְדְּקוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, עַד כַּזַּיִת אוֹ עַד כַּבֵּיצָּה). And how could I not lift up My face to them? (וְאֵיךְ לֹא אֶשָּׂא לָהֶם פָּנִים). And the Sages of the Mishnah and the Amora’in, all their Talmud, they ordered it upon the secrets of Orayta (וְרַבָּנָן דְּמַתְנִיתִין וַאֲמוֹרָאִין, כָּל תַּלְמוּדָא דִּלְהוֹן, עַל רָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא סִדְּרוּ לֵיהּ).

Ra‘aya Meheimna arose, and raised his hands before Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta (קָם רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, וְסָלִיק יְדוֹי קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ), and said thus: Kudsha Berikh Hu, may it be Your will (וְאָמַר הָכִי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְהֵא רַעֲוָא דִּילָךְ), to give them perfect sustenance (לְמֵיהַב לוֹן מְזוֹנָא שְׁלֵימָתָא), to prepare it for You, and for Matronita the supernal, the World to Come (לְתַקְּנָא לְגַבָּךְ, וּלְגַבֵּי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא עִלָּאָה עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), of whom it is said: “For the kingdom is YHVH’s, and He rules over the nations” (דְּאִתְּמַר עָלָהּ, כִּי לַיְהוָ״ה הַמְּלוּכָה וּמוֹשֵׁל בַּגּוֹיִם) (Psalms 22). And for the second Matronita, of whom it is said the second time: “And the kingdom shall be YHVH’s” (וּלְגַבֵּי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא תִּנְיָינָא, דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ זִמְנָא תִּנְיָינָא, וְהָיְתָה לַיְהוָ״ה הַמְּלוּכָה) (Obadiah 1). To prepare a perfect table, of all delights and of all foods (לְתַקְּנָא פָּתוֹרָא שְׁלֵימָתָא, מִכָל עִדּוּנִין, וּמִכָּל מַאֲכָלִין). And I invite with You all the masters of the Mishnah, and the masters of Mikra, and the masters of Talmud (וַאֲנָא מְזַמֵּן עִמָךְ, לְכָל מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, וּלְמָארֵי מִקְרָא, וּלְמָארֵי תַּלְמוּד), and how much more so the masters of the secrets of Torah that are Yours (וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְמָארֵי סִתְרֵי תּוֹרָה דִּילָךְ), Your bride, Your holy Matronita, supernal and lower (כַּלָּה דִּילָךְ, מַטְרוֹנִיתָא קַדִישָׁא דִּילָךְ, עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה), and all is in the domain of the Cause of all causes (וְכֹלָּא בִּרְשׁוּת דְּעִלַּת כָּל עִלָּאִין), the Master of masters, King over all the kings above and below (אֲדוֹן כָּל הַאֲדוֹנִים, מֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הַמְּלָכִים דְּעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא), who is One without a second (דְּאִיהוּ יָחִיד בְּלָא תִּנְיָינָא), and there is no letter or point that joins with Him (וְלֵית אָת וּנְקוּדָה דְּמִשְׁתַּתֵּף בַּהֲדֵיהּ), and no change of colors as in man (וְלָא שִׁנּוּי גַּוְונִין דְּאֶינָשָׁא). He is the Master of all the keys of the secrets of the existences, and the Names and the designations (דְּאִיהוּ מָארֵי כָּל מַפְתְחָאן, דְּרָזִין דְּהַוָויות, וּשְׁמָהָן וְכִנּוּיִין), and all the hidden secrets of Chokhmah (וְכָל רָזִין גְּנִיזִין דְּחָכְמְתָא). May You open them all for the honor that is Yours, the Cause above all causes (דְּתִפְתַּח לוֹן כֻּלְּהוּ לִיקָרָא דִּילָךְ, עִלַּת עַל כָּל עִלּוֹת). I entreat before You, that You open for them the honor that is Yours (אֲנָא מִתְחַנֵּן קֳדָמָךְ, דְּתִפְתַּח לוֹן לִיקָרָא דִּילָךְ). For the honor that is Yours is from my Father and Mother above in heaven, and the Father of all Yisrael and their Mother (דִּיְקָרָא דִּילָךְ אִיהוּ מֵאָבִי וְאִמִּי דִּשְׁמַיָּא, וְאָב דְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵם דִּלְהוֹן). Of her it is said: “And do not forsake the Torah of your mother” (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ, וְאַל תִּטוֹשׁ תּוֹרַת אִמֶּךָ) (Proverbs 1). And with You there is no partner mother in the world (וְעִמָּךְ לֵית שׁוּתָּפוּ דְּאֵם בְּעָלְמָא).

It arose a second time, and the masters of the Mishnah said (קָם זִמְנָא תִּנְיָינָא, וְאָמַר מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין): Your Neshamot, and your Ruchin, and your Nefashin-awaken now all of you (נִשְׁמָתִין וְרוּחִין וְנַפְשִׁין דִּלְכוֹן, אַתְעֲרוּ כְּעַן כּוּלְהוּ), and remove sleep from you (וְאַעְבָּרוּ שֵׁינָתָא מִנְּכוֹן), for it is indeed Mishnah, the way of peshat of this world (דְּאִיהִי וַדַּאי מִשְׁנָה, אֹרַח פְּשָׁט דְּהַאי עָלְמָא). For I did not awaken you except with supernal secrets of the World to Come (דַּאֲנָא לָא אַתְעַרְנָא בָּכוּ, אֶלָּא בְּרָזִין עִלָּאִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), in which you are, “Behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps” (דְּאַתּוּן בְּהוֹן הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן) (Psalms 121). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): Behold, the masters of the Mishnah established: the host breaks bread and the guest blesses (הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, בַּעַל הַבַּיִת בּוֹצֵּעַ וְאֹרֵחַ מְבָרֵךְ). And further they established: one must be precise in the Heh of “haMotzi” (וְעוֹד אוֹקְמוּהָ, צָּרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק בְּה׳ מִן הַמּוֹצִּיא). And the two Hehs are corresponding to the Two Loaves, the two Shabbat loaves (וּתְרֵין הֵהִין אִינּוּן, לָקֳבֵל שְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם. שְׁתֵּי כִּכָּרוֹת דְּשַׁבָּת). Yod is an egg-measure for each and every one (י', אִיהִי כַּבֵּיצָּה לְכָל חַד וְחַד). And who is the host who breaks? This is the Vav (וּמַאן אִיהוּ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת דְּבוֹצֵּעַ. דָּא ו׳).

Meanwhile, behold the Old man came down toward him and said (אַדְּהָכִי, הָא סָבָא דְּסָבִין קָא נָחִית לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאָמַר): Ra‘aya Meheimna, reconsider yourself (רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא חֲזוֹר בָּךְ). For the bread is Vav; His two loaves-as you said-are the Heh, Heh (דְּהָא לֶחֶם אִיהוּ ו׳, שְׁתֵּי כִּכָּרוֹת דִּילֵיהּ, כְּמָה דְּאַמְרַת אִינּוּן ה׳ ה׳). Indeed, Vav is corresponding to Ya'akov (וַדַּאי ו׳ אִיהוּ לָקֳבֵל יַעֲקֹב). The two Hehs correspond to Leah and Rachel (ה׳ ה׳ לָקֳבֵל לֵאָה וְרָחֵל). Yod-an egg-measure for each (י', כַּבֵּיצָּה לְכָל חַד). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Saba, Saba, behold in many places they established that Ya'akov is the host and Yosef is the guest (סָבָא סָבָא, וְהָא בְּכַמָּה אַתְרִין אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּיַעֲקֹב אִיהוּ בַּעַל הַבַיִת, וְיוֹסֵף אוֹרֵחַ), whose grade is Yesod, life of the worlds, inclusive of the eighteen blessings of prayer (דְּדַרְגֵיהּ יְסוֹד חַי עָלְמִין, כָּלִיל ח״י בִּרְכָאן דִּצְּלוֹתָא). And because of this they established about him: “Blessings are upon the head of the Tzaddik” (וּבְגִין דָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ עָלֵיהּ, בְּרָכוֹת לְרֹאשׁ צַּדִּיק) (Proverbs 10). He said to him: So it is, and all is truth (אָמַר לֵיהּ הָכִי הוּא, וְכֹלָּא קְשׁוֹט). Every secret in its place-what I have said, and what you have said (כָל רָזָא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, מַה דַּאֲנָא אֲמָרִית, וּמַה דְּאַתְּ אַמָרְת). But that one who divides the bread-who is he? (אֲבָל הַהוּא דְּפָלִיג נָהֲמָא מַאן הוּא).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Old man, you are in His likeness-and this is Yod–Heh–Vav–Heh-and this is Adam of the supernal Merkava, whose faces are YHVH (סָבָא אַנְתְּ בְּדִיוּקְנֵיהּ, וְדָא יו״ד הֵ״א וָא״ו הֵ״א, וְדָא אָדָם דְּמֶרְכַּבְתָּא עִלָּאָה, דְּאַנְפִּין דִּילֵיהּ יְהוָֹה). And because of this, Vav is bread-which are the Heh, Heh (וּבְגִין דָּא, ו׳ לֶחֶם, דְּאִינּוּן ה׳ ה׳). And the measures which they established-olive and egg-behold it has been said: with which Name do we measure? (וְשִׁיעוּרָא דְּאוּקְמוּהָ כַּזַּיִת וְכַבֵּיצָּה, הָא אִתְּמַר כַּזַּיִת בְּאָן שְׁמָא מְשַׁעֲרִין), for the Sages established that “we do not perform commandments in bundles”; even so, we do not give two measures in the letter Yod to be both an olive and an egg (דְּהָא אוּקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן דְּאֵין עוֹשִׂין מִצְּוֹת חֲבִילוֹת, אוּף הָכִי, לָא יַהֲבֵינָן תְּרֵין שִׁיעוּרִין בְּאָת י', לְמֶהֱוִי כַּזַּיִת וְכַבֵּיצָּה). Rather, there are two alef-bets: there is an upper Yod, and there is a small Yod (אֶלָּא תְּרֵי אַלְפָא בֵּיתוֹת אִינּוּן, אִית י' עִלָּאָה, וְאִית י' זְעֵירָא), Yod from YHVH-upper; Yod from Adonai-lower (י' מִן יְהוָ״ה, עִלָּאָה. י' מִן אֲדֹנָי, זְעֵירָא). And these two: one is with an olive, and one is with an egg, in the secret of this YAHDVNHY (וְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין, חַד בְּכַזַּיִת, וְחַד בְּכַבֵּיצָּה, בְּרָזָא דָּא יְאֲהדוָֹנָהי). The Old man came and kissed him (אָתָא סָבָא וְנָשִׁיק לֵיהּ).

Meanwhile the Holy Luminary arose, opened and said (אַדְּהָכִי קָם בּוּצִּינָא קַדִישָׁא, פָּתַח וְאָמַר): Surely now they are joined: “What is His Name, and what is His son’s Name” (וַדַּאי כְּעַן מִתְחַבְּרִין, מַה שְּׁמוֹ וּמַה שֶּׁם בְּנוֹ) (Proverbs 30). The friends rejoiced and said (חֲדוּ חַבְרַיָּיא וְאָמְרוּ): Happy is he who merits to eat of this bread, of which it is said (זַכָּאָה הוּא מַאן דְּזָכֵי לְמֵיכַל מֵהַאי נָהֲמָא, דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ): “Come, eat of my bread” (לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְּלַחְמִי) (Proverbs 9). And happy is the Nefesh of which it is said (וְזַכָּאָה נַפְשָׁא, דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “Of the bread of her father she shall eat” (מִלֶּחֶם אָבִיהָ תֹּאכֵל) (Leviticus 22). And it is written: “And no stranger shall eat of it” (וְכָל זָר לֹא יאכַל בּוֹ) (Leviticus 22). For of Kudsha Berikh Hu it is said (דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בֵּיהּ אִתְּמַר): “Is it not one Father for us all?” (הֲלֹא אָב אֶחָד לְכֻלָּנוּ) (Malachi 2). And the Nefesh that engages in Orayta, of the bread of her Father she shall eat (וְנַפְשָׁא דְּאִתְעַסְקַת בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, מִלֶּחֶם אָבִיהָ תֹּאכֵל).