Daf 248a (דַּף רמ״ח ע״א)

And because of this: “Bring atonement for me” (וּבְגִין דָּא, הָבִיאוּ עָלַי כַּפָּרָה). Upon me was the moon, truly Keter (עָלַי הֲוַת סִיהֲרָא כֶּתֶר וַדַּאי), in this manner. And afterwards she diminished, and descended to His feet, in this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא וּלְבָתַר אִתְמְעִיטַת, וְנַחְתַּת לְרַגְלִין דִּילֵיהּ, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא). And at that time: “Bring atonement for me.” It is said of her: This is the burnt offering (אִיתְּמַר בָּהּ, הִיא הָעוֹלָה) (Leviticus 6), ascending from His feet (סְלִיקַת מֵרַגְלוֹי). Of which it is said: And the earth is My footstool (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ, וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדוֹם רַגְלָי) (Isaiah 66). To say of her: The heavens are My throne (לְמֵימַר בָּהּ, הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי). And this is the mystery: The Tzaddik rules in the fear of Elohim (וְהַאי אִיהוּ רָזָא, צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים) (II Samuel 23), who turns judgment into mercy (דִּמְהַפֵּךְ דִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי). And the secret of the matter: The stone that the builders rejected has become the head of the corner (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה) (Psalms 118). In this manner: HVHY YHVH (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, דוּדִי יְדוָֹ״ד). And further: one lamb and two rams, perfect, a year old, corresponding to the three Sefirot (וְעוֹד, כֶּבֶשׂ א׳ וּשְׁנֵי כְּבָשִׂים בְּנֵי שָׁנָה תְּמִימִים, לָקֳבֵל תְּלַת סְפִירָן). Seven lambs a year old, corresponding to the seven Sefirot (שִׁבְעָה כְּבָשִׂים בְּנֵי שָׁנָה, לָקֳבֵל שֶׁבַע סְפִירָן). The seven lambs are the seven days of the moon (שִׁבְעָה כְּבָשִׂים, אִינּוּן ז׳ יוֹמִין דְּסִיהֲרָא). “Year old” - in the beauty of the moon, which is called year (בְּנֵי שָׁנָה, בְּנוֹי דְּסִיהֲרָא, דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁנָה). For she is one of those primordial years (דְּאִיהִי חֲדָא מֵאִינּוּן שָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת). Until here is Ra‘aya Meheimna (ע״כ רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא).

And in your new moons, etc. (וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁיכֶם וְגוֹ׳). And how many heads are there to the moon (וְכִי כַּמָה רָאשִׁין אִינּוּן לְסִיהֲרָא). But behold, the moon has no head except the sun, for he is her head (וְהָא לֵית רֵישָׁא לְסִיהֲרָא, אֶלָּא שִׁמְשָׁא, דְּאִיהוּ רֵישָׁא לְגַבָּהּ). Rather, the heads are two in every month (אֶלָּא רָאשֵׁי תְּרֵין בְּכָל יַרְחָא וְיַרְחָא). And these are Ya'akov and Yosef who renew themselves upon the moon (וְאִינּוּן יַעֲקֹב וְיוֹסֵף, דְּמִתְחַדְּתֵּי עַל סִיהֲרָא). And because of this they must renew her (וְעַל דָּא בָּעוּ לְחַדְּתָּא לָהּ).

Two young bulls (פָּרִים בְּנֵי בָקָר שְׁנַיִם). These are what the moon said: how can they both use me together, and she diminished herself beneath them (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּאָמְרָה סִיהֲרָא, דְּהֵיךְ יִשְׁתַּמְשׁוּן בָּהּ כַּחֲדָא, וְאַזְעִירַת גַּרְמָהּ תְּחוֹתַיְיהוּ). And one ram - this is the ram of Yitzchak (וְאַיִל אֶחָד, דָּא אַיִל דְּיִצְחָק). And Avraham - where did he go (וְכִי אַבְרָהָם לְאָן אָזִיל). Rather, because Esav was aroused there, Avraham was gathered in that he not see him (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאִתְּעַר תַּמָּן עֵשָׂו, אִתְכְּנִישׁ אַבְרָהָם, דְּלָא יֶחֱמֵי לֵיהּ). And who is the goat of Rosh Chodesh (וּמַאן אִיהוּ שָׂעִיר דְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ). Two versions (תְּרֵי נוּסְחֵי). And because Esav, who is the goat, was destined to be aroused there, Avraham was gathered in and not found there (וּבְגִין דְּזַמִּין לְאִתְּעֲרָא תַּמָּן עֵשָׂו דְּאִיהוּ שָׂעִיר, אִתְכְּנִישׁ אַבְרָהָם, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח תַּמָּן). Yitzchak was found there, his love for him like wine upon its dregs (יִצְחָק אִשְׁתְּכַח תַּמָּן, דִּרְחִימוּ דִּילֵיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ כְּחַמְרָא עַל דּוּרְדְּיֵיהּ). Ya'akov was found there to break his face (יַעֲקֹב אִשְׁתְּכַח תַּמָּן, לְתַבְרָא אַנְפּוֹי). Yosef, who is the ox (some say the Satan) his, toward Rachel (יוֹסֵף דְּאִיהוּ שׁוֹר [ס״א שָׂטָן] דִּילֵיהּ, לְגַבֵּי רָחֵל).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

Ra‘aya Meheimna said (אָמַר רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא): Surely “a year old” is called by the name of the sun (וַדַּאי בְּנֵי שָׁנָה אִתְקְרִיאוּ עַל שֵׁם חַמָּה). Some say: Malchut, the holy Mother (נ״א מַלְכוּת אִמָּא קַדִּישָׁא). Of which it is said: The face of Moshe was as the face of the sun (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ פְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה כִּפְנֵי חַמָּה). Some say: the moon, which is called year, for in it are three hundred and fifty-five days, according to the count (ס״א סִיהֲרָא דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁנָה, דְּאִית בָּהּ שנ״ה יוֹמִין כְּחֻשְׁבָּן).

A year has three hundred and sixty-five days (שָׁנָה אִית בָּהּ שס״ה יוֹמִין), according to the number of three hundred and sixty-five “negitive” commandments (כְּחוּשְׁבַּן שס״ה לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה). And he is therefore to the left (וְאִיהוּ עַל דָּא לִשְׂמָאלָא). Imma Ila’ah is the moon on the right (אִימָּא עִלָּאָה, סִיהֲרָא בִּימִינָא). The daughter is forbidden to the Father, who is on the right side, Chesed (אֲסוּרָה בְּרַתָּא לְאַבָּא דְּאִיהוּ לִימִינָא חֶסֶד). And she is crowned with the 248 commandments (וְאִיהִי כְּלִילָא מרמ״ח פִּקוּדִין).

It is found that the Vav is with Imma on the left, and the daughter with Abba on the right of Chesed (אִשְׁתְּכַח ו׳ עִם אִימָּא לִשְׂמָאלָא. בְּרַתָּא עִם אַבָּא לִימִינָא דְּחֶסֶד). And the secret of the matter: By wisdom Hashem founded the earth (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אֶרֶץ) (Proverbs 3). Wisdom is Abba, and “earth” is the daughter (חָכְמָה אַבָּא. אֶרֶץ בְּרַתָּא). He established the heavens - this is the Son - with Imma, which is Tevunah (כוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם דְּאִיהוּ בְּרָא, עִם אִימָּא דְּאִיהוּ תְּבוּנָה). And this is YHVH, Havayot in the middle (וְהַאי אִיהוּ יְדוָֹ״ד, הֲוָיוֹת בְּאֶמְצַע). And furthermore, “one he-goat of goats” (וְעוֹד, וּשְׂעִיר עִזִּים אֶחָד). These are two goats, about which it is said (תְּרֵין שְׂעִירִין אִינּוּן, דְּאִתְּמַר עָלַיְיהוּ): And he shall take two goats, one lot for Hashem and one lot for Azazel (וְלָקַח אֶת שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂעִירִים… גּוֹרָל אֶחָד לַיְיָ וְגוֹרָל אֶחָד לַעֲזָאזֵל) (Leviticus 16).

The goat for Hashem is because of the diminishing of the moon (שָׂעִיר לַיְיָ, בְּגִין מִיעוּט סִיהֲרָא). And it is one goat for YHVH, for a sin-offering (וְאִיהוּ שָׂעִיר אֶחָד לַיְדוָֹ״ד לְחַטָּאת). One - from the side of union (אֶחָד: מִסִּטְרָא דְּיִחוּדָא). But the goat for Azazel, it is not written “one” in it, nor korban, nor fire-offering, nor burnt-offering (אֲבָל שָׂעִיר דַּעֲזָאזֵל, לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ אֶחָד, לָא קָרְבָּן, וְלָא אִשֶּׁה, וְלָא עוֹלָה). Rather, and he shall send it by the hand of a man in its time into the wilderness (אֶלָּא וְשִׁלַּח בְּיַד אִישׁ עִתִּי הַמִּדְבָּרָה).

“And he shall send” (וְשִׁלַּח)—as Ya‘akov said (כִּדְאָמַר יַעֲקֹב): “It is a gift sent to my lord, to Esav” (מִנְחָה הִיא שְׁלוּחָה לַאדֹנִי לְעֵשָׂו) (Bereshit 32). Likewise, it is a bribe (אוּף הָכִי שׁוֹחַד), to break the anger of Sama’el (לְתַּבְרָא רוּגְזָא דְּסָמָאֵ״ל), so that he not approach the Sanctuary to accuse (דְּלָא יִתְקְרִיב לְמַקְדְּשָׁא לְקַטְרְגָא). It is like a hungry dog (לְכַלְבָּא דְּאִיהוּ רָעֵב): one who does not want it to bite him (וּמַאן דְּבָעֵי דְּלָא נָשִׁיךְ לֵיהּ) gives it meat to eat (יָהִיב לֵיהּ בִּשְׂרָא לְמֵיכַל), or bread (אוֹ נָהֲמָא), and gives it water to drink (וְיַשְׁקֵי לֵיהּ מַיָּא). And the mystery of the matter is this (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה): “If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread, etc.” (אִם רָעֵב שׂוֹנַאֲךָ הַאֲכִילֵהוּ לֶחֶם וְגוֹ׳) (Proverbs 25).

Through this, a person’s love returns (וּבְדָא יִתְהָדַּר רְחִימוּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ): not only will it not bite him with many afflictions (דְּלָא דַּיי דְּלָא נָשִׁיךְ לֵיהּ בְּכַמָּה יִסּוּרִין), but it returns to become his advocate (אֶלָּא אִתְהַדָּר לְמֶהֱוִי לֵיהּ סַנֵּיגוֹרָא), and his love returns (וְאִתְהַדָּר רְחִימוֹי). And why did they send it by the hand of an appointed man, who was blemished (וַאֲמַאי הֲווֹ שַׁלְחִין לֵיהּ בְּיַד אִישׁ עִתִּי, פָּגִים)? Because all the other sides are masters of blemishes (בְּגִין דְּסִטְרִין אַחֲרָנִין כֻּלְּהוּ מָארֵי מוּמִין), and they are called se‘irim [goat-demons] (וְאִתְקְרִיאוּ שְׂעִירִים), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And the se‘irim shall dance there” (וּשְׂעִירִים יְרַקְּדוּ שָׁם) (Isaiah 13). And it is said concerning them (וְאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): “And they shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to the se‘irim” (וְלֹא יִזְבְּחוּ עוֹד אֶת זִבְחֵיהֶם לַשְּׂעִירִים) (Leviticus 17).

Concerning them it is said (דְּעָלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “They sacrificed to demons, not God” (יִזְבְּחוּ לַשֵּׁדִים לֹא אֱלוֹהַּ) (Deuteronomy 32). And by this se‘ir [goat-demon], he is separated from all (וּבְשָׂעִיר דָּא, אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִכֹּלָּא), and it bears all the sins of Yisrael upon it (וְנוֹשֵׂא כָּל חוֹבִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עָלֵיהּ), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “And the se‘ir shall bear upon it all their iniquities” (וְנָשָׂא הַשָּׂעִיר עָלָיו אֶת כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתָם) (Leviticus 16). And furthermore (וְעוֹד), after it takes and bears (בָּתַר דְּנָטִיל אִיהוּ וְנָשָׂא), Kudsha Berikh Hu [the Holy One, blessed be He] bears sin (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן). What is the difference between nosei [bearing] and nasa [bore] (מַאי בֵּין נוֹשֵׂא לְנָשָׂא)? “Nosei avon” [bearing sin] (נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן) (Exodus 34). Nasa [bore]: a burden (נָשָׂא: מָטוּלָא). Nosei [bearing]: the lifting up of the burden (נוֹשֵׂא: סְלִיקוּ דְּמָטוּלָא). And in the first connection (וּבְחִבּוּרָא קַדְמָאָה). Until here is Ra‘aya Meheimna (ע״כ רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא).