Daf 255b (דַּף רנ״ה ע״ב)

And also there is another mystery: the life of the King is Chokhmah (וְאוֹף הָכִי אִית רָזָא אַחֲרָא, חַיֵּי הַמֶּלֶךְ, חָכְמָה). This is what is written: “Wisdom gives life to its possessor” (Ecclesiastes 7) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה בְעָלֶיהָ). Everyone who vows by YHVH, which is Tiferet (כָּל הַנּוֹדֵר בַּיְהוָֹה, דְּאִיהוּ תִּפְאֶרֶת), it is as if he vows by Chokhmah, which is Yod Heh Vav Heh, the life of the King (כְּאִילּוּ נוֹדֵר בַּחָכְמָה, דְּאִיהוּ יוֹ״ד הֵ״א וָא״ו הֵ״א, חַיֵּי הַמֶּלֶךְ). And everyone who swears by Adonai, it is as if he swears by the King Himself (וְכָל הַנִּשְׁבַּע בַּאדֹנָי, כְּאִילּוּ נִשְׁבַּע בַּמֶּלֶךְ עַצְמוֹ).

Himself-this is the supernal Imma; it is as if he swears by Her (עַצְמוֹ דָּא אִימָּא עִלָּאָה, כְּאִילּוּ נִשְׁבַּע בָּהּ). As it is written: “The very essence of the heavens for purity” (Exodus 24) (דְּאִיהִי עֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטוֹהַר). From the side of Chesed: “Bone of my bones” (Bereshit 2) (מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד, עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי). And “flesh of my flesh,” from the side of Gevurah-this is Malkhut (וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי, מִסִּטְרָא דִּגְבוּרָה, דָּא מַלְכוּת). And in Chokhmah, which is the life of Tiferet, he is elevated to be called Adam (וּבְחָכְמָה דְּאִיהִי חַיֵּי תִּפְאֶרֶת, אִיהוּ סָלִיק לְאִתְקְרֵי אָדָם). This is what is written: “As the beauty of Adam” (Isaiah 44) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, כְּתִפְאֶרֶת אָדָם). And it is said regarding Yom Kippur: “And you shall afflict your souls. On the tenth of this seventh month you shall afflict your souls” (Leviticus 16) (וְאִתְּמַר בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. וְעִנִּיתֶם אֶת נַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם. וּבֶעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה תְּעַנּוּ אֶת נַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם).

Five afflictions were instituted in it (תַּקִּינוּ בֵּיהּ ה׳ עִנּוּיִים), in order that the lesser Heh be whitened in the upper Heh, which are the five prayers (בְּגִין דְּתִתְלַבֵּן ה׳ זְעֵירָא בְּה׳ עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהוּ ה׳ צְלוֹתִין). To fulfill in Yisrael: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow” (Isaiah 1) (לְקַיֵּים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אִם יִהְיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶם כַּשָּׁנִים כַּשֶּׁלֶג יַלְבִּינוּ). And this is the mystery of the tongue of crimson (וְהַאי אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּלָשׁוֹן שֶׁל זְהוֹרִית), because all the sins of Yisrael reach Malkhut (בְּגִין דְּכָל חוֹבִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מָטוּן לְגַבֵּי מַלְכוּת). And Teshuvah, which is Binah, whitens them (וּתְשׁוּבָה דְּאִיהִי בִּינָה, מְלַבֶּנֶת לוֹן).

Because it is said of Her: “Who dwells with them in the midst of their impurities” (Leviticus 16) (בְּגִין דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ, הַשּׁוֹכֵן אִתָּם בְּתוֹךְ טוּמְאוֹתָם). And four garments of white, and four garments of gold to be worn, YAHDVNHY (וְד׳ בִּגְדֵי לָבָן, וְד׳ בִּגְדֵי זָהָב לְמִלְבַּשׁ, יְאֲהדוֹנָהי). And it was instituted to blow the shofar on Yom Kippur (וְתַקִּינוּ לִתְקוֹעַ שׁוֹפָר בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים), to raise the voice, which is Vav, to freedom (לְסַלְּקָא קוֹל דְּאִיהוּ ו׳, לְחֵרוּת). As it is said: “In all their affliction He was afflicted”-Alef in reading, Vav in writing (Isaiah 63) (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ, בְּכָל צָרָתָם לוֹ צָר, בְּא׳, וּבְו׳, קְרֵי וּכְתִיב). And the service of Yom Kippur is lengthy (וַעֲבוֹדַת יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים אִיהִי בַּאֲרִיכוּת), and it is inclusive of three levels: thought, speech, and action (וְאִיהִי כְּלִילָא מִתְּלַת דַּרְגִּין, בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה דִּבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה). “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, which is Tishrei, a holy convocation shall it be for you, you shall do no servile work, and you shall celebrate a festival to Hashem seven days” (Leviticus 23) (בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי וְגוֹ׳, דְּאִיהִי תִּשְׁרֵי, מִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, כָּל מְלֶאכֶת עֲבוֹדָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ, וְחַגּוֹתֶם אוֹתוֹ חַג לַיי שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְגוֹ׳). The fifteenth-this is from the side of Yah (בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר, מִסִּטְרָא דְּיָ״הּ). “And you shall celebrate it”-this is the letter Vav, the middle pillar (וְחַגּוֹתֶם אוֹתוֹ, דָּא אוֹת ו׳, עַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא). “Seven days”-this is from the side of the daughter of seven, which is Malkhut (שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, מִסִּטְרָא דְּבַת שֶׁבַע, דְּאִיהִי מַלְכוּת).

The Patriarchs, and Ra‘ya Meheimna, and Aharon, David, and Shlomo-behold, these are seven, corresponding to the seven Sefirot (אֲבָהָן, וְרַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, וְאַהֲרֹן, דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה, הָא אִינּוּן שֶׁבַע, לָקֳבֵל שֶׁבַע סְפִירָאן). I wish to prepare for you the Sukkah, which is the supernal Imma, to cover over you like a mother over her children (אֲנָא בָּעֵינָא לְתַקְּנָא לְכוֹן סֻכָּה, דְּאִיהִי אִימָּא עִלָּאָה, לְסַכְּכָא עָלַיְיהוּ, כְּאִמָּא עַל בְּנִין). And because of the seven Sefirot the verse said (וּבְגִין ז׳ סְפִירָאן אָמַר קְרָא), (Leviticus 23) “For in sukkot I caused the children of Yisrael to dwell, when I brought them out from the land of Egypt” (כִּי בַסֻּכּוֹת הוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּמַפְקָנוּתְהוֹן מֵאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), in seven clouds of glory (בְּז׳ עֲנָנֵי כָּבוֹד).

Sukkah [booth]—it has the letter Vav (סוּכָּה [אִית בְּאָת ו׳); basukkot [in booths] is written deficiently, without Vav (בַּסֻּכּוֹת חֲסֵר ו׳). Concerning it, it is said (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “In sukkot [booths] you shall dwell seven days” (בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים), it is Imma [Mother] (אִיהִי אִימָּא). But Sukkah [booth], with the letter Vav (אֲבָל סוּכָּה בְּאָת ו׳), is in the secret of two sons (אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דִּתְרֵין בְּנִין), YHVH and Adonai (יְדוָֹד אֲדֹנָי). Thus Sukkah [booth] rises in the numerical value of YAHDVNHY [the unification of YHVH and Adonai] (וְהָכִי סָלִיק סוּכָּ״ה בְּחוּשְׁבַּן יְאֲהדוֹנָהי). Two Keruvim [cherubs] (תְּרֵין כְּרוּבִים), “covering with their wings over the Ark-cover, with their faces, each toward his brother” (דְּהֵם סוֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת וּפְנֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו) (Exodus 25). There are ten handbreadths in the Keruvim [cherubs], from below to above (וְאִית עַשְׂרָה טְפָחִים בַּכְּרוּבִים מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא), from their feet to their heads (מֵרַגְלֵיהוֹן עַד רֵישֵׁיהוֹן), and from their heads to their feet (וּמֵרֵישֵׁיהוֹן וְעַד רַגְלֵיהוֹן), and they rest upon one handbreadth, which is Yod [the letter Yod] (וְשַׁרְיָין עַל טֶפַח דְּאִיהוּ יו״ד). And ten and ten (וְעַשְׂרָה עַשְׂרָה), from above to below and from below to above (מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא, וּמִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא), this is Yod [the letter Yod] (הַיְינוּ יו״ד). Because of this, concerning the measure of a Sukkah [booth], the Rabbis said (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, שִׁיעוּרָא דְּסֻּכָּה אָמְרוּ רַבָּנָן): not less than ten, and not above twenty (לֹא פָּחוּת מֵעֲשָׂרָה, וְלֹא לְמַעְלָה מֵעֶשְׂרִים). A Sukkah [booth] made like a furnace (סֻכָּה הַעֲשׂוּיָה כְּכִבְשָׁן), from the side of Imma [Mother] (מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִימָּא), concerning it, it is said (עָלָהּ אִתְּמַר): “And Mount Sinai was entirely smoke, because Hashem descended upon it in fire, and its smoke ascended like the smoke of the furnace” (וְהַר סִינַי עָשָׁן כֻּלּוֹ מִפְּנֵי אֲשֶׁר יָרַד עָלָיו יְיָ בָּאֵשׁ, וַיַּעַל עֲשָׁנוֹ כְּעֶשֶׁן הַכִּבְשָׁן) (Exodus 19).

And they established regarding it: “And the living creatures ran and returned, like the appearance of a flash of fire from within the furnace” (Ezekiel 1) (וַאֲוֹקְמוּהָ, מַאי וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב, כְּאוֹר הַיּוֹצֵא מִפִּי הַכִּבְשָׁן). And all is one (וְכֹלָּא חַד). “And a sukkah shall be for shade by day” (Isaiah 4) (וְסֻכָּה תִּהְיֶה לְצֵל יוֹמָם), that we require covering (דִּסְכַךְ בָּעֵינָן). And the covering is made for shade (וּסְכַךְ אִתְעָבִיד לַצֵל). As it is said: “In the shade of Shaddai shall he dwell” (Psalms 91) (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ, בְּצֵל שַׁדַּי יִתְלוֹנָן). And not in the shade of a common sukkah, which shades the body from the sun (וְלֹא בְּצֵל סֻכַּת הֶדְיוֹט, דְּאָגִין עַל גּוּפָא מִשִּׁמְשָׁא), but rather shade to shield the soul (אֶלָּא צֵל לְאַגָּנָא עַל נִשְׁמְתָא). “In His shade I delighted and sat” (Song of Songs 2) (בְּצִלּוֹ חִמַּדְתִּי וְיָשַׁבְתִּי). “Of whom we said: in His shade we shall live among the nations” (Lamentations 4) (אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְנוּ בְּצִלּוֹ נִחְיֶה בַגּוֹיִם). Shade with Mem is Tzelem (צֵל עִם ם׳, אִיהִי צֶלֶם). As it is said: “Surely in Tzelem does man walk” (Psalms 39) (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ, אַךְ בְּצֶלֶם יִתְהַלֶּךְ אִישׁ).

The final Mem has four sides (ם׳ סְתוּמָה אִית לָהּ אַרְבָּעָה דְּפָנוֹת). And what they explained: two walls according to law and a third even one handbreadth; and for the one who says three according to law and a fourth even one handbreadth (וּמַה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ, שְׁתַּיִם כְּהִלְכָתָן וּשְׁלִישִׁית אֲפִילּוּ טֶפַח. וּלְמַאן דְּאָמַר, שְׁלֹשָׁה כְּהִלְכָתָן וּרְבִיעִית אֲפִילּוּ טֶפַח). And these, therefore: two, three, four-behold nine; the handbreadth is the tenth, to complete all deficiency (וְאִינּוּן בְּגִין דָּא, תְּרֵין, תְּלַת, אַרְבַּע, הָא תֵּשַׁע. טֶפַח אִיהִי עֲשִׁירָאָה, לְאַשְׁלְמָא כָּל חֶסְרוֹן). And because of this, the measure of a sukkah is not less than ten (וּבְגִין דָּא, שִׁיעוּר סֻכָּה לֹא פָּחוּת מֵעֶשֶׂר), which is Malkhut, the tenth of all levels (דְּאִיהִי מַלְכוּת, עֲשִׁירָאָה דְּכָל דַּרְגִּין). And not above twenty, which is Kaf, the supernal Keter, which the eye does not rule over (וְלָא לְמַעְלָה מֵעֶשְׂרִין, דְּאִיהִי כ׳, כֶּתֶר עֶלְיוֹן, דְּלָא שַׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ עֵינָא). The supernal Kavod-of it Moshe said: “Show me, please, Your glory” (Exodus 33) (כָּבוֹד עִלָּאָה, עָלֵיהּ אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, הַרְאֵנִי נָא אֶת כְּבוֹדֶךָ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu answered him: “You are not able to see My face” (וְאָתִיב לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לֹא תּוּכַל לִרְאוֹת אֶת פָּנָי). And there is no Kavod without Kaf (וְלֵית כָּבוֹד, בְּלָא כ׳). And because of this, the Masters of Mishnah explained regarding them (וּבְגִין דָּא שִׂעֵרוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין לָקֳבְלַיְיהוּ): a sukkah made like an alleyway, from the side of the letter Bet (סֻכָּה הַעֲשׂוּיָה כְּמָבוֹי, מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָת ב׳); like a gammap1-29, from the side of the letter Gimel (כְּמִין גא״ם, מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָת ג׳); like a hut, from the side of the letter Dalet (כְּמִין צְרִיף, מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָת ד׳). And there are seven letters in them, for this reason Kaf-Peh-Resh-Tav (וְשֶׁבַע אַתְוָון אִינּוּן, בְּגִין דָּא כּפר״ת): kaf is like a furnace (כ׳, כִּבְשָׁן); bet is booths (ב׳, בּוּרְגָנִין); and the rest are sukkot (וּשְׁאַר סֻכּוֹת).

And all of them are hints concerning the Masters of Mishnah (וְכֻלְּהוּ רְמִיזֵי לְגַבֵּי מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין). And there is no need to lengthen in them (וְלֵית לְאַרָכָא בְּהוֹן). And they correspond to the seven wandering stars, which are male and female (וְאִינּוּן לָקֳבְלַיְיהוּ שִׁבְעָה כֹּכְבֵי לֶכֶת, וְאִינּוּן דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). And for this reason they are called seven doubles (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְקְרִיאוּ ז׳ כְּפוּלוֹת). Like the seven lamps of the Menorah, of which it is said: “Seven times a day I praise You” (Psalms 119) (כְּגוֹן שִׁבְעָה שַׁרְגִּין דִּמְנַרְתָּא, דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ, שֶׁבַע בַּיוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ). So too: “Seven and seven spouts” (Zechariah 4) (הָכִי, שִׁבְעָה וְשִׁבְעָה מוּצָקוֹת). So too are seven doubled Sefirot (הָכִי, שִׁבְעָה סְפִירָאן כְּפוּלוֹת). And the seven days of Creation below, seven above: “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1) (וְשִׁבְעָה יוֹמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית לְתַתָּא, שִׁבְעָה לְעֵילָּא, אֵין כָּל חָדָשׁ תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ).

The lulav-this is the Tzaddik (לוּלָב דָּא צַדִּיק). Which resembles the spinal cord, in which are eighteen vertebrae, corresponding to the eighteen wavings of the lulav (דְּדָמֵי לְחוּט הַשִּׁדְרָה, דְּבֵיהּ ח״י חוּלְיָין, לָקֳבֵל ח״י נִעְנוּעִין דְּלוּלָב). And they correspond to the eighteen blessings of prayer (וְאִינּוּן לָקֳבֵל ח״י בִּרְכָאן דִּצְלוֹתָא). Corresponding to the eighteen mentions of the Name in “Ascribe to Hashem, O sons of the mighty” (Psalms 29) (לָקֳבֵל שְׁמֹנֶה עֲשָׂר אַזְכָּרוֹת, דְּהָבוּ לַיי בְּנֵי אֵלִים). Corresponding to the eighteen mentions of the Name in the recitation of Shema (לָקֳבֵל שְׁמֹנֶה עֲשָׂר אַזְכָּרוֹת דִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע). And the waving is to the six directions, in the number of Vav (וְנִעְנוּעַ לְשִׁית סִיטְרִין, בְּחוּשְׁבַּן ו׳). Three wavings in each direction-these are eighteen (תְּלַת נִעְנוּעִין בְּכָל סִטְרָא, אִינּוּן ח״י).