Daf 256b (דַּף רנ״ו ע״ב)

The Shekhinta, which is the sukkah, protects over Yisrael (שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִיהִי סוּכָּה, אֲגִינָת עָלַיְיהוּ), and spreads her wings over them, like a mother over her children (וּפְרִישַׁת גַּדְפָּאָה עָלַיְיהוּ, כְּאִמָּא עַל בְּנִין). And because of this, they instituted to bless: “Who spreads the sukkah of peace over us” (וּבְגִין דָּא תַּקִּינוּ לְבָרְכָא, הַפּוֹרֵס סוּכַּת שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ). And because of this, in the seventh month, in which are all these commandments (וּבְגִין דָּא בְּיַרְחָא שְׁבִיעָאָה, דְּבֵיהּ כָּל פִּקּוּדִין אִלֵּין), “Many waters cannot quench the love” (Song of Songs 8) (מַיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה).

Yisrael with their Father in Heaven (עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּאֲבוּהוֹן שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם). And “many waters” means only all the nations and their princes (וְלֵית מַיִם רַבִּים, אֶלָּא כָּל אוּמִין וּמְמָנָן דִּלְהוֹן). “If a man should give” - this is Samael - all that he has in this world, in order to share in these commandments with Yisrael, they would utterly despise him (אִם יִתֵּן אִישׁ, דְּאִיהוּ סָמָאֵל, כָּל מַה דְּאִית לֵיהּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתָּתַּף בְּאִלֵּין פִּקוּדִין עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל, בּוֹז יָבוּזוּ לוֹ). And on the eighth day, Shemini Atzeret, one bull and one ram (וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת פַּר אֶחָד אַיִל אֶחָד), this the Masters of Mishnah explained, for the King who invited guests, after He sent them away, said to His household: “I and you will make a small feast” (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, לְמַלְכָּא דְּזַמִּין אוּשְׁפִּיזִין, לְבָתַר דְּשָׁלַח לוֹן, אָמַר לְאִלֵּין בְּנֵי בֵּיתָא דִּילֵיהּ, אֲנָא וְאַתּוּן נַעְבִיד סְעוּדָה קְטַנָּה). And what is “Atzeret”? As you say: “He will restrain in My people” (1 Samuel 9) (וּמַאי עֲצֶרֶת. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, זֶה יַעְצוֹר בְּעַמִּי). And “atzar” means Malkhut (וְלֵית עֶצֶר אֶלָּא מַלְכוּת).

From the side of the supernal Shekhinta, a great feast is made; from the side of Malkhut, a small feast (מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה, עָבִיד סְעוּדָתָא רַבְרְבָא, וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא, סְעוּדָתָא זְעֵירָא). And it is the custom of Yisrael to rejoice with Her, and it is called Simchat Torah (וְנוֹהֲגִין לְמֶעְבַּד יִשְׂרָאֵל עִמָּהּ חֶדְוָה, וְאִתְקְרִיאַת שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה). And they crown the Sefer Torah with its crown, a hint that the Sefer Torah is Tiferet, and the Shekhinta is the crown of Tiferet (וּמְעַטְּרָן לְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה בְּכֶתֶר דִּילֵיהּ, רֶמֶז סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה לְתִפְאֶרֶת, שְׁכִינְתָּא עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת).

Rabbi El'azar said: Father, why from the side of the supernal Imma are all the princes of all the nations invited, but from the side of the lower Shekhinta, only the one unique nation, corresponding to the single bull? (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אַבָּא, אֲמַאי מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִמָּא עִלָּאָה, זַמִּין לְכָל מְמָנָן דְּכָל אוּמִין, וּמִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה, לָא זַמִּין אֶלָּא לְאוּמָה יְחִידָה, לָקֳבֵל פַּר יְחִידָא).

He said to him: My son, good is your question (אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּרִי, שַׁפִּיר שְׁאִילַת). Because Malkhut is hinted to as the daughter, who is modest in the house of her father and mother, and she is betrothed but not married (בְּגִין דְּמַלְכוּת אִיהִי רְמִיזָא לִבְרַתָּא, דְּאִיהִי צְנוּעָה בְּבֵית אָבִיהָ וְאִמָּהּ. וְאִיהִי אֲרוּסָה וְלָא נְשׂוּאָה). It is not the way of the world for her to eat with guests (לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא, לְמֵיכַל עִם אוֹשְׁפִּיזִין). But Imma, who is married, it is proper after her husband has invited guests, for her to eat at the table with her husband (אֲבָל אִימָּא דְּהִיא נְשׂוּאָה, אוֹרַח אַרְעָא אִיהוּ לְבָתַר דִּמַזְמִּין בַּעְלָהּ אוֹשְׁפִּיזֵי, לְמֵיכַל עַל פָּתוֹרָא עִם בַּעְלָהּ). But if those guests are foreigners, neither father nor mother eats with them, and how much less the daughter (וְאִי אִינּוּן אוּשְׁפִּיזִין נֻכְרָאִין, לָא אַכְלֵי עִמְּהוֹן, לָא אַבָּא, וְלָא אִמָּא, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בְּרַתָּא). And for this reason, at the feast of the seventy princes, none of the Master’s household partakes with them, for they are strangers (וּבְגִין כַּךְ בִּסְעוּדָתָא דְּשִׁבְעִין מְמָנָן, לָא אִשְׁתְּתַּף לְמֵיכַל עִמְּהוֹן חַד מִן מָארֵי מַלְכָּא, בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן נוּכְרָאִין). He said to him: Surely now the word is settled in my heart, in its truth (אָמַר לֵיהּ, ודַּאי כְּעַן אִתְיַישְּׁבַת מִלָּה בְּלִבָּאִי, עַל בּוּרְיֵיהּ).

The continual burnt-offering-this is the Shekhinta (עוֹלַת תָּמִיד, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), who ascends above in that rung, of which it is said: “Evening and morning, continually, every day” (Numbers 28) (דִּסְלִיקַת לְעֵילָּא בְּהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא, דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ, עֶרֶב וָבוֹקֶר בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד). And they say Shema Yisrael twice daily (וְאוֹמְרִים פַּעֲמַיִם שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל). And she ascends in the middle pillar, who is always with her, without any separation at all (וְאִיהִי סְלִיקַת בְּעַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, דְּאִיהוּ תָּדִיר עִמָּהּ, בְּלָא פִּרוּדָא כְּלָל).

To where does she ascend (וּלְאָן סְלִיקַת)? To the place where she was decreed from there-the Ein Sof, which is higher than all the Sefirot (לְאֲתָר דְּאִתְגְּזָרַת מִתַּמָּן, דְּאִיהוּ אֵין סוֹף, וְאִיהוּ גָּבוֹהַּ מִכָּל סְפִירָאן). And because of this they explained: an olah-all of it ascends to the Most High (וּבְגִין דָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ, עוֹלָה כֻּלָהּ לַגָּבוֹהַּ סַלְּקָא). And when she ascends, all the Sefirot take hold in her, and they ascend with her (וְכַד אִיהִי סְלִיקַת, אֲחִידָן בָּהּ כָּל סְפִירָן, וְאִינּוּן סַלְּקִין עִמָּהּ). And what is her ascent? For a pleasing aroma-to give a good fragrance before Hashem (וּמַאי סְלִיקוּ דִּילָהּ. לְרֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ, לְמֵיהַב רֵיחָא טָבָא קֳדָם יְיָ). And afterward it is said of her: “And he descended from making the sin-offering and the burnt-offering” (Leviticus 9) (וּלְבָתַר אִתְּמַר בָּהּ, וַיֵּרֶד מֵעֲשׂוֹת הַחַטָּאת וְהָעוֹלָה). She descends full of atonement from all the sins of Yisrael (נַחְתַּת מַלְיָא כַּפָּרָה מִכָּל חוֹבִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And behold, her ascent is in the middle pillar (וְהָא סְלִיקוּ دִּילָהּ אִיהוּ, בְּעַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא).

So too, her descent is in it, and all her forces (אוּף הָכִי נְחִיתוּ דִּילָהּ אִיהוּ בֵּיהּ, וְכָל חַיָּילִין דִּילָהּ). And because of this it is called “sulam/ladder,” in which all the existences (some say: appellations) ascend and descend, which depend on Hashem (וּבְגִין דָּא אִקְרֵי סֻלָּם, דְּבֵיהּ כָּל הַוָויָין [נ״א כְּנוּיִין] סַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין, דְּאִינּוּן תַּלְיָין מִן יְדוָֹד). And because of this, all sacrifices and their elevations are to Hashem (וּבְגִין דָּא, כָּל קָרְבְּנִין וְעִלָּוָון אִינּוּן לַיְדוָֹד). And it is called “korban/offering,” because in her all the epithets are brought near to Hashem (וְאִתְקְרִיאַת קָרְבָּן, עַל שֵׁם דְּאִתְקְרִיבוּ בָּהּ כָּל כִּנּוּיִין לַיְדוָֹד). And because of this it is said of her: “His offering was one silver bowl…” (Numbers 7) (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְּמַר עָלָהּ, קָרְבָּנוֹ קַעֲרַת כֶּסֶף אַחַת). There is no rung that is brought near to Hashem lower than her (לֵית דַּרְגָּא דְּאִתְקְרִיב לְגַבֵּי יְדוָֹד, פָּחוּת מִנָּהּ). And there is no prayer and command from all the commandments of the Orayta, and all sacrifices and their elevations, that apart from her-in all the rungs of the Sefirot-they are not accepted before Hashem, except through her (וְלֵית צְלוֹתָא וּפִקּוּדָא מִכָּל פִּקוּדִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְכָל קָרְבְּנִין וְעִלָּוָון, דְּאִינּוּן לְבַר מִנָּהּ. בְּכָל דַּרְגִּין דִּסְפִירָאן לָא מִתְקַבְּלָן קֳדָם יְדוָֹד, לְבַר מִנָּהּ). And because of this it is said of her: “With this shall Aharon come into the holy” (Leviticus 16) (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְּמַר עָלָהּ, בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ). And because of this the prophet said: “But in this let him who glories glory…” (Jeremiah 9) (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר נָבִיא, כִּי אִם בְּזֹאת יִתְהַלֵּל הַמִּתְהַלֵּל). She is shelamim-completion of the Name of YHVH in every level (אִיהִי שְׁלָמִים, שְׁלִימוּ דִּשְׁמָא דַּיְדוָֹד, בְּכָל דַּרְגָּא וְדַרְגָּא). She is Heh (אִיהִי ה׳). Adonai (אֲדֹנָי). Yod of YHVH (י׳ דַּיְדוָֹד). She is Heh from Elohim (אִיהִי ה׳ מִן אֱלֹהִים). She is Heh from Ehyeh (אִיהִי ה׳ מִן אֶהְיֶה). Yod from Shaddai (י׳ מִן שַׁדַּי). The end of every existence and epithet (סוֹף דְּכָל הֲוָיָה וְכִנּוּי). And because of this it is said of her: “The end of the matter, all is heard: fear the Elohim and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12) (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְּמַר בָּהּ, סוֹף דָּבָר הַכֹּל נִשְׁמָע אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים יְרֵא וְאֶת מִצְוֹתָיו שְׁמוֹר). She is the end from the ten Sefirot-Yam Suf-completion of the upper and the lower (אִיהִי סוֹף מֵעֶשֶׂר סְפִירָאן, יַם סוּף. שְׁלִימוּ דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין). She-He-is the gate to ascend to all wisdom, to every epithet and existence, and to ascend in every Sefirah, complete knowledge of all (אִיהוּ תַּרְעָא לְאַעֲלָא לְכָל חָכְמְתָא, לְכָל כִּנּוּי וַהֲוָיָה, וּלְאַעֲלָא בְּכָל סְפִירָה וּסְפִירָה, יְדִיעָה דְּכֹלָּא). And less than her, no creature has permission to regard any knowledge in the world (וּפָחוּת מִינָהּ, לֵית רְשׁוּ לְשׁוּם בִּרְיָה, לְאַשְׁגָּחָא לְשׁוּם יְדִיעָה בָּעוֹלָם). Of her it is said: “This is the gate of Hashem; the righteous shall enter into it” (Psalms 118) (עָלָהּ אִתְּמַר, זֶה הַשַּׁעַר לַיְיָ צַדִּיקִים יָבֹאוּ בוֹ).

It is the Name of forty-two letters, by which the upper and lower worlds were created (אִיהוּ שֵׁם מ״ב אַתְוָון, דִּבְהוֹן אִתְבְּרִיאוּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין). And these letters are epithets for the letters which existed, by which the upper worlds were created (וְאֵלֵּין אִינּוּן אַתְוָן כִּנּוּיִין לְאַתְוָן דְּהֲווֹיֵין, דְּבְהוֹן אִתְבְּרִיאוּ עִלָּאִין). She is called “eye” from the right side (אִיהִי אִתְקְרִיאַת עַיִן מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא), as it is written: “Behold, the eye of Hashem is to those who fear Him” (Psalms 33) (הִנֵּה עֵין יְדוָֹד אֶל יְרֵאָיו). And she is called “ear” from the left side (וְאִתְקְרִיאַת אֹזֶן מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), as it is written: “Incline Your ear, my Elohim, and hear” (Daniel 9) (הַטֵּה אֱלֹהַי אָזְנְךָ וּשֲׁמָע). And she is called “smell” from the side of the middle pillar (וְאִתְקְרִיאַת רֵיחַ מִסִּטְרָא דְּעַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא). And she is called “mouth,” from her own essence (וְאִתְקְרִיאַת פֶּה, מִגַּרְמָהּ). This is what is written: “Mouth to mouth do I speak with him” (Numbers 12) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ).

She is called the first commandment, Anokhi, from the side of Keter (אִתְקְרִיאַת פִּקּוּדָא קַדְמָאָה אָנֹכִי, מִסִּטְרָא דְּכֶתֶר), which is “there is no ‘Ein’ from our Elohim” (דְּאִיהוּ אַיִ״ן מֵאֱלֹהֵינוּ). Anokhi contains kaf, Keter (אָנֹכִי בֵּיהּ כ׳, כֶּתֶר). And in it is Ein (וּבֵיהּ אַיִן). And Keter is called from the side of the supernal Imma (וְכֶתֶר אִתְקְרֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִימָּא עִלָּאָה). About her it is remembered that fifty times the exodus from Egypt is mentioned in the Orayta (דְּאִדְכַּר לְגַבָּהּ חַמְשִׁין זִמְנִין יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And she is the Bet of Bereshit, which includes the ten sayings, from the side of Chokhmah, the daughter of Yod (וְאִיהִי בַּ״ת מִן בְּרֵאשִׁית, דִּכְלִילָא עֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן, מִסִּטְרָא דְּחָכְמָה, בַּת יו״ד). “With Chokhmah He founded the earth” (Proverbs 3) (בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אֶרֶץ). With Abba He founded the daughter (בְּאַבָּא יָסַד בְּרַתָּא). And it is “a path no bird of prey knows” (Job 28) (וְאִיהוּ נָתִיב לֹא יְדָעוֹ עָיִט). Which includes thirty-two paths (דְּכָלִיל ל״ב נְתִיבוֹת), which are the thirty-two times Elohim from the side of the supernal Imma, who is called Kavod (דְּאִינּוּן ל״ב אֱלֹהִים מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִימָּא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִתְקְרֵי כָּבוֹד). And when they are included in the daughter, they are called thirty-two (וְכַד אִתְכְּלִילָן בִּבְרַתָּא, אִתְקְרֵי ל״ב). And because of this, Kavod is above, Lamed-Bet is below (וּבְגִין דָּא כָּבוֹד לְעֵילָּא, ל״ב לְתַתָּא).