Daf 258a (דַּף רנ״ח ע״א)

Dinah, in the reversal of the letters of Adonai (דִּינָא, בְּהִפּוּךְ אַתְוָון אֲדֹנָ״י). And because of this our Sages of blessed memory said: the law of the kingdom is law (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, דִּינָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא דִּינָא). The Name El testifies of the Master of all, that no Name, existence, or level can prevail-and all the more so the other creatures less than Him (שֵׁם אֵ״ל סָהִיד עַל מָארֵי דְּכֹלָּא, דְּלֵית יְכוֹלֶת לְכָל שֵׁם, וַהֲוָיָה וְדַרְגָּא. כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לִשְׁאַר בִּרְיָין, פָּחוּת מִנֵּיהּ). This is what is written: “All are as nothing before Him, and as He wills, He does with the host of heaven…” (Daniel 4) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, כְּלָא חֲשִׁיבָין וּכְמִצְבְּיֵיהּ עָבֵּיד בְּחֵיל שְׁמַיָא וְגוֹ׳).

Elohim testifies of His divinity, that He is Elohim and the Elohei Ha-Elohim, and He is El above all, and there is no El above Him (אֱלֹהִי״ם, סָעִיד עַל אֱלָהוּת דִּילֵיהּ, דְּאִיהוּ אֱלֹהִי״ם וִאלהֵי הָאֱלֹהִים, וְאִיהוּ אֱלוֹהַּ עַל כֹּלָּא, וְלֵית אֱלוֹהַּ עָלֵיהּ). Tzevaot testifies of Him, as it is written: “And as He wills, He does with the host of heaven” (צְבָאוֹ״ת, סָהִיד עָלֵיהּ כְּדִכְתִיב, וּכְמִצְבְּיֵיהּ עָבִיד בְּחֵיל שְׁמַיָא). Shaddai testifies of Him, that when He said to the world “Enough,” it stood within its boundary and did not spread further-and so too with water, wind, and fire (שַׁדַּ״י, סָהִיד עָלֵיהּ, דְּכַד אִיהוּ אָמַר לְעוֹלָם דַּי עָמַד בִּתְחוּמֵיהּ, וְלָא אִתְפְּשַּׁט יַתִּיר. וְאוּף לְמַיָּא וְרוּחָא וְאֶשָּׁא).

And likewise (וְאוֹף הָכִי), every Havayah [existence] and Name testify concerning Him (כָּל הֲוָיָה, וְשֵׁם, סָהֲדִין עָלֵיהּ). For when He was alone (דְּכַד הֲוָה אִיהוּ יָחִיד), before He created the world (קוֹדֶם דְּבָרָא עָלְמָא), why would He need to be called by these Names (אֲמַאי הֲוָה אִיהוּ צָרִיךְ לְאִתְקְרֵי בִּשְׁמָהָן אִלֵּין), or by other kinnuyin [epithets] (אוֹ בִּשְׁאַר כִּנּוּיִין), such as “Merciful and Gracious, slow to anger…” (כְּגוֹן רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 34), “Judge, mighty, strong” (דַּיָּין אַמִּיץ חָזָק). He was called by many of all those Names and kinnuyin [epithets] (וְסַגִּיאִין בְּכָל אִינּוּן שְׁמָהָן וְכִנּוּיִין, אִתְקְרֵי), in accordance with all the worlds and their creatures (עַל שֵׁם כָּל עָלְמִין וּבִרְיָין דִּלְהוֹן), to show His sovereignty over them (לְאַחֲזָאָה שׁוּלְטָנוּתֵיהּ עָלַיְיהוּ).

So too, the soul-regarding her sovereignty over all the limbs of the body, she is compared to Him (אוּף הָכִי נִשְׁמְתָא, תִּיקּוּנִין כ״ד ע״א, עַל שׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דְּכָל אֵבָרִים דְּגוּפָא, אַמְתִּיל לָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ). Not that she resembles Him in herself, for He created her, and He has no God above Him who created Him (לָאו דְּאִיהִי אַדְמְיָא לֵיהּ אִיהִי בְּעַצְמָהּ, דְּהוּא בָּרָא לָהּ, וְלֵית לֵיהּ אֱלוֹהַ עָלֵיהּ דְּבָרָא לֵיהּ).

And furthermore, the soul has many changes and events and causes by which she is called-yet it is not so with the Master of all (וְעוֹד, נִשְׁמְתָא אִית לָהּ כַּמָה שִׁנּוּיִים וּמִקְרִים וְסִבּוֹת, דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ לָהּ. מַה דְּלָאו הָכִי לְמָארֵי כֹּלָּא). And because of this she is compared in her sovereignty over all the limbs of the body, but not in any other matter (וּבְגִין דָּא הִיא אַדְמְיָא בְּשָׁלְטָנוּתָא דִּילָהּ עַל כָּל אֵבָרֵי גּוּפָא, אֲבָל לָא בְּמִלָּה אַחֲרָא). And furthermore: “Hear O Yisrael”-the letter Shin is a large Ayin, and the Dalet of Echad is large-together they form Ed, “witness,” between Shem from Shema and Echad from Echad (וְעוֹד, דְּבָרִים ו, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֵׁם ע׳ רַבָּתִי, ד׳ מִן אֶחָ״ד רַבָּתִי, הַיְינוּ עֵ״ד, בֵּין שֵׁ״ם מִן שְׁמַע, א״ח מִן אֶחָ״ד). “Hashem is witness against you” (1 Samuel 12) (עֵד יְיָ בָּכֶם). And upon each one who unifies Him in the world. And thus David said: “I shall rejoice in Hashem” (Psalms 104) (וְעַל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד דִּמְיַחֵד אוֹתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם. וְעַל כֵּן אָמַר דָּוִד, אָנֹכִי אֶשְׂמַח בַּיְיָ).

Shem from Shema, and Echad from Echad, behold “I shall rejoice” (ש״מ מִן שְׁמַע, א״ח מִן אֶחָ״ד, הֲרֵי אֶשְׂמַח). And furthermore, the large Dalet-four compartments of tefillin-he places them as Echad and is crowned with them, and they are a glory upon his head (וְעוֹד. ד׳ רַבָּתִי, ד׳ בָּתֵּי תְּפִילִּין, דְּמָנַח לְהוֹן א״ח, וְאִתְעֲטָּר בְּהוּ, וְאִינּוּן פְּאֵר עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ). And they are YHVH (some say YHHV) Yod-crown upon the Heh, which is the Daughter, as it is written: “YHVH with Chokhmah founded the earth-Abba founded the Daughter” (Proverbs 3) (וְאִינּוּן יְהוָֹ״ה [ס״א יְהה״ו], יו״ד עֲטָרָא עַל ה׳, דְּאִיהִי בְּרַתָּא, וְהַיְינוּ, יְדוָֹ״ד בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אָרֶץ, אַבָּא יָסַד בְּרַתָּא). The Heh, supernal Imma, crown upon the Vav, which is the Son, as it is written: “He established the heavens with Tevunah-Imma established the Son” (Proverbs 3) (ה׳, אִמָּא עִלָּאָה, עֲטָרָה עַל ו׳, דְּאִיהוּ בְּרָא, וְהַיְינוּ, כּוֹנֵן שָׁמַיִם בִּתְבוּנָה. בְּאִמָּא כּוֹנֵן בְּרָא). And this is that in the world to come there is no eating and no drinking, but the righteous sit with their crowns upon their heads (וְהַאי אִיהוּ דְּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אֵין בּוֹ לֹא אֲכִילָה וְלֹא שְׁתִיָּה, אֶלָּא צַדִּיקִים יוֹשְׁבִים, וְעַטְרוֹתֵיהֶם בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶם). And the Daughter is the hand-tefillin, the weak hand-Yod is its knot (וּבְרַתָּא אִיהִי תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד, כֵּהָ״ה. יו״ד קֶשֶׁר דִּילֵיהּ). The supernal Heh is Imma-head-tefillin upon the head of Tiferet (ה׳ עִלָּאָה אִמָּא, תְּפִלִּין דְּרֵישָׁא עַל רֹאשׁ תִּפְאֶרֶת).

His tefillin are in the order of YHVH, which are “Sanctify to Me,” “And it shall be when Hashem brings you,” “Shema,” and “And it shall be if you surely hear” (תְּפִלִּין דִּילֵיהּ, כְּסֵדֶר יְדוָֹ״ד, דְּאִיהוּ קַדֶּשׁ לִי. וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִאֲךָ. שְׁמַע. וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ). But in the world to come, Havayot are in the middle, which are the two Hehs (אֲבָל בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, הֲוָיוֹת בְּאֶמְצַע, דְּאִינּוּן ה׳ ה׳). And because of this the prophet said: “But in this let him that glories glory, that he understands and knows Me, for I am YHVH” (Jeremiah 9) (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר הַנָּבִיא, בְּזֹאת יִ״תְהַלֵּל הַ״מִתְהַלֵּל הַ״שְׂכֵּל וְ״יָדוֹעַ אוֹתִי כִּי אֲנִי יְדוָֹ״ד).

And because of this the Masters of Mishnah explained: that there is in the head a place to rest two pairs of tefillin (וּבְגִין דָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, דְּאִית בְּרֵישָׁא אֲתָר לְאָנָחָא תְּרֵי זוּגֵי דִּתְפִלֵּי). And this one merits two commandments, as they explained concerning him: not every person merits two tables (וְדָא זָכֵי לִתְרֵין פִּקוּדִין, דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ עָלַיְיהוּ, לֹא כָּל אָדָם זוֹכֶה לִשְׁתֵּי שׁוּלְחָנוֹת). Yod is Chokhmah, Heh is Binah, Vav is the middle pillar, Heh is holy Malkhut (יו״ד חָכְמָה. ה׳ בִּינָה. ו׳ עַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא. ה׳ מַלְכוּת קַדִּישָׁא).

The head which is crowned with four letters-this is Keter, the diadem of the head, which covers and conceals them (רֵישָׁא דְּאִתְעַטָּר בְּאַרְבַּע אַתְוָון, דָּא כֶּתֶר רִיהֲטָא דְּרֵישָׁא, דְּאַסְחַר לוֹן, וְכַסֵּי לוֹן). Love-Chesed-is the recitation of Shema, which weighs for the Orayta that was given from the right (אַהֲבָה חֶסֶד קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, דִּשְׁקִילָא לְאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִתְיְיהִיבַת מִימִינָא). Tefillin is might, from the left of Gevurah (תְּפִלִּין עֹז, מִשְּׂמָאלָא דִּגְבוּרָה). The middle pillar includes all, the wings of the mitzvah-Netzach and Hod, tekhelet and white (עַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, כָּלִיל כֹּלָּא, כַּנְפֵי דְּמִצְוָה, נֶצַח וְהוֹד, תְּכֵלֶת וְלָבָן). Mezuzah is Roshim-Shaddai, the Tzaddik; and the Shekhinta is the gate of the mezuzah: “This is the gate of Hashem” (Psalms 118) (מְזוּזָה רָשִׁים שַׁדַּ״י, צַדִּיק. וּשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּרְעָא דִּמְזוּזָה, זֶה הַשַּׁעַר לַיְדוָֹ״ד).

And furthermore Shin-three straps, Dalet-the knot of the tefillin behind, Yod-the knot of the hand-tefillin (וְעוֹד, ש׳ תְּלַת רְצוּעוֹת. ד׳ קֶשֶׁר שֶׁל תְּפִילִּין מֵאֲחוֹרוֹי. יו״ד קֶשֶׁר דִּתְפִלִּין דְּיָד). And because of this, Shaddai is without, YHVH within, which is the four parshiyot (וּבְגִין דָּא שַׁדַּ״י מִלְּבַר, יְדוָֹ״ד מִלְּגוֹ, דְּאִיהִי ד׳ פָּרְשִׁיָין). The four heads are a hint to the four compartments of the tefillin (דד׳ רָאשִׁין, רֶמֶז לְד׳ בָּתֵּי דִּתְפִילִּין). Shaddai-its letter ascends to Metatron (שַׁדַּ״י אוֹת דִּילֵיהּ עוֹלֶה מֵטַטְרוֹ״ן). And furthermore, Yod is Chokhmah-“Sanctify to Me” (וְעוֹד. יו״ד חָכְמָה קַדֶּשׁ לִי).

Heh is Binah-“And it shall be when Hashem brings you” (ה׳ בִּינָה, וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ). Vav is Shema-six words, a hint to six Sefirot, the six branches of the Tree, all included in Tiferet (ו׳ שְׁמַע, שִׁית תֵּיבִין, רְמִיזָא לְשִׁית סְפִירָן, שִׁית עַנְפִין דְּאִילָנָא, דְּכָלַל לוֹן תִּפְאֶרֶת). Heh-“And it shall be if you surely hear”-this is Malkhut (ה׳ וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ, מַלְכוּת). These are the head, which is Keter, Kaf: “There is none holy like Hashem, for there is none besides You” (1 Samuel 2) (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּרֵישָׁא, דְּאִיהוּ כֶּתֶר, כ׳, אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּיְיָ כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ).

Shaddai hints to the straps, compartments, and knots of tefillin from without (שַׁדַּ״י, רָמִיז רְצוּעֵי וּבָתֵי וְקִשְׁרֵי דִּתְפִלִּין מִלְּבַר). So too in the mezuzah-YHVH is within, Shaddai is without (אוּף הָכִי בַּמְּזוּזָה, יְדוָֹ״ד מִלְּגוֹ, שַׁדַּ״י מִלְּבַר). The four heads with Dalet hint to the four compartments and the knot of tefillin from behind (דְּאַרְבַּע רָאשִׁין עִם ד׳ רָמִיז לְד׳ בָּתֵּי וּלְקֶשֶׁר תְפִלִּין מֵאָחוֹר).

Dalet is doubled, so too Shin is doubled (ד׳ כְּפוּלָה, אוּף הֲכִי ש׳ כְּפוּלָה). Yod is the knot of the weak hand, which is the fifth house, some say Yod of Shaddai (יו״ד קֶשֶׁר דְיָד כֵּהָה, דְּאִיהוּ בֵּיתָא חֲמִישָׁאָה, ד׳ [ס״א יו״ד] דְּשַׁדַּ״י). This is the brain, as they explained, at the place of the softness of the infant’s head where he presses (אִיהוּ מוֹחָא, דְּאוּקְמוּהַ עָלֵיהּ בַּמָּקוֹם שְׁמוֹחוֹ שֶׁל תִינוֹק רוֹפֵס בּוֹ). And this is the infant nursing from the breasts of his mother, Shaddai (וְדָא תִּינוֹק יוֹנֵק מִשְּׁדֵי אִמּוֹ שַׁדַּ״י).

The tefillin of the Master of the world are Keter (תְּפִלִּין דְּמָארֵי עָלְמָא, כֶּתֶר). And what is the Keter of the Master of the world? YHVH (וּמַאי נִיהוּ כֶּתֶר דְּמָארֵי עָלְמָא. יְדוָֹ״ד). Yod is Chokhmah (יו״ד חָכְמָה). Heh is Binah (ה׳ בִּינָה). Vav is Tiferet, including the six Sefirot (ו׳ תִּפְאֶרֶת, כָּלִיל שִׁית סְפִירָן). Heh is Malkhut (ה׳ מַלְכוּת). And because of this: “And who is like Your people, like Yisrael” (2 Samuel 7), “For what great nation is there that has Elohim so near to it, as Hashem our Elohim is whenever we call upon Him?” (Deuteronomy 4) (וּבְגִין דָּא, וּמִי כְעַמְּךָ כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. כִּי מִי גּוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרוֹבִים אֵלָיו, כַּיְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו).

Four mentions of “calling” are all inscribed in the letter Kaf, the mystery of the letter Kaf: Yod Yod, which is the Yod Yod of YAHDVNHY (אַרְבַּע קְרָאֵי, כֻּלְּהוּ רְשִׁימִין בְּכ׳, רָזָא דְּאָת כ׳: יו״ד יו״ד, דְּאִיהִי יו״ד יו״ד מִן יְאֲהדוֹנָהי). “Ten, ten, the kaf in the holy shekel”-this is Kaf from Keter, crowned from ten Sefirot above to below, and from ten Sefirot below to above (בְּמִדְבַּר ז׳, עֲשָׂרָה עַשָׂרָה הַכַּף בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ. כ׳ מִן כֶּתֶר, כְּלִילָא מֵעֶשֶׂר סְפִירָאן, כְּלִילָן מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא, וּמֵעֶשֶׂר סְפִירָאן מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא). And these are: “And the waters which are above the heavens” (Psalms 148) (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן, וְהַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל הַשָּׁמָיִם).

Supernal waters are male, lower waters are female (מַיִם עֶלְיוֹנִים זְכָרִים, מַיִם תַּחְתּוֹנִים נְקֵבוֹת). And concerning them Rabbi Akiva said to his disciples: “When you come to pure marble stones, do not say ‘water, water,’ lest you endanger your souls” (וְעָלַיְיהוּ אָמַר רִבִּי עֲקִיבָא לְתַלְמִידָיו, כְּשֶׁתַּגִּיעוּ לְאַבְנֵי שַׁיִשׁ טָהוֹר, אַל תֹּאמְרוּ מַיִם מַיִם, שֶׁמָא תִּסְתַּכְּנוּ בְּנַפְשְׁכֶם). For they are not waters as they appear, but flowing light (דְּלָאו אִינּוּן מַיִם כְּמַשְׁמָעָן, אֶלָּא אִיהוּ אוֹר נוֹבֵעַ). And because of this, they were likened to flowing waters (וּבְגִין דָּא, אִדְּמוּ לְמַיִם נוֹבְעִים). And this light has no end, and no cutting off, and no separation (וְהַאי נְהוֹרָא לֵית לֵיהּ פְּסָק, וְלֹא קִצוּץ, וּפִרוּד). And because they are from Keter, they are called “that which has no end,” for Keter is called Ein Sof (וּבְגִין דְּאִינּוּן מִכֶּתֶר, אִתְקְרִיאָן שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם סוֹף, דְּכֶתֶר אֵין סוֹף אִתְקְרֵי). Until here is Ra‘ya Meheimna (עַד כָּאן רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא).