Daf 271b (דַּף רע״א ע״ב)

Hashem (יְהוָֹה): this is the secret of the middle (דָּא רָזָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא). The secret of faith on all sides (רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא בְּכָל סִטְרִין). Eloheinu (אֱלֹהֵינוּ): this is the side of the left (דָּא סִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), which is included in the right (דְּכָלִיל בִּימִינָא), and the right in it (וִימִינָא בֵּיהּ), and they are included one in the other, to become one (וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ דָּא בְּדָא, לְמֶהֱוֵי חַד). And until here, the blessings are bound (וְעַד הָכָא, אִתְקְשָּׁרוּ בִּרְכָאן), for since these are blessed (דְּכֵיוָן דְּאִלֵּין אִתְבָּרְכָאן), all those below are blessed (כֻּלְּהוֹן דִּלְתַּתָּא אִתְבָּרְכָאן). After these are blessed, and they take blessings for themselves (לְבָתַר דְּאִינּוּן אִתְבָּרְכָאן, וְנַטְלֵי בִּרְכָאן לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ), they return, included as one, to that Source (אִתְהֲדָרוּ כְּלִילָן כְּחַד לְהַהוּא מְקוֹרָא). For they cannot return to that place until they are blessed (דְּאִינּוּן לָא יַכְלִין לְאִתְהַדְרָא לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא אֲתָר, עַד דְּאִתְבָּרְכָן).

Once they are blessed at first (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְבָּרְכָן בְּקַדְמִיתָא), they return and ascend to that place (אִתְהֲדָרוּ וְעָאלִין לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא אֲתָר), to take further blessings (לְנַטְלָא בִּרְכָאן יְתֵירִין אַחֲרָנִין), to pour forth below (לְאַרְקָא לְתַתָּא). And until these are blessed, they do not ascend and do not approach that place (וְעַד דְּאִינּוּן אִתְבָּרְכָאן, לָא עָאלִין וְלָא תָּאָבִין לְגַבֵּיהּ). And this is the secret: “And none shall appear before Me empty” (Exodus 23) (וְרָזָא דָּא וְלֹא יֵרָאוּ פָנַי רֵיקָם). And when they come to that place and ascend there (וְכַד תָּבִין לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא אֲתָר, וְעָאלִין תַּמָּן), then that place is called King (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי הַהוּא אֲתָר מֶלֶךְ). And He is not called King except when they draw near to Him and are blessed (וּמֶלֶךְ לָא אִתְקְרֵי, בַּר כַּד אִינּוּן מִתְקָרְבִין לְגַבֵּיהּ, וּמִתְבָּרְכָן). And when is the King called King? (וּמַלְכָּא אֵימָתַי אִקְרֵי מֶלֶךְ.) When His great ones come before Him, rich in all that they require, lacking nothing (כַּד רַבְרְבָנוֹי אַתְיָין לְגַבֵּיהּ עֲתִירִין, מִסְתַּפְּקָן בְּכָל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיכוּ, בְּלָא חֶסְרוֹנָא), then He is King (כְּדֵין אִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ).

A king below, when these crown him with provision (מֶלֶךְ לְתַתָּא, כַּד אִלֵּין מְעַטְּרָן לֵיהּ בְּסִפּוּקָא), with holy crowns (בְּעִטְרִין קַדִּישִׁין), is called King here (וְהָכָא אִקְרֵי מֶלֶךְ). Who is this? (וּמַאן אִיהוּ.) The world of “Who sanctified us and commanded us” (וְהָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ וְצִוָנוּ). Since it is the world that is not revealed outwardly (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ עָלְמָא דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא לְבַר), and is concealed (וְאִיהוּ סָתִים), He calls it thus in a concealed manner (קָרֵי לֵיהּ הָכִי בְּאֹרַח סָתִים). Therefore it is called only in a concealed manner (וְעַל דָּא לָא אִקְרֵי, אֶלָּא בְּאֹרַח סָתִים). The Right Side is always Atah [You], as has been stated (וּלְעוֹלָם יְמִינָא אַתָּה, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). Therefore, the Kohen [Priest] is bent toward that place (וְעַל דָּא כֹּהֵן, כָּפִיף לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא אֲתָר), at the beginning and at the end (בְּרֵישָׁא וּבְסוֹפָא). When the lower world is bound to the Right Side (וְעָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה, כַּד אִתְקָשַׁר לִימִינָא), and cleaves to it (וְאִתְדַּבָּק בֵּיהּ), it calls from below to above: Barukh [Blessed] (קָרֵי מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא בָּרוּךְ). It is called Barukh [Blessed] only through the mystery of the Source (וְלָא אִקְרֵי בָּרוּךְ, בַּר בְּרָזָא דִּמְקוֹרָא), which cleaves with it [another reading: in it] (דְּאִתְדְּבַק בַּהֲדֵיהּ [בֵּיהּ]), enters into it (וְעָיִּיל בֵּיהּ), and fills it (וְאַמְלֵּי לֵיהּ).

Atah [You] is the mystery of that Kohen [Priest] (אַתָּה, רָזָא דְּהַהוּא כֹּהֵן), to cleave with it (לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ). Therefore, during prayer, a person bows at Barukh [Blessed] (וְעַל דָּא, בִּצְלוֹתָא בַּר נָשׁ כּוֹרֵעַ בְּבָרוּךְ), for that world is bent toward above (דְּאִיהוּ עָלְמָא כָּפוּף לְגַבֵּי עֵילָּא). This is the distinction between Barukh [Blessed] of prayer (וְדָא אִיהוּ שִׁנּוּי בֵּין בָּרוּךְ דִּצְלוֹתָא), and Barukh [Blessed] of other blessings (וּבֵין בָּרוּךְ דִּשְׁאַר בִּרְכָאן). All is a supernal mystery (וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ), to pour forth blessings to all worlds (לְאַרְקָא בִּרְכָאן לְכָל עָלְמִין).

Barukh [Blessed] of prayer (בָּרוּךְ דִּצְלוֹתָא): a person bows in it during his blessings (בַּר נָשׁ כּוֹרֵעַ בֵּיהּ בְּבִרְכּוֹי), and inclines his head at Atah [You] (וְגָחִין רֵישָׁא בְּאַתָּה), because Atah [You] is called “head” (בְּגִין דְּאַתָּה אִקְרֵי רֹאשׁ). Therefore, the Kohen [Priest] takes first (וְעַל דָּא כֹּהֵן נָטִיל בָּרֹאשׁ), and he is always head (וְאִיהוּ רֹאשׁ תָּדִיר). For this reason, bowing is at Barukh [Blessed] (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּרִיעָה בְּבָרוּךְ), and the inclination of the head is at Atah [You] (וְגָחִינוּ דְּרֵישָׁא בְּאַתָּה). The Kohen [Priest], in every place where Atah [You] is mentioned (וְכֹהֵן בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי אַתָּה), inclines in prayer (גָּחִין בִּצְלוֹתָא).

A king, after he has bent, no longer stands upright (מֶלֶךְ בָּתַר דְּגָחִין, תּוּ לָא זָקִיף), what is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to the moon (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר לָהּ לְסִיהֲרָא), “Go and make yourself small” (זִילִי אַזְעִירִי גַּרְמִיךְ), and you shall no longer be elevated (וְתוּ לָא זַקְפָא). And for this reason, the blessing with which man blesses Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבְגִין דָּא, בִּרְכָתָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ בָּרִיךְ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), arouses to the earth blessings from above to all the worlds (אִתְּעַר לְאַרְקָא בִּרְכָאן מִלְּעֵילָּא לְעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). Blessed are Yisrael in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). It is written, “For You are our Father, for Avraham...” (Isaiah 63) (כְּתִיב, כִּי אַתָּה אָבִינוּ כִּי אַבְרָהָם וְגוֹ׳). We have learned, at the time to come they will say to Yitzchak, etc. (תָּנֵינָן, לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי אַמְרִין לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק וְכוּ׳), because the left was included in the right (בְּגִין דִּשְׂמָאלָא אִתְכְּלִיל בִּימִינָא). But from where do we know that the right is called “Father”? (אֲבָל יְמִינָא מְנָלָן דְּאִקְרֵי אָב). As it is written, “And he made him a father and a priest” (וַיְּשִׂמֵהוּ לוֹ לְאָב וּלְכֹהֵן). And even though above He is called “Father” (וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּלְעֵילָּא אִקְרֵי אָב), even a light that does not shine-at the time it cleaves to the right, it is called “Atah” (וַאֲפִילּוּ לִנְהוֹרָא דְּלָא נָהִיר, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְדְּבַק בִּימִינָא, אִקְרֵי אַתָּה), as you say, “You, Hashem, are our Father, our Redeemer...” (Isaiah 63) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, אַתָּה יְיָ אָבִינוּ גּוֹאֲלֵנוּ וְגוֹ׳).

Meanwhile, The Old man appeared before him (אַדְּהָכִי, סָבָא אִזְדְּמַן לְגַבֵּיהּ), and said: Ra‘aya Meheimna, prepare the table for your Master (וְאָמַר, רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, תַּקִּין פָּתוֹרָא לְמָארָךְ), for Him and for the Matronita (לֵיהּ וּלְמָטְרוֹנִיתָא), with all kinds of delights (מִכָּל מִינֵי עִדּוּנִין), to fulfill that which is written (לְקַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ): “This is the table that is before Hashem” (Ezekiel 41) (זֶה הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי יְיָ). And behold, until now all are delighting from the table of the King (וְהָא עַד כְּעַן כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעַנְּגֵי מִפָּתוֹרָא דְּמַלְכָּא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Come, eat of My bread” (Proverbs 9) (לְכוּ לַחֲמוּ בְּלַחְמִי). And this is the bread of the Written Orayta (וְדָא נַהֲמָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּבִכְתָב), and the wine of the Oral Orayta (וְיֵינָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דִּבְעַל פֶּה). And there are many delicacies from the flavors of the Torah (וְתַמָּן כַּמָה מַטְעַמִּים מִינֵי טַעֲמֵי תּוֹרָה), sweeter than all foods and delights of the world and of the King (דִּמְתִּיקִין, מִכָּל מַאֲכָלִין וְעִדּוּנִין דְּעָלְמָא, וּדְמַלְכָּא).

Ra‘aya Meheimna arose, opened, and said (קָם רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): Aharon the Kohen, rise from your sleep (אַהֲרֹן כַּהֲנָא קוּם מִשֵּׁינָתָךְ), to sacrifice bulls and rams and lambs and fowl (לְמִדְבַּח תּוֹרִין וְעָאנִין וְאִמְרִין וְעוֹפִין), and all kinds that are needed for the banquet of the King (וְכָל מִינִין דִּצְרִיכִין לִסְעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא). And the Lechem haPanim, which correspond to the two Tablets of the Orayta (וְלֶחֶם הַפָּנִים, דְּאִינּוּן לָקֳבֵל תְּרֵין לוּחֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), “written on both their sides” (Exodus 32) (דְּמִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה הֵם כְּתוּבִים). This is twelve faces (זֶה: תְּרֵיסָר אַנְפִּין). These are: “May Hashem bless you, may Hashem shine, may Hashem lift” (Numbers 6) (דְּאִינּוּן: יְבָרֶכְךָ יְיָ, יָאֵר יְיָ, יִשָּׂא יְיָ).

The second twelve: “Adonai, Adonai, Adonai” (זֶה תִּנְיָינָא, אֲדֹנָי אֲדֹנָי אֲדֹנָי). These are the twelve living beings (דְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵיסָר חֵיוָן), of which it is said (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): “The face of a lion to the right of the four, and the face of an ox to the left of the four, and the face of an eagle to the four” (Ezekiel 1) (וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל הַיָּמִין לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן, וּפְנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאל לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן, וּפְנֵי נֶשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן). And it is said concerning them (וְאִתְּמַר עָלַיְיהוּ): “Four faces to each” (Ezekiel 1) (אַרְבָּעָה פָּנִים לְאֶחָת). And this is (וְהַאי אִיהוּ): “And one called to another and said” (Isaiah 6) (וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל זֶה וְאָמַר), corresponding to the twenty-four books of the Torah (לָקֳבֵל עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע סִפְרֵי תּוֹרָה). And this is “This is the table that is before Hashem” (Ezekiel 41) (וְהַאי אִיהוּ זֶה הַשֻּׁלְחָן אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי יְיָ). The vessels of the table of the King (מָאנִין דְּפָתוֹרָא דְּמַלְכָּא), these are the masters of Mishnah (אִינּוּן מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין), the masters of prayers (מָארֵי צְלוֹתִין), who prepared them corresponding to the offerings (דְּתָקִינוּ לוֹן לָקֳבֵל קָרְבְּנִין).