Daf 273a (דַּף רע״ג ע״א)

And every side from the three faces of the living beings, which are Hashem, Hashem, Hashem (וְכָל סְטָר מִג׳ אַנְפֵּי חֵיוָן, דְּאִינּוּן יְיָ יְיָ יְיָ). And from the three wings of the living beings, which are Dalet, Dalet, Dalet (וּמִתְּלַת גַּדְפֵּי חֵיוָן, דְּאִינּוּן ד׳ ד׳ ד׳), all must be from the power of Adam (כֻּלְּהוּ צָרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי מִכֹּחַ אָדָם). And he is Yod Heh Vav Heh (וְאִיהוּ יו״ד ה״א וָא״ו ה״א). His power: Yod Vav Dalet, Heh Alef, Vav Alef Vav, Heh Alef (כֹּחַ דִּילֵיהּ, יו״ד וָא״ו דָלֶ״ת, ה״א אָלֶ״ף, וָא״ו אָלֶ״ף וָא״ו, ה״א אָלֶ״ף). And the Matronita does not rest in his power, in the joints of the fingers, until the filth passes from them-the evil handmaid is invalid, the woman is invalid (וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא לָא שַׁרְיָא בְּכֹחַ דִּילֵיהּ, בְּפִרְקִין דְּאֶצְבְּעָן, עַד דְּאִתְעֲבָר מִנַּיְיהוּ זוּהֲמָא, שִׁפְחָה בִּישָׁא פְּסוּלָה, אִנְתּוּ דְּפָסוּל).

For this reason, the Masters of the Mishnah have established: soiled hands are invalid for a blessing (וּבְגִין דָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, יָדַיִם מְזוּהֲמוֹת פְּסוּלוֹת לַבְּרָכָה). These waters purify the hand (וְאִינּוּן מַיִם לְדַכְּאָה יַד), for the hand of Hashem rests there (דְּשַׁרְיָיא תַּמָּן יַד יְיָ). The hand of Hashem—this is the water of Orayta (יַד יְיָ, דָּא מַיִם דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). For the Amei ha’aretz [Unlearned] are creeping things (דְּעַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ אִינּוּן שֶׁרֶץ); what benefit is immersion to them (מַה מוֹעִיל לוֹן טְבִילָה), when the creeping thing—the evil handmaid—is in their hands (וְהַשֶּׁרֶץ שִׁפְחָה בִּישָׁא בִּידֵיהוֹן), in the robbery that is in their hands (בְּגֶזֶל דְּבִידֵיהוֹן). In the theft of blessings that they steal from Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּגֶזֶל דְּבִרְכָּאן דְּגַזְלִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), for they do not know to bless, and they do not know what is blessing and what is filth (דְּלָא יַדְעֵי לְבָרְכָא, וְלָא יַדְעֵי מַאי אִיהִי בְּרָכָה, וּמַאי אִיהִי זוּהֲמָא).p1-1

Immediately, when my friends and I heard these words (מִיַּד כְּשֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ מִלִּין אִלֵּין חַבְרַיָּיא וַאֲנָא עִמְּהוֹן), I could not bear that he should complete the ten words of blessing, and I fell upon him (לָא יָכִילְנָא לְמִסְבַּל דְּיַשְׁלִים עַשְׂרָה מִלִּין דִּבְרָכָה, וְאִשְׁתְּטַחְנָא לְגַבֵּיהּ). And certainly there is no man who can say these words except you (וּבְוַדַּאי לֵית בַּר נָשׁ דְּיֵימָא מִלִּין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא אַנְתְּ). For you are as the likeness of the four partitions of Gan Eden (דְּאַנְתְּ הוּא כְּגַוְונָא דְּד׳ מְחִיצוֹת דְּגַּן עֵדֶן). That a man enters within them-some say: when you (נ״א דְּכַד אַנְתְּ)-in the partition of the children, and he becomes a child (דְּבַּר נָשׁ עָאל בְּהוֹן [נ״א דְּכַד אַנְתְּ] בִּמְחִיצַּת יְנוּקִין, וְאִתְעָבִיד תִּינוֹק). And in the partition of the youths, and he becomes a youth (וּבִמְחִיצַת נְעָרִים, וְאִתְעָבִיד נַעַר). And in the partition of the young men, and he becomes a young man (וּבִמְחִיצַת בַּחוּרִים, וְאִתְעָבִיד בָּחוּר). And in the partition of the elders, and he becomes an elder (וּבִמְחִיצַת זְקֵנִים, וְאִתְעָבִיד זָקֵן). And for this reason it is said of you: “From His dwelling place He looked out upon all the inhabitants of the earth” (Psalms 33) (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִתְּמַר עָלָךְ, מִמְכוֹן שִׁבְתּוֹ הִשְׁגִּיחַ אֶל כָּל יוֹשְבֵי הָאָרֶץ). And you are he of whom it is said: “For that he also is flesh” (Bereshit 6) (וְאַנְתְּ הוּא דְּאִתְּמַר עָלָךְ, בְּשַׁגַּם הוּא בָּשָׂר), in the generation of the Dispersion you were (בְּדָרָא דְּדוֹר הַפְלָגָה הֲוֵית). And in every generation and generation, in reincarnation (וּבְכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא בְּגִלְגּוּלָא). As a wheel that turns to many aspects (כְּגַלְגַּל דְּמִתְהַפֵּךְ לְכַמָּה גַּוְונִין). And you were not revealed except in the generation in which the Orayta was given by your hand (וְלָא נִגְלֵת, אֶלָּא בְּדָרָא דְּאִתְיְיהִיב בֵּיהּ אוֹרַיְיתָא עַל יָדָךְ).

Immediately, when you were gathered from the world (מִיַּד דְּאִתְכְּנִישַׁת מֵעָלְמָא), you are as the sun that shines in every generation (אַנְתְּ הוּא כְּשִׁמְשָׁא דְּנָהִיר בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא). For when the sun is gathered in at night (דְּכַד אִתְכְּנַשׁ שִׁמְשָׁא בְּלֵילְיָא), it shines in the moon (נָהִיר בְּסִיהֲרָא), and in sixty myriads of stars (וּבְשִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא כֹּכָבַיָא). So are you (הָכִי אַנְתְּ), that you shine in sixty myriads in every generation (דְּאַנְתְּ נָהִיר בְּשִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא). And this is what Kohelet hinted at (וְהַאי אִיהוּ דְּקָא רָמַז קֹהֶלֶת): “A generation goes and a generation comes” (Ecclesiastes 1) (דּוֹר הוֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא). And the Rabbis have established (וְאוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן), a generation is never less than sixty myriads (אֵין דּוֹר פָּחוּת מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא). And furthermore they established (וְעוֹד אוּקְמוּהָ), the generation that goes is the one that comes, to fulfill: “That which was is that which shall be” (Ecclesiastes 1) (הַדּוֹר שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ הוּא שֶׁבָּא, לְקַיֵּים מַה שֶׁהָיָה הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה). From here onward, he completed ten matters of the table in revelation (מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ, אַשְׁלִים עַשְׂרָה דְּבָרִים דְּפָתוֹרָא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא). Ra‘aya Meheimna said (אָמַר רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא), Holy Luminary, fortunate is your portion (בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ), that Kudsha Berikh Hu revealed to you what He did not reveal to any prophet or seer, nor to anyone at all (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גַּלֵּי לָךְ, מַה דְּלָא גַּלֵּי לְכָל נָבִיא וְחוֹזֶה, וְלָא לְמַאן וּלְמַאן).

The second: to break upon two loaves on Shabbat (תִּנְיָינָא, לְמִבְצַע עַל שְׁנֵי כִּכָּרוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת), which allude to the two tablets of the Orayta (דְּאִינּוּן רְמִיזִין בִּתְרֵי לוּחֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), that were given on Shabbat as pairs (דְּאִתְיְיהִיבוּ בְּשַׁבָּת זוּגוֹת). For on the third day they descended (דִּבְיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה נַחְתּוּ), in which it is written “good” twice (דְּבֵיהּ תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי טוֹב), and on Shabbat they were given, two Nukvin for two goods (וּבְשַׁבָּת אִתְיְיהִיבַת, תְּרֵין נוּקְבִין לִתְרֵין טָבִין). And even though it has been established that demons are appointed over pairs (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ דְּשֵׁדִים מְמֻנִין עַל זוּגוֹת), as it has been established with two eggs, two nuts (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ שְׁנֵי בֵּיצִים, שְׁנֵי אֱגוֹזִים), the law from Moshe at Sinai is that messengers of a mitzvah are not harmed (הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה אֵינָן נִזוֹקִין).

And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), but have we not learned that one does not begin with the second and does not conclude with the fourth? (וְהָא תָּנֵינָן, אֵין מַתְחִילִין בַּשֵּׁנִי, וְאֵין מְסַיְּימִין בְּד׳). That is, with Bet and Dalet, with the Erev rav, who were not messengers of a mitzvah, for they did not convert for the sake of Heaven (דְּהַיְינוּ בְּב׳ ד׳ עִם עֶרֶב רַב, דְּלָא הֲווֹ שְׁלוּחֵי מִצְוָה, דְּלָא אִתְגָּיְּירוּ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם). And after they passed from the world, Kudsha Berikh Hu appointed to take: “Two tablets of stone, like the first” (Exodus 34) (וּלְבָתַר דְּאִתְעַבָּרוּ מֵעָלְמָא, מָנֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנַטְלָא שְׁנֵי לוּחוֹת אֲבָנִים כָּרִאשׁוֹנִים), and He said: “And I will write upon the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, etc.” (Exodus 34) (וְאָמַר, וְכָתַבְתִּי עַל הַלּוּחוֹת אֶת הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עַל הַלּוּחוֹת וְגוֹ׳). And the two loaves on Shabbat allude to the two Yodin of YAHDVNHY (וּתְרֵין כִּכָּרוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, רְמִיזִין לִתְרֵין יוֹדִין יְאֲהדוֹנָהִי). For Adonai, she is united with her Husband during the six days of the week, and on Shabbat He descends to her (דַּאֲדֹנָי אִיהִי יְחִידָה מִבַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁית יוֹמִין דְּחוֹל, וּבְשַׁבָּת נָחִית לְגַבָּהּ). And for this reason, on Shabbat, all souls and spirits and nefashot go forth and descend as pairs (וּבְגִין דָּא בְּשַׁבָּת, כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין וְרוּחִין וְנַפְשִׁין נָפְקִין וְנַחְתִּין זוּגוֹת). And there is no Satan and no harmful spirit ruling on the day of Shabbat (וְאֵין שָׂטָן וְאֵין מַזִּיק שַׁלִּיט בְּיוֹמָא דְּשַׁבְּתָא). And even Gehinom does not rule, and it is not kindled on Shabbat (וַאֲפִילּוּ גֵּיהִנָּם לָא שַׁלִּיט, וְלָא אוֹקִיד בְּשַׁבָּת). And for this reason: “You shall not kindle fire in all your dwellings on the day of Shabbat” (Exodus 35) (וּבְגִין דָּא, לֹא תְבַעֲרוּ אֵשׁ בְּכֹל מוֹשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת). And this is foreign fire, but the fire of offerings, the fire of holiness (וְדָא אֵשׁ נוּכְרָאָה, אֶלָּא אֵשׁ דְּקָרְבְּנָא, אֵשׁ דִּקְדוּשָּׁה). And one must not lengthen in their breaking, for it has already been said above (וְלֵית לְאַרְכָאָה בִּבְצִיעָא דִּלְהוֹן, דְּהָא אִתְּמַר לְעֵילָּא).

The third: to eat three meals on Shabbat (תְּלִיתָאָה לְמֵיכַל שְׁלֹשָׁה סְעוּדָתִין בְּשַׁבָּת). As the Rabbis of the Mishnah established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן דְּמַתְנִיתִין), for one of them said: may my portion be with those who complete three meals on Shabbat (דְּאָמַר חַד מִינַיְיהוּ, יְהֵא חֶלְקִי עִם גּוֹמְרֵי שָׁלֹשׁ סְעוּדוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת). For these are the completion of the seven blessings of prayer, to complete them with ten (דְּאִינּוּן שְׁלִימוּ דִּשְׁבַע בִּרְכָאן דִּצְלוֹתָא, לְאַשְׁלְמָא בְּהוֹן לְעֶשֶׂר). And the secret of delight is: “And a river went out from Eden to water the garden” (Bereshit 2) (וְרָזָא דְּעֹנֶג, וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן). And one who does not fulfill them, and he has the ability to fulfill them, it is turned for him into the plague of leprosy (וּמַאן דְּלָא מְקַיֵּים לוֹן, וְאִית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְקַיְּימָן, אִתְהַפָּךְ לֵיהּ לְנֶגַע צָרַעַת). And in order that he not come to this, Kudsha Berikh Hu said: Lend to Me and I will repay (וּבְגִין דְּלָא יֵיתֵי לְהַאי, אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְוּוּ עָלַי וַאֲנִי פּוֹרֵעַ). “Then you shall delight in Hashem” (Isaiah 58) (אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ).

The fourth: to illuminate the table with a lamp (רְבִיעָאָה, לְאַנְהָרָא פָּתוֹרָא בִּמְנַרְתָּא). As the ancients established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ קַדְמָאִין), the table in the north and the menorah in the south (שֻׁלְחָן בַּצָּפוֹן, מְנוֹרָה בַּדָּרוֹם). For the table of Kudsha Berikh Hu must be thus (דְּפָתוֹרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הָכִי צְרִיכָא לְמֶהוֵי).

The fifth is the cup of Vayekhulu [And they were completed] (חֲמִישָׁאָה, כּוֹס דְּוַיְכֻלּוּ). Kos [cup] has the numerical value of Elohim (כוֹ״ס, בְּחֶשְׁבוֹן אֱלֹהִים). Vayekhulu [And they were completed] is seventy-two (וַיְכֻלּוּ ע״ב), for it includes the holy Bride (דְּכָלִיל לוֹן כַּלָּה קַדִּישָׁא). This cup is filled with the wine of Orayta (דְּהַאי כּוֹס מָלֵּא יֵינָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). One must bear witness to the work of Creation (צָרִיךְ לְאַסְהֲדָא עַל עוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית).