Daf 285a (דַּף רפ״ה ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written (כְּתִיב) “The heavens shall reveal his iniquity” (Job 20) (יְגַלּוּ שָׁמַיִם עֲוֹנוֹ), and not more (וְלָא יַתִּיר), but “and the earth shall rise up against him” (Job 20) (וְאֶרֶץ מִתְקוֹמָמָה לוֹ). In this, judgment is done to whom it is done (בְּהַאי, דִּינָא אִתְעָבִיד לְמַאן דְּאִתְעָבִיד). It is written (כְּתִיב), “And David spoke to Hashem the words of this song” (II Samuel 22) (וַיְדַבֵּר דָּוִד לַיְיָ אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת). Now this is the praise of David (הַשְׁתָּא תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּדָוִד הוּא), because he said a song from below to above (בְּגִין דְּאָמַר שִׁירָה מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא), and he merited to this level (וְזָכָה לְהַאי דַּרְגָּא). And he did not say this song except at the end of his days (וְלָא אָמַר הַאי שִׁירָה, אֶלָּא בְּסוֹף יוֹמוֹי), when he was in greater perfection than with this song (דְּהֲוָה בִּשְׁלִימוּ יַתִּיר מֵהַאי שִׁירָה). As we have learned (כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן), “Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death” (אַל תַּאֲמֵן בְּעַצְמָךְ עַד יוֹם מוֹתָךְ). And here, why did David merit to say a song from below to above at the end of his days (וְהָכָא, אֲמַאי זָכָה דָּוִד לְמֵימַר שִׁירָתָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, בְּסוֹף יוֹמוֹי)? Because he was in rest from all his enemies around (דְּהֲוָה בְּנַיְיחָא מִכָּל סִטְרוֹי), as it is written (כְּדִכְתִיב), “In the day that Hashem delivered him from the hand of all his enemies” (II Samuel 22) (בְּיוֹם הִצִּיל יְיָ אוֹתוֹ מִכַּף כָּל אוֹיְבָיו).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), the song is more exalted than all (שִׁירָתָא מְעַלְּיָא מִכֹּלָּא), what is it (מַאי הִיא)? As we have learned in the secret of the Mishnah (כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן בְּרָזָא דְּמַתְנִיתִין), in words and in deeds, thus also (בְּמִלִּין וּבְעוֹבָדָא הָכִי), some say (נ״א: ס״א הוּא), from below to above and from above to below (נָמֵי מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, וּמֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא).

And afterward, to direct the intention in the heart (וּלְבָתַר לְכַוְּונָא בְּלִבָּא), and to bind all in one binding (וּלְקַשְּׁרָא כֹּלָּא בְּחַד קִשְׁרָא). From where do we learn this (מְנָלָן)? From Moshe at first (מִמֹּשֶׁה, בְּקַדְמִיתָא), from below to above (מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא), “For the name of Hashem I will call” (Deuteronomy 32) (כִּי שֵׁם יְיָ אֶקְרָא). What is “I will call” (מַאי אֶקְרָא)? As it is written (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב), “And He called to Moshe” (Leviticus 1) (וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה), this is the Shekhinta (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). Afterward “Ascribe greatness to our Elohim” (Deuteronomy 32) (הָבוּ גֹּדֶל לֵאלֹהֵינוּ), this is the supernal King (דָּא מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה). Afterward he descended in his degrees from above to below (לְבָתַר נָחִית בְּדַרְגּוֹי מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), “Righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32) (צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא). Afterward he bound the bond of faith and said “He” (Deuteronomy 32) (לְבָתַר קָשִׁיר קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא וְאָמַר, הוּא), and this is the bond to all (וְדָא הוּא קִשְׁרָא לְכֹלָּא). Because of this (בְּגִין כָּךְ), a human being needs to arrange the praise of his Master in this manner (בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְסַדְּרָא שְׁבָחָא דְּמָארֵיהּ כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא), at first from below to above (בְּקַדְמִיתָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא), to raise up the glory of his Master (לְסַלְּקָא יְקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהּ), to the place of the deep river where the well flows out (לַאֲתָר דְּשַׁקְיוּ דַּעֲמִיקָא דְּבֵירָא נָגִיד וְנָפִיק). Afterward to draw from above to below (לְבָתַר לְאַמְשָׁכָא מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא), from that river of inheritance (מֵהַהוּא שַׁקְיוּ דְּנַחֲלָא), to every level and level (לְכָל דַּרְגָּא וְדַרְגָּא), until the last level (עַד דַּרְגָּא בַּתְרָאָה), to draw blessings to all (לְאַמְשָׁכָא בִּרְכָאן לְכֹלָּא), from above to below (מִלְּעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא). Afterward he needs to bind a bond in all (לְבָתַר בָּעֵי לְקַשְּׁרָא קִשְׁרָא בְּכֹלָּא), the bond of faith (קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). And this is the man who honored the name of his Master (וְדָא הוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּאוֹקִיר לִשְׁמָא דְּמָארֵיהּ), to unite the holy name (לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). And about this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), “For them that honor Me I will honor” (I Samuel 2) (כִּי מְכַבְּדַי אֲכַבֵּד), for them that honor Me in this world (כִּי מְכַבְּדַי לְעָלְמָא דָּא), I will honor in the World to Come (אֲכַבֵּד בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

“But those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (I Samuel 2) (וּבוֹזַי יֵקָלּוּ), what is “those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (מַאי וּבוֹזַי יֵקָלּוּ)? This is he who does not know how to unite the holy name (דָּא הוּא מַאן דְּלָא יָדַע לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), and to bind the bond of faith (וּלְקַשְּׁרָא קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and to draw blessings to the place that requires it (וּלְאַמְשָׁכָא בִּרְכָאן לַאֲתָר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ), and to honor the name of his Master (וּלְאוֹקִיר שְׁמָא דְּמָארֵיהּ). And whoever does not know how to honor the name of his Master (וְכָל מַאן דְּלָא יָדַע לְאוֹקִיר שְׁמָא דְּמָארֵיהּ), better for him that he had not been created (טַב לֵיהּ דְּלָא אִבְרֵי).