Daf 290a (דַּף רצ ע״א)

And these shine from the radiance of that supernal concealed brain, which shines in the Mazal of Atika Kadisha (וְאִלֵּין נַהֲרִין, מִנְּהִירוּ דְּהַהוּא מוֹחָא עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה, דְּנָהִיר בְּמַזָּלָא [עַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא]). And all this depends one on the other (וְכֹלָּא דָּא בְּדָא תַּלְיָין). And this is bound with this, and this with this, until it is known that all is one, and all is Atika, and nothing is separated from it (וְאִתְקְשַׁר דָּא בְּדָא, וְדָא בְּדָא, עַד דְּיִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע דְּכֹלָּא חַד, וְכֹלָּא הוּא עַתִּיקָא, וְלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ כְּלוּם). These three lights shine to three others that are called the Patriarchs (אִלֵּין תְּלַת נְהוֹרִין, נְהִרִין לִתְלַת אַחֲרָנִין, דְּאִקְרוּן אֲבָהָן). And these shine to the sons (וְאִלֵּין נַהֲרִין לִבְנִין). And all shines from one place (וְכֹלָּא נָהִיר מֵאֲתָר חַד). When this Atika is revealed, the will of wills, all shines and all is found in complete joy (כַּד אִתְגַּלְיָיא הַאי עַתִּיקָא, רַעֲוָוא דְּרַעֲוָון, כֹּלָּא נָהִיר וְכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּחֵדוּ שְׁלֵימָתָא).

This Chokhmah is called Eden (הַאי חָכְמְתָא אִקְרֵי עֵדֶן), and this Eden is drawn from the supernal Eden, concealed of all concealed (וְהַאי עֵדֶן אִתְמְשַׁךְ מֵעֵדֶן עִלָּאָה, סְתִימָאָה דְּכָל סְתִימִין). And from this Eden it is called beginning (וּמֵהַאי עֵדֶן, אִקְרֵי שֵׁירוּתָא). For in Atika it is not called, and there is no beginning or ending (דִּבְעַתִּיקָא לָא אִקְרֵי, וְלָא הֲוֵי שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא). And because there is in it no beginning or ending, it is not called “You,” because it is concealed and not revealed, and it is called “He” (וּבְגִין דְּלָא הֲוֵי בֵּיהּ שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא, לָא אִקְרֵי אַתָּה. בְּגִין דְּאִתְכַּסְיָיא וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא. וְאִקְרֵי הוּא). And from the place where beginning is found it is called “You,” and it is called Abba, as it is written, “For You are our Father” (Isaiah 63) (וּמֵאֲתָר דְּשֵׁירוּתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח אִקְרֵי אַתָּה, וְאִקְרֵי אָב. דִּכְתִיב, כִּי אַתָּה אָבִינוּ).

In the Aggadah of the school of Rav Yeiva Sava it is taught: the generality of all, Ze’ir Anpin, is called “You” (בְּאַגַּדְתָּא דְּבֵי רַב יֵיבָא סָבָא, כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא, זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין אִקְרֵי אַתָּה). Atika Kadisha, which is concealed, is called “He,” and rightly so (עַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִתְכַּסְיָיא, אִקְרֵי הוּא. וְשַׁפִּיר). And now we read in the place where beginning is found: “You.” Even though it is concealed, from it comes beginning, and it is called Abba, and He is father to the Patriarchs (וְהַשְׁתָּא קָרֵינָן בַּאֲתָר דָּא דְּשֵׁירוּתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח, אַתָּה. אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְכַּסְיָיא, מִנֵּיהּ הֲוֵי שֵׁירוּתָא, וְאִקְרֵי אָב. וְהוּא אָב לַאֲבָהָן). And this father goes out from Atika Kadisha, as it is written, “And Chokhmah, from Ayin, shall it be found” (Job 28) (וְהַאי אָב נָפִיק מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, דִּכְתִיב, וְהַחָכְמָה מֵאַיִן תִּמָּצֵא). And because of this it is not known (וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע).

Come and see, it is written, “Elohim understood its way” (Job 28) (תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב, אֱלֹהִים הֵבִין דַּרְכָּהּ), its way literally (דַּרְכָּהּ מַמָּשׁ). But “He knew its place”-its place literally, and all the more so its way (אֲבָל וְהוּא יָדַע אֶת מְקוֹמָהּ, מְקוֹמָהּ מַמָּשׁ. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דַּרְכָּהּ). [Its place literally. And not its way. Its place literally. And all the more so its way.] (מְקוֹמָהּ מַמָּשׁ. וְלָא דַרְכָּהּ. מְקוֹמָהּ מַמָּשׁ. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דַּרְכָּהּ). And all the more so that Chokhmah which is concealed within Atika Kadisha (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן הַהוּא חָכְמָה דִּסְתִּימָא בֵּיהּ בְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא).

This Chokhmah is the beginning of all (הַאי חָכְמָה שֵׁירוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא), from it spread thirty-two paths [not paths, but lines] (מִנֵּיהּ מִתְפַּשְּׁטָן תְּלָתִין וּתְרֵין שְׁבִילִין [שְׁבִילִין וְלֹא אָרְחִין]). And the Orayta is included in them in twenty-two letters and ten sayings (וְאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּהוּ אִתְכְּלִילַת בְּעֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון, וְעֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן). This Chokhmah is father to the Patriarchs (הַאי חָכְמָה אָב לַאֲבָהָן). And in this Chokhmah, beginning and end is found (וּבְהַאי חָכְמָה, שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא אִשְׁתְּכַח). And because of this, there is supernal Chokhmah and lower Chokhmah (וּבְגִין דָּא, חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה חָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה). When Chokhmah spreads, it is called father to the Patriarchs (כַּד אִתְפְּשַׁט חָכְמָה, אִקְרֵי אָב לַאֲבָהָן). All is not included except in this (כֹּלָּא לָא אִתְכְּלִיל אֶלָּא בְּהַאי). Some say: when Chokhmot spread, it was called father to the Patriarchs, and all is not included except in this (נ״א: כְּדֵין כַּד מִתְפַּשְׁטָן חָכְמוֹת, אִתְקְרֵי אָב לַאֲבָהָן. כֹּלָּא לָא אִתְכְּלִיל אֶלָּא בְּהַאי). As it is written: “You made them all with Chokhmah” (Psalms 104) (דִּכְתִיב, כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ).

Rabbi Shimon lifted his hands and rejoiced (זָקַף רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן יְדוֹי, וְחַדֵּי). He said, truly it is the time to reveal, and all is required at this hour (אָמַר, וַדַּאי עִידָּן הוּא לְגַלָּאָה, וְכֹלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דָּא). It was taught, at the time that Atika Kadisha, concealed of all concealed, sought to arrange all, He arranged male and female (תָּאנָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, סְתִימָאָה דְּכָל סְתִימִין, בָּעָא לְאַתְקְנָא כֹּלָּא, אַתְקִין כְּעֵין דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). In the place where male and female are not joined, they are not sustained, except in another existence [some say: in the form of male] [some say: except in male] of male and female (בַּאֲתָר דְּאִתְכְּלִילוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא לָא אִתְקְיָימוּ, אֶלָּא בְּקִיּוּמָא אַחֲרָא [ס״א כְּעֵין דְּכַר] [אֶלָּא בְּדְּכַר] דִּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). And this Chokhmah is the totality of all, and when it goes out and shines from Atika Kadisha, it shines only in male and female (וְהַאי חָכְמָה כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא, כַּד נָפְקָא וְאִתְנְהִיר מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, לָא אִתְנְהִיר אֶלָּא בִּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). For this Chokhmah spread, and brought forth from it Binah, and male and female were found (דְּהַאי חָכְמָה אִתְפְּשַׁט, וְאַפִּיק מִינֵּיהּ בִּינָה, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). He is Chokhmah the father (הוּא, חָכְמָה אָב). Binah is the mother (בִּינָה אֵם). Chokhmah and Binah, in one balance they are weighed, male and female (חָכְמָה וּבִינָה, בְּחַד מַתְקְלָא אִתְּקָלוּ, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). And through them all is sustained in male and female, for if not for this, they would not be sustained (וּבְגִינַיְיהוּ כֹּלָּא אִתְקְיָים בִּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, דְּאִלְמָלֵא הַאי, לָא מִתְקַיְּימִין).

This beginning is father to all (שֵׁירוּתָא דָּא אָב לְכֹלָּא), father to all the Patriarchs (אָב לְכֻלְּהוּ אֲבָהָן). They are joined one with the other, and this radiance with that radiance (אִתְחַבָּרוּ דָּא בְּדָא, וּנְהִירוּ דָּא בְּדָא). [Chokhmah is father, Binah is mother, as it is written:] “For if to Binah you call” (Proverbs 2) (חָכְמָה אָב. בִּינָה אֵם. כִּי אִם לַבִּינָה תִּקְרָא). When they joined, they produced and faith spread (כַּד אִתְחַבָּרוּ, אוֹלִידוּ, וְאִתְפַּשְׁטַת מְהֵימְנוּתָא).

In the Aggadah of the school of Rav Yeiva Sava it is thus taught: what is Binah? (בְּאַגַּדְתָּא דְּבֵי רַב יֵיבָא סָבָא, הָכִי תָּאנֵי, מַהוּ בִּינָה). Rather, when this one joins with that one, Yod with Heh, she conceives and brings forth a son and gives birth (אֶלָּא כַּד אִתְחַבָּר דָּא בְּדָא, יו״ד בְּה״א, אִתְעַבְּרַת, וְאַפִּיקַת בֵּן, וְאוֹלִידַת). And because of this, she is called Binah [Understanding] (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, בִּינָה אִקְרֵי), Ben-Yah [Son of Yah] (בֵּן יָ״הּ), the completeness of all (שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא). Both of them are found joined (אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ תַּרְוַויְיהוּ דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן), with the son within them (וּבֵן בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ): the totality of all (כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא).

In their rectifications, completeness is found (בְּתִקּוּנַיְיהוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח שְׁלֵימוּתָא) [another version: Ben-Yah [Son of Yah]: both of them are joined, and the son is within them; in their rectifications is found the completeness of all, the totality] (נ״א בֵּן יָ״ה, תַּרְוַיְיהוּ דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן, וּבֵן בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ. בְּתִקּוּנַיְיהוּ אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא כְּלָלָא), of all (דְּכֹלָּא): father and mother (אָב וָאֵם), son and daughter (בֵּן וּבַת).

These words were not given to be revealed (מִלִּין אִלֵּין, לָא אִתְיְיהִבוּ לְגַלָּאָה), except to the holy supernals (בַּר לְקַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין), who enter and go forth (דְּעָאלוּ וְנַפְקוּ), and know the ways of Kudsha Berikh Hu [the Holy One, blessed be He] (וְיַדְעִין אָרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), who do not turn from them to the right or to the left (דְּלָא סָטָאן בְּהוּ לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא). As it is written: “For the ways of Hashem are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them…” (דִּכְתִיב, כִּי יְשָׁרִים דַּרְכֵי יי׳, וְצַדִּיקִים יֵלְכוּ בָם וְגוֹ׳) (Hosea 14).

Happy is the portion of one who merits to know His paths, and does not stray, and does not err in them (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ, דְּמַאן דְּזָכֵי לְמִנְדַּע אוֹרְחוֹי, וְלָא סָטֵי, וְלָא יִטְעֵי בְּהוּ). For these words are concealed, and holy supernals shine in them like one shining from the radiance of a lamp (דְּמִלִּין אִלֵּין סְתִימִין אִינּוּן, וְקַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין נְהִירִין בְּהוּ, כְּמַאן דְּנָהִיר מִנְּהִירוּ דְּבוּצִינָא). These words are not transmitted except to one who enters and goes out (לָא אִתְמְסָרוּ מִלִּין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּעָאל וְנָפִיק). For one who has not entered and gone out, better for him if he had not been created (דְּמַאן דְּלָא עָאל וְנָפַק, טַב לֵיהּ דְּלָא אִבְרֵי). For it is revealed before Atika Kadisha, concealed of all concealed, that these words shine in my heart in completeness of love and awe of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּהָא גַּלְיָא קַמֵּי עַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין, דְּמִלִּין אִלֵּין נְהִרִין בְּלִבָּאי, בְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא דִּרְחִימוּתָא וּדְחִילוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And these sons here, I know in them that they have entered and gone out, and have been illumined in these words, though not in all (וְאִלֵּין בְּנַי דְּהָכָא, יְדַעְנָא בְּהוּ דְּהָא עָאלוּ וְנַפְקוּ, וְאִתְנְהִירָן בְּאִלֵּין מִלִּין, וְלָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ). And now they are illumined in completeness as is fitting (וְהַשְׁתָּא אִתְנְהִירוּ בִּשְׁלֵימוּתָא כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ). Happy is my portion with them in that world (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי עִמְּהוֹן, בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא).