Daf 290b (דַּף רצ ע״ב)

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), all that we have said of Atika Kadisha (כָּל מַה דַּאֲמֵינָא דְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא), and all that we have said of Ze’ir Anpin (וְכָל מַה דַּאֲמֵינָא דִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), all is one, all is one word (כֹּלָּא חַד, כֹּלָּא הוּא חַד מִלָּה). Separation does not depend upon it (לָא תַּלְיָיא בֵּיהּ פִּירוּדָא). Blessed is He, and blessed is His Name forever and to all eternity (בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּרִיךְ שְׁמֵיהּ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין).

Come and see, this beginning which is called Father (תָּא חֲזֵי, שֵׁירוּתָא דָּא דְּאִקְרֵי אָב), is included in the Yod, which depends upon the holy Mazal (אִתְכְּלִיל בְּיו״ד, דְּתַלְיָיא מִמַּזָּלָא קַדִּישָׁא). And because of this, the Yod includes the other letters (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, יו״ד כָּלִיל אַתְוָון אַחֲרָנִין). The Yod is the concealment of all other letters (יו״ד סְתִימָא דְּכָל אַתְוָון אַחֲרָן). The Yod is the beginning and end of all (יו״ד רֵישָׁא וְסֵיפָא דְּכֹלָּא). And that river which flows and goes out is called the World to Come, which comes constantly and does not cease (וְהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק, אִקְרֵי עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דְּאָתֵי תָּדִיר וְלָא פָּסִיק). And this is the delight of the Tzaddikim, to merit that World to Come, which waters the garden constantly and does not cease (וְהַאי הוּא עִדּוּנָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא, לְזַכָּאָה לְהַאי עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דְּאַשְׁקֵי תָּדִיר לְגִנְתָּא, וְלָא פָּסִיק). Of it, it is written: “And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail” (Isaiah 58) (עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, וּכְמוֹצָא מַיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְכַזְּבוּ מֵימָיו). And that World to Come was created with the Yod, as it is written: “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden” (Bereshit 2) (וְהַהוּא עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, אִבְרֵי בְּיו״ד, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן). The Yod includes two letters, Vav and Dalet (יו״ד כָּלִיל תְּרֵין אַתְוָון ו״ד).

In the Aggadah of the school of Rav Yeiva Sava we learned: why are Vav and Dalet included in the Yod? (בְּאַגַּדְתָּא דְּבֵי רַב יֵיבָא סָבָא, תָּנֵינָן, אֲמַאי ו״ד כְּלִילָן בְּיו״ד). Rather, the planting of the garden [some say: certainly] is this, which is called Vav (אֶלָּא נְטִיעָה דְּגִנְתָּא [ס״א וַדַּאי] דָּא, אִקְרֵי ו׳). There is another garden, which is Dalet, and from this Vav the Dalet is watered [this is the four heads] (אִית גִּנְתָּא אַחֲרָא, דְּאִיהִי ד׳. וּמֵהַאי ו׳, אִשְׁתַּקְיָיא ד׳ [דָּא אִיהִי אַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים]). And this is the secret of what is written: “And a river went out of Eden…” (Bereshit 2) (וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא דִּכְתִיב, וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן וְגוֹ׳). What is Eden? This is supernal Chokhmah, and this is Yod (מַאי עֵדֶן. דָּא חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה, וְדָא יו״ד). “To water”-this is the Vav (לְהַשְׁקוֹת, דָּא הוּא ו׳). “The garden”-this is the Dalet (אֶת הַגָּן, דָּא הוּא ד׳). “And from there it parted and became four heads”-this is the Dalet (וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְהָיָה לְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים, דָּא הוּא ד׳). And all is included in the Yod (וְכֹלָּא כָּלִיל בְּיו״ד). And because of this it is called father of all, father of the Patriarchs, the beginning of all (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, אִקְרֵי אָב לְכֹלָּא. אָב לַאֲבָהָן. שֵׁירוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא). It is called the house of all, as it is written: “By Chokhmah is a house built” (Proverbs 24) (אִקְרֵי בֵּיתָא דְּכֹלָּא, דִּכְתִיב, בְּחָכְמָה יִבָּנֶה בָּיִת). [From this Yod is the beginning and ending of all] (מֵהַאי יו״ד שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא דְּכֹלָּא). And it is written: “You made them all with Chokhmah” (Psalms 104) (וּכְתִיב, כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ). In its place it is not revealed and not known (בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, לָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא, וְלָא אִתְיְדַע). From being joined in Imma, it is hinted in Imma, and because of this, Imma is the generality of all-in her it is known, and in her it is hinted, the beginning and end of all (מִדְּאִתְחַבָּר בְּאִמָּא, אִתְרְמִיז בְּאִמָּא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִמָּא כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא, בָּהּ אִתְיְדַע וּבָהּ אִתְרְמִיז, שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא דְּכֹלָּא). Chokhmah is called, for in her all is concealed (חָכְמָה אִקְרֵי, דְּבָהּ סָתִים כֹּלָּא).

The totality of all is the Holy Name (כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא, שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). Until now I have hinted, but I have not spoken throughout all these days (עַד הַשְׁתָּא רָמִיזְנָא, וְלָא אֲמֵינָא כָּל אִלֵּין יוֹמִין). And now the aspects are engraved (וְהָאִידָּנָא מִתְגַּלְּפִין סִטְרִין): Yod, included within this Chokhmah [Wisdom] (יו״ד, כָּלִיל בְּהַאי חָכְמָה).

The Hei—this is Imma [Mother], and we call her Binah [Understanding] (ה״א דָּא אִמָּא, וְקָרֵינָן בִּינָה). And the Vav and Hei—these are the two children, who are crowned from Imma [Mother] (ו״ה, אִלֵּין תְּרֵין בְּנִין, דְּמִתְעַטְּרָן מֵאִמָּא). And we have learned that Binah [Understanding] includes all (וְהָא תָּנֵינָן, דְּבִינָה אִתְכְּלִיל מִכֹּלָּא).

The Yod, when joined with Imma [Mother], brings forth a son (יו״ד דְּמִתְחַבְּרָא בְּאִמָּא, וּמַפְּקִין בֵּ״ן). And this is Binah [Understanding]: father and mother, which are Yod–Hei, with the son within them (וְהַיְינוּ בִּינָה, אָ״ב וָאֵ״ם דְּאִינּוּן יו״ה, בֵּן בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ).

Now one must contemplate Binah [Understanding], which is called Tevunah [Discernment] (הַשְׁתָּא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, בִּינָה, וְאִקְרֵי תְּבוּנָה). Why is she called Tevunah [Discernment], and not Binah [Understanding]? (אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי תְּבוּנָה, וְלָא בִּינָה). Rather, she is called Tevunah [Discernment] when she nurses the two children (אֶלָּא תְּבוּנָה אִקְרֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיַנְקָא לִתְרֵין בְּנִין): Ben [Son] and Bat [Daughter], which are Vav and Hei (בֵּ״ן וּבַ״ת, דְּאִינּוּן ו״ה). And at that time she is called Tevunah [Discernment] (וְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אִקְרֵי תְּבוּנָה).

For all is included in these letters (דְּכֹלָּא כָּלִיל בְּאִלֵּין אַתְוָון): Ben [Son] and Bat [Daughter], which are Vav and Hei (בֵּ״ן וּבַ״ת, אִינּוּן ו״ה). And all is one totality; this is Tevunah [Discernment] (וְכֹלָּא חַד כְּלָלָא, וְהַיְינוּ תְּבוּנָה).

In the book of Rav Hamnuna Sava [the Elder] it is said (בְּסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא אָמַר), that King Shlomo—the first Tikkun [rectification] that he revealed—said: “Behold, you are fair, my beloved”; this is it (דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, תִּקּוּנָא קַדְמָאָה דְּגַלֵּי וְאָמַר, הִנָּךְ יָפָה רַעְיָתִי מֵהַאי הוּא).

And the second Tikkun [rectification] is called Kallah [Bride] (וְתִקּוּנָא תִּנְיָינָא, אִקְרֵי כַּלָּה), which is the Nukva [Female] below (דְּאִיהִי נוּקְבָּא דִּלְתַּתָּא). And those who say that both are this Nukva [Female] below (וְאִינּוּן דְּאַמְרֵי, דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ לְהַאי נוּקְבָּא דִּלְתַּתָּא אִינּוּן), it is not so (לָאו הָכִי). For the first Hei is not called Kallah [Bride] (דְּהֵ״א קַדְמָאָה לָא אִקְרֵי כַּלָּה). And the final Hei is called Kallah [Bride] at known times [at many times] (וְהֵ״א בַּתְרָאָה, אִקְרֵי כַּלָּה, לְזִמְנִין יְדִיעִין [לְזִמְנִין סַגִּיאִין]).

For there are many times (דְּהָא זִמְנִין סַגִּיאִין אִינּוּן), when the male is not joined with her (דִּדְכוּרָא לָא אִתְחַבָּר עִמָּהּ), and departs from her (וְאִסְתַּלָּק מִינָּהּ). At that time it is written: “And to a woman in the impurity of her menstruation you shall not draw near” (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא כְּתִיב, וְאֶל אִשָּׁה בְּנִדַּת טוּמְאָתָהּ לֹא תִקְרַב) (Leviticus 18). When the Nukva [Female] is purified (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְדַּכְּאַת נוּקְבָּא), and the male desires to join with her (וּדְכוּרָא בָּעֵי לְאִתְחַבְּרָא עִמָּהּ), then she is called Kallah [Bride] (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי כַּלָּה). Like a Kallah [Bride] truly, she comes (כְּכַלָּה מַמָּשׁ אַתְיָיא).

But with this Imma [Mother], the will of the two never ceases (אֲבָל הַאי אִמָּא, לָא אַפְסִיק רְעוּתָא דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ לְעָלְמִין). Together they go forth; together they dwell (בְּחַד נָפְקִין, בְּחַד שַׁרְיָין). This one does not cease from that one (לָא אַפְסִיק דָּא מִן דָּא), nor does this one depart from that one (וְלָא אִסְתְּלַּק דָּא מִן דָּא). And because of this it is written: “And a river goes out from Eden” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וְנָהָר יֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן) (Bereshit 2)—it constantly goes out and does not cease (יוֹצֵא תָּדִיר, וְלָא אַפְסִיק). This is what is written: “And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וּכְמוֹצָא מַיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְכַזְּבוּ מֵימָיו) (Isaiah 58).

And because of this it is written, “my beloved” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, רַעְיָתִי) (Song of Songs 1): they dwell in the love of brotherhood (בִּרְעוּתָא דְּאַחְוָה שַׁרְיָין), in complete unity (בְּאַחֲדוּתָא שְׁלֵימוּתָא). But here she is called Kallah [Bride] (אֲבָל הָכָא אִקְרֵי כַּלָּה), for when the male comes to join with her (דְּכַד אָתָא דְּכוּרָא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא עִמָּהּ), she is Kallah [Bride] (הִיא כַּלָּה); like a Kallah [Bride], she truly comes (כְּכַלָּה אִיהִי אַתְיָיא מַמָּשׁ).

And because of this, Shlomo explained two Tikkunim [rectifications] of the Nukva [Female] (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, תְּרֵי תִּקּוּנִין דְּנוּקְבֵי פָּרִישׁ שְׁלֹמֹה). The first Tikkun [rectification] is concealed, because she is concealed (תִּקּוּנָא דְּקַדְמֵיתָא סְתִימָא, בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי סְתִימָא). And Shlomo explained the second Tikkun [rectification] more fully (וְתִקּוּנָא תִּנְיָינָא פָּרִישׁ יַתִּיר), and it is not so entirely concealed (וְלָא סָתִים כּוּלֵי הַאי). Afterwards, all praise depends on the one above (וּלְבָתַר תַּלְיָא כָּל שְׁבָחָא בְּהַהִיא דִּלְעֵילָּא), as it is written: “One is she to her mother; pure is she to the one who bore her” (דִּכְתִיב, אַחַת הִיא לְאִמָּהּ, בָּרָה הִיא לְיוֹלַדְתָּהּ) (Song of Songs 6).

And because Imma [Mother] is crowned with the crown of Kallah [Bride] (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהִי אִמָּא מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּעִטְרָא דְּכַלָּה), and the will of Yod does not cease from her forever (וּרְעוּתָא דְּיו״ד לָא אַפְסִיק מִנָּהּ לְעָלְמִין), all freedom was given into her authority: the freedom of servants (אִתְיְהִיב בִּרְשׁוּתָהּ כָּל חֵירוּ דְּעַבְדִין), the freedom of all (כָּל חֵירוּ דְּכֹלָּא), and the freedom of the guilty, to purify all (כָּל חֵירוּ דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא, לְדַכָּאָה לְכֹלָּא). As it is written: “For on this day shall atonement be made for you” (דִּכְתִיב, כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם) (Leviticus 16). And it is written: “And you shall sanctify the fiftieth year; it shall be Yovel [Jubilee]” (וּכְתִיב, וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּם אֵת שְׁנַת הַחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה, יוֹבֵל הִיא) (Leviticus 25).

What is Yovel [Jubilee]? (מַאי יוֹבֵל). As you say: “And by the stream he shall send forth his roots” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, וְעַל יוּבַל יְשַׁלַּח שָׁרָשָׁיו) (Jeremiah 17). Because of that river which comes, flows, and goes forth (מִשּׁוּם הַהוּא נָהָר דְּאָתֵי וְנָגִיד וְנָפִיק), and comes constantly without ceasing (וְאָתֵי תָּדִיר, וְלָא פָּסִיק).