Daf 73a (דַּף ע״ג ע״א)

They cleaved one to the other (דָּבְקָן דָּא בְּדָא). Three entered into three (תְּלַת עָאלִין בִּתְלַת). From within three emerged one: the berit that cleaves to the berit (מִגּוֹ תְּלַת נָפְקָא חַד בְּרִית דְּדָבְקָא בִּבְרִית). The ruach that ascended was impregnated-she became pregnant from him (אִתְעֲבָרַת רוּחַ דְּסָלְקָא, מִתְעֲבָרַת מִנֵּיהּ). When she was given into two sides, the ruach cleaved to the ruach, and they were impregnated from three sons (כַּד אִתְיְהִיבַת בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין אִתְדַּבְּקוּ רוּחָא בְּרוּחָא וּמִתְעַבְּרָן מִתְּלַת בְּנִין). And Noach and the ark brought forth from themselves three, corresponding to the upper three (וְנֹחַ וְתֵיבָה נָפְקוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ תְּלָתָא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּתְלָתָא (דְּלְתַתָּא) עִלָּאִין). And these are those who came out of the ark: Shem, Cham, and Yefet (וְאִלֵּין אִנוּן דְּנָפְקוּ מִגּוֹ תֵּיבוּתָא שֵׁם וְחָם וְיָפֶת).

Shem is on the right side (שֵׁם דְּבִסְטַר יָמִינָא), Cham is on the left side (חָם דְּבִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא), Yefet is argavna-the purple that includes them both (יֶפֶת אַרְגְּוָונָא דְּכָלִיל לוֹן). And Cham-he is the father of Kena‘an (וְחָם הוּא אֲבִי כְנַעַן). The Filth of gold beneath the coverings-an arousal of the impure spirit of the primordial serpent (זוּהֲמָא דְּדַהֲבָא תַּחוֹת קַסְטִיפִין. אִתְעֲרוּתָא דְּרוּחָא מְסָאֲבָא דְּנָחָשׁ קַדְמָאָה). And because of this, it is stated and written: And Cham, he is the father of Kena‘an (וּבְגִין כָּךְ רְשִׁים וְאָמַר, וְחָם הוּא אֲבִי כְנַעַן)-he who brought curses into the world (דְּאַיְיתֵי לְוָוטִין עַל עָלְמָא). That Kena‘an who was hanged (הַהוּא כְנַעַן דְּאִתְלַטְּיָא). That Kena‘an who darkened the faces of creatures (הַהוּא כְנַעַן דְּאַחְשִׁיךְ אַנְפֵּי בְּרִיָּין). And because of this, none of them were excluded from the general category except this one, as it is written: And Cham-he is the father of Kena‘an (וּבְגִין כָּךְ (כְּלָהוּ) לָא נָפִיק מִגּוֹ כְּלָלָא דְּכֻלְהוּ אֶלָּא דָּא דִּכְתִיב וְחָם הוּא אֲבִי כְנַעַן). He is the one who darkened the world (הַהוּא דְּאַחְשִׁיךְ עָלְמָא). And it is not written in this section Shem is the father of… or Yefet is the father of…, but immediately it jumped to say: Cham-he is the father of Kena‘an-indeed! (וְלָא כְּתִיב בִּכְלָלָא דָּא וְשֵׁם הוּא אֲבִי כָךְ אוֹ יֶפֶת הוּא אֲבִי כָךְ, אֶלָּא מִיָּד קָפַץ וְאָמַר וְחָם הוּא אֲבִי כְנַעַן. וַדַּאי). And concerning this, when Avraham came, what is written? And Avram passed through the land (Bereshit 12) (וְעַל דָּא כַּד אֲתָא אַבְרָהָם מַה כְּתִיב וַיַּעֲבֹר אַבְרָם בָּאָרֶץ). For until then there was no establishment of the Patriarchs, and the seed of Yisrael had not yet come into the world, through whom this name would go forth and enter the supernal, holy Name (דְּעַד לָא הֲוָה קִיּוּמָא דְּאֲבָהָן וְלָא אָתוּ זַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָלְמָא, דְּיִפּוּק שְׁמָא דָא וְיֵיעוּל שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא). When Yisrael were worthy, the land was called by this name-Eretz Yisrael (כַּד הֲווּ זַכָּאִין יִשְׂרָאֵל אִקְרֵי אַרְעָא עַל שְׁמָא דָא אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל); but when they were not worthy, it was called by another name-Eretz Kena‘an (כַּד לָא זָכוּ אִקְרֵי אַרְעָא עַל שְׁמָא אָחֳרָא, אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן). And regarding this it is written: (Bereshit 9) “And he said: Cursed is Kena‘an; a slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר אָרוּר כְּנַעַן עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו). For he is the one who brought curses upon the world (דְּאִיהוּ אַיְיתֵי לְוָוטִין עַל עָלְמָא). And regarding the serpent, what is written? (Bereshit 3) “Cursed are you from among all the beasts” (וּבְנָחָשׁ מַה כְּתִיב אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה). That corresponds to what is written: a slave of slaves (הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים). And concerning this it is written: Shem, Cham, and Yefet (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב שֵׁם חָם וְיָפֶת), these three are the sons of Noach who came out of the ark, just as we have said (תְּלַת אִלֵּין בְּנֵי נֹחַ הַיּוֹצְאִים מִן הַתֵּבָה כִּדְקָאַמְרִינָן).

“These three are the sons of Noach” (שְׁלשָׁה אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי נֹחַ)-they are the sustenance of all the world, the sustenance of the supernal secret (קִיּוּמָא דְּכָל עָלְמָא, קִיּוּמָא דְרָזָא עִלָּאָה). And from them the whole earth was spread out (וּמֵאֵלֶּה נָפְצָה כָל הָאָרֶץ), meaning, the secret of these supernal three colors (הַיְינוּ רָזָא (דָּא) דִּתְלַת גְּוָנִין עִלָּאִין). For when that river that flows and emerges waters the Garden, it does so with the power of these supernal three (דְּכַד הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק אַשְׁקֵי לְגִנְתָא בְּחֵילָא דִּתְלַת אִלֵּין עִלָּאִין). And from there the lower colors branch out, each one inclusive of its fellow (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְפָּרְשָׁן גְּוָנִין דִּלְתַתָּא כָּל חַד וְחַד כָּלִיל בְּחַבְרֵיהּ), in order to reveal the glory of Kudsha Berikh Hu, who expands above and below (לְאַחֲזָאָה דִּיקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְפַּשַּׁט לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא), and He is One above and below (וְאִיהוּ חַד בְּעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי).

Rabbi El‘azar said: These three colors are found in all those that come from the side of holiness (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר תְּלַת גְּוָנִין אִלֵּין בְּכָל אִנוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסְּטַר דִּקְדוּשָׁה), and from the vision of these three colors all that comes from the side of the other spirit branches out (וּמֵחֵיזוּ דִּתְלַת גְּוָנִין אִלֵּין מִתְפָּרְשָׁאן לְכָל אִנוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דְרוּחָא אָחֳרָא). And when you contemplate the secret of the gradations, you will find how the colors branch into all those sides until they descend below into the secret of the twenty-seven channels (וְכַד תִּסְתַּכֵּל בְּרָזָא דְדַרְגִּין תִּשְׁכַּח הֵיךְ מִתְפָּרְשָׁן גְּוָנִין לְכָל אִנוּן סִטְרִין עַד דְּעָיְילִין לְתַתָּא בְּרָזָא דְּאִנוּן שִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִין צִנּוֹרִין (סִטְרֵי) דְּדַשֵּׁי דְּחָפְיָין לִתְהוֹמֵי)-hidden conduits that press into the depths. And all of this is known to the upper sages (וְכֹלָּא יְדִיעָא לַחֲכִימִין עֶלְיוֹנִין). Fortunate is the portion of the Righteous, upon whom Kudsha Berikh Hu is pleased to bestow His glory, and to reveal to them the supernal secrets of wisdom (זַכָּאָה חוּלַקְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בִּיקְרֵיהוֹן וְגָלֵי לוֹן סִתְרִין עִלָּאִין דְּחָכְמְתָּא). Regarding them it is written: (Tehillim 25) “The secret of Hashem is to those who fear Him, and His covenant to make them know it” (עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב סוֹד יְיָ לִירֵאָיו וּבְרִיתוֹ לְהוֹדִיעָם).

Rabbi El'azar opened and said: “Hashem, my God, You are-I will exalt You, I will thank Your Name, for You have performed wonder, counsels from afar, faithfulness, truth” (פָּתַח רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר: יְיָ אֱלֹהַי אַתָּה אֲרוֹמִמְךָ אוֹדֶה שִׁמְךָ כִּי עָשִׂיתָ פֶּלֶא עֵצוֹת מֵרָחוֹק אֱמוּנָה אֹמֶן) (Yeshayahu 25). How many things there are for human beings to contemplate the glory of Kudsha Berikh Hu and to praise His honor (כַּמָּה אִית לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בִּיקְרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּלְשַׁבַּחָא לִיקָרֵיהּ). For whoever knows how to praise his Master properly, Kudsha Berikh Hu fulfills his desire (בְּגִין דְּכָל מַאן דְּיָדַע לְשַׁבַּחָא לְמָארֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד לֵיהּ רְעוּתֵיהּ). And not only that, but He increases blessings above and below (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּאַסְגֵּי בִּרְכָּאן לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא). And therefore, one who knows how to praise his Master and to unify His Name is beloved above and cherished below, and Kudsha Berikh Hu is glorified through him (וְעַל דָּא מַאן דְּיָדַע לְשַׁבַּחָא לֵיהּ לְמָארֵיהּ וּלְיַחֲדָא שְׁמֵיהּ, חָבִיב הוּא לְעֵילָא וְחָמִיד לְתַתָּא וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ בֵּיהּ). Some say: through His glory (נ״א: בִּיקָרֵיהּ). And concerning him it is written: “And He said to me: You are My servant, Yisrael, in whom I am glorified” (וְעֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אַתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאֵר) (Yeshayahu 49). And Noach began, a man of the earth, and he planted a vineyard (וַיָּחֶל נֹחַ אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּטַּע כֶּרֶם). Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yosei-one said: from Gan Eden it was transplanted and set here (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי. חַד אָמַר: מִגַּן עֵדֶן אִתְתַּרְכַּת וּנְצִיב לָהּ הָכָא), and one said: it was in the land, and he uprooted it and planted it (וְחַד אָמַר: בְּאַרְעָא הֲוַת וְעָקַר לָהּ וְשָׁתַל לָהּ). And on that day it produced shoots and sprouted blossoms and grapes (וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא עַבְדַת אִיבִּין וְנִיצַת לַבְלְבִין וְעֲנָבִים), and he pressed it and drank from the wine and became intoxicated (וְהֲוָה סָחִיט לָהּ וְשָׁתֵי מִן חַמְרָא וְרָוֵי).