Daf 83b (דַּף פ״ג ע״ב)

Come and see, Nafshi-this is the Nefesh, which rules at night and pursues after the level (תָּא חֲזֵי, נַפְשִׁי דָּא נֶפֶשׁ דְּאִיהִי שָׁלְטָא בַּלַּיְלָה וּלְמִרְדַּף בָּתַר דַּרְגָּא). Ruach by day, as it is written: “My soul longs for You at night” (רוּחַ בַּיּוֹם, דִּכְתִיב: נַפְשִׁי אִוִּיתִיךָ בַלַּיְלָה) (Yeshayahu 26:9)-this is the Nefesh, which rules at night (דָּא נֶפֶשׁ דְּאִיהִי שָׁלְטָא בַּלַּיְלָה). “Also my Ruach within me shall seek You early” (אַף רוּחִי בְּקִרְבִּי אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ)-this is the Ruach, which rules by day (דָּא רוּחַ דְּאִיהוּ שָׁלְטָא בִּימָמָא). And if you say that these are two separate levels-this is not so (וְאִי תֵימָא דִּתְרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִנּוּן בִּפְרוּדָא, לָא הָכִי), for they are one level, and they are two joined together as one (דְּהָא דַּרְגָּא חַד אִנּוּן, וְאִנּוּן תְּרֵין בְּחִבּוּרָא חַד), and there is one supernal that rules over them and clings to them (וְחַד עִלָּאָה דְּשָׁלְטָא עֲלַיְיהוּ וְאִתְדַּבַּק בְּהוּ), and they are called and referred to as Neshamah (וְאִנּוּן בֵּיהּ וְאִתְקְרִיאַת נְשָׁמָה). And all the levels ascend in the mystery of Chokhmah (וְכֻלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין סָלְקָאן בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָּא), for when these levels are perceived, a person gazes into supernal Chokhmah (דְּכַד מִסְתַּכְּלָן אִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין יִסְתַּכֵּל בַּר נָשׁ בְּחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה), and that Neshamah enters them and they are unified within her (וְהַאי נְשָׁמָה עָיֵיל בְּהוּ וּמִתְדַּבְּקָן בָּהּ), and when this one rules, then that person is called holy, perfect in all (וְכַד הַאי שָׁלְטָא, כְּדֵין הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ אִקְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ שְׁלִים מִכֹּלָּא), with one desire toward Kudsha Berikh Hu (רְעוּתָא חַדָּא לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

The Nefesh is the lower arousal, and it is embedded in the body and sustains it (נֶפֶ״שׁ אִיהוּ אִתְעֲרוּתָא תַּתָּאָה, וְדָא סְמִיכָא בְּגוּפָא וְזָנַת לֵיהּ), and the body is bound with her and she is united in the body (וְגוּפָא אָחִיד בָּהּ, וְהִיא אִתְאַחֲדַת בְּגוּפָא). Afterward, it is rectified and prepared as a throne for the indwelling of the Ruach, through the arousal of this Nefesh that is united in the body (לְבָתַר אִתְתַּקְּנַת וְאִתְעֲבִידַת כּוּרְסְיָיא לְאַשְׁרָאָה עֲלָהּ רוּחַ בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דְּהַאי נֶפֶשׁ דְּאִתְאַחִידַת בְּגוּפָא), as it is written: “Until a spirit be poured upon us from on high…” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב: עַד יֵעָרֶה עָלֵינוּ רוּחַ מִמָּרוֹם) (Yeshayahu 32:15). After both of them are rectified, they are prepared to receive Neshamah (לְבָתַר דִּמְתַּקְּנִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ, זְמִינִין לְקַבֵּלָא נְשָׁמָה), for the Ruach becomes a throne for the Neshamah to dwell upon (דְּהָא רוּחַ אִתְעֲבִיד כּוּרְסְיָיא לְגַבֵּי נְשָׁמָה לְאַשְׁרָאָה עֲלֵיהּ), and this Neshamah-she is the supernal concealment above all, the most hidden of all hidden (וְהַאי נְשָׁמָה אִיהִי סְתִימָא עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא, טְמִירָא דְכָל טְמִירִין). Thus there is throne within throne, and a throne above upon them (אִשְׁתַּכַּח דְּאִית לֵיהּ כּוּרְסְיָיא לְכוּרְסְיָיא, וְכוּרְסְיָיא לְגַבֵּי עִלָּאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ). And when you contemplate these levels, you will find the secret of Chokhmah in this matter (וְכַד תִּסְתַּכֵּל בְּדַרְגִּין, תִּשְׁכַּח רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָּא בְּהַאי מִלָּה). And all is Chokhmah, to be joined in this manner through hidden words (וְכוֹלָּא הוּא חָכְמְתָּא לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּהַאי גַּוְונָא מִלִּין סְתִימִין).

Come and see, the Nefesh-she is the lower arousal that clings within the body (תָּא חֲזֵי, נֶפֶשׁ אִיהִי אִתְעֲרוּתָא תַּתָּאָה דְּאִתְדַּבְּקָא בֵּיהּ בְּגוּפָא), like the manner of a flame upon a wick (כְּגַוְונָא דְּנְהוֹרָא דְּבוּצִינָא). The lower flame, which is dark, is bound to the wick, and it neither separates from it nor is it rectified except through it (דִּנְהוֹרָא תַּתָּאָה דְּאִיהִי אוּכְמָא אִתְדַּבְּקַת בִּפְתִילָה וְלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנָּהּ וְלָא אִתְתַּקְּנַת אֶלָּא בָּהּ). And when it is rectified in the wick, it becomes a throne for the supernal white light that rests upon that dark light (וְכַד אִתְתַּקְּנַת בַּפְּתִילָה, אִתְעֲבִידַת כּוּרְסְיָיא לִנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה חִוָּרָא דְּשַׁרְיָיא עַל הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא אוּכְמָא). Afterwards, when both are rectified, that white light becomes a throne for the concealed light, which is unseen and unknown, that rests upon the white light (לְבָתַר כַּד מִתְתַּקְּנַן תַּרְוַיְיהוּ, אִתְעֲבִידַת הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא חִוָּרָא כּוּרְסְיָיא לִנְהוֹרָא סְתִימָאָה דְּלָא אִתְחֲזֵי וְלָא אִתְיְידַע מַה דְּשַׁרָא עַל הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא חִוָּרָא), and then the light is complete (וּכְדֵין נְהוֹרָא שְׁלִים). And so is the human being who is complete in all (וְכָךְ הוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלִים בְּכֹלָּא), and then he is called “holy” (וּכְדֵין אִקְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ), as it is said: “To the holy ones who are in the land…” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: לִקְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ הֵמָּה וְגו׳) (Tehillim 16:3). Such is the supernal mystery (כְּגַוְונָא דָא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה).

Come and see: at the moment that Avraham entered the land, Kudsha Berikh Hu appeared to him (תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעָאל אַבְרָהָם לְאַרְעָא, אִתְחֲזִי לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is said: “to Hashem who appeared to him” (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר: לַיְיָ הַנִּרְאֶה אֵלָיו) (Bereishit 12:7), and there he received Nefesh and built an altar to that level (וְקַבֵּיל תַּמָּן נֶפֶשׁ וּבָנָה מִזְבֵּחַ לְהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא). Afterwards: “Going and traveling toward the Negev”-there he received Ruach (לְבָתַר: הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ הַנֶּגְבָּה - דְּקַבֵּיל רוּחַ). Later, when he ascended to cleave within Neshamah, then it is written: “And he built there an altar to Hashem”-without specification, this is Neshamah, which is the concealment of all concealments (לְבָתַר עַד דְּסָלִיק לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא גּוֹ נְשָׁמָה, כְּדֵין: וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לַיְיָ סְתָם - דָּא הִיא נְשָׁמָה, דְּאִיהִי סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין). Afterward, he knew that he must be refined and crowned through levels (לְבָתַר יָדַע דְּבָעֵי לְאִצְטַּרְפָא וּלְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּדַרְגִּין), immediately: “And Avram went down to Egypt”, and he was saved from there (מִיָּד: וַיֵּרֶד אַבְרָם מִצְרַיִם, וְאִשְׁתַּזִּיב מִתַּמָּן). And he was not seduced among those bright forms, but was refined and returned to his place (וְלָא אִתְפַּתָּא גּוֹ אִנּוּן טְהִירִין, וְאִתְצָּרִיף וְתָב לְאַתְרֵיהּ). Once he descended and was refined, immediately: “And Avram went up from Egypt” (כֵּיוָן דְּנָחַת וְאִתְצָּרִיף, מִיָּד: וַיַּעַל אַבְרָם מִמִּצְרַיִם) (Bereishit 13:1) he certainly ascended, returned to his place, and was joined to supernal faith, as it is written: “toward the Negev” (סָלִיק וַדַּאי וְתָב לְאַתְרֵיהּ, וְאִתְדַּבַּק בִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה, דִּכְתִיב: הַנֶּגְבָּה). From this point onward, Avraham knew supernal Chokhmah and cleaved to Kudsha Berikh Hu, and became the right hand of the world (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה יָדַע אַבְרָהָם חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה וְאִתְדָּבַּק בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִתְעֲבִיד יָמִינָא דְעָלְמָא). Then: “And Avram was very heavy in cattle, in silver, and in gold” (כְּדֵין: וְאַבְרָם כָּבֵד מְאֹד בַּמִּקְנֶה, בַּכֶּסֶף וּבַזָּהָב) (Bereishit 13:2). Very heavy-this refers to the side of the east (כָּבֵד מְאֹד: בְּסִטְרָא דְמִזְרָח), in cattle-to the side of the west (בַּמִּקְנֶה: בְּסִטְרָא דְמַעֲרָב), in silver-to the side of the south (בַּכֶּסֶף: מִסִּטְרָא דְדָרוֹם), in gold-to the side of the north (בַּזָּהָב: מִסִּטְרָא דְצָפוֹן). There came Rabbi El‘azar and Rabbi Abba and all the companions, and they kissed his hand (אָתוּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי אַבָּא וְכֻלְּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא וּנְשָׁקוּ יְדוֹי). Rabbi Abba wept and said: Woe, woe, when you depart from the world-who will illuminate the light of the Orayta? (בָּכָה רַבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר: וַי וַי כַּד תִּסְתַּלַּק מִן עָלְמָא, מַאן יַנְהִיר נְהוֹרָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא). Blessed is the portion of the companions who hear these words of Orayta from your mouth (זַכָּאָה חוּלַקְהוֹן דְּחַבְרַיָּיא דְּשָׁמְעִין מִלִּין דְאוֹרַיְיתָא אִלֵּין מִפּוּמָךְ).

Rabbi Shim‘on said: come and see, what is written? “And he went on his journeys” (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב: וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו) (Bereishit 13:3) to revisit his place and his level (לְמִפְקַד אַתְרֵיהּ וְדַרְגוֹי). Lemasav [his journeys] is written as lemasa‘o [his journey], singular (לְמַסָּעָיו: לְמַסָּעוֹ כְּתִיב). What is his journey?-This is the first level that was shown to him initially (מַאן מַסָּעוֹ דָּא דַּרְגָּא קַדְמָאָה דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא). It is written here “his journey” (כְּתִיב הָכָא מַסָּעוֹ), and it is written there, “a complete stone, a journey, is built” (וּכְתִיב הָתָם: אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה מַסַּע נִבְנֶה). (Melakhim I 6:7). And behold, we have established it: “a complete stone, indeed” (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא: אֶבֶן שְׁלֵמָה וַדַּאי). Journey—as it has been stated (מַסָּע: כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר).