Daf 91a (דַּף צ״א ע״א)

Come and see, that Rabbi Shim'on said: it is written, “This is the book of the generations of Adam” (Bereshit 5) (תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: כְּתִיב זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם). And did he have a book? (וְכִי סֵפֶר הֲוָה לֵיהּ). Rather, it has already been established that Kudsha Berikh Hu showed Adam HaRishon generation by generation and their seekers, and so forth (אֶלָּא אוּקְמוּהָ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְמֵי לֵיהּ לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן דּוֹר דּוֹר וְדוֹרְשָׁיו וְכו׳). How did He show him? If you say that he saw with Holy Spirit those destined to come into the world, like one who sees with wisdom what will come into the world-(הֵיאַךְ אַחְמֵי לֵיהּ אִי תֵימָא דְּחָמָא בְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא דְּאִנּוּן זְמִינִין לְמֵיתֵי לְעָלְמָא, כְּמַאן דְּחָמָא בְּחָכְמְתָא מַה דְּיֵיתֵי לְעָלְמָא)-not so! Rather, he saw them all with the eye (לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא חָמָא בְּעֵינָא כֻּלְהוּ). And that form in which they were destined to exist in the world-he saw all of them with the eye (וְהַהוּא דִּיוּקְנָא דְּזַמִּינִין לְמֵיקַם בֵּיהּ בְּעָלְמָא, כֻּלְהוּ חָמָא בְּעֵינָא). What is the reason (מַאי טַעְמָא), because from the day that the world was created (בְּגִין דְּמִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא), all the souls that are destined to arise in human beings (כֻּלְהוּ נַפְשָׁאן דְּזַמִּינִין לְמֵיקַם בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), all of them stand before Kudsha Berikh Hu (כֻּלְהוּ קָיְימִין קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), in that very image in which they are destined to arise in the world (בְּהַהוּא דִּיוּקְנָא מַמָּשׁ דְּזַמִּינִין לְמֵיקַם בֵּיהּ בְּעָלְמָא).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָא), all those righteous ones, after they depart from this world (כָּל אִנּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא בָּתַר דְּנָפְקִין מֵהַאי עָלְמָא), all the souls ascend (כֻּלְהוּ נַפְשָׁאן סָלְקָן), and Kudsha Berikh Hu prepares for them another image to be clothed in (וּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַזְמִין לוֹן דִּיוּקְנָא אָחֳרָא לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בְּהוּ), in the likeness of how they were in this world (כְּגַוְונָא דְּהֲווּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). Because of this, all of them stand before Him, and Adam HaRishon saw them with the eye (בְּגִין כָּךְ כֻּלְהוּ קָיְימִין קַמֵּיהּ, וְחָמָא לוֹן אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּעֵינָא). And if you say that after he saw them they did not remain in their existence-come and see, all the words of Kudsha Berikh Hu are enduring, and they stand before Him until they descend into the world (וְאִי תֵימָא בָּתַר דְּחָמָא לוֹן לָא קָיְימֵי בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ-תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל מִלּוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּקִיּוּמָא אִנּוּן, וְקָיְימוּ קַמֵּיהּ עַד דְּנָחֲתוּ לְעָלְמָא). In this manner, it is written: “With those who are here...” (Deuteronomy 29) (כְּגַוְונָא דָא כְּתִיב כִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר יֶשְׁנוֹ פֹה וְגו׳)-it has been established that all human beings destined to exist in the world were all found there (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ: דְּכֻלְהוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּזַמִּינִין לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּעָלְמָא, כֻּלְהוּ אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ תַמָּן).

Here, one must observe carefully-for it is written, “With those who are not here…” (Deuteronomy 29) (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא, דְּהָא כְּתִיב: אֵת אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ פֹה וְגו׳), and it implies that those (all of them) who will go forth derive from those who already stand there (וּמַשְׁמַע הַנְהוּ (כּלְהוּ) דְּיִפְקוּן מֵאִנּוּן דְּקָיְימִין תַּמָּן), because it is written, “with us today”, and it does not say, “who stand with us today” (בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב עִמָּנוּ הַיּוֹם, וְלָא כְּתִיב עִמָּנוּ עוֹמֵד הַיּוֹם). Rather, certainly they all stand there, only they are not visible to the eye (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי (הָכָא) כֻּלְהוּ קָיְימוּ תַּמָּן, אֶלָּא דְּלָא אִתְחֲזוּ לְעֵינָא); therefore, it is written, “with us today”, even though they are not seen (בְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב עִמָּנוּ הַיּוֹם, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִתְחֲזוּן). And if you say, why were they not seen here, as they were seen by Adam HaRishon, who saw them eye to eye (וְאִי תֵימָא מַאי טַעְמָא לָא אִתְחֲזוּן הָכָא כְּמָה דְּאִתְחֲזוּן לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן דְּחָמָא לוֹן עֵינָא בְּעֵינָא) behold, here it should have been revealed even more (וְהָא הָכָא אִתְחֲזֵי יַתִּיר)! Rather, here, when the Orayta was given to Yisrael, there was another vision, and supernal levels were seen eye to eye, and they yearned to behold and gaze upon the glory of their Master (אֶלָּא הָכָא כַּד אִתְיְהִיבַת אוֹרַיְּיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, חֵיזוּ אָחֳרָא וְדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין הֲווּ חָמָאן וּמִסְתַּכְּלָאן עֵינָא בְּעֵינָא, וְהֲווּ תְּאִיבִין לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא וּלְמֶחֱמֵי בִּיקָרָא דְּמָרֵיהוֹן); and for this reason, they saw the supernal glory of Kudsha Berikh Hu alone and not anything else (וּבְגִין כָּךְ חָמוּ יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וְלָא מֵאָחֳרָא). And on account of this, all human beings destined to exist in the world, all stand before Kudsha Berikh Hu in the very forms in which they are destined to exist (וְעַל דָּא כֻּלְהוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּזַמִּינִין לְקָיְימָא בְּעָלְמָא, כֻּלְהוּ קָיְימֵי קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּאִנּוּן דִּיוּקְנִין מַמָּשׁ דְּזַמִּינִין לְקָיְימָא בֵּיהּ). This is what is written: “Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book…” (Psalms 139) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וְעַל סִפְרְךָ וְגו׳). “Your eyes saw my unformed substance”-why? Because that other supernal form existed in such a way (גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ. מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּדִיוּקְנָא אָחֳרָא עִלָּאָה הֲוִי כְּהַאי); and because of this it is written, “And who is a rock besides our God?” (Psalms 18) (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב וּמִי צוּר זוּלָתִי אֱלֹהֵינוּ). Who is [such] a good artist who designs (and includes) everything (this within that), like Kudsha Berikh Hu? (מַאן צַיָּיר טַב דְּצַיָּיר (דְּכָלִיל) כֹּלָּא (דָּא בְּדָא) כְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Another matter: “For who is El”-this is a secret of the matter, for El is an inclusive term that incorporates all levels (דָּבָר אַחֵר: כִּי מִי אֱלֹהַּ, דָּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, דְּהָא אֵל כְּלָלָא הוּא דְּאִתְכְּלִיל מִכֻּלְהוּ דַּרְגִּין). And if you say that El is another level because it is written: “El rages every day” (Psalms 7) (וְאִי תֵימָא דְּהָא אֵל אִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא אָחֳרָא בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב אֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם)-come and see: for there is no El besides Hashem, and He is not alone, nor is He ever separated (תָּא חֲזֵי: דְּהָא לֵית אֵל מִבַּלְעֲדֵי יְיָ, דְּלָאו אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי וְלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ לְעָלְמִין). And because of this, it is written: “For who is El besides Hashem… and who is a rock…” (II Samuel 22) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב כִּי מִי אֵל מִבַּלְעֲדֵי יְיָ וּמִי צוּר וְגו׳), for the Rock [Tzur] is not alone, rather all is one, as it is written: “And you shall know today, and return it to your heart, that Hashem is God” (Deuteronomy 4) (דְּהָא צוּר לָאו אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא חַד, כְּדִכְתִיב וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ כִּי יְיָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים וְגו׳).

Come and see, before Avraham was circumcised, he would speak with Him only from within a Vision (תָּא חֲזֵי, עַד לָא אִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם, הֲוָה מְמַלֵּיל עִמֵּיהּ מִגּוֹ מַחֲזֶה בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), as it is said: “The word of Hashem came to Avram in a vision” (Bereshit 15) (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר, דִּכְתִיב: הָיָה דְּבַר יְיָ אֶל אַבְרָם בַּמַּחֲזֶה וְגו׳). “In a vision” in that vision, the level in which all forms (forms) are shown (בַּמַּחֲזֶה-בְּהַהוּא חֵיזוּ, דַּרְגָּא דְּכָל דִּיוּקְנִין אִתְחַזְיָין בֵּיהּ), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר). And this Vision is the secret of the covenant (וְהַאי מַחֲזֶה, אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּבְרִית). And if you say that therefore it is called Vision, because it is the level of vision in which all forms are seen and thus it is called Vision (וְאִי תֵימָא דִּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי מַחֲזֶה, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא חֵיזוּ דְּכָל דִּיוּקְנִין אִתְחַזְיָין בֵּיהּ, וּכְדֵין אִקְרֵי מַחֲזֶה), behold, you have already said earlier that before Avraham was circumcised, He did not speak with him from that level upon which other levels rest (הָא אֲמַרְתְּ (פח ב) בְּקַדְמִיתָא, דְּעַד לָא אִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם, לָא הֲוָה מְמַלֵּיל עִמֵּיהּ בַּר הַאי דַּרְגָּא, דְּלָא שָׁרָאן עֲלוֹי דַּרְגִּין אָחֳרָנִין). And now you said (וְהַשְׁתָּא אֲמַרְתְּ): in the vision—this is the seeing of all the supernal levels (בַּמַּחֲזֶה — חֵיזוּ דְּכָל דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין), (it is…) (אִיהוּ). Yet behold, it is written “The word of Hashem came to Avram in a vision”-and this was before he was circumcised (וְהָא עַד לָא אִתְגְּזַר, כְּתִיב: הָיָה דְּבַר יְיָ אֶל אַבְרָם בַּמַּחֲזֶה). Rather, this level is a vision of all supernal levels, and it was rectified in the vision of those supernal levels (אֶלָּא, הַאי דַּרְגָּא-חֵיזוּ דְּכָל דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין אִיהוּ, וּבְחֵיזוּ דְּדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין אִתְתַּקַּן). And even though at that time Avraham was not yet circumcised, this level is the vision of the supernal levels and stands in all colors (וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאַבְרָהָם לָא הֲוָה גָּזִיר, הַאי דַּרְגָּא-בְּחֵיזוּ דְּדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין אִיהוּ, וּבְכָל אִנּוּן גְּוָונִין אִיהוּ קָאִים). And the vision wherein these colors stand beneath it: one on the right, a white color; one on the left, a red color; one inclusive of all colors-and it is the vision of all supernal colors that rest upon it (וְחֵיזוּ דְּאִנּוּן גְּוָונִין קָיְימֵי תַּחוֹתֵיהּ: חַד מִיָּמִינָא-גַּוָּון חִוַּור; חַד מִשְּׂמָאלָא-גַּוָּון סוּמָק; חַד דְּכָלִיל מִכָּל גְּוָונִין, וְאִיהוּ חֵיזוּ דְּכָל גְּוָונִין עִלָּאִין דְּקָיְימֵי עֲלֵיהּ). And upon this vision Avraham stood and spoke with Him even though he was not yet circumcised (וְעַל דָּא, בְּהַאי חֵיזוּ קָאִים עֲלֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם וּמַלִּיל עִמֵּיהּ, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִתְגְּזַר). But once he was circumcised, what is written? “And Hashem appeared to Avram” (Bereshit 18) (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְגְּזַר, מַה כְּתִיב וַיֵּרָא יְיָ אֶל אַבְרָם).

Come and see: “The vision of Shaddai,” it is written regarding Bil‘am (Numbers 24) (תָּא חֲזֵי: מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי כְּתִיב בְּבִלְעָם). But regarding Avraham, it is written simply Vision-what is the difference between this and that? (וּבְאַבְרָהָם כְּתִיב: מַחֲזֶה סְתָם. מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי) Rather, Vision of Shaddai-these are those from below, who issue from him, and those are his visions (אֶלָּא: מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי-אִלֵּין דִּלְתַּתָּא דְּנָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ, וְאִנּוּן חֵיזוּ דִּילֵיהּ). But Vision without qualification-this is Hashem Himself, the vision in which all supernal forms are seen (מַחֲזֶה סְתָם-מַחֲזֶה דָּא הוּא ה׳, דְּכָל חֵיזוּ דְּכָל דִּיוּקְנִין עִלָּאִין אִתְחַזְיָין בֵּיהּ). And because of this, by Avraham it says simply Vision, and by Bil‘am it says Vision of Shaddai (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב בְּאַבְרָהָם: מַחֲזֶה סְתָם; וּבְבִלְעָם: מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי).