Daf 95b (דַּף צ״ה ע״ב)

And markings are upon them-what kind of mark is upon them? (וּרְשִׁימִין בְּהוֹן, וּמַהִי רִשּׁוּמָא אִית בְּהוֹן), that one sees in them only Shin and Dalet, and nothing more (דְּאִתְחֲזֵי בְּהוּ שי״ן דל״ת וְלָא יַתִּיר), and because of this they are defiled and attached to them (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִסְתַּאֲבוּן בְּהוֹן וְאִתְדַּבְּקוּן בְּהוֹן). Once they are circumcised, they depart from those [forces] and enter under the wings of the Shekhinta, and upon them is revealed the Yod-the holy marking, the complete sign of the covenant (בָּתַר דְּאִתְגְּזָרוּ, נָפְקִין מֵאִלֵּין וְעָאלִין בְּגַדְפוֹי דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְאִתְגַּלְּיָא בְּהוֹן יו״ד-רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא אָת קְיָימָא שְׁלִים), and Shad-dai is inscribed upon them, and they are perfected in complete existence (וְאִתְרְשִׁים בְּהוֹן שד״י, וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים). And about this it is written: “I am El Shaddai” (Bereshit 17) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי: אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי). Walk before Me and be whole-complete (הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים-שְׁלִים), for now you are lacking in the marking of Shin and Dalet; cut yourself and be complete with the marking of Yod (דְּהַשְׁתָּא אָת חָסֵר בִּרְשִׁימָא דְּשׁי״ן וְדַל״ת-גְּזַר גַּרְמָךְ וֶהֱוֵי שְׁלִים בִּרְשִׁימָא דְּיו״ד). And whoever is in this marking is seen to be blessed in this Name, as it is written: “And El Shaddai will bless you” (Bereshit 28) (וּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בְּרִשּׁוּמָא דָא, אִתְחֲזֵי לְאִתְבָּרְכָא בִּשְׁמָא דָא-דִּכְתִיב: וְאֵל שַׁדַּי יְבָרֵךְ אוֹתְךָ). What is El Shaddai? It is the one from whom blessing issues, who rules over the lower crowns (מַהוּ אֵל שַׁדַּי הַהוּא דְּבִרְכָּאן נָפְקָן מִנֵּיהּ, הוּא דְּשַׁלִּיט עַל כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין), and all tremble and quake from His fear (וְכֹלָּא מִדַּחַלְתֵּיהּ דָּחֲלִין וּמִזְדַּעְזְעִין). Therefore, whoever is circumcised, all those who are not sanctified are distanced from him and do not rule over him (בְּגִין כָּךְ: מַאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר, כָּל אִנּוּן דְּלָא קַדִּישִׁין אִתְרַחֲקָן מִנֵּיהּ וְלָא שָׁלְטִין בֵּיהּ). And not only that-he does not descend to Gehinnom, as it is written: “And your people are all Tzaddikim…” (Isaiah 60) (וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּלָא נָחֵית לַגֵּיהִנֹּם, דִּכְתִיב: וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים וְגו׳). All those who are circumcised are called Tzaddikim (כָּל אִנּוּן דְּאִתְגַּזְּרוּ אִקְרוּן צַדִּיקִים), and therefore: they shall inherit the land forever (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ). For no one inherits this land except one who is called Tzaddik (דְּלָא יָרֵית הַאי אֶרֶץ אֶלָּא הַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק). So too, And your people are all Tzaddikim-they shall inherit the land forever (אַף הָכִי: וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וְגו׳).

Rabbi Abba said: Fortunate are you in this world and the world to come (אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא: זַכָּאִין אַתּוּן בְּעָלְמָא דֵין וּבְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). Fortunate is my portion that I have come to hear these words from your mouths (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי דְּאָתֵינָא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין מִפּוּמֵיכוֹן). All of you are holy (כֻּלְּכוּ קַדִּישִׁין), all of you are children of the Holy God (כֻּלְּכוּ בְּנֵי אֱלָהָא קַדִּישָׁא). Concerning you it is written: “This one shall say: ‘I am Hashem’s, and this one shall call in the name of Ya'akov, and this one shall inscribe his hand ‘to Hashem,’ and shall be called in the name of Yisrael” (Isaiah 45) (עֲלַיְיכוּ כְּתִיב: זֶה יֹאמַר לַי־יָ אָנִי, וְזֶה יִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יַעֲקֹב, וְזֶה יִכְתֹּב יָדוֹ לַי־יָ, וּבְשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֶּה). Each one of you is bound and connected to the supernal Holy King (כָּל חַד מִנְּכוֹן אָחִיד וְאִתְקַשַּׁר בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה), and you are great ones, appointed as shield-bearers from that land called Land of Life, whose greatness is that they feed from the radiance of the Holy Dew (וְאַתּוּן רַבְרְבָן, מְמַנָּן תְּרֵיסִין מֵהַהִיא אֶרֶץ דְּאִקְרֵי אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים, דְּרַבְרְבָנוֹהִי אָכְלִין מִמַּנָּא דְּטַלָּא קַדִּישָׁא).

Another opened and said: “Happy are you, O land, whose king is a free man, and your princes eat in due season…” (Ecclesiastes 10) (פָּתַח אִידָךְ וְאָמַר: אַשְׁרֵיךָ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ בֶּן חוֹרִין, וְשָׂרַיִךְ בָּעֵת יוֹכֵלוּ). And it is written: “Woe to you, O land, whose king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning” (וּכְתִיב: אִי לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ נַעַר, וְשָׂרַיִךְ בַּבֹּקֶר יוֹכֵלוּ). These verses appear to contradict one another (הַנֵּי קְרָאֵי קַשְׁיָין אַהֲדָדֵי). But they are not contradictory (וְלָא קַשְׁיָין): the verse that says “Happy are you, O land” refers to the supernal land that rules over all the supernal beings (הַאי דִּכְתִיב: אַשְׁרֵיךְ אֶרֶץ-דָּא אֶרֶץ דִּלְעֵילָא דְּשָׁלְטָא עַל כָּל אִנּוּן חַיֵּי דִּלְעֵילָא). And for this reason it is called the Land of Life, the land of the living (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי: אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים), and concerning it, it is written: “A land which Hashem your God seeks always…” (Deuteronomy 11) (וְעֲלָהּ כְּתִיב: אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ דּוֹרֵשׁ אוֹתָהּ תָּמִיד). And it is written: “A land where you will not eat your bread in poverty; you will not lack anything in it” (וּכְתִיב: אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא בְמִסְכֵּנוּת תֹּאכַל בָּהּ לֶחֶם, לֹא תֶחְסַר כֹּל בָּהּ). You shall not lack anything in it-precisely (לֹא תֶחְסַר כֹּל בָּהּ דַּיְיקָא). And all this-why? Because it is written: “whose king is a free man” this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב: שֶׁמַלְכֵּךְ בֶּן חוֹרִין-דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). As you say: “My son, My firstborn, Yisrael” (Exodus 4) (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל).

A free man — what is a free man? As you say: “It shall be a Jubilee for you; it shall be holy” (Leviticus 25) (בֶּן חוֹרִין-מַהוּ בֶּן חוֹרִין כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: יוֹבֵל הִיא קֹדֶשׁ תִּהְיֶה לָכֶם). And it is written: “And you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land” (וּכְתִיב: וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר בָּאָרֶץ), for all liberty comes from the Yovel (דְּהָא כָּל חֵירוּ מִיּוֹבְלָא קָא אָתֵי). Therefore: free man (בְּגִין כָּךְ: בֶּן חוֹרִין). And if you say: Ben Chorin (free man) is not written, but rather it should say Ben Cheirut (son of freedom) (וְאִי תֵימָא: בֶּן חוֹרִין וְלֹא כְּתִיב בֶּן חֵירוּת), indeed it should say (son of freedom) (הָכִי הוּא: וַדַּאי בֶּן חֵירוּת מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Rather, in our concealed Mishnah it is taught: When the Yod and the Heh join together, then it is written: “And a river goes out from Eden to water the garden…” (Bereshit 2) (אֶלָּא: בְּמַתְנִיתָא סְתִימָאָה דִּילָן תָּנִינָא-כַּד מִתְחַבְּרָן יו״ד בְּה״א, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב: וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן). And do not say when they are joined-but rather, they are truly joined (וְלָא תֵימָא: כַּד מִתְחַבְּרָן, אֶלָּא: מִתְחַבְּרָן וַדַּאי). And because of this it is written: free man, and about this it is written: “Happy are you, O land, whose king is a free man, and your princes eat in due season”-with joy, completeness, and will (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: בֶּן חוֹרִין כְּתִיב, וְעַל דָּא: אַשְׁרֵיךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַלְכֵּךְ בֶּן חוֹרִין, וְשָׂרַיִךְ בָּעֵת יוֹכֵלוּ-בְּחֶדְוָותָא, בִּשְׁלִימוּ, בְּרַעֲוָא).

Woe to you, O land, whose king is a youth (אִי לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַלְכֵּךְ נַעַר), this is the lower land (הַאי אֶרֶץ דִּלְתַתָּא), for it was taught: all other lands of the nations, idolaters and star-worshippers, were handed over to great officers, shields who rule over them (דְּתַנְיָא: כָּל שְׁאָר אַרְעֵי דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת, אִתְיְהִיבוּ לְרַבְרְבִין תְּרֵיסִין דִּמְמַנָּן עֲלַיְיהוּ). And highest among them is that one of whom it is written: “I was a youth, also I have aged” (Psalms 37) (וְעֵילָא מִכֻּלְהוּ: הַהוּא דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: נַעַר הָיִיתִי גַּם זָקַנְתִּי). And it was taught: this verse was spoken by the prince of the world (וְתָאנָא: הַאי קְרָא שַׂרוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֲמָרוֹ). And because of this it is written: Woe to you, O land, whose king is a youth (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: אִי לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַלְכֵּךְ נַעַר).

Woe to the world that draws from this side (וַוֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּמִסִּטְרָא דָא יָנְקָא), and when Yisrael are in exile, they draw sustenance as one who nurses from another domain (וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא, יַנְקִין כְּמַאן דְּיַנִּיק מֵרְשׁוּתָא אָחֳרָא). And your princes eat in the morning-not all day (וְשָׂרַיִךְ בַּבֹּקֶר יוֹכֵלוּ, וְלֹא בְּכוּלֵי יוֹמָא). In the morning and not at another time of day (בַּבֹּקֶר, וְלֹא בְּזִמְנָא אָחֳרָא דְּיוֹמָא). For it was taught: at the time the sun rises and they come and bow to the sun, rage is suspended over the world (דְּתַנְיָא: בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּחַמָּה זוֹרַחַת וְאַתְיָין וְסָגְדִין לֵיהּ לְשִׁמְשָׁא, רוּגְזָא תָּלֵי בְּעָלְמָא). At the time of Mincha (afternoon), wrath is stirred in the world (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִנְחָה, רוּגְזָא תַלְיָא בְּעָלְמָא). Who causes this? Because your king is a youth-that one who is called youth (מַאן גָּרִים הַאי מִשּׁוּם דְּמַלְכֵּךְ נַעַר, הַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי נַעַר). But you are meritorious, truly upright, supernal holy ones, children of the Holy King (וְאַתּוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין, בְּנֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא). You do not draw from this side (לָא יָנְקִין מֵהַאי סִטְרָא), but from that holy place above (אֶלָּא מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר קַדִּישָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא). Concerning you it is written: “And you who cleave to Hashem your God are all alive this day” (Deuteronomy 4) (עֲלַיְיכוּ כְּתִיב: וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּי־יָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם חַיִּים כֻּלְּכֶם הַיּוֹם).