Daf 141b (דַּף קמ״א ע״ב)

And for this reason it is written: “And you shall be like a well-watered garden” (Isaiah 58) (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וְהָיִיתָ כְּגַן רָוֶה). What is “like a well-watered garden”? (מַאי כְּגַן רָוֶה) That its supernal waters never cease (דְּלָא פָּסְקוּ מֵימוֹי עִלָּאִין), for ever and ever (לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין), and this garden is irrigated from it (וְהַאי גִינְתָא אִתְשַׁקֵּי מִנֵּיהּ), and watered from it constantly (וְאִתְרַוֵּי מִנֵּיהּ תָּדִיר). And like a spring of water-this is that river which flows and goes out from Eden, and its waters never cease (דַּף קמא ע״ב וּכְמוֹצָא מַיִם, דָּא הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן וְלָא פָּסְקִין מֵימוֹי לְעָלְמִין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), a well of flowing water-this is a supernal secret within the secret of Faith (בֵּירָא דְמַיִין נָבְעִין, הַאי אִיהוּ רָזָא עִלָּאָה בְּגוֹ רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). A well that has a spring of water within it (בֵּירָא דְּאִית בֵּיהּ מוֹצָא מַיִם), and this well is filled from that spring (וְאִיהוּ בֵּירָא דְּאִתְמַלְּיָא מֵהַהוּא מוֹצָא מַיִם), and these are two levels which are one (וְאִינוּן תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין דְּאִינוּן חַד): male and female as one, as is fitting (דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא כְּחֲדָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), that spring of water and that well are one (הַהוּא מוֹצָא מַיִם וְהַהוּא בֵּירָא אִינוּן חַד), and all is called “well” (וְאִקְרֵי כֹּלָּא בְּאֵר), for that source flows in and never ceases (דְּהָא הַהוּא מְקוֹרָא דְּעֲיִּיל, וְלָא פָּסִיק לְעָלְמִין), and the well is filled (וּבֵירָא אִתְמְלֵי). And whoever contemplates this well, contemplates the supernal secret of Faith (וּמַאן דְּאִסְתַּכַּל בְּבֵירָא דָא, אִסְתַּכַּל בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and this is the sign of the Patriarchs (וְדָא הוּא סִימָנָא דְּאֲבָהָן), who labored to dig the well of water within the supernal secret (דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי לַחְפּוֹר בֵּירָא דְּמַיָא גּוֹ רָזָא עִלָּאָה), and there is no separation between the source and the well-all is one (וְלֵית לְאַפְרָשָׁא בֵּין מְקוֹרָא וּבֵירָא וְכֹלָּא חַד). “And he called its name Reḥovot” (Bereshit 26) (וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמָהּ רְחוֹבוֹת): an allusion that his children are destined to serve and to repair this well as is proper (רָמִיז דְּזַמִּינִין בְּנוֹי לְמִפְלַח וּלְאַתְקָנָא הַאי בֵּירָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי), in the secret of offerings and elevation (בְּרָזָא דְּקָרְבָּנִין וְעִלַּוָּון). Like this, “And He placed him in the Garden of Eden to serve it and to guard it” (Bereshit 2) (כְּגַוְונָא דָא וַיַּנִּיחֵהוּ בְּגַן עֵדֶן לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ): these are the offerings and elevations (אִלֵּין קָרְבָּנִין וְעִלַּוָּון), and for this reason its streams extend to all directions (וּבְגִין דָּא, יִתְפַּשְּׁטוּן מַבּוּעוֹי לְכָל סִטְרִין), as you say: “Let your fountains be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets” (Proverbs 5) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְיָפוּצוּ מַעְיְנֹתֶיךָ חוּצָה בָּרְחֹבוֹת פַּלְגֵי מַיִם), and therefore: “He called its name Reḥovot” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמָהּ רְחוֹבוֹת).

Rabbi Shim‘on opened and said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Wisdoms cry out in the street; in the broad places she gives forth her voice” (Proverbs 1) ( חָכְמוֹת בַּחוּץ תָּרוֹנָה בָּרְחוֹבוֹת תִּתֵּן קוֹלָהּ). This verse is a supernal secret (הַאי קְרָא אִיהוּ רָזָא עִלָּאָה). What are “wisdoms”? (מַאי חָכְמוֹת) These are the supernal Chokhmah and the small Chokhmah that is integrated with the supernal and rests within her (אִלֵּין חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה וְחָכְמְתָּא זְעֵירָא דְּאִתְכְּלִילַת בָּהּ בְּעִלָּאָה וְשַׁרְיָא בָהּ).

“In the street she cries out” (בַּחוּץ תָּרוֹנָה). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), supernal Chokhmah is the most hidden of all that is hidden (חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה אִיהִי סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין), and it is not known, nor is it revealed (וְלָא אִתְיְידָע וְלָאו אִיהִי בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא), as it is said: “Man does not know its worth…” (Job 28) (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר לֹא יָדַע אֱנוֹשׁ עֶרְכָּהּ וְגו׳). But when it expands to shine, it shines in the secret of the World to Come (כַּד אִתְפַּשְׁטַת לְאִתְנַהֲרָא, אִתְנַהֲרָא בְּרָזָא דְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי), and the World to Come is created from it (וְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי אִתְבְּרֵי מִנֵּיהּ). As we have learned: the World to Come was created with the letter Yod (כְּדִתְנַן, עַלְמָא דְאָתֵי אִתְבְּרֵי בְּיו״ד), and this Chokhmah is hidden there, and they are one (וְאִתְכַּסְיָא הַאי חָכְמָה תַּמָּן, וְאִינוּן חַד). At the time when all is crowned-(Some say: when all is adorned, some say: when all is formed)-in the secret of the World to Come as we said (בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִתְעַתַּד [נ״א: דְּאִתְעַטַּר, נ״א: דְּאִתְעַבֵּד] כֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא דְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן), then there is joy to shine forth (כְּדֵין הוּא חֶדְוָה לְאִתְנַהֲרָא), and all is in silence, not heard outside, ever (וְכֹלָּא בַּחֲשַׁאי דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע לְבַר לְעָלְמִין). Then it desires to expand (תוּ בָּעְיָא לְאִתְפַּשְּׁטָא), and from that place go forth fire, water, and wind (וְנָפִיק מֵהַאי אֲתַר אֶשָׁא וּמַיָא וְרוּחָא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר). And a single voice is made that goes out and is heard (וְאִתְעֲבִיד חַד קָלָא דְּנָפְקָא לְבַר וְאִשְׁתְּמַע), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר). From there onward it is called “outside” (כְּדֵין מִתַּמָּן וּלְהַלָּן אִיהוּ חוּץ), for inward it is in silence and not heard ever (דְּהָא לְגוֹ בַּחֲשַׁאי אִיהוּ דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע לְעָלְמִין), but now that the secret is heard, it is called “outside” (הַשְׁתָּא דְּאִשְׁתְּמַע רָזָא, אִקְרֵי חוּץ). From here a person must repair his actions (מִכָּאן בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַתְקָנָא בַּעֲבִידְתֵּיהּ) and seek (וּלְשָׁאֳלָא).

“In the broad places”-what is Reḥovot? (בָּרְחוֹבוֹת, מַאן רְחוֹבוֹת) This is that firmament in which all the shining stars dwell (דָּא הַהוּא רְקִיעָא דְּבֵיהּ כָּל כּוֹכָבַיָּיא דְּנָהֲרִין), and it is a fountain whose waters never cease (וְאִיהוּ מַבּוּעָא דְּמֵימוֹי לָא פָסְקִין). As it is said: “And a river goes out of Eden to water the garden” (Bereshit 2) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן), and this is Reḥovot (וְאִיהוּ רְחוֹבוֹת). And there she gives her voice (וְתַמָּן תִּתֵּן קוֹלָהּ), above and below, and all is one (עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה וְכֹלָּא חַד). And for this reason Shlomo said (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר שְׁלמֹה): “Prepare your work outside and make it ready in the field for yourself…” (Proverbs 24) (הָכֵן בַּחוּץ מְלַאכְתֶּךָ וְעַתְּדָהּ בַּשָּׂדֶה לָךְ וְגו׳). “Prepare outside”-as was said: “In the street she cries out” (Proverbs 1) (הָכֵן בַּחוּץ, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר. דִּכְתִיב בַּחוּץ תָּרוֹנָה)-for from there the work stands to be repaired, and the word to be sought (דְּהָא מִכָּאן קָיְימָא עֲבִידָא לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא וּמִלָּה לְשָׁאֲלָה), as it is written: “Inquire now regarding the former days…” (Deuteronomy 4) (דִּכְתִיב, כִּי שְׁאַל נָא לְיָמִים רִאשׁוֹנִים וְגו׳), “from one end of the heavens to the other” (וּלְמִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם). “And make it ready in the field for yourself”-this is “the field that יי has blessed” (Bereshit 27) (וְעַתְּדָהּ בַּשָּׂדֶה לָךְ, דָּא שָׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַכוֹ יי). And after a person knows the secret of Chokhmah and prepares himself in it (וּבָתַר דְּיִנְדַע בַּר נָשׁ רָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא וְיַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ בָהּ), what is written after? “Then build your house” (וּבָנִיתָ בֵיתֶךָ)-this is the Neshamah of a person in his body (דָּא נִשְׁמָתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּגוּפֵיהּ), that he may be repaired and become a complete man (דְּיִתְתַּקַּן וְיִתְעֲבִיד גְּבַר שְׁלִים). And for this reason, when Yitzḥak dug and made a well in peace (וְעַל דָּא כַּד חָפַר יִצְחָק וְעֲבַד בֵּירָא בִּשְׁלָם), for that peace-Some say: to become whole-he called it Reḥovot (נ״א לְמֶהֱוֵי שְׁלִים, קָרֵי לֵיהּ רְחוֹבוֹת), and all was as it should be (וְכֹלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).

Happy are the Righteous, whose deeds toward Kudsha Berikh Hu uphold the world (זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא דְּעוֹבָדֵיהוֹן לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְקַיְימָא עַלְמָא), as it is written: “For the upright shall dwell in the land” (Proverbs 2) (דִּכְתִיב, כִּי יְשָׁרִים יִשְׁכְּנוּ אָרֶץ)-they shall cause the land to dwell (יַשְׁכִּינוּ אָרֶץ). And this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). “And it came to pass when Yitzḥak was old…” (Bereshit 27) (וַיְהִי כִּי זָקֵן יִצְחָק). Rabbi Shim‘on said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): it is written, “And Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night” (Bereshit 1) (כְּתִיב, וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה)-this verse has been established and explained (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמַר). But come and see (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי), all the actions of Kudsha Berikh Hu are words of truth (כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כֻּלְּהוּ אִינוּן מִלִּין דִּקְשׁוֹט), and all is within a supernal secret (וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה). And all the words of the Orayta are words of Faith and supernal mysteries as is fitting (וְכָל מִלּוֹי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, כֻּלְּהוּ מִלֵּי מְהֵימְנוּתָא וְרָזִין עִלָּאִין כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).