Daf 149a (דַּף קמ״ט ע״א)

Rabbi Yitzḥak wept (בָּכָה רִבִּי יִצְחָק), Some say: and swore by his life (ד״א: וְחַיֶּיךָ), and rejoiced (וְחָדֵי). He said: Pearls such as these are under your hands, and I will not follow after you (אָמַר: מַרְגָּלָאן אִלֵּין תְּחוֹת יְדַיְיכוּ, וְלָא אֵזִיל בַּתְרַיְיכוּ). They said to him: You go your way, and we will enter the town for the celebration of this child (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: אַתְּ תֵּזִיל לְאוֹרְחָךְ, וַאֲנַן נֵיעוּל לְמָתָא לְהִלּוּלָא דְּהַאי בְּרִי). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Now I have reason to return to my path (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק: הַשְׁתָּא אִית לִי לְמֵהַךְ לְאָרְחִי). He went (אָזִיל לֵיהּ), and arranged the words before Rabbi Shim'on (וְסִדֵּר מִלִּין קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן).

Rabbi Shim'on said: Surely they have spoken well, and all was spoken through Kudsha Berikh Hu (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: וַדַּאי שַׁפִּיר קָאֲמְרוּ, וְכֹּלָּא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְּמָר). He said: These words come from the descendants of Rabbi Tzadok the Humble (אָמַר: מִלִּין אִלֵּין, מִבְּנֵי בְּנוֹי דְּרִבִּי צָדוֹק חֲלָשָׁא נִינְהוּ). Why is he called “the Humble”? (מַאי טַעְמָא אִקְּרֵי חֲלָשָׁא) Because for forty years he fasted for Yerushalayim, that it not be destroyed in his days (בְּגִין דְּאַרְבָּעִין שְׁנִין אִתְעַנֵּי עַל יְרוּשָׁלֵם, דְּלָא יִתְחְרַב בְּיוֹמוֹי), and he would expound on every word of Orayta, supernal Secrets, and give a path in them to the people of the world to walk by them (וְהֲוָה פָּרִישׁ עַל כָּל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, רָזִין עִלָּאִין, וְיָהִיב בְּהוּ אָרְחָא לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא לְאִתְנַהֲגָא בְּהוּ).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It was not many days until I came again upon that man and his young son with him (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק: לָא הֲווּ אֶלָּא יוֹמִין זְעִירִין, עַד דְּאָעַרְעָנָא בְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ וּבְרֵיהּ זְעֵירָא עִמֵּיהּ). I said to him: Where is the other son? (אֲמִינָא לֵיהּ: אָן הוּא בְּרָךְ אָחֳרָא). He said to me: I made a celebration for him and he remained at home (אָמַר לִי: עֲבִידְנָא לֵיהּ הִלּוּלָא וְאִשְׁתָּאַר בִּדְבֵיתְהוּ). When he recognized me, he said: By your life, I did not invite you to my son's celebration for three reasons (כֵּיוָן דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע בִּי, אָמַר לֵיהּ: חַיֶּיךָ, דְּלָא זְמִינְנָא לָךְ לְהִלּוּלָא דִּבְרִי, בְּגִין תְּלַת מִלִּין). One, because I did not know you and was not acquainted with you - for that is how a man is invited, according to his honor; and perhaps you are a great man, and I would disgrace your honor (חַד: דְּלָא יְדַעְנָא בָךְ וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַעְנָא לָךְ, דְּהָכִי מְזַמְּנִין לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ כְּפוּם יְקָרֵיהּ, וְדִּילְמָא אַנְתְּ גַּבְרָא רַבָּא, וְאַפְגִּים יְקָרָךְ). Two, perhaps you were rushing along your way, and I did not want to burden you (וְחַד: דִּילְמָא אַנְתְּ אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָךְ בִּבְהִילוּ, וְלָא אַטְרַח עֲלָךְ). Three, so that you would not be embarrassed before the men of the group (וְחַד: דְּלָא תַכְסִיף קַמֵּי אֱנָשֵׁי דְּחֲבוּרָא). For our custom is: all who eat at the meal of bride and groom must give gifts and presents (דְּאוֹרְחָא דִּילָן: דְּכָל אִינוּן דְּאָכְלֵי לִפְתוֹרָא דְּחָתָן וְכַלָּה, כֻּלְּהוּ יַהֲבֵי נְבַזְבְּזָן וּמַתְּנָן לוֹן). I said to him: Kudsha Berikh Hu will judge you for good (אֲמִינָא לֵיהּ: קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָדִין לָךְ לְטַב). I said to him: What is your name? He said: 'Tzadok the Small' (אֲמִינָא לֵיהּ: מַה שְּׁמָךְ אָמַר לֵיהּ: צָדוֹק זוּטָא). At that moment, I learned from him thirteen supernal secrets in the Orayta (בְּהַהוּא שַׁעְתָּא אוֹלִיפְנָא מִנֵּיהּ: תְּלֵיסַר [נ״א: תְּרֵיסַר] רָזִין עִלָּאִין בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and from his son three - one by prophecy, and one [Some say: two] by dream (וּמִן בְּרֵיהּ תְּלַת: חַד בִּנְבוּאָה, וְחַד [נ״א: וּתְרֵין] בְּחֶלְמָא). And he said: What is the difference between prophecy and a dream? (וְאָמַר: מַה בֵּין נְבוּאָה לְחֶלְמָא).

Prophecy belongs to the world of the male (נְבוּאָה בְּעַלְמָא דִּדְכוּרָא אִיהוּ), and a dream to the world of the female (וְחֶלְמָא בְּעַלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָא), and from this to that (וּמֵהַאי לְהַאי), six levels descend p3-6(כְּשִׁיתָּא דַּרְגִּין נַחֲתָא). Prophecy is in right and left (נְבוּאָה בִּימִינָא וּבִשְׂמָאלָא), but a dream is only in the left (וְחֶלְמָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא). And a dream spreads downward through many levels (וְחֶלְמָא מִתְפַּרְשָׁא לְכַמָּה דַּרְגִּין לְתַתָּא); for this reason, a dream exists in every world (בְּגִין כָּךְ חֶלְמָא אִיהוּ בְּכָל עַלְמָא). But according to his level - so he sees (אֲבָל כְּפוּם דַּרְגֵּיהּ, הָכִי חָמֵי); according to the person - such is his level (כְּפוּם בַּר נָשׁ, הָכִי דַּרְגֵּיהּ), for prophecy does not extend beyond its place (דִּנְבוּאָה לָא אִתְפַּשְׁטָא אֶלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ).

Sitre Torah

“And he dreamed, and behold! A ladder set up on the earth and its top reached the heavens” (Bereshit 28) (סִתְרֵי תּוֹרָה: וַיַּחֲלֹם וְהִנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְצָה וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה). A dream - the sixth level from those two levels of prophecy until that level - six levels they are (חֶלְמָא, מַדְרֵגָא שְׁתִּיתָּאָה מֵאִינוּן דַּרְגִּין תְּרֵין דִּנְבוּאָה, עַד הַהוּא דַרְגָּא, שִׁיתּ דַּרְגִּין אִינוּן), and for this reason: a dream is one of sixty of prophecy (וְעַל דָּא, חֶלְמָא חַד מִשִּׁתִּין דַּרְגִּין דִּנְבוּאָה). The sullam (ladder) - he saw the sons destined to receive the Orayta on Mount Sinai (סֻלָּם, חָמָא בְּנוֹי דְּזַמִּינִין לְקַבְּלָא אוֹרַיְּיתָא, בְּטוּרָא דְסִינַי); Sullam is Sinai (סֻלָּם דָּא סִינַי), Some say: it equals it in gematria (ס״א: בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא), for it is embedded in the earth and reckoned to ascend to the heavens (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ נָעִיץ בְּאַרְעָא וְחָשִׁיב בִּסְלִיקוּ לִשְׁמַיָא). And all holy retichin and supernal dwellings descended there with Kudsha Berikh Hu when He gave them the Orayta (וְכָל רְתִּיכִין קַדִּישִׁין וּמַשִׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין, כֻּלְּהוּ נָחֲתֵּי תַּמָּן בַּהֲדֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כַּד יָהִיב לוֹן אוֹרַיְּיתָא). And he saw all (וְכֹּלָּא חָמָא). He saw Matatron, the elder of the house, who rules over all within (חָמָא מַטַּטְרוֹן, סָבָא דְבֵיתָּא, דְּשַׁלִּיט בְּכָל דִּילֵיהּ), for he stands in authority over this world (דְּאִיהוּ קָאי בִּשָׁלְטָנוּ עַל הַאי עַלְמָא), in authority through the Name Shaddai (בִּשָׁלְטָנוּ בְּשֵׁם שַׁדַּי). And he ascended above in ascent through the Name of his Master Havayah, the place where Ya'akov was later completed (וְסָלִיק לְעֵילָא בִּסְלִיקוּ דְּשְׁמָא דְּמָרֵיהּ הוי״ה, אֲתַּר דְּיַעֲקֹב אִשְׁתַּלִּים בֵּיהּ לְבָתַּר). And its head - which is Shaddai - that is the Yod, and this “reaches the heavens” (וְרֹאשׁוֹ דְּשַׁדַּי, אִיהוּ יו״ד, וְדָא מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה). Once this letter ascends to that place, it is completed and called by the Name of its Master, Havayah (כֵּיוָן דְּמָטֵי וְסָלִיק אָת דָּא לְהַהוּא אֲתַּר, אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְּקְרֵי בְּהַהוּא שְׁמָא דְּמָארֵיהּ הוי״ה). “And behold, angels of Elohim ascending and descending on it” (Bereshit 28) (וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ) these are the holy angels who are close to the Kingship: they ascend, and those others not close - they descend (אִינוּן מַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין דִּקְרֵבִין לְמַלְכוּתָּא - סָלְקִין, וְאִינוּן אָחֳרָנִין דְּלָא קְרֵבִין - הֵם נָחֲתֵּי). And further: on it they ascend and descend - when he ascends, they ascend with him, and when he descends, they descend with him (וּתּוּ, בּוֹ סָלְקֵי וְנָחֲתֵי - כַּד אִיהוּ סָלִיק סָלְקִין בַּהֲדֵיהּ, כַּד נָחִית נָחֲתִין בַּהֲדֵיהּ). “Angels of Elohim” - twelve precious gems (מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים - תְּרֵיסַר מַרְגְּלִיטָאן טָבָאן), and they are: Miche'al, Kadmi’el, Peda’el, Gavri’el, Tzadki’el, Ḥasdi’el, Refa’el, Raz’i’el, Sitoriy”a, Nuri’el, Yofi’el, ‘An’el (וְאִינוּן: מִיכָאֵל, קַדְמִיאֵל, פְּדָאֵל, גַּבְרִיאֵל, צִדְקִיאֵל, חֶסְדִּיאֵל, רְפָאֵל, רַזִיאֵל, סִטוֹרִי״ה, נוּרִיאֵל, יוֹפִיאֵל, עֲנָאֵל); Thousands of Shin’an (אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן), Shin’an (שִׁנְאָ״ן), ox (שׁו״ר), eagle (נְשֶׁ״ר), lion (אַרְיֵ״ה), Nun, man (נו״ן אָדָם) — included male and female (כָּלִיל דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא). And these ascend when he ascends, and these descend when he descends (וְאִינוּן סָלְקֵי כַּד אִיהוּ סָלִיק, וְאִלֵּין נָחֲתֵי כַּד אִיהוּ נָחִית). And further: all those who rule in the dominion of this world - through him they ascend, and all those who descend - through him they descend - all on this ladder (וְתּוּ, כָּל אִינוּן דְּשָׁלְטֵי בִּשָׁלְטָנוּ דְּהַאי עַלְמָא, עַל יְדֵיהּ סָלְקִין, וְכָל אִינוּן דְּנָחֲתֵי עַל יְדֵיהּ נָחֲתֵי - כֻּלְּהוּ בְּהַאי סֻלָּם).

Havayah rules over all, as it is written (Bereshit 28): “And behold, Hashem stood over him” (הוי״ה שָׁלְטָא עַל כֹּלָּא, דִּכְתִיב: וְהִנֵּה יי נִצָּב עָלָיו). When he awoke, it is written (Bereshit 28): “This is none other than the House of Elohim, and this is the gate of heaven” (כַּד אִתְּעַר, כְּתִיב: אֵין זֶה כִּי אִם בֵּית אֱלֹהִים, וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם). Truly the House of Elohim (בֵּית אֱלֹהִים וַדַּאי), and it is the gate to enter into it, as it is written (Psalms 118): “Open for me the gates of righteousness, I shall enter them, I shall thank Yah” (וְאִיהוּ תַּרְעָא לְאָעֳלָא לְגוֹ, דִּכְתִיב: פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק אָבֹא בָם אוֹדֶה יָהּ). “This is the gate of Hashem” - “this is the gate of heaven” - all is one (זֶה הַשַּׁעַר לַיי, זֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם - כֻּלָּא חַד). (Thus concludes Sitre Torah) (עַד כָּאן סִתְרֵי תּוֹרָה).

Come and see what is written (תָּא חֲזֵי מַה כְּתִיב): “And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth and its top reached the heavens, and behold, angels of Elohim were ascending and descending on it” (Bereshit 28) (וַיַּחֲלוֹם וְהִנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְצָה וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים עֹלִים וְיוֹרְדִים בּוֹ). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “The word of Hashem came indeed to Yeḥezkel son of Buzi the priest in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Kevar, and there the hand of Hashem came upon him” (Ezekiel 1) (הָיֹה הָיָה דְּבַר יי אֶל יְחֶזְקֵאל בֶּן בּוּזִי הַכֹּהֵן בְּאֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים עַל נְהַר כְּבָר, וַתְּהִי עָלָיו שָׁם יַד יי). “The word came, indeed came” - this was a temporary prophecy (הָיֹה הָיָה, נְבוּאָה לְשַׁעֲתָא הָיְתָה), Some say: it was so (ס״א: הֲוָת), because it was necessary for the exile, since the Shekhinta had descended with Yisrael into exile (דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ עַל גָּלוּתָא, בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא נְחָתַת בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָּלוּתָא), and Yeḥezkel saw what he saw according to the moment (וְחָמָא יְחֶזְקֵאל מַה דְּחָמָא לְפוּם שַׁעְתָּא). And even though that place was not fitting for this [vision], therefore it says “came indeed came” (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִתְחֲזֵי הַהוּא אֲתַּר לְהַאי, בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ: הָיֹה הָיָה). What is “came indeed came”? One above and one below (מַהִי: הָיֹה הָיָה - אֶלָּא: הָיֹה לְעֵילָא, הָיָה לְתַתָּא), as it is written: “A ladder was set up on the earth and its top reached the heavens” (דִּכְתִיב: סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְצָה וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה), taking hold above and taking hold below (נָטִיל לֵיהּ לְעֵילָא וְנָטִיל לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא). “Came indeed came” - one above, and one below (הָיֹה הָיָה - חַד לְעֵילָא, וְחַד לְתַתָּא).