Daf 162b (דַּף קס״ב ע״ב)

“And his seed shall seek bread”—what is this? (וְזַרְעוֹ מְבַקֵּשׁ לָחֶם, מַאי הוּא). Rather, at the time the seed is cast and drawn forth, he should not pursue the female (אֶלָּא, בִּשְׁעַתָּא דְּזָרִיק וְאִתְנְגִיד זַרְעָא, לָא תָּבַע לְנוּקְבָּא). For she is already present with him, never having been separated from him, and is designated for him (דְּהָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ שָׁרְיָא, דְּלָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין, וְזַמִּינָא הִיא לְגַבֵּיהּ). For seed does not draw forth except at a time when the female is prepared (דְּהָא זַרְעָא לָא נָגִיד, אֶלָּא בִּשְׁעַתָּא דְּנוּקְבָּא זְמִינָא), and the desire of the two of them is as one, in a single attachment that is never separated (וּתְּאוּבְתָּא דְּתַּרְוַויְיהוּ כְּחֲדָא בִּדְבוּקָא חַד דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן), and because of this, he need not pursue her (וְעַל דָּא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִתְבַּע עֲלָהּ). He said to him: but in the time of exile, is it not otherwise? (אָמַר לֵיהּ: וּבִזְמַנָּא דְגָלוּתָא, לָאו הָכִי) He said to him: his seed is written—not he himself (אָמַר לֵיהּ: זַרְעוֹ כְּתִיב, וְלָאו אִיהוּ). When does it go forth? When the female is in a complete bond with the male (אֵימָתַי נָפִיק כַּד נוּקְבָּא בִּדְבוּקָא חַד עִם דְּכוּרָא). And if you ask, “I have not seen the Tzaddik forsaken”—in the time of exile, what does that mean? (וְאִי תֵּימָא: לֹא רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק נֶעֱזָב—בִּזְמַנָּא דְגָלוּתָא, מַאי הִיא) Rather, behold—he is held above (אֶלָּא, הָא אָחִיד לְעֵילָא), and is never forsaken forever (וְלָא נֶעֱזָב לְעָלְמִין). In another time, he is never separated from the female (בִּזְמַנָּא אָחֳרָא, לָא נֶעֱזָב מִנּוּקְבָּא); he is held above, and held below (אָחִיד לְעֵילָא, וְאָחִיד לְתַּתָּא). He is held above in the time of exile (אָחִיד לְעֵילָא בִּזְמַנָּא דְגָלוּתָא), and in another time he is held on both sides—above and below—and is never abandoned (בִּזְמַנָּא אָחֳרָא אָחִיד לִתְרֵין סִטְרִין: לְעֵילָא וּלְתַּתָּא, וּלְעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ נֶעֱזָב). It is written (Bereshit 1): “And Elohim placed them in the firmament of the heavens” (כְּתִיב וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמָיִם) this is the Tzaddik (דָּא צַדִּיק). And even though it says: “in the firmament of the heavens” (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְּמַר: בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם), nevertheless, it is indeed the firmament of the heavens (אֶלָּא: בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַדַּאי), which is the end of the body (דְּאִיהוּ סִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא).

Come and see: there are two firmaments (תָּא חֲזֵי, תְּרֵין רְקִיעִין אִינוּן), and they are service and culmination—this one like that one (וְאִינוּן שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא, דָּא כְּגַוְונָא דָא). The service is the eighth firmament, in which all the stars are set, both small and great (שֵׁירוּתָא רְקִיעָא תְּמִינָאָה, בֵּיהּ שְׁקִיעָן כָּל כּוֹכְבַיָּא, זְעִירִין וְרַבְרְבִין). And this is the supernal, concealed firmament, that sustains all, and from which all emerges (וְדָא הוּא רְקִיעָא עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה, דְּקָאֵים כֹּלָּא וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפִיק כֹּלָּא). And it is the eighth, from below to above (וְאִיהוּ תְּמִינָאָה מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא), and it is service—through which all things emerge (וְהוּא שֵׁירוּתָא לְאַפָּקָא מִנֵּיהּ כֹּלָּא). So too, this eighth firmament from above to below is the one in which all stars, all lights and radiant sparks, are fixed (כָּךְ אִיהוּ רְקִיעָא תְּמִינָאָה מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא, דְּבֵיהּ שְׁקִיעִין כָּל כּוֹכְבַיָּא, כָּל נְהוֹרִין וּבוֹצִינִין).

And it receives all, and this is the culmination of all (וְהוּא נָטִיל כֹּלָּא, וְדָא סִיּוּמָא דְכֹלָּא), just as that eighth firmament which is the service of all (כְּמָה דְהַהוּא רְקִיעָא תְּמִינָאָה, דְּאִיהוּ שֵׁירוּתָא דְכֹלָּא). All lights depend on it, it receives them, and from it they go forth (תַּלְיָין בֵּיהּ כָּל נְהוֹרִין וְנָטִיל לוֹן, וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקֵי). So too, this one—it is the eighth firmament; all lights depend on it, it receives them, and from it they emerge to all worlds (הָכִי נָמֵי הַאי אִיהוּ רְקִיעָא תְּמִינָאָה, תַּלְיָין בֵּיהּ כָּל נְהוֹרִין, וְנָטִיל לוֹן, וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקוּ לְכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין). Service and culmination exist as one likeness (שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא כְּגַוְונָא חַד קָיְימֵי), and for this reason it is called a river that flows and emerges, and its waters do not cease forever (וְעַל דָּא אִיהוּ נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק, וְלָא פָּסְקֵי מֵימוֹי לְעָלְמִין)—all in order that the culmination should be as the service (כֹּלָּא לְמֶהְוֵי סִיּוּמָא כְּשֵׁירוּתָא). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ) (Bereshit 1): “And Elohim placed them in the firmament of the heavens…” (וַיִּתֵּן אוֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם). And why? To give light upon the earth (וְלָמָּה לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ).

And even though it is said that all stands as one likeness (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְּמַר: כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא חָדָא קָיְימֵי), and this is the clearest explanation—what is the difference between this and that? (וְדָא הוּא בְּרִירָא דְּמִלָּה, מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי) Rather, this one sustains and nourishes the upper world which is within it and to all the supernal sides (אֶלָּא: דָּא אוֹקִים וְזָן לְעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהוּ בֵּיהּ, וּלְכָל אִינוּן סִטְרִין עִלָּאִין), and that one sustains and nourishes the lower world and all lower sides (וְדָא אוֹקִים וְזָן לְעָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה וּלְכָל אִינוּן סִטְרִין תַּתָּאִין).

And if you ask: what is the upper world? Is it not that this is that supernal, concealed eighth firmament? (וְאִי תֵימָא: עָלְמָא דִּלְעֵילָא מַאן אִיהוּ וְהָא הַהוּא רְקִיעָא תְּמִינָאָה עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה)—it is the upper world, and so it is called (עָלְמָא דִּלְעֵילָא אִיהוּ, וְהָכִי אִקְרֵי), for there are two worlds, as has been said (דְּהָא תְּרֵין עָלְמִין נִינְהוּ כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). Rather, this is the upper world (אֶלָּא: אִיהוּ עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה), and all those who emerge from it are called by its name (וְכָל אִינוּן דְּנָפְקֵי מִנֵּיהּ, עַל שְׁמֵיהּ אִקְרוּן); and those that emerge from the lower world are called by its name (וְאִינוּן דְּנָפְקֵי מֵעָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה, עַל שְׁמֵיהּ אִקְרוּן). And this and that—all is one (וְכָל הַאי וְהַאי: כֹּלָּא חַד). Blessed is He forever and unto all eternity (בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין).