Daf 177b (דַּף קע״ז ע״ב)

That bond is a single channel of anointing (הַהוּא קִשְׁרָא מִשְׁחָתָא חָדָא לֵיהּ), and three knots are within that channel of anointing (וּתְלַת קִשְׁרִין לְהַהִיא מִשְׁחָתָא). In every knot is a single crown (בְּכָל קִשְׁרָא וְקִשְׁרָא חַד עִטְּרָא), and in every crown a single clasp (וּבְכָל עִטְּרָא וְעִטְּרָא חַד קַפְסוֹרָא), and it is appointed with the crown above (וְאִתְמַנָּא בְּעִטּוּרָא דִּלְעֵילָא), and appointed and descended below (וְאִתְמַנָּא וְנָחִית לְתַתָּא), until all the stars and constellations were bound to it (עַד דְּאִתְקַשְּׁרוּ בֵיהּ כּוֹכְבַיָּא וּמַזָּלֵי).

Each one is separated in it: one star and one constellation (כָּל חַד וְחַד אִתְפְּרַשׁ בֵּיהּ חַד כּוֹכָבָא וְחַד מַזָּלָא), and all stars are set within those upper grades (וְכָל כּוֹכְבַיָּא זְמִינִין אִינוּן בְּאִינוּן דַּרְגִּין דִּלְעֵילָא). And for this reason, every grade is crowned in its known place as is fitting (וְעַל דָּא כָּל דַּרְגָּא וְדַרְגָּא אִתְעַטַּר בְּאַתְרִין יְדִיעָן כְּדְקָא חָזֵי). And when the grades are separated (וְכַד מִתְפָּרְשָׁן דַּרְגִּין), a smoke of pitch is found (אִשְׁתַּכַּח קִטּוּרָא דְּפוּסְתָּקָא), until it is bound to the side visible to them (עַד דְּאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּסִטְרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן), and the sides of the defiled grades (וְסִטְרֵי דְּדַרְגֵי מְסָאֲבֵי), which are on the left side (דְּאִינוּן בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא), are all scattered among many paths and ways (כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְכַמָּה אָרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין) from the sides of red severities (מִסִּטְרֵי גְּבוּרָן סוּמְקָן). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), severities are suspended below (תַּלְיָין גְּבוּרָן לְתַתָּא), to thousands of thousands and tens of thousands (לְאֶלֶף אַלְפִין וְרִבּוֹ רִבְבָן). And about this it is written: “Behold, I have made you small among the nations; you are very despised” (וְעַל דָּא: הִנֵּה קָטָן נְתַתִּיךָ בַּגּוֹיִם, בָּזוּי אַתָּה מְאֹד), as we have said (כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): “And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom”(Bereshit 36) (וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים אֲשֶׁר מָלְכוּ בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם)—“in the land” (בְּאֶרֶץ), in the side of that grade which belongs to him (בְּסִטְרָא דְּדַרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ), which is the grade of Esav (דְּאִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא דְּעֵשָׂו). As it is written: “Esav, he is Edom” (דִּכְתִיב: עֵשָׂו הוּא אֱדוֹם), and all of them come from the side of the impure spirit (וְכֻּלְּהוּ קָאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּרוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא). “Before there reigned any king over the children of Yisra’el” (לִפְנֵי מָלַךְ מֶלֶךְ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), because those grades exist at the lower gates at the outset (בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן דַּרְגִּין דְּקַיָּימִין בֵּי תַּרְעֵי לְתַתָּא קַדְמָאִי). And for this reason Ya‘akov said: “Let my lord, I pray, pass before his servant” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אָמַר יַעֲקֹב: יַעֲבָר נָא אֲדֹנִי לִפְנֵי עַבְדּוֹ), because his grades precede in entering (בְּגִין דַּרְגִּין דִּילֵיהּ קַדְמָאִין אִינוּן לְאָעֳלָא). And for this reason: “Before a king reigned over the children of Yisra’el” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: לִפְנֵי מָלַךְ מֶלֶךְ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), for until then the time had not come for Molcho of Heaven to rule and to unite with the children of Yisra’el (דְּעַד כְּעָן לָא מָטָא זִמְנָא דְּמַלְכוּ שְׁמַיָּא לְשַׁלְטָאָה וּלְאִתְאַחֲדָא בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל).

And for this reason: “Let my lord, I pray, pass before his servant” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אָמַר: יַעֲבָר נָא אֲדֹנִי לִפְנֵי עַבְדּוֹ). And when these grades were completed at first (וְכַד שְׁלִימוּ אִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין בְּקַדְמִיתָא), afterward Molcho of Heaven was aroused to rule below (לְבָתַר אִתְעַר מַלְכוּ שְׁמַיָּא לְשַׁלְטָאָה עַל תַּתָּאֵי). And when it began (וְכַד שָׁרָא), it began with the smallest of all the tribes, which is Binyamin (שָׁרָא בִּזְעִירָא דְּכָל שִׁבְטִין, דְּאִיהוּ בִּנְיָמִין), as it is said: (Psalms 68) “There is Binyamin, the youngest, ruling them…” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: שָׁם בִּנְיָמִין צָעִיר רֹדֵם וְגו׳). And through him it began to awaken kingship (וּבֵיהּ שָׁאַרֵי לְאַתְעָרָא מַלְכוּתָא), and afterward kingship came into its place and was established with him so that it would never depart (לְבָתַר אֲתָא מַלְכוּתָא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, וְאִתְקַיֵּים בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּלָא תַעֲדֵי לְעָלְמִין).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Isaiah 45) “And now hear, Ya‘akov My servant, and Yisra’el whom I have chosen” (וְעַתָּה שְׁמַע יַעֲקֹב עַבְדִּי, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בָּחַרְתִּי בוֹ). “Thus says Hashem, your Maker, who formed you from the womb, He will help you; fear not, My servant Ya‘akov, and Yeshurun whom I have chosen” (כֹּה אָמַר ייָ עֹשְׂךָ וְיוֹצֶרְךָ מִבֶּטֶן, יַעַזְרֶךָּ, אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב, וִישֻׁרוּן בָּחַרְתִּי בוֹ). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how much Kudsha Berikh Hu promised Yisra’el in many places (כַּמָּה אַבְטַח לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר), to merit them in the World to Come (לְמִזְכֵּי לְהוּ לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי). For He did not desire to allot His portion to any nation or language other than Yisra’el alone (דְּהָא לָא אִתְרָעֵי לְחוּלָקֵיהּ לְכָל עַם וְלִישָׁן, בַּר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדוֹי).

And for this reason He gave them the Orayta of truth (וּבְגִין כָּךְ יָהַב לוֹן אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּקְשׁוֹט), to merit through it and to know the ways of Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְמִזְכֵּי בָהּ, וּלְמִנְדַּע אָרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), so that they might inherit the Holy Land (בְּגִין דְּיִרְתוּן אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). For whoever merits in this Holy Land has a portion in the World to Come (דְּכָל מַאן דְּזָכֵי בְּהַאי אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, אִית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי). As it is said: (Isaiah 60) “And your people are all Tzaddikim, forever shall they inherit the land” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים, לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ). And it has already been said (וְהָא אִתְּמָר): there are three grades here—first “Ya‘akov,” then “Yisra’el,” and then “Yeshurun” (תְּלַת דַּרְגִּין הָכָא: בְּקַדְמִיתָא יַעֲקֹב, וּלְבָתַר יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְבָתַר יְשֻׁרוּן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Ya‘akov—that has already been established (יַעֲקֹב הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). Yisra’el—likewise it is so (יִשְׂרָאֵל אוּף הָכִי נָמֵי). And although these are one and the same grade (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּדַרְגִּין אִינוּן חַד), Yeshurun—why are Yisra’el called by this name? (יְשׁוּרוּן, אַמַּאי אִקְרוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁמָא דָא). Rather, Yisra’el and Yeshurun are all one (אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל וִישׁוּרוּן כֹּלָּא חַד). Yeshurun, as it is written: (Job 33) “He is upright over men” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: יָשֹׁר עַל אֲנָשִׁים), because he takes the line to this side and to that side (בְּגִין דְּנָטִיל שׁוּרָה לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא), and because of these two lines, he is called Yeshurun (וּבְגִין אִינוּן תְּרֵין שׁוּרִין אִקְרֵי יְשׁוּרוּן), and this is Yisra’el (וְדָא הוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל). Yisra’el—because he takes greatness and power from all (יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל דְּנָטִיל רְבוּ וְתוּקְפָא מִכֹּלָּא). Yisra’el—some say: Yeshurun (יִשְׂרָאֵל (ס״א יְשׁוּרוּן)), because of those two lines, those two sides, as we have said (עַל אִינוּן חוּלָקֵי תְּרֵין סִטְרִין תְּרֵין שׁוּרִין כְּדְקָא אֲמָרָן), and all is one (וְכֹלָּא חַד). And all those names ascend as one (וְאִינוּן שְׁמָהָן כֻּלְּהוּ סָלְקֵי לְחַד). Ya‘akov My servant—at times he is a servant like a servant who has the command of his master and fulfills his will (יַעֲקֹב עַבְדִּי, זִמְנִין דְּאִיהוּ עֶבֶד כְּעַבְדָא דְּאִית לֵיהּ פִּקּוּדָא דְמָארֵיהּ וּלְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ). And so too: Yisra’el, I have chosen him—to cause to rest upon him, and all is in the supernal mystery (וְכֵן יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּחַרְתִּי בוֹ, לְאַשְׁרָאָה עֲלֵיהּ, וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ). It is written: (Isaiah 43) “Your Creator is Ya‘akov and your Former is Yisra’el” (כְּתִיב: בֹּרַאֲךָ יַעֲקֹב, וְיֹצֶרְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל), and it is written: “Thus says Hashem, your Maker” (וּכְתִיב: כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ עֹשֶׂךָ). All these grades ascend as one (כָּל אִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין סָלְקִין לְחַד), and it has already been said: Creator, Former, Maker (וְהָא אִתְּמָר: בּוֹרֵ״א, יוֹצֵ״ר, עוֹשֶׂ״ה), and all these grades are one upon another and all are one (וְכֻלְּהוּ דַרְגִּין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין, וְכֻלְּהוּ חַד).

Fortunate is the portion of Yisra’el (זַכָּאָה חוּלַקְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), for Kudsha Berikh Hu desired them over all nations who serve stars and constellations (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בְּהוּ מִכָּל עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). For regarding all of them it is written: (Jeremiah 10) “They are vanity, the work of delusions; at the time of their punishment they shall perish” (בְּכֻלְּהוּ כְּתִיב: הֶבֶל הֵמָּה, מַעֲשֵׂה תַּעְתֻּעִים, בְּעֵת פְּקֻדָּתָם יוֹבֵדוּ). At the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu will be ready to destroy them from the world (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין לְבַעֲרָא לוֹן מִן עַלְמָא), and He alone shall remain, as it is written: (Isaiah 2) “And Hashem alone shall be exalted on that day” (וְיִשְׁתָּאַר הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְנִשְׂגָּב יְיָ לְבַדּוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא).