Daf 181b (דַּף קפ״א ע״ב)

And in the time when the Beit Mikdash was standing (וּבְזִמְנָא דְּהֲוָה בֵּי מִקְדְּשָׁא קַיָּים), Yisra’el were occupied with offerings and elevations and services (יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲווּ מִשְׁתַּדְּלִין בְּקוּרְבָּנִין וְעִלָּוָון וּפוּלְחָנִין), which the Kohanim, Levi’im, and Yisra’eli performed (דְּהֲווּ עָבְדִין כַּהֲנִי וְלֵוָאֵי וְיִשְׂרְאֵלֵי), in order to bind bonds and illuminate lights (בְּגִין לְקָשְׁרָא קִשְׁרִין וּלְאַנְהָרָא נְהוֹרִין). But after the Beit Mikdash was destroyed (וּלְבָתַר דְּאִתְחָרַב בֵּי מִקְדְּשָׁא), light was darkened (אִתְחַשַּׁךְ נְהוֹרָא), and the moon was not illuminated by the sun (וְסִיהֲרָא לָא אִתְנְהִירַת מִן שִׁמְשָׁא), and the sun departed from her, and she was not illuminated (וְשִׁמְשָׁא אִסְתַּלַּק מִנָּהּ וְלָא אִתְנְהָרָא). And there is no day that is not ruled by curses and sufferings and pains (וְלֵית לָךְ יוֹמָא דְּלָא שָׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ לְוָוטִין וְצַעֲרִין וּכְאֵבִין), as it has been said (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר). And at that time when the time arrives for the moon to be illuminated (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּמְטֵי זִמְנָא דְּסִיהֲרָא לְאִתְנַהֲרָא), what is written? “Behold, My servant shall prosper” (מַה כְּתִיב: הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי). Concerning the moon it is said: “Behold, My servant shall prosper”-this is the secret of faith (עֲלֵיהּ דְּסִיהֲרָא אִתְּמָר: הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי, דָּא הוּא רָזָא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא).

“He shall prosper” (yaskil) meaning an awakening from above, like one who smells a fragrance and is roused and drawn to appear (הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל, דְּאִתְעַר אִתְעֲרוּתָא לְעֵילָא, כְּמַאן דְּאָרַח רֵיחָא וְאָתֵי לְאִתְעָרָא וּלְאִסְתַּכָּלָא). “He shall be exalted” (yarum) from the side of the supernal light of all lights (יָרוּם, מִסִּטְרָא דִנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה דְּכָל נְהוֹרִין).

“He shall be exalted”-as it is said: (Isaiah 30) “Therefore He shall be exalted to show you mercy” (יָרוּם, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְלָכֵן יָרוּם לְרַחֶמְכֶם). “And lifted up” (ve’nissa) from the side of Avraham (וְנִשָּׂא, מִסִּטְרָא דְאַבְרָהָם). “And very high” (ve’gavah me’od) from the side of Yitzḥak and Ya‘akov (וְגָבַהּ, מִסִּטְרָא דְיִצְחָק. מְאֹד, מִסִּטְרָא דְיַעֲקֹב). And even though this has been established (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאוּקְמוּהָ), all is one in the secret of wisdom (וְכֹלָּא חַד בְּרָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא). And at that time shall be aroused Kudsha Berikh Hu an upper awakening to illuminate her, the Moon, properly- (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא יִתְעַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְעֲרוּתָא עִלָּאָה לְאַנְהָרָא לָהּ לְסִיהֲרָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת) as you say, (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days.” (Isaiah 30) (וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה וְאוֹר הַחַמָּה יִהְיֶה שִׁבְעָתַיִם כְּאוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים). And because of this there shall be added within her a supernal spirit, (וּבְגִין כָּךְ יִתּוֹסַף בָּהּ רוּחַ עִלָּאָה), and because of this shall then be aroused all those dead who are within the dust. (וּבְגִין כָּךְ יִתְעָרוּן כְּדֵין כָּל אִינוּן מֵיתַיָּא דְּאִינוּן גּוֹ עַפְרָא). And this is “My servant,” the secret of the keys of his Master in his hand- (וְדָא הוּא עַבְדִּי, רָזָא דְּמַפְתְּחָן דְּמָארֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ) as you say, “To his servant, the elder of his house,” and as you say, (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, אֶל עַבְדּוֹ זְקֵן בֵּיתוֹ וּכְמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Bereshit 24): “And Avraham said to his servant.” (וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל עַבְדּוֹ). This is the Moon, as it is said, Metatron, who is the servant, the emissary of his Master. (דָּא סִיהֲרָא כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר, מֶטַטְרוֹ״ן דְּאִיהוּ עֶבֶד שְׁלִיחָא דְּמָארֵיהּ).

The elder of his house, as you say, (זְקֵן בֵּיתוֹ כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Psalms 37): “I was a youth, also I have aged.” (נַעַר הָיִיתִי גַּם זָקַנְתִּי). The one ruling over all that is his, because all colors appear within him-green, white, and red. (הַמּוֹשֵׁל בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ, בְּגִין דְּכָל גְּוָונִין אִתְחֲזוּן בֵּיהּ יָרוֹ״ק וְחִוָּו״ר וְסוּמָ״ק).

“Place now your hand beneath my thigh,” this is the Tzaddik, the secret of the matter, the sustaining of the world. (שִׂים נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יְרֵכִי, דָּא הוּא צַדִּיק רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, קִיּוּמָא דְעָלְמָא). “For then this servant is appointed in the supernal secret” (דְּהָא כְּדֵין הַאי עֶבֶד מְמַנָּא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה), “to revive the dwellers of the dust” (לַאֲחָיָיא לוֹן לְדַיְירֵי עַפְרָא), “and he becomes a messenger in the spirit from above” (וְיִתְעֲבִיד שְׁלִיחָא בְּרוּחָא דִּלְעֵילָא), “and to return spirits and souls to their places, to those bodies”p4-0 (וּלְאֲתָבָא רוּחִין וּנְשָׁמוֹת לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ לְאִינוּן גּוּפֵי), that decomposed and decayed under the dust. (דְּאִתְבָּלוּ וְאִתְרְקָבוּ תַּחוֹת עַפְרָא). And I adjure you by Hashem, the God of the heavens- (וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ בַּיְיָ אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם). And “I adjure you”-what is “and I adjure you”? (וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ, מַאי וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ). To enclothe in the secret of seven supernal lights, which are the secret of supernal completeness. (לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בְּרָזָא דִּשְׁבַע נְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין דְּאִינוּן רָזָא דִּשְׁלִימוּ עִלָּאָה). “That you not take a wife”-this is the body that is beneath the dust, that has existence to be raised from the dust. (אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִקַּח אִשָּׁה, דָּא הוּא גּוּפָא דִּתְחוֹת עַפְרָא דְּאִית לֵיהּ קִיּוּמָא לַאֲקָמָא מֵעַפְרָא).

For all those that were buried in it, and merited to be buried in the land of Yisrael, they shall awaken first- (דְּכָל אִינוּן דְּאִתְקְבָרוּ בָּהּ וְזָכוּ לְאִתְקְבָרָא בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִינוּן יִתְעָרוּן בְּקַדְמִיתָא) as we have established. (כְּמָה דְאוֹקִימְנָא). As it is written, (Isaiah 26): “Your dead shall live”-these first are the dead of the land of Yisrael. (דִּכְתִיב, יִחְיוּ מֵתֶיךָ, בְּקַדְמִיתָא אִלֵּין מֵתִין דְאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל). “My carcasses, they shall arise”-these are the dead of the other lands. (נְבֵלָתִי יְקוּמוּן, אִינוּן מֵתִין דִּשְׁאָר אַרְעָאן). And concerning this-those bodies of Yisrael that were buried there, and not the bodies of the other nations, worshippers of idolatry, through whom the land became defiled. (וְעַל דָּא לְאִינוּן גּוּפֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִתְקְבָרוּ תַּמָּן, וְלָא לְגוּפֵי דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָּרָה דְּאִסְתָּאֲבָא אַרְעָא מִינַיְיהוּ).

And concerning this: “That you not take a wife for my son”-what is “for my son”? (וְעַל דָּא אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִקַּח אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי. מַאי לִבְנִי). That all Neshamot of the world which go forth from that river that flows and issues forth-these are sons to Kudsha Berikh Hu. (דְּכָל נִשְׁמָתִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּנָפְקֵי מֵהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק, אִינוּן בְּנִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And concerning this: “That you not take a wife”-this is the body. (וְעַל דָּא אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִקַּח אִשָּׁה, דָּא גּוּפָא). “For my son”-this is the Neshamah. (לִבְנִי, דָּא נִשְׁמָתָא). “From the daughters of the Canaanite”-these are the bodies of nations, worshippers of idolatry, whom Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to shake out from the Holy Land. (מִבְּנוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי, אִלֵּין גּוּפִין דְּעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָּרָה, דְּזָמִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנַעֲרָא לוֹן מֵאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). As you say, (Job 38): “And the wicked shall be shaken from it.” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וְיִנָּעֲרוּ רְשָׁעִים מִמֶּנָּהּ). Like one who shakes out a garment from its filth. (כְּמַאן דִּמְנַעֵר טַלִּיתָא מִזּוּהֲמָא דִילָהּ). “For to my land and to my birthplace you shall go.” (כִּי אֶל אַרְצִי וְאֶל מוֹלַדְתִּי תֵּלֵךְ). “My land”-this is the Holy Land, which is the first among all other lands, as it is said. (אַרְצִי, דָּא הִיא אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִיהוּ קַדְמָאָה לְכָל שְׁאָר אַרְעִין כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). And concerning this: “For to my land”-this is the Holy Land that is his among all the other lands that he apportioned to place others over them (וְעַל דָּא כִּי אֶל אַרְצִי דָּא אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִיהוּ דִילֵיהּ בֵּין כָּל שְׁאָר אַרְעִין דְּפָלִיג לוֹן לְמִמְנָן אַחֲרָנִין). And concerning this: “For to my land and to my birthplace”-since he said “to my land,” what is “and to my birthplace”? (וְעַל דָּא כִּי אֶל אַרְצִי, וְאֶל מוֹלַדְתִּי. כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר אֶל אַרְצִי מַהוּ וְאֶל מוֹלַדְתִּי). Rather, “to my land”-as it is said. (אֶלָּא אֶל אַרְצִי כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר), and “to my birthplace”-these are Yisrael. (וְאֶל מוֹלַדְתִּי אִלֵּין אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל).

Come and see: what is written? “And the servant took,” as it is said. (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיִּקַּח הָעֶבֶד כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). “Ten camels”-these are the ten levels over which this servant had dominion, corresponding to the supernal manner. (עֲשָׂרָה גְמַלִּים, אִלֵּין אִינוּן עֲשָׂרָה דַרְגִּין דְּהַאי עֶבֶד שָׁלְטָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָא). “From the camels of his master”-they are in exactly that likeness, as it is said, and this servant had dominion and was established through them. (מִגְּמַלֵּי אֲדֹנָיו, דְּאִינוּן כְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא מַמָּשׁ כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר, וְהַאי עֶבֶד שָׁלְטָא וְאִתְתַּקַּן בְּהוּ). “And all the goodness of his master was in his hand”-all that goodness of supernal fragrances that go forth from within those Nehorin and supernal radiances. (וְכָל טוּב אֲדֹנָיו בְּיָדוֹ, כָּל הַהוּא טִיבוּ רֵיחִין עִלָּאִין דְּנָפְקֵי מִגּוֹ אִינוּן נְהוֹרִין וּבוֹצִינִין עִלָּאִין). “And all the goodness of his master”-that is the service of the sun that is absorbed within the Moon. (וְכָל טוּב אֲדוֹנָיו, הַהוּא שִׁמּוּשָׁא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא דְּאִתְמַשְּׁכָא בָּהּ בְּסִיהֲרָא). “And he arose and went to Aram Naharayim”-this is the place where the Holy Land, Rachel wept there when the Temple was destroyed. (וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם, דָּא אֲתַר דְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּבָכַת תַּמָּן רָחֵל כַּד חָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא). “And he made the camels kneel outside the city at the well of water”-to strengthen their power in might properly, before bringing those bodies to rise. (וַיַּבְרֵךְ הַגְּמַלִּים מִחוּץ לָעִיר אֶל בְּאֵר הַמַּיִם, לְאִתְתַּקְפָא חֵילָהָא בְּתוּקְפָהָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת עַד לָא תִיעוּל לַאֲקָמָא לוֹן לְאִינוּן גּוּפִין).