Daf 225b (דַּף רכ״ה ע״ב)

And when no meritorious one is found about whom they proclaim among them (וְכַד לָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח זַכָּאָה דְּמַכְרְזֵי עֲלֵיהּ בֵּינַיְיהוּ), and no one is found (וְלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח), some say: among them (נ״א: בֵּינַיְיהוּ), who arouses them to the sorrow of the world (מַאן דְּאִתְעַר לְהוּ בְּצַעֲרָא דְּעַלְמָא), except a Sefer Torah (אֶלָּא סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה), then upper and lower beings are aroused upon it (כְּדֵין עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי מִתְעָרִין עֲלֵיהּ), and all must be found at that time in Teshuvah (וּצְרִיכִין כֹּלָּא דְּיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן בְּהַהִיא זִמְנָא בִּתְשׁוּבָה). And if they are not found (וְאִי לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי), behold, the masters of judgment are aroused upon them (הָא מָארֵי דְּדִינָא אִתְעָרוּן עֲלַיְיהוּ), and even the Spirit of the Garden of Eden (וְאֲפִילּוּ רוּחַ דְּגִנְתָא דְּעֵדֶן) is aroused upon them (מִתְעָרִין עֲלַיְיהוּ), because of the Sefer Torah (בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה), as has been said (כִּדְאִתְּמָר). It was taught (תָּאַנָא): And I shall lie with my fathers (וְשָׁכַבְתִּי עִם אֲבוֹתַי), in body (בְּגוּפָא), in Nefesh (בְּנַפְשָׁא), in Ruach (בְּרוּחָא), in Neshamah (בְּנִשְׁמָתָא), in one union (בִּרְתִּיכָא חָדָא), in a supernal degree (בְּדַרְגָא עִלָּאָה). Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה): how many are sealed from all the children of the world (כַּמָּה אֲטִימִין מִכֹּלָּא בְּנֵי עָלְמָא), who do not know (דְּלָא יָדְעֵי), and do not regard (וְלָא מַשְׁגִּיחֵי), and do not hear (וְלָא שָׁמְעֵי), and do not look upon the matters of the world (וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלֵי בְּמִלֵּי דְּעָלְמָא). And how is Kudsha Berikh Hu found over them in mercy (וְהֵיךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּכַּח עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּרַחֲמִין), at every time and season (בְּכָל זְמַן וְעִידָן), and there is no one who takes notice (וְלֵית מַאן דְּיַשְׁגַּח).

Three times each day (תְּלַת זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא), one Spirit enters into the Cave of Machpelah (עָאַל רוּחָא חָדָא בִּמְעָרְתָא דְּכָפֶלְתָּא), and blows upon the graves of the Fathers (וְנָשִׁיב בְּקִבְרֵי אֲבוֹהָתָא), and all the limbs are perfumed (וְאִתְסְיָין כָּל גַּרְמִין), and they stand in their form (וְקָיְימֵי בְּקִיּוּמָא), and that Spirit draws down dew from above (וְהַהוּא רוּחָא נָגִיד טַַלָּא מִלְּעֵילָא), from the head of the King (מֵרֵישָׁא דְּמַלְכָּא), the place where the supernal Fathers are found (אֲתַר דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי אֲבָהָן עִלָּאֵי).

And when that dew reaches them (וְכַד מָטֵי), some say: when it is aroused (נ״א: מִתְעַר), that dew from them (הַהוּא טַַלָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ), the Fathers below are aroused (מִתְעָרִין אֲבָהָן דִּלְתַּתָּא). And it was taught (וְתָאנָא), that dew descends through known degrees (נָחִית הַהוּא טַלָּא בְּדַרְגִּין יְדִיעָן), degree after degree (דַּרְגָּא בָּתַר דַּרְגָּא), and reaches the lower Garden of Eden (וּמָטֵי לְגַן עֵדֶן דִּלְתַּתָּא). And from that dew, the fragrances of the Garden of Eden are perfumed (וּמֵהַהוּא טַלָּא, אִתְסְחֵי בְּבוּסְמִין דְּגִנְתָא דְּעֵדֶן). And one Spirit is aroused (וְאִתְעַר רוּחָא חָדָא), which is composed of two others (דְּכָלִיל בִּתְרֵין אָחֳרָנִין), and ascends and roams among the fragrances (וְסָלִיק וְשָׁאט בֵּינֵי בּוּסְמִין), and enters the opening of the Cave (וְעָיִיל בְּפִתְחָא דִּמְעָרְתָּא), and then the Fathers are aroused (כְּדֵין מִתְעָרִין אֲבָהָן), they and their Zivugim (אִינוּן וְזִיווּגָן), and seek mercy on behalf of their children (וּבְעָאן רַחֲמֵי עַל בְּנוֹי). And when the world is found in sorrow (וְכַד אִשְׁתַּכַּח עַלְמָא בְּצַעֲרָא), because they are sleeping over the sins of the world (בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן דְּמִיכִין עַל חוֹבֵי עַלְמָא), and that dew does not descend and is not found (וְהַהוּא טַלָּא לָא אִתְנְגִיד וְלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח), until a Sefer Torah is aroused (עַד דְּאִתְעַר סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה), as is proper in the world (כְּדְקָא חָזֵי בְּעָלְמָא). And the soul informs the Spirit (וְנַפְשָׁא אוֹדְעָא לְרוּחָא), and the Spirit the Neshamah (וְרוּחָא לְנִשְׁמָתָא), and the Neshamah to Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְנִשְׁמָתָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Then the King sits on the throne of mercy (כְּדֵין יָתִיב מַלְכָּא בְּכוּרְסְיָיא דְּרַחֲמֵי), and a dew of crystal flows from Atika Kadisha Ila‘ah (וְנָגִיד מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, נְגִידוּ דְּטַלָּא דְּבָדוֹלְחָא). And it reaches the head of the King (וּמָטֵי לְרֵישָׁא דְּמַלְכָּא), and the Fathers are blessed (וּמִתְבָּרְכִין אֲבָהָן). And that dew flows to those who are asleep (וְנָגִיד הַהוּא טַלָּא, לְאִינוּן דְּמִיכִין), and then they are all joined together (וּכְדֵין מִתְחַבְּרָן כֻּלְּהוּ), some say: they are all blessed (נ״א: מִתְבָּרְכִין כֻּלְּהוּ), and Kudsha Berikh Hu has compassion upon the world (וְחָיִיס קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל עַלְמָא). And it was taught (וְתָאַנָא): Kudsha Berikh Hu does not have compassion upon the world (לָא חָיִיס קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל עַלְמָא), until He informs the Fathers (עַד דְּאוֹדַע לַאֲבָהָן), and because of them the world is blessed (וּבְגִינַיְיהוּ עַלְמָא אִתְבָּרְכָא).

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי): Indeed, thus it is (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא), and I have found this teaching in the Book of King Shlomo (וְהָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא מִלֵּי בְּסִפְרָא דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא), that supernal one (הַהוּא עִלָּאָה), who called it the counsel of all wisdom) (דְּקָרָא לֵיהּ עֵיטָא דְּחָכְמְתָּא דְּכֹלָּא). And Rav Hamnuna thus revealed and said (וְרַב הַמְנוּנָא, הָכִי גַּלֵּי וְאָמַר): for they showed him (דְּהָא אַחְזִיּוּ לֵיהּ), that the deeds of Rachel are greater (דְּיַתִּיר עָבְדַת רָחֵל), who stands at the crossroads (דְּקָיְימָא בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין), at every time when the world is in need (בְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ עַלְמָא), more than all others (מִכֻּלְּהוּ). And the secret of the matter (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה): the Ark and the Kaporet and the Keruvim are in the portion of Binyamin (אָרוֹן וְכַפּוֹרֶת וּכְרוּבִים בְּחוּלְקָא דְּבִנְיָמִין), who was born on the way (דְּאִתְיְלִיד בְּאוֹרְחָא), and the Shekhinta is above all (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא עַל כֹּלָּא). And Yisrael bowed upon the head of the bed (וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה), who is the head of the bed? (מַאן רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה). This is the Shekhinta (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), Heaven forbid! (חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). Rather, to Her he bent and bowed (אֶלָּא לְדִידֵיהּ כָּרַע וְסָגִיד).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the bed-this is the Shekhinta (מִטָּה, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), as it is written, “Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s” (דִּכְתִיב הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה). Who is the head of the bed? (רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה מַאן הוּא). This is the Yesod of the World (דָּא יְסוֹדָא דְעַלְמָא), who is the head of the holy bed (דְּהוּא רִישָׁא דְעַרְסָא קַדִּישָׁא). Upon the head-this is Yisrael (עַל רֹאשׁ, דָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל), who stands upon the head of the bed (דְּקָאִים עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה). Therefore (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ), Yisrael bows to Her (יִשְׂרָאֵל לְדִידֵיהּ קָא סָגִיד). And if you say (וְאִי תֵימָא), behold, at that time he was not ill (הָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא לָא הֲוָה מָרַע), for afterward it is written, “And it came to pass after these things that it was said to Yosef: Behold, your father is ill” (דְּהָא לְבָתַר כְּתִיב, וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר לְיוֹסֵף הִנֵּה אָבִיךָ חוֹלֶה) [Bereishit 48].

And at the moment he bowed, he was not ill (וּבְשַׁעְתָּא דְּסָגִיד, לָא הֲוָה חוֹלֶה), and because he knew that at that time (וְעַל דְּיָדַע דְּהָא בְהַהוּא זִמְנָא), he ascended to a supernal holy level (סָלִיק בְּדַרְגָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא), a perfect throne (כֻּרְסְיָיא שְׁלֵימָתָא), therefore he bowed to that radiance (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ סָגִיד לְהַהוּא רְתִיכָא), to the supernal throne (כֻּרְסְיָיא עִלָּאָה), the completeness of the great and mighty Tree (שְׁלִימוּ דְאִילָנָא רַבְרְבָא וְתַקִּיף), which is called by His Name (דְּאִקְרֵי עַל שְׁמֵיהּ). And regarding this, “And Yisrael bowed upon the head of the bed” (וְעַל דָּא, וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה), indeed upon the head of the bed (עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה וַדַּאי), for he had ascended to his place and was crowned with the crowns of the Holy King (דְּהָא אִסְתַּלַּק לְאַתְרֵיהּ וְאִתְעַטַּר בְּעִטְרוֹי דְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא). “And he said: Swear to me; and he swore to him; and Yisrael bowed upon the head of the bed” (וַיֹּאמֶר הִשָּׁבְעָה לִי וַיִּשָּׁבַע לוֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה),

Rabbi Chiyya opened and said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “All this I tested with wisdom; I said I would be wise, but it was far from me” [Kohelet 7] (כָּל זֶה נִסִּיתִי בַחָכְמָה אָמַרְתִּי אֶחְכָּמָה וְהִיא רְחוֹקָה מִמֶּנִּי). Behold, we have learned (הָא תָּנִינָן), King Shlomo (שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא), drew down the moon from all its sides (יָרִית סִיהֲרָא מִכָּל סִטְרוֹי), and in his days it stood in completeness (וּבְיוֹמוֹי קָיְימָא בִּשְׁלֵמוּתָא), that moon which was blessed from all (הַהִיא סִיהֲרָא דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא מִכֹּלָּא), and when he sought to stand upon the disciplines of Orayta (וְכַד בָּעָא לְמֵיקַם עַל נִימוּסֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא), he said: “I said I would be wise,” etc. (אָמַר, אָמַרְתִּי אֶחְכָּמָה וְגו').