Daf 229b (דַּף רכ״ט ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): in seventy-two lights (בְּשִׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין נְהוֹרִין), ascends the crown of all those who are nourished (אִסְתַּלַּק עֲטָרָא דְּכָל מַשִּׁרְיָין), the circle of the world (עִגּוּלָא דְעַלְמָא), in seventy places (בְּשִׁבְעִין דּוּכְתֵּי) one circle for all (חַד עִגּוּלָא לְכֻלְּהוּ). Within that circle, a single point stands at the center (בְּגוֹ הַהוּא עִגּוּלָא נְקוּדָה חָדָא דְּקָיְימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא); from this point, the entire circle is sustained (מֵהַאי נְקוּדָה אִתְּזָנַת כָּל הַהוּא עִגּוּלָא).

This is the House of the Holy of Holies (בֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים) the place of that spirit of all spirits (אִיהוּ אֲתַר לְהַהוּא רוּחָא דְּכָל רוּחִין), Some say: the secret of all secrets (ס״א: הָכָא רָזָא דְּכָל רָזִין) it is hidden within strength (הַאי טְמִירוּ אִיהוּ בְּגוֹ חֵילָהָא), hidden within hiddenness (טְמִירָא אִיהוּ בְּגוֹ לְגוֹ). When this rises, all rise after her (כַּד סָלְקָא דָא, כֹּלָּא סָלְקִין אֲבַתְרָהּ). This is what is written: “Draw me after You-we will run” [Shir haShirim 1] (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: מָשְׁכֵנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ נָרוּצָה).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah, Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Yehudah were walking along the way (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא). Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): let each one of us say something from the Orayta (כָּל חַד וְחַד מִינָן לֵימָא מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). Rabbi Yehudah opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְאָמַר), “Do not remember for us the earlier iniquities-let Your mercies quickly come before us…” [Tehillim 79] (אַל תִּזְכָּר לָנוּ עֲוֹנוֹת רִאשׁוֹנִים מַהֵר יְקַדְמוּנוּ וְגו׳).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Kudsha Berikh Hu, in His love for Yisrael (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בִּרְחִימוּתָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל), loves them (רָחִים לוֹן), for they are His allies and His inheritance (דְּאִינוּן עַדְבֵיהּ וְאַחְסַנְתֵּיהּ). He does not look to another for their judgment, but only Himself (לָא מִסְתַּכַּל אָחֳרָא בְּדִינַיְיהוּ, בַּר אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדֵיהּ). And once He looks at their judgment (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִיהוּ מִסְתַּכֵּל בְּדִינַיְיהוּ), compassion is aroused upon them (אִתְמָלֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ רַחֲמִין), for He is like a father who has compassion on his children (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ כְּאָב דְּרָחִים עַל בָּנִים), as it is said: “As a father has compassion on children, so Hashem has compassion…” [Tehillim 103] (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל בָּנִים רִחַם ה׳ וְגו׳).

And when sins are found among them (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִשְׁתַּכַּח לוֹן חוֹבִין), He passes over them one by one (מַעֲבָר לוֹן רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן), until He has removed them all from before Him (עַד דְּאַעֲבַר לוֹן לְכֻלְּהוּ מִקַּמֵּיהּ). And once He has removed them from before Him (וְכֵיוָן דְּאַעֲבַר לוֹן מִקַּמֵּיהּ), no sin remains upon them to give authority to the Sitra Achra to judge them (לָא אִשְׁתָּאַר עֲלַיְיהוּ חוֹבִין לְמֵיהַב שָׁלְטָנוּ לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא דְּדִינָא עֲלַיְיהוּ). One comes to present before Him as at first (אָתֵי לְמֵיחַב קַמֵּיהּ כְּדְבְּקַדְמִיתָא), those prior sins which He had already passed over return and are accounted against them (אִינוּן חוֹבִין קַדְמָאֵי דְּאַעֲבַר מִקַּמֵּיהּ חָשִׁיב עֲלַיְיהוּ). And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), “Do not remember for us former iniquities; may Your mercies quickly come to meet us…” [Tehillim 79] (אַל תִּזְכָּר לָנוּ עֲוֹנוֹת רִאשׁוֹנִים מַהֵר יְקַדְמוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ וְגו׳). For if Your mercies do not precede over Yisrael (דְּאִי רַחֲמֶיךָ לֹא יַקְדִּימוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), they are unable to endure in the world (לָא יָכְלִין לְקָיְימָא בְּעַלְמָא).

Because how many are the masters of harsh judgment (בְּגִין דְּכַמָּה אִינוּן מָארֵי דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), masters of shields (מָארֵי תְּרִיסֵין), and how many accusers stand against Yisrael above (וְכַמָּה דִלְטוֹרִין דְּקָיְימֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְעֵילָא). And if Kudsha Berikh Hu did not bring forth mercy upon them before looking into their judgment (וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּאַקְדִּים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רַחֲמִים עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עַד לָא יַשְׁגַּח בְּדִינֵיהוֹן), they would not be able to endure in the world (לָא יָכְלִין לְקָיְימָא בְּעַלְמָא). And therefore it is written (וְעַל דָּא), “May Your mercies quickly come to meet us-for we have been brought very low” (מַהֵר יְקַדְמוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ כִּי דַלּוֹנוּ מְאֹד): the poverty of good deeds (דַּלּוּתָא דְּעוֹבָדִין טָבִין), the poverty of proper deeds (דַּלּוּתָא דְּעוֹבָדִין דְּכָשְׁרָן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): if Yisrael had truly increased proper deeds before Kudsha Berikh Hu (אִלְמָלֵי יְסַגְּלוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבָדִין דְּכָשְׁרָן קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), the nations who worship stars and constellations would not stand over them in the world (לָא הֲווּ קָאִימוּ עֲלֵיהּ עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בְּעַלְמָא). But Yisrael themselves cause other nations who worship stars and constellations to lift up their heads in the world (אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינוּן גָּרְמִין לִשְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת לְזָקְפָא רֵישַׁיְיהוּ בְּעַלְמָא).

For if Yisrael had not sinned before Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִלְמָלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא יְהוֹן חָטָאן קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), the other nations would have been subjugated before them (שְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת אִתְכַּפְיָין קַמַּיְיהוּ). And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי): if Yisrael had not drawn impure deeds toward the Sitra Achra in the Holy Land (אִלְמָלֵא דְּאַמְשִׁיכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעוֹבָדִין בִּישִׁין לִסְטַר אָחֳרָא בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), it is already stated (הָא אִתְּמָר), that the other nations would not have ruled in the Holy Land (דְּלָא שָׁלְטוּ שְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), and would not have been revealed upon the Land (וְלָא אִתְגָּלוּ מֵעַל אַרְעָא). And for this reason it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב): “For we have been brought very low” (כִּי דַלּוֹנוּ מְאֹד) for we have no proper deeds as is fitting (דְּלֵית לָן עוֹבָדִין דְּכָשְׁרָן כְּדְקָא חָזֵי). And therefore: “For we have been brought very low-may Your mercies quickly come before us” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: כִּי דַלּוֹנוּ מְאֹד מַהֵר יְקַדְמוּנוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ).

Rabbi Yosei opened and said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “Serve Hashem in Yirah, and rejoice with trembling” [Tehillim 2] (עִבְדוּ אֶת ה׳ בְּיִרְאָה וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה), and it is written (וּכְתִיב): “Serve Hashem with joy; come before Him with song” [Tehillim 100] (עִבְדוּ אֶת ה׳ בְּשִׂמְחָה בֹּאוּ לְפָנָיו בִּרְנָנָה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): every person who comes to serve Kudsha Berikh Hu (כָּל בַּר נָשׁ דְּאָתֵי לְמִפְלַח לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), in the morning and in the evening (בְּצַפְרָא וּבְפַנְיָא), should serve Kudsha Berikh Hu (בָּעֵי לְמִפְלַח לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). In the morning, when light rises (בְּצַפְרָא כַּד סָלִיק נְהוֹרָא), and the awakening from the right side is aroused in the world (וְאִתְעָרוּתָא דִסְטַר יְמִינָא אִתְעַר בְּעַלְמָא), then a person should bind himself to the right side of Kudsha Berikh Hu (כְּדֵין בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בִּימִינָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to serve before Him in the service of prayer (וּלְמִפְלַח קַמֵּיהּ בְּפוּלְחָנָא דִצְלוֹתָא). For prayer holds strength above (בְּגִין דִּצְלוֹתָא אַחְסִין תּוּקְפָא לְעֵילָא), and draws blessings from the supernal depth to all worlds (וְאַמְשִׁיךְ בִּרְכָאן מֵעוּמְקָא עִלָּאָה לְכֻלְּהוּ עַלְמִין), and from there it draws blessings below (וּמִתַּמָּן אַמְשִׁיךְ בִּרְכָאן לְתַתָּאֵי). And upper and lower worlds are blessed (וְאִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין מִתְבָּרְכָאן), through that service of prayer (בְּהַהוּא פּוּלְחָנָא דִצְלוֹתָא).

The service of prayer, by which a person serves before Kudsha Berikh Hu (פּוּלְחָנָא דִצְלוֹתָא, דְּקָא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמִפְלַח קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), must be in joy and in song (בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבִרְנָנָה), to include Kenesset Yisrael among them (לְאַכְלָלָא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּינַיְיהוּ), and afterwards to unite the Union as is fitting (וּלְבָתַר לְיַיחֲדָא יִחוּדָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי), as it is written: “Know that Hashem is Elohim” [Tehillim 100] (דִּכְתִיב: דְּעוּ כִּי ה׳ הוּא אֱלֹהִים) this is the secret of Union in the secret of service (דָּא רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא בְּרָזָא דְּפוּלְחָנָא). And with all this (וְעִם כָּל דָּא), a person must serve Kudsha Berikh Hu with joy (בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמִפְלַח קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּחֶדְוָה), and to manifest joy in his service (וּלְאַחֲזָאָה חֶדְוָה בְּפוּלְחָנֵיהּ). And these two-joy and song (וְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין: שִׂמְחָה וּרְנָנָה) correspond to two others (לָקֳבֵל תְּרֵין אִלֵּין): the two daily prayers and the two daily offerings (תְּרֵין צְלוֹתִין, תְּרֵין קוּרְבָּנִין לְיוֹמָא), corresponding to these two, which are joy and song (לָקֳבֵל תְּרֵין אִלֵּין, דְּאִינוּן שִׂמְחָה וּרְנָנָה).

Joy in the morning (שִׂמְחָה בְּצַפְרָא), and song in the evening (וּרְנָנָה בְּרַמְשָׁא). And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא), “The one lamb you shall offer in the morning and the second lamb you shall offer at twilight” [Bamidbar 28] (אֶת הַכֶּבֶשׂ אֶחָד תַּעֲשֶׂה בַבֹּקֶר וְאֵת הַכֶּבֶשׂ הַשֵּׁנִי תַּעֲשֶׂה בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), the evening prayer is optional (צְלוֹתָא דְעַרְבִית רְשׁוּת אִיהִי), because at that hour, sustenance is distributed to all hosts (בְּגִין דְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא מְחַלֵּק טַרְפָּא לְכָל חֵילָהָא), and it is not a time for remembrance-Some say: not a time for blessing (וְלָאו שַׁעְתָּא לְאַדְכָּרָא (ס״א: לְאִתְבָּרְכָא) but a time to give sustenance (אֶלָּא לְמֵיהַב מְזוֹנָא). During the day, it is blessed from these two sides (בִּימָמָא הִיא מִתְבָּרֶכֶת מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין אִלֵּין): in the morning and in the evening (בְּצַפְרָא וּבְרַמְשָׁא), from within joy and song (מִגּוֹ שִׂמְחָה וּרְנָנָה). And at night, blessings are distributed to all appropriately (וּבְלֵילְיָא פָּלִיג בִּרְכָאן לְכֹלָּא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי). This is what is written: “She rises while it is yet night and gives prey to her household…” [Mishlei 31] (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְגו׳).