Daf 232b (דַּף רל״ב ע״ב)

In this manner it is written: “And the flaming sword that turns every way…” (Bereshit 3) (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כְּתִיב, וְאֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת), angels are sent into the world (מַלְאָכִין אִית שְׁלוּחַן בְּעָלְמָא), who transform into many forms (דְּמִתְהַפְּכִין לְכַמָּה גְּוָונִין): at times female (לְזִמְנִין נוּקְבֵי), at times male (לְזִמְנִין דְּכוּרֵי), at times judgment (לְזִמְנִין דִּינָא), at times mercy (לְזִמְנִין רַחֲמֵי), and all in one form (וְכֹּלָּא בְּחַד גַּוְונָא). In this manner also is this angel (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא הַאי מַלְאָךְ), in many forms he appears (בִּגְוָונִין סַגִּיאִין אִיהוּ), and all the colors of the world exist in this place (וְכָל גְּוָנִין דְּעָלְמָא, כֻּלְּהוּ אִיתָנְהוּ בְּהַאי אֲתַר). And this is the secret: “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness roundabout; this was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Hashem” (Ezekiel 1) (וְרָזָא דָּא, כְּמַרְאֵה הַקֶּשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בֶּעָנָן בְּיוֹם הַגֶּשֶׁם כֵּן מַרְאֵה הַנֹּגַהּ סָבִיב הוּא מַרְאֵה דְּמוּת כְּבוֹד יְיָ). And just as all those colors are in it (וּכְמָה דְּאִית בֵּיהּ כָּל אִינוּן גְּוָנִין), so too does he govern the entire world (הָכִי נָמֵי אַנְהִיג לְכָל עָלְמָא).

Tosefta

Supernal lovers (רְחִימֵי עִלָּאֵי), masters of contemplation gazed (מָארֵי דְּסֻכְלְתָּנוּ אִסְתַּכְּלוּ), Decrees made known through the allotment (הוּרְמָנִי יְדִיעָן בְּקוּלְפֵּי דְּסִיכְתָּא), they drew near to understand (קְרִיבוּ לְמִנְדַּע): who among you are masters of insight (מַאן מִנְּכוֹן מָארֵי דְּעַיְינִין בְּסֻכְלְתָּנוּ), who knows the moment when the desire ascends (וְיָדַע בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּסָלִיק בִּרְעוּתָּא), the mystery of mysteries (דְּרָזָא דְּרָזִין), to produce three colors as one (לְאֲפָקָא תְּלַת גְּוָנִין כְּחֲדָא כְּלִילָן). And they are: white, red, and green (וְאִינוּן: חִוַּור וְסוּמָק וְיָרוֹק), three colors in one (תְּלַת גְּווֹנִין כְּחֲדָא), interwoven one with another (אִשְׁתְּלִיבָאן דָּא עִם דָּא), joined together one with another (מִזְדַּוְוגָן דָּא עִם דָּא). The lower pestle was driven in (מַגְרוֹפַיָּא תַּתָּאָה אִצְטַבַּע), and from it these colors emerge (וְנָפְקָא מִגּוֹ גְּווֹנִין אִלֵּין). And all these colors are seen in it (וְכָל גְּווֹנִין אִלֵּין אִתְּחֲזוּן בְּהַאי). A vision it is to gaze upon (חֵיזוּ אִיהוּ לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא), as crystal appears in the moment (כְּעֵינָא דִּבְדוֹלְחָא אִתְּחֲזֵי בְּשַׁעְתָּא). Like one who bathed within it (כְּגַוְונָא דְּבָטַשׁ בְּגַוָּוהּ), thus is it seen outwardly (הָכִי אִתְּחֲזִי לְבַר).

These three colors revolve around it (אִלֵּין תְּלַת גְּווֹנִין סַחֲרָן לְהַאי), and the color ascends, rises and descends (וְגוֹוָנָא אָזְלָא סָלְקָא וְנָחֲתָא). The bands of the crown are fixed within it (קִסְטוֹרִין דְּקִטְרָא קְבִיעֵי בְּגוֹוָן). Colors revolve (גוֹוָנִין סַחֲרִין), unified as one (כְּלִילָן כְּחֲדָא), rising above by day (סָלְקִין לָהּ לְעֵילָא בִּימָמָא), descending by night (וְנָחֲתָא בְּלֵילְיָא). A flame that burns appears at night (שְׁרַגָא דְּדָלִיק אִתְּחֲזִי בְּלֵילְיָא); by day its light is concealed (בִּימָמָא אִסְתַּתָּרַת נְהוֹרָא), hidden in one hundred and forty-eight worlds (טְמִירָא בְּמָאתָן וְאַרְבָּעִין וּתְּמַנְיָא עָלְמִין). All go within it (כֻּלְּהוּ אָזְלִין לְגַוָּוהּ), from above to below (מִלְּעֵילָא לְתַּתָּא), within three hundred sixty-five chambers of concealment (גּוֹ תְּלַת מֵאָה וְשִׁתִּין וְחָמֵשׁ שַׁיֵּיפִין גְּנִיזָא), and they are covered below (וְאִתְּכַּסְיָא לְתַּתָּא). Whoever seeks to find it (מַאן דִּמְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ לְאַשְׁכָּחָא לָהּ), must break through hidden Klippin (יִתְּבַר גַּדְפִין קְלִיפִין טְמִירִין), and open gates (וְיִפְתַּח תַּרְעִין). One who is worthy to behold (מַאן דְּזָכֵי לְמֶחֱמֵי), shall see into the realm of knowledge and contemplation (יֶחֱמֵי גּוֹ יְדִיעָה וְסֻכְלְתָּנוּ), like one who sees beyond a wall (כְּמַאן דְּחָמֵי בָּתַּר כּוֹתְּלָא). Except for Moshe, the faithful supernal prophet (בַּר מִן מֹשֶׁה נְבִיאָה מְהֵימְנָא עִלָּאָה), who saw eye to eye (דְּהֲוָה חָמֵי לֵיהּ עֵינָא בְּעֵינָא), above in a place not known (לְעֵילָא בְּאֲתַּר דְּלָא אִתְּיְידַע). Who is not worthy (מַאן דְּלָא זָכֵי), is pushed away (דָּחוּ לֵיהּ לְבַר), and many pure hosts come upon him (כַּמָּה חֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין אִזְדַּמְּנוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ), they are summoned and go out upon him (אִזְדַּמְּנָן נָפְקֵי עֲלֵיהּ), and expel him so he shall not gaze upon the delight of the King (וַאֲפִיקוּ לֵיהּ דְּלָא יִסְתַּכַּל בְּעִנּוּגָא דְּמַלְכָּא). Woe to those guilty of the world (וַוֵי לוֹן לְאִינוּן חַיָּיבִין דְּעַלְמָא), who were not worthy to behold (דְּלָא זָכָאן לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא), as it is said (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “And they shall not come to see when the holy is swallowed” (וְלֹא יָבֹאוּ לִרְאוֹת כְּבַלַּע אֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ) (Numbers 4).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): I used to gaze (מִסְתַּכֵּל הֲוֵינָא), and these guardians within (וְהָא מִגּוֹ זְהִירִין אִלֵּין), they gaze at the souls of the Righteous (מִסְתַּכְּלָן נִשְׁמַתְּהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא), when they are joined in this place (כַּד אִתְּדַּבָּקוּ בְּהַאי אֲתַּר). From within these guardians (מִגּוֹ זְהִירִין אִלֵּין), the souls of the Righteous are beheld (מִסְתַּכְּלִין נִשְׁמַתְּהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא). These colors rise and are unified as one (אִינוּן גּוֹוָנִין סָלְקִין וְאִתְּכְּלִילָן כְּחֲדָא). Fortunate is he who knows how to integrate and unify all of them as one (זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּיָדַע לְאַכְלָלָא וּלְיַחֲדָא כֻּלְּהוּ כְּחֲדָא), to repair all in the place that must be above, exceedingly high (לְאַתְּקָנָא כֹּלָּא בַּאֲתַּר דְּאִצְטְרִיךָ לְעֵילָא לְעֵילָא). And then, the human is protected in this world and in the World to Come (וּכְדֵין אִתְּנְטִיר בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). (End of Tosefta) (ע״כ תּוֹסֶפְתָּא).

Rabbi Yose opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְאָמַר), “And the strength of the King loves justice; You established fairness…” (Psalms 99) (וְעֹז מֶלֶךְ מִשְׁפָּט אָהֵב אַתָּה כּוֹנַנְתָּ מֵישָׁרִים וְגו׳). And the strength of the King loves justice (וְעֹז מֶלֶךְ מִשְׁפַּט אָהֵב), this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And the strength of the King (וְעֹז מֶלֶךְ), the might with which Kudsha Berikh Hu is mighty (תּוּקְפָא דְּאַתְקִיף קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), is nothing but through judgment (לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּמִשְׁפָּט), for through judgment the earth is established (דְּהָא בְּמִשְׁפָּט אִתְקְיַּים אַרְעָא), as it is said: “A king by judgment establishes the land” (Proverbs 29) (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ). And because of this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), the strength of the King loves justice (וְעֹז מֶלֶךְ מִשְׁפָּט אָהֵב), and Knesset Yisrael is not rectified except through judgment (וְלָא אִתְתַּקָּנַת כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא בְּמִשְׁפָּט), for from there she is nourished (בְּגִין דְּמִתַּמָּן אִתְּזָנַת), and all blessings she receives are from there (וְכָל בִּרְכָאן דְּנָטְלָא, מִתַּמָּן נָטְלָא). And because of this, the strength of the King loves justice (וּבְגִין כָּךְ וְעֹז מֶלֶךְ מִשְׁפָּט אָהֵב), all her desire and all her love is toward judgment (כָּל תְּאִיבוּ, וְכָל רְחִימוּ דִילָהּ לָקֳבֵיל מִשְׁפָּט). You established fairness (אַתָּה כּוֹנַנְתָּ מֵישָׁרִים), this is the secret (רָזָא) of the two Keruvim below (דִּתְרֵין כְּרוּבִים לְתַתָּא), who are the Tikkun and foundation of the world (דְּאִינוּן תִּקּוּנָא וְיִישׁוּבָא דְּעָלְמָא), and behold, it is said (וְהָא אִתְּמָר).

Rabbi Yitzchak (some say: Rabbi Ḥizkiyah) opened and said (רִבִּי (יִצְחָק) חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “Praise Hashem! Praise, servants of Hashem, praise the Name of Hashem” (Psalms 135) (הַלְלוּ יָהּ הַלְלוּ עַבְדֵּי ה׳ הַלְלוּ אֶת שֵׁם ה׳). This verse must be carefully considered (הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בֵּיהּ), for since it says “Hallelu-Yah”, why does it then say “Praise, servants of Hashem”, and afterward “Praise the Name of Hashem”? (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר הַלְלוּיָה, אַמַּאי הַלְלוּ עַבְדֵּי ה׳, וּלְבָתַר הַלְלוּ אֶת שֵׁם ה׳). Rather, thus have we learned (אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנִינָן): whoever praises another (מַאן דִּמְשַׁבַּח לְאַחֲרָא), must praise him according to his honor (אִצְטְרִיךְ לְשַׁבָּחָא לֵיהּ כְּפוּם יְקָרֵיהּ), and according to his honor, so should his praise be (וּכְפוּם יְקָרֵיהּ הָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ שִׁבְחֵיהּ). And we have learned: whoever praises another with praise that is not within him (וְתָנִינָן: מַאן דִּמְשַׁבַּח לְאַחֲרָא בְּשִׁבְחָא דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ), reveals his disgrace (הוּא גָלֵי גְנוּתֵיהּ), and desires to expose him (וְצָבֵי לְגַלָּאָה לֵיהּ). And concerning this, one who delivers a eulogy over a person (וְעַל דָּא, מַאן דְּעָבִיד הֶסְפֵּדָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ), must praise him according to his honor, and no more (אִצְטְרִיךְ כְּפוּם יְקָרֵיהּ, וְלָא יַתִּיר), for from his praise comes his disgrace (דְּמִגּוֹ שִׁבְחֵיהּ אָתֵי לִגְנוּתֵיהּ), and in all praise, it must be according to his honor (וּבְכֹלָּא שְׁבָחָא אִצְטְרִיךְ כְּפוּם יְקָרֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Hallelu-Yah - here is the supreme praise of the Master of all (הַלְלוּיָהּ, הָכָא אִית שְׁבָחָא עִלָּאָה דְּמָארֵי דְכֹלָּא), a place where no eye rules to know or behold (אֲתַר דְּלָא שָׁלְטָא בֵיהּ עֵינָא לְמִנְדַּע וּלְאִסְתַּכָּלָא), Some say: place (נ"א: אֲתַר), for it is the concealed of all concealed (דְּאִיהוּ טְמִירָא דְּכָל טְמִירִין). And who is it? Y-H (וּמַאן אִיהוּ, י״ה), a supreme Name over all (שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא). And because of this, Hallelu-Yah-praise and Name as one, united as one (וּבְגִין כָּךְ הַלְלוּיָהּ, שְׁבָחָא וּשְׁמָא כְּחֲדָא, כְּלִילָן כְּחֲדָא). And here the word is concealed-Hallelu-Yah is said, but it does not say who is saying it, nor to whom they are saying it (וְהָכָא סָתִים מִלָּה דְּאָמַר הַלְלוּיָהּ, וְלָא אָמַר מַאן הַלְלוּיָהּ, לְמַאן אָמְרוּ הַלְלוּ), rather, just as Y-H is concealed, so is the praise of those who offer praise concealed (אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְּי״ה סָתִים, הָכִי שְׁבָחָא דְּשַׁבּוּחֵי סָתִים אִינוּן), those who praise-we do not know who they are (דִּמְשַׁבְּחֵי לָא יְדַעְנָא מַאן אִינוּן), and thus all must be concealed, in a supernal secret (וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא סָתִים, בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה). And after it is concealed in supernal secret, it is revealed and says: “Praise, servants of Hashem! Praise the Name of Hashem!” (וּלְבָתַר דְּסָתִים בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה, גַּלֵּי וְאָמַר, הַלְלוּ עַבְדֵּי ה׳, הַלְלוּ אֶת שֵׁם ה׳). For this is a place that is not concealed like that supernal concealed of all concealed (בְּגִין דְּדָא אִיהוּ אֲתַר דְּלָא סָתִים כְּהַהוּא עִלָּאָה טְמִירָא דְּכָל טְמִירִין). This is the place called Name (דָּא הוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי שֵׁם), as it is written: “Where the Name of Hashem is proclaimed” (II Samuel 6) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שָׁם שֵׁם ה׳).

The first is concealed and not (some say: that is not) revealed (קַדְמָאָה סָתִים דְּלָא (נ״א: דָּא) גַלְיָא), the second is concealed and revealed (תְּנִינָא סָתִים וְגַלְיָא), and because it stands in revelation (וּבְגִין דְּקַיְימָא בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא), he said: “Those who are praising that place-who are they?” (אָמַר אִינוּן דְּקָא מְשַׁבְּחֵי לְהַהוּא אֲתַר, מַאן אִינוּן), and he said: They are the servants of Hashem (וְקָאֲמַר דְּאִינוּן עַבְדֵּי ה׳), who are seen to offer praise to this place (דְּאִתְחַזּוּן לְשַׁבָּחָא לְאֲתַר דָּא). May the Name of Hashem be blessed (יְהִי שֵׁם ה׳ מְבוֹרָךְ) what is different in that it says “may it be”? (מַאי שְׁנָא דְּקָאֲמַר יְהִי) Rather, “may it be” is the secret of emanation from that supernal place that we spoke of, which is concealed-Y-H (אֶלָּא יְהִי, רָזָא דְּאַמְשָׁכוּתָא מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהוּ סָתִים דְּקָאֲמַרָן, דְּאִיהוּ י״ה), until the secret of the Covenant, which is the lower Yod, in likeness to the upper Yod, the beginning joined to the end (עַד רָזָא דִבְרִית, דְּאִיהוּ יו״ד תַּתָּאָה, כְּגַוְונָא דְּיו״ד עִלָּאָה, שֵׁירוּתָא כְּסוֹפָא). And because of this, “may it be” is the secret of emanation from the concealed of all concealed until the lower level (וּבְגִין כָּךְ יְהִי, רָזָא דְּאַמְשְׁכוּתָא מִטְּמִירָא דְּכָל טְמִירִין, עַד דַּרְגָּא תַּתָּאָה). And through this word is fulfilled all the works of Bereshit (וּבְמִלָּה דָא אִתְקְיַּים כָּל עוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית), as it is said: “Let there be a firmament,” “let there be lights,” “let there be light” (Bereshit 1) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, יְהִי רָקִיעַ, יְהִי מְאוֹרוֹת, יְהִי אוֹר). In all these upper works it is written “let there be” (בְּכָל אִינוּן עוֹבָדִין דִּלְעֵילָא כְּתִיב יְהִי).