Daf 233b (דַּף רל״ג ע״ב)

Come and see: women are not blessed except through men (תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּנָשִׁין לָא מִתְבָּרְכָן אֶלָּא מִגּוּבְרִין), when the men are first blessed, and from that blessing the women are blessed (כַּד אִתְבָּרְכָן אִינוּן בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּמֵהַאי בִּרְכָּתָא מִתְבָּרְכָן). But what have we established regarding “He will bless the house of Yisrael”? (אֶלָּא בְּמַאי אוֹקִימְנָא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל) Rather, Kudsha Berikh Hu gives additional blessing to the male who takes a wife (אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהַב תּוֹסֶפֶת בִּרְכָּאן לִדְכוּרָא דְּנָסִיב), because the woman is blessed from him (בְּגִין דְּמִתְבָּרְכָא מִינֵּיהּ אִתְּתָּא).

And so it is in every place: Kudsha Berikh Hu gives an addition of blessing to the male who takes [a wife] (וְכֵן בְּכָל אֲתַר, יָהִיב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תּוֹסֶפֶת בִּרְכָּאן לִדְכוּרָא דְּנָסִיב), because the Nukvah is blessed from him, from that additional blessing (בְּגִין דְּמִתְבָּרְכָא מִנֵּיהּ נוּקְבָא מֵהַהוּא תּוֹסֶפֶת דְּבִרְכָּאן). Since a man takes a wife, he is given two portions-one for himself and one for his Nukvah-and he receives all: his portion and hers (כֵּיוָן דְּאִנְסִיב בַּר נָשׁ, יָהִיב לֵיהּ תְּרֵין חוּלָקִין, חַד לֵיהּ וְחַד לְנוּקְבֵיהּ, וְאִיהוּ נָטִיל כֹּלָּא: חוּלָקֵיהּ וְחוּלַק נוּקְבֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): “And he blessed them on that day” (וַיְבָרֲכֵם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא) (Bereshit 48:20). Some say: “Leimor [Saying]”—he blessed them with blessings, and all those who would come forth from them (נ״א: לֵאמֹר בֵּרֵיךְ בִּרְכָּאן לוֹן וּלְכֹל דִּיפְקוּן מִנַּיְיהוּ). Afterwards, Leimor [Saying] is written with a Vav (לְבָתַר לֵאמֹר בְּוָ״ו). Here the firstborn son is alluded to (הָכָא אִתְרְמִיזָא בְּרָא בּוּכְרָא), as it is written: “My son, My firstborn, Yisrael” (בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 4:22), and it is written: “Ephraim is My firstborn” (וְאֶפְרַיִם בְּכוֹרִי הוּא) (Yirmeyahu 31:9), and therefore the addition of the Vav (וְעַל דָּא תּוֹסֶפֶת וָ״ו).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah opened: “My unformed substance Your eyes saw; and upon Your scroll they all were written…” (Psalms 139) p4-26(רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח, גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וְעַל סִפְרְךָ כֻּלָּם יִכָּתֵבוּ וְגו׳) this verse has been established in many places p4-27(הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר), but come and see: all those souls that existed since the day the world was created (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל אִינוּן נְשָׁמִתִּין דְּהֲווּ מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עַלְמָא), all of them stand before Kudsha Berikh Hu before descending into the world (כֻּלְּהוּ קָיְימֵי קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַד לָא נָחֲתוּ לְעָלְמָא), in the very image that they are seen later in the world (בְּהַהוּא דִּיוּקְנָא מַמָּשׁ דְּאִתְחֲזוּן לְבָתַר בְּעָלְמָא). And that form of the body of a person standing in this world, is so established above as well (וְהַהוּא חֵיזוּ דְּגוּפָא דְּבַר נָשׁ דְּקָאֵים בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, הָכִי קָאֵים לְעֵילָא).

And at the moment when this Neshama is destined to descend into the world (וּבְשַׁעְתָּא דְּנִשְׁמָתָא דָא זְמִינָא לַאֲחָתָא בְּעַלְמָא), that Neshama, in the very same likeness that exists in this world (הַהִיא נִשְׁמָתָא בְּהַהִיא דִּיוּקְנָא מַמָּשׁ דְּקָיְימָא בְּהַאי עַלְמָא), stands likewise above before Kudsha Berikh Hu (הָכִי קָאֵים לְעֵילָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu says to her: “Guard the commandments of the Orayta, and do not transgress the statutes” p4-28(וְאוֹמֵי לָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּיִטּוֹר פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא, וְלָא יַעֲבָר עַל קְיָימִין). And from where do we know that they stand before Him? (וּמְנָא לָן דְּקָיְימִין קַמֵּיהּ), as it is written: “As Hashem lives, before Whom I stood” (I Kings 17) (דִּכְתִיב: חַי יְיָ אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו).

I stood-indeed, and this has already been established (עָמַדְתִּי וַדַּאי, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And for this reason: “My unformed substance Your eyes saw”, before the image appeared in the world (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ, עַד לָא יִתְחֲזֵי צַלְמָא בְּעַלְמָא). And upon Your book they all were written-for all Neshamot, in their likeness, are all written in the book (וְעַל סִפְרְךָ כֻּלָּם יִכָּתֵבוּ, דְּהָא כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין, בְּהַהוּא דִּיוּקְנָא דִּלְהוֹן, כֻּלְּהוּ בְּסִפְרָא כְּתִיבִין). Days were formed-this has been established as certainly formed (יָמִים יֻצָּרוּ, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ: יֻצָּרוּ וַדַּאי), and not one among them-in this world was there yet to stand in the fulfillment of their Master’s will as fitting (וְלֹא אֶחָד בָּהֶם, בְּהַאי עַלְמָא לְמֵיקַם בְּקִיּוּמָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, כְּדְקָא חָזֵי).

Come and see: the days of a person, when he is meritorious in this world with good deeds (תָּא חֲזֵי, יוֹמִין דְּבַר נָשׁ, כַּד זָכֵי בְּהַאי עַלְמָא בְּעוֹבָדִין טָבָן), his days are blessed above from that place which is the measure of his days (יוֹמִין דִּילֵיהּ אִתְבָּרְכָאן לְעֵילָא, מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִיהוּ מִדַּת יוֹמוֹי). He opened and said: “Make me know, Hashem, my end and the measure of my days, what it is…” (Psalms 39) (פָּתַח וְאָמַר: הוֹדִיעֵנִי יְיָ קִצִּי וּמִדַּת יָמַי מַה הִיא וְגו׳). This verse has already been explained (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ), but come and see: my end-this is the end of days (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי: קִצִּי, דָּא קֵץ הַיָּמִין), which is bound with David (דְּאִיהוּ מִתְקַשַּׁר בֵּיהּ בְּדָוִד). “And the measure of my days—what is it?” (וּמִדַּת יָמַי מַה הִיא), this is that which is appointed (דָּא אִיהוּ דְּאִתְמַנֵּי) (Some say: this is that there is an appointee (נ״א: דָּא אִית מְמַנָּא)), truly over his days (מַמָּשׁ עַל יוֹמוֹי).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה), behold, I heard from Rabbi Shim‘on (הָא שָׁמַעְנָא מֵרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), that this verse was said (דְּהַאי קְרָא אִתְּמַר), concerning those days that were decreed upon Adam Kadma’ah (עַל אִינוּן יוֹמִין דְּאִתְגְּזָרוּ עֲלוֹי מֵאָדָם קַדְמָאָה), which were seventy (דְּאִינוּן ע׳). For it was said that he had no life at all (דְּהָא אִתְּמַר, דְּחַיֵּין כְּלָל לָא הֲווּ לֵיהּ), except that Adam gave him from his own days-seventy years (אֶלָּא דְּיָהִיב לֵיהּ אָדָם מֵאִינוּן יוֹמִין דִּילֵיהּ, שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין). And this is the secret: the firmament Vilun performs no service (וְרָזָא דָא, וִילוֹן לָא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ כְּלוּם), and the moon gives forth no light from herself at all (וְסִיהֲרָא לָא נָהֲרַת מִגַּרְמָהּ כְּלָל), and those seventy years shine to her from every side (וְשִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין נָהֲרִין לָהּ בְּכָל סִטְרָהָא), and these are the hidden years of David (וְאִינוּן חַיֵּי דָּוִד סְתָם).

And concerning this, David sought from Kudsha Berikh Hu to know this secret (וְעַל דָּא בָּעָא דָּוִד לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְמִנְדַּע רָזָא דָּא), why there is no light to the moon from herself, and to know her root (עַל מָה לֵית לָהּ חַיֵּין לְסִיהֲרָא מִגַּרְמָהּ, וּלְמִנְדַּע עִקָּרָא דִּילָהּ). And the measure of my days-what is it? (וּמִדַּת יָמַי מַה הִיא) this is the supernal hidden level (דָּא הוּא דַּרְגָּא עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה), Some say: of the world (נ״א: דְּעָלְמָא), that stands over all those days which are her life, a place that illuminates all (דְּאִיהוּ קָיְימָא עַל כָּל אִינוּן יוֹמִין דְּאִינוּן חַיֵּין דִּילָהּ אֲתַר דְּנָהִיר לְכֹּלָּא). Let me know how I am lacking (אֵדְעָה מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי).

David said: Let me know why I lack light from myself, and why it was withheld from me (אָמַר דָּוִד: אִנְדַּע עַל מָה חָדֵל אֲנָא נְהוֹרָא מִגַּרְמִי, וְאִתְּמְנַע מִנִּי), like all those other supernal lights which do have life of their own (כִּשְׁאָר כָּל אִינוּן נְהוֹרָאִין עִלָּאִין דְּאִית לְהוֹן חַיֵּין לְכֻלְּהוּ), and I-why am I lacking, and why was it withheld from me? (וְאֲנָא עַל מָה אֲנָא חָדֵל וְעַל מָה אִתְּמְנַע מִנִּי). And this is what David sought to know, but was not given permission to know (וְדָא הוּא דְּבָעָא דָּוִד לְמִנְדַּע, וְלָא אִתְּיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא לְמִנְדַּע).

Tosefta

And a Wheel spins constantly and does not cease (וְגַלְגַּלָּא אַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךָ). Two birds ascend, chirping (תְּרֵין צִּפֳרִין סָלְקִין דְּקָא מְצַפְצְפָן) one to the direction of the south, and one to the direction of the north (חַד לִסְטַר דָּרוֹם, וְחַד לִסְטַר צָּפוֹן). They fly in the air chirping (פָּרְחִין בַּאֲוִירָא צִפְצוּפָּא), and the sweet sound of the wheel joins together as one (וְקָל נְעִימוּ דְּגַלְגַּלָּא מִתְחַבְּרָן כְּחֲדָא), then-“A psalm, a song for the Sabbath day” (Psalms 92) (כְּדֵין מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר לְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת). And all blessings are drawn with whispering from that sweetness (וְכָל בִּרְכָּאן נָגְדִין בִּלְחִישׁוּ בְּדָא נְעִימוּ), from the love of the sound of the shofar (מִגּוֹ רְחִימוּ דְּקוֹל שׁוֹפָרָא).

To receive those blessings, they descend from above to below (לְקַבְּלָא אִינוּן בִּרְכָּאן נָחֲתִין מִלְּעֵילָא לְתַּתָּא), and are gathered as one into (וְאִתְּגְּנִיזוּ כְּחֲדָא בְּגוֹ) the depth of the well (עוּמְקָא דְּבֵירָא), the wellspring of well that never ceases whispering (נְבִיעוּ דְּבֵירָא דְּלָא פָּסְקָא בִּלְחִישׁוּ), until that galgal of the scribe is filled (עַד דְּאִתְּמַלְיָיא הַהוּא גַלְגַּלָּא סַחֲרָא). Those two channels revolve (אִינוּן תְּרֵין מַגְרוֹפִין סַחֲרָן), one to the right calls out with might and says (חַד דִּימִינָא קָרֵא בְּחָיִל וְאָמַר): “Behold the shining brilliance that ascends and descends (זְהִירוּ דְּזָהֲרִין דְּסָלְקָא וְנָחֲתָּא) beware for two thousand worlds are affected!” (תְּרֵי אַלְפֵי עָלְמִין אִזְדָּהֲרוּ).

The middle world among them-be careful with the radiance of your Master! (עַלְמָא דְּאֶמְצָּעִיתָּא בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ אִזְדָּהַר בְּזוֹהֲרָא דְּמָארָךָ). All those who are masters of vision (כָּל אִינוּן מָארֵי דְּעַיְּינִין), behold and open your eyes, and you will merit to this Nehiru, to this delight (אִסְתַּכְּלוּ וּפִקְחוּ עֵינֵיכוֹן, וְתִזְכּוּן לְהַאי נְהִירוּ, לְהַאי עִדּוּנָא) these are the blessings drawn from above (אִלֵּין אִינוּן בִּרְכָּאן דְּנָגְדֵי מִלְּעֵילָא). Whoever merits (מַאן דְּזָכֵי) the galgal spins rightward (גַלְגַּלָּא סָלְקָא אַסְחַר לִימִינָא), and is drawn to him, and he is nourished by those radiant supernal blessings (וְאַנְגִּיד וְאַמְשִׁיךָ לְהַהוּא דְּזָכֵי, וְאִתְעַדַּן מֵאִלֵּין בִּרְכָּאן עִלָּאִין דְּזָהֲרָן). Blessed are those who merit them (זַכָּאִין אִינוּן דְּזָכָאן בְּהוּ). But when one does not merit (וְכַד לָא זָכֵי), the galgal spins (גַלְגַּלָּא אַסְחַר), and the channel to the left side spins and descends below (וְהַהוּא מַגְרוֹפָא דְּלִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא אַסְחַר וְנָחַת לְתַּתָּא), and draws judgment upon him who did not merit (וְאַמְשִׁיךָ דִּינָא עַל הַאי דְּלָא זָכֵי), and a voice goes forth: “Woe to those guilty who did not merit!” (וְקָלָא נָפְקַת, וַי לְאִינוּן חַיֵּיבִין דְּלָא זָכוּ). From that side goes forth a flame of fire, a burning blaze that rests on the heads of the guilty (מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא נָפִיק אֶשָּׁא דְּשַלְהוֹבָא דְּדָלִיק, דְּשָׁארֵי עַל רֵישֵׁיהוֹן דְּחַיֵּיבַיָּא). Blessed are those who walk in the path of truth in this world (זַכָּאִין אִינוּן כָּל אִינוּן דַּאֲזְלוּ בְּאוֹרַח קְשׁוֹט בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), to merit that supernal light, the radiant blessings (לְמִזְכֵּי לְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה, בִּרְכָּאן דְּצַחְצְחָן), as it is written: “And He shall satisfy your soul in shining brightness” (Isaiah 58) (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְהִשְׂבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ). Thus concludes the Tosefta. (עַד כָּאן תּוֹסֶפְתָּא)

Come and see: all supernal blessings (תָּא חֲזֵי כָּל בִּרְכָּאן עִלָּאִין), all of them were entrusted to this level, to bless all (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְמְסָרוּ לְהַאי דַּרְגָּא, לְבָרְכָּא לְכֹּלָּא). And even though she has no light of her own (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּלֵית לָהּ נְהוֹרָא מִגַּרְמָהּ), all blessings, and all joy, and all goodness (כָּל בִּרְכָּאן, וְכָל חֵידוּ, וְכָל טִיבוּ), all dwell within her and emerge from her (כֻּלְּהוּ קָיְימִין בָּהּ וּמִנָּהּ קָיְימֵי נָפְקֵי), and because of this she is called the Cup of Blessing (וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרִיאַת כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה). And she is truly called blessing, as it is written: (וְאִקְרֵי בְּרָכָה מַמָּשׁ, כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב): “The blessing of Hashem, it makes rich” (Proverbs 10) (בִּרְכַּת ה׳ הִיא תַעֲשִׁיר). And regarding this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב): “And full with the blessing of Hashem, the sea and the south he shall inherit” (Deuteronomy 33) (וּמָלֵא בִּרְכַּת ה׳ יָם וְדָרוֹם יִירָשָׁה).