Daf 23a (דַּף כ״ג ע״א)

“For He founded it upon the seas” (Psalms 24) (כִּי הוּא עַל יַמִּים יְסָדָהּ) these are the seven pillars upon which the earth is established (אִלֵּין שִׁבְעָה עַמּוּדִים דְּאַרְעָא סְמִיכָא עָלַיְיהוּ), and they are seven seas (וְאִינּוּן שִׁבְעָה יַמִּים), and the Sea of Kinneret dominates them (וְיַם כִּנֶּרֶת שַׁלְטָא עָלַיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): do not say that it dominates them (לָא תֵּימָא דְּשַׁלְטָא עָלַיְיהוּ), but rather that it is filled from them (אֶלָּא דְּאִתְמַלְיָיא מִנַּיְיהוּ). “And upon the rivers He established it” (Psalms 24) (וְעַל נְהָרוֹת יְכוֹנְנֶהָ) who are these rivers? (מַאן אִינּוּן נְהָרוֹת) Rather, as it is said (Psalms 93) “The rivers have lifted up, O Hashem, the rivers have lifted up their voice…” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת קוֹלָם יִשְּׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת דָּכְיָם). These are the rivers, as it is said (Bereshit 2) “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden” (אִינּוּן נְהָרוֹת, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן). And because of this: “And upon the rivers He established it” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ: וְעַל נְהָרוֹת יְכוֹנְנֶהָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): this land is called Eretz Yisrael (הַאי אֶרֶץ, אִקְרֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל). Ya'akov, who is Yisrael-why did he not rule over this as Moshe did? (יַעֲקֹב דְּאִיהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲמַאי לָא שָׁלִיט עַל דָּא כְּמֹשֶׁה) For it is written: “And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya'akov with El Shaddai”-and not more (דְּהָא כְּתִיב: וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי, וְלָא יַתִּיר). Rather, Ya'akov-as we have established-took the lower house (אֶלָּא, יַעֲקֹב, הָא אוֹקִימְנָא: נָטַל בֵּיתָא דִּלְתַתָּא), and the upper house was left from him (וְאִשְׁתְּבִיק מִנֵּיהּ בֵּיתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And with the lower house he prepared the upper house (וְעִם בֵּיתָא דִּלְתַתָּא, אַתְקִין בֵּיתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), with twelve tribes, with seventy branches (בִּתְרֵיסָר שְׁבָטִין, בְּשִׁבְעִין עֲנָפִין), and this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

Moshe took the upper house (מֹשֶׁה, נָטַל בֵּיתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and left the lower house (וְשָׁבִיק בֵּיתָא דִּלְתַתָּא). And because of this, it is written of Ya'akov: “with El Shaddai” (וְעַל דָּא, כְּתִיב בְּיַעֲקֹב: בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי). With El Shaddai Kudsha Berikh Hu spoke to him (בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי מַלִּיל עִמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and not more (וְלָא יַתִּיר). “And by My Name YHVH I was not known to them” (Exodus 6) to speak with them on this level that is supernal (וּשְׁמִי יְיָ לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם, לְמַלְּלָא עִמְּהוֹן בְּדַרְגָּא דָּא דְּאִיהוּ עִלָּאָה). “And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya'akov” (Exodus 6) (וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): the praise of the Patriarchs is Ya'akov, for he is the completeness of all (תּוּשְׁבְּחָן דַּאֲבָהָן יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה, דְּהוּא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא). In all of them it is written “to Avraham,” “to Yitzchak,” but with him one letter was added, as it is written “and to Ya'akov” (בְּכֻלְּהוּ כְּתִיב: אֶל אַבְרָהָם, אֶל יִצְחָק, וּבֵיהּ אִתּוֹסָף אָת חַד, דִּכְתִּיב: וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב). The vav was added to him to show that he is more complete than all of them (אִתּוֹסָף בֵּיהּ ו׳, לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלֵימָא יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ). And with all this, he did not merit to be used by Him as Moshe was (וְעִם כָּל דָּא, לָא זָכָה לְאִשְׁתַּמְּשָׁא בֵּיהּ כְּמֹשֶׁה). (Exodus 6) “And also I have established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Kena'an” (וְגַם הֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם לָתֵת לָהֶם אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן) because they had been decreed (בְּגִין דְּאִתְגְּזָרוּ). For whoever is decreed inherits the land (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר, יָרִית אַרְעָא) for only a Tzaddik inherits the land (דְּהָא לָא יָרִית אַרְעָא אֶלָּא צַדִּיק) and whoever is decreed is called a Tzaddik (וְכָל מַאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר, אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק). As it is written (Isaiah 60) “And your people, all of them are Tzaddikim, forever they shall inherit the land” (דִּכְתִּיב: וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ).

Whoever is decreed and guards this existing sign is called a Tzaddik (כָּל מַאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר, וְנָטִיר הַאי אָת קַיָּימָא, אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק). Come and see from Yosef (תָּא חֲזֵי מִן יוֹסֵף), who all his days was not called a Tzaddik until he guarded that covenant, the holy existing sign (דְּכָל יוֹמוֹי לָא אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק, עַד דְּנָטִיר הַהוּא בְּרִית, אָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא). Once he guarded it, he was called “Yosef the Tzaddik” (כֵּיוָן דְּנָטַר לֵיהּ, אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק: יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק).

Rabbi Shim‘on was sitting one day (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֲוָה יָתִיב יוֹמָא חַד), and Rabbi El‘azar his son was with him (וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ), and Rabbi Abba was with him (וְרִבִּי אַבָּא עִמֵּיהּ). Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): This verse that is written (הַאי קְרָא דִּכְתִּיב): “And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya'akov, etc.” (Exodus 6) (וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ׳). What is “and I appeared”? (מַהוּ וָאֵרָא), it should have said “and I spoke” (וַאֲדַבֵּר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). He said to him: El‘azar, my son, it is a supernal secret (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אֶלְעָזָר בְּרִי, רָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): there are Gavvanin [Forms] that are visible (אִית גַּוְונִין דְּמִתְחַזְיָין), and there are Gavvanin [Forms] that are not visible (וְאִית גַּוְונִין דְּלָא מִתְחַזְיָין). And these and those (וְאִלֵּין וְאִלֵּין) are the supernal mystery of faith (אִינּוּן רָזָא עִלָּאָה דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and human beings do not know it (וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא לָא יַדְעִין לֵיהּ), nor do they contemplate it (וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין בֵּיהּ). And those Gavvanin [Forms] that are visible (וְאִלֵּין דְּמִתְחַזְיָין), no human being merited them (לָא זָכָה בְּהוּ בַּר נָשׁ), until the Patriarchs came and stood upon them (עַד דְּאָתוּ אֲבָהָן וְקָיְימוּ עָלַיְיהוּ). And therefore it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב): “Va'era [And I appeared]” (וָאֵרָא) (Exodus 6:3), for they saw those Gavvanin [Forms] that were revealed (דְּחָמוּ אִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָין). And which are the Gavvanin [Forms] that are revealed? (וּמַאן גַּוְונִין דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָין).

These are of El Shaddai (אִינּוּן דְּאֵל שַׁדָּי), which are appearances of supernal vision (דְּאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דְּחֵיזוּ עִילָּאָה), Some say: appearances of supernal colors (נ״א: חֵיזוּ דְּגַוְונִין עִלָּאִין), and these were revealed (וְאִלֵּין אִתְחַזְיָין). But the supernal forms are concealed, not revealed (וּגְוָנִין דִּלְעֵילָּא סְתִימִין דְּלָא אִתְחַזְּיָין), and no one stands upon them except Moshe (לָא קָאֵים אִינִישׁ עָלַיְיהוּ בַּר מְמֹשֶׁה). And therefore it is written (Exodus 6) “And by My Name Hashem I was not known to them” (וּשְׁמִי יְיָ לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם), meaning I did not reveal Myself to them in supernal forms (לָא אִתְגַּלֵּיתִי לוֹן בִּגְוָנִין עִלָּאִין). And if you say that the Patriarchs did not know of them, they did know, from within those that were revealed (וְאִי תֵּימָא דַּאֲבָהָן לָא הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי בְּהוּ, אֶלָּא הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי מִגּוֹ אִינּוּן דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָין).

It is written (Daniel 12) “And the enlightened will shine like the brilliance of the firmament, and those who justify the many like stars forever and ever” (כְּתִיב: וְהַמַּשְׂכִּילִים יַזְהִירוּ כְּזֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ, וּמַצְדִּיקֵי הָרַבִּים כַּכּוֹכָבִים לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד). “And the enlightened will shine”-who are these enlightened ones (וְהַמַּשְׂכִּילִים יַזְהִירוּ, מַאן אִינּוּן מַשְׂכִּילִים)? Rather, it is one who contemplates from himself matters that human beings cannot utter by mouth (אֶלָּא דָּא הוּא, הַהוּא חָכָם דְּיִסְתַּכַּל מִגַּרְמֵיהּ מִלִּין דְּלָא יָכְלִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְמַלְּלָא בְּפוּמָא), and these are called enlightened ones (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן מַשְׂכִּילִים). “They will shine like the brilliance of the firmament”-what is this brilliance (יַזְהִירוּ כְּזֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ, מַאן זֹהַר)? It is the firmament of Moshe (דָּא הוּא רְקִיעַ דְּמֹשֶׁה), which stands in the center (דְּקַיְּימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), and this brilliance of his is concealed (וְהַאי זֹהַר דִּילֵיהּ אִיהוּ סָתִים), and is not revealed because its color is fixed upon that firmament that does not shine (וְלָא אִתְגַּלְּיָיא מִגָּוֶן דִּילֵּיהּ קַיְּימָא עַל הַהִיא רְקִיעָא דְּלָא נָהִיר), in which appear colors (דְּאִתְחַזְיָין בֵּיהּ גַּוְונִין), and even though they appear in it, they do not shine like true brilliance (וְאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְחַזְיָין בֵּיהּ לָא זַהֲרֵי כְּזִהֲרָא), because those colors are concealed (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין סְתִימִין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): there are four lights (אַרְבַּע נְהוֹרִין אִינּוּן). Three of them are concealed and one is revealed (תְּלַת מִנַּיְיהוּ סְתִימִין, וְחַד דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא). The light that shines (נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר), the light of brilliance (נְהוֹרָא דְּזִהֲרָא), and it shines like the pure brilliance of the heavens (וְאִיהוּ נָהִיר כִּזְהִירוּ דִּשְׁמַיָּא בְּדַכְיוּ). The light of the rainbow, which contains all lights (נְהוֹרָא דְּאַרְגְּוָנָא, דְּנָטִיל כָּל נְהוֹרִין). The light that does not shine (נְהוֹרָא דְּלָא נָהִיר) looks toward these and takes from them (אִסְתַּכַּל לְגַבֵּי אִלֵּין, וְנָטִיל לוֹן), and these lights are seen within it like glass against the sun (וְאִתְחַזְּיָין אִינּוּן נְהוֹרִין בֵּיהּ כַּעֲשָׁשִׁיתָא לָקֳבֵל שִׁמְשָׁא).