Daf 23b (דַּף כ״ג ע״ב)

And these three that we have mentioned (וְאִלֵּין תְּלָת דְּקַאמְרָן), are concealed and established upon this one that is revealed (סְתִימִין וְקַיְּימִין עַל הַאי דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא). And the mystery of this is “eye” p5-41(וְרָזָא דָּא: עֵינָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): in the eye there are three colors that are revealed and inscribed within it (בְּעֵינָא אִית תְּלַת גַּוְונִין דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָין רְשִׁימִין בֵּיהּ), and all of them do not shine (וְכֻלְּהוּ לָא מִזְדַּהֲרֵי), because they stand within a light that does not shine (בְּגִין דְּקַיְימֵי בִּנְהוֹרָא דְּלָא נָהִיר). And these correspond to the concealed ones that stand upon them (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִינּוּן סְתִימִין דְּקַיְימֵי עָלַיְיהוּ). And these are the ones that were revealed to the Patriarchs (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּאִתְחַזְּיָין לַאֲבָהָן), in order to know those concealed ones that shine from within those that do not shine (לְמִנְדַּע אִינּוּן סְתִימִין דְּמִזְדַּהֲרִין מִגּוֹ אִלֵּין דְּלָא מִזְדַּהֲרֵי). And those which shine and those which are concealed were revealed to Moshe (וְאִינּוּן דְּמִזְדַּהֲרֵי וְאִינּוּן סְתִימִין אִתְגַּלְּיָין לְמֹשֶׁה), in that firmament of his (בְּהַהוּא רְקִיעָא דִּילֵיהּ).

And these are established upon those forms that appear in the eye (וְאִלֵּין קַיְימֵי עַל אִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דְּאִתְחַזְּיָין בֵּיהּ בְּעֵינָא). And the mystery of this is: “Close your eye, and revolve your wheel” (וְרָזָא דָּא: סָתִים עֵינָךְ, וְאַסְחַר גַּלְגַּלָּךְ), and those colors that shine will be revealed (וְיִתְגַּלְּיָין אִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דְּנַהֲרִין דְּמִזְדַּהֲרֵי). But permission to see them is not given except with concealed eyes (וְלָא אִתְיְיהִיב רְשׁוּ לְמֶיחֲמֵי אֶלָּא בְּעַיְינִין סְתִימִין), because these supernal concealed ones stand upon those forms that appear but do not shine (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן סְתִימִין עִלָּאִין קַיְּימֵי עַל אִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דְּאִתְחַזְּיָין דְּלָא מִזְדַּהֲרֵי). And for this reason we read that Moshe merited the mirror that shines (וְעַל דָּא קָרֵינָן מֹשֶׁה זָכָה בְּאַסְפָּקְלַרְיָא דְּנַהֲרָא), which is established upon that which does not shine (דְּקַיְּימָא עַל הַהוּא דְּלָא נַהֲרָא).

The rest of the people of the world, in that mirror that does not shine (שְׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא בְּהַהוּא אַסְפָּקְלַרְיָא דְּלָא נָהֲרָא). And the Patriarchs saw from within those forms that were revealed (וַאֲבָהָן הֲווֹ חָמָאן מִגּוֹ אִלֵּין גַּוְונִין דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָין), which were concealed and stood upon those that do not shine (אִינּוּן סְתִימִין דְּקַיְימֵי עָלַיְיהוּ דְּאִינּוּן דְּלָא נָהֲרִין). And for this reason it is written (Exodus 6) “And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya'akov with El Shaddai” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי), in those forms that were revealed (בְּאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דְּאִתְחַזְּיָין). “And by My Name Hashem I was not known to them” (Exodus 6) (וּשְׁמִי יְיָ לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם): these are the supernal, concealed forms that shine, which Moshe merited to gaze upon (אִלֵּין גַּוְונִין עִלָּאִין סְתִימִין דְּזָהֲרִין דְּזָכָה בְּהוּ מֹשֶׁה לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּהוֹן).

And the secret of this is that the eye is concealed and revealed (וְרָזָא דָּא דְּעֵינָא סָתִים וְגַלְיָא). When it is concealed, it sees through the shinning mirror (סָתִים חָמֵי אַסְפָּקְלַרְיָא דְּנָהֲרָא). When it is revealed, it sees through the mirror that does not shine (אִתְגַּלְּיָיא חָמֵי אַסְפָּקְלַרְיָא דְּלָא נַהֲרָא). And because of this, “Va’era” refers to the mirror that does not shine, which is in revelation, and in it the word “seeing” is written (וְעַל דָּא וָאֵרָא בְּאַסְפָּקְלַרְיָא דְּלָא נָהֲרָא דְּאִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא בֵּיהּ כְּתִיב רְאִיָּה). In the mirror that shines, which is in concealment, the term used is “knowing,” as it is written: “I was not known” (בְּאַסְפָּקְלַרְיָא דְּנָהֲרָא דְּאִיהוּ בִּסְתִימוּ כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ יְדִיעָה דִּכְתִּיב לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי).

Rabbi El‘azar and Rabbi Abba came and kissed his hand (אָתוּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי אַבָּא וְנָשְׁקוּ יְדוֹי). Rabbi Abba wept and said (בָּכָה רִבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר): Woe, when you will depart from the world, and the world will remain orphaned of you (וַוַי כַּד תִּסְתַּלַּק מֵעָלְמָא וְיִשְׁתְּאַר עָלְמָא יָתוֹם מִינָךְ), who will be able to illuminate words of the Orayta (מַאן יָכִיל לְאַנְהָרָא מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא).

Rabbi Abba opened and said (I Samuel 25) “And thus you shall say to Chai, ‘Peace to you, peace to your house, and peace to all that you have’” (פָּתַח רִבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר: וַאֲמַרְתֶּם כֹּה לֶחָי וְאַתָּה שָׁלוֹם וּבֵיתְךָ שָׁלוֹם וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לְךָ שָׁלוֹם). “And you shall say thus to Chai”-did David not already know about Naval, for it says regarding him “and you shall say thus to Chai” (וַאֲמַרְתֶּם כֹּה לֶחָי וְכִי דָּוִד לָא הֲוָה יָדַע בֵּיהּ בְּנָבָל דְּאִיהוּ אָמַר בְּגִינֵיהּ וַאֲמַרְתֶּם כֹּה לֶחָי)?

Rather, that day was Rosh HaShanah (אֶלָּא הַהוּא יוֹמָא יוֹמָא טָבָא דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הֲוָה), and Kudsha Berikh Hu sat in judgment upon the world (וּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָתִיב בְּדִינָא עַל עָלְמָא). And because of Kudsha Berikh Hu, it is written: “And you shall say thus to Chai” (וּבְגִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאָמַר וַאֲמַרְתֶּם כֹּה לֶחָי) to bind “thus” to “life,” for all life depends upon it (לְקַשְּׁרָא כֹּה לֶחָי דְּכָל חַיִּין בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָין). “And you are peace”-why say “you”? It should say “and peace” (וְאַתָּה שָׁלוֹם מַאי וְאַתָּה אַתָּה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Rather, “and you” refers entirely to Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֶלָּא וְאַתָּה כֹּלָּא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאָמַר), in order to bind the bond of faith properly (בְּגִין לְקַשְּׁרָא קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא וְכַדְקָא יֵאוֹת).

From here we learn p5-42(מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא) that for a person who is guilty, it is forbidden to greet him with peace p5-43(דְּהָא לְבַר נָשׁ חַיָּיבָא אָסוּר לְאַקְדְּמָא לֵיהּ שְׁלָם). And if it is necessary, let him precede as David did (וְאִי אִצְטְרִיךְ יַקְדִּים לֵיהּ כְּדָוִד), who blessed to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּבָרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and it is shown that it was on account of Him that he said it (וְאִתְחַזֵּי דִּבְגִינֵיהּ קָאָמַר). And if you say it was deception, it is not so (וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּרַמָּאוּת הֲוָה לָאו).

For anyone who lifts up to Kudsha Berikh Hu and it is shown that it is on account of Him that he said it, it is not deceit p5-44(דְּהָא כָּל מַאן דְּסָלִיק לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאִתְחַזֵּי דִּבְגִינֵיהּ קָאָמַר לָאו רַמָּאוּת הוּא). And one who precedes a Tzaddik with peace, it is as if he preceded Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּמַאן דְּאַקְדִּים שְׁלָם לְזַכָּאָה כְּאִילּוּ אַקְדִּים לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), all the more so the Master, who is peace above and below (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַר דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלָמָא לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). “And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya'akov with El Shaddai, but by My Name Hashem I was not known to them” (Exodus 6) (וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי וּשְׁמִי יְיָ לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah opened (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח): (Psalms 32) “Happy is the man to whom Hashem does not ascribe iniquity” (אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם לֹא יַחְשֹׁב יְיָ לוֹ עָוֹן וְגוֹ'). How many are the human beings who are closed off (כַּמָּה אִינּוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אֲטִימִין), who do not know and do not contemplate upon what they stand in the world (דְּלָא יָדְעִין וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלָן עַל מַה קַיָּימִין בְּעָלְמָא).

For when Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד בָּרָא עָלְמָא), He made for man a form in His likeness (עָבֵד לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דִּילֵיהּ), and prepared him in his rectification (וְאַתְקִין לֵיהּ בְּתִקּוּנוֹי), so that he should labor in Orayta and walk in its ways (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְיֵהַךְ בְּאוֹרְחוֹי). For when Adam was created (דְּהָא כַּד אִתְבְּרֵי אָדָם), he was formed from the dust of the lower Temple (מֵעַפְרָא דְּמַקְדְּשָׁא דִּלְתַתָּא אִתְתַּקַּן), and the four directions of the world were joined at that place called Beit Mikdash (וְאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי דְּעָלְמָא אִתְחַבְּרוּ בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא).

And these four directions of the world were joined with four elements, which are the foundations of the world: fire, wind, water, and earth (וְאִינּוּן אַרְבַּע סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא אִתְחַבְּרוּ בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין דְּאִינּוּן יְסוֹדִין דְּעָלְמָא: אֵ"שׁ רוּ"חַ מַיִ"ם וְעָפָ"ר). And these four elements were joined together (וְאִתְחַבְּרוּ אַרְבַּע סִטְרִין אִלֵּין), in the four foundations of the world (בְּד׳ יְסוֹדִין דְּעָלְמָא), and from them Kudsha Berikh Hu prepared one body with supernal rectification (וְאַתְקִין מִנַּיְיהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַד גּוּפָא בְּתִקּוּנָא עִלָּאָה). And this body was joined from two worlds (וְהַאי גּוּפָא אִתְחַבַּר מִתְּרֵין עָלְמִין): from this lower world, and from the upper world (מֵעָלְמָא דָּא תַּתָּאָה וּמֵעָלְמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא).