Daf 43a (דַּף מ״ג ע״א)

Afterward (לְבָתַר), He struck it into seven streams (וְהִכָּהוּ לְשִׁבְעָה נְחָלִים), and made for it seven precious vessels (וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ לְז׳ מָאנִין יַקִּירִין), and He called them (וְקָרָא לוֹן): Gedulah [Greatness], Gevurah [Might], Tiferet [Beauty], Netzach [Eternity], Hod [Splendor], Yesod [Foundation], Malkhut [Kingship] (גְּדוּלָ״ה. גְּבוּרָ״ה. תִפְאֶרֶת. נֶצַ״ח. הוֹ״ד. יְסוֹ״ד. מַלְכוּ״ת). And He called Himself (וְקָרָא גַּרְמֵיהּ): Gadol [Great] in Gedulah [Greatness], and Chasid [Kind One] (גָּדוֹל בַּגְּדוּלָ״ה וְחָסִי״ד); Gibor [Mighty One] in Gevurah [Might] (גִּבּוֹר בַּגְּבוּרָ״ה); Mefo'ar [Glorious One] in Tiferet [Beauty] (מְפוֹאָר בַּתִּפְאֶרֶ״ת); Master of Victories in Battles in Netzach Netzachim [Eternity of Eternities] (מָארֵי נַצְחָן קְרָבִין בְּנֶצַ״ח נְצָחִים). And in Hod [Splendor] (וּבְהוֹ״ד), He called His Name Hod Yotzreinu [Splendor of Our Maker] (קָרָא שְׁמֵיהּ הוֹד יוֹצְרֵנוּ). And in Yesod [Foundation] (וּבַיְסוֹ״ד), He called His Name Tzaddik [Righteous One] (קָרָא שְׁמֵיהּ צַדִּיק), and Yesod [Foundation]—everything rests upon it (וִיסוֹ״ד כֹּלָּא סָמִיךְ בֵּיהּ), all vessels and all worlds (כָּל מָאנִין וְכָל עָלְמִין). And in Malkhut [Kingship] (וּבְמַלְכוּת), He called His Name Melekh [King] (קָרָא שְׁמֵיהּ מֶלֶךְ). “Yours, Hashem, are the Gedulah [Greatness], and the Gevurah [Might], and the Tiferet [Beauty], and the Netzach [Eternity], and the Hod [Splendor], for all that is in the heavens” (וְלוֹ הַגְּדוּלָּ״ה וְהַגְּבוּרָ״ה וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶ״ת וְהַנֵּצַ״ח וְהַהוֹ״ד כִּי כֹ״ל בַּשָּׁמַיִם) (I Chronicles 29:11), for He is Tzaddik [Righteous One] (דְּאִיהוּ צַדִּי״ק). “And Yours is the Kingdom” (וְלוֹ הַמַּמְלָכָה) (I Chronicles 29:11), for He is Malkhut [Kingship] (דְּאִיהוּ מַלְכוּ״ת). Everything is in His authority (כֹּלָּא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ): to diminish the vessels (לְמֶחְסַר בְּמָאנִין), or to add flow to them—Some say: in them (וּלְאוֹסָפָא בְּהוֹן נְבִיעוּ [ס״א: בְּהוֹן]), or to diminish according to His Re'uta [Will] (וּלְמֶחֱסַר כְּפוּם רְעוּתֵיהּ), and there is no god above Him who can add to Him or diminish from Him (וְלֵית עָלֵיהּ אֱלָהָא דְּיוֹסִיף בֵּיהּ אוֹ יִגְרָע בֵּיהּ). Afterward (לְבָתַר), He made attendants for these vessels (עָבֵד מְשַׁמְּשִׁין לְאִלֵּין מָאנִין): a throne with four supports (כֻּרְסְיָיא בְּאַרְבַּע סַמְכִין), and six steps to the throne (וְשִׁית דַּרְגִּין לְכֻרְסְיָיא).

Behold, ten (הָא עֶשֶׂר), and all is the throne (וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ כֻּרְסְיָיא). Like the cup of blessing, which was established with ten matters (כְּגוֹן כּוֹס דִּבְרָכָה, דְּתָקִינוּ בוֹ עֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים), because of the Torah which was given in ten utterances (בְּגִין תּוֹרָה דְּאִתְיְיהִיבַת בַּעֲשָׂרָה דִּבְּרָן), and because of the world which is Ma‘aseh Bereshit, which was created with ten sayings (בְּגִין עָלְמָא דְּאִיהוּ מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, דְּאִתְבְּרֵי בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת). And He established for the throne hosts to serve it (וְתָקִין לְכֻרְסְיָיא כִּתּוֹת לְשַׁמְּשָׁא לֵיהּ), and these are angels (דְּאִינּוּן מַלְאָכִים): Ere’elim, Serafim, Chayot, Ofanim, Chashmalim, Elim, Elohim, Bnei Elohim, Ishim (אֶרְאֵלִים שְׂרָפִים. חַיּוֹת. אוֹפַנִּים. חַשְׁמַלִּים. אֵלִים. אֱלהִים. בְּנֵי אֱלהִי״ם. אִישִׁי״ם). And for these He made attendants (וּלְאִלֵּין עָבִיד שַׁמָּשִׁין), Sama’el and all his hosts (סָמָאֵ״ל, וְכָל כִּתּוֹת דִּילֵיהּ), who are like clouds to ride upon them to descend to earth (דְּאִינּוּן כַּעֲנָנִים לְמֶרְכַּב בְּהוֹן לְנַחְתָּא בְּאַרְעָא), and they are like horses to them (וְאִינּוּן כְּסוּסִין לוֹן). And from where do we know that clouds are called a chariot? (וּמְנָלָן דַּעֲנָנִים אִקְרוּן מֶרְכָּב)

This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) (Isaiah 19) “Behold, Hashem rides upon a swift cloud and comes to Egypt” (הִנֵּה יְיָ׳ רוֹכֵב עַל עָב קַל וּבָא מִצְרַיִם). And this is the governor of Egypt (וְדָא מְמָנָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), and when they saw [Some say: the governor] that the God who is the God over their governor (וּמִיָּד דְּחָזוּ [נ"א: ממנא] דֶּאֱלָהָא דִּי הוּא אֱלָהָא מְמָנָא דִּלְהוֹן), they saw Him like a horse (חֲזוּ לֵיהּ כְּסוּסְיָא), beneath the chariot of Kudsha Berikh Hu (תְּחוֹת מֶרְכַּבְתֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), immediately the idols of Egypt trembled before Him (מִיָּד וְנָעוּ אֱלִילֵי מִצְרַיִם מִפָּנָיו), and the heart of Egypt melted (וּלְבַב מִצְרַיִם יִמַּס), they turned away from their faith (נָעוּ מֵאֱמוּנָה דִּלְהוֹן), and their heart melted like wax (וְלֵב דִּלְהוֹן נָמֵס כַּדּוֹנַג) from that faith (מֵהַהִיא אֱמוּנָה), and they said: How long has our faith in our governor been like a horse? (וְאַמְרִי, וְכִי עַד כְּעַן אֱמוּנָה מְמָנָא דִּילָן כְּסוּסְיָא), their heart turned away from their faith and melted like wax (הֲוָה נָע לִבְּהוֹן מֵאֱמוּנָה דִּלְהוֹן, וְנָמֵס כַּדּוֹנַג).

And from where do we know that yimas [it melts] is an expression of melting like wax (וּמְנָלָן דְּיִמַס לְשׁוֹן נָמֵס כַּדּוֹנַג אִיהוּ)? As you say (כַּמָּה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “My heart has become like wax; it is melted within my innards” (הָיָה לִבִּי כַּדּוֹנַג נָמֵס בְּתוֹךְ מֵעָי) (Tehillim 22:15). “And every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb...” (וְכָל פֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר תִּפְדֶּה בְשֶׂה וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 13:13)—this is the commandment to bring a Korban [Offering] (פִּקּוּדָא לְהָבִיא קָרְבָּן וכו׳).

This commandment is to redeem the firstborn donkey (פִּקּוּדָא דָּא לִפְדּוֹת פֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר), and to break the neck of the firstborn donkey if it is not redeemed (וְלַעֲרוֹף פֶּטֶר חֲמוֹר אִם לֹא יִפְדֶּה לֵיהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And if you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck” (וְאִם לֹא תִפְדֶּה וַעֲרַפְתּוֹ) (Exodus 13:13). And the mystery of this is the Yetzer Ra [Evil Inclination] (וְרָזָא דָּא יֵצֶר הָרָע), which can return through Teshuvah [Repentance] (יָכוֹל לְאַחְזְרָא בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא). Some say: and afterward the Yetzer Tov [Good Inclination], etc. (ס״א: וּלְבָתַר יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב וכו׳). And afterward the Yetzer Tov [Good Inclination] returns (וּלְבָתַר לְאַחְזְרָא יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב), as they have established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ): “If he merits, she is a help; if he does not merit, she is against him” (אִם זָכָה עֵזֶר, אִם לֹא זָכָה כְּנֶגְדּוֹ) (Bereshit 2:18). For they are two images (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן דִּיּוּקְנָא): one of a lamb (חַד דְּשֶׂה), and one of a donkey (וְחַד דַּחֲמוֹר). And if he merits to return in Teshuvah [Repentance] (וְאִי זָכָה לְאַחְזְרָא בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא), even though he is a donkey, an ignoramus (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ חֲמוֹר עַם הָאָרֶץ), he is redeemed from exile by a lamb (תִּפְדֶּה מִן גָּלוּתָא בְשֶׂה), which is: “Yisrael is a scattered lamb” (דְּאִיהוּ שֶׂה פְזוּרָה יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Yirmeyahu 50:17). And if he does not return in Teshuvah [Repentance] (וְאִי לָא הֲדַר בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא), “you shall break its neck” (וַעֲרַפְתּוֹ), he is made into a stiff-necked people (שָׁוֵי לֵיהּ עַם קְשֵׁה קְדָל), who are destined to be blotted out from the Book of Life (דַּעֲתִידִין לְאִתְמָחֲאָה מִן סֵפֶר חַיִּים), as it is said concerning them (דְּעָלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “Whoever has sinned against Me, I shall blot him out from My book” (מִי אֲשֶׁר חָטָא לִי אֶמְחֶנּוּ מִסִּפְרִי) (Exodus 32:33). “And it shall be for a sign upon your hand and for frontlets between your eyes...” (וְהָיָה לְאוֹת עַל יָדְכָה וּלְטוֹטָפוֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 13:16). See Behar, daf 108b, and in the Mishnah (בְּהַר ק״ח ע״ב וּבַמִּשְׁנָה).

This command is a commandment that is called by another designation (פִּקּוּדָא דָּא, פִּקּוּדָא דְּאִקְרֵי בְּגַוְונָא אַחֲרָא), for it is not called a Mitzvah [Commandment], but Kedushah [Holiness] (דְּלָא אִקְרֵי מִצְוָה, אֶלָּא קְדוּשָׁה), and these are the Tefillin (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן תְּפִילִין): Tefillah Shel Yad [Hand Tefillin] and Tefillah Shel Rosh [Head Tefillin] (תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד, וּתְפִלָּה שֶׁל רֹאשׁ), a Tikkun [Rectification] and a splendid adornment of the supernal Gavvanin [Colors] (תִּקּוּנָא פְּאֵרָא שַׁפִּירוּ דִּגְוָונִין עִלָּאִין). And because of this they are called Totafot [Frontlets] (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרוּן טוֹטָפוֹת), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “Yisrael, in whom I will be glorified” (יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר) (Isaiah 49:3). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “For Yisrael was a youth, and I loved him” (כִּי נַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וָאֹהֲבֵהוּ) (Hoshea 11:1)—Yisrael Zuta [Lesser Yisrael] (יִשְׂרָאֵל זוּטָא). “Shema Yisrael” (שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל)—this is Yisrael Sava [Elder Yisrael] (יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא), the beauty of the supernal and lower Gavvanin [Colors] (שַׁפִּירוּ דִּגְוָונִין, עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). Yosef ascended and was crowned with two Gavvanin [Colors]—Some say: two Dargin [Levels] (יוֹסֵף סָלִיק וְאִתְעַטָּר בִּתְרֵין גַּוְונִין [נ״א: דַּרְגִּין]); at first a Na'ar [Youth] (בְּקַדְמִיתָא נַעַ״ר), and in the end a Tzaddik [Righteous One] (וּבְסוֹפָא צַדִּי״ק). How many beautiful Gavvanin [Colors] were in him to behold! (כַּמָּה יָאָן בֵּיהּ גַּוְונִין לְמֵחֱזֵי). And the mystery of this is (וְרָזָא דָּא): “And Yosef was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance” (וַיְהִי יוֹסֵף יְפֵה תֹאַר וִיפֵה מַרְאֶה) (Bereshit 39:6), beautiful on both sides (שַׁפִּירָא בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין), in two Dargin [Levels] (בִּתְרֵין דַּרְגִּין), in two Gavvanin [Colors] (בִּתְרֵין גַּוְונִין), supernal and lower (עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). It is written (כְּתִיב): “And you shall do what is upright and good” (וְעָשִׂיתָ הַיָּשָׁר וְהַטּוֹב) (Devarim 6:18). “The upright” (הַיָּשָׁר)—this is Tefillah Shel Yad [Hand Tefillin] (דָּא תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד), to draw it—Some say: to support it (לְאַמְשָׁכָא [ס״א: לְאַסְמְכָא] לֵיהּ)—into the Tefillin Shel Rosh [Head Tefillin] (בִּתְפִילִין שֶׁל רֹאשׁ), so that they may be united as one (לְאִתְיַחֲדָא כַּחֲדָא). And Tefillah Shel Yad [Hand Tefillin] precedes Tefillah Shel Rosh [Head Tefillin] (וּתְפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד, אַקְדִּים לְשֶׁל רֹאשׁ), and it is necessary that there be no separation between them whatsoever (וְאִצְטְרִיךְ דְּלָא הֲוֵי פִּרוּדָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ כְּלָל). Whoever is crowned with Tefillin (מַאן דְּמִתְעַטְּרָא בִּתְפִלִּין), stands in the mystery of the supernal Gavvana [Color] (קָאִים בְּרָזָא דְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה), and stands in those two mysteries that we have spoken of (וְקָאִים בְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵין רָזִין דְּקַאמְרָן), like Yosef, who is called Na'ar [Youth], and is called Tzaddik [Righteous One] (כְּיוֹסֵף, דְּאִקְרֵי נַעַר, וְאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק), in the mystery of the faithful servant (בְּרָזָא דְּעֶבֶד נֶאֱמָן), in the mystery of the only son (בְּרָזָא דְּבֶן יְחִידָאי). And these are Tefillah Shel Yad [Hand Tefillin] and Tefillah Shel Rosh [Head Tefillin] (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד, וּתְפִלָּה שֶׁל רֹאשׁ), and they are one complete unity without separation (וְאִינּוּן כְּלָלָא חֲדָא בְּלָא פִּרוּדָא).

The four Parshiyot [Sections] of the Tefillin are in four compartments, in the Tefillin Shel Rosh [Head Tefillin] (אַרְבַּע פָּרְשִׁיָין דִּתְפִלִין בְּד׳ בָּתִּים, בְּאִינּוּן תְּפִלִין שֶׁל רֹאשׁ). And just as those four Parshiyot [Sections] are in the Tefillin Shel Rosh [Head Tefillin] (וּכְמָה דְּאִינּוּן ד׳ פָּרְשִׁיָין בְּאִינּוּן תְּפִלִין שֶׁל רֹאשׁ), so too all of them are in the Tefillin Shel Yad [Hand Tefillin] in one compartment (אוּף הָכִי כֻּלְּהוּ בִּתְפִלִין שֶׁל יַד בְּבַיִת א׳). For the Tefillin Shel Yad [Hand Tefillin] has nothing of its own (דְּהָא בַּתְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד, לֵית לָהּ מִגַּרְמָהּ כְּלוּם), except what it receives from Above (אֶלָּא מַה דְּנַקְטָא מִלְּעֵילָּא). And the mystery of this is (וְרָזָא דָּא): “All the rivers flow into the sea” (כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם) (Kohelet 1:7). And because it receives them from Above (וּמִגּוֹ דְּנַקְטָא לוֹן מִלְּעֵילָּא), it is called Tefillah [Prayer] (אִקְרֵי תְּפִלָּה), and it is sanctified with their Kedushah [Holiness] (וְאִתְקַדְּשַׁת בִּקְדוּשַׁתְהוֹן). And all of it is called Kedushah [Holiness] (וְכֹלָּא אִקְרֵי קְדוּשָׁה), and it is called Tefillah [Prayer] (וְאִקְרֵי תְּפִלָּה), and then it is called Malkhut, the complete Malkhut Shamayim [Kingdom of Heaven] (וּכְדֵין אִקְרֵי מַלְכוּת, מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם שְׁלֵימָה).