Daf 51b (דַּף נ״א ע״ב)

When will Kudsha Berikh Hu repay Samael? (אֵימָתַי אַשְׁלִים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְסָמָאֵ״ל). In the battle of Sisera (בִּקְרָבָא דְּסִיסְרָא), when Kudsha Berikh Hu uprooted all those fiery chariots (דְּעִקֵּר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְכָל אִינּוּן רְתִיכִין), and they were handed into the hand of the Matronita (וְאִתְמְסָרוּ בִּידָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). This is what is written (Judges 5) “The river Kishon swept them away, the ancient river…” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: נַחַל קִישׁוֹן גְּרָפָם נַחַל קְדוּמִים וְגוֹ'). And in the future time to come (וּלְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי), they will all be handed over (יִתְמְסָרוּ כֻּלְּהוּ), as it is written (Isaiah 63) “Who is this that comes from Edom, with stained garments from Bozrah…” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: מִי זֶה בָּא מֵאֱדוֹם חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים מִבָּצְרָה וְגוֹ').

And regarding this: “And he went behind them” (וְעַל דָּא: וַיֵּלֶךְ מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם), for the Shekhinta is destined at the end of days to uproot them from the world (דִּזְמִינָא שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּסוֹף יוֹמַיָּא לְאַעְקְרָא לוֹן מִן עָלְמָא). “And the pillar of cloud departed from before them”-what is the pillar of cloud? (וַיִּסַּע עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן מִפְּנֵיהֶם, מַאן עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן דָּא).

Rabbi Yose said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): This is the cloud that always appeared with the Shekhinta (דָּא הוּא עֲנָנָא דְּאִתְחָזֵי תָּדִיר עִם שְׁכִינְתָּא). And this is the cloud that Moshe entered within (וְדָא הוּא עֲנָנָא דְּעָאל מֹשֶׁה בְּגַוֵּיהּ).

Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): It is written: “And Hashem went before them by day…” (Exodus 13) (כְּתִיב: וַייָ הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם). Rather, it is the assistance of the Tzaddik (אֶלָּא סִיּוּעָא דְּצַדִּיק הוּא), and the extension of his imprint (וּפְרִישׂוּ דִּרְשִׁימוּ דִּילֵיהּ). And because of this, that cloud travels by day (וְעַל דָּא אָזִיל הַאי עָנָן יוֹמָם), and it is written (Psalms 42) “By day Hashem commands His lovingkindness” (וּכְתִיב: יוֹמָם יְצַוֶּה ייָ חַסְדּוֹ). And from the side of Chesed came this cloud (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶ״ד אָתָא עֲנָנָא דָּא), and this is called Chesed (וְדָא חֶסֶד אִתְקְרֵי), and another cloud goes by night and is called pillar of fire (וַעֲנָנָא אַחֲרָא אָזִיל בְּלֵילְיָא, וְאִתְקְרֵי עַמּוּד אֵשׁ).

Rabbi Shim‘on said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): The pillar of cloud by day-this is Avraham (עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן יוֹמָם: דָּא אַבְרָהָם). And the pillar of fire by night-this is Yitzḥak (וְעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ לַיְלָה: דָּא יִצְחָק). And both are found within the Shekhinta (וְתַרְוַיְיהוּ אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). And what Rabbi Abba said is certainly so (וּמַה דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), for by this level (עַל יְדָא דְּהַאי), some say: by this one (ס״א: דְּבְהַאי) (דַּרְגָּא), they are found (אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ). And this: “And the angel of Elohim who went before the camp of Yisrael, went behind them” (Exodus 14) (וְהַאי: וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים הַהוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵי מַחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיֵּלֶךְ מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם). “And he traveled”-he moved from the side of Chesed (וַיִּסַּע: דְּנָטִיל מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶ״ד), and cleaved to the side of Gevurah (וְאִתְּדְּבַק בְּסִטְרָא דִּגְבוּרָה), because the time had come to be clothed in judgment (בְּגִין דְּהָא מָטָא שַׁעְתָּא לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בְּדִינָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), at that hour the moon was completed from all (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אִשְׁתְּלִים סִיהֲרָא מִכֹּלָּא), and she inherited seventy-two holy names (וְיָרְתָא שִׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין שְׁמָהָן קַדִּישִׁין), in three sides (בִּתְלַת סִטְרִין). One side was clothed in the crowns of supernal Chesed (סִטְרָא חֲדָא אִתְלַבְּשָׁא בְּעִטְרוֹי דְּחֶסֶד עִלָּאָה), in seventy engravings of the Nehiru of supernal Abba (בְּשִׁבְעִין גְּלִיפִין דִּנְהִירוּ דְּאַבָּא עִלָּאָה), who illuminated her (דְּאַנְהִיר לָהּ).

The second side was clothed with the spears of Gevurah (סִטְרָא תִּנְיָינָא, אִתְלַבְּשַׁת בְּרוֹמְחֵי דִּגְבוּרָ״ה), with sixty flames of fire (בְּשִׁתִין פּוּלְסֵי דְּנוּרָא), and ten of hers that descended from the side of supernal Imma (וַעֲשָׂרָה דִּילָהּ דִּנְחַתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִמָּא עִלָּאָה), in the customs of engravings (בְּנִימוּסֵי גְּלִיפִין).

The third side was clothed in garments of purple (סִטְרָא תְּלַתָאֵי, אִתְלַבְּשַׁת בִּלְבוּשֵׁי אַרְגְוָנָא), that the supernal holy King wears (דְּלָבִישׁ מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא), which are called Tiferet (דְּאִקְרוּן תִּפְאֶרֶ״ת), that descended to the Holy Son (דְּיָרִית בְּרָא קַדִּישָׁא), with seventy supernal crowns (בְּשִׁבְעִין עִטְרִין עִלָּאִין), from the side of Abba and Imma (מִסִּטְרָא דְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and it is included in this side and in that side (וְהוּא כָּלִיל לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא), some say: and two crowns from the side of Abba and Imma, and they are the seventy-two names (ס״א: וּתְרֵין עִטְרִין מִסִּטְרָא דְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּא, וְאִינּוּן שִׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין שְׁמָהָן). And we learned: from the side of Chesed, seventy-two witnesses (וְתָנֵינָן: מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶ״ד שִׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין סָהֲדִין); from the side of Gevurah, seventy-two scribes (מִסִּטְרָא דִּגְבוּרָא שִׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין סוֹפְרִין); from the side of Tiferet, seventy-two colors to be glorified with (מִסִּטְרָא דְּתִּ״ת שִׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין גַּוְונִין לְאִתְפָּאַרָא).

And in this place, one was engraved in one (וּבְהַאי אֲתָר אִתְגְּלִיף חַד בְּחַד), and the holy Name ascended (וְאִסְתְּלִיק שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), the secret of the fiery chariot (רָזָא דִּרְתִּיכָא), and here the Patriarchs were engraved (וְהָכָא אִתְגְּלִיפוּ אֲבָהָתָא), to unite in one (לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּחַד), and it is the holy Name engraved in letters (וְהוּא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא גְּלִיפָא בְּאַתְּוָוי). The combination of these letters (צֵרוּפָא דְּאַתְּוָון אִלֵּין), the primordial letters (אַתְּוָון קַדְמָאֵי), are inscribed in order on the straight path (רְשִׁימִין כְּסִדְרָן בְּאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר), for all the primordial letters were found in Chesed (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ אַתְּוָון קַדְמָאֵי אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּחֶסֶ״ד), to go on the straight path (לְמֵהַךְ בְּאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר), established in proper order (בְּסִדּוּרָא מִתְתַּקָּן).

The second letters (אַתְּוָון תִּנְיָינֵי) are inscribed in a reverse cycle (רְשִׁימִין בְּגִלְגּוּלָא לְמַפְרֵעַ), because all the second letters are found in Gevurah (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ אַתְּוָון תִּנְיָינֵי מִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ בִּגְבוּרָה), some say: from Gevurah (ס״א: מִגְבוּרָה), for the revelation of judgments and weapons that come from the side of the left (לְגַלָּאָה דִּינִין וּזִינִין דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא).

The third letters (אַתְּוָון תְּלִיתָאֵי) are those inscribed letters (אִינּוּן אַתְּוָון רְשִׁימָן), to show colors (לְאַחֲזָאָה גַּוְונִין), to be crowned in the Holy King (לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא). And all are united and connected in Him (וְכֹלָּא בֵּיהּ מִתְחַבְּרָן וּמִתְקַשְּׁרָן), and He is crowned with His crown on the straight path (וְהוּא אִתְעַטָּר בְּעִטְּרוֹי בְּאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר), and He inscribes to this side and to that side (וְרָשִׁים לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא), like a king who is crowned with everything (כְּמַלְכָּא דְּאִתְעַטָּר בְּכֹלָּא). Here is inscribed the holy Name engraved in seventy-two letters (הָכָא אִתְרְשִׁים שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא גְּלִיפָא בְּע״ב תֵּיבִין), that is crowned through the Patriarchs (דְּמִתְעַטְּרֵי בַּאֲבָהָתָא), a supernal holy chariot (רְתִיכָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה). And if you say: these third letters, why are they not written-some in direct order, and some in reverse? (וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָנֵי אַתְּוָון תְּלִיתָאֵי, מַאי טַעְמָא לָאו אִינּוּן כְּתִיבִין, מִנְּהוֹן בְּאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר כְּסִדּוּרָן, וּמִנְהוֹן לְמַפְרֵעַ), in order to straighten this side and that side (לְיַשְּׁרָא לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא).

For we have learned (Psalms 99) “You established equity” (דְּהָא תָּנֵינָן: אַתָּה כוֹנַנְתָּ מֵישָׁרִים), Kudsha Berikh Hu made equity to both sides (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד מֵישָׁרִים לִתְרֵי סִטְרֵי). And it is written (Exodus 26) “And the middle bar in the midst of the boards…” (וּכְתִיב: וְהַבְּרִיחַ הַתִּיכוֹן בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּרָשִׁים וְגוֹ') this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Rabbi Yitzḥak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): This is Ya'akov (דָּא יַעֲקֹב), and all is one (וְכֹלָּא חַד).