Daf 104a (דַּף ק״ד ע״א)

In the book of Enoch (וּבְסִפְרָא דְּחֲנוֹךְ), "and she ceased giving birth" (וַתַּעֲמוֹד מִלֶּדֶת), this was not said regarding Leah (לָאו עַל לֵאָה אִתְּמַר), but regarding Rachel (אֶלָּא עַל רָחֵל אִתְּמַר), she who "weeps for her children" (הַהִיא דִּמְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ), she who is rooted in Yehudah: Yod-Heh-Vav—Dalet-Heh (הַהִיא דְּאִשְׁתָּרָשַׁת בִּיהוּדָה: יְה''וּ ד''ה). "She ceased giving birth" because she was not rectified (וַתַּעֲמוֹד מִלֶּדֶת, דְּהָא לָא אִתְתַּקְנָא). Initially, the supernal likeness was entirely Reuven: Ohr-ben ("son of light") (בְּקַדְמִיתָא, דִּיּוּקְנָא דִּלְעֵילָּא הֲוָה כֹּלָּא רְאוּבֵן: אוֹ''ר בֵּ''ן). (Bereshit 1) "And God said, let there be light" (וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר) this is the right side, light (יְמִינָא אוֹר). Ben: this is Shimon, the left side, Ohr combined with that impurity of gold along with him, named Avon (בֵּ''ן שִׁמְעוֹן שְׂמָאלָא אוֹר בְּהַהוּא סִיגָא דְּדַהֲבָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ שֵׁם עָוֹן).

Levi represents the union of everything, joining both sides together (לֵוִ''י: חִבּוּרָא דְּכֹלָּא, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין).

Yehudah is the Nukvah cleaving to the masculine (יְהוּדָה: נוּקְבָּא בַּהֲדֵי דְּכוּרָא מִתְדַּבְּקָת). "Yod, Hei, Vav" (יְה''וּ) is masculine (דָּא דְּכוּרָא), and "Dalet, Hei" (ד''ה) is the Nukvah that is with him (דָּא נוּקְבָּא דַּהֲוַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ).

Why is it Dalet, Hei? Because the Dalet signifies her impoverishment when evil cleaves to her (אֲמַאי ד''ה, אֶלָּא ד', בְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דְּרַע בַּהֲדָהּ, אִיהִי דָּלֶ''ת, מִסְכְּנָא אִיהִי). Thus, she needed to return through reincarnation to consume that evil and wear it away in the dust (וְאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאָתָבָא בְּגִלְגּוּלָא, לְאִתְעַכְּלָא הַהוּא רַע, וּלְמִתְבְּלֵי בְּעַפְרָא). Then afterward, she grows again on the side of good (וּלְבָתַר לְצַמְחָא בְּסִטְרָא דְּטוֹב), emerging from poverty to wealth (וְּלְנָפְקָא מִמִּסְכְּנוּ לַעֲתִירוּ), and then she becomes Hei (וּכְדֵין ה'). Therefore: YHV—DH (וְעַל דָּא, יְה''וּ ד''ה).

Come forth, Sava, from the depths (פּוּק סָבָא, מִגּוֹ תְּהוֹמֵי); do not fear (לָא תִּדְחַל). Many boats are prepared for you when you sail the sea, so that you may find rest in them (כַּמָּה אַרְבִּין זְמִינִין לָךְ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּתְשׁוֹטֵט יַמָּא, בְּגִין לְנַיְיחָא בְּהוּ). He wept as before and said (בָּכָה כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין וְאָמַר): Master of the universe (מָארֵי דְּעָלְמָא), perhaps the supernal hosts will say, "I am a Sava yet cry like a child" (דִּילְמָא יֵימְרוּן מַשְׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין, דַּאֲנָא סָבָא, וּבָכֵי כִּינוֹקָא). But I reveal before You (גַּלֵּי קַמָּךְ), that it is for Your glory that I act (דְּעַל יְקָרָךְ אֲנָא עָבִיד), and not for my own honor (וְלָא עֲבִידְנָא עַל יְקָרָא דִּילִי). For in the beginning, I should have guarded myself, not to enter the Great Sea (דְּהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא הֲוָה לִי לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא, דְּלָא אֵיעוּל בְּיַמָּא רַבָּא). Yet now, since I am already in it (וְהַשְׁתָּא כֵּיוָן דַּאֲנָא בֵּיהּ), I must traverse in all directions and come out from it (אִית לִי לְשַׁטְּטָא בְּכָל סִטְרִין, וְּלְנָפְקָא מִנֵיהּ).

(Bereshit 49) "Yehudah, you—your brothers will acknowledge you" (יְהוּדָה אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ). [Some say: They all praise this Name, and this is as we say, "Blessed are You" (ס''א כֻּלְּהוּ אוֹדָאן עַל שְׁמָא דָּא וְהַיְינוּ וכו'). This is why we say "Blessed (Baruch)" is He, and "You (Atah)" is She (הַיְינוּ דַּאֲנַן אַמְרִין בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה. אִיהוּ בָּרוּךְ וְאִיהִי אַתָּה). To all his sons, Ya'akov did not say "You," except to the place it was needed (לְכֻלְּהוּ בְּנוֹי לָא אָמַר יַעֲקֹב אַתָּה, אֶלָּא לַאֲתָר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ). This is precisely "You" (דָּא אִיהוּ אַתָּה).

This name (שְׁמָא דָּא), Some say: indeed "You" (נ"א וַדַּאי אַתָּה), "your brothers shall praise you" (יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ), all acknowledge you for this name (כֻּלְּהוּ אוֹדָן לָךְ עַל שְׁמָא דָּא). Indeed, "you" (וַדַּאי אַתָּה), "your brothers shall praise you" (יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ) for this name (עַל שְׁמָא דָּא). Thus is the Sitra Achra elevated and subdued (אִסְתַּלָּק וְאִתְכַּפְיָא סְטָר אַחֲרָא), for when this name is called and remembered (בְּגִין דְּכַד אִתְקְרֵי וְאַדְכַּר), behold, the Sitra achra emerges with it (הָא נַפְקַת סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא בַּהֲדָהּ).

When they say "You" (כֵּיוָן דְּאַמְרֵי אַתָּה), authority and greatness is hers (שֻלְטָנוּ וְרַבְרְבָנוּ אִית לָהּ), and the Sitra achra is subdued (וְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא אִתְכַּפְיָיא), and does not appear there at all (וְלָא אִתְחֲזִיאַת תַּמָּן). Certainly, by this name she is marked and purified from the Sitra achra (וַדַּאי בִּשְׁמָא דָּא אִתְרְשִׁים וְאִתְבְּרִיר מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא). Thus is its power elevated (וְדָא אִסְתָּלָקוּ וְשֻלְטָנוּ דִּילָיהּ), and the Sitra achra is broken and subdued (וּתְבִירוּ וּבִישׁ לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא). Since "your brothers praise you" for this name (כֵּיוָן דְּיוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ עַל שְׁמָא דָּא), "You," then immediately, "your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies" (כְּדֵין יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אוֹיְבֶיךָ); instantly they are subdued before you (מִיָּד אִתְכַּפְיָין לְגַבָּךְ), and this name causes it (וּשְׁמָא דָּא גָּרִים).

I know, Friends, I know (יָדַעְנָא חַבְרַיָּיא יָדַעְנָא), that this name "You" (דְּהָא אַתָּה שְׁמָא דָּא), you attribute to another supernal place (אַתּוּן אַמְרִין לַאֲתַר אַחֲרָא עִלָּאָה), as it is written (Psalms 110) "You are a Kohen forever" (אַתָּה כֹּהֵן לְעוֹלָם), in the supernal right side (בִּימִינָא עִלָּאָה). This is proper (שַׁפִּיר אִיהוּ), for indeed, since Rabbi Shimon is praised by supernal and lower beings (דְּהָא כֵּיוָן דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹדָן לֵיהּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין), and merits all (וְזָכָה לְכֹלָּא), all that he said, so it is and fittingly (כָּל מַה דְּאִיהוּ אָמַר, הָכִי אִיהוּ וְשַׁפִּיר). However, when you come to him (אֲבָל כַּד תֶּהֱווֹן מָטָאן לְגַבֵּיהּ), say to him and remind him (אִמְרוּ לֵיהּ, וְאַדְכְּרוּ לֵיהּ), of the day of snow (יוֹמָא דְּתַלְגָּא), when I sowed beans (כַּד זְרַעְנָא פּוֹלִין), in fifty-two manners (לְחַמְשִׁין וּתְרֵין גַּוְונִין). For "You are a Kohen" (דְּהָא אַתָּה כֹּהֵן), here the cup of blessing is bound to the right side (הָכָא אִתְקָשַּׁר כּוֹס דִּבְרָכָה בִּימִינָא), without any separation at all (בְּלֹא פִּרוּדָא כְּלָל). Thus, "You are a Kohen forever" (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, אַתָּה כֹּהֵן לְעוֹלָם), here the cup is tied to the right side, as it ought to be (הָכָא אִתְקָשָּׁר כּוֹס בִּימִינָא, כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת).

Therefore the Scripture says (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר קְרָא), "Yehudah, you" (יְהוּדָה אַתָּה); concerning this "you," it states "your brothers shall praise you" (לְהַאי אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ), and it is not written, "Yehudah, your brothers shall praise you" (וְלָא כְּתִיב יְהוּדָה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ), nor anything further (וְלָא יַתִּיר), except for this name of "You" (אֶלָּא עַל שְׁמָא דְּאַתָּ"ה). "You" (אַתָּה), this place specifically (אֲתָר דָּא), requires this name (אִצְטְרִיךְ לִשְׁמָא דָּא), and no other (וְלָא אַחֲרָא).

Yehudah (יְהוּדָה), was a first father (אַבָּא קַדְמָאָה), and a second father (וְאַבָּא תִּנְיָינָא), and there was never any alteration in him forever (וְלָא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ חִלּוּפָא לְעָלְמִין). Therefore Peretz was strengthened through him with strength (וּבְגִין כָּךְ פֶּרֶץ אִתְתָּקַּף בֵּיהּ בְּתוֹקְפוֹי), unlike any other man (מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה הָכִי לְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). For this reason, the lineage of David (וְעַל דָּא בִּנְיָינָא דְּדָוִד), began its reckoning from Peretz (שָׁארֵי חֶשְׁבֹּנָא מִפֶּרֶץ), and not from Boaz (וְלָא מִבֹּעַז), in whom there was alteration (דְּהֲוָה בֵּיהּ שִׁנּוּיָא). Friends, if you pay attention (חַבְרַיָּיא, אִי תַּשְׁגְּחוּן), I am not speaking hidden words (לָאו מִלִּין בִּסְתִימוּ קָא אֲמֵינָא), even though they are concealed (וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּסְתִּימִין אִינּוּן).

Therefore Yehudah inherited fully this name (וְעַל דָּא, יְהוּדָה רָוַוח שְׁמָא דָּא), which is called "You" (דְּאִקְרֵי אַתָּה). He stood firmly the first time (קָם עַל בּוּרְיֵהּ זִמְנָא קַדְמָאָה), and the second time (וְזִמְנָא תִּנְיָינָא), and never changed forever (וְלָא אִשְׁתָּנִי לְעָלַם). And the children and descendants of Yehudah (וּבְנוֹי דִּיהוּדָה וְזַרְעָא דִּילֵיהּ), praise and say (אוֹדָן וְאָמְרִין), "For You are our father" (כִּי אַתָּה אָבִינוּ). Such is not the case for other reincarnated souls forever (מַה דְּלֵית הָכִי לִשְׁאַר בְּנִי גִּלְגּוּלָא לְעָלְמִין). Other reincarnated souls (שְׁאַר בְּנֵי גִּלְגּוּלָא), have two fathers (תְּרֵין אֲבָהָן), two mothers (תְּרֵין אִמָּהָן), and possess alterations in their lineage (אִית לוֹן גּוָֹון לְבִנְיָינָא). These mysteries (וְרָזִין אִלֵּין), lie in the depths of the sea (בְּעִמְקֵי יַמָּא), within the heart of the abyss (בְּלִבָּא דִּתְהוֹמֵי אִינּוּן); who can bring them forth? (מַאן יָכִיל לְאַפָּקָא לוֹן).

Rise, Sava (קוּם סָבָא), strengthen and fortify yourself in your strength (אִתְגַּבָּר וְאִתָּקַף בְּתוּקְפָךְ), bring forth pearls from within the depths (אַפִּיק מַרְגְּלָן מִגּוֹ תְּהוֹמֵי).