Daf 118b (דַּף קי״ח ע״ב)

An ox that is forewarned—its owner (שׁוֹר מוּעָד בַּעְלָהּ), ascended to the palace of the King (עָאַל לְבֵי מַלְכָּא), his Master (רִבּוֹנֵיהּ), through His four primary categories of damages (בְּאַרְבַּע אֲבוֹת נְזִיקִין דִּילֵיהּ), which are (דְּאִינּוּן), as it is written: “And the face of the ox was on the left of the four of them” (וּפְנֵי־שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאל לְאַרְבָּעְתָּם) (Ezekiel 1), "Iniquity (Avon), Destroyer (Mashchit), Anger (Af), and Wrath (Chemah) (עָוֹן וּמַשְׁחִית אַף וְחֵמָה)—all are forewarned to cause destruction (דְּכֻלְּהוּ מוּעָדִין לְקַלְקֵל). With his body (בְּגוּפָא דִּילֵיהּ), he struck the vessels (הִרְבִּיץ עַל הַכֵּלִים), the altar, the menorah, the table, and the rest of the utensils (מִזְבֵּחַ מְנוֹרָה שֻׁלְחָן וּשְׁאָר מָאנִין); he crouched upon them and shattered them (רָבַץ עֲלַיְיהוּ וְשִׁבְּרָתָן). And with his tooth (וּבְשֵׁן דִּילֵיהּ), he consumed all offerings that are foods of the table (אָכִיל כָּל קָרְבְּנִין דִּמַאֲכָלִים דְּפָתוֹרָא), and what remained he trampled with his feet (וְשַׁאֲרָא בְּרַגְלוֹי רַפְסָא). And from the fact that it says “everything and the remainder”—these are the fats and entrails, remnants of the Minchot, which he trampled with his feet (וּמִדְּקָא כֹּלָּא וּשַׁאֲרָא דְּאִינּוּן אֵמוּרִין וּפָדְרִין שִׁיָּירֵי מְנָחוֹת בְּרַגְלוֹי רַפְסָא). And with his horn (וּבְקֶרֶן דִּילֵיהּ), he killed Kohanim and Levi’im (קָטַל כַּהֲנֵי וְלֵיוָאֵי). He destroyed everything (הָרַס כֹּלָּא), as it is written: “He desecrated the kingdom and its princes” (חִלֵּל מַמְלָכָה וְשָׂרֶיהָ) (Lamentations 2).

The pit—an evil female (הַבּוֹר, נוּקְבָּא בִּישָׁא), Lilith (לִילִית), in her house (בְּבַיִת דִּילָהּ), which is the prison (דְּאִיהִי בֵּית הַסֹּהַר), holds captive the Matronita and her children (תְּפִיסַת לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא וּבְנָהָא); the wicked handmaid (שִׁפְחָה בִּישָׁא), in her exile (בְּגָלוּתָא דִּילָהּ), bound them (וְשַׁוְויָיאן לוֹן) with many chains and imprisonments (בְּכַמָּה שַׁלְשְׁלָאִין וַאֲסוּרִין), to her children (לִבְנָהָא), their hands bound behind them (יְדַיְיהוּ מְהַדְּקָן לַאֲחוֹרָא), as it is written: “She sat among the nations and found no rest” (הִיא יָשְׁבָה בַּגּוֹיִם לֹא מָצְאָה מָנוֹחַ) (Lamentations 1). And not only that (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא), as it is also written: “All her honorers despised her, for they saw her nakedness; she also groaned and turned backward” (כָּל מְכַבְּדֶיהָ הִזִּילוּהָ כִּי רָאוּ עֶרְוָתָהּ גַּם הִיא נֶאֶנְחָה וַתָּשָׁב אָחוֹר) (Lamentations 1). And not only that (וְלֹא עוֹד), but the harlot who is Hev‘er—that is: fire (אֶלָּא זוֹנָה דְּאִיהִי הֶבְעֵר, דְּהַיְינוּ אֵשׁ), as it is written: “He kindled fire in Zion” (וַיַּצֶּת אֵשׁ בְּצִיּוֹן) (Lamentations 4). Afterward arose a wicked Adam Beliya‘al (לְבָתַר קָם אָדָם בְּלִיַּעַל רָשָׁע), the fourth of the four categories of damages (רְבִיעִי לַאֲבוֹת נְזִיקִין), about whom it is said: “Man is forewarned forever, whether awake or asleep” (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אָדָם מוּעָד לְעוֹלָם, בֵּין עֵר בֵּין יָשֵׁן), and he sent forth his beast (וְשִׁלַּח אֶת בְּעִירוֹ), and it ate and destroyed and cut down the vineyards and orchards of Yerushalayim (וְאָכִיל וְשֵׁצֵי וְגָדַע כְּרָמִים וּפַרְדֵּסִים דִּיְרוּשָׁלַיִם), and destroyed everything (וְשֵׁצֵי כֹּלָּא).

Master of the worlds (רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא), You are true (אַנְתְּ קְשׁוֹט), and Your Orayta is true (וְאוֹרַיְיתָךְ קְשׁוֹט), You gave us the mitzvah of Tefillin (יָהָבַת לָן מִצְוַת תְּפִילִין) to the perfect Tzaddikim, the reward is according to their deeds (לַצַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִים אִיהוּ אַגְרָא כְּפוּם עוֹבָדַיְיהוּ), a crown upon their heads (פְּאֵר עַל רֵישַׁיְיהוּ). And they serve their father and mother (וּמְשַׁמְּשִׁין לַאֲבוּהוֹן וְאִמְּהוֹן), just like the body, whose limbs serve the head (כְּגַוְונָא דְּגוּפָא, דְּכָל אֵבָרִים דִּילֵיהּ מְשַׁמְּשִׁין לְרֵישָׁא). So too the woman, she serves her husband (הָכִי אִתְּתָא, מְשַׁמְּשָׁא לְבַעְלָהּ). And there are angels who serve the body (וְאִית מַלְאָכִין דְּאִינּוּן מְשַׁמְּשִׁין לְגוּפָא), and angels who serve the Neshamah (וּמַלְאָכִין דִּמְשַׁמְּשִׁין לְנִשְׁמְתָא). And just as there is separation between body and Neshamah (וּכְגַוְונָא דְּאִית אַפְרָשׁוּתָא בֵּין גּוּפָא לְנִשְׁמְתָא), so there is separation between angels of the body and angels of the Neshamah (הָכִי אִית אַפְרָשׁוּתָא בֵּין מַלְאָכִין דְּגוּפָא לְמַלְאָכִין דְּנִשְׁמְתָא). And there is a Neshamah to a Neshamah (וְאִית נִשְׁמְתָא לְנִשְׁמְתָא), and angels to angels (וּמַלְאָכִין לְמַלְאָכִין), as it is written: “For one higher than the high watches, and higher ones are over them” (דִכְתִיב: כִּי גָּבוֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבוֹהַּ שֹׁמֵר וּגְבוֹהִים עֲלֵיהֶם) (Ecclesiastes 5). And these that are Neshamah to Neshamah, all are one (וְאִלֵּין דְּאִינּוּן נִשְׁמְתָא לְנִשְׁמְתָא כֻּלְּהוּ חַד). And even though one depends upon the other (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאֹרַח מִתְלָא), they are like body in relation to Neshamah, these to those (אִינּוּן כְּגוּפָא אֵצֶל נִשְׁמְתָא אִלֵּין לְאִלֵּין), because these receive from those (בְּגִין דִּמְקַבְּלִין אִלֵּין מֵאִלֵּין). So too is the Shekhinta (הָכִי שְׁכִינְתָּא)—[Neshamah], even though She is beneath the other lights of Beri’ah (נִשְׁמְתָא: אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהִי לָקֳבֵל שְׁאַר נְהוֹרִין דִּבְרִיאָה), like a Neshamah to the body (כְּנִשְׁמְתָא אֵצֶל גּוּפָא), in relation to Kudsha Berikh Hu She is considered like a body (לָקֳבֵל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חֲשִׁיבָא כְּגוּפָא). But all is one (אֲבָל כֹּלָּא חַד). Here, body and Neshamah are entirely one (הָכָא גּוּפָא וְנִשְׁמְתָא כֹּלָּא חַד). Not so with man (מַה דְּלָאו הָכִי בְּבַר נָשׁ), whose body and Neshamah are in separation (דְּגוּפֵיהּ וְנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ בְּפִרוּדָא). This is matter (דָּא חוֹמֶר), and this is intellect (וְדָא שֵׂכֶל); this is life (דָּא חַיֵּי), and this is death (וְדָא מוֹתָא). But Kudsha Berikh Hu is life (אֲבָל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַיִּים), and His Shekhinta is life (וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ חַיִּים), this is what is written: “She is a Tree of Life to those who grasp Her” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ) (Proverbs 3).

And all those who are inscribed with the signs of Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta (וְכָל אִינּוּן דִּרְשִׁימִין בְּסִימָנִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ), they are inscribed on weekdays (אִינּוּן רְשִׁימִין בְּיוֹמִין דְּחוֹל) with the sign of Tefillin (בְּאוֹת דִּתְפִלִין), and with the sign of circumcision (וּבְאוֹת דְּמִילָה). And they are inscribed in “remember” and “guard” on Shabbat (וּרְשִׁימִין בְּזָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר בְּשַׁבָּת). Inscribed in the Written Torah (רְשִׁימִין בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב), which was given from the right (דְּאִתְיְהִיבַת מִימִינָא), and in the Oral Torah (וּבַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה), which was given from the left (דְּאִתְיְהִיבַת מִשְּׂמָאלָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu—“remember” is from the right (וּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זָכוֹר מִימִינָא), and “guard” from the left (וְשָׁמוֹר מִשְּׂמָאלָא). And the Shekhinta—remembrance is from the right (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא זְכִירָה מִימִינָא), and guarding is from the left (וּשְׁמִירָה מִשְּׂמָאלָא). These are the Tefillin of the head of a man (אִינּוּן תְּפִלִּין דְּרֵישָׁא דְּבַּר נָשׁ), and the Tefillin of the hand (וּתְפִלִּין דְּיָד). And thus is the Shekhinta, as it is written: “The Torah of Hashem is perfect” (וְהָכִי שְׁכִינְתָּא, דִכְתִיב: תּוֹרַת יְיָ' תְּמִימָה), and [so is] His commandment (וּמִצְוָה דִּילֵיהּ) (Psalms 19).

And this is from the side of the central pillar (וְהַאי מִסִּטְרָא דְּעַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), which contains both judgment and mercy (דְּאִיהוּ כָּלִיל דִּינָא וְרַחֲמֵי): “remember” and “guard” (זָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר). She is called remembrance and guarding (אִתְקְרִיאַת אִיהִי זְכִירָה שְׁמִירָה), and in every commandment She cleaves to Him in level (וּבְכָל פִּקּוּדִין אִיהִי שָׁקִילָה לְגַבֵּיהּ בְּמַדְרֵגָה). But from the side of Chesed (אֲבָל מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד), Kudsha Berikh Hu is “remember” (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זָכוֹר), and the Shekhinta is “guard”(וּשְׁכִינְתָּא שָׁמוֹר). Just as the masters of the Mishnah have established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין): “remember” is for the male (זָכוֹר לְזָכָר), and “guard” is for the bride (וְשָׁמוֹר לְכַלָּה).

Because from right and left, the branches separate (בְּגִין דְּבִימִינָא וּבִשְׂמָאלָא עַנְפִּין מִתְפָּרְדִין), like the wings of the lung (כְּגַוְונָא דְּכַנְפֵי רֵיאָה), which are separated above (דְּאִינּוּן פְּרוּדוֹת מִלְּמַעְלָה). Corresponding to them are the living beings (לָקֳבְלַיְיהוּ חֵיוָן), as it is written: “And their faces and their wings were separated above” (דִּכְתִיב: וּפְנֵיהֶם וְכַנְפֵיהֶם פְּרוּדוֹת מִלְּמַעְלָה) (Ezekiel 1). And corresponding to the open scrolls of the Sefer Torah (וְלָקֳבֵל פְּתוּחוֹת דְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה). But below, both are in one Union (לְתַתָּא תַּרְוַויְיהוּ בְּיִחוּדָא חֲדָא), like the closed sections of the Sefer Torah, where there is no separation (כְּגוֹן סְתוּמוֹת דְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה דְּלֵית תַּמָּן פִּרוּדָא). And because of this (וּבְגִין דָּא), in the place of Union, which is the body (בַּאֲתָר דְּיִחוּדָא דְּאִיהוּ גּוּפָא), resembling the spine of a lulav (דּוֹמֶה לַשִּׁדְרָה דְּלוּלָב)—if it is torn or separated, it is invalid (אִם נִפְרְצוּ אוֹ נִפְרְדוּ עָלָיו פָּסוּל). With many signs does Kudsha Berikh Hu mark Yisrael (בְּכַמָּה רְשִׁימִין רָשִׁים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), to make them known before the angels (לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא לְגַבֵּי מַלְאָכִין): those of the right side (אִלֵּין דִּימִינָא), which depend on Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּתַלְיָין מְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא); or those of the left side (אוֹ אִלֵּין דִּשְׂמָאלָא), which depend on the Shekhinta (דְּתַלְיָין מִשְׁכִינְתָּא); or those that depend on Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta in one Union (אוֹ אִלֵּין דְּתַלְיָין מְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ בְּיִחוּדָא חֲדָא).

Surely those who have Torah in them are marked with Chesed (וַדַּאי אִלֵּין דְּאִית בְּהוֹן תּוֹרָה רְשִׁימִין בְּחֶסֶד). And those who have mitzvah in them are marked with Gevurah (וְאִלֵּין דְּאִית בְּהוֹן מִצְוָה רְשִׁימִין בִּגְבוּרָה). And those who are masters of Tefillin, the sign of Shabbat, and the sign of the covenant, are marked with Tzaddik (וְאִלֵּין מָארֵי דִּתְפִלִין וְאוֹת שַׁבָּת וְאוֹת בְּרִית רְשִׁימִין בְּצַדִּיק). But their counterparts, the Unlearned (Amei ha-aretz) (וּבְעִירָן עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ), are marked by the passage of Orlah (Foreskin) and the Priah (Uncovering) (אִינּוּן רְשִׁימִין בְּאַעְבָּרוּ דְּעָרְלָה וּפְרִיעָה). The birds, with the crop and gizzard peeled (עוֹפִין בְּזֶפֶק וּבְקֻרְקְבָן נִקְלָף), with the passage of the crop and the membrane of the gizzard (בְּאַעְבָּרוּ דְּזֶפֶק וּקְלִיפָה דְּקֻרְקְבָן), these are signs for birds that they are fit to eat (אִינּוּן רְשִׁימִין עוֹפִין לְמֵיכַל). And with cattle: through two signs (וּבְעִירָן בִּתְרֵי סִימָנִין)—bringing up the cud (מַעֲלַת גֵּרָה) and splitting the hoof (וּמַפְרֶסֶת פַּרְסָה). All are marked by two signs (כֻּלְּהוּ רְשִׁימִין בִּתְרֵי סִימָנִין), In the manner of the Orlah (Foreskin) and the Priah (Uncovering) (כְּגַוְונָא דְּעָרְלָה וּפְרִיעָה), which remove them from the holy people (דְּמִתְעַבְּרַן מִעַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא).