Daf 119b (דַּף קי״ט ע״ב)

Because that spirit of yours (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא רוּחָא דִּילָךְ) is from the side of the middle pillar (מִסִּטְרָא דְּעַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), which is the letter Vav (אִיהוּ ו׳), encompassing Abba and Imma (כָּלִיל אַבָּא וְאִימָּא), which are Yod and Heh (דְּאִינּוּן יָ״הּ). The soul of yours (נֶפֶשׁ דִּילָךְ), a singular daughter (בַּת יְחִידָא), from the side of the letter Heh (מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָת ה׳), the lower Shekhinta (שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה), has not departed from you (לָא זָזָת מִינָךְ). And just as Abba and Imma guard the son (וּכְגַוְונָא דְּאַבָּא וְאִימָּא נַטְרִין בְּרָא), thus they guard the daughter (הָכִי נַטְרִין בְּרָתָא), with supernal encampments (בְּמַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין), which are two camps [machanayim] (דְּאִינּוּן מַחֲנַיִם). And in supernal thought (וּבְמַחֲשָׁבָה עִלָּאָה), they ascend to your spirit (סַלְּקִין לְרוּחָא דִּילָךְ), as has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ), "Yisrael arose in thought" (יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה), Yod Heh Vav Heh (יו״ד הֵ״א וָא״ו הֵ״א). And when does your spirit ascend into thought? (וְאֵימָתַי רוּחָא דִּילָךְ סְלִיקַת בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה), When she is complete (כַּד אִיהִי שְׁלֵימָא), and it is said of her (וְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ), "Let every soul praise Yah" (כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ וְגוֹ׳) (Tehillim 150), and in the soul which is the letter Heh (וּבְנַפְשָׁא דְּאִיהִי ה׳). Regarding the spirit of Hashem, it is said (רוּחַ יְיָ׳ אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ), "Thus says Hashem, from the four winds come, O spirit" (כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ׳ מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת בֹּאִי הָרוּחַ וְגוֹ׳) (Yechezkel 37). And these are (וְאִינּוּן), "The spirit of Hashem, the spirit of Chokhmah and Binah, the spirit of counsel and Gevurah," etc. (רוּחַ יְיָ׳, רוּחַ חָכְמָה וּבִינָה, רוּחַ עֵצָה וּגְבוּרָה וְגוֹ׳) (Yeshayah 11). Shalom in four letters (שָׁלוֹם בְּאַרְבַּע אַתְוָון), ascends in thought (סָלִיק בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה), and the Cause of Causes crowns it with Keter (וְעִלַּת הָעִלּוֹת מְעַטֵּר לֵיהּ בְּכֶתֶר). With all this glory (בְּכָל הַאי יְקָר), your spirit ascends and descends every night (רוּחָא דִּילָךְ סָלִיק וְנָחִית בְּכָל לֵילְיָא). And all the words that are revealed (וְכָל מִלִּין דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָין), Some say: "to you with kindness," and about them it is said: "And you..." etc. (נ״א לְךָ בְּחֶסֶד וְעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר וְאַתֶּם וְגוֹ׳), upon Keter (עַל כֶּתֶר), "And you who cleave to Hashem" (וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּיְיָ׳) (Devarim 4), you—and not nations who worship stars and constellations (אַתֶּם וְלָא אוּמִין עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). And because of this (וּבְגִין דָּא), "One who sacrifices to gods shall be destroyed," other gods (זֹבֵחַ לֵאֱלֹהִים יָחֳרָם, אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים) (Shemot 22), not to Hashem alone (בִּלְתִּי לַיְיָ׳ לְבַדּוֹ).

Fortunate is the holy people (זַכָּאָה עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא), who are called the sheep of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ עָאנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), who offer themselves as sacrifices before Him (לְמִקְרַב גַּרְמַיְיהוּ קָרְבְּנִין קָמֵיהּ), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר), "For Your sake we are killed all day, regarded as sheep for slaughter" (כִּי עָלֶיךָ הוֹרַגְנוּ כָּל הַיּוֹם נֶחְשַׁבְנוּ כְּצֹאן טִבְחָה וְגוֹ׳) (Tehillim 44). They offer themselves as sheep (וּקַרְבִין גַּרְמַיְיהוּ כְּעָאנִין), through fasting (בְּתַעֲנִיתָא). For the lessening of fat and blood through fasting (דְּמִעוּט חֶלְבָּא וְדָמָא דְּתַעֲנִיתָא), is considered greater than an animal sacrifice (אִיהוּ חָשִׁיב יַתִּיר מִקָּרְבְּנָא דִּבְעִירָן), whose blood, fat, entrails and fats (דְּהֲוָה מִתְמַעֵט דָּמָא וְחֶלְבָּא וְכָל אִינּוּן אֵמוּרִין וּפְדָרִין), are consumed each night (דְּמִתְאַכְּלִין כָּל לֵילְיָא).

Fortunate are they (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן), Some say: Yisrael (ס״א יִשְׂרָאֵל), who offer their spirits (דִּמְקָרְבִין רוּחִין דִּלְהוֹן), as sacrifices before Hashem (קָרְבְּנִין קֳדָם יְיָ׳). And every single night (וּבְכָל לֵילְיָא וְלֵילְיָא), when their spirit ascends before Him (דְּרוּחָא דִּלְהוֹן הִיא הָעוֹלָה לְגַבֵּיהּ), it ascends through Torah and mitzvah (אִי סָלִיק לָהּ, בַּתּוֹרָה וּמִצְוָה), through the Torah (בַּתּוֹרָה), which consists of ten utterances (דְּאִיהִי עֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן), given from the letter Yod (דְּאִתְיְיהִיבוּ מֵאָת יו״ד), of the Ten Commandments (דִּבְעֲשַׂר דִּבְּרָן), from the letters Heh, Heh (מֵאַתְוָון ה״ה). Some say: with vav, in six (ס״א בְּוָ׳, בְּשִׁית), in the six books of Torah including Sefer Bereshit (בְּשִׁית חוּמְשֵׁי תּוֹרָה בְּסֵפֶר בְּרֵאשִׁית).

Five are they, called the five books of Torah (חֲמִשָׁה אִינּוּן דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ חֲמִשָׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תּוֹרָה), the sixth being Sefer Bereshit (שְׁתִיתָאָה סֵפֶר בְּרֵאשִׁית אִקְרֵי). And in thought, which is yod heh vav heh (וּבְמַחֲשָׁבָה דְּאִיהוּ יו״ד ה״א וָא״ו ה״א), regarding which it is said (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ), "Yisrael arose in thought" (יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה). And to what place does it ascend? (וּלְאָן אֲתָר סָלִיק), To the Keter (לְגַבֵּי כֶּתֶר), where is found the Cause of Causes (דְּתַּמָּן עִלַּת הָעִלּוֹת), wondrous and concealed (מוּפְלֵא וּמְכוּסָה).

Fortunate is one who elevates it through a mitzvah (זַכָּאָה מַאן דְּסָלִיק לֵיהּ בַּמִּצְוָה), which is the mitzvah of tefillin (דְּאִיהִי מִצְוַת תְּפִילִין), in which are four passages (דִּבְּהוֹן אַרְבַּע פָּרְשִׁיּוֹת), containing the Name Yod Heh Vav Heh (דִּבְּהוֹן שֵׁם יְדוָ״ד). Yod: "Sanctify unto Me" (יו״ד: קַדֵּשׁ לִי). Heh: "And it shall be when Hashem brings you" (ה״א: וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ). Vav: "Shema Yisrael" (וָ״ו: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל). Heh: "And it shall come to pass if you shall listen" (ה״א: וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ). In thought (בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה), to bind it upon the hand (לְקַשְּׁרָא לָהּ בְּיָד), for the Shekhinta, which is Yod-heh (דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהוּ י״ה), encompasses deed, which is the letter Heh (כְּלִילָא מִמַּעֲשֵׂה דְּאִיהִי ה׳). And speech, which is Binah (וְדִבּוּר דְּאִיהִי בִּינָה), encompasses six sefirot (כְּלִילָא ו׳ סְפִירָאן).

And in thought, which is yod heh vav heh (וּבְמַחֲשָׁבָה דְּאִיהוּ יו״ד ה״א וָא״ו ה״א), Yod Heh Vav Heh (יְדוָ״ד). Fourteen letters (י״ד אַתְוָון), numerically equal to Yad—hand (כְּחוּשְׁבָּן יָד). And they are hinted at within the four passages (וְאִתְרְמִיזוּ בְּאַרְבַּע פָּרְשִׁיָין), the one box of tefillin (וּבֵיתָא דִּתְפִלִין א׳), two straps of the head (וּתְרֵין רְצוּעֵי דְּרֵישָׁא), Some say: and its own [strap] (נ״א וְדִידַהּ), making seven (שֶׁבַע). With two shins—nine (דִּתְרֵין שִׁינִין תֵּשַׁע). And the knot of the strap—ten (וְקֶשֶׁר דִּרְצוּעָה עֶשֶׂר). And the four passages of the arm-tefillin (וְד׳ פָּרְשִׁיָין דְּיָד), Some say: behold fourteen (ס״א הֲרֵי י״ד). The hand of Shekhinta (יַד דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), the hand of Yod Heh Vav Heh (יַד יְדוָ״ד). About this it is said (בְּגִינָהּ אִתְּמַר), "Into Your hand I entrust my spirit" (בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי וְגוֹ׳) (Tehillim 31). The spirit is entrusted to Yod Heh Vav Heh (רוּחַ אִתְפְּקַד לַיְדוָ״ד). And Kudsha Berikh Hu descends to it (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָחִית לְגַבֵּיהּ), to receive it unto the Shekhinta (לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta guard it (וְנַטְרֵי לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ). And who causes this? (וּמַאן גָּרִים דָּא), One who, with each mitzvah (מַאן דִּבְכָל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה), elevates the Shekhinta to Kudsha Berikh Hu (סָלִיק שְׁכִינְתָּא לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

And seventy p6-67(וְע׳) words (תֵּיבִין) of "May Hashem answer you on a day of trouble" (דְּיַעַנְךָ יְיָ׳ בְּיוֹם צָרָה). And with what does she cry out? (וּבְמָאי צְוָוחַת). Rather, certainly (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי), Yisrael has masters of Torah (יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית בְּהוֹן מָארֵי תּוֹרָה), angels (מַלְאָכִים), from the side of Ayelet HaShachar (Hind of the Dawn) (מִסִּטְרָא דְּאַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר), who is Shekhinta (דְּאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא). And two levels are they (וּתְרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִינּוּן), morning and dawn (בֹּקֶר וְשַׁחַר), and concerning them it is said (וְעָלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר), "Pleasantness is in Your right hand forever" (נְעִימוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶצַח) (Tehillim 16). The morning is Avraham's (בֹּקֶר דְּאַבְרָהָם), which is Chesed (דְּאִיהוּ חֶסֶ״ד), and it ascends higher on the day of redemption (דָּא סָלִיק יַתִּיר בְּיוֹמָא דְּפוּרְקָנָא), but dawn precedes the day of redemption (אֲבָל שָׁחָר אַקְדִּים לְיוֹמָא דְּפוּרְקָנָא). And what is it? (וּמַאי אִיהוּ). Netzach (נֶצַח), from whose side Shekhinta is called Ayelet HaShachar (Hind of the Dawn) (דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא מִסִּטְרֵיהּ אִתְקְרִיאַת אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר).

And therefore (וּבְגִין דָּא), sometimes Netzach is not found; there Netzach is found, and there it is not (לִפְעָמִים נְצַ״ח, תַּמָּן נֶצַ״ח, תַּמָּן לִפְעָמִים). For these are the seventy voices (דְּאִינּוּן ע׳ קָלִין) of Ayelet HaShachar (Hind of the Dawn) crying out over her children (דְּצַוָוחַת אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר עַל בְּנָהָא), when darkness strengthens over them in exile (דְּאִתְּתַּקַּף עֲלַיְיהוּ קַדְרוּתָא בְּגָלוּתָא). The blackness of dawn (שַׁחֲרוּת הַשַּׁחַר) in the final seventy years (בְּע׳ שְׁנִין בַּתְרָאִין), during those seventy (בְּשִׁבְעִים), at that time will be fulfilled upon Yisrael (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא יִתְקַיֵּים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), "As a pregnant woman approaches giving birth, she trembles, cries out in her pains; so have we been before You, Hashem" (כְּמוֹ הָרָה תַּקְרִיב לָלֶדֶת תָּחִיל תִּזְעַק בַּחֲבָלֶיהָ כֵּן הָיִינוּ מִפָּנֶיךָ יְיָ׳) (Yeshayah 26). And therefore, we hope for You, Hashem our God (וְעַל כֵּן נְקַוֶּה לָךְ יְיָ׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ). And through them, Ayelet places her head between her knees (וּבְהוֹן אַיֶּלֶת אֲעִילַת רֵישָׁהָא בֵּין בִּרְכָּהָא). The head (רֵישָׁא) is Tzaddik Yesod Olam (אִיהוּ צַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם), between the knees, which are Netzach and Hod (בֵּין בִּרְכָּהָא דְּאִינּוּן נֶצַח וְהוֹד).

And she signals through it (וְאוּמֵי לָהּ בֵּיהּ), to redeem her children in the morning (לְמִפְרַק לִבְנָהָא בַּבֹּקֶר), which is a lion, the morning of the right side of Avraham (דְּאִיהוּ אַרְיֵה בֹּקֶר יְמִינָא דְּאַבְרָהָם), Mashiach ben David, who emerges from Yehudah (מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד דְּנָפִיק מִיהוּדָה), of whom it is said (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ), "A lion’s cub is Yehudah" (גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה) (Bereshit 49). And therefore (וּבְגִין דָּא), "As Hashem lives, lie down until morning" (חַי יְיָ׳ שִׁכְבִי עַד הַבֹּקֶר) (Rut 3).