Daf 121a (דַּף קכ״א ע״א)

And for this reason (וּבְגִין דָּא), they established the blessing "Who brings forth bread" (תַּקִּינוּ הַמּוֹצִיא), from the place of its finest ripening (מֵאֲתָר דְּבִשׁוּלוֹ יָפֶה), not to bring forth burnt bread (לְאַפָּקָא פַּת שָׂרוּף), but rather from the place that is flavorful (אֶלָּא מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהוּא מוּטְעָם). Thus grain (וְהָכִי תְּבוּאָה), after its harvesting (בָּתַר לְקִיטָתוֹ), is like fruit after its ripening (אִיהוּ כְּבִישׁוּל פֵּירוֹת). Yisrael (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל) are compared to the tree and grain (אִינּוּן מְשׁוּלִים לָאִילָן וְלַתְּבוּאָה), as it is said regarding them (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): "The choicest first-fruits of your land you shall bring to the house of Hashem your God" (רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ תָּבִיא בֵּית יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ) (Shemot 23).

And similarly (וְהָכִי): "The first shearing of your flock you shall give him" (רֵאשִׁית גֵּז צֹאנְךָ תִּתֶּן לוֹ) (Devarim 18), for they are Yisrael (דְּאִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written concerning them (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): "And you are My flock" (וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי) (Yechezkel 35). Thus is Yisrael called (וְהָכִי יִשְׂרָאֵל): "Holy unto Hashem, the first-fruits of His grain" (קֹדֶשׁ לַיְיָ' רֵאשִׁית תְּבוּאָתֹה) (Yirmiyah 2), after their harvesting from exile (לְאַחַר לְקִיטָתוֹ מִן גָּלוּתָא), is their tithing (עִשׂוּרֹ). Thus they are called "Holy unto Hashem" (וְאִתְקְרִיאוּ קֹדֶשׁ לַיְיָ'). And Yisrael are called a great and mighty tree (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְקְרִיאוּ אִילָנָא רַבָּא וְתַקִּיף), wherein is nourishment for all (וּמָזוֹן לְכֹלָּא בֵּיהּ). Within it is the Orayta (בֵּיהּ אוֹרַיְיתָא), which is nourishment above (דְּאִיהִי מְזוֹנָא לְעֵילָּא). Within it is prayer (בֵּיהּ צְלוֹתָא), nourishment below (דְּאִיהִי מְזוֹנָא לְתַתָּא). And even the angels have no nourishment (וַאֲפִילּוּ מַלְאָכִין לֵית לוֹן מְזוֹנָא), except through Yisrael (אֶלָּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).

For if Yisrael did not engage in Orayta (דְּאִי לָאו דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יִתְעַסְּקוּן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), no nourishment would descend to them (לָא הֲוָה נָחִית לוֹן מְזוֹנָא), from the aspect of Orayta (מִסְטַר דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), which is likened to the tree (דְּאַמְתִּילָא לָעֵץ), as it is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): "It is a Tree of Life for those who hold fast to it" (עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ) (Mishlei 3). And to its fruit (וּלְאִיבָא), which is the mitzvah (דְּאִיהִי מִצְוָה). Thus the Orayta is likened to water (וְהָכִי אוֹרַיְיתָא אַמְתִּילַא לְמַיָּא), and these (the mitzvot) to fire (וְהָנֵי לְאֶשָּׁא). And no water would descend from above (וְלָא הֲוָה נָחִית מַיָּא מִלְּעֵילָּא), and the sun, which is fire (וְחַמָה דְּאִיהִי אֶשָּׁא), would not descend to ripen the fruits of the tree (לָא הֲוָה נָחִית לְבַשְּׁלָא פֵּירוֹת הָאִילָן), except for the sake of Yisrael (אֶלָּא, בְּגִין יִשְׂרָאֵל).

Thus it is said regarding Yisrael (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְּמַר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל): "The fig tree puts forth her green figs" (הַתְּאֵנָה חָנְטָה פַגֶּיהָ) (Shir HaShirim 2), these are the masters of mitzvot (אִלֵּין מָארֵי מִצְוֹת). "And the vines in blossom give forth fragrance" (וְהַגְּפָנִים סְמָדָר נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ), when they open in teshuvah (כַּד פַּתְחִין בְּתִיוּבְתָּא).

Immediately it is said of Yisrael (וּמִיַּד אִתְּמַר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל): "Rise, My beloved, My beautiful one, and go forth," from exile (קוּמִי לָךְ רַעְיָתִי יָפָתִי וּלְכִי לָךְ, מִן גָּלוּתָא). And for this reason (וּבְגִין דָּא), regarding the tree, which is the Tree of Life (בְּאִילָן, דְּאִיהוּ עֵץ הַחַיִּים), concerning Orayta (בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and those who engage in it (בְּאִלֵּין דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלִין בָּהּ), we follow after budding (אָזְלִין בָּתַר חֲנָטָה), and tithe it (וּמְעַשְּׂרִין לֵיהּ), for the letter Yud rests upon them (דְּשַׁרְיָא יוּ״ד עָלַיְיהוּ), which is Chokhmah, one-tenth (דְּאִיהִי חָכְמָ״ה, א׳ מִי׳), and through it are gathered the five Hehs (וּבָה מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין ה״ה), which are the fruits of the tree (דְּאִינּוּן פֵּירוֹת הָאִילָן). And what is the tree? (וּמַאן אִילָן), It is Vav (ו׳). But for the rest of the people (אֲבָל שְׁאַר עַמָּא), their tithing is after harvesting from exile (אַחַר לְקִיטָתוֹ מִן גָּלוּתָא, עִשּׂוּרוֹ). These are the Tzaddikim (righteous ones) about whom it is written (אִינּוּן צַדִּיקִים דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day, the fruit of a beautiful tree" (וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר) (Vayikra 23).

Beautiful in their deeds (הָדָר בְּעוֹבָדֵיהוֹן), who are connected to masters of Torah and mitzvot (דַּאֲחִידָאן בְּמָארֵי תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת). And after budding, we follow them (וְאַחַר חֲנָטָה אָזְלֵינָן לְגַבַּיְיהוּ) (Some say: and regarding grains of produce, after budding we follow them [נ״א וְלְגַבֵּי זְרָעִים דִּתְבוּאָה וְאַחַר חֲנָטָה אָזְלִינָן לְגַבַּיְיהוּ]), like a tree (כְּאִילָן). Therefore they explained it in Masechet Kiddushin (וּבְגִין דָּא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּמַסֶּכֶת קִדּוּשִׁין), teaching us that an etrog is like a vegetable (וְקָא מַשְׁמַע לָן דְּאֶתְרוֹג כְּיָרָק). Just as a vegetable grows by all waters (מַה יָּרָק דַּרְכּוֹ לִיגָדֵל עַל כָּל מַיִם), and its tithing is at the time of its picking (וּבִשְׁעַת לְקִיטָתוֹ עִשׂוּרוֹ), so too the etrog also grows likewise (אוּף אֶתְרוֹג נָמֵי דַּרְכּוֹ לִיגָדֵל וְכוּ׳). And from the aspect of Chokhmah (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּחָכְמָה), "water" refers only to Torah (אֵין מַיִם אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה).

And elsewhere above (וּבַאֲתַר אַחֲרָא לְעֵילָּא), we learned (וְהָא דִּתְנָן): "An etrog resembles a tree in three ways" (אֶתְרוֹג שָׁוְה לָאִילָן בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּרָכִים). Thus the etrog holds two aspects (הָא אֶתְרוֹג, אָחִיד ב׳ סִטְרִין). The etrog corresponds to the heart (וְאֶתְרוֹג אִיהוּ דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּלִבָּא), grasping above and grasping below (דְּאָחִיד לְעֵילָּא וְאָחִיד לְתַתָּא). Grasping above, for the heart sees (אָחִיד לְעֵילָּא, הַלֵּב רוֹאֶה); grasping below, through Da'at (אָחִיד לְתַתָּא, בְּדַעַת). As it has been established: "the heart knows" (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ, הַלֵּב יוֹדֵעַ). Da'at is the tree (דַּעַת אִיהִי אִילָנָא), Torah is its fruit (תּוֹרָה אִיבָא דִּילֵיהּ). Eyes are the mitzvot (עַיְינִין דְּאִינּוּן פִּקּוּדִין), through which the heart sees (דִּבְּהוֹן הַלֵּב רוֹאֶה). "And holy men shall you be unto Me" p6-74(וְאַנְשֵׁי קֹדֶשׁ תִּהְיוּן לִי) (Exodus 22).

Rabbi Yehudah opened (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח): "And wisdom, from where shall it be found, and where is the place of understanding?" (וְהַחָכְמָה מֵאַיִן תִּמָּצֵא וְאֵיזֶה מְקוֹם בִּינָה) (Job 28). Fortunate are Yisrael (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), whom Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to honor (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְיַקְּרָא לוֹן), more (Some say: with greater honor) than all other peoples of the world (יַתִיר (נ״א בִּיקָרָא דִּלְהוֹן) עַל כָּל שְׁאַר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). At first He said to them (בְּקַדְמִיתָא אָמַר לוֹן): "And you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests" (וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים) (Exodus 19). His love was not yet greatly revealed upon them (לָא אַעְדֵי רְחִימוּתָא סַגִיאָה מִנְּהוֹן), until He called them "a holy nation" (עַד דְּקָרָא לוֹן וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ), which is even greater (דְּאִיהוּ יַתִיר). His love was not yet fully revealed upon them (לָא אַעְדֵי רְחִימוּתָא מִנְּהוֹן), until He called them "For you are a holy people" (עַד דְּקָרָא לוֹן כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה) (Deuteronomy 14).

Still His love was not fully revealed upon them (לָא אַעְדֵי רְחִימוּתָא מִנְּהוֹן), until He called them: "And holy men shall you be unto Me" (עַד דְּקָרָא לוֹן וְאַנְשֵׁי קֹדֶשׁ תִּהְיוּן לִי), which surpasses all the previous designations (דְּאִיהוּ יַתִיר מִכֹּלָּא). It is written (כְּתִיב): "And wisdom, from where shall it be found?" (וְהַחָכְמָה מֵאַיִן תִּמָּצֵא). Orayta emerges from wisdom (אוֹרַיְיתָא מֵחָכְמָה נַפְקַת) (Bereshit 47b), from the place called holiness (מֵאֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ).

And wisdom itself emerges (וְהַחָכְמָה נַפְקַת), from the place called Kodesh haKodashim (Holy of Holies) (מֵאֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים). Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): So too the Jubilee is called holiness (וְכֵן יוֹבְלָא אִתְקְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): "It is the Jubilee; it shall be holy unto you" (יוֹבֵל הִיא קֹדֶשׁ תִּהְיֶה לָכֶם) (Leviticus 25). And Yisrael contains all of these degrees within them (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּלִילָן מִנַּיְיהוּ). This is why it is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב): "And holy men shall you be unto Me" (וְאַנְשֵׁי קֹדֶשׁ תִּהְיוּן לִי).