Daf 76a (דַּף ע״ו ע״א)

When man was created (כַּד אִתְבְּרֵי אָדָם), what is written regarding him? (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ), “Skin and flesh You clothed me…” p6-7(עוֹר וּבָשָׂר תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי) (Job 10). If so, what is “man”? (אִי הָכִי הָאָדָם מַהוּ) If you say (אִי תֵּימָא) that he is nothing but skin and flesh and bones and sinews (דְּאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא עוֹר וּבָשָׂר וְעַצָמוֹת וְגִידִים) it is not so (לָאו הָכִי), for surely the “man” is none other than the Neshamah (דְּהָא וַדַּאי הָאָדָם לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא נִשְׁמְתָא). And these that are called “skin and flesh, bones and sinews” (וְאִלֵּין דְּקָאָמַר עוֹר וּבָשָׂר עַצָמוֹת וְגִידִים), all of them are nothing but garments alone (כֻּלְּהוּ לָא הֲווֹ אֶלָּא מַלְבּוּשָׁא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), garments of man (מָאנִין אִינּוּן דְּבַר נָשׁ), and they themselves are not “Adam” (וְלָאו אִינּוּן אָדָם). And when this man departs (וְכַד הַאי אָדָם אִסְתַּלָּק), he is stripped of those garments he had worn (אִתְפָּשַׁט מֵאִנּוּן מָאנִין דְּקָא לְבִישׁ).

The skin with which man was clothed (עוֹר דְּאִתְלְבַּשׁ בֵּיהּ בַּר נָשׁ), and all those bones and sinews (וְכָל אִינּוּן עַצְמוֹת וְגִידִים), all of them are in the secret of supernal Chokhmah (כֻּלְּהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה), in the likeness of what is above (כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). The skin is in the likeness of that which is above (עוֹר כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), As the Master taught (כְּמָה דְּאוֹלִיף מוֹר), regarding those curtains, as it is written: “He stretches out the heavens like a curtain” (דִּכְתִיב, נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם כַּיְרִיעָה) (Psalms 104). And: “Red-dyed rams' skins, and tachash skins” (עוֹרוֹת אֵילִים מְאָדָּמִים וְעוֹרוֹת תְּחָשִׁים) (Exodus 25). These are the garments of the supernal (אִינּוּן מַלְבּוּשִׁין דִּלְעֵילָּא), which cover the garments (דִּמְסַכְּכֵי לְמַלְבּוּשָׁא), the unfolding of the heavens (אִתְפַּשָּׁטוּתָא דְּשָׁמַיִם), which is the garment of the outer aspect (דְּאִיהוּ מַלְבּוּשָׁא דִּלְבַר). The curtains are the inward garment (יְרִיעוֹת אִינּוּן מַלְבּוּשָׁא דִּלְגוֹ), and it is the membrane that covers the flesh (וְאִיהוּ קְרוּמָא דְּסָכִיךְ עַל בִּשְׂרָא).

The bones and sinews (עַצְמוֹת וְגִידִים) these are the chariots (אִינּוּן רְתִיכִין), and all the forces that dwell within (וְכָל אִינּוּן חַיָּילִין דְּקַיְימִין לְגוֹ). And all of them are inward garments (וְכֻלְּהוּ מַלְבּוּשִׁין לִפְנִימָאָה), the secret of the Supernal Adam (רָזָא דְּאָדָם עִילָּאָה), who is the inner essence (דְּאִיהוּ פְּנִימָאָה). So too below, it is the same Secret (אוּף הָכִי רָזָא לְתַתָּא). Man is the inner being within (אָדָם אִיהוּ פְּנִימָאָה לְגוֹ), and his garments are in likeness to those above (מַלְבּוּשִׁין דִּילֵיהּ כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). The bones and sinews (עַצְמוֹת וְגִידִין) are as we have said (כְּגַוְונָא דְּקָאמְרָן), in those chariots (retikhin) and camps (mashiryan) (בְּאִינּוּן רְתִיכִין וּמַשִׁירְיָין).

The flesh covers over those camps and chariots (בָּשָׂר אִיהוּ סָכִיךְ עַל אִינּוּן מַשִׁירְיָין וּרְתִיכִין), and it stands to the outside (וְקַיְימָא לְבַר). And this is the secret that was drawn toward the other side (וְדָא רָזָא דְּאִתְמַשְׁכָּא לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא). The skin that covers all (עוֹר דְּסָכִיךְ עַל כֹּלָּא) this is in likeness to the firmaments (דָּא אִיהוּ כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִינּוּן רְקִיעִין), which cover over all (דְּסָכִיכוּ עַל כֹּלָּא). And all of them are garments to be clothed in (וְכֻלְּהוּ מַלְבּוּשִׁין לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בְּהוּ), the inner being within (פְּנִימָאָה דִּלְגוֹ), the secret of Adam (רָזָא דְּאָדָם). And all of it is a secret (וְכֹלָּא רָזָא), below in likeness to above (לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And for this it is written: “And Elohim created man in His image, in the image of Elohim…” (וְעַל דָּא, וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹקִים) (Bereshit 1). (Two Elohim-one toward the male, and one toward the female) (תְּרֵי אֱלֹקִים הָכָא, חַד כְּלַפֵּי דְּכַר וְחַד כְּלַפֵּי נוּקְבָּא). And the secret of Adam below (וְרָזָא דְּאָדָם לְתַתָּא) all is in the secret of what is above (כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דִּלְעֵילָּא).

In this supernal firmament (בְּהַאי רְקִיעָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), which covers over all (דִּמְסַכֵּךְ עַל כֹּלָּא), impressions are engraved within it (אִתְרְשִׁימוּ בֵּיהּ רְשִׁימִין), to be seen and to be known (לְאִתְחֲזָאָה וּלְמִנְדַּע), in those impressions (בְּאִינּוּן רְשִׁימִין), in which were inscribed hidden words and secrets (דְּאִתְקְבִיעוּ בֵּיהּ מִלִּין וְרָזִין סְתִימִין). And those impressions of stars and constellations (וְאִינּוּן רְשִׁימִין דְּכֹּכָבַיָּא וּמַזָּלֵי), were engraved and fixed in that firmament (דְּאִתְרְשִׁימוּ וְאִתְקְבִיעוּ בְּהַאי רְקִיעָא), which covers the exterior (דְּסָכִיךְ לְבַר).

So too the skin (אוּף הָכִי עוֹר), which is the covering externally on man (דְּאִיהוּ סִכּוּכָא לְבַר בְּבַר נָשׁ), which is the firmament that covers over all (דְּאִיהוּ רְקִיעָא דְּסָכִיךְ עַל כֹּלָּא), within it are impressions and lines (אִית בֵּיהּ רְשִׁימִין וְשִׂרְטוּטִין), and those are the stars and constellations of that skin (וְאִינּוּן כֹּכָבַיָּא וּמַזָּלֵי דְּהַאי עוֹר). That they might be seen within it (לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בְּהוּ), and that they might be known through it (וּלְמִנְדַּע בְּהוּ), hidden words and secrets (מִלִּין וְרָזִין סְתִימִין), through the stars and the constellations (בְּכֹכָבַיָּא וּמַזְלַיָּא), that the wise of heart might gaze into them (לְעַיְּינָא בְּהוּ חַכִּימֵי לִבָּא), and look into them to know (וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּהוּ לְמִנְדַּע), the contemplation of the countenance (אִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא בְּאַנְפִּין), in the secrets we have mentioned (בְּרָזִין דְּקָאָמַרָן), and this is the secret (וְרָזָא דָא): “Gazers into the heavens, those who see in the stars” (הוֹבְרֵי שָׁמַיִם הַחוֹזִים בַּכֹּכָבִים) (Isaiah 47). And this applies (וְדָא אִיהוּ), when they shine and stand in clarity (כַּד אִינּוּן נְהִירִין וְקַיְימִין), without wrath (בְּלָא רוּגְזָא).

But in a time of wrath, when man is dominated (בְּזִמְנָא דְּרוּגְזָא שַׁלְטָא עָלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), a different judgment is handed over to be known through him (דִּינָא אַחֲרָא אִתְמְסַר לְמִנְדַּע בֵּיהּ), in that which is not given dominion to be known (בְּמָה דְּלָא אִתְיְיהִיב לְשַׁלְּטָאָה לְמִנְדַּע), in a time when judgment (Some say: sight) rules in the firmament (בְּזִמְנָא דְּעֵינָא (נ״א: דְּדִינָא) שַׁלְטָא בִּרְקִיעָא). But the contemplation of the countenance is on the path of truth (אֲבָל אִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא דְּאַנְפִּין עַל אָרַח קְשׁוֹט), at a time when the countenance shines (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַנְפִּין נְהִירִין), and man stands in his stability (וְקַיְּימָא בַּר נָשׁ עַל קִיּוּמָא), and those impressions are revealed in a path of truth (וְאִינּוּן רְשִׁימִין אִתְחָזוּן בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט), for then through that contemplation (דִּכְדֵין בְּהַהוּא אִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא), one can be judged in full clarity (יָכִיל לְאִתְּדָּנָא עַל בּוּרְיֵיהּ יַתִּיר), even though in all things (וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּבְכֹלָּא), all those sages (כָּל אִינּוּן חַכִּימִין) are able to gaze (יַכְלִין לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא).

The lines of hands and the lines of fingers inwardly (שִׂרְטוּטֵי יְדִין וְשִׂרְטוּטֵי אֶצְבְּעָן לְגוֹ), all of them exist in other secrets (כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימִין בְּרָזִין אַחֲרָנִין), to be known through hidden matters (לְמִנְדַּע בְּמִלִּין סְתִימִין). And these are the stars (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן כֹּכָבַיָּא), which shine to be gazed at within the constellations (דִּנְהִירִין לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא גּוֹ מַזָּלֵי), in the higher gradations (בִּטְסִירִין עִלָּאִין).

The fingers stand in supernal secrets (אֶצְבְּעָן קַיְימֵי בְּרָזִין עִלָּאִין). The nails of the fingers (טוּפְרֵי אֶצְבְּעָאן), which stand covered externally (דְּקַיְימִין דְּחַפְיָן לְבַר), this was established regarding those secrets (הוּא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּאִינּוּן רָזִין), which were faces of the exterior (דַּהֲווֹ פָּנִים דִּלְבַר). And within them are secrets (וּבְהוּ אִית רָזִין), for those sorcerers who gaze at the nails (לְאִינוּן חֲרָשִׁין דְּמִסְתַּכְלֵי בְּטוּפְרֵי), by a radiance of another matter that governs over them (בִּנְהִירוּ דְּמִלָּה אַחֲרָא דְּשַׁלְטָא בְּהוּ), and those sorcerers defile that place (וְאִינּוּן חֲרָשִׁין קָא מְסָאֲבֵי לְהַהוּא אֲתָר).

In the nails there are times (בְּטוּפְרִין אִית זִמְנִין), when white, fine stars shine in them (דְּנַהֲרִין בְּהוּ כֹּכָבִין חִוָּורִין דְּקִיקִין), and these are like the result of hammer strikes (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן כְּתוֹלְדָה דִּטְלוּפְחִין), and they are embedded like a nail in a tablet (וְאִינּוּן שְׁקִיעִין כְּהַאי מַסְמְרָא עַל לוּחָא). And they are not like those other white ones that are not embedded (וְלָאו אִינּוּן כְּאִינּוּן חִוָּורִין אַחֲרָנִין דְּלָא שְׁקִיעִין), but rather which stand above (אֶלָּא דְּקַיְימִין לְעֵילָּא).

In those that are not embedded, there is no substance (בְּהָנִי דְּלָא שְׁקִיעִין לֵית בְּהוּ מַמָּשָׁא). But those that are embedded-white like the result of a strike-have substance (אֲבָל הָנִי דִּשְׁקִיעִין חִוָּורִין כְּתוֹלְדָה דִּטְלוּפְחִין אִית בְּהוּ מַמָּשָׁא), and there is a good sign in them for a man in joy (וְאִית סִימָנָא טָבָא לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ בְּחֵדוּ) Some say: in them (נ״א: בְּהוּ), and he will succeed at that time (וְיַצְלַח בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא). Or a decree was issued upon him (אוֹ גְּזֵרָה אִתְגְּזַר עָלֵּיהּ), and he was saved from it (וְאִשְׁתֵּזִיב מִינָהּ).