Daf 76b (דַּף ע״ו ע״ב)

The Lines of the hands in supernal secrets (שִׂרְטוּטֵי יְדִין בְּרָזִין עִלָּאִין), lines in the fingers inwardly (שֶׁרְטוּטִין בְּאֶצְבְּעָן לְגוֹ). In the hands are great lines (בְּיָדִין שִׂרְטוּטִין רַבְרְבִין), and small, fine supernal lines in the right hand (שִׂרְטוּטִין זְעִירִין דְּקִיקִין עִלָּאִין בִּימִינָא). In those fingers are the small lines (בְּאִינּוּן אֶצְבְּעָן דִּבְהוּ שִׂרְטוּטִין זְעִירִין). On the small finger of the right hand (בְּאֶצְבְּעָא זְעֵירָא דִּימִינָא), there are subtle inscriptions (אִית רְשִׁימִין דְּקִיקִין). This finger constantly relates to deeds of the other side (אֶצְבְּעָא דָּא, קַיְּימָא תָּדִיר עַל עוֹבָדִין דְּבִסְטַר אַחֲרָא).

On this finger are lines (בְּהַאי אֶצְבְּעָא קַיְימִין שִׂרְטוּטִין), which the finger has been doubled into (אִינּוּן דְּאֶצְבְּעָא אִתְכְּפִיל בְּהוּ). These are not for gazing into (הָנֵי לָאו אִינּוּן לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא), unless additions are found within them (אֶלָּא אִי אִתּוֹסְפָן בֵּיהּ). If two others are added upon that tracing in which it was doubled (אִי אִתּוֹסְפָן תְּרֵין אוֹחֳרָנִין עַל הַהוּא שִׂרְטוּטָא דְּאִתְכְּפַל בְּהוּ), the path is not prepared for him (אָרְחָא לָא אִזְדָּמַן לֵיהּ). And if he acts, he will not succeed (וְאִי יַעֲבֹד לָא יִצְלַח). But if they stand lengthwise (בַּר אִי קַיְימָן בְּאַרְכָּא), between one inscription and another (בֵּין רְשִׁימָא לִרְשִׁימָא), at a time when the ink flows backward (בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִתְמְשַׁךְ מַשְׁכָא לַאֲחוֹרָא), and those known inscriptions remain (וְאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ אִינּוּן רְשִׁימִין דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן), this one will succeed on his path (הַאי יִצְלַח בְּאָרְחָא). And this is the sign: three by three in breadth (וְסִימָן דָּא, תְּלַת תְּלַת בְּפוּתְיָא), and four in length (וְאַרְבַּע בְּאַרְכָּא). And this secret is the letter Zayin from the small letters (וְרָזָא דָּא ז׳ מֵאַתְוָון זְעִירִין).

One inscription in length (רְשִׁימָא חַד בְּאַרְכָּא), and two by two in breadth (וּתְרֵין תְּרֵין בְּפוּתְיָא) from the side (מֵאָרְחָא), he will hear words soon (יִשְׁמַע מִלִּין בִּזְמַן קָרִיב), but there is no benefit for him in them (וְלֵית לֵיהּ בְּהוּ תּוֹעַלְתָּא). Four inscriptions in length (אַרְבַּע רְשִׁימִין בְּאַרְכָּא), and four inscriptions in breadth (וְד׳ רְשִׁימִין בְּפוּתְיָא) a path will be opened for him with great toil (אָרְחָא אִזְדָּמַן לֵיהּ בְּטֹרַח סַגִּי), and in the end to his benefit (וּלְסוֹפָא לְתוֹעַלְתָּיֵיהּ). And this is the secret of the letter Zayin from the middle letters (וְרָזָא דָּא ז׳ מֵאַתְוָון אֶמְצָעִיִּין), between the small and the great (דְּבֵין זְעִירִין וְרַבְרְבִין).

Five small inscriptions in the lower breadth (חָמֵשׁ זְעִירִין רְשִׁימִין בְּפוּתְיָא לְתַתָּא), and four in the upper breadth (וְאַרְבַּע בְּפוּתְיָא לְעֵילָּא), and four in the length (וְאַרְבַּע בְּאַרְכָּא). He is content in his house (נַיְיחָא לֵיהּ בְּבֵיתֵיהּ), but he is lazy (וְעַצְלָא אִיהוּ). And the path was prepared before him (וְאָרְחָא הֲוַת מְתַּתְקְנָא קָמֵיהּ), but he did not wish to act (וְלָא בָּעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד). And if he does act, he will succeed on that path (וְאִי יַעֲבֹד יִצְלַח בְּהַהוּא אָרְחָא), but he does not act (אֲבָל לָא עָבִיד לֵיהּ), and he is slothful (וְעַצְלָא הֲוֵי). And this is the secret of Zayin which is simple (וְרָזָא דָּא ז׳ דְּאִיהִי פְּשׁוּטָה).

On the middle finger (בְּאֶצְבְּעָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), this finger stands (הַאי אֶצְבְּעָא קַיְּימָא) for performing that specific action which is considered (לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדָא הַהוּא דְּחָשִׁיב). If a single tracing stands in length (אִי שִׂרְטוּטָא חֲדָא קַיְּימָא בְּאַרְכָּא), between the breadth lines (בֵּין שִׂרְטוּטֵי דְּפוּתְיָא), this one considers thoughts (הַאי חָשַׁב מַחֲשָׁבִין), and they depart from him (וְאִסְתַּלְּקָן מִנֵּיהּ), and he fears and does not act (וְדָחִיל וְלָא עָבִיד), and that thought is not fulfilled at all (וְהַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה לָא אִתְעָבִיד כְּלָל).

If there are two lines in length (אִי תְּרֵין שִׂרְטוּטִין בְּאַרְכָּא), which appear when the ink is drawn backward (דְּקַיְימִין כַּד אִתְפָּשַׁט מַשְׁכָא לַאֲחוֹרָא), this one is not one of deliberative thoughts (הַאי לָאו בֵּיהּ מַחֲשָׁבִין), but he considers thoughts according to the moment (וְחָשִׁיב מַחֲשָׁבִין לְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא), and it is done (וְאִתְעָבִיד), but not as a thought he deliberated upon (וְלָא מַחֲשָׁבָה דְּהִרְהֵר בֵּיהּ כְּלָל), only a thought that was in haste and minor (אֶלָּא מַחֲשָׁבָה דְּאִיהוּ בִּבְהִילוּ וּזְעִירָא), but not true contemplation or firm intention (אֲבָל הִרְהוּרָא וּמַחֲשָׁבָה לָא). And if there are three inscriptions in length (וְאִי תְּלַת רְשִׁימִין בְּאַרְכָּא), and in breadth two or three (וּבְפוּתְיָא תְּרֵין אוֹ תְּלַת), when the ink is drawn backward (כַּד אִתְפָּשַׁט מַשְׁכָא לַאֲחוֹרָא), this is a man who is discerning (הַאי אִיהוּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ פְּקִיחָא), and he considers thoughts (וְחָשִׁיב מַחֲשָׁבִין), and all those thoughts that are on the side of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְכָל אִינּוּן מַחֲשָׁבִין דְּאִינּוּן לִסְטַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) are fulfilled by his hand (אִתְקַיְּימָן בִּידֵיהּ), and other thoughts not like this (וּמַחֲשָׁבִין אַחֲרָנִין לָאו הָכִי).

If four or five in length (אִי אַרְבַּע אוֹ חֲמִשָּׁה בְּאַרְכָּא), with the ink extended as stated above (בְּאִתְפְּשָׁטוּ דְּמַשְׁכָא כִּדְקָאמְרַן), when they descend upon the breadth (כַּד שָׁרָאן עַל פּוּתְיָא), in three or four, or from two onward (בִּתְלַת אוֹ בְּאַרְבַּע אוֹ מִתְּרֵין וּלְהָלְאָה) this is a man whose thoughts are toward pride (דָּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּמַחֲשָׁבוֹי לְאַבְאָשָׁא), and he boasts in them (וְאִשְׁתָּבַח בְּהוּ). His beard and the eyebrows over his eyes are red (וְדִיקְנֵה וּגְבִינֵי עֵינוֹי סוּמָקִין), he thinks evil and boasts in it (מְחַשֵּׁב לְבִישׁ וְאִשְׁתָּבַּח בְּהוּ).

He is short-lived (קִצְרָא דְּיוֹמִין אִיהוּ). He is sharp (פְּקִיחָא אִיהוּ), and always capable of conquering those who harm (וְאַכְנַע תָּדִיר לִמְכִילָן דְּבִישׁ). He succeeds (אַצְלַח), but in the end of a few days he departs from the world (וּלְסוֹפָא דְּיוֹמִין זְעִירִין אִסְתַּלָּק מֵעָלְמָא).

A remedy for this Teshuvah (אַסְוָותָא לְהַאי תִּיּוּבְתָּא): then are found three inscriptions, or four, resting upon two (כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ תְּלַת רְשִׁימִין, אוֹ אַרְבַּע, וְשַׁרְיָין עַל תְּרֵין). Three inscriptions or four in length, resting on two in breadth (תְּלַת רְשִׁימִין אוֹ ד׳ בְּאַרְכָּא וְשַׁרְיָין עַל תְּרֵין בְּפוּתְיָא). For according to the behavior of man (דְּהָא כְּפוּם מִנְהֲגָא דְּבַר נָשׁ), so the lines vary (הָכִי מִתְחַלְּפֵי שִׂרְטוּטִין), from time to time (מִזְּמַן לִזְמַן). And this is the secret (וְרָזָא דָּא): “He brings out their host by number…” (הַמּוֹצִיא בְּמִסְפַּר צְבָאָם) (Isaiah 40), “Because of His great might and strong power…” (מֵרֹב אוֹנִים וְאַמִּיץ כֹּחַ וְגוֹ'). Just as Kudsha Berikh Hu changes forces and times in the stars of heaven (כְּמָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְלָף חַיָּילִין וּזְמָנִין בְּכֹכְבֵי שְׁמַיָא) one day thus, and another day otherwise (יוֹמָא דָּא כָּךְ, וּלְיוֹמָא אַחֲרָא כַּךְ). (And this is what we say in the evening prayer: “And He changes the times and arranges the stars” (נוסח הצלותא דערבית: וּמַחֲלִיף אֶת הַזְּמַנִּים וּמְסַדֵּר אֶת הַכּוֹכָבִים) according to the shifting of the times, so He arranges the stars) (וּמְסַדֵּר אֶת הַכּוֹכָבִים כְּפוּם דְּחַלּוּפָא דְּזְמַנִּין, כָּךְ אִיהוּ מְסַדֵּר כּוֹכָבִים).

According to the inner being of man, all his deeds (כְּפוּם דְּאָדָם דִּלְגוֹ כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי) so do they appear in this firmament (הָכִי אִתְחָזוּן בְּהַאי רְקִיעָא). And so it is shown in the ink of this lower man (וְהָכִי אִתְחַזֵי בְּהַאי מַשְׁכָא דְּהַאי אָדָם תַּתָּאָה), for he is the firmament, skin that covers over all (דְּאִיהוּ רְקִיעָא, עוֹר דְּחַפְיָא עַל כֹּלָּא). And all is according to the pattern of the inner man (וְכֹלָּא כְּפוּם גַּוְונָא דְּאָדָם דִּלְגוֹ), for this one, at times, stands in judgment (דְּהַאי לְזִמְנִין קָאִים בְּדִינָא), and at times in compassion (לְזִמְנִין בְּרַחֲמֵי). In that very pattern it is shown externally (כְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ אַחְזֵי לְבַר) at times like this pattern, and at times like that pattern (לְזִמְנִין כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא, וּלְזִמְנִין כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא), in the likeness of what is below in this man (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לְתַתָּא בְּהַאי אָדָם), as we have said (כְּמָה דְּאָמַרָן): at times in this pattern, and at times in that (לְזִמְנִין כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא, וּלְזִמְנִין כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא). And this is the secret of the letter Zayin that is included in the letter Yod (וְרָזָא דָּא אָת ז׳ אִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ אָת י׳).