Daf 83a (דַּף פ״ג ע״א)

And so we have learned (וְהָכִי תָּנֵינָן), this world, in relation to the World to Come, is nothing but a corridor before the palace (הַאי עָלְמָא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, לָא הֲוֵי אֶלָּא כִּפְרוֹזְדוֹר לְגַבֵּי טְרַקְלִין). (Because the World to Come belongs to Kudsha Berikh Hu) (בְּגִין כָּךְ עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוֵי). And when that righteous one merits, he merits by his own effort (וְכַד זָכֵי הַהוּא זַכָּאָה, בְּדִידֵיהּ זָכֵי). As it was taught: it is written (Devarim 18) (דְּתַנְיָא, כְּתִיב) “He shall have no inheritance among his brothers” (וְנַחֲלָה לֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ בְּקֶרֶב אֶחָיו). Why is this? (מַאי טַעֲמָא) Because “Hashem is his inheritance” (מִשּׁוּם דַּיְיָ' הוּא נַחֲלָתוֹ).

Fortunate is the portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ) of the one who merits to inherit this supernal inheritance (מַאן דְּזָכֵי לְאַחֲסָנָא אַחֲסַנְתָּא עִלָּאָה דָּא). He merits it in this world and in the home of this world (זָכֵי בָּהּ בְּעָלְמָא דָּא, וּבְבֵיתָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and likewise in the World to Come and in the supernal holy abode (כָּךְ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וּבְבֵיתָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא), as it is written (Yeshayahu 56) (דִּכְתִּיב) “And I will give them in My house and within My walls a hand and a name” (וְנָתַתִּי לָהֶם בְּבֵיתִי וּבְחוֹמוֹתַי יָד וָשֵׁם). Fortunate is the portion of that righteous one (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא זַכָּאָה), whose dwelling is with the King in His palace (דְּמָדוֹרֵיהּ עִם מַלְכָּא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ).

Rabbi Shimon said (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): Fortunate is the portion of that righteous one (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא זַכָּאָה) who merits that which is written (דְּזָכֵי לְהַאי דִּכְתִּיב): “Then you shall delight upon Hashem” (Yeshayahu 58) (אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ') not with Hashem, but upon Hashem (עִם יְיָ' לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא עַל יְיָ'). What is upon Hashem? (מַאי עַל יְיָ') The place from which the upper and lower worlds are nourished (אֲתַר דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין אִתְמַשְׁכָּן מִינֵּיהּ), and long for that place, as it is written (Tehillim 121) “From whence shall my help come?” (וְתָאֲבִין לְהַהוּא אֲתַר, דִּכְתִּיב: מֵאַיִן יָבֹא עֶזְרִי). And it is written (Daniel 7) “Until the Ancient of Days came, and they brought Him near before Him” (וּכְתִיב: וְעַד עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא מְטָה, וּקְדָמוֹהִי הַקְרְבוּהִי). And the yearning and delight of the Righteous is to gaze upon that radiance (וְתִּיאוּבְתָּא וְעִנּוּגָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא, לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא לְהַהוּא זִיוָא), from which all light radiates (דְּכָל זִיוָא מִינֵּיהּ נָפְקָא), and from which all those Keterin draw their sustenance (וְאִתְמַשְׁכָּן מִנֵּיהּ כָּל אִנּוּן כִּתְרִין).

Furthermore, Rabbi Shimon said (תּוּ אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): We have learned in this verse “Then you shall delight upon Hashem” (תָּנֵינָן בְּהַאי קְרָא: אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ'), what is written at the end of the verse? (סוֹפְיֵהּ דִּקְרָא מַה כְּתִיב) “And I will make you ride upon the high places of the earth” (וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיךָ עַל בָּמוֹתֵי אָרֶץ) upon that place that is called “the high places of the earth” (עַל הַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי בָּמוֹתֵי אָרֶץ), which is above this earth (אִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא מֵהַאי אֶרֶץ), and that place called “high places of the earth” is the heavens (וְהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ, הַיְינוּ שָׁמַיִם). And this is what is written: “Upon the high places of the earth” (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב: עַל בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ).

Upon Hashem-Rabbi Abba said (עַל יְיָ' אָמַר ר' אַבָּא): it is not written “then you shall sit,” but “then you shall delight upon Hashem” (אָז תֵּשֵׁב לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ') this refers to the heavens (הַיְינוּ שָׁמַיִם), as it is written (Tehillim 57) “Be exalted above the heavens, O Elohim” (דִּכְתִּיב: רוּמָה עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם אֱלֹהִים). “And I will make you ride upon the high places of the earth”-this is the Land of the Living (וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיךָ עַל בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ, הַיְינוּ אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים). From what is written “upon the high places” we learn to include Zion and Yerushalayim (מִמַּשְׁמַע דִּכְתִּיב: עַל בָּמוֹתֵי, לְאַכְלְלָא צִיּוֹן וִירוּשָׁלַיִם), which are called “the high places of the earth” (דְּאִקְרוּן בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ), and these are the upper heavens and the upper earth (וְהַיְינוּ שָׁמַיִם דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְאֶרֶץ דִּלְעֵילָּא). And the word that Rabbi Shimon said-so it is (וּמִלָּה דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, הָכִי הוּא), and all is one (וְכֹלָּא חַד), as it is written (Daniel 7) “Until the Ancient of Days came…” (דִּכְתִּיב: וְעַד עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא מְטָה וְגוֹ'), and all these matters ascend to one place (וְכָל הָנֵי מִילֵּי לַאֲתַר חַד סַלְּקִין).

Rabbi Abba said to Rabbi Shimon (אָמַר ר׳ אַבָּא לְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), Master, tell me (לֵימָא לִי מוֹר), this entire verse (הַאי קְרָא כּוּלֵיהּ), how do we establish it (בְּמַאי אוֹקִימְנָא לֵיהּ), for it is written (Yeshayahu 58) (דִּכְתִּיב), “Then you shall delight upon Hashem” (אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ'), “and I will make you ride upon the high places of the earth” (וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיךָ עַל בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ), “and I will feed you the inheritance of Ya'akov your father” (וְהַאֲכַלְתִּיךָ נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִיךָ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), it has all already been said (הָא כֹּלָּא אִתְּמַר), for delight and joy upon Hashem is written (דְּתַפְנוּקָא וְעִדּוּנָא עַל יְיָ' כְּתִיב), meaning the place which is above (אֲתָר דְּאִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא), and it is written (Daniel 7) (וּכְתִיב), “Until the Ancient of Days came…” (וְעַד עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא מְטָה וְגוֹ'). “Upon the high places of the earth”-as was explained (עַל בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר).

“And I will feed you the inheritance of Ya'akov your father” (וְהַאֲכַלְתִּיךָ נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִיךָ), as it is written (Bereishit 27) (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב), “And may Elohim give you of the dew of the heavens…” (וְיִתֵּן לְךָ הָאֱלֹהִים מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ'). And this is the inheritance of Ya'akov (וְהַיְינוּ נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב). And the blessing that Yitzchak blessed Ya'akov-he spoke regarding that heaven (וּבִרְכָּתָא דְּבָרֵיךְ יִצְחָק לְיַעֲקֹב, עַל הַאי שָׁמַיִם קָאָמַר). And he blessed him with the blessing (וּבַרְכֵיהּ בְּבִרְכָּתָא) by which the children of Ya'akov are destined to be sustained by that dew in the time to come (דִּזְמִינִין בְּנוֹי דְּיַעֲקֹב לְאַחֲיָא בְּהַהוּא טַלָּא לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי), as it is written (וְיִתֵּן לְךָ הָאֱלֹהִים). To you and not to another (לְךָ וְלֹא לְאַחֲרָא). “Of the dew of the heavens”-from which they are destined to be nourished in the time to come (מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם, דְּבֵיהּ זְמִינִין מֵתַיָּא לְאַחֲיָא לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי), which issues from Atik to Ze’ir Anpin (דְּנָפִיק מֵעַתִּיקָא לְזְעֵירָא דְאַפִּין), and rests upon that heaven (וְשַׁרְיָא בְּהַאי שָׁמַיִם). Rabbi Abba gazed and said (אִסְתָּכַּל ר' אַבָּא וְאָמַר): Now all is heard (הַשְׁתָּא אִשְׁתְּמַע כֹּלָּא), and it turns out that the blessing of Yitzchak is more exalted than I thought (וְאִשְׁתְּכַח דְּבִרְכָּתָא דְּיִצְחָק, עִלָּאָה מִמַּאי דַּחֲשִׁיבְנָא).

It was taught (תָּאנָא): “Who can express the mighty acts of Hashem?” (Tehillim 106) (מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת יְיָ') (Daf 64a). Who can express-should it not have said who can speak? (מִי יְמַלֵּל, מִי יְדַבֵּר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר ר' חִיָּיא), as it is said (Devarim 23) “And you shall pluck the ears with your hand” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְקָטַפְתָּ מְלִילוֹת בְּיָדֶךָ). “The mighty acts of Hashem”-for they are many (גְּבוּרוֹת יְיָ', דְּסַגִּיאִין אִינּוּן), and they emerge from one Gevurah (וְנָפְקִין מִגְּבוּרָה חַד). And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): one supernal Gevurah, the crown of crowns (חַד גְּבוּרָה עִלָּאָה, עִטְרָא דְּעִטְּרִין), is crowned (מִתְעַטְּרָא), and from it go forth fifty gates (וְנָפְקִין מִינֵּיהּ חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין), some to the right and some to the left (מִנְּהוֹן יְמִינָא, וּמִנְהוֹן שְׂמָאלָא). And each and every one is called a Gevurah (וְכָל חַד וְחַד גְּבוּרָה אִתְקְרֵי), and each one is crowned with radiant engraved axes (וְכָל חַד וְחַד מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּקַרְדִיטִי גְּלִיפִין נְהוֹרִין), and all of them are called “the mighty acts of Hashem” (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן גְּבוּרוֹת יְיָ').

Rabbi Ḥiyya said, “The mighty acts of Hashem” is written defectively (אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא, גְּבוּרוֹת יְיָ' חָסֵר כְּתִיב), for they are all encompassed in this one (דְּהָא כֻּלְּהוּ כְּלִילָן בְּדָא). “Who proclaims all His praise”-this is the Shekhinta, the radiance of the glory of Kudsha Berikh Hu (יַשְׁמִיעַ כָּל תְּהִלָּתוֹ: דָּא הוּא שְׁכִינַת זִיו יְקָרֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is written, “And His praise filled the whole earth” (Yeshayahu 6) (דִּכְתִּיב: וּתְהִלָּתוֹ מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ).

Rabbi Shimon said, it is written (Bereishit 2) “And a river went out from Eden to water the garden…” (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כְּתִיב: וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן וְגוֹ'). “The name of the first is Pishon…” (שֵׁם הָאֶחָד פִּישׁוֹן וְגוֹ'). These are all named (הָא אִלֵּין בִּשְׁמָהָן אִקְרוּן), and these four extend from that river that issues forth (וַהֲנִי אַרְבַּע מֵהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָפִיק אִתְמַשְׁכָּן). What is the name of that river which goes out? (מַה שְׁמֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא נַהֲרָא דְּנָפִיק)

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), its name is Yuval (Daf 55a) (יוּבַל שְׁמֵיהּ), as it is written (Jeremiah 17) “And he shall send forth his roots by the stream” (דִּכְתִּיב: וְעַל יוּבַל יְשַׁלַּח שָׁרָשָׁיו), and it is written, “He shall not cease from yielding fruit” (וּכְתִיב: וְלֹא יָמִישׁ מֵעֲשׂוֹת פֶּרִי). Why does he not cease? Because he sends forth his roots by the stream (מַאי טַעֲמָא לֹא יָמִישׁ מִשּׁוּם דְּעַל יוּבַל יְשַׁלַּח שָׁרָשָׁיו). And for this it is written (Yeshayahu 58) “And like a spring of waters whose waters do not fail” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וּכְמוֹצָא מַיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְכַזְּבוּ מֵימָיו). And therefore it is written “goes out” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב: יוֹצֵא), meaning it goes out and does not cease (יוֹצֵא וְאֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק).

It was taught, Rabbi Shimon said (תָּאנָא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), it is written (Shemot 20) “And Elohim spoke all these words…” (כְּתִיב: וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים וְגוֹ'), and He spoke-to proclaim the words (וַיְדַבֵּר, בְּגִין לְאַכְרְזָא מִילִין). For it was taught (דְּתָאנָא): at the moment that Kudsha Berikh Hu was revealed (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְגְּלֵי), and began to speak (וְשָׁאֲרִי לְמַלְּלָא), the upper and lower worlds trembled (עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין אִתְחַלְחֲלוּ), and the souls of Yisrael departed from them (וְנַפְקוּ נִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).