Daf 84a (דַּף פ״ד ע״א)

It was taught: corresponding to this (תָּאַנָא, לָקֳבֵל דָּא), fifty times it is stated and mentioned in the Orayta (חַמְשִּׁין זִמְנִין אִתְּמַר וְאַדְכַּר בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), the customs of Egypt and all their praises (נִמּוּסִין דְּמִצְרַיִם, וְשְׁבָחֵי אִינּוּן כֻּלְּהוּ), with the phrase “Who took you out” (אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ). As it is written (Devarim 4) “And He took you out” (וַיּוֹצִיאֲךָ), and (Shemot 13) “For with a strong hand He took you out” (כִּי בְּיַד חֲזָקָה הוֹצִיאֲךָ). And all these occurrences are fifty, no more (וְכֻלְּהוּ זִמְנֵי, חַמְשִּׁין אִינּוּן, וְלָא יַתִּיר), because all is crowned in the Yovel (מִשּׁוּם דְּכֹלָּא בְּיוֹבְלָא אִתְעַטָּר), and from the side of Yovel everything came (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּיוֹבְלָא אָתָא כֹּלָּא). And because of this (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ), the Orayta that comes from Gevurah is crowned with the right side (אוֹרַיְּיתָא דְּאָתֵי מִגְּבוּרָה אִתְעַטְּרָת בִּימִינָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) (Devarim 33) “From His right hand a fiery law for them” (מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ). And it was taught: five voices there were (וְתַנְיָא חֲמִשָּׁה קָלִין הֲווֹ), and all of them were seen in them (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְחֲזִיאוּ בְּהוּ), and were included in them (וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ בְּהוּ), and were crowned through this (וְאִתְעַטְּרוּ בְּדָא).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), at that time when Yisrael received the Orayta (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּקַבְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹרַיְּיתָא), this Yovel was crowned with its crown upon Kudsha Berikh Hu (יוֹבְלָא דָּא אַעְטַּר בְּעִטְּרוֹי לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), like a king crowned within his army (כְּמַלְכָּא דְּאִתְעַטָּר בְּגוֹ חֵילֵיהּ), as it is written (Shir haShirim 3) “Go out and see, daughters of Zion, the King Shlomo with the crown with which his mother crowned him” (צְאֶינָה וּרְאֶינָה בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן בַּמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה בַּעֲטָרָה שֶׁעִטְּרָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ). Who is his mother? This is Yovel (מַאן אִמּוֹ דָּא יוֹבְלָא). And Yovel was crowned with joy, with love, with completeness (וְיוֹבְלָא אִתְעַטַּר בְּחֶדְוָה, בִּרְחִימוּ, בִּשְׁלִימוּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) (Tehillim 113) “The joyful mother of children” (אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה). Who is the mother of children? Rabbi Shimon said: this is Yovel (מַאן אֵם הַבָּנִים אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: דָּא יוֹבְלָא).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה), concerning this it is written (Mishlei 23) “Let your father and your mother rejoice, and she who gave birth to you exult” (עַל דָּא כְּתִיב: יִשְׂמַח אָבִיךָ וְאִמֶּךָ, וְתָגֵל יוֹלַדְתֶּךָ). Who is your father and your mother? Rabbi Yehudah said (מַאן אָבִיךָ וְאִמֶּךָ אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה), as it is established in the Sifra deTzni‘uta, as it is written (Vayikra 18) “The nakedness of your father and the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover” (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ בְּסִפְרָא דִּצְנִיעוּתָא, דִּכְתִּיב: עֶרְוַת אָבִיךָ וְעֶרְוַת אִמֶּךָ לֹא תְגַלֵּה). Woe to the one who reveals their nakedness (וַוַי לְמַאן דְּגַלֵּי עֲרָיָיתְהוֹן).

It was taught, Rabbi Yitzchak said (תָּאנָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): at the moment when Kudsha Berikh Hu was revealed on Mount Sinai (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְגַּלֵּי בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי), the mountain trembled (אִזְדַּעְזַע טוּרָא). And at the moment that Sinai trembled (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּסִינַי אִזְדַּעְזַע), all the other mountains of the world trembled (כָּל שְׁאַר טוּרֵי עָלְמָא אִזְדַּעְזְעוּ), and were ascending and descending (וַהֲווּ סַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין), until Kudsha Berikh Hu stretched forth His hand upon them and they were calmed (עַד דְּאוֹשִׁיט קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְדוֹי עָלַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְיַשְּׁבוּ). And a voice went out and proclaimed (וְקָלָא נָפְקָא וּמַכְרְזָא), as it is written (Tehillim 114) “What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn backward? Mountains, that you skip like rams…” (מַה לְּךָ הַיָּם כִּי תָנוּס, הַיַּרְדֵּן תִּסוֹב לְאָחוֹר, הֶהָרִים תִּרְקְדוּ כְאֵילִים וְגוֹ'). And those good ones said, “Before the Master, O shake, O earth” (וְאִינּוּן תָּבָאן וְאַמְרִין, מִלְּפָנַי אֲדוֹן חוּלִי אָרֶץ). Rabbi Yitzchak said, “Before the Master”-this is Imma, as it is written, “The mother of children is joyful” (Tehillim 113) (אָמַר ר' יִצְחָק, מִלְּפָנַי אֲדוֹן, דָּא אִימָּא, דִּכְתִּיב: אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה). “Shake, O earth” this is the lower Imma (חוּלִי אָרֶץ, דָּא אִימָּא תַּתָּאָה). “Before the God of Ya'akov”-this is Abba, as it is written (Shemot 4) “My son, My firstborn, Yisrael” (מִלְּפָנַי אֱלוֹהַּ יַעֲקֹב, דָּא הוּא אַבָּא, דִּכְתִּיב: בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל). And regarding this it is written, “With the crown with which his mother crowned him” (Shir haShirim 3) (וְעַל הַאי כְּתִיב: בַּעֲטָרָה שֶׁעִטְּרָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ).

What is “with a crown”? Rabbi Yitzchak said, as it is written (Shmuel I 23) “And Shaul and his men were surrounding David” (מַהוּ בַּעֲטָרָה אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב: וְשָׁאוּל וַאֲנָשָׁיו עוֹטְרִים אֶת דָּוִד). Because he is crowned with white, with red, and with green, with all colors which are all included in him and revolve around him (מִשּׁוּם דְּמִתְעַטָּר בְּחִוָּרָא, בְּסוּמָקָא, וּבִירוֹקָא, בְּכָל גַּוְונִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ כְּלִילָן בֵּיהּ, וְאִסְתַּחֲרָן בֵּיהּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said, “With the crown with which his mother crowned him”-what crown? As it is written (Yeshayahu 49) “Yisrael, through whom I am glorified” (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, בַּעֲטָרָה שֶׁעִטְּרָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ. מַאן עֲטָּרָה דִּכְתִּיב: יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר), and it is written (Yeshayahu 60) “And I shall glorify the house of My glory” (וּכְתִּיב: וּבֵית תִּפְאַרְתִּי אֲפָאֵר).

Rabbi Yitzchak said, the Orayta was given with black fire upon white fire (אָמַר ר' יִצְחָק, אוֹרַיְּיתָא אִתְיְהִיבַת בְּאֶשָּׁא אוּכָּמָא, עַל גַּבֵּי אֶשָּׁא חִוָּורָא), to include right within left and left that is returned into right (לְאַכְלְלָא יְמִינָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא, וּשְׂמָאלָא דְּאִתְחַזַּר יְמִינָא), as it is written (Devarim 33) “From His right hand, a fiery law for them” (דִּכְתִּיב: מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ).

Rabbi Abba said, at the moment the smoke of Sinai would rise, the fire ascended and crowned itself in that smoke openly (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּתְנָנָא דְּסִינַי הֲוָה נָפִיק, סָלִיק אֶשָּׁא, וּמִתְעַטָּר בְּהַהוּא תְּנָנָא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא), like this incense, ascending and descending (כְּאַתְכְּלָא דָּא, וְסָלִיק וְנָחִית), and all fragrances and perfumes of the Garden of Eden would ascend in that smoke (וְכָל רֵיחִין וּבוּסְמִין דִּבְגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן, הֲוָה סָלִיק הַהוּא תְּנָנָא), in an appearance of white, red, and black (בְּחֵיזוּ דְּחִוָּור וְסוּמָק וְאוּכָּם), as it is written (Shir haShirim 3) “Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, from all the powders of the perfumer” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: מְקֻטֶּרֶת מוֹר וּלְבוֹנָה מִכֹּל אַבְקַת רוֹכֵל).

That smoke-who was it? (הַהוּא תְּנָנָא מַאן הֲוָה). Rabbi Yitzchak said: it was the Shekhinta revealed there (אָמַר ר׳ יִצְחָק: שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִתְגְּלֵי לְתַמָּן), as it is said (Shir haShirim 3) “Who is this rising from the wilderness like pillars of smoke?” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: מִי זֹאת עוֹלָה מִן הַמִּדְבָּר כְּתִמְרוֹת עָשָׁן). Rabbi Yehudah said: why all this? The verse is complete, as it is written (Shemot 19) “And Mount Sinai was altogether smoke because Hashem descended upon it in fire, and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace” (אָמַר ר׳ יְהוּדָה: לָמָּה לָךְ כּוּלֵי הַאי הָא קְרָא שְׁלִים הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב: וְהַר סִינַי עָשָׁן כֻּלּוֹ מִפְּנֵי אֲשֶׁר יָרַד עָלָיו יְיָ' בָּאֵשׁ, וַיַּעַל עֲשָׁנוֹ כְּעֶשֶׁן הַכִּבְשָׁן). Fortunate is the people who saw this and knew it (זַכָּאָה עַמָּא דְּחָמָאן דָּא, וְיַדְעִין דָּא) (Daf 58b).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: when the letters were engraved upon the tablets of stone (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא: כַּד אִתְגְּלִיפוּ אַתְוָון בְּלוּחֵי אֲבָנָא), they were visible from both sides (הֲווֹ מִתְחַזְיָין בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין), from this side and from that side (מִסִּטְרָא דָּא וּמִסִּטְרָא דָּא). And the tablets were made of sapphire stone (וְלוּחִין מֵאֶבֶן סַנְפִּירִינוֹן הֲווֹ), and they were engraved and covered with white fire (וְאִתְגְּלִיפוּ וְאִתְחַפְיָין בְּאֶשָּׁא חִוָּורָא), and the letters were of black fire (וְאַתְוָון הֲווֹ מֵאֶשָּׁא אוּכָמָא), and they were engraved from both sides (וּמִתְגַּלְּפָן בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין), from this side and that side (מִסִּטְרָא דָּא וּמִסִּטְרָא דָּא).

Rabbi Abba said: the tablets were in appearance (אָמַר ר׳ אַבָּא: לוּחִין הֲווֹ בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ), and the letters were flying (וְאַתְוָון הֲווֹ טָאסִין), and appeared through two fires-white fire and black fire (וּמִתְחַזְיָין בִּתְרֵין אֶשִׁין: אֶשָּׁא חִוָּורָא וְאֶשָּׁא אוּכָמָא), appearing as one-right and left (לְאִתְחֲזָאָה כַּחֲדָא: יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא), as it is written (Mishlei 3) “Length of days is in her right hand, in her left riches and honor” (דִּכְתִּיב: אֹרֶךְ יָמִים בִּימִינָהּ, בִּשְׂמֹאלָהּ וְגוֹ'). And it is written (Devarim 33) “From His right hand a fiery law for them” (וְהָא כְּתִיב: מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ). Rather, it was from the side of Gevurah (אֶלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דִּגְבוּרָה הֲוָה), and it was included in the right (וְאִתְכְּלִילַת בִּימִינָא), and therefore white fire and black fire (וּבְגִין כַּךְ: אֶשָּׁא חִוָּורָא וְאֶשָּׁא אוּכָמָא).

It was taught: it is written (Shemot 32) “And the tablets were the work of Elohim…” (תָּאַנָא, כְּתִיב: וְהַלֻּחֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה וְגוֹ') indeed, the work of Elohim (מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים וַדַּאי). Rabbi Yehudah said: “The tablets”-it is written in the singular, yet they were two, and appeared as one (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה: וְהַלֻּחֹת כְּתִיב חַד. תְּרֵי הֲווֹ, וּמִתְחַזְיָין חַד). And ten utterances were engraved upon them (וָעֶשֶׁר אֲמִירָן מִתְגַּלְּפֵי בְּהוּ), five included in five (חָמֵשׁ כְּלִילָן בְּחָמֵשׁ), to make everything the right side (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא יְמִינָא). “The work of Elohim”-indeed (מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה וַדַּאי).