Daf 89a (דַּף פ״ט ע״א)

And in this will, Moshe, the faithful holy prophet, departed from the world (וּבְהַאי רָצוֹן, אִסְתַּלָּק מֹשֶׁה, נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא קַדִּישָׁא מֵעָלְמָא), in order to make known that he did not die by judgment (בְּגִין לְמִנְדַּע, דְּלָא בְּדִינָא אִסְתַּלָּק), and at that hour, in the will of Atika Kadisha, his soul departed (וְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, בְּרָצוֹן דְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, נָפַק נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ), and was concealed within Him (וְאִתְטָמַּר בֵּיהּ). Therefore, it is written, “And no man knows his burial” (בְּגִין כַּךְ, וְלֹא יָדַע אִישׁ אֶת קְבֻרָתוֹ כְּתִיב) (Deuteronomy 34). Just as Atika Kadisha is hidden from all hidden things, and is unknown to the supernal and the lower beings (מַה עַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, טְמִירָא מִכָּל טְמִירִין, וְלָא יַדְעִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין), so too, this soul that was concealed within that will which is revealed at the time of Minḥah on Shabbat (אוּף הָכָא, הַאי נִשְׁמְתָא דְּאִתְטַמַּר בְּהַאי רָצוֹן, דְּאִתְגַּלְיָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּצְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה דְּשַׁבְּתָא) it is written, “And no man knows his burial,” and it is hidden from all the hidden things of the world, and judgment has no dominion over him (כְּתִיב וְלֹא יָדַע אִישׁ אֶת קְבֻרָתוֹ, וְהוּא טָמִיר מִכָּל טְמִירִין דְּעָלְמָא, וְדִינָא לָא שַׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ). Happy is the portion of Moshe (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה).

It was taught: on this day the Orayta is crowned in it, crowned with all-through all the commandments, all the decrees and punishments (תָּאנָא, בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מִתְעַטְּרָא בֵּיהּ, מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּכֹלָּא, בְּכָל אִינּוּן פִּקּוּדִין, בְּכָל אִינּוּן גִּזְרִין וְעוֹנָשִׁין), in seventy branches of light that shine from every side (בְּשִׁבְעִין עֲנָפִין דִּנְהוֹרָא, דְּזָהֲרִין מִכָּל סִטְרָא וְסִטְרָא). Who sees?-branches emerging from every limb (מַאן חָמֵי, עֲנָפִין דְּנָפְקִין מִכָּל עֲנָפָא וַעֲנָפָא), five stand within the tree, all faces are joined to them (חֲמִשָּׁא קַיְימִין בְּגוֹ אִילָנָא, כֻּלְּהוּ אַנְפִּין בְּהוּ אֲחִידָן). Who sees?-those gates that open in every direction, all of them radiate and shine with that light that emerges and never ceases (מַאן חָמֵי, אִינּוּן תַּרְעִין דְּמִתְפַּתְּחָן בְּכָל סְטָר וּסְטָר, כֻּלְּהוּ מִזְדַּהֲרִין וְנַהֲרִין, בְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּנָפִיק וְלָא פָּסִיק).

A herald’s voice goes out: Awaken, supernal holy ones! Awaken, holy nation, chosen above and below! (קָל כָּרוֹזָא נָפִיק, אִתְּעֲרוּ קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין, אִתְּעֲרוּ עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִתְבַּחֲר לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). Awaken joy to greet your Master! Awaken in perfect joy! (אִתְּעֲרוּ חֶדְוָותָא לְקַדְמוּת מָארֵיכוֹן. אִתְּעֲרוּ בְּחֶדְוָותָא שְׁלֵימָתָא). Be summoned with the three joys of the three Patriarchs! (אִזְדְּמָנוּ בִּתְלַת חֶדְוָון, דִּתְלַת אֲבָהָן). Be summoned to the root of faith, the joy of all joys! (אִזְדְּמָנוּ לְקַדְמוּת מְהֵימָנוּתָא, דְּחֶדְוָוה דְּכָל חֶדְוָותָא). Happy is your portion, O holy Yisrael, in this world and in the world to come (זַכָּאָה חוּלְקֵכוֹן, יִשְׂרָאֵל קַדִּישִׁין, בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). This is your inheritance, above all the nations who serve stars and constellations (דָּא הוּא יָרוּתָא לְכוֹן, מִכָּל עַמִּים עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). And about this it is written, “Between Me and the children of Yisrael” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 31).

Rabbi Yehudah said, so it is, certainly (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). And about this it is written, “Remember the day of Shabbat to sanctify it” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ) (Exodus 20), and it is written, “You shall be holy, for I, Hashem, am holy” (וּכְתִיב, קְדוֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ, כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי יְיָ') (Leviticus 19), and it is written, “And you shall call the Shabbat a delight, to the holiness of Hashem, honored” (וּכְתִיב, וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עֹנֶג, לִקְדוֹשׁ יְיָ׳ מְכוּבָּד) (Isaiah 58).

It was taught: on this day, all the souls of the Righteous delight in the pleasures of Atika Kadisha, the concealed of all concealed ones (תָּאנָא, בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, כָּל נִשְׁמָתֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, מִתְעַדְּנִין בְּתַפְנוּקֵי עַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין). And one spirit from the delight of that Atika Kadisha spreads forth (וְרוּחָא חֲדָא מֵעִנּוּגָא דְּהַהוּא עַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא מִתְפַּשְׁטָא), and it spreads through all the worlds (בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין), and it ascends and descends (וְסַלְּקָא וְנַחְתָּא), and is extended to all the holy ones (וּמִתְפַּשְּׁטָא לְכֻלְּהוּ בְּנֵי קַדִּישִׁין), to all the guardians of Orayta (לְכֻלְּהוּ נְטוּרֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), and they rest in complete rest (וְנַיְיחִין בְּנַיְיחָא שְׁלִים), and are removed from all anger, all judgments, and all harsh servitude (מִתְנְשֵׁי מִכֻּלְּהוּ, כָּל רוּגְזִין, כָּל דִּינִין, וְכָל פּוּלְחָנִין קָשִׁין). This is what is written: “On the day that Hashem gives you rest from your sorrow and from your trembling and from the hard labor” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִּיב, בְּיוֹם הִנִּיחַ יְיָ לָךְ מֵעָצְבְּךָ וּמִרָגְזֶךָ וּמִן הָעֲבוֹדָה הַקָּשָׁה) (Isaiah 14).

Because of this, Shabbat receives the Orayta (בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, שָׁקִיל שַׁבְּתָא לָקֳבֵל אוֹרַיְיתָא), and whoever guards Shabbat is as though he has guarded the entire Orayta (וְכָל דְּנָטִיר שַׁבְּתָא, כְּאִילּוּ נָטִיר אוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלָּא). And it is written, “Happy is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds fast to it, who keeps Shabbat from profaning it and guards his hand from doing any evil” (וּכְתִיב, אַשְׁרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ יַעֲשֶׂה זֹאת וּבֶן אָדָם יַחֲזִיק בָּהּ שׁוֹמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵחַלְּלוֹ וְשׁוֹמֵר יָדוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת כָּל רָע) (Isaiah 56). It is understood that one who guards Shabbat is as one who guards the entire Orayta (אִשְׁתְּמַע, דְּמַאן דְּנָטִיר שַׁבְּתָא, כְּמַאן דְּנָטִיר אוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלָּא).

Rabbi Yudai asked Rabbi Shimon-once, when he was traveling with him on the road (ר׳ יוּדָאַי שָׁאִיל לֵיהּ לְרַ׳ שִׁמְעוֹן, יוֹמָא חַד דְּאַעְרַע עִמֵּיהּ בְּאָרְחָא), he said to him: Rabbi, behold it is written in the parsha of Shabbat that Yeshayahu said, as it is written, “Thus said Hashem to the eunuchs who keep My Shabbats... and I will give them in My house and within My walls...” (אָמַר לֵיהּ, ר׳, הָא כְּתִיב בְּפַרְשְׁתָּא דָא שַׁבָּת, דְּאָמַר יְשַׁעְיָה, דִּכְתִּיב, כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ לַסָּרִיסִים אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְרוּ אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי וְגוֹ׳, וְנָתַתִּי לָהֶם בְּבֵיתִי וּבְחוֹמוֹתַי וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 56) what does this teach? (מַה קָא מַיְירֵי).

He said to him: Kaputkaya! your donkey has slipped in the mud and sunk (אָמַר לֵיהּ, קַפּוּטְקָאָה, חֲמָרָךְ קִטְרֵי בְּטִיפְסָא, וּנְחִית), for words of Orayta require clarity (דְּמִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בָּעֵי צָחוּתָא). Either turn around and walk behind me and align your heart (אוֹ אַפְכֵי לַאֲחוֹרָךְ, וְזִיל אֲבַתְרָאי, וּתְכַוֵּון לִבָּךְ). He said to him: because of the Master I walk this path, and after the Master I behold the Shekhinta (אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּמוֹר עֲבִידְנָא אָרְחָא, וּבַתְרֵיהּ דְּמוֹר אֶסְתָּכֵּל בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא).

He said to him: come and see, this matter was already established by the Friends, but they did not fully explain it (אֲמַר לֵיהּ, תָּא חֲזֵי, מִלָּה דָּא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא, וְלָא פְּרִישׁוּ מִלָּה). “Thus said Hashem to the eunuchs” (כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ לַסָּרִיסִים). Who are the eunuchs? These are the Friends who engage in the Orayta (מַאן סָרִיסִים-אִלֵּין אִינּוּן חַבְרַיָּיא, דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and who restrain themselves all six days of the week, laboring in the Orayta (וּמְסָרְסֵי גַּרְמַיְיהוּ כָּל שִׁיתָא יוֹמִין דְּשַׁבְּתָא, וְלָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), but on the night of Shabbat they arouse themselves to their zivug (וּבְלֵילְיָא דְּשַׁבְּתָא מְזָרְזֵי גַּרְמַיְיהוּ בְּזִוּוּגָא דִּלְהוֹן), because they know the supernal secret, at the time when the Matronita is united with the King (מִשּׁוּם דְּיַדְעֵי רָזָא עִלָּאָה, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא אִזְדַּוְּוגַת בְּמַלְכָּא).

And these Friends, who know this secret, direct their hearts to the faith of their Master (וְאִינּוּן חַבְרַיָּיא דְּיַדְעִין רָזָא דָּא, מְכַוְּונִין לִבַּיְיהוּ לִמְהֵימָנוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), and are blessed in the inner chambers of their beings on that night (וּמִתְבָּרְכָאן בְּאִיבָּא דִּמְעֵיהוֹן בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא). And this is what is written, “who guard” (וְדָא הוּא דִכְתִּיב, אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְרוּ), like that which is said, “and his father kept the matter” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר, וְאָבִיו שָׁמַר אֶת הַדָּבָר) (Bereshit 37). And they are truly called “eunuchs” (וְאִקְרוּן סָרִיסִים וַדַּאי), because they prepare for Shabbat to receive the will of their Master (בְּגִין לְחַכָּאָה לְשַׁבְּתָא לְאַשְׁכְּחָא רַעֲוָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), as it is written, “and they choose what I desire” (דִּכְתִּיב, וּבְחָרוֹ בַּאֲשֶׁר חָפָצְתִּי). What is “what I desire”? This is the zivug of the Matronita (מַאי בַּאֲשֶׁר חָפָצְתִּי-דָּא זִוּוּגָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). “And hold fast to My covenant”-it is all one: “My covenant,” undefined (וּמַחֲזִיקִים בִּבְרִיתִי, כֹּלָּא חַד, בִּבְרִיתִי סְתָם). Happy is the portion of one who sanctifies himself in this holiness and knows this secret (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמַאן דְּאִתְקַדָּשׁ בִּקְדוּשָׁה דָּא, וְיָדַע רָזָא דָּא).