Daf 98b (דַּף צ״ח ע״ב)

And he said (וְאָמַר): "Wrapping light like a garment" (עֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָא) (Psalms 104), this is the beginning (דָּא שֵׁירוּתָא) of the first day (דְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה). "Stretching out the heavens" (נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם), here the left side is included (הָכָא אִתְכְּלִיל שְׂמָאלָא), yet it does not say "very" (וְלָא אָמַר מְאֹד); the left is included within the right (אִתְכְּלִיל שְׂמָאלָא בִּימִינָא), so that it shines within the entirety of heaven (לְמֶהוֵי נָהִיר בִּכְלָלָא דְּשָׁמַיִם).

"He roofs His upper chambers with water" (הַמְקָרֶה בַמַּיִם עֲלִיּוֹתָיו) (Psalms 104), here joyously emerges that Tree of Life (הָכָא נָפִיק בְּחֶדְוָה הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי), the river that flows from Eden (נָהָר דְּנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן), and rooted within it, in its waters, are those two willow branches (וְאִשְׁתְּרָשׁוּ בֵּיהּ בְּמֵימוֹי אִינּוּן תְּרֵי בַּדֵּי עֲרָבוֹת), which grow within its waters (דְּאִינּוּן גַּדְלִין בְּמֵימוֹי). Thus it is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): "He roofs His upper chambers with water" (הַמְקָרֶה בַמַּיִם עֲלִיּוֹתָיו). Who are "His upper chambers"? (מַאן עֲלִיּוֹתָיו): These are the willow branches (אִלֵּין בַּדֵּי עֲרָבוֹת).

This is as written (וְדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): "By the stream he will send forth his roots" (וְעַל יוּבַל יְשַׁלַּח שָׁרָשָׁיו) (Jeremiah 17). And this is the secret of what is written (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב): "A river whose streams gladden the city of Elohim" (נָהָר פְּלָגָיו יְשַׂמְּחוּ עִיר אֱלֹהִים) (Psalms 46). Who are "his streams"? (מַאן פְּלָגָיו): These are his roots (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שָׁרָשָׁיו). Thus they are called: "His upper chambers," "his roots," "his streams" (וְהָכִי אִקְרוּן, עֲלִיּוֹתָיו, שָׁרָשָׁיו, פְּלָגָיו), all of them rooted in those waters of that river (כֻּלְּהוּ אִשְׁתְּרָשׁוּ בְּאִינּוּן מַיִין דְּהַהוּא נָהָר).

"He who sets clouds as His chariot" (הַשָּׂם עָבִים רְכוּבוֹ) (Psalms 104): This is Michael and Gabriel (דָּא מִיכָאֵל וְגַבְרִיאֵל); they are those clouds (אִלֵּין הֵם עָבִים). "He who walks upon wings of wind" (הַמְהַלֵּךְ עַל כַּנְפֵי רוּחַ): to bring healing to the world (לְמֵיהַב אַסְוָותָא לְעָלְמָא), and this is Raphael (וְדָא אִיהוּ רְפָאֵל). From here onward (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה): "He makes His angels spirits" (עוֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת).

"Sava, Sava (סָבָא סָבָא), if you know all this (אִי כָּל הָנֵי יָדַעְתְּ), speak and do not fear (אֵימָא וְלָא תִּדְחַל). Speak your word (אֵימָה מִילָךְ), and words of your mouth will illuminate (וְיִנְהֲרוּן מִלִּין דְּפוּמָךְ)." The Friends rejoiced (חַדּוּ חַבְרַיָּיא), and listened joyfully to these holy words (וַהֲווּ צַיְיתִין בְּחֶדְוָה לְמִלּוֹי קַדִּישִׁין).

He said, "Oh Sava, oh Sava (אָמַר אִי סָבָא אִי סָבָא), into what have you entered yourself? (בְּמָה עַיְילַת גַּרְמָךְ), You have entered the great sea (עָאלַת בְּיַמָּא רַבָּא), and now you must sail forth and come out of it (אִית לָךְ לְשַׁטְּטָא וְּלְנָפְקָא מִתַּמָּן). 'If another he takes to himself' (אִם אַחֶרֶת יִקַּח לוֹ) (Exodus 21), how many ancient gilgulim are here (כַּמָּה גִּלְגּוּלִין עַתִּיקִין הָכָא), that were not revealed until now (דְּלָא אִתְגַּלּוּן עַד הָאִידָּנָא), and all of them are truth as is fitting (וְכֻלְּהוּ קְשׁוֹט כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), so that none may stray from the path of truth (דְּלֵית לְאַסְטָאָה מֵאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט), even by a hair's breadth (אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלא נִימָא). First, it must now be awakened (בְּקַדְמִיתָא אִית לְאִתְּעָרָא): All the souls of converts (נִשְׁמָתִין דְּגִיּוֹרִין כֻּלְּהוּ), which secretly fly out from the Garden of Eden (פַּרְחָן מִגּוֹ גִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן בְּאֹרַח סָתִים), when they depart from this world (כַּד מִסְתַּלְּקָן מֵהַאי עָלְמָא), their souls that hover within the Garden of Eden (נִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּקָא רְוָוחָא מִגּוֹ גִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן), to which place do they return? (לְאָן אֲתָר תַּיְיבִין)."

Now, we have learned (אֶלָּא תָּנֵינָן), whoever first takes possession (מַאן דְּנָטִיל וְאָחִיד) of the property of converts (בְּנִכְסֵי גִּיּוֹרִין בְּקַדְמִיתָא), acquires them (זָכֵי בְּהוּ). Likewise (אוּף הָכִי), all those supernal holy souls (כָּל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין קַדִּישִׁין עִלָּאִין), whom Kudsha Berikh Hu prepared to descend, as we have said (דְּקָא זַמִּין לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְתַתָּא כִּדְקָאמְרַן), all emerge at known times (כֻּלְּהוּ נָפְקִין לְזִמְנִין יְדִיעָן), and ascend p6-41(וְסַלְקִין), In order to delight (בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא) in the Garden of Eden above (בְּגַּן עֵדֶן דִּלְעֵילָּא), and they encounter there (וּפַגְעָן בְּאִינּוּן) souls of converts (נִשְׁמָתִין דְּגִיּוֹרִין). Whoever grasps from among these ascending souls (מַאן דְּאָחִיד בְּהוּ מֵאִלֵּין נִשְׁמָתִין דְּסַלְקִין), grasps them and merits them (אָחִיד בְּהוּ וְזָכֵי בְּהוּ), and clothes himself in them (וּמִתְלַבְּשָׁן בְּהוּ), and ascends (וְסַלְּקִין). They all remain in this garment (וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי בְּהַאי לְבוּשָׁא) and descend into the Garden (וְנַחְתּוּ גּוֹ גִּנְתָּא) with this garment (בִּלְבוּשָׁא דָּא), since in the Garden of Eden (בְּגִין דִּבְגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן) no one stands there except with a garment (לָא קַיְּימָאן תַּמָּן, אֶלָּא בִּלְבוּשָׁא), all who stand there (כָּל אִינּוּן דְּקַיְימֵי תַּמָּן). And if you should say (אִי תֵּימָא), because of this garment (דִּבְגִין הַאי לְבוּשָׁא), these souls have less delight (גַּרְעָן אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין) than the pleasure they had previously (מִכָּל עִנּוּגָא דְּהֲוָה לוֹן בְּקַדְמִיתָא), behold, it is written (הָא כְּתִיב): "If he takes another , her food, her clothing, and her marital rights he shall not diminish" (אִם אַחֶרֶת יִקַּח לוֹ שְׁאֵרָהּ כְּסוּתָהּ וְעוֹנָתָהּ לֹא יִגְרָע). In the Garden (בְּגִנְתָּא), they remain clothed in these garments (קַיְימֵי בִּלְבוּשֵׁי דָּא), which they had already grasped and merited (דְּקַדְמָן לְאַחֲדָא בְּהוּ וְזָכֵי בְּהוּ). And when they ascend higher (וְכַד סַלְּקִין לְעֵילָּא), they strip off these garments (מִתְפַּשְּׁטָן מִנֵּיהּ), since there (דְּהָא תַּמָּן) they do not stand (לָא קַיְימָן) in garments p6-42(בִּלְבוּשָׁא).

Sava wept as before (בָּכָה הַהוּא סָבָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין), and said to himself (וְאָמַר לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ), Sava, Sava (סָבָא סָבָא), surely you have reason to weep (בְּוַדַּאי אִית לָךְ לְמִבְכֵּי), surely you have reason for a flowing of tears (בְּוַדַּאי אִית לָךְ לְאוֹשָדָא דִּמְעִין), over every matter and every word (עַל כָּל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה), but let it be revealed before Kudsha Berikh Hu and His holy Shekhinta (אֲבָל גַּלֵּי קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ קַדִּישָׁא), that I with heart’s desire (דַּאֲנָא בִּרְעוּ דְּלִבָּא), and with their service I stand (וּבְפוּלְחָנָא דִּלְהוֹן קָאמֵינָא), for they are the masters of every matter (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן בְּעָלָיו דְּכָל מִלָּה), and are crowned through them (וּמִתְעַטְּרָן בְּהוּ).

All those holy Neshamot (כָּל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין קַדִּישִׁין), when they descend to this world (כַּד נַחְתֵּי לְהַאי עָלְמָא), it is in order to dwell, each one upon its proper place (בְּגִין לְמִשְׁרֵי כָּל חַד עַל דּוּכְתַּיְיהוּ), wherein they are perceived (דְּאִתְחָזוּן בְּהוּ), by the sons of man (לִבְנִי נָשָׁא). All of them descend, enclothing themselves in those Neshamot we have mentioned (כֻלְּהוּ נַחְתֵּי מִתְלַבְּשָׁן בְּאִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּקָא אַמָרָן), and thus they enter into holy seed (וְהָכִי עָאלִין בְזַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). And in this garment (וּבְמַלְבּוּשָׁא דָּא), they exist to be subjected by them in this world (קַיְימֵי לְאִשְׁתַּעְבְּדָא מִנַּיְיהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And when those garments are weakened by matters of this world (וְכַד אִשְׁתַּאֲבָן אִינּוּן מַלְבּוּשִׁין מִמִּלִּין דְּהַאי עָלְמָא), those holy Neshamot (אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין קַדִּישִׁין), are nourished (אִתְּזְנָן) - Some say: are quieted (נ״א: אתהנון) - from the scent they smell (מֵרֵיחָא דְּקָא אֲרִיחָא), from within these garments (מִגּוֹ לְבוּשֵׁיהוֹן אִלֵּין).

Kudsha Berikh Hu (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), all the hidden matters which He performs (כָּל מִלִּין סְתִימִין דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד), He brings them into the holy Orayta (עָאל לוֹן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא קַדִּישָׁא), and all is found in the Orayta (וְכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and that hidden matter (וְהַהִיא מִלָּה סְתִימָא), the Orayta reveals it (גַּלֵּי לָהּ אוֹרַיְיתָא), and immediately it is clothed in another garment (וּמִיָּד אִתְלַבְּשָׁא בִּלְבוּשָׁא אַחֲרָא), and it is concealed there (וְאִתְטָמַּר תַּמָּן), and not revealed (וְלָא אִתְגְּלֵי). And the sages, who are filled-eyed (וְחַכִּימִין דְּאִינּוּן מַלְיָין עַיְינִין), even though that word is hidden in its garment there (אַף עַל גַּב דְּהַהִיא מִלָּה אַסְתִּים בִּלְבוּשָׁה תַּמָּן), they see it from within the garment (חָמָאן לָהּ מִגּוֹ לְבוּשָׁה), and at the moment that word is revealed (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְגְלֵי הַהִיא מִלָּה), before it enters into the garment (עַד לָא תֵּיעוּל בִּלְבוּשָׁא), they cast upon it the opening of the eye (רָמָאן בָּהּ פְּקִיחוּ דְּעֵינָא), and even though it is immediately hidden again (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּמִיָּד אַסְתִּים), it is not lost from their eyes (לָא אִתְאֲבִיד מֵעֵינַיְיהוּ) - Some say: from among them (נ״א: מִינַיְיהוּ).