Daf 127b (דַּף קכ״ז ע״ב)

And regarding this: this is Afarsmon, and this is Appiryon (וְעַל דָּא, דָּא אִיהוּ אֲפַרְסְמוֹן, וְדָא הוּא אַפִּרְיוֹן). And in the place of these two letters Samekh–Mem, the letter Yod stands (וּבַאֲתָר תְּרֵין אַתְוָוִין ס״מ, קַיְּימָא יו״ד), in the secret of the covenant (בְּרָזָא דִּבְרִית)-some say: the secret of the covenant concealed within it (נ״א: רָזָא דְּבְרִית דְּאִתְגְּנִיז בְּגוֹיֵיהּ)-which is destined to take in all (דְּאִיהוּ זַמִּין לְנָטְלָא כֹּלָּא). The secret of this is the hundred blessings (רָזָא דְּאִינּוּן מֵאָה בִּרְכָּאן), sixty and forty (שִׁתִּין וְאַרְבְּעִין): sixty, corresponding to the six directions that emerge from the letter Samekh (שִׁתִּין לָקוּבֵּל שִׁית סִטְרִין דְּנַפְקֵי מֵאַת ס׳), and forty, corresponding to the four directions of the world (אַרְבְּעִין לָקוּבֵּל ד׳ סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא), and all complete the hundred (וְכֹלָּא אַשְׁלִימוּ לְמֵאָה). And the letter Yod completes the secret of the hundred (וְאַת יו״ד אִיהוּ אַשְׁלִים לְרָזָא דְּמֵאָה), in the likeness of above (כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And for this reason: this is Afarsmon, and this is Appiryon (וְעַל דָּא, דָּא אֲפַרְסְמוֹן, וְדָא אַפִּרְיוֹן).

Rivers flow from this Afarsmon (אִינּוּן נַהֲרֵי נָפְקִין מֵאֲפַרְסְמוֹן דָּא), and supernal Souls-who have no body in this world (וְנִשְׁמָתִין עִלָּאִין דְּלֵית לוֹן גּוּפָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא)-nurse from that Nehiru which issues from the rivers of pure Afarsmona (יַנְקִין מֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּ דְּנָפִיק מֵאִינּוּן נַהֲרֵי אֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא), and delight in this supernal delight (וּמִתְעַנְּגֵי בְּעִנּוּגָא דָּא עִלָּאָה). And the Souls-some say: that ascend and descend-who do have a body in this world (וְנִשְׁמָתִין (ד״א ל״ג: דְּסַלְקִין וְנַחְתִּין דְּאִית לוֹן גּוּפָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), ascend and nurse from that light that emerges from this Appiryon, and descend (סַלְּקִין וְיַנְקִין מֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּ דְּאַפִּרְיוֹן דָּא, וְנַחְתִּין). And these give and take (וְאִלֵּין יַהֲבֵי וְנַטְלֵי): they give fragrance from those righteous deeds performed in this world (יַהֲבֵי רֵיחָא מֵאִינּוּן עוֹבְדִין דְּכַשְׁרָן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and they take from that fragrance which remains in the Garden (וְנַטְלֵי מֵהַהוּא רֵיחָא דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר בֵּיהּ בְּגִנְתָּא), as it is written (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “As the fragrance of a field which Hashem has blessed” (כְּרֵיחַ שָׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַכוֹ יְיָ) (Bereshit 27). The fragrance that remained within it, in that field (רֵיחָא דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא חַקְלָא). And all of them stand in that Garden (וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי בְּהַהִיא גִּנְתָּא): these delight above, and these delight below (אִלֵּין מִתְעַנְּגֵי לְעֵילָּא, וְאִלֵּין מִתְעַנְּגֵי לְתַתָּא). “Did King Shlomo make for himself…” (עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה): “for himself”-for His own sake (עָשָׂה לוֹ, לְגַרְמֵיהּ). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא): behold, the souls of the Righteous are delighted in it (הָא נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא מִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָן בֵּיהּ), and yet you say “He made it for Himself” (וְאַתְּ אָמַרְתְּ עָשָׂה לוֹ)? It is surely so (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), for this Appiryon and all those souls of the Righteous-they all exist so that Kudsha Berikh Hu may delight in them (בְּגִין דְּהַאי אַפִּרְיוֹן וְכָל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

“The King” (הַמֶּלֶךְ) the King whose peace is His own (מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִּילֵיהּ). And this is the supernal King (וְדָא אִיהוּ מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה)-this has been established (הָא אוּקְמוּה). “The King” [stated] plainly-this is the King Mashiach (הַמֶּלֶךְ סְתָם, דָּא מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא). This is the masculine world (דָּא עָלְמָא דִּדְכוּרָא), and this is the feminine world (וְדָא עָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא). “From the trees of the Levanon” (מֵעֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן)-these are planted trees (אִינּוּן אִילָנִין נְטִיעָן), which Kudsha Berikh Hu uprooted and replanted in another place (דְּעָקַר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְשָׁתִיל לוֹן בַּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא). And these are called “Cedars of Levanon,” as it says (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “The cedars of Levanon which He planted” (אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן אֲשֶׁר נָטָע) (Tehillim 104).

And this Appiryon was not built and not completed except through them (וְלָא אִתְבְּנֵי הַאי אַפִּרְיוֹן, וְלָא אִשְׁתַּכְלָל אֶלָּא בְּהוּ). Furthermore, “from the trees of the Levanon”-these are the six days of Bereshit (תּוּ מֵעֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן, אִלֵּין שִׁית יוֹמִין דִּבְרֵאשִׁית), that on each and every day (דְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא), arranged in this Appiryon (מְסַדֵּר בְּהַאי אַפִּרְיוֹן), the arrangement that was revealed to it: the first arrangement (סִדּוּרָא דְּאִתְחָזֵי לֵיהּ: סִדּוּרָא קַדְמָאָה). It was drawn from the right side (אִתְנְגִיד מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא), the primordial light which was concealed (אוֹר קַדְמָאָה דְּאִתְגְּנִיז), and it was taken from the right side (וְאִתְנְטִיל מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא), and entered into this Appiryon by the hand of a single Yesod (וְעָאל בְּהַאי אַפִּרְיוֹן עַל יְדָא דִּיְסוֹדָא חַד), and performed service within it (וְעָבִיד בֵּיהּ שִׁמּוּשָׁא). Afterwards, that Appiryon brought forth one form in the likeness of that light (לְבָתַר אַפִּיק הַהוּא אַפִּרְיוֹן חַד דִּיּוּקְנָא כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַאי אוֹר), and this is the secret of what is written: “Let there be light, and there was light” (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דִּכְתִיב: יְהִי אוֹר, וַיְהִי אוֹר) (Bereshit 1). Since it says, “Let there be light,” why does it also say, “And there was light”? (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר יְהִי אוֹר, אֲמַאי כְּתִיב: וַיְהִי אוֹר), It would have sufficed to write “and it was so” (לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ קְרָא לְמִכְתָּב, אֶלָּא: וַיְהִי כֵן). What is “and there was light”? (מַהוּ: וַיְהִי אוֹר), Rather, that light brought forth another light that was revealed to it (אֶלָּא: דְּהַהוּא אוֹר אַפִּיק אוֹר אַחֲרָא דְּאִתְחָזֵי לֵיהּ), and this is the first day, from those trees of the Levanon (וְדָא אִיהוּ יוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה מֵאִינּוּן עֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן).

The second arrangement (סִדּוּרָא תִּנְיָינָא): it was drawn from the left side (אִתְנְגִיד מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), a separation of water (פְּרִישׁוּ דְּמַיָּא), in a drawing of fierce fire (בִּנְגִידוּ דְּאֶשָּׁא תַּקִּיפָא), and it was taken from the left side (וְאִתְנְטִיל מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), and entered into this Appiryon (וְעָאל בְּהַאי אַפִּרְיוֹן), and performed service within it (וְעָבִיד בֵּיהּ שִׁמּוּשָׁא), and separated between the waters on the right side and between those waters on the left side (וְאַפְרִישׁ בֵּין מַיִין דְּבִסְטַר יְמִינָא וּבֵין אִינּוּן מַיִין דְּבִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא). Afterwards, that Appiryon brought forth one form (לְבָתַר אַפִּיק הַהוּא אַפִּרְיוֹן חַד דִּיּוּקְנָא), in its likeness (כְּגַוְונָא דִּילֵיהּ). And this is the secret of what is written: “Between the waters that are beneath the firmament and between the waters that are above the firmament-and it was so” (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּכְתִיב: בֵּין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מִתַּחַת לָרָקִיעַ וּבֵין הַמַּיִם אֲשֶׁר מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ, וַיְהִי כֵן) (Bereshit 1). And this is the second day, from those trees of the Levanon (וְדָא אִיהוּ יוֹמָא תִּנְיָינָא מֵאִינּוּן עֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן).

The third arrangement (סִדּוּרָא תְּלִיתָאָה): it was drawn from the middle side (אִתְנְגִיד מִסִּטְרָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), and from the right side (some say: and from the left side) (וּמִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא (נ״א: וּמִסְּטַרָא דְּשְׂמָאלָא), the third day (חַד יוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה), which makes peace in the world (דְּעָבִיד שְׁלָמָא בְּעָלְמָא). And from there the limbs were drawn to all (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְמְשִׁיכוּ אֵיבִין לְכֹלָּא), and this made service within this Appiryon (וְדָא עָבִיד שִׁמּוּשָׁא בְּהַאי אַפִּרְיוֹן). And that Appiryon brought forth a form after its form (וְאַפִּיק זִּינָא לְזִינֵיהּ), a form for many actions (זִּינָא לְעוֹבָדִין סַגִּיאִין), a form that was revealed to it (זִּינָא דְּאִתְחָזֵי לֵיהּ), and all grass and herbs and trees in many powers (וְכָל דְּשָׁאִין וַעֲשָׂבִין וְאִילָנִין בְּכַמָּה חֵילִין). And its form remained there (וְאִשְׁתְּאַר דִּיּוּקְנֵיהּ תַּמָּן), and that Appiryon brought forth that form (וְאַפִּיק זִּינָא הַהוּא אַפִּרְיוֹן), exactly in that likeness (כְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ). And this is the third day (וְדָא אִיהוּ יוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה), which was comprised of both sides (דְּאִתְכְּלִיל מִב׳ סִטְרִין), from those trees of the Levanon (מֵאִינּוּן עֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן).

The fourth arrangement (סִדּוּרָא רְבִיעָאָה): the Nehiru of the sun was drawn and radiated (אִתְנְגִיד וְאִתְנְהִיר נְהִירוּ דְּשִׁמְשָׁא), to illuminate this Appiryon (לְאַנְהָרָא לְהַאי אַפִּרְיוֹן), inside its darkness (גּוֹ חָשׁוּךְ דִּילֵיהּ), and it entered it to illuminate (וְעָאל בֵּיהּ לְאַנְהָרָא), but it did not perform service within it (וְלָא עָבִיד בֵּיהּ שִׁמּוּשָׁא), until the fifth day (עַד יוֹמָא חֲמִשָׁאָה), when that Appiryon brought forth that light’s service (דְּאַפִּיק הַאי אַפִּרְיוֹן הַהוּא שִׁמּוּשָׁא דִּנְהִירוּ), which had entered it on the fourth day (דְּעָאל בֵּיהּ בְּיוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה). And that Appiryon brought forth in the exact likeness of that Nehiru (וְאַפִּיק הַהוּא אַפִּרְיוֹן בְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ דְּהַהוּא נְהִירוּ), and this is the fourth day (וְדָא אִיהוּ יוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה), one of those trees of the Levanon (חַד מֵאִינּוּן עֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן).