Daf 131a (דַּף קל״א ע״א)

And here, the Burden of Dumah (וְהָכָא מַשָּׂא דּוּמָה), is with great toil (טוֹרַח סַגִּיאָה), which cannot be revealed (דְּלָא יָכִיל לְאִתְגַּלְיָיא), and it is prophecy in whisper (וְאִיהוּ נְבוּאָה בִּלְחִישׁוּ), and it stands in whisper (וְקַיְּימָא בִּלְחִישׁוּ). “Unto me one calls from Se’ir” (אֵלַי קוֹרֵא מִשֵּׂעִיר) - here it is not revealed who said “Unto me one calls from Se’ir” (הָכָא לָא אִתְגַּלְיָא מַאן אָמַר אֵלַי קוֹרֵא מִשֵּׂעִיר). Whether it is Kudsha Berikh Hu (אִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), or a faithful prophet (אִי נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא). But this prophecy surely stands in whisper (אֲבָל נְבוּאָה דָּא וַדַּאי קַיְּימָא בִּלְחִישׁוּ), within the mystery of supernal faith (גּוֹ רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה), and from within the concealed mystery (וּמִגּוֹ רָזָא סְתִימָאָה), the faithful prophet said (נְבִיאָה מְהֵימְנָא אָמַר), for to him belonged the calling of the voice in the mystery of faith (דִּלֵּיהּ הֲוָה קָרָא קָלָא בְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). And he said: “Unto me one calls from Se’ir” (וְאָמַר אֵלַי קוֹרֵא מִשֵּׂעִיר). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “And He shone forth from Se’ir unto them” (Deuteronomy 33) (וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ). And it is not written “and He shone unto Se’ir” (וְלָא כְּתִיב וְזָרַח לְשֵׂעִיר), because the mystery of faith is thus (בְּגִין דְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא הָכִי אִיהוּ): degrees within degrees (דַּרְגִּין מִגּוֹ דַּרְגִּין), those inner from those (אִלֵּין פְּנִימָאִין מֵאִלֵּין), a Klipah within a Klipah (קְלִיפָה גּוֹ קְלִיפָה), and a brain within a brain (וּמוֹחָא גּוֹ מוֹחָא).

And behold, we have established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא), that it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And behold, a stormy wind came from the north” (Ezekiel 1) (וְהִנֵּה רוּחַ סְעָרָה בָּאָה מִן הַצָּפוֹן) - this is one degree (הָא דַּרְגָּא חַד). “A great cloud” (עָנָן גָּדוֹל) - this is another degree (הָא דַּרְגָּא אַחֲרָא). “And a flashing fire” (וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת) - this is a third degree (הָא דַּרְגָּא תְּלִיתָאָה). “And a brightness round about it” (וְנוֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב) - this is a fourth degree (הָא דַּרְגָּא רְבִיעָאָה). And afterward: “And from within it, as the color of hashmal” (וּלְבָתַר וּמִתּוֹכָהּ כְּעֵין הַחַשְׁמַל). And afterward: “And from within it, the likeness of four creatures” (וּלְבָתַר וּמִתּוֹכָהּ דְּמוּת אַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת). These are degrees within degrees (הָא דַּרְגִּין גּוֹ מִּדַּרְגִּין). Some say: degrees (נ״א: דַּרְגִּין).

So too here (אוּף הָכָא), when Kudsha Berikh Hu revealed Himself to Yisrael (כַּד אִתְגַּלְּיָיא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), He was not revealed except through these degrees (לָא אִתְגַּלְּיָיא אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ דַּרְגִּין אִלֵּין). “From Sinai came” (מִסִּינַי בָּא): this is the degree that was most hidden (דַּרְגָּא דְּהֲוָה טְמִירָא יַתִּיר), and afterward it was necessary to be revealed (וּלְבָתַר אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְגַּלְיָא). And it is said: “And He shone forth from Se’ir” (וְאָמַר וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר): this is another degree (הָא דַּרְגָּא אַחֲרָא), which is in greater revelation (דְּאִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא יַתִּיר), the Klipah that rests upon the brain (קְלִיפָא דְּשַׁרְיָא עַל גַּב מוֹחָא). And afterward: “He appeared from Mount Paran” (וּלְבָתַר הוֹפִיעַ מֵהַר פָּארָן) - this is another degree (הָא דַּרְגָּא אַחֲרָא). And afterward: “And He came from myriads of holiness” (וּלְבָתַר וְאָתָה מֵרִבְבוֹת קֹדֶשׁ): this is the praise of all (דָּא שְׁבָחָא דְּכֹלָּא). For although He was revealed from all these degrees (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא מִכָּל אִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין), from that place which is the root of all (מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּהוּא עִקָרָא דְּכֹלָּא), He began to be revealed (שָׁרֵי לְאִתְגַּלָּאָה מִנֵּיהּ). From what place is it (מֵאָן אֲתָר אִיהוּ)? From myriads of holiness (מֵרִבְבוֹת קֹדֶשׁ אִיהוּ), these are the supernal degrees above (אִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין לְעֵילָּא [לְעֵילָּא]). So too here: “Unto me one calls from Se’ir” (אוּף הָכָא אֵלַי קוֹרֵא מִשֵּׂעִיר), from that degree which we mentioned, which cleaves above (מֵהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּקָאָמַרָן, דְּאִתְדָּבַּק לְעֵילָּא).

“Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” (שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִּלַּיְלָה שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִלֵּיל). Watchman - this is Metatron (שׁוֹמֵר דָּא מְטַטְרוֹ״ן), “the Watcher of Yisrael” (שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “And he who watches his master shall be honored” (Proverbs 27) (וְשׁוֹמֵר אֲדוֹנָיו יְכֻבָּד). And this is the mystery of dominion at night (וְדָא רָזָא דְּשָׁלְטָא בְּלֵילְיָא). “What of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” (מַה מִּלַּיְלָה שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִלֵּיל). What is the difference between this and that (מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי)? Rather, all is one (אֶלָּא, כֹּלָּא חַד).

But in this division, the Sitra achra rules (אֲבָל בְּחוּלָקָא דָּא, שָׁלְטָא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא). And in this division, it does not rule at all (וּבְחוּלָקָא דָּא, לָא שָׁלְטָא כְּלָל). Night requires guarding (לֵיל, אִצְטְרִיךְ לִנְטוּרָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “It is a night of guarding” (Exodus 12) (לֵיל שִׁמּוּרִים הוּא). And because of this it is written without a Heh (וְעַל דָּא חָסֵר ה׳). And this is when night enters until it is divided (וְדָא אִיהוּ כַּד עָאל לֵילְיָא, עַד דְּאִתְפְּלַג). From midnight and onward (מִפָּלְגוּ לֵילְיָא וּלְהָלְאָה), laylah rules with a Heh (שָׁלְטָא לַיְלָה בְּה׳), as it is written: “And it came to pass at midnight” (וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה). “It is this night” (הוּא הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה). “And night shall shine as day…” (Psalms 139) (וְלַיְלָה כַּיּוֹם יָאִיר וְגוֹ׳). And because of this: “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִּלַּיְלָה שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִלֵּיל).

The watchman said (אָמַר שׁוֹמֵר). We have found in the Book of Adam (אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּסִפְרָא דְּאָדָם), the difference between 'And he shall say' (Vayomer) and 'He said' (Amar) (מַה בֵּין וַיֹּאמֶר לְאָמַר). 'And he shall say' (Vayomer) is above (וַיֹּאמֶר לְעֵילָּא), and 'He said' (Amar) is below (וְאָמַר לְתַתָּא), as it is written: “And unto Moshe He said” (וְאֶל מֹשֶׁה אָמַר). Who said (מַאן אָמַר)? The watchman said (אָמַר שׁוֹמֵר) - this is Metatron (דָּא מְטַטְרוֹ״ן). “Morning comes” (אָתָא בֹקֶר) - this is the prayer of Shacharit (דָּא צְלוֹתָא דְּשַׁחֲרִית), which is the dominion of day (דְּאִיהוּ שׁוּלְטָנוּ דִּימָמָא), that rules over the night (הַהוּא דְּשָׁלִיט עַל לֵילְיָא). And if you say that it comes by itself (וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּאִיהוּ אָתֵי בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), and male is separated from female (וְאִתְפְּרַשׁ דְּכַר מִנּוּקְבָא), behold it is written: “And also night” (הָא כְּתִיב וְגַם לַיְלָה) - both of them together as one (תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כַּחֲדָא), and they are not separated ever (וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשִׁין דָּא מִן דָּא לְעָלְמִין). And this voice proclaims in these words (וְקָלָא דָּא קָרֵי בְּמִלִּין אִלֵּין): “Morning comes, and also night - both are prepared for you” (אָתָא בֹקֶר וְגַם לָיְלָה, תַּרְוַויְיהוּ זְמִינִין לְגַבַּיְיכוּ). From here and onward: If you will inquire, inquire (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה אִם תִּבְעָיוּן בְּעָיוּ).

If you seek your requests in prayer before the Holy King (אִם תִּבְעוּן בָּעוּתְכוֹן בִּצְלּוֹ קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), then inquire, pray, and ask your requests (בְּעָיוּ, צַלּוּ וּבְעוּ בָּעוּתְכוֹן). And return to your Master (וְתוּבוּ לְגַבֵּי מָארֵיכוֹן). “Come” (אֵתָיוּ) - as one who is invited to receive his children and have mercy upon them (כְּמַאן דְּזַמִּין לְקַבְּלָא לִבְנוֹי, וּלְרַחֲמָא עָלַיְיהוּ). So also Kudsha Berikh Hu: “Morning and also night” (אוּף הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בֹּקֶר וְגַם לַיְלָה), He calls and says: “Come” (קָרָא וְאָמַר אֵתָיוּ). Fortunate is the holy people (זַכָּאָה עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא), whose Master desires them and calls them to draw near to Him (דְּמָארֵיהוֹן בָּעֵי עֲלוֹן, וְקָרָא לוֹן לְקָרְבָא לוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ). Then the holy people (כְּדֵין עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא), desire to join and to ascend into the synagogue (בָּעָאן לְאִתְחַבְּרָא, וּלְאַעֲלָא בְּבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא). And whoever arrives first (וְכָל מַאן דְּאַקְדִּים בְּקַדְמִיתָא), is joined with the Shekhinta in one union (אִתְחַבָּר בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא בְּחִבּוּרָא חֲדָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי): he who is first to be found in the synagogue (הַהוּא קַדְמָאָה דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בְּבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא), Some say: and lengthens there in the synagogue (נ״א: וְאוֹרִיךְ בְּבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא), fortunate is his portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ), for he stands in the degree of the Tzaddik with the Shekhinta (דְּאִיהוּ קַיְּימָא בְּדַרְגָּא דְּצַדִּיק בַּהֲדֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא). And this is the mystery (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא): “And those who seek me early shall find me” (Proverbs 8) (וּמְשַׁחֲרַי יִמְצָאֻנְנִי). This one ascends in supernal ascent (דָּא סָלִיק בִּסְלִיקוּ עִלָּאָה). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), behold we have learned (הָא תָּנֵינָן): at the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu comes into the synagogue (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתֵי לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא), and He does not find there ten (וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח תַּמָּן עַשְׂרָה), immediately He is angered (מִיַּד כּוֹעֵס). And you say: that one who came early is joined with the Shekhinta and stands in the degree of the Tzaddik (וְאַתְּ אָמַרְתְּ הַהוּא חַד דְּאַקְדִּים, אִתְחַבָּר בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְקַיְּימָא בְּדַרְגָּא דְּצַדִּיק).