Daf 136a (דַּף קל״ו ע״א)

Blessed (בָּרוּךָ): this is the supernal Source from which all blessings flow p1-13(דָּא מְקוֹרָא עִלָּאָה, דְּכָל בִּרְכָּן נָפְקִין מִנֵּיהּ). And when the moon is completed, we call her thus in relation to those below (וְכַד סִיהֲרָא אִשְׁתְּלִים, קָרֵינָן לָהּ הָכִי לְגַבֵי תַּתָּאֵי), but “Blessed” is the supernal Source as we have said (אֲבָל בָּרוּךְ מְקוֹרָא עִלָּאָה כִּדְקַאמְרָן). Hashem (יְיָ'): this is the middle of all the supernal sides (דָּא אֶמְצָעִי דְּכָל סִטְרִין עִלָּאִין). “The Blessed One” (הַמְבוֹרָךְ): this is the peace of the House, the fountain of the well, to complete and to provide drink to all (דָּא שְׁלָמָא דְּבֵיתָא, מַבּוּעָא דְּבֵירָא, לְאַשְׁלָמָא וּלְאַשְׁקָאָה כֹּלָּא).

“Forever and ever” (לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד): this is the lower world which needs to be blessed (דָּא עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה, דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְבָּרְכָא). And the oil and abundance of “Blessed is Hashem, the Blessed One,” all is forever and ever (וּמִשְׁחָא וּרְבוּ דְּבָרוּךְ יְיָ' וְהַמְבוֹרָךְ, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד). Blessed, as it is said, “Ben porat” (Bereshit 49) (מְבוֹרָךְ כַּמָּה דְאַתְּ אָמַר בֵּן פּוֹרָת).

And for this reason, this blessing all the people must bless (וְעַל דָּא, בְּרָכָה דָּא, אִצְטְרִיכוּ כָּל עַמָּא לְבָרְכָא). And on the eve of Shabbat, with the desire of the heart and in joy, they need to begin the service with this blessing (וּבְמַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָּא, בִּרְעוּ דְּלִבָא, וּבְחֶדְוָה בָּעוּ לְמִשְׁרֵי בְּשֵׁרוּתָא בִּבְרָכָה דָּא), so that this Shabbat, the eve of Shabbat, may be blessed by the holy people as is fitting (לְאִתְבָּרְכָא הַאי שַׁבָּת דְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבַּתָּא, מֵעַמָּא קַדִישָׁא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת).

In this blessing (בְּהַאי בְּרָכָה) - some say: “Bless” (נ״א: בָּרְכוּ). When Yisrael begin to bless (כַּד שָׁרָאן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבָרְכָא), the voice goes forth through all the heavens, which are sanctified in the holiness of the eve of Shabbat (קָלָא אָזְלָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ רְקִיעִין, דְּמִתְקַדְּשֵׁי בִּקְדוּשָּׁא דְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבַּתָּא). Blessed are you, holy people (זַכָּאִין אַתּוּן עַמָּא קַדִישָׁא), for you bless and sanctify below, so that you may be blessed and sanctified above (דְּאַתּוּן מְבָרְכֵי וּמְקַדְּשֵׁי לְתַתָּא, בְּגִין דְּיִתְבָּרְכוּן וְיִתְקַדְּשׁוּן לְעֵילָּא), together with how many supernal holy camps (כַּמָּה מַשְׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין). Blessed are they in this world, and blessed are they in the world to come (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And Yisrael do not bless this blessing until they are crowned with crowns of holy souls, as we have said (וְלָא מְבָרְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרָכָה דָּא, עַד דְּמִתְעַטְּרָן בְּעִטְרִין דְּנִשְׁמָתִין קַדִּישִׁין כִּדְקָאמְרָן). Blessed is the people who merit this in this world, to merit it also in the world to come (זַכָּאָה עַמָּא דְּזַכֵּי לוֹן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, לְמִזְכֵּי לוֹן לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

On this night is the service of the wise (בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא שִׁמּוּשָׁא דְּחַכִּימִין), with these holy souls with which they are crowned (בְּאִלֵּין נִשְׁמָתִין קַדִּישִׁין דְּמִתְעַטְּרָן בְּהוּ). And even though we have established that all is one (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּהָא אוֹקִימְנָא וְכֹלָּא חַד), in every place you will find the wise engaged in this matter, sometimes on this side and sometimes on that, yet all is one (וּבְכָל אֲתָר דְּתִשְׁכַּח לְחַכִּימִין בְּהַאי מִלָּה, בְּסִטְרָא דָּא, וּלְזִמְנִין בְּסִטְרָא דָּא, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ חַד). These matters we have already established (וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי הָא אוֹקִימְנָא). But at this time, when all are crowned with new, holy, supernal souls and spirits (אֲבָל בְּזִמְנָא דָּא, דְּמִתְעַטְּרָן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּנִשְׁמָתִין וְרוּחִין חַדְתִּין יְתֵירִין קַדִּישִׁין), then is their time of service (כְּדֵין אִיהִי זִמְנָא דְּשִׁמּוּשָׁא דִּלְהוֹן), so that their service may flow in the current of holiness, in supernal rest (בְּגִין דְּלִיהֱוֵי נְגִידוּ לְהַהוּא שִׁמּוּשָׁא, בִּנְגִידוּ דִּקְדוּשָׁה, בְּנַיְיחָא עִלָּאָה), and holy children will be born to them as is fitting (וְיִפְקוּן בְּנַיְיהוּ קַדִישִׁין כַּדְקָא חֲזִי).

This mystery is given to the wise (רָזָא דָּא לְחַכִּימִין אִתְיְיהִיבַת). At the time when night is divided, on this night, Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to ascend into the supernal Garden (בְּשַׁעֲתָּא דְּאִתְפְּלִיג לֵילְיָא, בְּלֵילְיָא דָּא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְאַעֲלָא בְּגִנְתָּא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And this mystery: in the weekdays, Kudsha Berikh Hu enters into the lower Garden of Eden to delight with the Righteous who dwell there (וְרָזָא דָּא, בְּיוֹמֵי דְּחוֹל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָאל בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן דִּלְתַתָּא, לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא עִם צַדִיקַיָּא דְּשָׁרָאן תַּמָּן).

But on Shabbat, on that night of Shabbat (וּבְשַׁבָּת, בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא דְּשַׁבְּתָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu [the Holy One, blessed be He] enters the Supernal Garden (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָאל בְּגִנְתָּא דִּלְעֵילָּא), in the mystery of the supernal Source (בְּרָזָא דִּמְקוֹרָא עִלָּאָה). For on weekdays, all the souls of the righteous dwell in the Garden that is on earth (בְּגִין דִּבְיוֹמֵי דְּחוֹל, כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִיקַיָּא כֻּלְּהוּ, בְּגִנְתָּא דִּי בְּאַרְעָא שַׁרְיָין). But when the day is sanctified at the entrance of Shabbat (וְכַד אִתְקַדָּשׁ יוֹמָא בְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבַּתָּא), all those camps of holy angels appointed within the Lower Garden (כָּל אִינּוּן מַשְׁרְיָין דְּמַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין דִּי מְמָנָן גּוֹ גִּנְתָּא דִּלְתַתָּא), all ascend to those souls who dwell within the Lower Garden (כֻּלְּהוּ סַלְּקִין לְהָנֵי נִשְׁמָתִין, דְּשַׁרְיָין גּוֹ גִּנְתָּא דִּלְתַתָּא), to bring them to that firmament which stands over the Garden (לְעַאֲלָא לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא רְקִיעָא דְּקַיְּימָא עַל גִּנְתָּא). And from there, holy chariots are prepared, which surround the Throne of Glory of the King (וּמִתַּמָּן אִזְדַּמְנוּ רְתִיכִין קַדִישִׁין, דְּסַחֲרָאן כּוּרְסֵי יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא), and they raise up all those souls into the Supernal Garden (וְסַלְּקִין לוֹן לְכָל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין, בְּגִנְתָּא דִּלְעֵילָּא). When these spirits ascend (כֵּיוָן דְּאִלֵּין רוּחִין סַלְּקִין), then other holy spirits descend (כְּדֵין רוּחִין אָחֲרָנִין קַדִּישִׁין, נַחְתִּין), so that the holy people may be crowned with them (לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּהוּ עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא).

These ascend and these descend (אִלֵּין סַלְּקִין, וְאִלֵּין נַחְתִּין). And if you say, “Behold, the Garden that is on earth sits empty on the day of Shabbat, without the souls of the righteous”—it is not so (וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא גִּנְתָּא דִּבְאַרְעָא, בְּיוֹמָא דְּשַׁבְּתָא יָתְבָא בְּרֵיקָנַיָּיא בְּלָא נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא. לָאו הָכִי). Rather, souls go and souls come (אֶלָּא נִשְׁמָתִין אַזְלִין, וְנִשְׁמָתִין אַתְיָין); souls ascend and souls descend (נִשְׁמָתִין סַלְּקִין, וְנִשְׁמָתִין נַחְתִּין); souls depart from within the Garden and other souls enter within the Garden (נִשְׁמָתִין אַזְלִין מִגּוֹ גִּנְתָּא, וְנִשְׁמָתִין אַתְיָין לְגוֹ גִּנְתָּא). All those souls of the righteous who are whitened during the weekdays, and have not yet entered within the Garden (כָּל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּמִתְלַבְּנָן בְּיוֹמֵי דְּחוֹל, וְעַד לָא עָאלוּ לְגוֹ גִּנְתָּא), at the time when these depart, those enter (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִלֵּין נָפְקִין, אִלֵּין עָאלִין), and the Garden does not remain empty (וְגִנְתָּא לָא אִשְׁתְּאַר בְּרֵיקַנְיָּא).

This is the mystery of the showbread on the day it is taken (בְּרָזָא דְּלֶחֶם הַפָּנִים בְּיוֹם הִלָּקְחוֹ) (Leviticus 24). And if you say, when they return on the weekdays, by what measure are the places stretched in length and breadth and height in the Garden, and it is not known (וְאִי תֵּימָא, כַּד אָהַדְרוּ בְּיוֹמֵי דְּחוֹל. בְּמָה אִתְמַשְּׁכָן דּוּכְתֵּי לְאָרְכָּא וּפוּתְיָא וְרוּמָא, בְּגִנְתָּא, וְלָא אִתְיְדַע). Like the mystery of the Land of the Deer, which is stretched to all sides and is not known (כְּגַוְונָא דְּרָזָא דְּאֶרֶץ הַצְּבִי, דְּהֲוָה אִתְמְשַּׁךְ לְכָל סִטְרִין וְלָא אִתְיְדַע). Like the manner of a deer, that as much as it is expanded, its hide expands to all sides, and it is not known (כְּגַוְונָא דִּצְבִי, דְּכָל מַה דְּאִתְרַבֵּי, מַשְׁכֵּיהּ אִתְרַבֵּי לְכָל סְטָר, וְלָא אִתְיְידָע). And there are some souls that once they ascend, they do not descend again (וְאִית כְּמָה נִשְׁמָתִין, דְּכֵיוָן דְּסַלְּקִין, תּוּ לָא נַחְתִּין).

Souls ascend, and souls descend, so that the holy people may be crowned with them (נִשְׁמָתִין סַלְּקִין, וְנִשְׁמָתִין נַחְתִּין, לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּהוּ עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא). And on the eve of Shabbat, it is the cycle of souls: these go and these come, these ascend and these descend (וּבְמַעֲלֵי שַׁבַּתָּא, גִּלְגּוּלָא דְּנִשְׁמָתִין אִיהוּ, אִלֵּין אַזְלִין, וְאִלֵּין אַתְיָין, אִלֵּין סַלְּקִין וְאִלֵּין נַחְתִּין). Who can behold how many holy chariots wander here and there? (מַאן חָמֵי כַּמָּה רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין, דִּי מְשַׁטְּטֵי לְכָאן וּלְכָאן). All of them in joy, all of them in Desire, with these souls to crown the holy people, to crown many Righteous (כֻלְּהוּ בְּחֶדְוָה, כֻּלְּהוּ בִּרְעוּ, בְּאִלֵּין נִשְׁמָתִין לְאַעְטְּרָא לְעַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא, לְאַעְטְּרָא לְכַמָּה צַדִּיקַיָּיא). The lower Garden of Eden, until the moment that the herald arises and proclaims: “Sanctified! Sanctified!” (גִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן לְתַתָּא, עַד שַׁעֲתָא דְּכָרוֹזָא קָאִים, וְקָארֵי מְקוּדָשׁ מְקוּדָשׁ). Then rest is found, and rest spreads over all (כְּדֵין נַיְיחָא שְׁכִיחַ, וּשְׁכִיכוּ לְכֹלָּא). And the guilty of Gehinnom are all found in their places, and they too have rest (וְחַיָּיבֵי גֵּיהִנָּם כֻּלְּהוּ מִשְׁתַּכְכֵי בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ, וְאִית לוֹן נַיְיחָא). And all souls are crowned, some above and some below (וְנִשְׁמָתִין כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעַטְּרָן, אִלֵּין לְעֵילָּא וְאִלֵּין לְתַתָּא). Blessed is the people whose portion this is theirs (זַכָּאָה עַמָּא, דְּחוּלָקָא דָּא לְהוֹן).