Daf 140a (דַּף ק״מ ע״א)

Furthermore: Mi (who) - the hidden of all hidden (תּוּ. מִ״י טְמִירָא דְּכָל טְמִירִין), that is not known and not revealed at all (דְּלָא אִתְיְדַע וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא כְּלָל). He reveals His glory to be known (גַּלֵּי יְקָרֵיהּ לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא), from that place which is called Mizrach (East) (מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי מִזְרָח), for from there emerges the service of all the secret of Faith (דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן שֵׁירוּתָא דְּכָל רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and light to be revealed (וּנְהוֹרָא לְאִתְגַּלְיָיא). And afterward, Tzedek calls him to his feet (וּלְבָתַר צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ), for this Tzedek reveals the supernal Gevurah (דְּהָא צֶדֶק גַּלֵּי גְּבוּרְתָּא עִלָּאָה), and the dominion of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְשׁוּלְטָנִיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And to this Tzedek He gave dominion over all the worlds (וּלְהַאי צֶדֶק אַשְׁלְטֵיה עַל עָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ), to lead them and to rectify them properly (לְדַבְּרָא לוֹן וּלְאַתְקְנָא לוֹן כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת). And for this it is written: He gives nations before him and makes kings bow (וְעַל דָּא: יִתֵּן לְפָנָיו גּוֹיִם וּמְלָכִים יַרְדְּ) (Isaiah 41).

For all the kings of the world stand under the authority of this Tzedek (דְּהָא כָּל מַלְכִין דְּעָלְמָא, בִּרְשׁוּתָא דְּהַאי צֶדֶק קַיְימִין), as it is said: And He will judge the world with righteousness (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְהוּא יִשְׁפּוֹט תֵּבֵל בְּצֶדֶק) (Psalms 9). Furthermore: Tzedek calls him to his feet (תּוּ, צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ). Who calls to whom? (מַאן קָרֵי לְמַאן). Rather, Tzedek constantly calls to the shinning mirror (אֶלָּא, צֶדֶק אִיהוּ קָארֵי תָּדִיר לְאַסְפָּקְלַרְיָאה דְּנָהֲרָא), and it never ceases (וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ לְעָלְמִין). And Tzedek stands constantly at His feet (וְצֶדֶק קָאִים תָּדִיר לְרַגְלוֹי), never moving from there (דְּלָא אִתְעָדֵי מִתַּמָּן), and calls without ceasing (וְקָארֵי וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ). This is what is written: O God, do not be silent, do not hold Your peace, and be not still, O El (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אֱלֹהִים אַל דֳּמִי לָךְ אַל תֶּחֱרַשׁ וְאַל תִּשְׁקֹט אֵל) (Psalms 83). And now Kudsha Berikh Hu has illuminated for us this path (וְהַשְׁתָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַנְהַר לָן אָרְחָא דָּא), because of Rabbi El'azar my son, who calls to the supernal light and never ceases (בְּגִינָן [וְר׳] אֶלְעָזָר בְּרִי דְּקָרֵי לִנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ). Blessed is his portion and the portion of the Righteous in this world and in the World to Come p1-23(זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּעָלְמָא דֵין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Rabbi Abba opened a verse and said (רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח קְרָא וְאָמַר): A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Yehudah (מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בְּמִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה) (Psalms 63). What is different from all other praises (מַאי שְׁנָא מִכָּל שְׁאָר תּוּשְׁבְּחָן), that it does not say in what place King David praised them (דְּלָא קָאָמַר בְּאָן אֲתָר שַׁבַּח לוֹן דָּוִד מַלְכָּא)? And what is different here, that it says when he was in the wilderness of Yehudah (וּמַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא דְּקָאָמַר בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בְּמִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה)? Rather, not this one alone (אֶלָּא לָא דָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), for so too in another place: When he changed his demeanor before Avimelekh (דְּהָא אוּף הָכִי נַמֵּי: בְּשַׁנּוֹתוֹ אֶת טַעְמוֹ לִפְנֵי אֲבִימֶלֶךְ) (Psalms 34), and When the Ziphites came (וּבְבֹא הַזִּיפִים) (Psalms 54). And so are all of them (וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ), to show to all the people of the world (לְאַחֲזָאָה לְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא) the praises of David (שְׁבָחֵיהּ דְּדָוִד), that even though he was in suffering (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דִּבְצַעֲרָא הֲוָה), and they pursued after him (וַהֲווּ רַדְפֵי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ), still he would strive to utter songs and praises to Kudsha Berikh Hu (הֲוָה מִשְׁתָּדַּל לוֹמַר שִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And even though it was in the Holy Spirit that he said them (וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּבְרוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא הֲוָה אָמַר), still the Holy Spirit would not rest upon him until he strove to bring it to rest upon him (רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא לָא הֲוֵי שָׁארֵי עֲלוֹי, עַד דְּאִיהוּ אִשְׁתָּדַּל לְמִשְׁרֵי עֲלוֹי). And so it is everywhere (וְכֵן בְּכָל אֲתָר): The Holy Spirit from above does not rest until a person below arouses it upon him (לָא שַׁרְיָא רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָּא, עַד דְּיִתְּעַר עָלֵיהּ בַּר נָשׁ מִתַּתָּא). And David, even though they pursued after him and he was in his suffering (וְדָוִד אַף עַל גַּב דְּקָא רַדְפֵי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וַהֲוָה בְּצַעֲרֵיהּ), he did not cease from songs and praises from his mouth (לָא הֲוָה שָׁבִיק שִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן מִפּוּמֵיהּ), to praise his Master for everything (וּלְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארֵיהּ עַל כֹּלָּא).

And if you say, “That which we have learned” (וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא דְּתָנֵינָן): “Mizmor leDavid” [A Psalm of David], or “LeDavid mizmor” [To David, a Psalm] (מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד, אוֹ לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר); and here the Ruach haKodesh [Holy Spirit] rested upon him first, because it says, “Mizmor leDavid” [A Psalm of David] (וְהָכָא שָׁרַת עָלֵיהּ רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא בְּקַדְמִיתָא, בְּגִין דְּאָמַר מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד). Rather, if he had not first directed himself, the Ruach haKodesh [Holy Spirit] would not have rested upon him (אֶלָּא, אִי אִיהוּ לָא הֲוָה מְכַוֵּין גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, לָא שָרַת עָלֵיהּ רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא). “Mizmor” [A Psalm] (מִזְמוֹר)—this is the Ruach haKodesh [Holy Spirit] (דָּא רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא). Why is it called thus? (אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי הָכִי). Because she constantly praises the Supernal King (בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי מְשַׁבַּחַת תָּדִיר לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה). [Some say: that at all times he praises and sings and does not cease] (ס״א: דְּכָל זִמְנָא אִיהוּ קָא מְשַׁבַּח וּמְזַמֵּר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ). For at all times she was praising and singing and did not cease (דְּכָל זִמְנָא הֲוָה קָא מְשַׁבְּחָת וּמְזַמְּרָת, וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ). When David came (כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא דָּוִד), he found the body properly rectified (אַשְׁכַּח גּוּפָא מְתַּתְקְנָא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), and she rested upon him (וְשָׁרַת עָלֵיהּ), and they were revealed in this world (וַהֲווּ מְגַלֵּי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), to praise and sing to the King (לְשַׁבְּחָא וּלְזַמְּרָא לְמַלְכָּא). And all this was so that this world might be rectified according to the pattern above (וְכֹלָּא, בְּגִין דְּיִתְתְּקַן הַאי עָלְמָא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא).

“LeDavid” [To David] (לְדָוִד): a man complete in his rectifications (גְּבָר שְׁלִים בְּתִקּוּנוֹי), a man properly arranged (גְּבָר מְתָקָּנָא), a meritorious man (גְּבָר זַכָּאָה). David indeed, who never changed forever (דָּוִד וַדַּאי דְּלָא אִשְׁתָּנֵי לְעָלְמִין). “When he was in the wilderness of Yehudah” (בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בְּמִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה)—this is David’s praise (דָּא שְׁבָחָא דְּדָוִד): that even though he was in his suffering (אַף עַל גַּב דִּבְצַעֲרֵיהּ הֲוָה), even though they pursued after him (אַף עַל גַּב דַּהֲווֹ רַדְפֵי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ). And what praise did he say? (וּמַאי תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא קָאָמַר). A praise that is great and precious (תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּאִיהוּ רַב וְיַקִּירָא). And what is his praise? (וּשְׁבָחָא דִּילֵיהּ מַאי אִיהִי). “O Elohim, You are my El; I will seek You early” (Tehillim 63:2) (אֱלֹהִים אֵלִי אַתָּה אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ). “Elohim” without qualification (אֱלֹהִים סְתָם). Since he said “Elohim,” why “my El”? (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר אֱלֹהִים, אֲמַאי אֵלִי). Rather, that is his level (אֶלָּא הַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ). There are three levels here: “Elohim,” “my El,” and “You” (תְּלַת דַּרְגִּין הָכָא: אֱלֹהִים, אֵלִי, אַתָּה). And even though they are three Names (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינּוּן תְּלַת שְׁמָהָן), they are one level (חַד דַּרְגָּא אִיהוּ), in the mystery of Elohim Chayyim [Living God] (בְּרָזָא דֶּאֱלֹהִים חַיִּים).

Elohim - above: Living Elohim [Elohim Chayyim] (אֱלֹהִים: לְעֵילָּא, אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים). Eli (my El) - from one end of heaven to the other end of heaven (אֵלִי: קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם עַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם) (Bereshit 1b). Atah (You) - his level p1-24(אַתָּה: דַּרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ). I will seek You early (Ashacharecha) - if according to its simple meaning, it is well (אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ, אִי כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ דִּילֵיהּ, שַׁפִּיר). But I will seek You early to prepare the light that shines in blackness (אֲבָל אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ, אַתְקִין נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר בְּשַׁחְרוּתָא). For the light that exists in darkness does not shine until it is prepared for it below (דְּהָא נְהוֹרָא דְּקַיְּימָא בְּשַׁחְרוּתָא, לָא נָהִיר עַד דְּיִתְתַּקְנוּן לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא). And he who prepares this black light (וּמַאן דְּאַתְקִין נְהוֹרָא שַׁחֲרָא דָּא), even though it is dark (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהִי אוּכָמָא), merits to the white light that shines p1-25(זָכֵי לִנְהוֹרָא חִוָּורָא דְּנָהִיר). And this is the light of the shining mirror (וְדָא אִיהִי נְהוֹרָא אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּנָהֲרָא), and this is the man who merits the world to come (וְדָא אִיהוּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּזָכֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).