Daf 143b (דַּף קמ״ג ע״ב)

The Mishkan that Moshe made in the wilderness (מִשְׁכָּן דְּעָבַד מֹשֶׁה בְּמַדְבְּרָא), to bring down the Shekhinta to earth (לְנַחְתָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא לְאַרְעָא), on that day another Mishkan was erected with it above (בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא מִשְׁכָּן אַחֲרָא אִתּוּקַם עִמֵּיהּ לְעֵילָּא), as it has been established, as it is written: “the Mishkan was erected” (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ דִּכְתִּיב הוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן), “the Mishkan” - meaning another Mishkan that was erected with it (הַמִּשְׁכָּן: מִשְׁכָּן אַחֲרָא דְּאִתְקַם עִמֵּיהּ), and this is the Mishkan of the youth Metatron, and no more (וְדָא מִשְׁכָּן דְּנַעַר מְטַטְרוֹ''ן, וְלָא יַתִּיר). When the First Temple was built (בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן כַּד אִתְבְּנֵי), another First Temple was built with it (בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן אַחֲרָא אִתְבְּנֵי עִמֵּיהּ), and it was established in all the worlds (וְאִתְקָיַּים בְּעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ), and it shone into all the worlds (וְאַנְהִיר לְכָל עָלְמִין), and the world was perfumed (וְאִתְבָּסַם עָלְמָא), and all the supernal portals were opened to shine (וְאִתְפָּתְחוּ כָּל מַשְׁקוֹפֵי עִלָּאִין לְאַנְהָרָא), and there was no joy in all the worlds like that day (וְלָא הֲוָה חֶדְוָה בְּכָל עָלְמִין כְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא). Then the above and below opened and said song (כְּדֵין פָּתְחוּ עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי וְאָמְרוּ שִׁירָתָא), and this is Shir haShirim (וְהַיְינוּ שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים).

A song of those minstrels who play before Kudsha Berikh Hu (שִׁירָתָא דְּאִינּוּן מְנַגְּנִין דִּמְנַגְנָן לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). King David said Song of Ascents (Shir Ha-Ma'alot) (דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אָמַר שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת), Shlomo the king said Song of Songs [Shir Ha-Shirim] (שְׁלמֹה מַלְכָּא אָמַר שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים), a song from those minstrels (שִׁיר מֵאִינּוּן מְנַגְּנִין). What is the difference between this one and that one? (מָה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי) For it has been heard that all is one (דְּהָא אִשְׁתְּמַע דְּכֹלָּא חַד).

But indeed, all is one (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי כֹּלָּא חַד), however in the days of King David (אֲבָל בְּיוֹמֵי דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא), all of those minstrels were not yet arranged in their places to sing properly (לָא הֲווֹ כָּל אִינּוּן מְנַגְּנִין מְתַּתְקְנָן בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ, לְנַגְּנָא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), and the Temple was not yet built (וּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא לָא אִתְבְּנֵי), and therefore they were not yet arranged above in their places (וּבְּגִין כָּךְ לָא אִתְתָּקָנוּ לְעֵילָּא בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ). For just as there are orders of watches arranged below in the land (דְּהָא כְּמָה דְּאִית תִּקּוּנִי דְּמִשְׁמָרוֹת בְּאַרְעָא), so too in the firmament (אוּף הָכִי בִּרְקִיעָא), and these stand opposite those (וְקַיְימִין אִלֵּין לָקֳבֵל אִלֵּין). And on the day that the Temple was built (וּבְיוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּנִי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), all of them were arranged in their places (אִתְתָּקָנוּ כֻּלְּהוּ בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ), and the lamp that did not shine began to shine (וְשַׁרְגָּא דְּלָא נַהֲרָא שָׁרִיאַת לְאַנְהָרָא). And this song was arranged before the supernal King (וְשִׁירָתָא דָּא אִתְתַּקְנַת לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), the King whose is peace (מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִּילֵיהּ). And this praise is more exalted than all previous praises (וְתוּשְׁבְּחָא דָּא אִיהִי מְעַלְּיָא, מִכָּל תּוּשְׁבְּחָן קַדְמָאֵי). The day that this praise was revealed in the world below (יוֹמָא דְּאִתְגְלֵי תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דָּא (בעלמא) בְּאַרְעָא), that day wholeness was found in all (הַהוּא יוֹמָא אִשְׁתְּכַח שְׁלִימוּ בְּכֹלָּא), and therefore it is the Holy of Holies (וְעַל דָּא אִיהוּ קֹדֶשׁ קֳדָשִׁים).

In the book of Adam Kadma’ah it was written (בְּסִפְרָא דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה, הֲוָה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ): “On the day that the Temple shall be established” (בְּיוֹמָא דְיִתְקָם בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), Some say: “On the day that the Temple shall be built” (ד״א דיתבני בי מקדשא') “the Patriarchs shall awaken in song, above and below” (יִתְּעֲרוּן אֲבָהָן שִׁירָתָא, עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). And therefore we find the letter Shin among the great letters (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אַשְׁכַּחְנָא שִׁין מֵאַתְוָון רַבְרְבָן). And these are those that awaken, not that they play music (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּקָא אַתְּעָרוּ, לָאו דְּאִינּוּן מְנַגְּנָן), but that they awaken towards Above (אֶלָּא דְּאִינּוּן מִתְעָרֵי לְגַבֵּי עֵילָא). Some say: as if songs that are great songs (ד״א ל״ג כביכול שִׁיר דְּאִינּוּן שִׁירִין רַבְרְבָן), which are appointed over all the worlds (דִּמְמָנָן עַל עָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ). And we have learned (וְתָנִינָן), on that day Ya‘akov the Complete rose (בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא קָם יַעֲקֹב שְׁלֵימָא), and entered into Gan Eden (וְעָאל בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן), in joy, to his place (בְּחֵידוּ, עַל דּוּכְתֵּיהּ). Then Gan Eden began to play music (כְּדֵין גִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, שָׁאֲרִי לְנַגְּנָא), and all those spices of the garden (וְכָל אִינּוּן בּוּסְמִין דְּגִנְתָּא). Who caused this song, and who spoke it? (מַאן גָּרִים שִׁירָתָא דָּא, וּמַאן אָמַר לָהּ) It must be said, it was Ya‘akov (הֲוֵי אֵימָא דָּא יַעֲקֹב), for if he had not entered into Gan Eden (דְּאִלְמָלֵא אִיהוּ לָא עָאל בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן), the garden would not have spoken the song (לָא אָמַר גִּנְתָּא שִׁירָתָא). This song is the song (שִׁירָתָא דָּא שִׁירָתָא), which is the entirety of all the Orayta (דְּאִיהִי כְּלָלָא דְּכָל אוֹרַיְּיתָא). A song in which Above and Below are awakened towards it (שִׁירָתָא דְּעִלָאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי מִתְעָרֵי לְגַבָּהּ).

A song which is in the likeness of the world above (שִׁירָתָא דְּאִיהִי כְּגַוְונָא דְּעָלְמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), which is the Supernal Shabbat (דְּאִיהוּ שַׁבָּת עִלָּאָה). A song of the Supernal Holy Name (שִׁירָתָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה), which is crowned by it (אִתְעַטַּר בְּגִינֵיהּ). And therefore it is Holy of Holies (וְעַל דָּא אִיהוּ קֹדֶשׁ קֳדָשִׁים). Why? (מַאי טַעְמָא) Because all words are in love and in joy entirely (בְּגִין דְּכָל מִלּוֹי בִּרְחִימוּ וּבְחֶדְוָה כֹּלָּא). And this is because the Cup of Blessing is given in the right hand (בְּגִין דְּכוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה אִתְיְהִיב בִּימִינָא), and when it is given in the right hand (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְיְהִיב בִּימִינָא), then every joy and every love is found (כְּדֵין כָּל חֵידוּ וְכָל רְחִימוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח). And therefore, in love and in joy are all words (וּבְגִין כַּךְ בִּרְחִימוּ וּבְחֶדְוָה כָּל מִלּוֹי). At the time when this right hand is turned backward (בְּזִמְנָא דְּהַאי יְמִינָא אִתְהַדָּר לַאֲחוֹרָא), as it is said: “He has withdrawn His right hand” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (איכה ב) הֵשִׁיב אָחוֹר יְמִינוֹ), then the Cup of Blessing is given in the left hand (כְּדֵין כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה אִתְיְהִיב בִּשְׂמָאלָא). When it is given in the left hand (כֵיוָן דְּאִתְיְהִיב בִּשְׂמָאלָא), Above and Below begin to open upon it lamentation (שָׁרִיאוּ עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי לְמִפְתַּח עָלֵיהּ קִינָה). And what do they say? (וּמַאי קָאַמְרֵי) “Eikhah” - “Where is this?” (אֵיכָה, אֵי כָּה), “Where is the Cup of Blessing?” (אֵי כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה), for that supernal place in which She used to dwell (דַּאֲתָר עִלָּאָה דַּהֲוֵית יָתְבָא בְּגַוֵּיהּ), has been withheld and diminished from Her (אִתְמָנַּע וְאִתְגְרַע מִנָּהּ).

Therefore, Shir haShirim, which was from the side of the right hand (בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים, דְּהֲוָה מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא), was entirely love and joy (כָּל מִלּוֹי רְחִימוּ וְחֶדְוָה). “Eikhah” - when the right hand is lacking (אֵיכָה, דְּחָסִיר יְמִינָא), and the left is found (וְאִשְׁתְּכַח שְׂמָאלָא), then all words are lamentations and dirges (כָּל מִלּוֹי אִינּוּן קַנְטוּרִין וְקִינִין). And if you say: All joy and all happiness and all song come from the side of the left (וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא כָּל חִידוּ, וְכָל חֶדְוָה, וְכָל שִׁיר, מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא אִיהוּ), and therefore Levites, from the side of the left, sing songs (וְעַל דָּא לֵוָאֵי מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא מְנַגְנֵי שִׁירָתָא). But, all joy that is found from the side of the left (אֶלָּא, כָּל חִידוּ דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), is not found except in the time when the right joins with it (לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דִּימִינָא אִתְדַּבָּק בַּהֲדֵיהּ). And when the right is aroused and joined with it (וּבְזִמְנָא דִּימִינָא אִתְּעַר וְאִתְדַּבָּק בַּהֲדֵיהּ), then that joy is from the right (כְּדֵין הַהוּא חֶדְוָה מִימִינָא), and it turns the anger (אִיהוּ דְּקָא אוֹטִיב לְרִתְּחָא). And when the anger is found (וְכַד רִתְחָא אִשְׁתְּכַּךְ), joy is from the right (וְחִדוּ אִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא), and then perfect joy comes from this side (כְּדֵין חֶדְוָה שְׁלֵימָתָא אָתֵי מֵהַאי סִטְרָא). And when the right is not found (וְכַד יְמִינָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח), the anger of the left increases (רִתְחָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא נָּפִישׁ), and does not rest, and does not turn, and does not rejoice (וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ, וְלָא אוֹטִיב, וְלָא חַדֵּי). Then comes “Eikhah” - “Where is this?” (כְּדֵין אֵיכָה, אֵי כָּה). What shall be with the Cup of Blessing (כוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה מָה תְּהֵא עָלֶיהָ), which sits in the left (דְּקָא יָתְבָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא), and the anger increases and does not rest (וְרִתְּחָא נָּפִישׁ, וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ). Surely lamentations and dirges are awakened (וַדַּאי קַנְטוּרִין וְקִינִין מִתְעָרִין).