Daf 144a (דַּף קמ״ד ע״א)

But Shir haShirim, is surely the Cup of Blessing given in the right hand (אֲבָל שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים, וַדַּאי כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה דְּאִתְיְהִיב בִּימִינָא), and entrusted within it (וְאִתְמְסָר בְּגַוֵּיהּ), and therefore every love and every joy is found (וְעַל דָּא כָּל רְחִימוּ וְכָל חִידוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח). And because of this, all words are in love and in joy (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כָּל מִלּוֹי בִּרְחִימוּ וּבְחֶדְוָה), and it is not found in all other songs of the world in this way (וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בִּשְׁאַר כָּל שִׁירִין דְּעָלְמָא הָכִי). And because of this, from the side of the Patriarchs this song was aroused (וּבְגִין דָּא מִסִּטְרָא דַּאֲבָהָן אִתְּעַר שִׁירָתָא דָּא).

On the day that this song was revealed (יוֹמָא דְּאִתְגְלֵי שִׁירָתָא דָּא), that day the Shekhinta descended to earth (הַהוּא יוֹמָא נַחְתַּת שְׁכִינְתָּא לְאַרְעָא), as it is written: “And the priests could not stand to minister, etc.” (דִּכְתִּיב וְלֹא יָכְלוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים לַעֲמוֹד לְשָׁרֵת וְגוֹ'). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעֲמָא) Because “the Glory of Hashem filled the House of Hashem” (בְּגִין כִּי מָלֵא כְבוֹד יְיָ' אֶת בֵּית יְיָ'). On that very day (בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא מַמָּשׁ), this praise was revealed (אִתְגְּלִיאַת תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דָּא), and Shlomo spoke it with the Holy Spirit (וְאָמְרָה שְׁלמֹה בְּרוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא).

The praise of this song (תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּשִׁירָתָא דָּא), is the entirety of all the Orayta (אִיהִי כְּלָלָא דְּכָל אוֹרַיְּיתָא), the entirety of all the works of Bereshit (כְּלָלָא דְּכָל עוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית), the entirety of the Secret of the Patriarchs (כְּלָלָא דְּרָזָא דַּאֲבָהָן), the entirety of the exile of Egypt (כְּלָלָא דְּגָלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם). And when Yisrael went out of Egypt (וְכַד נָפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם), and the praise at the Sea (וְתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּיַמָּא), the entirety of the ten utterances (כְּלָלָא דְּיוֹ"ד אֲמִירָן), and the standing at Mount Sinai (וְקִיּוּמָא דְּהַר סִינַי). And when Yisrael went in the wilderness (וְכַד אָזְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַדְבְּרָא), until they entered the Land (עַד דְּעָאלוּ לְאַרְעָא), and the Beit Mikdash was built (וְאִתְבְּנֵי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא). The entirety of the crowning of the Supernal Holy Name (כְּלָלָא דְּעִטוּרָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה), in love and in joy (בִּרְחִימוּ וּבְחֶדְוָה). The entirety of the exiles of Yisrael among the nations (כְּלָלָא דְּגָלוּתְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּינֵי עֲמַמְיָא), and their redemption (וּפוּרְקָנָא דִּלְהוֹן). The entirety of the Resurrection of the Dead (כְּלָלָא דִּתְחִיַית הַמֵּתִים), until the day which is Shabbat to Hashem (עַד יוֹמָא דְּאִיהִי שַׁבָּת לַיְיָ'). What was, what is, and what will be (מַאי דְּהֲוָה, וּמַאי דַּהֲוֵי, וּמַאי דְּזַמִּין לְמֶהֱוֵי), afterwards on the seventh day, when it will be Shabbat to Hashem (לְבָתַר בְּיוֹמָא שְׁבִיעָאָה, כַּד יְהֵא שַׁבָּת לַיְיָ'), all is within Shir haShirim (כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ בְּשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים). And therefore we have learned (וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן), whoever recites a verse of Shir haShirim and utters it in a tavern (כָּל מַאן דְּאַפִּיק פְּסוּקָא דְּשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים, וְאָמַר לֵיהּ בְּבֵי מִשְׁתַּיָּא), the Orayta is clothed in sackcloth (אוֹרַיְּיתָא אִיהִי חֲגִירַת שָׂק), and goes up before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְסַלְּקָא לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and says before Him (וְאָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ), “Your children made me into mockery in a tavern” (עָבְדוּ לִי בָּנֶיךָ מָחוֹךְ בְּבֵי מִשְׁתַּיָּא). Surely the Orayta goes up and says thus (וַדַּאי אוֹרַיְּיתָא סַלְקַת וְקָאַמְרָת הָכִי), therefore it must be guarded (בְּגִין דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְנַטְרָא), and to be elevated as a crown upon the head of man (וּלְסַלְּקָא עִטָּרָא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), every single word of Shir haShirim (כָּל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה דְּשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים). And if you say: why is it among the Writings? (וְאִי תֵּימָא אֲמַאי אִיהִי בֵּין הַכְּתוּבִים) Thus it surely is (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), because it is the song of the praise of Knesset Yisrael, being crowned Above (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ שִׁיר תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דִּכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, קָא מִתְעַטְּרָא לְעֵילָּא). And because of this, all praises of the world (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, כָּל תּוּשְׁבְּחָן דְּעָלְמָא), do not ascend with will before Kudsha Berikh Hu (לָא סַלְּקָא רְעוּתָא לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), like this praise (כְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דָּא).

Thus we have learned: “Shir,” one (הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא, שִׁיר, חַד). “Hashirim,” two (הַשִּׁירִים, תְּרֵין). “Asher,” behold three (אֲשֶׁר, הָא תְּלָת). And the secret of this, that the Cup of Blessing was given and was taken between right and left (וְרָזָא דָּא, דְּאִתְיְהִיב כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה וְאִתְנְטִיל בֵּין יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא). And all was aroused before the King, Whose is peace (וְכֹלָּא אִתְּעַר לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִּילֵיהּ). And in this, the Desire ascends higher and higher, in the secret of Ein Sof (וּבְהַאי אִסְתַּלָּק רְעוּתָא לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵין סוֹף). A holy chariot here is found (רְתִיכָא קַדִּישָׁא הָכָא אִשְׁתְּכַח).

For the Patriarchs, they are the chariot (דְּהָא אֲבָהָן אִינּוּן רְתִיכָא), King David was joined with them (דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אִתְחֲבָּר עִמְּהוֹן), these are four, the secret of the supernal holy chariot (אִינּוּן אַרְבַּע רָזָא דִּרְתִיכָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כַּךְ), there are four words in this first verse (אַרְבַּע תֵּיבִין בְּהַאי קְרָא קַדְמָאָה), the secret of the complete holy chariot (רָזָא דִּרְתִיכָא קַדִּישָׁא שְׁלֵימָתָא). Furthermore, the secret of this: “Shir” - this is the secret of King David, who is the secret to ascend in song (תּוּ רָזָא דָּא, שִׁיר: דָּא רָזָא דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא, דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא לְסַלְּקָא בְּשִׁיר). “Hashirim” - these are the Patriarchs, the secret of the great overseers, a complete chariot as is proper (הַשִּׁירִים: אִלֵּין אֲבָהָן, רָזָא דִּמְמָנָן רַבְרְבָן, רְתִיכָא שְׁלֵימָתָא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת). “That which is for Shlomo”: the secret of the one who rides upon the complete chariot is this (אֲשֶׁר לִשְׁלֹמֹה: רָזָא מַאן דְּרָכִיב עַל רְתִיכָא שְׁלֵימָתָא דָּא).

And in this verse is found the completeness of the secret, from world to world (וּבְהַאי קְרָא אִשְׁתְּכַח שְׁלִימוּ דְּרָזָא, מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם), the secret of all faith (רָזָא דְּכָל מְהֵימְנוּתָא). And all is a complete chariot for one who knows, and for one who is not known, and there is none who can stand to know within it (וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ רְתִיכָא שְׁלֵימָתָא לְמַאן דִּיְדִיעַ, וּלְמַאן דְּלָא אִתְיְדַע, וְלֵית מַאן דְּקָאִים לְמִנְדַּע בֵּיהּ). And upon this it is said, this verse in four words, the secret of the holy chariot complete from every side (וְעַל דָּא אִתְּמַר הַאי קְרָא בְּד' תֵּיבִין, רָזָא דִּרְתִיכָא שְׁלֵימָתָא מִכָּל סִטְרִין).

From here and onward, the secret is entrusted to the wise (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, רָזָא לְחַכִּימִין אִתְמְסָר). Furthermore, there is in it an inner secret (וְתוּ אִית בֵּיהּ רָזָא פְּנִימָאָה). For we have learned: one who sees grapes in his dream - if they are white, they are good (דְּתָנֵינָן, מַאן דְּחָמֵי עַנְבִין בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ, אִי חִיוָּרִין אִינּוּן טָבִין). Black - in their time they are good, not in their time they require mercy (אוּכָמִין, בִּזְמַנָן טָבִין, דְּלָא בִּזְמַנָן צְרִיכִין רַחֲמֵי). What is the difference between white and black, and what is the difference between in their time and not in their time? (מַאי שְׁנָא חִיוָּרֵי, וּמַאי שְׁנָא אוּכָמֵי, וּמַאי שְׁנָא בִּזְמַנָן, וּמַאי שְׁנָא דְּלָא בִּזְמַנָן). And furthermore, we have learned: if one eats of those black ones, he is assured that he is a son of the World to Come. Why? (וְתוּ, תָּנֵינָן אָכְלָן לְאִינוּן אוּכָמֵי, מוּבְטַח לֵיהּ דְּהוּא בֶּן עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, אֲמַאי).

But we have learned: the tree which Adam Kadma’ah sinned in, were grapes (אֶלָּא תָּנֵינָן, אִילָנָא דְּחָב בֵּיהּ אָדָם קַדְמָאָה, עֲנָבִין הֲווֹ). As it is written: “Their grapes are grapes of gall” (דִּכְתִּיב עֲנָבֵמוֹ עִנְּבֵי רוֹשׁ). And these are black grapes, for there are black grapes and there are white grapes (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן עֲנָבִין אוּכָמִין, בְּגִין דְּאִית עֲנָבִין אוּכָמִין, וְאִית עֲנָבִין חִוָּורִין). White are good, for they are from the side of Life (חִוָּורִין טָבִין, דְּהָא מִסְּטָר דְּחַיֵּי אִינּוּן). Black require mercy, for they are from the side of Death (אוּכָמִין צְרִיכִין רַחֲמֵי, דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּמוֹתָא אִינּוּן).

In their time, they are good. Why? (בִּזְמַנָן טָבִין, מַאי טַעֲמָא). Because in the time that white ones rule, all is sweetened (בְּגִין דִּבְזִמְנָא דְּחִוָּורֵי שַׁלְטָן, כֹּלָּא אִתְבְּסָם). For in that time, all requires Tikkun, and all is good, and all is one Tikkun, black and white (דְּהָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא כֹּלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְתִקּוּנָא, וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ שַׁפִּיר, וְכֹלָּא תִּקּוּנָא חֲדָא, אוּכָמָא וְחִוָּורָא). And in the time when the white ones do not rule, and the black ones are seen, it is to know that the judgment of death ascends, and mercy is needed (וּבִזְמְנָא דְּחִוָּורֵי לָא שַׁלְטָאן, וְאוּכָמֵי אִתְחָזוּן, לְמִינְדַּע דְּהָא בְּדִינָא דְּמוֹתָא סָלִיק, וְאִצְטְרִיךְ רַחֲמֵי). For this is the tree in which Adam Kadma’ah sinned, and caused death to himself and to the whole world, he saw (דְּהָא אִילָנָא דְּחָב בֵּיהּ אָדָם קַדְמָאָה, וְגָרִים מוֹתָא לֵיהּ וּלְכָל עָלְמָא חָמָא).