Daf 144b (דַּף קמ״ד ע״ב)

Here it is fitting to contemplate (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא), and if not that the Master is here, I would not say (וְאִי לָאו דְּמַר הָכָא, לָא אֵימָא). We have learned that this world, it is in the likeness of the world above (תָּנֵינָן דְּעָלְמָא דָּא, אִיהוּ כְּגַוְונָא דְּעָלְמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and the world above, all that is in this world, so it is above (וְעָלְמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא כָּל מַה דְּהֲוָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, הָכִי אִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא).

If the serpent caused death to man below, why above? (אִי נָחָשׁ גָּרִים מוֹתָא לְאָדָם לְתַתָּא, לְעֵילָּא אֲמַאי). If you say, to the woman (אִי תֵּימָא, לְאִתְּתָא), Some say: to below (נ״א: לְתַתָּא), that on account of the serpent the light was diminished, for the Moon diminished the light at times, and in that time she dies (דִּבְגִין נָחָשׁ אִגְרַע נְהוֹרָא, דְּהָא סִיהֲרָא גָּרַע נְהוֹרָא לְזִמְנִין, וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִיהִי מִיתַת). The male - why? (דְּכוּרָא אֲמַאי). For if you say that the Moon, through the counsel of this serpent, dies through the diminishing of the light, but we have learned that it was not on account of the serpent (דְּאִי נִימָא דְּסִיהֲרָא בְּעֶטְיוֹ דְּהַאי נָחָשׁ מִיתַת, בִּגְרִיעוּ דִּנְהוֹרָא. הָא תָּנֵינָן, דְּלָא בְּגִין נָחָשׁ הֲוָה). Rather, that the Moon said before Kudsha Berikh Hu, etc., behold it was not on account of the serpent (אֶלָּא דְּאָמְרָה סִיהֲרָא קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְכוּ׳, הָא לָא הֲוָה בְּגִין נָחָשׁ). And if you say that her Husband is thus, Heaven forbid that diminution should be above (וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּבַעְלָהּ הָכִי הוּא, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם דִּגְרִיעוּ הֲוִי לְעֵילָּא). But all this is the secrets of Orayta, and the serpent in all established the diminution (אֶלָּא כָּל דָּא סִתְרֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְנָחָשׁ בְּכֹלָּא אַתְקִין גְּרִיעוּ).

Come and see, thus we have learned: everything that Kudsha Berikh Hu made, above and below, all is in the secret of male and female (תָּא חֲזֵי וְהָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא, כָּל מָה דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, כֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא דִּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָּא אִיהוּ). And as many levels as there are above, they change one from another (וְכַמָּה דַּרְגִּין אִינּוּן לְעֵילָּא, מְשַׁנְיָין אִלֵּין מֵאִלֵּין). And from level to level is the secret of Adam (וּמִדַרְגָּא עַד דַּרְגָּא רָזָא דְּאָדָם). And those levels, which are one kind, Kudsha Berikh Hu made them in the likeness of one body, until they ascend in the secret of Adam (וְאִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין דְּאִינּוּן זִינָא חֲדָא, עָבַד לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּחָד גּוּפָא, עַד דְּסַלְּקִין בְּרָזָא דְּאָדָם).

And we have learned, on the second day of the work of Bereshit, when Gehinnom was created, one body was made in the secret of Adam (וְתָנִינָן, בְּיוֹמָא תִּנְיָינָא דְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית, דְּאִתְבְּרֵי בֵּיהּ גֵּיהִנָם, אִתְעָבִיד חַד גּוּפָא בְּרָזָא דְּאָדָם). And those sinews were appointed which draw near to fire, and they die and return as before (וְאִינּוּן שַׁיְיפִין מְמָנָן דְּמִתְקָרְבִין לְאֶשָּׁא, וּמֵתִין וּמְהַדְּרָן כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין). And this, because they drew near to this serpent, and he is Adam Kadma’ah who was seduced in the Mishkan by this serpent, and therefore died, and the serpent caused him death, for he came near to him (וְדָא בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן אִתְקְרִיבוּ לְגַבֵּי הַאי חִוְיָא, וְאִיהוּ אָדָם קַדְמָאָה דְּאִתְפַּתָּא גּוֹ מַשְׁכְּנָא בְּהַאי חִוְיָא, וְעַל דָּא מִית, וְחִוְיָא גָּרִים לֵיהּ מוֹתָא דְּאִיהוּ קָרִיב לֵיהּ). And in every place, Adam is male and female (וּבְכָל אֲתָר אָדָם דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא אִיהוּ).

But Adam who is the supernal holy, he rules over all; this one gives nourishment and life to all (אֲבָל אָדָם דְּאִיהוּ קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, אִיהוּ שַׁלְטָא עַל כֹּלָּא, דָּא יָהִיב מְזוֹנָא וְחַיִּין לְכֹלָּא). And yet, in everything, the light is withheld by this strong serpent (וְעִם כָּל דָּא בְּכֹלָּא מָנַע נְהוֹרָא הַאי חִוְיָא תַּקִּיפָא). When the Mishkan of the female of that Adam is corrupted, as it is said, she dies, and the male dies, and they ascend as before (כַּד מַסְאִיב מִשְׁכְּנָא נוּקְבָּא דְּהַהוּא אָדָם כִּדְקָאָמַר מִיתַת, וּדְכוּרָא מִית, וְסַלְּקִין כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין). And upon this, all is in the likeness of that which is above (וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). He ate of those black grapes, he is assured that he is a son of the World to Come (אֲכַל אִינּוּן עֲנָבִין אוּכָמִין, מוּבְטַח לֵיהּ דְּהוּא בֶּן עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). Because he subdued and ruled over that place (בְּגִין דְּשֵׁיצֵי, וְשָׁלִיט עַל הַהוּא אֲתָר [נ״א וַאֲעֲבַר]), and overcame it, and ground it, as it is said: “He devoured and crushed” (וְאִתְגַּבָּר עָלֵיהּ, וְאַדָק לֵיהּ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר אָכְלָא וּמַדְּקָא). Once he passes beyond that strong Klipah, behold, he draws near to the World to Come, and there is none who strikes his hand (כֵּיוָן דְּאַעְבַּר הַהִיא קְלִיפָה תַּקִּיפָא, הָא אִתְקְרַב לְגַבֵּי עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וְלֵית מַאן דְּמָחֵי בִּידֵיהּ). And upon this, one who sees in his dream that he eats and crushes those black grapes, it is assured to him, etc. (וְעַל דָּא, מַאן דְּחָמֵי בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ דְּאִינּוּן עֲנָבִין אוּכָמִין אָכִל וּמְהַדֵק מוּבְטַח לֵיהּ וְכוּ׳).

In this manner, there was no song in the house of David (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, לָא הֲוֵי שִׁיר בְּבֵיתָא דְּדָוִד), until those black grapes were passed away (עַד דְּאִתְעַבָּרוּ אִינּוּן עֲנָבִין אוּכָמִין), and ruled over them (וְשַׁלְטָא עָלַיְיהוּ), and then it was said: Song of Songs (וּכְדֵין אִתְּמַר שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). And even in this place it is called “grapes” (וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּאֲתָר דָּא אִקְרֵי עֲנָבִים), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) (Hosea 9) “Like grapes in the wilderness…” (כַּעֲנָבִים בַּמִּדְבָּר וְגוֹ׳), and these are white grapes (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן עֲנָבִים חִוָּורִין).

This song is higher than all other former songs (שִׁירָתָא דָּא אִיהִי מְעַלְּיָא עַל כָּל שְׁאַר שִׁירִין דְּקַדְמָאֵי). All the previous songs that were said (כָּל שִׁירִין דְּקַדְמָאֵי אָמְרוּ), did not ascend except as songs of the supernal angels, they said (לָא סְלִיקוּ אֶלָּא גּוֹ שִׁירִין דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי אַמְרֵי). And even though, behold, it was established (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), but it is written, “A Song of Ascents, of David” (אֲבָל כְּתִיב שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת לְדָוִד), “A Song of Ascents” - a song that the supernal angels said (שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת שִׁיר דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי אַמְרֵי), for they are steps and degrees (דְּאִינּוּן מַעֲלוֹת וְדַרְגִּין). They said to whom? To David (אַמְרֵי לְמַאן. לְדָוִד). To request healing and sustenance from him (לְבַקְשָׁא טַרְפָּא וּמְזוֹנָא מִנֵּיהּ). Further: “A Song of Ascents” (תּוּ שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) (Psalms 46) “Upon Alamot, a Song” (עַל עֲלָמוֹת שִׁיר). (Song of Songs 1) “Therefore do the maidens love you” (עַל כֵּן עֲלָמוֹת אֲהֵבוּךָ). “Of David” - because David is the supernal King (לְדָוִד, בְּגִין דָּוִד מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), who constantly praises the Supernal King (דְּאִיהוּ מְשַׁבַּח תָּדִיר לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה) (Vayechi 151a). When King Shlomo came (כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא שְׁלמֹה מַלְכָּא), he said a song that is supernal above (אָמַר שִׁיר דְּאִיהוּ עִלָּאָה לְעֵילָּא).

The great ones of the supernal worlds (דְּרַבְרְבֵי עָלְמָא עִלָּאִין), say before the Supernal King (קָאַמְרֵי לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), whose peace is entirely his (דִּשְׁלָמָא כֹּלָּא דִּילֵיהּ). All those who say song (כֻּלְּהוּ דְּאַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא), did not ascend in that song to say it (לָא סְלִיקוּ בְּהַהִיא שִׁירָתָא לוֹמַר), except that song which the supernal angels say (אֶלָּא הַהוּא שִׁירָתָא דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי קָאַמְרֵי). Except King Shlomo (בַּר שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא), who ascended in that song to that which the great supernal ones, the pillars of the world, say (דְּסָלִיק בְּהַהִיא שִׁירָתָא לְמַּה דְּרַבְרְבִין עִלָּאִין עַמּוּדֵי עָלְמָא קָאַמְרֵי). All the people of the world are in lower chariots (כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא בִּרְתִיכִין תַּתָּאִין), King Shlomo in supernal chariots (שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא בִּרְתִיכִין עִלָּאִין).

And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), Moshe, who ascended in the degree of prophecy and in belovedness before Kudsha Berikh Hu (מֹשֶׁה דְּסָלִיק בְּדַרְגָּא דִּנְבוּאָה וּבַחֲבִיבוּ לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), above all people of the world (עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא), that song he said was in the lower chariots (הַהִיא שִׁירָתָא דְּקָאָמַר בִּרְתִיכִין תַּתָּאִין הֲוָה), and did not ascend further (וְלָא סָלִיק יַתִּיר).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי): the song that Moshe said (שִׁירָתָא דְּקָאָמַר מֹשֶׁה), ascended above and not below (סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא וְלָא לְתַתָּא). But he did not say a song like King Shlomo (אֲבָל לָא אָמַר שִׁירָתָא כִּשְׁלֹמֹא מַלְכָּא), and there was no man who ascended in song like Shlomo (וְלָא הֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ דְּסָלִיק בְּשִׁירָתָא כִּשְׁלֹמֹה).