Daf 152a (דַּף קנ״ב ע״א)

When Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא), He created it through the secret of the letters (בָּרָא לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּאַתְוָון), and the letters revolved (וְאִתְגַּלְגְּלוּ אַתְוָון), and He created the world (וּבָרָא עָלְמָא), by the engravings of the Holy Name (בְּגִלּוּפֵי דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). The letters revolved (אִתְגַּלְגְּלוּ אַתְוָון), and encircled the world through the engravings (וְאַסְחֲרוּ עָלְמָא בְּגִלּוּפֵי), and when the world was revealed and expanded and created (וְכַד אִתְגְּלֵי וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט עָלְמָא וְאִתְבְּרֵי), the letters began to circle in order to create (וַהֲווּ אַתְוָון סָחֲרָן לְמִבְרֵי).

Kudsha Berikh Hu said that it would conclude with Yod (אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּיִסְתַּיֵּים בְּיוֹ״ד), and the letter Tet was left alone (אִשְׁתְּאָרַת אָת ט׳). Some say: the letters revolved, and the world was encircled through the engraving of the Holy Name, and when the letters revolved and circled for creation, Kudsha Berikh Hu said it should conclude with Yod, and the letter Tet remained alone (נ״א: יִתְגַּלְגְּלוּ אַתְוָון, וְאַסְחֲרוּ עָלְמָא בְּגִלוּפָא דְּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְכַד אִתְגַּלְגְּלוּ אַתְוָון וַהֲווּ סָחֲרָן לְמִבְרֵי, אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּיִסְתַּיֵּים בְּיוֹ״ד, אִשְׁתְּאָרַת אָת ט׳ בִּלְחוֹדָהּ).

In that place (בְּהַהוּא דּוּכְתָּא), Tet remained suspended in the air (תַּלְיָא בַּאֲוֵירָא). When Kudsha Berikh Hu said it would conclude with Yod (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דַּי יִסְתַּיֵּים בְּיוֹ״ד), the letter Tet remained alone (אִשְׁתְּאָרַת אָת טֵי״ת בִּלְחוֹדָהָא), suspended in the air (תַּלְיָא בַּאֲוֵירָא), over that place (עַל גַּבֵּי הַהוּא דּוּכְתָּא). Tet is the letter of radiant life (טֵי״ת – אִיהוּ אָת, דִּנְהִירוּ חַיִּין), and for this reason, one who sees a Tet in his dream – it is a good sign for him (בְּגִין כַּךְ, מַאן דְּחָמֵי טֵי״ת בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ, סִימָנָא טָבָא הוּא לֵיהּ), and life is established for him (וְחַיִּין אִתְתָּקָנוּ לֵיהּ). And because the Tet was suspended above that place (וְעַל דָּא בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה ט׳ תַּלְיָא עַל גַּבֵּי הַהוּא אֲתָר), death does not rule there (לָא שַׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ מוֹתָא).

When Kudsha Berikh Hu wished to establish the world (כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְקַיְּימָא עָלְמָא), He cast a bundle into the waters (זָרִיק חַד צְרוֹרָא גּוֹ מַיָּא), engraved with the secret of seventy-two (גָּלִיף בְּרָזָא דְּע״ב) (Some say: twenty-two - letters (נ״א דְּכ״ב אַתְוָון), and from there the bundle traveled onward (וּמִתַּמָּן שָׁאֲרִי לְמֵיהַךְ הַהוּא צְרוֹרָא), but could not find a place to rest (וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח אֲתָר לְאִתְקַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ), except in the Holy Land (Some say: in the Holy Temple (בַּר אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא (נ״א: בְּבֵי מִקְדְּשָׁא), and the waters followed it (וּמַיָּא הֲווֹ אַזְלִין אֲבַתְרֵיהּ), until that bundle arrived beneath the altar (עַד דְּמָטָא הַהוּא צְרוֹרָא תְּחוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ), and there it was embedded (וְתַמָּן אִשְׁתְּקַע), and the entire world was established (וְאִתְקָיָּים כָּל עָלְמָא). And if you say, if it is so that life rests in that place (וְאִי תֵּימָא, אִי הָכִי דִּבְהַהוּא אֲתָר שַׁרְיָין חַיִּין), why then was the Temple not built there, to bestow life to those who dwell there? (אֲמַאי לָא אִתְבְּנֵי תַּמָּן בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, לְמֵיהַב חַיִּין לְיַתְבָהָא). Rather, here in this place it was established because of a single letter that rests upon it (אֶלָּא הָכָא בְּהַאי אֲתָר אִתְקָיָּים בְּגִין אָת חַד דְּשַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ).

In the Beit HaMikdash, all the letters dwell within it (בְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא כָּל אַתְוָון כֻּלְּהוּ שָׁרָאן בֵּיהּ), and with them alone it was created (וּבְהוּ אִתְבְּרֵי אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), in the same manner as the entire world (כְּגַוְונָא דְּכָל עָלְמָא). And furthermore (וְתוּ), the Holy Land - Some say: the Beit HaMikdash - gives life and atonement to those who dwell in this world (דְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא – נ״א: בְּבֵי מִקְדְּשָׁא – יָהִיב חַיִּין וְכַפָּרָה לְיַתְבָהָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), but this place is not so (וַאֲתָר דָּא לָאו הָכִי), it gives life to this world only (יָהִיב חַיִּין לְהַהוּא אֲתָר בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and not to the World to Come (וְלָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). But the Beit HaMikdash is the opposite of that place (וּבֵי מִקְדְּשָׁא בְּהִפּוּכָא מִתַּמָּן), for there is a portion for Yisrael in the World to Come (בְּגִין דְּאִית חוּלָקָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), and not in this world (וְלָא בְּעָלְמָא דָּא). And for this reason, the Beit HaMikdash stands to atone for sins (וְעַל דָּא קַיְּימָא בֵּי מִקְדְּשָׁא לְכַפָּרָא חוֹבִין), and to merit Yisrael for the World to Come (וּלְמִזְכֵּי לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the letter Tet is the radiance of life in every place (טֵי״ת נְהִירוּ דְּחַיִּין בְּכָל אֲתָר), and for this reason the verse opens with it, “for it is good” (וְעַל דָּא פָּתַח בָּהּ קְרָא כִּי טוֹב), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Bereshit 1) “And Elohim saw the light, that it was good” (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב). From this letter (מֵהַאי אָת), some say: from this place (נ״א: מֵאַתַר דָּא), the destructive angel is removed (עָרִיק מַלְאָכָא מְחַבְּלָא); do not say “removed” (לָא תֵּימָא עָרִיק), but rather that he is not given permission to enter there (אֶלָּא דְּלָא אִתְיְיהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְאַעֲלָא תַּמָּן). This letter is distinct from the letter Kuf (אָת דָּא מְשַׁנְיָא מֵאָת ק׳), Kuf does not settle (some say: from the letter Chet, Chet does not settle (ק׳ לָא מִתְיַישְּׁבָא – נ״א: מֵאָת ח׳, ח׳ לָא מִתְיַישְּׁבָא) - at all in any place in the world (כְּלַל בְּדוּכְתָּא בְּעָלְמָא), and your sign for this is (Tehillim 140) “A man of tongue shall not be established in the land” (וְסִימָנִךְ: אִישׁ לָשׁוֹן בַּל יִכּוֹן בָּאָרֶץ). The letter Tet is established in every place (אָת טֵי״ת אִתְיַישְׁבָא בְּכָל דּוּכְתָּא), and it is properly arranged to be established as is fitting (וְאִתְתַּקָּנַת לְאִתְיַישְּׁבָא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת); and for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), in every place that the letter Tet is present (בְּכָל דּוּכְתָּא דְּאָת ט׳ תַּמָּן), the letter Kuf has no place to be established there (לֵית יִשׁוּבָא לְאָת ק׳ תַּמָּן לְאִתְיַישְּׁבָא בֵּיהּ).

And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), this place is not ruled at all by the Sitra achra (אֲתָר דָּא לָא שַׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ כְּלַל סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), and it gives life in this world to those who dwell beneath the authority of this letter (וְיָהִיב חַיִּין דְּהַאי עָלְמָא לְיַתְבֵי תְּחוֹתֵיהּ דְּאָת דָּא), and it does not go out beyond (וְלָא יִפּוּק לְבַר); but when it does go out (וְכַד נָפִיק לְבַר), then permission is given to the Sitra achra to rule over it (אִית רְשׁוּ לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בֵּיהּ). Just as this letter rules over this place (כְּמָה דְּאָת דָּא שַׁלְטָא בְּאֲתָר דָּא), so too does another letter rule over the place of Gehinnom (הָכִי נָמֵי שַׁלְטָא אָת אַחֲרָא בְּאֲתָר דְּגֵיהִנָּם); and what is that letter? (וּמַאן אִיהִי), the letter Kuf (אָת ק׳). And in the book of Rav Hamnuna Sava (וּבְסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא), here are found two letters: Chet and Tet (הָכָא אִינּוּן תְּרֵין אַתְוָון: ח׳, ט׳). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), they were not written among the stones of beryl (לָא הֲווֹ כְּתִיבִין גּוֹ אַבְנִי בּוּרְלָא), the stones of completion (אֲבָנִין דְּאַשְׁלָמוּתָא), and the tribes of Yisrael (וּשְׁבָטִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), these two letters were withheld from among them (תְּרֵין אַתְוָון אִלֵּין אִתְמְנָעוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ), so that the word “sin” would not be inscribed within them (בְּגִין דְּלָא יְהֵא רָשִׁים בְּגַּוַּויְיהוּ חֵ״ט).

In the place of the Beit haMikdash (בְּאֲתָר דְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא), hang all the letters of the Alef-Bet (תַּלְיָין כָּל אַתְוָון דְּאַלְפָא בֵּיתָא), in engraved secrets of the holy Names (בְּרָזִין גְּלִיפָן דִּשְׁמָהָן קַדִּישִׁין), bound, embroidered upon it (קְשִׁירִין, מְרֻקָּמָן עָלֵיהּ), and the entire world above and below (וְכָל עָלְמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא), all is in the secret of the letters (כֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא דְּאַתְוָון), burning (מִּתְחַמְמָן), some say: engraved (נ״א מִתְחַקְּקָן), and carved (וּגְּלִיפָא), and secrets of Kedusha above (וְרָזִין דִּקְדֻשָׁא עִלָּאָה), some say: of the holy Name (ס״א דְּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), are engraved upon them (עָלַיְיהוּ אִתְגְּלִיף).

In the Mishkan were engraved and formed the letters properly (בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא אִתְגְּלִיפוּ וְאִתְצָיָירוּ אַתְוָון כַּדְקָא חֲזִי). For Betzalel knew Chokhmah (דְּהָא בְּצַלְאֵל הֲוָה יָדַע חָכְמְתָא), to combine the letters through which the heavens and the earth were created (לְצָרְפָא אַתְוָון דְּאִתְבְּרִיאוּ בְּהוּ שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא). And by his Chokhmah (וְעַל חָכְמְתָא דִּילֵיהּ), some say: that one (נ״א דָּא), the Mishkan was built by his hand (אִתְבְּנֵי מַשְׁכְּנָא עַל יְדֵיהּ), and he was chosen from all the people of Yisrael (וְאִתְבְּרִיר מִכָּל עַמָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And just as he was chosen above (וּכְמָה דְּאִיהוּ אִתְבְּרִיר לְעֵילָּא), so did Kudsha Berikh Hu desire that he be chosen below (הָכִי בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּיִתְבְּרִיר לְתַתָּא).

Above it is written (Exodus 31) (לְעֵילָּא כְּתִיב רְאֵה קָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם בְּצַלְאֵל), below (Exodus 35) (לְתַתָּא רְאוּ קָרָא יְיָ בְּשֵׁם בְּצַלְאֵל). And his name, in a supernal Secret, is called thus: Betzalel-in the shadow of El (וּשְׁמֵיהּ בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה אִקְרֵי הָכִי בְּצַלְאֵל: בְּצֵל אֵל). And who is he? This is the Tzaddik (וּמַאן אִיהוּ דָּא צַדִּיק), who sits in the shadow of El (דְּאִיהוּ יָתִיב בְּצֵל אֵל), that one who is called El, El Elyon p1-34(הַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי אֵל עֶלְיוֹן). And he sits in the likeness of that El (וְאִיהוּ יָתִיב כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַהוּא אֵל). That El takes six directions (הַהוּא אֵל נָטִיל שִׁית סִטְרִין), that Tzaddik takes them (הַהוּא צַדִּיק נָטִיל לוֹן). Likewise, that El shines above (אוּף הָכִי, הַהוּא אֵל אַנְהִיר לְעֵילָּא), this Tzaddik shines below (הַאי צַדִּיק אַנְהִיר לְתַתָּא). That El, the totality of all six directions (הַהוּא אֵל, כְּלָלָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ שִׁית סִטְרִין).

That Tzaddik, the totality of all six directions (הַהוּא צַדִּיק, כְּלָלָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ שִׁית סִטְרִין). Ben Uri: the son of primordial light (בֶּן אוּרִי: בֶּן אוֹר קַדְמָאָה), which Kudsha Berikh Hu created in the work of Bereshit (דְּבָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית). Ben Chur: the son of freedom of all (בֶּן חוּר: בֶּן חִירוּ דְּכֹלָּא). Another matter: Ben Chur-son of whiteness from all colors (דָּבָר אַחֵר, בֶּן חוּר: בֶּן חִוָּור מִכָּל גַּוְונִין). And this one was appointed for the tribe of Yehuda (וְדָא אִתְמָנֵי לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה), all as is fitting (כֹּלָּא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת).