Daf 152b (דַּף קנ״ב ע״ב)

All colors are good for a dream (כָּל גַּוְונִין טָבִין לְחֶלְמָא), except blue (בַּר תִּכְלָא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). Because it is the throne for judging the judgments of souls (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ כֻּרְסְיָיא, לְמֵידָן דִּינִין דְּנִשְׁמָתִין). And behold, this level (some say: this one-is white (וְהָא הַאי דַּרְגָּא (נ״א: חֲדָא חִוָּרָא אִיהוּ). Except, at the time when it stands in the judgments of souls (אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקַיְּימָא בְּדִינֵי דְּנַפְשָׁאן), then it is the color blue (כְּדִין אִיהוּ גּוָֹון תִּכְלָא). And behold, we have already established this (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא).

At the moment a person sees this color (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּחָמֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְהַאי גּוָֹון), the person is reminded to perform the commandments of his Master (אִדְכַּר בַּר נָשׁ לְמֶעְבַּד פִּקּוּדִין דְּמָארֵיהּ). Like the case of the copper serpent (כְּגַוְונָא דִּנְחַשׁ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת), at the time they looked at it (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲווֹ חֲמָאן לֵיהּ), they were in awe before Kudsha Berikh Hu (הֲווֹ דַּחֲלֵי מִקַּמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and they guarded their bodies from all sins (וּמְנַטְרָן גַּרְמַיְיהוּ מִכָּל חוֹבִין), and at the time when that awe of Kudsha Berikh Hu ascended upon them (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּהַהוּא דְּחִילוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סַלְּקָא עָלַיְיהוּ), they were immediately healed (מִיָּד אִתָּסְיָין). Who caused them to be in awe before Kudsha Berikh Hu? (מַאן גָּרִים לוֹן לְדַּחֲלָא מִקָּמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), that serpent (הַהוּא נָחָשׁ), that strip they gazed upon (הַהִיא רְצוּעָה דְּמִסְתַכְּלָן בָּהּ). So too, blue (אוּף הָכִי תְּכֵלֶת), as it is written, “And you shall see it and remember all the commandments of Hashem” (וּרְאִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹת יְיָ) (Numbers 15). From that awe of Him (מֵהַהוּא דְּחִילוּ דִּילֵיהּ), and therefore, blue is in the Mishkan (וְעַל דָּא תְּכֵלֶת בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק), that which the master said, that blue is the throne of judgment (הַאי דְּאָמַר מַר תְּכֵלֶת כֻּרְסְיָיא דְּדִינָא אִיהִי), and when it stands in this color (וְכַד אִיהִי קַיְּימָא בְּגַוְונָא דָּא), then it is the throne to judge the judgments of souls (כְּדֵין אִיהִי כֻּרְסְיָיא לְמֵידָן דִּינֵי נַפְשָׁאן). When is it in mercy? (אֵימָתַי אִיהִי בְּרַחֲמֵי). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), at the time when the Keruvim turn their faces one to another (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּכְרוּבִים מְהַדְרָן אַנְפַּיְיהוּ דָּא עִם דָּא), and gaze face to face (וּמִסְתַּכְּלָן אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין). Once the Keruvim are gazing face to face (כֵּיוָן דְּאִינּוּן כְּרוּבִים מִסְתַּכְּלָן אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין), then all colors are arranged (כְּדֵין כָּל גַּוְונִין מִתְתַּקְנָן), and the color blue is transformed into another color (וְאִתְהַפָּךְ גּוָֹון תִּכְלָא לְגָוְון אַחֲרָא).

It is transformed from green to the color of gold (מִתְהַפָּךְ גּוָֹון יָרוֹק לְגָוְון זָהָב), some say: white (נ״א חוּוַר). And for this reason, by the reversal of the colors (וְעַל דָּא, בְּהִפּוּכָא דִּגְוָונִין), judgment is transformed into mercy (אִתְהַפַּךְ מִדִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי), and likewise from mercy to judgment (וְכֵן מֵרַחֲמֵי לְדִינָא), and all according to the reversal of colors (וְכֹלָּא בְּהִפּוּכָא דִּגְוָונִין). Just as Yisrael arrange their rectifications before Kudsha Berikh Hu (כְּמָה דִּמְסַדְרִין יִשְׂרָאֵל תִּקּוּנַיְיהוּ לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), so too is all upheld (הָכִי קַיָּימָא כֹּלָּא), and so is it arranged (וְהָכִי אִתְסָדַר). And about this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב) “Yisrael, in whom I will glorify Myself” (יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר) (Isaiah 49), in those colors which are included one within another (בְּאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דִּכְלִילָן דָּא בְּדָא), the most beautiful of all (שְׁפִירוּ דְּכֻלְּהוּ). (missing here) (חֲסֵר כָּאן) “And you shall make a table of shittim wood…” (וְעָשִׂיתָ שֻׁלְחָן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְגוֹ') (Exodus 25).

Rabbi Yitzḥak opened (רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח), “And you shall eat and be satisfied and bless Hashem your Elohim…” (וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְגוֹ') (Deuteronomy 8). How fortunate are Yisrael (כַּמָּה זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), that Kudsha Berikh Hu is favorable toward them (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בְּהוּ), and draws them close to Himself more than all the nations (וְקָרִיב לוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ מִכָּל עַמִּין). And because of Yisrael (וּבְגִינֵהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), He gives food and sustenance to the entire world (יָהִיב מְזוֹנָא וְשַׂבְעָא לְכָל עָלְמָא). And if not for Yisrael (וְאִלְמָלֵא יִשְׂרָאֵל), Kudsha Berikh Hu would not give sustenance to the world (לָא יָהִיב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְזוֹנָא לְעָלְמָא).

And now that Yisrael are in exile (וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן בְּגָלוּתָא), how much more so that they receive sustenance on behalf of the few (עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה דְּנַטְלֵי מְזוֹנָא עַל חַד תְּרֵין). In the time that Yisrael were in the holy land (בְּזִמְנָא דַּהֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), sustenance would descend to them from the supernal place (הֲוָה נָחִית לוֹן מְזוֹנָא מֵאֲתָר עִלָּאָה), and they would give the leftover portion to the nations who serve idols (וְאִינּוּן יָהֲבֵי חוֹלָק תַּמְצִית לְעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים), and all the nations were only sustained from that remainder (וְעַמִּין כֻּלְּהוּ לָא אִתְּזָנוּ אֶלָּא מִתַּמְצִית). But now that Yisrael are in exile (וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן בְּגָלוּתָא), it has been reversed into another condition (אִתְהַפַּךְ בְּגַוְונָא אַחֲרָא).

It is like a king (מְתַל לְמַלְכָּא), who prepared a banquet for the members of his household (דְּאַתְקִין סְעוּדָתָא לִבְנֵי בֵיתֵיהּ), and as long as they fulfilled the king’s will (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּאִינּוּן עַבְדֵי רְעוּתֵיהּ), they ate at the banquet with the king (אַכְלֵי סְעוּדָתָא עִם מַלְכָּא), and he would give the dogs leftover bones to gnaw (וְיָהֲבֵי לְכַלְבֵּי חוּלָק גַּרְמִין לְמִגְרַר).p1-35 But at the time that the members of the house did not fulfill the king’s will (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּבְנֵי בֵיתֵיהּ לָא עַבְדֵי רְעוּתָא דְּמַלְכָּא), the king gave the entire feast to the dogs (מַלְכָּא יָהִיב כָּל סְעוּדָתָא לְכַלְבֵּי), and he went up to his palace alone (וְסָלִיק לוֹן גַּרְמֵי).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא), so long as Yisrael fulfill the will of their Master (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדֵי רְעוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), behold, they eat at the table of the King (הָא עַל פָּתוֹרָא דְּמַלְכָּא אִינּוּן אַכְלֵי), and the entire banquet is prepared for them (וְכָל סְעוּדָתָא אִתְתָּקַּן לְהוֹן). And they, from their joy (וְאִינּוּן, מֵהַהוּא חֶדְוָה דִּלְהוֹן), give the bones-which are the leftovers-to idol worshippers (יָהֲבֵי גַּרְמֵי דְּאִיהוּ תַּמְצִית לְעוֹבָדֵי כּוֹכָבִים). But whenever Yisrael do not fulfill the will of their Master (וְכָל זִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לָא עַבְדֵי רְעוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), they go into exile (אַזְלֵי בְּגָלוּתָא), and behold-the banquet is given to the dogs (וְהָא סְעוּדָתָא לְכַלְבֵּי), and even the leftovers are removed from them (וְאִסְתַּלָּק לוֹן תַּמְצִית). “So shall the children of Yisrael eat their bread defiled among the nations” (כָּכָה יֹאכְלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת לַחְמָם טָמֵא בַּגּוֹיִם) (Ezekiel 4), for they eat the dregs of their purging (דְּהָא תַּמְצִית דְּגִעוּלֵיהוֹן אַכְלֵי). Woe to the son of the King (וַוי לִבְרָא דְּמַלְכָּא), who sits and waits by the table of the servant (דְּיָתִיב וּמְצַפֶּה לְפָתוֹרָא דְּעַבְדָא), eating what is left over from the servant’s table (מַה דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר מִגּוֹ פָּתוֹרָא אִיהוּ אָכִיל).

King David said (דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אָמַר), “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נְגֶד צוֹרְרָי דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה) (Psalms 23). “You prepare a table before me”-this is the banquet of the King (תַּעֲרוֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן, דָּא סְעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא). “In the presence of my enemies”-these are the dogs who sit before the table (נֶגֶד צוֹרְרָי, אִינּוּן כַּלְבֵּי דְּיַתְבֵי קָמֵי פָּתוֹרָא), waiting for the scraps of bones (מְצַפָּאן לְחוּלָק גַּרְמִין), while he sits with the King in the delight of the banquet at the table (וְאִיהוּ יָתִיב עִם מַלְכָּא בְּעִנוּגָא דִּסְעוּדָתָא בְּפָתוֹרָא). “You anoint my head with oil”-this is the beginning of the banquet (דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי, דָּא רֵישָׁא דִּסְעוּדָתָא), that all oil and richness and the arrangements of the meal (דְּכָל מִשְׁחָא, וְשַׁמְנוּנָא, וְתִקוּן סְעוּדָתָא), are given first to the beloved one of the King (אִתְיְיהִיב בְּקַדְמִיתָא לִרְחִימָא דְּמַלְכָּא). What remains, afterward, is given to the dogs (מַה דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר, לְבָתַר אִתְיְיהִיב לְכַלְבֵּי), and to those who serve the table (וּלְאִינּוּן פַּלְחֵי פָּתוֹרָא). “My cup overflows”-this is the cup that is always full before the beloved one of the King (כוֹסִי רְוָיָה, מַלְיָא כַּסָּא קָמֵי רְחִימָא דְּמַלְכָּא תָּדִיר), who does not need to ask (דְּלָא יִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִשְׁאַל). And concerning this secret (וְעַל רָזָא דָּא), Yisrael are always among the other nations (הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל תָּדִיר, עִם שְׁאַר עַמִּין).