Daf 154b (דַּף קנ״ד ע״ב)

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And you shall make a table…” (וְעָשִׂיתָ שֻׁלְחָן וְגוֹ') (Exodus 25). This table is below (שֻׁלְחָן דָּא אִיהוּ לְתַתָּא), to place upon it the bread of faces (לְשַׁוָּאָה עָלֵיהּ לֶחֶם דְּאֲפָּיָא). Which is superior, this or that, the bread or the table? (מַאן עָדִיף דָּא מִן דָּא, לֶחֶם אוֹ שֻׁלְחָן). If you say they are entirely one (אִי תֵּימָא דְּכֹלָּא אִיהוּ חַד). Some say: if you say the bread is superior, behold, the table is arranged for the sake of that bread (ס״א אִי תֵּימָא לֶחֶם עָדִיף דְּהָא שֻׁלְחָן מִתְסַדְרָא לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא לֶחֶם). And furthermore, the table is below and the bread is upon it (וְתוּ, שֻׁלְחָן לְתַתָּא וְלֶחֶם עָלֵיהּ).

Not so! Rather, the table is the essential (לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא שֻׁלְחָן אִיהוּ עִקָּרָא), by its arrangement to receive blessings from above and sustenance for the world (בְּסִדּוּרָא דִּילֵיהּ, לְקַבְּלָא בִּרְכָּאן דִּלְעֵילָּא וּמְזוֹנָא לְעָלְמָא). And from the Secret of this table goes forth sustenance to the world as is given into it from above (וּמֵרָזָא דְּהַאי שֻׁלְחָן, נָפִיק מְזוֹנָא לְעָלְמָא כְּמָה דְּאִתְיְהִיב בֵּיהּ מִלְּעֵילָּא). And that bread is the fruit and the nourishment that goes forth from this table (וְהַהוּא לֶחֶם, אִיהוּ אִיבָּא וּמְזוֹנָא דְּקָא נָפִיק מֵהַאי שֻׁלְחָן), to show that from this table go forth fruits and nourishment to the world (לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּהָא מִשֻׁלְחָן דָּא, נַפְקֵי פֵּרִין וְאִבִין וּמְזוֹנָא לְעָלְמָא). If there were no vineyard, grapes-which are the fruit that comes from it-would not exist (אִי לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח כֶּרֶם, עֲנָבִין דְּאִינּוּן אִיבָּא דְּנַפְקֵי מִנֵּיהּ, לָא יְהוֹן מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין). If there were no tree, fruit would not be found in the world (אִי אִילָנָא לָא יְהֵא, אִיבָּא לָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח בְּעָלְמָא).

Therefore, the table is the essential, and the sustenance that goes forth from it is that bread of the Presence (בְּגִין כַּךְ, שֻׁלְחָן אִיהוּ עִקָּרָא, מְזוֹנָא דְּנָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ, אִיהוּ הַהוּא לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים). And the priests would collect the fruit of the table from Sabbath to Sabbath (וְכַהֲנֵי הֲווֹ לַקְטֵי אִיבָּא דְּשֻׁלְחָן מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת), some say: from Sabbath to Sabbath (ד״א מִשַׁבָּת לְשַׁבָּת), to show that this supernal sustenance goes forth from that table (לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּהָא מְזוֹנָא עִלָּאָה נָפִיק מִגּוֹ הַהוּא דְּשֻׁלְחָן). Because of that bread that the priests collected, all food and drink that they ate and drank was blessed (בְּגִין הַהוּא לֶחֶם דַּהֲווֹ לַקְטֵי כַּהֲנִי, אִתְבָּרְכָא כָּל מְזוֹנָא וּמְזוֹנָא דְּאַכְלֵי וְשָׁתָאן), so that the evil inclination not accuse them (דְּלָא לְקַטְרְגָא בְּהוּ יֵצֶר הָרָע), for the evil inclination is only found through food and drink (דְּהָא יֵצֶר הָרָע לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח, אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ מֵיכְלָא וּמִשְׁתְּיָּא). As it is written: “Lest I be full and deny…” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, פֶּן אֶשְׂבַּע וְכִחַשְׁתִּי וְגוֹ') (Proverbs 30), for from food and drink the evil inclination grows within a person’s belly (דְּמִגּוֹ מֵיכְלָא וּמִשְׁתְּיָּא יֵצֶר הָרָע מִתְרַבֵּי בִּמְעוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ).

This bread is the sustenance that goes forth from the table (לֶחֶם דָּא, מְזוֹנָא דְּקָא נָפִיק מִגּוֹ שֻׁלְחָן). It blesses the food of the priests (מְבָרֵךְ מְזוֹנָא דְּכַהֲנֵי), so that no accuser be present among them to accuse them (דְּלָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח בְּהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא לְקַטְרְגָא לוֹן), and that they serve with a complete heart before Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְמִפְלַח בְּלִבָּא שְׁלִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And this is needed by the priests more than all the world (וְדָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְכַהֲנֵי יַתִּיר מִכָּל עָלְמָא). And for this reason, the table is the essential, and the fruit and nourishment that goes forth from it is that bread (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, שֻׁלְחָן אִיהוּ עִקָּרָא, וְאִיבָּא וּמְזוֹנָא דְּקָא נָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ, אִיהוּ הַהוּא לֶחֶם).

This table must be arranged on the side of the north (שֻׁלְחָן דָּא, אִצְטְרִיךְ סִדּוּרָא דִּילֵיהּ לְאִתְתָּקְנָא, בְּסִטְרָא דְּצָפוֹן), as it is written: “And the table you shall place on the side of the north” (דִּכְתִיב וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן תִּתֵּן עַל צֶלַע צָפוֹן) (Exodus 25). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because from there begins the service of joy (בְּגִין דְּמִתַּמָּן שֵׁירוּתָא דְּחֶדְוָה). The left always takes from the right first (שְׂמָאלָא נָטִיל מִימִינָא תָּדִיר בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterwards it is aroused toward the female (וּלְבָתַר אִיהוּ אִתְּעַר לְגַבֵּי נוּקְבָּא), and afterward the right draws near to it and cleaves to it (וּבָתַר קָרִיבַת לֵיהּ יְמִינָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאִתְדַּבְּקַת בֵּיהּ).

Water is from the right (מַיִם אִינּוּן מִימִינָא), and it is joy (וְאִיהוּ חֶדְוָה). Immediately it gives to the left (מִיָּד יָהִיב לִשְׂמָאלָא), and those waters cleave to it and gladden it (וְאִתְדָּבָּקוּ בֵּיהּ אִינּוּן מַיִם, וְחַדָּאן לֵיהּ). And afterward it is included in the right, and is aroused to the female with that joy (וּבָתַר אִתְכְּלִיל אִיהוּ לִימִינָא, וְאִתְּעַר לְנוּקְבָּא בְּהַהוּא חֶדְוָה). And your sign: one who takes water with his right hand into a vessel (וְסִימָנָךְ, מַאן דְּנָטִיל מַיָּא בִּידֵיהּ יְמִינָא בְּמָאנָא), first pours water to the left (קַדְמָאָה לְאַרְקָא מַיָּא בִּשְׂמָאלָא אִיהוּ), and not from the left to the right (וְלָא מִשְּׂמָאלָא לִימִינָא), for the left takes the water from the right (דְּהָא מַיָּא מִימִינָא נָטִיל לוֹן שְׂמָאלָא). And for this reason water is not found except from the side of the left (וּבְגִין כָּךְ מַיָּא לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ, אֶלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא). Once the waters are taken to it, behold, they are aroused toward the female by those waters (כֵּיוָן דְּנָטִילוּ מַיָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ, הָא אִתְּעָרוּ לְגַבֵּי נוּקְבָּא בְּאִינּוּן מַיִם).

And because of this we learn of the powers of rain (וְעַל דָּא גְּבוּרוֹת גְּשָׁמִים תָּנִינָן). And because of this it is written: “And the table you shall place on the side of the north” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן תִּתֵּן עַל צֶלַע צָפוֹן), for from that side are fruits found more than from the other side (דְּמֵהַהוּא סְטָר אִיבִין אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בֵּיהּ יַתִּיר, מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא). By the arousal of its joy at first, as you say: “His left hand is under my head, and afterward His right hand embraces me” (בְּאִתְעָרוּ דְּחֶדְוָה דִּילֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי לְבָתַר וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי) (Song of Songs 2).

The table of a person must be found in purity of body (שֻׁלְחָן דְּבַר נָשׁ אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בִּנְקִיוּתָא דְּגוּפָא), so that he not approach to eat his food except with purity of himself (דְּלָא יִתְקָרֵב לְמֵיכַל מְזוֹנָא דִילֵיהּ, אֶלָּא בִּנְקִיוּתָא דְּגַרְמֵיהּ). And because of this, a person must first purify himself before he eats from the table of purity (וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ בַּר נָשׁ, לְפַנָּאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, עַד לָא יֵיכוּל מְזוֹנָא דְּשֻׁלְחָנָא דַּכְיָא). For that food prepared for him, in it Kudsha Berikh Hu delights (דְּהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא דְּאַתְקִין לֵיהּ, בֵּיהּ אִתְרְעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), so that he not approach that table of vomit and filth (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְקָרֵב עַל הַהוּא שֻׁלְחָן קִיא צוֹאָה), which is from the secret of the Sitra achra (דְּאִיהוּ מֵרָזָא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), and the Sitra achra receives nothing from this holy table of sustenance (וְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא לָא יְקַבֵּל מֵהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא דְּשֻׁלְחָן דָּא כְּלוּם).

After a person has eaten and enjoyed (לְבָתַר דְּאָכִיל בַּר נָשׁ, וְאִתְעַנָּג), he must give a portion of the remnant to the Sitra achra (אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיהַב חוּלָקָא דְּתַמְצִית לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא). And who is this? The washing of the hands after the meal, mayim acharonim (וּמַאן אִיהוּ. מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים). That residue of the hands must be given to the Sitra achra, a portion that it requires (הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא דְּיָדִין, דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיהַב לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא, חוּלָקָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ). And for this reason, surely they are an obligation-an obligation they are, and in a place of obligation they rest (וְעַל דָּא וַדַּאי אִינּוּן חוֹבָה, חוֹבָה אִינּוּן, וּבַאֲתָר דְּחוֹבָה שַׁרְיָין). And it is an obligation upon a person to give this portion (וְאִיהוּ חִיוּבָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ, לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא דָּא).

And for this reason it does not require a blessing at all, for blessing is not upon the Sitra achra (וְעַל דָּא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְבָרְכָא כְּלַל, דְּהָא בְּרָכָה לָאו אִיהוּ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא). And therefore a person must not give the food that is upon his table to that table of filth (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִצְטְרִיךְ בַּר נָשׁ, דְּלָא יָהִיב מְזוֹנָא דְעַל גַּבֵּי פָּתוֹרֵיהּ, לְהַהוּא קִיא צוֹאָה), and how much more so not into his belly (וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּמֵעוֹי), and how much more so when it is purity, goodness, health, and rectification for the person and his body (וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן דְּאִיהוּ דַּכְיוּ טָב לְבַר נָשׁ וּבְרִיאוּ וְתִקּוּנָא דְּגוּפֵיהּ). And for this reason, the table is to be eaten upon in purity, as has been said (וְעַל דָּא, שֻׁלְחָן אִיהוּ לְמֵיכַל בֵּיהּ בְּדַכְיוּ, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר).