Daf 157b (דַּף קנ״ז ע״ב)

And if you say: If so, that wilderness is the stronghold of the Sitra achra [Other Side] (אִי תֵּימָא, אִי הָכִי דְּהַהוּא מַדְבְּרָא אִיהוּ תֻּקְפָּא דְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא), how did Kudsha Berikh Hu [the Holy One, blessed be He] command concerning that sa‘ir [goat] (הֵיךְ פָּקִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַל הַהוּא שָׂעִיר), to send it to another mountain, which is called Azazel (לְשַׁדְּרָא לֵיהּ לְטוּרָא אָחֳרָא, דְּאִקְרֵי עֲזָאזֵל)? They should have sent it to that mountain through which Yisrael went in the wilderness (הֲוָה לוֹן לְשַׁדְּרָא לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא טוּרָא דְּאַזְלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַדְבְּרָא בֵּיהּ). But since Yisrael went through it for forty years (אֶלָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּהָא אָזְלוּ בֵּיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְבְּעִין שְׁנִין), behold, its power was broken (הָא אִתְּבַּר תֻּקְפֵּיהּ). And its power was strengthened in the place where no man has ever entered (וְתֻקְפֵּיהּ אִתְתָּקַּף בַּאֲתָר דְּלָא עָבַר בֵּיהּ גְּבָר תַּמָּן לְעָלְמִין), and in that mountain-behold, it was the dwelling of Yisrael there forty years (וּבְהַהוּא טוּרָא, הָא הֲוָה דִּיּוּרֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל תַּמָּן אַרְבְּעִין שְׁנִין).

But concerning this sa‘ir [goat] (אֲבָל בְּהַאי שָׂעִיר), that place is a mighty supernal cliff (הַהוּא אֲתָר אִיהוּ טִנָרָא תַּקִּיפָא עִלָּאָה), and beneath the depth of that cliff no man enters there (וּתְחוֹת עָמְקָא דְּהַהוּא טִנָרָא, דְּבַר נָשׁ לָא עָיִיל תַּמָּן) [Some say: no man is able to enter there] (ס״א לָא יָכִיל לְמֵיעָל תַּמָּן). There it rules more strongly, to consume its prey (אִיהוּ שַׁלִּיט יַתִּיר לְמֵיכַל טַרְפֵיהּ), so that it may depart from upon Yisrael (בְּגִין דְּיִתְעַבָּר מֵעַלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and no accuser may be found among them against them in the inhabited world (וְלָא יִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא עָלַיְיהוּ בְּיִשּׁוּבָא). The dominion of the mystery of faith is in the center of the point of the entire Holy Land (שׁוּלְטָנוּתֵיהּ דְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, גּוֹ אֶמְצָעִיתָא דִּנְקוּדָה דְּכָל אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), in the Holy of Holies (בְּבֵי קֹדֶשׁ הַקָּדָשִׁים).

And even though now it is not in its established state (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּהַשְׁתָּא לָאו אִיהוּ בְּקִיּוּמָא), by its merit the whole world is nourished (בִּזְכוּתֵיהּ כָּל עָלְמָא אִתְּזַן), and food and provision go forth from there to all (וּמְזוֹנָא וְסִפּוּקָא מִתַּמָּן נָפְקָא לְכֹלָּא), in every region of habitation (בְּכָל אֲתָר סִטְרָא דִּישׁוּבָא). And therefore, even though Yisrael are now outside the Holy Land (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, אַף עַל גַּב דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הַשְׁתָּא לְבַר מֵאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), nevertheless, through the strength and merit of the land, food and provision are found for the whole world (עִם כָּל דָּא מֵחֵילָא וּזְכוּתָא דְּאַרְעָא, אִשְׁתְּכַח מְזוֹנָא וְסִפּוּקָא לְכָל עָלְמָא). And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), “And you shall bless Hashem your Elohim for the good land which He has given you” (Devarim 8:10) (וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָךְ).

“The good land,” certainly (עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה וַדַּאי), for because of it food and provision are found in the world (דְּהָא בְּגִינָהּ מְזוֹנָא וְסִפּוּקָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעָלְמָא). Whoever delights at his table and takes delight in those foods (מַאן דְּאִתְעֲדָּן עַל פָּתוֹרֵיהּ וּמִתְעַנַּג בְּאִינּוּן מֵיכְלִין), must remember and grieve for the holiness of the Holy Land (אִית לֵיהּ לְאַדְכְּרָא וּלְדָאֲגָא עַל קְדוּשָּׁה דְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), and for the palace of the King which was destroyed (וְעַל הֵיכָלָא דְּמַלְכָּא דְּקָא אִתְחֲרִיב). And because of that sadness, when he grieves at his table (וּבְגִין הַהוּא עֲצִיבוּ דְּאִיהוּ קָא מִתְעֲצַב עַל פָּתוֹרֵיהּ), amid that joy and drinking there (בְּהַהוּא חֶדְוָה וּמִשְׁתְּיָּא דְּתַמָּן), Kudsha Berikh Hu [the Holy One, blessed be He] accounts it to him as though he had built His house (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָשִׁיב עָלֵיהּ כְּאִלּוּ בְּנָה בֵּיתֵיהּ), and built all those ruins of the Temple (וּבָנָה כָּל אִינּוּן חַרְבֵּי דְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא). Fortunate is his portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ).

The cup of blessing is only in three (כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה, לָא הֲוֵי אֶלָּא בִּתְלָתָא), because from the mystery of the three Patriarchs it is blessed (בְּגִין דְּהָא מֵרָזָא דִּתְלַת אֲבָהָן קָא מִתְבָּרְכָא), and for this reason the cup is only needed in three (וְעַל דָּא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ כּוֹס אֶלָּא בִּתְלָתָא). The cup of blessing must be given to the right and to the left, and received between them (כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ בִּימִינָא וּבִשְׂמָאלָא, וּלְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ בֵּין תַּרְוַויְיהוּ), because it is given between right and left (בְּגִין דְּאִתְיְהִיב בֵּין יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא). And afterward it must remain in the right hand, for from there it is blessed (וּלְבָתַר יִּשְׁתְּבִיק לֵיהּ בִּימִינָא, דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן אִתְבָּרְכָא).

Ten things were said about the cup of blessing (עֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים נְאֶמְרוּ בְּכוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה), and all of them are proper (וְכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), because the arrangements of the cup of blessing are ten (בְּגִין דְּתִקּוּנֵי דְּכוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה עֲשָׂרָה אִינּוּן), and this the Friends have established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּא). The cup of blessing must be gazed upon with the eye (כוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַשְׁגָּחָא בֵּיהּ בְּעֵינָא), as it is written: “The eyes of Hashem your God are upon it” (בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב, עֵינֵי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ) (Deuteronomy 11), and it must not be removed from the eye, but rather gazed upon (וְלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְנָשֵׁי מֵעֵינָא, אֶלָּא לְאַשְׁגָּחָא בֵּיהּ).

The cup of blessing is blessed with that blessing which a man blesses upon it to Kudsha Berikh Hu (כּוֹס שֶׁל בְּרָכָה, אִתְבְּרַךְ בְּהַהוּא בִּרְכְתָא, דְּקָא מְבָרֵךְ בַּר נָשׁ עָלֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), because it is the Secret of faith (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and it must be guarded with supernal guarding, as one who is the honor of the King (וְאִצְטְרִיךְ לְנַטְרָא לֵיהּ בִּנְטִירוּ עִלָּאָה, כְּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ חַשִׁיבוּתָא דְּמַלְכָּא). For on account of it, his table is blessed at the time of the blessing of food, when that man blesses (דְּהָא בְּגִינֵיהּ, אִתְבָּרַךְ פָּתוֹרֵיהּ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבִרְכָּתָא מְזוֹנָא, דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ מְבָרֵךְ). His table must not be empty (פָּתוֹרֵיהּ אִצְטְרִיךְ דְּלָא יְהֵא בְּרֵיקָנַיָּא), for blessing does not rest upon an empty table (דְּהָא לֵית בִּרְכָּתָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחָא עַל פָּתוֹרָא רֵיקָנַיָּא), as has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ), as it is written: “Tell me what you have in the house” (דִּכְתִּיב, הַגִּידִי לִי מַה יֶשׁ לָכְי בַּבָּיִת) (II Kings 4).

And therefore the table must not be seen empty (וְעַל דָּא פָּתוֹרָא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בְּרֵיקָנַיָּא), for supernal blessings do not rest except in a place that is whole (דְּהָא בִּרְכָּאן עִלָּאִין לָא שַׁרְיָין, אֶלָּא בַּאֲתָר שְׁלִים). And the mystery of this is: “And in the heart of every wise-hearted I have placed wisdom” (וְרָזָא דָּא, וּבְלֵב כָּל חָכָם לֵב נָתַתִּי חָכְמָה) (Exodus 31), and it is written: “He gives wisdom to the wise” (וּכְתִיב, יָהֵב חָכְמְתָא לְחַכִּימִין) (Daniel 2). And upon this mystery is the Table of the Showbread, as it is written: “And you shall place upon the table the Bread of the Presence before Me always” (וְעַל רָזָא דְּנָא שֻׁלְחָן דְּלֶחֶם הַפָּנִים, דִּכְתִּיב, וְנָתַתָּ עַל הַשֻׁלְחָן לֶחֶם פָּנִים לְפָנַי תָּמִיד) (Exodus 25).

Ra’aya Meheimna

The Tannaim and Amoraim gathered together (תַּנָאִין וְאָמוֹרָאִין אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ כֻּלְכוּ), for the time had come to prepare the vessels of the King (דְּהָא קָא מָטוּ שַׁעֲתָא, לְתַקְּנָא בֵּיהּ מָאנֵי מַלְכָּא), some say: to warn and to be prepared (ס״א לְאַזְהֲרָא וְלְאִתְתַּקְּנָא), to shine forth and be arranged before Him (לְאַנְהָרָא לְאִתְתַּקְנָא קָמֵיהּ), which are: the Mishkan (מַשְׁכְּנָא), the Menorah (מְנַרְתָּא), the Table (פָּתוֹרָא), the Altar (מַדְבְּחָא), the Laver (כִּיוֹר) and its Base (וְכַנוֹ), the Ark (אֲרוֹן), the Kaporet (וְכַפּוֹרֶת), and the Cherubim (וּכְרוּבִים), and all in shekels (וְכֹלָּא בְּשֶׁקֶל). And for this reason it says to Yisrael: “This they shall give” (וּבְגִין דָּא מָנֵּי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, זֶה יִתְּנוּ).

A certain Tanna arose and said (קָם תָּנָא חֲדָא וְאָמַר), “Surely the Faithful Shepherd, this is so” (וַדַּאי רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא), “and for you it was appointed to make them all” (וְלָךְ מָנֵּי לְמֶעְבַּד כֻּלְּהוּ), as it is written: ‘And you shall make a Menorah’ (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, וְעָשִׂיתָ מְנוֹרָה) (Exodus 25). ‘And you shall make a Table’ (וְעָשִׂיתָ שֻׁלְחָן) (Exodus 25). And so with all of them (וְהָכִי בְּכֹלָּא). ‘See and make’ (וּרְאֵה וַעֲשֵׂה) (Exodus 25). And from all of them, nothing was difficult for you to make (וּמִכֹּלָּא לָא אִתְקָשֵׁי לְךָ לְמֶעְבַּד), except three things that are inscribed in the letters of your name: Me-norah [The Candelabrum], She-qalim [Shekels], [and] Ha-chodesh [The Month] (אֶלָּא תְּלַת מִלִּין דִּרְשִׁימִין בְּאַתְוָון דִּשְׁמֶךָ, מְ״נוֹרָה, שְׁ״קָלִים, הַ״חֹדֶשׁ). Why were these difficult for you? (אֲמַאי אִתְקָשֵּׁי לָךְ).