Daf 158b (דַּף קנ״ח ע״ב)

Whoever cleaves to Her below, She raises him above (מַאן דְּאִתְדַּבָּק בָּהּ לְתַתָּא, אִיהִי מְסַלְּקָא לֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא). And whoever seeks to rise above Her, to cleave beyond Her, She lowers him down below from Her, and he has no portion in Her (וּמַאן דְּבָעֵי לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא עָלָהּ לְאַדְבְּקָא לְעֵילָּא מִינָּהּ, אִיהִי מַשְׁפִּילָתּוֹ לְתַתָּא מִינָּהּ, וְלֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בָּהּ). And because Ya‘akov was known in Her, he taught Her to his children, and commanded them not to seek to ascend to a rung beyond Her, for She is All - above, below, and middle (וּבְגִין דְּיַעֲקֹב אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע בָּהּ, אוֹלִיף לָהּ לִבְנוֹי, וּמָנֵי דְּלָא יְבַקְּשׁוּן לְסַלְּקָא לְדַרְגָּא לְעֵילָּא מִינָּהּ, דְּאִיהִי כֹּלָּא, עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא וְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). This is what is written: “And this is what their father spoke to them” (Bereshit 49) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְזֹאת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם). A prophet who was known in Her, cried out and said to the masters of Torah, wise in the Orayta, rich in Her, and rejoicing in their portion (נָבִיא דְּהֲוָה אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע בָּהּ, צָוַוח וְאָמַר לְמָארֵי תּוֹרָה חֲכָמִים בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וַעֲתִירִין בָּהּ, וּשְׂמֵחִים בְּחֶלְקָם). He cried out to them and said: “Thus says Hashem: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom…” (Jeremiah 9) (צָוַוח לְגַבַּיְיהוּ וְאָמַר, כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ' אַל יִתְהַלֵּל וְגוֹ'). “But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me” (Jeremiah 9) (כִּי אִם בְּזֹאת יִתְהַלֵּל הַמִּתְהַלֵּל הַשְׂכֵּל וְיָדוֹעַ אוֹתִי).

David, who knew Her, said: “Though a camp should encamp against me… in this I trust” (Psalms 27) (דָּוִד דְּהֲוָה יָדַע בָּהּ אָמַר, אִם תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה וְגוֹ', בְּזֹאת אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ). And Yirmeyahu, who saw the long exile, and Samael and the serpent and all the appointed rulers of the seventy nations, in myriad myriads descending upon Yisra’el (וְיִרְמְיָה חָזָא גָּלוּתָא אָרִיךְ, וְסָמָאֵל וְנָחָשׁ וְכָל מְמָנָן דְּשִׁבְעִין אוּמִין בְּרִבּוֹ רִבְּוָון, דְּנַחְתֵּי עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל). He saw this verse that Kudsha Berikh Hu said: “And yet for all this, when they are in the land of their enemies…” (Leviticus 26) (וְחָזָא הַאי קְרָא דְּאָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אוֹיְבֵיהֶם וְגוֹ'). The prophet said: “This I recall to my heart, therefore I have hope” (Lamentations 3) (אָמַר נָבִיא, זֹאת אָשִׁיב אֶל לִבִּי עַל כֵּן אוֹחִיל).

But he who does not set his heart even to this - about him it is said: “And the fool does not understand this” (Psalms 92) (וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׁת לִבּוֹ גַּם לָזֹאת, עָלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר, וּכְסִיל לָא יָבִין אֶת זֹאת). “And this for Yehudah, and he said: Hear, Hashem, the voice of Yehudah” (Deuteronomy 33) (וְזֹאת לִיהוּדָה וַיֹּאמַר שְׁמַע יְיָ' קוֹל יְהוּדָה), because he guarded that which his father had commanded him, he merited Molcho (בְּגִין דְּנָטִיר מַאי דְּמָנֵי לֵיהּ אֲבוֹי זָכָה לְמַלְכוּ). And David, through Her, ascended to Molcho, for he labored all his days upon Her (וְדָוִד בְּגִינָהּ אִסְתַּלָּק לְמַלְכוּ, דְּטָרַח כָּל יוֹמוֹי עָלָהּ).

The Holy Luminary said: About Her it is said, “And this is the Torah which Moshe set before the children of Yisrael” (Deuteronomy 4) (אָמַר בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא, עָלָהּ אִתְּמַר, וְזֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ'). With Her you warned Yisrael at the time of your death (בָּהּ אַזְהַרְתְּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּשְׁעַת מִיתָּתְךָ). With Her you blessed Yisrael, each and every tribe (בָּהּ בֵּרַכְתְּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּכָל שֵׁבֶט וְשֵׁבֶט). This is what is written: “And this is the blessing wherewith Moshe blessed…” (Deuteronomy 33) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַךְ מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ'). And because of this the Friends, the masters of Mishnah, established, for it is written: “This is the law: when a man dies in a tent” (Numbers 19) (וּבְגִין דָּא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, דִּכְתִיב, זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל).

And they said concerning this: What is ‘when a man dies in a tent’? Only that the Torah is established only in one who kills himself over it (וְאָמְרוּ עָלָהּ מַאי כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל, אֶלָּא אֵין הַתּוֹרָה מִתְקַיֶּימֶת, אֶלָּא בְּמִי שְׁמֵמִית עַצְמוֹ עָלֶיהָ). And there is no death except poverty, for a poor man is accounted as dead (וְלֵית מִיתָה אֶלָּא עוֹנִי, דְּעָנִי חָשׁוּב כַּמֵּת). For he is a korban that ascends and descends (דְּאִיהוּ קָרְבָּן עוֹלֶה וְיּוֹרֵד). From the side of the wealthy, he surely ascends, for it rises upon him (מִסִּטְרָא דְּעָשִׁיר עוֹלֶה וַדַּאי, דְּאִסְתַּלְּק עָלֵיהּ). For all the wealthy, all the goodness that they do, all of it - or most of it - is to merit them for the World to Come, and there it is a crown upon their heads (דְּכָל עֲתִירִין, כָּל טִיבוּ דְּעַבְדִין, כֻּלְּהוֹן [ס״א רוּבָּא דִּלְהוֹן] לְזַכָּאָה לְהוֹן לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וְתַמָּן אִיהִי תָּגָא עַל רֵישַׁיְיהוּ).

The Beinoni, who serves to merit in both worlds, he is the half-shekel with him in the World to Come (בֵּינוֹנִי, דְּפָלַח לְמִזְכֵּי בִּתְרֵין עָלְמִין, אִיהוּ מַחֲצִּית הַשֶּׁקֶל עִמֵּיהּ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), like the matzah that is divided, half of it beneath the cloth for afikoman after the meal, and half of it for the mitzvah before the meal (כְּגוֹן מַצָּה דְּאִתְפְּלִיג, חֶצְיָהּ תַּחַת הַמַּפָּה לַאֲפִיקוֹמָן בָּתַר סְעוּדָה. וְחֶצְיָהּ לְמִצְוָה קֹדֶם סְעוּדָה). And from this side it is said by Esther: “What is your petition, and it shall be given you; and what is your request, up to half the kingdom, and it shall be done” (Esther 5) (וּמִסִּטְרָא דָּא נְאֱמַר בְּאֶסְתֵּר, מַה שְּׁאֵלָתֵךְ וְיִּנָתֶן לָךְ וּמַה בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ עַד חֲצִי הַמַּלְכוּת וְתֵעָשׂ). But he who is poor, who kills himself for Her, like you, faithful shepherd, he is a korban descending beneath you (אֲבָל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ עָנִי, דְּמֵמִית גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּגִינָהּ, כְּגַוְונָא דִּילָךְ רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, אִיהוּ קָרְבָּן יוֹרֵד תְּחוֹתָךְ). And why? Because whoever humbles himself for the sake of the Shekhinta of Kudsha Berikh Hu, He descends upon him (וַאֲמַאי. בְּגִין דְּמַאן דְּאַשְׁפִּיל גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּגִין שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ נָחִית עָלֵיהּ). And this is what David said: “For Hashem is high, yet the lowly He sees” (Psalms 138) (וְהַאי הוּא דְּאָמַר דָּוִד, כִּי רָם יְיָ' וְשָׁפָל יִרְאֶה). And the prophet said: “For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell… with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit” (Isaiah 57) (וְהַנָּבִיא אָמַר, כִּי כֹה אָמַר רָם וְנִשָּׂא שׁוֹכֵן עַד וְקָדוֹשׁ שְׁמוֹ וְגוֹ' וְאֶת דַּכָּא וּשְׁפַל רוּחַ).

For even though I dwell in the height and in holiness, because he made himself contrite and lowly for the sake of My Shekhinta, to raise Her from Her lowliness as a crown upon His head, I descend to dwell with him (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דַּאֲנָא מָרוֹם וְקָדוֹשׁ אֶשְׁכּוֹן, בְּגִין הַהוּא דְּאִתְעָבִיד דַּכָּא וּשְׁפַל רוּחַ בְּגִין שְׁכִינָתִי, לְסַלְּקָא לָהּ מִשִּׁפְלּוּת דִּילָהּ עֲטָּרָא לְרֵישֵׁיהּ, אָנָא נָחִית לְדַיְּירָא עִמֵּיהּ). And after the Husband of the Shekhinta descends upon a man, She descends from upon his head and gives the place of the head to Her Husband, and She descends to the feet of the King (וּבָתַר דְּבַעְלָהּ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא נָחִית עַל בַּר נָשׁ, אִיהִי נְחִיתַת מֵעַל רֵישֵׁיהּ, וְיָהִיבַת אַתְרָא דְּרִישָׁא לְבַעְלָהּ, וּנְחִיתַת לְרַגְלוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא). And the secret of the matter is: “The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool” (Isaiah 66) (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדוֹם רַגְלָי).

From the day that a person receives a Neshama (דְּמִיּוֹמָא דְּיָרִית בַּר נָשׁ נִשְׁמְתָא), it is crowned with Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta (כְּלִילָא מְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ), from that moment (מֵהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא) he is called “son” (אִתְקְרֵי בֵּן). One Tanna said (אָמַר חַד תָּנָא): And is it from that day when a person receives a Neshama (וְכִי מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּיָרִית בַּר נָשׁ נִשְׁמְתָא), crowned with Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta (כְּלִילָא מְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ), that he is called His son? From where do we know this? (יִתְקְרֵי בְּרֵיהּ מְנָא לָן). From this verse that David said in the Book of Psalms (מֵהַאי קְרָא דְּאָמַר דָּוִד בְּסֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים): “I will declare the decree: Hashem said to me, ‘You are My son; this day I have begotten you’” (אֲסַפְּרָה אֶל חֹק יְיָ' אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ) (Psalms 2).

The Holy Luminary said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא), Ra’aya Meheimna (רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא): What is “this day I have begotten you”? (מַאי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ). Rather, for your sake David said it by the spirit of holiness (אֶלָּא בְּגִינָךְ אָמַר דָּוִד בְּרוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא), “This day I have begotten you” (אֲנִי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ). Indeed, that “day” is great (הֵן עוֹד הַיּוֹם גָּדוֹל), the one about which it is said (בְּהַהוּא דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ): “And no prophet again arose in Yisrael like Moshe” (וְלָא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה) (Devarim 34). You stood in Shekhinta (אַנְתְּ קַיְּימָת בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), and you loved Hashem your Elohim with all your heart-that is, the body (וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, דְּהַיְינוּ גּוּפָא), and with all your soul-that is, the Neshama (וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, דְּהַיְינוּ נִשְׁמְתָא), which has five names (דַּחֲמֵשׁ שְׁמָהָן אִית לָהּ): Neshama (נְשָׁמָה), Ruach (רוּחַ), Nefesh (נֶפֶשׁ), Chayah (חַיָּה), Yechidah (יְחִידָה). And with all your might-that is, with all your money (וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ, בְּכָל מָמוֹנָא דִּילָךְ).

Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta did not depart from you in all these things (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ לָא יָזוּז מִינָךְ בְּכָל אִלֵּין). You considered (אַנְתְּ חַשָׁבְתְּ), that even if all the worlds were under your authority (דְּאֲפִילּוּ הֲווֹ כָּל עָלְמִין תְּחוֹת רְשׁוּתָךְ), you would give them over to establish Shekhinta in Kudsha Berikh Hu (הֲוֵית יָהִיב לְאַקָּמָא לִשְׁכִינְתָּא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to enthrone Him with His Shekhinta over all the ministers of the nations of the world (וּלְאַמְלָכָא לֵיהּ בִּשְׁכִינְתֵּיה עַל כָּל מְמָנָן דְּאוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא), and afterward to elevate Him and His Shekhinta (וּלְבָתַר לְסַלְּקָא לֵיהּ וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ), in your likeness, crowned with all good attributes (בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דִּילָךְ כְּלִילָא מִכָּל מִדּוֹת טָבִין), in all the worlds (בְּכָל עָלְמִין), and in the upper and lower camps (וּבְמַשִּׁרְיָּין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין), and upon all Yisrael (וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל).