Daf 161a (דַּף קס״א ע״א)

Surely, this person who unifies the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu above and below as is fitting (וַדַּאי הַאי בַּר נָשׁ, דְּקָא מְיַחֵד שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), the Shekhinta comes and rests upon his head (שְׁכִינְתָּא אַתְיָא וְשַׁרְיָא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ), and blesses him with seven blessings (וּמְבָרֵךְ לֵיהּ בְּשֶׁבַע בִּרְכָּאן), and it is said of him (וְקָרֵי עָלֵיהּ): “And He said to me: You are My servant, Yisrael, in whom I will be glorified” (וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר) (Isaiah 49).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened after him and said (רַבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח אֲבַתְרֵיהּ וְאָמַר): “You have been shown to know that Hashem is Elohim…” (אַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת כִּי יְיָ' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ') (Deuteronomy 4). This verse must be contemplated (הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ): “You have been shown” - what is have been shown? (אַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ, מַאי הָרְאֵתָ).

Rather, when Yisrael came out of Egypt (אֶלָּא כַּד נָפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם), they did not know at all the secret of faith in Kudsha Berikh Hu (לָא הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי בְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם), because they all had been worshippers of foreign service in exile (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ פַּלְחֵי פּוּלְחָנָא נוּכְרָאָה בְּגָלוּתָא), and they had forgotten all the roots of faith (וְאַנְשׁוּ כָּל עִקָּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), which had been in them previously, inherited from their father Ya'akov (דְּהֲוָה בְּהוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, דְּיָרִיתוּ כָּל אִינּוּן תְּרֵיסַר שְׁבָטִין מֵאֲבוּהוֹן יַעֲקֹב). When Moshe came (וְכַד אָתָא מֹשֶׁה), he taught them that there is a supernal Eloah in the world (אוֹלִיף לוֹן דְּאִית אֱלוֹהַּ עִלָּאָה בְּעָלְמָא), as has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ). Afterwards they saw all those miracles and mighty deeds at the sea (לְבָתַר חָמוּ כָּל אִינּוּן נִסִּין וּגְבוּרָן דְּעַל יַמָּא), and all the miracles and mighty deeds He performed for them in Egypt (וְכָל נִסִּין וּגְבוּרָן דְּעָבַד לְהוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם). Afterwards they saw many mighty deeds (לְבָתַר חָמוּ כַּמָה גְּבוּרָן): with manna, and with water (בְּמָנָא וּבְמַיָּא), and the Orayta was given to them (וְאִתְיְהִיבַת לוֹן אוֹרַיְיתָא), and they were taught the ways of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאוֹלִיפוּ אָרְחֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), until they reached this moment (עַד דְּמָטֵי לְעִדָּנָא דָּא).

Moshe said to them (אָמַר לוֹן מֹשֶׁה): Until now, I needed to teach you like one teaches children (עַד הַשְׁתָּא אִצְטְרִיכְנָא לְמֵילַף לְכוּ, כְּמָה דְּיַלְפִין לְרַבְיָּא). (From here onward) (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה): this is “You have been shown to know” (וְדָא הוּא אַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת), and you have been taught up to here (וְאוֹלִיפַת עַד הָכָא), to know, to understand, and to enter into the secret of faith (לָדַעַת לְמִנְדַּע וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא וּלְמֵיעַל בְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). And what is it? “That Hashem is the Elohim” (וּמַאי אִיהִי: כִּי יְיָ' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים). If you say it is a small matter to know (אִי תֵּימָא מִלָּה זְעִירָא הִיא לְמִנְדַּע), behold it is written: “You shall know today and return it to your heart, that Hashem is the Elohim in the heavens above and on the earth below, there is none else” (הָא כְּתִיב: וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבוֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ כִּי יְיָ' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל הָאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת אֵין עוֹד) (Deuteronomy 4). Here is suspended the entire secret of faith (הָכָא תַּלְיָא כָּל רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), to know from this, the secret of all secrets (לְמִנְדַּע מִגּוֹ דָּא רָזָא דְּכָל רָזִין), to know the hidden of all hidden things (לְמִנְדַּע סְתִימוּ נ״א רָזָא דְּכָלּוּכוּ דְּכָל סְתִימִין): YHVH Elohim, the complete Name, and all is one (יְהֹוָ״ה אֱלֹהִים שֵׁם מָלֵּא, וְכֹלָּא חַד). “You have been shown to know” - here is the secret of secrets for those who know judgment (אַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת, הָכָא רָזָא דְּרָזִין לְאִינּוּן יַדְעֵי מִדִּין).

Blessed are those who labor in the Orayta (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן כָּל אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), for when Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (וּבְגִין דְּכַד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא), He looked into it, into the Orayta, and created the world (אִסְתָּכַּל בָּהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּבָרָא עָלְמָא), and in the Orayta the world was created (וּבְאוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא), as has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ): as it is written, “And I was with Him as a nursling” (דִּכְתִיב: וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן) (Proverbs 8) - do not read amon (nursling), but uman (craftsman) (אַל תִּקְרֵי אָמוֹן אֶלָּא אוּמָן). And is the Orayta an craftsman? (וְכִי אוֹרַיְיתָא אוּמָנָא הֲוָה)

Yes. (אִין). For a king who desires to build palaces (לְמַלְכָּא דְּבָעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד פְּלַטְרִין), if he does not prepare for himself a craftsman (אִי לָא שַׁוִּי לְגַבֵּיהּ אוּמָנָא), he cannot build palaces (לָא יָכִיל לְמֶעְבַּד פְּלַטְרִין). Once the palaces are made (כֵּיוָן דִּפְּלַטְרִין אִתְעָבִידוּ), the name does not ascend except that of the king (לָא סָלִיק שְׁמָא אֶלָּא דְּמַלְכָּא). These palaces made by the king (אִלֵּין פְּלַטְרִין דְּעָבַד מַלְכָּא), the king placed within them thought (מַלְכָּא שַׁוִּי בְּאִינּוּן פְּלַטְרִין מַחֲשָׁבָה). So too, Kudsha Berikh Hu, when He wished to create the world (כַּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בָּעֵי לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא), He looked into the craftsman (אִסְתַּכַּל בְּאוּמָנָא), and even though the craftsman made the palaces (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאוּמָנָא עֲבַד פְּלַטְרִין), the name ascends only of the King (לָא סָלִיק שְׁמָא אֶלָּא דְּמַלְכָּא). These are the palaces the King made (אִלֵּין פְּלַטְרִין דַּעֲבַד מַלְכָּא), surely the King built the palaces (וַדַּאי מַלְכָּא בָּנָה פְּלַטְרִין).

The Orayta cries out: “And I was with Him as a nursling” (אוֹרַיְיתָא צוֹוַחַת וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן), “By me Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world” (בִּי בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא), for until the world was created (דְּעַד), some say: rather, until the world was created (נ״א אֶלָּא עַד (ס״א לָא אִתְבְּרֵי), the Orayta preceded the world by two thousand years (אִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, אַקְדִּימַת אוֹרַיְיתָא תְּרֵין אַלְפֵי שְׁנִין לְעָלְמָא).

And when Kudsha Berikh Hu wanted to create the world (וְכַד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא), He would look into the Orayta (הֲוָה מִסְתַּכַּל בָּהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), in every word (בְּכָל מִלָּה), and with it He would fashion the craftsmanship of the world (וּמִלָּה, וְעָבִיד לָקֳבְלָהּ אוּמָנוּתָא דְּעָלְמָא). For all the words and actions of all the worlds are in the Orayta (בְּגִין דְּכָל מִלִּין וְעוֹבָדִין דְּכָל עָלְמִין, בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִינּוּן). And for this reason, Kudsha Berikh Hu would look into it and create the world (וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה מִסְתַּכַּל בָּהּ, וּבָרָא עָלְמָא). It is not that the Orayta created the world (לָאו דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בָּרָא עָלְמָא), but Kudsha Berikh Hu, through the contemplation of the Orayta, created the world (אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּאִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בָּרָא עָלְמָא).

It follows that Kudsha Berikh Hu is the artisan (אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ אוּמָנָא), and the Orayta is to Him and beside Him the artisan (וְאוֹרַיְיתָא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ וּלְגַבֵּיהּ אוּמָנָא), as it is said: “And I was with Him as a nursling” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן).

It does not say “I was a nursling,” rather “with Him” (וָאֶהְיֶה אָמוֹן לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא אֶצְלוֹ), for since Kudsha Berikh Hu looked into it (הוֹאִיל וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִסְתַּכַּל בָּהּ), with Him was the craftsman (אֶצְלוֹ הֲוָה אוּמָנָא). And if you say: who is able to be a craftsman before Him? (וְאִי תֵּימָא מַאן יָכִיל לְמֶהֱוֵי אוּמָנָא לְגַבֵּיהּ). Rather, the contemplation of Kudsha Berikh Hu in this manner (אֶלָּא אִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּגַוְונָא דָּא). Some say: “It was done without toil and effort, as it is written: By the word of Hashem the heavens were made, etc. In this manner, by His contemplation, she is the craftsman” (ד״א אִתְעֲבִיד בְּלֹא עָמָל וִיגִיעָה דִּכְתִיב בִּדְבַר יְיָ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ וְגוֹ'. בִּגַוְונָא דָּא בְּאִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ הִיא אוּמָנָא).

In the Orayta, it is written: “In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth” (בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כְּתִיב בָּהּ: בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ) (Bereshit 1). He looked at that word, and created the heavens (אִסְתַּכַּל בְּהַאי מִלָּה, וּבָרָא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם). In the Orayta, it is written: “And Elohim said: Let there be light” (בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כְּתִיב בָּהּ: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר), He looked at that word and created the light (אִסְתַּכַּל בְּהַאי מִלָּה, וּבָרָא אֶת הָאוֹר). And so with every word written in the Orayta (וְכֵן בְּכָל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה דִּכְתִיב בָּהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu looked into it and made that word (אִסְתַּכַּל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְעָבִיד הַהִיא מִלָּה), and for this it is written: “And I was with Him as a nursling” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן). In this manner the entire world was created (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כָּל עָלְמָא אִתְבְּרֵי).