Daf 165b (דַּף קס״ה ע״ב)

Then that place experiences pressure (כְּדֵין הַהוּא אֲתָר אִית לֵיהּ דּוֹחֲקָא), from the sadness and pressure of that man (מֵהַהוּא עֲצִיבוּ וְדוֹחֲקָא דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), as it is said: “In all their affliction, He was afflicted” (Isaiah 63) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר בְּכָל צָרָתָם לֹא צָר).

The Desire of that supernal world (תִּיאוּבְתֵּיהּ דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה) turns toward this place (לְגַבֵּי הַאי אֲתָר), like a male whose Desire is constantly directed toward the Nukvah (כִּדְכוּרָא דְּתִיאוּבְתֵיהּ תָּדִיר לְגַבָּהּ דְּנוּקְבָּא). When the King enters toward the Matronita (כַּד מַלְכָּא עָאל לְגַבֵּי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא), and finds her in sadness (אַשְׁכַּח לָהּ בַּעֲצִיבוּ), then everything she asks is delivered into her hand (כְּדֵין כָּל מָה דְּאִיהִי בָּעָאת, בִּידָהּ אִתְמְסָר), and that man and that prayer (וְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, וְהַהִיא צְלוֹתָא), are not returned empty (לָא אַהְדָּר בְּרֵיקָנַיָּא), and the Kudsha Berikh Hu has compassion upon him. (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַיִּיס עָלֵיהּ). Fortunate is the portion of that man (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), who pours out tears before the Kudsha Berikh Hu in his prayer. (דְּאוֹשִׁיד דִּמְעִין קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ).

In this manner, on Shabbat (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא בְּשַׁבָּת,) one who sits in fasting on Shabbat (מַאן דְּיָתִיב בְּתַעֲנִיתָא בְּשַׁבָּת), because of his suffering he appears sad (מִגּוֹ צַעְרֵיהּ אַחְזֵי עֲצִיבָא), and on Shabbat, that Supernal Firmament rules (וּבְשַׁבָּת שַׁלְטָא הַהוּא רְקִיעָא עִלָּאָה), that which is seen in joy (הַהוּא דְּאִתְחָזֵי בְּחֶדְוָה), and it is joy and causes rejoicing to all (וְאִיהוּ חֶדְוָה וְחַדֵּי לְכֹלָּא). That one who sits in sadness (הַהוּא דְּיָתִיב בַּעֲצִיבוּ), because it rules (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ שַׁלְטָא), removes that man from the punishment that was decreed upon him (אַפִּיק לְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ מֵהַהוּא עוֹנְשָׁא דְּאִתְגְּזַר עָלֵיהּ). And thus it is said: “Extol—give honor and exalt to Him who rides upon Aravot” (Psalms 68) (וְהָא אִתְּמַר, סֹלּוּ: הָבוּ יְקָר, וְרוֹמְמוּ לְהַהוּא דְּרוֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת), for He is joy and causes all to rejoice (דְּאִיהוּ חֶדְוָה וְחַדֵּי כֹּלָּא), the firmament above the Chayot, (רְקִיעָא עַל גַּבֵּי חֵיוָתָא,) surely in the Name Yah is His Name included (בְּיָ״הּ שְׁמוֹ וַדַּאי,) for in that place this Name is integrated (דְּהָא בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר שְׁמָא דָּא אִתְכְּלִיל). “And exult before Him,” (וְעִלְזוּ לְפָנָיו,) because one should not appear before Him in sadness, (בְּגִין דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַחֲזָאָה קָמֵיהּ עֲצִיבוּ,) as has been said. (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר).

Rabbi El'azar said: (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר,) this verse should be read: “Extol Him who rides upon Aravot,” (הַאי קְרָא, הָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵימַר, סֹלּוּ לָרוֹכֵב עַל עֲרָבוֹת,) what is “upon Aravot”? (מַאי עַל עֲרָבוֹת) “In Yah is His Name”—it should have said “in Yah,” not “His Name.” (בְּיָ״הּ שְׁמוֹ, בְּיָ״הּ הוּא מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי שְׁמוֹ) Rather, this verse speaks of the Hidden of all Hidden, (אֶלָּא הַאי קְרָא, עַל סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין,) the Atika of all Atikin. (עַתִּיקָא דְּכָל עַתִּיקִין אִתְּמַר).

That which is never revealed, (הַהוּא דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְיָא,) and is never known at all— (וְלָא אִתְיְדַע כְּלַל,) it is He who rides upon Aravot. (דְּאִיהוּ רוֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת). And if you say that He comes and rides upon it, (וְאִי תֵּימָא, דְּאִיהוּ אַתְיָא וְרָכִיב בֵּיהּ,) if so, (אִי הָכִי,) even though He is hidden, (אַף עַל גַּב דְּסָתִים,) in that place He is present to be revealed. (הוּא בְּאֲתָר דָּא קַיְּימָא לְאִתְגַּלְיָא).

But rather, “Extol Him Who rides upon the aravot” (אֶלָּא סוֹלּוּ לָרוֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת), this is the Ancient One of all Ancients (דָּא אִיהוּ עַתִּיקָא דְּכָל עַתִּיקִין), the most hidden of all that are hidden (סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין), Who is not known (דְּלָא יְדִיעַ). And by what does He ride?—upon the aravot (וּבַמֶּה אִיהוּ רוֹכֵב, בַּעֲרָבוֹת), with Yah (בְּיָ״הּ), which is the primordial secret that issues before Him (דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא קַדְמָאָה דְּנָפִיק קַמֵּיהּ) — some say: issues from Him (ד״א מִנֵּיהּ). And this is His Name (וְדָא אִיהוּ שְׁמֵיהּ), from that Hidden One Who is unknown (מֵהַהוּא סְתִימָא, דְּלָא יְדִיעַ), a Name — it is His (שְׁמָא דִּילֵיהּ הוּא) — Yah (יָ״הּ). Not that it is He Himself (לָאו דְּאִיהוּ הוּא), but rather, He is It (אֶלָּא אִיהוּ הוּא), because of that curtain (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא פָּרוֹכְתָּא) that was spread out and emerged from before Him (דְּאִתְפָּרְסָא וְנָפִיק מִקָּמֵיהּ) (Leviticus 128). But this curtain is His Name (אֲבָל הַאי פָּרוֹכְתָּא אִיהוּ שְׁמוֹ), And this is His chariot (וְדָא אִיהוּ רְתִיכָא דִּילֵיהּ), and it is not known at all (וְלָא אִתְיְדַע כְּלַל). And this is His Great Name (וְדָא אִיהוּ שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל), for there is a Name of His that is not so very great (בְּגִין דְּאִית שְׁמֵיהּ דְּלָאו אִיהוּ כָּל כַּךְ גָּדוֹל), even though it contains additional letters (כְּהַאי אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִית בֵּיהּ תּוֹסֶפֶת אַתְוָון). This is the Shema Rabba (דָּא אִיהוּ שְׁמָא רַבָּא), and with this Name (וְעַל דָּא בְּהַאי שְׁמָא), we utter “Amen” (אֲנָן מְפִיקִין אָמֵן), for it is from Him (דְּאִיהוּ מִנֵּיהּ). With this flows “Amen” at all times (בְּהַאי אַזְלָא אָמֵן בְּכָל זִמְנָא), and with another Name it is not so (וּבִשְׁמָא אַחֲרָא לָאו הָכִי).

“Amen, may His great Name be blessed” (אָמֵן יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ), for when this Name is established (דְּכַד הַאי שְׁמָא אִתְתָּקַּן), all is in wholeness (כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ בִּשְׁלִימוּ), and all the worlds rejoice in joy (וְכָל עָלְמִין חַדָּאן בְּחִדוּ). In this Name (בְּהַאי שְׁמָא), the higher and lower realms are unified (כְּלִילָן עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין). In this Name (בְּהַאי שְׁמָא), are encompassed the 613 commandments of the Orayta (כְּלִילָן שִׁית מֵאָה וּתְלֵיסָר פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא), which are the general root of all upper and lower secrets (דְּאִינּוּן כְּלָלָא דְּכָל רָזִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין).

The general principle of the masculine world above (כְּלָלָא דְּעָלְמָא דִּדְכוּרָא לְעֵילָּא), and the general principle of the feminine world below (וּכְלָלָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא לְתַתָּא). And all the commandments (וְכֻלְּהוּ פִּקּוּדִין), all of them are limbs and organs (כֻּלְּהוּ שַׁיְיפִין וְאֵבָרִין), to be seen through them the secret of faith (לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בְּהוּ רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). Whoever does not attend to and contemplate the mysteries of the commandments of the Orayta (מַאן דְּלָא יַשְׁגַּח וְלָא אִסְתָּכַּל בְּרָזִין דְּפִקוּדֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא), he does not know, and he does not perceive (לָא יְדַע, וְלָא אִסְתָּכַּל), how the limbs are rectified in the supernal secret (הֵיךְ מְתַּתְקְנָן שַׁיְיפִין בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה). All the limbs of the body (שַׁיְיפִין דְּגוּפָא כֻּלְּהוּ), are rectified by the secret of the commandments of the Orayta (מִתְתַּקְּנָן עַל רָזָא דְּפִקוּדֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא). And even though there are limbs (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִית שַׁיְיפִין), which are great and lofty (דְּאִינּוּן רַבְרְבִין וְעִלָּאִין), all are small and great alike (כֻּלְּהוּ זְעִירִין וְרַבְרְבִין). If one is removed from among them (אִי אִתְנְטִיל חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ), even the smallest limb of a man (אֲפִילּוּ זְעִירָא דְּבַר נָשׁ), he is called one possessing a blemish (אִקְרֵי מָארֵיהּ דְּמוּמָא). How much more so, and all the more so (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן), the one who diminishes even a single commandment from among the commandments of the Orayta (הַהוּא דְּגָרַע אֲפִילּוּ חַד פִּקּוּדָא מֵאִינּוּן פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא), for he places a blemish in a place where it is not fitting (דְּאָטִיל מוּמָא בְּאֲתָר דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי), what is written (מַה כְּתִיב): “And Hashem Elohim took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden, to work it and to guard it” (Bereshit 2). (וַיִּקַּח יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם וַיַּנִּיחֵהוּ בְגַן עֵדֶן לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ). And we have learned (וְתָנֵינָן): “to work it and to guard it”—these are the offerings (לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ אִלֵּין קָרְבָּנִין), and all is one (וְכֹלָּא חַד). But this is the mystery of the commandments of the Orayta (אֲבָל דָּא רָזָא דְּפִקוּדֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא): to work it—these are the 248 upper limbs (לְעָבְדָהּ: אִלֵּין רמ״ח שַׁיְיפִין עִלָּאִין). And to guard it—these are the 365 lower limbs (וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ: אִלֵּין תְּלָת מְאָה וְשִׁתִּין וְחָמֵשׁ שַׁיְיפִין תַּתָּאִין). These upper ones are of the male (אִלֵּין עִלָּאִין דְּזָכוֹר). And these lower ones are of Shamor (וְאִלֵּין תַּתָּאִין דְּשָׁמוֹר), and all is one (וְכֹלָּא חַד).

Blessed is he who merits to complete them (זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּזָכֵי לְאַשְׁלָמָא לוֹן). The commandments of the Orayta (פִּקּוּדִין דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), cause a person to complete his spirit and his Neshama in this world (גָּרִים לְבַר נָשׁ לְאַשְׁלָמָא רוּחֵיהּ וְנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and in the World to Come (וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). The Orayta purifies a person to inherit two worlds (אוֹרַיְּיתָא מְזַכָּה לְבַר נָשׁ, לְאַחְסְנָא תְּרֵין עָלְמִין): this world and the World to Come (עָלְמָא דָּא וְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). Whoever toils in the Orayta (כָּל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), toils in life (אִשְׁתְּדַּל בַּחַיִּים)—life in this world (חַיִּים בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and life in the World to Come (וְחַיִּים בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). He is delivered from all evil punishments (אִשְׁתְּזִיב מִכָּל עוֹנָשִׁין בִּישִׁין), for they cannot rule over him (דְּלָא יַכְלִין לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלֵיהּ), if in such toil he engages (אִי בְּאִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתָא הָכִי). How much more so the one who performs deeds (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַאן דְּעָבִיד עוֹבָדָא).