Daf 166b (דַּף קס״ו ע״ב)

And if you say, because it is written “Buzi” (וְאִי תֵּימָא בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב בּוּזִי), that it was of the family of Buz (Job 31) (בּוּז מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הֲוָה) — not so (לָאו הָכִי). For it returns and says, “of the family of Ram” (וְאָמַר מִמִשְׁפַּחַת רָם), exalted above all (עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא). Why was he called Buzi? (אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי בּוּזִי). Because he would despise himself before one greater than he (עַל דְּמֵבַזֶה גַּרְמֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי מַאן דְּגָּדוֹל מִנֵּיהּ), and for this reason he ascended in a supernal name—Buzi (וְעַל דָּא סָלִיק בִּשְׁמָא עִלָּאָה, בּוּזִי), this being called “a complete man in all” (דָּא דְּאִקְרֵי אָדָם שְׁלֵימָא בְּכֹלָּא), as no other man was called so (מַה דְּלָא אִקְרֵי הָכִי בַּר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא). This is what is written: “And you, son of man” (Ezekiel 2) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב וְאַתָּה בֶן אָדָם).

And because he ascended in this name, he was called Ram, exalted above all (וְעַל דְּסָלִיק בִּשְׁמָא דָּא, אִקְרֵי רָם, עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא). And for this he said, “I am young in days” (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר צָעִיר אֲנִי לְיָמִים). “In days” — it should have said “from days” (לְיָמִים, מִיָמִים מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). What is “in days”? (מַאי לְיָמִים). Rather, he said: I am young (אֶלָּא אָמַר צָעִיר אֲנִי), and I make myself small in days (וְאַזְעִירְנָא גַּרְמָי לְיָמִים), compared to one who has many days (לְגַבֵּי בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִית לֵיהּ יוֹמִין סַגִּיאִין). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because I said, “Days should speak” (בְּגִין דְּאָמַרְתִּי דְּיָמִים יְדַבֵּרוּ). And for this I am young (וְעַל דָּא צָעִיר אֲנִי), and I make myself small before days (וְאַזְעִירְנָא גַּרְמֵי לְגַבֵּי יָמִים). And you are aged (וְאַתֶּם יְשִׁישִׁים) — I see you are aged (חֲמֵינָא לְכוּ יְשִׁישִׁים).

Therefore I was afraid and feared to declare my knowledge to you (Job 32) (עַל כֵּן זָחַלְתִּי וָאִירָא מֵחַוֹת דֵּעִי אֶתְכֶם). So also I said: Days should speak and the multitude of years should make known wisdom (וּף אֲנָא, אָמַרְתִּי יָמִים יְדַבֵּרוּ וְרַב שָׁנִים יוֹדִיעוּ חָכְמָה). Surely so (וַדַּאי). But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of Shaddai gives them understanding (Job 32) (אָכֵן רוּחַ הִיא בֶאֱנוֹשׁ וְנִשְׁמַת שַׁדַּי תְּבִינֵם). And for this reason, because I am a youth (וְעַל דָּא בְּגִין דַּאֲנָא רַבְיָא), I resolved in my will not to speak until two months had passed (שַׁוֵינָא בִּרְעוּתִי דְּלָא לְמַלְּלָא עַד תְּרֵין יַרְחִין), and until this day they were completed (וְעַד יוֹמָא דָּא אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ). And now that you are here (וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּאַתּוּן הָכָא), it is fitting to open in Orayta before you (אִית לְמִפְתַּח בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא קָמַיְיכוּ).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “For a commandment is a lamp and Torah is light, and the way of life is rebukes of instruction” (Proverbs 6) (כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר וְדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר). For a commandment is a lamp—this is Mishnah (כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה דָּא אִיהִי מִשְׁנָה), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “And the Torah and the commandment” (Exodus 24) (וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה). The Torah: this is the Written Torah (וְהַתּוֹרָה: זוֹ תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב). And the commandment: this is Mishnah (וְהַמִּצְוָה: זוֹ מִשְׁנָה). Which is the lamp of the candle (דְּאִיהִי נִר שַׁרְגָּא), that stands to be kindled (דְּקַיְּימָא לְאַדְלְקָא).

Why is it called a lamp? (נֵר אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי נֵר). Rather, when it receives from the two arms, the 248 upper limbs (אֶלָּא כַּד מְקַבְּלָא מֵבִין תְּרֵין דְּרוֹעִין, רמ״ח שַׁיְיפִין עִלָּאִין), then she opens toward them her two arms (אִיהוּ פָּתְחַת לְגַבַּיְיהוּ תְּרֵין דְּרוֹעִין דִּילָהּ), and then these two arms are included within them (כְּדֵין אִתְכְּלִילוּ אִלֵּין תְּרֵין דְּרוֹעִין בְּהוּ), and it is called “lamp” (וְאִקְרֵי נִר). And Torah is light (וְתוֹרָה אוֹר), for it illumines that lamp (דְּקָא נָהִיר לְהַהוּא נֵר), and kindles it from the side of the primordial light, which is the right side (וְאַדְלִיקַת מִנֵּיהּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּאוֹר קַדְמָאָה, דְּאִיהוּ יְמִינָא). For Orayta was given from that right side of the primordial light (דְּהָא אוֹרַיְּיתָא מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא דִּימִינָא דְּאוֹר קַדְמָאָה אִתְיְהִיבַת), as it is written: “From His right hand, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33) (דִּכְתִּיב מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ). From the right side it was given (מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא אִתְיְהִיבַת), although the left was included within it (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ שְׂמָאלָא). For then it is the completeness of all (דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִיהוּ שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא).

This light was included in two hundred and seventy worlds (אוֹר דָּא אִתְכְּלִיל בְּמָאתָן וְשִׁבְעָה עָלְמִין), which are concealed on the side of that light (דְּאִינּוּן גְּנִיזִין בְּסִטְרָא דְּהַהוּא אוֹר), and it spread through all of them (וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט בְּכֻלְּהוּ). Beneath the supernal hidden Throne (תְּחוֹת כּוּרְסְיָיא עִלָּאָה טְמִירָא), those worlds abide (שַׁרְיָין אִינּוּן עוֹלָמוֹת), from the side of that right hand (מִסִּטְרָא דְּהַהוּא יְמִינָא). They are three hundred and ten (תְּלַת מֵאָה וָעֶשֶׁר אִינּוּן): two hundred and seven are on the right side (מָאתָן וְשֶׁבַע, אִינּוּן בְּסִטְרָא דִּימִינָא); one hundred and three are on the left side (מֵאָה וּתְלַת, אִינּוּן בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא). And these are the three hundred and ten (וְאִינּוּן תְּלַת מֵאָה וָעֶשֶׁר). And these are what Kudsha Berikh Hu continually prepares for the Righteous (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְתַקֵּן תָּדִיר לְצַדִּיקַיָּא). And from these spread forth many treasuries of delight (וּמֵאִלֵּין מִתְפַּשְּׁטָן כַּמָה וְכַמָּה אוֹצְרֵי חֶמְדָּה), and all of them are hidden to delight the Righteous in the World to Come (וְכֻלְּהוּ גְּנִיזִין לְאִתְעַדְנָא מִנְהוֹן צַדִּיקַיָּא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And concerning these it is written: “That I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasuries” (Proverbs 8) (לְהַנְּחִיל אוֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ וְאוֹצְרוֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא). And concerning these it is written: “Eye has not seen, O God, beside You” (Isaiah 64) (עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלהִים זוּלָתְךָ וְגוֹ׳).

Yesh (י״ש): these three hundred and ten worlds (אִלֵּין, תְּלַת מֵאָה וָעֶשֶׁר עוֹלָמוֹת), are concealed beneath the World to Come (גְּנִיזִין תְּחוֹת עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And those two hundred and seven that are on the right side (וְעַל אִינּוּן מָאתָן וְשֶׁבַע דְּאִינּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא), are called the Primordial Light (אִקְרוּן אוֹר קַדְמָאָה). Because even the light of the left is called “light” (בְּגִין דְּאֲפִילּוּ אוֹר שְׂמָאלָא אִקְרֵי אוֹר). But the Primordial Light is prepared to bring forth offspring for the World to Come (אֲבָל אוֹר קַדְמָאָה אִיהוּ זַמִין לְמֶעְבַּד תּוֹלָדִין לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And if you say, only for the World to Come and not more (וְאִי תֵּימָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי וְלָא יַתִּיר)—not so. But even every single day (אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא), if not for this light, the world could not endure (דְּאִי לָא הֲוָה הַאי אוֹר, עָלְמָא לָא יָכִיל לְמֵיקָם), as it is written: “I have said, forever mercy shall be built” (Psalms 89) (אָמַרְתִּי עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה). This light, Kudsha Berikh Hu sowed in the Garden of Eden (הַאי אוֹר זָרַע לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעִדָּנוֹי). And He made for it rows upon rows (וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ שׁוּרִין שׁוּרִין), by the hand of that Tzaddik (עַל יְדוֹי דְּהַאי צַדִּיק), who is the gardener of the Garden (דְּאִיהוּ גָּנָּנָא דְּגִנְתָּא). And he takes this light (וְנָטִיל לְהַאי אוֹר), and sows it as the seed of truth (וְזָרַע לֵיהּ זְרוּעָא דִּקְשׁוֹט). And he makes for it rows upon rows in the Garden (וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ שׁוּרִין שׁוּרִין בְּגִנְתָּא), and it produces and sprouts and makes fruit (וְאוֹלִיד וְאַצְמַח וְעָבִיד פֵּרִין). And from them the world is sustained (וּמִנַּיְיהוּ אִתְּזַן עָלְמָא), as it is written: “Light is sown for the Tzaddik” (Psalms 97) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אוֹר זָרוּעַ לַצַּדִּיק וְגוֹ׳). And it is written: “And as a garden causes its seed to spring forth” (Isaiah 61) (וּכְתִיב וּכְגַנָּה זֵרוּעֶיהָ תַצְמִיחַ). What are its seeds? (מַאן זֵרוּעֶיהָ). These are the seeds of the Primordial Light (אִלֵּין זְרוּעֵי דְּאוֹר קַדְמָאָה), for it is ever sown (דְּאִיהוּ זָרוּעַ תָּדִיר).

Now it produces and makes branches (הַשְׁתָּא אוֹלִיד וְעָבִיד אֵיבִין), and now it is still being sown (וְהַשְׁתָּא זָרוּעַ אִיהוּ). At the beginning, before this world could endure (בְּקַדְמִיתָא, עַד לָא יֵיכוּל עָלְמָא אִיבָּא דָּא), He produced this seed, and gave branches that are never consumed (אוֹלִיד זְרוּעָא דָּא וְיָהִיב אִיבָּא וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ). And because of this, all worlds are nourished from the abundance of that gardener (וְעַל דָּא, כָּל עָלְמִין אִתְּזָנוּ בְּסִפּוּקָא דְּהַהוּא גָּנָּנָא), who is called Tzaddik (דְּאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק), who never ceases nor ends for all eternity (דְּלָא שָׁכִיךְ וְלָא פָּסִיק לְעָלְמִין).