Daf 167a (דַּף קס״ז ע״א)

At the time when Yisrael are in exile (בַּר בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא). And if you say, that in the time of exile it is written (וְאִי תֵּימָא בְּזִמְנָא דְּגָלוּתָא כְּתִיב): “The waters are dried up from the sea, and the river is wasted and dried up” (Job 14) (אָזְלוּ מַיִם מִנִּי יָם וְנָהָר יֶחֱרַב וְיָבֵשׁ), how then does it bring forth offspring? (הֵיךְ עָבִיד תּוֹלָדִין). But rather, it is written “sown” (אֶלָּא כְּתִיב זָרוּעַ). It is ever sown (זָרוּעַ אִיהוּ תָּדִיר). And from the day that that river ceased (וּמִיּוֹמָא דְּאַפְסִיק הַהוּא נָהָר), the gardener did not enter into the Garden (בְּגִנְתָּא לָא עָאל בֵּיהּ הַהוּא גָּנָּנָא).

But that light, which is ever sown (וְהַהוּא אוֹר דְּאִיהוּ זָרוּעַ תָּדִיר), produces branches, and from itself it is sown as at the beginning, and it never ceases (עָבִיד אֵיבִין וּמִנֵּיהּ וּמִגַּרְמֵיהּ אִזְדְּרַע כְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ תָּדִיר). Like a garden that produces offspring (כְּגִנְתָּא דְּעָבִיד תּוֹלָדִין), and from that seed that falls into it, in its place, it produces offspring from itself as at the beginning (וּמֵהַהוּא זָרוּעַ נָפִיל בֵּיהּ בְּאַתְרֵיהּ, וּמִגַּרְמֵיהּ עָבִיד תּוֹלָדִין כְּדִבְקַדְמֵיתָא). And if you say, that those offspring and branches are just as they were in the time when the gardener was there (וְאִי תֵּימָא, דְּאִינּוּן תּוֹלָדִין וְאֵיבִין הֲווֹ כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה בְּזִמְנָא דְּגָנָנָא תַּמָּן)—not so (לָאו הָכִי). But the sowing is never withheld (אֲבָל לָא אִתְמָנַּע זָרוּעַ דָּא לְעָלְמִין).

In this manner, and Torah is light (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא וְתוֹרָה אוֹר): the Orayta, which was given from the side of that Primordial Light (אוֹרַיְּיתָא דְּאִתְיְהִיבַת מִסִּטְרָא דְּהַהוּא אוֹר קַדְמָאָה), is thus ever sown in the world (הָכִי אִזְדְּרַע תָּדִיר בְּעָלְמָא), and produces offspring and branches (וְעָבִיד תּוֹלָדִין וְאֵיבִין), and never ceases forever (וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ לְעָלְמִין). And from its branches the world is nourished (וּמֵהַהוּא אִיבָּא דִּילֵיהּ אִתְּזָן עָלְמָא). And the way of life is rebukes of instruction (וְדֶרֶךָ חַיִּים תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר). These are two paths (תְּרֵין אָרְחִין אִינּוּן): one is the path of life (חַד אֹרַח חַיִּים), and one is its opposite (וְחַד בְּהִפּוּכָא מִנֵּיהּ). The sign of the path of life—who is it? (סִימָנָא דְּאֹרַח חַיִּים מַאן אִיהוּ). It is rebukes of instruction (תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר). For when Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to guard this path of life (דְּכָד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנַטְרָא לְהַאי אֹרַח חַיִּים), He appointed over it that angel (שַׁוֵּי עָלֵיהּ הַהוּא דְּאַלְקֵי), and made rebukes of instruction for the children of the world (וְעָבִיד תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא). And who is he? (וּמַאן אִיהוּ). That which is written: “And the flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way of the Tree of Life” (Bereshit 3) (הַאי דִּכְתִּיב וְאֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת לִשְׁמֹר אֶת דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים). And because of this, the way of life is rebukes of instruction (וְעַל דָּא, דֶּרֶךְ חַיִּים אִיהוּ תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר). And whoever has rebukes within him (וּמַאן דְּאִית בֵּיהּ תּוֹכָחוֹת), surely he is aroused to walk in that path of life (וַדַּאי דְּמִתְעָרֵי לֵיהּ לְמֵהַךְ בְּהַהוּא אֹרַח חַיִּים), where there abide rebukes of instruction (דְּשָׁארִי תַּמָּן תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר).

This verse—its beginning is not its end, and its end is not its beginning (הַאי קְרָא לָאו רֵישֵׁיהּ סֵיפֵיהּ וְלָאו סֵיפֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ). But rather, all is the mystery of faith of this verse (אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּהַאי קְרָא). For a commandment is a lamp—this is the mystery of “guard” (כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה, דָּא רָזָא דְּשָׁמוֹר). And Torah is light—this is the mystery of “remember” (וְתוֹרָה אוֹר, דָּא רָזָא דְּזָכוֹר). And the way of life is rebukes of instruction—these are the decrees and punishments of the Orayta (וְדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר, אִלֵּין גִּזְרִין וְעוֹנָשִׁין דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). And all is the mystery of faith (וְכֹלָּא רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). And this is needed for that, so that it may be the mystery of all, as is fitting (וְאִצְטְרִיךְ דָּא לְדָא, וּלְמֶהֱוֵי רָזָא דְּכֹלָּא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת). And concerning this secret of this light (וְעַל רָזָא דָּא דְּהַאי אוֹר), which burns and shines for this lamp (דְּדָלִיק וְנָהִיר לְהַאי נִר), it is written about Aharon: “When you set up the lamps” (Numbers 8) (בְּהַעֲלוֹתְךָ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת), because it comes from the side of this light (בְּגִין דְּהוּא אָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּהַאי אוֹר). This light, it is written concerning it: “Let there be light, and there was light” (Bereshit 1) (יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר). Since it says, “Let there be light,” why then is it written, “And there was light”? (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר יְהִי אוֹר, אֲמַאי כְּתִיב וַיְהִי אוֹר).

For behold, “and it was so” would have sufficed (דְּהָא בְּוַיְהִי כֵן סַגְיָא). Rather, “Let there be light”—this is the Primordial Light (אֶלָּא, יְהִי אוֹר, דָּא אוֹר קַדְמָאָה), which is the right side (דְּאִיהוּ יְמִינָא), and it is for the end of days (וְאִיהוּ לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין). “And there was light”—from the right emerged the left (וַיְהִי אוֹר, דְּמִימִינָא נָפִק שְׂמָאלָא). And from the secret of the right emerged the left (וּמֵרָזָא דִּימִינָא נָפִק שְׂמָאלָא). And because of this it says, “And there was light”—this is the left (וְעַל דָּא וַיְהִי אוֹר, דָּא שְׂמָאלָא). From here we learn that the first “And there was” of the Orayta was on the side of the left (מִכָּאן דְּוַיְהִי קַדְמָאָה דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא הֲוָה). And therefore it is not a sign of blessing (וּבְגִין כַּךְ לָאו אִיהוּ סִימָן בְּרָכָה). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because within it (בְּגִין דְּבֵיהּ) — some say: from it (נ״א דְּמִנֵּיהּ) — went out that darkness which darkened the face of the world (נָפַק הַהוּא חֹשֶׁךְ דְּאַחֲשִׁיךְ אַנְפֵּי עָלְמָא).

And this is the sign: when the secret of Esav and his deeds were revealed (וְסִימָנָא דָּא כַּד אִתְגְּלֵי רָזָא דְּעֵשָׂו וְעוֹבָדוֹי), it was in this “And there was” (בְּהַאי וַיְהִי הֲוָה). As it is written: “And Esav was a cunning hunter” (Bereshit 25) (דִּכְתִּיב וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יוֹדֵעַ צַיִד). And it was fulfilled in “And there was a man skilled in hunting,” to ensnare the children of the world so that they not walk in the straight path (אִתְקָיָּים בְּוַיְהִי אִישׁ יוֹדֵעַ צַיִד, לְפַתָּאָה בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, דְּלָא יַהֲכוּן בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר). “And Elohim saw the light, that it was good” (Bereshit 1) (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב)—this is the pillar that stands in the middle (דָּא אִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא דְּקָאִים בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), and stands and grasps on this side and on that side (וְקָאִים וְאָחִיד בְּסִטְרָא דָּא, וּבְסִטְרָא דָּא). When the perfection of three sides was established (כַּד הֲוָה שְׁלִימוּ דִּתְלַת סִטְרִין), it is written concerning it “that it was good” (כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ כִּי טוֹב), which was not written concerning the others (מָה דְּלָא הֲוָה בְּהָנֵי אַחֲרָנִין).

Because they were not complete until the third light came (בְּגִין דְּלָא הֲוָה שְׁלִימוּ עַד אוֹר תְּלִיתָאָה), which completed all sides (דְּאַשְׁלִים לְכָל סִטְרִין). And once this third came (וְכֵיוָן דְּאָתָא תְּלִיתָאָה דָּא), then He separated the dispute of right and left (כְּדֵין אַפְרִישׁ מַחֲלוֹקֶת דִּימִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא), as it is written: “And Elohim divided between the light and between the darkness” (Bereshit 1) (דִּכְתִּיב וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ). And concerning these five levels (וְעַל דְּאִינּוּן חֲמֵשׁ דַּרְגִּין), which were separated and extended from this Primordial Light (דְּאִתְפְּרָשׁוּ וְאִתְמְשָׁכוּ מֵהַאי אוֹר קַדְמָאָה), it is written: “Light” five times p1-42(כְּתִיב אוֹר חָמֵשׁ זִמְנִין). And all of them were from the side of the right (וְכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא), and they were included within it (וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ בֵּיהּ). And when they were included on the side of the left (וְכַד אִתְכְּלִילוּ בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא), they were included in the mystery of water (אִתְכְּלִילוּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם), which is taken from the right (דְּנָטִיל בִּימִינָא (נ״א: מִימִינָא).

And because of this it is written: “Water” five times (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב מַיִם חָמֵשׁ זִמְנִין). And when they were completed in the mystery of the middle (וְכַד אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ בְּרָזָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), it is written: “Firmament” five times (כְּתִיב רָקִיעַ חֲמֵשׁ זִמְנִין). And because of this, there are three: light, water, firmament (וְעַל דָּא תְּלַת אִינּוּן אוֹר. מַיִם. רְקִיעָ). Corresponding to these three levels (לָקֳבֵל תְּלַת דַּרְגִּין אִלֵּין), all five levels were included within them (דְּכֻלְּהוּ חֲמֵשׁ דַּרְגִּין אִתְכְּלִילוּ בְּהוּ). And concerning all of them it is written five times, in each and every one (וְעַל דָּא בְּכֻלְּהוּ כְּתִיב חֲמֵשׁ זִמְנִין, בְּכָל חַד וְחַד). Here is the mystery of mysteries (הָכָא רָזָא דְּרָזִין): in these three (בְּאִלֵּין תְּלָתָא), was formed and engraved the engraving of the mystery of the likeness of man (אִתְצָיַּיר וְאִתְגְלִיף בְּגִלּוּפֵי רָזָא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם). For he is light in the beginning (דְּאִיהוּ אוֹר בְּקַדְמִיתָא). Afterward water (לְבָתַר מַיִם). Afterward, within them spread forth the firmament (לְבָתַר אִתְפָּשַׁט בְּגַּוַּויְיהוּ רָקִיעַ), which is the engraving of the engraving of the likeness of man (דְּאִיהוּ גְּלִיפָא דִּגְלִּיפוּ דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם).