Daf 167b (דַּף קס״ז ע״ב)

In the manner of the engraving of the form of the likeness of man in his generations (כְּגַוְונָא דִּגְלִּיפוּ צִיּוּרָא דְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם בְּתוּלְדָתֵיהּ). For in the generation of a man (דְּהָא בְּתוּלְדָתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ), in the beginning is seed (בְּקַדְמִיתָא זֶרַע), which is light (דְּאִיהוּ אוֹר). For the radiance of all the limbs of the body is that seed (דְּהָא נְהִירוּ דְּכָל שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא, אִיהוּ הַהוּא זֶרַע). And because of this it is light (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִיהוּ אוֹר), and that light is called seed (וְהַהוּא אוֹר אִקְרֵי זֶרַע), as it is written: “Light is sown” (Psalms 97) (דִּכְתִּיב אוֹר זָרוּעַ)—that is truly the seed (הַהוּא זֶרַע מַמָּשׁ).

Afterward, that seed which is light (לְבָתַר הַהוּא זֶרַע דְּאִיהוּ אוֹר), spread and became water (אִתְפָּשַׁט וְאִתְעָבִיד מַיִם), through its moisture (בְּלָחוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ). It was more engraved (אַגְלִיף יַתִּיר), and spread simply within those waters (וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט פְּשִׁיטוּ גּוֹ אִינּוּן מַיִם), the simplicity of the body to all sides (פְּשִׁיטוּ דְּגוּפָא לְכָל סִטְרִין). When it was formed and engraved as the image and likeness of the body (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְצַיָּיר, וְאִגְּלִיף צִיּוּרָא וּדְיוּקְנָא דְּגוּפָא), that simplicity thickened (אַקְרִישׁ הַהוּא פְּשִׁיטוּ), and was called “firmament” (וְאִקְרֵי רָקִיעַ). And this is the firmament in the midst of the waters (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם). And after it thickened (וּלְבָתַר דְּאַקְרִישׁ), it is written: “And Elohim called the firmament Heaven” (Bereshit 1) (כְּתִיב וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם).

For that thickening of the moisture of the body (דְּהָא אַקְרִישׁ הַהוּא לָחוּתָא דְּגוּפָא)—some say: that was drawn out and what remained became waste (ד״א דְּאַנְגִיד וְאִשְׁתְּאַר הַהוּא פְּסוֹלֶת)—that was within those waters (דְּהֲוָה גּוֹ אִינּוּן מַיִם). When the body was clarified and purified in purification (כֵּיוָן דְּאִבְרִיר גּוּפָא, וְאִנָקֵי בִּנְקִיוּ), that moisture which was drawn out and remained became waste (הַהוּא לָחוּתָא דְּאִתְנְגִיד וְאִשְׁתְּאַר, הֲוָה פְּסוֹלֶת), which was made in burning (דְּקָא אִתְעֲבָד גּוֹ הִתּוּכָא). And those are the bitter and murky waters (וְאִינּוּן מַיִם הָרָעִים עֲכוּרִין). And from them was made the waste that accuses the whole world, male and female (וּמִנְּהוֹן אִתְעָבִיד פְּסוֹלֶת, מְקַטְרְגָא לְכָל עָלְמָא, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). Afterward, when those murky waters descend (לְבָתַר כַּד נַחְתּוּ אִינּוּן מַיִם עֲכוּרִין), and are melted below on the side of the left (וְאִתְהַתְּכוּ לְתַתָּא בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא), they go forth to accuse the whole world (נָפְקוּ לְקַטְרְגָא כָּל עָלְמָא). p1-43

Blessed is he who is saved from them (זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּזִיב מִנְּהוֹן). When the accuser went out (כֵּיוָן דְּנָפִיק מְקַטְרְגָא), it is written: “Let there be lights” without a vav (Bereshit 1) (כְּתִיב יְהִי מְאֹרֹת חָסֵר ו׳), and the plague of askara was drawn upon children (וְאִתְמַשְּׁכָא אַסְכָּרָה בְּרַבְיֵי), and the light of the moon was diminished (וְחָסֵר נְהוֹרָא דְּסִיהֲרָא). Afterward, “And they shall be for lights” (Bereshit 1) (לְבָתַר וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרוֹת), when both were completed together as one (בִּשְׁלִימוּ תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כַּחֲדָא). In what? In that firmament of the heavens (בְּמַאן. בְּהַהוּא רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם). For when it ascended and joined in that firmament of the heavens (דְּהָא כַּד סַלְּקָא וְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּהַהוּא רְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם), then “And they shall be for lights” (כְּדֵין וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרוֹת)—both shine together in perfection (נְהוֹרִין שְׁלֵימִין תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כַּחֲדָא), without blemish at all (דְּלָא פְּגִימֵי כְּלַל).

Then that youth swore and rejoiced (שַׁארִי חָיִּיךָ הַאי רַבְיָא וְחַדֵּי). He said to them (אָמַר לוֹן): This that I said, that the mystery of Adam is clarified here (הַאי דַּאֲמֵינָא דְּאִתְבְּרִיר הָכָא רָזָא דְּאָדָם), with the light of that seed (בְּאוֹר דְּהַהוּא זֶרַע — ד״א דַּאִיהוּ), and afterward it became water (וּלְבָתַר אִתְעָבִיד מַיִם), and from within those waters the firmament spread forth (וּמִגּוֹ אִינּוּן מַיִם, אִתְפָּשַׁט רָקִיעַ), the likeness of Adam, as I have explained (דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם כְּמָה דְּאִתְּעַרְנָא). This is well when this is made in the womb of a woman (תִּינַח כַּד אִתְעָבִיד דָּא לְגוֹ מֵעוֹי דְּאִתְּתָא). For the seed is not formed except within the womb of the female (דְּהָא לָא אִתְצָיַּיר זַרְעָא, אֶלָּא בְּגוֹ מֵעוֹי דְּנוּקְבָּא), to be spread within her as the likeness of Adam (לְאִתְפָּשְׁטָא בָּהּ דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם). But here, if these five levels are the likeness of Adam (וְהָכָא אִי אִלֵּין חָמֵשׁ דַּרְגִּין, אִינּוּן דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם), in what place was this likeness formed and spread? In the waters (בְּאָן אֲתָר אִתְצָיַּיר וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט הַאי דִּיּוּקְנָא, בְּגוֹ אִינּוּן מַיִם). And if you say, in the female above, which is the World to Come (אִי תֵּימָא גּוֹ נוּקְבָּא הֲווֹ, דָּא עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי) — not so (לָאו הָכִי). For the image and likeness are not formed until the letters go forth outside, and afterward they are completed (דְּהָא לָא אִתְצָיַּיר צִיּוּרָא וּדְיוּקְנָא, עַד דְּנַפְקוּ אַתְוָון לְבַר, וּלְבָתַר אִתְגְּלִימוּ). Moreover, the World to Come was an artisan (וְתוּ דְּהָא עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי הֲוָה אוּמָנָא), as it is written: “And Elohim said, Let there be light, and there was light. And Elohim said, Let there be a firmament” (Bereshit 1) (דִּכְתִּיב וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ).

Behold, he was a craftsman (הָא אוּמָנָא הֲוָה). And if you say: in the female below (אִי תֵּימָא בְּנוּקְבָּא דִּלְתַתָּא)—not so (לָאו הָכִי). For behold, she did not yet exist (דְּהָא עַד לָא הֲוָות). And when this likeness of Adam came forth (וְכַד נָפַק הַאי דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם), his female came forth with him (נוּקְבֵיהּ נַפְקַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ).

Behold, the likeness of Adam was not formed within her (הָא לָא אִתְצָיַּיר דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם בָּהּ). If so, in what place was this seed formed and engraved, to be the engraving of the likeness of Adam? (אִי הָכִי, בְּאָן אֲתָר אִתְצָיַּיר וְאִתְגְלִיף הַאי זֶרַע, לְמֶהוֵי גְּלִיפוּ דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם). Rather, this is the supernal secret (אֶלָּא דָּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה): Adam Kadma’ah was formed and engraved without a female (אָדָם קַדְמָאָה אִתְצָיַּיר וְאִתְגְלִיף בְּלָא נוּקְבָּא). Adam Tinyana (the Second Adam), from the strength and seed of this one, was engraved and formed within the female (אָדָם תִּנְיָינָא, מֵחֵילָא וְזַרְעָא דְּהַאי, אַגְלִיף וְאִתְצָיַּיר גּוֹ נוּקְבָּא).

Adam Kadma’ah, the engraving of the form and likeness of the body (אָדָם קַדְמָאָה, גְּלִיפוּ דְּצִיּוּרָא וּדְיוּקְנָא דְּגוּפָא), was not in the female (לָא הֲוָה בְּנוּקְבָּא), and was without any image at all (וּבְלָא צִיּוּרָא כְּלַל הֲוָה). But he was formed and engraved below, from the World to Come (וְאִתְצָיַּיר וְאִגְּלִיף לְתַתָּא מֵעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), without male and without female (בְּלָא דְּכוּרָא, וּבְלָא נוּקְבָּא). Those letters were engraved within the ink (אִינּוּן אַתְוָון אַגְלִימוּ גּוֹ מִשְׁחָתָא), and he was formed and engraved in them, the mystery of Adam (וְאִתְצָיַּיר וְאִגְּלִיף בְּהוּ רָזָא דְּאָדָם). And the letters, in a straight path, in their order (וְאַתְוָון בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, בְּסִדּוּרָא דִּלְהוֹן), from the mystery of the Primordial Light (מֵרָזָא דְּאוֹר קַדְמָאָה), began to be engraved and to be formed (שָׁרִיאוּ לְאִתְגָלְפָא וּלְאִתְצָיְּירָא). And this light was sown within the ink (וְאִזְדְּרַע הַאי אוֹר בְּגַוֵּיהּ גּוֹ מִשְׁחָתָא). When it reached within the ink, the waters returned, and within the waters spread forth the firmament—the image of Adam, the likeness as was fitting (כַּד מָטָא גּוֹ מִשְׁחָתָא, אִתְהַדָּר מַיָּא, גּוֹ מַיָּא, אִתְפָּשַׁט רָקִיעַ צִיּוּרָא דְּאָדָם, דִּיּוּקְנָא כַּדְקָא חֲזִי). Afterward, when the female was adorned toward him, and face was joined with face (לְבָתַר דְּאִתְקַשְּׁטַת נוּקְבָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאִתְהַדְּרוּ אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין), this likeness of Adam entered with desire toward the female (הַאי דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם, עָאל בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא לְגַבֵּי נוּקְבָּא), and there it was engraved and formed after its manner (וְתַמָּן אַגְלִיף וְאִתְצָיָיר כְּגַוְונָא דִּילֵיהּ). And concerning him it is written: “And he begot in his likeness, after his image” (Bereshit 5) (וְעָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ וְגוֹ׳). This one was formed within the female (הַאי אִתְצָיַּיר גּוֹ נוּקְבָּא), which was not the case with the first one (מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה הַהוּא קַדְמָאָה). For that first one was formed—some say: within him, in measure, within the ink, as was said (דְּאִתְצַיָּיר ד״א ל״ג גוֹ הַהוּא קַדְמָאָה בְּגַוֵּיהּ בִּמְדִּידוּ גּוֹ מִשְׁחָתָא כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר).

In this manner below (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לְתַתָּא). Below, what is written? (לְתַתָּא מַה כְּתִיב): “And Adam knew Chavah his wife, and she conceived and bore Kayin” (Bereshit 4) (וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד אֶת קַיִן). The ape began the birth, in her womb, with the strength and assistance of Adam (שָׁרִיאַת קוֹף לְאוֹלָדָא, בִּמְעָהָא, בְּחֵילָא וְסִיוּעָא דְּאָדָם)p1-44. Afterward, she received the filth from within that ape (לְבָתַר דְּהָא קַבִּילַת זוּהֲמָא מִגּוֹ הַאי קוֹף)p1-45. And because of this it is not written here, “And he begot” (וְעַל דָּא לָא כְּתִיב הָכָא וַיּוֹלֶד), but rather, “He knew, and she conceived, and she bore” (אֶלָּא יָדַע וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד). And the waste went out into the female (וְנָפַק פְּסוֹלֶת גּוֹ נוּקְבָּא).