Daf 169b (דַּף קס״ט ע״ב)

Those seven blessings, the bride inherits from the supernal spirit (some say: from the supernal mystery (אִינּוּן שֶׁבַע בִּרְכָאן, יָרְתָא כַּלָּה, מֵרוּחָא [נ״א מֵרָזָא] עִלָּאָה), the place from which all blessings flow (אֲתָר דְּכָל בִּרְכָאן נַגְדִּין מִתַּמָּן). Six blessings are those with which the bride is blessed (שִׁית בִּרְכָאן אִינּוּן דְּכַלָּה אִתְבָּרְכָא מִנַּיְיהוּ). And you may say: but they are seven (וְאַתְּ אַמָרְתְּ דְּאִינּוּן שֶׁבַע). Rather, the seventh is that which sustains them all (אֶלָּא שְׁבִיעָאָה אִיהוּ דְּקָא מְקַיֵּים כֹּלָּא).

Most of the blessings are over wine—why? (רוּבָּא דְּבִרְכָּאָן עַל הַיַּיִן אֲמַאי) Because it is the side that brings joy to all (אֶלָּא דְּאִיהוּ סִטְרָא דְּחַדֵּי לְכֹלָּא), over that wine which is preserved within the grape always (עַל הַהוּא יַיִן דְּאִתְנְטִיר בָּעֲנָבוֹי תָּדִיר). And because of this, the first blessing of the seven is the mystery of wine (וּבְגִין כַּךְ בְּרָכָה קַדְמָאָה דְּאִינּוּן שֶׁבַע, אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּיַיִן): wine produces fruit (some say: joy) both above and below (יַיִן עָבִיד פְּרִי [ס״א חִידוֹ], בֵּין לְעֵילָּא בֵּין לְתַתָּא). The vine takes all, and brings forth branches into the world (גֶּפֶן נָטִיל כֹּלָּא, וְאַפִּיק אִיבָּא לְעָלְמָא). And arousal of joy—this is the left (וְאַתְּעֲרוּ דְּחֶדְוָה שְׂמָאלָא אִיהוּ), as it is written: “His left hand is under my head, and afterward His right hand embraces me” (Song of Songs 2) (דִּכְתִּיב שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי וּלְבָתַר וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי). And that Tree of Life produces fruits and branches—some say: in that vine—through this arousal (וְהַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי עָבִיד פֵּירִין וְאֵיבִין [ס״א בְּהַהוּא גֶּפֶן] בְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דָּא). And this is the first blessing of all: “Who creates the fruit of the vine” (וְדָא אִיהִי בְּרָכָה קַדְמָאָה דְּכֹלָּא — בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן).

The second: “Who created all for His glory” (תִּנְיָינָא שֶׁהַכֹּל בָּרָא לִכְבוֹדוֹ), the mystery of the holy covenant, the joy of union (רָזָא דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא, חֶדְוָה דְּחִבּוּרָא), which takes all blessings from the mystery of the right (דְּנָטִיל כָּל בִּרְכָאן מֵרָזָא דִּימִינָא), to make branches in that vine (לְמֶעְבַּד אֵיבִין בְּהַהוּא גֶּפֶן). For at first that fruit (some say: joy) descended from above (דְּהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא הַהוּא פְּרִי [נ״א חִידוֹ] נָחִית מִלְּעֵילָּא), the way of the limbs, and it was drawn to the holy covenant (אֹרַח שַׁיְיפִין, וְנָגִיד לִבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא), to flow within that vine (לְנַגְדָּא לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא גֶּפֶן). And this is from the side of the right (וְדָא מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא).

For no branch is found except in the right (דְּהָא לֵית אִיבָּא מִשְׁתַּכְחָא אֶלָּא בִּימִינָא). The left is aroused, but the right makes (שְׂמָאלָא אִתְעַר וִימִינָא עָבִיד). Afterward, the left is included in the right and the right in the left, to be the mystery of Adam (לְבָתַר כָּלִיל שְׂמָאלָא בִּימִינָא, וִימִינָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא, לְמֶהוֵי רָזָא דְּאָדָם).

And because of this, the third is “Who forms man” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ תְּלִיתָאָה אִיהוּ יוֹצֵר הָאָדָם). And for this Ya‘akov, who is the pillar of the middle, was the likeness of man (וְעַל דָּא יַעֲקֹב, דְּאִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם הֲוָה).

The fourth is one pillar, the right thigh (רְבִיעָאָה, אִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא חֲדָא, דְּיַרְכָּא יְמִינָא).

The fifth: “She who was barren shall surely rejoice and exult when her children are gathered” (Isaiah 54) (חֲמִישָׁאָה, שׂוֹשׂ תָּשִׂישׂ וְתָגֵל עֲקָרָה דְּבֵיתָא, בְּחֶדְוָה בְּקִבּוּץ וּכְנִישׁוּ דִּבְנָהָא), from the four sides of the world (מֵאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא). And this is the mystery of the other thigh, that joins with the left thigh (וְדָא רָזָא דְּיַרְכָּא אַחֲרָא, דְּאִתְחַבָּר בְּיַרְכָא שְׂמָאלָא), to go and to gather to all sides (לְמֵיזָל וּלְמִיכְנַשׁ לְכָל סִטְרִין). And the gathering of children and of love, to bring them among the blessings (וּכְנִישׁוּ דִּבְנִין, וּרְחִימוּ, לְמֵיעַל לוֹן בֵּין בִּרְכִּין). And in those two, prophets rest within them, the joy of the barren one of the house (וּבְאִינּוּן תְּרֵין, דִּנְבִיאִים שַׁרְיָין בְּגַּוַּויְיהוּ, חֶדְוָה דְעִקָרָא דְּבֵיתָא). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because the two willow-branches do not produce branches and fruits (בְּגִין דְּהָא שְׁתֵּי עֲרָבוֹת, לָא עַבְדִּין אֵיבָא וּפֵירִין). And the gathering of children around them, they are their fruits and branches (וּכְנִישׁוּ דִּבְנִין לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, אִינּוּן פֵּירִין וְאֵיבִין דִּלְהוֹן). And the gathering of children was not aroused for her except through the prophets (וְלָא אַתְּעֲרוּ כְּנִישׁוּ דִּבְנָהָא לְגַבָּהָא, בַּר בַּנְבִיאִים).

The sixth: “Gladden exceedingly the beloved Friends” (שְׁתִּיתָאָה שָׂמֵחַ תְּשַׂמַּח רֵעִים הָאֲהוּבִים), the place where will and joy and brotherhood are found (אֲתָר דִּרְעוּתָא וְחֶדְוָה וְאַחְוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח), the pillar of the whole world that is called Tzaddik (עַמּוּדָא דְּכָל עָלְמָא דְּאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק). And Tzaddik and Tzedek are Friends and beloved ones (וְצַדִּיק וְצֶדֶק רֵעִים וַאֲהוּבִים אִינּוּן), for they were never separated one from the other (דְּלָא אִתְעֲדוּן דָּא מִן דָּא). Until here are six blessings, with which the bride is blessed (עַד הָכָא שִׁית בִּרְכָאן, דְּכַלָּה אִתְבָּרְכַת מִנַּיְיהוּ).

The seventh sustains them all (שְׁבִיעָאָה אִיהוּ מְקַיֵּים כֹּלָּא), and from this seventh all are truly blessed (וּמֵהַאי שְׁבִיעָאָה מִתְבָּרְכָאן כֹּלָּא וַדַּאי), the generality of the ten utterances (כְּלָלָא דְּעֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן). For in this, upper and lower are included (בְּגִין דְּדָא, כָּלִיל עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). And because of this, are included in it the ten kinds of joy: gladness, joy, bride, some say: and groom, rejoicing, cheer, love, brotherhood, peace, and fellowship (וְעַל דָּא כָּלִיל בְּהַאי, י׳ זִינֵי דְּחֶדְוָה, שָׂשׂוֹן, שִׂמְחָה, חָתָן [ס״א וְכַלָּה], אַהֲבָה, אַחְוָה, גִּילָה, רִינָּה, דִּיצָה, חֶדְוָה, שָׁלוֹם וְרֵיעוּת), to make the bride complete in all (לְמֶהוֵי כַּלָּה שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא). Blessed are Yisrael, who merited below in likeness to above (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִינּוּן זָכוּ לְתַתָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). Concerning them it is written: “And who is like Your people, like Yisrael, one nation in the earth” (2 Samuel 7) (עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב וּמִי כְעַמְּךָ כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ). They all rejoiced that day in words of Orayta (חֲדוּ כֻּלְּהוּ כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא בְּמִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and all the townspeople made him head over them (וְכָל בְּנֵי מָתָא עַבְדוּ לֵיהּ רֵישָׁא עָלַיְיהוּ). On the next day Rabbi Yossi and Rabbi Ḥiyya arose and blessed them, and went on their way (לְיוֹמָא אַחֲרָא, קָמוּ רַבִּי יוֹסִי וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא וּבָרְכוּ לוֹן, וְאָזְלוּ לְאָרְחַיְיהוּ).

When they came before Rabbi Shim‘on, he lifted his eyes and saw them (כַּד מָטוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, זָקַף עֵינוֹי וְחָמָא לוֹן). He said to them: I was gazing upon you on this day (אָמַר לוֹן מִסְתַּכֵּל הֲוֵינָא בְּכוּ יוֹמָא דָּא), and I saw you two days and one night (וַחֲמֵינָא לְכוּ תְּרֵין יוֹמִין וְחַד לֵילְיָא), when you were in the dwelling of that youth, Metatron (דַּהֲוֵיתוֹן לְגַבֵּי מַשְׁכְּנָא דְּהַהוּא נַעַר מְטַטְרוֹן). And that youth was teaching you supernal mysteries in the joy of the Orayta (וְהַהוּא נַעַר הֲוָה אוֹלִיף לְכוּ רָזִין עִלָּאִין בְּחֶדְוָה דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). Blessed is your portion, my sons (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵכוֹן בָּנַי).

They arranged all the words before him, and related to him the matter (סִדְּרוּ מִלִּין כֻּלְּהוּ קָמֵיהּ, וְסָחוּ לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא). He said to them: Blessed are you, and blessed is my portion (אָמַר לוֹן זַכָּאִין אַתּוּן, וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי). For I remember one day when Rav Safra my father was going with me on the road (דְּהָא אַדְכַּרְנָא יוֹמָא חַד דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל עִמִּי בְּאָרְחָא רַב סַפְרָא אֲבוֹי), and I blessed him when he parted from me (וּבָרִיכִית לֵיהּ כַּד אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנִּי), that he should have a son who is a lion in the Orayta (דִּיּהֵא לֵיהּ בַּר אַרְיָא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), but I did not bless him that he should merit in him (וְלָא בָּרִיכִית לֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ יִזְכֵּי בֵּיהּ).

Blessed is your portion, my sons, for concerning you it is written: “And all your children shall be taught of Hashem” (Isaiah 54) (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵכוֹן בָּנַי, עָלַיְיכוּ כְּתִיב וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ). Another interpretation: “And all your children shall be taught of Hashem” (דָּבָר אַחֵר וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ). And are all the children of Yisrael taught by Kudsha Berikh Hu the Orayta? (וְכִי כָּל בְּנִין דְּאִינּוּן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כֻּלְּהוּ אוֹלִיף לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹרַיְּיתָא).

Yes (אִין). For at the time when the children learn the Orayta (דְּהָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִינּוּן יַנוּקֵי לָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), the Shekhinta comes and gives them strength and power to speak in the Orayta (שְׁכִינְתָּא אַתְיָא וְיָהִיב לוֹן חֵילָא וְתֻּקְפָּא לְמִלְעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). For were it not for the help of Kudsha Berikh Hu, those children could not endure it (דְּאִלְמָלֵא סִיּוּעָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא יַכְלִין אִינּוּן יַנוּקֵי לְמִסְבַּל).