Daf 175b (דַּף קע״ה ע״ב)

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles (אַשְׁרֵיךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ בֶּן חוֹרִין), who provides for you in abundance of all things (דְּזָן לָךְ בִּסְגִיאוּת כֹּלָּא), without fear of another (בְּלָא דְּחִילוּ דְּאַחֲרָא), and from that supernal King all is sustained (וּמֵהַהוּא מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה אִתְּזַן כֹּלָּא). And your princes eat in due time (וְשָׂרַיִךְ בָּעֵת יאכֵלוּ), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) (Numbers 23): At this time it shall be said to Ya'akov and to Yisrael what El has wrought (כָּעֵת יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל מָה פָּעַל אֵל). Woe to you, O land, when your king is a youth (אִי לָךְ אֶרֶץ שֶׁמַּלְכֵּךְ נָעַר), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) (Isaiah 3): And I will give youths to be their princes (וְנָתַתִּי נְעָרִים שָׂרֵיהֶם). Woe to the land when it nurses from the left side (דְּוַוי לְאַרְעָא כַּד יַנְקָא מִשְּׂמָאלָא). And your princes eat in the morning (וְשָׂרַיִךְ בַּבֹּקֶר יֹאכֵלוּ), in that darkness (בְּהַהוּא קַדְרוּתָא), before the light shines (וְעַד לָא נָהִיר), and what rules does not yet rule (וְלָא שַׁלְטָא מָה דְּשַׁלְטָא).

It was taught, Rabbi Shimon said (תָּנָא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן) (Exodus 26): And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall pass through from one end to the other (וְהַבְּרִיחַ הַתִּיכוֹן בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּרָשִׁים מַבְרִיחַ מִן הַקָּצֶה אֶל הַקָּצֶה). This is Ya'akov, the holy complete one (דָּא הוּא יַעֲקֹב קַדִּישָׁא שְׁלֵימָא), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקִימְנָא). For it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) (Bereshit 25): And Ya'akov was a wholesome man, dwelling in tents (וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם יוֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים). It is not written “dwelling in a tent” (יוֹשֵׁב אֹהֶל לָא כְּתִיב), but “dwelling in tents” (אֶלָּא יוֹשֵׁב אוֹהָלִים), two, for he held to this one and to that one (תְּרֵי, דְּאָחִיד לְהַאי וְאָחִיד לְהַאי). So too here it is written (אַף הָכָא כְּתִיב): and the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall pass through from end to end (וְהַבְּרִיחַ הַתִּיכוֹן בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּרָשִׁים מַבְרִיחַ מִן הַקָּצֶה אֶל הַקָּצֶה), he holds to this one and to that one (דְּאָחִיד לְהַאי וְאָחִיד לְהַאי).

It was taught (דְּתָנֵינָן): what is “a wholesome man” (מַאי אִישׁ תָּם)? As its Targum: complete (כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, שְׁלִים). Complete in all things (שְׁלִים מִכֹּלָּא), complete to both sides (שְׁלִים לִתְרֵין סִטְרִין): to Atikah Kadisha (לְעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא), and to Ze’ir Anpin (וְלִזְעֵיר אַפִּין). Complete to the supernal Chesed (שְׁלִים לְחֶסֶד עִלָּאָה), and to the supernal Gevurah (וְלִגְּבוּרָה עִלָּאָה), and he made whole both this one and that one (וְאַשְׁלִים לְהַאי וּלְהַאי).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): I have seen that Chokhmah is the totality of all (חֲמֵינָא דְּהָא חָכְמְתָא כְּלַל כֹּלָּא). And the supernal Chesed goes forth from Chokhmah (וְחֶסֶד עִלָּאָה נָפְקָא מֵחָכְמָה). Gevurah, which is strong judgment, goes forth from Binah (גְּבוּרָה, דְּהוּא דִּינָא תַּקִּיפָא, נָפְקָא מִבִּינָה). Ya'akov completed the two sides (יַעֲקֹב אַשְׁלִים לִתְרֵין סִטְרִין), and the Patriarchs are the totality of all (וַאֲבָהָן כְּלַל כֹּלָּא). And Ya'akov is the totality of the Patriarchs (וְיַעֲקֹב כְּלַל אֲבָהֲתָא).

It was taught (תָּאנָא): Chokhmah struck in its paths (בָּטַשׁ חָכְמָה בִּשְׁבִילוֹי), and gathered in spirit (some say: into water) (וְכָנִיף בְּרוּחָא [ס״א לְמַיָּא])—and the waters were gathered to one place (וְאִתְכָּנְפוּ מַיָּא לְאֲתָר חַד). And fifty gates of Binah were opened (וְאִתְפְּתָחוּ חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין דְּבִינָה). From these paths came forth ten crowns, in shining rays (מֵאִלֵּין שְׁבִילִין, נַפְקֵי עֲשָׂרָה כִּתְרִין בְּקַרְנִיטֵּי זְהִירִין), and there remained twenty-two paths (וְאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ עֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין שְׁבִילִין). That spirit struck in those paths (בָּטַשׁ הַהוּא רוּחָא בְּאִינּוּן שְׁבִילִין), and fifty gates of Binah were opened (וְאִתְפְּתָחוּ חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין דְּבִינָה). And the twenty-two were engraved in the fifty gates of Jubilee (וְאִתְגְּלִיפוּ עֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין בְּחַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין דְּיוֹבְלָא), and they were crowned with the seventy-two letters of the Holy Name (וְאִתְעַטָּרוּ בְּשִׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). These were opened to their sides (אִלֵּין אִתְפְּתָּחוּ לְסִטְרוֹי).

And twenty-two crowns of mercy were crowned (וְאִתְעַטָּרוּ עֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין כִּתְרִין דְּרַחֲמֵי), included in Atik Yomin (דִּכְלִילָן בְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין), each one shining to its side (דְּנָהִיר לוֹן כָּל חַד בְּסִטְרוֹי). Fifty engravings were crowned (אִתְעַטָּרוּ חַמְשִׁין גְּלִיפִין), in the forty-two holy letters of the Holy Name (בְּמ״ב אַתְוָון קַדִּישִׁין דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), by which were created heaven and earth (דִּבְהוֹן אִתְבְּרֵי שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא). And in their engravings were engraved eight gates (וְאִתְגְּלָפוּ בְּגִּלוּפֵיהוֹן תְּמַּנְיָא תַּרְעִין), which are the eight letters of mercy (דְּאִינּוּן תְּמַנְיָא אַתְוָון דְּרַחֲמֵי), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) (Exodus 34): Hashem, Hashem, El merciful and gracious (יְיָ יְיָ אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן). These come forth from Atika Kadisha to Ze‘ir (דְּנָפְקָא מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא לִזְעִירָא), and are joined with these holy crowns (וּמִתְחַבְּרָן בְּאִלֵּין כִּתְרִין קַדִּישִׁין), Chokhmah and Binah supernal, which ascend (חָכְמָה וּבִינָה עִלָּאִין דְּסַלְּקִין). Supernal Chesed goes forth from this side (נָפְקָא חֶסֶד עִלָּאָה מֵהַאי סִטְרָא), and the judgment of Gevurah from this side (וְדִינָא דִּגְבוּרָה מֵהַאי סִטְרָא). The merit of Ya'akov came (אָתָא זְכוּתָא דְּיַעֲקֹב), and he completed and bound both of them (וְאַשְׁלִים אֲתַרְוַויְיהוּ וְאָחִיד לוֹן). For this is the supernal perfection (דְּהָא הוּא שְׁלֵימוּתָא עִלָּאָה).

It was taught, Rabbi Shimon said (תָּאנָא אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): because of this Yisrael is called (בְּגִין כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְקְרֵי). For it was taught (דְּתָאנָא): Ya'akov is the lower (יַעֲקֹב תַּתָּאָה). Yisrael is the upper (יִשְׂרָאֵל עִלָּאָה). Ya'akov is not completeness (יַעֲקֹב לָאו שְׁלֵימוּתָא), Yisrael is completeness of all (יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא). And so it was taught (וְכֵן תָּאנָא) (II Samuel 23): The words of David son of Yishai (נְאֻם דָּוִד בֶּן יִשַׁי). David is not completeness (דָּוִד לָאו שְׁלֵימוּתָא), for he is the last one (דְּהָא בַּתְרָאָה הוּא). Yishai is the supernal Yesod, and completeness (יִשַׁי יְסוֹד עִלָּאָה הוּא, וּשְׁלֵימוּתָא). And this is what we have learned (וְהַיְינוּ דְּתָנֵינָן): Yisrael were not exiled from their land until they denied Kudsha Berikh Hu (לָא גָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְצָם עַד שֶׁכָּפְרוּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and the kingship of the house of David (וּבְמַלְכוּתָא דְּבֵית דָּוִד), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) (II Samuel 20): We have no portion in David and no inheritance in the son of Yishai, every man to his tents, Yisrael (אֵין לָנוּ חֵלֶק בְּדָוִד וְלא נַחֲלָה בְּבֶן יִשַׁי אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל). What is “every man to his tents” (מַאי אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו)? The place where idolatry dwells among them (אֲתָר דְּעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת שַׁרְיָא בְּגַּוַּיְיהוּ). This is to his gods (הַיְינוּ לֶאֱלֹהָיו).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): when Chokhmah began to engrave engravings in all the crowns (כַּד שַׁרְיָא חָכְמְתָא לְגַּלְפָא גְּלִיפִין בְּכֻלְּהוּ כִּתְרִין), from which crown did it begin (מֵאָן כִּתְרָא שַׁאֲרֵי)? From that which is called Binah (מֵהַהוּא דְּאִתְקְרֵי בִּינָה). In Binah all is included (בְּבִּינָה אִתְכְּלִיל כֹּלָּא). And because of this fifty gates were opened in it (וּבְּגִין כָּךְ אִתְפְּתָּחוּ בָּהּ חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין), and it is found that all was engraved in Chokhmah (וְאִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכֹלָּא בְּחָכְמָה אִתְגְּלָפוּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) (Psalms 104): You made them all with Chokhmah (כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ).

It was taught (תָּאנָא): it is written (כְּתִיב) (Isaiah 40): Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, etc. (מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם וְגוֹ׳). In the hollow of His hand the waters (בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם). What are the waters (מַאן מַיִם)? This is Binah (דָּא הוּא בִּינָה). Rabbi El'azar taught thus (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מַתְנִי הָכִי): this is Chesed (דָּא חֶסֶד). Rabbi Shimon said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): all goes up in one balance (כֹּלָּא בְּחַד מַתְקְלָא סַלְּקָא) — some say: is rectified in one (ס״א מִתְתַּקֵּן). (Isaiah 40): And measured heaven with a span (וְשָׁמַיִם בַּזֶּרֶת תִּכֵּן). What is heaven (מַאן שָׁמַיִם)? Tiferet (תִּפְאֶרֶת), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): Tiferet Yisrael (תִּפְאֶרֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure (וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִישׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ). This is Gevurah (דָּא הוּא גְּבוּרָה). And weighed the mountains in a scale (וְשָׁקַל בַּפֶּלֶס הָרִים), these are the other crowns (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שְׁאַר כִּתְרִין), which are called the mountains of pure balsam (דְּאִקְרוּן טוּרֵי אֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא). And the hills in a balance (וּגְּבָעוֹת בְּמֹאזְנָיִם), these are the rest of the lower chariots from them (אִלֵּין שְׁאַר רְתִיכִין תַּתָּאִין מִנַּיְיהוּ).