Daf 176b (דַּף קע״ו ע״ב)

It was taught (תָּאנָא): The Book of Concealment (סִפְרָא דְּצְנִיעוּתָא), a book that is weighed in the balance (סִפְרָא, דְּשָׁקִיל בְּמַתְקְלָא). It was taught (תָּאנָא): until the balance existed (דְּעַד דְּלָא הֲוָה מַתְקְלָא), they did not regard face to face (לָא הֲווֹ מַשְׁגִּיחִין אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין), and the primordial kings died (וּמַלְכִין קַדְמָאִין מִיתוּ), and their forms were not found (וְזִיוּנֵיהוֹן לָא אִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ), and the earth was nullified (וְאַרְעָא אִתְבַּטְּלָת). Until the head of the desire of all desires (עַד דְּרֵישָׁא דְּכִסּוּפָא דְּכָל כִּסוּפִין) arranged garments of glory and covered (לְבוּשֵׁי דִּיקָר אַתְקִין, וְאַחֲסִין).

This balance depends on a place that was not (הַאי מַתְקְלָא תָּלֵי בַּאֲתַר דְּלָא הֲוָה). Those that were not found were weighed in it (אִתְּקָלוּ בֵּיהּ אִינּוּן דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ). The balance stands within itself (מַתְקְלָא קָאִים בְּגוּפֵיהּ), not united and not seen (לָא אִתְאֲחָד, וְלָא אִתְחָזֵי). In it ascended those that were not (בֵּיהּ סְלִיקוּ, וּבֵיהּ סָלְקִין דְּלָא הֲווֹ), and became, and will be (וַהֲווּ, וְיְהוְיָּין).

A secret within a secret was prepared and arranged (סִתְרָא גּוֹ סִתְרָא, אִתְתְּקָּן וְאִזְדְּמַן), in one skull filled with dew of crystal p1-53(בְּחַד גּוּלְגַלְתָּא, מַלְיָיא טַלָּא דִּבְדוֹלְחָא). The membrane of the air was purified and sealed (קְרוּמָא דְּאַוִּירָא אִזְדָּכָךְ וְסָתִים). Those clean measures hang in the balance (אִינּוּן עֲמָר נְקֵי תַּלְיָין בְּשִּׁקוּלָא). The will of wills is revealed in the prayer of those below (רַעֲוָא דְּרַעֲוִין אִתְגַּלְיָא בִּצְלוֹתָא דְּתַתָּאֵי). An open providence that does not slumber and guards constantly (אַשְׁגָּחָא פְּקִיחָא דְּלָא נָאִים, וְנָטִיר תְּדִירָא). The providence below corresponds to the providence of the supernal radiance (אַשְׁגָּחוּתָא דְּתַתָּא בְּאַשְׁגָּחוּתָא דִּנְהִירוּ דְּעִלָּאָה). In it are the two cavities of the nostrils, through which the spirit is aroused for all (בְּהַהוּא תְּרִין נוּקְבִין דְּפַרְדַּשְׂקָא, דְּאִתְּעַר רוּחָא לְכֹלָּא).

In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ). Six “Bereshit”(created six) are upon them (שִׁיתָא בְּרֵאשִׁית [ברא שית] עָלַיְיהוּ), all of them below (כוּלְהוּ לְתַתָּא), and they depend from the seven of the skull unto the preciousness of preciousness (וְתַלְיָין מִשִּׁבְעָה דְּגּוּלְגְלָתָא עַד יְקִירוּ דְּיַקִירוּתָא). And the second earth is not in the calculation (וְהָאָרֶץ תִּנְיָינָא לָאו בְּחוּשְׁבָּן), and behold it was said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר). And from that cursed earth it came forth, as it is written (וּמֵהַהִיא דְּאִתְלַטְּיָיא נָפְקָא, דְּכְתִּיב) (Bereshit 5): From the earth which Hashem cursed (מִן הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר אֵרַרָה יְיָ). And the earth was tohu va’vohu, and darkness upon the face of the deep, and the spirit of Elohim hovered upon the face of the waters (הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְּהוֹם וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם). Thirteen, depending upon thirteen preciousnesses of preciousness (תְּלֵיסַר, תַּלְיָין בִּתְלֵיסָר יְקִירוּ דְּיַקִירוּתָא).

Six thousand years (שִׁיתָא אַלְפֵי שְׁנִין) depend upon the first six (תַּלְיָין בְּשִׁיתָא קַדְמָאֵי). The seventh is upon them (שְׁבִיעָאָה עָלַיְיהוּ), which strengthened by itself (דְּאִתְתָּקַּף בִּלְחוֹדוֹי). And all was destroyed in twelve hours (וְאִתְחָרִיב כֹּלָּא בִּתְרֵיסַר שַׁעְתֵּי), as it is written (דְּכְתִּיב): the earth was tohu va’vohu, etc. (הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְגוֹ׳). Thirteen established them in mercy (תְּלֵיסַר יְקִים לוֹן בְּרַחֲמֵי), and were renewed in the beginning (וּמִתְחַדְּשָׁן בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and all those six arose (וְקָמוּ כָּל אִינּוּן שִׁיתָא [ס״י קמו]). Because it is written “bara (created)” (בְּגִין דְּכְתִּיב בָּרָא), and afterward it is written “the earth was” (וּלְבָתַר כְּתִיב הָיְתָה), meaning that indeed it was (דְּהָא הֲוַת וַדַּאי), and at the end tohu va’vohu and darkness (וּלְבַסּוֹף תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ). As it is written (Isaiah 2): And Hashem alone shall be exalted on that day (וְנִשְׂגַּב יְיָ לְבַדּוֹ בְּיוֹם הַהוּא).

Engravings of engravings (גִּלוּפֵי דִּגְלִיפִין), like the image of a long serpent (כְּחֵיזוּ דְּחִוְיָא אָרִיךְ), spreading here and there (וּמִתְפָּשַּׁט לְכָאן וּלְכָאן), the tail in the head (זַנְבָא בְּרֵישָׁא). The head, from behind, grasps the shoulders (רֵישָׁא [אחורא] אָחִיד אַכַתְפִין), crossing over and quivering (אַעְבַּר וְזָעִים), guarding and hidden (נְטַר וְגָנִיז). For one thousand small days it is revealed (חַד לְאֶלֶף יוֹמִין זְעִירִין אִתְגָּלְיָיא) — some say: filled (נ״א אִתְמַלֵּי) — the scales upon its knots (קוּלְטְרָא בְּקִטְרוֹי), its fins upon its sides (סְנַפִּירָא בְּעַדְבוֹי). Its head was broken in the waters of the great sea (אִתְבַּר רֵישֵׁיהּ בְּמַיִין דְיַמָּא רַבָּא), as it is written (Psalms 74): You broke the heads of the sea-serpents upon the waters (שִׁבַּרְתָּ רָאשֵׁי תַּנִּינִים עַל הַמָּיִם). They were two (תְּרֵין הֲווֹ), one was turned back (חַד אִתְחֲזָרֵי).: “Taninim - sea-monsters” is written defectively (תַּנִּינָם כְּתִיב חָסֵר). “Heads,” as you say (רָאשֵׁי, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) (Ezekiel 1): And over the heads of the Chayah was a firmament (וּדְמוּת עַל רָאשֵׁי הַחַיָּה רָקִיעַ). And Elohim said: let there be light, and there was light (וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר). This is what is written (Psalms 33): For He said, and it was (כִּי הוּא אָמַר וַיֶּהִי) — He alone (הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי).

Afterward they returned, one YHV”Y, YHVY, V”Y”Y (לְבָתַר אִתְחַזְרוּ חַד י־ה־ו־י, י־ה־ו, ו־י־ו), and the last, Shekhinta below (ו׳ בַּתְרָאָה שְׁכִינְתָּא לְתַתָּא). As the letter Heh of Shekhinta is found (כְּמָה דְּה׳ שְׁכִינְתָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח), and in one balance they were weighed (וּבְחַד מַתְקְלָא אִתְּקָלוּ). And the Chayot ran and returned (וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב), as it is written (דְּכְתִּיב): And Elohim saw the light, that it was good (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב). (Isaiah 3): Say of the righteous that he is good (אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב). This rises in the balance (הַאי, בְּמַתְקְלֵּיה סַלְּקָא). The first, by itself (קַדְמָאָה בִּלְחוֹדוֹי). And all returned to one (וְכֹלָּא לְחָד אִתְחֲזְרֵי). Union and knowledge, included one in the other in Yod–Heh (אֲחַתָא וּמוֹדַעְתָּא כְּלִילָן דָּא בְּדָא בְּיו״ד הֵ״א), two beloved crowns that embrace (כִתְרֵין רְחִימִין דְּמִתְחַבְּקָן).

Six go forth from the branch of the root of the body (שִׁיתָא נָפְקִין מֵעַנְפָא דְּשָׁרְשָׁא דְּגוּפָא), a tongue that speaks greatness (לִישָׁן מְמַלֵּל רַבְרְבָן). This tongue is concealed between Yod and Heh (לִישָׁן דָּא, סָתִים בֵּין יו״ד וְהֵ״א), as it is written (דְּכְתִּיב) (Isaiah 44): This one shall say, I am Hashem’s; and this one shall call himself by the name of Ya'akov; and this one shall write with his hand “for Hashem,” and by the name of Yisrael he shall call himself (זֶה יֹאמַר לַי־הֹוָה אָנִי, וְזֶה יִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם יַעֲקֹב, וְזֶה יִכְתּוֹב יָדוֹ לַיְיָ, וּבְשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֶּה [יכנה] מַמָּשׁ). “This one shall say, I am Hashem’s” (זֶה יֹאמַר לַי־הֹוָה אָנִי): union (אֲחַתָא). And all is said in YH”V (וְכֹלָּא אִתְּמַר בְּי״ה״ו). All is included in the concealed tongue to Imma (כֹּלָּא כְּלִילָן בְּלִישָׁן סָתִים לְאִימָא). For it was opened to him who went forth from her (דְּהָא אִתְפַּתְּחַת לֵיהּ דְּנָפִיק מִינָּהּ). Abba sits at the head (אַבָּא יָתִיב בְּרֵישָׁא), Imma in the middle (אִימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), and is concealed on this side and on that side (וּמִתְכַּסְיָּיא מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן). Woe to him who reveals their nakedness (וַוי לְמַאן דְּגַלֵּי עֲרָיַיתְהוֹן).