Daf 185b (דַּף קפ״ה ע״ב)

And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), even though it is a portion for that Sitra achra (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ חוּלָקָא לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), the Secret here is that all those other lower sides (רָזָא הָכָא, כָּל הָנֵי סִטְרִין אַחֲרָנִין דִּלְתַתָּא), that are called the depths of the sea (דַּאִקְרוּן מְצוּלוֹת יָם), all of them are more defiled (כֻּלְּהוּ מִסְאֲבִין יַתִּיר). And the more the grades descend below (וְכָל מַה דְּנַחְתִּין דַּרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין), so their defilement increases (הָכִי מִסְאֲבוּ דִּלְהוֹן יַתִּיר). And because of this, their portion is greater in the goat (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, בָּעֵז יַתִּיר חוּלָקֵיהוֹן), because its hair (בְּגִין דְּשַׂעֲרָא דִּילֵיהּ) depends more than other beasts (תַּלְיָא יַתִּיר מִבְּעִירָא אַחֲרָא), just as their judgment depends below in the defilement (כְּמָה דְּדִינָא דִּלְהוֹן תָּלֵי לְתַתָּא בִּמְסָאֲבוּ).

But this other guilty kingdom, the king of all on that side (אֲבָל הַאי מַלְכוּ חַיָּיבְתָא אַחֲרָא, מַלְכָּא דְּכֹלָּא בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא), it is more refined in its defilement (בָּרוּר אִיהוּ יַתִּיר מִסְאֲבוּ דִּילֵיהּ), and not complete defilement like these lower ones (וְלָא מִסְאֲבוּ שְׁלִים כְּהָנֵי תַּתָּאֵי). And because of this, the goat, its hair neither hangs nor spreads (וְעַל דָּא שָׂעִיר, דִּשְׂעַר דִּילֵיהּ לָא תַּלְיָא, וְלָא שְׁעִיעַ). It does not spread, because of its defilement (לָא שְׁעִיעַ, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא מִסְאֲבוּ דִּילֵיהּ). And it does not hang, because the defilement does not overpower it like the lower ones (וְלָא תַּלְיָא, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְתָּקַף בֵּיהּ מִסְאֲבוּ כְּהָנֵי תַּתָּאֵי). And because of this, surely a goat and not another (וְעַל דָּא וַדַּאי שָׂעִיר וְלָא אַחֲרָא).

Kippur—why is it called Kippur? (כִּפּוּר, אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי כִּפּוּר), but because all defilement is cleansed and passed away from before Him on that day (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּנָקִי כָּל מְסָאֲבוּ, וְאַעְבַּר לֵיהּ מִקַּמֵיהּ, בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא). And for this reason, Yom Kippur is the Day of Cleansing (וְעַל דָּא, יוֹם כִּפּוּר: יוֹמָא דִּנְקִיוּתָא), and thus we call it (וְהָכִי קָרֵינָא לֵיהּ). It is written (כְּתִיב) (Leviticus 16): “For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to purify you” (כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם). “For on this day”—why does it say thus? (כִּי הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה).

But because the sanctuary above is cleansed (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאִתְדָּכֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא לְעֵילָּא), it is purified (אִתְנַקֵי). Some say: it is illuminated (נ״א: וְאִתְנְהִיר). Thus it is written: “For on this day he shall atone for you” (כְּתִיב כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם), atone and cleanse first on this day (יְכַפֵּר וִינָקֵי בְּקַדְמִיתָא בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה), in order to be cleansed, and afterward upon you (בְּגִין דְּיִתְדָּכֵי, וּלְבָתַר עֲלֵיכֶם). Furthermore, “he shall atone on this day” means He cleanses it first (תּוּ, יְכַפֵּר בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה, וִינָקֵי לֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and all this is for you (וְכָל דָּא עֲלֵיכֶם), for your sake it must be cleansed and purified first (בְּגִינֵיכוֹן אִצְטְרִיךְ לְנַקָּאָה לֵיהּ, וּלְדַכְּאָה לֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא). “He shall atone”—who shall atone? (יְכַפֵּר, מַאן יְכַפֵּר). But this is the supernal world, which shines and is pure for all (אֶלָּא דָּא הוּא עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה, דְּנָהִיר וְנָקֵי לְכֹלָּא). And because of this all the evil sides that are called “the depths of the sea” are removed (וְעַל דָּא כֻּלְּהוּ סִטְרִין בִּישִׁין, דְּאִקְרוּן מְצוּלוֹת יָם, אִתְעֲבָרוּ). And just as those depths of the sea are suspended (וּכְמָּה דְּאִינּוּן מְצוּלוֹת יָם תַּלְיָין), so too the hair of that side depends on them (הָכִי נָמֵי תַּלְיָיא שַׂעֲרָא דִּילֵיהּ כָּל הַהוּא סִטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן). But the hair of that side does not spread (וְשַׂעֲרָא דְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא לָא שְׁעִיעַ).

In this manner it is written (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כְּתִיב) (Leviticus 16): “And he shall atone for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Yisrael, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins” (וְכִפֶּר עַל הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִטוּמְאֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִפִּשְׁעֵיהֶם לְכָל חַטֹּאתָם). “All their sins”—why? (וְכָל חֲטֹאתָם מִּבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). But to be a benefit for them (אֶלָּא לְהַנָאָה לְהוֹן), that from then and onward, for all their sins, the accuser cannot rule over them (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה לְכָל חֶטְאָם דְּלָא יָכִיל מְקַטְרְגָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלַיְיהוּ). And because of this, on Yom Kippur (וְעַל דָּא בְּיוֹמָא דְּכִפּוּר), which is the cleansing of all debts and their purity (דְּאִיהוּ קִנּוּחָא דְּכָל חוֹבִין, וְנַקְיוּ דִּלְהוֹן), Yisrael must cleanse themselves and walk barefoot like the supernal angels (בָּעָאן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְנַקָּאָה גַּרְמַיְיהוּ, וּלְמֵהַךְ יְחֵפֵי רַגְלִין, כְּמַלְאָכֵי עִלָּאִין). Five afflictions, in order to unite with the five supernal sides (חֲמֵשׁ עִנּוּיִין, בְּגִין לְאִסְתַּיְּיעָא בְּחָמֵשׁ סִטְרִין עִלָּאִין), which Yom Kippur brings forth, and they are His gates (דְּיוֹמָא דְּכִפּוּרֵי אַפִּיק לוֹן, וְאִינּוּן תַּרְעִין דִּילֵיהּ).

And if drinking is considered (וְאִי שְׁתִיָּה קָא חָשִׁיב), it is from the side of Yitzchak (דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּיִצְחָק), behold it is six (הָא שִׁית). And even though it is included within eating (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּבִכְלָל אֲכִילָה אִיהוּ), then they are six (וּכְדֵין אִינּוּן שִׁית). And the last affliction is sexual union (וְעִנּוּיָא בַּתְרָאָה תַּשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה אִיהוּ), and in the sixth degree it is found (וּבְדַרְגָּא שְׁתִיתָאָה שְׁכִיחַ), and corresponding to it we perform this affliction (וְלָקֳבְלֵיהּ אֲנָן עָבְדִין עִנּוּיָא דָּא). It is written (כְּתִיב) (Numbers 29): “And on the tenth of the seventh month, this same month” (וּבֶעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה), and it is written (וּכְתִיב) (Leviticus 23): “But on the tenth of the month” (אַך בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ). “On the tenth”—it ought to have said “in the tenth” (בֶּעָשׂוֹר, בָּעֲשִׂירִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). What is “on the tenth”? (מַאי בֶּעָשׂוֹר).

But because now, on this day (אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּהַשְׁתָּא בְּיוֹמָא דָּא), all the supernal grades, one above the other (כָּל דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין, אַתְיָין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין), descend to rest upon the moon and to illumine her (לְמִשְׁרֵי עַל סִיהֲרָא, וּלְאַנְהֲרָא לָהּ). And all of them are in the Secret of ten (וְכֻלְּהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּעֶשֶׂר), until it ascends to one hundred (עַד דְּסַלְּקָא לְמֵאָה). And when it stands in the Secret of one hundred (וְכַד קַיְּימָא בְּרָזָא דְּמֵאָה), then all is one, and it is called Yom HaKippurim (כַּדִּין כֹּלָּא חַד, וְאִקְרֵי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים). And because of this, “on the tenth” (וְעַל דָּא בֶּעָשׂוֹר), as you say “remember” and “guard” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר זָכוֹר, שָׁמוֹר), that all of them come for the sake of ten, to shine in the Secret of ten (דְּכֻלְּהוּ אַתְיָין בְּגִין לְעַשָׂרָא וּלְאַנְהָרָא בְּרָזָא דְּעֶשֶׂר).

That old man turned his head toward Rabbi Shim‘on (אַהְדָּר הַאי סָבָא רֵישֵׁיהּ לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), and said to him (וְאָמַר לֵיהּ): Rabbi Shim‘on, I knew that this question would be asked regarding this, “on the tenth of the seventh month” (הָא יָדַעְנָא דִּשְׁאֶלְתָּא תִּבָּעֵי בְּהַאי, בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי).

Rabbi Shim‘on said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): Surely “on the tenth” is fitting (וַדַּאי, בֶּעָשׂוֹר יֵאוֹת הוּא). Some say: That “in the tenth” is fitting, and so it is, but “on the tenth,” why, etc. (ס״א: דָּא בֶּעָשִׂירִי יָאוֹת הוּא, וְהָכִי הוּא, אֲבָל בֶּעָשׂוֹר אֲמַאי וְכוּ׳). If so, why does it ascend to one hundred? (אִי הָכִי הוּא, אֲמַאי סָלִיק לְמֵאָה). But the verse does not appear thus, except that it ascends to seventy (וְהָא מִקְרָא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי, אֶלָּא דְּסָלִיק לְשִׁבְעִין). It is implied as it is written: “on the tenth of the seventh month” (מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִּיב בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי). And when you multiply the seventh by ten, that is surely seventy (וְכַד מְעַשְׂרֵי לְשִׁבְעָאָה עֶשֶׂר זִמְנִין, הָא וַדַּאי סָלִיק לְשִׁבְעִין). He said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ): For this I turned my head toward you, for I knew that you are wise (עַל דָּא אַהֲדַרְנָא רֵישָׁא לְגַבָּךְ, דְּהָא יָדַעְנָא דְּחַכִּימָא אַנְתְּ).