Daf 186b (דַּף קפ״ו ע״ב)

The Old man gazed upon Rabbi Shim‘on (אַשְׁגַּח הַאי סָבָא בַּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), and saw him that his eyes were flowing with tears (וְחָמָא לֵיהּ דְּזַלְגִּין עֵינוֹי דִּמְעִין). Rabbi Shim‘on said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): If it is the seventh (אִי הִיא שְׁבִיעָאָה), why from twenty years and above? (אֲמַאי מֵעֶשְׂרִין שְׁנִין וּלְעֵילָּא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Blessed is he who speaks to ears that hear (זַכָּאָה מַאן דְּמַלִּיל עַל אוּדְנִין דְּשַׁמְעִין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): The court below on earth (בֵּי דִּינָא דִּלְתַתָּא בְּאַרְעָא) does not decree judgment upon a man until thirteen years (לָא גַּזְרִין דִּינָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ, עַד תְּלֵיסַר שְׁנִין). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעֲמָא). Because they leave seven years for the seventh (בְּגִין דְּשַׁבְקִין שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין לְשְׁבִיעָאָה), “The God of all the earth shall He be called” (Isaiah 54) (אֱלֹהֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ יִקָּרֵא). And man has no authority in those seven (וְלֵית רְשׁוּ לְבַר נָשׁ בְּאִינּוּן שֶׁבַע). And those seven do not dwell except upon the thirteen below (וְאִינּוּן שֶׁבַע, לָא שָׁרָאן אֶלָּא עַל תְּלֵיסַר דִּלְתַתָּא), on earth (בְּאַרְעָא), for these are thrones before Him (דְּאִינּוּן כּוּרְסְיָּיא לְגַבֵּיהּ).

And because of this (וּבְגִין כַּךְ), all decrees and all judgments below (כָּל גִּזְרִין, וְכָל דִּינִין דִּלְתַתָּא) are from those seven years below, the sum being twenty years (מֵאִינּוּן שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין דִּלְתַתָּא, כְּלָלָא דְּעֶשְׂרִין שְׁנִין אִיהוּ). And the judgment of the world on Rosh HaShanah (וְדִינָא דְּעָלְמָא בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה), through this degree it is (עַל יְדָא דְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא אִיהוּ), for it truly stands in judgment upon His children in this world (דְּאִיהוּ מַמָּשׁ קַיְּימָא בְּדִינָא עַל בְּנוֹי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), in order to be purified toward the supernal world (בְּגִין לְאִתְדַּכְּאָה לְגַבֵּי עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה).

For it has no support to ascend and to be purified except from below (בְּגִין דְּלֵית לֵיהּ סִיוּעַ לְסַלְּקָא וּלְאִתְדַּכְּאָה אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ תַּתָּאֵי). And when Yisrael are in those fifteen days (וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן בַּחֲמֵיסָר יוֹמִין), then He takes His children to spread His wings over them (כְּדֵין נָטִיל לִבְנוֹי, לְפָרְשָׂא גַּדְפּוֹי עָלַיְיהוּ), and to rejoice with them (וּלְמֵחדֵי עִמְּהוֹן). And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב): “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day” (Leviticus 23) (וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן). The fruit, this is the tree which is called a fruit tree (פְּרִי דָּא, אִיהוּ אִילָנָא דְּאִקְרֵי עֵץ פְּרִי), and fruit is found in it (וְאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ פְּרִי). “A tree of beauty” (עֵץ הָדָר), as it is said (Psalms 96): “Honor and beauty are before Him” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר הוֹד וְהָדָר לְפָנָיו). Why is it called “beauty” (מַאי טַעְמָא אִקְרֵי הָדָר), and who is beauty? (וּמַאן אִיהוּ הָדָר). Rather this is the Tzaddik (אֶלָּא דָּא צַדִּיק).

Why is it called Hadār (אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי הָדָר)? For behold, it is a hidden place that has no revelation (וְהָא אֲתָר טְמִירָא אִיהוּ דְּלֵית לֵיהּ גִּלּוּיָא), and it must remain concealed always (וּצְרִיכָא לְאִתְכַּסְיָיא תָּדִיר). And there is no beauty except in that which is revealed and seen (וְלֵית הָדָר אֶלָּא מַאן דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא וְאִתְחַזֵּי).

Rather, even though it is a hidden degree (אֶלָּא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא טְמִירָא), it is the adornment of the whole body (הִדּוּרָא אִיהוּ דְּכָל גּוּפָא), and adornment of the body is not found except through it (וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח הִדּוּרָא לְגוּפָא, אֶלָּא בֵּיהּ). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעֲמָא). He who does not possess this degree has no adornment to enter among mankind (מַאן דְּלֵית עִמֵּיהּ הַאי דַּרְגָּא, לֵית בֵּיהּ הִדּוּרָא, לְמֵיעַל בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא).

Voice is not with him in speech (קָלָא לָאו עִמֵּיהּ בִּדְבוּרָא). Some say: as the male (ס״א כְּדְּכוּרָא). And the adornment of the voice—some say: and the speech— is cut off from him (וְהִדּוּרָא [ס״א וּדְבוּרָא] דְּקָלָא אִתְפְּסַק מִנֵּיהּ). The beard, and the adornment of the beard, are not with him (דִּיקְנָא, וְהִדּוּרָא דְּדִיקְנָא לָאו עִמֵּיהּ). And even though that degree is concealed (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְכַּסְיָיא הַהוּא דַּרְגָּא), all adornment of the body depends upon it (כָּל הִדּוּרָא דְּגוּפָא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָא). It is concealed and revealed (וְאִתְכַּסֵּי וְאִתְגַּלְיָיא).

And because of this, it is the tree of beauty (וּבְּגִין כָּךְ עֵץ הָדָר אִיהוּ): the tree upon which all adornment of the body depends (עֵץ דְּכָל הִדּוּרָא דְּגוּפָא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָא). And this is (Bereshit 1): “A tree producing fruit” (וְדָא אִיהוּ עֵץ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי). “Branches of palm trees” (כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים): here the woman is included with her husband without separation (הָכָא אִתְכְּלִילַת אִתְּתָא בְּבַעְלָהּ בְּלָא פִּרוּדָא). “Branches of palm trees” (Bereshit 49): as one (כַּפּוֹת תְּמָרִים כַּחֲדָא). “The bough of a thick tree”—three (וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבוֹת, תְּלָתָא).

And its leaves: this one on this side, and that one on that side, and one that rules over them (וְעָלִין דִּילֵיהּ, דָּא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא, וְדָא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא, וְחַד דְּשַׁלִּיט עָלַיְיהוּ). “Willows of the brook”—two (וְעַרְבֵי נַחַל, תְּרֵין), which have no fragrance and no taste (דְּלֵית לְהוּ רֵיחָא וְטַעְמָא), like thighs in human beings (כְּשׁוֹקִין בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). And because of this, the lulav takes them all (וּבְגִין כָּךְ לוּלָב נָטִיל כֻּלְּהוּ), as the spine of the body stands (כְּחוּטָא דְּשִׁדְרָה קַיָּימָא דְּגוּפָא). And that which extends outward one handbreadth, so it is, to complete and to bring forth all, and to serve properly (וּמַה דְּנָפִיק לְבַר טֶפַח, הָכִי הוּא, בְּגִין לְאַשְׁלְמָא וּלְאַפָּקָא כֹּלָּא, וּלְשַׁמְּשָׁא כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי). And because of this, with these kinds a man should appear before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבְגִין כָּךְ בְּהָנֵי זִינִין, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְחֲזָאָה קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

The leaves and branches of these palms (עָלִין וְטַרְפִּין דְּהָנִי תְּמָרִים), these are all the other forces that are unified in those names by which Kudsha Berikh Hu is called (אִינּוּן כָּל שְׁאַר חֵילִין דְּאִתְאַחֲדָן בְּאִינּוּן כִּנּוּיָין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִקְרֵי בְּהוֹן). Because we must (some say: to be united) below in the likeness of above (בְּגִין דְּבָּעֵינָן [ס״א לְאִתְחַדְּתָא] לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). For there is no thing in the world that does not have its counterpart above (דְּלֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בְּעָלְמָא, דְּלָא אִית לָהּ דּוּגְמָא לְעֵילָּא). As it is above, so it is below (כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא הָכִי אִית לְתַתָּא). And Yisrael must unite in this mystery of faith before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בְּרָזָא דָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). It is written (Leviticus 23) “In sukkot you shall dwell seven days” (כְּתִיב בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים), this is the mystery of faith (דָּא הוּא רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and this verse was said regarding the supernal world (וְהַאי קְרָא עַל עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה אִתְּמַר).

And thus we learned (וְהָכִי תָּנֵינָן), when the world was created, this verse was said (כַּד אִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, אִתְּמַר הַאי קְרָא). When Chokhmah began to emerge (כַּד שָׁרָא חָכְמָה לְנָפְקָא), from the place that is not known and not seen (מֵאֲתָר דְּלָא יְדִיעַ וְלָא אִתְחֲזֵי), then went forth a certain stream (כְּדֵין נָפִיק חַד מִשְׁחָתָא), and struck (וּבָטַשׁ), and that supernal wisdom shone forth and spread to all sides (וְהַהִיא חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה, נָצִיץ וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט לְכָל סִטְרִין), in the mystery of the supernal Tabernacle (בְּרָזָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא עִלָּאָה). And that supernal Tabernacle brought forth six sides (וְהַהוּא מַשְׁכְּנָא עִלָּאָה, אַפִּיק שִׁית סִטְרִין), and then that shining of the stream illuminated all (וּכְדֵין הַהוּא נְצִיצוּ דְּמִשְׁחָתָא נָהִיר לְכֹלָּא), and said: “In sukkot you shall dwell seven days” (וְאָמַר בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים). What are sukkot written without the Vav? (מַאן סֻּכֹּת חָסֵר ו׳).

This is the lower Tabernacle (דָּא מַשְׁכְּנָא תַּתָּאָה), which is as a lantern (דְּאִיהוּ כַּעֲשָׁשִׁיתָא), to display all the lights (לְאַחֲזָאָה לְכָל נְהוֹרִין). And then it said: “In sukkot you shall dwell seven days” (וּכְדֵין אָמַר, בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים). What are the seven days? (מַאן שִׁבְעַת יָמִים). From the supernal world to the lower world (מֵעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה לְתַתָּאָה), for they all exist in being, to illuminate this sukkah (דְּכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי בְּקִיּוּמָא, לְאַנְהָרָא לְהַאי סֻּכֹּת). And what is it? This is (Amos 9) “the fallen sukkah of David” (וּמַאן אִיהִי. דָּא סֻכַּת דָּוִד הַנּוֹפֶלֶת), the sukkah of peace (סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם). And the holy people must sit beneath its shade, in the mystery of faith (וּבָעֵי עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא לְמֵיתָב תְּחוֹת צִלָּהָא, בְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא).

And whoever sits in this shade sits in those supernal days (וּמַאן דְּיָתִיב בְּצִלָּא דָּא, יָתִיב בְּאִינּוּן יוֹמִין עִלָּאִין). And therefore all [the words are written] “in sukkot, in sukkot” (וְעַל דָּא כֻּלְּהוּ בַּסֻּכֹּת בַּסֻּכֹּת), and one [is written] in full: basukkot complete (וְחַד בַּסוּכּוֹת שְׁלִים), one complete (חַד שְׁלִים), to show that whoever sits in this shade, sits in those supernal days above (לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּמַאן דְּיָתִיב בְּצִלָּא דָּא, יָתִיב בְּאִינּוּן יוֹמִין עִלָּאִין לְעֵילָּא), which stand over this lower one (דְּקַיְימִין עַל הַאי תַּתָּאָה), to illuminate it, to cover over it, and to protect it when needed (לְאַנְהָרָא לֵיהּ, לְחַפְיָא עָלֵיהּ, וּלְאַגָּנָא לֵיהּ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ).