Daf 187a (דַּף קפ״ז ע״א)

And furthermore, all of them are written sukkot in completeness (וְתוּ, כֻּלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן סֻכּוֹת בִּשְׁלִימוּ), and it is written sukkat lacking [the Vav] (וּכְתִיב סֻכַּת חָסֵר), this is the lower world (דָּא עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה), which requires in these seven holy days (דְּבָעָא בְּהָנֵי ז׳ יוֹמִין קַדִּישִׁין), to provide sustenance to the other great rulers of the nations (לְמֵיזָן לִשְׁאַר מְמָנָן רַבְרְבָן דְּעַמִּין), while she receives joy with her Husband (בְּעוֹד דְּאִיהִי נַטְלָא חֶדְוָה בְּבַעְלָהּ), so that they should not disturb the joy (וְלָא יְקַטְרְגוּן חֶדְוָותָא), because they are satisfied (בְּגִין דְיִתְרַבְרְבוּן [נ״א דיתעדנון]) with that nourishment (בְּהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא). Their offerings are much more than on other days (קָרְבָּנִין דִּלְהוֹן סַגִּיאִין יַתִּיר מִשְּׁאָר יוֹמִין), so that they may be occupied with them (בְּגִין דְּיִתְעַסְּקוּן בְּהוּ), and not mingle afterward with the joy of Yisrael (וְלָא יִתְעָרְבוּן לְבָתַר בְּחֶדְוָה דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And what is the joy of Yisrael? (וּמַאן חֶדְוָה דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), this is the eighth day of Atzeret (דָּא יוֹמָא תְּמִינָאָה דַּעֲצֶרֶת).

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), while those other rulers rejoice (בְּעוֹד דְּאִינּוּן שְׁאַר מְמָנָן חַדָּאן), and eat of that nourishment prepared for them by Yisrael (וְאַכְלִין בְּהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא דִּמְתַּקְנִי לוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל), they prepare the throne for Kudsha Berikh Hu below (אִינּוּן מְתַקְּנֵי כּוּרְסְיָּיא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִתַּתָּא), to raise it above (וּלְסַלְּקָא לֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא), with those species (בְּאִינּוּן זִינִין), with joy (וּבְחֶדְוָה), with celebration (וּבְהִלּוּלָא), and to encircle the altar (וּלְאַקְפָא מַדְבְּחָא). Then she ascends (כְּדֵין אִיהִי סַלְּקָא), and receives blessing and joy with her Husband (וְנַטְלָא בִּרְכָּאן וְחֶדְוָה בְּבַעְלָהּ). And the other mighty beasts, rulers of the nations (וּשְׁאַר חֵיוָון רַבְרְבָן מְמָנָן דְּעַמִּין), eat and are satisfied and subdued (אָכְלָן וּמַדְקָן וְרַפְסָן וְאִתְּזָנוּ). And she gathers the souls in delights above (וְאִיהִי נַקְטָא נַפְשָׁאן בְּעִנּוּגִין לְעֵילָּא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). When she descends (כֵּיוָן דְּנַחְתָּא), she has gathered all blessings, all sanctifications, and all delights (וְהָא נַקְטָא כָּל בִּרְכָּאן וְכָל קִדּוּשִׁין וְכָל עִנּוּגִין).

And Yisrael, all these seven days (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל הָנֵי שִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין), drew her with those works which they did and offered with her (הֲווֹ מַשְׁכִין לָהּ בְּאִינּוּן עוֹבָדִין דְּקָא עַבְדִּין וּמְקָרְבִין בַּהֲדָהּ). Then she descends to be near her children (כְּדֵין נַחְתָּא לְקָרְבָא בִּבְנָהָא), to rejoice with them one day (וּלְמֵחדֵי לוֹן יוֹמָא חַד). And that day is the eighth day (וְהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִיהוּ יוֹמָא תְּמִינָאָה), for all seven days were with her (בְּגִין דְּכָל ז׳ יוֹמִין אַחֲרָנִין בַּהֲדָהּ). Therefore it is the eighth (וְעַל דָּא אִיהוּ תְּמִינָאָה), and the eight days are as one (וּתְמַנְיָא יוֹמִין כַּחֲדָא). And for this reason it is called Atzeret — gathering (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִקְרֵי עֲצֶרֶת: כְּנִישִׁין), for all are gathered on this day (כְּנִישִׁין כֻּלְּהוּ בְּהַאי יוֹמָא). And it is called Shemini (וְאִקְרֵי שְׁמִינִי), and there is no eighth except from within the seven (וְלֵית שְׁמִינִי אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ שִׁבְעָה). It is written (Job 1) “May the name of Hashem be blessed” (כְּתִיב יְהִי שֵׁם יְיָ׳ מְבוֹרָךְ). What is blessed? (מַאי מְבוֹרָךְ). But none knew (אלא כלא ידעי).

However, a certain secret was known to one of our Friends (אֲבָל רָזָא חֲדָא יָדַע חַד מֵחַבְרָנָא). In the desert they showed him in a dream (בְּמַדְבְּרָא אַחְזִיאוּ לֵיהּ בְּחֶלְמָא), and his name was Rabbi Yitzḥak Kaphtora (וְרִבִּי יִצְחָק כַּפְתּוֹרָא שְׁמֵיהּ). What is blessed? (מַאי מְבוֹרָךְ). Service that is harsh at first, and at its end is soft (שֵׁירוּתָא קָשֶׁה, וְסוֹפֵיהּ רַךְ). Mem-bet is harsh (מ״ב קָשֶׁה), and it is certainly judgment (וְדִינָא אִיהוּ וַדַּאי). And afterward it is soft (וְלְבַתַר רַךְ). Thus we have learned: all beginnings of service are hard, and their end is soft (וְעַל דָא תָּנֵינָן, כָּל שֵׁירוּתִין קָשִׁין, וְסוֹפָא דִּלְהוֹן רָכִין).

In this manner, the day of Rosh HaShanah is 42 (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא יוֹמָא דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה מ״ב), for with Mem Bet [and in the mystery of 42] the world was created (דְּהָא בְּמ״ב [וּבְרָזָא דְּמ״ב] אַתְוָון אִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא), and because of this it was created in judgment (וְעַל דָּא אִתְבְּרֵי בְּדִינָא). And afterward soft (לְבָתַר רַךְ). Thus too, the day of Rosh Hashanah is mem-bet, harsh in judgment (בְּיוֹמָא דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה מ״ב קָשֶׁה בְּדִינָא). But on the day of Atzeret, it is soft in joy (בְּיוֹמָא דַּעֲצֶרֶת רַךְ בְּחֶדְוָה).

Come and see, what is the difference between the supernal judgment and this judgment (תָּא חֲזֵי, מָה בֵּין דִּינָא עִלָּאָה, לְהַאי דִּינָא). The supernal judgment—its beginning and its end are harsh (דִּינָא עִלָּאָה שֵׁירוּתָא וְסוֹפָא קָשֶׁה), and there is none who can stand in it (וְלֵית מַאן דְּיֵקוּם בֵּיהּ). The more it goes, the stronger it becomes (וְכָל מָה דְּאָזִיל אִתְתָּקַּף), and after it is unleashed, it does not withdraw from it (וּבָתַר דְּשָׁאֲרִי, לָא סָלִיק מִנֵּיהּ), until it consumes and drinks everything, and nothing remains (עַד דְּאָכִיל וְשֵׁצֵי כֹּלָּא, דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּאַר כְּלוּם). But another judgment, the lower one, its beginning is harsh (אֲבָל דִּינָא אַחֲרָא דְּתַתָּא, שֵׁירוּתָא קָשֶׁה), and the more it goes, the weaker it becomes (וְכָל מָה דְּאָזִיל אִתְחֲלָשׁ), until the faces shine (עַד דְּנָהִיר אַנְפִּין). In the manner of the female, whose strength is weak (כְּגַוְונָא [נ״א דא דינא דנוקבא] דְּנוּקְבָּא דְּחָלָשׁ חֵילָהָא).

When is the supernal judgment aroused to rest upon the world? (אֵימָתַי אִתְּעַר דִּינָא דִּלְעֵילָּא לְמִשְׁרֵי עַל עָלְמָא). On the day of the flood (בְּיוֹמָא דְּטוֹפָנָא). And therefore nothing remained in the world (וְעַל דָּא לָא אִשְׁתְּאַר כְּלוּם בְּעָלְמָא), except that ark of Noah (בַּר הַהוּא תֵּבוּתָא דְּנֹחַ), which was like the supernal aspect (דְּאִיהִי כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה), for it withstood that power (דְּסָבִיל לְהַהוּא תּוּקְפָּא). And if Kudsha Berikh Hu had not ordained, and there had not been mercy upon the world (וְאִי לָאו דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח בְּרַחֲמֵי עַל עָלְמָא), the whole world would have been destroyed (כָּל עָלְמָא אִתְאֲבִיד), as it is written, “Hashem sat enthroned at the Flood” (Psalms 29) (דִּכְתִיב, יְיָ׳ לַמַּבּוּל יָשָׁב). And therefore the supernal judgment does not rest upon the world (וְעַל דָּא לָא שַׁרְיָא דִּינָא דִּלְעֵילָּא עַל עָלְמָא), for the world cannot endure it, not even for a single moment (דְּלָא יָכִיל עָלְמָא לְמִסְבַּל לֵיהּ, אֲפִילּוּ רִגְעָא חֲדָא). Meanwhile Rabbi Shim‘on was weeping and rejoicing (אַדְּהָכִי הֲוָה רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בָּכֵי וְחַדֵּי). He lifted his eyes and saw five of those ascetics who were coming after him to question him (זָקְפוּ עַיְינִין, וְחָמוּ חֲמִשָּׁה מֵאִינּוּן פְּרוּשִׁים, דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, לְמִתְבַּע לֵיהּ).

They stood (קָמוּ). Rabbi Shim‘on said, “From now and onward, what is your name?” (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה מָה שְׁמָךְ). He said, “Nehorai the Elder, for another light is with us” (אָמַר, נְהוֹרָאי סָבָא, בְּגִין דִּנְהוֹרָאי אַחֲרָא אִית גַּבָּן). Rabbi Shim‘on and those Friends with him walked three miles (אַזְלוּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאִינּוּן חַבְרַיָּיא עִמֵּיהּ תְּלַת מִילִין). Rabbi Shim‘on said to the others, “What is your path with you?” (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, לְאִינּוּן אַחֲרָנִין, מַה אָרְחָא דָּא גַּבַּיְיכוּ). They said, “To question this Elder, for we drank his waters in the wilderness” (אָמְרוּ, לְמִתְבַּע לֵיהּ לְהַאי סָבָא, דְּמֵימוֹי אֲנָן שָׁתָאן בְּמַדְבְּרָא).

Rabbi Shim‘on came and kissed him (אָתָא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ). He said to him, “Nehorai is your name, and you are light, and light rests with you” (אָמַר לֵיהּ, נְהוֹרָאי שְׁמָךְ, וּנְהוֹרָא אַנְתְּ, וּנְהוֹרָא עִמָּךְ שָׁרֵי).