Daf 197b (דַּף קצ״ז ע״ב)

Who bound up the waters? This is Eliyahu (מִי צָרַר מָיִם דָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ), who bound the bundle of water in the world (דְּצָּרִיר צְרוֹרָא דְּמַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא), and no dew or rain descended from heaven (וְלָא נַחְתּוּ טַלָּא וּמִטְרָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא). In the garment—this is Eliyahu (בַּשִּׂמְלָה דָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ), who would perform miracles with his mantle (דְּהֲוָה מַיְיתֵי אַדַּרְתֵּיהּ לְמֶעְבָּד נִסִּין) some read: struck with his mantle (נ״א מַחֵי אַדַּרְתֵּיהּ). Who gathered the wind in His fists? This is Eliyahu (מִי אָסַף רוּחַ בְּחָפְנָיו דָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ), who returned the spirit of a man into his inner organs (דְּאַהֲדָר רוּחָא דְּבַר נָשׁ לְגוֹ מֵעוֹי), “gathered” as it says: and he gathered the leper (אָסַף כַּמָּה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר וְאָסַף הַמְּצוֹרָע) (II Kings 5).

Who established all the ends of the earth? This is Eliyahu (מִי הֵקִים כָּל אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ דָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ), for after he bound the waters and closed the heavens (דִּלְבָתַר דְּצָרַר מַיִם וְאוֹמֵי עַל שְׁמַיָא), afterward he returned through his prayer (לְבָתַר אָהֲדַּר בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ), and upheld the entire world (וְאוֹקִים כָּל עָלְמָא), and rain descended (וְנָחִית מִטְרָא), and sustenance was given to all (וְאִתְיְהִיב מְזוֹנָא לְכֹלָּא). What is His name? This is Eliyahu (מַה שְּׁמוֹ דָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ). And what is His son’s name? This too is Eliyahu (וּמַה שֵּׁם בְּנוֹ דָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ).

What is His name—when he ascends above: Eliyahu (מַה שְּׁמוֹ כַּד סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ). And what is His son’s name—when he descends below and becomes an emissary to perform miracles: Eliyahu is his name (וּמַה שֵּׁם בְּנוֹ כַּד נָחִית לְתַתָּא וְאִתְעָבִיד שְׁלִיחָא לְמֶעְבַּד נִסִּין אֵלִיָּהוּ שְׁמֵיהּ). Another matter: Who ascended to heaven? This is Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּבָר אַחֵר מִי עָלָה שָׁמַיִם דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). And the mystery of the word: Mi (Who) (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה מִ״י), and this has been established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא).

And here it is the secret of the supernal chariot (וְהָכָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּרְתִיכָא עִלָּאָה), the four directions of the world (אַרְבַּע סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא), which are the primal foundations of all (דְּאִינּוּן יְסוֹדֵי קַדְמָאֵי דְּכֹלָּא), and all depend on that supernal place which is called Mi (Who) (וְכֻלְּהוּ תַּלְיָין בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר עִלָּאָה דְּאִקְרֵי מִ״י), as has been said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when the hour of will arises before Kudsha Berikh Hu (כַּד קַיְּימָא שַׁעֲתָא דִּרְעוּתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), To unify the supernal chariot (לְיַחֲדָא רְתִיכָא עִלָּאָה) (Some say: with the lower chariot (ס״א בִּרְתִיכָא תַּתָּאָה), to be all as one (לְמֶהוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד), then a voice goes out from that supernal holy place (כְּדֵין קָלָא נָפִיק מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא), which is called "heaven" (דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁמַיִם), and gathers all those holy ones below (וְכָנִישׁ כָּל אִלֵּין קַדִּישִׁין דִּלְתַתָּא), and all those great holy ones (וְכָל אִינּוּן רַבְרְבָן קַדִּישִׁין), and supernal camps (וּמַשִׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין), to be all prepared as one (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֻּלְּהוּ זְמִינִין כַּחֲדָא).

This is what is written: And Moshe assembled (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה) (Exodus 35), this is the mystery of "heaven" (דָּא רָזָא דְּשָׁמַיִם). The entire congregation of the children of Yisrael (אֶת כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), these are the twelve supernal holy camps (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן תְּרֵיסַר מַשִׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין). And he said to them (וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם). And what did he say? “This is the thing…” etc. (וּמַאי קָאָמַר זֶה הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ') — “Take from yourselves a contribution” (קְחוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם תְּרוּמָה).

You are all now properly arranged (אִתְתָּקָנוּ כֻּלְּכוּן), to ascend upon you (לְסַלְּקָא עָלַיְיכוּ), and to rest upon you (וּלְמֵיטַל עָלַיְיכוּ), the glory of the Holy Throne (יְקָרָא דְּכֻרְסְיָיא קַדִּישָׁא), to ascend above (לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא). Separate from among yourselves those who are precious (אַפְרִישׁוּ מִנַּיְיכוּ אִינּוּן יַקִּירִין), those who are great and supernal (אִינּוּן רַבְרְבִין עִלָּאִין), to elevate that contribution (לְסַלְּקָא לְהַהִיא תְּרוּמָה), the mystery of the Holy Throne (רָזָא דְּכֻרְסְיָיא קַדִּישָׁא), to become joined with the Fathers [some read: with her Husband] (לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּאֲבָהָן (נ״א: בְּבַעְלָהּ)).

For the Matronita is not seen coming to her Husband (דְּהָא מַטְרוֹנִיתָא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְמֵיתֵי לְבַעְלָהּ), except with those youthful virgins who come with her (אֶלָּא בְּאִינּוּן בְּתוּלְתָּן עוּלֶמְתָּהָא דְּיֵיתוּן עִמָּהּ), and speak with her (וּמְדַּבְּרָן לָהּ), until she reaches her Husband (עַד דְּמָטַת לְבַעְלָהּ), as it is said: “Virgins behind her, her Friends…” etc. (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר בְּתוּלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ רְעוּתֵיהּ וְגוֹ') (Psalms 45). And why all this? (וְכָל כַּךְ לָמָּה) in order to be joined with her Husband (לְמֵיתֵי לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּבַעְלָהּ). “Everyone whose heart is generous…” (כֹּל נְדִיב לִבּוֹ) (Exodus 35) — these are the four supernal camps (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן אַרְבַּע מַשִׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין), in whom all the other camps are included (דְּבִכְלָלָא דִּלְהוֹן כְּלִילָן כָּל אִינּוּן שְׁאַר מַשִׁרְיָין). And these are those who emerge from the supernal Fathers (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּנַפְקָן בַּאֲבָהָן עִלָּאִין), who are called Nedivim — (nobles) (דְּאִקְרוּן נְדִּיבִים).

As we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ), as it is written: “The nobles of the people dug it…” (דִּכְתִּיב כָּרוּהָ נְדִיבֵי הָעָם) (Numbers 21) — these are the Fathers (אִלֵּין אֲבָהָן). “He shall bring it” — it does not say “they shall bring it” (יְבִיאֶהָ יְבִיאוּהָ לָא כְּתִיב), but “he shall bring it” (אֶלָּא יְבִיאֶהָ), to unify all as one (לְיַחֲדָא כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא). And likewise, it does not say “he shall bring” (וְכֵן יָבִיא לָא כְּתִיב), but “he shall bring it” (אֶלָּא יְבִיאֶהָ), to elevate her to her Husband with glory (לְסַלְּקָא לָהּ לְגַבֵּי בַּעְלָהּ בִּיקָרָא), as is fitting (כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ). “The offering of Hashem” (אֵת תְּרוּמַת יְיָ') — “Et” comes to amplify (אֵת לְאַסְגָּאָה), to include all the other supernal camps (כָּל אִינּוּן מַשִׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין אַחֲרָנִין), to join all as one (לְאִתְחַבְּרָא כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא), and they are twelve in a single unity (וְאִינּוּן תְּרֵיסַר בִּכְלָלָא חֲדָא): Gold (זָהָב), and silver (וָכֶסֶף), and copper (וּנְחוֹשֶׁת), and blue (תְּכֵלֶת), and purple (וְאַרְגָּמָן), and scarlet wool (וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי), and fine linen and goats’ hair (וְשֵׁשׁ וְעִזִּים), and ram skins dyed red (וְעֹרֹת אֵילִים מְאָדָּמִים), and tachash skins (וְעֹרֹת תְּחָשִׁים), and acacia wood (וַעֲצֵי שִׁטִּים), and oil for the light (וְשֶׁמֶן לַמָּאוֹר), and spices for the anointing oil (וּבְשָׂמִים לְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה), and for the incense of spices (וְלִקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים).

These are the twelve supernal camps (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן תְּרֵיסַר מַשִׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין), all of which are included as one within the generality of the four that are called the Chayot haKodesh (דִּכְלִילָן כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא בִּכְלָלָא דְּאַרְבַּע דְּאִקְרוּן חַיוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ), as has been stated (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). And all these ascend to the Holy Throne (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִלֵּין סַלְּקִין לְכֻרְסְיָיא קַדִּישָׁא), to raise Her upward (לְאָעֲלָא לָהּ לְעֵילָּא), to be joined with her Husband (לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּבַעְלָהּ), in order that all may be one (בְּגִין לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד), in order that She be found with Him in supernal glory (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח עִמָּהּ בִּיקָרָא עִלָּאָה). Then the Supernal King sits upon the Holy Throne (כְּדֵין יָתִיב מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה עַל כּוּרְסְיָּיא קַדִּישָׁא), and the Woman is joined with her Husband (וְאִתְחַבְּרָא אִתְּתָא בְּבַעְלָהּ), to be all one (לְמֶהוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד). And then there is joy for all (וּכְדֵין אִיהוּ חֶדְוָותָא דְּכֹלָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): here He begins to count gold first (הָכָא שָׁארֵי לְמִמְנֵי זָהָב בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and silver afterward (וְכֶסֶף לְבָתַר), because this reckoning is from below (בְּגִין דְּהַאי חֶשְׁבֹּנָא מִתַּתָּא). But when one comes to count from the reckoning of the supernal chariot (אֲבָל כַּד אָתֵי לְמִמְנֵי מֵחוּשְׁבָּנָא דִּרְתִיכָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), He begins to count from the right first (שָׁארֵי לְמִמְנִי מִימִינָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterward from the left (וּלְבָתַר מִן שְׂמָאלָא). From where do we learn this? For it is written: Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold (מְנָלָן דִּכְתִּיב לִי הַכֶּסֶף וְלִי הַזָּהָב) (Haggai 2). Silver first (כֶּסֶף בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and then gold (וּלְבָתַר הַזָּהָב). And in the lower chariot (וּבִרְתִיכָא דִּלְתַתָּא), they began from the left and afterward from the right (שָׁארוּ מִשְּׂמָאלָא וּלְבָתַר מִימִינָא), as it is written: Gold and silver and copper (דִּכְתִּיב זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחוֹשֶׁת). Gold first (זָהָב בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and then silver (וּלְבָתַר כֶּסֶף).