Daf 200b (דַּף ר׳ ע״ב)

And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי), every day a herald calls out (בְּכָל יוֹמָא כָּרוֹזָא קָארֵי): “All inhabitants of the world, stand firm in this matter” (כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, בְּכוּ קַיָּימָא מִלָּה דָּא), and this is: “Take from among yourselves a donation to Hashem” (Exodus 35) (וְדָא הוּא קְחוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם תְּרוּמָה לַיְיָ'). And if you say that this matter is difficult for you (וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּקַשְׁיָא מִלָּה עָלַיְיכוּ), [then know:] “Every generous-hearted person shall bring it” (Exodus 35) (כֹל נְדִיב לִבּוֹ יְבִיאֶהָ). What is the meaning of “shall bring it”? (מַהוּ יְבִיאֶהָ).

Rather, from here we learn a mystery concerning prayer (אֶלָּא מֵהָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא רָזָא לִצְלוֹתָא): that a person who fears his Master and directs his heart and will in prayer (דְּבַר נָשׁ דְּדָחִיל לְמָארֵיהּ וּמְכַוֵּין לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ בִּצְלוֹתָא), establishes a supernal arrangement (אַתְקִין תִּקּוּנָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקִימְנָא): first, with songs and praises (בְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּשִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן), which are recited by the supernal angels above (דְּקָאַמְרִין מַלְאֲכִין עִלָּאִין לְעֵילָּא). And in that order of praises which Yisrael recite below (וּבְהַהוּא סִדּוּרָא דְּתוּשְׁבְּחָן דְּקָא אַמְרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא), she adorns herself (אִיהִי קְשִׁיטַת גַּרְמָהָא), and is arranged in her adornment (וְאִתַתַּקָּנַת בְּתִקּוּנָהָא), like a woman who adorns herself for her husband (כְּאִתְּתָא דְּאִתְקַשְׁטַת לְבַעְלָהּ). And in the order of prayer (וּבְסִדּוּרָא דִּצְלוֹתָא), in that arrangement of the sitting prayer (בְּהַהוּא תִּקּוּנָא דִּצְלוֹתָא דִּמְיוּשָׁב), the maidservant and all those with her are arranged (אַתְקִינוּ עוּלֶמְתָּהָא וְכָל אִינּוּן דִּילָהּ), and all those with her are adorned alongside her (וּמִתְקַשְּׁטָן כָּל אִינּוּן בַּהֲדָהּ).

After everything is arranged and set in order (לְבָתַר דְּאִתְתָּקַּן כֹּלָּא וְאִתְסְדָּרוּ), when they reach “True and firm” (כַד מָטוּ לֶאֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב), then all is fully established—she and her maidservant (כְּדֵין כֹּלָּא מְתְתַּקְנָא, אִיהִי וְעוּלֶמְתָּהָא)—until they reach “Who redeemed Yisrael” (עַד דְּמָטוּ לְגָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל), then all must stand in their proper positions (כְּדֵין אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיקָם כֹּלָּא עַל קִיוּמַיְיהוּ). Because when a person reaches “True and firm” and all is established (בְּגִין דְּכַד בַּר נָשׁ מָטֵי לֶאֱמֶת וְיַצִּיב, וְכֹלָּא אִתְתָּקַּן), the maidservant takes her (עוּלֶמְתָּהָא נַטְלֵי לָהּ), and she brings herself before the supernal King (וְאִיהִי נְטִילַת גַּרְמָהּ לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה). Once they reach “Who redeemed Yisrael” (כֵּיוָן דְּמָטוּ לְגָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל), then the holy supernal King ascends to His level (כְּדֵין מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה נָטִיל בְּדַרְגּוֹי), and comes forth to receive her (וְנָפִיק לְקַבְּלָא לָהּ). And we (וַאֲנָן), before the supernal King (מִקַּמֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), need to stand in our place (בָּעִינָן לְקַיְּימָא עַל קִיוּמַנָא), with awe and trembling (בְּאֵימָתָא בִּרְעָדָה).

For then He extends His right hand to her (דְּהָא כְּדֵין אוֹשִׁיט יְמִינֵיהּ לְגַבָּהּ), and afterward His left (וּלְבָתַר שְׂמָאלֵיהּ), placing her under His head (דְּשַׁוֵּי לָהּ תְּחוֹת רֵישֵׁיהּ), and afterward the two of them embrace together in a kiss (וּלְבָתַר אִתְחַבְּקוּ תַּרְוַיְיהוּ כַּחֲדָא בִּנְשִׁיקוּ). And these are the first three (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן תְּלַת קַדְמַיְתָא), and a person must align his heart and will (וּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְשַׁוָּואָה לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ), and focus in all these arrangements and orders of prayer (וּלְכַוְונָא בְּכָל הָנֵי תִּקּוּנִין וְסִדוּרִין דִּצְלוֹתָא), his mouth, heart, and will as one (פּוּמֵיהּ וְלִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ כַּחֲדָא).

Now that the supernal King and the Matronita are in union (הַשְׁתָּא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא אִינּוּן בְּחִבּוּרָא), in joy, in kisses (בְּחֶדְוָה בְּאִינּוּן נְשִׁיקִין), whoever needs to ask requests should ask (מַאן דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִשְׁאַל שְׁאֶלְתִּין, יִשְׁאַל). For this is a time of goodwill (דְּהָא כְּדֵין שַׁעֲתָא דִּרְעוּתָא אִיהוּ). Once a person presents his request before the King and Matronita (כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁאִיל בַּר נָשׁ שְׁאֶלְתּוֹי מִקַּמֵּי מַלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא), then he should prepare himself in his will and heart for three others (כְּדֵין יַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ וְלִבֵּיהּ לִתְלָתָא אַחֲרָנִין), to arouse the hidden joy (לְאַתְעֲרָא חֶדְוָה דִּטְמִירוּ), for from these three another union is blessed (דְּהָא מֵאִלֵּין תְּלַת אִתְבָּרְכָא בִּדְבֵקוּתָא אַחֲרָא). And a person should prepare himself to depart from before them (וְיַתְקִין בַּר נָשׁ גַּרְמֵיהּ לְמֵיפַק מִקַּמַּיְיהוּ), and to leave them with the hidden joy of these three (וּלְאַנָּחָא לוֹן בְּחֶדְוָה גְּנִיזָא דְּאִלֵּין תְּלָת).

And with all this, his will should be (וְעִם כָּל דָּא, דִּיהֵא רְעוּתֵיהּ), that the lower worlds be blessed (דְּיִתְבָּרְכוּן תַּתָּאֵי), from those blessings of hidden joy (מֵאִינּוּן בִּרְכָּאן דְּחֶדְוָה טְמִירָא). Then one must fall on his face (וּכְדֵין אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִנְפַּל עַל אַנְפּוֹי), and surrender his soul (וּלְמִמְסַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ), at the time that she gathers souls and spirits (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיהִי נַקְטָא נַפְשִׁין רוּחִין). Then is the time to surrender his soul (כְּדֵין אִיהִי שַׁעֲתָא לְמִמְסָר נַפְשֵׁיהּ), into those souls that she gathers (בְּגוֹ אִינּוּן נַפְשִׁין דְּאִיהִי נַקְטָא), for then it is the bundle of life fittingly so (דְּהָא כְּדֵין צְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי אִיהוּ כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת).

This matter we heard in the secrets of the Holy Luminary (מִלָּה דָּא שְׁמַעְנָא בְּרָזִין דְּבוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא), and permission was not given to me to reveal it (וְלָא אִתְיְיהִיב לִי רְשׁוּ לְגַלָּאָה), except to you, the supernal pious ones (בַּר לְכוּ חֲסִידֵי עֶלְיוֹנִין). For if at that time when She gathers souls and spirits (דְּאִי בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיהִי נַקְטָא נַפְשִׁין וְרוּחִין), in a will of singular cleaving (בִּרְעוּ דִּדְבֵיקוּתָא חֲדָא), he aligns his heart and his will to this (אִיהוּ יְשַׁוֵּי לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ לְדָא), and gives his soul in cleaving (וְיָהִיב נַפְשֵׁיהּ בִּדְבֵקוּתָא), in that will (בְּהַהוּא רְעוּתָא), to be included in Her through that cleaving (לְאַכְלְלָא לָהּ בְּהַהוּא דְּבֵקוּתָא), if he is accepted in that moment in that will (אִי אִתְקַבִּלַת בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא בְּהַהוּא רְעוּתָא), among those souls, spirits, and Neshamot which She gathers (דְּאִינּוּן נַפְשִׁין רוּחִין וְנִשְׁמָתִין דְּאִיהִי נַקְטָא), this is the person bound in the bundle of life in this world and in the World to Come (הַאי אִיהוּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִתְצְרִיר בִּצְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And furthermore, he must be included from all directions (וְתוּ דְּבַעְיָא לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא מִכָּל סִטְרִין), King and Matronita (מַלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא), from above and from below (מִלְעֵילָּא וּמִתַּתָּא), and be crowned with Neshamot from every side (וּלְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּנִשְׁמָתִין בְּכָל סִטְרִין).

She is crowned with Neshamot from above (אִתְעַטְּרַת בְּנִשְׁמָתִין מִלְעֵילָּא), and She is crowned with Neshamot from below (וְאִתְעַטְּרַת בְּנִשְׁמָתִין מִתַּתָּא). And if a person directs his heart and his will to all this (וְאִי בַּר נָשׁ יְכַוֵּין לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ לְכָל דָּא), and gives over his soul from below in cleaving, in will, as was said (וְיִמְסֹר נַפְשֵׁיהּ מִתַּתָּא בִּדְבֵקוּתָא בִּרְעוּתָא כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר), then Kudsha Berikh Hu calls him Shalom below (כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָארֵי לֵיהּ שָׁלוֹם לְתַתָּא), like that Shalom above (כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַהוּא שָׁלוֹם דִּלְעֵילָּא), He who blesses the Matronita (הַהוּא דְּבָרִיךְ לָהּ לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא), and includes Her and crowns Her with all crowns (וְאַכְלִיל לָהּ וְאַעְטַר לָהּ בְּכָל עִטְרִין). So too (אוּף הָכִי), this person Kudsha Berikh Hu calls Shalom below (הַאי בַּר נָשׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרֵי לֵיהּ שָׁלוֹם לְתַתָּא), as it is said: “And Hashem called him Shalom” (Judges 6) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ יְיָ' שָׁלוֹם). And all his days he is called thus above: Shalom (וְכָל יוֹמוֹי הָכִי קָרָאן לֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא, שָׁלוֹם), because he included and crowned the Matronita below (בְּגִין דְּאַכְלִיל וְאַעְטַר לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא לְתַתָּא), in the likeness of that Shalom above (כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַהוּא שָׁלוֹם לְעֵילָּא).