Daf 203b (דַּף ר״ג ע״ב)

A great cloud—this is the dark cloud (עָנָן גָּדוֹל דָּא, אִיהוּ עֲנָנָא דְּחַשׁוֹכָא), that darkens the entire world (דְּאַחֲשִׁיךְ כָּל עָלְמָא). Come and see: what is the difference between one cloud and another? (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה בֵּין עֲנָנָא לַעֲנָנָא). That cloud of which it is written: “And the cloud of Hashem was over them by day” (Numbers 10) (הַהוּא עֲנָנָא דִּכְתִּיב: וַעֲנַן יְיָ' עֲלֵיהֶם יוֹמָם), and “Your cloud stands over them” (Numbers 14) (וַעֲנָנְךָ עוֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם)—that is a bright and radiant cloud (הַאי אִיהוּ עֲנָנָא דְּנָהִיר וְזָהִיר), and all lights were seen within that cloud (וְכָל נְהוֹרִין אִתְחָזוּן גּוֹ הַהוּא עֲנָנָא). But this cloud is a dark cloud (אֲבָל עֲנָנָא דָּא, עֲנָנָא חָשׁוּךְ), that does not shine at all (דְּלָא נָהִיר כְּלָל), but rather blocks all lights (אֲבָל מָנַע כָּל נְהוֹרִין), so they cannot appear before it (דְּלָא יַכְלִין לְאִתְחֲזָאָה קַמֵּיהּ).

Great—why is it called great, is it not small? (גָּדוֹל, אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי גָּדוֹל, וְהָא זְעֵיר אִיהוּ). Rather, it is great because it rules (אֶלָּא גָּדוֹל אִיהוּ, כֵּיוָן דְּשַׁלִּיט). Some say: it is great, meaning that darkness is great (דָּבָר אַחֵר: גָּדוֹל, הַהוּא חֲשׁוֹכָא גָּדוֹל), for it covers all lights and they are not seen before it (כֵּיוָן דְּכַסֵּי כָּל נְהוֹרִין וְלָא אִתְחָזוּן קַמֵּיהּ), and it is great—some say: ruling—over all the actions of the world (וְאִיהוּ גָּדוֹל [נ״א: שַׁלִּיט] עַל כָּל עוֹבָדִין דְּעָלְמָא). “And a fire flaring within it” (וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת)—this is the fire of harsh judgment (דְּהָא אֶשָּׁא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), that never departs from it (לָא אַעְדֵּי מִנֵיהּ לְעָלְמִין). “And a glow around it” (וְנֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב)—even though all of this resides within it (אַף עַל גַּב דְּכָל הַאי קַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ), still, “a glow around it” (נֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב).

From here we learn (מֵהָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא), that even though this is a side of impurity (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּלֵית סִטְרָא דָּא), but rather a side of filth (אֶלָּא סִטְרָא דִּמְסָאֳבוּ), “a glow around it” (נֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב), and there is no need for a person to push it away (וְלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ, לְדַחְיָיא לֵיהּ לְבַר). Why? (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because “a glow around it”—a side of holiness and of faith is present there (בְּגִין דְּנֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב, סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא אִית לֵיהּ), and there is no need to treat it with disgrace (וְלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַנְהָגָא בֵּיהּ קְלָנָא). Therefore, one must give it a portion (וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא), in the side of holiness and faith (בְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא).

Rav Hamnuna Sava thus said (רַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא, הָכִי אָמַר): “And a glow around it”—and it requires one to treat it with disgrace? (וְכִי נֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב, וְאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַנְהָגָא בֵּיהּ קְלָנָא) This “glow around it” is internal and not external (הַאי נֹגַהּ לוֹ, לְגוֹ אִיהוּ, וְלָא קַיְּימָא לְבַר). And because that glow exists within (וּבְגִין דְּקַיְּימָא הַהוּא נֹגַהּ לוֹ מִגּוֹ), it is written: “And from within it was like the appearance of Hashmal from within the fire” (Ezekiel 1) (כְּתִיב: וּמִתּוֹכָהּ כְּעֵין הַחַשְׁמַל מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ). “From within it”—from what? (מִתּוֹכָה דְּמַאן). From within that glow (מִתּוֹכָה דְּהַהוּא נֹגַהּ). “Like the appearance of Hashmal”—ḥash, mal—this has been established (כְּעֵין הַחַשְׁמַל: חָשׁ, מָל, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ), the living beings of fire that speak (חֵיוָון דְּאֶשָּׁא מְמַלְּלָא). But from the Holy Luminary we heard upon it a secret of secrets (אֲבָל מִבּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא שְׁמַעְנָא עָלָה רָזָא דְּרָזִין).

When the foreskin rests upon the sacred sign of the Holy Covenant (כַּד עָרְלָה שָׁרֵי עַל קַיְּימָא קַדִּישָׁא לְסָאֲבָא מַקְדְּשָׁא), then that Sanctuary is prevented from revealing the secret of the sign of the Covenant (כְּדֵין הַהוּא מַקְדְּשָׁא, אִתְעַכָּב מִלְּגַלָּאָה רָזָא דְּאָת קַיָּימָא), from within the foreskin (מִגּוֹ עָרְלָה). But when that radiance enters within (וְכַד הַאי נֹגַהּ עָאל לְגוֹ), and separates between the foreskin and the Sanctuary (וְאַפְרִישׁ בֵּין עָרְלָה, וּבֵין מַקְדְּשָׁא), then it is called Hashmal—silent, then revealed (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי חַשְׁמַל: חָשׁ וְאִתְגַּלְיָא). Mal—what is Mal? As it is written: “Yehoshua circumcised” (Joshua 5) (מַהוּ מָל. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: מָל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ).

The secret of the sign of the Covenant is prevented from being revealed due to the foreskin (רָזָא דְּאָת קַיָּימָא, אִתְעַכָּב מִלְּאִתְגַלָּאָה מִגּוֹ עָרְלָה). And there is another secret (וְאִית רָזָא אַחֲרָא): that its light is seen and not seen (דְּהָא נְהוֹרָא דִּילֵיהּ, אִתְחָזֵי וְלָא אִתְחָזֵי), and when Hashmal is revealed, its light passes away (וְכַד אִתְגַּלְיָא חַשְׁמַל, אִתְעֲבָּר נְהוֹרֵיהּ).

But the first secret is according to the verse properly (אֲבָל רָזָא קַדְמָאָה, אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דִּקְרָא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), and all is correct and fitting (וְכֹלָּא שַׁפִּיר אִיהוּ, וְיָאוּת הוּא). Through this radiance, the woman is enticed to receive light (בְּהַאי נֹגַהּ, מְפַתֵּי לְאִתְּתָא, לְנַטְלָא נְהוֹרָא). And regarding this it is written: “Smoother than oil is her palate” (Proverbs 5) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וְחָלָק מִשֶּׁמֶן חִכָּהּ), for that radiance is aligned against the Covenant (שַׁוֵּי הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דִּבְרִית). And for this reason she is enticed, and receives his light (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ מְפַתֵּי לֵיהּ, וְנַטְלָא נְהוֹרֵיהּ). And this is the seduction by which a woman is enticed, as it is written: “Honey drips from the lips of the strange woman…” (Proverbs 5) (וְדָא אִיהוּ פִּתּוּיָא דִּמְפַתֵּי לְאִתְּתָא, דִּכְתִּיב: נֹפֶת תִּטֹּפְנָה שִׂפְתֵי זָרָה וְגוֹ׳).

Come and see: on the sixth day, when the time of evening arrives (תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּיוֹמָא שְׁתִיתָאָה כַּד מָטָא זִמְנָא דְּעֶרֶב), that radiance of fire enters within—some say: into that flame (דָּלִיג לְגוֹ הַהוּא [נ״א: מָדוּרָא] נְהוֹרָא דְּאֶשָּׁא), and ascends above to enter within colors (וְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא לְאַעֲלָא גּוֹ גַּוְונִין). Then Yisrael prepare below (כְּדֵין מְתְתַּקְּנִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא), and arrange their meals (וּמְסַדְּרִין סְעוּדָתִין), and prepare their tables—each one his table (וּמַתְקְנִין פָּתוֹרִין, כָּל חַד וְחַד פָּתוֹרֵיהּ).

Then one flame issues forth and strikes that furnace (כְּדֵין חַד שַׁלְהוֹבָא נָפִיק וּבָטַשׁ בְּהַהוּא מָדוּרָא), and once it strikes it (כֵּיוָן דְּבָטַשׁ בֵּיהּ), that flame and that furnace roll downward (מִתְגַּלְגְּלָן הַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא, וְהַהוּא מָדוּרָא), and descend into the female of the great deep (וְעָאלִין בְּנוּקְבָּא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא), and they are concealed and rest there (וְאִתְטַמְּרָן וְיַתְבַת תַּמָן). And that flame is from the side of the right (וְהַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא אִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא), and because it is from the side of the right (וּבְגִין דְּהוּא מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא), it passed into that furnace (אַעְבָּר לְהַהוּא מָדּוּרָא), and entered into the female of the great deep (וְאָעִיל לֵיהּ לְנוּקְבָּא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא), and remained there until Shabbat departs (וְיָתִיב תַּמָּן עַד דְּנָפִיק שַׁבְּתָא). Once Shabbat departs (כֵּיוָן דְּנָפַק שַׁבְּתָא), it is necessary for Yisrael to bless over fire (אִצְטְרִיךְ לְהוּ לְעַמָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְבָרְכָא עַל אֶשָּׁא), and that flame emerges through the blessing from below (וְנָפְקָא הַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא, בְּבִרְכְתָא דִּלְתַתָּא), and it rules over that furnace for the entire night (וְשָׁלִיט עַל הַהוּא מָדּוּרָא כָּל הַהוּא לֵילְיָא), and that furnace is subdued (וְאִתְכַּפְיָא הַהוּא מָדּוּרָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Once Shabbat enters (כֵּיוָן דְּעָאל שַׁבְּתָא), and that furnace is concealed (וְאִתְטָמַּר הַהוּא מָדּוּרָא), all fires of harsh fire are concealed and subdued (כָּל אֶשִּׁין דְּאֶשָּׁא קַשְׁיָא אִתְטְמָרוּ וְאִתְכַּפְיָין), even the fire of Gehinnom (וַאֲפִילּוּ אֶשָּׁא דְּגֵיהִנָּם), and the guilty ones of Gehinnom have rest (וְחַיָּיבִין דְּגֵיהִנָּם, אִית לוֹן נַיְיחָא). And all below and above have rest (וְכֹלָּא תַּתָּא וְעֵילָּא אִית לְהוּ נַיְיחָא).

When Shabbat departs (כַּד נָפַק שַׁבְּתָא), and Yisrael bless over fire (וּמְבָרְכִין יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל נוּרָא), then all fires which were concealed emerge (כְּדֵין נָפְקִין כָּל אֶשִּׁין דְּמִתְטַמְּרָן), each one to its place (כָּל חַד וְחַד לְאַתְרֵיהּ). And because one should not awaken other fire (וּבְגִין דְּלָא לְאִתְּעָרָא אֶשָּׁא אַחֲרָא), it is written: “You shall not kindle fire in all your dwellings on the day of Shabbat” (Exodus 35) (כְּתִיב: לֹא תְבַעֲרוּ אֵשׁ בְּכָל מוֹשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת), and this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ): Why [is this said about] the fire of the altar? (אֶשָּׁא דְּמַדְבְּחָא אֲמַאי).