Daf 206b (דַּף ר״ו ע״ב)

All are silent (כֹּלָּא שַׁתְקִין), and one reads (וְחַד קָארֵי), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And Elohim spoke all these words, saying” (Exodus 20) (וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֵאמֹר), He was above (אִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא), and all the people were below (וְכָל עַמָּא לְתַתָּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And they stood at the foot of the mountain” (Exodus 19) (וַיִתְיַצְּבוּ בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “And Moshe ascended to Elohim” (Exodus 19) (וּמֹשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים). And the one who reads in the Orayta (וְהַהוּא דְּקָארֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), should align his heart and will to those words (יְשַׁוֵּי לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ לְאִינּוּן מִלִּין), as if he is a messenger of his Master (וְכִי אִיהוּ שְׁלִיחָא דְּמָארֵיהּ), arranging those words (בְּסִדוּרָא דְּהָנִי מִלִּין), to be heard by all the people (לְמִשְׁמַע לְכָל עַמָּא), for he is standing in a supernal resemblance (דְּהָא אִיהוּ קָאִים כְּדוּגְמָא עִלָּאָה).

Therefore (בְּגִין כַּךְ), one who ascends to read in the Orayta (מַאן דְּסָלִיק לְמִקְרֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), should arrange those words beforehand in his house (יְסַדֵר אִינּוּן מִלִּין בְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ), and if not (וְאִי לָאו), he should not read in the Orayta (לָא יִקְרֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). From where do we learn this? (מְנָלָן) From that word (מֵהַהוּא דִּבּוּר), before the Orayta was heard by the holy people (עַד לָא יָשְׁמַע אוֹרַיְיתָא לְעַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא), what is written? (מַה כְּתִיב): “Then He saw and recounted it, He established it and also investigated it” (Job 28) (אָז רָאָה וַיְסַפְּרָהּ הֱכִינָהּ וְגַם חֲקָרָהּ), and afterwards: “And He said to man: Behold, the fear of Hashem, that is wisdom…” (וּלְבָתַר, וַיֹּאמֶר לָאָדָם הֵן יִרְאַת יְיָ' הִיא חָכְמָה וְגוֹ'). It is forbidden for one who reads in the Orayta (אָסִיר לֵיהּ לְמַאן דְּקָארֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא) to break the parshah (לְמִפְסַק פַּרְשְׁתָּא), or even a single word (אוֹ אֲפִילּוּ מִלָּה חֲדָא), except in the place where Moshe paused the parshah for the holy people (אֶלָּא בַּאֲתָר דְּפָסַק מֹשֶׁה פַּרְשְׁתָּא לְעַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא), there shall he pause (יַפְסִיק). And he shall not pause words of this week’s parshah (וְלָא יַפְסִיק מִלִּין דְּפַרְשְׁתָּא דְּשַׁבְּתָא דָּא), in the parshah of another Shabbat (בְּפַרְשְׁתָּא דְּשַׁבְּתָא אַחֲרָא).

This is the secret (רָזָא דָּא): At the moment the parshiot are completed (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיפְסִיקוּ פַּרְשִׁיָין), each one is crowned (כָּל חַד וְחַד אִתְעַטְּרָא), and stands before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְקַיְּימָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Once they complete the division of these parashiyot [Torah portions] of the entire year (כֵּיוָן דְּאַשְׁלִימוּ לְמִפְסַק הָנִי פַּרְשִׁיָין דְּכָל שַׁתָּא), they are crowned before Kudsha Berikh Hu (אִתְעַטָּרוּ קַמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and they say: “I am from Shabbat Ploni [the Shabbat of so-and-so]” (וְאַמְרֵי אֲנָא מִשַּׁבָּת פְּלוֹנִי). [Some say: “from the gathering of Ploni [so-and-so].”] (ס״א מַצְבּוּרָא פְּלוֹנִי). “And I am from Shabbat Ploni [the Shabbat of so-and-so]” (וַאֲנָא מִשַּׁבָּת פְּלוֹנִי), from the gathering of Ploni [so-and-so] (מַצְבּוּרָא פְּלוֹנִי).

At that moment (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא), He called to Yofiel, the great appointee (קְרָא לְיוּפִיאֵ''ל רַב מְמָנָא), and to fifty-three chariots of holiness under his hand (וּלְחַמְשִׁין וּתְלַת רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין דִּתְחוֹת יְדֵיהּ), who were appointed for the service of the Orayta (דְּאִתְמָנוּן בְּשִׁמוּשָׁא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And each and every chariot is assigned (וְכָל רְתִיכָא וּרְתִיכָא מָנִי לֵיהּ): this chariot over a particular parshah (לְהַאי רְתִיכָא עַל פַּרְשְׁתָּא פְּלַנְיָא), of a specific Shabbat (דִּבְשַׁבָּת פְּלוֹנִי), and that chariot over another parshah (וּרְתִיכָא פְּלוֹנִי, עַל פַּרְשְׁתָּא פְּלַנְיָא), of a different Shabbat (דְּשַׁבָּת פְּלוֹנִי). And each one (וְכָל חַד וְחַד), serves the Orayta of his particular Shabbat (מְשַׁמְּשָׁא לְאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּהַהוּא שַׁבָּת דִּילֵיהּ). And it is forbidden for us to mix these with those (וְאָסִיר לָן לְעָרְבָא אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין), and not to insert one chariot into the chariot of his fellow (וְלָא לְאַעֲלָא רְתִיכָא בִּרְתִּיכָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ), even the breadth of a hair (אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא). And even in a single word (וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּחַד תֵּיבָה), or even a single letter (אוֹ אֲפִילּוּ בְּאָת חַד), but each and every one (אֶלָּא כָּל חַד וְחַד), according to how Kudsha Berikh Hu established for them (כְּמָּה דְּפָסִיק לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and how He assigned them within those parshiot (וּכְמָּה דְּמָנֵי לוֹן בְּאִינּוּן פַּרְשְׁיָין), each and every one according to its function (כָּל חַד וְחַד עַל מַטְרֵיהּ).

And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), when this parshah is crowned (כַּד מִתְעַטְּרָא פַּרְשְׁתָּא דָּא), those words of that parshah ascend (סַלְקָן אִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּהַהִיא פַּרְשְׁתָּא), which were completed in the congregation (דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים בְּצִבּוּרָא), and that chariot which is appointed over that parshah receives them (וְנָטִיל לוֹן הַהוּא רְתִיכָא, דִּמְמָנָא בְּהַהִיא פַּרְשְׁתָּא), and brings them up before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְסָלִיק לוֹן קַמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and these very words (וְאִלֵּין מִלִּין מַמָּשׁ), stand before Him and say (קַיְימִין קַמֵּיהּ וְאָמְרִין): I am such-and-such parshah (אֲנָא פַּרְשְׁתָּא פְּלַנְיָא), which was completed by such-and-such congregation (דְּאַשְׁלִימוּ לִי צִבּוּרָא פְּלוֹנִי), so and so (הָכִי וְהָכִי).

If it was completed properly as is fitting for it (אִי אִשְׁתְּלִים כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי לֵיהּ), those words ascend (סַלְּקִין אִינּוּן מִלִּין), and are crowned upon the holy throne (וּמִתְעַטְּרָן עַל כּוּרְסְיָיא קַדִּישָׁא), and that chariot serves before Him (וְהַהוּא רְתִיכָא מְשַׁמְּשָׁא קַמֵּיהּ), each and every chariot for the parshah of its Shabbat (כָּל רְתִיכָא וּרְתִיכָא, פַּרְשְׁתָּא דְּכָל שַׁבְּתָא וְשַׁבְּתָא), and all of them are crowned within the holy throne (וְכֻלְּהוּ מִתְעַטְּרָן בְּגוֹ כּוּרְסְיָּיא קַדִּישָׁא), and through them she ascends to be unified above, above (וּבְהוּ אִיהִי סַלְּקָא לְאִתְיַחֲדָא לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), and all becomes one unified whole (וְאִתְעָבִיד כֹּלָּא כְּלָלָא חֲדָא). Therefore (בְּגִין כַּךְ), fortunate is the portion of one who completes the parshah of each and every Shabbat (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ מַאן דְּאַשְׁלִים פַּרְשְׁתָּא דְּכָל שַׁבְּתָא וְשַׁבְּתָא), properly as it ought to be (כַּדְקָא יָאוּת), as they decreed above (כְּמָה דְּאַפְסִיקוּ לְעֵילָּא).

Twice we read in the Sefer Torah on Shabbat (תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי, קָרֵינָן בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה בְּשַׁבְּתָא): at Minchah (בַּמִּנְחָה), at the time when judgment hangs (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינָא תַּלְיָא), toward the time of evening (לְעִידַן עֶרֶב). It is necessary to integrate the left with the right (צְרִיכִין לְאַכְלְלָא שְׂמָאלָא בִּימִינָא), for the Orayta was given from two sides (דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא מִתְּרִין סִטְרִין אִתְיְיהִיבַת), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “From His right, a fiery law for them” (Deuteronomy 33) (מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ), right and left (יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא). Therefore (בְּגִין כָּךְ), the Sefer Torah at Minchah is sufficient with ten verses or more (סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה בַּמִּנְחָה דַּי בַּעֲשָׂרָה פְּסוּקִין, אוֹ יַתִּיר), but not the completion of the parshah (אֲבָל לָא שְׁלִימוּ דְּפַרְשְׁתָּא), for the completion of the parshah is not done (דְּהָא שְׁלִימוּ דְּפַרְשְׁתָּא לָא הֱוֵי), except with the right (אֶלָּא בִּימִינָא), and the right is dependent until the time of Minchah (וִימִינָא תַּלְיָיא עַד שַׁעֲתָא דְּמִנְחָה), and this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). On the second day of the week and the fifth day of the week (בַּשֵּׁנִי בְּשַׁבְּתָא, וּבַחֲמִישִׁי בְּשַׁבְּתָא), it is because we are descending in levels below (בְּגִין דְּקָא נַחְתִּין דַּרְגִּין לְתַתָּא), which are the generality of the Orayta (דְּאִינּוּן כְּלָלָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא).

And if you will say (וְאִי תֵּימָא): behold, the Nevi’im are explained below (הָא נְבִיאִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְתַתָּא), but so it is indeed (אֶלָּא הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי); however, those below (אֲבָל הָנֵי דִּלְתַתָּא), all are included within the generality of the Orayta (כֻלְּהוּ כְּלָלָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and each one is included within the other (וְכָל חַד וְחַד כָּלִיל לְכָל חַד וְחַד). And the secret of the matter (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה): these supernal levels (אִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין), are called one parshah (אִינּוּן אִקְרוּן פַּרְשְׁתָּא חֲדָא), and afterward there emerge from them nine levels (וּלְבָתַר נָפְקִין מִנַּיְיהוּ תְּשַׁע דַּרְגִּין), which are unified as one (דְּאִתְאַחֲדָן כַּחֲדָא). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כַּךְ), nine men: three on Shabbat at Minchah (תִּשְׁעָה גּוּבְרִין, תְּלַת בְּשַׁבְּתָא בַּמִּנְחָה), and three on the second day (וּתְלַת בְּיוֹמָא תִּנְיָינָא), and three on the fifth day (וּתְלַת בְּיוֹמָא חֲמִשָׁאָה), behold, nine (הָא תִּשְׁעָה).

And in the book of Rav Yevah Sava (וּבְסִפְרָא דְּרַב יֵיבָא סָבָא), at Minchah on Shabbat (בַּמִּנְחָה בְּשַׁבְּתָא), behold, the secret of the left side is aroused (הָא אִתְעַר רָזָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), and the lower point (וּנְקוּדָה תַּתָּאָה), on that side of the left (בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), receives the secret of the Orayta (מְקַבְּלָא רָזָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). Then at that moment (כְּדֵין בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא), it is taken from the side of the left (נַטְלָא מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), and from it we read (וּמִדִּילֵיהּ קָרֵינָן).