Daf 209a (דַּף ר״ט ע״א)

That supernal spirit which descends upon a person in joy (הַהוּא רוּחָא עִלָּאָה דְּנָחִית עָלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּחֵדוּ), and causes his soul to rejoice (וְחַדֵּי לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ), then the person’s soul is sustained (כְּדֵין קַיְימָא נַפְשָׁא דְּבַר נָשׁ), in the manner of the World to Come (כְּגַוְונָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), which is destined to derive pleasure from it (דְּזַמִּין לְאִתְהֲנָאָה מִנֵּיהּ), just as the person benefited that spirit in this world (כְּמָה דְּבַר נָשׁ, אַהֲנִי לְהַאי רוּחָא בְּעָלְמָא דָּא). So too, that spirit benefits him in the World to Come (הָכִי הַהוּא רוּחָא אַהֲנִי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ, לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), as it is written: “Then you shall delight in Hashem…” (וּכְתִיב, אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ׳ וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 58). And it is written: “And He shall satiate your soul in shining places” (וּכְתִיב וְהִשְׁבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ) (Isaiah 58). Just as a person enjoys that delight and benefits from it (כְּמָה דְּבַר נָשׁ, רַוֵי לְהַהוּא עִנּוּגָא, וְאַהֲנֵי לֵיהּ), so too it will satisfy him in the World to Come (הָכִי נָמֵי אִיהוּ רַוֵי לֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). Then, when a person merits and completes the honor of Shabbat as we have said (כְּדֵין כַּד בַּר נָשׁ זָכֵי, וְאַשְׁלִים שְׁלִימוּ דִּיְקָרָא דְּשַׁבְּתָא כִּדְקָאָמְרָן), Kudsha Berikh Hu calls over him and says (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָארֵי עָלֵיהּ וְאָמַר): “And He said to me, You are My servant, Yisrael, in whom I will glory” (וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר) (Isaiah 49).

Rabbi Abba arose, and the rest of the companions, and kissed his head (קָם רִבִּי אַבָּא, וּשְׁאַר חַבְרַיָּיא, וְנַשְׁקוּ רֵישֵׁיהּ). They wept and said (בָּכוּ וְאָמְרוּ): “Fortunate is our portion in this path that Kudsha Berikh Hu is prepared to lead us upon” (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא דְּאָרְחָא דָּא זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָקֳבְלָן). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): “This path Kudsha Berikh Hu has prepared for me (לִי זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָרְחָא דָּא), in order to connect with you (בְּגִין לְאִתְחַבְּרָא עִמְּכוֹן). Fortunate is my portion, that I have merited to this path” (זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ חוּלָקִי, דְּזָכֵינָא לְאָרְחָא דָּא).

He said to them: “Let me tell you what I saw (אָמַר לְהוּ, אֵימָּא לְכוּ מַה דַּחֲמֵינָא). On this day when I went on the path (יוֹמָא דָּא נָפַקְנָא לְאָרְחָא), I saw one light (וַחֲמֵינָא נְהוֹרָא חֲדָא), and it split into three lights (וְאִתְפְּלַג לִתְלַת נְהוֹרִין), and they went before me and disappeared (וְאָזְלוּ קָמָאי, וְאִתְטָמָרוּ). And I said: surely I have seen the Shekhinta (וַאֲמֵינָא וַדַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא חֲמֵינָא), fortunate is my portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי). And now, those three lights I saw (וְהַשְׁתָּא אִינּוּן תְּלַת נְהוֹרִין דַּחֲמֵינָא), it is you (אַתּוּן אִינּוּן), surely you are those lights (וַדַּאי אַתּוּן נְהוֹרִין), supernal lamps (וּבוּצִינִין עִלָּאִין), to illuminate in this world and in the World to Come” (לְאַנְהָרָא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Rabbi Abba said: Until now I did not know (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא עַד הָכִי לָא יְדַעְנָא), that all these hidden gems were beneath your hands (דְּכָל אִלֵּין מַרְגְּלָן סְתִימִין הֲווֹ תְּחוֹת יָדַיְיכוּ). Once I saw (כֵּיוָן דַּחֲמֵינָא), that these words were spoken with the will of your Master’s command (דְּהָא בִּרְעוּתָא דְּפִקּוּדָא דְּמָארֵיכוֹן אִתְאֲמָרוּ מִלִּין אִלֵּין), I knew (יְדַעְנָא), that all these words ascend on this day (דְּכֻלְּהוּ מִלִּין סַלְּקִין יוֹמָא דָּא), into the supernal Throne (לְגוֹ כּוּרְסְיָּיא עִלָּאָה), and that Master of Faces takes them (וְנָטִיל לוֹן הַהוּא מָארֵי דְּאַנְפִּין), and makes from them crowns for His Master (וְעָבִיד מִינַּיְיהוּ עִטְרִין לְמָארֵיהּ). And on this day (וְיוֹמָא דָּא), sixty some say: seventy holy chariots are crowned (מִתְעַטְּרִין שִׁתִּין (נ״א שִׁבְעִין) רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין), for the glory of the Throne (לִיקָרָא דְּכֻרְסְיָיא), with these words that were spoken here (בְּאִלֵּין מִלִּין דְּאִתְאַמָּרוּ הָכָא), on this very day (יוֹמָא דָּא). Meanwhile, he lifted his eyes (אַדְּהָכִי זָקַף עֵינוֹי), and saw that the sun had set (וְחָמָא דְּאַעְרַב שִׁמְשָׁא).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), “Let us turn toward that village (נְהַךְ לְגַבֵּי הַאי כְּפַר), which is near to us in the wilderness” (דְּאִיהוּ קָרִיב לְגַבָּן בְּמַדְבְּרָא). They went and lodged there (אָזְלוּ וּבֵיתוֹ תַּמָּן). At midnight (בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא), Rabbi Abba and the rest of the companions arose (קָם רִבִּי אַבָּא וּשְׁאַר חַבְרַיָּיא), to engage in the Orayta (לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), “From here onward, let us say words (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה נִימָא מִלִּין), through which the Righteous in the Garden of Eden may be crowned (לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּהוּ צַדִּיקַיָּא דִּבְגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן). For now is the time (דְּהַשְׁתָּא אִיהוּ זִמְנָא), when Kudsha Berikh Hu and all the Righteous in the Garden of Eden (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְכָל צַדִּיקַיָּא דִּבְגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן), listen to the voices of the Righteous who are in the world below” (צַיְיתִין לְקָלֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא דִּי בְּאַרְעָא).

Rabbi Abba opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר): It is written (כְּתִיב): “The heavens are the heavens of Hashem, and the earth He has given to the children of man” (הַשָּׁמַיִם שָׁמַיִם לַיְיָ׳ וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי אָדָם) (Psalms 115). This verse must be contemplated (הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ), for it should have said simply: “The heavens are Hashem’s” (וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵימַר הַשָּׁמַיִם לַיְיָ׳), and “the earth to the children of man” (וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי אָדָם). What is “The heavens — heavens”? (מַאי הַשָּׁמָיִם שָׁמַיִם).

Rather, here there is a mystery to examine (אֶלָּא הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא), for there is a “heaven” and a “heaven” (בְּגִין דְּאִית שָׁמַיִם, וְאִית שָׁמַיִם). A heaven below (שָׁמַיִם לְתַתָּא), and an earth below it (וְאֶרֶץ לְתַתָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ). A heaven above (שָׁמַיִם לְעֵילָּא), and an earth below it (וְאֶרֶץ לְתַתָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ). And all levels, above and below (וְכָל דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין), all are in this structure — one within the other (כֻּלְּהוּ כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין). The lower heavens are the ten curtains (שָׁמַיִם לְתַתָּא, אִינּוּן עֶשֶׂר יְרִיעוֹת), as it is written: “Who stretches the heavens like a curtain” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם כַּיְרִיעָה) (Psalms 104). And Kudsha Berikh Hu made them (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲבַד לוֹן), and the channels within them (וּמַשִׁרְיָין דִּי בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ), to govern the lower earth (לְאַנְהָגָא אַרְעָא תַּתָּאָה). The ninth governs below (תְּשִׁיעָאָה אַנְהִיג לְתַתָּאֵי), circling like the handle of a ladle (דְּסַחֲרָן כְּקוּפְטְרָא דְּקוּלְטָא). The tenth — it is the root (עֲשִׁירָאָה, אִיהוּ עִקָּרָא). And in all the firmaments, appointments are made up to the seventh (וּבְכֻלְּהוּ מַשִׁירְיָין מְמָנָן עַד שְׁבִיעָאָה). From the seventh and onward (מִשְּׁבִיעָאָה וּלְהָלְאָה), there is a light that spreads downward (אִית נְהוֹרָא דְּאִתְפָּשַּׁט לְתַתָּא), from within the supernal Throne (מִגּוֹ כּוּרְסְיָּיא עִלָּאָה), and it illuminates the tenth (וְנָהִיר לַעֲשִׂירָאָה). And the tenth, from that light that it receives (וַעֲשִׂירָאָה, מֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּ דְּנַקְטָא), gives to the ninth (יָהִיב לִתְשִׁיעָאָה), and it to the eighth and below (וְאִיהוּ לִתְמִינָאָה וּלְתַתָּא). This eighth, when the hosts of the stars are appointed (הַאי תְּמִינָאָה, כַּד אִתְפַּקְדוּן חֵילֵי דְּכוֹכָבַיָּא), and brought forth (וְאַפִּיק לוֹן), that light remains (הַהוּא נְהִירוּ, קַיְּימָא), and gives its strength to each one (וְיָהִיב חֵילֵיהּ לְכָל חַד וְחַד), to be appointed in that place where it is needed (לְאִתְמַנָאָה בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ). As it is written: “He brings out their host by number…” (דִּכְתִּיב: הַמּוֹצִיא בְּמִסְפָּר צְבָאָם וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 40), “By the greatness of His might”—this is the supernal radiance (מֵרֹב אוֹנִים, דָּא אִיהוּ זֹהֲרָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), which is called “greatness of might” (דְּאִקְרֵי רוֹב אוֹנִים).

And in each and every firmament (וּבְכָל רְקִיעָא וּרְקִיעָא), there is an appointed one (אִית מְמָנָא), and he is appointed over the world and over the earth (וְאִתְפְּקַד עַל עָלְמָא, וְעַל אַרְעָא), to govern everything (לְאַנְהָגָא כֹּלָּא). Except for the Land of Yisrael (בַּר אַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), which is not governed by a firmament (דְּלָא אַנְהִיג לָהּ רְקִיעָא), and not by any other force (וְלָא חֵילָא אַחֲרָא), but only by Kudsha Berikh Hu Himself (אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And if you should say: how then does it dwell under the governance of the firmament? (וְאִי תֵּימָא הֵיךְ שַׁרְיָא לְמַגָּנָא רְקִיעָא עַל אַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and behold, rain and dew descend upon it from the firmament (וְהָא מִטְרָא וְטָלָא מֵרְקִיעָא נָחִית עָלָה), like all other lands (כִּשְׁאַר כָּל אַרְעָא אַחֲרָא).