Daf 215a (דַּף רט״ו ע״א)

When they came to Rabbi Shimon (כַּד מָטוּ לְגַבֵּי דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), and arranged these words before him (וְסַדְּרוּ מִלִּין אִלֵּין קַמֵּיהּ), all that had been said along that path (כָּל מַה דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהַהוּא אוֹרְחָא), he opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more until the perfect day” (Proverbs 4) (וְאוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ הוֹלֵךְ וְאוֹר עַד נְכוֹן הַיּוֹם).

This verse has been stated (הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמַר), but this verse must be contemplated (אֲבָל הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ). “And the path of the righteous” (וְאוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים), that is the path that the Righteous walk in (הַהוּא אוֹרְחָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא אָזְלוּ בֵּיהּ), it is a path of integrity (אִיהוּ אֹרַח קְשׁוֹט), a path that Kudsha Berikh Hu desires (אוֹרְחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ), a path that He walks before them (אוֹרְחָא דְּאִיהוּ אָזִיל קָמַיְיהוּ), and all those chariots come to hear the words that they speak with their mouths (וְכָל אִינּוּן רְתִיכִין, אַתְיָין לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין דְּאִינּוּן מְמַלְּלָן וְאָמְרֵי בְּפוּמַיְיהוּ). “Like the light of dawn” (כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ), that shines and goes forward (דְּנָהִיר וְאָזִיל), and does not darken (וְלָא אִתְחֲשָׁךְ), Some say: at all (ס״א: כְּלָל), unlike the path of the wicked (כְּאוֹרַח דְּאִינּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא), whose path is constantly darkened (דְּאוֹרַח דִּילְהוֹן אִתְחֲשָׁךְ תָּדִיר), as you say: “The way of the wicked is as darkness…” (Proverbs 4) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר דֶּרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים כָּאֲפֵלָה וְגוֹ').

Another matter: “And the path of the righteous” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְאוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים). What is the difference between “path” and “way” (מַה בֵּין אוֹרַח לְדֶרֶךְ). This has been explained (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But “path” is that which is now opened and revealed (אֲבָל אוֹרַח הוּא, דְּהַשְׁתָּא אִתְפְּתַח וְאִתְגַּלְיָיא), and that place is made into a path (וְאִתְעָבִיד בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר אוֹרַח), where no feet had trodden beforehand (דְּלָא כְּתִישׁוּ בֵּיהּ רַגְלִין מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא). “Way” (דֶּרֶךְ), as you say: “Treading the winepress” (Isaiah 63) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כְּדוֹרֵךְ בְּגַת), where the feet of all who wish trample (דְּכַתְשִׁין בֵּיהּ רַגְלִין כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי). And for this reason, to the Righteous He calls it “path” (וְעַל דָּא לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא קָארֵי אֹרַח), for they were the first to open that place (דְּאִינּוּן הֲווֹ קַדְמָאֵי לְמִפְתַּח הַהוּא אֲתָר). And it is not only about the place itself (וְלָא עַל אֲתָר אִיהוּ), but even though others from the people of the world walk in that place (אֶלָּא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאַחֲרָנִין בְּנֵי עָלְמָא אָזְלֵי בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר), now that the Righteous walk there (הַשְׁתָּא דְּאַזְלִין בֵּיהּ צַדִּיקַיָּיא), it is a new place (אִיהוּ אֲתָר חַדְתָּא), for now it is new, as if no man ever walked there before (דְּהַשְׁתָּא חַדְתָּא אִיהוּ הַהוּא אֲתָר כְּמָה דְלָא אָזִיל בֵּיהּ בַּר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא לְעָלְמִין), because the Righteous make that place new (בְּגִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא עַבְדִּין חַדְתָּא לְכָל הַהוּא אֲתָר), with many exalted matters in which Kudsha Berikh Hu delights (בְּכַמָּה מִלִּין עִלָּאִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בְּהוֹן). And furthermore, the Shekhinta goes in that place (וְתוּ, דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא אַזְלָא בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר), which it had not done previously (מַה דְּלָא הֲוַות מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא). And because of this, it is called “the path of the righteous” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים אִקְרֵי), because the supernal, holy Guest was hosted there (בְּגִין דְּאִתְאָרַח בֵּיהּ אוּשְׁפִּיזָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא).

“The Way” (דֶּרֶךְ)—it is open to all (אִיהוּ פָּתוּחַ לְכֹלָּא), and all who desire trample it (וְכַתְשִׁין בֵּיהּ כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי), even the guilty (אֲפִילּוּ אִינּוּן חַיָּיבִין). “Way”—this is the mystery (דֶּרֶךְ: רָזָא דָּא), as it is written: “Who makes a way in the sea” (הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דָּרֶךְ) (Yeshayahu 43:16), because the Sitra achra [Other Side] treads there (בְּגִין דְּדָרִיךְ בֵּיהּ סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), though it ought not to (דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ), and it rules to defile the Mishkan [Tabernacle] (וְשָׁלִיט לְסַאֲבָא מַשְׁכְּנָא). And for this reason, the Tzaddikaya [Righteous] alone stand and rule in that place called Orakh [path] (וְעַל דָּא, צַדִּיקַיָּיא בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ קַיְימֵי וְשַׁלְטֵי בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי אוֹרַח), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא).

“The Way” is open to all (דֶּרֶךְ פָּתוּחַ לְכֹלָּא), to this side and to that side (לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא). But you, exalted holy ones (וְאַתּוּן קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין), a supernal holy Orakh [path] was prepared for you (אוֹרַח קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה אִזְדָּמַן לְגַבַּיְיכוּ), and you have journeyed upon it (וְאָרַחְתּוּן בֵּיהּ). And exalted, supernal words (וּמִלִּין מְעַלְּיָין עִלָּאִין)—[Some say: “these.”] (נ״א אֵלִין)—were arranged before Atik Yomin [Ancient of Days] (אִתְסָדָּרוּ קָמֵי עַתִּיק יוֹמִין). Fortunate is your portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיכוֹן).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר), “And Yehoshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moshe had laid his hands upon him…” (Deuteronomy 34) (דברים ל״ד: וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן מָלֵא רוּחַ חָכְמָה כִּי סָמַךְ מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ'). In many places we have learned (בְּכַמָּה אֲתָר תָּנֵינָן), that Moshe's face was like the face of the sun (דְּמֹשֶׁה אַנְפּוֹי כְּאַנְפֵּי שִׁמְשָׁא), and Yehoshua's like the face of the moon (וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ כְּאַנְפֵּי סִיהֲרָא). For the moon has no light of its own (דְּלֵית נְהוֹרָא לְסִיהֲרָא), but only the light of the sun when it shines upon it (אֶלָּא נְהוֹרָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא כַּד נָהַר לְסִיהֲרָא), and the moon is filled from the sun (וְסִיהֲרָא מִגּוֹ שִׁמְשָׁא אִתְמַלְּיָיא). And when it is filled (וְכַד אִתְמַלְּיָיא), then it stands in completeness (כְּדֵין קַיְּימָא בְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא).

The completeness of the moon — who is that? (אִשְׁתְּלִימוּתָא דְּסִיהֲרָא, מַאן אִיהוּ). The mystery of all (רָזָא דְּכֹלָּא), which is called the likeness in the mystery of the supernal Name YHVH (דְּאִקְרֵי דְּמוּת בְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא עִלָּאָה יְהוָ״ה). For this Name does not endure (דְּהָא בִּשְׁמָא דָּא לָא קָאֵים), except in the time when it stands in completeness (בַּר בְּזִמְנָא דְּקַיְּימָא בְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא). For there are many Names (דְּהָא כַּמָה שְׁמָהָן אִינּוּן), which we have inherited (דְּאַחֲסִינָא), and they are called by them (וְאִתְקְרֵי בְּהוּ), thus according to the time that they endure (כַּךְ כְּפוּם שַׁעֲתָא דְּקַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ), and according to the hour that it endures within it (וּכְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא דְּקַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ), thus it is called by that Name exactly (הָכִי אִקְרֵי בְּהַהוּא שְׁמָא מַמָּשׁ). And when it stands in the mystery of completeness (וְכַד קַיְּימָא בְּרָזָא דְּאַשְׁלָמוּתָא), and is completed from all sides (וְאִשְׁתְּלִימַת מִכָּל סִטְרִין), then it is called YHVH in her completeness (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי יְהוָ״ה אַשְׁלְמוּתָא דִילָהּ), as the completeness above (כְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא דִלְעֵילָּא).

The daughter inherits from her mother (דְּיָרְתָא בְּרָתָא לְאִמָּהּ). And this is (וְהַיְינוּ), some say: illumination (נ״א: נְהִירוּ), on the fifteenth day (בַּחֲמֵיסָר יוֹמִין), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “On the fifteenth day of this seventh month” (Leviticus 23) (בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “But on the tenth day of the seventh month…” (Leviticus 23) (אַךְ בֶּעָשׂוֹר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי). And all is one mystery (וְכֹלָּא רָזָא חֲדָא), when the World to Come stands in the mystery of all ten utterances (כַּד קַיְּימָא עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי בְּרָזָא דְּכָל עֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן), regarding this month (עַל הַאי חֹדֶשׁ), it is called “on the tenth” (אִקְרֵי בֶּעָשׂוֹר). And when the moon is impressed with perfect fullness between them (וְכַד אִתְרְשִׁימַת סִיהֲרָא בְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא חֲדָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ), it is called “on the fifteenth” (אִקְרֵי בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר), for the letter Heh is joined and engraved between them (דְּהָא ה' אִתְחַבְּרַת וְאִתְחַקְּקַת בֵּינַיְיהוּ). And this is the mystery of Yod-Heh (וְרָזָא דָּא: י״ה), and when it stands in this Name (וְכַד קַיְּימָא בִּשְׁמָא דָּא), then it is joined with Heh (כְּדֵין אִתְחַבָּר בְּה׳), and she is added (וְאִיהִי אִתוֹסְפָּא). Some say: below, to sustain them and to give them their provision — and she is increased (נ״א: לְגַבֵּי תַּתָּאֵי לְמֵיזַן לוֹן וּלְמִיהַב לוֹן טַרְפֵּיהוֹן וְאִתְתוֹסְפָּא). She is so (אִיהִי), in the mystery of the letter Heh as at first (בְּרָזָא דְּאָת ה׳ כְּמִלְּקַדְמִין): one — to be engraved and joined in the upper mystery (חֲדָא: לְאִתְחַקְּקָא וּלְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּרָזָא דִּלְעֵילָּא); and one — to give nourishment below (וַחֲדָא לְמֵיהַב מְזוֹנָא לְתַתָּא). And then the moon stands in completeness on all sides (וּכְדֵין קַיְּימָא סִיהֲרָא בְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא לְכָל סִטְרִין), above and below (עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא), in the mystery of this Name (בְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא דָּא), to be all one mystery (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא רָזָא חֲדָא), and one perfection (וּשְׁלִימוּ חַד).

Yehoshua — this is the mystery of the moon’s completeness (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דָּא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא דְּסִיהֲרָא), in these letters: Ben Nun (בְּאִלֵּין אַתְוָון: בִּן נוּ״ן). Nun — certainly (נוּ״ן וַדַּאי), for Nun is the mystery of the moon (דְּהָא נוּ״ן רָזָא דְּסִיהֲרָא אִיהִי). He was “filled” in the mystery of the completeness of the sacred Name (מָלֵא בְּרָזָא דְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), and then he was “filled with the spirit of wisdom” — certainly (כְּדֵין אִיהוּ מָלֵא רוּחַ חָכְמָה וַדַּאי).