Daf 223b (דַּף רכ״ג ע״ב)

Yehudah began from the left (יְהוּדָה שָׁרָא מִשְּׂמָאלָא), and turned to the right (וְסָטָא לִימִינָא). He began from the left (שָׁרָא מִשְּׂמָאלָא), because he came from the side of the left (בְּגִין דְּאָתֵי מִסְּטַר שְׂמָאלָא), and was joined to the right (וְאִתְדַּבָּק בִּימִינָא). And the Mishkan was made from this side (וּמַשְׁכְּנָא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא אִתְעֲבִיד): it began from the left side (שָׁארֵי מִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא), and was joined to the right side (וְאִתְדַּבָּק בִּסְטַר יְמִינָא).

And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), Betzalel, who came from his side (בְּצַלְאֵל אִיהוּ דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרֵיהּ), made the Mishkan and it was established through him (עָבֵד מַשְׁכְּנָא וְאִתְתַּקַּן לְגַבֵּיהּ). And behold, it has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), that Kudsha Berikh Hu was favorably disposed toward him (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בֵיהּ), and chose him above all (וּבָרִיר לֵיהּ מִכֹּלָּא), for this labor (לַעֲבִידְתָּא דָּא). And He gave him wisdom, understanding, and knowledge (וְיָהַב לֵיהּ חָכְמָה וּתְבוּנָה וָדַעַת), as it has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ).

Because with him, at first, was the inner perception of the heart (בְּגִין דְּעִמֵּיהּ הֲוָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא סָכְלְתָנוּ דְּלִבָּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And in the heart of every wise-hearted I have placed wisdom” (וּבְלֵב כָּל חֲכַם לֵב נָתַתִּי חָכְמָה) (Exodus 31). For Kudsha Berikh Hu gives wisdom only to one who already has wisdom (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא יָהִיב חָכְמְתָא אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאִית בֵּיהּ חָכְמְתָא), and this has been established by the Friends and spoken (וְאוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא וְאִתְּמַר). And so it was with Betzalel in this manner (וְכֵן כְּגַוְונָא דָּא בְּצַלְאֵל). Rabbi Shim‘on said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): Betzalel—his name caused it for him (בְּצַלְאֵל שְׁמֵיהּ גָּרִים לֵיהּ), and because of his wisdom he was so called (וְעַל חָכְמָתֵיהּ אִקְרֵי הָכִי). And the secret of the word: Betzalel—in the shadow of El (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה: בְּצֵל אֵל).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Like an apple among the trees of the forest, so is my Beloved…” (כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר כֵּן דּוֹדִי וְגוֹ') (Shir haShirim 2). In His shade—this is Betzalel (בְּצִלּוֹ: הַיְינוּ בְּצַלְאֵל), for he prepared the Mishkan and made it (דְּאִיהוּ אַתְקִין מַשְׁכְּנָא וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ), as it is written: “I desired it and I dwelled in it” (דִּכְתִּיב: חִמַּדְתִּי וְיָשַׁבְתִּי) (Psalms 132). For the Mishkan is desirable for dwelling in (דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא חֲמִידָא אִיהוּ לְמֵיתַב בֵּיהּ), for he made it desirable for Kenesset Yisrael (דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד חִמּוּדָא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), and Kenesset Yisrael dwelled in the shade of El (וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל יָתְבָא בְּצִלָּא דְּאֵל). And this is Betzalel (וְדָא אִיהוּ בְּצַלְאֵל).

“And His fruit was sweet to my taste” (וּפִרְיוֹ מָתוֹק לְחִכִּי), this (דְּדָא)—he who produced good fruit in the world (אִיהוּ דְּעָבִיד פֵּירִין טָבִין בְּעָלְמָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “From Me is your fruit found” (מִמֶּנִּי פֶרְיְךָ נִמְצָא) (Hoshea 14). Who is the fruit? (מַאן הוּא פְּרִי). These are the souls of the Righteous (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא), who are the offspring of the deeds of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִינּוּן אִיבָּא דְּעוֹבָדוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). For that river which goes out from Eden (דְּהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן), it brings forth and casts souls into the world (אִיהוּ אַפִּיק וְזָרִיק נִשְׁמָתִין לְעָלְמָא), and they are the fruits of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאִינּוּן פֵּירִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and for this reason: His fruit (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: פִּרְיוֹ). This is as we have said (דָּא אִיהוּ כִּדְקָאָמְרָן).

In his shade—this is Betzalel (בְּצִלּוֹ: דָּא הוּא בְּצַלְאֵל). And for this reason, the preparation of the Mishkan was through the hand of Betzalel (וְעַל דָּא תִּקּוּנָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא עַל יְדָא דִּבְצַלְאֵל הֲוָה). And for this reason it is written: “And Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: וּבְצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶּן חוּר). Ben Uri—this is the light of the sun that proceeds forth (בֶּן אוּרִי: דָּא נְהוֹרָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא דְּנָפִיק). Ben Uri—this is the right side (בֶּן אוּרִי: דָּא יְמִינָא). Ben Chur—this is the left side (בֶּן חוּר: דָּא אִיהוּ שְׂמָאלָא).

Ben Uri ben Chur (some say: ben Chur ben Churi (בֶּן אוּרִי בֶּן חוּר (ס״א: בֶּן חוּר בֶּן חוּרִי). And for this reason, the judgment of Kudsha Berikh Hu regarding the deed of the calf was completed through him (וְעַל דָּא אִשְׁתְּלִים בֵּיהּ דִּינָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעוֹבָדָא דְּעֶגְלָא). “All the gold that was made…” (כָּל הַזָּהָב הֶעָשׂוּי). From the moment Yisrael gave it (מֵהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּיָהֲבוּ לֵיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), it was already made and rectified from before (הֲוָה עָשׂוּי וְאִתְתָּקַּן מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא), for all the sacred labor (בְּכֹל מְלֶאכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ). All that gold (כָּל הַהוּא דַּהֲבָא), was made and prepared in all the sacred labor (אִתְעָבִיד וְאִתְתָּקַּן בְּכֹל מְלֶאכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעֲמָא). Because in every level (בְּגִין דִּבְכָל דַּרְגָּא וְדַרְגָּא), that gold was prepared in it (הֲוָה אִתְתָּקַּן בֵּיהּ דַּהֲבָא). For there is no completeness except in mercy and judgment (דְּלֵית שְׁלִימוּ אֶלָּא רַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא). And for this reason, gold went in all the sacred labor (וְעַל דָּא: דַּהֲבָא הֲוָה אָזִיל בְּכָל מְלֶאכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ). In all that labor which is called holy (בְּכָל הַהִיא עֲבִידְתָּא דְּאִקְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ), that gold was present (הֲוָה אָזִיל בָּהּ דַּהֲבָא), gold in all (דַּהֲבָא בְּכֹלָּא).

Rabbi Abba, Rabbi Yosei, and Rabbi Ḥizkiyah were sitting and studying Orayta (רִבִּי אַבָּא, רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה הֲווֹ יַתְבִין וְלָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said to Rabbi Abba (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה לְרִבִּי אַבָּא): Behold, we see that Kudsha Berikh Hu is inclined toward judgment in everything (הָא חֲמֵינָן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בְּדִינָא בְּכֹלָּא), to mix this with that (לְאִתְעָרְבָא דָּא בְּדָא), and He lengthens judgment over the guilty of the world (וְאִיהוּ אָרִיךְ דִּינָא בְּחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא). But if He is aroused in judgment (אִי אִיהוּ אִתְעְרֵי בְּדִינָא), why does He elevate them from among the guilty? (אֲמַאי סָלִיק לֵיהּ מֵחַיָּיבַיָּא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): How many mountains have been uprooted because of this matter (כַּמָּה טוּרִין אִתְעַקְּרוּ בְּמִלָּה דָּא), but how many words has the Holy luminary revealed in it! (אֲבָל כַּמָּה מִלִּין גַּלֵּי בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּהַאי).

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), the judgment of Kudsha Berikh Hu is one that He desires (דִּינָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ), it is a clarified judgment (אִיהוּ דִּינָא בָּרִיר), it is a judgment (אִיהוּ דִּינָא) Some say: of compassion and joy (נח ס״ד ע״א) that arouses love and rejoicing (דְּאִתְעַר רְחִימוּ וְחֶדְוָה). But the guilty when they are in the world (אֲבָל חַיָּיבַיָּא כַּד אִינּוּן בְּעָלְמָא), all of them are judgments of filth (כֻּלְּהוּ דִּינָא דְּזוּהֲמָא), all of them are judgments in which Kudsha Berikh Hu has no desire at all (כֻּלְּהוּ דִּינָא דְּלָא אִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלָל). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), the holy judgment does not desire to be mingled with the defiled judgment of filth (לָא בָּעֵי לְאִתְעָרְבָא דִּינָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּדִינָא מִסְאֲבָא דְּזוּהֲמָא), until it is separated from itself (עַד דְּאִיהוּ אִשְׁתְּצֵי מִגַּרְמֵיהּ), and removed from the world to come (וּלְאוֹבָדָא לֵיהּ מִן עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), and that judgment of filth in which it exists is what destroys it from the world (וְהַהוּא דִּינָא דְּזוּהֲמָא דְּבֵיהּ אִיהוּ אוֹבִיד לֵיהּ מֵעָלְמָא).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “When the wicked spring up like grass, and all workers of iniquity blossom, it is so that they may be destroyed forever” (בִּפְרֹחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּמוֹ עֵשֶׂב, וַיָּצִיצוּ כָּל פּוֹעֲלֵי אָוֶן, לְהִשָּׁמְדָם עֲדֵי עַד) (Psalms 92). This verse has been established (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ), but come and see (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי): “When the wicked spring up like grass…” (בִּפְרֹחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּמוֹ עֵשֶׂב). Like this grass that grows from the dryness of the earth (כְּהַאי עִשְׂבָּא דְּאִיהוּ בִּיבִישׁוּ דְּאַרְעָא), and it is dry (וְאִיהוּ יְבֵישָׁא), when water is poured on it, it sprouts (כַּד שָׁרָאן בֵּיהּ מַיָּא אַפְרִיחַ), and that dryness produces growth (וְהַהוּא יְבִישׁוּ אִתְפְּרַח).

Like a severed tree that puts forth sprouts (וּכְהַאי אִילָנָא קְצִיצָא דְּנָצִיץ), and it does not ascend except those fruits (וְלָא סָלִיק אֶלָּא אִינּוּן פְּאֵרוֹת), on this side and on that side (לִסְטַר דָּא וְלִסְטַר דָּא), which are the branches that ascend (דְּאִינּוּן עַנְפִין דְּסַלְּקִין), but the tree itself never ascends (וּלְעָלְמִין לָא סָלִיק אִילָנָא), to be a full tree as it was originally (כַּד הֲוָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְמֶהֱוֵי אִילָנָא). And all of this (וְכָל דָּא), is in order that they be destroyed forever (לְהִשָּׁמְדָם עֲדֵי עַד), to uproot them from the roots and from everything (לְאַעְקְרָא לוֹן מִשָּׁרָשִׁין וּמִכֹּלָּא).