Daf 224b (דַּף רכ״ד ע״ב)

And Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur, from the tribe of Yehudah (וּבְצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶּן חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה), from the side of kingship (מִסִּטְרָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא), made everything that Hashem had commanded Moshe (עָשָׂה אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְיָ׳ אֶת מֹשֶׁה).

For all the craftsmanship of the Mishkan was completed through them and by their hands (דְּהָא כָּל אוּמָנוּתָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא אִתְתַּקְּנַת בְּהוּ, וְעַל יְדַיְיהוּ). Betzalel performed the craftsmanship (בְּצַלְאֵל אִיהוּ עָבִיד אוּמָנוּתָא), and Moshe arranged all afterward (וּמֹשֶׁה אִיהוּ אַתְקִין כֹּלָּא לְבָתַר). Moshe and Betzalel were as one (מֹשֶׁה וּבְצַלְאֵל כַּחֲדָא הֲווֹ): Moshe above (מֹשֶׁה לְעֵילָּא), Betzalel beneath him (בְּצַלְאֵל תְּחוֹתֵיהּ), the completion of the body like a body (סִיּוּמָא דְּגוּפָא כְּגוּפָא).

Betzalel and Oholiav—this has been established (בְּצַלְאֵל וְאָהֳלִיאָב, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ): this one is the right side, that one the left side, and all is one (דָּא יְמִינָא, וְדָא שְׂמָאלָא, וְכֹּלָּא חַד). And for this reason: Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur of the tribe of Yehudah... and with him Oholiav son of Achisamakh of the tribe of Dan... (וּבְצַלְאֵל בֶּן אוּרִי בֶּן חוּר לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה וְגוֹ', וְאִתּוֹ אָהֳלִיאָב בֶּן אֲחִיסָמָךְ לְמַטֵּה דָּן וְגוֹ'). All the gold that was made for the work, for all the holy labor… (כָּל הַזָּהָב הֶעָשׂוּי לַמְּלָאכָה בְּכֹל מְלֶאכֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְגוֹ') (Exodus 38).

Rabbi Yosei opened the verse concerning Elisha, as it is written: “And he went up from there to Beit El, and as he was going up by the way…” (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח קְרָא בְּאֱלִישָׁע, דִּכְתִיב: וַיַּעַל מִשָּׁם בֵּית אֵל, וְהוּא עוֹלֶה בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְגוֹ') (II Kings 2), and young boys came out (וּנְעָרִים קְטַנִּים).

This has been established (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ): they were emptied of all matters of Orayta and all commands of Orayta (מְנוּעָרִים הֲווֹ מִכָּל מִלֵּי אוֹרַיְּיתָא וּמִכָּל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא). Ketanin—small ones—means they were insignificant in faith (קְטַנִּים: זְעִירֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא), and became liable to punishment in this world and in the World to Come (וְאִתְחַיְּיבוּ בְּחִיּוּבָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְחִיּוּבָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). They came out from the city—they departed from the secret of faith (יָצְאוּ מִן הָעִיר: נַפְקוּ מֵרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). It is written here “they came out from the city,” and it is written there: “I will not come into the city” (כְּתִיב הָכָא: יָצְאוּ מִן הָעִיר, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: וְלֹא אָבֹא בְּעִיר) (Hosea 11). (Some say: The secret of faith is called city, as it is written (Tehillim 48): “City of Hashem Tzeva’ot, city of our God” (ס"א מְרְזָא דְמְהִימְנוּתָא אקרֵי עִיר עִיר יְיָ צְבָאוֹת עִיר אֱלֹהֵינוּ). And he turned behind him and saw them… (וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו וַיִּרְאֵם) (II Kings 2)—he turned behind him to look backward, whether they would repent or not (וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו: דְּאִסְתַּכַּל לַאֲחוֹרָא, אִי יְהַדְּרוּן בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא, וְאִם לָאו). He saw them—what does this mean? (וַיִּרְאֵם: מַאי וַיִּרְאֵם).

He looked at them and saw (אִסְתַּכַּל בְּהוּ), that no seed prepared for rectification would come forth from them (דְּהָא לֵית זַרְעָא מְתַּתְקְנָא זַמִּין לְנָפְקָא מִנַּיְיהוּ), and this has been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ). He saw them—this has been established: that they were destroyed on the night of Yom Kippur (וַיִּרְאֵם: הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּאִתְעָבֵידוּ בְּלֵילְיָא דְּכִפּוּרֵי). Immediately: “And he cursed them in the Name of Hashem” (מִיַּד: וַיְקַלְלֵם בְּשֵׁם יְיָ׳). And this is the secret in the verse (וְרָזָא אִיהוּ בְּהַאי קְרָא): “He turned behind him”—he looked at them to see if punishment would come upon them, and turned away from them (וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו: אִסְתַּכַּל בְּהוּ, אִי יִתְעֲנֵשׁ עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְפְּנֵי מֵהַאי). As it is said: “And Aharon turned…” meaning, he turned from her leprosy (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיִּפֶן אַהֲרֹן (Numbers 12), דְּאִתְפְּנֵי מִצָּרַעְתֵּיהּ). So too here, he turned away from their punishment (אוּף הָכָא אִתְפְּנִי מֵעוֹנְשָׁא דִּלְהוֹן). He saw them—that they were prepared to continue doing evil in Yisrael (וַיִּרְאֵם: דַּהֲווֹ קַיְּימִין לְבָתַר לְמֶעְבַּד כַּמָּה בִּישִׁין בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And he turned behind him—just as you say (וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “And his wife looked from behind him” (Bereshit 19) (בְּרֵאשִׁית י״ט: וַתַּבֵּט אִשְׁתּוֹ מֵאַחֲרָיו).

What is “from behind him”? (מַאי מֵאַחֲרָיו). From behind the Shekhinta (מֵאֲחוֹרֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא). So too here, “he turned behind him”—he looked from behind the Shekhinta (אוּף הָכָא: וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו, אִסְתַּכַּל מֵאֲחוֹרֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא). And he saw all of them (וְחָמָא לְכֻלְּהוּ), for on that very night, which ruled over atonement for the sins of Yisrael (דְּהָא בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא דְּשַׁלְטָא עַל כַּפָּרָה דְּחוֹבֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), they were removed from their mothers (אִתְעַבְּרוּ אִמְּהוֹן מִנַּיְיהוּ), and immediately “he cursed them in the Name of Hashem” (מִיָּד: וַיְקַלְּלֵם בְּשֵׁם יְיָ׳). And two bears came out from the forest (וַתֵּצֶאנָה שְׁתַּיִם דּוּבִּים מִן הַיַּעַר).

Two bears—shouldn’t it have said “two”? (שְׁתַּיִם דּוּבִּים: שְׁנַיִם דּוּבִּים מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Why “two” in feminine form? (מַאי שְׁתַּיִם דּוּבִּים). They were female bears with their cubs (נוּקְבִין הֲווֹ, וּבְנַיְיהוּ). And they tore apart from among them forty-two children (וַתְּבַקַּעְנָה מֵהֶם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנַיִם יְלָדִים)—this has been established to correspond to the offerings of Balak (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ לָקוֹבֵל קָרְבָּנִין דְּבָלָק). “And the gold of the wave offering…” (Exodus 38) (שְׁמוֹת ל״ח: וַיְהִי זְהַב הַתְּנוּפָה)—why is it called “gold of the wave offering,” and not likewise “silver of the wave offering”? (אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי זְהַב הַתְּנוּפָה, וְלָא אִקְרֵי הָכִי כֶּסֶף הַתְּנוּפָה). Only these two are called thus: gold of the wave offering and copper of the wave offering (אֶלָּא: תְּרֵין אִינּוּן דְּאִקְרוּן הָכִי: זְהַב הַתְּנוּפָה וּנְחֹשֶׁת הַתְּנוּפָה). But not silver (וְלָא אִקְרֵי הָכִי כֶּסֶף הַתְּנוּפָה). Why? Because these two ascend upward (אֶלָּא אִלֵּין אִקְרוּן הָכִי, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִסְתַּלְקוּתָא לְעֵילָּא), while the other remains below (דְּהָא אִית הָכִי לְתַתָּא). And this is not the same gold as that of the Mishkan (וְלָאו אִיהוּ זָהָב דְּאָרָמוּתָא).

In all cases, tenufah refers to an elevation upwards, not a descent downward (וּבְכָל אֲתַר תְּנוּפָה אִיהוּ אַרָמוּתָא לְעֵילָּא, וְלָא לְנַחְתָּא לְתַתָּא). And this is the secret of this calculation (וְאִיהוּ רָזָא דְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא דָּא), that all these levels and chariots (דְּכָל אִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין וּרְתִיכִין כֻּלְּהוּ), stand in elevation (קַיְּימֵי בְּאָרָמוּתָא), and that is gold of elevation (וְאִיהוּ דַּהֲב אַרָמוּתָא), and this is the gold (וְדָא אִיהוּ דַּהֲבָא). For anything that spreads downward loses its appearance, nature, and radiance (דְּכָל מַה דְּמִתְפַּשְׁטָא לְתַתָּא, אַסְתִּים חֵיזוּ וְטִיבוּ וּנְהִירוּ דִּילֵיהּ), but when it is in elevation, it is good gold, in the secret of its radiance (וְכַד אִיהוּ בְּאָרָמוּתָא, כְּדֵין אִיהוּ דְּהַב טָב בְּרָזָא דִּנְהִירוּ דִילֵיהּ). And everything below is just the residue of gold (וְכָל הַהוּא דִּלְתַתָּא: סוּסְפִיתָא דְּדַּהֲבָא), and it is its dross (וְאִיהוּ הִתּוּכָא דִּילֵיהּ). “And the silver of the reckoning of the congregation…” (Exodus 38) (וְכֶסֶף פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה)—this is because anything that spreads downward is good (בְּגִין דְּהַאי: אִיהוּ כָּל מַה דְּאִתְפָּשַׁט לְתַתָּא, הָכִי הוּא טָב), and although it is not in elevation, it is still all for the good (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִיהוּ בְּהַאי אַרָמוּתָא, כֹּלָּא הוּא לְטָב). But gold—whenever it spreads downward, it is all for evil (אֲבָל דַּהֲבָא: כָּל מַה דְּאִתְפָּשַׁט לְתַתָּא, כֹּלָּא הוּא לְבִישׁ). This spreads for good (דָּא אִתְפָּשַׁט לְטָב), and this spreads for evil (וְדָא אִתְפָּשַׁט לְבִישׁ). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כַּךְ), this needs to ascend upward (דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאָרָמָא אַרָמוּתָא, וּלְאִסְתַּלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא), and that needs to spread downward and in all directions (וְדָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְפָּשְׁטָא לְתַתָּא, וּלְכָל סִטְרִין), for all of it stands for the good (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ קָאִים לְטָב).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “For Hashem is a sun and a shield” (כִּי שֶׁמֶשׁ וּמָגֵן יְיָ') (Psalms 84). For a sun—this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (כִּי שֶׁמֶשׁ, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And a shield—this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּמָגֵן, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Sun—this is the secret of the holy Name YHVH (שֶׁמֶשׁ: דָּא הוּא רָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא יְדוָד), for here all the levels abide in rest (דְּהָכָא קַיְימִין כָּל דַּרְגִּין לְנַיְיחָא). And a shield—this is the secret of the holy Name that is called Elohim (וּמָגֵן: דָּא אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִקְרֵי אֱלֹהִים). And this secret is what is written: “I am your shield” (וְרָזָא דָּא דִּכְתִּיב: אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ) (Bereshit 15). And sun and shield—this is the secret of the complete Name (וְשֶׁמֶשׁ וּמָגֵן דָּא אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּשְׁמָא שְׁלִים).

Grace and glory Hashem gives—to show that all is one secret (חֵן וְכָבוֹד יִתֵּן יְיָ׳, לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא רָזָא חֲדָא). “No good will He withhold from those who walk in wholeness” (לֹא יִמְנַע טוֹב לַהוֹלְכִים בְּתָמִים) (Psalms 84). This is the secret of that which is written: “And He withholds the light of the wicked” (רָזָא דָּא (ההוא) דִּכְתִּיב: וְיִמָּנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם) (Job 38). And this is the primordial light (וְדָא אִיהוּ נְהוֹרָא קַדְמָאָה), of which it is written: “And Elohim saw the light, that it was good” (דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב) (Bereshit 1). Kudsha Berikh Hu concealed it and hid it (דְּגָנִיז וְסָתִים לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it has been established (כְּמַה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ), and from the guilty He hid it (וּמִן חַיָּיבַיָּא גָּנִיז לֵיהּ), and withheld it from them in this world and in the World to Come (וּמָנַע לֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). But regarding the Righteous—what is written? (אֲבָל לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא מַה כְּתִיב): “No good will He withhold from those who walk in wholeness” (לֹא יִמְנַע טוֹב לַהוֹלְכִים בְּתָמִים). This is the primordial light, of which it is written: “And Elohim saw the light, that it was good” (דָּא אוֹר קַדְמָאָה דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב). And for this reason, this one is not required to ascend upward and be elevated (וְעַל דָּא, לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ דָּא לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא וּלְאָרָמָא לֵיהּ), but rather to spread forth and to be revealed (אֶלָּא לְאִתְפָּשְׁטָא וּלְאִתְגַלָּאָה), and not to ascend like that other one, which is the left (וְלָא לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא כְּהַהוּא אַחֲרָא, דְּאִיהוּ שְׂמָאלָא). And for this reason, that one is called tenufah (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי הַהוּא תְּנוּפָה), but not this one (וְלָאו הַאי). And for this reason: “And the silver of the reckoning of the congregation was one hundred talents…” (וּבְּגִין כָּךְ: וְכֶסֶף פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה מְאַת כִּכָּר וְגוֹ') (Exodus 38).