Daf 225a (דַּף רכ״ה ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the side of the right (סִטְרָא דִּימִינָא), it is always established to sustain the world (אִיהוּ תָּדִיר קַיְּימָא לְקַיְּימָא בְּכָל עָלְמָא), and to illuminate it and bless it (וּלְאַנְהָרָא וּלְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), the Kohen, who is from the side of the right (כַּהֲנָא דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא), is always prepared to bless the people (אִזְדְּמַן תָּדִיר לְבָרְכָא עַמָּא). For from the side of the right come all the blessings of the world (דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא אַתְיָין כָּל בִּרְכָאן דְּעָלְמָא), and the Kohen takes first (וְכַהֲנָא נָטִיל בְּרֵישָׁא), and for this reason he is appointed to bless above and below (וְעַל דָּא אִתְמָנָא אִיהוּ לְבָרְכָא לְעֵילָּא וּלְתַתָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): at the time when the Kohen spreads out his hands to bless the people (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּכַהֲנָא פָּרִישׂ יְדוֹי לְבָרְכָא עַמָּא), then the Shekhinta comes and rests upon him (כְּדֵין שְׁכִינְתָּא אַתְיָא וְשַׁרְיָא עָלוֹהִי), and fills his hands (וְאַמְלֵי יְדוֹי). His right hand is raised above his left hand (יְדָא דִּימִינָא זַקְפָא לְעֵילָּא עַל יְדָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), in order to elevate the right and to overcome the left (בְּגִין לְסַלְּקָא יְמִינָא וּלְאִתְגַּבְּרָא עַל שְׂמָאלָא). And then all the levels in which he spreads out his hands (וּכְדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין דְּקָא פָּרִישׂ בְּהוּ יְדוֹי), all are blessed from the Source of all (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְבָּרְכָאן מִמְּקוֹרָא דְּכֹלָּא). And the Source of the well—who is it? It is the Tzaddik (מְקוֹרָא דְּבֵירָא מַאן אִיהוּ. דָּא צַדִּיק). The Source of all—this is the World to Come (מְקוֹרָא דְּכֹלָּא דָּא אִיהוּ עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), which is the supernal source, from which all shining faces shine (דְּאִיהוּ מְקוֹרָא עִלָּאָה דְּכָל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין מִתַּמָּן). For it is the fountain and the source of all (דְּהָא אִיהוּ מַבּוּעָא וּמְקוֹרָא דְּכֹלָּא), and all lamps and lights are kindled from there (וְכָל בּוּצִינִין וּנְהוֹרִין מִתַּמָּן אִתְדְלִיקוּ).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא), the source and fountain of the well, all those lamps below (מְקוֹרָא וּמַבּוּעָא דְּבֵירָא כָּל אִינּוּן בּוּצִינִין דִּלְתַתָּא), all are illuminated and filled with lights from it (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְנָהֲרִין וְאִתְמַלְיָין נְהוֹרִין מִנֵּיהּ). And this stands opposite that (וְדָא קַיְּימָא לָקֳבֵל דָּא). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), at the time when the Kohen spreads out his hands to bless the people (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּכַהֲנָא פָּרִישׂ יְדוֹי, וְשָׁארִי לְבָרְכָא עַמָּא), then blessings are released above (כְּדֵין שָׁרָאן בִּרְכָאן עִלָּאִין), from the supernal source (מִמְּקוֹרָא עִלָּאָה), to ignite the lamps and cause all faces to shine (לְאַדְלְקָא בּוּצִינִין וְנָהֲרִין כָּל אַנְפִּין). And Kenesset Yisrael is crowned with supernal crowns (וּכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְעַטְּרָת בְּעִטְרִין עִלָּאִין). And all those blessings descend and are drawn from above to below (וְכָל אִינּוּן בִּרְכָאן נַגְדִּין וְאִתְמַשְּׁכָן מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Moshe commanded (מֹשֶׁה פָּקִיד), and Betzalel performed (וּבְצַלְאֵל עָבִיד), so that all would be in the secret of the body (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא דְּגוּפָא). And the completion of the body is the holy sign (וְסִיּוּמָא דְּגוּפָא דְּאִיהוּ אָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא), to increase love and the bond of union in the Mishkan (לְאַסְגָּאָה רְחִימוּ וְקִשּׁוּרָא דְּיִחוּדָא בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא). And all was done in the secret of the right (וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא דִּימִינָא קָא אִתְעָבִיד). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), in every place where the side of the right is found (בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּסִטְרָא דִּימִינָא אִשְׁתְּכַח), the evil eye does not rule there (עֵינָא בִּישָׁא לָא שַׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ): “And the silver of the reckoning of the congregation” (וְכֶסֶף פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה) (Exodus 38). For that silver comes from the side of the right (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא כֶּסֶף מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא קָא אַתְיָא). And for this reason, everything was counted and established in number (וְעַל דָּא אִתְמָנָּא כֹּלָּא בְּמִנְיָינָא).

Rabbi Yitzḥak asked Rabbi Shim‘on (רִבִּי יִצְחָק שָׁאִיל לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), he said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ): It has already been established that blessing does not rest upon something that stands in measurement (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ דְּבִרְכְתָא לָא שַׁרְיָא בְּמִלָּה דְּקָאִים בִּמְדִּידוּ), nor upon something that stands in calculation (וּבְמִלָּה דְּקָאִים בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא). Here, regarding the Mishkan, why then was everything in calculation? (הָכָא בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא אֲמַאי הֲוָה כֹּלָּא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): This has been said (הָא אִתְּמַר), but in every place where the side of holiness rests upon it (אֲבָל בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ), if that calculation comes from the side of holiness (אִי הַהוּא חוּשְׁבָּנָא אַתְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה), blessing always rests upon it (בִּרְכָתָא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ תָּדִיר), and is never removed from it (וְלָא אִתְעָדֵי מִנֵּיהּ). From where do we know this? (מְנָלָן). From the tithe (מִמַּעֲשֵׂר).

Because when the calculation comes to sanctify (בְּגִין דְּאַתְיָא חוּשְׁבָּנָא לְקַדְּשָׁא), blessing is found in it (בִּרְכָתָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת בֵּיהּ). How much more so with the Mishkan, which is holy, and comes from the side of holiness (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַשְׁכְּנָא דְּאִיהוּ קֹדֶשׁ, וְאַתְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּקֹדֶשׁ). But all other matters of the world, which do not come from the side of holiness (אֲבָל כָּל שְׁאָר מִלֵּי דְּעָלְמָא, דְּלָא אַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה), blessing does not rest upon them when they are in calculation (בִּרְכָתָא לָא שַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ כַּד אִינּוּן בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא).

Because the Sitra achra, which is the evil eye (בְּגִין דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, דְּאִיהוּ רַע עַיִן), is able to rule over it (יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלֵיהּ). And once it is able to rule over it (וְכֵיוָן דְּיָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלֵיהּ), blessing is not found in it (בִּרְכָתָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת בֵּיהּ), because blessings will not flow to that evil eye (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִמְטוּ בִּרְכָאן לְהַהוּא רַע עַיִן). And it is not from the side of holiness (וְלֹא הֲוֵי מִסִּטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה). And the measurement of holiness and calculation of holiness (וּמְדִידוּ דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, וְחוּשְׁבָּנָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה), always blessings are increased within it (תָּדִיר בִּרְכָאן אִתּוֹסְפָאן בֵּיהּ). And for this reason: “And the silver of the reckoning of the congregation” (וְעַל דָּא, וְכֶסֶף פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה) (Exodus 38).

The reckoning of the congregation—in truth (פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה בְּקוּשְׁטָא וַדַּאי), and they did not fear the evil eye (וְלָא דְּחִילוּ מֵעֵינָא בִּישָׁא), nor did they fear this calculation (וְלָא דְּחִילוּ מִכָּל חוּשְׁבָּנָא דָּא), because in all of it blessings rested from above (דְּהָא בְּכֹלָּא שָׁרָאן בִּרְכָאן מִלְּעֵילָּא).

Come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי): in the seed of Yosef, the evil eye does not rule (בְּזַרְעָא דְּיוֹסֵף לָא שַׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ עֵינָא בִּישָׁא), because it comes from the side of the right (בְּגִין דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא). And for this reason the Mishkan was made through the hand of Betzalel (וְעַל דָּא אִתְעָבִיד מַשְׁכְּנָא עַל יְדָא דִּבְצַלְאֵל), for he was established in the secret of Yosef (דְּהָא אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּיוֹסֵף קָא שַׁרְיָא), which is the secret of the holy covenant (דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא).

And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), Moshe commanded, and Betzalel performed (מֹשֶׁה פָּקִיד, וּבְצַלְאֵל עָבִיד), so that all would be in the secret of the body (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא דְּגוּפָא). And the completion of the body is the holy sign (וְסִיּוּמָא דְּגוּפָא דְּאִיהוּ אָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא), to increase love and the bond of union in the Mishkan (לְאַסְגָּאָה רְחִימוּ וְקִשּׁוּרָא דְּיִחוּדָא בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא). And all was done in the secret of the right (וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא דִּימִינָא קָא אִתְעָבִיד). And for this reason: “And the silver of the reckoning of the congregation” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ וְכֶסֶף פְּקוּדֵי הָעֵדָה) (Exodus 38). And that calculation (וְהַהוּא חוּשְׁבָּנָא), is the calculation of the great levels of the supernal appointed ones (אִיהוּ חוּשְׁבַּן דַּרְגִּין רַבְרְבִין מְמָנָן), which are united from the side of the right (דְּאִתְאַחֲדָן מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא). And for this reason it is written: “One hundred talents…” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב מְאַת כִּכָּר וְגוֹ') (Exodus 38).