Daf 226b (דַּף רכ״ו ע״ב)

And this stands in questioning (וְדָא קַיְּימָא בִּשְּׁאֶלְתָּא), and it is a supernal utterance (וְאִיהוּ מַאֲמָר עִלָּאָה). And it has been established that it is called “Mi” (who) (וְאוּקְמוּהָ דְּאִקְרֵי מִ״י). As it is written: “Lift up your eyes on high and see Who created these” (שְׂאוּ מָרוֹם עֵינֵיכֶם וּרְאוּ מִי בָּרָא אֵלֶּה) (Isaiah 40). That questioning “Mi” (who) created these (שְׁאֶלְתָּא הַהוּא דְּבָרָא אֵלֶּה). Afterward it spread forth and became the Sea (לְבָתַר אִתְפָּשַׁט וְאִתְעָבִיד יָם), the end of all levels (סוֹפָא דְּכָל דַּרְגִּין), which is below (דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא). And from there it begins to build below (וּמִתַּמָּן שָׁארֵי לְמִבְנֵי לְתַתָּא). And everything is made in that very likeness, above and below, one opposite the other (וְכֹלָּא עָבִיד בְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ דִּלְעֵילָּא דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא). And this is as that (וְדָא כְּגַוְונָא דְּדָא).

And for this reason all is guarded above and below (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, נְטִירוּ דְּכֹלָּא מֵעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). And this simplicity is thought (וְהַאי פְּשִׁיטוּ, דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה אִיהוּ), which is the supernal world (דְּאִיהוּ עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה). And this is: “Unless Hashem guards the city, in vain does the watchman stay awake” (וְדָא אִיהוּ אִם יְיָ׳ לֹא יִשְׁמָר עִיר, שָׁוְא שָׁקַד שׁוֹמֵר) (Psalms 127), for He is the Guardian of Yisrael (דְּאִיהוּ שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל). Some say: the watchman is that of which it is written, “He who guards his master shall be honored” (נ״א שָׁקַד שׁוֹמֵר הַהוּא דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ, וְשׁוֹמֵר אֲדוֹנָיו יְכֻבָּד) (Proverbs 27). For guarding does not stand in this world, but in the supernal world (דְּלָאו בֵּיהּ קַיְּימָא נְטִירוּ, אֶלָּא בְּעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): the tekhelet of the Mishkan (תִּכְלָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא), all stands in the supernal secret (כֹלָּא קַיְּימָא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה), and this has been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ). Tekhelet and argaman are one, to be bound together (תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן חַד, לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּחַד). And it has been said in the secret of what is written: “For Hashem your God is a consuming fire” (וְהָא אִתְּמַר בְּרָזָא דִּכְתִּיב, כִּי יְיָ׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה הוּא) (Deuteronomy 4). And it has been said: there is a fire that consumes fire, and devours it and quenches it (וְהָא אִתְּמַר דְּאִית אֶשָּׁא אֹכְלָא אֶשָּׁא, וְאָכִיל לֵיהּ וְשָׁצֵי לֵיהּ). For there is a fire stronger than fire (בְּגִין דְּאִית אֶשָּׁא תַּקִּיפָא מֵאֶשָּׁא). And of the one thousand and seven hundred and seventy-five he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their heads, etc. (וְאֶת הָאֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע הַמֵּאוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים עָשָׂה וָוִים לָעַמּוּדִים וְצִפָּה רָאשֵׁיהֶם וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 38). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): we have learned (אוֹלִיפְנָא) that Moshe weighed those Shekalim (דְּאִינּוּן תְּקָלִין אַנְשֵׁי לוֹן מֹשֶׁה), and he did not know what had been done with them (וְלָא יָדַע מַה דְּאִתְעָבִיד מִנַּיְיהוּ), until a voice went forth and said (עַד דְּנָפַק קָלָא וְאָמַר): “And of the one thousand and seven hundred and seventy-five he made hooks for the pillars” (וְאֶת הָאֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע הַמֵּאוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים עָשָׂה וָוִים לָעַמּוּדִים).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah opened and said (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “While the King was at His banquet, my nard gave forth its fragrance” (עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ) (Song of Songs 1). This verse has been said (הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמַר), but “while the King was at His banquet”—this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֲבָל עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), when He gave the Orayta to Yisrael, and came to Sinai (כַּד יָהַב אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָתָא לְסִינַי). And how many chariots were with Him (וְכַמָּה רְתִיכִין הֲווֹ עִמֵּיהּ)! All were holy chariots (כֻּלְּהוּ רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין), and all supernal sanctifications, the sanctity of the Orayta (וְכָל קִדּוּשִׁין עִלָּאִין, דִּקְדוּשָּׁה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). All of them were there (כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווֹ תַּמָּן), and the Orayta was given with flames of fire (וְאוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְיְיהִיבַת בְּלַהֲטֵי אֶשָּׁא), and all on the side of fire (וְכֹלָּא בְּסִטְרָא דְּאֶשָּׁא), and it was written in white fire upon black fire (וּכְתִיבָא בְּאֶשָּׁא חִוָּורָא, עַל גַּבֵּי אֶשָּׁא אוּכָמָא).

And the letters were flying and ascending in the air (וְאַתְוָון הֲווֹ פַּרְחִין וְסַלְּקִין בַּאֲוִירָא). And the first letter of the Orayta (וְאָת קַדְמָאָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא) divided into seven hundred and seventy-five toward every side (אִתְפְּלִיג לִשְׁבַע מֵאָה וְשִׁבְעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה לְכָל סְטָר), and all of them were seen in the air of the firmament in the letter Vav (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְחָזוּן בַּאֲוִירָא דִּרְקִיעָא בְּאָת ו׳), Vav to this side, and Vav to that side (ו׳ לְסִטְרָא דָּא, ו׳ לְסִטְרָא דָּא), and so to all directions (וְכֵן לְכָל סִטְרִין). And these Vavs stood upon pillars (וְאִלֵּין וָוִין הֲווֹ קַיְימִין עַל עַמּוּדִין), and those pillars stood upon miracles (וְאִינּוּן עַמּוּדִין הֲווֹ קַיְימִין עַל נִיסָא), and all the Vavs upon them (וְכֻלְּהוּ וָוִין עָלַיְיהוּ). For the secret of the Orayta stands upon the Vav (בְּגִין דְּרָזָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא עַל וָ״ו קַיְּימָא). And those Vavs, which are the secret of the faith of the Orayta (וְאִינּוּן וָוִין דְּאִינּוּן רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), all stand upon those pillars (כֻּלְּהוּ עַל אִינּוּן עַמּוּדִים קַיְימִין), which are the mysteries from which the Nevi’im went forth (דְּאִינּוּן רָזִין דְּנָפְקִין בְּהוּ נְבִיאִים), their secret in every side (רָזָא דִּלְהוֹן בְּכָל סְטָר). And upon them stand those Vavs (וְעַל אִינּוּן קַיְימִין, קַיְימָן אִינּוּן וָוִין). The supernal Vav (ו׳ עִלָּאָה)—this is the secret of the voice that is heard (אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּקוֹל דְּאִשְׁתְּמַע), and it is the secret upon which the Orayta stands (וְאִיהוּ רָזָא דְּקַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ אוֹרַיְיתָא). For the Orayta goes forth from that inner voice, which is called the great voice (בְּגִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא נָפְקָא מֵהַהוּא קָלָא פְּנִימָאָה, דְּאִקְרֵי קוֹל גָּדוֹל). And this great voice is the secret of the Orayta (וְדָא קוֹל גָּדוֹל אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And for this reason it is written: “A great voice, and it did not cease” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: קוֹל גָּדוֹל וְלֹא יָסָף) (Deuteronomy 5).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): this great voice is the root of all (הַאי קוֹל גָּדוֹל אִיהוּ עִקָּרָא דְּכֹלָּא), and the secret of the supernal holy Name (וְרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה). And for this reason it has been established (וְעַל דָּא אוּקְמוּהָ): that it is forbidden for a man to give greeting to his fellow before he prays his prayer (דְּאָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאַקְדְּמָא שְׁלָמָא לְחַבְרֵיהּ, עַד לָא יִצְלֵי צְלוֹתֵיהּ). And this secret has been established (וְרָזָא דָּא אוּקְמוּהָ): as it is written, “He that blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be considered a curse for him” (דִּכְתִּיב: מְבָרֵךְ רֵעֵהוּ בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל בַּבֹּקֶר הַשְׁכֵּם, קְלָלָה תֵּחָשֵׁב לוֹ) (Proverbs 27). And this is not forbidden except until he blesses him in the secret of the great voice, which is the root of the supernal holy Name (וְלָאו אִיהוּ אָסוּר, עַד דִּמְבָרֵךְ לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל, דְּאִיהוּ עִקָּרָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא).