Daf 227a (דַּף רכ״ז ע״א)

And for this reason, the secret of the Orayta goes forth from that great voice, and this is the King (וְעַל דָּא, רָזָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא נָפְקָא מֵהַהוּא קוֹל גָּדוֹל, וְדָא אִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ). “At His banquet”—this is the assembly at Mount Sinai (בִּמְסִבּוֹ: דָּא מַעֲמַד הַר סִינַי), and it has been established: “My nard gave forth its fragrance”—this is Knesset Yisrael (וְאוּקְמוּהָ: נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). Because Yisrael said: “All that Hashem has spoken we shall do and we shall hear” (בְּגִין דְּאָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל: כָּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְיָ׳ נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע) (Exodus 24). The King—this is the supernal King (שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ: דָּא אִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ עִלָּאָה), and this has been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when Kudsha Berikh Hu brought the Flood upon the world, to destroy everything (כַּד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַיְיתֵי טוֹפָנָא עַל עָלְמָא, בְּגִין לְחַבְּלָא כֹּלָּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu said to Noach: You must hide yourself (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנֹחַ: בָּעֵי לָךְ [ס״א לְאַסְתַּתְּרָא] לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא), and do not show yourself before the destroyer, that he not rule over you (וְלָא תַּחָזִי גַּרְמָךְ קַמֵּיהּ דִּמְחַבְּלָא, דְּלָא יִשְׁלוֹט עֲלָךְ), because there was no one to shield him (בְּגִין דְּלָא הֲוָה מַאן דְּיָגִין עָלוֹי). When the offering that Noach brought was offered (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְקְרִיב קָרְבְּנָא דְּקָרִיב נֹחַ), then the world was sweetened (כְּדֵין אִתְבְּסָם עָלְמָא), but it was not fully sweetened until Yisrael stood upon Mount Sinai (וְלָא אִתְבְּסָם כּוּלֵי הַאי עַד דְּקַיְימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי). When Yisrael stood upon Mount Sinai (כֵּיוָן דְּקַיְימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי), then the world was sweetened (כְּדֵין אִתְבְּסָם עָלְמָא), and the destroyer was not found in the world (וּמְחַבְּלָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעָלְמָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu wanted at that time to remove that destroyer from the world (וּבָעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא לְאַעְבְּרָא הַהוּא מְחַבְּלָא מֵעָלְמָא). But when Yisrael sinned at that time, a few days later, and made the calf (וּכְדְּ בַּר דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל סָרְחוּ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא לְיוֹמִין זְעִירִין, וְעַבְדּוּ יַת עֶגְלָא), then what is written? “And the children of Yisrael stripped themselves of their ornament from Mount Horeb” (וּכְדֵין מַה כְּתִיב: וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֶדְיָם מֵהַר חוֹרֵב) (Exodus 33). And their ornament was the mysteries of the holy Name (וְעֶדְיָם הֲוָה רָזִין דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), with which Kudsha Berikh Hu had crowned them (דְּאַעְטָר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And when it was taken from them (וְאִתְנְטַל מִנַּיְיהוּ), then the destroyer ruled over the world (כְּדֵין שַׁלְטָא מְחַבְּלָא עַל עָלְמָא), and it returned to the beginning, as at that time when it ruled in the world and executed judgment (וְאַהְדָּר כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין, כְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּשַׁלְטָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְעָבִיד דִּינָא).

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): In the days of the Flood (בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּטוֹפָנָא), who placed the destroyer there? (מַאן יָהִיב תַּמָּן מְחַבְּלָא). For the waters were what grew strong (דְּהָא מַיָּא הֲווֹ דְּאִתְגַבָּרוּ). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): you have no judgment in the world, nor when the world is struck with judgment (לֵית לָךָ דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא, אוֹ כַּד אִתְמְחֵי עָלְמָא בְּדִינָא), without the destroyer being found among them (דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח הַהוּא מְחַבְּלָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ), going in the midst of those judgments which were made in the world (דְּאָזִיל בְּגוֹ אִינּוּן דִּינִין דְּאִתְעָבֵידוּ בְּעָלְמָא). So too here (אוּף הָכָא): the Flood was, and the destroyer went in the midst of the Flood (טוֹפָנָא הֲוָה, וּמְחַבְּלָא אָזִיל בְּגוֹ טוֹפָנָא), and it is so called (וְאִיהוּ אִקְרֵי הָכִי). And for this reason Kudsha Berikh Hu said to Noach (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנֹחַ), to hide himself (לְטַמְּרָא גַּרְמֵיהּ), and not be seen in the world (וְלָא יִתְחָזֵי בְּעָלְמָא). And this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Rabbi Yosei said: the world was not settled and the earth did not go out from filth, etc. (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי: לָא אִתְיָישָׁב עָלְמָא וְלָא נָפְקַת אַרְעָא מִזּוֹהֲמָא וְכוּ'). Rabbi Yosei said: the world was not settled and the earth did not go out from filth, etc. (אֲמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: לָא אִתְיַישָׁב עַלְמָא וְלָא נַפְקַת אַרְעָא וּמִזוֹהֲמָא וְכוּ'). Until Yisrael with Kudsha Berikh Hu p1-3(עַד כַּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל עִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): “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) (Exodus 38). Why hooks? (אֲמַאי וָוִים). Rather, they were in the likeness of the letter Vav (אֶלָּא כְּמִין וָ״ו הֲווֹ), and their heads were covered with gold (וְרֵישֵׁיהוֹן חָפָא בְּדַהֲבָא). They were of silver, but their heads were overlaid with gold (אִינּוּן דְּכֶסֶף, וְרֵישֵׁיהוֹן מְחָפָן בְּדַהֲבָא). Because every Vav comes from the side of mercy (בְּגִין דְּכָל וָ״ו בְּסִטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי קָא אַתְיָא), and all of them were made known above in calculation (וְכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן לְעֵילָּא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא). And because they come from the side of mercy, they are called Vavs (וּבְגִין דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי, הֲווֹ אִקְרוּן וָוִים). And all the other hangings depend upon them (וְכָל שְׁאַר תַּלְיָין בְּהוּ). And there is no Vav except of gold and silver together (וְלֵית וָ״ו אֶלָּא דַּהֲבָא וְכַסְפָּא כַּחֲדָא). And for this reason all of them are called Vavs that are pillars (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כָּל אִינּוּן אִקְרוּן, וָוִי דְּאִינּוּן עַמּוּדִים). What are pillars? (מַאן עַמּוּדִים). As you say: “And the two pillars…” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְהָעַמּוּדִים שְׁנַיִם וְגוֹ׳). For these are external to the body, standing below (בְּגִין דְּהָא אִלֵּין לְבַר מִגוּפָא, לְתַתָּא הֲווֹ קַיְימִין).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): I do not know whether this is holy work or profane (לָא יְדַעְנָא אִי דָּא עֲבִידְתָּא דְּקֹדֶשׁ, אוֹ חוֹל). Because it is written “and the one thousand” (בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב: וְאֶת הָאֶלֶף). For it is written here the thousand (דְּהָא כְּתִיב הָכָא: הָאֶלֶף), and it is written there: “The thousand is for Shlomo” (וּכְתִיב הָתָם: הָאֶלֶף לְךָ שְׁלֹמֹה) (Song of Songs 8). Just as there it is profane, so here perhaps the thousand is profane (מַה לְהַלָּן הָאֶלֶף חוֹל, אַף הָכָא הָאֶלֶף חוֹל).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Not so (לָאו הָכִי). For if it were secular, hooks would not be made from them (דְּאִי הוּא הֲוָה חוֹל, לָא יִתְעֲבִיד מִנַּיְיהוּ וָוִים). Furthermore, there it is written the thousand and no more (וְתוּ, דְּהָא תַּמָּן כְּתִיב הָאֶלֶף וְלָא יַתִיר), while here it is written: the one thousand and seven hundred and seventy-five (וְהָכָא כְּתִיב: הָאֶלֶף וּשְׁבַע הַמֵּאוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים). The thousand there is secular, as it is written “the thousand is for Shlomo” (הָאֶלֶף דְּהָתָם אִינּוּן חוֹל, דִּכְתִיב: הָאֶלֶף לְךָ שְׁלֹמֹה). And this one is profane (וְדָא אִיהוּ חוֹל), because all secular is not from the side of holiness at all (בְּגִין דְּכָל חוֹל לָאו אִיהוּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה כְּלָל). Profane is from the defiled Sitra achra (חוֹל אִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא מְסָאֲבָא). And for this reason there must be separation between holy and profane (וְעַל דָּא הַבְדָּלָה בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל), for we must distinguish between the holy and the profane (בְּגִין דְּבָעֵינָן לְאַפְרְשָׁא בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל). And the secret of the verse is thus (וְרָזָא דִּקְרָא הָכִי הוּא): “And to distinguish between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean” (וּלֲהַבְדִיל בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבֵין הַחוֹל וּבֵין הַטָּמֵא וּבֵין הַטָּהוֹר) (Leviticus 10).