Daf 227b (דַּף רכ״ז ע״ב)

And with all this, even though there is separation of holiness from the profane (וְעִם כָּל דָּא אַף עַל גַּב דִּפְרִישׁוּ אִית לַקֹדֶשׁ מִן הַחוֹל), one portion it has in holiness from the side of the left (חוּלָקָא חֲדָא אִית לֵיהּ בִּקְדוּשָּׁה מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא). This is what is written: “The thousand is for Shlomo” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: הָאֶלֶף לְךָ שְׁלֹמֹה) (Song of Songs 8), which are the thousand weekdays (דְּאִינּוּן אֶלֶף יוֹמֵי הַחוֹל). And these are the days of exile (וְאִינּוּן יוֹמֵי דְּגָלוּתָא). Just as there are a thousand days of holiness, so too there are a thousand days for the Sitra achra (כְּמָה דְּאִית אֶלֶף יוֹמִין דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, הָכִי נָמֵי אֶלֶף יוֹמִין לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא). And for this reason the Friends were aroused (וְעַל דָּא אִתְעֲרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא), that these days of exile are a thousand years (אִינּוּן יוֹמִין דְּגָלוּתָא, אֶלֶף שְׁנִין הֲווֹ). And for this reason, there is a thousand and a thousand (וְעַל דָּא, אִית אֶלֶף וְאִית אֶלֶף). And these thousand years of exile—even though Yisrael are in exile, and it be extended more (וְאִינּוּן אֶלֶף שְׁנִין דְּגָלוּתָא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יֵהוֹן בְּגָלוּתָא, וְיִתְמַשְּׁכוּן יַתִיר)—in these thousand years they shall be extended (בְּהָנֵי אֶלֶף שְׁנִין יִתְמַשְּׁכוּן), which are the thousand days we mentioned (דְּאִינּוּן אֶלֶף יוֹמִין דְּקָאָמַרָן). And for this reason it has been established: every “Shlomo” that is in the Song of Songs is holy, except for this one, which is profane (וּבְגִין דָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ: כָּל שְׁלֹמֹה דְּאִית בְּשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים קֹדֶשׁ, בַּר מֵהַאי דְּאִיהוּ חוֹל). The thousand here is holy (הָאֶלֶף דְּהָכָא, קֹדֶשׁ אִיהוּ), and all his deeds are holy (וְכָל עוֹבָדוֹי קֹדֶשׁ). And for this reason he made hooks for the pillars (וְעַל דָּא עָשָׂה וָוִים לָעַמּוּדִים).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): we have said that every Vav is in the secret of mercy (הָא אַמָרָן כָּל ו׳ בְּרָזָא דְּרַחֲמֵי אִיהוּ), and in every place where the Vav comes in the holy Name, it is mercy p1-4(וְכָל אֲתָר דְּאָתֵי ו׳ בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, רַחֲמֵי אִיהוּ). For example: “And Hashem rained upon Sodom” (כְּגוֹן: וַיְּיָ׳ הִמְטִיר עַל סְדוֹם) (Bereshit 19). “And Hashem said to Avram” (וַיְּיָ׳ אָמַר אֶל אַבְרָם) (Bereshit 13). These are mercy and judgment together (רַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא כַּחֲדָא). Why is it different in the Flood, where it is written “Elohim” in every place? (דְּמָאי שְׁנָא בְּטוֹפְנָא, דִּכְתִיב אֱלֹהִים בְּכָל אֲתָר). Why is it not written “Hashem”? (אֲמַאי לָא כְּתִיב וַיְּיָ׳).

Rather, we have learned: in every place where “Hashem” is written, it means He and His court (אֶלָּא תָּנֵינָן: בְּכָל אֲתָר דִּכְתִיב וַיְּיָ׳, הוּא וּבֵית דִּינוֹ). “Elohim” alone means judgment by itself (אֱלֹהִים סְתָם, דִּינָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי). But in Sodom, judgment was done but not to destroy the world (אֶלָּא בִּסְדוֹם, אִתְעָבִיד דִּינָא, וְלָא לְשֵׁיצָאָה עָלְמָא). And for this reason He mixed Himself with that judgment (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִתְעֲרָב אִיהוּ בַּהֲדֵי דִּינָא). But in the Flood, the whole world was destroyed, and all that were found in the world (אֲבָל בְּטוֹפְנָא, כָּל עָלְמָא שֵׁצֵי, וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּעָלְמָא). And if you say: behold, Noach and those with him were saved (וְאִי תֵּימָא, דְּהָא נֹחַ וּדְעִמֵּיהּ אִשְׁתֵּזִיבוּ). That was hidden from sight, and not seen (הָא סָתִים מֵעֵינָא הֲוָה, דְּלָא אִתְחָזֵי). And for this reason, everything that was found in the world was destroyed (וְעַל דָּא כָּל מַה דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעָלְמָא שֵׁצֵי לֵיהּ). And for this reason “Hashem” is in revelation, and not all was destroyed (וְעַל דָּא וַיְּיָ׳ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא, וְלָא שֵׁצֵי כֹּלָּא). “Elohim” is concealed, and needs to be hidden, for everything is destroyed (אֱלֹהִים סָתִים, וּבָעֵי לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא, דְּהָא כֹּלָּא שֵׁצֵי). And for this reason Elohim alone was (וְעַל דָּא אֱלֹהִים בִּלְחוֹדוֹי הֲוָה). And the secret of this is: “Hashem sat enthroned at the Flood” (וְרָזָא דָּא: יְיָ׳ לַמַּבּוּל יָשָׁב) (Psalms 29).

What is “sat”? (מַהוּ יָשָׁב). If the verse were not written, we could not say it (אִלְמָלֵי קְרָא כְּתִיב, לָא יַכְלֵינָן לְמֵימַר). “Sat” means He sat alone, without joining with judgment (יָשָׁב: יָשַׁב בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, דְּלָא אָתָא עִם דִּינָא). It is written here “sat”, and it is written there: “Alone shall he sit” (כְּתִיב הָכָא: יָשָׁב, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: בָּדָד יֵשֵׁב בִּלְחוֹדוֹי) (Leviticus 13). And a secret we have learned (וְרָזָא אוֹלִיפְנָא): Kudsha Berikh Hu is concealed and revealed (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סָתִים וְגַלְיָא). Revealed He is in the place of judgment below (גַּלְיָא הוּא בֵּי דִּינָא לְתַתָּא). Concealed He is in the place from which all blessings go forth (סָתִים הוּא אֲתָר דְּכָל בִּרְכָאן נַפְקֵי מִתַּמָּן).

Therefore, every matter of man that is in concealment, blessings rest upon it (בְּגִין כַּךְ, כָּל מִלּוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ דְּאִינּוּן בִּסְתִימוּ, בִּרְכָאן שַׁרְיָין עָלֵיהּ). But all that is in revelation, that place of judgment rests upon it (וְכָל דְּאִינּוּן בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא, הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּבֵי דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי), because it is a place of revelation (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אֲתָר בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא). And all is in the supernal secret, in the likeness above (וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). “While the King was at His banquet” (עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ) (Song of Songs 1)—this is that fellowship and delight of the supernal Eden (בְּהַהוּא חַבְרוּתָא וְתַפְנוּקָא דְּעֵדֶן עִלָּאָה).

Behold it has been established (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ): in that path which is concealed and hidden and not known (בְּהַהוּא שְׁבִיל דְּסָתִים וְגָנִיז וְלָא אִתְיְידַע), and is filled from it, and goes forth in known streams (וְאִתְמַלְּיָא מִנֵּיהּ, וְנָפְקִין בְּנַחֲלִין יְדִיעָאן). “My nard gave forth its fragrance” (נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ)—this is the lower Sea, which created the lower world (דָּא יָם בַּתְרָאָה, דְּבָרָא עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה), in likeness to the supernal (כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and a good fragrance ascended upward to rule, to act, and to prevail, and it shone with supernal radiance (וְסָלִיק רֵיחָא טָבָא עִלָּאָה, לְשַׁלְּטָאָה וּלְמֶעְבַּד, וְיָכִיל וְשָׁלִיט וְנָהִיר בִּנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): at the time when this nard raised fragrance upward (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהַאי נִרְדָּא סַלְּקָא רֵיחָא לְעֵילָּא), then love was bound (כְּדֵין חְבִיבוּתָא אִתְקַשְּׁרַת), and this nard ascended to be united above (וְסַלְּקָא הַאי נִרְדָּא לְאִתְאַחֲדָא לְעֵילָּא). And all the holy chariots, all raised fragrance to be crowned above (וְכֻלְּהוּ רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין, כֻּלְּהוּ סַלְּקִין רֵיחִין לְאִתְעַטְּרָא לְגַבֵּי דִּלְעֵילָּא). Those chariots are all called alamot shir (אִינּוּן רְתִיכִין כֻּלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן עֲלָמוֹת שִׁיר), as you say: “Alamot Shir” (עַל עֲלָמוֹת שִׁיר) (Psalms 46), and this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). What is alamot shir? (מַאי עֲלָמוֹת שִׁיר).

Rather, as it is said: “And alamot without number” (וַעֲלָמוֹת אֵין מִסְפָּר) (Song of Songs 6). What is alamot without number? (מַאי וַעֲלָמוֹת אֵין מִסְפָּר). As it is said: “Is there any number to His troops?” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: הֲיֵשׁ מִסְפָּר לִגְדוּדָיו) (Job 25). And because they have no calculation, it is written alamot without number (וּבְגִין דְּלֵית לְהוּ חוּשְׁבָּנָא, כְּתִיב וַעֲלָמוֹת אֵין מִסְפָּר). “Hooks for the pillars” (וָוִים לָעַמּוּדִים) (Exodus 38)—all are masculine (כֻּלְּהוּ דְּכוּרִין). All those that ascend in abundance to the supernal anointing, all stand in the secret of the masculine (כָּל אִינּוּן דְּסַלְּקִין בִּרְבוּ מְשַׁח לְעֵילָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימִין בְּרָזָא דִּדְכוּרִין). And only Vav is called male (וְלָא אִקְרֵי דְּכַר אֶלָּא ו׳), the secret of heaven (רָזָא דִּשְׁמַיָא), which are masculine (דְּאִינּוּן דְּכוּרִין). And all those below are called female (וְכָל אִינּוּן דִּלְתַתָּא, אִקְרוּן נוּקְבֵי). And for this reason, all those that come from the side of the left, the side of the female, are appointed over song, and they utter song continually (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כָּל אִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא, מִסִּטְרָא דְּנוּקְבָּא, אִתְמָנָן עַל הַשִּׁיר, וְאַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא תָּדִיר). And for this reason it is written: “Alamot Shir” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: עַל עֲלָמוֹת שִׁיר) (Psalms 46). And all of them go forth in the secret of the Heh (וְכֻלְּהוּ נַפְקוּ בְּרָזָא דְּה׳). The Heh brought forth many hosts to its kinds, in the secret of the Vav (ה׳ אַפִּיקַת כַּמָּה חֵילִין לְזִנַּיְיהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּו׳). And the Vav—this is the secret of the male, which stands to give sustenance to the female (ו׳, דָּא רָזָא דִּדְכוּרָא דְּקַיְּימָא לְמֵיהַב מְזוֹנָא לְנוּקְבָּא).