Daf 229a (דַּף רכ״ט ע״א)

One throne stands (קָאִים חַד כּוּרְסְיָיא), and rises above all of those abysses (וְסָלִיק לְעֵילָּא מִכָּל אִינּוּן תְּהוֹמֵי). And another throne stands (וְקָאִים כּוּרְסְיָיא אַחֲרָא), beneath all the abysses (לְתַתָּא דְּכָל תְּהוֹמֵי). Between these two thrones (בֵּין תְּרֵין כֻּרְסְוָון אִלֵּין), all those abysses are rolling (מִתְגַּלְגְּלָן כָּל אִינּוּן תְּהוֹמֵי), and all those channels (וְכָל אִינּוּן צִנּוֹרִין) are fixed between these two thrones (אִתְנְעִיצוּ בֵּין תְּרֵין כֻּרְסְוָון אִלֵּין).

Seventy-five channels they are (שִׁבְעִין וְחָמֵשׁ צִנּוֹרִין אִינּוּן), seven of them are the supernal ones of all (שִׁבְעָה אִינּוּן עִלָּאֵי דְּכֹלָּא). And all the others are held by them (וְכָל אִינּוּן אַחֲרָנִין אֲחִידָן בְּהוּ). And all of them are fixed in the revolvings of this throne on this side (וְכֻלְּהוּ נְעִיצִין בְּגַלְגְלוֹי דְּהַאי כּוּרְסְיָיא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא), and fixed in the revolvings of this throne on that side (וּנְעִיצִין בְּגַלְגְלוֹי דְּהַאי כּוּרְסְיָיא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא).

In them, waters in the abyss ascend and descend (בְּהוּ, מַיִין [בְּתְהוֹמָא] סַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין). Those that descend shine into the abysses (אִינּוּן דְּנַחְתֵּי כָּרָאן בַּתְּהוֹמֵי), and split them (וּבַקְעֵי לוֹן). Those that ascend enter into the hollows of the stones (אִינּוּן דְּסַלְּקִין עָאלִין בְּאִינּוּן נוּקְבֵי אֲבָנִין), and ascend and fill the seven seas (וְסַלְּקִין וּמַלְיָין לְשִׁבְעָה יָמִים). Until here are the seven hues of lights in the supernal secret (עַד כָּאן שִׁבְעָה גְּוָונֵי נְהוֹרִין בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה). Until here (ע״כ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the copper of the wave-offering that we have mentioned (נְחוֹשֶׁת הַתְּנוּפָה דְּקָא אַמָרָן), these are the mountains of copper (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן טוּרֵי נְחֹשֶׁת), that are called the mountains of copper (דְּאִקְרוּן הָרֵי נְחֹשֶׁת). And those that are called the bases of copper (וְאִינּוּן דְּאִקְרוּן אַדְנֵי נְחֹשֶׁת). And these stand as gates (קַיְימִין תַּרְעִין), in all those openings (בְּכָל אִינּוּן פִּתְחִין), and they close them (וְסַחֲרִין לְהוּ), for all those that stand inside (לְכָל אִינּוּן דְּקַיְימִן לְגוֹ). For these are the gates that stand to the outer openings (בְּגִין דְּאִלֵּין אִינּוּן תַּרְעִין דְּקַיְימִין לְפִתְחִין לְבַר), and these enter and go out in the palace of the King (וְאִלֵּין עָאלִין וְנַפְקֵי בְּבֵי מַלְכָּא). And from this copper (וּמִן נְחֹשֶׁת דָּא), all the vessels of the altar to minister in it (כָּל אִינּוּן מָאנִין דְּמַדְבְּחָא לְשַׁמְּשָׁא בָּהּ). And these are the vessels of the altar (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן מָאנִין לְמַדְבְּחָא), that when the souls are brought near to ascend upon the altar (דְּכַד נִשְׁמָתִין מִתְקָרְבִין לְסַלְּקָא עַל גַּבֵּי מַדְבְּחָא), these serve that service of the altar (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן פַּלְחִין הַהוּא פּוּלְחָנָא דְּמַדְבְּחָא). And all of them assist to perform that service (וְכֻלְּהוּ מְסַיְּיעֵי לְשַׁמְּשָׁא הַהוּא שִׁמּוּשָׁא), and are called the vessels of the altar (וְאִקְרוּן כְּלֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ). And all these vessels (וְכָל אִלֵּין מָאנִין), and all those pegs of the Mishkan (וְכָל אִינּוּן יְתֵדוֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן), all are called by their names (כֻלְּהוּ בִּשְׁמָהָן אִקְרוּן), vessels of service to serve in holiness (מָאנִי דְּשִׁמּוּשָׁא לְשַׁמְּשָׁא בְּקוּדְשָׁא). And upon this stand all the appointed known ones (וְעַל דָּא קַיְימִין כֻּלְּהוּ מְמָנָן יְדִיעָאן), and the known chariots (וּרְתִיכִין יְדִיעָאן), and the known spirits (וְרוּחִין יְדִיעָאן), each one as is proper for him (כָּל חַד וְחַד כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי לֵיהּ). And in the palaces of holiness, which are the known palaces (וּבְהֵיכָלִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא דְּאִינּוּן הֵיכָלִין יְדִיעָאן), all is in number (כֻלְּהוּ בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא).

A bond of gold with gold (קִשּׁוּרָא דְּדַהֲבָא בְּדַהֲבָא). Silver with silver (כַּסְפָּא בְּכַסְפָּא). Copper with copper (נְחָשָׁא בִּנְחָשָׁא). These of the lower copper (אִלֵּין דִּנְחֹשֶׁת דִּלְתַתָּא), take strength from the copper above (נַטְלֵי חֵילָא מִנְּחֹשֶׁת דִּלְעֵילָּא), and so is it in all (וְכֵן כֹּלָּא). All those colors are mingled one with another (כָּל אִינּוּן גַּוְונִין מִתְעָרְבֵי אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין), to be one, to be bound one with another (לְאַחֲדָא לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין).

The clasps of gold are those that stand to bind the curtains one with another (קַרְסֵי זָהָב אִינּוּן קַיְימִין לְקַשְּׁרָא אִינּוּן יְרִיעָן חַד בְּחַד). The clasps of copper are those that stand to bind the Mishkan (קַרְסֵי נְחֹשֶׁת אִינּוּן קַיְּימָאן לְקַשְּׁרָא מַשְׁכְּנָא). And these correspond to those (וְאִלֵּין לָקֳבֵל אִלֵּין). And all of them stand like the stars (וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימִין כְּכֹכָבַיָּא), these in the firmament (אִלֵּין בִּרְקִיעָא). As the stars shine in the firmament and are seen (כְּמָה דִּנְהִירִין כֹּכָבַיָּא בִּרְקִיעָא וְאִתְחָזוּן), so too the clasps shine in the Mishkan (הָכִי נָמֵי נְהִירִין אִינּוּן קְרָסִים בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא). And behold, we have established this (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא). And the clasps shine and are seen (וּנְהִרִין אִינּוּן קְרָסִים וְאִתְחָזוּן), like the stars that stand and flash and sparkle (כְּכֹכָבַיָּא דְּקַיְימֵי וּבַלְטֵי וְנַצְצֵי). Some say: and blaze (נ״א: וְלַהֲטִי). And they are fifty of gold (וְאִינּוּן חַמְשִׁין דְּדַהֲבָא), and fifty of copper (וְחַמְשִׁין דִּנְחָשָׁא), and these shine opposite those (וְנַהֲרִין אִלֵּין לָקֳבֵל אִלֵּין).

From the supernal light (מִגּוֹ נְהוֹרָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), went forth one spark that sparkled (נָפַק חַד נְצִיצוּ דְּנָצִיץ), and it shone within a mirror that does not shine (וְאַנְהִיר בְּגוֹ אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּלָא נַהֲרָא). And that spark was crowned with all the shining colors (וְהַהוּא נְצִיצוּ כָּלִיל מִכָּל גַּוְונִין דִּנְהִירִין), and it is called Argaman (purple) (וְאִקְרֵי אַרְגָּמָן). And when that Argaman (purple) struck into that dark light (וְכַד בָּטַשׁ הַאי אַרְגָּמָן בְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא חֲשׁוֹכָא) — some say: tekhelet (blue) (ס״א: תְּכֵלָא) — then went forth another spark that did not blaze (כְּדֵין נָפַק חַד נְצִיצוּ אַחֲרָא דְּלָא לָהִיט), and they were mingled one with another (וְאִתְעָרְבוּ דָּא בְּדָא). And they became the garments of holiness (וְאִינּוּן הֲווֹ לְבוּשִׁין דְּקוּדְשָׁא), in which Michael the great priest is clothed (דְּאִתְלָבַּשׁ בְּהוּ מִיכָאֵל כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא). And when he is clothed in them, in those garments of glory (וְכַד אִתְלְבַּשׁ בְּהוּ בְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשֵׁי יְקָר), then he enters to minister in holiness (כְּדֵין עָאל לְשַׁמְּשָׁא בְּקוּדְשָׁא). And until he is clothed in these garments, he does not enter into holiness (וְעַד לָא לְבִישׁ בְּמַלְבּוּשִׁין אִלֵּין, לָא עָאל לְקוּדְשָׁא).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא), “And Moshe entered into the cloud, and went up into the mountain” (Exodus 24) (וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן וַיַּעַל אֶל הָהָר). And we learned that he was clothed in the cloud (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא דְּהֲוָה מִתְלָבַּשׁ בַּעֲנָנָא). And when he was clothed in the cloud, then it is written, “And he went up into the mountain” (וְכַד הֲוָה מִתְלָבַּשׁ בַּעֲנָנָא, כְּדֵין וַיַּעַל אֶל הָהָר). And until he was clothed in it, he was not able to enter within (וְעַד לָא אִתְלָבַּשׁ בֵּיהּ, לָא יָכִיל לְמֵיעַל לְגוֹ).

In this manner, the great priest (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא), does not enter into holiness until he is clothed in these garments (לָא עָאל לְקוּדְשָׁא, עַד דְּאִתְלָבַּשׁ בְּאִלֵּין לְבוּשִׁין), in order to enter into holiness (בְּגִין לְאַעֲלָא לְקוּדְשָׁא). And because they go forth from supernal secrets (וּבְגִין דְּנַפְקוּ מֵרָזִין עִלָּאִין), and they are after the likeness of above (וְאִינּוּן כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), they are called garments of ministry (אִקְרוּן בִּגְדֵי שְׂרָד). Because they remained from those supernal garments (בְּגִין דְּאִשְׁתְּאָרוּ מֵאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין עִלָּאִין), for they were from what remained of the lights of the supernal radiances (בְּגִין דַּהֲווֹ מִמַּה דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר מִנְהוֹרִין דְּזִיוִין עִלָּאִין). Tekhelet (blue) and Argaman (purple) (תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן), colors of the secret of the holy Name (גַּוְונִין דְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), which is called the complete Name YHVH Elohim (דְּאִקְרֵי שְׁמָא שְׁלִים יְדוָד אֱלֹהִים). And this is the secret, that the great priest is clothed in order to enter into holiness (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא, לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא, לְמֵיעַל לְקוּדְשָׁא).

Scarlet wool (Tola’at Shani), these are the red colors (תּוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי אִינּוּן גַּוְונִין סוּמָקָא). And blue and purple (וְתִכְלָא וְאַרְגְּוָונָא), which is crowned with all those colors (דְּאִיהוּ כָּלִיל בְּכָל אִינּוּן גַּוְונִין). And because he is clothed in them, in these garments of these colors (וּמִגּוֹ דְּאִיהוּ אִתְלָבַּשׁ בְּהוּ בִּלְבוּשִׁין דִּגְוָונִין אִלֵּין), he entered within and they did not push him outside (הֲוָה עָאל לְגוֹ וְלָא דַּחְיָין לֵיהּ לְבַר).