Daf 230b (דַּף ר״ל ע״ב)

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Surely, thus it is (וַדַּאי, וְהָכִי אִיהוּ), the Choshen and the Ephod correspond to the Urim and the Tumim (חֹשֶׁן וְאֵפוֹד לָקֳבֵל אוּרִים וְתוּמִּים). And this is the secret of Tefillin (וְדָא רָזָא, דִּתְפִלִּין), and the knot of the Tefillin corresponds to these two (וְקִשְׁרָא דִּתְפִלִּין, לָקֳבֵל תְּרֵין אִלֵּין).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen” (Exodus 33) (שְׁמוֹת לג וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחוֹרָי וּפָנַי לֹא יֵרָאוּ). “And you shall see My back”—behold, we have learned (וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחוֹרָי, הָא תָּנֵינָן), that Kudsha Berikh Hu showed to Moshe the knot of the Tefillin (דְּאַחְזֵי לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, קֶשֶׁר שֶׁל תְּפִלִּין). “But My face”—these are the Tefillin themselves (וּפָנַי: אִלֵּין תְּפִלִּין מַמָּשׁ). And “My face” are the Tefillin (וּפָנַי אִינּוּן תְּפִלִּין), which are the supernal secret, the holy Name (דְּאִינּוּן רָזָא עִלָּאָה שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). “My back” is the secret of the knot of the Tefillin (אֲחוֹרָי, אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּקִשְׁרָא דִּתְפִלִין). And this is known among the companions (וְהָא יְדִיעָא לְגַבֵּי חַבְרַיָּיא). For this is the mirror that shines (בְּגִין דְּדָא אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּנַהֲרָא). And this is the mirror that does not shine (וְדָא אִיהִי אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּלָא נַהֲרָא). Corresponding to this: Urim—that they illuminate in their words (לָקֳבֵל דָּא, אוּרִים: דְּנָהֲרִין בְּמִלַּיְיהוּ). Tumim—that they complete their words (תּוּמִים: דְּאַשְׁלִימוּ בְּמִלַּיְיהוּ). This is Face, and that is Back (דָּא פָּנִים. וְדָא אָחוֹר). And this secret is Voice and Speech (וְרָזָא דָּא קוֹל וְדִבּוּר). Voice enlightens Speech, to utter (קוֹל אַנְהִיר לְדִּבּוּר, לְמַלְּלָא). Speech completes the word (דִּבּוּר אַשְׁלִים מִלָּה). And continually these ascend one within the other (וְתָדִיר דָּא בְּדָא סַלְקָן), and they never separate one from another for ever p1-8(וְלָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁן דָּא מִן דָּא לְעָלְמִין). And because of this: Choshen and Ephod—this is Face and this is Back (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, חֹשֶׁן וְאֵפוֹד, דָּא פָּנִים וְדָא אָחוֹר). And all is one secret without any separation at all (וְכֹלָּא רָזָא חֲדָא בְּלָא פְּרִישׁוּ כְּלַל).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): If so, that they never separate for ever (אִי הָכִי דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְעָלְמִין), then one who separates them—behold we have learned (וּמַאן דְּאַפְרִישׁ לוֹן, הָא תָּנֵינָן), as it is written: “He who separates a close companion” (Proverbs 16) (דִּכְתִּיב, מַפְרִיד אַלּוּף). What then is written? “And it was when Evyatar the son of Aḥimelekh fled to David to Ke‘ilah, the Ephod came down in his hand” (I Samuel 23) (מַהוּ דִּכְתִּיב, וַיְהִי בִּבְרוֹחַ אֶבְיָתָר בֶּן אֲחִימֶלֶךְ אֶל דָּוִד קְעִילָה אֵפוֹד יָרַד בְּיָדוֹ). And the Choshen is not mentioned (וְאִלּוּ חֹשֶׁן לָא קָאָמַר).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Surely thus it is (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא). All that is precious is hidden and concealed (כָּל מַה דְּהוּא חָשִׁיב, אִיהוּ טָמִיר וְגָנִיז), and is not mentioned so much (וְלָא אִדְכַּר כָּל כַּךְ). In this manner: those who bear the Ephod alone (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא נוֹשְׂאֵי אֵפוֹד בַּד), that which is revealed more openly is what is mentioned (מַה דְּאִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא יַתִּיר, אִיהוּ אַדְכַּר), in order to cover what is hidden and concealed (בְּגִין דְּיִתְכַּסֵּי מַה דְּאִיהוּ בִּגְנִיזוּ וּטְמִירוּ). And because of this, what is revealed more openly is mentioned (וְעַל דָּא אַדְכַּר מַה דְּאִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא יַתִּיר). And because of this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), the supernal Name is a secret hidden and concealed (שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ רָזָא בִּטְמִירוּ וּגְנִיזוּ), and is not mentioned except in the Name that is revealed (וְלָא אַדְכַּר אֶלָּא בִּשְׁמָא דְּאִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא). This is mentioned (דָּא אַדְכַּר), and this is hidden (וְדָא אַגְנִיז). This is revealed (דָּא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא), and this is concealed (וְדָא בִּסְתִּירוּ). And all that is revealed is mentioned forever (וְכָל מַה דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא אִיהוּ אַדְכַּר לְעָלְמִין). The hidden Name is YHVH (שְׁמָא דְּגָנִיז אִיהוּ יְדוָֹ״ד), the revealed Name is Adonai (שְׁמָא דְּאִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא אִיהוּ אֲדֹנָ״י). And because of this it is written in hidden letters (וְעַל דָּא אִכְתּוּב בְּאַתְוָון טְמִירִין), and it is read in these letters (וְאִקְרֵי בְּאַתְוָון אִלֵּין). And this is concealed within that (וְאִתְכַּסֵּי דָּא בְּדָא), in order that the supernal glory be hidden and concealed forever (לְמֶהוֵי יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה טָמִיר וְגָנִיז לְעָלְמִין). For all the ways of Orayta are so (דְּכָל אוֹרְחֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא הָכִי הוּא), revealed and concealed (אִתְגַּלְיָיא וּסְתִימָא). And all matters of the world, whether of this world or the world above (וְכָל מִלִּין דְּעָלְמָא בֵּין דְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבֵין דְּעָלְמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), all are hidden and revealed (כֻלְּהוּ אִיהוּ טָמִיר וְגַלְיָא).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And they said to him: Tell us now, for whose sake is this evil upon us, etc.” (Jonah 1) (וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו הַגִּידָה נָא לָנוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר לְמִי הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת לָנוּ וְגוֹ׳). This verse must be looked into (הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ), for all of them in the secret of wisdom they asked (כֻלְּהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא שָׁאִילוּ). As it is written: 'Tell us, please, on account of whom [ba-asher le-mi] (דִּכְתִּיב הַגִּידָה נָא לָנוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר לְמִי). “Ba’asher”—they asked the secret of wisdom (בַּאֲשֶׁר, רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא שָׁאִילוּ). Here they asked the secret that is revealed (הָכָא שָׁאִילוּ רָזָא דְּאִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא), to know if he came from the seed of Yosef (לְמִנְדַּע אִי מִזַּרְעָא דְּיוֹסֵף קָאֲתֵי). For when the sea saw his coffin (דְּיַמָּא כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא אֲרוֹנָא דִּילֵיהּ), immediately it split and became dry land (מִיַּד אִתְבְּקַע, וַהֲוָה יַבֶּשְׁתָּא), as it is written: “The sea saw and fled” (Psalms 114) (דִּכְתִּיב הַיָּם רָאָה וַיָּנוֹס). “The sea saw”—that which is written of him: “And he fled and went outside” (Bereshit 39) (הַיָּם רָאָה, הַהוּא דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ, וַיָנָס וַיֵּצֵא הַחוּצָה). Immediately the Jordan turned backwards (מִיַּד הַיַּרְדֵּן יִסּוֹב לְאָחוֹר). And because of this they asked him “Ba’asher” (וְעַל דָּא שָׁאִילוּ לֵיהּ בַּאֲשֶׁר),

As it is written concerning Yosef (דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ בְּיוֹסֵף): “Because you are his wife” (בַּאֲשֶׁר אַתְּ אִשְׁתּוֹ) (Bereshit 39:9). If you come from that seed (אִי מֵהַהוּא זַרְעָא קָא אָתִית), pray that the sea be silent from us (צַלֵּי דְּיִשְׁתּוֹק יַמָּא מִינָן). “Lemi” [to whom] (לְמִי)—and if you come from the seed of Ya‘akov (וְאִי מִזַּרְעָא דְּיַעֲקֹב קָא אָתִית), as it is written concerning him (דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ): “Whose are you, and where are you going?” (לְמִי אַתָּה וְאָנָה תֵלֵךְ) (Bereshit 32:18). And these were the supernal holy angels (וְאִינּוּן הֲווֹ מַלְאֲכִין קַדִּישִׁין), that he sent in his mission (דְּשָׁדַר בִּשְׁלִיחוּתֵיהּ), and he was saved from that oppressor (וְאִשְׁתְּזִיב מֵהַהוּא עָאקוּ). Pray to your Master (צַלֵּי לְמָרָךְ), and He will send His angels (וִישַׁדֵר מַלְאֲכֵיהּ), and you will be saved from that oppressor (וְנִשְׁתְּזִיב מֵהַהוּא עָאקוּ). And if not (וְאִי לָאו), “What is your work?” (מַה מְּלַאכְתְּךָ), in what is your occupation every day (בְּמָה אִשְׁתַּדְלוּתָךְ בְּכָל יוֹמָא). “And from where do you come?” (וּמֵאַיִן תָּבֹא), who are your fathers (מַאן אִינּוּן אֲבָהֲתָךְ). “What is your land?” (מָה אַרְצֶךָ), is it a land destined to be punished (אִי הִיא אַרְעָא דְּאִתְחַזְיָיא לְאִתְעַנְּשָׁא). “And of what people are you?” (וְאִי מִזֶּה עַם אָתָּה), whether it be Amalek (אִי הוּא עֲמָלֵק), or one of the seven nations (אוֹ חַד מִשִּׁבְעָה עַמְמִין), that were destined to be punished (דְּאִתְחָזוּן לְאִתְעַנְּשָׁא).

All these they asked him as was fitting (כֹּלָּא שָׁאִילוּ לֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת). What did he answer them? (מַה אָתִיב לוֹן) He said to them: “I am a Hebrew” (וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם עִבְרִי אָנֹכִי), from the seed of Avraham the Ivri (מֵהַהוּא זַרְעָא דְּאַבְרָהָם הָעִבְרִי), who sanctified the Name of his Master every day in the world (דְּאַקְדִּישׁ שְׁמָא דְּמָארֵיהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּעָלְמָא). “And Hashem, the Elohim of heaven, I fear,” etc. (וְאֶת יְיָ אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם אֲנִי יָרֵא וְגוֹ׳). They asked him only something in revealed and concealed manner (אִינּוּן לָא שָׁאִילוּ לֵיהּ אֶלָּא מִלָּה בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא וּבְאִתְכַּסְיָא) to know of him (לְמִנְדַּע בֵּיהּ). And he answered them everything in revealed manner (וְאִיהוּ אָתִיב לוֹן כֹּלָּא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא). What is written? (מַה כְּתִיב) “And the men feared with great fear” (וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים יִרְאָה גְדוֹלָה).

When they heard the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu (כֵּיוָן דְּשַׁמְעוּ שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), immediately they feared (מִיַּד דָּחִילוּ), because they all knew the miracles and mighty deeds that Kudsha Berikh Hu did at the sea (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ יַדְעִין נִסִּין וּגְבוּרָאן דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּיַמָּא). And when he said to them the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְכֵיוָן דְּאָמַר לוֹן שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), immediately they feared before Him with great awe (מִיַּד דָּחִילוּ קַמֵּיהּ דְּחִילוּ סַגִּיא). Furthermore, he said to them (תוּ אָמַר לוֹן), that he fled from before Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִיהוּ עָרַק מִקָּמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And because of this they said to him (וְעַל דָּא אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ): “What is this that you have done?” (מַה זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ), for you fled from before Him (דְּאַנְתְּ עַרְקַת מִקַּמֵּיהּ), and did not do His command (וְלָא עַבְדַת פִּקּוֹדוֹי). And because of this: “What is this that you have done?” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ מַה זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ), for you transgressed the commandments of your Master (דְּאַנְתְּ עָבַרְתָּ עַל פִּקּוּדֵי דְּמָארָךְ).