Daf 232b (דַּף רל״ב ע״ב)

“At the head of the mountains” (Isaiah 2) (בְּרֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים). It should have said “at the heads of the mountains” (בְּרָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). What is “at the head”? (מַאי בְּרֹאשׁ). Rather, this light that shall be for her is at the head of the mountains (אֶלָּא נְהוֹרָא דָּא דִּיְהֵא לָהּ בְּרֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים אִיהוּ). And who is the head of the mountains? (וּמַאן אִיהוּ רֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים).

This is the great priest (דָּא כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא). For he is the head of the mountains (דְּאִיהוּ רֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים), the head of all, the side of the right (רֵישָׁא דְּכֹלָּא סְטָר יְמִינָא). And this one is he who constantly prepares the House (וְדָא אִיהוּ דִּמְתַקֵּן לְבֵיתָא תָּדִיר), and blesses it to shine its countenance (וּמְבָרֵךְ לָהּ לְאַנְהָרָא אַנְפָּהָא).

And because of this, it shall be established (וְעַל דָּא, יִהְיֶה נָכוֹן). And with what shall he prepare her? (וּבְמָּה יְתַקֵּן לָהּ). With those garments that are in the likeness of above (בְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין דְּאִינּוּן כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), as it has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ). And those garments all stand in the secret of six (וְאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימָן בְּרָזָא דְּשִׁית). And this House, when it is prepared by the head of the mountains, which is the great priest (וְהַאי בֵּיתָא כַּד יְהֵא מִתְתַּקָּן בְּהַאי רֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים, דְּאִיהוּ כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא), then it will be bound and ascend above in the supernal existence (כְּדֵין אִתְקָשַּׁר וְאִסְתַּלָּק לְעֵילָּא בְּקִיּוּמָא עִלָּאָה), and the world will shine from that supernal light (וְיִתְנְהִיר עָלְמָא מֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּ עִלָּאָה). And this is “and it shall be lifted above the hills” (וְדָא הוּא וְנִשָּׂא מִגְּבָעוֹת), above all the other supernal forces and legions (מִכָּל שְׁאַר חֵילִין וּמַשִׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין). And then all the nations shall flow unto it (וּכְדֵין וְנָהֲרוּ אֵלָיו כָּל הַגּוֹיִם).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), at the time when the lower priest spreads his hands (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּכַהֲנָא דִּלְתַתָּא פָּרִישׂ יְדוֹי), then a supernal spirit shines and goes out (כְּדֵין רוּחָא עִלָּאָה אַנְהִיר, וְנָפִיק), and all the lights shine (וְכָל בּוּצִינִין נָהֲרִין), and radiances are drawn and shine (וּנְהוֹרִין אִתְמַשְּׁכָאן וְאִתְנַהֲרָן), and are bound one with another (וְאִתְקַשְּׁרָן אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין), until the countenance of Knesset Yisrael shines (עַד דְּיִתְנְהִירוּ אַנְפָּהָא דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And all through the radiance of the first light, which is the priest (וְכֹלָּא עַל יְדָא דִּנְהוֹרָא קַדְמָאָה דְּאִיהוּ כַּהֲנָא). And when the priest is aroused below (וְכַד כַּהֲנָא אַתְעַר לְתַתָּא), the priest is aroused above (כַּהֲנָא אִתְּעַר לְעֵילָּא). And by the deeds below, an arousal above is awakened (וּבְעוֹבָדִין דִּלְתַתָּא, אַתְעַר אִתְּעָרוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And because of this (וְעַל דָּא): “It shall be established, the mountain of the house of Hashem at the head of the mountains, and all the nations shall flow unto it” (Isaiah 2) (נָכוֹן יִהְיֶה הַר בֵּית יְיָ בְּרֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים וְגוֹ׳, וְנָהֲרוּ אֵלָיו כָּל הַגּוֹיִם). For now (בְּגִין דְּהַשְׁתָּא), all the other nations have ministers in the firmament over them (כָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין, אִית לוֹן מְמָנָן בִּרְקִיעָא עָלַיְיהוּ).

But at that time (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu will destroy them and cast them down from their dominion (יְבָעֵר לוֹן, וְיַפִּיל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשּׁוּלְטָנִיהוֹן). As it is written: “Hashem shall punish the host of the high ones on high” (Isaiah 24) (דִּכְתִּיב, יִפְקוֹד יְיָ עַל צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם). And when all of them shall be removed from their dominion (וְכֵיוָן דְּכֻלְּהוּ יִתְעַבְּרוּן מִשּׁוּלְטָנֵיהוֹן), then Kudsha Berikh Hu shall prevail alone (כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִתְתָּקַף בִּלְחוֹדֵיהּ). As it is said: “And Hashem alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וְנִשְׂגַּב יְיָ לְבַדּוֹ בַּיוֹם הַהוּא). And then all the nations shall flow unto Him (וּכְדֵין וְנָהֲרוּ אֵלָיו כָּל הַגּוֹיִם). And this is what is written (וְהֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And many peoples shall go and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of Hashem, to the house of the God of Ya‘akov…” (Isaiah 2) (וְהָלְכוּ עַמִּים רַבִּים וְאָמְרוּ לְכוּ וְנַעֲלֶה אֶל הַר יְיָ אֶל בֵּית אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ׳). And all is so (וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ), at the time when the priest, who is the head of the mountains, gives light to her (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּכַהֲנָא, דְּאִיהוּ רֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים יַנְהִיר לָהּ). And all is in the secret of six (וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּשֵׁשׁ). Six they are, in all sides, that give light to her (שִׁית אִינּוּן בְּכָל סִטְרִין דְּיַנְהִיר לָהּ). For in the secret of six is she illuminated (דְּהָא בְּרָזָא דְּשִׁית יַנְהִיר לָהּ).

Rabbi El‘azar and Rabbi Yitzḥak and Rabbi Yehudah were going on the road (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי יִצְחָק וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא). Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): It is a time to occupy ourselves with the Shekhinta (עִידָּן אִיהוּ לְמֵהַךְ בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). For the Shekhinta does not dwell upon us, except through words of the Orayta (בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא תִּשְׁרֵי עֲלָן, אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): He who is the head, let him open first (מַאן דְּאִיהוּ רִישָׁא, לִיפְתַּח בְּרֵישָׁא).

Rabbi El‘azar opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר): “I am small and despised, yet I have not forgotten Your commandments” (Psalms 119) (צָעִיר אָנֹכִי וְנִבְזֶה פִּקּוּדֶיךָ לֹא שָׁכָחְתִּי). “I am small and despised”—this is King David (צָעִיר אָנֹכִי וְנִבְזֶה, דָּוִד מַלְכָּא). At times he would praise himself (לְזִמְנִין אִיהוּ קָא מְשַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ), as it is written: “And who shows kindness to His anointed, to David, and to his seed forever” (Psalms 18) (דִּכְתִּיב, וְעוֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְדָוִד וּלְזַרְעוֹ עַד עוֹלָם). And it is written: “The utterance of David, son of Yishai, and the utterance of the man raised on high, the anointed of the God of Ya‘akov” (II Samuel 23) (וּכְתִיב, נְאֻם דָּוִד בֶּן יִשַׁי וּנְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר הוּקַם עָל מְשִׁיחַ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב).

And at times he made himself poor (וּלְזִמְנִין עָבֵד גַּרְמֵיהּ מִסְכְּנָא), as it is written: “For I am poor and needy” (Psalms 86) (דִּכְתִּיב, כִּי עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן אָנִי). And it is written: “I am small and despised” (Psalms 119) (וּכְתִיב, צָעִיר אָנֹכִי וְנִבְזֶה). And he said: “The stone the builders despised has become the head of the corner” (Psalms 118) (וְאִיהוּ אָמַר, אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה). Rather, at the time when he ascended in the degree of perfection (אֶלָּא, בְּזִמְנָא דְּהֲוָה סָלִיק בְּדַרְגָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא), and was elevated in the judgment of truth (וְאִסְתַּלָּק בְּדִינָא דִּקְשׁוֹט), and had dominion over his enemies (וַהֲוָה שַׁלִּיט עַל שָׂנְאוֹי), he would praise himself (הֲוָה קָא מְשַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ). And at the time when he saw himself pressed (וּבְזִמְנָא דְּחָמָא גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּעָקוּ), and his enemies oppressed him (וְשָׁנְאוֹי קָא דַּחֲקִין לֵיהּ), then he would lower himself (כְּדֵין מָאִיךְ גַּרְמֵיהּ), and he would call himself poor, small to all (וַהֲוָה קָרֵי גַּרְמֵיהּ מִסְכְּנָא, זְעִירָא לְכֹלָּא). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעֲמָא).

Because at times he was ruling (בְּגִין, דְּהָא לְזִמְנִין הֲוָה שַׁלִּיט), and at times he was in the pressure of his enemies (וּלְזִמְנִין הֲוָה בְּעָקוּ דְּשָׂנְאוֹי). And with all this, he was always ruling over them, and they could not prevail against him (וְעִם כָּל דָּא אִיהוּ שַׁלִּיט עָלַיְיהוּ תָּדִיר, וְלָא יָכִילוּ לֵיהּ). And King David always lowered himself before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְדָוִד מַלְכָּא, תָּדִיר אִיהוּ הֲוָה שָׁפִיל גַּרְמֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

For whoever lowers himself before Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּכָל מַאן דְּמָאִיךְ גַּרְמֵיהּ קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), He raises him above all (אִיהוּ זָקִיף לֵיהּ עַל כֹּלָּא). And because of this, Kudsha Berikh Hu was pleased with him in this world and in the world to come (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). In this world, as it is written: “And I will defend this city to save it, for My own sake and for the sake of David My servant” (Isaiah 37) (בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, דִּכְתִּיב, וְגַנּוֹתִי עַל הָעִיר הַזֹּאת לְהוֹשִׁיעָהּ לְמַעֲנִי וּלְמַעַן דָּוִד עַבְדִּי). And in the world to come, as it is written: “Afterward the children of Yisrael shall return, and seek Hashem their Elohim, and David their king; and they shall fear Hashem and His goodness in the end of days” (Hosea 3) (וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דִּכְתִּיב, וּבִקְשׁוּ אֶת יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וְאֵת דָּוִד מַלְכָּם וּפָחֲדוּ אֶל יְיָ וְאֶל טוּבוֹ בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים). David was king in this world (דָּוִד אִיהוּ הֲוָה מַלְכָּא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and David will be king in the time to come (וְדָוִד יְהֵא מַלְכָּא לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי). And because of this he said: “The stone the builders despised has become the head of the corner” (Psalms 118) (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר, אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָה).