Daf 233a (דַּף רל״ג ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), at the time when the sun turns its face (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא מְהַדֵּר אַנְפּוֹי), and does not shine to the moon (וְלָא נָהִיר לְסִיהֲרָא), her light passes away and she does not shine (אִתְעַבָּר נְהוֹרָהָא וְלָא נְהִירַת). Then she is in poverty in all aspects (כְּדֵין אִיהִי בְּמִסְכְּנוּתָא בְּכָל סִטְרִין), and darkened (וְאִתְקַדְּרָת). And she has no light at all (וְלֵית לָהּ נְהוֹרָא כְּלַל). And when the sun returns towards her and gives her light (וְכַד שִׁמְשָׁא אַהְדָּר לָקֳבְלָהּ, וְאַנְהִיר לָהּ), then her face shines (כְּדֵין אִתְנְהִירַת אַנְפָּהָא), and she is adorned before him (וְאִתְקַשְּׁטָת לְגַבֵּיהּ), like a female adorned before a male (כְּנוּקְבָּא דְּאִתְקַשְּׁטַת לְגַבֵּי דְּכוּרָא). And then she rules with dominion in the world (וּכְדֵין אִיהִי שַׁלְטָא בְּשׁוּלְטָנוּ בְּעָלְמָא).

And because of this, David would crown himself in this very manner (וְעַל דָּא, דָּוִד הֲוָה מְעַטֵּר גַּרְמֵיהּ, בְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ). At times he was poor (לְזִמְנִין אִיהוּ מִסְכְּנָא), and at times he was in wealth, with the richness of all (וּלְזִמְנִין אִיהוּ בְּעוּתְרָא בְּעַתִּירוּ דְּכֹלָּא). And because of this he said (וּבְגִין כָּךְ הֲוָה אָמַר): “I am small and despised” (Psalms 119) (צָעִיר אָנֹכִי וְנִבְזֶה). And with all this, “Your commandments I have not forgotten” (וְעִם כָּל דָּא, פִּקּוּדֶיךָ לֹא שָׁכָחְתִּי). In this manner, a person must be despised in his own eyes (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, אִית לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ לְמֶהֱוֵי נִבְזֶה בְּעֵינָיו). p1-10

And behold, we have established this, as it is written: “With the contrite and humble of spirit” (Isaiah 57) (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דִּכְתִּיב, וְאֶת דַּכָּא וּשְׁפַל רוּחַ). Now I will open first (הַשְׁתָּא אֲנָא אֶפְתַּח בְּרֵישָׁא). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And he brought me there, and behold, a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, and a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate” (Ezekiel 40) (וַיָּבֵא אוֹתִי שָׁמָּה וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ מַרְאֵהוּ כְּמַרְאֵה נְחֹשֶׁת וּפְתִיל פִּשְׁתִּים בְּיָדוֹ וּקְנֵה הַמִּדָּה וְהוּא עוֹמֵד בַּשָׁעַר). This Yeḥezqel saw in that vision of prophecy (הַאי חָמָא לֵיהּ יְחֶזְקֵאל, בְּהַהוּא חֵיזוּ דִּנְבוּאָה). And this is the man (וְהַאי אִיהוּ אִישׁ), who is the messenger in those garments (דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלִיחָא בְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין). And here it does not say except “a man” (וְהָכָא לָא אָמַר אֶלָּא אִישׁ), and it does not say “a man clothed in linen” (וְלָא אָמַר אִישׁ לְבוּשׁ הַבַּדִּים).

Rather, at the time when he does his mission to execute judgment, or to show judgment (אֶלָּא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעָבִיד שְׁלִיחוּתָא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא, אוֹ לְאַחֲזָאָה דִּינָא), he is called “clothed in linen” (אִקְרֵי לְבוּשׁ הַבַּדִּים). And at the time when he does not come for this (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּלָא אָתֵי לְהָכִי), he is changed to another form according to the mission (אִשְׁתַּנֵּי לְגַוְונָא אַחֲרָא, כְּפוּם שְׁלִיחוּתָא). So the vision of him changes in those garments (הָכִי שָׁנֵי חֵיזוּ דִּילֵיהּ בְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין), and he is changed from garment to garment (וְאִשְׁתָּנֵי מִלְבוּשִׁין לִלְבוּשִׁין).

Because he is always in the side of the left (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ תָּדִיר בִּסְטָר שְׂמָאלָא), and many are the forms in which he is clothed (וְכַמָּה גַּוְונִין אִינּוּן דְּאִתְלָבַשׁ בְּהוּ), and all those come from his side (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרֵיהּ). His appearance was like the appearance of copper (מַרְאֵהוּ כְּמַרְאֵה נְחֹשֶׁת), here he was clothed in that garment which are (הָכָא אִתְלָבַּשׁ בְּהַהוּא לְבוּשָׁא דְּאִינּוּן) the mountains of copper p1-11(טוּרֵי נְחֹשֶׁת), which are called the mountains of copper (דְּאִקְרוּן הָרֵי נְחֹשֶׁת) (Zechariah 6). And this brought the measuring (וְדָא אַיְיתֵי מְדִידוּ), to make the measuring line (לְמֶעְבַּד מִשְׁחָתָא). This measuring reed (הַאי קנה המדה) is not the Hard Spark that is hidden and concealed (לָאו אִיהוּ בּוּצִינָא דְּקַרְדִּינוּתָא דְּטָמִיר וְגָנִיז), but from there went out this reed below (אֶלָּא מִתַּמָּן נַפְקַת הַאי קָנֶה לְתַתָּא), that was generated from the radiance that remained from the Hard Spark (דְּאִתְגְּלִיד מִגּוֹ נְהִירוּ דְּאִשְׁתְּבִיק מִבּוּצִינָא דְּקַרְדִּינוּתָא), when it ascended above (כַּד אִסְתָּלָקַת לְעֵילָּא), and was engraved within a sapphire of brightness and was not known p1-12(וְאִתְגְלָפַת גּוֹ סְפִירוּ דְּנָצִיץ וְלָא אִתְיְידַע). And upon this, that measuring reed is established in the measure of the line (וְעַל דָּא, הַהוּא קְנֵה הַמִּדָּה אִיהוּ קַיְּימָא בִּמְדִידוּ דְּמִשְׁחָתָא), that is established below (דְּקַיְּימָא לְתַתָּא). And at times it is the measuring reed (וּלְזִמְנִין קְנֵה הַמִּדָּה), and at times it is the measuring line p1-13(וּלְזִמְנִין קַו הַמִדָּה). And upon this: thread and reed (וְעַל דָּא פְּתִיל וְקָנֶה), and all is the measuring line to make measurement (וְכֹלָּא מִשְׁחָתָא לְמֶעְבַּד מְדִידוּ). There, all the measurement of Yeḥezkel (התם כָּל מְדִידוּ דִּיְחֶזְקֵאל) was in that measuring reed (אִיהוּ הֲוָה בְּהַהוּא קְנֵה הַמִּדָּה), and in the work of the Mishkan all was in the measuring line (וּבְעוֹבָדָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא כֹּלָּא הֲוָה בְּקַו הַמִדָּה).

In the Mishkan, in that measurement below (בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא, בְּהַהוּא מְדִידוּ דִּלְתַתָּא), which is the measuring line (דְּאִיהוּ קַו הַמִדָּה), like the manner of that thread (כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַהוּא פְּתִיל), that when it begins to extend (דְּכַד שָׁרֵי לְאִתְפַּשְּׁטָא), in every cubit one knot (בְּכָל אַמָּה חַד קִשְׁרָא), and in that measuring line he measured (וּבְהַהוּא מִשְׁחָתָא מְדִיד), and it is called a cubit (וְאִקְרֵי אַמָּה).

And therefore twenty-eight cubits (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, שְׁמֹנֶה וְעֶשְׂרִים בָּאַמָּה), this is the length, and the breadth four cubits (דְּדָא הוּא אַרְכָּא וְפוּתְיָא אַרְבַּע בָּאַמָּה), and it is not written four cubits (וְלָא כְּתִיב אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת), because the cubit measures for every direction (בְּגִין דְּאָמָה מְדִיד לְכָל סְטָר). And this goes forth from the secret of the Luminary above (וְהַאי נָפְקָא, מֵרָזָא דְּבוּצִינָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), for the measuring below is found from that measuring above (דִּמְדִידוּ דְּהַאי לְתַתָּא מֵהַאי מְדִידוּ דִּלְעֵילָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח). The measuring below is one thousand and five hundred sides (מְדִידוּ דִּלְתַתָּא, אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאָה סִטְרִין), and each and every side twelve thousand cubits (וְכָל סִטְרָא וְסִטְרָא תְּרֵיסָר אַלְפֵי אַמִּין). And upon this, one cubit goes in all of them (וְעַל דָּא אַמָּה חַד אָזִיל בְּכֻלְּהוּ), and that cubit of this measurement (וְהַהוּא אַמָּה דִּמְדִיד דָּא), the line extends and a cubit is revealed and measured (אִתְפְּשַׁט קַו מִשְׁחָתָא וְאִתְגַּלְיָיא אַמָּה וּמְדִיד), and so in all those measuring lines (וְכֵן בְּכָל אִינּוּן מִשְׁחָתֵי). Some say: Twelve thousand species were spread by the measuring line (ס״א תְּרֵיסַר אַלְפֵי אֲמִין אִתְפְּשַׁט קַו מְשִׁיחְתָּא), and the Amah and the measure were revealed (וְאִתְגַּלְיָא אַמָּה וּמְדִיד), and so it is in all those lines (וְכֵן בְּכָל אִינּוּן מְשָׁחְתֵּי), and one Amah goes through them all (וְעַל אַמָּה חַד אֲזִיל בְּכֻלְּהוֹן), and that Amah that measures — this is the measure of this one (וְהַהוּא אַמָּה דְּמְדִיד דָּא מְדִיד דָּא).

Twenty-eight cubits (שְׁמֹנֶה וְעֶשְׂרִים בָּאַמָּה), this is the length (אִיהוּ אַרְכָּא), of one cubit (דְּחַד אַמָּה), and its breadth four by that cubit (וּפוּתְיֵהּ אַרְבַּע בְּהַהוּא אַמָּה). It is found, one cubit which is thirty-two thirds (אִשְׁתְּכַח, אַמָּה חַד דְּאִיהוּ תְּלָתִין וּתְרֵין שְׁלִישִׁים). As you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) “and He comprehends the dust of the earth in a measure of a third” (וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִישׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ) (Isaiah 40). And these are thirty-two (וְאִינּוּן ל״ב), corresponding to the thirty-two paths that go out from above (לָקֳבֵל ל״ב שְׁבִילִין דְּנָפְקִין מִלְעֵילָּא). And when the measuring line of length is made in this measurement (וְכַד אִתְעָבִיד מִשְׁחָתָא דְּאַרְכָּא בְּהַאי מְדִידוּ), that length is four directions (אִיהוּ אַרְבַּע סִטְרִין הַהוּא אַרְכָּא).

And each direction seven cubits (וְכָל סִטְרָא ז׳ אַמִּין), for thus those seven cubits go up (דִּלְהָכִי סַלְקָן אִינּוּן שִׁבְעָה אַמִּין), to four directions (לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין), in the secret of seven (בְּרָזָא דְּשֶׁבַע). Some say: and from the boundaries (ס״א ומתחומין), which are twenty-eight (דְּאִינּוּן תְּמַנְיָא וְעֶשְׂרִים), that are in the length (דְּאִינּוּן בְּאַרְכָּא), because seven is the higher secret in all (בְּגִין דְּשֶׁבַע אִיהוּ רָזָא עִלָּאָה בְּכֹלָּא).

And all those thirty-two paths (וְכָל אִינּוּן תְּלָתִין וּתְרֵין שְׁבִילִין) are encompassed in seven (כְּלִילָן בְּשֶׁבַע), in the secret of the Holy Name (בְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), behold it is written: “one measure for all the curtains” (הָא כְּתִיב מִדָּה אַחַת לְכָל הַיְרִיעוֹת). Surely it is one measure (וַדַּאי מִדָּה אַחַת אִיהוּ), even though a cubit extended after a cubit (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְפָּשַּׁט אַמָּה בָּתַר אַמָּה), and this after this (וְדָא בָּתַר דָּא). And all is in the secret (וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא) — some say: from the secret (ס״א מרזא) — of the Luminary above (דְּבוּצִינָא דִּלְעֵילָּא) it comes (קָא אַתְיָא), to be above and below one measuring line (לְמֶהֱוֵי עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא מִשְׁחָתָא חֲדָא).