Daf 234a (דַּף רל״ד ע״א)

The secret of this measuring line (Meshichta) (רָזָא דָּא מִשְׁחָתָא), is the secret of the Ark (רָזָא דַּאֲרוֹנָא), which stands in number (דְּקָאִים בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא), from that which it takes (מִמָּה דְּאִיהוּ נָטִיל), and from that which it receives (וּמִמָּה דְּאִיהוּ קַבִּיל), and from that which is in it (וּמִמָּה דְּאִית בֵּיהּ), and from that which it receives (וּמִמָּה אִיהוּ מְקַבֵּל). For it is two sides (דְּאִיהוּ תְּרֵין סִטְרִין), and it takes from those two sides (וְנָטִיל מֵאִינּוּן תְּרֵין סִטְרִין). And upon this: one cubit is on this side (וְעַל דָּא אַמָּה אִיהוּ בְּסִטְרָא דָּא), and one cubit on that side (וְאַמָה בְּסִטְרָא דָּא), and its half (וּפַלְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ). And therefore its length is two and a half cubits (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַמָתַיִם וָחֵצִי אָרְכּוֹ), two cubits from the two sides (אַמָתַיִם מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין), and its half (וּפַלְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ), this in the length (הַאי בְּאַרְכָּא). In breadth and height (בְּפוּתְיָא וְרוּמָא), one cubit and a half (אַמָּה וָחֵצִי), one from that side additional (חַד מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא יַתִּיר), which it takes in the likeness of right and left (דְּקָא נָטִיל כְּגַוְונָא דִּימִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא), and its half (וּפַלְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ). For a word does not rest except upon a word (דְּהָא לָא שַׁרְיָא מִלָּה, אֶלָּא עַל מִלָּה), and therefore there is half in every number and number (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, פַּלְגָּא בְּכָל חוּשְׁבָּן וְחוּשְׁבָּן). And because of this, the Ark receives from all (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, אֲרוֹנָא מְקַבְּלָא מִכֹּלָּא), and stands in the secret of the number of all (וְקַיְּימָא בְּרָזָא דְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא דְּכֹלָּא).

And behold it has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), why it is covered with gold inside and outside (עַל מָה אִיהוּ מְחַפְיָיא בְּדַהֲבָא, לְגוֹ וּלְבַר). And this is the measure to stand in the first measurement (וְהַאי אִיהוּ שִׁיעוּרָא לְמֵיקָם בִּמְדִּידוּ קַדְמָאָה), and all stands in one secret (וְכֹלָּא קָאִים בְּרָזָא חֲדָא). The table (פַּתּוֹרָא), in the same manner is measured in that first measure (כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא דְּמָדִיד בְּהַהוּא שִׁיעוּרָא קַדְמָאָה). But this measurement of the Ark (אֲבָל הַאי מְדִידוּ דַּאֲרוֹנָא), which stands in the secret of Orayta (דְּקַיְּימָא בְּרָזָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and in that first measuring line which Abba said (וּבְהַהוּא מִשְׁחָתָא קַדְמָאָה דְּקָאָמַר אַבָּא), there is not in it to make a greater measure (לֵית בָּהּ לְמֶעְבַּד שִׁיעוּרָא יַתִּיר), as it is revealed in secret to the supernal wise (כְּמָה דְּאִיהוּ גַּלֵּי בְּרָזָא לְחַכִּימֵי עֶלְיוֹנִין), to know in it the secret of wisdom (לְמִנְדַּע בָּהּ רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא), to distinguish between good and evil (לְאַבְחֲנָא בֵּין טַב לְבִישׁ), between supernal wisdom and another wisdom (בֵּין חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה, לְחָכְמְתָא אַחֲרָא). All the other works (כֻּלְּהוּ עוֹבָדִין אַחֲרָנִין), all are in the measurement of a cubit (כֻּלְּהוּ בִּמְדִּידוּ דְּאַמָּה), in that measuring line (בְּהַהוּא מִשְׁחָתָא), except for the measuring line of the Ḥoshen (בַּר מִשְׁחָתָא דְּחֹשֶׁן), which is a span (דְּאִיהוּ זֶרֶת), and behold it has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the tunic (כְּתֹנֶת), even though all were made in the secret of holiness (אַף עַל גַּב דְּכֻלְּהוּ אִתְעָבִידוּ בְּרָזָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה), all is in the secret of six (כֹלָּא אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּשֵׁשׁ), and in the work of six (וּבְעוֹבָדָא דְּשֵׁשׁ), and it stands in six (וְקַיְּימָא בְּשֵׁשׁ). And all the garments are corrections (וְכֻלְּהוּ תִּקּוּנִין), to be clothed and rectified in that six (לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא וּלְאַתְקְנָא בְּהוּ שֵׁשׁ), and in the secret of six (וּבְרָזָא דְּשֵׁשׁ). And all is in the secret of the measuring line (וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא דְּקַו הַמִדָּה). And the measuring reed in that measurement of Yeḥezkel (וּקְנֵה הַמִּדָּה בְּהַהוּא מְדִידוּ דִּיְחֶזְקֵאל), because that house was to be established in its place (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ בֵיתָא לְאִתְקַיְּימָא). Some say: because that house would not be established (נ״א: בגין דא הַהוּא בֵיתָא לָא אִיתְקַיְּימָא).

In those walls (בְּאִינּוּן כּוֹתָלִין), in those walls (בְּאִינּוּן שׁוּרִין), in those openings (בְּאִינּוּן פִּתְחִין), in those doors (בְּאִינּוּן דְּלָתִין), so that all would be by measurement (בְּגִין לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא בִּמְדִּידוּ). But for the time to come (אֲבָל לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי), that measuring line, what is written of it? (מִשְׁחָתָא הַהוּא מַה כְּתִיב בָּהּ) “And it widened and wound upward, upward” (וְרָחֲבָה וְנָסְבָה לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה) (Ezekiel 41).

At the time when it shall begin to build that measuring reed (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיִשְׁרֵי לְמִבְנֵי בֵּיהּ הַאי קְנֵה הַמִּדָּה), it shall ascend above, above (סָלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), in length and in breadth (לְאַרְכָּא וּלְפוּתְיָא), to be the expansion of the house on every side (לְמֶהֱוֵי אִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָא דְּבֵיתָא בְּכָל סִטְרִין), and no evil shall have dominion over it (וְלָא יִשְׁגְּחוּן עָלֵיהּ לְבִישׁ). As it has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ), as it is written: “And Damascus is His resting place” (דִּכְתִּיב, וְדַמֶּשֶׂק מְנוּחָתוֹ) (Zechariah 9). For in that time judgment shall not be found in the world (דְּהָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דִּינָא לָא יִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעָלְמָא).

Therefore all shall be established in its perfection (בְּגִין כָּךְ כֹּלָּא אִתְקְיָּים עַל קִיּוּמֵיהּ בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים), as you say: “And I will appoint a place for My people Yisrael, and plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, לֹא יִרְגַז עוֹד וְלֹא יוֹסִיפוּ בְנֵי עַוְלָה לְעַנּוֹתוֹ וְגוֹ׳) (II Samuel 7). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): all the measuring lines and all the measurements (כָּל מִשְׁחָתִין, וְכָל מְדִידִין), all of them stand in this world (כֻלְּהוּ קַיְימִין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). Some say: and all the measurements of this Mishkan and this House, all of them (ס״א וְכָל מְדִידִין דְּהַאי מִשְׁכְּנָא וְהַאי בֵּיתָא כּוּלְּהוּ), in order that this world may be established (בְּגִין לְאִתְקַיְּימָא הַאי עָלְמָא), in the secret of the supernal pattern (בְּרָזָא דְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), to bind this world with the world above (לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא הַאי עָלְמָא בְּעָלְמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), to be all one in one secret (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד בְּרָזָא חֲדָא). And in that time, when Kudsha Berikh Hu shall be aroused to renew the world (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְּעַר לְחַדְּתּוּתֵי עָלְמָא), then shall all the worlds be found in one secret (כְּדֵין יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן כֻּלְּהוּ עָלְמִין בְּרָזָא חֲדָא), and the glory of Kudsha Berikh Hu in all (וִיקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּכֹלָּא). And then it is written: “On that day Hashem shall be one and His Name one” (וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְיָ׳ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד) (Zechariah 14).

Rabbi Yehuda opened after him and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אֲבַתְרִיהּ וְאָמַר): “The secret of Hashem is for those who fear Him, and His covenant to make them know” (סוֹד יְיָ׳ לִירֵאָיו וּבְרִיתוֹ לְהוֹדִיעָם) (Psalms 25). This verse—behold, it has been established (הַאי קְרָא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But “the secret of Hashem is for those who fear Him” (אֲבָל סוֹד יְיָ׳ לִירֵאָיו), that is the supernal secret which stands in concealment (הַהוּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה דְּקַיְּימָא בִּגְנִיזוּ), which is hidden and concealed (דָּאִיהוּ סָתִים וְגָנִיז), and it stands only for those who fear Him (לָא קַיְּימָא אֶלָּא לִירֵאָיו), who continually fear Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִינּוּן דַּחֲלִין לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תָּדִיר).

And they are shown those supernal mysteries (וְאִינּוּן אִתְחָזוּן לְאִינּוּן רָזִין עִלָּאִין), to be those supernal mysteries in concealment and hiddenness as is fitting (וּלְמֶהוֵי אִינּוּן רָזִין עִלָּאִין בִּגְנִיזוּ וּבִסְתִּימוּ כְּדְּקָא יֵאוֹת), because they are supernal mysteries (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן רָזִין עִלָּאִין). But “and His covenant to make them know” (אֲבָל וּבְרִיתוֹ לְהוֹדִיעָם): this is the secret that stands in the everlasting covenant (רָזָא דְּאִיהוּ קַיְּימָא בִּבְרִית קַיָּימָא), to make them know (לְהוֹדִיעָם), because it is the place that stands revealed to be known (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אֲתָר דְּקַיְּימָא לְגַלָּאָה לְמִנְדַּע). Further, “the secret of Hashem is for those who fear Him” (תּוּ סוֹד יְיָ׳ לִירֵאָיו): these are the mysteries that stand in awe (דְּאִינּוּן רָזִין דְּקַיְימָן בִּדְחִילוּ), and those who fear sin are fearful within them (וְאִינּוּן דַּחֲלֵי חַטָּאָה דַּחֲלִין בְּהוּ), in those supernal mysteries (בְּאִינּוּן רָזִין עִלָּאִין). But “and His covenant to make them know” (אֲבָל וּבְרִיתוֹ לְהוֹדִיעָם): to know and to explain the words (לְמִנְדַּע וּלְפָרְשָׁא מִלִּין), because they are words that stand to be explained (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּקַיְימָן לְפָרְשָׁא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): with forty-two letters the world was engraved (בְּאַרְבְּעִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון אִתְגְּלִיף עָלְמָא), and established (וְאִתְקָיָּים). And all of them are the crown of the Holy Name (וְכֻלְּהוּ עָטָרָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). When they combine (כַּד מִצְטָרְפִין), they ascend in their letters above (סַלְּקִין בְּאַתְווֹי לְעֵילָּא), and descend below (וְנַחְתִּין לְתַתָּא). They are crowned with crowns (מִתְעַטְּרָן עִטְרִין), in the four directions of the world (בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא), and are able to be established (וְיָכִיל לְאִתְקַיְּימָא).