Daf 244b (דַּף רמ״ד ע״ב)

This degree is divided into two sides, right and left (הַאי דַּרְגָּא אִתְפְּלַג לִתְרֵין סִטְרִין, לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא). Three bindings are to the right (תְּלַת קִשְׁרִין אִינּוּן לִימִינָא). And three bindings are to the left p1-25(וּתְלַת קִשְׁרִין אִינּוּן לִשְׂמָאלָא). And these bindings, and those bindings mentioned (וְאִלֵּין קִשְׁרִין, וְאִינּוּן קִשְׁרִין דְּקָאָמַרָן), all look backwards (כֻּלְּהוּ מִסְתַּכְּלָן לַאֲחוֹרָא). Because those upper holy bindings (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן קִשְׁרִין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין), all look inward to the body (כֻּלְּהוּ מִסְתַּכְּלָן לְגוֹ פְּנִימָאֵי לְגוּפָא), as it is written: “And all their inward parts were within” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְכָל אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם בָּיְתָה) (I Kings 7). But these all look backwards (וְאִלֵּין כֻּלְּהוּ מִסְתַּכְּלָן לַאֲחוֹרָא).

What is the difference between this and that (מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי). These bindings, upper holy ones, are all in the secret of Adam (אִלֵּין קִשְׁרִין, עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין כֻּלְּהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּאָדָם). And because all is in the secret of Adam, “all their inward parts were within” is written (וּבְגִין דְּכֹלָּא אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּאָדָם, כָּל אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם בָּיְתָה כְּתִיב). And these other bindings we mentioned (וְאִלֵּין קִשְׁרִין אַחֲרָנִין דְּקָאָמַרָן), they are bindings of the middle (אִינּוּן קִשְׁרִין דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), all looking backwards (כֻּלְּהוּ מִסְתַּכְּלָן לַאֲחוֹרָא), and these are in the secret of Beast (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן בְּרָזָא דִּבְהֵמָה). And therefore all their backs are backwards (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כָּל אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם לַאֲחוֹרָא). And this is the secret as we have established (וְרָזָא דָּא כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא) “Man and beast You save, Hashem” (אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ יְיָ') (Psalms 36). This one is on the side of Adam (דָּא בְּסִטְרָא דְּאָדָם), and that one on the side of Beast (וְדָא בְּסִטְרָא דִּבְהֵמָה). And the sacrifice rises thus: Adam and Beast (וְקָרְבָּנָא הָכִי סַלְּקָא, אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה).

The first binding (קִשְׁרָא קַדְמָאָה): in it exists a dark hue within thick cloud (בֵּיהּ קַיְּימָא גַּוְונָא דַּחֲשׁוֹכָא גּוֹ עוּרְפְלָא) (Some say: within brightness of cloud [ס"א גו טהירא דעורפילא]). Which sprouts with twisting beneath the stone that stands upon it, which does not sprout (דְּצָמַח בְּאִתְלַטְיָיא תְּחוֹת אַבְנָא דְּקַיְּימָא עָלֵיהּ, דְּלָא צָמַח). And this stands upon those who are meritorious (וְהַאי קַיְּימָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּזַכָּאֵי), who have merits (דְּאִית בְּהוּ זַכְיָין), but do not have the merit of the Fathers to strengthen them and to shield them (וְלָא אִית בְּהוּ זְכוּ דַּאֲבָהָתָא לְאִתַּתְקְפָא בְּהוּ, וּלְאַגָּנָא עָלַיְיהוּ). And other bindings (וְקַשְׁרִין אַחֲרָנִין), pursue after the guilty who strayed from this path (רַדְפֵי בָּתַר חַיָּיבַיָּא דְּסָטוּ אָרְחַיְיהוּ מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא), and pursue after them (וְרַדְפֵי אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ). And all those marked are seen in them to be recognized (וְכָל אִינּוּן דִּרְשִׁימוּ אִתְחָזֵי בְּהוּ לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא).

Because all those who are seen to be punished (בְּגִין דְּכָל אִינּוּן דְּאִתְחָזוּן לְאִתְעָנְּשָׁא), a certain angel, a holy emissary from the side of Gevurah (חַד מַלְאָכָא, שְׁלִיחָא קַדִּישָׁא, דִּי מִסִּטְרָא דִּגְבוּרָה), descends and marks them with a sign (נָחִית וְרָשִׁים בְּהוּ רְשִׁימָא). And that sign is made known above (וְהַהוּא רְשִׁימָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע לְעֵילָּא), before all their masters of judgment (לְגַבֵּי כָּל אִינּוּן מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא). And when that sign is made known to them (וְכַד הַהוּא רְשִׁימָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע לְגַבַּיְיהוּ), whoever is seen for plagues is struck with plagues (מַאן דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְמַרְעִין, אַלְקֵי לֵיהּ בְּמַרְעִין). Whoever is seen for pains and other punishments, all are observed in that mark (מַאן דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְמַכְאוֹבִין, וְלִשְׁאַר עוֹנָשִׁין, כֹּלָּא חָמָאן בְּהַהוּא רְשִׁימוּ). And because of this, those bindings all stand backwards (וּבְגִין דָּא, אִינּוּן קִשְׁרִין כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימוּ לַאֲחוֹרָא), and they strike those who are to be struck by their masters (וּבַעֲטֵי בְּאִינּוּן דְּבַעֲטֵי בְּמָארֵיהוֹן), and in all those who are seen to be struck by them (וּבְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאִתְחָזוּן לְבַעֲטָא בְּהוּ).

Except the Righteous and the Hasidei, who have the merit of the Fathers (בַּר צַדִּיקֵי וַחֲסִידֵי וְאִית לוֹן זְכוּ דַּאֲבָהָן), though plagues pursue after them (דְּמַרְעִין רַדְפִין אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ), these do not rule over them, and no plagues come upon them from this side (דְּאִלֵּין לָא שַׁלְטֵי בְּהוּ, וְלָא אָתֵי לוֹן מַרְעִין מִסִּטְרָא דָּא). And if you say, from where do plagues come upon them (וְאִי תֵּימָא, מֵאָן אֲתָר אָתֵי לוֹן מַרְעִין).

Come and see: it is written, “And Hashem desired to crush him, He made him sick” (תָּא חֲזֵי כְּתִיב, וַיְיָ' חָפֵץ דַּכְּאוֹ הֶחלִי) (Isaiah 53). “And Hashem desired to crush him” — He desired to strike him, and to bring upon him plagues, in order to purify them for the World to Come, and not from the Sitra achra (וַיְיָ' חָפֵץ, דַּכְּאוֹ, אִתְרְעֵי לְמַחֲאָה לֵיהּ, וּלְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ מַרְעִין, בְּגִין לְזַכָּאָה לוֹן לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וְלָא מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא). And these are called the sufferings of love (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן יִסּוּרִין דְּאַהֲבָה). And all ascends in one balance of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְכֹלָּא בְּחַד מַתְקְלָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא סַלְּקָא).

The sixth degree — this is called foreskin (דַּרְגָּא שְׁתִיתָאָה. הַאי אִקְרֵי עָרְלָה). And this, and all those lower degrees below, they are all called foreskin, because they draw from this side (וְדָא, וְכָל אִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין, לְתַתָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן עָרְלָה, בְּגִין דְּיַנְקֵי מִסִּטְרָא דָּא). And this is within the secret of the “fleeing serpent” (וְהַאי אִיהוּ גּוֹ רָזָא דְּנָחָ''שׁ בָּרִיחַ). And this draws for the crooked serpent (וְהַאי יָנִיק, לְהַהוּא נָחָ''שׁ עֲקַלָּתוֹ''ן). And all the other degrees which are united in this side, are called husks of the foreskin (וְכֻלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין אַחֲרָנִין, דְּאִתְאַחֲדָן בְּהַאי סִטְרָא, אִקְרוּן גּוּהַרְקֵי דְּעָרְלָה).

And all go in one secret (וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא חֲדָא קָא אַזְלֵי). And come and see: because of this, all those trees planted in the earth, before they have taken root, a spirit rests upon them from the side of this foreskin (וְתָּא חֲזֵי, עַל דָּא, כָּל אִינּוּן אִילָנִין דְּאִתְנְטָעוּ בְּאַרְעָא, עַד לָא אִשְׁתְּרָשׁוּ, שַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ רוּחָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּהַאי עָרְלָה). And because of this it is written: “And you shall treat its fruit as foreskin; three years shall it be for you as uncircumcised, it shall not be eaten” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עָרְלָתוֹ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים לֹא יֵאָכֵל) (Leviticus 19). Because Kudsha Berikh Hu — the love of Yisrael is always before Him, to distance them from all evil ways, and evil and impure sides, in order to cleave to the side of holiness (בְּגִין דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, חֲבִיבוּתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל תָּדִיר לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְרָחִיק לוֹן, מִכָּל אוֹרְחִין בִּישִׁין, וְסִטְרִין בִּישִׁין וּמְסָאֲבִין, לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה). Happy are they in this world, and happy are they in the World to Come (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וְזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Palaces from the Side of Holiness

הֵיכָלוֹת מִסִּטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), behold we have learned in those palaces (הָא תָּנֵינָן בְּאִינּוּן הֵיכָלִין), that they stand to arrange the order of praise of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִינּוּן קַיְימִין, לְסַדְּרָא סִדּוּרָא דִּשְׁבָחָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), whether in an order that stands in word (בֵּין סִדּוּרָא דְּקַיְּימָא בְּמִלָּה), or in an order that stands in will (בֵּין סִדּוּרָא דְּקַיְּימָא בִּרְעוּתָא).

Because there is an order that stands in word (בְּגִין דְּאִית סִדּוּרָא דְּקַיְּימָא בְּמִלָּה), and there is an order that stands in will and in the intention of the heart (וְאִית סִדּוּרָא דְּקַיְּימָא בִּרְעוּתָא וְכַוָּונָה דְּלִבָּא), to know and to contemplate (לְמִנְדַּע וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא), in order to gaze above, above until Ein Sof (בְּגִין לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא עַד אֵין סוֹף). There are found (דְּתַמָּן) the root and source of all wills and thoughts (תְּקִיעוּ דְּכָל רְעוּתִין וּמַחֲשָׁבִין), and they do not stand in word at all (וְלָא קַיְימִין בְּמִלָּה כְּלַל), but just as He is concealed, so all filling is in concealment (אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְּאִיהוּ סָתִים, הָכִי כָּל מִלּוֹי בִּסְתִימוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), this that we have said regarding those palaces, all of them (הַאי דְּאַמָרָן בְּאִינּוּן הֵיכָלִין כֻּלְּהוּ), some say: dependent (נ"א: תליין), all those orders are one generality (כָּל אִינּוּן סִדּוּרִין אִינּוּן כְּלָלָא חֲדָא), in order that the lower ones be included in the higher ones p1-26(בְּגִין לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא תַּתָּאֵי בְּעִלָּאֵי).