Daf 261a (דַּף רס״א ע״א)

The seventh palace (הֵיכָלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה), Hashem, open my lips (אֲדֹנָי שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח), the secret of secrets in whisper (רָזָא דְּרָזִין בִּלְחִישׁוּ), and no voice is heard (וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע קָלָא). Here is the desire of the heart (הָכָא אִיהוּ רְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא), to intend and to elevate desire from below to above (לְאִתְכַּוְּנָא וּלְסַלְּקָא רְעוּתָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא), unto Ein Sof (עַד אֵין סוֹף), and to bind the seventh with the seventh (וּלְקַשְּׁרָא שְׁבִיעָאָה בִּשְׁבִיעָאָה), this with that (דָּא בְּדָא), some say: from below to above (נ״א: מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא), and afterward (וּלְבָתַר), from above to below (מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא), to draw blessing to all the worlds (לְאַמְשָׁכָא בִּרְכָּאן בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין), from the source of life (מִמְּקוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי), some say: this is the upper seventh (נ״א: דְּאִיהוּ שְׁבִיעָאָה לְעֵילָּא), which is the supernal seventh palace (דְּאִיהוּ הֵיכָלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה עִלָּאָה), and this is the Shekhinta (וְדָא שְׁכִינְתָא), in the desire of the heart (בִּרְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא), and in the concealment of the eyes (וּבִסְתִּימוּ דְּעַיְּנִין), in the secret of the letters of the seven supernal holy names (דְּרָזָא דְּאַתְּוָון דְּשֶׁבַע שְׁמָהָן עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין). This supernal seventh palace (הֵיכָלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה עִלָּאָה דָּא), which is the source of life (דְּאִיהוּ מְקוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי), this is the first blessing (דָּא אִיהוּ בִּרְכְּתָא קָמַיְיתָא).

And this is the first palace (וְדָא אִיהוּ הֵיכָלָא קַדְמָאָה), the channel of all from above to below (שֵׁירוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא), and to take the seventh from below (וּלְנַטְלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה מִתַּתָּא), to join this with that (לְאִתְחַבְּרָא דָּא בְּדָא), seventh with seventh (שְׁבִיעָאָה בִּשְׁבִיעָאָה), for from this below (דְּהָא מֵהַאי דִּלְתַּתָּא), enters one who enters (עָיֵיל מַאן דְּעָיֵיל), to the supernal palace (לְהֵיכָלָא עִלָּאָה). And this is the secret (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא): Barukh, the abundance of all that is below (בָּרוּךְ רִבּוּיָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ תַּתָּאֵי), included in Chayot, Seraphim, and Ofanim (כְּלִילָא בְּחֵיוָון וּשְׂרָפִים וְאוֹפַנִּים), and all the palaces (וְכֻלְּהוּ הֵיכָלִין), abundance of the secret of the Holy of Holies (רִבּוּיָא דְּרָזָא דְּקוֹדֶשׁ הַקָּדָשִׁים), which rests within in concealment (דְּשַׁרְיָא בְּגַוֵּיהּ בִּגְנִיזוּ), and then it is called Barukh (וּכְדֵין אִקְרֵי בָּרוּךְ), in all these abundances and blessings (בְּכָל אִלֵּין רִבּוּיִין וּבִרְכָּאן), and secrets completed in it (וְרָזִין דְּאִשְׁתְּלִימוּ בָּהּ).

Atah (You), the crown of the concealment of the letters (אַתָּ״ה עִטּוּרָא דִּסְתִּימוּ דְּאַתְּוָון), the totality of all twenty-two letters (כְּלָלָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ כ״ב אַתְּוָון). And this is Alef–Tav (וְדָא הוּא אָ״ת). Heh includes them from above (ה׳ דְּכָלִיל לוֹן מֵעֵילָּא), in this Heh (בְּהַאי ה׳), and gathers them within it (וְכָנִישׁ לוֹן בְּגַוֵּיהּ), and this is Alef–Tav Heh (וְדָא אִיהוּ אָ״ת ה׳). And when she is complete in that river (וְכַד אִיהִי בִּשְׁלִימוּ בְּהַהוּא נָהָר), that holds in her (דְּאָחִיד בָּהּ), she ascends to be crowned above (סַלְּקָא לְאִתְעַטְּרָא לְעֵילָּא). And this is the secret of what is written: And in this the maiden came to the king, and then whatever she said was given to her (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּכְתִיב: וּבָזֶה הַנַּעֲרָה בָּאָה אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ, וּכְדֵין אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר יִנָּתֵן לָהּ) (Esther 2). And this is the secret: Barukh Atah (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה), and one must intend in this secret (וּבָעֵי לְאִתְכַּוְּנָא בְּהַאי רָזָא), and to bind desire in this secret (וּלְקַשְּׁרָא רְעוּתָא בְּהַאי רָזָא).

Hashem our God (יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ): this is the bond and union of the supernal King above (דָּא אִיהוּ קִשּׁוּרָא וְיִחוּדָא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה לְעֵילָּא), in this: when the maiden comes to the king, whatever she says is given to her (בְּהַאי: כַּד הַנַּעֲרָה בָּאָה אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר יִנָּתֵן לָהּ). And the God of our fathers (וֵאֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ): this is the secret of the Patriarchs, to bless her (דָּא רָזָא דַּאֲבָהָן, לְבָרְכָא לָהּ). And this is the secret: God Avraham, God of Yitzchak, and God of Ya‘akov (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא: אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב). Just as this maiden is not separated from those below (כְּמָה דְּהַאי נַעֲרָה לָא אִשְׁתְּבָקַת מִתַּתָּאֵי), so too she is not separated from the Patriarchs forever (הָכִי נָמֵי לָא אִשְׁתְּבָקַת מֵאֲבָהָן לְעָלְמִין). She is held with them (אִיהוּ אֲחִידַת בְּהוֹן), some say: to guard them and to crown her (נ״א: לְנַטְרָא לוֹן וּלְעַטְרָא לָהּ).

And because she is blessed by each one of them (וּבְגִין דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא מִכָּל חַד מִנְּהוֹן), it is necessary to mention her with each one (בָּעֵי לְאַדְכְּרָא לָהּ עַל כָּל חַד וְחַד). And afterward, they all gather into one bond (וּלְבָתַר יִתְכַּנְּשׁוּן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּחִבּוּרָא חֲדָא), some say: into the womb of Imma (ס״א: לְגוֹ מֵעַר דְּאִמָּא), and are crowned with her (וּמִתְעַטְּרֵי בַּהֲדָהּ), the Almighty, the Great, the Mighty, and the Awesome (הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא). Behold, all of them are as one (הָא כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא), to ascend above first (לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא), from above to below and now from below to above (מֵעֵילָּא לְתַּתָּא וְהַשְׁתָּא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא), to be included with her (לְאַכְלְּלָא לוֹן בַּהֲדֵיהּ), for once one says the Almighty, the Great, the Mighty, and the Awesome, all are included in her (דְּכֵיוָן דְּאָמַר הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא כֻּלְּהוּ כְּלִילָן בָּהּ). And then: Exalted God, who bestows good kindnesses and acquires all things (וּכְדֵין: אֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים קוֹנֵה הַכֹּל). And this is the totality of all (וְדָא כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא).

Who remembers the kindnesses of the fathers (וְזוֹכֵר חַסְדֵי אָבוֹת), who are joined with her (דְּאִשְׁתָּהוּ בַּהֲדָהּ), some say: they are found as one (דְּאִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן כַּחֲדָא), and they entered her womb (וְעָאלוּ בִּמְעָהָא), and were blessed there (וְאִתְבָּרְכוּן תַּמָּן). And afterward she lets them rest and sends them out (וּלְבָתַר שָׁאֲרִי לוֹן וְאַפִּיק לוֹן), when they have been blessed from within (כַּד אִינּוּן אִתְבָּרְכָאן מִגַּוָּוהּ). And in that bowing, when one says Barukh Atah Hashem, Magen Avraham (וּבְהַהִיא הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה דְּאָמַר בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם), here they all emerge in unity (הָכָא נַפְקֵי כֻּלְּהוּ בִּכְלָלָא), for through the right side all are blessed properly (דְּהָא בִּימִינָא כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְבָּרְכָאן כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): this seventh palace (הֵיכָלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה דָּא), is the secret of the supernal King (רָזָא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), and the Patriarchs are crowned in it, as we have said (וּמִתְעַטְּרָן בֵּיהּ אֲבָהָן כִּדְקַאמְרָן), and are included in it (וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ בֵּיהּ). And until now they were included (וְעַד הַשְׁתָּא אִתְכְּלִילוּ), and it must send them out (וּבָעֵי לְאַפָּקָא לוֹן), this is that palace (אִיהוּ הֵיכָלָא דָּא), and when it sends them out, it blesses them (וְכַד אַפִּיק לוֹן מְבָרְכָאן), some say: they are blessed (נ״א: מִתְבָּרְכָאן), for the sake of this maiden (בְּגִין הַאי נַעֲרָה). Then she is held with them (כְּדֵין אִיהִי אֲחִידַת בְּהוֹן), in all those blessings (בְּכָל אִינּוּן בִּרְכָאן).

And even though the palaces have already been included one in another (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּהָא אִתְכְּלִילוּ הֵיכָלִין בְּהֵיכָלִין), now they are unified in those blessings as one (הַשְׁתָּא אִתְאֲחִידוּ בְּאִינּוּן בִּרְכָאן כַּחֲדָא), and when one says King who helps and saves and shields (וְכַד אָמַר מֶלֶךְ עוֹזֵר וּמוֹשִׁיעַ וּמָגֵן), then it sends them out, blessed (כְּדֵין אַפִּיק לוֹן מְבָרְכָאן). And this is one—the seventh palace (וְהַאי, אִיהוּ חַד הֵיכָלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה), in the secret of the supernal holy name (בְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה), BVKU (בּוּכ״וּ): Berakhah, VaChesed, Ko’ach, uMishpat (“Blessing,” “and Kindness,” “Power,” “and Judgment”) (בְּרָכָה וָחֶסֶד כֹּחַ וּמִשְׁפָּט), the totality of the secret (כְּלָלָא רָזָא), some say: of the secret (נ״א: דְּרָזָא), all of it (כֻּלָּא), and the secret of this is the secret—some say: that it is (וְרָזָא דָּא הוּא רָזָא [ס״א: דְּאִיהִי])—of Ehyeh, the totality of all (דְּאֶהְיֶ״ה כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא). For these letters are the totality of all (בְּגִין דְּאִלֵּין אַתְּוָון כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא), for these letters brought forth—some say: them (בְּגִין דְּאִלֵּין אַתְּוָון אַפִּיקוּ אִלֵּין [ס״א: לוֹן])—that go out from them (דְּנַפְקוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ), the totality of the Patriarchs (כְּלָלָא דַּאֲבָהָן), and this is what is joined with them (וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּמִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ), which is called Berakhah (דְּאִקְרֵי בְּרָכָה).

Once one says Barukh Atah Hashem, Magen Avraham (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם), behold, she takes blessing from them (הָא אֲחִידַת בִּרְכָּאן מִנַּיְיהוּ), in the secret of the fifth palace—Love (בְּרָזָא דְּהֵיכָלָא חֲמִישָּׁאָה: אַהֲבָה), which is the right side (דְּאִיהוּ יְמִינָא), and it is the fifth (וְאִיהוּ חֲמִישָּׁאָה), to be bound with the love of blessing from the right (לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בִּרְחִימוּ דְּבִרְכָּאן דִּימִינָא). And this is required—from above to below—to receive blessing (וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ, מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא לְאִתְבָּרְכָא). At first, one palace was included in another, as we have said (בְּקַדְמִיתָא אִתְכַּלְּלוּ הֵיכָלָא בְּהֵיכָלָא כִּדְקַאַמְרָן), and now she takes blessing to be found—these prior to those (וְהַשְׁתָּא נַטְלֵי בִּרְכָּאן לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא אִלֵּין מִקַּדְמַת אִלֵּין).

And even though some took first—some say: was sprinkled first (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִית דְּנָטִיל [ס״א: דְּאִתְנְטִיף] בְּקַדְמִיתָא)—since the blessings were found from the right side (כֵּיוָן דְּאִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא בִּרְכָּאן), in the fifth palace she begins to take hold (בְּהֵיכָלָא חֲמִישָּׁאָה שָׁארֵי לְאַחֲדָא). And afterward, on the left side (וּלְבָתַר בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא), in the secret of Atah Gibor (בְּרָזָא דָּא: אַתָּה גִּבּוֹר). And this is the combination: Atah and Gibor, two judgments (וְהַאי אִיהוּ חִבּוּרָא: אַתָּה וְגִבּוֹר, תְּרֵין דִּינִין). And once blessings are drawn (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְמַשְׁכָּאן בִּרְכָּאן), they are included in mercy (אִתְכַּלִּיל בְּרַחֲמֵי), and all is found in that side as one (וְאִשְׁתְּכַּח בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא), and this is: Who revives the dead, supports the fallen, heals the sick, and so forth (וְדָא הוּא: מְחַיֵּה מֵתִים, סוֹמֵךְ נוֹפְלִים, וְרוֹפֵא חוֹלִים, וְכוּ׳).