Daf 24b (דַּף כ״ד ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי): On the festival they circle the altar one time every day, and seven times afterward (בֶּחָג סוֹבְבִים אֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ זִמְנָא חֲדָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וְשִׁבְעָה זִמְנִין לְבָתַר). What does this teach? (מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי). Rather, it is like a king who invited guests and was occupied with them (אֶלָּא, לְמַלְכָּא דְּזַמִּין אוּשְׁפִּיזִין, וְאִתְעֲסָק בְּהוּ). And the king had a daughter, an only one (וַהֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא בַּת יְחִידָאָה). She said to him: My master the king, because of the guests you have not paid attention to me (אָמְרָה לֵיהּ: מָארִי מַלְכָּא, בְּגִין אוּשְׁפִּיזִין לָא אִשְׁגַּחְתָּ עָלַי). He said to her: By your life, my daughter, one banquet I will make for you every day (אָמַר לֵיהּ: חַיָּיִךְ בְּרַתִּי, פַּרְקְטָא חֲדָא אַסְלִיק לָךְ בְּכָל יוֹמָא), so as to equal all of them (דְּשׁוִי כְּכָלְהוֹ).

So it is (כַּךָ): On each and every day of the festival, Yisrael offer sacrifices corresponding to the nations of the world (בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא דְּחָג, מַקְרִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָקֳבֵל אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא). The altar said to the Holy King (אָמַר מִזְבֵּחַ לְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא): For all of them vessels and portions are found, and for me what do You give? (לְכֻלְּהוּ מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי מָאנִין וְחוּלָקִין, וְלִי מַה אַנְתְּ יָהִיב).

He said to her: Each and every day they shall circle you — seven supernal days — to bless you, and they shall give you seventy portions (אָמַר לָהּ: בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא יְסוֹבְבוּן לֵיךְ שִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין עִלָּאִין, לְבָרְכָא לָךְ, וְיָהֲבִין לָךְ שִׁבְעִין חוּלָקִין).

Rabbi Yosei said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אֲמַר): Seventy portions every day, corresponding to the seventy bulls that are offered on the festival (שִׁבְעִין חוּלָקִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא לָקֳבֵל שִׁבְעִין פָּרִים דְּמִתְקָרְבִין בֶּחָג).

Rabbi Yehudah said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): Seven every day (שִׁבְעָה בְּכָל יוֹמָא), because she is blessed from all of them (בְּגִין דְּהָא אִתְבָּרְכָא מִכֻּלְּהוּ). And at the end, seven days, she is blessed from the place where greatness is anointed and found (וּלְסוֹף, שִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין, מִתְבָּרְכָא מֵאֲתַר דִּמְשַׁח רְבוּתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח). And afterward, seven times corresponding to all those seven days (וְלְבָתַר, שִׁבְעָה זִמְנִין, לָקֳבֵל כָּל אִינּוּן שִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין), in order to establish for her blessing from the fountain of the river that flows constantly and does not cease (בְּגִין לְקַיְּימָא לָהּ בִּרְכָאן מִן מַבּוּעָא דְּנַחֲלָא, דְּנָגִיד תָּדִיר וְלָא פָּסִיק). Thus she is blessed continually every day, until seven days are completed, blessed from the fountain of the river (אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא תָּדִיר בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, עַד שִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא מִמַּבּוּעָא דְּנַחֲלָא). And so, another time, seven times together, and blessings are established afterward from the supernal place, from the fountain that flows and never ceases, as we have said (וְכֵן זִמְנָא אָחֳרָא שִׁבְעָה זִמְנִין כַּחֲדָא, וְאִתְקְיָימוּ בִּרְכָאן לְבָתַר מֵאֲתַר עִלָּאָה דְּמַבּוּעָא נָפִיק וְלָא פָּסַק, כִּדְקַאמְרָן).

On every day they proclaim concerning her and say (בְּכָל יוֹמָא, מַכְרִיזִין עָלָה וְאָמְרִין): “Until the barren one has borne seven, and she who has many children has languished” (עַד עֲקָרָה יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה וְרַבַּת בָּנִים אֻמְלָלָה) (I Shmuel 2:5). “Until the barren one has borne seven” (עַד עֲקָרָה יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה)—this is Knesset Yisrael (דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), who is blessed from the Seven (דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא מִשִּׁבְעָה) every day (בְּכָל יוֹמָא), and ascends into the supernal reckoning (וְסָלִיק לְחוּשְׁבָּן עִלָּאָה). “And she who has many children has languished” (וְרַבַּת בָּנִים אֻמְלָלָה)—these are the nations, the worshippers of idolatry (אִלֵּין אוּמִין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), who ascend on the first day with a great reckoning (דְּסַלְּקִין בְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה לְחוּשְׁבָּן רַב), but afterward diminish and decline day after day (וּלְבָתַר מִתְמַעֲטִין וְאַזְלִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא).

And because of this the altar atones for the sins of Yisrael (וְעַל דָּא, מִזְבֵּחַ מְכַפֵּר עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), the altar purifies them and pours forth blessings upon them from above to below (מִזְבֵּחַ מַדְכֵּי לְהוֹן, וְאָרִיק לְהוֹן בִּרְכָאן מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא). “And a bough of thick tree” — this is the Holy King, who holds on to two sides (וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבוֹת: דָּא מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאָחִיד לִתְרֵין סִטְרִין).

And because of this the hadas is three branches, to become the bough of thick tree, which grasps all sides (וּבְגִין כָּךְ הֲדַס תְּלַת עֲנָף, דְּיִתְעֲבֵד עֲנָף עֵץ עָבוֹת, דְּאָחִיד לְכָל סִטְרָא). “And willows of the brook” — these are two that stand, which from here go forth to the Palm Branches (וְעַרְבֵי נַחַל: אִלֵּין תְּרֵין קַיְימִין, דְּמֵהָכָא נָפִיק, לְכַפּוֹת תְּמָרִים). Palm branches (כַּפּוֹת תְּמָרִים), grasped above (אָחִיד לְעֵילָּא) and grasped below (וְאָחִיד לְתַתָּא), and behold, it has already been said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר). The etrog goes out from the place of the coverings of the tree, and so it is (אֶתְרוֹג נָפְקָא מִגּוֹ כּוּבִין דְּאִילָנָא, וְהָכִי הוּא). Palm branches likewise surely hold onto them — all that goes out into the world goes out from here and from here returns (כַּפּוֹת תְּמָרִים הָכִי נָמֵי אָחִיד בְּהוּ וַדַּאי, כָּל מַה דְּנָפִיק לְעָלְמָא מֵהָכָא נָפְקָא, וּמֵהָכָא אַתְיָין).

Rabbi Yosei opened and said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And I will come to the altar of God.” (וְאָבוֹאָה אֶל מִזְבַּח אֱלֹהִים) (Psalms 43). Who is the altar of God? This is the supernal altar, the true altar of God (מַאן מִזְבַּח אֱלֹהִים. דָּא הוּא מִזְבֵּחַ דִּלְעֵילָּא, מִזְבַּח אֱלֹהִים וַדַּאי). And this is the well of Yitzḥak (וְהַיְינוּ בְּאֵר דְּיִצְחָק). And at times it is called the altar of Hashem, as it is said: “He arose from before the altar of Hashem.” (וּלְזִמְנִין מִזְבַּח יְיָ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: קָם מִלִּפְנֵי מִזְבַּח יְיָ) (I Kings 8). And for this reason the worlds inherit from here judgment and mercy (וְעַל דָּא יָרְתִין עָלְמִין מֵהָכָא דִּינָא וְרַחֲמֵי). For it draws from this side and from that side, and this matter has been established (בְּגִין דְּהִיא יַנְקָא בְּהַאי סִטְרָא וּבְהַאי סִטְרָא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ מִלָּה). “If a soul commits a trespass…” (נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תִמְעוֹל מַעַל וגו׳) (Leviticus 5).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): Behold, it has been established that nefesh indeed (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ: נֶפֶשׁ ודַּאי). As it is written: “And the soul of my master shall be bound in the bundle of life with Hashem your God; and the soul of your enemies He shall sling out in the hollow of the sling.” (כְּתִיב: וְהָיְתָה נֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנִי צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֵת יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וּכְתִיב: וְאֵת נֶפֶשׁ אוֹיְבֶיךָ יְקַלְּעֶנָּה בְּתוֹךְ כַּף הַקָּלַע) (I Samuel 25).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

This commandment: one who misappropriates consecrated property must bring the principal and a fifth (פִּקּוּדָא דָּא, הַמּוֹעֵל בְּהֶקְדֵּשׁ צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא קֶרֶן וְחוֹמֶשׁ). This is what is written: “And he shall add its fifth part upon it.” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וְאֶת חֲמִשִׁיתוֹ יוֹסֵף עָלָיו) (Leviticus 5). The principal — that is six (קֶרֶן ו׳). His fifth — that is five (חוֹמֶשׁ דִּילֵיהּ ה׳). And this is: “The horn of the yovel.” (ודָא: קֶרֶן הַיּוֹבֵל) (Joshua 6). The horn that was upon the forehead of that bull which Adam HaRishon sacrificed (קֶרֶן דְּהֲוָה בְּמִצְּחֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא פַּר דְּהִקְרִיב אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן). This is the root of all sacrifices (הַאי, אִיהוּ עִקָּרָא דְּכָל קָרְבַּנַיָּא). The horn endures for him in the World to Come, and its fruits are in this world (הַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּימֶת לוֹ לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וּפֵירוֹת דִּילֵיהּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין). And this is five and five (ודָא ה׳ ה׳). (End Ra‘aya Mehemna) (ע״כ רע״מ).

Happy are the Righteous who have a supernal portion in Kudsha Berikh Hu (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא דְּאִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא עִלָּאָה בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), in the holy portion (בְּחוּלָקָא קַדִישָׁא), in the sanctities of the King (בְּקִדּוּשֵׁי מַלְכָּא), because they sanctify themselves with the sanctities of their Master (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן מְקַדְּשֵׁי גַּרְמַיְיהוּ בְּקִדּוּשֵׁי דְּמָארֵיהוֹן). And whoever sanctifies himself, Kudsha Berikh Hu sanctifies him (וְכָל מַאן דְּאִתְקַדָּשׁ, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְקַדֵּשׁ לֵיהּ), as it is written: “Sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy.” (דִּכְתִיב: וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים) (Leviticus 20). When a man sanctifies himself from evil (בַּר נָשׁ מְקַדֵּשׁ גַּרְמֵיהּ מִלְּרַע), they sanctify him from above (מְקַדְּשִׁין לֵיהּ מִלְּעֵילָּא). And when a man is sanctified with the holiness of his Master (וְכַד אִתְקַדָּשׁ בַּר נָשׁ בִּקְדוּשָׁה דְּמָארֵיהּ), they clothe him — some say: he inherits — a holy Neshama (מַלְבִּישִׁין [נ״א יָרִיתִין] לֵיהּ נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִישָׁא), a gift from Kudsha Berikh Hu and Knesset Yisrael (אַחֲסָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And then he inherits all (וּכְדֵין יָרִית כֹּלָּא). And these are called children of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאִלֵּין דְּאִקְרוּן בְּנִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is written: “You are children unto Hashem your God.” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב: בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם) (Deuteronomy 14). And behold, this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).