Daf 26b (דַּף כ״ו ע״ב)

And afterwards, from the secret of beast, they are sustained and nourished (וּלְבָתַר מֵרָזָא דִּבְהֵמָה, מִסְתַּפְּקֵי וְאִתְּזָנוּ), to be bound with another spirit (לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא רוּחָא אָחֳרָא), which is in uncleanness (דְּאִיהִי גּוֹ מְסָאֲבוּ), from those fats and oils, as has been said (מֵאִינּוּן תַּרְבִּין וְשַׁמְנוּנִין, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר).

And because of this, the burnt-offering is most holy (וּבְגִין כַּךְ עוֹלָה קֹדֶשׁ קֳדָשִׁים), but the other offerings are to make peace in the whole world (שְׁאָר קָרְבְּנִין לְמֶעְבַּד שְׁלָמָא בְּעָלְמָא כֻּלְּהוּ), from many sides and lords of judgments (מִכַּמָּה סִטְרִין וּמָארֵי דְּדִינִין), to be sweetened and to shine through desire to be perfumed (לְאִתְעַבְּרָא וּלְאִתְנַהֲרָא מִגּוֹ רְעוּתָא לְאִתְבַּסְּמָא). They are called lesser holies (אִקְרוּן קֳדָשִׁים קַלִים), because they are not crowned above above in the Holy of Holies (בְּגִין דְּלָא מִתְעַטְּרֵי לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא בַּקֹּדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים).

And for this reason they are lesser holies (וְעַל דָּא אִינּוּן קֳדָשִׁים קַלִים), and their portion is diminished in every place as has been established (וּנְכִיסוּ דִּלְהוֹן בְּכָל אֲתַר כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ). But the burnt-offering, which is the secret of the Holy of Holies (אֲבָל עוֹלָה דְּאִיהִי רָזָא דְּקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים), it is not like the other offerings (לָאו אִיהִי כִּשְׁאָר קָרְבְּנִין), for all its service is holy (דְּכָל עוֹבָדָהָא קֹדֶשׁ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written: “And the Kohen shall put on his linen garment” (מַה כְּתִיב וְלָבַשׁ הַכֹּהֵן מִדוֹ בַד), these garments unite to holiness (אִלֵּין לְבוּשִׁין מְיַחֲדִין לִקְדוּשָּׁה). A garment of linen, single, unites to holiness (בַּד יְחִידָאי, מְיַחֲדָא לִקְדוּשָּׁה). And it is written: “They are holy garments, and he shall bathe his flesh in water and wear them” (וּכְתִיב בִּגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ הֵם וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם אֶת בְּשָׂרוֹ וּלְבֵשָׁם). What is the reason that it is holy? (מַאי טַעְמָא דָּא קֹדֶשׁ).

Rather it is a secret of the matter (אֶלָּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה), as has been said, that it is most holy (כִּדְקָאָמַר דְּאִיהִי קֹדֶשׁ קֳדָשִׁים), that it ascends all and is crowned in the Holy of Holies in one binding (דְּסַלְּקָא כֹּלָּא וְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּקֹּדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, בְּקִשּׁוּרָא חֲדָא). And afterwards he removes and passes away the impure spirit (וּלְבָתַר מַפְנֵי וְאַעְבַּר רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא), which pollutes all (דִּמְסָאֵב כֹּלָּא), which does not rule (דְּלָא שַׁלְטָא), and may not approach into the sanctuary (וְלָא יִתְקְרִיב גּוֹ מַקְדְּשָׁא). And it is removed from all the sides of holiness (וְאִתְעֲבָּר מִכָּל סִטְרֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא), and all remains holy in a singular holiness (וְאִשְׁתְּאַר כֹּלָּא קֹדֶשׁ בִּקְדוּשָּׁה יְחִידָאי).

And Rabbi Shim‘on said (וְאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), behold it is said (הָא אִתְּמַר): as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): (Psalms 36) Man and beast You save, Hashem ( אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ יְיָ). And thus it rises: the secret of Adam, from the side of Adam (וְהָכִי סַלְּקָא רָזָא דְּאָדָם, מִסִּטְרָא דְּאָדָם); Behemah, from the side of beast (בְּהֵמָה, מִסִּטְרָא דִּבְהֵמָה). And for this reason it is written: “When a man brings from you an offering” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם).

Adam indeed (אָדָם ודַּאי), for his offering is above, to bind the binding (דְּהָא קָרְבָּנֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא, לְקַשְּׁרָא קִשְׁרָא). And afterwards from the beast (וּלְבָתַר מִן הַבְּהֵמָה). And all is in the verse: Adam and beast (וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ בַּקְּרָא, אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה). And this is the secret: that for the offering both Adam and Behemah are required (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא, דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְקָרְבְּנָא אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה), as has been said (כִּדְקָאָמַר).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא), thus He made Adam and Beast (הָכִי עָבֵד אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה). And if you would say: but behold it is written (וְאִי תֵּימָא וְהָא כְּתִיב): (Bereshit 1) And let the bird fly above the earth ( וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל הָאָרֶץ), for behold, from them an offering is brought (דְּהָא מִנַּיְיהוּ מְקָרְבִין קָרְבְּנָא), even a burnt-offering (וַאֲפִילּוּ עוֹלָה), as it is written: And if the burnt-offering of his offering be of fowl (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב וְאִם מִן הָעוֹף עוֹלָה קָרְבָּנוֹ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), from all these birds only from the turtledoves or young pigeons are offered (מִכָּל אִינּוּן עוֹפִין לָא מְקָרְבִין אֶלָּא מִן הַתּוֹרִים אוֹ בְּנֵי יוֹנָה). But the secret of this is: that which is bound with this is disqualified in that (אֶלָּא רָזָא דָּא, מַה דְּאִתְכְּשַׁר בְּדָא, פָּסִיל בְּדָא). This is right (דָּא יְמִינָא), and this is left (וְדָא שְׂמָאלָא), and all is one (וְכֹלָּא חַד). “And let the bird fly above the earth” (עוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל הָאָרֶץ), behold we have established that these are the secret of chariot (הָא אוֹקִימְנָא דְּאִינּוּן רָזָא דִּרְתִיכָא).

And in them the the Holy Spirit ascends, to rise above (וּבְהוּ תִּסְתָּלַּק רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא). For they are two, one to the right and one to the left (דְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵי, חַד לִימִינָא, וְחַד לִשְׂמָאלָא). “Bird” to the right, and this is Mikha’el (עוֹף לִימִינָא, וְדָא מִיכָאֵל). “Fly” to the left, and this is Gavri’el (יְעוֹפֵף לִשְׂמָאלָא, וְדָא גַּבְרִיאֵל). This to the right and this to the left (דָּא לִימִינָא, וְדָא לִשְׂמָאלָא). And because of this, two of them are offered (וּבְגִין כָּךְ מְקָרְבִין תְּרֵין אִלֵּין), to raise up the holy spirit (לְסַלְּקָא רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא). And the left crowns and strengthens below, to that side of the left (וּשְׂמָאלָא מְעַטֵּר וְזָיִין לְתַתָּא, לְהַהוּא סְטָר שְׂמָאלָא). And the right to the right (וִימִינָא לִימִינָא). And the woman is bound with her husband, to be one (וְאִתְקַשְּׁרַת אִתְּתָא בְּבַעְלָהּ, לְמֶהֱוִי חַד).

And all is elevated and bound as one, above and below (וְכֹלָּא מִסְתְּלַק וּמִתְקְשַׁר כַּחֲדָא, לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu ascends alone and is strengthened (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִסְתַּלָּק בִּלְחוֹדוֹי וְאִתְתָּקַף). And in the early books it is taught (וּבְסִפְרֵי קַדְמָאֵי), the poor man does not give a portion to be sustained, but to above, to be bound (מִסְכְּנָא לָא יָהִיב חוּלָקָא לְאִתְּזְנָא, אֶלָּא לְעֵילָּא לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא). But all, above and below, each one is bound to its side as is fitting (אֲבָל כֹּלָּא לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא כָּל חַד מִתְקַשָּׁר לְסִטְרֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת). And behold, we have established this p1-5(וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא).

Rabbi El‘azar asked Rabbi Shim‘on his father (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר שָׁאִיל לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲבוֹי) and said (וְאָמַר): behold, this binding of all is bound in the Holy of Holies to be illuminated (הָא קִשּׁוּרָא דְּכֹלָּא אִתְקְשַׁר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ הַקֳדָשִׁים לְאִתְנַהֲרָא), in the attachment of the will of the Kohanim, Levi’im, and Yisrael above (אִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דְּרַעֲוָא דְּכַהֲנֵי לֵיוָאֵי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְעֵילָּא). Until where does it ascend? (עַד הֵיכָן אִיהוּ סַלְּקָא).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): behold, we have established (הָא אוֹקִימְנָא), until Ein Sof (עַד אֵין סוֹף), for every binding, and union, and completion (דְּכָל קִשּׁוּרָא וְיִחוּדָא וּשְׁלִימוּ), to be concealed in that concealment (לְאַצְנְעָא בְּהַהוּא צְנִיעוּ), that is not attached and not known (דְּלָא אִתְדְּבַק, וְלָא אִתְיְידַע), the desire of all desires is in it (דְּרַעֲוָא דְּכָל רַעֲוִין בֵּיהּ). Ein Sof does not stand to be known (אֵין סוֹף לָא קַיְּימָא לְאוֹדָעָא), nor to make an end (וְלָא לְמֶעְבַּד סוֹף), nor to make a head of Ein (וְלָא לְמֶעְבַּד רֹאשׁ דְּאַיִן). Some say: the head as of Ein (נ״א: רֹאשׁ כַּמָּה דְּאַיִן). At the beginning, it brought forth head and end (קַדְמָאָה, אַפִּיק רֹאשׁ וְסוֹף). What is head? (מַאן רֹאשׁ). This is the supernal point (דָּא נְקוּדָה עִלָּאָה), which is the head of all concealment (דְּאִיהִי רֵישָׁא דְּכֹלָּא סְתִימָאָה), which stands in thought (דְּקַיְּימָא גּוֹ מַחֲשָׁבָה). And it made an end, which is called the end of the matter (וְעָבִיד סוֹף, דְּאִקְרֵי סוֹף דָּבָר), but to there is Ein Sof (אֲבָל לְהָתָם אֵין סוֹף). There are no desires, no lights, no radiances in that Ein Sof (לָאו רְעוּתִין, לָאו נְהוֹרִין, לָאו בּוּצִינִין בְּהַהוּא אֵין סוֹף). All these lights and radiances depend to stand in it (כָּל אִלֵּין נְהוֹרִין וּבוּצִינִין תַּלְיָין לְאִתְקַיְּימָא בְּהוּ), and they do not stand to cleave (וְלָא קַיְימֵי לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא).

He who knows and does not know (מַאן דְּיָדַע וְלָא יָדַע), it is nothing but the supernal concealed will of all concealments, Ein (לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא רְעוּ עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה דְּכָל סְתִימִין, אַיִן). And when the supernal point and the World to Come are elevated (וְכַד נְקוּדָה עִלָּאָה, וְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, אִסְתְּלָקוּ), they are not known except by fragrance (לָא יַדְעִין בַּר רֵיחָא), like one who walks in fragrance and is perfumed (כְּמַאן דְּאָרַח בְּרֵיחָא וְאִתְבְּסָם). And this is not “rest” (וְלָאו דָּא נַיְיחָא), Some say: “soothing” (ס״א נִיחַח), for behold it is written (דְּהָא כְּתִיב): (Leviticus 26) And I will not smell the fragrance of your soothing offerings (וְלֹא אָרִיחַ בְּרֵיחַ נִיחֹחֲכֶם). For “a soothing fragrance” is the fragrance of desire (דְּהָא רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ רֵיחָא דִּרְעוּתָא), for all these desires of prayer (דְּכָל הָנֵי רְעוּתָא דִּצְלוֹתָא), the desire of song (וּרְעוּתָא דְּשִׁירָתָא), and the desire of the Kohanim (וּרְעוּתָא דְּכַהֲנֵי), all of them are the secret of Adam (דְּכֻלְּהוּ רָזָא דְּאָדָם). Then all of them are made into one desire (כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְעָבִידוּ רְעוּתָא חֲדָא), and that is called Nichoach, desire, as its Targum (וְהַהוּא אִקְרֵי נִיחֹחַ, רְעוּתָא: כְּתַרְגוּמוֹ). Then all is bound and illuminated together as is fitting (כְּדֵין כֹּלָּא אִתְקְשַׁר וְאִתְנְהִיר כַּחֲדָא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), as has been said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר).