Daf 30b (דַּף ל׳ ע״ב)
Rabbi Abba said: Two altars are below, and two are above (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא תְּרֵין מַדְבְּחָאן אִינּוּן לְתַתָּא וּתְרֵין לְעֵילָּא). One is the inner of all (חַד פְּנִימָאָה דְּכֹלָּא), where the inner incense is offered, and fine (דְּמִתְקָרֵב בֵּיהּ קְטֹרֶת פְּנִימָאָה וְדַקָּה). It is the bond of faith (קִשּׁוּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and the supernal kohen above all (וְכַהֲנָא עִלָּאָה מִכֹּלָּא), binds (some say: crowns) the incense with the bond of faith (אִתְקְשַׁר קְטוֹרְתָּא דָּא בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא; נ״א: אֶקְטַר). And this is called the golden altar (וְדָא אִתְקְרֵי מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב). And from here the bond of faith is tied and crowned in one bond (וּמֵהָכָא אִתְקְטַר וְאִתְקְשַׁר קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא בְּחַד קִשְׁרָא). And one other altar, called the copper altar (וְחַד מַדְבְּחָא אָחֳרָא וְאִקְרֵי מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת), and this is outside (וְדָא הוּא לְבַר).
The great prince Michael offers upon it a pleasing offering before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּמִיכָאֵל הַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל מַקְרִיב עָלֵיהּ קָרְבְּנָא נַיְיחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And below: the golden altar and the copper altar (וּלְתַתָּא מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב וּמִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת); in this—incense (בְּדָא קְטֹרֶת), and in this—fats and innards (וּבְדָא חֲלָבִין וְאֵמוּרִין). And on this it is written: “Oil and incense rejoice the heart” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב) (Proverbs 27). And it is not written: oil, fats, and innards rejoice (וְלָא כְּתִיב שֶׁמֶן וַחֲלָבִין וְאֵמוּרִין יְשַׂמַּח), although they are the perfumes of anger and judgment (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְבַּסְמוּתָא דְּרוּגְזָא וְדִינָא אִינּוּן).
But oil and incense—this is the joy of all (אֲבָל שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת חֶדְוָתָא דְּכֹלָּא אִיהוּ), and not from the side of anger and judgment (וְלָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּרוּגְזָא וְדִינָא). And this is the altar, which is the inner one of incense—fine (וְדָא מַדְבְּחָא דְּאִיהוּ פְּנִימָאָה דִּקְטֹרֶת דַּקָּה), with the fineness of all (בְּדַקּוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא), in the bond of faith (בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). Some say: these are the inner ones of fine incense (נ״א: דָּא אִינּוּן פְּנִימָאָה דִּקְטֹרֶת). It is called “a still small voice” (אִקְרֵי קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַּקָּה), because it is the inner altar bound in the bond of faith (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ מַדְבְּחָא פְּנִימָאָה דְּאִתְקְשַׁר בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא).
Another altar is called the outer altar (מַדְבְּחָא אָחֳרָא אִקְרֵי מִזְבֵּחַ הַחִצוֹן). And the inner is called the altar of Hashem (וּפְנִימָאָה אִקְרֵי מִזְבַּח יְיָ׳). The other is called the copper altar (אָחֳרָא אִקְרֵי מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת), as you say: “The copper altar which was before Hashem was too small to contain…” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי יְיָ׳ קָטֹן מֵהָכִיל וְגוֹ׳) (I Kings 8). Rabbi Yose said from here (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר מֵהָכָא): “And wholly upon Your altar” (וְכָלִיל עַל מִזְבְּחֶךָ) (Deuteronomy 33), two (תְּרֵי). And it is written: “Upon My altars for acceptance” (וּכְתִיב עַל מִזְבְּחוֹתַי לְרָצוֹן).
Rabbi Abba, some say: Aḥa, said (רִבִּי אַבָּא [אֲחָא] אָמַר): It is written: “And Moshe built an altar…” (כְּתִיב וַיִּבֶן מֹשֶׁה מִזְבֵּחַ וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 17). Corresponding to that inner one, he built this (לָקֳבֵל הַהוּא פְּנִימָאָה בָּנָהּ הַאי), and therefore it is called: Hashem Nissi (וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרֵי יְיָ׳ נִסִּי). What is “my banner” (מַהוּ נִסִּי)? It is the drawing of the sign of the holy letter (דְּרָשִׁים רְשִׁימָא דְּאוֹת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא). For at the time when Amalek came to remove this holy sign from Yisrael (דִּבְשַׁעֲתָא דַּעֲמָלֵק אָתָא לְאַעְבְּרָא הַאי רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא מִנַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), this altar stood against him, to exact vengeance, the vengeance of the holy letter (הַאי מִזְבַּח קַיְּימָא לָקֳבֵלֵיהּ לְנַקְמָא הַהוּא נוּקְמָא דְּאוֹת קַיָּימָא). And therefore it is called: “A sword that executes the vengeance of the covenant” (וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרֵי חֶרֶב נוֹקֶמֶת נְקַם בְּרִית) (Leviticus 26). And this prepared for Yisrael the holy sign (וְדָא אַתְקְנַת לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא).
And Moshe built this altar against that (וּמֹשֶׁה בָּנָה לָקֳבֵל הַאי מִזְבֵּחַ), and called it Hashem Nissi (וְקָרֵי לֵיהּ יְיָ׳ נִסִּי). And this is the inner altar, “a still small voice” (וְדָא הוּא מִזְבֵּחַ פְּנִימִי קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַּקָּה) (I Kings 19). And therefore: “A continual fire shall burn upon the altar, it shall not be extinguished” (וְעַל דָּא אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְגוֹ׳ לֹא תִכְבֶּה) — this is a fire that is always found (אֵשׁ דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח תְּדִירָא). And what is it (וּמַאי אִיהוּ)? The fire of Yitzḥak (אֶשָּׁא דְּיִצְחָק). And then, this Name is Adonai (וּכְדֵין שְׁמָא דָּא אֲדֹנָ״י). And when the kohen arranges wood upon it (וְכַד יְסַדָּר עָלָה כַּהֲנָא אִינּוּן אָעִין), it is perfumed in the Name (אִתְבַּסְמָא בִּשְׁמָא). And we call it in the Name of mercy, Hashem (וְקָרֵינָן לָהּ בִּשְׁמָא דְּרַחֲמֵי יְיָ׳), and we call it in this Name (וְקָרֵינָן לָהּ בִּשְׁמָא דָּא). And sometimes it stands in this manner, and sometimes it stands in that manner (וּלְזִמְנִין קַיְּימָא כְּגַוְונָא דָּא וּלְזִמְנִין קַיְּימָא כְּגַוְונָא דָּא).
Rabbi Shimon said: They are two (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר תְּרֵי הֲווֹ), and the inner one stands upon that which is without (וּפְנִימָאָה קַיְּימָא עַל הַהוּא דִּלְבַר), and from it is nourished, and this is bound with that (וּמִנָּהּ אִתְּזָן וְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא דָּא בְּדָא). As it is written: “This is the offering of Aharon” (זֶה קָרְבָּן אַהֲרֹן) (Leviticus 6).
Rabbi Ḥizkiyyah opened (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח): “Righteous is Hashem in all His ways, and gracious in all His works” (צַדִּיק יְיָ׳ בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו וְחָסִיד בְּכָל מַעֲשָׂיו) (Psalms 145). “Righteous is Hashem in all His ways” — we have learned (צַדִּיק יְיָ׳ בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו הָא תָּנֵינָן): How much men must look upon the glory of their Master (כַּמָּה אִית לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בִּיקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), and not turn aside from His paths to without (וְלָא יִסְטוּ מֵאָרְחַיְיהוּ לְבַר). For every day judgment is suspended in the world (דְּהָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא דִּינָא תָּלֵי בְּעָלְמָא), because the world was created and stands upon judgment (בְּגִין דְּעָלְמָא עַל דִּינָא אִתְבְּרֵי וְקַיְּימָא). And therefore, a man must guard himself from sins (וְעַל דָּא, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מֵחוֹבוֹי), for he does not know the time when judgment rests upon him (דְּלָא יָדַע זִמְנָא דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי).
When he sits in his house, judgment rests upon him (יָתִיב בְּבֵיתֵיהּ, דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי). When he goes out of his house to outside, judgment rests upon him (נָפַק מִבֵּיתֵיהּ לְבַר, דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי). And he does not know whether he will return to his house or not (וְלָא יָדַע אִי יְתוּב לְבֵיתֵיהּ אִי לָאו). When he goes out on the road, how much more so (נָפִיק לְאָרְחָא, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה), for then judgment goes out before him (דְּהָא כְּדֵין דִּינָא נָפְקָא קַמֵּיהּ). This is what is written: “Righteousness shall go before Him” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ) (Psalms 85). Therefore, he must rise early and request mercy before the King (בְּגִין כָּךְ, בָּעֵי לְאַקְדְּמָא וּלְמִבָּעֵי רַחֲמֵי קָמֵי מַלְכָּא), in order that he be saved from judgment (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּזִיב מִן דִּינָא), at the time when it rests in the world (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּשַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא). For every day judgment rests in the world (דְּהָא כָּל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא שַׁרְיָא דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא), as it is written: “And God is indignant every day” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְאֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם) (Psalms 7).
Now we may say (הַשְׁתָּא אִית לְמֵימַר), we have learned, and my companions have been aroused (הָא תָּנֵינָן וְאִתְּעֲרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא): “El” everywhere is Chesed (אֵל בְּכָל אֲתַר חֶסֶד הוּא), as it is said: “The great God” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל) (Deuteronomy 10). And this is the radiance of supernal Chokhmah (וְדָא נְהִירוּ דְּחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה). Yet you said: “And God is indignant every day” (וְאַתְּ אַמְרַת וְאֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם). The verse left all these names and grasped only this (שָׁבִיק קְרָא כָּל אִלֵּין שְׁמָהָן וְאָחִיד בְּהַאי). If so, the matters do not stand (אִי הָכִי לָא קַיְימִין מִילֵּי). Furthermore, it is written: “El Gibbor” (וְעוֹד, דִּכְתִיב אֵל גִּבּוֹר) (Isaiah 9). Either He executes judgment, or He executes mercy (אוֹ נוֹקִים לֵיהּ דִּינָא אוֹ נוֹקִים לֵיהּ רַחֲמֵי). Rather, so we have heard (אֶלָּא הָכִי שְׁמַעְנָא): Sinners turn mercy into judgment (חַיָּיבַיָּא מְהַפְּכֵי רַחֲמֵי לְדִינָא). For you will not find among all the supernal crowns of the Holy King (דְּלֵית לָךְ בְּכָל אִינּוּן כִּתְרִין עִלָּאִין דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), that are not composed of mercy within judgment and judgment within mercy (דְּלָא כְּלִילָן רַחֲמֵי בְּדִינָא וְדִינָא בְּרַחֲמֵי). But the sinners turn mercy into judgment (וְחַיָּיבַיָּא מְהַפְּכֵי רַחֲמֵי לְדִינָא).