Daf 40b (דַּף מ׳ ע״ב)

And because it is guarded above (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ מְנַטְרָא לְעֵילָּא), it must be guarded below (בָּעֵי לְנַטְרָא לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא), and all guarding of it is holiness for Yisrael (וְכָל נְטִירוּ דִּילֵיהּ קְדוּשָּׁה הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And one who defiles it below from the side of defilement (וּמַאן דְּפָגִים לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא בְּסִטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבוּתָא), he becomes defiled in this world (יִסְתְּאָב אִיהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and he has no portion in the World to Come (וְלֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי)—the place where that guarded wine dwells (אֲתַר דְּהַהוּא יַיִן דְּמִנְטְרָא שַׁרְיָא).

He who does not guard it will not be guarded for the World to Come (הוּא לָא נָטִיר לֵיהּ, לָא יִתְנְטַר הוּא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). He has defiled it—he will be defiled in that world (הוּא סָאִיב לֵיהּ, יִסְאֲבוּן לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), and he will have no portion in that wine of the World to Come (לָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּהַהוּא יַיִן דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). Fortunate are Yisrael who sanctify themselves with supernal holiness (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּמְקַדְּשֵׁי נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ בִּקְדוּשָּׁה עִלָּאָה), and guard that which must be guarded (וְנַטְרֵי מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְנַטְרָא), and sanctify the King through this supernal guarding (וּמְקַדְּשֵׁי לְמַלְכָּא בִּנְטִירוּ עִלָּאָה דָּא). Fortunate are they in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

That Youth opened and said: The king by judgment establishes the land, etc. (פָּתַח הַהוּא רַבְיָא וְאָמַר: מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ וְגוֹ') (Proverbs 29). Who is the king? This is Kudsha Berikh Hu (מַאן מֶלֶךְ דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). By judgment—this is Yaakov (בְּמִשְׁפָּט: דָּא יַעֲקֹב), who is the totality of the Patriarchs (דְּאִיהוּ כְּלָלָא דַּאֲבָהָן). And a man of Terumot—Terumah is written (וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת — תְּרוּמַת כְּתִיב), as you say: And this is the offering… (Exodus 25) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה). And a man of Terumot—this is Esav (וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת, דָּא עֵשָׂו), who demands Terumot and Ma‘asrot every day but does nothing (דְּבָעֵי עַל תְּרוּמוֹת וְעַל מַעֲשְׂרוֹת כָּל יוֹמָא, וְלָא עָבִיד מִדִי). A man of Terumot is not justice (וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת דְּלָאו אִיהוּ מִשְׁפָּט), for Terumah is an elevation of Mercy (דְּהָא תְּרוּמָה אִסְתַּלְקוּתָא דְּרַחֲמֵי), and for that reason it does not come with judgment (בְּגִין דָּא לָא אַתְיָא בְּמִּשְׁפָּט), as it says: And there is one who is taken without judgment (Proverbs 13) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְיֵשׁ נִסְפֶּה בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּט), and because of this: And a man of Terumot shall destroy it (וְעַל דָּא: וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמוֹת יֶהֶרְסֶנָּה). And if you say: Was not King David a man of Terumah? (וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אִישׁ תְּרוּמָה הֲוָה), rather it was through mercy (אֶלָּא בְּרַחֲמֵי). Some say: King David was a man of Terumah, and the land endured because of him—that is true. But all was in mercy (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא — ס״א: דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אִישׁ תְּרוּמָה הֲוָה, וְאַרְעָא אִתְקַיֵּימָא בְּגִינֵיהּ, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי. אֲבָל כֹּלָּא בְּרַחֲמֵי הֲוָה). For it is written: The sure mercies of David (Isaiah 55) (דְּהָא כְּתִיב: חַסְדֵי דָּוִד הַנֶּאֱמָנִים), as he cleaved to this, so he cleaved to that (כְּמָה דְאִתְדְּבַק בְּהַאי, אִתְדְּבַק בְּהַאי).

Come and see: all the days of King David, he strove (תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל יוֹמוֹי דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא, הֲוָה מִשְׁתָּדַּל) concerning this Terumah (בְּגִין דְּהַאי תְּרוּמָה), to bind it with Mishpat (יִתְקְשַׁר בְּמִּשְׁפָּט), and that they be joined as one (וְיִזְדַּוְוגוּן כַּחֲדָא). Because the earth should endure thereby (בְּגִין דִּיתְקַיֵּים בְּאַרְעָא). Shlomo came and joined them as one (אָתָא שְׁלֹמֹה וְזִוִּוג לוֹן כַּחֲדָא), and the moon stood in completeness (וְקַיְּימָא סִיהֲרָא בְּאַשְׁלְמוּתָא), and the earth stood in stability (וְקַיְּימָא אַרְעָא בְּקִיּוּמָא). Tzidkiyahu came and separated them (אָתָא צִדְקִיָּהוּ וְאַפְרִישׁ לוֹן), and the earth remained without judgment (וְאִשְׁתְּאָרַת אַרְעָא בְּלָא מִשְׁפָּט), and the moon was blemished (וְאִתְפְּגִימַת סִיהֲרָא), and the earth was destroyed (וְאִתְחֲרִיבַת אַרְעָא), and then: A man of Terumah will destroy it (כְּדֵין: וְאִישׁ תְּרוּמַת יֶהֶרְסֶנָּה). And come and see: oil is for the Kohanim, and wine for the Levi’im (וְתָא חֲזֵי: שֶׁמֶן לְכַהֲנֵי, וְיַיִן לְלֵיוָאֵי). Not because they desire wine (לָא בְּגִין דְּבַעְיָין יַיִן), but because from the guarded wine comes their side (אֶלָּא מִיַּיִן דְּמִנְטְרָא אָתֵי לְסִטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן), to bind all as one (לְחַבְּרָא כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא), and to cause all the worlds to rejoice (וּלְמֵחֱדֵי עָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ), that in them everything be found (לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בְּהוּ כֹּלָּא), right and left included one in another (יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא כָּלִיל דָּא בְּדָא). That in them be found the belovedness of all (לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בְּהוּ חֲבִיבוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא), and the love of the children of faith (וּרְחִימוּתָא דִּבְנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא).

One whose desire is joined with this (מַאן דְּאִתְדְּבַק רְעוּתֵיהּ בְּהַאי), he is whole in this world and in the World to Come (הוּא שְׁלִים בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), and he will be found all his days cleaving in Teshuvah, in the place where wine and oil are found (וְיִשְׁתְּכַּח כָּל יוֹמוֹי דְּאִתְדְּבַק בִּתְשׁוּבָה, אֲתַר דְּיַיִן וְשֶׁמֶן מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי). Then he will not cling after this world (כְּדֵין לָא יִתְדְּבַק בָּתַר עָלְמָא דָּא), not for wealth (לָא לְעֻתְרָא), nor for its shame (וְלָא לְכִסּוּפָא דִּילֵיהּ). And King Shlomo cried out about this and said: He who loves wine and oil will not become rich (וּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא צָוַוח עַל דָּא וְאָמַר: אוֹהֵב יַיִן וָשֶׁמֶן לֹא יַעֲשִׁיר) (Proverbs 21). For another kind of wealth will be destined for him (דְּהָא עוּתְרָא אָחֳרָא יִזְדָּמַן לֵיהּ), to have a portion in it (לְמֶהֱוִי לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בֵּיהּ), and to have a portion in the World to Come (וּלְמֶהֱוִי בֵּיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי)—the place where wine and oil dwell in this world and the next (אֲתַר דְּיַיִן וְשֶׁמֶן שַׁרְיָין בְּעָלְמָא דָּא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And one who loves that place does not desire wealth nor chases after it (וּמַאן דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ לְהַאי אֲתַר, לָא בָּעֵי עוּתְרָא וְלָא רָדִיף אֲבַתְרֵיהּ).

Fortunate are the Righteous who pursue supernal wealth every day (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּעוּתְרָא עִלָּאָה כָּל יוֹמָא), as it is written: Gold and glass cannot equal it, nor can vessels of fine gold be exchanged for it (דִּכְתִּיב: לֹא יַעֲרְכֶנָּה זָהָב וּזְכוּכִית וּתְמוּרָתָהּ כְּלִי פָז) (Job 28)—this is in this world (הַאי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And afterward: To cause those who love Me to inherit substance, and I will fill their storehouses (לְבָתַר: לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ וְאוֹצְרוֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא) (Proverbs 8). Again he opened and said (תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר): And Hashem said to Moshe, Come up to Me to the mountain, etc. (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה וְגוֹ') (Exodus 24). And the Torah—this is the Written Torah (וְהַתּוֹרָה, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב). And the mitzvah—this is the Oral Torah (וְהַמִּצְוָה, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה). Instruct them is written deficient (לְהֹרֹתָם כְּתִיב חָסֵר), as you say: And into the chamber of my mother’s teaching (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְאֶל חֶדֶר הוֹרָתִי) (Song of Songs 3). Here one must consider—instruct them of whom? (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, הוֹרֹתָם דְּמִי). If you say instruct them of Yisrael—not so, for Yisrael are not mentioned in this verse (אִי תֵּימָא הוֹרֹתָם דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לָאו הָכֵי, דְּהָא יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא אַדְכָּרוּ בְּהַאי קְרָא). Rather, instruct them of Torah and mitzvah (אֶלָּא הוֹרֹתָם דְּתוֹרָה וּמִצְוָה). And what is that? This is the wine that is guarded (וּמַאי הִיא, דָּא אַתַר יַיִן דְּמִנְטְרָא). For every writing of the supernal book rests there (בְּגִין דְּכָל כְּתִיבָה דְּסֵפֶר עִלָּאָה תַּמָּן שַׁרְיָא), and from there Torah goes out (וּמִתַּמָּן נָפְקָא תּוֹרָה). And because of this we call it the Written Torah (וְעַל דָּא קָרֵינָן תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב). And this is that I have written to instruct them—to instruct them indeed (וְדָא הוּא אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְהֹרֹתָם, לְהֹרֹתָם וַדַּאי), as you say: And into the chamber of my mother’s teaching (כַּמָּה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְאֶל חֶדֶר הוֹרָתִי).

The Oral Torah is another Torah (תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, תּוֹרָה אָחֳרָא), which exists upon the mouth (דְּקַיְּימָא עַל פֶּה). Who is the mouth? This is Da‘at (מַאן אִיהוּ פֶּה, דָּא הוּא דַּעַת), which is the mouth of the book and of the writing (דְּאִיהוּ פֶּה דְּסֵפֶר וּכְתִיבָה). And this Torah is another Torah, which is called the Oral Torah (וְתוֹרָה דָּא, הִיא תּוֹרָה אָחֳרָא, דְּאִקְרֵי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה), which stands upon that mouth which is the Written Torah (דְּאִיהִי קַיְּימָא עַל הַהוּא פֶּה דְּאִיהִי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב).

Because of this, Moshe was elevated in all (בְּגִין כַּךְ אִסְתָּלִיק מֹשֶׁה בְּכֹלָּא), above all other faithful prophets (עַל כָּל שְׁאָר נְבִיאֵי מְהֵימְנֵי), as it is written: And I shall give to you—to you precisely (דִּכְתִּיב: וְאֶתְּנָה לְךָ, לְךָ דַּיְיקָא). It is written: Remove the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the refiner; remove the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in kindness (כְּתִיב: הָגוֹ סִיגִים מִכָּסֶף וַיֵּצֵא לַצּוֹרֵף כֶּלִי, הָגוֹ רָשָׁע לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ, וְיִכּוֹן בַּחֶסֶד כִּסְאוֹ) (Proverbs 25).

Come and see: at the time when the guilty increase in the world (תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַסְגִּיאוּ חַיָּיבִין בְּעָלְמָא), the throne of the Holy King is set up in judgment (כוּרְסְיָיא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִישָׁא אִתְתַּקְּנַת בְּדִינָא), to be corrupted in judgment (some say: defiled) (some say: endures) (לְאִסְתְּאָבָת — ס״א וְאִשְׁתְּאָבַת — ס״א וְקַיְּימָא — בְּדִינָא), and its flames burn the world (וְשַׁלְהוֹבוֹי אוֹקְדִין עָלְמָא). And when the guilty are removed from the world (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְעֲבָר חַיָּיבַיָא מֵעָלְמָא), then his throne is established in kindness (כְּדֵין וְיִכּוֹן בַּחֶסֶד כִּסְאוֹ). In kindness and not in judgment—what does this mean? (בַּחֶסֶד, וְלָא בְּדִינָא מַאי מַשְׁמַע).