Daf 44a (דַּף מ״ד ע״א)

In the blood of her purification, at first, and afterwards the days of her purification (בִּדְמֵי טָהֳרָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר יְמֵי טָהֳרָה). In the blood of her purification—these are the bloods of circumcision, blood after blood, that comes from the pain of the child (בִּדְמֵי טָהֳרָה, אִלֵּין, דְּמֵי מִילָה, דָּמָא בָּתַר דָּמָא דְּאָתֵי מֵרַבְיָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu guards those bloods all those days (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיר לְאִינּוּן דְּמֵי כָּל אִלֵּין יוֹמִין).

This is what is written: She shall remain in the blood of purification (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: תֵּשֵׁב בִּדְמֵי טָהֳרָה) (Leviticus 12). Purification without qualification, and the final Heh is not mentioned (טָהֳרָה סְתָם, וְלָא אַדְכִּיר הֵ״א בַּתְרָאָה), so that you should not say it is the purification of the Matronita (דְּלָא תֵּימָא טָהֳרָה דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא), but purification simple—these are called bloods of purity, clean bloods (אֶלָּא טָהֳרָה סְתָם, דְּמֵי טָהֳרָה אִקְרוּן אִלֵּין דְּמֵי דַּכְיָא). In all that is holy she shall not touch, and to the sanctuary she shall not come, etc. (בְּכָל קֹדֶשׁ לֹא תִגָּע וְאֶל הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְגוֹ') (Leviticus 12).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), every day Knesset Yisrael takes from the King sustenance for the spirits of human beings (בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, נַטְלָא מִבֵּי מַלְכָּא מְזוֹנָא לְרוּחֵיהוֹן דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and she feeds them in holiness (וְזָנַת לְהוּ בִּקְדוּשָּׁה).

Except for these, until those spirits are settled in the body after thirty-three days, the supervision upon them is daily (בַּר לְהָנֵי, עַד דְּאִתְיַישְּׁבָן בְּגוּפָא אִינּוּן רוּחִין, בָּתַר תְּלָתִין וּתְלַת יוֹמִין, אַשְׁגָחַת עָלַיְיהוּ כָּל יוֹמָא). For the spirits are bound in the body like the rest of the children of the world (דְּהָא רוּחִין מִתְקַשְּׁרָן בְּגוּפָא כִּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). Just as she, Knesset Yisrael, dwells only in a place that is complete, so all the works are in this manner, until they are perfected (כְּמָה דְּהִיא לָא שַׁרְיָא אֶלָּא בַּאֲתַר שְׁלִים, כַּךְ כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא, עַד דְּאִשְׁתְּלִימוּ). In all that is holy she shall not touch—for supervision is upon them (בְּכָל קֹדֶשׁ לֹא תִגָּע, לְאַשְׁגְּחָא עָלַיְיהוּ).

And if she gives birth to a female (וְאִם נְקֵבָה תֵלֵד). As we have established, the left side rules more strongly and the right is subdued (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, דְּשַׁלְטָא סְטָר שְׂמָאלָא יַתִיר וְאִתְכַּפְיָא יְמִינָא). And because of this everything is doubled (וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא עַל חַד תְּרֵין). The female is more distant than the male for the spirit to be bound in the body (רְחִיקָא נוּקְבָּא, מִדְּכוּרָא, לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא רוּחָא בְּגוּפָא). For the left does not settle as the right, and is found with greater severity (דְּהָא שְׂמָאלָא לָא אִתְיַישְׁבָא הָכִי כִּימִינָא, וְאִשְׁתְּכָחַת בְּתוּקְפָא יַתִיר). A woman, when she conceives and gives birth to a male, etc. (אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ וְיָלְדָה זָכָר וְגוֹ') (Leviticus 12).

Rabbi Yehudah opened and said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר): There is none holy like Hashem, for there is none besides You, and there is no rock like our Elohim (אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּיְיָ' כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ וְאֵין צוּר כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ) (I Samuel 2). This verse is difficult (הַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא). There is none holy like Hashem implies that there is another holy one, since it is written like Hashem (אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּיְיָ', מַשְׁמַע דְּאִיכָּא קָדוֹשׁ אָחֳרָא, בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב כַּיְיָ'). And there is no rock like our Elohim implies that there is another rock (וְאֵין צוּר כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ, מַשְׁמַע דְּאִיכָּא צוּר אָחֳרָא). But rather, indeed (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי), there is none holy like Hashem (אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּיְיָ'), for how many are holy—holy ones above, as it is written: And by the decree of the holy ones is the matter (דְּכַמָּה קַדִּישִׁין נִינְהוּ, קַדִישִׁין לְעֵילָּא, דִּכְתִיב: וּמֵאמַר קַדִישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתָּא) (Daniel 4).

Yisrael are holy, as it is written: You shall be holy (יִשְׂרָאֵל קַדִּישִׁין נִינְהוּ, דִּכְתִיב: קְדוֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ) (Leviticus 19). And all are holy, but not holy like Hashem (וְכֻלְּהוּ קַדִּישִׁין, וְלָאו קַדִּישִׁין כַּיְיָ'). And what is the reason? Because it is written: For there is none besides You (וּמַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב: כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ). What is for there is none besides You? But the holiness of Kudsha Berikh Hu is apart from their holiness (מַאי, כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ, אֶלָּא קְדוּשָּׁה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְתִּי קְדוּשָּׁא דִּלְהוֹן), for He does not require their holiness (דְּהוּא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לִקְדוּשָּׁה דִּלְהוֹן).

But they are not holy apart from You (אֲבָל אִינּוּן, לָאו אִינּוּן קַדִּישִׁין בִּלְתֶּךָ). And this is for there is none besides You—their holiness is nothing apart from You (וְדָא הוּא, כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ, אֵין קְדוּשָּׁה דִּלְהוֹן, בִּלְתֶּךָ). And there is no Rock like our God (וְאֵין צוּר כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ). As we have established: that Kudsha Berikh Hu forms a form within a form, and prepares it, and breathes into it a spirit of life, and brings it out into the air of the world (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא צָר צוּרָה בְּגוֹ צוּרָה, וְתָקִין לֵיהּ, וְנָפַח רוּחָא דְּחַיֵּי, וְאַפִּיק לֵיהּ לַאֲוִירָא דְּעָלְמָא).

Another matter: And there is no Rock like our God (דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְאֵין צוּר כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ). There is a rock that is called rock, as it is written: Look to the rock from which you were hewn (אִית צוּר, דְּאִקְרֵי צוּר, הַבִּיטוּ אֶל צוּר חוּצַּבְתֶּם) (Isaiah 51). And you shall strike the rock (וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר) (Exodus 17). Behold, I will stand before you there upon the rock at Ḥorev (הִנְנִי עוֹמֵד לְפָנֶיךָ שָּׁם עַל הַצּוּר בְּחוֹרֵב) (Exodus 17). And all are called rock, but there is no rock among them like our God, for His dominion and kingdom is over all (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן צוּר, וְאֵין צוּר בְּכֻלְּהוּ כֵּאלֹהֵינוּ, דִּילֵיהּ שׁוּלְטָנוּ וּמַלְכוּתָא עַל כֹּלָּא).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised (וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ) (Leviticus 12). This commandment is to cut on the eighth day, the decree of the holy covenant (פִּקּוּדָא דָּא, לְמִגְזַר לִתְמַנְיָּא יוֹמִין, גְּזִירוּ דְּקַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא). A supernal secret, as it is written: The secret of Hashem is to those who fear Him, and His covenant, to make them know it (רָזָא עִלָּאָה, דִּכְתִיב: סוֹד יְיָ' לִירֵאָיו וּבְרִיתוֹ לְהוֹדִיעָם) (Psalms 25). To whom? To those who fear Him, those who tremble at sin (לְמַאן, לְאִינּוּן יְרֵאָיו, אִינּוּן דַּחֲלֵי חַטָאָה). For this secret of the holy covenant is not revealed to be public, except to them (דְּהָא רָזָא דְּקַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא לָא אִתְחֲזִי לְגַלָּאָה, בַּר לְהוּ). And this secret of the holy covenant—behold, we have established it, and it is said in many places (וְרָזָא דְּקַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, וְאִתְּמַר בְּכַמָּה דּוּכְתִּין).

And this secret, for eight days, it is an obligation upon the world, for all the holy people (וְרָזָא דָּא, לַח' יוֹמִין, אִיהוּ חִיוּבָא עַל עָלְמָא, לְכָל עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא). As it is written: And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised (דִּכְתִיב: וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ). The eighth day—this is the letter of the holy covenant, and it is the eighth of all grades (יוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי, דָּא הוּא אוֹת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאִיהוּ תְּמִינָאָה לְכָל דַּרְגִּין). And the cutting of that covenant is to remove that foreskin before the covenant (וּגְזִירוּ דְּהַהוּא קַיָּימָא, לְאַעְבְּרָא הַהוּא עָרְלָה, מִקַּמֵּי בְּרִית). For at that time when the holy people gather to remove that foreskin before the covenant (דְּהָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּמִתְכַּנְשֵׁי עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא לְאַעְבְּרָא הַהוּא עָרְלָה מִקַּמֵּי בְּרִית), Kudsha Berikh Hu gathers all His heavenly hosts (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּנִישׁ כָּל פָּמַלְיָא דִּילֵיהּ), and He is surely revealed to remove that foreskin above, before the holy covenant (וְאִתְגְּלֵי וַדַּאי לְאַעְבְּרָא לְהַהוּא עָרְלָה לְעֵילָּא, מִקַּמֵּי בְּרִית קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא). For all the deeds that Yisrael perform below, arouse a deed above (דְּהָא כָּל עוֹבָדִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדִּין לְתַתָּא, מִתְעָרֵי עוֹבָדָא לְעֵילָּא).

And at that time that foreskin is cast away from all the holy people above (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִתְדַּחְיָיא הַהוּא עָרְלָה, מִכָּל עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא לְעֵילָּא). And for that foreskin one vessel is prepared in the dust, to dwell within it (וּלְהַהוּא עָרְלָה מְתַקְּנֵי מָאנָא חֲדָא בְּעַפְרָא, לְאַשְׁרָאָה הַהוּא עָרְלָה בְּגַוִיהּ). In the mystery of what is written: And the serpent—dust shall be its food (בְּרָזָא דִּכְתִיב: וְנָחָשׁ עָפָר לַחְמוֹ) (Isaiah 65). And dust you shall eat all the days of your life (וְעָפָר תֹּאכַל כָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ) (Bereshit 3).

From here we learn (מִכָּאן), that there is no need to bring shame upon that place, even though it is removed before this covenant (דְּלָא אִצְּטְרִיךְ לְאַנְהֲגָא קְלָנָא בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר, אַף עַל גַּב דִּמְעַבְרֵי לֵיהּ מִקַּמֵּי הַאי בְּרִית), and its place—when it is removed from this covenant—it is dust (וְדוּכְתֵיהּ, כַּד מִתְעַבְּרָא מֵהַאי בְּרִית, עַפְרָא אִיהוּ). Some say: for behold (ס״א: דְּהָא), for after that serpent was removed from before Adam, Kudsha Berikh Hu placed his dwelling in the dust (דְּהָרֵי בָּתַר דְּהַהוּא נָחָשׁ אִתְעַבָּר מִקַּמֵּי אָדָם, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שַׁוִּי לֵיהּ מָדוֹרֵיהּ בֶּעָפָר), as it is written: And dust you shall eat all the days of your life (דִּכְתִּיב: וְעָפָר תֹּאכַל כָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ) (Bereshit 3).

And since Kudsha Berikh Hu, when He removed him from before Adam, established his dwelling in the dust and prepared it (וְכֵיוָן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד אַעְבָּר לֵיהּ מִקַּמֵּי אָדָם, שַׁוִּי מָדוֹרֵיהּ בְּעַפְרָא וְאַתְקִין לֵיהּ), so in exactly the same manner (כַּךְ בְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ), when we remove the Orlah [Foreskin] (אֲנָן צְּרִיכִין כַּד מְעַבְּרִין לַעָרְלָה), we must prepare dust for it (לְאִתְתַּקְנָא לֵיהּ עַפְרָא), to be its dwelling place (לְמֶהֱוִי בֵּיהּ מָדוֹרֵיהּ).

Every person must offer that child as a Korban [Offering] to Kudsha Berikh Hu (כָּל בַּר נָשׁ אִצְּטְרִיךְ לְקָרְבָא הַהוּא בְּרָא קָרְבְּנָא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), with joy (בְּחֶדְוָה), and with the desire of the heart (בִּרְעוּ דְּלִבָּא), to bring him beneath the wings of the Shekhinah (לְמֵיעַל לֵיהּ תְּחוֹת גַּדְפּוֹי דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא).

And he is considered before Kudsha Berikh Hu as an offering, complete to be accepted with favor (וְאִתְחַשָּׁב קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִיהוּ קָרְבְּנָא, שְׁלִים לְאִתְקַבְּלָא בְּרַעֲוָא). And this offering is like the offering of an animal (וְקָרְבְּנָא דָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דְּקָרְבְּנָא דִּבְעִירָא). This is for eight days, and that is for eight days (דָּא לַח' יוֹמִין, וְדָא לַח' יוֹמִין). As it is written: And from the eighth day and onwards it shall be accepted (דִּכְתִּיב: וּמִיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי וָהָלְאָה יִרָצֶּה) (Leviticus 22).

In what is it accepted? (בְּמַאי יִרָצֶּה). By passing over it one Shabbat (בְּמֶעְבַּר עָלֵיהּ חַד שַׁבְּתָא). Once one Shabbat has passed over it, then it is acceptable as an offering—and this one as an offering, and that one as an offering (כֵּיוָן דְּאַעְבָּר עָלֵיהּ חַד שַׁבְּתָא, כְּדֵין יִרָצֶּה דָּא לְקָרְבְּנָא, וְדָא לְקָרְבְּנָא). Why? (אֲמַאי). Because it has been joined and prepared in relation to that Shabbat, the secret of the holy covenant (בְּגִין דְּאִתְדְּבַק וְאִזְדְּמַן לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא שַׁבָּת, רָזָא דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא). And because of this all is in a supernal secret (וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ). (Ra’aya Meheimna) (ע״כ רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא).