Daf 4a (דַּף ד׳ ע״א)

Another matter: “I have come into My garden” (דָּבָר אַחֵר בָּאתִי לְגַנִּי), this is the upper Gan Eden (דָּא גַּן עֵדֶן דִּלְעֵילָּא). “My sister, My bride” (אֲחוֹתִי כַלָּה), this is Knesset Yisrael (דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). On that day, Zivugim were joined together in everything (דִּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִזְדַּוְּוגוּ זִוּוּגִין בְּכֹלָּא), Zivugim were joined in that Gan Eden (אִזְדַּוְּוגוּ זִוּוּגִין בְּהַהוּא גַּן עֵדֶן), in order that all should be blessed from the streams of the river (בְּגִין דְּאִתְבָּרְכוּ כֻּלְּהוּ מִשַּׁקְיוּ דְּנַחֲלָא), and each one would be bound with its companion (וְאִתְקַשָּׁרוּ כָּל חַד בְּחַבְרֵיהּ). This is what is written: “I have gathered My myrrh with My spice, I have eaten My forest with My honey, I have drunk My wine with My milk” (Song of Songs 5) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אָרִיתִי מוֹרִי עִם בְּשָׂמִי אָכַלְתִּי יַעְרִי עִם דִּבְשִׁי שָׁתִיתִי יִינִי עִם חֲלָבִי). All of them drank and were satiated from the fountain of the river (כֻּלְּהוֹן אִתְשַׁקְיָין ואִתְרַוּוּ מִמַּבּוּעָא דְּנַחֲלָא).

“Eat, O friends; drink, and be intoxicated, O beloved ones” (אִכְלוּ רֵעִים שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים) (Shir HaShirim 5:1)—these are all those below (כָּל אִינּוּן דִּלְתַתָּא). And all the Anpin [Branches]—Some say: all the Almin [Worlds] (וְכֻלְּהוּ עַנְפִין (נ״א: עלמין) כֻּלְּהוּ)—were blessed and nourished (אִתְבְּרָכוּ וְאִתְּזָנוּ), when those above were blessed (כַּד אִלֵּין אִתְבְּרָכוּ לְעֵילָּא). And by what are they blessed and made fragrant? (וּבְמָּה מִתְבָּרְכָאן וּמִתְבַּסְּמָאן). All of them are through the fragrance of the Korban [Offering] (כֻּלְּהוּ בְּרֵיחָא דְּקָרְבְּנָא).

Come and see: at the time when Knesset Yisrael descended to dwell in her habitation on earth (תָּא חֲזִי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנַחְתַּת כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַשְׁרָהָא דִּיּוּרָהָא בְּאַרְעָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu said to her this verse (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר לָה, לְהַאי קְרָא), in order that blessings and joy should be found in all the worlds (בְּגִין דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בִּרְכָאן וְחֶדְוה בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין), and that she be sweetened, to bring forth blessings to all (ואִתְבַּסְּמַת הִיא, לְנָפְקָא מִנָּהּ בִּרְכָאן לְכֹלָּא). For when these six were blessed (דְּכַד אִלֵּין שִׁית אִתְבָּרְכָאן), then all the worlds were blessed as one, below and above (כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ עָלְמִין אִתְבָּרְכָאן כַּחֲדָא לְתַתָּא, וּמִתְבָּרְכָאן לְעֵילָּא). Some say: and Knesset Yisrael and Yisrael were blessed from them all (ס״א וכנסת ישראל וישראל אִתְבְּרָכוּ מְכֻּלְּהוּ).

Another matter: “I have come into My garden, My sister, My bride” (דָּבָר אַחֵר בָּאתִי לְגַנִּי אֲחוֹתִי כַלָּה). Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): Kudsha Berikh Hu did not unite—some say Yisrael—with Knesset Yisrael (לָא אִזְדַּווגָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא (ס״א ישראל) בִּכְּנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), except at the time when these six directions drink from the river that never ceases (אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִלֵּין שִׁית אַתְרְוָון, מִשַּׁקְיוּ דְּנַחֲלָא דְּלָא פָּסַק).

Rabbi Yehudah said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): “Eat, O friends, drink and be intoxicated, O beloved ones” (אִכְלוּ רֵעִים שְׁתוּ ושִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים)—these are all the masters of lamentation and wailing (אִלֵּין כָּל מָארֵי דִּיבָבָא וִילָלָה), that all became sweetened and blessed together as one (דְּאִתְבְּסָמוּ כֻּלְּהוּ וְאִתְבְּרָכוּ כַּחֲדָא). For from the feast of the King, all are sustained (דְּהָא מִסְּעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא מִתְהַנְיָין כֹּלָּא). And when do they all eat? At the time when the King rejoices—some say, when He is united (וְאֵימָתַי אַכְלֵי כֻּלְּהוּ. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמַלְכָּא (ס״א אתאחדי) אָתֵי חַדֵי). Therefore the King rejoices and gladdens the Matronita first (וְעַל דָּא מַלְכָּא אִתְחַדֵי, וְחַדֵּי לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterwards all eat and rejoice (לְבָתַר כֻּלְּהוּ אַכְלָן וְחַדָּאן).

Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): “Eat, O friends, drink and be intoxicated, O beloved ones” (אִכְלוּ רֵעִים שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים)—these are those six we mentioned (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שִׁית דְּקַאמְרָן), and these are the ones of whom it is written: “The King has brought me into His palaces” (Song of Songs 1) (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ הֱבִיאַנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ חֲדָרָיו וְגוֹ׳). “Drink and be intoxicated” (שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ), from that wine which satiates all (מֵהַהוּא יַיִן דְּרַוִּי לְכֹלָּא).

Rabbi El'azar said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר): All those below (כָּל אִינּוּן דִּלְתַתָּא)—since those six were blessed (דְּכֵיוָן דְּאִינּוּן שִׁית אִתְבָּרְכָאן)—then all below are blessed (כֻּלְּהוּ דִּלְתַתָּא מִתְבָּרְכָאן).

Rabbi Shimon said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): All is good (כֹּלָּא שַׁפִּיר), but the secret of the matter is this: “Eat, O friends” (אִכְלוּ רֵעִים) refers to those above (לְעֵילָּא); “Drink and be intoxicated, O beloved ones” (שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים) refers to those below (לְתַתָּא).

Rabbi El'azar said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): Who are those above, and who are those below? (מַאן אִינּוּן לְעֵילָּא, וּמַאן אִינּוּן לְתַתָּא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): You asked well (יָאוּת שָׁאִילְתָּא). This is the upper place, those who are in unity, in joy, never to be separated forever (דָּא אֲתַר עִלָּאָה דְּאִינּוּן בְּאַחֲדוּתָא בְּחֶדְוָותָא דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְעָלְמִין). These are called “friends” (אִלֵּין אִקְרוּן רֵעִים). This is what is written: “And a river went out of Eden” (Bereshit 2) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן), and Eden and that river are never separated (וְעֵדֶן וְהַהוּא נָהָר לָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְעָלְמִין), but are found together always in desire, in unity, in joy (וְאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ לְעָלְמִין בִּרְעוּתָא בְּאַחֲדוּתָא בְּחֶדְוָותָא). “Drink and be intoxicated, O beloved ones” (שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים), these are those below (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן לְתַתָּא), who are called “beloved ones” (דְּאִקְרוּן דּוֹדִים), at times known—and this we have already explained (לְזִמְנִין יְדִיעָן וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), concerning those above it is written of them eating, without drinking (בְּאִינּוּן עִלָּאֵי כְּתִיב בְּהוּ אֲכִילָה בְּלָא שְׁתִיָּה). Why is this so? (מַאי טַעְמָא). One who has vats of wine requires eating (מַאן דְּאִית לֵיהּ גַּרְבֵּי דְּחַמְרָא, אֲכִילָה בַּעְיָא). And because there dwells there the wine that is preserved (וּבְגִין דְּתַמָן שַׁרְיָא חַמְרָא דְּמִנְטְרָא), it is written of them eating (כְּתִיב בְּהוּ אֲכִילָה). And concerning those below, who require irrigation (וּבְאִינּוּן תַּתָּאֵי דְּבַעְיָין שַׁקְיוּ), it is written of them drinking (כְּתִיב בְּהוּ שְׁתִיָּה), for all the plantings require irrigation from the river that flows deeply (דְּהָא כָּל נְטִיעָן שַׁקְיוּ בַּעְיָין מִנַּחֲלָא דְּעָמִיקָא). Therefore, in these it is eating, and in those it is drinking (וְעַל דָּא, בְּאִלֵּין אֲכִילָה, וּבְאִלֵּין שְׁתִיָּה). These are the friends, and these are the beloved ones (אִלֵּין רֵעִים וְאִלֵּין דּוֹדִים).

Rabbi El'azar said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): It appears that the beloved ones are more precious (אִתְחֲזֵי דְּהָא דּוֹדִים חֲבִיבוּתָא אִינּוּן). Why then are they those below? (אֲמַאי אִינּוּן תַּתָּאֵי). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): They are those who desire one another, but are not always found together (אִינּוּן דְּתָאֲבִין דָּא לְדָא, וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין תָּדִיר), they are called beloved ones (אִקְרוּ דּוֹדִים). And those who are always found together, never covered or separated one from another (וְאִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי תָּדִיר, וְלָא מִתְכַּסְּיָין וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן דָּא מִן דָּא), they are called friends (אִקְרוּ רֵעִים). Therefore, these are beloved ones, and these are friends (וְעַל דָּא, אִלֵּין דּוֹדִים, וְאִלֵּין רֵעִים) these are in desire in constant unity (אִלֵּין בִּרְעוּתָא בְּאַחֲדוּתָא תָּדִיר), and those in desire only at times (וְאִלֵּין בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא לְזִמְנִין). And this is the wholeness of all (וְדָא הוּא שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא), so that Knesset Yisrael may be blessed (בְּגִין דְּתִתְבָּרְכָא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), and then there will be joy in all the worlds (וּכְדֵין חֶדְוָותָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah established this verse concerning the offerings (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אוֹקִים הַאי קְרָא בְּקָרְבְּנִין), for they are the feasts of the King, to draw near before Him (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן סְעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא, לְקַרְבָּא קַמֵּיהּ). And the masters of judgment are sustained from them (וּמִתְהַנְיָין מִינֵיהּ מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינִין), and all are sweetened (וּמִתְבַּסְּמָן כֻּלְּהוּ), and joy is found in everything (וְאִשְׁתְּכַח חֶדְוָותָא בְּכֹלָּא).