Daf 5b (דַּף ה׳ ע״ב)

“Elohim is known in her palaces as a stronghold” (Ps. 48) (אֱלֹהִים בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ נוֹדַע לְמִשְׂגָּב וְגוֹ'), these are Netzach and Hod (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן נֶצַ״ח וְהוֹ״ד), where is gathered all blessings (דְּתַמָן כְּנִישׁוּתָא דְּכָל בִּרְכָאן), a gathering of joy (כְּנִישׁוּתָא דְּחֶדְוְותָא). From there it goes forth by the hand of that degree called Tzaddik (מִתַּמָּן נָפְקָא עַל יְדֵי דְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא דְּאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק), and there blessings are assembled (וְתַמָּן אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ בִּרְכָאן), to bestow fragrance upon this holy city (לְבַסְּמָא לְהַאי עִיר קַדִּישָׁא), and to bless from there (וּלְאִתְבָּרְכָא מִתַּמָּן). “For behold, the kings assembled” (Ps. 48) (כִּי הִנֵּה הַמְּלָכִים נוֹעֲדוּ), these are all the crowns of the King in one collective (אִלֵּין כָּל כִּתְרֵי מַלְכָּא בִּכְלָלָא חֲדָא), and to another place these matters ascend (וְלַאֲתַר אָחֳרָא מִלִּין אִלֵּין סַלְּקִין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי), at the time when a man directs his deeds through a korban (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ מְתַקֵּן עוֹבָדוֹי עַל יְדֵי דְּקָרְבְּנָא), everything is sweetened and brought near (כֹּלָּא אִתְבְּסָם וְאִתְקְרַב), and this is bound with that (וְאִתְקְשָׁר דָּא בְּדָא), in complete unity (בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים). This is what is written: “Adam, when he brings from among you” (Lev. 1) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִּיב אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם). “When he brings” means to bind matters properly (כִּי יַקְרִיב לְקַשְּׁרָא מִלִּין כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי), “Adam, when he brings” (אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב), to exclude one who is not married (לַאֲפוּקֵי מַאן דְּלָא אִתְנְסִיב), for his korban is not a korban (דְּהָא קָרְבָּנֵיהּ לָאו קָרְבָּן), and blessings are not found with him (וּבִרְכָּאן לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחָן לְגַבֵּיהּ), Some say: through him (נ״א: עַל יְדֵיהּ), neither above nor below (לָא לְעֵילָּא, וְלָא לְתַתָּא).

From the implication that it is written “Adam, when he brings” (מִמַּשְׁמַע דִּכְתִּיב אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב), here it differs, for he is not Adam (שָׁאנֵי הָכָא, דְּלָאו אִיהוּ אָדָם), and he is not in the category of Adam (וְלָא בִּכְלָלָא דְּאָדָם הוּא), and Shekhinah does not rest upon him (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא שַׁרְיָא עָלוֹהִי), for he is blemished (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ פָּגִים), and is called one with a defect (וְאִקְרֵי בַּעַל מוּם), and the Master of defects is far from everything (וּמָארֵי דְּמוּמָא אִתְרַחֲקָא מִכֹּלָּא), how much more so from the altar to offer a korban (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְמַדְבְּחָא לְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנָא). And Nadav and Avihu prove this (ונָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אוֹכָחָן), as it is written: “And fire went out from before Hashem” (Lev. 9) (דִּכְתִּיב, וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ'). And because of this it is written: “Adam, when he brings from among you a korban to Hashem” (Lev. 1) (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ כְּתִיב, אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַיְיָ'), Adam in whom are found male and female together (אָדָם דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא), this one is worthy to bring this korban (הַאי חֲזֵי לְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנָא דָּא), and not another (וְלָא אָחֳרָא).

And Rabbi Abba said (וְאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), even though it was explained regarding Nadav and Avihu in another matter (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאוּקְמוּהָ לְנָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא בְּמִלָּה אָחֳרָא), so it is indeed (הָכִי הוּא ודַּאי). But the incense is higher than all offerings of the world (אֲבָל קְטֹרֶת, עִלָּאָה הוּא מִכָּל קָרְבְּנִין דְּעָלְמָא), for upon it blessings are bestowed above and below (דְּעָלֵיהּ אִתְבָּרְכָן עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי). And this offering, which is higher than all offerings (וְקָרְבְּנָא דָּא דְּאִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא מִכָּל קָרְבְּנִין), they were not fitting to bring (לָא אִתְחָזוּן אִינּוּן לְקָרְבָא), for they were not married (דְּהָא לָא אִתְנְסִיבוּ).

For the offering they were not fitting (לְקָרְבָּנָא לָא אִתְחֲזוּן), how much more so for higher matters, that blessings be bestowed through them (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְמִלִּין עִלָּאִין, דְּיִתְבָּרְכוּן עַל יְדַיְיהוּ). And if you say: “And fire went out from before Hashem and consumed them” (Lev. 10) (וְאִי תֵּימָא וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם), why? (אֲמַאי). A man who came before the Matronita (לְבַּר נָשׁ דְּאָתָא קָמֵי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא), to announce to her that the King was coming to her house (לְבַשְּׂרָא לָהּ דְּהָא מַלְכָּא אָתֵי לְבֵיתָהּ), to dwell with her, the Matronita, to rejoice with her (וְיִשְׁרֵי בָּהּ בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, לְמֶחְדֵּי עִמָּהּ). He came before the King (אָתָא לְקָמֵי מַלְכָּא). The King saw that man, who was blemished (חָמָא מַלְכָּא הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ מָארֵי דְּמוּמִין).

The King said: this is not My honor (אָמַר מַלְכָּא, לָאו הוּא יְקָרָא דִּילִי), that through this blemished one, I should enter to the Matronita (דְּעַל יְדוֹי דְּהַאי פָּגִים, אִיעוּל לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). Meanwhile, the Matronita had prepared the house for the King (אַדְּהָכִי אַתְקְנַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא בֵּיתָא לְמַלְכָּא). When she saw that the King was ready to come to her (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָאת דְּמַלְכָּא הֲוָה זַמִּין לְמֵיתֵי לְגַבָּהּ), and that this man caused the King to withdraw from her (וְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ גָּרִים לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מַלְכָּא מִינָּהּ), then the Matronita commanded to kill that man (כְּדֵין פְּקִידַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא לְקָטְלָא לְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ). So too, at the time when Nadav and Avihu entered, and the incense in their hands (כַּךָ בְּזִמְנָא דְּעָאלוּ נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא, וּקְטֹרֶת בִּידַיְיהוּ), the Matronita rejoiced (חַדָּת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא), and prepared herself to receive the King (וְאִתְתַּקְּנַת לְקַבְּלָא לְמַלְכָּא). When the King saw those men, blemished, masters of defects (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא מַלְכָּא אִינּוּן גֻּבְרִין פְּגִימִין, מָארֵי דְּמוּמִין), the King did not wish that through them He should come to dwell with her (לָא בָּעָא מַלְכָּא דְּעַל יְדַיְיהוּ יֵיתֵי לְמִשְׁרֵי עִמָּהּ), and the King withdrew from her (וְאִסְתְּלַּק מַלְכָּא מִנָּהּ). When the Matronita saw that on their account the King had withdrawn from her (כַד חֲמַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא דִּבְגִינֵיהוֹן אִסְתַּלָּק מַלְכָּא מִנָּהּ), immediately “fire went out from before Hashem and consumed them” (Lev. 10) (מִיַּד וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי יְיָ' וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם). And all this is because one who is not married is blemished (וכָל דָּא בְּגִין דְּמַאן דְּלָא אִתְנְסִיב הוּא פָּגִים).

A master of defects before the King (מָארֵיהּ דְּמוּמִין קֳדָם מַלְכָּא), the holiness of the King departs from him (קְדוּשָּׁה דְּמַלְכָּא אִסְתַּלָּק מִנֵּיהּ), and does not dwell in blemish (וְלָא שַׁרְיָא בִּפְגִּימוּ). And therefore it is written: “When a man among you brings an offering” (Lev. 1) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן). Whoever is called Adam shall bring (מַאן דְּאִקְרֵי אָדָם יַקְרִיב), and whoever is not called Adam shall not bring (וּמַאן דְּלָא אִקְרֵי אָדָם לָא יַקְרִיב). From the animal — a general statement (מִן הַבְּהֵמָה כְּלָל). From the cattle and from the sheep — a specification (מִן הַבָּקָר וּמִן הַצֹּאן פְּרָט). After these that are fit to eat (לְבָתַר אִלֵּין דְּכַשְׁרִין לְמֵיכַל), and those that are not fit to eat are forbidden to bring (וּדְלָא כַּשִּׁרְיָן לְמֵיכַל אָסִיר לְקָרְבָא). And in another place, both the fit and the unfit were excluded (וְלַאֲתַר אָחֳרָא אִסְתָּלִיקוּ אִינּוּן דְּכַשְׁרָן וְאִינּוּן דְּלָא כַּשְׁרָן). “If his offering is a burnt offering” (Lev. 1) (אִם עוֹלָה קָרְבָּנוֹ).

Rabbi Chiyya opened (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח): “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways” (Isaiah 55) (כִּי לא מַחְשְׁבֹתַי מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם וְלא דַרְכֵיכֶם דְּרָכָי). “For My thoughts are not your thoughts” (כִּי לא מַחְשְׁבֹתַי מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם) — “My thoughts” is written deficient, without a Vav (מַחְשְׁבֹתַי כְּתִיב חָסֵר בְּלא ו').

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): The thought of Kudsha Berikh Hu (מַחֲשָׁבָה דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), it is the supernal, the head of all (הִיא עִלָּאָה וְרֵישָׁא דְּכֹלָּא). And from that thought pathways and channels extend (וּמֵהַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה אִתְפְּשָּׁטוּ אָרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין), for the holy Name to be found (לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), and to establish it in its proper arrangement (וּלְאַתְקְנָא לֵיהּ בְּתִקּוּנוֹי כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת). And from that thought issues forth the flow of the Garden of Eden (וּמֵהַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה אִתְנְגִיד וְנָפִיק שַׁקְיוּ דְּגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן), to water all (לְאַשְׁקָאָה כֹּלָּא). And from that thought stand the supernal and the lower (וּמֵהַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה, קַיְימִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין). And from that thought is found Written Torah and Oral Torah (וּמֵהַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה, מִשְׁתְּכַח תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב וְתוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה).