Daf 6b (דַּף ו׳ ע״ב)

When He reached her (כַּד מָטָא לְגַבָּהּ), He saw her that she was lying in the dust (חָמָא לָהּ דְּהֲוָה שְׁכִיבַת לְעַפְרָא). Who beheld the glory of the Matronita at that time (מַאן חָמָא יְקָרָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא בְּהַהִיא זִמְנָא), and the pleas of the King toward her (וּבָעוּתִין דְּמַלְכָּא לָקֳבְלָהּ), until the King grasped her with His hands (עַד דְּאָחִיד לָהּ מַלְכָּא בִּידוֹי), and raised her (וְאוֹקִים לָהּ), and brought her to His palace (וְאַיְיתֵי לָהּ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ), and promised her that He would never separate from her forever (וְאוֹמֵי לָהּ דְּלָא יִתְפְּרַשׁ מִינָּהּ לְעָלְמִין), and never be distant from her (וְלָא יִתְרְחִיק מִינָּהּ). So it is with Kudsha Berikh Hu (כַּךָ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): in all the times that Knesset Yisrael was in exile (כָל זִמְנִין דִּכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא), when the time arrived (כַד הֲוָה מָטֵי זִמְנָא), she would come and return before the King (הִיא אֲתִיאַת וְהַדְרַת קָמֵי מַלְכָּא). But now, in this exile, it is not so (וְהַשְׁתָּא בְּגָלוּתָא דָּא לָאו הָכִי).

Rather, Kudsha Berikh Hu Himself will grasp her by her hand (אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יוֹחִיד בִּידָהָא), and will raise her (וְיוֹקִים לָהּ), and will be reconciled with her (וְיִתְפְּיַיס בַּהֲדָהּ), and will bring her to His palace (וְיָתִיב לָהּ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ). And come and see that it is so (וְתָא חֲזֵי דְּהָכִי הוּא), for it is written: “She has fallen, she shall rise no more” (נָפְלָה לא תוֹסִיף קוּם), and concerning this it is written: “On that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David” (Amos 9) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אָקִים אֶת סֻכַּת דָּוִיד הַנֹפֶלֶת). She shall not rise as in the other times (הִיא לֹא תּוֹסִיף קוּם כְּזִמְנִין אָחֳרָנִין), but I will raise her (אֲבָל אֲנָא אוֹקִים לָהּ). And for this it is written: “On that day I will raise the booth of David that is fallen” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אָקִים אֶת סֻכַּת דָּוִד הַנֹּפֶלֶת). I Myself will raise the booth of David (אֲנִי אָקִים אֶת סוּכַּת דָּוִד).

Who is the booth of David (מַאן סֻכַּת דָּוִד)? This is the Virgin of Yisrael (דָּא בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל). The fallen one (הַנּוֹפֶלֶת): as it is written, “She has fallen” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב נָפְלָה). And this is the glory of the Virgin of Yisrael (וְדָא הִיא יְקָרָא דִּבְתּוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל), and her praise (וְתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דִּילָהּ). And this we have learned at that time (וְדָא אוֹלִיפְנָא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה), surely you have spoken to my heart (וַדַּאי מָלִילְתָּא עַל לִבָּאי), and it is settled (וְאִתְיִשְׁבָא), and this is the clarification of the matter (וְדָא בְּרִירוּ דְּמִלָּה). And this word has gone (וְאַזְלָא הַאי), like a matter that I had heard and forgotten, and now I have gained it (כְּמִלָה חֲדָא דְּשָׁמַעְנָא וְשָׁכַחְנָא, וְהַשְׁתָּא רָווחְנָא לָהּ). For we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן):

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to proclaim upon Knesset Yisrael and say (זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַכְרְזָא עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיֵימָא): “Shake yourself from the dust, arise, O captive Jerusalem” (Isaiah 52) (הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קוּמִי שְׁבִי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם). Like one who grasps the hand of his companion and says “Shake yourself, arise” (כְּמַאן דְּאָחִיד בִּידָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ וְיֵימָא הִתְנָעֵר, קוּם), so Kudsha Berikh Hu will grasp her and say: “Shake yourself, arise” (כַּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יוֹחִיד בָּהּ וְיֵימָא הִתְנַעֲרִי, קוּמִי).

Rabbi Aḥa said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֲחָא), so it is with all the children of the palace of the King (וְכֵן כָּל אִינּוּן בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא דְּמַלְכָּא), in this language they open (בְּלִישָׁנָא דָּא פַּתְחִין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “Arise, shine, for your light has come” (Isaiah 60) (קוּמִי אוֹרִי כִּי בָא אוֹרֵךְ), behold the King is here (הָא מַלְכָּא הָכָא), surely then this is her glory (וַדַּאי כְּדֵין הוּא יְקָרָא דִּילָהּ), and the joy of all (וְחֶדְוָותָא דְּכֹלָּא), when the King is reconciled with her (כַד מַלְכָּא אִתְפְּיַיס בַּהֲדָהּ). As it is written, “And Bathsheba came unto the king into the palace” (1 Kings 1) (כתיב ותבא בת שבע אל המלך החדרה), in this likeness (כגוונא דא). In all those times she came to the King (בְּכָל אִינּוּן זִמְנִין אִיהִי אָתַת לְגַבֵּי דְּמַלְכָּא), and stood before Him (וְקָמַת קָמֵיהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “And she came in before the king, and she stood before the king” (1 Kings 1) (וַתָּבֹא לִפְנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ, וַתַּעֲמוֹד לִפְנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ). But at this time it is not so (אֲבָל בְּזִמְנָא דָּא לָאו הָכִי), rather the King will come to her (אֶלָּא מַלְכָּא יֵיתֵי לְגַבָּהּ), and be reconciled with her (וְיִתְפְּיַיס בַּהֲדָהּ), and bring her into His palace (וְיֵתִיב לָהּ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “Behold, your King shall come unto you” (Zechariah 9) (הִנֵּה מַלְכֵּךְ יָבֹא לָךְ), surely so (וַדַּאי), and not you to Him (וְלָא אַנְתְּ לְגַבֵּיהּ). “He shall come to you” — to appease you (יָבֹא לָךְ, לְפַיְּיסָא לָךְ). “He shall come to you” — to raise you up (יָבֹא לָךְ, לְאַקָּמָא לָךְ). “He shall come to you” — to complete you in all things (יָבֹא לָךְ, לְאַשְׁלְמָא לָךְ בְּכֹלָּא). “He shall come to you” — to bring you up to His palace (יָבֹא לָךְ, לְאַעְלָאָה לָךְ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ), and to join with you in the Zivug of worlds (וּלְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא עִמָּךְ זִוּוּגָא דְּעָלְמִין), as it is said, “And I will betroth you unto Me in faithfulness” (Hosea 2) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי בֶּאֱמוּנָה).

While they were going (עַד דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי), Rabbi Abba encountered them (פָּגַע בְּהוּ רִבִּי אַבָּא). They said (אָמְרוּ), behold, the Master of Wisdom is coming (הָא מָארֵיהּ דְּחָכְמְתָא אָתֵי), let us receive the face of the Shekhinta (נְקַבֵּל אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא). When they drew near with him (כַּד קְרִיבוּ בַּהֲדֵּיהּ), he slipped away from the incense-pan of the furnace (אִשְׁתְּמִיט מִקַּסְטוֹרָא דְּקוּפְטְרָא), and came down with them (וְנָחַת גַּבּוֹן). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “And it came to pass, when the voice of the shofar grew louder and louder” (Exodus 19) (וַיְהִי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק מְאֹד וְגוֹ'). “And the voice of the shofar” (וַיְהִי קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר), here the early books disagreed (הָכָא אַפְלִיגוּ סִפְרֵי קַדְמָאֵי), yet all were struck in one matter (וְכֻלְּהוּ בְּחַד מִלָּה אִתְתְּקָעוּ). There are those who say (אִית מַאן דְּאָמַר), “The voice of the shofar” means two (קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר תְּרֵי): voice one (קוֹל חַד), the shofar two (הַשּׁוֹפָר תְּרֵי). And he proves it (וְדָיִיק לָהּ), for it is not written “And the shofar grew louder” (מִדְּלָא כְּתִיב וַיְהִי הַשּׁוֹפָר הוֹלֵךְ וְחָזֵק), but rather “The voice of the shofar” (אֶלָּא קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר).

A voice that goes forth from a shofar (קוֹל דְּנָפִיק מִשּׁוֹפָר), which indeed is called shofar (דְּודַּאי שׁוֹפָר אִקְרֵי), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “And it shall be on that day that a great shofar shall be blown” (Isaiah 27) (יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל). And this is the great shofar (וְהַאי אִיהוּ שׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל), through which deeds go forth to the freedom of the worlds (דְּבֵיהּ נָפְקִין עַבְדִּין לְחֵירוּת עָלְמִין). And this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And there are those who teach and prove (ואִית מַאן דְּתָנֵי וְדָיִיק), that all is one (דְּכֹלָּא חַד), because it is written “The voice of the shofar” (בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר), meaning a voice that is called shofar (קוֹל דְּאִקְרֵי שׁוֹפָר).

And from where do we know that it is called a Voice? (ומְנָא לָן דְּאִקְרֵי קוֹל). From what is written (מִמַּה דִּכְתִּיב): “A great Voice, and it did not cease” (קוֹל גָּדוֹל וְלֹא יָסָף) (Devarim 5:19). And this great Voice (וְהַאי קוֹל גָּדוֹל) is called Shofar (אִקְרֵי שׁוֹפָר). Therefore it is written (וְעַל דָּא): “The Voice of the Shofar was going” (קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר הוֹלֵךְ) (Shemot 19:19). Where was it going? (לְאָן הוֹלֵךְ). If you say to Mount Sinai or to Yisrael (אִי תֵּימָא לְהַר סִינַי, אוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), it should have said “descending” (יוֹרֵד מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Rather (אֶלָּא), the Orayta goes forth from here (אוֹרַיְיתָא מֵהָכָא נָפְקָא), and from this place (וּמֵאֲתָר דָּא), which is the totality of all the other voices (דְּאִיהוּ כְּלָלָא דְּכָל שְׁאָר קָלִין), it was given (אִתְיְיהִיבַת).

And when all these words are contemplated (וְכַד יִסְתַּכְּלוּן מִלֵּי), all is one (כֹלָּא חַד). Therefore (וְעַל דָּא), the first Tablets were inscribed from this place (לוּחֵי קַדְמָאֵי רְשִׁימִין מֵהַאי אֲתַר הֲווֹ). This is the secret of the matter (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה), as it is written (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “Engraved upon the Tablets” (חָרוּת עַל הַלּוּחוֹת) (Shemot 32:16). Do not read Charut [Engraved] (אַל תִּקְרֵי חָרוּת), but Cherut [Freedom] (אֶלָּא חֵירוּת). True Freedom (חֵירוּת מַמָּשׁ), the place upon which all freedom depends (אֲתַר דְּכָל חֵירוּ בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָא).

And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): there is not a single word in the Orayta (לֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), concerning which all the Friends say, “This way,” and “That way” (דְּאַמְרִין כֻּלְּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא דָּא הָכִי וְדָא הָכִי), that does not ultimately go to one place (דְּלָא אָזִיל כֹּלָּא לַאֲתַר חַד), and gather into one fountain (וּלְמַבּוּעָא חַד אִתְכְּנַשׁ).