Daf 7a (דַּף ז׳ ע״א)

“Going” (הוֹלֵךָ)—as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “All the rivers go to the sea” (כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם) (Kohelet 1:7). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “All goes to one place” (הַכֹּל הוֹלֵךְ אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד) (Kohelet 3:20). “And grew very strong” (וְחָזֵק מְאֹד)—as we have learned (כַמָה דְּתָנֵינָן): “A vessel that holds forty Se'ah” (כְּלִי מַחֲזִיק אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה) (Mishnah Mikvaot 7:1). “And grew very strong” (וְחָזֵק מְאֹד), for there is no word in the Orayta that is weak or broken (דְּלֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא חַלָשָׁא אוֹ תְּבִירָא), such that when you contemplate it and understand it (דְּכַד תִּסְתְּכַל וְתִנְדַּע בָּהּ), you will not find it as powerful as a hammer that shatters rocks (דְּלָא תִּשְׁכַּח לָהּ תַּקִּיפָא כְּפַטִּישָׁא דְּמַתְבָּר טִינָרִין). And if it appears weak (וְאִי אִיהִי חַלָשָׁא), it is because of you (מִינָּךְ הוּא). As they established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ): “For it is not an empty word” (כִּי לֹא דָּבָר רֵק הוּא) (Devarim 32:47), and if it is empty, it is from you (וְאִם רֵק הוּא, מִכֶּם אִיהוּ) (Sifrei, Ha'azinu 306). Therefore: “And grew very strong” (וְעַל דָּא וְחָזֵק מְאֹד).

It is written (כְּתִיב): “Moshe spoke, and Elohim answered him with a Voice” (מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל) (Shemot 19:19). In this place supernal words were included (בַּאֲתַר דָּא אִתְכְּלִלוּ מִלִּין עִלָּאִין). Behold, they have already established (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ): “And Elohim answered him with a Voice” (וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל), with the voice of Moshe (בְּקוֹלוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה), with that Voice to which Moshe was attached (בְּהַהוּא קוֹל דְּאָחִיד בֵּיהּ מֹשֶׁה). Here one must contemplate (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא), for the opposite appears (דְּהָא אִפְּכָא הֲוָה), since it is written (כִּי דִּכְתִיב): “And Elohim spoke” (וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים) (Shemot 20:1), while here it is written (וְהָכָא כְּתִיב): “Moshe spoke” (מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר). Rather (אֶלָּא), there are those who say (אִית דְּאַמְרֵי): because it is written (בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב): “And they said to Moshe: You speak with us and we will hear, but let not Elohim speak with us” (וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה וְאַל יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ אֱלֹהִים) (Shemot 20:16). Therefore (וְעַל דָּא): “Moshe spoke, and Elohim answered him” (מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר, וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ). For not a single word in the Orayta was found to have come from the mouth of Moshe alone (בְּגִין דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח מִלָּה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מִפּוּמָא דְּמֹשֶׁה בִּלְחוֹדוֹי).

And this is what has been established (וְדָא הוּא דְּאוּקְמוּהָ): “The curses in Mishneh Torah Moses spoke from his own mouth” (קְלָלוֹת שֶׁבְּמִשְׁנֶה תּוֹרָה מֹשֶׁה מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ אַמָרָן). From his own — we did not learn (מֵעַצְמוֹ לָא תָּנֵינָן), but from his mouth (אֶלָּא מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ). These — from the mouth of Gevurah (הַלָּלוּ מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה). And these — from his own mouth (וְהַלָּלוּ מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ), from the mouth of that voice which he grasped, which is called so (מִפִּי הַהוּא קוֹל דְּאָחִיד בֵּיהּ, דְּאִקְרֵי הָכִי). And rightly is the matter (וְשַׁפִּיר מִלָּה).

And in the Sefer Aggadata [Book of Aggadah] from the academy of Rav (וּבְסִפְרָא דְּאַגַּדְתָּא דְּבֵי רַב אַמְרֵי), they said (אַמְרֵי): Even though the entire Orayta was spoken from the mouth of Gevurah (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה אִתְּמַר כּוּלָהּ), it was likewise spoken from the mouth of Moshe himself (מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה כְּמוֹ כֵּן אִתְּמַר). And what is this? (וּמַאי אִיהוּ). For example, the curses in Mishneh Torah (כְּגוֹן קְלָלוֹת שֶׁבְּמִשְׁנֶה תּוֹרָה) (Devarim 28). Afterwards they were included within Gevurah (וּלְבָתַר אִתְּכְּלִילָן בִּגְבוּרָה). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Moshe spoke, and Elohim answered him with a Voice” (מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל) (Shemot 19:19). “Moshe spoke” (מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר)—this is the voice of Moshe (דָּא קוֹלוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה). “And Elohim answered him with a Voice” (וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל)—this is Gevurah, which acknowledged that voice (דָּא גְּבוּרָה, דְּאוֹדֵי לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא קָלָא). This is the meaning of what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “He answered him with a Voice” (יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל), with that voice of Moshe (בְּהַהוּא קוֹל דְּמֹשֶׁה). And now (וְהַשְׁתָּא), whoever opens with words of the Orayta (מַאן דְּפָתַח בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), let him begin and say: “Be seated” (לִיפְתַּח וְיֵימָא, יָתְבוּ).

Rabbi Abba opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר): It is written (כְּתִיב): “And the daughter of a Kohen, if she becomes a widow or divorced, and has no offspring...” (וּבַת כֹּהֵן כִּי תִהְיֶה אַלְמָנָה וּגְרוּשָׁה וְזֶרַע אֵין לָהּ וְגוֹ׳) (Vayikra 22:13). Fortunate is the portion of Yisrael above all the nations who worship idolatry (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִכָּל עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה). For when Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד בָּרָא עָלְמָא), He created it only for the sake of Yisrael (לָא בָּרָא לֵיהּ אֶלָּא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), because they were destined to receive the Orayta at Mount Sinai (בְּגִין דִּיְקַבְּלוּן אוֹרַיְיתָא בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי), to become purified in all things (וְיִתְדָּכוּן בְּכֹלָּא), and to be found righteous before Him (וְיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן זַכָּאִין קָמֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי): when this world was completed through Yisrael (כַּד אִשְׁתְּלִים הַאי עָלְמָא בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), it became patterned after that which is above (כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). That Adam was planted in the earth (וְהַהוּא אָדָם אִתְנְעִיץ בְּאַרְעָא), and his height reached to the extremity of heaven (וְרוּמֵיהּ מָטֵי עַד צֵית שְׁמַיָא). Kudsha Berikh Hu desired to complete—Some say: to perfect (בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַשְׁלְמָא (נ״א: לאשלפא))—a holy Neshama from above to below (נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא), so that one would be joined and bound with the other (בְּגִין דְּיִתְאֲחִיד וְיִתְקְשָׁר דָּא בְּדָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And Hashem Elohim formed the man from the dust of the ground...” (וַיִּיצֶר יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה וְגוֹ׳) (Bereshit 2:7), so that one would be bound with the other (לְמֶהֱוֵי קָשִׁיר דָּא בְּדָא), and be found complete according to the pattern above (וְיִשְׁתְּכַּח שְׁלִים כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and thus complete and rectify himself (וְיַשְׁלִים וִיתַקֵּן גַּרְמֵיהּ הָכֵי). Therefore He created him male and female (וּבְגִין כָּךְ בָּרָא לֵיהּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא), so that he would be complete (לְמֶהֱוֵי שְׁלִים).

And when is a person called complete according to the pattern above? (וְאֵימָתַי אִקְרֵי בַּר נָשׁ שְׁלִים כְּגַוונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). At the time when he is united with his mate (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִזְדַּוִּוג בְּבַת זוּגֵיהּ), in unity, joy, and willing desire (בְּאַחֲדוּתָא בְּחֶדְוָותָא בִּרְעוּתָא), and brings forth from himself and from his female a son and a daughter (וְיַפִּיק מִנֵּיהּ וּמִנוּקְבֵיהּ בֵּן וּבַת). Then that person is complete according to the pattern above (וּכְדֵין הוּא בַּר נָשׁ שְׁלִים כְּגַוונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and complete below (וְאַשְׁלִים הוּא לְתַתָּא), according to the pattern of the supernal Holy Name (כְּגַוונָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה). Then the supernal Holy Name is called—Some say: established—upon him (וּכְדֵין אִתְקְרֵי (נ״א: אתקיים) שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה עָלֵיהּ).

But a person who does not desire to complete the Holy Name below (וּבַר נָשׁ דְּלָא בָּעֵי לְאַשְׁלְמָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא לְתַתָּא), it would have been better for him had he never been created (טַב לֵיהּ דְּלָא אִתְבְּרֵי), for he has no portion whatsoever in the Holy Name (דְּהָא לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא כְּלַל בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). And when his Neshama departs from him (וְכַד נָפִיק נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ), it is not united with him at all (לָא אִתְאַחֲדָא בֵּיהּ כְּלַל), because the image of the likeness of his Master remains incomplete until it is bound—Some say: returned—and fully rectified (דְּהָא אַזְעָרַא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּמָארֵיהּ עַד דְּאִתְקַשְּׁרָא (נ״א: דאתהדרא) וְאִתְתַּקְּנַת בְּכֹלָּא).

This is what is written: “And the daughter of a Kohen, if she be a widow or divorced…” (Leviticus 22) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וּבַת כֹּהֵן כִּי תִהְיֶה אַלְמָנָה וּגְרוּשָׁה וְגוֹ') The daughter of a Kohen—this is the holy soul, which is called the daughter of the King (וּבַת כֹּהֵן, דָּא נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִתְקְרֵי בְּרַתָּא דְּמַלְכָּא).

For they established that the holy soul goes forth from the union of the King and the Matronita. (דְּהָא אוּקְמוּהָ דְּנִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא מִזִוּוּגָא דְּמַלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא נַפְקַת) And so, just as the body below is from male and female, so too the soul above. (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ הֵיךְ גּוּפָא דִּלְתַתָּא מִדְּכָר וְנוּקְבָּא, אוּף הָכִי נִשְׁמְתָא לְעֵילָּא) “If she be a widow”—from that body in which she was joined, and he died. (כִּי תִּהְיֶה אַלְמָנָה מֵהַהוּא גּוּפָא דְּאִזְדַּוְּוגַת בֵּיהּ, וּמִית) “Or divorced”—that she was cast away from that portion of the holy Name. (וּגְרוּשָׁה, דְּאִתְתַּרְכַת מֵהַהוּא חוּלָקָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא) And why all this? Because “and she have no seed”—no seed to be found in the likeness of above, to be bound in the holy Name. (וְכָל כַּךְ לָמָּה, בְּגִין דְּזְרַע אֵין לָהּ לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וּלְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא) “And she shall return unto her father’s house”—who is “and she shall return”? Return, plain, to be rectified as at the beginning. (וְשָׁבָה אֶל בֵּית אָבִיהָ, מַאן וְשָׁבָה. וְשָׁבָה סְתָם, לְאִתְתַּקְנָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין) And then, “and she shall return to her father’s house”—this is Kudsha Berikh Hu. (וּכְדֵין וְשָׁבָה אֶל בֵּית אָבִיהָ, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) “As in her youth”—as in the beginning. (כִּנְעוּרֶיהָ: כְּקַדְמֵיתָא) “Of her father’s bread shall she eat”—to delight herself with the delights of the King. (מִלֶּחֶם אָבִיהָ תֹּאכֵל, לְאִתְעַנְּגָא בְּעִנּוּגָא דְּמַלְכָּא).