Daf 102b (דַּף ק״ב ע״ב)

And because of this: “There is a vanity which is done upon the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked” (Ecclesiastes 8) (וּבְגִין דָּא יֶשׁ הֶבֶל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה עַל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ צַדִּיקִים אֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים). This is Adam and Hevel (דָּא אָדָם וְהֶבֶל). For this one sinned in thought and in deed, and this one sinned in thought and in deed (דְּדָא חָב בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה וּבְעוֹבָדָא, וְדָא חָאב בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה וּבְעוֹבָדָא).

In thought, it is Yod (בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה אִיהִי יו״ד). About it is said (Numbers 14): “They have tested Me these ten times” (עֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר וַיְנַסּוּ אוֹתִי זֶה עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים). And because of this, when Adam came in Gilgul as Avraham, he was tested in ten tests (וּבְגִין דָּא כַּד אָתָא אָדָם בְּגִלְגּוּל בְּאַבְרָהָם אִתְנַסִּי בֵּיהּ בְּעִשֶׂר נִסְיוֹנִין). And because he sinned in deed, when he came in Gilgul [Reincarnation] as Yitzchak, he was tested in deed (וּבְגִין דְּחָאב בְּמַעֲשֶׂה כַּד אִתְגַּלְגַּל בְּיִצְחָק נִתְנַסָּה בְּמַעֲשֶׂה).

In Avraham he was tested in thought (בְּאַבְרָהָם נִתְנַסָּה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה), and in Yitzchak in deed (וּבְיִצְחָק בְּמַעֲשֶׂה). Ya'akov included both (יַעֲקֹב כְּלִיל תַּרְוַיְיהוּ). From the side of Yitzchak he was called Ya'akov (מִסִּטְרָא דְיִצְחָק קָרָא לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב). From the side of Avraham, where there is thought, he was called Yisrael (מִסִּטְרָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּתַמָּן מַחֲשָׁבָה קְרָא לֵיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל). For Abba came in Gilgul [Reincarnation] in Avraham, who is to the right (דְּאַבָּא אִתְגַּלְגַּל בְּאַבְרָהָם דְּאִיהוּ לִימִינָא), and Imma in Yitzchak, who is to the left (וְאִמָּא בְיִצְחָק דְּאִיהוּ לִשְׂמָאלָא). Ya'akov, because he included both Abba and Imma, about him it is said: “Yisrael arose in thought” (יַעֲקֹב בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ כְּלִיל תַּרְוַיְהוּ אַבָּא וְאִמָּא, אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה), in the supernal Keter, which is hidden thought (בְּכֶתֶר עִלָּיוֹן דְּאִיהוּ מַחֲשָׁבָה סְתִימָא). And when Adam came, he joined with Avraham, and his roots spread in the earth (וְכַד אָתָא אָדָם אִצְטַרַף בְּאַבְרָהָם, וְאִתְפַּשְׁטוּ שָׁרְשׁוֹי בְּאַרְעָא).

And the secret of the matter: “The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold” (Proverbs 17) (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף וְכוּר לַזָּהָב). The crucible for silver is Avraham (מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף דָּא אַבְרָהָם). The furnace for gold is Yitzchak (וְכוּר לַזָּהָב דָּא יִצְחָק). “And Hashem tests hearts” is Ya'akov (וּבוֹחֵן לִבּוֹת יהו״ה דָּא יַעֲקֹב). There is no Sefirah in which the Supernal Adam did not come in Gilgul [Reincarnation] (לֵית סְפִירָה דְלָא אִתְגַּלְגַּל אָדָם עִלָּאָה). For he is Yod Hei Vav Hei (דְּאִיהוּ יו״ד ה״א וא״ו ה״א), Ko’ach Mah [power of M”H], Chokhmah indeed (כֹּ״חַ מָ״ה חָכְמָה וַדַּאי). To refine and to whiten Adam who was created in His image below (בְּגִין לְצָרְפָא וּלְלַבְּנָא לְאָדָם דְּבָרָא בְדִיּוֹקְנֵיהּ לְתַתָּא), and He emanated in him His Atzilut (וְאָצִיל בֵּיהּ אֲצִילוּתֵיהּ). And all the labor above was not in Adam except for the Atzilut of the Supernal Adam (וְכָל טָרְחָא דִלְעִילָא לָא הֲוָה בְּאָדָם אֶלָּא בְגִין אֲצִילוּת דְּאָדָם דִּלְעִילָא). For this depends on that (דְּדָא בְּדָא תַּלְיָא).

Rabbi El'azar said: If so, what is “and he shall return to the days of his youth” (Job 33) (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אִם כֵּן מַאי וְיָשׁוּב לִימֵי עֲלוּמָיו). And because Yisrael arose in thought, he said to him: From where do we know that Avraham was there in thought (וּבְגִין דָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה, אָמַר לֵיהּ מִנָּלָן דְּאַבְרָהָם תַּמָּן בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה)? He said to him: Not in vain did the masters of the Mishnah establish “Whoever wishes to become wise should go south,” for this is Chokhmah and it is thought (אָמַר לֵיהּ לָאו לְמַגָּנָא תְּקִינוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין הָרוֹצֶה לְהַחְכִּים יַדְרִים דְּאִיהִי חָכְמָה וְאִיהִי מַחֲשָׁבָה).

In Avraham Adam was whitened (בְּאַבְרָהָם אִתְלַבֵּן אָדָם). In Yitzchak he was refined (וּבְיִצְחָק אִצְטְרַף). And the secret of the matter: “The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold” (Proverbs 17) (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף וְכוּר לַזָּהָב). The crucible for silver is Avraham (מַצְרֵף לַכֶּסֶף דָּא אַבְרָהָם). The furnace for gold is Yitzchak (וְכוּר לַזָּהָב דָּא יִצְחָק). “And Hashem tests hearts” is Ya'akov (וּבוֹחֵן לִבּוֹת יהו״ה דָּא יַעֲקֹב). “And all these things El does, twice and three times with a man” (Job 33) (וְהֵן כָּל אֵלֶּה יִפְעַל אֵ״ל פַּעֲמַיִם שָׁלֹשׁ עִם גָּבֶר). He said to him: If so, what is “and he shall return to the days of his youth” (Job 33) (אָמַר לֵיהּ אִם כֵּן מַאי וְיָשׁוּב לִימֵי עֲלוּמָיו). He said to him: To a tree that was old in days, and its branches dried up (אָמַר לֵיהּ לְאִילָנָא דַהֲוָה קַשִּׁישׁ יוֹמִין וְאִתְיַיבְּשׁוּ עַנְפִין דִּילֵיהּ), cut it down, yet it sprouted in its roots, and branches arose from it new like before (קַצִּיצוּ לֵיהּ וְאַצְמַח בְּשָׁרְשׁוֹי, דְּקָמוּ מִנֵּיהּ עַנְפִין חַדְתִּין כְּקַדְמֵיתָא), in the manner that was in its youth (כְּגַוְונָא דַהֲוָה בְּעוּלֵמוֹי). And this is: “And he shall return to the days of his youth” (Job 33) (וְדָא אִיהוּ וְיָשׁוּב לִימֵי עֲלוּמָיו). And this was the dream that Nevukhadnetzar saw in his dream: “A great and mighty tree” (Daniel 4) (וְדָא הֲוָה חֶלְמָא דְחָזָא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ, אִילָנָא רְבָא וּתְקִיף). And at the end of his dream it is said (Daniel 4): “Hew down the tree and cut off its branches” (וּבַסּוֹף חֶלְמֵיהּ הֲוָה אָמַר גֹּדּוּ אִילָנָא וְקַצִּיצוּ עַנְפוֹהִי). And afterward it is said (Daniel 4): “Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth” (וּלְבָתַר אָמַר בְּרַם עִקַּר שָׁרְשׁוֹהִי בְּאַרְעָא שְׁבוּקוּ). And this tree here is none other than the Supernal Adam (וְלֵית אִילָן הָכָא אֶלָּא אָדָם עִלָּאָה), about whom it is said (Deuteronomy 20): “For the man is the tree of the field” (דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ כִּי הָאָדָם עִץ הַשָּׂדֶה). And this tree Kudsha Berikh Hu planted in many generations, but it did not succeed (וְהַאי אִילָנָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַנְטַע לֵיהּ בְּכַמָּה דָרִין וְלָא אַצְלַח). Until He planted it in the land of Yisrael, and grafted it in the three Patriarchs, and it succeeded there (עַד דְּנָטַע לֵיהּ בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַרְכִּיב לֵיהּ בִּתְלַת אֲבָהָן וְאַצְלַח תַּמָּן). And because of this: “Lo, all these things El does, twice and three times with a man” (Job 33) (וּבְגִין דָּא הֶן כָּל אֵלֶּה יִפְעַל אֵ״ל פַּעֲמַיִם שָׁלֹשׁ עִם גָּבֶר).

Immediately when it succeeded there and was established there, its roots spread over the earth, which is the Shekhinta (מִיָּד דְּאַצְלַח תַּמָּן וַאֲחִיד תַּמָּן, אִתְפַּשְׁטוּ שָׁרְשׁוֹי עַל אַרְעָא דְאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא). And its branches ascended through all the heavens and through all the chariots of the Neshamot and the angels and the Chayot and the Seraphim and the Ophanim (וְאִסְתַּלְקוּ עַנְפּוֹי בְּכָל רְקִיעִין, וּבְכָל מַרְכְבִין דְּנִשְׁמָתִין וּמַלְאָכַיָּא וְחֵיוָון וּשְׂרָפִים וְאוֹפַנִּים). Until it returned to its first state - some say, until Ein Sof (עַד דְּאִתְחַזַּר כְּקַדְמֵיתָא, ס״א עַד אֵין סוֹף). And it has already been established: “The Tree of Life, its measure is five hundred years” (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ עֵץ הַחַיִּים מַהֲלֵךְ ת״ק שָׁנָה). “A great and mighty tree, and its height reached to heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth” (Daniel 4) (רְבָא אִילָנָא וּתְקִיף וְרוּמֵיהּ יִמְטֵי לִשְׁמַיָּא, וַחֲזוֹתֵיהּ לְסוֹף כָּל אַרְעָא). “Under it the beasts of the field found shade, and in its branches dwelt the birds of heaven” (Daniel 4) (תְּחוֹתוֹהִי תַּטְלֵל כָּל חֵיוַת בָּרָא, וּבְעַנְפוֹי יְדוּרוֹן צִפֲּרֵי שְׁמַיָּא). These are the holy Neshamot (דְאִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין קַדִּישִׁין). And from it all flesh is nourished (וּמִנֵּיהּ יִתְּזִין כָּל בִּשְׂרָא). And He grafted it until a thousand generations (וְאַרְכִּיב לֵיהּ עַד אֶלֶף דּוֹר), in the manner of the Shekhinta, who ascends to a thousand generations in the ten Sefirot (כְגַוְונָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא דְאִיהִי סְלִיקַת לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר בַּעֲשַׂר סְפִירָן). For in them ascends ten times one hundred, until in them she ascends to a thousand generations (דִּבְהוֹן סְלִיקָא עֲשַׂר זִמְנִין מְאָה, עַד דִּסְלִיקַת בְּהוֹן לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר).

And immediately when the tree succeeded in the earth, the tree descended from above (וּמִיָּד דְּאַצְלַח אִילָנָא בְאַרְעָא נָחִית אִילָנָא מִלְּעִילָא). Its roots were in the earth, which is the Shekhinta (שָׁרְשׁוֹי בְּאַרְעָא דְאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא). And there its branches were multiplied until Ein Sof (וְאִתְרַבִּיאוּ תַּמָּן עַנְפּוֹי עַד אֵין סוֹף). And in her its roots spread until there was no end (וְאִתְפַּשְׁטוּ בָּהּ שָׁרְשׁוֹי עַד אֵין תַּכְלִית). At that time the tree multiplied as at first (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִתְרַבִּי אִילָנָא כְּמִלְּקַדְמִין). This is what is written: “A great and mighty tree, and its height reached to heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth” (Daniel 4) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב רְבָא אִילָנָא וּתְקִיף וְרוּמֵיהּ מָטֵי לִשְׁמַיָּא, וַחֲזוֹתֵיהּ לְסוֹף כָּל אַרְעָא). “And from it all flesh was nourished” (וּמִנֵּיהּ יִתְּזִן כָּל בִּשְׂרָא). All the sons of man below (כָל בְּנֵי אָדָם דִּלְתַתָּא). At that time the tree multiplied as at first (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִתְרַבִּי אִילָנָא כְּמִלְּקַדְמִין). This is what is written: “A great and mighty tree…” (Daniel 4) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב רְבָא אִילָנָא וּתְקִיף וְכוּ׳). “The beasts of the field” - these are the holy Chayot (חֵיוַת בָּרָא אִלֵּין חַיּוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ). “The birds of the heaven” - these are the Neshamot (צִפֲּרֵי שְׁמַיָּא אִלֵּין נִשְׁמָתִין). And from it all flesh below is nourished (וּמִנֵּיהּ יִתְּזִן כָּל בִּשְׂרָא לְתַתָּא). For in the time that Adam sinned and cut the plantings (דִּבְזִמְנָא דְחָב אָדָם וַהֲוָה מְקַצֵּץ בַּנְּטִיעוֹת), it was as if, so to speak, he uprooted Chayot and angels and Seraphim and Ophanim from their place (כַּבְיָכוֹל כְּאִלּוּ אַעִקַר חֵיוָן וּמַלְאָכִים וּשְׂרָפִים וְאוֹפַנִּים מֵאַתְרֵיהוֹן). And there was none to receive the prayers (וְלָא הֲוָה מָאן דִּמְקַבֵּל צְלוֹתִין). As it is said of them (Ecclesiastes 10): “For a bird of the heaven shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter” (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן כִּי עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹלִיךְ אֶת הַקּוֹל, וּבַעַל הַכְּנָפַיִם יַגִּיד דָּבָר). What is “shall tell the matter”? In the prayers and merits of Yisrael (מַאי יַגִּיד דָּבָר, בִּצְלוֹתִין וְזַכְוָון דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).