Daf 111b (דַּף קי״א ע״ב)

And there are wicked ones to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous (וְיֵשׁ רְשָׁעִים שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַצַּדִּיקִים), for they have wealth and peace and length of days in this world (דְּאִית לוֹן עוּתְרָא וּשְׁלָם וַאֲרִיכוּ דְיוֹמִין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). They said to him: Since they are wicked, why do they have all this honor? (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ בָּתַר דְּאִינוּן רְשָׁעִים אַמַּאי אִית לוֹן כָּל הַאי יְקָר). He said to them: This goodness of theirs is vanity and grasping of the wind (אָמַר לוֹן הַאי טוֹבָה דִלְהוֹן אִיהוּ הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ). For their Gilgul causes it for them, that they were complete wicked ones, and they performed-some of them merited, and were cut off in shortness of days, and it was not completed for them-many good deeds (דְּגִלְגּוּלָא דִלְהוֹן גָּרִים לוֹן דַּהֲווֹ רְשָׁעִים גְּמוּרִים, וְעָבְדוּ [זכוון כמה מנייהו, ואתקצרו בקצרות שנין ולא אשתלים לון], כַּמָּה מִינֵי טָבִין). Kudsha Berikh Hu brought them in Gilgul to complete their reward in this world (אַיְיתִי לְהוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְגִלְגּוּלָא לְאַשְׁלָמָא לוֹן אַגְרַיְיהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). This is what is written: “And He repays His haters to their face…” [Deuteronomy 7] (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וּמְשַׁלֵּם לְשֹׂנְאָיו אֶל פָּנָיו וְגוֹ'). And concerning them it is said: “And so I saw the wicked buried and come…” [Ecclesiastes 8] (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר וּבְכֵן רָאִיתִי רְשָׁעִים קְבוּרִים וָבָאוּ וְגוֹ').

Meanwhile, behold Rabbi Pinchas descended from the supernal Academy (אַדְהָכִי הָא רַבִּי פִּנְחָס קָא נָחִית מִמְּתִיבְתָּא עִלָּאָה), and appeared beneath the shadow of Rabbi Shimon (וְאִתְחַזֵּי תְּחוֹת טוּלָא דְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן). And he said to him: What is the vanity that is done upon the earth? (וְאָמַר לֵיהּ מַאי הֶבֶל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה עַל הָאָרֶץ). Is it that vanity is done upon the earth? (וְכִי עַל הָאָרֶץ אִתְעֲבִיד הֶבֶל). Rather, as you said: “And a mist went up from the earth” [Bereshit 2] (אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ). There is a vapor that is made upon the earth (דְּאִית הֶבֶל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה עַל הָאָרֶץ), the vapor of prayers and the vapor of Orayta is made upon the earth of Kudsha Berikh Hu, which is His Shekhinta (הֲבַל דִּצְלוֹתִין וַהֲבַל דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְעֲבִיד עַל אַרְעָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ). Of her it is said: “And the earth is My footstool” [Isaiah 66] (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדֹם רַגְלָי). And what is the vapor that is made upon her? (וּמַאי נִיהוּ הֶבֶל דְּאִתְעֲבִיד עֲלֵיהּ). Rather, turn vapor and you will forget it: Hevel (הֲפוֹךְ הֶבֶל וְתִשְׁכְּחֵיהּ הַלֵּב). And from it goes forth vapor, and this is Nefesh, and in it arises speech (וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפִיק הֲבַל וְדָא נֶפֶשׁ וּבֵיהּ סָלִיק דִּבּוּר). The Ruach goes forth from the left ear of the heart, and from it goes forth voice (רוּחָא נָפִיק מֵאוּדְנָא שְׂמָאלָא דְלִבָּא, וּמִנֵּיהּ נָפִיק קָלָא). And the voice is the tree, which branches into many voices, which are the branches of the tree (וְקָלָא אִיהוּ אִילָנָא, דְאִתְפַּלַּג לְכַמָּה קָלִין דְּאִינוּן עַנְפִין דְּאִילָנָא). And its fruit is speech, and the two of them are a fruit-bearing tree (וְאִיבָּא דִילֵיהּ דִּבּוּר, וְתַרְוַיְיהוּ עִץ פְּרִי). And they are body and covenant; this is the tree Vav, and this is the fruit Yod, the letter of the covenant (וְאִינוּן גּוּף וּבְרִית, דָּא עִץ ו', וְדָא פְּרִי י' אוֹת הַבְּרִית).

The lower Heh is the root of the tree (ה' תַּתָּאָה שָׁרְשָׁא דְאִילָנָא), in which are three Vav’s corresponding to the three branches (דְאִית בֵּיהּ תְּלַת וָוִי״ן לָקֳבֵל תְּלַת עַנְפִין). The upper Heh is three branches (דְש, ה עִלָּאָה תְּלַת עַנְפִין). And these three Vav’s are from “And they journeyed, and they came, and they pitched” (וְאִינוּן תְּלַת וָוִי״ן מִן וַיִּסַּע וַיָּבֹא וַיֵּט). This is the Tree of Life, whose branches were cut off by one who cut the plantings, and the fruit was removed (הַאי אִיהוּ עִץ הַחַיִּים דְּאַעֲקַר עַנְפּוֹי דְּקִצֵּץ בִּנְטִיעוֹת וְאִסְתַּלַּק אִיבָּא). And it is said of the tree: “Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches…” [Daniel 4] (וְאִתְּמַר בְּאִלָנָא גֹּדּוּ אִילָנָא וְקַצִּצוּ עַנְפוֹהִי וְגוֹ'). However, leave the root of its roots in the earth (בְּרַם עִקַּר שָׁרְשׁוֹהִי בְּאַרְעָא שְׁבֻקוּ). This is the lower Heh (דְאִיהוּ ה' תַּתָּאָה). The letters Havaya ascended, and only the Heh remained (אִסְתַּלַּק הו״י וְאִשְׁתָּאַר ה'). And because of this there are three watches of the night (וּבְגִין דָּא שָׁלֹשׁ מִשְׁמָרוֹת הֲוִ״י הַלַּיְלָה). And in each watch the Holy One Blessed Be He sits and roars like a lion (וּבְכָל מִשְׁמָר וּמִשְׁמָר יוֹשֵׁב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְשׁוֹאֵג כָּאֲרִי וְגוֹ'). The Heh of the night-upon her Kudsha Berikh Hu roars in the three watches, for there is Havayah; there Havaya is indeed (ה' דְּהַלַּיְלָה עֲלָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שׁוֹאֵג בְּשָׁלֹשׁ מִשְׁמָרוֹת דְּתַמָּן הו״י, תַּמָּן הו״י אִיהוּ וַדַּאי). And from where do we know that Adam uprooted the tree and its fruit and its branches (וּמְנָא לָן דְּאַעֲקַר אָדָם אִילָנָא וְאִיבָּא וְעַנְפִין דִּילֵיהּ), and that there remained there only the root, which is the lower Heh (וְלָא אִשְׁתָּאַר תַּמָּן אֶלָּא שָׁרְשָׁא דְאִיהִי ה' תַּתָּאָה)? This is what is written: “And He said to him: Where are you?” [Bereshit 3] (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אַיֶּכָּה). In the manner of “Eikhah,” of which it is said: “How she sits solitary” [Lamentations 1] (כְּגַוְונָא דְאֵיכָה דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד), “How the Heh sat solitary” (אֵיךְ ה' יָשְׁבָה בָדָד). Because of this Adam rolled in Gilgul into the three Patriarchs (בְּגִין דָּא אִתְגַּלְגַּל אָדָם בִּתְלַת אֲבָהָן), who are the branches of the tree, and the body and the fruit of the tree (דְּאִינוּן עַנְפִין דְּאִילָנָא וְגוּפָא וְאִיבָּא דְאִילָנָא), and that which was uprooted was rectified (וְאִתְתַּקַּן מַה דְּאַעֲקַר). He descended into Avram and planted in him the Heh, which are the branches of the tree (נָחִית בְּאַבְרָם וְנָטַע בֵּיהּ ה' דְּאִיהִי עַנְפִין דְּאִילָנָא). He descended into Yitzchak and made the fruit, which is Yod, from Yitzchak (נָחִית בְּיִצְחָק וְעָבִיד אִיבָּא דְאִיהוּ י' מִן יִצְחָק). He descended into Ya‘akov and planted in him the Vav, which is the tree (נָחִית בְּיַעֲקֹב וְנָטַע בֵּיהּ ו' דְּאִיהוּ אִילָנָא), of whom it is said “and the God of Ya‘akov” (דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וִאלֹהֵי יַעֲקוֹב).

Afterwards came Moshe, of whom it is said: “Because he also is flesh” [Bereshit 6] (לְבָתַר אָתָא מֹשֶׁה דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ בְּשַׁגַּם הוּא בָשָׂר), “Shagam-this is Hevel” (שַׁגַּם זֶה הֶבֶל). And the Five Books of the Torah descended (וְנָחִית חֲמִשָּׁה חוּמְשֵׁי תוֹרָה), which is the root of the tree (דְאִיהִי שָׁרְשָׁא דְאִלָנָא), and he completed the tree in the name of YHVH (וְאַשְׁלִים אִילָנָא בִשְׁמָא דְיהוָֹ״ה). And because of this the Name YHVH was completed in him (וּבְגִין דָּא אִשְׁתַּלִּים בֵּיהּ שֵׁם יהו״ה), as you say: “And they will say to me: What is His name, what shall I say to them” [Exodus 3] (וְאָמְרוּ לִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ מָה אֹמַר אֲלֵיהֶם), “[Exodus 4] For they will say: YHVH has not appeared to you” (כִּי יֹאמְרוּ לֹא נִרְאָה אֵלֶיךָ יהו״ה), for to the Patriarchs He was not revealed to them (דְּלַאֲבָהָן לָא אִתְגְּלִי לוֹן), because the Name was not complete in the Patriarchs (בְּגִין דְּלָא הֲוָה שְׁלִים שְׁמָא בַּאֲבָהָן), it was not revealed to them (לָא אִתְגַּלְיָא לוֹן). This is what is written: “And My name YHVH I was not known to them” [Exodus 6] (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וּשְׁמִי יהו״ה לֹא נוֹדַעִתִּי לָהֶם). By that in which Adam sinned it was rectified (בַּמֶּה דְחָב אָדָם אִתְתַּקַּן), and by that in which Hevel sinned it was rectified (וּבַמֶּה דְחָב הֶבֶל אִתְתַּקַּן). And all returned to its Tikkun: in its branches, in its roots, in its body, in its fruit (וְאִתְחַזַּר כֹּלָּא בְתִקּוּנֵיהּ בְּעַנְפּוֹי בְּשָׁרְשׁוֹי בְּגוּפֵיהּ בְּאִיבֵּיהּ). And everything is completed in Ba"r [the Son], who is Moses—the Ba"r [Son] from Bereishit (וְכֹלָּא אִשְׁתַּלִּים בְּבַ״ר דְּאִיהוּ מֹשֶׁה, ב״ר מִן בְּרֵאשִׁית). What was Shet-there descended Yod and it became “six” (מַה דַּהֲוָה שֵׁת נָחִית תַּמָּן י׳ וְאִתְעֲבִיד שִׁי״ת). And it begins with Bet, which is blessing, to bring the earth out from its curses (וּמַתְחִיל בְּב׳ דְּאִיהִי בְרָכָה לְאַפָּקָא אַרְעָא מִלְּוָוטַיָּא), as it is said concerning it: “Cursed is the ground for your sake” [Bereshit 3] (דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ). And afterwards the Resh descended upon it, which is “Reshit Chokhmah” (וּלְבָתַר נָחִית ר׳ עֲלָהּ דְאִיהִי רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה). And when he drew near to Mount Sinai, the Alef descended from “Bereishit,” which is “Anochi” (וְכַד קָרִיב לְטוּרָא דְסִינַי נָחִית א׳ מִן בְּרֵאשִׁית דְּאִיהִי אָנֹכִי). And Keter descended upon it (וְנָחִית עֲלָהּ כֶּתֶר), which are the letters of the ten utterances (דְּאִינוּן אַתְוָון דְּעִשֶׂר אֲמִירָן), and the tree was completed in all its Tikkunim (וְאִשְׁתַּלִּים אִילָנָא בְכָל תִּקּוּנִין דִּילֵיהּ).

They said to him: Rabbi, Rabbi, behold the tree is complete with YHVH (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ רַבִּי רַבִּי, הָא אִילָנָא שְׁלִים בְּיהוָֹ״ה). Why did the Alef descend from “Bereishit”? (אַמַּאי נָחִית א' מִן בְּרֵאשִׁית). Rather, because it is a fountain to water the tree (אֶלָּא בְגִין דְּאִיהוּ נְבִיעוּ לְאַשְׁקָאָה אִילָנָא). From there Elohim is filled from all nine Sefirot (דְּמִתַּמָּן אלהי״ם מְלֵיאָ״ה מִכָּל תֵּשַׁע סְפִירָאן), which are in “Bereishit” (דְּאִינוּן בַּבְּרֵאשִׁית). “Six” - these are six Sefirot (שִׁית אִינוּן שִׁית סְפִירָאן). “Bara” - three supernal Sefirot (בָּרָא תְּלַת סְפִירָאן עִלָּאִין). Elohim is the tenth, filled from all nine (אלהי״ם אִיהוּ עֲשִׂירָאָה מְלֵיאָה מִכֻּלְּהוּ תֵּשַׁע), the completion of them all (שְׁלִימוּ דְכֻלְּהוּ). And because of this: “Bereishit bara Elohim” (וּבְגִין דָּא בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אלהי״ם). “Bereishit bara” with “Elohim” (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא עִם אלהי״ם), “the heavens and the earth” (אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ). They came to kiss it; it flew upward (אָתוּ לְנַשְׁקָא לֵיהּ פָּרַח לְעִילָא).