Daf 117b (דַּף קי״ז ע״ב)

And the secret of the matter: “Where is He that put within him” (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה אַיֵּה הַשָּׂם בְּקִרְבּוֹ) (Isaiah 63). That is: “What is His Name” (דְּאִיהוּ מַה שְּׁמוֹ) (Exodus 3). And this is Adam, who is the fourth (וְדָא אָדָם דְּאִיהוּ רְבִיעָאָה). And because of him it is said: “And for four I will not turn it back” (וּבְגִינֵיהּ אִתְּמַר וְעַל אַרְבָּעָה לֹא אֲשִׁיבֶנּוּ) (Amos 2). I will not return him in reincarnation further (לֹא אֲשִׁיבֶנּוּ בְגִלְגּוּלָא יַתִּיר). Since the fathers, who are Adam, rest in him (כֵּיוָן דְּנָח בֵּיהּ אֲבוֹי דְּאִיהוּ אָדָם). At that time it is made known: “What is His Name and what is His Son’s Name, if you know” (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע מַה שְּׁמוֹ וּמַה שֵּׁם בְּנוֹ כִּי תֵדָע) (Proverbs 30). And this is the secret of “What is His Name, what shall I say to them” (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא מַה שְּׁמוֹ מָה אוֹמַר אֲלֵיהֶם). And this is the complete Merkavah (וְדָא אִיהוּ מֶרְכַּבְתָּא שְׁלֵימָא). Shin-three living creatures upon which Mem-Heh rides (ש תְּלַת חֵיוָון, דְּרָכִיב עֲלַיְיהוּ מ״ה). And concerning them it is said: “Behold, all these does E-l work twice, three times with a man” (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר הֶן כָּל אֵלֶּה יִפְעַל אֵ״ל פַּעֲמַיִם שָׁלֹשׁ עִם גָּבֶר) (Job 33).

Rabbi Shimon rose and said (קָם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): “And she again bore his brother Hevel” (וַתּוֹסֶף לָלֶדֶת אֶת אָחִיו אֶת הָבֶל) (Bereshit 4). Woe to the world that has eyes but does not see (וַוי לְעָלְמָא דְאִית לוֹן עַיְינִין וְלָא חָזָאן), ears but does not hear the secrets of the Orayta (אוּדְנִין וְלָא שָׁמְעִין בְּרָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and go after the profits of this world (וְאָזְלִין בָּתַר בִּצְעִין דְּהַאי עָלְמָא).

Come and see: Kayin is the evil inclination (תָּא חֲזִי קַיִן אִיהוּ יֵצֶר הָרָע). Hevel is the good inclination (הֶבֶל יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב). Hevel is the heart (הֶבֶל אִיהוּ הַלֵּב). And these are the two chambers of the heart (וְאִינוּן תְּרֵי בָּתֵּי לִבָּא). This is what is written: “The heart of the wise is at his right, and the heart of the fool at his left” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ) (Ecclesiastes 10). The heart of the wise is at his right-this is Hevel (לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ דָא הֶבֶל). Of him it is said: “And she again bore his brother Hevel” (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וַתּוֹסֶף לָלֶדֶת אֶת אָחִיו אֶת הָבֶל). He is the addition of the Holy Spirit (אִיהוּ תוֹסֶפֶת רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ). Kayin is the spirit of impurity, who diminished and did not add (קַיִן אִיהוּ רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה דְאִיהוּ גָרַע וְלָא אוֹסִיף). Kayin himself (קַיִן גּוּפָא), a nest for both (קַן לְתַרְוַיְיהוּ). And because of this it is said: “Do not look at the vessel, but at what is in it” (וּבְגִינָהּ אִתְּמַר אַל תִּסְתַּכֵּל בְּקַנְקַן אֶלָּא בַּמֶּה דְאִית בֵּיהּ). Surely Kayin is the heart (וַדַּאי קַיִן אִיהוּ לִבָּא), which is the shell of the nut (דְאִיהוּ קְלִיפָה דֶאֱגוֹזָא). Not that which is above, which is the inner part of the Tree of Life (לַאו הַהוּא דִלְעִילָא דְאִיהוּ אִיבָּא דְאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי). And because this Kayin has in him good and evil (וּבְגִין דְּהַאי קַיִן אִית בֵּיהּ טַב וּבִישׁ), it is said of him: “And of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it” (אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וּמֵעִץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ) (Bereshit 2). Until that shell of the nut is passed from him (עַד דְּאִתְעַבַּר הַהִיא קְלִיפָה מִנֵּיהּ דֶּאֱגוֹזָא).

The inner part is called death and life, light and darkness (אִיבָּא אִתְקְרִי מִיתָה וְחַיֵּי אוֹר וְחֹשֶׁךְ). Hevel-good, and Hevel-evil (הֲבַל טַב וַהֲבַל בִּישׁ). Hevel of the Orayta, which is flame (הֲבַל דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְאִיהוּ לַהַב). Concerning him it is said: “The voice of Hashem hews out flames of fire” (עֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר קוֹל יהו״ה חֹצֵב לַהֲבוֹת אֵשׁ) (Psalms 29). And this is Hashem of Moshe (וְדָא ה׳ דְּמֹשֶׁה). Mem-Moshe (מ׳ מֹשֶׁה). Shin-Shet (ש׳ שֵׁת). Of him it is said: “For I drew him out of the water” (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ כִּי מִן הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִיהוּ) (Exodus 2). Shin-Shem (ש׳ שֵׁם). And not in vain did Shem establish his study halls in Orayta (וְלַאו לְמַגָּנָא הֲוָה שֵׁם קוֹבֵעַ מֶדְרָשׁוֹת בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And Shet was the completion of the Aleph-Bet (וַהֲוָה שֵׁת סִיּוּמָא דְאַלְפָא בֵּיתָא). Shet, because: “You have placed all beneath his feet” (שֵׁת בְּגִין כֹּל שַׁתָּה תַחַת רַגְלָיו) (Psalms 8). And Hevel, from the side of the right, is included in seven vanities (וְהֶבֶל מִסִּטְרָא דִימִינָא אִיהוּ כְּלִיל שִׁבְעָה הֲבָלִים). And these are ABGYTTZ, etc. (וְאִינוּן אבגית״ץ וְכוּ׳). Six ascend (שִׁית סָלְקִין), which are flames in the six pipes of the reed (דְּאִינוּן לְהָבִים בְּשִׁית עִזְקָאן דְּקָנֶה). And the Hevel of the mouth is the seventh (וַהֲבַל דְּפֶה שְׁבִיעָאָה). And corresponding to them David said seven voices that are to Hashem, O sons of the mighty (וּלְקִבְלַיְיהוּ אָמַר דָּוִד שִׁבְעָה קָלִין דְּהָבוּ לַיהו״ה בְּנֵי אֵלִים) (Psalms 29). And concerning these seven it is said: “For not by bread alone shall man live, but by every utterance of the mouth of Hashem shall man live” (וְעַל אִלֵּין שִׁבְעָה אִתְּמַר כִּי לֹא עַל הַלֶּחֶם לְבַדּוֹ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם כִּי עַל כָּל מוֹצָא פִי יהו״ה יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם) (Deuteronomy 8). And these seven voices ascend in seven firmaments (וְאִלֵּין שִׁבְעָה קָלִין סָלְקִין בְּשִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִין). And there are seven of the left that descend in seven earths (וְאִית שִׁבְעָה דִּשְׂמָאלָא דְּנָחֲתִין בְּשִׁבְעָה אַרְעִין). And concerning them Kohelet said: “Who knows the spirit of the children of man, whether it goes upward” (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אָמַר קֹהֶלֶת מִי יוֹדֵעַ רוּחַ בְּנֵי הָאָדָם הָעוֹלָה הִיא לְמַעְלָה) (Ecclesiastes 3).

Seven good vanities are these, they are the seven years of plenty (שִׁבְעָה הֲבָלִים טָבִין אִלֵּין אִינוּן שֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי הַשָּׂבָע). And corresponding to them, the others correspond to the seven years of famine (וּלְקִבְלַיְיהוּ אָחֳרָנִין לָקֳבֵל שֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי הָרָעָב). These are vanities of life, and these are vanities of death (אִלֵּין הֲבָלִים דְּחַיֵּי, וְאִלֵּין הֲבָלִים דְּמִיתָה). And because of this there is Hevel and there are vanities (וּבְגִין דָּא יֵשׁ הֶבֶל וְיֵשׁ הֲבָלִים). Five are the heart (ה׳ לֵב). Four are the four living creatures of the throne (ד׳ אַרְבַּע חֵיוָון דְּכָרְסַיָּיא). Six are the six levels of the throne (ו׳ שִׁית דַּרְגִּין דְּכָרְסַיָּיא). And upon them rest the ten utterances, which are ten (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ שַׁרְיָין עֲשָׂר אֲמִירָן דְּאִינוּן י׳). And the Vav that goes out from Hevel is the voice that flies in the air (ו׳ דְּנָפִיק מֵהֶבֶל אִיהוּ קוֹל דְּאִיהוּ פּוֹרֵחַ בַּאֲוִיר). It is light, fivefold light (דְּאִיהוּ אוֹר חָמֵשׁ אוֹר). Surely these are the five supernal ones (וַדַּאי אִינוּן ה׳ עִלָּאָה). The Yod is speech and utterance (י׳ דִּבּוּר וַאֲמִירָה). And these are vanities-Hevel ascends in the five supernal (וְאִינוּן הֲבָלִים, הֶבֶל סָלִיק בְּה׳ עִלָּאָה). And Hevel descends in the five lower (וַהֲבַל נָחִית בְּה׳ תַּתָּאָה). The descent is speech (נָחִית דִּבּוּר). And in these vanities ascends one voice and ascends (וּבְאִלֵּין הֲבָלִים סָלִיק בְּחַד קָלָא סָלִיק). And by this it descends (וּבְדָא נָחִית).

In the five lower ascends the voice, which is Vav (בְּה׳ תַּתָּאָה סָלִיק קָלָא דְּאִיהוּ ו׳). In the five supernal descends speech, which is Yod (בְּה׳ עִלָּאָה נָחִית דִּבּוּר דְּאִיהוּ י׳). And the vanities ascend and descend in the heart (וַהֲבָלִים סָלְקִין וְנָחֲתִין בְּלִבָּא). And behold, the angels of Elohim ascend and descend there, and they are sixteen (וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִי״ם סָלְקִין וְנָחֲתִין תַּמָּן וְאִינוּן י״ו). The lower Heh is set upon the earth (ה׳ תַּתָּאָה מוּצָב אַרְצָה). And its head reaches the heavens, this is the upper Heh which is called the heavens (וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה דָא ה׳ עִלָּאָה דְאִתְקְרֵי הַשָּׁמָיְמָה). And if they do not ascend in the thought, which is Yod Heh Vav Heh (וְאִם לָא סָלְקִין בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה דְאִיהִי יו״ד ה״א וָא״ו ה״א), they do not regard the prayers (לָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין בִּצְלוֹתִין). These are vanities that are not from the side of unification (אִלֵּין הֲבָלִים דְּלַאו אִינוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְיִחוּדָא). And other vanities are those of separation (וַהֲבָלִים אָחֳרָנִין אִינוּן בְּפִירוּדָא). And they ascend in evil thought (וְסָלְקִין בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה בִּישָׁא). And because there is separation there, it is said: in their thought, the evil thought is joined to deed (וּבְגִין דְּאִית תַּמָּן פִּירוּדָא אִתְּמַר בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה דִלְהוֹן מַחֲשָׁבָה בִּישָׁא מִצְטָרְפָא לְמַעֲשֶׂה). And the vanities in which there is no separation, their thought is joined to deed (וְהֲבָלִים דְּלֵית בְּהוֹן פְּרוּדָא מַחֲשָׁבָה דִלְהוֹן מִצְטָרְפָא לְמַעֲשֶׂה). And the essence of the four letters and ten letters, this is Malkhut (וְעִקָּר דְּאַרְבַּע אַתְוָון וַעֲשַׂר אַתְוָון אִיהִי מַלְכוּתָא), which is included from all ten Sefirot (דְאִיהִי כְלִילָא מִכָּל עֲשַׂר סְפִירָן). And in it everything must be included (וּבֵיהּ צָרִיךְ כֹּלָּא לְאַכְלָלָא). For whoever takes Malkhut without the nine Sefirot, he is cutting the plantings (דְכָל מָאן דְנָטִיל מַלְכוּת בְּלָא תֵּשַׁע סְפִירָן אִיהוּ מְקַצֵּץ בַּנְּטִיעָן). And whoever takes nine Sefirot without Malkhut, he denies the root (וְכָל מָאן דְנָטִיל תֵּשַׁע סְפִירָן בְּלָא מַלְכוּת אִיהוּ כּוֹפֵר בְּעִיקָר).

The vanities of the Sitra achra-concerning them it is said: “They are vanity, a work of delusion” (וְהֲבָלִים דְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר הֶבֶל הֵמָּה מַעֲשֵׂה תַּעְתּוּעִים) (Jeremiah 10). For these are vanities that ascend in foul speech and in falsehood (דְּאִינוּן הֲבָלִים סָלְקִין בְּנִבְלוּת הַפֶּה וּבְשִׁקְרוּת). And all of them ascend toward the brain of sun, moon, stars, and constellations in the heavens, which are shells (וְכֻלְּהוּ סָלְקִין לְגַבֵּי מוֹחָא אִית חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה וְכֹכְבַיָּא וּמַזָּלַיָּא בִרְקִיעִין דְּאִינוּן קְלִיפִין).

Concerning them it is said: “Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity” (דַּעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר הוֹי מוֹשְׁכֵי הֶעָוֹן בְּחַבְלֵי הַשָּׁוְא) (Isaiah 5). And concerning them it is said: “For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke” (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר כִּי שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ) (Isaiah 51). And: “The moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed” (וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה וְכוּ׳) (Isaiah 24). And how many vanities they have, all of them filled with lies and falsehood (וְכַמָּה הֲבָלִים אִית לוֹן דְּכֻלְּהוּ מַלְיָין שֶׁקֶר וְשָׁוְא). And whoever brings forth words of falsehood, many angels of destruction spread their wings to receive them (וְכָל מָאן דְּאַפִּיק מִלִּין דְּשִׁקְרָא כַּמָּה מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה פָּתְחִין גַּדְפַיְיהוּ לְקִבְלוֹן). This is what is written: “For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כִּי עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹלִיךְ אֶת הַקּוֹל וְכוּ׳) (Ecclesiastes 10). And these utterances are builders of many structures (וְאִלֵּין מִלּוּלִין אִינוּן בָּנִין כַּמָּה בִּנְיָינִין).