Daf 11b (דַּף י״א ע״ב)

Klipah of the Foreskin (orlah) that covers upon the Yod (קְלִיפָּה דְעָרְלָה דְּכַסִּי עַל י׳), has three Klipot like the skins of onions, one over the other (אִית לָהּ תְּלַת קְלִיפּוֹת כְּגִלְדֵּי בְּצָלִים דָּא עַל דָּא), and they are like the Klipot of a nut (וְאִינוּן כְּקְלִיפִּין דֶּאֱגוֹזָא), of which it is said: “And the earth was tohu” (Bereshit 1) (דְאִתְּמַר עֲלַיְיהוּ וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ). This is the green line, the first Klipah of the nut (דָא קַו יָרוֹק קְלִיפָּה קַדְמָאָה דֶאֱגוֹזָא). “Vavohu” are stones sunk in the deep; this is the second Klipah of the nut, hard as a stone (וָבֹהוּ אֲבָנִים מְפוּלָמוֹת דָּא קְלִיפָּה תִּנְיָנָא דֶאֱגוֹזָא קָשֶׁה כְּאֶבֶן). “And darkness” is the third Klipah (וְחֹשֶׁךְ קְלִיפָּה תְּלִיתָאָה).

And in them the Rabbis established: one does not expound upon arayot in three (וּבְהוֹן אוּקְמוּהוּ רַבָּנָן אֵין דּוֹרְשִׁין בָּעֲרָיוֹת בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה). “Three years it shall be to you uncircumcised” (Leviticus 19) (שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים). Corresponding to the brain, it is: “And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, for giving praise to Hashem” (Leviticus 19) (וְלָקֳבֵל מוֹחָא, אִיהוּ וּבַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִית יִהְיֶה כָּל פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים לַי״י). And in them, from the side of the Foreskin (orlah), four entered the Pardes (וּבְהוֹן מִסִּטְרָא דְעָרְלָה אַרְבָּעָה נִכְנְסוּ לְפַרְדֵס). Three ate from these Klipot and died (שְׁלֹשָׁה אָכְלוּ מֵאִלֵּין קְלִיפּוֹת וּמֵתוּ). The fourth ate the fruit and cast away the Klipot, and lived (רְבִיעָאָה אָכַל אִיבָּא וְזָרַק קְלִיפִּין וְחַי).

In this manner it is said: Rabbi Meir found a pomegranate, its inside he ate, its Klipah he cast away (כְּגַוְונָא דָא אִתְּמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר רִמּוֹן מָצָא, תּוֹכוֹ אָכַל קְלִיפָּתוֹ זָרַק). And in this manner of these Klipot, they are the difficult questions that surround the Halakhah (וּכְגַוְונָא דְאִלֵּין קְלִיפּוֹת, אִינוּן קוּשְׁיָין דְּחַפְיָין עַל הֲלָכָה), which is the brain within (דְּאִיהִי מוֹחָא מִלְּגָאו). And no man can eat of the bread of the Orayta (וְלֵית בַּר נַשׁ יָכִיל לְמֵיכַל בְּנַהֲמָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא), of which it is said: “She is a Tree of Life” (Proverbs 3) (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ עִץ חַיִּים הִיא), until he casts away the questions from the Halakhot (עַד דְּזָרִיק קוּשְׁיָין מֵהֲלָכוֹת). And there is a Halakhah whose questions are all like a tree (וְאִית הֲלָכָה דְכָל קוּשְׁיָין דִּילָהּ אִינוּן כְּאִילָנָא), whose Klipah and its stalk and its wood and its leaves and its fruit - all are fitting to eat (דִקְלִיפָּה דִילֵיהּ וְקָנֶה דִילֵיהּ וְעִצָיו וְעַלִּין וְאִיבָּא כֻּלְּהוֹן שָׁוִין לְמֵיכַל). And concerning it, it is said: “Nard and saffron…” (Song of Songs 4) (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר נֵרְדְּ וְכַרְכּוֹם וגו׳). And because of this, not all questions are equal (וּבְגִין דָּא לַאו כָּל קֻשְׁיָין שָׁוִין).

The fourth commandment [indicated] by the word Bereshit is the Orayta [called Reshit] (פִּקּוּדָא רְבִיעָאָה בְּמִלַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית, דָּא אוֹרַיְיתָא), of which it is said: “Hashem acquired me at the beginning of His way” (Proverbs 8) (דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ י״י קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ). And this is the lower Shekhinta (וְדָא שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה), which is the beginning for the created beings (דְאִיהִי רֵאשִׁית לְנִבְרָאִים), and she is the end for the supernal Chokhmah (וְאִיהִי אַחֲרִית לְחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה). And concerning her it is said: “Declaring the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46) (וּבְגִינָהּ אִתְּמַר מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית). When she is taken from Keter she is called the Crown of Tiferet (כַּד אִתְנְטִילַת מִכֶּתֶר אִתְקְרִיאַת עֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת), the crown upon the head of every Tzaddik (עֲטָרָה בְּרֹאשׁ כָּל צַדִּיק), the crown of the Sefer Torah (תַּגָּא דְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה). And concerning her it is said: “Whoever makes use of the crown passes away” [Megilah 28b] (וּבְגִינָהּ אִתְּמַר כָּל הַמִּשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּתַגָּא חֲלָף). When she is taken from this supernal Chokhmah, which is Reshit, she is called by her name (כַּד אִתְנְטִילַת מֵהַאי חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה דְאִיהִי רֵאשִׁית, אִתְקְרִיאַת עַל שְׁמָהּ). And when she is taken from Binah, she is called by her name Tevunah (וְכַד אִתְנְטִילַת מִבִּינָהּ אִתְקְרִיאַת עַל שְׁמָהּ תְּבוּנָה). And when she is taken from Chesed, she is called the Written Torah that was given from the right (וְכַד אִתְנְטִילַת מֵחֶסֶד, אִתְקְרִיאַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב דְּאִיתְיְהִיבַת מִימִינָא), as it is written: “From His right a fiery law for them” (Deuteronomy 33) (דִכְתִיב מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ). And when she is taken from Gevurah, she is called the Oral Torah (וְכַד אִתְנְטִילַת מִגְּבוּרָה אִתְקְרִיאַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה), for thus the Masters of the Mishnah established it: the Oral Torah was given from the mouth of Gevurah (דְּהָכִי אוּקְמוּהוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה נִיתְּנָה). And from there mighty ones stand in the breach (וּמִתַּמָּן גִּבּוֹרִים עוֹמְדִים בַּפֶּרֶץ), and none can stand in it except one who is mighty in the war of Torah, mighty in his inclination (וְלָא יָכִיל לְמֵיקַם בָּהּ אֶלָּא גִבּוֹר בְּמִלְחַמְתָּהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, גִּבּוֹר בְּיִצְרוֹ). And on the third day she descended to the Middle Pillar by the hand of Moshe (וּבְיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה נְחִיתַת לְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא עַל יְדֵי דְמֹשֶׁה).

This is what is written: “And it was on the third day, when it was morning” (Exodus 19) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְהִי בַיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּהְיוֹת הַבֹּקֶר). With the two stone tablets, Netzach and Hod (בִּתְרֵי לוּחֵי אַבְנִין, נֶצַח וָהוֹד). This is what is written: “Written on both their sides” (Exodus 32) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כְּתוּבִים מִשְּׁנֵי עִבְרֵיהֶם). And they are two true prophets (וְאִינוּן תְּרֵין נְבִיאֵי קְשׁוֹט). And from the side of the Middle Pillar they are called prophets of truth (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא אִתְקְרִיאוּ נְבִיאֵי הָאֱמֶת), and Shekhinta is Torah of truth (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת). This is what is written: “The Torah of truth was in his mouth” (Malachi 2) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת הָיְתָה בְּפִיהוּ). And she is called the vision of prophecy (וְאִתְקְרִיאַת מַרְאֵה דִנְבוּאָה), and Ruach haKodesh is from the side of both of them (וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִסִּטְרָא דְתַרְוַיְיהוּ). And on the seventh day she was given, this is the Tzaddik, Yesod Olam (וּבְיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי נְתָנָהּ, דָּא צַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם). And in his level Malkhut speaks with them (וּבְדַרְגָּא דִילֵיהּ מַלְכוּת מַלִּיל עִמְּהוֹן).

And behold they established it: concerning the ten kings, lest they could not speak with one mouth (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהוּ, לַעֲשַׂר מַלְכִין שֶׁמָּא לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְדַבֵּר עַל פֶּה אֶחָד). He touched the daughter and included within her all the ten (נָגַע בְּבַת, וְכָלַל בָּהּ כָּל הָעֲשַׂר). And this is Yod in one daughter, under the Yod from Elohim, the Yod from Adonai, the Yod from Shaddai, included from all appellations and from all Havayot (וְדָא י׳ בַּ״ת אַחַת, תְּחוֹת הַי׳ מִן אֱלֹהִי״ם, י׳ מִן אֲדנָ״י, י׳ מִן שׁד״י, כְּלִילָא מִכָּל כִּנּוּיָין, וּמִכָּל הֲוַיָּין). Such as HVHY or the like, that the Yod should be under the Hei, in every Name of appellation and Havayah she is Nukva (כְּגוֹן הוה״י, אוֹ כְּוָותֵיהּ, דִּיְהֵא י׳ תְּחוֹת ה׳, בְּכָל שֵׁם דְּכִינוּי וַהֲוַיָּה אִיהִי נוּקְבָא). And because the Orayta was given from her (וּבְגִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מִינָהּ אִתְיְהִיבַת), He said to Moshe: “And you shall see My back, etc.” (Exodus 33) (אָמַר לְמֹשֶׁה וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחוֹרָי כו׳), for there is no prophet or sage who can enter higher than this (דְּלֵית נָבִיא וְחָכָם יָכִיל לְעַאָלָא לְעִילָא פָּחוּת מִן דָּא). And because of this she is called the outer keys, her outer faces (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְקְרִיאַת מַפְתֵּחוֹת הַחִיצוֹנִיִּים אַנְפִּין דִּילָהּ), and her inner faces the inner keys (וְאַנְפִּין דִּלְגָאו מַפְתֵּחוֹת הַפְּנִימִיִּים). And behold it was said above, that if a man does not have in his hand the outer keys, with what will he enter (וְהָא אִתְּמַר לְעִיל, דְּאִם בַּר נַשׁ לֵית בִּידוֹי מַפְתֵּחוֹת הַחִיצוֹנִיִּים בְּמַאי יֵיעוּל).

And because of this it is said of her: “This is the gate of Hashem” (Psalms 118) (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְּמַר בָּהּ זֶה הַשַּׁעַר לַי״י). And because there is no comprehension for prophet or seer or sage less than her (וּבְגִין דְּלֵית הַשָּׂגָה לְנָבִיא וְחוֹזֶה וְחָכָם פָּחוּת מִינָהּ), the prophet said: “Thus says Hashem, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, etc., but in this let him glory, etc., that he understands and knows Me” (Jeremiah 9) (אָמַר הַנָּבִיא כֹּה אָמַר י״י אַל יִתְהַלֵּל חָכָם בְּחָכְמָתוֹ כו׳ כִּי אִם בְּזֹאת יִתְהַלֵּל כו׳ וְיָדוֹעַ אוֹתִי). And because of this, Ya'akov taught her to his sons, and gave them the Kabbalah from her (וּבְגִין דָּא יַעֲקֹב אוֹלִיף לָהּ לִבְנוֹי, וְיָהִיב לוֹן קַבָּלָה מִינָהּ). This is what is written: “And this is what their father spoke to them” (Bereshit 49) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְזֹאת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם). And David, who had Kabbalah from her, said concerning her: “Though an army encamp against me, etc.” (Psalms 27) (וְדָוִד דַּהֲוָה לֵיהּ קַבָּלָה מִינָהּ אָמַר לְגַבָּהּ אִם תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה כו׳). He hinted to her in this crown (רָמִיז לָהּ בְּהַאי תַּגָּא), and raised his thought towards her (וְסָלִיק מַחֲשַׁבְתֵּיהּ לְגַבָּהּ), and said: “My heart shall not fear, etc.” (Psalms 27) (וְאָמַר לֹא יִירָא לִבִּי כו׳).