Daf 120a (דַּף ק״כ ע״א)

And the expansion of the letter Yod above from six (וְאִתְפַּשְׁטוּתָא דְאָת יו״ד לְעִילָא מִשֵּׁת), Some say: from six (נ״א מִשִּׁית). It spread until the sixth Sefirah, the level of Ya'akov (אִתְפַּשְׁטַת עַד סְפִירָה שְׁתִיתָאָה דַרְגֵּיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב). And this is the Foundation Stone, from which the world was founded (וְדָא אֶבֶן הַשְּׁתִיָּה דְמִתַּמָּן הוּשָׁתַת עָלְמָא). Concerning it, it is said: “From there, the Shepherd, the Stone of Yisrael” (דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ מִשָּׁם רוֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Bereshit 49:24). And afterwards “Az [then]” (וְאַבַּתְרֵיהּ אָז). And this is Moshe, who is remembered after Ya'akov (וְדָא מֹשֶׁה דְמִדְכְּרִין לֵיהּ בָּתַר יַעֲקֹב). And because of this: “Then it was begun to call upon the Name of Hashem” (וּבְגִין דָּא אָז הוּחַל לִקְרוֹא בְּשֵׁם יְהו״ה) (Bereshit 4:26). From there and onward: “Then you shall call, and Hashem shall answer” (מִתַּמָּן וְאֵילֵךְ אָז תִּקְרָא וַיהו״ה יַעֲנֶה) (Isaiah 55:9). And because of this, Shatah [he drank]: after Shet [Seth] comes Heh; and they are Yod–Heh—the Yod from Shit [six], and the Heh from Hevel [vanity] (וּבְגִין דָּא שַׁתָּה, בָּתַר שֵׁת ה׳, וְאִינוּן י״ה, יו״ד מִן שִׁית ה׳ מִן הֶבֶל). And these are Abba and Imma (וְאִינוּן אַבָּא וְאִמָּא). Six - the Vav created in the middle (שִׁית ו׳ בְּרָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא). And the three letters were included in Ya'akov (וּתְלָתָא אַתְוָון אִתְכְּלִילוּ בְּיַעֲקֹב). When Moshe came after Ya'akov, the last Heh was completed in him (כַּד אָתָא מֹשֶׁה בָּתַר יַעֲקֹב אִשְׁתַּלִּים בֵּיהּ ה׳ בַּתְרָאָה). And upon him rested YHV (וְשַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ יָה״ו). And in him was completed Hashem (וְאִשְׁתַּלִּים בֵּיהּ יְהו״ה). And because of this: “And My Name, Hashem, I was not known to them” (וּבְגִין דָּא וּשְׁמִי יְהו״ה לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם) (Exodus 6:3). But to Moshe: “And they shall say to me, ‘What is His Name, what shall I say to them?’” (אֲבָל לְמֹשֶׁה וְאָמְרוּ לִי מַ״ה שְׁמוֹ מָ״ה אוֹמַר אֲלֵיהֶם) (Exodus 3:13). Because Hashem was completed in Moshe (בְּגִין דְּאִשְׁתַּלִּים יְהו״ה בְּמֹשֶׁה). He said: “Then it was begun to call upon the Name of Hashem” (אָמַר אָז הוּחַל לִקְרוֹא בְּשֵׁם יְהו״ה).

At first: “And My Name, Hashem, I was not known to them” (דִּבְקַדְמֵיתָא וּשְׁמִי יְהו״ה לֹא נוֹדַעְתִּי לָהֶם). And after Hashem was completed in Moshe, Hashem rested upon him - Yod Heh Vav Heh (וּבָתַר דְּאִשְׁתַּלִּים בְּמֹשֶׁה יְהו״ה שַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ יו״ד ה״א וָא״ו ה״א). And he was called M”H (וְאִתְקְרֵי מ״ה). At that time, that which had departed at first returned to its place, and all was rectified (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא מַה דְּאִסְתַּלַּק בְּקַדְמֵיתָא אַהֲדַר לֵיהּ לְאַתְרֵיהּ, וְאִתְתַּקַּן כֹּלָּא). And not only this, but twice it is said in this verse “M”H”: “And they shall say to me, ‘What is His Name, what shall I say to them?’” (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא תְּרֵין זִמְנִין אִתְּמַר בְּהַאי קְרָא מַ״ה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְאָמְרוּ לִי מַ״ה שְׁמוֹ מָ״ה אוֹמַר אֲלֵיהֶם) (Exodus 3:13). That all returned to its place: M”H above, M”H below (דְּכֹלָּא חָזַר לְאַתְרֵיהּ, מַ״ה דִּלְעִילָא מַ״ה דִּלְתַתָּא). These are “What is His Name, and what is His Son’s Name” (דְּאִינוּן מַ״ה שְׁמוֹ וּמַ״ה שֵׁם בְּנוֹ) (Proverbs 30:4). And all returned to its rectification, and the Cause of causes descended upon all (וְחָזַר כֹּלָּא עַל תִּקּוּנֵיהּ, וְעִלַּת הָעִלּוֹת נָחִית עַל כֹּלָּא). At that time, when the faith (Some say: the appointed one) returned to its place (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְהָדַר אֱמוּנָה, ס״א מְמוּנָה, לְאַתְרָהּ). Moshe said: “Hear, O Yisrael: Hashem Eloheinu, Hashem is one” (אָמַר מֹשֶׁה שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהו״ה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהו״ה אֶחָד) (Deuteronomy 6:4).

For behold, all is in one union, there is no cutting or separation there (דְּהָא כֹלָּא בְּיִחוּדָא חֲדָא, לֵית תַּמָּן קִצּוּץ וּפִרוּד). And if our fathers sinned, and I made separation, behold I accepted punishment, and I returned all to its place in complete union without cutting or separation (וְאִי חָאב אֲבוֹי וְאַנָא וְעַבִידְנָא הַפְרָשָׁה, הָא קַבֵּילְנָא עוֹנְשָׁא, וַחֲזַרְנָא כֹּלָּא לְאַתְרֵיהּ בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים בְּלָא קִצּוּץ וּפִרוּד). And further: “Bereshit bara Elohim” (וְעוֹד בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִי״ם). “Bara six” - He created six (בָּרָא שִׁית). Six palaces (שִׁית הֵיכָלִין). The upper Imma is the seventh palace (אִימָּא עִלָּאָה הֵיכָלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה). Come and see: seven palaces they are, whose structure is in the seven Names ABGYTTZ, etc. (תָּא חֲזִי שֶׁבַע הֵיכָלִין אִינוּן דְּבִנְיָנָא דִלְהוֹן בְּשֶׁבַע שְׁמָהָן אבגי״תץ וְכוּ׳).

The first palaces is woven with everything that exists in the first day of Bereshit (הֵיכָלָא קַדְמָאָה מְרַקְּמָא בְּכָל מַה דְּאִית בְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה דִבְּרֵאשִׁית). Alef from ABGYTTZ, this is Keter, hidden, wondrous, and concealed (א׳ מִן אבגי״תץ אִיהוּ כֶּתֶר אָמוֹן מוּפְלָא וּמְכוּסֶה). The letter Bet, this is the two thousand years that the hidden Orayta was in His bosom, “delight, day by day” (אָת ב׳ אִיהוּ שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים יוֹם דַּהֲוָה אוֹרַיְיתָא טְמִירָא בְחֵיקוֹ, שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים יוֹם יוֹם). Gimel - bestowing and nurturing, and this is the supernal Imma, bestowing Chesed with the fourth Sefirah, which is Dalet (ג׳ גּוֹמֶלֶת וּמְגַדֶּלֶת, וְאִיהִי אִמָּא עִלָּאָה גוֹמֶלֶת חֶסֶד עִם סְפִירָה רְבִיעָאָה דְאִיהִי ד׳). YTZ - Yod is Chokhmah, Tav is Tiferet, Tzadi is the Tzaddik (ית״ץ יו״ד חָכְמָה, ת׳ תִּפְאֶרֶת, צ׳ צַדִּיק). And who is Chokhmah? Yod here, this is the wisdom of Shlomo (וּמָאן אִיהוּ חָכְמָה יו״ד הָכָא, דָּא חָכְמַת שְׁלֹמֹה).

Alef: The hidden master craftsman, weaving and forming the form in the palace of Adam Kadma’ah, the most ancient of all ancients (א׳ אָמוֹן מוּפְלָא, רָקִים וְצִיֵּיר צִיּוּרָא בְהֵיכָלָא דְאָדָם קַדְמָאָה דְכָל קְדוּמִים). For there is Adam and there is Adam; there is Adam that no Sefirah is not called Adam, but Adam Kadmon is the supernal one of all, the supernal Keter, hidden and concealed, the hidden of all hidden things, the Cause of causes, the most ancient of all ancients (דְּאִית אָדָם וְאִית אָדָם, אִית אָדָם דְּלֵית סְפִירָה דְלָא אִתְקְרִיאַת אָדָם, אֲבָל אָדָם קַדְמוֹנָא עִלָּאָה דְכֻלְּהוּ, כֶּתֶר עִלְיוֹן, סָתִים וְטָמִיר, סָתִים דְּכָל סְתִימִין, עִלַּת הָעִלּוֹת, קַדְמוֹן לְכָל קְדוּמִין). Because of this, Adam Kadmon is said with reference to the Cause of causes: “And I was with Him, as a master craftsman” (בְּגִין הַאי אָדָם קַדְמוֹן אִתְּמַר בְּעִלַּת הָעִלּוֹת, וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן) (Proverbs 8:30). And to that Primordial, He said: “Let us make Adam in our image, after our likeness” (וּלְהַהוּא קַדְמוֹן אָמַר נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ) (Bereshit 1:26). You gave all forms and all likenesses and all concealed rectifications, and all the limbs of all kinds (אַנְתְּ יָהִיב כָּל צִיּוּרִין וְכָל דִּיּוֹקְנִין וְכָל תִּקּוּנִין סְתִימִין, וְכָל אֵבָרִין דְּכָל מִינִין). And you (some say: and I) gave strength within him, that I might be known through him (וְאַנְתְּ, נ״א וַאֲנָא, יָהִיב חֵילָא בֵיהּ דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַעִינָא בֵּיהּ).

For if I did not give him intellect, behold he could not know My faith (דְּאִם לָא יְהִיב לֵיהּ שֵׂכֶל, הָא לָא יָכִיל לְמִנְדַּע אֱמוּנָה דִילִי). And with this he shall rule over all the hosts of heaven and earth and sea (וּבְדָא יְהֵא שַׁלִּיט עַל כָּל חֵילֵי שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא וְיַמָּא). This is what is written: “And let them rule over the fish of the sea…” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וְגוֹמֵר׳) (Bereshit 1:26). And what is this Adam, of whom it is said: “Let us make Adam”? (וּמַאי נִיהוּ הַאי אָדָם דְּאָמַר עֲלֵיהּ נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם). This is the supernal Chokhmah, which is in the likeness of Keter (דָּא חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה דְאִיהִי בְּדִיּוֹקְנָא דְכֶתֶר). And further: “Let us make Adam” - this is the Middle Column (וְעוֹד נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם דָּא עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). “In our image” - this is Chokhmah (בְּצַלְמֵנוּ דָא חָכְמָה). “After our likeness” - this is the supernal Imma (כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ דָא אִמָּא עִלָּאָה). Just as there is Adam of Beri’ah, Adam of Yetzirah, Adam of Asiyah, in the likeness of supernal Keter, Chokhmah, and Binah (דִּכְמָה דְאִיהוּ אָדָם דִּבְּרִיאָה אָדָם דִּיצִירָה אָדָם דַּעֲשִׂיָּה, בְּדִיּוֹקְנָא דְכֶתֶר עִלְיוֹן חָכְמָה וּבִינָה). So too, he is in the likeness of the Middle Column, the Tzaddik, and the lower Shekhinta (הָכִי אִיהוּ בְדִיּוֹקְנָא דְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא וְצַדִּיק וּשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה).

For in the Sefirot, all of it is Atzilut (דְּבִסְפִירָן כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ אֲצִילוּת). And further: “Let us make Adam.” To whom did the Cause of causes say this? (וְעוֹד נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם, עִלַּת הָעִלּוֹת לְמָאן אָמַר הַאי). Rather, the Cause of causes said it to Yod Heh Vav Heh, who is within the ten Sefirot (אֶלָּא עִלַּת הָעִלּוֹת אָמַר לְיו״ד ה״א וָא״ו ה״א דְאִיהוּ לְגוֹ מֵעֲשַׂר סְפִירָן). And what are the ten Sefirot? Alef Heh Yod Heh (וּמַאי נִיהוּ עֲשַׂר סְפִירָן אל״ף ה״א יו״ד ה״א). And that one who said “Let us make Adam” is Yod Heh Vav Heh (וְהַהוּא דְאָמַר נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם אִיהוּ יו״ד ה״א וָא״ו ה״א). “I am first, and I am last, and besides Me there is no Elohim” (אֲנִי רִאשׁוֹן וַאֲנִי אַחֲרוֹן וּמִבַּלְעָדַי אֵין אֱלֹהִי״ם) (Isaiah 44:6). Three Yods testify about Him - that there is none above Him, none below Him, and not in the middle; there is no Eloah in any direction besides Him (תְּלַת יוּדִי״ן מְעִידִין עֲלֵיהּ דְּלֵית לְעִילָא מִנֵּיהּ וְלֵית לְתַתָּא מִנֵּיהּ וְלַאו בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, לֵית אֱלוֹהַ בְּכָל צַד בַּר מִינֵיהּ). In this Name He is made known, without reckoning (בְּהַאי שְׁמָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע הוּא בְּלָא חוּשְׁבָּן).