Primary textDaf 121b (דַּף קכ״א ע״ב)

Daf 121b (דַּף קכ״א ע״ב)

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), and you shall behold from all the people men of valor, fearers of Elohim, men of truth, haters of unjust gain (Exodus 18) (וְאַתָּה תֶחֱזֶה מִכָּל הָעָם אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת שֹׂנְאֵי בָצַע). Men of valor are from the side of Chesed, where is Yod (אַנְשֵׁי חַיִל מִסִּטְרָא דְחֶסֶד דְּתַמָּן י׳), and concerning this it is said: He who desires to become wise should turn southward (וּבְגִינֵיהּ אִתְּמַר הָרוֹצֶה לְהַחְכִּים יַדְרִים). Fearers of Elohim are from the side of Gevurah, where is Heh (יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים מִסִּטְרָא דִגְבוּרָה דְתַמָּן ה׳), and concerning this it is said: He who desires to become rich should turn northward (וּבָהּ אִתְּמַר הָרוֹצֶה לְהַעֲשִׁיר יַצְפִּין). Men of truth are from the side of the middle pillar, where is Vav, and there is Truth (אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת מִסִּטְרָא דְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְתַמָּן ו׳ וְתַמָּן אֱמֶת). Haters of unjust gain are from the side of Malkhut, where is Heh (שׂוֹנְאֵי בָצַע מִסִּטְרָא דְמַלְכוּת דְּתַמָּן ה׳). Behold here are four Tikkunin, which are the Partzufim of mankind (הָא הָכָא אַרְבַּע תִּקּוּנִין דְּאִינוּן פַּרְצוּפִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). These are vision (אִלֵּין אִינוּן מַרְאֶה). Some say: appearances (נ״א: מראין). And there are four that are enclothed within them, which are likeness (וְאִית אַרְבַּע דְּמִתְלַבְּשִׁין בְּהוֹן דְּאִינוּן דִּמְיוֹן), and they are Ado-nai (וְאִינוּן אֲדנ״י). And upon them it is said (Exodus 18): And you shall place over them rulers of thousands, from the side of Alef (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר וְשַׂמְתָּ עֲלֵיהֶם שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים מִסִּטְרָא דְא׳). Rulers of hundreds, from the side of the letter Dalet, which is four hundred (שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת מִסִּטְרָא דְאָת ד׳, דְּאִיהוּ אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת), by which Yisrael were enslaved in Egypt, because through it they incurred guilt (דְּאִשְׁתַּעֲבִידוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּגִין דְּבָהּ חָאבוּ). As it is said regarding it: four hundred shekels of silver (Bereshit 23) (הָא דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שֶׁקֶל כֶּסֶף). And rulers of fifties, from the side of the letter Nun (וְשָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים מִסִּטְרָא דְאָת נ׳). And rulers of tens, from the side of the letter Yod (וְשָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרוֹת מִסִּטְרָא דְאָת י׳).