Daf 130b (דַּף קל ע״ב)

Rabbi El'azar said to him: Abba, from where do you know that Imma (Some say: Binah) is to the north, and in her hearing depends? (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אַבָּא מְנָא לָךְ דְּאִימָּא נ״א דבינה אִיהִי לַצָּפוֹן וּבָהּ תַּלְיָא שְׁמִיעָה). He said to him: My son, fifty gates are in Binah (אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּרִי חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין אִנּוּן דְּבִינָה), and in her are united twenty-five and twenty-five letters, twice every day (וּבָהּ מְיַיחֲדִין כ״ה כ״ה אַתְוָון תְּרֵין זִמְנִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא). And Yisrael is the son of YH (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִיהוּ בֶן י״ה).

Binah indeed is the generality of three letters-Abba, Imma, and Bar [the Son] (בִּינָה וַדַּאי כְּלָלָא דִתְלַת אַתְוָון אַבָּא וְאִימָּא וּבְרָא). And because of this, hearing depends in her (וּבְגִין דָּא שְׁמִיעָה בָהּ תַּלְיָא). There is no Tikkun from these four letters unless they are included in the ten Sefirot (לֵית תִּקּוּנָא מֵאִלֵּין אַרְבַּע אַתְוָון דְּלָא אִתְכְּלִילָן בָּהּ עֲשַׂר סְפִירָן), which are Yod Heh Vav Heh (דְּאִינוּן יו״ד ה״א וָאו ה״א). And the four letters which are YHVH, He does not change in any place (וְאַרְבַּע אַתְוָון דְּאִינוּן יהוה אִיהוּ לָא אִשְׁתַּנִּי בְּכָל אֲתַר). He is hearing to the left, to Yisrael (אִיהוּ שָׁמַע דִּשְׂמָאלָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), and He gazes with the right upon them (וְאִסְתַּכַּל בִּימִינָא עֲלַיְיהוּ), and in the south He hovers over them (וּבַדָּרוֹם אִיהוּ מְרַחֵף עֲלַיְיהוּ), this is what is written: “And the Spirit of Elohim hovered over the face of the waters” (Bereshit 1) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם). And in the west He speaks with them (וּבְמַעֲרָב אִיהוּ מְמַלֵּל עִמְּהוֹן). These are changes in the instruments of the body (שִׁנּוּיִין אִינוּן בְּמָאנֵי דְּגוּפָא), but in Him there is no change at all (אֲבָל בֵּיהּ לֵית שִׁנּוּיָא כְּלָל).

This is what is written: “I Hashem have not changed” (Malachi 3) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אֲנִי יהוה לֹא שָׁנִיתִי). And in every limb (which is the lamp of every commandment) a man must crown Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבְכָל אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר דּאיהו נרא דכל פקודא בָּעִי בַר נַשׁ לְאַמְלָכָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to rectify it as a pure and clean place for Him to dwell there (וּלְתַקְנָא לֵיהּ אֲתַר דַּכְיָא וּנְקִיָּיא לְשַׁרְיָא לֵיהּ תַּמָּן). And because of this, a man must remove from each limb all evil thoughts and meditations of filth, which are Kelipot (וּבְגִין דָּא צָרִיךְ בַּר נַשׁ לְבַעֲרָא מִנֵּיהּ מִכָּל אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר כָּל מַחֲשָׁבִין וְכָל הִרְהוּרִין בִּישִׁין דְּטִנּוּפִין דְּאִינוּן קְלִיפִין). And he must burn them with every proper commandment (וְצָרִיךְ לְאוֹקָדָא לוֹן בְּכָל פִּקּוּדִין כְּשֵׁרִין), which dwell upon each limb, which are lamps (דְּשַׁרְיָין עַל כָּל אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר דְּאִינוּן נֵרוֹת), for every commandment is called a lamp (דְּכָל פִּקּוּדָא נֵר אִתְקְרִיאַת). This is what is written: “For the commandment is a lamp” (Proverbs 6) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה), “The soul of man is the lamp of Hashem” (Proverbs 20) (נֵר יהוה נִשְׁמַת אָדָם). And with it he must be “searching all the inward parts of the belly” (Proverbs 20) (וּבָהּ צָרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוִי חוֹפֵשׂ כָּל חַדְרֵי בָטֶן), and remove from them leaven and chametz, chaff and straw (וּלְבַעֲרָא מִנַּיְיהוּ שְׂאוֹר וְחָמֵץ מוֹץ וְתֶבֶן): leaven and chametz from the dough (Some say: from the drop) (שְׂאוֹר וְחָמֵץ מִן הָעִסָּה נ״א הטפה), chaff and straw from the wheat (מוֹץ וְתֶבֶן מִן הַחִטָּה), to cause YH to dwell there (לְשַׁרְיָא תַמָּן י״ה). Yod in the dough, which is the drop (י׳ בְּעִסָּה דְּאִיהִי טִפָּה), Heh in the wheat (ה׳ בְּחִטָּה), which is to remove sin from the Heh, that there remain fine clean flour (דְּאִיהִי לְבַעֲרָא חֵט מִן ה׳ דְּאִשְׁתָּאֳרַת סֹלֶת נְקִיָּה).

For every commandment that dwells upon each limb has a specific Name (דְּכָל פִּקּוּדָא דְּשַׁרְיָא עַל כָּל אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר אִית לָהּ שֵׁם יְדִיעַ), and all the forces and legions of angels that depend upon it (וְכָל חֲיָילִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין דְּמַלְאָכִין דְּתַלְיָין מִנֵּיהּ), they all gather to that limb (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְכַּנְשׁוּ לְהַהוּא אֵבֶר), and guard it from all evil influences (וְנָטְרִין לֵיהּ מִכָּל מַרְעִין בִּישִׁין). And one who exchanges them or calls them in a limb that is not theirs, and they are not appointed over it (וּמָאן דְּחָלִיף לוֹן אוֹ קָרָא לוֹן בְּאֵבֶר דְּלַאו דִּלְהוֹן וְלַאו אִינוּן מְמַנָּן עֲלַיְיהוּ), he diminishes the order of the work of Bereshit (אִיהוּ אַכְחִישׁ סִדּוּרָא דְּעוֹבָדָא דִבְּרֵאשִׁית). And they do not gather to him, for the King appointed officers over His kingdom (וְלַאו מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין לְגַבֵּיהּ לְמַלְכָּא דְּשַׁוִּי מְמַנָּן עַל מַלְכוּתֵיהּ), and divided them in every place, saying: You be appointed over such and such a place, and you over such and such (וּפָלִיג לוֹן עַל כָּל אֲתַר וַאֲתַר וְאָמַר לוֹן אַנְתְּ תְּהֵא מְמַנָּא עַל אֲתַר כַּךְ וְכַךְ וְאַנְתְּ כַּךְ וְכַךְ). And to each He appointed a known place and a known word (וּלְכָל חַד שַׁוִּי לֵיהּ בַּאֲתַר יְדִיעַ וּבְמִלָּה יְדִיעַ), and he has no exchange in another place (לֵית לֵיהּ חִלּוּף בַּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא).

But Kudsha Berikh Hu, whose dominion is in every place, like the Neshama whose dominion is over each and every limb (אֲבָל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְשָׁלְטָנוּתֵיהּ בְּכָל אֲתַר כְּנִשְׁמָתָא דְשָׁלְטָנוּתָהּ עַל כָּל אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר), “the whole earth is full of His glory” (מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ), in every place that a person calls to Him He answers him (בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּקָרֵי לֵיהּ בַּר נַשׁ עָנֵי לֵיהּ), except if that place of that limb is blemished by the sin that the person committed (אֶלָּא אִם הַהוּא אֲתַר דְּהַהוּא אֵבֶר אִיהוּ פָגוּם בְּחוֹבָה דְעָבִיד בַּר נַשׁ), Kudsha Berikh Hu does not dwell in that limb (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא שַׁרְיָא בְהַהוּא אֵבֶר), about which it is said: “Whoever has a blemish shall not draw near” (Leviticus 21:18) (דַּעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר כָּל אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ מוּם לֹא יִקְרָב). And the limbs of a person are all arranged according to the orders of Bereshit (וְאֵבָרִין דְּבַר נַשׁ כֻּלְּהוּ אִינוּן מְסוּדָרִין עַל סִדְרֵי בְרֵאשִׁית), and because of this a person is called a small world (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְקְרֵי בַר נַשׁ עוֹלָם קָטָן). And one who crowns Kudsha Berikh Hu over each and every limb, it is as though he crowned Him over all the world (וּמָאן דְּאַמְלִיךְ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל כָּל אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר כְּאִלּוּ אַמְלִיךְ לֵיהּ עַל כָּל עָלְמָא). And the reward of the person who crowns Him over each and every limb-permission was not given to reveal (וְאַגְרָא דְבַר נַשׁ דְּאַמְלִיךְ לֵיהּ עַל כָּל אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר לָא אִתְיְיהִיב רְשׁוּ לְגַלָּאָה), for these are the reasons of the commandments which were not given to be revealed (דְּאִלֵּין אִינוּן טַעֲמֵי מִצְווֹת דְּלָא אִתְיְיהִיבוּ לְגַלָּאָה), so that a person not serve Kudsha Berikh Hu on condition to receive a reward (בְּגִין דְּלָא יְהֵא בַּר נַשׁ עוֹבֵד לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס). But, my son, these words that do not need to be revealed, let them be hidden in your heart (אֲבָל בְּרִי מִלִּין אִלֵּין דְּלָא צְרִיכִין לְאִתְגַּלְיָא יְהוֹן טְמִירִין בְּלִבָּךְ), about them it is said: “For eating to satisfaction and for covering the Ancient” (Isaiah 23:18) (עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר לֶאֱכוֹל לְשָׂבְעָה וְלִמְכַסֶּה עָתִיק), ancient words that were not handed over to be revealed-let them be hidden in your heart (מִלִּין עַתִּיקִין דְּלָא אִתְמַסְרוּ לְגַלָּאָה יְהוֹן טְמִירִין בְּלִבָּךְ).

Come and see, when a person wraps himself in the wrapping of a mitzvah and places Tefillin and calls to Him with Keriat Shema (תָּא חֲזִי כַּד בַּר נַשׁ מִתְעַטֵּף בְּעִטּוּפָא דְמִצְוָה וּמָנַח תְּפִלִּין וְקָרִי לֵיהּ בִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע), behold he has prepared for Him a throne with the wrapping of a mitzvah (הָא תַקִּין לֵיהּ כָּרְסַיָּא בְּעִטּוּפָא דְמִצְוָה), and it has been established: “And in lovingkindness a throne shall be established” (Isaiah 16:5) (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהוּ וְהוּכַן בַּחֶסֶד כִּסֵּא). And with Tefillin he crowns Him (וּבִתְּפִלִּין אִיהוּ מְעַטֵּר לֵיהּ), this is what is written: “Bind your adornment upon you” (Ezekiel 24:17) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב פְּאֵרְךָ חֲבוֹשׁ עָלֶיךָ). And he called to Him in the verse to cause the Shekhinah to dwell upon the throne he prepared-“Shema Yisrael” (וְקָרָא לֵיהּ בַּקְּרָא לְשַׁרְיָיא עַל כָּרְסַיָּא דְתַקִּין לֵיהּ שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל). Thus Kudsha Berikh Hu prepares for him in that world a throne and a crown (הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְתַקֵּן לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא כָּרְסַיָּא וַעֲטָרָה), and according as he descends there, the throne shall stand because of him (וּכְמָה דְאִיהוּ נָחִית לֵיהּ תַּמָּן וִיקוּם כָּרְסַיָּא בְגִינֵיהּ), and He will crown him king over all the angels (Some say: forces) and legions that are there (וְאַמְלִיךְ לֵיהּ עַל כָּל מַלְאָכִין נ״א חיילין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין דְּתַמָּן), this is what is written: “And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens etc.” (Bereshit 1:26) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹמֵר).

And the secret of the matter: “For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Samuel 2:7) (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה כִּי מְכַבְּדַי אֲכַבֵּד וּבוֹזַי יֵקָלּוּ). And according to how he descends (Some say: who defend) to Him with many melodies of songs, praises, and thanksgivings (וּכְמָה דְנָחִית (ס״א דמגנין) לֵיהּ בְּכַמָּה נִגּוּנִין דְּשִׁירוֹת תּוּשְׁבָּחוֹת וְהוֹדָאוֹת), so when he ascends above, all the living beings of the Merkavot and the legions of holy angels, Chayot and Ofanim and Serafim, open (Some say: spread) their wings for him with joy, with melody, to receive him (הָכִי כַּד סָלִיק לְעִילָא כֻּלְּהוּ חֵיוָון דְּמֶרְכָּבוֹת וּמַשִּׁרְיָין דְּמַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין דְּחַיּוֹת וְאוֹפַנִּים וּשְׂרָפִים פָּתְחִין לֵיהּ (נ״א פרישן) גַּדְפַיְיהוּ בְּחֶדְוָוא בְּנִגּוּנָא לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ). Behold here is the reward of prayer and its Tikkunim, which is a single commandment (הָא הָכָא אַגְרָא דִצְלוֹתָא וְתִקּוּנִין דִּילָהּ דְּאִיהִי פִקּוּדָא חֲדָא).