Daf 140a (דַּף ק״מ ע״א)

And regarding them it is said (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר), “When a man from among you brings an offering” (Leviticus 1) (אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן), from among you indeed (מִכֶּם וַדַּאי), to remove the skin of the serpent in which are embroidered the prohibitive commandments (לְאַפָּקָא מִשְׁכָא דְחִוְיָא דְבֵיהּ מְרַקְמִין פִּקּוּדִין דְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה). And concerning the man who transgresses them it is said of him (וְאָדָם דְּעָבַר עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ), “Man is like vanity; his days are as a passing shadow” (Psalms 144) (אָדָם לַהֶבֶל דָּמָה יָמָיו כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר), and, “When a man dies in a tent” (Numbers 19) (אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל), when he surely dies (כִּי יָמוּת וַדַּאי). And this is the offering of the sacrifice of Esau, the evil inclination (וְדָא אִיהוּ קְרִיבוּ דְקָרְבָּנָא דְעִשָׂו יֵצֶר הָרָע), of whom it is said (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ), “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game” (Bereshit 27) (יָקֻם אָבִי וְיֹאכַל מִצֵּיד בְּנוֹ). Flesh is a fragment among fragments (בָּשָׂר אִיהוּ שֶׁבֶר מִן שְׁבָרִים), and it is red (וְאִיהוּ סוּמַק), from the side of the living creature which is the ox (מִסִּטְרָא דְחַיָּה דְאִיהוּ שׁוֹר). Living flesh is pure flesh (בָּשָׂר חַי בָּשָׂר טָהוֹר). And there is another, flesh in the field torn, in which the spirit of impurity rests (וְאִית אָחֳרָא דְבָשָׂר בַּשָּׂדֶה טְרֵיפָה דְשַׁרְיָא בֵיהּ רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה), the Angel of Death, who rides upon the horns of the goring ox-impure flesh (מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוְת דְּרָכִיב עַל קַרְנוֹי שׁוֹר מוּעָד בָּשָׂר טָמֵא).

Bone: there is impure bone and there is pure bone (עִצֶם, אִית עִצֶם טָמֵא וְאִית עִצֶם טָהוֹר), and flesh that is purified, and bone that is purified (וּבָשָׂר דְּדַכְיוּ וְעִצֶם דְּדַכְיוּ). Of them it is said (עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר), “Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Bereshit 2) (עִצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי). And bone is the lion (וְעִצֶם אִיהוּ אַרְיֵה), sinews are the eagle (גִּידִים אִיהוּ נֶשֶׁר). Eagle: there is a pure eagle and a defiled eagle (נֶשֶׁר, נִשְׁרָא דְּדַכְיוּ וְנִשְׁרָא דִמְסָאֲבוּ). Bone and flesh and sinews-upon them rests blessing and holiness and union (עִצֶם וּבָשָׂר וְגִידִים עֲלַיְיהוּ שַׁרְיָא בְרָכָה וּקְדוּשָׁה וְיִחוּד), which are Kohen, Levi, and Yisrael (דְּאִינוּן כֹּהֵן לֵוִי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל). In the bone, when blessing rests upon it (בְּעִצֶם כַּד שַׁרְיָא בְרָכָה בֵּיהּ), immediately, “The bones came near, bone to its bone” (Ezekiel 37) (וַתִּקְרְבוּ עֲצָמוֹת עִצֶם אֶל עַצְמוֹ), they draw near and are bound one with the other through the offering (מִתְקָרְבִין וּמִתְקַשְּׁרִין דָּא בְדָא בְקָרְבָּנָא). And immediately oil descends upon them and blessing rests upon them (וּמִיָּד נָחִית עֲלַיְיהוּ מִשְׁחָא וְשַׁרְיָיא עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּרָכָה). Upon flesh rests holiness (בָּשָׂר שַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ קְדוּשָׁה), which is from the side of the Levi’im (דְאִיהִי מִסִּטְרָא דִלְוִיִּם). This is what is written, “And you shall sanctify the Levi’im” (Numbers 8) (וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ אֶת הַלְוִיִּם). Immediately the veins of blood draw near toward the heart (מִיָּד מִתְקָרְבִין עַרְקִין דִּדְמָא לְגַבֵּי לִבָּא), for the blessings are from the Kohanim (דְבִרְכָאָן מִכַּהֲנֵי אִינוּן). This is what is written: “Speak to Aharon and to his sons, saying, Thus shall you bless” (Numbers 6) (דַּבֵּר אֶל אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר כֹּה תְבָרְכוּ). Sinews are from Yisrael (גִּידִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל), and they are the unification and holiness and binding of bones and flesh (וְאִינוּן יִחוּדָא וּקְדוּשָׁה וְקִשּׁוּרָה דְגַרְמִין וּבִשְׂרָא). And when they are bound together, they are called Union (וְכַד מִתְקַשְּׁרִין בְּתַרְוַיְיהוּ אִתְקְרִיאוּ יִחוּד), and unification is in Yisrael (וְיִחוּד אִיהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). This is what is written, “Hear O Yisrael, Hashem our God, Hashem is One” (Deuteronomy 6) (שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ יי אֶחָד).

The skin is the likeness of Adam-Malkhut (מִשְׁכָא אִיהוּ דְמוּת אָדָם מַלְכוּת). All forms are seen in it (כָּל דִּיוֹקְנִין אִתְחַזְיָין בָּהּ). And it is comprised of flesh and sinews and bones (וְאִיהִי כְּלִילָא מִבִּשְׂרָא וְגִידִין וְגַרְמִין). And it is the form of all (וְאִיהִי תְּמוּנַת כֹּל). And it is blessing and holiness and union (וְאִיהִי בְּרָכָה וּקְדוּשָׁה וְיִחוּד). Kohanim and Levi’im and Yisraelim (כֹּהֲנִים וּלְוִיִּם וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים), who are bound with the three Fathers (דְּאִינוּן קְשִׁירָן בִּתְלַת אֲבָהָן). Of whom it is said, “The Fathers, they are the chariot” (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן הָאָבוֹת הֵן הֵן הַמֶּרְכָּבָה). In the flesh, when it is sanctified, pure blood descends upon it (בַּבָּשָׂר כַּד מִתְקַדְּשָׁא, נָחִית עֲלֵיהּ דָּם טָהוֹר). And in the sinews, when they are unified, the Holy Spirit descends upon them (וְגִידִים כַּד מִתְיַחֲדִין נָחִית עֲלַיְיהוּ רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא). Bones: upon them descend purifying waters (גַּרְמִין נָחִית עֲלַיְיהוּ מַיִּין דְּדַכְיוּ). This is the secret of the offerings (דָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְקָרְבָּנִין). Rabbi El'azar rejoiced, and the companions rejoiced, and they said: If we had not come into this world except to hear this, it would have been enough (חָדָא רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְחָדוּ חַבְרַיָּא וְאָמְרוּ אִילוּ לָא אֲתֵינָא לְהַאי עָלְמָא אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע דָּא דַיֵּי).

Rabbi Shimon said, my son (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּרִי), and further, in the mystery of offerings (וְעוֹד בְּרָזָא דְקָרְבָּנִין): the heart is the altar in which is the blood of the offerings (לִבָּא אִיהוּ מִזְבֵּחַ דְּבֵיהּ דָּם דְּקָרְבָּנִין). And concerning this it is said, “And you shall sacrifice upon it” (Exodus 20) (וְזָבַחְתָּ עָלָיו). If they are worthy, a lion descends to consume the offering (אִם זָכוּ אַרְיֵה הֲוָה נָחִית לְמֵיכַל קָרְבָּנָא), but if not, a dog descends (וְאִי לָא כַּלְבָּא נָחִית). And in another place-in the liver-there is Gehinom, which is the gall (וּבְאָן אֲתַר בְּכָבֵד, דְּתַמָּן מָרָה גֵּיהִנָּם), which is the leech that has two daughters, “Give, give” (דְּאִיהִי עֲלוּקָה דְאִית לָהּ תְּרֵי בָנוֹת הַב הַב), as you say, “The leech…” (Proverbs 30) (לַעֲלוּקָה וְגוֹ׳). And the dog among them cries out, “Give, give” (וְכַלְבָּא בְהוֹן צָוַוח הַב הַב). And the gall is Gehinom (וּמָרָה אִיהִי גֵיהִנָּם), the sword of the Angel of Death which has two edges, like the aspect of Gehinom (חַרְבָּא דְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוְת דְּאִית לָהּ תְּרֵי פִּיּוֹת כְּגַוְונָא דְגֵיהִנָּם), of which it is said, “The leech has two daughters: Give, give” (Proverbs 30) (לַעֲלוּקָה שְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת הַב הַב). In this manner it is said of the sword, “And her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword” (Proverbs 5) (וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ מָרָה כַלַּעֲנָה חַדָּה כְּחֶרֶב פִּיּוֹת). And the liver is Samael (וְכָבֵד אִיהוּ סמא״ל), the gall is his poison of death (מָרָה סַם מָוְת דִּילֵיהּ). When the gall rules over its veins and prevails through sins (כַּד שָׁלְטָא מָרָה עַל עַרְקִין דִּילָהּ וּמִתְגַּבְּרָא בְחוֹבִין), it is said concerning the sections of liver and gall (אִתְּמַר בְּפִרְקִין דְּכָבֵד וּמָרָה): “And they came to Marah, and they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter” (Exodus 15) (וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם מִמָּרָה כִּי מָרִים הֵם). At that time, the veins of the heart are in distress and are concealed in the heart (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִינוּן עַרְקִין דְּלִבָּא בְדוֹחֲקָא וּמִתְטַמְּרִין בְּלִבָּא), like Noah and his wife and his sons and the animals and the beasts and the birds that were concealed in the Ark (כְּגַוְונָא דְנֹחַ וְאִתְּתֵיהּ וּבְנוֹי וְחֵיוָון וּבְעִירִין וְעוֹפִין דְּמִתְטַמְּרִין בְּתֵיבָה). And the heart is in distress with them (וְלִבָּא אִיהוּ בְדוֹחֲקָא בְהוֹן). For if the gall reaches the heart, immediately the man dies (דְּאִם מָרָה מָטָא לְלִבָּא מִיָּד יָמוּת בַּר נַשׁ). But the gall does not overpower Yisrael, who are the heart, except through sins (וּמָרָה לָא מִתְגַּבְּרָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִינוּן לִבָּא אֶלָּא בְחוֹבִין). If they return in repentance, which is the breath of life, the Supernal Shekhinta (אִי חָזְרִין בִּתְיוּבְתָּא דְאִיהִי נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה), behold, healing is for the heart and for its veins (הָא אַסְוָותָא תְּהֵא לְלִבָּא וּלְעַרְקִין דִּילָהּ). And it is said of them, “And the waters were sweetened” (Exodus 15) (וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמָּיִם). And the veins were healed, the body and its limbs (וְאִתְּסִין עַרְקִין גוּפָא וְאֵבָרִים דִּילֵיהּ).

The spleen: this is Lilith, mother of the Erev rav (טְחוֹל דָּא לִילִי״ת אִימָּא דְעִרֶב רַב), the laughter of the fool (שְׂחוֹק הַכְּסִיל). Who is the fool? This is the other god, Samael (מָאן כְּסִיל דָּא אֵל אַחֵר סמא״ל). And the Erev rav are its children (וְעִרֶב רַב אִינוּן בְּנָהָא), who are mingled among Yisrael, completely wicked (דְאִינוּן מְעוּרָבִין בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל רְשָׁעִים גְּמוּרִים). And regarding them it is said, “If you see a wicked man to whom the hour is smiling, do not provoke him” (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר אִם רָאִיתָ רָשָׁע שֶׁהַשָּׁעָה מְשַׂחֶקֶת לוֹ אַל תִּתְגָרֶה בּוֹ). Of them it is said, “Why do You look upon those who deal treacherously, and remain silent when the wicked swallows the man more righteous than he?” (Habakkuk 1) (לָמָּה תַבִּיט בּוֹגְדִים תַּחֲרִישׁ בְּבַלַּע רָשָׁע צַדִּיק מִמֶּנּוּ). Wicked-this is the fool (רָשָׁע דָּא כְסִיל). The Erev rav in exile are wicked (עִרֶב רַב בְּגָלוּתָא אִינוּן רָשָׁע). “Swallowing one more righteous than he” - this is Yisrael (בְּבַלַּע צַדִּיק מִמֶּנּוּ דָא יִשְׂרָאֵל). And who causes them to be swallowed? Because they are not perfectly righteous (וּמָאן גָּרִים דְּבָלַע לוֹן, בְּגִין דְּלַאו אִינוּן צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִים). As it is said, “The righteous more than he is swallowed, but a completely righteous one is not swallowed” (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמַר צַדִּיק מִמֶּנּוּ בּוֹלֵעַ אֲבָל צַדִּיק גָּמוּר אֵינוֹ בּוֹלֵעַ).