Daf 145a (דַּף קמ״ה ע״א)

Come and see, when the bridegroom-who is the sun-comes to illumine the moon (כַּד חָתָן דְּאִיהוּ שִׁמְשָׁא יֵיתֵי לְאַנְהָרָא לְסִיהֲרָא), she adorns herself with her hair (אִיהִי אִתְקַשְׁטַת בְּשַׂעֲרָהָא דִילָהּ), arranged in thirteen adornments (מִתְתַּקְנָא בִתְלַת עֲשַׂר), Some say: in twelve (נ״א: בְּתְרֵיסַר), beards, levels, rectifications (דִּקְנִין (דְּרַגִּין, תִּקּוּנִין)), which are the twelve constellations (דְּאִינוּן תְּרֵיסַר מַזָּלוֹת), the sun-Some read: and the moon (שִׁמְשָׁא (צ״ל: וְסִיהֲרָא)), “And he is like a bridegroom coming out of his canopy” (Psalms 19) (וְהוּא כְּחָתָן יוֹצֵא מֵחֻפָּתוֹ), and “he rejoices like a mighty man to run a course” through the firmament (וְאִיהוּ יָשִׂישׂ כְּגִבּוֹר לָרוּץ אָרְחִין בִּרְקִיעָא), he surely peeks toward her (יָצִיץ לְגַבָּהּ וַדַּאי). This is what is written, “He peers through the windows, he gazes through the lattices” (Song of Songs 2) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מַשְׁגִּיחַ מִן הַחַלּוֹנוֹת מֵצִיץ מִן הַחֲרַכִּים), to look toward her in the firmament-Some say: that this is he-who rejoices (לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא לְגַבָּהּ בִּרְקִיעָא דְאִיהוּ (ס״א: דָּא אִיהוּ) יָשִׂישׂ). What is “like a mighty man”? What might he accomplish with might here? (מַאי כַּגִּבּוֹר, מַה גְּבוּרָה עָבִיד בְּהַאי). Rather, there are twelve lintels in the firmament (אֶלָּא תְּרֵין עֲשַׂר מַשְׁקוֹפִין אִית בְּרָקִיעַ), and all the hosts accuse regarding them, the guardians of the gates (וְכֻלְּהוּ חֲיָילִין מְקַטְרְגִין לְגַבַּיְיהוּ נְטוּרֵי תַרְעִין). The sun crowns himself with the letters of the Tefillin, which is the Name Hashem (שִׁמְשָׁא מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּאַתְוָון דִּתְּפִלִּין דְּאִיהוּ שֵׁם יהו״ה), and is clothed in Gevurah (וְאִתְלַבַּשׁ בִּגְבוּרָה). This is what is written, “Hashem shall go forth like a mighty man” (Isaiah 42) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב יהו״ה כַּגִּבּוֹר יֵצֵא), and this is “he rejoices like a mighty man to run a course” (וְדָא אִיהוּ יָשִׂישׂ כַּגִּבּוֹר לָרוּץ אֹרַח). And he cleaves all the windows of the firmament (וּבָקַע חַלּוֹנוֹת כֻּלְּהוּ דְרָקִיעַ), and makes twelve paths, as Moshe made at the sea (וְעָבִיד תְּרֵין עֲשַׂר אָרְחִין, כְּמָה דְעָבַד מֹשֶׁה עַל יַמָּא), and this is “to run a course” (וְדָא אִיהוּ לָרוּץ אֹרַח). And because he first takes from Gevurah, the sun goes forth red (וּבְגִין דְּנָטִיל בְּקַדְמֵיתָא מִגְּבוּרָה, שִׁמְשָׁא נָפִיק סוּמְקָא).

Afterwards he is clothed in Chesed, which is white (לְבָתַר אִתְלַבַּשׁ בְּחֶסֶד דְּאִיהוּ חִוָּור), and therein the anger of the sun is found to subside (וּבֵיהּ אִשְׁתַּכַּךְ רוּגְזֵיהּ דְּשִׁמְשָׁא), it becomes green from the side of the central pillar (יָרוֹק הֲוָה מִסִּטְרָא דְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). And when he is clothed-Some say: whitened-in Chesed with white radiance (וְכַד אִתְלַבַּשׁ (נ״א: אִתְלַבֵּן) בַּחֶסֶד בִּנְהוֹרָא חִוְרָא), from him it shall shine to the moon (מִנֵּיהּ יְהֵא נָהִיר לְסִיהֲרָא). “From the end of the heavens is his going forth” (Psalms 19) (מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם מוֹצָאוֹ), this is the central pillar (דָּא עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). Her end is the Tzaddik (קָצֶה דִילָהּ צַדִּיק), “and his circuit unto their ends,” two true Samekhs (וּתְקוּפָתוֹ עַל קְצוֹתָם תְּרֵי סַמְכֵי קְשׁוֹט), and with them “nothing is hidden from his heat” (Psalms 19) (וּבְהוֹן אֵין נִסְתָּר מֵחַמָּתוֹ). This is the supernal Shekhinta, who is the sun (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה דְאִיהִי חַמָּה); from there she is tinted with the green hue which is mercy (מִן תַּמָּן יִצְטַבַּע בְּגַוָּון יָרוֹק דְּאִיהוּ רַחֲמֵי). At that time the sun and the moon look as one (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין שִׁמְשָׁא וְסִיהֲרָא כַּחֲדָא), and “nothing is hidden from his heat,” which is her canopy (וְאֵין נִסְתָּר מֵחַמָּתוֹ, דְאִיהִי חוּפָּה דִילָהּ). And at that time she takes from three colors, to be glorified before him in the three colors of the eye-white, red, and green (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא נָטְלַת הִיא מִתְּלַת גַּוָּונִין, לְאִתְפָּאֲרָא קֳדָמֵיהּ בִּתְלַת גַּוָּונִין דְּעִינָא, דְּאִינוּן חִוָּור סוּמַק יָרוֹק). And at that time he shall say to her, “Turn your eyes away from me, for they have overwhelmed me” (Song of Songs 6) (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִיהוּ יֵימָא לְגַבָּהּ, הָסֵבִּי עִינַיִךְ מִנֶּגְדִּי שֶׁהֵם הִרְהִיבוּנִי), kindling me with the flames of your love (מוֹקְדִין לִי בְּשַׁלְהוֹבִין דִּרְחִימוּ דִילָךְ).

And the Holy Luminary: the two eyes are the two precious Tablets of the Orayta (וּבוֹצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא תְּרֵין עַיְנִין אִנּוּן תְּרֵין לוּחִין יַקִּירִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), of which it is said, “Tablets of stone, written with the finger of Elohim” and “written on both their sides” (Exodus 31; 32) (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן לֻחֹת אֶבֶן כְּתוּבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים; כְּתוּבִים מִשְּׁנֵי עִבְרֵיהֶם). And they are embroidered from twelve colors on this side, and from twelve colors on that side (וּמְרַקְּמָאן מִתְּרֵין עֲשַׂר גַּוָּונִין מֵהַאי סִטְרָא, וּמִתְּרֵין עֲשַׂר גַּוָּונִין מֵהַאי סִטְרָא), which are twenty-four aspects (דְּאִינוּן אַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִין סִטְרִין). And concerning them it is said, “On this side and on that side they were written” (Exodus 32) (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה הֵם כְּתֻבִּים), “this” and “this”-two times-twenty-four books (זֶ״ה וְזֶ״ה תְּרֵין זִמְנִין אַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִין סְפָרִים). And these are the twelve faces and the twelve wings of the Chayot (וְאִֹינוּן תְּרֵין עֲשַׂר אַנְפִּין וּתְרֵי עֲשַׂר גַּדְפִין דְּחֵיוָון), this is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And the face of a lion to the right of the four of them” (Ezekiel 1:6) (וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל הַיָּמִין לְאַרְבַּעִִתָּם), the color white of the eye (גַּוָּון חִוָּור דְּעִינָא). And the face of an ox from the left of the four of them (וּפְנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאל לְאַרְבַּעִִתָּם), the color red of the eye (גַּוָּון סוּמַק דְּעִינָא). And the face of an eagle to the four of them (וּפְנֵי נֶשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּעִִתָּם), these are the color green of the eye (אִינוּן גַּוָּון יָרוֹק דְּעִינָא). As it is said (שם) (דְּאִתְּמַר [שם]): “And four faces to one, etc., and four wings, etc.” (וְאַרְבָּעָה פָנִים לְאֶחָד וְגוֹמֵר, וְאַרְבַּע כְּנָפַיִם וְגוֹמֵר).

Behold, twenty-four (הָא אַרְבָּעָה וְעִִשְׂרִים). The wings are the wings of the eye (גַּדְפִין אִינוּן כַּנְפֵי עִינָא). And upon them it is said (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “From this and from that they are written” (מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה הֵם כְּתֻבִים). And the Chayot, in them it is written (וְחֵיוָון בְּהוֹן כְּתִיב): “And one called to another and said: Holy, Holy, Holy is Hashem Tzeva’ot, the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3) (וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל זֶה וְאָמַר קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ יהו''ה צְבָאוֹ''ת מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ). This one to that one indeed (זֶה אֶל זֶה וַדַּאי). In the likeness of the tablets of the Orayta, of which it is said (כְּגַוְונָא דְלוּחִין דְאוֹרַיְּיתָא דְאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): “Written on both their sides, from this and from that they were written” (Exodus 32:15) (כְּתוּבִים מִשְּׁנֵי עִִבְרֵיהֶם מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה הֵם כְּתוּבִים). “Tablets of stone written, etc.” (לֻחוֹת אֶבֶן כְּתוּבִים וְגוֹמֵר). Tablets of stone (לֻחֹת אֶבֶן). What is stone (מַאי אֶבֶן)? This is the Foundation Stone (דָּא אֶבֶן הַשְּׁתִיָּיה), from which the world was founded (שֶׁמִּמֶּנָּה הוּשָׁתַת הָעוֹלָם). And she is the daughter of the eye (וְהִיא בַת עִינָא). Upon her it is said (עֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר) (Zechariah 3:9): “Upon one stone are seven eyes” (עַל אֶבֶן אַחַת שִׁבְעָה עִינָיִם). And these are the seven layers of the eye (וְאִינוּן שִׁבְעָה גִּלְדֵּי עִינָא). And upon them it is said (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר) (Psalms 119:164): “Seven times in the day I praised You” (שֶׁבַע בַּיּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ). And this is the holy Malkhut (וְדָא מַלְכוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא), of which it is said (דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ) (Psalms 118:22): “The stone that the builders despised became the head of the corner” (אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה).

What are the builders (מַאי הַבּוֹנִים)? These are the masters of the Mishnayot (אִלֵּין אִינוּן מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין), who build the structures of the world (דְּאִינוּן בָּנָאן בִּנְיָינִין דְּעָלְמָא), and those who decide halakhot (וּפוֹסְקֵי הֲלָכוֹת), who despised her in the exile (דְּמָאֲסוּ בָהּ בְּגָלוּתָא). Of her it is said: “It became the head of the corner” (אִתְּמַר בָּהּ הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה), because she is a Halakha of Moshe from Sinai, Kabbalah from Moshe (בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי קַבָּלָה לְמֹשֶׁה). And that which was the daughter of the black eye (וּמַה דַּהֲוַת בַּת עִינָא אוּכְמָא), from her and within her Kudsha Berikh Hu illuminates the world (מִינָהּ וּבָהּ יְהֵא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָהִיר עָלְמָא), because He illuminates within her (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ נָהִיר בָּהּ).