Daf 145b (דַּף קמ״ה ע״ב)

And the eyes that shine in the Orayta (וְעַיְינִין דְּנַהֲרִין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), upon them it is said (עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר) (Psalms 145:15): “The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in its time” (עִינֵי כֹל אֵלֶיךָ יְשַׂבֵּרוּ וְאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם אֶת אָכְלָם בְּעִתּוֹ). And a person needs to occupy himself with them always, evening and morning and noon continually (וְצָרִיךְ בַּר נַשׁ לְאִתְעַסְּקָא בְּהוֹן תָּדִיר עִרֶב וָבֹקֶר וְצָהֳרָיִם תָּמִיד), so that Kudsha Berikh Hu will look upon her with His eye (לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעִינוֹי). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) (Deuteronomy 11:12): “Always the eyes of Hashem your Elohekha are upon it, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year” (תָּמִיד עִינֵי יהו''ה אלהי''ך בָּהּ מֵרֵאשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית שָׁנָה). And we learned “continual” from “continual” (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא תָּמִיד מִתָּמִיד): continual of evening and morning (תָּמִיד דְּעִרֶב וָבֹקֶר), from continual of “continual the eyes of Hashem your Elohekha are upon it” (מִתָּמִיד דְּתָּמִיד עִינֵי יהו''ה אלהי''ך בָּהּ).

And behold the continual of evening and morning, this is the recitation of Shema (וְהָא תָּמִיד דְּעִרֶב וָבֹקֶר דִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע אִיהוּ). Rather, from here we learned that one who recites the recitation of Shema evening and morning every day continually (אֶלָּא מִכַּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא דְמָאן דְּקָרֵי קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע עִרֶב וָבֹקֶר בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד), it is as if he fulfilled “And you shall meditate in it day and night” in the Orayta (כְּאִלּוּ קִיֵּים וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) (Joshua 1:8): “This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth, and you shall meditate in it day and night” (לֹא יָמוּשׁ סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה מִפִּיךָ וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה). And the Sefer Torah is the eye (וְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה אִיהוּ עַיִן), the two wings of the eye are the two Tablets (תְּרֵי כַּנְפֵי עִינָא תְּרֵי לוּחֵי). And upon them it is said (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “Always the eyes of Hashem your God are upon it, from the beginning of the year” (תָּמִיד עִינֵי יהו''ה אלהי''ך בָּהּ מֵרֵאשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה). And what is “upon it” (וּמַאי בָּהּ)? Upon the pupil of the eye, which is the Shekhinta (בְּבַת עַיִן דְּאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא). And the wings of the eye, upon them it is said (וְכַנְפֵי עִינָא עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר) (Psalms 118:19): “Open for me the gates of righteousness” (פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק).

Three colors, general and particular, and general (תְּלַת גַּוָּונִין כְּלָל וּפְרָט, וּכְלָל), and they are Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (וְאִינוּן אהי''ה אֲשֶׁר אהי''ה), which are general in all Orayta (דְּאִינוּן כְּלָל בְּכָל אוֹרַיְיתָא). Ehyeh general (אהי''ה כְּלָל), Asher particular (אֲשֶׁר פְּרָט), Ehyeh general (אהי''ה כְּלָל). The curls above the eyes (קְרִיצִין דְּעַל עַיְינִין), upon them it is said (עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר) (Song of Songs 5:11): “Locks, black like a raven” (תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחוֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב). And these are heaps upon heaps (וְאִינוּן תִּלֵּי תִּלִּים). The forehead above the eyes, in it is the plate of the holy crown (מִצְחָא דְעַל עַיְינִין בָּהּ צִיץ נֶזֶר הַקֹּדֶשׁ), decorated in colors and forms of the supernal Sanctuary (מְרוּקָם בְּגַוָּונִין וְצִיּוּרִין דְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא דִלְעִילָא). And her forms are engravings in breadth and in length (וְצִיּוּרִין דִּילָהּ שִׁרְטוּטִין בְּפוּתְיָא וּבְאוּרְכָּא), some of them subtle, some of them great (מִנְּהוֹן דְּקִיקִין מִנְּהוֹן רַבְרְבִין). And upon them it is said (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “In a place where they said to lengthen, he is not permitted to shorten; to shorten, he is not permitted to lengthen” (בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאָמְרוּ לְהַאֲרִיךְ אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לְקַצֵּר, לְקַצֵּר אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לְהַאֲרִיךְ), to lengthen from the side of Vav (לְהַאֲרִיךְ מִסִּטְרָא דְו׳), to shorten from the side of Yod (לְקַצֵּר מִסִּטְרָא דְי׳).

The face of the Matronita, these are forty-nine pure faces (אַנְפּוֹי דְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, אִינוּן מ״ט אַנְפִּין טָהוֹר), shining as a rose white and red (נַהֲרִין כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה חִוָּור וְסוּמַק). They take from right and left (נָטְלִין מִימִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא): the color white is the purity of humility (גַּוָּון חִוָּור בְּלִיבּוּן דַּעֲנָוָה), the red is the shame of awe (סוּמַק בֹּשֶׁת דִּדְחִילוּ), a fearful shame (יְרָא בֹשֶׁת). When they turn green (כַּד אִתְחַזְּרוּ יְרוֹקִין), behold her bridegroom ascends to the sun, which is Imma Ila’ah (הָא חָתָן דִּילָהּ אִסְתַּלַּק לְגַבֵּי חַמָּה דְאִיהִי אִימָּא עִלָּאָה). And from these three colors of the face depend seventy-two faces, according to the number of Chesed (וּמֵאִלֵּין תְּלַת גַּוָּונִין דְּאַנְפִּין תַּלְיָין שַׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין אַנְפִּין כְּחוּשְׁבַּן חֶסֶ״ד). And in them is Yod-Resh-Vav letters according to the number of Gevurah (וּבְהוֹן יר״ו אַתְוָון כְּחֻשְׁבַּן גְּבוּרָ״ה). And this is the secret of “And Hashem passed over” (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְוַיַּעֲבֹר יהו''ה), the secret of Ibbur (רָזָא דְעִיבּוּר), shining in them toward the Bride in four faces (נָהִיר בְּהוֹן לְגַבֵּי כַלָּה בְּאַרְבַּע אַנְפִּין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) (Ezekiel 1:6): “And four faces to one” (וְאַרְבָּעָה פָנִים לְאֶחָת). And the middle pillar, this is the Vav, the leap-year pregnancy (וְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא אִיהוּ וָא״ו עִיבּוּר הַשָּׁנָה), in which there are thirteen months (דְאִית בָּהּ תְּלַת עֲשַׂר יַרְחִין). And they and she are in the initial letters Vav-Heh-Vav Aleph-Nun-Yod Vav-Heh-Vav (וְאִנּוּן וְאִיהִי בְּרָאשֵׁי תֵּיבִין וָ״הוּ א״נִי וָ״הוּ). And in it He is man (וּבֵיהּ אִיהוּ אִשָּׁה [נ״ל איש]) and she is a pregnant woman (וְאִיהִי אִשָּׁה עוּבָרָה). The Sod of the Ibbur is Yesod (סוֹד הָעִבּוּר יְסוֹד), which is the Yesod of the drop (דְּאִיהוּ יְסוֹד טִפָּה), from which the pregnancy is made (דְמִינָהּ אִתְעֲבִידַת עִבּוּר). This is the Vav (דְּאִיהוּ וא״ו). For behold, the Vav without the drop, there is no pregnancy (דְּהָא וָא״ו בְּלָא טִפָּה לֵית לָהּ עִבּוּר). And this is the Mochin there, Chokhmah (וְדָא אִיהוּ מוֹחָא דְתַמָּן חָכְמָה). And the Vav is the nose, arranged in the face (וָא''ו אִיהוּ חוֹטָמָא מִתְתַּקְנָא בְּאַנְפִּין), about it it is said (עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר) (Bereshit 2:7): “And He formed Hashem Elohim” (וַיִּיצֶר יהו''ה אלהי''ם), and they shine in white and red (וְנַהֲרִין בְּחִוָּור וְסוּמַק). And the nose that goes in a straight path is the seal of truth (וְחוֹטָמָא דְאָזְלָא בְאֹרַח מֵישַׁר אִיהִי חוֹתָם אֱמֶת), and if not, it is not in a true path, not the seal of the signet of the King (וְאִם לַאו אִיהִי בְאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט לַאו אִיהִי חוֹתָמָא דְגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דְמַלְכָּא). And because of this, the form of the Matronita, her visage of the nose, is arranged in the face and in the straight path upon the face (וּבְגִין דָּא צִיּוּרָא דְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא דִיּוֹקְנָא דִילָהּ דְּחוֹטָמָא, מִתְתַּקְנָא בְּאַנְפִּין וּבְאֹרַח מֵישַׁר עַל אַנְפִּין). And the two nostrils of the nose are the two true prophets (וּתְרֵין נוּקְבִין דְּחוֹטָמָא תְּרֵי נְבִיאֵי קְשׁוֹט). The mouth is the daughter of the King (פִּימָא בְרַתָּא דְמַלְכָּא), and in it the tongue of those who are taught, which is the Tzaddik (וּבָהּ לְשׁוֹן לִמּוּדִים דְּאִיהוּ צַדִּיק). And about it (some say: upon them (וַעֲלָהּ [נ״א: וְעָלֵיהוּ]) - it is said (שֶׁעָלֶיהָ אִתְּמַר) (Song of Songs 4:3): “Like a thread of scarlet are your lips, and your speech is comely” (כְּחוּט הַשָּׁנִי שִׂפְתוֹתַיִךְ וּמִדְבָּרֵךְ נָאוְה). In the Orayta (בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). The mouth is the general of all (פִּימָא כְּלָלָא דְכֹלָּא). From it [goes forth] voice and speech, which are Vav-Heh (מִינָהּ קוֹל וְדִבּוּר דְאִינוּן ו״ה). From it [goes forth] breath, which is the Heh (מִינָהּ הֲבַל דְאִיהִי ה׳). The thin mouth is sealed with the letter Yod (פִּימָא דְקִיקָא סְתִימָא בְּאוֹת י׳), arranged in the Name of Hashem (מִתְתַּקְנָא בִשְׁמָא דַיהו''ה). And because of this: “Like a thread of scarlet are your lips, and your speech is comely” (וּבְגִין דָּא כְּחוּט הַשָּׁנִי שִׂפְתוֹתַיִךְ וּמִדְבָּרֵךְ נָאוְה).

Your neck is like the tower of ivory (צַוָּארֵךְ כְּמִגְדַּל הַשֵּׁן) (Song of Songs 7:5), this is Yerushalayim (דָּא יְרוּשָׁלַםִ). About it it is said (עֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר) (Song of Songs 4:4): “Like the tower of David is your neck” (כְּמִגְדַּל דָּוִד צַוָּארֵךְ). Her adornments are the Kohanim, Levi’im, and Yisrael (תַּכְשִׁיטִין דִּילָהּ כֹּהֲנִים לְוִיִּים יִשְׂרְאֵלִים). Built for Telpiyyot - this is the Tzaddik, which is the hill to which all turn (בָּנוּי לְתַלְפִּיּוֹת דָּא צַדִּיק דְּאִיהוּ תֵּל שֶׁהַכֹּל פּוֹנִים בּוֹ). His corners are the two true prophets (פִּנּוֹת דִּילֵיהּ תְּרֵין נְבִיאֵי קְשׁוֹט). The Shekhinta indeed is Yerushalayim (דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא וַדַּאי אִיהִי יְרוּשָׁלַם). Her adornments are the three Patriarchs (תַּכְשִׁיטִין דִּילָהּ תְּלַת אֲבָהָן). Her chains are the two true supporters (חֲרוּזִין דִּילָהּ תְּרֵי סַמְכֵי קְשׁוֹט).

Another matter: your neck, this is the Orayta (דָּבָר אַחֵר צַוָּארֵךְ דָּא אוֹרַיְיתָא). Her adornments are her 248 commandments (תַּכְשִׁיטִין דִּילָהּ רְמַ״ח פִּקּוּדִין דִּילָהּ). Her chains and amulets are those appointed over her 365 negative commandments (חֲרוּזִין וּקְמִיעִין דִּילָהּ אִינוּן מְמַנָּן עַל שְׁסָ״ה לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה), which guard her by them (דְנָטְרִין לָהּ בְּהוֹן). And when the neck is adorned with her adornments toward the bridegroom (וְכַד אִסְתַּלַּק צַוָּאר בְּתַכְשִׁיטִין דִּילָהּ לְגַבֵּי חָתָן), how many good fragrances rise within her (כַּמָּה רֵיחִין טָבִין סָלְקִין בָּהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) (Song of Songs 3:6): “Who is this that comes up from the wilderness” (מִי זֹאת עוֹלָה מִן הַמִּדְבָּר). This is Mount Sinai, which is the neck of the world (דָּא טוּרָא דְסִינַי דְּאִיהִי צַוָּאר עָלְמָא). “Perfumed with myrrh” - this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (מְקֻטֶּרֶת מֹר דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), of whom it is said (דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ) (Song of Songs 4): “I will go to the mountain of myrrh” (אֵלֶךְ לִי אֶל הַר הַמּוֹר). And frankincense, this is the holy moon (וּלְבוֹנָה דָא סִיהֲרָא קַדִּישָׁא). About it it is said (עֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר): “And to the hill of frankincense” (וְאֶל גִּבְעַת הַלְּבוֹנָה). “With all powders of the merchant” - this is the Tzaddik, who is all, inclusive of all (מִכֹּל אַבְקַת רוֹכֵל דָּא צַדִּיק, דְּאִיהוּ כָּל כָּלִיל בְּכֹלָּא).