Daf 15a (דַּף ט״ו ע״א)

And this servant is an appellation for all the Names (וְהַאי עִבֶד אִיהוּ כִּנּוּיָא לְכָל שְׁמָהָן), a change for all the Names (שִׁנּוּי לְכָל שְׁמָהָן), and in him are combined all the supernal trees from the side of Good (וּבֵיהּ מַרְכִּיבִין כָּל אִלָּנִין עִלָּאִין מִסִּטְרָא דְטוֹב), and chariots from the side of Evil (מֶרְכָּבוֹת דְּסִטְרָא דְרַע).

Concerning them it is stated: “and not with forbidden relations among three” (עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר וְלֹא בָּעֲרָיוֹת בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה). What are Arayot (forbidden relations)? Samael and the Serpent (מַאי עֲרָיוֹת סמא״ל וְנָחָשׁ). It should not be in three, for they are Mashchit (Destroyer), Af (Wrath), and Cheimah (Fury) (לָא צָרִיךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי בִשְׁלֹשָׁה דְאִינוּן מַשְׁחִי״ת אַ״ף וְחֵימָ״ה), that the third be among them (לְמֶהֱוֵי תְּלִיתָאָה בֵּינַיְיהוּ). They do not join together (דְּלָא מִתְקַשְּׁרִין בְּהוֹן), but rather that both of them be in separation (אֶלָּא דִיְהוֹן תַּרְוַיְיהוּ בְּפִרוּדָא). And because of this, they said: One does not expound in Arayot with three (וּבְגִין דָּא אֵין דּוֹרְשִׁין בָּעֲרָיוֹת בִּתְלָתָא). And the Work of Bereshit is the opposite (וְעוֹבָדָא דִבְּרֵאשִׁית בְּהִפּוּכָא): one does not expound in Ma‘aseh Bereshit with two (אֵין דּוֹרְשִׁין בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית בִּשְׁנַיִם), so that they not make separation (דְּלָא יַעַבְדוּן פִּרוּדָא), but only with one, who is one union (אֶלָּא בְּיָחִיד דְּאִיהוּ יִחוּדָא חָד). And because of this, a man should not eat two, and should not drink two (וּבְגִין דָּא לֹא יֹאכַל אָדָם תְּרֵי וְלֹא יִשְׁתֶּה תְּרֵי). And not in the Merkavah with one (וְלֹא בְמֶרְכָּבָה בְיָחִיד), because one has no partnership, which is Metatron (בְּגִין דְּיָחִיד לֵית לֵיהּ שִׁתּוּף דְּאִיהוּ מטטרו״ן), in the manner of the Neshama which has no partnership in the body (כְּגַוְונָא דְנִשְׁמָתָא דְלֵית לָהּ שֻׁתּוּף בְּגוּפָא). And why is it said, “except if he is wise and understands from his own knowledge”? (וְאַמַּאי אָמַר אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה חָכָם וּמֵבִין מִדַּעִתּוֹ).

Here it implies that there is a Merkavah above, to Kudsha Berikh Hu (הָכָא מַשְׁמַע דְּאִית לֵיהּ מֶרְכָּבָה לְעִילָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), for this is His work (דְּאִיהוּ מְלָאכָה דִילֵיהּ). And what is it? That which is included from Chokhmah, Binah, and Da‘at (וּמַאי אִיהִי הַהִיא דְאִיהִי כְלִילָא מֵחָכְמָה וּבִינָה וָדַעַת), which are Yod–Heh–Vav (דְּאִינוּן יה״ו). The work of the three letters is Heh, the lower Shekhinta (מְלָאכָה דִתְלַת אַתְוָון אִיהִי ה׳ שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה), the completion of the three letters (שְׁלִימוּ דִתְלַת אַתְוָון). About her it is said (עֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר) (Exodus 39) “And all the work of the Mishkan was completed” (וַתֵּכֶל כָּל עֲבוֹדַת מִשְׁכַּן וְגוֹ׳). And she is He of the sixth day (וְאִיהִי ה׳ דְּיוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי). And because of this, although we say one does not expound in the Merkavah with one (וּבְגִין דָּא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאַמְרִינָן אֵין דּוֹרְשִׁין בְּמֶרְכָּבָה בְּיָחִיד), he returned and said: except if he is wise and understands from his own knowledge (חָזַר וְאָמַר אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה חָכָם וּמֵבִין מִדַּעִתּוֹ).

For surely with these three, one may expound in the Merkavah alone (דְּוַדַּאי בְּאִלֵּין תְּלַת דּוֹרְשִׁין בְּמֶרְכָּבָה בְּיָחִיד), but without these three, it is not his union (וּבְלָא אִלֵּין תְּלַת לַאו אִיהוּ יִחוּדָא דִילֵיהּ). And this is the secret: that Kudsha Berikh Hu above is One with His Shekhinta (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְאִיהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעִילָא חַד בִּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ). And when He is below, in Metatron, without His Shekhinta, there is a change in Him (וְכַד אִיהוּ לְתַתָּא בְּמטטרו״ן בְּלָא שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ אִשְׁתַּנִּי בֵיהּ). And because of this Elisha Acher said: perhaps, Heaven forbid, there are two authorities (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר אֱלִישָׁע אַחֵר שֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם שְׁתֵּי רְשׁוּיוֹת יֵשׁ). And because of this it is said: “Do not exchange Me with him, for My Name is within him” (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר אַל תְּמִירֵנִי בוֹ כִּי שְׁמִי בְּקִרְבּוֹ). For Metatron is second to the King (בְּגִין דְמטטרו״ן אִיהוּ שֵׁנִי לַמֶּלֶךְ). And when the Shekhinta is without Her Husband (וְכַד אִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּלָא בַּעִלָהּ), this angel is called a double for Her (אִתְקְרֵי הַאי מַלְאָךְ מִשְׁנֶה לָהּ), and there is a change, that the forces are not recognized in Her (וְאִשְׁתְּנִיאַת דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעִין בָּהּ חֲיָילִין). And that She is the Matronita (וּמַה דְּאִיהִי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא), and in what is She concealed? In that which is called Ammah [a cubit/handmaid] (וּבְמַאי הִיא מִתְכַסְּיָא בְּהַהִיא דְאִתְקְרִיאַת אָמָה). And this is what the verse says (וְדָא הוּא דְאָמַר קְרָא) (Exodus 21) “And if a man sells his daughter to be a maidservant” (וְכִי יִמְכּוֹר אִישׁ אֶת בִּתּוֹ לְאָמָה). “Ish (man)” - this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (אִישׁ דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). “His daughter” - this is the Shekhinta (בִּתּוֹ דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). “To be a maidservant” - the spouse of Metatron (לְאָמָה בַּת זוּגֵיהּ דְמטטרו״ן), for she is Mitatron with the addition of a Yod (דְּאִיהִי מיטטרו״ן בְּתוֹסֶפֶת יוּ״ד). The evil handmaid is the maidservant of the Erev rav (דְּשִׁפְחָה בִישָׁא הִיא אָמָה דְעִרֶב רַב). And because that evil handmaid and her children are not recognized in her (וּבְגִין דְּהַהִיא שִׁפְחָה בִישָׁא וּבְנָהָא לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעִין בָּהּ), she is concealed within her servant (אִיהִי מִתְכַסְּיָא בְעַבְדָּא דִילָהּ), like a soul within a body (כְּנִשְׁמָתָא בְּגוּפָא). And in the first exile, when the daughter of the King did not return to her sovereignty (וּבְגָלוּתָא קַדְמָאָה דְּלָא חָזְרַת לְמַלְכוּתָהָא בְּרַתָּא דְמַלְכָּא), and did not depart from that body (וְלָא נָפְקַת מֵהַהוּא גוּפָא), she did not go out free (לָא נָפְקַת חָפְשִׁית).

And because of this it is said of them: “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt” (וּבְגִינָהָא אִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן, עֲבָדִים הָיִינוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרָיִם), because they were under the dominion of that servant (בְּגִין דַּהֲווֹ תְּחוֹת רְשׁוּ דְּהַהוּא עִבֶד). And because of this Pharaoh said in that place: “I do not know Hashem, and also Yisrael I will not send forth” (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר פַּרְעֹה בְּהַאי אֲתַר לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֶת יְיָ וְגַם אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחַ) (Exodus 5). And because of this they went out in flight (וּבְגִין דָּא נָפְקוּ בִּמְנוּסָה), like a servant who has no writ of freedom, and flees from his master (כְּעַבְדָּא דְלֵית לֵיהּ כְּתַב חֵירוּ וּבָרַח מֵרִבּוֹנֵיהּ). But in the final redemption, the daughter will not go out (אֲבָל בְּפוּרְקָנָא בַּתְרָאָה לָא נָפְקַת בְּרַתָּא), with this servant as a maidservant (בְּהַאי עַבְדָּא כְּשִׁפְחָה), but with Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֶלָּא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), because the Orayta, which is freedom, is with her (בְּגִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּאִיהִי חֵירוּ, אִיהִי עִמָּהּ), in the final exile (בְּגָלוּתָא בַּתְרָאָה). For it is her freedom (דְּאִיהִי חֵירוּ דִילָהּ), which was not so in the first exile (מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה הָכִי בְגָלוּתָא קַדְמָאָה), for she and her children did not have the Orayta, which is freedom (דְּלָא הֲוָה לָהּ וְלִבְנָהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּאִיהִי חֵירוּ). For the Orayta indeed is freedom (דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וַדַּאי אִיהִי חֵירוּ), in her kingdom, her glory (בְּמַלְכוּתָא דִילָהּ בִּיקָרָא דִילָהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) (Proverbs 3) “She is more precious than pearls” (יְקָרָה הִיא מִפְּנִינִים).

And because of this: “She shall not go out as the servants go out” (וּבְגִין דָּא לֹא תֵצֵא כְּצֵאת הָעֲבָדִים) (Exodus 26). And this is what is said: “For you shall not go out in haste, nor shall you go in flight, for Hashem goes before you” (וְדָא הוּא דְאָמַר כִּי לֹא בְחִפָּזוֹן תֵּצֵאוּ וּבִמְנוּסָה לֹא תֵלֵכוּן כִּי הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיכֶם יהו״ה) (Isaiah 52). Hashem indeed will raise them from the dust (יהו״ה וַדַּאי אִיהוּ יוֹקִים לוֹן מֵעַפְרָא), and He will shine upon the face of Yisrael (וְאִיהוּ נָהִיר עַל אַנְפּוֹי דְיִשְׂרָאֵל), and in Him all the worlds shall be known, that they are “the seed blessed by Hashem” (וּבֵיהּ אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעִין כָּל עָלְמִין דְּאִינוּן זֶרַע בֵּרַךְ יהו״ה) (Isaiah 61). And Kudsha Berikh Hu will be stripped from all appellations (וְאִתְפַּשַּׁט קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִכָּל כִּנּוּיָין), and from the chariots of Metatron (וּמֶרְכָּבוֹת דְמטטרו״ן), which are “kozoh bemokhsaz kozoh,” “MTZPTZ” (דְּאִינוּן כוז״ו במוכס״ז כוז״ו מצפ״ץ). And it is said of Him (וְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ) (Isaiah 30): “Your Teacher shall no longer be hidden, but your eyes shall behold your Teacher” (וְלֹא יִכָּנֵף עוֹד מוֹרֶיךָ וְהָיוּ עִינֶיךָ רוֹאוֹת אֶת מוֹרֶיךָ). At that time (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא), “For eye to eye they shall see, when Hashem returns to Zion” (כִּי עַיִן בְּעַיִן יִרְאוּ בְּשׁוּב יהו״ה צִיּוֹן) (Isaiah 32). And He will be stripped from the chariots below (וְאִתְפַּשַּׁט מִמֶּרְכָּבוֹת דִּלְתַתָּא), and will be clothed in His own Merkavah (וְאִתְלַבַּשׁ בְּמֶרְכָּבָה דִילֵיהּ), which is Adonai (דְּאִיהִי אדנ״י). The Name of this Merkavah is Hashem (שֵׁם הַמֶּרְכָּבָה דָא יהו״ה), this appellation is Elohim (כִּנּוּ״י דָא אֱלֹהִי״ם), which rises in the reckoning of Ehyeh–Adonai (דְּסָלִיק לְחֻשְׁבַּן אהי״ה אדנ״י). And this is the appellation of these two Names, and in Him they are concealed (וְאִיהוּ כִנּוּ״י דִתְרֵין שְׁמָהָן אִלֵּין וּבֵיהּ אִתְכַּסְיָין).