Daf 17b (דַּף י״ז ע״ב)

Master of the worlds, You are the Cause of causes (רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים, אַנְתְּ הוּא עִלַּת הָעִלּוֹת), the Reason of reasons (סִבַּת הַסִּבּוֹת), who gives drink to the Tree through that spring (דְּאַשְׁקֵי לְאִילָנָא בְּהַהוּא נְבִיעוּ). And that spring is like the soul to the body (וְהַהוּא נְבִיעוּ אִיהוּ כְּנִשְׁמָתָא לְגוּפָא), which is life to the body (דְּאִיהוּ חַיִּים לְגוּפָא). And in You there is no likeness and no image, neither from within nor from without (וּבָךְ לֵית דִּמְיוֹן וְלֵית דִּיוֹקְנָא מִכָּל מַה דִּלְּגָו וּלְבָר). And You created the heavens and the earth (וּבְרָאתָ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא). And You brought forth from them the sun, the moon, the stars, and the constellations (וְאַפִּיקַת מִנְּהוֹן שִׁמְשָׁא וְסִיהֲרָא וְכֹכְבַיָּא וּמַזָּלֵי). And on the earth: trees, grasses, the Garden of Eden, herbs, beasts, birds, fish, and human beings (וּבְאַרְעָא אִלָנִין וְדִשְׁאִין וְגִנְּתָא דְעִדֶן וְעִשְׂבִּין וְחֵיוָון וְעוֹפִין וְנוּנִין וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), so that in them the supernal things might be made known (לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא בְהוֹן עִלָּאִין), and how the higher and lower beings are conducted in them (וְאֵיךְ יִתְנַהֲגוּן בְּהוֹן עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין), and how the higher and lower beings are perceived (וְאֵיךְ אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָאן מֵעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי). Yet none knows You at all (וְלֵית דְּיָדַע בָּךְ כְּלָל).

Apart from You, there is no singularity in the higher and lower realms (וּבַר מִינָּךְ לֵית יְחִידָא בְּעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי). And You are known as the Master over all (וְאַנְתְּ אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע אָדוֹן עַל כֹּלָּא). And every Sefirah, each one has a known name (וְכָל סְפִירָן כָּל חַד אִית לֵיהּ שֵׁם יְדִיעַ). And by them the angels are called (וּבְהוֹן אִתְקְרִיאוּ מַלְאָכַיָּא). But You have no known name (וְאַנְתְּ לֵית לָךְ שֵׁם יְדִיעַ), for You fill all the Names (דְּאַנְתְּ הוּא מְמַלֵּא כָל שְׁמָהָן). And You are the perfection of them all (וְאַנְתְּ הוּא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֻלְּהוּ). And when You withdraw from them, all the Names remain as a body without a soul (וְכַד אַנְתְּ תִּסְתַּלֵּק מִנְּהוֹן, אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ כֻּלְּהוּ שְׁמָהָן כְּגוּפָא בְּלָא נִשְׁמָתָא).

You are wise, but not with a knowable wisdom (אַנְתְּ חַכִּים וְלַאו בְּחָכְמָה יְדִיעָא). You are understanding, but not with a knowable understanding (אַנְתְּ הוּא מֵבִין וְלָא מִבִּינָה יְדִיעָא). You have no known place, except to make known Your strength and Your power to human beings (לֵית לָךְ אֲתַר יְדִיעָא אֶלָּא לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא תּוּקְפָךְ וְחֵילָךְ לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and to show them how the world is conducted with judgment and with mercy (וּלְאַחֲזָאָה לוֹן אֵיךְ אִתְנַהֵיג עָלְמָא בְּדִינָא וּבְרַחֲמֵי). These are Tzedek and Mishpat (דְּאִינוּן צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט), according to the deeds of human beings (כְּפוּם עוֹבְדֵיהוֹן דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). Din is Gevurah (דִּין אִיהוּ גְבוּרָה). Mishpat is the Middle Pillar (מִשְׁפָּט עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). Tzedek is the holy Malkhut (צֶדֶק מַלְכוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא). “Scales of righteousness” are the two faithful supports (מֹאזְנֵי צֶדֶק תְּרֵין סַמְכֵי קְשׁוֹט). “Hin of righteousness” is the sign of the covenant (הִין צֶדֶק אוֹת בְּרִית). All this is to show how the world is conducted (כֹּלָּא לְאַחֲזָאָה אֵיךְ אִתְנַהֵיג עָלְמָא). But not that You possess Tzedek known as Din (אֲבָל לַאו דְּאִית לָךְ צֶדֶק יְדִיעָא דְאִיהוּ דִין), nor Mishpat known as Mercy (וְלַאו מִשְׁפָּט יְדִיעָא דְאִיהוּ רַחֲמֵי), nor any of these attributes at all (וְלַאו מִכָּל אִלֵּין מִדּוֹת כְּלָל).

Arise, Rabbi Shimon, and let words be renewed by your hand (קוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְיִתְחַדְשׁוּן מִלִּין עַל יְדָךְ). For permission has been given to you to reveal hidden mysteries by your hand (דְּהָא רְשׁוּתָא אִתְיַהִיב לָךְ לְגַלָּאָה רָזִין טְמִירִין עַל יְדָךְ), that permission had not been given to reveal to any human being until now (מַה דְּלָא אִתְיַיהִיב רְשׁוּ לְגַלָּאָה לְשׁוּם בַּר נַשׁ עַד כְּעַן).

Rabbi Shimon arose, opened, and said (קָם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Yours, Hashem, is the greatness and the power…” (לְךָ יהו״ה הַגְּדוּלָה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְגוֹ׳) (I Chronicles 29). The supernal ones heard - these are those asleep in Hebron (עִלָּאִין שְׁמָעוּ אִינוּן דְּמִיכִין דְּחֶבְרוֹן). And Ra‘aya Meheimna was aroused from his sleep (וְרַעִיָּא מְהֵימְנָא אִתְעָרוּ מִשְּׁנַתְכוֹן). “Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust” (הָקִיצוּ וְרַנְּנוּ שׁוֹכְנֵי עָפָר) (Isaiah 26). These are the Tzaddikim, who are from the side of that which is said of her: “I sleep, but my heart is awake” (אִלֵּין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא דְאִינוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְהַהוּא דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה וְלִבִּי עִר) (Song of Songs 5). And they are not dead (וְלַאו אִינוּן מֵתִים). And because of this it is said of them: “Awake and sing…” (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן הָקִיצוּ וְרַנְּנוּ וְגוֹ׳). Awake, you and the Patriarchs (הָקִיצוּ אַנְתְּ וַאֲבָהָן). Ra‘aya Meheimna, awake - you and the Patriarchs - for the arousal of the Shekhinta, who is asleep in exile (רַעִיָּא מְהֵימְנָא אִתְעַר אַנְתְּ וַאֲבָהָן לְאִתְעָרוּתָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא דְאִיהִי יְשֵׁנָה בְּגָלוּתָא), for until now all the Tzaddikim are asleep in their caves (דְּעַד כְּעַן צַדִּיקַיָּא כֻּלְּהוּ דְּמִיכִין וְשִׁינְתָא בְחוֹרֵיהוֹן).

Immediately the Shekhinta gave three voices toward Ra‘aya Meheimna (מִיָּד יְהִיבַת שְׁכִינְתָּא תְּלַת קָלִין לְגַבֵּי רַעִיָּא מְהֵימְנָא), and said to him: Arise, Ra‘aya Meheimna (וְיֵימָא לֵיהּ קוּם רַעִיָּא מְהֵימְנָא). For about you it is said: “The voice of my Beloved is knocking” (דְּהָא עֲלָךְ אִתְּמַר קוֹל דּוֹדִי דוֹפֵק) (Song of Songs 5), upon me with His four letters (לְגַבָּאי בְּאַרְבַּע אַתְוָון דִּילֵיהּ). And He said with them: “Open for Me, My sister, My companion, My dove, My perfect one” (וְיֵימָא בְהוֹן פִּתְחִי לִי אֲחוֹתִי רַעִיָתִי יוֹנָתִי תַמָּתִי). For, “Your iniquity is ended, O daughter of Zion; He will not continue to exile you” (דְּהָא תַּם עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת צִיּוֹן לֹא יוֹסִיף לְהַגְלוֹתֵךְ) (Lamentations 4). “My head is filled with dew” (שֶׁרֹאשִׁי נִמְלָא טָל) (Song of Songs 5). What is “filled with dew”? (מַאי נִמְלָא טָל) Rather, Kudsha Berikh Hu said (אֶלָּא אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): You think that from the day the Temple was destroyed I entered into My house and into My habitation? (אַנְתְּ חֲשִׁיבַת דְמִיּוֹמָא דְאִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא דְעָאלְנָא בְּבֵיתָא דִילִי וְעָאלְנָא בְיִשּׁוּבָא). Not so. I have not entered all the time that you are in exile (לַאו הָכִי דְלָא עָאלְנָא כָל זִמְנָא דְאַנְתְּ בְּגָלוּתָא).

Behold, here is a sign for you: “My head is filled with dew” (הֲרֵי לָךְ סִימָנָא שֶׁרֹאשִׁי נִמְלָא טָל). The Hei - Shekhinta in exile (ה״א שְׁכִינְתָּא בְגָלוּתָא). Her completion and her life is the dew (שְׁלִימוּ דִילָהּ וְחַיִּים דִילָהּ אִיהוּ טָל). And this is Yod–Hei–Vav, and the Hei is the Shekhinta (וְדָא אִיהוּ יו״ד ה״א וָא״ו וְה״א אִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא). Not the reckoning of dew (39), but Yod–Hei–Vav (דְלָא מֵחוּשְׁבַּן ט״ל אֶלָּא יו״ד ה״א וָא״ו), for these letters ascend to the reckoning of dew (דִּסְלִיקוּ אַתְוָון לְחֻשְׁבַּן ט״ל). And it is that which fills the Shekhinta from the fountain of all supernal springs (דְּאִיהוּ מַלְיָא לִשְׁכִינְתָּא מִנְּבִיעוּ דְּכָל מְקוֹרִין עִלָּאִין).

Immediately Ra‘aya Meheimna arose, and the holy Patriarchs with him (מִיָּד קָם רַעִיָּא מְהֵימְנָא וַאֲבָהָן קַדִּישִׁין עִמֵּיהּ). Until here is the secret of the union (עַד כַּאן רָזָא דְיִחוּדָא). From here onward is the first section of the secrets of the Orayta (מִכַּאן וְאֵילֵךְ פָּרָשָׁתָא קַדְמָאָה דְסִתְרֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): “Bereshit Bara Elohim” (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִי״ם). “The secret of Hashem is with those who fear Him, and His covenant, to make them know it” (סוֹד יהו״ה לִירֵאָיו וּבְרִיתוֹ לְהוֹדִיעָם) (Psalms 25). “Secret” - these are seventy faces (סוֹ״ד אִלֵּין אִינוּן שַׁבְעִין אַנְפִּין), explained from the word Bereshit in this section (דְּאִתְפָּרַשׁ מִלַּת בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּהַאי פָּרָשָׁתָא).