Daf 21a (דַּף כ״א ע״א)

The Sixth Tikkun

תִּקּוּנָא שְׁתִיתָאָה

Bereshit, Rabbi Shimon arose (בְּרֵאשִׁית, קָם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), opened and said to Eliyahu (פָּתַח וְאָמַר לְאֵלִיָּהוּ): “Eliyahu, Eliyahu (אֵלִיָּהוּ אֵלִיָּהוּ), by oath upon you in the holy Malkhut (בְּאוֹמָאָה עֲלָךְ בְּמַלְכוּת קַדִּישָׁא), which is fallen in exile (דְאִיהִי נְפִילָא בְגָלוּתָא), take permission not to move from us (טוֹל רְשׁוּתָא דְלָא תָזוּז מִינָן), for the Shekhinta and her hosts guard you (דְּהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא וְחֵילָהָא נָטְרִין לָךְ). The ministering angels, of whom it is said (Isaiah 33:7) (מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): “Behold, their heroes cry outside” (הֵן אֶרְאֶלָם צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה), outside the chambers (לְבַר מֵהֵיכָלִין), there is no one who receives the prayers of Yisrael (לָא אִית מָאן דִּמְקַבֵּל צְלוֹתִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).

How many birds chirp in prayers to their mothers (כַּמָּה צִפָּרִין מְצַפְצְפִין בִּצְלוֹתִין לְגַבֵּי אִמָּהוֹן), who nest upon the earth (דְּאִינוּן מְקַנְנָן עַל אַרְעָא), who guard you (דְנָטְרִין לָךְ), and all of them are called birds (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְקְרִיאוּ צִפָּרִים), in the name of the bird’s nest, which is the Holy Imma (עַל שֵׁם קַן צִפּוֹר דְּאִיהִי אִימָּא קַדִּישָׁא), of which it is said (Deuteronomy 22:6) (דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “If a bird’s nest chances before you” (כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן צִפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ). And concerning her it is said (Psalms 84:4) (וַעֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר): “Also the bird has found a house” (גַּם צִפּוֹר מָצְאָה בַיִת). And this is the two from Bereshit (וְדָא בּ' מִבְּרֵאשִׁית), of which it is said (Proverbs 24:3) (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “Through Chokhmah is the house built” (בְּחָכְמָה יִבָּנֶה בָּיִת). And the dror, nest for her, this is Imma Ila’ah, Yovel (וּדְרוֹר קֵן לָהּ דָּא אִימָּא עִלָּאָה יוֹבֵל), of which it is said (Leviticus 25:10) (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “And you shall proclaim dror in the land” (וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר בָּאָרֶץ). At the time when the bird finds a house, which is the Temple (בְּזִמְנָא דְצִפּוֹר מָצְאָה בַיִת דְּאִיהִי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), and it is built and established (וְאִתְבְּנִיאַת וְאִתְתַּקְנַת), immediately the dror, which is the supernal Shekhinta (מִיָּד דְּרוֹר דְּאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה), has found a nest for herself above (אַשְׁכְּחַת קֵן לָהּ לְעִילָא). And immediately she places her chicks (וּמִיָּד אֲשֶׂר שָׁתָה אֶפְרוֹחֶיהָ), these are her six children (אִלֵּין שִׁית בְּנִין דִּילָהּ), the six Sefirot (שִׁית סְפִירָן), which are the six days of creation (דְּאִינוּן שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה). All of them fly to her (כֻּלְּהוּ פָרְחִין לְגַבָּהּ), on the festivals, appointed times, and holy days (בְּכַמָּה חַגִּין וּזְמַנִּין וְיוֹמִין טָבִין). And the chicks, which are Yisrael below (וְאֶפְרוֹחִים דְּאִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא), all of them fly with her in exile (כֻּלְּהוּ פָרְחִין עִמָּהּ בְּגָלוּתָא). And at the time when they are eggs (וּבְזִמְנָא דְאִנּוּן בֵּיצִים), who do not yet have wings by the positive commandments in order to fly (דְּלֵית לוֹן גַּדְפִין בְּפִקּוּדִין דַּעֲשֵׂה לְפָרְחָא), it is said of her: “You shall not take the mother with the children” (Deuteronomy 22:6) (אִתְּמַר בָּהּ לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים).

If so, what is the meaning of “If a bird’s nest chances”? (אִי הָכִי מַאי כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן). Rather, at the time when the Shekhinta does not have a place to dwell there permanently (אֶלָּא בְזִמְנָא דְלֵית לָהּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא אֲתַר לְשַׁרְיָא תַּמָּן בִּקְבִיעוּ), she goes by chance (אִיהִי אָזְלַת בְּמִקְרֶה). And this is as it is said: “Whoever fixes a place for his prayer” etc. (וְדָא אִיהוּ כָּל הַקּוֹבֵעַ מָקוֹם לִתְפִלָּתוֹ וְכוּ'). Just as the Neshamoth do, so the Shekhinta dwells with them (כְּמָה דְנִשְׁמָתִין עָבְדִין, הָכִי שַׁרְיָא שְׁכִינְתָּא עִמְּהוֹן). A Neshamah which is fixed in prayer or in Orayta (נִשְׁמָתָא דְאִיהִי קְבוּעָה בִּצְלוֹתָא אוֹ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), that is a fixed place for the Shekhinta to dwell in her (אִיהִי אֲתַר קָבוּעַ לְשַׁרְיָא בָּהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא). But a Neshamah which has no fixity in prayer or Orayta (אֲבָל נִשְׁמָתָא דְלֵית לָהּ קְבִיעוּ בִצְלוֹתָא אוֹ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), but only if it happens to her by chance (אֶלָּא אִי אִזְדַּמְנַת לָהּ בְּמִקְרֶה), so it is that Shekhinta dwells upon her by chance (הָכִי אִיהִי שַׁרְיָא עֲלָהּ בְּמִקְרֶה). And this is the meaning of: “If a bird’s nest chances before you” etc. (Deuteronomy 22:6) (וְדָא אִיהוּ כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן צִפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ וְכוּ').

Surely the Neshamah is the bird’s nest (דְּוַדַּאי נִשְׁמָתָא, אִיהִי קַן צִפּוֹר). And likewise, the Neshamah of man is called the bird’s nest (וְכֵן הַהִיא נִשְׁמָתָא דְבַר נַשׁ אִתְקְרִיאַת קַן צִפּוֹר), and the body is the nest of the Neshamah (וְגוּפָא קַן דְּנִשְׁמָתָא). And so too the Neshamoth which are her youths (וְכֵן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּאִינוּן עוּלֵימָאן דִּילָהּ), who are called “maidens after her, her companions” (Psalm 45:15) (דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ בְּתוּלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ רֵעוֹתֶיהָ), sit in bodies, which are their nests, by way of chance (יָתְבִין בְּגוּפִין דְּאִינוּן קַן דִּלְהוֹן בְּאֹרַח מִקְרֶה), at the time when they are not fixed in synagogues and houses of study (בְּזִמְנָא דְלַאו אִינוּן קְבוּעִין בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי מֶדְרָשׁוֹת). And this is the meaning of: “If a bird’s nest chances before you” (Deuteronomy 22:6) (וְדָא אִיהוּ כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן צִפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ). And furthermore, the bird’s nest above is the Throne (וְעוֹד קַן צִפּוֹר לְעִילָא, אִיהוּ כָּרְסַיָּא), and her nest below is Metatron (וְקַן דִּילָהּ לְתַתָּא מטטרו״ן).

And concerning him it is said (Numbers 14:18) (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר): “And He will by no means clear” (וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה). There is the nest (דְתַמָּן קַן), and he is jealous and avenging (וְאִיהוּ קַנֹּא וְנוֹקֵם), at the time when She finds no resting nest to dwell (בְּזִמְנָא דְלָא אַשְׁכְּחַת קִינָא לְשַׁרְיָיא). On the way-this is what is said (Joshua 5:4) (בַּדֶּרֶךְ, דָּא דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “They died in the wilderness on the way, when they came out of Egypt” (מֵתוּ בַמִּדְבָּר בַּדֶּרֶךְ בְּצֵאתָם מִמִּצְרָיִם). And again, on the way-this is the burial of Rachel (וְעוֹד בַּדֶּרֶךְ, דָּא קְבוּרַת רָחֵל), which is at the crossroads (דְּאִיהִי בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין). And concerning her it is said (Jeremiah 9:1) (וַעֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר): “Who will give me in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfarers” (מִי יִתְּנֵנִי בַמִּדְבָּר מְלוֹן אֹרְחִים). And these are the two Mashiachs (וְאִינוּן תְּרֵין מְשִׁיחִין), who from there will pass when they come to redeem Yisrael (דְּמִתַּמָּן קָא עָבְרִין כַּד אָתָאן לְמִפְרַק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל).

In every tree-this is the Tree of Life (בְּכָל עִץ דָּא אִיהוּ עִץ הַחַיִּים), of which it is said (Proverbs 3:18) (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ): “It is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it” (עִץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ). And concerning it, it is said (Deuteronomy 20:19) (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר): “For man is a tree of the field” (כִּי הָאָדָם עִץ הַשָּׂדֶה). And further, in every tree-this is the Tzaddik (וְעוֹד בְּכָל עִץ דָּא צַדִּיק), of whom it is said (Bereshit 1:11) (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ): “A tree bearing fruit, whose seed is in it, after its kind” (עִץ פְּרִי עֹשֶׂה פְּרִי לְמִינוֹ). And this is the Sabbath day (וְדָא יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת), when there is the Zivug of the Shekhinta with Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּתַמָּן זִוּוּגָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא עִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and there she has rest (וְתַמָּן אִית לָהּ נְיָיחָא). And concerning it, it is said (Psalms 1:3) (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר): “And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season” (וְהָיָה כְּעִץ שָׁתוּל עַל פַּלְגֵי מָיִם אֲשֶׁר פִּרְיוֹ יִתֵּן בְּעִתּוֹ). This is its season of the Tzaddik, which is the eve of Sabbath (דָא עִתּוֹ דְצַדִּיק דְּאִיהִי לֵיל שַׁבָּת), for from the Tzaddik there fly forth new Neshamoth into Yisrael on the eve of Sabbath (דְּצַדִּיק מִנֵּיהּ פָּרְחִין נִשְׁמָתִין חַדְתִּין בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עִרֶב שַׁבָּת), which are called “new faces” (דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ פָּנִים חֲדָשׁוֹת).