Daf 23a (דַּף כ״ג ע״א)

And the Neshamot that are from the side of the supernal Shekhinta are called chicks (וְנִשְׁמָתִין דְּאִינוּן מִסִּטְרָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה אִתְקְרִיאוּ אֶפְרוֹחִין), and the Nefashot from the side of the lower Shekhinta are called eggs (וְנַפְשִׁין מִסִּטְרָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה אִקְרוּן בֵּיצִים), and this is the secret of “He Who spreads the sukkah of peace upon us” (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְהַפּוֹרֵס סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ), the supernal Imma, who is the sukkah of peace that overspreads them (אִימָּא עִלָּאָה דְאִיהִי סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם דִּמְסַכֵךְ עֲלַיְיהוּ), and peace is with her, as it is said concerning her: “Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace” (Numbers 25) (וְשָׁלוֹם עִמָּהּ, דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ הִנְנִי נוֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם). And there is a sukkah below-twenty-six, five Sefirot-that is YAHDVNHY (וְאִית סוּכָּה לְתַתָּא כ״ו ה״ס דְּאִיהוּ יאהדונה״י), the sukkah of peace, kos (cup), (plus) tav, which is Tiferet (סוּכַּת שָׁלוֹם, כּוֹ״ס, ת׳ דְּאִיהוּ תִפְאֶרֶת). At that time the children shall be in the domain of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא יְהוֹן בְּנִין בִּרְשׁוּתָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and a voice shall go forth and say: “Do not take the mother upon the children” (וְקָלָא נָפִיק וְיֵימָא לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים).

Immediately there shall go forth “Remember and Keep” of Shabbat (מִיָּד דְּנָפִיק זָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר דְּשַׁבָּת), and the evening of the first day of Shabbat shall come (וְיֵיתֵי לֵילְיָא דְיוֹמָא קַמָּא דְשַׁבַּתָּא), a second voice shall go forth: “Send, you shall surely send” (קָלָא תִּנְיָינָא נָפִיק שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח). And further: “If there chance before you a bird’s nest” (Deuteronomy 22) (וְתוּ כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן צִפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ), this is the sukkah, which is the supernal Imma (דָּא סוּכָּה דְאִיהִי אִימָּא עִלָּאָה), “in every tree” (בְּכָל עִץ), this is as it is written: “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a tree of beauty” (Leviticus 23) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עִץ הָדָר). The chicks-these are the seven days of Sukkot (אֶפְרוֹחִים אִלֵּין שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַסֻּכּוֹת), or the eggs-in which are made the seven circuits (אוֹ בֵּיצִים דִּבְהוֹן עָבְדִין שֶׁבַע הַקָּפוֹת), and the secret of the matter: “A female shall surround a man” (Jeremiah 31) (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה נְקֵבָה תְּסוֹבֵב גָּבֶר).

“The fruit of a tree of beauty”-this is the lower Imma (פְּרִי עִץ הָדָר אִימָּא תַּתָּאָה), “tree”-this is the lulav (עִץ אִיהוּ לוּלָ״ב), thirty-six and thirty-two pathways, this is the etrog (ל״ו ל״ב נְתִיבוֹת, דְּאִיהוּ אֶתְרוֹג). And it is necessary to shake it to the six directions (וְצָרִיךְ לְנַעִנָעָא בֵּיהּ לְשִׁית סִטְרִין), four directions, and above and below (אַרְבַּע רוּחִין וְעִילָא וְתַתָּא), to awaken upon it six (לְאַתְעָרָא עֲלֵיהּ ו׳), and three shakings for every direction-rising eighteen (וּתְלַת נִעִנּוּעִין לְכָל סִטְרָא סָלְקִין חַ״י). And it is necessary four times eighteen (וְצָרִיךְ אַרְבַּע זִמְנִין חַ״י): one at the taking of the lulav (חַד בִּנְטִילַת לוּלָב), and two at “Please, Hashem, save” (וּתְּרֵין בְּאָנָא יְיָ), and two others at “Give thanks to Hashem” at the beginning and at the end (תְּרֵין אָחֳרָנִין בְּהוֹדוּ לַייָ תְּחִלָּה וָסוֹף). And with these shakings they bring down from above to below to seventy-two nations (וּבְאִלֵּין נִעִנּוּעִין אִינוּן מַשְׁפִּילִין מֵעִילָא לְתַתָּא לְשַׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין אוּמִין). And after they are subdued, they say: 'Ani Vahu Hosiah Na' [I and He, save us now] two times (וּלְבָתַר דְּנָצְחֵי לוֹן אָמְרֵי אֲנִי וָהוּ הוֹשִׁיעָה נָא תְּרֵין זִמְנִין), which are Vav-Alef-Vav from vahu ani vahu (דְּאִינוּן וָא״ו מִן וה״ו אֲנִי וה״ו), from “And they journeyed, and they came, and they stretched” (Numbers 33) (מִן וַיִּסַּע וַיָּבֹא וַיֵּט). And at that time-“Do not take the mother upon the children” (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים).

Eggs are from the side of the Ofanim (בֵּיצִים אִינוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְאוֹפַנִים), chicks are from the side of the youth Metatron (אֶפְרוֹחִים מִסִּטְרָא דְנַעַר מטטרו״ן), children are from the side of the Throne, which is the sukkah of peace (בָּנִים מִסִּטְרָא דְכָרְסַיָּא דְאִיהִי סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם), which is the nest of the Shekhinta (דְּאִיהִי קִנָּא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא). For the supernal Imma nests in the Throne within the three supernal Sefirot (דְּאִימָּא עִלָּאָה מְקַנְנָא בְּכָרְסַיָּא בִּתְלַת סְפִירָן עִלָּאִין), the middle pillar that includes six Sefirot (עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא כְּלִיל שִׁית סְפִירָן) nests in Metatron (מְקַנְנָן בִּמְטַטְרוֹ״ן), and the lower Imma nests in the Ofan (אִימָּא תַּתָּאָה מְקַנְנָא בְּאוֹפַן), as it is said concerning it: “And behold one Ofan upon the earth” (Ezekiel 1) (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וְהִנֵּה אוֹפַן אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ). And further, the Shekhinta, from the side of the Throne, is called Eagle (וְעוֹד שְׁכִינְתָּא מִסִּטְרָא דְכָרְסַיָּא אִתְקְרִיאַת נֶשֶׁר), and from the side of the Youth, Dove (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְנַעַר יוֹנָה), and from the side of the Ofan, Bird (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְאוֹפַן צִפּוֹר), and the Shekhinta in the likeness of Man to these (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא דְמוּת אָדָם לָהֵנָּה). And further: “Send, you shall surely send” (וְעוֹד שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח).

Come and see: there is an angel appointed over birds, which are the Nefashot that are called birds (תָּא חֲזִי מַלְאָכָא אִית דִּמְמַנָּא עַל עוֹפִין, דְּאִינוּן נַפְשִׁין דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ צִפָּרִין), and his name is Sandalfon (וְסַנְדַּלְפוֹ״ן שְׁמֵיהּ). And at the time that Yisrael fulfill this commandment, and the mother goes forth and is sent away, and the children cry out (וּבְזִמְנָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַיְימֵי הַאי פִּקּוּדָא, וְאָזְלַת אִימָּא מִתְתַּרְכָא, וּבְנִין צָוְוחִין), he advocates merit on behalf of his birds (אִיהוּ אוֹלִיף זְכוּ עַל עוֹפִין דִּילֵיהּ), and says before Kudsha Berikh Hu: “Behold, it is written of You: ‘And His mercies are over all His works’ (Psalms 145) (וְיֵימָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְהָא כְּתִיב בָּךְ וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו), why then have You decreed against this bird that she be sent away from her nest?” (אַמַּאי גְּזֵירְתְּ עַל הַאי עוֹפָא דְאִתְתַּרְכַת מִקִּינָהּ). And likewise Metatron advocates merit on behalf of his birds, which are the spirits that fly among human beings (וְכֵן מטטרו״ן אוֹלִיף זְכוּ עַל עוֹפִין דִּילֵיהּ, דְּאִינוּן רוּחִין דְּפָרְחִין בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא): from the Throne are the Neshamot (דְּמִכָּרְסַיָּא אִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין), from the Chayah are the spirits (וּמֵהַאי חַיָּה רוּחִין), and from the Ofan are the Nefashot (וּמֵאוֹפַן נַפְשִׁין), and these are in Beri’ah, Yetzirah, Asiyah (וְאִינוּן בִּבְרִיאָה יְצִירָה עֲשִׂיָּה).

On Shabbat and festivals descend upon them Neshamot and spirits and Nefashot by the path of Atzilut (בְּשַׁבָּת וְיוֹמִין טָבִין נָחֲתִין עֲלַיְיהוּ נִשְׁמָתִין וְרוּחִין וְנַפְשִׁין בְּאֹרַח אֲצִילוּת), which are the Ruach haKodesh from the ten Sefirot (דְּאִינוּן רוּחָא דְקוּדְשָׁא מֵעֲשַׂר סְפִירָן). And every appointed one advocates merit on behalf of his birds, which are the Neshamot that fly among human beings (וְכָל מְמַנָּא אוֹלִיף זְכוּ עַל עוֹפִין דִּילֵיהּ, דְּאִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּפָרְחִין בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). And at the time that Yisrael fulfill this commandment, every appointed one advocates merit on behalf of his birds (וּבְזִמְנָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַיְמִין הַאי פִּקּוּדָא, כָּל מְמַנָּא אוֹלִיף זְכוּ עַל עוֹפִין דִּילֵיהּ). And what does Kudsha Berikh Hu do? He gathers together all His hosts (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֶה עָבִיד, כָּנִישׁ לְכָל חֲיָלִין דִּילֵיהּ), and says: “And is it that every appointed one of the birds below advocates merit on behalf of his birds over which he is appointed, and there is none among you who advocates merit on behalf of My children, who are Yisrael, My firstborn son Yisrael” (Exodus 4) (וְיֵימָא, וְכִי כָּל מְמַנָּא דְעוֹפֵי דִלְתַתָּא אוֹלִיף זְכוּ עַל עוֹפִין דִּילֵיהּ דִּמְמַנָּא עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְלֵית בְּכוּ מָאן דְּאוֹלִיף זְכוּ עַל בָּנַי דְּאִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּנִי בְּכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל), and on the Shekhinta who is in exile, whose nest, which is Yerushalayim, is destroyed (וְעַל שְׁכִינְתָּא דְאִיהִי בְגָלוּתָא, דְקִנָּא דִילָהּ דְּאִיהִי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם חֲרֵבָה), and her children are in exile under the hand of harsh masters, the nations of the world (וּבְנוֹי בְּגָלוּתָא תְּחוֹת יַד אֲדוֹנִים קָשִׁין אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא), and there is none who seeks mercy for them and advocates merit on their behalf (וְלֵית מָאן דְּבָעִי עֲלַיְיהוּ רַחֲמֵי, וְיוֹלִיף זְכוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ). At that time Kudsha Berikh Hu cries out and says: “For My sake, for My sake I will act” (Isaiah 48) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא צָוַוח קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאָמַר לְמַעֲנִי לְמַעֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה), and “I acted for the sake of My Name” (Ezekiel 20) (וָאֶעֱשֶׂה לְמַעַן שְׁמִי), and by this mercy is aroused upon His Shekhinta and upon His children who are in exile (וּבְדָא יִתְעַר רַחֲמֵי עַל שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ וְעַל בְּנוֹי דִּבְגָלוּתָא).