Daf 24a (דַּף כ״ד ע״א)

Meanwhile, behold Eliyahu descended from above (אַדְהָכִי הָא אֵלִיָּהוּ קָא נָחִית מֵעִילָא), with many hosts of souls (בְכַמָּה חֲיָילִין דְּנִשְׁמָתִין), and many angels his companions (וְכַמָּה מַלְאָכַיָּא סוּחְרָנֵיהּ), and the supernal Shekhinta a crown upon all of them (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה עֲטָרָה עַל כֻּלְּהוּ), Keter upon the head of every Tzaddik (כֶּתֶר בְּרֵישׁ כָּל צַדִּיק). At that time a voice was aroused in the supernal tree with melody (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא קָלָא אִתְעַר בְּאִילָנָא דִלְעִילָא בְּנִגּוּנָא), and many birds of Neshamatin dwelled there in its branches (וְכַמָּה עוֹפִין דְּנִשְׁמָתִין שַׁרְיָין תַּמָּן בְּעַנְפּוֹי). This is what is written: “The tree grew and was strong…” (Daniel 4:8) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב רְבָה אִילָנָא וּתְקִיף וְגוֹ׳).

And let it be said thus: Rabbi, Rabbi, you are the tree that is great and strong in the Orayta (וְיֵימָא הָכִי, רַבִּי רַבִּי אַנְתְּ הוּא אִילָנָא דִרְבָה וּתְקִיף בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), in your branches which are the holy limbs (בְּעַנְפִין דִּילָךְ דְּאִינוּן אֵבָרִין קַדִּישִׁין), how many birds dwell there, which are holy souls like the pattern above (כַּמָּה עוֹפִין שַׁרְיָין תַּמָּן, דְּנִשְׁמָתִין קַדִּישִׁין כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעִילָא), as it is said of it: “And in its branches dwelt the birds of heaven” (Daniel 4:9) (דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וּבְעַנְפוֹהִי יְדוּרָן צִפֲּרֵי שְׁמַיָּא). And how many human beings below are sustained from this your connection (וְכַמָּה בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְתַתָּא יִתְפַּרְנְסוּן מֵהַאי חִבּוּרָא דִילָךְ), when it shall be revealed below in the last generation at the end of days (כַּד יִתְגַּלֵי לְתַתָּא בְּדָרָא בַתְרָאָה בְּסוֹף יוֹמַיָּא). And concerning this: “And you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land, etc.” (Leviticus 25:10) (וּבְגִינֵיהּ וּקְרָאתֶם דְּרוֹר בָּאָרֶץ וְגוֹ׳).

Eliyahu opened and said (פָּתַח אֵלִיָּהוּ וְאָמַר): When Shabbat and the festivals depart (כַד נָפִיק שַׁבַּתָא וְיוֹמִין טָבִין), and Yisrael are under the dominion of Samael and seventy appointed ones (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִינוּן תְּחוֹת מֶמְשָׁלָה דְסמא״ל וְשַׁבְעִין מְמַנָּן), and they press Yisrael (וְדָחֲקִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), a voice goes forth from heaven towards them (קָלָא נָפִיק מִן שְׁמַיָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ), and it says thus (וְיֵימָא הָכִי): “Fear, shame” (יְרָ״א בֹּשֶׁ״ת), and this is “Bereshit” (וְדָא בְרֵאשִׁית), it shall be for you as longing from heaven (יְהֵא לָךְ כִּסּוּפָא מִן שְׁמַיָּא), and this is “Bereshit” (וְדָא בְּרֵאשִׁית).

The Seventh Tikkun

תִּוּנָא שְׁבִיעָאָה

“Bereshit, Awe [Yira]—Shame [Boshet] ” (בְּרֵאשִׁית יְרָ״א בֹּשֶׁ״ת), woe to Samael (וַוי לֵיהּ לְסמא״ל), when Kudsha Berikh Hu shall come to redeem the Shekhinta and Yisrael her children (כַּד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יֵיתֵי לְמִפְרַק לִשְׁכִינְתָּא וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנָהָא), and He will demand from him and from the seventy nations and from their appointed rulers (וְתָבַע מִנֵּיהּ וּמִשַּׁבְעִין אוּמִין וּמִמְּמַנָּן דִּילְהוֹן), all the affliction that they afflicted Yisrael in exile (כָּל עָאקוּ דְעָאקוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא). For before Yisrael were exiled (בְּגִין דְּקֳדָם דְּגָלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), Kudsha Berikh Hu revealed to him that Yisrael were destined to be under his dominion (גַּלִּי לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דַהֲווֹ עֲתִידִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֶהֱוֵי תְּחוֹת שִׁעִבּוּדַיְיהוּ), Some say: to go out from under his dominion (ס״א לְמִפַּק מִתַּחוֹת שִׁעִבּוּדַיְיהוּ). And He showed to him and to the seventy rulers under his hand (וְאַחֲזֵי לֵיהּ וּלְשַׁבְעִין מְמַנָּן דִּתְחוֹת יְדֵיהּ), their reward would be if they honored Yisrael in exile (אַגְרָא דִלְהוֹן אִי הֲווֹ אוֹקְרִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא). This is what is written: “And Hashem blessed the Egyptian’s house for Yosef’s sake” (Bereshit 39:5) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְבָרֶךְ יְיָ אֶת בֵּית הַמִּצְרִי בִּגְלַל יוֹסֵף). But he and his rulers did not act with them honor (וְאִיהוּ וּמְמַנָּן דִּילֵיהּ לָא עָבְדִין לְהוֹן יְקָרָא), but they acted with them and with the Shekhinta disgrace (אֶלָּא עָבְדִין בְּהוֹן וּבִשְׁכִינְתָּא קְלָנָא), saying to them every day: “Where is your God?” (דְאָמְרִין לוֹן כָּל יוֹמָא אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם). And for this a voice goes forth to him every day from heaven (וּבְגִין דָּא קָלָא נָפִיק לְגַבֵּיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא מִן שְׁמַיָּא), and says: “Fear, shame, let it be for you longing from the Shekhinta” (וְאָמַר יְרָ״א בֹּשֶׁ״ת, יְהֵא לָךְ כִּסּוּפָא מִן שְׁכִינְתָּא). “Fear of heaven, let it be for you longing from Kudsha Berikh Hu, who is heaven” (יְרֵ״א שָׁמַיִם יְהֵא לָךְ כִּסּוּפָא מִקּוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְאִיהוּ שָׁמַיִם). This is what is written: “And You shall hear in heaven” (1 Kings 8:32) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְאַתָּה תִּשְׁמַע הַשָּׁמַיִם). And this is “Bereshit” (וְדָא בְּרֵאשִׁית).

The Eighth Tikkun

תִּקּוּנָא תְּמִינָאָה

“Bereshit, fear, shame” (בְּרֵאשִׁית, יְרָ״א בֹּשֶׁ״ת), “Shin” is heaven (ש׳ שָׁמַיִם), fear of heaven (יר״א שׁמי״ם), “fear the house that is His” (יְרֵ״א בַּיִ״ת דִּילֵיהּ), for He is the head of the house (דְּאִיהוּ רֹא״שׁ בַּיִ״ת). One must fear Him in His house (דָּחִיל לֵיהּ בְּבֵיתֵיהּ). This is “Bereshit” (דָּא הוּא בְּרֵאשִׁי״ת). But he and his rulers did not fear Him (וְאִיהוּ וּמְמַנָּן דִּילֵיהּ לָא דְחִילוּ מִנֵּיהּ), and they destroyed His house-the first House and the second House (וַחֲרִיבוּ בֵיתֵיהּ בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן וּבַיִת שֵׁנִי). And for this: “Then the moon shall be confounded” (Isaiah 24:23) (וּבְגִין דָּא וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה), which is the serpent, the harlot (דְאִיהִי נָחָשׁ אֵשֶׁת זְנוּנִים), “and the sun ashamed” (Isaiah 24:23) (וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה), which is Gehinnom (דְאִיהִי גֵיהִנָּם). For the serpent, the harlot, destroyed the house of the Shekhinta (דְּנָחָשׁ אֵשֶׁת זְנוּנִים חֲרִיבַת בֵּיתָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא), and the sun, which is Gehinnom, the poison of death, burned the palace (וְחַמָּה דְאִיהִי גֵיהִנָּם סַם הַמָּוְת אוֹקִידַת הֵיכָלָא). And at the time that Kudsha Berikh Hu shall build them as before (וּבְזִמְנָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּנֵי לוֹן כְּמִלְּקַדְמִין), this is what is written: “Hashem builds Yerushalayim” (Psalms 147:2) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם יְיָ). At that time: “Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed” (Isaiah 24:23) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה). When? At the time when “Hashem of hosts shall reign” (Isaiah 24:23) (אֵימָתַי, בְּזִמְנָא דְכִי מָלַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת). For the first building was made by the hand of man (דְּבִנְיָינָא קַדְמָאָה אִתְעֲבִיד עַל יְדָא דְבַר נַשׁ), and for this reason they had dominion over it (וּבְגִין דָּא שַׁלִּיטוּ עֲלַיְהוּ). For: “Unless Hashem builds the house, its builders labor in vain” (Psalms 127:1) (בְּגִין דְּאִם יְיָ לֹא יִבְנֶה בַיִת שָׁוְא עָמְלוּ בוֹנָיו בּוֹ). And because the latter building shall be by the hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבְגִין דְּבִנְיָינָא בַתְרָאָה יְהֵא עַל יְדָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), it shall endure (יִתְקַיַּים). And concerning this the verse says: “Greater shall be the glory of this latter house than the former” (Haggai 2:9) (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר קְרָא גָּדוֹל יִהְיֶה כְּבוֹד הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה הָאַחֲרוֹן מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן). And at that time that the building shall be built by the hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu, above and below (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְיִתְבְּנֵי בִנְיָינָא עַל יְדָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעִילָא וְתַתָּא), it is said of the supernal and the lower Shekhinta (אִתְּמַר בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה): “And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun” (Isaiah 30:26) (וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה). And “the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed” (Isaiah 24:23) (וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה), these are the female counterparts of Samael (דְאִינוּן נוּקְבִין דְּסמא״ל). For because Samael did not fear Kudsha Berikh Hu, who is heaven (וּבְגִין דְּלָא דְחִיל סמא״ל מִן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְאִיהוּ שָׁמַיִם), and his female counterpart did not fear His Shekhinta, which is earth (וּבַת זוּגֵיהּ לָא דְחִילַת מִשְּׁכִינְתֵּיהּ דְּאִיהִי אַרְעִיהּ), it is said of them: “For the heavens shall vanish like smoke, and the earth shall wear out like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6) (אִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן כִּי שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ, וְהָאָרֶץ כַּבֶּגֶד תִּבְלֶה), this is Samael and his female counterpart (הוּא סמא״ל וּבַת זוּגֵיהּ).