Daf 29a (דַּף כ״ט ע״א)

The eighth is in thanksgiving (תְּמִינָאָה בְּהוֹדָאָה), and in it David would praise: “Give thanks to Hashem” (וּבֵיהּ הֲוָה מְשַׁבַּח דָּוִד הוֹדוּ לַיְיָ׳). And this is truly Hod (וְדָא הוֹד וַדַּאי). “For the conductor: give thanks” (לַמְנַצֵּחַ הוֹדוּ). In them are hinted Netzach and Hod (בְּהוֹן רְמִיזִין נֶצַח וָהוֹד), and they are miracles (וְאִינוּן נִסִּין). And with it Moshe praised: “Then” (וּבֵיהּ שַׁבַּח מֹשֶׁה אָז). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Then Moshe sang” (אָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה) (Exodus 15:1). Because it is Hod that was given to Moshe (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ הוֹד דִּיְהִיב לְמֹשֶׁה). “Then you shall call, and Hashem shall answer” (אָז תִּקְרָא וַיְיָ׳ יַעֲנֶה) (Isaiah 58:7). And this is the eighth day of circumcision (וְאִיהוּ תְּמַנְיָא יוֹמִין דְּמִילָה). And after it is the covenant, which is Yesod, the Tzaddik of the world (וּבַתְרֵיהּ בְּרִית דְּאִיהוּ יְסוֹד צַדִּיקָא דְעָלְמָא). And in it is revealed the Yod of circumcision (וּבֵיהּ אִתְגַּלְיָא י׳ דְּמִילָה), the tenth for the ten Sefirot (עֲשִׂירָאָה לַעֲשַׂר סְפִירָן). And it is Hod-the eight days of Chanukkah (וְאִיהוּ הוֹד תְּמַנְיָא יוֹמֵי דַחֲנוּכָּה), to twenty-four days (לְאַרְבָּעָה וְעִשְׂרִין יוֹמִין), which are “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever” (דְּאִינוּן בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד). And immediately: “And behold, an olive leaf torn off was in her mouth” (וּמִיָּד דַּעֲלֵה זַיִת טָרָף בְּפִיהָ) (Bereshit 8:11). The [Light of] Koh (25) rests upon Yisrael on the 25th of Kislev (שַׁרְיָא כ״ה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכ״ה בְּכִסְלֵו). And these are the 25 letters of union (וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן כ״ה אַתְוָון דְּיִחוּדָא), which are “Shema Yisrael…” (דְּאִינוּן שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ׳). And this is Chanukkah: Chanu Koh (וְדָא אִיהוּ חֲנוּכָּ״ה חֲנ״וּ כָּ״ה).

But Netzach-about it is said: “And the ark rested in the seventh month” (וַתָּנַח הַתֵּיבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי) (Bereshit 8:4). Because in Netzach is hinted Noach the Tzaddik (בְּגִין דְּנֶצַח בֵּיהּ רְמִיז נֹחַ צַדִּיק). And in it: “And the waters prevailed greatly” (וְהַמַּיִם גָּבְרוּ מְאֹד) (Bereshit 7:19). When Yisrael do not keep the covenant of circumcision, the nations of the world prevail, which are the raging waters (כַּד לָא נָטְרִין יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרִית מִילָה מִתְגַּבְּרִין אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּאִינוּן הַמַּיִם הַזֵּדוֹנִים). And when they keep it, it is said of them: “And the waters decreased continually” (וְהַמַּיִם הָיוּ הָלוֹךְ וְחָסוֹר) (Bereshit 8:5), until the tenth month, which is the Yod of circumcision (עַד הַחֹדֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי דָּא י׳ דְּמִילָה), which is Malkhut (דְּאִיהִי מַלְכוּת), the tenth for the ten Sefirot (עֲשִׂירָאָה לַעֲשַׂר סְפִירָן). And Ya'akov-about that thigh it is said: “And he was limping upon his thigh” (וְהוּא צוֹלֵעַ עַל יְרֵכוֹ) (Bereshit 32:32). For the Yod flew from him (דְפָרַח מִנֵּיהּ י׳), and only the heel remained (וְאִשְׁתָּאַר עָקֵב).

And the secret of the matter: “He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (הוּא יְשׁוּפְךָ רֹאשׁ וְאַתָּה תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ עָקֵב) (Bereshit 3:15). When the Sukkah is completed in her thigh (כַּד אִשְׁתַּלִּימַת סוּכָּה בְיֶרֵךְ דִּילָהּ), it is said of Ya'akov: “And Ya'akov came complete” (וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם) (Bereshit 33:18). And Ya'akov indeed is the likeness of the Middle Pillar from the outer side (וְיַעֲקֹב וַדַּאי אִיהוּ דִיּוֹקְנָא דְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא מִסִּטְרָא דִלְבַר). And behold, Moshe was there, but from the inner side (וְהָא מֹשֶׁה תַמָּן הֲוָה, אֶלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דִלְגָאו הֲוָה). This one from the body, and this one from the Neshama (דָּא מִגּוּפָא, וְדָא מִנִּשְׁמָתָא). And because of this the two thighs of the Middle Pillar are complete: Netzach and Hod (וּבְגִין דָּא תְרֵין יַרְכִין דְּעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא שְׁלִים אִינוּן נֶצַח וָהוֹד). And when will the Middle Pillar be complete (וּמָתַי יִהְיֶה עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא שְׁלִים)? When it is joined with the Shekhinta (כַּד אִתְחַבַּר בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). This is what is written: “And Ya'akov journeyed to Sukkot, and built him a house” (וְיַעֲקֹב נָסַע סֻכֹּתָה וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת) (Bereshit 33:17). This is what is written: “And Hashem Elohim built the side” (וַיִּבֶן יְיָ׳ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע) (Bereshit 2:22). At that time, when he is joined with her, “And Ya'akov came complete” (וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם) (Bereshit 33:18). At that time the Sukkah shall be whole-twenty-six plus sixty-five equals YAHDVNHY (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא תְּהֵא סוּכָּה שְׁלֵימָתָא, כ״ו ה״ס, יאהדונה״י).

Rabbi El'azar arose and said (קָם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר), Abba, Abba (אַבָּא אַבָּא), why was it said on the first day of Sukkot (אַמַּאי אִתְּמַר בְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה דְסֻכּוֹת), “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a beautiful tree” (וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עִץ הָדָר) (Leviticus 23:3)? He said to him: My son, the weapons of battle are taken in the right hand (אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּרִי מָאנֵי קְרָבָא בִּימִינָא נָטְלִין לוֹן), and with these weapons of battle Yisrael are marked as those who win the judgment (וּבְאִלֵּין מָאנֵי קְרָבָא אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל רְשִׁימִין דְּנָצְחִין דִּינָא), a parable to a king who had a judgment and a war with the seventy nations (מְתַל לְמַלְכָּא דַהֲוָה לֵיהּ דִּינָא וּקְרָבָא בְּשַׁבְעִין אוּמִין), and they did not know who won the judgment (וְלָא הֲווֹ יָדְעִין מָאן נָצַח דִּינָא), and they asked him: Who won the judgment (וְשָׁאֲלִין לֵיהּ מָאן נָצַח דִּינָא)?

He said: Look at those who are marked with the weapons of battle in their hands, and you will know who won the judgment (אָמַר תִּסְתַּכְּלוּן בְּאִלֵּין דִּרְשִׁימִין בְּמָאנֵי קְרָבָא בִידַיְיהוּ, וְתִנְדְּעוּן מָאן נָצַח דִּינָא). “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a beautiful tree”-this is the Etrog (וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עִץ הָדָר דָּא אֶתְרוֹג), which is the Shekhinta (דְּאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא), the heart (לִבָּא), which is the root of all the limbs of the body (דְּאִיהוּ עִקָּרָא דְכָל אֵבָרִין דְּגוּפָא), which are the three hadassim, and the lulav, and two willow branches (דְּאִינוּן תְּלַת הֲדַסִּים, וְלוּלָב וּתְרֵי בַדֵּי עֲרָבָה), the heart in the middle (לִבָּא בְאֶמְצָעִיתָא), and the limbs encircle around it (וְאֵבָרִין סְחוֹר סְחוֹר לֵיהּ). And because of this, the Etrog is the Shekhinta (וּבְגִין דָּא אֶתְרוֹג דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), and so have established the masters of the Mishnah (וְהָכִי אוּקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין): if its pitom was taken off, or if a blister arose upon most of it, it is invalid (אִי נִטְּלָה בּוּכְנָתוֹ, וְאִי עָלָה חֲזָזִית עַל רוּבּוֹ, פָּסוּל), because it resembles the Shekhinta, of whom it is said: “All of you are fair, my companion, and there is no blemish in you” (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ דָמֵי לִשְׁכִינְתָּא, דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ כֻּלָּךְ יָפָה רַעֲיָתִי וּמוּם אֵין בָּךְ) (Song of Songs 4:7).

“Branches of palm trees”-this is the lulav (כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים דָּא לוּלָב), and about it is said: “If its leaves are split, it is invalid” (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר נִפְרְצוּ עַלָּיו פָּסוּל), because this one is the one who cuts down the saplings (בְּגִין דְּדָא אִיהוּ מְקַצֵּץ בִּנְטִיעוֹת). He who blesses over it on the first day of Sukkot (מָאן דִּמְבָרֵךְ עֲלָהּ בְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה דְסֻכּוֹת), because it is the binding and union of all, the Life of worlds (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ קִשּׁוּרָא וְיִחוּדָא דְכֹלָּא, חַ״י עָלְמִין), which corresponds to the eighteen vertebrae of the spine (דְּאִיהוּ לָקֳבֵל חַ״י חוּלְיָין דְּשִׁדְרָה). And because of this the masters of the Mishnah have established: the lulav resembles the spine (וּבְגִין דָּא אוּקְמוּהוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, לוּלָב דּוֹמֶה לְשִׁדְרָה). And the secret of the lulav: “The Tzaddik shall flourish like the palm” (וְרָזָא דְלוּלָב צַדִּיק כַּתָּמָר יִפְרָח), and this is: “For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is Yours” (וְדָא אִיהוּ כִּי כֹל בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ) (I Chronicles 29:11), and Onkelos translated: “That He holds in the heavens and in the earth” (וְתִרְגֵם אֻנְקְלוֹס דַּאֲחִיד בִּשְׁמַיָּא וּבְאַרְעָא). And it is necessary to wave eighteen wavings in the six directions (וְצָרִיךְ לְנַעֲנֻעָא חַ״י נִעֲנוּעִין בְּשִׁית סִטְרִין), which are: “Seal the east in Y-H-V,” etc. (דְּאִינוּן חוֹתָם מִזְרָח בְּיָה״ו וְכוּ׳), six Havayot in which there are eighteen letters (שִׁית הֲוַיּוֹ״ת דְּאִית בְּהוֹן תַּמְנֵי סְרֵי אַתְוָון), and all of them are hinted in Sefer Yetzirah in the six directions (וְכֻלְּהוּ רְמִיזִין בְּסֵפֶר יְצִירָה בְּשִׁית סִטְרִין). And so have the masters of the Mishnah established: “He brings and he returns”-to Him who owns the four winds of the world (וְהָכִי אוּקְמוּהוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, מוֹלִיךְ וּמֵבִיא לְמָאן דְּאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם דִּילֵיהּ), “He raises and he lowers”-to Him who owns the heavens and the earth (מַעֲלֶה וּמוֹרִיד לְמָאן דִּשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא דִילֵיהּ).