Daf 45b (דַּף מ״ה ע״ב)

And when She ascends, She ascends like a dove (וְכַד סָלְקָא סָלְקָא כְּיוֹנָה), and when She descends, She descends like an eagle (וְכַד נָחֲתַת נָחֲתַת כְּנִשְׁרָא). This is the Matronita (דְאִיהִי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא), who does not fear from any of the birds of the world (דְלָא דְחִילַת מִכָּל עוֹפִין דְּעָלְמָא). And She descends with nourishment for Her children (וְנָחְתָא בְּכַמָּה מְזוֹנִין לִבְנָהָא). This is what is written: “As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young” (Deuteronomy 32) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ עַל גּוֹזָלָיו יְרַחֵף). Who are its young? These are Yisrael (מָאן גּוֹזָלָיו, אִלֵּין אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), who are like young birds chirping to Her with many chirpings of prayer (דְּאִינוּן כְּגוֹזָלַיָּיא מְצַפְצְפִין לָהּ בְּכַמָּה צִפְצוּפִין דִּצְלוֹתָא). And She descends toward them (וְנָחֲתַת לְגַבַּיְיהוּ), to each one She gives nourishment fitting for him (לְכָל חַד נָחְתָא לֵיהּ מְזוֹנָא כִּדְקָא יָאוּת לֵיהּ): to one She gives nourishment of Orayta, which is nourishment of the Neshama (לְמָאן נָחְתָא מְזוֹנָא דְאוֹרַיְּיתָא דְאִיהִי מְזוֹנָא דְנִשְׁמָתָא); to one She gives nourishment of the body (לְמָאן נָחֲתָא מְזוֹנָא דְגוּפָא); to each one according to his desire (לְכָל חַד כְּפוּם רְעוּתֵיהּ).

Another matter: “If you lie” (דָּבָר אַחֵר אֵם תִּשְׁכְּבוּן), this is Imma Ila’ah (דָּא אִימָּא עִלָּאָה), which is the prayer of Shabbat (דְאִיהִי צְלוֹתָא דְשַׁבָּת), which requires lips to receive Her on the eve of Shabbat (דִּצְרִיכִין שִׂפְוָון לְקַבְּלָא לָהּ בְּעִרֶב שַׁבָּת). For She is the Neshama of all life (דְּאִיהִי נִשְׁמַת כָּל חַי). She descends upon the head of the Tzaddik, who is the seventh day (אִיהִי נָחְתָא עַל רֹאשׁ צַדִּיק דְּאִיהוּ יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי). “The tongue of the learned” we call him (לְשׁוֹן לִמּוּדִים קָרִינָן לֵיהּ), and She dwells upon him between the two lips, which are Netzach and Hod (וְאִיהִי שַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ בֵּין תְּרֵין שִׂפְוָון דְּאִינוּן נֶצַח וָהוֹד). And Shabbat is the mouth (וְשַׁבָּת אִיהִי פֶה), some say: the opening (נ״א פתח), which is opened on the eve of Shabbat to receive Her in this prayer of Shabbat (דְּאִתְפַּתְּחָא בְּעִרֶב שַׁבָּת לְקַבְּלָא לָהּ בְּהַאי צְלוֹתָא דְשַׁבָּת). For the prayer of Shabbat is called Kabbalah (דְּהָא צְלוֹתָא דְשַׁבָּת אִתְקְרִיאַת קַבָּלָה). And from it all the Sefirot receive one from another (וּמִינָהּ מְקַבְּלִין כָּל סְפִירָאן דֵּין מִן דֵּין). And in it the prayer of man is received before Hashem (וּבָהּ צְלוֹתָא דְבַר נַשׁ מְקוּבֶּלֶת קֳדָם יהו״ה). And it is the prayer of the Ten Days of Repentance (וְאִיהִי צְלוֹתָא דַעֲשֶׂרֶת יְמֵי תְּשׁוּבָה). And it is the upper Heh (וְאִיהִי ה׳ עִלָּאָה), in which they established five prayers on Yom Kippur (דְתַקִּינוּ בָּהּ חָמֵשׁ צְלוֹתִין בְּיוֹמָא דְכִפּוּרֵי). But Shabbat is the lower Shekhinta (אֲבָל שַׁבָּת אִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה), crowned from the three Patriarchs (כְּלִילָא מִתְּלַת אֲבָהָן), which are the three branches of the Shin of Shabbat (דְּאִינוּן תְּלַת עַנְפִין דְּש׳ דְּשַׁבָּ״ת). The Only Daughter (Bat Yechidah): She is a [singular] point within her own space (Chalal) (בַּ״ת יְחִידָה אִיהִי נְקוּדָה בֶּחָלָל דִּילָהּ). And She is the festival of all days (וְאִיהִי חַג דְּכָל יוֹמִין טָבִין), some say: that includes all (נ״א דכליל כל). Concerning Her it is said: “He sits upon the circle of the earth” (Isaiah 40) (עֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל חוּג הָאָרֶץ). But the additional Neshama on Shabbat and on Festivals and on all Musafim (אֲבָל נִשְׁמָתָא יְתֵירָא בְּשַׁבָּת וּבְיוֹמִין טָבִין וּבְכָל מוּסָפִין), this is Imma Ila’ah (אִיהִי אִימָּא עִלָּאָה), the addition of Ruach haKodesh (תּוֹסֶפֶת רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ). The prayer of the six days of weekday, three times each day (צְלוֹתָא דְשִׁית יוֹמִין דְּחוֹל תְּלַת זִמְנִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא), this is the lower Shekhinta (אִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה), the total of eighteen prayers (כְּלָלָא דְתַמְנֵי סְרֵי צְלוֹתִין), three times each day (תְּלַת זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא). They ascend through the six days - eighteen (סָלְקִין בְּשִׁית יוֹמִין חַ״י), and upon His name it is called “the prayer of every mouth” (וְעַל שְׁמֵיהּ אִתְקְרֵי תְּפִלַּת כָּל פֶּ״ה).

On weekdays She receives nourishment by the hand of a messenger (בְּיוֹמִין דְּחוֹל אַיְיתֵי לָהּ מְזוֹנָא עַל יְדֵי שְׁלִיחַ), but on Shabbat and on Festivals She receives nourishment by the hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֲבָל בְּשַׁבָּת וְיוֹמִין טָבִין אַיְיתֵי לָהּ מְזוֹנָא עַל יְדָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Woe to the woman who is sustained by the hand of a messenger (וַוי לְאִתְּתָא דְאִתְפַּרְנְסַת עַל יְדֵי שְׁלִיחָא). And this has already been established with the dove (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהוּ בְיוֹנָה), as it is said: “And behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth” (Bereshit 8) (דְאִתְּמַר וְהִנֵּה עֲלֵה זַיִת טָרָף בְּפִיהָ). And why an olive leaf? (וְאַמַּאי עֲלֵה זַיִת) Because the dove said: Master of the Worlds (אֶלָּא אָמְרַת יוֹנָה, רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין), let my sustenance be given into Your hand, and let it be bitter as an olive (תְּהֵא מְזוֹנָא דִילִי מְסוּרָה בִּידָךְ וּתְהֵא מְרִירָא כַּזַּיִת), and let it not be sweet and given by the hand of a messenger (וְלָא תְּהֵא מְתוּקָה וּמְסוּרָה בְיַד שְׁלִיחַ). And the messenger in this place - that is Metatron (וּשְׁלִיחַ בְּהַאי אֲתַר דָּא מטטרו״ן). And furthermore, the Shekhinta is called the prayer of Pesach, from the right side (וְעוֹד שְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְקְרִיאַת צְלוֹתָא דְפִסְחָא מִסִּטְרָא דִימִינָא), the prayer of Rosh Hashanah from the left side (צְלוֹתָא דְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה מִסִּטְרָא דִשְׂמָאלָא), the prayer of Shavuot from the middle side (צְלוֹתָא דְשָׁבוּעוֹת מִסִּטְרָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). YHVH is in every place to receive Her (יהו״ה אִיהִי בְכָל אֲתַר לְקַבְּלָא לָהּ). (And to rectify the garments of battle - וְלְתַקּוֹנֵי מָאנֵי קְרָבָא).

Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר), “Hear, O mountains, the contention of Hashem” (Micah 6) (שִׁמְעוּ הָרִים אֶת רִיב יהו״ה). Who is the contention of Hashem, and who are the mountains? (מָאן רִיב יהו״ה וּמָאן הָרִים). The contention of Hashem, this is the Shekhinta (רִיב יהו״ה דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). The mountains, these are the Patriarchs (הָרִים אִלֵּין אֲבָהָן). Contention is dispute and quarrel with Kudsha Berikh Hu (רִיב אִיהִי קְטָטָה וּמַחֲלֹקֶת לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), over Her children who are in exile (עַל בְּנָהָא דְאִינוּן בְּגָלוּתָא). And at the time when they are not in exile (וּבְזִמְנָא דְלַאו אִינוּן בְּגָלוּתָא), it is contention before Him over those poor who wander from their places (אִיהִי רִיב לְגַבֵּיהּ עַל אִינוּן מִסְכְּנִין דְּאָזְלִין מִתְתָּרְכִין מֵאַתְרַיְהוּ), because He has mercy upon them (בְגִין דִּיְרַחֵם עֲלַיְהוּ). And the verse reproves (וּקְרָא אוֹכַח): This is what is written, “Or let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; peace shall he make with Me” (Isaiah 27) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אוֹ יַחֲזֵק בְּמָעוּזִי, יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם לִי, שָׁלוֹם יַעֲשֶׂה לִי). Two peaces (תְּרֵי שְׁלָמֵי): one with the Shekhinta, for She contends before Him over the poor (חַד עִם שְׁכִינְתָּא דְאִיהִי רִיב לְגַבֵּיהּ עַל מִסְכְּנָא). And who is the poor one for whom She contends? (וּמָאן אִיהוּ מִסְכְּנָא דְעָבְדַת רִיב בְּגִינֵיהּ). This is the poor one who is from the side of the Tzaddik (דָּא מִסְכְּנָא דְאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְצַדִּיק).

All the more so when the Tzaddik, who is the life of the worlds, is desolate and dry in the eighteen blessings of prayer (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן כַּד צַדִּיק דְּאִיהוּ חַ״י עָלְמִין, חָרֵב וְיָבֵשׁ בְּחַ״י בִּרְכָאָן דִּצְלוֹתָא), and they cry out toward Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְצָוְוחִין לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And it is said concerning them, “Then they shall call Me, but I will not answer” (Proverbs 1) (וְאִתְּמַר לְגַבַּיְיהוּ אָז יִקְרָאֻנְנִי וְלֹא אֶעֱנֶה). And just as the lower Shekhinta is contention over the Tzaddik, who is the life of the worlds, when He is desolate and dry (וּכְמָה דִשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה אִיהִי רִיב עַל צַדִּיק דְּאִיהוּ חַ״י עָלְמִין, חָרֵב וְיָבֵשׁ), desolate from the Temple and dry from the libations and offerings (חֶרֶב מִבֵּי מִקְדְּשָׁא וְיָבֵשׁ מִנְּסָכִים וַעֲלוֹת), so too is the contention of the upper Shekhinta concerning Him with Kudsha Berikh Hu (הָכִי אִיהוּ רִיב שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה בְגִינֵיהּ עִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And concerning them it is said, “Matters of disputes in your gates” (Deuteronomy 17) (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר דִּבְרֵי רִיבוֹת בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ). And when both of them are contentions concerning Him with Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבְזִמְנָא דְתַרְוַיְיהוּ אִינוּן רִיבוֹת בְּגִינֵיהּ עִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu cries out toward Yisrael below (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא צָוַוח לְגַבֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא): “Or let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; peace shall he make with Me” (Isaiah 27) (אוֹ יַחֲזֵק בְּמָעוּזִי, יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם לִי, שָׁלוֹם יַעֲשֶׂה לִּי). Two peaces (תְּרֵי שְׁלוֹמִים), corresponding to two contentions (לָקֳבֵל תְּרֵי רִיבוֹת). And what is hardest of all? (וְקַשְׁיָא אִיהִי לָהּ מִכֹּלָּא). The separation of Kudsha Berikh Hu from Her (אַפְרָשׁוּתָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִינָהּ). And this is contention for the sake of Heaven (וְדָא אִיהוּ מַחֲלוֹקֶת לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם).