Daf 46b (דַּף מ״ו ע״ב)

She is the halakha of the King (אִיהִי הֲלָכָה דְמַלְכָּא), when She goes to Him through the two thighs, which are the two supports of truth (כַּד אִיהִי אָזְלַת גַּבֵּיהּ בִּתְרֵין שׁוֹקִין דְּאִינוּן תְּרֵי סַמְכֵי קְשׁוֹט). And when She ascends into the body, into the two arms of the King, She is called Kabbalah (וְכַד סְלִיקַת בְּגוּפָא בִּתְרֵין דְּרוֹעוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא אִתְקְרִיאַת קַבָּלָה). And when She kisses Him with His mouth, She is called the Oral Orayta (וְכַד נְשִׁיקַת לֵיהּ בְּפִימֵיהּ אִתְקְרִיאַת אוֹרַיְיתָא דִבְעַל פֶּה). At that time, when She ascends to the mouth of the King, immediately it is fulfilled with Ra‘aya Meheimna: “Mouth to mouth I speak with him” (Numbers 12) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְסָלְקָא לְפִימָא דְמַלְכָּא, מִיָּד יִתְקַיֵּים בְּרַעִיָּא מְהֵימְנָא פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ).

When She stands on Her feet in the last exile, She is called halakha to Moshe from Sinai (כַּד קָמַת עַל רַגְלָהָא בְגָלוּתָא בַתְרָאָה, אִתְקְרִיאַת הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי). And when She rests in the arms of the King, She is called Kabbalah to Moshe from Sinai (וְכַד שַׁרְיָיא בִדְרוֹעוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא, אִתְקְרִיאַת קַבָּלָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי). And when She rests in the mouth of the King, immediately: “Mouth to mouth I speak with him” (Numbers 12) (וְכַד שַׁרְיָיא בְּפִימָא דְמַלְכָּא, מִיָּד פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ). And when She is distant-halakha from Moshe-the Shekhinta is contention of Hashem below (וְכַד אִיהִי מְרַחֲקָא הֲלָכָה מִמֹּשֶׁה, שְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי רִיב לַיהו״ה לְתַתָּא). And when She is not in His arms, Kabbalah, She is contention above (וְכַד לַאו אִיהִי בִדְרוֹעוֹי קַבָּלָה, אִיהִי רִיב לְעִילָא). And because of this: “Hear, O mountains, the contention of Hashem” (Micah 6) (וּבְגִין דָּא שִׁמְעוּ הָרִים אֶת רִיב יהו״ה). These are the three Patriarchs (אִלֵּין תְּלַת אֲבָהָן). What is their contention? This is the Shekhinta (מַאי רִיב דִלְהוֹן, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). And by reversal of letters, “riv” (contention) is rabbi (וּבְהִפּוּךְ אַתְוָון רִי״ב אִיהוּ רַבִּי), who is Rabbi from Eretz Yisrael (דְּאִיהוּ רַבִּי מֵאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל). And with him is the Shekhinta, “riv” (contention) (וְעִמֵּיהּ אִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא רִיב). And the Eitanim are these two Tanna’im (וְהָאֵיתָנִים אִלֵּין תְּרֵי תַּנָּאֵי). Eitani’im, by reversal of letters, are Tanna’im (אֵיתָנִי״ם בְּהִפּוּךְ אַתְוָון תַּנָּאִי״ם). “The foundations of the earth” - these are Tzaddik and Tzedek (מוֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ אִלֵּין צַדִּיק וָצֶדֶק).

Another matter: “Hear, O mountains” (דָּבָר אַחֵר שִׁמְעוּ הָרִים). Who are the mountains? These are the three points, which are segol (מָאן הָרִים אִלֵּין תְּלַת נְקוּדִין דְּאִינוּן סֶגוֹ״ל). And the Eitanim are these two points, which are tzere (וְהָאֵיתָנִים אִלֵּין תְּרֵין נְקוּדִין דְּאִינוּן צֵרֵ״י). And furthermore: “Hear, O mountains, who are the mountains?” These are the three second points, which are shureq (וְעוֹד שִׁמְעוּ הָרִים מָאן הָרִים אִלֵּין תְּלַת נְקוּדִין תִּנְיָינִין דְּאִינוּן שׁוּרֵ״ק). And the Eitanim are the two second points, which are sheva (וְאֵיתָנִים אִינוּן תְּרֵין נְקוּדִין תִּנְיָינִין דְּאִינוּן שְׁבָ״א).

What is the contention of Hashem? This is chirik (מַאי רִיב יהו״ה דָּא חִירֵ״ק). The contention of Hashem above is Holam (רִיב יהו״ה לְעִילָא חוֹלֵ״ם). The contention of Hashem below is chirik (רִיב יהו״ה לְתַתָּא חִירֵ״ק). Two contentions are upon shureq (תְּרֵי רִיבוֹת אִינוּן עַל שׁוּרֵ״ק), which is the Tzaddik, the bond of both (דְּאִיהוּ (חד) צַדִּיק קִשּׁוּרָא דְתַרְוַיְיהוּ). The middle pillar (עַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא): when He is distant from them, He is contention (כַּד אִיהוּ מִתְרַחֵק מִנַּיְיהוּ אִיהוּ רִיב). And when He is bound between both of them, He is Rabbi, and He is peace, and He is bond (וְכַד מִתְקַשֵּׁר בֵּין תַּרְוַיְיהוּ אִיהוּ רַבִּי, וְאִיהוּ שָׁלוֹם, וְאִיהוּ קֶשֶׁר). This is what is written: “And his soul is bound with his soul” (Bereshit 44) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְנַפְשׁוֹ קְשׁוּרָה בְנַפְשׁוֹ). And furthermore, two contentions there are (וְעוֹד תְּרֵי רִיבוֹת אִינוּן): one is the Tzaddik (חַד צַדִּיק), and one is the middle pillar (וְחַד עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). One is contention between Abba and Imma (חַד אִיהוּ רִיב בֵּין אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), who are kamatz and patach (דְאִנּוּן קָמֵ״ץ וּפַתַ״ח). This middle pillar is contention between them (דָּא עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא אִיהוּ רִיב בֵּינַיְיהוּ). Some say: they are contention between Abba and Imma, who are kamatz and patach, and why are they contention between them? (נ״א דָּאִינוּן רִיב בֵּין אַבָּא וְאִמָּא דְּאַנּוּן קָמֵ״ץ וּפַתַ״ח, וְאַמַּאי אִינוּן רִיב בֵּינַיְיהוּ). Because the Shekhinta has no nourishment in exile (בְּגִין שְׁכִינְתָּא דְלֵית לָהּ מְזוֹנָא בְגָלוּתָא). Because the gate is patach (בְּגִין דְּתַרְעָא אִיהוּ פַתַ״ח), of which it is said: “You open Your hand” (Psalms 145) (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶיךָ). That is the Yod of Chokhmah (דְאִיהוּ י׳ חָכְמָה). Kamatz is closed (קָמֵ״ץ סָתוּם). Concerning it, it is said: “You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing” (Psalms 145) (עֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶיךָ וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַ״י). And this is the Life of the Worlds (וְדָא חַ״י עָלְמִין), who includes eighteen blessings (דְּאִיהוּ כְּלִיל חַ״י בִּרְכָאָן). He is desolate and dry in prayer, which is the Shekhinta (אִיהוּ חָרֵב וְיָבֵשׁ בִּצְלוֹתָא דְאִיהוּ שְׁכִינְתָּא). And because of this, prayer is dry (וּבְגִין דָּא אִיהוּ צְלוֹתָא יְבֵשָׁה). On account of this, there is contention between Abba and Imma (בְּגִינַיְהוּ אִיהוּ רִיב בֵּין אַבָּא וְאִמָּא). And when kamatz is opened by patach, which is its gate (וְכַד אִתְפַּתַּח קָמֵ״ץ בְּפַתָ״ח דְּאִיהוּ תַרְעָא דִילֵיהּ), the middle pillar descends full (עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא נָחִית מָלֵא), and walks five hundred years (וּמְהַלֵּךְ חָמֵשׁ מְאָה שְׁנִין), until they reach the Life of the Worlds (עַד דְּמָטוּ לְחַ״י עָלְמִין), who includes eighteen blessings (דָּאִיהוּ כְּלִיל חַ״י בִּרְכָאָן). And He is filled from them (וְאִתְמַלָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ), and from Him the Shekhinta, who is prayer, is given drink (וּמִנֵּיהּ אִתְשַׁקְיָיא לִשְׁכִינְתָּא דְאִיהִי צְלוֹתָא). And what was dry He called land (וּמַאי דַּהֲוָה יַבָּשָׁה קָרָא לֵיהּ אֶרֶץ). This is what is written: “And Elohim called the dry land earth” (Bereshit 1) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לַיַּבָּשָׁה אֶרֶץ). To produce fruit and offspring (לְמֵעִבַּד פֵּרִין וְאִיבִּין). These are the holy land of Yisrael below (דְּאִינוּן אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא). This is what is written: “And Elohim said, Let the earth bring forth grass” (Bereshit 1) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא). And the middle pillar, when it ascends to Abba and Imma to bring down nourishment from there (וְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא כַּד סָלִיק לְאַבָּא וְאִמָּא לְנַחֲתָא מְזוֹנָא מִתַּמָּן), its voice ascends upon all those rivers and springs (קָלֵיהּ סָלְקָא עַל כָּל אִינוּן נְחָלִין וּמַבּוּעִין). And when it descends, its voice descends upon all those rivers and springs of the Orayta (וְכַד נָחְתָא קָלֵיהּ נָחְתָא עַל כָּל אִינוּן נְחָלִין וּמַבּוּעִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). This is what is written: “The rivers have lifted up, Hashem, the rivers have lifted up their voice, the rivers shall lift up” (Psalms 93) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת יְי נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת קוֹלָם נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת). These are the two points which are tzere (אִלֵּין אִינוּן תְּרֵין נְקוּדִין דְּאִינוּן צֵרֵ״י). Who is it that ascends above them in the two arms? This is Holam (מָאן אִיהוּ דְסָלִיק עַל גַּבַּיְיהוּ בִּתְרֵין דְּרוֹעִין, דָּא חוֹלֵ״ם), and with it is made the segolta (וּבֵיהּ אִתְעֲבִידוּ סֶגוֹלְתָּ״א). And who is it that descends below them in the two thighs? This is chirik (וּמָאן אִיהוּ דְנָחִית תְּחוֹתַיְיהוּ בִּתְרֵין שׁוֹקִין, דָּא חִירֵ״ק), and with it is made the segol (וּבֵיהּ אִתְעֲבִידוּ סֶגוֹ״ל). At that time, “The rivers lifted up their voice” (Psalms 93) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא נָשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת קוֹלָם), this is the voice of Ya‘akov (דְּאִיהוּ קוֹל יַעֲקֹב), the voice of the shofar (קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר). And where do they ascend? To Abba and Imma (וּלְאָן סָלְקִין לֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי אַבָּא וְאִמָּא). And when it descends, it descends in the two points which are sheva, the two thighs of truth (וְכַד נָחִית נָחִית בִּתְרֵין נְקוּדִין דְּאִינוּן שְׁבָ״א תְּרֵי יַרְכֵי קְשׁוֹט). This is what is written: “The rivers lift up their pounding” (Psalms 93) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב יִשְׂאוּ נְהָרוֹת דָּכְיָם), such as: “Upon the shoulder they carried” (Numbers 7) (כְּגוֹן עַל כָּתֵף יִשָּׂאוּ). And Abba descends into the Tzaddik (וַאֲבָא נָחֵית בַּצַּדִּיק), who is shureq in the point of one chirik (דְּאִיהוּ שׁוּרֵ״ק בִּנְקוּדַת חִירֵ״ק חֲדָא). For there is the portion of the lawgiver hidden (כִּי שָׁם חֶלְקַת מְחוֹקֵק סָפוּן) (Deuteronomy 33). It is the bond of the two thighs of truth (קִשּׁוּרָא דִתְרֵין יַרְכִין דִּקְשׁוֹט). This is dakh yam, “pounding of the sea” (דָּאִיהוּ דָּכְיָם, דָּךְ יָם). Dakh (crushed) is that which includes the twenty-four letters of the second unification (דָּ״ךְ דִּכְלִיל כ״ד אַתְוָון דְּיִחוּדָא תִּנְיָינָא). Concerning it is said: “Let not the oppressed return ashamed” (Psalms 74) (עֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר אַל יָשׁוֹב דַּךְ נִכְלָם). Dach is in the twenty-four books of the Orayta (דָּ״ךְ אִיהוּ בְּכ״ד סְפָרִים דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And the Shekhinta: “And her pitcher was upon her shoulder” (Bereshit 24) (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא וְכַדָּ״הּ עַל שִׁכְמָהּ). And when the Tzaddik is filled from the middle pillar, it is said of him: “And she filled her pitcher and went up” (Bereshit 24) (וְכַד צַדִּיק אִיהוּ מָלֵא מֵעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא, דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וַתְּמַלֵּא כַדָּהּ וַתָּעַל).