Daf 52b (דַּף נ״ב ע״ב)

In the time of exile (בְּזִמְנָא דְגָלוּתָא), all the rulers of the nations of the world and the Erev rav (כָּל מְמַנָּן דְּאוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא וְעִרֶב רַב), of them it is said (אִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): “Her adversaries became the head, her enemies prosper” (Lamentations 1) (הָיוּ צָרֶיהָ לְרֹאשׁ אוֹיְבֶיהָ שָׁלוּ). Her adversaries are indeed the Erev rav (צָרֶיהָ וַדַּאי אִינוּן עִרֶב רַב). Of them it is said (עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves, every one loves bribes…” (Isaiah 1) (שָׂרַיִךְ סוֹרְרִים וְחַבְרֵי גַנָּבִים כֻּלּוֹ, אוֹהֵב שֹׁחַד וְגוֹמֵר). “Her enemies prosper”-these are Esav and Yishma‘el and the seventy rulers (אוֹיְבֶיהָ שָׁלוּ אִלֵּין עֵשָׂו וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל וְשַׁבְעִין מְמַנָּן), who are all in tranquility and wealth (דְּאִינוּן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּשַׁלְוָה בְעוּתְרָא), while Yisrael are in oppression and poverty (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּדוֹחֲקָא בַעֲנִיּוּתָא). And because of this, woe to the world when they are swallowed in evil mixture (וּבְגִין דָּא וַוי לְעָלְמָא כַּד אִתְבַּלְעוּ בְּעִרְבוּבְיָא בִישָׁא). And who caused them to be swallowed in their inward parts, and it was not known that they had entered their belly (וּמָאן גָּרַם דְּאִתְבַּלְעוּ בְּמֵעַיְיהוּ וְלֹא נוֹדַע כִּי בָאוּ אֶל קִרְבֶּנָה)? Because their deeds were evil in their hands (בְּגִין דְּעוֹבְדֵיהוֹן בִּישִׁין בִּידֵיהוֹן). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And they mingled with the nations and learned their works” (Psalms 106) (וַיִּתְעָרְבוּ בַגּוֹיִם וַיִּלְמְדוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם).

In this likeness, the Neshama is Knesset Yisrael (כְּגַוְונָא דָא נִשְׁמָתָא אִיהִי כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). When she is complete in the positive commandments (כַּד אִיהִי שְׁלֵימָא בְּפִקּוּדִין דַּעֲשֵׂה), of her it is said (אִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “You are all beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4) (כֻּלָּךְ יָפָה רַעִיָתִי וּמוּם אֵין בָּךְ). At that time the Name YHVH rests upon her (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם יהו״ה עֲלָהּ). Of her it is said (וְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the Name of YHVH is called upon you, and they shall fear you” (Deuteronomy 28) (וְרָאוּ כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם יהו״ה נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ וְיָרְאוּ מִמֶּךָּ). Then the rulers of the liver and its veins, and the rulers of the spleen and its evil mixture, are subdued beneath the heart, where the Neshama dwells (וּמְמַנָּן דְּכָבֵד וְעַרְקִין דִּילֵיהּ וּמְמַנָּן דִּטְחוֹל וְעִרְבוּבְיָא בִישָׁא דִילֵיהּ, מִתְכַּפְיָין תְּחוֹת לִבָּא דְתַמָּן נִשְׁמָתָא). And if the Neshama is defiled (וְאִם נִשְׁמָתָא אִיהִי מִתְטַנְפָא), some say: blemished (ס״א פְּגִימָא), in sins (בְּחוֹבִין), or one commandment is lacking from her, even a single commandment from among the commandments (אוֹ גָּרַע מִינָהּ אֲפִילוּ פִקּוּדָא חֲדָא מֵאִינוּן פִּקּוּדִין)-as the masters of the Mishnah established: “A transgression extinguishes a mitzvah” (כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין עֲבֵירָה מְכַבָּה מִצְוָה). In that place, some say: limb (בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר, נ״א אֵבָר), where the transgression dwells and the mitzvah has departed from it (דְּשַׁרְיָא עֲבֵירָה וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִצְוָה מִנֵּיהּ), that limb is blemished (הַהוּא אֵבֶר אִיהוּ פָּגוּם), and this is the blemish of the Neshama (וְאִיהוּ מוּם דְּנִשְׁמָתָא). Because of this, Kudsha Berikh Hu does not rest upon that Neshama (בְּגִינֵיהּ לָא שַׁרְיָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל נִשְׁמָתָא).

This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Any man in whom there is a blemish shall not approach” (Leviticus 21) (כָּל אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ מוּם לֹא יִקְרָב). The Neshama that has a blemish in one of her 248 commandments (נִשְׁמָתָא דְאִית בָּהּ מוּם בְּחַד מֵרַמַ״ח פִּקּוּדִין דִּילָהּ), she is not brought near before Kudsha Berikh Hu (לָא אִתְקְרִיבַת בְּגִינֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). But the Neshama, from the side of the Shekhinta, has no blemish (אֲבָל נִשְׁמָתָא מִסִּטְרָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא לֵית בָּהּ מוּם). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “You are all beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4) (כֻּלָּךְ יָפָה רַעִיָתִי וּמוּם אֵין בָּךְ). If the evil inclination seeks to approach that place (אִם יֵצֶר הָרָע בָּעִי לְקָרְבָא לְהַהוּא אֲתַר), since Shekhinta dwells there, which is the Neshama (כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא שַׁרְיָא תַמָּן דְּאִיהִי נִשְׁמָתָא), of her it is said (אִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “And the stranger that comes near shall be put to death” (Numbers 1) (וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת). Because of her it is said (בְּגִין דַּעֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר): “I am YHVH, that is My Name, and My glory I will not give to another” (Isaiah 42) (אֲנִי יְיָ הוּא שְׁמִי וּכְבוֹדִי לְאַחֵר לֹא אֶתֵּן)-that is, not to another god, not to a strange god (דְּהַיְינוּ אֵל אַחֵר אֵל זָר).

For the Neshama is His glory (דְּנִשְׁמָתָא אִיהִי יְקָרֵיהּ), and she is His praise (וְאִיהִי תּוּשְׁבַּחְתֵּיהּ). In her a man praises Kudsha Berikh Hu in prayer every day with many praises and thanksgivings (דְּבָהּ מְשַׁבַּח בַּר נַשׁ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּצְלוֹתָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּכַמָּה תּוּשְׁבְּחָן וְהוֹדָאָן). And because of this: “I am YHVH, that is My Name, and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images” (Isaiah 42) (וּבְגִין דָּא אֲנִי יְיָ הוּא שְׁמִי וּכְבוֹדִי לְאַחֵר לֹא אֶתֵּן וּתְהִלָּתִי לַפְּסִילִים). These are the seventy rulers (אִלֵּין שַׁבְעִין מְמַנָּן), to whom Kudsha Berikh Hu does not give permission to rule over her (דְּלָא יְהִיב לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רְשׁוּ לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלָהּ). They are the veins of the liver, which is the other god (דְּאִינוּן עַרְקִין דְּכָבֵד דְּאִיהוּ אֵל אַחֵר), the spleen, the serpent, and the appendix of the liver, the harlot (טְחוֹל נָחָשׁ יוֹתֶרֶת הַכָּבֵד אֵשֶׁת זְנוּנִים). After she makes falsification-some say, adultery-with other gods (בָּתַר דַּעֲבִידַת זִיּוּפָא, נ״א נַאוּפָא, עִם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים). And her blood is divided, for her extraction is to all the veins (וּפַלִּיגַת דְּמָא דִילָהּ דְּאִיהִי תַּמְצִית דִּילָהּ לְכָל עַרְקִין).

The remainder she brings near to the spleen, which is her mate, the fool (שִׁיּוּרָא קְרֵיבַת לְגַבֵּי טְחוֹל דְּאִיהוּ בַּעִילָהּ כְּסִיל). For the spleen takes only the dregs of the blood (דְּלָא נָטִיל טְחוֹל אֶלָּא תַּמְצִית, נ״א שְׁמָרִים, דִּדְמָא), and he is not given any other blood (וְלָא יְהִיב לֵיהּ מִדְּמָא אָחֳרָא). And because of this it is called “the appendix of the liver” (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְקְרִיאַת יוֹתֶרֶת הַכָּבֵד), because it gives him only leftovers (בְּגִין דְּלָא יְהִיב לֵיהּ אֶלָּא שִׁיּוּרִין). And the liver is the accuser of the lung (וְכָבֵד אִיהוּ קִטְרוּגָא דְרֵיאָה). From it fire ascends toward the heart (דְּסָלִיק לְגַבֵּי לִבָּא נוּרָא מִנֵּיהּ). And were it not that the wings of the lung blow upon it, it would ignite the heart (וְאִי לַאו דְּנָשִׁיב בֵּיהּ כַּנְפֵי רֵיאָה, הֲוָה אוֹקִיד לְלִבָּא), and, some say, it would ignite the entire body with the fire of the heart (וְהֲוָה אוֹקִיד כָּל גּוּפָא נוּרָא דְלִבָּא). This is the hiding-place of Leviathan (הַדְרָא דְכִנְתָּא לִוְיָתָן), corresponding to the impure fat (לָקֳבֵל חֵלֶב טָמֵא). Of it, it is said (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר): “Even if a serpent wound round his heel, he shall not interrupt, but if a scorpion, he interrupts” (Berakhot 33a) (אֲפִילוּ נָחָשׁ כָּרוּךְ עַל עֲקֵבוֹ לֹא יַפְסִיק, אֲבָל עַקְרָב פּוֹסֵק).

The Seraph is the gall, the accuser of the lung (שָׂרָף אִיהוּ מָרָה קִטְרוּגָא דְרֵיאָה), because the gall is the burning of the whole body (בְּגִין דְּמָרָה אִיהִי שְׂרֵיפַת כָּל גּוּפָא). Because of this, Tekiah, Shevarim, and Teruah are their breaking (בְּגִין דָּא תְּקִיעָה שְׁבָרִים וּתְרוּעָה אִינוּן תְּבִירוּ דִלְהוֹן). Of them it is said (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר): “Happy is the people that know the Teruah; YHVH, in the light of Your face they shall walk” (Psalms 89) (אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה יְיָ בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יְהַלֵּכוּן). What are “Your face” (מַאי פָּנֶיךָ)? These are Tekiah, Shevarim, and Teruah (אִלֵּין תְּקִיעָה שְׁבָרִים וּתְרוּעָה). Tekiah is the whiteness of the face (דְּאִינוּן תְּקִיעָה חִוְורוּ דְאַנְפִּין). Shevarim are the redness of the face (שְׁבָרִים סוּמְקוּ דְאַנְפִּין). Teruah is the greenness of the face (תְּרוּעָה יְרוֹקָא דְאַנְפִּין). And through this Yisrael go forth from exile (וּבָהּ נָפְקִין יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן גָּלוּתָא), at the time when the faces of Yisrael are turned to green, like a woman in childbirth (בְזִמְנָא דְמִתְהַפְּכִין אַנְפִּין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לִירוֹקָא כְּאִתְּתָא עוּבָּרָא). And in these three colors shines the lamp, which is “The lamp of YHVH is the soul of man” (Proverbs 20) (וּבְאִלֵּין תְּלַת גַּוָּונִין נַהֲרָא שְׁרַגָּא דְאִיהִי נֵר יְיָ נִשְׁמַת אָדָם).

What is Adam [man]? (מַאי אָדָם). Yod–Hei–Vav–Hei (יו״ד ה״א וא״ו ה״א). The three colors of the Ner [lamp] (תְּלַת גַּוָּונִין דִּשְׁרַגָּא). And these three colors are garments for the three Patriarchs (וּתְלַת גַּוָּונִין אִלֵּין אִינוּן לְבוּשִׁין לִתְלַת אֲבָהָן), which are white, red, and green (דְּאִינוּן חִוָּור סוּמָק יָרוֹק). The black color is their darkness (גַּוָּון אוּכְמָא אִיהִי קַדְרוּתָא דִלְהוֹן). Concerning it, it is said: “I clothe the heavens with blackness” (וַעֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר אַלְבִּישׁ שָׁמַיִם קַדְרוּת) (Isaiah 50:3). And within them, Hei–Vav–Hei are clothed (וּבְהוֹן מִתְלַבְּשִׁין הו״ה). Tekhelet [blue] is the garment of the letter Yod, which is the ultimate purpose of all (תְּכֵלֶת לְבוּשָׁא דְאָת י׳ דְּאִיהוּ תַּכְלִית דְּכֹלָּא). The Ner [lamp] is Yod (נֵר אִיהוּ י׳). The flame that rises from it is Vav (שַׁלְהוֹבָא דְסָלִיק מִנֵּיהּ ו׳). And its swaying, here and there, is Hei–Hei (וְנִעִנוּעָא דִילֵיהּ הָכָא וְהָכָא דָא ה״ה).