Daf 55b (דַּף נ״ה ע״ב)

In every place and place (בְּכָל אֲתַר וַאֲתַר), some say: in every limb and limb (נ״א אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר), Y-H was offered (קְרִיבוּ י״ה). The Heh-five thousand years to the creation of the world (ה׳ חֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים לִבְרִיאַת עוֹלָם). The Vav-the sixth thousand, in the number of 248 (ו׳ אֶלֶף הַשִּׁשִּׁי בְּרַמַ״ח). And on the left, where the heart is, He shall take vengeance from the nations of the world (וּבִשְׂמָאלָא דְתַמָּן לִבָּא יִטּוֹל נוּקְמִין מֵאוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא). And the secret of the matter: “For the day of vengeance is in My heart” (Isaiah 63) (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה כִּי יוֹם נָקָם בְּלִבִּי). Surely they are included in the Middle Column (וַדַּאי אִתְכְּלִילָן בְּעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא).

For the positive commandments were given from the right (דְּפִקּוּדִין דַּעֲשֵׂה אִתְיְיהִיבוּ מִימִינָא), and the negative commandments from the left (וּפִקּוּדִין דְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה מִשְּׂמָאלָא). And these are the two reasons (וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן תְּרֵ״י טַעֲמֵ״י). And the positive commandments are the foods of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּפִקּוּדִין דַּעֲשֵׂה אִינוּן מַאֲכָלִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And the negative commandments are sustenance to Samael, for whoever transgresses them (וּפִקּוּדִין דְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה פַרְנָסָה לְסַמָא״ל לְמָאן דְּעָבַר עֲלַיְיהוּ). And with these Esav came near to Yitzchak (וְאֵלֵּין הֲוָה קָרִיב עֵשָׂו לְיִצְחָק), and said to him: “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s venison” (Bereshit 27) (וְאָמַר לֵיהּ יָקֻם אָבִי וְיֹאכַל מִצֵּיד בְּנוֹ). And Samael, on their account, would come first-some say: offered (וְסַמָא״ל בְּגִינַיְיהוּ הֲוָה אַקְדִּים; נ״א קָרִיב)-to the left (לִשְׂמָאלָא), to feed Kudsha Berikh Hu with the sins of His children, which are bitter foods (לְאַטְעָמָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵחוֹבִין דִּבְנוֹי דְּאִינוּן מַאֲכָלִין מְרִירָן). Of them it is said: “And Esav I hated” (Malachi 1) (דִּבְגִינַיְהוּ אִתְּמַר וְאֶת עֵשָׂו שָׂנֵאתִי). From the Middle Column, the Orayta is given (עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא מִתַּמָּן אִתְיְיהִיבַת אוֹרַיְתָא), which includes right and left (דְּאִיהִי כְּלִילָא דִימִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא). At that time, smoke is aroused on the left, to drive away Samael from there (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא עָשָׁן יִתְעַר לְגַבֵּי שְׂמָאלָא לְאַעֲבָרָא מִתַּמָּן סַמָא״ל). And immediately another smoke arises, which is the smoke of the incense (וּמִיָּד סָלִיק עָשָׁן אָחֳרָא דְּאִיהוּ עֲשַׁן הַקְּטֹרֶת). This is the entirety of Orayta, bound with it, the positive commandments (אִיהוּ כַּלָּא דְּאוֹרַיְתָא קְשׁוּרָא דִילֵיהּ פִּקּוּדִין דַּעֲשֵׂה), to bind and bring near the right with the left (לְקָשְׁרָא וּלְקָרְבָא יְמִינָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא). The column of smoke is the Middle Column (דְּעַמּוּדָא דְעָשָׁן אִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). With love, the positive commandments; with fear, the negative commandments-the column of the ketoret (בְּרַחִימוּ, וּפִקּוּדִין דְלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה בְּדְחִילוּ, עַמּוּד הַקְּטֹרֶת).

What is the Incense [Ketoret]? It is the lower Shekhinta (מַאי קְטֹרֶת דִילֵיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה), which ascends in many scents and good spices (דְּאִיהִי סָלְקָא בְּכַמָּה רֵיחִין וּבוּסְמִין טָבִין). And when she ascends before Him, it is said of her: “Who is this that comes up from the wilderness…” (Song of Songs 3) (וְכַד סָלְקָא לְגַבֵּיהּ אִתְּמַר בָּהּ מִי זֹאת עוֹלָה מִן הַמִּדְבָּר וְגוֹ׳), that she ascends in them (דְּסָלְקָא בְּהוֹן). This is the lower Heh (דָּא ה׳ תַּתָּאָה). “Zot (this)” rises in “Mi (who)” (זֹאת סָלְקָא בְּמִי). “Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense” (Song of Songs 3) (מְקֻטֶּרֶת מוֹר וּלְבוֹנָה)-these are the two thighs of truth (תְּרֵי יַרְכֵי קְשׁוֹט). “Of all the powders of the merchant” (Song of Songs 3) (מִכֹּל אַבְקַת רוֹכֵל)-this is the Tzaddik (דָּא צַדִּיק), who is inclusive of all (דְּאִיהוּ כְּלִיל כֹּלָּא). He is the merchant (אִיהוּ רוֹכֵל), and she is his powder (וְאִיהִי אַבְקַת דִּילֵיהּ). This is what is written: “And he shall cleave to his wife” (Bereshit 2) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ). And in him she ascends to her Husband (וּבֵיהּ סְלִיקַת לְגַבֵּי בַּעֲלָהּ).

The lower Shekhinta is the ketoret of Kudsha Berikh Hu (שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה אִיהִי קְטֹרֶת דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and she is His offering, His altar (וְאִיהִי קָרְבָּן דִּילֵיהּ, מִזְבֵּחַ דִּילֵיהּ), for in her Yisrael prepare the foods of offerings of prayers to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּבָהּ מְתַקְּנִין יִשְׂרָאֵל מַאֲכָלִים דְּקָרְבָּנִין דִּצְלוֹתִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). These correspond to the morning offering, and the afternoon offering (דְּאִינוּן לָקֳבֵל קָרְבַּן הַשַּׁחַר, וְקָרְבַּן דְּבֵין הָעַרְבַּיִם), and the offering of fats and pieces that are consumed all night (וְקָרְבָּנָא דְאֵמוּרִים וּפְדָרִים דְּמִתְאַכְלִין כָּל לֵילְיָא). And it is the additional offering, which is the Tzaddik (וְאִיהוּ קָרְבַּן מוּסַף דְּאִיהוּ צַדִּיק). And it is the offering of Shabbatot and Yomim Tovim (וְאִיהוּ קָרְבָּנָא דְשַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים), for there is no offering offered by the Holy Nation to Kudsha Berikh Hu on Shabbat or Yom Tov except in her (דְּלֵית קָרְבָּנָא קָרִיבוּ לְעַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּשַׁבַּת וְיוֹם טוֹב אֶלָּא בָּהּ). This is what is written: “With this shall Aharon come into the holy” (Leviticus 16) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ), and “Let not the one who glories glory, except in this” (Jeremiah 9) (וְאַל יִתְהַלֵּל הַמִּתְהַלֵּל כִּי אִם בְּזֹאת).

She is His dwelling place (אִיהִי מַשְׁכּוֹנָא דִילֵיהּ), for because of her He dwells among them (דִּבְגִינָהּ אִיהוּ שָׁארֵי בְגַוַּויְיהוּ). This is what is written: “And they shall make for Me a sanctuary, and I shall dwell among them…” (Exodus 25) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם וְגוֹמֵר). She is His Ark (אִיהִי אָרוֹן דִּילֵיהּ), and He is the Sefer Torah hidden within her (וְאִיהוּ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה גָנִיז בְּגַוָּוהּ). She is His Menorah (אִיהִי מְנַרְתָּא דִילֵיהּ), and the Menorah of illumination from that of which it is said: “And Torah is light” (Proverbs 6) (וּמְנוֹרַת הַמָּאוֹר מֵהַהוּא דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וְתוֹרָה אוֹר). And she is the lamp that burns before Him (וְאִיהִי נֵר דְּדָלִיק קֳדָמֵיהּ), as it is said: “To cause the lamp to burn continually” (Leviticus 24) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר לְהַעֲלוֹת נֵר תָּמִיד). And she is the Bat Sheva, the Menorah inclusive of seven lamps (וְאִיהִי בַּת שֶׁבַע מְנַרְתָּא כְלִילָא מִשִּׁבְעָה בוֹצִינִין). She is the lamp toward Him from the side of the left (אִיהִי נֵר לְגַבֵּיהּ מִסִּטְרָא דִשְׂמָאלָא), and He is the light toward her from the side of the right (וְאִיהוּ אוֹר לְגַבָּהּ מִסִּטְרָא דִימִינָא). And upon both it is said: “For a lamp is a mitzvah, and Torah is light” (Proverbs 6) (וְעַל תַּרְוַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר).

She is His betrothal from the side of the left (אִיהִי קִדּוּשִׁין דִילֵיהּ מִסִּטְרָא דִשְׂמָאלָא), for holiness is from the side of the Levi’im (בְגִין דִּקְדוּשָׁה מִסִּטְרָא דִלְוִיִּם). As it is said: “And you shall sanctify the Levi’im” (Numbers 8) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ אֶת הַלְוִיִּם). Of her it is said: “Behold, you are betrothed to Me with this ring” (וַעֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר תְּהֵא לִי מְקוּדֶשֶׁת בְּטַבַּעַת זֹאת). And she is His blessing from the side of the right (וְאִיהִי בְּרָכָה דִילֵיהּ מִסִּטְרָא דִימִינָא), which is Kehunah (דְּאִיהִי כְּהוּנָה). This is what is written: “Thus shall you bless the children of Yisrael” (Numbers 6) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). And she is called his 'Bride' [Kallah] from the side of the Tzaddik, who is called 'All' [Kol] (וְאִתְקְרִיאַת כַּלָּה דִילֵיהּ מִסִּטְרָא דְצַדִּיק דְּאִיהוּ כָּ״ל), and this is Kallah [Bride]: Kol [All]–Heh” (וְדָא אִיהוּ כַּלָּ״ה, כָּ״ל ה׳), because he is the covenant that holds onto both of them (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ בְּרִית דַּאֲחִיד בְּתַרְוַיְיהוּ). And from the side of the Tzaddik is her union (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְצַדִּיק אִיהוּ יִחוּד דִילָהּ), which is the tip of the letter Dalet from the Echad, that binds between Alef–Chet and Dalet (דְּאִיהוּ קוֹצָא דְאָת ד׳ מִן אֶחָד, דְּקָשִׁיר בֵּין א״ח וּבֵין ד׳). And she is his prayer, from the side of the Life of the Worlds (וְאִיהִי צְלוֹתָא דִילֵיהּ מִסִּטְרָא דְחַי עָלְמִין), who is the life of the blessings of prayer (דְּאִיהוּ חַ״י בִּרְכָאָן דִּצְלוֹתָא).

She is the sign of Shabbatot and Yomim Tovim (אִיהִי אוֹת דְּשַׁבָּתוֹת וְיֹמִין טוֹבִין). Shabbat is the inclusive whole of the three Patriarchs (שַׁבָּת אִיהִי כְּלָל דִּתְלַת אֲבָהָן), for she is the daughter included in the three branches of the Patriarchs, which are Shin (בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי בַּת כְּלִילָא בִּתְלַת עַנְפֵי אֲבָהָן דְּאִינוּן שׁ). She is His boundary and His domain (אִיהִי תְּחוּם דִּילֵיהּ וְאִיהִי רְשׁוּת דִּילֵיהּ), the private domain, whose height is ten (רְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד דְּגָבְהוֹ עֲשָׂרָה), and this is Yod–Heh–Vav–Heh (וְדָא יו״ד ה״א וא''ו ה״א). And its width is four, which are YHVH (וְרָחְבּוֹ אַרְבָּעָה דְאִינוּן יְהו״ה). He is her eruv, from the side of right and left (אִיהוּ עִירוּב דִּילָהּ מִסִּטְרָא דִימִינָא וּשְׁמָאלָא), which are 72 and 216, that is Chesed and Gevurah (דְּאִינוּן ע״ב רי״ו דְּהַיְינוּ חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה). And her “erev” is her ibbur (וְאִיהִי עַרְבִית דִּילֵיהּ עִיבוּר דִּילֵיהּ).

She is the tallit of Kudsha Berikh Hu (אִיהִי טַלִּית דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and in her Kudsha Berikh Hu enwraps Himself (וּבָהּ אִתְעַטֵּף קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is said: “Who enwraps Himself with light as with a garment” (Psalms 104) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר עוֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָה). And she is the tzitzit of the Tzaddik, who is poor in exile (וְאִיהִי צִיצִית דְּצַדִּיק דְּאִיהוּ עָנִי בְּגָלוּתָא). This is what is written: “A prayer of the afflicted, when he enwraps himself” (Psalms 102) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִּי יַעֲטֹף). Afflicted, surely (עָנִי וַדַּאי), for in him she enwraps (דְּבֵיהּ אִתְעַטֵּף). For she is his only garment, it is his covering for his skin (בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי כְסוּתֹה לְבַדָּהּ הִיא שִׂמְלָתוֹ לְעוֹרוֹ) (Exodus 22). This is the garment of prayer (דָא מִשְׁכָּא דִתְּפִלֵּי), of which it is said: “And YHVH Elohim made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin and clothed them” (Bereshit 3) (דְאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר וַיַּלְבִּישֵׁם).