Daf 60b (דַּף ס ע״ב)

And further, the Shekhinta is the commandment of appointing a king (וְעוֹד שְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי מִצְוַת הַעֲמָדַת מַלְכָּא). This is what is written: “You shall surely set a king over you” (Deuteronomy 17) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ). And, so to speak, whenever the Shekhinta is not in Her place, there is no king (וְכַבְיָכוֹל כָּל זִמְנָא דְלֵית שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּאַתְרָהָא לֵית מַלְכָּא). And because the Shekhinta is kingship upon man (וּבְגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי מַלְכוּת עַל בַּר נַשׁ), it is said concerning it (אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ): “You shall surely set a king over you” (שׂוֹם תָּשִׂים עָלֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ), so that Yisrael may be in Her all sons of kings (לְמֶהֱוִי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּהּ כֻּלְּהוּ בְּנֵי מְלָכִים). For there is no king without kingship (דְּלֵית מֶלֶךְ בְּלָא מַלְכוּת). In exile, the maidservant inherits her mistress (דִּבְגָלוּתָא שִׁפְחָה תִּירַשׁ גְּבִירְתָּהּ).

And at the time when Mashiach comes, it is said: “And let the king give her kingdom to her companion better than she” (Esther 1) (וּבְזִמְנָא דְיֵיתֵי מְשִׁיחָא אִתְּמַר וּמַלְכוּתָהּ יִתֵּן הַמֶּלֶךְ לִרְעוּתָהּ הַטּוֹבָה מִמֶּנָּה). She is His kingship, She is His throne, She is His crown (אִיהִי מַלְכוּתֵיהּ, אִיהִי כָרְסְיֵיהּ, אִיהִי עֲטֶרֶת דִילֵיהּ), to the King who has a vessel of glory, and She is beloved to Him (לְמַלְכָּא דְּאִית לֵיהּ מָאנָא דִיקָר וְאִיהִי מְחַבְּבָא לְגַבֵּיהּ). At times He places Her as a crown on His head-this is the head-tefillin (לְזִמְנִין שַׁוִּי לֵיהּ עֲטָרָה עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דָּא תְּפִלִּין דְּרֵישָׁא). At times He binds Her on His finger-this is the hand-tefillin (לְזִמְנִין קָשִׁיר לֵיהּ בְּאֶצְבְּעָא וְדָא תְּפִלִּין דְּיָד). At times He sets Her beneath Him, and She is called His throne (לְזִמְנִין שַׁוִּי לֵיהּ תְּחוֹתֵיהּ וְאִתְקְרֵי כָּרְסַיָּא דִילֵיהּ). At times He makes from Her a garment (לְזִמְנִין עָבִיד מִינָהּ לְבוּשָׁא). And now that She is distant from the King (וּכְעַן דְּאִיהִי מְרַחֲקָא מִן מַלְכָּא), it is said of the King: “I clothe the heavens with blackness” (Isaiah 50) (אִתְּמַר בְּמַלְכָּא אַלְבִּישׁ שָׁמַיִם קַדְרוּת). And the Shekhinta said: “Do not look upon me that I am blackened” (Song of Songs 1) (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא אָמְרַת אַל תִּרְאוּנִי שֶׁאֲנִי שְׁחַרְחֹרֶת). And the foolish among men look at the garment (וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא דְאִינוּן שַׁטְיָין מִסְתַּכְּלִין בִּלְבוּשָׁא), and others look at the body (וְאָחֳרָנִין הָכִי מִסְתַּכְּלִין בְּגוּפָא). But in exile all are fools (וּבְגָלוּתָא כֻלְּהוֹן שַׁטְיָין). But the wise one, the sage, looks inward (אֲבָל פִּקְחָא חַכִּימָא אִסְתַּכַּל מִלְּגָאו). And when redemption comes, She will strip off the garments of blackness (וְכַד יֵתֵי פּוּרְקָנָא אִתְפַּשַּׁט מִלְבוּשִׁין דְּקַדְרוּתָא), and will cast them upon the nations of the world (וְזָרִיק לוֹן עַל אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא). This is what is written: “And there was thick darkness…” (Exodus 10) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְהִי חֹשֶׁךְ אֲפֵלָה וְגוֹמֵר). And for all the children of Yisrael there was light in their dwellings (וּלְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה אוֹר בְּמוֹשְׁבוֹתָם).

For at that time when He clothes Himself in these garments (דִּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְאִתְלַבַּשׁ בְּאִלֵּין לְבוּשִׁין), it is said of Him: “I will hide My face from them” (Deuteronomy 32) (אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וַיֹּאמֶר אַסְתִּירָה פָנַי מֵהֶם). But after He strips them away: “And the people feared Hashem” (Exodus 14) (לְבָתַר דְּאִתְפַּשַּׁט מִנַּיְיהוּ וַיִּירְאוּ הָעָם אֶת יהו״ה). And all the children grasped Him with the finger (וְכָל יְנוּקִין אַחְזִין לֵיהּ בְּאֶצְבַּע). This is what is written: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוִהוּ). And in exile: “He sets darkness His hiding place” (Psalms 18) (וּבְגָלוּתָא יָשֶׁת חֹשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ). And because of this Daniel said: “He knows what is in darkness, and light dwells with Him” (Daniel 2) (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר דָּנִיֵּאל יָדַע מָה בַחֲשׁוֹכָא וּנְהוֹרָא עִמֵּיהּ שְׁרֵיהּ). And at that time, when He is clothed in darkness, in tohu and vohu, and in darkness and the abyss (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְאִיהוּ בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וּבְחֹשֶׁךְ וּתְהוֹם), so to speak, the letters are in separation and not united there (כַבְיָכוֹל אַתְוָון אִינוּן בְּפִרוּדָא וְלָא מִתְיַחֲדִין תַּמָּן). But after He goes out from them: “And Hashem shall be King over all the earth; on that day Hashem shall be One and His Name One” (Zechariah 14) (וּלְבָתַר דְּנָפִיק מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְהָיָה יהו״ה לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ, בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יהו״ה אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד).

At that time all the living beings will awaken with melody (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא כָּל חֵיוָן יִתְעָרוּן בְּנִגּוּנָא), and their wings spread above to receive Him with joy (וְכַנְפֵיהֶם פְּרוּדוֹת מִלְּמָעִלָה לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ בְּחֶדְוָה). And all of them will be running and returning with melody and mission toward Him (וְכֻלְּהוֹן יְהוֹן רָצִין וְשָׁבִין בְּנִגּוּנָא, וּשְׁלִיחוּתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ). This is what is written: “And the living beings ran and returned, like the appearance of a flash” (Ezekiel 1) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב כְּמַרְאֵה הַבָּזָק). To give flesh to Yisrael (לְבַשְּׂרָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And at that time: “Praise Hashem from the earth, sea-monsters and all deeps, etc.” (Psalms 148) (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא הַלֲלוּ אֶת יהו״ה מִן הָאָרֶץ תַּנִּינִים וְכָל תְּהוֹמוֹת וְגוֹמֵר). All of them, above and below, everything that was created, down to the smallest gnat (כֻלְּהוּ לְעִילָא וּלְתַתָּא מַה דְּאִתְבְּרִי עַד יִתּוּשׁ זְעִירָא), all of them praise Him (כֻלְּהוּ מְשַׁבְּחִין לֵיהּ). For “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Hashem, as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11) (כִי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת יהו״ה כַּמַּיִם לַיָּם מְכַסִּים). At that time will be fulfilled the verse: “For then I will turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the Name of Hashem…” (Zephaniah 3) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא יִתְקַיַּים קְרָא כִּי אָז אֶהְפּוֹךְ אֶל עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה לִקְרֹא כֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יהו״ה וְגוֹמֵר).

At that time will be built the house of the Shekhinta, which is the House of Choice, by the hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִתְבְּנִי בֵּיתָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא דְאִיהִי בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה עַל יְדָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). As it is said of Her: “And I, says Hashem, will be to her a wall of fire round about” (Zechariah 2) (דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ וַאֲנִי אֶהְיֶה לָּהּ נְאֻם יהו״ה חוֹמַת אֵשׁ סָבִיב). And I will build those good stones that are built from Her (וַאֲנִי אֶבְנֶה אִינוּן אֲבָנִין טָבִין דְּאִתְבְּנִי מִינָהּ). This is what is written: “That I may be built also from her” (Bereshit 30) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְאִבָּנֶה גַם אָנֹכִי מִמֶּנָּה). Holy plantings (נְטִיעִין קַדִּישִׁין). This is what is written: “The branch of My planting, the work of My hands, to be glorified” (Isaiah 60) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב נֵצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר). And the building of the Temple will be built of silver and gold and precious stones (וּבִנְיָינָא דְבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא תְהֵא בְּנוּיָה מִכַּסְפָּא וְדַהֲבָא וְאַבְנִין יַקִּירִין). And it will be embroidered with every image of the works of Creation (וּתְהֵא מְרַקְּמָא מִכָּל צִיּוּרָא דְּעוֹבָדָא דִבְּרֵאשִׁית). And upon it the river, Jerusalem of above, above, embroidered with all kinds of colors of light (וַעֲלָהּ נַהֲרָא יְרוּשָׁלֵם דִּלְעִילָא, לְעִילָא מְרַקְּמָא מִכָּל מִינֵי גַוָּונִין דִּנְהוֹרָא). And the secret of the matter: “Jerusalem that is built, as a city joined together as one” (Psalms 122) (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה יְרוּשָׁלַםִ הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שְׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּיו), for the river is above it (דְּאַנְהָרָא עַל גַּבּוֹי).

At that time it will be fulfilled in Yisrael: “Your sun shall no more go down, neither shall your moon withdraw itself, etc.” (Isaiah 60) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִתְקַיַּים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יָבֹא עוֹד שִׁמְשֵׁךְ, וִירֵחֵךְ לֹא יֵאָסֵף וְגוֹמֵר). And the Song of Songs will awaken in the world (וְאִתְעַר שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים בְּעָלְמָא). And light will be kindled upon the olive and the lamp (וְאַדְלִיק נְהוֹרָא עַל זֵיתָא וּשְׁרַגָּא). For Yisrael are the wick (דְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִינוּן פְּתִילָה), the Orayta is the oil (אוֹרַיְיתָא מִשְׁחָא), the Shekhinta is the lamp (שְׁכִינְתָּא שְׁרַגָּא). This is what is written: “When His lamp shone upon my head” (Job 29) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בְּהִלּוֹ נֵרוֹ עֲלֵי רֹאשִׁי). At that time it is said of the Shekhinta: “And she shall loose his shoe” (Deuteronomy 25) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִתְּמַר בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְחָלְצָה נַעֲלוֹ). His shoe-that is Kudsha Berikh Hu (נַעֲלוֹ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), to fulfill in it: “Put off your shoes” (Exodus 3) (לְקַיֵּים בֵּיהּ שַׁל נְעָלֶךָ). And He will be united with His Shekhinta, which is called removal (וְאִתְיַיחֵד בִּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ, דְּאִתְקְרִיאַת חֲלִיצָה). And He is the one whose shoe was loosed (וְאִיהוּ חֲלוּץ הַנָּעַל). And they will no longer need to be joined in the way of levirate union forever (וְלָא צְרִיכִין לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְאֹרַח יִבּוּם לְעוֹלָם). As it is said concerning it: “Now this was the custom in Yisrael, etc., a man drew off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor” (Ruth 4) (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ וְזֹאת לְפָנִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹמֵר, שָׁלַף אִישׁ נַעֲלוֹ וְנָתַן לְרֵעִהוּ). What is “his shoe”? This is a symbolic expression (מַאי נַעֲלוֹ דָא כִּנּוּ״י). That which is said of it: “A locked garden” (Song of Songs 4) (הַהוּא דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ גַּן נָעוּל). That locked one will be opened with a key (אִתְפַּתַּח הַהוּא נָעוּל מַפְתְּחָא). For “at the door sin crouches” (Bereshit 4) (בְּגִין דְּלַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רוֹבֵץ). That sin will be removed, and the gate will be opened (אִתְעַבַּר הַהוּא חַטָּאת וְאִתְפַּתַּח תַּרְעָא). This is what is written: “This is the gate of Hashem” (Psalms 118) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב זֶה הַשַּׁעַר לַיהו״ה). And there they shall behold the Shekhinta (וְיֶחזוּן תַּמָּן שְׁכִינְתָּא), of which it is said: “Now this was the custom in Yisrael” (וְדָא אִתְּמַר בָּהּ וְזֹאת לְפָנִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).