Daf 64b (דַּף ס״ד ע״ב)

Because when Kudsha Berikh Hu wanted to speak with the angels, He placed His Name upon them (בְּגִין דְּכַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעָא לְמַלְּלָא בְמַלְאָכַיָּא נָחַת שְׁמֵיהּ עֲלַיְיהוּ), in this form: YHVH (כְּגַוְונָא דָא יְהוָ״ה). The Yod in one living creature, which is the lion (י׳ בְּחַיָּה חֲדָא דְאִיהִי אַרְיֵ״ה). Of it is said: A lion has roared, who shall not fear (וּבֵיהּ אִתְּמַר אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג מִי לֹא יִירָא) (Amos 3). And in that place: Yod in the head, Hei on his wings, Vav in his mouth, Hei in his tail (וּבְאָן אֲתַר י׳ בְּרֵישָׁא ה׳ עַל גַּדְפוֹי ו׳ בְּפוּמֵיהּ ה׳ בִּזְנָבֵיהּ). Because of it, it is said: Be a tail to lions (וּבְגִינָהּ אִתְּמַר הֱוִי זָנָב לַאֲרָיוֹת). And this is: And the face of the lion was on the right side of the four of them (וְדָא הוּא וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל הַיָּמִין לְאַרְבַּעִתָּם) (Ezekiel 1). And afterward He descended into the living creature whose name is ox (וּלְבָתַר הֲוָה נָחִית בְּחַיָּה דִשְׁמָהּ שׁוֹר), in this form: HVHY (כְּגַוְונָא דָא הוה״י). The Hei in his head, the vav in his mouth, the Hei on his wings, the Yod in his tail (ה׳ בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ ו׳ בְּפוּמוֹי ה׳ בְּגַדְפוֹי י׳ בִּזְנָבֵיהּ). And this is: And the face of the ox was on the left side (וְדָא אִיהוּ וּפְנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאל). And afterward He descended upon the living creature whose name is eagle (וּלְבָתַר הֲוָה נָחִית עַל חַיָּה שֶׁשְּׁמָהּ נֶשֶׁר), in this form: YHH (כְּגַוְונָא דָא והי״ה). The Vav in his head, the hei in his mouth, the Yod on his wings, the Hei on his tail (ו׳ בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ ה׳ בְּפוּמֵיהּ י׳ בְּגַדְפוֹי ה׳ עַל זְנָבֵיהּ). And this is: And the face of the eagle was on the four of them (וְדָא אִיהוּ וּפְנֵי נֶשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּעִתָּם). And these are twelve faces, six for each, they ascend to seventy-two (וְאִינוּן תְּרֵי עֲשַׂר אַנְפִּין, לְכָל חַד שִׁית, סָלְקִין לְע״ב). And this is: And all the people saw the voices (וְדָא אִיהוּ וְכָל הָעָם רוֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלוֹת) (Exodus 20). And man riding upon them, this is Metatron (וְאָדָם רָכִיב עַל גַּבַּיְיהוּ דָא מטטרו״ן), who includes the Name of forty-two letters (דְּאִיהוּ כְּלִיל שְׁמָא דְאַרְבְּעִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון). And they are-six letters, and in each word six letters-and they ascend to Mem-Bet (42) (וְאִינוּן [שית אתוון, ולכל את סלקין שית], ז׳ תֵּיבִין וּבְכָל תֵּיבָה שִׁית אַתְוָון וְסָלְקִין לְמ״ב). And this is: Seraphim stood above Him, six wings, six wings to each; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew (וְדָא אִיהוּ שְׂרָפִים עוֹמְדִים מִמַּעַל לוֹ, שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם לְאֶחָד, בִּשְׁתַּיִם יְכַסֶּה פָנָיו וּבִשְׁתַּיִם יְכַסֶּה רַגְלָיו וּבִשְׁתַּיִם יְעוֹפֵף) (Isaiah 6). As it is above, the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu of forty-two and of seventy-two, so it is below (דִּכְמָה דְאִיהוּ שְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְמ״ב וְע״ב לְעִילָא, כַּךְ אִיהוּ שְׁמָא דְמ״ב וְע״ב לְתַתָּא). This is what is written: According to Your Name, Elohim, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כְּשִׁמְךָ אֱלֹהִים כֵּן תְּהִלָּתֶךָ עַל קַצְוֵי אֶרֶץ) (Psalms 48). And this is: And all the people saw the voices (וְדָא אִיהוּ וְכָל הָעָם רוֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלוֹת). And they were angels (וְאִינוּן הֲווֹ מַלְאָכִין), for each one was made a voice and flew in the air (דְּכָל חַד הֲוָה אִתְעֲבִיד קוֹל וּפָרַח בְּאַוִּירָא). And each one of Yisrael that said: We will do and we will hear, it would rest in his mouth (וְכָל חַד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל דַּהֲוָה אָמַר נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע הֲוָה שַׁרְיָא בְּפוּמֵיהּ). And the whole Torah would be taught to him (וַהֲוָה אוֹלִיף לֵיהּ אוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלָּהּ). And afterward He spoke with them from the heavens and the earth (וּלְבָתַר מַלִּיל עִמְּהוֹן מִן שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא). This is what is written: From the heavens He made you hear His voice to discipline you, and upon the earth He showed you His great fire, etc. (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת קוֹלוֹ לְיַסְּרֶךָּ, וְעַל הָאָרֶץ הֶרְאֲךָ אֶת אִשּׁוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה וְגוֹ׳) (Deuteronomy 4). At that time, when Yisrael said: We will do and we will hear, immediately: The heavens shall be glad, and the earth shall rejoice (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְאָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע מִיָּד יִשְׂמְחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְתָגֵל הָאָרֶץ) (I Chronicles 16).

Afterward He was speaking with them from the four directions (לְבָתַר הֲוָה מְמַלֵּל עִמְּהוֹן מֵאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין). And they would look toward the east, and they would hear the voice (וַהֲווֹ מִסְתַּכְּלִין לְגַבֵּי מִזְרָח וַהֲווֹ שָׁמְעִין יָת קָלָא). And toward the west and south and north, they would hear the voice (וּלְגַבֵּי מַעֲרָב וְדָרוֹם וְצָפוֹן הֲווֹ שָׁמְעִין יָת קָלָא). To show that from every place He spoke with them (לְאַחְזָאָה דְמִכָּל אֲתַר מַלִּיל עִמְּהוֹן). And there was no place above or below in which He did not speak with them (וְלָא הֲוָה אֲתַר לְעִילָא וְתַתָּא דְלָא מַלִּיל עִמְּהוֹן). To show that the whole earth is full of His glory (לְאַחְזָאָה דִמְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ) (Isaiah 6). For He bears the supernal and the lower (דְּאִיהוּ סָבִיל עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין). And He supports the supernal and the lower, and the glorious throne, and the angels and the souls (וְאִיהוּ סָמִיךְ עִילָא וְתַתָּא וְכָרְסַיָּא יְקָרָא, וּמַלְאָכִין וְנִשְׁמָתִין). He bears all, and binds all, and unites all, and there is none who supports Him (אִיהוּ סָבִיל כֹּלָּא, וְקָשִׁיר כֹּלָּא, וּמְיַחֵד כֹּלָּא, וְלֵית מָאן דְּסָמִיךְ לֵיהּ). And He is called by all Names, to be known in His power in each and every Name (וְאִיהוּ אִתְקְרֵי בְּכָל שְׁמָהָן, לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא תּוּקְפֵיהּ בְּכָל שְׁמָא וּשְׁמָא), from that level and authority which rests upon it (מֵהַהוּא דַרְגָּא וּמְמַנָּא דְשַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ).

But He has no known Name (וְלֵיהּ לֵית שְׁמָא יְדִיעָא). And He is called One in calculation, when He rests in a level which is united with the others of the levels (וְאִיהוּ אִתְקְרֵי חַד בְּחוּשְׁבָּן כַּד שַׁרְיָא בְדַרְגָּא דְאִינוּן [אַחֲרָנִין] [נ״א אחדין] מִשְּׁאָר דַּרְגִּין). And He has no calculation, when He rests upon all worlds - some say: upon the supernal - and upon all their authorities (וְאִיהוּ לֵית לֵיהּ חוּשְׁבַּן, כַּד שַׁרְיָא עַל כָּל עָלְמִין [ס״א עָלְאִין] וְעַל כָּל מְמַנָּא דִלְהוֹן). He is called upon their Name, to show to each one of Yisrael from the place that calls to Him according to his needs (אִתְקְרֵי עַל שְׁמֵיהּ, לְאַחְזָאָה לְכָל חַד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֲתַר דְּקָרָאן לֵיהּ לְפוּם צָרְכַיְיהוּ). As they established: He who desires to become wealthy, let him go north; he who desires to become wise, let him go south (כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהוּ הָרוֹצֶה לְהַעֲשִׁיר יַצְפִּין לְהַחְכִּים יַדְרִים).

The Holy Luminary arose, and all the Masters of the Academy (קָם בּוֹצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא וְכָל מָארֵי מְתִיבְתָּאן), and they prostrated themselves before the Elder and blessed him (וְאִשְׁתַּטְחוּ קַמֵּי סָבָא, וּבְרִיכוּ לֵיהּ). The Holy Luminary said: Surely Sava comes from the place of Atik Yomin (אָמַר בּוֹצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא וַדַּאי הַאי סָבָא מֵאֲתַר דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין קָא אָתֵי), and there he was increased (וְתַמָּן אִתְרַבֵּי). Fortunate is our portion that we have merited to hear ancient words, from the place of Atik Yomin (זַכָּאָה חוּלְקָנָא דְזָכֵינָא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין עַתִּיקִין, מֵאֲתַר דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין). Fortunate is our portion that we have merited to this (זַכָּאָה חוּלְקָנָא דְזָכֵינָא לְהַאי).

Rabbi Shimon arose, opened, and said (קָם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר): Bereshit, Berit Esh (covenant of fire) (בְּרֵאשִׁי״ת בְּרִי״ת אֵ״שׁ), which is the letter and impression, in which the supernal and lower stand (דְּאִיהוּ אוֹת וּרְשִׁימוּ דְעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין בֵּיהּ קַיְימִין). It is the letter of the army above, in which Kudsha Berikh Hu is called Hashem Tzevaot (אִיהוּ אוֹת דְּצָבָא דִלְעִילָא, דִבְהוֹן אִתְקְרִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְהוָ״ה צבאו״ת). And it is the letter of the army below (וְאִיהוּ אוֹת דְּצָבָא דִלְתַתָּא). It is the letter and covenant, in which heaven and earth are sustained (אִיהוּ אוֹת וּבְרִית דְּבֵיהּ קַיְימִין שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא). As you have said: If not for My covenant day and night, I would not have set the statutes of heaven and earth (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה חוּקוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שָׁמְתִּי) (Jeremiah 33). It is surely the letter (אִיהוּ אוֹת וַדַּאי), which is the impression of the seal of the King (דְּאִיהוּ רְשִׁימוּ דְחוֹתָמָא דְמַלְכָּא).