Daf 79a (דַּף ע״ט ע״א)

And when she is adorned with these garments (וְכַד אִתְתַּקְנַת בְּאִלֵּין לְבוּשִׁין), immediately the palace is opened toward her (מִיָּד אִתְפַּתַּח הֵיכָלָא לְגַבָּהּ). This is that which is written: “Adonai, open my lips” (Psalms 51:17) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אדנ״י שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח). And to the sweet sound of the pomegranates and the bells of her garment (וּלְקוֹל נְעִימוּ דְּרִמּוֹנִים וְזוּגִין דִּלְבוּשָׁא דִילָהּ), it is said in the creatures: “And I heard the sound of their wings” (Ezekiel 1:24) (אִתְּמַר בְּחֵיוָון וָאֶשְׁמַע אֶת קוֹל כַּנְפֵיהֶם). And when Yisrael recite Keri’at Shema (וְכַד אָמְרִין יִשְׂרָאֵל קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע), what is written of it? “And he heard the voice speaking to him” (Numbers 7:89) (מַה כְּתִיב בָּהּ וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת הַקּוֹל מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו). A voice is heard toward her from between the two Keruvin, who are two Partzufin (קָלָא אִשְׁתַּמַּע לְגַבָּהּ מִבֵּין תְּרֵין כְּרוּבַיָּא דְאִינוּן דּוּ פַּרְצוּפִין). And when Dibbur unites with Kol, they are made into a thin, subtle voice (וְכַד מִתְיַחֲדָא דִבּוּר בְּקָלָא אִתְעֲבִידוּ קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה). And this is prayer in silence (וְדָא צְלוֹתָא בַחֲשַׁאי). And in that time, whoever wishes to ask his request may ask (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא מָאן דְּבָעִי לְמִשְׁאַל שְׁאֶלְתּוֹי יִשְׁאַל).

For at that time it is an “Et Ratzon,” a time of favor (דִּבְהַהִיא זִמְנָא יְהֵא עִת רָצוֹן). For the two Names as one, YAHDVNHY (דְּהָא תְּרֵין שְׁמָהָן כַּחֲדָא יאהדונה״י). “Then you shall call and Hashem shall answer” (Isaiah 58:9) (אָז תִּקְרָא וַיהו״ה יַעֲנֶה). Immediately, Az(then/8), YAHDVNHY (מִיָּד אָ״ז יאהדונה״י). Two Names and eight letters, behold ten (תְּרֵין שְׁמָהָן וּתְמַנְיָא אַתְוָון דִּבְהוֹן הָא עִשֶׂר). And this is the secret: “Cursed is he who does not uphold the words of this Torah…” (Deuteronomy 27:26) (וְדָא רזא אָרוּר אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָקִים אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת וְגוֹ'). This is the joining of groom and bride (דָא חַבּוּרָא דְּחַתָן וְכַלָּה). “For then I will turn to the peoples a clear language…” (Zephaniah 3:9) (כִּי אָז אֶהְפֹּךְ אֶל עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה וְגוֹ'). And this is the secret: “And all the people shall say: Amen” (Deuteronomy 27:26) (וְדָא רזא וְאָמַר כָּל הָעָם אָמֵן). And until Yisrael go forth from exile, they shall not be in one Zivug (וְעַד דְּיִפְקוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן גָּלוּתָא לָא יְהוֹן בְּזִוּוּגָא חֲדָא). And at the time when Yisrael go forth from exile, they shall be joined together as one (וּבְזִמְנָא דְיִפְקוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן גָּלוּתָא יִתְחַבְּרוּן כַּחֲדָא). At that time: “Then sang Moshe” (Exodus 15:1) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אָ״ז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה). And immediately: “And Elohim said, Let there be light” - this is the deliverance from exile (וּמִיָּד וַיֹּאמֶר אלהי״ם יְהִי אוֹר דְּאִיהוּ מַפְּקָנוּ דְגָלוּתָא). At that time, the Matronita desires to enter into her palace (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא בָעַאת לְאַעָלָא בְהֵיכָלָא דִילָהּ). A voice ascends in the heights of the heavens and says thus (קָלָא סָלִיק בְּרוּמֵי רְקִיעִין וְיֵימָא הָכִי): Many hosts of the upper and lower Academy, of holy Neshamot, are prepared to welcome the Matronita, who comes to be adorned, to redeem her children from exile (מַשִּׁרְיָין סַגִּיאִין דִּמְתִיבְתָּא עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה דְנִשְׁמָתִין קַדִּישִׁין, אִתְתַּקְנוּ לְקַדְמוּת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא דְקָא אַתְיָא לְאִתְתַּקְנָא, לְמִפְרַק בְּנָהָא מִן גָּלוּתָא).

At that time there are many masters of shofarot, many masters of voices, many masters of lightnings, as it is said of them: “And it was on the third day… there were voices and lightnings, and a heavy cloud upon the mountain, and the voice of the shofar was very strong…” (Exodus 19:16) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא כַּמָּה מָארֵי שׁוֹפָרוֹת וּמָארֵי דְקָלִין וּמָארֵי דִבְּרָקִים, דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן וַיְהִי קוֹלוֹת וּבְרָקִים וְעָנָן כָּבֵד עַל הָהָר וְקוֹל שׁוֹפָר חָזָק מְאֹד וְגוֹ'). “Moshe spoke, and Elohim answered him with a voice” (Exodus 19:19) (מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאלהי״ם יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל). At that time Moshe speaks with the Shekhinta (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא מֹשֶׁה יְמַלֵּל בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). This is that which is written: “Mouth to mouth I speak with him” (Numbers 12:8) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֵּר בּוֹ). And the Elohim, which is Imma Ila‘ah, answers him with the voice, which is the middle pillar (וְהָאלהי״ם דְּאִיהִי אִימָּא עִלָּאָה, יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל דְּאִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). And behold, the masters of the Mishnah have established it: with the voice of Moshe (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין בְּקוֹלוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה). And in that time the upper and lower Shekhinta ascend, one upon the other (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה סָלְקִין דָּא עַל גַּב דָּא). In the manner that it is said at Mount Sinai: “Who is this that ascends from the wilderness” (Song of Songs 3:6) (כְּגַוְונָא דְאִתְּמַר בְּטוּרָא דְסִינַי, דְּאִתְּמַר תַּמָּן מִי זֹאת עוֹלָה מִן הַמִּדְבָּר). “Mi zot”-Mi is Imma Ila‘ah, through which Kudsha Berikh Hu opened at Mount Sinai: “Anochi” (שמות 20:2) (מִי בְזֹאת עוֹלָה, מִ״י אִימָּא עִלָּאָה דְבָהּ פָּתַח קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְטוּרָא דְסִינַי אָנֹכִ״י).

Sava rose up from behind the shade of Rabbi Shimon and said (קָם סָבָא חֲדָא מִבָּתַר טוּלָא דְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): Rabbi, Rabbi, behold I have seen that it is said: “From the heavens He made you hear His voice, to instruct you…” (Deuteronomy 4:36) (רַבִּי רַבִּי, הָא חֲזֵינָא דְאִתְּמַר מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת קוֹלוֹ לְיַסְּרֶךָּ וְגוֹ'). And in another place I heard that He spoke with Yisrael from the side of the angels (וּבַאֲתַר אָחֳרָא שְׁמַעִינָא דְמַלִּיל עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל מִסִּטְרָא דְמַלְאָכַיָּא). For so it has been established: that with every single word that goes out from His mouth, an angel is created (דְּהָכִי אוּקְמוּהוּ דְכָל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר דְּנָפִיק מִפּוּמוֹי אִתְעֲבִיד מַלְאָךְ). And this is: “And all the people saw the voices and the torches” (Exodus 20:18) (וְדָא אִיהוּ וְכָל הָעָם רֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלוֹת וְאֶת הַלַּפִּידִים). And in another place the verse says: “One thing Elohim has spoken, two things I have heard” (Psalms 62:12) (וּבַאֲתַר אָחֳרָא אָמַר קְרָא אַחַת דִּבֶּר אלהי״ם שְׁתַּיִם זוּ שָׁמָעִתִּי). What is this (מַאי הַאי)?

Rabbi Shimon said: Sava, Sava (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן סָבָא סָבָא), I have heard that within man Kudsha Berikh Hu placed three bindings (שְׁמַעִינָא דְבַר נַשׁ יְהִיב בֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תְּלַת קְטִירִין): neshamah, ruach, and nefesh (נִשְׁמָתָא וְרוּחָא וְנַפְשָׁא). The neshamah is from the Throne of Glory (נִשְׁמָתָא מִכּוּרְסַיָּא יְקָרָא). There descends the upper Shekhinta, encompassed from the three supernal Sefirot (תַּמָּן נְחִיתַת שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה כְּלִילָא מִתְּלַת סְפִירָן עִלָּאִין). And concerning them it is said: “One thing Elohim has spoken, two have I heard” (Psalms 62:12) (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר אַחַת דִּבֶּר אלהי״ם שְׁתַּיִם זוּ שָׁמָעִיתִּי). One and two - behold three supernal Sefirot (אַחַת וּשְׁתַּיִם הָא תְּלַת סְפִירָן עִלָּאִין). It is said of them “One” (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן אַחַת). One and one and one: three ones (אַחַת וְאַחַת, תְּלַת אֲחָדִין). And this is “One thing Elohim has spoken, two have I heard” - through [the word] 'ZU'/this, He makes them 'ECHAD' (One) (וְדָא אִיהוּ אַחַת דִּבֶּר אלהי״ם שְׁתַּיִם זוּ שָׁמָעִיתִּי, ז״וּ בֵּיהּ עָבִיד לוֹן אֶחָ״ד). And afterward He spoke with him from the spirit, which is Metatron (וּלְבָתַר מַלִּיל עִמֵּיהּ מֵרוּחָא דְאִיהוּ מטטרו״ן), encompassing all the hosts of the heavens below (כְּלִיל כָּל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם דִּלְתַתָּא). Because in him is clothed and rides the middle pillar, encompassed of six Sefirot (בְּגִין דְּאִתְלַבַּשׁ בֵּיהּ וְרָכִיב בֵּיהּ עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא כְּלִיל שִׁית סְפִירָן). And because of this, in every word that goes forth from him, there went forth from him an angel (וּבְגִין דָּא בְכָל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר דְּנָפַק מִנֵּיהּ הֲוָה נָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ מַלְאָךְ). And this is: “And all the people saw the voices” (Exodus 20:18) (וְדָא אִיהוּ וְכָל הָעָם רוֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלוֹת). Afterward, the lower Shekhinta descended, the tenth, in Ofan (לְבָתַר נָחִית שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה עֲשִׂירִית בְּאוֹפַן), which is the soul of man from there (דְּאִיהוּ נֶפֶשׁ דְּבַר נַשׁ מִתַּמָּן).

And it is said of it: “And on the earth He showed you His great fire” (Deuteronomy 4:36) (וְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וְעַל הָאָרֶץ הֶרְאֲךָ אֶת אִשּׁוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה). Because concerning it, it is said: “And behold, one Ofan was on the earth” (Ezekiel 1:15) (בְּגִין דַּעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר וְהִנֵּה אוֹפַן אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ). So that His voice and His word be heard from the Throne, and the angels, and the heavens, and the earth (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתַּמַּע קָלֵיהּ וְדִבּוּרֵיהּ מִן כָּרְסַיָּא וּמַלְאָכַיָּיא וּשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא). That He be recognized in all, above and below (דְיִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן לֵיהּ בְּכֹלָּא עִילָא וְתַתָּא). As the neshamah rules the whole body, even in the smallest limb, and there is no limb empty of it (כְּנִשְׁמָתָא דְשָׁלְטָנוּתָהּ בְּכָל גּוּפָא אֲפִילוּ בְאֵבֶר זְעִירָא וְלֵית אֵבֶר פָּנוּי מִינָהּ).