Daf 79b (דַּף ע״ט ע״ב)

The Thirty-Ninth Tikkun

תִּקּוּנָא תִּשְׁעָא וּתְלָתִין

Bereshit - there is Asher, of which it is said: “Who brought you forth…” (Exodus 20:2) (בְּרֵאשִׁית תַּמָּן אֲשֶׁ״ר דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ וְגוֹ'). “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” (אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה). “Happy in my happiness, for daughters call me happy” (Bereshit 30:13) (אָשֵׁר בְּאָשְׁרִי כִּי אִשְּׁרוּנִי בָּנוֹת). And this is Imma Ila’ah (וְדָא אִימָּא עִלָּאָה). “Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us” (אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ), concerning every single commandment, which are the opening of every womb, which are 248 (עַל כָּל פִּקּוּדָא וּפִקּוּדָא, דְּאִינוּן פֶּטֶר כָּל רֶחֶם דְּאִינוּן רְמַ״ח). All of them are bound in the Tzaddik, who is Yesod, who is the Sign of the Covenant (Ot Berit) (דְּכֻלְּהוּ קְטִירִין בְּצַדִּיק דְּאִיהוּ כֹּל דְּאִיהוּ אוֹת בְּרִית). For he opens every womb, which are the 248 positive commandments (דְּאַפְתַּח רֶחֶם דְּאִינוּן רְמַ״ח פִּקּוּדִין דַּעֲשֵׂה). And concerning him it is said: “Who sanctified the beloved from the womb” (אֲשֶׁר קִדֵּשׁ יְדִיד מִבֶּטֶן). And this is Imma, of whom it is said: “From whose womb came forth the ice” (Job 38:29) (וְדָא אִימָּא דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ מִבֶּטֶן מִי יָצָא הַקָּרַח). And this is the fearful ice (וְדָא אִיהוּ הַקָּרַח הַנּוֹרָא) (Ezekiel 1:22). Asher, which is Imma Ila’ah (אֲשֶׁר דְּאִיהִי אִימָּא עִלָּאָה). “Who has sanctified us with His commandments” - in the Tzaddik (קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו בְּצַדִּיק), who is “He sanctified the beloved from the womb” (דְּאִיהוּ קִדֵּשׁ יְדִיד מִבֶּטֶן). “And commanded us” - concerning them (וְצִוָּנוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ), because he is the commanded one and does (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מְצוּוְה וְעוֹשֶׂה). And further: “Who has sanctified us” - this is the middle pillar (וְעוֹד אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ דָא עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא), of which it is said: “Yisrael is holiness to Hashem” (Jeremiah 2:3) (דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיהו״ה). “And commanded us” - for so He is commanded and does (וְצִוָּנוּ דְאִיהוּ הָכִי מְצוּוְה וְעוֹשֶׂה).

And further: “Who has sanctified us” - from the side of the left, of which it is said: “And you shall sanctify the Levites” (Numbers 8:14) (וְעוֹד קִדְּשָׁנוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִשְׂמָאלָא, דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וְקִדַּשְׁתָּ אֶת הַלְוִיִּם). And there is no sanctity less than ten (וְלֵית קְדוּשָׁה פָּחוּת מֵעֲשָׂרָה). And these are the ten utterances (וְאִלֵּין עֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת). This is “Sanctify to Me every firstborn” (Exodus 13:2) (דָאִיהִי קַדֶּשׁ לִי כָּל בְּכוֹר), which is Keter Elyon and Chokhmah, which is Yisrael rising in thought (דָאִיהוּ כֶּתֶר עִלָּאָה וְחָכְמָה דָאִיהִי יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה). Of them it is said: “And Elohim said: Let there be light” (Bereshit 1:3) (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר אלהי״ם יְהִי אוֹר). “And commanded us upon” - from the right side, of which it is said: “The sweet singer of Yisrael said… raised up on high” (2 Samuel 23:1) (וְצִוָּנוּ עַל, מִסִּטְרָא דִימִינָא דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ הוּקַם עָל). There are all blessings to the right (דְּתַמָּן כָּל בִּרְכָאָן לִימִינָא). These are one hundred blessings, by the count of al (דְּאִינוּן מֵאָה בִּרְכָאָן כְּחוּשְׁבַּן עַ״ל). The letter Yod in Kaf ascends to one hundred (דְּאָת י' בְּק' אִסְתַּלִּיק לְמֵאָה). This is the offering of all (דְּאִיהִי קָרְבָּנָא דְכֹלָּא). From the side of Abba - “Head” (מִסִּטְרָא דְאַבָּא רֹאשׁ). From the side of Imma - “Asher” (מִסִּטְרָא דְאִימָּא אֲשֶׁר). From the side of Abba - “commanded” (מִסִּטְרָא דְאַבָּא מְצוּוְה). From the side of Imma - “does” (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְאִימָּא עוֹשֶׂה). Commanded - this is “tree of fruit” (וּמְצוּוְה דָא עִץ פְּרִי). Does - this is “makes fruit” (וְעוֹשֶׂה דָא עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי). And we have heard that these are body and Brit, counted as one (וְשַׁמְעִינָן דְּאִינוּן גּוּף וּבְרִית דְּחַשְׁבִינָן חָד). Of them it is said: “Two shoulder pieces joined” (Exodus 28:7) (עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר שְׁתֵּי כְתֵפֹת חֹבְרֹת). As they are joined, so the upper Shekhinta and the lower Shekhinta are joined, “a woman to her sister” (Ezekiel 1:9) (כְּמָה דְאִינוּן חוֹבְרוֹת, הָכִי שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה חוֹבְרוֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחוֹתָהּ).

Further: “Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us” - and it does not say “You sanctified us and You commanded us” (עוֹד אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ, וְלָא אָמַר קִדַּשְׁתָּנוּ וְצִוִּיתָנוּ). Asher - it is Asher, Ehyeh, indeed (אֲשֶׁר אִיהוּ אֲשֶׁר אהי״ה וַדַּאי). And this is Keter Elyon (וְדָא כֶּתֶר עִלָּאָה). From the side of the female it is called Asher (מִסִּטְרָא דְנוּקְבָא אִתְקְרֵי אֲשֶׁר). From the side of the male it is called Rosh, the head of all heads (וּמִסִּטְרָא דִדְכוּרָא אִתְקְרֵי רֹאשׁ, רֵישָׁא דְכָל רֵישִׁין). “Who has sanctified us” - this is Abba, Sava (קִדְּשָׁנוּ דָא אַבָּא סָבָא), of whom it is said: “And Elohim said: Let there be light” (Bereshit 1:3) (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וַיֹּאמֶר אלהי״ם יְהִי אוֹר). “And commanded us” - this is Imma, of whom it is said: “And there was light” (Bereshit 1:3) (וְצִוָּנוּ דָּא אִימָּא, דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ וַיְהִי אוֹר). And there is no existence except by way of Asiyah (וְלֵית הֲוַיָּה אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי עֲשִׂיָּה). And both of them are right and left (וְתַרְוַיְיהוּ לִימִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא). And who is commanded and does upon the mitzvah that is the Shekhinta (וּמָאן מְצוּוְה וְעוֹשֶׂה עַל הַמִּצְוָה דְאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא), this is the middle pillar (דָּא עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא), and thus the Tzaddik in His image and likeness (וְהָכִי צַדִּיק בְּצַלְמֵיהּ וְכִדְמוּתֵיהּ), and upon His name they are called “Yisrael, My firstborn, Yisrael” (וְעַל שְׁמֵיהּ אִתְקְרִיאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנִי בְּכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל), and by the name Tzaddik they are called Tzaddikim (וְעַל שֵׁם צַדִּיק אִתְקְרוּן צַדִּיקִים), this is that which is written (Isaiah 60:21) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And your people, all of them righteous; forever they shall inherit the land” (וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִרְשׁוּ אָרֶץ). And furthermore: “I am Hashem your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 20:2) (וְעוֹד אָנֹכִי יהו״ה אלהי״ך אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם), Rabbi El'azar said: Father, is it that one who is under the servitude of his Master, and his Master promised him to bring him out to freedom and brought him out, has to praise himself that he brought himself out from servitude (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אַבָּא וְכִי מָאן דְּאִיהוּ תְּחוֹת שִׁעִ״בּוּדָא דְרִבּוֹנֵיהּ, וְרִבּוֹנֵיהּ אַבְטַח לֵיהּ לְאַפָּקָא לֵיהּ לְחֵירוּ וְאַפִּיק לֵיהּ, אִית לֵיהּ לְשַׁבְּחָא גַרְמֵיהּ דְּאַפֵּיק לֵיהּ מִגּוֹ שִׁעִ״בּוּדָא)? But the Holy One Blessed Be He said to Abraham (Bereshit 15:13) (וְהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם): “Know surely that your seed shall be a stranger in a land not theirs” (כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם), and He promised to bring out his sons from exile (וְהָא אִיהוּ אַבְטַח לְאַפָּקָא לִבְנוֹי מִגָּלוּתָא), this is that which is written (Bereshit 15:14) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And afterward they shall go out with great substance” (וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכוּשׁ גָּדוֹל), and He praises Himself many times: “Who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (וְאִיהוּ מְשַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ כַּמָּה זִמְנִין אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם).

He said to him: My son, you have spoken well, but it is not that He praises Himself (אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּרִי שַׁפִּיר קָאֲמַרְתְּ אֲבָל לַאו אִיהוּ דָא לְשַׁבְּחָא גַרְמֵיהּ), rather, each Sefirah is called “head” to its counterpart (אֶלָּא כָּל סְפִירָה וּסְפִירָה אִתְקְרִיאַת רֹאשׁ לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ), and in order to make known to them from which place He brought them out from servitude (וּבְגִין לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא לוֹן מֵאָן אֲתַר אַפִּיק לוֹן מִגּוֹ שִׁעִ״בּוּדָא), He opened with “Anochi,” and He mentioned in it “who brought you out of the land of Egypt,” etc., fifty times corresponding to the fifty gates of Binah (פָּתַח בְּאָנֹכִי, וְאַדְכִּיר בֵּיהּ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְגוֹמֵר, חַמְשִׁין זִמְנִין לָקֳבֵל חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין דְּבִינָה). And further: “Who has sanctified us” (וְעוֹד אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ), Rabbi El'azar said: Father, behold, if the middle pillar is the one commanded and who does, it should have said regarding Him “who has sanctified me and commanded me”; what is “who has sanctified us and commanded us” (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אַבָּא, הָא אִם עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא אִיהוּ מְצוּוְה וְעוֹשֶׂה, הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר בְּגִינֵיהּ אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנִי וְצִוָּנִי, מַאי אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ וְצִוָּנוּ)? He said to him: Indeed you have spoken well; surely concerning the middle pillar and the Tzaddik it is said of both “who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us” (אָמַר לֵיהּ וַדַּאי שַׁפִּיר קָאֲמַרְתְּ, בְּוַדַּאי עַל עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא וְצַדִּיק אִתְּמַר עַל תַּרְוַיְיהוּ אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ), Asher indeed, which is Asher Ehyeh, Imma Ila’ah, counts them upon the Shekhinta which is mitzvah, for each one of them (אֲשֶׁר וַדַּאי דְאִיהִי אֲשֶׁר אהי״ה אִימָּא עִלָּאָה, מַנִּי לוֹן עַל שְׁכִינְתָּא דְאִיהִי מִצְוָה, לְכָל חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ), and they above are two, like the branches of a tree that spread to the right and to the left (וְאִינוּן לְעִילָא תְּרֵין כְּעַנְפִין דְּאִילָנָא דְאִתְפָּרְשׁוּ לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא), and below they are made in her into one bundle (וּלְתַתָּא אִתְעֲבִידוּ בָּהּ אֲגוּדָה חֲדָא), and because of this they are above two, and below one (וּבְגִין דָּא אִינוּן לְעִילָא תְּרֵין, וּלְתַתָּא חָד), for unification is not found in all the branches of the tree except in her (דְּיִחוּדָא לָא אִית בְּכָל עַנְפִין דְּאִילָנָא אֶלָּא בָהּ), for she is the binding of them all (דְּאִיהִי אֲגַד דְכֻלְּהוּ), she is the bundle of every limb and limb (אִיהִי אֲגוּדָה דְכָל אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר), and in her they are all made one (וּבָהּ אִתְעֲבִידוּ כֻּלְּהוּ חָד).