Daf 87a (דַּף פ״ז ע״א)

And behold the Shin, which is the three Patriarchs, they are (וְהָא ש׳ דִּתְלַת אֲבָהָן אִינוּן). Rather, the supernal Shin are the branches of the Tree (אֶלָּא ש׳ עִלָּאָה עַנְפֵי אִילָנָא). The lower Shin are the roots of the Tree (ש׳ תַּתָּאָה שָׁרְשֵׁי אִילָנָא). And because of this, “and every shrub” is the Tzaddik (וּבְגִין דָּא וְכָל שִׂיחַ דָּא צַדִּיק). “And every grass” with the seventy-two names of Vayisa, Vayavo, Vayet, this is Ya'akov, inclusive of the three Patriarchs, who are the branches of the Tree (וְכָל עִשֶׂב ע״ב ש׳ דָּא יַעֲקֹב כְּלִיל תְּלַת אֲבָהָן, דְּאִינוּן עַנְפֵי אִילָנָא). And they ascend to the seventy-two names of “Vayisa, Vayavo, Vayet” (וְסָלְקִין לְשַׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין שְׁמָהָן דְּוַיִּסַע וַיָּבֹא וַיֵּט). With this Name were created the grasses and the trees, which are the Neshamot of the Tzaddikim (דִּבְהַאי שְׁמָא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ עִשְׂבִּין וְאִילָנִין דְּאִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא). And this grass, regarding it is said: “And grass for the service of man, to bring forth bread from the earth” (וְהַאי עִשֶׂב עֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר וְעִשֶׂב לַעֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם לְהוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ) (Psalms 104:14). “Bread of the mighty man ate” (לֶחֶם אַבִּירִים אָכַל אִישׁ) (Psalms 78:25).

And this is the bread of the Orayta (וְאִיהוּ נַהֲמָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא). Of which it is said: “Go, eat your bread with joy” (דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ לֵךְ אֱכוֹל בְּשִׂמְחָה לַחְמֶךָ) (Ecclesiastes 9:7). And this is “for the service of man” (וְאִיהוּ לַעֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם). The Heh of Adam, of which it is said: “HaMotzi lechem min ha’aretz” (ה׳ דְּאָדָם דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ). What is “for the service of man”? (מַאי לַעֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם). There is no service here except prayer (לֵית עֲבוֹדָה הָכָא אֶלָּא צְלוֹתָא), which is the service of the Shekhinta (דְּאִיהִי פּוּלְחָנָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא). The service of Hashem indeed (עֲבוֹדַת יְהו״ה וַדַּאי). Regarding it, it is said: “Man goes forth to his work and to his service until evening” (וַעֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר יֵצֵא אָדָם לְפָעֳלוֹ וְלַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ עֲדֵי עָרֶב) (Psalms 104:23).

“Man goes forth to his work” - this is the prayer of Shacharit (יֵצֵא אָדָם לְפָעֳלוֹ דָּא צְלוֹתָא דְשַׁחֲרִית). “And to his service until evening” - this is the prayer of Minchah (וְלַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ עֲדֵי עָרֶב דָּא צְלוֹתָא דְמִנְחָה). Of which it is said: “And Yitzchak went out to meditate in the field towards evening” (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב) (Bereshit 24:63).

The Fifty-Second Tikkun

תִּקּוּנָא תְּרֵין וַחֲמִשִּׁין

Bereshit Bara Elohim Elohim (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אלהי״ם אלהי״ם). Five letters, corresponding to the value of Heh (חָמֵשׁ אַתְוָון כְּחוּשְׁבַּן ה׳). Alef-Dalet from Adonai, thus it rises to five (א״ד מִן אדנ״י הָכִי סְלִיק לְחָמֵשׁ). And the secret of the matter: “And a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground” (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה) (Bereshit 2:6). Come and see, an arousal is required from below to above (תָּא חֲזִי אִתְעָרוּתָא צְרִיכָא מִתַּתָּא לְעִילָא). And afterward, “and watered the whole face of the ground” (וּלְבָתַר וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה). “And watered” - the Vav, this is the irrigation from above to below (וְהִשְׁקָה ו׳ אִיהוּ שַׁקְיוּ מֵעִילָא לְתַתָּא). This is the stream of antiquity that extends from the brain (דְאִיהוּ נַחַל קְדוּמִים דְּאִתְמַשַּׁךְ מִן מוֹחָא). And so it is necessary that the arousal first be awakened from the woman (וְהָכִי צָרִיךְ לְאַתְעָרָא אִתְעָרוּתָא בְקַדְמֵיתָא מֵאִתְּתָא). And the secret of the matter: “When a woman conceives” (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ) (Leviticus 12:2), immediately she gives birth to a male (וּמִיָּד וְיָלְדָה זָכָר). The female is Adonai (נוּקְבָא אדנ״י), the male is Hashem (דְּכַר יהו״ה). When the daughter precedes, the male rules, and YAHDVNHY is made (כַּד אַקְדִּימַת בְּרַתָּא שַׁלִּיט דְּכוּרָא וְאִתְעֲבִיד יאהדונה״י). And the secret of the matter: “Hashem Adonai is my strength” (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה יְהו״ה אדנ״י חֵילִי) (Habakkuk 3:19). “And He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and will make me walk upon my high places” (וְעַל בָּמוֹתַי יַדְרִיכֵנִי) (Habakkuk 3:19). These are the Patriarchs (אִלֵּין אֲבָהָן). “To the chief musician on my stringed instruments” (לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹתָי) (Habakkuk 3:19), the cubit and the two thighs (אַמָּה וּתְרֵין שׁוֹקִין). What is “my strength”? It is the power of all from above (מַאי חֵילִי תּוּקְפָא דְכֹלָּא מִלְּעִילָא). “My strength” - the strength of Yod, this is Abba (חֵילִי חֵיל י׳ וְדָא אַבָּא). His power is the fountain that has no end (תּוּקְפָא דִילֵיהּ נְבִיעוּ דְלֵית לֵיהּ סוֹף).

Rabbi El'azar, his father, said (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אַבָּא): And behold, the masters of the Mishnah have established it (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין), that until forty days it is possible to return the female to male (דְּעַד אַרְבְּעִין יוֹמִין יָכִיל לְאַחֲזָרָא נוּקְבָא דְכוּרָא), and it is transformed from judgment to mercy (וְאִתְהַפַּךְ מִדִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי). And they established it, because until then there is no form there (וְאוּקְמוּהוּ בְּגִין דְּעַד כְּעַן לֵית תַּמָּן דִּיּוֹקְנָא), as it is said: “And Hashem Elohim formed man” (דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וַיִּיצֶר יְהו״ה אֱלֹהִי״ם) (Bereshit 2:7). If so, why was the measure taken in forty? (אִם כֵּן אַמַּאי נָטִיל שִׁעוּרָא בְּמ׳). Because it is the measure of the point which is Yod, the drop (בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי שִׁעוּרָא דִנְקוּדָה דְאִיהִי י׳ טִפָּה). In it was made Yam from Mi (who) (בְּהּ אִתְעֲבִיד יָ״ם מִ״י). Surely this is the stream of antiquity, this is the Vav that extends from the Yod (וַדַּאי נַחַל קְדוּמִים דָּא ו׳ דְּאִתְמַשַּׁךְ מִן י׳). And watered the whole face of the ground (וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה). What is “the face of the ground”? (מַאי פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה). Rather, these are the faces which are red, white, green, and black (אֶלָּא אִלֵּין אַנְפִּין דְּאִינוּן סוּמָק וְחִוָּור וְיָרוֹק וְאוּכָּם). In these colors that fountain shines (בְּאִלֵּין גַּוָּונִין נְהִירָא הַהִיא מַבּוּעָא). For these colors are from that dry land (דְּגַוָּונִין אִינוּן מֵהַאי יַבָּשָׁה). Her light flows forth (נְבִיעוּ נְהוֹרָא דִילָהּ).

Surely this is the flowing to the earth, as the soul to the body (דְּהָכִי אִיהוּ נְבִיעוּ לְאַרְעָא כְּנִשְׁמָתָא לְגוּפָא). Just as the tree does not grow except with water, so Yisrael, who are the branches of the Tree, do not grow except with the flow of the Orayta (כְּמָה דְאִילָנָא לָא מִתְרַבֵּי אֶלָּא בְמַיָּא, הָכִי יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִינוּן עַנְפִין דְּאִילָנָא לָא מִתְרַבִּין אֶלָּא בִנְבִיעוּ דְאוֹרַיְיתָא). And the secret of the matter: “A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon” (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה מַעִיַּן גַּנִּים בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים וְנוֹזְלִים מִן לְבָנוֹן) (Song of Songs 4:15). The fountain, this is Chokhmah (מַעִיַּן דָּא חָכְמָה). Keter is the wondrous artisan (כֶּתֶר אִיהוּ אָמוֹן מוּפְלָא), who desired to plant trees in the garden (דְבָעָא לְנַטְעָא אִילָנִין בְּגִנְּתָא). He looked in the whole garden, and did not find there a fountain of water (אִסְתַּכַּל בְּכָל גִּנְתָא וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח תַּמָּן מַבּוּעָא דְמַיָּא). What did He do? He said: I will bring forth a fountain, and afterward I will plant the garden, and the tree will increase (מֶה עָבַד, אָמַר אַפִּיק מַעִיָּן, וּלְבָתַר אֶטַּע גַּן, וְאִתְרַבֵּי אִילָנָא).

And because of this, “fountain of gardens” - first He mentioned the fountain, and afterward gardens (וּבְגִין דָּא מַעִיַּן גַּנִּים, בְּקַדְמֵיתָא אַדְכִּיר מַעִיַּן וּלְבָתַר גַּנִּים). And this garden is the orders of the Orayta (וְדָּא גַ״ן סְדָרִים דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And just as there is a garden below, so there is a garden above (וּכְמָה דְאִית גַּן לְתַתָּא הָכִי אִית גַּ״ן לְעִילָא). And this fountain is in the brain (וְהַאי מַעִיָּן אִיהוּ בְּמוֹחָא). The tree is the body (אִילָנָא גוּפָא). Its branches are the arms and the legs (עַנְפִין דִּילֵיהּ דְּרוֹעִין וְרַגְלִין). “And streams from Lebanon” - this is the heart (וְנוֹזְלִים מִן לְבָנוֹן דָּא לִבָא). Some say: L’vanah (נ״א לבנ״ה). Which is the Dalet, poor in exile (דְאִיהִי דָלֵ״ת דַּלָּה בְּגָלוּתָא). Regarding her it is said: “Water shall flow from his branches” (וַעֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר יִזַּל מַיִם מִדָּלְיָו) (Numbers 24:7).

Woe to those sons of men who do not toil in the Orayta (וַי לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא דְלָא מִשְׁתַּדְלִין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). They are called dry trees (דְאִתְקְרִיאוּ עִצִים יְבֵשִׁים), who are destined to be burned in the fire of Gehinnom (דְּאִינוּן עֲתִידִין לְאִתּוֹקְדָא בְּנוּרָא דְגֵיהִנָּם). And not in vain did the masters of the Mishnah say: those who labor and inherit Gehinnom (וְלַאו לְמַגָּנָא אָמְרוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין דְּאִינוּן עֲמֵלִין וְיָרְתִין גֵּיהִנָּם). And even though the tree grows, which is the body of the Orayta (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּמִתְרַבֵּי אִילָנָא דְאִיהוּ גוּפָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא), and it has no fruit, which are the positive commandments (וְלֵית לֵיהּ אִיבָּא דְאִינוּן פִּקּוּדִין דַּעֲשֵׂה), what is written of it: “Only the tree of which you know is not a tree for food, that you shall destroy and cut down” (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ רַק עִץ אֲשֶׁר תֵּדַע כִּי לֹא עִץ מַאֲכָל הוּא אוֹתוֹ תַשְׁחִית וְכָרָתָּ) (Deuteronomy 20:20). And because of this, the masters of the Mishnah said: study is not the essence, but the deed is the essence (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמְרוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין דְּלֵית מֶדְרָשָׁא עִקָּר אֶלָּא הַמַּעֲשֶׂה אִיהוּ עִקָּר).