Daf 95a (דַּף צ״ה ע״א)

Emet - Alef at the beginning of the Alef–Beit (אֱמֶת א׳ בְּרֵישָׁא דְאַלְפָא בֵּיתָא), Mem in the middle (מ׳ בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), Tav at the end (ת׳ בְּסוֹפֵיהּ). Some say: four letters (נ״א ד׳ אתוון). Its calculation is Yod Heh Vav Heh, Emet (עִשּׂוּרָא דִילֵיהּ יו״ד ה״א וָאו״ ה״א אֱמֶת), which is the calculation of four hundred and forty-one (דְּאִיהוּ עִישׂוּר דְּאַרְבַּע מֵאָה וְאַרְבְּעִין וְחַד). Behold, this is the secret of forty-five and five (הָא רָזָא דְחַמְשָׁא וְאַרְבְּעִין מ״ה). At the time when Yisrael falsify in the Torah of Emet with words of falsehood (בְּזִמְנָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְשַׁקְּרִין בְּתוֹרַת אֱמֶת בְּאוֹמָאָה דְשִׁקְרָא), it is said of it: “And truth was cast to the earth” (Daniel 8:12) (אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וְתַשְׁלֵךְ אֱמֶת אַרְצָה). What is “to the earth”? This is the Shekhinta (מַאי אַרְצָה דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). And at the time when Yisrael uphold the Torah of Emet with words of truth (וּבְזִמְנָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַיְימִין תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת בְּאוֹמָאָה דִקְשׁוֹט), it is said of it: “Truth will sprout from the earth” (Psalms 85:12) (אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח). And in exile it is said: “And the truth was lacking” (Isaiah 59:15) (וּבְגָלוּתָא אִתְּמַר וַתְּהִי הָאֱמֶת נֶעֱדֶּרֶת), and falsehood rules in the world (וְשִׁקְרָא שָׁלְטָא בְעָלְמָא). And in the time when Emet will be rectified and ascend to its place, falsehood will be erased from the world (וּבְזִמְנָא דְּאִתְתַּקַּן אֱמֶת וְאִסְתַּלֵּק לְאַתְרֵיהּ אִתְמְחִי שִׁקְרָא מֵעָלְמָא). This is what is written: “The lip of truth shall be established forever” (Proverbs 12:19) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב שְׂפַת אֱמֶת תִּכּוֹן לָעַד). It is not written, “Kunanta [You established],” but rather, “Tikkon la‘ad [it shall be established forever]” (כּוֹנַנְתָּ לֹא כְתִיב אֶלָּא תִּכּוֹן לָעַד). “And a lying tongue is only for a moment” (Proverbs 12:19) (וְעַד אַרְגִּיעָה לָשׁוֹן שָׁקֶר). What is Emet [Truth]? The Middle Pillar (מַאי אֱמֶת עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא), His Shekhinta, Torah of Emet [Truth] (שְׁכִינְתָּא דִילֵיהּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת). “The Torah of truth was in his mouth” (Malachi 2:6) (הָיְתָה בְּפִיהוּ). And what is Sheker [Lie]? This is Samael (וּמָאן שֶׁקֶר דָּא סַמָא״ל). At the time when Emet [Truth] rules, Sheker [Lie] is removed from the world (בְּזִמְנָא דֶּאֱמֶת שָׁלְטָא אִתְעֲבַר שִׁקְרָא מֵעָלְמָא).

Emet [truth] is at the ends of the words (אֱמֶת אִיהוּ בְּסוֹף תֵּיבִין), and these are: “Bara Elohim la‘asot [Elohim created to make]” (בָּרָא אֱלֹהִי״ם לַעֲשׂוֹת), and “Bara Elohim et [Elohim created et]” (בָּרָא אֱלֹהִי״ם אֶת). In it He created the world (בֵּיהּ בָּרָא עָלְמָא), and upon it the whole world is called and exists (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְקְרֵי וְקַיְימָא כָל עָלְמָא). And whoever speaks falsehood, it is as if: “And truth was cast to the earth” (Daniel 8:12) (וְכָל מָאן דְּאוֹמֵי בְּשִׁקְרָא כְּאִלּוּ וְתַשְׁלֵךְ אֱמֶת אַרְצָה), and falsehood rules, as it were, in His place, which is Yerushalayim (וְשִׁקְרָא שָׁלְטָא כַּבְיָכוֹל בַּאֲתַר דִּילֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ יְרוּשָׁלַםִ). And this caused that the Temple was destroyed, and the world returned to tohu va-vohu (וְדָא גְרִים דְּאִתְחָרַב בֵּיתָא, וְאִתְחַזַּר עָלְמָא לְתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ).

For so have they established: The First Temple was destroyed, “and the earth was tohu” (Bereshit 1:2) (דְּהָכִי אוּקְמוּהוּ חָרַב בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ). The Second Temple was destroyed, “and darkness was upon the face of the deep” (Bereshit 1:2) (חָרַב בַּיִת שֵׁנִי וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם). For Emet sustains the supernal and the lower (דֶּאֱמֶת הוּא סָבִיל עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין), and in the time when falsehood is made, the structure collapses (וּבְזִמְנָא דְאִתְעֲבִיד שִׁקְרָא יִתְהָרֵס הַבִּנְיָן). In that time it is said regarding the Shekhinta: “She has fallen, she shall rise no more” (Amos 5:2) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִתְּמַר בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא נָפְלָה לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם). This is what is written: “How you have fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning [Heilel ben Shachar]” (Isaiah 14:12) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אֵיךְ נָפַלְתָּ מִשָּׁמַיִם הֵילֵל בֶּן שָׁחַר), “The crown of our head has fallen” (Lamentations 5:16) (נָפְלָה עֲטֶרֶת רֹאשֵׁנוּ). These are the upper Heh and the lower Heh (דְּאִינוּן ה׳ עִלָּאָה ה׳ תַּתָּאָה), and the Vav, the Middle Pillar, sustains them both (ו׳ עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא סָבִיל תַּרְוַיְיהוּ). The Yesod of all is Yod, this is the Covenant (יְסוֹדָא דְכֹלָּא י׳, דָּא בְרִית). Whoever lies and transgresses in it, it is as if he uproots all and casts it down (כָּל מָאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר וְעָבַר בֵּיהּ, כְּאִלּוּ אַעִיקַר כֹּלָּא וְאַפִּיל לֵיהּ). And this Yod is the Even ha-Shetiyah [Foundation Stone], from which the world was founded (וְהַאי י׳ הִיא אֶבֶן הַשְּׁתִיָּה דְמִינָהּ הוּשְׁתַת עָלְמָא). And concerning it is said: “The stone which the builders despised…” (Psalms 118:22) (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים וְכוּ׳). And it is the Yesod of all (וְאִיהִי יְסוֹדָא דְכֹלָּא), and upon it the world is built (וַעֲלָהּ אִתְבְּנֵי). Woe to him who sins in the letter of Shabbat, in the letter of Tefillin, in the letters of the Festivals, and in the letter of the Covenant of Circumcision (וַוי לֵיהּ לְמָאן דְּחָאב בְּאוֹת שַׁבָּת וּבְאוֹת תְּפִלִּין וּבְאוֹת יוֹמִין טָבִין וּבְאוֹת בְּרִית מִילָה), it is as if he uproots it from its place and returns the world to tohu va-vohu (כְּאִלּוּ אַעִיקַר לֵיהּ מֵאַתְרֵיהּ, וְאַהֲדַר עָלְמָא לְתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ).

Rabbi El'azar said: Abba, but behold, the Yod is above - why then is it here below? (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אַבָּא וְהָא י׳ לְעִילָא אִיהִי, אַמַּאי אִיהִי לְתַתָּא הָכָא). He said to him: My son, this is a supernal secret (אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּרִי, דָא רָזָא עִלָּאָה). From the four letters hang four Names (מֵאַרְבַּע אַתְוָון תַּלְיָין אַרְבַּע שְׁמָהָן): from Yod, YHVH (מִן י׳ יהו״ה); from Heh, HVYH (מִן ה׳ הוי״ה נ״א); from Vav, VHYH (מִן ו׳ והי״ה); from Heh, HVHY (מִן ה׳ הוה״י נ״א והי״ה הוה״י). Concerning them it is certainly said: “And you shall see My back” (Exodus 33:23) (עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר וַדַּאי וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחוֹרָי), “But My face shall not be seen” (Exodus 33:23) (וּפָנַי לֹא יֵרָאוּ). And from the side of the back it is Yod below (וּמִסִּטְרָא דַאֲחוֹרַיִם אִיהִי י׳ לְתַתָּא), and from the side of the face it is above (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְפָנִים לְעִילָא). And this is the mystery of the Name being turned from judgment to mercy, and from mercy to judgment (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְאִתְהַפַּךְ שְׁמָא מִדִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי וּמֵרַחֲמֵי לְדִינָא). When it is turned to judgment, it is HVHY, with Yod below (כַּד אִתְהַפַּךְ לְדִינָא אִיהוּ הוה״י י׳ לְתַתָּא). Concerning it is said: “The stone which the builders despised” (Psalms 118:22) (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים), they despised its afflictions (מָאֲסוּ יִסּוּרִין דִּילָהּ). But those who love afflictions, they are transformed for them from judgment to mercy of Hashem (וְאִלֵּין דַּחֲבִיבִין יִסּוּרִין אִתְהַפַּךְ לוֹן מִדִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי יהו״ה). And in that time: “The stone which the builders despised…” (Psalms 118:22) (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ וְכוּ׳). That which was Yod below is returned above (מַה דַּהֲוַת י׳ לְתַתָּא אִתְחַזְרַת לְעִילָא). And from the side of VHYH, the Yod is in the middle (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְוהי״ה אִיהִי י׳ בְּאֶמְצַע). In that time one must bow before it (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִשְׁתַּטַּח לְגַבֵּיהּ). And he said: Fortunate is our portion that we merited to this, for this is the root and the foundation of all (וְאָמַר זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵי דְזָכִינָא לְהַאי, דְּדָא עִיקָרָא וִיסוֹדָא דְכֹלָּא).

The Sixty-Fourth Tikkun

תִּקּוּנָא שִׁתִּין וְאַרְבַּע

Bereshit bara Elohim (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִי״ם), there is Man, there is Woman, with the Heh of Elohim (תַּמָּן אִישׁ תַּמָּן אִשָּׁה עִם ה׳ דְּאֱלֹהִי״ם). And concerning them it is said: “Sustain me with flagons” (Song of Songs 2:5) (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר סַמְּכוּנִי בָּאֲשִׁישׁוֹת), with Man and Woman (בְּאִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה). And who caused this? Because Adam and Chavah were stripped of garments of light (בְּגִין דְּאִתְפַּשְׁטוּ מִכָּתְנוֹת אוֹר אָדָם וְחַוָּה). And because of this: “Sustain me with flagons” (בְּגִין דָּא סַמְּכוּנִי בָּאֲשִׁישׁוֹת), with garments of skin (בְּכָתְנוֹת עוֹר), which are in place of the skins of rams dyed red, etc. (Exodus 25:5) (דְּאִינוּן לָקֳבֵל וְעוֹרוֹת אֵילִים מְאָדָּמִים וְכוּ׳). And was it Adam who caused this (וְכִי אָדָם גָּרִים)? But behold it is written: “And the man said, the woman whom You gave to be with me…” (Bereshit 3:12) (וְהָא כְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָדָם הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ עִמָּדִי וְגוֹמֵר). And because of this Kudsha Berikh Hu said to the woman: “What is this you have done?” (Bereshit 3:13) (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאִתְּתָא מַה עָבְדַת, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר וַיֹּאמֶר יהו״ה אֱלֹהִי״ם אֶל הָאִשָּׁה מַה זֹּאת עָשִׂית). Every guilt that she committed against the Shekhinta, which is “Zot [this],” she committed (כָּל חוֹבָה דְעָבְדַת לִשְׁכִינְתָּא דְאִיהִי זֹאת עָבְדַת). And because of this: “What is this you have done?” - “Mah [what], Zot [this]” indeed (וּבְגִין דָּא מַה זֹּאת עָשִׂית, דְּאִיהִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ, מַה זֹּאת וַדַּאי). “Mah [what], Hashem your God asks of you, only to fear” (Deuteronomy 10:12) (מָה יהו״ה אֱלֹהֶיךָ שׁוֹאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ כִּי אִם לְיִרְאָה). Do not read “im” (if) but “em” (mother) (וְאַל תִּקְרֵי אִם אֶלָּא אֵם). This is what is written: “A man shall fear his mother and his father” (Leviticus 19:3) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ), which is Yod–Heh, Abba and Imma Ila’ah (דָּאִיהוּ י״ה אַבָּא וְאִמָּא עִלָּאָה). But you did not fear Imma Ila’ah (וְאַנְתְּ לָא דְחֵילְתְּ מֵאִמָּא עִלָּאָה). Therefore to “Zot [this]” you have done all this, indeed (לְזֹאת עָבְדַת כָּל דָּא וַדַּאי). Concerning her it is said: “This is the sign of the covenant” (Bereshit 9:12) (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּה זֹאת אוֹת הַבְּרִית).