Daf 99b (דַּף צ״ט ע״ב)

And Adam knew, etc. (Bereshit 4) (וְהָאָדָם יָדַע וְכוּ'), Sava rose, opened, and said: Rabbi, Rabbi (קָם סָבָא פָּתַח וְאָמַר רַבִּי רַבִּי), and until here, did Adam not know his wife (וְעַד הָכָא לָא הֲוָה יָדַע אָדָם לְאִנְתְּתֵיהּ)? Rather, at the time that Adam sinned, the Shekhinta departed from his place (אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְחָאב אִסְתַּלַּק שְׁכִינְתָּא מֵאַתְרֵיהּ). And thus the masters of the Mishnah have established (וְהָכִי אוּקְמוּהוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין): that at the time when the Shekhinta is not in her place, it is forbidden in the union of the bed (דִּבְּזִמְנָא דְלֵית שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּאַתְרָהּ אָסוּר בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה). Because regarding it, it is said (Bereshit 47): “And Yisrael bowed upon the head of the bed” (בְּגִין דַּעֲלָהּ אִתְּמַר וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה). And from where did She depart- from the right and from the left that were there (וּמֵאָן אֲתַר אִסְתַּלְקַת מִימִינָא וּמִשְּׂמָאלָא דְתַמָּן הֲוָה). And this is the secret of Ibbur, by 72 and 216, Chesed and Gevurah (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְעִיבּוּר ע״ב רי״ו, חֶסֶד גְּבוּרָה). Some say: And he passed (נ״א: ויעבו״ר). And not in vain did the masters of the Mishnah establish this (וְלָא לְמַגָּנָא אוּקְמוּהוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין): that one who places his bed between north and south will have male children (הַנּוֹתֵן מִטָּתוֹ בֵּין צָפוֹן לַדָּרוֹם הַוְיָין לֵיהּ בָּנִים זְכָרִים). And he causes that the Shekhinta departs from that bed from there (וְאִיהוּ גָּרִים דְּאִסְתַּלַּק הַהִיא מִטָּה מִתַּמָּן).

Thus he too was removed from union of the bed (הָכִי אִסְתַּלִּיק אִיהוּ מִתַּשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה). And after he received his punishment, the bed was restored to its place (וּבָתַר דְּקַבִּיל עוֹנְשֵׁיהּ אִתְחַזַּר מִטָּה לְאַתְרָהּ). At that time: “And Adam knew Chavah his wife” (Bereshit 4) (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ). And further: And Adam knew Chavah his wife (וְעוֹד וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ). There is knowing for good and there is knowing for evil (אִית יְדִיעָה לְטַב וְאִית יְדִיעָה לְבִישׁ). For example: “And they knew that they were naked” (Bereshit 3) (כְּגוֹן וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עִרוּמִים הֵם). And for example: “And you are naked and bare” (Ezekiel 16) (וּכְגוֹן וְאַתְּ עִרוֹם וְעִִרְיָה). Nakedness from the Written Orayta (עִרוֹם מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא דְבִכְתָב). And bareness from Oral Orayta (וְעִִרְיָה מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא דִבְעַל פֶּה). And further: And Adam knew (וְעוֹד וְהָאָדָם יָדַע). For example: “And Mordekhai knew all that was done” (Esther 4) (כְּגוֹן וּמָרְדֳּכַי יָדַע אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה). So Adam knew, causing separation between Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta (הָכִי אָדָם יָדַע דְּגָרִים אַפְרָשׁוּתָא בֵּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּבֵין שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ).

For Adam sinned in thought (דְּאָדָם חָאב בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה), and Chavah sinned in action (וְחַוָּה חָאבַת בְּמַעֲשֶׂה). In that place where it is said: “Yisrael arose in thought” (בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה). In that place where his Neshama was taken in the path of Atzilut, there he sinned (בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְנַטִּל נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ בְּאֹרַח אֲצִילוּת תַּמָּן חָאב). And Chavah in his action, for she is his strength (וְחַוָּה בְּמַעֲשֶׂה דִילֵיהּ, דְּאִיהִי כֹּחַ דִּילֵיהּ), the 28 letters of Ma‘aseh Bereshit (כ''ח אַתְוָון דְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית). And all of it: Chokhmah: Ko’ach Mah (וְכֹלָּא חָכְמָ''ה כֹּ''חַ מָ''ה). And further: And Adam knew (וְעוֹד וְהָאָדָם יָדַע). He knew his own sin concerning Kayin (יָדַע חוֹבָא דִילֵיהּ בְּמַאי בְּקַיִן). As it is said (Bereshit 4): “And she conceived and bore Kayin” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד אֶת קַיִן). Because regarding him it is said (Isaiah 14): “For from the root of a serpent shall come forth a viper” (בְּגִין דַּעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר כִּי מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ נָחָשׁ יֵצֵא צֶפַע). This is the defilement that the serpent cast into Chavah (דְּאִיהוּ זוּהֲמָא דְאַטִּיל נָחָשׁ בְּחַוָּה). And Adam knew his defilement, that it spread until Keni the father-in-law of Moshe (וַהֲוָה יָדַע זוּהֲמָא דִילֵיהּ דְּאִתְפַּשַּׁט עַד קֵנִי חוֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה). And when he saw his Gilgul and Teshuvah there (וְכַד חָמָא גִלְגוּלָא וּתְיוּבְתָּא דִילֵיהּ תַּמָּן), he said (Bereshit 4): “I have acquired a man with Hashem” (אָמַר קָנִיתִי אִישׁ אֶת יְיָ). Now I know that I acquired him in Keni the father-in-law of Moshe (כְּעַן יְדַעִינָא לֵיהּ דְּקָנִיתִי לֵיהּ בְּקֵנִי חוֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה). And he was given expansion there (וְרַוַחְנָא לֵיהּ תַּמָּן). And because of this it is said: “I have acquired a man with Hashem” (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְּמַר קָנִיתִי אִישׁ אֶת יְיָ). And this is the secret: “And so I saw the wicked buried, and they came…” (Ecclesiastes 8) (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא וּבְכֵן רָאִיתִי רְשָׁעִים קְבוּרִים וָבָאוּ).

Rabbi Shimon said to him: Sava, Sava (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, סָבָא סָבָא), and why did Kudsha Berikh Hu labor with them, to bring them in Gilgul (וְאַמַּאי טָרַח קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהוֹן, לְאַיְיתָאָה לוֹן בְּגִלְגּוּלָא)? He said to him: For the sake of the honor of the Righteous, to pass away sin from their children (אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְצַדִּיקַיָּא לְאַעֲבָרָא חוֹבָא מִבְּנַיְיהוּ). For until Kayin repented with Teshuvah, the blemish of Adam was not completed (דְּעַד דְּקַיִן תָּב בִּתְיוּבְתָּא פְּגִימוּ דְאָדָם לָא אִשְׁתַּלִּים). And because of this, for his honor Kudsha Berikh Hu labored in Kayin (וּבְגִין דָּא לִיקָרָא דִילֵיהּ טָרַח קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּקַיִן). And thus with all the Resha‘aya who are the children of the Righteous (וְהָכִי בְכָל רַשִּׁיעַיָּיא דְאִינוּן בְּנֵי צַדִּיקַיָּא).

He said to him: What is the defilement that the serpent cast into Chavah (אָמַר לֵיהּ מַאי אִיהוּ זוּהֲמָא דְאַטִּיל נָחָשׁ בְּחַוָּה)? He said to him: This is Lilit, a putrid drop, this is the defilement (אָמַר לֵיהּ דָּא לִילִי״ת טִפָּה סְרוּחָה אִיהוּ זוּהֲמָא). And she is the leaven in the dough, about which it is said: Who delays the leaven in the dough (וְאִיהִי שְׂאוֹר שֶׁבְּעִיסָה דְאִתְּמַר עֲלָהּ מִי מְעַכֵּב שְׂאוֹר שֶׁבְּעִיסָה). And this is the heart of Samael (וְאִיהוּ אִיבָּא דְסמא״ל), about which it is said (Bereshit 3): “And she took of its fruit and she ate” (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וַתִּקַּח מִפִּרְיוֹ וַתֹּאכַל). This is death, about which it is said (Proverbs 5): “Her feet go down to death” (דָּא מָוְ״ת דְּאִתְּמַר עֲלָה רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוְת). And she is the evil drop, the defilement of another god (וְאִיהִי טִפָּה בִּישָׁא זוּהֲמָא דְאֵל אַחֵר), poison of death, defilement and orlah of the tree of death (סַם מָוְת זוּהֲמָא וְעָרְלָה דְאִילָנָא דְמוֹתָא). And because of her the masters of the Mishnah established that Adam was a drawer of his orlah (וּבְגִינָהּ אוּקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין אָדָם מוֹשֵׁךְ בְּעָרְלָתוֹ הֲוָה).

“And she again bore his brother, Hevel” (Bereshit 4) (וַתּוֹסֶף לָלֶדֶת אֶת אָחִיו אֶת הָבֶל). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “You take away their spirit, they die and return to their dust” (Psalms 104) (תּוֹסֵף רוּחָם יִגְוָעוּן וְאֶל עֲפָרָם יְשׁוּבוּן). Here is hinted the Gilgul of the Righteous (הָכָא רָמִיז גִּלְגּוּלָא דְצַדִּיקַיָּא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu showed him his Gilgul in every generation (וְאַחֲזֵי לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גִלְגּוּלָא דִילֵיהּ בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא). How he went from Tzaddik to Tzaddik (אֵיךְ הֲוָה אָזִיל מִצַּדִּיק לַצַּדִּיק), until six hundred thousand (עַד שִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא), until he came to him about whom it is said (Bereshit 6): “For that he also is flesh” (עַד דְּמָטֵי לְהַהוּא דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ בְּשַׁגַּם הוּא בָשָׂר). “Beshagam [For that he also]” - this is Hevel (בְּשַׁגַּם זֶה הֶבֶל). And the ancients established that “Beshagam [For that he also]” is Moshe (וְאוּקְמוּהָ קַדְמָאֵי בְּשַׁגַּם דָּא מֹשֶׁה). And when she saw that the Orayta was destined to be given through him (וּמִיָּד דְּחָמָא דַעֲתִידָה אוֹרַיְיתָא לְאִתְיַיהֲבָא עַל יְדֵיהּ), she added for his sake many offerings to Kudsha Berikh Hu (אוֹסֵיפַת בְּגִינֵיהּ כַּמָּה קָרְבָּנִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and many prayers and supplications (וְכַמָּה צְלוֹתִין וּבָעוּתִין). And this is: “And she again bore” (וְדָא אִיהוּ וַתּוֹסֶף לָלֶדֶת). And because of this it is said of him (Ecclesiastes 1): “A generation goes and a generation comes” (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ דּוֹר הוֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא). And no generation is less than six hundred thousand (וְלֵית דּוֹר פָּחוּת מִשִּׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא). And above, “a generation goes” - this is Vav, which ascends to six hundred thousand through six Sefirot (וּלְעִילָא דּוֹר הוֹלֵךְ דָּא ו', דְּסָלִיק לְשִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא בְּשִׁית סְפִירָן). “And the earth stands forever” (Ecclesiastes 1) (וְהָאָרֶץ לְעוֹלָם עוֹמָדֶת) - this is the Shekhinta (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), for she stands for him (דְאִיהִי עוֹמָדֶת לֵיהּ), and she is the hour that endures for him (וְאִיהִי שַׁעִתָּא דְקַיְימָא לֵיהּ). And because of her it is said: no constellation of the day governs, but the constellation of the hour governs (וּבְגִינָהּ אִתְּמַר לֵית מַזָּל יוֹמָא גָרִים אֶלָּא מַזָּל שַׁעִתָּא גָרִים). And there is no human being to whom the hour endures (וְלֵית לְכָל בַּר נַשׁ קַיְימָא שַׁעִתָּא). For there is a Tzaddik to whom the hour does not endure (דְּהָא אִית בַּר נַשׁ צַדִּיק דְּלָא קַיְימָא לֵיהּ שַׁעִתָּא). For the hour does not endure except for her Husband (דְּלָא קַיְימָא שַׁעִתָּא אֶלָּא לְבַעִלָהּ). And this hour, from her are children, life, and sustenance for man (וְהַאי שַׁעִתָּא מִינָהּ בָּנֵי חַיֵּי וּמְזוֹנֵי לְבַר נַשׁ). And because of this the masters of the Mishnah established: children, life, and sustenance do not depend on merit, but the matter depends on Mazal (וּבְגִין דָּא אוּקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין בָּנֵי חַיֵּי וּמְזוֹנֵי לַאו בִּזְכוּתָא תַלְיָא מִלְתָא אֶלָּא בְּמַזָּלָא תַלְיָא מִלְתָא). What is her Mazal? Her Husband (מַאי מַזָּלָא דִילָהּ בַּעִלָהּ). And to her Husband there is no Mazal (וּלְבַעִלָהּ לֵית מַזָּל). As we have established: there is no Mazal for Yisrael (כְּמָה דְאוּקִימְנָא אֵין מַזָּל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And although all depends on Mazal - even a Sefer Torah that is in the Heikhal, the Heikhal is the lower Shekhinta, the Sefer Torah is the Tzaddik (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא תַּלְיָא בְּמַזָּלָא אֲפִילוּ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּהֵיכָל, הֵיכָל שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה, סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה צַדִּיק).