(ז) רַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא אָמַר הָכִי (קהלת ה׳:ה׳) אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת פִּיךָ לַחֲטִיא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶךָ, דְּלָא יָהִיב בַּר נָשׁ פּוּמֵיהּ לְמֵיתֵי לְהִרְהוּרָא בִּישָׁא, וִיהֵא גָרִים לְמֶחטֵי לְהַהִיא בְּשַׂר קֹדֶשׁ דְּחֲתִים בֵּיהּ בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא. דְּאִילּוּ עָבִיד כֵּן מָשְׁכִין לֵיהּ לְגֵּיהִנֹּם. וְהַהוּא דִּמְמוּנֶה עַל גֵּיהִנֹּם דוּמ''ה שְׁמֵיהּ. וְכַמָּה רִבּוֹא דְּמַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה בַּהֲדֵיהּ. וְקָאִים עַל פִּתְחָא דְּגֵיהִנֹּם, וְכָל אִנּוּן דְּנָטְרוּ בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, לֵית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְמִקְרַב בְּהוּ.
(ח) דָּוִד מַלְכָּא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִירַע לֵיהּ הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דָּחִיל. בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא סָלִיק דוּמ''ה קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאָמַר לֵיהּ מָארֵי דְּעָלְמָא
(7) Rabbi Hamnuna-Saba then said as follows: (Ecclesiastes 5:5) “Do not let your mouth cause your body to sin,” i.e., one must not allow his mouth to get close to evil and be the cause of sin for the sacred flesh, which bears the mark of the holy covenant with the Creator. If he does so, he shall be dragged to hell. And the ruler of hell, called Domeh, stands at the gates of hell with hundreds of thousands of angels, but he is forbidden to approach those who have kept the holy covenant in this world.
(8) When this happened to King David, fear enveloped him. Right then, Domeh ascended before the Creator, and said: “Master of the world,
(א) כְּתִיב בַּתּוֹרָה (ויקרא כ׳:י׳) וְאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִנְאַף אֶת אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ. וּכְתִיב וְאֶל אֵשֶׁת עֲמִיתְךָ וְגו'. דָּוִד דְּקִלְקֵל בְּרִית בְּעֶרְוָה מַהוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דָּוִד זַכָּאָה הוּא, וּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא עַל תִּקּוּנֵיהּ קַיְימָא, דְּהָא גְּלֵי קָדָמַי דְּאִזְדַּמְּנַת לֵיהּ בַּת שֶׁבַע מִיּוֹמָא דְאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא.
(ב) אָמַר לֵיהּ אִי קַמָּךְ גָּלֵי קַמֵּיהּ לָא גָלֵי. אָמַר לֵיהּ וְתוּ בְּהֶתֵּירָא הֲוָה מַה דְּהֲוָה. דְּהָא כָּל אִנּוּן דְּעָאלוּ לִקְרָבָא לָא עָאל חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ עַד דְּאַפְטַר בְּגֵט לְאִנְתְּתֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ אִי הָכִי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאוֹרְכָא תְּלַת יַרְחֵי וְלָא אוֹרִיךְ. אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּמַאי אוֹקִים מִלָּה בְּאֲתַר דְּחַיְישִׁינָן דְּהִיא מְעוּבֶּרֶת, וְגָלֵי קֳדָמַי דְאוּרִיָּה לָא קָרִיב בָּהּ לְעָלְמִין דְּהָא שְׁמִי חָתִים בְּגַוֵּיהּ לְסַהֲדוּתָא. כְּתִיב אוּרִיָּה וּכְתִיב אוּרִיָּהוּ שְׁמִי חָתוּם בַּהֲדֵיהּ (בהדייהו) דְּלָא שִׁמֵּשׁ בָּהּ לְעָלְמִין. אָמַר לֵיהּ, מָארֵי דְעָלְמָא הָא מָה דְּאֲמָרִית אִי קַמָּךְ גָּלֵי דְלָא שְׁכִיב בַּהֲדָהּ אוּרִיָּה, קַמֵּיהּ מִי גָלֵי, הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאוֹרְכָא לָהּ תְּלַת יַרְחֵי. וְתוּ אִי יָדַע דְּלָא שְׁכִיב בַּהֲדָהּ לְעָלְמִין אַמַּאי שָׁדַר לָהּ דָּוִד וּפְקֵיד עֲלֵיהּ לְשַׁמָּשָׁא בְּאִנְתְּתֵיהּ דִּכְתִיב, (שמואל ב י״א:ח׳) רֵד לְבֵיתְךָ וּרְחַץ רַגְלֶיךָ.
(ג) אָמַר לֵיהּ וַדַּאי לָא יָדַע, אֲבָל יַתִּיר מִתְּלַת יַרְחֵי אוֹרִיךְ דְּהָא אַרְבַּע יַרְחֵי הֲווּ. דְּהָכִי תָּנִינָן בַּחֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים דְּנִיסָן אַעֲבַר דָּוִד כָּרוֹזָא בְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהֲווּ עִם יוֹאָב בְּשִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין דְּסִיוָן וְאֲזְלוּ וְחֲבָּלוּ אַרְעָא דִבְנִי עַמּוֹן. סִיוָן וְתַמּוּז וְאָב וְאֱלוּל אִשְׁתָּהוּ שָׁם. וּבְאַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים בֶּאֱלוּל הֲוָה מַה דְּהֲוָה מִבַּת שֶׁבַע. וּבְיוֹמָא דְכִפּוּרֵי מָחַל לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הַהוּא חוֹבָה. וְאִית דְּאַמְרֵי בְּז' בְּאֲדָר אַעֲבַר כָּרוֹזָא וְאִתְכַּנָּשׁוּ בְּחֲמֵיסַר דְּאִיָּיר, וּבְחֲמֵיסַר בֶּאֱלוּל הֲוָה מַה דְּהֲוָה מִבַּת שֶׁבַע, וּבְיוֹמָא דְכִפּוּרָא אִתְבְּשַׂר (שמואל ב יב) גַּם יְיָ הֶעֱבִיר חַטָּאתְךָ לֹא תָמוּת. מַאי לא תָמוּת, לא תָמוּת בִּידָא דְדוּמָה.
(ד) אָמַר דּוּמָה מָארֵי דְעָלְמָא הָא מִלָּה חֲדָא אִית לִי גַּבֵּיהּ דְּאִיהוּ אַפְתַּח פּוּמֵיהּ וְאָמַר (שמואל ב י״ב:ה׳) חַי יְיָ כִּי בֶּן מָוְת הָאִישׁ הָעוֹשֶׂה זֹאת וְאִיהוּ דָּן לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ טְרוֹנְיָיא אִית לִי עֲלֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, לֵית לָךְ רְשׁוּ דְּהָא אוֹדֵי לְגַבָּאי וְאָמַר חָטָאתִי לַה' וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא חָב. אֲבָל בַּמֶּה דְחָטָא בְּאוּרִיָּה עוֹנָשָׁא כְּתָבִית עֲלֵיהּ וְקִבֵּל. מִיָּד אַהֲדַר דּוּמָ''ה לְאַתְרֵיהּ בְּפַחֵי נֶפֶשׁ. וְעַל דָּא אָמַר דָּוִד (תהילים צ״ד:י״ז) לוּלֵי (צ''ד א') יְיָ עֶזְרָתָה לִי כִּמְעַט שָׁכְנָה דּוּמָה נַפְשִׁי. לוּלֵי ה' עֶזְרָתָה לִי דְּהֲוָה אַפּוֹטְרוֹפָּא דִילִי. כִּמְעַט שָׁכְנָה וְגו'. מַהוּ כִּמְעַט, כְּחוּטָא דַּקִּיק כְּשִׁיעוּרָא דְּאִית בֵּינִי וּבֵין סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, כְּהַהוּא שִׁעוּרָא הֲוַת דְּלָא שָׁכְנָה דּוּמָה נַפְשִׁי.
(ה) וּבְגִין כָּךְ בָּעֵי לְאִסְתַּמְרָא בַּר נָשׁ דְּלָא יֵימָא מִלָּה כְּדָוִד. בְּגִין דְּלָא יָכִיל לְמֵימַר לְדוּמָה (קהלת ה) כִּי שְׁגָגָה הִיא, כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה לְדָוִד וְנָצַח לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּדִינָא. לָמָּה יִקְצוֹף הָאֱלֹהִים עַל קוֹלֶךְ עַל הַהוּא קוֹל דְּאִיהוּ אָמַר. וְחִבֵּל אֶת מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ דָּא בְּשַׂר קֹדֶשׁ בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא דְּפָגִים וְאִתְמְשַׁךְ בְּגֵּיהִנֹּם עַל יְדָא דְדוּמָה. וּבְגִין כָּךְ (תהילים י״ט:ב׳) וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו מַגִּיד הָרָקִיעַ אִלֵּין אִנּוּן חַבְרַיָּיא דְּאִתְחַבָּרוּ בְּכַלָּה דָא וּמָארֵי קַיָּימָא דִילָהּ. מַגִּיד וְרָשִׁים כָּל חַד וְחַד. מָאן הָרָקִיעַ. דָּא אִיהוּ (ל''ד א) הָרָקִיעַ דְּבֵיהּ חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה וְכֹכְבַיָא וּמַזָּלֵי, וְדָא אִיהוּ סֵפֶר (יתרו דף ע''א) זִכָּרוּן. אִיהוּ מַגִּיד וְרָשִׁים לְהוּ וּכְתִיב לְהוּ לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּנִי הֵיכָלָא וּלְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתְהוֹן תָּדִיר. (תהילים י״ט:ג׳) יוֹם לְיוֹם יַבִּיעַ אוֹמֶר, יוֹמָא קַדִּישָׁא מֵאִנּוּן יוֹמִין עִלָּאִין דְּמַלְכָּא מְשַׁבְּחִין לוֹן לְחַבְרַיָיא וְאָמְרִין הַהִיא מִלָּה דְּאָמַר כָּל חַד לְחַבְרֵיהּ. יוֹמָא לְיוֹמָא יַבִּיעַ הַהוּא אוֹמֶר וּמְשַׁבַּח לֵיהּ. וְלַיְלָה לְלַיְלָה כָּל דַּרְגָא דְּאַשְׁלִים (נ''א דשליט) בְּלֵילְיָא מְשַׁבַּח דָּא לְדָא הַהוּא דַּעַת דְּכָל חַד מְחַבְרֵיהּ, וּבִשְׁלִימוּ (ס''א וברחימו) סַגֵּי אִתְעֲבִידוּ לוֹן חַבְרִין וּרְחִימִין.
(ו) אֵין אוֹמֶר וְאֵין דְּבָרִים בִּשְׁאָר מִילִין דְּעָלְמָא. דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּמְעוּ קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא וְלָא בָּעֵי לְמִשְׁמַע לוֹן. אֲבָל הָנֵי מִילֵי בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ יָצָא קַוָם. עַבְדֵי
(1) 'Master of the universe, in the Torah it says of "the man that commits adultery with another man's wife...the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death"' (Lev. 20:10). Furthermore, it is written, "Moreover, you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife, to defile yourself with her" (Lev. 18:20). (So what is to become of) David, who has profaned his organ (of the holy covenant by committing a sexually immoral act)? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "David is righteous! And the holy covenant remains intact, because it is known to Me that Bathsheba was assigned to him since the day the world was created.
(2) 2. (Domeh) then said: If this is known to you, it is not known to him. He (Hashem) said to him, 'Not only that, but all that happened was permitted and done lawfully. Because every man that went to war did not leave before he had given a bill of divorce to his wife!' He (Domeh) said to Him, If this is so, he should then have waited for three months, which he did not! Hashem replied: When is this applied? Only in cases where we suspect that she might be pregnant! And it is known to Me for certain that Uriah never touched her. Because My name is sealed in him as a witness. For it is written 'Uriah,' אוּרִיָּה. And it can also be written Uriahu (אוּרִיָּהוּ), 'to show that he is sealed by My Name that he never had intercourse with her.' Dumah said to Him, Master of the universe, this is exactly what I have said! If it is known to You that Uriah never slept with her, it is not known to him. Therefore, he should have waited for three months. And furthermore, if he knew that he had never slept with her, then why did he send Uriah home and command him to have intercourse with his wife? Since it is written: "Go down to your house and wash your feet" (II Samuel 11:8).
(3) 3. He said to Dumah, 'He certainly did not know. So he waited more than three months, as four months had passed.' Because we have learned that on the twenty-fifth day of Nissan, David sent an announcement (to go to war). And they were with Yoav on the seventh day of Sivan, as they went and destroyed the land of the children of Amon. There they remained during the months of Sivan, Tammuz, Av, and Elul. And on the twenty-fourth day of Elul the event with Batsheva occurred. Then on Yom Kipur (the Day of Atonement) the Holy One, blessed be He, forgave him for that sin. And there are those who claim that on the seventh day of Adar the announcement was sent, and all arms were gathered on the fifteenth day of Iyar. So what happened with Batsheva occurred on the fifteenth day of Elul. While on Yom Kipur, he received the message "Hashem also has put away your sin; you shall not die" (II Samuel 12:13). What is the meaning of "you shall not die?" It means that he shall not die at the hand of Dumah.
(4) 4. Dumah said, Master of the universe, I have one thing against him! He opened his mouth and said, "as Hashem lives, the man that has done this deserves to die" (Ibid. 5). So he has condemned himself to death, and therefore I have the power over him. He said to Dumah, You have no permission, because he has already confessed in front of Me saying, 'I have sinned against Hashem' even though he did not sin. Although his sin against Uriah was (by killing him), I have written his punishment and he has accepted it! Immediately Dumah returned to his place, disappointed. Concerning this David said, "Unless Hashem had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence (Heb. דּוּמָה)" (Ps. 94:17). "Unless Hashem had been my help" that had He not become David's keeper and guarded him David's "soul had almost dwelt with Dumah." Why does he say "had almost?" Because only the smallest distance, as narrow as a thin thread separated him from the Other Side. So "almost dwelt with Dumah." Was just the distance of a thin thread away.
(5) 5. Therefore, every person should be careful not to say what King David said, because he will not be able to say to Dumah, "it was an error" (Eccl. 5:5), as it was with David. Because in David's case, the Holy One, blessed be He, defeated (Dumah) in the case. "Wherefore should Elohim be angry at your voice" (Ibid.) refers to the voice that said, "and destroy the work of your hands" (Ibid.). This is the sacred flesh, the holy covenant that he damaged, and because of which he is to be dragged down to Gehenom by the angel Dumah. And because of this, "the firmament proclaims His handiwork" (Ps. 19:2). These are the friends who have joined the Bride, (i.e. Malchut, by studying on Erev Shavuot), together with those who are the custodians of the sign of Her covenant. The firmament shows and registers each and every one of them. What is the firmament? It is where the sun, moon, stars and constellations are located, and it is the Book of Remembrance. It announces, registers, and inscribes them, so that they can be the residents of its own palace, and it can always fulfill their desires. "Day to day utters speech" (Ibid. 3) is an allusion to the sacred day that belongs to those supernal days of the King, that praise the friends. And they say to each other the same words that are written, "Day to day utters" that same "speech," thereby praising Him. The words "and night to night" refer to the levels that govern the night. They praise one another with the knowledge that each (receives) from its friends. And by this state of harmony and perfection, they become their friends and beloved ones.
(6) 6. "There is no speech nor language" (Ibid. 4). (This is) the speech and language that belong to worldly matters that are not heard before the Holy King, and that he is not interested in hearing them. But the words, "Their line is gone out through all the earth" (Ibid. 5),
I should soon dwell in silence.
(א) מְשִׁיחָא אִנּוּן מִלִּין מְדוִֹרִי עִלָּאֵי וּמְדוֹרֵי תַּתָּאֵי (לעיל דף ה' ב'), מֵאִלִּין אִתְעֲבִידוּ רְקִיעִין וּמֵאִלֵּין אֶרֶץ מֵהַהִיא תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא. וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאִנּוּן מִלִּין בְּאֲתַר חָד. מְשַׁטְּטָא בְּעָלְמָא בִּקְצֵה תֵבֵל מִלֵּיהֶם. וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְעֲבִידָא (דאתאביד) רְקִיעִין מִנְהוֹן, מָאן שַׁרְיָא בְהוֹן. הָדַר וְאָמַר לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ שָׂם אֹהֶל בָּהֶם. הַהוּא שִׁמְשָׁא קַדִּישָׁא שָׁוֵי מְדוֹרֵיהּ וּמִשְׁכָּנֵיהּ בְּהוּ וְאִתְעַטַּר בְּהוּ.
(ב) כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁרֵי בְּאִנּוּן רְקִיעִין וְאִתְעַטַּר בְּהוּ, כְּדֵין וְהוּא כְּחָתָן יוֹצֵא מֵחֻפָּתוֹ. חָדֵי וְרָהִיט בְּאִנּוּן רְקִיעִין. נָפַק מִנַּיְיהוּ וְעָאל וְרָהִיט גּוֹ מִגְדְּלָא חָדָא אָחֳרָא בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא. מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם מוֹצָאוֹ, וַדַּאי מֵעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה נָפִיק וְאַתְיָא (ואתא) דְּאִיהוּ (לעיל א' ב) קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם לְעֵילָא. וּתְקוּפָתוֹ (על קצותם), מָאן תְּקוּפָתוֹ, דָּא קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהִי תְּקוּפַת הַשָּׁנָה דְּאַסְחְרָא לְכָל סָיְיפִין. וְאִתְקַשְׁרַת מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם עַד רְקִיעָא דָּא. וְאֵין נִסְתָּר מֵחַמָּתוֹ דְּהַהִיא תְּקוּפָה דָא וּתְקוּפָה דְּשִׁמְשָׁא דְּאַסְחַר בְּכָל סִטְרָא.
(ג) וְאֵין נִסְתָּר לֵית דְּאִתְכַּסֵּי מִנֵּיהּ מִכָּל דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין דְּהֲווּ כֻּלְהוּ מְסַחֲרָן וְאַתְיָין לְגַבֵּיהּ וְכָל חַד וְחַד לֵית מַאן דְּיִתְכַּסֵּי מִינֵיהּ. מֵחַמָּתוֹ בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִתְחַמֵם וְתָב (ותאיב) לְגַבַּיְיהוּ בִּתְּיוּבְתָּא (בתיאובתא) שְׁלִים. כָּל שְׁבָחָא דָא וְכָל עִלּוּיָא דָא בְּגִין אוֹרַיְיתָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב, (תהילים י״ט:ח׳) תּוֹרַת ה' תְּמִימָה. שִׁית זִמְנִין כְּתִיב הָכָא ה', וְשִׁית קְרָאֵי מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם מְסַפְּרִים עַד תּוֹרַת יְיָ תְּמִימָה וְעַל רָזָא דָא כְּתִיב בְּרֵאשִׁית הָא שִׁית אַתְוָון. בָּרָא אֱלהִים אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ, הָא שִׁית תֵּבִין. קְרָאֵי אַחֲרָנִין לָקֳבֵל שִׁית זִמְנִין ה' שִׁית קְרָאֵי בְּגִין שִׁית אַתְוָון דְּהָכָא. שִׁית שְׁמָהָן בְּגִין שִׁית תֵּבִין דְּהָכָא.
(ד) עַד דְּהֲווּ יַתְבֵי עָאלוּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ וְרִבִּי אַבָּא. אָמַר לוֹן וַדַּאי אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא אַתְיָין, וְעַל (ז ב) דָּא פְּנִי''אֵל קָרֵינָא לְכוּ, דְּהָא חֲמִיתּוּן אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין. וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּקָא יְדַעְתּוּן וְגָלֵי לְכוּ קְרָא דְוּבְנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע, וַדַּאי דְּמִלָּה דְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא אִיהוּ וּקְרָא דְּאֲבַּתְרֵיהּ. וְהַהוּא דְּסָתִים מִכֹּלָא אָמְרוּ.
(ה) וְהַאי קְרָא אִיהוּ בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא כְּגַוְונָא דָא. פָּתַח וְאָמַר (דבריהימים א יא) וְהוּא הִכָּה אֶת הָאִישׁ הַמִּצְרִי אִישׁ מִדָּה חָמֵשׁ בָּאַמָּה, וְכֹלָא רָזָא חָדָא אִיהוּ, מֵהַאי (ס''א האי) מִצְרִי, הַהוּא דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע, (שמות י״א:ג׳) גָּדוֹל מְאֹד בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּעֵינֵי עַבְדֵי וְגו' רַב וְיַקִּירָא כְּמָה דְגָלֵי הַהוּא סָבָא.
(ו) וְהַאי קְרָא בִּמְתִיבְתָּא עִלָּאָה אִתְּמָר. אִישׁ מִדָּה כֹּלָּא חַד. (שמואל ב כג) אִישׁ מַרְאֶה וְאִישׁ מִדָּה כֹּלָּא חַד. בְּגִין (לעיל ה' ע''ב) דְּאִיהוּ שַׁבָּת וּתְחוּמָא דִּכְתִיב, (במדבר ל״ה:ה׳) וּמַדּוֹתֶם מִחוּץ לָעִיר, וּכְתִיב, (ויקרא י״ט:ל״ה) לא תַעֲשׂוּ עָוֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּט בַּמִּדָּה. וְעַל דָּא אִישׁ מִדָּה אִיהוּ. וְאִיהוּ מַמָּשׁ אִישׁ מִדָּה אִיהוּ אָרְכֵּיהּ מִסְּיָיפֵי עָלְמָא וְעַד סְיָיפֵי עָלְמָא. אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן הָכִי הֲוָה. וְאִי תֵימָא הָא כְּתִיב חָמֵשׁ בָּאַמָּה. אִנּוּן חָמֵשׁ בָּאַמָּה מִסְּיָיפֵי עָלְמָא עַד סְיָיפֵי עָלְמָא הֲוָה. (דברי הימים א י״א:כ״ג) וּבְיַד הַמִּצְרִי חֲנִית כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כִּמְנוֹר אוֹרְגִים, דָּא מַטֵּה הָאֱלֹהִים דְּהֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ חָקִיק בִּשְׁמָא גְּלִיפָא מְפָרַשׁ בִּנְהִירוּ דְּצֵרוּפֵי אַתְוָון דְּהֲוָה גָּלִיף בְּצַלְאֵל וּמְתִיבְתָּא דִילֵיהּ דְּאִקְרֵי אוֹרֵג דִּכְתִיב, (שמות ל״ה:ל״ה) מִלֵּא אוֹתָם וְגו' חָרָשׁ וְחשֵׁב וְרוֹקֵם וְגו'. וְהַהוּא מַטֶּה הֲוָה נָהִיר שְׁמָא גְּלִיפָא בְּכָל סִטְרִין בִּנְהִירוּ דְּחֲכִימִין דְּהֲווּ מְגַלְּפִין שְׁמָא מְפָרַשׁ (פקודי ר''ס א) בְּאַרְבְּעִין וּתְרֵין גּווָֹנֵי. וּקְרָא מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה כְּמָה דְּאָמַר זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ. תִּיבוּ יַקִּרִין תִּיבוּ וּנְחַדֵּשׁ תִּקּוּן דְּכַלָּה בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא. דְּכָל מָאן דְּאִשְׁתַּתַּף בַּהֲדָהּ בְּהַאי לֵילְיָא יְהֵא נְטִיר עֵילָא וְתַתָּא כָּל הַהִיא שַׁתָּא וְיַפֵּיק שַׁתָּא בִּשְׁלָם. עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב (תהלים לה) חוֹנֶה מַלְאַךְ יְיָ סָבִיב לִירֵאָיו וַיְחַלְּצֵם טַעֲמוּ וּרְאוּ כִּי טוֹב יְיָ:
(1) 1. that these words draw a line between the inhabitants of above and the inhabitants of below. From them, Firmaments are formed, and from them and from that praise, the earth is molded. And if you should say that these words wander around the world in one place, "and their words to the end of the world" (Ibid.). Because Firmaments are formed by them, who resides there? He repeated, "In them He set a tent for the sun" (Ibid.). That holy sun, (referring to Zeir Anpin), has made his habitation and above in them and crowned himself with them.
(2) 2. Because (Zeir Anpin) resides among those Firmaments, and crowns himself with them, he "is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber" (Ps. 19:6). He is happy and runs along these Firmaments. Then, he leaves them and enters into another tower at a different place; this tower comes "from the end of the heaven" (Ibid. 7). It certainly comes from the supernal world, which is the upper "end of the heaven", "and his circuit:"what is his circuit? It is the "lower end of the heaven" (i.e. Malchut). This is the circuit of the year that revolves around all the "ends." It is attached to the heavens and extends from there to this firmament. "And there is nothing hid from His heat" (Ibid.) means there is nothing hid from His heat, from that circuit, or from the circuit of the sun that revolves in all directions.
(3) 3. "And there is nothing hidden from His heat (or anger)" means that there is no one from all the supernal levels who can hide from Him; everything revolves and comes to Him - each and everything. Nothing can be hidden from Him. "From His heat", He heats up and returns the instant they have reached full repentance. All this praise and all this glorification is the result of their study of the Torah, as it is written, "The Torah of Hashem is perfect" (Ibid. 8). Hashem is mentioned here six times; there are also six verses from "The heavens declare" until "The Torah of Hashem is perfect" (Ps. 19: 2-8). And based on the same secret it is written, "In the beginning (Heb. בְּרֵאשִׁית)" (Gen 1:1). The Hebrew word has six letters; and the phrase "Elohim created the heaven and the earth contains six words. The other verses (Ps. 19:8-11) are notable only for the six times that Hashem appears in them. However, the six verses (Ps. 19:2-8) are equated with the six letters (in בְּרֵאשִׁית), while the six Names are equated with the six words (the next six words in the verse).
(4) 4. As they were sitting, his son, Rabbi Elazar, and Rabbi Abba entered. He said to them, Certainly the face of the Shechinah has come, and this is why I have called you Peniel (פְּנִי''אֵל). You have seen the face of the Shechinah face to face. Now, because you received the knowledge that was revealed to you by the scripture about Benayahu the son of Jehoida, it is certainly a matter that belongs to Atika Kadisha and the following verse (I Chron 11:23). And the most concealed spoke it.
(5) 5. This verse, in another place, in this way. He opened the discussion by saying, "And he slew an Egyptian man, a man of great stature, five cubits high" (I Chron 11:23), and all are related to the same secret. This Egyptian is that one who is known, "very great in the land of Egypt in the eyes of the servants" (Ex. 11:3), as he is great and honored. This is how the old man described him.
(6) 6. This scripture was studied in the Celestial Academy. "A man of great stature" (I Chron 11:23). All is one, as "a man of good appearance (II Sam. 23:21)" and "a man of good stature" are both the same, because they represent the Shabbat and the limits. As it is written, "And you shall measure from outside the city" (Num. 35:5), and, "You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard (Heb. מִּדָּה)" (Lev. 19:35). Therefore, this is a man of great stature (Heb. מִּדָּה) who stretches out from one end of the world to the other. And so was Adam. And if you say, But it is written, "five cubits?" (I Chron. 11:23), remember that these five cubits extended from one end of the world to the other! "And in the Egyptian's hand was a spear, like a weaver's beam" (Ibid.). It is, as the Scriptures say, "a weaver's beam," referring to the rod of Elohim, which was in his hand and upon which the Name pronounced in full was engraved by Betzalel and his Academy by the radiance of the letter combinations. And this is called "weaving," as is written, "Them has He filled with wisdom of heart...of the craftsman and of the embroiderer...and of the weaver" (Ex. 35:35). And the engraved Name shone from within this rod in all directions by the illumination of the wise men that engraved the ineffable Name pronounced in full in forty-two ways. The rest of the passage from here onward is similar to what he has already explained. Happy is his lot! Be seated, my dear ones. Be seated and let us renew the preparations of the Bride for this night. Because whoever joins Her, on this night, shall be guarded above and below for all of the coming year and will complete his year in peace. This is described in the verse, "The angel of Hashem encamps round about them that fear Him, and He delivers them. O taste and see that Hashem is good" (Ps. 34:8-9).
