R. Judah, commenting on the words, “Let the whole soul (neshamah) praise the Lord” (Ps. 150, 6), said: ‘We have been taught that all souls emanate from one holy Body, and animate human beings. From what place (in the Body) do they come? From the place which is called “KAH”1Al. Yod=”Hand”. . ‘ And what is the nature of that region?’ Said R. Judah: ‘It is written, “How manifold are thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast thou made them all” (Ibid. 104, 24); for, as we have learnt, in that wisdom, the spring of which divides into thirty-two rivers, all things that are, both above and below, were completed; it is called the “Holy Spirit”, containing as it does all other spirits that are.’
Said R. Isaac: ‘When R. Simeon reflected on this subject, his eyes filled with tears, and he said: All the treasures of the Supernal King are disclosed by means of one key, which reveals in secret chambers supernal tracings.
Who can comprehend what is hidden in the spring of wisdom? Moses revealed it not on the day whereon he made known other deep mysteries, although all things were revealed through him, save only in the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to receive him into the holy Council above, and to remove him and hide him away from men, as it is written: “I am a hundred and twenty years old to-day” (Deut. 31, 2). On that very day the span of his days was completed and the time of his entrance into that region was arrived, as it is written: “Behold, thy days have come near that thou must die” (Ibid. 14): “near” being meant literally.
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים ק״נ:ו׳) כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ. תַּנָּא, כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין אָתוּ מֵהַאי גּוּפָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאַתְעָרוּ בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וּמֵאָן אֲתָר. מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי יַד. (ס"א י"ה) מַאן אֲתָר דָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים ק״ד:כ״ד) מָה רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יְיָ' כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ. תָּנָא, מֵהַאי חָכְמְתָא דְּמַבּוּעוֹי נָפְקִין לִתְלָתִין וּתְרֵין שְׁבִילִין, אִשְׁתָּכְלַל כֹּלָּא, וְכָל מָה דְּאִית לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, וְהוּא אִתְקְרֵי רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּכָל רוּחִין אִשְׁתָּכְלָלוּ בֵּיהּ.
R. Judah, commenting on the words, “Let the whole soul (neshamah) praise the Lord” (Ps. 150, 6), said: ‘We have been taught that all souls emanate from one holy Body, and animate human beings. From what place (in the Body) do they come? From the place which is called “KAH”1Al. Yod=”Hand”. . ‘ And what is the nature of that region?’ Said R. Judah: ‘It is written, “How manifold are thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast thou made them all” (Ibid. 104, 24); for, as we have learnt, in that wisdom, the spring of which divides into thirty-two rivers, all things that are, both above and below, were completed; it is called the “Holy Spirit”, containing as it does all other spirits that are.’
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, בְּיוֹמָא דְּהֲוָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּרִישׁ מִלָּה דָּא, עֵינוֹי נַבְעִין מַיָּא, וַהֲוָה אָמַר, כָּל גִּנְזַיָּיא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, אִתְמָסְרָן בְּחַד מַפְתְּחָא, וְאִתְגַּלְיָיא בְּקֻזְפִיטָן דְּקוּרְדִּיטֵי גְּלִיפִין עִלָּאִין.
Said R. Isaac: ‘When R. Simeon reflected on this subject, his eyes filled with tears, and he said: All the treasures of the Supernal King are disclosed by means of one key, which reveals in secret chambers supernal tracings.
אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּאנָא, מַאן יָכִיל לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא וּלְאִתְכַּלְלָא מַה דְּגָנִיז בְּדָא מַבּוּעָא. דְּהָא מֹשֶׁה לָא גַּלֵּי דָּא בְּיוֹמוֹי, כַּד הֲוָה גַּלֵּי רָזָא עֲמִיקְתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָא הֲוָה מִתְגַּלְיָיא עַל יְדוֹי. אֶלָּא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּבָעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְסַלְּקָא לֵיהּ לִמְתִיבְתָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, וּלְטַמְרָא לֵיהּ מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא, דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים ל״א:ב׳) בֶּן מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם. הַיּוֹם מַמָּשׁ, דְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ יוֹמוֹי, לְאִתְקָרְבָא לְאֲתָר דָּא, דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים ל״א:י״ד) הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ, קָרְבוּ מַמָּשׁ.
Who can comprehend what is hidden in the spring of wisdom? Moses revealed it not on the day whereon he made known other deep mysteries, although all things were revealed through him, save only in the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to receive him into the holy Council above, and to remove him and hide him away from men, as it is written: “I am a hundred and twenty years old to-day” (Deut. 31, 2). On that very day the span of his days was completed and the time of his entrance into that region was arrived, as it is written: “Behold, thy days have come near that thou must die” (Ibid. 14): “near” being meant literally.