R. Simeon said further: ‘I perceive that Wisdom (‘Hokmah) is the totality of all the holy Sefiroth, and that supernal Grace (Hesed) emanates from Wisdom, and Power (Geburah), which is the prompter of severe judgement, from Understanding (Binah). Jacob harmonized both sides: the Fathers (Abraham and Isaac) signified the totality of all, and Jacob signified the union of the Fathers.
We have learnt that Wisdom beat against the stones of the thirty-two Paths1i.e. the ten Sefiroth and the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet ; cf. Sefer Yezirah. and caused the wind to gather many waters into one place. Then fifty gates of understanding were opened. From the Paths emanated ten luminous crowns, and there were left twenty-two Paths. The wind whirled down those Paths and fifty Gates of Understanding were opened, and the twenty-two letters were engraved upon fifty gates of the Jubilee and were crowned with the seventy-two letters of the Holy Name. These opened out sideways in their turn
and were crowned with the twenty-two crowns of Compassion which are contained in the Ancient of Days, who bestows light upon them, to each according to its place. Fifty engraved letters also were crowned with forty-two supernal letters of the Holy Name, by which heaven and earth were created. And eight gates were opened, which are the eight significations of Mercy, as it is written: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious”, etc. (Ex. 34, 6-7), which emanate from the Holy Ancient and proceed to the Microprosopus, and they unite with those holy crowns, Supernal Wisdom and Understanding, taking Supernal Grace from the one side and Judgement or Power from the other. Then came the merit of Jacob and synthetized both and made them one, for he signifies supernal harmony.’
R. Simeon added, so we are told, that on that account Jacob was called Israel, beeause “Jacob” symbolizes that which is below, “Israel” that which is above; “Jacob” betokens incompleteness, “Israel” is the completion of all.
Said R. Judah: ‘When Wisdom began to cause the shaping of Crowns,1i.e. Sefiroth. with which Crown did it commence? With that which is called “Understanding” (Binah), for in Understanding all is contained; and therefore fifty gates are opened in its name, and thus it is found that all the letters and all the crowns are engraved in Wisdom. Therefore it is written: “Thou hast made them all in Wisdom” (Ps. 104, 24).
אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, חֲמֵינָא דְּהָא חָכְמְתָא כְּלַל כֹּלָּא. וְחֶסֶד עִלָּאָה נָפְקָא מֵחָכְמָה. גְּבוּרָה, דְּהוּא דִּינָא תַּקִּיפָא, נָפְקָא מִבִּינָה. יַעֲקֹב אַשְׁלִים לִתְרֵין סִטְרִין וַאֲבָהָן כְּלַל כֹּלָּא, וְיַעֲקֹב כְּלַל אֲבָהֲתָא.
R. Simeon said further: ‘I perceive that Wisdom (‘Hokmah) is the totality of all the holy Sefiroth, and that supernal Grace (Hesed) emanates from Wisdom, and Power (Geburah), which is the prompter of severe judgement, from Understanding (Binah). Jacob harmonized both sides: the Fathers (Abraham and Isaac) signified the totality of all, and Jacob signified the union of the Fathers.
תָּאנָא בָּטַשׁ חָכְמָה בִּשְׁבִילוֹי, וְכָנִיף בְּרוּחָא (ס"א למיא') וְאִתְכָּנְפוּ מַיָּא לְאֲתָר חַד, וְאִתְפְּתָחוּ חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין דְּבִינָה. מֵאִלֵּין שְׁבִילִין, נַפְקֵי עֲשָׂרָה כִּתְרִין, בְּקַרְנִיטֵּי זְהִירִין, וְאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ עֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין שְׁבִילִין. בָּטַשׁ הַהוּא רוּחָא בְּאִינּוּן שְׁבִילִין, וְאִתְפְּתָחוּ חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין דְּבִינָה, וְאִתְגְּלִיפוּ עֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין, בְּחַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין דְּיוֹבְלָא, וְאִתְעַטָּרוּ בְּשִׁבְעִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. אִלֵּין אִתְפְּתָּחוּ לְסִטְרוֹי.
We have learnt that Wisdom beat against the stones of the thirty-two Paths1i.e. the ten Sefiroth and the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet ; cf. Sefer Yezirah. and caused the wind to gather many waters into one place. Then fifty gates of understanding were opened. From the Paths emanated ten luminous crowns, and there were left twenty-two Paths. The wind whirled down those Paths and fifty Gates of Understanding were opened, and the twenty-two letters were engraved upon fifty gates of the Jubilee and were crowned with the seventy-two letters of the Holy Name. These opened out sideways in their turn
וְאִתְעַטָּרוּ עֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין כִּתְרִין דְּרַחֲמֵי, דִּכְלִילָן בְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין, דְּנָהִיר לוֹן כָּל חַד בְּסִטְרוֹי. אִתְעַטָּרוּ חַמְשִׁין גְּלִיפִין, בְּמ"ב אַתְוָון קַדִּישִׁין דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, דִּבְהוֹן אִתְבְּרֵי שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא. וְאִתְגְּלָפוּ בְּגִּלוּפֵיהוֹן, תְּמַּנְיָא תַּרְעִין, דְּאִינּוּן תְּמַנְיָא אַתְוָון דְּרַחֲמֵי, דִּכְתִּיב, (שמות לה) יְיָ' יְיָ' אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן, דְּנָפְקָא מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, לִזְעִירָא, וּמִתְחַבְּרָן בְּאִלֵּין כִּתְרִין קַדִּישִׁין, חָכְמָה וּבִינָה עִלָּאִין דְּסַלְּקִין. נָפְקָא חֶסֶד עִלָּאָה מֵהַאי סִטְרָא, וְדִינָא דִּגְבוּרָה מֵהַאי סִטְרָא, אָתָא זְכוּתָא דְּיַעֲקֹב, וְאַשְׁלִים אֲתַרְוַויְיהוּ וְאָחִיד לוֹן. דְּהָא הוּא שְׁלֵימוּתָא עִלָּאָה.
and were crowned with the twenty-two crowns of Compassion which are contained in the Ancient of Days, who bestows light upon them, to each according to its place. Fifty engraved letters also were crowned with forty-two supernal letters of the Holy Name, by which heaven and earth were created. And eight gates were opened, which are the eight significations of Mercy, as it is written: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious”, etc. (Ex. 34, 6-7), which emanate from the Holy Ancient and proceed to the Microprosopus, and they unite with those holy crowns, Supernal Wisdom and Understanding, taking Supernal Grace from the one side and Judgement or Power from the other. Then came the merit of Jacob and synthetized both and made them one, for he signifies supernal harmony.’
תָּאנָא אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בְּגִין כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְקְרֵי. דְּתָאנָא יַעֲקֹב תַּתָּאָה. יִשְׂרָאֵל עִלָּאָה. יַעֲקֹב לָאו שְׁלֵימוּתָא, יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא. וְכֵן תָּאנָא, (שמואל ב כ״ג:א׳) נְאֻם דָּוִד בֶּן יִשַׁי, דָּוִד לָאו שְׁלֵימוּתָא, דְּהָא בַּתְרָאָה הוּא. יִשַׁי יְסוֹד עִלָּאָה הוּא, וּשְׁלֵימוּתָא. וְהַיְינוּ דְּתָנֵינָן, לָא גָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְצָם עַד שֶׁכָּפְרוּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבְמַלְכוּתָא דְּבֵית דָּוִד, דִּכְתִּיב, (שמואל ב כ׳:א׳) אֵין לָנוּ חֵלֶק בְּדָוִד וְלא נַחֲלָה בְּבֶן יִשַׁי אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל. מַאי אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו. אֲתָר דְּעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת שַׁרְיָא בְּגַּוַּיְיהוּ, הַיְינוּ לֶאֱלֹהָיו.
R. Simeon added, so we are told, that on that account Jacob was called Israel, beeause “Jacob” symbolizes that which is below, “Israel” that which is above; “Jacob” betokens incompleteness, “Israel” is the completion of all.
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, כַּד שַׁרְיָא חָכְמְתָא לְגַּלְפָא גְּלִיפִין בְּכֻלְּהוּ כִּתְרִין, מֵאָן כִּתְרָא שַׁאֲרֵי מֵהַהוּא דְּאִתְקְרֵי בִּינָה. בְּבִּינָה אִתְכְּלִיל כֹּלָּא. וּבְּגִין כָּךְ אִתְפְּתָּחוּ בָּהּ חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכֹלָּא בְּחָכְמָה אִתְגְּלָפוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים ק״ד:כ״ד) כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ.
Said R. Judah: ‘When Wisdom began to cause the shaping of Crowns,1i.e. Sefiroth. with which Crown did it commence? With that which is called “Understanding” (Binah), for in Understanding all is contained; and therefore fifty gates are opened in its name, and thus it is found that all the letters and all the crowns are engraved in Wisdom. Therefore it is written: “Thou hast made them all in Wisdom” (Ps. 104, 24).