There are three souls belonging to the celestial grades. The three are really four, because one is the supernal soul, which is not clearly discerned, even by the treasurer of the upper treasury, much less the lower. This is the soul of all souls, inscrutable and unknowable. Everything is dependent upon it, and it is veiled in a covering of exceeding brightness.
It drops pearls which are linked together like the joints of the body, and it enters into them and displays through them its energy. It and they are one, and there is no separation between them.
There is another, a female soul which is concealed in the midst of her hosts, to which is attached the body, and through this body she shows her energy, like the soul in the human body. Those hosts are the counterpart of the hidden joints above.
There is another soul, to wit, the souls of the righteous below. These come from those superior souls, the soul of the female and the soul of the male, and therefore the souls of the righteous are superior to all the heavenly hosts and camps.
You may ask, if they are so transcendent from both sides, why do they come down to this world to be afterwards removed from it? Imagine a king who had a son whom he sent to a village to be brought up until he should learn the ways of the king’s palace. When the king heard that his son was grown up, out of his love for him he sent the Matron his mother for him, and brought him into the palace, where he rejoiced with him every day.
So the Holy One, blessed be He, had a son from the Matron, to wit, the celestial holy soul. He sent it to a village, to wit, to this world, to be brought up in it, and learn the ways of the king’s palace. When the king found that his son had grown up, and that it was time to bring him to the palace, out of his love for him he sent the Matron for him and brought him into the palace. The soul does not depart from this world till the Matron has come for her and brought her into the king’s palace, where she remains forever.
And for all that, the inhabitants of the village weep for the parting of the king’s son from them. There was one wise man among them who said: “Why are you weeping? Was he not the king’s son, and is not his proper place in his father’s palace and not among you?” So Moses, who was a wise man, saw the villagers weeping, and said to them: “Ye are sons of the Lord your God, ye shall not cut yourselves” (Deut. 14, 1).
Now, if the righteous all knew this, they would rejoice when their time arrives to depart from this world. For is it not a great honour for them that the Matron comes for their sakes to bring them to the King’s palace, so that the King may rejoice in them every day? For God hath no delight save in the souls of the righteous.
Now the love of the Community of Israel for God is excited only by the souls of the righteous here on earth, because they come from the side of the king, the side of the male. This excitement reaches the female and stirs her love; and in this way the male awakens the love and affection of the female, and the female is united in love with the male.
In the same way, the desire of the female to pour forth lower waters to meet the upper waters is only aroused through the souls of the righteous. Happy, therefore, are the righteous in this world and in the world to come, since on them are established upper and lower beings. Hence it is written: “The righteous man is the foundation of the world” (Prov. 10, 25).
Esoterically speaking, the Zaddik is the foundation of the upper world and the foundation of the lower world, and the Community of Israel contains the Zaddik from above and from below. The righteous one from this side and the righteous one from that side inherit her, as it is written: “The righteous shall inherit the earth” (Ps. 37, 29). The Righteous One inherits this earth, and pours upon it blessings every day, and furnishes it with luxuries and delicacies in his flow.
All this is hinted in the words: OUT OF ASHER HIS BREAD SHALL BE FAT, AND HE SHALL YIELD ROYAL DAINTIES. It is from the future world that the stream reaches this Righteous One which enables him to provide luxuries and delicacies to this earth, thus transforming it from “the bread of poverty” into “the bread of luxury”. The name “Asher” (lit. happy) signifies the place which all declare happy, to wit, the future world.
In the expression “his bread” the reference of the word “his” is not specified; but we may divide the word lahmo (his bread) into lehem van, that is, “the bread of van” (which signifies the heavens); hence it is written: “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you” (Ex. 16, 4).
It is from thence that the tree of life is nourished and crowned, and when it receives this nourishment, then it “yields the dainties of the king”. This king is the Community of Israel, who is fed therefrom by the hand of the Righteous One, the sacred grade of the sign of the covenant.
In the book of Rab Hamnuna the Elder it says that the bread mentioned here is the Sabbath bread, which is double in quantity, as it is written in connection with the manna: “They gathered double bread” (Ex. 16, 22); that is to say, bread from heaven and bread from earth, the one being “bread of luxury”, the other “bread of poverty”. For on Sabbath the lower bread was united with the upper bread, and one was blessed for the sake of the other.
He further said that the Sabbath receives from the celestial Sabbath which flows forth and illumines all, and in this way bread is joined with bread and becomes double.
תָּא חֲזֵי, תְּלַת נִשְׁמָתִין אִינוּן, וְאִינוּן סָלְקִין בְּדַרְגִּין עִלָאִין יְדִיעָן, וְעַל דְּאִינוּן תְּלָתָא אַרְבַּע אִינוּן. חַד נִשְׁמָתָא עִלָּאָה דְּלָא אִתְּפַס, וְלָא אִתְעַר בֵּיהּ גִּזְבְּרָא (ס"א גזעא) דְּקַרְטִיטָאָה עִלָּאָה, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן תַּתָּאָה. וְהַאי נִשְׁמָתָא לְכָל נִשְׁמָתִין. וְהוּא סָתִים, וְלָא אִתְגַּלְּיָא לְעָלְמִין, וְלָא אִתְיְידַע, וְכֻלְּהוּ בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָין.
There are three souls belonging to the celestial grades. The three are really four, because one is the supernal soul, which is not clearly discerned, even by the treasurer of the upper treasury, much less the lower. This is the soul of all souls, inscrutable and unknowable. Everything is dependent upon it, and it is veiled in a covering of exceeding brightness.
וְהַאי אִתְעַטַּף בְּעִטּוּפָא דְזָהֲרָא דְּכַרְמְלָא, (נ"א דבדולחא) בְּגוֹ זְהִירוּתָא וְנָטִיף טִפִּין טִפִּין מַרְגְּלָאן וְאִתְקַשְּׁרוּ כֻּלְּהוּ כְּחַד, כְּקִשְׁרִין דְּשַׁיְיפֵי דְגוּפָא חַד. וְהוּא אָעִיל בְּגַוַּוְיְיהוּ, וְאַחֲזֵי בְּהוּ עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ. הוּא וְאִינוּן חַד הוּא, וְלֵית בְּהוּ פְּרִישׁוּ. הַאי נִשְׁמָתָא עִלָּאָה טְמִירוּ דְּכֹלָּא.
It drops pearls which are linked together like the joints of the body, and it enters into them and displays through them its energy. It and they are one, and there is no separation between them.
נִשְׁמָתָא אָחֳרָא, נוּקְבָא דְמִטַּמְּרָא בְּגוֹ חֵילָהָא, וְהִיא נִשְׁמָתָא לְהוּ, וּמִנַּיְיהוּ אֲחִידָא גוּפָא, לְאַחֲזָאָה בְּהוּ עֲבִידְתָּא לְכָל עַלְמָא. כְּגוּפָא דְּאִיהוּ מָאנָא לְנִשְׁמָתָא, לְמֶעְבַּד בֵּיהּ עֲבִידְתָּא. וְאִלֵּין כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִינוּן קְשִׁירִין טְמִירִין דִּלְעֵילָא.
There is another, a female soul which is concealed in the midst of her hosts, to which is attached the body, and through this body she shows her energy, like the soul in the human body. Those hosts are the counterpart of the hidden joints above.
נִשְׁמָתָא אָחֳרָא, הִיא נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא לְתַתָּא. נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא אַתְיָין מֵאִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין עִלָּאִין, מִנִּשְׁמָתָא דְנוּקְבָא, וּמִנִּשְׁמָתָא דִּדְכוּרָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא עִלָּאִין, עַל כָּל אִינוּן חֵילִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין דִּלְעֵילָא.
There is another soul, to wit, the souls of the righteous below. These come from those superior souls, the soul of the female and the soul of the male, and therefore the souls of the righteous are superior to all the heavenly hosts and camps.
וְאִי תֵימָא, הָא עִלָּאִין אִינוּן מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין, אַמַּאי נַחֲתִין לְהַאי עַלְמָא, וְאַמַּאי אִסְתַּלְּקוּ מִנִּיהּ. לְמַלְכָּא דְּאִתְיְילִיד לֵיהּ בַּר, שַׁדַּר לֵיהּ לְחַד כְּפַר, לְמַרְבָּה לֵיהּ וּלְגַדְּלָא לֵיהּ עַד דְּיִתְרַבֵּי (ליה), וְיוֹלְפוּן לֵיהּ אָרְחֵי דְהֵיכָלָא דְמַלְכָּא. שָׁמַע מַלְכָּא דְּהָא בְּרֵיהּ רַב וְאִתְרַבֵּי. מַה עָבַד בִּרְחִימוּ דִבְרֵיהּ, מְשַׁדֵּר לָהּ לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא אִמֵּיהּ בְּגִינֵיהּ, וְאָעִיל לְהֵיכְלֵיהּ, וְחָדֵי עִמֵּיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא.
You may ask, if they are so transcendent from both sides, why do they come down to this world to be afterwards removed from it? Imagine a king who had a son whom he sent to a village to be brought up until he should learn the ways of the king’s palace. When the king heard that his son was grown up, out of his love for him he sent the Matron his mother for him, and brought him into the palace, where he rejoiced with him every day.
כַּךָ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אוֹלִיד בַּר בְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וּמַאי אִיהוּ, נִשְׁמָתָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא, שַׁדַּר לֵיהּ לִכְפַר, לְהַאי עַלְמָא, דְּיִתְרַבֵּי בֵּיהּ, וְיוֹלְפוּן לֵיהּ אוֹרְחֵי דְהֵיכָלָא דְמַלְכָּא. כֵּיוָן דְּיָדַע מַלְכָּא דְּהָא בְּרֵיהּ אִתְרַבֵּי בְּהַאי כְּפַר, וְעִידָן הוּא לְמַיְיתֵי לֵיהּ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ. מַה עֲבַד בִּרְחִימוּ דִּבְרֵיהּ, מְשַׁדֵּר לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא בְּגִינֵיהּ וְאָעִיל לֵיהּ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ. נִשְׁמָתָא לָא סַלְקָא מֵהַאי עַלְמָא, עַד דְּאָתַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא בְּגִינָהּ, וְאָעִילַת לָהּ בְּהֵיכָלָא דְמַלְכָּא, וְיָתִיבַת תַּמָּן לְעָלְמִין.
So the Holy One, blessed be He, had a son from the Matron, to wit, the celestial holy soul. He sent it to a village, to wit, to this world, to be brought up in it, and learn the ways of the king’s palace. When the king found that his son had grown up, and that it was time to bring him to the palace, out of his love for him he sent the Matron for him and brought him into the palace. The soul does not depart from this world till the Matron has come for her and brought her into the king’s palace, where she remains forever.
וְעִם כָּל דָּא, אוֹרְחָא דְעַלְמָא, דְּאִינוּן בְּנִי כְּפַר בָּכָאן עַל פְּרִישׁוּ דִּבְרֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ. חַד פִּקֵּחַ הֲוָה תַּמָּן, אָמַר לוֹן, עַל מָה אַתּוּן בָּכָאן, וְכִי לָאו בְּרֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא אִיהוּ, וְלָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְמֵידַר יַתִּיר בֵּינַיְיכוּ, אֶלָּא בְּהֵיכָלָא דְּאֲבוֹי. כָּךְ משֶׁה, דְּהֲוָה פִּקֵּחַ, חָמָא בְּנֵי כְפַר דְּהֲוָה בָּכָאן. עַל דָּא אָמַר, (דברים י״ד:א׳) בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם לא תִתְגּוֹדְדוּ.
And for all that, the inhabitants of the village weep for the parting of the king’s son from them. There was one wise man among them who said: “Why are you weeping? Was he not the king’s son, and is not his proper place in his father’s palace and not among you?” So Moses, who was a wise man, saw the villagers weeping, and said to them: “Ye are sons of the Lord your God, ye shall not cut yourselves” (Deut. 14, 1).
תָּא חֲזֵי, אִילּוּ הֲווּ יָדְעִין כֻּלְּהוּ צַדִּיקַיָּיא הַאי, הֲווּ חָדָאן הַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּמָטֵי לוֹן לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מֵהַאי עַלְמָא. וְכִי לָאו יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה הוּא, דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא אָתַת בְּגִינַיְיהוּ, וּלְאוֹבָלָא לוֹן לְהֵיכָלָא לְמַלְכָּא, לְמֶחֱדֵי בְּהוּ מַלְכָּא כָּל יוֹמָא, דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אִשְׁתַּעְשַׁע אֶלָּא בְּנִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָא.
Now, if the righteous all knew this, they would rejoice when their time arrives to depart from this world. For is it not a great honour for them that the Matron comes for their sakes to bring them to the King’s palace, so that the King may rejoice in them every day? For God hath no delight save in the souls of the righteous.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אִתְעֲרוּתָא דִּרְחִימוּ דְּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָא לְתַתָּא מִתְעָרִין לָהּ. בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן אַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דְמַלְכָּא, מִסִּטְרָא דִּדְכוּרָא, וְאִתְעֲרוּתָא דָא מָטֵי לְנוּקְבָא מִסִּטְרָא דִּדְכוּרָא, וְאִתְעַר רְחִימוּתָא. אִשְׁתַּכַּח דִּדְכוּרָא אִתְעַר חֲבִיבוּ וּרְחִימוּתָא לְנוּקְבָא, וּכְדֵין נוּקְבָא אִתְקַשְּׁרַת בִּרְחִימוּתָא, לְגַבֵּי דְכוּרָא.
Now the love of the Community of Israel for God is excited only by the souls of the righteous here on earth, because they come from the side of the king, the side of the male. This excitement reaches the female and stirs her love; and in this way the male awakens the love and affection of the female, and the female is united in love with the male.
כְּהַאי גַוְונָא, תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְנוּקְבָא לְמִשְׁדֵי מַיִין תַּתָּאִין לָקֳבֵל מַיִין עִלָּאִין, לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּנִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָא. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָא בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, דְּעֲלַיְיהוּ קָיְימִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין. וְעַל דָּא (משלי י׳:כ״ה) וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם כְּתִיב, סְתָם.
In the same way, the desire of the female to pour forth lower waters to meet the upper waters is only aroused through the souls of the righteous. Happy, therefore, are the righteous in this world and in the world to come, since on them are established upper and lower beings. Hence it is written: “The righteous man is the foundation of the world” (Prov. 10, 25).
וְרָזָא דְּכֹלָּא, צַדִּיק, אִיהוּ יְסוֹדָא דִלְעֵילָא, וְאִיהוּ יְסוֹדָא לְתַתָּא, וּכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְכְּלִילַת מִצַּדִּיק, מִלְּעֵילָא וּמִתַּתָּא. (קנ"ג ע"ב) צַדִּיק מֵהַאי סִטְרָא, וְצַדִּיק מֵהַאי סִטְרָא, יַרְתִין לָהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים ל״ז:כ״ט) צַדִּיקִים יִרְשׁוּ אָרֶץ. יִרְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וַדַּאי. תָּא חֲזֵי, צַדִּיק אַחְסִין לָהּ לְהַאי אֶרֶץ, וְאָרִיק עֲלָהּ בִּרְכָאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וְיָהִיב לָהּ תַּפְנוּקִין וְעִדּוּנִין, בִּנְגִידוּ עִלָּאָה דְּנָגִיד עֲלָהּ, וְהָא (רל"ה ע"ב) אוֹקִימְנָא מִלָּה.
Esoterically speaking, the Zaddik is the foundation of the upper world and the foundation of the lower world, and the Community of Israel contains the Zaddik from above and from below. The righteous one from this side and the righteous one from that side inherit her, as it is written: “The righteous shall inherit the earth” (Ps. 37, 29). The Righteous One inherits this earth, and pours upon it blessings every day, and furnishes it with luxuries and delicacies in his flow.
וְרָזָא דִּכְתִיב (בראשית מ״ט:כ׳) מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ וְהוּא יִתֵּן מַעֲדַנֵי מֶלֶךְ. וְעִם כָּל דָּא, מִלָּה אָחֳרָא, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ו׳:ט׳) רָאוּהָ בָּנוֹת וַיְאַשְׁרוּהָ, וְעַל דָּא אָמְרָה לֵאָה, (בראשית ל׳:י״ג) בְּאָשְׁרִי כִּי אִשְּׁרוּנִי בָנוֹת וְכֹלָּא שַׁפִּיר. וְתָא חֲזֵי מֵעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, אִתְמְשִׁיךְ וְנָגִיד לְהַאי צַדִּיק, לְמֵיהַב תַּפְנוּקִין וְעִדּוּנִין לְהַאי אֶרֶץ, דְּאִיהוּ לֶחֶם עוֹנִי, וְאִתְעֲבִיד לֶחֶם פַּנַּג, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ וְהוּא יִתֵּן מַעֲדַנֵּי מֶלֶךְ ודַּאי, וְהָא (ע"ז ע"ב) אוֹקִימְנָא.
All this is hinted in the words: OUT OF ASHER HIS BREAD SHALL BE FAT, AND HE SHALL YIELD ROYAL DAINTIES. It is from the future world that the stream reaches this Righteous One which enables him to provide luxuries and delicacies to this earth, thus transforming it from “the bread of poverty” into “the bread of luxury”. The name “Asher” (lit. happy) signifies the place which all declare happy, to wit, the future world.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ. דָּא הוּא אֲתַר דְּכֹלָּא מְאַשְׁרִין לֵיהּ. וּמַאי אִיהוּ, עַלְמָא דְאָתֵי. דְּעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי מְאַשְׁרִין לֵיהּ, וּמִכַּסְּפִין לֵיהּ. שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ, מַאן, עַד כָּאן לָא פָּרִישׁ מַאן הוּא אֲתַר. אֶלָּא, אִית לֶחֶם, וְאִית לֶחֶם, כְּמָה דְאִית אִילָנָא, וְאִית אִילָנָא. אִית אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, וְאִית אִילָנָא דְתַלְיָיא בֵּיהּ מוֹתָא. אִית לֶחֶם דְּאִקְרֵי לֶחֶם עוֹנִי, וְאִית לֶחֶם דְּאִקְרֵי לֶחֶם פַּנַּג. וּמַאן אִיהוּ (לחם). דָּא ו', וְדָא הוּא לַחְמ"וֹ, לֶחֶ"ם ו'. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (שמות ט״ז:ד׳) הִנְנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וַדַּאי.
In the expression “his bread” the reference of the word “his” is not specified; but we may divide the word lahmo (his bread) into lehem van, that is, “the bread of van” (which signifies the heavens); hence it is written: “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you” (Ex. 16, 4).
וְעַל דָּא, מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ, לֶחֶם ו', דְּהָא מִינֵיהּ אִתְּזָן הַאי אִילָנָא, וְהוּא מְעַטְּרָא לֵיהּ, כְּדִכְתִיב, (שיר השירים ג׳:י״א) בָּעֲטָרָה שֶׁעִטְּרָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ. וְכַד אִיהוּ נָקִיט, וַדַּאי הוּא יִתֵּן מַעֲדַנֵּי מֶלֶךְ. וּמַאן מֶלֶךְ. דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהָא מִנֵּיהּ אִתְּזָנַת, וְהוּא יָהִיב לָהּ עַל יְדָא דְּצַדִּיק, דַּרְגָּא קַדִּישָׁא אָת קַיָּימָא. וּמֵהָכָא לִשְׁאָר דַּרְגִּין דִּלְתַתָּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא.
It is from thence that the tree of life is nourished and crowned, and when it receives this nourishment, then it “yields the dainties of the king”. This king is the Community of Israel, who is fed therefrom by the hand of the Righteous One, the sacred grade of the sign of the covenant.
בְּסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא, אָמַר הָכִי, מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ, (לעיל מז ע"ב) דָּא לֶחֶם שַׁבָּת, דְּאִיהוּ פַּנַג, עַל חַד תְּרֵין. כְּדִכְתִיב, (שמות ט״ז:כ״ב) לָקְטוּ לֶחֶם מִשְׁנְה. מַאי לֶחֶם מִשְׁנְה. אֶלָּא, תְּרֵי לֶחֶם, לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְלֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ. דָּא הוּא לֶחֶם פַּנַּג, וְדָא הוּא לֶחֶם דְּמִסְכֵּנָא, וּבְשַׁבָּת אִתְכְּלִיל לֶחֶם תַּתָּאָה בְּלֶחֶם עִלָּאָה, וְאִתְבָּרֵךְ הַאי בְּגִינִי הַאי, וְאִיהוּ לֶחֶם מִשְׁנְה.
In the book of Rab Hamnuna the Elder it says that the bread mentioned here is the Sabbath bread, which is double in quantity, as it is written in connection with the manna: “They gathered double bread” (Ex. 16, 22); that is to say, bread from heaven and bread from earth, the one being “bread of luxury”, the other “bread of poverty”. For on Sabbath the lower bread was united with the upper bread, and one was blessed for the sake of the other.
וְתוּ הֲוָה אָמַר, לֶחֶם מִשְׁנְה דְּשַׁבָּת, נָקִיט מִשַּׁבָּת עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהוּ נָגִיד וְאַנְהִיר לְכֹלָּא, וְאִתְחַבַּר לֶחֶם בְּלֶחֶם, וְאִיהוּ מִשְׁנֶה. וּבְכָל אֲתַר, רָזָא דְלֶחֶם, נוּקְבָא הִיא. בְּגִין כָּךְ שְׁמֵנָה כְּתִיב וְלא שָׁמֵן. וּכְתִיב, (בראשית מט) כִּי אִם הַלֶּחֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא אוֹכֵל, דָּא אִנְתְּתֵיהּ.
He further said that the Sabbath receives from the celestial Sabbath which flows forth and illumines all, and in this way bread is joined with bread and becomes double.
וְאִי תֵימָא (שמואל א ט׳:ז׳) וְהַלֶּחֶם אָזַל מִכֵּלֵינוּ, וְלָא כְּתִיב אָזְלַת. שְׁאָר מְזוֹנָא לֶחֶם קָרִינָן לֵיהּ, וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן מִלִּין, מַאן הוּא שְׁאָר מְזוֹנָא, וּמַאן הוּא לֶחֶם מַמָּשׁ. לֶחֶם דִּלְעֵילָא, בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּכַר, לֶחֶם תַּתָּאָה, בְּכָל אֲתַר נוּקְבָא וְאֲנַן אַשְׁכְּחִינָא דְּזִמְנִין כְּתִיב דְּכַר, וּלְזִמְנִין נוּקְבָא, וְכֹלָּא חַד מִלָּה, הַאי כְּהַאי, וְשַׁפִּיר כֹּלָּא.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אָשֵׁר, רָשִׁים לְעֵילָא וְרָשִׁים לְתַתָּא, בְּתִקּוּנִי כַּלָּה. וְכֻלְּהוּ תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין יַמָּא קָאִים עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְתַּקַּן בְּהוּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (מלכים א ז׳:כ״ה) וְהַיָּם עֲלֵיהֶם מִלְּמָעְלָה. וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה, אִתְתַּקַּן לְעֵילָא וְאִתְתַּקַּן לְתַתָּא בְּאַרְעָא. אִתְתַּקַּן לְעֵילָא בְּתִקּוּנִין יְדִיעָן, כְּגַוְונָא דְעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה. וְאִתְתַּקַּן לְתַתָּא בְהַנֵי תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין כּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא. וְעַל דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא לְעֵילָא וּשְׁכִינְתָּא לְתַתָּא בְּגִינַיְיהוּ (בגווייהו) דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבִתְרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין (נ"א ובתרין שבטין) (נ"א ובתרין סטרין) אִתְכְּלִילַת וְאִתְתַּקָּנַת. אָשֵׁר בְּתִקּוּנָהָא קָיְימָא, כִּשְׁאָר שִׁבְטִין.
וְאִי לָאו דְּגָלֵי משֶׁה, לָא אִתְיְידַע. דִּכְתִיב, (דברים ל״ג:כ״ד) וְטוֹבֵל בַּשֶּׁמֶן רַגְלוֹ. לְאַחֲזָאָה אָן הוּא קִשְׁרָא דִּילֵיהּ בְּאַתְרִיהּ, דְּאִיהוּ נָגִיד הַהוּא מְשַׁח רְבוּת מִלְּעֵילָא. בְּגִינִי כָּךְ כְּתִיב, בָּרוּךְ מִבָּנִים אָשֵׁר וְגו'.