THE SIDDUR AND THE GEONIC YESHIVA
The texts about the Siddur and about the Geonic Yeshiva are not found in Sefaria's database. I have transcribed the texts for you here.
וכך היה מנהגם בתשובות השאלות: בכל יום מהחדש אדר מוציא אליהם השאלות שהגיעו אליו, ונותן להם רשות שישיבו תשובה עליהם… ואז מדברים כל אחד ואחד לפי דעתו לפי חכמתו, ומקשין ומפרקין ונושאין ונותנין בכל דבר ודבר… וראש הישיבה שומע את דבריהם ומבין כל מה שאומרים ומקשין זה לזה, ועומד ומעיין בדבריהם עד שיתברר לו האמת, ומיד יצוה לסופר להשיב ולכתוב. וכך היה מנהגם לעשות בכל יום ויום, עד שמשיבין תשובת כל השאלות שבאו להם השנה מקהלות ישראל, ובתכלית החודש יקראו התשובות והשאלות במעמד כל החבורה כלה וחותם עליהם ראש הישיבה ואחר כך שולחין אותם לבעליהם ואז מחלק הממון עליהם
Responding to Questions from Abroad, Natan HaBavli
This is how they handled responsa to questions: each day of Adar [the Rosh Yeshiva] brings out the questions which have arrived [from distant communities] and has [the students] respond.... Then each one speaks according to his understanding, and they raise difficulties and answer them and discuss each topic thoroughly.
The Rosh Yeshiva listens to what they say and understands what each says, and they challenge each other and he examines them, until the truth is clear to him. Then he immediately tells the scribe to write the response. And this is what they would do every day until they answered all of the questions that came to them over the course of the year from all of the communities of Israel. At the end of the month they read the questions and responsa before the entire fellowship; the Rosh Yeshiva signs them, and then they are sent to their addressees. Then he divides the money among them.
כאשר נשאל נחשון ראש הישיבה... שאלוהו מקירוואן על שאלה ואמרו בשאלה שכבר שאלו לרב צמח ורב מתתיה ודינים שביניכם ומי אמר כה ומי אמר כה והשיב בחרדה גדולה:
"ראינו שלא להשיב על שאלה זו כי שלא בישר כי חכם שאסר אין חברו רשאי להתיר. והנה רב נתן בן חנניה ורבנן קודמיו לא עשו כן. או שאלו בסורה או בפומבדיתא. ובינינו ולפומב[דיתא] מהלך כ"ח פרסה ום אים יודעים מה שהשיבו אנו ואנו מה הם. ויהיה חלול השם בדבר
Ask One Yeshiva but Don't Ask Both! Nachshon Gaon of Sura (c. 875 CE)
The people of Kairouan asked Nachshon [ben Tzadok Gaon] a question …and they said that they had already asked Rav Tzemach and Rav Matitiah. [The people of Kairouan] would judge between [the different answers and choose the one they liked]. And [Rav Nachshon] responded angrily:
We won’t answer this question because it just isn’t right. One sage may not permit what another has prohibited (B Avodah Zarah 7a). The late R. Natan b. Chananiah (of Kairouan) and your earlier rabbis, never did this. Either they asked [the sages] of Sura or of Pumbedita [and not both!] Between us there is only a distance of 87 miles, and they don’t know what we would write and we don’t know what they [would write]. This would profane God’s Holy Name (Chillul Hashem)!
והני דמתחזי דמחמירין אנפשייהו למימרא דמקבלון מלכות שמים בעמידה, טעות ותעות בידם והדיוטות ובורות ושטות זה. למה להו אשתבושי כולי האי, כבר קיימא לן הלכה כבית הלל...
והני לא סגי להו דלא עבדי כבית הלל אלא אפילו כדברי בית שמאי נמי לא עבדי. דאי כבית שמאי בצפרא מעמד ברמשא מוטה, ואינון לא שנא צפרא ולא שנא רמשא--מעמד. יש לך כסילות גדולה מזו!?...
ואותן האנשים שאומרין כמנהג ארץ ישראל אנו עושין, הלא כך גורסין בתלמוד ארץ ישראל, תנא יצתה בת קול ואמר אלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים הם, אבל הלכה כבית הלל לעולם?
How NOT to Recite Shema, Seder Rav Amram Gaon
Those who try to be strict and recite the shema while standing [both in the morning and the evening] are guilty of stupid errors and nonsense. Why do they get so confused? We already established that the law is like Bet Hillel. …
And [standing all the time] makes no sense because they not only are not acting like Bet Hillel, and they aren’t acting like Bet Shammai either. For if they were acting like Bet Shammai, they would be standing in the morning and reclining in the evening. But these people stand at both times. Can you be more foolish than that?...
And those people who say we are following the custom of Land of Yisrael, is it not taught in the Talmud of the Land of Israel: "It was taught, a heavenly voice went out and said, 'both these and those are the words of the living God, but the law is always according to Bet Hillel' ”?
פראית אן אגמע פי הדא אלכתאב אלצלואת ואלתסאביח ואלברך אלאצליה עלי היאתהא אלמתקדמה מא כאן מן קואעדהא קבל אלגלות ובעדהא פאגעלהא קאנונא תם אציף אליהא מא בלגני אנה זיד פיהא או נקץ מנהא באסתחסאן בעץ אלמתאסתדין אמא אהל קריה או מדינה או כורה או בלד. פאמא מא כאן מנהא יפסד אלמעאני אלמקצודה מנעת מן קולה ומא כאן לא יפסדהא אכברת מע דאך באנה ליס פיה אצל אלסנה
Preface to Rav Saadiah Gaon's Siddur
I decided to gather in this book the essential prayers in their original forms according to the way they were before the exile and since, and to create an ordered text (siddur). I will then add what I have heard has been added or deleted from them according to what seems to me have been the additions of individuals. I have prohibited anything which spoils the original intent; and any different version that does not spoil the meaning, I have still noted that it is not part of the original tradition.
וששאלתם [מאן ד]עאייל לבי כנשתא ומשכח ציבורא דקא ענו קדושה או יהי שמו הגדול כי קיימין או כידיתבין, יכול לענות כשהוא יושב והן עומדין או כשהוא עומד והן יושבין, או היכין שפיר למעבד.
הכין שפיר למעבד כוותהן, כד קאיימין קאים וכד יתבין יתיב, ולא למהוי בוליט מן כוליה ציבורא.
Responsa of Natronai Gaon, O.H. 29
You asked: One who comes [late] to the synagogue and finds the congregation reciting the Kedushah or responding to the kaddish …, may he respond when he is sitting and they are standing or when he is standing and they are sitting? Or what is the best way to act?
It is best to act like them: when they are standing, one should stand, and when they are sitting, one should sit and not stand out at all from what the congregation is doing.
MAIMONIDES
Sefaria provides TWO translations of The Guide for the Perplexed by Maimonides. The Guide was written in Arabic, so the Hebrew text which Sefaria provides is the first translation. The English translation provided by Sefaria is very difficult. I include here links to the texts found on Sefaria here, if you want to explore the texts more thoroughly. I have, however, provided an accessible English translation here without the original Arabic text.
Parable of the Palace, Guide 3:51
The Parable of the Palace, Guide for the Perplexed, 3:51
I will begin this chapter with a parable of a king who is in his palace. 1) Some of his subjects are inside the city and some are outside. 2) Of the ones in the city, some face away from the palace, and
3) some try to find the palace but haven’t even seen the walls. 4) Some walk around the walls, and 5) others have entered the gate and walk in the outer hall. 6) Some have entered the inner court with the king, but that does not mean that they see the king or speak with him. 7) For even after coming in to the inner court, they have to do still more to actually be in the king’s presence, to see him from far away or up close or to hear the king speak or to speak to him.
Now I will explain the parable. 1) Those outside the city are people who have no conception of true religion, either from study or from tradition…. 2) Those who are in the city with their backs to the palace have incorrect beliefs, either because they came up with them themselves, or because they learned them from tradition from someone who had led them into error. The more they walk, the farther they get from the palace…
3) The ones who want to get to the palace but who have never seen it are the masses who observe the law, that is, the Ammei ha’Aretz who observe the mitzvot.
4) The ones who walk around the wall are people who have studied Talmud and have correct beliefs based on tradition but who do not ask themselves basic questions of religion or truth
5) Those who have entered the gate are the ones who have begun to inquire into the roots of belief. Clearly there are different levels here,... but 6) one who has truly acquired perfect understanding of nature and Divine (ordering of the world) has entered into the court of the king. And again there are different levels.
7) And one who has achieved perfection in Divine science and turns entirely towards God and rejects everything that is not God, and directs his mind entirely towards God, this is the level of the prophets
(יג) וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־שָׁמֹ֤עַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺתַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ וּלְעָבְד֔וֹ בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃ (יד) וְנָתַתִּ֧י מְטַֽר־אַרְצְכֶ֛ם בְּעִתּ֖וֹ יוֹרֶ֣ה וּמַלְק֑וֹשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ֣ דְגָנֶ֔ךָ וְתִֽירֹשְׁךָ֖ וְיִצְהָרֶֽךָ׃ (טו) וְנָתַתִּ֛י עֵ֥שֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ֖ לִבְהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ׃
(13) If, then, you obey the commandments that I enjoin upon you this day, loving the LORD your God and serving Him with all your heart and soul, (14) I will grant the rain for your land in season, the early rain and the late. You shall gather in your new grain and wine and oil— (15) I will also provide grass in the fields for your cattle—and thus you shall eat your fill.
The Purposes of the Mitzvot, Guide 3:27
The Law as a whole aims for two things: the welfare of the soul and the welfare of the body.
As for the welfare of the soul, it consists in the multitude's acquiring correct opinions corresponding to their respective capacity... As for the welfare of the body, it comes about by the improvement of their ways of living with one another. This is achieved through two things. One is the abolition of their wronging of one another. This is tantamount to every individual among the people not being permitted to act according to his will and up to the limits of his power, but being forced to do that which is useful to the whole. The second thing consists in the acquisition by every human being of moral qualities that are useful for life in society so that the affairs of the city may be ordered. ... The welfare of the soul is clearly more important...but [the welfare of the body] is needed first and the Law treats it with greater detail because the welfare of the soul can only be obtained after that of the body has been secured.
Between Natural and Supernatural Miracles, Guide 2:6
How great is the blindness of ignorance and how harmful! If you told a man who is one of those who deem themselves the sages of Israel that the deity sends an angel, who enters the womb of a woman and forms the fetus there, he would be pleased with this assertion and would accept it and would regard it as a manifestation of greatness and power on the part of the deity, and also of His wisdom, may He be exalted. . . . But if you tell him that God has placed in the sperm a formative force shaping the limbs and giving them their configuration . . . the man would shrink from this opinion. For he does not understand the notion of the true greatness and power in this. (Translation from Goodman, Maimonides and the Book that Changed Judaism)
On Prayer, Guide, 3:32
It is impossible to go from one extreme to another; one cannot stop everything to which he has become accustomed....The custom which was [in the days of the Bible] common among all, and the mode of worship in which the Israelites were brought up, consisted of sacrificing animals in temples... It was God's plan and wisdom not to command us to give up this form of worship because that would have been against our nature. People cling to their habits. ...That is why God allowed [sacrifice] to continue. ... [By getting rid of the trappings of idolatry while allowing sacrifice] the truly great principle of our religion--the Unity of God--was firmly established. ...Sacrifice is not the primary intention, but prayer is closer to that primary intention.
On That Which Can and Cannot be Taught, Guide, Part 3, Introduction
(1) WE have stated several times that it is our primary object in this treatise to expound, as far as possible, the Biblical account of the Creation (Ma‘aseh bereshit) and the description of the Divine Chariot (Ma‘aseh Mercabah) in a manner adapted to the training of those for whom this work is written.
(2) We have also stated that these subjects belong to the mysteries of the Law. You are well aware how our Sages blame those who reveal these mysteries, and praise the merits of those who keep them secret, although they are perfectly clear to the philosopher. In this sense they explain the passage, "Her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently" (Isa. 23:18), which concludes in the original with the words ve-li-me-kasseh ‘atik, i.e., that these blessings are promised to him who hides things which the Eternal has revealed [to him], viz., the mysteries of the Law (Babyl. Talmud, Pesaḥim 119a). If you have understanding you will comprehend that which our Sages pointed out. They have clearly stated that the Divine Chariot includes matters too deep and too profound for the ordinary intellect. It has been shown that a person favoured by Providence with reason to understand these mysteries is forbidden by the Law to teach them except viva voce, and on condition that the pupil possess certain qualifications, and even then only the heads of the sections may be communicated. This has been the cause why the knowledge of this mystery has entirely disappeared from our nation, and nothing has remained of it. This was unavoidable, for the explanation of these mysteries was always communicated vivâ voce, it was never committed to writing. Such being the case, how can I venture to call your attention to such portions of it as may be known, intelligible, and perfectly clear to me? But if, on the other hand, I were to abstain from writing on this subject, according to my knowledge of it, when I die, as I shall inevitably do, that knowledge would die with me, and I would thus inflict great injury on you and all those who are perplexed [by these theological problems]. I would then be guilty of withholding the truth from those to whom it ought to be communicated, and of jealously depriving the heir of his inheritance. I should in either case be guilty of gross misconduct.
THE ZOHAR
The translations of these texts from the Zohar are from the Pritzker edition of the Zohar by Daniel Matt.
(יא) מַתְלָא, לְבַר נָשׁ דְּהֲוָה דִּיוּרֵיהּ בֵּינֵי טוּרִין, וְלָא יָדַע בְּדִּיוּרֵי מָתָא. זָרַע חִטִּין. וְאָכִיל חִטֵּי בְּגוּפַיְיהוּ. יוֹמָא חַד עָאל לְמָתָא, אַקְרִיבוּ לֵיהּ נַהֲמָא טָבָא. אֲמַר הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דְּנָא לָמָּה. אֲמַרוּ נַהֲמָא הוּא לְמֵיכַל. אָכַל וְטָעַם לְחָדָא לְחִכֵּיהּ. אֲמַר וּמִמָּה אִתְעָבִיד דָּא. אֲמַרוּ מֵחִטִין. לְבָתַר אַקְרִיבוּ לֵיהּ גְּרִיצִין דְּלִישִׁין בְּמִשְׁחָא. טָעַם מִנַּיְיהוּ, אֲמַר וְאִלֵּין מִמַּה אִתְעֲבִידוּ. אֲמַרוּ מֵחִטִין. לְבָתַר אַקְרִיבוּ לֵיהּ טְרִיקֵי מַלְכִין, דְּלִישִׁין בְּדּוּבְשָׁא וּמִשְׁחָא. אֲמַר וְאִלֵּין מִמַּה אִתְעָבִידוּ. אֲמַרוּ מֵחִטִין. אֲמַר וַדַּאי אֲנָא מָארֵי דְּכָל אִלֵּין, דַּאֲנָא אָכִיל עִקָּרָא דְּכָל אִלֵּין דְּאִיהוּ חִטָּה. בְּגִין
(א) הַהוּא דַּעְתָּא מֵעִדוּנֵי עָלְמָא לָא יָדַע וְאִתְאֲבִידוּ מִנֵּיהּ. כַּךְ, מַאן דְּנָקִיט כְּלָלָא, וְלָא יָדַע בְּכֻלְּהוּ עִדוּנִין דִּמְהַנְיָין, דְּנַפְקִין מֵהַהוּא כְּלָלָא.
This may be compared to a man who dwelled among the cliffs and knew nothing of those dwelling in the town. He sowed wheat, and ate the kernels raw. One day he went into town and was offered good bread. The man asked: "What's this for?" They replied: "It's bread, to eat!" He asked,"And what is this made of?" They replied, "wheat!" Afterwards they brought him cakes kneaded with oil. He tasted them and asked, "And what are these made of?" They replied, "wheat!". Later they brought him royal pastry kneaded with honey and oil. He asked, "And what are these made of?" They replied, "wheat!" He said, "Surely I am Lord of all these, since I eat the essence of all of these!" Because of that view, he knew nothing of the delights of the world, which were lost to him. So it is with one who grasps the principle but is unaware of all those delectable delights deriving and diverging from that principle. (Translation based on The Zohar, (Pritzker Edition) Daniel Matt, Vol. V, at 532 [2:176a-b])
(ד) בְּרֵאשִׁית רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח (ישעיה מ) שְׂאוּ (דף ל' א) מָרוֹם עֵינֵיכֶם וּרְאוּ מִי בָרָא אֵלֶּה. שְׂאוּ מָרוֹם עֵינֵיכֶם לְאָן אֲתַר, לְאֲתַר דְּכָל עַיְינִין תָּלְיָאן לֵיהּ. וּמָאן אִיהוּ, פֶּתַח עֵינַיִם. וְתַמָּן תִּנְדְּעוּן דְּהַאי סָתִים עַתִּיקָא דְקַיְמָא לַשְּׁאֵלָה. בָּרָא אֵלֶּה. וּמָאן אִיהוּ. מִ''י. הַהוּא (שמות ק''מ א) דְאִקְרֵי מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם לְעֵילָּא. דְּכֹלָא קַיְּמָא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ. וְעַל דְּקַיְמָא לַשְּׁאֵלָה וְאִיהוּ בְּאֹרַח סָתִים וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָא, אִקְרֵי מִ''י, דְּהָא לְעֵילָּא לֵית תַּמָּן שְׁאֵלָה. וְהַאי קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם אִקְרֵי מִ''י.
(ה) וְאִית אָחֳרָא לְתַתָּא וְאִקְרֵי מַ''ה. מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי, אֶלָּא קַדְמָאָה סְתִימָאָה דְּאִקְרֵי מִ''י קַיְּמָא (תרומה קל''ח א', ויקהל רי''א, בהעלותך קמ''ח ב', ולהלן ט' א', י''ו, קס''ז א', שמות קנ''ז) לַשְּׁאֵלָה, כֵיוָן דְּשָׁאַל בַּר נָשׁ וּמְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא וּלְמִנְדַע מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא עַד סוֹף כָּל דַּרְגִּין, כֵּיוָן דְּמָטֵי תַּמָּן, מַ''ה. מַה יָּדַעְתָּ, מַה אִסְתָּכַּלְתָּא, מַה פִּשְׁפַּשְׁתָּא, הָא כֹּלָא סָתִים כִּדְקַדְמִיתָא.
(4) "In the beginning," “Rabbi El’azar opened, Lift your eyes on high and see: Who created these? (Isaiah 40:26). Lift your eyes on high. To which site? The site toward which all eyes gaze. Which is that? Opening of the eyes [Shekhinah] (Genesis 38:14) [cf. Bereshit Rabbah 85:7]. There you will discover that the concealed ancient one, susceptible to questioning, created these. Who is that? מִי (Mi), Who [Binah]. The one called End of Heaven above, whose domain extends over everything. Since it can be questioned, yet remains concealed and unrevealed, it is called Who. Beyond, there is no question.
This end of heaven is called Who. There is another below, called What [Shekhinah]. What distinguishes the two? The first, concealed one—called Who—can be questioned. Once a human being questions and searches [cf. Bahir §194], contemplating and knowing rung after rung to the very last rung—once one reaches there: What? What do you know? What have you contemplated? For what have you searched? All is concealed, as before….
(Translation The Zohar, (Pritzker Edition) Daniel Matt, Vol. I, 5-6 [1:1b])
זוהר א"א'ב
וְעַל רָזָא דְּנָא כְּתִיב, (איכה ב) מָה אֲעִידֵךְ מָה אֲדַמֶּה לָךְ. כַּד אִתְחְרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא נָפַק קָלָא וַאֲמַר מָה אֲעִידֵךְ (נ''א ומה [מה] אדמה לך, בההוא מ''ה אעידך) בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, [וְהָא] אַסְהִידַת בָּךְ מִיּוֹמִין קַדְמָאִין דִּכְתִיב, (דברים ל) הַעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ. וּמָה אֲדַמֶּה לָךְ בְּהַהוּא גַוְנָא מַמָּשׁ עֲטָרִית לָךְ בְּעִטְרִין קַדִּישִׁין עֲבָדִית לָךְ שָׁלְטָנוּ עַל עָלְמָא דִּכְתִיב, (איכה ב) הֲזֹאת'' הָעִיר'' שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ'' כְּלִילַת'' יפִי'' וְגו' קָרֵינָא לָךְ (תהלים קכ''ב) יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ. (איכה ב) מָה אַשְׁוֶה לָּךְ. כְּגַוְונָא דְּאַנְתְּ יָתְבָה, הָכִי הוּא כִּבְיָכוֹל לְעֵילָא. כְּגַוְונָא דְּלָא עָאלִין הַשְׁתָּא בָּךְ עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא בְּסִדְּרִין קַדִּישִׁין, הָכִי אוֹמֵינָא לָךְ דְּלָא אֵיעוֹל אֲנָא לְעֵילָא עַד דְּיֵעֲלוּן בָּךְ אֻכְלוֹסָךְ לְתַתָּא.
Zohar 1:1b
Concerning this mystery it is written: What can I take as a witness to you? What can I compare to you? (Lamentations 2:13). When the holy Temple was destroyed, a voice cried out: What can I take as a witness to you? What can I compare to you? I take What as a witness to you. Every single day I have called witnesses against you, since days of old, as is written: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day. (Deuteronomy 30:19). I compare you to What, precisely! I crowned you with holy crowns, gave you dominion over the world, as is written: Is this the city that was called perfect crown of beauty, joy of all the earth? (Lamentations 2:15). I called you Jerusalem built up, a city bound together (Psalm 122:3). Now, What can I liken to you [to console you]?(Lamentations, ibid., 13). Just as you sit desolate, so it is above, as it were. Just as now, the holy people do not enter you in holy array, so I swear to you that I myself will not enter above until your inhabitants enter you below.
(Translation The Zohar, (Pritzker Edition) Daniel Matt, Vol. I, at 6 [1:1b])
מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לִרְחִימָתָא, דְּאִיהִי (צ''ה ע''א) שַׁפִּירְתָּא בְּחֵיזוּ, וּשְׁפִירְתָּא בְּרֵיוָא, וְאִיהִי טְמִירְתָּא בִּטְמִירוּ גּוֹ הֵיכָלָא דִּילָהּ, וְאִית לָהּ רְחִימָא יְחִידָאָה, דְּלָא יַדְעִין בֵּיהּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, אֶלָּא אִיהוּ בִּטְמִירוּ. הַהוּא רְחִימָא, מִגּוֹ רְחִימָא דְּרָחִים לָהּ עָבַר לִתְרַע בֵּיתָה תָּדִיר, זָקִיף עֵינוֹי לְכָל סְטָר. אִיהִי, יַדְעַת דְּהָא רְחִימָא אַסְחַר תְּרַע בֵּיתָה תָּדִיר, מָה עַבְדַת, פָּתְחַת פִּתְחָא זְעֵירָא בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא טְמִירָא, דְּאִיהִי תַּמָּן, וּגְלִיאַת אַנְפָּהָא לְגַבֵּי רְחִימְאָה, וּמִיָּד אִתְהַדְּרַת וְאִתְכַּסִיאַת. כָּל אִינּוּן דַּהֲווֹ לְגַבֵּי רְחִימָא, לָא חָמוּ וְלָא אִסְתַּכָּלוּ, בַּר רְחִימָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וּמֵעוֹי וְלִבֵּיהּ וְנַפְשֵׁיהּ אָזְלוּ אֲבַתְרָהּ. וְיָדַע דְּמִגּוֹ רְחִימוּ דִּרְחִימָת לֵיהּ, אִתְגְּלִיאַת לְגַבֵּיהּ רִגְעָא חֲדָא, לְאִתְּעָרָא (ס''א לגביה רחימו ליה). הָכִי הוּא מִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לָא (ר''ל ע''ב) אִתְגְּלִיאַת, אֶלָּא לְגַבֵּי רְחִימְאָה. יַדְעַת אוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּהַהוּא חַכִּימָא דְּלִבָּא אַסְחַר לִתְרַע בֵּיתָה כָּל יוֹמָא, מָה עַבְדַת, גְּלִיאַת אַנְפָּהָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, מִגּוֹ הֵיכָלָא, וְאַרְמִיזַת לֵיהּ רְמִיזָא, וּמִיָּד אָהַדְרַת לְאַתְרָהּ וְאִתְטַמְּרַת. כָּל אִינּוּן דְּתַמָּן, לָא יַדְעֵי, וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלֵי, אֶלָּא אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וּמֵעוֹי וְלִבֵּיהּ וְנַפְשֵׁיהּ אָזִיל אֲבַתְרָהּ. וְעַל דָּא, אוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְגְּלִיאַת וְאִתְכַּסִּיאַת, וְאַזְלַת בִּרְחִימוּ לְגַבֵּי רְחִימְהָא, לְאִתְּעָרָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ רְחִימוּ.
This may be compared to a beloved maiden, concealed secretly in her palace. She has a single lover, unknown to anyone--except to her, concealedly. Out of the love he feels for her, this lover passes by her gate constantly, lifting his eyes to every side. Knowing that her lover is constantly circling her gate, what does she do? She opens a little window in that secret palace where she is, reveals her face to her lover, and quickly withdraws, concealing herself. None of those near the lover sees or notices, only the lover, and his inner being and heart and soul follow her. He knows that out of love for him She revealed herself for a moment to arouse him. So is a word of the Torah, she reveals herself only to her lover. Torah knows that one who is wise of heart circles her gate every day. What does she do? She reveals her face to him from the palace and beckons him with a hint, then swiftly withdraws to her place, hiding away. None of those there knows or notices--he alone does, and his inner being and heart and soul follow her. Thus, Torah reveals and conceals herself, approaching her lover lovingly to arouse love with him. (Translation The Zohar, (Pritzker Edition) Daniel Matt, Vol. V, at 34 [2:99a])
(תיא) אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָדָם, אֲנִי בָּרָאתִי אוֹתְךָ עֶלְיוֹן עַל כָּל בְּרִיּוֹתַי, וְנָפַחְתִּי בְּךָ נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים, הַנּוֹתֶנֶת חַיִּים לִבְעָלֶיהָ, הַגְּזוּרָה מִכִּסְּאִי. וְאַתָּה חָזַרְתָּ לְאוֹתָהּ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה שֶׁבָּרָאתִי מִן הָאֲדָמָה לַבְּהֵמוֹת.
חַיֶּיךָ, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ, כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּתוֹרָתִי, וְיִשְׁמוֹר אוֹתָהּ, אֶתֵּן לוֹ אוֹתָהּ הַנְּשָׁמָה הַגְּזוּרָה מִכִּסְּאִי, שֶׁהִיא נוֹתֶנֶת חַיִּים לִבְעָלֶיהָ. וְכָל אוֹתָם שֶׁלֹּא יַעַסְקוּ בְּתוֹרָתִי, יִהְיֶה חֶלְקָם בְּאוֹתָהּ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה שֶׁבָּחֲרוּ לְמַעַן יִכְלוּ עִמָּהּ. ...
(תיג) אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, אִם כֵּן אֵין לָהֶם נְשָׁמָה לַגּוֹיִם אֶלָּא אוֹתָהּ הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן כֵּן הוּא.
R. Yohanan said, The Holy Blessed One said, "Adam, I created you above all of my creations and breathed into you the soul of life (nishmat chayyim) which gives life to its owner, cut from My throne. But you returned yourself to a living spirit (nefesh hachyah) which I created from the earth for the animals.
On your life! From here on, any who are occupied with My Torah and observe it, I will give to them the living soul from my throne which gives life to its owner. And all of those who are not occupied with my Torah, their portion will be with that living spirit that they chose, and they perish with it..."
(413) R. Hiyya said, If so, non-Jews only have that living spirit (nefesh hachayah). R. Yochanan said, Indeed, yes.