דף מה א
Rabbi Shimon opened and said: Fortunate is he that prays knowing how to lift up his friendship on High, for behold his mouth utters Names and his fingers write secrets, and when the names (daf 45a) ascend from his mouth, numerous birds open their wings overhead to catch them, and numberous Chayot of the Merkava; they are all summoned to them to take them up. Even more so if the Shekhina dwells on his prayer and it goes up to the Holy Blessed One; then the hint of the thing is "Im-tishkevun bein shefatayim/ If you lie down among the judges" (Ps. 68:14) - don't read it im but em [hence "You make the Mother to lie down, between your lips"] - fortunate is he that raises her up in his prayer that he prays with his shifwan (lips), up to her husband!
פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר, זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מָאן דִּמְצַלֵּי וְיָדַע לְסַלְקָא רְעוּתֵיהּ לְעִילָא, דְּהָא פִּימוֹי אַפִּיק שְׁמָהָן, וְאֶצְבָּעוֹי כָּתְבִין רָזִין, וְכַד סָלְקִין שְׁמָהָן (דף מה ע"א) מִפִּימוֹי, כַּמָּה עוֹפִין פָּתְחִין גַּדְפַיְיהוּ לְעִילָא לְקַבְּלָא לוֹן, וְכַמָּה חֵיוָון דְּמֶרְכַּבְתָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ מִזְדַּמְּנִין לְגַבַּיְיהוּ לְנַטְלָא לוֹן, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִם שְׁכִינְתָּא שַׁרְיָא בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ, וְאִסְתַּלְּקַת לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה אִם תִּשְׁכְּבוּן בֵּין שְׁפַתָּיִם, (תהלים סח, יד), אַל תִּקְרֵי אִם אֶלָּא אֵם, זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מָאן דְּסָלִיק לָהּ בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ דִּמְצַלֵּי בְשִׂפְווֹי, לְעִילָא לְגַבֵּי בַעִִלָהּ.
In the morning prayer it rises in the name that's called E"L - Ha-E"L hagadol precisely. In the afternoon prayer it rises in the name called ELHY"M. In the evening prayer it rises in the name called YKW"K. And the hint of the thing (ibid. 50:1), "E"L ELHY"M YKW"K dibber wayyikra aretz/ ... has spoken, and called the Land."
בִּצְלוֹתָא דְשַׁחֲרִית סָלְקָא בִשְׁמָא דְאִתְקְרֵי אֵ"ל, הָאֵ"ל הַגָּדוֹל וַדַּאי, בִּצְלוֹתָא דְמִנְחָה סְלִיקַת בִּשְׁמָא דְאִתְקְרֵי אלהי"ם, בִּצְלוֹתָא דְעַרְבִית סְלִיקַת בִּשְׁמָא דְאִתְקְרֵי יהו"ה, וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה אֵ"ל אלהי"ם יהו"ה דִּבֶּר וַיִּקְרָא אָרֶץ שם נ א.
The masters of Mishnah said that a man needs to wait an hour [wait a while; have some quiet time] before praying, and a while after praying. Now the hint of the thing that he should tarry a while inside his prayer, is because it says (Gen. 24:21), "And the ish (man) mishta'eh (stared, tarried) at her, mach'rish holding his peace" [also SAH = to devastate, ruin; and ChRSh = to plough] the same [word, ish] of which it says (Ex. 15:3), "H' ish milchamah/ H' is a man of war." So after a man has tarried and prayed, if his prayer was fluent in his mouth then his prayer was definitely received.
וְאָמְרוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, דְּצָרִיךְ בַּר נַשׁ בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ לִשְׁהוֹת שָׁעָה אַחַת קֳדָם דִּמְצַלֵּי, וְשָׁעָה אַחַת לְבָתַר דִּמְצַלֵּי, וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה דְיִשְׁהֵא בִצְלוֹתֵיהּ שַׁעִִתָּא חֲדָא, בְּגִין דְּאִתְּמַר (בראשית כד, כא) וְהָאִישׁ מִשְׁתָּאֵה לָהּ מַחֲרִישׁ, הַהוּא דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ (שמות טו, ג) יהו"ה אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה, וּלְבָתַר דְּשָׁהָא לֵיהּ בַּר נַשׁ וְצַלִּי, אִם שְׁגוּרָה תְּפִלָּתוֹ בְּפִיו וַדַּאי אִתְקַבַּל צְלוֹתֵיהּ.
And the hint of the thing is, A man needs to tarry [during relations] and let his wife [climax] first, like it says (Lev. 12:2) "A woman issues seed and gives birth to a male." (The hint of the thing is a woman climaxing first will bear a male; furthermore (Ps. 136:23) "shebeshifleynu zakhar lanu/ Who in our lowliness has remembered us," and the hint of the thing is that in a man's humility he will definitely be remembered for good.)
וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה בַר נַשׁ צָרִיךְ לְמִשְׁהֶא וְאִתְּתָא לְאַקְדָּמָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (ויקרא יב, ב) אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ וְיָלְדָה זָכָר, (ורזא דמלה אשה מזרעת תחלה יולדת זכר, ועוד (תהלים קלו, כג) שבשפלנו זכר לנו, ורזא דמלה שבשפלותו של אדם זכור יזכרנו לטובה).
Another thing: If his prayer is fluent in his mouth, it's the hint of, "Wayhi hu terem-killah ledabber w'hinneh Ribkah yotzeth/ And it happened, he, before he finished speaking, and behold Rivkah comes out." (Gen. 24:15) And the hint of the thing is (Isa. 65:24) "And it will be, before they will call, and I will answer. Still they're speaking and I will have heard." Fortunate is he that does not obstruct the Matronita from going up to the King. For whoever's prayer is fluent in his mouth with no obstacle, he hastens the Matronita to the King. Woe to people of obstructed heart and eyes, who do not try to know the dearness of their Master to appease Him with His Shekhinah, with many supplications and placations, to bring Him down to His Shekhinah! All the more so, to arouse in Him His love toward her, as they established, "Who chooses His people Yisrael, in love."
וְעוֹד אִם שְׁגוּרָה תְּפִלָּתוֹ בְּפִיו, אִיהוּ רָזָא וַיְהִי הוּא טֶרֶם כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר וְהִנֵּה רִבְקָה יוֹצֵאת (בראשית כד, טו), וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה וְהָיָה טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה, עוֹד הֵם מְדַבְּרִים וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁמָע (ישעיהו סה, כד), זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מָאן דְּלָא מְעַכֵּב מַטְרוֹנִיתָא לְסַלְקָא לְמַלְכָּא, דְּכָל מָאן דְּאִיהוּ צְלוֹתֵיהּ שְׁגוּרָה בְּפִימוֹי בְּלָא עִכּוּבָא, הַהוּא מְמַהֵר מַטְרוֹנִיתָא לְמַלְכָּא, וַוי לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא דְאִינוּן אֲטִימִין לִבָּא וְעַיְינִין, דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּדְלִין לְמִנְדַּע בִּיקָרָא דְמָארֵיהוֹן לְרַצּוּיֵי לֵיהּ בִּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ, בְּכַמָּה תַּחֲנוּנִים וּפִיּוּסִים, לְנַחֲתָא לֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְאַתְעָרָא בֵיהּ רְחִימוּ לְגַבָּהּ, כְּמָה דְתַקִּינוּ הַבּוֹחֵר בְּעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה.
And when standing before Him, one needs to stand before Him in awe. Fortunate are those Yisrael that know how to satisfy their Master as He ought to be, and to join in their mouths and prayers these two Names which are YAKDWNK"Y. At that time "A"Z tikra WYKWK ya`aneh/ Then you'll call and Hashem will answer" (Isa. 58:1) - WYKWK is He and His court of justice, and this is the Shekhina (o.v. and this is the Upper Chokhmah and the Shekhina) (o.v. Chokhmah) Upper and Lower, and this is the hint of (Ps. 68:14) "Im-tish'kebun bein-shefatayim/ If (or mother) you lie (lay) down between the judges (lips)" which is the korban of the Holy Blessed One, for precisely the Shekhinah is His korban, and therefore they ordained prayer in [the place of] korban.
וְכַד קַיְימִין קֳדָמֵיהּ, צָרִיךְ לְמֵיקַם קֳדָמֵיהּ בִּדְחִילוּ, זַכָּאִין אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּיָדְעִין לְפַיְיסָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן כִּדְקָא יָאוּת, וּלְחַבְּרָא בְּפִימַיְיהוּ בִּצְלוֹתְהוֹן תְּרֵין שְׁמָהָן אִלֵּין דְּאִינוּן יאהדונה"י, דִּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא אָ"ז תִּקְרָא וַיהו"ה יַעֲנֶה (ישעיהו נח, א), וַיהו"ה הוּא וּבֵית דִּינוֹ, וְדָא שְׁכִינְתָּא (נ"א ודא חכמתא עלאה ושכינתא) (נ"א חכמה) עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה, וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא אִם תִּשְׁכְּבוּן בֵּין שְׁפַתָּיִם (תהלים סח, יד), דְּאִיהִי קָרְבָּנָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְוַדַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי קָרְבָּנָא דִילֵיהּ, וּבְגִין דָּא תַּקִּינוּ צְלוֹתָא בְּקָרְבָּנָא.
And she is the `Olah/ Elevation-burnt offering - elevation precisely. Fortunate is he that raises her befittingly, for He inquires about her (Song 8:5), "MI zoth `olah/ Who is this going up" - elevation precisely - "min-ha'midbar/ from the desert" - from the speech precisely, for the Holy Blessed One considers his mouth like mount Sinai, and therefore MI zoth `olah min-hamidbar etc.
הִיא הָעוֹלָה, הָעוֹלָה וַדַּאי, זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מָאן דְּסָלִיק לָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוּת, דְּאִיהוּ שְׁאִיל בְּגִינָהּ (שיר ח, ה) מִי זֹאת עוֹלָה, עוֹלָה וַדַּאי, מִן הַמִּדְבָּר, מִן הַמְּדַבֵּר וַדַּאי, דְּפִימוֹי חָשִׁיב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּטוּרָא דְסִינַי, וּבְגִין דָּא מִי זֹאת עוֹלָה מִן הַמִּדְבָּר וְגוֹמֵר.
"M'kuteret-mor/ Risen up in a column of incense-smoke - myrrh (ibid. 3:6) - this is the morning prayer established by Abraham who is Mor, the chief. Also, m'kuteret-mor - (ibid. 1:13) "tz'ror ha'mor dodi-li/ The bundle of the Mor, my Beloved is to me" - and this is Netzach that goes up on the right; this is the scripture (Ps. 16:11) "n`imoth biyminekha netzach/ pleasures are at Your right hand forevermore." Ul'bonah/ frankincense - is Hod which goes up to her [Binah] in Gevurah. "Mikol-abkat rokhel/ with all the powder of the traveling merchant" - this is the Tzadik who goes up in the Central Pillar. And if the Shekhinah does not go up in his prayer, as a korban to the Holy Blessed One, behold a dog comes down to eat his korban. Woe to him! Better he were not created in the world! And of him it says (Prov. 19:23), "Gam b'lo-da`at nefesh lo-tob/ Also without awareness, is this not-good soul."
מְקֻטֶּרֶת מֹר שם ג ו דָּא צְלוֹתָא דְשַׁחֲרִית דְּתַקִּין אַבְרָהָם דְּהוּא מֹר, וְעוֹד מְקֻטֶּרֶת מֹר, שם א יג צְרוֹר הַמֹּר דּוֹדִי לִי, וְדָא נֶצַח דְּסָלִיק לָהּ בִּימִינָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים טז, יא) נְעִימוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶצַח, וּלְבוֹנָה דָא הוֹד, דְּסָלִיק לָהּ בִּגְבוּרָה, מִכֹּל אַבְקַת רוֹכֵל דָּא צַדִּיק, דְּסָלִיק לָהּ בְּעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא, וְאִם לָא סָלְקָא שְׁכִינְתָּא בִצְלוֹתֵיהּ, קָרְבָּנָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הָא כַּלְבָּא קָא נָחִית לְמֵיכַל קָרְבָּנָא דִילֵיהּ, וַוי לֵיהּ טַב לֵיהּ דְּלָא אִתְבְּרִי בְּעָלְמָא, וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר (משלי יט, כג) גַּם בְּלֹא דַעַת נֶפֶשׁ לֹא טוֹב.
But when the Shekhina goes up in his prayer, numerous Chayot and the Merkava and the Wheels of the Throne, are all excited to go to her with Niggun/song/melody in chedwah/joy, with all their wings open facing to greet her. Behold, here we have explained (Eze. 1:11), "Uf'neihem w'kanfeihem p'rudoth mil'ma`lah/ And their faces and their wings spread out from above."
וְכַד סָלְקָא שְׁכִינְתָּא בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ, כַּמָּה חֵיוָון וּמֶרְכַּבְתָּא וְגַלְגַּלֵּי דְכוּרְסַיָּיא, כֻּלְּהוּ יִתְעָרוּן לְגַבָּהּ בְּנִגּוּנָא בְּחֶדְוָה, וְכֻלְּהוּ גַדְפַיְיהוּ פְּתִיחָן לְקַבְּלָא לָהּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהוּ (יחזקאל א, יא) וּפְנֵיהֶם וְכַנְפֵיהֶם פְּרוּדוֹת מִלְמָעִִלָה.