ה וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה: לְדִידִי חָזֵי לִי הַהִיא אַקְרוּקְתָא, דַּהֲוֵי כִּי אַקְרָא דְּהַגְרוֹנְיָא. וְאַקְרָא דְּהַגְרוֹנְיָא כַּמָּה הֲוֵי, שִׁתִּין בָּתֵּי. אֲתָא תַּנִּינָא בְּלַעָהּ. אֲתָא פּוּשְׁקַנְצָא וּבְלַעֵהּ לְתַנִּינָא, וּסְלִיק יְתִב בְּאִילָנָא. תָּא חֲזִי כַּמָּה נָפִישׁ חֵילָא דְּאִילָנָא. אָמַר רַב פַּפָּא בַּר שְׁמוּאֵל: אִי לָאו דַּהֲוִי הָתָם לָא הֵימְנֵהּ: 5. This is what Rabbah bar bar Chanah recounted: I myself saw this akrukta which was as akra deHagrunia (the city of Hagrunia). And how large was the city of Hagrunia? sixty houses. A tanina (serpent) came by and swallowed it. A pushkantza (raven) came by and swallowed the serpent, and then ascended a tree and sat there. Come and see how great was the st rength of that tree! Rabbi Papa the son of Shmuel said: Had I not been there, I would never have believed him! (Bava Batra 73b).
אַקְרוּקְתָא – פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: צְפַרְדֵּעַ, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת עֲלִיַּת הַיִּרְאָה לְשָׁרְשָׁהּ, הַיְנוּ דַּעַת, כִּי צְפַרְדֵּעַ הִיא מִלָּה מֻרְכֶּבֶת: צִפֹּר דֵּעָה (תנא דבי אליהו רבה פ"ז ובכוונות ההגדה), וְצִפּוֹר הוּא בְּחִינַת יִרְאָה, בְּחִינַת אֶרֶץ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו כ״ד:ט״ז): מִכְּנַף הָאָרֶץ זְמִירוֹת וְכוּ', וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם ס): מִי אֵלֶּה – אוֹתִיּוֹת אֱלֹקִים – כָּעָב תְּעוּפֶינָה וְכוּ'; וְדֵעָה הִיא שֹׁרֶשׁ הַיִּרְאָה. akrukta — Rashbam explains that this is a tzephardeah. This alludes to the elevation of fear to its source, i.e., daat. This is because the word TZePhaRDeAh is a composite of TZiPoR (bird) and DeAh (knowledge) (Tanna d’Bei Eliyahu 1:7). A bird corresponds to fear/earth, as in (Isaiah 24:16), “From the knaf (corner) of the earth we heard songs.” And, as is written (Isaiah 60:8), “MI EiLeH (Who are these)”—the same letters as ELoHIM —“that fly as a cloud.” And deah is the source of fear.
וְדַמְיָא לְאַקְרָא דְּהַגְרוֹנְיָא – לְשׁוֹן (שם נח): קְרָא בְגָרוֹן, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּנִגְלֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (עירובין נד.): לְמוֹצִיאֵיהֶם בַּפֶּה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי עֲלִיַּת הַיִּרְאָה לִבְחִינַת דַּעַת, זוֹכִין לַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּנִגְלֶה. which was as aKRA (the city) of haGRUNia — This is phonetically similar to “KRA b’GaRUN (cry out from the throat)” (Isaiah 58:1). This is a reference to the revealed Torah, as our Sages taught: l’motzI’eihem (to those who express them) verbally (Eruvin 54a). For by elevating the fear to the aspect of daat, one merits the revealed Torah.
וְאַקְרָא דְּהַגְרוֹנְיָא כַּמָּה הֲוָה, שִׁתִּין בָּתֵּי – זֶה בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, כִּי כְּשֶׁאָנוּ קוֹרְאִין לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בִּתְאָרִים שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם, וְהוּא נִמְצָא לָנוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו, זֶה חֶסֶד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי אִם לֹא הָיָה בְּחַסְדֵּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, לֹא הָיָה כְּדַאי לִקְרֹא וּלְכַנּוֹת אֶת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּתְאָרִים וּשְׁבָחִים וְתֵבוֹת וְאוֹתִיּוֹת, אֲבָל זֶה הַכֹּל חֶסֶד שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְזֶה: שִׁתִּין בָּתֵּי – זֶה בְּחִינַת חֶסֶד, בְּחִינַת אַבְרָהָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שיר השירים ו׳:ח׳): שִׁשִּׁים הֵמָּה מְלָכוֹת, פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: זֶה בְּחִינַת אַבְרָהָם; וּבָתֵּי – לְשׁוֹן בָּתֵּי מַלְכוּת. And how large was the city of Hagrunia? sixty houses — This corresponds to prayer. For when we call out to the Holy One in the imagery of man and He makes Himself available to us “whenever we call upon Him” (Deuteronomy 4:7), this is God’s lovingkindness. This is because, were it not for God’s kindnesses, it would not be appropriate to call out and make reference to God with imagery, praises, words and letters. But all this is God’s lovingkindness. And this is sixty houses —corresponding to lovingkindness, the aspect of Avraham. As it is written (Song of Songs 6:8), “There are sixty kingdoms,” which Rashi explains as referring to Avraham. And houses connotes houses of kingship.
וְזֶה (שם ב): סַמְּכוּנִי בָּאֲשִׁישׁוֹת – כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּשִׂימִין אֲשִׁישׁוֹת כְּנֶגֶד אוֹר גָּדוֹל, כְּדֵי לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בָּאוֹר הַגָּדוֹל עַל־יְדֵי אֲשִׁישׁוֹת, כֵּן גָּזַר חַסְדּוֹ לִסְמֹךְ אוֹתָנוּ בַּתְּאָרִים וּשְׁבָחִים הָאֵלּוּ. וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן: סַמְּכוּנִי, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת סָמֶ"ךְ, וּבְחִינַת שִׁשִּׁים הֵמָּה מְלָכוֹת, בְּחִינַת אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת סָמֶ"ךְ בָּתֵּי. This is the meaning of “samkhuni b’AShiShoT (support me with the wine jugs)” (Song of Songs 2:5). This is like holding up AShaShoT (crystal reflectors) against a powerful light in order to look at the powerful light through the reflectors. Similarly, His lovingkindness decreed that we be supported by [i.e., rely upon] this imagery and praise. And this is the connotation of SaMKhuni, it corresponds to SaMeKh (sixty), and to “There are sixty kingdoms.” This is the aspect of Avraham, for he corresponds to the samekh houses.
וַאֲתָא תַּנִּינָא וּבְלַעָהּ – תַּנִּינָא זֶה בְּחִינַת נָחָשׁ, שֶׁמֵּסִית אֶת הָאָדָם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל לְתוֹעֶלֶת עַצְמוֹ, כְּמוֹ: הַב לָנָא חַיֵּי וּמְזוֹנָא, אוֹ שְׁאָר תּוֹעֶלֶת. A tanina came by and swallowed it — Tanina indicates the aspect of a serpent. It lures a person into praying for personal benefit, such as, “Give us life and livelihood” (Tikkuney Zohar, p.22a), or other [similar] benefits.
וַאָתֵי פּוּשְׁקַנְצָא וּבְלַעֵהּ – פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: עוֹרֵב; וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (עירובין כב.): "מִי שֶׁמַּשְׁחִיר פָּנָיו כְּעוֹרֵב", וּ"מִי שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה אַכְזָרִי עַל בָּנָיו כְּעוֹרֵב", הַיְנוּ שֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּלִי שׁוּם כַּוָּנַת תּוֹעֶלֶת עַצְמוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ חוֹשֵׁב לִכְלוּם אֶת עַצְמוֹ, וְנִתְבַּטֵּל כָּל עַצְמוּתוֹ וְגַשְׁמִיּוּתוֹ, וְנִתְבַּטֵּל כְּאִלּוּ אֵינוֹ בָּעוֹלָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים מ״ד:כ״ג): כִּי־עָלֶיךָ הֹרַגְנוּ כָּל־הַיּוֹם. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שיר השירים ה׳:י״א): שְׁחוֹרוֹת כְּעוֹרֵב. וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה: A pushkantza came by and swallowed it — Rashbam explains that this is an orev. And our Sages taught: [With whom is the Torah to be found?] With the one who makes his face as black as a raven, and one who makes himself cruel to his children as the raven (Eruvin 22a). That is, he prays without any concern for personal benefit. He does not consider himself as having any worth, so that all his selfhood and corporeality are eliminated. He is thus negated, as if he were not in this world, as it is written (Psalms 44:23), “For Your sake, we are killed each day.” This corresponds to “black as a raven” (Song of Songs 5:11). And through this:
סְלֵיק וִיתִב בְּאִילָנָא – שֶׁזּוֹכֶה לִבְחִינוֹת תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּנִסְתָּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים י״ח:י״ב): יָשֶׁת חשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ – שֶׁסִּתְרֵי־תּוֹרָה אָדָם זוֹכֶה לָהֶם עַל־יְדֵי חשֶׁךְ, הַיְנוּ מְסִירַת־ נֶפֶשׁ, שֶׁמַּשְׁחִיר פָּנָיו כְּעוֹרֵב, כִּי הֵם בְּחִינַת חשֶׁךְ עַל שֵׁם עֹמֶק הַמֻּשָּׂג. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: סְלֵיק וִיתִב בְּאִילָנָא – שֶׁשָּׁם מְדוֹר הַנְּשָׁמוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (זוהר משפטים דף צט.): כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין מֵאִילָנָא רַבְרְבָא נָפְקִין, ascended a tree and sat there — This is meriting the aspect of hidden Torah, as is written (Psalms 18:11), “He made darkness SiTRo (His hidden place).” A person merits the SiTRey (hidden mysteries of) Torah through darkness—i.e., self-sacrifice—for he “makes his face as black as a raven.” For [the hidden Torah] corresponds to darkness due to its deep concepts. And this is: It ascended a tree and sat there. [The tree] is the dwelling place of the souls, as is written (Zohar II, 99a): All the souls emanate from the Great Tree.
וְהוּא בְּחִינַת עוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁשָּׁם אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו ס״ה:כ״ב): כִּימֵי עֵץ יְמֵי עַמִּי; וְזֶה זוֹכֶה עַל־יְדֵי תְּפִלָּה, כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־ בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, And [the hidden Torah] is an aspect of the World to Come, in which there is length of days, as in (Isaiah 65:22), “As the days of a tree, so shall the days of My people be.” This is merited through prayer, for the Holy One desires the prayer of the Jewish people (cf. Chullin 60b).
וּכְשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִתְפַּלְּלִין לְפָנָיו וּמְמַלְּאִין תַּאֲוָתוֹ, אֲזַי נַעֲשֶׂה, כִּבְיָכוֹל, בִּבְחִינַת אִשָּׁה, שֶׁהוּא מְקַבֵּל תַּעֲנוּג מֵעִמָּנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (במדבר כ״ח:כ״ד): אִשֶּׁה רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַה' – עַל־יְדֵי הָרֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל נַעֲשֶׂה בִּבְחִינַת אִשָּׁה, וּ"נְקֵבָה תְּסוֹבֵב גָּבֶר" (ירמיהו ל״א:כ״ב), שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא נַעֲשֶׂה בִּבְחִינַת מַלְבּוּשׁ נִגְלֶה, הַיְנוּ מִבְּחִינַת שֶׁהָיָה מִתְּחִלָּה בְּנִסְתָּר, עַכְשָׁו נִתְגַּלֶּה עַל־יְדֵי הַתְּפִלָּה, וְקֻדְשָׁא־בְּרִיךְ־הוּא וְאוֹרַיְתָא כֹּלָּא חַד, וְאָז עַל־יְדֵי הַתְּפִלָּה נִתְגַּלֶּה אוֹרַיְתָא, הַיְנוּ סִתְרֵי אוֹרַיְתָא. And, when the Jews pray before Him and satisfy His desire, then [God], as it were, takes on the aspect of IShaH (the feminine). This is because He receives pleasure from us, as is written (Numbers 28:8), “It is an ISheH (fire offering), an appeasing fragrance to God.” Through the appeasing fragrance that He receives, He takes on the feminine aspect. And, [because] “The female shall court the male” (Jeremiah 31:21), the Holy One takes on the aspect of a “revealed garment.” In other words, that aspect which was originally hidden is now revealed through prayer. And, God and the Torah are one (Zohar III, 73a). Thus, through prayer, Torah is revealed—i.e., the hidden mysteries of the Torah.
תָּא חֲזִי כַּמָּה נָפִישׁ חֵילָא דְּאִילָנָא – הַיְנוּ, כַּמָּה נָפִישׁ חֵילָא דְּהַאי סִתְרֵי־תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאֵין יְכוֹלִים לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּשׁוּם דָּבָר מֻגְבָּל, בְּשׁוּם גּוּף, אֶלָּא בְּמִי שֶׁמַּשְׁחִיר פָּנָיו כְּעוֹרֵב וְנַעֲשֶׂה כְּעוֹרֵב עַל בָּנָיו: Come and see how great was the strength of that tree! — That is, [come see] how great is the strength of those mysteries of Torah. It cannot be clothed in anything finite or physical, but only in the one who “makes his face as black as a raven” and behaves as a raven to his children. {There are five possessions which the Holy One acquired in His world: Torah is one possession; heaven and earth are one possession; Avraham is one possession; Israel [the Jewish people] is one possession; the Holy Temple is one possession (Avot 6:10).}