Chapter Forty-Nine (פֶּרֶק אַרְבָּעִים וְתִשְׁעָה)

It is known that the Klipah [Shell] precedes holiness in everything (יָדוּעַ שֶׁהַקְּלִיפָּה קָדְמָה לַקְּדוּשָּׁה בְּכָל דָּבָר), and even in a place where there is no room for the Chitzonim [External Forces] to grasp (וַאֲפִלּוּ הֵיכָא שֶׁאֵין מָקוֹם לַחִיצוֹנִים לֶאֱחוֹז שָׁם), there is in it a good Klipah [Shell] (יֵשׁ בּוֹ קְלִיפָּה טוֹבָה). The analogy for this is the peels of sugar cane (הַמָּשָׁל בָּזֶה: קְלִיפוֹת הַקָּנֶה סוּכָּר), which are very good (טוֹבָה עַד מְאֹוד), but in the end, they are still Klipah [Shell] (אֲבָל סוֹף סוֹף הִיא קְלִיפָּה), as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, peace be upon him, said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמֵר הָרַשְׁבִּ״י ע״ה): “This is Klipah [Shell] to this, and this is moach [brain] to this” (׳דָּא קְלִיפָּה לְדָא, וְדָא מוֹחָא לְדָא׳). And we find that Gehinnom surrounds Gan Eden from above (וּמָצִינוּ שֶׁהַגֵּיהִנּוֹם מַקִּיף הַגַּן־עֵדֶן לְמַעְלָה), and about this Rabbi Yoḥanan, peace be upon him, was distressed (וְעַל זֶה נִצְטַעֵר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן ע״ה), when he said: “I do not know by which path they will lead me” (שֶׁאָמַר: ׳אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ בְּאֵי־זֶה דֶרֶךְ מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתִי׳), “whether on the path of life or on the snares of death” (׳אִם בְּדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים וְאִם בְּמוֹקְשֵׁי מָוֶת׳), which are thirty-two thousand myriads of pathways (שֶׁהֵם ל״ב אֶלֶף רְבָבוֹת נְתִיבוֹת), that are called “snares of death” (הַנִּקְרָאִים מוֹקְשֵׁי־מָוֶת), and if a man errs into these paths (וְאִם אָדָם טוֹעֶה עַצְמוֹ אֶל הַנְּתִיבוֹת הָאֵלֶּה), he remains in Gehinnom (נִשְׁאָר בַּגֵּיהִנּוֹם). For the Klipot [Shells] of Amalek are called the barking dog that howls (כִּי קְלִיפּוֹת עֲמָלֵק הַנִּקְרֵאת כֶּלֶב הַמְנַבֵּחַ וְצוֹעֵק), and in this is a hint to the destroying angels of Gehinnom (וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה סִימָן אֶל מַלְאֲכֵי מַשְׁחִית שֶׁל גֵּיהִנּוֹם), who are called “Iniquity, Destroyer, Anger, and Wrath” (הַנִּקְרָאִים: עָוֹן, מַשְׁחִית, אַף, וְחֵימָה), as alluded to in the verse: “And He, being merciful, atoned for iniquity and did not destroy” (הַמְּרוּמָזִים בַּפָּסוּק: ׳וְהוּא רַחוּם יְכַפֵּר עָוֹן וְלֹא יַשְׁחִית׳) (Psalms 78). When evening comes, that is their time of dominion (כְּשֶׁמַּגִּיעַ עֵת עֶרֶב—הוּא זְמַן שָׁלִיטָתָם), therefore we pray for the wicked who are in Gehinnom (לָכֵן אָנוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִים עַל הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁבַּגֵּיהִנּוֹם), that “He should not arouse against them all His wrath,” Heaven forbid (שֶׁלֹּא יִתְעוֹרֵר עֲלֵיהֶם כָּל חֲמָתוֹ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם).

And on this path of life (וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים הַזֶּה), there is a journey of three days (יֵשׁ בּוֹ מַהֲלַךְ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים), of darkness and gloom (חֹשֶׁךְ וַאֲפֵלָה). And if he is a Tzaddik, he merits (וְאִם הוּא צַדִּיק זוֹכֶה), that the light of the Shekhinah is revealed to him (שֶׁמִּתְגַּלֶּה אֵלָיו אוֹר הַשְּׁכִינָה), and it shines for him on this dark path (וּמֵאִיר לוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ הָאֲפֵלָה הַלָּזֶה), as it is said: “And the Ark of the Covenant of Hashem traveled before them a journey of three days to seek out for them a resting place” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ׳וַאֲרוֹן בְּרִית י־הוָ״ד נוֹסֵעַ לִפְנֵיהֶם דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים לָתוּר לָהֶם מְנוּחָה׳) (Numbers 10). But if not, Heaven forbid (וְאִם לָאו, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), he strays in these paths (הוּא טוֹעֶה בַּנְּתִיבוֹת הָאֵלֶּה), as it is said: “The path of life is upward for the wise, to turn away from She’ol below” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ׳אוֹרַח חַיִּים לְמַעְלָה לַמַּשְׂכִּיל לְמַעַן סוּר מִשְּׁאוֹל מָטָּה׳) (Proverbs 15). And in any case, he is compelled to go through Gehinnom (וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים הוּא מֻכְרָח לֵילֵךְ דֶּרֶךְ גֵּיהִנּוֹם), which is the journey of the three days mentioned above (שֶׁהוּא מַהֲלַךְ ג׳ יָמִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים), where the soul receives chirpings of Teshuvah (שֶׁלוֹקַח הַנְּשָׁמָה צִפְצוּפֵי תְשׁוּבָה), as our Sages, of blessed memory, said regarding Elisha Aḥer (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַז״ל אֵצֶל אֱלִישָׁע אַחֵר): “It seems he passed away amidst Teshuvah” (דּוֹמֶה שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ תְּשׁוּבָה נִפְטָר) (Yerushalmi Chagigah 2:1). And he also takes with him sparks of purity up above (וְלוֹקֵחַ גַּם כֵּן נִצּוֹצוֹת טָהֳרָה עִמּוֹ לְמַעְלָה), as it is said: “Small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ׳קָטֹן וְגָדוֹל שָׁם הוּא, וְעֶבֶד חָפְשִׁי מֵאֲדֹנָיו׳) (Job 3). For he is compelled to go through there (כִּי מֻכְרָח הוּא לֵילֵךְ דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם), and all of this is because evil guards the good (וְכָל זֶה הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָרַע שׁוֹמֵר אֶת הַטּוֹב), so that one who is unworthy will not ascend (כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלֶה מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לַעֲלוֹת). Therefore evil surrounds the good (לָכֵן הָרַע מַקִּיף אֶת הַטּוֹב). And so too with the treasures that are in the earth (וְכֵן הָאוֹצָרוֹת שֶׁבָּאָרֶץ), which are guarded for the days of Mashiach in the future to come (הַשְּׁמוּרִים לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא), as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (כְּאָמְרָם ז״ל), that demons and destructive forces sit upon them and guard them (שֶׁשֵּׁדִים וּמַזִּיקִין יוֹשְׁבִים עֲלֵיהֶם וּשׁוֹטְרִים אוֹתָם) (Berakhot 62a). And so too the vessels of the Beit haMikdash [Holy Temple](וְכֵן כְּלֵי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ), and the treasures of Yerushalayim (וְאוֹצְרוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם), and all the storehouses and hidden treasures of delight (וְכָל אוֹצְרוֹת וּגְנָזֵי חֶמְדָּה), some of which are in the hands of angels (הַגְּנוּזִים קְצָתָם בְּיַד הַמַּלְאָכִים), and some in the hands of destructive spirits (וּקְצָתָם בְּיַד מַזִּיקִים), as there is a Baraita that explicitly explains this matter well (כַּאֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ עַל זֶה בְּרַיְיתָא שֶׁמְּפוֹרָשׁ בָּהּ הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה בָּאֵר הֵיטֵב). And therefore, all commerce is with great toil (וְלָכֵן כָּל מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן הוּא בִּטְרָח גָּדוֹל), as it is said: “By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ׳בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ תֹּאכַל לֶחֶם׳) (Genesis 3). For the evil precedes the good (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָרַע קוֹדֵם אֶל הַטּוֹב), and therefore also at the source of silver and gold (וְלָכֵן גַּם כֵּן עַל מוֹצָא הַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב), there are found some of them (נִמְצָאִים שָׁם מֵהֶם), from among the destructive forces (מִן הַמַּזִּיקִים). They dwell upon the place of the source of the treasures of silver and gold in particular (יוֹשְׁבִים עַל מְקוֹם מוֹצָא מַטְמוֹנִית שֶׁל הַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב בְּיוֹתֵר).

And the reason is (וְהַטַּעַם): because in every place, the evil surrounds the good (כִּי כָל מָקוֹם הָרַע מַקִּיף הַטּוֹב), and evil precedes in order to guard it (וְהָרַע קוֹדֵם לְשָׁמְרוֹ), as it is said: “The keruvim and the flaming sword turning every way to guard the way to the Tree of Life” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ׳אֶת הַכְּרוּבִים וְאֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת לִשְׁמֹר אֶת דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים׳) (Genesis 3). And all the desire and longing of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (וְכָל תַּאֲוָה וְחֶשְׁקַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ ע״ה), was to remove them from there (הָיְתָה לְהָסִירָם מִשָּׁם), so that the Torah and its secrets not be forgotten from Yisrael (כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תִּשָּׁכַח הַתּוֹרָה וְסוֹדוֹתֶיהָ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל). And all the evil and impure worlds (וְכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת הָרָעִים וְהַטְּמֵאִים), will be consumed and brought to an end (יִכְלוּ וְיִתַּמּוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם), in a single moment they will perish (כְּרֶגַע יֹאבֵדוּ). And then it will be said: “He will swallow up death forever” (וְאָז נֶאֱמַר: ׳בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח׳) (Isaiah 25). And for this we hope and long (וְעַל זֶה אָנוּ מְצַפִּים וּמְיַחֲלִים), in prayer to our God in heaven (בִּתְפִלָּה לֵאלֹהֵינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם), especially in the prayer of Shemoneh Esrei (וּבִפְרָט בִּתְפִלַּת י״ח). And the kingdom of wickedness—of Samael and Rahav and their companions (וּמַלְכוּת זְדוֹן שֶׁל סַמְאֵ״ל וְרָחָב וַחֲבֵרָיו), may it be swiftly uprooted and shattered (מְהֵרָה תֵּעָקֵר וְתִשָּׁבֵר), and annihilated and subdued speedily in our days (וְתִמָּגֵר וְתִכָּנֵעַ בְּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ), Blessed are You, Hashem, who breaks enemies and subdues the arrogant (בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה י״י, שׁוֹבֵר אוֹיְבִים וּמַכְנִיעַ זֵדִים). And of this it is said: “I will destroy his fruit from above and his roots from below” (וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: ׳וְאַשְׁמִיד פִּרְיוֹ מִמַּעַל וְשָׁרָשָׁיו מִתָּחַת׳) (Amos 2). For first Hashem will punish the host of the high ones on high (כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה ׳יִפְקֹד י״י עַל צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם׳), and afterward upon the kingship of the earth (וְאַחַר כָּךְ ׳עַל מַלְכוּת הָאֲדָמָה׳) (Isaiah 24). Blessed is Hashem forever, amen and amen (יִתְבָּרֵךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם, אָמֵן וְאָמֵן), and blessed is Hashem forever, amen and amen (וּבָרוּךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם, אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).