Chapters Four and Five (פְּרָקִים רְבִיעִי וַחֲמִישִּׁי)

And now you must know (וְעַתָּה צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), the punishment of the wicked (עֹנֶשׁ הָרְשָׁעִים), for the severe transgressions that they committed (עַל הָעֲבֵירוֹת חֲמוּרוֹת שֶׁעָשׂוּ), but a mere extremity of it (אֶפֶס קָצֵהוּ). You will see, yet all of it you shall not see (תִּרְאֶה וְכֻלּוֹ לֹא תִרְאֶה). See in Sha‘ar Sachar ve‘Onesh [Gate of Reward and Punishment] (עַיֵּן בְּשַׁעַר שָׂכָר וְעוֹנֶשׁ), and there you will quench your thirst (וְשָׁם תִּרְוֶה צִמְאָךְ). And behold, one who sinned in the transgression of lying with a male (וְהִנֵּה מִי שֶׁחָטָא בַּעֲוֹן מִשְׁכַּב זָכוּר), his judgment is to undergo Gilgul [Reincarnation] into animals (דִּינוֹ הוּא לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל בַּחַיּוֹת), and in particular into the hyrax and the hare (וּבִפְרָט בַּשָּׁפָן וְאַרְנֶבֶת), for they both lie and are lain with (שֶׁהֵן שׁוֹכְבִין וְנִשְׁכָּבִין). And the proof is from Nevuchadnezzar (וּרְאָיָּה מִנְּבוּכַדְנֶצַּר), who resembled every beast (שֶׁנִּדְמָה לְכָל חַיָּה), as though he were a female of its kind (כְּאִלּוּ הוּא נְקֵבָה מִמִּינָהּ), and all of them abused him (וְהָיוּ כֻּלָּן מִתְעַלְּלוֹת בּוֹ), as is known (כַּנּוֹדָע). And if he sinned with a woman (וְאִם חָטָא בְּאִשָּׁה), who is not of his kind (שֶׁאֵינָהּ מִינוֹ), and came upon the Aramean woman (וּבָא עַל הָאֲרָמִית), and transgressed the guarding against a menstruant, a maidservant, a gentile woman, and a harlot (וְעָבַר עַל נְטִירוּ נִדָּה שִׁפְחָה גּוֹיָה זוֹנָה), and blemished Malkhut, Yesod, Hod, Netzach (וּפָגַם בְּמַלְכוּת יְסוֹד הוֹד נֵצַח), as it is found in the Zohar, Parashat Beshalach, daf 2 (כְּדֵאִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת בְּשַׁלַּח דַּף ב׳), or with any animal, beast, or bird (אוֹ בְּכָל בְּהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף), whether impure or pure (הַטָּמֵא וְהַטָּהוֹר), one and the same law applies, to undergo Gilgul [Reincarnation] into them (אַחַת דָּתוֹ לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל בָּהֶם). And in detail they said (וּדֶרֶךְ פְּרָט אָמְרוּ): everyone who lies with an animal, his judgment is in the bat (כָּל הַבָּא עַל הַבְּהֵמָה דִּינוֹ בַּעֲטַלֵּף). With a beast or a bird, his judgment is in the raven (עַל חַיָּה וְעוֹף דִּינוֹ בָּעוֹרֵב). With the wife of his fellow, his judgment is in the donkey (עַל אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ דִּינוֹ בַּחֲמוֹר). With his sister, his judgment is in the stork (עַל אֲחוֹתוֹ דִּינוֹ בַּחֲסִידָה), as it is written about her (דִּכְתִיב בָּהּ): “for it is kindness” (כִּי חֶסֶד הִיא) (Leviticus 20). With his mother-in-law or with the wife of his father, his judgment is in the camel (עַל חֲמוֹתוֹ וְעַל אֵשֶׁת אָבִיו דִּינוֹ בַּגָּמָל), and some say: in the donkey (וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים בַּחֲמוֹר). With the wife of his brother, his judgment is in the male mule (עַל אֵשֶׁת אָחִיו דִּינוֹ בְּפֶרֶד זָכָר). And with his daughter-in-law, his judgment is in the female mule (וְעַל כַּלָּתוֹ דִּינוֹ בִּפְרָדָה נְקֵבָה). With a male, his judgment is in the hyrax and the hare (עַל הַזָּכָר דִּינוֹ בַּשָּׁפָן וְאַרְנֶבֶת). With the Aramean woman, his judgment is in the hoopoe (עַל הָאֲרָמִית דִּינוֹ בַּדּוּכִיפַת). With the menstruant, his judgment is in the Israelite harlot (עַל הַנִּדָּה דִּינוֹ בַּקְּדֵשָׁה יִשְׂרָאֵלִית). And there are those who exchange these last two with one another (וְיֵשׁ מַחֲלִיפִין בִּשְׁנַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים זֶה בָּזֶה).

And perhaps, according to them, the prohibition of the blood of the Aramean woman is lighter than the blood of the menstruant (וְדִילְמָא לְדִידְהוּ קַלִישׁ אִיסוּרָא דְּדַם אֲרָמִית יוֹתֵר מִדַּם נִדָּה). But the first version is primary (וְנוּסְחָא רִאשׁוֹנָה עִקָּר), for the blood is one matter and the body is another (כִּי דָּם לְחוּד וְגוּף לְחוּד). Thus I received from my teacher (כָּךְ קִבַּלְתִּי מִמּוֹרִי). And these words apply when he dies without complete repentance (וְהָנֵי מִילֵּי כְּשֶׁמֵּת בְּלֹא תְּשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה), or when he has no merit that suspends [the punishment] (אוֹ שֶׁאֵין לוֹ זְכוּת תּוֹלֶה). But if he has merit, his judgment is changed to purifying afflictions (שֶׁאִם יֵשׁ לוֹ זְכוּת מִשְׁתַּנֶּה דִּינוֹ לְיִסּוּרִין הַמְמָרְקִים). One who fabricates Names from his own heart, his judgment is in the cat (חֲבוֹדָה שֵׁמוֹת מִלִּבּוֹ דִּינוֹ בַּחָתוּל). One who fabricates halakhot from his own heart, and everything that he did not hear from his teacher, his judgment is in a known bird called, in the Arabic language, Ḥumah [an owl/night-bird] (הַבּוֹדֶה הֲלָכוֹת מִלִּבּוֹ וְכָל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא שָׁמַע מֵרַבּוֹ דִּינוֹ בְּעוֹף יָדוּעַ הַנִּקְרָא בִּלְשׁוֹן עֲרָבִי חוּמָה). And also one who behaved with cruelty toward the poor in the matter of collecting the tax (וְגַם מִי שֶׁנָּהַג אַכְזָרִיּוּת עִם הָעֲנִיִּים בְּעִנְיַן גְּבִיַּת הַמַּס), stripping the cloak from upon their shoulders and the bedding from beneath their bodies (שֶׁפָּשַׁט גְּלִימָא מֵעַל כְּתֵפֵיהֶם וְהַמִּשְׁכָּבוֹת מִתַּחַת גּוּפֵיהֶם). And cruelty like this—his judgment is in the cruel raven (וְאַכְזָרִיּוּת כַּדוֹמֶה לָזֶה דִּינוֹ בְּעוֹרֵב אַכְזָרִי). A cruel man shall come and enter into a cruel raven (יָבוֹא אִישׁ אַכְזָרִי וְיִכָּנֵס בְּעוֹרֵב אַכְזָרִי). And also one who delivers the wealth of Yisrael into the hands of the nations through his informing, his judgment is in the barking dog (וְגַם מִי שֶׁמוֹסֵר מָמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּידֵי גּוֹיִם עַל יְדֵי מַלְשִׁינוּתוֹ דִּינוֹ בְּכֶלֶב נוֹבֵחַ). As it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “And he called her Noveach by its name” (וַיִּקְרָא לָהּ נוֹבַח בִּשְׁמוֹ) (Numbers 32). And the word L״H [to her] is a notarikon [acrostic] for “lashon hara [evil speech]” (וּמִלַּת ל״ה נוֹטָרִיקוֹן לָשׁוֹן הָרָע), that is to say (רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר): a talebearer comes, a servant to his master, barking with his tongue in a barking dog (יָבוֹא מַלְשִׁין עַבְדָּא לְמָארֵיהּ נוֹבֵחַ בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ בְּכֶלֶב נוֹבֵחַ). And in II Kings (וּבְמְלָכִים ב׳): “They made Nibhaz” (עָשׂוּ אֶת נִבְחַז) (II Kings 17), which means “dog” (שֶׁפֵּרוּשׁוֹ כֶּלֶב). And there are other Gilgulim [Reincarnations] in impure and pure species, in the Vegetative and the Inanimate, according to the wickedness of the person (וְיֵשׁ גִּלְגּוּלִים אֲחֵרִים בְּמִינִים טְמֵאִים וּטְהוֹרִים בְּצוֹמֵחַ וְדוֹמֵם כְּפִי רִשְׁעָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם). May the Merciful One deliver us (רַחֲמָנָא לִשִׁיזְבַן). And the righteous, sons of Torah, who require cleansing, their judgment is in the fish of the sea (וְצַדִּיקִים בְּנֵי תּוֹרָה הַצְּרִיכִים מִירוּק דִּינָם בִּדְגֵי הַיָּם). And a sign for the matter (וְסִימָן לַדָּבָר): it is written concerning the righteous (כְּתִיב בַּצַּדִּיקִים), “and he expired and was gathered to his people” (וַיִּגְוַע וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל עַמָּיו) (Genesis 25), and it is written concerning the fish (וּכְתִיב אֵצֶל דְּגִים), “if all the fish of the sea were gathered for them” (אִם אֶת כָּל דְּגֵי הַיָּם יֵאָסֵף לָהֶם) (Numbers 11), to teach you a Gezeirah Shavah [Inference by Analogy] (לְלַמֶּדְךָ גְּזֵירָה שָׁוָה): it is said here, “gathering” (נֶאֱמַר כָּאן אֲסִיפָה), and it is said there, “gathering” (וְנֶאֱמַר לְהַלָּן אֲסִיפָה). Just as the gathering spoken of here refers to the righteous (מַה אֲסִיפָה הַנֶּאֱמֶרֶת כָּאן הִיא בַּצַּדִּיקִים), so the gathering spoken of there refers to the righteous (כָּךְ הָאֲסִיפָה הַנֶּאֱמֶרֶת לְהַלָּן הִיא בַּצַּדִּיקִים).

And so it is found in the Ra'aya Meheimna, Parashat Shemini, at the end of the section (וְכֵן אִיתָא בְּרַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמִינִי בְּסוֹף הַסִּדְרָא): fish and locusts do not require slaughter; rather, only their gathering permits them (דְּגִים וַחֲגָבִים אֵינָן טְעוּנִין שְׁחִיטָה אֶלָּא אֲסִיפָתָם הִיא הַמַּתִּירַת אוֹתָם). So too the masters of the academy do not require slaughter (הַכִּי נָמֵי מָארֵי מְתִיבְתָּא אֵין צְרִיכִין שְׁחִיטָה), but it is said concerning them (אֶלָּא דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן): “and he expired and was gathered to his people” (וַיִּגְוַע וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל עַמָּיו) (Genesis 25). Just as the fish of the sea, their life is in the sea, so too the Torah scholars, the masters of the Mishnah, their life is in the Orayta (מַה נוּנֵי יַמָּא חַיוֹתֵיהוֹן בְּיָמָּא אַף תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין חַיוֹתֵיהוֹן בְּאוֹרַיְּתָא). And if they are separated from it, they immediately die (וְאִי אִתְפָּרְשִׁין מִינָּהּ מִיָּד מֵתוּ). Therefore the Holy One, Blessed Be He, judges measure for measure (לָכֵן דָּן הקב״ה מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה). And the word “permits them” is an expression of loosening them from the chain of the strap of judgment (וּמִלַּת הַמַּתִּירַת אוֹתָם הוּא לְשׁוֹן מְנַתֵּק אוֹתָם מִשַּׁלְשֶׁלֶת רְצוּעַת הַדִּין). And afterwards they enter Gan Eden in purity (וּנְכוֹנִים אַחַר כָּךְ נְקִי לְגַן עֵדֶן). And the one who understands will understand (וְהַמֵּבִין יָבִין). And therefore it is a choice mitzvah to eat fish on Shabbat (וּלְפִיכָךְ מִצְוָה מִן הַמֻּבְחָר לֶאֱכוֹל דָּג בְּשַׁבָּת), and in particular at the third meal (וּבִפְרָט בִּסְעוּדָה שְׁלִישִׁית), for it is specifically a time of favor (שֶׁהִיא עֵת רָצוֹן דַּוְקָא). And the open eye Above watches over the world, similar to the eye of the fish, which has no eyelids (וְעֵינָא פְּקִיחָא דְּלְעֵילָא מַשְׁגַּחַת בְּעוֹלָם דּוּמְיָא דְּעַיִן בְּדָג דְּלֵית לֵיהּ גַּבִּינִין). And it is possible that such a fish will come to him, within which a pure soul is hidden (וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ דָּג שֶׁנֶּפֶשׁ טְהוֹרָה גְּנוּזָה בָּהּ), and he will merit to restore its light in holiness and to elevate it at that time in the secret of the Neshamah Yeteirah [Additional Soul] (וְיִזְכֶּה לְהָשִׁיב אוֹרָהּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָהּ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה בְּסוֹד נְשָׁמָה יְתֵירָה). And upon this we say in the Minchah of Shabbat (וְעַל זֶה אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים בְּמִנְחָה שֶׁל שַׁבָּת): “But as for me, my prayer is to You, Hashem, a time of favor” (וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ ה׳ עֵת רָצוֹן) (Psalms 69), whose reversal is “Notzer [He preserves]” (שֶׁהִיפּוּכוֹ נוֹצֵר). And the one who understands will understand (וְהַמֵּבִין יָבִין). But concerning the ignoramuses it is written (אֲבָל הָעַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כְּתִיב): “Shall the flock and the herd be slaughtered for them?” (הֲצֹאן וּבָקָר יִשָּׁחֵט לָהֶם) (Numbers 11), for their Gilgul [Reincarnation] is in the animals, and they require complete slaughter (כִּי גִלְגּוּלָם הוּא בַּבְּהֵמוֹת וְצְרִיכִין שְׁחִיטָה מְפוֹרָעַת). And therefore the Sages of blessed memory said (וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ חֲז״ל): an ignoramus is forbidden to eat meat (עַם הָאָרֶץ אָסוּר לֶאֱכוֹל בָּשָׂר). For since he does not have the ability to rectify the sparks of the living beings that do not speak (כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵין בְּיָדוֹ לְתַקֵּן נִצּוֹצֵי בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים בִּלְתִּי מְדַבְּרִים), therefore only his own flesh is rectified through others (אֶלָּא בְּשָׂרוֹ עַצְמוֹ יִתּוֹקַן עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים). And since there are different Gilgulim [Reincarnations] in animals and fish, and in all creatures, as is known (וּכְיוֹן שֶׁיֵּשׁ גִּלְגּוּלִים שׁוֹנִים בַּבְּהֵמוֹת וּדְגִים וּבְכָל הַיְצוּר כַּנּוֹדָע), therefore every righteous person who eats to satisfy his soul (לְפִיכָךְ כָּל צַדִּיק הָאוֹכֵל לְשֹׂבַע נַפְשׁוֹ), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “For not by bread alone shall man live, but by everything that comes forth from the mouth of Hashem shall man live” (כִּי לֹא עַל הַלֶּחֶם לְבַדּוֹ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם כִּי עַל כָּל מוֹצָא פִי ה׳ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם) (Deuteronomy 8), which is the blessing and the kavanah [intention] (שֶׁהִיא הַבְּרָכָה וְהַכַּוָּנָה).

Therefore he should intend to elevate the sparks of purity that are in everything that comes upon his table (וְלָכֵן יְכַוֵּן לְהַעֲלוֹת נִצּוֹצֵי טָהֳרָה שֶׁבְּכָל דָּבָר הַמִּזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ), in the blessing of enjoyment before and after (בִּבְרֶכֶת הַנְּהֵנִין תְּחִלָּה וָסוֹף), whether it be whatever it may be, Vegetative or Inanimate (הֵן יִהְיֶה מַה שֶּׁיִּהְיֶה צֹמֵחַ אוֹ דוֹמֵם), such as salt and water (כְּגוֹן מֶלַח וּמַיִם): “to bring forth the precious from the vile” (לְהוֹצִיא יָקָר מִזּוֹלֵל) (Jeremiah 15). And he becomes a partner in Ma‘aseh Bereshit [the Work of Creation] (וְנַעֲשֶׂה שֻׁתָּף מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית). For it is possible that that kavanah [intention] of the blessing is the completion of its Tikkun [Rectification] (כִּי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁאוֹתָהּ הַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁל הַבְּרָכָה הִיא גְּמַר תִּקּוּנוֹ), to elevate it by his merit to his domain (לְהַעֲלוֹתָהּ בִּזְכוּתוֹ לִמְחִצָּתוֹ). But if he ate them without a blessing, he acted treacherously with that soul (אֲבָל אִם אָכְלָן בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה מָעַל בְּאוֹתָהּ נֶפֶשׁ), and he has committed sacrilege in the holy things specifically (וּמוֹעֵל בַּקֳּדָשִׁים דַּוְקָא), for he adds blemish to the sparks hidden in the food that is eaten (כִּי הוּא מוֹסִיף פְּגַם בַּנִּצּוֹצוֹת הַגְּנוּזוֹת בַּדָּבָר הַנֶּאֱכָל). And it is possible that they are the sparks of his father or his brother that were brought to him to rectify them (וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהֵם נִצּוֹצֵי אָבִיו אוֹ אָחִיו שֶׁנִּזְדַּמְּנוּ לוֹ לְתַקְּנָם), but he corrupted them (וְקִלְקֵל), and he did not know that “it is his own soul” (כִּי בְּנַפְשׁוֹ הוּא) (Leviticus 17). And all the more so if the eater has another kinship with those sparks (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן אִם הָאוֹכֵל יֵשׁ לוֹ קוֹרְבָה אַחֶרֶת עִם אוֹתָן נִצּוֹצוֹת), such as that he himself is from his source, for the father reincarnates in the son (כְּגוֹן שֶׁהוּא עַצְמוֹ מִן מְקוֹרוֹ שֶׁמִּתְגַּלְגֵּל הָאָב בַּבֵּן). As Abaye, whom they recognized as being from the Gilgul [Reincarnation] of his father Rav Yiva Sava (כְּמוֹ אַבָּיֵי שֶׁהִכִּירוּ בוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מִגִּלְגּוּל אָבִיו רַב יִיבא סָבָא). And in the letters of Abaye there is Yiva (וְיֵשׁ בָּאוֹתִיּוֹת אַבָּיֵי יִיבא), after the name of a certain Chassid [pious one] known in the Zohar, who is the Sava in Parashat Mishpatim in the Zohar (עַל שֵׁם חָסִיד אֶחָד יָדוּעַ בַּזֹּהַר הוּא הַסָּבָא בְּפָרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים בַּזֹּהַר), who says at its beginning: “But I have one son, and I placed him in the house of study, and I wish that he should engage in the Orayta” (אֲבָל בְּרָא חַד אִית לִי וִיהַבִּית לֵיהּ בְּבֵי סַפְרָא וּבְעֵינָא דְּיִשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). For every Neshamah [Soul] is in the likeness of a tree of seven branches of light (כִּי כָּל נְשָׁמָה הִיא כִּדְמוּת אִילָן שֶׁל ז׳ עֲנָפִים שֶׁל אוֹר), and all the branches are called by the name of the body (וְכָל הָעֲנָפִים נִקְרָאִים עַל שֵׁם הַגּוּף). And the one who understands will understand (וְהַמֵּבִין יָבִין). And always the eater must stand in repentance, to rectify the food that he blemished in any case (וּלְעוֹלָם צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָאוֹכֵל עוֹמֵד בִּתְשׁוּבָה לְתַקֵּן הָאֹכֶל שֶׁפָּגַם מִכָּל מָקוֹם). And in its place we will explain further the Tikkun [Rectification] that belongs to this blemish, and understand (וּבִמְקוֹמוֹ נְבָארֵהוּ יוֹתֵר הַתִּקּוּן הַשַּׁיָּךְ לָזֶה הַפֶּגַם וְהָבֵן).