Daf 36b (דַּף ל״ו ע״ב)

And she took of its fruit - behold, we have learned: she squeezed grapes and gave to him, and thereby brought death to the world (וַתִּקַּח מִפִּרְיוֹ - הָא תָּנִינָן: סָחֲטָה עֲנָבִים וְיָהֲבַת לֵיהּ, וּגְרִימוּ מוֹתָא לְכָל עָלְמָא). For this tree is the one in which death dwells (דְּהָא אִילָנָא דָּא - בֵּיהּ שַׁרְיָא מוֹתָא). And it is the tree that rules by night (וְהוּא אִילָנָא דְּשָׁלְטָא בְּלֵילְיָא). And when it rules, all the people of the world taste the taste of death (וְכַד אִיהִי שָׁלְטָא - כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא טָעֲמוּ טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא). But those who are the sons of faith give their souls in advance as a deposit (אֶלָּא אִנּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא - מְקַדְּמֵי וְיָהֲבוּ לֵיהּ נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ בְּפִקְּדוֹנָא). And because it is in trust, their souls are returned to their place (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ בְּפִקְּדוֹנָא - אִתְהַדְּרוּ נַפְשָׁאן לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ). And concerning this, it is written: And Your faith in the nights (וְעַל דָּא: וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ בַלֵּילוֹת) (Tehillim 92:3). And the eyes of both of them were opened - Rabbi Ḥiyya said: For they were opened to know the evils of the world, which they had not known until then (וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם - רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר: דְּהָא אִתְפַּקָּחוּ לְמִנְדַּע בִּישִׁין דְּעָלְמָא - מַה דְּלָא יָדְעוּ עַד הַשְׁתָּא). Once they knew and their eyes were opened to know evil - then they knew that they were naked (כֵּיוָן דְּיָדְעוּ וְאִתְפַּקָּחוּ לְמִנְדַּע בִּישׁ - כְּדֵין יָדְעוּ כִּי עֵירֻמִּים הֵם). For they had lost the Supernal Zohar that had enveloped them, and it was removed from them (דְּאֲבְדוּ זֹהֲרָא עִלָּאָה דְּהֲוָה חָפֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִנַּיְיהוּ), and they remained naked of it (וְאִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ עֲרוּמִּים מִנֵּיהּ). And they sewed fig leaves - they became attached to hide themselves with the images of that tree from which they had eaten (וַיִּתְפְּרוּ עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה - אִתְדַּבָּקוּ לְאִתְחֲפָאָה בְּאִנּוּן צוּלְמִין דְּהַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּאֲכָלוּ מִנֵּיהּ), which are called Tarfei d’Ilanah (leaves of the tree) (דְּאִקְרְיוּן טַרְפֵּי דְּאִילָנָא). And they made themselves girdles (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם חֲגוֹרוֹת).

Rabbi Yose said: Once they had known from this world and become attached to it (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר: כֵּיוָן דְּיָדְעוּ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא וְאִתְדַּבָּקוּ בֵּיהּ), they saw that this world is governed by way of the Tarfin d’Ilanah (leaves of the tree) (חָמוּ דְּהַאי עָלְמָא מִתְדַּבַּר עַל יְדָא דְּאִנּוּן טַרְפִּין דְּאִילָנָא). And they made for themselves strength, to be strong in this world (וְעָבְדוּ לְהוֹן תּוּקְפָא - לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And then they knew all the weapons and sorceries of the world (וּכְדֵין יָדְעוּ כָּל זְיָינֵי חָרְשִׁין דְּעָלְמָא). And they sought to forge weapons from those Tarfin d’Ilanah (leaves of the tree), in order to protect themselves with them (וּבָעוּ לְמִחְגַּר זַיְינִין בְּאִנּוּן טַרְפֵּי אִילָנָא - בְּגִין לְאַגָּנָא עֲלַיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said: Then, three entered into judgment and were judged (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר: כְּדֵין תְּלַת עָאלוּ בְּדִינָא וְאִתְּדָּנוּ). And the lower world was turned upside down (וְעָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה אִתְלַטְיָיא), and it did not stand in its stability due to the impurity of the serpent - until Yisrael stood at Mount Sinai (וְלָא קַיְּימָא בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ בְּגִין זוּהֲמָא דְּנָחָשׁ - עַד דְּקַיְּימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי). Afterward, Kudsha Berikh Hu clothed them in garments of the Mishkan (לְבָתַר - אַלְבִּישׁ לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְבוּשִׁין דְּמִשְׁכָּא), and they were pleased by them (אִתְהַנִּי מִנַּיְיהוּ).

This is what is written: garments of skin (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר) (Bereshit 3:21). At first they had been garments of light (בְּקַדְמִיתָא הֲווּ כָּתְנוֹת אוֹר), which they used in the upper worlds above (דְּהֲווּ מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁין בְּהוּ בְּעִלָּאִין דִּלְעֵילָא). For the supernal angels would come to enjoy that light (בְּגִין דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאִין הֲווּ אַתְיָין לְאִתְהֲנָאָה מֵהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא). As it is written: You have made him little lower than Elohim, and crowned him with glory and majesty (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים, וְכָבוֹד וְהָדָר תְּעַטְּרֵהוּ) (Tehillim 8:6). But now that they sinned - garments of skin (וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּחָבוּ - כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר), for Ohr (light) was removed from them, and not the Nefesh (דְּעוֹר אִתְהַנֵּי מִנַּיְיהוּ - וְלָא נַפְשָׁא).

Afterward, they gave birth to the first son - a son of filth (לְבָתַר אוֹלִידוּ בְּרָא קַדְמָאָה - בְּרָא דְּזוּהֲמָא הֲוָה). Two came upon Chavah, and she conceived from them and bore two (תְּרֵין אָתוּ עֲלָהּ דְּחַוָּה, וְאִתְעַבְּרַת מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְאוֹלִידַת תְּרֵין). This one went to his side, and that one went to his side (דָּא נָפַק לְזִינֵיהּ, וְדָּא נָפַק לְזִינֵיהּ). And their spirits were separated - one to this side, and one to that (וְרוּחַ דִּילְהוֹן אִתְפָּרְשׁוּ: דָּא לְסִטְרָא דָּא, וְדָּא לְסִטְרָא דָּא). This one resembled his side, and that one resembled his side (דָּא דָּמֵי לְסִטְרוֹי, וְדָּא דָּמֵי לְסִטְרוֹי). From the side of Kayin come all the chambers of the realm of destructive forces - evil kinds, and spirits, and demons, and sorcerers (מִסִּטְרָא דְּקַיִן - כָּל מְדוֹרִין דְּסִטְרָא דְּזַיְינִין בִּישִׁין, וְרוּחִין, וְשֵׁדִין, וְחָרָשִׁין אַתְיָין). From the side of Hevel - a side of compassion, but not complete (מִסִּטְרָא דְּהֶבֶל - סִטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי יַתִּיר, וְלָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ). Good wine mixed with bad wine (חֲמַר טַב בְּחֲמַר בִּישׁ). And it was not rectified until Shet came (וְלָא אִתְתַּקַּן בַּהֲדֵיהּ עַד דְּאֲתָא שֵׁת), and from him were begotten all the generations of the righteous of the world, and through him the world was planted (וְאִתְיַיחֲסוּ מִנֵּיהּ כָּל אִנּוּן דָּרִין דְּזַכָּאֵי עָלְמָא, וּבֵיהּ אִשְׁתִּיל עָלְמָא). And from Kayin come all the brazen ones, the wicked, and the guilty of the world (וּמִקַּיִן - אַתְיָין כָּל אִנּוּן חֲצִיפִין, וּרְשָׁעִים, וְחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא).

Rabbi El'azar said: At the time that Kayin sinned, he was afraid (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּחָב קַיִן הֲוָה מִסְתְּפֵי), for he saw before him legions of armed ones coming to kill him (בְּגִין דְּחֲמָא קַמֵּיהּ זִינֵי מַשִּׁרְיָין מְזַיְינִין וְאַתְיָין לְקָטְלָא לֵיהּ). And when he returned in repentance, what did he say? Behold, You have driven me this day from upon the face of the earth, and from Your face shall I be hidden (וְכַד אַהֲדַר בִּתְשׁוּבָה מַאי קָאָמַר: הֵן גֵּרַשְׁתָּ אוֹתִי הַיּוֹם מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה, וּמִפָּנֶיךָ אֶסָּתֵר) ( Bereshit 4:14). What does “from Your face shall I be hidden” mean? It means: I shall be hidden from my structure (מַאי מִפָּנֶיךָ אֶסָּתֵר אֶלָּא: אֶהֱא סָתִיר מִבִּנְיָנָא דִילִי).

Rabbi Abba said: As it is written: He did not hide His face from him (רַבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר: כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְלֹא הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ) (Tehillim 22:25), and Moshe hid his face (וַיַּסְתֵּר משֶׁה פָּנָיו) (Shemot 3:6). And thus: From Your face I shall be hidden - from those Faces of Yours, I shall be concealed, that they not look upon me (וְעַל דָּא: וּמִפָּנֶיךָ אֶסָּתֵר - מֵאִנּוּן פָּנִים דִּילָךְ אֶהֱא נִסְתָּר דְּלָא יִשְׁגְּחוּן בִּי). And concerning this: Whoever finds me shall slay me (וְעַל דָּא: וְהָיָה כָּל מוֹצְאִי יַהַרְגֵנִי) (Bereshit 4:14). And Hashem placed a sign upon Kayin so that none who found him would slay him - what is this sign? (וַיָּשֶׂם ה' לְקַיִן אוֹת לְבִלְתִּי וְגו׳ מַאי אוֹת) A single letter from the twenty-two letters of the Orayta was given upon him to protect him p1-45(אוֹת אֶחָד מֵעֶשְׂרִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא - יָהַב עֲלֵיהּ לְאַגָּנָא עֲלֵיהּ). Rabbi Yehudah said: What is written, And it came to pass when they were in the field - what is the field? This is the woman p1-46(אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: מַאי דִכְתִיב: וַיְהִי בִּהְיוֹתָם בַּשָּׂדֶה - מַאי בַּשָּׂדֶה דָּא אִתְּתָא). And for this reason he rose up and killed him, for from this side comes the drive to kill - from the side of Sama’el, who brings death to the world (וְעַל דָּא קָם וּקְטִיל לֵיהּ, דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דָא יָרִית לְקַטְלָא - מִסִּטְרָא דְּסַמָּא״ל דְּגָרִים מוֹתָא לְכָל עָלְמָא). And Kayin was jealous of Hevel over his female (וְקַנֵּי קַיִן לְהֶבֶל עַל נוּקְבֵיהּ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Behold, we see that it is written: And Kayin was very angry, and his face fell - because his offering was not accepted (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר: הָא חֲזִינָן דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּחַר לְקַיִן מְאֹד, וַיִּפְּלוּ פָנָיו עַל דְּלָא אִתְקַבִּיל קָרְבָּנֵיהּ). He said to him: Indeed so - and all was against him (אָמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי הוּא, וְכֹּלָּא הֲוָה לְקָבְלֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said: What is written, If you do well, shall you not be accepted (Se’et)? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at the door (וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: מַאי דִכְתִיב: הֲלוֹא אִם תֵּיטִיב שְׂאֵת, וְאִם לֹא תֵיטִיב - לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רֹבֵץ) (Bereshit 4:7). Rather, thus he said: If you improve your deeds - you shall be accepted (Se’et) (אֶלָּא הָכִי קָאָמַר: הֲלוֹא אִם תֵּיטִיב עוֹבָדָךְ - שְׂאֵת). What is Se’et? As it is written: Excellency of dignity (Bereshit 49:3) - for the firstborn has praise continually (מַאי שְׂאֵת כְּדִכְתִיב: יֶתֶר שְׂאֵת דְּהָא בּוּכְרָא שְׁבָחָא אִית לֵיהּ בְּכֹּלָּא תָּדִיר). And it depends on his deeds (וְתַלְיָא בְּעוֹבָדוֹהִי). And concerning this: If you do well - shall you not be accepted (Se’et) (וְעַל דָּא: אִם תֵּיטִיב שְׂאֵת). But if not: At the door sin crouches (וְאִם לֹא תֵיטִיב לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רֹבֵץ).