Daf 55a (דַּף נ״ה ע״א)

After one hundred and thirty years, Adam clothed himself (בָּתַר מְאָה וּתְלָתִין שְׁנִין אִתְלַבַּשׁ אָדָם) in Jealousy and joined with his wife (בְּקִינוּיָא וְאִתְחַבַּר בְּאִתְּתֵיהּ), and he begot a son and called his name Shet (וְאוֹלִיד בַּר וּקְרָא שְׁמֵיהּ שֵׁ״ת). The secret of the end of the letters in engraved knots (רָזָא דְּסוֹפָא דְּאַתְוָון בְּקִיטְרֵי גְלִיפָן). Rabbi Yehudah said (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר), this is the secret of the spirit that was made and clothed in another body in the world (רָזָא דְּרוּחָא דְּאִתְאֲבִיד דְּאִתְלַבַּשׁ בְּגוּפָא [דְּאַרְעָא] אָחֳרָא בְּעָלְמָא), as it is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “For Elohim has appointed for me another seed in place of Hevel” (Bereshit 4:25) (כִּי שָׁת לִי אֱלֹהִים זֶרַע אַחֵר תַּחַת הֶבֶל).

And Rabbi Yehudah said (וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה), it is written, “And he begot in his likeness, according to his image” (Bereshit 5:3) (כְּתִיב וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ), which implies that other children were not in his likeness (מַשְׁמַע דִּבְנִין אָחֳרָנִין לָא הֲווּ בְּדִיוּקְנָא דִילֵיהּ). And this, “in his likeness, according to his image,” was in the Tikkun of the body and in the Tikkun of the soul in a straight path (וְדָא בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ בְּתִיקוּנָא דְגוּפָא וּבְתִיקוּנָא דְּנַפְשָׁא בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר).

Some say: and this word is as it is said. And Rabbi Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yissa (נ״א: וּמִלָּה דָא הוּא כַּמָּה דְאִתְּמַר. וְאָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא מִשְׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יִיסָא), as Rabbi Shimon said in the name of Rav Yeiva Sava (כְּמָה דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מִשְׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב יֵיבָא סָבָא): other children were from the connection of the defilement of the serpent (בְּנִין אָחֳרָנִין בְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דְּזוּהֲמָא דְּנָחָשׁ), and the one who rode in it was Samael (וְהַהוּא דְּרָכִיב בֵּיהּ דְּאִיהוּ סַמָּאֵל הֲווּ). And for this reason they were not in the image of Adam (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ לָא הֲווּ בְּדִיוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם). And if you will say: but didn’t you say that Hevel was from the other side? (וְאִי תֵימָא הָא אֲמַרְתְּ דְּהֶבֶל מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא הֲוָה), this is true (הָכִי הוּא), but both of them were not from the image below (אֲבָל תַּרְוַיְיהוּ לָא הֲווּ בְּדִיוּקְנָא דִּלְתַתָּא).

Rabbi Yose said to him (אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי), but it is written (וְהָא כְּתִיב), “And the man knew Chavah his wife, and she conceived and bore Kayin” (Bereshit 4:1) (וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד אֶת קַיִן). And it is not written, “And he begot Kayin” (וְלָא כְּתִיב וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת קַיִן). Some say: he said to him, “It is so, but both of them were not in his image, for they were not…” (נ״א: אָמַר לֵיהּ הֲכִי הוּא. אֲבָל תַּרְוַיְיהוּ לָא הֲווּ בְּדִיוּקְנֵיהּ דְּלָא…). And even with Hevel it is not written “and he begot,” only “and she continued to give birth to his brother, Hevel” (וְאֲפִילּוּ בְּהֶבֶל לָא כְּתִיב וַיּוֹלֶד אֶלָּא וַתּוֹסֶף לָלֶדֶת אֶת אָחִיו אֶת הָבֶל). And this is the secret of the matter (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה). But in this one what is written? “And he begot in his likeness, according to his image” (Bereshit 5:3) (אֲבָל בְּהַאי מַה כְּתִיב, וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ).

Rabbi Shimon said (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר), for one hundred and thirty years Adam separated from his wife (מְאָה וּתְלָתִין שְׁנִין אִתְפְּרַשׁ אָדָם מֵאִתְּתֵיהּ), and all those one hundred and thirty years he begot spirits and demons in the world (וְכָל אִנּוּן מְאָה וּתְלָתִין שְׁנִין הֲוָה אוֹלִיד רוּחִין וְשֵׁדִין בְּעָלְמָא), because of the power of the impurity that he absorbed within himself (בְּגִין הַהוּא חֵילָא דְזוּהֲמָא דְּהֲוָה שָׁאִיב בֵּיהּ). Once that impurity was removed from him (כֵּיוָן דְּחֲסִיל מִנֵּיהּ הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא), he returned and acquired union with his wife (תָּב וְקַנִּי לְאִנְתְּתֵיהּ), and begot a son (וְאוֹלִיד בַּר). Then it is written (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב), “And he begot in his likeness, according to his image” (Bereshit 5:3) (וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), every man who goes to the left side and corrupts his path (כָּל בַּר נָשׁ דְּאֲזִיל לִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא וְסָאִיב אָרְחוֹי), all impure spirits he draws upon himself (כָּל רוּחֵי מְסָאֲבֵי מָשִׁיךְ עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ), and an impure spirit cleaves to him (וְרוּחַ מְסָאָב אִתְדָּבַּק בֵּיהּ) and does not depart from him (וְלָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ). And the cleaving of that impure spirit belongs to that man and not to another (וְאִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דְּהַהוּא רוּחָא מְסָאָב הֲוֵי בְּהַאי בַּר נָשׁ וְלָא בְּאָחֳרָא), and for this reason, their cleaving is not to anyone except those in whom they cleave (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ אִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דִילְהוֹן לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּאִנּוּן דְּמִתְדַּבְּקִין בְּהוּ). Happy are the Righteous who walk in the straight path (זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא דְּאָזְלֵי בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר), and they are the truly righteous (וְאִנּוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט), and their children are righteous in the world (וּבְנֵיהוֹן זַכָּאִין בְּעָלְמָא), and upon them it is written (וְעֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב), “For the upright shall dwell in the land” (Proverbs 2:21) (כִּי יְשָׁרִים יִשְׁכְּנוּ אָרֶץ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא), what is the meaning of that which is written, “And the sister of Tuval-Kayin was Na‘amah” (Bereshit 4:22) (מַהִי דִכְתִיב וַאֲחוֹת תּוּבַל קַיִן נַעֲמָה)? Why here does the verse mention her name as Na‘amah? (מַאי אִירְיָא הָכָא דְּקָאָמַר קְרָא דִּשְׁמָהּ נַעֲמָה) Rather, because human beings were seduced after her (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּטָעֲיָין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אֲבַתְרָהּ), even spirits and demons (וְאֲפִילּוּ רוּחִין וְשֵׁדִין). Rabbi Yitzchak said (רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר), these are the “sons of the Elohim” Azza and Aza’el who were led astray after her (אִנּוּן בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים עַזָּא וַעֲזָאֵל טָעוּ בַּתְרָהּ).

Rabbi Shimon said (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר), she was the mother of demons (אִמָּן שֶׁל שֵׁדִים הֲוַת), for she came from the side of Kayin (דְּמִסִּטְרָא דְקַיִן נָפְקַת), and she was appointed together with Lilith (וְהִיא אִתְמַנַּת עַל לֵילְיָא), she is responsible for the suffication of babies (בְּאַסְכְּרָה דְּרַבְיֵי). Rabbi Abba said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אַבָּא), but did the master not say that she was appointed to laugh among the sons of men? (וְהָא אָמַר מַר דְּהִיא אִתְמַנַּת לְחַיְיכָא בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), so it is, indeed (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), for she comes and laughs among them, among the sons of men (דְּהָא אִיהִי אַתְיַית וְחַיְיכַאת בְּהוּ בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and at times she gives birth to spirits in the world from among them (וּלְזִמְנִין דְּאוֹלִידַת רוּחִין בְּעָלְמָא מִנַּיְיהוּ), and until now she persists in laughing among them, among the sons of men (וְעַד כָּאן אִיהִי קָיְימַת לְחַיְיכָא בְּהוּ בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא).

Rabbi Abba said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אַבָּא), but are they not dead (וְהָא אִנּוּן מֵתִין), as human beings? (כִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), why then does she remain until now? (מַאי טַעְמָא אִיהִי קָיְימַת עַד הַשְׁתָּא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), so it is (הָכִי הוּא). But Lilith and Na‘amah and Agrat bat Maḥalat, who came from their side (אֲבָל לִילִית וְנַעֲמָה וְאָגְרַת בַּת מָחֲלַת דְּנָפְקַת מִסִּטְרָא דִילְהוֹן), all of them remain until Kudsha Berikh Hu shall remove the impure spirit from the world (כֻּלְהוּ קַיָּימוֹת עַד דִּיבַעֵר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רוּחַ מְסָאֳבָא מֵעָלְמָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “And the spirit of impurity I will remove from the earth” (Zechariah 13:2) (וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר מִן הָאָרֶץ).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), woe to them, the sons of man (וַוַי לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), those who do not know, and do not pay attention, and do not observe (אִנּוּן דְּלָא יָדְעִין וְלָא מַשְׁגִּיחִין וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין), and all are sealed, who do not know how full the world is of altered creatures that are not visible, and of hidden matters (וְכֻלְהוּ אֲטִימִין דְּלָא יָדְעִין כַּמָּה מַלְיָא עָלְמָא מִבִּרְיָין מְשַׁנְיָין דְּלָא אִתְחֲזוּן וּמִמִּילִין סְתִימִין). For if permission had been given to the eye to see (דְּאִלְמָלֵא אִתְיְיהַב רְשׁוּ לְעֵינָא לְמֶחֱזֵי), the sons of man would be astonished at how they are able to survive in the world (יִתְמְהוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא הֵיךְ יָכְלִין לְאִתְקָיְימָא בְּעָלְמָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), this Na‘amah was the mother of demons (הַאי נַעֲמָה אִמָּא דְּשֵׁדִין הֲוַת), and from her side come all those demons that are heated by sons of man (וּמִסִּטְרָהּ אַתְיָין כָּל אִנּוּן שֵׁדִין דְּמִתְחַמְּמָן מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא), and they take from them the spirit of desire (וְנָטְלֵי רוּחַ תִּאוּבְתָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ), and she laughs at them, and makes them waste seed (וְחָיְיכַת בְּהוֹן דְּעָבְדֵי לוֹן בַּעֲלֵי קֶרְיָין). And because wasted seed comes from the side of the impure spirit (וּבְגִין דְּבַעַל קֶרִי אָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּרוּחַ מְסָאֳבָא), he must wash himself to purify from it (בָּעֵי לְאַסְחָאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ לְאִתְדַּכָּאָה מִנֵּיהּ), and this the friends have already established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּא).

“This is the book of the generations of Adam”-in likeness (זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם לִדְיוֹקְנִי). Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק), Kudsha Berikh Hu showed Adam the image of all those generations that would come into the world (אַחְמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאָדָם דִּיוֹקְנֵי דְּכָל אִנּוּן דָּרִין דְּיֵיתוּן לְעָלְמָא), and all the sages of the world and the kings of the world that are destined to arise over Yisrael (וְכָל חַכִּימֵי עָלְמָא וּמַלְכֵי עָלְמָא דִּזְמִינִין לְקָיְימָא עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). When he came to see David, king of Yisrael, who would be born and die (כְּדֵין מָטָא לְמֶחֱמֵי דָּוִד מַלְכָּא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִתְיְלִיד וּמֵית), he said to Him (Some say: he did not say anything p1-57(נ״א: ל״ג אָמַר כו׳). From My years I will add to him (מִשְּׁנִין דִּילִי אוֹסִיף), and seventy years were deducted from Adam (וְגָרְעוּ מֵאָדָם ע׳ שָׁנִין), and Kudsha Berikh Hu gave them to David (וְסָלִיק לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְדָוִד).