Daf 121a (דַּף קכ״א ע״א)

Now one must gather toward that Tree of Death (הַשְׁתָּא בָּעֵי לְאִתְכַּנְּשָׁא לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא), and to fall, and to say before it: “To You, Hashem, I lift up my soul” (וּלְמִנְפַּל, וְלֵימָא לְגַבֵּיהּ אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא) (Psalm 25). At first, I gave it to You in deposit (בְּקַדְמִיתָא, יָהִיבְנָא לָךְ בְּפִקְדוֹנָא); now that I have bound the union and performed the deed and the speech as is fitting, and confessed upon my sins (הַשְׁתָּא דְּקַשִׁירְנָא יִחוּדָא, וְעָבֵידְנָא עוֹבָדָא וּמִלּוּלָא כְּדְּקָא יֵאוֹת, וְאוֹדֵינָא עַל חֲטָאַי), behold, my soul I surely deliver to You (הָא נַפְשִׁי מָסִירְנָא לָךְ וַדַּאי). And a man should see himself as if he has departed from the world (וְיֶחֱזֵי בַּר נָשׁ גַּרְמֵיהּ כְּאִילּוּ פָּטִיר מִן עָלְמָא), for he delivers his soul to that place of death (דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ מָסִיר לְהַאי אֲתָר דְּמוֹתָא).

Because of this, there is no ו in it (בְּגִין כַּךְ לָא אִית בֵּיהּ וָא״ו), for ו is the Tree of Life (דְּוָא״ו אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי הוּא), and this is the Tree of Death (וְהַאי אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא הוּא). And this teaches us (וְהָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן) the mystery of the matter (דְּרָזָא דְּמִלָּה). What does it teach us of the mystery of the matter? (מַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן רָזָא דְּמִלָּה). That there are sins which are not atoned for until a man departs from the world (דְּאִית חוֹבִין דְּלָא מִתְכַּפְּרָן עַד דְּאִתְפְּטַר בַּר נָשׁ מֵעָלְמָא). This is what is written: “Surely this iniquity shall not be atoned for you until you die” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אִם יְכוּפַּר הֶעָוֹן הַזֶּה לָכֶם עַד תְּמוּתוּן) (Isaiah 22). And this one surely gives himself to death (וְהַאי יָהִיב גַּרְמֵיהּ וַדַּאי לְמוֹתָא), and delivers his soul to that place (וּמָסִיר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְהַאי אֲתָר). Not in deposit as at night (לָאו בְּפִקְדוֹנָא כְּמָה בְּלֵילְיָא), but as one who has truly departed from the world (אֶלָּא כְּמַאן דְּאִתְפְּטַר מִן עָלְמָא וַדַּאי). And this repair requires the intention of the heart (וְתִקּוּנָא דָּא בָּעֵי בְּכַוָּונָא דְּלִבָּא), and then Kudsha Berikh Hu has mercy upon him and atones for his sins (וּכְדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְרַחֵם עֲלוֹי, וּמְכַפֵּר לֵיהּ לְחוֹבֵיהּ). Fortunate is the man who knows how to appease Him and to serve his Master with desire and with the intention of the heart (זַכָּאָה הוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּיָדַע לְמִפְּתֵּי לֵיהּ, וּלְמִפְלַח לְמָארֵיהּ, בִּרְעוּתָא וּבְכַוָּונָא דְּלִבָּא).

Woe to one who comes to appease his Master with a distant heart and not with desire (וַי לֵיהּ לְמַאן דְּאָתֵי לְמִפְתֵּי לְמָארֵיהּ, בְּלִבָּא רְחִיקָא, וְלָא בִּרְעוּתָא). As it is said: “For they enticed Him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied to Him, but their heart was not steadfast with Him” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם וּבִלְשׁוֹנָם יְכַזְּבוּ לוֹ, וְלִבָּם לֹא נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ) (Psalm 78). He says: “To You, Hashem, I lift up my soul” (הוּא אוֹמֵר אֵלֶיךָ יְיָ נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא) (Psalm 25), but not all his words - only with a distant heart (וְלָאו כָּל מִלּוֹי, אֶלָּא בְּלִבָּא רְחִיקָא). This causes him to be removed from the world before his time (הָא גָּרַם עָלֵיהּ לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מֵעָלְמָא, עַד לָא מָטוּן יוֹמוֹי), at the time when that Tree is aroused in the world to execute judgment (בְּזִמְנָא דְּהָא אִילָנָא אִתְּעַר בְּעָלְמָא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא). And because of this a man must cleave his soul and his desire to his Master (וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַדְבְּקָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ בְּמָארֵיהּ), and not come before Him with a false desire (וְלָא יֵיתֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ בִּרְעוּתָא כְּדִיבָא), because it is written: “He who speaks lies shall not be established before My eyes” (בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב דּוֹבֵר שְׁקָרִים לֹא יִכּוֹן לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי) (Psalm 101). What is meant by “shall not be established”? (מַאי לֹא יִכּוֹן).

Rather, at the time when he prepares himself for this, and his heart is distant from Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהוּא אַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ לְהַאי, וְלִבֵּיהּ רְחִיקָא מִקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), a voice goes forth and says: “Shall not be established before My eyes” (קָלָא נָפִיק וְאָמַר, לֹא יִכּוֹן לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי). Why? (אַמַּאי). This one seeks to prepare himself, he shall not be established - I do not desire that he be established (הַאי בָּעֵי לְאַתְקְנָא גַּרְמֵיהּ, לֹא יִכּוֹן, לָא בָּעֵינָא דְּיִתְתַּקַּן).

All the more so if he comes to unite the Holy Name, and does not unite it as is fitting (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִי אָתֵי לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְלָא מְיָחֵד לֵיהּ כְּדְּקָא יֵאוֹת). Fortunate is the portion of the Righteous in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). Concerning them it is written: “And they shall come and see My glory, etc.” (עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב וּבָאוּ וְרָאוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדִי וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 66). And it is written: “Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your Name, etc.” (וּכְתִיב אַךְ צַדִּיקִים יוֹדוּ לִשְׁמֶךָ וְגוֹ׳) (Psalm 140). Rabbi El'azar came and kissed his hands (אָתָא רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְנָשִׁיק יְדוֹי). He said (אָמַר): If I had not come into the world except to hear these words, it would have been enough for me (אִלְמָלֵא לָא אֲתֵינָא לְעָלְמָא אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין דַּיָי).

Rabbi Yehuda said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): Fortunate is our portion, and fortunate is the portion of Yisrael (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא, וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), who cleave to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִינּוּן מִתְדַּבְּקִין בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). As it is written: “But you that cleave to Hashem your God…” (דִּכְתִיב וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים וְגוֹ׳) (Deuteronomy 4). And it is written: “And your people, all of them are righteous, etc.” (וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 60).

Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן

Hashem shall reign forever, Amen and Amen יִמְלוֹךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן

Parashat Naso

nd Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Take the sum of the sons of Gershon, etc.” (וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר, נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹן וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 4). Rabbi Abba opened (רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח): “Happy is the man to whom Hashem does not ascribe iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” (אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם לֹא יַחֲשׁוֹב יְיָ לוֹ עָוֹן וְאֵין בְּרוּחוֹ רְמִיָּה) (Psalm 32). This verse - its beginning is not its end, and its end is not its beginning (הַאי קְרָא, לָאו רֵישֵׁיהּ סֵיפֵיהּ, וְלָאו סֵיפֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ).

And it is to be contemplated (וְאִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ), and behold, it has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): at the time of the prayer of Mincha (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּצְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה), judgment rests upon the world (דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא). And Yitzchak established the prayer of Mincha (וְיִצְחָק תִּקֵּן צְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה), and the supernal Gevurah rules in the world (וּגְבוּרָה עִלָּאָה שַׁלְטָא בְּעָלְמָא), until night comes and enters (עַד דְּאָתֵי וְעָאל לֵילְיָא), in order to receive it (בְּגִין לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ). And from the time when the prayer of Mincha begins (וּמִזִּמְנָא דְּשָׁארִי צְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה), the left separates to receive it (אִתְפְּרַשׁ שְׂמָאלָא לְקַבְּלָא), and night is aroused (וְאִתְּעַר לֵילְיָא). After it is aroused (בָּתַר דְּאִתְּעַר), all those guardians of the gates outside (כָּל אִינּוּן נְטוּרֵי פִּתְחִין דִּלְבַר), all of them are aroused in the world and spread forth (כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעָרִין בְּעָלְמָא וְאִתְפָּשָׁטוּ). And all the people of the world taste the taste of death (וְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא טַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא).