Daf 126b (דַּף קכ״ו ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), a human being walks in this world (בַּר נָשׁ אָזִיל בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and he thinks that all belongs to him (וְהוּא חָשִׁיב דְּדִילֵיהּ הוּא), always and that it will remain with him for generations and generations (תָּדִיר וְיִשְׁתַּאֵר בְּגַוֵּיהּ לְדָרֵי דָּרִין), until he departs from the world (עַד דְּאִיהוּ אָזִיל בְּעָלְמָא).

They place upon him a collar (יָהֲבִין לֵיהּ בְּקוּלְרָא), until he sits (עַד דְּאִיהוּ יְתִיב), and they judge him in tribunal (דַּיְינִין לֵיהּ בְּקִינְפּוֹן), with the rest of the judges (עִם שְׁאָר בְּנֵי דִּינָא). If a defender is found for him (אִי אִשְׁתְּכַח לֵיהּ סַנֵּיגוֹרָא), behold, he is saved from judgment (הָא אִשְׁתְּזִיב מִן דִּינָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב), “If there be for him a single angel, an intercessor, one among a thousand, to declare to man his uprightness, then He is gracious to him and says…” (אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אָלֶף לְהַגִּיד לְאָדָם יָשְׁרוֹ וַיְחֻנֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר וְגוֹ׳) (Iyov 33).

Who is this Advocate (מַאן הוּא סַנֵּיגוֹרָא)? These are the righteous deeds (אִלֵּין עוֹבָדִין דְּכַשְׁרָן), which stand over the person at the time he needs them (דְּקַיְּימֵי עָלֵיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ). And if no Advocate is found for him (וְאִי לָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח עָלֵיהּ סַנֵּיגוֹרָא), then he is condemned by judgment to be removed from the world (הָא אִתְחַיֵּיב מִן דִּינָא לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מִן עָלְמָא). At that moment, when he lies in the collar of the King (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא כַּד אִיהוּ שָׁכִיב בְּקוּלְרָא דְּמַלְכָּא), until he lifts his eyes (עַד דְּזָקִיף עֵינוֹי), he sees two approaching him (חָמָא דְּאַתְיָין לְגַבֵּיהּ תְּרֵין), who write before him all that he did in this world (דְּכַתְבִין קַמֵּיהּ כָּל מַה דְּעָבִיד בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and all that issued from his mouth (וְכָל מַה דְּאַפִּיק מִן פּוּמָא), and he gives judgment-Some say: account (וְיָהִיב דִּינָא נ״א: חוּשְׁבְּנָא)-for all of it, and they write it before him (עַל כֹּלָּא וְכַתְבִין קַמֵּיהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב), “For behold, He Who forms mountains, and creates wind, and tells man what is his speech…” (כִּי הִנֵּה יוֹצֵר הָרִים וּבוֹרֵא רוּחַ וּמַגִּיד לְאָדָם מַה שִׂיחוֹ וְגוֹ׳) (Amos 4). And he confesses to them (וְהוּא אוֹדֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעֲמָא). Because that deed which he performed (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד), ascends and stands upon him to testify regarding him (סַלְּקָא וְקַיְּמָא עָלֵיהּ לְאַסְהֲדָא בֵיהּ), and they stand to bear witness against him (וְקַיְּימִין לְאַסְהֲדָא עָלֵיהּ). And all of them descend and are inscribed before him (וְכֻלְּהוּ נַחְתִּין וְאִתְרְשִׁימוּ קַמֵּיהּ), and stand before him (וְקַיְּימֵי קַמֵּיהּ), and they do not depart from him (וְלָא מִתְעַבְּרָן מִנֵּיהּ), until he is judged by them in that world (עַד שַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְדָּן בְּהוּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), all those matters that a person does in this world (כָּל אִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּעָבִיד בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), all of them are prepared and established to testify regarding him (כֻּלְּהוּ זְמִינִין וְקַיְּימֵי לְאַסְהֲדָא בֵיהּ), and none of them are lost from him (וְלָא אִתְאַבִּידוּ מִינֵּיהּ). And at the moment they bring him to the grave (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּמַפְּקֵי לֵיהּ לְקִבְרָא), all of them prepare and go before him (כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעַתְּדָן וְאָזְלֵי קַמֵּיהּ). And three heralds proclaim (וּתְלַת כָּרוֹזֵי מַכְרְזֵי), one before him (חַד קַמֵּיהּ), one to his right (וְחַד מִימִינֵיהּ), and one to his left (וְחַד מִשְּׂמָאלֵיהּ). And they say: This is so-and-so who rebelled against his Master (וְאָמְרֵי דָּא פְּלַנְיָיא דְּמָרִיד בְּמָארֵיהּ). He rebelled above (מָרִיד לְעֵילָּא), he rebelled below (מָרִיד לְתַתָּא), he rebelled against the Orayta (מָרִיד בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), he rebelled against His commandments (מָרִיד בְּפִיקוּדוֹי).

Behold his deeds, behold his words (חָמוּ עוֹבָדוֹי, חָמוּ מִלּוֹי). Better for him had he not been created (טַב לֵיהּ דְּלָא אִבְרֵי). Until he reaches the grave (עַד דְּמָטֵי לְגַבֵּי קִבְרָא), all the dead are shaken in their places because of him (כֻּלְּהוּ מֵתִין אִתְרַגְּזוּן מִדּוּכְתַּיְיהוּ עָלֵיהּ), and they say: Woe, woe, that this one is buried among us (וְאַמְרֵי וַוֵי וַוֵי דְּדָא אִתְקְבַּר בְּגַוָּון). His deeds and his words arrive before him and enter the grave (עוֹבָדוֹי וּמִלּוֹי אַקְדְּמָן וְעָאלִין לְקִבְרָא), and they stand upon that body (וְקַיְּימֵי עָלֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא גּוּפָא), and his spirit goes and wanders (וְרוּחֵיהּ אָזְלָא וְשָׁאט), and mourns over the body (וּמִתְאַבְּלָא עַל גּוּפָא).

Once the man is laid in the burial ground (כֵּיוָן דְּבַּר נָשׁ אִתְטְמַר בְּבֵי קִבְרֵי), Dumah advances-Some say: stands (דּוּמָ״ה קָדִים ס״א קָאִים), and comes under his hand (וְנָפִיק תְּחוֹת יְדֵיהּ), with three agents of judgment (תְּלָתָא בֵּי דִּינָא), who are appointed over the judgment of the grave (דִּי מְמָנָן עַל דִּינָא דְּקִבְרָא), and three rods of fire are in their hands (וּתְלַת שַׁרְבִּיטֵי דְּאֶשָּׁא בִּידַיְיהוּ), and they judge the spirit and the body together (וְדַיְינִין רוּחָא וְגוּפָא כַּחֲדָא).

Woe for that judgment (וַוֵי עַל הַהוּא דִּינָא), woe for his deeds (וַוֵי עַל עוֹבָדוֹי). At the time when he is held in the collar of the King (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיהוּ תָּפִיס בְּקוּלְרָא דְּמַלְכָּא), and his judgment is judged (וְאִתְדַּן דִּינֵיהּ), and it is completed (וְאִשְׁתְּלִים), and no Advocate is found for him (דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַּח עָלֵיהּ סַנֵּיגוֹרְיָא), the guard of the King descends (וְסַנְטִירָא דְּמַלְכָּא נָחִית), and stands before him, at his feet (וְקָאֵים קָמֵיהּ לְרַגְלוֹי), and a sharp sword is in his hand (וְחַד סַיְיפָא שִׁנָּנָא בִּידֵיהּ). The man lifts his eyes (זָקִיף בַּר נָשׁ עֵינוֹי), and sees the walls of the house burning with fire (וְחָמֵי כֹּתְלֵי בֵיתָא דְּמִתְלַהֲטָן בְּאֶשָּׁא).

From within it, meanwhile, he sees standing before him (מִנֵּיהּ אַדְּהָכִי חָמֵי לֵיהּ קַמֵּיהּ) a figure filled entirely with eyes (כּוּלֵיהּ מָלֵי עַיְינִין), its garments are fire (לְבוּשֵׁיהּ אֶשָּׁא), blazing before the person (דְּלָהִיט קַמֵּיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ). Such is certainly so (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), for many people have seen the angel in the marketplace (דְּהָא כַּמָּה בְּנֵי נָשָׁא חָמוּ מַלְאָכָא בְּשׁוּקָא), and it stands before him (וְקַיֵּימֵי קַמֵּיהּ), but the rest of the people do not see it (וּשְׁאַר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לָא חָמָאן לֵיהּ). And if you would say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), behold it is written: “He makes His angels spirits…” (הָא כְּתִיב: עוֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת וְגוֹ׳) (Tehillim 104). How can he be seen upon the earth? (הֵיךְ יָכִיל לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בְּאַרְעָא).

Rather, this matter (אֶלָּא מִלָּה דָא), behold, the friends have established it (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ), that once a angel descends to earth (דְּכֵיוָן דְּנָחִית מַלְאָכָא לְאַרְעָא), he is clothed in a body (אִתְלְבַּשׁ בְּגוּפָא), and appears to whoever he appears to (וְאִתְחַזֵּי לְמַאן דְּאִתְחֲזֵי), in that garment with which he is clothed (בְּהַהוּא לְבוּשָׁא דְּאִתְלְבַּשׁ בֵּיהּ). And if not, the world cannot bear him and he cannot appear (וְאִי לָאו, לָא יָכִיל לְמִסְבַּל לֵיהּ עָלְמָא וּלְאִתְחֲזָאָה). All the more so (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן), since the entire world depends on him (הַאי דְּכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא צְרִיכִין לֵיהּ). “Three drops with his sword…” etc. (תְּלַת טִפִּין בְּחַרְבֵּיהּ וְכוּ׳), and behold, the friends have established this (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא). When one sees him (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמֵי לֵיהּ), his entire body and spirit tremble (אִזְדַּעְזַע כָּל גּוּפֵיהּ וְרוּחֵיהּ), and his heart does not rest (וְלִבֵּיהּ לָא שָׁכִיךְ), for he is the king of the whole body (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מַלְכָּא דְּכָל גּוּפָא). And his spirit travels through all limbs of the body (וְרוּחָא דִּילֵיהּ אַזְלָא בְּכָל שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא), and detaches from them (וְאִשְׁתְּאִיל מִנַּיְיהוּ), like a person separated from his friend (כְּבַר נָשׁ דְּאִשְׁתְּאִיל מֵחַבְרֵיהּ), to go to another place (לְמֵהַךְ לַאֲתָר אַחֲרָא). Then he says, “Woe for what I have done!” (כְּדֵין הוּא אוֹמֵר וַוֵי עַל מַה דְּעֲבַד), but it does not help him (וְלָא מְהַנְיָיא לֵיהּ), except if he had hastened to the healing of Teshuvah (אֶלָּא אִי אַקְדִּים אַסְוָותָא דִּתְשׁוּבָה), before that moment had arrived (עַד לָא מָטָא הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא).

That person is afraid (דָּחִיל הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), and wants to hide himself, but cannot (וּבָעֵי לְאִתְטַמְּרָא וְלָא יָכִיל). Once he sees that he cannot (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמֵי דְּלָא יָכִיל), he opens his eyes (הוּא פָּתַח עֵינוֹי), and is compelled to gaze at him (וְאִית לֵיהּ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ), and he looks upon him with open eyes (וְאִסְתָּכַּל בֵּיהּ בְּעַיְינִין פְּקִיחִין). Then he removes his being and his soul (וּכְדֵין הוּא מָסִיר גַּרְמֵיהּ וְנַפְשֵׁיהּ). And that moment is a time of great judgment (וְהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא הוּא עִידָּן דְּדִינָא רַבָּא), in which the person is judged in this world (דְּבַּר נָשׁ אִתְּדַּן בֵּיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא).

Then the spirit goes through all the limbs of the body (וּכְדֵין רוּחָא אָזְלָא בְּכָל שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא), and is detached from them (וְאִשְׁתְּאִיל מִינַּיְיהוּ), and roams through all limbs (וְשָׁאט בְּכָל שַׁיְיפִין), and all sides tremble (וְאִזְדַּעְזְעָא לְכָל סִטְרִין), and all limbs of the body are shaken (וְכָל שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא כֻּלְּהוּ מִזְדַּעְזְעָן). When the spirit reaches each limb (כַּד מָטָא רוּחָא לְכָל שַׁיְיפָא וְשַׁיְיפָא), and detaches from it (וְאִשְׁתְּאִיל מִנֵּיהּ), a sweat falls upon that limb (נָפַל זִיעָא עַל הַהוּא שַׁיְיפָא), and the spirit departs from it (וְרוּחָא אִסְתָּלִיק מִנֵּיהּ), and immediately that limb dies (וּמִיָּד מִית הַהוּא שַׁיְיפָא). And so it is with all of them (וְכֵן בְּכֻלְּהוּ). Once the spirit reaches the point of exit (כֵּיוָן דְּמָטֵי רוּחָא לְמֵיפַּק), for it has already detached from the entire body (דְּהָא אִשְׁתְּאִיל מִכָּל גּוּפָא), then the Shekhinta stands over him (כְּדֵין שְׁכִינְתָּא קַיְּימָא עָלֵיהּ), and immediately it departs from the body (וּמִיָּד פַּרְחָא מִן גּוּפָא). Blessed is the portion of one who cleaves to Her (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמַאן דְּאִתְדַּבַּק בָּהּ), and woe to those guilty ones who are distant from Her (וַוֵי לְאִינּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא דִּרְחִיקִין מִנָּהּ), and do not cleave to Her (וְלָא מִתְדַּבְּקִין בָּהּ).