Daf 88b (דַּף פ״ח ע״ב)

He lifted his eyes (זָקַף עֵינוֹי), and he saw the Angel of Death standing before him (וְחָמֵי לְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוְת קָאִים קַמֵּיהּ), and his sword was drawn in his hand (וְסַיְיפֵיהּ שְׁלִיפָא בִּידֵיהּ), dripping with the gall of that man (קַסְטַּר בְּקַטְרִין, בְּקוּטְמָא דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ). And for the soul there is no difficulty at all in separating from the body (וְלֵית לָהּ לְנַפְשָׁא קַשְׁיוּ בְּכֹלָּא, כִּפְרִישׁוּ דִילָהּ מִן גּוּפָא). And a person does not die until he sees the Shekhinta (וּבַר נָשׁ לָא מִית, עַד דְּחָמֵי לִשְׁכִינְתָּא), and from the great longing of the Shekhinta (וּמִגּוֹ סְגִיאוּת תִּיאוּבְתָּא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), the soul departs (נַפְשָׁא נַפְקַת) to be received by the Shekhinta (לְקַבְּלָא לִשְׁכִינְתָּא).

After it departs (בָּתַר דְּנָפְקָא), what is that soul that cleaves to it (מַאן אִיהִי נַפְשָׁא דְּאִתְדַּבָּק בָּהּ), some say: and is received (ס״א וְתִתְקַבֵּל), and enters into the body (וִיקַבֵּל בְּגוּפָא), some say: within it (ס״א בְּגוֹהָ), and behold, these matters have been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ לְהָנֵי מִלֵי). After the soul departs from the body (בָּתַר דְּנָפְקָא נַפְשָׁא מִן גּוּפָא), and the body is left without spirit (וְאִשְׁתְּאַר גּוּפָא בְּלָא רוּחָא), it is forbidden to leave it without burial (אָסִיר לְמִשְׁבַּק לֵיהּ בְּלָא קְבוּרָתָא), as it is written: “His corpse shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall surely bury him on that day” (Deuteronomy 21) (דִּכְתִּיב לֹא תָלִין נִבְלָתוֹ עַל הָעֵץ כִּי קָבֹר תִּקְבְּרֶנוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא).

Because if a corpse remains twenty-four hours, which is day and night, without burial (בְּגִין דְּמֵיתָא דְּיִשְׁתָּהֵי כ״ד שָׁעוֹת, דְּאִינּוּן יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה, בְּלָא קְבוּרָתָא), it gives weakness into the limbs of the Chariot (יָהִיב חַלִישׁוּתָא בְּשַׁיְיפוֹי דִרְתִיכָא), and delays the work of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּמְעַכֵּב עַבִידְתָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) from being done, that perhaps Kudsha Berikh Hu decreed upon him to bring him in another Gilgul (מִלְּמֶעְבַד דְּאֶפְשָׁר דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּזַר עָלֵיהּ, בְּגִין לְמֵיתֵיהּ בְּגִלְגּוּלָא אָחֳרָא), immediately on that very day that he departed, to do good for him (מִיַּד בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּאִתְפְּטָר, לְאוֹטָבָא לֵיהּ). And as long as the body is not buried (וְכָל זִמְנָא דְּלָא אִתְקְבַר גּוּפָא), the Neshama does not enter before Kudsha Berikh Hu (נִשְׁמְתָא לָאו עָאלַת קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and it cannot be in another body (וְלָא יַכְלָא לְמֶהֱוִי בְּגוּפָא אָחֳרָא), in a second Gilgul (בְּגִלְגּוּלָא תִּנְיָינָא).

For they do not give the Neshama another body (דְּלָא יָהֲבִין לְנִשְׁמְתָא גּוּפָא אָחֳרָא) until the first is buried (עַד דְּיִתְקְבַר קַדְמָאָה). And this is like a man whose wife has died (וְדָא דָּמֵי לְבַר נָשׁ דְּמֵיתַת אִתְּתֵיהּ), it is not fitting for him to take another wife until he has buried the first (לָא אִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ, לְמֵיסַב אִתְּתָא אָחֳרָא, עַד דְּקָבִיר לְּקַדְמֵיתָא). And because of this Orayta said (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמְרָה אוֹרַיְיתָא): “His corpse shall not remain all night upon the tree” (Deuteronomy 21) (לֹא תָלִין נִבְלָתוֹ עַל הָעֵץ).

Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): When the Neshama separates from the body (כַּד אִתְפָּרְשָׁא נִשְׁמְתָא מִן גּוּפָא), and it desires to go to that world (וּבַעְיָא לְמֵיזָל לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא), it does not enter that world (לָא תֵּיעוּל לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא) until they give to it another body from light (עַד דְּיָהֲבִין לָהּ גּוּפָא אָחֳרָא מִנְּהוֹרָא), and afterward it is able to enter (וּלְבָתַר יַכְלָא לְמֵיעַל). And from Eliyahu it is known (וּמֵאֵלִיָּהוּ תִּנְדַּע), that he had two bodies (דַּהֲווֹ לֵיהּ תְּרֵין גּוּפִין): one in which he appeared below to human beings (חַד דְּבֵיהּ אִתְחֲזֵי לְתַתָּא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and one in which he appeared above among the supernal holy angels (וְחַד דְּבֵיהּ אִתְחֲזֵי לְעֵילָּא, בֵּין מַלְאֲכִין עִלָּאִין קַדִישִׁין). And as long as the body is not buried (וְכָל כַּמָּה דְּגוּפָא לָא אִתְקְבַר), it is pain for the Neshama (צַעֲרָא הוּא לְנִשְׁמְתָא), and an impure spirit is prepared to rest upon it (וְרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא אִזְדְּמַן לְשַׁרְיָיא עֲלוֹי), and to defile that body (וּלְסַאָבָא לְהַהוּא גּוּפָא). And because that impure spirit is prepared (וּבְגִין דְּהַהוּא רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא אִזְדְּמַן), it is not proper for a person to leave that body unburied for one night (לָא לִבְעֵי לֵיהּ לְאִינִישׁ, לְמֵיבַת הַהוּא גּוּפָא לֵילְיָא חַד), because the impure spirit is found at night (בְּגִין דְּרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּלֵילְיָא), and spreads out upon all the earth (וְאִשְׁתְּטַח בְּכָל אַרְעָא), to find a body without a soul to defile it (לְאַשְׁכְּחָא גּוּפָא בְּלָא נַפְשָׁא, לְסָאֲבָא לֵיהּ), and it becomes even more defiled (וְאִסְתְּאַב יַתִּיר). And because of this He warned the Kohanim and said (וְעַל דָּא אַזְהַר לְכַהֲנֵי וְאָמַר): “To a soul he shall not become impure among his people” (Leviticus 21) (לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּיו), because they are holy (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן קַדִּישִׁין), no impure spirit shall rest upon them (לָא יִשְׁרֵי עָלַיְיהוּ רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא), and they shall not be defiled (וְלָא יִסְתַּאֲבוּן).

“Speak to the Kohanim” (Leviticus 21) (אֱמוֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים) - Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): “Speak to the Kohanim” - in a whisper (אֱמוֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים, בִּלְחִישׁוּ). Just as all the service of the Kohanim is in a whisper (כְּמָה דְּכָל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן דְּכַהֲנֵי בִּלְחִישׁוּ), so too their speech is in a whisper (כַּךְ אֲמִירָה דִּלְהוֹן בִּלְחִישׁוּ). “Speak and you shall say” (אֱמוֹר וְאָמַרְתָּ) - once and twice (זִמְנָא חַד, וּתְרֵין זִמְנִין), to warn them concerning their holiness (לְאַזְהָרָא לְהוּ עַל קְדוּשַׁיְיהוּ), so that they not be defiled (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִסְתַּאֲבוּן). For whoever ministers in a holy place must be found holy in all things (דְּמַאן דִּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ בַּאֲתַר קַדִּישָׁא, בַּעְיָא דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח קַדִּישָׁא בְּכֹלָּא). “To a soul he shall not become impure” (לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא יִטַּמָּא), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא): a body without spirit is impure (דְּגוּפָא בְּלָא רוּחַ, מִסְאֲבָא הוּא), and an impure spirit rests upon it (וְשָׁארֵי עָלֵיהּ רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא).

For the longing of impure spirits is toward the bodies of Israel (דְּהָא תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְּרוּחֵי מִסְאֲבֵי לְגַבֵּי גּוּפֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִיהוּ), because the holy spirit has departed from them (בְּגִין דְּאִתְּרָק מִנַּיְיהוּ רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא), and in the vessel of holiness they come to attach themselves (וּבְמָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא, אַתְיָין לְאִתְחַבְּרָא). And the Kohanim who are holy (וְכַהֲנֵי דְּאִינּוּן קַדִּישִׁין), holiness upon holiness (קְדוּשָּׁתָא עַל קְדוּשָּׁתָא), must not be defiled at all (לָא בַּעְיָין לְאִסְתַּאֲבָא כְּלַל), for it is written (בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב): “For the crown of his God is upon his head” (Numbers 6) (כִּי נֵזֶר אֱלֹהָיו עַל רֹאשׁוֹ). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “For the oil of anointing of his God is upon him, I am Hashem” (Leviticus 21) (כִּי שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת אֱלֹהָיו עָלָיו אֲנִי יְיָ'). And this is the manner above, that stands below (וְהוּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא קָאִים לְתַתָּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “Like the precious oil upon the head, running down upon the beard, the beard of Aharon, that runs down to the hem of his garments” (Psalms 133) (כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב עַל הָרֹאשׁ יוֹרֵד עַל הַזָּקָן זְקַן אַהֲרֹן שֶׁיוֹרֵד עַל פִּי מִדּוֹתָיו). This verse has been established (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But “like the precious oil upon the head” (אֲבָל כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב עַל הָרֹאשׁ) - this is the anointing of the supernal holy greatness (דָּא מְשַׁח רְבוּת קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה), that flows and goes forth from the place of the river that streams out from the depth of all (דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵאֲתַר דְּנַהֲרָא עֲמִיקָא דְּכֹלָּא). Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): that flows and goes forth from the Head of all heads, the Hidden of all hidden (דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵרֵישָׁא דְּכָל רֵישִׁין, סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין). “Upon the head” (עַל הָרֹאשׁ) - surely upon the head (עַל הָרֹאשׁ וַדַּאי), the head of Adam Kadma’ah (רֵישָׁא דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה).