Daf 162b (דַּף קס״ב ע״ב)

They returned to those masters of Scripture (אָהַדְרוּ לְגַבֵּי אִינּוּן מָארֵי מִקְרָא), and found them saying (אַשְׁכָּחוּ דַּהֲווֹ אַמְרֵי): “I said, you are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High” (Psalms 82) (אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם וּבְנֵי עֶלְיוֹן כֻּלְּכֶם). “I said” (אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי), at the time when you preceded doing to hearing (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַקְדִימְתּוּן עֲשִׂיָּה לַשְּׁמִיעָה). For behold, “you are gods, etc.” (דְּהָא אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם וְגוֹ׳). But when you drew after the evil inclination (כֵּיוָן דְּאַמְשִׁכְתּוּן בָּתַר יֵצֶר הֵרַע), “nevertheless, like Adam you shall die, etc.” (אָכֵן כְּאָדָם תְּמוּתוּן וְגוֹ׳). What is the death of Adam? That he was brought down to the dust (מַה מִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם אָחִית לֵיהּ לְעַפְרָא), so that that evil inclination within him be humbled (בְּגִין דְּיִתְמְחֵי הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע דִּי בְּגַוִּיהּ), and that evil inclination-it is what dies and is consumed within him (וְהַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע אִיהוּ דְּמִית, וְאִתְעַכָּל בְּגַוִּיהּ).

That elder who was over them said (אָמַר הַהוּא סָבָא דְּעָלַיְיהוּ): Also here it is written: “And your carcasses, you, shall fall in this wilderness” (Numbers 14) (אוּף הָכָא כְּתִיב, וּפִגְרֵיכֶם אַתֶּם יִפְּלוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה). What are “your carcasses”? (מַאי פִּגְרֵיכֶם). This is the evil inclination (דָּא יֵצֶר הָרָע), inclusive of male and female (כָּלִיל דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). The lacks that are in you (חֶסְרוֹנִין דְּאִית בְּכוּ), for the evil inclination always descends to defect (דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע נָחִית תָּדִיר לְחֶסְרוֹנָא), and does not ascend (וְלָא סָלִיק). In holiness, they raise up and do not bring down (בַּקֹּדֶשׁ מַעֲלִין וְלָא מוֹרִידִין); in impurity, they bring down always, and do not raise up (בִּמְסָאֲבוּ מוֹרִידִין תָּדִיר, וְלָא מַעֲלִין).

And for this reason they are called “your carcasses” (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרוּן פִּגְרֵיכֶם), your lacks (חֶסְרוֹנִין דִּלְכוֹן). As you say: “Who were too faint to cross the brook, etc.” (I Samuel 30) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר אֲשֶׁר פִּגְּרוּ מֵעֲבוֹר אֶת הַנַּחַל וְגוֹ׳). The end of the verse proves it (סוֹפָא דִּקְרָא אוֹכַח), for it is written: “they shall fall” (דִּכְתִיב יִפְּלוּ), and not “you shall fall” (וְלָא תִּפְּלוּ). And for this reason: “In this wilderness they shall be consumed, those carcasses, and there they shall die” (Numbers 14) (וְעַל דָּא, בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִתַּמּוּ אִינּוּן פְּגָרִים וְשָׁם יָמוּתוּ). Because the will of Kudsha Berikh Hu is to remove those carcasses from the world forever (בְּגִין דִּרְעוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְשֵׁיצָאָה לְהָנֵי פְּגָרִים מֵעָלְמָא, לְעָלַם).

Rabbi Ila’i said to them (אָמַר לְהוּ רִבִּי אִילָאִי): Meritorious of truth, come and see (זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט, עוּלוּ וְתֶחֱמוּ), for permission has been given to you (דְּהָא רְשׁוּ אִתְמְסַר לְכוּ), to enter until that place where the curtain is spread (לְמֵיעָל עַד הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּפָרוֹכְתָּא פְּרִיסָא). Meritorious is your portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵכוֹן). They arose and entered into one place (קָמוּ וְעָאלוּ גּוֹ דּוּכְתָּא חֲדָא), and there were the masters of Aggadah (וַהֲווּ תַּמָּן מָארֵיהוֹן דְּאַגָּדָה), and their faces shone like the radiance of the sun (וְאַנְפֵּיהוֹן מְנַהֲרָן כִּנְהִירוּ דְּשִׁמְשָׁא). They said: Who are these? (אָמְרוּ מַאן אִלֵּין). He said to them: These are the masters of Aggadah (אָמַר לְהוֹן, אִלֵּין מָארֵיהוֹן דְּאַגָּדָה). And they see every day the radiance of Orayta as is fitting (וְחָמָאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא נְהִירוּ דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא כַּדְּקָא יֵאוֹת). Stand and hear some new words in Orayta (קַיְימוּ, וּשְׁמָעוּ כַּמָּה מִלִּין חַדְתִּין בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), but permission was not given to them to enter inside (וְלָא אִתְיְהִיב לוֹן רְשׁוּ לְמֵיעַל לְגַוַּיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Ila’i said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אִילָאִי): Go up to another place and see (עוּלוּ לְדוּכְתָּא אַחֲרָא וְתֶחֱמוּ). They entered into another garden (עָאלוּ לְגוֹ גִּנְתָּא אַחֲרָא), and saw likewise graves dug (וְחָמוּ אוּף הָכִי כָּרָאן קִבְרִין), and immediately they died (וּמִיַּד מֵתִין). And they returned alive in holy radiant bodies (וּמִתְהַדְּרִין חַיִּין בְּגוּפִין מְנַהֲרָן קַדִּישִׁין). They said to him (אָמְרֵי לֵיהּ): What is this? (מַאי הַאי). He said to them (אָמַר לֵיהּ): This they do every day (דָּא עַבְדֵּי בְּכָל יוֹמָא). And immediately when they lie down, that evil defilement which they received at the beginning is consumed (וּמִיַּד דְּשַׁכְבֵי מִתְעַכְּלָא הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא בִּישָׁא דְּקַבִּילוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא). And they stand immediately in new radiant bodies (וְקַיְימִין מִיַּד בְּגוּפִין חַדְתִּין מְנַהֲרִין), in those holy bodies that stood at Mount Sinai (בְּאִינּוּן גּוּפִין קַדִּישִׁין דְּקַיְימֵי עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי), in the manner that you saw (כְּגַוְונָא דְּאַתּוּן חָמָאן). They all stood at Mount Sinai (קַיְימוּ כֻּלְּהוּ עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי), in bodies without any defilement at all (בְּגוּפִין בְּלָא לִכְלוּכָא כְּלָל). But when they drew upon themselves the evil inclination (כֵּיוָן דְּאַמְשִׁיכוּ עָלַיְיהוּ יֵצֶר הָרָע), they returned in other bodies (אִתְהֲדָרוּ בְּגוּפִין אַחֲרָנִין), for the first bodies were foreign bodies (דְּגוּפִין קַדְמָאִין, גּוּפִין נוּכְרָאִין). This is what is written: “And the children of Yisrael stripped themselves of their adornment from Mount Horeb” (Exodus 33) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֶדְיָם מֵהַר חוֹרֵב).

A voice was aroused (קָלָא אִתְּעַר): Go, gather yourselves (זִילוּ אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ). Behold Oholiav stands in his station (הָא אָהֳלִיאָב קָאִים עַל קִיּוּמֵיהּ), and all those chairs before him (וְכָל אִינּוּן קַתֶּדְרָאִין קַמֵּיהּ). At once they all flew away (לְשַׁעֲתָא פָּרְחוּ כֻּלְּהוּ), and they saw nothing (וְלָא חָמוּ מִדִי). They remained alone beneath the trees of the garden (אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ תְּחוֹת אִילָנִין דְּגִּנְתָּא). They saw another opening (חָמוּ פִּתְחָא אַחֲרָא). They entered there (עָאלוּ תַּמָּן). They saw a certain palace (חָמוּ הֵיכְלָא חֲדָא). They entered and sat there (עָאלוּ וְיָתִיבוּ תַּמָּן). Two youths were there (תְּרֵין עוּלֵימִין הֲווֹ תַּמָּן). They lifted up their eyes (זָקְפוּ עַיְינִין), and they saw one tabernacle embroidered with all manner of designs and colors of the world (וְחָמוּ חַד מַשְׁכְּנָא מְרֻקְּמָא בְּכָל זִינֵי צִיּוּרִין וּגְוָונִין דְּעָלְמָא). And upon it was spread a curtain of flashing light (וְעָלֵיהּ פְּרֵיס פְּרִיסָא דִּנְהוֹרָא מְנַצְּצָא), so that the eyes could not gaze (דְּלָא יַכְלִין עַיְינִין לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא). And some say: They saw within that tabernacle until the place where the curtain was spread, but no further (וְכָפוֹן תְּרֵין מִלִּין חָמוּ גוֹ הַהוּא מַשְׁכְּנָא עַד אֲתַר פָּרוֹכְתָּא פְּרִיסָא דְּלָא חָמוּ). From there and further, they saw nothing (מִתַּמָּן וּלְהָלְאָה לָא חָמוּ כְּלוּם).

They inclined their ears (אַרְכִּינוּ אוּדְנִין), and heard a voice that was saying (וּשְׁמָעוּ חַד קָלָא דְּהֲוָה אָמַר): Betzalel is the fourth among the supernal lights (בְּצַלְאֵל רְבִיעָאָה אִיהוּ לִנְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין). Yosef is the fourth within the lights of Adam Kadma’ah (יוֹסֵף רְבִיעָאָה אִיהוּ גּוֹ נְהוֹרִין דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה). Ascend above, beloved of all (סְלִיקוּ דִלְעֵילָּא, חֲבִיבָא דְּכֹלָּא). Upon him it is written: “And its libation, a fourth of a hin, in holiness, etc.” (Numbers 28) (עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, וְנִסְכּוֹ רְבִיעִית הַהִין בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וְגוֹ׳). Whoever gazes and sees, his eyes shall be dimmed (מַאן דְּיִסְתָּכַּל וְחָמֵי, יִסְמוּן עֵינֵיהּ). Whoever does not gaze, sees and is opened (מַאן דְּלָא יִסְתָּכַּל, חָמֵי וְאִתְפְּתַח). The tree of eighteen, when it bends, it shall straighten and be established (אִילָנָא דְּתַמְנֵי סְרֵי, כַּד כָּפִיף, יִזְקוֹף וְיִתְקְיַּים). If it does not bend, the evil serpent shall consume it (אִי לָא כָּפִיף, חִוְיָא בִּישָׁא אָכִיל לֵיהּ). Whoever enters the two Keruvim within, his will is accomplished (מַאן דְּעָאל תְּרֵין כְּרוּבִין לְגוֹ, רְעוּתֵיהּ אִתְעָבִיד).

Whoever delves into them, his will is distanced (מַאן דִּמְעַיֵין, רָחִיק מֵרְעוּתֵיהּ). The sacrifice of the many is complete to be accepted (קָרְבְּנָא דְּרַבְיָא, שְׁלִים לְאִתְקַבְּלָא). That voice ceased (פָּסַק הַהוּא קָלָא). Those two youths said (אָמְרוּ אִינּוּן תְּרֵין עוּלֵימִין): A sign is within you (סִימָנָא אִית בְּגַּוַיְיכוּ). They said: Yes (אָמְרוּ הִין). They brought forth two roses (אַפִּיקוּ אִינּוּן תְּרֵין וְרָדִין), and walked with them (אַרְחוּ בְּהוּ). They said (אָמְרוּ): Sit, until you hear two words (תִּיבוּ, עַד דְּתִשְׁמְעוּן תְּרֵין מִלִּין), in ancient mysteries, from the masters of the Academy (בְּרָזִין עַתִּיקִין, מִגּוֹ מָארֵי מְתִיבְתָּא), and let them ever be a mystery within you (וִיהוֹן תָּדִיר בְּרָזָא בְּגַוַּיְיכוּ). They said: Yes (אָמְרוּ הֵן).

Rabbi Shim‘on said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): All these words, and everything they saw, write down (כָּל הָנֵי מִלִּין, וְכָל מַה דְּחָמוּ, כַּתְבוּ). And when they came here, it was written: “I will guard my ways from sinning with my tongue” (Psalms 39) (וְכַד מָטוּ הָכָא, הֲוָה כְּתִיב אֶשְׁמְרָה דְּרָכַי מֵחֲטוֹא בִלְשׁוֹנִי). And I asked of my father, Abba (וַאֲנָא שָׁאִילְנָא לַאֲבִי אַבָּא), what were those two words (כַמָה הֲווֹ אִינּוּן תְּרֵין מִלִּין). And he said to me: By your life, my son, those are the two words (וְאָמַר לִי חַיֶּיךָ בְּרִי, אִינּוּן תְּרֵין מִלִּין), that built worlds and destroyed worlds, whoever uses them (בָּאנוּ עָלְמִין, וְחָרִיבוּ עָלְמִין, מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּמָּשׁ בְּהוּ). When they heard those two words (כֵּיוָן דְּשַׁמְעוּ אִלֵּין תְּרֵין מִלִּין), those youths said (אָמְרוּ אִינּוּן יְנוּקֵי): Go out, go out, you have no further permission to hear (פּוּקוּ פּוּקוּ, לֵית לְכוּ רְשׁוּתָא יַתִּיר לְמִשְׁמַע). One of them brought forth an apple (אַפִּיק חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ, תַּפּוּחַ אֶחָד), and gave it to them (וְיָהַב לוֹן). And he said: Walk in this, walk in it (וְאָמַר, אַרְחוּ בְּדָא, אַרְחוּ בֵּיהּ). And they went out (וְנַפְקוּ). And of all that they saw, they did not forget anything (וּמִכָּל דְּחָמוּ לָא אַנְשׁוּ כְּלוּם). They went out (נַפְקוּ).