Daf 168a (דַּף קס״ח ע״א)

O Rabbi, O Rabbi (אִי רִבִּי, אִי רִבִּי), If not for you, bar Yochai (אִלְמָלֵא בַּר יוֹחָאי אַנְתְּ), it would not have been given to reveal (לָא אִתְמְסַר לְגַלָּאָה). The Zivug of that world (זִוּוּגָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), makes fruit more (אִתְעָבִיד אִיבָּא יַתִּיר), than the fruit made in this world (מֵאִיבָא דְּאִתְעָבִיד בְּהַאי עָלְמָא).

In their Zivug (בְּזִוּוּגָא דִּלְהוֹן), in the Zivug of that world (בְּזִוּוּגָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), in their desire as one (בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא דִּלְהוֹן כַּחֲדָא), when the Neshamot cleave one with another (כַּד מִתְדַּבְּקָן נִשְׁמָתִין דָּא עִם דָּא), they make fruits (עַבְדֵי אֵיבִין), and radiances go forth from them (וְנַפְקֵי נְהוֹרִין מִנַּיְיהוּ), and lamps are made (וְאִתְעַבְדֵי שְׁרָגִּין). And those Neshamot (וְאִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין), are for the converts who convert (לַגִּיּוֹרִין דְּמִתְגַּיְירִין), and all these enter one palace (וְכָל הָנֵי עַיְילִין לְהֵיכָלָא חֲדָא). And when one convert converts (וְכַד מִתְגַּיְירָא גִּיּוֹרָא חֲדָא), a Neshama flies from that palace (פַּרְחָא מֵהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא נִשְׁמְתָא), and enters beneath the wings of the Shekhinta (וְעָאלַת תְּחוֹת גַּדְפָהָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), and kisses her (וְנַשְׁקַת לָּהּ), for it is the fruit of the Righteous (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִיבָּא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא), and she sends it into that convert (וּמְשַׁדְרַת לָהּ לְגוֹ הַהוּא גִּיּוֹרָא), and it rests in him (וְשָׁרַאת בֵּיהּ).

And from that time (וּמֵהַהוּא זִמְנָא), he is called a righteous convert (אִקְרֵי גֵּר צֶדֶק). And this is the secret of what is written (וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב): “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” (Proverbs 11) (פְּרִי צַדִּיק עֵץ חַיִּים). As the tree of life brings forth Neshamot (מַה אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי אַפִּיק נִשְׁמָתִין), so too the Tzaddik, his fruit makes Neshamot (אוּף הָכִי צַדִּיק, אִיבָּא דִּילֵיהּ עָבִיד נִשְׁמָתִין).

The Head of the Academy said (רַב מְתִיבְתָּא אָמַר): It is written (Bereshit 11) (כְּתִיב, וַתְּהִי שָׂרַי עֲקָרָה אֵין לָהּ וָלָד). From what is said, “Sarai was barren,” do I not know she had no child? What then is “she had no child”? (מִמַּאי דְּאָמַר וַתְּהִי שָׂרַי עֲקָרָה, לֵית אֲנָא יוֹדֵעַ דְּלֵית לָהּ וָלָד, מַאי אֵין לָהּ וָלָד). Rather thus said the Head of the Academy (אֶלָּא הָכִי אָמַר רַב מְתִיבְתָּא): A child she did not give birth to (וָלָד לָא הֲוַת מוֹלִדָא), but Neshamot she did give birth to (אֲבָל נִשְׁמָתִין הֲוַת מוֹלִדָא), through cleaving of desire (בְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דְּתִיאוּבְתָּא). For those two righteous ones were bringing forth Neshamot for the converts in all that time they were in Haran (דְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵין זַכָּאִין הֲווֹ מוֹלִידֵי נִשְׁמָתִין לְגִיּוֹרֵי כָּל הַהוּא זִמְנָא דַּהֲווֹ בְחָרָן). Just as the Righteous do in Gan Eden (כְּמָה דְּעַבְדִּין צַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּגַן עֵדֶן). As it is written (Bereshit 12) (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, וְאֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן), a soul they made indeed (נֶפֶשׁ עָשׂוּ וַדַּאי).

Rabbi Shim‘on rejoiced (חַדֵּי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), that man said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ הַהוּא גַּבְרָא): O Rabbi, what shall I say to you (אִי רִבִּי, מָה אֵימָא לְךָ). On every new moon, Sabbaths, festivals, and appointed times (בְּכָל רֵישׁ יַרְחֵי וְשַׁבַּתֵּי וּמוֹעֲדַיָּיא וּזְמָנַיָּיא), the males ascend to appear before the Holy King (אִינּוּן דְּכוּרִין סַלְּקִין לְאִתְחֲזָאָה קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), males and not females (דְּכוּרִין וְלָא נוּקְבִין), as it is said: “All your males shall appear” (Exodus 23) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר יֵרָאֶה כָּל זְכוּרְךָ). And when we return, we return with many new words (וְכַד אַהְדְּרָן מְהַדְרָן בְּכַמָּה מִלֵּי חַדְתִּין), and return words before the Head of the Academy (וְאַהְדְּרָן מִלִּין קַמֵּי רַב מְתִיבְתָּא).

On this day we returned new words before the Head of the Academy (יוֹמָא דָּא אַהְדְּרָן מִלִּין חַדְתִּין קַמֵּי רַב מְתִיבְתָּא), on ancient secrets (עַל רָזִין עַתִּיקִין): “A righteous one who prospers, a righteous one who suffers” (צַדִּיק וְטוֹב לוֹ, צַדִּיק וָרָע לוֹ). For all ascend into the scale of the Tree (דְּכֻלְּהוּ סַלְּקִין גּוֹ מַתְקְלָא דְּאִילָנָא), before they come into the world (עַד לָא יֵיתוּן לְעָלְמָא). And according to the measure of the scale (וּכְפוּם טַקְלָא דְּמַתְקְלָא), so it is with them in this world (הָכִי אִית לוֹן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא).

The Head of the Academy descends and reveals from what he hears above (רַב מְתִיבְתָּא, נָחִית וְגַלֵּי מִמָּה דְּשָׁמַע לְעֵילָּא), one word he reveals and not more (מִלָּה חֲדָא גַּלֵּי וְלָא יַתִּיר). A flame that does not rise in its light (אָעָא דְּלָא סָלִיק נְהוֹרֵיהּ), they strike it and it shines (יְבָטְשׁוּן בֵּיהּ וְאַנְהִיר). A body in which the light of the Neshama does not rise (גּוּפָא דְּלָא סַלְּקָא בֵּיהּ נְהוֹרָא דְּנִשְׁמְתָא), they strike it (יְבָטְשׁוּן בֵּיהּ), and the radiance of the Neshama ascends (וִיסַלֵק נְהִירוּ דְּנִשְׁמְתָא), and they unite one with another to shine (וְיִתְאַחֲדוּן דָּא בְּדָא לְאַנְהָרָא). Because there is a body in which the radiance of the Neshama does not shine (בְּגִין דְּאִית גּוּפָא דִּנְהִירוּ דְּנִשְׁמְתָא לָא נָהִיר בֵּיהּ), until they strike it (עַד דִּיבַטְּשׁוּן בֵּיהּ). Then the radiance of the Neshama shines (כְּדֵין נָהִיר נְהִירוּ דְּנִשְׁמְתָא), and is united in the body (וְאִתְאֲחָדָת בְּגוּפָא), and the body is united with it (וְגוּפָא אִתְאֲחָד בָּהּ).

Then the body, when the light ascends from the Neshama (גּוּפָא כְּדֵין סָלִיק נְהִירוּ מִגּוֹ נִשְׁמְתָא), returns exalted and praising (מְהַדַּר מְרוֹמַם וּמְשַׁבַּח), praying his prayers and requests (מְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ וּבָעוּתֵיהּ), blessing his Master (מְבָרֵךְ לְמָארֵיהּ). Then all is radiant (הָא כְּדֵין כֹּלָּא נָהִיר). Because there is a body in which the Neshama cannot shine (בְּגִין דְּאִית גּוּפָא, דְּלָא יָכִילַת נִשְׁמְתָא לְאַנְהָרָא בֵּיהּ), until they strike it (עַד דִּיבַטְּשׁוּן בֵּיהּ). Then it shines and unites one with another (וּכְדֵין נָהִיר וְאִתְאֲחָד דָּא בְּדָא). There is a flame that is not united in light (אִית אָעָא דְּלָא אִתְאֲחָד בִּנְהוֹרָא), and the light does not rise in it (וְלָא סָלִיק נְהוֹרָא בֵּיהּ), until they strike it (עַד דִּיבַטְּשׁוּן בֵּיהּ). Then it shines (וּכְדֵין נָהִיר).

The Sitra achra desires to do so (סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, בָּעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד הָכִי), and strikes at the guilty (וּבָטַשׁ בְּחַיָּיבַיָּא). And whatever it strikes (וְכָל מַה דְּבָטַשׁ), then “the lamp of the wicked shall be extinguished” (Proverbs 13) (כְּדֵין וְנֵר רְשָׁעִים יִדְעָךְ). It blasphemes and reviles to all sides (מְחָרֵף וּמְגַדֵּף לְכָל סִטְרִין), and cannot shine at all (וְלָא יָכִיל לְאַנְהֲרָא כְּלַל). And then it is written: “For what has the man who comes after the king?” (Ecclesiastes 2) (וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב כִּי מֶה הָאָדָם שֶׁיָּבֹא אַחֲרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ). And it seeks to resemble Him (וּבָעֵי לְאִתְדָּמֵי לֵיהּ), but cannot (וְלָא יָכִיל). And because of this: “Hashem tests the righteous” (Psalms 11) (וְעַל דָּא יְיָ צַדִּיק יִבְחָן), and strikes him (וּבָטַשׁ בֵּיהּ), and then he shines and is strengthened in radiance (וּכְדֵין נָהִיר וְאִתָּקַף בִּנְהִירוּ). “Tests,” as you say: “a tried stone” (Isaiah 28) (יִבְחָן, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר אֶבֶן בֹּחַן).

Rabbi Shim‘on bent down (גָּחִין רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), and kissed the earth (וְנָשִׁיק לְעַפְרָא). He said (אָמַר): Word by word I pursued You (מִלָּה מִלָּה אֲבַתְרָךְ רְדִיפְנָא), from the day I was (מִיּוֹמָא דַּהֲוִינָא), and now a word has been revealed to me (וְהַשְׁתָּא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא לִי מִלָּה), from the root and foundation of all (מִגּוֹ שָׁרְשָׁא וְעִקָּרָא דְּכֹלָּא).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): O Rabbi, O Rabbi (אִי רִבִּי, אִי רִבִּי), when they ascend above (כַּד סַלְּקִין לְעֵילָּא), all those spirits, male and female (כָּל אִינּוּן רוּחִין דְּכוּרִין וְנוּקְבִין), at that time they hear (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, שַׁמְעִין). Some say: many (ס״א כַּמָּה), new and ancient words (מִלִּין חַדְתִּין וְעַתִּיקִין). They descend and enter into the Academy (נַחְתִּין וְעָאלִין לְגוֹ מְתִיבְתָּא), and return words before the Head of the Academy (וְאַהְדְּרָן מִלֵּי קַמֵּי רַב מְתִיבְתָּא), and he teaches them a word upon its existence (וְאִיהוּ אוֹלִיף לוֹן מִלָּה עַל קִיּוּמֵיהּ). When they ascend they strip off their garments and ascend (כַּד סַלְּקִין מִתְפַּשְּׁטִין מַלְבּוּשֵׁיהוֹן וְסַלְּקִין). When they descend they are clothed in the garments of that body (כַּד נַחְתֵּי, מִתְלַבְּשִׁין בִּלְבוּשֵׁיהוֹן דְּהַהוּא גּוּפָא).