Daf 169b (דַּף קס״ט ע״ב)

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): O holy pious one (אִי חֲסִידָא קַדִּישָׁא), surely if all vision of this world were not closed from him (וַדַּאי אִי לָא אַסְתִּים מִנֵּיהּ כָּל חֵיזוּ דְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and all of it not lost from him (וְלָא אִתְאֲבִיד כֹּלָּא מִנֵּיהּ), he would not have vision and portion of that world (לָא לֶהֱוִי לֵיהּ חֵיזוּ וְחוּלָקָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). This world is opposite from that world we are in (עָלְמָא דָּא, בְּהִפּוּכָא אִיהוּ מֵהַהוּא עָלְמָא דַּאֲנָן בֵּיהּ). For at the time of the resurrection of the dead (דִּבְזִמְנָא דִּתְחִיַית מֵתַיָּיא), not even as a hair’s breadth remains of the deed of this world (אֲפִילוּ כְּחוּטָא דְּשַׂעֲרָא לָא הֲוָה מֵעוֹבָדָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא), for all was lost at first (דְּכֹלָּא אִתְאֲבִיד בְּקַדְמִיתָא). It is not nullified, but is made (טְלָא לֹא יַבְטִיל לֵיהּ, וְיִשְׁוֵי לֵיהּ) through that dew at first (בְּהַהוּא טַלָּא [בְּקַדְמִיתָא]), and all filth is removed from it (וְיִתְעֲבִר מִנֵּיהּ כָּל זוּהֲמָא). And afterwards it becomes like this clay (וּלְבָתַר יִתְעֲבִיד כַּחֲמִירָא דָּא), and from it the body is made a new creation (וּמִנֵּיהּ יִתְעֲבִיד גּוּפָא בִּרְיָה חַדְתָּא), so here (כַּךְ הָכָא).

Rabbi Shim‘on said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): Surely I know that you are clothed there in precious garments (ודַּאי יְדַעְנָא דְּאַתּוּן מְלוּבָּשִׁין תַּמָּן, בִּלְבוּשׁ יְקָר), of a pure holy body (דְּגוּפָא דַּכְיָא קַדִּישָׁא). If in such likeness in this world (אִי הֲוָה בְּגַוְונָא דָּא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), a man is seen in that body (בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי בְּהַהוּא גּוּפָא), it is like you stand in that world (כְּגַוְונָא דְּאַתּוּן קַיְימִין בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): This word they asked before the Head of the Academy (מִלָּה דָּא שָׁאִילוּ קַמֵּי רַב מְתִיבְתָּא), two youths who were clothed among us (תְּרֵין עוּלְימִין דְּאִתְלְבָּשׁוּ בֵּינָנָא), after they suffered pain for sin (בָּתַר דְּסַבְלוּ צַעֲרָא עַל חוֹבָא), which was not permitted to be revealed (דְּלָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְגַלָּאָה). And they asked this before the Head of the Academy (וְשָׁאִילּוּ דָּא קַמֵּי רַב מְתִיבְתָּא). And he said (וְאִיהוּ אָמַר), behold it was in this world thus (דְּהָא הֲוָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא הָכִי). From where do we know? (מְנָלָן). As it is written (Esther 5) (דִּכְתִּיב, וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת): Esther clothed herself in that likeness of that world (אִתְלַבְּשַׁת בְּהַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). “Malkhut” - this is the spirit of holiness (מַלְכוּת: דָּא רוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא).

For the Kingdom of Heaven sends spirit from that spirit of the atmosphere of that world, and Esther was clothed in it (דְּהָא מַלְכוּת שְׁמַיָא, נָשִׁיב רוּחָא, מֵהַהוּא רוּחָא דַּאֲוִירָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, וְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בֵּיהּ אֶסְתֵּר). And when she entered before King Ahashverosh (וְכַד עָאלַת קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ), and he saw that garment of radiance (וְחָמָא הַהוּא לְבוּשָׁא דִּנְהוֹרָא), her likeness appeared like an angel of Elohim (דִּיוּקְנָאָה אִדְמִי לְמַלְאַךְ אֱלֹהִים). Her soul flew from him for the moment (פַּרְחָה מִנֵּיהּ נִשְׁמְתָא לְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא). So too Mordekhai, as it is written (וּמָרְדְּכַי אוּף הָכִי, דִּכְתִּיב): “And Mordekhai went out from before the king in royal apparel” (Esther 8) (וּמָרְדְּכַי יָצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּלְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת).

Royal apparel, surely, the likeness of that world (לְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת, ודַּאי, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). And upon this it is written: “For the fear of Mordekhai fell upon them” (Esther 9) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, כִּי נָפַל פַּחַד מָרְדְּכַי עֲלֵיהֶם). The fear of Mordekhai, not the fear of Ahashverosh (פַּחַד מָרְדְּכַי, וְלָא פַּחַד אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ).

Rabbi Shim‘on said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): How sweet are these words (כַּמָה מְתִיקִין אִינּוּן מִלִּין). Meritorious is my portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי). And behold I know that the Righteous in that world are clothed in a garment called royal garment (וְהָא יְדַעְנָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא [ס״א בְּהַאי] בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, מִתְלַבְּשָׁן בִּלְבוּשָׁא דְּאִקְרֵי לְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת), and so it surely is (וְהָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): The atmosphere of Gan Eden is the breath of the The Holy Spirit (אֲוִירָא דְּגַּן עֵדֶן, נְשִׁיבוּ דְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא אִינּוּן), and the Righteous are clothed in it as they were in this world (וּמִתְלַבְּשָׁן בֵּיהּ צַדִּיקַיָּיא, כְּגַוְונָא דַּהֲווֹ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And afterwards the The Holy Spirit rests upon the head of each one (וּלְבָתַר, רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא שָׁרָאת, עַל רֵישָׁא דְּכָל חַד וְחַד), and he is crowned and made a crown (וְאִתְעַטָּר וְאִתְעָבֵידַא לֵיהּ עָטָרָא). And so it was for Mordekhai, as it is written “in royal apparel,” the likeness of that world (וְכַךְ הֲוָה לְמָרְדְּכַי, דִּכְתִּיב בִּלְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). And afterwards “a great crown of gold” - this crown rests upon the heads of the Righteous in that world (וּלְבָתַר וַעֲטֶרֶת זָהָב גְּדוֹלָה, דָּא עֲטֶרֶת, דִּשְׁרִיאַת עַל רֵישֵׁיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). When Yisrael received the Orayta, it was thus with them (כַּד קַבִּילוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא הֲוָה לְהוֹן).

Until they sinned, as it is written: “And the children of Yisrael stripped themselves of their adornment from Mount Horev” (Exodus 33) (עַד דְּחָבוּ, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוּ, וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֶדְיָם מֵהַר חוֹרֶב). They stripped off that garment (אִתְפְּשָׁטוּ מֵהַהוּא לְבוּשָׁא). And so it is written regarding Yehoshua the high priest (וְכֵן כְּתִיב בִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא): “Remove the filthy garments from him” (Zechariah 3) (הָסִירוּ הַבְּגָדִים הַצּוֹאִים מֵעָלָיו). And it is written: “And they clothed him with garments” (וּכְתִיב וַיַלְבִּישׁוּהוּ בְּגָדִים) - these are the garments of that world (אִלֵּין לְבוּשִׁין דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא).

From here, the former words (מֵהָכָא מִלִּין קַדְמָאִין). And from here: As long as the body of this world remains in the grave in existence (וּמֵהָכָא, דְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּגוּפָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא קַיְּימָא בְּקִבְרָא בְּקִיּוּמָא), the spirit does not clothe itself in the garment of that world (לָא אִתְלְבַּשׁ רוּחָא בִּלְבוּשָׁא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). For it is written: “And they removed the filthy garments from him” at first (דִּכְתִּיב וַיָּסִירוּ הַבְּגָדִים הַצּוֹאִים מֵעָלָיו בְּקַדְמִיתָא). And afterwards: “And they clothed him with garments” (וּלְבָתַר וַיַלְבִּישׁוּהוּ בְּגָדִים).

“And the angel of Hashem stood” (וּמַלְאַךְ יְיָ עוֹמֵד) - what is “stood”? (מַהוּ עוֹמֵד). Rather, this is the crown called “the angel of Hashem” (אֶלָּא דָּא הִיא עָטָרָא, דְּאִקְרֵי מַלְאַךְ יְיָ), which rests upon the heads of the Righteous (דְּקַיְּימָא עַל רֵישֵׁיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא), and this is “stood” (וְדָא אִיהוּ עוֹמֵד) - standing upon the head above (עוֹמֵד עַל רֵישָׁא לְעֵילָּא), after they are clothed in this precious garment (לְבָתַר דְּאִתְלַבְּשָׁן בְּהַאי לְבוּשָׁא דִּיקָר). Two bodies together cannot exist (תְּרֵין גּוּפִין כַּחֲדָא, לָא יַכְלִין לְמֵיקָם). As long as this one remains, the spirit does not receive another (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּהַאי קַיָּים, רוּחָא לָא מְקַבְּלָא אַחֲרָא). When this one passes, another is immediately ready (אִתְעֲבָר דָּא, הָא אַחֲרָא זְמִינָא מִיַּד). Surely, this one goes out and that one enters (ודַּאי, דָּא נָפִיק, וְדָא עָאל).

In the manner of the good inclination and evil inclination in this world (כְּגַוְונָא דְּיֵצֶר טוֹב וְיֵצֶר רָע, בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). Kudsha Berikh Hu does not desire that both of them exist together (לָא בָּעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ יְקוּמוּן כַּחֲדָא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): I wonder about what is written (תַּוַּוהְנָא עַל מַה דִּכְתִּיב): “And the Satan stood at his right hand to accuse him” (Zechariah 3) (וְהַשָּׂטָן עוֹמֵד עַל יְמִינוֹ לְשִׂטְנוֹ). If Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak was so (וְכִי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק כַּךְ), how much more so the rest of mankind (שְׁאַר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא עַל אַחַת כַּמָה וְכַמָּה). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): O holy pious one (חֲסִידָא קַדִּישָׁא), how hidden and concealed are these words (כַּמָה טְמִירִין סְתִימִין מִלִין אִלֵּין).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Even though the friends know words of that world (אַף עַל גַּב דְּחַבְרַיָּיא יַדְעִין בְּמִלִּין דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), they cannot know these secrets (לָא יַכְלִין לְמִנְדַּע בְּרָזִין אִלֵּין). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Since a man is in that world (כֵּיוָן דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), what profit has the Satan to accuse him (מַה תּוֹעַלְתָּא אִית לְהַהוּא שָׂטָן לְאַסְטָאָה לֵיהּ), is it not enough that he already took his soul and killed him (וְלָא דַּי לֵיהּ דְּאַפִּיק נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ, וְקָטִיל לֵיהּ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): O holy pious one, meritorious is your portion (אִי חֲסִידָא קַדִּישָׁא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): The desire of the Satan is only that the righteous not be clothed in the pure holy garment (תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְּשָׂטָן לָא הֲוָה, אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְלַבָּשׁ הַהוּא זַכָּאָה בִּלְבוּשָׁא דַּכְיָא קַדִּישָׁא). For when the Satan sees that his garment is repelled and not counted (דְּכֵיוָן דְּחָזֵי הַהוּא שָׂטָן, דִּלְבוּשָׁא דִּילֵיהּ אִתְדַּחְיָא, וְלָא אִתְחֲשִׁיב), then he accuses him (עַל דָּא אַסְטֵי לֵיהּ). Why? (מַאי טַעֲמָא). Because if he is clothed in that precious garment (בְּגִין דְּאִי אִתְלְבַּשׁ בְּהַהוּא לְבוּשׁ יְקָר), immediately the filthy garment and the work of that Satan are nullified and pass from the world (מִיַּד לְבוּשָׁא דְּזוּהֲמָא, וְעַבִידְתָּא דְּהַהוּא שָׂטָן, יִתְבָּטַל וְיַּעֲבֹר מֵעָלְמָא), and this is not pleasing to the Satan (וְלָא נִיחָא לֵיהּ לְשָׂטָן).