Daf 170a (דַּף קע ע״א)

And further (וְתוּ), for whenever he is not clothed (דִּבְכָל זִמְנָא דְּלָא אִתְלְבַּשׁ), the spirit commands that body of his filth (פַּקְדָא רוּחָא לְהַהוּא גּוּפָא דְּזוּהֲמָא דִּילֵיהּ), and it pleases the Satan (וְנִיחָא לֵיהּ לְשָׂטָן). And once he is clothed in that precious garment (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְלָבַּשׁ בְּהַהוּא לְבוּשׁ יְקָר), behold the forms of the evil inclination are nullified (הָא אִתְבְּטִל גְּוָונֵי דְּיִצְרָא בִּישָׁא), and his body (וְגוּפָא דִּילֵיהּ), and he has no remembrance with him forever (וְלֵית לֵיהּ דּוּכְרָנָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ לְעָלְמִין). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא): We command to the graves at the beginning of every night (דַּאֲנָן פַּקְדִין לְבֵי קִבְרֵי בְּרֵישׁ כָּל לֵילְיָא), not upon the body but upon the soul (לָאו עַל גּוּפָא אֶלָּא עַל נַפְשָׁא). For as long as the flesh exists (דְּהָא כָּל זִמְנָא דְּבִשְׂרָא קַיְּימָא), the spirit commands the soul (רוּחָא פַּקְדָא עָלָה דְּנַפְשָׁא), and the soul commands the body (וְנַפְשָׁא פַּקְדָא לְגוּפָא). But now our command is to the soul, for it is forgotten (אֲבָל הַשְׁתָּא, פִּקְדוֹנָא דִּילָן אִיהוּ לְנַפְשָׁא, דְּאִיהִי מִשְׁתַּכְּכָא). And it remains in forgetfulness among the bones (וְאִשְׁתְּאָרַת בְּשִׁכוּכֵי גּוֹ גַּרְמֵי). And therefore, at the beginning of every night, the command of the spirit is to the soul, and not to the flesh (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, בְּרֵישׁ כָּל לֵילְיָא, פִּקְדוֹנָא דְּרוּחָא לְנַפְשָׁא, וְלָא עַל בִּשְׂרָא).

O holy pious one (אִי חֲסִידָא קַדִּישָׁא), come and I will reveal to you a hidden word (תָּא וְאַגָלֵּי לָךְ מִלָּה סְתִימָא). The structure of the body of man is thus (בִּנְיָינָא דְּגוּפָא דְּבַר נָשׁ הָכִי הוּא): spirit from the The Holy Spirit (רוּחָא מֵעִם רוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא), Neshama from the Tree of Life (נִשְׁמְתָא מִגּוֹ אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי). When the holy spirit gives power (כֵּיוָן דְּרוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא, יָהַב חֵילָא), Immediately, his Chariots give over their strength (מִיַּד רְתִיכִין דִּילֵיהּ יָהֲבִין חֵילַיְיהוּ). Their power is the bones and the membranes (חֵילָא דִּלְהוֹן, גַּרְמֵי וְשַׁיְיפִין), all from their side (כֻלְּהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן), and their arrangements one for another (וְתִקּוּנַיְיהוּ דָּא עַל דָּא). The Sitra achra gives the flesh (סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא יָהָבַת בִּשְׂרָא), and from her side comes the flesh (וּמִסִּטְרָא דִּילָהּ, אַתְיָא בִּשְׂרָא), and not another word (וְלָא מִלָּה אַחֲרָא). Her chariots give all the veins and arteries to draw blood to the flesh (רְתִיכִין דִּילָהּ, יָהֲבִין כָּל אִינּוּן גִּידִין וְעַרְקִין, לְאַמְשָׁכָא דָּמָא לְבִשְּׂרָא). After these give their power (בָּתַר דְּאִלֵּין יָהֲבֵי חֵילַיְיהוּ), the heavens give their power (שְׁמַיָא יַהֲבֵי חֵילַיְיהוּ). And who are they? The skin that spreads over all (וּמַאן אִינּוּן. עוֹר דְּאִתְמְשָׁךְ עַל כֹּלָּא), in their likeness (כְּגַוְונָא דִלְהוֹן). Afterwards heaven and earth are joined as one (לְבָתַר מִתְחַבְּרָן שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא כַּחֲדָא), and they give these four foundations (וְיָהֲבֵי ד׳ יְסוֹדֵי אִלֵּין): fire, water, air, and dust (אֶשָּׁא, וּמַיָא וַאֲוִירָא, וְעַפְרָא), to strengthen these and cover all (לְאַגָּנָא עַל אִלֵּין, וּלְחַפְיָא עַל כֹּלָּא). Afterwards each takes its portion that it gave and is nullified (לְבָתַר, כָּל חַד נָטִיל חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּיָהַב, וְאִתְבָּטֵּל). The The Holy Spirit and its chariots, their portions endure (רוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא, וּרְתִיכִין דִּילֵיהּ, חוּלָקַיְיהוּ קַיְּימָא). The The Holy Spirit, its spirit endures, and the Neshama ascends (רוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא, רוּחָא דִּילֵיהּ קַיְּימָא וְנִשְׁמְתָא סַלְּקָא). The chariots of the The Holy Spirit, their bones remain (רְתִיכִין דְּרוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא, גַּרְמִין דִּלְהוֹן קַיְימִין). And therefore the body is considered as bones (וְעַל דָּא חָשִׁיבוּ דְּגוּפָא, גַּרְמִין הֲווֹ). And because of this it is written: “And your bones shall be strong” (Isaiah 58) (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וְעַצְמוֹתֶיךָ יַחֲלִיץ). And it is not written so regarding the flesh (וּבִשְׂרָא לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ הָכִי). And as long as the flesh of the Sitra Achra exists in its existence (וְכָל זִמְנָא דְּבִשְׂרָא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא קַיְּימָא בְּקִיּוּמָא), that Satan stands to accuse (הַהוּא שָׂטָן קַיְּימָא לְאַסְטָנָא). When the flesh is destroyed (אִתְאֲבִיד בִּשְׂרָא), he has no permission to accuse (לֵית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְאַסְטָנָא), for he has nothing to lean on (דְּהָא לֵית לֵיהּ עַל מַה דְּיִסְתְּמִיךְ). And on this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב): “His flesh is consumed away, and his bones, once not seen, are laid bare” (Job 33) (יִכֶל בְּשָׂרוֹ מֵרוֹאִי וְשֻׁפּוּ עַצְמוֹתָיו לֹא רֻאוּ). From that vision of the Satan, who stood to accuse, he cannot, once the flesh is consumed (מֵהַהוּא חֵיזוּ דְּשָׂטָן דְּקַיְּימָא לְאַסְטָנָא, דְּלָא יָכִיל, כֵּיוָן דְּיִכֶל בְּשָׂרוֹ). “And his bones are laid bare, not seen” (וְשֻׁפּוּ עַצְמוֹתָיו לֹא רֻאוּ) - they are not seen to approach him (לָא אִתְחָזוּן לְקָרְבָא לְגַבֵּיהּ), for he has no portion in them (דְּלֵית לֵיהּ בְּהוֹן חוּלָקָא). Once each bone is stripped from its place (כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁף כָּל חַד וְחַד מִדּוּכְתֵּיהּ), he is not claimed upon them (לָא תָּבַע עָלַיְיהוּ), and does not stand to accuse on their behalf (וְלָא קָאִים לְאַסְטָנָא בְּגִינַיְיהוּ). After the flesh decays (לְבָתַר דְּבִשְׂרָא מִתְעֲכְּלָא), behold judgment is not demanded (הָא לָא יִתְבַּע דִּינָא), and he does not stand to accuse (וְלָא קָאִים לְאַסְטָנָא), for he has nothing to lean on (דְּהָא לֵית לֵיהּ עַל מַה דְּיִסְתְּמִיךְ), and man is not remembered at all in any word of the world (וְלָא אִדְכַּר לְבַּר נָשׁ בְּשׁוּם מִלָּה דְּעָלְמָא).

Rabbi Shim‘on said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): Now I know words concerning his rectifications (הַשְׁתָּא יְדַעְנָא מִלִּין עַל תִּקּוּנַיְיהוּ), surely fitting it is for him to accuse (וַדַּאי יָאוּת הוּא לֵיהּ לְאַסְטָנָא). He said to him, Rabbi (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי [שִׁמְעוֹן]): Gird your weapon and prepare yourself (חֲגוֹר זֵינָךְ, וְתָקִין גַּרְמָךְ), if you wish to know the remaining words (אִי תִּבְעֵי לְמִנְדַּע מִלִּין דְּשָׁארִית). Or if you ask of these words, tell me (אוֹ אִי תִּשְׁאַל בְּהָנֵי מִלִּין, אֵימָא לִי). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Surely, I know that my household are women (ודַּאי, הָא יְדַעְנָא דְּבֵיתָאי שְׁכִיבַת), that I do not know anything of them (דְּלָא יְדַעְנָא מִנָּהּ כְּלוּם), while my friends know (וְחַבְרַיָּיא יַדְעִין). Women, why is their mind light? (נָשִׁין מַאי טַעְמָא דַּעְתַּיְיהוּ קַלָּה). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): The mind comes in six grades (דַּעְתָּא אַתְיָא בְּשִׁית דַּרְגִּין), and each one takes its portion (וְכָל חַד נָטִיל חוּלָקֵיהּ). What remains is light (מַה דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר, קַל אִיהוּ). But it is precious, if not that the woman of foolishness shared in it (אֲבָל יַקִּירָא דָּא, אִי לָאו דְּאֵשֶׁת כְּסִילוּת אִשְׁתְּתַּף בָּהּ). In this matter do not ask (בְּמִלָּה דָּא לָא תִּשְׁאַל), for I know that it was not about your household you asked (דְּהָא יְדַעְנָא דְּלָאו עַל דְּבִיתָךְ שָׁאַלְתָּ), but about what is written: “Behold, Hashem rides upon a swift cloud” (Isaiah 19) (אֶלָּא עַל מַה דִּכְתִּיב, הִנֵּה יְיָ רוֹכֵב עַל עָב קַל). And that swift cloud is called Da‘at (וְהַהוּא עָב קַל אִקְרֵי דַּעַת), from that bride, the fear of Hashem (מֵהַהִיא כַּלָּה יִרְאַת יְיָ). And it stands in the middle, like the supernal Da‘at (וְאִיהִי קַיְּימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא כְּגַוְונָא דְּדַעַת עִלָּאָה). But for this reason it is called light (אֲבָל [וְעַל דָּא] אִקְרֵי קַל). And I know your question, what it is (וְהָא יְדַעְנָא שְׁאֶלְתָּא דִּילָךְ מַאי הִיא). But now (אֲבָל) begin, gird your weapon (שָׁארֵי וַחֲגוֹר זֵינָךְ), and bind your bond (וְקָטִיר קִטְרָךְ). For now is the time to reveal, as remains the work (דְּהָא עִידָנָא הוּא לְגַלָּאָה, כְּמָה דְּשָׁארִית עוֹבָדָא). At the breadth of the House, the hall of the Azarah within (דְּעַל אַנְפֵּי רוֹחַב בֵּיתָא, אוּלָם דַּעֲזָרָה לְגוֹ). In this Azarah are twelve gates (בְּהַאי עֲזָרָה, אִית תְּרֵיסַר פִּתְחִין), according to the number of the tribes of Yisrael (לְפוּם חוּשְׁבָּן שִׁבְטַיָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). At one gate is written Reuven (בְּפִתְחָא חֲדָא, כְּתִיב רְאוּבֵן). And at another gate is written Shimon (וּבְפִתְחָא אַחֲרָא, כְּתִיב שִׁמְעוֹן). And so all the tribes of Yisrael are inscribed upon those gates (וְכֵן כָּל שִׁבְטַיָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, רְשִׁימִין עַל אִינּוּן פִּתְחִין). At the time they ascend to appear before the Master of the world (בְּזִמְנָא דִּיסַלְקוּן לְאִתְחֲזָאָה קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא), whoever enters through the gate inscribed with Reuven - if he is from the tribe of Reuven, the gates receive him (מַאן דְּעָיִיל בְּפִתְחָא דְּרָשִׁים בֵּיהּ רְאוּבֵן, אִי מִשִּׁבְטָא דִּרְאוּבֵן אִיהוּ, מְקַבְּלִין לֵיהּ פִּתְחִין). If not, they drive him outside (וְאִי לָא פַּלְטִין לֵיהּ לְבַר). And so with all of them: the gates do not receive except the one who is from that tribe inscribed upon them (וְכֵן בְּכֻלְּהוּ, דְּלָא יְקַבְּלוּן פִּתְחִין, אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאִיהוּ מֵהַהוּא שִׁבְטָא דְּרָשִׁים בְּהוֹן). And thereby each one is marked and recognized (וּבְדָא יִתְחַקְּקוּן וְיִשְׁתְּמּוֹדְעֻן כָּל חַד וְחַד).