Daf 185b (דַּף קפ״ה ע״ב)

And if you say that Kudsha Berikh Hu desired thus, and not from judgment (וְאִי תֵּימָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעָא הָכִי, וְלָאו מִן דִּינָא). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Esav was a Klipah (עֵשָׂו קְלִיפָה הֲוָה), and he was the Sitra achra (וְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא הֲוָה). Since the Klipah went out and was removed (כֵּיוָן דְּנָפַק קְלִיפָה וְאִתְעֲבָר), behold, the brain was present (הָא מוֹחָא שְׁכִיחָא), [maidservant] (שפחה), the first foreskin stands outside (עָרְלָה קַדְמָאָה קָאֵי לְבַר). The Brit is (בְּרִית אִיהוּ), Some say: great and exalted (נ״א: ס״א רב ועלאה), more precious than all (יַקִּירָא מִכֹּלָּא), and it is revealed afterward (וְאִיהוּ אִתְגְּלֵי לְבָתַר). As it is written: “And Moav said to the elders of Midyan, now will the assembly lick up…” (Numbers 22) (וַיֹּאמֶר מוֹאָב אֶל זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן עַתָּה יְלַחֲכוּ וְגוֹ').

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח): “And he showed me Yehoshua the high priest standing before the angel of Hashem…” (Zechariah 3) (וַיַּרְאֵנִי אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי מַלְאַךְ יְיָ וְגוֹ'). How much a person needs (כַמָּה אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ), to guard his ways in this world (לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא אוֹרְחוֹי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and to go in a path of truth (וּלְמֵהַךְ בְּאוֹרַח קְשׁוֹט). Because all the deeds of a person are written before the King (בְּגִין דְּכָל עוֹבָדוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ כְּתִיבִין קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא), and inscribed before Him (וּרְשִׁימִין קַמֵּיהּ), and all are in number (וְכֻלְּהוּ בְּמִנְיָינָא). Guardians of the gates stand and witnesses (נְטוּרֵי תַּרְעֵי קַיְימִין וְסָהֲדִין), who stand and demand judgment without delay (קַיְימֵי וְתָבְעֵי דִּינָא תְּרִיסִין). And the Judge is established to receive testimony (וְדַיָּינָא קַיְּימָא לְקַבְּלָא סַהֲדוּתָא), and those who argue the argument murmur (וְאִינּוּן דְּטַעֲנוּ טָעַנְתָּא מְרַחְשָׁן), and it is not known if they will go to the right (וְלָא יְדִיעַ אִי יֵהֲכוּן מִימִינָא), or if they will turn to the left (וְאִם יִשְׂמָאֲלוּן מִשְּׂמָאלָא).

For when the spirits of human beings go out from this world (דְּהָא כַּד רוּחֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא נָפְקֵי מֵהַאי עָלְמָא), how many are the accusers who stand before them (כַמָּה אִינּוּן מְקַטְרְגִין דְּקַיְימִין קַמַּיְיהוּ), and heralds go forth, whether for good or for evil (וְכָרוֹזִין נָפְקִין הֵן לְטָב הֵן לְבִישׁ), according to what issues from the judgment (כְּפוּם מַה דְּנָפִיק מִן דִּינָא). For it was taught (דְּתַנְיָא), in how many judgments a person is judged in this world (בְּכַמָּה דִּינִין אִתְּדָּן בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), both in his lifetime and afterward (בֵּין בְּחַיּיוֹי, בֵּין לְבָתַר).

For behold, all things are in judgment (דְּהָא כָּל מִלּוֹי בְּדִינָא אִינּוּן). And Kudsha Berikh Hu is always in mercy (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תָּדִיר בְּרַחֲמָנוּ), and His mercy is upon all (וְרַחֲמוֹי עַל כֹּלָּא), and He does not desire to judge human beings according to their deeds (וְלָא בָּעֵי לְדַיָּינָא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא כְּפוּם עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן). For thus said David (דְּהָכִי אָמַר דָּוִד): “If You, Hashem, should mark iniquities, who could stand?” (Psalms 130) (אִם עֲוֹנוֹת תִּשְׁמֹר יָהּ יְיָ מִי יַעֲמוֹד). Here it is to be contemplated (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא), since it says: “If You should mark iniquities, Yah” (כֵיוָן דְּאָמַר אִם עֲוֹנוֹת תִּשְׁמֹר יָ״הּ), why “Hashem”? (אֲמַאי יְיָ). Some say: Adonai (ד״א אדני). And rather, three degrees of mercy did David mention here (אֶלָּא, תְּלָת דַּרְגִּין דְּרַחֲמֵי אַדְכַּר דָּוִד הָכָא). “If iniquities You should mark, Yah” (אִם עֲוֹנוֹת תִּשְׁמֹר יָהּ), if the debts are many (אִם חוֹבִין סַגִיאוּ), until they ascend above to Abba and Imma (עַד דְּסַלְּקִין לְעֵילָּא לְגַבֵּי אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), behold “Hashem” (הָא יְיָ), Some say: Adonai (ד״א אדני), who is mercy (דְּאִיהוּ רַחֲמֵי).

And if this Name, even though it is mercy, is aroused in judgment (וְאִי שְׁמָא דָּא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ רַחֲמֵי, יִתְּעַר בְּדִינָא), and all degrees are sealed in judgment (וְכָל דַּרְגִּין אַסְתִּימוּ בְּדִינָא), one degree exists which turns toward it (דַּרְגָּא חֲדָא אִית דְּנֶהְדַּר לְגַבֵּיהּ), from which all healings go forth (דְּכָל אַסְוָותִין מִינֵּהּ נָפְקִין), He will have compassion upon us (אִיהוּ יָחוֹס עֲלָן). And who is He? “Mi” (Who) (מַאן אִיהוּ, מִי). “Mi (Who) shall stand” indeed (מִי יַעֲמוֹד וַדַּאי). “Who shall heal you” (מִי יִרְפָּא לָךְ). As it is said (Lamentations 2): “For great as the sea is your breaking - “Mi” (Who shall heal you” ((כַּמָּה דְּאַת אָמַר כִּי גָדוֹל כַּיָּם שִׁבְרֵךְ, מִי יִרְפָּא לָךְ)). And because of this, “Yah Hashem” (וְעַל דָּא יָהּ יְיָ), Some say: Adonai (ד״א אדני). If these Names are closed off from us (אִי אִלֵּין שְׁמָהָן יִסְתְּמוּן מִנָן), “Who shall stand” (מִי יַעֲמוֹד), for all the paths of repentance are opened from Him (דְּכָל אֹרְחִין דְּתִיוּבְתָּא פְּתִיחָן מִנֵּיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak was a complete Tzaddik (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק צַדִּיק גָּמוּר הֲוָה), a man who would enter into the innermost (גַּבְרָא דְּהֲוָה עָאל לִפְנַי לִפְנִים), whom they brought into the Academy of the heavens (דְּעַיְילוּהּו לִמְתִיבְתָּא דִּרְקִיעָא). All the members of the Academy gathered there (אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ כָּל בְּנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא תַּמָּן), to look into his judgment (לְעַיְּינָא בְּדִינֵיהּ). And such is the order of that Academy of the heavens (וְכַךְ אָרְחוֹי דְּהַהוּא מְתִיבְתָּא דִּרְקִיעָא): when one is brought in for judgment (כַּד עַיְילֵי לֵיהּ לְדִינָא), a herald goes forth and proclaims (כָּרוֹזָא נָפִיק וְאַכְרִיז): “All members of the Academy , ascend to the hidden chamber” (כָּל בְּנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא עוּלוּ לְאִדָּרָא טְמִירָא), and the court assembles (וּבֵי דִּינָא מִתְכַּנְּשֵׁי). And that spirit of the person ascends by the hands of two appointed ones (וְהַהוּא רוּחָא דְּבַר נָשׁ סַלְּקָא עַל יְדֵי דִּתְרֵי מְמָנָן).

When he enters (כֵיוָן דְּעָאל), he draws near to one pillar of fiery flame that stands there (קָרִיב לְגַבֵּי חַד עַמּוּדָא דְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא מְלָהֲטָא דְּקַיְּימָא תַּמָּן), and revelations of the spirit of the air are seen within that pillar (וְאַגְּלִים בְּרוּחָא דַּאֲוִירָא דְּנָשִׁיב בְּהַהוּא עַמּוּדָא), and many are those who ascend there (וְכַמָּה אִינּוּן דְּסַלְּקִין לוֹן תַּמָּן). Because all those who labor in Orayta (בְּגִין דְּכָל אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and renew innovations within it (וּמְחַדְּשֵׁי בָּהּ חִדּוּשִׁין), immediately those words are written before the members of the Academy (מִיַּד אַכְתּוּב לְגַבֵּי בְּנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא אִינּוּן מִלִּין). Then all the members of the Academy come to see him (כְּדֵין כָּל אִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא אָתָאן לְמֵחמֵי לֵיהּ). Those two appointed ones go forth (אִינּוּן תְּרֵין מְמָנָן נָפְקִין), and raise him up to that Academy of the heavens (וְסַלְּקִין לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא מְתִיבְתָּא דִּרְקִיעָא).

Immediately he draws near to that pillar (מִיַּד קָרִיב לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא עַמּוּדָא), in which revelations are made (דְּאַגְלִים תַּמָּן). He entered into the Academy (עָאל לִמְתִיבְתָּא), and they looked upon him (וְחָמָאן לֵיהּ). If his word was as fitting, then he is meritorious (אִי מִלָּה כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ), how many crowns sparkle (כַּמָּה עִטְרִין מְנַצְצָן), all the members of the Academy crown him (מְעַטְּרִין לֵיהּ כָּל בְּנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא). But if it was another word (וְאִי מִלָּה אַחֲרָא הֲוָה), woe to him for that shame (וַוי לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא כִּסּוּפָא), they cast him outside (דַּחְיָין לֵיהּ לְבַר), and he stands within the pillar (וְקָאִים גּוֹ עַמּוּדָא), until he is brought to judgment (עַד דְּעַיְילֵי לֵיהּ לְדִינָא), may the Merciful save us (רַחֲמָנָא לִשֵׁיזְבָן). And there are others who ascend there (וְאִית אַחֲרָנִין דְּסַלְּקִין לוֹן תַּמָּן), when Kudsha Berikh Hu is in a matter of dispute with the members of the Academy (כַּד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּפְלוּגְתָא בִּבְנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא), and they say: who will prove? (וְאַמְרֵי מַאן מוֹכַח), behold, this one proves the word (הָא פְּלוֹנִי דְּאוֹכַח מִלָּה). Then he is brought up there (כְּדֵין סַלְּקִין לֵיהּ תַּמָּן), and he proves that word between Kudsha Berikh Hu and the members of the Academy (וְאוֹכַח הַהוּא מִלָּה בֵּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּבֵין בְּנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא). And there are others who ascend there for judgment (וְאִית אַחֲרָנִין דְּסַלְּקִין לוֹן תַּמָּן לְדִינָא), and they are judged there (וְדַיְינִין לֵיהּ תַּמָּן), to clarify for them (לְבָרְרָא לוֹן), and to make plain for them (וּלְלַבְּנָא לוֹן).

Rabbi Yosi said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): if so, without judgment does a person depart and be removed from this world? (אִי הָכִי בְּלָא דִּינָא אִתְפְּטַר בַּר נָשׁ וְאִסְתַּלָּק מֵהַאי עָלְמָא). And if in judgment he departs (וְאִי בְּדִינָא אִסְתַּלָּק), why is he judged another time? (אֲמַאי אִתְּדָּן זִמְנָא אַחֲרִינָא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): thus I have learned (הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא), and thus I have heard (וְהָכִי שְׁמַעְנָא), that indeed in judgment a person departs from this world (דְּהָא וַדַּאי בְּדִינָא אִסְתַּלָּק בַּר נָשׁ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא). But until he enters into the partition of the Righteous (אֲבָל עַד לָא יֵיעוּל לִמְחִיצָתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא), he is brought up for judgment (סַלְקֵי לֵיהּ לְדִינָא), and there he is judged in that Academy of the heavens (וְתַמָּן אִתְּדָּן בְּהַהוּא מְתִיבְתָּא דִּרְקִיעָא).