Daf 222a (דַּף רכ״ב ע״א)

Rabbi Pinchas said (אָמַר רִבִּי פִּנְחָס), “I was contemplating that regarding the resurrection of the dead (מִסְתָּכַּל הֲוִינָא דְּהָא לִתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים), Kudsha Berikh Hu will perform it in another way (בְּאָרְחָא אָחֳרָא יַעְבִּיד לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and what was now first, then will be last (וּמַה דְּהֲוָה הַשְׁתָּא קַדְמָאָה, לִיהֱוִי כְּדֵין בַּתְרָאָה). From where do we learn this? (מְנָלָן). From those bones (מֵאִינּוּן עֲצָמוֹת), those very bones that Kudsha Berikh Hu revived through Yeḥezkel (הַנְהוּ גַּרְמִין דְּאַחֲיָא לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל יְדֵי יְחֶזְקֵאל), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), “And the bones came together, bone to its bone, first of all” (וַתִּקְרְבוּ עֲצָמוֹת עֶצֶם אֶל עַצְמוֹ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterwards it is written (וּלְבָתַר כְּתִיב), “And I looked, and behold, there were sinews upon them, and flesh came up…” (וְרָאִיתִי וְהִנֵּה עֲלֵיהֶם גִּידִים וּבָשָׂר עָלָה וְגו׳) (Ezekiel 37). “And skin covered them from above, but there was no spirit in them” (וַיִּקְרַם עֲלֵיהֶם עוֹר מִלְמָעְלָה וְרוּחַ אֵין בָּהֶם). Thus, that which was stripped first will be last (דְּהָא מַה דְּאַפְשִׁיט בְּקַדְמִיתָא, לִיהֱוֵי בַּתְרָאָה): first was stripped of spirit, and afterwards skin (בְּקַדְמִיתָא [אַפְשִׁיט מֵרוּחָא, וּלְבָתַר] עוֹר), and afterwards flesh (וּלְבָתַר בָּשָׂר), first stripped of spirit, afterwards skin, afterwards flesh, and afterwards bones (בְּקַדְמִיתָא אַפְשִׁיט מֵרוּחָא, וּלְבָתַר עוֹר, וּלְבָתַר בָּשָׂר, וּלְבָתַר עֲצָמוֹת).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), “On this the ancients raised a difficulty (בְּדָא אַקְשָׁן קַדְמָאֵי). But these bones that Kudsha Berikh Hu revived (אֲבָל גַּרְמִין אִלֵּין דְּאַחֲיָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), miracles and signs change them, which Kudsha Berikh Hu performed (נִסִּין וְאָתִין מְשַׁנְיָין, עֲבַד בְּהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Come and see what is written (תָּא חֲזֵי מַה כְּתִיב): ‘Remember now that You fashioned me as clay, and to dust will You return me’ (זְכָר נָא כִּי כַחוֹמֶר עֲשִׂיתָנִי וְאֶל עָפָר תְּשִׁיבֵנִי) (Job 10). What is written after it? (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ): ‘Have You not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese; You clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me with bones and sinews’ (הֲלֹא כֶחָלָב תַּתִּיכֵנִי וְכַגְּבִינָה תַּקְפִּיאֵנִי, עוֹר וּבָשָׂר תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי וּבַעֲצָמוֹת וְגִידִים תְּסוֹכְכֵנִי).

Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined, after man decomposes in the dust (זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְבָתַר דְּיִתְבְּלֵי בַּר נָשׁ בְּעַפְרָא), and the time of resurrection of the dead arrives (וּמָטֵי זִמְנָא דִּתְחִיַית הַמֵּתִים), that from that bone which remains (דְּהַהוּא גַּרְמָא דְּיִשְׁתְּאַר), He will make it like this mixture of dough (לְמֶעְבַּד לֵיהּ כְּעִסָה דָּא), and like cheese of milk (וְכַגְּבִינָה דְּחָלָב). And it will flow like milk (וּנְבִיעַ כְּחָלָב), for it will flow pure and refined in purity from that bone (דְּהוּא נְבִיעוּ נָקִי מְצוּחְצַח בְּצָחוּתָא הַהוּא גַּרְמָא). When that bone will be mixed and softened like milk (כַּד יִתְעֲרָב הַהוּא גַּרְמָא וְיִתְמְחֵי כְּחָלָבָא), afterwards He will curdle it (וּלְבָתַר יַקְפִּיא לֵיהּ), and it will be shaped into form like cheese in its curdling (וְיִתְצַיֵּיר בְּצִיּוּרָא כַּגְּבִינָה בִּקְפִּיאוּתָא). And afterwards, skin and flesh and bones and sinews will be drawn upon it (וּלְבָתַר יִתְמְשַׁךְ עָלֵיהּ עוֹר וּבָשָׂר וַעֲצָמוֹת וְגִידִים). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Have You not poured me out like milk and curdled me like cheese” (הֲלֹא כֶחָלָב תַּתִּיכֵנִי וְכַגְּבִינָה תַּקְפִּיאֵנִי) (Job 10).

You melted me is not written (הִתַּכְתָּנִי לָא כְּתִיב), but You will melt me (אֶלָּא תַּתִּיכֵנִי). You curdled me is not written (הִקְפִּיתָנִי לָא כְּתִיב), but You will curdle me (אֶלָּא תַּקְפִּיאֵנִי). You clothed me is not written (הִלְבַּשְׁתָּנִי לָא כְּתִיב), but You will clothe me (אֶלָּא תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי). You covered me is not written (סוֹכַכְתָּנִי לָא כְּתִיב), but You will cover me (אֶלָּא תְּסוֹכְכֵנִי). All of them imply a future time (כֻלְּהוּ לְבָתַר זִמְנָא מַשְׁמַע). And afterwards what is written? (וּלְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב): “Life and kindness You have done with me” (חַיִים וָחֶסֶד עָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי) - this is the spirit of life (דָּא רוּחָא דְּחַיֵּי). (Some say: And if you say (ס״א ואי תימא). “You have done with me” is written (עָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי כְּתִיב), and not “You will do” (וְלָא כְּתִיב תַּעֲשֶׂה). Rather thus he said (אֶלָּא הָכִי אָמַר): “Life and kindness You have done with me - in that world You cast into me the spirit of life” (חַיִים וָחֶסֶד עָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי. בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא שָׁדִית בִּי רוּחָא דְּחַיִּים). But “Your visitation” (אֲבָל וּפְקוּדָּתְךָ), which is the Matronita of the King (דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא דְּמַלְכָּא), guarded my spirit (שָׁמְרָה רוּחִי). She it is who guarded my spirit in that world (אִיהִי נַטְרַת לְרוּחִי, בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא).

What is “Your visitation”? (מַאי וּפְקוּדָּתְךָ). That You are destined to appoint her first (דְּאַתְּ זַמִּין לְפַקְדָא לָהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא). (She guarded my spirit (שׁמרה רוחי). And the secret of the matter is this (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה דָּא): all the souls of the Righteous are hidden and concealed beneath the Throne of the King (כָּל נַפְשִׁין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, גְּנִיזִין וּטְמִירִין תְּחוֹת כֻּרְסְיָיא דְּמַלְכָּא), and she guards them (וְאִיהִי נַטְרָא לוֹן), to return them to their places (לְאָתָבָא לוֹן לְדוּכְתַיְיהוּ). This is what is written: “And Your visitation has guarded my spirit” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וּפְקוּדָּתְךָ שָׁמְרָה רוּחִי). What is “Your visitation”? (מַאי וּפְקוּדָּתְךָ). As you say: “His office let another take” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, פְּקוּדָּתוֹ יִקַּח אַחֵר) (Psalms 109). “Your visitation” - this is the Matronita of the King (פְּקוּדָּתְךָ, דָּא מַטְרוֹנִיתָא דְּמַלְכָּא), for all spirits are entrusted in her hands (דְּכָל רוּחִין אִינּוּן פִּקְדוֹנִין בִּידָהָא). This is what is written: “Into Your hand I entrust my spirit…” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי וְגו׳) (Psalms 31). And she guards them (וְאִיהִי נַטְרָא לוֹן).

For this reason it is written: “Your visitation has guarded my spirit” (בְּגִין דָּא שָׁמְרָה רוּחִי), and she guarded it (וְאִיהִי נַטְרַת לָהּ). In this manner said David (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא אָמַר דָּוִד): “Guard my soul, for I am a pious one” (שָׁמְרָה נַפְשִׁי כִּי חָסִיד אָנִי) (Psalms 86). “Guard” - this is the Matronita of the King (שָׁמְרָה: דָּא מַטְרוֹנִיתָא דְּמַלְכָּא), for she guards my soul, because I am pious (דְּאִיהִי נַטְרָא נַפְשִׁי, בְּגִין כִּי חָסִיד אֲנִי). And in every place that it is written in a general form, this refers to the Matronita (וּבְכָל אֲתָר דִּכְתִיב סְתָם, דָּא מַטְרוֹנִיתָא). As you say: “And He called to Moshe” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה) (Exodus 24). And it is written: “If you will surely listen to the voice of Hashem your God” (וַיֹּאמֶר אִם שָׁמֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ) (Exodus 15).

Rabbi Pinchas wept (בָּכָה רִבִּי פִּנְחָס), and said (וְאָמַר): “Did I not say to you that the Shekhinta gave me treasures and gifts? (וְלָאו אֲמָרִית לָךְ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא יָהָבַת לִי נְבִזְבְּזָן וּמַתְנָן). Fortunate is my portion that I merited to see you and to hear this” (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי דְּזָכֵינָא לְמֵחמֵי לָךְ, וְשָׁמַעְנָא דָּא).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): “All of them will be included in the flow of that bone (כֻלְּהוּ יִתְכְּלִילוּ בְּהַהוּא נְבִיעוּ דְּהַאי גַּרְמָא), and will be joined with it (וְיִתְכְּלִילוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ), and all will become a single dough (וְיִתְעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא עִסָּה חֲדָא), and there the form will be fashioned, as has been said” (וְתַּמָּן יִתְצַיֵּיר צִיּוּרָא, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And He will invigorate your bones” (וְעַצְמוֹתֶיךָ יַחֲלִיץ) (Isaiah 58). What is yachalitz [He will invigorate]? (מַאי יַחֲלִיץ). As it is said: “He removed from them” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, חָלַץ מֵהֶם) (Hosea 5). All of them will pass from their existence (כֻלְּהוּ יִתְעַבְּרוּן מִקִּיוּמַיְיהוּ), and they will be included in this bone (וְיִתְכְּלִילוּ בְּהַאי גַּרְמָא), to become one dough (לְמֶהֱוִי עִסָּה חֲדָא). And then, “And you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, etc.” (וּכְדֵין וְהָיִיתָ כְּגַן רָוְה וּכְמוֹצָא מַיִם וְגו׳) (Isaiah 58). (So said the Ra‘aya Meheimna (אָמַר רָעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

Ra‘aya Meheimna said (אָמַר רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא), “Woe to mankind (וַוי לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), who are blocked of heart (דְּאִינּוּן אֲטִימִין לִבָּא), closed of eyes (סְתִימִין עַיְינִין), who do not know that when night comes (דְּלָא יַדְעִין דְּכַד אָתֵי לֵילְיָא), the gates of Gehinom are opened (תַּרְעִין דְּגֵיהִנָּם אִתְפְתָּחוּ), which is bitterness (דְּאִיהִי מָרָה). And her smokes that spread (ועֲשָׁנִין דִּילָהּ דְּמִתְפַּשְּׁטִין), ascend up to the brain (סַלְּקִין עַד מוֹחָא). And how many forces of the evil inclination (וְכַמָּה חַיָּילִין דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע), spread into all the limbs of the body (מִתְפַּשְּׁטִין בְּכָל אֵבָרִין דְּגוּפָא). And the gates of Gan Eden, which are the eyes of the heart (וְתַרְעִין דְגַּן עֵדֶן, דְּאִיהוּ עַיְינִין דְּלִבָּא), are closed and do not open (מִסְתַּתְמִין וְלָא מִתְפַּתְּחִין). For all the lights of the eyes come forth from the heart (דְּכָל נְהוֹרִין דְּעַיְינִין, מִלִּבָּא נָפְקִין). And the gates of the heart, which are the eyes (וְתַרְעִין דְּלִבָּא, אִינּוּן עַיְינִין), are closed so that they will not gaze at those destructive forces (מִסְתַּתְמִין, בְּגִין דְּלָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין בְּאִלֵּין מַזִּיקִין), which are Lilith (דְּאִינּוּן לִילִית). And they do not rule over the lights of the heart (וְלָא שַׁלְטִין בִּנְהוֹרִין דְּלִבָּא), which are angels that spread into all the limbs (דְּאִינּוּן מַלְאָכִים דְּמִתְפַּשְּׁטִין בְּכָל אֵבָרִים), like branches of a tree to every side (כְּעַנְפִין דְּאִילָנָא לְכָל סִטְרָא). At that time, all those lights are closed in the heart (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִינּוּן כֻּלְּהוּ נְהוֹרִין סְתִימִין בְּלִבָּא), and they are gathered to it (וּמִתְכַּנְשִׁין לְגַבֵּיהּ), “like doves to their windows” (כְּיוֹנִים אֶל אֲרֻבּוֹתֵיהֶם) (Isaiah 61). Like Noach and his wife, and every species that entered with him into the ark (כְּנֹחַ וְאִתְּתֵיהּ, וְכָל מִין וּמִין, דְּעָאלוּ עִמֵּיהּ בַּתֵּיבָה).