Daf 222b (דַּף רכ״ב ע״ב)

And the destructive forces that overpower all the limbs of the body (וּמַזִּיקִין דְּמִתְגַּבְּרִין עַל כָּל אֵבָרִים דְּגוּפָא), are like the waters of the flood that prevailed over it fifteen cubits (כְּמֵי טוֹפָנָא דְּגָבְרוּ עָלֵיהּ ט״ו אָמַה), because the Yod–Hei was concealed in it (בְּגִין דְּחָב בְּיָ״הּ), and the Yod–Hei departed from the body (וְאִסְתַּלָּק יָ״הּ מִן גּוּפָא), and it remained mute, without sight, hearing, smell, or speech (וְאִשְׁתְּאַר אִלֵּם, בְּלָא רְאִיָה וּשְׁמִיעָה וְרֵיחָא וְדִבּוּר). And the secret of the matter is (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה): “I was dumb in silence” (נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דּוּמִיָּה) (Psalms 39), “I kept silent from good, and my pain was stirred” (הַחֲשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב וּכְאֵבִי נֶעְכָּר). “Silence” (דּוּמִיָּ״ה): Dom [be still]–Yah [the Divine Name] (דּוֹ״ם יָ״הּ). At that time, fifteen cubits—the destructive forces prevailed over the body (כְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה, גָּבְרוּ מַזִּיקִין עַל גּוּפָא). And they are like leaven in dough (וְאִינּוּן כְּכִסְלָא לְעוּגְיָא). And in the likeness of Noaḥ, who sent the dove on its mission (וּכְגַוְונָא דְּנֹחַ, שָׁלַח אֶת הַיּוֹנָה בִּשְׁלִיחוּתֵיהּ), so too He sent the Neshama [soul] into man (אוּף הָכִי שָׁלַח נִשְׁמְתָא בָּאָדָם). His Ruach [spirit] is on its mission (רוּחֵיהּ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתֵיהּ).

And because of this, man needs to entrust it to the Matronita (וּבְגִין דָּא צָרִיךְ בַּר נָשׁ לְפַקְדָּא לָהּ בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). This is what is written: “Into Your hand I entrust my spirit” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי) (Psalms 31). And if she is bound by the sins of the body, in the hand of the forces of the evil inclination (וְאִם הִיא אֲסִירָא בְּחוֹבוֹי דְּגוּפָא, בִּידָא דְּחַיָּילִין דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע), what is written? “Into Your hand I entrust my spirit; You have redeemed me, Hashem, El of truth” (מַה כְּתִיב, בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי פָּדִיתָ אוֹתִי יְיָ אֵל אֱמֶת). And furthermore, at the time when she is obligated, what is written regarding his Ruach? (וְעוֹד בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִיהִי חַיֶּיבֶת, מַה כְּתִיב בְּרוּחֵיהּ): “Hand to hand, the evil shall not go unpunished” (יָד לְיָד לֹא יִנָּקֶה רָע) (Proverbs 11). For it goes from hand to hand, in the camps of the evil inclination (דְּאָזִיל מִיָּד לְיָד, בְּמַשִׁרְיָין דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע), who dwell upon him with his sins, and they cast him from place to place (דְּשַׁרְיָין עָלֵיהּ בְּחוֹבִין דִּילֵיהּ, וְזַרְקִין לֵיהּ מֵאֲתָר לַאֲתָר). And this is one who sees himself in another city, or in another kingdom, and at times in a dunghill, according to his sins (וְהַאי אִיהוּ דְּאַחְזֵי גַּרְמֵיהּ בִּמְדִינָה אַחֶרֶת, אוֹ בְּמַלְכוּ אַחֲרָא, וּלְזִמְנִין בָּאַשְׁפָּה, כְּפוּם חוֹבוֹי). And if he is meritorious (וְאִי אִיהוּ זַכָּאָה), all the camps of the good inclination (כָל מַשִׁרְיָין דְּיֵצֶר טוֹב כֻּלְּהוּ), “and their faces and their wings were parted” (וּפְנֵיהֶם וְכַנְפֵיהֶם פְּרוּדוֹת) (Ezekiel 1), to receive his Ruach (לְקַבְּלָהּ רוּחֵיהּ). And they raise him above (וְסַלְּקִין לֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא), to the place of the living ones of the Throne (לַאֲתָר דְּחֵיוָן דְּכֻרְסְיָיא), and there he sees how many visions, images, and appearances of prophecy (וְתַּמָּן חֲזֵי, כַּמָה חֶזְיוֹנוֹת, דִּמְיוֹנוֹת, וּמַרְאוֹת דִּנְבוּאָה).

And because of this the Sages established that a dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy (וּבְגִין דָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן, דְּחֲלוֹם אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים בַּנְּבוּאָה). And furthermore, “Guard my soul, for I am pious” (וְעוֹד שָׁמְרָה נַפְשִׁי כִּי חָסִיד אָנִי) (Psalms 86), even though it was established in the Gemara: “I am not pious” (אַף עַל גַּב דּאוּקְמוּהַ בַּגְּמָרָא וְלָא חָסִיד אֲנִי). For all the kings of the East and the West sleep until the fourth hour, but I (שֶׁכָּל מַלְכֵי מִזְרָח וּמַעֲרָב יְשֶׁנִים עַד ד׳ שָׁעוֹת וַאֲנִי), “At midnight I arise to give thanks unto You” (חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָקוּם לְהוֹדוֹת לָךְ) (Psalms 119). And not only this, but all the kings of the East and West, etc., while I-my hands are soiled with blood, with placenta, in order to purify a woman for her husband (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּל מַלְכֵי מִזְרָח וּמַעֲרָב וְכוּ׳ וַאֲנִי יָדַי מְלוּכְלָכוֹת בְּדָּם שַׁפִּיר וְשִׁלְיָא כְּדֵי לְטַהֵר אִשָּׁה לְבַעְלָהּ). Immediately, a frog came before him (מִיָד אִזְדָּמַן לֵיהּ צְפָרְדְּעַ), and said to him (וְאָמַר לֵיהּ): “Why do you praise yourself saying, ‘At midnight I arise to give thanks unto You’? For I all night do not sleep, to praise Him and to sing before Him” (לָמָּה אַתְּ מְשַׁבַּחַת גַרְמָךְ לְמֵימָר חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אֲקוּם לְהוֹדוֹת לָּךְ וַאֲנָא כָּל לֵילְיָא לָא שָׁכִיבְנָא לְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ וּלְנָגְנָא קַמֵּיהּ).

David said (אֲמָר דָּוִד): “Woe to the one appointed over that frog, who does not know what I said, that I did not say, ‘For I am pious’” (וַוי לְמְמָנָא דְּהַהוּא צְפָרְדְּעַ דְלָא יָדַע מַאי דְּאֲנָא אֲמֵינָא דְלָא אֲמֵינָא כִּי חָסִיד אֲנִי). But because the Sages have established it (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן). And 'Nor is an ignorant person (Am Ha-Aretz) a pious one (Chasid).(וְלֹא עָם הָאָרֶץ חָסִיד). For the Orayta was given from the right hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְיְהִיבַת מִימִינָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), which is Chesed (דְּאִיהוּ חֶסֶד). And because of this, whoever is occupied with the Orayta is called a ḥasid (וּבְגִין דָּא, מַאן דְּאִתְעַסֵּק בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִתְקְרֵי חָסִיד). Because of this I say before Kudsha Berikh Hu: 'Guard my soul, and do not judge it like the deeds of those "People of the Land" (Unlearned),' of whom it is said: 'Nor is an ignorant person (Am Ha-Aretz) a pious one (Chasid).'" (בְּגִין דָּא, אֲמֵינָא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, שָׁמְרָה נַפְשִׁי, וְלָא תִּדוּן לָהּ כְּעוֹבָדֵי אִלֵּין עַמֵּי הָאֲרָצוֹת, דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוּ וְלֹא עַם הָאָרֶץ חָסִיד). And if you say: how many Unlearned are there that perform Chesed? (וְאִי תֵּימָא, כַּמָּה עַמֵּי הָאֲרָצוֹת אִינּוּן דְּעָבְדוּ חֶסֶד).

But thus they have established it: Who is a ḥasid? One who acts in Chesed with his Creator (אֶלָּא הָכִי אוּקְמוּהָ, אֵי זֶהוּ חָסִיד, זֶה הַמִּתְחַסֵּד עִם קוֹנוֹ). Such as David, who joined together (כְּגוֹן דָּוִד דְּהֲוָה מְחַבֵּר). And what did he join? He joined the Orayta above with Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּמַאי הֲוָה מְחַבֵּר, אוֹרַיְיתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא הֲוָה מְחַבֵּר עִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And because of this, “Guard my soul, for I am a Chasid” (וּבְגִין דָּא, שָׁמְרָה נַפְשִׁי כִּי חָסִיד אָנִי). And when a man dies (וְכַד בַּר נָשׁ מִית), what is written of this Nefesh? (מַה כְּתִיב בָּהּ בְּהַאי נֶפֶשׁ): “When you go, it shall guide you; when you lie down, it shall guard you; and when you awake, it shall talk with you” (בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ תַּנְחֶה אוֹתָךְ, בְּשָׁכְבְּךָ תִּשְׁמוֹר עָלֶיךָ, וַהֲקִיצוֹתָ לִתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים, הִיא תְשִׂיחֶךָ) (Proverbs 6). This refers properly to the resurrection of the dead (דָּא לִתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים שַׁפִּיר), for it establishes the form of man (דְּיוֹקִים לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ). But to give reward to the Neshama in the World to Come, what is it? (אֲבָל לְאַגְרָא לְנִשְׁמְתָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, מַאי הֲוִי).

Rather, Kudsha Berikh Hu clothes her as at first in garments of clouds of glory (אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַלְבִּישׁ לָהּ כְּקַדְמֵיתָא בַּעֲנָנֵי כָּבוֹד). As at first she will enter into the Mirror (כְּקַדְמֵיתָא תֵּיעוּל בְּמַרְאָה), which is in the likeness of the body, included in 248 limbs (דְּאִיהוּ כְּגַוְונָא דְּגוּפָא, כָּלִיל בְּרמ״ח אֵיבָרִים). So too she enters into the Mirror, included in the 248 commandments (אוּף הָכִי תֵּיעוּל בַּמַרְאָה, כָּלִיל בְּמָאתַיִם וְאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה פִיקּוּדִין), and in the 248 lights that spread from that Mirror (וּבְרמ״ח נְהִירִין דְּמִתְפָּרְשָׁן מֵהַהוּא מַרְאָה). Of which it is said: “And He said, If there is a prophet among you, I Hashem make Myself known to him in a Mirror” (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ, וַיֹּאמֶר אִם יִהְיֶה נְבִיאֲכֶם יְיָ בַּמַרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוָדָּע) (Numbers 12). And in garments of clouds of glory: “And I will see it, to remember the everlasting covenant” (וּבִלְבוּשִׁין דַּעֲנָנֵי כָּבוֹד, וּרְאִיתִיהָ לִזְכּוֹר בְּרִית עוֹלָם) (Bereshit 9). This is the Shining Mirror (דָּא מַרְאָה הַמְּאִירָה). “In a dream I will speak with him” (בַּחֲלוֹם אֲדַבֵּר בּוֹ) (Numbers 12) - this is the Mirror that does not shine (דָּא מַרְאָה דְּלָא נַהֲרָא).

Included in 365 lights, according to the count of “asleep” (כָּלִיל מִשס״ה נְהִירִין, כְּחֻשְׁבַּן יְשֵׁנָה). And this is: “I am asleep” (וְהַיְינוּ אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה) (Song of Songs 5). One in this world (חַד בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין), and one in the World to Come (וְחָד בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And these are by the works of the hands of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאִינּוּן בְּעוֹבְדֵי יְדוֹי דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And the secret of them is (וְרָזָא דִּלְהוֹן): “This is My Name forever” (זֶה שְּׁמִי לְעוֹלָם) (Exodus 3). Yod–Hei with “My Name” is three hundred and sixty-five (יָ״הּ עִם שְׁמִי, שָׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁשִּׁים). Vav–Hei with “My remembrance” is two hundred and forty-eight (ו״ה עִם זִכְרִי, מָאתַּיִם וּשְׁמֹנָה וְאַרְבָּעִים). And heralds descend and ascend before Him, “Give honor”-Some say: to the Image-“to the glory of the King” (וְכָרוֹזִין נַחְתִין וְסַלְּקִין קַמֵּיהּ, הָבוּ יְקָר (ס״א לדיוקנא) לִיקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא).

And this is: “And Elohim created the man in His image; in the image of Elohim He created him” (וְהַיְינוּ וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אוֹתוֹ) (Bereshit 1). And He made him with two likenesses (וְהוּא דְּעֲבַד לֵיהּ בִּתְרֵין דִּיוּקְנִין), with two gardens-Some say: with two faces-(בִּתְרֵין גַּנִּים (נ״א פנים)), of which it is said: “You that dwell in the gardens” (דְּאִתְּמַר עָלַיְיהוּ הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת בַּגַּנִּים) (Song of Songs 5). She is the cause above all, of whom it is said: “For you saw no manner of form” (אִיהוּ עִילַּת עַל כֹּלָּא דְּאִתְּמַר עָלָהּ כִּי לֹא רְאִיתֶם כָּל תְּמוּנָה) (Deuteronomy 4). But regarding the other likenesses, it is written: “The likeness of everything…” (וְעַל שְׁאַר דִּיוּקְנִין כְּתִיב, תְּמוּנַת כָּל וְגוֹ׳).

And it is written: “And the likeness of Hashem shall he behold” (וּתְמוּנַת יְיָ יַבִּיט) (Numbers 12). And 613 angels ascend for the Neshama (וְתרי״ג מַלְאָכִין סַלְּקִין לָהּ לְנִשְׁמְתָא). In these likenesses, all of them, “and their faces and their wings were parted” (בְּאִלֵּין דִּיוּקְנִין, כֻּלְּהוּ וּפְנֵיהֶם וְכַנְפֵיהֶם פְּרוּדוֹת), to fulfill the verse written about them: “And I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Me” (לְקַיֵּים קְרָא דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוֹן וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים וָאָבִיא אֶתְכֶם אֵלָי) (Exodus 19). And in the same manner as they went forth from Egypt, and went in the clouds of glory, and in all that glory (כְּגַוְונָא דְּנַפְקוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְאַזְלוּ בַּעֲנָנֵי כָּבוֹד, וּבְכָל הַהוּא יְקָר), so in that manner shall be the departure of the Neshama from the body of a putrid drop (כְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא תְּהֵא מַפְקָנוּתָא דְּנִשְׁמְתָא, מִגוּפָא דְּטִפָּה סְרוּחָה), to go to the two gardens, whose heavens and earth were created in the Name of Hashem (לְמֵיזָל לִתְרֵין גַּנִּים, דְּאִתְבְּרֵי שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא דִּלְהוֹן בְּשֵׁם יְיָ). And regarding this it is said: “Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad” (וּבְגִינֵיהּ אִתְּמַר, יִשְׂמְחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְתָגֵל הָאָרֶץ) (Psalms 96). At that time it will be fulfilled in man: “And your Teacher will no longer be hidden” (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא יִתְקַיֵּים בְּבַּר נָשׁ וְלֹא יִכָּנֵף עוֹד מוֹרֶיךָ) (Isaiah 30), “With two He covered His face” (בִּשְׁתַּיִם יְכַסֶּה פָּנָיו) (Isaiah 6), but rather, “Your eyes shall see your Teacher” (אֶלָּא וְהָיוּ עֵינֶיךָ רוֹאוֹת אֶת מוֹרֶיךָ) (Isaiah 30). And from the side of these Mirrors (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּאִלֵּין מַרְאוֹת), Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, Rabban of the prophets and sages, merited (זָכָה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, רַבָּן שֶׁל נְבִיאִים וַחֲכָמִים). The Holy Luminary said (אָמַר בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא): “You are the one who merited in your lifetime to that which the Righteous will merit after their lifetime-fortunate is your portion” (אַנְתְּ הוּא דְּזָכִית בְּחַיָיךְ, לְמָה דְּיִזְכּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא בָּתַר חַיֵּיהוֹן, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ).