Daf 66a (דַּף ס״ו ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written-“I said, I shall not see Yah” (אָמַרְתִּי לֹא אֶרְאֶה יָהּ) [Yeshayahu 38:11]. And can anyone behold Yah? (וְכִי מַאן יָכִיל לְמֶחֱמֵי יָהּ). Rather, the end of the verse proves it-“Yah in the land of the living” (יָהּ בְּאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים) [Yeshayahu 38:11]. Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when the souls ascend to the place of the Bundle of Life (כַּד סָלְקִין נִשְׁמָתִין לְאֲתַר צְרוֹרָא דְחַיֵּי), there they delight in the radiance of the shining mirror that shines from the supernal place of all (תַּמָּן מִתְהַנָּן בְּזָהֳרָא דְּאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּנָהֲרָא דְּנָהִיר מֵאֲתַר עִלָּאָה דְּכֹלָּא). And if the Neshamah is not clothed in the radiance of another garment, it cannot approach to behold that light (וְאִילּוּ לָא מִתְלַבְּשָׁא נִשְׁמְתָּא בְּזָהֲרָא דִּלְבוּשָׁא אָחֳרָא לָא תִיכוֹל לְאִתְקָרָבָא לְמֶחֱמֵי הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא). And the secret of the matter is: just as the Neshamah is given a garment in which it is clothed to stand in this world (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה כְּמָה דְּיַהֲבֵי לְנִשְׁמְתָּא לְבוּשָׁא דְּמִתְלַבְּשָׁא בֵּיהּ לְמֵיקַם בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), so too it is given a garment of supernal radiance to stand in that world and gaze within that shining mirror, from within that Land of the Living (הָכִי נָמֵי יַהֲבֵי לָהּ לְבוּשָׁא דְּזָהֲרָא עִלָּאָה לְמֵיקַם בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא וּלְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּגוֹ הַהוּא אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּנָהֲרָא מִגּוֹ הַהוּא אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Moshe could not approach to gaze at what he gazed upon, except when he was clothed in another garment (מֹשֶׁה לָא יָכִיל לְקָרְבָּא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בַּמֶּה דְּאִסְתַּכַּל אֶלָּא כַּד אִתְלַבַּשׁ בִּלְבוּשָׁא אָחֳרָא), as it is said-“And Moshe entered into the cloud and ascended the mountain” (וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן וַיַּעַל אֶל־הָהָר) [Shemot 24:18]. And the Targum says: “into the midst of the cloud” (וְתַרְגּוּם בִּמְצִיעוּת עֲנָנָא), and he was clothed in it like one who is clothed in a garment (וְאִתְלַבַּשׁ בָּהּ כְּמַאן דְּאִתְלַבַּשׁ בִּלְבוּשָׁא). And because of this, it is written-“And Moshe drew near to the thick darkness where the Elohim was” (וּמֹשֶׁה נִגַּשׁ אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם הָאֱלֹהִים) [Shemot 20:18], and it is also written-“And Moshe entered into the cloud,” etc., “and Moshe was on the mountain forty days and forty nights” (וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן... וַיְהִי מֹשֶׁה בָּהָר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה) [Shemot 24:18], and he was able to gaze at what he gazed (וְיָכִיל לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בַּמֶּה דְּאִסְתַּכַּל).

In this manner are the souls of the Righteous clothed in that world in a garment (כְּגַוְונָא דָא מִתְלַבְּשִׁין נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא בִּלְבוּשָׁא), in accordance with the manner of that world, which functions only with garments (כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא דְּלָא יִתְנַהֵג אֶלָּא בִּלְבוּשָׁא), in this same manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָא), and they are established to gaze into the light that shines in that Land of the Living (וְקָיְימֵי לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בִּנְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר בְּהַהוּא אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים). And this is [the meaning of] “Yah, Yah, in the land of the living” (וְזֶהוּ יָהּ יָהּ בְּאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים) [Yeshayahu 38:11]-for he thought he would not merit that light and that vision (דְּהֲוָה סָבִיר דְּלָא יִזְכֵּי לְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא וּלְהַהוּא אִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא), because the flowing river had ceased for him and did not produce (בְּגִין דְּנַהֲרָא דְּנָגִיד פָּסִיק לֵיהּ וְלָא אוֹלִיד). “I shall behold man no more”-this refers to Adam Kadma’ah (לֹא אַבִּיט אָדָם עוֹד-דָּא אָדָם קַדְמָאָה), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר). And why all this? (וְכָל דָּא לָמָּה). Because the prophet said to him: “You shall die in this world and not live in that world” (בְּגִין דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ נְבִיאָה: כִּי מֵת אַתָּה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וְלָא תִחְיֶה לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא), because one who does not beget children in this world (בְּגִין דְּמָאן דְּלָא הֲוָה אוֹלִיד בְּנִין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), when he departs from it, is removed from all that we said above (כַּד נָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ מְתַרְכִין לֵיהּ מִכָּל מַה דְּאֲמָרָן), and he is not permitted to behold that light which shines (וְלָא שַׁרְיָא לְמֶחֱמֵי בְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר) all the more so, for the rest of the people and other human beings (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שְׁאָר עַמָּא וּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). And if Chizkiyah, who had the merit of the forefathers and he himself was righteous, a Tzaddik and Chasid (וּמַה חִזְקִיָּה דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ זְכוּת אָבוֹת וְאִיהוּ זַכָּאָה צַדִּיק וַחֲסִידָא), [received such a decree]-then how much more so one who has no merit of the forefathers and has sinned before his Master (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַאן דְּלֵית לֵיהּ זְכוּת אָבוֹת וְחָטֵי קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ).

This garment we are speaking of (הַאי לְבוּשָׁא דְּקָאֲמָרָן), is what the friends call “the Chalukah deRabbanan” (The robe of the sages) which they are clothed in, in that world (אִיהוּ [אֲנוּן] מַה דְּאָמְרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא: חֲלוּקָא דְּרַבָּנָן דְּאִתְלְבִּישׁוּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). Blessed is the portion of the Righteous (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא), for Kudsha Berikh Hu has hidden away for them many goodnesses and delights for that world (דְּגָנִיז לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּמָּה טָבִין וְעִידוּנִין לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא). Upon them it is written-“Eye has not seen, O Elohim, beside You, what He has prepared for those who wait for Him” (עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתֶךָ יַעֲשֶׂה לִמְחַכֶּה לוֹ) [Yeshayahu 64:3]. And I, behold, I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth (וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֶת הַמַּבּוּל מַיִם עַל הָאָרֶץ) [Bereishit 6:17].

Rabbi Yehudah opened: “These are the waters of Merivah, where the children of Yisrael quarreled with Hashem, and He was sanctified through them” (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח: הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה אֲשֶׁר רָבוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת יְיָ וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ בָּם) [Bamidbar 20:13]. And did the children of Yisrael not quarrel with Hashem in other places? (וְכִי בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא לֹא רָבוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת יְיָ). Why is it different here that it says “These are the waters of Merivah”, and not others? (מַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא דְּקָאָמַר הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה וְלָא אָחֳרָנִין). Rather, these waters of Merivah were truly those which gave power and strength to the Master of Judgment to intensify (אֶלָּא הַנֵּי מֵי מְרִיבָה הֲווּ וַדַּאי דְּיָהֲבוּ חֵילָא וְתוּקְפָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא לְאִתְתַּקְפָא). For there are sweet waters and there are bitter waters (בְּגִין דְּאִית מַיִין מְתוּקִין וְאִית מַיִין מְרִירָן), there are clear waters and there are turbid waters (אִית מַיִין צְלִילָן וְאִית מַיִין עֲכִירָן), there are peaceful waters and there are contentious waters (אִית מַיִין שְׁלָם וְאִית מַיִין קְטָטוּ). And about this it is said-“These are the waters of Merivah, where the children of Yisrael quarreled with Hashem” (וְעַל דָּא הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה אֲשֶׁר רָבוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת יְיָ) [Bamidbar 20:13], for they drew upon themselves one who was not needed, and were corrupted through it (דְּאַמְשִׁיכוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ לְמַאן דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ וְאִסְתְּאִיבוּ בֵּיהּ). This is what is written: “And He was sanctified through them” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ בָּם) [Bamidbar 20:13].

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה), if so, why does it say “He was sanctified”-it should have said “they were sanctified” (אִי הָכִי מַאי וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ-וַיִּקָּדֵשׁוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ)? Rather, the word was withdrawn (אֶלָּא מִלָּה אִסְתְּלִיקַת), and “He was sanctified” was blemished-because someone was affected who was not meant to be (וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ אִתְפְּגִים מַאן דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ). As if to say, the moon was blemished (כִּבְיָכוֹל דְּאִתְפְּגֵימַת סִיהֲרָא). “He was sanctified” here is not a term of praise (וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ לָאו לְשִׁבְחָא אִיהוּ הָכָא). “And I, behold, I am bringing the flood”-as we have established, to bring destruction upon them (וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֶת הַמַּבּוּל-כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא לְאַיְיתָאָה מְחַבְּלָא עֲלַיְיהוּ), in the same manner in which they became corrupted through it (כְּמָה דְּאִנּוּן אִסְתְּאֵבוּ בֵּיהּ) [Bereishit 6:17].

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי), woe to the wicked who do not wish to repent before Kudsha Berikh Hu for their sins while they are in this world (וַוֵי לוֹן לְרַשִּׁיעַיָּא דְּלָא בָּעָאן לְאֲתָבָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן בְּעוֹד דְּאִנּוּן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). For when a person repents and regrets his sins (דְּכַד בַּר נָשׁ אָתִיב וְאִתְנֶחָם עַל חוֹבוֹי), Kudsha Berikh Hu forgives him (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָחִיל לֵיהּ). And all those who strengthen themselves in their sins and do not desire to repent before Kudsha Berikh Hu for their iniquities (וְכָל אִנּוּן דְּמִתְתַּקְפִין בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ וְלָא בָּעוּ לְאֲתָבָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן), afterwards they shall fall into Gehinnom (לְבָתַר יִנְפְּלוּ לְגֵיהִנֹּם), and they will never ascend from there for eternity (וְלָא יִסְקוּן לֵיהּ מִתַּמָּן לְעָלְמִין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), because they strengthened their hearts, all that generation of Noach (בְּגִין דְּאַתְקִיפוּ לִבַּיְיהוּ כָּל אִנּוּן דָּרָא דְּנֹחַ), and they desired to reveal their sins openly (וּבָעוּ לְאַחֲזָאָה חוֹבַיְיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu brought judgment upon them in that very way (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַיְיתֵי דִינָא עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא). Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק), even when a person sins in secret, Kudsha Berikh Hu is merciful (וְאֲפִלּוּ כַּד חָטֵי בַּר נָשׁ בְּאִתְכַּסְיָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רַחֲמָן). And if a person returns to Him, He covers over him and forgives him and leaves him in peace (וְאִי תָּב בַּר נָשׁ לְגַבֵּיהּ, חָפֵי עֲלֵיהּ וּמָחִיל לֵיהּ וְשָׁבִיק לֵיהּ). But if not, He reveals him to the eyes of all (וְאִי לָא, גָּלֵי לֵיהּ לְעֵינֵי כֹלָּא). From where do we learn this? From the case of the Sotah (מְנָלָן מִסּוֹטָה) [Bamidbar 5].