Daf 129b (דַּף קכ״ט ע״ב)

Blessed are those who are masters of Teshuvah (זַכָּאִין אִינוּן מָארֵיהוֹן דִּתְשׁוּבָה), for in one moment, in one day, in one instant (דְּהָא בְּשַׁעְתָּא חָדָא בְּיוֹמָא חָדָא בְּרִגְעָא חָדָא), they are brought near before Kudsha Berikh Hu (קְרֵיבִין לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), in a way that is not so even for perfectly righteous ones who were brought near to Kudsha Berikh Hu over many years (מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה הָכִי אֲפִילּוּ לְצַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִים דְּאִתְקְרִיבוּ גַּבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּכַמָּה שְׁנִין). Avraham did not enter into those supernal days until he was aged, as it is said (אַבְרָהָם לָא עָאל בְּאִינוּן יוֹמִין עִלָּאִין עַד דְּהֲוָה סִיב כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר). And likewise David, as it is written (וְכֵן דָּוִד דִּכְתִיב): “And King David was old, advanced in days” (Kings I 1) (וְהַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים). But the master of Teshuvah - immediately he enters and clings to Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֲבָל מָארִיהּ דִּתְשׁוּבָה מִיָּד עָאל וְאִתְדָּבַּק בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Rabbi Yosei said (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): We have learned (תָּנִינָן): the place in that world where the masters of Teshuvah stand - the completely righteous do not have permission to stand there (אֲתַר דְּמָארֵיהוֹן דִּתְשׁוּבָה קָיְימֵי בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא, צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִים לֵית לוֹן רְשׁוּ לְקָיְימָא בֵּיהּ), because they are closer to the King more than all others (בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן קְרֵיבִין לְמַלְכָּא יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ), and they draw upon themselves with the desire of the heart more intensely, and with greater power, to be brought near to the King (וְאִינוּן מָשְׁכֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ בִּרְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא יַתִּיר וּבְחֵילָא סַגְיָא לְאִתְקְרָבָא לְמַלְכָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): how many places are prepared for Kudsha Berikh Hu in that world (כַּמָּה אַתְרִין מְתוּקָנִין לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא), and in all of them He seats the Righteous (וּבְכֻלְּהוּ בֵּי מוֹתְבֵי לוֹן לַצַּדִּיקַיָּא), each and every one according to his level, as is proper for him (כָּל חַד וְחַד לְפוּם דַּרְגֵּיהּ כְּדְקָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ).

It is written, “Happy is the one You choose and bring near; he shall dwell in Your courtyards” (Psalms 65) (כְּתִיב: אַשְׁרֵי תִּבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב יִשְׁכֹּן חֲצֵרֶיךָ), for Kudsha Berikh Hu brings near to Him those Neshamot that ascend from below to above to be united in their appointed dwellings that were prepared for them (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרִיב לוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּסָלְקִין אִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא וּלְאִתְאַחֲדָא בְּאַחְסַנְתֵּיהוֹן דְּאִתְתַּקְנָן לְהוּ). He shall dwell in Your courtyards - these are the outer places and levels (יִשְׁכֹּן חֲצֵרֶיךָ, אִלֵּין אַתְרִין וְדַרְגִּין לְבַר), and who are they? As it is said : “And I will give you access among these who stand by” (וּמַאן אִינוּן, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ מַהְלְכִים בֵּין הָעוֹמְדִים הָאֵלֶּה). And this is a level among the supernal holy ones (וְהַאי הוּא דַּרְגָּא בֵּין קַדִּישִׁין עִלָּאִין). And who merits this level? These are the emissaries of the Master of the world (וּמַאן דְּזַכָּאִין לְדַרְגָּא דָא, אִינוּן שְׁלִיחָן דְּמָארֵי עַלְמָא), like those malakhin who fulfill their mission constantly according to the desire of their Master (כְּאִינוּן מַלְאָכִין וְעָבְדִין שְׁלִיחוּתָא תָּדִיר בִּרְעוּתָא דְמָארֵיהוֹן), for these are constantly sanctified in holiness and were not defiled (בְּגִין דְּאִלֵּין אִתְקַדְּשׁוּ תָּדִיר בִּקְדוּשָּׁה וְלָא אִסְתָּאֲבוּ). In this manner, one who is defiled in this world draws upon himself an impure spirit (כְּגַוְונָא דָא, מַאן דְּאִסְתָּאַב בְּהַאי עַלְמָא אִיהוּ מָשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ מְסָאָב), and when his Neshamah departs from him, they defile him (וְכַד נָפַק נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ מְסָאֲבִין לֵיהּ), and his dwelling is among those who are defiled (וּמְדוֹרֵיהּ בֵּין אִינוּן מְסָאֲבִין), and these are the mazziqin of the world (וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן מַזִּיקִין דְּעַלְמָא). Just as a man draws to himself in this world, so is his dwelling and what he is drawn to in that world (כְּמָה דְּאִתְמְשַׁךְ בַּר נָשׁ גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, הָכִי הוּא מְדוֹרֵיהּ וְאִתְמְשַׁךְ בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא). [And those spirits of impurity defile him and bring him down into Gehinnom] (נ״ט: וְאִינוּן רוּחִין מְסָאֲבִין מְסָאַבִין לֵיהּ וְאַעֲלִין לֵיהּ לְגֵיהִנֹּם).