Daf 131a (דַּף קל״א ע״א)

This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “For Your dew is a dew of lights” (Isaiah 26) (כִּי טַל אוֹרוֹת טַלֶּךָ). What is “dew of lights”? Truly lights, from those supernal radiances through which the earth will be given life forever (מַאי טַל אוֹרוֹת - אוֹרוֹת מַמָּשׁ, מֵאִינוּן נְהוֹרִין דִּלְעֵילָא דִּבְהוֹן זַמִּין לַאֲרָקָא חַיִּין לְעַלְמָא), for the Tree of Life will pour out life that never ceases (בְּגִין דְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי יָרִיק חַיִּין דְּלָא פָּסְקִין לְעָלְמִין). But now they are withheld, because that evil serpent rules, and the moon is covered (דְּהָא הַשְׁתָּא פָּסְקִין בְּגִין דְּהָא חִוְיָא בִּישָׁא שָׁלְטָא וְאִתְכַּסֵּי סִיהֲרָא). And because of this, as it were, the waters and the life do not prevail in the world as they should (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כִּבְיָכוֹל פָּסְקִין מֵימוֹי וְחַיִּין לָא שָׁלְטִין בְּעַלְמָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And in that time, the evil inclination, which is that evil serpent, will be removed from the world, and Kudsha Berikh Hu will pass it away, as it is written (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע דְּאִיהוּ חִוְיָא בִישָׁא יִסְתַּלַּק מֵעַלְמָא, וְיַעֲבַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), “And the spirit of impurity I shall remove from the earth” (Zechariah 13) (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר: וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר מִן הָאָרֶץ). And after it is removed from the world, the moon will no longer be covered, and the river that flows forth will never have its springs cease (וּלְבָתַר דְּאִיהוּ יִתְעֲבַר מֵעַלְמָא, סִיהֲרָא לָא אִתְכַּסְיָא, וְנַהֲרָא דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק לָא יִפָּסְקוּן מַבּוּעוֹי). And then it is written (וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב): “And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of the seven days…” (Isaiah 30) (וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה וְאוֹר הַחַמָּה יִהְיֶה שִׁבְעָתַיִם כְּאוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים וְגו׳).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said (אָמַר רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה): If you say that all bodies of the world shall arise and be awakened from the dust (אִי תֵימָא דְּכָל גּוּפִין דְּעַלְמָא יְקוּמוּן וְיִתְעָרוּן מֵעַפְרָא), what of those bodies in which the Neshamah had once been planted - what will become of them? (אִינוּן גּוּפֵי דְּאִתְנְטִיעוּ בְּנִשְׁמָתָא חָדָא, מַה תְּהֵא מִנַּיְיהוּ). Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי): those bodies that did not merit and did not succeed are nothing (אִינוּן גּוּפִין דְּלָא זָכוּ וְלָא אַצְלָחוּ - הֲרֵי אִינוּן כְּלָא הֲווּ); just as they were dry wood in that world, so too will they be in that time (כְּמָה דְּהֲווּ עֵץ יָבֵשׁ בְּהַהִיא עַלְמָא, הָכִי נָמֵי בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא), but the latter body that was planted and succeeded and took root properly - that one shall rise (וְגוּפָא בַּתְרָאָה דְּאִתְנְטַע וְאַצְלַח וְנָטַל שָׁרָשׁוֹי כְּדְקָא יְאוּת - יָקוּם). And concerning it is written (וְעֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב): “And he shall be like a tree planted by the waters…” (Jeremiah 17) (וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל מַיִם וְגו׳), “And its leaf shall be fresh”, etc. (וְהָיָה עָלֵהוּ רַעֲנָן וְגו׳). For he made branches and planted roots and succeeded properly (דְּעֲבַד אִיבִּין וְנָטַע שָׁרָשִׁין וְאַצְלַח כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). But that former body, which did not make branches and did not plant roots (וְעַל הַהוּא גּוּפָא קַדְמָאָה דְּלָא עֲבַד אִיבִּין וְלָא נָטַע שָׁרָשִׁין), and did not merit and did not succeed (וְלֹא זָכָה וְלֹא אַצְלַח), it is written (כְּתִיב): “And he shall be like a tamarisk in the wilderness, and he shall not see when good comes…” (Jeremiah 17) (וְהָיָה כַּעֲרָעָר בָּעֲרָבָה וְלֹא יִרְאֶה כִּי יָבוֹא טוֹב וְגו׳). “When good comes” - this refers to the resurrection of the dead (כִּי יָבוֹא טוֹב - דָּא תְּחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים). And that light will shine forth, which is destined to shine upon the Righteous, which has been hidden before Him since the day the world was created, as it is written (וְיִתְנְהִיר הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּזַמִּין לְאַנְהָרָא לְהוּ לְצַדִּיקַיָּא דְּהֲוָה גָּנִיז קַמֵּיהּ מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עַלְמָא, דִּכְתִיב): “And Elohim saw the light, that it was good” (Bereshit 1) (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב). And then Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to revive the dead, as it is written (וּכְדֵין זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לַאֲחָיָיא מֵתַיָיא, וּכְתִיב): “But for you who fear My Name, the sun of righteousness shall arise…” (Malachi 3) (וְזָרְחָה לָכֶם יִרְאֵי שְׁמִי שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה וְגו׳). And then good will prevail in the world (וּכְדֵין יִתְגַּבַּר טוֹב בְּעַלְמָא), and that which is called evil will be removed from the world, as we have said (וְהַהוּא דְּאִתְקְרֵי רַע יִתְעֲבַר מֵעַלְמָא כִּדְאֲמָרָן). And then those former bodies will be as if they had never existed (וּכְדֵין אִינוּן גּוּפִין קַדְמָאֵי לֶהֱווֹ כְּלָּא הֲווּ).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to shake the earth over them (זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לַאֲרָקָא עֲלַיְיהוּ), upon those bodies of other spirits (עַל אִינוּן גּוּפִין רוּחִין אָחֳרָנִין). And if they merit through them, they will arise in the world as is fitting (וְאִי זָכָאן בְּהוֹן יְקוּמוּן בְּעַלְמָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), and if not, they shall be as ashes under the feet of the Righteous (וְאִי לָאו יְהוֹן קִטְמָא תְּחוֹת רַגְלֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָא), as it is written (Malachi 3) (דִּכְתִיב), and it is written (Daniel 12): “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awaken,” etc. (וּכְתִיב וְרַבִּים מִישֵׁנֵי אַדְמַת עָפָר יָקִיצוּ וְגו׳). And all of this is established and prepared before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְכֹלָּא אִתָּקַם וְאִתְעַתַּד קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and all of them are in number (וְכֻלְּהוּ בְּמִנְיָינָא הֲווּ), as you say (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “The One who brings out their host by number,” etc. (Isaiah 40) ("הַמּוֹצִיא בְּמִסְפַּר צְבָאָם וְגו׳").

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): It has been taught (הָא אִתְּמַר), all those who die in the land of Yisrael will arise first (כָּל אִינוּן מֵתִין דִּבְאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל יְקוּמוּן בְּקַדְמִיתָא), for Kudsha Berikh Hu will awaken upon them and raise them (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִתְעַר עֲלַיְיהוּ וְיוֹקִים לוֹן). Concerning them it is written (עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב): “Your dead shall live” - these are those in the land of Yisrael (יִחְיוּ מֵתֶיךָ - אִלֵּין אִינוּן דִּי בְאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל). “My corpses shall arise” - these are those in other lands (נְבֵלָתִי יְקוּמוּן - אִלֵּין אִינוּן דִּבְגוֹ אַרְעָאן אָחֳרָנִין), for it is not written of them revival, only rising (דְּלָא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ תְּחִיָּיָה אֶלָּא קִימָה). For the spirit of life rests only in the holy land of Yisrael (דְּהָא רוּחָא דְחַיֵּי לָא תִשְׁרֵי אֶלָּא בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל), and therefore it is written of them: “Your dead shall live” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב בְּהוּ: יִחְיוּ מֵתֶיךָ), but those outside (וְאִינוּן דִּלְבַר), their body will be created and rise without spirit (יִתְבְּרֵי גוּפָא דִלְהוֹן וִיקוּמוּן גּוּפָא בְּלָא רוּחָא), and afterward they will roll beneath the earth until they reach the land of Yisrael (וּלְבָתַר יִתְגַּלְגְּלוּן תְּחוֹת עַפְרָא עַד דְּיִמְטוּן לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל), and there they will receive a Neshamah (וְתַמָּן יְקַבְּלוּן נִשְׁמָתָא), and not under any other jurisdiction (וְלָא בִּרְשׁוּ אָחֳרָא), so that they may be established in the world properly (בְּגִין דְּיִתְקַיְּימוּן בְּעַלְמָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי).

Rabbi El'azar and Rabbi Yisa were sitting one night and studying the Orayta (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי יֵיסָא הֲווּ יַתְבֵי לֵילְיָא חַד וְעָסְקֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). Rabbi El'azar said: Come and see (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: תָּא חֲזֵי), at the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to revive the dead (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין לַאֲחָיָיא מֵתַיָיא), all those Neshamot who are awakened before Him (כָּל אִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּיִתְעָרוּן קַמֵּיהּ), all of them stand as likenesses, likenesses before Him (כֻּלְּהוּ קָיְימִין דִּיוּקְנִין דִּיוּקְנִין קַמֵּיהּ), in the very likeness they had in this world (בְּהַהוּא דִּיוּקְנָא מַמָּשׁ דְּהֲווּ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu descends upon them (וְנָחִית לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and calls them by their names, as it is said (וְיִקְרֵי לוֹן בִּשְׁמָהָן כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “He calls them all by name” (Isaiah 58) (לְכֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא). And each Neshamah enters into its place (וְכָל נִשְׁמָתָא תֵּיעוֹל לְדוּכְתָּהָּ), and they arise in existence in the world properly (וִיקוּמוּן בְּקִיּוּמָא בְּעַלְמָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי), and then the world will be whole (וּכְדֵין יְהֵא עַלְמָא שְׁלִים). And concerning that time it is written (וְעַל הַהוּא זִמְנָא כְּתִיב): “And the reproach of His people He will remove…” (Isaiah 25) (וְחֶרְפַּת עַמּוֹ יָסִיר וְגו׳). What is “the reproach of His people He will remove”? (מַאי וְחֶרְפַּת עַמּוֹ יָסִיר) This is the evil inclination, which darkened the faces of the creatures and ruled over them (דָּא יֵצֶר הָרָע דְּאַחְשִׁיךְ אַנְפֵּי בִּרְיָין וְשַׁלִּיט בְּהוּ).

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): We see that as long as a man is established in this spirit (הָא חָמִינָן כָּל זִמְנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ קָאִים בְּרוּחָא דָא), he is not defiled; when his Neshamah departs from him, then he becomes defiled (לָאו אִיהוּ מְסָאָב, נָפְקָא נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ - אִיהוּ מְסָאָב). He said to him: Surely it is so, and it has been stated (אָמַר לֵיהּ: וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, וְהָכִי אִתְּמָר), that the evil inclination, when it takes the spirit of a man, it defiles him (דְּהָא הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע כַּד נָטִיל רוּחָא דְּבַר נָשׁ - סָאִיב לֵיהּ), and the body remains defiled (וְאִשְׁתָּאַר גּוּפָא מְסָאָב). But the other nations, idol worshippers and astrologers - while they are alive, they are defiled (וּשְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת כַּד אִינוּן בְּחַיֵּיהוֹן - אִינוּן מְסָאֲבִין), for they have Neshamot from the side of impurity (דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא מִסָּאֲבָא אִית לוֹן נִשְׁמָתִין), but when that impurity is removed from them (וְכַד אִתְרִיק מִנֵּיהּ הַהוּא מְסָאֲבוּ), the body is left without impurity at all (אִשְׁתָּאַר גּוּפָא בְּלָא מְסָאֲבוּ כְּלָל).