Daf 168a (דַּף קס״ח ע״א)
Rabbi Yehuda opened and said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Mishlei 28) "Fortunate is the man who always fears, but he who hardens his heart will fall into evil" (אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מְפַחֵד תָּמִיד וּמַקְשֶׁה לִבּוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָה). Fortunate are Israel, for Kudsha Berikh Hu delights in them (זַכָּאִין אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בְּהוּ), and He gave them the Orayta of truth to merit eternal life through it (וְיָהַב לוֹן אוֹרַיְיתָא דִקְשׁוֹט בְּגִין לְמִזְכֵּי בָהּ לְחַיֵּי עַלְמָא). Whoever engages in Orayta, Kudsha Berikh Hu draws upon him supernal life (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ חַיִּין עִלָּאִין), and brings him into eternal life of the World to Come (וְאָעִיל לֵיהּ לְחַיֵּי עַלְמָא דְאָתֵי), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), (Devarim 30), "For it is your life and the length of your days" (כִּי הִיא חַיֶּיךָ וְאֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), "Through this matter you shall lengthen your days" (וּבַדָּבָר הַזֶּה תַּאֲרִיכוּ יָמִים). Life in this world and life in the World to Come (חַיִּין בְּהַאי עַלְמָא וְחַיִין בְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי).
Rabbi El'azar said, Whoever engages in the Orayta for its own sake—his death is not by the hand of the evil inclination. (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, כָּל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא לִשְׁמָהּ, לָאו מִיתָתֵיהּ עַל יְדָא דְיֵצֶר הָרָע). Because he is strengthened in the Tree of Life and does not let go from it. p3-13(בְּגִין דְּאִתְתַּקִּיף בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי וְלָא אַרְפֵּי מִנֵּיהּ). And because of this, the Righteous who engage in the Orayta are not defiled in their body, for a foul spirit does not rest upon them. p3-14(וּבְגִין כָּךְ צַדִּיקַיָּא דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא לָא מִסְתָּאֲבֵי גוּפָא דִילְהוֹן, דְּלָא שָׁרָא עֲלַיְיהוּ רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא).
Ya'akov was the Tree of Life (יַעֲקֹב אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי הֲוָה); why was he afraid (אַמַּאי דָּחִיל), since Esav could not rule over him (דְּהָא לָא יָכוֹל לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלוֹי)? Further, it is written (וְעוֹד דְּהָא כְּתִיב), "Behold, I am with you" (וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ וְגו'), why was he afraid (אַמַּאי הֲוָה דָחִיל)? Moreover, it is written (וְתוּ דְּהָא כְּתִיב), "And the angels of God met him" (וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלהִים); if holy camps were with him, why fear (אִי מַשִּׁרְיָין קַדִּישִׁין הֲווּ עִמֵּיהּ אַמַּאי הֲוָה דָחִיל)? Rather, everything was proper (אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא יָאוֹת הֲוָה), and Ya'akov did not wish to rely on a miracle from Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְיַעֲקֹב לָא הֲוָה בָּעֵי לְמִסְמַךְ עַל נִיסָּא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), because he thought himself unworthy that Kudsha Berikh Hu should perform a miracle for him (בְּגִין דְּחָשִׁיב דְּלָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַעֲבִיד לֵיהּ נִיסָּא). Why so? (מַאי טַעְמָא) Because he did not sufficiently serve his father and mother (בְּגִין דְּלָא פָלַח לְאֲבוֹי וּלְאִמֵּיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), did not sufficiently engage in Orayta, and married two sisters (וְלָא אִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְנָטַל תְּרֵי אֲחָיוֹת). And even though all this was clarified (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא אִתְּמָר), still a person should always fear and pray continually before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְעִם כָּל דָא בָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמִדְחַל תָּדִיר וּלְצַלָּאָה קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּצְלוֹתָא), as written (דִּכְתִיב), "Fortunate is the man who always fears"—fearing continually before Kudsha Berikh Hu (אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מְפַחֵד תָּמִיד וּלְמִדְחַל תָּדִיר קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And thus it was established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).
Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the prayers of the patriarchs sustain the world (צְלוֹתָא דְּאֲבָהָן קָיְימוּ עָלְמָא), and all inhabitants of the world stand and rely upon them (וְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא עֲלַיְיהוּ קָיְימֵי וְסָמְכִין). Forever and ever the merit of the patriarchs is not forgotten (לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין לָא אִתְנְשֵׁי זְכוּתָא דְּאֲבָהָן), because their merit is the foundation above and below (בְּגִין דִּזְכוּתָא דְּאֲבָהָן אִיהוּ קִיּוּמָא דְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא), and the merit of Ya'akov is the most complete of all (וְקִיּוּמָא דְיַעֲקֹב אִיהוּ קִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ). Therefore, when Ya'akov's descendants are in distress (וּבְגִין כָּךְ בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְעָאקוּ לִבְנוֹי דְיַעֲקֹב), Kudsha Berikh Hu displays the image of Ya'akov and has compassion on the world (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְמֵי קַמֵּיהּ דִּיוּקְנָא דְיַעֲקֹב וְחָיִיס עַל עַלְמָא), as it says (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), "And I will remember My covenant with Ya'akov" (וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקוֹב), Ya'akov written fully with Vav (יַעֲקוֹ''ב בְּוא''ו). Why with Vav? (אַמַּאי בְּוא''ו) Because it is precisely the true image of Ya'akov (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ דִיוּקְנָא דְיַעֲקֹב מַמָּשׁ).
Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), whoever sees Ya'akov is as though he gazes into a shinning mirror (כָּל מַאן דְּחָמֵי לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב כְּמַאן דְּאִסְתַּכֵּל בְּאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא דְּנַהֲרָא), and it is said that Ya'akov's beauty resembles the beauty of Adam Kadma'ah (וְהָא אִתְּמָר דְּשׁוּפְרֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב כְּשׁוּפְרֵיהּ דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה). Rabbi Yeisa said (אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא), I have heard that whoever sees Ya'akov in a dream, adorned in his garments (אֲנָא שְׁמַעְנָא דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִסְתַּכַּל בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ וְחָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב מְקַסְטָר בְּקוּסְפוֹי), additional life is granted to him (חַיִּין אִתּוֹסְפָן לֵיהּ).
Rabbi Shim'on said p3-15(רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר), it has been stated that before King David existed, he had no life at all p3-16(הָא אִתְּמָר דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא עַד לָא הֲוָה, לָא הֲווּ לֵיהּ חַיִּים כְּלַל). But Adam Kadma'ah granted him seventy years of his own life (בַּר דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה יָהַב לֵיהּ שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין מִדִּילֵיהּ), and thus the lifespan of King David was exactly seventy years (וְכָךְ הֲוָה קִיּוּמֵיהּ דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין הֲווּ). Therefore, Adam Kadma'ah's life was one thousand years minus seventy (וְקִיּוּמָא דְאָדָם קַדְמָאָה אֶלֶף שְׁנִין חֲסַר שִׁבְעִין). Within those initial thousand years, both Adam HaRishon and King David are included (אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ בְּהַנֵּי אֶלֶף שְׁנִין קַדְמָאֵי, אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְדָוִד מַלְכָּא). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Tehillim 21) "He asked life from You; You gave it to him—length of days forever and ever" (חַיִּים שָׁאַל מִמְךָ נָתַתָּה לוֹ אֹרֶךְ יָמִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד). "He asked life from You" refers to King David (חַיִּים שָׁאַל מִמְךָ, דָּא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא). For when Kudsha Berikh Hu createdp3-17 the Garden of Eden, He placed the soul of King David there (דְהָא כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גִּנְתָא דְעֵדֶן אַטִּיל בֵּיהּ נִשְׁמָתָא דְדָוִד מַלְכָּא), looked at it, and saw it had no life of its own at all (וְאִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ וְחָמֵי דְּלֵית לֵיהּ חַיִּים מִדִּילֵיהּ כְּלוּם), yet it stood before Him each day (וְקָיְימָא קַמֵּיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא). When Adam haRishon was created, he said, "Here indeed is his existence," and from Adam Kadma'ah came the seventy years by which King David existed in the world (כֵּיוָן דְּבָרָא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן אָמַר הָא וַדַּאי קִיּוּמֵיהּ, וּמֵאָדָם קַדְמָאָה הֲווּ שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין דְּאִתְקְיַּים דָּוִד מַלְכָּא בְּעַלְמָא). Moreover, the Patriarchs each gave him life from their own years (תוּ אֲבָהָן שָׁבְקוּ לֵיהּ מֵחַיֵּיהוֹן כָּל חַד וְחַד): Avraham gave him some, and likewise Ya'akov and Yosef (אַבְרָהָם שָׁבַק לֵיהּ, וְכֵן יַעֲקֹב וְיוֹסֵף). Yitzchak did not give him anything (יִצְחָק לָא שָׁבַק לֵיהּ כְּלוּם), because King David derived from his side (בְּגִין דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא מִסִּטְרֵיהּ קָא אֲתָא).
Notes
(Marginal note: For he is the serpent, and he is the Angel of Death. (גליון: דְּהוּא נַחָשׁ וְהוּא מַלְאָכָא דְמוֹתָא). Rather, their death is by a kiss, as it is written: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. (אֶלָּא מִיתַתְהוֹן בְּנְשִׁיקָה, דִּכְתִיב יִשָּׁקֵנִי מִנְּשִׁיקוֹת פִּיהוּ) (Song of Songs 1), that is, by the mouth of Hashem. (כְּלוֹמַר עַל פִּי יי). And this is the kiss that is the cleaving of the soul to its Root. (וְהִיא הַנְּשִׁיקָה דְּהִיא דְּבִיקוּתָא דְנַפְשָׁא בְּעִיקָּרָא). And this is for one who engages in the Orayta. (וְהַהִיא דַּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא)).
(Marginal note: Rather, this is as it is said—for example, Elijah in the burial caves, whom the Rabbis encountered. (גִּלְיוֹן: אֶלָּא הוּא דְּכִי, כְּגוֹן אֵלִיָּהוּ בְּבֵי קַבְרֵי דַּאִשְׁכְּחוּהוּ רַבָּנַן). And they asked him: Are you not a Kohen, master? (וּשְׁאִילוּ לֵיהּ: וְלָאו כֹּהֵן הוּא מַר). He said to them: The Righteous are not defiled in their death. (אָמַר לְהוֹן: צַדִּיקַיָּא לָא מִסְתָּאֲבֵי בְּמִיתַתְהוֹן). As we have learned: On the day that Rabbi died, the priesthood was annulled. (כַּמָּה דְּתַנִּינָן: בְּיוֹם שֶׁמֵּת רַבִּי בָּטְלָה כְּהֻנָּה). That is, they [the Kohanim] tended to him. (כְּלוֹמַר: דְּאִתְעַסְּקוּ בֵיהּ)).
Mikdash Melekh, RaMaZ Commentary on Zohar: “He had no life at all” (לָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ חַיִּים כְּלָל): it is known that life is from the aspect of Ḥasadim and death is from Gevurot (יָדוּעַ שֶׁהַחַיִּים הֵם מִבְּחִינַת חֲסָדִים וְהַמִּיתָה מִן הַגְּבוּרוֹת), and “death” equals five times the Name Elokim with their twenty-five letters (וְכֵן מִיתָה גִּימַטְרִיָּא ה׳ פְּעָמִים אֱלֹהִים עִם כ״ה אוֹתִיּוֹתֵיהֶם). And David was from Malchut, called Nefesh, which equals five times Elokim, numerical value 430 (וְדָוִד הָיָה מִן הַמַּלְכוּת הַנִּקְרֵאת נֶפֶשׁ הָעוֹלָה ה׳ פְּעָמִים אֱלֹהִים גִּימַטְרִיָּא ת״ל), and it is the mirror that does not shine, which has nothing of its own (וְהִיא אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא דְּלָא נָהֲרָא דְּלֵית לָהּ מִגַּרְמָהּ כְּלוּם), meaning it has no light, which is Ḥesed (דְּהַיְינוּ אֵין לָהּ אוֹר שֶׁהוּא חֶסֶד), and therefore it is called poor, lacking abundance, which is wealth (וְלָכֵן נִקְרֵאת עֲנִיָּה חֲסֶרֶת הַשֶּׁפַע שֶׁהוּא הָעוֹשֶׁר). “Adam Kadma’ah gave to him,” etc. (דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה יְהַב לֵיהּ וְכוּ׳), this is what Ze’ir Anpin bestows into her in her head, in her Keter, Chokhmah, Binah (הוּא מַה שֶּׁזְּעֵיר אַנְפִּין מַשְׁפִּיעַ בָּהּ בְּרֹאשָׁהּ בְּכֶתֶר חָכְמָה בִּינָה שֶׁלָּהּ), and this is “the son of Yishai lives” (וְהַיְינוּ בֶּן יִשַׁי חַי), “Ben” indicates two Ḥasadim of David (בּ״ן שְׁנֵי חֲסָדִים שֶׁל דָּוִד), “Ḥai” indicates two-thirds of Ḥesed in her Keter (ח״י שְׁנֵי שְׁלִישֵׁי חֶסֶד שֶׁבְּכֶתֶר שֶׁלָּהּ), as is known from the secret of the enlarged Ayin of “Shema” (כַּנּוֹדָע מִסּוֹד ע׳ רַבָּתִי שֶׁל שְׁמַע). And this is the existence of David (וְכָךְ הוּא קִיּוּמוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד), and therefore he reigned at thirty years (וְלָכֵן מָלַךְ בֶּן ל׳ שָׁנָה), in the secret of his three attributes that shine in Ḥasadim, which are Keter, Chokhmah, Binah, equaling thirty (בְּסוֹד ג׳ מִדּוֹתָיו הַמְּאִירוֹת בַּחֲסָדִים שֶׁהֵם כֶּתֶר חָכְמָה בִּינָה הָעוֹלִים ל׳), and they are the thirty levels of Malchut (וְהֵם ל׳ מַעֲלוֹת שֶׁל הַמַּלְכוּת), and “Yehudah” is likewise this number (וִיהוּדָה כָּךְ מִסְפָּרוֹ), thus are the words of the RaMaZ (עַכ״ל הָרַמ״ז).
Ohr HaChammah on Zohar: “Rabbi Shimon said, behold it was stated that King David had no life” (רש״א הָא אִתְמַר דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא לָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ חַיִּים), when that soul descends into the physical world it has no life at all (כְּשֶׁיִּגָּלֵם אוֹתָהּ הַנְּשָׁמָה בָּעוֹלָם הַגַּשְׁמִי אֵין לָהּ חַיִּים כְּלָל), because it is from Malchut, in the secret of the poor one who has nothing of her own (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא מִן הַמַּלְכוּת בְּסוֹד עֲנִיָּה דְּלֵית לָהּ מִדִּילָהּ כְּלוּם), and therefore David, who is from her, has no life of his own (וְלָכֵן דָּוִד שֶׁהָיָה מִמֶּנָּה אֵין לוֹ חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם כְּלָל), except from Adam Kadma’ah (בַּר דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה), which is the secret of Chokhmah, the force of MaH (הַיְינוּ סוֹד הַחָכְמָה כֹּחַ מ״ה), that was reincarnated in the lower Chokhmah (שֶׁנִּתְגַּלְגֵּל בַּחָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה), and foresaw his need there (וְצָפָה צוֹרְכוֹ שָׁם), and bestowed to him from ten, each included of ten, and ten from a hundred, which is the secret of a thousand (וְהִשְׁפִּיעַ מֵעֶשֶׂר שֶׁבּוֹ כָּל אֶחָד כְּלוּל מֵעֶשֶׂר וַעֲשָׂרָה מִמֵּאָה שֶׁהוּא סוֹד הָאֶלֶף), and because of the sin of Adam the moon was diminished and the life of David was diminished (וּמִפְּנֵי חֵטְא אָדָם נִתְמַעֵט הַלְּבָנָה וְנִתְמַעֲטוּ חַיֵּי דָּוִד), for Adam descended into David and will rise in the Messiah, whose letters are Adam (כִּי אָדָם יָרַד בְּדָוִד וְעָלָה בְּמָשִׁיחַ שֶׁהֵם אוֹתִיּוֹת אָדָם), and when he saw this he gave him seventy, seven illuminating attributes from the forty in Chokhmah to Malchut below (וּכְשֶׁרָאָה כָּךְ נָתַן לוֹ ע׳ שֶׁבַע מִדּוֹת מְאִירוֹת מִמּ׳ שֶׁבַּחָכְמָה לַמַּלְכוּת לְמַטָּה), but the Messiah, who is the third reincarnation, will not need this (אֲבָל מָשִׁיחַ שֶׁהוּא גִּלְגּוּל ג׳ לֹא יִצְטָרֵךְ לָזֶה), because the world will be rectified from the sin of Adam (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָעוֹלָם מִתְתַּקֵּן מֵחֵטְא אָדָם), and he will ascend and be bound above in Chokhmah (וְעָלָה וְנִקְשָׁר לְמַעְלָה בַּחָכְמָה), in the secret of anointed oil from the oil that is from Chokhmah, the force of MaH (בְּסוֹד שֶׁמֶן מָשׁוּחַ מִן הַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁהוּא מִן הַחָכְמָה כֹּחַ מ״ה).
Ohr HaChammah on Zohar: “When Kudsha Berikh Hu created Binah, the Garden of Eden itself” (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּינָה גִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן מַמָּשׁ), and it stands corresponding to Malchut (וְהוּא נֶגְדֵּי לַמַּלְכוּת), He placed within it the soul of David included among all the souls (אַטִּיל בֵּיהּ נִשְׁמְתָא דְדָוִד בִּכְלַל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת), generation by generation and its seekers, generation by generation and its leaders (דּוֹר דּוֹר וְדוֹרְשָׁיו דּוֹר דּוֹר וּפַרְנָסָיו).