Daf 181a (דַּף קפ״א ע״א)

And all is because of that mazal that flows and proceeds and becomes joined with that level, to be completed in it and to be blessed from it (וְכֹּלָּא בְּגִין הַהוּא מַזָּלָא דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק וְאִתְחַבַּר בְּהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא לְאִשְׁתַּלְּמָא בֵּיהּ וּלְאִתְבָּרְכָא מִנֵּיהּ), and for this reason everything depends on mazal (וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא בְּמַזָּלָא תָּלְיָא מִלְּתָא). And for this reason we have learned: children, life, and sustenance do not depend on merit, but rather on mazal (וְעַל דָּא תָּנִינָן, בָּנִי חַיֵּי וּמְזוֹנֵי לָאו בִּזְכוּתָא תָּלְיָא מִלְּתָא אֶלָּא בְּמַזָּלָא תָּלְיָא מִלְּתָא), for merit is nothing unless it is completed and illuminated by mazal (דְּהָא בִּזְכוּתָא לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא עַד דְּאִתְמַלְּיָא וְאִתְנְהִיר מִן מַזָּלָא). And for this reason, all those who are broken in this world, though they are truly meritorious, are all broken in this world and judged in Din (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כָּל אִינוּן דְּאִתְּבְּרוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וְאִינוּן זַכָּאַי קְשׁוֹט, כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְּבְּרוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וְאִתְדָּנוּ בְּדִינָא). Why? Because that soul caused it to them (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּהַהִיא נַפְשָׁא גָּרְמָא לְהוּ), and for this reason Kudsha Berikh Hu has pity on them for the World to Come (וְעַל דָּא חָיִיס עֲלַיְיהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Rabbi El‘azar said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר): all that Kudsha Berikh Hu does is with Din (כָּל מַה דְּעָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּדִינָא אִיהוּ), in order to refine that soul and prepare it for the World to Come (בְּגִין לְדַכָּאָה לְהַהִיא נַפְשָׁא לְאַיְיתָאָה לָהּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). Some say: “And for this reason, Kudsha Berikh Hu-all His works…” (נ״א: בְּגִין דְּכָל עוֹבְדוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), are with Din and truth (אִינוּן בְּדִינָא וּקְשׁוֹט). And to remove from him that defilement which he received in this world (וּבְגִין לְאַעֲבָרָא מִנֵּיהּ הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא דְּקַבִּילַת בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), for this reason that body is broken and the soul is purified (וְעַל דָּא אִתְּבַּר הַהוּא גּוּפָא וְאִתְדַּכִּיאַת נַפְשָׁא). And for this reason Kudsha Berikh Hu causes that meritorious one to suffer afflictions and pains in this world (וּבְגִין כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד לְהַהוּא זַכָּאָה דְּיִסְבּוֹל יִסּוּרִין וּמַכְאוֹבִין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and to be cleansed of everything, and to merit eternal life (וְיִתְנַקֵּי מִכֹּלָּא וְיִזְכֶּה לְחַיֵּי עָלְמָא). And on this it is written: (Psalms 11) “Hashem tests the Tzaddik” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: יְיָ צַדִּיק יִבְחָן). Indeed, and it has been said (וַדַּאי, וְהָא אִתְּמָר).

Rabbi Shim‘on opened (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח), “But he shall not come near to the curtain, and he shall not come close to the altar, for he has a blemish, and he shall not profane My Sanctuary, for I am Hashem who sanctifies him” (Leviticus 21) (אַךְ אֶל הַפָּרֹכֶת לֹא יָבוֹא, וְאֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא יִגַּשׁ, כִּי מוּם בּוֹ, וְלֹא יְחַלֵּל אֶת מִקְדָּשָׁי, כִּי אֲנִי ייָ מְקַדְּשׁוֹ). “But he shall not come near to the curtain” (אַךְ אֶל הַפָּרֹכֶת לֹא יָבוֹא). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): At that time, when that river that flows and goes forth gives forth all those Neshamot and the Nukvah is impregnated (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא דְּהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק, אַפִּיק כָּל אִינוּן נְשָׁמִתִּין, וְאִתְעֲבָרַת נוּקְבָא), all stand within the inner court, within the place of the enclosed curtain (כֻּלְּהוּ קָיְימִין לְגוֹ בְּקוּרְטָא דִּלְגוֹ בְּסִיטוֹ קוּרְטָא). And when the moon is blemished on account of the side of the evil serpent (וְכַד סִיהֲרָא אִתְפְּגִים בְּהַהוּ סִטְרָא דְּחִוְיָא בִּישָׁא), then all those Neshamot that come forth-even though they are all pure and all holy (כְּדֵין כָּל אִינוּן נְשָׁמִתִּין דְּנָפְקִין, אַף עַל גַּב דְּכֻּלְּהוּ דַּכְיָין וְכֻּלְּהוּ קַדִּישִׁין) since they fall into blemish, in every place those Neshamot go, they are all broken and afflicted with many pains and sufferings (הוֹאִיל וְנָפְלוּ בִּפְגִימוּ. בְּכָל אִינוּן אַתְרֵי דְּמָטוּ אִינוּן נְשָׁמִתִּין, כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְּבַּרוּ וְאִתְפְּגִימוּ בְּכַמָּה צַעֲרִין, בְּכַמָּה כְּאֵבִין), and these are the Neshamot and places (וְאִילֵּין אִינוּן נְשָׁמְתִּין וְאַתְרֵי) - some say: the Neshamot of the places that were blemished (נ״א: נְשָׁמְתִּין דְּאַתְרֵי דְּפְגִימוּ) - in which Kudsha Berikh Hu was not desirous, after they were broken, even though they are Neshamot of sorrow and not of joy (דְּאִתְרְעֵי בְּהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְבָתַר דְּאִתְּבַּרוּ, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּנְשָׁמְתִּין בַּעֲצִיבוּ וְלָא בְּחֶדְוָון).

The secret of the matter is that just as above the body is blemished, so the Neshamah within is likewise (רָזָא דְּמִילָּה: שָׁרְיָין כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָא, גּוּפָא אִתְּפְּגִים, וְנִשְׁמְתָּא לְגוֹ כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָא). Indeed, just like this (וַדַּאי כְּגַוְונָא דְּדָא), and therefore these are they who seek renewal in the renewal of the moon (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִלֵּין אִינוּן דְּבָעְיָין לְחַדְּתוּתֵי בְּחַדְּתוּתָא דְּסִיהֲרָא), and about them it is written: (Isaiah 66) “And it shall be, from month to month and from Shabbat to Shabbat, all flesh shall come to bow before Me, says Hashem” (וְהָיָה מִדֵּי חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ, וּמִדֵּי שַׁבָּת בְּשַׁבָּתוֹ, יָבוֹא כָּל בָּשָׂר לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְפָנַי, אָמַר ייָ). All flesh, certainly (כָּל בָּשָׂר וַדַּאי) these shall be renewed in all aspects (דְּאִלֵּין יִתְחַדְּתוּן בְּכֹלָּא), and they desire renewal in the renewal of the moon (וּבָעְיָין לְחַדְּתוּתֵי בְּחַדְּתוּתָא דְּסִיהֲרָא).

And these are in one partnership with the moon, blemished with her blemish (וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן בְּשׁוּתָּפוּתָא חָדָא בְּסִיהֲרָא, פְּגִימִין בְּהַהוּא פְּגִימוּ דִילָהּ), and for this reason she dwells within them constantly and does not leave them (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִיהִי שַׁרְיָא בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ תָּדִיר, דְּלָא שָׁבְקָא לוֹן), as it is said: (Isaiah 57) “And with the contrite and humble spirit” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְאֶת דַּכָּא וּשְׁפַל רוּחַ). And it is written: (Psalms 34) “Hashem is close to the brokenhearted” (וּכְתִיב: קָרוֹב יְיָ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי לֵב), to those who suffer with the moon in her blemish, these are always near to her (לְאִינוּן דְּסָבְלֵי עִם סִיהֲרָא הַהוּא פְּגִימוּ, אִינוּן קְרֵיבִין לָהּ תָּדִיר). And on this it is written: “To revive the heart of the crushed” (וְעַל דָּא: לְהַחֲיוֹת לֵב נִדְכָּאִים) with those lives that come to her for renewal, let them have their portion (בְּאִינוּן חַיִּים דְּאַתְיָין לָהּ לְאִתְחַדְתָּא, יְהֵא לוֹן חוּלְקֵהוֹן); those who suffer with her shall be renewed with her (אִינוּן דְּסָבְלֵי עִמָּהּ, יִתְחַדְתוּן עִמָּהּ). And these are called afflictions of love (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן יִסּוּרִין שֶׁל אַהֲבָה), afflictions of love they are, and not from that person himself (שֶׁל אַהֲבָה אִינוּן, וְלָא מִנֵּיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַר נָשׁ). “Of love”-these are from the blemishing of the light of lesser love that was distanced from great love (שֶׁל אַהֲבָה: אִינוּן דְּאִתְפַּגִּים נְהוֹרָא שֶׁל אַהֲבָה זוּטָא, דְּאִתְדַּחְיָיא מֵאַהֲבָה רַבָּה). For this reason, these are Friends and partners with her (בְּגִין כָּךְ אִלֵּין אִינוּן חֲבֵרִים מְשׁוּתָּפִים בַּהֲדָהּ). Fortunate is their portion in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאָה חוּלַקְהוֹן בְּעַלְמָא דֵין וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי), for they merited to be Friends with her (דְּאִינוּן זָכוּ לְהַאי לְמֶהוֵי חֲבֵרִים בַּהֲדָהּ), as it is written: (Psalms 122) “For the sake of my brothers and friends…” (עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב: לְמַעַן אַחַי וְרֵעָי וְגו׳).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Isaiah 52) “Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up and become very high” (הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי, יָרוּם וְנִשָּׂא וְגָבַהּ מְאֹד). Fortunate is the portion of the Righteous (זַכָּאָה חוּלַקְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקִיָּיא), for Kudsha Berikh Hu reveals to them the paths of Orayta to walk in them (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּלֵי לוֹן אָרְחֵי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא לְמֵהַךְ בְּהוּ). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), this verse is a supernal secret (הַאי קְרָא רָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ), “Behold, My servant shall prosper”-this has been established (הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי, וְאוּקְמוּהָ). But come and see (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי): when Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַלְמָא), He made for her the moon and infused her with light (עֲבַד לָהּ לְסִיהֲרָא, וְאַזְעַר לָהּ נְהוֹרָהָא), for she has nothing of her own (דְּהָא לֵית לָהּ מִגַּרְמָהּ כְּלוּם). And because she has nothing of her own, she is illuminated through the sun and through the force of supernal lights (וּבְגִין דְּאַזְעִירַת גַּרְמָהּ, אִתְנַהֲרָא בְּגִין שִׁמְשָׁא, וּבְתוּקְפָא דִּנְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין).