Daf 187b (דַּף קפ״ז ע״ב)

“And there is no end to all his toil” (וְאֵין קֵץ לְכָל עֲמָלוֹ), for he toils constantly, rising early and staying late (דְּאִיהוּ עָמֵל תָּדִיר דְּאַקְדִּים יְמָמָא וּלֵילְיָא). “Also his eye is not sated with riches” (גַּם עֵינוֹ לֹא תִשְׂבַּע עֹשֶׁר), and he does not have a heart to consider and say, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of goodness?” (וְלֵית לֵיהּ לִבָּא לְאַשְׁגָּחָא וּלְמֵימַר: לְמִי אֲנִי עָמֵל וּמְחַסֵּר אֶת נַפְשִׁי מִטּוֹבָה). And if you say it is because he eats and drinks more, and so he performs inebriation every day constantly (וְאִי תֵימָא דְּבְגִין דְּיֵיכוּל וְיִשְׁתֵּי יַתִּיר וְיַעֲבֵד מִשְׁתַּיָּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא תָּדִיר), it is not so (לָא הָכִי). For the Nefesh does not benefit from it (דְּהָא נַפְשָׁא לָא אִתְהַנִּי מִנֵּיהּ), but rather he surely deprives his soul of the good of the radiance of the World to Come (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אִיהוּ מְחַסֵּר לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ מִטִּיבוּ דְּנְהוֹרָא דְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). For this is a lacking Nefesh that was not completed properly (בְּגִין דְּדָא הִיא נַפְשָׁא חַסְרָא דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּלִּימַת כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how much Kudsha Berikh Hu has compassion on His creations (כַּמָּה חָס קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל עוֹבָדוֹי), because He wishes that they be rectified (בְּגִין דְּקָא בָּעֵי דְּיִתְתַּקַּן), and not be lost from that World to Come, as we said (וְלָא יִתְאֲבִיד מֵהַהוּא עָלְמָא דְאָתֵי כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן).

Rabbi Ḥiyya asked (רִבִּי חִיָּיא בָּעָא): This one who is completely meritorious, and who labored in Orayta day and night, and all his deeds were for the sake of Kudsha Berikh Hu (הַאי דְּאִיהוּ זַכָּאָה שְׁלֵימָא וְאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא יוֹמֵי וּלֵילֵי, וְכָל עוֹבָדוֹי לִשְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), but he did not merit to have children in this world (וְלֹא זָכָה לִבְנִין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), such as one who labored but did not merit, or who had children but they died (כְּגוֹן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּהוּ וְלֹא זָכָה, אוֹ דְּהֲווּ לֵיהּ וּמֵתוּ), what is their portion in the World to Come? (מַה אִינוּן לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). Rabbi Yose said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): His deeds and that Orayta protect him for that world (עוֹבָדוֹי וְהַהִיא אוֹרַיְּיתָא קָא מָגִינָן עֲלֵיהּ לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק), concerning them and those righteous ones of justice (עֲלַיְיהוּ וְעַל אִינוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט), such as Rabbi Yoḥanan, who had children and they died (כְּגוֹן רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דַּהֲווּ לֵיהּ בְּנִין וּמֵתוּ), and such as Rabbi Ḥizkiyah, who was barren (וְכְגוֹן רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה דַּאִיהוּ עָקָר) — concerning them it is written (עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב), “Thus said Hashem to the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what I delight in, and hold fast to My covenant” (Isaiah 56) (כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ לַסָּרִיסִים אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְרוּ אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי וּבָחֲרוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר חָפַצְתִּי וּמַחֲזִיקִים בִּבְרִיתִי). What is written after it? (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ) “And I will give them in My house and within My walls a hand and a name, better than sons and daughters; I will give him an everlasting name which shall not be cut off” (וְנָתַתִּי לָהֶם בְּבֵיתִי וּבְחוֹמוֹתַי יָד וָשֵׁם טוֹב מִבָּנִים וּמִבָּנוֹת שֵׁם עוֹלָם אֶתֵּן לוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִכָּרֵת). Because these have a portion in the World to Come (בְּגִין דְּאִלֵּין אִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי). Rabbi Yosei said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), it is fitting and beautiful (יָאוֹת הוּא וְשַׁפִּיר).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), fortunate is the complete one in whom all these were found (זַכָּאָה שְׁלִים דְּהֲווּ כָּל אִלֵּין בֵּיהּ), and who was completed as was fitting (וְאִשְׁתְּלִים כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), and died without children (וּמֵית בְּלָא בְּנִין), and behold, he inherits his place in that world (וְהָא קָא יָרִית דּוּכְתֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא). Must his wife undergo levirate marriage or not? (אִתְּתֵיהּ בָּעְיָא לִיבוּמֵי אוֹ לָא) If you say she must undergo levirate marriage (אִי תֵימָא דְּלִבָּעֵי לִיבוּמֵי), behold, he is not empty, for he inherits his place in that world (הָא בְּרֵיקַנְיָא אִיהוּ, דְּהָא אַתְרֵיהּ קָא יָרִית בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא).

Rather, certainly she must undergo Yibbum (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי בָּעְיָא לִיבוּמֵי), because we do not know whether his actions were complete or not (בְּגִין דְּלָא יַדְעִינָן אִי הֲוָה שְׁלִים בְּעוֹבָדוֹי אִי לָאו). And if she undergoes Yibbum, he is not considered empty (וְהִיא אִי אִתְיַיבְּמַת לָא הֲוָה בְּרֵיקַנְיָא). For he has a designated place from Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּגִין דְּאֲתַר אִית לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), since this man was in the world and died without children (דְּהָא בַּר נָשׁ הֲוָה בְּעַלְמָא וּמֵית בְּלָא בְּנִין), and had no redemption in the world (וּפוּרָקָא לָא הֲוֵי לֵיהּ בְּעַלְמָא). Once this complete Tzaddik died and his wife underwent levirate marriage (כֵּיוָן דְּמֵית הַאי זַכָּאָה שְׁלִים וְאִתְּתֵיהּ אִתְיַיבְּמַת), then he inherits his place (וְאִיהוּ אַתְרֵיהּ יָרִית). That man comes and is completed here (אֲתָא הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ וְאִשְׁתַּלִּים הָכָא), and in any case Kudsha Berikh Hu prepares a place for him in the world (וּבֵין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֲתַר זַמִּין לֵיהּ בְּעַלְמָא), until that complete Tzaddik dies (עַד דְּיֵימוּת הַאי זַכָּאָה שְׁלִים), and he shall be completed in the world (וְיִשְׁתְּלִים אִיהוּ בְּעַלְמָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “For in the city of his refuge he shall dwell until the death of the high priest…” (Numbers 35) ( כִּי בְעִיר מִקְלָטוֹ יֵשֵׁב עַד מוֹת הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל וְגו'). And this is what we have learned (וְדָא הוּא דְּתָנִינָן): children are destined for the Righteous after their death (בְּנִין זְמִינִין אִינוּן לְצַדִּיקַיָּא בְּמִיתַתְהוֹן), for in their lives they did not merit, and in their death they did merit (בְּחַיֵּיהוֹן לָא זָכוּ וּבְמִיתַתְהוֹן זָכוּ). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), all the actions of Kudsha Berikh Hu are just and meritorious (כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כֻּלְּהוּ קְשׁוֹט וּזְכוּ), [Some say: and He is merciful] (ס״א: וְחַיִּיס), and life is above all (וְחַיִּים עַל כֹּלָּא). “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor” (Ecclesiastes 4) (טוֹבִים הַשְּׁנַיִם מִן הָאֶחָד אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ לָהֶם שָׂכָר טוֹב בַּעֲמָלָם) — these are they who engage in this world to bring forth children (אִלֵּין אִינוּן דְּמִתְעַסְּקִין בְּהַאי עַלְמָא לְאוֹלָדָא בְּנִין). For the children they leave behind, on their account they have good reward in that world (דְּאִינוּן בְּנִין דְּשָׁבְקוּ, בְּגִינֵיהוֹן אִית לוֹן אֲגַר טַב בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא), and for their sake their fathers inherit a portion in that world (וּבְגִינֵיהוּ יַרְתִּין אֲבָהָן דִּלְהוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא), and it has been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Kudsha Berikh Hu planted trees in this world (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטַע אִילָנִין בְּהַאי עַלְמָא); if they succeed, it is good (אִי אַצְלָחוּ יָאוֹת), and if they do not succeed, He uproots them and replants them, even many times (לָא אַצְלָחוּ אַעֲקַר לוֹן וְשָׁתַל לוֹן אֲפִילּוּ כַּמָּה זִמְנִין). And for this reason, all the ways of Kudsha Berikh Hu are for good and for the rectification of the world (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כָּל אָרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כֻּלְּהוּ לְטַב וּלְאַתְקָנָא עָלְמָא). “Come to your brother’s wife and perform Yibbum with her” (Deuteronomy 25) (בֹּא אֶל אֵשֶׁת אָחִיךָ וְיַבֵּם אוֹתָהּ), for Yehudah and all the tribes knew this (דְּהָא יְהוּדָה וְכֻלְּהוּ שִׁבְטִין הֲווּ יָדְעֵי דָּא). And the essence of the matter is (וְעִקְּרָא דְּמִלְּתָא), “and raise up seed” (וְהָקֵם זֶרַע) — because that seed needs to be repaired through speech and to be shaped as a body for the Tikkun (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא זֶרַע אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא מִלָּה וּלְמִגְלַם גּוֹלָמָא לְתִקּוּנָא), so that the branch not be separated from its root properly (דְּלָא יִתְפְּרַשׁ גִּזְעָא מִשָּׁרְשֵׁיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “And man returns to dust” (Job 34) (וְאָדָם עַל עָפָר יָשׁוּב). And when he is repaired afterward properly (וְכַד מִתְתַּקַּן לְבָתַר כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת), these are praised in that world (אִלֵּין מִשְׁתַּבְּחִין בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא), because Kudsha Berikh Hu has taken delight in them (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בְּהוּ). And for this reason it is written (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב), “And I praised the dead who have already died” (Ecclesiastes 4) (וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֲנִי אֶת הַמֵּתִים שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ) — specifically (דַּיְיקָא), more than the living who are still alive (מִן הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה חַיִּים עֲדֶנָּה). What is “still” (מַאי עֲדֶנָּה)? As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “After I have withered, shall I again have Edenah (delight)?” (Bereshit 18) ( אַחֲרֵי בְלוֹתִי הָיְתָה לִי עֶדְנָה). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), “He shall return to the days of his youth” (Job 33) (יָשׁוּב לִימֵי עֲלוּמָיו).