Daf 221b (דַּף רכ״א ע״ב)

A Rose—at first, a Lily (שׁוֹשַׁנָּה, בְּקַדְמִיתָא חֲבַצֶּלֶת); at the time when she seeks to unite with the King (בְּעִדָּנָא דְּבָעְיָא לְאִזְדַּוָּוגָא בֵיהּ בְּמַלְכָּא), she is called Lily (אִקְרֵי חֲבַצֶּלֶת). After she cleaves to the King through those kisses (בָּתַר דְּאִתְדַּבְּקַת בֵיהּ בְּמַלְכָּא בְּאִינוּן נְשִׁיקִין), she is called a Rose (אִקְרֵי שׁוֹשַׁנָּה), because it is written (בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב): “His lips are roses” (שִׂפְתוֹתָיו שׁוֹשַׁנִּים) (Song of Songs 5:13). A Rose of the Valleys (שׁוֹשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים)—she changes her colors (דְּהִיא מְשַׁנְיָיא גְּוָונָהָא), sometimes for good (זִמְנִין לְטַב), and sometimes for evil (וְזִמְנִין לְבִישׁ), sometimes for mercy (זִמְנִין לְרַחֲמֵי), and sometimes for judgment (וְזִמְנִין לְדִינָא). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִיב): “And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes...” (וַתֵּרֶא הָאִשָּׁה כִּי־טוֹב הָעֵץ לְמַאֲכָל וְכִי־תַאֲוָה הוּא לָעֵינַיִם) (Bereshit 3:6).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): people do not contemplate (דְּהָא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין), and do not know (וְלָא יָדְעִין), and do not pay attention (וְלָא מַשְׁגִּיחִין), that at the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu created man (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּבָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאָדָם), and honored him with supreme honor (וְאוֹקִיר לֵיהּ בִּיקִירוּ עִלָּאָה), He desired that he should cleave to Him (בָּעָא מִנֵּיהּ לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בֵּיהּ), so that he would be found as one who is singular (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתַּכַּח יְחִידָאי), with a singular heart (וּבְלִבָּא יְחִידָאי), and in a place of singular cleaving (וּבַאֲתַר דִּדְבֵקוּתָא יְחִידָאי), which never changes (דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּנֵּי), and is never transformed (וְלָא מִתְהַפֵּךְ לְעָלְמִין). In that singular bond, everything is bound (בְּהַהוּא קִשּׁוּרָא יְחִידָא, דְּכֹלָּא בֵּיהּ אִתְקַשַּׁר). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And the Tree of Life was in the midst of the garden” (וְעֵץ הַחַיִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן) (Bereshit 2:9).

Afterward they turned aside from the path of faith (לְבָתַר סָטוּ מֵאָרְחָא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and abandoned the singular Tree, exalted above all the other trees (וְשָׁבְקוּ אִילָנָא יְחִידָאי, עִלָּאָה מִכָּל אִילָנִין), and came to cleave to a place that changes (וְאָתוּ לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּאֲתַר דְּמִשְׁתַּנֵּי), and is transformed from one color to another (וּמִתְהַפֵּךְ מִגְּוָונָא לְגְּוָונָא), and from good to evil, and from evil to good (וּמִטַּב לְבִישׁ וּמִבִּישׁ לְטַב). And they descended from above to below (וְנַחֲתֵי מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא), and cleaved below amid many changes (וְאִתְדַּבָּקוּ לְתַתָּא בְּשִׁנּוּיִין סַגִּיאִין). And they abandoned the singular Tree, exalted above all the trees (וְשָׁבְקוּ אִילָנָא יְחִידָאָה, עִלָּאָה מִכָּל אִילָנִין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices” (אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם יָשָׁר וְגו׳) (Kohelet 7:29). Surely then their hearts were transformed (וַדַּאי כְּדֵין אִתְהַפַּךְ לִבַּיְיהוּ), to that very side (בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא מַמָּשׁ), sometimes for good (זִמְנִין לְטַב), sometimes for evil (זִמְנִין לְבִישׁ), sometimes for mercy (זִמְנִין לְרַחֲמֵי), sometimes for judgment (זִמְנִין לְדִינָא). In this very matter to which they truly cleaved (בְּהַאי מִלָּה דְּאִתְדַּבָּקוּ בָּהּ וַדַּאי), “They sought out many calculations” (בִקְשׁוּ חִשְׁבּוֹנוֹת רַבִּים), and they cleaved to them (וְאִתְדַּבָּקוּ בְּהוּ) (Kohelet 7:29).

Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), “Adam, you abandoned life and cleaved to death” (אָדָם, שְׁבַקְתְּ חַיֵּי וְאִתְדָּבַּקְתְּ בְּמוֹתָא). Life - for it is written: And the Tree of Life was in the midst of the garden [Bereshit 2] (וְעֵץ הַחַיִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן), that is called life (דְּאִקְרֵי חַיִּים).

For one who grasps it does not taste death ever (דְּמַאן דְּאָחִיד בֵּיהּ, לָא טָעִים מוֹתָא לְעָלְמִין). But you cleaved to another tree (אִתְדָּבַּקְתְּ בְּאִילָנָא אָחֳרָא), and behold, it is surely death that receives you (הָא וַדַּאי מוֹתָא הוּא לְקִבְלָךְ). This is what is written: Her feet go down to death [Mishlei 5] (רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת), and it is written: I find more bitter than death the woman [Kohelet 7] (וּמוֹצֵא אֲנִי מַר מִמָּוֶת אֶת הָאִשָּׁה). Surely he cleaved to the place of death (וַדַּאי בְּאֲתַר דְּמוֹתָא אִתְדָּבַּק), and abandoned the place of life (וְשָׁבַק אֲתַר דְּחַיֵּי). Therefore death was decreed upon him and upon the whole world (בְּגִין כָּךְ אִתְגְּזַר עֲלֵיהּ וְעַל כָּל עַלְמָא מוֹתָא). If he sinned, how did the whole world sin? (אִי הוּא חָטָא, כָּל עַלְמָא מַה חָטוּ) If you say: the whole world ate from that tree and it applied to all (אִי תֵימָא, דְּכָל עַלְמָא אָכְלֵי מֵאִילָנָא דָא, וְאִתְרַמֵּי לְכֹלָּא) - it is not so (לָאו הָכִי).

Rather, when Adam was standing on his feet (אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְאָדָם קָאִים עַל רַגְלוֹי), all creatures saw him (חָמֵי לֵיהּ בִּרְיָין כֻּלְּהוּ), and they were in awe of him (וּדְחִילוּ מִקַּמֵּיהּ), and they would follow after him (וְהֲווּ נָטְלִין אֲבַתְרֵיהּ), like servants behind the king (כְּעַבְדִין בָּתַר מַלְכָּא). And he said to them: I and you - Come, let us bow down and kneel… [Tehillim 95] (אֲנָא וְאַתּוּן, בֹּאוּ נִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְנִכְרָעָה וְגו'). And all followed after him (וְאֲזְלוּ כֻּלְּהוּ אֲבַתְרֵיהּ). Once they saw that Adam bowed to that place and cleaved to it (כֵּיוָן דְּחָזוּ דְּאָדָם סְגִיד לְהַאי אֲתַר, וְאִתְדָּבַּק בֵּיהּ), they all were drawn after him and caused death to all the world (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְמַשְּׁכוּ אֲבַתְרֵיהּ וְגָרִים מוֹתָא לְכָל עָלְמָא). Then man was changed into many forms (וּכְדֵין אִשְׁתַּנֵּי אָדָם לְכַמָּה גְּוָונִין), sometimes judgment (זִמְנִין דִּינָא), sometimes mercy (זִמְנִין רַחֲמֵי), sometimes death (זִמְנִין מוֹתָא), sometimes life (זִמְנִין חַיֵּי), and he could not remain consistently in any one of them (וְלָא קָאִים בְּקִיּוּמָא תָּדִיר בְּחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ), because that place caused it for him (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא אֲתַר גָּרִים לֵיהּ). And therefore it is called the turning sword (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי, חֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת), that turns from this side to that side (הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת מִסִּטְרָא דָא לְסִטְרָא דָא), from good to evil (מִטַּב לְבִישׁ), from mercy to judgment (מֵרַחֲמֵי לְדִינָא), from peace to conflict (מִשְּׁלָם לְקָרָבָא), it turns in all things (מִתְהַפֶּכֶת הִיא בְּכֹלָּא).

Good and evil (טַב וְרַע), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “And the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” (וְעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע) (Bereshit 2:9). And the supernal King, to show mercy to His creation (וּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, לְרַחֲמָא עַל עוֹבָדוֹי), admonished him (אוֹכַח לֵיהּ), and said to him (וְאָמַר לֵיהּ): And from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil you shall not eat from it [Bereshit 2] (וּמֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ וְגו'), but he did not accept from Him (וְהוּא לָא קַבִּיל מִנֵּיהּ), and was drawn after his wife (וְאִתְמְשַׁךְ בָּתַר אִתְּתֵיהּ), and became ruined forever (וְאִתָּרַךְ לְעָלְמִין). For the woman ascended to a place (דְּהָא אִתְּתָא לְאַתְרָא), Some say: that place (ס״א: לְאַתְרָא דָּא), and not beyond (סַלְקָא וְלָא יַתִּיר), and the woman caused death to all (וְאִתְּתָא גָרִים מוֹתָא לְכֹלָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): regarding the world to come, it is written (לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי כְּתִיב): For as the days of the tree shall be the days of My people [Yeshayahu 65] (כִּי כִּימֵי הָעֵץ יְמֵי עַמִּי), the days of the tree - that very one in which time is known (כִּימֵי הָעֵץ, הַהוּא דְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדָעָא, בֵּיהּ זִמְנָא), as it is written (כְּתִיב): He shall swallow up death forever, and Hashem Elohim shall wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of His people shall He remove from all the earth, etc. [Yeshayahu 25] p4-20(בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח וּמָחָה ה' אֱלֹהִים דִּמְעָה מֵעַל כָּל פָּנִים וְחֶרְפַּת עַמּוֹ יָסִיר מֵעַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ וְגו').

And the days of Yisrael drew near to die (וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת). It was taught (תָּאנָא): Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): It is written (כְּתִיב): And Ya'akov lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years [Bereshit 47], there it says “Ya'akov” concerning his existence (וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, הָתָם בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב), and here it says “Yisrael” concerning his death (וְהָכָא בְּמִיתָתֵיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): And the days of Yisrael drew near to die (וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת).

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Indeed this is so (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), for it does not say And the day of Yisrael drew near to die (דְּהָא לָא כְּתִיב וַיִּקְרַב יוֹם יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת), but rather the days (אֶלָּא יְמֵי). And how many days does a person die in? (וְכִי בְּכַמָּה יוֹמֵי מִית בַּר נָשׁ), is it not in one moment, one instant that he dies and leaves the world? (וְהָא בְּשַׁעְתָא חָדָא, בְּרִגְעָא חָדָא, מִית וְנָפִיק מֵעַלְמָא). Rather, thus it was taught (אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּאנָא): When Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to return the soul to Him (כַּד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְאֲתָבָא רוּחֵיהּ לֵיהּ), all the days that the person stood in this world (כָּל אִינוּן יוֹמִין דְּקָאִים בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא) are summoned before Him (אִתְפַּקְדָּן קַמֵּיהּ), and they come forth for accounting (וְעָאלִין בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא). And when they are gathered before Him for reckoning (וְכַד אִתְקְרִיבוּ קַמֵּיהּ לְמֵיעַל בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא), the person dies (מִית בַּר נָשׁ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu takes back his spirit (וְאָתִיב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רוּחֵיהּ לֵיהּ), that breath which He exhaled and breathed into him (הַהוּא הֶבֶל דְּאַפִּיק וְנָפַח בֵּיהּ), He brings it back to Himself (אוֹתְבֵיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ).

Blessed is the portion of that person (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), whose days are brought near before the King without shame (דְּיוֹמוֹי אִתְקְרִיבוּ גַּבֵּי מַלְכָּא בְּלָא כִּסּוּפָא), and no day is cast out from among them (וְלָא דָחֵי יוֹמָא מִנַּיְיהוּ לְבַר), that one should be found on that day in which a transgression was committed (דְּיִשְׁכַּח בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא, דְּאִתְעֲבִיד בֵּיהּ חוֹבָא). Therefore it is written concerning the Righteous: drawing near (בְּגִין כָּךְ, כְּתִיב בְּצַדִּיקַיָא, קְרִיבָה). Some say: as they draw near (וְהֵיךְ יִקְרְבוּן), because their days are drawn near before the King without shame (מִשּׁוּם דְּקָרִיבוּ יוֹמוֹי קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא, בְּלָא כִּסּוּפָא).