Daf 11a (דַּף י״א ע״א)

And like that guilty one (וּכְגוֹן הַהוּא חַיָּיבָא), who was in the neighborhood of Rabbi Chiyya (דְּהֲוָה בְּשִׁבְבוּתֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי חִיָּיא), one night he encountered a woman (דְּלֵילְיָא חַד פָּגַע בָּהּ), who was going to the house of her daughter (בְּהַהִיא אִתְּתָא דַּהֲוַת אַזְלַת לְבֵי בְּרַתָּהּ). He sought to overpower her p5-22(בָּעָא לְמִתְקַף בָּהּ), and she said to him (אָמְרָה לֵיהּ): please, for the sake of your Master, do not sin with me (בְּמָטוּ מִינָךְ, אוֹקִיר לְמָרָךְ, וְלָא תֶּחֶטָא גַּבָּאי). He left her and did not sin with her (שַׁבְקָהּ וְלָא חָב בָּהּ).

You would say about him (הוֵי אוֹמֵר), “There are wicked to whom it happens as the deeds of the righteous” (וְיֵשׁ רְשָׁעִים אֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַצַּדִּיקִים). “I said that this too is vanity” (אָמַרְתִּי שֶׁגַּם זֶה הָבֶל). Just as that hevel was strengthened among those Righteous (כְּמָה דְּאִתְתָּקַּף הַהוּא הֶבֶל בַּהֲדֵי אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא), to whom came the deeds of the guilty and they did not sin (דְּמָטוּ לִידַיְיהוּ עוֹבְדֵי דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא וְלָא חָטָאן), so too it was strengthened among the guilty ones (אוּף הָכִי אִתְתַּקַּף בַּהֲדֵי אִינּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא), to whom came the deeds of the Righteous, and they did them (דְּמָטֵי לִידַיְיהוּ עוֹבָדֵי דְּאִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא וְעַבְדֵי לְהוּ).

For we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן): Kudsha Berikh Hu made Tzaddikim and wicked ones in the world (עָבֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא צַדִּיקִים וּרְשָׁעִים בְּעָלְמָא). And just as He is glorified in the world by the deeds of the Righteous (וְכַמָּה דְּאִתְיָיקַר אִיהוּ בְּעָלְמָא בְּעוֹבְדֵי דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא), so too He is glorified through the wicked when they do good deeds in the world (הָכִי נָמֵי אִתְיָיקַר אִיהוּ בְּרַשִׁיעַיָּיא כַּד עַבְדֵי עוֹבָדָא טָבָא בְּעָלְמָא). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Kohelet 3) “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (אֶת הַכֹּל עָשָׂה יָפֶה בְעִתּוֹ). Woe to the guilty one who brings evil upon himself (וַוי לַחַיָּיבָא כַּד עָבִיד גַּרְמֵיהּ רַע), and is strengthened in his sins (וְאִתְתָּקַּף בְּחוֹבֵיהּ), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Yeshayahu 3) “Woe to the wicked, it is bad” (אוֹי לָרָשָׁע רָע וְגוֹ׳). Then he opened and said again (תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “All this I have seen in the days of my vanity…” (אֶת הַכֹּל רָאִיתִי בִּימֵי הֶבְלִי וְגוֹ׳).

This verse (הַאי קְרָא), so too was established by the friends (אוּף הָכִי אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא), but when wisdom was given to Shlomo (אֲבָל כַּד אִתְיְהִיב חָכְמָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה), he saw everything (חָמָא כּוֹלָּא), at the time when the moon ruled (בְּזִמְנָא דְּשַׁלְטָא סִיהֲרָא). There is a Tzaddik, this is the pillar of the world, who perishes (יֵשׁ צַדִּיק דָּא עַמּוּדָא דְּעָלְמָא אוֹבֵד), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Yeshayahu 57) “The righteous perishes” (הַצַּדִּיק אָבָד). In the time of exile, in his righteousness (בְּזִמְנָא דְּגָלוּתָא בְּצִדְקוֹ), because he is laid in the dust (בְּגִין דְּהִיא שְׁכִיבַת לְעַפְרָא).

Tzedek [Righteousness], this one (צֶדֶק דָּא), as long as Yisrael is in exile (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא), she is with them in exile (אִיהִי עִמְּהוֹן בְּגָלוּתָא). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כַּךְ): “The righteous perishes in his righteousness” (צַדִּיק אוֹבֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ) (Kohelet 7:15), for those supernal blessings do not reach him (דְּהָא לָא מָטָאן לְגַבֵּיהּ אִינּוּן בִּרְכָּאן עִלָּאִין). “And there is a wicked one who prolongs in his wickedness” (וְיֵשׁ רָשָׁע מַאֲרִיךְ בְּרָעָתוֹ) (Kohelet 7:15)—this is Samael (דָּא סַמְאָ״ל), who prolongs quiet and tranquility for Edom (דְּאוֹרִיךְ שֶׁקֶט וְשַׁלְוָה לֶאֱדוֹם). Through what? (בְּמַאי). Through his wickedness (בְּרָעָתוֹ), through that wicked woman, his wife (בְּהַהִיא רָעָה אִתְתֵּיהּ). Some say: an evil woman, a wife of harlotries (נ״א: אִשָּׁה רָעָה אֵשֶׁת זְנוּנִים) (Hoshea 1:2), a mighty serpent (נָחָשׁ תַּקִּיפָא), for quiet and tranquility do not come upon him except because he cleaves to that Nukvah (דְּהָא לָא מָטָא עָלַיְיהוּ שֶׁקֶט וְשַׁלְוָה אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאִתְדַּבָּק בְּהַהִיא נוּקְבָּא). In this manner it is with the rest of the kingdoms (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לִשְׁאַר מַלְכְּוָון), until Kudsha Berikh Hu raises from the dust that fallen Sukkah [Tabernacle] of David (עַד דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָקִים מֵעַפְרָא לְהַהִיא סֻכַּת דָּוִד הַנּוֹפֶלֶת), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “I will raise up the fallen Sukkah of David” (אָקִים אֶת סֻכַּת דָּוִד הַנֹּפָלֶת) (Amos 9:11).

(Exodus 2) “And a man went from the house of Levi” (וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ מִבֵּית לֵוִי). Rabbi Yosi opened (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח), (Shir haShirim 6) “My beloved went down to his garden, to the beds of spices…” (דּוֹדִי יָרַד לְגַנּוֹ לַעֲרוּגוֹת הַבּוֹשֶׂם וְגוֹ׳). To his garden (לְגַנּוֹ): this is Knesset Yisrael (דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), for she is the bed of spices (בְּגִין דְּהִיא עֲרוּגַת הַבּוֹשֶׂם), which is crowned from all sides (דְּאִיהִי כְּלִילָא מִכָּל סִטְרִין), Some say: from all kinds of (נ״א: זִינֵי) perfumes and fragrances of the world to come (בּוּסְמִין וְרֵיחִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). At the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu descends to this garden (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָחִית לְגִנְתָּא דָּא), Some say: of Eden (נ״א: דְּעֵדֶן), all those Neshamot of the Righteous are crowned there (כָּל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא מִתְעַטְּרָן תַּמָּן), all of them give off fragrance (כֻּלְּהוּ יַהֲבֵי רֵיחָא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַת אָמֵר): “And the scent of your oils is better than all spices” (וְרֵיחַ שְׁמָנַיִךָ מִכָּל בְּשָׂמִים), Some say: “And the scent of your nose is like apples” (נ״א: וְרֵיחַ אַפֶּךָ כַּתַּפּוּחִים).

These are the Neshamot of the Righteous (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא), of whom Rabbi Yitzchak said (דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): all these Neshamot of the Righteous who were in this world (כָּל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא דְּהֲווּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and all those Neshamot destined to descend into this world (וְכָל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דִּזְמִינִין לְנַחְתָא לְהַאי עָלְמָא), all of them in the garden (כֻּלְּהוּ בְּגִנְתָּא), this garden of the earth (דִּי בְּאַרְעָא), all of them (כָּלְהוּ) exist in the likeness and form (קַיְימִין בְּדִיּוּקְנָא וְצִיּוּרָא) in which they existed in this world (דְּהֲווּ קַיְימִין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And this mystery and secret was given over to the wise (וְסִתְרָא וְרָזָא דָּא אִתְמְסַר לְחַכִּימֵי).

The Ruach that descends to the sons of man p5-23(רוּחָא דְּנָחִית לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), which is from the side of the Nukvah (דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּנוּקְבָּא), is constantly engraved with the engraving like a seal (מִתְגַּלְּפָא תָּדִיר בְּגִלּוּפָא כְּהַאי חוֹתָם). The form of the body of a person in this world (צִיּוּרָא דְּגוּפָא דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), projects outward (בָּלִיט לְבַר), and the Ruach is engraved inward (וְרוּחָא אִתְגְּלִיף לְגוֹ). When the Ruach is removed from the body (כַּד אִתְפָּשַׁט רוּחָא מִן גּוּפָא), that Ruach is projected into the garden of the earth (הַהוּא רוּחַ בָּלִיט בְּגִנְתָּא דְּאַרְעָא), in the image and form of its body exactly as in this world (בְּצִיּוּרָא וּדְיוּקְנָא דְּגוּפֵיהּ מַמָּשׁ דִּבְּהַאי עָלְמָא), because it was constantly like a seal (בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה תָּדִיר כַּחוֹתָם).

And concerning this, she said (וְעַל דָּא אָמְרָה אִיהִי), (Shir haShirim 8) “Place me as a seal” (שִׂימֵנִי כַּחוֹתָם). Just as a seal is engraved inwardly (מַה חוֹתָם גָּלִיף בְּגִלּוּפָא לְגוֹ), and is imprinted outwardly in form (וְאִתְצָיָּיר בְּצִיּוּרָא בְּלִיטָא לְבַר), so too is the Ruach (אוּף הָכִי אִיהִי רוּחָא), that is from her side (דְּהֲוָה מִסִּטְרָא דִּילָהּ), in precisely this manner in this world (כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), engraved inwardly (גָּלִיף בְּגִלּוּפָא לְגוֹ), and when it is removed from the body (וְכַד אִתְפָּשַׁט מִן גּוּפָא), and enters the garden of the earth (וְעָאל בְּגִנְתָּא דְּאַרְעָא), the air there projects that engraving to be formed outwardly (אֲוִירָא דְּתַמָּן בָּלִיט הַהוּא גִּלּוּפָא לְאִתְצַיְּירָא לְבַר), and it is formed in an outward form (וְאִתְצַיָּיר בְּצִיּוּרָא בְּלִיטָא לְבַר), in the manner of the form of the body in this world (כְּגַוְונָא דְּצִיּוּרָא דְּגוּפָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא).

The Neshamah, which is from the Tree of Life (נִשְׁמְתָא דְּאִיהִי מֵאִילָנָא דְּחַיָּיא), is formed above (אִתְצַיָּיר תַּמָּן לְעֵילָּא), in that bundle of life (בְּהַהוּא צְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי), to be delighted in the No‘am of Hashem (לְאִתְעַנְגָּא בְּנוֹעַם יְיָ׳), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Tehillim 27) “To behold the pleasantness of Hashem and to visit in His palace” (לַחֲזוֹת בְּנוֹעַם יְיָ׳ וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ). And a man went from the house of Levi (וַיֵּלֶךָ אִישׁ מִבֵּית לֵוִי), this is Gavriel (דָּא גַּבְרִיאֵל), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַת אָמֵר), (Daniel 9) “And the man Gavriel whom I saw in the vision…” (וְהָאִישׁ גַּבְרִיאֵל אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי בֶחָזוֹן וְגוֹ׳). From the house of Levi (מִבֵּית לֵוִי): this is Knesset Yisrael (דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), which comes from the side of the left (דְּאַתְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא). And he took the daughter of Levi (וַיִּקַּח אֶת בַּת לֵוִי): this is the Neshamah (דָּא נִשְׁמְתָא).