Daf 106a (דַּף ק״ו ע״א)

That Sava opened and said (פָּתַח הַהוּא סָבָא וְאָמַר), (Shemot 21) "If you acquire a Hebrew slave, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh…" (כִּי תִקְנֶה עֶבֶד עִבְרִי שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים יַעֲבֹד וּבַשְּׁבִיעִית וְגוֹ'). This verse testifies concerning all that has been said (קְרָא דָּא אוֹכַח, עַל כָּל מַה דְּאִתְּמַר).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Every male stands in likeness within the world of the male (כָּל דְּכוּרָא, קָאִים בְּדִיּוּקְנָא, בְּעָלְמָא דִּדְכוּרָא), and every female stands in likeness within the world of the female (וְכָל נוּקְבָּא קָאִים בְּדִיּוּקְנָא, בְּעָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא). As long as he is a servant of Kudsha Berikh Hu, he cleaves to Him during those primordial six years (בְּעוֹד דְּאִיהוּ עַבְדָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְדָּבַּק בֵּיהּ, בְּאִינּוּן שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת).

If he uproots himself from His service (וְאִי אִעֲקָר גַּרְמֵיהּ מִפּוּלְחָנֵיהּ), Kudsha Berikh Hu uproots him from those six years of the world of the male (יַעְקָר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵאִינּוּן שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים, דְּעָלְמָא דִּדְכוּרָא), and he is delivered to a human being (וְאִתְמְסַר לְּבַּר נָשׁ), who belongs to the six directions (דְּאִיהוּ מִשִּׁית סִטְרִין). He shall serve him for six years (יִפְלַח לֵיהּ שִׁית שְׁנִין), thus becoming uprooted from the primordial six years above (וְיִתְעַקָּר מִשִּׁית שְׁנִין קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת דִּלְעֵילָּא). Afterward, he descends from there (לְבָתַר נָחִית מִתַּמָּן), and is delivered into the world of the female (וְאִתְמְסַר בְּעָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא).

He did not wish to remain within the male (הוּא לָא בָּעָא לְקַיְּימָא בִּדְכוּרָא), so he descends and remains within the female (נָחִית וְקַיְּימָא בְּנוּקְבָא). The female, who is the seventh, then comes and takes him (אָתָאת נוּקְבָּא, דְּאִיהִי שְׁבִיעִית, וְנָטְלָא לֵיהּ); from now onward (הָא מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה), he belongs entirely to the world of the female (מֵעָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא אִיהוּ). He did not desire to remain with her (לָא בָּעָא לְקַיְּימָא בָּהּ), and through her redemption (וּבְפִירוּקָא דִּילָהּ), he descended even lower (נָחִית לְתַתָּא), and clung below (וְאִתְדָבַּק לְתַתָּא), and united with the Sitra achra (וְאִתְאֲחִיד בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא).

Henceforth, he is uprooted from the world of the male (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, אִתְעַקָּר מֵעָלְמָא דִּדְכוּרָא), and from the world of the female (וּמֵעָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא). Behold, he is now united with those servants who belong to the Sitra achra (הָא אִתְאֲחָד, בְּאִינּוּן עֲבָדִים דְּאִינּוּן מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא). Since it is thus (הַשְׁתָּא כֵּיוָן דְּהָכִי הוּא), he must be blemished (אִיצְטְרִיךְ פְּגָם), and a mark of blemish must be made upon him (וּלְמֶעְבַּד בֵּיהּ רְשִׁימוּ דִּפְגָם), for every blemish belongs to the Sitra achra (דְּהָא כָּל פְּגָם דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא אִיהוּ). From Yovel onward, he returns in gilgul (וּמִיּוֹבֵל וּלְהָלְאָה אִתְהַדַּר לְגִלְגּוּלָא), and returns to the world as at first (וְתָב לְעָלְמָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין). Some say: If he merits and rectifies himself, he will break free (ס"א אִי זָכֵי וְאִתְתַּקַּן גַּרְמֵיהּ אִתְבַּר), and will cleave to that female world and no further (וְאִתְדַּבָּק בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא, וְלָא יַתִּיר). If he merits, he produces offspring in the world of the female (זָכָה עָבִיד תּוֹלָדִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא).

All this is the secret of what is written (וְכֻלְּהוּ רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב), (Tehillim 45) "Virgins after her, her Friends, are brought to you" (בְּתוּלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ רֵעוֹתֶיהָ מוּבָאוֹת לָךְ). Fortunate is he if he rectifies and merits this (וְזַכָּאָה אִיהוּ כַּד אִתְתָּקַּן וְזָכֵי לְכָךְ). And if he did not merit [to be rectified] even in the gilgul of the Jubilee (וְאִי לָא זָכָה אֲפִילּוּ בְּגִלְגּוּלָא דְּיוֹבְלָא), behold, he will endlessly revolve (הָא אִיהוּ כְּלָא הֲוָה אִתְהַדַּר), and never complete his days (וְלָא אַשְׁלִימוּ יוֹמוֹי), to marry in this world (לְאִתְנַסְּבָא בְּעָלְמָא), and produce offspring (וּלְמֶעְבַּד תּוֹלָדִין). What is written (מַה כְּתִיב)? "If he comes alone, he shall leave alone" (אִם בְּגַפּוֹ יָבֹא בְּגַפּוֹ יֵצֵא).

If he alone entered into that world without offspring (אִי יְחִידָאי יֵעוּל בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא בְּלָא תּוֹלָדִין), and did not desire to strive for this (וְלָא בָּעָא לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּהַאי), and left this world alone without seed (וְנָפַק מֵהַאי עָלְמָא יְחִידָאי, בְּלָא זַרְעָא), he goes like a stone in a sling (אָזִיל כְּאַבְנָא בְּקוּסְפִיתָא), until he reaches that place of intense fire (עַד הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּטִנָרָא תַּקִּיפָא), and enters there (וְעָאל תַּמָּן). Immediately the spirit of that solitary one, which was abandoned by its mate, blows away (וּמִיַּד נָשַׁב רוּחָא דְּהַהוּא יְחִידָאי, דְּקָא אִשְׁתְּבִיק מִנּוּקְבֵיהּ), and he goes alone (וְאָזִיל יְחִידָאי), like a serpent that does not join another along its path (כְּחִוְיָא דְּלָא אִתְחַבָּר בְּאַחֲרָא בְּאוֹרְחָא), and blows within him (וְנָשִׁיב בֵּיהּ).

Immediately he departs from within that place of intense fire (וּמִיָּד נָפַק מִגּוֹ הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּטִנָרָא תַּקִּיפָא), completely alone (הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), and wanders throughout the world (וְאָזִיל וּמְשַׁטְּטָא בְּעָלְמָא), until he finds redemption for return (עַד דְּקָא אַשְׁכַּח פָּרוֹקָא לְאָתָבָא). And this is what is meant by, "If he comes alone, he leaves alone" (וְהַיְינוּ אִם בְּגַפּוֹ יָבֹא בְּגַפּוֹ יֵצֵא), concerning one who does not desire marriage, nor offspring (הַאי דְּלָא בָּעָא לְאִתְנַסְּבָא, לְמֶהֱוֵי לֵיהּ תּוֹלָדִין). But if he is a married man (אֲבָל אִם בַּעַל אִשָּׁה הוּא), who married and strove with his wife, yet was unable (דְּקָא אִתְנְסִיב, וְאִשְׁתָּדַּל בְּאִתְּתֵיהּ, וְלָא יָכִיל), he does not endure the same fate as the other (הַהוּא לָא אִתְתָּרַךְ כְּהַהוּא אַחֲרָא). He neither enters alone nor leaves alone (לָא יֵיעוּל יְחִידָאי, וְלָא נָפִיק יְחִידָאי).

Rather, if he is a married man (אֶלָּא אִם בַּעַל אִשָּׁה הוּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu does not withhold reward from any creature (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא מְקַפֵּחַ אֲגַר כָּל בִּרְיָין). Even though they did not merit children (אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא זָכוּ בִּבְנֵי), what is written (מַה כְּתִיב)? "His wife shall go out with him" (וְיָצְאָה אִשְׁתּוֹ עִמּוֹ). Both return in reincarnation (וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ אַתְיָין בְּגִלְגּוּלָא) and merit to unite together as before (וְזַכְיָין לְאִתְחַבְּרָא כַּחֲדָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין).

This man does not marry a wife who is a stranger (וְהַאי לָא נָסִיב אִתְּתָא דִּתְרוּכִין), but rather the very same woman whom he endeavored with previously but did not merit (אֶלָּא הַהִיא דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בָּהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְלָא זָכוּ). Now they will merit together (הַשְּׁתָּא יִזְכּוּ כַּחֲדָא), if they rectify their deeds (אִי יְתַקְּנוּן עוֹבָדִין). Thus it is said, "His wife shall go out with him" (וְעַל דָּא וְיָצְאָה אִשְׁתּוֹ עִמּוֹ). (Shemot 21) "If his master gives him a wife…" (אִם אֲדוֹנָיו יִתֵּן לוֹ אִשָּׁה וְגוֹ'). Now (הַשְׁתָּא) Scripture returns to other words (אַהְדָּר קְרָא לְמִלִּין אַחֲרָנִין), Some say: returns to the first matter (ס"א לְמִלָּה קַדְמָאָה), regarding him who departs alone, completely without any female companion (לְהַהוּא דְּנָפִיק יְחִידָאי בְּלָא נוּקְבָּא כְּלָל).

He is redeemed by that place called "Seventh" (וַיִפְרוֹק לֵיהּ הַהוּא דּוּכְתָּא דְּאִקְרֵי שְׁבִיעִית). That "Seventh" is called "his master" (וְהַהוּא שְׁבִיעִית אִקְרֵי אֲדוֹנָיו), for He is "Master of all the earth" (אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ אִיהוּ). If his master has mercy upon him (אִם דָּא אֲדוֹנָיו חָס עָלֵיהּ), and returns him to this world alone as he was before (וְאָתִיב לֵיהּ לְהַאי עָלְמָא יְחִידָאי כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה), He grants him a wife (וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ אִתְּתָא) drawn down upon him from the altar of tears (הַהִיא דְּמִזְבֵּחַ אֲחִיתַת עֲלוֹי דִּמְעִין), and they are joined as one (וְאִתְחַבְּרָא כַּחֲדָא). "And she bears him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall belong to her master" (וְיָלְדָה לּוֹ בָנִים אוֹ בָנוֹת הָאִשָּׁה וִילָדֶיהָ תִּהְיֶה לַאדֹנֶיהָ), as has been explained (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). For if he repents (דְּהָא אִי תָּב), and rectifies the place he damaged during his lifetime (וְאַתְקִין הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּפָגִים בְּחַיּיוֹי), he is received before the Holy King (אִתְקַבַּל קָמֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), Who accepts him and sets him afterward upon his proper rectification (נָטִיל לֵיהּ, וְאַתְקִין לֵיהּ עַל תִּקּוּנוֹי לְבָתַר).

This one is called a Ba’al Teshuvah (וְדָא אִקְרֵי בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה), for he inherits the dwelling place of that river flowing forth (דְּהָא יָרִית מוֹתְבֵיהּ, דְּהַהוּא אֲתָר, דְּהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק), and rectifies himself from what he was at first (וְאַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ מִמַּה דְּהֲוָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא). Some say: that place he damaged he rectifies during his lifetime, is accepted before the Holy King, Who afterward accepts him (ס''א הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּפָגִים וְאַתְקִין לֵיהּ עַל תִּקּוּנוֹי בְּחַיּוֹי, אִתְקַבַּל קָמֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא וְנָטִיל לֵיהּ לְבָתַר). This is called Ba’al Teshuvah (וְדָא אִקְרֵי בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה), for he rectified himself from his earlier state (דְּהָא אִתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ מִמַּה דְּהֲוָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא).

Once he is rectified and has fully repented (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְתָּקַּן וְתָב בְּתִיוּבְתָּא), behold, he ascends to his true rectification (הָא סָלִיק עַל תְקּוּנֵיהּ). For there is no thing in the world (דְּלֵית מִלָּה בְּעָלְמָא), nor gate in the world (וְלֵית מַפְתְחָא בְּעָלְמָא), that the one who returns in repentance cannot break open (דְּלָא תָּבַר הַהוּא דְּתָב בְּתִיוּבְתָּא). What does it mean, "he shall go out alone" (מַאי יֵצֵא בְּגַפּוֹ)? Indeed it has already been explained (הָא אִתְּמַר), but there is yet another secret in it (אֲבָל תּוּ רָזָא אִית בֵּיהּ). "He shall go out alone" (יֵצֵא בְּגַפּוֹ), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר), (Mishlei 9) "Upon the heights (wings) of the high places of the city" (עַל גַּפֵּי מְרוֹמֵי קָרֶת). Just as there it signifies elevation and ascent (מַה לְהָתָם עִלּוּיָיא וּסְלִיקוּ), so here it signifies elevation and ascent (אוּף הָכָא עִלּוּיָיא וּסְלִיקוּ). They ascend to that place which is the dwelling of the Masters of Repentance (אֲתָר דְמָרֵיהוֹן דְּתִיוּבְתָּא סַלְּקִין), a place where even completely righteous ones cannot stand (אֲפִילּוּ צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִים לָא יַכְלִין לְמֵיקָם תַּמָּן). Therefore, once he has returned in repentance (וּבְּגִין כָּךְ כֵּיוָן דְּתָב בְּתִיוּבְתָּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu certainly accepts him immediately (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְקַבֵּל לֵיהּ וַדַּאי מִיָּד).