Daf 95b (דַּף צ״ה ע״ב)
Now it may be said (הַשְׁתָּא אִית לְמֵימָר), "And the daughter of a Kohen" (וּבַת כֹּהֵן), this is the exalted Neshama (דָּא נִשְׁמְתָא עִלָּאָה), the daughter of Avraham Avinu (בְּרַתֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ), who was first among converts (קַדְמָאָה לַגִּיּוֹרִין), and he draws down (וְאִיהוּ מָשִׁיךְ) this Neshama for her from a supernal place (לָהּ לְהַאי נִשְׁמְתָא מֵאֲתָר עִלָּאָה).
What is the difference between the verse that says (מַה בֵּין קְרָא דְּאָמַר), "And the daughter of a man who is a Kohen" (וּבַת אִישׁ כֹּהֵן), and the verse that says (וּבֵין קְרָא דְּאָמַר), "And the daughter of a Kohen," without mentioning "man" (וּבַת כֹּהֵן, וְלָא כְּתִיב אִישׁ)? Rather, there is a Kohen who is called "man who is a Kohen" (אֶלָּא, אִית כֹּהֵן דְּאִקְרֵי אִישׁ כֹּהֵן), but he is not truly a Kohen (וְלֹא כֹּהֵן מַמָּשׁ). Thus, along this path (וְעַל אָרְחָא דָּא), there was a "man who is a Kohen" (הֲוָה (איש) כֹּהֵן), and there was a Deputy Kohen (וַהֲוָה סְגָן), and there was a Kohen Gadol (וַהֲוָה כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל), and there was a Kohen who was not Gadol (וַהֲוָה כֹּהֵן דְּלָאו אִיהוּ גָּדוֹל).
But the term "Kohen" alone (כֹּהֵן סְתָם), is greater and higher (רַב וְעִלָּאָה יַתִּיר) than "man who is a Kohen" (מֵאִישׁ כֹּהֵן). For this reason, there is Neshama (וְעַל דָּא אִית נִשְׁמְתָא), and there is Ruach (וְאִית רוּחָא), and there is Nefesh (וְאִית נֶפֶשׁ) "And the daughter of a Kohen when she will be married to a foreign man" (וּבַת כֹּהֵן כִּי תִהְיֶה לְאִישׁ זָר), this refers to the holy Neshama (דָּא נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא), drawn down from a supernal place (דְּאִתְמַשְּׁכַת מֵאֲתָר עִלָּאָה), and she enters into the concealed place (וְעָאלַת לְגוֹ סְתִימוּ) of the Tree of Life (דְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי). And when the Ruach of the supernal Kohen blows (וְכַד רוּחָא דְּכַהֲנָא עִלָּאָה נָשְׁבָא), placing Neshamot into this tree (וְיָהִיב נִשְׁמָתִין בְּאִילָנָא דָּא), these Neshamot fly forth from there (פַּרְחִין מִתַּמָּן אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין), and enter into one treasury (וְעָאלִין בְּאוֹצָר חַד).
Woe unto the world (וַוי לְעָלְמָא), for people do not know how to guard themselves (דְּלָא יַדְעִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא), as they draw themselves along (דְּקָא מַשְׁכִין מְשִׁיכוּ) after the evil inclination (בַּהֲדֵי יֵצֶר הָרָע), who is the foreign man (דְּאִיהוּ אִישׁ זָר). And this daughter of a Kohen flies downward (וְהַאי בַּת כֹּהֵן פַּרְחַת לְתַתָּא), finding a structure within a foreign man (וְאַשְׁכְּחַת בִּנְיָינָא בְּאִישׁ זָר). And because it is the desire of her Master (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ רְעוּתָא דְּמָרָה), she enters there and is subdued (עָאלַת תַּמָּן וְאִתְכַּפִיאַת), and cannot prevail (וְלָא יָכִילַת לְשַׁלְּטָאָה), nor become perfected in this world (וְלָא אִשְׁתַּלִּימַת בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). When she departs from him (כַּד נַפְקַת מִנֵּיהּ), "she may not eat of the sacred Terumah" (הִיא בִּתְרוּמַת הַקֳּדָשִׁים לֹא תֹּאכֵל), as do all other Neshamot (כִּשְׁאַר כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין), who became perfected in this world (דְּאִשְׁתְּלִימוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא).
Further, it is written in this verse (תּוּ אִית בְּהַאי קְרָא): "And the daughter of a Kohen when she becomes married to a foreign man" (וּבַת כֹּהֵן כִּי תִהְיֶה לְאִישׁ זָר). This holy Neshama is unfortunate (עֲלוּבָתָא אִיהִי נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא) when she becomes married to a foreign man (כִּי תִהְיֶה לְאִישׁ זָר), for she is drawn down (דְּקָא אִתְמַשְּׁכָת) upon a convert who converted (עַל גִּיּוֹרָא דְּאִתְגְּיַיר), and she flies upon him from Gan Eden in a concealed manner (וּפַרְחַת עָלֵיהּ מִגַּן עֵדֶן בְּאֹרַח סָתִים), onto a structure built from impure foreskin (עַל בִּנְיָינָא דְּאִתְבְּנִי מֵעָרְלָה מִסְאֲבָא); this is "to a foreign man" (דָּא הֲוַת לְאִישׁ זָר). And this is a supreme mystery greater than all (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה יְתֵירָא מִכֹּלָּא).
Upon the pillar that stands for weighing (בְּעַמּוּדָא דְּקַיְּימָא לְטִקְלִין), within the blowing air (גּוֹ אֲוִירָא דְּנָשְׁבָת), there is one scale on this side (אִית טִיקְלָא חֲדָא בְּהַאי סִטְרָא), and there is another scale on this side (וְאִית טִיקְלָא אַחֲרָא בְּהַאי סִטְרָא). On this side are "just scales" (בְּהַאי סִטְרָא מֹאזְנִי צֶדֶק), and on this side are "scales of deceit" (וּבְהַאי סִטְרָא מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה). And this scale never rests (וְהַאי טִיקְלָא, לָא שָׁכִיךְ לְעָלְמִין), and Neshamot ascend and descend, entering and returning (וְנִשְׁמָתִין סַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין עָאלִין וְתָבִין), and there are Neshamot that are oppressed (וְאִית נִשְׁמָתִין עֲשִׁיקִין), when man rules over man (כַּד שַׁלְטָא אָדָם בְּאָדָם), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): "When one man rules over another man to his harm" (עֵת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַט הָאָדָם בְּאָדָם לְרַע לוֹ), certainly "to his harm" (לְרַע לוֹ וַדַּאי). (Ecclesiastes 8) But this Neshama (אֲבָל הַאי נִשְׁמְתָא), that belonged to the Sitra Achra (דַּהֲוַת לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), a foreign man (אִישׁ זָר), and was oppressed by him (וְאִתְעַשְּׁקָת מִנֵּיהּ), this is what is meant by "to his harm" (דָּא אִיהִי לְרַע לוֹ).
To him-meaning that foreign man (לוֹ: לְהַהוּא אִישׁ זָר). And she "may not eat of the sacred Terumah" (וְאִיהִי בִּתְרוּמַת הַקֳּדָשִׁים לא תֹּאכֵל), until Kudsha Berikh Hu does with her what He will do (עַד דְּעָבִיד בָּהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַה דְּעָבִיד). Thus, the verse comes and explicitly says (אָתָא קְרָא וְאָמַר): "And the daughter of a Kohen, when she becomes married to a foreign man"-this is how it is (וּבַת כֹּהֵן כִּי תִהְיֶה לְאִישׁ זָר הָכִי הוּא). Here is a secret (הָכָא אִית רָזָא): how Neshamot become oppressed (הֵיךְ מִתְעַשְּׁקָן נִשְׁמָתִין). But this world is governed entirely (אֶלָּא הַאי עָלְמָא אִתְנְהַג כֹּלָּא), by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (בְּאִילָנָא דְּדַעַת טוֹב וָרָע).
When people conduct themselves on the side of good (וְכַד אִתְנַהֲגָן בְּנֵי עָלְמָא בְּסִטְרָא דְּטוֹב), the scale stands and inclines toward the side of good (טִיקְלָא קַיְּימָא וְאַכְרַע לְסִטְרָא דְּטוֹב). But when they conduct themselves on the side of evil (וְכַד אִתְנַהֲגָן בְּסִטְרָא דְּרַע), the scale inclines to that side (אַכְרַע לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא). And all the Neshamot present at that time in the scale (וְכָל נִשְׁמָתִין דַּהֲווֹ בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא בְּטִיקְלָא), he oppresses them and takes them (הֲוָה עָשִׁיק לוֹן, וְנָטִיל לוֹן). However, "to his harm" (אֲבָל לְרַע לוֹ), because these Neshamot subdue (some say: cover) all they find from the evil side (דְּאִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין כַּפְיָין (ס''א חפיין) לְכָל מַה דְּאַשְׁכְּחָן מִסִּטְרָא בִּישָׁא), and destroy it (וְשַׁיצְאָן לֵיהּ).
The sign of this (וְסִימָנָא לְדָא) is the Holy Ark (אֲרוֹנָא קַדִּישָׁא), which was oppressed among the Philistines (דְּאִתְעֲשָׁק גּוֹ פְּלִשְׁתִּים), who ruled over it (וּשְׁלִיטוּ בֵּיהּ), but to their own harm (לְרַע לוֹן).
So too here (אוּף הָכִי), these Neshamot are oppressed by the Sitra achra to its own harm p6-34(הָנֵי נִשְׁמָתִין אִתְעְשַׁקִין מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא לְרַע לוֹן). What becomes of these Neshamot? (מָה אִתְעֲבִידוּ מֵאִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין).
We have seen in the ancient books (חֲמֵינָן בְּסִפְרֵי קַדְמָאֵי), that from them came the righteous of the nations of the world (דְּמִנַּיְיהוּ הֲווֹ אִינּוּן חֲסִידֵי אוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם), and the Bastard Torah scholars (וְאִינּוּן מַמְזְרֵי תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים), who precede even a Kohen Gadol who is an ignoramus (Am Ha'aretz) p6-35(דְּקַדְמָן לְכַהֲנָא רַבָּא עַמָּא דְּאַרְעָא), and is esteemed in the world (וְחָשׁוּב בְּעָלְמָא), even though he [the Priest] enters the Holy of Holies (אַף עַל גַּב דְּעָאל לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים). The Sava wept briefly (בָּכָה הַאי סָבָא רִגְעָא חֲדָא), the Friends were astonished (תַּוְוהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא), and said nothing (וְלָא אָמְרוּ מִדִי).
The Sava opened and said (פָּתַח הַהוּא סָבָא וְאָמַר): "(If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master, who did not designate her, then he shall redeem her; he may not sell her to a foreign people, etc)." (Exodus 21). This passage was said regarding this mystery (הַאי פַּרְשְׁתָּא עַל רָזָא דָּא אִתְּמַר): "And if a man sells his daughter as a maidservant, she shall not go out as the male servants do; if she is displeasing, etc." (וְכִי יִמְכֹּר אִישׁ אֶת בִּתּוֹ לְאָמָה לא תֵצֵא כְּצֵאת הָעֲבָדִים אִם רָעָה וְגוֹ').
Master of the World, who would not fear You? (מָארֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא מַאן לָא יִדְחַל מִינָךְ), for You rule over all kings of the earth (דְּאַנְתְּ שָׁלִיט עַל כָּל מַלְכִין דְּעָלְמָא), as You have said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): "Who would not fear You, King of the nations? For to You it is fitting, etc." (Jeremiah 10). Many people in the world (כַּמָּה אִינּוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא בְּעָלְמָא) err regarding this verse (דְּקָא מִשְׁתַּבְּשָׁן בְּהַאי קְרָא), and all of them say (וְכֻלְּהוּ אַמְרִי), but this verse does not settle properly in their mouths (אֲבָל קְרָא דָּא לָא אִתְיָישָּׁר בְּפוּמַיְיהוּ).
For is Kudsha Berikh Hu the King of the nations? (וְכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֶלֶךְ הַגּוֹיִם אִיהוּ), Is He not the King of Yisrael? (וַהֲלֹא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִיהוּ), as indeed He is called, for it is written (וְהָכִי אִקְרֵי, דְּהָא כְּתִיב): "When the Most High apportioned the nations, etc." (Deuteronomy 32). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): "For Hashem’s portion is His people" (כִּי חֵלֶק יְיָ' עַמּוֹ) (Deuteronomy 32). Thus He is called the King of Yisrael (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל). And if you say He is called King of the nations (וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּאִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ הַגּוֹיִם אִקְרֵי), that is their praise-that Kudsha Berikh Hu rules over them (הָא שְׁבָחָא דִּלְהוֹן דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֶלֶךְ עָלַיְיהוּ), and not as some say (וְלָא כְּמָה דְּאַמְרִין), that they are given over to ministers and appointed rulers (דְּאִתְמַסְרִין לְשַׁמָּשִׁין וְלִמְמָנָן דִּילֵיהּ).
Notes
Ohr HaChammah on Zohar: “There are souls that are oppressed” (אִית נִשְׁמָתִין עֲשִׁיקִין). “Heaven forbid to understand from this that the matter is one of oppression and corruption in its simple sense” (חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לְהַאֲמִין מַה שֶּׁיֵּרָאֶה מִזֶּה שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ עוֹשֶׁק וְנָלוֹז הוּא הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה). “Heaven forbid to understand the words literally” (חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לְהַאֲמִין הַדְּבָרִים כִּפְשָׁטָן). “Rather know that there are different kinds of souls” (אֶלָּא דַּע כִּי יֵשׁ נְשָׁמוֹת מִינִים שׁוֹנִים). “And they are three kinds, one below the other” (וְהֵם ג׳ מִינִים זֶה תַּחַת זֶה). “There are those from the innermost interior, the mind of the Tree” (יֵשׁ שֶׁהֵם מִתּוֹךְ הַפְּנִימִיּוּת מוֹחָא דְּאִילָנָא). “And if they emerge, the external forces have no dominion over them at all” (וְאֵלּוּ אִם יֵצְאוּ לֹא יִשְׁלְטוּ בָּהֶם הַחִיצוֹנִים כְּלָל). “For they have their protection, or they do not emerge at all in the time of the dominion of the external forces” (כִּי יֵשׁ לָהֶם שְׁמִירָתָם אוֹ לֹא יֵצְאוּ כְּלָל בִּזְמַן שְׁלִיטַת הַחִיצוֹנִים). “And there is a second kind, which is internal but not so much” (וְיֵשׁ מִין ב׳ שֶׁהֵם פְּנִימִיִּים וְלֹא כָּל כָּךְ). “And there is a third kind that is made from something close to the Klipah” (וְיֵשׁ מִין שְׁלִישִׁי שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה מֵעִנְיָן קָרוֹב לַקְּלִיפָּה). “From the aspect of the thin Klipat Nogah, which is a holy type that is eaten with the fruit and is nourished from holiness itself” (מִסוֹד קְלִיפַּת נוֹגַה הַדַּקָּה שֶׁהִיא מִין הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַנֶּאֱכֶלֶת עִם הַפְּרִי וְנִזּוֹנֶת בִּקְדוּשָׁה מַמָּשׁ). “And when judgment prevails and the Klipot rule, this Klipah attaches and becomes defiled” (וּבִהְיוֹת הַדִּין גּוֹבֵר וְהַקְּלִיפּוֹת שׁוֹלְטוֹת אָז הַקְּלִיפָּה הַזֹּאת מִתְקַשֶּׁרֶת וְנִטְמֵאת). “And the matter of the souls that are from the portion of the light revealed there is that just as they seize that Klipah because of its closeness to them, so those souls within it are seized in its hand” (וְעִנְיַן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁהֵם מֵחֵלֶק הָאוֹר הַמִּתְגַּלֶּה שָׁם כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵם עוֹשְׁקִים הַקְּלִיפָּה הַזֹּאת מִפְּנֵי קִרְבָתָהּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֵּן אוֹתָן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁבָּהּ הֵם עֲשׁוּקוֹת בְּיָדָהּ). “And these souls are the righteous among the nations of the world” (וְאֵלּוּ הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הֵם חֲסִידֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם). “And the matter is that the Klipot only attach in a place of impurity and sin” (וְהָעִנְיָן כִּי הַקְּלִיפּוֹת אֵינָן אֲחוּזוֹת אֶלָּא בְּמָקוֹם הַטֻּמְאָה וְהָעֲבֵירָה). “Therefore, a place that is composed of purity and impurity, such as a forbidden union of Israelite man and Israelite woman, which is forbidden nakedness” (וְלָכֵן מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא מוּרְכָּב מִטָּהֳרָה וְטֻמְאָה כְּגוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִית שֶׁהֵם עֶרְוָה שֶׁנִּתְקָרְבוּ זֶה לָזֶה וְהֵם עֶרְוָה אֲסוּרִים זֶה בָּזֶה). “From such a place a soul will come” (יָבוֹא לָהֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה מִמָּקוֹם כָּזֶה). “Which is the secret of nakedness, that is, Vav-Heh, the Holy One Blessed be He and His Shekhinah clothed in the Klipot” (סוֹד עֶרְוָה דְּהַיְינוּ ו״ה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ מִתְלַבְּשִׁין בַּקְּלִיפִּין). “Which are certainly evil” (שֶׁהֵם רַע וַדַּאי). “And likewise the righteous among the nations of the world, whose father and mother are impure external forces, certainly evil, but they contemplated some good thought” (וְכֵן חֲסִידֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁאָב וְאֵם שֶׁלָּהֶם טְמֵאִים חִיצוֹנִים רַע וַדַּאי אֲבָל הִרְהֲרוּ הִרְהוּר טוֹב קְצָת). “Which is Vav-Heh” (וְהַיְינוּ ו״ה). “Therefore a soul of this kind is given to him, which stands between the Klipot” (א״כ יִנָּתֵן לוֹ נְשָׁמָה כָּזוֹ שֶׁהִיא עוֹמֶדֶת בֵּין הַקְּלִיפּוֹת). “And these souls subdue the Klipot, as is concluded, for the righteous among the nations are drawn after the good and the Name of Heaven is sanctified” (וְהַנְּשָׁמוֹת הָאֵלּוּ מַכְנִיעוֹת לַקְּלִיפּוֹת כְּדְמַסִּיק כִּי חֲסִידֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם נִמְשָׁכִים אַחַר הַטּוֹב וְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְקַדֵּשׁ). “And likewise Torah scholars who are illegitimate offspring, for he comes from evil yet engages in Torah and nullifies the matters of the Klipot” (וְכֵן מַמְזֵרֵי תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא בָּא מִן הָרַע וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה וּמְבַטֵּל עִנְיְנֵי הַקְּלִיפּוֹת). “And this is the meaning of ‘a time when man rules over man for his harm’” (וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר עֵת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַט הָאָדָם בְּאָדָם לְרַע לוֹ). “Man that is from the side of good and evil” (אָדָם שֶׁהוּא מִסִּטְרָא דְּטוֹב וָרָע). “It is evil for that strange man, for in the end he will be nullified through these souls” (רַע לוֹ לְהַאי אִישׁ זָר שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לְהִתְבַּטֵּל עַל יְדֵי הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הָאֵלּוּ).
Sulam: “What is done with those, and so forth” (מַה אִתְעַבְּדוּ מֵאִינוּן וְכוּ׳): “what is done with those souls that are oppressed” (מַה נַעֲשֶׂה מֵאֵלּוּ הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הָעֲשׁוּקוֹת), “we have seen in the earlier books that from them come the righteous among the nations of the world, and those mamzer Torah scholars” (רָאִינוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁמֵּהֶם הָיוּ אֵלּוּ חֲסִידֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְאֵלּוּ מַמְזֵרֵי תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים), “and they are the mamzer Torah scholars who precede an ignorant High Priest” (וְהֵם הַמַּמְזֵרִים תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים הַקּוֹדְמִים לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל עַם הָאָרֶץ), “and they are more important in the world” (וְהֵם חֲשׁוּבִים יוֹתֵר בָּעוֹלָם), “even though the High Priest enters into the innermost of the Holy of Holies” (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל נִכְנָס לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים בְּקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים). “That Elder wept for a moment” (בָּכָה זָקֵן הַהוּא רֶגַע אֶחָד). “The companions were astonished and said nothing” (תָּמְהוּ הַחֲבֵרִים וְלֹא אָמְרוּ כְּלוּם).