Daf 129a (דַּף קכ״ט ע״א)

When they reach “to put peace” (כֵּיוָן דְּמָטוּ לְשִׂים שָׁלוֹם), then that river which goes forth from Eden performs service in this Idra (כְּדֵין עָבִיד שִׁמּוּשָׁא הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן בְּאִדָּרָא דָּא), and then all must go forth from before the King (וּכְדֵין בַּעְיָין כֹּלָּא לְנָפְקָא מִקָּמֵי מַלְכָּא), and no man is required (וְלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ בַּר נָשׁ), nor another to be found there (וְלָא אַחֲרָא לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא תַּמָּן), nor to ask questions (וְלָא לְמִשְׁאַל שְׁאֶלְתִּין), but only to fall upon the face (אֶלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִנְפַּל עַל אַנְפִּין). What is the reason (מַאי טַעְמָא)?

Because that hour is an hour of service (בְּגִין דְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָּא שַׁעֲתָּא דְּשִׁמּוּשָׁא הֲוֵי), and every man must long before his Master (וּבָעֵי כָּל בַּר נָשׁ לְמִכְסַף מִקָּמֵי מָארֵיהּ), and cover his face with great shame (וּלְחַפְיָא אַנְפּוֹי בְּכִסּוּפָא סַגִּי), and include himself in that service of souls (וּלְאַכְלְלָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּהַהוּא שִׁמּוּשָׁא דְּנַפְשִׁין), that Idra is included above and below in souls and spirits (דְּאִתְכְּלִיל הַהוּא אִדָּרָא מֵעֵילָּא וּמִתַּתָּא בְּנַפְשִׁין וְרוּחִין). Then another color, which descends below, stands and grasps in the lower parts of this Idra (כְּדֵין גּוָֹון אַחֲרָא, דְּנָחִית לְתַתָּא, קָאִים וְאָחִיד בְּשִׁפּוּלֵי דְּהַאי אִדָּרָא). And a herald goes forth and calls and proclaims (וְכָרוֹזָא נָפִיק וְקָארֵי וְאָמַר): “Supernal and lower ones, bear witness (עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין אַסְהִידוּ סַהֲדוּתָא), who is it that made souls and merited for the guilty (מַאן אִיהוּ דְּעָבִיד נַפְשָׁאן וְזַכֵּי לְחַיָּיבַיָּא)? He who is crowned with the crown (הַהוּא דְעִטְרָא),” some say: “who appeared to crown him with a crown” (נ״א: דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְאַטְרָא לֵיהּ בְּעִטְרָא), “of the kingship upon his head” (דְּמַלְכוּתָא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ).

That one is now seen to enter before the King and the Matronita (הַהוּא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְעָאָלָא הַשְׁתָּא קָמֵי מַלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא), for the King and the Matronita ask about him (דְּהָא מַלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא שָׁאֲלֵי עָלֵיהּ). Then two witnesses are appointed (כְּדֵין אִזְדָּמַן תְּרֵין סָהֲדִין), from those eyes of Hashem that roam throughout the world (מֵאִינּוּן עֵינֵי יי׳ דִּמְשַׁטְּטֵי בְּכָל עָלְמָא), and they stand after the Curtain (וְקַיְימִין בָּתַר פַּרְגוֹדָא), and they testify to this testimony (וְסָהֲדָן סַהֲדוּתָא דָּא), and they say (וְאַמְרֵי): “Behold, we are witnesses for such-and-such a son of such-and-such (הָא אֲנָן סַהֲדִין עַל פְּלַנְיָא בַּר פְּלַנְיָא). Fortunate is his portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ), for his fathers will be remembered because of him for good (דְּהָא אֲבוֹי יִדְכַּר בְּגִינֵיהּ לְטָב).

This is one who made souls below (דָּא אִיהוּ עָבִיד נַפְשָׁן לְתַתָּא), souls of the guilty who were of the Sitra achra (נַפְשָׁאן דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא דַּהֲווֹ מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא).” Then Kudsha Berikh Hu is glorified in perfect joy (כְּדֵין אִתְיָקָּר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּחֶדְוָה שְׁלֵימָתָא). At that moment there is appointed (בֵּיהּ שַׁעֲתָא אִזְדָּמַן) one minister (חַד מְמָנָא), who is the treasurer over the images of the Righteous (דְּאִיהוּ גִּזְבָּרָא עַל דִּיּוּקְנִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא), in the mystery of the service of the letters (בְּרָזָא דְּשִׁמּוּשָׁא דְּאַתְוָון), which is called in the secret of 'Yehudi-Am' (the Jewish People) (דְּאִתְקְרֵי בְּרָזָא יְהוֹדִי״עָם), with the crown of the service of the Holy Name (בְּכִתְרָא דְּשִׁמּוּשָׁא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא).

And Kudsha Berikh Hu hints to that minister (וְרָמִיז קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְהַהוּא מְמָנָא), and he brings forth the image of that man (וְאַיְיתֵי דִּיּוּקְנֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), who made souls of the guilty (דְּעָבִיד נַפְשָׁאן דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא), and stands before the King and the Matronita (וְקָאִים לֵיהּ קָמֵי מַלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). And I bear witness upon me heaven and earth (וַאֲנָא אַסְהַדְנָא עָלַי שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא), that at that hour they deliver to him that image (דִּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָּא מַסְרִין לֵיהּ הַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא).

For there is no Tzaddik in this world (דְּהָא לֵית לָךְ כָּל צַדִּיקָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), whose image is not engraved above (דְּלָא חָקִיק דִּיּוּקְנֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא), under the hand of that appointed one (תְּחוֹת יְדָא דְּהַהוּא מְמָנָא). And they deliver into his hand seventy keys of all the treasuries of his Master that are in them (וּמַסְרִין בִּידֵיהּ ע׳ מַפְתְּחָן דְּכָל גִּנְזְיָא דְּמָארֵיהּ בְּהוּ). Then the King blesses that image (כְּדֵין מַלְכָּא בָּרִיךְ לְהַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא), with all the blessings with which He blessed Avraham (בְּכָל בִּרְכָּאן דְּבָרִיךְ לְאַבְרָהָם), when he made souls of the guilty (כַּד עָבֵד נַפְשָׁאן דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu hints to the four supernal dwellings (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָמִיז לְד׳ מַשְׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין), and they take that image (וְנַטְלִין לְהַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא), and go with him (וְאַזְלִין עִמֵּיהּ). And he enters into seventy hidden worlds (וְאִיהוּ עָאל לְע׳ עָלְמִין גְּנִיזִין), in which no other man has merited (דְּלָא זָכֵי בְּהוּ בַּר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא), except those hidden ones for those who make souls of the guilty (בַּר אִינּוּן גְּנִיזִין לְאִינוּן דְּעַבְדֵי נַפְשֵׁיהוֹן דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא). And if men had known (וְאִלְמָלֵי הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), how much benefit and merit and purity accrue to the Righteous (כַּמָּה תּוֹעַלְתָּא וּזְכוּ), Some say: cause for the Righteous (נ״א: גָּרְמֵי לְצַדִּיקַיָּא), and merit because of them when they merited for them (וְזַכָּאן בְּגִינַיְיהוּ כַּד זָכוּ לְהוֹן), they would go after them (הֲווֹ אָזְלוּ אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ), and pursue them as one pursues life (וְרַדְפֵי לוֹן כְּמַאן דְּרָדִיף בָּתַר חַיִּין).

A poor man causes people to merit many good things (מִסְכְּנָא זָכֵי לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא בְּכַמָּה טָבָאן), with many supernal treasuries (בְּכַמָּה גְּנִיזִין עִלָּאִין), but this is not like one who causes the guilty to merit (וְלָאו אִיהוּ כְּמַאן דְּזַכֵּי בְּחַיָּיבַיָּא). What is the difference between this and that? (מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי). Rather, one who strives after the poor man (אֶלָּא מַאן דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בָּתַר מִסְכְּנָא) perfects life for his own soul (אִיהוּ אַשְׁלִים חַיִּין לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ), and causes him to endure (וְגָרִים לֵיהּ לְאִתְקַיְּימָא), and through him merits many good things in the World-to-Come (וְזָכֵי בְּגִינֵיהּ, לְכַמָּה טָבָאן לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא). But one who strives after the guilty (וּמַאן דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בָּתַר חַיָּיבַיָּא) accomplishes even more (אִיהוּ אַשְׁלִים יַתִּיר). He causes the Sitra achra [Other Side] of Elohim Acherim [other gods] to be subdued (עָבִיד לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דֶּאֱלהִים אֲחֵרִים דְּאִתְכַּפְיָא), so that it does not rule (וְלָא שָׁלְטָא), and removes it from its dominion (וְאַעְבַּר לֵיהּ מִשֻּׁלְטָנוּתֵיהּ).

He causes Kudsha Berikh Hu to be exalted upon His Throne of Glory (עָבִיד דְּאִסְתַּלָּק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל כּוּרְסֵי יְקָרֵיהּ). He makes for that guilty one another soul (עָבִיד לְהַהוּא חַיָּיבָא, נַפְשָׁא אַחֲרָא). Fortunate is his portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ). Another color, which is seen and not seen (גַּוְונָא אַחֲרָא, דְּאִתְחָזֵי וְלָא אִתְחָזֵי), at the time when Yisrael reach the Kedusha of the order (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמָטָאן יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְדוּשָׁה דְּסִידְרָא), then this color that is hidden goes forth (כְּדֵין הַאי גַּוְונָא דְּגָנִיז, וְנָפִיק), for this is the Kedusha that Yisrael sanctify more than the supernal angels (בְּגִין דְּהַאי אִיהוּ קְדוּשָׁתָא דְּקָא מְקַדְּשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל יַתִּיר עַל מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי), who are Friends with them (דְּאִינּוּן חֲבֵרִים בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ). And this color shines and is seen at the time when Yisrael sanctify this Kedusha (וְהַאי גַּוְונָא נָהִיר וְאִתְחָזֵי בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַדְּשֵׁי קְדוּשָׁתָא דָּא), Some say: for Yisrael conclude before the angels may look, etc. (נ״א: דְּהָא מְסַיְּימֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד לָא יִשְׁגְּחוֹן וְכוּ׳), until Yisrael conclude (עַד דִּמְסַיְּימֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), so that the supernal angels not look (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁגְּחוּן מַלְאָכִים עִלָּאִין), and punish them above (וְיָעְנִישׁוּ לוֹן לְעֵילָּא), and not accuse them (וְלָא יְקַטְרְגוּן עָלַיְיהוּ).

Then a herald goes forth and proclaims (כְּדֵין כָּרוֹזָא נָפִיק וְאָמַר): “Supernal and lower ones, listen (עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין אָצִיתוּ)! Who is arrogant in spirit in matters of Orayta (מַאן אִיהוּ גַּס רוּחָא בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא)? Who is it whose words are only to exalt himself in Orayta (מַאן אִיהוּ דְּכָל מִלּוֹי בְּגִין לְמִגְבַּהּ בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא)? For we have learned (בְּגִין דְּתָנֵינָן), that a man must be lowly in this world in matters of Orayta (דְּבַר נָשׁ בָּעֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי שָׁפִיל בְּהַאי עָלְמָא בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), for there is no greatness in Orayta except in the World to Come (דְּהָא לֵית גְּבָהוּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אֶלָּא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).”