Daf 150b (דַּף ק״נ ע״ב)

See how much mercy Kudsha Berikh Hu (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) has with His creatures (בִּרְיוֹהִי), for even one who is more guilty (חַיָּיבָא יַתִּיר), and he thought to do teshuvah (וְהִרְהֵר תְּשׁוּבָה), but was not able to perform teshuvah (לָא יָכִיל לְמֶעְבַּד תְּשׁוּבָה), and he died (וּמִית), this one indeed receives punishment (הַאי בְּוַדַּאי, מְקַבֵּל עוֹנְשָׁא), until he goes without teshuvah (עַד דְּאָזִיל בְּלָא תְּשׁוּבָה). After that, the desire that he made to do teshuvah (לְבָתַר הַהוּא רְעוּתָא דְּשַׁוֵּי לְמֶעְבַּד תְּשׁוּבָה) is not pushed away from before the supernal King (לָא אַעְדִּיאַת מִקַּמֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), and Kudsha Berikh Hu (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) prepared for that guilty one (אַתְקִין לְהַהוּא חַיָּיבָא) a place (דוּכְתָּא), in the dwelling of Sheol (בְּמָדוֹרָא דִּשְׁאוֹל), and there his teshuvah chirps upward (וְתַמָּן מְצַפְצְפָא תְּשׁוּבָה).

For that desire descends from before Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּהָא הַהוּא רְעוּתָא נָחִית מִקַּמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and it breaks all the barriers (וְתָבַר כָּל גְּזִּיזִין) of the gates of Gehinnom (דְּתַרְעֵי מָדוֹרֵי גֵּיהִנָּם), and it reaches that place where that guilty one is (וּמָטֵי לְהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּהַהוּא חַיָּיבָא תַּמָּן), and it strikes him (וּבָטַשׁ בֵּיהּ), and awakens in him that desire as before (וְאִתְּעַר לֵיהּ הַהוּא רְעוּתָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין). And then that soul chirps (וּכְדֵין מְצַפְצְפָא הַהִיא נִשְׁמְתָא) to ascend from the dwelling of Sheol (לְסַלְּקָא מִגּוֹ מָדוֹרָא דִּשְׁאוֹל). And there is no good desire that is lost before the holy King (וְלֵית רְעוּתָא טָבָא דְּיִתְאֲבִיד מִקַּמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא). And therefore, happy is he who thinks good thoughts toward his Master (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דִּמְהַרְהֵר הִרְהוּרִין טָבִין לְגַבֵּי מָארֵיהּ), for even though he is not able to do them (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא יָכִיל לְמֶעְבַּד לוֹן), Kudsha Berikh Hu (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) raises up his desire as if he had done them (סָלִיק לֵיהּ רְעוּתֵיהּ כְּאִילּוּ עָבִיד).

This is for good (דָּא לְטָב). But his evil desire (אֲבָל רְעוּתֵיהּ לְבִישׁ), no (לָא). Except for thoughts of the stars and constellations (בַּר הִרְהוּרָא דְכּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), and this my Friends have established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא). Those who did not think teshuvah (אִינּוּן דְּלָא הִרְהָרוּ תְּשׁוּבָה) descend to Sheol (נַחְתֵּי לִשְׁאוֹל), and do not ascend from there for generations and generations (וְלָא סַלְקֵי מִתַּמָּן לְדָרֵי דָּרִין). About them it is written: “The cloud is consumed and goes, so he that goes down to Sheol shall come up no more” (Job 7) (כָּלָּה עָנָן וַיֵּלַךְ כֵּן יוֹרֵד שְׁאוֹל לא יַעֲלֶה). But about the former ones it is written (עַל קַדְמָאֵי כְּתִיב): “Hashem kills and gives life, He brings down to Sheol and brings up” (1 Samuel 2) (יְיָ' מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה מוֹרִיד שְׁאוֹל וַיָּעַל).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה), the judgment of punishments of Gehinnom (דִּינָא דְּעוֹנְשֵׁי דְּגֵיהִנָּם), behold we have learned (הָא אוֹלִיפְנָא), that it is to judge there the guilty ones (דְּאִיהוּ לְמֵידָן תַּמָּן לְחַיָּיבַיָּא), for what they are judged in the fire of Gehinnom (עַל מָה אִתְדָּנוּ בְּנוּרָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם).

But Gehinnom is a fire burning day and night (אֶלָּא גֵּיהִנָּם אִיהוּ נוּר דָּלִיק יְמָמֵי וְלֵילֵי), in the likeness that the guilty ones warm themselves in the fire of the evil inclination (כְּגַוְונָא דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא מִתְחַמְמָן בְּנוּרָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע), to transgress the sayings of the Orayta (לְמֶעְבַּר עַל פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא). With every heat in which they warmed themselves in the evil inclination (בְּכָל חִמוּמָא וְחִמוּמָא דְּאִינּוּן מִתְחַמְּמָן בְּיֵצֶר הָרָע), so is kindled the fire of Gehinnom (הָכִי אִתּוֹקַד נוּרָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם). Once there was a time when the evil inclination (זִמְנָא חֲדָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח יֵצֶר הָרָע) was not found in the world (בְּעָלְמָא), for they brought it into an iron prison (דְּאֲעִילוּ לֵיהּ גּוֹ גּוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דְּפַרְזְלָא), in the female opening of the great abyss (בְּנוּקְבָּא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא). And all that time (וְכָל הַהוּא זִמְנָא), the fire of Gehinnom was extinguished (כָּבָה נוּרָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם), and was not kindled at all (וְלָא אִתּוֹקַד כְּלַל). When the evil inclination returned to its place (אַהְדָּר יֵצֶר הָרָע לְאַתְרֵיהּ), the guilty of the world remained to warm themselves in it (שָׁארוּ חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא לְאִתְחַמְמָא בֵּיהּ), then the fire of Gehinnom began to burn (שָׁאֲרִי נוּרָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם לְאִתּוֹקְדָא), for Gehinnom is only kindled through the heating force of the evil inclination of the guilty (דְּהָא גֵּיהִנָּם לָא אִתּוֹקַד אֶלָּא בְּחֲמִימוּ דְּתּוּקְפָּא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא). And through that heating (וּבְהַהוּא חֲמִימוּ), the fire of Gehinnom burns day and night (נוּרָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם אִתּוֹקַד יְמָמֵי וְלֵילֵי), and is never extinguished (וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ).

Seven gates are there to Gehinnom (שִׁבְעָה פִּתְחִין אִינּוּן לַגֵּיהִנָּם), and seven dwellings are there (וְשִׁבְעָה מָדוֹרִין אִינּוּן תַּמָּן). Seven types of guilty ones are there (שִׁבְעָה זִינֵי חַיָּיבִין אִינּוּן): evil (רַע), Beli‘al (בְּלִיַּעַל), sinner (חוֹטֵא), wicked (רָשָׁע), destroyer (מַשְׁחִית), scoffer (לֵץ), arrogant (יָהִיר). And each one has its corresponding dwelling in Gehinnom (וְכֻלְּהוּ לָקֳבְלַיְיהוּ אִית מָדוֹרִין לַגֵּיהִנָּם), each according to what befits him (כָּל חַד וְחַד כַּדְקָא חֲזִי לֵיהּ).

And according to the level that the guilty one sinned in (וּכְפוּם הַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּחָטָא בֵּיהּ הַהוּא חַיָּיבָא), so is he given a dwelling in Gehinnom (הָכִי יַהֲבִין לֵיהּ מָדוֹרָא בְּגֵיהִנָּם). And in every dwelling (וּבְכָל מָדוֹרָא וּמָדוֹרָא), there is an appointed angel over that place (אִית מַלְאָךְ מְמָנָא עַל הַהוּא אֲתָר), under the hand of Dumah (תְּחוֹת יְדָא דְּדוּמָה). And many thousands and myriads are with him (וְכַמָּה אֶלֶף וְרִבּוֹא עִמֵּיהּ), who judge the guilty (דְּדַיְינִין לוֹן לְחַיָּיבַיָּא), each one as is fitting in that dwelling where he is (כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּמָה דְּאִתְחָזֵי לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא מָדוֹרָא דְּאִיהוּ תַּמָּן). Some say: the fire of Gehinnom above reaches this Gehinnom below (נ״א: אשא דגיהנם דלעילא, מטי להאי גיהנם דלתתא). The fire of Gehinnom below (אֶשָּׁא דְּגֵיהִנָּם לְתַתָּא) comes from the fire of Gehinnom above (מָטֵי מִגּוֹ אֶשָּׁא דְּגֵיהִנָּם דִּלְעֵילָּא), and it reaches this Gehinnom below (וּמָטֵי לְהַאי גֵּיהִנָּם דִּלְתַתָּא), and it is kindled (וְאִתּוֹקַד), by that arousal of the heat of the guilty ones (בְּהַהוּא אִתְּעֲרוּ דְּחֲמִימוּ דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא), who heat themselves in the evil inclination (דְּקָא מְחַמְמֵי גַּרְמַיְיהוּ גּוֹ יֵצֶר הָרָע), and all those dwellings are burning there (וְכָל אִינּוּן מָדוֹרִין דְּלִיקִין תַּמָּן).

There is a place in Gehinnom (אֲתָר אִית בְּגֵיהִנָּם), and levels there that are called “boiling excrement” (וְדַרְגִּין תַּמָּן דְּאִקְרוּן צוֹאָה רוֹתַחַת), and there is the filth of souls (וְתַמָּן אִיהוּ זוּהֲמָא דְּנִשְׁמָתִין), those that are soiled with all the filth of this world (אִינּוּן דְּמִתְלַכְלְכָן מִכָּל זוּהֲמָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And they are whitened and ascend (וּמִתְלַּבְּנָן וְסַלְּקִין), and that filth remains there (וְאִשְׁתְּאָרַת הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא תַּמָּן). And those evil levels that are called “boiling excrement” (וְאִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין בִּישִׁין דְּאִתְקְרוּן צוֹאָה רוֹתַחַת), are appointed over that filth (אִתְמָנָן עַל הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא).

And the fire of Gehinnom rules over that filth which remains (וְנוֹרָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם שַׁלְטָא, בְּהַהוּא זוּהֲמָא דְּאִשְׁתְּאָרַת). And there are guilty ones (וְאִית חַיָּיבִין), those who are defiled in their sins constantly (אִינּוּן דְּמִתְלַכְלְכָן בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ תָּדִיר), and are not whitened from them (וְלָא אִתְלַבְּנָן מִנַּיְיהוּ), and they died without repentance (וּמִיתוּ בְּלֹא תְּשׁוּבָה). And they sinned and caused others to sin (וְחָטוּ וְהֶחטִיאוּ אַחֲרָנִין), and were always stiff-necked (וַהֲווּ קְשֵׁי קְדַל תָּדִיר), and were not broken before their Master in this world (וְלָא אִתְבָּרוּ קָמֵי מָארִיהוֹן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). These (אִלֵּין) are judged there in that filth (אִתְדָּנוּ תַּמָּן בְּהַהוּא זוּהֲמָא), and in that boiling excrement (וּבְהַהִיא צוֹאָה רוֹתַחַת), from which they do not emerge forever (דְּלָא נָפְקִין מִתַּמָּן לְעָלְמִין). Those who corrupted their ways upon the earth (אִינּוּן דִּמְחַבְּלִין אָרְחַיְיהוּ עַל אַרְעָא), and did not care for the honor of their Master in this world (וְלָא חַשְׁשׁוּ לִיקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), all these are judged there for generations upon generations (כָּל אִינּוּן אִתְדָּנוּ תַּמָּן לְדָרֵי דָּרִין), and do not depart from there (וְלָא נַפְקֵי מִתַּמָּן).

On Sabbaths and new moons and appointed times and festivals (בְּשַׁבָּתֵי וּבְיַרְחֵי וּבִזְמַנֵּי וּבְחַגֵּי), in that place the fire is found to be extinguished (בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר נוּרָא אִשְׁתְּכַךְ), and they are not judged (וְלָא אִתְדָּנוּ). But they do not leave from there (אֲבָל לָא נַפְקֵי מִתַּמָּן), unlike the rest of the guilty who have rest (כִּשְׁאַר חַיָּיבִין דְּאִית לְהוּ נַיְיחָא). All those who desecrated Sabbaths and appointed times (כָּל אִינּוּן דִּמְחַלְּלֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת וּזְמָנֵי), and had no regard for the honor of their Master at all (וְלָא חַיְישֵׁי לִיקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן כְּלַל), to cause them rain (בְּגִין לְמֵטָר לוֹן), rather they desecrated openly (אֶלָּא מְחַלְּלֵי בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא). Just as they did not keep Sabbaths and appointed times in this world (כְּמָה דְּאִינּוּן לָא נַטְרֵי שַׁבָּתֵי וּזְמָנִי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), so too they do not keep them in that world (הָכִי נָמֵי לָא נַטְרִין לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), and they have no rest (וְלֵית לוֹן נַיְיחָא).

Rabbi Yosi said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסִי), do not say thus (לָא תֵּימָא הָכִי), but rather they keep Sabbaths and appointed times there in Gehinnom against their will (אֶלָּא נַטְרֵי שַׁבָּתֵי וּזְמָנִי תַּמָּן בְּגֵיהִנָּם בְּעַל כָּרְחַיְיהוּ). Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה), these are idol worshippers (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), who were not commanded (דְּלָא אִתְפְּקָדוּ), who did not keep Sabbath in this world (דְּלָא נַטְרֵי שַׁבָּת בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), they keep it there against their will (נַטְרֵי לֵיהּ תַּמָּן בַּעַל כָּרְחַיְיהוּ).