Daf 163a (דַּף קס״ג ע״א)

And what is said: “With all your heart” — that means with both your hearts (וְהָא דְּאִתְּמַר בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, בִּתְרֵין לִיבָּן אִיהוּ), which are the two inclinations (דְּאִינְהוּ תְּרֵין יִצְרִין): one is the good inclination (חַד יִצְרָא טָבָא), and one is the evil inclination (וְחַד יִצְרָא בִּישָׁא). And each of these is called a heart (וּתְרֵין אִלֵּין כָּל חַד וְחַד אִקְרֵי לֵב): this one is called a good heart (דָּא אִקְרֵי לֵב טוֹב), and this one is called a bad heart (וְדָא אִקְרֵי לֵב רָע).

Therefore it says levavekha (With all your heart) (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִיהוּ לְבָבְךָ), For they are two: the good inclination and the evil inclination (דְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵין: יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב וְיֵצֶר הָרָע). “And with all your soul” — it should have said “with your soul,” what is the meaning of “with all your soul”? (וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְנַפְשְׁךָ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ) — this “with all” — why? (הַאי בְּכָל אֲמַאי). Rather, to include Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah (אֶלָּא לְאַכְלְלָא נֶפֶשׁ רוּחַ וְנְשָׁמָה) — this is what “with all your soul” means (דָּא אִיהוּ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ), with everything that this soul holds (בְּכָל מַה דְּאָחִיד הַאי נֶפֶשׁ). “And with all your might” — so too, how many kinds of money there are! (וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ, אוּף הָכִי כַּמָה זִינִין אִינּוּן דְּמָמוֹנָא), all differing one from the other (כֻּלְּהוּ מְשַׁנְיָין אִלֵּין מֵאִלֵּין), and concerning this it is written with all (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּכָל).

The love of Kudsha Berikh Hu is to surrender all this to Him (רְחִימוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְמִמְסָר לֵיהּ כָּל דָּא), to love Him with each and every one (לְמִרְחַם לֵיהּ בְּכָל חַד וְחַד). And if you say, with the evil inclination, how can a person love Him? (וְאִי תֵּימָא, בְּיֵצֶר הָרָע, הֵיךְ יָכִיל בַּר נָשׁ לְמִרְחַם לֵיהּ), for the evil inclination is an accuser (דְּהָא יֵצֶר הָרָע מְקַטְרְגָא אִיהוּ), that prevents man from drawing near to serve Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּלָא יִקְרַב בַּר נָשׁ לְפוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and how could he love Him through it? (וְהֵיךְ יְרָחִים לֵיהּ בֵּיהּ).

Rather, this is the greater service of Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֶלָּא, דָּא אִיהוּ פּוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַתִּיר), when the evil inclination is subdued because of love toward Kudsha Berikh Hu (כַּד הַאי יֵצֶר הָרָע אִתְכַּפְיָא לֵיהּ, בְּגִין רְחִימוּ דְּקָא מִרְחַם לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). For when this evil inclination is subdued, and that person breaks it (דְּכַד הַאי יֵצֶר הָרָע אִתְכַּפְיָא, וְתָבַר לֵיהּ הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), this is the love of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא אִיהוּ רְחִימוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), because he has drawn near the evil inclination to the service of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּגִין דִּיְדִיעַ לְקָרְבָא לְהַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע לְפוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Here is the secret for masters of judgment (הָכָא אִיהוּ רָזָא לְמָארֵי מִדִּין). Everything that Kudsha Berikh Hu created above and below (כָּל מַה דַּעֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא), all is for the sake of revealing His glory (כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ בְּגִין לְאַחֲזָאָה יְקָרָא דִּילֵיהּ), and all is for His service (וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ). And who has ever seen a servant become the accuser of his master? (וְכִי מַאן חָמֵי עַבְדָּא דְּלֶהֱוֵי מְקַטְרְגָא דְּמָארֵיהּ), and in everything his master desires, he becomes the accuser? (וּבְכָל מַה דִּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְּמָארֵיהּ, אִתְעָבִיד אִיהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא). The will of Kudsha Berikh Hu is that mankind constantly serve Him (רְעוּתֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּיהוֹן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא תָּדִיר בְּפוּלְחָנֵיהּ), and walk in the way of truth (וְיֵהָכוּן בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט), to merit for themselves many goods (בְּגִין לְמִזְכֵּי לוֹן בְּכַמָּה טָבִין). Since the will of Kudsha Berikh Hu is this (הוֹאִיל וּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַאי), how does the evil servant arise and become the accuser from within the will of his Master? (הֵיךְ אַתְיָא עַבְדָּא בִּישָׁא, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח מְקַטְרְגָא מִגּוֹ רְעוּתֵיהּ דְּמָארֵיהּ), and lead people to an evil path (וְאַסְטֵי לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאֹרַח בִּישׁ), and push them away from the good path (וְאַדְחֵי לוֹן מֵאֹרַח טָב), and cause them not to do the will of their Master (וְעָבִיד לוֹן דְּלָא יַעַבְדוּן רְעוּתָא דְּמָארִיהוֹן), and lead people onto an evil path (וְאַסְטֵי לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאֹרַח בִּישׁ). Rather, surely, he is doing the will of his Master (אֶלָּא, וַדַּאי רְעוּתֵיהּ דְּמָארֵיהּ עָבִיד).

Like a king who had an only son (לְמַלְכָּא דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ בַּר יְחִידָאִי), and he loved him exceedingly (וַהֲוָה רָחִים לֵיהּ יַתִּיר), and charged him in love (וּפָקִיד עֲלֵיהּ בִּרְחִימוּ), that he not draw himself near to an evil woman (דְּלָא יִקְרַב גַּרְמֵיהּ לְאִתְּתָא בִּישָׁא), because whoever draws near to her (בְּגִין דְּכָל מַאן דְּיִקְרַב לְגַבָּהּ), is not worthy to enter the palace of the king (לָאו כְּדַאי אִיהוּ לְאַעֲלָא גּוֹ פְּלַטְרִין דְּמַלְכָּא). That son confessed before him (אוֹדֵי לֵיהּ הַהוּא בְּרָא), to fulfill the will of his father in love (לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ דַּאֲבוֹי בִּרְחִימוּ). Outside the house of the king was a certain harlot (בְּבֵיתָא דְּמַלְכָּא, לְבַר, הֲוַת חֲדָא זוֹנָה), beautiful in appearance and graceful in form (יָאֶה בְּחֵיזוּ, וּשְׁפִירָא בְּרֵיוָא).

One day the king said: “I wish to test the will of my son toward me” (לְיוֹמִין אָמַר מַלְכָּא, בְּעֵינָא לְמֵחֲמֵי רְעוּתֵיהּ דִּבְרִי לְגַבָּאי). He called that harlot (קָרָא לָהּ לְהַהִיא זוֹנָה), and said to her: “Go and seduce my son, to see his will toward me” (וְאָמַר לָהּ: זִילִי וּפְתִּי לִבְרִי, לְמֵחֲמֵי רְעוּתֵיהּ דִּבְרִי לְגַבָּאי).

What did that harlot do? (הַהִיא זוֹנָה מַאי עַבְדַת), she went after the son of the king (אַזְלַת אַבַּתְרֵיהּ דִּבְרֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא), and began to embrace him and kiss him (שָׁרָת לְחַבְּקָא לֵיהּ וּלְנַשְּׁקָא לֵיהּ), and to seduce him with many enticements (וּלְפַתֵּי לֵיהּ בְּכַמָּה פִּתּוּיִין). If that son is upright, and listens to the command of his father (אִי הַהוּא בְּרָא יֵאוֹת, וְאָצִית לְפִקּוּדָא דַּאֲבוֹי), he rebukes her, does not heed her, and pushes her away (גָּעַר בָּהּ, וְלָא אָצִית לָהּ, וְדָחֵי לָהּ מִנֵּיהּ). Then his father rejoices in his son (כְּדֵין אָבוֹי חַדֵּי בִּבְרֵיהּ), and brings him into the innermost chamber of His palace (וְאָעִיל לֵיהּ לְגוֹ פַּרְגּוֹדָא דְּהֵיכָלֵיהּ), and gives him gifts and treasures and much honor (וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ מַתְּנָן וּנְבִיזְבְּזָא וִיקָּר סַגְיָא).

Who caused all this honor to that son? (מַאן גָּרִים כָּל הַאי יְקָר לְהַאי בְּרָא) — it was that very harlot (הֲוֵי אֵימָא הַהִיא זוֹנָה). And that harlot — does she have praise in this, or not? (וְהַהִיא זוֹנָה אִית לָהּ שְׁבָחָא בְּהַאי אוֹ לָאו). Surely, she has praise from every side (וַדַּאי שְׁבָחָא אִית לָהּ מִכָּל סִטְרִין): one, for doing the command of the King (חַד, דְּעַבְדַּת פִּקּוּדָא דְּמַלְכָּא), and one, for causing that son to receive all that goodness and all that love from the King (וְחַד, דְּגַרְמָת לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא בְּרָא לְכָל הַהוּא טִיבוּ, לְכָל הַאי רְחִימוּ דְּמַלְכָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ). And about this it is written: “And behold, it was very good” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד) (Bereshit 1). “And behold, it was good” — this is the Angel of Life (וְהִנֵּה טוֹב, דָּא מַלְאָךְ חַיִּים); very — this is the Angel of Death (מְאֹד, דָּא מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת), for he is certainly very good for one who obeys the commandments of his Master (דְּאִיהוּ וַדַּאי טוֹב מְאֹד, לְמַאן דְּאָצִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּמָארֵיהּ).

And come and see (וְתָא חֲזִי): if not for this accuser (אִי לָא יְהֵא הַאי מְקַטְרְגָא), the righteous would not inherit those supernal treasures which they are destined to inherit in the World to Come (לָא יַרְתוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא הָנִי גִּנְזְיָא עִלָּאִין דִּזְמִינִין לְיָרְתָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Blessed are those who confront this accuser (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּאִעְרָעוּ בְּהַאי מְקַטְרְגָא), and blessed are those who do not confront him (וְזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּלָא אִעֲרָעוּ בֵּיהּ). Blessed are those who confront him and are delivered from him (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּאִעְרָעוּ בֵּיהּ וְאִשְׁתְּזִיבוּ מִנֵּיהּ), for because of him they inherit all those goods (דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יָרְתִין כָּל אִינּוּן טָבִין), and all those delights (וְכָל אִינּוּן עִדּוּנִין), and all those longings of the world to come (וְכָל אִינּוּן כִּסּוּפִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), of which it is written: “No eye has seen it, O Elohim, but You” (דְּעָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב: עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ) (Isaiah 64). And blessed are those who never confronted him (וְזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּלָא אִעֲרָעוּ בֵּיהּ), for because of him they would have inherited Gehinnom (דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יָרְתִין גֵּיהִנָּם), and been cast out from the land of life (וְאִטָרָדּוּ מֵאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים).

For those guilty ones who did confront him were obedient to him (דְּהָא אִינּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא דְּאִעְרָעוּ בֵּיהּ, הֲווֹ צַיְיתִין לֵיהּ), and followed after him (וְאִתְמַשְׁכוּ אַבַּתְרֵיהּ). And for this, the righteous ought to hold him precious (וְעַל דָּא אִית לְצַדִּיקַיָּא לְמֶחְזַק לֵיהּ טָבִין), for because of him they inherit all those good things (דְּהָא בְּגִינֵיהּ יָרְתִין כָּל אִינּוּן טָבָאן), and delights (וְעִדּוּנִין), and longings for the world to come (וְכִסּוּפִין לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).