Daf 199b (דַּף קצ״ט ע״ב)

Then they proclaim upon him (כְּדֵין מַכְרִזִיִ עֲלוֹי). If he is meritorious (אִי אִיהוּ זַכָּאָה), they proclaim upon him and say (מַכְרִזֵי עָלֵיהּ וְאַמְרֵי): “Give honor to the image of the King!” (הָבוּ יְקָר לְדִיּוּקְנָא דְּמַלְכָּא), “He shall enter in peace, they shall rest on their beds, who walk in uprightness” (Isaiah 57) (יָבֹא שָׁלוֹם יָנוּחוּ עַל מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָם הֹלֵךְ נְכֹחוֹ). From where do we know this? (מְנָא לָן). As it is written: “And your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of Hashem shall gather you” (Isaiah 58) (דִּכְתִּיב, וְהָלַךְ לְפָנְיךָ צִדְקֶךָ כְּבוֹד יְיָ' יַאַסְפֶךָ). But if he is guilty (וְאִי חַיָּיבָא אִיהִי), they proclaim upon him and say (מַכְרִיזֵי עָלֵיהּ וְאָמְרוּ): “Woe to him, to so-and-so!” (וַוי לֵיהּ לִפְלָנְיָא). “Better for him had he not been created” (טָב לֵיהּ דְּלָא יִתְבְּרֵי). Then what is written? “And they cast him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging” (Jonah 1) (כְּדֵין מַה כְּתִיב, וַיְטִלֻהוּ אֶל הַיָּם וַיַּעֲמוֹד הַיָּם מִזַּעְפּוֹ). When they brought him into the grave, which is the place of judgment (כַּד עָאלִין לֵיהּ לְבֵי קִבְרֵי דְּאִיהוּ אֲתָר דְּדִינָא), then the decree of judgment which was raging was stilled from its fury (כְּדֵין גְּזֵרַת דִּינָא דְּהֲוָה סָעִיר, שָׁכִיךְ מִזַּעְפֵּיהּ). And the fish that swallowed him—this is the grave (וְנוּנָא דְּבָלַע לֵיהּ, דָּא אִיהוּ קִבְרָא).

What is written? “And Yonah was in the belly of the fish” (Jonah 2) (מַה כְּתִיב, וַיְהִי יוֹנָה בִּמְעֵי הַדָּג). The belly of the fish—this is the womb of She’ol (מְעוֹי דְּדָג, דָּא אִיהוּ בֶּטֶן שְׁאוֹל). From where do we know this? (מְנָלָן). As it is written: “From the belly of She’ol I cried out” (Jonah 2) (דִּכְתִּיב, מִבֶּטֶן שְׁאוֹל שִׁוַּעְתִּי). And he was in the belly of the fish (וְאִיהוּ בִּמְעֵי דְּנוּנָא הֲוָה), and it calls it “the belly of She’ol” (וְקָארֵי לֵיהּ בֶּטֶן שְׁאוֹל), three days and three nights (שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה לֵילוֹת).

These three days are the time a man is in the grave (אִלֵּין תְּלַת יוֹמִין, דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּקִבְרָא), and the belly bursts open (וְאִתְבְּקָעוּ מֵעוֹי). After three days, that filth turns over upon his face (לְבָתַר תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין, הַהוּא טִנּוּפָא אִתְהַפַּךְ עַל אַנְפּוֹי), and says to him: “Take what you placed in me!” (וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ טוֹל מַה דִּיְהָבַת בִּי). You ate and drank every day (אַכְלַת וְשָׁתִית כָּל יוֹמָא), and you did not give to the poor (וְלָא יָהַבְתְּ לְמִסְכְּנֵי), and all your days were like festivals and appointed seasons (וְכָל יוֹמָךְ הֲווֹ כְּחַגִּין וּכְמוֹעֲדִין), and the poor were hungry (וּמִסְכְּנֵי הֲווֹ כַּפְנִין), they did not eat with you (דְּלָא אַכְלוּ בַּהֲדָךְ). Take what you gave me! (טוֹל מַה דִּיְּהָבַת בִּי). This is what is written: “And I will spread dung upon your faces...” (Malachi 2) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, וְזֵרִיתִי פֶרֶשׁ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם וְגוֹ'). And we have established this (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא). After this, from three days onward (לְבָתַר דָּא, מִתְּלָתָא יוֹמִין וּלְהָלְאָה), then the body of the man is judged in his innards, in his hands, and in his feet (כְּדֵין אִתְדָּן בַּר נָשׁ מְעֵינוֹי, מִיְּדוֹי, וּמֵרַגְּלוֹי), and it is sustained until thirty days (וְאוּקְמוּהָ עַד תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין). All those thirty days (כָּל אִינּוּן תְּלַתִין יוֹמִין), the soul and the body are judged together (אִתְדָּנוּ נַפְשָׁא וְגוּפָא כַּחֲדָא). And because of this, the soul is found below in the earth (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ אִשְׁתְּכַח נִשְׁמְתָא לְתַתָּא בְּאַרְעָא), and does not ascend to its place (דְּלָא סַלְקַת לְאַתְרָהּ), like a woman who sits outside all the days of her impurity (כְּאִתְּתָא דְּיַתְבַת לְבַר, כָּל יוֹמֵי מְסַאֲבוּתָא). Afterwards, the soul ascends (לְבָתַר, נִשְׁמְתָא סַלְּקָא), and the body is consumed in the earth (וְגוּפָא אִתְבְּלֵי בְּאַרְעָא), until that time when Kudsha Berikh Hu will awaken to revive the dead (עַד הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּיִתְּעַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֵיתַיָּיא).

Then a certain voice is destined to awaken in the graveyards (וּזְמִינָא קָלָא חֲדָא לְאַתְּעָרָא בְּבֵי קִבְרִי), and it will say: “Awaken and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For Your dew is a dew of lights, and the earth shall cast forth the Refa’im” (Isaiah 26) (וְיֵימָא, הָקִיצוּ וְרַנְּנוּ שׁוֹכְנֵי עָפָר כִּי טַל אוֹרוֹת טַלֶּךָ וָאָרֶץ רְפָאִים תַּפִּיל). When will this be? (אֵימָתַי יְהֵא דָּא).

At the time when the Angel of Death will pass from the world (בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִתְעַבָּר מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת מֵעָלְמָא), as it is written: “He will swallow up death forever…” (Isaiah 25) (דִּכְתִּיב, בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח וְגוֹ'). Once death is swallowed up forever (כֵּיוָן דְּבִלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח), afterwards: “And Hashem Elohim will wipe away the tear from every face, and the reproach of His people He will remove from all the earth” (Isaiah 25) (לְבָתַר, וּמָחָה יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים דִּמְעָה מֵעַל כָּל פָּנִים וְחֶרְפַּת עַמּוֹ יָסִיר מֵעַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ). Then it is written: “And Hashem spoke to the fish, and it vomited Yonah onto dry land” (Jonah 2) (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ' לַדָּג וַיָּקֵא אֶת יוֹנָה אֶל הַיַּבָּשָׁה).

Once that voice awakens among the graves (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְּעַר הַהוּא קָלָא בֵּינֵי קִבְרֵי), then all the graves will vomit out the dead within them to the outside (כְּדֵין כָּל קִבְרַיָּיא יָקִיאוּ לְאִינּוּן מֵתַיָּיא דִּבְהוֹן לְבַר). This is what is written: “And the earth shall cast forth the Refa’im” (Isaiah 26) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וָאָרֶץ רְפָאִים תַּפִּיל). What is “shall cast forth” (מַאי תַּפִּיל)? That it will vomit them out (דְּיָּקִיא לוֹן לְבַר). Refa’im—what are Refa’im? (רְפָאִים, מַהוּ רְפָאִים). They are those who received healing like in the beginning (דְּקַבִּילוּ אַסְוָותָא כְּמִלְּקַדְמִין), and their bones were healed, bone by bone (וְאַתְסִיאוּ גַּרְמִין בְּגַרְמִין).

And these are called Refa’im (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן רְפָאִים). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), but it is written: “Refa’im shall not rise” (Isaiah 26) (הָא כְּתִיב רְפָאִים בַּל יָקוּמוּ), nevertheless it is certain (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי): All bones are placed in the graves (כָּל עָלְמָא יִתְּסוּן גַּרְמִין בְּבֵי קִבְרֵי), but from them—some will rise, and some will not rise (אֲבָל מִנְהוֹן יְקוּמוּן, וּמִנְהוֹן לָא יְקוּמוּן). And regarding this it is written: “Refa’im shall not rise” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב רְפָאִים בַּל יָקוּמוּ). Fortunate is the portion of Yisrael (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written concerning them: “Your dead shall live; My corpses shall arise” (Isaiah 26) (דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ נְבֵלָתִי יְקוּמוּן). And in this fish (וּבְהַאי נוּנָא), we have found teachings of healing (אַשְׁכַּחְנָא מִלִּין לְאַסְוָותָא), for the whole world (דְּכָל עָלְמָא).

This fish—once it swallowed Yonah, he died (הַאי נוּנָא כֵּיוָן דְּבָלַע לְיוֹנָה מִית). And Yonah was in it three days (וּבֵיהּ הֲוָה יוֹנָה תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין); afterwards, he was restored as at first (לְבָתַר אִתְקָיָּים כְּמִלְּקַדְמִין), and the fish vomited Yonah out (וְאָקֵי לְיוֹנָה לְבַר), and we have already established it (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ): “And Yonah prayed to Hashem his God from the belly of the fish” (Jonah 2) (דִּכְתִּיב וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל יוֹנָה אֶל יְיָ' אֱלֹהָיו מִמְּעֵי הַדָּגָה). It is written here “the fish” (כְּתִיב הָכָא הַדָּגָה), and it is written there: “And the fish that was in the Nile died” (Exodus 7) (וּכְתִיב הָתָם וְהַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר בַּיְאוֹר מֵתָה), and we have already established it (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

In this manner, the land of Yisrael is destined to awaken first (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, זְמִינַת אַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַתְעֲרָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterward: “And the earth shall cast forth the Refa’im” (Isaiah 26) (וּלְבָתַר וָאָרֶץ רְפָאִים תַּפִּיל). And we have already established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא), that seven judgments pass over a man when he departs from this world (דְּשִׁבְעָה דִּינִין יַחְלְפוּן עָלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, כַּד נָפִיק מֵהַאי עָלְמָא). One, is the supernal judgment when the spirit departs from the body (חַד, הַהוּא דִּינָא עִלָּאָה, כַּד נָפִיק רוּחָא מִן גּוּפָא). Two, when his deeds and words go before him and proclaim about him (ב׳, כַּד עוֹבָדוֹי וּמִלּוֹי אַזְלִין קַמֵּיהּ וּמַכְרִזֵי עֲלוֹי). Three, when he enters the grave (ג׳, כַּד עָיִיִל לְקִבְרָא). Four, the judgment of the grave (ד׳, דִּינָא דְּקִבְרָא). Five, the judgment of the worm (ה׳, דִּינָא דְּתוֹלַעֲתָּא). Six, the judgment of Gehinnom (ו׳, דִּינָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם). Seven, the judgment of the soul which roams and wanders in the world, and does not find a place of rest until his deeds are completed (ז׳, דִּינָא דְּרוּחָא דְּאַזְלָא וְשָׁאטַת בְּעָלְמָא, וְלָא אַשְׁכָּחַת אֲתָר נַיְיחָא, עַד דְּיִשְׁתְּלִים עוֹבָדוֹי).

Because of this, a man must constantly contemplate his deeds (בְּגִין דָּא, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא תָּדִיר בְּעוֹבָדוֹי), and return before his Master (וְיֵתוּב קָמֵי מָרֵיהּ). And when King David saw these judgments of man (וְכַד אִסְתָּכָּל דָּוִד מַלְכָּא בְּדִינִין אִלֵּין דְּבַר נָשׁ), he began and said: “Bless Hashem, O my soul…” (Psalms 104) (אַקְדִּים וְאָמַר בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת יְיָ'), before you depart from the world (עַד לָא תִּפּוּק מִן עָלְמָא), while you are still found with the body (בְּעוֹד דְּאַנְתְּ אִשְׁתְּכָחַת עִם גּוּפָא). “And all my innards, bless His holy Name” (Psalms 103) (וְכָל קְרָבַי אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשׁוֹ), these are the sinews of the body that participate together with the soul (אִינּוּן שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא, דְּמִשְׁתַּתְּפֵי כַּחֲדָא בְּרוּחָא). Now that you are still found with it (הַשְּׁתָּא דְּתִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן עִמָּהּ), hasten to bless the Holy Name (אַקְדִּימוּ לְבָרְכָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), before the time comes when you will no longer be able to bless (עַד לָא יִמְטֵי זִמְנָא דְּלָא תֵּיכְלּוּן לְבָרְכָא), and to return in repentance (וּלְאָתָבָא בְּתִיּוּבְתָא). And because of this it says: “Bless Hashem, O my soul, Halleluyah” (Psalms 104) (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת יְיָ' הַלְלוּיָהּ). Then those Friends came and kissed his head (אָתוּ אִינּוּן חַבְרַיָּיא וְנַשְׁקוּ רֵישֵׁיהּ).