Daf 212a (דַּף רי״ב ע״א)

A second time—after she dwells in the lower Garden of Eden (זִמְנָא תִּנְיָינָא, לְבָתַר דְּיָתְבָא בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן דִּלְתַּתָּא), that entire time that she dwells there, she has not yet separated from the sights and words of this world in all their aspects (כָּל הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּיָתְבָא וְעַד כְּעַן לָא אִתְפָּרְשַׁת מֵאִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּחֵיזוּ דְּהַאי עָלְמָא מִכֹּל וָכֹל). And when she ascends above (וְכַד סַלְּקִין לָהּ לְעֵילָּא), it is necessary for her to be separated from every vision and from all the words of below (אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִכָּל חֵיזוּ וּמִכָּל מִלִּין דִּלְתַּתָּא). And they pass her through that river of fire (וְאַעְבְּרוּ לָהּ בְּהַהוּא נְהַר דִּי נוּר), then the soul is whitened in it from all and everything (כְּדֵין נִשְׁמְתָא אִתְלַבְּנַת בֵּיהּ מִכֹּל וָכֹל). And she emerges and appears before the Master of the Worlds (וְנַפְקַת וְאִתְחֲזִיאַת קַמֵּי מָארֵי דְּעָלְמָא), clarified—Some say: purified—from every side (בְּרֵיכָא (ד״א: בְּרִירָא) מִכָּל סִטְרִין).

Once she beholds that light, she is healed and perfected from all (כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתַּכְּלַת בְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא אַתְּסִיאַת וְאִשְׁתְּלִימַת מִכּוֹלָּא). And then those souls stand in garments (וּכְדֵין קַיְּימִין אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין בִּלְבוּשִׁין), adorned before their Master (מִתְעַטְּרִין קַמֵּי מָארֵיהוֹן). Fortunate is the portion of the Righteous in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא דֵין וּבְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). And those souls in the lower Garden of Eden (וְאִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּבְגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן דִּלְתַּתָּא), they roam on every New Moon and on Shabbatot (שָׁטָאן בְּכָל רֵישֵׁי יַרְחֵי וְשַׁבָּתֵי), and ascend to that place called the Walls of Jerusalem (וְסַלְּקִין עַד הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי חוֹמוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַם), where there are many appointed guardians and chariots who guard those walls (דְּתַמָּן כַּמָּה מְמָנָן וּרְתִיכִין דְּנַטְרֵי אִינּוּן חוֹמוֹת). As it is written: “Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen” (Isaiah 62) (דִּכְתִּיב עַל חוֹמוֹתַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלַם הִפְקַדְתִּי שׁוֹמְרִים).

And they ascend to that place, but they do not enter within until they are whitened (וְסַלְּקִין עַד הַהוּא אֲתָר, וְלָא עָאלִין לְגוֹ עַד דְּאִתְלַבְּנַן). And there they bow and rejoice in that radiance (וְתַמָּן סַגְּדִין, וְחַדָּאן מֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּ), and return into the Garden (וְתַיֵּיבִין לְגוֹ גִּנְתָּא). They go out from there and roam the world (נָפְקִין מִתַּמָּן וְשָׁטָאן בְּעָלְמָא), and they see those bodies of the guilty (וְחָמָאן בְּאִינּוּן גּוּפִין דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא), in their punishment (בְּהַהוּא עוֹנְשָׁא דִּילְהוֹן), as it is written (Isaiah 66): “And they shall go out and look upon the carcasses of the men that rebelled against Me, for their worm shall not die and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh” (דִּכְתִּיב וְיָצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בִּפְגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִּי כִּי תוֹלַעְתָּם לֹא תָמוּת וְאִשָּׁם לֹא תִכְבֶּה וְהָיוּ דֵרָאוֹן לְכָל בָּשָׂר).

What is “to all flesh”? (מַאי לְכָל בָּשָׂר), to those other bodies that are in their surroundings (לְאִינּוּן שְׁאָר גּוּפִין דִּבְסָחֲרָנַיְיהוּ), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And afterwards they roam and look upon their Masters who suffer (וּלְבָתַר מְשַׁטְּטֵי וּמִסְתַּכְּלָן בְּאִינּוּן מָארֵיהוֹן דִּכְאֵבִין), and upon the sons of their flocks (וּבְנֵי מַרְעִין), and those who suffer for the sake of the unification of their Master (וְאִינּוּן דְּסַבְּלִין עַל יִחוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), and they return and say to the Mashiach (וְתָבִין וְאָמְרִין לֵיהּ לִמְשִׁיחָא).

At the moment they say to the Mashiach the suffering of Yisrael in their exile (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָמְרִין לֵיהּ לִמְשִׁיחָא צַעֲרָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתְהוֹן), and the guilty who are among them (וְאִינּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא דִּי בְּהוֹן), who do not turn to know their Master (דְּלָא מִסְתַּכְּלֵי לְמִנְדַּע לְמָארֵיהוֹן), he raises his voice and weeps over those guilty among them (אָרִים קָלָא וּבָכֵי, עַל אִינּוּן חַיָּיבִין דִּבְּהוּ). This is what is written (Isaiah 53): “And he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵינוּ מְדֻכָּא מֵעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ). Then those souls return and remain in their places (תַּיֵּיבִין אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין וְקַיְּימִין בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ).

In the Garden of Eden there is one palace, (בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן אִית הֵיכָלָא חֲדָא,) which is called the Palace of the Shepherds’ Children (דְּאִקְרֵי הֵיכָלָא דִּבְנֵי מַרְעִין). Then Mashiach enters that palace, (כְּדֵין מָשִׁיחַ עָאל בְּהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא,) and he calls to all the shepherds and all the afflicted, (וְקָרֵי לְכָל מַרְעִין וְכָל כְּאֵבִין,) all the sufferings of Yisrael, (כָּל יִסּוּרֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל,) that they should come upon him, (דְּיֵיתוּן עָלֵיהּ,) and all of them come upon him (וְכֻלְּהוּ אַתְיָין עָלֵיהּ). And were it not that he lightens the burden from upon Yisrael, (וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּאִיהוּ אָקִיל מֵעָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל,) and bears it upon himself, (וְנָטִיל עָלֵיהּ,) there would be no human being able to bear the suffering of Yisrael (לָא הֲוֵי בַּר נָשׁ דְּיָכִיל לְמִסְבַּל יִסּוּרֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), due to the punishments of the Orayta (עַל עוֹנְשֵׁי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). This is what is written (Isaiah 53): “Surely our diseases he bore...” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב אָכֵן חֳלָיֵינוּ הוּא נָשָׂא וְגוֹ'). In this manner: Rabbi Elazar upon the earth (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּאַרְעָא). Because there is no reckoning (בְּגִין דְּלֵית חוּשְׁבָּנָא), for those sufferings that rest daily upon a human being (לְאִינּוּן יִסּוּרִין דְּקַיְּימִין עָלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּכָל יוֹמָא), due to the punishments of the Orayta (עַל עוֹנְשֵׁי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and all of them descended to the world (וְכֻלְּהוּ נַחְתוּ לְעָלְמָא), at the time the Orayta was given (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְיְהִיבַת אוֹרַיְיתָא). And when Yisrael were in the Holy Land, (וְכַד הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא,) with those services and offerings that they would perform (בְּאִינּוּן פּוּלְחָנִין וְקָרְבְּנִין דַּהֲווֹ עַבְדֵי), they would elevate all those afflictions and sufferings from the world (הֲווֹ מְסַלְּקִין כָּל אִינּוּן מַרְעִין וְיִסּוּרִין מֵעָלְמָא).

Now Mashiach removes them from the children of the world (הַשְׁתָּא מָשִׁיחַ מְסָלַק לוֹן מִבְּנֵי עָלְמָא), until a person departs from this world and receives his punishment (עַד דְּנָפִיק בַּר נָשׁ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, וּמְקַבֵּל עוֹנְשֵׁיהּ), as has been stated (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). When those sins increase and are brought into Gehinnom, (כַּד אִינּוּן חוֹבִין יַתִּיר דְּעַיְילִין לוֹן לְגוֹ בְּגוֹ גֵּיהִנָּם), in those other lower chambers, (בְּאִינּוּן מָדוֹרִין תַּתָּאִין אַחֲרָנִין,) and receive much punishment due to the excessive filth in the soul (וּמְקַבְּלִין עוֹנְשָׁא סַגִּי מִסְּגִיאוּת זוּהֲמָא דִּי בְּנִשְׁמְתָא), then a greater fire is lit to consume that filth (כְּדֵין אַדְלִיקוּ נוּרָא יַתִּיר, לְמֵיכַל הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא). Woe to that soul that endures that punishment (וַוֵי לְהַהִיא נִשְׁמְתָא דְּסַבְּלַת הַהוּא עוֹנְשָׁא). And because of this, the angels of destruction in Gehinnom strike them with rods of fire to shake off that filth (וְעַל דָּא אִינּוּן מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה דְּבְגֵיהִנָּם מְטָרְדִין לוֹן בְּחוֹטְרִין דְּאֶשָּׁא לְנַעֲרָא הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא). Woe to the soul that suffers that punishment (וַוֵי לְנִשְׁמְתָא דְּסַבְּלַת הַהוּא עוֹנְשָׁא).

Fortunate are those who guard the commandments of the Orayta (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּנַטְרֵי פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא). That holy point (הַהִיא נְקוּדָה קַדִּישָׁא), she desires to delight above and below in the spirits of the Righteous, (דְּאִיהִי בָּעְיָא לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא לְעֵילָּא וּלְתַתָּא בְּרוּחֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא), as has been said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). When that point desires to delight below in the spirits of the Righteous (כַּד הַהִיא נְקוּדָה בָּעָא לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא לְתַתָּא בְּרוּחֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא), like a mother who rejoices over her children (כְּאִמָּא דְּחַדָּאת עַל בְּנָהָא), and delights in them (וְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּהוֹן), so too, in the middle of the night, she descends and delights in them (הָכִי נָמֵי בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא אִיהִי נַחְתָּא וְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּהוּ).

The firmament which we spoke of that stands above the Garden (רָקִיעַ דְּקַאמְרָן דְּקַיְּימָא עַל גִּנְתָּא), it stands upon four heads of creatures (אִיהִי קַיְּימָא עַל ד׳ רֵישֵׁי חֵיוָון), and those are the four letters which we mentioned (וְאִינּוּן ד׳ אַתְוָון דְּקָאָמְרָן), they are the mystery of the four creatures (אִינּוּן רָזָא דְּד׳ חֵיוָן). And this firmament stands below—Some say: above them—(וְהַאי רְקִיעָא קַיְּימָא לְתַתָּא (ס״א עֲלַיְיהוּ), as has been said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). The firmament of that point stands above, (רָקִיעַ דְּהַהִיא נְקוּדָה קַיְּימָא לְעֵילָּא), over those four supernal creatures we mentioned (עַל אִינּוּן ד׳ חֵיוָן עִלָּאִין דְּקָאָמְרָן), and that firmament—just like that, one from the other— (וְהַהוּא רְקִיעָא (כְּגוֹוְנָא דָּא מִן דָּא) is embroidered in holy colors (אִיהוּ אִתְרְקָם בִּגְוָונִין קַדִּישִׁין).

In this firmament the four creatures gaze (בְּהַאי רָקִיעַ אִסְתַּכְּלָן אַרְבַּע חֵיוָן), and all those forces below as well (וְכָל אִינּוּן חַיָּילִין לְתַתָּא). When this firmament shines in its colors and glows (כַּד הַאי רָקִיעַ אַנְהִיר בִּגְוָונוֹי וְנָצִיץ), then all those chariots and all those forces and commanders know (כְּדֵין יַדְעִין כָּל אִינּוּן רְתִיכִין, וְכָל אִינּוּן חַיָּילִין וּמַשִּׁירְיָין), that their time has arrived (דְּהָא טַרְפָּא דִּילְהוֹן אִזְדָּמַן). This firmament is embroidered with all holy colors (רְקִיעָא דָּא מְרֻקְּמָא בְּכָל גַּוְונִין קַדִּישִׁין), within it stand four marked gates (בֵּיהּ קַיְּימִין אַרְבַּע פִּתְחִין רְשִׁימִין), with four sparkling letters (בְּאַרְבַּע אַתְוָון מְנַצְצָן). One gate is marked toward the east side (פִּתְחָא חֲדָא רְשִׁימָא לִסְטַר מִזְרָח), and in that gate stands one letter (וּבֵיהּ קַיְּימָא בְּהַהוּא פִּתְחָא אָת חַד), and that letter is Alef (וְהַהוּא אָת אִיהוּ א׳), and this shines and ascends and descends through that gate (וְדָא נָצִיץ וְסָלִיק וְנָחִית בְּהַאי פִּתְחָא). That gate shines and glows with supernal brilliance (פִּתְחָא דָּא נָהִיר וְנָצִיץ מִנְצִיצוּ עִלָּאָה). And this letter shines and flashes—Some say: flames—within it (וְהַאי אָת נָצִיץ וּבָלִיט (ס״א: וְלַהֵיט) בְּגַוֵּיהּ), and it descends and ascends, and is inscribed in that gate (וְאִיהִי נַחְתָּא וְסַלְּקָא, וְאִתְרְשִׁים בְּהַהוּא פִּתְחָא).