Daf 70a (דַּף ע׳ ע״א)

When is a man purified from his sins? (אֵימָתַי אִתְדָּכֵי בַּר נָשׁ מֵחוֹבֵיהּ). At the time when he enters into Teshuvah properly (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעָאל בְּהַאי תְּשׁוּבָה כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי). Rabbi Yitzḥak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): when he comes before the supernal King (דְּתָב קָמֵי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), and prays his prayer from the depth of the heart (וְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא מֵעוּמְקָא דְּלִבָּא). This is what is written: “‘Out of the depths I have called You, Hashem’” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְיָ׳) (Psalms 130).

Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): “‘Out of the depths I have called You, Hashem’” (מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְיָ׳) — this is a hidden place above (אֲתַר גָּנִיז הוּא לְעֵילָּא), and it is the depth of the well p1-17(וְהוּא עַמִיקָא דְּבֵירָא). From this place flow rivers and fountains to every limb (וּמֵהַאי נָפְקִין נַחֲלִין וּמַבּוּעִין לְכָל עִיבָר). And that deepest depth is called Teshuvah (וְהַהוּא עֲמִיקָא דַּעֲמִיקְתָא אִקְרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה). And whoever desires to return and be purified from his sins (וּמַאן דְּבָעֵי לְאָתָבָא וּלְאִתְדַכְּאָה מֵחוֹבוֹי), in this depth must he call to Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּהַאי עוּמְקָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִקְרֵי לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). This is what is written: “‘Out of the depths I have called You, Hashem’” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְיָ׳) (Psalms 130).

It was taught (תָּאנָא): at the time when a man has sinned before his Master (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ חָב קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ), and he offers his offering upon the altar (וְקָרִיב קָרְבָּנֵיהּ עַל מַדְבְּחָא), and the Kohen makes atonement for him (וְכַהֲנָא מְכַפֵּר עָלֵיהּ), and petitions mercy for him (וּבָעֵי בָּעוּתֵיהּ עָלֵיהּ) — mercy is aroused (מִתְעָרִין רַחֲמֵי), the judgments are sweetened (וְדִינִין מִתְבַּסְּמָן), and Teshuvah pours forth blessing (וּתְשׁוּבָה אָרִיק בִּרְכָאן), through the fountains that flow and go out (בְּמַבּוּעִין דְּנַגְדִּין וְנָפְקִין). And all the lamps are blessed as one (וּמִתְבָּרְכִין כֻּלְּהוּ בּוּצִינִין כַּחֲדָא), and man is purified from his sins (וּבַר נָשׁ אִתְדָּכֵי מֵחוֹבֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Kudsha Berikh Hu brought forth ten crowns (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַפִּיק עֶשֶׂר כִּתְרִין), holy adornments above (עִטְרִין קַדִּישִׁין לְעֵילָּא), with which He is crowned and clothed (דְּאִתְעַטָּר בְּהוּ, וּמִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּהוּ). And He is they, and they are He (וְהוּא אִינּוּן, וְאִינּוּן הוּא) — like a flame bound with a coal (כְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא דַּאֲחִידָא בְּגוּמְרָא), and there is no separation there (וְלֵית תַּמָּן פִּרוּדָא). Corresponding to this (לָקֳבֵיל דְּנָא), there are ten crowns below that are not holy (אִית עֶשֶׂר כִּתְרִין דְּלָא קַדִּישִׁין לְתַתָּא), and they are held in the pollution of the fingernail of one holy crown called Chokhmah (וְאִינּוּן אֲחִידָן בְּזוּהֲמָא דְּטוּפְרָא דְּחַד עִטְרָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִקְרֵי חָכְמָה). And therefore they are called “wisdoms” (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרוּן חָכְמוֹת). And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): these ten kinds of wisdom (עֲשְׂרָה זִינֵי חָכְמוֹת) descended into the world (אִלֵּין נַחְתּוּ לְעָלְמָא). And all of them were corrupted in Egypt (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִסְתְּאָבוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם). Some say: were defiled (ס״א אִשְׁתַּאֲבוּ). Except for one that spread in the world (בַּר מֵחַד דְּאִתְפְּשַׁט בְּעָלְמָא). And all of them are kinds of sorceries (וְכֻלְּהוּ זִינֵי חַרְשֵׁי אִינּוּן), and from them the Egyptians knew sorceries more than all the nations (וּמִנַּיְיהוּ יַדְעֵי מִצְרַיִם חַרְשִׁין, עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). And when the Egyptians desired to make their gatherings with their sorceries for their idols (וְכַד מִצְרָאֵי בָּעָאן לְמֶעְבַּד כְּנוּפְיָיא בְּחַרְשַׁיְיהוּ לְעוֹבָדֵיהוֹן), they would go out to the fields to the high mountains (הֲווֹ נַפְקֵי לְחַקְלָא לְטוּרֵי רָמַאֵי), and slaughter offerings (וְדַבְחִין דְּבָחִין). And they made pits in the earth (וְעַבְדִין גּוּמִּין בְּאַרְעָא), and poured that blood into the pits (וְסַחֲרִין הַהוּא דָּמָא סוֹחֲרָנֵיהּ דְּהָנֵי גּוּמִּין). And the rest of the blood was gathered into those pits (וּשְׁאָר דָּמָא מִתְכַּנְּפֵי בְּהַנְהוּ גּוּמִּין), and flesh they placed upon them (וּבִשְׂרָא שָׁוִין עָלַיְיהוּ). And they would offer their sacrifices (וּקַרְבִין קָרְבְּנֵיהוֹן) to those evil kinds (לְאִינּוּן זִינִין בִּישִׁין). And those evil kinds would gather and draw near together (וְאִינּוּן זִינִין בִּישִׁין מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין וּמִתְקָרְבִין כַּחֲדָא), and would be appeased with them upon that mountain (וּמִתְפַּיְּיסִין בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ בְּהַהוּא טוּרָא).

Yisrael, who were in their bondage (יִשְׂרָאֵל דַּהֲווֹ בְּשִׁעְבּוּדֵיהוֹן), would draw near to them (הָווֹ מִתְקָרְבִין לְהוֹן), and learned from them (וְאוֹלְפוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ), and followed after them (וַהֲווּ טָעָאן בַּתְרַיְיהוּ). And this is what is written: “‘After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein you dwelt, you shall not do; and after the doings of the land of Canaan, etc.’” (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר יְשַׁבְתֶּם בָּהּ לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ וּכְמַעֲשֵׂה אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן וְגוֹ׳) (Leviticus 18). And it is written: “‘And they shall no longer sacrifice their sacrifices to the se‘irim, etc.’” (וּכְתִיב וְלֹא יִזְבְּחוּ עוֹד אֶת זִבְחֵיהֶם לַשְּׂעִירִים וְגוֹ׳) (Leviticus 17). It was taught (תָּאנָא): at the time when they would bring near to them upon the field (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲווֹ מְקָרְבִין לְהוֹן עַל גַּבֵּי חַקְלָא), and they would pour forth that blood (וַהֲווּ מְזַמְּנֵי הַהוּא דָּמָא), and they would offer their sacrifices (וּמְקָרְבֵי קָרְבְּנַיְיהוּ), all those evil kinds would gather (הֲווֹ מִתְכַּנְּפֵי כָּל אִינּוּן זִינִין בִּישִׁין). And they appeared to them in the likeness of se‘irim (וְחָמָאן לְהוֹן כְּגַוְונָא דִשְׂעִירִים), all filled with hair (כֻּלְּהוּ מַלְיָין שַׂעֲרָא), and they would make known to them whatever they desired (וּמוֹדָעֵי לְהוּ מַה דְּאִינּוּן בַּעְיָין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): what is written of Yitzḥak? (יִצְחָק מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ). “‘And Ya‘akov drew near to Yitzḥak his father, and he felt him’” (וַיִּגַּשׁ יַעֲקֹב אֶל יִצְחָק אָבִיו וַיְמֻשֵּׁהוּ) (Bereshit 27). He said: this was not from another side (אָמַר, דָּא לָא אִתְעָדֵי), some say: here it was not aroused (נ״א הָכָא לָא אִתְעָר), but from the dew of heaven that flows upon the earth (אֶלָּא מִטַּלָּא דִּשְׁמַיָּא דְּנָגִיד עַל אַרְעָא).

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): “‘And from the fatness of the earth’ — in all was his blessing” (וּמִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ, בְּכֹלָּא בְּרָכֵיהּ) (Bereshit 27). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because he saw him in hair (בְּגִין דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ בְּשַׂעְרָא), he said to pass this over (אָמַר לְמֶעְבַּר דָּא). And “from the fatness of the earth” was required (וּמִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ אִצְטְרִיךְ) — but not the pollution of the earth (וְלָא זוּהֲמָא דְּאַרְעָא). For this pollution is of the earth (דְּהַאי זוּהֲמָא הוּא דְּאַרְעָא). And when the dew of heaven and the produce of the earth are joined together (וְכַד טַלָּא דִּשְׁמַיָּא וּמִגְדָּא דְּאַרְעָא מִתְחַבְּרָאן), this pollution passes away (אִתְעַבַּר הַאי זוּהֲמָא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): the last of those lower crowns that are not holy — this is it (בַּתְרַיְיתָא דְּאִינּוּן כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין דְּלָא קַדִּישִׁין הַאי הוּא). This is what is written: “‘And one who inquires of the dead’” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְדוֹרֵשׁ אֶל הַמֵּתִים) (Deuteronomy 18). And this is the tenth of all (וְדָּא הוּא עֲשִׁירָאָה דְּכֹלָּא). For it was taught (דְּתַנְיָא): Rabbi Yitzḥak said in the name of Rabbi Yehudah (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): the souls of the wicked — these are the destructive forces of the world (נַפְשָׁתָא דְּרַשִׁיעַיָּיא אִלֵּין אִינּוּן מַזִּיקִין דְּעָלְמָא).

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): if so, it is good for the guilty that they become destructive forces in the world (אִי הָכִי טַב לְהוּ לְחַיָּיבַיָּא דְּאִתְעַבְּדִין מַזִּיקִין בְּעָלְמָא). Is this their punishment of Gehinnom? (אָן הוּא עוֹנְשָׁא דְּגֵיהִנָּם). Is this the evil that is prepared for them in that world? (אָן הוּא בִּישָׁא דִּזְמִינָא לְהוּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): so we have learned, and behold we have already established this matter (הָכִי תָּנֵינָן, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵּי): the souls of the wicked, when they leave this world (נַפְשָׁתָא דְּרַשִׁיעַיָּיא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָפְקִין מֵעָלְמָא), many appointed guardians are prepared to receive them (כַּמָה גַּרְדִּינֵי נִמוּסִין מִזְדַּמְּנֵי לְקַבְּלָא לְהוּ), and to bring them up to Gehinnom (וּלְאַעְלָאָה לְהוּ לְגֵּיהִנָם). And they are brought into three judgments every day in Gehinnom (וְעָאלִין לְהוּ בִּתְלַת דִּינִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא, בַּגֵיהִנָּם). Afterwards they are joined with them (לְבָתַר מִזְדַּוְּוגֵי בְּהוּ), and they go and roam in the world (וְאַזְלִין וְשָׁאטִין בְּעָלְמָא), and they incite the wicked (וּמַטְעָן לְהוּ לְרַשִׁיעַיָּיא), those who close off Teshuvah from themselves (לְאִינּוּן דְּקָא אַסְתִּים תְּשׁוּבָה מִקַּמַּיְיהוּ). Afterwards they are brought back to Gehinnom (לְבָתַר תַּיְיבִין לְהוּ לְגֵּיהִנָּם), and are consumed there (וְאִתְסָאבִין תַּמָּן). Some say: and are judged there (נ״א וְאִתְדְּנוּן תַּמָּן). And so it is every single day (וְכַךְ בְּכָל יוֹמָא).