Daf 103a (דַּף ק״ג ע״א)

Rabbi El'azar said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), certainly the supernal and the lower ones were dependent upon Adam Kadma’ah (בְּוַדַּאי עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין הֲווֹ תַּלְיָין בְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה), and not for naught did the Masters of the Mishnah establish it (וְלַאו לְמַגָּנָא אוּקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין), “A person should always see himself as though the entire world depends upon him” (לְעוֹלָם יִרְאֶה הָאָדָם עַל עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ כָּל הָעוֹלָם תָּלוּי עָלָיו). But a man upon whom Kudsha Berikh Hu toils through a Gilgul [Reincarnation], and he does not succeed in his place (אֲבָל בַּר נַשׁ דְּטָרַח עֲלֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְגִלְגּוּלָא וְלָא אַצְלַח בְּאַתְרֵיהּ), He uproots him from his place and sets him in another place, and changes his place (אַעִקַר לֵיהּ מֵאַתְרֵיהּ וְשַׁוִּי לֵיהּ בַּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא, וְשַׁנִּי לֵיהּ אֲתַר). And the secret of the matter: “And he shall take other dust and plaster the house” (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה וְעָפָר אַחֵר יִקַּח וְטָח אֶת הַבָּיִת) (Leviticus 14:45), and this is the change of place p2-0(וְדָא שִׁנּוּי מָקוֹם).

If he succeeds, it is good, and if he does not succeed, He uproots him from there and mounts him in another place (אִם אַצְלַח מוּטָב, וְאִם לָא אַצְלַח אַעִקַר לֵיהּ מִתַּמָּן וְאַרְכִּיב לֵיהּ בַּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא), and He changes his name, and this is the change of the name (וְשַׁנִּי שְׁמֵיהּ וְדָא שִׁנּוּי הַשֵּׁם). If he succeeds, it is good, and if he does not succeed, He uproots him from there (אִם אַצְלַח מוּטָב, וְאִי לָא אַצְלַח אַעִקַר לֵיהּ מִתַּמָּן). And this is: “And he shall break down the house, its stones and its wood” (וְדָא וְנָתַץ אֶת הַבַּיִת אֶת אֲבָנָיו וְאֶת עִצָיו) (Leviticus 14:45), and He plants him in another place (וְנָטַע לֵיהּ בַּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא). And He changes his deeds from all that they were previously, and from all his forms, He changes his face and sends him away (וְשַׁנִּי עוֹבָדוֹי מִכָּל מַה דַּהֲוָה בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וּמִכָּל צִיּוּרִין דִּילֵיהּ, מְשַׁנֶּה פָנָיו וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵהוּ) (Job 14:20).

Behold, all these things El does twice or three times with a man (הֵן כָּל אֵלֶּה יִפְעַל אֵ״ל פַּעֲמַיִם שָׁלוֹשׁ עִם גָּבֶר) (Job 33:29), a ground where He plants him there and he succeeds, and his branches and roots spread until a thousand generations (קַרְקַע דְּנָטַע לֵיהּ תַּמָּן וְאַצְלַח וּמִתְפַּשֵּׁט עַנְפּוֹי וְשָׁרְשׁוֹי עַד אֶלֶף דּוֹר), this is the Shekhinta (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), and this is the change of deed (וְדָא שִׁנּוּי מַעֲשֶׂה). And until how many times? Until a thousand (וְעַד כַּמָּה זִמְנִין עַד אֶלֶף), as you say: “He commanded His word to a thousand generations” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר דָּבָר צִוָּה לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר) (Psalms 105:8). And regarding this it is said: “The thousand is for you, Shlomo” (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר הָאֶלֶף לְךָ שְׁלֹמֹה) (Song of Songs 8:12). And these are a thousand worlds (וְאִינוּן אֶלֶף עָלְמִין), that He plants him until he succeeds and mounts him there (דְּנָטַע לֵיהּ עַד דְּאַצְלַח וְאַרְכִּיב לֵיהּ תַּמָּן). And the secret of the matter: “And doing kindness to thousands” (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לַאֲלָפִים) (Exodus 20:6), for whom? For His lovers, and for those who keep His commandments to a thousand generations (לְמָאן לְאֹהֲבָיו, וּלְשֹׁמְרֵי מִצְוֹתָיו לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר) (Deuteronomy 7:9).

He said to him: And as for the wicked, what (אָמַר לֵיהּ, וּלְרַשִּׁיעַיָּא מַאי)? For it is written: “And so I saw the wicked buried, and they came…” (דְּהָא כְּתִיב וּבְכֵן רָאִיתִי רְשָׁעִים קְבוּרִים וָבָאוּ וְגוֹ׳) (Ecclesiastes 8:10). What shall we say about them (מַה תֵּימָא בְּהוֹן)? He said to him: I heard about them a secret, “A thousand shall fall at your side…” (אָמַר לֵיהּ שְׁמַעִינָא בְהוֹן רָזָא יִפּוֹל מִצִּדְּךָ אֶלֶף וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 91:7). Thus they said to me in hint (הָכִי אָמְרוּ לִי בִרְמִיזָא). He said to him: If so, what is “who were snatched away before their time…” (אָמַר לֵיהּ אִי הָכִי מַאי אֲשֶׁר קוּמְטוּ בְלֹא עִת וְגוֹ׳) (Job 22:16)? He said to him: These are nine hundred and seventy-four generations that were snatched away and removed before their time (אָמַר לֵיהּ אִלֵּין תְּשַׁע מֵאָה וְשִׁבְעִים וְאַרְבָּעָה דָרִין דְּאִתְקַמְטוּ וְאִסְתַּלְקוּ קֳדָם זִמְנַיְיהוּ), and this is “who were snatched away before their time,” that they were removed before their time (וְדָא אִיהוּ אֲשֶׁר קוּמְטוּ בְלֹא עִת, דְּאִסְתַּלְקוּ קֳדָם זִמְנַיְיהוּ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu cast them upon every generation (וְזָרִיק לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל כָּל דָּרָא וְדָרָא), this is: “A river is poured out, their foundation” (דָא אִיהוּ נָהָר יוּצַק יְסוֹדָם) (Job 22:16). And this is the secret, that the son of David will not come until all the Neshamot that are in the Guf are finished (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא, דְאֵין בֶּן דָּוִד בָּא עַד שֶׁיִּכְלוּ כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁבַּגּוּף). And then new ones will come (וּכְדֵין חַדְתִּין עֲתִידִין לְמֵיתֵי). Meanwhile, the elder departed (אַדְהָכִי אִסְתַּלַּק סָבָא).

Rabbi Shimon said to the Friends (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְחַבְרַיָּא), “Friends, surely this elder was the elder of Adam Ila’ah. Fortunate is the generation in which this secret is revealed” (חַבְרַיָּיא, וַדַּאי הַאי סָבָא דְסָבִין אָדָם עִלָּאָה, זַכָּאָה דָרָא דְהַאי רָזָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא בֵּיהּ). There was an incident (עוּבְדָא הֲוָה), that a certain man, a cripple without legs (דְחַד בַּר נַשׁ חִגֵּר בְּלָא רַגְלִין), found two sages, such as there were not in all the generation sages like them (אַשְׁכַּח לִתְרֵין חַכִּימִין דְּלָא הַוִי בְּכָל דָּרָא חַכִּימִין כַּוָּותַיְיהוּ). That cripple provoked them (אַעֲרַע בְּהוּ הַהוּא חִגֵּר). He said to them: Peace upon you, Rabbis (אָמַר לוֹן שְׁלָמָא עֲלַיְיכוּ רַבָּנָן). I heard about you that you are the sages of the generation (שְׁמַעְנָא עֲלַיְיכוּ דְּאַתּוּן חֲכִימֵי דָּרָא). Where are you going (אָנָה אַתּוּן אָזְלִין)? They said to him: To such-and-such a place (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ לְדוּךְ פְּלַן). And it was the eve of Shabbat (וְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת הֲוָה). He said to them: Even though you are riding on swift beasts (אָמַר לוֹן אַף עַל גַּב דְּאַתּוּן רְכִיבִין בִּבְעִירִין דִּרָהֲטֵי סַגִּי), and I am a cripple without legs (וַאֲנָא חִגֵּר בְּלָא רַגְלִין), if you wish, I will precede you to prepare for you the Shabbat (אִי אַתּוּן בְּעִיתוּ אֲנָא אֲקַדֵּם לְכוּ לְתַקָּנָא לְכוּ שַׁבַּתָּא). They marveled (תְּוַוהוּ). They said to him: But you are a cripple, and how can you precede swift beasts (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ וְהַלֹא אַתְּ חִגֵּר, וְאֵיךְ אַתְּ יָכִיל לְאַקְדָּמָא לִבְעִירָן דִּרָהֲטֵי טוּבָא)? He said to them: The Name of 42 letters, and it leaps them five hundred parasangs in a single instant (אָמַר לוֹן שְׁמָא דְּמ״ב אַתְוָון, וְדָלִיג לוֹן ת״ק פַּרְסֵי בְּרִגְעָא חֲדָא).

They found themselves at the entrance of a certain cave (אַשְׁכְּחוּ גַרְמַיְיהוּ לְפוּם מְעַרְתָּא חֲדָא), and a table to the left with all the delicacies of the supernal world upon it (וּפְתוֹרָא לִשְׂמָאלָא, בְּכָל מַעֲדַנֵּי עָלְמָא עֲלָהָא), and a Menorah to the south with seven lights upon it (וּמְנַרְתָּא לְדָרוֹם בְּשִׁבְעָה נֵרִין עֲלָהָא), and a bed of silver and gold and precious stones to the west, between north and south (וּמִטָה דְכַסְפָּא וְדַהֲבָא וְאַבְנִין יַקִּירִין לְמַעֲרָב בֵּין צָפוֹן לְדָרוֹם), and chairs to the east (וְכָרְסַיָּיא לְמִזְרָח), and three hundred students upon that table (וּתְלַת מְאָה תַלְמִידִין עַל הַהוּא פְתוֹרָא). After they had all eaten, and the sages with them (בָּתַר דְאָכְלוּ כֻלְּהוּ וְאִינוּן חַכִּימֵי עִמְּהוֹן), that cripple arose and stripped himself from that body without legs (קָם הַהוּא חִגֵּר וּפָשַׁט גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא גוּפָא בְּלָא רַגְלִין), and was clothed in a body whose face shone like the radiance about which it is said (וְאִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּגוּפָא דְאַנְפּוֹי זְהִירִין כְּזוֹהֲרָא דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ): “And the wise shall shine…” (וְהַמַּשְׂכִּילִים יַזְהִירוּ וְכוּ׳) (Daniel 12:3). And the faces of his students were radiant as stars forever and ever (וְאַנְפֵּי תַלְמִידוֹי נְהִירִין כְּכֹכָבִים לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד). And they opened the book of Kohelet (וַהֲווֹ פָּתְחִין סִפְרָא דְקֹהֶלֶת), and they read in it: “Vanity of vanities, said Kohelet…” (וְקָרְיָין בֵּיהּ הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים אָמַר קֹהֶלֶת וְכוּ׳) (Ecclesiastes 1:2). And they repeated it many times (וַהֲווֹ חָזְרִין כַּמָּה זִמְנִין). The sages of the generation said to him (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ אִינוּן חַכִּימֵי דָרָא): Did Shlomo not compose another verse in Kohelet (וְכִי שְׁלֹמֹה לָא עָבַד קְרָא אָחֳרָא בְּקֹהֶלֶת)? That one who had appeared as a cripple on the road ascended before them to seven palaces of silver and gold and precious stones (עָל לְהוּ הַהוּא דְאִתְחֲזֵי חִגֵּר בְּאָרְחָא, לְשִׁבְעָה הֵיכָלִין מִכַּסְפָּא וְדַהֲבָא וְאַבְנִין יַקִּירִין). And in the palace were seven thrones of four creatures (וּבְהֵיכָלָא שִׁבְעָה כָּרְסַיָּין דְּאַרְבַּע חֵיוָון), and there was a dove of silver and a crown of gold upon its head (וְיוֹנָה תַמָּן דְּכַסְפָּא וַעֲטָרָה דְּדַהֲבָא עַל רֵישָׁה). And written upon it: Whoever does not know these vanities, upon him it is written (וְכָתוּב בָּהּ כָּל מָאן דְּלָא יָדַע בְּאִלֵּין הֲבָלִים עֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב): “And the stranger that draws near shall be put to death” (וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת) (Numbers 1:51). The sages of the generation, when they saw that it was written upon that crown (אִינוּן חַכִּימֵי דָרָא מִיָּד דְחָזוּ הָכִי דַהֲוָה כְתִיב בְּהַהִיא עֲטָרָה), they retreated backward (חָזְרוּ לַאֲחוֹרָא). He who had appeared to them as a cripple said to them (אָמַר לוֹן הַהוּא דְאִתְחֲזֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּחִגֵּר): And is it about you that it was said you are the sages of the generation (וְכִי עֲלַיְיכוּ אִתְּמַר דְּאַתּוּן חַכִּימֵי דָרָא)? You are nothing but the fools of the generation (לֵית אַתּוּן אֶלָּא טִפְּשֵׁי דָרָא). For you have not seen in all your learning: “Because he has desired Me… With long life will I satisfy him” (וְלָא חֲזֵיתוּן בְּכָל לְמוֹדַיְיכוּ כִּי בִי חָשַׁק … עַד אוֹרֶךְ יָמִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵהוּ) (Psalms 91:14–16), to the eternal world that is unending (לְעָלְמָא דְכֹלָּא אֲרִיךְ).

These vanities of Kohelet are in the secret of seven names (אִלֵּין הֲבָלִים דְּקֹהֶלֶת אִינוּן בְּרָזָא דְשֶׁבַע שְׁמָהָן), in which are forty-two letters (דִּבְהוּ מ״ב אַתְוָון), corresponding to the seven days of Creation, in which are ten sayings and thirty-two Elohim, and these are forty-two (לָקֳבֵל שִׁבְעָה יוֹמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית דְּאִית בְּהוּ עֲשַׂר אֲמִירָן וְל״ב אלהי״ם וְאִינוּן מ״ב). And upon them is the heart of which it is said: Elohim HaElohim (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ לֵב דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוּ אלהי״ם הָאלהי״ם). And this is: “And high above them” (וְהַיְינוּ וּגְבוֹהִים עֲלֵיהֶם) (Ecclesiastes 5:7). These are the seven words ABGYTTZ (אִלֵּין שֶׁבַע תֵּיבִין אבגית״ץ), about which it is said: “Seraphim…” (עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר שְׂרָפִים וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 6:2). And this Name is His segulah for covering the Neshama when it ascends above every night (וְהַאי שְׁמָא אִיהוּ סְגוּלְתָּא דִילֵיהּ לְכַסָּאָה דְנִשְׁמָתָא כַּד סְלִיקַת לְעֵילָא בְּכָל לֵילְיָא), to testify about the good deeds of man (לְאִסְהַדָּא עַל עוֹבְדִין טָבִין דְּבַר נַשׁ), against the angels of destruction, and against all the harm-doers, spirits, lilin, and demons (מִמַּלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה וּמִכָּל מַזִּיקִין וְרוּחִין וְלִילִין וְשֵׁדִין). And with them it flies upward (וּבְהוֹן פָּרְחַת לְעֵילָא). With two letters from every Name it covers its face from them (בִּתְרֵין אַתְוָון מִכָּל שֵׁם תְּכַסֶּה אַנְפָּהָא מִנְּהוֹן). With two letters it covers its feet (וּבִתְרֵין אַתְוָון תְּכַסֶּה רַגְלָהָא). With two letters it flies upward (וּבִתְרֵין אַתְוָון פָּרְחַת לְעֵילָא). And so it is for the Ruach (וְאוּף הָכִי לְרוּחָא). And so it is for the Nefesh (וְאוּף הָכִי לְנַפְשָׁא). And there is a Name of forty-two in the form of a seal of wax, written (וְאִית שֵׁם בֵּן מ״ב בְּצוּרַת חוֹתָמָא דְשַׁעֲוָה נִכְתַּב). And there is a Name of forty-two in the image of the likeness of the King, engraved upon the seal (וְאִית שֵׁם מ״ב בְּצִיּוּר דִּיּוֹקְנָא דְמַלְכָּא, חָקִיק עַל חוֹתָמָא). And there is a Name of forty-two, which is His very likeness (וְאִית שֵׁם מ״ב דְּאִיהוּ דִיּוֹקְנֵיהּ מַמָּשׁ).

The Name of forty-two, whose likeness is YHVH, Yod Heh Vav Heh (שֵׁם מ״ב דְּאִיהוּ דִיּוֹקְנֵיהּ אִיהוּ יהו״ה, יו״ד ה״א וא״ו ה״א). Yod Vav Dalet (יו״ד וא״ו דל״ת). Heh Alef (ה״א אל״ף). Vav Alef Vav (וא״ו אל״ף וא״ו). Heh Alef (ה״א אל״ף). The Name of forty-two which is the Seal, it is Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (שֵׁם מ״ב דְּאִיהוּ חוֹתָמָא, אִיהוּ אהי״ה אֲשֶׁר אהי״ה) (Exodus 3:14). The form of forty-two in wax is ABGYTTZ (צִיּוּר מ״ב בְּשַׁעֲוָה דָא אבגית״ץ). And the wicked, their souls are from demons and from destroyers (וְרַשִּׁיעַיָּא נִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּשֵׁדִין וּמִמַּזִּיקִין), and they perform nothing except sorcery and the works of demons like themselves (וְלָא פוֹעֲלִין בְּהוֹן אֶלָּא כִישׁוּף וְעוֹבְדֵי שֵׁדִין כַּוָּתַיְיהוּ). Because the wicked, all the names and all the existences of Kudsha Berikh Hu, and all the angels, hate them (בְּגִין דְּרַשִּׁיעַיָּא כָּל שְׁמָהָן וְכָל הֲוַיָּי״ן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְכָל מַלְאָכִים שֹׂנְאִין לוֹן). And therefore no amulet, nor holy names, nor angels avail them (וּבְגִין כַּךְ לָא מוֹעִיל לָא קָמִיעַ וְלָא שְׁמָהָן קַדִּישִׁין וְלָא מַלְאָכַיָּא), for only a kind cleaves to its own kind (דְלָא תָּפִיס אֶלָּא מִין בְּמִינוֹ). And therefore: “You shall not sow your vineyard with mingled seed” (וּבְגִין דָּא לֹא תִזְרַע כַּרְמְךָ כִּלְאָיִם) (Deuteronomy 22:9), about them it is said: “For the vineyard of Hashem Tzeva’ot…” (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן כִּי כֶרֶם יהו״ה צְבָאוֹ״ת וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 5:7). Tzeva’ot, its vowel is YHVH (צְבָאוֹ״ת נְקוּדָה דִילֵיהּ יְהָוֹ״ה). About this it is said: “Only your fathers did He desire” (עֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר רַק בַּאֲבוֹתֶיךָ חָשַׁ״ק) (Deuteronomy 10:15). Cholem, Sheva, Kamatz (חוֹלֵ״ם שְׁבָ״א קָמֵ״ץ). And these are the seed of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov (וְאִינוּן זְרַע אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב). Their level: Chesed is the High Priest (דַּרְגָּא דִלְהוֹן חֶסֶד כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא), Gevurah is Levi (גְבוּרָה לֵוִי), Yisrael is the middle pillar (יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא). Because Cholem is Keter above Tiferet (בְּגִין דְּחוֹלֵ״ם כֶּתֶר עַל תִּפְאֶרֶת), Kamatz is Chokhmah above Chesed (קָמֵץ חָכְמָה עַל חֶסֶד). And about this: “One who wishes to become wise should turn southward” (וּבֵיהּ הָרוֹצֶה לְהַחְכִּים יַדְרִים). And with Chokhmah: “Happy is he who waits for the resurrection of the dead” (וּבְחָכְמָה אַשְׁרֵי הַמְחַכֶּה לִתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים). Chokhmah waits (חָכְמָה מְחַכֶּ״ה). They all rose and prostrated themselves before Him (קָמוּ כֻלְּהוּ וְאִשְׁתַּטְחוּ קַמֵּיהּ וְכוּ׳).