Daf 11a (דַּף י״א ע״א)

And because of this, one who does not guard the covenant is judged with the affliction of the grave in that dust (וּבְגִיןֹ דָּא מָאן דְּלָא נָטִיר בְּרִית אִתְדַּן בְּחִבּוּט הַקֶּבֶר בְּהַהוּא עַפְרָא), and these are those whose body is for them a grave in their lifetime (וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן דְּגוּפָא דִלְהוֹן אִינוּן לוֹן קֶבֶר בְּחַיֵּיהוֹן), for they are pressed in it each day (דְּדַחֲקִין לוֹן שַׁעִתָּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא), and in their labor when blood is drawn under their nails (וּבִמְלָאכָא דִלְהוֹן דְּאִתְבַּקַּע דְּמָא בְּצִפָּרְנֵיהוֹן). And because of this they established to show fingernails at Havdalah (וּבְגִין דָּא תַּקִּינוּ לְאַחֲזָאָה צִפָּרְנַיִם בְּהַבְדָּלָה), for Adam was clothed with garments of fingernails (דַּהֲוָה אָדָם מְלוּבָּשׁ בְּכָתְנוֹת צִפָּרְנַיִם), which shone like clouds of glory (דַּהֲווֹ נָהֲרִין כַּעֲנָנֵי כָּבוֹד). And he was separated from them: “And they knew that they were naked” (Bereshit 3) (וְאִיהוּ בְּהַבְדָּלָה מִנַּיְיהוּ וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עִירֻמִּים הֵם מִנַּיְיהוּ), naked of the body, and of the Neshama, and of the Ruach, and of the Nefesh (בְּגוּפָא וְנִשְׁמָתָא וְרוּחָא וְנַפְשָׁא), naked of the garments of light which are the lights of the fire (עֲרוּמִּים מִכָּתְנוֹת אוֹר דְּאִינוּן מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ). And because on Shabbat they are seen in the lighting of the Shabbat lamp with two wicks of fire (וּבְגִין דִּבְשַׁבָּת אִתְחַזָּא לוֹן בְּאַדְלָקַת שְׁרַגָּא דְשַׁבָּת בִּתְרֵין פְּתִילוֹת דְּאֵשׁ), and at Motza’ei Shabbat they depart from them (וּבְמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת יִתְעַבְרוּן מִנַּיְיהוּ), they established to recite Havdalah over fire at Motza’ei Shabbat (תַּקִּינוּ לְמֵימַר בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת הַבְדָּלָה בְּאֵשׁ). And because on Shabbat and Festivals the Neshamot are clothed in garments of light (וּבְגִין דִּבְשַׁבָּת וְיֹמִין טָבִין מִתְלַבְּשִׁין נִשְׁמָתִין בְּכָתְנוֹת אוֹר), the prophet said: “Therefore in the Urim honor Hashem” (Isaiah 24) (אָמַר הַנָּבִיא עַל כֵּן בָּאוּרִים כַּבְּדוּ י״י).

And the Rabbis established: honor Him with a clean garment (וְאוּקְמוּהוּ רַבָּנָן כַּבְּדוּהוּ בִּכְסוּת נְקִיָּה). Immediately when these words were said, all the members of the Academy bowed before Him (מִיָּד דְּאָמַר מִלִּין אִלֵּין אִשְׁתַּטְחוּ קַמֵּיהּ כֻּלְּהוּ בְנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא), for there is no joy among them like the joy when the secret of the Orayta is renewed among them (דְּלֵית חֶדְוָה בֵּינַיְהוּ כְּחֶדְוָה כַּד אִתְחַדַּשׁ בֵּינַיְיהוּ רָזָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא). And because of this, one who guards the covenant of fire is called Ish Tzaddik Tamim [a righteous and wholehearted man] (וּבְגִין דָּא מָאן דְּנָטִיר בְּרִית אֵשׁ קָרִי אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים). And the letter Yod of Shaddai is the link upon the neck of the demon, the evil inclination (וְאוֹת י׳ דְשׁד״י אִיהִי חוּלְיָא עַל צַוָּאר דְּשֵׁד יֵצֶר הָרָע), a link of chain (חוּלְיָא דְשַׁלְשְׁלָאָה). And because of this, Shaddai is inscribed in the covenant (וּבְגִין דָּא רְשִׁים שׁד״י בִּבְרִית), and inscribed in the Mezuzah (וְרָשִׁים בַּמְּזוּזָה), for all of them tremble from this chain, which is the sign of the covenant (דְּמִזְדַּעִזְעִין כֻּלְּהוֹן מֵהַאי שַׁלְשְׁלָאָה דְּאִיהִי אוֹת בְּרִית), the sign of Festivals, the sign of Tefillin (אוֹת יֹמִין טָבִין אוֹת תְּפִלִּין). And immediately when the evil inclination, which is a demon, seizes him (וּמִיָּד דְּאִיהוּ תָּפִיס בָּהּ יֵצֶר הָרָע דְּאִיהוּ שֵׁ״ד), the man takes the sword of which it is said: “The exaltations of El are in their throat” (Psalms 149) (נָטִיל בַּר נַשׁ חַרְבָּא דְאִתְּמַר בָּהּ רוֹמְמוֹת אֵ״ל בִּגְרוֹנָם), which is Yod as the head of the sword, Vav as the body of the sword, and Hei Hei as its two edges (דְּאִיהוּ י׳ רֵישָׁא דְחַרְבָּא, ו׳ גּוּפָא דְחַרְבָּא, ה׳ ה׳ תְּרֵי פִּפִיּוֹת דִּילָהּ), and he slaughters it (וְשָׁחִיט לֵיהּ). And concerning this it is said: “If one comes to kill you, rise early to kill him” - in prayer (וּבְגִינֵיהּ אִתְּמַר הַבָּא לְהָרְגָךְ הַשְׁכֵּם לְהָרְגוֹ בִּצְלוֹתָא), as it is said: “And Abraham rose early in the morning” (Bereshit 19) (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר).

And furthermore, the recitation of Shema is two hundred and forty-eight (וְעוֹד קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע אִיהִי רוֹמַ״ח), included from the six words of the union (כְּלִילָא מִשִּׁית תֵּיבִין דְּיִחוּדָא), and from two hundred and forty-eight words with 'Hashem your Elohim is Truth' (Hashem Eloheichem Emet) (וּמֵרַמַ״ח תֵּיבִין עִם י״י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֱמֶת). And this is the slingshot (וְהוּא קִירְטָא). And behold it is said: the five stones of the Hei (וְהָא אִתְּמַר חָמֵשׁ אַבְנִין ה׳), which were made into one stone with the letter Yod (דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ חַד אַבְנָא בְּאָת י׳), and with it he kills the evil inclination (וְקָטִיל בָּהּ לְיֵצֶר הָרָע). And in that place it is the slingshot, in the Tefillin (וּבְאָן אֲתַר אִיהִי קִירְטָא, בִּתְּפִלִּין), the sling-cord that is wound in the hand, this is the strap of the hand (חוּט דְּקֶלַע דְּכָרִיךְ בְּיָד דָּא רְצוּעָה דְיָד), which is like the sling-string (דְּאִיהוּ כְּחוּט דְּזַרְקָא). And this is the recitation of Shema (וְאִיהִי קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע), a bow that shoots arrows from the side of “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom” (קֶשֶׁת דְּזָרִיק חִצִּים מִסִּטְרָא דְבָרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ), and blessings are upon the head of the Tzaddik (Proverbs 10) (וּבְרָכוֹת לְרֹאשׁ צַדִּיק), who is the bow of the covenant (דְּאִיהוּ קֶשֶׁת הַבְּרִית).

The spear is the Middle Pillar (רוֹמְחָא דָא עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא), with the five fingers of the hand, which is the lower Hei (בְּחָמֵשׁ אֶצְבְּעָאן דְּיָד דְּאִיהִי ה׳ תַּתָּאָה), and she is to the right of Chesed (וְאִיהִי לִימִינָא דְחֶסֶד), the level of Avraham whose count is two hundred and forty-eight (דַּרְגָּא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּחוּשְׁבָּנֵיהּ רְמַ״ח). And with the Vav of the Middle Pillar is made the spear (וְעִם ו׳ דְּעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא אִתְעֲבִיד רוֹמַ״ח). The sling is the upper Hei to the left (קֶלַע ה׳ עִלָּאָה לִשְׂמָאלָא). Yod is the stone of the sling (י׳ אַבְנָא דְקֶלַע). Yod–Hei are the Tefillin (י״ה דִּתְּפִלִּין). And all is Yod–Hei with “My Name,” three hundred and sixty-five (וְכֹלָּא י״ה עִם שְׁמִ״י שְׁס״ה). “My Remembrance” with Vav–Hei, two hundred and forty-eight (זִכְרִ״י עִם ו״ה רְמַ״ח). And whoever guards the Yod in the eight days of circumcision (וּמָאן דְּאִיהוּ נְטִיר י׳ בִּתְמַנְיָא יוֹמִין דְּמִילָה), in the eight thousand of the boundary of Shabbat (בִּתְמַנְיָא אַלְפֵי תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת), in the eight portions of the Tefillin (בִּתְמַנְיָא פָּרָשִׁיָּין דִּתְּפִלֵּי), he is guarded from all damaging forces under the hand of the evil inclination (אִיהוּ נָטִיר מִכָּל מַזִּיקֵי דִתְחוֹת יְדָא דְיֵצֶר הָרָע), which is appointed over sixty myriad (דְּאִיהוּ מְמַנָּא עַל שִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא). How much more so one who binds him with chains and slays him (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מָאן דְּקָשִׁיר לֵיהּ בְּשַׁלְשְׁלָאִין וְקָטִיל לֵיהּ).

And furthermore, the covenant that they established for him is a vessel in the dust (וְעוֹד בְּרִית דְתַקִּינוּ לֵיהּ מָנָא בְּעַפְרָא), to cast it into the dust (לְשַׁדְיָיא לָהּ בְּעַפְרָא), and the blood that drips from it is considered for him as though he offered a burnt-offering (וְדָם דְּאַטִּיפִין מִנֵּיהּ, אִתְחֲשִׁיב לֵיהּ כְּאִלּוּ עָבִיד לֵיהּ עוֹלָה). And that dust is to rectify with it an altar of earth (וְהַהוּא עַפְרָא לְתַקְנָא בֵּיהּ מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה), and the blood of the covenant is as though he sacrificed upon it offerings (וְדָם דִּבְרִית כְּאִלּוּ דָבַח עֲלָהּ עֲלָוָון). This is what is written: “An altar of earth you shall make for Me” (Exodus 20) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי וגו׳). And he is saved by that dust from the affliction of the grave (וְשָׁזִיב לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא עַפְרָא מֵחִבּוּט הַקֶּבֶר), and by the blood of circumcision he is saved from the slaughter of the Angel of Death (וּבְדַם מִילָה שָׁזִיב לֵיהּ מִשְּׁחִיטַת מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוְת). And if the one who received the covenant is a mamzer (וְאִם הַהוּא דְקַבִּיל בְּרִית אִיהוּ מַמְזֵר), that dust is rectified for the serpent (הַהוּא עַפְרָא תַּקִּין לֵיהּ לְחִוְיָא), as it is said: “And dust shall be the serpent’s bread” (Isaiah 65) (דְאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וְנָחָשׁ עָפָר לַחְמוֹ). And he is from the earth which Hashem has cursed (וְאִיהוּ מִן הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר אֵרַרָהּ י״י) (Bereshit 5). As it is said of it: “Cursed is the earth” (Bereshit 3) (דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ אָרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה). And it is dust from that which it is said: “And the earth was tohu va-vohu” (Bereshit 1) (וְאִיהִי עַפְרָא מֵהַאי דְּאִתְּמַר בָּהּ וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ). Of it it is said: “And the earth shall wax old like a garment” (Isaiah 51) (דְאִתְּמַר בָהּ וְהָאָרֶץ כַּבֶּגֶד תִּבְלֶה). With it shall be his portion (עִמֵּיהּ יְהֵא חוּלְקֵיהּ), as though he bound himself to make a burnt-offering for idolatry (כְּאִלּוּ קָשִׁיר לֵיהּ לְמֶיעֱבַד עוֹלָה לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה). For that son or daughter are idol and molten image (דְּהַהוּא בֵּן אוֹ בַּת אִינוּן פֶּסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה). And concerning this it is said: “Who makes a graven or molten image” (Deuteronomy 27) (וְעַל דָּא אִתְּמַר אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה פֶסֶל וּמַסֵּכָה), and it is said: “And puts it in secret” (Deuteronomy 27) (וְאִתְּמַר וְשָׂם בַּסָּתֶר), in the secret of the world (בְּסִתְרוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם). And all the people said: Amen (וְאָמַר כָּל הָעָם אָמֵן). For that one is the son of the primordial serpent (דְּהַהוּא בַּר מִנָּחָשׁ הַקַּדְמוֹנִי אִיהוּ), who caused death to Adam and his wife (דְּגָרִים מָוְת לְאָדָם וּלְאִתְּתֵיהּ), as it is said: “Cursed are you above all the animals” (Bereshit 3) (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה כו׳).