Daf 131a (דַּף קל״א ע״א)

The commandment of the covenant of circumcision (פִּקּוּדָא דִבְּרִית מִילָה), with the cutting of the foreskin and the uncovering (בִּגְזִירוּ דְעָרְלָה וּפְרִיעָה), just as he removes from that organ all those shells of false gods (כְּמָה דְאִיהוּ אַעֲבַר מֵהַהוּא אֵבֶר כָּל אִלֵּין קְלִיפִין דֶּאֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים), and he rectifies in it a place for the Shekhinta to dwell there (וְתַקִּין בֵּיהּ אֲתַר לְשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא תַמָּן), for it is the sign of the covenant of circumcision (דְּאִיהוּ אוֹת בְּרִית מִילָה). So Kudsha Berikh Hu, when his Neshama ascends above (הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ סְלִיקַת לְעִילָא), this is that which is written (Deuteronomy 30) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Who shall go up for us to the heavens” (מִ י יַ עֲלֶה לָּ נוּ הַ שָּׁמַיְמָ ה). Kudsha Berikh Hu removes from him all angels of destruction and accusers so that they will not approach him (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַעֲבַר מִנֵּיהּ כָּל מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה וּמְקַטְרְגִין דְּלָא יִקְרְבוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ), because the Name of Hashem rests upon him (בְּגִין דִּשְׁמָא דיהו״ה שַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ).

For you will find in these words, “Who shall go up for us to the heavens” (דְּתִשְׁכַּח לֵיהּ בְּאִלֵּין תֵּיבִין מִ י יַעֲלֶ ה לָּנ וּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָ ה), the initial letters spell Milah (רָאשֵׁי תֵּיבוֹת מִילָ״ה), and the final letters spell Hashem (וְסוֹפֵי תֵּיבוֹת יהו״ה). In His Name his Neshama ascends above (בִּשְׁמֵיהּ סָלִיק לְעִילָא נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ). And at that time it is fulfilled in him (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא יִתְקַיַּים בֵּיהּ): “And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the Name of Hashem is called upon you, and they shall fear you” (Deuteronomy 28) (וְרָאוּ כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם יהו״ה נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ וְיָרְאוּ מִמֶּךָּ). And just as he accepts upon himself all the commandments of the positive precepts (וּכְמָא דְאִיהוּ מְקַבֵּל עֲלֵיהּ כָּל פִּקּוּדִין דַּעֲשֵׂה), in awe and in love (בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ), so the hosts and camps above enthrone him (הָכִי אַמְלִיכִין לֵיהּ לְעִילָא חֲיָילִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין), over those worlds that Kudsha Berikh Hu prepared for him above (עַל אִלֵּין עָלְמִין דְּתַקִּין לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעִילָא), and they accept him upon themselves in awe and in love of their Master (וּמְקַבְּלִין לֵיהּ עֲלַיְיהוּ בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ דְמָארֵיהוֹן). And at the time when a man engages in Orayta, which is light (וּבְזִמְנָא דְבַר נַשׁ אִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְאִיהוּ אוֹר), and in the commandment, which is a lamp (וּבְמִצְוָה דְאִיהוּ נֵר), it is as though there shines a pillar of cloud by day before Hashem (כְּאִלּוּ נָהִיר עַמּוּדָא דְעַנָּנָא בִימָמָא קֳדָם יהו״ה), and a pillar of fire by night (וְעַמּוּדָא דְאֵשָׁתָא בְּלֵילְיָא). So in this likeness, when he goes to that world (הָכִי כְּגַוְונָא דָא כַד אָזִיל לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא), what is written of him (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ): “And Hashem went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light” (Exodus 13) (וַיהו״ה הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן לַנְחוֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ, וְלַיְלָה בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ לְהָאִיר לָהֶם). For whom? For his Neshama and Ruach and Nefesh (לְמָאן לַנְּשָׁמָה וְרוּחָא וְנַפְשָׁא דִילֵיהּ), which correspond to Kohen, Levi, and Yisrael (דְּאִינוּן לָקֳבֵל כֹּהֵן לֵוִי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And all is by the merit of Orayta, which is light and lamp (וְכֹלָּא בִזְכוּ דְאוֹרַיְיתָא דְאִיהִי אוֹר וְנֵר). And whoever keeps Shabbat and honors it and delights in it for the sake of the glory of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְכָל מָאן דְּנָטִיר שַׁבָּת וְאוֹקִיר לֵיהּ וּמְעַנֵּג לֵיהּ בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), so Kudsha Berikh Hu gives him a place above in rest, without toil in it (הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב לֵיהּ אֲתַר לְעִילָא בִּנְיָיחָא דְלָא טָרַח בֵּיהּ), and there he rests from all the toil of this world in which he labored through many incarnations and deeds (וְנָח תַּמָּן מִכָּל טִרְחָא דְהַאי עָלְמָא דְטָרַח בְּכַמָּה גִלְגּוּלִין וְעוֹבָדִין).

My son, come and see (בְּרִי תָּא חֲזִי): all these commandments are dependent upon the image of the King (כָּל פִּקּוּדִין אִלֵּין תַּלְיָין בְּדִיּוֹקְנָא דְמַלְכָּא). And there are commandments that are for the sake of receiving reward (וְאִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּאִינוּן עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס), and they depend on the image of that Youth above (וְתַלְיָין מִדִּיּוֹקְנָא דְהַהוּא נַעַר דִּלְעִילָא). And it is necessary to explain all the commandments that are in the image of the King (וְצָרִיךְ לְפָרְשָׁא כָּל פִּקּוּדִין דְּאִינוּן בְּדִיּוֹקְנָא דְמַלְכָּא).

There are those that depend on the head (אִית אֵלֵּין דְּתַלְיָין מֵרֵישָׁא), and there are those that depend on the eyes (וְאִית וְאֵלֵּין דְּתַלְיָין בְּעַיְינִין), and many supernal angels and camps that are called the eyes of Hashem are appointed over them (וְכַמָּה מַלְאָכִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין דְּאִינוּן עִינֵי יהו״ה מְמַנָּן עֲלַיְיהוּ). And there are commandments that depend on the ears (וְאִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּתַלְיָין מִן אוּדְנִין), and many angels that are called the ears of Hashem are appointed over them (וְכַמָּה מַלְאָכִין דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ אָזְנֵי יהו״ה מְמַנָּן עֲלַיְיהוּ). And there are commandments that depend on the face (וְאִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּתַלְיָין מֵאַנְפִּין), and many angels that are called the face of Hashem are appointed over them (וְכַמָּה מַלְאָכִין דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ פְּנֵי יהו״ה מְמַנָּן עֲלַיְיהוּ), as it is said of them: “And each one had four faces” (Ezekiel 1) (דְאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן וְאַרְבָּעָה פָנִים לְאֶחָד). And there are commandments that depend on the nose (וְאִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּתַלְיָין מֵחוֹטָמָא), and many angels of whom it is said: “He makes His angels winds” (Psalms 104) (וְכַמָּה מַלְאָכִין דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן עוֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת) are appointed over them (מְמַנָּן עֲלַיְיהוּ). And there are commandments that depend on the mouth (וְאִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּתַלְיָין מִפִּימָא), and many angels are appointed over the voices of the Orayta and over the words (וְכַמָּה מַלְאָכִים דִּמְמַנָּן עַל קָלִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְעַל דִּבּוּרִין), as it is said of them: “For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter” (Ecclesiastes 10) (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן כִּי עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם יוֹלִיךְ אֶת הַקּוֹל וּבַעַל כְּנָפַיִם יַגִּיד דָּבָר). And there are commandments that depend on the hands of the King (וְאִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּתַלְיָין מִידוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא), and many angels are appointed over them that are called hands (וְכַמָּה מַלְאָכִין מְמַנָּן עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ יְדַיִן). This is that which is written: “And the hands of a man were under their wings” (Ezekiel 1) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וִידֵי אָדָם מִתַּחַת כַּנְפֵיהֶם). And there are commandments that depend on the body, like clusters of grapes (וְאִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּתַלְיָין מִגּוּפָא כְּעִנְּבִין דְּאַתְכָּלָא).

Rabbi El'azar said to him: Father (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אַבָּא), but above it has already been established that there is no body and no corporeality (וְהָא לְעִילָא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ דְּלֵית גּוּף וְלֵית גְּוִיָּה). He said to him: My son (אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּרִי), for the World to Come it is said that it is the supernal Imma (לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי אִתְּמַר דְּאִיהִי אִימָּא עִלָּאָה). But below, there is a body in this world, which is the lower Shekhinta (אֲבָל לְתַתָּא אִית גּוּפָא בְעָלְמָא דֵין דְּאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה). And the body is Orayta (וְגוּפָא אִיהִי אוֹרַיְיתָא), from which all the commandments depend (דְמִינָהּ תַּלְיָין כָּל פִּקּוּדִין). And there are commandments that depend on the sign of the covenant (וְאִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּתַלְיָין מֵאוֹת בְּרִית), and many angels are appointed over them that are called masters of signs (וְכַמָּה מַלְאָכִין מְמַנָּן עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ מָארֵי דְאוֹתוֹת), as it is said of them: “And they shall be for signs” (Bereshit 1) (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן וְהָיוּ לְאוֹתוֹת). And of them it is said to Moshe: “And this shall be the sign for you” (Exodus 3) (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר לְמֹשֶׁה וְזֶה לְּךָ הָאוֹת). And this is the sign over which all the hosts of the heavens are appointed (וְהַאי אִיהוּ אוֹת דְּכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם מְמַנָּן עֲלֵיהּ). And there are commandments that depend on the legs (וְאִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּתַלְיָין בְּרַגְלִין), and many angels are appointed over them (וְכַמָּה מַלְאָכִין מְמַנָּן עֲלַיְיהוּ), as it is said of them: “And the living creatures ran and returned” (Ezekiel 1) (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב), and it is said of them: “And their legs were a straight leg” (Ezekiel 1) (וְאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן וְרַגְלֵיהֶם רֶגֶל יְשָׁרָה).

So all of them depend on the body (וְהָכִי תַלְיָין כֻּלְּהוּ מִגּוּפָא), on the hair that depends from the head (בְּשַׂעֲרָא דְתַלְיָא מֵרֵישָׁא), and each and every strand is seen to be an angel that depends from the head (וְכָל נִימָא וְנִימָא אַחֲזֵי דְאִיהוּ מַלְאָךְ דְּתַלְיָא מֵרֵישָׁא). And whoever transgresses a commandment, it is as if he transgresses against the image of the King (וְכָל מָאן דְּפָשַׁע בְּפִקּוּדָא, כְּאִלּוּ פָשַׁע בְּדִיּוֹקְנָא דְמַלְכָּא). Happy is the Neshama that is in the image of its Master (זַכָּאָה נִשְׁמָתָא דְאִיהִי בְּדִיּוֹקְנָא דְמָארֵיהּ), that fulfills these commandments, from which all these angels depend (דִּמְקַיֵּים פִּקּוּדִין אִלֵּין, דְּמִינָהּ תַּלְיָין כָּל מַלְאָכִין אִלֵּין). They are called the eyes of Hashem and the ears of Hashem (דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ עִינֵי יהו״ה אָזְנֵי יהו״ה), and all the arrangements and hosts and camps of the body above (וְכָל תִּקּוּנִין וַחֲיָילִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין דְּגוּפָא דִלְעִילָא). And when the Neshama ascends, all these hosts ascend with it (וְכַד סָלְקַת נִשְׁמָתָא כָּל אִלֵּין חֲיָילִין סָלְקִין עִמָּהּ). And when it descends, all these hosts descend with it (וְכַד נָחֲתָא כָּל אִלֵּין חֲיָילִין נָחֲתִין עִמָּהּ). It is the ladder (אִיהִי סֻלָּם), and behold, the angels of Elohim “were ascending and descending on it” (Bereshit 28) (וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים סָלְקִין וְנָחֲתִין בָּהּ), truly on it (בָּהּ מַמָּשׁ). And when it ascends, a voice descends in the heights of the heavens to all the hosts and camps (וְכַד סָלְקָא, קָלָא נָחִית בְּרוּמֵי רְקִיעִין לְכָל חֲיָילִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין): “Give glory to the image of the King” (הָבוּ יְקָרָא לְדִיּוֹקְנָא דְמַלְכָּא).