Daf 136b (דַּף קל״ו ע״ב)

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “In the beginning Elohim created” - this is the Neshama (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים דָּא נִשְׁמָתָא). When it comes forth from the womb of its mother it is said of it (Bereshit 1) (כַּד נָפִיק מִמְּעִי אִמֵּיהּ אִתְּמַר בָּהּ): “And the earth was without form and void, and darkness upon the face of the deep” (וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם), for its eyes are closed (דְּנָפִיק עִינוֹי סְתִימִין). It opens its eyes immediately (אַפְתַּח עִינוֹי מִיָּד): “And Elohim said: Let there be light, and there was light” (Bereshit 1) (וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר). After the Neshama is gathered from this world (בָּתַר דְּאִתְכַּנִּישׁ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ), what is written about it (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ): “And Elohim said: Let the waters be gathered together under the heavens to one place, and let the dry land appear” (Bereshit 1) (וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד וְתֵרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה). When the Neshama departs from him, the body is left dry (כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתַּלְקַת נִשְׁמָתָא מִנֵּיהּ גּוּפָא אִשְׁתָּאֳרַת יְבֵשָׁה).

She said to them, Rabbis (אָמְרַת לוֹן רַבָּנָן), these words are not except from that world (מִלִּין אִלֵּין לַאו אִינוּן אֶלָּא מֵהַהוּא עָלְמָא). She went to that lamp that she had as a sign (אָזְלַת לְהַהוּא שְׁרַגָּא דַהֲוָה לָהּ סִימָנָא בֵּיהּ). For when Rabbi Keruspedai was alive the lamp would move and shine with many lights sparkling (דְּכַד רַבִּי כְּרוּסְפְּדָאי הֲוָה חַי הֲוָה שְׁרַגָּא מִתְנַעִנְעָא וְנַהֲרָא בְּכַמָּה נְהוֹרִין מְרַקְמָן). She saw that the light had darkened (חֲזִתָּהּ לִנְהוֹרָא דְאִתְחַשְׁכַת).

Immediately she said (מִיָּד אָמְרַת): Rabbis, Rabbis, a loss has been lost to me (רַבָּנָן רַבָּנָן אֲבֵדָה קָא אִתְאֲבִידַת לִי). And I wish to go to search for it (וַאֲנָא בָּעִינָא לְמֵיזַל לְפַשְׁפְּשָׁא בְגִינָהּ). They said: surely now it has been revealed to her (אָמְרוּ וַדַּאי הָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעַאת לָהּ). They went on their way (אֲזַלוּ לְאָרְחַיְיהוּ). And she went out to the place of the travelers (וְאִיהִי נָפְקַת לְפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין), and she found a female dove (וְאַשְׁכַּחַת יוֹנָה נוּקְבָא). She said to her, Dove, Dove, you who were a faithful emissary to your Master (אָמְרַת לָהּ יוֹנָה יוֹנָה אַנְתְּ דַּהֲוַת שְׁלִיחָא מְהֵימְנָא לְמָארָךְ). This is what is written (Bereshit 8) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And he sent the dove from him” (וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת הַיּוֹנָה מֵאִתּוֹ). And it is said of you (Bereshit 8) (וְאִתְּמַר בָּךְ): “And the dove came to him at evening time” (וַתָּשָׁב אֵלָיו הַיּוֹנָה לְעֵת עֶרֶב). You returned to him in your mission (תָּבַת לֵיהּ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָהּ). I adjure you by that holy dove (בְּאוֹמָאָה עֲלָךְ בְּהַהִיא יוֹנָה קַדִּישָׁא), that you go in my mission (דְתֵיזִיל בִּשְׁלִיחוּת דִּילִי), and find out whether my son is alive or dead (וְתֵדַע אִי בְּרִי חַי אוֹ מֵת). Immediately at evening time she returned in her mission (מִיָּד לְעִידָּן רַמְשָׁא חָזְרָה בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָהּ), just as she returned to Noah at evening time (דְּהָכִי חָזְרַת לְנֹחַ לְעֵת עֶרֶב). This is what is written: “And the dove came to him at evening time” (Bereshit 8) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַתָּבֹא אֵלָיו הַיּוֹנָה לְעֵת עֶרֶב). And she was fluttering her wings (וַהֲוַת מְמַרְטַת גַּדְפָהָא), and digging a hollow (וְחָפְרַת כּוּכָא). Immediately she gave a voice and was gathered to that world (מִיָּד יְהִבַת קָלָא וְאִתְכַּנְשַׁת לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא).

Afterwards, when Rabbi Shimon and his friends were walking on the way (לְבָתַר דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלִין בְּאָרְחָא רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְחַבְרוֹי), they asked him (שְׁאִילוּ לֵיהּ): Why is it that when an infant comes forth from the womb of its mother, its eyes are closed (אַמַּאי כַּד נָפִיק יְנוּקָא מִמְּעִי אִמֵּיהּ אִיהוּ עִינוֹי סְתִימִין)? He said to them (אָמַר לון): Surely this is the secret (וַדַּאי דָּא אִיהוּ רָזָא): “And his eyes were dim from seeing” (Bereshit 27) (וַתִּכְהֶיןָ עֵינָיו מֵרְאוֹת). With those visions that it was shown in the womb of its mother so many lights (בְּאִלֵּין מַרְאוֹת דְּאַחְזִיאוּ לֵיהּ בִּמְעִי אִמֵּיהּ כַּמָּה נְהוֹרִין), as Ezekiel saw in the Merkava (כְּמָה דְחָמָא יְחֶזְקֵאל בְּמֶרְכָּבָה). To every infant it is shown according to its level (לְכָל יְנוּקָא אַחְזְיָין לֵיהּ כְּפוּם דַּרְגֵּיהּ), it is shown from that place which is its Neshama (אַחְזְיָין לֵיהּ מֵאֲתַר דְּאִיהוּ נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ). If he engages in Orayta and in the commandments (דְּאִי יִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וּבְפִקּוּדִין), that place from which his Neshama was taken is illuminated (דְּיַנְהִיר הַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְנְטִילַת נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ), with many Neshamot (בְּכַמָּה נִשְׁמָתִין).