Daf 59b (דַּף נ״ט ע״ב)

And those whose deeds are like cattle of the field, who eat without prayers (וְאִלֵּין דְּעוֹבְדַיְיהוּ כִּבְעִירָן דְּחַקְלָא דְאָכְלִין בְּלָא צְלוֹתִין), their death shall be like cattle of the field (מִיתַתְהוֹן יְהֵא כִּבְעִירָן דְּחַקְלָא), and the Angel of Death slaughters them measure for measure (וְשָׁחִיט לוֹן מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוְת מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה). And not only this, but with a blemished knife he slaughters them (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא בְּסַכִּין פָּגוּם קָא שָׁחִיט לוֹן), and they are called neveilah (וְאִתְקְרִיאוּ נְבֵלָה). And about them it is said: “Your dead shall live, my dead bodies shall arise” (Isaiah 26) (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר נְבֵלָתִי יְקוּמוּן).

What is blemished knife? This is Samael, another god (מַאי סַכִּין פָּגוּם דָּא סמא''ל אֵל אַחֵר). Blemished knife indeed it is called (סַכִּין פָּגוּם וַדַּאי אִתְקְרֵי), and it is blemish, the poison of death, torn flesh, and a carcass (וְאִיהִי פְּגִימָה סַם הַמָּוֶת, טְרֵיפָה וּנְבֵלָה). And since they were given into their hand, they have already received their punishment (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְיְיהִיבוּ בִידֵיהוֹן כְּבָר קַבִּילוּ עָנְשַׁיְהוּ), and because of this “My dead bodies shall arise” (וּבְגִין דָּא נְבֵלָתִי יְקוּמוּן). And all the sinews of the poison of death are her legs (וְכָל סִירְכָאן דְּסַם הַמָּוֶת אִינוּן רַגְלִין דִּילָהּ), and about them it is said: “Her feet go down to death, etc.” (Proverbs 5) (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת וְגוֹמֵר). And these are eighteen sinews (וְאִינוּן חַ''י סִרְכוֹת). Of them it is written: “And I will not again curse any more every living thing, as I have done” (Bereshit 8) (עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב וְלֹא אוֹסִיף עוֹד לְהַכּוֹת אֶת כָּל חַ״י כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי), for those who pray eighteen blessings of prayers (לְאִינוּן דִּמְצַלִּין חַ״י בִּרְכָאָן דִּצְלוֹתִין). And who causes the blood of impurity to prevail? He who empties the waters of the seed of the covenant of circumcision in niddah, maidservant, gentile, or harlot (וּמָאן גרים דמי טופנא מתגברין, מאן דאריק מיא דזרע ברית מילה בנדה שפחה גויה זונה). And forever the rose, in every place where tereifah is attached, it does not live (וּלְעוֹלָם וַורְדָּא בְכָל אֲתַר דְּתִתְסָרֵךְ טְרֵפָה וְאֵינָה חַיָּה), for in every place where it is attached in a man with her sins, it kills (דִבְכָל אֲתַר דְּתִתְסָרֵךְ בְּבַר נַשׁ בְּחוֹבִין דִּילָהּ קְטִילַת).

And further, the Shekhinta is the commandment of gathering the fish of the sea of the Orayta (וְעוֹד שְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי מִצְוַת אֲסִיפַת נוּנִי יַמָּא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא), of which it is said: “Fish and locusts require no slaughter” (דְאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן דָּגִים וַחֲגָבִים אֵינָן טְעוּנִין שְׁחִיטָה). And these are the students of the house of study who multiply in the sea of the Orayta (וְאִינוּן תַּלְמִידֵי דְבֵי רַב דְּמִתְרַבִּין בְּיַמָּא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא). Of them it is said: “Their gathering permits them” (דַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר אֲסִיפָתָן הִיא הַמַּתֶּרֶת אוֹתָן). This is what is written: “Shall flocks and herds be slain for them, or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered for them?” (Numbers 11) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב יֵאָסֵף לָהֶם וּמָצָא לָהֶם), which permits them from slaughter indeed (הִיא הַמַּתֶּרֶת אוֹתָם מִשְּׁחִיטָה וַדַּאי). And the atonements of the Shekhinta are the covering of the blood of wild beast or bird (וְגַדְפוֹי דִשְׁכִינְתָּא אִינוּן כִּסּוּי דַם חַיָּה אוֹ עוֹף), which are the wings of the dove (דְּאִינוּן כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה). And these are the wings of the commandment (וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן כַּנְפֵי מִצְוָה), which cover over their blood (דִמְכַסְּיָן עַל דְּמֵיהוֹן), so that the dogs do not rule over them, who are impudent (דְּלָא שָׁלְטִין עֲלַיְהוּ כַּלְבִּין דְּאִנּוּן חֲצִיפִין), who are angels of destruction (דְּאִינוּן מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה). And so that the masters of sins are not made known in them (וּדְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן בְּהוֹן מָארֵי חוֹבִין).

Thus: “For the blood is the soul” (Leviticus 17) (הֲרֵי הָכִי הַדָּם הוּא הַנֶּפֶשׁ). And the dust that covers over it alludes to: “And He will atone for His land and His people” (Deuteronomy 32) (וְעַפְרָא דִמְכַסְּיָא עָלָיו רָמִיז וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ עַמּוֹ). And further, the Shekhinta is the examination of the signs of an animal or bird (וְעוֹד שְׁכִינְתָּא אִיהִי בְּדִיקַת סִימָנֵי חַיָּה אוֹ עוֹף), from among human beings who are similar to wild beasts and domesticated animals and birds (מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּדַמְיָין לְחֵיוָן וּבְעִירָן וְעוֹפִין), about them it is said: “And you shall slaughter in this” (I Samuel 14) (דַּעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר וּשְׁחַטְתֶּם בָּזֶה), to examine like this (בְּדוֹק כְּמוֹ זֶה), for they bear crushing blows (דְּאִינוּן סָבְלִין מַכְתָּשִׁין), as it is established: “For Your sake we are killed all the day” (Psalms 44) (כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהוּ כִּי עָלֶיךָ הוֹרַגְנוּ כָל הַיּוֹם), and every day they do not abandon prayer (וּבְכָל יוֹמָא לָא מַנִּיחִין צְלוֹתִין), and the Kudsha Berikh Hu examines them with many blows (וּבָדִיק לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּכַמָּה מַכְתְּשִׁין), and they say to one another in their prayers (וְאָמְרִין זֶה לָזֶה בִּצְלוֹתִין), the Kudsha Berikh Hu has redeemed us from the judgment of the domesticated animals and wild beasts of the earth (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פָּרִיק לָן מִדִּינָא דִבְעִירָן וְחֵיוָן דְּאַרְעָא), and He has brought us to have a portion with the angels (וְאַעִיל לָן לְמֶהֱוֵי לָן חוּלָקָא בְּמַלְאָכַיָּא), who are the holy living creatures (דְאִינוּן חַיּוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ), who call one to another and say “Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh” (דְּקָרָאן זֶה לָזֶה וְאָמְרִין קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ), this is the “Holy” (דָּא אִיהוּ (קדוש)), through which is sanctified the Name of the Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל יְדֵיהּ), and he shall have a portion in it (וִיהֵא לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בֵּיהּ). And further: “And you shall slaughter in this” - this is Aleph-Dalet-Nun-Yod (וְעוֹד וּשְׁחַטְתֶּם בָּזֶה דָּא אל״ף דל״ת נו״ן יו״ד), in which the Kudsha Berikh Hu judges all damages (דְּבֵיהּ דָּן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּל נְזִיקִין), and concerning all those who kill one another (וְעַל כָּל אִלֵּין דְּקָטְלִין חַד לְחַבְרֵיהּ), and concerning all those who steal, Hashem judges (וְעַל כָּל אִלֵּין דְּגָזְלִין יהו״ה אִיהוּ דָן), who is enclothed in Tohu VaVohu and darkness and abyss (דְּאִתְלַבַּשׁ בְּתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ וּתְהוֹם), and He judges in them the four deaths of the earthly court (וְדָן בְּהוֹן אַרְבַּע מִיתוֹת בֵּית דִּין). And behold, all has been established in the letters (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהוּ כֻּלְּהוּ בְּאַתְוָון): Yod is a coal (י׳ גַּחֶלֶת), Vav is a flame (ו׳ שַׁלְהוֹבָא), Heh–Heh are colors and lights of fire - this is burning (ה״ה גַּוָּונִין וּנְהוֹרִין דְּנוּרָא דָּא אִיהוּ שְׂרֵפָה), for it is written: “For Hashem your Elohim is a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4) (כִּי יהו״ה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אוֹכְלָה הוּא). Stoning is in three stones: Yod Yod Yod (סְקִילָה בִּתְלַת אַבְנִין י׳ י׳ י׳), and these are Hashem twenty-six (וְאִינוּן יהו״ה כ״ו), and four letters of Yod Yod Yod (וְד׳ אַתְוָון י׳ י׳ י׳). Slaughtering by the sword: Yod is the head of the sword (הֶרֶג בְּחַרְבָּא, י׳ רֵישָׁא דְחַרְבָּא), Vav the body of the sword (ו׳ גּוּפָא דְחַרְבָּא), Heh–Heh its two edges (ה״ה תְּרֵין פִּפִיּוֹת דִּילָהּ).

Strangulation: Vav, some say Gimel (חֶנֶק ו׳ (ס״א ג׳)), is made as a cord in this manner, like the sign of Zarka (אִתְעֲבִיד חוּט כְּגַוְונָא דָא זַרְקָא), and upon it Yod of the knot, in the cord, to be bound upon the neck (וַעֲלָהּ י׳ דְּעִזְקָא בְחוּטָא לְמֶהֱוֵי כְּרִיךְ לָהּ עַל צַוָּאר). And the secret of the matter: “Our father died in the wilderness” (Numbers 27) (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה אָבִינוּ מֵת בַּמִּדְבָּר), circling and going - these are Heh–Heh, one encircles it and one goes until they strangle him (מַקַּ״ף וְהוֹלֵ״ךְ אִינוּן ה״ה, חַד מַקַּף לֵיהּ וְחַד הוֹלֵךְ, עַד דְּחָנְקִין לֵיהּ). And because of this the Kudsha Berikh Hu said: “See now that I, I am He; I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal, and none can rescue from My hand” (Deuteronomy 32) (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא, אֲנִי אָמִית וַאֲחַיֶּה, מָחַצְתִּי וַאֲנִי אֶרְפָּא וְאֵין מִיָּדִי מַצִּיל). And Vav is a tree, high fifty cubits - this is the Heh that rises by Yod to fifty (ו׳ עִץ, גָּבוֹהַּ חֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה דָּא ה׳ דִּסְלִיקַת בְּי׳ לְחַמְשִׁין), Zarka is the line of strangulation in three letters (זַרְקָא קַו דַּחֲנִיקַת בִּתְלַת אַתְוָון). The lower Shekhinta, she is the one who judges the four deaths of the earthly court (דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה אִיהִי דָן אַרְבַּע מִיתוֹת בֵּית דִּין), she is strangulation for the guilty, and she kills them, with burning and stoning (אִיהִי חֲנִיקַת לְחַיָּיבַיָּא, וְהָרַג לוֹן, בִּשְׂרֵפָה וּסְקִילָה). And because of this: “See now that I, I am He” - this is what is written: “And I will also chastise you” (Leviticus 26) (וּבְגִין דָּא רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְיִסַּרְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אַף אָנִי וְגוֹמֵר). And just as, through His Name, He kills one who transgresses the penalties of Karet [spiritual excision] and the court-imposed death penalties of the Orayta (וּכְמָה דְבִשְׁמֵיהּ קָטִיל לְמָאן דְּאַעֲבַר עַל כְּרִיתוֹת וּמִיתוֹת בֵּית דִּין דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), so too He heals and gives life, through His Name, to one who fulfills them (הָכִי מַסֵּי וּמְחַיֶה בִּשְׁמֵיהּ לְמָאן דִּמְקַיֵּים לוֹן).