Daf 98b (דַּף צ״ח ע״ב)

Meanwhile, behold, an old man appeared to him (אַדְהָכִי הָא סָבָא חַד אִזְדַּמַּן לֵיהּ), and he said: Rabbi, Rabbi, behold I have seen the verse that is said in the Orayta (וְאָמַר רַבִּי רַבִּי, הָא חֲזֵינָא קְרָא דְּאָמַר בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא): “A man when he dies in a tent” (אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל) (Numbers 19:14). And behold, the Orayta was before the world was created (וְהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא קֳדָם דְּאִתְבְּרִי עָלְמָא הֲוַת), and I have seen that the world preceded man (וַחֲזֵינָא דְעָלְמָא אַקְדִּים לְאָדָם), for the whole world and its necessities were created before man was created (דְּכָל עָלְמָא וְצָרְכוֹי אִתְבְּרִיאוּ קֳדָם דְּאִתְבְּרִי אָדָם). If so, what rectification is here (אִי הָכִי מַאי תַּקַּנְתָּא אִית הָכָא)?

Sava said to him: Behold it is written that the souls of the Righteous were created before the world was created (אָמַר לֵיהּ סָבָא וְהָא כְּתִיב דְּנִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ קֳדָם דְּאִתְבְּרִי עָלְמָא), as you say: “Bereshit created Elohim” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים) (Bereshit 1:1). And there is no “beginning” except Neshama (וְלֵית רֵאשִׁית אֶלָּא נְשָׁמָה), as it is said of it: “The lamp of Hashem is the soul of man” (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ נֵר יְהו״ה נִשְׁמַת אָדָם) (Proverbs 20:27). This is the Neshama of the supernal Adam (אִיהִי נִשְׁמָתָא דְאָדָם דִּלְעִילָא). But there is Adam and Adam (אֶלָּא אִית אָדָם וְאִית אָדָם): there is Adam who is the Adam of the Neshama (אִית אָדָם דְּאִיהוּ אָדָם דְּנִשְׁמָתָא), and there is Adam who is the Adam of the body (וְאִית אָדָם דְּגוּפָא), as it is said of him: “Adam is like vanity” (דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אָדָם לַהֶבֶל דָּמָה) (Psalms 144:4). And of him it is said: “A man when he dies in a tent” (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל) (Numbers 19:14). And of him it is said: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm” (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר אָרוּר הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בָּאָדָם וְשָׂם בָּשָׂר זְרוֹעוֹ) (Jeremiah 17:5). And this is Samael, 'A Worthless Man' (Adam Belial), a man of iniquity (וְדָא סמא״ל אָדָם בְּלִיַּעַל אִישׁ אָוֶן). And he has two evil females (וְאִית לֵיהּ תְּרֵין נוּקְבִין בִּישִׁין). And concerning them it is said: “He shall not come near any dead soul; for his father or his mother he shall not defile himself” (וַעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמַר עַל כָּל נַפְשׁוֹת מֵת לֹא יָבֹא, לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לֹא יִטַּמָּא) (Leviticus 21:11). And there is no “his father” except Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְלֵית אָבִיו אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and there is no “his mother” except the Shekhinta (וְלֵית אִמּוֹ אֶלָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). And is it not said of Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta: “Behold, My word is like fire, says Hashem” (וְכִי לָא אִתְּמַר בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּבִשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ הֲלֹא כֹה דְבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם יְהו״ה) (Jeremiah 23:29)? Just as fire does not receive defilement, so they do not receive defilement (מָה אֵשׁ אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה הָכִי אִיהוּ לָא מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה).

He said to him: But behold, it is written: “He has defiled the sanctuary of Hashem” (אָמַר לֵיהּ וְהָא כְּתִיב אֶת מִקְדַּשׁ יְהו״ה טִמֵּא) (Numbers 19:20). And this is His Shekhinta (וְדָא שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ). He said to him: Surely Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta do not receive defilement (אָמַר לֵיהּ וַדַּאי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ לָא מְקַבֵּל טוּמְאָה). But whoever defiles the place where She rests, it is considered for him as if he did it to them (אֲבָל כָּל מָאן דְּסָאִיב אֲתַר דְּאִיהִי שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ, אִתְחֲשִׁיב לֵיהּ כְּאִלּוּ עָבִיד לֵיהּ). And because of this: “For his father or for his mother he shall not defile himself” (וּבְגִין דָּא לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לֹא יִטַּמָּא). And there is no “his father” except Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְלֵית אָבִיו אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and there is no “his mother” except Shekhinta (וְלֵית אִמּוֹ אֶלָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). And this is the secret: one who brings from the domain of the many into the domain of the one (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא מָאן דְּאַעִיל מֵרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים לִרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד). And because of this it is said: “And you shall not profane My holy Name” (וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר וְלֹא תְחַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי) (Leviticus 22:32). And this is Adonai (וְדָא אֲדנ״י), which is the domain of the one, which is Hashem, the unique One of the world (דְּאִיהוּ רְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד דְּאִיהוּ יְהו״ה יְחִידוֹ דְעָלְמָא). And this is Adam (וְדָא אִיהוּ אָדָם). (Some say: Because of this-“For his father or for his mother he shall not defile himself”-and this is the secret, one who brings from the domain of the many into the domain of the one, and because of this it is said) (וּבְגִין דָּא לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לֹא יִטַּמָּא, וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא מָאן דְּאַעִיל מֵרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים לִרְשׁוּת הַיָּחִיד, וּבְגִין דָּא אָמַר). “A man when he dies in a tent” (אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל) (Numbers 19:14)-this is 'A Worthless Man' (Adam Belial) (דָּא אָדָם בְּלִיַּעַל). And from this side a wicked man is called dead from the very beginning, before the world was created (וּמִסִּטְרָא דָא בַּר נַשׁ רָשָׁע קָרוּי מֵת מֵעִיקָרָא מִקַּמֵּי דְאִתְבְּרִי עָלְמָא). But it is not said about the Adam who is from the side of holiness (אֲבָל לָא אִתְּמַר עַל אָדָם דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְקוּדְשָׁא).

And how many are the foolish in the world who say: Behold, Kudsha Berikh Hu decreed upon man that he should die (וְכַמָּה טִפְּשִׁין אִינוּן בְּעָלְמָא דְאָמְרִין הָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָזַר עַל בַּר נַשׁ דְּיָמוּת). This is what is written: “A man when he dies” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת). And how can they say that death is not from him (וְאֵיךְ אָמְרִין דְּלָא יְהֵא מִיתָה מִינֵיהּ)? Woe to them, it would have been better for them not to have been created in the world (וַי לוֹן דְּטַב לוֹן דְּלָא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ בְעָלְמָא). For these are they who make equal, making equal Adam who is called Yisrael with Adam Belial (דְּאִלֵּין אִינוּן דְּשַׁוְיָן לוֹן, שַׁוְיָן לְאָדָם דְּאִתְקְרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְאָדָם בְּלִיַּעַל). And they say: Like Adam, the good and the sinner, all are equal (וְאָמְרִין כְּאָדָם טוֹב כַּחוֹטֵא כּוּלְהוֹן שָׁוִין). They shall be like chaff before the wind-these guilty ones who say thus (יִהְיוּ כְמוֹץ לִפְנֵי רוּחַ אִלֵּין חַיָּיבַיָּא דְאָמְרֵי הָכִי). And the angel of Hashem drives them away (וּמַלְאַךְ יְהו״ה דּוֹחֶה מִנַּיְיהוּ). For there is Adam who is Yisrael (דְּאִית אָדָם דְּאִיהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), and there is Adam who is an angel, and this is Metatron (וְאִית אָדָם דְּאִיהוּ מַלְאָךְ וְדָא מֶטַטְרוֹ״ן). And there is Adam in the likeness of Kudsha Berikh Hu, which is His Atzilut (וְאִית אָדָם בְּדִיּוֹקְנָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְאִיהוּ אֲצִילוּתֵיהּ). And this is Yod–Heh–Vav–Heh (וְדָא יו״ד ה״א וא״ו ה״א). And He has no Beri’ah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, but only Atzilut (וְלֵית לֵיהּ בְּרִיאָה וִיצִירָה וַעֲשִׂיָּה אֶלָּא אֲצִילוּתָא). And in that place there is no sin and no death (וּבַאֲתַר דָּא לֵית חֵטְא וְלָא מָוְת). This is what is written: “Evil shall not dwell with You” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע) (Psalms 5:5).

And concerning this Adam Belial, Kudsha Berikh Hu decreed that one must not eat from him and not mix him with good (וְעַל הַאי אָדָם בְּלִיַּעַל מַנִּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְלָא לְמֵיכַל מִנֵּיהּ, וּדְלָא לְעָרְבָא לֵיהּ עִם טוֹב). For this is like one who mixes silver with lead (דְּהַאי אִיהוּ כְּמָאן דְּעָרֵיב כַּסְפָּא עִם עוֹפָרֶת). And this causes confusion in the supernal camp (וְדָא גָרִים בִּלְבּוּלָא בְּפַמַּלְיָא דִלְעִילָא), and mixes darkness with light, that which Kudsha Berikh Hu separated (וְעָרַב חֲשׁוֹכָא בִנְהוֹרָא מַה דְּאַפְרִישׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as you say: “And Elohim separated between the light and between the darkness” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ) (Bereshit 1:4). And not only this, but whoever brings forth his seed into a nidah, or a maidservant, or a gentile woman, or a harlot (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא מָאן דְּאַעִיל זַרְעִיהּ בַּנִּדָּה אוֹ שִׁפְחָה אוֹ גוֹיָה אוֹ זוֹנָה), it is as if he mixes that which Kudsha Berikh Hu separated (כְּאִלּוּ מְעָרֵב מַה דְּאַפְרִישׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). As it is written: “And it shall separate between waters and waters” (דִכְתִיב וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם) (Bereshit 1:6). These are the waters of nidah and the waters of purity (דְּאִינוּן מֵי נִדָּה לְמֵי דַכְיָא): this one is forbidden and this one is permitted (דְּדָא אָסוּר וְדָא מוּתָּר), this one is kosher and this one is invalid (וְדָא כָּשֵׁר וְדָא פָסוּל), this one is defilement and this one is purity (דָּא טוּמְאָה וְדָא טַהֲרָה). These are the six orders that were given (אִלֵּין אִינוּן שִׁית סִדְרִין דְּאִתְיְהִיבַת), in them Mishnah (בְּהוֹן מִשְׁנָה) [Some say: to Moshe] (ס״א לְמשֶׁה), to separate between good and evil (לְאַפְרָשָׁא בֵּין טוֹב לָרָע). For Adam mixed them and the generations that came after him (דְּעָרַב לוֹן אָדָם וְדָרִין דְּאָתוּ אַבַּתְרֵיהּ).

The Sixty-Eighth Tikkun

תִּקּוּנָא תְּמָנְיָא וּשְׁתִּין

Bereshit bara Elohim (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים). What is Elohim (מַאי אֱלֹהִים)? “The flaming sword that turns to guard the way to the Tree of Life” (לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת לִשְׁמוֹר אֶת דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים) (Bereshit 3:24). Surely the staff of Elohim (מַטֵּה הָאֱלֹהִים וַדַּאי). And this is Metatron (וְדָא מֶטַטְרוֹ״ן). And behold, we have established that he is turned from judgment to mercy (וְהָא אוּקִימְנָא לֵיהּ דְּאִתְהַפַּךְ מִדִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי). And in him were transformed (וּבֵיהּ אִשְׁתַּנִּיּוּ) [Some say: were found (נ״א אִשְׁתַּכְחוּ)] all forms that do not resemble one another (כָּל דִּיּוֹקְנִין דְּלָא דָמוּ דָא לְדָא). When he turned from right to left, he showed the face of an ox (כַּד אִתְהַפַּךְ מִימִינָא לִשְׂמָאלָא אַחֲזֵי פַּרְצוּפָא דְשׁוֹר). And when he turned from left to right, he showed the face of a lion (וְכַד אִתְהַפַּךְ מִשְּׂמָאלָא לִימִינָא אַחֲזֵי פַּרְצוּפָא דְאַרְיֵה). And when he turned from both sides to the west, he turned his face and became an eagle (וְכַד אִתְהַפַּךְ מִתַּרְוַיְיהוּ לְמַעֲרָב אַחְזִיר אַנְפּוֹי וְאִתְהַפַּךְ לְנֶשֶׁר) [Some say: to man (נ״א לְאָדָם)]. And when he turned from both sides to the east, which is in the middle, he became man (וְכַד אִתְהַפַּךְ מִתַּרְוַיְיהוּ לְמִזְרָח דְּאִיהוּ בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא אִתְהַפַּךְ לְאָדָם) [Some say: to an eagle (נ״א לְנֶשֶׁר)]. From below to an eagle (מִלְּמַטָּה לְנֶשֶׁר), there is no form in the world that is not recognized in him (לֵית דִּיּוֹקְנָא בְעָלְמָא דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע בֵּיהּ).

Twelve constellations are seen in him (תְּרֵין עֲשַׂר מַזָּלוֹת אִתְחַזְיָין בֵּיהּ), and all forms of angels, and forms of souls, and forms of everything that was created in heaven and earth (וְכָל דִּיּוֹקְנִין דְּמַלְאָכַיָּיא וְדִיּוֹקְנִין דְּנִשְׁמָתִין וְדִיּוֹקְנִין דְּכָל מַה דְּאִתְבְּרִי בִּשְׁמַיָּא וּבְאַרְעָא). [Not that he is the complete form of Adam in all perfections, but if he is] (לָאו אִיהוּ דִּיּוֹקְנָא דְּאָדָם שָׁלִים בְּכָל תִּקּוּנִין, אֶלָּא אִם הוּא) [Some say: he was all (נ״א כֻּלָּא הֲוָה)] encompassed in heaven and earth and sun and moon and stars and constellations and thrones and angels and Gan Eden and Gehinnom (כְּלִיל בִּשְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא וְשִׁמְשָׁא וְסִיהֲרָא וְכֹכְבַיָּא וּמַזָּלַיָּא וְכָרְסַיָּא וּמַלְאָכַיָּא וְגַן עֵדֶן וְגֵיהִנָּם). From both sides were given the good inclination and the evil inclination (מִסִּטְרָא דְתַרְוַיְיהוּ אִתְיְהִיב יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב וְיֵצֶר הָרָע).

Gan Eden: “He who finds a wife finds good” (גַּן עֵדֶן מָצָא אִשָּׁה מָצָא טוֹב) (Proverbs 18:22). Gehinnom: “And I find more bitter than death the woman” (גֵּיהִנָּם וּמוֹצֶא אֲנִי מַר מִמָּוֶת אֶת הָאִשָּׁה) (Ecclesiastes 7:26). And both of them are in the heart (וְתַרְוַיְיהוּ בְּלִבָּא): “The wise man’s heart is at his right, and the fool’s heart at his left” (לֵב חָכָם לִימִינוֹ, וְלֵב כְּסִיל לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ) (Ecclesiastes 10:2).