"Four hundred shekels"

Synopsis

The secret of what becomes of the body and soul at death, is explored by Rabbi Yosi bar Yehuda and Rabbi Chiya. When soul and body are parted, the angel Dumah becomes custodian of the body, which must show its worthiness to receive the reward of 400 worlds. According to the rabbis, this worthiness takes the form of a deep longing for purity and righteousness; desiring those qualities makes us worthy. Those who did not feel this yearning will not be resurrected on the Day of Reckoning.

Relevance

The Kabbalists have long taught that the Light of the Creator reveals itself only to genuine seekers of the truth. Through our desire for righteousness, we earn the Light and become active participants in the process of Creation. Many people turn to the Creator only when tragedy or hardship strikes. Longing for the Light is easily kindled during moments of adversity. But when times are good, we tend to forget our spiritual aspirations. And as desire for the Light ceases, periods of prosperity inevitably come to an end. This passage increases and sustains our yearning for the Light so that it illuminates our lives without end.

Abraham Body Directions Heart Mishnah Righteous Soul, The Streams Torah Water World to Come, The

94. Tosefta (Addendum). Rabbi Yosi, the son of Rabbi Yehuda, visited Rabbi Chiya and asks, Sir, have you heard how those who are versed in the Mishnah explained this portion of the scripture as concerning the subject of the soul, ABRAHAM BEING THE SOUL AND SARAH THE BODY? He said, Happy is the fate of the righteous in the World to Come, for Torah in their hearts is like a great stream. Although they block it, the water breaks through and creates smaller streams in all directions.

94. (תּוֹסֶפְתָּא) רִבִּי יוֹסֵי ב"ר יְהוּדָה, אָזֵיל לְמֵיחֱמֵי לְר' חִיָּיא, אָמַר לוֹ, לֵימָא מַר, אִי שָׁמַע הַאי פַּרְשָׁתָא, הֵיךְ אֲמָרוּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתָּא, דְּפֵרְשׁוּהָ בְּעִנְיָינָא דְּנִשְׁמָתָא. אֲמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא, בְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, דְּכָךְ הִיא אוֹרַיְיתָא בְּלִבְּהוֹן, כְּמַבּוּעָא רַבָּא דְמַיָא, דְּאַף עַל גָּב דְּמַסְתִּימִין לֵיהּ, מִסְגִּיאוּת מַיָּיא, פָּתְחִין מַבּוּעִין דְּנָבְעִין לְכָל עֵיבַר.

Body Cherubim (Cherubs) Dumah (Angel) Eden Garden of Eden Righteous Soul, The

95. Come and listen, Rabbi Yosi, you are beloved. I will tell you about this portion of the scripture. In the reckoning of the righteous, Dumah never enters a man's body after his demise until the soul shows him a letter as a sign that the Cherubs gave it in the Garden of Eden. Rabbi Yosi said, I heard that when the soul enters THE GARDEN OF EDEN it ascends to its place, TO BINAH, and does not descend TO MALCHUT. But before the soul ascends, Dumah makes it a custodian of the body. The soul then shows Dumah that the body is worthy to receive 400 worlds as a reward.

95. ת"ש, ר' יוֹסֵי, רְחִימָא אַתְּ, אֲנָא אֵימָא לָךְ בְּהַאי פָּרְשָׁתָא, לְעוֹלָם אֵין גּוּף הָאָדָם נִכְנַס בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַצַּדִּיקִים, עַל יַד דּוּמָה, עַד שֶׁתַּרְאֶה הַנְּשָׁמָה, פִּנְקָס סִימָנָהּ, שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין לָהּ הַכְּרוּבִים בַּג"ע. אָמַר רָבִּי יוֹסֵי, אֲנָא שְׁמַעֲנָא, דְּהָא נִשְׁמָתָא, בָּתַר דְּעַיְילַת תַּמָּן, הִיא אָזְלַת לְסָלְקָא לְאַתְרָא לְעֵילָא, וְלָא לְמֵיחַת לְתַתָּא, אֲבָל קוֹדֶם שֶׁתַּעֲלֶה וְתִכָּנֵס, נַעֲשֵׂית אַפַּטְרוֹפּוֹס הַגּוּף, עַל יַד דּוּמָה, וּמַרְאָה לוֹ, שֶׁרָאוּי הוּא, לְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת עוֹלָמוֹת.

Body Dumah (Angel) Field Garden of Eden Hands Prayer Righteous Soul, The

96. Rabbi Chiya argued, yet Rabbi Elazar said that Dumah knows THAT THE BODY IS WORTHY OF THE 400 WORLDS AS ITS REWARD before THE BODY SHOWS HIM, because it is announced in the Garden of Eden. But I have heard that when the soul is given the letter as a token, it returns to the body to enter it in the reckoning of the righteous at the hands of Dumah. It is written, "But if you will give it, I pray you, hear me, I will give you the price of the field, take it of me" (Beresheet 23:12). The price (Heb. kesef) of the field is the longing (Heb. kisuf) and desire for the 400 worlds given as an heirloom FOR THE BODY.

96. אָמַר רָבִּי חִיָּיא, הָא רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, דְּהָא דוּמָה יָדַע קוֹדֶם, מִשּׁוּם דְּמַכְרְזֵי עֲלָהּ בְּגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן. אֲבָל אֲנָא כָּךְ שָׁמַעְנָא, דִּי בְּעִדָּנָא דְּיָהֲבִין לֵיהּ פִּנְקָסָא, חָזַר עַל גּוּפָא, לְאָעֵיל לֵיהּ בְּפִתְקָא דְצַדִּיקַיָּיא, עַל יְדוֹי דְדוּמָה. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, אַךְ אִם אַתָּה לוּ שְׁמָעֵנִי נָתַתִּי כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה קַח מִמֶּנִּי. מַהוּ כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה, דָּא כִּסּוּפָא דְעָלְמִין אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת, דְּיָהֲבִין לֵיהּ לְאַחְסָנָא.

Dust Head Joseph Merit Mountains Yeshivah

Abraham Efron Gates Heaven Jerusalem Shekels Silver

98. אֲמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא, תָּא חֲזֵי, מַאי דִכְתִיב, וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָהָם אֶל עֶפְרוֹן וַיִּשְׁקֹל אַבְרָהָם לְעֶפְרוֹן אֶת הַכֶּסֶף, דָּא הוּא כִּסּוּפָא רַבָּתָא, דְּאִינוּן עָלְמִין וְכִסּוּפִין. אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שֶׁקֶל כֶּסֶף, אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת עוֹלָמוֹת, וַהֲנָאוֹת, וְכִסּוּפִין, עוֹבֵר לַסּוֹחֵר. רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר, שֶׁיַּעֲבוֹר כָּל שַׁעֲרֵי שָׁמַיִם, וִירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל מַעְלָה וְאֵין מוֹחֶה בִּידֵהּ.

Abraham Body Daniel Dumah (Angel) Dust Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Resurrection Righteous Wicked Wickedness

99. Come and behold, It is written, "And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife" (Beresheet 18:19). THIS REFERS TO THE BODY, which was numbered in the company of the other righteous by a note of the chieftain Dumah. Rabbi Yitzchak said, So I have learned that all the bodies registered and visited by Dumah will be resurrected when THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, revives the dwellers of dust. Woe to the wicked who are not registered by him in writing, for they will be lost in Gehenom forever. Of this, it is said, "And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who shall be found written in the book" (Daniel 12:1). End of Tosefta (Addendum).

99. תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן קָבַר אַבְרָהָם אֶת שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ, וְנִמְנֶה, עִם שְׁאָר הַצַּדִּיקִים בַּחֲבוּרָתָם, מִפִּתְקָא דִּמְמַנָּא עַל יְדוֹי דְדוּמָה. אָמַר רָבִּי יִצְחָק, הָכֵי גְמִירְנָא, כָּל אִינוּן דִּכְתִיבִין בִּידוֹי דְדוּמָה, וּמְמַנָּן עַל יְדוֹי, יְקוּמוּן לְזִמְנָא דְּזַמֵּין לְאַחֲיָא דָיְירֵי עַפְרָא, וַוי לְהוֹן לְרַשִּׁיעַיָּא דְּלָא כְתִיבִין עַל יְדוֹי בְּפִתְקָא, שֶׁיֹּאבְדוּ בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם לְעָלְמִין, וְעַל דָּא נֶאֱמַר וּבָעֵת הַהִיא יִמָּלֵט עַמְךָ כָּל הַנִּמְצָא כָּתוּב בַּסֵּפֶר. (עַד כָּאן תּוֹסֶפְתָּא).