About the resurrection of the dead

152. Rabbi Aba Saba (the elder) stood up and said, May peace and tranquillity come to you, Rabbi Shimon, the son of Yochai, for restoring the diadem to its former splendor. For we learned in the first Mishnah that since the soul is perfected in the supernal place, it does not return to the body. It remains in the same condition, but other souls are created and come out of it. Then Rabbi Shimon, the son of Yochai, taught that although this world is vanity and the body is a putrid drop of semen, yet the soul enters it. In the future, when everyone will be refined and the body will be more pure, sustained and complete, there will be no reason for the soul to enter it with all its completeness.

153. Rabbi Acha said, The Holy One, blessed be He, will give the very soul and very body existence in the future, but both will be whole and have completeness of knowledge so they can achieve what they did not achieve in this world.

154. "And Abraham was old, advanced in age (lit. 'coming with the days')." Rabbi Bo said that, according to Rabbi Yochanan, this refers to the world of days, NAMELY LIGHT, and not to that world which is night. Rabbi Ya'akov said, COMING WITH THE DAYS MEANS THAT HE CAME TO those worlds called days because of all the pleasures and the brightness that he inherits. RABBI YA'AKOV IS NOT DIFFERING FROM RABBI YOCHANAN, HE IS SIMPLY EXPLAINING THE VERSE MORE FULLY. "And Hashem had blessed Abraham in all" (Beresheet 24:1) refers to the office, NAMELY TO THE AUTHORITY that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him of His name, which is the letter Hei by which the world was created.

155. We learned that Rabbi Yochanan said, Metatron, the great minister, is a boy, a servant whose Rabbi, his master, rules him. He is in charge of the soul and gives it daily of the light he was ordered TO GIVE IT. In the future, he will receive an account in writing from the cemetery, from Dumah FOR EACH BODY that he can show to his Master. He will turn that backbone into yeast TO BUILD THE BODY under the ground, to mend and wholly revive the body, AS IS PROPER FOR a body without a soul. Later, the Holy One, blessed be He, will send the soul to its place WITHIN THE BODY. THIS WILL BE AFTER IT COMES TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL.

156. Rabbi Yitzchak said, It is then written, "And Abraham said to the eldest servant of his house, that ruled..." (Beresheet 24:2). If we look at this from the aspect of wisdom, NAMELY AS IT CONCERNS THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, what is THE MEANING OF THE WORDS, "his servant?" BECAUSE ABRAHAM IS THE SECRET OF THE SOUL, "AND ABRAHAM SAID TO THE...SERVANT" REFERS TO THE SERVANT OF THE SOUL. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A SERVANT TO THE SOUL? Rabbi Nehorai responded, We need look only at the words "his servant" AND NOT CONNECT THEM TO ABRAHAM IN THE MEANING OF THE VERSE. THEN, THE MEANING IS the servant of Hashem, close to His worship. Who is he? He is Metatron, who will beatify the body in the grave, as we have said.

157. Thus the words, "And Abraham said to his eldest servant" refer to Metatron, the servant of Hashem. The phrase, "The eldest servant of his house" is the beginning of the creations of Hashem. "That ruled over all that he had" means that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him power over all His hosts, NAMELY OVER THE UPPER ANGELS.

158. We learned that Rabbi Shimon quoted Rabbi Yosi who quoted Rav saying that all the hosts of the servant receive light and delight in the splendor of the soul, as the light of the soul in the World to Come is greater than the light of the throne, NAMELY THE THRONE OF GLORY. AND THE ANGELS RECEIVE THEIR LIGHT FROM THE THRONE, SO THE LIGHT OF THE SOUL IS GREATER THAN THAT OF THE THRONE. A DIFFICULT POINT IS THEN RAISED. It seems that the soul was taken from the throne, AND THE RECEIVER IS BY DEFINITION SMALLER THAN THE GIVER. THE EXPLANATION IS THAT each had according to what was appropriate for it. Rav Nachman added that it is actually greater than the light of the throne, as it is written, "The likeness as the appearance of a man upon it" (Yechezkel 1:26), above it in splendor.

159. When he goes to perform the errand OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, all his hosts and his Chariot are nourished by that splendor OF THE SOUL. And the soul says to him, "Put...your hand" - namely, your escort, OR THE HOSTS OF METATRON-"under my thigh" (Beresheet 24:2). This is the light that flows from the soul.

160. Rabbi Yehuda the son of Rabbi Shalom said that we have been taught that when he goes on an errand for the Holy One, blessed be He, He moves His upper hosts by one letter of His name, NAMELY BY THE LETTER YUD OF THE NAME YUD HEV VAV HEI. HEI IS THE SECRET OF IMA AND ABA, THE ROOT OF THE SOUL'S LIGHT. Rabbi Huna said, Yerechi ('my thigh') has the same numerical value as ram (lit. 'high'), which is what the soul says, that is, "Put...your hand," your escort, under the grade of the high and elevated, which rules over all. After the soul commanded the escort of high ones to be under Him, IT TOLD HIM, I make you swear a great oath.

161. Rabbi Yitzchak said, It is written, "Elohim of the heaven, and Elohim of the earth" (Yechezkel 1:26). Since he already mentioned Hashem, NAMELY "I WILL MAKE YOU SWEAR BY HASHEM," why add "Elohim of the heaven, AND ELOHIM OF THE EARTH?" HE ASKS RABBI YEHUDA, WHO SAID THAT HE MOVES ALL HIS HOSTS BY ONE LETTER OF HIS NAME WHEN HE GOES. Rabbi Yehuda said, IT IS WRITTEN, "ELOHIM OF THE HEAVEN, AND ELOHIM OF THE EARTH" to show that He is Master over everything simultaneously. In one instant, He moves everything, and everything is nothing compared to Him. THIS IS WHY HE MENTIONS HEAVEN AND EARTH IN THE OATH, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE LETTER YUD, WHICH INDICATES THAT THIS LIGHT GOVERNS ALL THE GRADES, AND EVREYTHING IS AS NAUGHT COMPARED TO IT. Rabbi Yitzchak said that by two letters of His name HE MOVES HIS WHOLE HOSTS, WHEN METATRON GOES TO DO HIS ERRAND. This is to show that He is all, and there is nothing save Him.

162. "And I will make you swear by Hashem, Elohim of the heaven..." Rabbi Huna said, If he had been with those versed in the Baraita at the time that they revealed the secret of this verse, he would not have left them without knowing everything, for he saw great depth in their utterances. They revealed much, but man does not understand what they revealed. Come and behold, The soul causes to swear this oath of the covenant, as it is written, "That you shall not take a wife to my son" (Beresheet 24:3). ABRAHAM IS ALLUDING TO THE SOUL, AS HAS BEEN EXPLAINED.

163. Rabbi Yitzchak said, from here, it is understood THAT THE SOUL SAID TO METATRON, Because you are going on this mission TO RESURRECT THE DEAD, "you shall not take a wife for my son." This means you shall not take a body for my son, BECAUSE THE BODY IN RELATION TO THE SOUL IS CALLED A WIFE. He cannot enter another body, an idolatrous body, a body not worthy of him, but only the body which is actually my own, the very one I came from. And this is what is meant by the verse, "But you shall go to my country, and to my kindred" (Ibid. 4).

164. Rabbi Yosi said, What is meant by the verse, "And take a wife to my son Isaac?" IF THIS REFERS TO THE ENCLOTHING OF THE SOUL, SHOULD IT NOT HAVE SAID ABRAHAM? Rabbi Yitzchak replies, The very body that suffered with me in that world and had no pleasure or content for fear of its Possessor IS A REFERENCE TO THE LUZ BONE, WHICH DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EATING AND DRINKING IN THIS WORLD. This very body shall you take with you for mirthand rejoicing of the righteous, so that you may take delight in it in the joy of the Holy One, blessed be He. Have pleasure with this body, because it is a time for laughter AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, as it is written, "Then was our mouth filled with laughter" (Tehilim 126:2).

165. Rabbi Yehuda, the son of Rabbi Yitzchak, said, Come and listen, An angel does only one errand, not two at the same time. THERE ARE, HOWEVER, TWO ERRANDS TO PERFORM, TO RESURRECT THE BODY IN THE GRAVE AND TO MAKE IT RISE TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL, WHERE THE SOUL WILL BE ENCLOTHED IN IT. BUT ONE ANGEL DOES NOT PERFORM TWO ERRANDS. Rabbi Aba said, There is one angel with an inkstand at his waist. THIS IS GABRIEL. He will put a mark on the brow of each, MEANING THAT HE WILL MEND THE BODY. Afterward, the great minister METATRON will go and mend each one, preparing it to receive its soul. This is the meaning of the verse, "He shall send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife" (Beresheet 24:7). What is meant by "before you?" It indicates that THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WILL SEND AN ANGEL TO MEND THE BODY before your errand. THEN METATRON WILL BRING THE SOUL WITH WHICH MAN IS ENCLOTHED, AS NO ONE ANGEL DOES TWO ERRANDS.

166. Rabbi Eliezer went to see his Rabbi, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai, on the first day of the month. When he arrived, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai said, 'O Well for those who see, filled WITH DRAWN WATER, yet gushing more from its own source. What does it seek here?'

167. Rabbi Eliezer answered, It behooves a man to greet his Rabbi ON THE DAY OF A NEW MOON. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai replied, Not for that reason I said, 'WHAT DOES IT SEEK HERE?' I see in your face that there is a new deep secret about which you are going to ask. THEREFORE I ASKED, WHAT DOES SOMEONE AS GREAT AS YOU WANT WITH ME?

168. Rabbi Eliezer responded, I see that primordial light, WHICH WAS IN USE AT THE TIME OF THE CREATION AND WAS THEN STORED FOR THE RIGHTEOUS IN THE FUTURE, travels by ten and conducts everything according to the secret of ten. We learned that there are ten writings, ten keys to the hospital in its hands. It takes these and ten notes in the Garden of Eden to mend the earth for the bodies of the righteous.

169. He said, Eliezer my son, you have seen more than a holy angel, FOR THE LIGHT OF THE SOUL IS GREATER THAN THE LIGHT OF ANGELS. [BECAUSE RABBI ELIEZER EXPLAINED THE SECRET OF THE TEN ONLY BY THE UPPER THREE COLUMNS - CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT - RABBI YOCHANAN BEN ZAKAI IS GOING TO EXPLAIN THE SECRET OF THE TEN ALSO IN THE LOWER SEVEN SFIROT.] HE SAYS, The world, MALCHUT, is created by ten, and it is conducted by ten. THIS IS YESOD THAT LEADS MALCHUT CALLED WORLD. The holy throne, NETZACH AND HOD CALLED THE LOWER THRONE, is according to ten. The Torah, THE SECRET OF TIFERET, is by ten. Its traveling, NAMELY GVURAH, is by ten. The supernal worlds, CHESED, WHICH IS SUPERIOR TO THE LOWER SEVEN, are by ten. And there is the supernal one above them all, blessed be He, NAMELY KETER, FROM WHICH EVERYTHING IS DRAWN, BOTH THE LIGHT OF CHASSADIM ALLUDED TO IN THE SECRET OF TEN, AND THE LIGHT OF CHOCHMAH.

170. I will tell you something else. Those versed in the Mishnah put some thought into it, as it is written, "And the servant took ten camels" (Beresheet 42:10). RABBI ELIEZER said to him, Master, I know this verse, MEANING YOU DO NOT HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT TO ME, but what is the meaning of, "For all the goods of him master were in his hands" (Ibid.)? I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT. HOW COULD IT BE THAT HE CARRIED ALL THE PROPERTY OF ABRAHAM IN HIS HANDS? He replies, This is the name of his Master, NAMELY THE SHECHINAH CALLED NAME, that went with him to bring him TO THE DESIRABLE PLACE and to protect him, SO THAT NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN TO HIM. RABBI ELIEZER SAID, Assuredly this is THE SECRET OF THE VERSE, "For My name was in him" (Shemot 23:21).

171. Rabbi Abahu said, Come and behold, He who knows His name perfectly knows that He and his Name are one. The Holy One, blessed be He, and His Name, THE SHECHINAH, are one, as it is written, "Hashem shall be one, and his Name One" (Zecharyah 14:9). That is, the name, THE SHECHINAH, and He, ZEIR ANPIN, are one.

172. Rabbi Aba said, We should look at the verse, "And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water" (Beresheet: 24:11). According to Rabbi Aba, outside the city means in the cemetery. "By a well of water" refers, as we learnt, that those who are the first TO BE REVIVED FROM THE DEAD in the cemetery, are those who dealt in Torah. As we have learned, when a man comes into his grave, he is first asked if he set appointed times to study Torah, as it is written, "And he shall be the faith of your times" (Yeshayah 33:6). Without question, he who responds yes, is revived first.

173. Rabbi Aba said that "at the time of evening" (Beresheet 24:11) refers to Friday, Shabbat eve, the time of the resurrection of the dead. HE ASKS, What is the meaning OF THESE THINGS? HE RESPONDS, We have learned that the world exists for 6,000 years and that SHABBAT EVE is the 6th millennium, the ending of all. Thus "at the time of evening" means the time of ending for everything. The phrase, "At the time that the women go out to draw water" refers to the scholars of the Torah, who draw the water of Torah, the time to go out and shake off the dust, NAMELY THE TIME TO RESURRECT.

174. Rabbi Aba added that there is more to know. We have learned that those occupied in knowing their Master in this world, and their soul to perfection in the World to Come, deserve to get out OF THE GRAVE by the soul's oath thatMETATRON WAS MADE TO SWEAR. FOR METATRON comes to know which is the soul's proper body, AS THE SOUL MADE HIM SWEAR, and it is written, "Behold, I stand here by the well of water" (Beresheet 24:43). Although it is A BODY OF the scholar of the Torah, METATRON GOES to look for perfection, as it is written, "And it shall come to pass, that the maid who comes forth to draw, and I say to her, 'Give me, I pray you, a little water from your pitcher'" (Ibid. 44), which means 'tell me by allusion, the knowledge of the name, from what you conceived.'

175. "And she says to me, 'Both drink you'" (Beresheet 24:44). THIS MEANS THAT SHE LET HIM KNOW THREE THINGS, 1) You are a servant like me; 2) The knowledge of you does not compare with the knowledge of Hashem, blessed be He, AND 3) It behooves you to conceive that you are a creature like me AND, ALTHOUGH YOU ARE AN ANGEL, YOU ARE LIKE A CREATURE; NAMELY, THERE IS WANT IN YOU, AS THERE IS IN ME.

176. "I will draw water for your camels also" (Beresheet 24:19) INDICATES THAT IT ALSO DREW FORTH FOR HIS ATTENDANTS FROM WHAT IT PERCEIVED. THE WORDS "YOUR CAMELS" MEANS "YOUR RETINUE." IN OTHER WORDS, my understanding is that: 1) Your retinue was not aware, THEY ARE UNABLE TO CONCEIVE HIM; 2) "I know that I have an advantage over you," NAMELY FROM THE ASPECT OF BEING INCLUDED IN A POINT IN THIS WORLD, WHICH IS LACKING IN SUPERNAL ANGELS; AND 3) I know how you were created from the radiance that was placed with you. THAT IS, IT ALSO UNDERSTOOD THE SECRET OF HIS CREATION. If THE BODY mentions ALL THESE PERCEPTIONS, let this sign THAT WAS PRINTED ON ME be delivered to me. IF THE BODY SHALL SAY THESE THINGS AND NOT ONE SHALL BE MISSING, then I shall know she is the woman. She is the body from the same soul according to the oath it made me swear.

177. "And it came to pass, before he had done speaking" (Beresheet 24:15). According to Rabbi Yitzchak, Rabbi Yehuda said while he was thinking of how to try the body, it is written, "Behold, Rivkah came out," which is the holy body that is occupied in Torah. It pounds the body for knowledge of the conception of his Possessor, "who was born to Betuel" (Ibid.). Rav Yehuda said she was the daughter (Heb. bat) of El, the "son of Milkah" (Ibid.), who is a son to the King (Heb. Malkah) of the Universe. "The wife of Nachor, Abraham's brother" alludes to the company of the mind, the body attached to the mind, and is the brother of the soul, and the phrase, "With her pitcher upon her shoulder" alludes to the weight of wisdom upon it.

178. "And the servant ran to meet her" (Beresheet 24:17) refers to Metatron. And said, "Let me, I pray you, drink a little water of your pitcher --" give me a hint of the wisdom of the knowledge of your Maker that you dealt with in the world you left. Rabbi Aba said, As we have explained, after that it is written, "And I put the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands" (Ibid. 47). Rabbi Aba said that these are the bones that were scattered here and there. He puts them together and weighs them one upon the other, as is written, "And strengthen your bones" (Yeshayah 58:11).

179. Rabbi Aba said, At that time, the body stands in the land of Yisrael, where the soul enters it. Rabbi Yochanan asks, Who conducts the body to the land of Yisrael? Rabbi Zira said, The Holy One, blessed be He, digs caverns under the ground and they roll to the land of Yisrael. Hence it is written, "And the earth shall cast out the shades of the dead" (Yeshayah 26:19).

180. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Gabriel leads them to the land of Yisrael. How do we know that? From the verse, "Will you go with this man?" (Beresheet 24:58). Elsewhere, it is written, "The man Gabriel" (Daniel 9:21). Rabbi Yosi asks, Why is it written, "And Rivkah had a brother and his name was Laban" (Ibid. 29)? Rabbi Yitzchak answered, The Evil Inclination does not pass away from the world, and though it is not entirely present, some of it is.

181. Come and behold, When it was in this world, it was called Lot. In the World to Come, it will be partly canceled and called Laban, it not as corrupt as before, but as one who washed the filth off of himself. HE ASKS, Why is there need of Laban? (MEANING, WHY IS IT NEEDED TO REMAIN IN THE WORLD?) Rabbi Shimon said, It is needed for being fruitful and multiply. If there is no Evil Inclination, nothing is fruitful or multiplies.

182. Come and listen, Since the body was constructed and established, why is it then written, "And they sent away Rivkah, their sister, and her nurse..." (Beresheet 24:59). What does the phrase "and her nurse" imply? It is the power of movement. Rabbi Yitzchak further clarifies this by explaining that this is the power of the body.

183. Rabbi Abahu opened with the verse, "Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, with me from Lebanon..." (Shir Hashirim 4:8). Rabbi Abahu said, Once the body was built and established, it is brought to the land of Yisrael to receive its soul. The soul awaits it there and comes out to greet it, as is written, "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field" (Beresheet 24:63). "Come with me from Lebanon, my bride" is the soul, and "Look from the top of Amana" (Ibid.) corresponds to, "And he lifted his eyes and saw" (Ibid.).

184. Rabbi Yehuda said, If this is the soul, Abraham is satisfactory, as was said. What then is Isaac? Rabbi Abahu answered, The friends said it is now called Isaac because of the increased joy in the world.

185. Rabbi Abahu said, First the soul was called Abraham and the body Sarah. Now the soul is called Isaac and the body Rivkah. Rabbi Shimon said, It was taught in the Mishnah that the soul awaited the body in the land of Yisrael forty years before the body existed. Where? At the Temple.

186. Rabbi Abahu said, Look at the verse, "And took Rivkah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death" (Beresheet 24:67). When he loves the body and is comforted by it, it is time for laughter and delight in the world.

187. Rabbi Yehuda said, Now this whole portion of the scripture is made clear, but I do not know the meaning of the verse, "Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Kturah" (Beresheet 25:1). To a reasonable mind, this text is contradictory. IT CONTRADICTS THE EXPLANATION CONCERNING THE SOUL AND BODY AT THE TIME OF RESURRECTION.

188. Rav Dimi arrived and said, I have heard an explanation for this portion, but I do not remember it. They said that the high and strong, NAMELY THE UPPER GRADES, did not present it for revelation. What have we to say? Rabbi Yehuda stood up and said that the portion is revealed in the Yeshivah of our friends, the sages of the Mishnah.

189. They stood up and began walking, he, Rabbi Yesa, and Rabbi Chiya. They found Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon, who was revealing the secret of Tfilin. They came before him and asks, Sir, what are you engaged in? He replies, I am recounting the reason for the Tfilin, for blessed is the man who dons Tfilin and knows the sense thereof.

190. They said, If it is well before you, Sir, may you tell us something. They said, We learned from your father that the Holy One, blessed be He, in His great love for the children of Yisrael, told them to build Him a tabernacle, reflecting the supernal high Chariot, so He might come and dwell among them. This is the meaning of, "And let them make Me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them" (Shemot 25:8). We learned from your father that the reason for the Tfilin was hidden in this verse.

191. He said to them, Come and behold, The Temple was made to reflect the upper one in THE FORMS OF its holy Chariots. And then the Holy One, blessed be He, caused His Shechinah to dwell among them. In this manner, those versed in the Mishnah discussed the reason for the Tfilin. Any man WHO WEARS TFILIN will be patterned after the upper Chariots, the lower Chariot and the upper Chariot so that His kingdom will come and the Shechinah will dwell upon him.

192. We learned that there are deep secrets in THE TFILIN and its patterns. There are three Chariots within them, like the high and holy ones, reflecting the secrets of the three letters of His Holy Name, YUD-HEI-VAV. For these three Chariots ARE the three letters YUD-HEI-VAV. The four sections govern the four LETTERS OF HIS HOLY NAME. This is therefore the secret of the Shin of three crowns and Shin of four crowns, WHICH MEANS the three kings ruling over the body, CORRESPONDING TO THE SHIN WITH THREE HEADS and the Tfilin upon the Holy One, blessed be He, above the head Tfilin and the hand Tfilin, AMOUNTING TO four sections, WHICH CORRESPOND TO THE SHIN WITH FOUR HEADS.

193. Similarly, the heart rides as if on the lower Chariot, THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA. And the lower one, THE NUKVA is mounted. We have also learned that this Chariot of the arm, THE NUKVA, is below, NAMELY THE SECRET OF THE HAND TFILIN, CALLED THE ARM. The heart rides as if beneath. It was given to it to bring in all the heavenly hosts. So the heart rides down below and all the limbs of the body are given to it.

194. Above THE HEART are the four sections of the brain. The Holy One, blessed be He, is supreme ruler over them. He is King of all. And the secret of wisdom resembles the Temple, as it is written, "And make one Cherub on the one end, and the other Cherub on the other end" (Shemot 25:19). Above them is the King's Shechinah, within the four letters YUD HEV VAV HEI. YUD-HEI IS ON THE RIGHT CHERUB, AND VAV-HEI ON THE LEFT CHERUB. Within the two Chariots, THE UPPER CHARIOT IS ON THE RIGHT CHERUB AND THE LOWER CHARIOT IS ON THE LEFT CHERUB.

195. Similarly, the heart and the brain, THE HAND TFILIN AND THE HEAD TFILIN, the heart is on one side and the brain on the other side. Upon them is the King's Shechinah in four sections. Rabbi Elazar said, From now on, the secrets of the crowns of the letters, the sections in their bodies, NAMELY THEIR COMPARTMENTS, and the straps are an ancient tradition that Moses received in Sinai. They were already explained by allusion, NAMELY BY THE EXPLANATION BEFORE US, and the sense of all this is in the secret of the thirteen divine attributes OF MERCY.

196. Rabbi Yehuda said, Even if we came only for this secret, it would have sufficed. They said to him, Happy is your lot in the World to Come, for no secret is withheld from you. They said to him, We came before you, Sir, to know the secret of the verse, "Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Kturah" (Beresheet 25:1).

197. He said, the explanation of this verse is revealed by the friends versed in the Mishnah. When the soul enters its holy body, these words, NAMELY "THEN AGAIN..." WILL BE SAID of the wicked, who will be resurrected and make better their deeds. And the soul will grant them its precious splendor, so they will know, repent and have full merit again.

198. When Solomon saw this, he wondered very much, and said, "And so I saw the wicked buried, and come to their rest...gone from the holy place" (Kohelet 8:10), WHICH MEANS THAT THEY WILL COME AND LIVE AT THE HOLY PLACE, NAMELY THEY WILL RISE AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. Rabbi Aba quoted Rabbi Yochanan, saying it is written, "Can the Kushite change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" (Yirmeyah 13:23), similarly the wicked who did not deserve to repent in this world and offer good deeds as sacrifices will never burn sacrifices in the World to Come. THOUGH THEY WILL RISE FROM THE DEAD, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO GOOD DEEDS, BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LEAD MERITORIOUS LIVES. It is written, "Then again Abraham took a wife" and wanted to produce a soul for their bodies and bring them closer in repentance, as it is written, "And the souls that they had made in Charan" (Beresheet 12:5).

199. Rabbi Elazar said, Look at the verse, "And she bore him Zimran, and Yokshan" (Beresheet 25:2). They did many evil deeds, until they were driven from the world, as it is written, "And sent them away from his son Isaac" (Ibid.). Of them it is written, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake..." (Daniel 12:2). Of the others, it is written, "And they who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament" (Ibid. 3).

200. Rabbi Yehuda said, This is the meaning of the text indicating that it was called Abraham at one time, and is now called Isaac in his place, as it is written, "And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that Elohim blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by Beer Lachai Roi (lit. 'the well of living and seeing')" (Beresheet 25:11). Through the knowledge of the living, the life of the world, he may know and conceive what he had not conceived in this world, as it is written, "For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Hashem" (Yeshayah 11:9). End of Midrash Hane'elam (homiletical interpretations on the obscure).

201. Rabbi Yitzchak opened with the verse, "And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to Elohim who gave it" (Kohelet 12:7). Come and behold, When the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, He took the dust from the place of the Temple and built his body from the four directions of the world, each of which gave him strength. Later, He poured the spirit of life upon him, as it is written, "And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life" (Beresheet 2:7). Then he stood up and knew that he comprised both high and low; he cleaved to Hashem and knew the supernal wisdom.

202. Similarly, all people in the world are included from the upper and the lower. When all those who know how to properly sanctify themselves in this world beget a child, they draw on it a Holy Spirit from that place where all that is holy originates. These are called children to the Holy One, blessed be He, because their bodies were properly made in sanctity. He is also given a spirit from the holy supernal place, as he deserves. This has already been explained.

203. Come and behold, When man is called to account for his deeds before leaving this world, there will be a day of reckoning, a day when both the soul and body give reckoning. The soul then LEAVES THE BODY AND is separated from it, while the body, WHICH WAS CREATED FROM DUST, returns to dust, and all returns to the place from which it was taken. It has already been explained that everything will be stored before the Holy One, blessed be He, until the time when He resurrects the dead.

204. The Holy One, blessed be He, will return that very body and that very soul to the world as before, and renew the face of the world. This is according to the verse, "The dead men of your people shall live, my dead body shall arise" (Yeshayah 26:19). The same soul is stored before the Holy One, blessed be He, as it returns to its proper place AFTER THE DEATH OF THAT PERSON, according to its deeds, as it is written, "And the spirit returns to Elohim who gave it." At that time, He will revive the dead and pour dew from His head upon them. All the bodies will be resurrected from the dust by that dew.

205. It is written, "For your dew is as the dew on herbs (lit. 'of lights')" (Yeshayah 26:19). HE ASKS, What is the dew of lights? AND HE ANSWERS, These are real lights, the Lights of above, by which He will pour life upon the world, because the Tree of Life, ZEIR ANPIN, will then provide never-ending life. For now, there is an end to life, since WHEN the evil serpent has its way, the moon is covered, NAMELY THE UNION OF THE SUPERNAL SUN AND MOON, ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA, STOPS. For that reason, the water OF ZEIR ANPIN, THE SECRET OF THE TREE OF LIFE as it were, stops flowing. Therefore, life does not exist properly in the world.

206. At that time, the Evil Inclination, which is the wicked serpent, will be removed from the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will cause it to pass away, as written, "And I will cause...the unclean spirit to pass out of the land" (Zecharyah 13:2). After it passes from the world, the moon will no longer be covered and the sources of the river that flow out OF EDEN, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, will never stop flowing. Then, it is written, "The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days" (Yeshayah 30:26).

207. Rabbi Chizkiyah said, If you say that all the bodies in the world will rise to life and wake up from the dust, it behooves us to ask about the bodies that were planted with the same soul, MEANING THAT ONE SOUL INCARNATED WITHIN SEVERAL BODIES, ONE AFTER THE OTHER, AS IS KNOWN. What will become of them? WILL ALL OF THEM RISE AT THE REVIVAL OF THE DEAD, OR ONLY THE LAST ONE? Rabbi Yosi said, It is as if the bodies, which did not have merit THROUGH GOOD DEEDS and did not succeed IN COMPLETING THE SOUL, never were. They are as a dried tree in that world, and so they will be at the time OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. Only the last body that was planted and worthily received its SPIRITUAL roots will be revived AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.

208. Of this, it is written, "For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters... and its leaf shall be green" (Yirmeyah 17:8), because it bore fruit, NAMELY GOOD DEEDS, and struck roots properly ABOVE IN THE UPPER WORLD. EACH PRECEPT CORRESPONDS TO A SPIRITUAL ROOT THAT IS REVEALED ABOVE, AS IS KNOWN. Of the earlier body that did not bear fruit or strike roots, it is written, "For he shall be like the juniper tree in the desert, and shall not see when good comes" (Ibid. 6). "When good comes" refers to the resurrection of the dead.

209. And the Light that will illuminate the righteous will shine. It has been stored before Him since the day that the world was created, as written, "And Elohim saw the light, that it was good" (Beresheet 1:3). In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will revive the dead. It is written, "But to you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall arise, etc." (Malachi 3:20), for then good will have the upper hand in the world, and that which is called evil will pass away from the world, as we said, then, the bodies that preceded the last one will be as if they never existed.

210. Rabbi Yitzchak said, The Holy One, blessed be He, will pour other spirits upon the bodies THAT CAME BEFORE THE LAST ONE. They will be properly revived in the world if they merit the spirits BY FOLLOWING THE RIGHT PATH. If they do not, they will be ashes under the feet of the righteous, as it is written, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, etc." (Daniel 12:2). Everything was established and prepared before the Holy One, blessed be He, and all were numbered for the time of resurrection, as it is written, "That brings out their host by number, etc." (Yeshayah 40:26).

211. Come and behold, We have learned that all the dead in the land of Yisrael will be resurrected first, because the Holy One, blessed be He, will arouse them WITH A SPIRIT and revive them. Of them it is written, "The dead...shall live" (Yeshayah 26:19) This verse refers to those buried in the land of Yisrael. "My dead body shall arise" refers to those buried in other countries, for whom the term "restoration" is used in place of "resurrection." This is because the spirit of life dwells only in the Holy Land of Yisrael. Therefore, "The dead man of your people shall live" refers only to those buried in the land Yisrael. The bodies of those outside THE LAND OF YISRAEL will be created, but they will be resurrected as a body with no spirit. Thereafter, they will roll under the soil of the land until they reach the land of Yisrael, where they will receive a soul. They will not receive this soul under any other authority, so they will be well established in the world.

212. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yesa were sitting one night, studying Torah. Rabbi Elazar said, Come and behold, In the future, when the Holy One, blessed be He, resurrects the dead, all the souls that will be aroused before Him will stand before Him in the very form they had in this world. And the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring them down TO THEIR BODIES and call them by name, as written, "He calls them all by names" (Yeshayah 40:26). Each soul will enter its place IN THE BODY and be properly revived in the world. Then, the world will be perfected. Of that time it is written, "And the disgrace of his people shall He take away" (Yeshayah 25:8). What is "the disgrace of his people shall He take away?" It is the Evil Inclination THAT HE WILL REMOVE FROM THE WORLD, which darkens the faces of the people and rules over them.

213. Rabbi Yosi said, We see that whenever the spirit is in a man, he is not defiled. Once his soul leaves him, he is defiled. HE WANTED TO KNOW THE MEANING OF THIS. He said to him, Assuredly this is so. We have also learned that when the Evil Inclination, WHICH IS THE ANGEL OF DEATH, takes the spirit of man, he becomes defiled and the body remains unclean. FOR WITH THE STRENGTH OF POLLUTION OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE, THIS STRENGTH BEING THE ROOT OF ALL DEFILEMENT, IT TAKES AWAY MAN'S SOUL. THE REVERSE IS TRUE for the heathen nations. They are unclean while they live because their souls are drawn from the side of defilement. Once their bodies are emptied of that defilement, NAMELY WHEN THEY DIE AND THE SOUL LEAVES, the body stays without unholiness AND THEREFORE DOES NOT CAUSE DEFILEMENT. RABBI SHIMON SAID THAT THE CANOPIED GRAVES OF THE HEATHEN DO NOT DEFILE.

214. For that reason, he who cleaves to a woman from the heathen nations is defiled, and the child that she bears him receives the spirit of defilement. You may ask, Is it not of Yisrael from the side of its father? If so, why should it receive the spirit of defilement? Come and behold, First its father was besmirched when he united with that tainted woman. All the more so, the child that she bears will receive the spirit of defilement upon it. Furthermore, he also transgressed the Torah, as it is written, "For you shall worship no other El; for Hashem whose name is jealous, is a jealous El" (Shemot 34:14), which means that He is zealous of the covenant, SO THAT IT WILL NOT BE TAINTED BY HEATHEN WOMEN.