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.
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.
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.
97. When he heard this explained by the heads of the Yeshivah, Rav Yosef said, Whoever is made of dust may merit all this, NAMELY THE 400 BRIGHT WORLDS? Who shall merit it? Who shall stand? It is written, "Who shall ascend into the mountain of Hashem or who shall stand in his holy place?" (Tehilim 24:3)
98. Rabbi Aba said, Come and behold, it is written, "And Abraham hearkened to Efron, and Abraham weighed to Efron the silver..." This is the longing for those desirable worlds. The "400 shekels of silver" are the 400 worlds of pleasure and desire. As Rabbi Nachman said, "Current money with the merchant" means that one may pass all the gates of heaven and Jerusalem the terrestrial with it, without being detained.
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).