The attire of that world

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar deduces from some verses in Zecharyah that it is a person's bad deeds that make a filthy garment for his spirit, and that everyone will be joyful if they can don a more suitable garment in the World to Come. Next the rabbis sit in the shade of a rock while they pause from their travels, and Rabbi Elazar says, 'Shade is without doubt the joy of the soul.'

Relevance

Throughout our life and our past lives, there have been countless times when we succumbed to our immoral impulses. When this occurred, we created a blemish, a blockage that soiled our soul. These blockages must be cleansed for the following reasons: Each negative deed committed is akin to placing a filthy piece of cloth over a lamp. A room, lit by a lamp, grows progressively darker each time another layer of cloth is draped over the lamp. It is this added darkness that incites chaos, turmoil, pain, and suffering in life. When these dirty cloths are removed, the Light is free to shine with maximum intensity.

According to the Zohar, Joshua and Pinchas wore garments that sparkled with cleanliness. Pinchas, we're told, "changed clothes" in one hour. Thus, one hour of contrite meditation upon this particular passage purifies our souls from all its iniquities. The passage allows us to "change clothes" like Pinchas did. And in the moment we share this purifying Light with our neighbors and the souls languishing in the underworld, the Gates of Entry into Hell are slammed shut for good. We liberate these newly cleansed souls from their burning abode as Hell undergoes a final meltdown. The entire world is attired in gleaming garments befitting the purity of this holy Book of Splendor.

Angels Deeds Hands Joshua Priests Torah

23. Rabbi Elazar began: "And he showed me Joshua the High Priest, standing before the angel of Hashem..." (Zecharyah 3:1). Come and see: woe to those people who do not look out for their Master's glory and do not pay attention to the fact that He daily issues a proclamation about them. When a person observes the commandments of the Torah, many defenders rise to recall his good points, but if a person transgresses the commandments his deeds accuse him before the Holy One, blessed be He. We have been told that Joshua was a High Priest. And what is written about him? ."..And the adversary standing at his right hand to thwart him" (Ibid.). If this is how it was for him, then how much more so for other people who do not care for the glory of their Master.

23. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וַיַּרְאֵנִי אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי מַלְאַךְ יְיָ' וְגוֹ.' ת"ח, וַוי לְאִינּוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, דְּלָא מִסְתַּכְּלָאן בִּיקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, וְכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא כָּרוֹזָא קָארֵי עָלַיְיהוּ, וְלָא מַשְׁגִּיחִין. אָתָא ב"נ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּפִקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, כַּמָה סַנֵּיגוֹרִין קַיְימִין לְאַדְכְּרָא עָלֵיהּ לְטָב. אָתָא ב"נ וְאַעְבַּר עַל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, אִינּוּן עוֹבָדִין קַטֵיגוֹרִין עָלֵיהּ לְבִישׁ, קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל הֲוָה, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ, מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ. וְהַשָּׁטָן עוֹמֵד עַל יְמִינוֹ לְשִׂטְנוֹ. וּמַה בְּהַאי כַּךְ, בִּשְׁאַר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא דְּלָא מִסְתַּכְּלֵי בִּיקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.

Angels Garments Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Joshua

24. Look what is written: "Now Joshua was clothed in filthy garments..." (Ibid. 3). This has been explained. Yet the filthy garments were surely the garments in which the spirit is attired in that world. Happy is the portion of he whose garments are fixed and complete in that world! We have already learned what raiment they clothe one whom they want to send to Gehenom, what these raiments are that they dress him in. AND HE ANSWERS: here it is written, "Now Joshua was clothed in filthy garments, and he stood before the angel." Which angel? The Angel in charge of Gehenom and who is also in charge of everyone whom he sees in such clothes. Then a voice said, "Take off the filthy garments from him" (Ibid. 4).

24. חָמֵי מַה כְּתִיב, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ הָיָה לָבוּשׁ בְּגָדִים צוֹאִים, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל בְּגָדִים צוֹאִים, וַדַּאי אִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין דְּאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בֵּיהּ רוּחָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמַאן דִּלְבוּשׁוֹי מְתֻתְקְּנִין וּשְׁלֵמִין בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. וְהָא אִתְּמַר, כָּל מַאן דְּבַעְיָין לְאַעֲלָא לַגֵיהִנָם, אִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין דִּמְלַבְּשִׁין לֵיהּ, הֵיךְ אִינּוּן. מַה כְּתִיב הָכָא, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ הָיָה לָבוּשׁ בְּגָדִים צוֹאִים וְעוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ. מַאן מַלְאָךְ. דָּא מַלְאָךְ דִּמְמָנָא עַל גֵּיהִנָּם, וּמְמָנָא עַל מַאן דְּחָמֵי בְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין. עַד דְּאָתִיב קָלָא וְאָמַר, הָסִירוּ הַבְּגָדִים הַצּוֹאִים מֵעָלָיו.

Deeds Garments

25. מֵהָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, דְּעוֹבָדִין בִּישִׁין דב"נ, עַבְדִין לֵיהּ אִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁים צוֹאִים. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו רְאֵה הֶעֱבַרְתִּי מֵעָלֶיךָ עֲוֹנֶךָ וְהַלְבֵּשׁ אוֹתְךָ מַחֲלָצוֹת. אַלְבִּישִׁינֵיהּ לְבוּשִׁין אַחֲרָנִין מְתֻתְקְנָן, דִּבְהוּ אִסְתָּכַּל ב"נ בְּזִיו יְקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהּ.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Death and the Afterlife Garments Peace Pinchas Rock Soul, The

26. Come and see the similarity: Pinchas, who did not leave this world until he had changed into other fitted garments which the spirit would enjoy in the World to Come, had at the same time taken off one set and put on the other, to fulfil that which is written: "Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace" (Bemidbar 25:12). While they were on their way and the sunlight was strong, they sat down in the shade of a rock in the wilderness. Rabbi Elazar said, Shade is without doubt joy to the soul.

26. ת"ח, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא פִּנְחָס, דְּלָא אִסְתַּלָּק מֵעָלְמָא, עַד דְּאִתְתְּקָנוּ קַמֵּיהּ לְבוּשִׁין אַחֲרָנִין, דְּרוּחָא אִתְהֲנֵי בְּהוּ, לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. בְּשַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא אִתְפְּשָּׁט מֵאִלֵּין. וְאִתְלְבָּשׁ בְּאִלֵּין, לְקַיְּימָא דִּכְתִּיב הִנְנִי נוֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם. עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי, שִׁמְשָׁא הֲוָה תַּקִּיפָא, וְיָתְבוּ תְּחוֹת צִלָּא דְּחַד טִנָרָא דְּמַדְבְּרָא. אָמַר ר' אֶלְעָזָר, וַדַּאי צִלָּא חֶדְוָותָא דְּנַפְשָׁא הוּא.