"Let every soul praise Yah"

Synopsis

Here, Rabbi Yehuda says that all souls come from the holy body, Malchut, and dwell within humans. He speaks again of the fountains of Wisdom that emerge into 32 paths, and of the Holy Spirit, in which all the spirits are included.

Rabbi Yitzchak then tells us how profoundly moved Rabbi Shimon had been when speaking of this, and how he had told of the treasures of the supernal King, the key which is Yesod, the supernal Engravings, and the treasury of the Images (Malchut). Moses died and approached the Fiftieth Gate, we learn, without revealing these secrets to Yisrael.

Relevance

This passage speaks of the paradise that is obtained by the souls of the wise after death. The joy, so fierce that it causes Rabbi Shimon to weep, is the joy of returning to paradise. It is the moment when the burden of physical existence drops forever from one's soul, when the anguish and woe is cleared from one's sobbing heart, and when everything is made eternally young and joyful again. The notion of "death" has spiritual connotations, relevant to the here and now. In the moment we choose to ascend to a higher spiritual level, our old self dies. Thus, the world to come, paradise, along with its abundant joyful treasures, pertains to the next level of spirituality which vcan lie in the very next moment, should we choose it. In this passage we do choose it. Death itself dies and paradise appears before our eyes. The burden of physical existence is lifted.

Body Grades Hands Praise Soul, The Wisdom

885. Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with the verse, "Let every soul praise Yah" (Tehilim 150:6). We have learned that all souls come from this holy body, NAMELY MALCHUT, WHICH IS A BODY TO ZEIR ANPIN, and dwell within humans. HE QUESTIONS, From which place is it, MEANING FROM WHICH ASPECT? HE ANSWERS, It is from the place that is called 'hand,' NAMELY MALCHUT. HE QUESTIONS, What is the aspect of this place? Rabbi Yehuda said, It is written, "Hashem, how manifold are Your works. In Wisdom have You made them all" (Tehilim 104:24) and we have learned of that Chochmah (Wisdom), that Her fountains flow into 32 paths. Everything is included, everything that is above and below, WHICH IS MALCHUT, WHICH IN HER ALONE IS CHOCHMAH REVEALED, AND NOT IN ANY OTHER LEVEL. It is called 'the Holy Spirit' in which all spirits are included.

885. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר, כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ. תַּנָּא, כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין אָתוּ מֵהַאי גּוּפָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאַתְעָרוּ בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וּמֵאָן אֲתָר. מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי יַד. מֵאָן אֲתָר דָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה דִּכְתִּיב מָה רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ יְיָ' כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ. תָּנָא, מֵהַאי חָכְמְתָא דְּמַבּוּעוֹי נָפְקִין לִתְלָתִין וּתְרֵין שְׁבִילִין, אִשְׁתָּכְלַל כֹּלָּא, וְכָל מָה דְּאִית לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, וְהוּא אִתְקְרֵי רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּכָל רוּחִין אִשְׁתָּכְלָלוּ בֵּיהּ.

Eyes Key

886. Rabbi Yitzchak said, During the day that Rabbi Shimon was explaining this subject, his eyes were gushing tears. He said, All the treasures of the supernal King are given over with one key, WHICH IS YESOD. The supernal Engravings, WHICH ARE THE SUPERNAL CONCEALED THINGS THAT ARE REVEALED THROUGH YESOD IN MALCHUT WHEREIN IS THE PLACE OF REVELATION, are revealed by the keeper of the treasury of the Images, THAT IS YESOD, THE HUSBAND OF MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'THE TREASURY OF THE IMAGES.'

886. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, בְּיוֹמָא דַּהֲוָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּרִישׁ מִלָּה דָּא, עֵינוֹי נַבְעִין מַיָּא, וַהֲוָה אָמַר, כָּל גִּנְזַיָּיא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, אִתְמָסְרָן בְּחַד מַפְתְּחָא, וְאִתְגַּלְיָיא בְּקֻזְפִיטָן דְּקוּרְדִּיטֵי גְּלִיפִין עִלָּאִין.

Gates Moses Year

887. We have learned, who can comprehend and grasp what is concealed in this fountain, WHICH IS YESOD, for Moses did not reveal in his lifetime, while he revealed deep secrets to Yisrael, NAMELY THE FIFTIETH GATE, even though everything was revealed through him. When the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to elevate him to the supernal Holy Yeshivah and conceal him from people, as it is written, "I am 120 years old this day" (Devarim 31:2). It is on the very day OF HIS DEMISE, because on that day (the count of) his days was completed, to approach this place, THE FIFTIETH GATE, as it is written, "Behold, your days approach" (Ibid. 14). They actually approached, IN THAT THEY APPROACHED THE FIFTIETH GATE.

887. אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּאנָא, מַאן יָכִיל לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא וּלְאִתְכַּלְלָא מַה דְּגָנִיז בְּדָא מַבּוּעָא. דְּהָא מֹשֶׁה לָא גַּלֵּי דָּא בְּיוֹמוֹי, כַּד הֲוָה גַּלֵּי רָזָא עֲמִיקְתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָא הֲוָה מִתְגַּלְיָיא עַל יְדוֹי. אֶלָּא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּבָעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְסַלְּקָא לֵיהּ לִמְתִיבְתָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, וּלְטַמְרָא לֵיהּ מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא, דִּכְתִּיב בֶּן מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם. הַיּוֹם מַמָּשׁ, דְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ יוֹמוֹי, לְאִתְקָרְבָא לְאֲתָר דָּא, דִּכְתִּיב הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ קָרְבוּ מַמָּשׁ.