Vayera: Chapter 19

The Garden of Eden and Gehenom

Synopsis

Man is constantly tested by his own negative inclination in order to provide him with the opportunity to exercise free will. Man activates free will the moment he resists his natural selfish tendencies. The righteous people of this world are those who have conquered their negative natures and subjugated all Evil Inclinations. It is upon their merit that our physical world is sustained. A man who conquers his own negative nature and ego is far stronger and far greater than the man who conquers armies or builds empires.

The Zohar explains that the Garden of Eden and Hell exist both in our physical realm and in the Supernal Worlds. The true righteous dwell in the Garden of Eden above, while the most wicked of men dwell in the lower realm of Hell. There is a story in the Talmud that Hell on Earth was discovered and visited by a great sage some 2000 years ago. This sage stormed the gates of Hell and stole away the knife from the Angel of Death. The Creator explained to the sage that the system of Hell is a necessary process in order to help cleanse the souls of the wicked so that they, too, may be able to partake in the world-to-come. The Creator, therefore, called for the sage to return the knife.

Relevance

The Garden of Eden is not only a long sought-after paradise located in some remote island in the world-to-come, but it is also a state-of-mind that we experience in the here and now. We connect ourselves to the Garden of Eden on Earth, arousing tranquility, happiness, and inner peace in our soul. We begin to sense and grasp the significance of the hardships that strike in our personal life. During difficult times, when life feels like Hell on Earth, afflictions have a cleansing effect on our soul. Awareness and acceptance of this spiritual truth accelerates the process, and trying times pass more quickly.

Grades Heart Joseph Kingdom Merit Righteous Testimony

239. Midrash Hane'elam (Homiletical interpretations on the obscure). The Rabbi opened the discussion by quoting the verse, "Now these are the nations which Hashem left, to test Yisrael by them..." (Shoftim 3:1). The Rabbi said, I have been looking into that world, NAMELY THE ETERNAL WORLD, and saw that the world can exist only because of righteous people who have control over the desire of their hearts. As it is written, "This he ordained in Jehosef for a testimony..." (Tehilim 81:6). Rabbi Yehuda then said, Why did Joseph merit that high grade and kingdom? The answer is because he overcame his lust. As we have learned, the heavenly Kingdom awaits he who overcomes his lustful desires.

239. (מִדְרָשׁ הַנֶּעֱלָם) רַבִּי פָּתַח, בְּהַאי קְרָא, וְאֵלֶּה הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר הִנִּיחַ ה' לְנַסּוֹת בָּם אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲמַר רַבִּי, חָזֵי הֲוֵית בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, וְלֵית עָלְמָא קָאֵים, אֶלָּא בְּאִינוּן דְּשַׁלִּיטִין עַל רְעוּתָא דְּלִבְּהוֹן. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֵדוּת בִּיהוֹסֵף שָׂמוֹ וגו'. אֲמַר רַב יְהוּדָה, לָמָּה זָכָה יוֹסֵף לְאוֹתָהּ הַמַּעֲלָה וְהַמַּלְכוּת, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁכָּבַשׁ יִצְרוֹ. דְּתָנִינָן כָּל הַכּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת יִצְרוֹ, מַלְכוּתָא דִּשְׁמַיָא אָחֵיל עֲלֵיהּ.

Creation Dreams Evil Evil Inclination Prophets

240. As Rabbi Acha has said, The Holy One, blessed be He, has created the Evil Inclination solely for the purpose of trying humanity. And does the Holy One, blessed be He, intend on trying humanity? Yes. How do we know this? From the verse, "If there arise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams...And the sign or the wonder came to pass...For Hashem your Elohim tests you..." (Devarim 13:1-3)

240. דַּאֲמַר ר' אַחָא, לֹֹא בָּרָא הַקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לַיצה"ר, אֶלָּא לְנַסּוֹת בּוֹ בְּנֵי אָדָם. וּמִי בָּעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנַסּוּתָא בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. אֵין. דַּאֲמַר ר' אַחָא, מנ"ל, מִדִּכְתִיב כִּי יָקוּם בְּקִרְבְּךָ נָבִיא וגו'. וּבָא הָאוֹת וְהַמּוֹפֵת וגו'. כִּי מְנַסֶה ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם וגו'.

Deeds Gates Guilt Lot Seas Sodom and Amorah (Gomorrah) Wicked Wickedness

241. And why does He intend on trying it, as all the deeds of humankind are well known to Him? In order that humankind should have no excuse to complain. See what is written, "And Lot sat in the gate of Sodom," WHICH MEANS that he was sitting and reproving the people. Rabbi Yitzchak asks, What is the verse, "But the wicked are like the troubled sea..." (Yeshayah 57:20)? Even when the wicked man is on trial, he shows insolence and confirms his guilt. As it is written, "But before they lay down..." (Beresheet 19:4).

241. וּלְמָה בָּעֵי נַסוּתָא, דְּהָא כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ אִתְגְּלֵי קַמֵּיהּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא לָתֵת פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לִבְנֵי אָדָם, רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב וְלוֹט יוֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר סְדוֹם דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב לְנַסּוּתָא לִבְרִיָּיתָא. אָמַר רָבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִיב וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ וגו'. אֲפִילּוּ בִּשְׁעַת דִּינוֹ שֶׁל רָשָׁע הוּא מֵעִיז פָּנָיו, וַאֲזַי הוּא בְּרִשְׁעָתוֹ קַיָּים, רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב טֶרֶם יִשְׁכָּבוּ וגו'.

Creation Darkness Earth Eden Garden of Eden Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Job

242. Rabbi Yitzchak continued, Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, created the Garden of Eden upon earth, so did He create Gehenom as well. And just as He created the Garden of Eden above, so did He create Gehenom there. The earthly Garden of Eden is referred to in the verse, "And Hashem Elohim planted a garden eastward in Eden..." (Beresheet 2:8) and earthly Gehanom is referred to in the verse, "A land of gloom, as darkness itself..." (Iyov 10:22)

242. אָמַר ר' יִצְחָק, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁבָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גַּן עֵדֶן בָּאָרֶץ, כָּךְ בָּרָא גֵּיהִנֹּם בָּאָרֶץ. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁבָּרָא גַּן עֵדֶן לְמַעְלָה, כָּךְ בָּרָא גֵּיהִנֹּם לְמַעְלָה. גַּן עֵדֶן בָּאָרֶץ, דִּכְתִיב וַיִּטַּע ה' אֱלֹקִים גַּן בְּעֵדֶן וגו'. גֵּיהִנֹּם בָּאָרֶץ, דִּכְתִיב אֶרֶץ עֵפָתָה כְּמוֹ אֹפֶל וגו'.

Garden of Eden Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Samuel Soul, The

243. There is a Garden of Eden above, as is written, "But the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with Hashem your Elohim..." (I Shmuel 25:29) followed by, "and the spirit shall return to Elohim who gave it" (Kohelet 12:7). And there is a Gehenom above, as it is written, "and the souls of your enemies, these shall he sling out, as out of the hollow of a sling" (I Shmuel 25:29).

243. גַּן עֵדֶן לְמַעְלָה, דִּכְתִיב וְהָיְתָה נֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנִי צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ. וּכְתִיב וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶל הָאֱלֹקִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ. גֵּיהִנֹּם לְמַעְלָה דִּכְתִיב וְאֵת נֶפֶשׁ אֹיְבֶיךָ יְקַלְּעֶנָּה בְּתוֹךְ כַּף הַקָּלַע.

Astrology Circumcision Constellation Eden Ezekiel Fire Garden of Eden Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Light Righteous Shabbat Soul, The Stars Wicked Wickedness

244. The Garden of Eden below is as we have said. The Garden of Eden above is for the souls of the completely righteous, so that they may be replenished by the Great Light of above. Gehenom down below is for those wicked who refused to perform circumcision, did not believe in the Holy One, blessed be He, nor in His religion, and did not keep the Shabbat. They are the ones who worship the stars and constellations, and who are condemned with fire. As it is written, "And they came out from fire, and fire shall devour them..." (Yechezkel 15:7), "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men..." (Yeshayah 66:24)

244. גַּן עֵדֶן לְמַטָּה כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן. גַּן עֵדֶן לְמַעְלָה, לְנִשְׁמָתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִים, לִהְיוֹת נִזּוֹנִין מֵאוֹר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁל מַעְלָה. גֵּיהִנֹּם לְמַטָּה, לְאוֹתָם הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁלֹּא קִבְּלוּ בְּרִית מִילָה, וְלֹֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ בְּהַקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְדָתוֹ, וְלֹא שָׁמְרוּ שַׁבָּת, וְאֵלּוּ הֵם עכו"ם, שֶׁנִּדּוֹנִים בָּאֵשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מֵהָאֵשׁ יָצָאוּ וְהָאֵשׁ תֹּאכְלֵם וגו'. וּכְתִיב וְיָצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בְּפִגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים וגו'.

Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Precepts Punishment Torah Wicked Wickedness

245. The Gehenom above is for those sinners of Yisrael who have transgressed the precepts of Torah, and have not repented. They are rejected and stay outside until they are punished. And they wander around the whole world, as it is written, "The wicked walk on every side..." (Tehilim 12:9)

245. גֵּיהִנֹּם לְמַעְלָה, לְאוֹתָם פּוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁעָבְרוּ עַל מִצְוֹת הַתּוֹרָה, וְלֹא חָזְרוּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה, שֶׁדּוֹחִים אוֹתָם לַחוּץ, עַד שֶׁיְקַבְּלוּ עוֹנְשָׁם. וְהוֹלְכִים וְסוֹבְבִים כָּל הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר סָבִיב רְשָׁעִים יִתְהַלָּכוּן.

Astrology Constellation Death Death and the Afterlife Fire Punishment Stars Twelve Water

246. And they are sentenced to stay there for twelve months. Later, they reside with those who received their punishment at their death, each to a place according to what he deserves. The sinners who worship the stars and the constellations are constantly punished by fire and water, and they never emerge again, as it is written, "Neither shall their fire be quenched" (Yeshayah 66:24).

246. וְשָׁם נִדּוֹנִים שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ לְאַחַר כֵּן, מָדוֹרָם עִם אוֹתָם שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ עָנְשָׁם בְּמוֹתָם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד כְּפִי הַמָּקוֹם הָרָאוּי לוֹ. וְהָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁל עכו"ם, נִדּוֹנִים תָּמִיד בָּאֵשׁ וּבַמַּיִם, וְשׁוּב אֵינָם עוֹלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאִשָּׁם לֹא תִכְבֶּה.

Fire Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Judgment Sodom and Amorah (Gomorrah) World to Come, The

247. The sinners are sentenced in Gehenom according to what is written, "Then Hashem rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire..." (Beresheet 19:24). And they never emerged from there and shall not rise for the Day of Judgment, as it is written, "Which Hashem overthrew in His anger, and in His wrath" (Devarim 29:22). "In His anger" refers to this world; "and in His wrath" refers to the World to Come.

247. מִשְׁפַּט הָרְשָׁעִים בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם, כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב, וַה' הִמְטִיר עַל סְדֹם וְעַל עֲמֹרָה גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ וגו'. וְשׁוּב אֵינָם עוֹלִים, וְלֹא יָקוּמוּ לְיוֹם הַדִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר הָפַךְ ה' בְּאַפּוֹ וּבַחֲמָתוֹ, בְּאַפּוֹ: בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וּבַחֲמָתוֹ: בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

Circumcision Garden of Eden Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Jacob Punishment Resurrection Shabbat Torah Wicked Wickedness

248. Rabbi Yitzchak said, In keeping with what I have explained, there is a Garden of Eden above and another below; there is a Gehenom below and another above. Rabbi Ya'akov said, The wicked who have defiled their circumcision, desecrated the Shabbat in public, desecrated the festivals, and have rejected the Torah, the resurrection of the dead, and so on, all shall enter Gehenom below. They shall be punished there and shall never rise up again.

248. אֲמַר ר' יִצְחָק לְהַאי גַּוְונָא אִית גַּן עֵדֶן לְמַעְלָה, וְאִית גַּן עֵדֶן לְמַטָּה. אִית גֵּיהִנֹּם לְמַטָּה, וְאִית גֵּיהִנֹּם לְמַעְלָה. אֲמַר ר' יַעֲקֹב, הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁקִּלְקְלוּ בְּרִית מִילָה שֶׁבָּהֶם, וְחִלְּלוּ שַׁבָּת בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא, וְחִלְּלוּ אֶת הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת, וְשֶׁכָּפְרוּ בַּתּוֹרָה, וְשֶׁכָּפְרוּ בִּתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים, וְכַדּוֹמֶה לָהֶם, יוֹרְדִים לַגֵּיהִנֹּם שֶׁלְּמַטָּה, וְנִדּוֹנִים שָׁם וְשׁוּב אֵינָם עוֹלִים.

Daniel Dust Earth Flesh Judgment Resurrection Righteous

249. But they shall rise on the Day of Judgment and for the resurrection of the dead. They are described by the words, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2). And they are also described by the words, "and they shall be abhorrent to all flesh" (Heb. dera'on) (Yeshayah 66:24). What is dera'on? Dai-Ra'on, WHICH MEANS that all shall say, Dai ('enough') - Ra'on ('of seeing them') - THEY SHALL HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF SEEING THEM. But of the righteous in Yisrael, it is said, "Your people shall also be all righteous..." (Yeshayah 60:21). End of Midrash Hane'elam.

249. אֲבָל יָקוּמוּ לְיוֹם הַדִּין, וְיָקוּמוּ לִתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים, וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר וְרַבִּים מִישֵׁנִי אַדְמָת עָפָר יָקִיצוּ אֵלֶּה לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם וגו'. וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר וְהָיוּ דֵּרָאוֹן לְכָל בָּשָׂר. מַה דֵּרָאוֹן, דַּיי רָאוֹן, שֶׁהַכֹּל יֹאמְרוּ דַּיי בִּרְאִיָּיתָם, וְעַל הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֱמַר, וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים וגו'. (ע"כ מדה"נ)

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