Death and the shadow of death

Synopsis

The rabbis discuss death and how it may be escaped. God does not kill humankind. Men die when they walk in the shadow of the Angel of Death. When God's wisdom prevails on Earth, death will vanish forever.

Relevance

Death is an illusion of this physical world. It helps correct the soul when the accumulation of negativity in the body becomes too great a task to correct in the present lifetime. Negativity is aroused when behavior is rooted in Evil Inclination. When mankind has fully abolished this aspect of his nature, immortality will become the new reality. This can be hastened by a concentrated, meditative connection to the Hebrew texts that distill this wisdom.

Death Death and the Afterlife Gates Job Judgment Shadow

286. Rabbi Yehuda began the discussion with the verse, "Have the gates of death been opened to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?" (Iyov 38:17). The Holy One, blessed be He, said this to Job, who was aggravated by the judgments of the Holy One, blessed be He. Come and behold, Job said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him (Heb. lo)" (Iyov 13:15). It is written "lo (Lamed Aleph) (lit.'not')," but read as with lo (Lamed Vav) ('in him')." Thus, it includes everything, AND it ALSO SAYS THAT, THOUGH HE SLAYS HIM, HE WILL NOT TRUST IN HIM.

286. פְּתַח רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וַאֲמַר הֲנִגְלוּ לְךָ שַׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת וְשַׁעֲרֵי צַלְמָוֶת תִּרְאֶה. הַאי קְרָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְאִיּוֹב, כַּד חָמָא, דְּאִיּוֹב דָּחֵיק גַרְמֵיהּ עַל דִּינוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. תָּא חֲזֵי, אִיּוֹב אֲמַר הֵן יִקְטְלֵנִי לוֹ אֲיַחֵל, כְּתִיב לֹא בְּאל"ף, וְקָרִינָן לוֹ בְּוא"ו, וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ.

Death Death and the Afterlife Earth Gates Shadow

287. The Holy One, blessed be He, asked him, 'Do I kill people?' ."..have the gates of death been opened to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?" How many gates are open on that side THROUGH WHICH YOU CAN ESCAPE DEATH? BUT EVERYWHERE death controls them, because the gates are not opened to men who do not know of them. IN THE FUTURE, HOWEVER, WHEN THE VERSE IS FULFILLED, "FOR THE EARTH SHALL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF HASHEM" (YESHAYAH 11:9), THEN, "HE WILL DESTROY DEATH FOR EVER" (YESHAYAH 25:8). THUS, THEY DIE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO BE GUARDED, AND NOT BECAUSE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, KILLS THEM.

287. אָמַר לוֹ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְכִי אֲנָא קָטֵיל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, הֲנִגְלוּ לְךָ שַׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת וְשַׁעֲרֵי צַלְמָוֶת תִּרְאֶה, כַּמָּה תַּרְעִין אִינוּן פְּתִיחָן בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא. וּמוֹתָא שָׁלְטָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְכֻלְּהוּ סְתִימִין מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וְלָא יָדְעִין אִינוּן שְׁעָרִים.

Angel of Death Angels Death Death and the Afterlife Female Gates Male Samael Serpent Shadow

288. "Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death." HE ASKS, What are the gates of death, and what are the gates of the shadow of death? HE ANSWERS, They are as one, joined together LIKE MALE AND FEMALE ARE JOINED TO BE ONE. We learned that "death" means the Angel of Death. It has already been explained TO BE THE SECRET OF THE SERPENT, WHICH IS FEMALE. The shadow of death is he who rides upon death, NAMELY, SAMAEL WHO RIDES UPON THE SERPENT. It is its shadow and gives it the power to be united into one bond. And so they are one.

288. וְשַׁעֲרֵי צַלְמָוֶת תִּרְאֶה. מַאן אִינוּן שַׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת ומַאן אִינוּן שַׁעֲרֵי צַלְמָוֶת. אֶלָּא מָוֶת וְצַלְמָוֶת כַּחֲדָא אִינוּן, וְזִוּוּגָא חָדָא אִינוּן. מָוֶת הָא אִתְּמָר, דָּא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ. צַלְמָוֶת: צֵל מָוֶת. הַאי אִיהוּ מַאן דְּרָכֵיב עֲלֵיהּ, וְאִיהוּ צִלָּא דדִילֵיהּ, וְתוֹקְפָא דִיללֵיהּ, לְאִזְדַּוְּגָא כַּחֲדָא, בְּקִשּׁוּרָא חַד וְאִינוּן חַד.

Death Death and the Afterlife Female Gates Grades Head Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Klipot (Shells – Negativity) Male Other Side Rivers Shadow Shells (Klipot)

289. All the grades issued by them are connected TO THE MALE AND THE FEMALE OF THE KLIPOT; THEY are their gates. It is the same above, IN HOLINESS, as it is written, "Lift up your heads, O gates" (Tehilim 24:7). They are called 'rivers and springs,' THAT IS, THE FOUNDATIONS OF the six ends of the world, THE MALE AND THE FEMALE OF HOLINESS. Here also, there are gates of death and gates of the shadow of death of the Other Side. They are grades that rule over the world. The gates of death and the gates of the shadow of death are male and female, clinging together.

289. וְכָל אִינוּן דַּרְגִּין דְּנָפְקֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ, וּמִתְקַשְּׁרָן בְּהוֹ אִינוּן שְׁעָרִים דִּלְהוֹן, כְּמָה דִלְעֵילָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, שְׂאוּ שְׁעָרִים רָאשֵׁיכֶם וגו.' וְאִלֵּין אִיקְּרוּ נַהֲרִין וְנַחֲלִין, שִׁית סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא. אוֹף הָכֵי אִינוּן שַׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת, וְשַׁעֲרֵי צַלְמָוֶת מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא, דַּרְגִּין יְדִיעָן דְּשָׁלְטִין בְּעַלְמָא, שַׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת, וְשַׁעֲרֵי צַלְמָוֶת, דָּא נוּקְבָא, וְדָא דְכוּרָא, וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ כַּחֲדָא.

Cloud Death Death and the Afterlife Gates Grave Job

290. וְעַל דָּא, אֲמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאִיּוֹב, בְּגִין כָּל אִינוּן מִלִּין, דְּאִיהוּ אֲמַר כָּלָה עָנָן וַיֵּלַךְ כֵּן יוֹרֵד שְׁאוֹל לֹא יַעֲלֶה, וְכָל אִינוּן שְׁאָר מִלִּין. אֲמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲנִגְלוּ לְךָ שַׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת, לְמִנְדַע דְּהָא כֻּלְּהוּ בִּרְשׁוּתִי, וְכֻלְּהוּ זְמִינִין לְאִתְבַּעֲרָא מֵעַלְמָא, דִּכְתִיב בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח וגו.'