R. Isaac said: ‘Happy are the righteous in this world and in the next, because they are altogether holy. Their body is holy, their soul is holy, their spirit is holy, their super-soul is holy of holies. These are three grades indissolubly united. If a man does well with his soul (nefesh), there descends upon him a certain crown called spirit (ruah), which stirs him to a deeper contemplation of the laws of the Holy King. If he does well with this spirit, he is invested with a noble holy crown called super-soul (neshamah), which can contemplate all.
that God has made three abodes for the righteous. One is for the souls of the righteous which have not yet left this world and are still here, and when the world is in need of mercy and the living afflict themselves, these pray for mankind and go and inform those that sleep in Hebron,1The patriarchs. who being thus awakened go into the terrestrial Paradise where are the souls of the righteous in their crowns of light, and take counsel of them and decide what shall be, and God carries out their desire and has pity on the world.
These souls of the righteous are in this world to protect the living and know their troubles, and these are they of whom the Companions say that the dead know the sorrows of the world and the punishment of the wicked.
The second rank belongs to the terrestrial Paradise. In it God has made excellent chambers after the pattern of those of this world and of the celestial world, and palaces of two colours without number and sweet-smelling herbs that grow afresh every day. In that place abides that which is called the “spirit” of the righteous, each one being clad in a precious garment after the pattern of this world and of the upper world.
The third grade is that holy celestial abode which is called “the bundle of the living”, where that holy superior grade called the super-soul (neshamah) regales itself with the supernal delights.
Now we have learnt that when the world requires mercy and those righteous ones take note of it, that soul of theirs which is in the world to shield mankind flits about the world to tell the spirit, and the spirit ascends and tells the super-soul, and this tells the Holy One, blessed be He. Then God has pity on the world and the reverse process takes place, the super-soul telling the spirit and the spirit the soul.
Thus when the world requires mercy, the living go and inform the spirits of the righteous and weep over their graves, in order that soul may cleave to soul, and the souls of the righteous then come together and go and inform the sleepers of Hebron of the sorrows of the world, and then all enter the gateway of Paradise and inform the spirit, and those spirits which are crowned in Paradise like celestial angels join them and inform the super-soul, and this informs the Holy One, blessed be He, and God has mercy on the world for their sakes; and regarding this Solomon said: “Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living that are still alive” (Eccl. 4, 2).’
Said R. Hiya: ‘I wonder if anyone knows how to inform the dead besides us.’ R. Abba replied: ‘The sufferings of men tell them, the Torah tells them. For when there is none who knows how to do this, they take out the Scroll of the Law to the graveyard, and the dead are curious to know why it has been brought there; and then Duma informs them.’
R. Jose added: ‘They then know that the world is in trouble and the living are not meet nor know how to inform them. Then they all lament for the dishonour done to the Torah in bringing it to such a place. If men repent and weep with all their heart and return to God, then they all gather together and seek mercy and inform the sleepers of Hebron, as we have said.
But if they do not repent, then woe to them for that they have assembled for nothing, and have caused the holy Torah to go into banishment without repentance, and they all go to remind God of their sins. Therefore men should not go thus to the graveyard without repentance and fasting.’ R. Abba said: ‘ There should be three fasts.’ R. Jose, however, said that one is sufficient, namely on the same day, provided they are very contrite’.
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דְּהָא כֻּלְּהוּ קַדִּישִׁין. גּוּפָא דִּלְהוֹן קַדִּישָׁא. נַפְשָׁא דִּלְהוֹן קַדִּישָׁא. רוּחָא דִּלְהוֹן קַדִּישָׁא. נִשְׁמְתָא דִּלְהוֹן קֹדֶשׁ קֳדָשִׁים. תְּלַת דַּרְגִּין אִינּוּן, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. דְּתַנְיָא אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, כְּתִיב (בראשית א׳:כ״ד) תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, דָּא הִיא נִשְׁמְתָא (עלאה) דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה (עלאה). תָּא חֲזֵי, תְּלַת דַּרְגִּין אִינּוּן, וְאִתְדְּבָקוּ כְּחַד, נֶפֶשׁ, רוּחַ, נְשָׁמָה. וְעִלָּאָה מִנַּיְיהוּ, נְשָׁמָה.
R. Isaac said: ‘Happy are the righteous in this world and in the next, because they are altogether holy. Their body is holy, their soul is holy, their spirit is holy, their super-soul is holy of holies. These are three grades indissolubly united. If a man does well with his soul (nefesh), there descends upon him a certain crown called spirit (ruah), which stirs him to a deeper contemplation of the laws of the Holy King. If he does well with this spirit, he is invested with a noble holy crown called super-soul (neshamah), which can contemplate all.
דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, בְּכֻלְּהוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אִית נֶפֶשׁ, וְאִית נֶפֶשׁ עִלָּאָה מִנֶּפֶשׁ. זָכָה בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי נֶפֶשׁ, מְרִיקִין עָלֵיהּ עִטְרָא חַד, דְּאִקְרֵי רוּחַ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ל״ב:ט״ו) עַד יֵעָרֶה עָלֵינוּ רוּחַ מִמָּרוֹם. כְּדֵין אִתְּעַר בַּר נָשׁ בְּאִתְעָרוּתָא אָחֳרָא עִלָּאָה, לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּנִמוּסֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. זָכָה בַּר נָשׁ בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא רוּחָא, מְעַטְּרִין לֵיהּ בְּכִתְרָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, דְּכָלִיל כֹּלָּא, דְּאִקְרֵי נְשָׁמָה. דְּאִתְקְרֵי נִשְׁמַת אֱלוֹהַּ.
וְתָאנָא בְּרָזָא דְּרָזִין, בְּגוֹ רָזִין דְּסִפְרָא דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא. הַאי קְרָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (קהלת ד׳:ב׳) וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֲנִי אֶת הַמֵּתִים שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ, כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִּיב וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֲנִי אֶת הַמֵּתִים, אֲמַאי שְׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ. אֶלָּא שְׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן. (בראשית רכ"ד ע"ב)
In the book of King Solomon it is written
וְתַמָּן כְּתִיב, תְּלָת מָדוֹרִין עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא, חַד (ס"א דזכו אינון צדיקייא דלא אישתציאו מהאי עלמא וכד אצטריך) לְנַפְשָׁאן דְּאִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּלָא אִסְתְּלָקוּ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, וּשְׁכִיחִין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. וְכַד אִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא רַחֲמִין, וְאִינּוּן חַיִּין יַתְבִין בְּצַעֲרָא, אִינּוּן מְצָלוּ צְלוֹתָא עָלַיְיהוּ, וְאַזְלִין וּמוֹדְעִין מִלָּה לְאִינּוּן דְּמִיכִין דְּחֶבְרוֹן, וּמִתְעָרִין, וְעַאלִין לְגַּן עֵדֶן דְּאַרְעָא, דְּתַמָּן רוּחֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, מִתְלַבְּשָׁן בְּעִטְרִין דִּנְהוֹרָא, וְאִתְיַיעֲטוּ בְּהוּ, וְגַזְרִין גְּזֵרָה, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד רְעוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן, וְחָס עַל עָלְמָא.
that God has made three abodes for the righteous. One is for the souls of the righteous which have not yet left this world and are still here, and when the world is in need of mercy and the living afflict themselves, these pray for mankind and go and inform those that sleep in Hebron,1The patriarchs. who being thus awakened go into the terrestrial Paradise where are the souls of the righteous in their crowns of light, and take counsel of them and decide what shall be, and God carries out their desire and has pity on the world.
וְאִינּוּן נַפְשָׁן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, לְאַגָּנָא עַל חַיַּיָא, וְהַאי אִקְרֵי נֶפֶשׁ, וְדָא לָא אִסְתָּלְקָא (ס"א אשתצי) מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, וּשְׁכִיחָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא וּלְמִנְדַּע וּלְאַגָּנָא עַל דָּרָא. וְהַאי הוּא דְּאָמְרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא, דְּמֵתֵי יַדְעֵי בְּצַעֲרָא דְּעָלְמָא. וְעוֹנְשָׁא דְּחַיָּיבִין דִּי בְּאַרְעָא, בְּהַאי הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִיא מֵעַמֶּיהָ.
These souls of the righteous are in this world to protect the living and know their troubles, and these are they of whom the Companions say that the dead know the sorrows of the world and the punishment of the wicked.
וּמָדוֹרָא תִּנְיָינָא הוּא גַּן עֵדֶן דִּי בְּאַרְעָא. בֵּיהּ עָבֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָדוֹרִין עִלָּאִין יַקִּירִין, כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּכְגַוְונָא דְּעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה. וְהֵיכָלִין בִּתְרֵין גַּוְונִין, דְּלֵית לְהוֹן חוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְאִילָנִין וַעֲשָׂבִין וְרֵיחִין דְּסַלְּקִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא. וּבְהַאי אֲתַר שָׁארֵי הַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי רוּחַ דְּאִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, וּמָדוֹרָא דְּהַהוּא רוּחָא בֵּיהּ שָׁארֵי. וְכָל רוּחַ וְרוּחַ מִתְלַבְּשָׁא בִּלְבוּשׁ יַקִּירָא, כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּכְגַוְונָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה.
The second rank belongs to the terrestrial Paradise. In it God has made excellent chambers after the pattern of those of this world and of the celestial world, and palaces of two colours without number and sweet-smelling herbs that grow afresh every day. In that place abides that which is called the “spirit” of the righteous, each one being clad in a precious garment after the pattern of this world and of the upper world.
מָדוֹרָא תְּלִיתָאָה, הַהוּא מָדוֹרָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִיתְקְרֵי צְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי. דְּתַמָּן מִתְעַדְּנָא הַהוּא דַּרְגָּא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִקְרֵי נְשָׁמָה. וְהַאי אִתְדְּבַק לְאִתְעַנְּגָא בְּעִדּוּנָא עִלָּאָה. עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו נ״ח:י״ד) אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ' וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיךָ וְגוֹ'.
The third grade is that holy celestial abode which is called “the bundle of the living”, where that holy superior grade called the super-soul (neshamah) regales itself with the supernal delights.
וְתָאנָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא רַחֲמֵי, וְאִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא זַכָּאִין. הַהוּא נֶפֶשׁ דְּאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בְּעָלְמָא, לְאַגָּנָא עַל עָלְמָא. נֶפֶשׁ סָלִיק וְאָזִיל וְשָׁאט בְּעָלְמָא, וּמוֹדַע לְרוּחַ. וְרוּחַ סָלִיק וְאִתְעַטָּר, וּמוֹדַע לַנְשָׁמָה. וּנְשָׁמָה לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וּכְדֵין חָס קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל עָלְמָא. כְּדֵין נַחְתָּא מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא, נְשָׁמָה אוֹדַע לְרוּחַ, וְרוּחַ אוֹדַע לְנַפְשָׁא.
Now we have learnt that when the world requires mercy and those righteous ones take note of it, that soul of theirs which is in the world to shield mankind flits about the world to tell the spirit, and the spirit ascends and tells the super-soul, and this tells the Holy One, blessed be He. Then God has pity on the world and the reverse process takes place, the super-soul telling the spirit and the spirit the soul.
וּבְכָל שַׁבְּתָא וְשַׁבְּתָא, וְרֵישׁ יַרְחָא, כֻּלְּהוּ, מִתְחַבְּרָן וּמִתְעַטְּרָן כְּחַד, עַד דְּאִזְדְּוָּוגוּ לְמֵיתֵי לְסַגְּדָא לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה. וּלְבָתַר תַּיְיבִין לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ס״ו:כ״ג) וְהָיָה מִדֵּי חֹדֶשׁ בְּחָדְשׁוֹ וּמִדֵּי שַׁבָּת בְּשַׁבַּתוֹ יָבֹא כָל בָּשָׂר וְגוֹ'.
Thus when the world requires mercy, the living go and inform the spirits of the righteous and weep over their graves, in order that soul may cleave to soul, and the souls of the righteous then come together and go and inform the sleepers of Hebron of the sorrows of the world, and then all enter the gateway of Paradise and inform the spirit, and those spirits which are crowned in Paradise like celestial angels join them and inform the super-soul, and this informs the Holy One, blessed be He, and God has mercy on the world for their sakes; and regarding this Solomon said: “Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living that are still alive” (Eccl. 4, 2).’
וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא רַחֲמֵי, וְחַיַיָא אַזְלֵי וּמוֹדָעֵי לְהוּ לְנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, וּבָכָאן עַל קִבְרַיְיהוּ, אִינּוּן דְּאִתְחָזוֹ לְאוֹדָעָא לְהוּ. מַאי טַעְמָא. דְּשַׁוְיָין רְעוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא נַפְשָׁא בְּנַפְשָׁא, כְּדֵין אִתְּעָרִין נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, וּמִתְכַּנְּפֵי וְאַזְלִין וְשָׁאטִין לִדְמִיכֵי חֶבְרוֹן, וּמוֹדִיעֵי לְהוּ צַעֲרָא דְּעָלְמָא. וְכֻלְּהוּ עָאלִין בְּהַהוּא פִּתְחָא דְגַּן עֵדֶן, וּמוֹדִיעֵי לְרוּחַ. וְאִינּוּן רוּחִין דְּמִתְעַטְּרָן בְּגַּן עֵדֶן, מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאִין אַזְלֵי בֵּינַיְיהוּ. וְכֻלְּהוּ מוֹדִיעִין לַנְשָׁמָה. וּנְשָׁמָה אוֹדָעַת לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ בָּעָאן רַחֲמֵי עַל חַיִּין, וְחָס קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל עָלְמָא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן. וְעַל דָּא אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֲנִי אֶת הַמֵּתִים שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ וְגוֹ'.
אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, תַּוַּוהְנָא אִי אִית מַאן דְּיָדַע לְאוֹדָעָא לְהוּ לְמֵתַיָּיא, בַּר אֲנָן. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, צַעֲרָא מוֹדְעָא לְהוּ. אוֹרַיְיתָא מוֹדְעָא לְהוּ. דְּהָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּלֵית מַאן דְּיָדַע בְּהַאי, (בראשית רכ"א ע"א) אַפְקֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא סָמוּךְ לְקִבְרִי, וְאִינּוּן מִתְעָרֵי, עַל אוֹרַיְיתָא עַל מַה אִתְגַּלְיָיא לְהַהוּא אֲתַר, כְּדֵין דּוּמָה אוֹדַע לְהוֹן.
Said R. Hiya: ‘I wonder if anyone knows how to inform the dead besides us.’ R. Abba replied: ‘The sufferings of men tell them, the Torah tells them. For when there is none who knows how to do this, they take out the Scroll of the Law to the graveyard, and the dead are curious to know why it has been brought there; and then Duma informs them.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְאִינּוּן יַדְעֵי דְּהָא עָלְמָא בְּצַעֲרָא, וְחַיַיָא לָא אִתְחָזוּן, וְלָא יַדְעֵי לְאוֹדָעָא לְהוּ. בֵּיהּ שַׁעֲתָא כֻּלְּהוּ צַוְוחִין עַל אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּאִתְקְלָנָא וְאִתְגַּלְיָיא לְהַהוּא אֲתַר. אִי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא תַּיְיבִין וּבָכָאן בְּלִבָּא שְׁלִים, וְתַיְיבִין קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְכַּנְּשֵׁי, וּבָעָאן רַחֲמֵי, וּמוֹדִיעִין לְאִינּוּן דְּמִיכֵי חֶבְרוֹן, וְעָאלִין וּמוֹדְעִין לְרוּחַ דבְּגַּן עֵדֶן, כְּמָה דְּאַמָרָן.
R. Jose added: ‘They then know that the world is in trouble and the living are not meet nor know how to inform them. Then they all lament for the dishonour done to the Torah in bringing it to such a place. If men repent and weep with all their heart and return to God, then they all gather together and seek mercy and inform the sleepers of Hebron, as we have said.
וְאִי אִינּוּן לָא תַּיְיבִין בְּלִבָּא שְׁלִים לְמִבָּעֵי וּלְמִבְכֵּי עַל צַעֲרָא דְּעָלְמָא. וַוי לְהוֹן, דְּכֻלְּהוּ מִתְכַּנְּפֵי לְרֵיקָא אַמְרֵי מַאן גָּרַם לְאוֹרַיְיתָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא עַל יְדַיְיהוּ בְּלָא תְּשׁוּבָה. וְכֻלְּהוּ אָתָאן לְאִתְחַדְתָּא (ס"א לאדכרא) חוֹבַיְיהוּ בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ לָא יַהֲכוּן תַּמָּן בְּלָא תְּשׁוּבָה וּבְלָא תַּעֲנִיתָא לְמִבָּעֵי בָּעוּתָא קַמַּיְיהוּ. רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, (ס"א כלא אתלת) בְּלָא תְּלַת תַּעֲנִיתָא. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, אֲפִילּוּ חַד, וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא, וּבִלְבַד דְּעָלְמָא יָתִיב בְּצַעֲרָא טְפֵי, כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ מִזְדַּוְּוגֵי לְמִבָּעֵי רַחֲמִין עַל עָלְמָא.
But if they do not repent, then woe to them for that they have assembled for nothing, and have caused the holy Torah to go into banishment without repentance, and they all go to remind God of their sins. Therefore men should not go thus to the graveyard without repentance and fasting.’ R. Abba said: ‘ There should be three fasts.’ R. Jose, however, said that one is sufficient, namely on the same day, provided they are very contrite’.