It is recorded in Sefer Raziel that the wicked do not repent even at the entrance to Gehinnom but may continue to sin and incur punishment as in the case of Navos the Yizre’eilite. This is why we give charity on behalf of the souls of the dead. Then when the living have fulfilled the vows that they made on behalf of those souls they become powerful advocates for the living and on account of this the Holy One Blessed is He bestows His blessing upon all their endeavors. But all this comes to pass only if they neither procrastinate nor delay in fulfilling their vows. After a person leaves the synagogue it is praiseworthy for him to fulfill the mitzvah of greeting his Torah mentor on the festival, which is reckoned as if he received the countenance of the Divine Presence (Mechilta, Parashas Yisro 18:12). For when he beholds his mentor’s countenance at that time he receives the light from a spark of holiness, akin to an extra soul. Afterwards he should go home to eat and drink and rejoice with his wife and children.
One must also distribute generous portions to the poor. You should be aware of what I have found written in the Zohar (Introduction 10b): Rabbi Shimon said: Whoever rejoices on the festivals and does not give a portion to the Holy One, Blessed is He, is called “evil-eyed,” and he is hated by the Satan, who immediately comes to accuse him and remove him from the world. How many troubles upon troubles does he cause him! This is because the poor are the portion of the Holy One Blessed is He, who wishes them to rejoice. During these days the Holy One Blessed is He goes up to look in on His shattered vessels. And if He sees that the poor person has nothing with which to rejoice, then the Holy One Blessed is He weeps and desires to destroy the world. At that time all the Heavenly Hosts come before Him, saying, “Master of the Universe! You are called merciful and gracious, so let Your mercies be poured out upon Your children!” The Holy One Blessed is He responds: “Did I not establish the world upon lovingkindness, as it states, ‘A world of lovingkindness You did build’ (Tehillim 89:3)? Yet I do not see any lovingkindness being performed in the world!” Then the ministering angels say: “It is true that So- and-so is eating and drinking and while he was capable of doing lovingkindness towards the poor, he did not, in fact, give them anything.” Instantly the accuser comes and asks for permission to pursue the man. The accuser comes to observe every meal that the person enjoys. If the man is quick to do loving- kindness towards the poor or if there are poor people in the house, the accuser goes away and does not enter. But if not, then he enters and if he sees a tumult of rejoicing without the poor, he ascends On High and indicts him.
In most cases, even at a mitzvah feast, if no words of Torah are spoken and there are no poor people present, quarreling and strife break out. For what pleasure does the Holy One, Blessed is He, derive from an affair of eating and drinking that is devoid of the rejoicing of a mitzvah? And how much more so if the rejoicing is mixed with thoughts of sin, for instance, when men and women, and teenage boys and girls sit together! Great pitfalls are thus created. Men and women dance in circles together, not realizing that the Satan, with many demons are dancing in front of them. What is the value of such rejoicing? Yet this iniquity has become very common, on account of our many sins, throughout the lands of Poland and Lithuania. Therefore let every man who fears the word of Hashem be careful to seat the men and women separately in order to distance himself from transgression and in order that the Satan will not mix up the joy of the mitzvah. For it is stated, “In our rejoicing let no stranger mix in” (Mishlei 14:10). [The “stranger” is the Satan, as it is stated, “Do not bow down to a strange god” — Shemos 34:14 — again referring to the Satan.] And let him be sure to grant a portion of every feast to the poor [as I have discussed at length in Chapter Ten].
And let every person reflect in his heart that in the end, everyone must die. And when the soul leaves the body it shrivels and dries, the skin clings to the flesh and bones and worms dominate it. Then let him ponder what becomes of all the dainties and delights with which he pampered his flesh. It is as if they never were and nothing remains of all the moisture he took in with his eating and drinking. His body becomes as dry as a piece of wood. But the iniquity of all that eating and drinking that was not for the sake of a mitzvah remains engraved and the harm that he caused by following his heart’s desire and his desires is indelibly impressed upon his body and his bones. Moreover, because of his excessive consumption his thoughts are muddled and he is unable to recite the Birkas HaMazon with proper concentration. This is a tremendous loss.
Come see what is written about this in the Zohar, Parashas Vayakheil (218b): When a person recites Birkas HaMazon properly, with joy and with concentration, then when he ascends from this world a place is prepared for him in the midst of the supernal secrets in the holy palaces. In a number of places in the Zohar (2:154b, 266b; 3:186b, 191b) it is explained that the Sitra Achara stands beside a person’s table and one must grant him his portion from the water of the final hand-washing. Therefore one must be very careful that the Sitra Achara does not remain there after one begins to recite the Grace. When one declares, “Let us prepare to bless!” that is when the Sitra Achara departs. For this reason the Sages warned that immediately upon washing, one must bless (Berachos 42a). This means that one must not allow any interruption between the final hand-washing and the recitation of Birkas HaMazon. The Ari, z”l, even warned against studying Torah at that time in order that there should be no interruption at all between the final hand-washing and the Birkas HaMazon (Sha’ar HaMitzvos, Parashas Eikev, 45a).
One time a certain Torah scholar came to visit the holy Ari z”l. He was one of the holy disciples of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero and the Ari received him graciously. During the meal the Ari noticed that the man did not eat like a healthy person and that one of his limbs seemed to be causing him pain. The Ari asked his guest why he was not eating and the man replied that for several days his shoulder had been bothering him. Then the Ari peered at him and said, “Undoubtedly you are in the habit of interrupting between the final hand-washing and the Birkas HaMazon.” The man acknowledged that this was indeed the case. He was accustomed to study a chapter of Mishnah between the hand-washing and the Birkas HaMazon. This was because he believed that words of Torah were a necessary part of the meal, in keeping with the Sages’ dictum that, “Any meal at which words of Torah are not spoken is reckoned as if they had eaten of the sacrifices of the dead [i.e., idolatry]” (Avos 3:3). The Ari explained to the man that it was because of this custom that he had received a pain specifically in the shoulder. For it was in violation of the rule that, “Immediately after the hand-washing must come the blessing,” and the word for “immediately” — tekef [תכף]— is comprised of the same letters as the word for shoulder — katef [כתף]. So the Ari advised the pious scholar to resolve not to interrupt after washing and then he would be healed of his ailment.
You can see from here how exacting the Holy One Blessed is He is with each and every individual and that all of His actions are calculated, measured and weighed. This incident is in keeping with what we have already mentioned — that whoever fails to recite Birkas HaMazon with devotion lives with the Sitra Achara at his table. One who does recite it with devotion, on the other hand, will merit hearing it recited by King Dovid, peace be upon him, when the Holy One Blessed is He makes a feast for the righteous in the time to come (Pesachim 119b). For the Holy One Blessed is He does not withhold the reward of any creature, even for a pleasant turn of speech (Nazir 23b). Thus we find it written in the Zohar, Parashas Terumah (132a), “Whoever recites the Song of the Sea [Shirat HaYam] with devotion merits to see the face of the Moshiach adorned with the crown that the Holy One Blessed is He placed upon him when Israel traversed the sea and merited reciting that song [for the first time].” May it be the will of the Holy One Blessed is He that in the merit of this holy song, which is recited by Israel on the last two days of Pesach, we will be worthy of seeing the face of our king adorned with the crown mentioned above. And may we merit singing that song in the congregation of the righteous, speedily and in our days, Amein. [— Based on the words of my teacher and mentor, Rabbi Yosef, z”l (Yesod Yosef, Chapter 87).]
אִיתָא בְּ"סֵפֶר רָזִיאֵל": הָרְשָׁעִים — אַף בְּפִתְחוֹ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנָּם אֵינָם חוֹזְרִים, וִיכוֹלִין לַחֲטֹא וּלְהֵעָנֵשׁ כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁל רוּחַ נָבוֹת הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִי. לָכֵן נוֹתְנִין צְדָקָה בְּעַד נִשְׁמוֹת הַמֵּתִים הֵם פְּרַקְלִיטִים גְּדוֹלִים, כְּשֶׁמְּקַיֵּם אָדָם אֶת הַנֶּדֶר שֶׁנָּדַר בְּעַד הַזְכָּרַת נִשְׁמָתָן, וְאָז הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַחַיִּים. וְכָל זֶה הוּא אִם לֹא יְאַחֵר וְלֹא יְעַכֵּב נִדְרוֹ. וְאַחַר יְצִיאַת בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת טוֹב לָאָדָם לְהַקְבִּיל פְּנֵי רַבּוֹ בָּרֶגֶל, וְהוּא כְּאִלּוּ מְקַבֵּל פְּנֵי שְׁכִינָה. וְעַל יְדֵי קַבָּלַת פָּנִים שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל פְּנֵי רַבּוֹ בָּרֶגֶל, אָז בָּאָה לוֹ הֶאָרָה שֶׁל נִיצוֹץ קְדֻשָּׁה כְּדִמְיוֹן נְשָׁמָה יְתֵרָה. וְאַחַר כָּךְ יֵלֵךְ לְבֵיתוֹ לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת וְלִשְׂמֹחַ עִם אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבָנָיו.
It is recorded in Sefer Raziel that the wicked do not repent even at the entrance to Gehinnom but may continue to sin and incur punishment as in the case of Navos the Yizre’eilite. This is why we give charity on behalf of the souls of the dead. Then when the living have fulfilled the vows that they made on behalf of those souls they become powerful advocates for the living and on account of this the Holy One Blessed is He bestows His blessing upon all their endeavors. But all this comes to pass only if they neither procrastinate nor delay in fulfilling their vows. After a person leaves the synagogue it is praiseworthy for him to fulfill the mitzvah of greeting his Torah mentor on the festival, which is reckoned as if he received the countenance of the Divine Presence (Mechilta, Parashas Yisro 18:12). For when he beholds his mentor’s countenance at that time he receives the light from a spark of holiness, akin to an extra soul. Afterwards he should go home to eat and drink and rejoice with his wife and children.
וְצָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְחַלֵּק מָנוֹת יָפוֹת לַעֲנִיִּים. וְדַע, שֶׁמָּצָאתִי כָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר, פָּרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית: רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר: כָּל מַאן דְּחָדֵי בְּמוֹעֲדַיָּא, וְלֹא יָהִיב חוּלָקֵיהּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא — הַהוּא "רַע עַיִן" אִקְרֵי, וְהַשָּׂטָן שׂוֹנֵא אוֹתוֹ, וְתֵכֶף בָּא הַשָּׂטָן וּמְקַטְרֵג עָלָיו וּסָלִיק לֵיהּ מֵעָלְמָא וְכַמָּה אִעֲקוּ עַל אִעֲקוּ מְסַבֵּב לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּהַנְהוּ מִסְכְּנֵי הֵן חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְמֶחֱדֵי לְמִסְכְּנֵי וְסָלִיק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיוֹמִין אִלֵּין לְמֶחֱמֵי לְאִנּוּן מָאנִין תְּבִירִין דִּילֵיהּ. וְאִם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חֲמָא, דְּלֵית לֵיהּ לְמִסְכְּנָא לְמֶחֱדֵי, אֲזַי בּוֹכֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָעֵי לְמֶחֱרַב עָלְמָא: וְאָז בָּאִין כָּל פָּמַלְיָא שֶׁל מַעְלָה קַמֵּי קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאַמְרִין: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן אִתְקָרִית; יִתְגַּלְגְּלוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ עַל בָּנֶיךָ! אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָהֶן: וְכִי לֹא עַל חֶסֶד אִתְבְּרִיאַת עָלְמָא? דִּכְתִיב: עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה. וְאֵין אֲנִי רוֹאֶה שׁוּם חֶסֶד שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית בְּעָלְמָא! אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת: הָא קֻשְׁטָא דְּהַאי פְּלוֹנִי וּפְלוֹנִי, דְּאָכְלֵי וְרָוֵי וַהֲוֵי יְכִילֵי לְמֶעְבַּד טוּבָא עִם מִסְכֵּנָא, וְלָא יָהִיב לוֹן מִידִי. מִיָּד אָתֵי הַאי מְקַטְרֵג וְתָבַע רְשׁוּת לִרְדֹּף אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וּבְכָל סְעֻדָּה דַּחֲדֵי בַּר נָשׁ, הַאי מְקַטְרֵג אָתָא וַחֲמָא: אִי הַאי בַּר נָשׁ אַקְדִּים טִיבוּ לְמִסְכְּנָא אוֹ יֵשׁ מִסְכֵּנָא בְּבֵיתָא, אָז הַאי מְקַטְרֵג אִתְפָּרַשׁ מֵהַאי בֵּיתָא, וְלָא עָאל תַּמָּן. וְאִי לָא — אָעִיל תַּמָּן, וַחֲמָא עִרְבּוּבְיָא דְּחֶדְוָן בְּלָא מִסְכֵּנָא — אֲזַי סָלִיק לְעֵילָא וּמְקַטְרֵג עָלָיו. הֲרֵי לְךָ הִתְעוֹרְרוּת גְּדוֹלָה בָּזֶה.
One must also distribute generous portions to the poor. You should be aware of what I have found written in the Zohar (Introduction 10b): Rabbi Shimon said: Whoever rejoices on the festivals and does not give a portion to the Holy One, Blessed is He, is called “evil-eyed,” and he is hated by the Satan, who immediately comes to accuse him and remove him from the world. How many troubles upon troubles does he cause him! This is because the poor are the portion of the Holy One Blessed is He, who wishes them to rejoice. During these days the Holy One Blessed is He goes up to look in on His shattered vessels. And if He sees that the poor person has nothing with which to rejoice, then the Holy One Blessed is He weeps and desires to destroy the world. At that time all the Heavenly Hosts come before Him, saying, “Master of the Universe! You are called merciful and gracious, so let Your mercies be poured out upon Your children!” The Holy One Blessed is He responds: “Did I not establish the world upon lovingkindness, as it states, ‘A world of lovingkindness You did build’ (Tehillim 89:3)? Yet I do not see any lovingkindness being performed in the world!” Then the ministering angels say: “It is true that So- and-so is eating and drinking and while he was capable of doing lovingkindness towards the poor, he did not, in fact, give them anything.” Instantly the accuser comes and asks for permission to pursue the man. The accuser comes to observe every meal that the person enjoys. If the man is quick to do loving- kindness towards the poor or if there are poor people in the house, the accuser goes away and does not enter. But if not, then he enters and if he sees a tumult of rejoicing without the poor, he ascends On High and indicts him.
וְעַל פִּי הָרֹב מִתְהַוִּים רִיבוֹת וּקְטָטוֹת בִּסְעֻדּוֹת, אַף שֶׁהֵן סְעֻדּוֹת שֶׁל מִצְוָה, בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין שָׁם דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין שָׁם עֲנִיִּים. כִּי מַה יֵּשׁ נַחַת רוּחַ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּמְסִבּוֹת שֶׁל אֲכִילָה ושְׁתִיָּה, וְאֵין בְּתוֹכָם שִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה?! וְעַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה כְּשֶׁהַשִּׂמְחָה הִיא מְעֻרְבֶּבֶת בְּהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים, כְּגוֹן שֶׁבִּמְסִבָּה אַחַת יוֹשְׁבִים אֲנָשִׁים וְנָשִׁים, בַּחוּרִים וּבְתוּלוֹת, בְּחֶדֶר אֶחָד, וְעַל יְדֵי כֵּן בָּאִים מִכְשׁוֹלִים גְּדוֹלִים, וּבַמְּחוֹלוֹת רוֹקְדִים אֲנָשִׁים עִם נָשִׁים בְּיַחַד, וְאֵינָם יוֹדְעִים שֶׁהַשָּׂטָן עִם הַרְבֵּה מַזִּיקִים רוֹקְדִים לִפְנֵיהֶם, וּלְשִׂמְחָה כָּזוֹ מַה זּוֹ עוֹשָׂה?! וְעָווֹן זֶה הוּא מָצוּי, בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, בְּרֹב מְדִינוֹת פּוֹלִין וְלִיטָא. עַל כֵּן, כָּל אִישׁ הַיָּרֵא אֶת דְּבַר ה', יִרְאֶה לְיַשֵּׁב אֲנָשִׁים בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָם כְּדֵי לְהִתְרַחֵק מֵהָעֲבֵרָה, וּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְעַרְבֵּב הַשָּׂטָן אֶת הַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה. וּכְתִיב: בְּשִׂמְחָתֵנוּ עַל יִתְעָרֵב זָר. (וּפֵרוּשׁ כִּי 'זָר' — הוּא הַשָּׂטָן. כַּמָּה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר: לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל זָר, שֶׁהוּא שָׂטָן) וְיִרְאֶה מִכָּל סְעֻדַּת מִצְוָה לִתֵּן חֵלֶק לַעֲנִיִּים (כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי לְעֵיל בַּאֲרִיכוּת בְּפֶרֶק י, עַיֵּן שָׁם).
In most cases, even at a mitzvah feast, if no words of Torah are spoken and there are no poor people present, quarreling and strife break out. For what pleasure does the Holy One, Blessed is He, derive from an affair of eating and drinking that is devoid of the rejoicing of a mitzvah? And how much more so if the rejoicing is mixed with thoughts of sin, for instance, when men and women, and teenage boys and girls sit together! Great pitfalls are thus created. Men and women dance in circles together, not realizing that the Satan, with many demons are dancing in front of them. What is the value of such rejoicing? Yet this iniquity has become very common, on account of our many sins, throughout the lands of Poland and Lithuania. Therefore let every man who fears the word of Hashem be careful to seat the men and women separately in order to distance himself from transgression and in order that the Satan will not mix up the joy of the mitzvah. For it is stated, “In our rejoicing let no stranger mix in” (Mishlei 14:10). [The “stranger” is the Satan, as it is stated, “Do not bow down to a strange god” — Shemos 34:14 — again referring to the Satan.] And let him be sure to grant a portion of every feast to the poor [as I have discussed at length in Chapter Ten].
וְיַחֲשֹׁב כָּל אָדָם בְּלִבּוֹ: הֲלֹא סוֹף אָדָם לָמוּת, וּבְעֵת פְּרֵדַת הַנְּשָׁמָה מֵהַגּוּף, אֲשֶׁר הַגּוּף צָמוּק וְיָבֵשׁ, וְצָפַד עוֹרוֹ עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ, וַעֲצָמָיו עָשֵׁשׁוּ, וְהַתּוֹלָעִים שׁוֹלְטִים בְּהַגוּף — אָז יַחֲשֹׁב אַיֵּה הַתַּעֲנוּגִים וְהָעִדּוּנִים, שֶׁהִתְעַדֵּן בְּשָׂרוֹ מֵהֶם? — הָיוּ כְּלֹא הָיוּ, וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר שׁוּם לַחְלוּחִית שֶׁל רֹב אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, וְיָבֵשׁ הָיָה כָּעֵץ. וְהֶעָווֹן — מֵרֹב אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁל מִצְוָה נִשְׁאָר חָקוּק, וְנִרְשָׁם בַּגּוּף מַה שֶּׁקִּלְקֵל עַל יְדֵי שְׁרִירוּת לִבּוֹ וְנַפְשׁוֹ אַחַר תַּאֲוַת לִבּוֹ, וּמֵרֹב הָאֲכִילָה מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ אֵינָהּ זַכָּה וּצְלוּלָה, וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְבָרֵךְ אֶת בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן בְּכַוָּנָה, וְזֶהוּ הֶפְסֵד גָּדוֹל, כְּשֶׁהוּא מְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן בְּלֹא כַּוָּנָה.
And let every person reflect in his heart that in the end, everyone must die. And when the soul leaves the body it shrivels and dries, the skin clings to the flesh and bones and worms dominate it. Then let him ponder what becomes of all the dainties and delights with which he pampered his flesh. It is as if they never were and nothing remains of all the moisture he took in with his eating and drinking. His body becomes as dry as a piece of wood. But the iniquity of all that eating and drinking that was not for the sake of a mitzvah remains engraved and the harm that he caused by following his heart’s desire and his desires is indelibly impressed upon his body and his bones. Moreover, because of his excessive consumption his thoughts are muddled and he is unable to recite the Birkas HaMazon with proper concentration. This is a tremendous loss.
בּוֹא וּרְאֵה מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר: כָּל מַאן דִּמְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת בְּחֶדְוָה, בִּרְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא — כַּד סָלִיק לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא, אֲתַר אִתְּתַּקָּנָא לֵיהּ בְּגוֹ רָזִין עִלָּאִין בְּהֵיכָלִין קַדִּישִׁין, וְעוֹד. כִּי מְבֹאָר בְּכַמָּה דּוּכְתִּין בַּזֹּהַר, כִּי הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא קָאִים עַל שֻׁלְחָנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ. וְצָרִיךְ לִתֵּן לוֹ חֵלֶק בְּמַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים. עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שָׁם הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא כְּשֶׁמַּתְחִילִין לְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן. וּכְשֶׁאוֹמְרִים: הַב לָן וּנְבָרֵךְ — אָזִיל הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא. עַל כֵּן הִזְהִירוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה תֵּכֶף לִנְטִילַת יָדָיִם — בְּרָכָה. דְקָאֵי אַזְהָרָה זוֹ, שֶׁאֵין צְרִיכִין לְהַפְסִיק בֵּין נְטִילַת יָדַיִם מַיִם רִאשׁוֹנִים לְבִרְכַּת הַמּוֹצִיא. וְכֵן אֵין מַפְסִיקִין בֵּין נְטִילַת מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים לְבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן. וַאֲפִלּוּ לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה הִזְהִיר הָאֲרִ"י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁלֹּא לְהַפְסִיק בֵּין מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים לְבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן.
Come see what is written about this in the Zohar, Parashas Vayakheil (218b): When a person recites Birkas HaMazon properly, with joy and with concentration, then when he ascends from this world a place is prepared for him in the midst of the supernal secrets in the holy palaces. In a number of places in the Zohar (2:154b, 266b; 3:186b, 191b) it is explained that the Sitra Achara stands beside a person’s table and one must grant him his portion from the water of the final hand-washing. Therefore one must be very careful that the Sitra Achara does not remain there after one begins to recite the Grace. When one declares, “Let us prepare to bless!” that is when the Sitra Achara departs. For this reason the Sages warned that immediately upon washing, one must bless (Berachos 42a). This means that one must not allow any interruption between the final hand-washing and the recitation of Birkas HaMazon. The Ari, z”l, even warned against studying Torah at that time in order that there should be no interruption at all between the final hand-washing and the Birkas HaMazon (Sha’ar HaMitzvos, Parashas Eikev, 45a).
וּפַעַם אַחַת הָיָה חָכָם אֶחָד, אִישׁ קָדוֹשׁ מִתַּלְמִידֵי רַבִּי משֶׁה קוֹרְדוֹבֵירוֹ, אֵצֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ הָאֲרִ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, וְהָאֲרִ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, קִבֵּל אוֹתוֹ בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת. וּבִשְׁעַת הַסְּעֻדָּה הִשְׁגִּיחַ הָאֲרִ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, עָלָיו שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל כְּדֶרֶךְ הַבְּרִיאִים, וְרָאָה בּוֹ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ כְּאֵב בְּאֶחָד מֵאֵבָרָיו. וְשָׁאַל הָרַב הָאֲרִ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, לְאוֹתוֹ הָאוֹרֵחַ, לָמָּה אֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל, וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ הָאוֹרֵחַ כִּי זֶה יָמִים רַבִּים אֲשֶׁר הַכָּתֵף שֶׁלּוֹ כּוֹאֵב לוֹ בְּיוֹתֵר. וְאָז הִסְתַּכֵּל בּוֹ הָאֲרִ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, וְאָמַר לוֹ: בְּוַדַּאי אַתָּה הָיִיתָ מַפְסִיק בֵּין מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים לְבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן. אָמַר לוֹ: כֵּן הוּא, שֶׁרָגִיל הָיָה לִלְמֹד פֶּרֶק מִשְׁנָיוֹת בֵּין הַנְּטִילָה לְבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, וַהֲוֵי סְבִירָא לֵיהּ, דְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה צֹרֶךְ סְעֻדָּה הוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: כָּל שֻׁלְחָן שֶׁאֵין אוֹמְרִים עָלָיו דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה — כְּאִלּוּ אָכְלוּ מִזִּבְחֵי מֵתִים. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָאֲרִ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה: לָכֵן בָּא אֵלֶיךָ הַכְּאֵב דַוְקָא בַּכָּתֵף, שֶׁעָבַרְתָּ עַל דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים, שֶׁאָמְרוּ: תֵּכֶף לִנְטִילַת יָדָיִם — בְּרָכָה. וְתֵכֶף הוּא אוֹתִיּוֹת כָּתֵף. וְנָתַן הָאֲרִ"י, זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, עֵצָה לְהֶחָסִיד, שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא לְהַפְסִיק בִּנְטִילָה, אָז יֻרְפָּא מֵהַחֹלִי. עַד כָּאן.
One time a certain Torah scholar came to visit the holy Ari z”l. He was one of the holy disciples of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero and the Ari received him graciously. During the meal the Ari noticed that the man did not eat like a healthy person and that one of his limbs seemed to be causing him pain. The Ari asked his guest why he was not eating and the man replied that for several days his shoulder had been bothering him. Then the Ari peered at him and said, “Undoubtedly you are in the habit of interrupting between the final hand-washing and the Birkas HaMazon.” The man acknowledged that this was indeed the case. He was accustomed to study a chapter of Mishnah between the hand-washing and the Birkas HaMazon. This was because he believed that words of Torah were a necessary part of the meal, in keeping with the Sages’ dictum that, “Any meal at which words of Torah are not spoken is reckoned as if they had eaten of the sacrifices of the dead [i.e., idolatry]” (Avos 3:3). The Ari explained to the man that it was because of this custom that he had received a pain specifically in the shoulder. For it was in violation of the rule that, “Immediately after the hand-washing must come the blessing,” and the word for “immediately” — tekef [תכף]— is comprised of the same letters as the word for shoulder — katef [כתף]. So the Ari advised the pious scholar to resolve not to interrupt after washing and then he would be healed of his ailment.
הֲרֵי לְךָ, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְדַקְדֵּק עִם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, וְכָל מַעֲשָׂיו הוּא בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן, בְּמִדָּה וּבְמִשְׁקָל. וְהוּא הַדָּבָר שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ: כָּל מִי שֶׁלֹּא בֵּרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן בְּכַוָּנָה — הֲרֵי דָּר סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ. וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ בְּכַוָּנָה, יִזְכֶּה לִשְׁמֹעַ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא מִפִּי דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, כְּשֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲרִיסְטוֹן לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, כִּי אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְקַפֵּחַ שְׂכַר שׁוּם בְּרִיָּה, אֲפִלּוּ שְׂכַר שִׂיחָה נָאָה. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בַּזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת תְּרוּמָה: כָּל מִי שֶׁאוֹמֵר שִׁירַת הַיָּם בְּכַוָּנָה, זוֹכֶה לִרְאוֹת פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ מְעֻטָּר בְּהַאי כִּתְרָא, דְּאִתְעַטָּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָבְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּם, וְזָכוּ לְשַׁבָּחָא הַהִיא שִׁירָה תַּמָּן. וִיהֵא רַעֲוָא קַמֵּיהּ קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּבְגִין שִׁירָתָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַנֵּי שְׁנֵי יָמִים סִיּוּמָא דְּפֶסַח, נִזְכֶּה לִרְאוֹת פְּנֵי מַלְכֵּנוּ מְעֻטָּר בְּכִתְרָא, הָאָמוּר לְעֵיל, וְנִזְכֶּה לְשׁוֹרֵר הַהוּא שִׁירָתָא בַּעֲדַת צַדִּיקִים בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ. אָמֵן.
You can see from here how exacting the Holy One Blessed is He is with each and every individual and that all of His actions are calculated, measured and weighed. This incident is in keeping with what we have already mentioned — that whoever fails to recite Birkas HaMazon with devotion lives with the Sitra Achara at his table. One who does recite it with devotion, on the other hand, will merit hearing it recited by King Dovid, peace be upon him, when the Holy One Blessed is He makes a feast for the righteous in the time to come (Pesachim 119b). For the Holy One Blessed is He does not withhold the reward of any creature, even for a pleasant turn of speech (Nazir 23b). Thus we find it written in the Zohar, Parashas Terumah (132a), “Whoever recites the Song of the Sea [Shirat HaYam] with devotion merits to see the face of the Moshiach adorned with the crown that the Holy One Blessed is He placed upon him when Israel traversed the sea and merited reciting that song [for the first time].” May it be the will of the Holy One Blessed is He that in the merit of this holy song, which is recited by Israel on the last two days of Pesach, we will be worthy of seeing the face of our king adorned with the crown mentioned above. And may we merit singing that song in the congregation of the righteous, speedily and in our days, Amein. [— Based on the words of my teacher and mentor, Rabbi Yosef, z”l (Yesod Yosef, Chapter 87).]