"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your strength"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon explains to his son that a person must include life from the Tree of Life in his life here, because life, the secret of illumination of wisdom, prevails only here, in Malchut. All the words of King Solomon were spoken in the secret of Wisdom, and his verses mean that a person must always include the left in the right; when his actions are on the right side God will dwell with him in this world and will gather him to Himself in the World to Come. A person cannot decide to ask for mercy after death because "there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom" after he leaves this world. All his deeds here must be done for the sake of God. Rabbi Shimon says that every night a person must account for his actions that day, repent of them and ask for compassion for them. Whoever strives through knowledge and wisdom to know God will not be among the wicked who are judged in Gehenom at Sheol; he will instead be raised higher and higher to the place of many lights.

Hands Hebrew Letters Love Strength Sun Tree Tree of Life Vanity Women Zeir Anpin

28. Rabbi Elazar was standing in the presence of his father, Rabbi Shimon. He told him that it says: "live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity" (Kohelet 9:9). WHAT IS THE EXPLANATION? He said to him: Come and behold. The verse: "live joyfully with the wife whom you love," is the secret that a person must include life, FROM THE TREE OF LIFE, THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN, in this place, WHICH IS MALCHUT REFERRED TO AS 'WOMAN.' One does not go without the other, ZEIR ANPIN WITHOUT MALCHUT. A person must include the measure of the day at night; THAT IS, A MEASURE OF ZEIR ANPIN, REFERRED TO AS 'DAY' IN MALCHUT, REFERRED TO AS 'NIGHT,' AND VICE VERSA, the measure of night in the day. That is the meaning of: "live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity." What is the reason? "For that is your portion in life," since life, THAT IS, THE SECRET OF ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, does not prevail except on this, ON MALCHUT, SINCE THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH DOES NOT BECOME REVEALED IN ANY OTHER PLACE THAN HER. "And in your labor in which you do labor under the sun" (Ibid.) is as you say: "in all your ways acknowledge (Heb. da'ehu) Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Mishlei 3:6). DA'EHU INCLUDES THE LETTERS OF KNOW (HEB. DA) AND VAV-HEI, WHICH ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT.

28. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה קָאֵים קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲבוּהָ, אָ"ל, כְּתִיב רְאֵה חַיִּים עִם אִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ כָּל יְמֵי חַיֵּי הֶבְלֶךָ. אָ"ל, ת"ח, רְאֵה חַיִּים עִם אִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ דָּא הוּא רָזָא, דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַכְלְלָא חַיִּים בַּאֲתָר דָּא, דָּא בְּלָא דָּא לָא אָזְלָא. וּבָעֵי ב"נ לְאַכְלְלָא מִדַּת יוֹם בַּלַּיְלָה, וּמִדַּת לַיְלָה בַּיוֹם. וְדָא הוּא רְאֵה חַיִּים עִם אִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ מַאי טַעַמָא כִּי הִיא חֶלְקֶךָ בַּחַיִים, דְּחָיִים לָא שַׁרְאָן אֶלָּא עַל דָּא. וּבַעֲמָלְךָ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עָמֵל תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ, כְּמָה דְּאָמַר בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ דָעֵהוּ וְהוּא יְיַשֵּׁר אֹרְחוֹתֶיךָ.

Hands Solomon Strength Wisdom

29. ות"ח כָּל מִלּוֹי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ סְתִימִין לְגוֹ בְּחָכְמְתָא, וְהָנֵי קְרָאֵי אִתְחָזוּן דְּהוּתָּרָה רְצוּעָה, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב בַּתְרֵיהּ, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ עֲשֵׂה כִּי אֵין מַעֲשֶׂה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְגוֹ.' הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ עֲשֵׂה, וְכִי שְׁלֹמֹה דְּחָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה בֵּיהּ, יַתִּיר עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, אָמַר הָכִי.

Hands Solomon Strength Wisdom World to Come, The

30. HE RESPONDS: It is only that all the words of Solomon, the king, were spoken in the secret of Wisdom. Come and behold: "whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your strength." That means that a person needs to include the left in the right, and everything he does should only be composed of the right. "whatever your hand finds to do," is the left, WHICH IS CALLED 'HAND,' and, "to do...with your strength," is right, as it is written, "Your right hand, Hashem, is glorious in power" (Shemot 15:6). As soon as a person is careful so that all his actions are on the right side, he will gather the left into the right, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will dwell within him in this world and will gather him to be with Him in the World to Come.

30. אֶלָּא כָּל מִלּוֹי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא עַל רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא אִתְּמָרוּ. ת"ח, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ עֲשֵׂה, דָּא הוּא דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַכְלְלָא שְׂמָאלָא בִּימִינָא, וְכָל מַה דְּהוּא עָבֵיד, מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ דְּלָא יְהוֹן אֶלָּא כְּלִילָן בִּימִינָא. כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ, דָּא שְׂמָאלָא. לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ: דָּא הוּא יְמִינָא, כד"א יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ. וְכֵיוָן דְּבַר נָשׁ יִזְדְהָר דְּכָל עוֹבָדוֹי יֵהוֹן לְסִטְרָא דִּימִינָא, וְיַכְלִיל שְׂמָאלָא בִּימִינָא, כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁארִי בְּגַוֵּויהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְיַכְנִישׁ לֵיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.

Deeds Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Judgment Mercy Repentance Wisdom World to Come, The

31. A person should not say, 'When I get to that world, then I will ask the King for mercy and I will repent in His presence,' because IT IS FOR THIS THAT IT IS SAID: "for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom" after the person departs from this world. However, if a person desires the Holy King to illuminate him in this world and grant him a part in the World to Come, he should toil in this world to gather his activities to the right. All his deeds should be for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He, for after departing this world to be judged in harsh Judgment and to be punished in Gehenom, there is no recourse to counsel, wisdom or understanding to be saved from that sentence.

31. וְלָא יֵימָּא בַּר נָשׁ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּאֲתֵינָא לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא, כְּדֵין אֶתְבַּע מִן מַלְכָּא רַחֲמֵי, וְאֵיתוּב קַמֵּיהּ, אֶלָּא כִּי אֵין מַעֲשֶׂה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְדַעַת וְחָכְמָה, בָּתַר דְּיִסְתְּלַק בַּר נָשׁ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, אֶלָּא אִי בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ, דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא יַנְהִיר לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא, וְיִתֵּן לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, יִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, לְאַכְלְלָא עוֹבָדוֹי בִּימִינָא, וְכָל עוֹבָדוֹי יֵהוֹן לִשְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּהָא לְבָתַר כַּד יִתְכְּנִישׁ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, לְאִתְּדְּנָא בְּדִינָא תַּקִּיפָא, בְּדִינָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם, לֵית תַּמָּן עֵיטָא וְחָכְמָה וְסָכְלְתָנוּ לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִן דִּינָא.

Avadon Gehenom (Hell) Grades Hell (Gehenom) Samuel Sheol Wisdom

32. ד"א כִּי אֵין מַעֲשֶׂה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְדַעַת וְחָכְמָה בַּשְּׁאוֹל. בְּגֵיהִנָּם, אִית בֵּיהּ מָדוֹרִין עַל מָדוֹרִין. מָדוֹרָא תַּתָּאָה שְׁאוֹל. מָדוֹרָא תַּתָּאָה מִנֵּיהּ, אֲבַדּוֹן. וְדָא סָמִיךְ לְדָא. מַאן דְּנָחִית לִשְׁאוֹל, יְדוּנוּן לֵיהּ וּמִתַּמָּן יְצַפְצֵף וְעוֹלֶה. הה"ד מוֹרִיד שְׁאוֹל וַיָּעַל. וּמַאן דְּנָחִית לַאֲבַדּוֹן, תּוּ לָא סָלִיק לְעָלְמִין.

Death Death and the Afterlife Deeds Repentance Tree

33. For whoever has a good deed or is of those who do reckoning, it was already explained that each and every night, before he sleeps, he must make an accounting of the actions that he did all that day, repent for them, and ask for compassion for them. What is the reason THAT HE MUST DO THE ACCOUNTING at that time? Because during that period, the Tree of Death prevails on the world and all the world's inhabitants get a taste of death. THEREFORE, at that time, a person must make an accounting of his deeds and confess them, since it is a time of death. And they are called 'those who do reckoning.'

33. מַאן דְּאִית בֵּיהּ עוֹבָדָא טָבָא, אוֹ דְּאִיהוּ מָארֵי דְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ דִּבְכָל לֵילְיָא וְלֵילְיָא עַד לָא יִשְׁכַּב, וְעַד לָא נָאִים, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמֶעְבַּד חוּשְׁבָּנָא מֵעוֹבָדוֹי דְּעֲבַד כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא, וְיֵתוּב מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְיִבְעֵי עָלַיְיהוּ רַחֲמֵי. מ"ט בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא. בְּגִין דְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא שָׁארִי בְּעָלְמָא, וְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא טַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא, וּבָעֵי בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא לְמֶעְבַּד חוּשְׁבָּנָא מֵעוֹבָדוֹי, וְיוֹדֵי עָלַיְיהוּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי שַׁעֲתָא דְּמוֹתָא, וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן מָארֵי דְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא.

Candles Deeds Eden Gehenom (Hell) Grades Hell (Gehenom) Lights Righteous Sheol Wicked Wickedness Wisdom World to Come, The

34. Similarly, this is the case for whoever strives in knowledge and wisdom to know his Master. AFTER HIS DEATH, WHEN THEY WILL BYPASS HIM to look and gaze at these wicked that are being judged in Gehenom at the level "Sheol," where all scream from these levels, he will not remain there and not be among them. About this, IT IS WRITTEN: "for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol." THERE IS NO ONE THERE WHO HAS A GOOD DEED, NOR ANYONE WHO HAS DEVICE, RECKONING, OR KNOWLEDGE, NAMELY, ONE WHO STRIVES TO KNOW, BECAUSE ALL THESE ARE NOT IN "SHEOL." And he will be found higher and higher, where many lights and candles and delightful things are present. And the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to be merry with the rest of the righteous in the Garden of Eden. Praised is the lot of the Righteous in this world and the World to Come. About them, it is written: "surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your Name: the upright shall dwell in Your presence" (Tehilim 140:14).

34. וְכֵן מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַל בְּדַעַת וּבְחָכְמָה לְמִנְדַּע לְמָארֵיהּ, כַּד יַעַבְרוּן לֵיהּ לְאִסְתָּכָאָה וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּאִינּוּן חַיָּיבִין דְּאִתְטְרִידוּ בַּגֵיהִנָּם, וּבְדַרְגָּא דִּשְׁאוֹל, וְכֻלְּהוּ צַוְוחִין מֵאִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין, הוּא לָא יִשְׁתְּאַר תַּמָּן, וְלָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח בֵּינַיְיהוּ, וְעַל דָּא אֵין מַעֲשֶׂה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְדַעַת וְחָכְמָה בִּשְׁאוֹל, וְלָא יִשְׁתְּכַח אֶלָּא לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא, בַּאֲתָר דְּכַמָּה נְהוֹרִין וּבוּצִינִין, וְכַמָּה כִּסוּפִין שָׁארָן בֵּיהּ, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתֵי לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא עִם שְׁאַר צַדִּיקַיָּיא דִּי בְּגַן עֵדֶן. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב אַךְ צַדִּיקִים יוֹדוּ לִשְׁמֶךָ יֵשְׁבוּ יְשָׁרִים אֶת פָּנֶיךָ.