Naso: Chapter 1

At midnight

Synopsis

Rabbi Aba speaks about the time of day and how judgment and joy and praise are aroused at different times of the day and night. He says that during sleep the soul rises above and is examined about its daily activities that are then recorded in the book.

Midnight Moses Sin

1. "And Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 'Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon'" (Bemidbar 4:21-22). Rabbi Aba opened the discussion saying, "Blessed is the man to whom Hashem imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile" (Tehilim 32:2). The beginning and the end of this verse do not agree, BECAUSE THE BEGINNING SAYS, "IMPUTES NO INIQUITY," SEEMINGLY THAT HE HAS SIN BUT IT IS NOT ASCRIBED TO HIM. BUT AT THE END IT SAYS, "AND IN WHOSE SPIRIT THERE IS NO GUILE." We should look into it, and it has already been established.

1. וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר, נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי גֵּרְשׁוֹן וְגוֹ.' ר' אַבָּא פָּתַח, אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם לֹא יַחֲשׁוֹב יְיָ' לוֹ עָוֹן וְאֵין בְּרוּחוֹ רְמִיָּה. הַאי קְרָא, לָאו רֵישֵׁיהּ סֵיפֵיהּ, וְלָאו סֵיפֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ. וְאִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.

Hands Head Isaac Judgment Prayer Zeir Anpin

2. Come and see, Minchah (the afternoon prayers), Judgment dwells in the world and Isaac, WHO IS SUPERNAL GVURAH AND THE LEFT COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN, instituted Minchah. FOR THEN THE UNION WAS COMPLETED IN THE SECRET OF: "HIS LEFT HAND IS UNDER MY HEAD" (SHIR HASHIRIM 2:6). THEREFORE, supernal Gvurah rules the world until the onset of night, because Gvurah receives the night, MEANING THAT NIGHT IS MALCHUT DRAWN FROM GVURAH, WHICH IS MINCHAH. When the time of Minchah begins, the left separates to receive MALCHUT and the night is aroused, WHICH IS MALCHUT.

2. ת"ח, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּצְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְיִצְחָק תִּקֵּן צְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה, וּגְבוּרָה עִלָּאָה שַׁלְטָא בְּעָלְמָא, עַד דְּאָתֵי וְעָאל לֵילְיָא, בְּגִין לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ לְלֵילְיָא, וּמִזִּמְנָא דְּשָׁארִי צְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה, אִתְפְּרַשׁ שְׂמָאלָא לְקַבְּלָא וְאִתְּעַר לֵילְיָא.

Death Death and the Afterlife Gates

3. After THE NIGHT is aroused, all the guards of the external gates are aroused in the world and spread out, and all the inhabitants of the world taste death.

3. בָּתַר דְּאִתְּעַר כָּל אִינּוּן נְטוּרֵי פִּתְחִין דִּלְבַר, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעָרִין בְּעָלְמָא וְאִתְפָּשָׁטוּ. וְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא טַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא.

Hands Head Lily Midnight Praise Prayer

4. It has been said that at exactly midnight, the left is aroused as before, AS DURING MINCHAH. The holy lily, WHICH IS MALCHUT, exudes fragrances, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH OF THE LEFT, and raises a voice in praise. Then her head rises and dwells above in the left, IN THE SECRET OF: "HIS LEFT HAND IS UNDER MY HEAD," and the left receives her.

4. וְהָא אִתְּמַר. בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא מַמָּשׁ, אִתְּעַר שְׂמָאלָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין, וּוַרְדָּא קַדִּישָׁא סַלְּקָא רֵיחִין, וְהִיא מְשָׁבַּחַת וַאֲרִימַת קָלָא, וּכְדֵין סַלְּקָא וְשַׁרְיָא רֵישָׁא לְעֵילָּא בִּשְׂמָאלָא, וּשְׂמָאלָא מְקַבֵּל לָהּ.

Chassadim Morning Praise

5. This is then proclaimed in the world: The time has come to rise from sleep and praise the King. Praises then awaken and everything is fragrant. Praised is the lot of the one who awakens to effect this bond. When morning approaches and the right, WHICH IS CHESED, awakens and hugs her, there is universal union BETWEEN CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM. THIS IS NOT THE CASE AT NIGHT WHEN THERE ARE NO CHASSADIM.

5. כְּדֵין כָּרוֹזָא קָארֵי בְּעָלְמָא, דְּהָא עִידָּן הוּא לְאִתְּעָרָא לְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא. וּכְדֵין תּוּשְׁבְּחָן מִתְעָרִין, וְאִתְבַּסְּמוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ מַאן דְּאִתְּעַר לְזַוְּוגָא זִוּוּגָא דָּא. כַּד אָתֵי צַפְרָא, וִימִינָא אִתְּעַר וּמְחַבְּקָא לָהּ, כְּדֵין זִוּוּגָא דְּכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח כַּחֲדָא.

Lips Soul, The

6. Come and see, During the time when people sleep and taste of death, the soul rises up and gets to stand in a certain place, where it is examined about its daily activities which are recorded in the book. What is the reason for this? Because the soul rises up and testifies about all the person's activities and every single word that came out from his lips.

6. ת"ח, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא דְּמִיכִין, וְטַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא, וְנִשְׁמְתָא סַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, קַיְּימָא בַּאֲתָר דְּקַיְּימָא, וְאִתְבְּחִינַת עַל עוֹבָדָהָא דְּעַבְדַּת כָּל יוֹמָא, וְכַתְבִין לְהוּ עַל פִּתְקָא. מ"ט. בְּגִין דְּנִשְׁמְתָא סַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, וְאַסְהִידַת עַל עוֹבָדוֹי דב"נ, וְעַל כָּל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה דְּנָפִיק מִפּוּמֵיהּ.

Firmaments Prayer Soul, The Torah

7. When that word that exits from the mouth of a person is worthy, a holy word of Torah study and prayer, that word then rises and cleaves the firmaments. It stands there until nightfall, when the soul rises and grasps that word and brings it before the King.

7. וְכַד הַהִיא מִלָּה דְּאַפִּיק ב"נ מִפּוּמֵיהּ אִיהִי כַּדְקָא יָאוּת, מִלָּה קַדִּישָׁא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וּצְלוֹתָא. הַהִיא מִלָּה סַלְּקָא, וּבָקַע רְקִיעִין, וְקַיְּימָא בְּאֲתָר דְּקַיְּימָא, עַד דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא, וְנִשְׁמְתָא סַלְּקָא וְאָחִיד לְהַהִיא מִלָּה, וְעָאִיל לָהּ קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא.

Deeds Door Shepherd Sin Soul, The

8. When the word is improper, one of evil words or of evil speech, that word rises wherever it rises to be recorded as a sin of that person. This is the meaning of: "Keep the doors of your mouth from her that lies in your bosom" (Michah 7:5), MEANING FROM THE SOUL THAT GIVES TESTIMONY ABOUT HIS DEEDS. Therefore, IT IS WRITTEN: "Blessed is the man to whom Hashem imputes no iniquity;" NAMELY, WHEN THE SOUL DOES NOT BEAR TESTIMONY AGAINST HIM, SO THAT A CERTAIN SIN WILL BE RECORDED. When is that? When "in whose spirit there is no guile" - THAT IS, WHEN HE DOES NOT SIN.

8. וְכַד הַהִיא מִלָּה לָאו אִיהִי כַּדְקָא יָאוּת, וְאִיהִי מִלָּה מִמִּילִין בִּישִׁין, מִלִּישָׁנָא בִּישָׁא, הַהִיא מִלָּה סַלְּקָא לַאֲתָר דְּסַלְּקָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְרְשִׁים הַהִיא מִלָּה, וְהַהוּא חוֹבָה עָלֵיהּ דב"נ, הה"ד מִשּׁוֹכֶבֶת חֵיקֶךָ שְׁמוֹר פִּתְחֵי פִּיךָ. ובג"כ אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם לֹא יַחֲשׁוֹב יְיָ' לוֹ עָוֹן. אֵימָתַי. כְּשֶׁאֵין בְּרוּחוֹ רְמִיָּה.

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