By an action below an action above is awakened

104. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse: "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy" (Vayikra 20:7). He who sanctifies himself below is sanctified from above; he who defiles himself below is defiled from above. HE ASKS: It is well that he is sanctified from above, WHICH MEANS that the Holiness of his Master rests upon him, but whence IS HE DEFILED? If you say that it is from above, is there defilement above?

105. Rabbi Chiya said: It corresponds to what we have studied, that by a deed below, a deed above is stirred. If the deed below is in Holiness, a Holiness above is provoked and comes to rest UPON THAT MAN, and he is sanctified by it. If he defiles himself from below, a Spirit of Defilement arouses itself from above and comes to rest upon him, and he is defiled by it. It depends upon the MAN'S deed.

106. There is no good and evil or holiness and defilement without its essence and root above. Through the deed below, a deed above is roused. Depending on the deed, a deed is roused above and the deed is done. And whatever depends upon words occurs through words, for when a word is pronounced BELOW, it is so roused above.

107. You may ask in relation to words: What is aroused ABOVE? HE ANSWERS: It is written, "Nor speaking of vain matters (lit. a word)" (Yeshayah 58:13). That word arouses another pronouncement from above, which is called 'word,' NAMELY MALCHUT, AS WRITTEN: "The word of Hashem" (Hoshea 1:1), "and the word of Hashem was precious" (I Shmuel 3:1), and, "by the word of Hashem were the heavens made" (Tehilim 33:6). ALL OF THESE ALLUDE TO MALCHUT, CALLED 'WORD' (HEB. DAVAR). For we learned that MAN'S word rises, piercing firmaments until it rises to its place and arouses that which it arouses. If it is good, then good is aroused; if it is evil, then evil is aroused. NAMELY, IT EITHER ROUSES MALCHUT OF HOLINESS OR MALCHUT OF DEFILEMENT TO INFLUENCE HIM. It is therefore written: "Then keep you from every evil thing (Heb. davar)" (Devarim 23:10).