Hence, at the conclusion of the Sabbath we have to inhale the odour of sweet spices in order to restore our soul and counteract the effect of the loss of the superior spirit that has left it. The best odour for this purpose is that of the myrtle, as it is myrtle which sustains the holy place from which souls issue, and so in this world it is potent to uphold man’s soul at the moment when it is deprived of its higher soul-companion.
It was at the conclusion of the Sabbath that Adam was clothed in the garments of the terrestrial Paradise, the sweet odours and fragrance of which sustained his soul in the loss it suffered through the departure of the superior and glorified holy spirit. The myrtle thus assuredly sustains man’s soul on earth as it does the souls on high-that superior spirit that descends into man on the Sabbath and fills his soul with joy.
בְּגִין דָּא כַּד נָפַק שַׁבְּתָא, בָּעֵי לְאָרְחָא בְּבוּסְמִין, לְאִתְיַשְּׁבָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּהַהוּא רֵיחָא, עַל הַהוּא רֵיחָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִסְתַּלָּק מִינָּהּ. וְהַהוּא רֵיחָא מְעַלְּיָא דְּבוּסְמִין אִיהוּ הֲדַס. דְּהָא קִיוּמָא דַּאֲתָר קַדִּישָׁא דְּנִשְׁמָתִין נָפְקִין מִנֵּיהּ, הֲדַס אִיהוּ. וְדָא אִיהוּ קִיוּמָא דְּנַפְשָׁא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, לְאִתְקַיְּימָא מֵהַהוּא עִרְטוּלָא דְּאִשְׁתְּאָרַת.
Hence, at the conclusion of the Sabbath we have to inhale the odour of sweet spices in order to restore our soul and counteract the effect of the loss of the superior spirit that has left it. The best odour for this purpose is that of the myrtle, as it is myrtle which sustains the holy place from which souls issue, and so in this world it is potent to uphold man’s soul at the moment when it is deprived of its higher soul-companion.
כַּד נָפַק שַׁבְּתָא, אִתְלָבָּשׁ אָדָם, בְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין דְּגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן דְּאַרְעָא, דְּסַלְּקִין רֵיחִין וּבוּסְמִין, לְקַיְּימָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ, עַל הַהוּא רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה יַקִּירָא דְּאִסְתַּלָּק מִנֵּיהּ. וַהֲדַס אִיהוּ קִיוּמָא דְּנַפְשָׁא וַדַּאי. כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִתְקַיְּימָא קִיוּמָא דְּנַפְשָׁא.
It was at the conclusion of the Sabbath that Adam was clothed in the garments of the terrestrial Paradise, the sweet odours and fragrance of which sustained his soul in the loss it suffered through the departure of the superior and glorified holy spirit. The myrtle thus assuredly sustains man’s soul on earth as it does the souls on high-that superior spirit that descends into man on the Sabbath and fills his soul with joy.