Of Joseph we find it written, “and he was put in a coffin (aron) in Egypt” (Gen. 50, 26), where the word vayyisem (and he was put) is written with a double yod. For what reason?1Al. Observe that the “holy side” is called “ark of the covenant”, that ark being a pit wherein is a receptacle for the Torah in its esoteric aspect, which aspect is the mystery of the image of the pure celestial Body. Corresponding to this, in the terrestrial world an ark has been provided wherein to place the earthly body that symbolizes Man, to wit, the body of him who has preserved the purity of the sign of the holy covenant. Hence the bodies of the holy and pious are placed in an ark, which is fitting only for such a one. Thus in connection with Joseph it is written: “and he was put in a coffin (aron)”, etc. Because he kept unimpaired the symbol of the holy covenant and therefore merited to be put into the ark.’
R. Abba here wept, saying: ‘Woe to mankind, that they are unaware of this disgrace! Alas, for their offence, in that everyone who wishes is placed in an ark! For this privilege should be reserved for those who are conscious that never in their lives have they transgressed against the sign of the covenant. To put anyone else into an ark is to desecrate it.
There is a certain symbolism in this connection which makes it fitting for him and for no other; and woe to him who, notwithstanding his abuse of the sign of the covenant, is admitted into the ark-woe to him who abused it during life, woe to him who now abuses it when dead, woe to him for impairing the sign and the ark of the holy covenant, woe for the punishment to be exacted from him for his wrongs committed in this world and for that abuse of the ark! To this Scripture alludes in the words: “For the rod of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous” (Ps. 125, 3).
That is to say, when such a one comes up for judgement in the other world, and it is found that in addition to having impaired the sign of the holy covenant stamped on his body he also impaired the ark in the other world, he is excluded from any lot among the righteous and is put outside the category of man, and consequently of all those destined for everlasting life, and is delivered into the power of the “other side”, the side which has no kinship with the mystery of the body of Man. When he is delivered into the power of that side, woe to him, since he is thrown into Gehinnom, whence he will not come out for all eternity. In allusion to such it is written: “And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that have rebelled against me”, etc. (Isa. 66, 24).
This doom, however, is only meted out to those who have not turned with a full repentance sufficient to wipe out all their misdeeds. But even after full repentance it is better for such a one not to be put into the ark, because as long as the body is in being the soul is under sentence and may not enter into its own place. But this is not so with the pious who are worthy to ascend, even whilst their bodies endure. Happy is their portion in this world and in the world to come.
As regards the aforementioned sinners, there is no sin so grievous in the sight of the Holy One as the sin of perverting and impairing the sign of the holy covenant; and he who commits such an offence is excluded from the sight of the Shekinah.
It is written here: “And Bezalel made the ark.” Why did the wise men who made the Tabernacle not make the ark as well? The reason is that Bezalel represented the final part of the body, the symbol of the holy covenant which he kept pure, and hence it was his part to make the ark, which was, as it were, his own portion. ‘ All the Companions then came near and kissed R. Abba.
בְּיוֹסֵף מַה כְּתִיב, (בראשית נ׳:כ״ו) וַיִּישֶם בָּאָרוֹן תְּרֵין יוֹדִין אֲמַאי. אֶלָּא דְּאִתְחַבָּר בְּרִית בִּבְרִית. רָזָא דִּלְתַתָּא בְּרָזָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. וְעָאל בַּאֲרוֹנָא. מַאי טַעֲמָא. (ס"א תא חזי סטרא דקדשה אקרי ארון הברית וההוא ארון הברית אתתקן לאעלא ביה רזא דאורייתא דאיהי רזא דדיוקנא דגופא קדישא. כגוונא דא לתתא אתתקן ארונא לאעלא ביה דיוקנא דגופא רזא דאדם ומאן איהו דקאים ברזא דאדם מאן דנטיר את קיימא קדישא ועל רזא דא אינון חסידי קדישין כד הוו מפטרי מהאי עלמא הוו עאלין לון בארונא בגין דלא אתחזי למיעל בארונא אלא מאן דנטיר להאי ברית את קיימא קדישא. ביוסף מה כתיב ויישם בארון) בְּגִין דְּנָטַר בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא, וְאִתְקָיָּים בֵּיהּ. לְהָכִי אִתְחָזֵי לְאַעֲלָה בַּאֲרוֹנָא, וְכֹלָּא כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי.
Of Joseph we find it written, “and he was put in a coffin (aron) in Egypt” (Gen. 50, 26), where the word vayyisem (and he was put) is written with a double yod. For what reason?1Al. Observe that the “holy side” is called “ark of the covenant”, that ark being a pit wherein is a receptacle for the Torah in its esoteric aspect, which aspect is the mystery of the image of the pure celestial Body. Corresponding to this, in the terrestrial world an ark has been provided wherein to place the earthly body that symbolizes Man, to wit, the body of him who has preserved the purity of the sign of the holy covenant. Hence the bodies of the holy and pious are placed in an ark, which is fitting only for such a one. Thus in connection with Joseph it is written: “and he was put in a coffin (aron)”, etc. Because he kept unimpaired the symbol of the holy covenant and therefore merited to be put into the ark.’
בָּכָה רִבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר, וַוי לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא, דְּלָא יַדְעֵי לְהַהוּא כִּסּוּפָא. וַוי לְהַהוּא עוֹנְשָׁא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּבָעֵי עָאל בַּאֲרוֹנָא. בְּגִין דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיעַל בַּאֲרוֹנָא, בַּר צַדִּיק, דְּיָדַע בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ, וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע בְּגַרְמֵיהּ, דְּלָא חָטָא בְּהַהוּא בְּרִית, אָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא, מֵעוּלְמוֹי, וְקָא נָטִיר לֵיהּ כַּדְקָא יָאוּת. וְאִי לָאו, לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְמֵיעַל בַּאֲרוֹנָא, וּלְמִפְגַם אֲרוֹנָא.
R. Abba here wept, saying: ‘Woe to mankind, that they are unaware of this disgrace! Alas, for their offence, in that everyone who wishes is placed in an ark! For this privilege should be reserved for those who are conscious that never in their lives have they transgressed against the sign of the covenant. To put anyone else into an ark is to desecrate it.
רָזָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּאָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא דְּאִתְחָזֵי לֵיהּ, וְלָא לְאַחֲרָא. דְּהָא אֲרוֹן לָא אִתְחֲבָּר אֶלָּא בְּצַדִּיק, דְּנָטִיר אָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא. וּמַאן דְּפָגִים בְּרִית וְעָאל בַּאֲרוֹנָא, וַוי לֵיהּ, דְּפָגִם לֵיהּ בְּחַיּיוֹי. וַוי לֵיהּ דְּפָגִים לֵיהּ בְּמִיתָתֵיהּ. וַוי לֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא עוֹנְשָׁא. וַוי לֵיהּ דְּפָגִים אָת וְאָרוֹן קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא. וַוי לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא כִּסּוּפָא, דְּנַקְמִין מִנֵּיהּ נִקְמַת עָלְמִין, נוּקְמָא דְּעָלְמָא דָּא, וְנוּקְמָא דְּהַהוּא פְּגִימוּ. וְרָזָא דָּא כְּתִיב (תהילים קכ״ה:ג׳) כִּי לא יָנוּחַ שֵׁבֶט הָרֶשַׁע עַל גּוֹרַל הַצַּדִיקִים.
There is a certain symbolism in this connection which makes it fitting for him and for no other; and woe to him who, notwithstanding his abuse of the sign of the covenant, is admitted into the ark-woe to him who abused it during life, woe to him who now abuses it when dead, woe to him for impairing the sign and the ark of the holy covenant, woe for the punishment to be exacted from him for his wrongs committed in this world and for that abuse of the ark! To this Scripture alludes in the words: “For the rod of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous” (Ps. 125, 3).
בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדַיְינִין לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, מִסְתַּכְּלָן בְּעוֹבָדוֹי, אִי הֲוָה פָּגִים רָזָא דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא דְחָתִים בִּבְשָׂרֵיהּ. וְהַשְׁתָּא פָּגִים אֲרוֹנָא (דברית) דִּילֵיהּ בְּהַאי. הַאי לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא. מִסְתַּכְּלִן בֵּיהּ, וְדַיְינִין לֵיהּ, וּמַפְּקֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר מִכְּלָלָא דְּאָדָם. כֵּיוָן דְּאַפְקֵי לֵיהּ מִכְּלָלָא דְּאָדָם, אַפְקֵי לֵיהּ מִכְּלָלָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ אַחֲרָנִין, דְּאִתְעַתְּדוּ לְחַיֵּי עָלְמָא, וְיַהֲבֵי לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא (ארון) סִטְרָא דְּלָא אִתְכְּלִיל בְּרָזָא דְּגוּפָא דְּאָדָם. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְּמְסַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא, וַוי לֵיהּ, דְּאַעֲלִין לֵיהּ בְּגֵיהִנָם, וְלָא נָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין. עַל דָּא כְּתִיב (ישעיהו ס״ו:כ״ד) וְיָּצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בְּפִגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִּי וְגוֹ'. אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ מִכְּלָלָא דְּאָדָם.
That is to say, when such a one comes up for judgement in the other world, and it is found that in addition to having impaired the sign of the holy covenant stamped on his body he also impaired the ark in the other world, he is excluded from any lot among the righteous and is put outside the category of man, and consequently of all those destined for everlasting life, and is delivered into the power of the “other side”, the side which has no kinship with the mystery of the body of Man. When he is delivered into the power of that side, woe to him, since he is thrown into Gehinnom, whence he will not come out for all eternity. In allusion to such it is written: “And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that have rebelled against me”, etc. (Isa. 66, 24).
וְהָנֵי מִלֵי כַּד לָא עָבֵד תִּיוּבְתָּא שְׁלֵימָתָא. תִּיוּבְתָּא דְּאִיהִי אִתְחַזְיָיא לְחַפְיָיא עַל כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי. וְעִם כָּל דָּא טַב לֵיהּ דְּלָא יֵעוּל בַּאֲרוֹנָא, דְּהָא כָּל זִמְנָא דְּגוּפָא קַיָּים, נִשְׁמְתָא אִתְדְּנָת, וְלָא עָאלַת לְאַתְרָהּ. בַּר אִינּוּן חֲסִידֵי עֶלְיוֹנִין קַדִּישִׁין, דְּאִתְחָזוּן לְסַלְּקָא בְּגוּפֵיהוֹן, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
This doom, however, is only meted out to those who have not turned with a full repentance sufficient to wipe out all their misdeeds. But even after full repentance it is better for such a one not to be put into the ark, because as long as the body is in being the soul is under sentence and may not enter into its own place. But this is not so with the pious who are worthy to ascend, even whilst their bodies endure. Happy is their portion in this world and in the world to come.
בְּגִין דְּלֵית חוֹבָא דְּקַשְׁיָא קַמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּהַאי מַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר וּפָגִים לְהַאי אָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא. וְדָא לָא חָמֵי אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא, עַל חוֹבָא דָּא כְּתִיב (בראשית ל״ח:ז׳) וַיְהִי עֵר בְּכוֹר יְהוּדָה רַע בְּעֵינֵי יְיָ'. וּכְתִיב (תהילים ה׳:ה׳) לא יְגוּרְךָ רָע.
As regards the aforementioned sinners, there is no sin so grievous in the sight of the Holy One as the sin of perverting and impairing the sign of the holy covenant; and he who commits such an offence is excluded from the sight of the Shekinah.
מַה כְּתִיב הָכָא, וַיַּעַשׂ בְּצַלְאֵל אֶת הָאָרוֹן. וְכִי אֲמַאי לָא עָבְדוּ אִינּוּן חַכִּימִין, דְּעָבְדוּ מַשְׁכְּנָא, יַת אֲרוֹנָא. אֶלָּא בְּצַלְאֵל, סִיּוּמָא דְּגוּפָא דְּאִיהוּ (רע"ד ע"א) רָזָא דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא, וְנָטַר לֵיהּ, וְאִיהוּ קָאִים בְּעַדְבָא דְּחוּלָקֵיהּ. אִיהוּ אִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְלָא אַחֲרָא. אָתוּ כֻּלְּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא, וְנַשְּׁקוּ לֵיהּ.
It is written here: “And Bezalel made the ark.” Why did the wise men who made the Tabernacle not make the ark as well? The reason is that Bezalel represented the final part of the body, the symbol of the holy covenant which he kept pure, and hence it was his part to make the ark, which was, as it were, his own portion. ‘ All the Companions then came near and kissed R. Abba.