Zohar Parshas Nasso - The Soul Testifies in the Evening

ZOHAR PARHAS NASSO

MATOK MIDVASH

The Soul Testifies in the Evening
about it’s Speech that it said that Day

Daf 121b

Come and see, at the time that people sleep, and they taste from the taste of death through sleep which is one sixtieth of death, and the soul rises upwards, it stands where it stands – it stands in the place that is fitting for it to stand, and over there it is assessed regarding it’s deeds that it did all that day, and they write them on a note. And it is asked, what is the reason that in the night it is assessed on it’s deeds? And it answers, since at night the soul rises upwards, and it testifies on all a person’s deeds, and on every single word that left his mouth. And this is the assessment that it is assessed by, for the testimony of the prosecuted is similar to 100 witnesses.

And when that word that leaves a person’s mouth is fitting as it should be, that means to say a word of holiness of Torah and prayer, that word rises upwards and splits the firmaments. And it stands in the place that it stands, it stands in the place that it is fitting to stand, until the night enters and the soul rises upwards, and then it joins with that word, and brings it in front of the King.

And when that word is not fitting as it should be, and it is a bad word of bad language, for example Lashon Hara [evil gossip], that word goes up to the place where it goes, and then that word and that sin are etched onto the soul of the person, and when it descends in the morning [back to it’s body], that marking is etched on the body, and it is recognized by those who know [how to understand the secrets of] the face. This is what is written (Micah 7:5), “[Do not trust a friend, do not rely on an official,] guard the doorways of your mouth from the one who lies in your bosom.” From the one who lies in your bosom – this is the soul that testifies upon it’s deeds, guard the doorways of your mouth – and think about what is fitting to say, and speak only good things, and because of this it is written (Tehillim 32:2), “Praiseworthy is the man to whom G-d does not ascribe iniquity.” And it is explained, when does G-d not ascribe iniquity to him at night and the soul does not testify about itself that it sinned? When there is no deceit in his spirit, meaning – his spirit: his soul that goes upwards [at night], there is no iniquity or defect that is called “deceit” that there will be something to testify about him.

NOTES TO SIGNS USED IN FORMATTING:

Bold print: Original Zohar
Ordinary text: Matok Midvash
[Square brackets]: ELIYAHU ben PINCHAS

(Round brackets): Either the source being quoted e.g. Proverbs etc., or alternatively used to quote the kabbalistic language as discussed in Matok Midvash. The Matok Midvash formats the Nigleh side of things in an ordinary print, and the Nistar terminology in Rashi script. I’ve therefore put the Rashi script – the Nistar terminology in round brackets.