זוהר, אחרי מות ס״זZohar, Achrei Mot 67

Segment 1א׳

עֶרְוַת אִשָּׁה, וּבִתָּהּ לֹא תְגַלֵּה. תָּאנָא, בְּתִקּוּנֵי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא אוֹקִימְנָא אִלֵּין עֶרְיָין, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינּוּן (נ"א עריין אינון) בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא וּבִסְתִּימָא, וְתַמָּן בַּת בְּנָהּ וּבַת בִּתָּהּ. דְּהָא עָלְמָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לוֹן, וְאִינּוּן יִשּׁוּבָא דְּעָלְמָא, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא. וּמַאן דְּגַלֵּי חַד עֶרְיָיתָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וַוי לֵיהּ, וַוי לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ, דְּהָא גַּלֵּי בְּגִין דָּא עֶרְיָין אָחֳרָנִין.

‘THOU SHALT NOT UNCOVER THE NAKEDNESS OF A WOMAN AND HER DAUGHTER. We have explained these prohibitions to refer to the adornments of the Matrona, but they also have their literal meaning because they are necessary for the right ordering of society, and if a man transgresses one of them, woe for him and woe for his soul, because he uncovers other nakednesses.

Segment 2ב׳

וְתַנְיָא מִלָּה בַּתְרָאָה דְּעֶשֶׂר אַמִירָן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, (שמות כ׳:י״ד) לֹא תַחְמוֹד אֵשֶׁת רֵעֶךָ, בְּגִין דְּהַאי כְּלָלָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ. וּמַאן דְּחָמִיד אִתְּתָא אָחֳרָא, כְּאִלּוּ אַעְבָּר עַל אוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלָּא. בְּרַם לָא אִית מִלָּה דְּקַיְּימָא קָמֵי תְּשׁוּבָה. וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִי קַבִּיל עוֹנְשֵׁיהּ כְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, תָּנֵינָן, כָּל מַאן דְּחָב וְאִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵהַהוּא חוֹבָא, תְּשׁוּבָה קָא מְעַלְּיָיא לֵיהּ טְפֵי. וְאִי לָאו, לָא סָלִיק בִּידֵיהּ תְּשׁוּבָה, וְלָא מְעַלְּיָיא לֵיהּ. אִי הָכִי, דָּוִד הֵיךְ לָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִבַּת שֶׁבַע לְבָתַר. אָמַר לֵיהּ, בַּת שֶׁבַע דִּידֵיהּ הֲוַת, וְדִידֵיהּ נָטִיל, דְּהָא מִית בַּעְלָהּ.

We have learnt that the last of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife”, comprises all the others, and he who covets his neighbour’s wife is like one transgressing the whole of the Law. Nothing, however, can stand in the way of repentance, especially if a man receives his punishment, like King David.’ R. Jose said: ‘We have learnt that if a man sins and gives up the fruit of his sin, his repentance brings him to a higher grade than before; but if he does not give up the fruit of his sin, his repentance does not avail him. If that is the case, it may be asked why did not David part from Bathsheba?’ He replied: ‘Bathsheba was his by right, and he only took his own, her husband having died.

Segment 3ג׳

דְּתַנְיָא, אִזְדַּמְּנַת הֲוַת בַּת שֶׁבַע לְדָוִד, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, וּמָה עַכְּבַא לֵיהּ. דְּנָטַל בְּרָתֵיהּ דְּשָׁאוּל מַלְכָּא, וְהַהוּא יוֹמָא נָטַל לָהּ אוּרִיָּה בְּרַחֲמֵי, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא הֲוַת דִּילֵיהּ. לְבָתַר אָתָא דָּוִד, וְנָטִיל דִּילֵיהּ, וְעַל דְּדָוִד דָּחִיק שַׁעֲתָא קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְקָטְלָא לְאוּרִיָּה וּלְמֶעְבַּד הָכִי. אַבְאִישׁ קָמֵיהּ, וְאַעְנָשׁ לֵיהּ לְדָוִד, דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעָא לְאָתָבָא לֵיהּ לְדָוִד, לְקַיְּימָא לֵיהּ מַלְכוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה. וְכַד תָּאַב, לְדִידֵיהּ תָּאַב.

For it has been taught that Bathsheba was destined for David from the Creation, and what kept her from him was his marrying the daughter of King Saul. On that day Uriah obtained her by a special grace, though she was not really his. Afterwards David came and took his own; and it was because David anticipated matters by killing Uriah that God was displeased with him, and He punished him that he might be established in the supernal holy kingdom.