זוהר, ויקהל י״גZohar, Vayakhel 13

Segment 1א׳

תָּא חֲזֵי, כֵּיוָן דְּעָאל שַׁבְּתָא, וְאִתְטָמַּר הַהוּא מָדּוּרָא, כָּל אֶשִּׁין דְּאֶשָּׁא קַשְׁיָא אִתְטְמָרוּ וְאִתְכַּפְיָין, וַאֲפִילּוּ אֶשָּׁא דְּגֵיהִנָּם, וְחַיָּיבִין דְּגֵיהִנָּם, אִית לוֹן נַיְיחָא. וְכֹלָּא תַּתָּא וְעֵילָּא אִית לְהוּ נַיְיחָא. כַּד נָפַק שַׁבְּתָא, וּמְבָרְכִין יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל נוּרָא, כְּדֵין נָפְקִין כָּל אֶשִּׁין דְּמִתְטַמְּרָן, כָּל חַד וְחַד לְאַתְרֵיהּ. וּבְגִין דְּלָא לְאִתְּעָרָא אֶשָּׁא אַחֲרָא, כְּתִיב (שמות ל״ה:ג׳) לֹא תְבַעֲרוּ אֵשׁ בְּכָל מוֹשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, אֶשָּׁא דְּמַדְבְּחָא אֲמַאי.

Observe that the moment the Sabbath begins and that blaze of fire is imprisoned, all fires of the harmful kind are similarly hidden away and supressed, including even the fire of Gehinnom, so that the sinners obtain a respite. Indeed, there is then a period of rest for all, both in the upper worlds and in the lower worlds. At the conclusion of the Sabbath, when Israel say the blessing over the light, all the fires that were hidden away re-emerge and return each to its place. Now it is in order to prevent any other fire being awakened that the injunction is given: “Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day”. But it may be asked, What about the fire on the altar?

Segment 2ב׳

אֶלָּא כַּד עָאל שַׁבְּתָא, כָּרוֹזָא קָרֵי בְּכוּלְּהוּ רְקִיעִין, אִתְתְּקָנוּ רְתִיכִין, אִתְתְּקָנוּ מַשִׁרְיָין, לְקַדְמוּת מָארֵיכוֹן. כְּדֵין נָפִיק חַד רוּחָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּדָרוֹם, וְהַהוּא רוּחָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ עַל כָּל אִינּוּן חֵילִין וּמַשִׁרְיָין דְּלִסְטַר יְמִינָא, וְאִתְלַבְּשָׁן בֵּיהּ, וְהַהוּא רוּחָא אִקְרֵי לְבוּשָׁא דִּיקָר דְּשַׁבְּתָא. כְּדֵין פָּתוֹרֵי דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, מִתְתַּקְּנָן בְּחַד הֵיכָלָא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דְּסִדּוּרָא דְּפָתוֹרֵיהּ אִתְחָזֵי תַּמָּן כְּדְקָא יָאוּת, וְקַיְּימָא כֹּלָּא מִתְתַּקְּנָא, בְּלָא כִּסּוּפָא, אִינִשׁ כְּפוּם חֵילֵיהּ.

The following is the explanation. Immediately on the entrance of the Sabbath, proclamation is made in all the heavens, saying: Make ready, O ye Chariot teams and legions, to meet your Master! Following this there comes forth out of the south a spirit that spreads itself over all those Chariot teams and legions of the side of the Right, who are wrapt with it as with a garment. That spirit is thus called ” the solemn robe of the Sabbath”. Then the tables of this world are prepared in a certain Palace. Happy is the portion of the man whose table here below appears there properly laid, everything prepared in the best manner, according to his means, so that he has no cause to feel ashamed.

Segment 3ג׳

כַּד עָאל שַׁבְּתָא, אִצְטְרִיכוּ אִינּוּן עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא לְאַסְחָאָה גַּרְמַיְיהוּ (קל"ו ע"ב) מִשִּׁמוּשָׁא דְּחוֹל, מַאי טַעֲמָא. בְּגִין דִּבְחוֹל, רוּחָא אַחֲרָא אַזְלָא וְשַׁטְיָא וְשָׁרָא עַל עַמָּא. וְכַד בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְנָפְקָא מִן הַהוּא רוּחָא, וּלְאַעֲלָא בְּרוּחָא אַחֲרָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, בָּעֵי לְאַסְחָאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ, לְמִשְׁרֵי עָלֵיהּ הַהוּא רוּחָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא.

When the Sabbath comes in it is incumbent on the holy people to wash away from themselves the marks of their weekday labour. For what reason? Because during the weekdays a different spirit roams about and hovers over the people, and it is in order to divest himself of that spirit and invest himself with another spirit, a spirit sublime and holy, that he must wash away the stains of the workaday world.