Siman 602

(159.) I heard in his name — about the saying of our Rabbis of blessed memory [Brachos 28b] where Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said: "And furthermore — there are two paths before me: one leads to the Garden of Eden and one to Gehinnom — and I do not know by which path they are leading me." He said: "Is it relevant that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai should be uncertain whether they will lead him to Gehinnom?" But the great tzaddik is led after his death through the path of Gehinnom in order to raise up souls from there... ...in order to raise up souls from there, as is known [Zohar, Vayikra 212]. Behold: the great tzaddik serves Hashem even after his death — for he engages, even after his death, in raising up the fallen souls from the places to which they fell, and returning them to Hashem Yisburach. And this is [Joshua 1]: "And it was after the death of Moses, the servant of Hashem" — that even after the death of Moses he was serving Hashem. For Moses serves Hashem even now, after his death — for he engages in raising up the fallen souls to Hashem Yisburach. And see Likutay Tinyana, Torah 206 — where it is also explained that Moses, even now after his death, engages in raising up and repairing souls, returning them in repentance, and making converts. And this — that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai feared and doubted whether they would lead him to the Garden of Eden or to Gehinnom — is because he suspected that they would lead him through Gehinnom in order to raise up souls, as mentioned. (Said the transcriber: see in Ein Yaakov on the Rif — he also interprets in this manner.) All this I heard in his name. But regarding the matter of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, the listeners were uncertain of his interpretation, according to the aforementioned preface — whether the intention is that Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai wept lest they lead him through the Garden of Eden — because he was not so great in level that he could go to Gehinnom to raise up souls from there. Behold: the interpretation is the reverse of the simple interpretation. Or the interpretation is according to its simplicity — that he feared lest they lead him to Gehinnom, meaning in order to raise up souls as mentioned — and even so he feared very much and wept over this. For even though he was a great tzaddik, even so it is a great service for the tzaddik, and great exertion and great fear, when he must go to Gehinnom in order to raise up souls. And it is somewhat understood in the books.