Chapter Nineteen (פֶּרֶק תִּשְׁעָ עָשָׂר)

Until now we have spoken of the third Heikhal [Palace], called the Upper Heikhal haNogah [Palace of Radiance] (עַד הֵנָּה דִּבַּרְנוּ בַּהֵיכָל הַשְּׁלִישִׁי הַנִּקְרָא הֵיכָל הַנּוֹגַה הָעֶלְיוֹן), and now we shall speak of the Lower Heikhal haNogah [Palace of Radiance] (וְעַתָּה נְדַבֵּר בְּהֵיכָל הַנּוֹגַה הַתַּחְתּוֹן).

Until now we have spoken of the Upper Heikhal haNogah [Palace of Radiance] (עַד הֵנָּה דִּבַּרְנוּ בְּהֵיכָל הַנּוֹגַה הָעֶלְיוֹן), and now we shall speak of the Lower Heikhal haNogah [Palace of Radiance] (וְעַתָּה נְדַבֵּר בְּהֵיכָל הַנּוֹגַה הַתַּחְתּוֹן), and there are within it eight angels called Somekhin [Supporters] (וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ שְׁמוֹנָה מַלְאָכִים הַנִּקְרָאִים סוֹמְכִין), who support all those who stumble (הַסּוֹמְכִים לְכָל הַנִּכְשָׁלִים), who require support and assistance (הַצְּרִיכִים סֶמֶךְ וָסַעַד), and they are called the pegs of the Mishkan [Tabernacle] (וְנִקְרָאִים יְתֵדוֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן). Because there are angels who change from watch to watch for another function (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ מַלְאָכִים הַמִּתְחַלְּפִים מִמִּשְׁמָר לְמִשְׁמָר עַל פְּעוּלָה אַחֶרֶת), as our Sages of blessed memory said concerning the verse (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ״ל עַל פָּסוּק): “Why is it that you ask for my name, and it is wondrous?” (לָמָּה זֶּה תִשְׁאַל לִשְׁמִי וְהוּא פֶלִאי) (Judges 13:18), for I am called according to the name of my mission (כִּי אֲנִי נִקְרָא עַל שֵׁם שְׁלִיחוּתִי), according to the function of the changing mission (כְּפִי פְּעוּלַת הַחִלּוּף שֶׁל הַשְּׁלִיחוּת). The expression Peli [Wondrous] (לְשׁוֹן פֶּלַאי) is derived from the expression (נִגְזָר מִלְּשׁוֹן): “When a man shall clearly utter a vow” (אִישׁ כִּי יַפְלִא לִנְדֹּר נֶדֶר) (Numbers 6:2). But these pegs do not move from their function forever (אֲבָל אֵלּוּ הַיְּתֵדוֹת אֵינָם זָזִים מִפְּעוּלָתָם לְעוֹלָם), and they are fixed in their place (וְהֵם קְבוּעִים בִּמְקוֹמָם), and they stand two by two in all four corners of the world (וְעוֹמְדִים שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם בְּכָל ד׳ פִּנּוֹת הָעוֹלָם). For the side of the South stand Shekhniel and Aziziyah (כִּי לְצַד דָּרוֹם עוֹמְדִים שַׁכְנִיאֵל עֲזִיזִיָּה), and they are appointed over twelve thousand other appointees (וְהֵם מְמֻנִּים עַל י״ב אֶלֶף מְמֻנִּים אֲחֵרִים), and these are appointed over the breath of the mouths of the children of the House of the Rav [Schoolchildren] (וְאֵלּוּ הֵם מְמֻנִּים עַל הֶבֶל פִּיהֶם שֶׁל תִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁל בֵּית רַבָּן), who engage in Torah (הָעוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה), so that through their merit the world may endure (כְּדֵי שֶׁבִּזְכוּתָם יִתְקַיֵּם הָעוֹלָם). And these two angels are appointed over this (וְאֵלּוּ שְׁנֵי הַמַּלְאָכִים הֵם מְמֻנִּים עַל זֶה), to elevate this breath upward (לְהַעֲלוֹת הַהֶבֶל הַזֶּה לְמַעְלָה), to the secret of Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters] (לְסוֹד מַיִן נוּקְבִין), and from it are made crowns for the head of the Tzaddik Chai haOlamim [Righteous One, Life of the Worlds] (וְנַעֲשִׂים מִמֶּנּוּ עֲטָרוֹת לְרֹאשׁ צַדִּיק חַי הָעוֹלָמִים). And on the side of the North there are two other angels (וּלְצַד צָפוֹן יֵשׁ שְׁנֵי מַלְאָכִים אֲחֵרִים), whose names are Azafiel and Katatriahal (אֲשֶׁר שְׁמָם אַזַפִיאֵל קְטַטְרִיָהָא״ל), and they are appointed over twelve thousand appointees (וְהֵם מְמֻנִּים עַל י״ב אֶלֶף מְמֻנִּים), all of them protecting Israel (כֻּלָּם מְגִנִּים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל). And there are yet appointees on the side of the West (וְיֵשׁ עוֹד מְמֻנִּים לְצַד מַעֲרָב), whose names are Asasnia and Adiriria (שְׁמָם עֲסַסְנִיָּה אַדִירִירִיָּה). And these are appointed to proclaim throughout all the firmaments (וְאֵלּוּ הֵם מְמֻנִּים לְהַכְרִיז בְּכָל הָרְקִיעִים), concerning all those who remove their sons from Talmud Torah [Torah Study] (לְכָל אוֹתָם שֶׁמַּעֲבִירִים אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם מִתַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה), and take them away from their teacher (וְלוֹקְחִים אוֹתָם מֵרַבָּם), and remove Torah from them so that they will not engage in it (וּמַעֲבִירִים מֵהֶם הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁלֹּא יַעַסְקוּ בָהּ), and then these appointees go forth and proclaim and say (וְאָז יוֹצְאִים אֵלּוּ הַמְמֻנִּים וּמַכְרִיזִים וְאוֹמְרִים): “Woe to so-and-so from his portion in the Olam haBa [World to Come]” (וַי לִפְלָנְיָא מֵחוּלָקָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).