Daf 43b (דַּף מ״ג ע״ב)

The preparation of Holiness comes after one has been slain by their hand (הֲכָנַת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה אַחַר שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג עַל יָדָם), for the sake of the Unity of the Sanctification of His Name (עַל יִחוּד קְדֻשַּׁת שְׁמוֹ), and this is what one should intend when saying, “O God of vengeance, Hashem; O God of vengeance, shine forth” (וְזֶה צָרִיךְ לְכַוֵּן כְּשֶׁאוֹמֵר אֵל נְקָמוֹת ה׳ אֵל נְקָמוֹת הוֹפִיעַ) (Psalms 94:1), that the Ten Martyrs of the Kingdom (אֲשֶׁר הָעֲשָׂרָה הֲרוּגֵי מַלְכוּת), who sit first in the Malkhut (הַיּוֹשְׁבִים רִאשׁוֹנָה בַּמַּלְכוּת), the holy ones slain for the Unity of the Sanctification of the Name (הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הַנֶּהֱרָגִים עַל יִחוּד קְדֻשַּׁת הַשֵּׁם), throughout the time of prayer we give them strength (וְכָל זְמַן תְּפִלָּה אָנוּ נוֹתְנִים לָהֶם כֹּחַ), to gather and collect the sparks of purity (לֶאֱסֹף וְלַלֵּקֵט נִיצוֹצֵי טָהֳרָה), until every remembrance in Edom is cut off (עַד הַכְרִית כָּל זֵכֶר בֶּאֱדוֹם), and concerning this it is said, “And David made a name when he returned from striking Edom” (וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר וַיַּעַשׂ דָּוִד שֵׁם בְּשׁוּבוֹ מֵהַכּוֹת אֶת אֱדוֹם) (II Samuel 8:13), and this is the mystery of secret of the name “Shema”,p1-52 and understand this (וְהוּא סוֹד שֵׁם מְשַׁמַּע וְהָבֵן). And at the time of the ascent of the sparks of purity (וּבִשְׁעַת עֲלִיַּת נִיצוֹצֵי טָהֳרָה), this Spirit directs them with strength to their proper place (הָרוּחַ הַזֶּה מַנְהִיגָם בְּחוֹזֶק אֶל מְקוֹמָם הָרָאוּי לָהֶם), where they were formerly, in the time of the World of Tohu (שֶׁהָיוּ מִקֶּדֶם בִּזְמַן עוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ), therefore it says, “This one according to what was fitting for it, and that one according to what was fitting for it” (וְלָכֵן אָמַר דָּא כְּמָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ וְדָא כְּמָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ). “Tohu—over it rests the Name Shaddai” (תֹּהוּ עֲלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם שַׁדַּי).

Its explanation is: just as in Holiness there are the first three Sefirot, and with Da'at they are four (פֵּרוּשׁוֹ הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁבַּקְּדֻשָּׁה יֵשׁ ג׳ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְשָׁם דַּעַת הֵם אַרְבָּעָה), so, by countless separations, in the head of impurity there are the three years of Orlah (כָּךְ לְהַבְדִּיל כַּמָּה אֶלֶף הַבְדָּלוֹת בְּרֹאשׁ הַטֻּמְאָה שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים עֲרֵלִים), and in the fourth year Holiness begins to grow (וְהַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִית מַתְחִילָה הַקְּדֻשָּׁה לִצְמֹחַ), because once the three years of Orlah are separated (כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּפְרָדִים הַג׳ שְׁנֵי עָרְלָה), Nogah [Brightness] remains in Holiness (נוֹגַהּ נִשְׁאֲרָה בַּקְּדֻשָּׁה), and they are the mystery of the Four who entered the Pardes (וְהֵם סוֹד ד׳ נִכְנְסוּ לַפַּרְדֵּס) (Chagigah 14b), as I shall explain in its place (כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבָאֵר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ). And over each of these four Klipot there is one Name ruling over it (וְכָל קְלִיפָּה מֵאֵלּוּ הַד׳ יֵשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם שֵׁם אֶחָד הַמּוֹשֵׁל עֲלֵיהֶם), lest they overturn the world in an instant, Heaven forbid (לְבַל יַהַפְכוּ הָעוֹלָם בְּרֶגַע ח״ו), and throw the world into confusion (וִיטַשְׁטְשׁוּ עָלְמָא), and this is the mystery of the Masters of the Shields (דְּהוּא סוֹד מָארֵי תְּרִיסִין), who stand at the boundary (הָעוֹמְדִים עַל הַמֵּצַר), so that the destroying angels may not approach the entrances of the Chariot (לְבַל יִתְקָרְבוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַמַּשְׁחִית לִכְנוֹס לִמְבוֹאוֹת הַמֶּרְכָּבָה), and the angels who receive from them guard their charge (וְהַמַּלְאָכִים הַמְקַבְּלִים מֵהֶם וְשׁוֹמְרִים מִשְׁמַרְתָּם), and from this aspect they are called Watchers (וּמִצַּד זֶה נִקְרְאוּ שׁוֹמְרִים), as it is said, “Upon your walls, O Yerushalayim, I have appointed watchmen” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַל חוֹמֹתַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הִפְקַדְתִּי שׁוֹמְרִים) (Isaiah 62:6), and from this aspect they are called Sediments (וּמִצַּד זֶה נִקְרְאוּ שְׁמָרִים), in the mystery of the Heikhal [Palace] of the Sediments of Wine (בְּסוֹד הֵיכַל שִׁמְרֵי הַיַּיִן). And if, Heaven forbid, the four Klipot should draw near (וְאִם ח״ו יִקְרְבוּ ד׳ קְלִיפּוֹת), they will likewise give strength to the four camps of impurity (יִתְּנוּ גַּם כֵּן כֹּחַ לְד׳ מַחֲנוֹת הַטֻּמְאָה), which receive perverted Judgment and, Heaven forbid, increased power from them (שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִים עִוּוּת דִּין וְתִגְבֹּרוֹת ח״ו מֵהֶם), to draw near to the entrances of Gan Eden (לִקְרַב אֶל מִבְאוֹת גַּן עֵדֶן), to cause evil, Heaven forbid, to the dead who have already died (לִגְרֹם רָעָה ח״ו לַמֵּתִים אֲשֶׁר כְּבָר מֵתוּ), together with the living who are still alive (עִם הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה חַיִּים עוֹדֶנָּה), may the Merciful One save us (רַחֲמָנָא לִיצְלַן), and it is known (וְיָדוּעַ הוּא), that since the feet of the Shekhinah descend (מֵאַחַר שֶׁרַגְלֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה יוֹרְדוֹת), they are Mavet [Death], namely Her Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (מָוֶת הֵם נהי״ם שֶׁלָּהּ), descending into Yetzirah and Asiyah (הַיּוֹרְדִים בִּיצִירָה עֲשִׂיָּה).