Daf 40a (דַּף מ׳ ע״א)

Another matter: and the earth-as we have said, to elevate the lower earth (דָּבָר אַחֵר: וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן לְאַסְגָּאָה אַרְעָא דִלְתַתָּא), which was formed through many chambers (דְּאִיהִי אִתְעֲבִידַת בְּכַמָּה מְדוֹרִין), some say: lights (נֵהוֹרִין), all corresponding to the supernal form (כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה). And this is: and the earth was tohu and bohu and darkness and wind (וְדָא הוּא: וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ וְרוּחַ). These are the dwelling-places of the earth (אִלֵּין אִנּוּן מְדוֹרֵי אַרְעָא): Eretz (אֶרֶץ), Adamah (אֲדָמָה), Gei (גֵּיא), Neshiyah (נְשִׁיָּה), Tziyya (צִיָּה), Arka (אַרְקָא), Tevel (תֵּבֵל), and the greatest of them all is Tevel, as it is written (וְגָדוֹל שֶׁבְּכוּלָם תֵּבֵל דִּכְתִיב): And He shall judge Tevel with righteousness (Tehillim 9) (וְהוּא יִשְׁפּוֹט תֵּבֵל בְּצֶדֶק).

Rabbi Yosei said: Who is Tziyya? (אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מָאן הוּא צִיָּה) He said to him: This is the place of Gehinnom (אָמַר לֵיהּ: דָּא הוּא אֲתַר דְּגֵיהִנֹּם), as you say: Tziyya and the shadow of death (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: צִיָּה וְצַלְמָוֶת). And this is the secret of what is written (וְרָזָא דָּא כְּתִיב), some say: that it is written (ד״א: דְּכְתִיב), in the word: and darkness upon the face of the deep (בְּמִלְּתָא: וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם). This is the secret-the place of Gehinnom (דָּא רָזָא: אֲתַר דְּגֵיהִנֹּם). This is Tziyya, the place of the Angel of Death (דָּא הוּא צִיָּה: אֲתַר דְּמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת), as we have said, who darkens the faces of the creatures (כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן: דְּאִיהוּ מַחְשִׁיךְ אַנְפַּיֵּיהוּ דִּבְרִיָּתָא). And this is the place of supernal darkness (וְדָא הוּא אֲתַר דְּחֹשֶׁךְ עִלָּאָה).

Tohu-this is Neshiyah, in which no vision is perceived at all (תֹּהוּ: דָּא נְשִׁיָּה, דְּלָא אִתְחַזְיָיא בָּהּ חֵיזוּ כְּלָל), until all is forgotten from it (עַד דְּאִתְנְשֵׁי מִכֹּלָּא), and for this reason it is called Neshiyah (וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרֵי נְשִׁיָּה). Bohu-this is Arka, a place that is not forgotten (וָבֹהוּ: דָּא אַרְקָא, אֲתַר דְּלָא אִתְנְשֵׁי). Rabbi Hiyya said: This is Gei (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר: דָּא גֵּיא). And the spirit of Elohim hovered-this is in relation to Tevel, which is nourished from the Ruach of Elohim (וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת: דָּא לָקוּבֵל תֵּבֵל, דְּאִתְתַּזַּן מֵרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים). And all is one (וְכֹלָּא כְּחַד הוּא).

Just as this is the case below, so too there is for the supernal Earth (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא אִית לְאֶרֶץ עִלָּאָה). Seven chambers are above, level upon level (שִׁבְעָה מְדוֹרִין אִנּוּן לְעֵילָא, דַּרְגָּא עַל דַּרְגָּא), and in all these chambers are supernal angels, one above another (וּבְכֻלְהוֹ מְדוֹרִין מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין). Just so, it is below (הָכִי נָמֵי לְתַתָּא), and all is bound one to another (וְכֹּלָּא אָחִיד דָּא בְּדָא), so that all is one (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חָד). Seven chambers are above (שִׁבְעָה מְדוֹרִין אִנּוּן לְעֵילָא), and behold, the supernal Earth binds them and they all exist within her (וְהָא אֶרֶץ עִלָּאָה אֲחִידַת לוֹן וְכֻּלְהוּ קָיְימִין בָּהּ). And in all of them stands the praise of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבְכֻּלְהוֹן קָיְימָא תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Levels are separated one from the other (דַּרְגִּין פְּרִישָׁן דָּא מִן דָּא), and places are distinct from one another (וְאַתְרִין פְּרִישָׁן דָּא מִן דָּא).

The first chamber below is the place of darkness that does not shine (מָדוֹרָא קַדְמָאָה לְתַתָּא: הוּא אֲתַר בֵּי חָשׁוּךְ דְּלָא נָהִיר). And it is prepared as the dwelling of spirits, executioners, and violent wanderers who are not seen (וְהוּא מִתְתַּקַּן לְמָדוֹרֵי רוּחֵי וְקַסְטִירֵי וְעִלְעוּלֵי תַּקִּיפִין דְּלָא אִתְחַזְיָין). And there is in it neither light nor darkness nor any image at all (וְלָא אִית בֵּיהּ נְהוֹרָא וְלָא חֲשׁוֹכָא וְלָא דִּיוּקְנָא כְּלָל). And there they know no knowing at all, for there is no form inside it whatsoever (וְתַמָּן לָא יָדְעִין בֵּיהּ יְדִיעָא כְּלָל, דְּלָאו בֵּיהּ צוּרָה גּוֹ כְּלָל כּוּרְסְיָיא [סוּרְטָא]). And over that place is appointed one angel; his name is Tahariel (וְעַל הַהוּא אֲתַר מְמַנָּא חַד מַלְאָכָא: טַהֲרִיאֵל שְׁמֵיהּ). And with him are seventy appointed ones who fly (וְעִמֵּיהּ שִׁבְעִין מְמַנָּן מְעוֹפְפִין). And there were erased fiery destroyers (וְאִתְמַחוּן מַזִּיקֵי שְׁבִיבִין), upon them (דְּעֲלֵיהוּ), and they do not stand and are not seen and are not found (וְלָא קַיָּימִין וְלָא אִתְחַזּוּן וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי). And when morning comes, all of them (וְכַד אָתֵי צַפְרָא כֻּלְּהוּ) are renewed but do not remain (מִתְחַדְּשָׁן וְלָא קָיְימֵי). When they reach that place (כַּד מָטָאן לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא), some say: that place (דְּהַאי אֲתַר), they perish and are not found (אָבְדִין וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין), and they ascend into one hollow of the abyss and are not seen (וְעָאלִין בְּחַד נוּקְבָא דִּתְּהוֹמָא וְלָא אִתְחַזּוּן). When night is concealed, they are erased from those flames until morning arrives (כַּד אִתְרְמִישׁ לֵילְיָא אִתְמַחוּן מֵאִנּוּן שְׁבִיבִין עַד דְּמָטֵי צַפְרָא).

The second chamber is a place that shines more, but is dark (מָדוֹרָא תִּנְיָינָא: הוּא אֲתַר דְּנָהִיר יַתִּיר וְאִיהוּ חָשׁוּךְ), but not as dark as the first (אֲבָל לָא חָשׁוּךְ כְּהַהוּא קַדְמָאָה). And it is prepared as the dwelling of supernal angels (וְהוּא מִתְתַּקַּן לְמָדוֹרֵי מַלְאָכִין עִלָּאִין), who are appointed over the deeds of human beings (דִּי מְמַנָּן עַל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן דִּבְנֵי נְשָׁא), and to conceal them in the evil path they go (וּלְמִסְטֵי לְהוֹן בְּהַהוּא אוֹרַח בִּישָׁא דְּאִנּוּן אָזְלִין), some say: to cover them (ד״א: לְמַסְטֵי). And that place is more visible than the first (וְהַהוּא אֲתַר אִתְחַזֵּי יַתִּיר מִן קַדְמָאָה). And these angels have closeness with human beings (וְאִלֵּין מַלְאָכִין אִית לְהוֹן קְרָבָא [קוּרְבָּא] עִם בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), and are nourished (וּמִתְזְנָן [וּמִתְהַנְּנִין]) from the scent and perfume of below, to ascend in benefit and to shine more (מֵרֵיחָא וּבוּסְמָא דִּלְתַּתָּא לְסַלְקָא בְּתוֹעַלְתָּא וּלְאַנְהָרָא יַתִּיר). And over them is appointed one officer, his name is Kadumiel (וְעֲלַיְיהוּ חַד מְמַנָּא קְדוּמִיאֵל שְׁמֵיהּ). And these [angels] begin songs and are forgotten and pass on (וְאִלֵּין פָּתְחִין שִׁירָתָא וּמִשְׁתַּכְּכֵי וְאָזְלִין לוֹן), and they are not seen until Yisrael below begins and recites songs (וְלָא אִתְחַזּוּן עַד דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא פָּתְחֵי וְאָמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא). Then they stand in their places and are seen shining with greater brightness (כְּדֵין קָיְימָן בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ וְאִתְחַזָּן נְהִירִין יַתִּיר). Three times a day they sanctify sanctity (תְּלַת זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא מְקַדְּשֵׁי קְדוּשְׁתָּא). And when Yisrael engages in Orayta, all of them fly and bear witness (וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל עָסְקֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלְּהוֹן טָאֲסִין וְסָהֲדֵי), some say: they are testimony (אַנּוֹן סָהֲדוּתָא), above (לְעֵילָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu has mercy upon them (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַיִּיס עֲלַיְיהוּ).

The third chamber is a place of flames and smoke (מָדוֹרָא תְּלִיתָאָה הוּא אֲתַר דִּשְׁבִיבִין וְקִטּוֹרִין). And there flows the river Dinur, which flows and goes out (וְתַמָּן נְגִידוּ דִּנְהַר דִּינוּר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק), which is the place of burning for the souls of the wicked (דְּאִיהוּ בֵּי מוֹקְדָא דְּנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ דְּרַשִּׁיעַיָּא). From there goes forth fire upon the heads of the wicked (דְּמִתַּמָּן נָחִית אֶשָּׁא עַל רִישַׁיְיהוּ דְּרַשִּׁיעַיָּיא), and there are angels of destruction who drive them (וְתַמָּן מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה דְּטָרְדֵי לְהוּ). And there is found an accuser over Yisrael at times, to incite against them (וְתַמָּן אִשְׁתַּכַּח דָּלֵטוֹרְיָיא עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְזִמְנִין וּלְאַסְטָאָה לוֹן), except at the time that they receive healing to purify them (בַּר בְּזִמְנָא דְּנָסְבֵי אַסְוָותָא לְדַחְיָיא לֵיהּ). And one officer is over them from the left side (וְחַד מְמַנָּא עֲלַיְיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא); all of them are from the side of darkness (כֻּלְּהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֹשֶׁךְ), as it is said: and darkness upon the face of the deep (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם). And Samael the accuser is found there (וְסַמָּאֵל חַיָּיבָא אִשְׁתְּכַח תַּמָּן).