Daf 43b (דַּף מ״ג ע״ב)

And all these correspond to the supernal colors-some say: of the eye-bound one with the other (וְכֻּלְהוּ כְּגוֹנִין דִּלְעֵילָא [נ״א: דְּעֵינָא] מִתְדַּבְּקִין דָּא עִם דָּא). All that is within them is like that appearance which is seen in concealment, when the eye revolves and that radiance appears as a sparkle (כָּל מַה דִּי בְּגַוַּיְיהוּ אִנּוּן כְּהַהוּא חֵיזוּ דְּמִתְחַזְיָא בִּסְתִּימוּ כַּד מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא עֵינָא וְאִתְחַזֵּי הַהוּא זָהֲרָא נָצִיץ). And that which is not seen in that rolling (וְהַהוּא מַה דְּלָא אִתְחַזֵּי [בֵּיהּ] בְּהַהוּא גִּלְגּוּלָא)-that is the ruach that governs over all (אִיהוּ הַהוּא רוּחָא דְּשָׁלְטָא עַל כֹּלָּא). And for this reason, all stands one within the other, level upon level-repeated some say: level upon level (וּבְגִין כָּךְ קָיְימָא דָּא בְּדָא, דַּרְגִּין עַל דַּרְגִּין [וּדַּרְגִּין עַל דַּרְגִּין])-until all is crowned as it should be (עַד דְּאִתְעַטַּר כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יָאוּת).

Come and see: were it not for all these colors of the eye that appear, when the eye is closed and revolves in its socket, those radiant colors would not be visible (וְתָא חֲזֵי: אִלְמָלֵא כָּל אִנּוּן גְּוָונִין דְּעֵינָא דְּאִתְחַזְיָין, כַּד אַסְתִּים עֵינָא וְאִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בְּגַלְגַּלָּא, לָא אִתְחַזּוּן אִנּוּן גְּוָונִין דְּזָהֲרָן). And if not for those colors, that which is hidden and governs over them would not become bound with them (וְאִלְמָלֵא אִנּוּן גְּוָונִין, לָא אִתְדַּבַּק הַהוּא דְּסָתִים דְּשָׁלְטָא עֲלַיְיהוּ). It follows that all is dependent one upon the other, and bound one with the other (אִשְׁתַּכַּח דְּכֹּלָּא תַּלְיָיא דָּא בְּדָא, וְאִתְקַשַּׁר דָּא בְּדָא), when all is integrated as one in the third palace (כַּד אִתְכְּלִיל כֹּלָּא כְּחֲדָא בְּהֵיכָלָא תְּלִיתָאָה), and the desire of the prayer ascends to be crowned in the fourth palace (וּרְעוּתָא דִּצְלוֹתָא סָלְקָא לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּהֵיכָלָא רְבִיעָאָה). Then all becomes one (כְּדֵין כֹּלָּא חַד), one desire and one bond (וּרְעוּתָא חָדָא וְקִשּׁוּרָא חָדָא). Here is bowing, for acceptance before one’s Master (הָכָא הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה לְאִתְרַצָּאָה בְּמָארֵיהּ).

The fourth palace-this palace is different from all the others (הֵיכָלָא רְבִיעָאָה: הֵיכָלָא דָּא אִיהוּ מְשַׁנְיָא מִכֻּלְהוּ). There are four palaces to it, one within another, and all are one palace (אַרְבַּע הֵיכָלִין לְדָא: דָּא לְגוֹ מִן דָּא, וְכֻּלְהוּ חַד הֵיכָלָא). Here is the ruach that is called Zechut (Merit) (הָכָא אִיהוּ רוּחָא דְּאִקְרֵי זְכוּת), and in this place the merit of all the inhabitants of the world is transformed (בְּאֲתַר דָּא מִתְהַפֵּךְ זְכוּת דְּכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). This ruach receives all (רוּחָא דָּא נָטִיל כֹּלָּא). From it emerge seventy lights, all of them sparkling (מִנֵּיהּ נָפְקוּ שִׁבְעִין נְהוֹרִין כֻּלְהוּ מְנַצְּצָן). And all of them are within a circle, which does not spread outward like the others (וְכֻּלְהוּ בְּעִגּוּלָא דְּלָא מִתְפַּשְׁטֵי כְּאִלֵּין אָחֳרָנִין). They are bound one with the other, and shine one into the other, held together, one with the other (מִתְדַּבְּקִין דָּא בְּדָא, וּנְהִירִין דָּא בְּדָא, אֲחִידָן דָּא בְּדָא). All the meritorious of the world stand before these lights (כָּל זַכָּיֵין דְּעָלְמָא קַמֵּי אִלֵּין נְהוֹרִין קַיָּימִין). From all of them emerge two lights, equal as one, that stand continually before them (מִכֻּלְהוּ נָפְקֵי תְּרֵין נְהוֹרִין שְׁקוּלִין כְּחֲדָא דְּקָיְימֵי קַמַּיְיהוּ תְּדִירָא).

Corresponding to these are seventy mighty overseers outside, who circle all-some say: these-four palaces (לָקוּבֵל אִלֵּין אִנּוּן שִׁבְעִין רַבְרְבָן מְמַנָּן לְבַר דְּסָחֲרִין כָּל [הָנֵי] [ד״א: אַנּוּן] אַרְבַּע הֵיכָלִין). These seventy lights, and the two lights that stand before them, all are inner-one within another (שִׁבְעִין נְהוֹרִין אִלֵּין וּתְרֵי נְהוֹרִין דְּקָיְימִין קָמַיְיהוּ כֻּלְהוּ פְּנִימָאִין גּוֹ לְגוֹ). And this is the secret of what is written: Your belly is a heap of wheat, hedged about with roses (Shir haShirim 7) (וְרָזָא דָּא דִּכְתִיב: בִּטְנֵךְ עֲרֵמַת חִטִּים סוּגָה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים). Before these lights enters all merit, and all deeds of the world to be weighed (לְקַמֵּי נְהוֹרִין אִלֵּין עָאלִין כָּל זְכוּ, וְכָל עוֹבָדִין דְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְדַּנָּא). These two lights are witnesses-testimony (תְּרֵין נְהוֹרִין אִלֵּין אִנּוּן סָהֲדֵי סָהֲדוּתָא), because-some say: these-there are seven eyes of Hashem, which roam throughout all the earth (בְּגִין [דְּאַנּוּן] דְּאִית שִׁבְעָה עֵינֵי יי דִּמְשַׁטְּטֵי בְּכָל אַרְעָא [ס״א: כֵּן כָּל]). Everything that is done in the world is recorded in that very act and in that very merit, and they stand in their existence (כָּל מַה דְּאִתְעֲבִיד בְּעָלְמָא אִתְרְשִׁים בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא מַמָּשׁ וְהַהוּא זְכוּתָא מַמָּשׁ וְקָיְימֵי בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ). And these two lights see in them, and gaze upon them, and bear witness before these seventy lights (וְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין נְהוֹרִין חָמָאן בְּהוּ וּמִסְתַּכְּלָן וְסָהֲדֵי קַמֵּי אִלֵּין ע׳ נְהוֹרִין).

These seventy are decrees-decrees and judges of judgments, for good or for evil (אִלֵּין ע׳ גִּזְרֵי גִּזְרִין וְדָיְינֵי דִּינִין: הֵן לְטַב, הֵן לְבִישׁ). And here is the place of merit (וְהָכָא אִיהוּ אֲתַר דִּזְכוּתָא). This ruach-within it are inscribed three letters, which are Yod-Heh-Vav ( רוּחָא דָּא בֵּיהּ אִתְרְשִׁימוּ אַתְוָון תְּלַת דְּאִנּוּן י״ה״ו), and when these letters are bound in this place, in the union of male and female, then they are inscribed in it and are never erased from there (דְּכַד אִלֵּין אַתְוָון מִתְדַּבְּקָן בְּהַאי אֲתַר בְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דִּדְכוּרָא וְנוּקְבָא, כְּדֵין אִתְרְשִׁימוּ בֵּיהּ וְלָא אִתְעֲדוּן מִתַּמָּן). Afterwards, there emerges one light that radiates to the four directions (לְבָתַר נָפַק חַד נְהוֹרָא נָהִיר לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין). This light brings forth three others, which are the three courts of judgment that judge further judgments (הַאי נְהוֹרָא אַפִּיק תְּלַת אָחֳרָנִין דְּאִנּוּן תְּלַת בָּתֵּי דִּינָא דְּדָיְינִין דִּינִין אָחֳרָנִין), concerning worldly matters-in wealth, in poverty, in afflictions, in peace, and in all other matters of the world are judged through them (בְּמִילֵּי דְּעָלְמָא: בְּעוּתְרָא, בְּמִסְכְּנוּ, בְּמַרְעִין, בִּשְׁלִימוּ, בְּכָל אִנּוּן שְׁאָר מִילִּין דְּעָלְמָא אִתְדַּן בְּהוּ). One palace is for those seventy first ones, inwardly (חַד הֵיכָלָא לְאִנּוּן ע׳ קַדְמָאֵי לְגוֹ).

Three are for those three others (תְּלָתָא לְאִלֵּין תְּלָתָא אָחֳרָנִין). This ruach ascended and included all those below (סָלְקָא הַאי רוּחָא וְכָלִיל כָּל אִנּוּן דִּלְתַּתָּא). And it brought forth one great, holy supernal living being, burning (וְאַפִּיק חַד חֵיוָתָא קַדִּישָׁא מִתְלַהֲטָא), and within her ascended eyes like human eyes to observe over a thousand thousands and myriads of myriads of legions-masters of judgment (וְעָיְילִין לָהּ כְּעֵינֵי אֵינָשָׁא לְאַשְׁגַּחָא בְּאֶלֶף אַלְפִין וְרִבּוֹא רִבְּוָון חַיָּילִין מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא). All of them take decrees, and open and close them in the world, and complete judgment (כֻּלְּהוּ נָטְלִין פִּתְקִין וּפָתְחִין וְסָגְרִין בְּעָלְמָא וְאַשְׁלִימוּ דִּינָא).

Beneath this supernal living being are four Serafim, all ablaze like whirling wind, like rose-flames and tongues of fire (תַּחַת הַאי חֵיוָתָא ד׳ שְׂרָפִים מְלַהֲטָן כֻּלְּהוּ כְּחֵיזוּר וְשׁוֹשַׁן וּשְׁבִיבֵי דְּאֶשָּׁא). They ascend with seventy-two wheels for each one, all of them ablaze in fire (סָלְקִין ע״ב גַּלְגַּלִּין לְכָל חַד, מְלַהֲטָן בְּאֶשָּׁא). When they are carried, a river of fire is made (כַּד נָטְלִין אִתְעֲבִיד נָהָר חַד דִּי נוּרָא). A thousand thousands serve that fire; from there, many legions emerge (אֶלֶף אַלְפִין מְשַׁמְּשִׁין לְהַהוּא נוּרָא, מִתַּמָּן נָפְקֵי כַּמָּה חַיָּילִין). When the wheels are carried, countless myriads rise from them inside that fire (כַּד גַּלְגַּלִּין נָטְלִין, כַּמָּה אִנּוּן רִבּוֹא רִבְּוָון דִּיְקוּמוּן מִנַּיְיהוּ בְּגוֹ הַהוּא נוּרָא).

Beneath the second palace emerge legions who sing and come forth for battle here, and all are inflamed (תַּחַת הֵיכָלָא תִּנְיָינָא נָפְקֵי חַיָּילִין דִּמְזַמְּרִין וְאַתְיָין לְקָרְבָּא הָכָא וְאִתּוֹקְדוּן כֻּלְּהוּ). All those governors of the world, appointed to rule, from here their rule goes out (כָּל אִנּוּן [סט א] מְמַנָּן דְּעָלְמָא דְּאִתְמַנּוּן לְשַׁלְטָאָה, מֵהָכָא נָפִיק דִּינְהוֹן לְשַׁלְטָאָה), from within that ruach in which are inscribed the three letters (מִגּוֹ הַהוּא רוּחָא דְּאִתְרְשִׁים בִּתְלַת אַתְּוָון). And from here, their existence is removed from the world, and they are judged in that river of fire that flows and goes out (וּמֵהָכָא מַעְבְּרִין קִיּוּמַיְיהוּ מֵעָלְמָא, וְאִתְדַּנוּ בְּהַאי נוּרָא דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק), which is not transmitted in this palace (דְּלָא אִתְמָסַר בְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא).

Because in it are inscribed the three-some say: three-letters (בְּגִין דְּאִתְרְשִׁימוּ בִּתְלַת [ד״א: תְּלַת] אַתְּוָון), this ruach is included within them (הָכָא הַאי רוּחָא אִתְכְּלִיל בְּהוּ). That supernal living being brings forth legions and camps without number (הַהִיא חֵיוָתָא אַפִּיק חַיָּילִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין דְּלֵית לְהוֹן חוּשְׁבְּנָא).