Daf 208a (דַּף ר״ח ע״א)

He opened and said: “What is man that You are mindful of him…” (פָּתַח וְאָמַר מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 8). This verse has been established (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ), that the guardians of the world said it (דִּמְמָנָן דְּעָלְמָא אֲמְרוּהָ), at the moment when it arose in the desire of Kudsha Berikh Hu to create man (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּסָלִיק בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִבְרֵי אֱנָשָׁא). He summoned groups upon groups of supernal angels (קְרָא לְכִתּוֹת כִּתּוֹת דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאָה), and stationed them before Him (וְאוֹתִיב לוֹן קַמֵּיהּ). He said to them: I desire to create man (אָמַר לוֹן בָּעֵינָא לְמִבְרֵי אָדָם). They said before Him: “Man in glory does not abide…” (אָמְרוּ קַמֵּיהּ וְאָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל יָלִין וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 49). Kudsha Berikh Hu stretched out His finger and burned them (אוֹשִׁיט קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֶצְבְּעָא דִּילֵיהּ וְאוֹקִיד לוֹן). He brought other groups before Him (אוֹתִיב כִּתּוֹת אַחֲרָנִין קַמֵּיהּ), and said to them: I desire to create man (אָמַר לוֹן בָּעֵינָא לְמִבְרֵי אָדָם). They said before Him: “What is man that You are mindful of him…” (אָמְרוּ קַמֵּיהּ מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ). What is the nature of this man? (מַה טִיבוּ דְּבַר נָשׁ דָּא). He said to them: A man who shall be in Our image, whose wisdom shall be higher than yours (אָמַר לוֹן בַּר נָשׁ דִּיְהֵא בְּצַלְמָא דִּידָן דִּיְהֵא חָכְמְתָא דִּילֵיהּ עִלָּאָה מֵחָכְמְתְּכוֹן).

Once He created man, and he sinned, and was revealed in disgrace before Him (כֵּיוָן דְּבָרָא אָדָם וְחָטָא וְנָפִיק בְּדִימוּס קַמֵּיהּ), there came ‘Azz’a and ‘Azzā’el (אָתוּ עֲזָ״א וַעֲזָּ״אֵל), and said before Him: We have an opening of the mouth before You, behold, the man whom You have made has sinned before You (אָמְרוּ קַמֵּיהּ פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה אִית לָן גַּבָּךְ הָא בַּר נָשׁ דְּעַבְדַּת חָטֵי קַמָּךְ). He said to them: If you had dwelled among them… and so forth (אָמַר לְהוּ אִלְמָלֵי תֶּהֶווֹן שְׁכִיחֵי גַבַּיְיהוּ וְכוּ׳). What did Kudsha Berikh Hu do? He cast them down from their holy level from the heavens (מַה עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָפִיל לוֹן מִדַּרְגָּא קַדִּישָׁא דִּלְהוֹן מִן שְׁמַיָּא).

Rabbi Shim‘on said: Now I will return to your question (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הַשְׁתָּא אַהֲדַרְנָא לְתִיּוּבְתַּיְיכוּ). For Bil‘am said: “Falling and open-eyed” (דְּבִלְעָם אָמַר נוֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָיִם). If you say that it was not truly so, and he was merely praising himself (אִי נֵימָא דְּלָא הֲוָה הָכִי וְשַׁבּוּחֵי קָא מְשַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ), how could Kudsha Berikh Hu write a false word in the Orayta? (הֵיךְ יִכְתּוֹב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִלָּה כְּדִיבָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And if it is a true word, how could that wicked one be praised in a supernal level above all the faithful prophets? (וְאִי מִלָּה דִּקְשׁוֹט הִיא הֵיךְ יִשְׁתַּבַּח הַהוּא רָשָׁע בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה עַל כָּל נְבִיאֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא). Furthermore, for the supernal holiness does not dwell except in its proper place where it appears (וְעוֹד דְּהָא לָא שַׁרְיָא קְדוּשָּׁה דִּלְעֵילָּא אֶלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ).

Now I return to the earlier word (הַשְׁתָּא אַהֲדַרְנָא לְמִלָּה קַדְמָאָה). After Kudsha Berikh Hu cast them down from their holy place (בָּתַר דְּאָפִיל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵאֲתַר קַדִּישָׁא דִּלְהוֹן), they erred after the women of the world and caused the world to err (טָעוּ בָּתַר נְשֵׁי עָלְמָא וְאַטְעוּ עָלְמָא). Here it is fitting to contemplate, for it is written: “He makes His angels spirits…” (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא וְהָא כְּתִיב עוֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 104). And behold, these were angels—how could they exist on earth? (וְהָא אִלֵּין מַלְאֲכִין הֲווֹ אֵיךְ יָכִילוּ לְאִתְקַיְּימָא בְּאַרְעָא). Rather, come and see: all those supernal kings (אֶלָּא תָּא חֲזֵי כָּל אִינּוּן דִּלְעֵילָּא), they do not stand, and cannot maintain existence, except by the supernal light that shines for them and sustains them (לָא קַיְּימִין וְלָא יַכְלִין לְמֵיקָם בַּר בִּנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה דְּנָהִיר לוֹן וְקַיֵּים לוֹן). And if that supernal light is withdrawn from them, they cannot exist (וְאִי פָּסִיק מִנַּיְיהוּ הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דִּלְעֵילָּא לָא יַכְלִין לְמֵיקָם). All the more so these whom Kudsha Berikh Hu cast down (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִלֵּין דְּאָפִיל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and the supernal light was withdrawn from them (וּפָסַק מִנַּיְיהוּ הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), so that their radiance was altered (דְּאִשְׁתָּנֵי זִיוַויְיהוּ). And so they descended, and the atmosphere of the world ruled over them (וְכַךְ נַחְתוּ וְשָׁלִיט בְּהוּ אֲוִירָא דְּעָלְמָא), and they were transformed into another state (אִשְׁתַּנּוּ בְּדַרְגָּא אַחֲרָא).

Come and see: the manna that descended to Yisrael in the wilderness (תָּא חֲזֵי מָנָא דְּהֲוָה נָחִית לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַדְבְּרָא), what was that manna? (הַהוּא מָנָא הֲוָה), it came from the supernal dew (מִטַּלָּא דִּלְעֵילָּא), descending from Atika Setima’ah of all that is concealed (דְּהֲוָה נָחִית מֵעַתִּיקָא סְתִימָא דְּכָל סְתִימִין). And when it would descend, its radiance shone through all the worlds (וְכַד הֲוָה נָחִית הֲוָה נְהוֹרֵיהּ נָהִיר בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין), and from it was nourished the Field of Apples and the supernal angels (וּמִנֵּיהּ אִתְזָן חַקַּל דְּתַפּוּחִין וּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי). But when it descended below, and the atmosphere of the world ruled over it (וְכַד הֲוָה נָחִית לְתַתָּא וְשָׁלִיט בֵּיהּ אֲוִירָא דְּעָלְמָא), it became thickened, and its radiance was transformed (אִגְלִיד וְאִשְׁתָּנֵי זִיוִיהּ), and its brightness was only as it is written: “And the manna was like coriander seed…” (וְלָא הֲוָה זִיוִיהּ אֶלָּא כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב וְהַמָּן כִּזְרַע גַּד הוּא וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 11), and no more (וְלָא יַתִּיר). All the more so angels, once they descended and the atmosphere ruled over them (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן מַלְאֲכִין כֵּיוָן דְּנַחְתוּ וְשָׁלִיט בְּהוּ אֲוִירָא), they were transformed from the earlier level they had been on (אִשְׁתַּנּוּ מֵהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא קַדְמָאָה דַּהֲווֹ).

What did Kudsha Berikh Hu do? He saw that they were leading the world astray (מָה עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָמָא דְּאַטְעֲיָין עָלְמָא), He bound them with chains of iron on the Mountain of Darkness (קָשַׁר לוֹן בְּשַׁלְשְׁלָאֵי דְּפַרְזְלָא בְּטוּרָא דַּחֲשׁוֹכָא), and there is the place where they dwell (בְּאָן אֲתָר יַתְבֵי), in the depth of the mountains (בַּעֲמִיקָא דְּטוּרֵי). He placed ‘Azz’a there (אוֹתִיב לֵיהּ לַעֲזָ״א), and darkness of face was cast upon him (וּרְמֵי חֲשׁוֹכָא דְּאַנְפִּין). For at the moment when Kudsha Berikh Hu bound them (בְּגִין דְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּקָשַׁר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), he became fierce and agitated toward Above (אִתְתַּקַּף וְאַרְגִּיז כְּלַפֵּי מַעֲלָה), and Kudsha Berikh Hu cast him into a depth until he diminished (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָפִיל לֵיהּ בְּעוּמְקָא עַד קְדָלֵיהּ), and cast darkness upon his face (וְזָרִיק חֲשׁוֹכָא בְּאַנְפּוֹי). But Azza’el, who did not become fierce (עֲזָאֵ״ל דְּלָא אִתְתַּקַּף), He set him beside him, and darkness illuminated him (אוֹתְבֵיהּ גַּבֵּיהּ וְנָהִיר לֵיהּ חֲשׁוֹכָא). And the people of the world who know their place come to them (וּבְנֵי עָלְמָא דְּיַדְעִין אַתְרַיְיהוּ אַתְיָין לְגַבַּיְיהוּ), and teach to the children of men sorceries and incantations and enchantments (וְאוֹלְפִין לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא חַרְשִׁין וּנְחָשִׁין וּקְסָמִין). And those Mountains of Darkness are called “Ancient Mountains” (וְאִינּוּן טוּרֵי חֲשׁוֹכָא אִקְרוּן הַרְרֵי קֶדֶם). Why is that? (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because darkness preceded light (בְּגִין דַּחֲשׁוֹכָא אַקְדִּים לִנְהוֹרָא). And for this reason, the Mountains of Darkness are called “Ancient Mountains” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ טוּרֵי חֲשׁוֹכָא הַרְרֵי קֶדֶם אִקְרוּן). Lavan and Bil‘am learned sorceries from them (לָבָן וּבִלְעָם מִנַּיְיהוּ אוֹלְפֵי חַרְשִׁין). And this is what Bil‘am said: “From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moav, from the mountains of the east…” (וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר בִּלְעָם מִן אֲרָם יַנְחֵנִי בָּלָק מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב מֵהַרְרֵי קֶדֶם וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 23).

Come and see: Bil‘am was praising himself from this place (תָּא חֲזֵי בִּלְעָם הֲוָה קָא מְשַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵהַאי אֲתָר), and said: “The saying of him who hears the sayings of God…” (וְאָמַר נְאֻם שׁוֹמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 24). Because ‘Azz’a and ‘Azzā’el had spoken to those people of the world (בְּגִין דַּעֲזָ״א וְעַזָּאֵ״ל אַמְרֵי לְאִינּוּן בְּנֵי עָלְמָא), from those supernal matters which they knew originally above (מֵאִלֵּין מִלִּין עִלָּאִין דַּהֲווֹ יַדְעֵי בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְעֵילָּא), and would speak of the holy world in which they had been (וּמִשְׁתָּעֵי מֵעָלְמָא קַדִּישָׁא דַּהֲווֹ בֵיהּ). This is what is written: “He hears the sayings of God” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב שׁוֹמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל). It is not written “hears the voice of God” (שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹל אֵל לָא כְּתִיב), but “sayings of God” (אֶלָּא אִמְרֵי אֵל), those utterances spoken from Him (אִינּוּן אֲמִירָן דְּאַמְרֵי מִנֵּיהּ). One who comes from their branch, and is asked: “From where do you come?” (מַאן דְּאָתֵי מִפִּרְקָא וְשָׁאֲלִין לֵיהּ מֵאָן אַתְּ אָתֵי), he replies: “From listening to the sayings of the Holy King” (אָמַר מִלְּמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא). Thus: “The saying of him who hears the sayings of God” (כַּךְ נְאֻם שֹׁמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל). “And knows the knowledge of the Most High”—for he knew the time when judgment was suspended in the world (וְיוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן דְּהֲוָה יָדַע שַׁעֲתָא דְּתַלְיָא דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא), and would direct the moment through his sorcery (וּמְכַוֵּין שַׁעֲתָא בְּחַרְשׁוֹי).