Daf 277b (דַּף רע״ז ע״ב)

And some of them are like animals (וְאִית מִנְּהוֹן כַּבְּהֵמָה), they are fruitful and multiply like animals (פָּרִין וְרָבִין כַּבְּהֵמָה), their form below is the unlearned of the people (דִּיּוּקְנָא דִּלְהוֹן לְתַתָּא אִינּוּן עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ), and the masters of the Mishnah have established them (וְאוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין), that they are detestable, and their daughters are creeping things (דְּאִינּוּן שֶׁקֶץ, וּבְנוֹתֵיהוֹן שֶׁרֶץ). And regarding their daughters it is said: Cursed is he who lies with any animal (וְעַל בְּנוֹתֵיהֶן נֶאֱמַר אָרוּר שׁוֹכֵב עִם כָּל בְּהֵמָה) (Deuteronomy 27). And they hate the sages, masters of Mishnah (וְאִינּוּן שׂוֹנְאִים לְתַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים מָארֵי מִשְׁנָה), who are truly ministering angels (דְּאִינּוּן מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מַמָּשׁ). And because of this the masters of the Mishnah have established (וּבְגִין דָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין): concerning a man, if he be like the angel of Hashem Tzevaot, they shall seek Torah from his mouth, and if not, they shall not seek Torah from his mouth (עַל בַּר נָשׁ אִי יְהֵא כְּמַלְאַךְ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת תּוֹרָה יְבַקְשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ, וְאִי לָאו לֹא יְבַקְשׁוּ תּוֹרָה מִפִּיהוּ) (Malachi 1). And there are others, masters of the secrets of the Torah (וְאִית אַחֲרָנִין מָארֵי סִתְרֵי תּוֹרָה), masters of measures (מָארֵי מִדּוֹת), who inherit Neshamot from the side of the holy Malkhut (דְּאִינּוּן יָרְתִין נִשְׁמָתִין מִסִּטְרָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא), which is inclusive of ten Sefirot (דְּאִיהוּ כְּלִילָא מֵעֶשֶׂר סְפִירָן).

For one who inherits her and merits her (דְּמַאן דְּיָרִית לָהּ, וְזָכֵי לָהּ), merits ten Sefirot without separation (זָכֵי לְעֶשֶׂר סְפִירָן בְּלָא פִּרוּדָא), ten and not nine (עֶשֶׂר וְלָא תְּשַׁע). For if they inherited a singular Malkhut (דְּאִי הֲווֹ יָרְתִין לְמַלְכוּתָא יְחִידָאָה), they would be nine in separation from her (הֲווֹ תְּשַׁע בְּפִרוּדָא מִנָהּ). Because there is no separation there (בְּגִין דְּלֵית תַּמָּן פִּרוּדָא), the author of Sefer Yetzirah said: ten and not nine (אָמַר בַּעַל סֵפֶר יְצִירָה עֶשֶׂר וְלֹא תֵּשַׁע). And if you should say that it rises above ten (וְאִי תֵּימָא דִּסְלִיקַת לְעֵילָּא מֵעֶשֶׂר), the explicit Name Yod-Hei-Vav-Hei (שְׁמָא מְפֹרָשׁ יוֹ״ד הֵ״א וָא״ו הֵ״א), behold ten (הָא עֶשֶׂר). The Yod unites in it (יוֹ״ד דְּמִתְיַיחֵד בָּהּ), and it does not ascend above ten (וְלָא סְלִיק לְעֵילָּא מֵעֶשֶׂר). And because of this it is Yod, and not eleven (וּבְגִין דָּא י׳, וְלָא י״א). But whoever joins the Yod, which is the letter of the covenant (אֲבָל מַאן דִּמְחַבֵּר יוֹ״ד, דְּאִיהִי אוֹת בְּרִית), with a handmaid (בְּשִׁפְחָה), while the Matronita is inclusive of the Yod (וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא כְּלִילָא מִי׳), with a demon of idolatry Samael, he is judged in Gehinom (בְּשֵׁד דְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה סָמָאֵ״ל אִתְּדָּן בַּגֵיהִנָּם).

For whoever inherits the daughter of the King, Malkhut (דְּמַאן דְּיָרִית בְּרַתָּא דְּמַלְכָּא מַלְכוּת), does not merit her except the son of the King (לָא זָכֵי לָהּ, אֶלָּא בְּרָא דְּמַלְכָּא), who is called: My firstborn son Yisrael (דְּאִתְקְרֵי בְּנִי בְכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 4). From this side they are called Yisrael, sons to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּמִסְטְרָא דָּא אִתְקְרִיאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). As it is written: You are sons to Hashem your God (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם) (Deuteronomy 14). And this Malkhut is of Atzilut (וּמַלְכוּת דָּא דַּאֲצִילוּת).

And there is opposite her the Malkhut of Beri’ah (וְאִית לְקַבְּלָהּ מַלְכוּת דִּבְרִיאָה), and she is the Malkhut for the angels of Beri’ah (וְאִיהִי מַלְכוּת לְמַלְאָכִים דִּבְרִיאָה). And she is the maiden of the Matronita (וְאִיהִי נַעֲרָה דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא), her attendant (מְשַׁמְּשָׁא דִּילָהּ), and she is the likeness of her mistress (וְאִיהִי דִּיּוּקְנָא דִּגְבִירְתָּא דִּילָהּ), included from the Yod (כְּלוּלָה מִי׳). This one, through the sins of Yisrael, is able to be profaned among the nations of the world (הַאי בְּחוֹבִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, יָכִילַת לְאִתְחַלְּלָא בֵּין אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא). But the Malkhut of Atzilut of Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֲבָל מַלְכוּת דַּאֲצִילוּת דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), about her it is said: I am Hashem, that is My Name, and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to idols (עָלָהּ אִתְּמַר אֲנִי יְיָ הוּא שְׁמִי וּכְבוֹדִי לְאַחֵר לֹא אֶתֵּן וּתְהִלָּתִי לַפְּסִילִים) (Isaiah 42).

He does not give her to one who desecrates Shabbatot and Festivals (לָא יָהִיב לָהּ לְמַאן דִּמְחַלֵּל שַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים), but only to one who is the son of the King (אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בְּרָא דְּמַלְכָּא), and keeps the Orayta and the commandments (וְנָטִיר אוֹרַיְיתָא וּפִקּוּדִין), in awe and love of his Master (בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ דְּמָארֵיהּ), and not on condition to receive reward (וְלָא עַל מְנָת לְקַבֵּל פְּרָס), but as a son who is obligated to perform the command of his father (אֶלָּא כְּבֵן דְּאִיהוּ מְחוּיָב לְמֶעְבַּד צִוּוּיֵיהּ דַּאֲבוֹי). Of him it is said: Honor your father and your mother (דְּעָלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ) (Exodus 20). Your father-this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֶת אָבִיךָ דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And your mother-this is the Shekhinta (וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). And with all this, whoever desecrates the maiden of the King (וְעִם כָּל דָּא, מַאן דִּמְחַלֵּל נַעֲרָה דְּמַלְכָּא), it is considered as if he desecrates his own Matronita (אִתְחֲשִׁיב לֵיהּ כְּאִלּוּ מְחַלֵּל מַטְרוֹנִיתָא דִּילֵיהּ).

And the Rabbis said: Not all demons are equal (וְרַבָּנָן, כָּל שֵׁדִין לָאו אִינּוּן שְׁקוּלִין), nor are all attendants of the Shekhinta the same (וְלָא כָּל עַבְדִּין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). For it is written of her: And His kingdom rules over all (דִּכְתִּיב בָּהּ וּמַלְכוּתוֹ בַּכֹּל מָשָׁלָה) (Psalms 103). She has many Hebrew maidens (אִית לָהּ כַּמָה נַעֲרוֹת עִבְרִיּוֹת), and Hebrew handmaids (וּשְׁפָחוֹת עִבְרִיּוֹת). And she has foreign slaves and handmaids (וְאִית לָהּ עֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחוֹת נָכְרִיּוֹת), so that no other kingdom should be found in the world when she rules (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח מַלְכוּתָא אָחֳרָא בְּעָלְמָא, בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִיהִי שַׁלְטָא). And these foreign handmaids are from the side of the poison of death (וְאִלֵּין שְׁפָחוֹת נָכְרִיּוֹת, מִסִּטְרָא דְּסַם הַמָּוֶת), the female of Samael (נוּקְבָּא דְּסָמָאֵל). For the handmaid was to the Matronita (דְּשִׁפְחָה הֲוַת לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). The female and Samael are another god (נוּקְבָּא וְסָמָאֵל אֵל אַחֵר), a servant was he to Kudsha Berikh Hu (עֶבֶד הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). But afterward they made themselves into a deity (לְבָתַר דַּעֲבִידוּ גַּרְמַיְיהוּ אֱלוֹהוּת), and Kudsha Berikh Hu will in the future remove them from the world and obliterate them (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָתִיד לְאַעְבָּר לוֹן מֵעָלְמָא, וּלְמִמְחֵי לוֹן). And if you say: if human beings make them into a deity, and not by their own will, why were they punished (וְאִי תֵּימְרוּן, אִי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עַבְדִּין לוֹן אֱלֹהוּת, וְלָא בִּרְעוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן, אֲמַאי אִתְעֲנָשׁוּ).

Rather, when the generation of the Flood and the generation of Dispersion knew of them (אֶלָּא כַּד הֲווֹ דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וְדוֹר הַפְלָגָה יַדְעֵי בְּהוֹן), and they would accuse them [Some say: burn incense to them] (וַהֲווּ מְקַטְרְגִין [נ״א מְקַטְרִין] לוֹן), and bow to them (וְסַגְדִּין לוֹן), and with that strength with which they accused them [Some say: burned incense] and bowed to them (וּבְהַהוּא חֵילָא דַּהֲווֹ מְקַטְרְגִין [נ״א מְקַטְרִין] לוֹן, וְסַגְדִּין לוֹן), they would descend to them (הֲווֹ נַחְתֵּי לְגַבַּיְיהוּ), and do their will (וְעַבְדֵי רְעוּתַיְיהוּ), and speak with them through those images (וּמְמַלְּלָן בְּהוֹן בְּאִינּוּן צוּלְמִין).

Behold, they were made into deity and idolatry of stars and constellations (הָא אִתְעָבִידוּ אֱלוֹהוּת וְעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). Because of this, Kudsha Berikh Hu will in the future remove them and obliterate them from the world (בְּגִין דָּא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָתִיד לְאַעְבְּרָא לוֹן, וְיִמְחֵי לוֹן מֵעָלְמָא), their images that they worshipped (צוּלְמִין דִּלְהוֹן דַּהֲווֹ פַּלְחִין בְּהוֹן), and spirits and images were formed from them (וְאִשְׁתַּאֲבוּ מִנְּהוֹן רוּחִין וְצוּלְמִין). And when there is in the world the Erev rav (וְכַד אִית בְּעָלְמָא עֵרֶב רַב), they descend to be embodied in them (נַחְתִּין לְאִתְגַּשְּׁמָא בְּהוֹן), and Kudsha Berikh Hu will remove them from the world (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַעְבַּר לוֹן מִן עָלְמָא).

This is what is written: And the spirit of impurity I will remove from the earth (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר מִן הָאָרֶץ) (Zechariah 13). And if you say: in the time of the last exile, there is no idolatry of stars and constellations (וְאִי תֵּימְרוּן, בְּזִמְנָא דְּגָלוּתָא בַּתְרָאָה, לֵית עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), because the people of the world do not know them (בְּגִין דְּלָא יַדְעִין בְּנֵי עָלְמָא בְּהוֹן). But those who know are the Erev rav who are there (וְאִינּוּן דְּיַדְעִין בְּעֵרֶב רַב תַּמָּן), it is found among them that they anger Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta (אִשְׁתְּכַח לוֹן דְּמַכְעִיסִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ), and Yisrael among them (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּינַיְיהוּ), and the Erev rav succeeds through them (וְעֵרֶב רַב מַצְלִיחִין בְּהוֹן), to fulfill what is written: And He pays His enemies to their face, to destroy them (לְקַיֵּים מַאי דִּכְתִיב וּמְשַׁלֵּם לְשׂוֹנְאָיו אֶל פָּנָיו לְהַאֲבִידוֹ) (Deuteronomy 7).

All the Tannaim and Amoraim arose and blessed Ra‘aya Meheimna (קָמוּ כֻּלְּהוּ תַּנָאִין וַאֲמוֹרָאִין וּבָרִיכוּ לְרַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא), and they said to him: Sinai, Sinai (וְאָמְרוּ לֵיהּ סִינַי סִינַי), who can speak before you (מַאן יָכִיל לְמַלְּלָא קֳדָמָךְ), for you are in the image of your Master (דְּאַנְתְּ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּמָארָךְ). At the time when He spoke at Mount Sinai (דִּבְזִמְנָא דְּמַלִּיל בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי), all the hosts of angels and the hosts of the Throne and the supernal and the lower were silent (כָּל חֵיוָן דְּמַלְאָכִין, וְחֵיוָן דְּכֻרְסְיָיא, וְעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, שַׁתְקוּ), and no other speech was found except His (וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח דִּבּוּר אָחֳרָא אֶלָּא דִּילֵיהּ). And because you are His son in His image (וּבְגִין דְּאַתְּ בְּרֵיהּ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דִּילֵיהּ), all the masters of the academy must hear words from your mouth (צָרִיךְ לְמִשְׁמַע כֻּלְּהוּ מָארֵי מְתִיבְתָּא מִלִּין מִפּוּמָךְ). Do not give silence to your speech (אַל תִתֵּן שְׁתִיקָה לְמִלּוּלָךְ).