Daf 172b (דַּף קע״ב ע״ב)

Then a herald ascended and was bound in the air, and he called out. (כְּדֵין חַד כָּרוֹזָא סָלִיק, וְאִתְקַטִּיר בַּאֲוִירָא, וְקָרֵי). That air went out from within the pillar of cloud of the inner altar, and as it emerged, it spread to the four directions of the world. (הַהוּא אֲוִירָא נָפְקָא מִגּוֹ עַמּוּדָא דַּעֲנָנָא דְּמַדְבְּחָא פְּנִימָאָה, וְכַד נַפְקָא אִתְפַּשַּׁט בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא). A thousand thousands stand on the side that is the left, and ten thousand ten-thousands stand on the side that is the right, and the herald stands in his position. (אֶלֶף אַלְפִין קָיְימִין מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִיהוּ שְׂמָאלָא, וְרִבּוֹא רִבְוָון קָיְימִין מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִיהוּ יָמִינָא, וְכָרוֹזָא קָאִים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ). He called out mightily and proclaimed. Then many who arrange song and perform service—two gates are opened, one to the south and one to the north. (קָרֵא בְּחָיִל וְאַכְרִיז. כְּדֵין כַּמָּה אִינוּן דִּמְתַקְּנִי שִׁירָתָא וּפָלְחִין פּוּלְחָנָא, וּתְרֵין פִּתְחִין פְּתִיחוּ חַד לִסְטַר דָּרוֹמָא, וְחַד לִסְטַר צָפוֹן). That house ascends and is given and bound between the two sides, and songs are sung and praises ascend. (סָלְקָא הַאי בֵּיתָא וְאִתְיְהִיבַת וְאִתְקַטְּרַת בֵּין תְּרֵין סִטְרִין, וְשִׁירִין מְזַמְּרָן וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן סָלְקִין). Then one enters in a whisper, and the house blazes with six lights, shining brilliance to every side, and fragrances radiate. (כְּדֵין עָאל מַאן דְּעָאל בִּלְחִישָׁא, וּבֵיתָא מִתְלַהֲטָא בְּשִׁית נְהוֹרִין, נָהֲרִין זִיוָא לְכָל סְטַר, וְנַהֲרִין דְּבוּסְמָא נָפְקִין). And all the creatures of the field are watered, as it is said: They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild asses quench their thirst, etc. (וְאִתְשַׁקְיָין כָּל חֵיוַת בְּרָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: יַשְׁקוּ כָל חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי, יִשְׁבְּרוּ פְרָאִים צְמָאָם וְגוֹ') (Psalms 104). And they sing until the morning ascends. (וְזָמְרִין עַד דְּסָלְקָא צַפְרָא). And when the morning ascends, then the stars and constellations of the heavens and all their hosts give praise and utter song—as it is said: When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy. (וְכַד סָלְקָא צַפְרָא, כְּדֵין כּוֹכְבַיָא וּמַזָּלֵי שְׁמַיָא וְחֵילֵיהוֹן כֻּלְּהוֹן מְשַׁבְּחָן וְאָמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: בְּרָן יַחַד כּוֹכְבֵי בֹקֶר, וַיָּרִיעוּ כָּל בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים) (Job 38).

Come and see: Unless Hashem builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless Hashem watches the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (תָּא חֲזֵי: אִם־ה׳ לֹא יִבְנֶה בַיִת, שָׁוְא עָמְלוּ בוֹנָיו בּוֹ; אִם־ה׳ לֹא יִשְׁמָר עִיר, שָׁוְא שָׁקַד שׁוֹמֵר) (Psalms 127). “Unless Hashem…”—this is the supernal King, who constantly builds this house and establishes it. (אִם יְיָ וְגוֹ' — דָּא מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהוּ בּוֹנֶה לְהַאי בֵּיתָא תָּדִיר וְאַתְקִין לֵיהּ). When? When desires and services from below ascend as is fitting. (אֵימָתַי כַּד סָלְקִין רְעוּתִין פּוּלְחָנִין מִתַּתָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). “Unless Hashem watches the city…”—when? At the time the night darkens, and hostile forces arm themselves, go forth and roam the world, and the gates are closed. (אִם־יְיָ לֹא יִשְׁמָר עִיר אֵימָתַי בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִתְחַשְׁכָא לֵילְיָא, וְסִטְרִין מְזַיְּינִין שָׁרָאן וְשָׁטָאן בְּעָלְמָא, וּפִתְחִין סְתִימִין). And it is protected from every side so that no uncircumcised or defiled one may approach it, as it is said: The uncircumcised and the impure shall no longer come into you. (וְאִתְנְטִיר מִכָּל סִטְרִין דְּלָא יִקְרַב בֵּיהּ עָרֵל וּמְסָאֲבָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: לֹא יוֹסִיף יָבוֹא בָּךְ עוֹד עָרֵל וְטָמֵא) (Isaiah 52). For Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to remove them from the world. (דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַעֲבָרָא לוֹן מֵעַלְמָא). Who is the uncircumcised, and who is the impure? Rather, it is all one: the uncircumcised is the impure. (מַאן עָרֵל וּמַאן טָמֵא אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא חַד עָרֵל וְטָמֵא). This is the one into whom the Serpent entered, and after whom man and his wife went astray, and they caused death to the entire world. (דָּא הוּא דְּאִתְפַּתָּא בֵּיהּ, וְאָזִיל אַבַּתְרֵיהּ אָדָם וְאִנְתְּתֵיהּ, וְגָרִימוּ מוֹתָא לְכָל עַלְמָא). And it is he who defiles this house until the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu will remove him from the world. (וְאִיהוּ דְּמַסְאִיב הַאי בֵּיתָא עַד הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּיַעֲבַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵעַלְמָא). Therefore, “Unless Hashem watches the city”—surely in vain. (בְּגִין כָּךְ: אִם יְיָ לֹא יִשְׁמָר עִיר שָׁוְא וַדַּאי).

Come and see: And Ya'akov journeyed to Sukkot—he was elevated to receive his portion of faith. (תָּא חֲזֵי: וְיַעֲקֹב נָסַע סֻכֹּתָה אִתְנְטִיל לְקֳבְלָא חוּלָקֵיהּ דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא) (Bereshit 33). What is written above? And on that day, Esav returned on his way to Seir; and it is written: And Ya'akov journeyed to Sukkot. (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָא וַיָּשָׁב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עֵשָׂו לְדַרְכּוֹ שֵׂעִירָה; וּכְתִיב: וְיַעֲקֹב נָסַע סֻכֹּתָה). Rather, each separated to his own side—Esav to the side of Seir. (אֶלָּא כָּל חַד אִתְפְּרַשׁ לְסִטְרָא דִילֵיהּ עֵשָׂו לְסִטְרָא דְּשֵׂעִיר). Who is Seir? That is the strange woman, a foreign god. (מַאן שֵׂעִיר דָּא הִיא אִשָּׁה זָרָה, אֵל נִכָר). And Ya'akov journeyed to Sukkot—that is the supernal faith. (וְיַעֲקֹב נָסַע סֻכֹּתָה דָּא מְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה). And he built for himself a house—as it is said: The house of Ya'akov. (וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: בֵּית יַעֲקֹב) (Isaiah 2). Rabbi El'azar said: He established the evening prayer properly. (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: דְּאַתְקִין תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And for his cattle he made booths—these are other sukkot to protect them, and this is his portion. (וּלְמִקְנֵהוּ עָשָׂה סֻכּוֹת שְׁאָר סֻכּוֹת לְנַטְרָא לוֹן, וְדָא הוּא חוּלָקֵיהּ). And then: And Ya'akov came whole—whole in every way, and it has been established. (וּכְדֵין: וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם שָׁלֵם מִכֹּלָּא, וְאוּקְמוּהָ). And it is written: In Shalem is His Sukkah, etc., and it has been established; and all is one mystery. (וּכְתִיב: וַיְהִי בְשָׁלֵם סֻכּוֹ וְגוֹ' — וְאוּקְמוּהָ, וְכֹלָּא רָזָא חָדָא) (Psalms 76). Then he was joined with faith, when he was whole and crowned in his proper place as was revealed to him. (כְּדֵין אִתְחַבֵּר עִמֵּיהּ מְהֵימְנוּתָא, כַּד הֲוָה שְׁלִים, כַּד אִתְעֲטַר בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ). And then this Sukkah was crowned with him—he who was whole from the Patriarchs, who was whole among his sons—and this is “Shalem.” (וּכְדֵין הַאי סֻכָּה אִתְעַטְּרַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ, דְּהֲוָה שְׁלִים מֵאֲבָהָן, דְּהֲוָה שְׁלִים מִבְּנוֹי, וְדָא הוּא שָׁלֵם). Whole above, whole below; whole in heaven, whole on earth. (שָׁלֵם לְעֵילָא, שָׁלֵם לְתַתָּא; שָׁלֵם בִּשְׁמַיָּא, שָׁלֵם בְּאַרְעָא). Whole above—he is the totality of the Patriarchs: Tiferet Yisrael. (שָׁלֵם לְעֵילָא: דְּאִיהוּ כְּלָלָא דְּאֲבָהָן תִּפְאֶרֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). Whole below—among his holy sons. (שָׁלֵם לְתַתָּא: בִּבְנוֹי קַדִּישִׁין). Whole in heaven, whole on earth—and then: In Shalem is His Sukkah, and it has been established. (שְׁלִים בִּשְׁמַיָּא, שְׁלִים בְּאַרְעָא; וּכְדֵין: וַיְהִי בְשָׁלֵם סֻכּוֹ וְאוּקְמוּהָ). Immediately, what is written? And Dinah the daughter of Leah went out—and the Friends have established this. (מִיָּד מַה כְּתִיב וַתֵּצֵא דִינָה בַּת לֵאָה וְאוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא).

Come and see: how many levels and sides are separated above, and all differ from one another. (תָּא חֲזֵי: כַּמָּה דַּרְגִּין וְסִטְרִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְעֵילָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ מְשַׁנְיָין דָּא מִן דָּא). Creatures differ from one another; these accuse in order to dominate these, and to seize prey, each according to its species. (חֵיוָון מְשַׁנְיָין אִלֵּין מֵאִלֵּין; אִלֵּין מְקַטְרְגִין לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עַל אִלֵּין, וּלְמִטְרַף טַרְפִין כָּל חַד וְחַד לְזִינֵיהּ). From the side of the defiled spirit, how many levels separate—and all are ready to accuse these against those. (מִסִּטְרָא דְּרוּחָא מְסָאֲבָא, כַּמָּה דַּרְגִּין מִתְפָּרְשִׁין, וְכֻלְּהוּ כָּמַן לְקַטְרְגָא אִלֵּין לָקֳבֵיל אִלֵּין). For it is written: You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together—for when they join, they cause accusation upon the world. (דְּהָא כְּתִיב: לֹא תַחֲרשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמוֹר יַחְדָּו — דְּכַד קָא מִתְחַבְּרָן, מְקַטְרְגֵי עַלְמָא) (Deuteronomy 22). And come and see: the abomination of the defiled levels is only to accuse against the holy sides. (וְתָּא חֲזֵי: תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְּדַרְגִּין מְסָאֲבִין — לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא לְקַטְרְגָא בְּסִטְרִין קַדִּישִׁין). Ya'akov, who is holy—they all aimed at him and accused him. (יַעֲקֹב דְּאִיהוּ קַדִּישָׁא כֻּלְּהוּ כָּמַן לֵיהּ וְקִטְרְגוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ). At first the serpent bit him, as it is said: And he touched the hollow of his thigh. (בְּקַדְמִיתָא נָשְׁכֵיהּ חִוְיָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ) (Bereshit 32). Now the donkey bites him. (הַשְׁתָּא נָשְׁכֵיהּ חֲמוֹר).