Daf 232a (דַּף רל״ב ע״א)

Blessed are the Righteous, who have merited that supernal light (זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקִיָּיא, דְּזָכָאן לְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה), and that light of the shining mirror (וְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּנָהֲרָא), it illuminates to all sides (נָהִיר לְכָל סִטְרִין), and each one of these Righteous takes his portion as is fitting for him (וְכָל חַד וְחַד מֵאִלֵּין צַדִּיקִיָּיא נָטִיל לְחוּלָקֵיהּ כְּדְקָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ), and each one receives illumination (Some say: thus is the light revealed (נ״א: וְהֲוָה נָטִיל כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּפוּם עוֹבָדוֹי דְּעָבַד בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And some of them are ashamed, because the light their companion receives is greater and brighter (מֵאִינוּן אִית מִנְּהוֹן דְּמִתְכַּסְפֵי מֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּ דְּנָטִיל חַבְרֵיהּ יַתִּיר וְנָהִיר), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

The portion of the night, from the time night begins to enter (חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּלֵילְיָא, מִכַּד שָׁאָרֵי לֵילְיָא לְמֵיעַל): how many governors of realms awaken and roam the world (כַּמָּה גַּרְדִּינֵי נִמוּסִין מִתְעָרִין וְשָׁטָאן בְּעָלְמָא), and they open the hidden chambers (וּפָתְחִין סְתִימִין), and afterward many kinds into their kinds, as we have established (וּלְבָתַר כַּמָּה זִינִין לִזְנַיְּיהוּ, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). And then, when the night divides, the northern side descends-Some say: its light shines (נ״א: נְהִיר נְהִירוּ) from above to below (וּכְדֵין כַּד אִתְפְּלִיג לֵילְיָא, סִטְרָא דְּצָפוֹן נָחִית מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא), and it takes hold of the night until two portions of night have passed (וְאָחִיד בֵּיהּ בְּלֵילְיָא, עַד תְּרֵין חוּלָקִין דְּלֵילְיָא). And afterward, the southern side is aroused (וּלְבָתַר סִטְרָא דְּדָרוֹם אִתְעַר), until dawn arrives (עַד דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא).

And when dawn comes, then the south and north grasp it (וְכַד אָתֵי צַפְרָא, כְּדֵין דָּרוֹם וְצָפוֹן אֲחִידוּ בֵּיהּ), and then Yisrael below come (וּכְדֵין אָתָאן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא), they raise it up with their prayers and petitions above (סָלְקִין לָהּ בִּצְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן לְעֵילָא), until it ascends and is concealed among them (עַד דְּסָלְקָא וְאִתְגְּנִיזַת בֵּינַיְיהוּ). And they receive blessing from the head-of the King of all heads (וְנָטְלָא בִּרְכָּאן מֵרֵישָׁא דְּמַלְכָּא דְּכָל רֵישִׁין). And it is blessed from that dew which is drawn from above (וְאִתְבָּרְכָא מֵהַהוּא טַּלָּא דְּאִתְמַשְּׁכָא מִלְּעֵילָא), and from that dew it spreads to many sides (וּמֵהַהוּא טַּלָּא פָּרִישׁ לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין), and many multitudes are sustained from it (וְכַמָּה רַבְוָון אִתְּזָנוּ מִנֵּיהּ מֵהַהוּא טַּלָּא), and from it the dead are destined to be revived (וּמִנֵּיהּ עֲתִידִין לַאֲחָיָיא מֵיתַיָּיא).

This is what is written: “Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust, for your dew is as the dew of lights” (Isaiah 26) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב הָקִיצוּ וְרַנְּנוּ שׁוֹכְנֵי עָפָר כִּי טַּל אוֹרוֹת טַּלֶּךָ), the dew is from those supernal lights that shine above (טַּלָּא מֵאִינוּן נְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין דְּנָהֲרִין לְעֵילָא). While they were still sitting and the night was dividing (עַד דְּהֲווּ יָתְבֵי אִתְפְּלִיג לֵילְיָא), Rabbi Yehudah said to Rabbi Yosei (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Now the northern wind is awakened (הַשְׁתָּא רוּחָא דְּצָפוֹן אִתְעַר), and the night is split (וְלֵילְיָא אִתְפְּלַג), and now is the moment that Kudsha Berikh Hu longs for the voices of the Righteous in this world (וְהַשְׁתָּא עִדָּנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תָּאִיב לְקָלְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקִיָּיא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), those who labor in Orayta (אִינוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא).

Now Kudsha Berikh Hu listens (to the sound of their words) to us in this place (הַשְׁתָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא צַיֵּית (לְקוֹל מִלֵּיהוֹן) לָן בְּהַאי אֲתַר), let us not cease from words of Orayta (לָא נִפְסוֹק מִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא). He opened and said: “The angel who redeems me from all evil…” (Bereshit 48) (פָּתַח וְאָמַר, הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגֹּאֵל אוֹתִי מִכָּל רָע), behold it has already been said and established (הָא אִתְּמַר וְאוּקְמוּהָ).

But come and see: it is written, “Behold, I send an angel before you…” (Exodus 23) (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב, הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָךְ וְגו׳), this is the angel who is the redeemer of the world (דָּא הוּא מַלְאָךְ דְּאִיהוּ פָּרוֹקָא דְעָלְמָא), the guardian of humanity (נְטִירוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and this is the one who prepares blessings for the whole world (וְהַאי אִיהוּ דְּאַזְמִין בִּרְכָּאן לְכָל עָלְמָא), because he takes them first, and afterwards distributes them in the world (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ נָטִיל לוֹן בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר אִיהוּ אַזְמִין לוֹן בְּעָלְמָא).

And because of this it is written: “Behold, I send an angel before you” (וּבְגִין דָּא כְּתִיב, הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָךְ לְפָנֶיךָ), and again: “And I will send an angel before you” (Exodus 33) (וְשָׁלַחְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ מַלְאָךְ). And this is the angel who is at times male and at times female (וְהַאי אִיהוּ מַלְאָךְ דִּלְזִמְנִין דָּכָר וּלְזִמְנִין נוּקְבָא), and so it is (וְהָכִי אִיהוּ): for when he prepares blessing for the world above (בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִיהוּ אַזְמִין בִּרְכָּאן לְעָלְמָא לְעֵילָא), then he is male and is called male (כְּדֵין אִיהוּ דָּכָר, וְאִקְרֵי דָּכָר), like a male who prepares blessing (כִּדְכוּרָא דְּאַזְמִין בִּרְכָּאן לְתַתָּא) for the female, so he prepares blessing for the world (לְנוּקְבָא, הָכִי אִיהוּ אַזְמִין בִּרְכָּאן לְעָלְמָא).

But when he stands in judgment over the world (וּבְזִמְנָא דְּקָיְימָא בְּדִינָא עַל עָלְמָא), then he is called female (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי נוּקְבָא), like a female who is pregnant (כְּנוּקְבָא דְּאִיהִי עוּבָּרָא), so he is filled with judgment (הָכִי אִיהוּ אִתְמְלֵי מִן דִּינָא), and then he is called female (וּכְדֵין אִקְרֵי נוּקְבָא). And thus, at times he is called male and at times female (וְעַל דָּא לְזִמְנִין אִקְרֵי דְּכוּרָא, וּלְזִמְנִין אִקְרֵי נוּקְבָא), and it is all one secret (וְכֹּלָּא רָזָא חָדָא).