Daf 163b (דַּף קס״ג ע״ב)

The benefit of this accuser — when the guilty obey him, what is it? (תּוֹעַלְתָּא דְּהַאי מְקַטְרְגָא. כַּד חַיָּיבַיָּא צַיְיתִין לֵיהּ, מַאי אִיהִי). Rather, even though he has no benefit, he fulfills the command of his Master (אֶלָּא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלֵית לֵיהּ תּוֹעַלְתָּא, פִּקּוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהּ אִיהוּ עָבִיד). And furthermore, he is strengthened because of this — since he is evil, he becomes strong when doing evil (וְתוּ, דְּהָא אִתְתָּקַּף בְּגִין הַאי, הוֹאִיל וְאִיהוּ רָע, אִתְתָּקַּף כַּד עָבִיד בִּישׁ).

A guilty one is not empowered until he kills a person (חַיָּיבָא לָא אִתְתָּקַּף עַד דְּקָטִיל בַּר נָשׁ); once he has killed people, then he is empowered and strengthened in his might, and finds rest (כֵּיוָן דְּקָטִיל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּדֵין אִתְתָּקַּף וְאִתְגַּבָּר בְּחֵילֵיהּ, וְאִית לֵיהּ נַיְיחָא). So too that accuser, who is called the Angel of Death (כַּךְ הַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא, דְּאִתְקְרֵי מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת): he is not empowered in his strength until he leads people astray, prosecutes them, and kills them (לָא אִתְגַּבָּר בְּחֵילֵיהּ, עַד דְּאַסְטֵי לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא, וּמְקַטְרֵג לוֹן, וְקָטִיל לוֹן); then he finds rest and is empowered and strengthened in his might (כְּדֵין אִית לֵיהּ נַיְיחָא, וְאִתְתָּקַף וְאִתְגַּבָּר בְּחֵילֵיהּ). Just as the side of life is strengthened when people are good and walk in an upright path (כְּמָה דְּאִתְתָּקַּף סִטְרָא דְּחַיִּים, כַּד בְּנֵי נָשָׁא טָבִין, וְיֶהֱכוּן בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר), so too this accuser is empowered and strengthened when the guilty obey him and he rules over them (אוּף הָכִי, הַאי מְקַטְרְגָא אִתְתָּקַּף וְאִתְגַּבָּר, כַּד חַיָּיבַיָּא צַיְיתִין לֵיהּ, וְשָׁלִיט עָלַיְיהוּ). May the Merciful One deliver us (רַחֲמָנָא לִישֵׁזְבָן).

Blessed are those who merit to conquer him and subdue him, to merit through him the world to come (וְזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּזַכָּאון לְנַצְחָא לֵיהּ, וּלְאַכְפְּיָא לֵיהּ, לְמִזְכֵּי בְּגִינֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), and the person is constantly strengthened in the Holy King (וְאִתְתָּקַף בַּר נָשׁ בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא תָּדִיר). Of this it is certainly said: “Happy is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the pathways” (עַל דָּא וַדַּאי אִתְּמַר: אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם עוֹז לוֹ בָךְ מְסִלּוֹת בִּלְבָבָם) (Psalms 84). Blessed are they in this world and in the world to come (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Rabbi Yosi, Rabbi Yehudah, and Rabbi Ḥiyya were walking on the road (רַבִּי יוֹסִי וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא, הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא), and Rabbi El‘azar encountered them (פָּגַע בְּהוּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר). When they saw him (עַד דְּחָמוּ לֵיהּ), they all descended from their donkeys (נָחְתוּ מִן חֲמָרֵי כֻּלְּהוּ). Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): Surely I behold the faces of the Shekhinta (וַדַּאי אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא חֲמֵינָא), for when a person sees righteous men, or meritorious ones of the generation (דְּהָא כַּד חָמֵי בַּר נָשׁ צַדִּיקַיָּא, אוֹ זַכָּאִין דִּי בְּדָרָא), and he is stirred toward them (וְאִעֲרַע בְּהוּ), they are surely the faces of the Shekhinta (וַדַּאי אִינּוּן אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא).

And why are they called the faces of the Shekhinta? (וַאֲמַאי אִקְרוּן אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא). Because the Shekhinta is hidden within them (בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִסְתָּתָּרַת בְּגַּוַּויְיהוּ): she is concealed (אִיהִי בִּסְתִימוּ), and they are revealed (וְאִינּוּן בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא). Because the Shekhinta is close to them (בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִינּוּן דִּקְרִיבִין לָהּ), they are called her faces (אִקְרוּן פָּנִים דִּילָהּ). And who are they? (וּמַאן אִינּוּן) They are those in whom she is adorned (אִינּוּן דְּאִיהִי אִתְתַּקְנַת בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ), to appear before the Supernal King (לְאִתְחֲזָאָה לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה). And since you are here (וְהוֹאִיל וְאַתּוּן הָכָא), surely the Shekhinta is adorned upon you (וַדַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְתַּקְנַת עָלַיְיכוּ), and you are her faces (וְאַתּוּן פָּנִים דִּילָהּ). Some say: And it occurred among them (נ״א: וְאִעֲרַע בְּהוּ), certainly they behold the face of the Shekhinta (וַדַּאי חֲמֵי אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא), because the Shekhinta is concealed within them (בְּגִין דְּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִסְתַּתַּר בְּגוֹיֵיהוּ), she in hiddenness and they in revelation (אִיהִי בִּסְתִּימוּ וְאִינּוּן בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא), and she is rectified with them to be seen before the King (וְאִיהִי אִתְתַּקְּנַת בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ לְאִתְחֲזָאָה קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא), and since you are here three (וְהוֹאִיל וְאַתּוּן הָכָא תְּלָתָא), certainly the Shekhinta is rectified upon you and dwells within you (וַדַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְתַּקְּנַת עֲלַיְיכוּ וְשָׁרְיָא בְגַוַּיְיכוּ).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Take, I beg you, my blessing that was brought to you…” (קַח נָא אֶת בִּרְכָתִי אֲשֶׁר הוּבָאת לָךָ) (Bereshit 33). When Ya'akov saw Sama’el, the accuser, on that night (כַּד חָמָא יַעֲקֹב לְסָמָאֵל מְקַטְרְגָא בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא), he saw him in the likeness of Esav (חָמָא לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּעֵשָׂו), and he did not recognize him until the morning rose (וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע בֵּיהּ עַד דְּסָלִיק צַפְרָא). Once morning rose, and he looked at him (כֵּיוָן דְּסָלִיק צַפְרָא, וְאַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ), he saw him with concealed and revealed faces (חָמָא לֵיהּ בְּאַנְפִּין סְתִימִין וְאִתְגַּלְיָין). He gazed upon that image, which was like the image of Esav (אִסְתָּכַּל בְּהַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא, דְּהֲוָה כְּדִּיּוּקְנָא דְּעֵשָׂו), and immediately recognized and knew that it was the appointed one of Esav (מִיַּד אַשְׁגַּח וְיָדַע דְּהֲוָה מְמָנָא דְּעֵשָׂו).

He overpowered him — what is written? “And he said: Let me go, for the dawn has risen” (אַתְקִיף בֵּיהּ מַה כְּתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר) (Bereshit 32). The Friends were awakened (וְחַבְרַיָּיא אִתְּעֲרוּ), because the time had arrived to sing and to praise Kudsha Berikh Hu (דִּבְגִין דְּמָטָא זִמְנֵיהּ לְזַמְּרָא וּלְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and for this: “for the dawn has risen” (וְעַל דָּא: כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר). And here there is to contemplate: for surely his dominion is only at night (וְהָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, דְּוַדַּאי שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּלֵילְיָא), within darkness (גּוֹ חֲשׁוֹכָא).

And this is the Secret of: “from fear in the nights” (וְרָזָא דָּא: מִפַּחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת) (Song of Songs 3), this is the fear of Gehinnom (דָּא פַּחְדָּא דְּגֵיהִנָּם). And what is meant by “in the nights”? (וּמַה דְּאָמַר בַּלֵּילוֹת) — it means: he and his female counterpart (רְצוֹנוֹ לֵאמָר: אִיהוּ וְנוּקְבֵיהּ). And therefore, he has power only at night (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ לָא שַׁלִּיט אֶלָּא בְּלֵילְיָא). And that which is said: “And he said, Let me go, for the dawn has risen” (וְדָא דְּאָמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר) (Bereshit 32) — what is “for the dawn has risen”? (מַאי: כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר). Because when dawn comes (בְּגִין דְּכַד אָתֵי צַפְרָא), and the dominion of the night’s darkness passes away (וְאִתְעֲבָר שֻׁלְטָנוּ דְּחַשׁוֹכָא דְּלֵילְיָא), then he and his hosts enter into the female of the Great Tehom (כְּדֵין עָאל אִיהוּ וְאֹכְלוּסֵיהּ בְּנוּקְבָּא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא), which is from the northern side (דְּלִסְטַר צָפוֹן), until night returns (עַד דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא), and the dogs are released (וְאִשְׁתְּרוּ כַּלְבֵּי), and they rule and roam by night (וְשַׁלְטֵי וּמְשַׁטְטֵי בְּלֵילְיָא), some say: throughout the world (ד״א: בְּעָלְמָא), until the dawn comes (עַד דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא). And for this reason, he was pressing to say: “Let me go, for the dawn has risen” (וְעַל דָּא הֲוָה דָּחִיק לוֹמַר: שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר), for he has no power in the daytime (דְּהָא לָא שַׁלִּיט בִּימָמָא).

In this manner is the exile of Yisrael, which is at night, and is called “night” (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא גָּלוּתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִיהוּ בְּלֵילְיָא, וְאִקְרֵי לַיְלָה). A king — idolatry and the guilty constellations — rule over Yisrael (מַלְכָּא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת חַיָּיבָא שַׁלְטָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), until the dawn comes and Kudsha Berikh Hu shines upon them (עַד דְּיֵיתֵי צַפְרָא וְיַנְהִיר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and their dominion is removed (וְיִתְעֲבָר שֻׁלְטָנֵיהוֹן). And for this reason: “for the dawn has risen” — he was pressing, and his strength weakened (וְעַל דָּא: כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר, דָּחִיק הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ, וְתָשַׁשׁ חֵילֵיהּ), for night had passed (דְּהָא אִתְעַבָר לֵילְיָא). And for this reason, Ya'akov overpowered him (וְעַל דָּא אִתְתָּקַּף יַעֲקֹב בֵּיהּ), and saw his image like the image of Esav (וְחָמָא דִּיּוּקְנֵיהּ כְּדִּיּוּקְנָא דְּעֵשָׂו), but not fully revealed (אֲבָל לָא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא כָּל כַּךְ). Then he admitted to him regarding the blessings (וּכְדֵין אוֹדֵי לֵיהּ עַל בִּרְכָּאן).