Daf 184b (דַּף קפ״ד ע״ב)

And when Yisrael are aroused below with the shofar (וְכַד מִתְּעֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא בְּשׁוֹפָר), that sound which goes forth from the shofar (הַהוּא קַלָּא דְּנָפִיק מִשּׁוֹפָר), strikes in the air (בָּטַשׁ בַּאֲוִירָא), and breaks through the firmaments (וּבָקַע רְקִיעִין), until it ascends to that mighty curtain (עַד דְּסַלְּקָא לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא טִנָרָא תַּקִּיפָא), Some say: the Sitra achra (נ״א סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), that darkens the moon (דְּחָפֵי לְסִיהֲרָא). It looks, and finds arousal of mercy (אַשְׁגַּח, וְאַשְׁכַּח אִתְעֲרוּתָא דְּרַחֲמֵי).

Then that one which had ascended and stood above is disturbed (כְּדֵין הַהוּא דְּסָלִיק וְקַיְּימָא לְעֵילָּא, אִתְעַרְבַּב). Then that sound stands (כְּדֵין הַהוּא קַלָּא קַיְּימָא), and removes that judgment (וְאַעְבַּר הַהוּא דִּינָא). And once below mercy is aroused (וְכֵיוָן דִּלְתַתָּא אַתְּעָרוּ רַחֲמֵי), so too above (הָכִי נָמֵי לְעֵילָּא), another supernal shofar is aroused (אִתְּעַר שׁוֹפְרָא אַחֲרָא עִלָּאָה), and brings forth a sound which is mercy (וְאַפִּיק קָלָא דְּאִיהוּ רַחֲמֵי), and they arouse sound with sound, mercy with mercy (וְאַתְעָרְעוּ קָלָא בְּקָלָא, רַחֲמֵי בְּרַחֲמֵי), and by the arousal below, so too above is aroused (וּבְאִתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְתַתָּא, אִתְּעַר הָכִי נָמֵי לְעֵילָּא). And if you will say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), how can the sound below or the arousal below bring about arousal above? (הֵיךְ יָכִיל קָלָא דִּלְתַתָּא, אוֹ אִתְּעָרוּתָא דִּלְתַתָּא לְאַתְעֲרָא, הָכִי נָמֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the lower world stands always to receive (עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה, קַיְּימָא לְקַבְּלָא תָּדִיר), and it is called a precious stone (וְהוּא אִקְרֵי אֶבֶן טָבָא). And the supernal world does not give to it, except according to how it stands (וְעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה לָא יָהִיב לֵיהּ, אֶלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִיהוּ קַיְּימָא). If it stands in brightness of countenance below (אִי אִיהוּ קַיְּימָא בִּנְהִירוּ דְּאַנְפִּין מִתַּתָּא), then so is it illuminated from above (כְּדֵין הָכִי נַהֲרִין לֵיהּ מִלְעֵילָּא). And if it stands in sadness (וְאִי אִיהוּ קַיְּימָא בַּעֲצִיבוּ), then judgment is given against it (יַהֲבִין לֵיהּ דִּינָא בְּקָבְלֵיהּ).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא), “Serve Hashem with joy” (עִבְדוּ אֶת יְיָ׳ בְּשִׂמְחָה) (Psalms 100). The joy of a person (חֶדְוָה דְּבַר נָשׁ), draws upon him another supernal joy (מָשִׁיךְ לְגַבֵּיהּ חֶדְוָה אַחֲרָא עִלָּאָה). So too this lower world (הָכִי נָמֵי הַאי עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה), as it is adorned, so does it draw from above (כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִיהִי אִתְעַטְּרָת, הָכִי אַמְשִׁיךְ מִלְעֵילָּא). Because of this, Yisrael arise early (בְּגִין כָּךְ מְקַדְּמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), and arouse with the shofar a sound which is the secret of mercy (וְאַתְעֲרֵי בַּשּׁוֹפָר קָלָא דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא דְּרַחֲמֵי), included with fire, water, and wind (כָּלִיל בְּאֶשָּׁא וּמַיָּא וְרוּחָא), and made into one (וְאִתְעָבִיד חַד), and ascends above (וְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא), and strikes upon that precious stone (וּבָטַשׁ בְּהַאי אֶבֶן טָבָא), and is imprinted with the hues of that sound (וְאִצְטְבַּע בְּאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דְּהַאי קָלָא), and then as it appears, so does it draw from above (וּכְדֵין כְּמָה דְּאִתְחַזִיאַת, הָכִי מָשִׁיךְ מִלְעֵילָּא).

And once it is established in this sound (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתַּקְנַת בְּהַאי קָלָּא), mercies go forth from above (רַחֲמֵי נַפְקֵי מִלְעֵילָּא), and rest upon it (וְשַׁרְיָין עָלָהּ), and it is included in mercy from below and from above (וְאִתְכְּלִילָא בְּרַחֲמֵי, מִתַּתָּא וּמִלְעֵילָּא). And then the Sitra achra is confounded (וּכְדֵין אִתְעַרְבַּב סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), gazes and beholds the brightness of the countenance (אִסְתַּכֵּל וַחֲמִי בְּנְהִירוּ דְּאַנְפִּין), and its power is weakened (וְאִתְחַלַּשׁ תֻּקְפֵּיהּ), and it cannot accuse (וְלָא יָכִיל לְקַטְרְגָא). And this precious stone (וְהַאי אֶבֶן טָבָא), stands in the brightness of countenance (קַיְּימָא בִּנְהִירוּ דְּאַנְפִּין), from all sides (מִכָּל סִטְרִין), in the brightness from below and in the brightness from above (בִּנְהִירוּ דִּלְתַתָּא, וּבִנְהִירוּ דִּלְעֵילָּא). When does it stand in the brightness from above? (אֵימָתַי קַיְּימָא בִּנְהִירוּ דִּלְעֵילָּא), one must say, on the Day of Atonement (הֲוֵי אוֹמֵר בְּיוֹמָא דְּכִפּוּרֵי). And on the Day of Atonement that precious stone shines (וּבְיוֹמָא דְּכִפּוּרֵי אִתְנְהִיר הַהוּא אֶבֶן טָבָא), with the brightness from above (בִּנְהִירוּ דִּלְעֵילָּא), from within the brightness of the World to Come (מִגּוֹ נְהִירוּ דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), and that which is there is disturbed (וְאִתְעַרְבַּב הַהוּא דְּלָטוּרָא). And then Yisrael below prepare one goat (וּכְדֵין מְתַקְּנִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא חַד שָׂעִיר), and send it to that mighty wilderness (וּמְשַׁדְּרִין לְהַאי מַדְבְּרָא תַּקִּיפָא), over which it rules (דְּאִיהוּ שַׁלְטָא עָלֵיהּ). And that Sitra achra (וְהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), it is the central point of the destruction of the world (אִיהוּ נְקוּדָה אֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּחָרִיבוּ דְּעָלְמָא), because every destruction and desolation (בְּגִין דְּכָל חָרִיבוּ וְשִׁמָמוֹן), Some say: from it, it is from that Sitra achra that rules (נ״א: מִנֵּיהּ, הוּא מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דְּשַׁלִּיט), that Sitra achra rules over it (הַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא שַׁלִּיט עָלֵיהּ).

But the central point of all settlement (וּנְקוּדָה אֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּכָל יִשּׁוּבָא), is the side of Kedushah (סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה אִיהוּ), and for this reason Jerusalem stands in the center of the whole settlement of the world (וְעַל דָּא, קַיְּימָא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּכָל יִשּׁוּבָא דְּעָלְמָא). Between two points the Molcho of heaven is separated (בִּתְרֵין נְקוּדִין אִתְפְּרַשַׁת מַלְכוּ שְׁמַיָא), the side of Kedushah (סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה), one point is hers (חַד דִּילָהּ), and one of the World to Come (וְחַד דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), the supernal concealed point (נְקוּדָה עִלָּאָה טְמִירָאָה). And for this reason it stands upon two points (וְעַל דָּא קַיְּימָא בִּתְרֵין נְקוּדִין): her point stands below (נְקוּדָה דִּילָהּ קַיְּימָא תְּחוֹתָהּ), Jerusalem, the center of all settlement (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, אֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּכָל יִשּׁוּבָא).

The point that is taken from the concealed supernal Imma (נְקוּדָא דְּנַטְלָא מֵאִמָּא עִלָּאָה טְמִירָא), this is the earthly Garden of Eden (אִיהוּ גַּן עֵדֶן דְּאַרְעָא), which stands in the center of the whole world (דְּקַיְּימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּכָל עָלְמָא), for all sides, of destruction and settlement (לְכָל סִטְרִין, דְּחָרִיבוּ וְיִשּׁוּבָא), and all sides of the world (וְכָל סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא). And for this reason, in the center of the Garden of Eden (וְעַל דָּא, בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּגַן עֵדֶן), there stands one supernal point, concealed and hidden (קַיְּימָא נְקוּדָה חֲדָא עִלָּאָה טְמִירָא וּגְנִיזָא), that is not known (דְּלָא יְדִיעַ). And one pillar is planted, from below to above, within that point (וְחַד עַמּוּדָא, נָעִיץ מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, גּוֹ הַהִיא נְקוּדָה), and from there flow forth waters (וּמִתַּמָּן נַבְעֵי מַיָּא), which are divided to the four directions of the world (דְּאִתְפְּרִישׁוּ לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא). Thus there are found three points in the world (אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ תְּלַת נְקוּדִין בְּעָלְמָא), that stand one upon the other (דְּקַיְימָאן דָּא עַל דָּא), in the likeness of the three points of the Orayta (כְּגַוְונָא דִּתְלַת נְקוּדִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), that goat which Yisrael send to Azazel (הַהוּא שָׂעִיר דִּמְשַׁדְּרִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַעֲזָאזֵל), to that wilderness (לְהַהוּא מַדְבְּרָא), in order to give a portion to that Sitra achra (בְּגִין לְמֵיהַב חוּלָקָא לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), that it may occupy itself with it (לְאִתְעַסְּקָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ). And if you will say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), why are there two goats here (תְּרֵין שְׂעִירִין אֲמַאי הָכָא), one for Hashem and one for that Sitra achra (חַד לַי־יָ׳ וְחַד לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא).

That goat for the Sitra achra is understandable (תִּינַח הַהוּא שָׂעִיר דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא). But why for Hashem? (לַי־יָ׳ אֲמַאי). Rather, it is like a king who became angry with his son (אֶלָּא לְמַלְכָּא דְּהֲוָה אַרְגִּיז עַל בְּרֵיהּ), and he called the officer (קָרָא לְסַנְטִירָא), that one who constantly executes judgment upon mankind (הַהוּא דְּעָבִיד דִּינָא בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּדִיר), in order that he be ready to execute judgment upon his son (בְּגִין דְּיִזְדָּמַּן לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא בִּבְרֵיהּ).

That officer rejoices (הַהוּא סַנְטִירָא חַדֵּי), and enters the palace of the king to eat there (וְעָאל בְּבֵי מַלְכָּא לְמֵיכַל תַּמָּן). When the son looks at him (כֵּיוָן דְּאַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ בְּרֵיהּ), he says: surely this officer has not entered my father’s palace except because the king is angry with me (אָמַר, וַדַּאי לָא עָאל סַנְטִירָא דָּא בְּבֵי אַבָּא, אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאַרְגִּיז מַלְכָּא עָלַי). What does he do? (מָה עָבֵד). He goes and appeases him (אָזַל וְאִתְפְּיָיס בַּהֲדֵיהּ). When he has appeased him (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפָּיַיס בַּהֲדֵיהּ), the king commands to prepare a supernal banquet for him and for his son (פָּקִיד מַלְכָּא לְמֶעְבַּד סְעוּדָתָא עִלָּאָה לֵיהּ וְלִבְרִיהּ), and commands that the officer shall not know of it (וּפָקִיד דְּלָא יָדַע בֵּיהּ הַהוּא סַנְטִירָא).