Daf 201b (דַּף ר״א ע״ב)

When night enters (כַּד עָאל לֵילְיָא), a herald goes out (כָּרוֹזָא נָפְקָא), the rulers of the night are prepared (אִתְתָּקָנוּ שׁוּלְטָנִין דְּלֵילְיָא), each and every one to his place (כָּל חַד וְחַד לְאַתְרֵיהּ). And when day shines (וְכַד נָהִיר יְמָמָא), a herald goes out (כָּרוֹזָא נָפְקָא), the rulers of the day are prepared (אִתְתָּקָנוּ שׁוּלְטָנִין דִּימָמָא), each and every one to his place (כָּל חַד וְחַד לְאַתְרֵיהּ).

Then the rulers of night pass away, and the rulers of day are appointed (כְּדֵין מִתְעַבְרֵי שׁוּלְטָנִין דְּלֵילְיָא וְאִתְפַּקְדוּן שׁוּלְטָנִין דִּימָמָא). And when the herald proclaims (וְכַד כָּרוֹזָא אַכְרִיז), then all of them, each and every one, is appointed over the place assigned to him (כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ כָּל חַד וְחַד, אִתְפְּקַּד עַל הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִתְחָזֵי לֵיהּ). Then the Shekhinta descends first (כְּדֵין שְׁכִינְתָּא קַדְמָא), and Yisrael enter the synagogue (וְנַחְתָּא, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל עָאלִין לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא), to praise their Master (לְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן), they open with songs and praises (פַּתְחִין בְּשִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן). What is required of a person (דְּבָעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ)? Once he has prepared himself in the service of action (כֵּיוָן דְּאַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּעוֹבָדָא), in the arrangements of mitzvah and sanctity (בְּתִקּוּנֵי דְּמִצְוָה וּקְדוּשָׁה), to unify his heart in the arrangement of the inward service of his Master (לְיַחֲדָא לִבֵּיהּ בְּתִקּוּנָא דְּפוּלְחָנָא פְּנִימָאָה דְּמָארֵיהּ), and to align his heart and will with that service of words (וּלְשַׁוָּאָה לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא פּוּלְחָנָא דְּאִינּוּן מִלִּין), (Some say: that he utters) (ד״א דקאמר), for this word ascends (דְּהָא מִלָּה סַלְּקָא).

And those appointed ones who stand in the atmosphere (וְאִינּוּן מְמָנָן דְּקַיְימִין בַּאֲוִירָא), are appointed to the four directions of the world (אִתְמְנּוּן לְד׳ סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא).

To the eastern side, one appointed stands (לִסְטַר מִזְרָח אִתְמַנָּא מְמָנָא חַד), who stands in the atmosphere over that direction (דְּקַיְּימָא בַּאֲוִירָא לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא), his name is Gezardiya (גְּזַרְדִּיָ״א שְׁמֵיהּ), and with him are attendants, other appointed ones (וְעִמֵּיהּ סַרְכִין מְמָנָן אַחֲרָנִין), who await that word of prayer (דְּאִינּוּן מְחַכָּאן לְהַהִיא מִלָּה דִּצְלוֹתָא), and when it ascends in the air of that direction (וְסַלְּקָא בַּאֲוִירָא בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא), that appointed one takes it (וְנָטִיל לָהּ הַאי מְמָנָא). If the word is as it should be (אִי הִיא מִלָּה כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), he and all the attendants kiss that word (הוּא, וְכָל אִינּוּן סַרְכִין נַשְׁקִין לְהַהִיא מִלָּה), and ascend with it to the atmosphere of the higher firmament (וְסַלְּקִין עִמָּהּ עַד הַהוּא אֲוִירָא דִּרְקִיעָא לְעֵילָּא), where other attendants are appointed (דְּתַמָּן מְמָנָן סַרְכִין אַחֲרָנִין). When they kiss that word (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנַשְּׁקֵי לְהַהִיא מִלָּה), they open and say (פַּתְחֵי וְאַמְרֵי): “Fortunate are you, Yisrael, who know how to crown your Master with holy crowns” (זַכָּאִין אַתּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּיַדְעִיתּוּ לְאַעְטְרָא לְמָארֵיכוֹן בְּעִטְרִין קַדִּישִׁין).

Fortunate is the mouth from which this crowning word emerged (זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ פּוּמָא, דְּמִלָּה דְּעַטְרָא דָּא נָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ). Then the letters that exist in the atmosphere fly (כְּדֵין פַּרְחִין אַתְוָון דְּקַיְימִין בַּאֲוִירָא), through the sacred Name of twelve letters (דְּבִשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא דִּתְרֵיסָר אַתְוָון), which is the Name that rules in the atmosphere (דְּהַהוּא שְׁמָא שַׁלִּיט בַּאֲוִירָא), and this is the Name mentioned by which Eliyahu would fly until he ascended to the heavens (וְהַאי אִיהוּ שְׁמָא, דְּהֲוָה טָאס בֵּיהּ אֵלִיָּה״וּ, עַד דְּאִסְתַּלָּק לִשְׁמַיָּא). And this is what Ovadiah said to Eliyahu (I Kings 18): “And the spirit of Hashem shall carry you” (וְהַיְינוּ דְּקָאמַר עוֹבַדְיָה לְאֵלִיָּהוּ וְרוּחַ יְיָ׳ יִשָּׂאֲךָ). Because with this Name Eliyahu would fly in the air (בְּגִין דְּבִשְׁמָא דָּא, הֲוָה אֵלִיָּהוּ טָאס בֵּיהּ בַּאֲוִירָא), and this is the Name that rules in the atmosphere (וְהַאי אִיהוּ שְׁמָא דְּשַׁלִּיט בַּאֲוִירָא). And those letters fly and ascend with that word (וְאִינּוּן אַתְוָון פַּרְחִין וְסַלְּקִין בְּהַהִיא מִלָּה), and the appointed one who holds the openings of the atmosphere in his hand (וְהַהוּא מְמָנָא דְּמַפְתְּחָן דְּאַוִּירָא בִּידֵיהּ), and all the other appointed ones (וְכָל אִינּוּן מְמָנָן אַחֲרָנִין), all ascend with it to the firmament (כֻּלְּהוּ סַלְּקִין בֵּיהּ עַד רְקִיעָא), and it is delivered into the hand of another appointed one (וְאִתְמְסָר בִּידָא דִּמְמָנָא אַחֲרָא), to ascend it further above (לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא).

To the southern side, there is another appointed one who rules in the atmosphere of that direction (לִסְטַר דָּרוֹם, אִית מְמָנָא אַחֲרָא דְּשַׁלְטָא בַּאֲוִירָא לְהַהוּא סְטָר), and many other appointed ones and attendants are with him (וְכַמָּה מְמָנָן אַחֲרָנִין וְסַרְכִין עִמֵּיהּ). His name is Pesagniyah (פְּסַגְנִיָ״ה שְׁמֵיהּ), and with him are united—some say: to him are delivered—the openings of the atmosphere of that side (וּבֵיהּ מִתְאַחֲדָן [נ״א: וְלֵיהּ אִתְמְסָרַן] מַפְתְּחָן דְּאַוִּירָא לְהַהוּא סְטָר). And all those masters of groaning, who pray to their Master from out of groaning, from the breaking of heart (וְכָל אִינּוּן מָארֵי דְּעָקוּ, דְּצַלָּאן צְלוֹתָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן מִגּוֹ עַקְתָּא, מִגּוֹ תְּבִירוּ דְּלִבָּא), if that word is as it should be (אִי הַהִיא מִלָּה כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), it ascends into the atmosphere of that direction (סָלְקָא לַאֲוִירָא בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא), and that appointed one takes it (וְנָטִיל לָהּ הַאי מְמָנָא), and kisses it—some say: because it ascended in that direction (וְנָשִׁיק לָהּ [ס״א: בְּגִין דְּסָלְקָא בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא]). And when he kisses it, he opens and says (כַּד נָשִּׁיק לָהּ, פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “May Kudsha Berikh Hu have mercy in receiving you” (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָחוֹס לְקָבְלָךְ [נ״א: וְעָלָךְ]), “and on your account may compassion be aroused” (וּבְגִינָךְ יִתְמְלֵי רַחֲמִין). Then ascend with it all those holy appointed ones (סַלְּקִין עִמָּהּ כָּל אִינּוּן מְמָנָן קַדִּישִׁין), and all those attendants of that direction (וְכָל אִינּוּן סַרְכִין דְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא). And the letters of the sacred name fly (וּפַרְחִין אַתְוָון דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), which are four letters (דְּאִינּוּן ד׳ אַתְוָון), which are crowned and rule in that direction of the atmosphere (דְּמִתְעַטְּרִין וְשַׁלְטִין בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דַּאֲוִירָא), and ascend through that direction of the atmosphere (וְסַלְּקִין בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דַּאֲוִירָא), until the firmament (עַד רְקִיעָא), until that appointed one of the firmament who rules in that direction (עַד הַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּרְקִיעָא דְּשַׁלִּיט בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא).

To the northern side there is another appointed one (לִסְטַר צָפוֹן, אִית מְמָנָא אַחֲרָא), and with him are many attendants, appointed ones who rule in the atmosphere (וְעִמֵּיהּ כַּמָה סַרְכִין מְמָנָן דְּשַׁלְטִין בַּאֲוִירָא), and that appointed one is named Petachyah (וְהַהוּא מְמָנָא פְּתַחְיָ״ה שְׁמֵיהּ), and he is appointed in the atmosphere of that direction (וְהַאי אִתְמַנָּא בַּאֲוִירָא לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא). And all those who pray prayers on behalf of the afflicted, who groan over them (וְכָל אִינּוּן דִּמְצַלָּאן צְלוֹתִין עַל בַּעֲלֵי דְּבָבוּ דְּעָקִין לוֹן), and when the word of that prayer ascends to the atmosphere of that direction (וְכַד מִלָּה דְּהַהִיא צְלוֹתָא סַלְּקָא לַאֲוִירָא בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא), if it is meritorious, that appointed one takes it and kisses it (אִי זַכָּאָה הוּא, נָטִיל לָהּ הַאי מְמָנָא, וְנָשִׁיק לָהּ).

Then a certain wind is aroused, which goes forth from within the deep on the northern side (כְּדֵין אִתְּעַר רוּחָא חֲדָא דְּנָפְקָא מִגּוֹ תְּהוֹמָא בְּסִטְרָא דְּצָפוֹן), and that wind calls through all the atmospheres (וְהַהוּא רוּחָא קָארֵי בְּכָל אִינּוּן אֲוִירִין), and gathers that entire word (וְנַטְלֵי כֻּלְּהוּ הַהִיא מִלָּה), and they ascend it to the firmament and kiss it (וְסַלְּקִין לָהּ עַד רְקִיעָא וְנַשְּׁקִין לָהּ).

They open and say: “May your Master cast your enemy before you” (פָּתְחֵי וְאַמְרֵי: מָרָךְ יִרְמֵי שַׂנְאָךְ לְקָמָךְ). And it goes and ascends and pierces firmaments—some say: atmospheres—(וְאָזְלָא וְסַלְּקָא וּבַקְעָא רְקִיעִין [ס״א: אוירין]), until they ascend with it to the first firmament where the prayer first ascended (עַד דְּסַלְּקִין עִמָּהּ לְגַבֵּי רְקִיעָא קַדְמָאָה סַלְּקָא צְלוֹתָא), and it reaches one appointed one (וּמָטָאת לְגַבֵּי חַד מְמָנָא), who is appointed over the western side (דְּאִתְמָנָא לִסְטַר מַעֲרָב), and there stand nine gates (וְתַמָּן קַיָּימִין תִּשְׁעָה פִּתְחִין), and within them stand many attendants (וּבְהוּ קַיְימִין כַּמָה סַרְכִין), and many appointed ones (וְכַמָּה מְמָנָן), and over them one appointed one whose name is Zevuliel (וְעָלַיְיהוּ מְמָנָא חַד דִּי שְׁמֵיהּ זְבוּלִי״אֵל).