Daf 209b (דַּף ר״ט ע״ב)

Rather, in every firmament there are appointed rulers over the world (אֶלָּא, בְכָל רְקִיעָא וּרְקִיעָא אִית מְמָנָן שַׁלְטִין עַל עָלְמָא), and that appointee who rules over that firmament (וְהַהוּא מְמָנָא דְּשַׁלְטָא עַל הַהוּא רְקִיעָא), gives from the strength that he has to that firmament (יָהִיב מֵחֵילָא דְּאִית לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא רְקִיעָא), in order to give to below (בְּגִין לְמֵיחָב לְתַתָּא), and that firmament receives from that appointee (וְהַהוּא רְקִיעָא נָקִיט מֵהַהוּא מְמָנָא), and gives to below to the earth (וְיָהִיב לְתַתָּא לְאַרְעָא). And that appointee does not receive except from the essence above (וְהַהוּא מְמָנָא לָא נָקִיט, אֶלָּא מִתַּמְצִית דִּלְעֵילָּא). But the holy land (אֲבָל אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), no firmament rules over it with another appointee (לָא שַׁלִּיט עַל הַהוּא רְקִיעָא דְּעָלֵיהּ מְמָנָא אַחֲרָא), and no other force (וְלָא חֵילָא אַחֲרָא), except Kudsha Berikh Hu alone (אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), and He appoints for the holy land in that firmament (וְאִיהוּ פָּקִיד לְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּהַהוּא רְקִיעָא). In every firmament, there are known gates (בְּכָל רְקִיעָא וּרְקִיעָא, אִית פִּתְחִין יְדִיעָן), and the authority of every appointee is measured from gate to gate (וְשׁוּלְטָנוּ דְּכָל מְמָנָן, מִפִּתְחָא לְפִתְחָא רְשִׁימָא), and from that gate onward, he may not rule even the width of a hair (וּמֵהַהוּא פִּתְחָא וּלְהַלָּן, לָא שַׁלְטָא אֲפִילּוּ כִּמְלֹא נִימָא), nor enter (וְלָא עָאל דָּא), even the boundary of his fellow's gate (אפילו בִּתְחוּמָא דְּפִתְחָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ), unless permission is given to rule one over another (בַּר כַּד אִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ, לְשַׁלְּטָאָה חַד עַל חַבְרֵיהּ).

Then the earthly kings rule one over another (כְּדֵין, שַׁלְטִין מַלְכִין דִּי בְּאַרְעָא, חַד עַל חַבְרֵיהּ). In the center of all the firmaments, there is one gate (בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ רְקִיעִין, אִית פִּתְחָא חֲדָא), called Gevilon (דְּאִקְרֵי גְּבִילוֹ״ן), and beneath this gate are seventy other gates below (וּתְחוֹת הַאי פִּתְחָא, אִית שִׁבְעִין פִּתְחִין אַחֲרָנִין לְתַתָּא), and seventy appointees guard them (וְשִׁבְעִין מְמָנִין נַטְרִין), from a distance of two thousand cubits, who do not draw near to it (מֵרָחִיק תְּרֵי אַלְפִין אַמִּין, דְּלָא קְרָבִין לְגַבֵּיהּ).

And from that gate a path ascends higher and higher (וּמֵהַהוּא פִּתְחָא אָרְחָא סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), until it reaches the supernal Throne (עַד דִּי מָטָא לְגוֹ כּוּרְסְיָּיא עִלָּאָה). And from that gate, it extends to every direction of the firmament (וּמֵהַהוּא פִּתְחָא לְכָל סִטְרִין דִּרְקִיעָא), until the gate of the opening called Magdon (Some say: Mandon) (עַד תַּרְעָא דְּפִתְחָא דְּאִקְרֵי מַגְדוֹ״ן — ס״א מַנְדוֹ״ן), which there is the end of the firmament over the territory of the Land of Yisrael (דְּתַּמָּן אִיהוּ סִיּוּמָא דִּרְקִיעָא דִּתְחוּמָא דְּאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And all those seventy gates (וְכָל אִינּוּן ע׳ פִּתְחִין), that are inscribed within that gate called Gevilon (דִּרְשִׁימִין גּוֹ הַהוּא פִּתְחָא דְּאִקְרֵי גְּבִילוֹ״ן), all are inscribed within the holy Throne (כֻּלְּהוּ רְשִׁימִין בְּכוּרְסְיָּיא קַדִּישָׁא), and all are called “Gates of Righteousness” (וְכֻלְּהוּ קָרִינָן לוֹן שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק), upon which no other has authority (דְּלָא שַׁלִּיט אַחֲרָא עָלַיְיהוּ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu appoints over the Land of Yisrael in that firmament (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פָּקִיד לְאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַהוּא רְקִיעָא), from gate to gate (מִפִּתְחָא לְפִתְחָא), by appointment as is required (בִּפְקִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ). And from the essence of that appointment (וּמִתַמְצִיתָא דְּהַהוּא פְּקִידָא), those seventy appointees receive (נַטְלִין אִינּוּן שִׁבְעִין מְמָנָן), and give to all other appointees (וְיָהֲבִין לְכֻלְּהוּ מְמָנָן אַחֲרָנִין).

It is found in the testament of Rabbi Eliezer the Great (אִיכָּא בְּצָוַואָת רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַגָּדוֹל): The ground of the Garden is—when the Holy One Blessed Be He created the Garden of Eden (קַרְקַע הַגַּן הוּא כְּשֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גַּן עֵדֶן), He took snow from beneath the Throne of Glory (נָטַל שֶׁלֶג מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד), and from it the ground of the Garden was made (וּמִמֶּנָּה נַעֲשָׂה קַרְקַע הַגַּן), and this is the foundation floor of Gan Eden (וְזֶהוּ קַרְקַעִיתּוֹ שֶׁל גַּן עֵדֶן). And it does not touch the earth (וְאֵינוֹ נוֹגֵעַ עִם הָאָרֶץ), for it is above all the lands (הֲזֹאת שֶׁהִיא לְמָעְלָה מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת).

The firmament above the Garden (רָקִיעַ שֶׁעַל גַּבֵּי הַגַּן), is like all colors (הוּא כְּעֵין כָּל הַגּווָֹנִין), like the work of the sapphire pavement (כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר). And the Name of the Holy One Blessed Be He (וּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא), is engraved in the center of the firmament (חָקוּק בְּאֶמְצַע הָרָקִיעַ). And four rings are at the four corners of the firmament (וְאַרְבַּע טַבָּעוֹת בְּד׳ קְצוֹת הָרָקִיעַ), and four wheels in every ring (וְד׳ אוֹפַנִּים בְּכָל טַבַּעַת). And in the center of the firmament is one pillar (וּבְאֶמְצַע הָרָקִיעַ עַמּוּד א׳), and this pillar is planted from the ground of the Garden (וְעַמוּד הַזֶּה נָעוּץ מִקַרְקַע הַגַּן), until it grasps the face of the Throne of Glory (עַד שֶׁאוֹחֵז פְּנִי כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד), and it is covered by the Cloud of Glory (וְהוּא מְכוּסֶּה מֵעָנָן הַכָּבוֹד). And the angel Gavriel, clothed in linen, stands upon it (וְהַמַּלְאָךְ גָּבְרִיאֵל לָבוּשׁ הַבָּדִים עוֹמֵד עַלָּיו), and at times all hold the rings of the firmament (פַּעַם כּוּלָם אוֹחַזִים בְּטַבָּעוֹת הָרָקִיעַ), and the pillar turns, and the firmament revolves (וְהַעֲמוּד חוֹזֵר וְהָרָקִיעַ סוֹבֵב), and the letters of the Explicit Name shine and sparkle (וְאוֹתִיּוֹת שֵׁם הַמֵּפוֹרָשׁ בּוֹלְטוֹת וְנוֹצְצוֹת), and rise and descend (וְעוֹלוֹת וְיוֹרְדוֹת). A voice cries out: “Be stirred, camps of holy Tzaddikim!” (קוֹל קוֹרֵא הִתְנוֹדְדוּ מַחֲנוֹת צַדִּיקִים קְדוֹשִׁים), “Happy are you who have merited this!” (אַשְׁרֵיכֶם שֶׁזָכִיתֶם לְכָךְ).

Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen like this? (מִי שָׁמַע כַּזֹאת, מִי רָאָה כַּאֵלֶה), when the melody of the firmament is carried by the man clothed in linen (בִּהְיוֹת כָּל נִגוּן הָרָקִיעַ בְּנוֹסְעוֹ עַל יְדֵי הָאִישׁ לָבוּשׁ הַבָּדִים), and he departs, and the firmament stands still (וְהוּא מִסְתָלֵק וְהָרָקִיעַ עוֹמֵד). And the pillar plays music (וְהַעֲמוּד מְנַגֵּן), rising and descending (עוֹלֵה וְיוֹרֵד), until radiant light is drawn down, a pleasant light from above, into that pillar (עַד שֶׁנִמְשָׁךְ אוֹר זוֹהַר, אוֹר נוֹעַם מִלְמַעְלָה בְּאוֹתוֹ הַעֲמוּד). And the Tzaddikim stand before that light (וְהַצַדִיקִים עוֹמְדִים לְנֶגֶד הָאוֹר הַהוּא), and enjoy it until midnight (וְנֵהֶנִים מִמֶּנּוּ עַד חֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה). At midnight, when the Holy One Blessed Be He comes to be with the Tzaddikim (בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה כְּשֶׁבָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִיכָּנֵס עִם הַצַּדִּיקִים), they hear the sound of the revolving firmament (שׁוֹמְעִים קוֹל סִיבּוּב הָרָקִיעַ), and the pillar plays music (וְהַעֲמוּד מְנַגֵּן), and the ground of the Garden lifts itself up (וְקַרְקַע הַגַּן מִתְנָשֶׂא), and the Tzaddikim arise from their chambers to greet their Creator (וְהַצַדִיקִים עוֹלִים מֵחוּפּוֹתֵיהֶם לִקְרַאת בּוֹרְאָם), and the entire Garden is filled with His glory (וְכָל הַגַּן מִתְמָלֵא מִכְּבוֹדוֹ). At that moment, the spirits are joined—males and females (בְּאוֹתָה שָׁעָה מִזְדַּוְּגוֹת הַרוּחוֹת זְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת), as they were before they were created (כְּפִי שֶׁהָיוּ קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִבְרֵאוּ), and from that delight, from their desire to behold the pleasantness of Hashem (וּמֵאוֹתוֹ נוֹעַם תַּאֲוָתָם לַחֲזוֹת בְּנוֹעַם ה׳), all of them bear fruit—that is, spirits for converts (כּוּלָם עוֹשִׂים פֶּרִי, דְּהַיְינוּ רוּחוֹת לַגֵּרִים).

In the lower Garden of Eden (בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן דִּלְתַתָּא), the firmament that stands above it (רְקִיעָא דְּקַיְּימָא עָלֵיהּ), contains supernal secrets (אִית בֵּיהּ רָזִין עִלָּאִין). When Kudsha Berikh Hu made that firmament (כַּד עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רְקִיעָא), He brought forth fire and water (אַיְיתֵי אֵשׁ וּמַיִם), from within His Throne of Glory (מִגּוֹ כּוּרְסֵי יְקָרֵיהּ), and joined them as one (וְשִׁתֵּף לוֹן כַּחֲדָא), and made from them a firmament below (וְעֲבַד מִנְּהוֹן רְקִיעָא לְתַתָּא), and they spread out (וְאִתְפָּשָׁטוּ), until they reached the place of the Garden of Eden (עַד דְּמָטוּ לְהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן), and settled there (וְיָתְבוּ).

What did Kudsha Berikh Hu do? (מַה עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) He took from the supernal, holy heavens (נָטַל מִשָּׁמַיִם עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין), other fire and water (אֵשׁ וּמַיִם אַחֲרָנִין), which are found and not found (דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחִין וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין), revealed and not revealed (דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָין וְלָא אִתְגַּלְּיָין), and from those fire and water (וּמֵאִינּוּן אֵשׁ וּמַיִם), that were taken from the supernal heavens (דְּאִתְנְטָלוּ מִשָּׁמַיִם עִלָּאִין), He made from them the expanse of the firmament (עֲבַד מִנַּיְיהוּ מְתִיחוּ דִּרְקִיעָא), and stretched it out over this lower Garden (וּמָתַח לֵיהּ עַל הַאי גִּנְתָּא דִּלְתַתָּא), and it connects within another firmament (וּמִתְחַבֵּר גּוֹ רְקִיעָא אַחֲרָא).

Four colors are in that expanse of the firmament above the Garden (אַרְבַּע גַּוְונִין, בְּהַהוּא מְתִיחוּ דִּרְקִיעָא דְּעַל גִּנְתָּא): white, red, green, and black (חִיוָּר וְסוּמָק יָרוֹק וְאוּכָם). Corresponding to these colors (לְגַבֵּי הָנֵי גַּוְונִין), there are four openings (אִית אַרְבַּע פִּתְחִין), below that expanse of the firmament (לְתַתָּא מֵהַהוּא מְתִיחוּ דִּרְקִיעָא). And these openings are to the four directions of the firmament that is above the Garden (וְאִינּוּן פְּתִחִין לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין דִּרְקִיעָא דְּעַל גַּבֵּי גִּנְתָּא), from those fire and water by which that firmament was made (מֵאִינּוּן אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, דְּאִתְעָבִיד מִנְּהוֹן הַהוּא רְקִיעָא).

They open in four openings, four lights (מִתְפַּתְּחִין בְּאַרְבַּע פִּתְחִין, אַרְבַּע נְהוֹרִין). On the right side, in that opening (לִסְטַר יְמִינָא בְּהַהוּא פִּתְחָא), from the expanse of the side of the right (מִגּוֹ מְתִיחוּ דִּסְטָר יְמִינָא), two lights shine (נַהֲרִין תְּרֵין נְהוֹרִין), through those two openings (בְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵין פִּתְחִין), in the right opening (בְּפִתְחָא דִּימִינָא), and in the opening that is (וּבְפִתְחָא דְּאִיהוּ)... [some say: “and from that opening emerges light, and it is a face”] (נ״א לְגוֹ נַפְקָא נְהוֹרָא וְאִיהוּ אַנְפִּין). Within the light that shines to the right side (גּוֹ נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר לִסְטַר יְמִינָא), a single letter is inscribed (אִתְרְשִׁים אָת חַד), radiant and prominent (נָהִיר וּבָלִיט), Some say: flaming (נ״א וְלֵהִיט), and it sparkles within the radiance (וְנָצִיץ בִּנְצִיצוּ, מִגּוֹ הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא), and it is the letter Mem (וְאִיהוּ אָת מ׳), and it stands in the center of that light of the opening (וְקַיְּימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּפִתְחָא). This letter ascends and descends (אָת דָּא, סַלְּקָא וְנַחְתָּא), and does not remain in one place (וְלָא קָאִים בַּאֲתָר חַד).

That light takes this letter and draws it forth (הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא, נָטִיל לְהַהוּא אָת וְאַפִּיק לָהּ), and therefore it does not remain fixed in one place (בְּגִין כָּךְ לָא קַיְימָא בַּאֲתָר חַד). Within the light that shines on the side that faces the countenance (גּוֹ נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר בְּסִטְרָא דְּאִיהוּ לָקֳבֵל אַנְפִּין), a single letter is inscribed (אִתְרְשִׁים אָת חַד), which is radiant, prominent, and sparkles within that light (דְּנָהִיר וּבָלִיט וְנָצִיץ בִּנְצִיצוּ גּוֹ הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא), and it is the letter Resh (וְאִיהִי אָת ר׳). At times, it appears as Bet (Some say: Dalet) (וּלְזִמְנִין אִתְחָזֵי ב׳ נ״א ד׳), and it stands in the center of that light of the opening (וְקַיְּימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּפִתְחָא). And it ascends and descends (וְסַלְּקָא וְנַחְתָּא), sometimes revealed, sometimes not (לְזִמְנִין אִתְגַּלְיָא, וּלְזִמְנִין לָא אִתְגַּלְיָא), and it does not remain in one place (וְלָא קַיְימָא בַּאֲתָר חַד). These two letters stand (אִלֵּין תְּרֵין אַתְוָון קַיְימִין), and when the soul of a Tzaddik enters the Garden of Eden (וְכַד נִשְׁמְתָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא עָאלַת בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן), these two letters emerge from within that light (אִלֵּין תְּרֵין אַתְוָון נָפְקִין מִגּוֹ הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא), and stand upon that soul (וְקַיְימִין עַל הַהִיא נִשְׁמְתָא), and they ascend and descend (וְסַלְקֵי וְנַחְתֵּי).