Daf 242b (דַּף רמ״ב ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), these sockets, behold we have established (וְאִלֵּין אֲדָנִים הָא אוֹקִימְנָא), but it is not written of them “standing” (אֲבָל לָא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ קִימָה), but rather “and he put” (אֶלָּא וַיִּתֵּן), a giving to place upon them what was required (נְתִינָה לְשַׁוָּואָה עָלַיְיהוּ מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ), because there are lower and higher, one set upon the other (בְּגִין דְּאִית תַּתָּאִין וְעִלָּאִין, רְכִיבִין דָּא עַל דָּא). And for this reason, of them it is written “giving” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ נְתִינָה).

At that time when this point was established (בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא דְּהַאי נְקוּדָה אִתְּקָמַת), the Sitra achra was sunken (אִשְׁתְּקָעַת סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא). And it was not erased completely (וְלָא אִתְמָחַת כְּלַל), for behold it is not destined to be erased except at that time to come (דְּהָא לָא אִתְמְחֵי, אֶלָּא לְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי), when it will be erased from the world (דְּאִתְמְחֵי מֵעָלְמָא), as it is said: “this one stands and that one is sunken” (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר, אִתְּקַם דָּא וְאִשְׁתְּקָעַת דָּא). “And he put its sockets” (Exodus 40) (וַיִּתֵּן אֶת אֲדָנָיו), then began to strengthen this side of holiness (כְּדֵין שָׁאֲרִי לְאִתַּתְקְפָא הַאי סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה). And when these supports were given (וְכַד אִתְיְיהִיבוּ אִלֵּין סַמְכִין), all those of the Sitra achra were sunken (אִשְׁתְּקָעוּ כֻּלְּהוּ דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), and descended into the hole of the great deep (וְעָאלוּ בְּנוּקְבָּא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא). Because this side of supernal holiness was elevated (בְּגִין דְּאִסְתַּלָּק הַאי סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה עִלָּאָה), and it is fitting for it to be elevated (וְאִיהוּ חוּלָקָא לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא).

And then that Sitra achra was sunken, and entered into that hole of the deep (וּכְדֵין הַאי סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא אִשְׁתְּקַע, וְעָאל בְּהַהוּא נוּקְבָּא דִּתְהוֹמָא). And were it not that Yisrael sinned at first (וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל חָאבוּ, בְּקַדְמִיתָא), that side would not have been able to rule over the world more (לָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בְּעָלְמָא יַתִּיר). But afterwards, so it was, they sinned (וּלְבָתַר אוּף הָכִי חָאבוּ), and drew it upon themselves as at first (וְאַמְשִׁיכוּ לֵיהּ עָלַיְיהוּ כְּקַדְמֵיתָא). And from that day, there was no counsel except to give a portion to that Sitra achra in everything (וּמֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא, לָא הֲוָה עֵיטָא, אֶלָּא לְמֵיהַב חוּלָקָא לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא בְּכֹלָּא), in the secret of sacrifices, libations, and offerings (בְּרָזָא דְּקָרְבְּנִין וּנְסָכִין וְעִלָּוָון).

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), for this reason, the burnt-offering is entirely consumed in fire (בְּגִין כָּךְ עוֹלָה אִתּוֹקְדָא כֹּלָּא בְּאֶשָּׁא), to subdue this side (לְאַכְפְּיָיא הַאי סִטְרָא), and to elevate the side of holiness (וּלְאִסְתַּלְּקָא סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה). And for this reason, when Moshe erected this place (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כַּד מֹשֶׁה אוֹקִים לַאֲתָר דָּא), This place was established (אִשְׁתְּקַע אֲתָר דָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), “And Moshe erected” — this side of holiness (וַיָּקֶם מֹשֶׁה, הַאי סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה). “And the other impure side was sunken” (וְאִשְׁתְּקַע סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא מְסַאֲבָא). “And he put” — to this side of holiness (וַיִּתֵּן. לְהַאי סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה), and the other impure side was weakened (וְאִתְרַפְיָא הַאי סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא מְסַאֲבָא). “And he placed” — to this side of holiness (וַיָּשֶׂם, לְהַאי סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה), and the other defiled side was subdued (וְאִתְכַּפְיָא הַאי סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא). And afterwards he returned and “he put its bars” (וּלְבָתַר אַהְדָּר וַיִתֵּן אֶת בְּרִיחָיו).

Afterwards “and he erected” (וּלְבָתַר וַיָּקֶם). What is the reason (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because the service and the completion must be with erection (בְּגִין דִּיְהֵא שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא בְּקִימָה), it began with erection and finished with erection (שָׁאֲרִי בְּקִימָה, וְסִיֵּים בְּקִימָה). Because in all, erection is required, both in service and in completion (בְּגִין דִּבְכֹלָּא בָּעֵי קִימָה, שֵׁירוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא).

Erection: when the service of the Sitra achra was weakened (קִימָה בְּשֵׁירוּתָא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא אִתְרַפֵי). And this is erection for the side of holiness (וְדָא, אִיהוּ קִימָה לְסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה), in order to be established and to ascend above, to be bound in one binding as fitting (בְּגִין לְאִתְקַיְּימָא וּלְאִסְתַּלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, לְמֶהוֵי אִתְקַשְׁרוּתָא חֲדָא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת). Because whenever holiness rules and ascends, defilement sinks and is pressed downward (בְּגִין דְּכָל זִמְנָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה שַׁלְטָא וְסַלְּקָא, מְסָאֲבוּ שָׁפִיל, וּמָאִיךְ לְתַתָּא).

The beginning of the point that stands beneath the degrees which are in the Sitra achra (רֵישָׁא דִּנְקוּדָה, דְּקַיְּימָא תְּחוֹת דַּרְגִּין דִּי בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), that is the first degree outside (אִיהוּ רִישׁ דַּרְגָּא דִּלְבַר), the head of the male (רֵישָׁא דִּדְכוּרָא), and it is set riding upon one camel (וְקַיְּימָא רָכִיב עַל חַד גָּמָל). This is the head outside of one mixture of darkness that spreads (אִיהוּ רֵישָׁא לְבַר דְּחַד עִרְבוּבָא דְּחֹשֶׁךְ דְּאִתְפָּשַּׁט).

For when the smoke emerges from within the fierce anger (דְּכַד תְּנָנָא נָפְקָא מִגּוֹ רוּגְזָא תַּקִּיף), that smoke spreads (אִתְפָּשַּׁט הַהוּא תְּנָנָא), and wrath follows wrath (וְאָזִיל רוּגְזָא בָּתַר רוּגְזָא), one upon another (דָּא עַל דָּא), and this one rides and rules upon that one (וְדָא רָכִיב וְשָׁלִיט עַל דָּא), in male and female form, so that all is a mighty wrath (בְּחֵיזוּ דִּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָּא לְמֶהוֵי כֹּלָּא רוּגְזָא תַּקִּיף). And when the smoke begins to spread (וְכַד שָׁאֲרִי תְּנָנָא לְאִתְפַּשְּׁטָא), it presses from within wrath in the pressing of one point to spread (דָּחִיק מִגּוֹ רוּגְזָא בִּדְחִיקוּ דְּחָד נְקוּדָה לְאִתְפַּשְּׁטָא). And afterwards the smoke spreads (וּלְבָתַר אִתְפָּשַּׁט תְּנָנָא), wrathfully crooked (דְּרוּגְזָא בְּעַקִּימוּ), like a cunning serpent to corrupt (כְּחַד חִוְיָא חַכִּים לְאַבְאָשָׁא).

The head that goes out to spread is a degree that is darkness (רֵישָׁא דְּנָפְקָא לְאִתְפַּשְּׁטָא, אִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא דְּאִיהוּ חָשׁוּךְ). It rises and descends, goes and travels, and rests in its place (סָלִיק וְנָחִית, אָזִיל וְשָׁאט, וְנָח בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ), and that degree is established to dwell (וְקַיְּימָא דַּרְגָּא לְאִתְיַישְּׁבָא), from that smoke that goes out from wrath (מֵהַהוּא תְּנָנָא דְּנָפִיק מִגּוֹ רוּגְזָא), and it is a shadow (וְאִיהוּ צֵל). A shadow upon another place which is called death (צִלָּא, עַל אֲתָר אַחֲרָא דְּאִקְרֵי מָוֶת). And when the two are joined together as one, it is called shadow of death (וְכַד מִתְחַבְּרָן תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כַּחֲדָא, אִקְרֵי צַלְמָוֶת) (Vayetze 160b). And behold we have established that these are two degrees that join as one (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא, תְּרִין דַּרְגִּין אִינּוּן דְּמִתְחַבְּרָאן כַּחֲדָא).

This shadow is the service of the lower point outside (הַאי צֵל, אִיהוּ שֵׁירוּתָא דִּנְקוּדָה תַּתָּאָה דִּלְבַר), darkness afar from the holy point that stands in the middle (חֲשׁוֹכָא דִּמְרַחָקָא מִנְקוּדָה קַדִּישָׁא, דְּקַיְּימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא). And this is a point that does not stand and is not marked in its form (וְהַאי אִיהוּ נְקוּדָה, דְּלָא קַיְּימָא, וְלָא אִתְרְשִׁימַת בְּגַוְונָהָא). And from it extends a spreading outward and downward (וּמִינָהּ אִתְפַּשְּׁטַת פְּשִׁיטוּ לְבַר וּלְתַתָּא). And it is sunken, not seen, and not marked (וְאִיהִי אִשְׁתְּקָעַת וְלָא אִתְחֲזִיאַת, וְלָא אִתְרְשִׁימַת).