Daf 243a (דַּף רמ״ג ע״א)

This spreading went downward (הַאי אִתְפַּשְּׁטַת לְתַתָּא), to the right and to the left (לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא), and it spread in the middle within darkness (וְאִתְפַּשְׁטַת בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, גּוֹ חָשׁוּךְ), corresponding to one thousand and one hundred (קָבֵל אֶלֶף וּמֵאָה). Two supports are carved to this side and to that side (תְּרֵין סַמְכִין מִתְגַּלְּפִין לְסִטְרָא דָּא, וּלְסִטְרָא דָּא), darkness spread within a color of black and not black (אִתְפָּשַּׁט חֲשׁוֹכָא, בְּגוֹ גּוָֹון אוּכָם וְלָא אוּכָם), for it has no color to be established in it (דְּהָא לֵית לֵיהּ גּוָֹון לְאִתְקַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ). And in that spreading stood those darknesses that ruled in Egypt (וּבְהַהוּא פְּשִׁיטוּ, קַיְימִין חֲשׁוּכִין אִינּוּן דְּשִׁמְּשׁוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם), as it is written: “They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days” (Exodus 10) (דִכְתִיב לא רְאוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו וְלֹא קָמוּ אִישׁ מִתַּחְתָּיו שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים), and it is written: “And darkness was felt” (וּכְתִיב וְיָמֵשׁ חֹשֶׁךְ).

This spreading spread in many kinds (הַאי פְּשִׁיטוּ, אִתְפָּשַׁט בְּכַמָּה זִינִין), changing these within these (מְשַׁנְיָין אִלֵּין גּוֹ אִלֵּין). Within that spreading came forth one radiance that was impressed in gold (גּוֹ הַהוּא פְּשִׁיטוּ, נָפְקָא חַד זִהֲרָא דְּאִצְטְבַּע בְּדַהֲבָא), and this is red gold (וְדָא אִיהוּ דַּהֲבָא סוּמָקָא). This radiance spread and covered the darkness of the head (אִתְפָּשַׁט הַאי זִהֲרָא, וְחָפֵי חָשׁוֹכָא דְּרִישָׁא), and it is gold, which is intermingled with darkness (וְאִיהוּ דַּהֲבָא, דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ חֲשׁוֹכָא).

This darkness spread to the right and to the left (הַאי חֲשׁוֹכָא אִתְפָּשַׁט לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא). And from these two sides came forth one color of silver, not shining (וּמִגּוֹ אִלֵּין תְּרֵין סִטְרִין, נָפְקָא חַד גַּוְונָא דְּכַסְפָּא, דְּלָא זָהִיר). This color of silver spread and covered darkness (אִתְפָּשַׁט הַאי גּוָֹון דִּכְסַף, וְחָפֵי חֲשׁוֹכָא), and this was intermingled one with the other and descended below (וְאִתְכְּלִיל דָּא בְּדָא, וְנָחִית לְתַתָּא).

Darkness spread, and there stood two darknesses (אִתְפָּשַׁט חֲשׁוֹכָא, וְקַיְימָן תְּרֵין חֲשׁוּכִין), the first blackness that stood (רֵישׁ אוּכָמָא דְּקַיְימִין), some say: that went out (ד''א דנפקין), and from there spread and came forth a color of copper (וּמִתַּמָּן מִתְפָּשַּׁט וְנָפִיק חַד גּוָֹון דִּנְחֹשֶׁת). And from there spread downward that darkness, and it stood established (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְפָּשַּׁט לְתַתָּא, הַהוּא חָשׁוּךְ, וְקָאִים קַיְּימָא), and came forth a color of blackness like the appearance of iron (וְנָפִיק חַד גּוָֹון אוּכָם חֵיזוּ דְּפַרְזְלָא). And all this is the secret of darkness (וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא דַּחֲשׁוֹכָא).

From between two existences came forth one existence (מִבֵּין תְּרֵין קַיְימִין, נָפִיק קַיָּימָא חַד), darkness within darkness (חָשׁוּךְ בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא), and all these colors were seen in it (וְכָל אִלֵּין גַּוְונִין אִתְחָזוּן בֵּיהּ). And this is the foreskin (וְהַאי אִיהוּ עָרְלָה), which directed male to female to couple as one, to be one (דְּאַנְהִיג דְּכַר לִנְקֵבָה, לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא כַּחֲדָא, לְמֶהֱוֵי חַד).

These existences are in seven great known degrees (הָנֵי קַיְימִין, בְּז' דַּרְגִּין רַבְרְבִין (דכרין) יְדִיעָאן). The first degree is the degree that stands in the side of this darkness (דַּרְגָּא קַדְמָאָה, אִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא דְּקָאִים בְּסִטְרָא דְּהַאי חֲשׁוֹכָא). This darkness ascended within the hidden smoke of fire (דָּא חֲשׁוֹכָא סַלְּקָא, גּוֹ טְמִירוּ דִּתְנָנָא דְּאֶשָּׁא). This was included in the color of smoke, and in fire, and in blackness (הַאי כָּלִיל בְּגָוֶון תְּנָנָא, וּבְגָוֶון אֶשָּׁא, וּבְגָוֶון אוּכָם). These three colors spread into many sides to be crooked in the depths of the world (אִלֵּין תְּלַת גַּוְונִין, מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין, לְאִתְעַקְּמָא בְּעִמְקֵי עָלְמָא).

This color of smoke descends to the world (גּוָֹון תְּנָנָא הַאי, נַחְתָּא לְעָלְמָא), and entered into many sides (וְאָעִיל לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין), and this spread in the world (וְדָא אִתְפָּשַׁט בְּעָלְמָא), and stirred the spirits of mankind in anger (וְאַסְטֵי לְרוּחֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא בִּרְגִּיזוּ), to turn their ways astray (לְאַסְטָאָה אָרְחַיְיהוּ), and to strengthen them in their rage (וּלְאִתְתַּקְּפָא בְּרוּגְזַיְיהוּ). And about this it is written: “There shall be no strange god within you, and you shall not bow to a foreign god” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֵל זָר וְלֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל נֵכָר) (Psalms 81). “There shall be no strange god within you” — this is the male (לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֵל זָר דָּא דְּכוּרָא). “And you shall not bow to a foreign god” — this is the female (וְלֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל נֵכָר דָּא נוּקְבָּא). This is the wrath that rules and prevails in the world (הַאי אִיהוּ רוּגְזָא דְּשַׁלְטָא וְאִתָּקַף בְּעָלְמָא), and enters into mankind (וְעָאל בְּגוֹ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), and strengthens them to destroy (וְאַתְקִיף לוֹן לְאַבְאָשָׁא).

A hue of fire, this hue descended into the world (גּוָֹון אֶשָּׁא, הַאי גַּוְונָא נַחְתָּא לְעָלְמָא), and entered into many sides (וְעָאל לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין), to destroy, to kill, and to shed blood (לְאַבְאָשָׁא, לְקָטְלָא, וּלְאוֹשְׁדָא דָּמִין), and to cut off mankind (וּלְקַפְּחָא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא). And about this it is written: “If they say, Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, אִם יֹאמְרוּ לְכָה אִתָּנוּ נֶאֶרְבָה לְדָם נִצְפְּנָה לְנָקִי חִנָּם) (Proverbs 1). For there are shedders of blood in vain (בְּגִין דְּאִית אוֹשְׁדֵי דָּמִין לְמַגָּנָא), and killers in vain (וְקַטְלֵי לְמַגָּנָא). And there are those who shed blood and kill in battle (וְאִית דְּאוֹשְׁדֵי דָּמִין וְקַטְלֵי בִּקְרָבָא), and this is from the side of the male, and this from the side of the female (וְהַאי מִסִּטְרָא דִּדְכוּרָא וְהַאי מִסִּטְרָא דְּנוּקְבָּא). The side of the male sheds blood in vain (סִטְרָא דִּדְכוּרָא אוֹשִׁיד דָּמִין לְמַגָּנָא), as we have said (כִּדְקַאמְרָן). The side of the female — to provoke wars, and to cause these to be killed by those (סִטְרָא דְּנוּקְבָּא, לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבִין, וּלְאִתְקַטְּלָא אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין), and all battles and killings of these by those come from that side of the female (וְכָל קְרָבִין וְקַטוֹלִין אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין, מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּנוּקְבָּא קָא אַתְיָין).

A hue of black, this hue descended into the world (גּוָֹון אוּכָם, הַאי גַּוְונָא נַחְתָּא לְעָלְמָא), and descended to be appointed over all wounds (וְנַחְתָּא לְאִתְמַנָאָה עַל כָּל פְּצוּעִין), and maladies, and the seizing of bodies, and crucifixions, and stranglings (וּמַחְיָין, וּתְפִיסוּ דְּגוּפִין, וּצְלִיבוּ, וַחֲנִיקוּ), to destroy continually mankind (לְאַבְאָשָׁא תָּדִיר לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא). These three hues divide into many sides of the world (אִלֵּין תְּלַת גַּוְונִין, מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא), and spread among the children of the world (וְאִתְפַּשְּׁטָן גּוֹ בְּנֵי עָלְמָא).

The color of smoke descends in the world (גּוָֹון תְּנָנָא נַחְתָּא בְּעָלְמָא), and this is the first hue (וְהַאי אִיהוּ גּוָֹון קַדְמָאָה), that emerged from the point sunk within that shadow we mentioned (דְּנָפְקָא מִגּוֹ נְקוּדָה דְּשָׁקִיעַ מֵהַהוּא צֵל דְּקָאָמַרָן), which is Samael (דְּאִיהוּ סָמָאֵ״ל), who rides upon the camel (דְּקָא רָכִיב עַל גָּמָל), as has been said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). And this hue of the smoke is called “Katzpi’el the Great” (וְהַאי גּוָֹון תְּנָנָא אִקְרֵי קַצְפִּיאֵ״ל רַבְרְבָא). And this is the wrath within mankind (וְהַאי אִיהוּ רוּגְזָא דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), that strengthens the heart in anger (דְּאַתְקִיפוּ לִבָּא בְּרוּגְזָא).

Beneath this, are appointed one thousand and six hundred bands (תְּחוֹת הַאי, מְמָנָן אֶלֶף וְשִׁית מֵאָה חֲבִילִין), which are the angers in the bodies of mankind (דְּאִינּוּן רוּגְזָא דְּגוּפָיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). For there is wrath that rules in the world to execute judgment (בְּגִין דְּאִית רוּגְזָא דְּשַׁלְטָא בְּעָלְמָא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא). But this side is wrath that rules and enters into the bodies of mankind (אֲבָל הַאי (סטרא) אִיהוּ רוּגְזָא, דְּשַׁלְטָא וְעָאל בְּגוּפַיְיהוּ דִּבְנִי נָשָׁא), who are agitated in this wrath (דְּאִתְרְגִיזוּ בְּהַאי רוּגְזָא). And this wrath is the foundation of all other hues (וְהַאי רוּגְזָא, אִיהוּ יְסוֹדָא דְּכָל שְׁאַר גְּוָונֵי), to work with them destruction in building (לְמֶעְבַּד בְּהוּ, בִּנְיָינָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא), for this smoke emerged from the wrath of the supernal flaming fire (בְּגִין דְּהַאי תְּנָנָא, נָפְקָא מִגּוֹ רוּגְזָא דְּאֶשָּׁא עִלָּאָה, דִּמְלַהֲטָא), and this is before that fire (וְהַאי אִיהוּ קַדְמָאָה לְהַהוּא אֶשָּׁא).

Four wraths are divided from that wrath (אַרְבַּע רוּגְזֵי מִתְפָּרְשָׁאן מֵהַהוּא רוּגְזָא). The first wrath is called Rogez [Wrath] (רוּגְזָא קַדְמָאָה, אִקְרֵי רֹגֶז), and this is that which agitates the hearts of mankind (וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּאַרְגִּיז לִבַּיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). And this is that which descends, goes, and turns mankind astray (וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּנַחְתָּא וְאַזְלָא וְסַטְיָא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and they are enraged in their wrath (וְאִתְרְגִיזוּ בְּרוּגְזַיְיהוּ). And this is that which draws the Destroyer upon the world (וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּאַמְשִׁיךְ מְחַבְּלָא עַל עָלְמָא). And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב): “In wrath, remember mercy” (בְּרוּגֶז רַחֵם תִּזְכּוֹר) (Chavakuk 3:2).