Daf 244a (דַּף רמ״ד ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when Adam was in the Garden of Eden, to engage in the service of his Master (כַּד הֲוָה אָדָם בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהּ). Samael descended, and all the degrees of his side (נָחַת הַאי סָמָאֵ״ל, וְכָל אִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין דְּבֵיהּ), and he was riding upon that evil serpent, to lead astray (וַהֲוָה רָכִיב עַל הַהוּא חִוְיָא בִּישָׁא, בְּגִין לְאַסְטָאָה לוֹן). For that serpent that stood beneath him, it was crookedness to lead astray mankind, and to seduce them (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא חִוְיָא דְּהֲוָה קָאִים תְּחוֹתֵיהּ, אִיהוּ עֲקִימָא לְאַסְטָאָה, בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וּלְפַתָּאָה לוֹן).

For it is written: For the lips of a strange woman drip honey, and her palate is smoother than oil (בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב, (Proverbs 5) כִּי נֹפֶת תִּטֹּפְנָה שִׂפְתֵי זָרָה וְחָלָק מִשֶּׁמֶן חִכָּהּ). And this gives power, and this works craft in the world, and this without that cannot rule (וְדָא יָהִיב חֵילָא, וְדָא עָבִיד אוּמָנוּתָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְדָא בְּלָא דָּא לָא יַכְלֵי לְשַׁלְּטָאָה). Therefore, when that middle bond is joined with the female, then judgments descend, and all oppressions into the world (בְּגִין כָּךְ, כַּד הַהוּא קִשְׁרָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, אִתְחַבָּר בְּנוּקְבָּא, כְּדֵין נַחְתֵּי דִּינִין, וְכָל דַּחֲקִין לְעָלְמָא). And when this one is not strengthened and does not receive, all is broken and subdued, unable to rule (וְכַד הַאי לָא אִתְתָּקַּף דְּלָא נָטִיל, כֹּלָּא אִתְּבַר וְאִתְכַּפְיָיא, דְּלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה). And therefore all is broken and subdued through the secret of the sacrifices below (וְעַל דָּא, כֹּלָּא אִתְּבַּר וְאִתְכַּפְיָיא, בְּרָזָא דְּקָרְבְּנִין דִּלְתַתָּא). And whoever ascends ascends, to be crowned above, and to be blessed from the supernal depth that illumines all countenances (וְסַלְּקָא מַאן דְּסַלְּקָא, לְאִתְעַטְּרָא לְעֵילָּא, וּלְאִתְבָּרְכָא מֵעִמְקָא עִלָּאָה, דְּנָהִיר לְכָל אַנְפִּין).

The third bond — this one is stronger with greater strength, and this is called Trouble (צָרָ״ה) (קִשְׁרָא תְּלִיתָאָה, הַאי אִיהוּ תַּקִּיפָא בִּתְקִיפוּ יַתִּיר, וְהַאי אִקְרֵי צָרָ״ה). For from this issues dominion to bring oppressions, and to make afflictions for mankind (בְּגִין דְּמֵהַאי נַפְקֵי שׁוּלְטָנוּ, לְאַשְׁרָאָה דַּחֲקִין, וּלְמֶעְבַּד עָאקוּ לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא). And the secret of these three bonds is that which is written: Wrath, Indignation, and Trouble (וְרָזָא דִּתְלַת קִשְׁרִין אִלֵּין, דִּכְתִּיב, (Psalms 78) עֶבְרָה וְזַעַם וְצָרָה). These are the three bonds of the right (אִלֵּין תְּלַת קִשְׁרִין דִּימִינָא).

The three bonds of the left, when they are strengthened together, then that left is called “the sending of evil angels” (תְּלַת קִשְׁרִין דִּשְׂמָאלָא, כַּד מִתְתַּקְפֵי כַּחֲדָא, כְּדֵין הַהִיא שְׂמָאלָא אִקְרֵי, (Psalms 78) מִשְׁלַחַ״ת מַלְאֲכֵי רָעִים). For from this left are sent below, and they receive power, all those evil angels, those that go out from the side of below, as we have said (בְּגִין דְּמֵהַאי שְׂמָאלָא, אִשְׁתָּדָרוּ לְתַתָּא, וְנַטְלֵי תוּקְפָּא, כָּל אִינּוּן מַלְאֲכִין בִּישִׁין, אִינּוּן דְּנַפְקֵי מִסִּטְרָא דִּלְתַתָּא, כִּדְקַאמְרָן). And all this is from the second degree and the third degree (וְכָל דָּא מִגּוֹ דַּרְגָּא תִּנְיָינָא וְדַרְגָּא תְּלִיתָאָה).

The fourth degree (דַּרְגָּא רְבִיעָאָה), this degree stands (הַאי דַּרְגָּא קַיְּימָא), from the crookedness of wrath (מִגּוֹ עֲקִימוּ דְּרוּגְזָא), the color of fire (גּוָֹון אֶשָּׁא). And this is called the middle one (וְהַאי אִקְרֵי אֶמְצָעִיתָא). For it is the body (דְּאִיהוּ גּוּפָא), that stands between two arms (דְּקַיְּימָא בֵּין תְּרֵין דְּרוֹעִין). Here there is a flame (הָכָא אִית לַהֲטָא), blazing in red like a rose (דִּמְלַהֲטָא בְּסוּמָקָא כְּוַורְדָּא). From here goes forth force (מֵהָכָא נַפְקֵי תְּקִיפוּ), to descend below (לְנַחְתָּא לְתַתָּא), to prevail in bloodshed (לְאַתְקְפָא לְאוֹשָדָא דָּמִין). For this gives permission (בְּגִין דְּהַאי אִיהוּ דְּיָהִיב רְשׁוּ), and dominion below (וְשׁוּלְטָנָא לְתַתָּא), to prevail and to shed blood (לְאַתְקְפָא וּלְאוֹשְׁדָא דָּמִין). This flows to the female (הַאי נְבִיעַ לְנוּקְבָּא), and this requires that (וְדָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְדָא), just as the body requires the soul (כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ גּוּפָא לְנַפְשָׁא), and the soul does no craft except in the body (וְנַפְשָׁא לָא עָבִיד אוּמָנוּתָא אֶלָּא בְּגוּפָא).

And therefore all power (וְעַל דָּא כָּל חֵילָא), and all might (וְכָל תְּקִיפוּ), from here goes forth (מֵהָכָא נָפִיק), to prevail and to act in the world (לְאַתְקְפָא וּלְמֶעְבַּד אוּמָנוּתָא בְּעָלְמָא), for destruction (לְאַבְאָשָׁא), like the female that constantly receives from the male (כְּנוּקְבָּא דִּמְקַבְּלָא מִן דְּכוּרָא תָּדִיר). In every degree and bond (בְּכָל דַּרְגָּא וְדַרְגָּא וּבְכָל קִשְׁרָא וְקִשְׁרָא), there are many officers (אִית כַּמָה מְמָנָן), and many bands (וְכַמָה טְרִיקֵי חֲבִילִין), all are conducted through them (דְּכֻלְּהוּ אִתְנָהֲגָן בְּגִינַיְיהוּ). And all conducted through them (וְכֻלְּהוּ דְּאִתְנָהֲגָן בְּגִינַיְיהוּ), are all below (כֻּלְּהוּ לְתַתָּא), which are the hosts in the female (דְּאִינּוּן חַיָּילִין דִּי בְּנוּקְבָּא), and all have a known degree above (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִית לוֹן דַּרְגָּא יְדִיעָא לְעֵילָּא), in which they are conducted (לְאִתְנָהֲגָא בֵּיהּ). Just as the supernal holy side (כְּמָה דְּאִית לְסִטְרָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא), has known palaces (הֵיכָלִין יְדִיעָאן), toward the higher degrees (לְגַבֵּי דַּרְגִּין עִלָאִין), to be included one in another (לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין), so too below (הָכִי נָמֵי לְתַתָּא), in reversal, in the Sitra achra (בְּהִפּוּכָא בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), there are degrees (אִית דַּרְגִּין), toward the palaces of the female (לְגַבֵּי אִינּוּן הֵיכָלִין דְּנוּקְבָּא), to be included one in another (לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין).

In this degree, which is the fourth (בְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא, דְּאִיהוּ רְבִיעָאָה), exist evil judgments (קַיְימָן דִּינִין בִּישִׁין), to descend below (לְנַחְתָּא לְתַתָּא), and to be delivered to those who perform evil harsh judgment (וּלְאִתְמַסְרָא לְאִינּוּן דְּעַבְדִין דִּינָא בִּישָׁא תַּקִּיפָא). From here they draw their might (מֵהָכָא יַנְקֵי תּוּקְפָּא דִּילְהוֹן), to prevail (לְאַתְקְפָא), and to complete that judgment they execute (וּלְאַשְׁלְמָא הַהוּא דִּינָא דְּעַבְדֵי). And therefore all these degrees (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כָּל הָנִי דַּרְגִּין), are included in them (כְּלִילָן בְּהוּ), in all those lower palaces (בְּכָל אִינּוּן הֵיכָלִין תַּתָּאִין), that are of the side of the female below (דְּלִסְטַר נוּקְבָּא דִּלְתַתָּא). Fortunate is the portion of the Righteous (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא), who turn aside their ways from this path (דְּסָטוּ אָרְחַיְיהוּ מֵאוֹרְחָא דָּא), and go after the awe of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאַזְלֵי בָּתַר דַּחַלְתָּא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), to be sanctified in the holiness of their Master (לְאִתְקַדְּשָׁא בִּקְדוּשָּׁה דְּמָארֵיהוֹן). Fortunate are they in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

The fifth degree (דַּרְגָּא חֲמִישָׁאָה). This degree divides into two sides (הַאי דַּרְגָּא אִתְפְּלִיג לִתְרֵין דַּרְגִּין), right and left (יְמִינָא, וּשְׂמָאלָא). And these are called the legs (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן שׁוֹקִין), clinging to destroy and to pursue (מִתְדַּבְּקָן לְאַבְאָשָׁא וּלְמִרְדַּף). For here is the power of pursuit (בְּגִין דְּהָכָא תְּקִיפוּ דִּרְדִיפוּ). For all shepherds and all evils (דְּכָל מַרְעִין, וְכָל בִּישִׁין), pursue after the guilty ones (דְּרַדְפֵי בַּתְרַיְיהוּ דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא). And when this judgment is offered (וְכַד דִּינָא דָּא אִתְקְרִיב), then the runners go forth swiftly (כְּדֵין הָרָצִים יָצְאוּ דְּחוּפִים). And these runners are below (וְאִינּוּן רָצִים אִינּוּן לְתַתָּא), to run to destroy (לְמִרְהַט לְאַבְאָשָׁא). And all these are called pursuers (וְכָל אִינּוּן אִקְרוּן רוֹדְפִים). And therefore it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), “Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens” (קַלִּים הָיוּ רוֹדְפֵנוּ מִנִּשְׁרֵי שָׁמָיִם) (Lamentations 4).