Daf 248b (דַּף רמ״ח ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), this Sangadiel (הַאי סַנְגַדִיאֵ״ל). Some say: Sahadiel (נ״א סהֲדִיאֵ״ל). When he takes a decree (כַּד נָטִיל פִּתְקָא) from the side of that appointed one who stands at the first gate (מִסִּטְרָא דְּהַהוּא מְמָנָא דְּקַיְּימָא לְפִתְחָא קַדְמָאָה), he opens one gate (פָּתַח חַד פִּתְחָא), to the side of darkness (לְסִטְרָא דַּחֲשׁוֹכָא), which is called “Pit of Destruction” (דְּאִקְרֵי בְּאֵר שַׁחַת). And there are appointed there thousands and tens of thousands (וְתַמָּן מְמָנָן אֶלֶף וְרִבְבָן), ready to take those decrees (זְמִינִין לְנַטְלָא אִינּוּן פִּתְקִין), and this appointed one is over them (וְהַאי מְמָנָא עָלַיְיהוּ). And then heralds go out (וּכְדֵין כָרוֹזִין נָפְקִין), and many law-judges wander in the world (וְכַמָּה גַּרְדִּינֵי שַׁטְיָין בְּעָלְמָא), and that judgment is completed (וְהַהוּא דִּינָא אִשְׁתְּלִים). And because of this (וְעַל דָּא), this appointed one stands to examine the decrees (מְמָנָא דָּא קַיְּימָא לְעַיְינָא בְּפִתְקִין), and to arrange the statutes of the decrees (וּלְאַתְקְנָא נִימוּסֵי פִּתְקִין), before they go out from this gate (עַד לָא נַפְקוּ מֵהַאי פִּתְחָא). And this gate is the gate of the south (וְהַאי פִּתְחָא אִיהוּ פִּתְחָא דְּדָרוֹם).

The second gate (פִּתְחָא תִּנְיָינָא), this is the gate where life and death depend (דָּא פִּתְחָא דְּחַיִּין וּמוֹתִין תַּלְיָין בֵּיהּ). Because in this gate, seals are sealed for all decrees (בְּגִין דְּהַאי פִּתְחָא חַתְמִין חַתִימִין דְּכָל פִּתְקִין). For when the decrees are prepared as is fitting (דְּכֵיוָן דְּפִתְקִין אִתְּקָנוּ כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), one attendant is summoned (חַד שַׁמָשָׁא זַמִּין), his name is Gazriel (גַּזְרִיאֵ״ל שְׁמֵיהּ), and he takes the decrees at this second gate (וְנָטִיל פִּתְקִין בְּהַאי פִּתְחָא תִּנְיָינָא), and there they are sealed (וְתַמָּן חַתְמִין לְהוּ).

One appointed one stands over that gate (מְמָנָא חֲדָא קַיְּימָא עַל הַהוּא פִּתְחָא), and his name is Azriel (וְעַזְרִיאֵ״ל שְׁמֵיהּ). And each gate is called by the name of the appointed one who is assigned over it (וְכָל פִּתְחָא וּפִתְחָא אִתְקְרֵי עַל שְׁמָא דְּהַהוּא מְמָנָא דְּאִתְפַּקְּדָא עָלֵיהּ). This appointed one, under his dominion and under his hand (הַאי מְמָנָא תְּחוֹת שׁוּלְטָנֵיהּ וּתְחוֹת יְדֵיהּ), are two attendants (תְּרֵין שַׁמָּשִׁין), whose names are Sanuriyya and Adiel (דִּי שְׁמָהוֹן סָנוּרִיָּ״א עָדִיאֵ״ל). Some say: Striyah (נ״א: סִטְרִיָּ״ה). One is on the right and one on the left (חַד מִימִינָא וְחַד מִשְּׂמָאלָא). That one on the right, in him depend life (הַהוּא מִימִינָא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָין חַיִּין). And that one on the left, in him depends death (וְהַהוּא דִּשְׂמָאלָא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָא מוֹתָא). And two seals are in their hands (וּתְרֵין חוֹתָמִין בִּידַיְיהוּ), the seal of life and the seal of death (חוֹתָם חַיִּים וְחוֹתָם מָוֶת). This one stands to this side (דָּא קָאִים לְסִטְרָא דָּא), and this one stands to this side (וְדָא קָאִים לְסִטְרָא דָּא).

This gate is closed all the days of the year (הַאי פִּתְחָא סָתִים כָּל יוֹמֵי שַׁתָּא). And on the day of Shabbat (וּבְיוֹמָא דְּשַׁבְתָא), and on the days of the New Moon (וּבְיוֹמֵי דְּחָדְשָׁא), it is opened (אִתְפְּתַח), to show life in that seal (לְאַחֲזָאָה חַיִּים בְּהַהוּא חוֹתָמָא), in which life depends (דְּתַלְיָין בֵּיהּ חַיִּין). Because Shabbat and New Moon, the seal of life is established in them (בְּגִין דְּשַׁבָּת וְחֹדֶשׁ חוֹתָמָא דְּחַיִּים אִתְקַיֵּים בְּהוּ).

On the Day of Atonement (בְּיוֹמָא דְּכִפּוּרֵי), when all Yisrael stand in prayers and supplications (דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי בִּצְלוֹתִין וּבָעוּתִין), and engage in the service of their Master (וּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), this gate is closed until the hour of the prayer of Mincha (סָתִים הַהוּא פִּתְחָא עַד שַׁעֲתָא דִּצְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה). When this prayer of Mincha passes (כֵּיוָן דְּאַעְבַר הַאי צְלוֹתָא דְּמִנְחָה), from the place of the court of the palace of Merit (מֵאֲתָר בֵּי דִּינָא דְּהֵיכָלָא דִּזְכוּתָא), one breeze goes forth (חַד אֲוִירָא נָפְקָא), and this gate is opened (וּפִתְחָא דָּא אִתְפְּתַח). And this appointed one of this palace stands (וְהַאי מְמָנָא דְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא קַיְּימָא), and those two attendants, one on the right and one on the left (וְאִינּוּן תְּרֵין שַׁמָּשִׁין חַד מִימִינָא וְחַד מִשְּׂמָאלָא), and the seals of life and death are in their hands (וְחוֹתָמֵי דְּחַיִּים וּמוֹתָא בִּידַיְיהוּ). And all the decrees of the world are before them (וְכָל פִּתְקִין דְּעָלְמָא קַמַּיְיהוּ). And then they seal them, whether for life or for death (וּכְדֵין אַחְתִימוּ הֵן לַחַיִּים הֵן לַמָוֶת). And this is the gate of the east (וְדָא הוּא פִּתְחָא דְּמִזְרָח).

The third gate (פִּתְחָא תְּלִיתָאָה), this is the gate that stands established (דָּא פִּתְחָא דְּקַיְּימָא בְּקִיּוּמָא), to know all those upon whom judgment will pass (לְמִנְדַּע כָּל אִינּוּן דִּי דִּינָא יַעְבַר עָלַיְיהוּ), whether for evil (בֵּין לְמַרְעִין), or for suffering (בֵּין לְמַכְאוֹבִין), or for poverty (בֵּין לְמִסְכְּנוּ). It is a judgment that does not stand for death (דִּינָא דְּלָא קַיְּימָא לְמוֹתָא). When the gate of this entrance is closed (כַּד תַּרְעָא דְּפִתְחָא דָּא סָגִיר), then judgment is decreed upon a man (כְּדֵין דִּינָא אִתְרְשִׁים עַל בַּר נָשׁ), and it is not returned to him (דְּלָא תַּיְיבִין לֵיהּ), except by the power of strong prayer (בַּר בְּחֵילָא דִּצְלוֹתָא תַּקִּיפָא), and complete repentance (וְתִיוּבְתָא שְׁלִים). As it is written (Job 12): He shuts against a man and it cannot be opened (דִּכְתִיב יִסְגּוֹר עַל אִישׁ וְלא יִפָּתֵחַ).

One appointed one stands over this gate (חַד מְמָנָא קַיְּימָא עַל פִּתְחָא דָּא), and his name is Kapziel (וְקַפְצִיאֵ״ל שְׁמֵיהּ). And this appointed one is over this gate (וְהַאי מְמָנָא עַל פִּתְחָא דָּא), to close this gate upon that man (בְּגִין לְסַגְרָא הַאי פִּתְחָא עַל הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), who is seen to be punished (דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְאִתְעַנְּשָׁא), because his prayer is not received (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְקָבַּל בִּצְלוֹתָא), until he repents before his Master (עַד דְּיֵתוּב לְקָמֵי מָארֵיהּ).

And at that time when judgment is decreed upon children who have not sinned (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאִתְגְּזַר דִּינָא בִּבְנוֹי דְּלָא חָאבוּ), those small infants (בְּאִינּוּן רַבְיָין זְעִירִין), one attendant appointed beneath his hand (חַד מְמָנָא שַׁמָשָׁא תְּחוֹת יְדֵיהּ), his name is Irial (עִירִיאֵ״ל שְׁמֵיהּ), goes out and proclaims to the left side (וְנָפַק וְכָרִיז לִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא), until there is awakened one spirit (עַד דְּאִתְעַר חַד רוּחָא), which is the spirit of defect (דְּאִיהוּ רוּחָא דִּפְגִּימוּ), created from the blemish of the moon (אִתְבְּרֵי בִּפְגִּימוּ דְּסִיהֲרָא), and it is called Askara (וְאִקְרֵי אַסְכָּרָ״א). And this is the spirit that stands at the fourth degree (וְהַאי אִיהוּ רוּחָא דְּקַיְּימָא עַל דַּרְגָא רְבִיעָאָה), some say: at the fourth gate (נ״א פִּתְחָא), in the third palace (בְּהֵיכָלָא תְּלִיתָאָה), of the side of impurity (דִּי בִּסְטַר מְסַאֲבָא). And this one stands upon their slaughter (וְדָא קַיְּימָא עַל קִטּוּלָא דִּלְהוֹן). And he appears to the children as a woman who plays with children (וְיִתְחָזֵי לוֹן לְרַבְיֵי כְּאִתְּתָא דִּרְבִיאַת לְרַבְיֵי), and she seizes them (וַאֲחִידַת לוֹן), and kills them (וְקַטְלַת לוֹן). And then that Neshama ascends (וּכְדֵין הַהִיא נִשְׁמְתָא סַלְּקָא), and this appointed one seizes her (וְאָחִיד לָהּ הַאי מְמָנָא), and raises her up to the appointed one who stands over the fourth palace (וְסַלְּקָא לָהּ לַמְמָנָא דְּקַיְּימָא עַל הֵיכָלָא רְבִיעָאָה). And that appointed one grows them and delights in them (וְהַהוּא מְמָנָא מְגַדְּלָא לוֹן וְאִשְׁתַּעְשַׁע בְּהוּ), and raises them up to be seen before the Holy King (וְסָלִיק לוֹן לְאִתְחֲזָאָה קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִישָׁא), on every Shabbat (בְּכָל שַׁבָּת וְשַׁבָּת), and on every New Moon (וּבְכָל רֵישׁ יַרְחָא וְרֵישׁ יַרְחָא), and they are seen before Him (וְאִתְחָזוּן קָמֵיהּ), and are blessed by Him (וְאִתְבָּרְכוּן מִנֵּיהּ). And at the time when anger rules (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּרוּגְזָא שַׁלְטָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu looks upon them (אִסְתָּכַּל בְּהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and has mercy upon the world (וְחָיִּיס עַל עָלְמָא).