Daf 253b (דַּף רנ״ג ע״ב)

From here emerge those lights (מֵהָכָא, נָפְקוּ אִינּוּן נְהוֹרִין), which are called “the flaming sword that turns every way” (דְּאִקְרוּן: לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת) (Bereshit 3). Because it turns into many colors (בְּגִין דְּמִתְהַפְּכָא לְכַמָּה גְּוָונִין).

And we have already established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא), that these awaken judgment by permission from above (דְּאִילֵּין מִתְעָרֵי דִּינָא בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and they are in the world from the left side (וְאִינּוּן בְּעָלְמָא מִסִּטְרָא שְׂמָאלָא). When this spirit spreads out (כַּד אִתְּפְּרַשׁ — ס״א: אִתְפְּשַׁט — רוּחָא דָּא), and strikes to send light in all directions (וּבָטַשׁ לְאַפָּקָא נְהוֹרִין לְכָל סִטְרִין), like those breasts that stream milk in every direction (כְּאִינּוּן שָׁדַיִם דְּרָמָאן חֲלָבָא לְכָל סְטַר), so too from this spirit (הָכִי נָמֵי מֵהַאי רוּחָא), they go out in every direction (נַפְקֵי לְכָל סְטַר), and they brought forth one other beast (וְאַפִּיקוּ חַד חֵיוָתָא אַחֲרָא), which is appointed over them (דִּי מְמָנָא עַל אִילֵּין), and it is called “the flaming sword that turns every way” (דְּאִקְרֵי: לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת).

And this is called… [missing word in the text] (וְדָא אִקְרֵי… חֲסֵר) — Some say: Sheva (ס״א: שֶׁבַע), and this is the one appointed (וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּמְמָנָא). And this one, this is the one appointed over the world (וְהַהוּא, וְהַאי דִּמְמָנָא עַל עָלְמָא). In the time when famine is appointed upon the world and judgment is passed on it (בְּזִמְנָא דִּי מְמָנָא כַּפְנָא עַל עָלְמָא וְאִתְּדָּן בֵּיהּ), then this beast is charged with the world (כְּדֵין הַאי חֵיוָתָא אִתְּפָּקְדָא עַל עָלְמָא), and it sends out a spirit of sustenance (וְאַפִּיק רוּחָא דִּמְזוֹנָא), to all those faithful ones (לְכָל אִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא), that they not die of famine (דְּלָא יְמוּתוּן בְּכַפְנָא), and that it support their hearts (וְסָעִיד לִבַּיְיהוּ).

Because from the Sitra achra, when famine rules in the world (בְּגִין דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, כַּד שַׁלְטָא כַּפְנָא בְּעָלְמָא), two impure spirits emerge from this side (נַפְקֵי מֵהַאי סִטְרָא תְּרֵין רוּחִין מִסְּאֲבִין), and they are called Destruction and Famine (וְאִקְרוּן: שׁוֹד וְכָפָן). And this is the secret (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא): “At destruction and famine, you shall laugh” (לְשׁוֹד וּלְכָפָן תִּשְׂחָק) — (Job 5). Because these exist in the world (בְּגִין דְּאִילֵּין קַיְּימִין בְּעָלְמָא), and they cause accusation against human beings (וְעָבְדִין לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא קִטְרוּגָא): one—the one that sends famine and brings death (חַד: הַהוּא דְּקָא מְשַׁדֵּר לְהוּ כַּפְנָא וּמַיֵּיתִי), and one—that consumes human beings and does not satisfy (וְחַד: דְּקָא אַכְלֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא וְלָא שַׂבְּעִין), because this evil spirit rules in the world (בְּגִין דְּהָא רוּחָא בִּישָׁא שַׁלְטָא בְּעָלְמָא). This beast brought forth one spark (חֵיוָתָא דָּא, אַפִּיק חַד נִיצוֹצָא), which comes from the flashing of two sparks we mentioned (דְּקָא נָפִיק מִנְּצִיצוּ דִּתְּרֵין נִיצוֹצִין דְּאָמַרָן), which turn into many colors (דְּאִינּוּן מִתְהַפְּכָאן לְכַמָּה גְּוָנִין). And this spark is called Serafim (וְהַאי נִיצוֹצָא אִקְרֵי שְׂרָפִים), and it grasps them and burns them (וְהַאי אָחִיד בְּהוֹן, וְלָהִיט לוֹן).

In this palace there are two appointed ones (בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא אִית תְּרֵין מְמָנָן), radiant lights who stand over a thousand and ten thousand ten thousands (נְהוֹרִין דְּקַיְּימִין עַל אֶלֶף וְרִבּוֹא רִבְּבָן), who are called “vines” (דְּאִקְרוּן גְּפָנִים), and a thousand and ten thousand ten thousands who are called “pomegranates” (וְאֶלֶף וְרִבּוֹא רִבְּבָן דְּאִקְרוּן רִמּוֹנִים), and all of them stand in love (וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְּימִין בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא). And these are those who arouse love between Yisrael below and Kudsha Berikh Hu above (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּאַעֲלֵי רְחִימוּתָא בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא, וּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעֵילָּא).

And all of them arouse love and stand in love (וְכֻלְּהוּ מִתְעָרֵי רְחִימוּתָא, וְקַיְּימָן בִּרְחִימוּ). And when love is awakened from below to above and from above to below (וְכַד אַתְעַר רְחִימוּ מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא, וּמֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא), then this palace is filled with many good things (כְּדֵין אִתְמַלְיָא הֵיכָלָא דָּא מִכַּמָּה טָבִין), with many kindnesses, with many mercies (מִכַּמָּה חֲסָדִין, מִכַּמָּה רַחֲמִין), and then the love from below (וּכְדֵין רְחִימוּ דִּלְתַתָּא), within the love from above (גּוֹ רְחִימוּ עִלָּאָה), is bound—this one with that one (אִתְדַּבָּק דָּא בְּדָא). From here emerge two appointed ones (מֵהָכָא נַפְקֵי תְּרֵין מְמָנָן), and they are called Love, after the name of the palace (וְאִקְרוּן אַהֲבָה, עַל שְׁמָא דְּהֵיכָלָא). And these stand to observe all those who unify the union of their Master with love (וְאִלֵּין קַיְּימִין לְאַשְׁגָּחָא עַל כָּל אִינּוּן דְּמְיַחְדֵּי יִחוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן בִּרְחִימוּ), and surrender their souls for Him in love (וּמַסְרֵי נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ עָלֵיהּ בִּרְחִימוּ), and they ascend and testify above (וְסַלְקֵי וְאַסְהִידוּ לְעֵילָּא). And all those who perform chesed in the world (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּעָבְדֵּי חֶסֶד בְּעָלְמָא), those kindnesses ascend and enter into this palace (אִינּוּן חֲסָדִין סַלְּקִין וְעָאלִין גּוֹ הַאי הֵיכָלָא), and they are crowned there (וּמִתְעַטְּרֵי תַּמָּן), and ascend to be crowned in supernal love (וְסַלְּקֵי לְאִתְעַטְּרָא גּוֹ אַהֲבָה עִלָּאָה). And about this it is written: “For great is Your kindness above the heavens” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: כִּי גָּדוֹל מֵעַל שָׁמַיִם חַסְדֶּךָ) (Psalms 108). In this palace it is written: “Many waters cannot extinguish the love, nor can rivers sweep it away…” (בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא כְּתִיב: מַיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה, וּנְהָרוֹת לֹא יִשְׁטְפוּהָ) (Song of Songs 8).

The Palace of Will, Tiferet

הֵיכָל הָרָצוֹן תִּפְאֶרֶת

The sixth palace (הֵיכָלָא שְׁתִיתָאָה), this is the palace that is called the palace of will (דָּא הוּא הֵיכָלָא דְּאִקְרֵי הֵיכָלָא דְּרָצוֹן), which is desire, that is called “the utterance of the mouth of Hashem” (דְּאִיהוּ רַעֲוָא, דְּאִקְרֵי: מוֹצָא פִי יְיָ׳) (Deuteronomy 8), the joy of union of all (חֶדְוָה דְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא). And here is the will of all wills (וְהָכָא אִיהוּ רַעֲוָא דְּרַעֲוִין), in the secret of what is written: “Your lips are like a thread of scarlet” (בְּרָזָא דִּכְתִיב: כְּחוּט הַשָּׁנִי שִׂפְתוֹתַיִךְ) (Song of Songs 4). This is the desire of all souls (רַעֲוָא דְּכָל נִשְׁמָתִין), which go forth from that “utterance of the mouth of Hashem” (דְּנַפְקֵי מֵהַהוּא מוֹצָא פִי יְיָ׳).

This palace is the palace of will (הַאי הֵיכָלָא, הֵיכָלָא דְּרַעֲוָא), where all the requests and petitions of the world stand (דְּקַיְּמָן הָכָא כָּל שְׁאֶלְתִּין וְכָל בָּעוּתִין דְּעָלְמָא). Because the desire of all wills (בְּגִין דְּרַעֲוָא דְּכָל רַעֲוִין), when kisses are found (כַּד נְשִׁיקִין אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ), in the secret of what is written: “And Ya’akov kissed Rachel” (בְּרָזָא דִּכְתִּיב: וַיִּשַּׁק יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל) (Bereshit 29). And then, when one kisses the other (וּכְדֵין כַּד נָשִׁיק דָּא לְדָא), then it is called a time of favor (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי עֵת רָצוֹן), because then wholeness is found, and all faces are radiant (בְּגִין דְּהָא כְּדֵין שְׁלִימוּ אִשְׁתְּכַּח, וְכָל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין). And when prayers ascend (וְכַד צְלוֹתִין סַלְּקִין), then is the time of favor to be found (כְּדֵין אִיהוּ עֵת רָצוֹן לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא). And concerning this it is written: “As for me, may my prayer to You, Hashem, be in a time of favor” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ יְיָ׳ עֵת רָצוֹן) (Psalms 69). For this is the union of one with the other (דְּאִיהוּ חִבּוּרָא דָּא עִם דָּא).

In this palace stand six gates (בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא קַיְּימָן שֵׁית פִּתְחִין): four gates for the four directions of the world (ד׳ פִּתְחִין לְד׳ סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא), and one upward and one downward (וְחַד לְעֵילָּא וְחַד לְתַּתָּא). At these gates is appointed one spirit (בְּאִלֵּין פִּתְחִין אִתְמָנָא חַד רוּחָא), who is master over all those appointed over these gates (דְּאִיהוּ רַב עַל כֻּלְּהוּ דִּי מְמָנָן בְּכָל אִלֵּין פִּתְחִין), and his name is Raziel (וְרָזִיאֵ״ל שְׁמֵיהּ). And he is appointed and entrusted with all the supernal secrets (וְהַאי אִתְּמָנָא וְאִתְפְּקַד בְּכָל אִינּוּן רָזִין עִלָּאִין), that “mouth to mouth” speak (דְּפֻמָּא לְפוּמָּא מְמַלְּלָן), those kisses that are not of love-of-love (דְּנַשְׁקִין דָּא דְּלָא בִּרְחִימוּ דִּרְחִימוּתָא).

These secrets are not revealed (רָזִין אִילֵּין לָא קַיְּימָן לְגַלָּאָה), but when the gates are opened (אֲבָל כַּד תַּרְעִין אִתְפְּתָחוּ), then all the palaces know (כְּדֵין יַדְעִין כֻּלְּהוּ הֵיכָלִין), and all the spirits (וְכָל אִינּוּן רוּחִין), and all the dwellings (וְכָל אִינּוּן מַשִּׁרְיָין), for the gates of favor have opened (דְּהָא תַּרְעֵי דְּרָצוֹן אִתְפְּתָחוּ). And none enter these gates except the desire of the prayers (וְלָא עָאלִין בְּאִילֵּין תַּרְעִין, אֶלָּא רַעֲוֵי דִּצְלוֹתִין), the desire of praise (רַעֲוֵי דִּשְׁבָחָא), and the desire of the holy supernal souls (רַעֲוֵי דְּנִשְׁמָתִין קַדִּישִׁין עִלָּאִין). This is the palace of Moshe (הַאי אִיהוּ הֵיכָלָא דְּמֹשֶׁה). In this palace Moshe was gathered in love (בְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא אִתְּכְּנִישׁ מֹשֶׁה בִּרְחִימוּ), and he kissed kisses (וְנָשִׁיק נְשִׁיקִין). In this palace it is written: “Moshe spoke, and Hashem answered him with a voice” (בְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא: מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעַנֶּנּוּ בְּקוֹל) (Exodus 19).