Daf 254a (דַּף רנ״ד ע״א)

When kisses were joined with kisses (כַּד אִתְדָּבָּקוּ נְשִׁיקִין בִּנְשִׁיקִין), this with that (דָּא עִם דָּא), and concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth” (Song of Songs 1) (יִשָּׁקֵנִי מִנְּשִׁיקוֹת פִּיהוּ וְגוֹ'), there is no kiss of joy and love except when this cleaves to that (לֵית נְשִׁיקִין דְּחֶדְוָה וּרְחִימוּתָא אֶלָּא כַּד מִתְדַּבְּקָן דָּא בְּדָא), mouth to mouth (פּוּמָא בְּפוּמָא), spirit to spirit (רוּחָא בְּרוּחָא), then they are saturated one with the other (דִּכְדֵין רָוָואן דָּא עִם דָּא), in all delight (בְּתַפְנוּקִין דְּכֹלָּא), and in joy (וּבְחֶדְוָה), from the supernal radiance (מִנְּהִירוּ עִלָּאָה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), “Moshe would speak” (מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), “Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved” (Song of Songs 1) (הִנָּךְ יָפָה רַעְיָתִי), and it is written (וּכְתִיב) “Your lips are like a thread of scarlet” (Song of Songs 4) (כְּחוּט הַשָּׁנִי שִׂפְתוֹתַיִךְ). And the Elohim would answer him with a voice (וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), “Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, also pleasant” (Song of Songs 1) (הִנְּךָ יָפֶה דּוֹדִי אַף נָעִים), and it is written (וּכְתִיב) “His lips are like roses, dripping flowing myrrh” (Song of Songs 5) (שִׂפְתוֹתָיו שׁוֹשַׁנִּים נוֹטְפוֹת מוֹר עוֹבֵר).

This spirit (הַאי רוּחָא), was delivered into his hands (אִתְמְסָרוּ בִּידֵיהּ), all the secrets of those supernal Neshamot (כָל רָזִין דְּאִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין עִלָּאִין), who awaken the longing of love from above and below as one (דְּמִתְעָרֵי תִּיאוּבְתָא דִּרְחִימוּ דִּלְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא כַּחֲדָא). Those supernal Neshamot (אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין עִלָּאִין), such as Rabbi Akiva and his companions (כְּגוֹן רִבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְחַבְרוֹי), these were not brought near to be burned in the river of fire (דְּאִלֵּין לָא אִתְקְרִיבוּ לְאִסְתַּחֲאָה בִּנְהַר דִּינוּר), as other Neshamot are burned there and pass through it (כְּמָה דִּשְׁאַר נִשְׁמָתִין אִסְתַּחְיָין תַּמָּן וְעָבְרוּ בֵּיהּ), and this we have already established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי), this spirit (רוּחָא דָּא), emanates twelve radiances (אַפִיק תְּרֵיסָר נְהוֹרִין), and all of them stand in the secret beneath this spirit (וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי בְּרָזָא דִּתְחוֹת הַאי רוּחָא). In the four directions of the world (בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא), there stand four supernal lights (קַיְימִין ד' נְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין), which rule over the four directions (דְּשַׁלְטִין לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין). In the direction of the south (בְּסִטְרָא דְּדָרוֹם), stands one supernal light, the right side of all the world (קַיְּימָא חַד נְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה יְמִינָא דְּכָל עָלְמָא), for from it Yisrael begin to be unified in the secret of faith (דְּהָא מִנֵּיהּ שָׁרָאן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and this is Mikha’el (וְאִיהוּ מִיכָאֵל), the mighty prince of the supernal light (רַב חֵילָא דִּנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה), who descends from the southern side (דְּנַחְתָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּדָרוֹם), where the light stands in its might (דְּתַמָּן נְהוֹרָא קַיְּימָא בְּתוּקְפֵּיהּ).

This Mikha’el (הַאי מִיכָאֵל), the light of the right (נְהוֹרָא יְמִינָא), is the great guardian of Yisrael (אַפָטְרוֹפוֹסָא רַבָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). For when the Sitra achra stands to accuse Yisrael (בְּגִין, דְּכַד סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא קַיְּימָא לְאַסְטָאָה עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), then Mikha’el contends with him (כְּדֵין מִיכָאֵל טָעַן עִמֵּיהּ), and becomes the advocate for Yisrael (וְאִתְעָבִיד סַנֵּיגוֹרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and they are saved from that accuser (וְאִשְׁתְּזִבָן מֵהַהוּא קַטֵיגוֹרְיָא), who is the master of the haters of Yisrael (דְּמָארֵי בַּעֲלֵי דְּבָבוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Except in the time when Yerushalayim was destroyed (בַּר בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִיחְרַב יְרוּשָׁלַם), for then sins prevailed (דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִתְגַבָּרוּ חוֹבִין), and Mikha’el could not prevail against the Sitra achra (וּמִיכָאֵל לָא יָכִיל בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), and Mikha’el’s argument was broken regarding Yisrael (דְּטַעֲנָתֵיהּ דְּמִיכָאֵל תְּבִירָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and then “He withdrew His right hand from before the enemy” (Lamentations 2) (וּכְדֵין הֵשִׁיב אָחוֹר יְמִינוֹ מִפְּנֵי אוֹיֵב).

On the northern side (בְּסִטְרָא דְּצָפוֹן), there stands another light (קַיְּימָא נְהוֹרָא אַחֲרָא), for it stands (דְּהָא אִיהוּ קַיְּימָא) — some say: to remove (נ״א: לְנַטְלָא) — to nullify judgment from the fourth palace (לְבַטְּלָא דִּינָא מִבֵּי הֵיכָלָא רְבִיעָאָה). And it gives to the appointed one at the gate (וְיָהַב לַמְמָנָא דְּפִתְחָא), for at that gate stand other appointed ones (דִּבְהַהוּא פִּתְחָא קַיְּימָא מְמָנָן אַחֲרָן), who are on the impure side (דְּאִינּוּן דְּבִסְטַר מְסַאֲבָא), waiting for that appointed one to take judgment (מְחַכָּאן לְהַהוּא מְמָנָא וְנַטְלֵי דִּינָא). And at times this light from the north (וּלְזִמְנִין דְּהַאי נְהוֹרָא דְּבְסִטְרָא דְּצָפוֹן), executes judgment (אִיהוּ עָבִיד דִּינָא), and it is not delivered into the hands of the Sitra achra (וְלָא יִתְמְסָר בִּידָא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא). Because all judgments executed through it (בְּגִין דְּכָל דִּינִין דְּאִתְעָבֵידוּ בֵּיהּ), have healing within them (אִית לוֹן אַסְוָותָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu acts with Chesed in those places (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד חֶסֶד בְּאִינּוּן אַתְרֵי).

Gavri’el is this light on the northern side (גַּבְרִיאֵ״ל אִיהוּ הַאי נְהוֹרָא דִּבְסִטְרָא דְּצָפוֹן), and wherever he strikes (וּבְכָל אֲתָר דְּאִיהוּ מָחֵי), Chesed rests there (שָׁרֵי בֵּיהּ חֶסֶד). For Gavri’el is in two sides (בְּגִין דְּגַבְרִיאֵ״ל בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין), included in both (כָּלִיל בְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ), and therefore (וְעַל דָּא), he strikes and heals within it (מַחְיָא וְאַסְוָותָא בֵּיהּ). On this side stands the secret of what is written (בְּסִטְרָא דָּא קַיְּימָא רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב), “As a man chastens his son, so Hashem your God chastens you” (Deuteronomy 8) (כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יְיַסֵּר אִישׁ אֶת בְּנוֹ יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְיַסְּרֶךָּ). And these are afflictions of love (וְאִלֵּין יִסּוּרִין דִּרְחִימוּתָא), which are included in this side and in that side (דִּכְלִילָן בְּסִטְרָא דָּא וּבְסִטְרָא דָּא).

On the eastern side (בְּסִטְרָא דְּמִזְרָח), there stands another light (קַיְּימָא נְהוֹרָא אַחֲרָא), which stands for all matters of healing (דְּאִיהוּ קַיְּימָא בְּכָל מִלֵּי דְּאַסְוָותָא), to bring before his Master (לְמֵיעַל קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ), all those who have forgotten their Shepherd's house (כָּל אִינּוּן דְּאִתְנַשְׁיָין בְּבֵי מַרְעַיְיהוּ), and to bring near times and seasons (וּלְקָרְבָא זִמְנִין וְקִצִין), to those shepherds who completed their faith (לְאִינּוּן מַרְעִין דְּאִשְׁתְּלִימוּ מְהֵימְנוּתַיְיהוּ).

And he awakens the world each and every day (וְאַסְחַר עָלְמָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא), in order to complete healing by the command of his Master (בְּגִין לְאַשְׁלְמָא אַסְוָותָא בְּפִקּוּדָא דְּמָארִיהּ), and this light — Refa’el is his name (וְהַאי נְהוֹרָא רְפָאֵ״ל שְׁמֵיהּ). And even though we have already established him on the Sitra achra (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּהָא אוֹקִימְנָא לֵיהּ לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), this one holds to this side (וְדָא אָחִיד לְסִטְרָא דָּא), and to this side — to the side of Mikha’el, and to the side of Gavri’el (וּלְסִטְרָא דָּא, לְסִטְרָא דְּמִיכָאֵל, וּלְסִטְרָא דְּגַבְרִיאֵל). And this is the appointed one (וְהַאי אִיהוּ מְמָנָא), who, when a person is judged in the fourth palace for life (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְדָּן בַּר נָשׁ בְּהֵיכָלָא רְבִיעָאָה לַחַיִּים), then he comes first with healing (כְּדֵין אִיהוּ אַקְדִים בְּאַסְוָותָא).

And this healing comes from pressure (וְהַאי אַסְוָותָא מִגּוֹ דְּחִיקוּ נָפְקָא), for it emerges from two sides (בְּגִין דְּמִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין נָפְקָא), and this pressure comes from the left side (וְהַאי דְּחִיקוּ אַתְיָא מִגּוֹ סְטָר שְׂמָאלָא), and healing comes from the right side (וְאַסְוָותָא מִגּוֹ סְטָר יְמִינָא). And because of this, when that affliction comes to him (וְעַל דָּא, הַהוּא מְרַע כַּד אַתְיָא לֵיהּ אַסְוָותָא), it comes with great pressure (מִגּוֹ דְּחִיקוּ סַגִּיא אַתְיָא לֵיהּ).