Daf 263a (דַּף רס״ג ע״א)

That the evil inclination has many sides and levels (דְּכַמָּה סִטְרִין וְדַרְגִּין אִית לְיֵצֶר הָרָע): serpent crooked (נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָּתוֹן), Satan (שָׂטָן), Angel of Death (מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת), evil inclination (יֵצֶר הָרָע). And we have already established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), that even though by these names it is called (דְאַף עַל גַּב דְּבִשְׁמָהָן אִלֵּין אִקְרֵי), seven names it has (שֶׁבַע שְׁמָהָן אִינּוּן לֵיהּ): Satan (שָׂטָן), impure (טָמֵא), hater (שׂוֹנֵא), stumbling stone (אֶבֶן מִכְשׁוֹל), uncircumcised (עָרֵל), evil (רָע), hidden one (צְפוֹנִי). These are its seven names (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שֶׁבַע שְׁמָהָן), corresponding to the seven levels of its palaces (לָקֳבֵל שֶׁבַע דַּרְגִּין דְּהֵיכָלִין דִּילֵיהּ), which are all from the side of defilement as we have said (דְּכֻלְּהוּ מִסִּטְרָא מִסְאֲבָא כִּדְקַאמְרָן).

Corresponding to these seven names (לָקֳבֵל אִלֵּין שִׁבְעָה שְׁמָהָן), are those called Gehinom (אִינּוּן דְּאִקְרֵי בְּהוּ גֵּיהִנָּם), the place where the guilty of the world are judged (אֲתָר דְּאִתְּדָנוּ בֵּיהּ חַיָּיבַיָּא דְּעָלְמָא). And these are they (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן): pit (בּוֹר), destruction (שָׁחַת), silence (דּוּמָה), miry clay (טִיט הַיָּוֵן), Sheol (שְׁאוֹל), shadow of death (צַלְמָוֶת), lowest earth (אֶרֶץ תַּחְתִּית). All these are the seven abodes of Gehinom (כָּל אִלֵּין שִׁבְעָה מָדוֹרִין דְּגֵיהִנָּם), corresponding to the seven names that the evil inclination possesses (לָקֳבֵל אִלֵּין שֶׁבַע שְׁמָהָן, דְּאִית לֵיהּ לְיֵצֶר הָרָע). And we have established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא), that just as there are levels and palaces on the side of holiness (דִּכְמָּה דְּאִית דַּרְגִּין וְהֵיכָלִין לִסְטַר קְדוּשָּׁה), so also are there on the side of defilement (הָכִי נָמֵי לִסְטַר מִסְאֲבָא). And all of them are found and rule in the world (וְכֻלְּהוּ מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי וְשַׁלְטֵי בְּעָלְמָא), in the side of defilement (בִּסְטָר מִסְאֲבָא, נ״א: שְׂמָאלָא). Seven palaces they are (שִׁבְעָה הֵיכָלִין אִינּוּן), corresponding to the seven names (דְּאִינּוּן לָקֳבֵל שִׁבְעָה שְׁמָהָן), which are called Gehinom (דְּאִקְרֵי בְּהוּ גֵּיהִנָּם) — the evil inclination (יֵצֶר הָרָע). And all of them (וְכֻלְּהוּ), to accuse for evil (לָאַסְטָאָה בִּישָׁא), stand ready for judgment (קַיְימֵי לְדַיְּינָא), and to defile (וּלְסַאָבָא), those guilty of the world who cleave to them (לְאִינּוּן חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא דְּדַבְּקֵי בְּהוּ), and do not guard their ways from them (וְלָא אִסְתַּמְּרָן אָרְחַיְיהוּ מִנֵּיהּ), when they are in this world (כַּד אִינּוּן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא).

For one who comes to be purified in this world (דְּהָא מַאן דְּאָתֵי לְאִתְדַכְּאָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), in the side of purity (בְּסִטְרָא דְּדַכְיָא), they purify him (מְדַכְּאִין לֵיהּ), in that place that is called the secret of faith (בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). For how many levels there are, and how many appointed ones (דְּכַמָּה דַּרְגִּין אִינּוּן, וְכַמָּה מְמָנָן), all of them stand to bring close the children of man to the service of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימִן לְקָרְבָא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to purify him (וּלְדַכְּאָה לֵיהּ). And one who comes to be defiled (וּמַאן דְּאָתֵי לְאִסְתַּאֲבָא), they defile him (מְסָאֲבִין לֵיהּ), in this Sitra achra which is defiled (בְּהַאי סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דְּאִיהוּ מִסְאֲבָא). For how many levels and how many appointed ones (דְּהָא כַּמָה דַּרְגִּין, וְכַמָּה מְמָנָן), all of them stand to defile the children of man (כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי לְסָאֲבָא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא).

Whoever draws near to them (מַאן דְּיִקְרַב בְּהוּ), and comes to cleave after that evil side (וְאָתֵי לְאִתְמַשְּׁכָא בָּתַר הַהוּא סִטְרָא בִּישָׁא), upon him it is written (עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב): “What man is he that shall live and not see death, shall he deliver his soul…?” (מִי גֶּבֶר יִחְיֶה וְלֹא יִרְאֶה מָּוֶת יְמַלֵּט נַפְשׁוֹ וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 89). Who is the man who was created in the world that will not see death (מַאן אִיהוּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִתְבְּרֵי בְּעָלְמָא דְּלָא יֶחֱמֵי מוֹתָא), that one after whom the whole world cleaves (הַהוּא דְּכָל עָלְמָא אִתְמַשְּׁכָאן אֲבַתְרֵיהּ).

For at that time when a man comes to give account before his Master (דְּהָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמֵיהַב חוּשְׁבָּנָא קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ), before he departs from this world (עַד לָא יִפּוּק מֵהַאי עָלְמָא), he sees it (חָמֵי לֵיהּ), and this we have already established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא). And these seven palaces (וְאִלֵּין שִׁבְעָה הֵיכָלִין), they are the seven abodes for Gehinom (דְּאִינּוּן שִׁבְעָה מָדוֹרִין לַגֵּיהִנָּם). They are called twelve months (תְּרֵיסָר יַרְחִין אִקְרוּן), because just as on the side of faith there are twelve months, holy levels (בְּגִין דְּהָא כְּמָה דְּאִית לִסְטַר מְהֵימְנוּתָא תְּרֵיסָר יַרְחִין דַּרְגִּין קַדִּישִׁין), so also on this Sitra achra there are twelve months (הָכִי נָמֵי אִית לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דָּא תְּרֵיסָר יַרְחִין), wherein the guilty are judged (דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא אִתְדָּנוּ בְּהוּ), and their souls are judged therein (וְנִשְׁמְתָא דִּלְהוֹן אִתְּדָנָת בְּהוּ). Fortunate is the portion of the Righteous (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא), whose feet are restrained from them in this world (דְּאִתְמָנְעָן רַגְלַיְיהוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and do not approach their gates (וְלָא מִתְקָרְבֵי לְתַרְעַיְיהוּ), so that they will be saved from them in that world (בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִנַּיְיהוּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא).

The first palace (הֵיכָלָא קַדְמָאָה): service of the side of the evil inclination (שֵׁירוּתָא דְּסִטְרָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע). This first palace (הַאי הֵיכָלָא קַדְמָאָה), is called an empty pit without anything (אִקְרֵי בּוֹר רֵיקָא מִכֹּלָּא). Whoever comes to ascend into it (מַאן דְּאָתֵי לְאַעֲלָא בֵּיהּ), there is none to hold him (לֵית מַאן דְּאָחִיד בֵּיהּ). All of them push him to fall so that he shall not rise (כֻּלְּהוּ דַּחְיָין לֵיהּ לְמִנְפַּל דְּלָא יֵקוּם), there is no support of good within it (לֵית בֵּיהּ סְמָךְ לְטָב).

In this palace (בְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא), there stands one appointed one (קַיְּימָא חַד מְמָנָא), and Dumah is his name (וְדוּמָה שְׁמֵיהּ). And this one stands above and below (וְהַאי אִיהוּ קַיְּימָא לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). This is the one who seizes the soul (דָּא אִיהוּ אָחִיד בְּנִשְׁמְתָא), when it is driven out from the holy palace (כַּד אִתְדַּחְיָא מֵהֵיכָלָא קַדִּישָׁא), by the hand of that appointed one Tahari’el (עַל יְדָא דְּהַהוּא מְמָנָא טָהֲרִיאֵ״ל). And this one stands by that gate of that holy side (וְהַאי אִיהוּ קָאִים לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא תַּרְעָא דְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא קַדִּישָׁא), and because of this Dumah stands (וּבְגִין כַּךְ קַיְּימָא הַאי דּוּמָה), to take hold of the soul (לְאַחֲדָא לָהּ לְנִשְׁמְתָּא), and with him are many strict guards of judgment (וְכַמָּה גַּרְדִּינֵי נִימוּסִין בַּהֲדֵיהּ). And beneath this appointed one (וּתְחוֹת הַאי מְמָנָא), there stands another appointed one (קַיְּימָא חַד מְמָנָא אַחֲרָא), that a thousand and ten-thousand are under him (דִּי אֶלֶף וְרִבְּבָן תְּחוֹתֵיהּ). And this appointed one is called Pitut (וְהַאי מְמָנָא אִקְרֵי פִּתּוּ״ת).

This is the one who stands to seduce the children of men (דָּא הוּא דְּאִיהוּ קַיְּימָא לְפַתָּאָה בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). And this one, whoever turns toward him (וְהַאי אִיהוּ דְּשָׁרֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ), he perverts him (וְאַסְטֵי לֵיהּ), to gaze and to look at what is not fitting (לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא וּלְעַיְינָא בְּמָה דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ), in many fornications and in many adulteries (בְּכַמָּה זְנוּנִין וּבְכַמָּה נִאוּפִין). And all those that are with him (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּעִמֵּיהּ), all of them stand by him (כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימָן לְגַבֵּיהּ), and go before him (וְאָזְלִין קַמֵּיהּ), and force him to turn his eyes (וְאַכְרִיחָן לֵיהּ לְאַסְטָאָה עֵינוֹי), to gaze at what is not fitting (לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּמָה דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ). And this one is the evil agent (וְהַאי אִיהוּ סִרְסוּרָא בִּישָׁא), for all evils (לְכָל אִינּוּן בִּישִׁין). This one stands upon the grave (הַאי קָאִים עַל קִבְרָא), at the time when that body is judged (בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִתְדָּן הַהוּא גּוּפָא), and he breaks its eyes (וְתָבַר לֵיהּ עֵינוֹי). Because he has given them expansion while he was in this world (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ רָוַוח לוֹן, כַּד אִיהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and they are his (וְדִילֵיהּ אִינּוּן).