Daf 264b (דַּף רס״ד ע״ב)

And these are called lower spirits below (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן רוּחֵי תַּתָּאֵי לְתַתָּא), that go forth from the flame of fire (דְּנַפְקֵי מִגּוֹ שַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאֶשָּׁא). For when these higher spirits, which are within this palace, take hold (דְּכַד נַטְלִין אִלֵּין רוּחִין דִּלְעֵילָּא, דִּי בְּגוֹ הֵיכָלָא דָּא), two flames of fire go out (נַפְקוּ תְּרֵי שַׁלְהוֹבֵי דְּאֶשָּׁא), and these fly in the world (וְאִלֵּין טָסָאן בְּעָלְמָא). And these two spirits are formed, as we have said (וְאִתְעָבִידוּ אִלֵּין תְּרֵין רוּחִין כַּדְקָא אַמָרָן), and all is on this side of defilement (וְכֹלָּא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא מִסְאֲבָא). Fortunate are the Righteous (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא), who are restrained from these sides and are protected from them (דְּאִתְמָנְעָן מִסִּטְרִין אִלֵּין וְאִסְתְּמָרוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ). And concerning this it is written: “To guard you from the strange woman, etc.” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב לִשְׁמָרְךָ מֵאִשָּׁה זָרָה וְגוֹ׳) (Proverbs 7).

The third palace (הֵיכָלָא תְּלִיתָאָה): this palace is a palace of darkness and gloom (הֵיכָלָא דָּא, אִיהוּ הֵיכָלָא דְּאָפִיל וְחָשִׁיךְ), and there is no light in it at all (וְלֵית בֵּיהּ נְהוֹרָא כְּלַל), and it is darker than the previous ones (וְאִיהוּ אָפִיל יַתִּיר מִן קַדְמָאֵי). And this is called Dumah (וְהַאי אִיהוּ דְּאִקְרֵי דּוּמָ״ה), corresponding to the name that is called Hater (לָקֳבֵל שְׁמָא דְּאִקְרֵי שׂוֹנֵ״א). In this palace there stand four gates (בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא קַיְימֵי אַרְבַּע פִּתְחִין): one stands on this side (חַד קַיְּימָא לְסִטְרָא דָּא), and one on this side (וְחַד לְסִטְרָא דָּא), and so to the four directions (וְכֵן לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין).

One appointed one stands at this first gate (חַד מְמָנָא קַיְּימָא עַל הַאי פִּתְחָא קַדְמָאָה), and this appointed one stands in that strength of wrath in the world (וְהַאי מְמָנָא קַיְּימָא בְּהַהוּא תַּקִיפוּ דְּרוּגְזָא דְּעָלְמָא). When judgment rests in the world (כַּד דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא), this appointed one who rests in this gate (הַאי מְמָנָא דְּשָׁרֵי בְּהַאי פִּתְחָא), takes weapons (נָטִיל זַיְינִין), and places them at the doors of the synagogue of the children of men (וְאָנַח לוֹן לְאִינּוּן תַּרְעִין דְּבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא [דְּבְנֵי נָשָׁא]). And this one is called Sakafortaya (וְהַאי אִקְרֵי סָקָפוֹרְטַיָּ״א), and this is the stumbling of the world (וְדָא הוּא כִּשְׁלוֹנָא דְּעָלְמָא). And concerning this it is written: “The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב דֶּרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים כָּאֲפֵלָה לֹא יָדְעוּ בַּמֶּה יִכָּשֵׁלוּ) (Proverbs 4).

This appointed one stands over crossroads of paths to observe (הַאי מְמָנָא קַיְּימָא עַל פָּרָשַׁת אָרְחִין לְמִחֲמֵי) (Some say: to observe at crossroads of paths (הַאי מְמָנָא קַיְּימָא עַל פָּרָשַׁת אָרְחִין לְמִחֲמֵי). At that time when he rules, and judgment rests in the world (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאִיהוּ שַׁלִּיט, וְשַׁרְיָא דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא), he stands to observe one who goes alone in the marketplace (אִיהוּ קַיְּימָא לְמֵחמֵי בְּמַאן דְּאָזִיל יְחִידָאי בְּשׁוּקָא). And if he encounters him (וְאִי הוּא אִעְרַע בַּהֲדֵיהּ), he is able to harm him (יָכִיל לְנַזְקָא לֵיהּ), and to corrupt his fortune (וּלְאַתְרַע מַזָּלֵיהּ).

The second gate (פִּתְחָא תִּנְיָינָא), within it stands another appointed one (בֵּיהּ קַיְּימָא חַד מְמָנָא אַחֲרִינָא), and this one stands to take the writs of judgment (וְדָא אִיהוּ קַיְּימָא לְנַטְלָא פִּתְקִין דְּדִינָא), and this one is Sangadiel (וְדָא אִיהוּ סַנְגַּדִיאֵ״ל). And under his hand are many strict officers of judgment (וּתְחוֹת יְדֵיהּ, כַּמָה גַּרְדִּינֵי נִמוּסִין), who rule (דְּשַׁלְטָאן), who stand to receive those writs of judgment (דְּקַיְימִין לְקַבְּלָא אִינּוּן פִּתְקִין דְּדִינָא), and this one stands at this gate (וְהַאי קַיְּימָא עַל פִּתְחָא דָּא). And when he takes a writ of judgment (וְכַד נָטִיל פִּתְקָא דְּדִינָא), this one stands at this gate (הַאי קַיְּימָא עַל פִּתְחָא דָּא), and descends below (וְנָחִית לְתַתָּא), to those dark gates below (לְאִינּוּן פִּתְחִין חֲשׁוֹכָאן דִּלְתַתָּא): one to that which is called Destruction (חַד לְהַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁחַת), and one to that which is called Pit (וְחַד לְהַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי בּוֹר), which are below (דְּאִינּוּן לְתַתָּא). And there, many thousands and myriads (וְתַמָּן, כַּמָה אֶלֶף, וְכַמָּה רִבְּבָן), appointed ones who rule in the world to execute judgment (מְמָנָן דְּשַׁלְטֵי בְּעָלְמָא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא), and the judgment is completed with that writ (וְאִשְׁתְּלִים דִּינָא בְּהַהוּא פִּתְקָא).

The third gate (פִּתְחָא תְּלִיתָאָה): within this gate there is another appointed one (בְּהַאי פִּתְחָא, אִית מְמָנָא אַחֲרָא), his name is Angrayon (אַנְגְּרַיוֹ״ן שְׁמֵיהּ). And this is the appointed one (וְדָא אִיהוּ קַיְּימָא), over all illnesses and pains (עַל כָּל אִינּוּן מַרְעִין וּמַכְאוֹבִין), and trembling and bone-fire (וְחִלְחוּלִין וְאֶשָּׁא דְּגַרְמֵי). For from him go forth many thousands and myriads of those appointed with him (דְּהָא מִנֵּיהּ נַפְקֵי כַּמָה וְכַמָּה אֶלֶף וְרִבְּבָן דִּמְמָנָן עִמֵּיהּ), over all illnesses and pains, as has been said (עַל כָּל אִינּוּן מַרְעִין וּמַכְאוֹבִין כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר).

The fourth gate (פִּתְחָא רְבִיעָאָה): here there is one spirit (הָכָא אִיהוּ חַד רוּחָא), who was created in the blemish of the moon (דְּאִתְבְּרֵי בִּפְגִימוּ דְּסִיהֲרָא), and he is called Askara (וְאִקְרֵי אַסְכָּרָ״א). And this one stands over children who are seized (וְהַאי קַיְּימָא עַל קְטוּלֵי דְּרַבְיֵי). And this one appears to them (וְדָא אִתְחָזֵי לוֹן), and lives with them (וְחַיִיךְ בְּהוֹן), until he kills them (עַד דְּקָטִיל לוֹן). And he seems to them as their mother (וְאִדְמֵי לוֹן כְּאִתְּתָא אִמֵּיהּ דְּרַבְיֵא), and nurses them (וּמְנִיקָא לוֹן), and lives with them (וְחַיְיכָא בְּהוּ), and seizes them (וַאֲחִידַת לוֹן), and kills them (וְקַטְלַת לוֹן).

In the middle of this palace (בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא), there stands one spirit (קַיְּימָא חַד רוּחָא), who is called Agirisun (דְּאִקְרֵי אָגִירִיסוֹ״ן). This one is appointed (הַאי אִתְמַנָא), over all those who die from thirteen years until twenty years (עַל כָּל אִינּוּן דְּמֵתִין מִבַּר תְּלֵיסַר שְׁנִין, עַד עֶשְׂרִין שְׁנִין). This one is their killer (הַאי אִיהוּ קְטּוֹלָא דִּלְהוֹן), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). And this one is in fellowship (וְדָא אִיהוּ בְּחַבְרוּתָא), some say: in wisdom (ד״א בְּחָכְמְתָא), with that serpent (דְּהַהוּא נָחָשׁ), as we have said (כִּדְקַאמְרָן), and he stands with him and goes after him (וְקַיְּימָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְאָזִיל אֲבַתְרֵיהּ).

And therefore he is called “the Angel of Death very good” (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת טוֹב מְאֹד), as it is written: “And behold, it was very good” (דִּכְתִּיב, וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד) (Bereshit 1), and we have established (וְאוֹקִימְנָא). From here spread out and go forth two spirits (מֵהָכָא מִתְפַּשְּׁטִין וְנָפְקִין תְּרֵין רוּחִין), Af (Anger) and Chemah (Wrath) (אַ״ף וְחֵמָ״ה). And these are appointed (וְאִלֵּין אִתְמְנוּן), over all those who hear rebuke from one who studies Orayta (עַל כָּל אִינּוּן דְּשַׁמְעֵי נְזִיפָא מִמָּאן דְּלָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and they grow angry at him (וְאִתְרַחְצָן בֵּיהּ), and do not take heed of him (וְלָא חַיְישֵׁי עָלֵיהּ). And likewise over all those who laugh at words of Orayta (וְכֵן עַל כָּל אִינּוּן דְּחַיְיכָאן מִמִּלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), or at words of the Rabbis (אוֹ מִמִּלֵּי דְּרַבָּנָן).

From Af (Anger) and Chemah (Wrath) (מֵאַף וְחֵמָּה), go forth many thousands and myriads (נָפְקִין כַּמָה אֶלֶף, וְכַמָּה רִבְבָן), and all of them go forth and rest upon the children of men (וְכֻלְּהוּ נַפְקֵי וְשָׁארָן עָלַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), those who labor in Orayta (אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלִין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), or who labor in words of mitzvah (אוֹ דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּמִלֵּי דְּמִצְוָה), and go in the path of mitzvah (וְאָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא דְּמִצְוָה). In order that they be saddened and not rejoice in it (בְּגִין דְּיִתְעַצְּבוּן, וְלָא יֶחדוּן בָּהּ). And these two are the ones Moses feared (וּמִתְּרֵין אִלֵּין דָּחִיל מֹשֶׁה), when Yisrael sinned and he descended from the mountain (כַּד חָאבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנָחִית מִן טוּרָא). As it is written: “For I feared because of the anger and the fury” (דִּכְתִּיב, כִּי יָגֹרְתִּי מִפְּנֵי הָאַף וְהַחֵמָה) (Deuteronomy 9).