Daf 265b (דַּף רס״ה ע״ב)

And because of this, on the day of Rosh Hashanah (וְעַל דָּא, בְּיוֹמָא דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה), when these two sides are aroused, merit and obligation (כַּד מִתְעָרִין אִלֵּין תְּרֵין סִטְרִין, זְכוּת וְחוֹבָה), upon them depend life and death (וּבְהוּ תַּלְיָין חַיִּים וּמָוֶת). If merits prevail (אִי זַכְיָין אַכְרָעוּ), to this side which is called Merit (לְסִטְרָא דָּא דְּאִקְרֵי זְכוּת), a man is inscribed on that side which is called Life (אִכְתּוּב בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאִקְרֵי חַיִּים). Because these two sides stand on that day (בְּגִין, דְּהָנֵי תְּרֵין סִטְרִין קַיְימֵי בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא), this one on this side and this one on that side (דָּא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא, וְדָא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא).

If that man is meritorious (אִי זָכֵי הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), and those merits prevail (וְנַצְחִין אִינּוּן זַכְיָין), then that man is inscribed for life (הָא אִכְתּוּב הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ לְחַיִים). Because he is seized by this holy side, which is called Merit (בְּגִין דְּאָחִיד בֵּיהּ הַאי סִטְרָא קַדִישָׁא, דְּאִקְרֵי זְכוּת), and life seizes him (וְחַיִּים אָחִיד בֵּיהּ), and says: “This one is mine and belongs to me” (וְאָמַר דָּא דִּילִי הוּא, וְדִידִי הֲוָה). And then that man is inscribed for life (וּכְדֵין אִכְתּוּב הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ לְחַיִים). Some say: “And I will write until this one is mine” (נ״א: וְאֶכְתּוּב עַד אִיהוּ דִּילֵיהּ). But if the obligations prevail (וְאִי נַצְחָן חוֹבִין), this other defiled side which is called Obligation and Death (הַאי סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא מִסְאֲבָא, דְּאִקְרֵי חוֹבָה וּמָוֶת), seizes him (אָחִיד בֵּיהּ), and says: “This one is mine and belongs to me” (אָמַר הַאי דִּידִי הוּא, וְדִידִי הֲוִי). And then he is inscribed as belonging to it (וּכְדֵין אִכְתּוּב דְּאִיהוּ דִּילֵיהּ). And this is what we have learned (וְדָא הוּא דְּתָנֵינָן), that on this day of Rosh Hashanah (דְּהָא בְּיוֹמָא דָּא דְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה), a man is inscribed either for life or for death (אִכְתּוּב בַּר נָשׁ, אוֹ לְחַיִים אוֹ לְמִיתָה).

If he is inscribed in the side of holiness (אִי אִכְתּוּב בְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָׁה), he is inscribed for life (אִכְתּוּב לְחַיִים), and remains established there (וְאִתְקָיָּים תַּמָּן), and is bound to it (וְאִתְדְבַק בֵּיהּ). But if he is inscribed in the Sitra achra (וְאִי אִכְתּוּב בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), he is established in the side of defilement (אִתְקְיָּים בְּסִטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבוּתָא), and is bound to it (וְדָבִיק בֵּיהּ). And this is: “Whether for life or for death” (וְדָא הוּא הֵן לְחַיִים הֵן לַמָוֶת). And he is drawn into this side or into that side (וְאִתְמְשַׁךְ בְּהַאי סִטְרָא אוֹ בְּהַאי סִטְרָא). As long as he stands in this side of holiness (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּאִיהוּ קַיְּימָא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא דִּקְדוּשָׁה), all sanctifications and all purities cleave to him (כָּל קִדּוּשִׁין וְכָל דַּכְיָין מִתְדַּבְּקִין בֵּיהּ).

He calls, and Kudsha Berikh Hu sits and hears him (יִקְרָא וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָתִיב וְיִּשְׁמַע לֵיהּ). Concerning him it is written: “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I am with him in trouble, I will rescue him and honor him; with long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation” (עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב יִקְרָאֵנִי וְאֶעֱנֵהוּ עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה אֲחַלְּצֵהוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֵהוּ, אוֹרֶךְ יָמִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵהוּ וְאַרְאֵהוּ בִּישׁוּעָתִי) (Psalms 91). But whenever he stands in the other defiled side (וְכָל זִמְנָא דְּאִיהוּ קַיְּימָא בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא), all defilements and all obligations and all evils cleave to him (כָּל מִסְאֲבוּ, וְכָל חוֹבָה, וְכָל בִּישִׁין מִתְדַּבְּקָן בֵּיהּ). He calls, and there is none to hear him (יִקְרָא, וְלֵית מַאן דְּיִשְׁמַע לֵיהּ). He is far from Kudsha Berikh Hu (מְרָחַקָא אִיהוּ מִקּוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Concerning him it is written: “Salvation is far from the wicked” (עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב רָחוֹק מֵרְשָׁעִים יְשׁוּעָה) (Psalms 119), and it is written: “When you make many prayers, I will not hear” (וּכְתִיב גַּם כִּי תַרְבּוּ תְּפִלָּה אֵינֶנִּי שׁוֹמֵעַ) (Isaiah 1).

This palace is the place of all those who are called other gods (הֵיכָלָא דָּא, אִיהוּ אֲתָר דְּכָל אִינּוּן דְּאִקְרוּן אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים), because they are revealed here (בְּגִין דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָין הָכָא). And all those who entice the children of men with the pleasures of this world (וְכָל אִינּוּן דִּמְפַתּוּ לְהוּ לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא בְּעִנּוּגִין דְּהַאי עָלְמָא), to turn aside to delight in the adulterous pleasures of the world (לְאַזְנָאָה לְאִתְעַנְּגָא בְּעִנּוּגֵי נִאוּפִין דְּעָלְמָא), and draw them after the pleasures and adulteries of this world (וּמַשְׁכֵי לְהוּ בָּתַר עִנּוּגִין וְנִאוּפִין דְּהַאי עָלְמָא), as we have said (כִּדְקַאמְרָן).

In this palace there is seen one powerful ruling spirit (בְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא, אִתְחָזֵי חַד רוּחָא שַׁלִּיט תַּקִּיפָא), who rules over all (דְּאִיהוּ עַל כֻּלְּהוּ), and this is called Ufchiel (וְדָא אִקְרֵי אוּף הָכִי אֵל), in the likeness of the other one on the side of holiness (כְּגַוְונָא דְּאַחֲרָא דְּבִסְטַר קְדוּשָּׁה). This is the “foreign god” (הַאי אִיהוּ אֵ״ל נֵכָ״ר) (Deuteronomy 30). And this one entices the man who labors in Orayta (וְדָא אִיהוּ דִּמְפַתֵּי לְבַר נָשׁ דְּלָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), or who stands in the beit midrash (אוֹ דְּקָאִים בְּבֵי מִדְרָשָׁא). This strong spirit entices him (הַאי רוּחָא תַּקִּיפָא מְפַתֵּי לֵיהּ), and he considers many thoughts (וְחָשִׁיב כַּמָה הִרְהוּרִין), and says: “What are you standing here for? (וְאָמַר מַה אַתְּ קָאִים הָכָא), better for you to go into the fellowship of those who have exalted themselves over the children of men (טַב לָךְ לְמֵיהַךְ בְּחַבּוּרַת אִינּוּן דְּגָאוּ עַל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), and those who go after beautiful women (וְאִינּוּן דְּאָזְלִין בָּתַר נָשִׁין שְׁפִירָאן), and delight in the pleasures of the world” (וּמִתְעַנְּגֵי בְּעִנּוּגֵי עָלְמָא). When the man is enticed after him (כֵּיוָן דְּבַּר נָשׁ אִתְפַּתֵּי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ), then all of them drink and go and cleave after him (כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ שַׁטְיָין וְאָזְלֵי וְאִתְמַשְּׁכָאָן אֲבַתְרֵיהּ). And many others stand under him (וְכַמָּה אִינּוּן אַחֲרָנִין דְּקַיְימִין תְּחוֹתֵיהּ), and all of them defile him in this world (וְכֻלְּהוּ מְסָאֲבֵי לֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and defile him in that world (וּמְסָאֲבֵי לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). And these are called boiling excrement (וְאִינּוּן אִקְרוּן צוֹאָה רוֹתַחַת), as it is written: “Say to it, Get out” (דִּכְתִּיב צֵא תֹּאמַר לוֹ) (Isaiah 30). These are levels that stand to defile constantly (אִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין דְּקַיְימִין לְסָאֲבָא תָּדִיר), and behold, it has been said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר).

In the middle of this palace there is another spirit (בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא, אִית רוּחָא אַחֲרָא), that is called “Plague” (Nega) (דְּאִקְרֵי נֶגַע). And from this goes forth another spirit that is called “Nega Tzara‘at” ('The Plague of Leprosy') (וּמֵהַאי נָפְקָא רוּחָא אַחֲרָא דְּאִקְרֵי נֶגַע צָרַעַת). And this one stands constantly to defile all those who are masters of an evil tongue (וְאִיהוּ קַיְּימָא תָּדִיר, לְסָאֲבָא לְכָל אִינּוּן מָארֵיהוֹן דְּלִישָׁנָא בִּישָׁא), more than all else by which he is defiled (יַתִיר עַל כָּל מַה דִּמְסָאַבִין לֵיהּ). And this supernal Nega (וְהַאי נֶגַע עִלָּאָה), he is appointed over all those who neglect Shabbat (אִיהוּ מְמָנָא עַל כָּל אִינּוּן פָּתוֹרֵי דְּשַׁבְּתָא), for when Shabbat enters (דְּכַד עָיֵיל שַׁבְּתָא), and they are not prepared for the delight of Shabbat as is fitting (וְלָא אִתְסְדָרוּ בְּעִנּוּגָא דְּשַׁבְּתָא כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), and they degrade the delight of Shabbat (וְאִינּוּן קָא מְבַזֵּי עִנּוּגָא דְּשַׁבְּתָא), this This plague (Nega) seizes those who are negligent, who are not in the delight of Shabbat (הַאי נֶגַע נָטִיל לְאִינּוּן פָּתוֹרֵי דְּלָאו אִינּוּן בְּעִנּוּגָא דְּשַׁבְּתָא), as we have said (כִּדְקַאמְרָן). And when this one seizes those who are negligent (וְכַד הַאי נָטִיל לְאִינּוּן פָּתוֹרֵי), all those Gardinei Nimusin [officers of judgment] who stand with him (כָּל אִינּוּן גַּרְדִּינֵי נִימוּסִין דְּקַיְימֵי בֵּיהּ), all open and say (כֻלְּהוּ פָּתְחֵי וְאָמְרֵי): “He loved cursing, and it came unto him; and he did not delight in blessing, and it was far from him” (וַיֶאֱהַב קְלָלָה וַתְּבוֹאֵהוּ וְלֹא חָפֵץ בִּבְרָכָה וַתִּרְחַק מִמֶּנּוּ) (Tehillim 109:17). “And he clothed himself with cursing as his garment, etc.” (וַיִּלְבַּשׁ קְלָלָה כְּמַדּוֹ וְגוֹ׳) (Tehillim 109:18). “Let the creditor ensnare all that he has, etc.” (יְנַקֵּשׁ נוֹשֶׁה לְכָל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וְגוֹ׳) (Tehillim 109:11). “Let there be none to extend kindness to him, etc.” (אַל יְהִי לוֹ מוֹשֵׁךְ חָסֶד וְגוֹ׳) (Tehillim 109:12).

And we have already established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא), that on that night of Shabbat (בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא דְּשַׁבְּתָא), when the negligent are delivered to that evil side (כַּד פָּתוֹרֵי אִתְיְיהִיבוּ לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא בִּישָׁא), then that evil defiled side prevails (כְּדֵין אִתְתָקַּף הַהוּא סִטְרָא בִּישָׁא, מִסְאֲבָא), and that man is delivered to that side (וְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ אִתְמְסַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא).

Woe to him who is cast away from that holy side (וַוי לֵיהּ דְּאִתְגְּרַע מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא קַדִישָׁא), the side of faith (סִטְרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and is appointed to the other defiled side (וְאִתְפְּקַּד בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא מִסְאֲבָא). In this manner with all the meals of Yom Tov as well (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא בְּכָל אִינּוּן סְעוּדָתֵי דְיוֹם טוֹב).