Daf 266a (דַּף רס״ו ע״א)

Here, in this palace (הָכָא בְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא), children, life, and sustenance are in reversal (בְּנֵי חַיֵּי וּמְזוֹנֵי בְּהִפּוּכָא אִיהוּ). And in that other holy palace (וּבְהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא אַחֲרָא קַדִישָׁא), these three do not stand, but depend above (לָא קַיְימֵי תְּלַת אִלֵּין, וְתַלְיָין לְעֵילָּא) And here they stand for evil (וְהָכָא קַיְימִין לְבִישׁ). For when, some say: when the children of man arrive (דְּכַד [ס״א מָטוּ בְּנוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ]), at this palace (לְהַאי הֵיכָלָא), behold there stand there beasts to harm them (הָא תַּמָּן קַיְימִין חֵיוָון לְשֵׁיצָאָה לוֹן).

And there children, when they are small, come forth from here (וְהָא תַּמָּן בְּנִין כַּד אִינּוּן זְעִירִין, מֵהָכָא נָפְקָא), in order that an accuser may be appointed over them (בְּגִין לְאִתְמַנָאָה קַטֵיגוֹרָא עָלַיְיהוּ). And there sustenance stands, to pass them away from it (וְהָא תַּמָּן קַיְימִין מְזוֹנֵי, לְאַעְבְּרָא לוֹן מִנִּיהּ). And all depends on Obligation (וְכֹלָּא תַּלְיָא בְּחוֹבָה). And therefore this palace is called Obligation (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי הַאי הֵיכָלָא חוֹבָה), as has been said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). And from here goes forth one defiled spirit (וּמֵהָכָא נָפְקָא חַד רוּחָא מִסְאֲבָא), that is called Aririya (דְּאִקְרֵי אֲרִירִיָ״א).

And many thousands and myriads are with him (וְכַמָּה אֶלֶף וְרִבְּבָן עִמֵּיהּ), and all of them are called “cursers of the day” (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן אוֹרְרֵי יוֹם), as it is said: “Let them curse it that curse the day” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר יִקְּבוּהוּ אוֹרְרֵי יוֹם) (Job 3). And this spirit, and all those with him (וְהַאי רוּחָא וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּעִמֵּיהּ), all of them stand to seize that word that a man utters against himself in his anger (כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי לְנַטְלָא הַהִיא מִלָּה דְּלָיִיט בַּר נָשׁ גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּרוּגְזֵיהּ). And these are aroused to that serpent which is called “Leviathan the crooked serpent” (וְאִלֵּין מִתְעָרֵי לְהַאי חִוְיָא, דְּאִקְרֵי לִוְיָתָן נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָתוֹן) (Isaiah 27), in order to provoke and arouse punishments upon the world (בְּגִין לְאַיְיתָאָה וּלְאַתְעֲרָא לְוָוטִין עַל עָלְמָא). This is what is written: “Let them curse it that curse the day, etc.” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב יִקְּבוּהוּ אוֹרְרֵי יוֹם וְגוֹ׳).

And these cursers of the day (וְאִלֵּין אוֹרְרֵי יוֹם), rule over the moments and hours of the day (שַׁלְטִין עַל רִגְעֵי וְשַׁעְתֵי דְּיוֹמָא). And they seize those words that a man utters against himself (וְנַטְלֵי אִינּוּן מִילִין דְּלָיִיט בַּר נָשׁ גַּרְמֵיהּ), whether in anger or in foolishness (בֵּין בְּרוּגְזָא, בֵּין בְּאוֹמָאָה). And with that word, the crooked serpent is aroused (וּבְהַהִיא מִלָּה, מִתְעָרֵי לְהַאי נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָּתוֹן), which is called Leviathan (דְּאִקְרֵי לִוְיָתָן), in order to sustain him to destroy the world (בְּגִין לְקַיְּימָא לֵיהּ לְחַבְּלָא לְעָלְמָא). And concerning this Job cursed his day in his suffering, but not his body (וְעַל דָּא לָיִיט אִיּוֹב יוֹמֵיהּ בְּצַעֲרֵיהּ, וְלָא גּוּפֵיהּ). As it is written: “And Job cursed his day in the beginning, and afterwards, let them curse it that curse the day” (דִּכְתִיב וַיְקַלֵּל אֶת יוֹמוֹ בַּתְחִלָּה, וּלְבָתַר יִקְּבוּהוּ אוֹרְרֵי יוֹם) (Job 3). May the Merciful One save us from the evil side and its power, and from every evil word (רַחֲמָנָא לִישֵׁזְבָן מִסִּטְרָא בִּישָׁא, וּמִתוּקְפוֹי. וּמִכָּל מִלָּה בִּישָׁא).

The fifth palace (הֵיכָלָא חֲמִישָׁאָה): this palace is the palace that is called She’ol (הֵיכָלָא דָּא, אִיהוּ הֵיכָלָא דְּאִקְרֵי שְׁאוֹ״ל), corresponding to that name which is called “Uncircumcised” (לָקֳבֵל הַהוּא שְׁמָא דְּאִקְרֵי עָרֵל). And we have established that this is the secret of the foreskin (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא דְּדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּעָרְלָה). In this palace there is one gate (בְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא, אִית חַד פִּתְחָא), and one appointed over it (וְחַד מְמָנָא עָלֵיהּ). And this is the appointed one to arouse constantly accusation over the world (וְדָא אִיהוּ מְמָנָא לְאַתְעֲרָא תָּדִיר קִטְרוּגָא עַל עָלְמָא). And this spirit is called Eyvah (וְהַאי רוּחָא אִקְרֵי אֵיבָ״ה), because the name of this gate is called Eyvah (בְּגִין דִּשְׁמָא דְּהַאי פִּתְחָא אֵיבָ״ה שְׁמֵיהּ). And your sign is: “And I will place enmity between you and the woman, etc.” (וְסִימָנִיךְ וְאֵיבָה אָשִׁית בֵּינְךָ וּבֵין הָאִשָּׁה וְגוֹ׳) (Bereshit 3).

In this palace there stands one spirit that rules over all (בְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא קַיְּימָא חַד רוּחָא דְּשַׁלִּיט עַל כֹּלָּא), and this is called Shoded (וְהַאי אִקְרֵי שׁוֹדֵ״ד). And this is “robbery” (וְאִיהוּ [שׁוֹד]) — “robbery and ruin” (שׁוֹד וָשֶׁבֶר) (Isaiah 59). And this is the destroyer in the high mountains (וְדָא הוּא שׁוֹדֵד בְּטוּרֵי רָמָּאֵי), within valleys and mountains (גוֹ טִנָרִין וְטוּרִין). From this palace draw nourishment all those who plunder and despoil in destructions (מֵהֵיכָלָא דָּא יַנְקֵי כָּל אִינּוּן מְשַׁדְדֵי וּמְשַׁצֵי בְּחָרְבְּנִין). And from here go out all those who slay with swords and spears (וּמֵהָכָא נָפְקִין, כָּל אִינּוּן דְּקַטְלֵי בְּסַיְיפִין וְרוּמְחִין), and they go after the flaming sword which turns every way, to destroy all (וְאַזְלִין בָּתַר לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת לְשֵׁיצָאָה כֹּלָּא). From this goes forth another spirit, and it is called 'Shod' (Destruction) (מֵהַאי נָפִיק רוּחָא אַחֲרָא, וְאִקְרֵי שׁוֹד).

And when famine rules over the world (וְכַד שַׁלִּיט כַּפְנָא עַל עָלְמָא), this spirit that is called 'Shod' (Destruction) is found (הַאי רוּחָא דְּאִקְרֵי שׁוֹ״ד, אִיהוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח). And another spirit joins with him, which is called Famine (וְרוּחָא אַחֲרָא אִשְׁתָּתַּף עִמֵּיהּ, דְּאִקְרֵי כָּפָ״ן). And these go in the world (וְאִלֵּין אַזְלֵי בְּעָלְמָא), and are found before the children of men (וּמִשְׁתַּכְחֵי לָקֳבֵל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). And this is what is written: “At destruction and at famine you shall laugh” (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב לְשֹׁד וּלְכָפָן תִּשְׂחָק) (Job 5). And these make accusation against the children of men (וְאִלֵּין עַבְדִין קִטְרוּגָא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and plunder all (וּמְשַׁדְדֵי לְכֹלָּא). One is called 'Shod' (Destruction) (חַד דְּאִקְרֵי שׁוֹד), who after he goes in the high mountains (דְּבָתַר דְּאָזִיל בְּגוֹ טוּרִין רָמָאִין), despoils and destroys and plunders all (וְשָׁדִיד וְחָרִיב וְשֵׁצֵי כֹּלָּא). Then he turns and despoils the children of men (כְּדֵין תָּב וְשָׁדַד לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and they die from his weakness (וּמֵתִין בְּחוּלְשָׁא דִּילֵיהּ). And when the children of men eat, they are not satisfied (וְכַד אַכְלֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, לָא שַׂבְעִין), because he rules in the world (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ שַׁלְטָא בְּעָלְמָא). And at that time, whoever does kindness with the children of men (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא, מַאן דְּעָבִיד חֶסֶד עִם בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), and gives them to eat and to drink (וְיָהִיב לוֹן לְמֵיכַל וּלְמִשְׁתֵּי), he is worthy to drive out those two spirits outside (כְּדַאי אִיהוּ לְדַחְיָיא לוֹן לְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין רוּחִין לְבַר), that they not rule in the world (דְּלָא שַׁלְטֵי בְּעָלְמָא).

And when Yisrael do not practice kindness with the children of men (וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא עַבְדֵּי חֶסֶד עִם בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), and the other nations do kindness in the world (וּשְׁאַר עַמִּין עַבְדֵּי חֶסֶד בְּעָלְמָא), then these two spirits are sweetened, some say: to the other nations and strengthened, etc. (כְּדֵין אִלֵּין תְּרֵין רוּחִין מִתְבַּסְּמִין, נ״א לְשְׁאַר עַמִּין וּמִתְקַפֵי וְכוּ׳), from their deeds (מִלַּיְיהוּ), and they are strengthened against Yisrael (וּמִתְקְפֵי עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Because then that Sitra achra is strengthened (בְּגִין דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִתְקַף הַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), and Yisrael are subdued (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְכַפְּיָין). And when Yisrael practice kindness (וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדֵּי חֶסֶד), that Sitra Achra is subdued and weakened (אִתְכַּפְיָא הַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא וְאִתְחַלָּשׁ), and the side of holiness is strengthened (וְסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה אִתְקַף). And when Yisrael are not aroused in kindness (וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא מִתְעָרֵי בְּחֶסֶד), those two spirits (אִינּוּן תְּרִין רוּחִין), some say: are sweetened, one is sweetened for the other nations (ד״א מִתְבַּסְּמֵי, חַד אִתְבַּסֵּם לְהוֹן לְשְׁאַר עַמִּין), and they turn to subdue Yisrael (וּמִתְהַפְּכֵי לְאַכְפְּיָיא לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And then those blessings that descend from above (וּכְדֵין אִינּוּן בִּרְכָאָן דְּנַחְתֵּי מִלְּעֵילָּא), from the right side (מִסְּטָר יְמִינָא), the other nations draw them (יַנְקֵי לוֹן שְׁאַר עַמִּין). Some say: and that side stands (ד״א וְקָיְימָא לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא). And this is what is written: “They made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I did not keep” (וְהֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב שָׂמוּנִי נוֹטֵרָה אֶת הַכְּרָמִים, כַּרְמִי שֶׁלִּי לֹא נָטַרְתִּי) (Song of Songs 1). “The vineyards” are the other nations (אִלֵּין שְׁאַר עַמִּין). “My vineyard I did not keep” — these are Yisrael (אִלֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל). Because the other nations draw it within themselves (בְּגִין דִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין מַשְׁכֵי לֵיהּ בְּגַוַויְיהוּ), with those kindnesses that they do with the children of men (בְּאִינּוּן חֲסָדִים דְּעַבְדִּין עִם בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). And Yisrael distance it from within themselves (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְרַחֲקָן לֵיהּ מִגַוַויְיהוּ), because they do not occupy themselves with those kindnesses like the other nations (בְּגִין דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאִינּוּן חֲסָדִים כִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין).