Daf 267b (דַּף רס״ז ע״ב)

Inside this palace there stands another appointed one (לְגוֹ דְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא, קַיְּימָא חַד מְמָנָא אַחֲרָא). This other appointed one (דְּהַאי מְמָנָא אַחֲרָא), he arouses the man afterwards (אִיהוּ אַתְעַר לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ לְבָתַר), to arouse them (לְאַתְעֲרָא לוֹן). For he adorns himself, and curls his hair (דְּהָא אִיהוּ מְתַקֵּן גַּרְמֵיהּ, וּמְסַלְסֵל בְּשַׂעְרֵיהּ), and he takes in his hand a mirror to look at himself (דְּיִטּוֹל בִּידֵיהּ חַד מַרְאָה לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ), and he sets it in his hand (וְשַׁוֵּי לֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ), and looks into it (וְאִסְתָּכַּל בֵּיהּ), and sees his likeness in that vision (וְחָמֵי דִּיּוּקְנֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא חֵיזוּ). And by this he arouses another strong spirit (וּבְהַאי אַתְעַר לְהַהוּא רוּחָא חֵילָא אַחֲרָא), that is called Asirta (דְּאִקְרֵי עַסִירְטָ״א). And from here p1-35(וּמֵהָכָא), go forth all those who show false visions to men in their dreams (נַפְקֵי, כָּל אִינּוּן דְּאַחְזִיוּ כְּדִיבִין לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא בְּחֶלְמַיְיהוּ), and all those who show words that do not endure in them, but only to confuse them (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאַחְזְיָין מִלִּין וְלָא מִתְקַיְּימֵי בְּהוּ, אֶלָּא לְעַרְבְּבָא לוֹן). And afterwards, when those men are drawn after that vision, which is called mirror (וּלְבָתַר, כַּד אִינּוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אִתְמַשְּׁכָאן בְּהַהוּא חֵיזוּ, דְּאִקְרֵי מַרְאָה), then all of them in the arrogance of their spirit (כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ בְּגָסוּתָא דְּרוּחָא דִּילְהוֹן), and this spirit which is called Asirta (וְהַאי רוּחָא דְּאִקְרֵי עַסִירְטָ״א), he arouses one appointed spirit that is under his hand (אִיהוּ אַתְעַר לְחַד רוּחָא מְמָנָא דְּאִיהוּ תְּחוֹת יְדֵיהּ). And he enters into the female of below of all females (וְעָאל בְּנוּקְבָּא דִּלְתַתָּא דְּכָל נוּקְבִין), and from there ascends another spirit (וְסָלִיק מִתַּמָּן חַד רוּחָא אַחֲרָא), who is appointed with that spirit called Askara, as we said (דְּאִיהוּ מְמָנָא עִם הַהוּא רוּחָא דְּאִקְרֵי אַסְכָּרָא כִּדְקַאמְרָן). And this is Lilith, mother of demons (וְדָא אִיהוּ לִילִית אִימָּא דְּשֵׁדִין). And when that man arouses this other spirit, called Asirta (וְכַד הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ אַתְעַר לְהַאי רוּחָא אַחֲרָא דְּאִקְרֵי עַסִירְטָ״א), then he is joined with that man (כְּדֵין אִתְחֲבָּר עִמֵּיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), and bound with him constantly (וְאִתְקְשַׁר עִמֵּיהּ תָּדִיר). And then, at every new moon (וּכְדֵין בְּכָל רֵישׁ יַרְחָא וְיַרְחָא), that spirit is aroused, the evil vision with that Lilith (אִתְעַר הַהוּא רוּחָא, דְּחֵיזוּ בִּישָׁא בַּהֲדָהּ דְּלִילִית). And sometimes when that man is struck by them (וּלְזִמְנִין דְּאִתְזַק מִנַּיְיהוּ הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), he falls to the ground and cannot rise, or dies (וַיִּפּוֹל לְאַרְעָא, וְלָא יָכִיל לְמֵיקָם, אוֹ יָמוּת). And all of this is caused by that vision of the mirror (וְכָל דָּא גָּרִים, הַהוּא חֵיזוּ דְּמַרְאָה), in which he looked (דְּאִיהוּ מִסְתַּכֵּל בֵּיהּ). For just as he showed arrogance of spirit in his heart (דְּהָא כְּמָה דְּאַחְזֵי גַּסוּתָא דְּרוּחָא בְּלִבֵּיהּ), so too an evil spirit increased upon him (הָכִי נָמֵי אַסְגֵי רוּחָא בִּישָׁא לְגַבֵּיהּ). And all of this stands upon that arousal from below (וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא קַיְּימָא בְּהַהוּא אִתְעֲרוּ דִּלְתַתָּא).

“Sacrifices of peace-offerings are upon me” (זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים עָלָי) (Proverbs 7). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): peace-offerings do not come for obligation, nor for sin, but for peace (שְׁלָמִים לָא אַתְיָין עַל חוֹבָה, וְלָא עַל חַטָּאת, אֶלָּא עַל שָׁלוֹם). What are peace-offerings? (מַאי שְׁלָמִים). Rather, peace-offerings are from two sides (אֶלָּא שְׁלָמִים מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין), so that no accuser is found over him, neither above nor below (דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח מְקַטְרְגָא עָלֵיהּ, לָא לְעֵילָּא, וְלָא לְתַתָּא). Who is the accuser? (מַאן אִיהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא). Only that left side of the evil inclination (אֶלָּא הַהוּא סִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע), that is found in the peace of the right (דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח בִּשְׁלָמָא דִּימִינָא).

And concerning this, “Sacrifices of peace-offerings are upon me” (וְעַל דָּא, זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים עָלָי). Some say: “Upon me precisely — those sacrifices of peace-offerings are upon me, because no accuser is found upon the world” (ד״א: עָלַי דַּיְיקָא, הַהוּא זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים עָלַי אִיהוּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח מְקַטְרְגָא עַל עָלְמָא). Another matter “Sacrifices of peace-offerings are upon me” (דָּבָר אַחֵר זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים עָלָי). Behold, I am in peace toward you, to show you peace (הָא אֲנָא בְּשַׁלְוָה לְגַבָּךְ, לְאַחֲזָאָה לָךְ שָׁלֵם).

And therefore, “Today I have paid my vows” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, הַיּוֹם שִׁלַּמְתִּי נְדָרָי) — to seduce the children of the world constantly (לְאַפְתְּאָה בְּנֵי עָלְמָא תָּדִיר). “Therefore I went out to meet you…” (עַל כֵּן יָצָאתִי לִקְרָאתֶךָ וְגוֹ׳), for I knew that you are lacking heart, lacking goodness (דְּיָדַעְנָא דְּאַנְתְּ חָסֵר לִבָּא, חָסֵר טוֹבָה). To greet you, to join with you in all evils of the world (לְשַׁחֵר פָּנֶיךָ, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדָךְ בְּכָל בִּישִׁין דְּעָלְמָא). And it seems pleasant to you to enjoy, and to taste after the lusts of this world (וְיֵאוֹת לָךְ לְאַהֲנָאָה, וּלְמִטְעֵי בָּתַר תִּיאוּבְתִין דְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And she pushes him from word to word, and from evil to evil (וְדָחֵי לֵיהּ מִמִּלָּה לְמִלָּה, וּמִבִּישׁ לְבִישׁ). “I turned among the fools, and I sought your face, and I found you; already I have found you, to cleave to you” (אַהֲדַרְנָא בְּאִינּוּן טִפְּשָׁאִין, וְשָׁחִירְנָא פָּנְיךָ, וָאֶמְצָאֶךָּ, כְּבַר אַשְׁכַּחְנָא לָךְ לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בָךְ).

“Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning” (לְכָה נִרְוֶה דוֹדִים עַד הַבֹּקֶר) — this is what is written: “And the eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְעֵין נוֹאֵף שָׁמְרָה נֶשֶׁף) (Job 24). For then is the time for it to rule (דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִיהוּ זִמְנָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה). “Come, let us take our fill of love” — let us enjoy together, behold I am with you (לְכָה נִרְוֶה דוֹדִים, נְהַךְ כַּחֲדָא, הָא אֲנָא עִמָּךְ). For until now you are strong in your vigor (דְּהָא עַד כְּעַן אַתְּ רַבְיָא אַנְּתְּ בְּחֵילָךְ). If you do not enjoy yourself now, when will you? (אִי הַשְׁתָּא לָא תִּתְעַנָּג גַּרְמָךְ, אֵימָתַי). When you are old? Now is the time (כַּד תְּהֵא סִיב, הַשְׁתָּא הוּא זִמְנָא).

What is the reason? “For the man is not at home” (מַאי טַעְמָא. כִּי אֵין הָאִישׁ בְּבֵיתוֹ) — this is the good inclination (דָּא יֵצֶר טוֹב), that does not dwell here within you (דְּלָא שַׁרְיָא הָכָא בְּגַוָּוךְ). And it is not the time (וְלָאו אִיהוּ זִמְנָא). “He has gone on a journey afar” (הָלַךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ מֵרָחוֹק) — that it does not dwell within a man until he is thirteen years old and above (דְּלָא שַׁרְיָא בְּבַּר נָשׁ, אֶלָּא בְּדֶרֶךְ מֵרָחוֹק, כַּד אִיהוּ מִתְּלֵיסַר שְׁנִין וּלְהָלְאָה). And not in every man (וְלָאו בְּכָל בַּר נָשׁ). “And I am with you from the day you were born” (וַאֲנָא קָאִים עִמָּךְ מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְיְלִידַת).

This is what is written: “Sin crouches at the door” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רוֹבֵץ) (Bereshit 4). “And now that you are single, now is the time to enjoy yourself” (וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּאַנְתְּ רַוָּוק, הַשְׁתָּא זִמְנָא לָךְ לְאִתְעַנְּגָא גַּרְמָךְ). “He has taken a bag of money in his hand” (צְרוֹר הַכֶּסֶף לָקַח בְּיָדוֹ) — to ascend above and be detained there (לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, וּלְאִתְעַכְּבָא תַּמָּן). Some say: “and to enjoy there” (נ״א וְלָאִתְעַנְּגָא). “On the day appointed he will come home” (לְיוֹם הַכֶּסֶא יָבוֹא בֵיתוֹ) — when will he come to oppose him? (אֵימַת יָבֹא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ). On the day of the throne, which is the day of judgment, to oversee the judgment (לְיוֹם הַכֶּסֶא דְּאִיהוּ יוֹמָא דְּדִינָא, לְאַשְׁגָחָא בְּדִינָא), as it is written: “At the new moon, at the appointed day of our feast” (דִּכְתִיב בַּכֶּסֶה לְיוֹם חַגֵּנוּ) (Psalms 81).

At the time when a man needs to enjoy himself in the world and take pleasure (בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְעַנְּגָא בְּעָלְמָא, וּלְאִתְהֲנִי בֵּיהּ), she departs from him (אִתְרַחֲקָא מִנֵּיהּ). And at the time when judgment rests in the world (וּבְזִמְנָא דְּשַׁרְיָא דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא), then she comes to him to exact judgment from him (כְּדֵין אָתֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ לְמֶעְבַד עַמֵּיהּ דִּינָא). And concerning this it is written: “With her many words she caused him to yield, etc., until an arrow pierced his liver” (וְעַל דָּא הִטַּתּוּ בְּרֹב לִקְחָהּ וְגוֹ׳, עַד יְפַלַּח חֵץ כְּבֵדוֹ) (Proverbs 7).

Fortunate are the Righteous (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא), who know the holy paths to go in them (דְּיָדְעִין אָרְחִין קַדִישִׁין, לְמֵהַךְ בְּהוּ), and do not turn to the right or to the left (וְלָא יִסְטוּן לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא). Fortunate are they in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

The seventh palace (הֵיכָלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה): this is the palace of the lees of wine, to be intoxicated therein (הֲדָא הוּא הֵיכָלָא דִּשְׁמָרֵי דְּחַמְרָא, לְאִתְרַוָּואָה בֵּיהּ). As it is said: “And he drank of the wine and became drunk and uncovered himself” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וַיִּתְגַּל) (Bereshit 9). The dregs of all those grapes (סְחִיטָא דְּכָל אִינּוּן עֲנָבִין), all are evil grapes — here is their dregs (כֻּלְּהוּ עֲנָבִין בִּישִׁין, הָכָא אִיהוּ סְחִיטָא דִּלְהוֹן).

And this is “foaming wine” (וְדָא אִיהוּ יַיִן חָמַר) (Psalms 75). The dregs of the wine, that there is no one who drinks from it without bringing death upon himself (שְׁמָרִים דְּחָמָר, דְּלֵית מַאן דְּשָׁתֵי מִנֵּיהּ, דְּלָא גָּרִים מוֹתָא לְגַרְמֵיהּ). This wine Eve gave to her husband to taste (מִיֵינָא דָּא, אַטְעִימַת חַוָּה לְבַעְלָהּ), and brought him into this palace (וְעָאלַת לֵיהּ בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא). For we have learned: “She squeezed grapes and gave him, and caused death to him and to the whole world after him” (דְּתָנֵינָן, סָחֲטָה עֲנָבִין, וְיָהִיבַת לֵיהּ, וְגָרִימַת מוֹתָא לֵיהּ, וּלְכָל עָלְמָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ).