Daf 268a (דַּף רס״ח ע״א)

In this palace stand all those defiled souls (בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא, קַיְימִן כָּל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין מִסְאֲבִין), that descend upon all those who cleave to this side (דְּנַחְתֵּי לְכָל אִינּוּן דִּי בְּסִטְרָא דָּא מִתְדַּבְּקֵי). And that spirit which descends upon all those who are from this side, from here they go out (וְהַהוּא רוּחָא דְּנַחְתָּא לְכָל אִינּוּן דִּי מִסִּטְרָהָא, מֵהָכָא נַפְקֵי). Just as they turned aside their ways in this world (כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִינּוּן סָטוּ אָרְחַיְיהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and pursued adultery where it was not fitting (וְאִשְׁתְּדָּלוּ בִּזְנוּתָא, בַּאֲתָר דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ), to turn away from the path of truth (לְאִתְרַחֲקָא מֵאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט).

Then, just as he cleaved to that side of the evil inclination in adultery (כְּדֵין, כְּמָה דְּאִיהוּ אִתְדְּבָּק בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע בִּזְנוּתָא), so also there goes out from this palace a defiled spirit (הָכִי נָמֵי נָפִיק מְהֵיכָלָא דָּא רוּחָא מִסְאֲבָא), to defile him and the child born from there (לְסָאֲבָא לֵיהּ, וְלִבְרָא דְּנָפִיק מִתַּמָּן). And that child is called Mamzer (וְהַהוּא בְּרָא אִקְרֵי מַמְזֵר), that comes from the side of a strange god (דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּאֵל זָר).

Just as he was in that defilement and that adultery from the side of the evil inclination (כְּמָה דְּאִיהוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא תִּיאוּבְתָא, וּבְהַהוּא זְנוּתָא בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע), so also is drawn to him that child another defiled spirit, polluted (הָכִי נָמֵי מָשִׁיךְ לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּהַהוּא בְּרָא רוּחָא אַחֲרָא מִסְאֲבָא, דְּסָאִיב). And all bear witness over him that he is a Mamzer (וְכֹלָּא סָהֲדִין עָלֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ מַמְזֵר). And so are all his deeds and his side in that manner indeed (וְהָכִי כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי וְסִטְרוֹי בְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ). From this palace goes forth one spirit (מְהֵיכָלָא דָּא נָפִיק חַד רוּחָא), that is appointed over those spirits that are called Tzefoni (דִּי מְמָנָא עַל אִינּוּן רוּחִין דְּאִקְרֵי צְפוֹנִי).

And your sign is: “She stores up the wind” (וְסִמָנִיךְ צֹפְנֶיהָ צָפַן רוּחַ) (Proverbs 27). And this one is appointed over that (וְהַאי אִיהוּ מְמָנָא עַל דָּא). And this seventh palace corresponds to that name which is called “The lowest earth” (וְהַאי הֵיכָלָא שְׁבִיעָאָה, לָקֳבֵל הַהוּא שְׁמָא דְּאִקְרֵי אֶרֶץ תַּחְתִּית) (Ezekiel 31). And concerning this it is written: “And the Tzefoni I will remove far from you” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וְאֶת הַצְּפוֹנִי אַרְחִיק מֵעֲלֵיכֶם) (Joel 2).

Here is one point that stands within, deep inside (הָכָא אִיהוּ נְקוּדָה חֲדָא, דְּקַיְּימָא לְגוֹ בְּגוֹ). And from here go forth all those other spirits that wander in the world (וּמֵהָכָא נַפְקֵי כָּל אִינּוּן רוּחִין אַחֲרָנִין דְּשָׁטָאן בְּעָלְמָא), and rule in this world (וְשַׁלְטִין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), in all those words and deeds that are delivered into the side of the left (בְּכָל אִינּוּן מִלִּין וְעוֹבָדִין, דְּאִתְמְסָרוּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא). And from here go forth all those sparks of flame (וּמֵהָכָא נַפְקֵי כָּל אִינּוּן זִיקִין נְצִיצִין), that are extinguished at once, flaming and extinguished (דְּמִתְדַּעֲכֵי לְאַלְתָּר, לַהֲטֵי וּמִתְדַּעֲכֵי). And from these go forth other spirits (וּמֵאִלֵּין נָפְקִין רוּחִין אַחֲרָנִין), that roam in the world (דְּשַׁטְיָין בְּעָלְמָא), and join with those that came out of the great abyss (וּמִשְׁתַּתְּפֵי לְאִינּוּן דְּנַפְקוּ מִגּוֹ תְּהוֹמָא רַבָּא). And this is that palace, as you say: “Your judgments are the great abyss” (וְאִיהוּ הַאי הֵיכָלָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה) (Psalms 36). And these spirits are not delivered to be revealed in the worlds (וְאִינּוּן רוּחִין דְּלָא אִתְמְסָרוּ לְמִגְלָם בְּעָלְמִין).

And they appear, and do not appear — they appear as has been said (וְאִתְחָזוּן וְלָא אִתְחָזוּן אִתְחָזוּן כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). And afterwards, those spirits that wander in the world (וּלְבָתַר אִינּוּן רוּחִין דְּשַׁטְיָין בְּעָלְמָא), these stand to perform miracles for men (וְאִלֵּין קַיְימֵי לְמֶרְחָשׁ נִסִּין לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא). Because these do not stand in the defilement of pollution as much as the others (בְּגִין דְּאִלֵּין לָא קַיְימִין בְּטִנּוּפָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא כָּל כַּךְ כְּאַחֲרָנִין). And one spirit is appointed over them, and he is called Nesira (וְחַד רוּחָא מְמָנָא עָלַיְיהוּ, וְאִקְרֵי נְסִירָ״א), for he was separated from those sides more defiled (דְּאִיהוּ אִתְנְסַר מֵאִינּוּן סִטְרִין דִּמְסָאֲבוּ יַתִיר).

And these fly in the air (וְאִלֵּין פַּרְחֵי בַּאֲוֵירָא), and are corrupted to their side (וְאַבְאִישׁוּ לְסִטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן), in order to perform miracles for those who are in the side of holiness (בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַד נִסִּין לְאִינּוּן דִּי בְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה). And from this spirit, which is separated and called Nesira (וּמֵרוּחָא דָּא דְּאִתְנְסַר, דְּאִקְרֵי נְסִירָ״א), from him go forth many sides (מִנֵּיהּ נַפְקֵי כַּמָה סִטְרִין אַחֲרָנִין), each divided to its kind (מִתְפָרְשָׁן לְזִנַּיְיהוּ). And all of them stand as messengers in the world (וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְּימָאן שְׁלִיחָאן בְּעָלְמָא), each one as it is fitting to him (כָּל חַד כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי לֵיהּ), until they are appointed below as kings and officers (עַד דְּאִתְמְנוּן לְתַתָא מַלְכִין וְסַרְכִין). And they have no lasting existence like the others above (וְלֵית לוֹן קִיּוּמָא תָּדִיר, כְּאִינּוּן אַחֲרָנִין דִּלְעֵילָּא).

In this palace is the attachment of the side of defilement (בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא אִתְדַבְקוּתָא דִּסְטָר מִסְאֲבָא), and all defiled lusts that defile the world (וְכָל תִּיאוּבְתִין מִסְאֲבִין, וּמְסָאֲבֵי לְעָלְמָא). This one is prepared to bring forth fire at every moment and hour (הַאי אִיהוּ זַמִּין לְאַפָקָא בְּכָל רִגְעָא וְשַׁעֲתָא אֶשָּׁא), and none can stand before him (וְלֵית מַאן דְּקָאִים קָמֵיהּ). From here goes forth the fire of a mighty spirit below (מֵהָכָא נָפִיק אֶשָּׁא דְּרוּחָא תַּקִּיפָא לְתַתָּא), to judge with it the guilty of the world (לְאִתְדְּנָא בְּיָהּ חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא). And from here goes forth a blazing spirit (וּמֵהָכָא נָפְקָא רוּחָא מְלָהֲטָא), that is fire and snow together (דְּאִיהוּ אֶשָּׁא וְתַלְגָּא), that is called Tzalmon (דְּאִקְרֵי צַלְמוֹן). As it is said: “When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was snowing in Tzalmon” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר תַּשְׁלֵג בְּצַלְמוֹן) (Psalms 68).

In this palace stand four gates (בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא, קַיְּימָאן אַרְבָּעָה פִּתְחִין), which extend to the four directions outside (דְּמִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין לְבַר). And these are joined and not joined with the side of holiness (וְאִלֵּין אַחֲדִין וְלָא אַחֲדִין בְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה). Not united, but that in those gates appears a light that shines (לָא אִתְאֲחָד, אֶלָּא דְּאִתְחָזֵי בְּאִינּוּן פִּתְחִין נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר). And it is a place prepared at every gate for those righteous among the nations (וְאִיהוּ אֲתָר דְּמִתְתְּקָן בְּכָל פִּתְחָא וּפִתְחָא, לְאִינּוּן חֲסִידֵי דִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין), those who did not do evil to Yisrael (אִינּוּן דְּלָא אַבְאִישׁוּ לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), and dealt with them in truth (וְאִשְׁתָּדָּלוּ עִמְּהוֹן בִּקְשׁוֹט). These stand at these gates, and rest there (אִלֵּין קַיְימֵי בְּאִלֵּין פִּתְחִין, וְנַיְיחֵי תַּמָּן). Some say: from this side and they rest from this side (נ״א: מֵהַאי סִטְרָא וְנַיְיחֵי מֵהַאי סִטְרָא).

At the gate of this palace, in the middle outside (בְּפִתְחָא דְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, לְבַר), are six gates joined in this palace (שִׁית פִּתְחִין דְּמִתְאַחֲדֵי בְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא), and all are joined in it (וְכֻלְּהוּ אַחֲדִין בֵּיהּ). Here are places opened to the side of holy light (הָכָא אִית כַּוִּין פְּתִיחָן, לְסִטְרָא דִּנְהוֹרָא קַדִישָׁא), and these places are prepared for the kings of the nations (וְאִינּוּן דּוּכְתִין מִתְתָּקְנִי לְמַלְכֵי שְׁאַר עַמִּין), those who did not oppress Yisrael (אִינּוּן דְּלָא עָאקוּ לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), and shielded them continually (וְאַגִינוּ עָלַיְיהוּ תָּדִיר).

These have honor for the sake of Yisrael (אִלֵּין אִית לוֹן יְקָר בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and they are satisfied in that darkness in which they sit (וְאִתְהֲנוּ בְּהַהוּא אֲפֵלָה דְּאִינּוּן יַתְבִין), from the light that shines from the side of holiness (מִגּוֹ נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר מִסִּטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה). As it is said: “All the kings of the nations, all of them lie in glory” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר כָּל מַלְכֵי גוֹיִם כֻּלָּם שָׁכְבוּ בְכָבוֹד) (Isaiah 14). But if they oppressed Yisrael or pressed them (וְאִי עָבְדוּ עָאקוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹ דְּחִיקוּ לוֹן), many are those who are seized by them (כַּמָה אִינּוּן דְּאַחְדִּין בְּהוּ), and they are judged below three times a day (וְדַיְינִין לְהוּ לְתַתָּא תְּלַת זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא), from many judgments, one changed from another (מִכַּמָּה דִּינִין מְשַׁנְיָין אִלֵּין מֵאִלֵּין), upon those kings who oppressed them (לְאִינּוּן מַלְכִין דְּעָאקוּ לְהוּ), who are judged in that world with many judgments (דְּאִתְדָּנוּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא בְּכַמָּה דִּינִין). And every day testimony is testified against them, concerning Yisrael and their faith (וְכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא סָהֲדִין סַהֲדוּתָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל מְהֵימְנוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן). And they descend below and are judged there (וְנַחְתֵּי לְתַתָּא וְאִתְדָּנוּ תַּמָּן). Fortunate are Yisrael in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).