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537) The palace of Netzah stands in a higher light than all the first ones. There are four doors to this palace—to the south, to the east, to the north, and to the west—opposite HB TM. At each door is a different appointee.
538) At the first door stands the appointee, Malkiel, ruling over all the writings of the sentences that come out of the King’s courthouse to sentence the world. Two counters are under him, to the right and to the left. Reception of Achoraim de Mochin is called “engraving” or “writing.” Angel Malkiel corrects them to befit the Mochin of the Panim. If he does not correct them, then one who receives them falls to Hell due to the Dinim in them.
539) The writings are given to Malkiel to correct them before they leave the gate outwards and are given to the appointee in the first palace, since from the moment they have been given to the appointee at the first place, they have departed there, and there is no permission to bring them back to correct them.
540) This is so because an appointee of the Sitra Achra immediately comes—the harsh and strong litigator who is merciless, Sangdiel—over the gate in another palace, of the Sitra Achra, who is Hell. There are several instigators of judgment and sentence appointed to roam the world, ready to execute Din.
541) This is why Malkiel is poised to examine verdicts, and two counters, Shamashiel and Kamuel, count to correct the writings. This is so because certain appointees are appointed in those palaces of the Sitra Achra, opposite of those appointees in the palaces of Kedusha, and all the spirits and appointees in the Sitra Achra are to harm.
542) When Sangdiel takes the writing from the appointee who stands at the first door, he opens a door to the side of darkness, which is called a “grave,” being the first two palaces of the Sitra Achra. There are a thousand and ten thousand appointees there, ready to take those writings, and that appointee, Sangdiel, is over them. At that time the heralds come out, several instigators of Din roam the world, and that Din is completed. For this reason, the appointee, Malkiel, is poised to examine the writings and correct the phrases of the writings before they come out of that door. Also, that door is on the south.
A thousand and ten thousand are as it is written, “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right; it shall not approach you.” From the perspective of the Dinim of the mitigated Malchut, it is a thousand, which can be made to fall completely, if one is rewarded. From the perspective of the Dinim de Malchut of the harsh Midat ha Din, it is ten thousand, which cannot be made to fall, but only push away so they do not approach to harm.
543) Life and death depend on the second door because all the writings that come out of the courthouse are signed on that door. Here, when the writings have been properly corrected, Gazriel is working, taking the writings and signing.
544) The appointee who stands by this door is Azriel, and each door is named after the appointee appointed over it. Two are operating under Azriel—Sanuria and Adiel—on the right and on the left. Life depends on the one on the right, and death depends on the one on the left. Two signets are in their hands, a signet of life and a signet of death. If he receives the correction of the middle line, so the Hochma illuminates from below upward, he is signed to life. If not, Midat ha Din de Man’ula awakens on him and he is signed to death.
545) That door is blocked all six days, and on Sabbath and the month-day it opens to show life in the signet on which life depends, for on Sabbath and on month, the signet of life exists in them.
546) On Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement], when Israel stand in prayers and litanies, exerting in the work of their Master, that door is blocked until the afternoon prayer. When the afternoon prayer moves from the courthouse in the palace of merit, a single Avir [air] comes out, the door opens, and the appointee in that palace stands. And those two servants, on the right and on the left, the signets of life and death are in their hands, and all the writings of the courthouse in the world are before them. Then they sign for either life or death. This is the door on the east, the middle line.
547) The third door is a door that is poised to know those to whom the Din will pass—to illnesses, pains, poverty. It is not a Din poised for death. When the gate of that door is closed, the Din of that person is written, and it is reverted only by strong prayer and complete repentance, as it is written, “He closes in on a man and will not be opened.” This door is the left line, from which the Dinim extend. However, they are regarded as illnesses and pains, and there is no death in them. Their healing is in the fourth door, where Malchut who is corrected to receive from below upward is found.
548) The appointee who stands over that door is Kaptziel, to close the door on a person who deserves punishment, so he will not be accepted in a prayer until he repents before his Master.
549) When his sons, who did not sin—the little children—are sentenced, the appointee, Iriel, who serves under Kaptziel, comes out and declares to the left until one flawed spirit awakens—Askara—who was created during the diminution of the moon and stands on the fourth degree in the third palace on the side of Tuma’a. He is appointed over the death of infants, and he appears to them as a woman who raises children. She grips them and kills them.
550) The infant’s soul rises and the appointee elevates her to the appointee who stands over the fourth palace, who rears the souls and plays with them, elevating them to be seen before the holy King each Sabbath and each beginning of month. They appear before Him and are blessed by Him. When the anger governs, the Creator looks at them and takes pity on the world.
551) All the children who did not complete their years—through 13 and one day—are given to the appointee, Iriel. From 13 years to 20 years, they are given to the spirit, Agirison, who comes out of the cunning serpent, the evil inclination, who caused death to the world. From 20 on, a man is sentenced by the courthouse of the place that is called “merit,” the fourth palace. He himself comes to the courthouse and is sentenced for his own iniquities, and he is given to a serpent, the angel of death.
552) This is so because from 20 years down to 13 years, the spirit, Agirison is in him, like a snake that follows him, since he did not take proper care against sin when he was a small child, and saw in him a sign that he would later corrupt. He was taken without permission, as it is written, “There is he who is perished without sentence.” And it is written, “And behold, it was very good,” which is the angel of death, since he rushed to take his soul, before he would later corrupt. The appointee, Kaptziel, who stands over this gate, lets his soul in and elevates it.
553) From 13 years and below, he is sentenced for his father’s sins and is handed over to Askara. The palace of Kedusha is opposite from the palace of the Sitra Achra, one is the opposite of the other, and that door is on the north.
554) The fourth door stands for healing. The appointee, Pdiel, stands in it, from the word, Pidion [redemption]. He is appointed over all the healings in the world, and to admit the prayers of the ones who are in pain, sickness, and grief. He rises with those prayers and brings them in before the Creator.
555) He is an interceding angel, one out of a thousand, since they are a thousand standing by this gate, and Pdiel is one of them. It is written, “He will pardon him and say, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom.’” It is so because he ascends in a prayer and becomes an interceder for the man, mentioning his merit, which he did before the holy King. This one always stands for the better. Hence, all the healings are in this gate on which Pdiel is appointed. That door is to the west, therefore four doors are in that palace, for each has a special role.
556) A spirit called Noga stands and rules over that palace. Every brightness and every craving is in it. That spirit stands for all who have a part in the next world. He crowns those souls with the brightness of glory, so that all those spirits in the other palaces will know that this one belongs in the next world, and she will pass through all the palaces with no one to protest against her.
557) That spirit is purer and clearer than the ones below it. His name is Zahariel, for he is anointed with the oil of the holy ointment, extending from the next world, Bina. He grew and rose out of this oil, and this is a candle, as it is written, “I have set up a candle for my Messiah,” since this is the arrangement to light the candles from below upward when the light that extends from above, from Bina, is on him. It is so because it is set when all those lower ones below are included in him, when the lower palaces rise up to him, and then it is written, “I have set up a candle.”
558) When this spirit is set up and arranged in all those lower ones who rose to it, and it illuminates, it elicits a single light, Ahadiel, included in the spirit, Zahariel. Ahadiel stands below the spirit, Zahariel, to anoint all the ascending souls that have a part in the next world and are worthy of rising.
559) It is so because when the soul rises, she first enters the lower palaces, the palace of the sapphire pavement and the palace of an object of the heaven. She is inscribed in the 22 letters of the Torah that were inscribed in that soul. And when the soul is rewarded with rising to this palace and stands before the spirit, Zahariel, the appointee, Ahadiel, anoints her and she rises and enters the river of fire, and from there she ascends and is offered as a sacrifice, to always stand before Atik Yomin.
560) The light, Ahadiel consists of three lights because the anointing oil, which is the light of Bina that came out of there was included in three colors, which are three lines. When this light sparkles, 22 lights sparkle from it, corresponding to the 22 letters of the Torah inscribed in that soul. Those 22 lights are appointees and attendants who stand with Ahadiel, and they are all named after the light, Ahadiel; they are all included in it. That light, Ahadiel, with all those 22 lights, are included in the spirit, Zahariel, and that spirit is included in Ahadiel, and he looks into settling in the fourth palace.
561) When the spirit, Zahariel, is included in the light, Ahadiel, and when the 22 lights pressure the Zivug de Hakaa to sparkle, a holy animal comes out of them, consisting of two colors—lion and eagle—that have merged into a single form, Ahiel.
562) When the light from the upper spirit, Zahariel, reaches that holy animal, four Ophanim emerge, included with all the colors—ox, eagle, lion, and man, which are called Hadriel, Yahadriel, Ahadoria, and Asimon. They all have eight wings, and they are appointed over all the armies in the heaven that engage in war. This is because there is no war in the world, or that Malchut will be uprooted from her place, until the hosts of the heaven and the stars of the rest of the firmaments all show the wars and quarrels with each other. And those four Ophanim stand over them to the four directions.
563) When those four Ophanim journey to engage in wars, they journey from the palace above, the fourth one, where there is the courthouse called “merit.” They emit several armies and innumerable camps of angels from their sweat, and all stand under those Ophanim.
564) Some of them say poems, and some of them are messengers to the world. Opposite those messengers on the side of Tuma’a, who come out of her third palace, slandering the world in order to harm, those messengers in that palace stand opposite from them so they do not rule over those who engage in Torah, as it is written, “For He will give His angels charge over you to guard you.” It is also written, “They will carry you in their hands lest your foot is hit by a stone.” This is a stumbling stone, an obstacle rock. One of Tuma’a is called “a stumbling stone,” “an obstacle rock,” and one of Kedusha is called “a testing stone,” “a costly cornerstone,” “The Rock of Israel.” Everything stands one opposite the other.
565) From the third palace in the Sitra Achra, out come two spirits of anger and wrath. Out of those two come all the messengers that go to deflect people from the path of truth. They are the ones who stand and rush before a person who is walking toward a road of Mitzvot, in order to obstruct him. Those Ophanim stand opposite them to protect the person so he is not harmed by them. Moses feared those two spirits when he came down from the mountain, as it is written, “For I was in dread of the anger and the wrath.”
566) In the middle of that palace is another place, which stands up above in four doors to the four directions. There are ten appointees over each door, and one appointee over them. That appointee is included in the light, Ahadiel, and those are Ophan [singular of Ophanim] within Ophan, interwoven in one another.
567) Those 40 appointees receive Din from the palace of merit, to strike that soul who sinned, and they should beat her. They stand in flames of fire of those souls and fly out of that palace, striking that soul. The soul stands outside, rebuked, during all those days that she was sentenced, and does not enter the curtain, the partition of the palace.
568) Those 40 appointees stand and rebuke, and cast boycotts of all those who have uttered a needless word, and promptly uttered a holy word of Torah, defiling their mouths with it. They stand and excommunicate them, and they remain in that boycott for 40 days, their prayer unaccepted.
569) It is likewise with all those who sinned sins for which they must be reprimanded. Ten heralds come out each day, declaring through all the firmaments and all the armies, and all the camps of angels, “Beware of so and so, for he is rebuked for so and so sin that he committed,” until he repents before his Master.
570) When he repents that sin, those 40 appointees gather and release him from that reproach. Then they declare about him, “The reproach has been released from so and so.” Henceforth, the prayer enters. But as long as he did not repent, he is rebuked above and below, and the keeping from his Master is removed from him. Even at night, when his soul departs and wishes to come up, his soul is rebuked, all the gates of heaven are blocked before her, she does not rise, and she is repelled outside.
571) When that Ophan, appointed over those 40 appointees, travels, he reaches a place called “the runners’ chamber.” When he enters, the 40 appointees over the four doors enter with him and raise all those gold shields. These are angels that are called HASHMALIM, and they are shields, and swords, and spears that run to protect Israel from the rest of the nations, to wage war against them, and to avenge them timely, without delay.
572) This is why it is called “the runners’ chamber,” a place where they run, since they run and rush to fight and avenge vengeances. They correspond to other runners, who run to harm and weaken man’s fortunes to govern them, as it is written, “The runners left in haste.” There are runners from the side of Kedusha, and there are runners from the side of the Sitra Achra. Because of them, either “And the city of Shushan shouted and rejoiced” or “And the city of Shushan was perplexed.” If the runners of Kedusha here are first, the city of Shushan rejoices. If the runners of the Sitra Achra are first, the city of Shushan is perplexed.
573) In the palace, they stand opposite one another, Kedusha opposite the Sitra Achra. This is why the runners here protect everything. When they ascend and integrate with one another, one Avir comes out from above and they all become one shield, as it is written, “I am a shield to you.”
574) The 12 wheels turning in this palace are called “seraphim” in two colors, white and red, Rachamim and Din. They are always poised to watch over the sorrowful, whom the rest of the nations afflict and oppress. They are called “windows,” as it is written, “Watching over through the windows.”
575) They stand to observe those who pray their prayer, and come early to the synagogue [house of gathering] to be counted among the first ten. Then the seraphim rise up and write them above because the first ten are considered their friends, as it is written, “Friends are listening to your voice, let me hear it.”
576) Happy are the righteous who know how to set up their prayer properly because when that prayer begins to rise, those angels rise along with that prayer and enter the firmaments and palaces up to the gate to the upper door, and a prayer enters to be crowned before the King.
577) All those who pray prayers and sanctify their Master wholeheartedly, that prayer should elicit from the thought and by the will of speech and spirit. Then the name of the Creator is sanctified, and when the prayer reaches the angels, who are friends, they all take the prayer and go with it up to the seventh palace, to the door that is there. Those angels praise the Creator when Israel pray prayers and sanctify to the Creator. At daytime, they are the appointees during the day, who were appointed to praise along with the people of Israel, to be friends with them. At night, they are friends to those other ones, who say poems at night.
578) It is written, “He who robs his father and his mother and says, ‘There is no transgression,’ he is a friend of a man who destroys.” This is so because he prevents blessings from the Creator, who is his father, as it is written, “Ask your father and he will tell you.” It is also written, “Your father will be glad.”
579) “He is a friend of a man who destroys.” This “Man who destroys” flawed the moon, Malchut. The Sitra Achra, who is called “a capricious man,” “a slanderer,” “a hunter,” “a man of the field.” This is a man who destroys because he prevents blessings from the world. Here, too, one who prevents blessings from the world is a friend of a man who destroys because a man should bless the Creator and pray a proper prayer, to sanctify His holy name, and connect to those holy friends, the angels. One should not blemish his prayer because if he blemishes his prayer he will prevent blessings from the world and bond with a friend who is a man who destroys, preventing blessings from the world and causing everyone death.
580) It is written, “And joins a friend.” That friend is one who follows the Sitra Achra and does magic, drawing over himself an impure spirit, bonding in the bonding of the bad friend, and being in a bond with that friend, the man who destroys. He is called “a friend” because when a person is born, the Sitra Achra bonds with him, the evil inclination, and he is always friends with him. Afterwards the friend turns for him into a man who destroys.
581) And so there is a good friend on the side of Kedusha, on the right side, who does good to a person in this world and in the next world. Those angel friends always stand by a person in a bonding to save him and protect him, to be friends with him, to sanctify the name of their Master, and to always sing and praise before Him.
582) Four other pillars in two colors come out of those 12 seraphim in two colors, adjacent to those 12 seraphim. They are friends. Those four pillars stand one opposite the other, advising how to harm the righteous, though they are not yet doing, and rising and notifying the matter above, canceling that counsel. They are called Erelim [angels]. And although they are all appointed to it, still, each one was appointed and given charge over certain specific things. And under those, there are innumerable angels.
583) Those four Erelim stand toward the four directions, each one standing to watch over Israel. They are called “slits,” as it is written, “Peering through the slits.” Also, the 12 seraphim are called “windows.” The names of the slits are Iga’al, Iriah, Ariel, and Yahirael. Iga’al stands to the east, to watch over those who do good deeds, and all who think thoughts of Mitzva, even though they cannot perform.
584) Iriah stands to the south, watching over those comforting the poor, or whose heart is aching for him although they cannot give to him, and to those who walk on the path of Mitzva, and those who do Hesed unto the dead and keep a true Hesed. He is appointed on mentioning him above and engraving his form above, bringing him to the next world.
585) Ariel stands to the north, watching over those who contemplate doing harm but did not, or who wished to sin and came to commit the sin, but prevailed over their inclination and did not.
586) Yahirael stands to the west, watching over those who engage in Torah, bringing their sons to their teacher’s house to engage in Torah, and over all those who examine the sick in the house where he is ill. They watch over him and notify him that he should look into his sins and works, and repent them before his Master, since anyone who is looking at a sick person, if he examines his works and repents before the Creator, he causes him to be saved and for his spirit to be returned to him.
587) It is written about it, “Happy is he who educates the poor; the Lord will save him in the day of evil.” “In the day of evil” means in the day when evil rules, to take his soul. “Happy is he who educates the poor” is a sick one, as it is written, “Why are you so poor, O son of the king?” For this reason, “The Lord will save him in the day of evil.” Those are those who look at a sick one to return him to the Creator in repentance for his sins. Angel Yahirael stands in that palace, to watch over him. In a day when Din is on the world, he will escape it, as it is written, “The Lord will save him in the day of evil.” In the day when the Din is given to that evil one, the angel of death, to rule over him, “The Lord will save him,” and all those four Erelim are standing to watch over, which is why they are called “slits.”
588) On Rosh Hashanah [New Year’s Day], when the Creator stands in Din over the world and the Sitra Achra comes to slander, all 12 seraphim and four Erelim gather and stand before the Creator. They crown themselves and stand before the Creator. At that time, it is written, “Watching over through the windows, peering through the slits.” “Peering,” since he is peeping through a thin place, seeing and not seeing all that he needs to. “Watching over through the windows,” the place of watching, opening doors to have mercy on all. When the Creator watches over the world, He looks through those windows and those slits and takes pity on all.
589) When Israel blow the Shofar [a ram’s horn blown to make a special trumpet sound] and a voice awakens from below—coming out of the Shofar, which consists of fire, water, and wind, and everything turns into sound to evoke the upper sound, ZA, emerging from the Shofar, Bina, which likewise consists of fire, water, and wind, three lines—the herald comes out and declares in all the firmaments, saying, “The voice of my beloved, behold, he is coming.” And he says, “Watching over through the windows, peering through the slits.”
590) Then everyone knows that the Creator has pity over Israel, and they say, “Happy are Israel, for they have a counsel in the earth, to blow the Shofar to evoke mercy above.” Then it is written, “Happy is the people that knows the shout,” who break the shout, a harsh Din in which everyone is sentenced. Happy are Israel in this world and in the next world because they know the ways of the Creator and know how to walk in His ways and to properly unify the unification.
591) Those windows, the seraphim, and those slits, the Erelim, are all poised to unite all the prayers that rise from below upward, to watch over them and to bring them before the Creator. Therefore, any synagogue in which there are no windows is not a place in which to pray properly.
592) The synagogue below corresponds to the synagogue above. The synagogue above has windows and likewise below. This is because above, in the great synagogue, the palace, there are 12 high windows, 12 seraphim. Likewise in the lower synagogue. It all stands one opposite the other because the worlds stand one opposite the other, imprinted from one another, and all that is in the seal, exists in what is imprinted from it, and the Creator rises in His glory in everything. For this reason, “The Lord will save him in the day of evil,” meaning that when the evil side rules, the Lord will save him through the windows and slits.
593) Likewise, the appointee, Yahirael stands over those who are merciful toward the poor, as it is written, “Happy is he who educates the poor.” Poor means meager, which is why everything is in this palace, and this palace is included in the fourth palace, where there are the decrees and judgments for all. Happy is he who knows the secrets of his Master, to unify Him, and to always sanctify the name of his Master, to reward him in this world and in the next world.
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