There are three orders (of singers) arrayed on each one of the four sides of the world, and each order again is subdivided into three sub-orders. l’he first order on the East contains thus three orders each with three sub-orders, amounting altogether to nine, each of which comprises thousands and tens of thousands of angels.
All these nine orders are guided by a signal of engraved letters to which they constantly look up The same procedure is followed by the rest of the orders, all of whom are similarly guided by engraved letters. Furthermore, they are arrayed in a series of ranks one above the other, all of them chanting praises in unison; and when those letters soar high in the air the chief of them gives the command and a melodious chanting is raised. Then one letter flies up from the lower world, rising and descending, until two letters fly down to meet it; they then join together into a group of three, corresponding to the letters YHV,which are the three letters within the “illuminating mirror”.
The two supernal letters which rise aloft are intertwined the one within the other, expressing the union of mercy and severity. Hence they are two, and are of the upper world, symbolising the male principle. On the other hand, the one that ascended from below and joined them symbolises the female principle, and thus is embraced by the two, in the same way as the female is embraced by two arms, the right and the left, so that a unity is formed which is both male and female. For when the world was created it was the supernal letters that brought into being all the works of the lower world, literally after their own pattern. Hence, whoever has a knowledge of them and is observant of them is beloved both on high and below.’
R. Simeon said: ‘All these letters consist of male and female merging together into one union, symbolical of the upper waters and the lower waters, which also form one union. This is the type of perfect unity. Hence, whoever has a knowledge of them and is observant of them, happy is his portion in this world and in the world to come; as therein is contained the root principle of true and perfect unity. Now, the three orders on each side act in perfect unison, being truly symbolical of the supernal order.
The second order on the South consists also of three orders each with three sub-orders, forming a total of nine, as said above. As for the letters, they are distributed on all the sides, so as to become united later, inasmuch as there are letters of the female principle and letters of the male principle, the two classes of which come together to form a unity symbolical of the mystery of the complete divine Name.
The third order on the North also comprises three orders each with three sub-orders, amounting to nine. The total number of orders on all three sides thus amounts to twenty-seven, corresponding to the twenty-seven letters, inclusive of the five final letters. These twenty-seven letters distributed over the three sides consist of nine letters of the female principle which join and become united with the other eighteen letters, as has been explained, all being carried out in proper order.
Observe that after the pattern of the supernal letters there are other letters here below, the upper letters being large ones and the lower letters small ones, but both of the same pattern. And they both contain the mystery of the male principle and the female principle, which together form a perfect unity.’
תְּלַת (נדפס פקודי רכ"ח ע"א) סִדְּרִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְכָל סְטַר לְד' סִטְרֵי עַלְמָא, וּבְכָל סִדְּרָא וְסִדְּרָא דְּאִיהִי לְכָל סְטַר, תְּלַת סִדְּרִין אָחֳרָנִין. סִדְּרָא קַדְמָאָה דְלִסְטַר מִזְרָח, תְּלַת סִדְרִין אִינוּן. וְאִינוּן תִּשְׁעָה סִדְּרִין, בְּגִין דְּכָל סִדְּרָא מֵאִינוּן תְּלַת, אִית לֵיהּ תְּלַת סִדְּרִין, וְאִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ דְּאִינוּן תִּשְׁעָה, וְכַמָּה אֶלֶף וְרִבְבָן תְּחוֹתַיְיהוּ.
There are three orders (of singers) arrayed on each one of the four sides of the world, and each order again is subdivided into three sub-orders. l’he first order on the East contains thus three orders each with three sub-orders, amounting altogether to nine, each of which comprises thousands and tens of thousands of angels.
הַנֵּי סִדְּרִין תִּשְׁעָה, כּוּלְהוּ מִתְנַהֲגֵי בְּאַתְוָון רְשִׁימָן, וְכָל סִדְּרָא אִסְתְּכֵי לְאִינוּן אַתְוָון רְשִׁימָן, (ס"א והא אוקמוה וכן לכל סדרא וסדרא, וכלהו נטלי באתוון רשימין ואלין עלאי מאלין וקיימאן אלין על אלין) וּמִתְחַבְּרָן כֻּלְּהוּ, וְאָמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא. וְכַד אִינוּן אַתְוָון פָּרְחֵי גּוֹ אֲוִירָא דְּרוּחָא (ההוא) דִּמְמַנָּא עַל כֹּלָּא, כְּדֵין אִינוּן נָטְלֵי, וְשִׁירָתָא אִתְבַּסַּם, וְחַד אָת אִתְבַּטַּשׁ מִתַּתָּא. וְהַהוּא אָת סָלְקָא וְנָחֲתָא וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון פָּרְחֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְהַאי אָת מִתַּתָּא, סָלְקָא סִדְּרָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא וְאִתְחַבַּר בְּהוּ, וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ תְּלַת אַתְוָון, כֻּלְּהוּ לְפוּם אַתְוָון יה"ו, דְּאִינוּן תְּלַת גּוֹ אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא הַמְאִירָה. מֵאִילֵּין אִתְפָּרְשׁוּ תְּלַת סִדְּרִין וְאִינוּן תְּרֵין אָתְוָון, וְהַהוּא אָת דְּסָלְקָא, מִתְחַבְּרָא עִמְּהוֹן וְאִינוּן תְּלַת.
All these nine orders are guided by a signal of engraved letters to which they constantly look up The same procedure is followed by the rest of the orders, all of whom are similarly guided by engraved letters. Furthermore, they are arrayed in a series of ranks one above the other, all of them chanting praises in unison; and when those letters soar high in the air the chief of them gives the command and a melodious chanting is raised. Then one letter flies up from the lower world, rising and descending, until two letters fly down to meet it; they then join together into a group of three, corresponding to the letters YHV,which are the three letters within the “illuminating mirror”.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אִינוּן תְּרֵין אָתְוָון עִלָּאִין, דְּסָלְקִין בַּאֲוִירָא, אִינוּן כְּלִילָן דָּא בְּדָא, רַחֲמֲי בְּדִינָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִינוּן תְּרֵין, וְאִינוּן מֵעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה בְּרָזָא דִדְכוּרָא, וְהַאי דְסַלְקָא וְאִתְחַבְּרָא עִמְּהוֹן אִיהִי נוּקְבָא, וְאִתְכְּלִילַת בְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ. כְּגַוְונָא דְּנוּקְבָא אִתְכְּלִילַת בִּתְרֵי סִטְרֵי, בִּימִינָא וּבִשְׂמָאלָא, וְאִתְחַבְּרַת בְּהוּ, הָכִי נָמֵי הַאי אָת נוּקְבָא, דְּאִתְחַבְּרַת בִּתְרֵי אַתְוָון אָחֳרָנִין, וְאִינוּן בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין, אִלֵּין עִלָּאִין, וְדָא לְתַתָּא, וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ חַד, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. (בר) דְּכַד אִתְבְּרֵי עַלְמָא, דְּאִינוּן אַתְוָון מֵעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה נִינְהוּ, דְּאִינוּן אוֹלִידוּ כָּל עוֹבָדִין לְתַתָּא, כְּגַוְּונָא דִּלְהוֹן מַמָּשׁ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ מַאן דְּיָדַע לוֹן וְאִזְדְּהַר בְּהוּ, רָחִים לְעֵילָא וּרָחִים לְתַתָּא.
The two supernal letters which rise aloft are intertwined the one within the other, expressing the union of mercy and severity. Hence they are two, and are of the upper world, symbolising the male principle. On the other hand, the one that ascended from below and joined them symbolises the female principle, and thus is embraced by the two, in the same way as the female is embraced by two arms, the right and the left, so that a unity is formed which is both male and female. For when the world was created it was the supernal letters that brought into being all the works of the lower world, literally after their own pattern. Hence, whoever has a knowledge of them and is observant of them is beloved both on high and below.’
רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, אִלֵּין אַתְוָון כֻּלְּהוּ, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, לְאִתְכְּלָלָא כְּחֲדָא בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִין עִלָּאִין וּמַיִין תַּתָּאִין, וְכֹלָּא חַד, וְדָא אִיהוּ יִחוּדָא שְׁלִים. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, מַאן דְּיָדַע לְהוּ, וְאִזְדְּהַר בְּהוּ, זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ חוּלָקֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ עִקָּרָא דְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. תְּלַת תְּלַת מִסִּטְרָא דָא וּמִסִּטְרָא דָא, בְּיִחוּדָא חָדָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא. וְכֻלְּהוּ רָזָא דְסִדְּרָא עִלָּאָה כְּדְקָא חָזֵי, כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא, דְּהַהוּא סִדְּרָא תְּלַת תְּלַת בְּרָזָא חָדָא.
R. Simeon said: ‘All these letters consist of male and female merging together into one union, symbolical of the upper waters and the lower waters, which also form one union. This is the type of perfect unity. Hence, whoever has a knowledge of them and is observant of them, happy is his portion in this world and in the world to come; as therein is contained the root principle of true and perfect unity. Now, the three orders on each side act in perfect unison, being truly symbolical of the supernal order.
סִדְּרָא תִּנְיָינָא דְּלִסְטַר דָּרוֹם, תְּלַת סִדְּרִין אִינוּן לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא. וְכָל סִדְּרָא וְסִדְּרָא תְּלַת תְּלַת, וְאִינוּן תִּשְׁעָה, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר. וְאַתְוָון אִתְפְּלָגוּ הָכִי. לְכָל סִטְרֵי, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא כֹּלָּא כְּחַד, בְּגִין דְּאִית אַתְוָון בְּרָזָא דְנוּקְבָא, וְאַתְוָון בְּרָזָא דִדְכוּרָא, וְאִתְחַבָּרוּ כֻּלְּהוּ כְּחֲדָא, וְהֲווּ חַד בְּרָזָא דִשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא שְׁלִים. וּלְגַבַּיְיהוּ סִדְּרִין מְמַנָּן תְּלַת תְּלַת, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר. וְכֹלָּא נַפְקָא מִסִּדְּרָא דְּאֲבָהָן דִּלְעֵילָא, כְּסִדְּרָא דְּאִתְתַּקְּנָא אַתְוָון דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא יה"ו, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר. הַנֵּי סִדְּרִין כֻּלְּהוּ, מִתְנַהֲגֵי בְּאִלֵּין אַתְוָון יְדִיעָן, וְנַטְלֵי בְּהוּ, וְכַמָּה חֵילִין וְרִבְוָון כֻּלְּהוּ לְתַתָּא, דְּנָטְלֵי וְאִתְנַהֲגֵי בְּסִדְּרָא דָא.
The second order on the South consists also of three orders each with three sub-orders, forming a total of nine, as said above. As for the letters, they are distributed on all the sides, so as to become united later, inasmuch as there are letters of the female principle and letters of the male principle, the two classes of which come together to form a unity symbolical of the mystery of the complete divine Name.
סִדְּרָא תְּלִיתָאָה דְּלִסְטַר צָפוֹן, בִּתְלַת סִדְּרִין אִינוּן לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא, וְאִינוּן תִּשְׁעָה. וּבִתְלַת סִטְרִין תְּלַת תְּלַת לְכָל סְטַר אִינוּן תִּשְׁעָה, וְאִינוּן סִדְרִין מִתְּלַת סִטְרִין כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר.
The third order on the North also comprises three orders each with three sub-orders, amounting to nine. The total number of orders on all three sides thus amounts to twenty-seven, corresponding to the twenty-seven letters, inclusive of the five final letters. These twenty-seven letters distributed over the three sides consist of nine letters of the female principle which join and become united with the other eighteen letters, as has been explained, all being carried out in proper order.
שִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים, בְּרָזָא דְאַתְוָון דְּאִינוּן שִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִין. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינוּן תְּרֵין וְעֶשְׂרִין, שְׁלִימוּ דְּאַתְוָון אִינוּן שִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִין. וְהָכִי סִדּוּרָא דְּסִדְּרִין אִלֵּין. שִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִין לִתְלַת תְּלַת סִדְּרִין לְכָל סְטַר. וְאִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ אִלֵּין ג' מֵהַאי סִטְרָא דְּאִינוּן ט', וְאִלֵּין תְּלַת מֵהַאי סִטְרָא דְּאִינוּן תִּשְׁעָה, וְאִלֵּין תְּלַת דְּהַאי סִטְרָא דְּאִינוּן תִּשְׁעָה. אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ כֻּלְּהוּ שִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִין.
Observe that after the pattern of the supernal letters there are other letters here below, the upper letters being large ones and the lower letters small ones, but both of the same pattern. And they both contain the mystery of the male principle and the female principle, which together form a perfect unity.’
וְרָזָא דְאִלֵּין שִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִין, אִינוּן תִּשְׁעָה אַתְוָון (אינון) דְּאִינוּן בְּרָזָא דְנוּקְבֵי, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּהוּ נוּקְבָא, עִם אִינוּן תְּמַנֵי סָרֵי סִטְרֵי אָחֳרָנִין, בְּרָזָא דְּאִתָּמַר (נ"א דדכר), וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ כְּדְקָא חָזֵי.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִינוּן אַתְוָון עִלָּאִין דְּעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה, הָכִי נָמֵי אַתְוָון אָחֳרָנִין לְתַתָּא. אַתְוָון עִלָאִין רַבְרְבִין, וְאַתְוָון תַּתָּאִין זְעִירִין, וְכֹלָּא דָא כְּגַוְונָא דָא, וְכָל הַנֵּי רָזִין, בְּרָזָא דִּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָא, כֹּלָּא חַד בִּשְׁלִימוּ.