וּכְתִיב (תהילים נ״ה:י״ח) עֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר וְצָהֳרַיִם וְגוֹ', הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמַר, אֲבָל הָכָא עִדָּן עִדָנִין הוּא דִּצְלוֹתָא דְּכָל יוֹמָא. וְחַבְרַיָּיא אִתְּעָרוּ בְּהָנֵי תְּלַת זִמְנִין. עֶרֶב, דָּא הִיא אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָאה דְּלָא נָהֲרָא. וָבֹקֶר, דָּא הִיא אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָאה דְּנָהֲרָא. וְצָהֳרַיִם, (לאו האי אתר דאקרי חשך, אלא אתר איהו דקיימא בין האי להאי, אבל זמנא דצלותא דמנחה) אֲתָר דְּאִתְקְרֵי חֹשֶׁךְ אִיהוּ, דְּאָחִיד בַּעֶרֶב, וְקַיְּימָא דָּא עִם דָּא.
It is written: “Morning and evening and at noon will I pray and cry aloud ” (Ps. 55, 17). We have referred on another occasion to this verse. It speaks of three seasons for prayer, and the companions have interpreted the significance of the three times in the following way’ “Evening” is the mirror which has no radiance, “morning” the radiant mirror, while “noon” is symbolic of a place which should properly be called “darkness”, because it adjoins the evening, only it is designated by the very opposite by a certain elegance of language,
just as, on occasion, black is called white, while sometimes white is called black; we read, for instance, of Moses’ wife that she was black (Num. 12, 1), and Israel are compared to the Aethiopians (Amos 9, 7).
The evening prayer is not obligatory, and there is no fixed time for it, because the evening is influenced by the “other side”, which is dark and rules by night. The limbs and fatty portions of sacrifices used to be burnt on the altar in the evening, and from that moment numbers of groups of demons which issue and have sway by night receive their nourishment.
It may be said, have we not been taught that the messengers of the “other side”, of the spirit of impurity, had by rights no power in the Holy Land, and so if by this means the Israelites were to rouse them, would they not be doing something forbidden?
The answer would be that the smoke of those parts was wont to ascend, not as the smoke of other sacrifices, which did ascend in a straight line heavenward: for these fumes rose and dispersed into a cavern in the North, where dwell all the hosts of evil spirits, and when the smoke arose, as we have said, as it floated upward in a crooked line towards that place, all those malevolent beings would feed on it, and so would remain where they were, dispersing not throughout the earth.
One particular evil spirit was appointed over the others in that northerly cavern: his name was Synegoria,1‘ Lit. “advocacy, justification” Perhaps a corruption for Sangorin (frorr. sanguis), “bloodthirsty”. and when the smoke began to ascend crookedly and to draw near, he and sixty thousand myriads of other spirits would rise up to meet it in order to imbibe nourishment therefrom. They would stand within their cavern and then pass through the door called “keri” (lit. defilement). It is to this door that there is an allusion in the words, “If ye walk contumaciously (in keri) unto me, then will I also walk contumaciously unto you” (Lev. 27, 24, 25); that is, the wrath and anger which come out from that door called Keri will be wreaked on those who walk contumaciously.
These are the spirits who roam about by night. When the souls of the righteous emerge from the earth into the upper spaces in order to ascend heavenward, these same spirits also appear and contend with them, in order to prevent them from reaching and entering their heavenly habitation and rest. And, indeed, they bar the way to all save only the souls of the most supreme saints, which break through all firmaments and aethers until they reach the highest sphere. The demoniac hosts speak Iying words to the children of men, disguising themselves in other forms, and seducing them till they defile themselves.
But at the time when the limbs and the fat of the offerings were burnt, the smoke provided them a full repast of the kind suited to their station, and being busy with this they forgot to come forth and roam about the Holy Land.
Now the evening prayer, as I have said, is not obligatory, because these bands of demons participate in the dominion of the night, and only Jacob was able to fix it.
However, although the evening prayer is not legally obligatory, yet it has a protective influence against the terrors of the night, against the fear of Gehenna, for at night the wicked receive a punishment double that which is executed upon them by day. Therefore the Israelites introduce the evening prayer for weekdays with the verses: “And he is merciful, he forgiveth iniquity, and destroyeth not: yea, many a time he turneth his anger away, and doth not stir up all his wrath” (Ps. 78, 28). This is recited because of the fear of Gehenna. But on Sabbath, when there is no fear of the punishment of Gehenna nor of any judgement, one may not recite these verses lest he thus awaken the evil spirits, causing them to appear and become active.
To counteract the fear of the accuser and slanderer of souls we conclude the Hashkibenu prayer (“Cause us, O Lord, to lie down in peace”) with the words: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who guardest Thy people Israel for ever. Amen”. To counteract the fear of the many devils and accusers which are present in the night and have power to injure anyone who leaves his house at that time, we say: “Guard our going out and our coming in unto life and unto peace.”
From the fear of all these things we deliver in trust our bodies, souls and spirits to Heaven above, to the Supernal Kingdom which has dominion over all of them. Therefore we recite every night the evening prayers, performing all this to counteract the mysterious influences of the evil spirits now that there are no sacrifices to keep them at bay.
At midnight, when the north wind awakens, it beats against all the abodes of those malevolent spirits, cracking in twain a gigantic mighty rock, the stronghold of the “other side”, and rushes about everywhere, both above and below; and all the evil demons return to their places, for their power is then broken and they have no influence. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden to have joyous fellowship with the righteous, as has been related before.
When morning comes, the light of the lamp which rules the midnight hours hides before the light of the day. The morning has now full sway and dominion and the reign of the night is past. This is the morning of primaeval light, the morning which sheds beneficence throughout all the worlds. From it all celestial and terrestrial beings imbibe nourishment. It waters the Garden with supernal dews. It guards the whole Universe.
Here is a mystery which is entrusted to “those who know the measures” of things spiritual. He who has to set out on a journey in the morning should rise at break of day and at a certain specially ordained moment turn and look towards the east. He will then behold a kind of letters which break through the surface of the sky, some ascending and some descending. These are flashed forth from those letters with which the heavens and the earth were created.
If the watcher is cognizant of the mystery of the letters which form the mystic Holy Name of forty-two letters, and if he should in this hour be mindful of them with devout intent, with a loving heart, then will he behold in the luminous heaven six Yods, three upon the right side and three upon the left; also three Vaus, which ascend and descend and sparkle in the firmament. These are the number of the initial letters of the words of the priestly blessing. He should then say his morning prayers and set forth upon his journey, because, verily, the Shekinah Herself goes before him; happy is his lot!
When morning arrives, a mysterious pillar appears in the South, in that portion of the firmament beneath which the Garden of Eden is stretched: this is a different pillar from the one which is in the midst of the Garden. The pillar set in the South flashes with the brightness of three colours, purple-woven. On that pillar there is a branch, on which three birds sit, chirping hymns of praise.
וּכְתִיב (תהילים נ״ה:י״ח) עֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר וְצָהֳרַיִם וְגוֹ', הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמַר, אֲבָל הָכָא עִדָּן עִדָנִין הוּא דִּצְלוֹתָא דְּכָל יוֹמָא. וְחַבְרַיָּיא אִתְּעָרוּ בְּהָנֵי תְּלַת זִמְנִין. עֶרֶב, דָּא הִיא אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָאה דְּלָא נָהֲרָא. וָבֹקֶר, דָּא הִיא אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָאה דְּנָהֲרָא. וְצָהֳרַיִם, (לאו האי אתר דאקרי חשך, אלא אתר איהו דקיימא בין האי להאי, אבל זמנא דצלותא דמנחה) אֲתָר דְּאִתְקְרֵי חֹשֶׁךְ אִיהוּ, דְּאָחִיד בַּעֶרֶב, וְקַיְּימָא דָּא עִם דָּא.
It is written: “Morning and evening and at noon will I pray and cry aloud ” (Ps. 55, 17). We have referred on another occasion to this verse. It speaks of three seasons for prayer, and the companions have interpreted the significance of the three times in the following way’ “Evening” is the mirror which has no radiance, “morning” the radiant mirror, while “noon” is symbolic of a place which should properly be called “darkness”, because it adjoins the evening, only it is designated by the very opposite by a certain elegance of language,
וּמַה דְּאִתְּמַר צָהֳרַיִם, דְּאִיהוּ תּוּקְפָּא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא. לִישָׁנָא מַעַלְיָא נָקַט. וְהָכִי אִיהוּ אָרְחָא, לְבַר נָשׁ אוּכָם, קָרָאן לֵיהּ חִוָּור, וְלִישָׁנָא מַעַלְיָא נָקַט, וּלְזִמְנִין לְחִוָּור קָרָאן לֵיהּ אוּכָם, דִּכְתִּיב, (במדבר י״ב:א׳) כִּי אִשָּׁה כּוּשִׁית לָקָח (עמוס ט׳:ז׳) הֲלֹא כִבְנֵי כוּשִׁיִּים אַתֶּם לִי וְגוֹ'.
just as, on occasion, black is called white, while sometimes white is called black; we read, for instance, of Moses’ wife that she was black (Num. 12, 1), and Israel are compared to the Aethiopians (Amos 9, 7).
עֶרֶב דָּא, צְלוֹתָא דְּעַרְבִית. וּבְגִין דִּבְעֶרֶב דָּא אִתְעֲרָב בֵּיהּ סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, דְּחָשִׁיךְ נְהוֹרֵיהּ, וְשָׁלְטָא בְּלֵילְיָא, שַׁוּוּ לֵיהּ רְשׁוּת, וְלֵית לֵיהּ זְמַן קָבֻעַ, (קמ"א ע"א, קס"ב ע"א) אֵמוּרִין וּפְדָרִין מִתְאַכְּלִין בְּהַאי זִמְנָא, וּמִכָּאן אִתְּזָנוּ כַּמָּה חֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין, דְּנָפְקִין וְשַׁלְטִין בְּלֵילְיָא.
The evening prayer is not obligatory, and there is no fixed time for it, because the evening is influenced by the “other side”, which is dark and rules by night. The limbs and fatty portions of sacrifices used to be burnt on the altar in the evening, and from that moment numbers of groups of demons which issue and have sway by night receive their nourishment.
וְאִי תֵּימָא, אִי הָכִי, הָא תָּנִינָן, דְּכָל אִינּוּן מָארֵי סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דְּרוּחַ מִסְאֳבָא, לָא שַׁלְטֵי (ק"מ ע"ב) בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְהָא מִתְעָרֵי לוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַאי, וְאָסִיר לְאִתְּעָרָא לוֹן לְשַׁרְיָא עַל אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא.
It may be said, have we not been taught that the messengers of the “other side”, of the spirit of impurity, had by rights no power in the Holy Land, and so if by this means the Israelites were to rouse them, would they not be doing something forbidden?
אֶלָּא בְּלֵילְיָא, הַהוּא תְּנָנָא סָלִיק, וְלָא סָלִיק כְּגַוְונָא דְּקָרְבְּנָא אַחֲרָא, דְּהֲוָה סָלִיק תְּנָנָא בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, וְהָכָא הֲוָה סָלִיק הַהוּא תְּנָנָא לְחָד נוּקְבָּא דְּצָפוֹן, דְּתַמָּן כָּל מָדוֹרִין דְּרוּחִין בִּישִׁין, וְכֵיוָן דְּהַהוּא תְּנָנָא סָלִיק (קמ"א ע"א, רמ"ב ע"ב) וְעָקִים אֹרַח לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווֹ מִתְזָנִין וְקַיְימִין וְעָאלִין בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ, וְלָא הֲווֹ נָפְקִין וְשַׁלְטִין בְּעָלְמָא.
The answer would be that the smoke of those parts was wont to ascend, not as the smoke of other sacrifices, which did ascend in a straight line heavenward: for these fumes rose and dispersed into a cavern in the North, where dwell all the hosts of evil spirits, and when the smoke arose, as we have said, as it floated upward in a crooked line towards that place, all those malevolent beings would feed on it, and so would remain where they were, dispersing not throughout the earth.
חַד מְמָנָא קַיְּימָא לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא, עַל הַהוּא נוּקְבָּא דְּצָפוֹן, בְּכָל אִינּוּן חֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין, סַנְגִירְיָ"א שְׁמֵיהּ, וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּהַהוּא תְּנָנָא עָקִים אָרְחֵיהּ וְסָלִיק, הַאי מְמָנָא וְשִׁתִּין אֶלֶף רִבּוֹא מַשְׁרְיָין אַחֲרָנִין, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעַתְּדָן לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ, וּלְאַתְּזְנָא מִנֵּיהּ, וְקַיְימִין בְּהַהוּא נוּקְבָּא, וְעָאלִין בְּחַד פִּתְחָא דְּאִקְרֵי קֶרִי, וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב, (ויקרא כ״ו:כ״ח) וְאִם תֵּלְכוּ עִמִּי קֶרִי וְגוֹ', וּכְתִיב, וְהָלַכְתִּי עִמָּכֶם בַּחֲמַת קֶרִי, בְּהַהוּא רוּגְזָא דְּנָפִיק מִפִּתְחָא דְּקֶרִי.
One particular evil spirit was appointed over the others in that northerly cavern: his name was Synegoria,1‘ Lit. “advocacy, justification” Perhaps a corruption for Sangorin (frorr. sanguis), “bloodthirsty”. and when the smoke began to ascend crookedly and to draw near, he and sixty thousand myriads of other spirits would rise up to meet it in order to imbibe nourishment therefrom. They would stand within their cavern and then pass through the door called “keri” (lit. defilement). It is to this door that there is an allusion in the words, “If ye walk contumaciously (in keri) unto me, then will I also walk contumaciously unto you” (Lev. 27, 24, 25); that is, the wrath and anger which come out from that door called Keri will be wreaked on those who walk contumaciously.
וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן דִּמְשַׁטְּטֵי בְּלֵילְיָא, (רס"ד ע"א, רס"ז ע"א) וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּנִשְׁמָתִין נָפְקִין לְסַלְּקָא, לְאִתְחֲזָאָה לְעֵילָּא, אִינּוּן נָפְקִין, וּמְקַטְרְגָן לוֹן, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְסַלְּקָא וּלְאִתְחֲזָאָה לְעֵילָּא, בַּר אִינּוּן חֲסִידֵי קַדִּישִׁין עֶלְיוֹנִים, דְּאִינּוּן בַּקְעִין רְקִיעִים וַאֲוִירִים וְסַלְּקִין. וְאִלֵּין חֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין נָפְקִין, וּמוֹדִיעִין מִלִּין כְּדִיבִין לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא, וְאִתְחַזְּיָין לוֹן בְּדִיּוּקְנִין אַחֲרָנִין, וְחַיְיכָאן בְּהוּ, עַד דְּאוֹשְׁדִין זַרְעָא, וְאִקְרוּן מָארֵיהוֹן דְּקֶרִי, בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן דְּנָפְקִין מִפִּתְחָא דְּקֶרִי, גַּרְמֵי לוֹן.
These are the spirits who roam about by night. When the souls of the righteous emerge from the earth into the upper spaces in order to ascend heavenward, these same spirits also appear and contend with them, in order to prevent them from reaching and entering their heavenly habitation and rest. And, indeed, they bar the way to all save only the souls of the most supreme saints, which break through all firmaments and aethers until they reach the highest sphere. The demoniac hosts speak Iying words to the children of men, disguising themselves in other forms, and seducing them till they defile themselves.
וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִתְאַכְּלֵי אֵמוּרִין וּפְדָרִין, הַהוּא תְּנָנָא הֲוֵי רַוֵּי לוֹן, וְזָן לוֹן, כְּפוּם יְקָרָא דִּלְהוֹן, הָכִי מְזוֹנָא דִּלְהוֹן, מַה דְּאִתְחָזֵי לוֹן. וּבְהַאי, לָא נַפְקָן, וְלָא מְשַׁטְּטֵי בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא.
But at the time when the limbs and the fat of the offerings were burnt, the smoke provided them a full repast of the kind suited to their station, and being busy with this they forgot to come forth and roam about the Holy Land.
עֶרֶב: כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (שמות י״ב:ל״ח) וְגַם עֵרֶב רַב עָלָה אִתָּם, דְּכָל אִינּוּן חֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין, אִינּוּן מִתְעָרְבֵי בְּשׁוּלְטָנוּ דְּלֵילְיָא. וְעַל דָּא לָא שַׁוְיוּהָא חוֹבָא לִצְלוֹתָא דְּעַרְבִית, דְּלֵית מַאן דְּיָכִיל לְאַתְקְנָא לָהּ כְּיַעֲקֹב, דְּאִיהוּ הֲוָה מָארִי (מדכי) מַשְׁכְּנָא, וּמְתַקֵּן לֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת.
Now the evening prayer, as I have said, is not obligatory, because these bands of demons participate in the dominion of the night, and only Jacob was able to fix it.
וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ רְשׁוּ, צְלוֹתָא דָּא אִיהוּ לְאַגָּנָא עָלָן מִגּוֹ פַּחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת, מִגּוֹ פַּחַד דְּכַמָּה סִטְרִין דְּגֵיהִנָּם, דְּהָא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא טַרְדֵי לְחַיָּיבַיָּא בַּגֵּיהִנָּם, עַל חַד תְּרֵין מִבִּימָמָא. וּבְּגִין כָּךְ, מְקַדְּמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֵימַר וְהוּא רַחוּם, דְּאִיהוּ בְּגִין פַּחַד דְּגֵיהִנָּם. וּבְשַׁבָּת דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח פַּחַד דִּינָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם, וְלָא דִּינָא אַחֲרָא, אָסִיר לְאַתְעַרָא לֵיהּ, דְּאִתְחָזֵי דְּהָא לֵית רְשׁוּ לְשַׁבָּת לְאַעְבְּרָא דִּינָא מֵעָלְמָא.
However, although the evening prayer is not legally obligatory, yet it has a protective influence against the terrors of the night, against the fear of Gehenna, for at night the wicked receive a punishment double that which is executed upon them by day. Therefore the Israelites introduce the evening prayer for weekdays with the verses: “And he is merciful, he forgiveth iniquity, and destroyeth not: yea, many a time he turneth his anger away, and doth not stir up all his wrath” (Ps. 78, 28). This is recited because of the fear of Gehenna. But on Sabbath, when there is no fear of the punishment of Gehenna nor of any judgement, one may not recite these verses lest he thus awaken the evil spirits, causing them to appear and become active.
וְפַחַד דְּקִטְרוּגָא דְּנִשְׁמָתִין, כַּד בָּעָאן לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, לְאִתְחֲזָּאָה קָמֵי מָארֵיהוֹן. וּבְּגִין כָּךְ אֲנָן מַקְדִּימִים, שׁוֹמֵר אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַד אָמֵן. פַּחַד דְּכַמָּה מַזִּיקִין וְקִטְרוּגִין דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּלֵילְיָא, וְאִית לוֹן רְשׁוּ לְנַזְּקָא, לְמַאן דְּנָפִיק מִתְּרַע בֵּיתֵיהּ לְבַר, וּבְּגִין כָּךְ אֲנָן מַקְדִּימִים, וּשְׁמוֹר צֵאתֵנוּ וּבוֹאֵנוּ.
To counteract the fear of the accuser and slanderer of souls we conclude the Hashkibenu prayer (“Cause us, O Lord, to lie down in peace”) with the words: “Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who guardest Thy people Israel for ever. Amen”. To counteract the fear of the many devils and accusers which are present in the night and have power to injure anyone who leaves his house at that time, we say: “Guard our going out and our coming in unto life and unto peace.”
וְעַל כָּל דָּא, מִגּוֹ דְּחִילוּ דְּכָל דָּא, אֲנָן מַפְקִידִינָן גּוּפִין רוּחִין וְנִשְׁמָתִין, לְמַלְכוּתָא עִלָּאָה, דִּי שׁוּלְטָנוּ דְּכֹלָּא בִּידָהָא. וְעַל דָּא צְלוֹתָא דְּעַרְבִית, בְּכָל לֵילְיָא וְלֵילְיָא. הַשְׁתָּא דְּקָרְבְּנִין וּמַדְבְּחָן לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ, אֲנָן עַבְדֵּינָן כָּל תִּקּוּנִין דְּאֲנָן עַבְדִין עַל רָזָא דְּנָא.
From the fear of all these things we deliver in trust our bodies, souls and spirits to Heaven above, to the Supernal Kingdom which has dominion over all of them. Therefore we recite every night the evening prayers, performing all this to counteract the mysterious influences of the evil spirits now that there are no sacrifices to keep them at bay.
בְּפַלְגוּ לֵילְיָא, כַּד רוּחַ צָפוֹן אִתְּעַר, בָּטַשׁ בְּכָל אִינּוּן מָדוֹרִין דְּרוּחִין בִּישִׁין, וְתָבַר (חד טנרא תקיפא) (צ"ז ע"א) סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְעָאל וְשָׁאט לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, וְכָל אִינּוּן חֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין עַיְילִין לְדוּכְתַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְּבַּר חֵילַיְיהוּ וְלָא שַׁלְטִין. וּכְדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָאל לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא עִם צַדִּיקַיָּא בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, וְהָא אִתְּמַר.
At midnight, when the north wind awakens, it beats against all the abodes of those malevolent spirits, cracking in twain a gigantic mighty rock, the stronghold of the “other side”, and rushes about everywhere, both above and below; and all the evil demons return to their places, for their power is then broken and they have no influence. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden to have joyous fellowship with the righteous, as has been related before.
כַּד אָתֵי צַפְרָא, נְהוֹרָא דִּשְׁרָגָא דְּשָׁלְטָא בְּלֵילְיָא, אִתְגְּנִיז מִקָּמֵי נְהוֹרָא דִּימָמָא, כְּדֵין בֹּקֶר שַׁלְטָא, וְאִתְעֲבָּר שׁוּלְטָנוּ דְּעֶרֶב, (וכדין) הַאי בֹּקֶר, אִיהוּ בֹּקֶר דְּאוֹר קַדְמָאָה, הַאי בֹּקֶר, אַשְׁלִים טִיבוּ לְעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ. מִנֵּיהּ אִתְּזָנוּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין. הַאי אַשְׁקֵי לְגִנְתָּא. הַאי אִיהוּ נְטִירוּ דְּכָל עָלְמָא.
When morning comes, the light of the lamp which rules the midnight hours hides before the light of the day. The morning has now full sway and dominion and the reign of the night is past. This is the morning of primaeval light, the morning which sheds beneficence throughout all the worlds. From it all celestial and terrestrial beings imbibe nourishment. It waters the Garden with supernal dews. It guards the whole Universe.
הָכָא רָזָא לְיַדְעֵי מִדִּין, (נ"ז ע"א) מַאן דְּבָעֵי לְמֵיפַק לְאָרְחָא, יְקוּם בְּנָגְהָא, וְיִשְׁגַּח בְּאִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא לְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא, לִסְטַר (קי"ב ע"ב) מִזְרָח, וְיֶחֱמֵי כְּחֵיזוּ דְּאַתְוָון דְּבַטְשֵׁי בִּרְקִיעָא, דָּא סָלִיק וְדָא נָחִית. וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן נְצִיצוּ דְּאַתְוָון, דְּאִתְבְּרוּן בְּהוּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא.
Here is a mystery which is entrusted to “those who know the measures” of things spiritual. He who has to set out on a journey in the morning should rise at break of day and at a certain specially ordained moment turn and look towards the east. He will then behold a kind of letters which break through the surface of the sky, some ascending and some descending. These are flashed forth from those letters with which the heavens and the earth were created.
אִי אִיהוּ יָדַע בְּרָזָא דְּאִינּוּן אַתְוָון, דְּאִינּוּן רָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאַרְבְּעִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון, וְיִדְכַּר לוֹן כַּדְקָא חֲזִי, בִּרְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא. יֶחמֵי גּוֹ נְהִירוּ דְּנָגְהָא דִּרְקִיעָא שִׁית יוֹדִי"ן, תְּלַת לִסְטַר יְמִינָא, וּתְלַת לִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא. וּתְלַת וָוִין, דְּסַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין וְנַצְצֵי בִּרְקִיעָא. וְאִינּוּן אַתְוָון דְּבִרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים, וּכְדֵין יִצְלֵי צְלוֹתֵיהּ, וְיִפּוּק לְאָרְחָא, וַדַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא אַקְדִּימַת עִמֵּיהּ, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ.
If the watcher is cognizant of the mystery of the letters which form the mystic Holy Name of forty-two letters, and if he should in this hour be mindful of them with devout intent, with a loving heart, then will he behold in the luminous heaven six Yods, three upon the right side and three upon the left; also three Vaus, which ascend and descend and sparkle in the firmament. These are the number of the initial letters of the words of the priestly blessing. He should then say his morning prayers and set forth upon his journey, because, verily, the Shekinah Herself goes before him; happy is his lot!
כַּד אָתֵי הַאי בֹּקֶר, עַמּוּדָא חַד נָעִיץ בִּסְטַר דָּרוֹם, לְגוֹ מְתִיחוּ דִּרְקִיעָא, דְּעַל גַּבֵּי גִּנְתָּא. בַּר מֵהַהוּא עַמּוּדָא, דְּאִיהוּ (קפ"ד ע"ב) נָעִיץ בְּאֶמְצָעוּ דְּגִנְתָּא. וְעַמּוּדָא דָּא, אִיהוּ נָהִיר (ויחי רי"ט ע"א) בִּנְהִירוּ דִּתְלַת גַּוְונִין, מְרֻקָּמָא דְּאַרְגְּוָונָא. בְּהַהוּא עַמּוּדָא, קַיְּימָא עַנְפָא חֲדָא, בְּהַהוּא עַנְפָא, אִתְעֲתָּדוּ תְּלַת צִפֳּרִין, מִתְעַרִין צִפְצֻפָא לְשַׁבְּחָא.
When morning arrives, a mysterious pillar appears in the South, in that portion of the firmament beneath which the Garden of Eden is stretched: this is a different pillar from the one which is in the midst of the Garden. The pillar set in the South flashes with the brightness of three colours, purple-woven. On that pillar there is a branch, on which three birds sit, chirping hymns of praise.