(ז) פָּתַח רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלהִים. הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ. דְּכָל מַאן דְּאָמַר אִית אֱלָהָא אָחֳרָא אִשְׁתְּצֵי מֵעָלְמִין. כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר (ירמיה י) כִּדְנָה תֵמְרוּן לְהוֹם אֱלָהָא (אלהיא) דִי שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְקָא לָא עֲבַדוּ יֵאבַדוּ מֵאַרְעָא וּמִן תְּחוֹת שְׁמַיָּא אֵלֶּה. בְּגִין דְּלֵית אֱלָהָא אָחֳרָא בַּר קוּדְשָׁא בְרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי.
(7) 7. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by saying, "In the beginning Elohim created" (Gen. 1:1). This verse has to be examined carefully, because whoever claims that there is another El shall be wiped from the world. As it is already written, "Thus shall you say to them: The Elohim who have not made the heavens and the earth, they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens" (Jer. 10:11), because there is no other Creator besides the Holy One, blessed be He, alone!
(א) קְרָא אִיהוּ תַּרְגּוּם בַּר מִמִּלָּה דְּסוֹף קְרָא. אִי תֵימָא בְּגִין דְּמַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין לָא נִזְקָקִין לְתַרְגּוּם (נ''ח ע''ה א) וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן בֵּיהּ, מִלָה דָא יָאוֹת הִיא לְמֵימַר בְּלִישְׁנָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁמְעוּן מַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין וִיהוֹן נִזְקָקִין לְאוֹדָאָה עַל דָּא. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי בְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב תַּרְגּוּם דְּלָא נִזְקָקִין בֵּיהּ מַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין לָא (ולא) יְקַנְאוּן בְּבַר נָשׁ לְאַבְאָשָׁא לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דִּבְהַאי קְרָא בִּכְלָלָא אִנּוּן מַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין, דְּהָא אִנּוּן אֱלהִים אִקְרוּן וּבִכְלָלָא דְּאֱלהִים הֲווּ, וְאִנּוּן לָא עֲבַדוּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְקָא. וְאַרְקָא, וְאַרְעָא מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא בְּגִין (קכ''ו א) דְאַרְקָא אִיהִי חָדָא מֵאִנּוּן שְׁבַע אַרְעִין דִּלְתַתָּא. וּבְהַהוּא אֲתַר אִית בְּנִי בְּנוֹי דְּקַיִן. לְבָתַר דְּאִתְתָּרַךְ מֵעַל אַפֵּי אַרְעָא (כ''ד ב) נָחִית לְתַמָּן וְעֲבִיד תּוֹלָדוֹת וְאִשְׁתַּבַּשׁ תַּמָּן דְּלָא יָדַע כְּלוּם. וְאִיהוּ אַרְעָא כְּפֵילָא דְּאִתְכְּפַל מֵחֲשׁוֹכָא וּנְהוֹרָא.
(1) 1. This verse is written in Aramaic, with the exception of the word "these," which appears at the end of the verse. If you suggest that it is because the holy angels do not listen to the translated form and are not familiar with it, this verse should have been said in the holy language so that the holy angels would hear (in order) that they approve of it. This is certainly the reason why it is written in the translated form (Aramaic), as the holy angels do not listen to it. Thus they do not envy man nor do him evil. Because in this verse even the holy angels are included, as they are called Elohim as well, and are included in the term Elohim, yet they have not created the heavens and earth! "The earth (Aramic אַרְקָא)," when it should have used the word 'ar'a (Eng. 'land'). Because אַרְקָא is one of the seven lands down below. And in that place, the descendants of Cain live. After he had been banished from the face of the earth, he went down there and begot children. And there he became confused and lost all knowledge. And it is a double land that consists doubly of darkness and light.
(ב) וְאִית תַּמָּן תְּרֵין מְמַנָּן שַׁלִּיטִין דִּי שָׁלְטִין דָּא בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא וְדָא בִּנְהוֹרָא. וְתַמָּן קִטְרוּגָא דָּא בְדָא. וְשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָחִית לְתַמָּן קַיִן, אִשְׁתְּתָפוּ דָּא בְדָא וְאִשְׁתְּלִימוּ כְּחֲדָא. וְכֹלָּא חָזֵי דְּאִנּוּן תּוֹלְדוֹת דְּקַיִן. וְעַל דָּא אִנּוּן בִּתְרֵין רֵאשִׁין כִּתְרֵין חֵיוָון, בַּר דְּכַד הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא שָׁלִיט נָצַח דִּילֵיהּ וְנָצַח עַל אָחֳרָא. וְעַל דָּא אִתְכְּלִילוּ דִי בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא בִּנְהוֹרָא וְהֲווּ חַד. אִנּוּן תְּרֵין מְמַנָּן עַפְרִירָא וְקַסְטִימוֹן. וְדִיּוּקְנָא דִּלְהוֹן כִּדִיוּקְנָא דְּמַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין בְּשִׁית גַּדְפִין. חַד דִּיוּקְנָא כְּתוֹרָ''א, וְחַד דִּיוּקְנָא כְּנִשְׁרָ''א. וְכַד מִתְחַבְּרָן אִתְעֲבִידוּ דִּיוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם.
(2) 2. And there are two ruling commissioners there, one that governs over the darkness and one over the light. And they are hostile to each another. When Cain went down there, they joined one another and made peace. And all realized that they were the descendants of Cain. Therefore, they have two heads, just like two snakes, except when the one who rules over the light overcomes his, namely the light, and overcomes the other, namely the commissioner of the darkness. Accordingly, those that belong to the darkness became included within the light; thus, they became as one. These two commissioners are Afrira and Kastimon, עַפְרִירָא וְקַסְטִימוֹן, and their images are like the images of the holy angels with six wings. One has the image of an ox, and the other the image of an eagle. And only when they become united do they assume the image of man.
(ג) כַּד אִנּוּן בְּחֲשׁוֹכָא מִתְהַפְּכִין לִדְּיוֹקְנָא דְנָחָשׁ בִּתְרֵין רֵאשִׁין וְאָזְלִין כְּחִוְיָא וְטָאסִין גּוֹ תְהוֹמָא וְאִסְתַּחְיָין בְּיַמָּא רַבָּא. כַּד מָטָאן לְשַׁלְשְׁלָאָה דְּעַזָּ''א וַעֲזָאֵ''ל מַרְגִּיזִין לוֹן וּמִתְעָרֵי לוֹן. וְאִנּוּן מְדַלְגִּין גּוֹ טוּרֵי חֲשׁוֹכָן וְחָשְׁבֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְמִתְבַּע לוֹן דִּינָא. וְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין מְמַנָּן שָׁאטִין בְּיַמָּא רַבָּא וּפָרְחִין מִתַּמָּן וְאָזְלִין בְּלֵילְיָא לְגַבֵּי (י''ט ב', נ''ה ב) נַעֲמָה אִמְהוֹן דְּשֵׁדִין דְּטָעוֹ אֲבַתְרָהָא דָּחֲלִין קַדְמָאִין וְחָשְׁבִין לְמִקְרַב לְגַבָּהּ. וְאִיהִי דְּלִיגַת שִׁתִּין אַלְפִין פַּרְסִין וְאִתְעֲבִידַת בְּכַמָּה צִיּוּרִין לְגַבֵּי בְּנֵי נְשָׁא בְּגִין דְּיִטְעוּן בְּנֵי נְשָׁא אֲבַתְרָהּ.
(3) 3. When they are enveloped with darkness, they change their forms into that of snake with two heads and move like a snake. They fly around in the abyss and bathe in the Great Sea. And when they reach the chains of עַזָּ''א וַעֲזָאֵ''ל, they irritate and arouse them. Then they leap into the mountains of darkness, thinking that the Holy One, blessed be He, wishes to call upon them for judgment. And these two commissioners swim in the Great Sea and fly off from there. They then go at night to נַעֲמָה, the mother of the demons, by whom the first sons of Elohim were misled (Gen. 6:2). Although they wish to go near her, she leaps away 6,000 parasangs. Then she turns, changing into many different shapes in the eyes of human beings, so that they may be led astray after her.
(ד) וְאִלֵּין תְּרֵין מְמַנָּן פַּרְחִין וּמְשַׁטְּטָן בְּכָל עָלְמָא וְאַהַדְּרָן לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ. וְאִנּוּן מִתְעָרִין לְאִנּוּן בְּנֵי בְּנוֹי דְּקַיִּן בְּרוּחָא דְיִצְרִין בִּישִׁין לְמֶעְבַּד תּוֹלָדוֹת. שְׁמַיָּא דְּשָׁלְטִין תַּמָּן לָאו כְּהָנִי. וְלָא אוֹלִידַת אַרְעָא בְּחֵילָא דִלְהוֹן זְרוֹעָא (שלח קע''ב א) וְחַצְדָא כְּהָנֵי. וְלָא אֲהַדְּרָן אֶלָּא בְּכַמָּה שְׁנִין וְזִמְנִין. וְאִנּוּן אֱלָהָא (אלהיא) דִי שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְקָא לָא עֲבַדוּ. יֵאבַדוּ מֵאַרְעָא עִילָּאָה דְתֵבֵל, דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן בָּהּ וְלָא יְשָׁטְטוּן בָּהּ וְלָא יְהוֹן גָּרְמִין לִבְנִי נָשָׁא לְאִסְתָּאֳבָא מִמִקְרֵה לֵילְיָא. וְעַל דָּא יֵאבַדוּ מֵאַרְעָא וּמִן תְּחוֹת שְׁמַיָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ (לעיל דף ג' א) בִּשְׁמָא דְּאֵלֶּה כְּמָה (ב א) דְּאִתְּמָר. וְעַל דָּא הַאי קְרָא תַּרְגּוּם דְּלָא יַחְשְׁבוּן מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי דְּעֲלַיְיהוּ אָמְרִין, וְלָא יְקַטְרְגוּ לָן. וְעַל דָּא רָזָא דְּאֵלֶּה כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר אִיהוּ מִלָּה קַדִּישָׁא דְּלָא אִתְחַלַּף בַּתַּרְגּוּם.
(4) 4. And these two commissioners fly off and wander around the entire world. Then they return to their places. And they arouse the descendants of Cain, with a spirit of evil inclinations, to beget children. The heavens that govern there are not like ours, and the land bears neither seed nor fruit by their labor. And the seeds will not grow again until many years and seasons have passed. And these are called, "The Elohim who have not made the heavens and the earth, they shall perish from the earth" referring to the upper earth, which is תֵבֵל (Eng. 'world'), so that they may not rule over it and not wander about in it, nor cause human beings to be defiled by nocturnal emission. Therefore, "they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens" that were created by the name "these,", אֵלֶּה, as we have already learned. Thus, this verse is written in the translated (Aramaic) form in order not to let the supernal angels think that it is said about them - so that they will not be hostile to us. Therefore, the secret of the word "these (Heb. אֵלֶּה) is as we have already stated. It is a holy word that is not to be translated into Aramaic.
(ה) אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הַאי קְרָא דִּכְתִיב, (ירמיהו י׳:ז׳) מִי (שמות צ''ה ע''ב) לא יִרָאֲךָ מֶלֶךְ הַגּוֹיִם כִּי לְךָ יָאָתָה, מַאי שְׁבָחָא אִיהוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ אֶלְעָזָר בְּרִי, הַאי קְרָא בְּכַמָּה דוּכְתֵּי אִתְּמָר, אֲבָל וַדַּאי לָאו אִיהוּ (נ''א הכי) דִּכְתִיב, (ירמיהו י׳:ז׳) כִּי בְכָל חַכְמֵי הַגּוֹיִם וּבְכָל מַלְכוּתָם דְּהָא אֲתָא לְמִפְתַּח פּוּמָא דְחַיָּיבִין דְּחָשְׁבִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא יְדַע הִרְהוּרִין וּמַחְשָׁבִין דִּילְהוֹן. וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִית לְאוֹדָעָא שְׁטוּתָא דִלְהוֹן. דְּזִמְנָא חָדָא אֲתָא פִּילוֹסוֹפָא חָדָא דְּאוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם לְגַבָּאי, אָמַר לִי אַתּוּן אָמְרִין דֶּאֱלָהֲכוֹן שַׁלִּיט בְּכָל רוּמֵי שְׁמַיָא. כֻּלְהוּן חַיָּילִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין לָא אִדַּבְּקָן וְלָא יָדְעֵי אֲתַר דִּילֵיהּ. הַאי קְרָא לָא אַסְגֵּי יְקָרֵיהּ כָּל כָּךְ. דִּכְתִיב כִּי בְכָל חַכְמֵי הַגּוֹיִם וּבְכָל מַלְכוּתָם מֵאֵין כָּמוֹךָ. מַאי שִׁיקּוּלָא דָא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא דִּי לֵית
(5) 5. Rabbi Elazar said to him, There is a verse that reads, "Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For to You it is fitting" (Jer. 10:7). What sort of praise is this? He (Rashb"i) answered him: Elazar my son, this verse has been said in many places. And certainly it is not so; because it is written, "For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You" (Ibid.). And this is written as an excuse for the sinners, who think that the Holy One, blessed be He, is not aware of their plans and their thoughts. And because of this, their folly should be announced in the open. Because once a philosopher of the nation approached me, and said, You claim that your Elohim governs the entire heights of the heavens, and all the heavenly hosts and legions are not able to approach Him, nor do they know His place. But here, this verse does not add a lot to His honor. As it is written, "as among all the wise men of the nations...there is none like You." What kind of a comparison is this, to be compared with human beings