Now when the north wind awakes at midnight and a herald goes forth, and the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden to have joyous communion with the souls of the righteous, then all the sons of the Matrona, and all the denizens of the palace, prepare to sing praises to the Holy King, and then all the souls that were entrusted to her hand are returned to their owners; and most men awake at that time.
Those who belong to the supernal Palace rise up in vigour and betake themselves to praisegiving in accordance with the Torah and join the Community of Israel until the day is light. When the morning comes, She and all who belong to the Palace go to visit the Holy King, they being called the sons of the King and of the Matrona, as has been explained.
When the morning comes, a man should cleanse himself and gird on his weapons1i.e. fringes and phylacteries. to pay suit to the Holy King. For in the night he paid suit to the Matrona, and now he should come with the Matrona to unite her with the King.
He goes to the synagogue, he purifies himself with [the recital of the] offerings, he repeats the praises of King David; he has the phylacteries on his hand and his head, and the fringes at his side; he says “A psalm of David”, and offers his prayer before his Master. While he says this he must stand like the heavenly angels,1v. T. B. Berachoth, 10b. who are also called “those who stand”, and concentrate all his thoughts on his Master as he offers his petition.
Note that when a man arises at midnight to study the Torah a herald proclaims concerning him: “Behold, bless ye the Lord all ye servants of the Lord which stand in the house of the Lord by night” (Ps. 134, 1), and now when he stands in prayer the herald proclaims over him, “And I will give thee places to walk among them that stand” (Zech. 3, 7).
When he has finished his prayer with devotion before his Master, as already said, he should deliver his soul with complete renunciation to the rightful place. Thus there is good counsel for men for all occasions. When prayer is being offered, all the words that a man has emitted from his mouth during his prayer mount aloft and cleave their way through ethers and firmaments until they reach their destination, where they are formed into a crown on the head of the King. The Companions have agreed that the prayer directed by man to the Almighty should be of the nature of supplication.1Ibid, 2 Ib, Aboth II. We know this from Moses, of whom it is said, “And I besought the Lord” (Deut. 3, 23); this is the best kind of prayer.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד אִתְּעַר רוּחַ צָפוֹן בְּפַלְגּוּת לֵילְיָא, וְכָרוֹזָא נָפִיק. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתֵי לְגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּרוּחֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, כְּדֵין מִתְכָּוְונֵי (נ"א מתערי) כָּל בְּנֵי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וְכָל בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא, לְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא. וּכְדֵין כָּל אִינּוּן פִּקְדּוֹנִין דְּרוּחִין דְּאִתְמַסְּרָן בִּידָהּ, כֻּלְּהוּ אָתִיב לְמָארֵיהוֹן. וְרוּבָּא דִּבְנֵי עָלְמָא מִתְעָרִין בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, וְהָא פִּקְדוֹנֵיהּ דְּכֻלְּהוּ אָתִיב לְגַבַּיְיהוּ.
Now when the north wind awakes at midnight and a herald goes forth, and the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden to have joyous communion with the souls of the righteous, then all the sons of the Matrona, and all the denizens of the palace, prepare to sing praises to the Holy King, and then all the souls that were entrusted to her hand are returned to their owners; and most men awake at that time.
אִינּוּן דִּבְנֵי הֵיכָלָא עִלָּאָה קַיְימֵי בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ, מִתְעֲרֵי מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּמִשְׁתַּתְּפֵי בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד דְּנָהִיר יְמָמָא. כַּד אָתֵי צַפְרָא, הִיא, וְכָל בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא (דמלכא) כֻּלְּהוּ אַתְיָין לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאִינּוּן אִקְרוּן בְּנִין דְּמַלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.
Those who belong to the supernal Palace rise up in vigour and betake themselves to praisegiving in accordance with the Torah and join the Community of Israel until the day is light. When the morning comes, She and all who belong to the Palace go to visit the Holy King, they being called the sons of the King and of the Matrona, as has been explained.
כַּד אָתֵי צַפְרָא, בָּעֵי לְנַקָּאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּכֹלָּא, וּלְמֵיזַן זַיְינֵיהּ, לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא עִם מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּהָא בְּלֵילְיָא אִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא. הַשְׁתָּא אַתְיָא עִם מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, לְזַוְּוגָא לָהּ עִם מַלְכָּא.
When the morning comes, a man should cleanse himself and gird on his weapons1i.e. fringes and phylacteries. to pay suit to the Holy King. For in the night he paid suit to the Matrona, and now he should come with the Matrona to unite her with the King.
אָתֵי לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, מַדְכֵּי גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקָרְבְּנִין, מְשַׁבַּח בְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתַּיְיהוּ דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא. אָחִיד תְּפִילִין בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ, (ס"א בידיה וברישיה) וְצִיצִית בְּגַדְפֵיהּ, אוֹמֵר תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, צַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ, בִּצְלוֹתָא בָּעֵי לְמֵיקָם, כְּגַוְונָא (ס"א בזווגא) דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, דְּאִינּוּן אִקְרוּן הָעוֹמְדִים, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (זכריה ג׳:ז׳) וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ מַהְלְכִים בֵּין הָעוֹמְדִים. וּלְכַוְּונָא רְעוּתֵיהּ קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ, וְיִתְבַּע בָּעוּתֵיהּ.
He goes to the synagogue, he purifies himself with [the recital of the] offerings, he repeats the praises of King David; he has the phylacteries on his hand and his head, and the fringes at his side; he says “A psalm of David”, and offers his prayer before his Master. While he says this he must stand like the heavenly angels,1v. T. B. Berachoth, 10b. who are also called “those who stand”, and concentrate all his thoughts on his Master as he offers his petition.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ קָאִים בְּפַלְגּוּת לֵילְיָא מֵעַרְסֵיהּ, לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כָּרוֹזָא קָארֵי עָלֵיהּ וְאָמַר, (תהילים קל״ד:א׳) הִנֵּה בָּרְכוּ אֶת יְיָ' כָּל עַבְדֵי יְיָ' הָעוֹמְדִים בְּבֵית יְיָ' בַּלֵּילוֹת. הַשְׁתָּא כַּד אִיהוּ קָאִים בִּצְלוֹתָא קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ, הַהוּא כָּרוֹזָא קָּארֵי עָלֵיהּ וְאָמַר, וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ מַהְלְכִים בֵּין הָעוֹמְדִים הָאֵלֶּה.
Note that when a man arises at midnight to study the Torah a herald proclaims concerning him: “Behold, bless ye the Lord all ye servants of the Lord which stand in the house of the Lord by night” (Ps. 134, 1), and now when he stands in prayer the herald proclaims over him, “And I will give thee places to walk among them that stand” (Zech. 3, 7).
בָּתַר דִּמְסַיֵּים צְלוֹתָא בִּרְעוּ (וקאים בעיטא) קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּבָעֵי לְמִימְסַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ בִּרְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא, לְהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ. וְכַמָּה עֵיטִין אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ בְּכֹלָּא. וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דִּצְלוֹתָא קַיְּימָא (ס"א סיימא), כָּל אִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּאַפִּיק בַּר נָשׁ מִפּוּמֵיהּ בְּהַהִיא צְלוֹתָא, כֻּלְּהוּ סַלְּקִין לְעֵילָּא, וּבָקְעִין אֲוִירִין וּרְקִיעִין, עַד דְּמָטוּ לְהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּמָטוּ וּמִתְעַטְּרוּ בְּרֵישָׁא דְּמַלְכָּא, וְעָבִיד מִנַּיְיהוּ עֲטָרָה. וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא, צְלוֹתָא דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְכַוְּונָא דִּיהֵא צְלוֹתָא תַּחֲנוּנִים. מְנָלָן. מִמֹּשֶׁה, דִּכְתִּיב וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל יְיָ'. דָּא אִיהוּ צְלוֹתָא מֵעַלְיָא.
When he has finished his prayer with devotion before his Master, as already said, he should deliver his soul with complete renunciation to the rightful place. Thus there is good counsel for men for all occasions. When prayer is being offered, all the words that a man has emitted from his mouth during his prayer mount aloft and cleave their way through ethers and firmaments until they reach their destination, where they are formed into a crown on the head of the King. The Companions have agreed that the prayer directed by man to the Almighty should be of the nature of supplication.1Ibid, 2 Ib, Aboth II. We know this from Moses, of whom it is said, “And I besought the Lord” (Deut. 3, 23); this is the best kind of prayer.