זוהר, האדרא רבא כ״דZohar, Idra Rabba 24

Segment 1א׳

הַשְׁתָּא אִתְתָּקָנוּ וְאִתְכָּוְונוּ דַּעְתָּא, לְמִתְקָן תִּקּוּנוֹי דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין, הֵיךְ יִתְתָּקַּן, וְהֵיךְ יִתְלַבָּשׁ בְּתִקּוּנוֹי מִתִקּוּנֵי עַתִּיק יוֹמִין, קַדִּישָׁא דְּקַדִּישִין, טְמִירָא דִּטְמִירִין, טְמִירָא מִכֹּלָּא. דְּהַשְׁתָּא חוֹבָתָא (חכמתא) עָלַיְיכוּ, לְמִגְזַר דִּינָא קוּשְטָאָה יָאֶה וְשַׁפִּירָא וּלְאַתְקְנָא כָּל תִּקּוּנִין עַל בּוּרְיֵיהּ.

Now prepare yourselves and direct your minds to set in order the adornments of the Small of Countenance: how He is set in order, and how He is clothed in His adornments from the adornments of the Ancient of Days, the Holy of Holies, the Hidden of the Hidden, hidden from all. For now the duty (a variant reads: the wisdom) is upon you to decree a true judgement, fitting and fair, and to set in order all the adornments in their full clarity.

Segment 2ב׳

תִּקּוּנֵי דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין, מִתִּקוּנֵי דַּאֲרִיךְ אַפִּין אִתְתָּקָּנוּ. וְאִתְפָּשָׁטוּ תִּקּוּנוֹי מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן, כְּחֵיזוּ בַּר נָשׁ, לְמִשְלְטָא (ס"א ומשלחא) בֵּיהּ רוּחָא דִּטְמִירָא דְּכָל טְמִירִין. בְּגִין לְמֵיתַב עַל כּוּרְסְיָּיא, דִּכְתִּיב, (יחזקאל א׳:כ״ו) וְעַל דְּמוּת הַכִּסֵּא דְּמוּת כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם עָלָיו מִלְמָעְלָה. כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם: דְּכָלִיל כָּל דִּיוּקְנִין. כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם: דְּכָלִיל כָּל שְׁמָהָן. כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם: דְּבֵיהּ סְתִימִין כָּל עָלְמִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין. כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם: דְּכָלִיל כָּל רָזִין דְּאִתְאַמָּרוּ וְאִתָּתְקָנוּ עַד דְּלָא אִבְרֵי עָלְמָא, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִתְקָיָּימוּ.

The adornments of the Small of Countenance were set in order from the adornments of the Long of Countenance; and His adornments spread out on this side and on that, like the form of a man, so that the spirit of the Hidden of all hidden might rule (a variant reads: and be sent) in it, in order to sit upon the throne, as it is written: “and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above” (Ezek. 1, 26). “As the appearance of a man”: for it includes all images. “As the appearance of a man”: for it includes all names. “As the appearance of a man”: for in it all the worlds, upper and lower, are concealed. “As the appearance of a man”: for it includes all the mysteries that were spoken and set in order before the world was created, even though they did not endure.

Segment 3ג׳

תָּאנָא בִּצְנִיעוּתָא דְּסִפְרָא, עַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקִין עַד לָא זַמִּין תִּקּוּנוֹי, בָּאנֵי מַלְכִין, כָּנֵס מַלְכִין, (נ"א (קכ"ח) גליף מלכין) וּמְשַׁעֵר מַלְכִין, וְלָא הֲווֹ מִתְקַיְּימֵּי, עַד דְּדָחֵי (ס"א דאנח) לוֹן, וְאַצְנַע לוֹן לְבָתַר זִמְנָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״ו:ל״א) וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים אֲשֶׁר מָלְכוּ בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם. בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם, בְּאֲתָר דְּכָל דִּינִין מִתְקַיְּימִין תַּמָּן, וְכֻלְּהוּ לָא אִתְקָיָּימוּ.

It has been taught in the Book of the Hidden Mystery: before the Ancient of Ancients prepared His adornments, He built kings, gathered kings (a variant reads: (folio 128) engraved kings), and measured out kings, and they did not endure, until He thrust them aside (a variant reads: set them down) and hid them away for a later time. This is what is written: “And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom” (Gen. 36, 31). “In the land of Edom”: in the place where all judgements abide; and none of them endured.