181. We learned that Rabbi Shimon said, It is written, "My mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards" (Shir Hashirim 1:6). "My mother's children" are as in the verse, "Cast down from heaven to (or: 'the') earth" (Eichah 2:1), THE EARTH BEING THE NUKVA. For when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to destroy His lower house, NAMELY THE TEMPLE, and exile Yisrael among the nations, He removed the earth, THE NUKVA, from before Him, and remained aloof from it: "And his sister stood afar off" (Shemot 2:4). And when the earth was afar from the heaven above, ZEIR ANPIN, the lower earth, NAMELY THE TEMPLE, was destroyed and Yisrael were dispersed among the nations. The Congregation of Yisrael said, Who has done this to me, who caused this? "My mother's children," ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA, who "were angry with me" and kept away from me. Assuredly they are "my mother's children," ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA BEING THE CHILDREN OF BINAH, THE MOTHER.

182. Rabbi Yosi went along the road with Rabbi Chiya bar Rav. While they were walking, Rabbi Yosi said to Rabbi Chiya, Do you see what I see? He said to him: I see a man in the river, and a bird on his head with teeth in its mouth. It is eating and tearing with its claws. The man raises his voice and shouts, but I do not know what he says.

183. RABBI YOSI said, Let us approach the man and hear what he says. Rabbi Chiya said, I am afraid to come near. He said to him: Is this a man in that place? The Holy One, blessed be He, gave us a hint of Wisdom. They came near him and heard him say, Crown, crown, NAMELY, ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA CALLED CROWNS, two children OF BINAH dwell outside THEIR PLACE. ZEIR ANPIN does not have rest, nor is there respite FOR THE NUKVA, until the bird will be cast away (TORN to pieces) in Caesarea.

184. Rabbi Yosi wept and said, This is what we learned in relation to the verse, "My mother's children were angry with me," WHICH ALLUDES TO MALE AND FEMALE. Why? Because "my own vineyard I have not kept" (Shir Hashirim 1:6).

185. He said, Assuredly the exile will continue, and therefore the birds in the sky, THE MINISTERS OF THE NATIONS, will be in power until the government of the idolatrous nations will pass away from the world. When will that be? When the day of the Holy One, blessed be He, will come and His Judgment will be set upon the world, as it is written, "But it shall be one particular day which shall be known as Hashem's, neither day nor night" (Zecharyah 14:7).

186. While they were walking, they heard a voice saying, 'The flame of the button has come with its judgment;' MEANING, OF MALCHUT CALLED BUTTON. A flame came and consumed the bird. Rabbi Yosi said, Surely, it happened as in the verse, "And given to the burning flame" (Daniel 7:11).