259. RABBI ELAZER AND RABBI YITZCHAK continued their travels until they reached a field, where they sat down. They lifted up their heads and saw a mountain with strange creatures circling its peak. When Rabbi Yitzchak became frightened, Rabbi Elazar asks, Why are you afraid? He replies, I see this huge mountain with strange creatures on it, and I am afraid lest they will attack us. He said, Whoever is fearful should be fearful for the sins he committed. Come and behold, these are not the same creatures who used to haunt the mountains.
260. He began the discussion by quoting the verse, "And these are the children of Tziv'on; both Aya and Ana: this is Ana who found the Yemim in the wilderness" (Beresheet 36:24). This verse has already been explained, yet come and behold, these are not those mentioned in the verse, "The Emim dwelt there in times past ...but the children of Esau succeeded them" (Devarim 2:10-12).
261. But in the verse, "who found the Yemim in the wilderness," Yemim is spelled defectively, WITHOUT THE LETTER YUD, WHICH IS AN INDICATION OF WANT, because THE DESCENDANTS OF CAIN -- after he was driven from the face of the earth -- are strange creatures, as it is written, "Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from Your face I shall be hid" (Beresheet 4:14), and "and dwelt in the land of Nod" (Ibid. 16). This has already been explained.
262. KAYIN'S descendants are from the side of spirits, storms, and fiends, for when Shabbat was about to be sanctified AT SUNSET, ghosts that were created from that side roamed about without a body. They were born neither on the sixth nor on the seventh day, BEING BORN AT SUNSET, and thus there is doubt as to which day they were from, as they are disowned by both days.
263. They kept on spreading from that side of Cain, THAT IS, BEING HIS DESCENDANTS, clothed by that side yet without TANGIBLE EXISTENCE. Yemim is THEREFORE spelled without a Yud, for they are disowned by both days, THAT IS, BY BOTH FRIDAY AND SHABBAT, BECAUSE THEY WERE CREATED AT SUNSET. They may be seen by men -- THAT IS, DESPITE BEING GHOSTS, ONCE A DAY THEY DON A BODY. ANA found THE SPIRITS CALLED YEMIM, and they taught him how to bring bastards into the world, THAT IS, BY MATING A DONKEY AND A HORSE SO THEY WOULD ISSUE A MULE. They haunt the mountains and don a body once a day, then strip themselves AND REMAIN BODILESS.
264. Come and behold, Ana was a bastard from Tziv'on, who came to Ana's mother and begot a bastard. He THEREFORE came from the Defiled Spirit that cleaved to him and enabled him to find THESE SPIRITS, who taught him matters that pertain to The Side of Defilement.
265. Come and behold, these and several others who came out from each other were all from that side, THE LEFT SIDE. They may be seen walking in the desert, a desolate place in which they live. FOR DESTRUCTION ALWAYS COMES FROM THE LEFT SIDE. For all this, a man who walks the paths of the Holy One, blessed be He, and fears Him is not afraid of them. They went and climbed onto the mountain, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY EXTENDED THE LIGHT OF THE LEFT INTO THE NUKVA AND FEARED NOT.
266. Rabbi Yitzchak asks, Are all the desolated mountains also their dwelling place? He replies, Indeed they are, but of those who study the Torah, the scripture says, "Hashem shall preserve you from all evil: He shall preserve your soul. Hashem shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and for ever more" (Tehilim 12:1, 7-8).