Zohar: Suffering from Sexual Mistakes
853. The second chamber [hell, Klipoth, inferno, averno, or avitchi] is darker than the first chamber. It is called 'grave', corresponding to the name of the evil inclination 'unholy', just as the first chamber is called 'pit' corresponding to the name of the evil inclination 'the Satan'. And this one is called 'grave' in relation to the name of the evil inclination that 'unholy'. This chamber has three openings.
854. There is a chief in charge over the first opening, called 'Astiriya', and there are several thousands and tens of thousands of fiends under him. He is in charge over all those who became corrupted in their ways, and spill semen[orgasm] on the ground [adamah, the physical body], emit semen unnaturally [because of desire], or play harlot with their hands [masturbation], and do not see the Shechinah [the Divine Mother] at all. At that time the chief on the side of defilement, whom we mentioned, comes out, with the thousands and tens of thousands with him. They all gather upon the man, to defile him in this world. This chief and his retinue defile his soul, seize it, and bring it to be judged by them.
855. These fiends [egos, desires] are called 'steaming emission of sperm', for all the angry and defiled live on it, to hover about the man in heat. They increase his passion, then take it, together with the semen that was spilt to the ground, which strengthens them, and raise it above. They cause the covenant above, which is Yesod, to be enslaved by the side of unholiness to give them enjoyment and strength [in other words, our desires steal the sacred energy in order to feed themselves].
856. Over the second opening there is another chief, Taskifa by name. He is in charge over all those who corrupt their way, and do not spill their sperm upon the ground [adamah, the physical body] but in beasts [nefesh, the animal soul; i.e. the spill the semen inside the bodies of other people], or through the strict prohibitions of the Torah, such as sexual transgressions. This chief and his retinue of several thousands and tens of thousands are all in readiness to judge him, in the same way as we said concerning the other condemned in the first opening.
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864. From this chamber come out two spirits - now they are men, and now they turn into women. They go about the world in the air, and laugh at men in their dreams, appearing in the guise of pretty women in their dreams, and so take the passion of men [through "wet dreams" or nocturnal pollutions]. Also, to women they seem like men. They are called 'evil' and 'plague', as it is written, "No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling" (Tehilim 91:10).
865. These are called 'the lower spirits' [incubi and succubi], who come out of the flame of the fire, for when the spirits above within the chamber travel, two flames of fire come out to hover about the world, and from them these two spirits were made. All this is on the side of defilement. Happy are the righteous who stayed away from these sides, and kept themselves from them. Of this it is written, "that they may keep you from the strange woman..." (Mishlei 7:5).
