The Great Serpent – Keter of Imma that is within the Klipah

תַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל - כֶּתֶר אִמָּא שֶׁבַּקְּלִיפָּה

nd I have already written above the inner meaning of these matters (וּכְבָר כָּתַבְתִּי לְמַעְלָה תּוֹכִיּוּת אֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים), and the secret of the Great Dragon (וְסוֹד הַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל), nevertheless know (עִכָּ״ז דַּע), that the Great Dragon that crouches within his rivers is Pharaoh king of Egypt (כִּי הַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל הָרוֹבֵץ בְּתוֹךְ יְאֹרָיו הוּא פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם), he is the Keter of Imma in the Klipah (הוּא כֶּתֶר אִמָּא שֶׁבַּקְּלִיפָּה), which draws sustenance from the backside of Imma of holiness from its Keter (הַיּוֹנֵק שֶׁפַע מֵאֲחוֹרֵי אִמָּא שֶׁל קְדוּשָׁה מִכֶּתֶר שֶׁלָּהּ), this one in holiness in Beri’ah and this one in the Beri’ah of impurity (זֶה בַּקְּדוּשָׁה בִּבְרִיאָה וְזֶה בִּבְרִיאָה שֶׁל טֻמְאָה), and therefore Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, feared him when he saw his grasp in the Keter of Imma, the Great Dragon (וְלָכֵן מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ ע״ה פָּחַד מִמֶּנּוּ כְּשֶׁרָאָה אֲחִיזָתוֹ בְּכֶתֶר שֶׁל אִמָּא תַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל), and that he crouches within his nine rivers (וְהוּא רוֹבֵץ בְּתוֹךְ ט׳ יְאוֹרִין שֶׁלּוֹ), he feared (פָּחַד), until the Holy One Blessed Be He said to him “Behold I am against you, do not fear” (עַד שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקב״ה הִנְנִי עָלֶיךָ אַל תִּפְחַד), and why did he fear (וְלָמָּה הָיָה מִפַּחֵד), because he was grasped from the Binah of Imma (לְפִי שֶׁהוּא הָיָה נֶאֱחָז מִבִּינָה שֶׁל אִמָּא), and Pharaoh was grasped from the Keter of Imma even though he was in the Klipah (וּפַרְעֹה הָיָה נֶאֱחָז מִכֶּתֶר שֶׁל אִמָּא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה בַּקְּלִיפָּה), and with him were nine other Dragons (וְעִמּוֹ ט׳ תַּנִּינִים אֲחֵרִים), for in each river there crouched one Dragon (כִּי בְּכָל יְאוֹר הָיָה רוֹבֵץ תַּנִּין א׳).

If so (א״כ), Leviathan and his mate we may say that they are Abba and Imma of the Klipah (לִוְיָתָן וּבַת זוּגוֹ נוּכַל לוֹמַר שֶׁהֵם או״א שֶׁל קְלִיפָּה), and if they had coupled they would have destroyed the world (וְאִלּוּ הָיוּ מִזְדַּוְּגִין הָיוּ מַחֲרִיבִין הָעוֹלָם), therefore He slew the female and salted her for the Tzaddikim (לָכֵן הָרַג אֶת הַנְּקֵבָה וּמְלָחָהּ לַצַּדִּיקִים), this is the secret of the light that was hidden for the Tzaddik (הוּא סוֹד הָאוֹר שֶׁנִּגְנַז לַצַּדִּיק), and He castrated the male, etc. (וְסֵרֵס אֶת הַזָּכָר וְכוּ׳), and by this the power of Pharaoh was weakened (וּבְזֶה נֶחְלַשׁ כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה), and He brought him up from within his rivers (וְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִתּוֹךְ יְאֹרָיו), as it is written “and I will bring you up from within your rivers and I will cast you into the wilderness” (כְּדִכְתִיב וְהֶעֱלִיתִיךָ מִתּוֹךְ יְאֹרֶיךָ וְנְטַשְׁתִּיךָ הַמִּדְבָּרָה), a desolate wilderness (מִדְבָּר שָׁמֵם), from the place where he was in the Keter of Imma within the nine rivers, his aspect (מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה בְּכֶתֶר אִמָּא בְּט׳ יְאוֹרִין בְּחִינָתוֹ), now he descended into the Malchut of Asiyah of impurity (עַתָּה יָרַד בְּמַלְכוּת עֲשִׂיָּה דְּטֻמְאָה), he and his nine Yodin and his nine Dragons (הוּא וְט׳ יוּדִי״ן וְט׳ תַּנִּינִים שֶׁלּוֹ).

And therefore it says “you and all the fish of your rivers” (וְלָכֵן אָמַר אַתָּה וְכָל דְּגַת יְאֹרֶיךָ), in the place where they were Dragons now they are called fish (בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁהָיוּ תַּנִּינִים עַתָּה הֵם נִקְרָאִים דָּגִים). And therefore it says “because he saw him rooted in supernal roots, chambers after chambers, to one supernal mighty Dragon” (וְלָזֶה אָמַר דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ מִשְׁתָּרֵשׁ בְּשָׁרְשִׁין עִילָאִין אִדְרִין בָּתַר אִדְרִין לְגַבֵּי תַּנִּינָא חֲדָא עִילָאָה תַּקִּיפָא), meaning (ר״ל), that he was rooted and drawing from Imma of Beri’ah by way of the chamber of Binah from her backside, from her neck (שֶׁהָיָה מֻשְׁרָשׁ וְיוֹנֵק מֵאִמָּא שֶׁל בְּרִיאָה עַל יְדֵי הֵיכַל הַבִּינָה מֵאֲחוֹר בְּעוֹרֶף שֶׁלָּהּ), and therefore he is called Pharaoh, 'The Neck' (Ha-Oref), the letters of Pharaoh (וְלָכֵן נִקְרָא פַּרְעֹה הָעוֹרֶף אוֹתִיּוֹת פַּרְעֹה).

And just as there are here nine rivers and nine Dragons (וְכְמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּכָאן ט׳ יְאוֹרִין וְט׳ תַּנִּינִים), for this opposite that did Elohim, these in the Beri’ah of holiness and these in the Beri’ah of the Klipah (כִּי זֶה לְעֻמַּת זֶה עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים אֵלּוּ בִּבְרִיאָה שֶׁל קְדוּשָׁה וְאֵלּוּ בִּבְרִיאָה שֶׁל הַקְּלִיפָּה), and just as in holiness from Imma there emerges Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (וְכְמוֹ שֶׁבַּקְּדוּשָׁה מֵאִמָּא נָפֵק זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבָא), so too in the Klipah (כָּךְ בַּקְּלִיפָּה).

And just as in holiness from the Netzach, Hod, Yesod of Imma, which are the secret of three drops, are made the nine attributes of Ze’ir Anpin which are the secret of nine rivers (וְכְמוֹ שֶׁבַּקְּדוּשָׁה מִנְּה״י שֶׁל אִמָּא שֶׁהֵם סוֹד ג׳ טִפּוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ ט׳ מִדּוֹת שֶׁל ז״א שֶׁהֵם סוֹד ט׳ יְאוֹרִין), and likewise are made for its Nukvah nine attributes which are the secret of nine Dragons (וְכְמוֹ כֵּן נַעֲשׂוּ לְנוּקְבֵיהּ ט׳ מִדּוֹת שֶׁהֵם סוֹד ט׳ תַּנִּינִים), and these are clothed within these, for in every river one Dragon crouches (וּמְלוּבָּשִׁים אֵלּוּ בְּאֵלּוּ כִּי בְּכָל יְאוֹר רוֹבֵץ תַּנִּין א׳), so too in the Klipah were made nine rivers for the male and nine Dragons for the female (כָּךְ בַּקְּלִיפָּה נַעֲשׂוּ ט׳ יְאוֹרִין לַזָּכָר וְט׳ תַּנִּינִים לַנְּקֵבָה), corresponding to Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah above in the Beri’ah of holiness (כְּנֶגֶד זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבֵיהּ לְמַעְלָה בִּבְרִיאָה שֶׁל קְדוּשָׁה), and they are the secret of the kings that reigned, in the secret of the broken vessels (וְהֵם סוֹד הַמְּלָכִים אֲשֶׁר מָלְכוּ בְּסוֹד הַמָּאנִין תְּבִירִין), and within them remained sparks of light as is known (וְנִשְׁאַר בָּהֶם נִיצוֹצוֹת אוֹרָה כַּיָּדוּעַ), and from these there is drawn downward from these remnants below into the Klipah (וּמֵאֵלּוּ נִשְׁפָּעִים לְמַטָּה מֵאֵלּוּ הַשְּׁאֵרִים לְמַטָּה בַּקְּלִיפָּה), they are the fragments of vessels that were broken from the vessels above (הֵם שִׁבְרֵי כֵלִים שְׁבָרִים שֶׁנִּשְׁבְּרוּ מֵהַכֵּלִים שֶׁל מַעְלָה), above they are called broken vessels but not completely (לְמַעְלָה נִקְרָאִים כֵּלִים שְׁבוּרִים וְלֹא לְגַמְרֵי), and here they are shards of vessels (וּבְכָאן הֵם שִׁבְרֵי כֵלִים).

And it is necessary that we know (וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁנֵּדַע), what is the secret of these nine (מַהוּ סוֹד אֵלּוּ הַט׳), and how from each drop one river is made (וְאֵיךְ מִכָּל טִיפָּה נַעֲשֶׂה יְאוֹרָא חַד). Know (דַּע), that the word Tippah [Drop] in the small gematria is squared thus (כִּי מִלַּת טִיפָּה בְּמ״ק תְּרֻבַּע כָּךְ), 9 times 8—for such is the [letter] Peh in small gematria: [it is] 8 (ט״פ ח׳ שֶׁכָּךְ הַפ׳ בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן קָטָן ח׳), therefore, 9 times 8, and 8 times 9, they [together] are 'Kedem' (Primordial/East) (א״כ ט״פ ח׳ וְח׳ פ׳ ט׳ הֵם קֶדֶם), afterward, 8 times 5, and 5 times 8—they [together] are eighty (אַחַ״כ ח׳ פ׳ ה׳ וְה׳ פ׳ ח׳ הֵם שְׁמוֹנִים), behold altogether equals the number “ye’ora (The River)” with the letters and the Kollel (הֲרֵי בֵּין הַכֹּל כְּמִנְיַן יְאוֹרָא עִם הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְהַכּוֹלֵל), behold it is clear that the drop becomes a river (הֲנֵה בָּרוּר כִּי הַטִּפָּה נַעֲשֵׂית יְאוֹר), and therefore he said “and from each drop a single river is made” (וְלָזֶה אָמַר וּמִכָּל טִיפָּה אִתְעֲבִיד יְאוֹרָא חַד).

Afterward he said (אַחַ״כ אָמַר), that in every river (כִּי בְּכָל יְאוֹר), one Dragon crouches (רוֹבֵץ תַּנִּין א׳), the intention is (הַכַּוָּנָה הִיא), that in the word “ye’or (river)” the resh in its filling is thus “Resh–Yod–Shin” which equals the number “Tanin” (שֶׁבְּמִלַּת יְאוֹר הָרֵישׁ בְּמִלּוּאָהּ כָּךְ רי״ש כְּמִנְיַן תַּנִּין).

Afterward he said (אַחַ״כ אָמַר), that in the head of every Dragon there is one puncture (שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ כָּל תַּנִּין יֵשׁ נֶקֶב א׳), as it is said “You broke the heads of the Dragons” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שִׁבַּרְתָּ רָאשֵׁי תַּנִּינִים), and the intention is (וְהַכַּוָּנָה הִיא), that the word “Tanin,” when you take the letters that precede it, which are called the head of the word, it is thus (כִּי מִלַּת תַּנִּין כְּשֶׁתִּקַּח הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁלְּפָנָיו שֶׁנִּקְרָא רֹאשׁ לַמִּלָּה הוּא בְּזֶה הָאוֹפֶן), Tav is the completion of the Alef-Bet and returns to Aleph thus Tav–Aleph (ת׳ הוּא תַּשְׁלוּם הָאַלְפָּא בֵּיתָא וְחוֹזֵר לְאָלֶ״ף כָּךְ ת״א).

Nun, before it is Samekh (נ׳ לְפָנָיו ס׳), Yod before it is Kaf (י׳ לְפָנָיו כ׳), and likewise the final Nun before it is Samekh (וְכָךְ נ׳ אַחֲרוֹנָה לְפָנָיו ס׳), in such a manner that the word “Tanin,” its preceding letters are ASKHS (בְּאוֹפֶן שֶׁמִּלַּת תַּנִּין לְפָנָיו אַסכ״ס), equal to the number one hundred forty-one (כְּמִנְיַן קמ״א), and in the small calculation fifteen (וּבְמ״ק ט״ו), altogether the calculation is one hundred fifty-six equal to “nekav (puncture)” with the three letters and the Kollel (בֵּין הַכֹּל חֶשְׁבּוֹן קנ״ו כְּמִנְיַן נֶק״ב עִם הַג׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת וְהַכּוֹלֵל).

It is thus clear (נִמְצָא בָּרוּר), that in the head of every Dragon there is one puncture (שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ כָּל תַּנִּין נֶקֶב א׳). Behold it is clear as the sun (הֲנֵה בָּרוּר כַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ), the secret of the nine drops that became nine rivers (סוֹד ט׳ טִיפּוֹת שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ ט׳ יְאוֹרִין), and each river has one Dragon crouching within it (וְכָל יְאוֹר רוֹבֵץ תַּנִּין א׳), and the head of every Dragon is punctured (וְרֹאשׁ כָּל תַּנִּין וְתַּנִּין הוּא נָקוּב), even the first which is the secret of their Keter (וַאֲפִילוּ הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהוּא סוֹד כֶּתֶר שֶׁלָּהֶם), and the secret of this puncture is their slaying (וְסוֹד נְקִיבָה זוֹ הִיא הַהֲרִיגָה שֶׁלָּהּ), and all of them are female Dragons (וְכֻלָּם הֵם נְקֵבוֹת תַּנִּינִים), corresponding to the attribute of Malchut, for all her attributes are female after her (כְּנֶגֶד מִדַּת מַלְכוּת שֶׁכֻּלָּם הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁלָּהּ הֵם נְקֵבוֹת עַל שְׁמָהּ), and they are the secret of ten women as is known (וְהֵם סוֹד י׳ נָשִׁים כַּיָּדוּעַ), thus corresponding to them these ten Dragons are females, actual נקודות (כָּךְ כְּנֶגְדָּם אֵלּוּ הַי׳ תַּנִּינִים הֵם נְקֵבוֹת כָּל נְקוּדוֹת מַמָּשׁ), and in that puncture it is sealed in darkness so that no light enters them at all (וּבְאוֹתוֹ הַנֶּקֶב נִסְתָּם בַּחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנֵס לָהֶם אוֹר כְּלָל), because the light enters above Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah of holiness so that the Klipah, Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah, will not benefit from it (לְפִי שֶׁהָאוֹר נִכְנָס לְמַעְלָה זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבֵיהּ דִּקְדוּשָׁה שֶׁלֹּא יֵהָנוּ מִמֶּנּוּ הַקְּלִיפָּה זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבֵיהּ שֶׁל הַקְּלִיפָּה), and when the light was hidden above in the known Garden of Eden (וְכַאֲשֶׁר נִגְנַז הָאוֹר מִלְמַעְלָה בְּגַן עֵדֶן הַיָּדוּעַ), then the first darkness emerged and was drawn into its head, into that puncture that was struck in its head (אָז יָצָא חֹשֶׁךְ רִאשׁוֹן וְנִמְשַׁךְ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ בְּאוֹתוֹ הַנֶּקֶב שֶׁהֻכָּה בְּרֹאשׁוֹ), and then one thread separated between the light and the darkness (וְאָז הִבְדִּיל חוּט א׳ בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ), and this is “and Elohim separated between the light and between the darkness” (וְזֶהוּ וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ).

And that puncture in the head of the Dragon is the secret of the female of the deep (וְאוֹתוֹ הַנֶּקֶב שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁ הַתַּנִּין הוּא סוֹד נוּקְבָּא דְּתְהוֹמָא), and when it says the female of the great deep (וּכְשֶׁאוֹמֵר נוּקְבָּא דְּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא), it is the deep of the Great Dragon (הוּא תְּהוֹם שֶׁל הַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל), its puncture is called thus “tehom (abyss)” (הַנֶּקֶב שֶׁלּוֹ נִקְרָא כָּךְ תְּהוֹם). And a sign (וְסִימָן), that thus Aleph, Samekh, Kaf, Samekh which are the heads of the Dragons (שֶׁכֵּן אַסכ״ס שֶׁהֵם רָאשֵׁי הַתַּנִּינִים), these letters in their filling equal the number “tehom (abyss)” (אֵלּוּ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת בְּמִלּוּאָם כְּמִנְיַן תְּהוֹם), thus Aleph, Samekh, Kaf, Samekh (כָּךְ אֶל״ף סָמֶ״ךְ כַּ״ף סָמֶ״ךְ כְּמִנְיַן תְּהוֹם), thus is the small calculation (ע״כ מ״ק).