The Great Serpent – Ze‘ir Anpin

הַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל - ז״אp1-1

he Great Dragons” are Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (אֶת הַתַּנִּינִים הַגְּדֹלִים זו״ן), “taninam” is written defectively (תַּנִּינָם כְּתִיב), because He slew the Nukvah and the Holy One Blessed Be He elevated her for the Tzaddikim in the future to come (בְּגִין דְּקָטַל לְנוּקְבָא וְסָלְקָה הב״ה לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא), meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), that He withheld from her the light and the light ascended above in the Yesod of Abba and Imma (שֶׁמָּנַע מִמֶּנָּה הָאוֹר וְעָלָה הָאוֹר לְמַעְלָה בִּיסוֹד אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and there are the five Chesedim and the five Gevurot (וְשָׁם הֵם ה׳ חֲסָדִים וְה׳ גְּבוּרוֹת), and the greatest of all of them is his and is tranquil (וְהַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּכֻלָּם הוּא שֶׁלּוֹ וְשָׁקֵט), it is found that they are nine aside from this upper one (נִמְצָא שֶׁהֵם ט׳ לְבַד מִזֶּה הָעֶלְיוֹן), and the Great Dragon that alludes to Ze’ir Anpin crouches among them (וְהַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל הָרוֹמֵז לְז״א רוֹבֵץ בְּתוֹכָם), and in the highest of them he hinted and said “the waters of this river” (וּבָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁבְּכֻלָּם רָמַז וְאָמַר מַיִם שֶׁל זֶה הַיְאוֹר), meaning the supernal Chesed of the five Chesedim (ר״ל חֶסֶד עֶלְיוֹן שֶׁל ה׳ חֲסָדִים), its waters come from the Garden of Eden alluding to Abba (הַמַּיִם שֶׁלּוֹ בָּאִים מִגַּן עֵדֶן הָרוֹמֵז לְאַבָּא), “they fall into it three times in the year” (נָפְלִין בֵּיהּ ג״פ בַּשְּׁתָא), an allusion to the three sections of the Chesed (רֶמֶז לְג׳ פְּרָקִים שֶׁל הַחֶסֶד), and when they are two sections alone that attribute is not so complete (וּכְשֶׁהֵם ב׳ פְּרָקִים לְבַד אֵינָהּ כָּל כָּךְ שְׁלֵמָה אוֹתָהּ מִדָּה), until it is from three sections, and when it is one it is likewise not so (עַד הֱיוֹתָהּ ג׳ פְּרָקִים וְכַד א׳ אֵינָהּ כָּל כָּךְ גַּם כֵּן), and this Dragon which is Ze’ir Anpin (וְזֶה הַתַּנִּין שֶׁהוּא ז״א), when this river enters into it (כְּשֶׁנִּכְנָס בּוֹ זֶה הַיְאוֹר), it strengthens and swims and enters into Abba which alludes to the sea (מִתְחַזֵּק וְשָׁט וְנִכְנָס בְּתוֹךְ אַבָּא הָרוֹמֵז לְיַמָּא), and swallows the “fish” (וּבוֹלֵעַ נוּנִין), an allusion to the levels that are found there (רֶמֶז לְמַדְרֵגוֹת הַנִּמְצָאוֹת שָׁם), meaning (ר״ל), that it swallows all the aspects of the flow, mercy and judgment (שֶׁבּוֹלֵעַ כָּל בְּחִינוֹת הַשֶּׁפַע רַחֲמִים וְדִין), and rules and returns to swim in its river (וְשׁוֹלֵט וְחוֹזֵר לָשׁוּט בְּיְאוֹרוֹ), and the nine other rivers ascend and go (וְהַט׳ יְאוֹרִים הָאֲחֵרִים עוֹלִים וְהוֹלְכִים), and around them are many trees and grasses (וְסָבִיב לָהֶם כַּמָּה אִילָנוֹת וַעֲשָׂבִים), an allusion to the holy creatures and the angels (רֶמֶז לְחַיּוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְלַמַּלְאָכִים).

The first river emerges from the side of the left through one channel, etc. (יְאוֹרָא קַדְמָאָה נָפְקָא סִטְרָא שְׂמָאלָה בְּחַד צִנּוֹרָא וְכוּ׳), know (דַּע), that the intention of these rivers is an allusion to the Gevurot of Abba which are Chesedim, and to the Gevurot of Imma (כִּי כַּוָּנַת אֵלּוּ הַיְאוֹרִים רֶמֶז לִגְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁל אַבָּא שֶׁהֵם חֲסָדִים וְלִגְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁל אִמָּא), which emerge from one channel that alludes to Yesod (הַיּוֹצְאִים מִצִּנּוֹר א׳ הָרוֹמֵז לִיסוֹד), and even though they are two Yesodot, Yesod of Abba and Yesod of Imma (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם ב׳ יְסוֹדוֹת שֶׁל אַבָּא וְשֶׁל אִמָּא), nevertheless they are one, because Yesod of Abba is clothed within Yesod of Imma (עִכָּ״ז הֵם א׳ לְפִי שֶׁיְסוֹד אַבָּא מְלוּבָּשׁ בִּיסוֹד אִמָּא), and he said “it produced three drops” (וְאָמַר אַפִּיק תְּלַתָא טִיפִּין), an allusion to three sections (רֶמֶז לְג׳ פְּרָקִים), and from each section one complete attribute is formed which is called a river (וּמִכָּל פֶּרֶק נַעֲשֵׂה מִדָּה א׳ שְׁלֵמָה הַנִּקְרָא יְאוֹר), and they are nine rivers that strengthen and go and swim and circulate in all those firmaments (וְהֵם ט׳ יְאוֹרִים שֶׁמִּתְחַזְּקִים וְהוֹלְכִים וְשָׁאֲטִים וּמְסַבְּבִים בְּכָל אוֹתָם רְקִיעִים).

From what remained of those drops (מִמַּה שֶּׁנִּשְׁאַר מֵאוֹתָם הַטִּפּוֹת), one drop remained, an allusion to Keter (נִשְׁאַר טִיפָּה א׳ רֶמֶז לְכֶתֶר), and one river was made (וְנַעֲשָׂה יְאוֹר א׳), and it lies and falls, this drop, among them, and becomes one river (וְהוּא שׁוֹכֵב וְנוֹפֵל טִיפָּה זוֹ בֵּינֵיהֶם וְנַעֲשָׂה יְאוֹר א׳), and this river is the river that he said is his and tranquil (וְיְאוֹר זֶה הוּא הַיְאוֹר שֶׁאָמַר שֶׁהוּא שֶׁלּוֹ וְשָׁקֵט). This river, like that river which flows and issues, etc. (הַאי יְאוֹרָא כַּד הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק וְכוּ׳), is an allusion to Imma, when it also produces other great drops from the right side, which are the Chesedim of Abba and the Chesedim of Imma (רֶמֶז לְאִמָּא כְּשֶׁמּוֹצִיאָה גַּם כֵּן טִיפִּין אַחֲרָנִין גְּדוֹלִים מִצַּד יָמִין שֶׁהֵם חֲסָדִים שֶׁל אַבָּא וַחֲסָדִים שֶׁל אִמָּא), likewise nine emerge (כְּמוֹ כֵּן יוֹצְאִים ט׳), and from what remains of them one river is made which is the choicest of all of them (וּמַה שֶּׁנִּשְׁאַר מֵהֶם נַעֲשָׂה יְאוֹר א׳ שֶׁהוּא מֻבְחָר שֶׁבְּכֻלָּם). And all this speaks when they are in their place (וְכָל זֶה מְדַבֵּר כְּשֶׁהֵם בִּמְקוֹמָם), but when they come into Ze’ir Anpin (אֲבָל כְּשֶׁבָּאִים בְּז״א), then they are divided into four rivers that emerge from Eden (אָזַי הֵם נֶחְלָקִים לְד׳ נְהָרוֹת שֶׁיּוֹצְאִים מֵעֵדֶן), and the first, which is Pishon, falls into this river and is included within it (וְהָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהוּא פִּישׁוֹן נוֹפֵל בְּזֶה הַיְאוֹר וְנִכְלָל בּוֹ), and upon this Malchut of Bavel is included in this (וְעַל זֶה מַלְכוּת בָּבֶל נִכְלָל בְּזֶה), which alludes to the Name Ehyeh, whose front (panim) is Bokhu, equal to the number of “Bavel” (הָרוֹמֵז לְשֵׁם אֶהי״ה שֶׁהַפָּנִים שֶׁלּוֹ בּוֹכ״ו כְּמִנְיַן בָּבֶל), and from this all the other rivers are nourished (וּמִזֶּה נִיזוֹנִים כָּל שְׁאָר יְאוֹרִים).

And in every river and river there is one Dragon (וּבְכָל יְאוֹר וְיְאוֹר יֵשׁ תַּנִּין א׳), meaning (ר״ל), that the rivers are an allusion to Chesedim and the Dragons an allusion to Gevurot (שֶׁהַיְאוֹרִים רֶמֶז לַחֲסָדִים וְהַתַּנִּינִים רֶמֶז לִגְּבוּרוֹת).

And know (וְדַע), that they are ten Ehyeh, ten Dragons (כִּי הֵם עֶשֶׂר אֶהי״ה עֶשֶׂר תַּנִּינִים), for the Name Ehyeh equals the number “Tanin” in this manner (כִּי שֵׁם אֶהי״ה עוֹלֶה כְּמִנְיַן תַּנִּין בְּזֶה הָאוֹפֶן), Aleph (אֶל״ף), Heh–Heh times Heh–Heh are one hundred (ה״ה פְּעָמִים ה״ה הֵם מֵאָה), and likewise the final Heh–Heh are another one hundred (וְכֵן ה״ה אַחֲרוֹנָה מֵאָה אֲחֵרִים), and ten times Yod in its filling are two hundred (וְעֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים יו״ד מָלֵא הֵם מָאתַיִם), behold the Aleph is one hundred eleven (הֲרֵי הָאֶל״ף הֵם קי״א), and the two Hehin are two hundred (וְהַב׳ הֵי״ן הֵם מָאתַיִם), and ten times Yod are also two hundred (וְעֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים יו״ד הֵם גַּם כֵּן מָאתַיִם), behold five hundred eleven (הֲרֵי תקי״א), equal to the number “Taninim” with the Kollel (כְּמִנְיַן תַּנִּינִים עִם הַכּוֹלֵל).

Behold (הֲרֵי), that ten Dragons are ten Gevurot (כִּי עֶשֶׂר תַּנִּינִים הֵם עֶשֶׂר גְּבוּרוֹת), and ten rivers are ten Chesedim, ten Havayot (וְעֶשֶׂר יְאוֹרִים הֵם עֶשֶׂר חֲסָדִים עֶשֶׂר הֲוָיוֹת), each Havayah equals the number “ye’or (river)" in this manner (כָּל הֲוָיָה כְּמִנְיַן יְאוֹר בְּזֶה הָאוֹפֶן), Yod (יו״ד), Yod, Heh, Yod (יו״ד ה״י), Yod, Heh, Yod, Vav (יו״ד ה״י וי״ו), Yod, Heh, Yod, Vav, Heh (יו״ד ה״י וי״ו ה״י), they are twenty-six letters (הֵם כ״ו אוֹתִיּוֹת), and the backs of seventy-two are 184, behold “ye’or (river)" (וַאֲחוֹרַיִם שֶׁל ע״ב הֵם דפ״ק הֲרֵי יָא״ר), for “ye’or (river)" is written defectively without Vav (כִּי יְאוֹר הוּא חָסֵר ו׳).

It is found (נִמְצָא), that the Dragons are Ehyeh, females, which are Gevurot (שֶׁהַתַּנִּינִים הֵם אֶהי״ה נוּקְבִין שֶׁהֵם גְּבוּרוֹת), and the rivers are Havayot which are Chesedim (וְהַיְאוֹרִים הֵם הֲוָיוֹת שֶׁהֵם חֲסָדִים), and they are nine (וְהֵם ט׳), and each and every one of them has one puncture in its head from the side of the Chesedim that pierces it (וְכָל א׳ מֵהֶם נֶקֶב א׳ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ מִצַּד הַחֲסָדִים שֶׁנּוֹקֵב אוֹתוֹ), as it is said “You broke the heads of the Dragons upon the waters” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שִׁבַּרְתָּ רָאשֵׁי תַּנִּינִים עַל הַמָּיִם), meaning for the sake of the Chesed (פֵּירוּשׁ בִּשְׁבִיל הַחֶסֶד), and even the uppermost of the Dragons (וַאֲפִילוּ הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁבַּתַּנִּינִים), since they all blow their spirit toward it (לְפִי שֶׁנּוֹפְחִים כֻּלָּם רוּחָם אֶצְלוֹ).

It is written (כְּתִיב), “In the beginning Elohim created” (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים), and it is written (וּכְתִיב), “And Elohim created the Dragons” (וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַתַּנִּינִים). In all the work of Bereshit, which are ten utterances (בְּכָל מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית שֶׁהֵם עֶשֶׂר מַאֲמָרוֹת), corresponding to them are the rivers (כְּנֶגְדָּם הֵם הַיְאוֹרִים), and one Dragon flutters in the wind (וְתַּנִּין א׳ מְרַפְרֵף בְּרוּחַ), an allusion to Ze’ir Anpin that flutters in Tiferet (רֶמֶז לְז״א שֶׁמְרַפְרֵף בְּת״ת). And to seventy years (וּלְע׳ שָׁנָה), an allusion to his seventy Names (רֶמֶז לְע׳ שֵׁמוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ), the world trembles (מְזַעְזֵעַ הָעוֹלָם), Malchut which is called “world” (מַלְכוּת הַנִּקְרֵאת עוֹלָם), because this Dragon which alludes to Ze’ir Anpin, when it ascends (לְפִי שֶׁזֶּה הַתַּנִּין הָרוֹמֵז לְז״א כְּשֶׁהוּא עוֹלֶה), its fins are its wings which are the Chesedim of the right side (סְנַפִּירָיו הֵם הַכְּנָפַיִם שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁהֵם סוֹד הַחֲסָדִים שֶׁל צַד יָמִין), for the left side is called scales (כִּי צַד שְׂמֹאל נִקְרָא קַשְׂקַשִּׂים), and then all the other Dragons, which are the Gevurot, tremble (וְאָז כָּל שְׁאָר הַתַּנִּינִים שֶׁהֵם הַגְּבוּרוֹת מִזְדַּעְזְעִים), and the whole world trembles (וְכָל הָעוֹלָם מִזְדַּעְזַע).

And all of them are included in this Great Dragon, which is Ze’ir Anpin (וְכֻלָּם נִכְלָלִים בְּזֶה הַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁהוּא ז״א), it is Chesed sweetened in Tiferet (הוּא חֶסֶד הַמְּמוּתָּק בְּת״ת). “And the earth was tohu and bohu, and darkness upon the face of the deep, and the spirit of Elohim hovered upon the face of the waters” (וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְהוֹם וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם), they are thirteen corresponding to the thirteen diagonal boundaries (הֵם י״ג כְּנֶגֶד י״ג גְּבוּלֵי אַלְכְּסוֹן).

And Rabbi Shimon said (וְאָמַר ר״ש), the work of Bereshit the companions study it and know it (מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית הַחֲבֵרִים לוֹמְדִים בּוֹ וְיוֹדְעִים), but few are they (אֲבָל מְעוּטִים הֵם), “I have seen the sons of ascent and they are few” (רָאִיתִי בְּנֵי עֲלִיָּה וְהֵם מְעוּטִים), who know the work of Bereshit in the secret of the Great Dragon that alludes to the head of Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁיּוֹדְעִים מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּסוֹד הַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל הָרוֹמֵז לְרֹאשׁ ז״א), for the entire world is chained upon its fins, which are its Chokhmah and Binah, and they are its Mochin (שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹלָם מִשְׁתַּלְשֵׁל עַל סְנַפִּירָיו שֶׁהֵם חָכְמָה וּבִינָה שֶׁלּוֹ וְהֵם הַמּוֹחִין שֶׁלּוֹ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), “and the earth was tohu,” etc. (וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וְכוּ׳), it was a Dragon, and they established it (תַּנִּין הָיָה וְאוּקְמוּהָ), meaning Gevurah (ר״ל גְּבוּרָה), and it was sweetened in the river (וְנִמְתְּקָה בַּיְאוֹר), for in this primordial river, when this Dragon enters into it to be sweetened (לְפִי שֶׁבְּזֶה הַיְאוֹר הַקַּדְמוֹן כְּשֶׁזֶּה הַתַּנִּין נִכְנָס בּוֹ לְהִתְמַתֵּק), then it becomes filled and overflows and extinguishes the sparks that were gathered in the worlds that were destroyed (אָז מִתְמַלֵּא וְשׁוֹטֵף וּמְכַבֶּה הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת שֶׁנִּתְלַקְּטוּ בָּעוֹלָמוֹת שֶׁנֶּחְרְבוּ), which are the kings that died (שֶׁהֵם הַמְּלָכִים שֶׁמֵּתוּ), and by the power of this sweetening it sufficed to extinguish the sparks from the abundance of the light that overflowed the worlds (וּבְכֹחַ זֶה הַמִּיתּוּק הִסְפִּיק לְכַבּוֹת הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת מֵרִבּוּי הָאוֹר שֶׁשָּׁטַף הָעוֹלָמוֹת).

And the other Dragons that he said “were and were not” (וְהַתַּנִּינִים הָאֲחֵרִים שֶׁאָמַר הָיוּ וְלֹא הָיוּ), is because these Gevurot were not sweetened until now that they were sweetened (לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נִמְתְּקוּ אֵלּוּ הַגְּבוּרוֹת עַד עַתָּה שֶׁנִּמְתְּקוּ), and their power was weakened so that they would not destroy the world (וְנֶחְלַשׁ כֹּחָם שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲרִיבוּ הָעוֹלָם), for if they had not been sweetened they would have destroyed the world (אִלּוּ לֹא הָיוּ נִמְתָּקִים הָיוּ מַחֲרִיבִים הָעוֹלָם), but once in seventy years, one time (אֶלָּא לְע׳ שָׁנָה פַּעַם א׳).

And they were strengthened by the power of the Great Dragon that was mentioned (וְהֵם נִתְחַזְּקוּ בְּכֹחַ הַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁאָמַר), and this one alone to strengthen (וְזֶהוּ לְבַדּוֹ לְהִתְחַזֵּק), and if its female had been with it, an allusion to the lower Gevurah (וְאִלְמָלֵא הָיְתָה נוּקְבֵיהּ עִמּוֹ רֶמֶז לִגְבוּרָה תַּתָּאָה), if these had joined they would have destroyed the world (אִלּוּ הָיוּ מִתְחַבְּרִים הָיוּ מַחֲרִיבִים אֶת הָעוֹלָם), and they would not have been able to endure before the sweetening (וְלֹא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לִסְבּוֹל קוֹדֶם הַמִּיתּוּק), and therefore before the Holy One Blessed Be He slew the female it was tohu va-vohu, tohu before the sweetening and vohu after the sweetening (וּבְגִין כָּךְ קוֹדֶם שֶׁהָרַג הב״ה לַנְּקֵבָה הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ תֹהוּ קוֹדֶם הַמִּיתּוּק וָבֹהוּ אַחַר הַמִּיתּוּק).

What did the Holy One Blessed Be He do (מַה עָשָׂה הב״ה), He crushed its head (מָחַץ רֹאשׁוֹ), meaning that its head was sweetened, which alludes to the power of the Gevurot which is Butzina deKardonita (The Hard Spark), called the measuring line, “a path the bird has not known” (פֵּירוּשׁ שֶׁנִּמְתַּק רֹאשׁוֹ הָרוֹמֵז לְכֹחַ הַגְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁהוּא בּוּצִינָא דְּקַרְדוּנִיתָא הַנִּקְרָא קַו הַמִּדָּה נָתִיב לֹא יְדָעוֹ עַיִט), and its head was crushed and bent (וְנִמְחַץ רֹאשׁוֹ וְנִכְפַּף), because the deep below which alludes to Malchut was not illuminating (לְפִי שֶׁהַתְּהוֹם לְמַטָּה הָרוֹמֵז לְמַלְכוּת לֹא הָיָה מֵאִיר).

What is the reason? (מ״ט), because this Great Dragon which alludes to the power of the Gevurot was blowing into the deep and darkening it (לְפִי שֶׁזֶּה הַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל הָרוֹמֵז לְכֹחַ הַגְּבוּרוֹת הָיָה מְנַשֵּׁב בַּתְּהוֹם וּמַחֲשִׁיכוֹ), and it was not fluttering below, meaning even its illumination (וְלֹא הָיָה מְרַפְרֵף לְמַטָּה פֵּירוּשׁ אֲפִילוּ הַהֶאָרָה שֶׁלּוֹ), until another wind passed from above and struck and blew into that wind and calmed it (עַד שֶׁעָבַר רוּחַ אַחֵר מִלְמַעְלָה וּבָטַשׁ וְנָשַׁב בְּאוֹתוֹ רוּחַ וְשָׁכַךְ), as it is said “and the spirit of Elohim hovered upon the face of the waters” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם), and this is what is said “and wind struck against wind and created the world” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר וּבָטַשׁ רוּחָא בְּרוּחָא וּבָרָא הָעוֹלָם). And corresponding to this Dragon also below in the Klipot there is a twisting serpent, this is Samael, the Great Dragon, the chief captain (וְכְנֶגֶד זֶה הַתַּנִּין גַּם כֵּן לְמַטָּה בַּקְּלִיפּוֹת יֵשׁ נָחָשׁ עֲקַלָּתוֹן הוּא סַמָּאֵל תַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל רַב הַחוֹבֵל).