Chapter Fifty-Two (פֶּרֶק חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם)

The light of this Malbush (garment) pierces through all the worlds (הָאוֹר שֶׁל זֶה הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ בּוֹקֵעַ בְּכׇל הָעוֹלָמוֹת כֻּלָּם), and this is called the thread of Chesed that descends downward in the morning (וְזֶה נִקְרָא חוּט שֶׁל חֶסֶד הַיּוֹרֵד לְמַטָּה בַּבֹּקֶר), and also at midnight (וְגַם בַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה), it descends from the two halves of the Malbush, front and back (יוֹרֵד מִשְּׁנֵי חֲצָאֵי הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ פָּנִים וְאָחוֹר), after the back is removed from behind the front (אַחֲרֵי שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק הָאָחוֹר אֲחוֹרֵי הַפָּנִים). And from this comes the delight of the Tzaddikim with the Holy One Blessed Be He in Gan Eden (וּמִזֶּה נִתְהַוֶּה הַשַּׁעֲשׁוּעַ שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקִים עִם הקב״ה בְּגַן עֵדֶן), and the awakening of the Zivug (וְהִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַזִּוּוּג). And every place in the Zohar where it says Sha‘ashu‘a (Delight) refers to this world (וְכׇל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שַׁעֲשׁוּעַ בַּזֹּהַר הוּא מִזֶּה הָעוֹלָם), and whoever enjoys this influx knows what was, is, and will be (וְכׇל הַנֶּהֱנֶה מִזֶּה הַשֶּׁפַע יוֹדֵעַ מַה שֶׁהָיָה וְהוֶה וְעָתִיד לִהְיוֹת). And regarding this it is said in Zohar Ḥadash, Midrash haNe‘elam, Parashat Bereshit (וְעַל זֶה אָמְרוּ בַּזֹּהַר חָדָשׁ, מִדְרַשׁ הַנֶּעֱלָם פָּרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית): “The light that the Holy One Blessed Be He created in the beginning, a person could see with it from one end of the world to the other” ("אוֹר שֶׁבָּרָא הקב״ה בַּתְּחִלָּה, אָדָם הָיָה רוֹאֶה בּוֹ וְצוֹפֶה מֵרֹאשׁ הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ"). “Come and see: the radiance of the sun is one part in sixty-thousand and seventy-five of that radiance (תָּא חֲזֵי: נְהִירוּתָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא הוּא חַד מִשִּׁיתִּין אַלְפִין וְשִׁבְעִים וַחֲמֵשׁ חוּלָקִין מֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּתָא), of the Mirror (דְּאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא), of that light that was hidden away (דְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּאִתְגַּנִּיז). And even in this radiance of the sun, no person is able to look directly into it (וְאֲפִלּוּ בְּהַאי נְהִירוּתָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא לֵית אִנָּשׁ יָכִיל לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בֵּיהּ), how much more so in that hidden light” (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא). “And this that we said, that a person could look from the beginning of the world to its end (וְהָא דְּאָמְרַן דְּאִנָּשׁ יִסְתַּכֵּל בֵּיהּ מֵרֵישׁ דְּעָלְמָא וְעַד סֵיפֵי עָלְמָא), rather, this is how we decree in our teaching (אֶלָּא הָכִי גָּזְרַנָא בְּמַתְנִיתָא דִּילָן), that in that radiance, a person is able to understand and to see by the light of wisdom (דְּבְהַהוּא נְהִירוּתָא יָכִיל אִנָּשׁ לְמֶנְדַּע לְמֶחֱזֵי בְּנְהִירוּ דְּחָכְמְתָא), everything that was and everything that will be (כׇּל מַה דְּהֲוָה וְכׇל מַה דְּיְהֵוֵי), from the beginning of the world to its end (מֵרֵאשֵׁיהּ דְּעָלְמָא עַד סֵיפֵיהּ). And it is hidden away for the Tzaddikim for the World to Come" (וְהוּא אִתְגְּנִיז לְצַדִּיקַיָּא לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). “What is the World to Come?” (מַאי לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). “When the holy soul leaves this world (כְּד תִּפֻּק נִשְׁמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא מֵהַאי עָלְמָא), and goes into the World to Come” (וְיֵיזִיל בֵּיהּ לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). Meaning, he knows immediately which path he shall take to Gan Eden (פֵּירוּשׁ: שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ תֵּכֶף אֵיּזֶה דֶּרֶךְ יֵלֵךְ לְגַן עֵדֶן), and which path will lead to the dwelling of the light of Gan Eden (וְאֵיּזֶה דֶּרֶךְ יִשְׁכּוֹן אוֹר גַּן עֵדֶן), for the darkness - that is Gehinnom - surrounds Gan Eden (כִּי הַחֹשֶׁךְ דְּהַיְינוּ גֵיהִנֹּם מְסַבֵּב אֶת גַּן עֵדֶן), and every person must pass through that path (וְצָרִיךְ כׇּל אָדָם לֵילֵךְ דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם), and with this light he will go in safety on his path (וּבָזֶה הָאוֹר יֵלֵךְ בָּטוּחַ לְדַרְכּוֹ): “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining ever brighter until the perfect day” (Proverbs 4) ("הוֹלֵךְ וָאוֹר עַד נְכוֹן הַיּוֹם").

Come and see: it is written, “And he was there with Hashem forty days and forty nights; bread he did not eat and water he did not drink” (Exodus 34) (תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב: "וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם י־ה־ו־ה אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה, לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַל וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתָה"). What is the reason? Because he was nourished from that radiance (מַאי טַעְמָא מִשּׁוּם דְּאִתְהֲנֵי מֵהַהוּא זִיוָּא). And even though he descended from there, and that radiance did not descend with him (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּנָחֵית מִתַּמָּן, וְהַהוּא נְהִירוּתָא לָא נָחֵית עִמֵּיהּ), they were not able to look upon the face of Moshe (לָא הֲווֹ יָכְלִין לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּאַנְפוֹי דְּמֹשֶׁה), because of what he had looked upon beforehand when he was there (מִמַּה דְּאִסְתַּכַּל בַּקַּדְמִיתָא כַּד הֲוָה תַּמָּן), and his face remained radiant like the sun (וְאִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ אַנְפוֹי נְהִירִין כְּהַאי שִׁמְשָׁא). Until here is his language (עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ).

Therefore it is said: ״For there the portion of the lawgiver is hidden״ (Deuteronomy 33:21) (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי שָׁם חֶלְקַת מְחֹקֵק סָפוּן״). That is to say (כְּלוֹמַר), the world of the Malbush [Garment] is called Chelekat Mechokek [Portion of the Lawgiver] (שֶׁעוֹלַם הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ נִקְרָא ״חֶלְקַת מְחֹקֵק״), meaning (דְּהַיְנוּ), the engraving and the measure of the letters (הַגְּלִיפוּ וְהַשִּׁיעוּר שֶׁל הָאוֹתִיּוֹת), there it is hidden and concealed (שָׁם סָפוּן וְטָמוּן), and it is the portion of comprehension of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (וְהוּא חֵלֶק הַהַשָּׂגָה שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם). And this is the fiftieth path that Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, did not attain (וְזֶהוּ הַנָּתִיב הַחֲמִשִּׁים שֶׁלֹּא הִשִּׂיגוֹ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ ע״ה), as it is said: ״A path unknown to the falcon״ (Job 28:7) (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נָתִיב לֹא יְדָעוּ עָיִט״). And a path [462] (ונָתִיב) in gematria is twice 231, front and back (וְ'נָתִיב' גִּימַטְרִיָּא ב׳ פְּעָמִים רל״א פָּנִים וְאָחוֹר). And this engraving is alluded to in the beginning of the Zohar (Bereshit 15a) (וְהַחֲקִיקָה הַזֹּאת הִיא רְמוּזָה בַּזֹּהַר בְּהַתְחַלָּתוֹ): “In the Head. By decree of the King, He engraved engraving in the Supernal Tehiru” (בְּרֵישׁ הוּרְמְנְתָא דְּמַלְכָּא גְּלִיף גְּלִיפוֹי בְּטְהִירוּ עִילָּאָה).

Explanation (פֵּרוּשׁ): Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, peace be upon him (הָרַשְׁבִּ״י ע״ה), who is hinted in the word Beresh [In the Head] (הַנִּרְמָז בְּמִלַּת בְּרֵי״שׁ), a notarikon: Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (נוֹטָרִיקוֹן: רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי), and he is a spark of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (וְהוּא נִצּוֹץ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם). Both of them attained the Hormanuta [Decree] and the dominion of the law of the engraving (שְׁנֵיהֶם הִשִּׂיגוּ אֶל הַהוּרְמְנוּתָא וְהַשַּׁלְטָנוּת שֶׁל דִּין הַחֲקִיקָה), that was engraved and bound in the mystery of an Igul [Circle] (הַנִּגְלָף וְהַנִּקְרָשׁ בְּסוֹד עִגּוּל), called Supernal Tehiru (הַנִּקְרָא טְהִירוּ עִילָּאָה). For his Neshamah [Soul] was a spark from the Neshamah [Soul] of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (כִּי נִשְׁמָתוֹ הָיְתָה נִצּוֹץ מִנִּשְׁמַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם), and his generation was a generation of Da'at (וְדוֹרוֹ הָיָה דּוֹר דֵּעָה). Therefore, in the Zohar, Parashat Shelach Lekha (168b), he entered Gan Eden with his students (וְלָכֵן בַּזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת שְׁלַח לְךָ, בָּא אֶל הַגַּן עֵדֶן עִם תַּלְמִידָיו), and there he saw the stature of the generation of the wilderness (וְרָאָה שָׁם מַעֲלַת דּוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר), therefore he said: "And there was not a generation like this except the generation of the wilderness" (Zohar, Shelach Lekha 168b) (לְכָךְ אָמַר: ״וְלָא הֲוָה כְּדָרָא דָּא אֶלָּא דָּרָא דְּמִדְבָּרָא״). And therefore he composed the Sifra diTzniuta in five chapters (וְלָכֵן עָשָׂה סִפְרָא דִּצְנִיעוּתָא ה׳ פְּרָקִים), corresponding to Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, who wrote the five books of the Torah (כְּנֶגֶד מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁכָּתַב חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְשֵׁי תּוֹרָה). And it is also hinted in his fleeing from the Caesar, in Tractate Shabbat (וְגַם נִרְמַז בְּבָרְחוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַקֵּיסָר בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת): "Shimon, since he criticized, let him be killed" (Shabbat 33b) (״שִׁמְעוֹן שֶׁגִּינָּה יֵהָרֵג״), just as Pharaoh sought to kill Moshe, and he fled from before him (כְּמוֹ שֶׁרָצָה פַּרְעֹה לַהֲרֹג אֶת מֹשֶׁה וּבָרַח מִפָּנָיו), as it is said: "And He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh" (Exodus 18:4) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּצִּילֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה״). And there Moshe attained his perfection in the wilderness (וְשָׁם הִשִּׂיג מֹשֶׁה שְׁלֵמוּתוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר), and likewise Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, peace be upon him, attained his perfection in the wilderness of Lod (וְגַם רַשְׁבִּ״י ע״ה הִשִּׂיג שְׁלֵמוּתוֹ בְּמִדְבָּרָא דְּלוֹד), and there Elohim was revealed to him (וְשָׁם נִתְגַּלָּה אֵלָיו אֱלֹהִים). This is not its place—it will be expanded in my second book (אֵין כָּאן מְקוֹמוֹ, יוּרַחַב בִּיאוּרוֹ בְּסִפְרִי חֵלֶק שֵׁנִי), called Gan haMelekh [The King's Garden] (הַנִּקְרָא גַּן הַמֶּלֶךְ), in the mystery of: "Who is as great as Moshe?" (בְּסוֹד: מִי לָנוּ גָּדוֹל כְּמֹשֶׁה). And see the Zohar on Ruth (וְעַיֵּן בְּזֹהַר רוּת).