Chapter Forty-Five (פֶּרֶק אַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה)

The Tov [Good] is later than the Ra [Evil] in the World of Tohu (הַטּוֹב הוּא מְאוּחָר אֶל הָרַע בְּעוֹלַם הַתֹּהוּ), and so is its counterpart in the World of Tikkun (וְדוּגְמָתוֹ בְּעוֹלַם הַתִּקּוּן), as we shall explain (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנְּפָרֵשׁ). And we have proof from the parable I brought above (וְיֵשׁ לָנוּ רְאָיָה מֵהַמָּשָׁל שֶׁהֵבֵאתִי לְמַעְלָה), that non-being precedes existence (שֶׁהָאֶעְדֵּר קוֹדֵם אֶל הַהֲוָיָה). And His intention, may He be blessed, was to create good and evil in the world (וּכְוָנָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ הָיְתָה לִבְרוֹא טוֹב וָרָע בָּעוֹלָם). And the root of the Klipot came from the Manin Tevirin [Broken Vessels] (וְשֹׁרֶשׁ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת הָיָה מֵהַמָּאנִין תְּבִירִין), from them the Dinim [Judgments] were made (מֵהֶם נַעֲשׂוּ הַדִּינִין), and from the Dinim [Judgments] the Klipot were made (וּמִן הַדִּינִין נַעֲשׂוּ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and there is the root of Ra [Evil] (וְשָׁם הוּא שֹׁרֶשׁ הָרַע), and the root of Tov [Good] is from that light within the Manin Tevirin [Broken Vessels] (וְשֹׁרֶשׁ הַטּוֹב, מֵאוֹתוֹ הָאוֹר שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַמָּאנִין תְּבִירִין), in the secret of drops clinging to the walls of the Kli [Vessel] (בְּסוֹד טִפִּין הַנִּדְבָּקִים בְּדוֹפְנֵי הַכֵּלִי). And if the Holy One, blessed be He, had not created worlds and destroyed them (וְאִם הקב״ה לֹא הָיָה בוֹרֵא עוֹלָמוֹת וּמַחֲרִיבָן), there could not have been any Ra [Evil] in the world (לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שׁוּם רַע בָּעוֹלָם), for all would have been Tov [Good] (כִּי אִם הַכֹּל הָיָה טוֹב). And it is known that through Ra [Evil], Tov [Good] is recognized (וִידוּעַ כִּי מִן הָרַע נִכָּר הַטּוֹב), and likewise there would have been no procreation in the world (וְכֵן לֹא הָיְתָה פְּרִיָּה וְרִבְיָה בָּעוֹלָם), as our sages of blessed memory said in tractate Yoma (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲז״ל בְּמַסֶּכֶת יוֹמָא): When they seized the Evil Inclination for three days (כְּשֶׁתְּפָסוּהוּ לְיֵצֶר הָרָע תְּלָתָא יוֹמֵי), in the female of the great abyss (בְּנוּקְבָא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא), no fresh-laid egg could be found for a sick person (לָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח לְחוֹלֵי בֵּיעָתָא בַּת־יוֹמָא) (Yoma 69b).

For desire was no longer flowing from it (דְּתַּאֲוָה לָא הֲוָת נִשְׁפַּעַת מִינֵיהּ). And, “He did not create it for chaos, but He formed it to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45:18) (וְלֹא תֹהוּ בְרָאָהּ אֶלָּא לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָהּ). And even in the future it will be called Lavan [White] (וַאֲפִלּוּ לְעָתִיד לָבוֹא נִקְרָא לָבָן), for it will be whitened from its filth and restored to the dominion of Yisrael (שֶׁיִּתְלַבֵּן מִנִּוּוּלוֹ וְיַחְזִיר לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), and they will pray to Hashem to give them the desire of the Yetzer Hara [Evil Inclination] (וְיִתְפַּלְּלוּ אֶל י״י לָתֵת לָהֶם תַּאֲוַת יֵצֶר הָרָע), to beget children (לְהוֹלִיד בָּנִים). As we find in the Midrash haNe'elam, Parashat Toldot (כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ הַנֶּעְלָם פָּרָשַׁת תּוֹלְדוֹת) (Midrash haNe'elam 137b), on the verse: “And Yitzchak entreated Hashem opposite his wife” (Bereshit 25:21) (עַל פָּסוּק: וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַי״י לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ). And many sections of laws regarding capital punishment and the like would not have been written in the Torah (וְכַמָּה פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת שֶׁל דִּינֵי קַטְלָא וְדוֹמֵיהֶם לֹא הָיוּ נִכְתָּבִים בַּתּוֹרָה), and would have, Heaven forbid, been null and void (וְהָיוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם בְּטֵלִים וּמְבוּטָּלִים). And even though the Klipot had not emerged from potential into actuality before the sin of Adam haRishon (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ יוֹצְאוֹת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת מִן הַכֹּחַ אֶל הַפֹּעַל קֹדֶם חֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), nevertheless they existed in an exceedingly subtle and hidden potential (עַל כָּל פָּנִים הָיוּ בַּכֹּחַ דַּק וְנֶעְלָם מְאֹד), the root of the Ra [Evil] of the Klipot (שֹׁרֶשׁ הָרַע שֶׁל הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), from the Manin Tevirin [Broken Vessels] (מֵהַמָּאנִין תְּבִירִין). And creation was necessary in the secret of: “Maker of peace and Creator of evil” (Isaiah 45:7) (וְהֻצְרְכָה בְּרִיאָה בְּסוֹד עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם וּבוֹרֵא רָע). And likewise those sections were exceedingly hidden in their mystery (וְכֵן אוֹתָם הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הָיוּ נֶעְלָמִים מְאֹד בְּסוֹדָם), had the Yetzer Hara [Evil Inclination] not emerged from potential into actuality (אִם לֹא הָיָה יוֹצֵא הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע מִן הַכֹּחַ אֶל הַפֹּעַל), and had Adam haRishon not sinned (וְאִם לֹא חָטָא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), and the generation of the wilderness (וְדוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר), and likewise in the future to come (וְדוּגְמָתוֹ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא). And all this is because His intention, may He be blessed, when He created the world (וְכָל זֶה הוּא לִהְיוֹת שֶׁכַּוָּנָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּשֶׁבָּרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם), His intention and ultimate purpose was that His creations should recognize Him (כַּוָּנָתוֹ וּתַכְלִיתוֹ הָיְתָה שֶׁיַּכִּירוּ אוֹתוֹ בְּרוּאָיו). Therefore He created the strap with which to strike the sinner (לְכָךְ בָּרָא אֶת הָרְצוּעָה לְהַלְקוֹת בָּהּ לַחוֹטֵא), and a good light to give good reward to the Tzaddikim (וְאוֹר טוֹב לָתֵת שָׂכָר טוֹב לַצַּדִּיקִים).

And because of this it is necessary that man have free choice and will (וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה מֻכְרָח הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָאָדָם בְּחִירָה וְרָצוֹן), with good and evil existing in the world (בִּהְיוֹת טוֹב וָרָע בָּעוֹלָם). And regarding this it is said: “And you shall fear from your God” (Leviticus 19) (וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: וְיָרֵאתָ מֵאֱלֹהֶיךָ), and “He repays His enemies to their face to destroy them” (Deuteronomy 7) (וּמְשַׁלֵּם לְשֹׂנְאָיו אֶל פָּנָיו לְהַאֲבִידוֹ). And if He had not built worlds and destroyed them (וְאִם לֹא הָיָה בּוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹת וּמַחֲרִיבָן), there could not have been any evil (לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שׁוּם רַע), for all would have been good (כִּי אִם הַכֹּל הָיָה טוֹב), and there would have been no reward and punishment in the world (וְלֹא הָיָה שָׂכָר וְעֹנֶשׁ בָּעוֹלָם). But now that there is evil and good within the Klipot (אֲבָל עַתָּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ רַע וָטוֹב בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), there is punishment for the wicked one (יֵשׁ עוֹנֶשׁ לָרָשָׁע), who through his evil deeds draws down from the great supernal light into the Klipot and gives them vitality (שֶׁבְּמַעֲשָׂיו הָרָעִים יוֹרֵד מֵהָאוֹר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה לְתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת וּמְחַיֵּה אוֹתָם), even though they are already offerings to the dead (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם כְּבָר זִבְחֵי מֵתִים). And there is reward for the Tzaddik (וְיֵשׁ שָׂכָר לַצַּדִּיק), who through his good deeds raises Mayin Nukvin from that light within the broken Kelim (שֶׁבְּמַעֲשָׂיו הַטּוֹבִים מַעֲלֶה מַיִּין נוּקְבִין מֵאוֹתוֹ הָאוֹר שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַמָּאנִין תְּבִירִין), which are the Klipot (שֶׁהֵם הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and raises the light to its place (וּמַעֲלֶה אֶת הָאוֹר לִמְקוֹמוֹ). And the opposite for the sinner (וְלֶהֱפַךְ לַחוֹטֵא), for the Klipot are the straps that strike the sinner (כִּי הַקְּלִיפּוֹת הֵם רְצוּעוֹת הַמַּלְקוֹת לַחוֹטֵא).

And this is the meaning of the verse that says: “He shall be seized by the works of his hands” (Proverbs 5) (וְהוּא טַעַם הַפָּסוּק שֶׁאוֹמֵר: שֶׁבַּעֲוֹנוֹ תִּלָּכֵד בְּאֵיתָן תֵּאחֵז). It is the Klipah that grasps the “arms of the world” (הִיא הַקְּלִיפָה הַנֶּאֱחֶזֶת בִּזְרוֹעוֹת עוֹלָם), these being Gedulah and Gevurah from the broken Kelim (אֵלּוּ גְּדוּלָּה וּגְבוּרָה דִּמְּאנִין תְּבִירִין). And the cobwebs are always in construction (וְקוֹרֵי הָעֲכָבִישׁ תָּמִיד הֵם בְּבִנְיָן), alluding to the Klipah which has grasp on the structure (רֶמֶז לַקְּלִיפָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ אֲחִיזָה בַּבִּנְיָן) of the Heikhalot (הַהֵיכָלוֹת). Therefore it is well that we read concerning her: “And she is in the palaces of the King” (אֶלְמָא שַׁפִּיר קָרִינַן בֵּיהּ: וְהִיא בְּהֵיכַלֵי מֶלֶךְ), for she stands in the seven Heikhalot of the exchange (שֶׁהִיא עוֹמֶדֶת בְּז׳ הֵיכָלוֹת שֶׁל הַתְּמוּרָה), opposite the seven holy Heikhalot of Malkhut (כְּנֶגֶד ז׳ הֵיכְלֵי קֹדֶשׁ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת). And its beginning - the beginning of the Klipah (וְהַהַתְחָלָה שֶׁלָּהּ – שֶׁל הַקְּלִיפָה), is from Malkhut’s Gedulah and Gevurah of the World of Beri’ah (הִיא מִנְּדוּלָּא וּגְבוּרָה שֶׁל מַלְכוּת דְּבְרִיאָה), which is a palace to the King Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהִיא הֵיכָל לְמֶלֶךְ זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), within the seven Heikhalot of the male (שֶׁבְּז׳ הֵיכָלוֹת שֶׁל הַזָּכָר), for it contains the Name Adnut (שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שֵׁם אֲדְנוּת), which has the same numerical value as Heikhal (שֶׁעוֹלֶה הֵיכָל). Another reason: from the time of its being in the Nekudot (עוֹד טַעַם שֵׁנִי: שֶׁמֵּאָז הֱיוֹתָה בַּנְּקֻדּוֹת), Malkhut was standing in the place of the head of Arich Anpin (הָיְתָה הַמַלְכוּת עוֹמֶדֶת בִּמְקוֹם רֹאשׁ אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין), after Adam Kadmon had expanded in general through its ten Sefirot (אַחַר שֶׁנִּתְפַּשֵׁט אָדָם קַדְמוֹן סְתָם בַּעֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹתָיו), and occupied all space until the Sefirot of the World of Tohu (תָּפַס כָּל מָקוֹם עַד סְפִירוֹת שֶׁל עוֹלַם הַתֹּהוּ), in its arrangement, until its end (עַל מִתְכּוֹנָתוֹ עַד קְצֵהוּ). And beneath him was Arich, included with Reisha d'Ein [Head of Nothingness] (וְתַחְתָּיו אֲרִיךְ הַכָּלוּל עִם רֵישָׁא דְּאַיִן). Thus the place where the Malkhut of the World of Tohu stood was upon the head of Arich (נִמְצָא מְקוֹם עֲמִידַת מַלְכוּת שֶׁל עוֹלַם הַתֹּהוּ הָיְתָה עַל רֹאשׁ אֲרִיךְ). And even though that Adam Kadmon was pushed upward above the Tehiru (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּדְחַק אָדָם קַדְמוֹן זֶה לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטְּהִירוּ), until his feet remained slightly below (עַד רַגְלָיו שֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ לְמַטָּה קְצָת), and Arich also was pushed and thrust upward after him (וְגַם אֲרִיךְ נִדְחַף וְנִדְחַק לְמַעְלָה אַחֲרָיו), nevertheless she retains a connection to the head of this Arich Anpin (מִכָּל מָקוֹם יֵשׁ לָהּ שַׁיָּיכוּת אֶל רֹאשׁ אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין זֶה). As we shall say in the coming chapters (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ אוֹמְרִים בַּפְּרָקִים הַבָּאִים): the Supernal Imma extends until the Hod of Ze'ir Anpin (אִמָּא עִילָּאָה עַד הוֹד דְּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין מִתְפַּשֶּׁטֶת), through the power of that upper Hod of the Amra Nekiya [Pure Wool] (מִכֹּחַ זֶה הַהוֹד הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁל עַמְרָא נְקִיָּא), which seized and drew upward the split Binah (שֶׁתָּפְסָה וּמָשְׁכָה לְמַעְלָה בִּינָה הַסְּדוּקָה). And this connection benefited her below—that is, the Imma built from the Reshimu of the split Binah (וְהוֹעִיל לָהּ הַשַּׁיָּיכוּת הַזֶּה לְמַטָּה, דְּהַיְנוּ אִמָּא הַנִּבְנֵית מֵהָרְשִׁימוּ שֶׁל בִּינָה הַסְּדוּקָה), as I shall explain with the help of Heaven (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲפָרֵשׁ בְּסִיַּיעְתָּא דִּשְׁמַיָּא). And even though all the ten Nekudot [Points] expanded into the five Partzufim (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּתְפַּשְּׁטוּ כָּל הַי׳ נְקֻדוֹת לַה׳ פַּרְצוּפִין), the Shekhinta did not depart from that first Nekudah [Point] (לֹא זָזָה שְׁכִינְתָא מִן הַנְּקוּדָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה), which is the head of Arich Anpin (הוּא רֹאשׁ אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין). Therefore, in the World of Tikkun (אִם כֵּן בְּעוֹלַם הַתִּקּוּן), through our prayers and good deeds (אֲנַחְנוּ בִּתְפִלּוֹתֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂינוּ הַטּוֹבִים), we are able to elevate Malkhut to the head of Arich Anpin (נוּכַל לְהַעֲלוֹת הַמַלְכוּת עַד רֹאשׁ אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין), which is her place (שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹמָהּ), where she was in the beginning (אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה מִתְּחִלָּה) - as I will clarify thoroughly in the Gate of “Tikkun Shabbat” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲבָאֵר בָּאֵר הֵיטֵב בִּשְׁעַר: 'תִּקּוּן שַׁבָּת') with the help of Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta (בְּסִיַּיעְתָּא דְּקב״ה וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ).