Chapter Nineteen (פֶּרֶק תִּשְׁעָה עָשָׂר)

We said in the previous chapters (אָמַרְנוּ בַּפְּרָקִים הַקּוֹדְמִים), the most refined light within the Tehiru (הָאוֹר הַיּוֹתֵר דַּק שֶׁבַּטְּהִירוּ), which prevents the Sefirot from being embodied (הַמּוֹנֵעַ מִלְהִתְגַלֵּם הַסְּפִירוֹת), so that they not go from potential to actual (שֶׁלֹּא יֵצְאוּ מִן הַכֹּחַ אֶל הַפֹּעַל), that light ascended upward (אוֹתוֹ הָאוֹר הָלַךְ לְמַעְלָה), and the Kli was diminished (וְנִתְמַעֵט הַכֵּלִי), in order that the worlds could be created (בְּכְדֵי שֶׁיוּכְלוּ לְהִבָּרוֹת הָעוֹלָמוֹת). And nevertheless, it did not entirely depart (וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא נִסְתַּלֵּק כֻּלוֹ מִכָּל וָכֹל), but was enclosed within the Kli (וְנִסְגַּר בְּתוֹךְ הַכֵּלִי), and when the light of the great shefa returned afterward and spread downward (וּכְשֶׁחָזַר הָאוֹר שֶׁל הַשֶּׁפַע הַגָּדוֹל הַנִּזְכָּר אַחַר כָּךְ, וְהִתְפַּשֵּׁט לְמַטָּה), there still remained a great spark (עֲדַיִן הָיָה נִיצוֹץ גָּדוֹל), which prevented and delayed the revelation of the Sefirot (הַמּוֹנֵעַ וּמְעַכֵּב גִּילּוּי הַסְּפִירוֹת), as well as the strength of the boundary of the Kli (וְכֵן חֹזֶק גְּבוּל הַכֵּלִי). What did Ein Sof, blessed be He, do? (מָה עָשָׂה אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ הוּא), He gave power to this shefa (נָתַן כֹּחַ לַשֶּׁפַע הַזֶּה), to strike forcefully at the bottom of the Kli (לְהַכּוֹת בַּחֹזֶק בְּתַחְתִּיּוֹת הַכֵּלִי), and it rose again upward (וְחָזַר לַעֲלוֹת לְמַעְלָה). And within the Kli remained the Ohr Penimi that it could tolerate (וְנִשְׁאַר בַּכֵּלִי הָאוֹר פְּנִימִי שֶׁיוּכַל לִסְבֹּל), and the rest became for it Ohr Makif (וְהַשְּׁאָר נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ מַקִּיף), that is, the spark which the Kli could not tolerate (הוּא הַנִּיצוֹץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָכוֹל לִסְבֹּל הַכֵּלִי). And the Ohr Makif is above the Kli (וְאוֹר הַמַּקִּיף הוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַכֵּלִי), for we have no portion in it in this world (כִּי אֵין לָנוּ חֵלֶק בּוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה), and it does not surround to influence (וְאֵינוֹ מְסוֹבֵב לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ), for it is outside of it, it encamps around (כִּי הוּא חוּץ מִמֶּנּוּ, יַחֲנֶה סָבִיב), only to sustain and establish the Kli (רַק הוּא קִיּוּם וְהַעֲמָדָה לַכֵּלִי), to guard it from being broken (לְשִׁמּוּר שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁבֵּר), and so that there be no hold for the adversaries in the World of Tikkun (וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בְּעוֹלַם הַתִּקּוּן אֲחִיזָה לַצָּרִים). And this is the light that was hidden from the wicked (וְזֶהוּ הָאוֹר שֶׁנִּגְנַז מִפְּנֵי הָרְשָׁעִים), for the world is not worthy to use it (שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם כְּדַאי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ), and this is what the verse said: “And He withheld their light from the wicked” (Job 38) (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: וַיְמְנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם), which is their Ohr Makif (שֶׁהוּא אוֹר הַמַּקִּיף שֶׁלָּהֶם). And when they sinned with the Calf (וּכְשֶׁחָטְאוּ בָּעֵגֶל), Moshe took it alone for himself (לָקַח אוֹתוֹ מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ), the Ohr Makif that belonged to all Israel (הָאוֹר הַמַּקִּיף הַשַּׁיָּךְ לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it says: “And Moshe took the tent and pitched it for himself outside the camp” (Exodus 33) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּמֹשֶׁה יִקַּח אֶת הָאֹהֶל וְנָטָה לוֹ מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה), “far from the camp” (הַרְחֵק מִן הַמַּחֲנֶה), “and he called it the Tent of Meeting” (וְקָרָא לוֹ אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד), “and it was that everyone who sought Hashem went out to the Tent of Meeting” (וְהָיָה כָּל מְבַקֵּשׁ י״י יֵצֵא אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד), which is the Ohr Makif (שֶׁהוּא אוֹר הַמַּקִּיף). And he gives it to one who is worthy of it (וְנוֹתְנוֹ לָרָאוּי אֵלָיו), such as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the Ari (כְּגוֹן לְהַרְשַׁבּ״י וְלֶהָאֲרִ״י). And this is the secret of “and they stripped themselves of their ornaments from Mount Chorev” (Exodus 33) (וְהוּא סוֹד: וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ... אֶת עֶדְיָם מֵהַר חוֹרֵב), the secret of this Ohr Makif (סוֹד אוֹר הַמַּקִּיף הַזֶּה). And it is the secret of freedom from the subjugation of kingdoms (וְהוּא סוֹד חֵרוּת מִשִּׁעְבּוּד מַלְכֻיּוֹת), and freedom from the Angel of Death (וְחֵרוּת מִמַּלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת), and in the future it will be returned to Israel (וְעָתִיד הוּא לְהַחֲזִירוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). Therefore, the Ohr Makif is more elevated than the Ohr Penimi (וְלָכֵן הָאוֹר הַמַּקִּיף יָתֵר מְעוּלֶה מֵהָאוֹר הַפְּנִימִי).