Chapter One (פרק ראשון)

he author, Naftali Hirtz, said (אָמַר הַמְחַבֵּר נַפְתָּלִי הִירְץ), son of my lord and father, the Gaon, our teacher, Rabbi Ya'akov Elchanan, of blessed memory, may his righteousness endure forever (בֵּן לַאֲדוֹנִי אָבִי הַגָּאוֹן מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אֶלְחָנָן זל״ה״ה), of Ashkenazi lineage (בְּכָרֵךְ אַשְׁכְּנָזִי), born in the holy community of Frankfurt, situated upon the River Main (מִילִידֵי ק״ק וֵורַנְקְפוֹרְט הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל נְהַר מַי״אן), one of the least among the companions (זְעִירָא דְּמִן חַבְרַיָּיא). When I beheld the longing of those who tremble before the Torah of Hashem, perfect, the Torah of truth (בִּרְאוֹתִי תְּשׁוּקַת הַחֲרֵדִים אֶל תּוֹרַת י״י תְּמִימָה תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת), I saw fit to enlighten their eyes with a little, indeed a very little, of the introductions (רָאִיתִי לְהָאִיר עֵינֵיהֶם בִּקְצַת מְעַט מִזְעָר הַקְדָּמוֹת), which I received in the days of my youth (שֶׁקִּבַּלְתִּי בִּימֵי חָרְפִי), in order to understand the mysteries and secrets of Atik Yomaya [Ancient of Days] (לְהָבִין סוֹדוֹת וְרָזִין עַתִּיק יוֹמִייא), concealed and sealed within Sefer HaZohar behind a thousand locks (הַסְּתוּמִים וְהַחֲתוּמִים בְּסֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר בְּאַלְף עִזְקָאן) (Bereshit 31a), as the good hand of Hashem my God was upon me (כְּיַד י״י אֱלֹהַי הַטּוֹבָה עָלַי), after Hashem wonderfully magnified His kindness toward us (אַחֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר הִפְלִיא י״י אֶת חַסְדּוֹ עִמָּנוּ). For Hashem bared His holy arm (כִּי חָשַׂף י״י אֶת זְרוֹעַ קָדְשׁוֹ), and sent us “a Watcher and a Holy One,” who descended from Heaven (וְשָׁלַח לָנוּ עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ מִן שְׁמַיָּא נָחֵית), the Rav, the great Chasid [Pious One], the godly one, our teacher and master (הָרַב הַחָסִיד הַגָּדוֹל הָאֱלֹהִי מוֹרֵנוּ וְרַבֵּנוּ), the honored Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, son of Rabbi Shlomo, of blessed memory, the Ashkenazi (כְּבוֹד מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב רַבִּי יִצְחָק לוּרְיָא בֶּן מוֹהַר״ר שְׁלֹמֹה זל״ה״ה אַשְׁכְּנָזִי), the Neshamah [Soul] of Mashiach ben Yosef (נִשְׁמַת מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף), like Rashbi in his generation (כְּרַשְׁבּ״י בְּדוֹרוֹ), through whom Hashem enlightened our eyes (אֲשֶׁר הֵאִיר י״י אֶת עֵינֵינוּ), granting us the merit of his introductions (לְזַכּוֹת אוֹתָנוּ בְּהַקְדָּמוֹתָיו), those of the Ari (שֶׁל הָאֲרִ״י), which are indispensable according to the side of truth (הַמֻּכְרָחִיּוֹת מִצַּד הָאֱמֶת), for understanding Sefer HaZohar (בְּסֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר), and comprehending its mysteries, hidden from the understanding of every living being (לְהָבִין סוֹדוֹתָיו הַסְּתוּמִים מֵעַיִן שֵׂכֶל כָּל חָי), which had not been revealed from the days of Rashbi, peace be upon him, onward (שֶׁלֹּא נִתְגַּלּוּ מִיְּמוֹת רַשְׁבִּ״י עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם וָאֵילָךְ). First of all (וְרֵאשִׁית כָּל דָּבָר), I went forth to contend against the jealousy of the scribes (יָצָאתִי לְהִתְוַכֵּחַ עִם קִנְאַת סוֹפְרִים), whose wisdom has become corrupt and whose mouths have been shut (אֲשֶׁר תִּסְרַח חָכְמָתָם וְיִסְתְּמוּ פִיהֶם), namely those who maintain that the books of the sages of truth should not be printed (שֶׁל הָאוֹמְרִים שֶׁלֹּא לְהַדְפִּיס סִפְרֵי חַכְמֵי הָאֱמֶת), nor even revealed to those who are worthy of them (וְגַם שֶׁלֹּא לְגַלּוֹת אוֹתָם אֶל הָרְאוּיִים אֵלָיו), supporting themselves with various arguments, in anger, wrath, and the jealousy born of human rage (בְּטַעֲנוֹת שׁוֹנוֹת בְּאַף וָחֵמָה קִנְאַת חֲמַת גָּבֶר), which proceed from the mouths of some of the men of our generation (הַיּוֹצֵא מִפִּי קְצָת אַנְשֵׁי דּוֹרֵנוּ), wise in their own eyes (חֲכָמִים בְּדַעְתָּם), who have stiffened their necks and refuse to believe (וַיַּקְשׁוּ אֶת עָרְפָּם לְבִלְתִּי הַאֲמִין) that there is a God in the earth (כִּי יֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים בָּאָרֶץ), and that it is His will to preserve a remnant in the earth alive (וְרְצוֹנוֹ לְהַחֲיוֹת שְׁאֵרִית בָּאָרֶץ), by granting the Neshamot [Souls] of the people of our generation the merit of this wisdom (לְזַכּוֹת נְשָׁמוֹת אַנְשֵׁי דּוֹרֵנוּ בַּחָכְמָה הַזֹּאת), to perfect them in every possible way (וּלְהַשְׁלִימָהּ בְּכָל מִינֵי שְׁלֵמוּת), and to draw the redemption nearer to us through this precious study (וּלְקָרְבָהּ אֵלֵינוּ הַגְּאֻלָּה עַל־יְדֵי הַלִּימוּד הַחָשׁוּב הַזֶּה), as I shall explain (כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבָאֵר).

I will seek to refute their opinions through faithful witnesses, the sages of Yisrael (אֶרְאֶה לְבַטֵּל סְבָרוֹתָם בְּעֵדִים נֶאֱמָנִים חַכְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל): first, the greatest in Yisrael, the holy and godly Tanna, Rashbi, of blessed memory (הָרִאשׁוֹן הוּא הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הַתַּנָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ הָאֱלֹהִי רַשְׁבּ״י ז״ל), and his disciples (וְתַלְמִידָיו). After him, the holy and godly Rav, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, of blessed memory, may his righteousness endure forever (וְאַחֲרָיו הָרַב הַקָּדוֹשׁ הָאֱלֹהִי כַּמַּהֲרַ״ם קוֹרְדוֹוֵירוֹ זל״ה״ה). I shall also bring proofs from the godly Rav, our holy teacher and master, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, of blessed memory, may his righteousness endure forever (גַּם אָבִיא רְאָיוֹת מֵהָרַב הָאֱלֹהִי ק״ק מוֹרֵנוּ וְרַבֵּנוּ הָרַב רַבִּי יִצְחָק לוּרְיָא זל״ה״ה), and from his disciple, our teacher Rabbi Chaim Kalippriz [Vital], of blessed memory, may his righteousness endure forever (וּמִן תַּלְמִידָיו מָהַר״ר חַיִּים קְלִיפְּרִיז (וִיטַל) זל״ה״ה). Then all Yisrael will see that the mouths of the opponents have spoken falsehood (וְיִרְאוּ כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר פִּיהֶם שֶׁל הַמִּתְנַגְּדִים דִּבֶּר שָׁוְא). Although the sages of Italy already refuted their opinion in the introductions to Sefer HaZohar HaKatan [The small Zohar], printed in the holy community of Mantua, may God protect her, answering all of their arguments (הַגַּם שֶׁכְּבָר בִּטְלוּ דַּעְתָּם חַכְמֵי אִיטַלְיָא בְּהַקְדָּמוֹת סֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר הַקָּטוֹן הַנִּדְפָּס בְּק״ק מַנְטוּבָא יִגַּן עָלֶיהָ אֱלֹהִים בְּכָל טַעֲנוֹתֵיהֶם), nevertheless I too shall answer with my own portion, as the good hand of Hashem my God has been upon me, together with the Midrashim of our Sages, of blessed memory (אַף אֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה אֶת חֶלְקִי כְּיַד י״י אֱלֹהַי הַטּוֹבָה עָלַי עִם מִדְרָשֵׁי חֲז״ל). To the God of Yisrael I pray (וְאֶל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶתְפַּלֵּל): “Deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouth speaks falsehood, and whose right hand is a right hand of lies” (הַצִּילֵנִי מִיַּד בְּנֵי נֵכָר אֲשֶׁר פִּיהֶם דִּבֶּר שָׁוְא וִימִינָם יְמִין שָׁקֶר) (Psalms 144:11). “Chi'lek and Bi'lek have a portion” (חִי״לֶק וּבִי״לֶק יֵשׁ לָהֶם חֵלֶק) (Sanhedrin 98b). “And it shall be, if Yisrael sows” (וְהָיָה אִם זָרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Hosea 8:7), “then Amalek devours” (וְאָכַל עֲמָלֵק). But as for me, “My prayer is to You, Hashem, at a favorable time” (וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ י״י עֵת רָצוֹן) (Psalms 69:14): “O God, in the abundance of Your kindness, answer me with the truth of Your salvation” (אֱלֹהִים בְּרוֹב חַסְדֶּךָ עֲנֵנִי בֶּאֱמֶת יִשְׁעֶךָ) (Psalms 69:14). Amen (אָמֵן).