Chapter One (פֶּרֶק רִאשׁוֹן)

he general principle of the things we said above (כְּלַל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה), is that the Holy One, blessed be He, hinted to this Yod (שֶׁרָמַז הקב״ה לַיּו״ד הַזֹּאת), that she should descend and shine her light in this vacant place (שֶׁתֵּרֵד וְתָאִיר מֵאוֹרָהּ בַּמָּקוֹם הַפָּנוּי הַזֶּה), and so she did (וְכֵן עָשְׂתָה). And she left her light below (וְהִנִּיחָה אוֹרָהּ לְמַטָּה), which is the milui of the Yod, that is, Vav-Dalet (שֶׁהוּא מִלּוּי שֶׁל הַיּו״ד דְּהַיְינוּ ו״ד), in the mystery of two Partzufim (בְּסוֹד ד״וּ פַּרְצוּפִין). Du has the numerical value of ten (ד״וּ גִּימַטְרִיָּיא עֶשֶׂר), they are the ten Sefirot of the World of Tohu (הֵם עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת שֶׁל עוֹלַם הַתֹּהוּ), which are within the Tehiru (אֲשֶׁר הֵם בְּתוֹךְ הַטְּהִירוּ). And she formed the sphere of Tehiru, which is composed of a Yod, as is known (וְעָשְׂתָה כַּדּוּר טְהִירוּ הַנִּכְלָל מִיו״ד כַּיָּדוּעַ). And afterward she returned above (וְאַחַר כָּךְ חָזְרָה לְמַעְלָה). And in this return she brought up with her the soul-impression of the light of Ein Sof (וּבַחֲזָרָה הַזֹּאת הָיְתָה מַעֲלָה עִמָּהּ נִשְׁמַת רֶשֶׁם אוֹר אֵין סוֹף), which prevents the revelation of judgment (הַמּוֹנֵעַ גִּילּוּי הַדִּין), of the Sefirah of the World of Tohu (שֶׁל סְפִירַת עוֹלַם הַתֹּהוּ). And also in this return, she set the configuration of the letters in the order of returning light, like the order of Tav–Shin–Reish–Kuf (וְגַם בַּחֲזָרָה הֶעֱמִידָה מַצַּב הָאוֹתִיּוֹת בְּדֶרֶךְ אוֹר חוֹזֵר כְּמוֹ תַּשְׁרַ״ק). For the return was the cause of the shattering of the vessels (כִּי הַחֲזָרָה הָיְתָה סִבָּה לְשְׁבִירַת הַכֵּלִים), and every return is judgment (וְכָל חֲזָרָה הִיא דִּין). And even the extension of the Yod below is called judgment within kindnesses (וַאֲפִלּוּ הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת הַיּו״ד לְמַטָּה נִקְרָא דִּין שֶׁל חֲסָדִים), because it was falling by way of a fall (כִּי הָיָה נוֹפֵל דֶּרֶךְ נְפִילָה), from the striking of the Kaf that is adjacent to the Yod (מִן הַהַכָּאָה שֶׁל הַכ״ף הַסָּמוּךְ לַיּו״ד), in the secret of the verse: “And You placed Your palm upon me” (בְּסוֹד: וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכה) (Psalms 139:5). And this return made a revelation below (וְהַחֲזָרָה הַזֹּאת עָשְׂתָה גִּילּוּי לְמַטָּה), because the Yod was bringing up with it an impression of the light of Ein Sof (כִּי הַיּו״ד הָיְתָה מַעֲלָה עִמָּהּ רֶשֶׁם אוֹר אֵין סוֹף), which was within this air (אֲשֶׁר הָיָה בְּתוֹךְ הָאוִיר הַזֶּה). And as a result, there appeared a spherical formless body from upper radiance (וּמִמֵּילָא הָיָה נִרְאֶה גֹּלֶם כַּדּוּרִי מִזֹּהַר עֶלְיוֹן), and it was called Tehiru, which is the Targum of light, as in “a lamp in Tehiru” (וְנִקְרָא טְהִירוּ שֶׁהוּא תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל אוֹר, כְּמוֹ שַׁרְגָּא בְּטְהִירוּ). And every Targum [Translation] is Achorayim [Backside], which is Din [Judgment] (וְכָל תַּרְגּוּם הוּא אֲחוֹרַיִים שֶׁהוּא דִּין), for it is not fitting to be called by the name Avir [Air], nor by the name Ohr [Light] (כִּי אֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְהִקָּרֵא בְּשֵׁם אוֹוִיר, וְלֹא בְּשֵׁם אוֹר), as was mentioned in the earlier chapters (כְּנִזְכָּר בַּפְּרָקִים הַקּוֹדְמִים). And because the Yod became thickened in its descent below (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַיּו״ד נִתְעַבְּתָה בִּירִידָתָהּ לְמַטָּה), it was not able to ascend and cleave to its root (לֹא יָכְלָה לַעֲלוֹת לְהִדָּבֵק בְּשָׁרְשָׁהּ), and it remained hovering over the sphere of Tehiru (וְנִשְׁאֶרָה חוֹפֶפֶת עַל כַּדּוּר טְהִירוּ). And its lower tip is embedded in the sphere of Tehiru (וְקוּצָהּ הַתַּחְתּוֹן נָעוּץ בַּכַּדּוּר שֶׁל טְהִירוּ), and it transmits influence into Adam Kadma'ah and into the Parsa [Partition] (וּמַשְׁפַּעַת בְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה וּבַפַּרְסָה).