Chapter Six (פֶּרֶק שִּׁשִּׁי)

Know that when the Yod returned above (דַּע כְּשֶׁחָזְרָה הַיּו״ד לְמַעְלָה), it was not able to ascend and cleave to the garment (לֹא יָכְלָה לַעֲלוֹת וּלְהִדָּבֵק בַּמַּלְבּוּשׁ), and it remained hovering over the Tehiru (וְנִשְׁאֲרָה חוֹפֶפֶת עַל הַטְּהִירוּ). And Tehiru was inserted into it at its lower thorn-point (וְטְהִירוּ נָעִיץ בָּהּ בַּקּוֹץ הַתַּחְתּוֹן שֶׁלָּהּ). And you must know that every spiritual light which illuminates in another place (וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת שֶׁכָּל אוֹר רוּחָנִי הַמֵּאִיר בִּמְקוֹם אַחֵר), even though the light has departed from there (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ הָאוֹר), the reshimu remains and does not depart (נִשְׁאָר הָרְשִׁימוּ וְאֵינוֹ מִסְתַּלֵּק), in the secret of “the Shekhina never departs”(Shemot Rabba 2) (בְּסוֹד לֹא זָזָה שְׁכִינָה). If so, also in this vacant place (אִם כֵּן גַּם בַּמָּקוֹם הַפָּנוּי הַזֶּה), the reshimu from the light of the garment remained within it (נִשְׁאַר בּוֹ הָרְשִׁימוּ מֵאוֹר שֶׁל מַלְבּוּשׁ). And since the world was not able to utilize this great light (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יָכוֹל הָעוֹלָם לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּאוֹר הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה), therefore He hinted to the aforementioned Yod that it should descend to illuminate its light (לָכֵן רָמַז לַיּו״ד הַנִּזְכָּר שֶׁתֵּרֵד לְהָאִיר אוֹרָהּ), which is a light more coarse (שֶׁהוּא אוֹר יֹתֵר עָב). And even so, this second light was still so great (וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן הָיָה הָאוֹר הַשֵּׁנִי כָּל כָּךְ גָּדוֹל), that the world was not yet able to utilize even it (שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יָכוֹל הָעוֹלָם גַּם בְּזֶה לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ), until the Holy One Blessed Be He had to hint a second time to this Yod (עַד שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ הקב״ה לִרְמֹז פַּעַם שֵׁנִית לַיּו״ד הַזֹּאת), that it should once again descend and illuminate within the aforementioned Tehiru (שֶׁתַּחְזוֹר וְתֵרֵד וְתָאִיר תּוֹךְ טְהִירוּ הַנִּזְכָּר), so that the light would become even more coarse (כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הָאוֹר יֹתֵר עָב). And the meaning of the matter is this (וּפֵירוּשׁ הַדָּבָר), that when she was cleaving to the Shekhina (כִּי כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה הִיא דְּבוּקָה בַּשְּׁכִינָה), the light of the Shekhina was cleaving to her (הָיָה דָּבוּק בָּהּ אוֹר הַשְּׁכִינָה). But her light was not as great as that of the Shekhina (אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה אוֹרָהּ כָּל כָּךְ גָּדוֹל כְּמוֹ הַשְּׁכִינָה). And when she descended below (וּכְשֶׁיָּרְדָה הִיא לְמַטָּה), she left her light below (הִנִּיחָה אוֹרָהּ לְמַטָּה), and from it the Tehiru was made (שֶׁמִּמֶּנָּה נַעֲשָׂה הַטְּהִירוּ). And what remained in her was only the reshimu (וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר בָּהּ כִּי אִם רְשִׁימוּ לְבַדּוֹ), and this was because she was not able in her return to ascend above and cleave to the Shekhina (וְזֹאת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָכְלָה בַּחֲזָרָתָה לַעֲלוֹת לְמַעְלָה לְהִדָּבֵק בַּשְּׁכִינָה), and because she had become embodied (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּתְגַּלְּמָה). And the striking of this Kaf upon her (וְטִפְחַת הַכּ״ף הַזֹּאת עָלֶיהָ), is to distinguish with many thousands of distinctions (הוּא לְהַבְדִּיל כַּמָּה אֲלָפֵי הַבְדָּלוֹת), like the iron hammers (כְּמוֹ הַפַּטִּישִׁין דְּפַרְזְלָא), which are one hundred and twenty Elohim (שֶׁהֵם ק״ך אֱלֹהִים), that struck upon the head of Aza and Azael when they desired to ascend (שֶׁהֵם טָפְחוּ עַל רֹאשׁ עַזָּא וְעֲזָאֵל כְּשֶׁרָצוּ לַעֲלוֹת), and so upon anyone who is unworthy to ascend (וְכֵן עַל כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לַעֲלוֹת). And now, when the Yod returned to descend below (וְעַכְשָׁיו כְּשֶׁחָזְרָה הַיּו״ד לֵרֵד לְמַטָּה), she did not have her light as at the beginning (לֹא הָיָה בָּהּ אוֹרָהּ כְּמוֹ בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה), only the reshimu alone (אֶלָּא הָרְשִׁימוּ בִּלְבַד). Therefore, the Holy One Blessed Be He hinted to the Hei that is above the Yod of the aforementioned Name S”G (וְלָכֵן רָמַז הקב״ה לַה״ה שֶׁלְמַעְלָה מִן הַיּו״ד שֶׁל שֵׁם ס״ג הַנִּזְכָּר), that it should give from its light and emanate to her (שֶׁתִּתֵּן מֵאוֹרָהּ וְתָאַצֵל לָהּ), so that she could descend and illuminate from this light within the aforementioned Tehiru (כְּדֵי שֶׁתֵּרֵד וְתָאִיר מִן הָאוֹר הַזֶּה תּוֹךְ טְהִירוּ הַנִּזְכָּר), so that it would give strength (כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּחַיֶּה) to the Yod to have power to pierce the sphere of Tehiru (לַיּו״ד כֹּחַ לִבְקֹעַ כַּדּוּר הַטְּהִירוּ), and that it would have the ability to enter into it (וְתִהְיֶה לָהּ יְכוֹלֶת לְהִכָּנֵס לְתוֹכוֹ). For immediately when the Yod ascended above (כִּי תֵּכֶף שֶׁעָלְתָה לְמַעְלָה הַיּו״ד), the sphere of Tehiru was sealed (נִסְגַּר כַּדּוּר הַטְּהִירוּ), and she no longer had power to pierce the aforementioned sphere (וְלֹא הָיְתָה לָהּ יְכוֹלֶת לִבְקֹעַ הַכַּדּוּר הַנִּזְכָּר), except through the power of the Hei that precedes this Yod of S”G (אֶלָּא בְּכֹחַ הַה״ה שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַיּו״ד הַזֹּאת שֶׁל ס״ג). And when she descended into the Tehiru (וּכְשֶׁיָּרְדָה תּוֹךְ הַטְּהִירוּ), she illuminated within it from the light that was given to her from the Hei (הֵאִירָה בְּתוֹכוֹ מִן הָאוֹר שֶׁנִּתַּן לָהּ מִן הַה״ה). And this is what the verse said: “Behibar’am” (Bereshit 2:4) (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּהִבָּרְאָם), and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: “With a Hei He created them” (וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּה״ה בָּרָאָם). In such a way, that in her return above (בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁבְּחֻזְרָתָה לְמַעְלָה), she left that illumination of the root Hei mentioned above (הִנִּיחָה אוֹתָהּ הָאֲהָרָה שֶׁל הַה״ה הַשָּׁרְשִׁית הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת), and from it was made one sphere within the aforementioned Tehiru (וְנַעֲשָׂה מִמֶּנָּה כַּדּוּר אֶחָד תּוֹךְ הַטְּהִירוּ הַנִּזְכָּר). And this sphere is called in the Zohar Keter Ila’ah (וְהַכַּדּוּר הַזֶּה נִקְרָא בַּזֹּהַר כֶּתֶר עִילָּאָה), and Atika deAtikin (וְעַתִּיקָא דְעַתִּיקִין), and also the Cause of causes (וְגַם כֵּן עִילַּת הָעִלּוֹת). And know that this sphere of Keter is much smaller than the sphere of Tehiru (וְדַע כִּי כַּדּוּר הַכֶּתֶר הַזֶּה הוּא יָתוֹר קָטָן הַרְבֵּה מִכַּדּוּר הַטְּהִירוּ), in such a way that it remained hollow and with much vacant space inside the Tehiru (בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר חָלוּל וּמָקוֹם פָּנוּי הַרְבֵּה בְּתוֹךְ הַטְּהִירוּ). And all these Names that are within the hollow of these worlds (וְכָל הַשֵּׁמוֹת הָאֵלֶּה שֶׁהֵם בְּתוֹךְ חָלָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת הָאֵלּוּ), possess the power to perform awesome actions (יֵשׁ בָּהֶם כֹּחַ לִפְעֹל פְּעֻלּוֹת נוֹרָאוֹת), to create worlds and to destroy them (לִבְרוֹא עוֹלָמוֹת וּלְהַחֲרִיבָן). And the secret is that they later destroyed the World of Tohu (וְהַסּוֹד הוּא לְפִי שֶׁהֵם הֶחֱרִיבוּ אַחַר כָּךְ עוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ). Therefore it was necessary to emanate such Names above the World of Tohu (וְלָכֵן הוּצְרַךְ לְהַאֲצִיל שֵׁמוֹת כָּאֵלּוּ לְמַעְלָה מֵעוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ). And even today they perform these actions (וְעוֹד הַיּוֹם פּוֹעֲלִים אֵלּוּ הַפְּעֻלּוֹת), for they have already destroyed the World of Tohu (כִּי כְּבָר הֶחֱרִיבוּ עוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ), and they are destined to destroy this world (וַעֲתִידִים הֵם לְהַחֲרִיב עוֹלָם הַזֶּה), along with the other worlds in which the root of coarseness and corporeality of Nefesh and Ruach is found (עִם שְׁאָר עוֹלָמוֹת אֲשֶׁר חָם שֹׁרֶשׁ הָעֲבִיּוּת וְהַגַּשְׁמִיּוּת שֶׁל נֶפֶשׁ וְרוּחַ). And afterward there will be the World of the Neshamah (וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִהְיֶה עוֹלַם הַנְּשָׁמָה), which will be created by the Master of Will (שֶׁיִּבָּרֵא אוֹתוֹ בַּעַל הָרָצוֹן), after six thousand years that this world exists (אַחַר שֶׁתְּשֵׁי אַלְפֵי שְׁנֵי הֲוֵה עָלְמָא). And then there will be a day that is entirely good and entirely Shabbat, and there will be no evil at all in it (וְאָז יִהְיֶה יוֹם שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ טוֹב וְכֻלּוֹ שַׁבָּת וְאֵין בּוֹ רַע כְּלָל). And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said (וְזֶהוּ מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל): six thousand years the world shall be, and it is a world composed of good and evil (שִׁתָּא אַלְפֵי שְׁנֵי הֲוֵה עָלְמָא נוֹסְתָּם עוֹלָם הוּא מֻרְכָּב מִטּוֹב וָרָע), and one [millennium] will be desolate (וְחַד חָרוּב), as it is said: “And Hashem alone shall be exalted on that day” (Isaiah 2:11) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנִשְׂגַּב יְהוָה לְבַדּוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא). Meaning, the Name Havayah is the level of Neshamah which is entirely good (רָצָה לוֹמַר שֵׁם הוי״ה הִיא מַדְרֵגַת הַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ טוֹב), and not the level of Elohim (וְלֹא מַדְרֵגַת אֱלֹהִים). And the other wings are the kinuyim (וְשְׁאָר כְּנָפַיִם הֵם הַכִּנּוּיִים). And it will be fulfilled on that day: “And your Teacher will no longer be hidden, and your eyes shall see your Teacher” (Isaiah 30:20) (וְיִקָּיֵם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא: וְלֹא יִכָּנֵף עוֹד מוֹרֶיךָ וְהָיוּ עֵינֶיךָ רֹאוֹת אֶת מוֹרֶיךָ). That is the Name Havayah itself (שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם הוי״ה עַצְמוֹ), and the wings are the screens and veils (וְהַכְּנָפַיִם הֵם מָסָכִים וּפַרְגוֹדִים), which are like wings (אֲשֶׁר הֵם כְּדְמוּת כְּנָפַיִם), so that the Klipot should not grasp onto them (לְבַל יֵאָחְזוּ בָּהֶם הַקְּלִיפּוֹת). And the wings are the kinuyim (וְהַכְּנָפַיִם הֵם הַכִּנּוּיִים). And this is what Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said in Parashat Shelach Lekha (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הרשב"י בְּפָרָשַׁת שְׁלַח לְךָ): Rabbi Elazar said (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), all these words and all that they saw in Gan Eden of Moshe Rabbeinu peace be upon him and his generation (כָּל הָנֵי מִילִּין וְכָל מָה דַּחֲמוֹ בְּגַ"ע שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם וְדוֹרוֹ), they wrote down (כְּתָבוּ). And when I reached this point I said (וּכְדֵא מָטוּ הָכָא אֲמִינָא): it is written, “I will guard my ways from sinning with my tongue” (Psalms 39:2) (כְּתִיב: אֶשְׁמְרָה דְרָכַי מֵחֲטוֹא בִּלְשׁוֹנִי). And I asked my father (וַאֲנָא שָׁאֵילְנָא לְאַבָּא): Father, what are these two drops (אַבָּא בַּמֶּה הָווּ אִינוּן תְּרֵין טִילִין). And he said to me (וַאֲמַר לִי): By your life, my son (חַיֶּיךָ בְּרִי), these are two words (אִינוּן תְּרֵין מִילִּין), which built worlds and destroyed worlds (בָּנוּ עָלְמִין וְחָרִיבוּ עָלְמִין), whoever uses them (מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּהוֹן). And that is enough for the one who understands (וְדַי לַמֵּבִין). And in the future to come, those Names will destroy this world (וּלֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא יַחֲרִיבוּ אוֹתָן הַשֵּׁמוֹת אֶת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה), and they will build the new world (וְיִבְנוּ עוֹלָם הֶחָדָשׁ). For three worlds arose in His thought to be created (כִּי שְׁלֹשָׁה עוֹלָמוֹת עָלוּ בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ לְהִבָּרְאוֹת), that is, the World of Nefesh (דְּהַיְינוּ עוֹלַם הַנֶּפֶשׁ), where evil overcomes good (שֶׁהָרַע גּוֹבֵר עַל הַטּוֹב), which is the World of Tohu (שֶׁהוּא עוֹלַם הַתֹּהוּ). Therefore they destroyed it (וְלָכֵן הֶחֱרִיבוּ). And afterwards He created this world (וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה), which is the secret of Ruach (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד הָרוּחַ), which is half and half (שֶׁהוּא מֶחֱצָה עַל מֶחֱצָה), and is called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (שֶׁנִּקְרָא עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע). And they are adjacent to one another (וְהֵם סְמוּכִים זֶה לָזֶה), as it is said: “And the earth was Tohu, and the Spirit of Elohim hovered…” (Bereshit 1:2) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת...). And in the future, the Holy One Blessed Be He will also destroy this world (וְלֶעָתִיד יַחֲרִיב הקב״ה אֶת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה גַּם כֵּן), and will create the World of the Neshamah, which is called light (וּבָרָא עוֹלַם הַנְּשָׁמָה הַנִּקְרֵאת אוֹר), as it is said: “And Elohim said, ‘Let there be light’” (Bereshit 1:3) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר). And it will be entirely good, and there will be no evil within it (וְהוּא כֻּלּוֹ טוֹב וְאֵין בּוֹ רָע), as it is said: “And Hashem alone shall be exalted on that day” (Isaiah 2:11) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנִשְׂגַּב יְהוָה לְבַדּוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא). And it is said: “Hashem alone will lead him, and there is no strange god with Him” (Deuteronomy 32:12) (וְנֶאֱמַר: יְהוָה בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אֵל נֵכָר).