Chapter Six (פֶּרֶק שִּׁשִּׁי)

And you must know (וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that immediately when the Yod descended into the light of that Yod of the reshimu, of the lower half of the garment (שֶׁתֵּכֶף שֶׁיָּרְדָה הַיּו״ד בְּתוֹךְ הָאוֹר שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ הַיּו״ד שֶׁל הָרְשִׁימוּ שֶׁל חֲצִי הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ הַתַּחְתּוֹן), she cleaved to it and became a great Yod (נִדְבְּקָה בָּהּ וְנַעֲשֵׂית יו״ד גְּדוֹלָה). But when the Yod returned above (אֲבָל כְּשֶׁחָזְרָה הַיּו״ד לְמַעְלָה), that is, after the making of the sphere of Tehiru (הַיְנוּ אַחַר עֲשִׂיָּית כַּדּוּר הַטְּהִירוּ), immediately the sphere was completed and sealed (תֵּכֶף נִשְׁלַם הַכַּדּוּר וְנִסְתַּם). The Yod desired to ascend above, to the place of its quarry, but they did not allow her (הַיּו״ד רָצְתָה לַעֲלוֹת לְמַעְלָה לִמְקוֹם מַחְצָבָהּ וְלֹא הִנִּיחוּהָ). For at every moment that she sought to ascend, the Kaf struck her on her head (כִּי בְּכָל זְמַן שֶׁרְצוֹנָהּ לַעֲלוֹת טָפְחָה לָהּ הַכ״ף עַל רֹאשָׁהּ), and she remained hovering over the face of the waters (וְנִשְׁאֶרָה מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם). A drop of the reshimu of the light of the garment, while they were still in the state of water, before the formation of the concealed Adam Kadma'ah, hovered there (טִפַּת רֶשֶׁם אוֹר הַלְּבוּשׁ בְּעוֹדָם מַיִם קֹדֶם שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה מִמֶּנּוּ אָדָם קַדְמָאָה סְתִימָאָה). And she did not have the strength to contain all the components of the illumination of the Yod (וְלֹא הָיָה בָּהּ כֹּחַ לְהָכִיל כָּל חַלְקֵי הֲאַרַת הַיּו״ד), of the reshimu that was included within her (שֶׁל הָרְשִׁימוּ שֶׁהָיְתָה כְּלוּלָה בְּתוֹכָהּ), and she cast them out (וְהִפִּילָה אוֹתָן). And those illuminations of the points of the reshimu descended (וְיָרְדוּ אוֹתָן הַהֲאָרוֹת שֶׁל נְקֻדּוֹת הָרְשִׁימוּ), and a surrounding light was formed above the Tehiru (וְנַעֲשָׂה אוֹר מַקִּיף עַל הַטְּהִירוּ מִלְמַעְלָה). And this surrounding light was formed entirely in the shape of circles (וְהָאוֹר הַמַּקִּיף הַזֶּה נַעֲשָׂה כֻּלּוֹ בְּצוּרַת עִגּוּלִים), like the garment itself (כְּמוֹ הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ עַצְמוֹ). And these circles are ten (וְאֵלֶּה הָעִגּוּלִים הֵם עֲשָׂרָה), for since its root is points (לִהְיוֹת שֶׁשָׁרְשׁוֹ נְקֻדּוֹת), therefore its expansion was also in the shape of circles (לָזֶה גַּם הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתוֹ הָיְתָה בְּצוּרַת עִגּוּלִים). And these circles are ten, in the mystery of the ten Sefirot Keter Chokhmah Binah Chesed Gevurah Tiferet Netzach Hod Yesod Malkhut (וְאֵלֶּה הָעִגּוּלִים הֵם עֲשָׂרָה בְּסוֹד עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת כַּח״ב גַנ״ת נַהִי״ם). And between them are ten atmospheres (וּבֵינֵיהֶם עֲשָׂרָה אוֹירִים). It is found that this sphere of Tehiru is within the space of Malkhut of the concealed Adam Kadma'ah (נִמְצָא שֶׁכַּדּוּר הַטְּהִירוּ הַזֶּה הוּא בְּתוֹךְ חָלָל מַלְכוּת שֶׁל הָאָדָם קַדְמָאָה סְתִימָאָה). And understand from this so that you will not err, Heaven forbid, in our statement above (וְתָבִין מִזֶּה שֶׁלֹּא תִטְעֶה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אוֹמְרֵנוּ לְמַעְלָה), that it is a surrounding light upon the Tehiru (שֶׁהוּא אוֹר מַקִּיף עַל הַטְּהִירוּ). The intention is that His Malkhut surrounds it (רְצוֹנוֹ לוֹמַר בָּזֶה שֶׁמַּלְכוּת שֶׁלּוֹ הִיא מְקִיפוֹ). And the nine Sefirot that are above the Tehiru (וְהַתֵּשַׁע סְפִירוֹת שֶׁהֵן לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטְּהִירוּ), they are eighteen thousand myriads of worlds (הֵם י״ח אֶלֶף רְבָבוֹת עוֹלָמוֹת), in which the Holy One Blessed Be He, that is Ze’ir, travels each day (שֶׁשָּׁט בָּהוֹן קב״ה דְּהַיְינוּ זְעֵיר בְּכָל יוֹם), to grasp His light (לְהַשִּׂיג אוֹרוֹ). And also He travels in His thought to grasp His secrets (וְגַם שָׁט בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ לְהַשִּׂיג סוֹדוֹתָיו), for it is the desire of the supernal and lower ones (כִּי הִיא תַּאֲוַת עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים). And the two thousand that are not counted (וְהַשְּׁנֵי אֲלָפִים שֶׁאֵינָן), as it is written: “Thousands of Shin’an” - do not read Shin’an, but “she-einan”('that are not') (כְּדִכְתִיב: אֲלָפֵי שִׁנְאָן אַל תִּקְרֵי שִׁנְאָן אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵינָן), they are from His Malkhut (וְהֵם שֶׁל מַלְכוּת שֶׁלּוֹ). For the Malkhut there is absorbed in its Yesod (כִּי הַמַּלְכוּת שָׁם נִבְלַעַת בְּיְסוֹד דִּידֵיהּ), and it is not counted among the enumeration of the world of the Male (וְאֵינָהּ נֶחֱשֶׁבֶת לְמִנְיָן בְּעוֹלָם הַזָּכָר). And corresponding to the vessels and the air within them in which she is absorbed (וּכְנֶגֶד הַכֵּלִים וְהָאוֹיר שֶׁבְּתוֹכוֹ שֶׁנִּבְלָעָה), they are the two thousand of Malkhut (הֵם ב׳ אֲלָפִים שֶׁל מַלְכוּת), as it is said: “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, thousands that are not” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: רֶכֶב אֱלֹהִים רִבְבֹתַיִם אַלְפֵי שִׁנְאָן). Meaning: thousands that are not (פֵּירוּשׁ: אֲלָפֵי שֶׁאֵינָן), as our Sages of blessed memory said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַז״ל). And from there they also operate in the simple Adam Kadma'ah (וּמִשָּׁם פּוֹעֲלִים גַּם כֵּן בְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה סְתָם), which is the Keter within the Keter after the Tikkun (שֶׁהוּא הַכֶּתֶר שֶׁבַּכֶּתֶר אַחַר הַתִּקּוּן). The eighteen thousand myriads of worlds are actualized there (י״ח אֶלֶף רְבָבוֹת עוֹלָמוֹת בְּפֹעַל), for in the concealed Adam Kadma'ah they are only in potential (כִּי בְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה סְתִימָאָה הֵם בַּכֹּחַ). And this is sufficient (וְדַי בָּזֶה).

This Adam Kadma'ah, who is in these ten circles that are upon the Tehiru (הָאָדָם קַדְמָאָה זֶה שֶׁהוּא בַּעֲשָׂרָה הָעִגּוּלִים הָאֵלֶּה שֶׁהֵם עַל הַטְּהִירוּ), is called the concealed Adam Kadma'ah (נִקְרָא אָדָםִי קַדְמָאָה סְתִימָאָה). And these circles, in each of them were built thousands of worlds (וְאֵלֶּה הָעִגּוּלִים בְּכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם נִבְנוּ כַּמָּה אֲלָפִים עוֹלָמוֹת), even though within the atmospheres there are also worlds (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הָאוֹירִים יֵשׁ גַּם כֵּן עוֹלָמוֹת). Nevertheless, they are not visible except within the air (עַל כָּל זֹאת אֵינָם נִרְאִין אֶלָּא בָּאוִיר). And these circles of this concealed Adam Kadma'ah (וְאֵלֶּה הָעִגּוּלִים שֶׁל אָדָםִי קַדְמָאָה סְתִימָאָה זֶה), are in the mystery of Mems (הֵם בְּסוֹד מְמִי״ן). And this is what Rabbi Yishma’el ben Elisha the High Priest wrote in Ma‘aseh Merkavah (וְהַיְנוּ שֶׁכָּתַב רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן אֱלִישָׁע כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲשֵׂה מֶרְכָּבָה), “One Name in ten Mems” (שֵׁם אֶחָד בַּעֲשָׂרָה מְמִי״ן). And whoever does not know the secret in these Mems, which is the secret of these circles (וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ הַסּוֹד שֶׁבָּאֵלֶּה הַמְּמִי״ן שֶׁהוּא סוֹד אֵלֶּה הָעִגּוּלִים), does not know their nature (אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מַה טִּיבָן). And this is the secret of the verse “And Elohim said” in Ma‘aseh Bereshit (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הַכָּתוּב: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית), which is the letters Alef Vav Yod Resh Mem (שֶׁהוּא אוֹתִיּוֹת אוֹי״ר״ם), that is, the air within the Mems (דְּהֵינוּ: הָאוֹוִיר שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ הַמְּמִי״ן), which brought forth the ten utterances in the language of “And He said” (הוֹצִיאוּ הָעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת בִּלְשׁוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר), from potential to actuality, by means of Elohim (מִן הַכֹּחַ אֶל הַפּוֹעַל עַל יְדֵי אֱלֹהִים), which is the Malkhut of the simple Adam Kadma'ah, as is known (שֶׁהִיא מַלְכוּת אָדָם קַדְמָאָה סְתָם כְּנוֹדָע). And if you should say: Was it not fitting that the Mems should be closed Mems and not open (וְאִם תֹּאמַר: הֲוָא מִן הָרָאוּי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת מְמִי״ן סְתוּמוֹת וְלֹא פְּתוּחוֹת), since they are circles (הוֹאִיל וְהֵם עִגּוּלִים)? Your answer is: Each one of these circles is opened at its Yesod into the air (תְּשׁוּבָתְךָ: שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מִן אֵלֶּה הָעִגּוּלִים נִפְתָּח מִן הַיְּסוֹד שֶׁבּוֹ לָאוֹוִיר). And the Mem that had been closed becomes opened (וְהַמֵּ״ם שֶׁהָיְתָה סְתוּמָה נַעֲשֵׂית פְּתוּחָה), and from it within the airs came forth ten Yod's (וְיָצָא מִמֶּנָּה בְּתוֹךְ הָאוֹוִירִים עֲשָׂרָה יוּדִי״ן). And also there, in Ma‘aseh Merkavah (וְגַם כֵּן שָׁם בְּמַעֲשֵׂה מֶרְכָּבָה), it is written: “One Name in ten Yod's” (כָּתוּב שֵׁם אֶחָד בְּעֲשָׂרָה יוּדִי״ן). And because when the Mem opened its mouth and brought forth the Yod into the Air (וּלְהִיוֹת כְּשֶׁפָּתְחָה הַמֵּ״ם אֶת פִּיהָ וְהוֹצִיאָה הַיּו״ד לָאוֹוִיר), it became like a kind of Kuf (וְנַעֲשֵׂית כְּמִין קו״ף), for the Yod was clinging to the line of the Mem and it weighed downward (שֶׁהַיּו״ד הָיְתָה נִדְבֶּקֶת בְּקוֹ הַמֵּ״ם וְהִכְבִּידָה לְמַטָּה), and the line was torn from the roof of the Mem (וְנִתַּק הַקַּו מִן הַגַּג שֶׁל הַמֵּ״ם), therefore the leg of the Kuf is suspended (לָזֶה רֶגֶל הַקּו״ף תְּלוּיָה). And also there, in Ma‘aseh Merkavah (וְגַם כֵּן לְשָׁם בְּמַעֲשֵׂה מֶרְכָּבָה), it is written: “One Name from ten Kufin” (כָּתוּב שֵׁם אֶחָד מִן עֲשָׂרָה קוּפִי״ן). And it alludes to these Kufin, from which were made the ten Sefirot of Tehiru itself (וְהוּא רוֹמֵז לָאֵלּוּ הַקּוּפִי״ן שֶׁמֵּהֶם נַעֲשׂוּ עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת שֶׁל טָהִירוּ עַצְמוֹ), which were mentioned in the book Ma‘ayan Chokhmah composed by Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (שֶׁזָּכְרָם סֵפֶר מַעְיָן חָכְמָה שֶׁחִבֵּר מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם). And even though in earlier chapters I wrote that there are thirteen Kufin (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבַּפְּרָקִים הַקּוֹדְמִים כָּתַבְתִּי י״ג קוּפִי״ן), they are in the mystery of Tehiru corresponding to the thirteen Tzadi’s in Keter (הֵם בְּסוֹד טָהִירוּ לִי״ג צַדִּ״י בְּכֶתֶר), and thirteen Mems in the primordial Air (וְי״ג מְּמִי״ן בְּאויר קדמון). Nevertheless, what exists in the part is ascribed to the whole (עִם כָּל זֹאת מַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ בַּחֵלֶק יִקָּרֵא אֶל הַכֹּל), and there is nothing in the general except what is in the particular (וְאֵין בַּכְּלָל אֶלָּא מַה שֶּׁבַּפְּרָט), which is Adam Kadmon (שֶׁהוּא אָדָם קַדְמוֹן). And the three which are beyond the ten (וְהַשְּׁלֹשָׁה הָעוֹדְפִים עַל עֶשֶׂר), are the three parts of the Yod (הֵם שְׁלוֹשָׁה חֶלְקֵי הַיּו״ד), as we explained in the earlier chapters (כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בַּפְּרָקִים הַקּוֹדְמִים). And this is sufficient to uphold all the words of the Sages (וְדַי בָּזֶה לְקַיֵּים כָּל דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים).