Chapter Six (פֶּרֶק שִּׁשִּׁי)

Let us return to our words (נַחֲזוֹר לְדִבְרֵינוּ), by way of example (דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל), just as we have perfect faith (כְּמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָנוּ הָאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה), that the Holy One Blessed Be He created man with wisdom (שֶׁהקב״ה יָצַר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּחָכְמָה), when a man casts the seminal drop into the body of the female (כְּשֶׁהָאָדָם מַטִּיל הַטִּפָּה זַרְעִית בְּגוּף הַנְּקֵבָה), and withdraws from her (וּפוֹרֵשׁ מִמֶּנָּה), the angel takes the drop immediately (הַמַּלְאָךְ לוֹקֵחַ הַטִּפָּה תֵכֶף), to see what will become of it (לִרְאוֹת מַה תְּהֵא עָלֶיהָ). And immediately, at that very hour (וּתֵכֶף בְּאוֹתוֹ שָׁעָה), He, may His Name be blessed, decrees (הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ גּוֹזֵר), that the soul will descend into it (שֶׁתֵּרֵד בָּהּ הַנְּשָׁמָה). And the soul contains within it the potential (וְהַנְּשָׁמָה יֵשׁ בָּהּ בַּכֹּחַ), of 248 limbs and 365 sinews (רַמַ״ח אֵיבָרִים וְשַׁס״ה גִּידִים), and from the power of the soul that is within it (וּמִכֹּחַ הַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ), the 248 limbs and 365 sinews of the human body were formed (נִתְהַוּוּ הָרַמַ״ח אֵיבָרִים וְהַשַּׁס״ה גִּידִים בְּגוּף אָדָם). So too above, with the Supernal Light (כָּךְ הוּא לְמַעְלָה בָּאוֹר הָעֶלְיוֹן), radiant and luminous (הַזָּהִיר וְהַבָּהִיר), which goes out from the Supreme Emanator (הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַמַּאֲצִיל הָעֶלְיוֹן), to be a soul to the vessels (לִהְיוֹת נְשָׁמָה אֶלֵ הַכֵּלִים).