Chapter Three (פֶּרֶק שְׁלִישִׁי)

The sphere of Tehiru is the end of the concealed levels (כַּדּוּר שֶׁל טְהִירוּ הוּא סוֹף הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת הַנֶּעֱלָמוֹת), and its sphere itself includes ten hues (וְכַדּוּרוֹ בְּעַצְמוֹ כּוֹלֵל עֲשָׂרָה גְּוָנִים), which are its ten Sefirot (שֶׁהֵם עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹתָיו), and they are its Essence flowing out from the darkness (וְהֵם עַצְמוּתוֹ נוֹבְעִים מִתּוֹךְ הַחֹשֶׁךְ), as the book Ma'ayan Chokhmah records, authored by Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (שֶׁזָּכַר סֵפֶר ״מַעְיַן חָכְמָה״ שֶׁחִבֵּר מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם). And there is no "darkness" except absolute concealment (וְאֵין חֹשֶׁךְ אֶלָּא הַהֶעְלֵם הַמֻּחְלָט). And there it says (וְאָמַר שָׁם): "For they are Ohr [Light] from Ohr [Light], Zohar [Radiance] from Zohar [Radiance], Ziv [Brilliance] from Ziv [Brilliance]" (כִּי הֵם אוֹר מֵאוֹר, זֹהַר מִזֹּהַר, זִיו מִזִּיו). Explanation (פֵּירוּשׁ): Know (דַּע) that Ohr [Light] is superior to Zohar [Radiance], and Zohar [Radiance] is superior to Ziv [Brilliance] (כִּי אוֹר עֲדִיף מִזֹּהַר, וְזֹהַר עֲדִיף מִזִּיו). And he called the first "Wondrous Ohr [Light]," which is Keter (וְקָרָא אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן אוֹר מוּפְלָא שֶׁהוּא כֶּתֶר), and the second "Hidden," which is Chokhmah (וְאֶת הַשֵּׁנִי נִסְתָּר שֶׁהוּא חָכְמָה), and the third "Sparkling," which is Binah (וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי מִתְנוֹצֵץ שֶׁהוּא בִּינָה). Meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), these first three are, without doubt, Keter, Chokhmah, and Binah (אֵלּוּ ג׳ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת בְּלִי סָפֵק הֵם כַּח״ב), and they are equal (וְשָׁוִים), for in all three the Kli [Vessel] and the Essence are one thing (כִּי בִּשְׁלָשְׁתָּם הַכְּלִי וְהָעַצְמוּת דָּבָר אֶחָד הֵם), they are united and not separated (יִתְלַכְּדוּ וְלֹא יִתְפָּרְדוּ). He also said (עוֹד אָמַר): the fourth is "Radiant Ohr [Light]," and this is Zohar [Radiance] from Ohr [Light] (הָרְבִיעִי אוֹר צַח, וְזֶהוּ זֹהַר מֵאוֹר). The fifth is "Glittering Ohr [Light]," and this is Ohr [Light] from Zohar [Radiance] (הֶחָמִישִׁי אוֹר מְצוֻחְצָח, וְזֶהוּ אוֹר מִזֹּהַר).

Explanation (פֵּירוּשׁ): these are Gedulah and Gevurah, which come from the flashing of Keter and Chokhmah together (אֵלּוּ גְּדוּלָה וּגְבוּרָה הַבָּאִים מֵהִתְנוֹצְצוּת הַכֶּתֶר וְהַחָכְמָה יַחַד). And Zohar [Radiance] from Ohr [Light] is superior to Ohr [Light] from Zohar [Radiance] (וְזֹהַר מֵאוֹר עֲדִיף עַל אוֹר מִזֹּהַר), because everything follows the essential aspect (כִּי הַכֹּל הוֹלֵךְ אַחַר הָעִיקָּר). And here, in the first, the Kli [Vessel] is Zohar [Radiance] and the Essence is Ohr [Light] (וְכָאן הָרִאשׁוֹן הַכְּלִי הוּא זֹהַר וְהָעַצְמוּת אוֹר), while in the second it is the opposite (וּבַשֵּׁנִי אִיפְּכָא). And so it is in all the details and aspects that he will mention (וְכֵן הַדָּבָר בְּכָל הַפְּרָטִים וְהַחֲלָקִים שֶׁיַּזְכִּיר). He also said (עוֹד אָמַר): the sixth is "Shining Ohr [Light]," and this is Ziv [Brilliance] from Ohr [Light] (הַשִּׁשִּׁי אוֹר מַזְהִיר, וְזֶהוּ זִיו מֵאוֹר). The seventh is "Refined Ohr [Light]," and this is Ohr [Light] from Ziv [Brilliance] (הַשְּׁבִיעִי אוֹר מְזוֻקָּק, וְזֶהוּ אוֹר מִזִּיו).

Explanation (פֵּירוּשׁ): from the flashing of Keter and Binah together (מֵהִתְנוֹצְצוּת כֶּתֶר וּבִינָה יַחַד), Tiferet is drawn forth, which shines from Chokhmah (נִמְשָׁךְ תִּפְאֶרֶת הַמַּזְהִיר מֵהַחָכְמָה), "a son resembling his father" (בָּרָא כְּרַעָא דְּאַבּוּהִי). And Netzach is refined, meaning (רָצוֹן לוֹמַר), pure silver in which the dross of the silver is not mixed (כֶּסֶף צָרוּף שֶׁאֵין סִיגֵי הַכֶּסֶף מְעֹרָבִים בּוֹ). And he also said (וְעוֹד אָמַר): the eighth is "Radiant and Glittering Ohr [Light]," and this is Ziv [Brilliance] from Zohar [Radiance] (הַשְּׁמִינִי אוֹר צַח וּמְצוֻחְצָח, וְזֶהוּ זִיו מִזֹּהַר). The ninth is "Bright Ohr [Light]," and this is Zohar [Radiance] from Ziv [Brilliance] (הַתְּשִׁיעִי אוֹר בָּהִיר, וְזֶהוּ זֹהַר מִזִּיו).

Explanation (פֵּירוּשׁ): from the flashing of Chokhmah and Binah together (מֵהִתְנוֹצְצוּת הַחָכְמָה וְהַבִּינָה יַחַד), Yesod is drawn forth, which includes the sides (נִמְשָׁכִים יְסוֹד שֶׁהוּא כּוֹלֵל הַצְּדָדִין), and Hod is "bright in the skies," meaning (מִלְּשׁוֹן), like white patches (בַּהֲרוֹת לְבָנוֹת), which are not completely refined (שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְזוּקָּק לְגַמְרֵי). He also said (עוֹד אָמַר): the tenth is "Radiant Ohr [Light]," and this is a burning flame (הָעֲשִׂירִי אוֹר נוֹגַהּ, וְזֶהוּ יָקֵד מִיקּוּד). Explanation (פֵּירוּשׁ): from the flashing of the first three (מֵהִתְנוֹצְצוּת ג׳ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת), which themselves are the Ohr [Light] of the lower seven (שֶׁהֵן עַצְמָן אוֹר הַז׳ תַּחְתּוֹנוֹת), to which there is Nogah [Radiance] (נוֹגַהּ לָהֶם), black fire was drawn forth (נִמְשְׁכָה אֵשׁ שְׁחֹרָה), which is Malkhut (שֶׁהִיא מַלְכוּת), the end of the lower ones (סוֹף הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת), from white fire, which is Binah (מֵאֵשׁ לְבָנָה בִּינָה), which is the last of the upper ones (שֶׁהִיא אַחֲרוֹנָה לָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת). And here too the Kli [Vessel] and the Essence are equal (וְכָאן נַמֵי הַכְּלִי וְהָעַצְמוּת שָׁוִין), which is: "Awesome as banners" (Song of Songs 6:4) (שֶׁהִיא: אֲיוּמָּה כַּנִּדְגָּלוֹת).