Chapter Twenty (פֶּרֶק עֶשְׂרִים)

Another reason why the Ohr Makif is exceedingly greater than the Ohr Penimi (עוֹד טַעַם אַחֵר לָמָּה אוֹר הַמַּקִּיף יָתֵר גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מֵהָאוֹר הַפְּנִימִי), is because the Ohr Penimi constricts itself within the Kli (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָאוֹר הַפְּנִימִי מְצַמְצֵם עַצְמוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַכֵּלִי), even though the light is immense, mighty, and vast (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָאוֹר גָּדוֹל עָצוּם וְרַב), it gathers itself inwardly (מִתְכַּנֵּס בְּעַצְמוֹ), and does not shine in its full strength (וְאֵינוֹ מַבְהִיק בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ), but only according to the capacity of the receiver (אֶלָּא כְּפִי כֹּחַ הַמְּקַבֵּל), as in the verse: “And I will speak with you from above the kaporet, from between the two keruvim” (Exodus 25) (עַל דֶּרֶךְ וְדִבַּרְתִּי אִתְּךָ מֵעַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת מִבֵּין שְׁנֵי הַכְּרוּבִים), for He would contract His Shekhinah and His light between the poles of the Ark (שֶׁהָיָה מְצַמְצֵם שְׁכִינָתוֹ וְאוֹרוֹ בֵּין שְׁנֵי בַּדֵּי הָאָרוֹן), so that the Keruvim would be able to bear the light of the Shekhinah within them (כְּדֵי שֶׁהַכְּרוּבִים יוּכְלוּ לִסְבֹּל אוֹר הַשְּׁכִינָה בְּתוֹכָם), and also in accordance with the capacity of the receiver — namely Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (וְגַם כְּפִי כֹּחַ הַמְּקַבֵּל דְּהַיְינוּ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ ע״ה), who could bear the strength of that voice and speech (שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִסְבֹּל כֹּחַ הַקּוֹל וְהַדִּבּוּר הַהוּא). So too, this Ohr Penimi [Inner Light] is forced to gather itself inwardly (כָּךְ הָאוֹר הַפְּנִימִי הַזֶּה מֻכְרָח לְהִתְכַּנֵּס בְּעַצְמוֹ), and to contract within the Kli [Vessel] that encloses it (וּלְהִתְצַמְצֵם בְּתוֹךְ הַכֵּלִי הַסּוֹגֵר אוֹתוֹ), according to His blessed will to bestow upon the worlds through it (כְּפִי רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ בָּעוֹלָמוֹת עַל יָדוֹ). Whereas the greater Ohr Makif [Surrounding Light] expands and extends (כָּךְ מִתְרַחֵב וְהוֹלֵךְ אוֹר הַמַּקִּיף הַגָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ), for it surrounds from above without Tzimtzum [Contraction] (כִּי הוּא מַקִּיף מִלְמַעְלָה בְּלִי צִמְצוּם), and does not bestow upon another (וְאֵינוֹ מַשְׁפִּיעַ לְזוּלָתוֹ), rather, it becomes a Sukkat Shalom [Sukkah of Peace] for that which it surrounds—that is, the Kli [Vessel] (אֶלָּא הוּא נַעֲשֶׂה סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם אֶל הַמֻּקָּף דְּהַיְינוּ הַכֵּלִי), and this is: “A tent that shall not be removed, its stakes shall never be pulled up” (Isaiah 33:20) (וְהוּא ״אֹהֶל בַּל יִצְעָן בַּל יִסַּע יְתֵדֹתָיו לָנֶצַח״), which increases in its Milu'im [Spellings] without end (הַמִּתְרַבֶּה בִּמְלוּאָיו לְאֵין תַּכְלִית). But the Ohr Penimi [Inner Light] is forced to gather inwardly within its root letters (אֲבָל הָאוֹר הַפְּנִימִי מֻכְרָח לְהִתְכַּנֵּס בְּעַצְמוֹ בְּאוֹתִיּוֹתָיו הַשָּׁרְשִׁיִּים), and cannot fill out its letters (וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְמַלּוֹת אוֹתִיּוֹתָיו), and increase beyond the root letters (וּלְהַרְבּוֹת עַל אוֹתִיּוֹת הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ), because the Kli [Vessel] itself encloses it (כִּי הַכֵּלִי עַצְמוֹ סוֹגְרוֹ), by the power of the letters of Elohim, which are Din [Judgment] (בְּכֹחַ אוֹתִיּוֹת אֱלֹהִים שֶׁהֵם דִּין). And the Ohr [Light] that returned upward, which we mentioned at the beginning of chapter nineteen (וְהָאוֹר שֶׁחָזַר לְמַעְלָה שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ בְּרֵישׁ פֶּרֶק י״ט), is the first Tzimtzum [Contraction] of the Nekudah [Point] of Keter (הוּא הַצִּמְצוּם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל נְקוּדַּת כֶּתֶר), and the Ohr [Light] within it (וְאוֹר שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ), which is the withholding of revelation (שֶׁהוּא מְנִיעַת הַהִתְגַּלוּת). Then all that Ohr [Light] is aroused to ascend (אָז מִתְעוֹרֵר כָּל הָאוֹר הַהוּא לַעֲלוֹת), from the yearning of the complete being (מִתְּשׁוּקַת הַשָּׁלֵם), in every aspect of perfection (בְּכָל מִינֵי שְׁלֵמוּת), to cleave to its source (לְהִדָּבֵק בְּמְקוֹרוֹ), and to diminish the chosen Ohr [Light] from it for the creation of the worlds (וּלְמַעֵט הָאוֹר הַנִּבְחָר מִמֶּנּוּ לִבְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָמוֹת).

That is to say (רָצָה לוֹמַר), in order that the Kli [Vessel] be able to receive a measure of that Ohr [Light] (בְּכְדֵי שֶׁיוּכַל הַכֵּלִי לְקַבֵּל שִׁעוּר הָאוֹר הַהוּא), sufficient to create the worlds (הַמַּסְפִּיק לִבְרֹא הָעוֹלָמוֹת), that portion returned (חָזַר הַחֵלֶק הַהוּא), which is measured by His blessed Chokhmah (הַמְּשׁוּעָר בְּחָכְמָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ), for the sake of the Nekudah [Point] of Keter and its companions (לְצוֹרֶךְ הַנְּקוּדָּה שֶׁל כֶּתֶר וַחֲבֵרֶיהָ), and it struck with force at the bottom of the Kli [Vessel] (וְהִכָּה בַּחֹזֶק בְּתַחְתִּיּוֹת הַכֵּלִי), according to the nature of Chesed [Kindness], which descends with swiftness (כְּטֶבַע הַחֶסֶד הַיּוֹרֵד בְּמְרוּצָה), so that it might take hold of an Ohr Penimi [Inner Light] for itself (כְּדֵי שֶׁיֶּאֱחֹז לְעַצְמוֹ אוֹר פְּנִימִי), which it could bear for its own need (שֶׁיוּכַל לִסְבֹּל לְצוֹרְכּוֹ), and for all those joined to it (וּלְכָל הַנִּלְוִים אֵלָיו). And the remainder ascended by the force of that striking and became an Ohr Makif [Surrounding Light] for it (וְהַשְּׁאָר עָלָה בְּכֹחַ הַהַכָּאָה הַהִיא וְנַעֲשָׂה מַקִּיף לוֹ).

And you, my son, open the eyes of your mind (וְאַתָּה בְּנִי פְּתַח עֵינֵי שִׂכְלְךָ), to understand what I have explained to you in the previous chapters (לְהָבִין מַה שֶּׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְךָ בַּפְּרָקִים הַקּוֹדְמִים), regarding the first point of Keter (בַּנְּקוּדָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל כֶּתֶר), which was comprised of ten at the beginning of its emanation (שֶׁהָיְתָה כְּלוּלָה מֵעֶשֶׂר בִּתְחִלַּת אֲצִילוּתָהּ), and a light that extended from the Emanator, blessed be He, was emanated together within it (וְאוֹר מִתְפַּשֵּׁט מִן הַמַּאֲצִיל יִתְבָּרַךְ נֶאֱצַל יַחַד בְּתוֹכָהּ), without any temporal precedence of one over the other (בְּלִי קְדִימָה זְמַנִּית זֶה עַל זֶה). It follows that the ascent of the light and its withdrawal upward in that point mentioned (נִמְצָא שֶׁעֲלִיַּת הָאוֹר וְהִסְתַלְּקוּתוֹ לְמַעְלָה בַּנְּקוּדָּה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת), and His desire choosing a portion of it (וּבְחִירַת רְצוֹנוֹ בְּמִקְצָתוֹ), to become a Makif and Penimi (לִהְיוֹת מַקִּיף וּפְנִימִי), was done in an instant, all at once (נַעֲשָׂה בְּהֶרֶף עַיִן בְּפַעַם אַחַת), without any temporal precedence (בְּלִי קְדִימָה זְמַנִּית). And the secret of this Makif is the mystery of the Clouds of Glory (וְסוֹד הַמַּקִּיף הַזֶּה הוּא סוֹד עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד), which encompassed Yisrael in the wilderness (שֶׁהָיוּ מַקִּיפִים אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר), even somewhat after the sin (אַף קְצָת אַחַר הַחֵטְא), in the merit of Aharon (בִּזְכוּת אַהֲרֹן), as long as he was alive (כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיָה קַיָּם). And after Aharon died, the guarding of the Makif departed (וְאַחַר שֶׁמֵּת אַהֲרֹן הָלְכָה לָהּ שְׁמִירַת הַמַּקִּיף), and “the Canaanite king of Arad came and took from them a captive” (Numbers 21) (וּבָא הַכְּנַעֲנִי מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד וַיִּלָּחֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּשְׁבְּ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁבִי). And in the future to come, Samael and all the ministering princes of destruction (וְלֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא שֶׁיְּהֵא סַמְאָ"ל עִם כָּל שָׂרֵי הַמַּשְׁחִית), will be rulers over the nations of the world (קַלְסְטְנִירָא עַל אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם), for it says: “For the youth of one hundred years shall die” (Isaiah 65) (כִּי הַנַּעַר בֶּן מֵאָה שָׁנָה יָמוּת), which is written regarding the nations (בָּאוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם כְּתִיב), but concerning Yisrael it says: “He shall swallow up death forever” (Isaiah 25) (אֲבָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל נֶאֱמַר: בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח).

And at that time, King Mashiach will reign over the supernal and the lower worlds (וּבְאוֹתוֹ זְמַן יִמְלֹךְ מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ עַל הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְעַל הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים). And spirits and demons will torment the nations by the hand of ben David (וּרוּחִין וּשְׁדִין יְצַעֲרוּ הָאֻמּוֹת עַל יְדֵי בֶּן דָּוִד), similar to the matter of Shlomo with Hiram, king of Tyre (כְּעִנְיָן שְׁלֹמֹה עִם חִירָם מֶלֶךְ צוֹר), who sent to him one demon (שֶׁשָּׁלַח אֵלָיו שֵׁד אֶחָד), and brought him down to the seven levels of Gehinnom (וְהוֹרִידוֹ לְשִׁבְעָה מִדּוֹרֵי גֵיהִנֹּם), until he fulfilled his will and admitted to him (עַד שֶׁעָשָׂה רְצוֹנוֹ וְהוֹדָה לוֹ), and so too with the Queen of Sheba (וְכֵן עִם מַלְכַּת שְׁבָא). By the power of Yirat HaMashiach [Fear of the Mashiach], all the nations shall come (מִכֹּחַ יִרְאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ יָבֹאוּ כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת), and they shall grasp the corner of a Jewish man (וְיַחֲזִיקוּ בִּכְנַף אִישׁ יְהוּדִי), in the merit of the Tzitzit on the Tallit (בִּזְכוּת הַצִּיצִית שֶׁבַּטַלִּית), which is the secret of this Ohr Makif [Surrounding Light] (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד אוֹר מַקִּיף הַזֶּה), for one may go out with it even to the place of elimination (שֶׁיוֹצְאִין בּוֹ אַף לְבֵית הַכִּסֵּא), and it does not receive impurity (וְאֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה). And the externals have no share in it (וְאֵין לַחִיצוֹנִים חֵלֶק בּוֹ), and the nations shall grasp it as a protection (וְהָאֻמּוֹת יֹאחֲזוּ בוֹ לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם שְׁמִירָה), from the destructive angels and from spirits (מִמַלְאֲכֵי הַמַּשְׁחִית וּמֵהָרוּחוֹת), and they will be compelled to become slaves (וּמֻכְרָחִים לִהְיוֹת עֲבָדִים). And even their kings and princes will come to hear words of Ruach haKodesh [Holy Spirit] (וְגַם מַלְכֵיהֶם וְשָׂרֵיהֶם יָבֹאוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ), and words of Chokhmah (וּדִבְרֵי חָכְמָה), as they heard and gathered around King Shlomo, peace be upon him (כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ וְנִתְקַבְּצוּ אֵצֶל שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ ע״ה), and concerning this it is said: “And the one who stumbles among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like Elohim” (Zechariah 12:8) (וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: ״וְהָיָה הַנִּכְשָׁל בָּהֶם... כְּדָוִיד וּבֵית דָּוִיד כֵּאלֹהִים״).

The general principle is (כְּלַל הַדְּבָרִים): the Ohr Makif [Surrounding Light] is above the Kli [Vessel] without Tzimtzum [Contraction] (הָאוֹר הַמַּקִּיף הוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַכֵּלִי בְּלִי צִמְצוּם), while the Ohr Penimi [Inner Light] is compelled to contract and to gather inward with great Tzimtzum [Contraction] (וְאוֹר הַפְּנִימִי הוּא מֻכְרָח לְהִתְצַמְצֵם וּלְהִתְכַּנֵּס בְּצִמְצוּם רַב), like the example of the Tzaddikim who diminish themselves (דּוּגְמַת הַצַּדִּיקִים הַמְקַטְּנִים עַצְמָם), even though their Neshamah [Soul] is a great and vast Ohr [Light] (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּשְׁמָתוֹ הִיא אוֹר הַגָּדוֹל וְרַב), like Shmuel haKatan (כְּמוֹ שְׁמוּאֵל הַקָּטָן), and he was worthy that the Shekhinah rest upon him like Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (וְרָאוּי הָיָה לִשְׁרוֹת עָלָיו שְׁכִינָה כְּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ ע״ה). And the Tzaddik must diminish himself (וּמֻכְרָח הַצַּדִּיק לְהַקְטִין עַצְמוֹ), so that his generation can receive Divine assistance through him (כְּדֵי שֶׁדוֹרוֹ יוּכְלוּ לְקַבֵּל שֶׁפַע עֶזְרָה אֱלֹהִית מִצִּדּוֹ), and regarding his merit it is said: “By His wound we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5) (וְעַל זְכוּתוֹ נֶאֱמַר: ״וּבַחֲבֻרָתוֹ נִרְפָּא לָנוּ״), “Surely our sicknesses he bore” (Isaiah 53:4) (״אָכֵן חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא״). And this is because his generation is not worthy of it (וְזֶהוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין דּוֹרוֹ רָאוּי לְכָךְ), and therefore he could not have the Shekhinah rest upon him like Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (לָכֵן לֹא יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁרִות עָלָיו שְׁכִינָה כְּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ ע״ה). And understand (וְהָבֵן) that the Ohr Penimi [Inner Light] expands only according to the awakening of those below (שֶׁגַּם הָאוֹר הַפְּנִימִי אֵינוֹ מִתְרַחֵב אֶלָּא כְּפִי הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים), and there is no doubt that there was a difference between the generations (וְאֵין סָפֵק שֶׁהָיָה חִלּוּק בַּדּוֹרוֹת), in the secret of: “A maidservant at the sea saw what Yechezkel did not see” (Shemot Rabbah 23:15) (בְּסוֹד: ״רָאָתָה שִׁפְחָה עַל הַיָּם מַה שֶּׁלֹּא רָאָה יְחֶזְקֵאל״). And in the future it is said: “And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit” (Joel 3:2) (וְלֶעָתִיד נֶאֱמַר: ״וְגַם עַל הָעֲבָדִים וְעַל הַשְּׁפָחוֹת בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם אֶשְׁפּוֹךְ אֶת רוּחִי״), “I will pour out” specifically (אֶשְׁפּוֹךְ דַּיְּקָא). See chapter eighteen (עֲיֵן פֶּרֶק י״ח), “the parable of one who pours with force from one Kli [Vessel] to another” (מָשָׁל שׁוֹפֵךְ בְּחֹזֶק מִכְּלִי זֶה אֶל כְּלִי אַחֵר): what can enter is absorbed (מַה שֶּׁיָּכוֹל לְהִכָּנֵס נִכְנָס בּוֹ), and the remainder falls around it and becomes Ohr Makif [Surrounding Light] (וְהַשְּׁאָר נוֹפֵל סְבִיבוֹתָיו וְנַעֲשֶׂה אוֹר מַקִּיף). So too shall the spirit be poured upon us from above (כֵּן יֵעָרֶה עָלֵינוּ רוּחַ מִמָּרוֹם), to comfort us (לְנַחֲמֵנוּ). Amen (אָמֵן).