Chapter Twenty-Four (פֶּרֶק עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה)

We said above that the light first descended upon the Kli of Keter (אָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה שֶׁהָאוֹר יָרַד תְּחִלָּה עַל כְּלִי הַכֶּתֶר) and filled it and overflowed it according to what it was able to contain (וּמִלֵּא אוֹתוֹ וְגִדֵּשׁ אוֹתוֹ כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁיָּכוֹל לְהָכִיל) and when it had surplus and overflowed it extended to Chokhmah (וְכַאֲשֶׁר הוֹתִיר וְגִדֵּשׁ הוֹשִׁיט לַחָכְמָה) and likewise Chokhmah to Binah (וְכֵן חָכְמָה לִבִּינָה) and due to the great size of that Kli its overflow was sufficient to fill the Kli of Chokhmah and overflow it (וּלְרוֹב גּוֹדְלוֹ שֶׁל הַכֵּלִי הַהוּא הִסְפִּיק הַגֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁלּוֹ לְמַלּוֹת כְּלִי הַחָכְמָה וּלְגַדֵּשׁ אוֹתוֹ) and likewise due to the great size of the Kli of Chokhmah over the Kli of Binah its overflow was sufficient to fill and overflow the Kli of Binah both internally and as a Makif (וְכֵן לְרוֹב גּוֹדְלוֹ שֶׁל כְּלִי הַחָכְמָה עַל כְּלִי הַבִּינָה הִסְפִּיק הַגֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁלּוֹ לְמַלּוֹת וּלְגַדֵּשׁ כְּלִי הַבִּינָה בְּפְנִימִי וּמַקִּיף) and due to the great size of the Kli of Binah over all the other Kelim beneath it which had previously stood within it (וּלְרוֹב גּוֹדְלוֹ שֶׁל כְּלִי הַבִּינָה עַל כָּל שְׁאָר הַכֵּלִים שֶׁלְּמַטָּה מִמֶּנָּה מַה שֶּׁמִּקּוֹדֶם הָיוּ עוֹמְדִים בְּתוֹכוֹ) therefore its overflow was sufficient to fill all seven of the remaining Kelim (לָכֵן הִסְפִּיק הַגֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁלּוֹ לְמַלּוֹת כָּל הַשִּׁבְעָה כֵּלִים הַנִּשְׁאָרִים) in such a manner that they were filled one after another from that surplus from the overflowing of the light (בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁנִּתְמַלְּאוּ זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ מֵאוֹתוֹ הָעוֹדֵף מִגְּדִישַׁת הָאוֹר) and this is alluded to in the hand-grasping of the Kohen (וְרֶמֶז לָזֶה קְמִיצַת הַכֹּהֵן) which is the influx of Chesed that left no remainder above or below except within three fingers (שֶׁהוּא שֶׁפַע הַחֶסֶד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מוֹתִיר לֹא לְמַעְלָה וְלֹא לְמַטָּה רַק בִּגְ׳ אֶצְבָּעוֹת) to allude to the three Sefirot mentioned (לְרָמוֹז אֶל הַג׳ סְפִירוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרִים). And when the influx descended from the Sefirah of Binah to her seven sons (וּכְשֶׁיָּרַד הַשֶּׁפַע מִסְּפִירַת בִּינָה לְז׳ בָּנֶיהָ) it came through one window equal for all up to Yesod only (הָיָה בְּחַלּוֹן אֶחָד שָׁוֶה לַכּוּלָּם עַד יְסוֹד לְבַדּוֹ) and from there emerged a separate spark to become the Makif and Neshamah for Malkhut (שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ יָצָא נִיצוֹץ אַחֵר לִהְיוֹת מַקִּיף וּנְשָׁמָה לַמַּלְכוּת) and this was through a window narrower than the first window which had been for all six extremities as I will explain with the help of Hashem (וְזֶה הָיָה דֶּרֶךְ חַלּוֹן יוֹתֵר צַר מֵהַחַלּוֹן הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָיָה לְכָל הַו׳ קְצָווֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבָאֵר בע"ה׳). And the influx that descended from Binah descended as one meaning it came down all at once (וְהַשֶּׁפַע שֶׁיָּרַד מִבִּינָה יָרַד כְּאֶחָד כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁיָּרַד הַשֶּׁפַע בְּבַת אַחַת) and Chesed received it because it was closer to her (וְקִבֵּל אוֹתוֹ הַחֶסֶד מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה קָרוֹב אֵלֶיהָ יוֹתֵר) and retained it for itself (וְהֶחֱזִיק אוֹתוֹ לְעַצְמוֹ) and due to the abundance of light the influx could not be contained and the Kli shattered (וּמֵרֹב אוֹר הַשֶּׁפַע לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהָכִיל וְנִשְׁבַּר הַכְּלִי) and afterward the entire light of the influx descended to Gevurah (וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָרַד כָּל אוֹר הַשֶּׁפַע לַגְּבוּרָה) and she too desired to retain all the influx at once (וְרָצְתָה גַּם הִיא לְהַחֲזִיק כָּל הַשֶּׁפַע בְּבַת אַחַת) and she too shattered (וְנִשְׁבְּרָה גַּם הִיא) and likewise Tiferet Netzach and Hod (וְכֵן תִּפְאֶרֶת נֵצַח הוֹד). And when Yesod saw this, it did not wish to receive all the influx at once (וּכְשֶׁרָאָה הַיְּסוֹד כָּכָה לֹא רָצָה לְקַבֵּל כָּל הַשֶּׁפַע בְּבַת אַחַת), and this was in the intention of the one who directs, in order that Malkhut not be broken, God forbid (וְזֶה הָיָה בְּכַוָּנַת הַמְכַוֵּן כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁבֵר מַלְכוּת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), for the reason that bodies should not be given to the forces of impurity (מִטַּעַם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ לַשֵּׁדִים גּוּפִים), for from her comes the body and the soul (כִּי מִמֶּנָּה בָּא הַגּוּף וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ). And this is the secret that erev Shabbat was created - which is Yesod - at its between the suns (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ עֶרֶבֵי שַׁבָּת שֶׁהוּא יְסוֹד בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ), which is half of the last portion of Yesod (הוּא חֵצִי הַחֵלֶק הָאַחֲרוֹן שֶׁל יְסוֹד), and even it was broken in the end (שֶׁגַּם הוּא נִשְׁבַּר לְבַסּוֹף). And this Yesod received only one part, to give to Malkhut as a deposit (וְהַיְּסוֹד הַזֶּה לֹא קִבֵּל אֶלָּא חֵלֶק אֶחָד לָתֵת לַמַּלְכוּת בִּתְּרוּמַת פִּקָּדוֹן), as it is written: “And the grain shall be as a deposit for the land” (Bereshit 47) (כְּדִכְתִיב: וְהָיָה הָאֹכֶל לְפִקָּדוֹן לָאָרֶץ), which Yosef said, who is the secret of Yesod (שֶׁאָמַר יוֹסֵף שֶׁהוּא סוֹד יְסוֹד), that is, this influx a small portion of it (דְּהַיְנוּ הַשֶּׁפַע הַזֶּה הַחֵלֶק הַקָּטָן מִמֶּנּוּ). And all of this he did from his fear lest, God forbid, his Kli be broken (וְכָל זֶה עָשָׂה מִיִּרְאָתוֹ פֶּן חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יִשָּׁבֵר הַכְּלִי שֶׁלּוֹ) and all of this did not help him (וְכָל זֶה לֹא הוֹעִיל לוֹ) because this influx is the one from which lower and upper beings desire to draw, and to receive enjoyment and nourishment from its radiance and light (מִטַּעַם כִּי הַשֶּׁפַע הַזֶּה הוּא שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ מִתְאַוִּים תַּחְתּוֹנִים וְעֶלְיוֹנִים לִשְׁאֹב וּלְהֵינוֹת וְלִיזּוֹן מִזִּיוּוֹ וּמֵאוֹרוֹ) and he did not manage to give it to her before he received the rest of the influx, and he was immediately broken (וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק לָתֵת לָהּ עַד שֶׁקִּבֵּל כָּל שְׁאָר הַשֶּׁפַע וְתֵכֶף נִשְׁבַּר). Because the portion that Yesod took for himself was greater than the portion he received to give to Malkhut (לִהְיוֹת שֶׁהַחֵלֶק אֲשֶׁר קִבֵּל הַיְּסוֹד לְעַצְמוֹ הָיָה גָּדוֹל יוֹתֵר מִן הַחֵלֶק שֶׁקִּבֵּל לָתֵת לַמַּלְכוּת) therefore the portion he received for himself - to be for him a Makif and Pnimi - being greater than the single portion of Malkhut (לָכֵן הַחֵלֶק שֶׁקִּבֵּל לְעַצְמוֹ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ מַקִּיף וּפְנִימִי לִהְיוֹתוֹ גָדוֹל מֵהַחֵלֶק הָאֶחָד שֶׁל הַמַלְכוּת) therefore Yesod did not have the strength to bear it (לָכֵן לֹא הָיָה כֹּחַ לַיְּסוֹד לְסַבְּלוֹ). And even though he did not wish to receive all the light (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה לְקַבֵּל כָּל הָאוֹר) nevertheless the portion that he chose for himself increased upon him beyond his capacity (מִכָּל מָקוֹם הַחֵלֶק שֶׁבָּחַר לְעַצְמוֹ נִתְרַבָּה עָלָיו יוֹתֵר מִכְּדֵי כֹּחוֹ) and therefore he was broken and nullified like the others (לָכֵן נִשְׁבַּר וְנִתְבַּטֵּל כְּמוֹ הָאֲחֵרִים) and in this his half of the Kli was broken (וּבָזֶה נִשְׁבַּר חֶצְיָהּ שֶׁל הַכְּלִי שֶׁלּוֹ) before the second half was broken (קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּר חֲצִי הָאַחֲרוֹן) at the time when the portion held as deposit for Malkhut was still within him (בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָיָה בְּתוֹכוֹ הַחֵלֶק הַפִּקָּדוֹן שֶׁל מַלְכוּת). For while the small portion in his lower half was still in his grasp (כִּי בְּעוֹדוֹ בְּכַפּוֹ הַחֵלֶק הַקָּטָן בַּחֲצִיּוֹ הַתַּחְתּוֹן) the larger portion swallowed it, and he could no longer contain it (בִּלְעֲנוֹ הַחֵלֶק הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁלֹּא יָכֹל לְהָכִיל) and that portion - the half of the Kli - was not nullified until after a time (וְלֹא נִתְבַּטֵּל אוֹתוֹ הַחֵלֶק חֲצִי הַכְּלִי עַד אַחַר זְמַן) and because he had one moment more of vitality than the others, in the time when he had the portion of Malkhut only (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ רֶגַע חַיּוּת יוֹתֵר מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנִים בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ הַחֵלֶק שֶׁל מַלְכוּת בִּלְבָד) therefore he is called “the life of the worlds” (לָזֶה נִקְרָא חַי הָעוֹלָמִים). And this was because he had more vitality than his companions (וְזוֹאת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ חַיּוּת יוֹתֵר מִן חֲבֵירָיו), both in this World of Tohu (הֵן בָּעוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ הַזֶּה), and also in the World of Tikkun, which is the settled world (וְגַם בָּעוֹלַם הַתִּקּוּן שֶׁהוּא עוֹלַם הַיְּשׁוּב), therefore its explanation is that he lives in two worlds (וְלָכֵן פֵּירוּשׁוֹ חַי בִּתְרֵין עָלְמִין). And also Malkhut, when she received the small portion from Yesod (וְגַם מַלְכוּת כְּשֶׁקִּבְּלָה הַחֵלֶק הַקָּטָן מִיְּסוֹד), even though it was not a great portion (הַגַּם כִּי לֹא הָיָה חֵלֶק גָּדוֹל), she could not bear it and was crushed (לֹא יָכְלָה לְסַבְּלוֹ וְנִתְמַעֲכָה), like what happens to a vessel of metal when it is placed in fire (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּעֱשֶׂה לִכְלִי שֶׁל מַתְּכוֹת כְּשֶׁמְּשִׂימִין אוֹתוֹ לָאוּר), until it is mashed and has no form of a vessel (עַד שֶׁנִּתְמַעֵךְ וְאֵין בּוֹ צוּרַת כְּלִי), that is, it was nullified (דְּהַיְינוּ אִתְבַּטְּלַת), as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, peace be upon him, says in the Sifra deTzeniuta (שֶׁאוֹמֵר הַרַשְׁבִּ״י ע״ה בְּסִפְרָא דְּצִנְעוּתָא). And the reason is, after the Shevirah of Yesod, all the influx descended to her (וְהַטַּעַם הוּא אַחַר שְׁבִירַת יְסוֹד יָרַד לָהּ כָּל הַשֶּׁפַע), and because when it descended to her she was already crushed, there was no Shevirah in her (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּשֶׁיָּרַד לָהּ הָיְתָה כְּבָר מְעֻכָּה לֹא הָיָה בָּהּ שְׁבִירָה), but rather she was nullified (אֶלָּא אִתְבַּטְּלַת), becoming like an unformed sandal-golem (שֶׁנַּעֲשֵׂית כְּמוֹ גֹּלֶם סַנְדָּל). And this is the secret of what the Sages, of blessed memory, said (Shabbat 123b) (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד אָמְרָם ז״ל): “Simple wooden vessels do not receive impurity” (פְּשׁוּטֵי כְלֵי עֵץ אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל טֻמְאָה), and no Klipot were made from her (וְלֹא נַעֲשׂוּ קְלִיפּוֹת מִמֶּנָּה). Because there was no Shevirah in her, not many Klipot were formed from her, as were formed from the Shevirah of the earlier Kelim (לִהְיוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה בָּהּ שְׁבִירָה לֹא נִתְהַווּ מִמֶּנָּה קְלִיפּוֹת כָּל כָּךְ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְהַווּ מִשְּׁבִירַת הַכֵּלִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים). For if, God forbid, there had been Shevirah in her, many harsh and very severe Klipot would have been formed from her (שֶׁאִלּוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם הָיְתָה בָּהּ שְׁבִירָה הָיוּ נִתְהַוִּים מִמֶּנָּה קְלִיפּוֹת הַרְבֵּה קָשִׁים עַד מְאֹד), to the extent that the world would hardly have been able to exist because of the multitude of Klipot (עַד שֶׁכִּמְעַט לֹא הָיָה קִיּוּם בָּעוֹלָם מִפְּנֵי רֹב הַקְּלִיפּוֹת). And this is because her Kli was thicker than the earlier ones (וְזֶה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּלִי שֶׁלָּהּ עָב יוֹתֵר מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנִים), and the destructive forces would have appeared to human beings, God forbid (וְהָיוּ מִתְרָאִים הַמַּזִּיקִים אֶל בְּנֵי אָדָם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), because once the veil - which is the mask - is removed from his face and he looks at a person, he can harm him (כֵּיוָן שֶׁמֵּסִיר הַמַּסֹּה שֶׁהוּא הַפּוֹרְמָא מֵעַל פָּנָיו וּמַבִּיט בְּבֶן אָדָם יָכוֹל לְהַזִּיקוֹ), in the secret of: “Do not look behind you” (Bereshit 19) (בְּסוֹד: אַל תַּבִּיט אַחֲרֶיךָ), so that the destroyer not look upon your face (שֶׁלֹּא יַבִּיט הַמַּחְבֵּל בְּפָנֶיךָ). And for this reason, the Holy One, Blessed be He, decreed that only the thinner Kelim be broken (וּלָזֶה גָּזַר הקב״ה שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁבְרוּ אֶלָּא אוֹתָן הַכֵּלִים הַיּוֹתֵר דַּקִּים), so that the Klipot would not be so thick (כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת כָּל כָּךְ גַּסִּים). And from the Shevirah of these Kelim came forth the Dinim (וּמִשְּׁבִירַת הַכֵּלִים הָאֵלֶּה יָצְאוּ הַדִּינִים), and when they thickened further and descended below, the Klipot were formed from them (וּכְשֶׁנִּתְעַבּוּ יוֹתֵר וְיָרְדוּ לְמַטָּה נִתְהַווּ מֵהֶם הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), as we will explain with the help of the Creator and His Shekhinta (כַּאֲשֶׁר נְפָרֵשׁ בְּעֶזְרַת הַבּוֹרֵא וּשְׁכִינְתּוֹ).