Chapter Two (פֶּרֶק שֵׁנִי)

We have seen fit to speak in order to remove the fear of harm (רָאִינוּ לְדַבֵּר לְהַרְחִיק מֵהַרְחָקַת הַנֶּזֶק), which arises in the minds of those who distance themselves from this wisdom (הָעוֹלֶה עַל דַּעַת הַמִּתְרַחֲקִים מֵחָכְמָה זוֹ). These are divided into three categories (וְאֵלֶּה מִתְחַלְּקִים לִשְׁלֹשָׁה חֲלָקִים), as the Rav, our teacher Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, of blessed memory (כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּתַב הָרַב מָהַר״ר מֹשֶׁה קוֹרְדוֹוֵירוֹ ז״ל), wrote in his work, Sefer Or Ne'erav [The Book of Pleasant Light] (בְּחִבּוּרוֹ סֵפֶר אוֹר נֶעֱרָב). Behold, this Rav possessed nearly all the precious treasures of Yisrael (וְהִנֵּה הָיָה לָרָב הַזֶּה כִּמְעַט כָּל חֶמְדַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל). He was renowned for pilpul and reasoning throughout the entire system of the Gemara (לוֹ יָד וָשֵׁם בְּפִלְפּוּל וּבְסְבָרָא בְּכָל שִׁטַּת הַגְּמָרָא), as well as in the Poskim [Halakhic Decisors] (וּבַפּוֹסְקִים), and he was expert in the whole Torah (וּבָקִי בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה). He served for many years as Av Beit Din [Head of the Rabbinical Court] in the holy community of Tzefat, may God protect her (כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיָה אַב״ד בְּק״ק צְפַת יִגַּן אֱלֹהִים עָלֶיהָ כַּמָּה שָׁנִים). He passed away in the year 5330 [1569/1570] of the sixth millennium (וְנִפְטַר בִּשְׁנַת ש״ל לָאֶלֶף הַשִּׁשִּׁי). The Ari, of blessed memory (וְהָאֲרִ״י ז״ל), accompanied his bier (הָיָה מְלַוֶּה אֶת מִטָּתוֹ), and testified concerning him that he saw two pillars of fire accompanying the Ramak (וְהֵעִיד עָלָיו שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁהָיוּ מְלַוִּים לְרַמַ״ק תְּרֵי עַמּוּדֵי דְנוּרָא). We have a tradition that these are seen only by one, or at most two, individuals in a generation (וְגְמִירִי דְּלָא אִתְחֲזֵי אֶלָּא לְחַד בְּדָרָא אוֹ לִתְרֵי בְּדָרָא). Let it not enter your heart to question me (וְאַל יַעֲלֶה עַל לִבְּךָ לְהַקְשׁוֹת אוֹתִי), since the Ari, זל״הה (מֵאַחַר שֶׁגִּלָּה הָאֲרִ״י זל״הה), revealed another path, deeper than this one (דֶּרֶךְ אַחֶרֶת יוֹתֵר עֲמוּקָה מִזֹּאת), that therefore the Ramak's views should be rejected entirely, or that there was any blemish in them (שֶׁיִּהְיוּ סְבָרוֹתָיו נִדְחִית לְגַמְרֵי אוֹ פֶּגֶם בָּזֶה). Far be it, Heaven forbid, to believe such a thing (חַס וְחָלִילָה וְחָלִילָה מֵהַאֲמִין זֶה). Rather, Moshe is truth and his Torah is truth (אֶלָּא מֹשֶׁה אֱמֶת וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת), even though he did not know the mysteries of the Ari, זל״הה (אַף שֶׁלֹּא יָדַע מִסּוֹדוֹת הָאֲרִ״י זל״הה).

Behold, you will see that Rav Rabbi Yosef Karo, of blessed memory (הֲלוֹא תִרְאֶה שֶׁגַּם הָרַב רַבִּי יוֹסֵף קָארוֹ ז״ל), had a Maggid [Heavenly Mentor] sent to him from Heaven (הָיָה לוֹ מַגִּיד שָׁלוּחַ אֵלָיו מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם), whose words he committed to writing in a book entitled Sefer HaMaggid [The Book of the Maggid] (שֶׁהֶעֱלָה אוֹתָם עַל הַסֵּפֶר וְקָרָאָם סֵפֶר הַמַּגִּיד), which was recently printed in the holy community of Lublin (הַנִּדְפָּס בְּק״ק לוּבְלִין מִקָּרוֹב). If Heaven itself sent him this Maggid [Heavenly Mentor], then certainly he would not be punished for it in any way (וְאִם שָׁלְחוּ אֵלָיו מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם בְּוַדַּאי לֹא יַעֲנִישׁוּ אוֹתוֹ עַל זֶה כְּלָל). But only after the passing of our teacher, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, of blessed memory (אֲכָל וְרַק עַד אַחַר פְּטִירַת מָהַר״ר מֹשֶׁה קוֹרְדוֹוֵירוֹ ז״ל), did the Holy One, blessed be He, bring forth the precious from the worthless (הוֹצִיא הקב״ה יָקָר מִזּוֹלֵל), refining and rectifying the Neshamot [Souls] of the World of Tohu (וְצֵירֵף וְתִקֵּן נְשָׁמוֹת שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ). Therefore, in his generation they could attain no more than the study of the Ten Sefirot of the World of Tohu alone (וְלָכֵן לֹא יָכְלוּ לְהַשִּׂיג בְּדוֹרוֹ יוֹתֵר אֶלָּא לִמּוּד עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ לְבַדּוֹ). This is the reason that He concealed and hid from them those mysteries of Atik Yomin [Ancient of Days] (וְהוּא הַטַּעַם שֶׁכִּסָּה וְגָנַז אוֹתָן הָרָזִין דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין מֵהֶם), until there arose a scepter from Yisrael, the great lawgiver, the Ari, זל״הה (עַד יָקוּם שֵׁבֶט מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הַמְּחֹקֵק הַגָּדוֹל הָאֲרִ״י זל״הה), from whom the sparks of the Neshamot [Souls] of the World of Tikkun began to sprout (מִמֶּנּוּ הִתְחִילוּ לִצְמוֹחַ נִצּוֹצוֹת נְשָׁמוֹת עוֹלָם הַתִּקּוּן), and to shine forth “light for the upright” (אוֹר לַיְשָׁרִים) (Psalms 97:11), if the generation merits it (וּלְזָרוֹחַ אוֹר לַיְשָׁרִים אִם הַדּוֹר זוֹכֶה לְכָךְ), in order to refine our Neshamot [Souls] (לְזַכֵּךְ נִשְׁמָתֵינוּ). As our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Among you is one worthy that the Shekhinah should rest upon him as it did upon Moshe Rabbenu, peace be upon him, except that his generation is not worthy” (בְּכֶם אֶחָד רָאוּי שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה עָלָיו שְׁכִינָה כְּמוֹ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין דּוֹרוֹ זָכָּאי לְכָךְ) (Sanhedrin 11a). This is certainly a sign of the redemption (וְזֶהוּ בְּוַדַּאי הוּא סִימָן גְּאֻלָּה).

That is (חַיֵּינוּ), the light of the King's countenance has begun to shine forth (שֶׁמַּתְחִיל לְהִתְנוֹצֵץ אוֹר פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ), the World of Sod [Mystery], the World of Atzilut (עוֹלָם הַסּוֹד עוֹלָם הָאֲצִילוּת), in the mystery of Atzilut, Beri'ah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah (בְּסוֹד א׳צִילוּת ב׳רִיאָה י׳צִירָה ע׳שִׂיָּה). This is the mystery of Peshat, Remez, Derash, and Sod (הוּא סוֹד פ׳שָׁט ר׳מֶז ד׳רַשׁ ס׳וֹד), ascending from below upward (מִמַּטָּה לְמַעְלָה). Previously this existed in the concealment of the Countenance (מַה שֶּׁהָיָה מִקֹּדֶם בְּהַסְתֵּר פָּנִים): “And I will surely hide My face from them; I will see what their end shall be” (וַיֹּאמֶר אַסְתִּירָה פָנַי מֵהֶם אֶרְאֶה מָה אַחֲרִיתָם) (Deuteronomy 31:20). Because of our many sins (וּבַעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים), sin prevented the Ari, of blessed memory (הַחֵטְא גָּרַם שֶׁלֹּא זִכֵּךְ וְתִקֵּן הָאֲרִ״י ז״ל), from completely purifying and rectifying our Neshamot [Souls] (אֶת נִשְׁמָתֵינוּ עַד הַקָּצֶה הָאַחֲרוֹן), to redeem us through the abundance of the mercies and lovingkindness of Hashem, “For His mercies have not ceased; His compassions have not come to an end” (כִּי לֹא תָמוּ כִּי לֹא כָלוּ רַחֲמָיו) (Lamentations 3:22). We have no one to give us a name and a place (וְאֵין לָנוּ מִי שֶׁיִתֵּן לָנוּ יָד וָשֵׁם), except through engagement in this wisdom (זוּלָתִי הִתְעַסְּקוּת הַחָכְמָה הַזֹּאת), which cuts through and severs the barrier of the impure cloud (הַכּוֹרֶתֶת וּמְקַצֶּצֶת אֶת מָסָךְ הֶעָנָן הַטָּמֵא), preventing prayer from passing through (מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּה), and reveals the King's countenance to those who are worthy of Him (הַמַּרְאָה פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ לַרְאוּיִים אֵלָיו), enabling them to receive His Torah and their prayers (לְקַבֵּל תּוֹרָתוֹ וּתְפִלָּתוֹ). Concerning this it is explained in the Kabbalah (וְעָלָיו מְפוֹרָשׁ בַּקַּבָּלָה): “The breath of our nostrils, the Mashiach of Hashem, was captured in their pits, of whom we said, ‘Under his shadow we shall live among the nations’” (רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ מְשִׁיחַ י״י נִלְכַּד בִּשְׁחִיתוּתָם אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְנוּ בְּצִלּוֹ נִחְיֶה בַגּוֹיִם) (Lamentations 4:20). Over these things I weep (וְעַל אֵלֶּה אֲנִי בוֹכִיָּה), and all the sages of Eretz Yisrael weep and lament with bitter souls (וְכָל חַכְמֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בּוֹכִים וּמְקוֹנְנִים בְּמַר נָפֶשׁ), because the Light of the Seven Days was revealed to them (עַל שֶׁנִּתְגַּלָּה אֲלֵיהֶם אוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים), and suddenly the Ark of the Covenant of Hashem, the Light of the Holy of Holies, was hidden from them (וּפִתְאֹם נִגְנַז מֵהֶם אֲרוֹן בְּרִית י״י אוֹר קֹדֶשׁ קֳדָשִׁים). “Restore us to You, Hashem, and we shall return; renew our days as of old” (הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ י״י אֵלֶיךָ וְנָשׁוּבָה חַדֵּשׁ יָמֵינוּ כְּקֶדֶם) (Lamentations 5:21). Amen (אָמֵן).