Chapter Fifteen (פֶּרֶק חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר)

Now you need to know (עַתָּה צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that these thirty-two Paths of Chokhmah are in every Partzuf (שֶׁאֵלּוּ הַל״ב נְתִיבוֹת חָכְמָה הֵם בְּכָל פַּרְצוּף), for there is no Partzuf without Chokhmah in the Mochin (כִּי אֵין פַּרְצוּף בְּלֹא חָכְמָה שֶׁבַּמּוֹחַ), which gives intellect and wisdom and measure to the influx descending below (הוּא הַנּוֹתֵן שֵׂכֶל וְחָכְמָה וְשִׁעוּר לַשֶּׁפַע הַיּוֹרֵד לְמַטָּה), so that it should not be excessive and they would be unable to bear it (שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי וְלֹא יִהְיוּ יְכוֹלִים לִסְבֹּל), and it measures the influx of the angels and their intellect separately (וּמְשַׁעֵר שֶׁפַע הַמַּלְאָכִים וְשִׂכְלָם לְבַדָּם), and the intellect and influx of the lower beings separately (וְשֵׂכֶל וְשֶׁפַע הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים לְבַדָּם). Therefore there are thirty-two membranes that separate (לָכֵן יֵשׁ ל״ב קְרוּמִים הַמַּפְסִיקִים), so that the influx should not emerge in excessive measure (שֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא הַשֶּׁפַע יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי), which the worlds would be unable to bear (שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָעוֹלָמוֹת לִסְבֹּל), similar to what occurred to the shattered vessels, Heaven forbid (כְּעֵין שֶׁאֵרַע לַכֵּלִים הַנִּשְׁבָּרִים חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). And like a child who becomes choked in his throat if milk comes to him in abundance (וּכְמוֹ הַנַּעַר שֶׁהוּא נֶחְנָק בִּגְרוֹנוֹ אִם בָּאָה לוֹ הֶחָלָב בְּרִבּוּי), therefore they are the thirty-two Elohim of Ma’aseh Bereshit [the Work of Creation] (לָכֵן הֵם ל״ב אֱלֹהִים שֶׁל מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית), and therefore they are in every Partzuf of Atzilut in its Chokhmah (וְלָכֵן הֵם בְּכָל פַּרְצוּף דַּאֲצִילוּת בְּחָכְמָה שֶׁלּוֹ), so that the Chokhmah should emerge according to the measure decreed by His blessed wisdom (כְּדֵי שֶׁתֵּצֵא הַחָכְמָה בְּשִׁעוּרָהּ שֶׁגָּזְרָה חָכְמָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ), which the world is able to bear (שֶׁהָעוֹלָם יוּכַל לִסְבֹּל), and it gathers together all the components of the intellect in their particularity (וְהוּא מְקַבֵּץ כָּל חֶלְקֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל בִּפְרָטִיּוּתָהּ), and sends them to this world (וְשׁוֹלְחוֹת אוֹתָהּ לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה), to each and every one according to what is fitting for him (לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד כְּפִי הָרָאוּי לוֹ). And for the righteous who are in Gan Eden (וְלַצַּדִּיקִים אֲשֶׁר בְּגַן עֵדֶן), there is a more distinguished and delightful portion (חֵלֶק יוֹתֵר חָשׁוּב וְנָעִים), to attain precious secrets (לְהַשִּׂיג סוֹדוֹת נֶחְמָדוֹת), and the Razin [Secrets] of Atik Yomin (וְרָזִין דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא), and the mysteries of Ma’aseh Bereshit [the Work of Creation] (וְסִתְרֵי מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית), for all the Rashei Metivta [Heads of the Academies] according to their levels and their ranks (לְכָל רָאשֵׁי מְתִיבְתָּא בְּמַעֲלוֹתֵיהֶם וּמַדְרֵגוֹתֵיהֶם), which each one merits individually (אֲשֶׁר זוֹכִים כָּל אֶחָד לְבַדּוֹ), as mentioned in Parashat Shelach Lecha in the Zohar (כַּנִּזְכָּר בְּפָרָשַׁת שְׁלַח לְךָ בַּזֹּהַר), concerning the Rashei Metivta [Heads of the Academies] of the generation of the wilderness (אֵצֶל רָאשֵׁי מְתִיבְתָּא שֶׁל דּוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר). And also those thirty-two Elohim (וְגַם אוֹתָם הַל״ב אֱלֹהִים), are the Mochin fit for procreation (הֵם הַמּוֹחִין הָרְאוּיִים לְהוֹלָדָה), through which Ze’ir and his Nukvah bring forth offspring (שֶׁמּוֹלִידִים זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), and that offspring is what produces the Neshamot [souls] of the righteous and the pious (וְאוֹתָהּ הַהוֹלָדָה הִיא שֶׁמּוֹלִידִים נְשָׁמוֹת צַדִּיקִים וַחֲסִידִים), and also new Ruachot [spirits] for us (וְגַם רוּחוֹת חֲדָשׁוֹת לָנוּ), from Ze’ir and his Nukvah (מִזְּעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “And a new spirit I shall place within you” (וְרוּחַ חֲדָשָׁה אֶתֵּן בְּקִרְבְּכֶם) (Ezekiel 36:26). Meaning (כְּלוֹמַר), that through that additional spirit bestowed upon the righteous person who directs the intentions of the Ari, of blessed and holy memory (שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הָרוּחַ הַנּוֹסָף עַל הַצַּדִּיק הַמְכַוֵּן כַּוָּנַת הָאֲרִ״י זללה״ה), he becomes renewed in his understanding and in his intellect (מִתְחַדֵּשׁ בַּהֲבָנָתוֹ וּבְשִׂכְלוֹ), and through it he will attain more than he is accustomed to attain in every matter (וְיַשִּׂיג בּוֹ יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶׁרָגִיל לְהַשִּׂיג בְּכָל דָּבָר), whether spiritual or physical (הֵן בְּרוּחָנִי הֵן בְּגוּפָנִי). And the Neshamot [souls] and new Ruachot [spirits] are formed from the thirty-two Paths (וְהַנְּשָׁמוֹת וְהָרוּחוֹת חֲדָשׁוֹת נַעֲשִׂים מֵהַל״ב נְתִיבוֹת), which spread forth from Abba into Imma (שֶׁמִּתְפַּשְּׁטִים מֵאַבָּא אֶל תּוֹךְ אִמָּא), and pass through the Netzach, Hod, and Yesod of Imma (וְעוֹבְרִין בְּתוֹךְ נְהִ״י שֶׁל אִמָּא), and enter into Ze’ir (וְנִכְנָסִים בִּזְעֵיר), included within his Mochin (כְּלוּלִין בְּמוֹחִין שֶׁלּוֹ), namely within his Chokhmah (דְּהַיְינוּ בְּחָכְמָה שֶׁלּוֹ). Even though within his Chokhmah they unfold into the thirty-two Elohim of the Work of Creation (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבְּחָכְמָה שֶׁלּוֹ הֵם מִתְפַּתְּחִין לְל״ב אֱלֹהִים דְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית), as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, of blessed and holy memory, says in the Idra (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמֵר הָרַשְׁבִּ״י זללה״ה בְּאַדְרָא), and this is his language (וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ): “This Chokhmah, when it descends into the Mochin of Ze’ir, unfolds into the thirty-two Elohim of the Work of Creation” (הַאי חָכְמְתָא כַּד נָחֲתָא לְמוֹחָא דִּזְעֵיר אִתְפְּתַחַת לְל״ב אֱלֹהִים דְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית) (Zohar Bamidbar 131a). Meaning (כְּלוֹמַר), that these thirty-two Elohim enter into Abba (שֶׁאֵלּוּ הַל״ב אֱלֹהִים הֵם נִכְנָסִים בְּאַבָּא), and are not visible at all (וְאֵינָם נִרְאִים כְּלָל), but when they descend below into Ze’ir Anpin (אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיּוֹרְדִים לְמַטָּה בְּז״א), there they emerge and come forth outwardly (שָׁם יוֹצְאִים וּבָאִים לַחוּץ), and they are the thirty-two Elohim (וְהֵם ל״ב אֱלֹהִים). But on Shabbat these thirty-two Elohim are sweetened through the three myrtle leaves (אֲבָל בְּשַׁבָּת אֵלּוּ הַל״ב אֱלֹהִים הֵם נִמְתָּקִים בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה עֲלֵי הֲדַס), which that Elder carried in his hand (שֶׁהָיָה הַהוּא סָבָא נוֹשֵׂא בְּיָדוֹ), and brought them to his house in honor of Shabbat (וּמְבִיאָם לְבֵיתוֹ לִכְבוֹד שַׁבָּת), as is brought in Tractate Shabbat (כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת), concerning Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, peace be upon him, when he emerged from the cave (אֵצֶל רַשְׁבִּ״י עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם כְּשֶׁיָּצָא מֵהַמְּעָרָה) (Shabbat 33b). And these three myrtle leaves allude to the three branches of the Shin (וְאֵלּוּ הַג׳ עֲלֵי הֲדַס רוֹמְזִים בְּג׳ עַנְפִּין שֶׁל הַשִּׁי״ן), which alludes to the three branches of Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (הָרוֹמֶזֶת עַל שְׁלֹשָׁה עַנְפֵי נְהִ״י), and the thirty-two Elohim are the thirty-five words of the Kiddush of Shabbat (וְהַל״ב אֱלֹהִים הֵם הַל״ה תֵּבוֹת שֶׁבְּקִדּוּשׁ שֶׁל שַׁבָּת), and through the power of this sweetening, in this joy (וּמִכֹּחַ הַהַמְתָּקָה זֹאת בְּחֶדְוָה הַזֹּאת), then the union of the Holy One Blessed Be He and His Shekhinah gives birth to the Neshamot [souls] that we mentioned above (אָז הַזִּוּוּג בְּקב״ה וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ מוֹלִידִין הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה). And therefore our teacher and master, the Light of the Seven Days, the Ari, of blessed and holy memory (וְעַל כֵּן חִבֵּר מוֹרֵנוּ וְרַבֵּנוּ אוֹר שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים הָאֲרִ״י זלה״ה), in his Shabbat hymns (בִּזְמִירוֹת שַׁבָּת שֶׁלּוֹ): “to make new Neshamot [souls] and Ruachot [spirits]” (לְמֶעְבַּד נִשְׁמָתִין וְרוּחִין חַדְתִּין), “with two and with thirty-two” (בִּתְרֵין וּבִתְלָתִין), and with the three that are in the Shin (וּבִתְלָתָא שֶׁבַּשִּׁי״ן), which are the three branches of the Shin of the three heads of the Tefillin mentioned above (שֶׁהֵם הַג׳ עַנְפִּין שֶׁל שִׁי״ן שֶׁל ג׳ רֵישִׁין דִּתְפִלִּין הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְמַעְלָה). And his intention was to give a reason for the adornments of the Bride (וְכַוָּנָתוֹ לָתֵת טַעַם לְתִקּוּנִים שֶׁל הַכַּלָּה), lest you say what benefit there is in the adornments (כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תֹּאמַר מַה תּוֹעֶלֶת יֵשׁ בַּתִּקּוּנִים), therefore he said “to make Neshamot [souls]” (לָכֵן אָמַר לְמֶעְבַּד נִשְׁמָתִין), and likewise in every union (וְכֵן בְּכָל זִוּוּג וְזִוּוּג), these thirty-two Elohim descend (יוֹרְדִים הַל״ב אֱלֹהִים הַלָּלוּ), which are the totality of all the worlds (שֶׁהֵם כְּלַל הָעוֹלָמוֹת כֻּלָּם), and the ultimate purpose of the union of the Holy One Blessed Be He and His Shekhinah (וְתַכְלִית זִוּוּג קב״ה וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ). “But as for me, my prayer is unto You, Hashem, at a favorable time” (וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ י״י עֵת רָצוֹן) (Psalms 69:14), “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonders from Your Torah” (גַּל עֵינַי וְאַבִּיטָה נִפְלָאוֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶךָ) (Psalms 119:18), “Yaakov shall rejoice, Yisrael shall be glad” (יָגִיל יַעֲקֹב יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Psalms 14:7), Amen (אָמֵן).