Chapter Five (פֶּרֶק חֲמִישִׁי)

Now we must explain what we said in the Gate of Kiryat Arba (עַתָּה יֵשׁ לָנוּ לְבָאֵר מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְנוּ בְּשַׁעַר קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע), from where the Keter of Ze’ir Anpin, namely its head, is made (כֶּתֶר זְעֵיר דְּהַיְנוּ רֹאשׁוֹ מֵהֵיכָן נַעֲשָׂה). You must know (צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), what we said (מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְנוּ), that in the Tiferet of Ze’ir Anpin there are two exposed thirds of Chesedim (שֶׁבְּתִפְאֶרֶת זְעֵיר יֵשׁ שְׁנֵי שְׁלִישֵׁי חֲסָדִים מְגֻלִּים). And we also said (וְגַם אָמַרְנוּ), that one third is sufficient for itself (שֶׁשָּׁלִישׁ אֶחָד מַסְפִּיק לְעַצְמוֹ), and from the second third is made the head of the Nukvah (וְהַשָּׁלִישׁ הַשֵּׁנִי נַעֲשֶׂה מִמֶּנּוּ רֹאשׁ נוּקְבָהּ), through the power of the protrusion (מִכֹּחַ הַבְּלִיטָה), by which the light breaks through behind it (אֲשֶׁר בּוֹקֵעַ הָאוֹר לַאֲחוֹרָיו). And from this very third, which breaks through behind it (וּמִזֶּה הַשָּׁלִישׁ עַצְמוֹ שֶׁבּוֹקֵעַ לַאֲחוֹרָיו), the Keter of Ze’ir took a portion (לָקַח קְצָתוֹ כֶּתֶר זְעֵיר), for this entire exposed third of Chesed did not need to be used for the head of the Nukvah (כִּי לֹא הֻצְרַךְ כָּל הַשָּׁלִישׁ הַזֶּה שֶׁל חֶסֶד הַמְגֻלֶּה לְרֹאשׁ נוּקְבָהּ), rather from half of it was made the head of the Keter of Ze’ir (אֶלָּא מֵחֶצְיוֹ נַעֲשָׂה רֹאשׁ כֶּתֶר זְעֵיר), and from half of it was made the head of the Keter of the Nukvah (וּמֵחֶצְיוֹ נַעֲשָׂה רֹאשׁ כֶּתֶר נוּקְבָהּ). And even though we said (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), that from half of it was made the head of the Keter of Ze’ir (שֶׁמֵחֶצְיוֹ נַעֲשָׂה רֹאשׁ כֶּתֶר זְעֵיר), the intention is not exactly half (אֵין הַכַּוָּנָה עַל חֶצְיוֹ מְכֻוָּן מַמָּשׁ), but rather a little more (אֶלָּא יוֹתֵר מְעַט), namely Yah is greater than Vav-Heh by four letters (דְּהַיְנוּ יָ״ה הוּא יוֹתֵר מִוָ״ה בְּד׳ מֵאוֹתִיּוֹת), and that larger portion was taken by the head of the Keter of Ze’ir (וְאוֹתוֹ הַחֵלֶק הַגָּדוֹל לָקַח רֹאשׁ כֶּתֶר זְעֵיר), more than the head of the Keter of the Nukvah (יוֹתֵר מֵרֹאשׁ כֶּתֶר נוּקְבָהּ). You also know (גַּם יָדַעְתָּ), that there is one covered third in Tiferet of Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁשָּׁלִישׁ אֶחָד יֵשׁ בְּת״ת זְעֵיר מְכֻסֶּה), therefore it was able to contain one third that descended into it from the Chesedim (לְפִיכָךְ הָיָה יָכוֹל לִסְבֹּל שָׁלִישׁ אֶחָד שֶׁיָּרַד בְּתוֹכוֹ מִן הַחֲסָדִים), for there the Yesod of Imma is completed (שֶׁשָּׁם נִשְׁלַם יְסוֹד אִמָּא).

Now when the light returns revealed (עַתָּה כְּשֶׁחוֹזֵר הָאוֹר מְגֻלֶּה), in the secret of Ohr haMakif [Surrounding Light] (בְּסוֹד אוֹר מַקִּיף), this covered third also returns revealed (גַּם זֶה הַשָּׁלִישׁ הַמְכֻסֶּה חוֹזֵר מְגֻלֶּה). And it does not require the entirety of this third of Tiferet that remained covered (וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ כֻּלּוֹ לְזֶה הַשָּׁלִישׁ שֶׁל ת״ת הַנִּשְׁאָר מְכֻסֶּה), and half a third of this Chesed also remains over (וְנִשְׁאַר חֲצִי שָׁלִישׁ מִזֶּה הַחֶסֶד גַּם כֵּן), just as there remained in Gedulah and Gevurah and in Netzach and Hod a third and a half (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר בִּגְדוּלָּה וּגְבוּרָה וּבְנֵצַח וְהוֹד שָׁלִישׁ וָחֵצִי). Therefore from this half-third that had been covered (אִם כֵּן מִזֶּה הַחֲצִי שָׁלִישׁ שֶׁהָיָה מְכֻסֶּה), now that it has returned revealed (עַתָּה שֶׁשָּׁב מְגֻלֶּה), it ascended together with the half-third that was revealed (עָלָה עִם הַחֲצִי שָׁלִישׁ הַמְגֻלֶּה), from which the head of its Nukvah was made (שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה מִמֶּנּוּ רֹאשׁ נוּקְבֵיהּ), and from both of them together the Keter of Ze’ir was made (וּמִשְּׁנֵיהֶם נַעֲשָׂה כֶּתֶר שֶׁל זְעֵיר). And since we said above that Netzach, Hod, and Yesod of Imma entered into Ze’ir Anpin to enlarge him (וּבְהִיוֹת שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה שֶׁנה״י דְּאִמָּא נִכְנְסוּ בְּתוֹךְ זְעֵיר לְהַגְדִּילוֹ), it follows that now the lower half of Tiferet of Imma comes upon the skull of the head of Ze’ir (נִמְצָא כִּי עַתָּה חֲצִי ת״ת הַתַּחְתּוֹן שֶׁל אִמָּא יָבוֹא עַל הַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת רֹאשׁ זְעֵיר), and from it as well the Keter of Ze’ir is made (וְנַעֲשֶׂה גַּם כֵּן מִמֶּנּוּ כֶּתֶר זְעֵיר), and from all these particulars that we have mentioned his head is made (וּמִכָּל אֵלּוּ הַפְּרָטִים שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ נַעֲשָׂה רֹאשׁוֹ), namely from this lower half of Tiferet of Imma (דְּהַיְנוּ מִזֶּה הַחֲצִי הַתַּחְתּוֹן שֶׁל ת״ת אִמָּא), and from the half-third that had been covered and became revealed (וּמֵהַחֲצִי שָׁלִישׁ הַמְכֻסֶּה הַנַּעֲשֶׂה מְגֻלֶּה), and from the greater part of that revealed third which broke through there (וּמֵרֻבּוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ שָׁלִישׁ הַמְגֻלֶּה אֲשֶׁר בָּקַע שָׁם), while from its lesser part the Keter of its Nukvah was made behind him (וְנַעֲשָׂה מִמִּעוּטוֹ כֶּתֶר נוּקְבֵיהּ מֵאֲחוֹרָיו). And therefore Malkhut comes in the secret of that step (וְלָכֵן בָּאָה הַמַּלְכוּת בְּסוֹד אוֹתָהּ פְּסִיעָה), which is at the end of the Vav within the letter Heh (שֶׁבְּסוֹף וא״ו שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ אוֹת ה׳), as explained in the Gate of Kiryat Arba (כַּמְבֹאָר בְּשַׁעַר קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע), in the secret of: “I shall extend a step outward” (אוֹשִׁיט פְּסִיעָה לְבַר) (Zohar Bamidbar 203b). And this is because afterward, in the state of Gadlut [Maturity] (וְהוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאַחַר כָּךְ בְּהַגְדָּלָה), she needed to come and be behind Ze’ir Anpin, as is known (הָיְתָה צְרִיכָה לָבוֹא וְלִהְיוֹת בַּאֲחוֹרֵי זְעֵיר כַּנּוֹדָע), for there is her house (כִּי שָׁם בֵּיתָהּ), and therefore she remained there at the termination of the Vav (וְלָכֵן נִשְׁאֲרָה שָׁם בְּסִיּוּם הוא״ו), and returned there to the back of the Vav (וְחָזְרָה שָׁם אֶל הָאָחוֹר שֶׁל הוא״ו). And when the three lower Sefirot of the Vav were lengthened through Gadlut [Maturity] (וְכַאֲשֶׁר נִתְאָרְכוּ ג׳ אַחֲרוֹנוֹת שֶׁל הוא״ו עַל יְדֵי הַגְדָּלָה), which are Netzach, Hod, and Yesod of Ze’ir Anpin, as is known (שֶׁהֵם נה״י דְּזְעֵיר כַּנּוֹדָע), then she remained at their back side (אָז נִשְׁאֲרָה הִיא בָּאֲחוֹרַיִים שֶׁלָּהֶם). And the reason that its Nukvah emerged from behind him (וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁיָּצְאָה נוּקְבֵיהּ מֵאֲחוֹרָיו), and not before him face to face (וְלֹא מִלְּפָנָיו פָּנִים בְּפָנִים), is because the back side is judgment (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָאֲחוֹרַיִים הוּא דִּין), and in judgments there is grasping by the external forces and the Klipot (וּבַדִּינִים יֵשׁ אֲחִיזָה מֵהַחִיצוֹנִים וְהַקְּלִיפּוֹת), therefore she emerged from the back side (לָכֵן יָצְאָה מֵאֲחוֹרַיִים), so that they would not have any grasp from the one hundred and twenty permutations of Elohim (כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה אֲחִיזָה לָהֶן מֵהַק״ךְ צֵירוּפֵי אֱלֹהִים), which are in the back side of Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah (אֲשֶׁר הֵם בָּאֲחוֹרַיִים שֶׁל זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), and in the back side of every Partzuf (וּבָאֲחוֹרַיִים שֶׁל כָּל פַּרְצוּף), down to the end of Asiyah (עַד סוֹף הָעֲשִׂיָּה). And these are called “Holy Elohim” (וְאֵלּוּ נִקְרָאִים אֱלֹהִים קְדוֹשִׁים), as it is said: “For He is Holy Elohim” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי אֱלֹהִים קְדוֹשִׁים הוּא) (Joshua 24:19), and they are the wall of holiness in every place (וְהֵם כּוֹתֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה בְּכָל מָקוֹם). And profane names emerged from the Shattered Vessels (וְיָצְאוּ שֵׁמוֹת שֶׁל חוֹל מִשִּׁבְרֵי כֵלִים), namely the one hundred and twenty-one permutations of Other Elohim (דְּהַיְנוּ קכ״א צֵירוּפֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים), in the secret of “whoever adds, subtracts” (בְּסוֹד כָּל הַמּוֹסִיף גּוֹרֵעַ), and they are those called “cutters of iron” (וְהֵם הַנִּקְרָאִים גָּזִירִין דְּפַרְזְלָא), who repel one who is unworthy to ascend (הַדּוֹחִים אֶת מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לַעֲלוֹת), and they are called judgments (וְהֵם נִקְרָאִים דִּינִים), from which emerged the names of sorcery and the Klipot (אֲשֶׁר מֵהֶם יָצְאוּ שֵׁמוֹת הַכִּשּׁוּף וְהַקְּלִיפּוֹת). And they are directly behind them (וְהֵם מַמָּשׁ אַחֲרֵיהֶם), corresponding exactly to the Heikhalot [Palaces] of Beri’ah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah (כְּנֶגֶד הַהֵיכָלוֹת שֶׁל בי״ע מַמָּשׁ), and they begin from the Heikhalot [Palaces] of the Nukvah of Beri’ah (וְהֵם מַתְחִילִים מֵהֵיכְלֵי נוּקְבֵיהּ דִּבְרִיאָה), and upon these backs of backs are suspended Aza and Azael (וּבַאֲחוֹרֵי אֲחוֹרַיִים הַלָּלוּ נִתְלוּ עֲזָא וַעֲזָאֵל), therefore they are called backs (לָכֵן נִקְרָאִים אֲחוֹרִים), and behold, they are darkness and not light (וַהֲרֵי חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא אוֹר). For the Holy One Blessed Be He created good and created evil (כִּי הַקב״ה בָּרָא טוֹב וּבָרָא רָע), light and darkness (אוֹר וְחֹשֶׁךְ), and concerning this we praise Him every day: “Who forms light and creates darkness” (וְעַל זֶה אָנוּ מְשַׁבְּחִים בְּכָל יוֹם יוֹצֵר אוֹר וּבוֹרֵא חֹשֶׁךְ) (Isaiah 45:7). And these two, Aza and Azael (וְאֵלּוּ הַשְּׁנַיִם עֲזָא וַעֲזָאֵל), are the two crowns of the forces of impurity (הֵם כִּתְרֵי כּוֹחוֹת הַטֻּמְאָה). And if they are sweetened together with their females (וְאִם הֵם יוּמְתְּקוּ עִם נְקֵבוֹתֵיהֶם), which are the two harlot women (שֶׁהֵם הַשְּׁתֵּים נָשִׁים זוֹנוֹת), who came before King Solomon, peace be upon him (שֶׁבָּאוּ אֶל שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם), and fell beneath his feet and were subdued (וְנָפְלוּ תַּחַת רַגְלָיו וְנִכְנְעוּ), as it is said: “Then there came two harlot women unto the king” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אָז תָּבֹאנָה שְׁתַּיִם נָשִׁים זֹנוֹת אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ) (I Kings 3:16), and not before that (וְלֹא מִקֹּדֶם לָכֵן). And they are the wives of the two men, the spies, secretly sent (וְהֵם נְשֵׁיהֶם שֶׁל שְׁנֵים אֲנָשִׁים מְרַגְּלִים חֶרֶשׁ), who were expert in sorcery and incantations (שֶׁהָיוּ בְּקִיאִין בְּכִשּׁוּף וְחֶרָשִׁין), and they were from the Gevurot of Aza and Azael (וְהֵם הָיוּ מִגְּבוּרוֹת עֲזָא וַעֲזָאֵל), as we shall explain in its place with the help of the Holy One Blessed Be He and His Shekhinah (כַּאֲשֶׁר נְבָאֵר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ בְּסִיַּעְתָא דְּקב״ה וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ).