Chapter Forty-Three (פֶּרֶק אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה)

The Metzacha [Forehead] of Ze’ir Anpin is red (הַמֵּצַח שֶׁל זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין הוּא אָדוֹם), and it is the arousal of the Dinim [Judgments] (וְהוּא הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַדִּינִין), and were it not that the illumination of the Metzacha d’Re’uta d’Re’utin [Forehead of the Will of Wills] reached it (וְאִלְמָלֵא לֹא הִגִּיעַ אֵלָיו הֶאָרַת מִצְחָא דְּרְעוּתָא דְּרְעוּתִין), those hosts of the Sons of Elohim who receive from it would, Heaven forbid, destroy and burn the world with the attribute of harsh judgment (הָיוּ אוֹתָן כִּתּוֹת בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים הַמְקַבְּלִים מִמֶּנּוּ מְכַלִּים חַס וְשָׁלוֹם וְשׂוֹרְפִים אֶת הָעוֹלָם בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין הַקָּשֶׁה), which the world is unable to endure (שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָעוֹלָם לִסְבּוֹל). Therefore the Metzach [Forehead] of Arich Anpin sweetens it (לָכֵן מִצַּח דַּאֲרִיךְ מְמַתְּקוֹ), and Metzach [Forehead], when reversed, becomes Tzemach [Branch] (וּמִצַּח בְּהִיפּוּכוֹ הוּא צֶמַח), namely Tzemach David [the Branch of David] (דָּוִד), and he will turn the sword against the nations of the world (וְיַהֲפוֹךְ הַחֶרֶב עַל אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם), and they shall become our redemption (וְיִהְיוּ פִדְיוֹן שֶׁלָּנוּ), for all the Gevurot [Mights] shall be a plague to the nations and a healing to Israel (שֶׁכָּל הַגְּבוּרוֹת יִהְיוּ נָגוֹף לָאוּמּוֹת וְרָפוֹא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), and through this they shall be sweetened (וּבָזֶה יוּמְתְּקוּ), and through this the red forehead shall be transformed into the destruction of the nations (וּבָזֶה יִתְהַפֵּךְ הַמֵּצַח הָאָדוֹם הַזֶּה לְחָרוֹב הָאוּמּוֹת), through Tzemach Tzaddik [the Righteous Branch], whose name is David (עַל יְדֵי צֶמַח צַדִּיק דָּוִד שְׁמוֹ). And this is what the paytan established (וְהוּא שֶׁיִּסַּד הַפַּיְטָן): “Tzemach [Branch] is the name of the man Tzemach [Branch], he is David himself” (צֶמַח אִישׁ צֶמַח שְׁמוֹ, הוּא דָּוִד בְּעַצְמוֹ). Therefore David had no rest (עַל כֵּן לֹא הָיָה לְדָוִד מְנוּחָה), until he burned out the Chametz [Leaven] (עַד שֶׁבִּעֵר אֶת הֶחָמֵץ), and because the sin caused it (וּלְהִיוֹת שֶׁהַחֵטְא גָּרַם), his wars did not cease (לֹא פָסְקוּ מִלְחֲמוֹתָיו), and the Klipot were not subdued before him (וְלֹא נִכְנְעוּ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת מִלְּפָנָיו), until the future time in the days of Mashiach ben David (עַד לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא בִּימֵי הַמָּשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד), who is David himself (שֶׁהוּא דָּוִד בְּעַצְמוֹ), as it is said: “And David My servant shall be their prince forever” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְדָוִד עַבְדִּי נָשִׂיא עֲלֵיהֶם לְעוֹלָם) (Ezekiel 37:25). And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז״ל), that David measured three cords from among the nations of the world (שֶׁמָּדַד דָּוִד ג׳ חֲבָלִים מִן אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם), and slew the full measure of two cords (וְהָרַג מְלֹא שְׁנֵי חֲבָלִים), and he wished to slay also the uncircumcised who were in the third cord (וְרָצָה לַהֲרֹג גַּם אֶת הָעֲרֵלִים אֲשֶׁר בַּחֶבֶל הַשְּׁלִישִׁי), but the Holy One Blessed Be He said (אָמַר הַקב״ה): “David, what will you leave for the days of Mashiach?” (דָּוִד מַה תַּשְׁאִיר לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ), for he himself was the Gilgul [Reincarnation] of Adam HaRishon (כִּי הוּא עַצְמוֹ הָיָה גִּלְגּוּל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), and he himself will be Mashiach ben David (וְהוּא יִהְיֶה עַצְמוֹ מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד), and he will rectify the sin of Adam HaRishon to its very end (וִיתַקֵּן חֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן עַד קִצּוֹ). And King David, peace be upon him, wished to rectify through his songs and hymns the blemish of the sin of Adam HaRishon (וְרָצָה דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם לְתַקֵּן בְּשִׁירוֹתָיו וּבִזְמִירוֹתָיו הַפְּגָם שֶׁל חֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), so that he himself would be Mashiach (כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הוּא מָשִׁיחַ), but the Holy One Blessed Be He was hinting to him that this was impossible (וְהַקב״ה הָיָה מְרַמֵּז לוֹ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר), because the sin of Bat Sheva had already caused otherwise (שֶׁכְּבָר גָּרַם הַחֵטְא שֶׁל בַּת שֶׁבַע). Therefore He said: “Leave them for the days of Mashiach” (וְלָכֵן אָמַר תַּשְׁאִירֵם לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ), for you must necessarily return in a third Gilgul [Reincarnation] (כִּי מֻכְרָח אַתָּה לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל עוֹד פַּעַם שְׁלִישִׁי), and he will rectify all the redness of the limbs of the head of Ze’ir Anpin (וְהוּא יְתַקֵּן כָּל אֹדֶם אֵיבְרֵי הָרֹאשׁ דְּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and they shall be washed in the milk of Atika [the Ancient One] (וְתְהֵא רוֹחֶצֶת בְּחָלָב שֶׁל עַתִּיקָא), which is a sweetness that never ceases (שֶׁהִיא מְתִיקוּת שֶׁאֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק לְעוֹלָם). And he shall be “despised and rejected of men” (וְהוּא יִהְיֶה נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים), “his appearance marred more than any man” (מִשְׁחַת מֵאֲנָשִׁים מַרְאֵהוּ) (Isaiah 52:14; 53:3), and he too will be small in stature (וְגַם הוּא קָטָן הָאֵיבָרִים), as it is said: “And David was the youngest” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְדָוִד הוּא הַקָּטָן) (I Samuel 17:14). And afterward the Holy One Blessed Be He will rectify everything with the most excellent and beautiful perfection (וְאַחַר כָּךְ יְתַקֵּן הַקב״ה הַכֹּל בְּיֹפִי הַיּוֹתֵר מְשֻׁבָּח וְנָאֶה), as it is said: “And the one who stumbles among them shall be as David” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָיָה הַנִּכְשָׁל בָּהֶם כְּדָוִד) (Zechariah 12:8), who was also healed (שֶׁנִּתְרַפָּא גַּם כֵּן), and “the House of David shall be like Elohim” (וּבֵית דָּוִד כֵּאלֹהִים) (Zechariah 12:8), the Living God and Eternal King (אֵל חַי וּמֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם), which was likewise rectified (שֶׁנִּתְקַן גַּם כֵּן), and sweetened to its utmost extent in all its limbs that had previously been diminished (וְנִתְמַתֵּק עַד קִצּוֹ בְּכָל אֵיבָרָיו שֶׁנִּתְמַעֵט מִקּוֹדֶם), as it is said: “And You laid Your palm upon me” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה) (Psalms 39:11), “and You brought me down” (וַתּוֹרִידֵנִי), and He raised him to one hundred cubits (וְהֶעֱמִידוֹ עַל מֵאָה אַמָּה). These are the Mem and the Samekh of Ze’ir Anpin (אֵלּוּ הַמֵּ״ם וְהַסָּמֶ״ךְ שֶׁבְּז״א), and at the time of the union she includes their stature (בִּזְמַן הַזִּוּוּג הִיא כּוֹלֶלֶת הַקּוֹמָה שֶׁלָּהֶם), when they are Panim bePanim [Face to Face] (כְּשֶׁהִיא אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין), and then her complete stature is the Mem and the Samekh themselves (וְאָז קוֹמָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁלָּהּ הִיא הַמֵּ״ם וְהַסָּמֶ״ךְ עַצְמָהּ), whose numerical value is one hundred (שֶׁעוֹלֶה חֶשְׁבּוֹן שֶׁלָּהֶם מֵאָה). And this is the secret of the one hundred blessings that we recite every day (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הַמֵּאָה בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים בְּכָל יוֹם), and reverse Me’ah [One Hundred] and you will find Amah [Cubit] (וַהֲפוֹךְ מֵאָה וְתִמְצָא אַמָּה), and understand (וְהָבֵן). And King David will also return to his great stature (וְגַם דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ יַחֲזוֹר לְקוֹמָתוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה), from one end of the world to the other (מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ). And these Partzufim whose greater part of stature was concealed within Imma (וְאֵלּוּ הַפַּרְצוּפִין שֶׁהָיוּ נֶעְלָמִים רוֹב קוֹמָתָם בְּאִמָּא), such as Ze’ir Anpin and his Nukvah (כְּגוֹן זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵּיהּ), namely the first three of Ze’ir Anpin are concealed within Imma (דְּהַיְינוּ זְעֵיר ג׳ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ נֶעְלָמִים בְּאִמָּא), and likewise the nine Sefirot of his Nukvah are concealed within Imma (וְכֵן נוּקְבֵּיהּ ט׳ סְפִירוֹת שֶׁלָּהּ נֶעְלָמִים בְּאִמָּא), and this depends upon that (וְהָא בְּהָא תַּלְיָא). The greater part of the Partzuf of the soul of Adam HaRishon and his Nukvah (רוֹב פַּרְצוּפֵי נִשְׁמַת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְנוּקְבֵּיהּ), which include all the souls of Israel, male and female (הַכּוֹלְלִים כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה), correspond exactly to Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (וְהֵם כְּנֶגֶד זו״ן מַמָּשׁ), and these matters are ancient (וְהַדְּבָרִים עַתִּיקִים), the treasuries of Hashem shall bring them forth (אוֹצַר י״י יָבֹאוּ), and in their place I shall explain part of them (וּבִמְקוֹמוֹ אֲפָרֵשׁ חֵלֶק מֵהֶם), according to the good hand of Hashem upon me (כְּיַד י״י הַטּוֹבָה עָלַי). And I shall pray to the Living God, Hashem, God of the heavens and the earth (וַאֲנִי אֶתְפַּלֵּל אֶל אֵל חַי י״י אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ): “Open my eyes and I shall behold wonders from Your Torah” (גַּל עֵינַי וְאַבִּיטָה נִפְלָאוֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶךָ) (Psalms 119:18). “To man belong the arrangements of the heart, but from Hashem comes the answer of the tongue” (לְאָדָם מַעַרְכֵי לֵב וּמֵי״י מַעֲנֵה לָשׁוֹן) (Proverbs 16:1). “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (הָשִׁיבָה לִי שְׂשׂוֹן יִשְׁעֶךָ וְרוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ אַל תִּקַּח מִמֶּנִּי) (Psalms 51:14–13), that I may understand the mysteries of the Torah (לְהָבִין רָזֵי הַתּוֹרָה), which are more desirable than gold and much fine gold (הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפַּז רָב), and sweeter than honey and Nofet Tzofim [Flowing Honeycomb] (וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנוֹפֶת צוּפִים) (Psalms 19:11). “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, Hashem, my Rock and my Redeemer” (יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ י״י צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי) (Psalms 19:15). He who is Atik Yomin [the Ancient of Days] (הוּא עַתִּיק יוֹמִין), may He enlighten my eyes from His great wisdom (יָאִיר עֵינַי מֵחָכְמָתוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה), which stands exalted above the highest heights (הָעוֹמֶדֶת רָם רָמִים). Blessed be Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (יִתְבָּרַךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).