Chapter Four (פֶּרֶק רְבִיעִי)

And to understand how it is possible that Ze’ir Anpin should be the possessor of six extremities (וּלְהָבִין הָאֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זְעֵיר בַּעַל שֵׁשָׁה קְצָווֹת), since we have never found an infant without a head (לְפִי שֶׁמֵּעוֹלָם לֹא מָצִינוּ תִּינוֹק בְּלֹא רֹאשׁ), know (דַּע), that Ze’ir is always the possessor of six extremities (כִּי זְעֵיר לְעוֹלָם הוּא בַּעַל שֵׁשָׁה קְצָווֹת), and he has a head as well (וְיֵשׁ לוֹ רֹאשׁ גַּם כֵּן), except that his limbs are small (אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵיבָרָיו קְטַנִּים), and his stature, in comparison to a grown man (וְשִׁעוּרוֹ בִּפְנֵי אָדָם גָּדוֹל), extends only from the shoulders downward (יִהְיֶה מֵהַכְּתֵפַיִם וּלְמַטָּה). And for this reason he is called Ze’ir [Small] (וְלָזֶה נִקְרָא זְעֵיר), because he does not constitute a measure before a grown man (שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה מִדָּה בִּפְנֵי אָדָם גָּדוֹל), except from the arms downward (כִּי אִם מֵהַזְּרוֹעוֹת וּלְמַטָּה), which are the aspect of the six extremities (שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת ו׳ קְצָווֹת). And the arms that enter into him when he is the possessor of six extremities (וְהַזְּרוֹעוֹת שֶׁנִּכְנָסִים בּוֹ כְּשֶׁהוּא בַּעַל ו׳ קְצָווֹת), are six lights (הֵם שִׁשָּׁה אוֹרוֹת), and they are those that fell when the vessels were shattered (וְהֵם אוֹתָם שֶׁנָּפְלוּ כְּשֶׁנִּשְׁבְּרוּ הַכֵּלִים), while the three remained above (וְהַשְּׁלֹשָׁה נִשְׁאֲרוּ לְמַעְלָה). And this is what the verse says (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב): “And I was beside Him as an Amon [Nursling/Craftsman]” (וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן) (Proverbs 8:30). Our Sages explained it as: “a wondrous craftsman, a hidden craftsman, a pedagogical craftsman” (פֵּרְשׁוּ חֲזַ״ל אוּמָן מֻפְלָא אוּמָן מֻצְנָע אוּמָן פֵּדָגוֹג) (Bereshit Rabbah 1:1), and these are the three that remained above (וְאֵלּוּ הֵם הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ לְמַעְלָה), and from them were made the three heads (וְנַעֲשָׂה מֵהֶם תְּלַת רֵישִׁין). And below there remained the shadow (וְנִשְׁאַר לְמַטָּה הַצֵּל), which is not so substantial (שֶׁאֵינוֹ כָּל כָּךְ מַמָּשׁ), and from it the head of Ze’ir was built (שֶׁנִּבְנָה מִמֶּנּוּ רֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל זְעֵיר), and therefore it is not so fixed and great (וְלָכֵן אֵינוֹ כָּל כָּךְ קָבוּעַ וְגָדוֹל). And if the first three Sefirot were permanently fixed in Ze’ir Anpin (וְאִם הָיוּ הַשָּׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת קְבוּעִים בִּזְעֵיר), then through his sin a person would blemish them (הָיָה הָאָדָם בַּעֲוֹנוֹ פּוֹגֵם בָּהֶם), and since they do not receive rectification (וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינָם מְקַבְּלִים תִּיקּוּן), if the external forces were to take hold of them (אִם הָיוּ אוֹחֲזִים בָּהֶם הַחִיצוֹנִים), then, Heaven forbid, Ze’ir would have no restoration (וְלֹא הָיָה לִזְעֵיר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם תְּקוּמָה).

Now, when a person sins (עַתָּה כְּשֶׁהָאָדָם חוֹטֵא), he does not blemish them (אֵינוֹ פּוֹגֵם בָּהֶם), since they are not fixed within him (אַחַר שֶׁאֵינָם קְבוּעִים בּוֹ), rather they depart (אֶלָּא הֵם מִסְתַּלְּקִים), and even regarding the six extremities within him (וַאֲפִלּוּ בַּשֵּׁשׁ קְצָווֹת שֶׁבּוֹ), since they have no head (כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם רֹאשׁ), when a person sins in one of them (כְּשֶׁהָאָדָם חוֹטֵא בְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם), he blemishes only that one (פּוֹגֵם בּוֹ בִּלְבַד), and not all of them (לֹא בְּכֻלָּם), and this is easier to atone for (וְהוּא יוֹתֵר נָקֵל לְהִתְכַּפֵּר). And when a person repents (וּכְשֶׁאָדָם שָׁב בִּתְשׁוּבָה), the Mochin return to their place (חוֹזְרִין הַמּוֹחִין לִמְקוֹמָן), and he possesses the power to illuminate the entire Partzuf and rectify it (יֵשׁ בּוֹ כֹּחַ לְהָאִיר כָּל הַפַּרְצוּף וּלְתַקְּנוֹ), because since the first three Sefirot within him are an addition (כִּי כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַשָּׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁבּוֹ הֵן תּוֹסֶפֶת), they sometimes depart (הֲרֵי הֵם לְעִתִּים מִסְתַּלְּקִים), and go and return (וְהוֹלְכִים וְחוֹזְרִים), and this is the reason for the principle (וְהוּא טַעַם כָּל): “Anything less than three is considered joined” (פָּחוֹת מִשָּׁלֹשׁ כְּלָבוּד דָּמֵי) (Sukkah 17a; Eruvin 16b, Berakhot 25b). And in the Nukvah (וּבְנוּקְבָא), only the upper point, namely her Keter, is fixed within her (הַנְּקֻדָּה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה כֶּתֶר דִּידָהּ בִּלְבַד קְבוּעָה בָּהּ), and it includes her ten Sefirot (וְהִיא כּוֹלֶלֶת י׳ דִּידָהּ), and the blemish does not reach there (וְאֵין הַפְּגָם מַגִּיעַ שָׁם), except that at the time of the Destruction (אֶלָּא שֶׁבִּזְמַן הַחֻרְבָּן), the Sanhedrin were concerned to protect her (הָיוּ חוֹשְׁשִׁין הַסַּנְהֶדְרִין לְהָגֵן בַּעֲדָהּ), [and they did this] through the additional blessing which they instituted in Yavneh (וְעָשׂוּ זֹאת בַּבְּרָכָה הַנּוֹסֶפֶת שֶׁתִּקְּנוּ בְּיַבְנֶה), namely the blessing against the heretics (דְּהַיְנוּ בִּרְכַּת הַמִּינִים). For the essential Mochin of her Keter is from Imma (לְפִי שֶׁעִיקַּר מוֹחַ כֶּתֶר שֶׁלָּהּ הִיא מֵאִמָּא), for like mother, like daughter (כִּי כְּאִמָּא כֵּן בִּתָּהּ), and Yavneh is the letters of Binah (וְיַבְנֶה הוּא אוֹתִיּוֹת בִּינָה), and also the word BeYavneh [in Yavneh] has the numerical value of the Name Adnut, namely sixty-five (וְגַם מִלַּת בִּיבְנָ״א עוֹלָה שֵׁם אַדְנוּת חֶשְׁבּוֹן ס״ה), as it is said: “And Hashem is in His holy Heikhal [Palace]; let all the earth be silent before Him” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַי״י בְּהֵיכַל קָדְשׁוֹ הַס מִפָּנָיו כָּל הָאָרֶץ) (Habakkuk 2:20). And our Sages said (וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ״ל): “Every place where it says ‘and Hashem,’ it means He and His Court” (כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַי״י הוּא וּבֵית דִּינוֹ) (Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 9:5), the secret of Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah (סוֹד זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), for the male is mercy and the female is judgment (כִּי הַזָּכָר הוּא רַחֲמִים וְהַנְּקֵבָה הִיא דִּין), and the word Heikhal [Palace] and the word Has [Silence] each have the numerical value of Adnut (וּמִלַּת הֵיכָל וּמִלַּת הַס כָּל אֶחָד עוֹלֶה אַדְנוּת). And the secret of “His holy Heikhal [Palace]” (וְסוֹד הֵיכַל קָדְשׁוֹ), of Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah (שֶׁל זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), is the garment of Abba and Imma (הוּא מַלְבּוּשׁ אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and it becomes a wedding canopy for the bridegroom and bride (וְנַעֲשֶׂה חֻפַּת חֲתָנִים). And the secret of Sukkah (וְסוֹד סֻכָּה), whose numerical value is the Name YAHDVNHY (גִּימַטְרִיָּא שֵׁם יאהדונה״י), is that they dwell there (שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִים שָׁם), and there the Bridegroom and Bride, Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah, stroll together (וּמְטַיְּלִים שָׁם חָתָן וְכַלָּה זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ). And the word Eretz [Land] is the secret of the Shekhinah (וּמִלַּת אֶרֶץ הִיא סוֹד שְׁכִינָה), within which the Name Elohim spelled with Alephs has the numerical value of Eretz haChayim [Land of Life] (שֶׁבָּהּ שֵׁם אֱלֹהִים מָלֵא בַּאֲלָפִין עוֹלֶה אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים), which is the Living Elohim and King of the World (שֶׁהוּא אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים וּמֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם), and this is sufficient (וְדַי בָּזֶה).

And let us return to our subject (וְנַחֲזוֹר לְעִנְיָינֵינוּ), however the other nine Middot of the extension of her stature (אָמְנָם ט׳ מִדּוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת שֶׁל הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת קוֹמָתָהּ), are all additions within her (כֻּלָּן הֵן תּוֹסָפוֹת בָּהּ), and this is what the verse says in the name of Ze’ir Anpin (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּשֵׁם זְעֵיר): “And I was beside Him as an Amon [Nursling/Craftsman]” (וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן) (Proverbs 8:30), there I was being raised (שָׁם הָיִיתִי מִתְגַּדֵּל), and who was there (וּמִי הָיָה שָׁם), Chokhmah, Binah, and Da’at (חָכְמָה וּבִינָה וָדַעַת), which are the wondrous, and concealed, and a pedagogue (שֶׁהֵם מוּפְלָא וּמוּצְנָע וּפֵדָגוֹג) (Bereshit Rabbah 1:1). And some say even Amon Rabbata [Great] (וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַף אָמוֹן רַבָּתָא), which are the nine Sefirot of Malkhut (שֶׁהֵם ט׳ סְפִירוֹת דְּמַלְכוּת), that likewise remained above (שֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ גַּם כֵּן לְמַעְלָה), for the reason we stated (לַסִּבָּה שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), and therefore it says Rabbata [the Great Craftsman] (וְלָכֵן אָמַר רַבָּתָא), because they are the greater part of the extension and greatness of her stature (שֶׁהֵם רֹב הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת וּגְדֻלַּת קוֹמָתָהּ). And in the future to come (וְלֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא), neither the first three Sefirot of Ze’ir Anpin (לֹא יִתְעַלְּמוּ לֹא ג׳ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת דְּזְעֵיר), nor the nine Sefirot of Malkhut (וְלֹא ט׳ סְפִירוֹת דְּמַלְכוּת), rather all of them will remain below (אֶלָּא כֻּלָּם יִשָּׁאֲרוּ לְמַטָּה), adorned with abundant ornaments of light (בְּקִשּׁוּטִין דִּנְהוֹרָא סַגִּי), for at that time there will be no fear from the Klipot (כִּי בְּאוֹתוֹ הַזְּמַן לֹא יִהְיֶה מוֹרָא מֵהַקְּלִיפּוֹת), as it is said: “And the cow and the bear shall graze, together their young shall lie down, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox” (וּפָרָה וָדֹב תִּרְעֶינָה יַחְדָּו יִרְבְּצוּ יַלְדֵיהֶן וְאַרְיֵה כַּבָּקָר יֹאכַל תֶּבֶן) (Isaiah 11:7). “And the suckling child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand upon the adder’s den” (וְשַׁעֲשַׁע יוֹנֵק עַל חֹר פָּתֶן וְעַל מְאוּרַת צִפְעוֹנִי גָּמוּל יָדוֹ הָדָה) (Isaiah 11:8). “They shall neither harm nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of Hashem as the waters cover the sea” (לֹא יָרֵעוּ וְלֹא יַשְׁחִיתוּ בְּכָל הַר קָדְשִׁי כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת י״י כַּמַּיִם לַיָּם מְכַסִּים) (Isaiah 11:9). Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (יִתְבָּרַךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).