Chapter Sixty-One (פֶּרֶק שִׁשִּׁים וְאֶחָד)

The sixth Tikkun of the Tikkunim of the beard of Ze’ir Anpin (תִּיקּוּן שִׁשִּׁי שֶׁל תִּיקּוּנֵי דִּקְנָא דְז״א), the hairs emerge like a single strand within the hairs of the beard (יוֹצְאִים הַשְּׂעָרוֹת כְּחוּט אֶחָד בְּשַׂעֲרוֹת הַזָּקָן), in order to divide between the hairs that cover the cheeks on the two sides (כְּדֵי לְחַלֵּק בֵּין הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הַמְכַסִּים הַלְּחָיַיִם מִשְּׁנֵי צְדָדִים), which are not called the corners of the beard (שֶׁאֵינָם נִקְרָאִים פֵּאוֹת הַזָּקָן). And those hairs which are in the two straits (וְאוֹתָם הַשְּׂעָרוֹת שֶׁהֵם בִּשְׁנֵי מֵיצָרִים), opposite the width of the hairs upon the upper lip and the lower lip (כְּנֶגֶד רֹחַב הַשְּׂעָרוֹת שֶׁעַל הַשָּׂפָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנָה), corresponding to them are the two corners of the beard on each side (כְּנֶגְדָּם הֵם שְׁנֵי פֵּאוֹת הַזָּקָן מִכָּל צַד). And each one has two corners, above and below (וּלְכָל אֶחָד יֵשׁ לוֹ שְׁנֵי פֵּאוֹת לְמַעְלָה וּלְמַטָּה), and together with the hairs covering the throat (וְעִם הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הַמְכַסִּים הַגָּרוֹן), which is the Keter of Abba and Imma (שֶׁהִיא כֶּתֶר לְאַבָּא וְאִמָּא), together with the lock of the beard hanging from the chin downward (עִם שִׁבֹּלֶת הַזָּקָן הַתּוֹלָה מִן הַסַּנְטֵר לְמַטָּה), until the beginning of the intestines (עַד רֵישָׁא דִמְעוֹי), these are the five corners of the beard (הֵם חָמֵשׁ פֵּאוֹת הַזָּקָן), which are the five Chasadim included in Arich Anpin (שֶׁהֵם חָמֵשׁ חֲסָדִים הַכְּלוּלִים בַּאֲ״א), and they bestow upon the five corners of the beard of Ze’ir Anpin (וּמַשְׁפִּיעִים עַל ה׳ פֵּאוֹת הַזָּקָן דְז״א). And this strand that we mentioned (וְזֶה הַחוּט שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), above it the corners begin (לְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ מַתְחִילִים הַפֵּאוֹת), and it is one of them (וְהוּא אֶחָד מֵהֶם) (Zohar Bamidbar 141a). And therefore the Holy One Blessed Be He commanded that one must not destroy the corners of the beard at all (וְלָכֵן צִוָּה הקב״ה שֶׁלֹּא לְהַשְׁחִית הַפֵּאוֹת שֶׁל הַזָּקָן כּוּלּוֹ), neither with a razor nor with scissors (לֹא בְּתַעַר וְלֹא בְּמִסְפָּרַיִם), so that they should not destroy the beard of Ze’ir Anpin (כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַשְׁחִיתוּ הַזָּקָן שֶׁל ז״א), and, Heaven forbid, the five Chasadim should not cease descending to him (שֶׁלֹּא יֵרְדוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אֵלָיו הַחֲמֵשׁ חֲסָדִים), and there will be no one to show him mercy when he ascends (וְלֹא יִהְיֶה מִי שֶׁמְרַחֵם עָלָיו בְּעֵת עֲלוֹתוֹ), to behold the face of the Lord, Hashem, God of Israel, after his passing (לִרְאוֹת אֶת פְּנֵי הָאָדוֹן יְהוָ״ה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחַר פְּטִירָתוֹ). The guardians of the gates of Gan Eden, who are called the Angels of Peace (שׁוֹמְרֵי שַׁעֲרֵי גַּן־עֵדֶן הַנִּקְרָאִים מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם), will abandon him (יַעַזְבוּ אוֹתוֹ), and then the destroyers will come in the form of the cows of Bashan (וְאָז יָבֹאוּ הַמְחַבְּלִים בְּצוּרַת פָּרוֹת הַבָּשָׁן), and they will trample him (וְיִדְרְכוּ אוֹתוֹ) (Selichot for Monday; also in Sefer HaGan of Rabbi Yitzchak from the period of the Rishonim, for Wednesday), and they will cast him into Gehinnom (וְיַשְׁלִיכוּ אוֹתוֹ לְגֵיהִנֹּם), for the guardians of the corners, the Chariot, from the external forces, who receive from these five corners of the beard, will not come to his aid (כִּי לֹא יָבֹאוּ לְעֶזְרָתוֹ שׁוֹמְרֵי הַפֵּאוֹת הַמֶּרְכָּבָה מִן הַחִיצוֹנִים הַמְקַבְּלִים מֵאֵלּוּ הַחָמֵשׁ פֵּאוֹת שֶׁל הַזָּקָן). And the judgments will come, which equal Parah [cow] in numerical value (וְיָבֹאוּ הַדִּינִים הָעוֹלִים פָּרָה בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא), namely MNTZP”KH together with the five letters (מנצפ״ך עִם ה׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת), and they are the five judgments (וְהֵם ה׳ דִּינִים), and this is alluded to in the Torah in the verse: “You shall not round the corners of your head, nor shall you destroy the corner of your beard” (וְזֶה נִרְמָז בַּתּוֹרָה בַּפָּסוּק לֹא תַקִּפוּ פְּאַת רֹאשְׁכֶם וְלֹא תַשְׁחִית פְּאַת זְקָנֶךָ) (Leviticus 19:27), whose initials spell “Parot” [cows] (רָאשֵׁי תֵּבוֹת פָּרוֹת), and I have already explained this in the section on the beard of Arich Anpin (וּכְבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי אוֹתוֹ בְּשַׁעַר דִּקְנָא דַאֲ״א).

And so wrote our teacher and master, Rabbi Chaim Vital, of blessed holy memory (וְכֵן כָּתַב מוֹרֵנוּ וְרַבֵּנוּ רַבִּי חַיִּים וִיטַאל זִלְהָ״ה), that his teacher, the Arizal, of blessed holy memory (שֶׁרַבּוֹ הָאֲרִ״י זִלְהָ״ה), conducted himself all his days not to shave the hairs of his beard at all (נָהַג כָּל יָמָיו שֶׁלֹּא לְגַלֵּחַ שַׂעֲרוֹת זְקָנוֹ כְּלָל), neither with a razor nor with scissors (לֹא בְּתַעַר וְלֹא בְּמִסְפָּרַיִם), except for the hairs of the moustache that interfere with eating (אֶלָּא בְּשַׂעֲרוֹת הַשָּׂפָה מַה שֶּׁמְעַכֵּב הָאֲכִילָה), and no more (וְלֹא יוֹתֵר), because of this secret (מִפְּנֵי הַסּוֹד הַזֶּה). And so he says in the Idra Rabba (וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר בָּאִדְּרָא רַבָּא) (Zohar Bamidbar 141a), concerning the Tikkunim [Rectifications] of the beard of Ze’ir Anpin (אֵצֶל תִּיקּוּנֵי דִּיקְנָא דְז״א), and this is its language (וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ): “The sixth Tikkun [Rectification]: a hair emerges as a single strand among the hairs of the beard; this is called one of the five corners that depend upon kindness and mercy, and one must not damage this kindness, as has been stated, and because of this it is written: ‘You shall not destroy the corner of your beard’” (תִּיקּוּנָא שְׁתִיתָאָה נָפִיק שַׂעֲרָא כְּחַד חוּטָא דְשַׂעֲרֵי דִּיקְנָא, הַהוּא אִקְרֵי חַד מֵחָמֵשׁ פֵּאִין דְּתַלְיָין בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמֵי, וְלָא בָּעֵי לְחַבָּלָא הַאי חֶסֶד, כְּמָה דְאִתְמַר, וּבְגִין כָּךְ לֹא תַשְׁחִית אֶת פְּאַת זְקָנֶךָ כְּתִיב). And his statement “as has been stated” (וְאוֹמְרוֹ כְּמָה דְאִתְמַר), alludes to what Rashbi explained (מְרַמֵּז עַל מַה שֶּׁפֵּרֵשׁ הָרַשְׁבִּ״י) (Zohar Bamidbar 133b), in the sixth Tikkun [Rectification] of the Tikkunim [Rectifications] of the beard of Arich Anpin (בְּתִיקּוּן שִׁשִּׁי שֶׁל תִּיקּוּנֵי דִּקְנָא דַאֲ״א), and this is its language (וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ): “Rabbi Yisa arose and opened, saying: ‘And My kindness shall not depart from you’” (קָם רַבִּי יֵיסָא פָּתַח וְאָמַר וְחַסְדִּי מֵאִתָּךְ לֹא יָמוּשׁ), this is the known kindness that never ceases and shines continually (הוּא חֶסֶד הַיָּדוּעַ שֶׁלֹּא יִפְסֹק וּמֵאִיר תָּמִידִי). “And it is written: ‘And with everlasting kindness I have had mercy upon you’” (וּכְתִיב וּבְחֶסֶד עוֹלָם רִחַמְתִּיךְ) (Isaiah 54:8), this is the kindnesses of Ze’ir Anpin, which depend upon mercy when He has mercy upon the world (הוּא חַסְדֵי ז״א הַתְּלוּיִים בְּרַחֲמִים כְּשֶׁמְרַחֵם עַל הָעוֹלָם), and this is not constant (וְזֶה אֵינוֹ תָּמִיד), and it is also the kindness of Malkhut (וְגַם הוּא חֶסֶד שֶׁל מַלְכוּת), which is called the lower revealed world (הַנִּקְרָא עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה דְאִתְגַּלְיָא), which receives illumination from Ze’ir Anpin through this kindness (הַמְּאִירָה מִזְּעֵיר אַנְפִּין עַל יְדֵי חֶסֶד זֶה), and these are called the kindnesses of David (וְנִקְרָאִים חַסְדֵי דָוִד). “And we have learned: There is kindness and there is kindness; there is an inward kindness and there is an outward kindness” (וְתָנִינָן אִית חֶסֶד וְאִית חֶסֶד, אִית חֶסֶד דְּלְגָאו וְאִית חֶסֶד דְּלְבַר), “the inward kindness is that which we have spoken of, of the Ancient of Ancients” (חֶסֶד דְּלְגָאו הָא דַאֲמַרָן, דְּעַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקִין), “and it is hidden on this side, which is called the corner of the beard” (וְהוּא סָתִים בְּסִטְרָא דָא דְאִקְרֵי פְּאַת הַזָּקָן). “And a person should not damage this side” (וְלָא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְחַבָּלָא הַאי סִטְרָא), because of this inward kindness of Atik Yomin [Ancient of Days] (מִשּׁוּם הַאי חֶסֶד דְּלְגוֹ דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין), “and because of this, regarding the Kohen below it is written concerning him: ‘They shall not make a bald patch upon their head, and the corner of their beard they shall not shave’” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ בְּכֹהֵן דִלְתַתָּא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ לֹא יִקְרְחוּ קָרְחָה בְּרֹאשָׁם וּפְאַת זְקָנָם לֹא יְגַלֵּחוּ) (Leviticus 21:5), “what is the reason?” (מַאי טַעְמָא), “because one must not damage the paths of the kindness of Atika, for the Kohen comes from this side” (בְּגִין דְּלָא לְחַבָּלָא אָרְחוֹי דְחֶסֶד דְּעַתִּיקָא, דְּכֹהֵן מִסִּטְרָא דָא קָא אָתֵי). “And we learned in Sifra DiTzniuta: In all things kindness must increase and build, and one must not cut it off, nor let it be eradicated from the world” (וְתָאנָא בִּצְנִיעוּתָא דְסִפְרָא, בְּכֹלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ חֶסֶד לְאִתְרַבָּאָה וּלְמִבְנֵי, וְלָא לְקַטְעָא לֵיהּ, וְלָא יִשְׁתְּצֵי מֵעָלְמָא). And “everlasting kindness” (וּבְחֶסֶד עוֹלָם), is the kindness of Ze’ir Anpin (הוּא חֶסֶד שֶׁל ז״א), which is called “everlasting kindness” (הַנִּקְרָא חֶסֶד עוֹלָם), as it is written: “The world shall be built through kindness” (דִּכְתִיב עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה) (Psalms 89:3), for it was built through the kindness of Arich Anpin (שֶׁנִּבְנָה בְּחֶסֶד דַאֲ״א) (until here, Zohar Bamidbar 133b) (עַד כָּאן זוֹהַר בַּמִּדְבָּר קל״ג־ב). “But as for me, my prayer is to You, Hashem, at a time of favor; O God, in the abundance of Your kindness, answer me with the truth of Your salvation” (וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ יְהוָ״ה עֵת רָצוֹן אֱלֹהִים בְּרֹב חַסְדֶּךָ עֲנֵנִי בֶּאֱמֶת יִשְׁעֶךָ) (Psalms 69:14). Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (יִתְבָרַךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).