Chapter Sixty-Two (פֶּרֶק שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם)

The seventh Tikkun of the Tikkunim of the beard of Ze’ir Anpin is: “that no hairs hang over the mouth, and the mouth is cleared on all sides” (תִּיקּוּן הַשְּׁבִיעִי שֶׁל תִּיקּוּנֵי דִּקְנָא דְז״א, דְּלָא תַּלְיָין שַׂעֲרֵי עַל פּוּמָא וּפוּמָא אִתְפְּנֵי מִכָּל סִטְרִין) (Zohar Bamidbar 141a), the explanation is (פֵּירוּשׁ), that the seventh Tikkun is that the mouth of Ze’ir Anpin should be free of all hairs (הַתִּיקּוּן הַשְּׁבִיעִי הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה פּוּמוֹ שֶׁל ז״א פָּנוּי מִכָּל שְׂעָרוֹת), so that they do not block his mouth (שֶׁלֹּא יִסְתְּמוּ אֶת פִּיו), for the hairs are judgments (כִּי הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הֵם דִּינִין), and there is reason to fear lest the speech not emerge outward, Heaven forbid (וְיֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא הַדִּבּוּר לַחוּץ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), for everything was created through speech (שֶׁהַכֹּל נִבְרָא בְּדִבּוּר), through the Ten Utterances (בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת), the hosts above and the hosts below (צְבָא הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וּצְבָא הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים), as it is written: “By the word of Hashem the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host” (דִּכְתִיב בִּדְבַר י״י שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם) (Psalms 33:6). And He says words of Torah (וְהוּא אוֹמֵר דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה): “My son so-and-so says thus” (פְּלוֹנִי בְּנִי כָּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר) (Gittin 6b), for the sake of Mayin Nukvin [Feminine Waters] (לְצוֹרֶךְ מַיִן נוּקְבִין), and concerning this we pray: “And grant us our portion in Your Torah” (וְעַל זֶה אָנוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִים וְתֵן חֶלְקֵנוּ בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ). And this is the secret of what our Sages said in Masekhet Eruvin (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ״ל בְּמַסֶּכֶת עֵירוּבִין) (Eruvin 13b): “A Heavenly Voice emerged: These and these are the words of the Living God, but the halakhah follows Beit Hillel” (יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים וַהֲלָכָה כְּבֵית הִלֵּל), for it states the words of those who forbid and the words of those who permit (שֶׁאוֹמֵר דִּבְרֵי הָאוֹסְרִין וְדִבְרֵי הַמַּתִּירִין), for the sake of Mayin Nukvin [Feminine Waters] (לְצוֹרֶךְ מַיִן נוּקְבִין), yet it does not decide the halakhah (אֲבָל אֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק הֲלָכָה). And the proclamation also goes forth continually (וְגַם הַכָּרוֹז יוֹצֵא תָּמִיד), to announce what is occurring in the world day by day (לְהוֹדִיעַ הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בָּעוֹלָם דָּבָר יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ), and from the beginning of the year until the end of the year (וּמֵרֵאשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה וְעַד אַחֲרִית שָׁנָה), and the souls of human beings and angels are created through that speech (וְנִבְרָאִים נִשְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם וּמַלְאָכִים עַל יְדֵי הַדִּבּוּר הַהוּא), for voice and speech unite (כִּי מִזְדַּוְּגִים קוֹל וְדִבּוּר), Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah (ז״א וְנוּקְבֵיהּ). And behold (וְהִנֵּה), if the hairs of the upper lip and lower lip grow too far over the mouth (אִם הַשְּׂעָרוֹת שֶׁל הַשָּׂפָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנָה יַאֲרִיכוּ יוֹתֵר עַל הַפֶּה), they will hinder speech, Heaven forbid (יְעַכְּבוּ הַדִּבּוּר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), therefore it is permitted to trim the hairs of the moustache to the extent that they interfere with eating (לָכֵן הוּא מֻתָּר לַחְתּוֹךְ שַׂעֲרוֹת הַשָּׂפָה מַה שֶּׁמְעַכֵּב הָאֲכִילָה), and the one who understands will understand (וְהַמֵּבִין יָבִין).

And Rabbi Yehudah would explain this Tikkun as follows (וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה הָיָה מְפָרֵשׁ הַתִּיקּוּן הַזֶּה): “Rabbi Yehudah arose and opened, saying: ‘By the decree of the Watchers is the matter, and by the word of the Holy Ones is the request’” (קָם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר, בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָמָא וּבְמַאֲמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתָא) (Daniel 4:14), “how many thousands and myriads are breathed forth [variant: are established], and are sustained through this mouth, and depend upon it, and all of them are called ‘mouth’” (כַּמָּה אַלְפִין וְרִבְבָן מִתְנַשְּׁבִין [נ״א: מִתְיַשְּׁבִין] וּמִתְקַיְּימִין בְּהַאי פּוּמָא, וְתַלְיָין מִינֵיהּ, וְכֻלְּהוּ אִקְרוֹן פֶּה), “this is what is written: ‘And by the breath of His mouth all their host’” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם) (Psalms 33:6). “And from that spirit which emerges from the mouth are clothed all those external ones that depend upon this mouth, and from this path, when that path extends itself, many faithful prophets are clothed within it, and all of them are called ‘the mouth of Hashem’” (וּמֵהַהוּא רוּחָא דְּנָפִיק מִפּוּמָא מִתְלַבְּשִׁין כָּל אִינוּן דִלְבַר דְּתַלְיָין מֵהַאי פּוּמָא, וּמֵהַאי אָרְחָא כַּד אִתְפַּשְׁט הַהוּא אָרְחָא, מִתְלַבְּשִׁין בֵּיהּ כַּמָּה נְבִיאֵי מְהֵימָנֵי, וְכֻלְּהוּ פֶּה יְיָ אִתְקְרוֹן) (Zohar Bamidbar 141a).

And the explanation is (וּפֵירוּשׁ הוּא), that there are angels who stand at the right side of the Holy One Blessed Be He, who are called Holy Ones (כִּי יֵשׁ מַלְאָכִים שֶׁעוֹמְדִים מִימִינוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה הַנִּקְרָאִים קַדִּישִׁין), and there are angels who stand at His left side, who are called Watchers (וְיֵשׁ מַלְאָכִים הָעוֹמְדִים מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה הַנִּקְרָאִים עִירִין) (Tanchuma, Shemot 18), as it is said: “I saw Hashem sitting upon a high and exalted throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him, on His right and on His left” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר רָאִיתִי אֶת יְיָ יֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא וְכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם עֹמְדִים עָלָיו מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ) (I Kings 22:19). These advocate merit and are called Holy Ones (אֵלּוּ מְיַמְּנִים לִזְכוּת הַנִּקְרָאִים קַדִּישִׁין), and these advocate liability, revealing the guilt of human beings, and are called Watchers (וְאֵלּוּ מַשְׂמְאִילִים לְחוֹבָה הַמַּרְאִים חוֹבַת בְּנֵי אָדָם וְנִקְרָאִים עִירִין). And it is said: “By the decree of the Watchers is the matter, and by the word of the Holy Ones is the request” (וְנֶאֱמַר בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָמָא וּבְמַאֲמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתָא) (Daniel 4:14), and it is said: “And behold, a Watcher and a Holy One descended from heaven” (וְנֶאֱמַר וְהָא עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ מִן שְׁמַיָּא נָחִית) (Daniel 4:10). And the secret of Watcher and Holy One is the secret of the Gevurot sweetened with the Chasadim [Kindnesses] (וְסוֹד עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ הֵם סוֹד הַגְּבוּרוֹת הַמְמוּתָּקוֹת עִם הַחֲסָדִים), meaning (רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר), Watcher equals MNTZP”KH (עִיר עוֹלֶה מנצפ״ך), namely Par [280] (דְּהַיְינוּ פַּר), which are the five Gevurot of the brain of Gevurah (שֶׁהֵם הַחֲמֵשָׁה גְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁל הַמּוֹחַ דִּגְבוּרָה), from the two Mochin of Abba and Imma (מִן הַתְּרֵין מוֹחִין דְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּא). And Holy Ones are the Chasadim [Kindnesses] (וְקַדִּישִׁין הֵם הַחֲסָדִים), namely the five Havayot of Chasadim, which equal K”L [130] (שֶׁהֵם הַחֲמֵשׁ הֲוָיוֹת חֲסָדִים הָעוֹלִים ק״ל), and they sweeten the Gevurot, which are Par [280] (וּמְמַתְּקִין הַגְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁהֵם פַּר), and K”L [130] are the Chasadim (וְק״ל הֵם הַחֲסָדִים), and the total of both equals the numerical value of Kadosh [Holy] (וּמִסְפַּר שְׁנֵיהֶם עוֹלִים כְּמִנְיַן קָדוֹשׁ), which is four hundred and ten (שֶׁהֵם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וָעֶשֶׂר).

It follows that the mouth is formed from the Chasadim and Gevurot of Abba and Imma (נִמְצָא שֶׁהַפֶּה נַעֲשֶׂה מֵהַחֲסָדִים וְהַגְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), which are the two Mochin (שֶׁהֵם הַתְּרֵין מוֹחִין), and everything depends upon the two Atarot [Crowns] descending from Atika (וְהַכֹּל תָּלוּי בַּתְּרֵין עֲטָרִין הַיּוֹרְדִים מֵעַתִּיקָא), and they clear away the hairs from this path (וּמְפַנִּים הַשְּׂעָרוֹת שֶׁל הָאוֹרַח זֶה), which is aligned between the two openings of the nose (אֲשֶׁר הוּא מְכֻוָּן בֵּין שְׁנֵי נִקְבֵי הַחוֹטֶם), and the judgments are sweetened (וְהַדִּינִים נִמְתָּקִין). And they are transformed into mercies for Israel and a plague for the nations (וּמִתְהַפְּכִים לְרַחֲמִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְנֶגֶף לָאֻמּוֹת), as it is said: “And I shall pass through to strike” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְעָבַרְתִּי לִנְגֹּף) (Exodus 12:23), meaning (רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר), that the spirit comes from the mouth of Atika to the mouth of Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהָרוּחַ בָּא מֵהַפֶּה שֶׁל עַתִּיקָא לַפֶּה שֶׁל ז״א), and nullifies the judgments from Israel (וּמְבַטֵּל הַדִּינִים מִן יִשְׂרָאֵל). And this Tikkun includes the six Tikkunim above it (וְהַתִּיקּוּן הַזֶּה הוּא כּוֹלֵל הַשִּׁשָּׁה תִּיקּוּנִים שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ), for it is the totality of the Gevurot and the Chasadim (כִּי הוּא כְּלַל הַגְּבוּרוֹת וְהַחֲסָדִים), and this is the meaning of what it says concerning the Tikkunim of Arich Anpin (וְזֶהוּ אוֹמְרוֹ בְּתִיקּוּנֵי אֲ״א) (Zohar Bamidbar 134a): “The twelfth Tikkun, that no hairs hang over the mouth, and the mouth is cleared on all sides, and beautiful hairs surround it on every side” (תִּיקּוּנָא דִתְרֵיסַר דְּלָא תַּלְיָין שַׂעֲרֵי עַל פּוּמָא וּפוּמָא אִתְפְּנֵי מִכָּל סִטְרִין וְיָאִין שַׂעֲרֵי סְחוֹר סְחוֹר לֵיהּ), “so that no exertion will be found, as is required” (בְּגִין דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח טִרְחוּתָא, כְּמָה דְאִצְטְרִיךְ), so that there should be no need to labor to remove the judgments of the hairs from above the mouth (שֶׁלֹּא יַטְרִיחַ לְפַנּוֹת הַדִּינִין שֶׁל הַשְּׂעָרוֹת מֵעַל הַפֶּה), and thus it is fitting to pardon and forgive and say, “I have forgiven” (וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ לִמְחוֹל וְלִסְלוֹחַ וְלֵימָא סָלַחְתִּי), as it is said: “And Hashem said: I have forgiven according to your word” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָ״ה סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ) (Numbers 14:20). And Rabbi Yehudah asked (וְשָׁאַל רַבִּי יְהוּדָה): “Regarding what is this exertion being discussed?” (טִרְחוּתָא בְּמַאי קָמַיְירֵי), what relevance does exertion have here (מַה עִנְיַן הַטִּרְחָא כָּאן)? And he answered (וְתֵירֵץ), if the hairs cover the mouth (אִם יְכַסּוּ הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הַפֶּה), there will be judgment after judgment (יִהְיֶה דִינָא בָּתַר דִּינָא), for all the hairs are judgment (כִּי כָּל הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הֵם דִּין), and if the mouth should become blocked, Heaven forbid (וְאִם יִסָּתֵם הַפֶּה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), there will be judgment after judgment (דִּינָא בָּתַר דִּינָא), and exertion will be found (וְיִהְיֶה טִרְחוּתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח), in clearing away those things that hinder our forgiveness (לְפַנּוֹת מְעַכְּבֵי סְלִיחָתֵינוּ). And afterward he asks (וּמַקְשֶׁה אַחַר כָּךְ): “And are the hairs of the beard in Atika Kadisha [the Holy Ancient One] an exertion, or are they judgments? Surely all of them appear as mercies” (וְכִי בְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁאֵי שַׂעֲרֵי דְדִיקְנָא טִרְחָא אִינוּן, אוֹ דִינָא אִינוּן, וְהָא כֻלְּהוּ אִתְחֲזוֹן רַחֲמֵי), “rather, it refers to there not being exertion in the blowing of the spirit to Ze’ir Anpin” (אֶלָּא דְּלָא אִתְטְרַח בִּנְשִׁיבָא דְרוּחָא דְז״א אִתְמַר), so that there should be no exertion in the blowing of the spirit from the mouth of Atika to Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה טִרְחָא בִּנְשִׁיבַת הָרוּחַ מֵהַפֶּה שֶׁל עַתִּיקָא לִזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), which clears the path and the mouth of the hairs (הַמְפַנֶּה הָאוֹרַח וְהַפֶּה מִן הַשְּׂעָרוֹת). And from this spirit all those below become clothed (וּמֵהָרוּחַ הַזֶּה מִתְלַבְּשִׁין כָּל אִינוּן דִּלְתַתָּא), meaning (רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר), “from that spirit which was emptied forth” (מֵהַהוּא רוּחָא דְּאִתְרִיק), into Ze’ir Anpin from this Atika (בְּז״א מֵעַתִּיקָא זֶה), and therefore it says concerning the Tikkunim of the beard of Ze’ir Anpin (וְלָכֵן אוֹמֵר בְּתִיקּוּנֵי דְדִיקְנָא דְז״א) (Zohar Bamidbar 141b): “And because of this, its hairs are arranged around the mouth, and it is cleared on all sides” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ שַׂעֲרוֹהִי שְׁקִילִין סַחְרָנֵיהּ דְפוּמָא וְאִתְפְּנֵי מִכָּל סִטְרוֹי), “Rabbi Shimon said: Blessed are You, Atika Kadisha” (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בָּרִיךְ אַנְתְּ לְעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא). And this is the meaning of: “And Hashem said to Moshe: Why do you cry out to Me?” (וְזֶהוּ אוֹמְרוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָ״ה אֶל מֹשֶׁה מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי) (Exodus 14:15), specifically “to Me” (אֵלַי דַּיְיקָא), referring to Ze’ir Anpin (לְז״א), for all the Tikkunim of Ze’ir Anpin depend upon Atika Kadisha [the Holy Ancient One] (כִּי בְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא תַּלְיָא כָּל תִּיקּוּנֵי ז״א). And as for me, my prayer is to Atika Kadisha [the Holy Ancient One], Atika DeAtikin [Ancient of Ancients], the Concealed of all (וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי אֶל עַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא עַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקִין סְתִימָא דְכֹלָּא): “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth” (יִשָּׁקֵנִי מִנְּשִׁיקוֹת פִּיהוּ) (Song of Songs 1:2), the cleaving of spirit to spirit (דְּבֵקוּתָא רוּחָא בְּרוּחָא), “Draw me after you, let us run” (מָשְׁכֵנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ נָרוּצָה) (Song of Songs 1:4), “The King has brought me into His chambers; we shall rejoice and be glad in Him” (הֱבִיאַנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ חֲדָרָיו אָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בּוֹ) (Song of Songs 1:4). Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (יִתְבָּרַךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).