Chapter Thirty-Nine (פֶּרֶק שְׁלֹשִׁים וְתִשְׁעָה)

It is further expounded on the verse: “His locks are curled, black as a raven” (עוֹד נִדְרָשׁ בַּפָּסוּק: קְוֻצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחוֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב) (Song of Songs 5:11), that when the ten Elohim Names mentioned above prevail upon Ze’ir (בְּהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל זְעֵיר עֶשֶׂר שֵׁמוֹת אֱלֹהִי״ם שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה), they unite the hairs of his head in the secret of the judgments (מְיַחֲדִים שְׂעַר רֹאשׁוֹ בְּסוֹד הַדִּינִין), therefore the compartments of the Tefillin and also the Shin letters are black (לָכֵן הַבָּתִּים שֶׁל תְּפִלִּין וְגַם הַשִּׁינִי״ן שְׁחוֹרוֹת). And it says, “black as a raven” (וְאוֹמֵר שְׁחוֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב), resembling a raven, which is a black Klipah (דּוֹמֶה לָעוֹרֵב, שֶׁהִיא קְלִיפָּה שְׁחוֹרָה), and they are like a cruel raven (וְהֵם כָּעוֹרֵב אַכְזָרִי), but it is not an actual Klipah, Heaven forbid (אֲבָל אֵינָהּ קְלִיפָּה מַמָּשׁ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), and likewise it is written: “Hashem was like an enemy” (וְכֵן כְּתִיב: הָיָה יְיָ כְּאוֹיֵב) (Lamentations 2:5), and not an actual enemy (וְלֹא אוֹיֵב מַמָּשׁ) [Zohar II 122a]. And all the more so his hairs become blackened in the darkness of the morning (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיַּשְׁחִירוּ שְׂעָרוֹתָיו בְּקַדְרוּתָא דְצַפְרָא), for then is a time of complete judgment (שֶׁאָז הִיא שְׁעַת דִּין גָּמוּר), according to the words of Sefer Berit Menuḥah (כְּדִבְרֵי סֵפֶר בְּרִית מְנוּחָה). And it is like the nature of everything that strengthens itself against that which seeks to nullify it (וְהוּא כְּטַעַם כָּל דָּבָר הַמִּתְגַּבֵּר כְּנֶגֶד הָרוֹצֶה לְבַטְּלוֹ), for when the day shines, the hair of Arich strikes upon the head of Ze’ir (כִּי בְּהָאִיר הַיּוֹם בָּטַשׁ שְׂעַר אַרִיךְ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ דְּזְעֵיר), and sweetens his judgments and whitens his head (וּמַמְתִּיק דִּינָיו, וּמַלְבִּין רֹאשׁוֹ).

Know that this is so, for the young ravens that cry out are white (תֵּדַע שֶׁכֵּן בְּנֵי עוֹרֵב אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָאוּ הֵם לְבָנִים), and this is an allusion to the sweetening of the harsh judgments (וְהוּא רֶמֶז לְמִיתּוּק הַדִּינִין הַקָּשִׁין). And the raven itself alludes to the elders of the common people (וְהָעוֹרֵב עַצְמוֹ רוֹמֵז לְזִקְנֵי עַם הָאָרֶץ), for as long as they grow old they become foolish and darkened (שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁמַּזְקִינִים מִטַּפְּשִׁים וּמַשְׁחִירִים) [Kinnim 3:6], for forgetfulness and foolishness come from the side of judgment (כִּי הַשִּׁכְחָה וְהַטִּפְשׁוּת בָּאָה מִצַּד הַדִּין), and it becomes greatly intensified in old age (וּמִתְגַּבֵּר מְאֹד בְּעֵת זִקְנָתוֹ). But the Torah scholars, who are the likeness of Ze’ir Anpin (אֲבָל הַתַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, שֶׁהֵם דֻּגְמָא דִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), he who is called Torah (הוּא הַנִּקְרָא תּוֹרָה), concerning whom it is said: “I was young and I have also grown old” (שֶׁעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר: נַעַר הָיִיתִי גַּם זָקַנְתִּי) (Psalms 37:25), as praise, that he was not forsaken (לְשֶׁבַח, שֶׁלֹּא נֶעֱזַב), and there is an abundance of the flow of Chasadim within him (וְרִבּוּי שֶׁפַע חֲסָדִים בּוֹ), for from them comes remembrance (כִּי מֵהֶם בָּאָה הַזְּכִירָה), in the secret of: “and his seed seeks bread” (בְּסוֹד וְזַרְעוֹ מְבַקֵּשׁ לָחֶם) (Psalms 37:25), and this has the numerical value of “His kindness,” three Havayah Names (וְהוּא גִּימַטְרִיָּא חַסְדּוֹ ג׳ הֲוָיוֹת). And all the while their knowledge increases within them (וְכָל זְמַן דַּעְתָּם נוֹסֶפֶת בָּהֶם), for the abundance of Arich increases within them (כִּי שֶׁפַע אַרִיךְ מִתְרַבֶּה בָּהֶם), and “they shall become white as snow” (וְכַשֶּׁלֶג יַלְבִּינוּ), from the secret of the hairs of Arich which whiten the hairs of Ze’ir Anpin (מִסּוֹד שַׂעֲרוֹת אַרִיךְ הַמַּלְבִּינִים שַׂעֲרוֹת זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין). And this is the well-known secret to those who engage in this wisdom (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הַיָּדוּעַ לָעוֹסְקִים בְּהַחָכְמָה הַזֹּאת), that the blackness in the locks of Ze’ir is not the severity of judgment, but the weakening of judgment (שֶׁאֵין הַשַּׁחֲרוּת בְּקוּוְצוֹתָיו שֶׁל זְעֵיר קֹשִׁי הַדִּין אֶלָּא לְקוּת הַדִּין), as they said: “This black is really red, but it has deteriorated” (כְּמַאֲמָרָם ז״ל: הַאי שָׁחוֹר אָדוֹם הוּא אֶלָּא שֶׁלָּקָה) [Sukkah 33b]. And it no longer possesses the force of the original judgment when it was red (וְאֵין בּוֹ כֹּחַ הַדִּין הָרִאשׁוֹן, בְּהִיּוֹתוֹ אָדוֹם), for the harsh judgments are red (שֶׁהֲרֵי הַדִּינִים הַקָּשִׁים אֲדֻמִּים הֵם), rather they deteriorated and were divided into right and left through the hairs of Arich (אֶלָּא לָקוּ וְנֶחְלְקוּ לְיָמִין וּלְשְׂמֹאל, עַל יְדֵי שַׂעֲרוֹת אַרִיךְ). But the hair of Nukvah is truly red and longer than the hairs of Ze’ir (אֲבָל שְׂעַר נוּקְבֵיהּ הוּא אָדוֹם מַמָּשׁ וַאֲרוּכִּים יוֹתֵר מִשַּׂעֲרוֹת זְעֵיר), for she is sustained by many Gevurot (שֶׁהוּא מֻחְזֶקֶת בִּגְבוּרוֹת הַרְבֵּה). And the allusion to the length of her hair is in the secret of the Tzitzit, which have no fixed upper measure (וְרֶמֶז לְאֹרֶךְ שַׂעֲרָהּ בְּסוֹד הַצִּיצִית, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר לְמַעְלָה), and they also take a thread of Arich for the winding of the Tzitzit (לוֹקְחִין גַּם כֵּן חוּט אַרִיךְ לִכְרִיכַת הַצִּיצִית), so that after the completion of its Tikkunim it exceeds the others by one over its fellows (שֶׁאַחֲרֵי גְּמַר תִּיקּוּנָיו, עָדִיף יַעֲדִיף בְּאֶחָד עַל חֲבֵרָיו), to allude to the extension of her hair (לִרְמוֹז לְהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת שַׂעֲרָהּ), except that it is not made into so many curls, through the abundance of the principal hair, as is the case with Ze’ir (אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵינוֹ כָּל כָּךְ עָשׂוּי תַּלְתַּלִּים, בְּרִבּוּי עִיקַּר הַשֵּׂעָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁל זְעֵיר). And behold, because Ze’ir is close to Arich, and the hairs of Arich reach the hairs of Ze’ir, he whitens his hairs (וְהִנֵּה זְעֵיר לִהְיוֹת שֶׁאֲרִיךְ הוּא קָרוֹב אֶצְלוֹ, וּשְׂעָרוֹתָיו מַגִּיעִים אֶל שַׂעֲרוֹתָיו דִּזְעֵיר, מַלְבֵּן אֶת שְׂעָרוֹתָיו), but the hair of Arich does not reach the head of Nukvah (אֲבָל שְׂעָרוֹ שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ אֵינוֹ מַגִּיעַ לְרֹאשׁ נוּקְבֵיהּ), rather he is distant from them (אֶלָּא שֶׁהוּא רָחוֹק מִינַיְיהוּ), and this is not merely the weakening of the hair, such that her hairs should become blackened (וְאֵין זֶה לְקוּת הַשֵּׂעָר, בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיַּשְׁחִירוּ שְׂעָרוֹתֶיהָ), rather they become of the color of Tekhelet [Blue] (אֶלָּא נַעֲשִׂים מִגָּוֶון הַתְּכֵלֶת), which consumes everything, Heaven forbid (שֶׁהוּא מְכַלֶּה הַכֹּל רַחֲמָנָא לִיצְלַן). And therefore all colors are good in a dream except Tekhelet (וְלָכֵן כָּל הַגְּוָנִים הֵם טוֹבִים לַחֲלוֹם חוּץ מִתְּכֵלֶת), for it is an allusion that the attribute of judgment has prevailed against him to destroy him and uproot him from the world, whether his wealth or his children (שֶׁהוּא רֶמֶז שֶׁנָּצַח לוֹ מִדַּת הַדִּין לְכַלּוֹתוֹ, וּלְשָׁרְשׁוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם, אוֹ מָמוֹנוֹ אוֹ בָּנָיו), to the wise, a hint is sufficient (לְחַכִּימָא בִּרְמִיזָא). But there is another Tekhelet [Blue] (אֲבָל יֵשׁ תְּכֵלֶת אַחֵר), which is the secret of the Names of the Margala [barrier] that are upon her feet (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד שֵׁמוֹת הַמַּרְגָּלָא שֶׁיֵּשׁ עַל רַגְלֶיהָ), and this is the Tekhelet that they spread over the Mishkan (וְהוּא הַתְּכֵלֶת שֶׁהָיוּ פּוֹרְסִין עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן), and it is the secret of the seven Margala’in [barriers] [Margala] mentioned in the Zohar, Parashat Yitro (וְהוּא סוֹד הַשִּׁבְעָה מַרְגָּלָאִין [מַרְגָּלָא] הַנִּזְכָּרִים בְּסֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר [רַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא] פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ) [Ra’aya Meheimna, Yitro 91b–92a]. And corresponding to them are the guardians of the walls (וּכְנֶגְדָּם שׁוֹמְרֵי הַחוֹמוֹת), who guard the places where the Klipot might enter and attach themselves to her (שֶׁהֵם שׁוֹמְרִים בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם יִכָּנְסוּ וְיִדְבְּקוּ עִמָּהּ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and this is the Tekhelet [Blue] of the Tzitzit (וְהוּא הַתְּכֵלֶת שֶׁבַּצִּיצִית), from which they nourish their eyes and fear to touch it (שֶׁהֵם זָנִים עֵינַיִם מִמֶּנּוּ וִירֵאִים לִגַּעַת בּוֹ). And the angels that are in the Mishkan are called the guardians of the entrances of the Merkavah [chariot] (וְהַמַּלְאָכִים שֶׁבַּמִּשְׁכָּן נִקְרָאִים שׁוֹמְרֵי מְבוֹאוֹת הַמֶּרְכָּבָה), so that the Klipot will not draw near to them (לְבַל יִקְרְבוּ אֲלֵיהֶם הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), as it is said: “Upon your walls, O Yerushalayim, I have appointed guardians” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עַל חוֹמוֹתַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלִַם הִפְקַדְתִּי שׁוֹמְרִים) (Isaiah 62:6). And the reason they spread the Tekhelet upon her feet is because the Klipot become entangled more in her feet (וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁפּוֹרְסִים הַתְּכֵלֶת עַל רַגְלֶיהָ, כִּי בְּרַגְלֶיהָ מִסְתַּבְּכִים הַקְּלִיפּוֹת יוֹתֵר), as it is said: “Her feet descend to death” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת) (Proverbs 5:5), and it is said: “I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?” (וְנֶאֱמַר: רָחַצְתִּי אֶת רַגְלַי אֵיכָכָה אֲטַנְּפֵם) (Song of Songs 5:3). And whenever Yisrael are in exile, the Shekhinah is with them (וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁיִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם בַּגָּלוּת שְׁכִינָה עִמָּהֶם), as it is said: “I am with him in distress, I shall rescue him and honor him, with length of days I shall satisfy him and show him My salvation” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה, אֲחַלְּצֵהוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֵהוּ, אֹרֶךְ יָמִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵהוּ וְאַרְאֵהוּ בִּישׁוּעָתִי) (Psalms 91:15–16). And this itself is the meaning of the verse: “Rejoice with her in joy, all who mourn for her” (וְהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ הַטַּעַם שֶׁל הַפָּסוּק: שִׂישׂוּ אִתָּהּ מָשׂוֹשׂ כָּל הַמִּתְאַבְּלִים עָלֶיהָ) (Isaiah 66:10), its meaning being (יֵרָצֶה [לוֹמַר] בָּזֶה), since He is with me in distress and he afflicts himself over this, and weeps over the destruction of His House and over the exile of the Shekhinah (מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא עִמִּי בְצָרָה וּמְצַעֵר עַצְמוֹ עַל זֶה, וּבוֹכֶה עַל חֻרְבַּן בֵּיתוֹ, וְעַל גָּלוּת שְׁכִינָה), certainly “I shall show him My salvation” (בְּוַדַּאי אַרְאֵהוּ בִּישׁוּעָתִי), for whoever afflicted himself with the sufferings of the community will merit to see the consolations of the community (כִּי פְּלוֹנִי שֶׁצִּעֵר עַצְמוֹ בְּצָרוֹת צִבּוּר, יִזְכֶּה לִרְאוֹת בְּנֶחָמוֹת צִבּוּר). And in the future the verse shall be fulfilled: “And I shall magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself, and make Myself known before the eyes of many nations” (וְלֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, יְקוּיַּם הַפָּסוּק: וְהִתְגַּדַּלְתִּי וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתִּי וְנוֹדַעְתִּי לְעֵינֵי גּוֹיִם רַבִּים) (Ezekiel 38:23), which are the three Mochin of Ze’ir that will return to their place (שֶׁהֵם שְׁלֹשָׁה מוֹחֵי זְעֵיר, [שׁ]יַּחְזְרוּ לִמְקוֹמָם), for “eye to eye they shall see when Hashem returns to Tzion” (כִּי עַיִן בְּעַיִן יִרְאוּ בְּשׁוּב יְיָ צִיּוֹן) (Isaiah 52:8), and “all flesh together shall see, for the mouth of Hashem has spoken” (וְרָאוּ כָּל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו כִּי פִּי יְיָ דִּבֵּר) (Isaiah 40:5). Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (יִתְבָּרַךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).