Chapter Twenty-Five (פֶּרֶק עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה)

We said above (אָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה), that it will flow downward through the dew (כִּי יִזַּל עַל יְדֵי הַטַּל לְמַטָּה), “the paths of Hashem, which are Chesed and Emet [Truth]” (אָרְחוֹת י״י שֶׁהֵם חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת) (Psalms 25:10). And their secret is (וְסוֹדָם הוּא): through these two Names come all the paths of the six hundred and thirteen commandments (עַל יְדֵי הַבּ׳ שֵׁמוֹת הַלָּלוּ בָּאִים כָּל הָאוֹרְחוֹת שֶׁל תַּרְיָ״ג), and it is the Name A"B, thus (וְהוּא שֵׁם ע״ב כָּזֶה): Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh (יו״ד ה״י וי״ו ה״י), which equals Chesed [kindness] (הָעוֹלֶה חֶסֶד), and through the Name Ehyeh (וְעַל יְדֵי שֵׁם אֶהְיֶ״ה), for Ehyeh times Ehyeh equals Emet [Truth] (כִּי אֶהְיֶ״ה פְּעָמִים אֶהְיֶ״ה עוֹלֶה אֱמֶת). And all this is through the hairs of Arich (וְכָל זֶה עַל יְדֵי שַׂעֲרוֹת אֲרִיךְ), which reach the head of Ze’ir (הַמַּגִּיעִים עַל רֹאשׁ זְעֵיר), for they perform four actions in the head of Ze’ir (שֶׁהֵם עוֹשִׂים בְּרֹאשׁוֹ שֶׁל זְעֵיר ד׳ פְּעוּלוֹת). The first action (הַפְּעוּלָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה), is that which is called the division of the hairs (הִיא שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת פַּלְגוּתָא דְשַׂעֲרֵי), namely that it divides the hairs of Ze’ir in the middle of the head (דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁמְּחַלֵּק שַׂעֲרוֹתָיו שֶׁל זְעֵיר בְּאֶמְצַע הָרֹאשׁ), one division of the right side on one side (פַּלְגָא אֶחָד דְּיָמִין מִצַּד אֶחָד), and one division of the left side on one side (וּפַלְגָא דִּשְׂמֹאל מִצַּד אֶחָד). And this line of division (וְקַו פַּלְגוּתָא דָא), which in the Ashkenazic tongue is called “Shatil” (שֶׁקּוֹרְאִין בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז שָׁאטִי״ל), is made like a path between the aforementioned hairs (שֶׁהוּא נַעֲשֶׂה כְּמִין שְׁבִיל בֵּין הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרִים), and is called the Path of the Righteous (וְנִקְרָא אוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים), and concerning it is said (וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר): “And the path of the righteous is like the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day” (וְאֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ הוֹלֵךְ וָאוֹר עַד נְכוֹן הַיּוֹם) (Proverbs 4:18). This is Ze’ir Anpin, who is called “the perfect day” (הוּא ז״א הַנִּקְרָא נְכוֹן הַיּוֹם), the explanation being (פֵּרוּשׁ), aligned in its middle (מְכֻוָּן בַּחֶצְיוֹ), and this Path of the Righteous (וְזֶה הָאוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים), descends from Arich Anpin and spreads below into Ze’ir Anpin (הוּא בְּא״א יוֹרֵד וּמִתְפַּשֵּׁט לְמַטָּה בְּז״א), and also makes for him this path in his middle (וְעָשָׂה לוֹ גַּם כֵּן שְׁבִיל זֶה בְּאֶמְצָעִיּוּתוֹ), dividing the hairs to the right and to the left (שֶׁמְּחַלֵּק הַשְּׂעָרוֹת לַיָּמִין וְלַשְּׂמֹאל). And this Path extends into forbidden and permitted, impure and pure (וְאוֹרַח זֶה מִתְפַּשֵּׁט לְאִסּוּר וְהֶתֵּר, טָמֵא וְטָהוֹר), for all of them are held within the hairs of Ze’ir (כִּי כֻּלָּם אֲחוּזִים בְּשַׂעֲרוֹת זְעֵיר), but the impure is not within him (אֲבָל הַטָּמֵא אֵינוֹ בוֹ), rather they only take hold of these hairs during the time of Katnut [smallness] (רַק נֶאֱחָזִים בַּשְּׂעָרוֹת הַלָּלוּ בִּזְמַן הַקַּטְנוּת). And this is the meaning of “all the paths of Hashem” (וְזֶהוּ אוֹמְרוֹ כָּל אָרְחוֹת י־י) (Psalms 25:10), specifically (דַּוְקָא), for this is Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהוּא ז״א), who is called Hashem without qualification (הַנִּקְרָא י״י סְתָם). And within him there is Chesed [kindness] on the right (וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ חֶסֶד מִיָּמִין), and Emet [Truth], which are Dinin d’Keshot [judgments of truth], on the left (וֶאֱמֶת שֶׁהֵם דִּינִין דְּקְשׁוֹט מִשְּׂמֹאל), through A"B and Ehyeh of Abba and Imma (עַל יְדֵי ע״ב וְאֶהְיֶ״ה דְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּא), but in Arich Anpin there is no left side (אֲבָל בְּא״א אֵין בּוֹ צַד שְׂמֹאל), namely actual Din [judgment] itself (דְּהַיְינוּ בְּעֶצֶם דִּין), for he is entirely Panim [Countenance] and Rachamim [mercies] (שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ פָּנִים וְרַחֲמִים). And for this the Children of Yisrael longed (וְאֶל זֶה נִתְאַוּוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “Is Hashem among us or Ein?” (הֲיֵשׁ י״י בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן) (Exodus 17:7), between Ze’ir Anpin, who is called Hashem without qualification as mentioned (בֵּין ז״א שֶׁנִּקְרָא י״י סְתָם כָּאָמוּר), and Atika Setima’ah [The Concealed Ancient One], who is called Ein [Nothingness] (וּבֵין עַתִּיקָא סְתִימָאָה דְּאִקְרֵי אַיִן). And why were they punished (וְעַל מָה אִתְעַנְשׁוּ), because they did not act with love (מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא עָבְדוּ בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא), but rather by way of testing (אֶלָּא בְּנִסָּיוֹנִי), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “and because of their testing of Hashem” (וְעַל נַסּוֹתָם אֶת י־י) (Exodus 17:7).

It emerges for us from the matter under discussion (יָצָא לָנוּ מִנִּדּוֹן דִּידָן), that the division of the hairs in Ze’ir Anpin is literally right and left (שֶׁחֲלוּק הַשְּׂעָרוֹת בִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין הֵם מַמָּשׁ יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל), and “black as a raven” (וְשְׁחוֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב) (Song of Songs 5:11), which is the secret of the Klipah (שֶׁהִיא סוֹד הַקְּלִיפָּה), therefore it says “like a raven” (לָכֵן אוֹמֵר כָּעוֹרֵב), and not an actual raven (וְלֹא עוֹרֵב מַמָּשׁ), for the Klipah is the distortion of judgment (כִּי קְלִיפָּה הִיא עִוּוּת הַדִּין). Nevertheless (אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם), there are severe Dinim [judgments] within it (יֵשׁ בּוֹ דִּינִין תַּקִּיפִין), and it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר): “Adonai was like an enemy” (הָיָה אֲדֹנָי כְּאוֹיֵב) (Lamentations 2:5), and not an actual enemy (וְלֹא אוֹיֵב מַמָּשׁ). But in Arich Anpin there are great mercies (וּבְא״א יֵשׁ בּוֹ רַחֲמִים גְּדוֹלִים), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “And with great mercies I shall gather you” (וּבְרַחֲמִים גְּדֹלִים אֲקַבְּצֵךְ) (Isaiah 54:7), “for He desired to honor His beard” (דְּבָעָא לְאוֹקִיר דִּיקְנֵיהּ). “On that day” (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “It is one day, known to Hashem” (יוֹם אֶחָד הוּא יִוָּדַע לַי״י) (Zechariah 14:7), not the day of the attribute of Ze’ir Anpin (לֹא יוֹם שֶׁל מִדַּת זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and not the night of the attribute of the night of his Nukvah (וְלֹא לַיְלָה שֶׁל מִדַּת לַיְלָה דְּנוּקְבֵיהּ), but rather his Dikna [Beard] itself (אֶלָּא דִּיקְנָא דִּילֵיהּ מַמָּשׁ). And why is this Path called the Path of the Righteous (וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא אוֹרַח זֶה אוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים), because every righteous person (לְפִי שֶׁכָּל צַדִּיק וְצַדִּיק), when he departs from this world (כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ מֵעוֹלָם הַזֶּה), does not know the way to Gan Eden (אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ דֶּרֶךְ הַגַּן עֵדֶן), except through this light that illuminates below (אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי הָאוֹר הַזֶּה הַמֵּאִיר לְמַטָּה), and through it he gazes and sees with his intellect (וּבָזֶה הוּא מַבִּיט וְרוֹאֶה בְּשִׂכְלוֹ), through the light and the Ruach HaKodesh [Holy Spirit] that emerges from the Chotma Kadisha [Holy Nose] (עַל יְדֵי הָאוֹר וְהָרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ הַיּוֹצֵא מֵחוֹטְמָא קַדִּישָׁא), he knows what was, what is, and what will be (יוֹדֵעַ הָיָה הוֶה וְיִהְיֶה), and sees through it from one end of the world to the other (וְרוֹאֶה בּוֹ מִסּוֹף עוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ). As it is brought in Zohar Chadash (כְּדִאִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר חָדָשׁ) [Midrash HaNe’elam, The Discourse on ‘Let there be Lights’], Parashat Bereshit, daf 28b (פָּרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית דַּף כ״ח ע״ב): “For we have learned in our Mishnah” (דְּהָא תְּנַן בְּמַתְנִיתִין דִּילָן), “the light that the Holy One Blessed Be He created in the beginning” (אוֹר שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּתְּחִלָּה), “Adam would see through it and gaze from the beginning of the world to its end” (אָדָם הָיָה רוֹאֶה בוֹ וְצוֹפֶה מֵרֹאשׁ הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ).

“Come and see” (תָּא חֲזִי), “the illumination of the sun is one of sixty thousand and seventy-five portions” (נְהִירוּתָא דְשִׁמְשָׁא הוּא חַד מִשִּׁתִּין אַלְפִין וְשִׁבְעִין וַחֲמֵשׁ חוּלָקִין), “from that illumination of the Aspaklaria [Shining Mirror] of that hidden light” (מֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּתָא דְאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא דְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְאִתְגְּנִיז), “and even in this illumination of the sun, no person can gaze into it” (וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּהַאי נְהִירוּתָא דְשִׁמְשָׁא לֵית אִינִישׁ יָכִיל לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בֵּיהּ), “all the more so in that light” (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא). “But have we not said that a person gazed through it from the beginning of the world to the end of the world?” (וְהָא אָמְרַן דְּאִינִישׁ יִסְתַּכֵּל בֵּיהּ מֵרֵישָׁא דְעָלְמָא וְעַד סִיפָּא דְעָלְמָא), “rather, thus have we decreed in our Mishnah” (אֶלָּא הָכִי גָּזַרְנָא בְּמַתְנִיתָא דִּילָן), “that through that illumination a person is able to know and to see in the illumination of Chokhmah” (דְּבְהַהוּא נְהִירוּתָא יָכִיל אִינִישׁ לְמִנְדַּע וּלְמֶחֱזֵי בִּנְהִירוּ דְחָכְמְתָא), “everything that was” (כָּל מַה דַּהֲוָה), “and everything that will be from the beginning of the world until its end” (וְכָל מַאי דִּיחֲוֵי מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ דְעָלְמָא וְעַד סֵיפֵיהּ), “and that light was concealed for the righteous in the World to Come” (וְהַהוּא אִתְגְּנִיז לְצַדִּיקַיָּא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). “What is meant by ‘for the World to Come’?” (מַאי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), “when the holy Neshamah [soul] departs from this world” (כַּד יִיפּוֹק נִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא מֵהַאי עָלְמָא), “and goes with it into the World to Come” (וְיִיזִיל בָּהּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי), it is written (כְּתִיב): “And he was there with Hashem forty days and forty nights; bread he did not eat and water he did not drink” (וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם י״י אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַל וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתָה) (Exodus 34:28). What is the reason (מַאי טַעְמָא), because he was nourished from that radiance (מִשּׁוּם דְּאִתְהֲנֵי מֵהַהוּא זִיוָא), and even though he descended from there (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּנָחִית מִתַּמָּן), and that illumination did not descend with him (וְהַהוּא נְהִירוּתָא לָא נָחִית עִמֵּיהּ), they were not able to gaze upon the face of Moshe (לָא הֲווֹ יָכְלִין לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּאַנְפּוֹי דְּמֹשֶׁה), from what he gazed upon at first when he was there (מִמָּה דְּאִסְתַּכַּל בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד הֲוָה תַּמָּן), and his face remained shining (וְאִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ אַנְפּוֹהִי נְהִירִין), like this sun of the Aspaklaria HaMe’irah [Shining Mirror] (כְּהַאי שִׁמְשָׁא דְאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא הַמְּאִירָה), which receives from that radiance and light (הַמְקַבֶּלֶת מֵהַהוּא זִוָּא וּנְהוֹרָא). And therefore Moshe Rabbeinu is called a complete prophet (וְלָכֵן נִקְרָא מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ נָבִיא שָׁלֵם), through his perfection from this light (מִשְּׁלֵמוּתוֹ מִן הָאוֹר הַזֶּה), as it is said concerning him (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו): “And light dwells with Him” (וְנְהוֹרָא עִמֵּיהּ שְׁרֵי) (Daniel 2:22), and this is that which was concealed for the righteous in the World to Come (וְהוּא דְּאִתְגְּנִיז לְצַדִּיקַיָּא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “Light is sown for the righteous, and for the upright of heart, joy” (אוֹר זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה) (Psalms 97:11). And it is healing for the righteous (וְהִיא רְפוּאָה לַצַּדִּיקִים), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “But unto you that fear My Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in its wings” (שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה וּמַרְפֵּא בִּכְנָפֶיהָ) (Malachi 3:20). And it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר): “And those who love Him are as the sun when it goes forth in its might” (וְאֹהֲבָיו כְּצֵאת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בִּגְבֻרָתוֹ) (Judges 5:31). But for the wicked it is suffering (וְלָרְשָׁעִים הִיא צַעַר), for they are judged by it (שֶׁנִּדּוֹנִין בָּהּ), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “And the coming day shall burn them up” (וְלִהַט אוֹתָם הַיּוֹם הַבָּא) (Malachi 3:19). Likewise the Klipot (כְּמוֹ כֵן הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), which seek to ascend together with Klipat Nogah (הָרוֹצִים לַעֲלוֹת עִם קְלִיפַּת נֹגַהּ), on the eve of Shabbat (בְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא), at the time of adding from the profane to the holy (בְּעֵת הוֹסָפַת מֵחוֹל אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ), and the flame of fire emerges from beneath the Throne of Glory (וְיוֹצֵא הַשַּׁלְהוֹבִיתָא דְאֶשָּׁא מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד), and casts them into the female of the Tehoma Rabba [the Great Deep] (וּמַשְׁלִיכָם לְנוּקְבָא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא). As it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “When the wicked spring up as the grass” (בִּפְרֹחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּמוֹ עֵשֶׂב) (Psalms 92:8), namely Klipat Nogah (דְּהַיְינוּ קְלִיפַּת נֹגַהּ), “and all the workers of iniquity flourish” (וַיָּצִיצוּ כָּל פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן) (Psalms 92:8), and on the contrary, that ascent is the cause of their destruction forever (וְאַדְּרַבָּה הָעֲלִיָּה הִיא הַסִּבָּה לְהַשְׁמִידָם עֲדֵי עַד) (Psalms 92:8). And it is the cause of the depth of their fall below (וְהִיא סִבַּת עֹמֶק נְפִילָתָן לְמַטָּה), even lower, beneath their former level (יוֹתֵר לְמַטָּה תַּחַת לְמַדְרֵגָתָם). Likewise at the Minchah of Shabbat (וְכֵן בְּמִנְחָה שֶׁל שַׁבָּת), when they seek to ascend from the female of the Tehoma Rabba [the Great Deep] (שֶׁרוֹצִים לַעֲלוֹת מִנוּקְבָא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא), which is the time of their dominion during the weekdays (שֶׁהִיא הָעֵת שֶׁל שְׁלִיטָתָם בִּימֵי הַחוֹל), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “There all the beasts of the forest creep forth” (בּוֹ תִרְמֹשׂ כָּל חַיְתוֹ יָעַר) (Psalms 104:20). And then the Et Ratzon [Time of Favor] of the Metzach [Forehead] of Atika [the Ancient One] is revealed (וְאָז מִתְגַּלָּה הָעֵת רָצוֹן שֶׁל הַמֵּצַח דְּעַתִּיקָא), which is called Re’uta deRe’utin [Will of Wills] (הַנִּקְרָא רַעֲוָא דְרַעֲוִין), and it illuminates with a great illumination below into the Metzach [Forehead] of Ze’ir Anpin (וּמֵאִיר בְּמֵצַח דְּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין הֶאָרָה גְּדוֹלָה לְמַטָּה), and from this illumination they fall downward (וּמֵהַהֶאָרָה הַזֹּאת הֵם נוֹפְלִים לְמַטָּה). Like what happens to a person who gazes at the sun (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֵרַע לְאָדָם הַמַּבִּיט בַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ), who no longer possesses even his first sight (וַאֲפִלּוּ הָרְאִיָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה אֵין לוֹ), so too it is the cause of the doubling of their fall below (כָּךְ הִיא סִבַּת כֶּפֶל נְפִילָתָן לְמַטָּה). And then it is the time of favor of Re’uta deRe’utin [Will of Wills] (וְאָז הִיא שְׁעַת רָצוֹן שֶׁל רַעֲוָא דְרַעֲוִין), and therefore we say (וְלָכֵן אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים): “And as for me, may my prayer be unto You, Hashem, at a time of favor” (וַאֲנִי תְּפִלָּתִי לְךָ י״י עֵת רָצוֹן) (Psalms 69:14), and it should be said while wrapped in the Tallit (וְיֵשׁ לְאוֹמְרוֹ בַּעֲטִיפַת הַטַּלִּית).