Chapter Twenty-Two (פֶּרֶק עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם)

We said that in Katnut [smallness] Ze’ir Anpin attains five Elohim from Abba and five Elohim from Imma (אָמַרְנוּ שֶׁבְּקַטְנוּת זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין מַשִּׂיג ה׳ אֱלֹהִים מֵאַבָּא, וְה׳ אֱלֹהִים מֵאִמָּא), and through the power of these Gevurot [strengths] the hairs of Ze’ir Anpin are formed (וּבְכֹחַ אֵלּוּ הַגְּבוּרוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ הַשְּׂעָרוֹת שֶׁל זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and they are black as a raven (וְהֵם שְׁחוֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב), through the power of Din [judgment] (מִכֹּחַ הַדִּין). As our Sages of Blessed Memory said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַזַ״ל): “this black is really red, except that it has been stricken” (הַאי שָׁחוֹר אָדוֹם הוּא אֶלָּא שֶׁלָּקָה) (Niddah 19a), which is the power of Din [judgment] (שֶׁהוּא כֹּחַ הַדִּין), and these powers of Dinim [judgments] are ten Elohim from Imma (וְאֵלּוּ כֹּחַ הַדִּינִין הֵם עֲשָׂרָה אֱלֹהִים מֵאִמָּא), with the vessel of Abba within them (וּכְלִי אַבָּא בְּתוֹכָהּ), and they return upward after they descend (וְחוֹזְרִים לְמַעְלָה אַחַר שֶׁיָּרְדוּ), in the secret of Ohr Chozer [Returning Light] (בְּסוֹד אוֹר חוֹזֵר), and every Ohr Chozer [Returning Light] is Din [judgment] (וְכָל אוֹר חוֹזֵר הוּא דִּין). If so (אִם כֵּן), this which is Din [judgment] itself (זֶה שֶׁהוּא דִּין עַצְמוֹ), all the more so is such a severe Din [judgment] (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁהוּא דִּין קָשֶׁה כָּל כָּךְ), that the red is transformed into black (עַד שֶׁהָאָדוֹם נֶהְפָּךְ לְשָׁחוֹר), and this is what the verse says (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב): “His locks” (קְוֻצּוֹתָיו), meaning that the hairs are (שֶׁהַשְּׂעָרוֹת הֵם): “Tel-Tel [860]” (תַּל־תֵּל), which equals in numerical value ten Elohim (שֶׁעוֹלֶה כְּמִנְיַן עֲשָׂרָה אֱלֹהִים). And the letters “Yod-Mem” that are extra at the end of the word Taltalim [curled locks] (וְאוֹתִיּוֹת י״ם הַיְּתֵרוֹת שֶׁבְּסוֹף מִלַּת תַּלְתַּלִּים), are the number of letters contained in the ten Elohim (הֵם מִסְפַּר הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּעֲשָׂרָה אֱלֹהִים), which are fifty letters (שֶׁהֵם חֲמִשִּׁים אוֹתִיּוֹת), and therefore the verse concludes (וְלָזֶה סִיֵּם הַפָּסוּק): “black as a raven” (שְׁחוֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב) (Song of Songs 5:11). And through these the Klipot of the Pelishtim [Philistines] held fast (וּבְאֵלּוּ הָיוּ אוֹחֲזִים קְלִיפּוֹת בְּפְלִשְׁתִּים), whose numerical value equals ten Elohim (שֶׁעוֹלִים כְּמִנְיַן עֲשָׂרָה אֱלֹהִי״ם), and they feared greatly the holy right-sided Elohim of Abba (וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד מֵאֱלֹהִים קְדוֹשִׁים הַיְמָנִיִּים שֶׁל אַבָּא), which are five from his side (שֶׁהֵם חֲמִשָּׁה מִצִּדּוֹ), which are in the right hand of Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהֵם בְּיַד יָמִין דְּז״א), and descend to him in the secret of Hitlabshut [enclothement] (וְיוֹרְדִים אֵלָיו בְּסוֹד הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת). Therefore they said (וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ): “Who shall save us from the hand of these mighty Elohim? These are the Elohim that smote Egypt with every plague in the wilderness” (מִי יַצִּילֵנוּ מִיַּד הָאֱלֹהִים הָאַדִּירִים הָאֵלֶּה, אֵלֶּה הֵם הָאֱלֹהִים הַמַּכִּים אֶת מִצְרַיִם בְּכָל מַכָּה בַּמִּדְבָּר) (I Samuel 4:8). And this is what our Sages of Blessed Memory said (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַזַ״ל): “That every plague and plague that was in Egypt consisted of five plagues” (שֶׁכָּל מַכָּה וּמַכָּה שֶׁהָיְתָה בְּמִצְרַיִם הָיְתָה שֶׁל חָמֵשׁ מַכּוֹת), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “He sent upon them His fierce anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, a sending of evil messengers” (יְשַׁלַּח בָּם חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ עֶבְרָה וָזַעַם וְצָרָה מִשְׁלַחַת מַלְאֲכֵי רָעִים) (Psalms 78:49; Tanchuma Vayera 9). And they allude to the five right-sided Elohim (וְהֵמָּה רוֹמְזִים לְה׳ אֱלֹהִים הַיְמָנִיִּים), and they also contain five letters in each one of them (וְיֵשׁ בָּהֶם גַּם כֵּן ה׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת בְּכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם), and all their grasp is from the Katnut [smallness] (וְכָל אֲחִיזָתָם הִיא מֵהַקַּטְנוּת), and “the wicked are like the troubled sea” (וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ) (Isaiah 57:20). When the Gadlut [greatness] of Havayah comes (כְּשֶׁבָּא הַגַּדְלוּת שֶׁל הֲוָיָה), which are the Mochin and the inner Zivug [union] (שֶׁהֵם הַמּוֹחִין וְזִוּוּג פְּנִימִי), their grasp is nullified (נִתְבַּטְּלָה אֲחִיזָתָם), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “I am Hashem, that is My Name, and My glory I shall not give to another” (אֲנִי י״י הוּא שְׁמִי וּכְבוֹדִי לְאַחֵר לֹא אֶתֵּן) (Isaiah 42:8), and immediately they sink into the World of the Great Deep (וְתֵכֶף נִשְׁקָעִים בְּתוֹךְ עוֹלָם תְּהוֹם רַבָּא). And this slight dominion of their grasp in the secret of Katnut [smallness] (וְזֶה הַמְעַט שְׁלִיטַת אֲחִיזָתָם בְּסוֹד הַקַּטְנוּת), is only in order to sustain them for a single moment (הוּא כְּדֵי לְפַרְנֵס אוֹתָם בְּרֶגַע אַחַת), and immediately they flee from the Gadlut [greatness] (וְתֵכֶף בּוֹרְחִים מִן הַגַּדְלוּת), and are compelled to hide chamber within chamber (וּמֻכְרָחִים לְהֵחָבֵא חֶדֶר בְּתוֹךְ חֶדֶר), “in the world of the Nukvah of the Great Deep” (בְּעָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא). And you need to know (וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that when Yisrael would go out to war (שֶׁכְּשֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹצְאִים לַמִּלְחָמָה), the five right-sided Elohim were included with the five left-sided ones (הָיוּ נִכְלָלִים חָמֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים יְמָנִיִּים עִם חָמֵשׁ שְׂמָאלִיִּים), in order to take vengeance upon the enemies (כְּדֵי לְהִנָּקֵם מֵהָאוֹיְבִים), and from these ten Elohim only the right-sided ones were visible (וְלֹא הָיָה נִרְאֶה מֵאֵלּוּ הָעֶשֶׂר אֱלֹהִים כִּי אִם הַיְמָנִיִּים), for had the left-sided ones been visible (שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיוּ נִרְאִים הַשְּׂמָאלִיִּים), the Klipot would have taken hold of them (הָיוּ נֶאֱחָזִים בָּהֶם הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and for this reason the straps, which are black (וְלָזֶה הָרְצוּעוֹת שֶׁהֵם שְׁחוֹרוֹת), corresponding to the hairs mentioned above (כְּנֶגֶד הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרִים), the right one is longer than the left (הַיָּמִין יוֹתֵר אֲרוּכָּה מִשֶּׁל שְׂמֹאל). And to this alludes the verse (וְלָזֶה רוֹמֵז הַפָּסוּק): “When you go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem your God delivers him into your hand, and you take captives” (כִּי תֵצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה עַל אֹיְבֶיךָ וּנְתָנוֹ י״י אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ וְשָׁבִיתָ שִׁבְיוֹ) (Deuteronomy 21:10). And the word Ki [when] and the Tav of the word Tetze [Go out] (וּמִלַּת כִּ״י וְתָי״ו שֶׁל מִלַּת תֵּצֵ״א), equal in numerical value four hundred and thirty (עוֹלִים כְּמִנְיַן תַּ״ל), corresponding to the five right-sided Elohim (כְּנֶגֶד ה׳ אֱלֹהִים הַיְמָנִיִּים), which are visible together with the Unique Name (הַנִּרְאִים עִם שֵׁם הַמְיֻחָד), which is Havayah and Adnut (שֶׁהוּא הֲוָיָ״ה וַאֲדנוּ״ת), which equal ninety-one (שֶׁעוֹלִים צ״א), equal to Amen (כְּמִנְיַן אָמֵן), which is also ninety-one (שֶׁהוּא גַּם כֵּן צ״א), which is the remainder of the word Tetze [Go out] (שֶׁהוּא שְׁאֵרִית מִלַּת תֵּצֵא). And thus is the meaning of the verse (וְכָךְ הוּא מַשְׁמָעוּת הַפָּסוּק): “When you go out” (כִּי תֵצֵא), its secret is as mentioned (סוֹדוֹ כַּנִּזְכָּר), “to war against your enemies” (לַמִּלְחָמָה עַל אֹיְבֶיךָ), and it is obvious that “Hashem your God” will deliver them (וּפְשִׁיטָא שֶׁיִּתְּנֵם י״י אֱלֹהֶיךָ), who is Havayah together with the Elohim (שֶׁהוּא הֲוָיָ״ה עִם הָאֱלֹהִים), “into your hand” (בְּיָדֶךָ), and through these five (וּבְאֵלּוּ הַחֲמִשָּׁה), which correspond to the five fingers of the right hand (שֶׁהֵם כְּנֶגֶד ה׳ אֶצְבָּעוֹת שֶׁבִּימִינִית). But the hairs of his Nukvah are red (אֲבָל שַׂעֲרוֹת נוּקְבֵיהּ הֵם אֲדֻמִּים), and the faces of most women are red (וּפְנֵיהֶם שֶׁל רֹב נָשִׁים אֲדֻמּוֹת), because of these Gevurot (מִפְּנֵי הַגְּבוּרוֹת הָאֵלֶּה), and most of her Partzuf is built from these Gevurot (וְרֹב פַּרְצוּפָהּ נִבְנֵית מֵהַגְּבוּרוֹת הָאֵלֶּה), as I explained in its place (כַּאֲשֶׁר בֵּאַרְתִּי בִּמְקוֹמוֹ). And the hairs are not sweetened until the ten Havayot of Gadlut [greatness] arrive (וְהַשְּׂעָרוֹת אֵינָם נִמְתָּקִים עַד שֶׁבָּאִים עֶשֶׂר הֲוָיוֹת דְּגַדְלוּת), and then the hairs of Ze’ir are likewise sweetened (וְאָז גַּם כֵּן נִמְתָּקִים שַׂעֲרוֹת זְעֵיר), and become whitened from the hairs of Arich (וּמִתְלַבְּנִים מִשַּׂעֲרוֹת אֲרִיךְ), and the hairs of Arich become intertwined with the hairs of Ze’ir (וּמִסְתַּבְּכִים שַׂעֲרוֹת אֲרִיךְ עִם שַׂעֲרוֹת זְעֵיר), and from them is formed a kind of garment (וּמִתְהַוֶּה מֵהֶם כְּעֵין בֶּגֶד), which is the secret of the Tallit (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד הַטַּלִּית). And in Arich the hairs are one (וּבַאֲרִיךְ הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הֵם אֶחָד), entirely Rachamim [mercies] (הַכֹּל רַחֲמִים), and they are not divided into right and left (וְאֵינָם נֶחְלָקִים לְיָמִין וּלִשְׂמֹאל), as in Ze’ir (כְּמוֹ בִּזְעֵיר), but in Ze’ir Anpin they are divided into right and left (אֲבָל בִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין נֶחְלָקִים לְיָמִין וּלִשְׂמֹאל), and between them is one “Path” of Life (וְיֵשׁ בֵּינֵיהֶם אוֹרַח חַיִּים אֶחָד), called “the Path of the Righteous” (הַנִּקְרָא אוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “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), which is aligned in the middle (שֶׁהוּא מְכֻוָּן בַּתָּוֶךְ). And the word “Nachon” [perfect/aligned] (וּמִלַּת נָכוֹן), is like aligned at the middle of the day (הוּא כְּמוֹ מְכֻוָּן בְּאֶמְצַע הַיּוֹם), which is Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהוּא זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), called the “Attribute of Day” (הַנִּקְרָא מִדַּת יוֹם), and the choicest part of the Attribute of Day is in his head (וְהַחֵלֶק הַיָּפֶה מִמִּדַּת הַיּוֹם הוּא בְּרֹאשׁוֹ), and this is the secret of this Path of the Righteous (וְהִיא סוֹד הָאוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים זֶה), which is in the middle of the head (שֶׁהוּא בְּאֶמְצַע הָרֹאשׁ), illuminated from Arich Anpin (הַמֵּאִיר מֵאֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין).

And I, Naftali (וַאֲנִי נַפְתָּלִי), my prayer is to Hashem (תְּפִלָּתִי לַי־י), the true God, the Life of the worlds (אֵל אֱמֶת חַי הָעוֹלָמִים), may He illuminate me through the Head of Arich Anpin (יָאִיר לִי עַל יְדֵי רֹאשׁ אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין), called Atik Yomaya (הַנִּקְרָא עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא), from this Path of the Righteous (מֵאוֹרַח צַדִּיקִים הַזֶּה), which is in the head of Ze’ir Anpin (אֲשֶׁר בְּרֹאשׁ זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), to understand proverb and parable, the words of the Tannaim, the Sages, and their riddles (לְהָבִין מָשָׁל וּמְלִיצָה דִּבְרֵי תַּנָּאִים חֲכָמִים וְחִידוֹתָם), those who expound severe matters in the Razin [secrets] of Atik Yomin (דּוֹרְשֵׁי חֲמוּרוֹת בְּרָזִין דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּיא). And the five Partzufim included in the Name of His Unity, Great and Holy is He (וַחֲמִשָּׁה פַּרְצוּפִין הַנִּכְלָלִים בְּשֵׁם יִחוּדוֹ הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ הוּא), to drink living waters from the spring of Chokhmah (לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם חַיִּים מֵהַמַּעְיָן חָכְמָה), flowing from Levanon (הַנּוֹזְלִים מִן לְבָנוֹ״ן), which are the four Names of Unity that equal Levanon (שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָּעָה שֵׁמוֹת הַיִּחוּד הָעוֹלִים לְבָנוֹ״ן) [Adonai, Ehyeh, Havayah, Havayah] ([אדני אהיה הויה הויה]). May Yaakov rejoice, may Yisrael be glad (יָגֵל יַעֲקֹב יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל), blessed is Hashem forever (יִתְבָּרַךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם), Amen and Amen (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).