Chapter Fifty-Two (פֶּרֶק חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם)

Behold, you now have the explanation (הִנֵּה לְךָ בְּפֵירוּשׁ), that the growth of the arms was through the thirds (הַגְדָּלַת הַזְּרוֹעוֹת הָיָה עַל יְדֵי הַשְּׁלִישִׁים), together with all the rest of the Partzuf of Ze’ir Anpin (עִם כָּל שְׁאָר הַפַּרְצוּף שֶׁל ז"א), and the reason that all the growth was through thirds (וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁכָּל הַגִּידּוּל הָיָה עַל יְדֵי שְׁלִישִׁים), is because it is written (מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב): “And He comprehended in a third the dust of the earth” (וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִשׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ) (Isaiah 40:12). And the explanation is (וּפֵירוּשׁ), that dust is Tiferet (שֶׁעָפָר הוּא תִּפְאֶרֶת), and earth is the Shekhinah (וְאֶרֶץ הִיא הַשְּׁכִינָה). And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז"ל), “Everything was from the dust... even the sphere of the sun” (הַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר... אֲפִלּוּ גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה) (Bereishit Rabbah 12:11), behold (הִנֵּה), it is explicitly written that Tiferet is dust (בְּפֵירוּשׁ כְּתִיב שֶׁתִּפְאֶרֶת הוּא עָפָר), and the Shekhinah, everyone knows (וּשְׁכִינָה כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא יָדְעֵי), is called earth (שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת אֶרֶץ), and earth is from dust (וְאֶרֶץ מֵעָפָר הִיא). If so (אִם כֵּן), since Tiferet and Shekhinah are called earth and dust (מֵאַחַר שֶׁתִּפְאֶרֶת וּשְׁכִינָה נִקְרָאִים אֶרֶץ וְעָפָר), and Scripture revealed and stated (וְגַלִּי קְרָא וְקָאָמַר), “And He comprehended in a third the dust of the earth” (וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִשׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ) (Isaiah 40:12), it is certainly to inform us (הוּא וַדַּאי לְהוֹדִיעֵנוּ), that Tiferet and Malkhut, which are called earth and dust (שֶׁתִּפְאֶרֶת וּמַלְכוּת שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים אֶרֶץ וְעָפָר), their totality and their formation (כְּלָלוּתָם וַהֲוָיוֹתָם), are through thirds (הוּא עַל יְדֵי שְׁלִישִׁים), as I have explained (כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי). And that which they said (וַאֲמָרָם ז"ל), “Everything was from the dust... even the sphere of the sun” (הַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר... אֲפִלּוּ גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה) (Bereishit Rabbah 12:11), for the sun is Tiferet (כִּי חַמָּה הוּא תִּפְאֶרֶת), and the moon is the Shekhinah (וּלְבָנָה הִיא הַשְּׁכִינָה), and not Tiferet (וְלֹא תִּפְאֶרֶת), which is dust (שֶׁהוּא עָפָר), for indeed the sun comes from there (שֶׁהֲרֵי הַחַמָּה בָּאָה מִשָּׁם), as they said that the sphere of the sun was made from the dust (כְּאָמְרָם שֶׁגַּלְגַּל חַמָּה נַעֲשָׂה מִן הֶעָפָר). Rather (אֶלָּא), dust is called thus in its reality within Binah (עָפָר נִקְרָא בִּמְצִיאוּתוֹ בְּבִינָה), and the Shekhinah is called earth (וּשְׁכִינָה נִקְרֵאת אֶרֶץ), behold (הִנֵּה), Ze’ir is called dust (זְעֵיר נִקְרָא עָפָר), and earth is Malkhut (וְאֶרֶץ הִיא מַלְכוּת), and the verse says and includes (וְהַפָּסוּק אוֹמֵר וְכוֹלֵל): “the dust of the earth” (עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ) (Isaiah 40:12), both together (שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד), the explanation is (פֵּירוּשׁ), Tiferet joined with Malkhut (תִּפְאֶרֶת בְּהִצְטָרְפוֹ לְמַלְכוּת), Scripture revealed concerning both of them (גַלִּי קְרָא עַל שְׁנֵיהֶם), that their totality and their formation (שֶׁכְּלָלוּתָם וַהֲוָיוֹתָם), are through thirds (עַל יְדֵי שְׁלִישִׁים).

And since the verse has come into our hands (וְכֵיוָן דְּאָתָא הַפָּסוּק לִידָן), let us say a matter concerning it (נֵימָא בֵיהּ מִלְּתָא), and its explanation is (וּפֵירוּשׁוֹ): “Who measured the waters in the hollow of His hand” (מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם) (Isaiah 40:12), as above (כִּדְלְעֵיל), that there is a difference between a measure and a span (שֶׁיֵּשׁ הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין מִדָּה לְזֶרֶת), for the measure (שֶׁהַמִּדָּה), because it is a receptacle (לִהְיוֹתָהּ בֵּית קִבּוּל), after it is full and contains what it is fitting for it to contain (אַחַר שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה וּמַחֲזֶקֶת מַה שֶּׁרָאוּי לָהּ לְהַחֲזִיק), they are no longer able to measure with it (וְאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לִמְדוֹד עוֹד עִמָּהּ), until they empty it (עַד שֶׁיָּרִיקוּ אוֹתָהּ), and then they can measure with it a second time (וְאָז יְכוֹלִים לִמְדוֹד עִמָּהּ שֵׁנִית), and so it is every time that it is full (וְכֵן הוּא כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהִיא מְלֵאָה), they are unable to measure with it a second measure (אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לִמְדוֹד עִמָּהּ מִדָּה שֵׁנִית), until they empty it (עַד שֶׁיָּרִיקוּ אוֹתָהּ), and so it continues (וְכֵן הוּא), until they measure with it (עַד שֶׁמּוֹדְדִים עִמָּהּ), all that is necessary to measure (כָּל הַצֹּרֶךְ לִמְדוֹד). But the span (אֲבָל הַזֶּרֶת), because it is not a receptacle (לִהְיוֹת שֶׁאֵינוֹ בֵּית קִבּוּל), and it is a measure of dry goods (וְהִיא מִדַּת הַיָּבֵשׁ), and not a measure of liquids (וְאֵינָהּ מִדַּת הַלַּח), they measure continuously and go on measuring in a single operation (מוֹדְדִים וְהוֹלְכִים וּמוֹדְדִים בְּפַעַם אַחַת), and there is no need to empty it (וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהָרִיק אוֹתָם), when they wish to measure a second time (כְּשֶׁרוֹצִים לִמְדוֹד פַּעַם שֵׁנִית), since it is not a measure of liquids (מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינָהּ מִדַּת הַלַּח).

And now the intention of the verse is (וְעַתָּה הַכַּוָּנָה בַּפָּסוּק): “Who measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and measured the heavens with a span, and comprehended in a third the dust of the earth” (מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם וְשָׁמַיִם בַּזֶּרֶת תִּכֵּן וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִישׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ) (Isaiah 40:12). And behold (וְהִנֵּה), this is its explanation (כָּךְ פֵּירוּשׁוֹ): “Who measured the waters in the hollow of His hand” (מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם), “Who [Mi]” is Binah (מִי שֶׁהוּא הַבִּינָה), measured the waters in His hollow (מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם), meaning to say (רָצָה לוֹמַר), Binah took in its grasp (הַבִּינָה לָקְחָה בְּאֶגְרוֹפָהּ), namely “His hollow” (דְּהַיְינוּ שָׁעֳלוֹ), Ze’ir and his Nukvah (אֶת זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), who were in the secret of a drop (שֶׁהָיוּ בְּסוֹד טִפָּה), which is the secret of water (הוּא סוֹד מַיִם), wherein no individual drop is distinguishable (שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִכָּר כָּל טִפָּה וְטִפָּה), and the letters of the word of the Names are in their proper order (וְאוֹתִיּוֹת תֵּיבָה שֶׁל שֵׁמוֹת [הוּא] כְּסִדְרָם), mixed together and water includes many drops in a mixture (נֶאֱבָק וּמַיִם כּוֹלֵל בְּעֵרוּב כַּמָּה טִפּוֹת), and no individual one is distinguishable by itself (וְאֵינוֹ נִכָּר שׁוּם אֶחָד לְבַדּוֹ). And Binah separated and distinguished (וְהַבִּינָה הִבְדִּילָה וְהִפְרִישָׁה), through its measurements (בִּמְדִידוֹתֶיהָ), Ze’ir by itself and his Nukvah by herself (זְעֵיר לְבַדּוֹ וְנוּקְבֵיהּ לְבַדָּהּ), and the measurement is a liquid measure (וְהַמְּדִידָה הִיא מִדַּת הַלַּח), which serves to measure water (מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת לִמּוּד מַיִם), its numerical value is Melekh [king] (חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ מֶלֶךְ), which is Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהוּא ז"א), and with the word itself (וְעִם הַמִּלָּה עַצְמָהּ), it rises to the numerical value of Hashem and Adnut (עוֹלֶה לְחֶשְׁבּוֹן הוי"ה וַאֲדנו"ת), which is ninety-one (שֶׁהוּא צ"א), which is the numerical value of the names of Ze’ir and his Nukvah (שֶׁהוּא חֶשְׁבּוֹן שְׁמוֹת זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ). And this is the secret of (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד), “And He separated between the waters and the waters” (וַיְהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם) (Genesis 1:6–7), that He separated and distinguished (שֶׁהִבְדִּילָה וְהִפְרִישָׁה), between the waters of Ze’ir Anpin and the waters of his Nukvah (בֵּין מַיִם שֶׁל ז"א לְמַיִם שֶׁל נוּקְבֵיהּ), which had previously been mixed together (שֶׁהָיוּ מִקּוֹדֶם מְעוֹרָבִים), in the secret of a single drop alone (בְּסוֹד טִפָּה אַחַת לְבַדּוֹ).

Furthermore (עוֹד), the measure of “Mi [Who]” itself (מִדַּת מִי עַצְמָהּ), “and measured the heavens with a span” (שָׁמַיִם בַּזֶּרֶת תִּכֵּן), which is a dry measure (שֶׁהוּא מִדַּת הַיָּבֵשׁ), serving to measure the firmament (הַמְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת לִמּוּד רָקִיעַ), in the secret of the firmament of the heavens (בְּסוֹד רָקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם), which had not yet congealed (שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקָרֵשׁ עֲדַיִן), and they were liquid (וְלַחִים הֲווּ), and afterward they congealed (וְאִתְקְרִישׁוּ בָּתַר דָּא), and became heavens, fire and water (וְנַעֲשָׂה שָׁמַיִם אֵשׁ וּמַיִם), in the secret of the Zivug [union] (בְּסוֹד הַזִּוּוּג), as is known (כַּנּוֹדָע), and all of it was measured with a span (וְהַכֹּל תִּכֵּן בַּזֶּרֶת), the length of the heavens (אֹרֶךְ הַשָּׁמַיִם), which stretches itself out (שֶׁמְּרַקֵּעַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ), from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens (מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם). (Deuteronomy 4:32) And He gave it a boundary (וְנָתַן לוֹ גְּבוּל), in the Mochin and in the arms and in the legs of Ze’ir Anpin (בְּמוֹחִין וּבִזְּרוֹעוֹת וּבַשּׁוֹקַיִם דְּז"א), and that which it says (וְאוֹמְרוֹ), “and comprehended in a third the dust of the earth” (וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִישׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ) (Isaiah 40:12), means to say (רָצָה לוֹמַר), “Mi” [Who] completed (מִי כָּל), at the end of the upper third of the Tiferet of Ze’ir Anpin (בְּסוֹף הַשְּׁלִישׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁל ת"ת ז"א), “the dust of the earth” (עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ), which is his Nukvah (שֶׁהִיא נוּקְבֵיהּ). He brought forth (הוֹצִיא), from the upper third of his Tiferet (מִן הַשְּׁלִישׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁל ת"ת שֶׁלּוֹ), namely (דְּהַיְינוּ): at the end of this third is the place of the navel of the heart (בְּסוֹף הַשְּׁלִישׁ הַזֶּה יֵשׁ מְקוֹם הַטַּבּוּר דְּלִיבָא), and through that opening the Nukvah emerged from behind him (וְדֶרֶךְ הַנֶּקֶב יָצְאָה הַנּוּקְבָא מֵאֲחוֹרוֹי), opposite the chest (כְּנֶגֶד הֶחָזֶה). And this is the secret of the statement of Rashbi (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד מַאֲמַר הָרַשְׁבִּ"י), “From between the two arms she emerged to the back, from between his breasts” (מִבֵּין תְּרֵין דְּרוֹעִין נָפְקַת לַאֲחוֹר מִבֵּין חֲדוֹהִי) (source uncertain).

It follows according to this (נִמְצָא לְפִי זֶה), that the verse explains and continues (הַפָּסוּק שֶׁמְּפָרֵשׁ וְאָזִיל), the explanation of “the dust of the earth” (פֵּירוּשׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ), which are Tiferet and Malkhut (שֶׁהֵם ת"ת וּמַלְכוּת), how both of them were made through Binah (אֵיךְ נַעֲשׂוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם עַל יְדֵי בִּינָה), and their totality and their formation and their growth (וּכְלִילוּתָם וַהֲוָיוֹתָם וְגִדּוּלָם), were through thirds (הָיְתָה עַל יְדֵי שְׁלִישִׁים), as we explained above (כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ לְעֵיל), how the legs and the arms and the Mochin of Ze’ir Anpin came into being (אֵיךְ נִתְהַוּוּ שׁוֹקֵי וּזְרוֹעֵי וּמוֹחֵי זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין).