Chapter Five (פֶּרֶק חֲמִישִׁי)

In it shall be explained the third Tikkun called the Membrane of Air

(בו יפורש התיקון השלישי הנקרא קרומא דאוירא)

The third Tikkun is called the membrane of the air (הַתִּיקּוּן הַשְּׁלִישִׁי נִקְרָא קְרוּמָא דַאֲוִירָא), made from the Tiferet of the Malkhut of Adam Kadmon (נַעֲשֶׂה מִתִּפְאֶרֶת דְּמַלְכוּת אָדָם קַדְמוֹן), which enters within the Binah of Ein and Arich (אֲשֶׁר נִכְנֶסֶת בְּתוֹךְ בִּינָה דְּאַיִן וַאֲרִיךְ), and the membrane in which the brain is hidden within it and rests in it (וְהַקְּרוּם שֶׁהַמּוֹחַ גָּנוּז בְּתוֹכוֹ וּמוּנָח בּוֹ), “and from my flesh I behold God” (וּמִבְּשָׂרִי אֶחֱזֶה אֱלוֹהַּ) (Job 19), it is like the letter Vav (הוּא כְּמוֹ ו'). For the membrane is called firmament (כִּי הַקְּרוּם נִקְרָא רָקִיעַ), and the firmament is called Vav (וְהָרָקִיעַ נִקְרָא ו'), and it is the Vav that is in the middle of two Yudin (וְהִיא הַוַי"ו שֶׁבָּאֶמְצַע שְׁנֵי יוּדִין), of the Aleph (שֶׁל א), of Ein (שֶׁל אַיִן), and forever it is called Tiferet (וּלְעוֹלָם נִקְרָא ת"ת). And this Tikkun is the membrane of the air (וְהַתִּיקּוּן הַזֶּה הוּא קְרוּמָא דַאֲוִירָא), for the brain has upon it a membrane covering over it (שֶׁהַמּוֹחַ יֵשׁ עָלָיו קְרוּם חוֹפֶה עָלָיו), which does not open at all (דְּלָא מִתְפַּתַּח כְּלָל), and it covers over the brain between the skull and the brain (וּמְכַסֶּה עַל הַמּוֹחַ בֵּין גּוּלְגּוֹלָא וּבֵין מוֹחַ), and since between the brain and the skull there is air (וּלְפִי שֶׁבֵּין הַמּוֹחַ וְהַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת יֵשׁ אֲוִיר), therefore it is called “of the air” (לְפִיכָךְ נִקְרָא דַאֲוִירָא). And the explanation of the matters is (וּבֵיאוּר הַדְּבָרִים כִּי), that from the Tiferet this Tikkun of the membrane of the air is made (מֵהַת"ת נַעֲשֶׂה זֶה הַתִּיקּוּן שֶׁל קְרוּמָא דַאֲוִירָא), and the membrane is like the letter Vav which is in the Tiferet (וְהַקְּרוּם הוּא כְּמוֹ ו' שֶׁהוּא בַּת"ת), and likewise air [spirit] is Tiferet as is known (וְכֵן אֲוִיר [רוּחַ] הוּא ת"ת כַּנּוֹדָע), and below in Ze’ir Anpin it is not so pure (וּלְמַטָּה בִּזְעֵיר אֵינוֹ כָּל כָּךְ זַךְ), and it also opens below (וְגַם מִתְפַּתֵּחַ לְמַטָּה), but above it is not so (אֲבָל לְמַעְלָה אֵינוֹ כֵן), and therefore it says in Sifra deTzni‘uta (וּלְפִיכָךְ אוֹמֵר בְּסִפְרָא דִּצְנִיעוּתָא), “it became refined and sealed” (אִזְדַּכַּךְ וְסָתִים). And you must know one introduction (וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת הַקְדָּמָה אַחַת), that that air which was in the empty place (שֶׁאוֹתוֹ הָאֲוִיר שֶׁהָיָה בִּמְקוֹם הַפָּנוּי), namely in the place where there was half of the lower garment (דְּהַיְינוּ בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה חֲצִי הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ הַתַּחְתּוֹן), called primordial air (הַנִּקְרָא אֲוִיר קַדְמוֹן), and when the final Yod of the final Heh of the Name S"G descended (וּכְשֶׁיָּרְדָה הַיוּ״ד אַחֲרוֹנָה שֶׁל ה״י אַחֲרוֹנָה שֶׁל שֵׁם ס״ג), and made the sphere of the Tehiru within this air (וְעָשְׂתָה כַּדּוּר הַטְּהִירוּ בְּתוֹךְ הָאֲוִיר הַזֶּה), then the empty place became filled from this Tehiru (וְנִתְמַלֵּא מְקוֹם הַפָּנוּי מִן הַטְּהִירוּ זֶה), and the air that was within it departed to the sides (וְהָאֲוִיר שֶׁהָיָה בוֹ נִסְתַּלֵּק לַצְּדָדִים). And this primordial air (וְהָאֲוִיר קַדְמוֹן הַזֶּה) gives to this Adam Kadmon (נוֹתֵן לְאָדָם קַדְמוֹן זֶה), the filling of the cavities within him (מִלּוּי הֶחֳלָלִים שֶׁבּוֹ), from pure air (מֵאֲוִירָא דַכְיָא), and likewise Adam Kadma’ah (וְכֵן אָדָם קַדְמָאָה), from that pure air within him (מֵאוֹתוֹ אֲוִירָא דַכְיָא שֶׁבּוֹ), which is the Name M"H (שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם מ״ה), gives it to the Tiferet within him (נוֹתֵן אוֹתוֹ לְת"ת שֶׁבּוֹ). And afterward this pure air spread downward (וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִתְפַּשֵּׁט הָאֲוִיר דַכְיָא זֶה לְמַטָּה), through the Yesod within it (דֶּרֶךְ יְסוֹד שֶׁבּוֹ), to the Malkhut of the Adam Kadmon within it (לְמַלְכוּת אָדָם קַדְמוֹן שֶׁבּוֹ), namely the Reisha DeLa Ityada [the Unknowable Head] (דְּהַיְינוּ רֵישָׁא דְּלָא אִתְיְדַע), and from there to the Reisha DeEin [the Head of Nothingness] (וּמִשָּׁם לְרֵישָׁא דְּאֵין), and this is the Name M"H (וְזֶהוּ שֵׁם מ״ה). And from this air it gives it and joins it to the Name B"N (וּמִן הָאֲוִיר הַזֶּה נוֹתֵן אוֹתוֹ וּמְחַבְּרוֹ לְשֵׁם ב״ן), from the Tiferet of the Malkhut of this Adam Kadmon (מִת"ת שֶׁבַּמַּלְכוּת אָדָם קַדְמוֹן זֶה), and this Tikkun is made, namely the membrane (וְנַעֲשֶׂה תִּיקּוּן זֶה דְּהַיְינוּ קְרוּם), which appears drawn from the form of the letter Vav (שֶׁהוּא נִרְאֶה מָשׁוּךְ מִצּוּרַת ו׳), namely Tiferet as is known (דְּהַיְינוּ ת"ת כַּנּוֹדָע). And from the aspect of the air within it (וּמִבְּחִינַת הָאֲוִיר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ), the membrane upon the brain became refined (נִזְדַּכַּךְ הַקְּרוּם שֶׁעַל הַמּוֹחַ), and became filled with air (וְנִתְמַלֵּא אֲוִיר), and that air refines the membrane exceedingly (וְאוֹתוֹ הָאֲוִיר מְזַכֵּךְ הַקְּרוּם עַד מְאֹד). And with all this the membrane remains sealed (וְעִם כָּל זֶה הַקְּרוּם נִסְתָּם), and this sealing is in two aspects (וּסְתִימָא זוֹ הִיא בִּשְׁנֵי בְחִינוֹת). The first (הָרִאשׁוֹן), that it is sealed within itself (שֶׁהוּא נִסְתָּם בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ), so that they should not derive pleasure from its light (כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֵהָנוּ מֵאוֹרוֹ), and there would be caused for them breaking, Heaven forbid (וְיִגָּרֵם לָהֶם שְׁבִירָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), and the second (וְהַשֵּׁנִי), that it surrounds the dew of crystal (שֶׁמְּסַבֵּב הַטַּלָּא דִבְדוֹלְחָא), so that it should not descend below (שֶׁלֹּא יֵרֵד לְמַטָּה), and the attribute of mercy would become transformed into the attribute of judgment (וְיֵהָפֵךְ מִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים לְמִדַּת הַדִּין). And this is what it says in Sifra deTzni‘uta (וְהַיְינוּ דְּקָאָמַר בְּסִפְרָא דִּצְנִיעוּתָא), “the membrane of the air became refined and sealed” (קְרוּמָא דַאֲוִירָא אִזְדַּכַּךְ וְסָתִים). And it is called membrane (וְנִקְרָא קְרוּמָא), because the aspect of the Tiferet is judgment in relation to the pure air (לִהְיוֹת שֶׁבְּחִינַת ת"ת הוּא דִּין לְגַבֵּי אֲוִירָא דַכְיָא), and the nature of judgment is to congeal (וְהַדִּין טִבְעוֹ לְהַקְרִים), and this congealing is the aspect of the squaring of the Havayah in Ze’ir Anpin (וְהַהַקְרָמָה זוֹ הַיְינוּ בְּחִינַת רִבּוּעַ הַהֲוָיָה שֶׁבִּזְעֵיר), namely Tiferet in every place (דְּהַיְינוּ תִּפְאֶרֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם). And because the Havayah of Ze’ir Anpin is divided into two levels (וּלְפִי שֶׁהֲוָיָה דִּזְעֵיר נֶחְלָק לִשְׁנֵי מַדְרֵגוֹת), the levels of Yod, Heh, namely Chokhmah and Binah (מַדְרֵגוֹת י״ה דְּהַיְינוּ חָכְמָה וּבִינָה), and the levels of Vav, Heh, namely Tiferet and Malkhut (וּמַדְרֵגוֹת ו״ה דְּהַיְינוּ ת"ת וּמַלְכוּת), because in this place the Tiferet is judgment (לְפִי שֶׁבַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה ת"ת הוּא דִּין), and every judgment is square (וְכָל דִּין הוּא רִבּוּעַ), therefore every level, namely Yod, Heh and Vav, Heh, is a square unto itself (אִם כֵּן כָּל מַדְרֵגָה דְּהַיְינוּ י״ה ו״ה הִיא רִבּוּעַ בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ). And you shall say thus (וְתֹאמַר כָּךְ): Yod, Heh multiplied by Yod, Heh equals two hundred and twenty-five (י״ה פְּעָמִים י״ה עוֹלִים רכ״ה), Vav, Heh multiplied by Vav, Heh equals one hundred and twenty-one (ו״ה פְּעָמִים ו״ה עוֹלִים קכ״א), the total sum is three hundred and forty-six, according to the numerical value of “Kerum” [membrane] (סַךְ הַכֹּל שמ״ו כְּמִנְיַן קְרוּ״ם), and for this reason it is called the membrane of the air (וְלָזֶה נִקְרָא קְרוּמָא דַאֲוִירָא), for you already know that Avir [air] equals two hundred and seventeen (שֶׁכְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ שֶׁאֲוִיר עוֹלֶה רי״ו וְאֶחָד). And the intention is (וְהַכַּוָּנָה), that the Aleph itself in the Name M"H of this Tiferet (שֶׁהָאָלֶ״ף עַצְמָהּ שֶׁבְּשֵׁם מ״ה שֶׁל ת"ת זֶה), its form is Yod, which equals two hundred and sixteen, like this (צוּרָתָהּ יוּ״ד שֶׁהוּא רי״ו כָּזֶה): And the Aleph itself was established within it (וְהָאָלֶ״ף עַצְמָהּ נִקְבְּעָה בוֹ), from the Name Ehyeh of the root of the Name S"G in the ears of Adam Kadmon (מִשֵּׁם אֶהְיֶה שֶׁל שֹׁרֶשׁ שֵׁם ס״ג שֶׁבְּאָזְנֵי אָדָם קַדְמוֹן), and the breath that emerges from the ear, its root is from the pure air within the head of Adam Kadmon (וְהַהֶבֶל שֶׁיּוֹצֵא מִן הָאֹזֶן שָׁרְשׁוֹ מִן אֲוִירָא דַכְיָא שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ רֹאשׁ אָדָם קַדְמוֹן). And this root is the Aleph which is in the Name S"G established in the upper half of the garment (וְשֹׁרֶשׁ זֶה הִיא הָאָלֶ״ף שֶׁהִיא בְּשֵׁם ס״ג הַקָּבוּעַ בַּחֲצִי הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן), behold the Aleph together with Yod, Nun, Vav, Yod, Nun is Avir [air] (הֲרֵי הָאָלֶ״ף עִם יוּ״ד נוּ״ן וָי״ו יוּ״ד נוּ״ן הוּא אֲוִיר), and for this reason it is called the membrane of the air (וְלָזֶה נִקְרָא קְרוּמָא דַאֲוִירָא). And from this dew that is in this membrane the dead will live in the future to come (וּמִזֶּה הַטַּל שֶׁבְּהַקְּרוּם הַזֶּה יִחְיוּ הַמֵּתִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא), and there are also drops of excess lights (וְיֵשׁ גַּם כֵּן טִפִּין אוֹרוֹת עוֹדְפִין), namely the remnants of the Keter (דְּהַיְינוּ נוֹבְלוֹת הַכֶּתֶר), which will become Mayin Nukvin [feminine waters] of the resurrection of the dead (שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מַיִן נוּקְבִין שֶׁל תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים). And this is what is written in Pirkei Heikhalot (וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּפִרְקֵי הֵיכָלוֹת), that above there are storehouses of the resurrection of the dead (שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְמַעְלָה אוֹצָרוֹת שֶׁל תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים), and from this dew they grind Mayin Nukvin [feminine waters] for the righteous (וּמֵהַטַּל זֶה שׁוֹחֲקִין מ״ן לַצַּדִּיקִים), which is Mem, Nun of MNTZPKH (שֶׁהוּא מַ״ן שֶׁל מנצפ״ך), in the heavens (בִּשְׁחָקִים), which are in the Heikhal Ahavah [Palace of Love] (שֶׁהֵם בְּהֵיכַל אַהֲבָה). And within them are those lovers (וְיֵשׁ בָּהֶם אִינוּן רְחִימִין), who gave over their souls for the sanctification of the Name (שֶׁמָּסְרוּ נַפְשָׁם עַל קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם), who fulfilled the verse “And you shall love Hashem your God with all” (שֶׁקִיְּימוּ פָּסוּק וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל) “your heart and with all your soul” (לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ) (Deuteronomy 6), “even if He takes your soul” (אֲפִילוּ הוּא נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ) (Berakhot 61b).