Chapter Five (פֶּרֶק חֲמִישִׁי)

Before we explain the head of Arich Anpin and the body of Arich Anpin (קוֹדֶם שֶׁנְּבָאֵר הָרֹאשׁ שֶׁל א״א וְגוּפוֹ שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ), for there is no body without a head, and there is no head without a body (כִּי אֵין גּוּף בְּלֹא רֹאשׁ, וְאֵין רֹאשׁ בְּלֹא גּוּף), and hidden within it is the Reisha DeEin [Head of Nothingness] and the Sefirot [Emanations] of the Malkhut of Adam Kadmon, namely its body (וְנֶעְלָם בְּתוֹכוֹ אֵין וּסְפִירוֹת מַלְכוּת אָדָם קַדְמוֹן דְּהַיְינוּ גּוּפָהּ דִילֵיהּ). And I ask forgiveness from Hashem (וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁאַל הַמְּחִילָה מִי־יָ), for revealing that which is not revealed in any book (שֶׁגִּלִּיתִי מַה שֶּׁאֵינוֹ נִגְלֶה בְּשׁוּם סֵפֶר), for that which is clothed is exceedingly hidden (כִּי מַה שֶּׁהוּא מְלוּבָּשׁ הוּא נֶעְלָם מְאֹד), namely the body of Arich Anpin (דְּהַיְינוּ גּוּפוֹ שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ), which is clothed within Abba and Imma and Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah, and is hidden from sight (הוּא מְלוּבָּשׁ בְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּא וְזו״ן וְנֶעְלָם מִן הָעַיִן). Therefore Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai mentions only the openings of the head (לָכֵן הָרַשְׁבִּ״י אֵינוֹ מַזְכִּיר כִּי אִם נִקְבֵי רֹאשׁ), for from there light emerges to all the Partzufim of Atzilut (שֶׁמִשָּׁם יוֹצֵא אוֹר לְכָל פַּרְצוּפֵי הָאֲצִילוּת), and because it is of great necessity for the conduct of the flow of the Two Mochin [Mental Intellects] and the Two Atarot [Crowns], and the union of Abba and Imma (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא צֹרֶךְ גָּדוֹל אֶל הַהַנְהָגָה שֶׁל הַשְׁפָּעַת תְּרֵין מוֹחִין וּתְרֵין עַטְרִין, וְזִוּוּג אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and all the more so the clothing, which cannot be understood in any way (וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן הַהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת שֶׁאֵין לְהָבִין בְּשׁוּם פָּנִים), therefore I shall explain it in concise brevity (לָכֵן אֲבָאֲרֶנּוּ בְּקִצּוּר נִמְרָץ), that which is of great necessity (מַה שֶּׁהוּא צֹרֶךְ גָּדוֹל), and it is this (וְהוּא זֶה).

Know (דַּע), that Arich Anpin is the measure of the entire World of Atzilut (כִּי אֲרִיךְ הוּא שִׁעוּר כָּל הָאֲצִילוּת), and from it downward is Beri’ah (וּמִמֶּנּוּ וּלְמַטָּה בְּרִיאָה), and it is a complete Partzuf (וְהוּא פַּרְצוּף שָׁלֵם), and the Ein Sof clothes itself within it (וְאֵין סוֹף מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּתוֹכוֹ), namely the Malkhut of Adam Kadmon together with the line of the Ein Sof hidden within it (דְּהַיְינוּ מַלְכוּת אָדָם קַדְמוֹן עִם חוּט שֶׁל אֵין סוֹף הַגָּנוּז בּוֹ), and all the other Partzufim are garments for it (וּשְׁאָר כָּל הַפַּרְצוּפִין הֵם לְבוּשִׁין אֵלָיו). So too you will find in the Idra, Parashat Naso, daf 130 (כֵּן תִּמְצָא בָּאַדְרָא פָּרָשַׁת נָשֹׂא דַּף ק״ל), when it comes to explain the Dikna [Beard] of Atik (כְּשֶׁבָּא לְפָרֵשׁ דִּיקְנָא דְּעַתִּיק), it says, “The Dikna [Beard] hangs in its hairs down to the navel of the heart” (אָמַר דִּיקְנָא הוּא דְתָלֵי בְּשַׂעֲרוֹי עַד טִיבּוּרָא דְלִבָּא), thus it is a complete Partzuf (נִמְצָא שֶׁהוּא פַּרְצוּף שָׁלֵם). For if there were only the head there (שֶׁאִם אֵין שָׁם אֶלָּא הָרֹאשׁ לְבַד), how could the beard reach down to the navel (הֵיאַךְ מַגִּיעַ הַזָּקָן עַד הַטִּיבּוּר). And Abba and Imma also begin to clothe beneath its throat (וְגַם אַבָּא וְאִמָּא מַתְחִילִים לְהַלְבִּישׁ תַּחַת גְּרוֹנוֹ), and cover its Chesed, Gevurah, and Tiferet down to its navel (וּמְכַסִּים חג״ת שֶׁלּוֹ עַד טִיבּוּרוֹ), and how could it be possible that they cover the face (וְהֵיאַךְ יִתָּכֵן שֶׁיְּכַסּוּ הַפָּנִים), since they are among the Tikkunim of the head (כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֵם בְּתִיקּוּנֵי הָרֹאשׁ), whereas they are mentioned in the secret of the right and left hands (וַהֲלֹא הֵם מוּזְכָּרִים בְּסוֹד יָדַיִם יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל), namely Chesed and Gevurah (דְּהַיְינוּ חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה). Rather it is clear (אֶלָּא מְחוֹרְתָא), that it possesses a body together with the Reisha DeEin [Head of Nothingness] (שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ גּוּף עִם אֵין), and the Malkhut of Adam Kadmon also possesses a body (וְגַם מַלְכוּת אָדָם קַדְמוֹן יֵשׁ לָהּ גּוּף), as I shall explain in the sixth chapter (כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבָאֵר בַּפֶּרֶק הַשִּׁשִּׁי).

For if you should say (דְּאִם תֹּאמַר), how is it that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, peace be upon him, explained only the head in Atik (הֵיאַךְ לֹא פֵרֵשׁ רַשְׁבִּ״י ע״ה בְּעַתִּיק כִּי אִם הָרֹאשׁ לְבַד), he should have explained the entire Partzuf, just as he explains Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (הָיָה לוֹ לְפָרֵשׁ כָּל הַפַּרְצוּף כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפָרֵשׁ בְּזו״ן). And the reason is (וְהַטַּעַם), that what is revealed and attainable from Atik is only the head alone (כִּי מַה שֶּׁהוּא מְגֻלֶּה וּמֻשָּׂג מֵעַתִּיק אֵינוֹ כִּי אִם הָרֹאשׁ לְבַד), while the body is clothed within Abba and Imma and Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (וְהַגּוּף מְלוּבָּשׁ בְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּא וְזו״ן), therefore it is impossible to explain anything concerning it (לָכֵן אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר בּוֹ שׁוּם דָּבָר), except for a little of it, which I shall briefly explain in my commentary (אֶלָּא מְעַט מֵהֶם אֲקַצֵּר בְּפֵרוּשַׁי). And likewise you will find (וְכֵן תִּמְצָא), that when he comes to explain the Partzuf of Ze’ir Anpin, he says, “To make honor for His honor” (כְּשֶׁבָּא לְבָאֵר פַּרְצוּפוֹ דִזְעֵיר אוֹמֵר לְמֶעְבַּד יְקָרָא לִיקָרֵיהּ), and honor is the garment that clothes it and covers it so that it will not be revealed (וִיקָר הוּא לְבוּשׁ הַמַּלְבִּישׁ אוֹתוֹ וּמְכַסְיֵהוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִתְגַּלֶּה), and this is what the verse says, “The glory of God is to conceal a matter” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב כְּבוֹד אֱלֹהִים הַסְתֵּר דָּבָר) (Proverbs 25:2). And he said, “Honor for His honor” (וְאָמַר יְקָרָא לִיקָרֵיהּ), thus he explained that Ze’ir Anpin is the second garment (הֲרֵי פֵרֵשׁ שֶׁזְּעֵיר הוּא מַלְבּוּשׁ שֵׁנִי). And Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai also said (וְכֵן אָמַר רַשְׁבִּ״י), “Until the White Head of Atika deAtikin [Ancient of Ancients] was rectified” (עַד דְּרֵישָׁא חִוָּרָא עַתִּיקָא דְעַתִּיקִין אִתְתַּקַּן), and rectification applies only from Chesed downward (וְהַתִּיקּוּן אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מֵחֶסֶד וּלְמַטָּה), for at the time of the Shattering of the Vessels the first three were not shattered (כִּי בְּעֵת שְׁבִירַת הַכֵּלִים לֹא נִשְׁבְּרוּ הַשָּׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת), and if Atik consisted only of a head, what rectification would it have required (וְאִם אֵין בְּעַתִּיק כִּי אִם רֹאשׁ לְבַד מַה תִּיקּוּן הָיָה צָרִיךְ). And you will also find in the Idra itself, daf 141 (וְכֵן תִּמְצָא בָּאַדְרָא עַצְמָהּ דַּף קמ״א), “And Hashem God formed the man” (וַיִּיצֶר יְ־יָ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם) (Genesis 2:7), with two Yudin (בְּתַרְתֵּין יוֹדִין), “He completed a rectification within a rectification” (אַשְׁלִים תִּיקּוּנָא גּוֹ תִּיקּוּנָא), “and this is ‘formed’” (וְדָא הוּא וַיִּיצֶר), “what is ‘formed’?” (מַאי צַר), “He formed a form within a form” (צַר צוּרָה גּוֹ צוּרָה), “and this is ‘formed’” (וְדָא הוּא וַיִּיצֶר). Behold, it is explicitly stated that Ze’ir Anpin is a garment for Atik from its navel and downward (הֲרֵי מְפֹרָשׁ שֶׁזְּעֵיר הוּא לְבוּשׁ לְעַתִּיק מִטִּיבּוּרוֹ וּלְמַטָּה).