Chapter Forty-Eight (פֶּרֶק אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה)

You must know another influence in the calculation of El Elyon Gomel [God Most High Who Weans] (צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת הַשְׁפָּעָה אַחֶרֶת בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן אֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹמֵל), that in Binah there is the S"G of Havayah (שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּבִינָה שֵׁם ס״ג שֶׁל הֲוָיָ״ה), like this: Yud Heh Vav Heh (כָּזֶה: יוּ״ד הֵ״י וָא״ו הֵ״י). And in it there are three Yudin and one Aleph, which rise to El (וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ ג׳ יוּדִי״ן וְאַלֶ״ף אַחַת שֶׁעוֹלָה אֵ״ל), and in the squared calculation this Name rises to Kuf-Samekh-Vav [166], corresponding to Elyon [Supernal] (וּבְמִסְפַּר מְרֻבָּע עוֹלֶה שֵׁם זֶה קס״ו כְּמִנְיַן עֶלְיוֹ״ן), like this: Yud (יוּ״ד), Yud Heh (יוּ״ד הֵ״י), Yud Heh Vav (יוּ״ד הֵ״י וָא״ו), Yud Heh Vav Heh (יוּ״ד הֵ״י וָא״ו הֵ״י), rises to Kuf-Samekh-Vav [166] corresponding to Elyon [Supernal] (עוֹלֶה קס״ו כְּמִנְיַן עֶלְיוֹן). And this is the secret of El-Elyon [God Most High] in another manner (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד אֵל־עֶלְיוֹן בְּאֹפֶן אַחֵר), for above we explained the attribute Elyon [Supernal] alone (כִּי לְמַעְלָה בֵּאַרְנוּ תֹּאַר עֶלְיוֹן לְבַדּוֹ), through the Name Ehyeh in the filling of Yudin (בְּשֵׁם אֶהְיֶ״ה בְּמִלּוּי יוּדִי״ן), now this and that are through S"G (עַכְשָׁיו זֶה וְזֶה בְּשֵׁם ס״ג), namely through the number El and the number Elyon [Supernal], both of them in S"G which is in Imma (דְּהַיְנוּ בְּמִסְפַּר אֵ״ל וּמִסְפַּר עֶלְיוֹ״ן שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּס״ג שֶׁהוּא בְּאִמָּא), and then she is called El Elyon Gomel Chasadim [God Most High Who Bestows Kindnesses] (וְאָז נִקְרֵאת אֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים), according to the meaning of “when she had weaned him” (כְּטַעַם כַּאֲשֶׁר גְּמָלַתּוּ) (I Samuel 1:24), as stated (כָּאָמוּר). And through this you will understand the statement of the Zohar (וּבָזֶה תָּבִין מַאֲמַר הַזֹּהַר), “Two children whom Imma nursed, and she became impregnated from them” (תְּרֵין בְּנִין דְּיָנְקָא לְהוֹ אִמָּא וְאִתְעַבְּרַת מִנַּיְיהוּ), and its explanation is to make the matter understandable (וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ כְּדֵי לְשַׁכֵּךְ הָאֹזֶן), just as a youth after he is born, until nine years, his intercourse is not considered intercourse (כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַנַּעַר אַחַר שֶׁנּוֹלַד עַד ט׳ שָׁנִים אֵין בִּיאָתוֹ בִּיאָה), because he has no Da’at [Knowledge] (לְפִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ דַּעַת), and even afterward he does not possess complete Da’at [Knowledge] until thirteen years and one day (וְגַם אַחַר כָּךְ אֵין בּוֹ דַּעַת שְׁלֵמָה עַד י״ג שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד), so too in Ze’ir Anpin (כָּךְ בְּז״א), after he nurses and benefits from that light of the Name Ehyeh in the secret of Elyon [Supernal] (אַחַר שֶׁיּוֹנֵק וְנֶהֱנֶה מֵאוֹתוֹ הָאוֹר שֶׁל שֵׁם אֶהְיֶ״ה בְּסוֹד עֶלְיוֹן), until all ten have spread forth, which are nine years and one day (עַד שֶׁנִּתְפַּשְּׁטוּ כָּל הָעֲשָׂרָה שֶׁהֵם ט׳ שָׁנִים וְיוֹם אֶחָד), and therefore he returned and became included within Binah in order to receive Mochin [Mental Lights] (וְלָכֵן חָזַר וְנִכְלַל בְּתוֹךְ הַבִּינָה לָתֵת לוֹ מוֹחִין). Namely, his Ohr haPenimi [Inner Light] returned and became included within Binah (דְּהַיְנוּ הָאוֹר הַפְּנִימִי שֶׁלּוֹ חָזַר וְנִכְלַל בְּתוֹךְ הַבִּינָה), not his Kelim [Vessels] (לֹא הַכֵּלִים שֶׁלּוֹ), and this is the second Ibbur [Impregnation] (וְזֶהוּ עִיבּוּר שֵׁנִי), which is called the second Katnut [Smallness] (שֶׁהוּא נִקְרָא קַטְנוּת שֵׁנִי), for Imma returned and received into her womb (שֶׁחָזְרָה אִמָּא וְקָלְטָה בִּמְעֶיהָ), namely into her Yesod (דְּהַיְנוּ בִּיסוֹד שֶׁלָּהּ), Ze’ir Anpin and his Nukvah (אֶת זְעִיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), in order to make for him a second Gadlut [Greatness] (כְּדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ גְּדוּל שֵׁנִי), to strengthen his limbs (לְחַזֵּק אֵיבָרָיו), and in order to include him within her Six Extremities (וּכְדֵי לְכָלְלוֹ בְּשֵׁשׁ קְצָווֹת דִּידָהּ), and within the Six Extremities of Abba (וּבְשֵׁשׁ קְצָווֹת דְּאַבָּא).

Therefore Ze’ir Anpin folded himself three within three on the side of the front (לָכֵן נִתְקַפֵּל זְעִיר תְּלָת גּוֹ תְּלָת מִצַּד פָּנִים), namely his Netzach, Hod, and Yesod opposite his Chesed, Gevurah, and Tiferet (דְּהַיְנוּ נה״י דִּידֵיהּ לְעוּמַת חג״ת דִּידֵיהּ), and also the Sefirah of Tiferet folded, its lower middle third opposite its upper middle third (וְגַם סְפִירַת תִּפְאֶרֶת נִתְקַפְּלָה אֶמְצָעִית הַתַּחְתּוֹן כְּנֶגֶד אֶמְצָעִי הָעֶלְיוֹן), in such a manner that Yaakov was found aligned opposite Yisrael Na’ar [Youthful Israel] (בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁנִּמְצָא יַעֲקֹב מְכֻוָּן כְּנֶגֶד נַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל). And she also folded on the side of his back (וְכֵן נִתְקַפְּלָה גַּם כֵּן מִצַּד אֲחוֹרָיו), namely Rachel opposite Leah (דְּהַיְנוּ רָחֵל כְּנֶגֶד לֵאָה), thus according to this Leah was closer to Yaakov than Rachel (נִמְצָא לְפִי זֶה שֶׁלֵּאָה סְמוּכָה לְיַעֲקֹב יוֹתֵר מֵרָחֵל), and therefore Yaakov married Leah before Rachel (וּלְפִיכָךְ נָשָׂא יַעֲקֹב לֵאָה קֹדֶם רָחֵל). And this folding is called the second Katnut [Smallness] (וְהִתְקַפְּלוּת זֶה נִקְרָא קַטְנוּת שֵׁנִי), because when he was the first time in the womb of Imma (לְפִי שֶׁבִּהְיוֹתוֹ בַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹן בִּמְעֵי אִמָּא), he was then called the first Katnut [Smallness] (נִקְרָא אָז קַטְנוּת רִאשׁוֹן), and afterward he grew, as stated (וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִתְגַּדֵּל כָּאָמוּר), and now that he returned and diminished himself in order to enter a second time into the womb of Imma (וְעַתָּה שֶׁחָזַר וְהִקְטִין עַצְמוֹ כְּדֵי לִכְנוֹס שֵׁנִית בִּמְעֵי אִמָּא), he is called the second Katnut [Smallness] (נִקְרָא קַטְנוּת שֵׁנִי). And this Ibbur [Impregnation] continued twelve months (וְנִמְשַׁךְ זֶה הָעִיבּוּר י״ב חֳדָשִׁים), which are three months more than the first Ibbur [Impregnation] (שֶׁהֵם שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים יוֹתֵר מֵהָעִבּוּר הָרִאשׁוֹן). And this was because in the first Ibbur [Impregnation] the point of Malkhut was not recognizable (וְהָיָה זֶה לְפִי שֶׁבָּעִיבּוּר הָרִאשׁוֹן נְקוּדַת מַלְכוּת לֹא הָיְתָה נִכֶּרֶת), for she was then in the secret of a tail, as mentioned above (שֶׁהָיְתָה אָז בְּסוֹד זָנָב כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל), and because of the folding (וְלְסִבַּת הַהִתְקַפְּלוּת), only the outer side of the folding was visible (לֹא הָיָה נִרְאֶה אֶלָּא צַד הַחִיצוֹן שֶׁל הַהִתְקַפְּלוּת), which was Netzach, Hod, and Yesod, which covered the middle third (שֶׁהוּא נה״י שֶׁהָיָה מְכַסֶּה שְׁלִישׁ הָאֶמְצָעִי), which is Gedulah, Gevurah, and Tiferet (שֶׁהוּא גג״ת). And that outer third was included in this manner (וְהַשְּׁלִישׁ הַחִיצוֹן הַהוּא כָּלוּל בְּאֹפֶן זֶה), namely that each one of the thirds was included from its neighboring companions (הַיְנוּ שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מֵהַשְּׁלִישִׁים הָיְתָה כְּלוּלָה מֵחֲבֶרְתָּהּ הַסְּמוּכוֹת לָהּ), Netzach included from Yesod and Hod (נֵצַח כָּלוּל מִיסוֹד וְהוֹד), and likewise all of them (וְכֵן כֻּלָּם), thus among the three of them they are nine (נִמְצָא שֶׁבֵּין שְׁלָשְׁתָּם הֵם תִּשְׁעָה). And these are months (וְהֵם חֳדָשִׁים), because Netzach, Hod, and Yesod allude to the secret of the months (כִּי נה״י רוֹמְזִים סוֹד הֶחֳדָשִׁים), and an allusion to this is “They are new every morning” (וְרֶמֶז לָזֶה חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים) (Lamentations 3:23), for they, namely Netzach, Hod, and Yesod, are the months that renew their Sefirot (שֶׁהֵם נה״י הֵם חֳדָשִׁים הַמְחַדְּשִׁים סְפִירוֹתֵיהֶם), and also each one of these three is included from ten (וְגַם כֵּן כָּל אֶחָד מֵאֵלּוּ הַג׳ כָּלוּל מֵעֶשֶׂר), and three times ten are thirty (וְשָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים עֶשֶׂר הֲרֵי שְׁלֹשִׁים), and from this the Ibbur [Impregnation] of nine months was drawn forth (וּמִזֶּה נִמְשַׁךְ הָעִיבּוּר ט׳ חֳדָשִׁים).

However, in the second Ibbur [Impregnation], since Malkhut was visible (אָמְנָם בָּעִיבּוּר הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁהָיְתָה מַלְכוּת נִרְאֵית), it follows that the outer side of the folding was of four Sefirot, namely Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malkhut (נִמְצָא שֶׁצַּד הַחִיצוֹן שֶׁל הַהִתְקַפְּלוּת הָיָה שֶׁל אַרְבַּע סְפִירוֹת נהי״ם), for Malkhut was included with each and every one of them (שֶׁמַּלְכוּת נִכְלְלָה עִם כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם), and she was subordinate to each and every one of them (וְהָיְתָה טְפֵלָה לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם), in the secret of “a female shall encompass a man” (בְּסוֹד נְקֵבָה תְּסוֹבֵב גָּבֶר) (Jeremiah 31:21), namely Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malkhut (דְּהַיְנוּ נהי״ם). And since each one of them was included from four (וּבִהְיוֹת כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם כְּלוּלָה מֵאַרְבַּע), namely Malkhut together with the three mentioned above (דְּהַיְנוּ מַלְכוּת עִם הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה הַנִּזְכָּרִים), and she is not counted in the number (וְהִיא אֵינָהּ מִן הַמִּנְיָן), so as not to count four of her portion alone (שֶׁלֹּא לִמְנוֹת ד׳ שֶׁל חֶלְקָהּ לְבַדָּהּ), namely, altogether four times four would be sixteen (דְּהַיְנוּ סַךְ הַכֹּל ד׳ פְּעָמִים ד׳ יִהְיֶה ט״ז), but since she is female and subordinate in the calculation to the other three (וּלְפִי שֶׁהִיא נְקֵבָה וּטְפֵלָה בַּחֶשְׁבּוֹן לַשָּׁלֹשׁ הָאֲחֵרוֹת), therefore they are only three times four (לָכֵן אֵינָם אֶלָּא ג׳ פְּעָמִים ד׳), which are twelve months (שֶׁהֵם י״ב חֳדָשִׁים). Therefore the time of the second Ibbur [Impregnation] extended for twelve months (לָכֵן נִמְשַׁךְ זְמַן הָעִיבּוּר הַשֵּׁנִי י״ב חֳדָשִׁים). And this is in the secret of “and afterward she bore a daughter” (וְהוּא בְּסוֹד וְאַחַר יָלְדָה בַּת) (Genesis 30:21), who delayed twelve months (שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּהֲתָה י״ב חֹדֶשׁ), the secret of Malkhut which required rectification in this Ibbur [Impregnation] (סוֹד הַמַּלְכוּת הַצְּרִיכָה תִּיקּוּן בָּעִיבּוּר הַזֶּה). And the secret of this Ibbur [Impregnation] is that Ze’ir Anpin nurses from the Name Kuf-Nun-Aleph [161] (וְסוֹד הָעִיבּוּר הַזֶּה שֶׁיּוֹנֵק זְעִיר מִשֵּׁם קנ״א), which is the Name Ehyeh in the filling of Hehin, like this: Aleph Heh Heh Yud Heh Heh (שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם אֶהְיֶ״ה בְּמִלּוּי הֶהִי״ן כָּזֶה: אֶלֶ״ף הֶ״ה יוּ״ד הֶ״ה), together with the Name Adonai (עִם שֵׁם אֲדנ״י), which is the number Samekh-Heh (שֶׁהוּא מִסְפַּר ס״ה), behold, together they rise to Reish-Yud-Vav [216] (הֲרֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם עוֹלִים רי״ו), cast upon them the Name Ayin-Bet of Abba (הַטֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם שֵׁם ע״ב דְּאַבָּא), behold, “Vaya’avor” [and He passed] (הֲרֵי וַיַּעֲבֹר), which are the letters of Ibbur [Impregnation] (שֶׁהֵם אוֹתִיּוֹת עִיבּוּר). And this is the secret of the second Ibbur [Impregnation] (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד עִיבּוּר שֵׁנִי). And after he was in the womb of Imma in the second Ibbur [Impregnation] for twelve months, as stated (וְאַחֲרֵי הֱיוֹתוֹ בְּבֶטֶן אִמָּא בְּעִיבּוּר שֵׁנִי י״ב חֳדָשִׁים כָּאָמוּר), he emerged from there, and his Nukvah with him, in their form and in their stature (יָצָא מִשָּׁם וְנוּקְבֵיהּ עִמּוֹ בְּצִבְיוֹנָם וּבְקוֹמָתָם), in such a manner that this time he did not require, as in the first time, enlargement of the limbs (בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁלֹּא הֻצְרַךְ בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת כַּפַּעַם הָרִאשׁוֹן לְגִדּוּל הָאֵיבָרִים), because he was, so to speak, complete in his limbs (לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה כִּבְיָכוֹל שָׁלֵם בָּאֵיבָרִים). And an allusion to this is their statement of blessed memory (וְרֶמֶז לָזֶה מַאֲמָרָם זַ״ל), “All the works of Creation were created in their full stature, were created with their knowledge, and were created with their form” (כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית בְּקוֹמָתָן נִבְרְאוּ בְּדַעְתָּן נִבְרְאוּ וּבְצִבְיוֹנָם נִבְרְאוּ) (Chullin 60a).