Chapter Nine (פֶּרֶק תְּשִׁיעִי)

The general principle of the matters that we said above is (כְּלָל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה), that Arich Anpin has hairs and strands and locks (שֶׁיֵּשׁ לַאֲרִיךְ שַׂעֲרוֹת וְנִימִין וְקוּצִין), and all of them are complete mercies (וְכֻלָּם רַחֲמִים גְּמוּרִים), and likewise in Ze’ir Anpin there are hairs and strands and locks (וְכֵן יֵשׁ בִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין שַׂעֲרִין וְנִימִין וְקוּצִין). Hairs are small springs of light for itself (שַׂעֲרוֹת הֵם קְטַנִּים מַבּוּעֵי אוֹר לְדִידֵיהּ), strands are longer threads reaching until the head of the Nukvah (נִימִין הֵם חוּטִים יוֹתֵר אֲרוּכִים וּמַגִּיעִים עַד רֵישָׁא דְנוּקְבָא). Upon that head emerges illumination from its Mochin (עַל אוֹתוֹ הָרֵישָׁא יוֹצְאוֹת הֶאָרָה מֵהַמּוֹחִין דִּילֵיהּ), for the head of its Nukvah is to its left (שֶׁרֹאשׁ נוּקְבֵּיהּ הִיא לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ), where the Tefillin of the hand are (שֶׁשָּׁם תְּפִלִּין שֶׁל יָד), and those hairs emerge from the Chokhmah of Ze’ir Anpin (וְשַׂעֲרֵי הַהֵם יוֹצְאִים מֵהַחָכְמָה שֶׁל זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and strands are from the Binah of Ze’ir Anpin (וְנִימִין הֵם מִבִּינָה שֶׁל זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and locks are from the Da’at of Ze’ir Anpin (וְקוּצִי מִדַּעַת שֶׁל זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and the hairs of the Nukvah are longer than those of Ze’ir Anpin (וְשַׂעֲרוֹת נוּקְבֵּיהּ הֵם יוֹתֵר אֲרוּכִים מִשֶּׁל זְעֵיר).

And know (וְדַע), that Abba and Imma have no hair, neither on the head of Abba nor on the head of Imma (כִּי לְאַבָּא וְאִמָּא אֵין לָהֶם שֵׂעָר לֹא בָּרֹאשׁ לְאַבָּא וְלֹא בָּרֹאשׁ לְאִמָּא), and this is what the verse says: “And a man, when his head becomes bald, he is bald, he is pure; and if from the corner of his face his head becomes bald, he is bald in the forehead, he is pure” (וְזֶה שֶׁאוֹמֵר הַכָּתוּב וְאִישׁ כִּי יִמָּרֵט רֹאשׁוֹ קֵרֵחַ הוּא טָהוֹר הוּא וְאִם מִפְּאַת פָּנָיו יִמָּרֵט רֹאשׁוֹ גִּבֵּחַ הוּא טָהוֹר הוּא) (Leviticus 13). And the reason is (וְהַטַּעַם הוּא), because the hairs are springs of illumination emerging from the brain (כִּי הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הֵם מַבּוּעִים בְּהֶאָרָה שֶׁיּוֹצְאוֹת מִן הַמּוֹחַ), and the hairs are also channels through which the light emerges (וְהַשְּׂעָרוֹת נָמֵי הֵם צִנּוֹרוֹת הַיּוֹצְאִים מִתּוֹכָם הָאוֹר), but Abba and Imma do not require hairs (דְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּא אֵינָם צְרִיכִים לִשְׂעָרוֹת), because they are beneath the Mazal of Arich Anpin (לְפִי שֶׁהֵם תַּחַת מַזָּלָא דַאֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין), and from it they receive illumination (וּמִמֶּנּוּ מְקַבְּלִים הֶאָרָה), and all their desire is only to bestow goodness upon Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah (וְכָל מַגָּמָתָם אֵינָהּ כִּי אִם לְהֵיטִיב לִזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבֵּיהּ). And this is the secret of the verse “He stretches out the heavens and establishes the earth” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הַפָּסוּק נֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיֹסֵד אָרֶץ) (Zechariah 12). It does not say “He stretched out the heavens and established the earth” (נָטָה שָׁמַיִם וְיָסַד אָרֶץ לֹא נֶאֱמַר), in order to teach that every day and at every moment He stretches out the heavens and rectifies them (כְּדֵי לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל עֵת נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וּמְתַקְּנָם), namely Ze’ir Anpin (דְּהַיְינוּ זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין). And concerning this it is said: “And the heavens are not pure in His eyes” (וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר וְשָׁמַיִם לֹא זַכּוּ בְּעֵינָיו) (Job 15), and this is comparable to a woman adorning her son (וְהוּא מָשָׁל לְאִשָּׁה שֶׁמְּקַשֶּׁטֶת אֶת בְּנָהּ), and she is not appeased until she crowns him (וְאֵינָהּ מִתְפַּיֶּסֶת עַד שֶׁמְּעַטֶּרֶת אוֹתוֹ). And even though she gives to him, it is not enough in her eyes (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנּוֹתֶנֶת לוֹ אֵינוֹ דַּי בְּעֵינֶיהָ), and she always sees as though he needs more Tikkun (וְהִיא רוֹאָה תָּמִיד כְּאִלּוּ צָרִיךְ יוֹתֵר תִּקּוּן), And therefore it is every day that she improves the child, as it were (וְלָכֵן הוּא בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁמְּשַׁפֶּרֶת אֶת הַוָּלָד כִּבְיָכוֹל), and therefore Yisrael are compassionate, children of the compassionate (וְלָכֵן יִשְׂרָאֵל רַחֲמָנִים בְּנֵי רַחֲמָנִים), and each one benefits his fellow (וְכָל אֶחָד מֵיטִיב לַחֲבֵרוֹ), for the nature of the good is to do good (כִּי טֶבַע הַטּוֹב לְהֵיטִיב), and they are from a spark of holiness (וְהֵם מִנִּיצוֹץ קְדוּשָּׁה), their souls are from Imma Ila’ah [Supernal Mother] (נִשְׁמָתָם מֵאִמָּא עִילָּאָה). And one who does not possess this quality (וּמִי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מִדָּה זוֹ), it is known that his fathers did not stand at Mount Sinai (כַּיָּדוּעַ שֶׁאֲבוֹתָיו לֹא עָמְדוּ עַל הַר סִינַי) (Nedarim 20a), and he is from the seed of converts and nations that became assimilated within Yisrael (וְהוּא מִגֶּזַע גֵּרִים וְאוּמּוֹת אֲשֶׁר נִטְמְעוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and the nature of his root still remains within him (וַעֲדַיִן טֶבַע גִּזְעוֹ בְּיָדוֹ), and understand (וְהָבֵן). And the secret of the matter is (וְסוֹד הַדָּבָר הוּא), that Abba and Imma possess the Yesod of Arich Anpin (שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְאַבָּא וְאִמָּא יְסוֹד אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין), and from it emerges a cord which divides into two heads, Abba and Imma (וּמִמֶּנּוּ יוֹצֵא חֶבֶל וְנֶחְלָק לִשְׁנֵי רָאשִׁים אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and behold the heads of Abba and Imma reach until the Dikna [beard] of Arich Anpin (וְהִנֵּה רֹאשׁ אַבָּא וְאִמָּא מַגִּיעִים עַד דִּיקְנָא דַאֲרִיךְ), for they are included in the Mazal (דְּבְמַזָּלָא אִתְכְּלִילָן), and therefore their lights do not need to return in the secret of Ohr Chozer [returning light] from below upward through the passing of the hairs as in Arich Anpin (וְלָכֵן אֵין הָאוֹרוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם צְרִיכִין לַחֲזוֹר בְּסוֹד אוֹר הַחוֹזֵר מִמַּטָּה לְמַעְלָה דֶּרֶךְ עֲבוּר הַשְּׂעָרוֹת כְּמוֹ בַּאֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין). However their intention is to give Mochin to their children, Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (אָמְנָם כַּוָּנָתָם לָתֵת מוֹחִין אֶל בְּנֵיהֶם זו״ן), because of their longing and love for their children (מֵחֲמַת חֶשְׁקָם וְאַהֲבָתָם שֶׁלָּהֶם לִבְנֵיהֶם), in the secret of “and the heavens are not pure in His eyes” (בְּסוֹד וְשָׁמַיִם לֹא זַכּוּ בְּעֵינָיו) (Job 15), for Ze’ir Anpin is called heavens (כִּי זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין נִקְרָא שָׁמַיִם), they are not pure in the eyes of his father and mother (לֹא זַכּוּ בְּעֵינָיו שֶׁל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ), and it always appears to them that he still needs more rectification (וְתָמִיד נִרְאֶה לָהֶם כִּי עֲדַיִן צְרִיכִים תִּיקּוּן יוֹתֵר), and therefore they continually rectify him and bequeath crowns to him (וְלָכֵן מְתַקְּנִין אוֹתוֹ תָּמִיד וּמַנְחִילִין אוֹתוֹ עֲטָרוֹת), and this is “Creator of the heavens and their spreader” (וְזֶהוּ בּוֹרֵא שָׁמַיִם וְנוֹטֵיהֶם) (Isaiah 42). And the light that would have been fitting to ascend and emerge through the hairs descends downward for him to become Mochin for Ze’ir Anpin (וְהָאוֹר שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי לַעֲלוֹת לָצֵאת דֶּרֶךְ הַשְּׂעָרוֹת יוֹרְדִין לוֹ לְמַטָּה לִהְיוֹת מוֹחִין לִזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and therefore Abba and Imma are smooth without hairs (וְלָכֵן אַבָּא וְאִמָּא הֵם חֲלָקִים בְּלִי שְׂעָרוֹת), and are not like Arich Anpin and Ze’ir Anpin (וְאֵינָם כְּמוֹ אֲרִיךְ וּזְעֵיר), for the purpose of the hairs is for the sake of the Ohr haMakif [surrounding light], as is known (כִּי הַשְּׂעָרוֹת תַּכְלִיתָם הֵם לְצֹרֶךְ אוֹר הַמַּקִּיף כַּנּוֹדָע). And since they are included within the Mazal surrounding them (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְכְּלִילָן בְּמַזָּלָא הַמַּקִּיף אוֹתָן), they have no need for their own hairs (אֵין לָהֶם צֹרֶךְ לִשְׂעָרוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם), and therefore those lights descend to become Mochin for Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (וְלָכֵן יוֹרְדִים הָאוֹרוֹת הָהֵם לִהְיוֹת מוֹחִין לְזו״ן), and they remain smooth without hair (וְנִשְׁאָרִים הֵם חֲלָקִים בִּלְתִּי שֵׂעָר). And the secret of the hairs, that they are aspects of the Ohr haMakif [surrounding light], is in this expression (וְסוֹד הַשְּׂעָרוֹת שֶׁהֵם לִבְחִינוֹת אוֹר הַמַּקִּיף הוּא בִּלְשׁוֹן זֹאת), as it is said: “and after my skin they encompassed this” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאַחַר עוֹרִי נִקְּפוּ זֹאת) (Job 19).

The explanation is (פֵּירוּשׁ): that the hairs emerging behind the light externally are aspects of the Makifin [surrounding lights] (כִּי הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הַיּוֹצְאוֹת אַחֲרֵי הָאוֹר מִבַּחוּץ הֵם בְּחִינַת הַמַּקִּיפִים), and this is the matter said regarding Elisha: “Go up, bald one” (וְזֶהוּ הָעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בֶּאֱלִישָׁע עֲלֵה קֵרֵחַ) (II Kings 2), for he was from the secret of the light of the three hundred and seventy lights emerging from the calculation of El of Arich Anpin (שֶׁהָיָה מִסּוֹד אוֹר ש״ע נְהוֹרִין הַיּוֹצְאִים מֵחֶשְׁבּוֹן אֵ״ל שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ). And the Yod is the secret of the three parts of the Yod of the three heads (וְהַיוּ״ד הוּא סוֹד ג׳ חֲלָקֵי הַיוּ״ד שֶׁל תְּלַת רֵישִׁין), and that light extends to Imma together with Abba below (וְאוֹתוֹ הָאוֹר נִמְשָׁךְ אֶל אִמָּא עִם אַבָּא לְמַטָּה), and descends to Ze’ir Anpin (וְיוֹרֵד אֶל זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and they do not possess the aforementioned hairs (וְאֵין לָהֶם הַשְּׂעָרוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרִים), and there is the root of its light (וְשָׁם שֹׁרֶשׁ אוֹרוֹ), for Imma nests in the Throne (כִּי אִמָּא מְקַנְּנָא בְּכוּרְסְיָיא), and understand (וְהָבֵן).

Even though we said that Abba has no Dikna [beard] (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁאַבָּא אֵין לוֹ דִּיקְנָא), nevertheless he has eight Tikkunei Dikna [rectifications of the beard] (עַל כָּל זֹאת יֵשׁ לוֹ ח׳ תִּיקּוּנֵי דִּיקְנָא), and this is the secret of “the beard of Aharon” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד זְקַן אַהֲרֹן) (Psalms 133), whose initial letters are Ze’ir Anpin (רָאשֵׁי תֵבוֹת ז״א), equal in numerical value to eight (גִּימַטְרִיָּא שְׁמוֹנָה), they are the eight Tikkunei Dikna [rectifications of the beard] of Abba (הֵם ח׳ תִּיקּוּנֵי דִּיקְנָא דְּאַבָּא), and they are in the secret of garments (וְהֵם בְּסוֹד לְבוּשִׁים), namely the eight garments worn by the Kohen Gadol [High Priest] (דְּהַיְינוּ שְׁמוֹנָה בְּגָדִים שֶׁלּוֹבֵשׁ הַכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל). And therefore the verse mentions the beard two times (וְלָכֵן מַזְכִּיר הַפָּסוּק שְׁנֵי פְעָמִים זָקָן), namely: “like the good oil... descending upon the beard, the beard of Aharon” (דְּהַיְינוּ כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב... הַיּוֹרֵד עַל הַזָּקָן זְקַן אַהֲרֹן) (Psalms 133), and understand (וְהָבֵן). And Imma has no Dikna [beard] (וְאִמָּא אֵין לָהּ דִּיקְנָא), because she is female (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא נְקֵבָה), and because we said that the hairs of Ze’ir Anpin become whitened from the hairs of Arich Anpin (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ כִּי שַׂעֲרוֹת זְעֵיר מִתְלַבְּנִים מִשַּׂעֲרוֹת אֲרִיךְ), and they spread until the Tabur [navel] (וְהֵם מִתְפַּשְּׁטִים עַד הַטִּבּוּר), and from there is the spreading of Ze’ir Anpin (וּמִשָּׁם הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתוֹ שֶׁל זְעֵיר). And because the hairs of Rachel are red (וּלְהִיוֹת שֶׁשַּׂעֲרוֹת רָחֵל הֵם אֲדֻמִּים), and they do not reach until the hairs of Arich Anpin (וְאֵינָם מַגִּיעִים עַד שַׂעֲרוֹת אֲרִיךְ), and we draw the light of the Tzitzit [fringes] from the light of the hairs of Arich Anpin downward (וַאֲנַחְנוּ מַמְשִׁיכִים אוֹר הַצִּיצִית מֵאוֹרוֹ שֶׁל שַׂעֲרוֹת אֲרִיךְ עַד לְמַטָּה). And therefore one must place the Tzitzit [fringes] before him opposite this opening (וְלָזֶה צָרִיךְ לָשִׂים הַצִּיצִית לְפָנָיו כְּנֶגֶד הַחוֹר הַזֶּה), which is the secret of the opening of Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד חוֹרוֹ שֶׁל זְעֵיר), which is the secret of the opening of the Tabur [navel] of the chest (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד חוֹר שֶׁל הַטִּבּוּר דְּחָזֵה), in order to draw through that opening of influence (כְּדֵי לְהַמְשִׁיךְ דֶּרֶךְ אוֹתוֹ הַחוֹר שֶׁל הַשֶּׁפַע), from Ze’ir Anpin to the hairs of Rachel, the aforementioned light of the Tzitzit [fringes] (מִזְּעֵיר לְשַׂעֲרוֹת רָחֵל אוֹר הַצִּיצִית הַנִּזְכָּר). For because the hairs of Rachel by their nature are red (כִּי לְפִי שֶׁשַּׂעֲרוֹת רָחֵל מִטִּבְעָם הֵם אֲדֻמִּים), therefore they require this influence of Ze’ir Anpin in order to whiten them (לָכֵן צְרִיכִין הֵם לַשֶּׁפַע הַזֶּה שֶׁל זְעֵיר כְּדֵי לְלַבְּנָם), in the secret of mercies (בְּסוֹד רַחֲמִים), just as Arich Anpin did with the hairs of Ze’ir Anpin (כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה אֲרִיךְ בְּשַׂעֲרוֹת זְעֵיר), which by their nature are black (שֶׁהֵם מִטִּבְעָם שְׁחוֹרִים), as it is written: “His locks are curled, black as a raven” (כִּדְכְתִיב קְוֻצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחוֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב) (Song of Songs 5), and they became whitened from the hairs of Arich Anpin which are white (וְנִלְבְּנוּ מִשַּׂעֲרוֹת אֲרִיךְ שֶׁהֵם לְבָנִים), as it is written: “And Atik Yomin sat, His garment was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool” (דִּכְתִיב וְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין יְתִב לְבוּשֵׁיהּ כִּתְלַג חִוָּר וּשְׂעַר רֵאשֵׁהּ כַּעֲמַר נְקֵא) (Daniel 7).