Chapter Ninety-Seven (פֶּרֶק תִּשְׁעִים וְשִׁבְעָה)

Know (דַּע), that the Chitzonim [External Forces] have no nourishment from her herself (שֶׁאֵין לַחִיצוֹנִים יְנִיקָה בָּהּ עַצְמָהּ), except from the navel and below (כִּי אִם מֵהַטַּבּוּר וּלְמַטָּה), because the Yesod of Ze’ir Anpin reaches until her navel (לְפִי שֶׁיְסוֹד ז״א מַגִּיעַ עַד טַבּוּר דִּידָהּ), this opposite that (זֶה שֶׁלֹּא כְּנֶגֶד זֶה), for they are attached back to back (שֶׁהֲרֵי הֵם דְּבוּקִים אָחוֹר בְּאָחוֹר). And “Good” (וְטוֹב), are the three Chasadim [Kindnesses] (הֵם ג' חֲסָדִים), which sweeten the three Gevurot [Judgments] (הַמְמַתְּקִים הַג' גְּבוּרוֹת), which are three Havayot (שֶׁהֵם ג' הֲוָיוֹת), which are twelve letters (שֶׁהֵם י״ב אוֹתִיּוֹת), and the three sweetened Gevurot [Judgments] (וְג' גְּבוּרוֹת הַנִּמְתָּקִים), behold fifteen (הֲרֵי חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר), and the two Gevurot [Judgments] that are somewhat sweetened (וּשְׁנֵי גְּבוּרוֹת הַנִּמְתָּקִים קְצָת), behold seventeen (הֲרֵי שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר), equal to the numerical value of Tov [Good] (כְּמִנְיַן טוֹב). And the evil (וְהָרַע), is from three Elohim (הוּא מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה אֱלֹהִים), which equal Charan (הָעוֹלִים חָרָן), and three Elohim are fifteen letters (וְג' אֱלֹהִים הֵם ט״ו אוֹתִיּוֹת), and the three Names are eighteen (וְג' שֵׁמוֹת הֵם ח״י), behold eighteen and Charan (הֲרֵי ח״י וְחָרָן), equal VeRa [And Evil] (עוֹלִים וָרָע). And regarding what we said (וּמַה שֶּׁאָמַרְנוּ), that the Chitzonim [External Forces] have no grasp except from the navel and below (שֶׁאֵין אֲחִיזָה לַחִיצוֹנִים כִּי אִם מִן הַטַּבּוּר וּלְמַטָּה), and we have already said (וּכְבָר אָמַרְנוּ), that even in Ze’ir Anpin they have no grasp from behind him (שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ בְּז״א אֵין לָהֶם אֲחִיזָה מֵאֲחוֹרָיו), it may be resolved (יֵשׁ לְתָרֵץ), that also among the Klipot there is a male and a female (שֶׁגַּם כֵּן בַּקְּלִיפּוֹת יֵשׁ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה), and the male is more spiritual than the female (וְהַזָּכָר הוּא רוּחָנִי יוֹתֵר מֵהַנְּקֵבָה), and his root is above the navel of Ze’ir Anpin behind him (וְהַשֹּׁרֶשׁ שֶׁלּוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִטַּבּוּר ז״א מֵאֲחוֹרָיו), while the root of his Nukvah is from the navel of Rachel (וְנוּקְבֵיהּ הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ שֶׁלָּהּ מִטַּבּוּר רָחֵל), and she cannot take hold above (וְאֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה לֶאֱחֹז לְמַעְלָה), for “this opposite that did Elohim make” (שֶׁגַּם זֶה לְעֻמַּת זֶה עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים) (Ecclesiastes 7:14).