Chapter Ninety-Six (פֶּרֶק תִּשְׁעִים וְשִׁשָּׁה)

Even though we said (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), that the nourishment of the Klipot is from the Nukvah (כִּי יְנִיקַת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת מִנּוּקְבֵיהּ), and the Dinim [Judgments] are from the head of Ze’ir Anpin (וְהַדִּינִים מֵרֹאשׁ זְעֵיר), this is specifically (הַיְנוּ דַּוְקָא), as we mentioned above in the previous chapters (כְּמוֹ שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה בַּפְּרָקִים הַקּוֹדְמִים), concerning the Elohim of Katnut [Smallness] (בֶּאֱלֹהִים דְּקַטְנוּת), which illuminates in the head of Ze’ir Anpin (הַמֵּאִיר בְּרֹאשׁ ז״א), and the Gevurot first illuminate to Ze’ir Anpin (וְהַגְּבוּרוֹת קוֹדֶם מְאִירִים לְז״א), while the Chasadim of Gadlut [Maturity] come afterward (וְהַחֲסָדִים דְּגַדְלוּת בָּאִים אַחַר כָּךְ), these are the Havayot themselves (הֵם הַהֲוָיוֹת עַצְמָם). For there is also Gadlut [Maturity] of Elohim (כִּי יֵשׁ גַּדְלוּת דֶּאֱלֹהִים גַּם כֵּן), as is known (כַּנּוֹדָע), and they too are Chasadim [Kindnesses] relative to the Gevurot [Judgments] (וְהֵם גַּם כֵּן הַחֲסָדִים לְעֵרֶךְ הַגְּבוּרוֹת), but the Havayot (אֲבָל הַהֲוָיוֹת), which come from the Two Crowns (שֶׁבָּאִים מִתַּרֵין עַטְרִין) to Ze’ir Anpin (לִזְעֵיר), and Imma inclines with her Yesod (וְאִמָּא מַרְכֶּנֶת בִּיסוֹד שֶׁלָּהּ), until the end of the upper third of the Tiferet of Ze’ir Anpin (עַד סוֹף שְׁלִישׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁל ת״ת זְעֵיר), then certainly (אָז וַדַּאי), the hairs of Ze’ir Anpin are sweetened (הַשְּׂעָרוֹת שֶׁל זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין נִמְתָּקִים), and the Dinim [Judgments] are unable to take hold there (וְהַדִּינִים אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לֶאֱחֹז שָׁם). And at the time when Binah is clothed within Ze’ir Anpin (וּבִזְמַן שֶׁהַבִּינָה מְלוּבֶּשֶׁת בִּזְעֵיר), no adversary or enemy can touch them (אֵין שׁוּם צַר וְאוֹיֵב יָכוֹל לִיגַּע בָּהֶם), or take hold from there even from afar (וְלֶאֱחֹז מִשָּׁם אֲפִלּוּ מֵרָחוֹק), only in Katnut [Smallness] (רַק בְּקַטְנוּת), “they give a bone to the dog” (יָהֲבֵי גַּרְמָא לְכַלְבָא) (Zohar Shemot 12b). And concerning this it is said (וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר), “I am Hashem, that is My Name, and My glory I will not give to another” (אֲנִי יְיָ הוּא שְׁמִי וּכְבוֹדִי לְאַחֵר לֹא אֶתֵּן) (Isaiah 42:8), namely to another god (דְּהַיְנוּ אֵל אַחֵר), “I will not give” (לֹא אֶתֵּן). And in the Future to Come (וְלֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא), [meaning: in the Future to Come all will be entirely the second Gadlut [Maturity], which is the secret of Havayah (רָצָה לוֹמַר: לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא יִהְיוּ כּוּלּוֹ גַּדְלוּת שֵׁנִי, שֶׁהוּא סוֹד הֲוָיָ״ה), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר), “And it shall be... on that day Hashem shall be One and His Name One” (וְהָיָה... בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְיָ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד) (Zechariah 14:9), and there will be no Katnut [Smallness], neither first nor second (וְלֹא יִהְיֶה קַטְנוּת לֹא רִאשׁוֹן וְלֹא שֵׁנִי), nor Gadlut [Maturity] of Elohim (וְלֹא גַדְלוּת שֶׁל אֱלֹהִים), rather all will be Gadlut [Maturity] of Havayah (אֶלָּא כּוּלּוֹ גַדְלוּת שֶׁל הֲוָיָ״ה), and this is sufficient for one who understands (וְדַי לַמֵּבִין)], it is said (נֶאֱמַר), “Hashem alone shall lead him, and there shall be no foreign god with Him” (יְיָ בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אֵל נֵכָר) (Deuteronomy 32:12). Meaning (רָצָה לוֹמַר), at the time of the second Gadlut [Maturity] of Havayah itself (בִּזְמַן הַגַּדְלוּת הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁל הֲוָיָ״ה עַצְמָהּ), the light emerges to govern (יוֹצֵא הָאוֹר לְהַנְהִיג), namely Israel (רָצָה לוֹמַר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), “and there shall be no foreign god with Him” (וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אֵל נֵכָר), namely the grasp of the Klipot (דְּהַיְנוּ אֲחִיזַת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת). And this is the secret of the matter of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד עִנְיַן עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע), which is Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (הוּא זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), even though its primary manifestation is in Yetzirah (אַף שֶׁעִיקָרוֹ בִּיצִירָה), nevertheless its root is in Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (מִכָּל מָקוֹם שָׁרְשׁוֹ הוּא בְּזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), and there reached the blemish of the sin of Adam HaRishon (וְשָׁם הִגִּיעַ הַפְּגָם שֶׁל חֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן). And from the navel of Ze’ir Anpin and below (וּמִטַּבּוּרוֹ דְז״א וּלְמַטָּה), is Good and Evil (הוּא טוֹב וָרָע), and from the place where the Yesod of Binah is completed (וְהוּא מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּשְׁלַם יְסוֹד בִּינָה), there is no grasp or nourishment for the Klipot (אֵין שָׁם אֲחִיזָה וִינִיקָה לַקְּלִיפּוֹת), therefore (אִם כֵּן), the place of nourishment of the Klipot is evil (מְקוֹם יְנִיקַת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת הוּא רַע), and above it (וּלְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ), namely from the navel of the heart and above (דְּהַיְנוּ מִטַּבּוּרוֹ [דְלִיבָא] וּלְמַעְלָה), is good (הוּא טוֹב).

It follows (נִמְצָא), that from the side of the end of the upper third and below (שֶׁמִּצַּד סוֹף שְׁלִישׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן וּלְמַטָּה), it is called evil (נִקְרָא רַע), in relation to the nourishment of the Klipot (בְּעֵרֶךְ יְנִיקַת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and therefore (וְלָזֶה), we place the Mezuzah at the end of the upper third (אָנוּ מְשִׂימִין הַמְּזוּזָה בְּסוֹף שְׁלִישׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן), because it is the place of good (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם הַטּוֹב). And this is the secret of (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד): “And Shaddai shall be in your storehouses” (וְהָיָה שַׁדַּ״י בִּצְרֶיךָ) (Job 22:25). Meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ): in the place where the adversaries begin (בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁמַּתְחִילִים הַצָּרִים), who are the Klipot (שֶׁהֵם הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), to draw nourishment (לִינַק), then Shaddai protects (אָז שַׁדַּ״י מָגֵן), and regarding the grasp that they possess (וּבָאֲחִיזָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם), even from the backside of that opening (אֲפִלּוּ מִן אֲחוֹרָיו שֶׁל הַנֶּקֶב הַהוּא), they have no grasp (אֵין לָהֶם אֲחִיזָה). And according to this (וּלְפִי זֶה), the Emanator established (תִּקֵּן הַמַּאֲצִיל), that Malkhut should be behind Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁתִּהְיֶה מַלְכוּת לַאֲחוֹרֵי ז״א), so that the Klipot [Husks] would not take hold of him (שֶׁלֹּא יֹאחֲזוּ בּוֹ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and this is the secret of “a helper opposite him” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ) (Genesis 2:18), meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), a helper against those who oppose him (עֵזֶר מִן הַמִּתְנַגְּדִים לוֹ), and they shall have no grasp except upon her (וְלֹא תִהְיֶה לָהֶם אֲחִיזָה אֶלָּא בָּהּ). But this grasp (אֲבָל הָאֲחִיזָה הַזֹּאת), comes in the place of her head (הִיא בָּאָה בִּמְקוֹם הָרֹאשׁ שֶׁלָּהּ), because it is round (לְפִי שֶׁהוּא עָגוֹל), and she is not attached to him firmly (וְאֵינָהּ נִדְבֶּקֶת עִמּוֹ הֵיטֵב), and also in the place of the arms and the legs (וְגַם בִּמְקוֹם הַזְּרוֹעוֹת וְהָרַגְלַיִם), in that empty space (בְּאוֹתוֹ חָלָל), because they are not firmly attached (לִהְיוֹת שֶׁאֵינָם דְּבוּקִים הֵיטֵב), they have a grasp there (יֵשׁ לָהֶם אֲחִיזָה). And from this aspect (וּמִזֹּאת הַבְּחִינָה), she is called evil (נִקְרֵאת רַע), because the Klipot [Husks] take hold and draw nourishment from there (שֶׁנֶּאֱחָזִים וְיוֹנְקִים מִשָּׁם הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and not, Heaven forbid, that they ascend up to there (וְלֹא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם שֶׁעוֹלִים עַד שָׁם), rather (אֶלָּא), the root of their nourishment and grasp is from there (שֶׁשֹּׁרֶשׁ יְנִיקָתָם וַאֲחִיזָתָם מִשָּׁם), for the light that spreads from Ze’ir Anpin to the Nukvah (כִּי הָאוֹר הַמִּתְפַּשֵּׁט מִזְּעֵיר לְנוּקְבֵיהּ), and does not adhere firmly to her (וְאֵינוֹ נִדְבָּק בָּהּ הֵיטֵב), because of the empty space (בְּסִבַּת הֶחָלָל), spills upon them (הוּא נִשְׁפָּךְ עֲלֵיהֶם).

And know (וְדַע), that the Name M"H (שֶׁם מ״ה), which is in the Milui [Filling] of Alephin (שֶׁהוּא בְּמִלּוּי אַלְפִי״ן), is in Ze’ir Anpin (הוּא בְּז״א), and when you multiply the Yud filled with the Heh (וּכְשֶׁתַּכֶּה הַיוּ״ד מְלֵאָה בְּה״א), as follows (כָּזֶה): Yud Heh (יו״ד ה״א), and you calculate thus (וְתֹאמַר כָּךְ): Yud (יו״ד), which is twenty (דְּהַיְנוּ עֶשְׂרִים), times Heh (ה״א), which is six (שֶׁהוּא שִׁשָּׁה), they are one hundred and twenty (הֵם מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים). And when you multiply the Heh filled with the Vav (וְשֶׁתַּכֶּה ה״א מְלֵאָה בְּוָא״ו), and you calculate (וְתֹאמַר), six times thirteen (שִׁשָּׁה פְּעָמִים י״ג), they are seventy-eight (הֵם ע״ח), and seventy-eight plus one hundred and twenty (וְע״ח וְק״ך), are one hundred and ninety-eight (הֵם מֵאָה תִּשְׁעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה), and you return and multiply the Vav times the Heh (וְתַחֲזוֹר וְתַכֶּה וָא״ו פְּעָמִים ה״א), behold another seventy-eight (הֲרֵי שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה אֲחֵרִים), the total sum (סַךְ הַכֹּל), equals “and evil” (עוֹלֶה וָרָע).

Behold (הֲרֵי), the Name M"H equals the numerical value of “and evil” (שֵׁם מ״ה עוֹלֶה כְּמִנְיַן וָרָע), and from it were made the garments of skin (וּמִמֶּנּוּ נַעֲשׂוּ כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר), which were evil (שֶׁהָיָה רַע), and from it is the nourishment of the Klipot [Husks] (וּמִמֶּנּוּ יְנִיקַת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), from what before the sin of Adam HaRishon had been garments of light (מִמַּה שֶּׁהָיָה קֹדֶם חֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן כָּתְנוֹת אוֹר), an Ohr Makif [Surrounding Light] (אוֹר מַקִּיף), of Imma and Abba (דְּאִמָּא וְאַבָּא), of great Havayot of Chasadim [Kindnesses] (שֶׁל הֲוָיוֹת חֲסָדִים גְּדוֹלִים), and the Chitzonim [External Forces] were unable to take hold there at all (וְלֹא הָיוּ הַחִיצוֹנִים יְכוֹלִים לֶאֱחֹז שָׁם כְּלָל). And you must know (וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that every Name which comes through Hakaa [Striking Multiplication] (שֶׁכָּל שֵׁם שֶׁבָּא בְּהַכָּאָה), is in the Achorayim [Backsides] (הוּא בָּאֲחוֹרַיִים), and is called good (וְנִקְרָא טוֹב), because you already know (לְפִי שֶׁכְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ), that the Milui [Filling] of the Name M"H (שֶׁמִּלּוּי הַשֵּׁם מ״ה), is Chavah (הוּא חַוָּה), meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ) nineteen (י״ט). Remove the two Alephs (תָּסִיר הַשְּׁנֵי אַלְפִין), namely (דְּהַיְנוּ), the Aleph of the filling of the Vav (הָאָלֶ״ף שֶׁל מִלּוּי הַוָא״ו), which is from the Name Elohim (שֶׁהִיא מִשֵּׁם אֱלֹהִים), which departs through the sin of Adam HaRishon (שֶׁהוּא מִסְתַּלֵּק בַּעֲוֹן אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), and the Aleph of the filling of the Heh (וְהָאָלֶ״ף שֶׁל מִלּוּי ה״א), which is from Adonai (שֶׁהִיא מֵאַדנָ״י), departs through the sin of Chavah (נִסְתַּלֶּקֶת בַּעֲוֹן חַוָּה). And another reason for removing the two Alephs (וְעוֹד טַעַם אַחֵר לְהָסִיר הַשְּׁנֵי אַלְפִין), is because you need these two Alephs (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִשְׁנֵי אַלְפִין הַלָּלוּ), in order to sweeten the Gevurah of the Nukvah (לְמַתֵּק גְּבוּרַת נוּקְבֵיהּ), but the first Aleph in the Name M"H (אֲבָל אָלֶ״ף רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁבְּשֵׁם מ״ה), is from Ehyeh (הִיא מֵאֶהְיֶ״ה), and no blemish reaches it (וְאֵין פְּגָם מַגִּיעַ בָּהּ). Therefore (אִם כֵּן), remove two from nineteen (תָּסִיר שְׁנַיִם מִי״ט), which is the Milui [Filling] of the Name M"H (שֶׁהוּא הַמִּלּוּי דְּשֵׁם מ״ה), and there remains Tov [Good] (יִשָּׁאֵר טוֹב), meaning the numerical value of Tov [Good], which is seventeen (פֵּירוּשׁ מִנְיַן טוֹב שֶׁהוּא י״ז). And the Nukvah of Ze’ir Anpin is also called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (וְנוּקְבֵיהּ שֶׁל ז״א גַּם כֵּן נִקְרֵאת עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע), [namely] Tov [Good] ([חיינו] טוֹב). You already know (כְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ), that her Mochin [Supernal Intellects] are the Sefirot of Netzach, Hod, Yesod of Ze’ir Anpin (כִּי הַמּוֹחִין שֶׁלָּהּ הֵם הַסְּפִירוֹת נה״י שֶׁל ז״א), meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), from the Chasadim that descend into them (מִן הַחֲסָדִים שֶׁיּוֹרְדִים בָּהֶם), and return and protrude to her (וְחוֹזְרִים וּבוֹלְטִין לָהּ). And the Gevurot from the Yesod of Ze’ir Anpin (וְהַגְּבוּרוֹת מִיְסוֹד ז״א), come into her Da’at (בָּאִים לְדַעַת דִּידָהּ), and the three Gevurot of her arms, Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet (וְהַשָּׁלֹשׁ גְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁל זְרוֹעוֹת דִּידָהּ חג״ת), are sweetened with the three Chasadim (נִמְתָּקִים עִם הַג' חֲסָדִים), which descend into the Tiferet, Netzach, Hod of Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁיּוֹרְדִים לְת״ת נֵצַח הוֹד ז״א), for her arms correspond to his thighs (שֶׁהֲרֵי דְּרוֹעִין דִּידָהּ מְכֻוָּנִים לִירֵכִין דִּידֵיהּ), in the secret of Tannaim and Amoraim (בְּסוֹד תַּנָּאִים וַאֲמוֹרָאִים). And the two Gevurot of her Netzach and Hod (וְהַשְּׁנֵי גְּבוּרוֹת נֵצַח הוֹד שֶׁלָּהּ), remain without sweetening (נִשְׁאָרִים בְּלִי מִתּוּק), [for] “the judgments of the Nukvah are gentle in the head and strong in the extremity” ([כִּי] דִּינִין דְּנוּקְבָא הֵם נָחִים בְּרֵישָׁא וְתַקִּיפִין בְּסִיפָא) (Zohar, Bamidbar 142b). Nevertheless (עִם כָּל זֶה), through Ohr Chozer [Returning Light] they are sweetened somewhat (בְּאוֹר חוֹזֵר נִמְתְּקוּ מְעַט), after all the Gevurot gathered in her Yesod (אַחַר שֶׁנִּתְקַבְּצוּ כָּל הַגְּבוּרוֹת בִּיסוֹד שֶׁלָּהּ), and from there she returns upward (וּמִשָּׁם חוֹזֶרֶת לְמַעְלָה), in the secret of Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters] (בְּסוֹד מַיִן נוּקְבִין), for the sake of the Zivug [Union] (לְצוֹרֶךְ הַזִּוּוּג).