Chapter One (פֶּרֶק רִאשׁוֹן)

efore we come to explain the seven Tikkunim (קוֹדֶם שֶׁנָּבוֹא לְבָאֵר שִׁבְעָה תִּיקּוּנִים), you must know one introduction (צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת הַקְדָּמָה אַחַת), and it is this (וְהִיא זֹאת): that these seven lower Sefirot of the Malkhut (שֶׁהַשִּׁבְעָה תַּחְתּוֹנוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת), were spreading behind the entirety of Reisha DeEin [the Head of Nothingness] (הָיוּ מִתְפַּשְּׁטִים אֲחוֹרֵי רֵישָׁא דְאֵין כּוּלּוֹ), from its head until its end (מֵרֹאשׁוֹ וְעַד סוֹפוֹ), except that through the power of the illuminations of the first three Sefirot within the Malkhut (אֶלָּא שֶׁמִּכֹּחַ הַהֶאָרוֹת שֶׁל שָׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁבַּמַּלְכוּת), those seven longed to ascend in order to cleave to the first three Sefirot (נִכְסְפוּ אוֹתָם הַשִּׁבְעָה לַעֲלוֹת כְּדֵי לְהִתְדַּבֵּק בְּשָׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת). And immediately when they ascended upward (וְתֵכֶף שֶׁעָלוּ לְמַעְלָה), Ein Sof decreed upon them that they should enter and split Reisha DeEin [the Head of Nothingness] (גָּזַר עֲלֵיהֶם אֵין־סוֹף שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ וְיִבְקְעוּ רֵישָׁא דְאֵין), and they entered within the Head of Nothingness (וְנִכְנְסוּ בְּתוֹכוֹ שֶׁל רֵישָׁא דְאֵין), and afterward they descended below until the two testicles of the male (וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָרְדוּ לְמַטָּה עַד תְּרֵין בֵּיעֵי דְּדֻכְרָא), which are the Netzach and Hod within the Yesod of Atika [the Ancient One] (שֶׁהֵם נֵצַח וְהוֹד שֶׁבִּיסוֹד עַתִּיקָא), namely the Chokhmah (דְּהַיְנוּ הַחָכְמָה).

It follows (נִמְצָא), that within this Chokhmah there are two lights and two returns (שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּחָכְמָה זוֹ ב׳ אוֹרוֹת וּשְׁנֵי חֲזָרוֹת): the first illumination is when the seven of the Malkhut spread downward (הַהֶאָרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הוּא שֶׁנִּתְפַּשְּׁטוּ הַשִּׁבְעָה שֶׁל מַלְכוּת עַד לְמַטָּה), which is until the end of the Netzach, Hod, Yesod of the Chokhmah from behind it (שֶׁהוּא עַד סוֹף נה״י שֶׁל חָכְמָה מֵאֲחוֹרֶיהָ), and the first return is when they ascended upward behind it (וַחֲזָרָה רִאשׁוֹנָה הִיא כְּשֶׁעָלוּ לְמַעְלָה מֵאֲחוֹרֶיהָ). And the second illumination is when they descended within Atika [the Ancient One] until the two testicles from within (וְהֶאָרָה שְׁנִיָּה כְּשֶׁיָּרְדוּ בְּתוֹךְ עַתִּיקָא עַד תְּרֵין בֵּיעֵי מִבִּפְנִים), and the second return is when within the two testicles these seven points were cooked (וַחֲזָרָה שְׁנִיָּה הוּא כְּשֶׁתְּרֵין בֵּיעֵי נִתְבַּשֵּׁל בְּתוֹכָם אֵלּוּ הַשִּׁבְעָה נְקוּדוֹת), and they returned one by one upward (וְחָזְרָה אַחַת לְאַחַת לְמַעְלָה), in order that they might receive Tikkun (כְּדֵי לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם תִּיקּוּן), and also for the head of Atika [the Ancient One] (וְגַם לְרֵישָׁא דְעַתִּיקָא). And if you say (וְאִם תֹּאמַר), why from the beginning did they not enter within the Gulgalta [skull] of Atika [the Ancient One], as they did afterward (לָמָּה מֵעִיקָרָא לֹא נִכְנְסוּ בְּתוֹךְ גֻּלְגַּלְתָּא דְעַתִּיקָא כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה), and also why did they descend below within Atika [the Ancient One] (וְגַם לָמָּה יָרְדוּ עַד לְמַטָּה בְּתוֹךְ הָעַתִּיקָא), and what was their return afterward (וּמַה הָיָה חֲזָרָתָם אַחַר כָּךְ), and what is the cooking of the points that we mentioned (וּמַה הַבִּישּׁוּל נְקוּדוֹת שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ)? Rather you must know (אֶלָּא צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that before this Chokhmah within Keter spread into ten Sefirot in actuality (שֶׁקּוֹדֶם שֶׁחָכְמָה שֶׁבַּכֶּתֶר זוֹ נִתְפַּשְּׁטָה בְּעֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹתֶיהָ בְּפוֹעַל), the Malkhut of the Keter within Keter had already been spreading (כְּבָר הָיְתָה מַלְכוּת שֶׁל כֶּתֶר שֶׁבְּכֶתֶר מִתְפַּשְּׁטֶת), and this Chokhmah after it spread covered the seven of the Malkhut (וְזֹאת הַחָכְמָה אַחַר שֶׁנִּתְפַּשְּׁטָה כִּסְּתָה הַשִּׁבְעָה שֶׁל מַלְכוּת). And when the seven of the Malkhut saw that the Partzuf of Chokhmah came before them and covered them (וְהַשִּׁבְעָה שֶׁל מַלְכוּת כְּשֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁפַּרְצוּף חָכְמָה בָּא לִפְנֵיהֶם וְכִסָּה אוֹתָם), they became afraid (נִתְיָרְאוּ), lest that which would remain from the Partzuf of Chokhmah beneath them would be revealed from behind it (שֶׁמָּא מַה שֶּׁיִּשָּׁאֵר מִפַּרְצוּף חָכְמָה לְמַטָּה מֵהֶם יִהְיֶה מְגוּלֶּה מֵאֲחוֹרָיו), and perhaps, Heaven forbid, they would be extinguished from the light of the Tehiru and some shattering would come upon them, Heaven forbid (וְשֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יִכְבּוּ מֵאוֹר הַטְּהִירוּ וְיָבוֹא לָהֶם אֵיזֶה שְׁבִירָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). Therefore they spread downward (לָכֵן נִתְפַּשְּׁטוּ עַד לְמַטָּה), so that no part of it would remain revealed (כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שׁוּם דָּבָר מִמֶּנָּה מְגוּלֶּה), and also so that they would improve her vessels (וְגַם שֶׁיַּשְׁבִּיחוּ הַכֵּלִים שֶׁלָּהּ), so that they would possess the power to endure the light of the Tehiru (כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם כֹּחַ לִסְבֹּל אוֹר הַטְּהִירוּ), and because of this their spreading was to give illumination to the vessel of Chokhmah in order to improve her vessels as stated (וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה הָיָה הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָם לָתֵת הֶאָרָה לִכְלִי חָכְמָה לְשַׁבַּח כֵּלֶיהָ כָּאָמוּר), and this is the first illumination that we mentioned above (וְזֹאת הִיא הַהֶאָרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה). And afterward they returned to ascend to the points of the first three Sefirot of the Malkhut itself (וְאַחַר כָּךְ חָזְרוּ לַעֲלוֹת לִנְקוּדוֹת שָׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁל מַלְכוּת עַצְמָהּ), for the reason we mentioned above (לַסִּבָּה שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה), nevertheless because every return is judgment (אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם לִהְיוֹת שֶׁכָּל חֲזָרָה הִיא דִּין), they left in their place, namely in the place of their return, harsh judgments (הִנִּיחוּ בִּמְקוֹמָם הַיְינוּ בִּמְקוֹם חֲזָרָתָם דִּינִין תַּקִּיפִין), but they are sweetened through the power of the first illumination from their spreading (אֲבָל הֵם מְמֻתָּקִים מִכֹּחַ הַהֶאָרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה מֵהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָם), and with all this they are not completely sweetened (וְעִם כָּל זֶה אֵינָם מְמֻתָּקִים מִכֹּל וָכֹל). Therefore the seven of the Malkhut needed to enter within the Chokhmah from inside (לָזֶה הֻצְרְכוּ לְהִכָּנֵס הַשִּׁבְעָה שֶׁל מַלְכוּת בְּתוֹךְ חָכְמָה מִבִּפְנִים), in order to give her illumination from within (כְּדֵי לָתֵת לָהּ הֶאָרָה מִבִּפְנִים), and her vessels would be rectified and stand against the judgments behind her and become sweetened (וְיִתּוֹקְנוּ כֵלֶיהָ וְיַעַמְדוּ כְּנֶגֶד הַדִּינִים שֶׁבַּאֲחוֹרֶיהָ וְיוּמְתְּקוּ). And the reason for the second return (וְסִבַּת הַחֲזָרָה הַשְּׁנִיָּה), was from that illumination within the first three Sefirot (הָיְתָה מֵאוֹתָהּ הַהֶאָרָה שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ שָׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת), through which the seven ascended one by one (שֶׁעָלוּ אַחַת לְאַחַת כְּלוֹמַר הַשִּׁבְעָה), for who caused Chesed to rectify the Gulgalta [skull] (כִּי מִי עָשָׂה שֶׁחֶסֶד יְתַקֵּן גֻּלְגַּלְתָּא), and Gevurah the Dew of Crystal (וּגְבוּרָה טַלָּא דִּבְדוֹלְחָא), and Tiferet the Membrane of Air (וְת"ת קְרוֹמָא דַאֲוִירָא), and likewise the others (וְכֵן הָאֲחֵרִים), except that the Keter within her first three Sefirot bestowed lights into Chesed and gave it the power to make the Tikkun (אֶלָּא שֶׁבַּכֶּתֶר שֶׁבַּג׳ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת שֶׁלָּהּ הִשְׁפִּיעַ אוֹרוֹת בְּחֶסֶד וְנָתַן בּוֹ כֹּחַ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַתִּיקּוּן). And her Binah gave power to Gevurah to make the Tikkun (וּבִינָה שֶׁלָּהּ נָתְנָה כֹּחַ לִגְבוּרָה לַעֲשׂוֹת הַתִּיקּוּן), and the Chokhmah gave its light to Tiferet to make the Tikkun (וְהַחָכְמָה נָתְנָה אוֹרָהּ בְּת"ת לַעֲשׂוֹת הַתִּיקּוּן), and this is the meaning of “Air” (וְהַיְינוּ דְּקָאָמַר אֲוִירָא), meaning the light of the Yod, which is Chokhmah (רָצָה לוֹמַר אוֹר י׳ שֶׁהִיא חָכְמָה). And afterward these first three Sefirot, namely Chesed, Gevurah, and Tiferet (וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֵלּוּ הַג׳ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת דְּהַיְנוּ גְּדוּלָּה גְבוּרָה וְת"ת), after each one received illumination from the first three Sefirot (אַחַר שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד אוֹרָה מִן הַג׳ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת), afterward gave from their light to Netzach, Hod, Yesod (נָתְנוּ הֵם אַחַר כָּךְ מֵאוֹרָם לִנה״י), so that they too would be able to make Tikkunim (שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ גַּם כֵּן לַעֲשׂוֹת תִּיקּוּנִים). And before we come to explain the seven Tikkunim in detail (וְקוֹדֶם שֶׁנָּבוֹא לְבָאֵר הַז׳ תִּיקּוּנִים בִּפְרָטוּת), we shall explain generally their enclothing through the three screens and Parsah [barrier], called the three heads (נְפָרֵשׁ בְּדֶרֶךְ כְּלָל הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם עַל יְדֵי שָׁלֹשׁ מְסָכִים וּפַרְסָא הַנִּקְרָאִים תְּלַת רֵישִׁין), and afterward we shall explain them in detail (וְאַחַר כָּךְ נְפָרֵשׁ אוֹתָם בִּפְרָטוּת).