Chapter One Hundred Forty-Eight (פֶּרֶק מֵאָה אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה)

We said (אָמַרְנוּ), that the seven lower Sefirot of Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהַז׳ תַּחְתּוֹנִיּוֹת דְּז״א), receive a Makif [surrounding light] from Upper Imma (הֵם מַשִּׂיגִים הֶקֵּף מֵאִמָּא עִלָּאָה). Likewise (כְּמוֹ כֵן), they are the seven supernal heavens of the most supernal realms (הֵם ז׳ שָׁמַיִם עִילָּאֵי דְּעִילָּאִין), and they are literally like a surrounding sphere (הֵם מַמָּשׁ כְּמוֹ גַּלְגַּל הַמַּקִּיף), and the secret of the Middle Bar (וְסוֹד בְּרִיחַ הַתִּיכוֹן), which passes through from end to end (הַמַּבְרִיחַ מִן הַקָּצֶה אֶל הַקָּצֶה), namely from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens (דְּהַיְנוּ מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם עַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם). And three times Adnut (וְג׳ פְּעָמִים אדנ״י), which are right, left, and middle (שֶׁהוּא יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל וְאֶמְצַע), have the numerical value of Ketzah [end] (עוֹלֶה קָצֶה), for Malkhut clothes Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁמַּלְכוּת הִיא מַלְבֶּשֶׁת ז״א), namely its seven lower Sefirot (הַז׳ תַּחְתּוֹנִיּוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ), from the place where the Yesod of Imma ends (מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁכָּלָה יְסוֹד אִמָּא). And it is known (וְיָדוּעַ), that the arms are long (כִּי הַיָּדַיִם הֵם אֲרוּכִּים), and extend downward through their three segments (וּמִתְפַּשְּׁטִים לְמַטָּה בְּג׳ פִּרְקֵיהֶם), and embrace the bride (וּמְחַבְּקִים הַכַּלָּה), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “His left hand is under my head and His right hand embraces me” (שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי) (Song of Songs 2:6). This is not so with Arich Anpin (מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּא״א), concerning whom it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהֶם): “And Aharon lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them” (וַיִּשָּׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת יָדָיו אֶל הָעָם וַיְבָרְכֵם) (Leviticus 9:22), and it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר): “Lift up your hands in holiness” (שְׂאוּ יְדֵיכֶם קֹדֶשׁ) (Psalms 134:2), which is the secret of Abba (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד אַבָּא), within whom is the right hand of Arich Anpin (שֶׁבְּתוֹכוֹ יַד יָמִין דַּא״א), “and bless Hashem” (וּבָרְכוּ אֶת יְהוָ״ה) (Psalms 134:2), which is Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהוּא ז״א), that you should pour blessing upon him through your intentions (שֶׁתָּרִיקוּ בְּרָכָה עָלָיו בְּכַוּוֹנוֹתֵיכֶם). And just as the Makif [surrounding light] emerges from the mouth of Imma through Arich Anpin to the seven lower Sefirot of Ze’ir Anpin (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁהַמַּקִּיף יוֹצֵא מִפִּי אִמָּא עַל יְדֵי א״א לְז׳ תַּחְתּוֹנִיּוֹת דְּז״א), so too it emerges to the seven lower Sefirot of its Nukvah through Ze’ir Anpin (כֵּן יוֹצֵא לְז׳ תַּחְתּוֹנִיּוֹת דְּנוּקְבֵיהּ עַל יְדֵי דְּז״א), in the secret of the seven circuits of Jericho (בְּסוֹד ז׳ הַקָּפוֹת יְרִיחוֹ), and the seven circuits of Hosha‘na Rabbah (וְז׳ הַקָּפוֹת דְּהוֹשַׁעְנָא רַבָּא), to break the grasp of the Klipot that cling to her (לְשַׁבֵּר אֲחִיזַת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת הָאוֹחֲזִים בָּהּ), as it is said concerning her (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלֶיהָ): “To take hold of the corners of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it” (לֶאֱחֹז בְּכַנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ וְיִנָּעֲרוּ רְשָׁעִים מִמֶּנָּה) (Job 38:13). And likewise there is a surrounding circuit in these three worlds, Beri’ah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah (וְכֵן יֵשׁ הִקֵּף בִּשְׁלשָׁה עוֹלָמוֹת אֵלֶּה בי״ע), to save them from the dominion and grasp of the Klipot (לְהַצִּילָם מִשְּׁלִיטַת וַאֲחִיזַת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), at the time when Israel do the will of the Omnipresent (בִּזְמַן שֶׁיִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂים רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם). And likewise in every person (וְכֵן בְּכָל אָדָם וְאָדָם), there is a Makif [surrounding light] (יֵשׁ לוֹ אוֹר מַקִּיף), which saves him from harmful occurrences of destructive forces (הַמַּצִּיל אוֹתוֹ מִפְּגָעִים רָעִים שֶׁל הַמַּזִּיקִים). And thirty days before death (וְקוֹדֶם שְׁלשִׁים יוֹם שֶׁלִּפְנֵי הַמִּיתָה), “their Tzelem [image] departs from them” (סָר צִלָּם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם) (Numbers 14:9), and from that time until the day of death (וּמֵאוֹתוֹ הַזְּמַן עַד יוֹם הַמִּיתָה), he goes about in sorrow and sighing (הוֹלֵךְ בְּיָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה), and no joy stands before him (וְאֵין שִׂמְחָה לְפָנָיו), for the heart knows the bitterness of its soul (כִּי הַלֵּב יוֹדֵעַ מָרַת נַפְשׁוֹ) (Proverbs 14:10). And concerning him it is said (וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר): “Surely man walks in a Tzelem [image]” (אַךְ בְּצֶלֶם יִתְהַלֶּךְ אִישׁ) (Psalms 39:7), and immediately the Angel of Death rules over him (וְתֵכֶף שׁוֹלֵט עָלָיו מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת), as we shall explain in the Gate of the Tzelem [image] of the World of the Soul (כַּאֲשֶׁר נְבָאֵר בְּשַׁעַר הַצֶּלֶם שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַנְּשָׁמָה), on the verse (עַל פָּסוּק): “Until the day breathes and the shadows flee” (עַד שֶׁיָּפוּחַ הַיּוֹם וְנָסוּ הַצְּלָלִים) (Song of Songs 2:17). Two (תְּרֵי), of Ruach and Nefesh (שֶׁל רוּחַ וְנֶפֶשׁ), but the Tzelem [image] of the Neshamah (אֲבָל הַצֶּלֶם שֶׁל הַנְּשָׁמָה), goes above through Metatron on the Night of the Seal (הוּא הוֹלֵךְ לְמַעְלָה עַל יְדֵי מֶטַטְרוֹ״ן בְּלֵיל הַחוֹתָם), which is the first of Tishrei (שֶׁהוּא א׳ לְחֹדֶשׁ תִּשְׁרֵי). As it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “Surely man walks in a Tzelem [image]” (אַךְ בְּצֶלֶם יִתְהַלֶּךְ אִישׁ) (Psalms 39:7), and it is said concerning Metatron, “a good servant” (וְנֶאֱמַר עַל מֶטַטְרוֹ״ן עֶבֶד טוֹב), “as a servant longs for shade” (כְּעֶבֶד יִשְׁאַף צֵל) (Job 7:2), and he presents it, namely the Tzelem [image], before the Holy One Blessed Be He (וּמַרְאֶהוּ [אֶת הַצֶּלֶם] לִפְנֵי הַקב״ה), whether he rectified each and every day inscribed within it (אִם תִּקֵּן כָּל יוֹם וָיוֹם הַנֶּחְקָק בּוֹ), that which he was required to rectify (מַה שֶּׁהָיָה לוֹ לְתַקֵּן). And from the Night of the Seal, which is before his death (וּמִלֵּיל הַחוֹתָם שֶׁהִיא קֹדֶם מִיתָתוֹ), it is not fixed in its place (אֵינוֹ קָבוּעַ בִּמְקוֹמוֹ), rather it goes and returns (אֶלָּא הוֹלֵךְ וָשָׁב), and they show him his place in Gan Eden (וּמַרְאִים לוֹ מְקוֹמוֹ בְּגַן עֵדֶן), but thirty days before his death it goes and departs (אֲבָל שְׁלשִׁים יוֹם קֹדֶם מִיתָתוֹ הוֹלֵךְ וּמִסְתַּלֵּק), and never returns again (וְאֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר עוֹד), as it is in the Zohar, Parashat Vayechi and Parashat Emor (כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא בַּזֹּהַר וַיְחִי וּפָרָשַׁת אֱמוֹר) (Bereshit 79a). And concerning it, namely the Tzelem [image], it is said (וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר): “Days were fashioned” (יָמִים יֻצָּרוּ) (Psalms 139:16), and it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר): “And the days of Israel drew near to die” (וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת) (Genesis 47:29). And it, namely the Tzelem [image], is literally created from the days and years of a person (וְהוּא [הַצֶּלֶם] מַמָּשׁ נִבְרָא מִיָּמָיו וּשְׁנוֹתָיו דְּבַר נָשׁ), and every person should take care (וְיִרְאֶה כָּל בֶּן אָדָם), not to blemish even a single day of the days of the year (שֶׁלֹּא יִפְגֹּם שׁוּם יוֹם מִימֵי הַשָּׁנָה), for all of them stand before the Holy One Blessed Be He (כִּי כֻּלָּם עוֹמְדִים לִפְנֵי הַקב״ה), and if they have been blemished, they punish him (וְאִם נִפְגְּמוּ מַעֲנִישִׁין אוֹתוֹ). For the garment is the sinner (כִּי הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ הוּא הַחוֹטֵא), as it is said: “And they knew that they were naked” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עֵירֻמִּם הֵם) (Genesis 3:7), and the destructive forces were able to prevail against them (וְיָכְלוּ לָהֶם הַמַּזִּיקִים), and the Blessed Name gave them lower garments (וְנָתַן לָהֶם הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְבוּשִׁים הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים), as mentioned in the Zohar on Shir haShirim (כַּנִּזְכָּר בַּזֹּהַר שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים), in the secret of the garments of Adam haRishon (בְּסוֹד לְבוּשֵׁי אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן). And if they receive defilement (וְאִם הֵם מְקַבְּלִים זוֹהֲמָא), they must be laundered in Gehinnom (צָרִיךְ לְכַבְּסָם בְּגֵיהִנֹּם), until the affliction departs from them (עַד שֶׁיֵּצֵא מֵהֶם הַנֶּגַע), as it is said: “And he shall wash his garments and be purified” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְכִבֶּס אֶת בְּגָדָיו וְטָהֵר) (Leviticus 14:8), and: “After the affliction has been washed... it shall be burned in fire” (אַחֲרֵי הֻכַּבֵּס אֶת הַנֶּגַע... בָּאֵשׁ תִּשָּׂרֵפֶנּוּ) (Leviticus 13:55, 57). And likewise concerning Yehoshua son of Yehotzadak the High Priest it is said (וְכֵן אֵצֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל נֶאֱמַר): “And Yehoshua was clothed in soiled garments and standing before the angel” (וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ הָיָה לָבוּשׁ בְּגָדִים צוֹאִים וְעֹמֵד לִפְנֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ), “and he answered and said to those standing before him, saying: Remove the soiled garments from upon him” (וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל הָעֹמְדִים לְפָנָיו לֵאמֹר הָסִירוּ הַבְּגָדִים הַצֹּאִים מֵעָלָיו), “and he said to him: See, I have caused your iniquity to pass from upon you, and I will clothe you with fine garments” (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו רְאֵה הֶעֱבַרְתִּי מֵעָלֶיךָ עֲוֺנֶךָ וְהַלְבֵּשׁ אֹתְךָ מַחֲלָצוֹת), “and he said: Let them place a pure turban upon his head” (וָאֹמַר יָשִׂימוּ צָנִיף טָהוֹר עַל רֹאשׁוֹ), “and they placed the pure turban upon his head” (וַיָּשִׂימוּ הַצָּנִיף הַטָּהוֹר עַל רֹאשׁוֹ), “and they clothed him with garments, and the angel of Hashem was standing” (וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁהוּ בְּגָדִים וּמַלְאַךְ יְהוָה עֹמֵד) (Zechariah 3:3–5). And in the World to Come (וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא), a person has another garment (יֵשׁ לָאָדָם לְבוּשׁ אַחֵר), from the radiance of the Supernal Light (מִזִּיו אוֹר עֶלְיוֹן), and there was no portion of it in this world (וְלֹא הָיָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה חֵלֶק מִמֶּנּוּ), except with Mordechai and Esther (רַק אֵצֶל מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר), as it is said: “And Esther clothed herself with Malkhut” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת) (Esther 5:1), and it does not say “royal garments” (וְלֹא אָמַר בִּגְדֵי מַלְכוּת), rather at that moment she merited the Sefirah of Malkhut (אֶלָּא בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה זָכְתָה לִסְפִירַת מַלְכוּת), for she was clothed in such a garment (שֶׁנִּתְלַבְּשָׁה מַלְבּוּשׁ כָּזֶה), and not the physical garment (וְלֹא הַלְּבוּשׁ הַגַּשְׁמִי). And likewise Mordechai (וְכֵן מָרְדֳּכַי), concerning whom it is said: “And Mordechai went out from before the king in royal apparel” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּמָרְדֳּכַי יָצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּלְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת) (Esther 8:15), and we learn the concealed from the explicit (וְלָמַדְנוּ סָתוּם מִן הַמְּפֹרָשׁ), for the woman and her husband were both partners in this garment (כִּי אִשָּׁה וּבַעְלָהּ שְׁנֵיהֶם הָיוּ שׁוּתָּפִים בַּלְּבוּשׁ הַזֶּה), and its Tikkun [rectification] is that the female shall encompass the male in the World to Come (וְתִקּוּנוֹ כִּי נְקֵבָה תְּסוֹבֵב גָּבֶר בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא), to bring forth souls for converts (לְהוֹצִיא נְשָׁמוֹת לְגֵרִים), as is known in the Zohar, Parashat Shelach Lekha, from the head of the academy of Gan Eden of the generation of the wilderness (כַּנּוֹדָע בַּזֹּהַר שְׁלַח לְךָ מֵרֵישׁ מְתִיבְתָא דְגַן עֵדֶן דְּדוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר) (daf 257a). And this is sufficient to satisfy the thirst of this secret (וְדַי בָּזֶה לְרַוּוֹת צִמְאוֹן הַסּוֹד הַזֶּה), but in its place this matter will be explained (אֲבָל בִּמְקוֹמוֹ יְפֹרַשׁ זֶה הָעִנְיָן), with broad explanation (בֵּאוּר רָחָב), with the help of Heaven (בְּסִיַּעְתָּא דִּשְׁמַיָּא). May it be the will before our Father in Heaven (יְהִי רָצוֹן מִפְּנֵי אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם), to restore to us the garments of Mount Sinai (לְהָשִׁיב לָנוּ הַמַּלְבּוּשִׁים שֶׁל הַר סִינַי), concerning which it is said: “And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from Mount Chorev” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּתְנַצְּלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֶדְיָם מֵהַר חוֹרֵב) (Exodus 33:6). And if Mosheh will restore the Tent to Israel (וְאִם מֹשֶׁה יַחֲזִיר הָאֹהֶל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), which is now outside the camp (שֶׁהוּא עַתָּה מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה), and it is the Ohr haMakif [surrounding light] (וְהוּא אוֹר הַמַּקִּיף), all the more so will he restore to us the Ohr haPenimi [inner light] (מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן יַחֲזִיר לָנוּ הָאוֹר הַפְּנִימִי). And this may be compared to a vessel that is filled with water (וְהוּא מָשָׁל לִכְלִי שֶׁמְּמַלְּאִין אוֹתוֹ מַיִם), whatever it is able to contain enters within it (מַה שֶּׁיָּכוֹל לְהָכִיל נִכְנָס תּוֹכוֹ), and the remainder falls around it and becomes Ohr haMakif [surrounding light] (וְהַשְּׁאָר נוֹפֵל סְבִיבוֹתָיו וְנַעֲשֶׂה אוֹר מַקִּיף), and concerning it is said: “Hashem alone shall lead him, and there is no foreign god with Him” (וְנֶאֱמַר עָלָיו יְיָ בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אֵל נֵכָר) (Deuteronomy 32:12). Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (יִתְבָּרַךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).