Chapter One Hundred Nine (פֶּרֶק מֵאָה וְתִשְׁעָה)

The general principle of the matters we have said above (כְּלָל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה), is that the Shoresh [root] of the Neshamah [soul] of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, was from the side of the good (כִּי שׁוֹרֶשׁ נִשְׁמַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה הָיְתָה מִצַּד הַטּוֹב), and this is what the verse says (וְהוּא שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב): “and she saw him, that he was good” (וַתֵּרֶא אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא) (Exodus 2:2). Meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), as soon as she saw that the Shekhinah was with him (כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאֲתָה שְׁכִינָה עִמּוֹ), she immediately knew (תֵּכֶף יָדְעָה), that he was from the side of the good of Hevel [Abel] (שֶׁהוּא מִצַּד הַטּוֹב שֶׁל הֶבֶל). And behold (וְהִנֵּה), Yocheved had within her an Ibbur [soul impregnation] of the Neshamah [soul] of Chavah [Eve] (יוֹכֶבֶד הָיְתָה בָּהּ עִבּוּר נִשְׁמַת חַוָּה), when Amram took her a second time (כְּשֶׁלְּקָחָהּ עַמְרָם שֵׁנִית), the Neshamah [soul] of Chavah [Eve] was impregnated within her anew (נִשְׁמַת חַוָּה נִתְעַבְּרָה בָּהּ מֵחָדָשׁ), and through this she returned to her youth (וּבָזֶה חָזְרָה לְנַעֲרוּתָהּ), and this is the secret of “and the woman conceived” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד וַתַּהַר הָאִשָּׁה). Why did it not say Yocheved (לָמָּה לֹא אָמַר יוֹכֶבֶד), but rather (אֶלָּא), in the secret of “the woman whom You gave to be with me” (בְּסוֹד הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי) (Genesis 3:12). And therefore (וְלָכֵן), just as Adam separated from his wife for one hundred and thirty years (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָדָם פֵּרֵשׁ מֵאִשְׁתּוֹ ק״ל שָׁנָה), until he begot Shet (עַד שֶׁהוֹלִיד שֵׁת), who is the Gilgul [reincarnation] of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (שֶׁהוּא גִּלְגּוּל מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה), so too Amram separated from his wife for one hundred and thirty years (גַּם עַמְרָם פֵּרֵשׁ מֵאִשְׁתּוֹ ק״ל שָׁנָה), until Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him (עַד לְמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה). Therefore she is called “daughter of Levi” (וְלָכֵן נִקְרֵאת בַּת לֵוִי), in the secret of “and he took the daughter of Levi” (בְּסוֹד וַיִּקַּח אֶת בַּת לֵוִי) (Exodus 2:1), and not “his wife, the daughter of Levi” (וְלֹא אִשְׁתּוֹ בַּת לֵוִי), rather it is a hint that she returned to her youth (אֶלָּא רֶמֶז שֶׁחָזְרָה לְנַעֲרוּתָהּ), and from here the side of the good began to be created (וּמִכָּאן הִתְחִיל צַד הַטּוֹב לְהִבָּרֵא). But Bilam and Yonis and Yimberos his sons (אֲבָל בִּלְעָם וְיוֹנִיס וְיִמְבְּרוֹס בָּנָיו), together with the Erev Rav (עִם הָעֵרֶב רַב), were the side of the evil of Hevel [Abel] (הָיוּ צַד הָרַע שֶׁל הֶבֶל), and Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, killed the Egyptian with the Explicit Name (וּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ ע״ה הָרַג הַמִּצְרִי בַּשֵּׁם הַמְּפֹרָשׁ), but he did not wish to kill Bilam with the Explicit Name (אֲבָל לְבִלְעָם לֹא רָצָה לַהֲמִיתוֹ בַּשֵּׁם הַמְּפֹרָשׁ), rather with an impure sword (רַק בְּחֶרֶב הַטָּמֵא), upon which a serpent was engraved (שֶׁנֶּחְקְקָה עָלֶיהָ נָחָשׁ), as it is found in the Zohar, Parashat Balak (כְּדִאִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת בָּלָק) (daf 194b). And therefore he said (וְלָזֶה אָמַר): “May my soul die the death of the upright” (תָּמֹת נַפְשִׁי מוֹת יְשָׁרִים) (Numbers 23:10), and he did not say “I shall die the death of the upright” (וְלֹא אָמַר אָמוּת מוֹת יְשָׁרִים), rather “may my soul die” (רַק תָּמֹת נַפְשִׁי), meaning that his Neshamah [soul] died the death of the upright (שֶׁהִיא נִשְׁמָתוֹ מֵתָה מוֹת יְשָׁרִים), in the Gilgul [reincarnation] of Naval (בְּגִלְגּוּל נָבָל), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “and may my end be like his” (וּתְהִי אַחֲרִיתִי כָּמֹהוּ) (Numbers 23:10), who inherits Gan Eden (שֶׁיּוֹרֵשׁ גַּן עֵדֶן). However his body did not die (אַךְ גּוּפוֹ לֹא מֵת), except the death of the impure (רַק מִיתַת טְמֵאִים), as is known (כַּנּוֹדָע), and as I shall explain (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאֲבָאֵר), in Sha‘ar HaGilgul of the Neshamot [souls] (בְּשַׁעַר הַגִּלְגּוּל שֶׁל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת), I shall write at length concerning this matter (אֶכְתּוֹב בַּאֲרוּכָה עִנְיָן זֶה), and I shall roam through the sea of wisdom in its length and breadth (וַאֲשׁוֹטֵט אֶת יָם הַחָכְמָה לְאָרְכּוֹ וּלְרָחְבּוֹ), with the help of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shekhinah (בְּעֶזְרַת קב״ה וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ). And because he was reincarnated into the inanimate (וּלְפִי שֶׁנִּתְגַּלְגֵּל בְּדוֹמֵם), and was rectified in Naval (וְנִתְקַּן בְּנָבָל), the Zohar says in Parashat Balak (אָמַר הַזֹּהַר בְּפָרָשַׁת בָּלָק): “the Holy One, blessed be He, did with that wicked one what He did” (קב״ה עָבַד בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא חַיָּיבָא מַה דְּעָבַד) (Zohar, Balak 194b). But in truth (אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת), all his body and his bones fell (כָּל גּוּפוֹ וְעַצְמוֹתָיו נָפְלוּ), into the mighty rock (בְּטַנְרָא תַּקִּיפָא), of the Nukvah of the Great Deep (שֶׁל נוּקְבָא דִּתְהוֹם רַבָּה), in Nachshiel (בְּנַחְשִׁיאֵל), which corresponds to Hod of Kedushah (שֶׁהוּא כְּנֶגֶד הוֹד דִּקְדוּשָׁה). And therefore (וְלָכֵן), the serpents caused more harm in the fifth millennium (הַנְּחָשִׁים הִזִּיקוּ יוֹתֵר בָּאֶלֶף הַחֲמִישִׁי), than in the sixth millennium in which we are now (מִבָּאֶלֶף הַשִּׁשִּׁי שֶׁאָנוּ עַתָּה בּוֹ), for the fifth millennium corresponds to Hod (כִּי הָאֶלֶף הַחֲמִישִׁי הוּא כְּנֶגֶד הוֹד). And the Queen of Sheba (וּמַלְכַּת שְׁבָא), required those serpents (הָיְתָה צְרִיכָה לְאוֹתָם הַנְּחָשִׁים), but she did not know how to capture them (אֲבָל לֹא יָדְעָה לִתְפֹּס אוֹתָם), and she asked King Shlomo, peace be upon him (וְשָׁאֲלָה שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ ע״ה), and the king told her all that was in his heart (וַיַּגֶּד לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עִם לְבָבוֹ) (I Kings 10:3), namely to emit seminal seed into a new garment (לְהַשְׁלִיךְ שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע בְּמַלְבּוּשׁ חָדָשׁ), for the purpose of capturing those serpents (לְכַוָּנַת תְּפִיסַת אוֹתָם הַנְּחָשִׁים), and once they cast this new garment upon them (וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמַּשְׁלִיכִים עֲלֵיהֶם הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ חָדָשׁ הַזֶּה), immediately they are captured (תֵּכֶף הֵם נִתְפָּסִים), as mentioned in the Zohar (כַּנִּזְכָּר בַּזֹּהַר). And from there receive Aza and Azael (וּמִשָּׁם מְקַבְּלִים עֲזָ״א וַעֲזָא״ל), who are the branches of Shaddai (שֶׁהֵם הָעֲנָפִין שֶׁל שַׁדַּ״י) (Daf 194a), who were punished (דְּאִתְעַנְּשׁוּ), and fell into the mountains of darkness (וְנָפְלוּ בְּהָרֵי חֹשֶׁךְ) (Bereshit 25a). And concerning this it is said (וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר): “And the sons of the Elohim saw the daughters of man, that they were fair” (וַיִּרְאוּ בְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם כִּי טֹבֹת הֵנָּה) (Genesis 6:2), and they were from the classes of the sons of the Elohim (וְהָיוּ מִכִּתּוֹת בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים), who receive from Hod (שֶׁהֵם מְקַבְּלִים מֵהוֹד), and because of their accusation against Adam HaRishon (וּבַעֲבוּר קָטֵיגוֹרָא שֶׁלָּהֶם עַל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), He cast them down below (הוֹרִידָם לְמַטָּה), and they became corporeal (וְנִתְגַּשְּׁמוּ), and they committed immorality with the daughters of man (וְזָנוּ עִם בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם).

And you must know (וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that Aza and Azael (כִּי עֲזָא וַעֲזָא״ל), are the angels who accused Adam (הֵם הַמַּלְאָכִים שֶׁקִּטְרְגוּ עַל אָדָם), namely (דְּהַיְנוּ), that they said (שֶׁאָמְרוּ): “Why did You create him?” (לָמָּה בָּרָאתָ אוֹתוֹ), “in the future he will anger You” (עָתִיד הוּא לְהַכְעִיס לְפָנֶיךָ). The Holy One, blessed be He (הקב״ה), said to them (אָמַר לָהֶם), “if you descended into the lower world, you would sin like them” (אִלּוּ יְרַדְתֶּם בָּעוֹלָם הַשָּׁפָל הֱיִיתֶם חוֹטְאִים כְּמוֹתָם), and He brought them down below (וְהוֹרִידָם לְמַטָּה). And they are “the sons of the Elohim” (וְהֵם 'בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים'), concerning whom it is written (דִּכְתִיב בְּהוּ): “and they took for themselves women from all whom they chose” (וַיִּקְחוּ לָהֶם נָשִׁים מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר בָּחָרוּ) (Genesis 6:2). And all of them were from the seed of Kayin (וְכֻלָּן מִזֶּרַע קַיִן), concerning whom it is written (דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ): “I have acquired a man with Hashem” (קָנִיתִי אִישׁ אֶת י״י) (Genesis 4:1), for he and his seed were mighty and strong (שֶׁהָיָה הוּא וְזַרְעוֹ תַּקִּיפִין וּבְרִיאִין), resembling the creatures above (מֵעֵין דּוּגְמַת בְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁל מַעְלָה). And after they sinned (וְאַחֲרֵי שֶׁחָטְאוּ), they became embodied (נִתְגַּלְמוּ), for once an angel remains seven days on earth (כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַמַּלְאָךְ הוּא ז׳ יָמִים בָּאָרֶץ), he becomes dense like our body (נַעֲשֶׂה עָב כְּמוֹ גּוּף שֶׁלָּנוּ), and it is impossible for all ten classes of angels (וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְכָל עֲשָׂרָה כִּתּוֹת הַמַּלְאָכִים), to reveal themselves and become so dense (לְהִתְגַּלּוֹת וּלְהִתְעַבּוֹת כָּל כָּךְ), like the classes of the Ishim and the sons of the Elohim (כְּמוֹ כִּתּוֹת הָאִישִׁים וּבְנֵי אֱלֹהִים). And after they became embodied (וְאַחֲרֵי שֶׁנִּתְגַּלְמוּ), in such a manner that the evil inclination ruled over them (בְּאוֹפֶן שֶׁשָּׁלַט בָּהֶם יֵצֶר הָרָע), after the seven days that they flew from heaven to earth (אַחֲרֵי שִׁבְעַת הַיָּמִים שֶׁפָּרְחוּ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם עַל הָאָרֶץ), they were no longer as angels (וְלֹא הָיוּ עוֹד כְּמַלְאָכִים). And when they sought to return to their place (וּכְשֶׁבִּקְשׁוּ לַחֲזוֹר לִמְקוֹמָם), and remembered the Explicit Name (וְזָכְרוּ שֵׁם הַמְּפֹרָשׁ), as is the way of all the angels (כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל הַמַּלְאָכִים), who perform miracles in secret for human beings (שֶׁעוֹשִׂים נִסִּים בַּסֵּתֶר לִבְנֵי אָדָם), who ascend above by means of the Explicit Name (שֶׁעוֹלִים לְמַעְלָה עַל יְדֵי שֵׁם הַמְּפֹרָשׁ), they were unable to ascend (לֹא יָכְלוּ לַעֲלוֹת), because they were repelled by the power of the “iron decrees” (כִּי נִדְחוּ מִכֹּחַ גְּזִירִין דְּפַרְזְלָא), which are the powers of judgment (שֶׁהֵם כֹּחוֹת הַדִּין), the one hundred and twenty Elohim (ק״ך אֱלֹהִי״ם), clothed within the Klipot (הַמְּלוּבָּשִׁים בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), which emerged and crushed their heads (שֶׁיָּצְאוּ וּמָחֲצוּ רֹאשָׁם), and cast them down to the earth (וְהִפִּילוּ אוֹתָם לָאָרֶץ), into the mountains of darkness (בְּהָרֵי חֹשֶׁךְ), which are rooted in the backs of the backs of the supernal realms (הַמֻּשְׁרָשִׁים בַּאֲחוֹרֵי אֲחוֹרַיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים), namely the one hundred and twenty-one other permutations of Elohim (דְּהַיְנוּ קכ״א צֵרוּפֵי אֱלֹהִי״ם אֲחֵרִים). And one of them, namely Aza (וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם שֶׁהוּא עֲזָא), has one eye closed (עֵינוֹ אַחַת סְתוּמָה), which is the right eye (שֶׁהִיא הַיְמָנִית), and his left eye is open (וְעֵינוֹ הַשְּׂמָאלִית פְּתוּחָה), and this is the secret of “closed of eye” of Bilam (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד יִשְׁתֻּם הָעַיִן דְּבִלְעָם) (Numbers 24:3). And he is forever falling and falling again (וְהוּא לְעוֹלָם נוֹפֵל וְחוֹזֵר וְנוֹפֵל), and does not reach the earth (וְאֵינוֹ מַגִּיעַ לָאָרֶץ), but remains three handbreadths above it (אֶלָּא ג׳ טְפָחִים לְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנָּה), so that even there he will find no rest (כְּדֵי שֶׁגַּם שָׁם לֹא יָנוּחַ לוֹ), even for a moment (אֲפִלּוּ רֶגַע אֶחָד), and his eye was left open only (וְלֹא נִשְׁאֲרָה עֵינוֹ פְּתוּחָה אֶלָּא), so that he may always see during his fall (כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאֶה בִּנְפִילָתוֹ תָּמִיד), and suffer doubly (וְיִצְטַעֵר בְּכִפְלַיִם). And Azael (וַעֲזָא״ל), has both eyes (הוּא כִּי לוֹ עֵינַיִם), hanging and suspended by his eyelids (תָּלוּי וְעוֹמֵד בְּעַפְעַפֵּי עֵינָיו), measure for measure (מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה), because he went after his eyes (שֶׁהָלַךְ אַחֲרֵי עֵינָיו). And all the prophecy of Bilam was only from them (וְכָל נְבוּאָתוֹ שֶׁל בִּלְעָם לֹא הָיְתָה אֶלָּא מֵהֶם), and he is called the son of Beor (וְנִקְרָא בְּנוֹ בְּעוֹר), for his father is his son (כִּי אָבִיו הוּא בְּנוֹ), and he was divided into two (וְנֶחְלַק לִשְׁנַיִם), namely Yunos and Yambres (שֶׁהֵם [יוֹנוֹס] וְיִמְבְּרוֹס), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “the saying of one who hears the words of El” (נְאֻם שֹׁמֵעַ אִמְרֵי אֵל) (Numbers 24:4), this is Azael (זֶה עֲזָא״ל). “And knows the knowledge of the Most High” (וְיוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן) (Numbers 24:16), refers to the one who hangs and stands (הַתָּלוּי וְעוֹמֵד), who does not fall like his companion (לֹא נוֹפֵל כַּחֲבֵרוֹ), rather remains above him (אֶלָּא עֶלְיוֹן עָלָיו), therefore he would not hear his voice (לְפִיכָךְ לֹא הָיָה שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹלוֹ), except through the words of Azael (אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי אִמְרֵי עֲזָא״ל), he would know the knowledge of Aza (הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֲזָא). And the connection of the verse is thus (וְחִבּוּר הַפָּסוּק הוּא כָּךְ): Bilam would hear El, who is Azael (בִּלְעָם הָיָה שׁוֹמֵעַ אֵל הוּא עֲזָא״ל), who stands above Aza (שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד עַל עֲזָא), and it is Azael who knows the knowledge of the Most High (וְהוּא עֲזָא״ל הַיּוֹדֵעַ דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן), but the sorcery and all such matters emerge from beneath both of them (אֶלָּא הַכִּשּׁוּף וְכָל הַדְּבָרִים יוֹצֵא מִתַּחַת שְׁנֵיהֶם). For they receive some spark of illumination of Gevurot from afar (שֶׁהֵם מְקַבְּלִים אֵיזֶה נִיצוֹץ הֶאָרַת גְּבוּרוֹת מֵרָחוֹק), between the feet of Leah and the head of Rachel (בֵּין רַגְלֵי לֵאָה לְרֹאשׁ רָחֵל), there sometimes emerges some illumination not through a channel (יוֹצֵא לִפְעָמִים אֵיזֶה הֶאָרָה שֶׁלֹּא עַל יְדֵי צִנּוֹר), and it comes to them (וּבָא לָהֶם). And both of them together (וּשְׁנֵיהֶם יַחַד), were under the dominion of Metatron (הָיוּ מִתַּחַת מֶמְשֶׁלֶת מֶטַטְרוֹ״ן), whose value ascends to Shaddai (הָעוֹלֶה שַׁדַּ״י), under whose authority are all the angels (אֲשֶׁר תַּחַת יָדוֹ כָּל הַמַּלְאָכִים), and they went outside (וְיָצְאוּ לַחוּץ), and to this very day they accuse Kedushah [Holiness] (וְעוֹד הַיּוֹם הֵם מְקַטְרְגִים לִקְדוּשָׁה), and teach sorceries to human beings (וּמְלַמְּדִים כְּשָׁפִים לִבְנֵי אָדָם). And both of them together are “the vision of Shaddai” (וּשְׁנֵיהֶם יַחַד מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּ״י), the holy Name that overpowers and breaks the uplifted arm (שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁ מְשַׁדֵּד וּמְשַׁבֵּר זְרוֹעַ רָמָה), which hanged this one and cast down that one (שֶׁתָּלָה אֶת זֶה וְהִפִּיל אֶת זֶה), as a sign for rebellious children (לְאוֹת לִבְנֵי מֶרִי), like the meaning of (כְּטַעַם): “and they shall go out and look upon the carcasses of the men who rebelled against Me, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh” (וְיָצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בְּפִגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִי וְהָיוּ דֵרָאוֹן לְכָל בָּשָׂר) (Isaiah 66:24). And what is “the vision”? (וּמַהוּ הַמַּחֲזֶה). He explained and said (פֵּירֵשׁ וְאָמַר): one is fallen (אֶחָד נֹפֵל), and one is with uncovered eyes (וְאֶחָד גְּלוּי עֵינַיִם), as we have said (כִּדְאָמְרַן), that they are Aza and Azael (שֶׁהוּא עֲזָא וַעֲזָא״ל), who accuse their Master (דְּמְקַטְרְגֵי לְמָארֵיהוֹן).