Chapter One Hundred Seventeen (פֶּרֶק מֵאָה וְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר)

By the way (אַגַּב אוֹרְחָא), one may ask (יֵשׁ לִשְׁאוֹל), what is the reason that we make Tagin [crowns] in a Sefer Torah (מַאי טַעְמָא אָנוּ עוֹשִׂין תָּגִין בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה), and we do not make Nekudot [vowel points] (וְאֵין אָנוּ עוֹשִׂין נְקוּדוֹת), nor Ta’amim [cantillation marks] (וְלֹא טְעָמִים), while the Nekudot [vowel points] and the Ta’amim [cantillation marks] move the letter and the word (וְהַנְּקוּדוֹת וְהַטְּעָמִים מְנִיעִים הָאוֹת וְהַתֵּבָה), whereas the Tag [crown] does nothing (וְהַתָּג אֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה כְּלוּם). And the reason is (וְהוּא כִּי), that the Sefer Torah is the likeness of the seven Kelim [vessels] that fell below (הַסֵּפֶר תּוֹרָה הוּא דִּיּוּקָן אֶל הַשִּׁבְעָה כֵּלִים שֶׁנָּפְלוּ לְמַטָּה), and the Tag [crown] is the light hovering over them to sustain them alone (וְהַתָּג הוּא הָאוֹר הַחוֹפֵף עֲלֵיהֶם לְהַעֲמִידָם בִּלְבַד), it is the light descending from above to clothe itself within them (הוּא הָאוֹר הַיּוֹרֵד מִלְמַעְלָה לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בָּהֶם), and it is in the secret of: “And the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters” (וְהוּא בְּסוֹד וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם) (Genesis 1:2), the insolent waters (הַזֵּידוֹנִים). And this Ruach [spirit] did not enter within them when they descended below and were shattered (וְזֶה הָרוּחַ לֹא נִכְנַס בְּתוֹכָם כְּשֶׁיָּרְדוּ לְמַטָּה וְנִשְׁבְּרוּ), for only the Hevla DeGarmei [breath of the bones] descended with them (כִּי לֹא יָרַד עִמָּהֶם כִּי אִם הֶבְלָא דְּגַרְמֵי), which is the Nefesh (שֶׁהוּא הַנֶּפֶשׁ), but the Ruach [spirit] remained above hovering over them (אֲבָל הָרוּחַ נִשְׁאַר לְמַעְלָה חוֹפֵף עֲלֵיהֶם), so that they would not be lost within the depths of the Klipot (שֶׁלֹּא יֹאבְדוּ בְּתוֹךְ עָמְקֵי הַקְּלִיפּוֹת). And this is what the verse says (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב): “And the Spirit of God hovered” (וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת) (Genesis 1:2), and sheltered them (וְסוֹכְכִים עֲלֵיהֶם), so that they would not be entirely lost (שֶׁלֹּא יֹאבְדוּ לְגַמְרֵי). And the meaning of Merachefet [hovered] is “288 died” (וּפֵירוּשׁ מְרַחֶפֶת מ״ת רפ״ח), and these are the 288 sparks that descended (וְהֵם הָרפ״ח נִיצוֹצִין שֶׁיָּרְדוּ), and therefore it produces no movement (וְלָזֶה אֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה בוֹ תְּנוּעָה). And afterward we elevate it and place within it Nekudot [vowel points] and Ta’amim [cantillation marks] (וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָנוּ מַעֲלִים אוֹתוֹ וְנוֹתְנִים בּוֹ נְקוּדוֹת וּטְעָמִים), which are from the side of Chokhmah and Keter (שֶׁהֵן מִצַּד הַחָכְמָה וְכֶתֶר), as we find in the Zohar (כְּמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בַּזֹּהַר): “In Keter are the Ta’amim [cantillation marks], in Chokhmah are the Nekudot [vowel points], in Binah are the Otiot [letters]” (בְּכֶתֶר אִיהוּ טְעָמִים, בְּחָכְמָה אִיהוּ נְקוּדוֹת, בְּבִינָה אִיהוּ אַתְוָון).

And the explanation is (וּפֵירוּשׁ), that Ze’ir Anpin, [when it is] in Keter, is in the secret of Ta’amim [cantillation marks] (כִּי זְעֵיר [כְּשֶׁהוּא] בְּכֶתֶר אִיהוּ בְּסוֹד טְעָמִים), and from the side of [the Sefirah of] Chokhmah it is in the secret of Nekudot [vowel points] (וּמִצַּד [סְפִירַת] הַחָכְמָה הוּא בְּסוֹד נְקוּדוֹת), and in Binah it is in the secret of Otiot [letters] (וּבְבִינָה הוּא בְּסוֹד אַתְוָון), for there the Partzuf was formed (כִּי שָׁם נַעֲשׂוּ פַּרְצוּף). And therefore we place within it these two supernal aspects (וּלְזֶה אָנוּ נוֹתְנִים בּוֹ אֵלּוּ הַשְּׁנֵי בְּחִינוֹת עֶלְיוֹנוֹת), and these are what move it (וְאֵלּוּ הֵן מְנַעֲנְעִין אוֹתוֹ), and likewise you will find (וְכֵן תִּמְצָא), that the letters which require Tagin [crowns] are seven (שֶׁהָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁהֵן צְרִיכִין תָּ״ג הֵם ז׳), Shin, Ayin, Tet, Nun, Zayin, Gimal, Tzadi (שַׁעַטְנ״ז גַּ״ץ), and they are seven corresponding to the seven Nekudot [vowel points] that descended (וְהֵם ז׳ כְּנֶגֶד ז׳ נְקוּדוֹת שֶׁיָּרְדוּ), and their meaning is Satan, mighty spark (וּפֵירוּשָׁם שָׂטָן עַז גֵּץ). And Ayin-Zayin is numerically Adonai together with the twelve letters of its filling (וְע״ז הוּא גִּימַטְרִיָּא אֲדֹנָי וְי״ב אוֹתִיּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַמִּלּוּי), and Satan was attached there (וְשָׂטָן הָיָה דָּבוּק שָׁם), because the aspect of the Dinin [judgments] that were in those Kelim [vessels] had not been clarified (שֶׁלֹּא הוּבְרְרוּ בְּחִינַת הַדִּינִין שֶׁהָיוּ בְּאוֹתָם הַכֵּלִים), as we explained in the place of the Breaking of the Kelim [vessels], in Sha‘ar Olam HaTohu [Gate of the World of Chaos] (כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ בִּמְקוֹם שִׁבְרֵי כֵּלִים בְּשַׁעַר עוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ). And if you should say that they were completely lost (וְאִם תֹּאמַר שֶׁנֶּאֶבְדוּ לְגַמְרֵי), it is not so (אֵינוֹ כֵּן), for if the spark emerging from beneath the hands of the hammer sustains them (כִּי אִם הַגֵּץ הַיּוֹצֵא מִתַּחַת יְדֵי הַפַּטִּישׁ מְקַיֵּם אוֹתָן), then for this reason these seven letters require Tagin [crowns] (וּלְזֶה אֵלּוּ הַז׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת הֵם צְרִיכִין תָּ״ג), which is the Neshamah [soul] hovering over them (שֶׁהִיא הַנְּשָׁמָה הַחוֹפֶפֶת עֲלֵיהֶם), because it is the principal part of the Nekudot [vowel points] that descended (לְפִי שֶׁהִיא עִקַּר הַנְּקוּדוֹת שֶׁיָּרְדוּ), but the remainder are aspects of limbs to it (אֲבָל הַשְּׁאָר הֵם בְּחִינוֹת אֵבָרִים אֵלֶיהָ), and do not require Tagin [crowns] (וְאֵינָן צְרִיכִין תָּגִין). And the Tagin [crowns] are three (וְהַתָּגִים הֵן שְׁלֹשָׁה), alluding to the three Mochin [mental lights] that are rectified through the Zivug [union] of the Otiot [letters], the Nekudot [vowel points], and the Ta‘amim [cantillation marks] (לִרְמוֹז אֶל ג׳ מוֹחִין שֶׁמִּתַּקְּנִים בְּזִוּוּג הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְהַנְּקוּדוֹת וְהַטְּעָמִים), and sweeten them in proper order (וּמְמַתְּקִים אוֹתָם עַל הַסֵּדֶר), to make from them words and letters of Names that were cooked and matured properly through Zivug [union] (לַעֲשׂוֹת מֵהֶם תֵּבוֹת וְאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל שֵׁמוֹת שֶׁ'נִּתְבַּשְּׁלוּ' בְּזִוּוּג כָּרָאוּי), when we accumulate Mitzvot [commandments] and good deeds (כְּשֶׁאָנוּ מְסַגְּלִים מִצְוֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים). And especially in our three prayers (וּבִפְרָט בִּשְׁלֹשׁ תְּפִלּוֹתֵינוּ), we unite Abba and Imma and Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (אָנוּ מְזַוְּגִים אַבָּא וְאִמָּא וּזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), and raise Mayin Nukvin [female waters] from these sparks of purity (וּמַעֲלִים מַיִן נוּקְבִין מֵאֵלּוּ הַנִּיצוֹצֵי טָהֳרָה), which are literally letters of Dinin [judgments] (שֶׁהֵם מַמָּשׁ אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל דִּינִין), and they are sweetened and cooked properly (וְנִמְתָּקִים וּמְבֻשָּׁלִים כָּרָאוּי), and acquire Otiot [letters] for Imma (וְקוֹנִים אוֹתִיּוֹת בַּעֲבוּר אִמָּא), and Nekudot [vowel points] through Abba (וּנְקוּדוֹת עַל יְדֵי אַבָּא), and Ta‘amim [cantillation marks] in Arich Anpin (וּטְעָמִים בַּאֲרִיךְ). And so it is every single day (וְכָךְ הוּא בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם), until in the future to come (עַד שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד לָבוֹא), the Klipot will be dead (יִהְיוּ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת מֵתִים), like the Klipah of Egypt which died (כִּקְלִיפַּת מִצְרַיִם שֶׁמֵּתָה), and has no sparks of purity within it (וְאֵין בָּהּ נִיצוֹצֵי טָהֳרָה), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “And they emptied Egypt” (וַיְנַצְּלוּ אֶת מִצְרַיִם) (Exodus 12:36). “They made it like a pool that has no fish” (עֲשָׂאוּהָ כִּמְצוּלָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ דָּגִים) (Berakhot 9b). And therefore entry into Egypt was forbidden (וְלָכֵן נֶאֶסְרָה בִּיאַת מִצְרַיִם), since there is no Kedushah [Holiness] there whatsoever (מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵין שׁוּם קְדוּשָׁה שָׁם), why should they bring the exile of the Shekhinah there (לָמָּה יוֹבִילוּ שָׁם גָּלוּת שְׁכִינָה), since there is no benefit in it (מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ תּוֹעֶלֶת), for on the contrary (כִּי הֲלֹא אַדְּרַבָּה), they would revive it anew, Heaven forbid (יְחַיּוּהָ מֵחָדָשׁ [לַקְּלִיפָּה] חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). And so the Holy One, blessed be He, will shake out all sparks of purity from the Klipot (וְכָכָה יְנַעֵר הקב״ה כָּל נִיצוֹצֵי טָהֳרָה מִן הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and afterward (וְאַחַר כָּךְ), “the broken vessels” (הַמָּאנִין תְּבִירִין), which are dead (שֶׁהֵם מֵתִים), shall arise together with the rest of the dead (עִם שְׁאָר הַמֵּתִים יָקוּמוּ), and He will bring them new forms (וְיָבִיא לָהֶם צַלְמִין חֲדָשִׁים), and then on that day (וְאָז בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא): “Hashem shall be One and His Name One” (יִהְיֶה ה׳ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד) (Zechariah 14:9), for His Kingship will be revealed (שֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה מַלְכוּתוֹ), and no Klipah will be seen anymore (וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה שׁוּם קְלִיפָּה עוֹד). And therefore there are neither Nekudot [vowel points] nor Ta‘amim [cantillation marks] in a Sefer Torah (וְלָכֵן אֵין בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה לֹא נְקוּדוֹת וְלֹא טְעָמִים), because we elevate these sparks from the Klipot (שֶׁאָנוּ מַעֲלִים הַנִּיצוֹצִים הַלָּלוּ מֵהַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and through our reading of it (וְנַעֲשִׂים לָהֶם עַל יְדֵי קְרִיאָתֵינוּ בָּהּ), Nekudot [vowel points] and Ta‘amim [cantillation marks] and Otiot [letters] are made anew (נְקוּדוֹת וּטְעָמִים וְאַתְוָון מֵחָדָשׁ), clarified and refined (מְבוֹרָרִים), and they are added to the building of Ze’ir Anpin (וְהֵמָּה נוֹסָפִים עַל בִּנְיַן זְעֵיר). And it is necessary that [the one called to the Torah] hold with his hands the two Trees of Life of it (וְצָרִיךְ [הָעוֹלֶה לַתּוֹרָה] לְהַחֲזִיק יָדָיו בִּשְׁנֵי עֵץ חַיִּים שֶׁלָּהּ), and he should not remove them from it (וְלֹא יָסִיר אוֹתָם מִמֶּנָּה), for they correspond to the Netzach and Hod of Tevunah (כִּי הֵם מְכֻוָּנִים אֶל נֵצַח וְהוֹד דִּתְבוּנָה), which perform a Zivug [union] (הָעוֹשִׂים זִוּוּג), and bequeath Mochin [mental lights] to their children (וּמַנְחִילִים מוֹחִין לִבְנֵיהֶם), which are these Ta‘amim [cantillation marks] and Otiot [letters] and Nekudot [vowel points] (שֶׁהֵם הַטְּעָמִים וְהָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְהַנְּקוּדוֹת הָאֵלֶּה). And everything is accomplished through the Zivug [union] of Abba and Imma (וְהַכֹּל נַעֲשֶׂה עַל יְדֵי זִוּוּג אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and the primary Zivug [union] is accomplished through the two blessings, the first and the last (וְעִקַּר הַזִּוּוּג הוּא נַעֲשֶׂה עַל יְדֵי שְׁתֵּי הַבְּרָכוֹת רִאשׁוֹנָה וְאַחֲרוֹנָה), namely: “Who chose us from among all the nations” (וְהִיא אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים), which are the Klipot (שֶׁהֵם הַקְּלִיפּוֹת). He brought forth this choosing (הוֹצִיא הַבְּחִירָה הַזֹּאת), for He was selecting food from amidst the refuse (שֶׁהָיָה בוֹרֵר אוֹכֶל מִתּוֹךְ הַפְּסוֹלֶת), through the Zivug [union] that gives this blessing (מִתּוֹךְ הַזִּוּוּג הַנּוֹתֵן הַבְּרָכָה הַזֹּאת), and those sparks ascend through the reading of the Torah (וְאוֹתָם הַנִּיצוֹצִים עוֹלִים עַל יְדֵי קְרִיאַת הַתּוֹרָה), and this is: “and gave us His Torah” (וְזֶהוּ וְנָתַן לָנוּ אֶת תּוֹרָתוֹ). And it is known (וִידוּעַ), that this choosing also reaches the people of Israel (כִּי הַבְּחִירָה מַגִּיעַ עַל עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּם כֵּן), for when sparks ascend and attach themselves to the Names of Ze’ir Anpin (כִּי כֵּיוָן שֶׁעוֹלִים נִיצוֹצִים וּמִתְדַּבְּקִים בִּשְׁמוֹת זְעֵיר), through an increase of light, love, and affection (בְּתוֹסֶפֶת אוֹר אַהֲבָה וְחִבָּה), so too are renewed in all the worlds (כֵּן מִתְחַדְּשִׁים בְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת), Neshamot [souls] and angels and Seraphim and Ofanim [angelic wheels] and Names, as is known (נְשָׁמוֹת וּמַלְאָכִים וּשְׂרָפִים וְאוֹפַנִּים וְשֵׁמוֹת כַּנּוֹדָע), and it follows that this choosing also reaches us (נִמְצָא שֶׁהַבְּחִירָה הַזֹּאת מַגַּעַת גַּם כֵּן אֵלֵינוּ).

For just as a person prays with his intention (כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָדָם בְּכַוָּנָתוֹ מִתְפַּלֵּל), so does he bring forth Neshamot [souls] for his sons and daughters (כֵּן מוֹצִיא נְשָׁמוֹת לְבָנָיו וְלִבְנוֹתָיו), as is known (כַּנּוֹדָע), that the matter depends upon prayer (שֶׁבַּתְּפִלָּה תַּלְיָא מִלְּתָא), and through the reading of the Torah we elevate the sparks which are the vitality of the Klipot (וּבִקְרִיאַת הַתּוֹרָה אָנוּ מַעֲלִים אֶת הַנִּיצוֹצִים שֶׁל חַיּוּת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and through prayer we bring forth Neshamot [souls] (וּבַתְּפִלָּה אָנוּ מוֹצִיאִים נְשָׁמוֹת), which are produced from a preceding Zivug [union] (שֶׁנַּעֲשִׂים מִזִּוּוּג מִקֹּדֶם), through the reading of the Torah (עַל יְדֵי קְרִיאַת הַתּוֹרָה). And it is said: “all of it is a seed of truth” (וְנֶאֱמַר כֻּלָּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת) (Jeremiah 2:21), and likewise we say: “a Torah of truth” (וְכֵן אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת), and through the Zivug [union] the sparks were brought near to the Torah of truth (וְעַל יְדֵי הַזִּוּוּג נִתְקָרְבוּ הַנִּיצוֹצִים אֶל תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת), from what they had previously been (מִמַּה שֶּׁהָיוּ מִקֹּדֶם), in the world of falsehood (בְּעָלְמָא דְּשִׁקְרָא). And likewise the secret of: “and implanted eternal life within us” (וְכֵן סוֹד וְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם נָטַע בְּתוֹכֵנוּ), which is the secret of the life of Malkhut (שֶׁהֵם סוֹד חַיֵּי הַמַּלְכוּת), which is called the lower world (הַנִּקְרֵאת עָלְמָא דְּלְתַתָּא), the revealed world (עָלְמָא דְּאִתְגַּלְיָא), which receives life from the supernal world (הַמְקַבֶּלֶת חַיִּים מֵעָלְמָא עִילָּאָה), the concealed world (עָלְמָא דְּאִתְכַּסְיָא), from what they had previously been (מִמַּה שֶּׁהָיוּ מִקֹּדֶם), captives in the hand of death (שְׁבוּיִים בְּיַד הַמָּוֶת), [in the world of falsehood] ([בְּעָלְמָא דְּשִׁיקְרָא]). And this is the secret of (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד): “The concluding formulas of blessings in the Temple were said: ‘from the world’” (חוֹתְמֵי בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים מִן הָעוֹלָם), “when the heretics corrupted matters and said: ‘There is only one world,’ they instituted that they should say: ‘from the world and unto the world’” (מִשֶּׁקִּלְקְלוּ הַמִּינִין וְאָמְרוּ אֵין עוֹלָם אֶלָּא אֶחָד, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ אוֹמְרִים מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם) (Berakhot 54a). The present world, which is Malkhut (עוֹלָם הַזֶּה שֶׁהִיא מַלְכוּת), and the World to Come, which is Imma Ila’ah [the Supernal Mother] (וְעוֹלָם הַבָּא שֶׁהִיא אִמָּא עִילָּאָה). And the corruption of the heretics caused, Heaven forbid, that there should be no Tikkun [rectification] (וְקִלְקוּל הַמִּינִין גָּרַם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה תִּיקּוּן), therefore the Sages repaired their corruption (לָכֵן הַחֲכָמִים תִּקְּנוּ קִלְקוּלָם), for the Zivug [union] of Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (שֶׁהָיָה זִוּוּג ז״א וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), which is the lower world (שֶׁהוּא עָלְמָא דְּלְתַתָּא), is united through the supernal Zivug [union] of Abba and Imma (מִזְדַּוֵּג עַל יְדֵי הַזִּוּוּג הָעֶלְיוֹן אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), who clothe themselves within Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (הַמַּלְבִּישִׁים עַצְמָם בְּז״א וְנוּקְבֵיהּ).

It follows that two worlds are included one within the other and clothed one within the other (נִמְצָא ב׳ עוֹלָמוֹת כְּלוּלִים זֶה בָּזֶה וּמְלוּבָּשִׁים זֶה בָּזֶה), as it is said: “from the world and unto the world” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם) (Psalms 106:48). And through this Zivug [union] Neshamot [souls] emerge through the gathering of sparks of purity as in former days (וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה הַזִּוּוּג יוֹצְאִים נְשָׁמוֹת עַל יְדֵי לְקִיטַת נִיצוֹצֵי טָהֳרָה כִּימֵי קֶדֶם), as it is said: “Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to Hashem, as in the days of old and as in former years” (וְעָרְבָה לַיי שֶׁמִנְחַת יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלַיִם כִּימֵי עוֹלָם וּכְשָׁנִים קַדְמֹנִיּוֹת) (Malachi 3:4). Blessed is Hashem forever (יִתְבָּרֵךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם), Amen and Amen (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).