Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Seven (פֶּרֶק מֵאָה שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁבְעָה)

The general principle of the matters that we explained above (כְּלָל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ לְמַעְלָה), is that Yaakov is formed from the light of Chokhmah within Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁיַּעֲקֹב נַעֲשֶׂה מֵאוֹר הַחָכְמָה שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ ז״א), which pierces within it and from there outward (שֶׁבּוֹקֵעַ בְּתוֹכוֹ וּמִשָּׁם לַחוּץ), and from that light, as you already know (מֵאוֹתוֹ הָאוֹר כְּמוֹ שֶׁיָּדַעְתָּ), Yaakov emerged outside (יָצָא יַעֲקֹב מִלְּבַר), whose name is from the expression and letters of Yibaka [he will pierce] (שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן וְאוֹתִיּוֹת יִבָּקַע), whose meaning is (שֶׁפֵּירוּשׁוֹ), that the light pierces outward (בּוֹקֵעַ הָאוֹר לַחוּץ), from that which emerged from the illumination outward (מִמַּה שֶׁיָּצָא מֵהֶָאָרָה לַחוּץ). And Mosheh is within (וּמֹשֶׁה מִלְּגָאו), from the illumination within Ze’ir Anpin, from Chokhmah (מֵהֶָאָרָה שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ ז״א מֵהַחָכְמָה). And the grasping points of Mosheh are in five places (וְהָאֲחִיזָה שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה הִיא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְקוֹמוֹת): The first (הָרִאשׁוֹן), in the Da’at of Ze’ir Anpin (בְּדַעַת ז״א). The second (הַשֵּׁנִי), when the light of the Yesod of Abba comes between the arms, where the light expands (כְּשֶׁבָּא הָאוֹר שֶׁל יְסוֹד אַבָּא בֵּין הַזְּרוֹעוֹת שֶׁמִּתְרַחֵב שָׁם הָאוֹר), and there it becomes greater (וְהוּא יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל), and this is the secret of (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד): “Mosheh concealed his face, for he feared to gaze” (וַיַּסְתֵּר מֹשֶׁה פָּנָיו כִּי יָרֵא מֵהַבִּיט) (Exodus 3:6). And the third (וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי), when it emerges from the Yesod of Imma (כְּשֶׁיָּצָא מִיסוֹד אִמָּא), and therefore the prophecy of Mosheh our teacher, peace be upon him, is from the male (וְלָזֶה נְבוּאַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם מִדְּכוּרָא), meaning (יִרְצֶה לוֹמַר), from the Yesod of Abba which is within Ze’ir Anpin (מִיְסוֹד שֶׁל אַבָּא שֶׁהוּא תּוֹךְ ז״א), whereas the prophecy of the other prophets is from the Nukvah (וּשְׁאָר הַנְּבִיאִים נְבוּאָתָם מִנּוּקְבָה), meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), from the Yesod of Imma within Ze’ir Anpin (מֵהַיְסוֹד שֶׁל אִמָּא שֶׁבְּתוֹךְ ז״א). And the fourth (וְהָרְבִיעִי), is in the secret of Shet (בְּסוֹד שֵׁת), which is in the Yesod of Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהוּא בִּיסוֹד שֶׁל ז״א), for the Yesod of Abba reaches until there (כִּי עַד שָׁם מַגִּיעַ יְסוֹד אַבָּא). And the fifth (וְהַחֲמִישִׁי), is in the secret of the Atarah [crown], and this is Hevel (בְּסוֹד הָעֲטָרָה וְהוּא הֶבֶל), and this is the meaning of (וְזֶהוּ אוֹמְרוֹ): “and the foundations of Shet were laid bare” (וַיֵּחָשְׂפוּ שְׁתוֹת) (II Samuel 22:16; Psalms 18:16), for when the Yod is revealed, which is the circumcision (כִּי כְּשֶׁמְּגַלִּין הַיּוֹ״ד הִיא הַמִּילָה), and the foreskin is removed from there (וּמְסִירִין הָעָרְלָה מִשָּׁם), then the light is revealed (אָז מִתְגַּלֶּה הָאוֹר), and this is Shet (וְהוּא שֵׁת).

And you must know (וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁתֵּדַע), that the sin of Hevel was in that he gazed at the Shekhinah (שֶׁחֵטְא הֶבֶל הָיָה בְּמַה שֶּׁהֵצִיץ בַּשְּׁכִינָה), and it is not good that that great light should go to the Shekhinah (וְאֵינוֹ טוֹב שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ אוֹתוֹ הָאוֹר הַגָּדוֹל לַשְּׁכִינָה), for if so she would be nullified completely (שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיְתָה מִתְבַּטֶּלֶת לְגַמְרֵי), because it is a great and powerful light (שֶׁהוּא אוֹר גָּדוֹל וְתַקִּיף).

It follows (נִמְצָא), that the meaning of “and the foundations of Shet were laid bare” (שֶׁפֵּירוּשׁ וַיֵּחָשְׂפוּ שְׁתוֹת) (II Samuel 22:16; Psalms 18:16), is the revelation of the Yesod of Abba within Ze’ir Anpin (הוּא גִּלּוּי יְסוֹד אַבָּא בְּתוֹךְ ז״א), which is revealed in order to form the Partzuf of Yaakov (שֶׁמִּתְגַּלֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹת פַּרְצוּפוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב). And the Yesod of Abba itself contains three segments (וִיסוֹד שֶׁל אַבָּא עַצְמוֹ יֵשׁ בּוֹ ג׳ פְּרָקִים): from the upper segment, which is in the Da’at of Ze’ir Anpin, Mosheh was formed (מֵהַפֶּרֶק הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁהוּא בְּדַעַת זְעֵיר נַעֲשֶׂה מֹשֶׁה), and from the middle segment Shet was formed (וּמֵהַפֶּרֶק הָאֶמְצָעִי נַעֲשֶׂה שֵׁת), and from the Atarah [crown] Hevel was formed (וּמֵהָעֲטָרָה נַעֲשֶׂה הֶבֶל), and this is the secret of Mosheh, Shet, Hevel (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד מֹשֶׁה שֵׁת הֶבֶל). [Repetition of the previous chapter] ([חֲזָרָה עַל הַפֶּרֶק הַקּוֹדֵם]).