Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three (פֶּרֶק מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה)

And you must know (וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), even though we have said that from the Chesed and Gevurah of Arich Anpin until the half of Tiferet (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁמֵחֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ עַד חֲצִי תּ״ת), the Partzufim of Abba and Imma were made (נַעֲשׂוּ פַּרְצוּפִין שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִימָּא), nevertheless they extend until his feet (עִם כָּל זֹאת הֵם מִתְפַּשְּׁטִים עַד הָרַגְלַיִם שֶׁלּוֹ). And you must know (וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁתֵּדַע), that these two Partzufim, which are Abba and Imma (שֶׁאֵלּוּ הַשְּׁנֵי פַּרְצוּפִין שֶׁהֵם אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), are each divided into two (כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם נֶחְלָק לִשְׁנַיִם), and each becomes a complete Partzuf of ten Sefirot (וְכָל אֶחָד נַעֲשֶׂה פַּרְצוּף שָׁלֵם שֶׁל עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת). And from Abba, from his Tabbur [navel] and below (וּמֵאַבָּא מִטַּבּוּרוֹ וּלְמַטָּה), is called Yisrael Saba (נִקְרָא יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא), and it has ten Sefirot (וְיֵשׁ לוֹ עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת). And because in Ze’ir Anpin, from its Tabbur [navel] and above, there is one Yisrael (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּז״א מִטַּבּוּרוֹ וּלְמַעְלָה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶחָד), namely Na’ar Yisrael [Youthful Israel] (דְּהַיְנוּ נַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל), of whom it is said, “Israel is a youth, and I loved him” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וָאֹהֲבֵהוּ) (Hosea 11:1), and corresponding to this one above (וְנַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּנֶגֶד זֶה [הָעֶלְיוֹן]), is called Yisrael Zaken [Elder Israel] (נִקְרָא יִשְׂרָאֵל זָקֵן), namely Yisrael Saba (דְּהַיְנוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא). And from Imma as well, from the chest and below (וּמֵאִימָּא גַּם כֵּן מֵהֶחָזֶה וּלְמַטָּה), a complete Partzuf of ten is formed (נַעֲשֶׂה פַּרְצוּף שָׁלֵם שֶׁל עֶשֶׂר), and it is called Tevunah (וְנִקְרָא תְּבוּנָה), corresponding to Binah (כְּנֶגֶד בִּינָה), which is also an expression of Tevunah [understanding] (שֶׁהוּא גַּם כֵּן לְשׁוֹן תְּבוּנָה), and because it includes within its letters the words son and daughter (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא כּוֹלֵל בְּאוֹתִיּוֹתָיו תֵּיבַת בֵּן וּבַת), the upper Heh (ה׳ עִילָּאָה), to allude that within her is the Ibbur [gestation] of a son and a daughter, and they were born through her (לִרְמוֹז שֶׁבָּהּ עִבּוּר בֵּן וּבַת וְנוֹלְדוּ עַל יָדָהּ), “according to their form and according to their stature” (בְּצִבְיוֹנָם וּבְקוֹמָתָם) (Rosh Hashanah 11a/Chullin 60a), therefore she is called Tevunah (לָכֵן נִקְרֵאת תְּבוּנָה). And they take from Abba and Imma until the end of their feet (וְלוֹקְחִים בְּאַבָּא וְאִימָּא עַד סוֹף הָרַגְלַיִם שֶׁלָּהֶם), which are the aspect of their Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malkhut (שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת נהי״ם שֶׁלָּהֶם), and the two-thirds of the Tiferet from each of them (וּב׳ שְׁלִישֵׁי הַתּ״ת מִכָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם).

And behold (וְהִנֵּה), even though we have said that Abba and Imma take only half of the Tiferet of Arich alone (אַף שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁאַבָּא וְאִימָּא אֵינָן לוֹקְחִין רַק חֲצִי תּ״ת דַּאֲרִיךְ לְבַד), and yet we say that in Abba there is formed one Partzuf of ten Sefirot (וַאֲנוּ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה בְּאַבָּא פַּרְצוּף אֶחָד בֶּן עֶשֶׂר), it is necessary to say (מוּכְרָח הוּא לוֹמַר), that it extends far below the half of the Tiferet of Arich (שֶׁיִּתְפַּשֵּׁט לְמַטָּה מֵחֲצִי שֶׁבַּתּ״ת שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ הַרְבֵּה), because it takes from the chest of Arich (לְפִי שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֵחַ מֵהֶחָזֶה דַּאֲרִיךְ), for there the Yesod of Atika terminates (שֶׁלְּשָׁם מִסְתַּיֵּים הַיְסוֹד דַּעֲתִיקָא), and from there until the half of the Tiferet there is only a small amount (וְאֵין מִשָּׁם עַד חֲצִי הַתּ״ת אֶלָּא דָּבָר מוּעָט). And if you should say that it takes from the Netzach and Hod of Arich itself (וְאִם תֹּאמַר שֶׁיִּקַּח מִנֵּצַח וְהוֹד דַּאֲרִיךְ עַצְמוֹ), this is impossible (זֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר), because this is the place of Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah (לְפִי שֶׁזֶּה הוּא מְקוֹם זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְנוּ). Therefore you must say (לָכֵן צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לוֹמַר), that it extends to all the feet of Arich (שֶׁמִּתְפַּשֵּׁט עַד הָרַגְלַיִם שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ כֻּלָּם), and enclothes them (וּמַלְבִּישׁ אוֹתָם), such that the matter is (בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁהָעִנְיָן הוּא), that these two Partzufim [configurations], one of which is called Yisrael Saba (שֶׁאֵלּוּ הַשְּׁנֵי פַּרְצוּפִין שֶׁאֶחָד נִקְרָא יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא), and one of which is called Tevunah (וְאֶחָד תְּבוּנָה), are below (אֵלּוּ הֵם לְמַטָּה). And according to the order of the levels (וּלְפִי עֵרֶךְ הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת), it is impossible for Ze’ir Anpin to receive abundance from Arich (אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִזְעֵיר לְקַבֵּל שֶׁפַע אֲרִיךְ), except through Yisrael Saba and Tevunah (אִם לֹא עַל יְדֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא וּתְבוּנָה), which are Partzufei He’arah [configurations of illumination] (שֶׁהֵם פַּרְצוּפֵי הֶאָרָה), that were made from the illumination of the “weeping waters” (שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ מֵהֶָאָרַת מַיִם בּוֹכִים), and from the extension of Abba and Imma in their lower Partzufim (וְהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָם שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִימָּא בְּפַרְצוּפֵיהֶם הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים), sometimes extending to the feet of Arich (לִפְעָמִים עַד הָרַגְלַיִם שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ), and sometimes these Partzufei He’arah [configurations of illumination] become concealed above (וְלִפְעָמִים מִתְעַלְּמִים פַּרְצוּפֵי הֶאָרָה לְמַעְלָה), such as during the time of exile (כְּגוֹן בִּזְמַן הַגָּלוּת), and then Ze’ir Anpin has no Mochin (וְאָז אֵין לִזְעֵיר מוֹחִין), and then Arich also folds up its feet (וְאָז גַּם אֲרִיךְ מְקַפֵּל אֶת רַגְלָיו), as I shall explain (כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲבָאֵר). And when Ze’ir Anpin is ten Sefirot, a complete Partzuf (וּכְשֶׁזְּעֵיר בֶּן י׳ סְפִירוֹת פַּרְצוּף שָׁלֵם), the Mochin of Arich enter into it through Abba and Imma (נִכְנָסִין בּוֹ הַמּוֹחִין שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ עַל יְדֵי אַבָּא וְאִימָּא), until it is said that Abba and Imma and the Mazla [supernal influence] are themselves the Mochin of Ze’ir Anpin (עַד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שֶׁאַבָּא וְאִימָּא וּמַזְלָא הֵן הֵן מוֹחִין לִזְעֵיר). And in order that Ze’ir Anpin be able to receive them (וּכְדֵי שֶׁיּוּכַל זְעֵיר לְקַבְּלָם), then Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah enclothe Arich Anpin (אָז מַלְבִּישִׁים זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבֵיהּ לַאֲרִיךְ), which is enclothed within Abba and Imma (הַמִּתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּתוֹךְ אַבָּא וְאִימָּא). And sometimes Ze’ir Anpin possesses only six extremities (וְלִפְעָמִים זְעֵיר הוּא בַּעַל שֵׁשׁ קְצָווֹת), and Arich folds up its feet (וַאֲרִיךְ מְקַפֵּל אֶת רַגְלָיו), as in the time of Tohu (כְּמוֹ בִּזְמַן תֹּהוּ), when it raised with its feet the light of the seven shattered vessels (שֶׁהֶעֱלָה בְּרַגְלָיו אוֹר שֶׁל ז׳ שִׁבְרֵי כֵּלִים), as explained in its place (כַּמְבֹאָר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ). So too similarly (כֵּן כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ), in the time of exile (בִּזְמַן הַגָּלוּת), and in the time when Ze’ir Anpin possesses only six extremities (וּבִזְמַן שֶׁזְּעֵיר בַּעַל שֵׁשׁ קְצָווֹת), Arich folds up its feet (וַאֲרִיךְ מְקַפֵּל אֶת רַגְלָיו), and Ze’ir remains in its place (וְנִשְׁאָר זְעֵיר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ), where Arich had been extended (שֶׁהָיָה מִתְפַּשֵּׁט אֲרִיךְ), and it lives from their Reshimu [impression] (וְהוּא חַי מִן הָרְשִׁימוּ שֶׁלָּהֶם), and this vitality is the vitality of the worlds (וְהַחַיּוּת הַזֶּה הוּא חַיּוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת), for they cannot live without abundance from Him, blessed be He, even for a single moment (שֶׁלֹּא יְכוֹלִים לִחְיוֹת בְּלִי שֶׁפַע מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ אֲפִלּוּ רֶגַע אֶחָד), like the external Zivug [union] of Abba and Imma which never ceases (כְּמוֹ הַזִּוּוּג הַחִיצוֹן שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִימָּא דְּלָא פָּסִיק לְעוֹלָם). However, in Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah there is no Zivug [union] at that time (אֲבָל בִּזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ אֵין זִוּוּג בְּאוֹתוֹ פַּעַם), only vitality from the Reshimu [impression] that we mentioned (רַק חַיּוּת מִן הָרְשִׁימוּ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), and then only six extremities remain within it (וְאָז נִשְׁאֲרוּ בוֹ שֵׁשׁ קְצָווֹת לְבַד), and Abba and Imma do not enclothe Arich except until the Tabbur [navel] (וְאַבָּא וְאִימָּא אֵינָם מַלְבִּישִׁים לַאֲרִיךְ כִּי אִם עַד הַטַּבּוּר).