Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two (פֶּרֶק מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם)

Now, what level does its Nukvah attain (עַתָּה מָה מַעֲלָה מַשֶּׂגֶת נוּקְבֵיהּ), during the first Ibbur [gestation] (בְּעִבּוּר רִאשׁוֹן), in which three are included within three (דְּתְּלַת כְּלִילָן בִּתְלַת), and also during the Yenikah [nursing] and the second Ibbur [gestation] when Mochin are given to it (וְגַם בִּינִיקָה וּבְעִבּוּר שֵׁנִי שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין לוֹ מוֹחִין), what advantage does its Nukvah attain in all these aspects (מַה יִתְרוֹן מַשֶּׂגֶת נוּקְבֵיהּ בְּכָל אֵלּוּ הַבְּחִינוֹת), for she rises with him (שֶׁהֲרֵי הִיא עוֹלָה עִמּוֹ), and it is fitting to know how and what (וְרָאוּי לָדַעַת אֵיךְ וּמָה). But you already know (אֲבָל כְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ), that Arich Anpin is the Neshamah [soul] of the entire tree (שֶׁאֲרִיךְ הוּא נְשָׁמָה לְכָל הָאִילָן), and extends throughout all the Middot in this manner (וּמִתְפַּשֵּׁט בְּכָל הַמִּדּוֹת בְּזֶה הָאֹפֶן): from the right arm until the half of Tiferet opposite the chest (מִזְּרוֹעַ יָמִין וְעַד חֲצִי תּ״ת כְּנֶגֶד הֶחָזֶה), it enters within Abba (נִכְנָס בְּתוֹךְ אַבָּא), and illuminates him to enliven him and to cause him to grow (וּמֵאִיר בּוֹ לְהַחֲיוֹתוֹ וּלְגַדְּלוֹ). And from the left arm until the half of Tiferet opposite the chest (וּמִזְּרוֹעַ שְׂמֹאל וְעַד חֲצִי תּ״ת כְּנֶגֶד הֶחָזֶה), it enters into Imma (נִכְנָס בְּאִמָּא), to illuminate her and to cause her to grow (לְהָאִיר בָּהּ וּלְגַדְּלָהּ), and you also know (וְגַם יָדַעְתָּ), that the Netzach, Hod, and Yesod of Arich Anpin (שֶׁנה״י שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין), are included within Gedulah, Gevurah, and the upper half of Tiferet (נִכְלָל בִּגְדוּלָּה גְּבוּרָה וַחֲצִי תּ״ת הָעֶלְיוֹן). It follows that three and a half Middot are included within two and a half Middot (נִמְצָא שֶׁג׳ מִדּוֹת וָחֵצִי נִכְלְלוּ בְּב׳ מִדּוֹת וָחֵצִי), in this manner (בְּזֶה הָאֹפֶן): Netzach in Gedulah (נֵצַח בִּגְדוּלָּה), Hod in Gevurah (הוֹד בִּגְבוּרָה), and Yesod together with half of Tiferet in the half of Tiferet alone (וִיסוֹד וַחֲצִי תּ״ת בַּחֲצִי תּ״ת לְבַד), behold, before you explicitly are three and a half within two and a half (הִנֵּה לְפָנֶיךָ בְּפֵירוּשׁ שְׁלֹשָׁה וָחֵצִי בִּשְׁנַיִם וָחֵצִי). And this was the reason for the first Ibbur [gestation] of Abba and Imma (וְזֹאת הָיְתָה הַסִּבָּה לְעִבּוּר רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), to bring forth Ze’ir Anpin (לְהוֹצִיא ז״א), as I explained at the beginning of this gate (כַּאֲשֶׁר בֵּאַרְתִּי בְּהַתְחָלַת הַשַּׁעַר הַזֶּה). And then the Nukvah of Ze’ir Anpin, during the first Ibbur [gestation] (וְאָז נוּקְבֵיהּ דְּז״א בְּעִבּוּר רִאשׁוֹן), becomes like Yesod (נַעֲשֵׂית כְּמוֹ יְסוֹד), for Yesod in the beginning is “the fourth of Israel” (שֶׁיְסוֹד מִתְּחִלָּה הוּא רוֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל), and Malkhut is a quarter of the Middah of Yesod (וּמַלְכוּת רְבִיעַ מִמִּדַּת הַיְסוֹד), meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), Yesod is the fourth from the Middah of Tiferet, which is Israel (יְסוֹד הוּא רְבִיעִי מִמִּדַּת הַתּ״ת שֶׁהוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל). For at the time when the light descended in the World of Tohu (כִּי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּרַד הָאוֹר בְּעוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ), from the window of Binah upon the points of Tiferet (מֵחַלּוֹן שֶׁל בִּינָה עַל נְקֻדּוֹת תּ״ת), the flow within it was great enough for four points of Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (הָיָה הַשֶּׁפַע בּוֹ גָּדוֹל כְּדֵי אַרְבַּע נְקֻדּוֹת תנה״י), according to the intention of the One Who directs (בְּכַוָּנַת הַמְכַוֵּן), that afterward there should be a Partzuf [configuration] (שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אַחַר כָּךְ פַּרְצוּף), one from its navel and downward (אֶחָד מִטַּבּוּרוֹ וּלְמַטָּה). And Rachel takes hold of the measure of the place of these four points (וְרָחֵל תּוֹפֶסֶת שִׁעוּר מְקוֹם אַרְבַּע נְקֻדּוֹת הַלָּלוּ), therefore she is the fourth in the Ten Commandments (לָכֵן הִיא רְבִיעִית בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת), “the Sabbath Bride Queen” (שַׁבַּת כַּלָּה מַלְכְּתָא). And one should not raise a difficulty (וְאֵין לְהַקְשׁוֹת), for before the light came to Tiferet (וַהֲלֹא קֹדֶם שֶׁבָּא הָאוֹר לְתּ״ת), the light necessarily had to descend upon Gedulah and Gevurah [Strength] (מוּכְרָח הָאוֹר לֵירֵד עַל גְּדוּלָּה וּגְבוּרָה), for we are not expounding here concerning the light that first increased upon Gedulah and Gevurah (כִּי אֵין אָנוּ דּוֹרְשִׁין כָּאן הָאוֹר שֶׁנִּתְרַבָּה תְּחִלָּה עַל גְּדוּלָּה וּגְבוּרָה), because they ascend far above Tiferet (לְפִי שֶׁהֵן מִתְעַלּוֹת עַל תּ״ת הַרְבֵּה), in the secret of the Priestly Blessing [Nesiat Kapayim] (בְּסוֹד נְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם), but indeed we are standing here upon the essential stature of Ze’ir Anpin (וְאָכֵן קַיְּימִין הָכָא בְּעִיקַר קוֹמָתוֹ שֶׁל זְעֵיר), which is Tiferet that includes everything (שֶׁהוּא תּ״ת הַכּוֹלֵל הַכֹּל). And the light of the point of Malkhut, which also passed through Tiferet beforehand (וְהָאוֹר שֶׁל נְקֻדַּת מַלְכוּת שֶׁגַּם הוּא עָבַר עַל תּ״ת קֹדֶם), we are not dealing with it now (אֵין אָנוּ עוֹסְקִים בּוֹ עַתָּה), but rather it is included within the general light of the Yesod of the World of Tohu (אֶלָּא בִּכְלַל אוֹרוֹ שֶׁל יְסוֹד שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ), since she has nothing of her own whatsoever (כֵּיוָן דְּלֵית לָהּ מִגַּרְמָהּ כְּלוּם), except from the portion of Yesod (אֶלָּא מֵחֵלֶק הַיְסוֹד), therefore “the earth was nullified” (לְפִיכָךְ אֲרְעָא אִתְבַּטְּלַת) (Zohar, Sifra DiTzniuta 176b). In the secret of “faint from sapphires” (בְּסוֹד מְעוּלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים), it is an expression like “fainted” (הוּא לְשׁוֹן נִתְעַלֵּף), regarding the man who is fearful and fainthearted (אֵצֶל הָאִישׁ הַיָּרֵא וְרַךְ הַלֵּבָב), who is forbidden to slaughter (שֶׁאָסוּר לוֹ לִשְׁחוֹט), since he cannot bear to see blood (כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִרְאוֹת דָּם), in the Gemara of Chullin (בִּגְמָרָא דְּחוּלִּין) (Chullin 9a), and in Yoreh De’ah (וּבְיוֹרֶה דֵעָה) (Yoreh De'ah 1), in the laws of slaughtering (בְּהִלְכוֹת שְׁחִיטוֹת). So too is the matter here (כֵּן הָעִנְיָן בְּכָאן), she was weakened and nullified by the great light of the Sefirot (נִתְחַלְּשָׁה וְנִתְבַּטְּלָה מֵאוֹר גָּדוֹל שֶׁל סְפִירוֹת), the term sapphires (לְשׁוֹן סַפִּירִים), referring to the light of Yesod (הוּא אוֹר שֶׁל יְסוֹד), which is one-fourth of the portions of the light of the Sefirot (ד׳ חֶלְקֵי אוֹרָהּ שֶׁל סְפִירוֹת), as we have explained (כַּדְפֵירַשְׁנוּ).

We learn from this (לָמַדְנוּ מִזֶּה), that the Yesod of the point is one-fourth of the light (שֶׁיְסוֹד שֶׁל נְקֻדָּה הוּא רְבִיעִית הָאוֹר), which passed through the point of Tiferet and shattered it (שֶׁעָבַר עַל נְקֻדַּת תּ״ת וּשְׁבָרָהּ), and behold (וְהִנֵּה), the point of Yesod was divided into two portions (נְקֻדַּת יְסוֹד נֶחְלְקָה לִשְׁתֵּי חֲלָקִים), half of the flow that was within it (חֶצְיוֹ שֶׁל הַשֶּׁפַע שֶׁהָיוּ בּוֹ), in half of its vessel for itself (בַּחֲצִי כְּלִי שֶׁלּוֹ לְדִידֵיהּ), in which others have no partnership (שֶׁאֵין לַאֲחֵרִים שֻׁתָּפוּת בּוֹ), and half for the need of Malkhut (וְחֶצְיוֹ לְצֹרֶךְ הַמַּלְכוּת), in which he and she are partners (שֶׁהוּא וְהִיא שֻׁתָּפִים בָּהּ). Therefore (אַלְמָא), every spark of the point that was originally in Yesod (שֶׁכָּל נִיצוֹץ הַנְּקֻדָּה שֶׁהָיְתָה תְּחִלָּה בִּיסוֹד), this one takes three portions for its own need (זֶה נוֹטֵל שְׁלֹשָׁה חֲלָקִים לְצֹרֶךְ עַצְמוֹ), and that one takes the fourth portion (וְזֶה נוֹטֵל חֵלֶק הָרְבִיעִי). And when Yesod and Malkhut ascended and rose upward into the half of Tiferet during the first Ibbur [gestation] (וּכְשֶׁנִּתְעַלּוּ וְעָלוּ יְסוֹד וּמַלְכוּת לְמַעְלָה בַּחֲצִי תּ״ת בְּעִבּוּר רִאשׁוֹן), then Yesod, which had been one-fourth of the Middah of Tiferet called Israel, in the secret of “the fourth of Israel” (אָז יְסוֹד אֲשֶׁר הָיָה רְבִיעִית מִמִּדַּת הַתּ״ת שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּסוֹד רוֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל), became literally equal to the Middah of Tiferet (נַעֲשָׂה מַמָּשׁ כְּמִדַּת הַתּ״ת), for all the power and portions that each one possessed in the World of Tohu (כִּי כָּל הַכֹּחַ וְהַחֲלָקִים שֶׁהָיָה לְכָל אֶחָד בְּעוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ), were not lacking even in the Tikkun (לֹא נֶעְדַּר אַף בַּתִּקּוּן). And if the Reshimu [impression] possesses actual substance (וּמָה הָרְשִׁימוּ יֵשׁ בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ), all the more so the light itself (מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן בָּאוֹר עַצְמוֹ), which possesses this fourth-part power (שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ כֹּחַ הָרְבִיעִית הַזֶּה). And if Yesod attained the power equivalent to four Sefirot (וְאִם יְסוֹד הִשִּׂיג כֹּחַ כְּדֵי אַרְבַּע סְפִירוֹת), then when Malkhut received from it (וּכְשֶׁקִּבְּלָה הַמַּלְכוּת מִמֶּנּוּ), she also received this power (קִבְּלָה גַּם הִיא הַכֹּחַ הַזֶּה). And then Malkhut ascended one level (וְאָז מַלְכוּת עָלְתָה מַדְרֵגָה), for she became enlarged to the very measure of Yesod and Tiferet (שֶׁנִּתְגַּדְּלָה כְּמִדַּת הַיְסוֹד וְתּ״ת מַמָּשׁ), and she enclothes them from behind when not at the time of Zivug [union] (וּמַלְבֶּשֶׁת אוֹתָם מֵאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא בִּשְׁעַת הַזִּוּוּג), and at the time of the Zivug [union] she enclothes them face to face (וּבִשְׁעַת הַזִּוּוּג מַלְבֶּשֶׁת אוֹתָם פָּנִים בְּפָנִים).

It emerges for us from the matter under discussion (יָצָא לָנוּ מִנִּדּוֹן דִּידָן), how Malkhut acquired its place in the World of Tikkun [Rectification] (הֵיאַךְ קָנְתָה מַלְכוּת מְקוֹמָהּ בְּעוֹלָם הַתִּקּוּן), corresponding to these four Sefirot, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבַּע סְפִירוֹת אֵלּוּ תנה״י), in the secret of “the fourth of Israel” (בְּסוֹד רוֹבַע יִשְׂרָאֵל), from the Yesod of the World of Tohu (מִיסוֹד דְּעוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ), which received the power of the flow of Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (שֶׁקִּבֵּל כֹּחַ שֶׁפַע תנה״י), and Tiferet received the flow of Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (וְתּ״ת קִבֵּל הוּא שֶׁפַע נה״י), and Yesod was divided into two (וִיסוֹד נֶחְלַק לִשְׁנַיִם), behold, they too are four (הֲרֵי גַּם כֵּן אַרְבַּע). Therefore Tiferet is Ze’ir Anpin in every place (לָכֵן תּ״ת הוּא זְעֵיר בְּכָל מָקוֹם), and includes its other companions (וְכוֹלֵל הַשְּׁאָר חֲבֵרָיו), and this fourth part is also in Yesod (וְהָרוֹבַע הַזֶּה הוּא גַּם כֵּן בִּיסוֹד), which was divided into two (שֶׁנֶּחְלַק לִשְׁנַיִם), therefore it received this fourth part from this Tiferet (לָכֵן הוּא קִבֵּל הָרוֹבַע הַזֶּה מִתִּפְאֶרֶת הַזֶּה), which emerged upon it in the secret of Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (שֶׁיָּצָא עָלָיו בְּסוֹד נה״י), while it itself is two (וְהוּא עַצְמוֹ שְׁנַיִם). And then Malkhut was receiving this flow (וְאָז מַלְכוּת הָיְתָה מְקַבֶּלֶת הַשֶּׁפַע הַזֶּה), and her mind became haughty against him (וְאָז זָחָה דַעְתָּהּ עָלֶיהָ), and she lodged a complaint against her husband (וְקִטְרְגָה עַל בַּעְלָהּ), yet nevertheless she acquired her dwelling-place with him (וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם קָנְתָה שְׁבִיתָה אֶצְלוֹ), from Tiferet and below, and at the chest (מִתּ״ת וּלְמַטָּה וּבֶחָזֶה). And this level she attained during the first Ibbur [gestation] (וּמַעֲלָה זֹאת הִשִּׂיגָה בְּעִבּוּר רִאשׁוֹן), and with the entrance of the Mochin from Imma into Ze’ir Anpin (וּבְהַכְנָסַת הַמּוֹחִין מֵאִימָא לְז״א), then its Nukvah became a complete Partzuf of ten Sefirot (אָז נַעֲשֵׂית נוּקְבֵיהּ פַּרְצוּף שָׁלֵם מֵעֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת), as we have explained (כַּדְפֵירַשְׁנוּ). Meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), at first there was within him and within her the power of this vestment and this fourth-part aspect (מִתְּחִלָּה הָיָה בּוֹ וּבָהּ כֹּחַ הַהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת וְהָרוֹבַע הַזֶּה), but not in actuality (אֲבָל לֹא בְּפוֹעַל), that is, in the secret of a point (דְּהַיְנוּ בְּסוֹד נְקֻדָּה), and now, with the entrance of the Mochin (וְעַתָּה בִּכְנִיסַת הַמּוֹחִין), she emerged from the secret of the point that she was at first (יָצְאָה מִסּוֹד נְקֻדָּה שֶׁהָיְתָה מִתְּחִלָּה), and now she became possessed of ten points (עַכְשָׁיו נַעֲשֵׂית בַּעֲלַת עֶשֶׂר נְקֻדּוֹת). And you must know (וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that from the half of Tiferet and below of Arich Anpin (שֶׁמֵּחֲצִי תּ״ת וּלְמַטָּה מֵאֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין), there is the Neshamah [soul] of Ze’ir Anpin (הִיא נְשָׁמָה שֶׁל זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), from beginning to end (מֵרֹאשׁ וְעַד סוֹף), which gives him life and illumination in order to make him grow (שֶׁנּוֹתֵן בּוֹ חַיּוּת וְהֶאָרָה לְגַדְּלוֹ), and from the Atarah [crown] of the Yesod of Arich Anpin (וּמֵהָעֲטָרָה דִּיסוֹד שֶׁל א״א), its Nukvah receives abundance (מְקַבֶּלֶת שֶׁפַע נוּקְבֵיהּ דִּזְעֵיר), and it is a Neshamah [soul] to her (וְהִיא נְשָׁמָה אֵלֶיהָ).

It follows that from the arms of Arich Anpin comes the vitality of Abba and Imma (נִמְצָא מִזְּרוֹעוֹת א״א חַיּוּת אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and from the half of Tiferet downward comes the vitality of Ze’ir Anpin (וּמֵחֲצִי תּ״ת לְמַטָּה חַיּוּת ז״א), and from the Atarah [crown] comes the vitality of the Nukvah of Ze’ir Anpin (וּמֵהָעֲטָרָה [חַיּוּת] נוּקְבֵיהּ דְּז״א), it follows that Arich Anpin is the vitality and Neshamah of Abba and Imma, and Ze’ir Anpin and its Nukvah (נִמְצָא שֶׁאֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין הוּא חַיּוּת וּנְשָׁמָה לְאַבָּא וְאִמָּא וְז״א וְנוּקְבֵיהּ). And Arich is included within them from beginning to end (וַאֲרִיךְ כָּלוּל בְּתוֹכָם מֵרֹאשׁ וְעַד סוֹף), and the light of the Emanator is within him (וְאוֹר הַמַּאֲצִיל בְּתוֹכוֹ), it follows that He gives life to this World and to all the worlds (נִמְצָא שֶׁהוּא מְחַיֶּה אֶת עוֹלָם [הַזֶּה] וְאֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת), and this is the secret of “And You give life to them all” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד וְאַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כֻּלָּם) (Nehemiah 9:6), meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), all the worlds (אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת), from above to below (מִלְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה), as stated (כָּאָמוּר).