Chapter Seventeen (פֶּרֶק שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר)

Ze’ir Anpin and his Nukvah, when they were in the secret of a drop (זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בְּסוֹד טִפָּה), and Arich Anpin took them in his right hand (וּלְקָח אוֹתָם אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין בְּיַד יְמִינוֹ), and gave them to Abba through his brain (וְנָתַן אוֹתָם לְאַבָּא דֶּרֶךְ הַמּוֹחַ שֶׁלּוֹ), until they descended to the Netzach and Hod of the Yesod of Abba (עַד שֶׁיָּרְדוּ לְנֵצַח וְהוֹד שֶׁל יְסוֹד שֶׁל אַבָּא), as mentioned in the previous chapters (כַּנִּזְכָּר בַּפְּרָקִים הַקּוֹדְמִים). Afterward they ascended to the head of the Yesod (אַחַר כָּךְ עָלוּ לְרֹאשׁ הַיְסוֹד), and from the points of the Yesod of the Da’at of the Yesod of Abba (וּמִנְּקֻדּוֹת יְסוֹד שֶׁל דַּעַת שֶׁל יְסוֹד אַבָּא), Ze’ir Anpin and his Nukvah emerged (יָצְאוּ זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), and entered through the Yesod of Imma into her womb (וְנִכְנְסוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְסוֹד אִמָּא לְתוֹךְ מֵעֶיהָ), as we shall explain (כַּאֲשֶׁר נְבָאֵר). And before we explain these matters (וְקוֹדֶם שֶׁנְּבָאֵר הַדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ), you must know (צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that when Arich Anpin took the drop (כִּי כְּשֶׁלָּקַח הַטִּפָּה אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין), he gave a measure to Ze’ir (נָתַן בְּיָדוֹ שִׁעוּר לִזְעֵיר), in this manner (בָּזֶה הָאֹפֶן), namely (הַיְינוּ), that he made Ze’ir possess six extremities (שֶׁעָשָׂה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִזְעֵיר ו׳ קְצָווֹת), namely Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (דְּהַיְינוּ חג״ת נה״י). For until now it was a drop without measure (שֶׁעַד עַתָּה הָיָה טִפָּה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לָהּ שִׁעוּר), and now he gave it two measures (וְעַכְשָׁיו נָתַן לוֹ שְׁתֵּי שִׁעוּרִים), one in potential and one in actuality (אֶחָד בְּכֹחַ וְאֶחָד בְּפוֹעַל). For the actual measure is Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (שֶׁהַפּוֹעַל הוּא חג״ת נה״י), which are within him essentially (שֶׁהֵם בּוֹ דֶּרֶךְ עִקָּר), and that which is in potential is Chokhmah, Binah, and Da’at (וְאוֹתוֹ שֶׁבְּכֹחַ הוּא חָכְמָה בִינָה וָדַעַת).

And the explanation of the matter is thus (וּפֵירוּשָׁא דְמִלְתָּא כָּךְ הִיא), you already know (כְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ), that Ze’ir Anpin is the union of six extremities (שֶׁז״א הוּא חִבּוּר שֵׁשׁ קְצָווֹת), namely Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (וְהוּא חג״ת נה״י), and Ze’ir Anpin is called the Six Extremities (נִקְרָאִים זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין הוּא ו׳ קְצָווֹת), for he does not possess vessels of Chokhmah, Binah, and Da’at (כִּי כְּלֵי חָכְמָה בִינָה וָדַעַת אֵין בּוֹ), rather Arich Anpin made for him a receptacle (אֶלָּא שֶׁאֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין עָשָׂה לוֹ בֵּית קִבּוּל), so that he would be able to receive Chokhmah, Binah, and Da’at (כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכַל לְקַבֵּל חב״ד), and this receptacle (וּבֵית קִבּוּל זֶה), is in the secret of the Segolta cantillation mark (הוּא בְּסוֹד טַעַם סְגוֹלְתָא). And the matter is (וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא), that Ze’ir Anpin, because he does not possess Mochin, which are Chokhmah, Binah, and Da’at (שֶׁז״א לִהְיוֹת שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מוֹחִין שֶׁהֵם חב״ד), for a small youth has no Da’at (שֶׁהֲרֵי נַעַר קָטֹן אֵין בּוֹ דַעַת), and afterward his mother nurses him and raises him (וְאַחַר כָּךְ יוֹנַקְתּוֹ וּמְגַדַּלְתּוֹ), and gives him Da’at little by little (נוֹתֶנֶת לוֹ הַדַּעַת מְעַט מְעָט), so too Ze’ir Anpin, so to speak (כֵּן ז״א כִּבְיָכוֹל), since he does not possess these Mochin (בְּהִיוֹת שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ אֵלּוּ הַמּוֹחִין), through our good deeds (בְּמַעֲשֵׂינוּ הַטּוֹבִים), we draw the Mochin from Imma (אָנוּ מַמְשִׁיכִים מֵאִמָּא הַמּוֹחִין), in this manner (בָּזֶה הָאֹפֶן):

The Netzach-Hod-Yesod of Imma enter into the Chokhmah-Binah-Da’at of Ze’ir Anpin in potential (שֶׁנה״י שֶׁל אִמָּא נִכְנָסִים לְתוֹךְ חב״ד שֶׁבִּזְעֵיר בְּכֹחַ), and become actualized (וְנַעֲשִׂים בְּפוֹעַל), through the measurements that we mentioned (מִכֹּחַ הַמְּדִידוֹת שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), which Arich Anpin made in Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁעָשָׂה אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין בְּז״א), and this Ze’ir Anpin was built from three Chesadim and three Gevurot (וְז״א זֶה נִבְנָה מִג׳ חֲסָדִים וּמִג׳ גְּבוּרוֹת), and He established his Nukvah in the place fitting for her to dwell (וְתִקֵּן נוּקְבֵיהּ בַּמָּקוֹם הָרָאוּי לָהּ לָשֶׁבֶת). This is the secret alluded to in the verse (זֶהוּ סוֹד הָרֶמֶז בַּפָּסוּק), “Who has measured the waters in His palm, and measured the heavens with a span” (מִי מָדַד בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ מַיִם וְשָׁמַיִם בַּזֶּרֶת תִּכֵּן) (Isaiah 40:12). And this is its explanation (וְזֶהוּ פֵּירוּשׁוֹ), Mi [Who], which is Arich Anpin, namely Binah (מִי שֶׁהוּא אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין הַיְינוּ בִּינָה), measured him in His palm (מָדַד אוֹתוֹ בְּשָׁעֳלוֹ), which is His right fist (שֶׁהוּא אֶגְרוֹפוֹ שֶׁל יָמִין), for by way of analogy a person acts only with his right hand (כִּי דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל הָאָדָם אֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה כִּי אִם בִּימִינוֹ). And in the right are five Chesadim in the five fingers (וּבַיָּמִין יֵשׁ ה׳ חֲסָדִים שֶׁהֵם בְּה׳ אֶצְבָּעוֹת), and the explanation of Etzba [Finger] is the Name AHVH (וּפֵירוּשׁ אֶצְבַּע הוּא שֵׁם אהו״ה), and your sign is (וְסִימָנָךְ), “Et [the] heavens and Et [the] earth” (אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ) (Genesis 1:1), for it is the seal with which heaven and earth were sealed (שֶׁהוּא גּוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דְחָתִים בֵּיהּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא), which is the secret of Ze’ir Anpin and his Nukvah (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד ז״א וְנוּקְבֵיהּ). And this Name filled with Yudin is thus (וְשֵׁם זֶה מָלֵא בְּיוּדִין כָּזֶה), Aleph-Heh-Vav-Heh (אל״ף ה״י וי״ו ה״י), which equals one hundred sixty-three, the numerical value of Etzba [Finger] (שֶׁעוֹלֶה קס״ג כְּמִנְיַן אֶצְבַּע). And know (וְדַע), that whenever Etzba [Finger] is mentioned, its essence is this Name (שֶׁכְּשֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֶצְבַּע עִקָּרוֹ זֶה הַשֵּׁם), and know (וְדַע), that this Name is a great Name (שֶׁשֵּׁם זֶה הוּא שֵׁם גָּדוֹל), with which the spiritual and physical heavens and earth were sealed (שֶׁבּוֹ נֶחְתְּמוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ הָרוּחָנִיִּים וְהַגּוּפָנִיִּים). And the spiritual heavens and earth are Ze’ir Anpin and his Nukvah (וְהָרוּחָנִיִּים הֵם ז״א וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), and therefore the Zohar calls it (וְעַל כֵּן קָרְאוּ בַּזֹּהַר פָּרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית), “the seal with which heaven and earth were sealed” (גוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דְחָתִים בֵּיהּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא).

And know (וְדַע), that these five fingers (שֶׁאֵלּוּ ה׳ אֶצְבָּעוֹת), each one possesses one of these full AHVH Names (יֵשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד שֵׁם מֵאֵלּוּ אהו״ה מָלֵא), and within them are five Chesadim, which are five Havayot (וּבְתוֹכָם יֵשׁ ה׳ חֲסָדִים שֶׁהֵם ה׳ הֲוָיוֹת), and each one possesses one Havayah (וְיֵשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם הֲוָיָה אַחַת). And the Havayot of Gevurot in Ze’ir Anpin (וְהֲוָיוֹת גְּבוּרוֹת מִזְּעֵיר), contain nine Shevas (יֵשׁ בָּהֶם ט׳ פְּעָמִים שְׁבָא), corresponding to the nine Sefirot within him (כְּנֶגֶד ט׳ סְפִירוֹת שֶׁבּוֹ), which equal one hundred and eighty (שֶׁעוֹלִים ק״פ). And the Havayot of Chesadim within him are vocalized with Kamatz (וְהֲוָיוֹת שֶׁל חֲסָדִים שֶׁבּוֹ הֵם מְנֻקָּדִים קָמַץ), and they contain nine Kamatzim (וְיֵשׁ בָּהֶם ט׳ פְּעָמִים קָמַץ), corresponding to the nine Sefirot within him (כְּנֶגֶד תֵּשַׁע סְפִירוֹת שֶׁבּוֹ), and each Kamatz equals sixteen (וְכָל נִקּוּד קָמַץ הוּא ט״ז), and nine times sixteen equals one hundred and forty-four (וְט׳ פְּעָמִים ט״ז עוֹלִים קמ״ד). And the root Havayah of the Chesadim is twenty-six (וְשֹׁרֶשׁ הֲוָיָה שֶׁל חֲסָדִים הוּא כ״ו), and also the root Havayah of the Gevurah, which is another twenty-six (וְעוֹד שֹׁרֶשׁ הֲוָיָה שֶׁל גְּבוּרָה שֶׁהוּא כ״ו שֵׁנִי), thus there are one hundred and eighty, one hundred and forty-four, twenty-six, and twenty-six (נִמְצָא שֶׁיֵּשׁ ק״פ קמ״ד כ״ו כ״ו), the total equals Sha’alo [His Palm] (סַךְ הַכֹּל עוֹלֶה שַׁעֳל[וֹ]), [three hundred and seventy lights of Arich and six additional lights] ([ש״ע נהוֹרִין דַאֲרִיךְ וְעוֹד ו׳ נְהוֹרִין]), to indicate that he is Ze’ir, who is called Vav (לוֹמַר שֶׁהוּא זְעֵיר שֶׁנִּקְרָא וָא״ו), because he is still six extremities (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא עֲדַיִן ו׳ קְצָווֹת).

And the explanation of the matter is (וּפֵירוּשׁ הַדְּבָרִים), that Arich measured Ze’ir in His Palm while he was still water (שֶׁאֲרִיךְ מָדַד בְּשַׁעֳלוֹ זְעֵיר בְּעוֹדוֹ מַיִם), namely a drop without a Partzuf (שֶׁהוּא טִפָּה בְּלִי פַּרְצוּף), and now he explains the measurement and says (וְעַכְשָׁיו מְפָרֵשׁ הַמְּדִידָה וְאוֹמֵר), “and measured the heavens with a span” (וְשָׁמַיִם בַּזֶּרֶת תִּכֵּן) (Isaiah 40:12), namely Ze’ir with a span, which is a dry measure (דְּהַיְינוּ זְעֵיר בַּזֶּרֶת שֶׁהוּא מִדַּת הַיָּבֵשׁ), “and contained in a measure the dust of the earth” (וְכָל בַּשָּׁלִישׁ עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ) (Isaiah 40:12), which is his Nukvah (שֶׁהִיא נוּקְבֵיהּ). For Arich established her (שֶׁהִתְקִין אוֹתָהּ אֲרִיךְ), that her measure would be one-third of Ze’ir (שֶׁתִּהְיֶה מִדָּתָהּ בְּשָׁלִישׁ זְעֵיר), meaning (כְּלוֹמַר), that when Ze’ir is a Partzuf (שֶׁזְּעֵיר כְּשֶׁהוּא פַּרְצוּף), he possesses nine attributes: Chokhmah, Binah, Da’at, Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod (יֵשׁ בּוֹ ט׳ מִדּוֹת חב״ד חג״ת נה״י), and the place of Malkhut’s station (וּמַלְכוּת מְקוֹם חֲנָיָתָהּ), is behind the Tiferet of Ze’ir Anpin (הוּא אֲחוֹרֵי הַת״ת שֶׁל ז״א), at the end of the upper third of the Tiferet of Ze’ir (בְּסוֹף שְׁלִישׁ הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁל ת״ת שֶׁל זְעֵיר). It follows (נִמְצָא), that Malkhut is the measure of three Sefirot of Ze’ir (שֶׁמַּלְכוּת הִיא כְּמִדַּת שָׁלֹשׁ סְפִירוֹת שֶׁל זְעֵיר), namely Netzach, Hod, and Yesod, and two-thirds of Tiferet (שֶׁהֵם נה״י וּשְׁנֵי שְׁלִישֵׁי ת״ת), thus (נִמְצָא), Ze’ir is greater than her by two-thirds (שֶׁזְּעֵיר הוּא יוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנָּה שְׁנֵי שְׁלִישִׁים), which are Chokhmah, Binah, Da’at, Chesed, Gevurah, and one-third of Tiferet (שֶׁהֵם חב״ד חֶסֶד גְּבוּרָה שְׁלִישׁ ת״ת). It follows (נִמְצָא), that Arich gave a measure to the dust of the earth (שֶׁמֵּאֲרִיךְ נִתַּן שִׁעוּר לַעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ), which is Malkhut (שֶׁהִיא מַלְכוּת), called the dust of the earth (הַנִּקְרֵאת עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ).