Chapter Sixty-Five (פֶּרֶק שִׁשִּׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה)

The secret of Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters] (סוֹד מַיִן נוּקְבִין), is the merit of our prayers (הוּא זְכוּת תְּפִלָּתֵינוּ), and the merit of the Yichud [Unification] of Keri’at Shema [Recitation of the Shema] (וּזְכוּת יִחוּד קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע), and Nefilat Appayim [Falling on the Face] (וּנְפִילַת אַפִּים), and other good deeds (וּשְׁאָר מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים), and also the souls of the righteous that ascend above (וְגַם נִשְׁמַת הַצַּדִּיקִים הָעוֹלוֹת לְמַעְלָה). For because of all these things (שֶׁ[בִּגְלַל] כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה), these Mayin Dukhrin [Male Waters] are aroused (מִתְעוֹרְרִים מַיִן דְּכָרִין הַלָּלוּ), that is to say (כְּלוֹמַר), these Mochin [Supernal Intellects] mentioned above (הַמּוֹחִין הַלָּלוּ הַנִּזְכָּרִים), of Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (שֶׁל זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), which we arouse through our prayers (שֶׁאָנוּ מְעוֹרְרִים אוֹתוֹ בִּתְפִלָּתֵינוּ), and after these Mayin Dukhrin [Male Waters] of Ze’ir Anpin are aroused (וְאַחֲרֵי שֶׁמִּתְעוֹרְרִים מַיִן דּוּכְרִין אֵלּוּ שֶׁל זְעֵיר), they are called, and also cause (נִקְרָאִים [וְגוֹרְמִים] גַּם הֵם), other Mayin Dukhrin [Male Waters] (מַיִן דּוּכְרִין אֲחֵרִים), more exalted than those below them (יוֹתֵר מְעוּלִים מִמַּה שֶׁלְּמַטָּה מֵהֶם). And the secret of the matter is (וְסוֹד הַדָּבָר הוּא); behold (הֲלֹא), Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), are called the children of Abba and Imma (נִקְרָאִים בָּנִים שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and we, human beings dwelling in this world (וַאֲנַחְנוּ בְּנֵי אָדָם הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה), are called “children of Hashem our God” (נִקְרָאִים 'בָּנִים לַייָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ'), who are Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (שֶׁהֵם זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבֵיהּ). And behold (וְהִנֵּה), the Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters] that the Malkhut raises to Ze’ir Anpin (הַמַּיִן נוּקְבִין שֶׁמַּעֲלָה הַמַּלְכוּת לִזְעֵיר), are the secret of the souls of the righteous (הוּא סוֹד נִשְׁמוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים), for they are their children (שֶׁהֵם הַבָּנִים שֶׁלָּהֶם). And the Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters] that Imma raises to Abba (וְהַמַּיִן נוּקְבִין שֶׁמַּעֲלָה אִמָּא לְאַבָּא), are Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (הֵם זו״ן), namely, their Mochin (הַיְנוּ הַמּוֹחִין שֶׁלָּהֶם), which are the inner soul of Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (שֶׁהֵם הַנְּשָׁמָה הַפְּנִימִיּוֹת דְּזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבִיָּה), for they are their children (שֶׁהֵם הַבָּנִים שֶׁלָּהֶם).

And behold, know (וְהִנֵּה דַּע), that indeed in man there are four aspects (כִּי הֲלֹא בָּאָדָם יֵשׁ ד' בְּחִינוֹת), which are Neshamah of the Neshamah from the side of Abba (שֶׁהֵם נְשָׁמָה לַנְּשָׁמָה מִצַּד אַבָּא), Neshamah from the side of Imma (נְשָׁמָה מִצַּד אִמָּא), and Ruach from Tiferet (וְרוּחַ מִתּ״ת), and Nefesh from Malkhut (וְנֶפֶשׁ מִמַּלְכוּת), which is Nukvah (שֶׁהִיא נוּקְבֵיהּ). However (וְאָמְנָם), the Ruachot and Nefashot of the righteous (רוּחִין וְנַפְשִׁין שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקִים), are the Mayin Nukvin and Dukhrin [Female and Male Waters] of Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (הֵם מַיִן נוּקְבִין וְדּוּכְרִין שֶׁל זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), but the Neshamah of the Neshamah and Neshamah (אַךְ נְשָׁמָה לַנְּשָׁמָה וּנְשָׁמָה), are the Mayin Nukvin and Dukhrin [Female and Male Waters] of Abba (הֵם מַיִן נוּקְבִין וְדּוּכְרִין שֶׁל אַבָּא), for they were hewn from there (כִּי מִשָּׁם נֶחְצָבוּ). And behold (וְהִנֵּה), our kavanah [intent] is to raise Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah, in the secret of Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters] (כַּוָּנָתֵינוּ לְהַעֲלוֹת זו״ן בְּסוֹד מַיִן נוּקְבִין), only that they do not have the power to ascend because of the exile (רַק שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם כֹּחַ לַעֲלוֹת מֵחֲמַת הַגָּלוּת), and we must first give them some illumination from above (וַאֲנוּ צְרִיכִים לָתֵת לָהֶם תְּחִלָּה אֵיזוֹ הֶאָרָה מִלְמַעְלָה), so that afterward they will be able to ascend (כְּדֵי שֶׁיוּכְלוּ אַחַר כָּךְ לַעֲלוֹת), and afterward Abba and Imma will unite (וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִזְדַּוְּגוּ אַבָּא וְאִמָּא).

And behold (וְהִנֵּה), that illumination (אוֹתָהּ הֶאָרָה), [for the purpose of raising the Mayin Nukvin] ([לְצֹרֶךְ הַעֲלָאַת הַמ״ן]), they receive from the continual union (הֵם מְקַבְּלִים מִזִּוּוּג הַתְּמִידִי), which is to sustain the worlds (שֶׁהוּא לְהַחֲיוֹת הָעוֹלָמוֹת), and is not for giving birth to souls (וְאֵינוֹ לְהוֹלִיד נְשָׁמוֹת), for how could it receive from above (כִּי אֵיךְ תּוּכַל לְקַבְּלוֹ מִלְמַעְלָה), if there is not first a union of Abba and Imma (אִם לֹא יֵשׁ תְּחִלָּה זִוּוּג אַבָּא וְאִמָּא). For the Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters] have not yet ascended (כִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא עָלוּ מַיִן נוּקְבִין), rather the matter is proven (אֶלָּא מוּכָח מִלְּתָא), that it is from the continual union (שֶׁהוּא מֵהַזִּוּוּג הַתְּמִידִי), which does not require Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters] (שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ מַיִן נוּקְבִין), and it is the external union of Abba and Imma that never ceases (וְהוּא זִוּוּג הַחִיצוֹנִי שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִמָּא דְּלָא פָסִיק), to sustain the worlds (לְהַחֲיוֹת הָעוֹלָמוֹת). As it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “And a river goes out from Eden to water the garden” (וְנָהָר יֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן) (Genesis 2:10). It does not say “went out,” but rather “goes out” (יָצָא לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא יוֹצֵא), for it never ceases forever (דְּלָא פָסִיק לְעָלְמִין). And it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר): “Like a spring of water whose waters do not fail” (כְּמוֹצָא מַיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְכַזְּבוּ מֵימָיו) (Isaiah 58:11). And it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר): “And you shall draw water with joy from the wells of salvation” (וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה) (Isaiah 12:3), “Hashem, salvation is Yours; upon Your people is Your blessing, Selah” (לַייָ הַיְשׁוּעָה עַל עַמְּךָ בִרְכָתֶךָ סֶּלָה) (Psalms 3:9).