Chapter Thirteen (פֶּרֶק שְׁלֹשָׁה עָשָׂר)

This Asimon rides upon Na’amah (אַסִימוֹן זֶה רוֹכֵב עַל נַעֲמָה), and Na’amah rides upon Igeret bat Machalat (וְנַעֲמָה רוֹכֶבֶת עַל אִגֶּרֶת בַּת מַחֲלַת), and this Igeret rides upon many kinds (וְאִגֶּרֶת זוֹ רוֹכֶבֶת עַל כַּמָּה מִינֵיהּ), Gardinin and Chavilei Tehirin [guards of destruction and bands of midday demons] (גַּרְדִּינִין וַחֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין). And on the left side (וּמִשְּׂמֹאל), there is the form of a serpent riding upon a blind dragon (יֵשׁ צוּרַת נָחָשׁ רוֹכֵב עַל תַּנִּין עִוֵּר), and this dragon rides upon Lilith the guilty one (וְהַתַּנִּין זֶה רוֹכֵב עַל לִילִית חַיֶּיבְתָא), may she be uprooted speedily in our days, Amen (שֶׁתֵּעָקֵר בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ אָמֵן). And this blind dragon (וְהַתַּנִּין הָעִוֵּר הַזֶּה), acts as a best man between Samael and Lilith (עוֹשֶׂה שׁוֹשְׁבִינוּת בֵּין סמא״ל וְלִילִית), for the dragon that is in the sea has no eyes (כִּי הַתַּנִּין שֶׁבַּיָּם אֵין לוֹ עֵינַיִם), so too the blind dragon above (כֵּן הַתַּנִּין הָעִוֵּר שֶׁל מַעְלָה), is in the likeness of a spiritual form without eyes (כִּדְמוּת צוּרָה רוּחָנִית בְּלִי עֵינַיִם), meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ), without colors (בְּלִי גְוָנִים). Unlike the Yesod of the Holy Covenant above (מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בִּיסוֹד בְּרִית קֹדֶשׁ שֶׁל מַעְלָה), which is the secret of the rainbow (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד הַקֶּשֶׁת), and within it are three shining colors (וּבוֹ ג׳ גְוָנִין נְהִירִין), white, red, and green (לוֹבֶן אָדוֹם וְיָרוֹק), from the side of the Patriarchs (מִצַּד הָאָבוֹת), and therefore the Zohar says (וְלָכֵן אָמַר הַזֹּהַר), Elazar my son (אֶלְעָזָר בְּרִי), until this rainbow is seen in the world adorned with shining colors and illuminates the world (עַד דְּאִתְחֲזֵי הַאי קֶשֶׁת בְּעָלְמָא מִתְקַשְּׁטָא בְּגַוְונִין נְהִירִין וְיִתְנְהִיר לְעָלְמָא), then await Mashiach (וּכְדֵין צַפֵּי לֵיהּ לְמָשִׁיחַ), from where do we know this (מְנָלָן), for it is written, and I shall see it to remember the everlasting covenant (דִּכְתִיב וּרְאִיתִיהָ לִזְכֹּר בְּרִית עוֹלָם) (Genesis 9:16).

And now (וְהַשְׁתָּא), certainly at that time (כִּי בּוַדַּאי בְּאוֹתוֹ הַפַּעַם), the colors of the merit of the Patriarchs are drawn into the Holy Covenant (נִמְשָׁכִים גַּוְונֵי זְכוּת אָבוֹת לִבְרִית קֹדֶשׁ), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר), and I shall remember My covenant with Yaakov, and also My covenant with Yitzchak, and also My covenant with Avraham (וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקֹב וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי אַבְרָהָם) (Leviticus 26:42), and concerning all of them it says My covenant (וּבְכֻלָּם כְּתִיב בְּרִיתִי), and afterward the land (וְאַחַר כָּךְ וְהָאָרֶץ) (Leviticus 26:42), namely the Shekhinah (דְּהַיְינוּ הַשְּׁכִינָה), I shall remember (אֶזְכֹּר) (Leviticus 26:42). And I shall bring her out from exile (וְאוֹצִיאָהּ מִן הַגָּלוּת), and the union will be as at first (וְיִהְיֶה הַזִּוּוּג כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה), and then Hashem will be One and His Name One (וְאָז יִהְיֶה ה׳ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד) (Zechariah 14:9). And from these Merkavot of the Side of Holiness and of the Sitra Achra (וּמִן הַמֶּרְכָבוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁל סִטְרָא דִקְדוּשָּׁה וְשֶׁל סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא), descends the Nefesh [Soul] of living creatures (יוֹרֶדֶת נֶפֶשׁ בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים), the Nefesh of beasts from the power of the ox in both Merkavot (נֶפֶשׁ הַבְּהֵמוֹת מִכֹּחַ הַשּׁוֹר שֶׁבִּשְׁתֵּי הַמֶּרְכָבוֹת), if pure, from the right side (אִם טְהוֹרוֹת מִצַּד יָמִין), and if impure, from the left side (וּטְמֵאוֹת מִצַּד שְׂמֹאל), and the Nefesh of man from Adam (וְנֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם מֵאָדָם), and all of them descend opposite the Heikhal [Palace] of the Essence of the Heavens and the Sapphire Pavement (וְכֻלָּן יוֹרְדוֹת מִנֶּגֶד הֵיכַל עֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר). And sometimes (וְלִפְעָמִים), the soul of a wicked man is found there (נִמְצֵאת שָׁם נִשְׁמַת אָדָם רָשָׁע), who because of his sins is liable to be reincarnated into a beast or an animal (שֶׁבַּעֲוֹנוֹתָיו חַיָּבִים לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל בִּבְהֵמָה וְחַיָּה), and when the Nefesh of this animal or beast descends (וּבְרֶדֶת נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אוֹ בְהֵמָה זוֹ), they deliver that soul to it and mingle it together with it (מוֹסְרִים לוֹ וּמְעָרְבִים עִמָּהּ הַנְּשָׁמָה הַהִיא), and therefore it is reincarnated into a beast or an animal (וְלָכֵן הִיא מִתְגַּלְגֶּלֶת בִּבְהֵמָה וְחַיָּה). And through this will be revealed (וּבָזֶה יִתְגַּלֶּה), the secret of the Korban [Offering], which draws near those who are distant (סוֹד הַקָּרְבָּן הַמְקָרֵב אֶת הָרְחוֹקִים), and sometimes it happens and is ordained (וְלִפְעָמִים יִקְרֶה וּמְזוּמֶנֶת), that the animal in which there is a soul (הַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר בָּהּ נְשָׁמָה), merits to be offered upon the altar (וְזוֹכָה לִהְיוֹת נִקְרֶבֶת עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ), and when proper service is performed with it (וּכְשֶׁעוֹשִׂים בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה הֲגוּנָה), it draws near to its root and is rectified (מִתְקָרֶבֶת לְשָׁרְשָׁהּ וְנִתְקַנָּה). And even more than this (וְאַף גַּם זֹאת), if that animal being offered is not a reincarnated soul (אִם אוֹתָהּ הַבְּהֵמָה הַנִּקְרֶבֶת אֵינָהּ נְשָׁמָה מְגֻלְגֶּלֶת), nevertheless through the act of the Korban [Offering] it rectifies it (מִכָּל מָקוֹם בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַקָּרְבָּן הוּא מְתַקֵּן אוֹתָהּ), through the sparks that remained oppressed in the first Shattering of the Vessels (בַּנִּיצוֹצוֹת שֶׁנִּשְׁאֲרוּ עֲשׁוּקִים בִּשְׁבִירַת הַכֵּלִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים), which became mixed within the four categories: D’omem, Tzome’ach, Chai, Medaber [Mineral, Vegetative, Living, Speaking] (שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבוּ בְּאַרְבַּע מִינִים דּוֹמֵם צוֹמֵחַ חַי מְדַבֵּר כַּנּוֹדָע), and through the Korban [Offering] he rectifies the spark (וּבַקָּרְבָּן מְתַקֵּן הַנִּיצוֹץ), which is oppressed in the hand of the category of the living creature (אֲשֶׁר הוּא עָשׁוּק בְּיַד מִין הַחַי). And this is also the secret of Terefot [Torn Animals] and Kashrut (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד טְרֵפוֹת וְהַכְּשֵׁרוֹת גַּם כֵּן), for the animal that is included in a worthy man (כִּי הַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר הִיא נִכְלֶלֶת בְּאָדָם כָּשֵׁר), its flesh becomes attached to his flesh and is rectified (נִדְבַּק בְּשָׂרָהּ בִּבְשָׂרוֹ וְנִתְקַנָּה), and the animal in which a Terefah [Fatal Defect] is found (וְהַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר יִמָּצֵא בָּהּ טְרֵפוֹת), a sign is a matter (סִימָנָא מִלְתָּא הִיא), there is no spark of purity and holiness within it (אֵין בָּהּ נִיצוֹץ טָהֳרָה וּקְדוּשָּׁה). And one who feeds it to Yisrael unknowingly (וְהַמַּאֲכִילוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁלֹּא לָדַעַת), attaches to him the Sitra Achra, Heaven forbid (מַדְבִּיק בּוֹ סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), and therefore the feeder is punished measure for measure (וְלָכֵן נֶעֱנָשׁ הַמַּאֲכִיל מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה), to the dog they cast him (לַכֶּלֶב מַשְׁלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ), as in the incident of that butcher (כְּעוּבְדָא דְהַהוּא טַבָּחָא). However (אָמְנָם), the animal that is pure and was slaughtered properly (הַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר הִיא טְהוֹרָה וְנִשְׁחֲטָה בְּהֶכְשֵׁר), and has no blemish (וּמוּם אֵין בָּהּ), is fit for eating (רְאוּיָה לַאֲכִילָה), for then the spark of holiness within it draws nearer to holiness (שֶׁאָז נִיצוֹץ הַקְּדוּשָּׁה שֶׁבָּהּ מִתְקָרֵב יוֹתֵר אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ), when it is eaten by a worthy man (כְּשֶׁנֶּאֱכֶלֶת לְאָדָם כָּשֵׁר). And this is the secret of (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד), an Am haAretz [Ignoramus] is forbidden to eat meat (עַם הָאָרֶץ אָסוּר לֶאֱכוֹל בָּשָׂר) (Pesachim 49b), for the secret of the spark of holiness within it is not rectified when it enters him (שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקַן סוֹד נִיצוֹץ הַקְּדוּשָּׁה שֶׁבָּהּ כְּשֶׁנִּכְנְסָה בּוֹ), and this is sufficient (וְדַי בָזֶה), let the wise hear and increase learning (שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע חָכָם וְיוֹסֶף לֶקַח) (Proverbs 1:5), and make your ears like a funnel (וַעֲשֵׂה אָזְנֶיךָ כַּאֲפַרְכֶּסֶת), to hear the words of the living God and King of the universe (לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים וּמֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם), the mysteries of Atik Yomin (רָזֵי עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּיא), which were not revealed even to the holy angels (שֶׁלֹּא נִתְגַּלוּ אֲפִלּוּ לַמַּלְאָכִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים).