Chapter Thirty-Four (פֶּרֶק שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה)

Malkhut, when she ascended above in the folding of Arich within his Hod (הַמַּלְכוּת כְּשֶׁעָלְתָה לְמַעְלָה בְּקִפּוּל אֲרִיךְ בְּהוֹד שֶׁלּוֹ), desired to swallow the salty waters that surrounded her (רָצְתָה לִבְלֹעַ הַמַּיִם הַמְּלוּחִים הַסּוֹבְבִים אוֹתָהּ), for she is like the earth, which is surrounded on all sides by the Ocean Sea (כִּי הִיא כְּמוֹ הָאָרֶץ שֶׁסּוֹבֵב עָלֶיהָ סְבִיבָהּ יָם אוֹקְיָנוֹס), so too these judgments (כָּךְ הַדִּינִים הַלָּלוּ), were surrounding Malkhut from all her sides before her ascent (הָיוּ סוֹבְבִים אֶת הַמַּלְכוּת מִכָּל צִדֶּיהָ קֹדֶם עֲלִיָּתָהּ). And she desired to swallow these waters in order to sweeten them (וְרָצְתָה לִבְלֹעַ הַמַּיִם הָאֵלֶּה כְּדֵי לְמַתְּקָם), and thus was His blessed Will (וְכָךְ הָיָה רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ), to castrate the male Leviathan in the sea (לְסָרֵס אֶת הַתַּנִּין הַזָּכָר שֶׁבַּיָּם), and to kill the female to salt her for the righteous in the future to come (וְלַהֲרֹג אֶת הַנְּקֵבָה לְמָלְחָהּ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא) (Bava Batra 74b). Meaning (רָצָה לוֹמַר), through the ascent of Malkhut she was sweetened and became the four hundred worlds of longing (בַּעֲלִיַּית מַלְכוּת נִמְתְּקָה וְנַעֲשֵׂית ד׳ מֵאָה עָלְמִין דְּכִיסּוּפִין), and the matter is (וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא), that you already know the secret of the breaking of the vessels (שֶׁכְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ סוֹד שְׁבִירַת כֵּלִים), which was to rectify the world so that there would be within it good and evil (הָיָה לְתַקֵּן הָעוֹלָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ טוֹב וָרָע), good for the good, namely for the righteous (טוֹב לַטּוֹב דְּהַיְינוּ לַצַּדִּיק), and evil for the evil, namely for the wicked (וְרָע לָרָע דְּהַיְינוּ לָרָשָׁע).

And the explanation of the matter is (וּפֵירוּשָׁן שֶׁל דְּבָרִים הוּא), that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which Rashbi, peace be upon him, mentions in many places (שֶׁעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע שֶׁאוֹמֵר הרשב״י ע״ה בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת), is Malkhut (הִיא הַמַּלְכוּת), namely (הַיְינוּ), that when the vessels were shattered and Malkhut was nullified (שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּשְׁבְּרוּ הַכֵּלִים וּמַלְכוּת אִתְבַּטְּלַת), the time of that nullification was in the secret of evil (זְמַן אוֹתוֹ הַבִּטּוּל הָיָה בְּסוֹד רָע), relative to the judgments from which the Klipot afterward came into being (בְּעֵרֶךְ הַדִּינִים שֶׁנִּתְהַוּוּ אַחַר כָּךְ מֵהֶן הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and they surrounded Malkhut on all her sides in the secret of the Ocean Sea that surrounds the earth (וְהָיוּ סוֹבְבִים הַמַּלְכוּת מִכָּל צִדֶּיהָ בְּסוֹד יָם אוֹקְיָנוֹס הַסּוֹבֵב הָאָרֶץ). And this Ocean Sea (וְזֶה הַיָּם־אוֹקְיָאנוֹס), is what is alluded to in the Zohar (הוּא מַה שֶׁנִּרְמַז בַּזֹּהַר), the words of the holy mouth, in Sifra deTzni’uta (דִּבְרֵי פֶּה קָדוֹשׁ בְּסִפְרָא דִּצְנִיעוּתָא) (daf 176b). Rashbi, peace be upon him, says (אוֹמֵר הרשב״י ע״ה), “Koltara beKutra [the scales upon its knots], Sanpira beAdbui [its fins upon its sides]” (קוֹלְטָרָא בְּקוּטְרָא סַנְפִּירָא בְּעַדְבּוֹי).

The explanation is (פֵּירוּשׁ), Koltara means humps gathered together (קוֹלְטָרָא חֲטוֹטָרוֹת), meaning (רָצָה לוֹמַר), that all the judgments are gathered together like one hard bundle (שֶׁהַדִּינִים כֻּלָּם מְקֻבָּצִים כְּמוֹ צְרוֹר אֶחָד קָשֶׁה). BeKutra means one knot (בְּקוּטְרָא פֵּירוּשׁ קֶשֶׁר אֶחָד). Sanpira means (סַנְפִּירָא), that after it spreads somewhat from that hard bundle (רָצָה לוֹמַר שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁנִּתְפַּשֵּׁט מְעַט מִן הַצְּרוֹר הַקָּשֶׁה), it becomes in the secret of a fin (יִהְיֶה בְּסוֹד סַנְפִּיר), which spreads out and is not so hard (שֶׁהוּא מִתְפַּשֵּׁט וְאֵינוֹ קָשֶׁה כָּל כָּךְ). Meaning (רָצָה לוֹמַר), that the judgments surrounded and encompassed Malkhut (שֶׁהָיוּ הַדִּינִין סוֹבְבִין וּמַקִּיפִין הַמַּלְכוּת), but were unable to touch her (וְלֹא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִין לִגַּע בָּהּ), because she was not shattered (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁבְּרָה), rather they only encompassed her from outside (אֶלָּא מַקִּיפִין אוֹתָהּ מִבַּחוּץ). And after Arich spread forth and his legs reached the shattered vessels (וְאַחַר שֶׁהָיָה אֲרִיךְ מִתְפַּשֵּׁט וְרַגְלָיו מַגִּיעִין עַד הַכֵּלִים הַנִּשְׁבָּרִים), which are the floor of the Tehiru (שֶׁהוּא קַרְקַע הַטְּהִירוּ), and your sign is (וְסִימָנָךְ), “the place where the king’s prisoners were confined” (מָקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֲסִירֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲסוּרִים שָׁם) (Genesis 39:20), until the resurrection of the dead (עַד תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים). And the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Arich that he should fold himself (וְאָמַר הַקב״ה לַאֲרִיךְ שֶׁיִּתְקַפֵּל), as I wrote in the secret of “weeping waters” (כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי בְּסוֹד מַיִם בּוֹכִים) (Etz Chayim, Sha’ar haKlalim), then Malkhut attached herself to the Hod of Arich (אָז נִדְבְּקָה מַלְכוּת בְּהוֹד שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ), and desired to swallow these waters in order to sweeten them (וְרָצְתָה לִבְלֹעַ אֵלֶּה הַמַּיִם כְּדֵי לְמַתְּקָן), but the matter did not succeed because of the accusation (וְלֹא אִסְתַּיְּיעָא מִלְּתָא בִּשְׁבִיל הַקִּטְרוּג), nevertheless their power was broken (אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם נִשְׁבַּר כֹּחָם). And this is what the verse says (וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר קְרָא), “You broke the heads of the sea monsters upon the waters” (שִׁבַּרְתָּ רָאשֵׁי תַנִּינִים עַל הַמָּיִם) (Psalms 74:13), meaning (כְּלוֹמַר), You broke the heads of these judgments, which are in the secret of the sea monsters (שִׁבַּרְתָּ רָאשֵׁי אֵלּוּ הַדִּינִים שֶׁהֵם בְּסוֹד תַּנִּינִם), “upon the waters” (עַל הַמָּיִם), meaning (כְּלוֹמַר), before they became strengthened and did not yet possess a body (קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּתְגַּבְּרוּ וְלֹא הָיָה לָהֶם גּוּף), but while they were still waters (אֶלָּא בְּעוֹדָם מַיִם), when they were surrounding Malkhut (כְּשֶׁהָיוּ מַקִּיפִין אֶת הַמַּלְכוּת), You broke their power and their bitterness (שִׁבַּרְתָּ כֹּחָם וּמְרִירוּתָם), in the secret of wormwood and gall (בְּסוֹד לַעֲנָה וָרֹאשׁ). For had they, Heaven forbid, possessed a structure and a body (שֶׁאִלּוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם הָיָה לָהֶם בִּנְיָן וְגוּף), they would have devastated the world (הָיוּ מְטַשְׁטְשֵׁי עָלְמָא), nevertheless in that breaking of their power (אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם בְּאוֹתוֹ שְׁבִירָה שֶׁל הַכֹּחַ שֶׁלָּהֶם), they were sweetened somewhat (נִמְתְּקוּ קְצָת), namely the secret of the female, which corresponds to Malkhut (דְּהַיְינוּ סוֹד הַנְּקֵבָה שֶׁהִיא כְּנֶגֶד מַלְכוּת). Meaning (רָצָה לוֹמַר), the points of Malkhut were completely sweetened (נְקוּדוֹת מַלְכוּת נִמְתְּקָה מִכָּל וָכֹל), nevertheless her root is from the salty waters, which are judgments (אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם שָׁרְשָׁהּ מִן הַמַּיִם הַמְּלוּחִים שֶׁהֵם דִּינִים), and she is the female that was salted for the righteous in the future to come (וְהִיא הַנְּקֵבָה שֶׁנִּמְלְחָה לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא) (Bava Batra 74b). But the male was harsh (אֲבָל הַזָּכָר הָיָה קָשֶׁה), and it was impossible to sweeten him (וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְמַתְּקוֹ), nevertheless he was castrated (וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם נִסְתָּרֵס), meaning (כְּלוֹמַר), you already know that fish have within them something like seed (כְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ שֶׁהַדָּגִים יֵשׁ לָהֶם כְּמוֹ זֶרַע בְּתוֹכָם), and that from the aforementioned seed which emerges from them (וְשֶׁיּוֹצֵא מֵהֶם הַזֶּרַע הַנִּזְכָּר), many thousands of fish are created (נִבְרָא מִמֶּנּוּ כַּמָּה אֲלָפִים דָּגִים), therefore he was castrated so that the eggs of the viper would never emerge (לָזֶה סֵרְסוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יֵצְאוּ בֵּיצֵי צִפְעוֹנִי לְעוֹלָם).

And know (וְדַע), that this male, because he was castrated (שֶׁזֶּה הַזָּכָר לִהְיוֹת שֶׁנִּסְתָּרֵס), the harshness of the judgments within him was sweetened somewhat (נִמְתְּקוּ מְעַט קֹשִׁי הַדִּינִים שֶׁבּוֹ), and he became in the secret of a fin (וְנַעֲשָׂה בְּסוֹד סַנְפִּיר), and this is what Rashbi, peace be upon him, said (וְהַיְינוּ דְּקָאָמַר הרשב״י ע״ה), “Sanpira beAdbui [its fins upon its sides]” (סַנְפִּירָא בְּעַדְבּוֹי). And the word Sanpir [Fin] equals four hundred (וְתֵיבַת סַנְפִּיר עוֹלָה ד׳ מֵאוֹת), corresponding to the four hundred shekels of silver of Avraham (כְּנֶגְדָּם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שֶׁקֶל כֶּסֶף שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם) (Genesis 23:15–16), which were in order to sweeten this aforementioned fin of the male (שֶׁהָיוּ כְּדֵי לְמַתֵּק זֶה הַסַּנְפִּיר שֶׁל הַזָּכָר הַנִּזְכָּר), and with it he acquired the cave (וְקָנָה לוֹ בּוֹ הַמְּעָרָה). And therefore (וְלָזֶה), all the caves of the righteous have the form of a serpent (כָּל מְעָרוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים יֵשׁ לָהֶם צוּרַת עַכְנָא), which is the form of a serpent (שֶׁהוּא צוּרַת נָחָשׁ), and its tail was in the opening (וְהָיָה זְנָבוֹ בְּפִיר), as mentioned there in Sifra deTzni’uta (כַּנִּזְכָּר לְשָׁם בְּסִפְרָא דִּצְנִיעוּתָא) (Sifra deTzni’uta 176b), in order to sweeten the venom of the serpent (כְּדֵי לְמַתֵּק אֶרְסוֹ שֶׁל נָחָשׁ). And from this fin that we have spoken of (וְזֶה הַסַּנְפִּיר שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), which was sweetened through its ascent with Malkhut within the Hod of Arich (שֶׁנִּמְתַּק בַּעֲלִיָּתוֹ עִם הַמַּלְכוּת בְּתוֹךְ הוֹד שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ), there emerged those four hundred worlds of longing prepared for the righteous (מֵהֶם יָצְאוּ אוֹתָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת עָלְמִין דְּכִיסּוּפִין הַמְזוּמָּנִים לַצַּדִּיקִים), as mentioned in the Zohar (כַּנִּזְכָּר בַּזֹּהַר). Meaning (דְּהַיְינוּ), that Malkhut spread forth within the Hod of Arich (שֶׁהַמַּלְכוּת נִתְפַּשְּׁטָה בְּהוֹד דַּאֲרִיךְ), and expanded into ten Sefirot (וְנִתְפַּשְּׁטָה לְעֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת), and because this Hod is included within Arich (וּלְהִיוֹת שֶׁהַהוֹד הַזֶּה הוּא נִכְלָל בַּאֲרִיךְ), and you already know that Chokhmah, which is called Reisha DeEin [the Head of Nothingness] (וּכְבָר יָדַעְתָּ שֶׁהַחָכְמָה הַנִּקְרֵאת רֵישָׁא דְאַיִן), is included within Arich (נִכְלֶלֶת בְּתוֹךְ אֲרִיךְ), in the secret of “the ten spoonfuls” (בְּסוֹד עֲשָׂרָה הַכַּף) (Numbers 7), and in the secret of “and cleave unto his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (וּבְסוֹד וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ וְהָיוּ לְבָשָׂר אֶחָד) (Genesis 2:24). And Ein [Nothingness], which spreads within Arich (וְאַיִן הַמִּתְפַּשֶּׁטֶת בְּתוֹךְ אֲרִיךְ), is in the secret of the Name A"B [72] (הוּא בְּסוֹד שֵׁם ע״ב), which contains four Yudin (שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ ד׳ יוּדִין), and these four Yudin are the secret of the four hundred worlds of longing that we mentioned (וְאֵלּוּ ד׳ יוּדִין הֵם סוֹד ד׳ מֵאָה עָלְמִין דְּכִסּוּפִין שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ). And they are called worlds of longing (וְנִקְרָא דְּכִסּוּפִין), because here, meaning in this state (לִהְיוֹת שֶׁבְּכָאן כְּלוֹמַר בַּמַּצָּב הַזֶּה), was the accusation (הָיָה הַקִּטְרוּג), that Malkhut longed (שֶׁנִּכְסְפָה הַמַּלְכוּת), that she should have a Keter for herself alone (שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהּ כֶּתֶר לְבַדָּהּ), and she was the cause of her own diminution (וְהִיא הָיְתָה סִבַּת מִיעוּטָהּ), therefore they are called worlds of longing (וְלָכֵן נִקְרָאִים עָלְמִין דְּכִסּוּפִין). And they are also called longings (וְגַם נִקְרָאִים כִּסּוּפִין), from the expression, “My soul longs, yea, even faints for the courts of Hashem” (מִלְּשׁוֹן נִכְסְפָה וְגַם כָּלְתָה נַפְשִׁי לְחַצְרוֹת בֵּית ה׳) (Psalms 84:3), and it is the desire and yearning of the righteous (וְהִיא תַּאֲוַת וְחֵשֶׁק הַצַּדִּיקִים), who long to delight and to be nourished from the radiance of these four hundred worlds (שֶׁכּוֹסְפִים לֵהָנוֹת וְלִהְיוֹת נִזּוֹנִים מִזִּיו הָאַרְבַּע מֵאָה עָלְמִין הַלָּלוּ), because they come from below (לִהְיוֹתָם בָּאִים מִלְּמַטָּה). And they were rectified through Arich (וְנִתְקְנוּ עַל יְדֵי אֲרִיךְ), which is something corresponding to the spirituality of the souls of human beings (הוּא דָּבָר הַמִּשְׁתַּוֶּה אֶל רוּחָנִיּוּת נִשְׁמַת בְּנֵי אָדָם), and is not so exceedingly subtle (וְאֵינוֹ כָּל כָּךְ דַּק), for it is painful for the soul to derive pleasure from an exceedingly subtle light (שֶׁהוּא צַעַר אֶל הַנְּשָׁמָה לֵהָנוֹת מֵאוֹר דַּק), but this is not so (אֲבָל זֶה אֵינוֹ כֵּן). And this is the reason that our Rabbis of blessed memory said (וְזֶהוּ טַעַם שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל), “In the future to come, the righteous shall sit, and their crowns shall be upon their heads” (לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא צַדִּיקִים יוֹשְׁבִים וְעַטְרוֹתֵיהֶם בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶם) (Berakhot 17a), for they are the sweetened Gevurot (שֶׁהֵם הַגְּבוּרוֹת הַמְמוּתָּקוֹת), from which there is no fear in the future to come to derive pleasure (שֶׁאֵין פַּחַד לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא לֵהָנוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ), for “the wicked shall perish” (כִּי רְשָׁעִים יֹאבֵדוּ) (Psalms 37:20), at that time (בְּאוֹתוֹ הַזְּמַן). And therefore gold is judgment (וְלָכֵן הַזָּהָב הוּא דִּין), and it is more precious than silver (וְהוּא יוֹתֵר יְקַר הָעֵרֶךְ מִכֶּסֶף), from which the righteous can delight with all the desire of their souls (שֶׁיְּכוֹלִים הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּכָל אוֹת נַפְשָׁם לֵהָנוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ), because it is more substantial than silver (כִּי הוּא יוֹתֵר עָב מִכֶּסֶף), which is the secret of Chesed (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד הַחֶסֶד). And at that time the wicked shall perish (וּבְאוֹתוֹ הַזְּמַן יֹאבְדוּ הָרְשָׁעִים), and “all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered” (וְיִתְפָּרְדוּ כָּל פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן) (Psalms 92:10), and “But You, Hashem, are exalted forever” (וְאַתָּה מָרוֹם לְעוֹלָם יְהוָ״ה) (Psalms 92:9), and it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר), “And saviors shall ascend Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esav, and the kingdom shall be Hashem’s” (וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁעִים בְּהַר צִיּוֹן לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הַר עֵשָׂו וְהָיְתָה לַי־י הַמְּלוּכָה) (Obadiah 1:21). Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (יִתְבָּרַךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).