Chapter Three (פֶּרֶק שְׁלִישִׁי)

Know (דַּע), that after Binah gave the seven Keter, the seven Chokhmah, and the seven Binah (שֶׁאַחַר שֶׁבִּינָה נָתְנָה הַשֶּׁבַע כְּתָרִים וְהַשֶּׁבַע חָכְמוֹת וְהַשֶּׁבַע בִּינוֹת), which she held within herself (שֶׁהִיא הֶחֱזִיקָה בָּהֶם), and brought forth from herself all the seven lower ones (וְהוֹצִיאָה מִמֶּנָּה כָּל הַז׳ אַחֲרוֹנוֹת), from all the seven shattered vessels toward below (מִן כָּל הַז׳ כֵּלִים הַנִּשְׁבָּרִים לְצַד מַטָּה), they were hovering, seeking their vessels (וְהָיוּ מְרַחֲפִים לְבַקֵּשׁ כְּלֵיהֶם), and spread throughout the World of Atzilut (וְנִתְפַּשְּׁטוּ בְּעוֹלָם הָאֲצִילוּת), meaning (רָצָה לוֹמַר), the place destined afterward to become the World of Atzilut (מָקוֹם הָרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת אַחַר כָּךְ עוֹלָם הָאֲצִילוּת), but they did not find them (וְלֹא מְצָאוּם).

And likewise they descended from world to world (וְכֵן יָרְדוּ מֵעוֹלָם אֶל עוֹלָם), and did not find them (וְלֹא מְצָאוּם), until they sought to descend into part of the boundary of the World of Asiyah (עַד שֶׁבִּקְשׁוּ לֵירֵד בִּקְצָת גְּבוּל עוֹלָם הָעֲשִׂיָּה), and if, Heaven forbid, they had descended into the World of Asiyah (וְאִם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יָרְדוּ תּוֹךְ עוֹלָם הָעֲשִׂיָּה), they would, so to speak, have become attached to their shattered vessels (הָיוּ כִּבְיָכוֹל דְּבוּקִים בְּשִׁבְרֵי כְלֵיהֶם), over which dominion had already been established (שֶׁכְּבָר שָׁלְטוּ בָהֶם), namely (דְּהַיְינוּ), for the Klipot to derive benefit from them (לֵהָנוֹת מֵהֶם הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), and, so to speak, it would have been necessary to return the world to Tohu vaVohu (וְכִבְיָכוֹל הָיָה צָרִיךְ לַהֲפוֹךְ הָעוֹלָם לְתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ), therefore He hinted to Arich Anpin that he should fold himself (לָכֵן רָמַז לַאֲרִיךְ שֶׁיִּתְקַפֵּל), as we shall explain (כַּאֲשֶׁר נְבָאֵר).

And know (וְדַע), that this movement by which the inwardness of the aforementioned seven lower ones moved (שֶׁהַתְּנוּעָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְנוֹעֲעִים פְּנִימִיּוּת הַשֶּׁבַע אַחֲרוֹנוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרִים), is a hint to the exile of Egypt (הוּא רֶמֶז לְגָלוּת מִצְרַיִם), which was destined to be four hundred years (שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת ת׳ שָׁנָה). And likewise (וְכֵן), had these seven Sefirot, Heaven forbid, descended all four descents of the four worlds Atzilut, Beri’ah, Yetzirah, Asiyah (אִלְמָלֵא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יָרְדוּ אֵלּוּ הַז׳ סְפִירוֹת כָּל הַד׳ יְרִידוֹת שֶׁל ד׳ עוֹלָמוֹת אבי״ע), for each world corresponded to one hundred years (כִּי כָּל עוֹלָם חָזַר מֵאָה שָׁנָה), namely fifty from the five Chesadim and fifty from the five Gevurot (הַיְינוּ חֲמִשִּׁים מֵה׳ חֲסָדִים וַחֲמִשִּׁים מֵה׳ גְּבוּרוֹת), each one included of ten (שֶׁכָּל א׳ כָּלוּל מִי׳), and it follows that they are one hundred (וְנִמְצָא שֶׁהֵם ק׳), then, Heaven forbid (הָיוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), the Klipot would have ruled over them (שׁוֹלְטִים הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), to derive benefit from them (לֵהָנוֹת מֵהֶם), and they would still, Heaven forbid, have remained submerged (וַעֲדַיִן הָיוּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם נִשְׁקָעִים), and it would have been necessary to return everything to Tohu vaVohu (וְהָיָה צָרִיךְ לַהֲפוֹךְ הַכֹּל לְתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ). And likewise (וְכֵן), had the exile reached four hundred years (אִלְמָלֵא הִגִּיעַ הַגָּלוּת לְת׳ שָׁנָה), we and our children and our children's children would still be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt (עֲדַיִן אֲנַחְנוּ וּבָנֵינוּ וּבְנֵי בָנֵינוּ הָיִינוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים לְפַרְעֹה בְּמִצְרַיִם). But what did the Holy One, blessed be He, do (אֲבָל מַה עָשָׂה הקב״ה), when He saw that they were also descending into the World of Asiyah (כְּשֶׁרָאָה שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹרְדִים גַּם כֵּן אֶל תּוֹךְ עוֹלָם הָעֲשִׂיָּה), He hinted to Arich Anpin that he should fold himself (רָמַז לַאֲרִיךְ שֶׁיִּתְקַפֵּל), with his lower half into his upper half (חֶצְיוֹ שֶׁלְּמַטָּה בְּחֶצְיוֹ שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה), namely (הַיְינוּ), the thighs into the arms (הַשּׁוֹקַיִם בַּזְּרוֹעוֹת), which are Netzach in Chesed and Hod in Gevurah (שֶׁהֵם נֵצַח בְּחֶסֶד הוֹד בִּגְבוּרָה), and likewise Yesod and the lower half of Tiferet into the upper half of Tiferet (וְכֵן יְסוֹד וַחֲצִי תִּפְאֶרֶת שֶׁלְּמַטָּה בַּחֲצִי תִּפְאֶרֶת שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה). And when these seven saw the aforementioned ascent and folding (וּכְשֶׁרָאוּ אֵלּוּ הַז׳ הָעֲלִיָּה וְהַקִּפּוּל הַנִּזְכָּרִים), they attached themselves to Arich Anpin in order to ascend with him above (נִדְבְּקוּ בַּאֲרִיךְ כְּדֵי לַעֲלוֹת עִמּוֹ לְמַעְלָה). And he too received them within himself (וְהוּא גַּם כֵּן קְלָטָם), namely (הַיְינוּ), the six from Chesed through Yesod, inclusive (שֶׁהַשִּׁשָּׁה מֵהַחֶסֶד עַד הַיְסוֹד עַד וְעַד בִּכְלָל), he received them in his Netzach (קְלָטָם בְּנֵצַח שֶׁלּוֹ), which is called the right thigh (שֶׁהוּא נִקְרָא שׁוֹק יָמִין), and Malkhut was received in his Hod (וּמַלְכוּת קְלָטָה בְּהוֹד שֶׁלּוֹ), which is called the left thigh (שֶׁנִּקְרָא שׁוֹק שְׂמֹאל). And this is what Rashbi, peace be upon him, says in Idra Naso [Assembly of Naso] (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאוֹמֵר הרשב״י ע״ה בְּאִדְרַת נָשֹׂא), he is in Netzach and she is in Hod (אִיהוּ בְּנֵצַח וְאִיהִי בְּהוֹד).

And this is because the six are from the world of the male (וְזֶהוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַשִּׁשָּׁה הֵם מֵעָלְמָא דִדְכוּרָא), and incline toward Chesed (וּמַטִּים כְּלַפֵּי חֶסֶד), therefore they attached themselves to the side of Chesed (עַל כֵּן נִדְבְּקוּ מִצַּד הַחֶסֶד), namely the Netzach of Arich Anpin (דְּהַיְינוּ נֵצַח שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ), and Malkhut, because she is the world of the female and entirely judgment (וּמַלְכוּת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא עָלְמָא דְנוּקְבָא וְכֻלָּהּ דִּין), therefore attached herself to Hod (עַל כֵּן נִדְבְּקָה בְּהוֹד), which is likewise judgment (שֶׁהִיא גַּם כֵּן דִּין). And before this matter is completed (וְקוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּגְמַר הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה), you must know (צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that everything occurred in the blink of an eye (שֶׁהַכֹּל נַעֲשָׂה כְּהֶרֶף עַיִן), that the Three Heads were made in Arich Anpin (שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בַּאֲרִיךְ תְּלַת רֵישִׁין), and immediately Ein Sof hinted to Arich Anpin (וְרָמַז תֵּכֶף אֵין סוֹף לַאֲרִיךְ), that from the Reshimu [Impression] preserved in the place (שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה מֵהָרְשִׁימוּ הַנִּשְׁמָר בַּמָּקוֹם), where the original Chokhmah and Binah had been (שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם חָכְמָה וּבִינָה הָעִיקָרִיִּים), after they had ascended to the place of Keter (אַחַר שֶׁנִּתְעַלּוּ הֵם בִּמְקוֹם הַכֶּתֶר), the Partzufim of Abba and Imma (אֶת פַּרְצוּפֵי אַבָּא וְאִמָּא). Namely (דְּהַיְינוּ), from the Reshimu of Chokhmah, one Partzuf (מֵרְשִׁימוּ דְחָכְמָה פַּרְצוּף אֶחָד), and from the Reshimu of Binah, one Partzuf (וּמֵרְשִׁימוּ דְבִינָה פַּרְצוּף אֶחָד), and the Partzuf of the Reshimu of Chokhmah (וּפַרְצוּף רְשִׁימוּ דְחָכְמָה), He made with the illumination that He placed within it from His Chesed (עָשָׂה אוֹתוֹ בְּהֶאָרָה שֶׁנָּתַן לְתוֹכוֹ עִם חֶסֶד שֶׁלּוֹ), and it is called Abba (וְנִקְרָא אַבָּא), and the Partzuf of the Reshimu of Binah (וּפַרְצוּף רְשִׁימוּ דְבִינָה), He made with the illumination that He placed within it from His Gevurah (עָשָׂה אוֹתוֹ בְּהֶאָרָה שֶׁנָּתַן לְתוֹכוֹ גְּבוּרָה שֶׁלּוֹ), and it is called Imma (וְנִקְרֵאת אִמָּא), and they are face to face (שֶׁהֵם פָּנִים בְּפָנִים), unlike how they were in the World of Tohu (וְלֹא כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ בְּעוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ).

It emerges for us from our present discussion (יָצָא לָנוּ מִנִּדּוֹן דִּידָן), that while the Inner Lights [Orot haPenimiot] of the shattered vessels were seeking their vessels (בְּעוֹד שֶׁהָאוֹרוֹת הַפְּנִימִיּוֹת שֶׁל שִׁבְרֵי כֵלִים מְבַקְשִׁים כְלֵיהֶם), and descending from world to world (וְיוֹרְדִים מֵעוֹלָם אֶל עוֹלָם), and the Partzufim of Abba and Imma were made in the blink of an eye (וְנַעֲשׂוּ פַּרְצוּפֵיהֶם שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִמָּא כְּהֶרֶף עַיִן), immediately Ein Sof hinted to Arich Anpin that he should fold himself (וְתֵכֶף רָמַז אֵין סוֹף לַאֲרִיךְ שֶׁיִּתְקַפֵּל), and he raised with himself the seven Inner Lights [Orot haPenimiot] of the seven shattered vessels (וְהֶעֱלָה עִמּוֹ הַז׳ אוֹרוֹת פְּנִימִיּוֹת שֶׁל ז׳ שִׁבְרֵי כֵלִים), namely the six with Netzach (דְּהַיְינוּ הַשִּׁשָּׁה עִם נֵצַח), and Malkhut with Hod (וּמַלְכוּת עִם הוֹד). When they ascended above (כְּשֶׁעָלוּ לְמַעְלָה), into the Yesod of Arich Anpin (בִּיסוֹד אֲרִיךְ), all seven attached together as one (נִדְבְּקוּ כָּל הַז׳ כְּאֶחָד), and Ein Sof hinted to Arich Anpin that he should give them to Abba (וְרָמַז אֵין סוֹף לַאֲרִיךְ שֶׁיִּתְּנָם לְאַבָּא), and he received them through his brain (וְהוּא קִבְּלָם דֶּרֶךְ מוֹחוֹ), and gave them through his Yesod (וּנְתָנָם דֶּרֶךְ יְסוֹדוֹ), which is the secret of the cooked seed emerging from the Holy Covenant of Yesod (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד הַזֶּרַע הַמְבֻשָּׁל הַיּוֹצֵא מִיסוֹד בְּרִית קֹדֶשׁ), into Imma (אֶל תּוֹךְ אִמָּא), namely (הַיְינוּ), he gave them to the Yesod of Imma (לִיסוֹד אִמָּא נְתָנָם), which is the secret of the broad places of the river (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד רְחֹבוֹת הַנָּהָר), the Yesod of a woman, so to speak, being broad (יְסוֹד שֶׁל אִשָּׁה כִּבְיָכוֹל רָחָב). And they ascended until the Yesod of the Tiferet of the Yesod of Imma (וְעָלוּ עַד יְסוֹד תִּפְאֶרֶת דִּיסוֹד אִמָּא), which consists of three thirds (שֶׁהוּא שְׁלֹשָׁה שְׁלִישִׁים), corridor, chamber, upper room (פְּרוֹזְדוֹר חֶדֶר עֲלִיָּה), Netzach-Hod-Yesod, Chesed-Gevurah-Tiferet, Chokhmah-Binah-Da’at (נה״י חג״ת חב״ד), as will be explained (כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר), and there, in the womb of Imma (וְשָׁם בְּרֶחֶם אִמָּא), the gold dross was refined (נִתְבָּרֵר סוּסְפִיתָא דְדַהֲבָא), namely, so to speak, the dross from the good (הַיְינוּ כִּבְיָכוֹל הַסִּיגִים מִן הַטּוֹב), likewise there the mercies were refined from the judgments (כֵּן שָׁם נִתְבָּרְרוּ הָרַחֲמִים מֵהַדִּינִים), and in that place was made the Partzuf of Ze’ir Anpin (וְנַעֲשָׂה בְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם פַּרְצוּף זְעִיר). Namely (דְּהַיְינוּ), that the collective totality of the seven Sefirot mentioned in this secret of Ibbur [Impregnation] (שֶׁהַכְּלָלוּת מֵהַשִּׁבְעָה סְפִירוֹת הַנִּזְכָּרִים בְּסוֹד עִבּוּר זֶה), became detailed into nine Sefirot (נַעֲשׂוּ מִפְּרָטוּת תֵּשַׁע סְפִירוֹת), and this is because each of the nine Sefirot, namely from Chokhmah and downward (וְזֶה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מִתֵּשַׁע סְפִירוֹת הַיְינוּ מֵחָכְמָה וּלְמַטָּה), in this place is touched by some judgment (בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה נוֹגֵעַ בּוֹ קְצָת דִּין). Therefore the mercies must be refined from the judgments while it is still pregnant (וְלָכֵן צָרִיךְ בֵּרוּר הָרַחֲמִים מֵהַדִּינִים בְּעוֹדָהּ מְעוּבֶּרֶת), and this is the secret of the nine months of women's pregnancy (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד תִּשְׁעָה חֳדָשִׁים מְעוּבַּר הַנָּשִׁים), namely, so to speak, corresponding to the nine renewed Sefirot (הַיְינוּ כִּבְיָכוֹל דּוּגְמַת מֵהַתֵּשַׁע סְפִירוֹת מְחֻדָּשִׁים שֶׁנִּתְחַדְּשׁוּ), in the sphere mentioned (בַּכַּדּוּר הַנִּזְכָּר), within the womb of Imma (תּוֹךְ מְעֵי אִמָּא).

And the explanation is (וּפֵירוּשׁ), that those things which do not require refinement and renewal (הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵין צָרִיךְ בֵּרוּר וְחִדּוּשׁ), except for that which had previously been corrupted by the judgments (אֶלָּא מַה שֶּׁהָיָה מְקֻלְקָל מִקּוֹדֶם מֵהַדִּינִים), namely from Chokhmah and downward (דְּהַיְינוּ מֵחָכְמָה וּלְמַטָּה), but the shadow of Keter does not require refinement (אֲבָל צֵל שֶׁל כֶּתֶר אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְבֵרוּר), since it is pure and clean (כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא זַךְ וְנָקִי). And one should not ask (וְאֵין לְהַקְשׁוֹת), if Keter, Chokhmah, and Binah were not shattered (אִם כח״ב לֹא נִשְׁבְּרוּ), why do Chokhmah and Binah require refinement (לָמָּה מֵהַחָכְמָה וּמִבִּינָה צָרִיךְ בֵּרוּר), for even though they were not shattered (כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ נִשְׁבָּרִים), nevertheless judgments were present within them (עַל כָּל פָּנִים הָיוּ בָהֶם דִּינִים), namely the Thirty-Two Paths of Chokhmah (דְּהַיְינוּ הַל״ב נְתִיבוֹת חָכְמָה), namely the Thirty-Two Elohim (דְּהַיְינוּ ל״ב אֱלֹהִים), which were within the seven Sefirot themselves (שֶׁהָיוּ בְּהַשִּׁבְעָה סְפִירוֹת עַצְמָם). But Keter, Chokhmah, and Binah themselves were not shattered, Heaven forbid (אֲבָל כח״ב עַצְמָם לֹא הָיוּ נִשְׁבָּרִים חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), nor were Klipot made from them (וְלֹא נַעֲשׂוּ מֵהֶם קְלִיפּוֹת), however they did require sweetening (אֲבָל מִיתּוּק הָיוּ צְרִיכִים), for they were made from the Elohim of the Malkhut of Adam Kadmon (שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ מֵאֱלֹהִים דְּמַלְכוּת אָדָם קַדְמוֹן). And afterward Ze’ir Anpin emerged from the womb of Imma (וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָצָא זְעֵיר מִמְּעֵי אִמָּא), in the secret of two Partzufim (בְּסוֹד דּוּ פַּרְצוּפִין), namely (הַיְינוּ), that Malkhut was attached to him from behind (שֶׁמַּלְכוּת הָיְתָה דְּבוּקָה לוֹ מֵאֲחוֹרָיו), between his two shoulders (בֵּין שְׁתֵּי כְתֵפָיו), namely from the first third of Tiferet and downward (דְּהַיְינוּ מִשְּׁלִישׁ תִּפְאֶרֶת הָרִאשׁוֹן וּלְמַטָּה), and he stands beneath the feet of Imma (וְעוֹמֵד תַּחַת רַגְלֵי אִמָּא), namely the place of half the Tiferet of Arich Anpin (דְּהַיְינוּ מְקוֹם חֲצִי תִּפְאֶרֶת שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ). And he extends until the end of the place that was destined to become the World of Atzilut (וּמִתְפַּשֵּׁט עַד סוֹף מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת עוֹלָם הָאֲצִילוּת), which is the third of the Netzach-Hod-Yesod of Arich Anpin (שֶׁהוּא שְׁלִישׁ נה״י שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ), and the remainder extends below (וּשְׁאָר מִתְפַּשֵּׁט לְמַטָּה), together with the feet of the Shekhinah (עִם רַגְלֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה), upon which Beri’ah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, these three worlds, are built (שֶׁנִּבְנִים עָלֶיהָ בי״ע שְׁלֹשָׁה עוֹלָמוֹת אֵלֶּה). Until here (עַד הֵנָּה), we have explained the matter of the elevation of the seven Inner Lights [Orot haPenimiot] of the seven shattered vessels (פֵּרַשְׁנוּ עִנְיַן הַעֲלָאַת ז׳ אוֹרוֹת פְּנִימִיּוֹת שֶׁל ז׳ שִׁבְרֵי כֵלִים), with extreme brevity (בְּקִצּוּר מֻפְלָג), in order to connect the matters one to another (כְּדֵי לְחַבֵּר הַדְּבָרִים אֶחָד אֶל אֶחָד), so that you not err in them, Heaven forbid (שֶׁלֹּא תִטְעֶה בָהֶם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). Therefore (לָכֵן), I gathered among the sheaves (לִקַּטְתִּי בֵּין הָעֳמָרִים), and joined to the ascent of Arich Anpin (וְצֵרַפְתִּי אֶל הָעֲלִיָּה שֶׁל אֲרִיךְ), some of what pertains to it afterward (קְצָת מַה שֶּׁשַּׁיָּךְ אַחֲרָיו), and in the chapter that will come (וּבַפֶּרֶק שֶׁיָּבוֹא), I shall explain again what pertains to this at length (אֲבָאֵר פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת מַה שֶּׁשַּׁיָּךְ לָזֶה בַּאֲרִיכוּת). And from whom shall I request forgiveness (וּמִמִּי אֶשְׁאַל הַמְּחִילָה), that I have revealed the furnace of the world (שֶׁגִּלִּיתִי כִּבְשׁוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם), may He enlighten our eyes through His holy Torah (הוּא יָאִיר עֵינֵינוּ בְּתוֹרָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה), Yaakov shall rejoice, Yisrael shall be glad (יָגֵל יַעֲקֹב יִשְׂמַח יִשְׂרָאֵל).