Chapter Twenty-Five (פֶּרֶק עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה)

The Mochin of Abba and Imma, which they received from Arich for their benefit (הַמּוֹחִין שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִמָּא שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ מֵאֲרִיךְ לְתוֹעַלְתָם), for through this there was aroused in them a perpetual union (כִּי בָזֶה נִתְעוֹרֵר לָהֶם זִוּוּג תָּמִידִי), and love and attachment one to another (וְאַהֲבָה וְהִתְדַּבְּקוּת זֶה בָּזֶה), so that there would be union between them forever (לִהְיוֹת זִוּוּג בֵּינֵיהֶם לְעוֹלָם), that they never separate one from the other (דְּלָא יִתְפַּרְשׁוּ דָּא מִן דָּא). And not like Malkhut (וְלֹא כְּמוֹ מַלְכוּת), which after every union becomes a virgin and a bride again (שֶׁאַחַר כָּל זִוּוּג וְזִוּוּג נַעֲשֵׂית בְּתוּלָה וְכַלָּה), and has renewed virginity (וְיֵשׁ לָהּ בְּתוּלִים מֵחָדָשׁ), and the hand of Imma must lower them (וְצָרִיךְ הַיָּד שֶׁל אִמָּא לְהוֹרִידָם), as with Tamar, “who crushed her virginity with her hand” (תָּמָר שֶׁמִּעֲכָה בְיָדָהּ בְּתוּלֶיהָ) (Yevamot 34b). Therefore Imma is called a married woman (וְלָכֵן אִמָּא נִקְרֵאת אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ), while the Nukvah of Ze’ir Anpin is called a maiden, a virgin, and a bride (וְנוּקְבֵיהּ דְּז״א נִקְרֵאת נַעֲרָה בְּתוּלָה וְכַלָּה), in Shir haShirim (בְּשִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים), and Imma is called “My companion” (וְאִמָּא נִקְרֵאת רַעְיָתִי) (Song of Songs 1:9 and throughout). And if there are righteous ones (וְאִם יֵשׁ צַדִּיקִים), through them a union is made and her virginity is opened (עַל יָדָם נַעֲשֶׂית זִוּוּג וְנִפְתְּחוּ בְּתוּלֶיהָ), and if, Heaven forbid, there are no righteous ones (וְאִם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אֵין צַדִּיקִים), she requires the bite of the serpent (צְרִיכָה לִנְשִׁיכַת הַנָּחָשׁ), “which bites her in the womb” (דְּנָכִישׁ לָהּ בְּרַחְמָהּ) (Bava Batra 15b). And these matters are ancient (וְהַדְּבָרִים עַתִּיקִים), the treasures of Hashem shall come forth (אוֹצַר ה׳ יָבֹואוּ). And this union of Abba and Imma that we have spoken of (וְזִוּוּג זֶה שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִמָּא שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ), because it was the first union in the world (לִהְיוֹתוֹ זִוּוּג רִאשׁוֹן בָּעוֹלָם), was not effected through Mayin Nukvin [Feminine Waters] (לֹא הָיָה נַעֲשֶׂה עִם מַיִן נוּקְבִין), as is the union of Ze’ir Anpin and his Nukvah now (כְּמוֹ זִוּוּג ז״א וְנוּקְבֵיהּ עַתָּה), which requires the deeds of the righteous (שֶׁצָּרִיךְ מַעֲשֵׂה הַצַּדִּיקִים), rather now it was effected in the "Torah of Kindness" (be-Torat Chesed) (רַק עַתָּה נַעֲשָׂה בְּתוֹרַת חֶסֶד), for thus it arose in His simple Will (שֶׁכָּךְ עָלָה בִּרְצוֹנוֹ הַפָּשׁוּט), to create for them an arousal of love and union forever (לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם הִתְעוֹרְרוּת אַהֲבָה וְזִוּוּג לְעוֹלָם), in the "Torah of Kindness" (be-Torat Chesed) (בְּתוֹרַת חֶסֶד), for through this there is existence and sustenance for the upper and lower worlds (שֶׁבָּזֶה יֵשׁ קִיּוּם וְהַעֲמָדָה לָעוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים), as it is said, “I said: the world shall be built through Chesed” (אָמַרְתִּי עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה) (Psalms 89:3).

It follows now (נִמְצָא עַתָּה), that the inclusion of the legs within the arms (שֶׁכְּלִילוּת הַשּׁוֹקַיִם בַּזְּרוֹעוֹת), was the cause of the union of Abba and Imma and of the creation of the world (הָיְתָה סִבָּה לְזִוּוּג אַבָּא וְאִמָּא וְלִבְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם), and this union aroused the kisses (וְזֶה הַזִּוּוּג הָיָה מְעוֹרֵר הַנְּשִׁיקִין). And because it is common upon the lips of the Mekubalim (וּלְהִיוֹת שֶׁמַּרְגְּלָא בְּפִי הַמְקוּבָּלִים), “and from my flesh I behold God” (וּמִבְּשָׂרִי אֶחֱזֶה אֱלוֹהַּ) (Job 19:26), as our Rabbis said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל), “It is the way of the owner of a lost object to search after his lost object” (דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל בַּעַל אֲבֵדָה לַחֲזֹר עַל אֲבֵדָתוֹ) (Kiddushin 2b), and it is the way of a man to pursue a woman (וְדַרְכּוֹ שֶׁל אִישׁ לַחֲזוֹר אַחַר הָאִשָּׁה).

For this reason (מִזֶּה הַטַּעַם), the principal arousal of the union (עִיקַר הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַזִּוּוּג), and the demonstration of love (וּלְהַרְאוֹת הָאַהֲבָה), comes from the male side (הוּא מִצַּד הַזָּכָר), therefore Abba kisses Imma first (לָכֵן אַבָּא נוֹשֵׁק קוֹדֶם לְאִמָּא), and he has movement to move toward her (וְיֵשׁ לוֹ תְּנוּעָה לְהִתְנוֹעֵעַ אֵלֶיהָ), but she has no movement and does not move toward him (אֲבָל הִיא אֵין לָהּ תְּנוּעָה וְאֵינָהּ מִתְנוֹעַעַת אֵלָיו), for it is improper for her (כִּי גְנַאי הוּא זֶה לָהּ), to move and make a claim with her mouth (לְהִתְנוֹעֵעַ וְלִתְבּוֹעַ בְּפֶה). And the kisses are literally the attachment of spirit to spirit (וְהַנְּשִׁיקִין הוּא מַמָּשׁ הִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא רוּחָא בְּרוּחָא), and this is the great love and arousal (וְזֶהוּ אַהֲבָה וְהִתְעוֹרְרוּת גָּדוֹל), of “those companions who never separate forever” (דְּאִינוּן רֵעִין דְּלָא מִתְפַּרְשִׁין לְעָלְמִין) (Vayikra 79a). And also the disciples of the Holy Luminary, the holy of holies, Rashbi, peace be upon him (וְגַם תַּלְמִידֵי בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא פֶּה קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים רשב״י ע״ה), possessed love and attachment of spirit to spirit in actuality (הָיָה לָהֶם אַהֲבָה וְהִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא רוּחָא בְּרוּחָא מַמָּשׁ), and so it says in the Zohar, Terumah (וְכֵן אוֹמֵר בַּזֹּהַר תְּרוּמָה), “In the days of Rashbi, that which was, was revealed” (בְּיוֹמוֹי דְרַשְׁבִּ״י בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא הֲוָה מַה דַּהֲוָה), “because the companions were in love, the attachment of spirit to spirit” (בְּגִין דְּהֲווֹ חַבְרַיָּא בִּרְחִימוּ דְבִיקוּת רוּחָא בְּרוּחָא). But among the disciples of the Ari, of blessed memory (אֲבָל תַּלְמִידֵי הָאֲרִ״י זללה״ה), strife fell among them through their wives (נָפְלָה קְטַטָה בֵּינֵיהֶם עַל יְדֵי נְשֵׁיהֶם), a decree was issued against the enemies of Yisrael (נִגְזְרָה גְּזֵרָה עַל שׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), “both you and your king shall perish” (גַּם אַתֶּם גַּם מַלְכְּכֶם תִּסְפוּ) (I Samuel 12:25). And he [the Ari] saw at Kabbalat Shabbat (וְרָאָה [הָאֲרִ״י] בְּקַבָּלַת שַׁבָּת), Samael dancing before him (סמא״ל מְרַקֵּד לְפָנָיו), and reciting this verse (וְאָמַר פָּסוּק זֶה). And concerning him it is said (וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר), “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, though I have fallen, I shall arise” (אַל תִּשְׂמְחִי אֹיַבְתִּי לִי כִּי נָפַלְתִּי קָמְתִּי) (Micah 7:8). But when the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shekhinah cast down the dominion of the hairy man, this man of arrogance, adversary and enemy from heaven and from earth (אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיַּפִּיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ מֶמְשֶׁלֶת אִישׁ שָׂעִיר אִישׁ הַזָּדוֹן הַזֶּה צַר וְאוֹיֵב מִשָּׁמַיִם וּמֵאָרֶץ), for his fall there shall be no rising (לֹא יִהְיֶה לִנְפִילָתוֹ תְּקוּמָה). “If he rises up like the eagle, from there I shall bring him down, says Hashem” (אִם יַגְבִּיהַּ כַּנֶּשֶׁר מִשָּׁם אוֹרִידֶנּוּ נְאֻם ה׳) (Obadiah 1:4), and the verse shall be fulfilled (וְיִתְקַיֵּים הַפָּסוּק), “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 לַה׳ הַמְּלוּכָה) (Obadiah 1:21), and it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר), “And Hashem shall be King over all the earth; on that day Hashem shall be One and His Name One” (וְהָיָה ה׳ לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה ה׳ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד) (Zechariah 14:9).