Chapter Twenty-Three (פֶּרֶק עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה)

However, you must know (אָמְנָם צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לָדַעַת), that these Mochin which Abba and Imma give to Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (שֶׁאֵלּוּ הַמּוֹחִין שֶׁנּוֹתְנִים אַבָּא וְאִמָּא לִזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), are the lights that descended to clothe themselves in the vessels and were shattered (הֵם הָאוֹרוֹת שֶׁיָּרְדוּ לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בַּכֵּלִים וְנִשְׁבָּרוּ), and this is the great influx that descended and was inherited by Abba and Imma (וְהוּא הַשֶּׁפַע הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁיָּרַד וְיָרְשׁוּ אוֹתָם אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and now they have returned and bequeath them to them (וְעַכְשָׁיו חָזְרוּ וּמַנְחִילִים אוֹתָם לָהֶם). And this is what Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, peace be upon him, says, “the inheritance of Abba and Imma” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאוֹמֵר הָרַשְׁבִּ״י ע״ה אַחֲסַנְתֵּיהּ דְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּא). And all these lights and Mochin enter into Ze’ir Anpin according to the order that we shall explain in its place (וְכָל אֵלּוּ הָאוֹרוֹת וְהַמּוֹחִין נִכְנָסִים בִּזְעֵיר עַל הַסֵּדֶר שֶׁנְּבָאֵר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ), and know (וְדַע), that Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah are called the children of Abba and Imma (כִּי הֲלֹא זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ נִקְרָאִים בָּנִים שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and we also, both ordinary men and distinguished men who dwell in this world, are called children of Hashem our God (וַאֲנַחְנוּ גַּם בְּנֵי אָדָם גַּם בְּנֵי אִישׁ הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה נִקְרָאִים בָּנִים לַייָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ), who are Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (שֶׁהֵם זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ). And behold, the children whom Malkhut raises to Ze’ir Anpin (וְהִנֵּה הַבָּנִים שֶׁמַּעֲלָה הַמַּלְכוּת לִזְעֵיר), are the secret of the Neshamot [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 are Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (וְהַמַּיִן נוּקְבִין שֶׁמַּעֲלָה אִמָּא לְאַבָּא הֵם זו״ן), their Mochin (הַמּוֹחִין שֶׁלָּהֶם), which are the Neshamah of the inwardness within Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah, who are their children (שֶׁהֵם הַנְּשָׁמָה דִּפְנִימִיּוּת בִּזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ שֶׁהֵם הַבָּנִים שֶׁלָּהֶם). And behold, know (וְהִנֵּה דַע), that there are four aspects (כִּי הֲלֹא יֵשׁ ד׳ בְּחִינוֹת), namely: Neshamah of the Neshamah from the side of Abba (שֶׁהֵם נְשָׁמָה לַנְּשָׁמָה מִצַּד אַבָּא), and Neshamah from the side of Imma (וּנְשָׁמָה מִצַּד אִמָּא), and Ruach from Tiferet (וְרוּחַ מִת״ת), and Nefesh from Malkhut, which is Nukvah (וְנֶפֶשׁ מִמַּלְכוּת שֶׁהִיא נוּקְבֵיהּ). However, the Ruachot and Nefashot of the righteous are the Mayin Nukvin and Mayin Dukhrin of Abba and Imma (וְאָמְנָם רוּחִין וְנַפְשִׁין שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקִים הֵן מַיִן נוּקְבִין וְדּוּכְרִין שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), for from there they were hewn (כִּי מִשָּׁם נֶחְצָבוּ). For Neshamah is from the side of Imma (כִּי נְשָׁמָה הִיא מִצַּד אִמָּא), and it is the secret of Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters] (וְהִיא סוֹד מַיִן נוּקְבִין), to divide the Neshamah of the Neshamah, which is Mayin Dukhrin [Male Waters] (לְחַלֵּק נִשְׁמְתָא דְנִשְׁמְתָא שֶׁהוּא מַיִן דּוּכְרִין), to join to it the Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters], which is the secret of Neshamah (לְחַבֵּר אֵלָיו מַיִן נוּקְבִין שֶׁהוּא סוֹד נְשָׁמָה). And behold, our intention is to raise Mayin Nukvin [Female Waters] to Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (וְהִנֵּה כַּוָּנָתֵינוּ לְהַעֲלוֹת מַיִן נוּקְבִין לִזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), except that they do not possess the power to ascend because of the exile (רַק שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם כֹּחַ לַעֲלוֹת מֵחֲמַת הַגָּלוּת), and we must first bring them some illumination from above (וַאֲנוּ צְרִיכִים לְהָבִיא לָהֶם תְּחִלָּה אֵיזוֹ הֶאָרָה מִלְמַעְלָה), so that afterward they may be able to ascend (כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ אַחַר כָּךְ לַעֲלוֹת), and this is because of the exile (וְזֹאת מֵחֲמַת הַגָּלוּת), and afterward Abba and Imma will unite in the secret of the inwardness (וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִזְדַּוְּגוּ אַבָּא וְאִמָּא בְּסוֹד הַפְּנִימִיּוּת). And behold, from the external illuminations it is necessary to give to Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah from Abba and Imma, from the secret of the externality, as we have explained (וְהִנֵּה מֵהֶאָרוֹת הַחִיצוֹנִיּוֹת צָרִיךְ לָתֵת לִזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ מֵאַבָּא וְאִמָּא, מִסּוֹד הַחִיצוֹנִיּוּת, כַּדְפִירַשְׁנוּ).