The Fourth Gate

The Gate of Ear, Nose, and Mouth, and It Is Divided into Five Chapters

השער הרביעי שער אזן חוטם פה ונחלק לה׳ פרקים

Chapter 1

שער ד פרק א

[4:1] You already know (כְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ), that we have no power to engage prior to the emanation of the ten Sefirot (כִּי אֵין בָּנוּ כֹּחַ לַעֲסוֹק קֹדֶם אֲצִילוּת י״ס), nor to imagine any likeness or form at all, Heaven forbid (וְלֹא לְדַמּוֹת שׁוּם דִּמְיוֹן וְצוּרָה כְּלָל חַ״ו). Rather, in order to ease the ear (אַךְ לְשַׁכֵּךְ הָאֹזֶן), we must speak by way of parable and likeness (אֲנַחְנוּ צְרִיכִים לְדַבֵּר דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל וְדִמְיוֹן). Therefore, even if we speak of the existence of a form above (לָכֵן אַף אִם נְדַבֵּר בִּמְצִיאוּת צִיּוּר שָׁם לְמַעְלָה), the matter is only to ease the ear (אֵין הַדָּבָר רַק לְשַׁכֵּךְ הָאֹזֶן). However, know (אָמְנָם דַּע), that the ten Sefirot of Atzilut have two matters (כִּי י״ס דַּאֲצִילוּת הֵם בּ׳ עִנְיָנִים): the first is the expansion of the spiritual vitality (הָא׳ הוּא הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת הָרוּחָנִיּוּת), and the second is the vessels and limbs in which the essence expands (וְהַבּ׳ הוּא כֵּלִים וְאֵיבָרִים אֲשֶׁר הָעַצְמוּת מִתְפַּשֵּׁט בָּהֶם). And it is necessary that all this have a root above for these two aspects (וְהִנֵּה צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְכָל זֶה שֹׁרֶשׁ לְמַעְלָה לִב׳ בְּחִינוֹת אֵלּוּ), and therefore we must speak in an ordered progression of levels from the head until the end (וְלָכֵן צְרִיכִין אָנוּ לְדַבֵּר בְּסֵדֶר הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת מֵרֹאשׁ עַד סוֹף).

And behold, we will begin and say (וְהִנֵּה נַתְחִיל וְנֹאמַר), that the Ein Sof, blessed be He, has no form at all, Heaven forbid (כִּי הֲלֹא הָא״ס בּ״ה אֵין בּוֹ שׁוּם צִיּוּר כְּלָל חַ״ו), as is explained. But when it arose in thought to create the worlds in ten levels, by way of order (וְאָמְנָם כְּשֶׁעָלָה בַּמַּחֲשָׁבָה לִבְרֹא הָעוֹלָמוֹת לְי׳ מַדְרֵגוֹת עַל יְדֵי סֵדֶר), He emanated and extended from Him the expansion of many lights (הֶאֱצִיל וְהִמְשִׁיךְ מִמֶּנּוּ הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת אוֹרוֹת רַבִּים), to be roots of Atzilut (לִהְיוֹתָם שָׁרְשֵׁי הָאֲצִילוּת), (some say: roots and primary sources) ([נ״א שָׁרָשִׁים וּמְקוֹרִיִּים]), for the Atzilut to be emanated afterward (לְהִתְאֲצֵל הָאֲצִילוּת אַחַר כָּךְ).

And behold, when we evaluate and liken this matter (וְהִנֵּה כַּאֲשֶׁר נַעֲרִיךְ וְנַמְשִׁיל לְעִנְיַן זֶה), you already know that there are four foundations for everything (כְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ הֱיוֹת ד׳ יְסוֹדוֹת לַכֹּל), and they are sight, hearing, smell, and speech (וְהֵם רְאִיָּה שְׁמִיעָה רֵיחָא דִּבּוּר). And they are the four letters of Havayah (וְהֵם ד׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת הֲוָיָ״ה).

And they are the secret of soul to soul and Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah (וְהֵם סוֹד נְשָׁמָה לְנְשָׁמָה וְנר״ן). And we will begin to explain from the secret of the Neshamah [Soul] and onward (וְנַתְחִיל לְבָאֵר מִסּוֹד הַנְּשָׁמָה וָאֵילָךְ), and afterward we will begin from before it (וְאַחַר כָּךְ נַתְחִיל לְקֹדֶם אֵלֶיהָ), and we will say (וְנֹאמַר), that behold we will liken and depict the ears (כִּי הֲלֹא נַמְשִׁיל וְנְצַיֵּר הָאָזְנַיִם), for there is within them a subtle breath (כִּי יֵשׁ בָּהֶם רוּחַ דַּק בְּתוֹכָם). And the proof of this is (וְהַנִּסָּיוֹן לָזֶה), that when a person blocks his ears (כַּאֲשֶׁר יִסְתֹּם הָאָדָם אָזְנָיו), he hears within himself a sound of resonance (יִשְׁמַע בְּתוֹכוֹ קוֹל הֲבָרָה), due to the breath that is compressed within him (מֵחֲמַת הָרוּחַ הַנִּצְרָר בְּתוֹכוֹ). Afterward, from the nose emerges from within it a breath that is more perceptible than that of the ear (אַחַר כָּךְ מֵהַחוֹטֶם יוֹצֵא מִתּוֹכוֹ הֶבֶל יוֹתֵר נִרְגָּשׁ מֵאָזֶן). And afterward, from the mouth emerges a breath that is more perceptible than all of them (וְאַחַר כָּךְ מִן הַפֶּה יוֹצֵא הֶבֶל יוֹתֵר נִרְגָּשׁ מִכֻּלָּם). And according to the measure of the matters and their aspect (וּכְפִי עֵרֶךְ הַדְּבָרִים וּבְחִינָתָם), so will be their subtlety (כָּךְ יִהְיֶה דַקּוּתָם). For the ear, being the secret of Binah (כִּי הָאֹזֶן לִהְיוֹתוֹ סוֹד בִּינָה), the breath that emerges from it is more subtle than the breath that emerges from the nose (הֶהָבֶל הַיּוֹצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ הוּא יוֹתֵר דַּק מֵהֶבֶל הַיּוֹצֵא מֵהַחוֹטֶם). And likewise, the breath of the nose is more subtle than the breath of the mouth (וְכֵן הֶבֶל הַחוֹטֶם הוּא יוֹתֵר דַּק מֵהֶבֶל הַפֶּה), which is lower than it in level (שֶׁהוּא לְמַטָּה מִמֶּנּוּ בְּמַעֲלָה). However, if we liken and say by way of parable (אָמְנָם אִם נַמְשִׁיל וְנֹאמַר דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל), that from the secret of the ear there is drawn from it a breath and spirit from within to without (כִּי מִסּוֹד הָאֹזֶן נִמְשָׁךְ מִמֶּנּוּ הֶבֶל וְרוּחַ מִתּוֹכוֹ וְלַחוּץ), and this is the secret of Neshamah [Soul] (וְהוּא סוֹד נְשָׁמָה), and the breath that emerges from the nose is the secret of Ruach (וְהֶבֶל הַיּוֹצֵא מֵהַחוֹטֶם סוֹד רוּחַ), and the breath that emerges from the mouth is the secret of Nefesh (וְהֶבֶל הַיּוֹצֵא מִן הַפֶּה הוּא סוֹד נֶפֶשׁ). And now we shall explain the matter (וְעַתָּה נְבָאֵר הָעִנְיָן), that the breath of the ear is divided into two ears (כִּי הֶבֶל הָאֹזֶן נֶחְלָק לִבְ׳ אָזְנַיִם).

And the matter is this (וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא), that behold there is Binah and Tevunah, as is known (כִּי הֲלֹא יֵשׁ בִּינָה וּתְבוּנָה כַּנּוֹדָע). Therefore, the right ear—its breath is the root of the Neshamah [Soul] of Binah (לָכֵן אֹזֶן יְמָנִית הֶבְלוֹ הוּא שֹׁרֶשׁ נִשְׁמַת בִּינָה), and the breath of the left ear is the root of the Neshamah [Soul] of Tevunah (וְהֶבֶל אֹזֶן שְׂמָאלִית שֹׁרֶשׁ נִשְׁמַת תְּבוּנָה). Also the breath of the nose is divided into two aspects (גַּם הֶבֶל הַחוֹטֶם נֶחְלָק לִבְ׳ בְּחִינוֹת), in the secret of the root of Ya‘akov and Yisrael (בְּסוֹד שֹׁרֶשׁ יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל): the right is Yisrael (הַיָּמִין יִשְׂרָאֵל), and the left is Ya‘akov (וְהַשְּׂמֹאל יַעֲקֹב). But the breath of the mouth is one (אַךְ הֶבֶל הַפֶּה הוּא אֶחָד), for it corresponds to the Nukvah of Ze’ir Anpin (כִּי הוּא כְּנֶגֶד הַנּוּקְבָא דְּז״א). And even though there are Leah and Rachel (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לֵאָה וְרָחֵל), nevertheless the essence of Leah is from the aspect of the Malkhut of Tevunah (עִם כָּל זֶה עִקַּר לֵאָה מִבְּחִינַת מַלְכוּת דְּתְבוּנָה), (some say: this is the six extremities of B״N of Ze’ir Anpin from the Malkhut of Tevunah) ([נ״א זֹאת הִיא ו״ק דְּב״ן דְּז״א מִמַּלְכוּת דְּתְבוּנָה]), which clothes within Ze’ir Anpin, as is known (הַמִּתְלַבֶּשֶׁת תּוֹךְ ז״א כַּנּוֹדָע). Therefore, it is considered only one (וְלָכֵן אֵינוֹ נֶחְשָׁב אֶלָּא לְאֶחָד).

Yet nevertheless (אַךְ עִם כָּל זֶה), since there are two aspects (כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֵם בְּ׳ בְּחִינוֹת), the breath of the mouth is also divided into two (גַּם הֶבֶל הַפֶּה נֶחְלָק לִבְ׳), even though the breath itself is one source (עִם שֶׁהֶהֶבֶל הוּא מָקוֹר אֶחָד), not like the ears and the nose (שֶׁלֹּא כְּדִמְיוֹן הָאָזְנַיִם וְהַחוֹטֶם). And this is because (וְהוּא), when this breath is in the throat it is the secret of voice (כִּי בִּהְיוֹת הֶבֶל זֶה בַּגָּרוֹן הוּא סוֹד קוֹל), and when it goes out from the mouth it is the secret of speech with the cutting of letters (וּכְשֶׁיּוֹצֵא מִחוּץ לַפֶּה הוּא סוֹד דִּבּוּר בְּחִיתּוּךְ אוֹתִיּוֹת). The voice corresponds to the root of Leah (הַקּוֹל כְּנֶגֶד שֹׁרֶשׁ לֵאָה), and the speech corresponds to the root of Rachel (וְהַדִּבּוּר כְּנֶגֶד שֹׁרֶשׁ רָחֵל). And even though the voice is in Tiferet, which is Ze’ir Anpin (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁקוֹל הוּא בְּת״ת שֶׁהוּא ז״א), (some say: in the Tiferet of Ze’ir Anpin) ([נ״א בְּת״ת ז״א]), nevertheless the root of both of them is in the Malkhut of Tevunah (עִם כָּל זֶה שֹׁרֶשׁ שְׁנֵיהֶם הוּא בְּמַלְכוּת דְּתְבוּנָה), (some say: nevertheless its root is in the Malkhut of Binah) ([נ״א עִם כָּל זֶה שָׁרְשׁוֹ בְּמַלְכוּת בִּינָה]). Only that the voice becomes a Neshamah [Soul] for Ze’ir Anpin (רַק שֶׁהַקּוֹל נַעֲשֶׂה נְשָׁמָה לְז״א), (some say: for the six extremities of B״N of Ze’ir Anpin) ([נ״א לו״ק דְּב״ן דְּז״א]), and the speech becomes a Neshamah [Soul] for the Malkhut, which is Rachel (וְהַדִּבּוּר נַעֲשֶׂה נְשָׁמָה לְמַלְכוּת שֶׁהִיא רָחֵל). And both of them are from the side of the mouth (וּשְׁנֵיהֶם מִצַּד הַפֶּה), which is the secret of the Malkhut of Tevunah (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד מַלְכוּת דְּתְבוּנָה).

And behold, the eyes (וְהִנֵּה הָעֵינַיִם), which are the secret of sight, which is Chokhmah (שֶׁהֵם סוֹד רְאִיָּה שֶׁהִיא חָכְמָה), are the secret of Neshamah [Soul] to Neshamah [Soul] (הֵם סוֹד נְשָׁמָה לְנְשָׁמָה), in the secret of Chokhmah (בְּסוֹד חָכְמָה). And know (וְדַע), that Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah clothe within the interior of the vessels, which is the body (כִּי נר״ן מִתְלַבְּשִׁים תּוֹךְ פְּנִימִיּוּת הַכֵּלִים שֶׁהוּא הַגּוּף). But Neshamah [Soul] to Neshamah [Soul] has no capacity to be borne by the body of man (אַךְ הַנְּשָׁמָה לְנְשָׁמָה אֵין יְכוֹלֶת בְּגוּף הָאָדָם לְסָבְלָהּ), and it remains outside in the secret of Surrounding Light (וְנִשְׁאֶרֶת מִבַּחוּץ בְּסוֹד אוֹר מַקִּיף). And when it surrounds the brain, which is the dwelling of the Neshamah [Soul] (וּכְשֶׁהִיא מַקֶּפֶת אֶת הַמּוֹחַ שֶׁהוּא מָדוֹר הַנְּשָׁמָה), then it is an aspect of Surrounding Light to the Neshamah [Soul] (אָז הִיא בְּחִינַת מַקִּיף אֶל הַנְּשָׁמָה). And when it surrounds the heart, which is the dwelling of the Ruach (וּכְשֶׁהִיא מַקֶּפֶת אֶת הַלֵּב שֶׁהוּא מָדוֹר הָרוּחַ), then it is an aspect of Surrounding Light to the Ruach (אָז הִיא בְּחִינַת מַקִּיף אֶל הָרוּחַ). And when it surrounds the liver, which is the dwelling of the Nefesh (וּכְשֶׁהִיא מַקֶּפֶת לַכָּבֵד מָדוֹר הַנֶּפֶשׁ), then it is a Surrounding Light to the Nefesh (אָז הִיא מַקִּיף לַנֶּפֶשׁ).

For just as there are these three aspects, which are Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah (כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ ג׳ בְּחִינוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁהֵם נר״ן), so too the Neshamah [Soul] to Neshamah [Soul] must have these three aspects within it (כָּךְ הַנְּשָׁמָה לְנְשָׁמָה צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּהּ בְּחִינַת ג׳ אֵלּוּ כֻּלָּם), in the secret of Surrounding Light (בְּסוֹד אוֹר מַקִּיף). However, the skull, which is the secret of Keter (אָמְנָם הַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת שֶׁהִיא סוֹד כֶּתֶר), from there is the root of the supernal soul called Yechidah (מִשָּׁם שֹׁרֶשׁ לַנְּשָׁמָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה הַנִּקְרֵאת יְחִידָה). And the reason it is called Yechidah (וְטַעַם קְרִיאָתָהּ יְחִידָה), is because it encompasses all the worlds in the aspect of Neshamah [Soul] to Neshamah [Soul] alone (לְפִי שֶׁהִיא מַקֶּפֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת בִּבְחִינַת נְשָׁמָה לְנְשָׁמָה לְבַד), and not in the aspect of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah (וְלֹא בְּחִינַת נר״ן), as we explained regarding Neshamah [Soul] to Neshamah [Soul] above (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ בַּנְּשָׁמָה לְנְשָׁמָה כַּנַּ״ל). For indeed there are only three aspects of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah (כִּי הֲלֹא לֹא יֵשׁ רַק ג׳ בְּחִינוֹת נר״ן), and corresponding to them there are these three aspects in Neshamah [Soul] to Neshamah [Soul] (וְכְנֶגְדָּם יֵשׁ ג׳ בְּחִינוֹת אֵלּוּ בַּנְּשָׁמָה לְנְשָׁמָה). But corresponding to the supernal soul called Yechidah (אֲבָל כְּנֶגֶד הַנְּשָׁמָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה הַנִּקְרֵאת יְחִידָה), there is no corresponding aspect of Nefesh–Ruach below (אֵין לְמַטָּה דֻּגְמָתָהּ בְּחִינַת ר״נ כַּנַּ״ל). Rather, all of it is one single reality (וְכוּלָּהּ הִיא מְצִיאוּת אֶחָד). And this is the secret of it being called Yechidah (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הַנִּקְרָא יְחִידָה), because it has no counterpart below, as explained above (לְפִי שֶׁאֵין דֻּגְמָתָהּ לְמַטָּה כַּנַּ״ל).

Chapter 1