Chapter 7

And now we will explain the matter of the Partzuf of the Nukvah (וְעַתָּה נְבָאֵר עִנְיַן פַּרְצוּף נוּקְבָא). For just as Ze’ir Anpin is formed and enlarged from the Netzach, Hod, Yesod of Binah and from the lower half of the Tiferet (כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַז״א נַעֲשֶׂה גִּדּוּלָיו מִנֵּה״י דְּבִינָה וּמֵחֲצִי ת״ת הַתַּחְתּוֹן), so too the Nukvah is formed from the lower half of the Tiferet and from the Netzach, Hod, Yesod of Ze’ir Anpin, as stated (גַּם נוּקְבָא נַעֲשֵׂית מֵחֲצִי ת״ת הַתַּחְתּוֹן וּמִנֵּה״י דְּז״א כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר).

And behold, her head emerges from behind him and not face to face (וְהִנֵּה רֵישָׁא דִּילָהּ נָפְקָא מֵאֲחוֹרָיו וְלֹא פָּנִים בְּפָנִים). And the reason is that the backsides are judgments, and there is grasp there for the external forces (וְהַטַּעַם הוּא כִּי אֲחוֹרַיִם הֵם דִּינִין וְיֵשׁ בָּהֶם אֲחִיזָה לַחִיצוֹנִים), and therefore the backsides were attached together so that the external forces would not grasp them (וְלָכֵן נִדְבְּקוּ הָאֲחוֹרַיִם יַחַד שֶׁלֹּא יִתְאַחֲזוּ בָּהֶם הַחִיצוֹנִים). And this is the secret of “He turned back His right hand before the enemy” (וְזֶה סוֹד הֵשִׁיב אָחוֹר יְמִינוֹ מִפְּנֵי אוֹיֵב), for the Malkhut is called “right,” as it is written, “the consort stands at Your right” (כִּי הַמַּלְכוּת נִקְרֵאת יָמִין כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב נִצְּבָה שֵׁגַל לִימִינֶךָ וְגוֹ׳).

And if you would say: if so, it would have been fitting that the Nukvah emerge higher, equal along the entire height of the Partzuf of Ze’ir Anpin, so that the external forces would not grasp anywhere along his stature (וְאִם תֹּאמַר אִם כֵּן הָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁתֵּצֵא נוּקְבָא יוֹתֵר עֶלְיוֹנָה שָׁוָה בְּכָל אֹרֶךְ פַּרְצוּף ז״א שֶׁלֹּא יִתְאַחֲזוּ הַחִיצוֹנִים בְּכָל קוֹמָתוֹ).

The answer is that in the head of Ze’ir Anpin the external forces cannot grasp at all (הַתְּשׁוּבָה הוּא כִּי בְּרֵישָׁא דְּז״א אֵין הַחִיצוֹנִים יְכוֹלִים לְהִתְאַחֵז כְּלָל), but only below, from the place where the Chesedim are revealed (רַק לְתַתָּא מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהַחֲסָדִים מִתְגַּלִּים), and therefore the Nukvah emerges there to cover the backsides (וְלָכֵן שָׁם יוֹצֵאת נוּקְבָא לְכַסּוֹת הָאֲחוֹרַיִם). And through this you will understand the matter of oaths and vows (וּבָזֶה תָּבִין עִנְיַן שְׁבוּעוֹת וּנְדָרִים).

For since an oath is like swearing by the King Himself, who is Malkhut (כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁהַשְּׁבוּעָה הִיא כְּנִשְׁבָּע בַּמֶּלֶךְ עַצְמוֹ שֶׁהוּא מַלְכוּת), and vows are like vowing by the life of the King, which is Binah, called “the life of the King,” in the secret of tefillin which are called “life,” as is known (וְהַנְּדָרִים הֵם כְּנוֹדֵר בְּחַיֵּי הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהִיא בִּינָה הַנִּקְרֵאת חַיֵּי הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּסוֹד תְּפִלִּין הַנִּקְרָאִים חַיִּים כַּנּוֹדָע), if so, why is an oath more severe than a vow? (אִם כֵּן לָמָּה הַשְּׁבוּעָה חֲמוּרָה מִן הַנֶּדֶר).

The reason is that above, corresponding to Binah, there is not as much grasp for the external forces (הַטַּעַם הוּא כִּי לְמַעְלָה כְּנֶגֶד בִּינָה אֵין אֲחִיזָה לַחִיצוֹנִים כָּל כָּךְ), but below, in the place of Malkhut, there “the wicked walk round about,” and great power is given to them to strengthen and grasp there (אֲבָל לְתַתָּא בִּמְקוֹם מַלְכוּת שָׁם סָבִיב רְשָׁעִים יִתְהַלָּכוּן וְנִתַּן לָהֶם כֹּחַ גָּדוֹל לְהִתְחַזֵּק וּלְהִתְאַחֵז שָׁם), and therefore its punishment is greater (לָכֵן עוֹנְשׁוֹ מְרוּבֶּה).

And through this you will also understand why vows take effect even upon a mitzvah, unlike an oath (גַּם בָּזֶה תָּבִין לָמָּה נְדָרִים חָלִים עַל דֶּרֶךְ מִצְוָה מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בִּשְּׁבוּעָה). The reason is that vows are above, in Binah, and they are higher than the mitzvah, and therefore they take effect upon it (וְהַטַּעַם לְפִי שֶׁהַנְּדָרִים לְמַעְלָה בִּבִינָה וְהֵם גְּבוֹהִים מִן הַמִּצְוָה לָכֵן חָלִים עֲלֵיהֶם). And this is the secret of the annulment of vows on the night of Yom Kippur (וְזֶה סוֹד הַתָּרַת נְדָרִים בְּלֵיל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים), for on that day we ascend to Binah (כִּי בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם אָנוּ עוֹלִים אֶל הַבִּינָה), and we have the ability to annul vows that are rooted there (וְיֵשׁ לָנוּ יְכוֹלֶת לְהַתִּיר נְדָרִים אֲשֶׁר שָׁם). But an oath is in Malkhut, and therefore it does not take effect upon a mitzvah (אַךְ הַשְּׁבוּעָה הִיא בְּמַלְכוּת לָכֵן אֵינָהּ חָלָה עַל הַמִּצְוָה).

And let us return to the matter (וְנַחֲזוֹר לָעִנְיָן), for from one revealed third of the Tiferet of Ze’ir Anpin there are made two crowns for Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (כִּי מִשְּׁלִישׁ אֶחָד דְּת״ת דְּז״א הַמְגוּלֶּה נַעֲשִׂים ב׳ כְּתָרִים לְזו״ן). And from the three joints of the Netzach of Ze’ir Anpin there is made the right line of the Nukvah, which is three Sefirot—Chokhmah, Chesed, and Netzach (וּמִג׳ פְּרָקִין דְּנֵצַח ז״א נַעֲשֶׂה קַו יָמִין דְּנוּקְבָא ג׳ סְפִירוֹת חח״ן). And from the three joints of the Hod there is made her left line, which is Gevurah and Hod (וּמִג׳ פְּרָקִין דְּהוֹד נַעֲשֶׂה קַו שְׂמֹאל שֶׁלָּהּ בְּג״ה). And from the three joints of his Yesod—which is long because he is male—therefore from it is made the central line of the Nukvah, which is her Tiferet–Yesod–Malkhut (וּמִג׳ פְּרָקִין דִּיסוֹד דִּילֵיהּ שֶׁהוּא אָרוֹךְ לִהְיוֹתוֹ דְּכוּרָא לָכֵן מִמֶּנּוּ נַעֲשֶׂה קַו אֶמְצָעִי דְּנוּקְבָא דְּת״י שֶׁבָּהּ). And with this you will understand the secret of the tithe (וּבְזֶה תָּבִין סוֹד הַמַּעֲשֵׂר), that “the tenth shall be holy” (כִּי הֶעָשִׂירִי יִהְיֶה קֹדֶשׁ), for the Nukvah initially had only one point, which is her tithe (לְפִי שֶׁלַנּוּקְבָא הָיְתָה לָהּ מִתְּחִלָּה רַק נְקוּדָה אַחַת לְבַד שֶׁהִיא הַמַּעֲשֵׂר שֶׁלָּהּ). And this is her root and her essence (וְזֶהוּ שָׁרְשָׁהּ וְעִקָּרָהּ), and the remaining nine Sefirot came from outside, from what she received from Ze’ir Anpin, in the manner explained above (וְשְׁאָר הַט׳ סְפִירוֹת בָּאוּ מִבַּחוּץ מִמַּה שֶּׁקִּבְּלָה מִז״א עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַנַּ״ל).

For initially, when she emerged from behind Ze’ir Anpin, she emerged in the secret of a point inclusive of ten (כִּי בַּתְּחִלָּה כְּשֶׁיּוֹצֵאת מֵאֲחוֹרֵי ז״א אָז יָצְאָה בְּסוֹד נְקוּדָה כְּלוּלָה מִי׳), and afterward this point expanded into all ten Sefirot of hers through what she received from Ze’ir Anpin (וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִתְפַּשְּׁטָה נְקוּדָה זוֹ בְּכָל י׳ סְפִירוֹת דִּילָהּ עַל־יְדֵי מַה שֶּׁקִּבְּלָה מִז״א). Therefore this point is the essence, and this point is called the tithe, for it is the essential point (לָכֵן נְקוּדָה זוֹ הִיא הָעִקָּר וּנְקוּדָה זוֹ נִקְרֵאת מַעֲשֵׂר וְהִיא נְקוּדָה עִקָּרִית).

And behold, the inner aspect of the Mochin [Intellects] within her is made from those revealed Chesedim in the Netzach–Hod of Ze’ir Anpin that are superfluous and left over, as explained above (וְהִנֵּה הַפְּנִימִיּוּת שֶׁל הַמּוֹחִין שֶׁבָּהּ נַעֲשָׂה מֵאוֹתָן הַחֲסָדִים הַמְגוּלִּים בְּנֵ״ה שֶׁבּוֹ הַמְּיוּתָרִים וְהָעוֹדְפִים כַּנַּ״ל). And the Da‘at within her is from the Five Gevurot that were deposited in the Yesod of Ze’ir Anpin, as explained above (וְהַדַּעַת שֶׁבָּהּ מֵה׳ גְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ פִּקָּדוֹן בִּיסוֹד ז״א כַּנַּ״ל).

And this is the secret of “the Da‘at of women is light” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד דַּעַת שֶׁל נָשִׁים קַלָּה), meaning Kal-Heh (פֵּרוּשׁ קַל־ה׳), for the Five Gevurot are five Names of Havayah, whose numerical value is Kal [130] (כִּי ה׳ גְּבוּרוֹת הֵם ה׳ הֲוָיוֹת וְהֵם גִּימַטְרִיָּא ק״ל). But the Da‘at of Ze’ir Anpin is from the Five Chesedim and the Five Gevurot (אַךְ דַּעַת דְּז״א מֵה׳ חֲסָדִים וְה׳ גְּבוּרוֹת), whereas the Nukvah has only half of his Da‘at, which are the Five Gevurot alone (וְהַנּוּקְבָא אֵין לָהּ אֶלָּא חֲצִי דַּעַת שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁהֵם ה׳ גְּבוּרוֹת לְבַד). And afterward her Five Gevurot spread from her Chesed until her Hod (וְאַחַר כָּךְ מִתְפַּשְּׁטִים ה׳ גְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁבָּהּ מֵחֶסֶד עַד הוֹד שֶׁבָּהּ), and afterward the totality of all of them enters her Yesod, similar to the spreading of the Five Chesedim in Ze’ir Anpin (וְאַחַר כָּךְ כְּלָלוּת כֻּלָּן נִכְנָסוּ בִּיסוֹד שֶׁלָּהּ דֻּגְמַת ה׳ חֲסָדִים הַמִּתְפַּשְּׁטִים בְּז״א). And these Five Gevurot that are gathered in her Yesod are effective for her Mayin Nukvin [Feminine Waters] (וְאֵלּוּ ה׳ גְּבוּרוֹת הַנִּכְלָלִים בִּיסוֹד שֶׁלָּהּ מוֹעִילִים לָהּ לְמַ״ן שֶׁלָּהּ) (some say: they raise her feminine waters) (נ״א הֵם מַעֲלִין הַמִּין שֶׁלָּהּ). And this is what is written in the Zohar, that the judgments of the Nukvah are calm in the head and strong at the end (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר כִּי דִּינִין דְּנוּקְבָא נִיחִין בְּרֵישָׁא וְתַקִּיפִין בְּסוֹפָא).

For her Mochin [Intellects], which are called the head, are made from the revealed Chesedim that she took from the Netzach–Hod of Ze’ir Anpin, and therefore her judgments are calm in the head, for the Chesedim sweeten them (כִּי הַמּוֹחִין שֶׁלָּהּ הַנִּקְרָאִים רֵישָׁא נַעֲשִׂים מֵהַחֲסָדִים הַמְגוּלִּים שֶׁלָּקְחָה מִנֵּ״ה דְּז״א וְלָכֵן דִּינִין דִּילָהּ נִיחִין בְּרֵישָׁא כִּי הַחֲסָדִים מְמַתְּקִין אוֹתָם). And they are strong at the end, for the Gevurot spread at the end (וְתַקִּיפִין בְּסוֹפָא כִּי הַגְּבוּרוֹת מִתְפַּשְּׁטוֹת בְּסוֹפָא). But the judgments of the male are strong in the head, for there the Chesedim do not spread (אַךְ דִּינִין דְּדְּכוּרָא תַּקִּיפִין בְּרֵישָׁא שֶׁאֵין שָׁם הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת הַחֲסָדִים), but from his Chesed and below there is a spreading of Chesedim, and therefore they are calm at the end (אֲבָל מֵחֶסֶד שֶׁבּוֹ וּלְמַטָּה יֵשׁ הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת חֲסָדִים לָכֵן נִיחִין בְּסִיפָא).