Daf 27b (דַּף כ״ז ע״ב)

Which are the Thirteen Tikkunei Dikna [Rectifications of the Beard], they are the Thirteen Rivers of Pure Afarsemona [Persimmon Balsam] (אֲשֶׁר הֵם י״ג תִּיקּוּנֵי דִּיקְנָא הֵם י״ג נַהֲרֵי אַפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא), which Rabbi Abbahu saw (שֶׁרָאָה ר׳ אַבָּהוּ), at the beginning of Sefer Bereshit Rabbati (בְּרֵישׁ סֵפֶר בְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּתִי), he said, “These are those of Abbahu” (אָמַר דְּאִלֵּין דְּאַבָּהוּ),p1-40 and, “But I said, ‘I have labored in vain’” (וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי לָרִיק יָגַעְתִּי) (Isaiah 49:4), and this is the rectification of the lower world (וְזֶהוּ תִּקּוּנָא דְּעָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה), it is the rectification of the Appiryon [Palanquin] in the mystery of Afarsemon [Persimmon Balsam] in the Heikhal [Palace] of Elohei Yisrael (הוּא תִּקּוּן הָאַפִּרְיוֹן בְּסוֹד אַפַרְסְמוֹן בְּהֵיכַל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), it is the lower world in the language of the Zohar, Terumah (הוּא עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה בִּלְשׁוֹן זֹהַר תְּרוּמָה), in the Supernal World it is the mystery of the Supernal Holy of Holies of the Heikhalot [Palaces] of the Male (בְּעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה הוּא סוֹד קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁל הֵיכְלֵי הַזָּכָר), where is the mystery of Afarsemon [Persimmon Balsam] itself (אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הוּא סוֹד אַפַרְסְמוֹן מַמָּשׁ), and there are literally the Thirteen Tikkunei Dikna [Rectifications of the Beard] (וְשָׁם י״ג תִּיקּוּנֵי דִּיקְנָא מַמָּשׁ), for the beard belongs to the Male and not to the Female (כִּי הַזָּקָן שַׁיָּךְ בַּזָּכָר וְלֹא בַּנְּקֵבָה), except when she is the seventh (אֶלָּא בִּזְמַן שֶׁהִיא הַשְּׁבִיעִית), which is joined to the six above her and counted together with them in the mystery of seven (אֲשֶׁר מְחֻבֶּרֶת בַּשִּׁשָּׁה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמֶּנָּה וְנֶחְשָׁבִים עִמָּהֶם בְּסוֹד שִׁבְעָה), for without this Heikhal [Palace] they are not seven (כִּי זוּלַת הֵיכַל זֶה אֵינוֹ שִׁבְעָה), then she acquires the beard because she has become joined with them (אָז קוֹנָה הַזָּקָן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּתְחַבְּרָה עִמָּהֶם), and this is the strengthening that the lower Heikhal [Palace] receives from the Supernal Heikhal [Palace] (וְזֶה הַחִזּוּק אֲשֶׁר לַהֵיכַל הַתַּחְתּוֹן מֵהֵיכַל עֶלְיוֹן), and likewise in Ze'ir Anpin and His Nukvah there is the support and assistance of the Mem and Samekh of the Tablets (וְגַם בִּזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ יֵשׁ בּוֹ סָמֶךְ וְסַעַד שֶׁל ס״מ שֶׁבַּלּוּחוֹת), namely the Netzach, Hod, and Yesod of Abba and Imma (הֵם נה״י שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִמָּא), as it is explained in Sefer Hatchalat Chokhmah (כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא בְּסֵפֶר הַתְחָלַת חָכְמָה), that they contain two Names, each of which equals Lu'ach [Tablet] (שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם ב׳ שֵׁמוֹת הָעוֹלִים לוּ״ח כָּל אֶחָד מֵהֶם), and this is the sweetening of the two hundred and eighty Judgments of Beri'ah and Atzilut (וְזֶהוּ הַמִּתּוּק שֶׁל הַפּ״ר דִּינִים דִּבְרִיאָה וַאֲצִילוּת), for before the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, namely good and evil (דְּעַד לָא בְּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא דְּהַיְינוּ טוֹב וָרָע), the ultimate principle is that wherever “world” is mentioned, it refers to He and His Name (תַּכְלִית כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עוֹלָם הוּא הוּא וּשְׁמֵיהּ), namely the Emanator and His Name (דְּהַיְינוּ הַמַּאֲצִיל וּשְׁמוֹ), and His Name is the Garment (הוּא הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ), which is one Name (שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם אֶחָד), and across its breadth the Name Havayah is woven, as is known, in its Milu'im [Spellings in Full] (וּבְרָחְבוֹ נֶאֱרַג שֵׁם הוי״ה כַּיָּדוּעַ בְּמִילּוּאָיו).

Concealed within it is one, and not a word. Its explanation is: the Name and the parchment of the Sefer Torah were entirely one, united together (סְתִים בְּגוֹיֵיהּ חַד וְלָא מִלָּה פֵּרוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם וְהַקְּלָף שֶׁל הס״ת הָיָה כֻּלּוֹ אֶחָד מִתְיַיחֵד), and returning to become Ein Sof [Without End] through the illumination of the parchment, which nullified it (וְחוֹזֵר לִהְיוֹת אֵין סוֹף לְהֶאָרָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקְּלָף הַמְבַטְּלוֹ), until it also withdrew itself from the parchment (עַד שֶׁסִּלֵּק עַצְמוֹ מִן הַקְּלָף גַּם כֵּן), and was detached from it little by little (וְנִיתַּק מִמֶּנּוּ עַל יָד עַל יָד), and became a Garment (וְנַעֲשָׂה מַלְבּוּשׁ), or the reason may also be that the worlds could not receive benefit from His radiance, which shone beyond all limit (אוֹ יִהְיֶה גַּם כֵּן הַטַּעַם שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים הָעוֹלָמוֹת לֵהָנוֹת מֵאוֹרוֹ הַמַּבְהִיק עַד לְאֵין תַּכְלִית). Its explanation is: “and no word stood” means that there was no dense entity, finite light, or physical substance capable of existing (פֵּרוּשׁ וְלָא קַיְימָא מִלָּה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה כָּל דָּבָר עָב אוֹ אוֹר תַּכְלִית וְגֶשֶׁם לְהִתְקַיֵּם), until He ascended in the will of Thought (עַד דְּסָלִיק בִּרְעוּתָא דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה), which is the mystery of the ascent of the Mayin Nukvin [Feminine Waters] of Thought (הוּא סוֹד עֲלִיַּת מַיִין נוּקְבִין שֶׁל מַחֲשָׁבָה), for Machashavah [Thought] has the same letters as BeSimchah [with joy] (כִּי מַחֲשָׁבָה הוּא אוֹתִיּוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה), in the mystery of, “I said, ‘The world shall be built through Chesed [Kindness]’” (בְּסוֹד אָמַרְתִּי עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה) (Psalms 89:3), and there was no need for Mayin Nukvin [Feminine Waters] except through the mystery of Thought (וְלֹא הָיָה צוֹרֶךְ בּוֹ מַיִין נוּקְבִין אֶלָּא בְּסוֹד מַחֲשָׁבָה), to establish everything in the hidden concealment in order to create the world (לְקַיְּימָא כֹּלָּא בְּמַטּוֹן דְּסְמִיטְרָא לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא), that is to say, it arose in His Thought to create the world by means of the Mitznefet [Turban], which is upon the head (כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁעָלָה בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ לִבְרוֹא הָעוֹלָם בְּמִצְנֶפֶת שֶׁהִיא עַל הָרֹאשׁ), just as the world, which is the Garment, is upon all the other worlds (כָּךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ הוּא עַל שְׁאָר הָעוֹלָמוֹת). Like the Mitznefet [Turban], which is upon the head, so the world, which is the Garment, is upon the other worlds, like a Mitznefet [Turban] upon the head (כְּמוֹ הַמִּצְנֶפֶת שֶׁהִיא עַל הָרֹאשׁ כָּךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ הוּא עַל שְׁאָר הָעוֹלָמוֹת כְּמוֹ מִצְנֶפֶת עַל הָרֹאשׁ), therefore it is called the hidden concealment (לָכֵן נִקְרָא מַטּוֹן דְּסְמִיטְרָא), and He inscribed and built, yet it did not endure (וַהֲוָה רָשִׁים וּבָנֵי וְלָא קַיְימָא). Its explanation is: through the Reshimu [Impression] of the Light of the Emanator, which ascended above, He built the letters called stones (פֵּרוּשׁ בְּהָרְשִׁימוּ שֶׁל אוֹר הַמַּאֲצִיל שֶׁעָלָה לְמַעְלָה בָּנָה הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הַנִּקְרָאִים אֲבָנִים), in the mystery of, “Two stones build two houses” (בְּסוֹד שְׁתֵּי אֲבָנִים בּוֹנוֹת שְׁתֵּי בָתִּים) (Sefer Yetzirah 4:12), and it spread as far as beyond the seven lands (וְנִתְפַּשֵּׁט עַד אַחַר הַז׳ אֲרָצוֹת), yet it did not endure, and it had no permanence (וְלָא קַיְימָא וְלֹא הָיָה לוֹ קִיּוּם), because its end was as radiant as its beginning, and it had no limit whatsoever (כִּי הַסּוֹף הָיָה בָּהִיר כְּמוֹ הָרֹאשׁ וְאֵין שׁוּם תַּכְלִית בּוֹ), until its latter half withdrew above, behind its first half (עַד שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק לְמַעְלָה חֶצְיוֹ הָאַחֲרוֹן אֲחוֹרֵי חֲצִי הָרִאשׁוֹן), and this is the meaning of, “Until it was wrapped in one wrapping, the Supernal Right Radiance” (וְזֶהוּ אוֹמְרוֹ עַד דְּאִתְעַטַּף בְּעִטּוּפָא חַד זוֹהַר יְמִינָא עִלָּאָה). Its explanation is: until it became clothed and wrapped, in the mystery of, “Who covers Himself with light as with a garment” (פֵּרוּשׁ עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לְבוּשׁ וְעָטוּף בְּסוֹד עוֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָה) (Psalms 104:2), for the Garment has a front and a back, and is woven in its square, one half with the other (דְּהַלְּבוּשׁ יֵשׁ בּוֹ פָּנִים וְאָחוֹר וְנֶאֱרַג בְּרִבּוּעוֹ חֶצְיוֹ בַּחֲצִיו), and although it possessed a right and a left, it is called the Supernal Right Radiance (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה בּוֹ יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל נִקְרָא זוֹהַר יְמִינָא עִלָּאָה), unlike the lower right, which is not so radiant (וְלֹא כְּמוֹ הַיָּמִין הַתַּחְתּוֹן שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָּהִיר כָּל כָּךְ), and with the Yod at the end of this Garment He created the heavens (וּבַיּוֹ״ד שֶׁבְּסוֹף הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ הַזֶּה בָּרָא שָׁמַיִם), namely the Ze'ir Anpin of the World of Tohu, which stood in the sphere of the Tehiru, and there it was created (דְּהַיְינוּ זְעֵיר דְּעוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ שֶׁעָמַד בְּכַדּוּר הַטָּהִירוּ וְשָׁם נִבְרָא), and the term Shamayim [Heavens] denotes fire and water, and there Judgment came into being in the mystery of the reversals (וּלְשׁוֹן שָׁמַיִם הוּא אֵשׁ וּמַיִם וְשָׁם נִתְהַוָּה הַדִּין בְּסוֹד הַחֲזָרוֹת), until He created the world with the Attribute of Judgment, and therefore He destroyed it (עַד שֶׁבָּרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין וְלָכֵךְ הֶחֱרִיבוֹ), and in this is the Zohar Kadma’ah (וּבְהַאי אִיהוּ זוֹהַר קַדְמָאָה).

Its explanation is: the Light of the First Day, which was afterward concealed (פֵּרוּשׁ אוֹר יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן הַנִּגְנָז אַחַ״כ), and it is the First Light for the other Lights, which are called Chesed [Kindness] in relation to it (וְהוּא אוֹר רִאשׁוֹן לִשְׁאָר נְהוֹרִין הַנִּקְרָאִים חֲסָדִים לְגַבֵּי דִידֵיהּ), in the mystery of, “Let there be Me'orot [Luminaries],” written defectively (בְּסוֹד יְהִי מְאֹרֹת חָסֵר), as in the mystery of the verse, “Let there be Me'orot [Luminaries]” (כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא בְּסוֹד פָּסוּק יְהִי מְאֹרֹת) (Genesis 1:14), in Midrash HaNe'elam of the Zohar Chadash, Parashat Bereshit (בְּמִדְרַשׁ הַנֶּעְלָם זוֹהַר חָדָשׁ פּ׳ בְּרֵאשִׁית), and this is the mystery of this verse (וְרָזָא דָא הַאי קְרָא), which is written, “Bereshit bara (created) Elohim et haShamayim (the heavens) ve'et haAretz (the earth)” (דִּכְתִיב בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ) (Genesis 1:1), and its mystery is explained through this Primordial Light (וְסוֹדוֹ מְבֹאָר בְּאוֹר הָרֵאשִׁית הַזֶּה), namely from the Yod and from Bereshit itself (דְּהַיְינוּ מֵהַיּוֹ״ד וּבְהָרֵאשִׁית מַמָּשׁ), which is the Primordial Avir [Air] (שֶׁהוּא אֲוִיר קַדְמוֹן), He created Elohim, namely the Ze'ir Anpin of the World of Tohu (יִבְרָא אֱלֹהִים שֶׁהוּא זְעֵיר דְּעוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ), which was created with the Attribute of Judgment, and therefore was afterward destroyed (נִבְרָא בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין וְלָכֵן נֶחֱרַב אַחַ״כ), because it was made through the mystery of reversal (כִּי נַעֲשָׂה מִסּוֹד חֲזָרָה), and this is, “et haShamayim (the heavens) ve'et haAretz (the earth)” (וְזֶהוּ אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ), namely Ze'ir Anpin and Malkhut, together with their hosts (הוּא זְעֵיר וּמַלְכוּת וְחֵילוֹתֵיהֶם), which were afterward rectified through the mystery of the Inner Light (שֶׁנִּתְקְּנוּ אַחַ״כ בְּסוֹד אוֹר פְּנִימִי), and afterward all became from the Supernal Right (וְנַעֲשׂוּ אַחַ״כ כֻּלּוֹ מִיְמִינָא עִלָּאָה), and its mystery is that Yamin [Right] equals M"H and S"H, the mystery of Ze'ir Anpin and Malkhut, in the mystery of the Mitkela [Balance] (וְסוֹדוֹ יָמִין גִּי׳ מ״ה וְס״ה סוֹד זְעֵיר וּמַלְכוּת בְּסוֹד הַמִּתְקְלָא), and this is, “The right hand of Hashem is exalted” (וְזֶהוּ יְמִין ה׳ רוֹמֵמָה) (Psalms 118:16), whereas in the exile it is said, “He has withdrawn His right hand because of the enemy” (וּבַגָּלוּת נֶאֱמַר הֵשִׁיב אָחוֹר יְמִינוֹ מִפְּנֵי אוֹיֵב) (Lamentations 2:3), because the Holy One, blessed be He, impaired the Mitkela [Balance], as it were (שֶׁהַקָּבָּ״ה קִלְקֵל הַמִּתְקְלָא כִּבְיָכוֹל), and it became somewhat posterior, in the mystery of Shorek [Whistling Vowel] (וְנַעֲשָׂה קְצָת אֲחוֹרַיִים בְּסוֹד שׁוֹרֵק).p1-41