Daf 34b (דַּף ל״ד ע״ב)
And then, Heaven forbid, the world is under the dominance of the Zohama [Impurity] (וְאָז הָעוֹלָם ח״ו בְּתִגְבֹּרֶת הַזּוֹהֲמָא), and the Light does not shine below, and examine this carefully (וְאֵינוֹ מֵאִיר הָאוֹר לְמַטָּה וְדוֹק). “And the Spirit of Elohim”—the Holy Spirit that proceeds from Elohim Chayim [Living Elohim]—“hovered over the face of the waters” (וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים רוּחָא דְקוּדְשָׁא דְּנָפֵיק מֵאֱלֹהִים חַיִּים וְדָא מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם) (Genesis 1:2). Its explanation is: it is the Spelling in Full of Elohim with Yods, whose numerical value is Ruach [Spirit] (פֵּרוּשׁוֹ הוּא הַמִּלּוּי שֶׁל אֱלֹהִים בְּיוּדִין עוֹלֶה רוּחַ), and this is “the Holy Spirit that proceeds from Elohim Chayim [Living Elohim]” (וְזֶהוּ דְקוּדְשָׁא דְּנָפֵיק מֵאֱלֹהִים חַיִּים). Its explanation is: from Binah, which dwells upon the Throne, where the Name Elohim with Yods ascends in Rachamim [Mercy] and is called Elohim Chayim [Living Elohim] (פֵּרוּשׁ מִבִּינָה דִּמְקַנְּנָת בְּכוּרְסְיָיא וְשָׁם הוּא הַשֵּׁם אֱלֹהִים בְּיוּדִין הָעוֹלֶה בְּרַחֲמִים וְנִקְרָא אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים), because the Elohim Acherim [Other Elohim], which are called the World of Death, cannot cleave to it (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים הַנִּקְרָא עוֹלָם הַמָּוֶת יָכוֹל לְדָבֵק בּוֹ), for the external forces draw no sustenance at all from Binah (כִּי הַחִיצוֹנִים אֵינָם יוֹנְקִים מִן בִּינָה כְּלָל), so long as her illuminations shine within her and extend as far as their reach (כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהֶאָרוֹתֶיהָ מְאִירוֹת בָּהּ וְעַד אוֹתוֹ הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁמַּגִּיעוֹת הֶאָרוֹתֶיהָ), and this is the Ruach HaKodesh [Holy Spirit] of the Malkhut, which receives from Abba, who is called Kodesh [Holy], through Binah (וְזֶהוּ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת הַמְקַבֶּלֶת מֵאַבָּא הַנִּקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ ע״י הַבִּינָה), the Ruach [Spirit] being the Spelling in Full of Elohim Chayim [Living Elohim] (הָרוּחַ הוּא הַמִּלּוּי שֶׁל אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים), and this is the mystery of, “And it came to pass, when the musician played, that the Spirit of Elohim came upon him” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד וַיְהִי כְּנַגֵּן הַמְנַגֵּן וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים) (II Kings 3:15). And the matter is that in every Partzuf, the backs of Ze'ir Anpin and His Nukvah are the one hundred and twenty Elohim (וְהָעִנְיָן הוּא בְּכָל פַּרְצוּף זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ מֵאֲחוֹרַיִים שֶׁלָּהֶם הֵם הַק״ך אֱלֹהִים), and when the sin of the generation causes the Other Elohim, which are one hundred and twenty-one, in the mystery of, “Whoever adds, detracts” (וּכְשֶׁגּוֹרֵם עֲוֹן הַדּוֹר הָאֱלֹהִים הָאֲחֵרִים שֶׁהֵם קכ״א בְּסוֹד כָּל הַמּוֹסִיף גּוֹרֵעַ)p1-43 (Sanhedrin 29a), they cleave to their root (וְנִדְבָּקִים בְּשָׁרְשָׁם).
Its explanation is: when they receive from them at that time (פֵּרוּשׁ כְּשֶׁמְּקַבְּלִים מֵהֶם בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה), they cause all the fires of the Gardinei Tahirin [guardians/Burning Coals] to be kindled (גּוֹרְמִים לְהַדְלִיק כָּל הָאֵשׁוֹת שֶׁל הַגַּרְדִּינֵי טָהִירִין), and the fires of Gehinnom receive strength at that time, may the Merciful One save us (וְאֵשׁ הַגֵּיהִנָּם הַמְקַבְּלִים תִּגְבֹּרֶת בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה רַחֲמָנָא לִיצְלַן). But what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do (אֲבָל מַה עוֹשֶׂה הַקָּבָּ״ה)? He sends this Spelling in Full, called the Spirit of Elohim (שׁוֹלֵחַ הַמִּלּוּי הַזֶּה הַנִּקְרָא רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים), quiets them (וּמַשְׁקִיטָם), and casts them down below (וּמוֹרִידָם לְמַטָּה), and they flee before Him (וְהֵם נָסִים מִפָּנָיו), and run back to their place (וּבוֹרְחִים אֶל מְקוֹמָם), and these are the Shitin [Channels], which are beneath the Altar (וְהֵן הַשִּׁיתִין אֲשֶׁר הֵם תַּחַת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ), for the Tehom [Deep], whose letters spell Mavet [Death], sought to rise in the days of David, who was from the attribute of Malkhut (שֶׁרוֹצֶה הַתְּהוֹם שֶׁהוּא אוֹתִיּוֹת הַמָּוֶ״ת לַעֲלוֹת בִּימֵי דָוִד שֶׁהָיָה מִמִּדַּת מַלְכוּת), until he wrote the Explicit Name and cast it there, and it forced them downward (עַד שֶׁכָּתַב שֵׁם הַמְּפֹרָשׁ וְהִשְׁלִיכוֹ שָׁם וְהָיָה מוֹרִידָם לְמַטָּה).p1-44 And the mystery of Merachefet [Hovering] is the letters Met [Death] and two hundred and eighty-eight (וְסוֹד מְרַחֶפֶת הוּא אוֹתִיּוֹת מ״ת רפ״ח). Its explanation is: four times A"B equal two hundred and eighty-eight Lights (פֵּרוּשׁ ד׳ פְּעָמִים ע״ב עוֹלִים רפ״ח נְהוֹרִין),p1-45 for they are the drops of the sparks of purity in the Manin Tevirin [Shattered Vessels] (כִּי הֵם הַטִּפִּין שֶׁל נִיצוֹצֵי לְטָהֳרָה שֶׁבְּמָאנִין תְּבִירִין), and this Spelling in Full remains hovering over the aforementioned two hundred and eighty-eight (וְהַמִּלּוּי הַזֶּה נִשְׁאָר חוֹפֵף עַל הָרפ״ח הַנִּזְכָּרִים), and they are called the face of the turbulent waters, not the back (וְהֵם נִקְרָאִים פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם הַזֵּידוֹנִים וְלֹא אֲחוֹרַיִים), and this is the face of the Tehom [Deep], whose letters spell Mavet [Death] (וְהוּא פְּנֵי תְהוֹם הַנִּקְרָא בְּאוֹתִיּוֹתָיו הַמָּוֶת), and within it are the letters of Tohu (וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ אוֹתִיּוֹת תֶּה״וּ), which cleave to the Mem of the Malkhut, as mentioned regarding the wings of the dove (הַנִּדְבֶּקֶת בַּמֵּ״ם שֶׁל מַלְכוּת כַּנִּזְכָּר בְּכַנְפֵי יוֹנָה), for she is called the Mem of Tzelem [Image] (שֶׁהִיא נִקְרֵאת מֵ״ם שֶׁל צֶלֶם), and is built from four levels (וְנִבְנֵית מִד׳ מַדְרֵגוֹת), and she also clothes the place of the four Sefirot (וְגַם הִיא מַלְבֶּשֶׁת מְקוֹם ד׳ סְפִירוֹת),p1-46 namely from His Tabbur [Navel] and below (דְּהַיְינוּ מִטַּבּוּרוֹ וּלְמַטָּה).
Notes
See Emek HaMelekh, Part 1, Gate 5, Chapter 41 (רְאוּ עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ, א, שַׁעַר ה, פֶּרֶק מא): “The explanation of these matters is that when these Lights of Ze'ir Anpin descended below in these Shatterings, and they are Names, from them the root of the Klipot and the Judgments came into being, as you know (וּפֵרוּשָׁן שֶׁל דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ, לִהְיוֹת שֶׁכְּשֶׁיָּרְדוּ בִּשְׁבִירוֹת אֵלּוּ הָאוֹרוֹת שֶׁל ז״א לְמַטָּה, שֶׁהֵם שֵׁמוֹת, וְנִתְהַוּוּ מֵהֶם שֹׁרֶשׁ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת וְהַדִּינִים כַּאֲשֶׁר יָדַעְתָּ), and from these Names of the Klipot and the Judgments other names emerged from them and attached themselves to the Names of Holiness (וּמֵאֵלּוּ הַשֵּׁמוֹת הַקְּלִיפּוֹת וְהַדִּינִים, יָצְאוּ שֵׁמוֹת אֲחֵרִים מֵהֶם, וְנִדְבְּקוּ בִּשְׁמוֹת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה), they are the Other Elohim, whose entire hold is upon the Holy Elohim (שֶׁהֵם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים כָּל אֲחִיזָתָם בֶּאֱלֹהִים קְדוֹשִׁים). In Holiness there are one hundred and twenty Elohim, for five letters build one hundred and twenty houses (וּבַקְּדֻשָּׁה יֵשׁ ק״ך אֱלֹהִים, כִּי ה׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת בּוֹנוֹת ק״ך בָּתִּים), while in impurity there are one hundred and twenty-one, in the mystery of, ‘Whoever adds, detracts’ (וּבַטֻּמְאָה קכ״א, בְּסוֹד כָּל הַמּוֹסִיף גּוֹרֵעַ) (Sanhedrin 29a), and in Holiness they possess right and left, in the mystery of, ‘A throne high and exalted’ (וְיֵשׁ בָּהֶם בַּקְּדֻשָּׁה יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל בְּסוֹד כִּסֵּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא) (Isaiah 6:1), while corresponding to them in the Klipah is Pri Mar [Bitter Fruit], whose numerical value is Amalek, encompassing all the harsh Judgments (וּכְנֶגְדָּם בַּקְּלִיפָּה פְּרִי מַר, גִּימַטְרִיָּא עֲמָלֵק הַכּוֹלֵל כָּל הַדִּינִין הַקָּשִׁים). It also equals Aram in numerical value, in the mystery of, ‘Whoever adds, detracts’ (וְעוֹלֶה גַּם כֵּן אֲרָם, בְּסוֹד כָּל הַמּוֹסִיף גּוֹרֵעַ), and it borders the Land of Yisrael, and it will be the first to be purified in the future (וְהִיא מִצְרָנִית לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהִיא רִאשׁוֹנָה לְהִטָּהֵר לֶעָתִיד), and Pelishtim also equals ten times Elohim in numerical value (וְגַם פְּלִשְׁתִּים גִּימַטְרִיָּא י׳ פְּעָמִים אֱלֹהִים), and they are the ‘iron cutters,’ who struck the heads of Aza and Azael when they sought to ascend to their station but fell below (וְהֵם גְּזִירִין דְּפַרְזְלָא אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ מַכִּים עַל רֹאשׁ עֲזָא וַעֲזָאֵל שֶׁרָצוּ לַעֲלוֹת לִמְחִיצָתָם, וְנָפְלוּ לְמַטָּה), and even today they do not permit anyone unworthy to ascend (וְעוֹד הַיּוֹם אֵינָם מַנִּיחִים לַעֲלוֹת לְמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לַעֲלוֹת).” There, Gate 14, Chapter 92 (שָׁם, שַׁעַר יד, פֶּרֶק צב): “Corresponding to them, among the external forces, there are one hundred and twenty Other Elohim, and with the root they are one hundred and twenty-one, because ‘Whoever adds, detracts’ (וּכְנֶגְדָּם יֵשׁ בַּחִיצוֹנִים ק״ך אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, וְעִם הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ קכ״א, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל הַמּוֹסִיף גּוֹרֵעַ) (Sanhedrin 29a).
See Emek HaMelekh, Part I, Gate 5, Chapter 53 (רְאוּ עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ, א, שַׁעַר ה, פֶּרֶק נג): “Therefore, since they are squared, calculate four times A"B, and it equals two hundred and eighty-eight (אִם כֵּן כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֵם מְרֻבָּעִים תַּחְשֹׁב ד׳ פְּעָמִים ע״ב יַעֲלֶה רפ״ח). And the shattered Kelim [Vessels] themselves contained the Light and power of the aforementioned two hundred and eighty-eight (וְהַכֵּלִים הַנִּשְׁבָּרִים עַצְמָם, הָיָה בָּהֶם אוֹר וְכֹחַ הָרפ״ח הַנִּזְכָּר), and when these Kelim [Vessels] were shattered, the drops of the two hundred and eighty-eight also departed from them (וּכְשֶׁנִּשְׁבְּרוּ אֵלּוּ כֵּלִים, גַּם הַטִּפִּין שֶׁל רפ״ח חָלַף הָלַךְ לוֹ). We have already explained concerning the mystery of the seven kings who reigned in Edom, ‘And Bela died, and Jobab reigned’ (וּכְבָר אָמַרְנוּ בְּסוֹד הַז׳ מְלָכִים שֶׁמָּלְכוּ בֶּאֱדוֹם, וַיָּמָת בֶּלַע וַיִּמְלֹךְ) (Genesis 36:33), that they allude to the shattered Kelim [Vessels] mentioned above (שֶׁהֵם רוֹמְזִים עַל הַכֵּלִים הַנִּשְׁבָּרִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְעֵיל), for the departure of their Light from them is called their death (כִּי הֲלִיכַת אוֹרָם מֵהֶם נִקְרָא מִיתָתָם), and the Sifra diTzni'uta says, ‘And the former kings died’ (וְאוֹמֵר בְּסִפְרָא דִּצְנִיעוּתָא זֹהַר קעו ע״ב וּמַלְכִין קַדְמָאִין מִיתוּ) (Zohar II, 176b), and this refers to the shattered Kelim [Vessels] (וְאָמַר זֶה, עַל הַכֵּלִים הַנִּשְׁבָּרִים), and this is the meaning of the verse, ‘And the Spirit of Elohim hovered’ (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת) (Genesis 1:2), namely Met [Death] and two hundred and eighty-eight (הַיְינוּ מֵת רפ״ח).
See the Babylonian Talmud, Makkot 11a (רְאוּ בַּבְלִי, מַכּוֹת יא ע״א): “When David dug the Shitin [Channels], the Tehom [Deep] rose and sought to flood the world (שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה שֶׁכָּרָה דָּוִד שִׁיתִין קָפָא תְּהוֹמָא בָּעָא לְמִשְׁטְפָא לְעָלְמָא). He said, ‘Is it permissible to write the Name upon a shard and cast it into the Deep so that it will remain in its place?’ (אָמַר מַהוּ לִכְתּוֹב שֵׁם אַחַסְפָּא וּמִישְׁדָא בִּתְהוֹמָא דְּלִיקוּ אַדּוּכְתֵּיהּ). No one answered him (לֵיכָא דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ מִידִי). He said, ‘Whoever knows this matter and does not speak it, let him be strangled by his throat’ (אָמַר כָּל הַיּוֹדֵעַ דָּבָר זֶה וְאֵינוֹ אוֹמְרוֹ יֵחָנֵק בִּגְרוֹנוֹ). Ahitophel reasoned by means of a kal va-chomer [a fortiori argument] (נָשָׂא אֲחִיתֹפֶל קַל וָחֹמֶר בְּעַצְמוֹ). He said, ‘If, in order to make peace between a man and his wife, the Torah said that My Name, written in holiness, should be erased upon the waters, then how much more so for the sake of the whole world!’ (אָמַר וּמָה לַעֲשׂוֹת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה שְׁמִי שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בִּקְדֻשָּׁה יִמָּחֶה עַל הַמַּיִם לְכָל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן). He said to him, ‘It is permitted.’ He wrote the Name upon a shard, cast it into the Deep, and it descended and remained in its place (אָמַר לֵיהּ שָׁרֵי כָּתַב שֵׁם אַחַסְפָּא שְׁדֵי אַתְּהוֹמָא נָחַת וְקָם אַדּוּכְתֵּיהּ).” See also the Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 53a (רְאוּ בַּבְלִי, סוּכָּה נג ע״א).
See Rabbi Menachem Azariah of Fano, Kanfei Yonah, Part 1, Chapter 17, folio 9a (רְאוּ הָרַמְ״ע מִפָּאנוֹ, כַּנְפֵי יוֹנָה ח״א, פֶּרֶק יז, ט ע״א): “And when they emerge from Imma, they are four Mochin [Mentalities]: Chokhmah [Wisdom], Binah [Understanding], Gedulah [Greatness], and Gevurah [Judgment], each one consisting of ten, and this is the Mem of Tzelem [Image] (וּכְשֶׁיּוֹצְאִים מֵאִמָּא הֵם אַרְבַּע מוֹחִין חָכְמָה בִּינָה גְּדוּלָּה גְּבוּרָה וְכ״א כָּלוּל מִי׳ וְזֶהוּ מֵ״ם שֶׁל צֶלֶם).” Rabbi Menachem Azariah of Fano, Yonat Elem, Kitzur Yonat Elem, section 26, p. 366 (הַנַּ״ל, יוֹנַת אֵלֶם, קִצּוּר יוֹנַת אֵלֶם, אוֹת כו, עַמּ׳ שסו): “And the drop of Imma, together with the collection of the Gevurot [Powers of Judgment] that she received, constitute the four Mochin [Mentalities]—Chokhmah [Wisdom], Binah [Understanding], Gedulah [Greatness], and Gevurah [Judgment]—which spread forth from Imma when she gives birth to them, each one consisting of ten, and this is the Mem of Tzelem [Image], which is written concerning Ze'ir Anpin (וְטִפַּת אִמָּא עִם קִבּוּץ הַגְּבוּרוֹת שֶׁקִּבְּלָה הֲרֵי ד׳ מוֹחִין חבג״ג הַמִּתְפַּשְׁטִים מֵאִמָּא בְּלִדְתָּה אוֹתָם כָּל א׳ כָּלוּל מֵעֶשֶׂר וְזֶהוּ מֵ״ם שֶׁל צֶלֶם דִּכְתִיב בִּזְעֵיר), and afterward Imma bends and lowers herself, including these four Lights within his inner Mi [Who], which is the Partzuf of Tevunah (וְאַחַ״כ אִמָּא מַרְכֶּנֶת וּמַשְׁפֶּלֶת עַצְמָהּ וְכוֹלֶלֶת ד׳ אוֹרוֹת אֵלּוּ בְּמ״י הַפְּנִימִיִּים שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁהוּא פַּרְצוּף תְּבוּנָה).