The Enclothing of Souls Within the Klipot

הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת הַנְּשָׁמוֹת בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת

And you must know (וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁתֵּדַע), that just as the Shekhinah must be enclothed within the Klipot (כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה צְרִיכָה לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת), so too must the souls also be enclothed after her in the Klipot (כָּךְ צְרִיכִין נְשָׁמוֹת גַּם כֵּן לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ אַחֲרֶיהָ בַּקְּלִיפּוֹת). And now I will explain to you how this enclothing takes place (וְעַתָּה אֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ הַהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת הַזֶּה אֵיךְ הוּא). For concerning this matter it is written (Isaiah 31:5), “As flying birds, so will Hashem Tzevaot shield” (כְּצִפֳרִים עָפוֹת כֵּן יָגֵן ה׳ צְבָאוֹת).

Know that there are three types of being of the souls within the Klipah (דַּע שֶׁג׳ מִינֵי הֱיוֹת הַנְּשָׁמוֹת בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפָה יֵשׁ): their being within it before they come into the world (הֱיוֹתָן בְּתוֹכָהּ קֹדֶם בּוֹאָן לָעוֹלָם), their being within it after they have left the world and are meritorious (הֱיוֹתָן בְּתוֹכָהּ אַחַר צֵאתָן מִן הָעוֹלָם וְהֵן זַכָּאוֹת), and their being within it before leaving or after leaving as well, and they are guilty (וְהֱיוֹתָם בְּתוֹכָהּ קֹדֶם צֵאתָן אוֹ אַחַר צֵאתָן כָּמוֹ כֵן, וְהֵן חַיָּבוֹת). And now I will explain each category separately (וְעַתָּה אֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ כָּל מִין וּמִין בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ):

Behold, as long as a person is in this world, he possesses free will (הִנֵּה עַד שֶׁהָאָדָם הוּא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הוּא בַּעַל בְּחִירָה), and according to his actions he either rectifies or damages the Sefirot (וּלְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו הוּא מְתַקֵּן אוֹ פּוֹגֵם בַּסְּפִירוֹת). This is not the case after his death, as it is said (Psalms 88:6), “Among the dead is one free” (בַּמֵּתִים חָפְשִׁי). And behold, while the soul is within the body (וְהִנֵּה בִּהְיוֹת הַנְּשָׁמָה בְּתוֹךְ הַגּוּף), then there is room for the Sitra achra-through the body-to mingle within her very existence, if she sins (אָז יֵשׁ מָקוֹם לַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא עַל יְדֵי הַגּוּף לְהִתְעָרֵב בָּהּ בְּתוֹךְ מְצִיאוּתָהּ, אִם הִיא חוֹטֵאת). Therefore, she will need to enter Gehinnom to be purified through the fire of Gehinnom (כִּי עַל כֵּן תִּצְטָרֵךְ לְהִכָּנֵס לְגֵיהִנּוֹם לְטַהֵר בְּכֹחַ אֵשׁוֹ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנּוֹם). For that fire, which is the power of the sitra achra, will dominate her and burn within her (כִּי יִהְיֶה הָאֵשׁ הַהוּא, שֶׁהוּא כֹּחַ סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, שׁוֹלֵט עָלֶיהָ וּבוֹעֵר בָּהּ), until it draws into itself all the filth that had been included within her (עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁאַב אֵלָיו כָּל הַזֹּהֲמָה שֶׁנִּכְלְלָה בָּהּ), and then she will remain purified (וְאָז תִּשָּׁאֵר הִיא טְהוֹרָה).

And behold, when the sitra achra mingles in the soul’s being (וְהִנֵּה בִּהְיוֹת הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא מִתְעָרֶבֶת בִּמְצִיאוּת הַנְּשָׁמָה), it defiles her (הִיא מְטַמֵּאָה), and she becomes blemished (וְנִפְגֶּמֶת), and the root which she has is also blemished because of the defect of the branch (וְנִפְגָּם הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר לָהּ גַּם כֵּן מִפְּנֵי פְּגַם הָעָנָף).

And behold, this is one of the three categories that we mentioned (וְהִנֵּה זֶה מִין א׳ מִג׳ הַמִּינִים שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ), which is that the Klipah becomes mixed into the being of the soul while still in the body (וְהוּא שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַקְּלִיפָה מִתְעָרֶבֶת בִּמְצִיאוּת הַנְּשָׁמָה עוֹדָהּ בַּגּוּף), and she is called impure (וְהִיא נִקְרֵאת טְמֵאָה), for the light of holiness departs from her (שֶׁאוֹר הַקְּדֻשָּׁה מִסְתַלֵּק מִמֶּנָּה), and she is handed over into the hands of the Sitra achra entirely (וְהִיא נִמְסֶרֶת בְּיַד הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא מַמָּשׁ). And so also upon her departure [from the body], she goes to Gehinnom (וְכֵן בְּצֵאתָהּ תֵּלֵךְ אֶל גֵּיהִנּוֹם), and she remains likewise situated within the Klipah itself (וְתִשָּׁאֵר כָּמוֹ כֵן עוֹמֶדֶת בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפָה עַצְמָהּ), which rules over her until her purification (שֶׁהִיא שׁוֹלֶטֶת בָּהּ עַד טָהֳרָתָהּ).

But the person who has merited through his deeds (אֲבָל הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר זָכָה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו), behold, he has already separated the sitra achra from himself (הִנֵּה כְּבָר הִפְרִיד הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא מִמֶּנּוּ), and he is cleaved to his holy root (וְנִדְבַּק הוּא לְשָׁרְשׁוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ). And upon the departure of his soul from the world (וּבְצֵאת נִשְׁמָתוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם), it goes and cleaves to this root (הוֹלֶכֶת וְנִדְבֶּקֶת לְשָׁרְשׁוֹ זֶה), and from that point onward the sitra achra has no power to intermingle with its being at all (וּמִשָּׁם וָהָלְאָה אֵין כֹּחַ לַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא לְהִתְעָרֵב בִּמְצִיאוּתָהּ כְּלָל).

For indeed, only while it is connected to the body is it susceptible to this matter (כִּי בֶאֱמֶת רַק בִּהְיוֹתָהּ נִקְשֶׁרֶת בַּגּוּף הִיא מֻכֶּנֶת לָזֶה הָעִנְיָן). However, sometimes that soul will descend to become enclothed within the Klipah (אֶלָּא לְפָעָמִים תֵּרֵד הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִיא לִהְיוֹת מִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפָה), and this is when the Sitra achra encircles it (וְהוּא שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא סוֹבֶבֶת עָלֶיהָ), in the secret of (בְּסוֹד) (Psalms 12:9) “The wicked walk round about” (סָבִיב רְשָׁעִים יִתְהַלָּכוּן). And it will not cleave to her at all (וְלֹא תִּהְיֶה מִתְדַּבֶּקֶת בָּהּ כְּלָל), only that it will cause her a diminishment of light (אֶלָּא שֶׁתִּגְרֹם לָהּ חִסָּרוֹן אוֹר), which ought to have been revealed to her according to her merit (שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה לָהּ לְפִי זַכְּוּתָהּ). And when the Shekhinah descended into the Klipah to be enclothed within it (וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָרְדָה הַשְּׁכִינָה בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפָה לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בָּהּ), behold, in her there is certainly no Sitra achra intermingling, Heaven forbid (הִנֵּה בָּהּ וַדַּאי אֵין הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא מִתְעָרֶבֶת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), for it is not applicable to say such a thing at all (כִּי אֵין שַׁיָּךְ לוֹמַר דָּבָר זֶה כְּלָל), for the Shekhinah is nothing other than one of the radiances of the Ein Sof, blessed be He (כִּי הֲלֹא הַשְּׁכִינָה אֵינָהּ כִּי אִם אַחַת הַהָאֲרוֹת שֶׁל הָא״ס בָּרוּךְ הוּא), and the sitra achra is a separate creation (וְהַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא הִיא בְּרִיאָה נִפְרֶדֶת).

And it is found that this matter does not apply here at all (וְנִמְצָא, שֶׁאֵין הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה נוֹפֵל בְּכָאן כְּלָל), only an aspect of enclothing-namely, that she becomes enclothed within these Klipot and revealed in their place (רַק בְּחִינַת הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת הוּא שֶׁהִיא מִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת הָאֵלֶּה, וּמִתְגַלֶּה בְּתוֹךְ מְקוֹמָם).

And behold, then there also descend the souls of the great Tzaddikim, the heads of Yisrael (וְהִנֵּה אָז יָרְדוּ גַּם כֵּן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים גְּדוֹלִים רָאשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל), who stand there within the Klipot with her (שֶׁהֵם עוֹמְדִים שָׁם בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת עִמָּהּ), and there they suffer a diminishment of light and many forms of affliction (וְשָׁם סוֹבְלִין חִסָּרוֹן אוֹר וּמִינֵי צַעַר הַרְבֵּה), and they are called bearers of afflictions who bear the iniquities of Yisrael (וְהֵם נִקְרָאִים סוֹבְלֵי חֳלָאִים הַסּוֹבְלִים עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל).

And at the head of them all is the King Mashiach (וּבְרֹאשׁ כֻּלָּם יֵשׁ מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא), who is the Yechidah which was created from the beginning (שֶׁהִיא הַיְּחִידָה אֲשֶׁר נִבְרְאָה מֵאָז), and she stands to be the crown of the Redeemer (וְהִיא עוֹמֶדֶת לִהְיוֹת עֲטָרָה לַגּוֹאֵל), through which he will redeem Yisrael (שֶׁבָּהּ יִגְאָל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), and she too stands in this enclothing, in this concealment and diminishment of light mentioned above (וְהִיא עוֹמֶדֶת גַּם כֵּן בַּזֶּה הַהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת, בַּזֶּה הַסִּתּוּם וְחִסָּרוֹן אוֹר הַנַּ״ל).

And the third category is their being within it before coming into the world (וְהַמִּין הַג׳ הוּא הֱיוֹתָן בָּהּ קֹדֶם בּוֹאָן לָעוֹלָם), for then they are not considered as bearers of afflictions (כִּי אָז אֵינָם בִּבְחִינַת סוֹבְלֵי חֳלָאִים), but rather they are in the secret of the oppressed (אֶלָּא הֵם בְּסוֹד עֲשׁוּקִים). And this is because the sin of Adam HaRishon caused that all souls would descend into the sitra achra (וְהוּא כִּי חֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן גָּרַם שֶׁכָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת תֵּרַדְנָה בְּתוֹךְ הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא), and this causes them a weakness (וְאָז זֶה גּוֹרֵם לָהֶם חוּלְשָׁה), so that when they come into this world (שֶׁבְּבֹאָם לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה), they are pursued by the Sitra achra (נִרְדָּפוֹת מִן הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא), and require great rectification through their deeds to repair this (וְצְרִיכוֹת תִּקּוּן גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם לְתַקֵּן מִזֶּה).

For all the labor now is a result of the matter of Adam’s sin (כִּי כָל הָעֲבוֹדָה עַתָּה – אַחַר עִנְיַן חֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן הִיא נִמְשֶׁכֶת). But the soul of the Mashiach is the aspect of the Yechidah (אֲבָל נִשְׁמַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ הִיא בְּחִינַת הַיְּחִידָה), and she is a free one (שֶׁהִיא בַּת חוֹרִין), for she has no part in this matter (שֶׁאֵין לָהּ עִנְיָן לָזֶה), for she comes into the world only to crown the Mashiach (כִּי אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא לָבוֹא לָעוֹלָם לְעַטֵּר הַמָּשִׁיחַ), and not to be repaired (וְלֹא לְהִתְתַּקֵּן). Therefore she is in the category of “bearer of afflictions” (וְלָכֵן הִיא בְּבְחִינַת "סוֹבֵל חֳלָאִים), and on the contrary-she is the head of them all (וַאֲדַרְבָּא – רֹאשׁ לְכֻלָּם). And within her are included all the crowns of the souls (וּבָהּ נִכְלָלִים כָּל עֲטָרוֹת הַנְּשָׁמוֹת), with which they will be crowned in the days of the Mashiach (שֶׁבָּהֶם יִתְעַטְּרוּ לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ), with the illumination of the Yechidah, which will rule and guide them in that time (בְּהַאֲרַת הַיְּחִידָה אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁלוֹט וְתַנְהִיג אוֹתָם בַּזְּמַן הַהוּא).

And behold, the souls that have already departed from the world (וְהִנֵּה הַנְּשָׁמוֹת אֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ כְּבָר מִן הָעוֹלָם), they are called “flying birds” (הֵם נִקְרָאִים צִפֳרִים עוֹפוֹת), for they truly have the power to fly after the Shekhinah (שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת יֵשׁ לָהֶם כֹּחַ לָעוּף אַחֲרֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה), which is not the case while they are in bodies (מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בִּהְיוֹתָם בַּגּוּפִים). And know that Imma is called “the nest of the bird” (וְתֵדַע, כִּי אִימָּא נִקְרֵאת קֵן צִפּוֹר), which is the nest for Abba, who is called “bird” (שֶׁהִיא קֵן לְאַבָּא הַנִּקְרָא צִפּוֹר).

And behold, from Abba and Imma is given the essence of the souls from their own side (וְהִנֵּה מֵאַבָּא וְאִמָּא נִתַּן מְצִיאוּת לַנְּשָׁמוֹת מִצַּד עַצְמָן), and from Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah is given to them their being within the body (וּמִצַּד זו״ן נִתַּן לָהֶם לִהְיוֹת בְּתוֹךְ הַגּוּף). And behold, when they exit from the body (וְהִנֵּה כְּשֶׁיוֹצְאִים מִן הַגּוּף), they remain as that which they are from the aspect of Abba and Imma (נִשְׁאָרִים מַה שֶּׁהֵם מִצַּד או״א), which is outside the body (שֶׁהֵם חוּץ לַגּוּף). And then it is said of them: “As flying birds, so will Hashem Tzevaot shield” (כְּצִפֳרִים עוֹפוֹת כֵּן יָגֵן ה׳ צְבָאוֹת), for this Divine Name is the shield, in the secret of the rainbow, as above (כִּי הַשֵּׁם הַזֶּה הוּא הַמָּגֵן בְּסוֹד הַקֶּשֶׁת כַּנַּ״ל).

For the Netzach, Hod, Yesod are called Tzevaot (שֶׁהַנֶּהִ״י הֵם נִקְרָאִים צְבָאוֹת), and they are the three hues of the rainbow (וְהֵם ג׳ גְּוָונֵי הַקֶּשֶׁת). And to these is given this protection (וּלְאֵלֶּה יֵשׁ הַהֲגָנָה הַזֹּאת), for the Klipot are unable to mingle with them (כִּי אֵין הַקְּלִיפּוֹת יְכוֹלוֹת לְהִתְעָרֵב בָּהֶם). But one who is still alive and gives dominion to the sitra achra over himself (אֲבָל מִי שֶׁהוּא בַּחַיִּים וּמַשְׁלִיט הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא עָלָיו), does not have this protection (אֵין לוֹ הַהֲגָנָה), for according to his free will the matter depends (כִּי לְפִי בְּחִירָתוֹ הֵם הַדְּבָרִים).

It is thus learned from all this (נִמְצֵאת לָמֵד מִכָּל זֶה), that the enclothing within the sitra achra is said only of souls after they have exited from the state of free will (שֶׁאֵין הַהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא עַל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת לְאַחַר שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִן הַבְּחִירָה), for then evil does not intermingle with their essence (שֶׁאָז אֵין הָרַע מִתְעָרֵב בִּמְצִיאוּתָם), and it is only affliction to them (וְאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא צַעַר לָהֶם), and this is a Tikkun for Yisrael (וְהוּא תִּקּוּן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). But while they possess free will-this concept is not applicable to them (אֲבָל בִּהְיוֹתָן בַּעֲלֵי בְּחִירָה – לֹא יִתָּכֵן בָּהֶם הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה), for intermingling with the sitra achra during life is nothing but corruption and defilement (כִּי אֵין הַהִתְעָרֵב בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא בַּחַיִּים אֶלָּא קִלְקוּל וְטֻמְאָה), through which holiness flees from him (שֶׁתִּבְרַח הַקְּדוּשָּׁה מֵעָלָיו), and it is not a Tikkun at all (וְלֹא תִּקּוּן כְּלָל). Thus have all the vain structures collapsed, which these sinful men have built (וְהֲרֵי נָפְלוּ כָּל בִּנְיָנֵי הַשָּׁוְא שֶׁבָּנוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הַפּוֹשְׁעִים הָאֵלֶּה), for it is impossible for transgression to become a mitzvah (כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲבֵירָה לִהְיוֹת מִצְוָה), and the repair will never be the corruption (וְהַתִּקּוּן לֹא יִהְיֶה הַקִּלְקוּל לְעוֹלָם).

It is true (הֵן אֱמֶת), that there is one saying of our Sages of blessed memory (שֶׁמַּאֲמָר אֶחָד נִמְצָא לְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה), which appears in our eyes as a high and steep mountain (אֲשֶׁר נִדְמֶה הוּא לְעֵינֵינוּ כְּהַר גָּבוֹהַּ וְתָלוּל מְאֹד). It is their saying of blessed memory concerning Yael (Nazir 23b), “Greater is a transgression for its own sake than a mitzvah not for its own sake” (גְּדוֹלָה עֲבֵירָה לִשְׁמָהּ מִמִּצְוָה שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ). If so, it would seem possible for a blemish to become a repair (אִם כֵּן אֶפְשָׁר לִפְגָם לִהְיוֹת תִּקּוּן). But you must know (אֲבָל צָרִיךְ שֶׁתֵּדַע), that many distinctions exist in this matter (כִּי הַרְבֵּה חִלּוּקִים נִמְצָאִים בָּעִנְיָן), and one who is not exact to the width of a hair’s breadth (וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא יְדַקְדֵּק עַד חוּט הַשַּׂעָרָה)-is near to fall into deep pits, may the Merciful One save us (קָרוֹב לִיפּוֹל בְּפַחִים עֲמֻקִּים, רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלַן).