The Leprosy of Pharaoh and of Moshe
הַצָּרַעַת שֶׁל פַּרְעֹה וְשֶׁל מֹשֶׁה
And behold, the serpent was afflicted with leprosy (וְהִנֵּה הַנָּחָשׁ לָקָה בְּצָרַעַת). And I will tell you what is the leprosy (וְאוֹמֵר לְךָ מַהוּ הַצָּרַעַת), for it is the secret of enclosure (כִּי הוּא סוֹד סְגִירוּ), and it is the sealing of the Supernal Light that did not go forth (וְהוּא הַסֶּגֶר הָאוֹר הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁלֹּא יָצָא). Therefore, Pharaoh at the beginning, in the days of Avraham, was afflicted with leprosyp1-15 (וְלָכֵן פַּרְעֹה בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם לָקָה בְּצָרַעַת), for because of this he was unable to touch Sarah (שֶׁבַּעֲבוּר זֶה לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִנְגּוֹעַ בְּשָׂרָה). And it was a sign for his children (וְהָיָה סִימָן לְבָנָיו), for in the days of Moshe the serpent had already returned to the staff (כִּי בִּימֵי מֹשֶׁה כְּבָר חָזַר הַנָּחָשׁ לַמַּטֶּה). And the Holy One Blessed Be He, Who desired to show him this matter-how it was-said to him (וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁרָצָה לְהַרְאוֹתוֹ זֶה הָעִנְיָן אֵיךְ הָיָה, אָמַר לוֹ): “What is that in your hand?” etc. (Exodus 4:2) ("מַה-זֶּה בְיָדְךָ" כו׳).
And the matter is, that Moshe is the master of the house (וְהָעִנְיָן, כִּי מֹשֶׁה הוּא מָרֵי דְבֵיתָא), whose Neshama was prepared from the beginning to be in the secret of the Husband of the Matronita (שֶׁנִשְׁמָתוֹ הוּכְנָה מִתְּחִלָּה לִהְיוֹת בְּסוֹד בַּעְלָהּ דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא), that he should have the segulah and power to draw down the Shekhinah to be repaired through the Patriarchs (שֶׁיְּהֵא לוֹ סְגוּלָּה וְכֹחַ לְהוֹרִיד הַשְּׁכִינָה לְתַקֵּן עַל יְדֵי הָאֲבוֹת), each one the appropriate Tikkun for him (כָּל אֶחָד תִּקּוּן הָרָאוּי לוֹ). And then, at the very end, it is found that the serpent returned to the staff through the Tikkunim of Moshe (וְאָז בְּסוֹף הַכֹּל נִמְצָא שֶׁהַנָּחָשׁ חָזַר לַמַּטֶּה עַל יְדֵי תִּקּוּנֵי מֹשֶׁה), who was holding the Tikkunim of the Patriarchs in his hand (שֶׁהָיָה מַחֲזִיק תִּקּוּנֵי הָאֲבוֹת בְּיָדוֹ). And this is the secret of “Hashem, the God of your fathers, appeared to me” (Exodus 3:16) (וְהוּא סוֹד: "ה׳ אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם נִרְאָה אֵלַי).
But when he cast the staff to the earth, and did not hold it (אֲבָל בְּהַשְׁלִיכוֹ הַמַּטֶּה לָאָרֶץ, שֶׁלֹּא הֶחֱזִיק בּוֹ), then that matter was revealed in it as at first-that it was a serpent (אָז נִרְאָה בּוֹ הָעִנְיָן כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁהָיָה נָחָשׁ). And Moshe fled from before it (Exodus 4:3) (וַיָּנָס מֹשֶׁה מִפָּנָיו), for he saw that this matter is a place of great danger (כִּי רָאָה שֶׁהָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה הוּא מָקוֹם סַכָּנָה מְאֹד). And it is the matter of the shattering of the Tablets, when Moshe cast them from his hands (וְהוּא עִנְיָן שְׁבִירַת הַלּוּחוֹת כְּשֶׁהִשְׁלִיכָם מֹשֶׁה מִיָּדָיו), for then it literally became the matter of the staff that returned to a serpent (כִּי אָז נַעֲשָׂה מַמָּשׁ עִנְיָן הַמַּטֶּה שֶׁחָזַר לְנָחָשׁ).
And I will tell you who caused this, and you will understand here great secrets (וְאוֹמֵר לְךָ מִי גָּרַם זֶה, וּתְבִין כָּאן סוֹדוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת), for this is the matter of the flying lettersp1-16 (כִּי זֶהוּ עִנְיָן אוֹתִיּוֹת פּוֹרְחוֹת), and they are the secret of the three Patriarchs (וְהֵם סוֹד הַג׳ אֲבוֹת), whose secret is the 216 letters of A"B" (שֶׁסוֹדָם רי״ו אוֹתִיּוֹת דְּע״ב), that when they unite in Malchut there is no death (שֶׁבִּהְיוֹתָם מִתְחַבְּרִים בַּמַּלְכוּת אָז אֵין מָוֶת). But when they withdraw, then the Shekhinah descends below, and death is found (וּבִהְיוֹתָם מִסְתַלְּקִים, אָז יוֹרֶדֶת הַשְּׁכִינָה לְמַטָּה, וְנִמְצָא הַמָּוֶת). And from then onward, this aspect was given to the Mashiach to stand in the secret of the serpent (וּמִשָּׁם וָהָלְאָה נִתְּנָה בְּחִינָה זוֹ לַמָּשִׁיחַ לַעֲמוֹד בְּסוֹד הַנָּחָשׁ), and especially to Mashiach ben Yosef, who is in the secret of the left (וּבִפְרָט לְמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף שֶׁהוּא בְּסוֹד הַשְּׂמֹאל).
And I will explain more of this to you, with the help of Heaven (וְעוֹד אֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ מִזֶּה בְּסִ״ד). Behold, when the serpent returned to the staff (הִנֵּה כְּשֶׁחָזַר הַנָּחָשׁ לַמַּטֶּה), then the other sign was revealed, that it returned as flesh (אָז נִרְאָה הָאוֹת הָאַחֵר שֶׁשָּׁבָה כִּבְשָׂרוֹ). For leprosy is in the secret of the serpent’s skinp1-17 (כִּי הַצָּרַעַת בְּסוֹד הַמְּשָׁכָא דְּחִוְיָא הוּא), and when the body is in this aspect, the leprosy appears upon it (וּבִהְיוֹת הַגּוּף בְּבְחִינָה זוֹ נִרְאֶה שָׁם הַצָּרַעַת). And when it is purified, behold-it returns as flesh through the power of the first Tikkunim (וּכְשֶׁנִּטְהַר, הִנֵּה שָׁבָה כִּבְשָׂרוֹ בְּכֹחַ הַתִּקּוּנִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים).
Notes
As it is written in Adir baMarom, page 551 (ראה אַדִּיר בַּמָּרוֹם ע״מ תקנ״א): The plague of their tzara‘at is its sealing (וְנֶגַע צָרַעְתָּן הוּא סְגִירוֹ), for the dominion of Egypt was sealed (כִּי נִסְגְּרָה שִׁלְטוֹן מִצְרַיִם). And this is the secret of “And the king of Egypt died” (Exodus 2:23) [שְׁמוֹת ב׳, כ״ג] (וְהוּא סוֹד: וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם). And from there and onward the closure was particular (וּמִשָּׁם וָהָלְאָה הָיָה הַסְּגִירוֹ בִּפְרָט), until the Israelites departed from there (עַד שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִשָּׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל).
Flying Letters (אוֹתִיּוֹת פּוֹרְחוֹת): As it is written in Zohar, Volume I, 159a (ראה זֹהַר ח״א דף קנ״ט, א): These nine orders (הָנֵי סִדְרִין תִּשְׁעָה), all are conducted through inscribed letters (כוּלְּהוֹ מִתְנַהֲגִי בְּאַתְוָון רְשִׁימָן), and each order looks upon those inscribed letters (וְכָל סִדְרָא אַסְתַּכֵּי לְאִינוּן אַתְוָון רְשִׁימָן), and all of them join and utter song (וּמִתְחַבְּרָן כּוּלְּהוֹ וְאָמְרֵי שִׁירְתָּא). And when those letters fly into the air of the ruach (וְכַד אִינוּן אַתְוָון פָּרְחִי גּוֹ אֲוִירָא דְרוּחָא), the one appointed over all (הַהוּא דְּמְמַנָּה עַל כֹּלָּא), then they are lifted (כְּדֵין אִינוּן נָטְלֵי), and the song is sweetened (וְשִׁירְתָּא אִתְבַּסַּם). And one letter strikes from below (וְחַד אַת אִתְבַּטֵּשׁ מִתַּתָּא), and that letter ascends and descends (וְהַהוּא אַת סָלְקָא וְנָחֲתָא), and two letters fly above it (וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון פָּרְחֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ). And that letter from below (וְהָאִי אַת מִתַּתָּא), elevates the order from below to above and joins with them (סָלְקָא סִדְרָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא וְאִתְחַבַּר בְּהוֹן), and three letters are formed (וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ תְּלַת אַתְוָון), all according to the letters Yod–He–Vav (כּוּלְּהוּ לְפוּם אַתְוָון י״ה״ו), which are three within the luminous mirror (דְּאִינוּן תְּלַת גּוֹ אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָּא הַמְּאִירָה). From these are separated three orders (מֵאִלֵּין אִתְפְּרְשׁוּ תְּלַת סִדְרִין), and those two letters (וְאִינוּן תְּרֵין אַתְוָון), and the letter that ascends (וְהָאֹות שֶׁעוֹלָה), joins with them (מִתְחַבֶּרֶת עִמָּהֶן), and they are three (וְהֵן שָׁלֹשָׁן).
The skin of the serpent (משְׁכָא דְּחִוְיָא): the skin of the serpent (עוֹר הַנָּחָשׁ). See Tikkunei Zohar, daf 48b (רְאֵה תִּקּוּנֵי זֹהַר דַּף מ״ח, ב׳): And furthermore, she purifies the impure (וְעוֹד מְטַהֲרַת אֶת הַטָּמֵא), for when Moshe was born it is said regarding him (in reference to the daughter of Pharaoh) (כְּד נוֹלַד מֹשֶׁה אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ [לְגַבֵּי בַּת פַּרְעֹה]), “and she saw him, that he was good” (Exodus 2:2) [שְׁמוֹת ב׳, ב׳] ("וַתֵּרֶא אֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא), for she saw the Shekhinta with him (דְּחֲמַאַת עִמֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא). And immediately when she touched him (וּמִיַּד דְּנָגְעַת [אִיהִי] בֵּיהּ), the daughter of Pharaoh was purified and healed from her tzara‘at (בַּת פַּרְעֹה אִתְדַּכְּיָאת וְאִתְסִיאַת מִצָּרַעְתָּא דִילָהּ), and Moshe contracted tzara‘at (וּמֹשֶׁה אִתְדַּבְּקַת בֵּיהּ צָרַעַת), as it is said (Exodus 4:6) [שְׁמוֹת ד׳, ו׳]: “And behold, his hand was leprous like snow” (כְּמָה דְאִתְאָמַר: "וְהִנֵּה יָדוֹ מְצֹרַעַת כַּשָּׁלֶג). For at that moment that the daughter of Pharaoh touched him (דְּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּנָגְעַת בֵּיהּ בַּת פַּרְעֹה), the Shekhinta fled from him (פָּרְחַת שְׁכִינְתָּא מִנֵּיהּ). And because of this, when he sought to draw near to her at the bush (וּבְגִין דָּא כַּד בָּעָא לְאִתְקָרְבָא לְגַבָּהּ בְּסְנֶה), she said to him: “Do not draw near here. Remove your shoes from your feet” (Exodus 3:5) [שְׁמוֹת ג׳, ה׳] ("אַל תִּקְרַב הֲלֹם שַׁל נְעָלֶיךָ מֵעַל רַגְלֶיךָ), until you remove yourself from that very body which the daughter of Pharaoh touched (עַד דִּיתְפַּשֵּׁט מֵהַהוּא גוּפָא דְּנָגְעַת בֵּיהּ בַּת פַּרְעֹה). There He appeared to him (תַּמָּן אֲחֲזֵי לֵיהּ), for the body of a person in this world-this is tzara‘at from the skin of the serpent (דְּגוּפָא דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא-אִיהוּ צָרַעַת מִמִּשְׁכָא דְּחִוְיָא). After he removed it (לְבָתַר דְּאִתְפַּשֵּׁט מִנֵּיהּ), and returned to the Garden of Eden (וְהֲדַר לְגַנְּתָא דְעֵדֶן), he was clothed in his holy body (אִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּגוּפָא קַדִּישָׁא דִילֵיהּ), and this is “and behold, it returned as his flesh” (Exodus 4:7) [שְׁמוֹת ד׳, ז׳] (וְדָא אִיהוּ: "וְהִנֵּה שָׁבָה כִּבְשָׂרוֹ). And thus Moshe was clothed in it (וְהָכֵי אִתְלַבֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה בָּהּ), and this is “and behold, it returned as his flesh” (וְדָא אִיהוּ: "וְהִנֵּה שָׁבָה כִּבְשָׂרוֹ), like it was at first, as it is said regarding him: “Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Bereshit 2:23) [בְּרֵאשִׁית ב׳, כ״ג] (כְּקַדְמִיתָא דְּאִתְּאֲמַר בֵּיהּ: "עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי). And because of this it is said to him: “Remove your shoes from your feet” (וּבְגִין דָּא אֲמַר לֵיהּ: "שַׁל נְעָלֶיךָ מֵעַל רַגְלֶיךָ), this is the body which was for him like a shoe (דָּא גוּפָא דַּהֲוָה לֵיהּ כְּנַעַל), that same one which the daughter of Pharaoh touched (הַהוּא דְּנָגְעַת בֵּיהּ בַּת פַּרְעֹה), and he was clothed in another (וְאִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּאַחֲרָא). And in that moment the Shekhinta rested upon him (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא אֲהֲרָרַת עֲלֵיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא).