Two Aspects of the Moon

שְׁתֵּי בְּחִינוֹת לַלְּבָנָה

And let us return to the explanation of the ma’amar [discourse] (וְנַחֲזוֹר לְבֵיאוּר הַמַּאֲמָר), for a veritable star is the secret of the Torah (כִּי כּוֹכָב מַמָּשׁ הוּא סוֹד הַתּוֹרָה), and concerning it is said: “A star shall go forth from Ya‘akov” (וּבוֹ נֶאֱמַר: ״דָּרַךְ כּוֹכָב מִיַּעֲקֹב״) (Numbers 24:17). And the secret of the matter is that Ya‘akov here is, in particular, the Tiferet of Ze‘ir Anpin (וְסוֹד הָעִנְיָן, כִּי יַעֲקֹב כָּאן הוּא הַתִּפְאֶרֶת דְּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין בִּפְרָט), while Yisrael is Ze‘ir Anpin in its entirety, in general (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא כָּל הַזְּעֵיר אַנְפִּין בִּכְלָל).

And behold, it is written: “And Ya‘akov went on his way” (וְהִנֵּה כָּתוּב: ״וְיַעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ״) (Bereshit 32:2), and this is the aspect of the female, who is truly within his secret (וְהוּא בְּחִינַת הַנּוּקְבָא שֶׁהִיא בְּסוֹדוֹ מַמָּשׁ). Therefore, she is called “his way” (וְעַל כֵּן נִקְרֵאת דַּרְכּוֹ), for she is truly the path of his being (כִּי הִיא דֶּרֶךְ מְצִיאוּתוֹ מַמָּשׁ). And concerning this it is said: “A star shall go forth from Ya‘akov” (וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: ״דָּרַךְ כּוֹכָב מִיַּעֲקֹב״) (Numbers 24:17), for he goes to his way (שֶׁלְּדַרְכּוֹ הוּא הוֹלֵךְ).

And this is the aspect of—“In three the Torah was given” (Zohar there, Tetzé 281) (וְהוּא בְּחִינַת: ״בִּג׳ נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה״). “And a scepter shall rise from Yisrael” (״וְקָם שֵׁבֶט מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל״) (Numbers 24:17) is the Yesod [Foundation] that joins with her (הוּא הַיְּסוֹד הַמִּתְחַבֵּר אֵלֶיהָ), for she is the seventh in relation to him (שֶׁהִיא שְׁבִיעִית אֵלָיו), and this is the secret of: “On the sixth, in the seventh, the Torah was given” (וְהוּא סוֹד: ״בְּו׳ בְּז׳ נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה״).

And now he will complete the explanation of the stars in the secret of the Shekhinah (וְעַתָּה יַשְׁלִים לְפָרֵשׁ הַכּוֹכָבִים בְּסוֹד הַשְּׁכִינָה), and he said: “The Shekhinah—she is whiteness in halakhah” (וְאָמַר [זֹהַר שָׁם]: ״שְׁכִינְתָא אִיהִי לְבוּן בַּהֲלָכָה״). And the secret of the matter is: the Shekhinah, in her inwardness, from the side of Chesed—there the halakhah is whitened (וְסוֹד הָעִנְיָן, הַשְּׁכִינָה בִּפְנִימִיּוּתָהּ מִצַּד הַחֶסֶד – שָׁם הַהֲלָכָה מְלוּבֶּנֶת), for from the side of Gevurah come the disputes (כִּי מִצַּד הַגְּבוּרָה נִמְצָאִים הַמַּחֲלֹקוֹת), but from the side of Chesed she is whitened (אֲבָל מִצַּד הַחֶסֶד הִיא מְלוּבֶּנֶת), and this is what emerges after the disputes (וְהוּא הַיּוֹצֵא אַחַר הַמַּחֲלֹקוֹת).

“And the sun is called from the side of Gevurah” (וְחַמָּה נִקְרֵאת מִצַּד הַגְּבוּרָה) (Zohar ibid.), and this is the matter of: “The face of Moshe was like the face of the sun” (Bava Batra 75a) (וְהוּא עִנְיָן: ״פְּנֵי מֹשֶׁה כִּפְנֵי חַמָּה״). And this is truly difficult at first glance (וְזֶה בֶּאֱמֶת הוּא דָּבָר קָשֶׁה לְכָאוֹרָה), for it would seem that the sun is masculine and the moon feminine (כִּי נִרְאֶה שֶׁהַחַמָּה הִיא זָכָר וְהַלְּבָנָה נְקֵבָה), while here he says that the moon is from the side of Chesed, and the sun is Gevurah (וּכָאן הוּא אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַלְּבָנָה הִיא מִצַּד הַחֶסֶד וְהַחַמָּה הִיא הַגְּבוּרָה).

But the secret of the matter is: “And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun” (וְאַךְ סוֹד הָעִנְיָן הוּא: ״וְהָיָה אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה״) (Isaiah 30:26). Know that the moon, which is Malchut, is judgment in and of herself (דַּע שֶׁהַלְּבָנָה שֶׁהִיא מַלְכוּת, מִצַּד עַצְמָהּ הִיא דִּין), and she is darkness, having no light of her own whatsoever (וְהִיא חֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁאֵין לָהּ אוֹר כְּלָל). Then Chesed sweetens her, in the secret of: “The royal consort stands at Your right hand in gold of Ophir” (וְאָז הַחֶסֶד מְמַתֵּק אוֹתָהּ בְּסוֹד: ״נִצְּבָה שֵׁגַל לִימִינְךָ בְּכֶתֶם אוֹפִיר״) (Psalms 45:10). Then she is truly in the aspect of Nukvah [Female] in her sweetness (וְאָז הִיא מַמָּשׁ בְּחִינַת נוּקְבָא בְּמִיתוּקָהּ), and she is in the secret of Chesed, as stated above (וְהִיא בְּסוֹד חֶסֶד כְּנַ״ל).

But when she is in the secret of male (אַךְ בְּהִיוֹתָהּ בְּסוֹד זָכָר –), then she is certainly Gevurah (הִיא גְּבוּרָה וַדַּאי), though not in the secret of darkness, but rather in the secret of the Gevurah of the male (אֲבָל לֹא בְּסוֹד חֹשֶׁךְ, אֶלָּא בְּסוֹד גְּבוּרַת הַזָּכָר), which is truly the aspect of the sun (שֶׁהִיא מַמָּשׁ בְּחִינַת חַמָּה), the aspect of consuming fire (בְּחִינַת הָאֵשׁ הַשּׂוֹרֶפֶת).

And understand this matter well (וְהָבֵן הֵיטֵב זֶה הָעִנְיָן), for when the female is in the aspect of Gevurah (כִּי בְּהִיוֹת הַנּוּקְבָא בְּחִינַת גְּבוּרָה), but in the aspect of male, in the secret of: “The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun” (אֲבָל בְּבְחִינַת זָכָר בְּסוֹד: ״אוֹר הַלְּבָנָה כְּאוֹר הַחַמָּה״) (Isaiah 30:26), this is called “great luminaries” (זֶה נִקְרָא: ״מְאוֹרוֹת גְּדוֹלִים״), for they are equal (שֶׁהֵם שָׁוִין): neither one of them needs the other in order to have light (שֶׁאֵין שׁוּם אֶחָד מֵהֶם צָרִיךְ לַחֲבֵרוֹ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ אוֹר), for the lights of them both are equal (כִּי הֵם אוֹרוֹת שְׁנֵיהֶם שָׁוִין), since each has an operation of its own (יַעַן לְכָל אֶחָד פְּעוּלָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ), and they are only the secret of Chesed and judgment (וְהֵם רַק סוֹד חֶסֶד וְדִין).

But the moon is in the secret of diminution (אֲבָל הַלְּבָנָה הִיא בְּסוֹד הַמִּיעוּט), namely, that in the secret of her judgment she has no light whatsoever (וְהוּא שֶׁבְּסוֹד הַדִּין שֶׁלָּהּ אֵין לָהּ אוֹר כְּלָל). Then she must serve in order to receive light (וְאָז הִיא צְרִיכָה לְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְקַבֵּל אוֹר), and the light which shines within her is not from her own essence (וְאָז הָאוֹר הַמֵּאִיר בָּהּ אֵינוֹ מִסּוֹד עַצְמָהּ), but from the aspect of Chesed which rules over her (אֶלָּא מִבְּחִינַת הַחֶסֶד הַשּׁוֹלֵט עָלֶיהָ). This is what she needs from him for the sake of her own rectification (וְזֶהוּ מַה שֶּׁהִיא צְרִיכָה אֵלָיו לְצֹרֶךְ תִּיקּוּן עַצְמָהּ), for from the side of her judgment she has no light (שֶׁמִצַּד הַדִּין שֶׁלָּהּ אֵין לָהּ אוֹר), and all her light is from the aspect of the male’s dominion over her (וְכָל הָאוֹר שֶׁלָּהּ הוּא מִבְּחִינַת שֶׁלִּיטַת הַזָּכָר עָלֶיהָ).

But when she is in the secret of the sun (אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהִיא בְּסוֹד חַמָּה), behold, then she is in the secret of male (הִנֵּה אָז הִיא בְּסוֹד זָכָר)—that is, in the secret of the Gevurah of the male (פֵּירוּשׁ – בְּסוֹד גְּבוּרַת הַזָּכָר). This is “pure as the sun” (וְזֶהוּ ״בָּרָה כַּחַמָּה״) (״בָּרָה כַּחַמָּה״), for she is not darkness and gloom, as in the aspect of the moon (שֶׁאֵינָהּ חֹשֶׁךְ וְקַדְרוּת כְּמוֹ בְּבְחִינַת לְבָנָה). Then they are equal—this according to its function and this according to its function (וְאָז הֵם שָׁוִים, זֶה לִפְעֻלָּתוֹ וְזֶה לִפְעֻלָּתוֹ): this for Chesed, and this for Gevurah (זֶה לְחֶסֶד וְזֶה לִגְבוּרָה).

In this aspect, although she receives, this does not make her a small luminary (שֶׁבְּבְחִינָה זוֹ הֱיוֹת שֶׁהִיא מְקַבֶּלֶת אֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ מְאוֹר קָטֹן), for thus it must be: Chesed bestows, and judgment receives (שֶׁהֲרֵי כָּךְ צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת – חֶסֶד מַשְׁפִּיעַ, דִּין מְקַבֵּל). She is called a small luminary only when, from her own side, she has no light whatsoever (וְאֵינָהּ מָאוֹר הַקָּטֹן אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁמִצַּד עַצְמָהּ אֵין לָהּ אוֹר כְּלָל), and she cannot shine except by setting aside the dominion of Chesed (וְאֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה לְהָאִיר אֶלָּא בְּהַנִּיחָהּ שֶׁלִּיטַת הַחֶסֶד). This is the secret of the moon (וְהַיְנוּ סוֹד הַלְּבָנָה). And understand well (וְהָבֵן הֵיטֵב).

It is thus truly found that, in the male, the rule of Chesed is the proper order (נִמְצָא בֶאֱמֶת, שֶׁבַּזָּכָר הֱיוֹת הַחֶסֶד שׁוֹלֵט הוּא הַסֵּדֶר הַנָּכוֹן). But in the female, the rule of Chesed is not the proper order (אֲבָל בַּנּוּקְבָא הֱיוֹת הַחֶסֶד שׁוֹלֵט – אֵינוֹ הַסֵּדֶר הַנָּכוֹן), for it is a deficiency within her (כִּי הוּא חִסָּרוֹן בָּהּ). Rather, it is necessary that judgment rule and shine within her (אֶלָּא צָרִיךְ שֶׁבָּהּ יִהְיֶה הַדִּין שׁוֹלֵט וּמֵאִיר).

Rather, the radiance of the male must rule over the radiance of the female (אֶלָּא שֶׁהֲאַרַת הַזָּכָר תִּשְׁלוֹט עַל הֶאָרַת הַנְּקֵבָה), and this is another matter (זֶהוּ עִנְיָן אַחֵר): that the female, from her own side, should shine as is proper (שֶׁהַנְּקֵבָה מִצַּד עַצְמָהּ תָּאִיר כָּרָאוּי), but the radiance of the male rules over her (אֶלָּא שֶׁהֲאַרַת הַזָּכָר תִּשְׁלוֹט עָלֶיהָ).

And behold, the moon [Sihara] is dark (וְהִנֵּה הַסִּיהֲרָא אֲפִילָה), meaning: the moon itself, in the aspect of the deficiency of her light—this is the secret of the moon in her rectification (פֵּירוּשׁ – הַסִּיהֲרָא עַצְמָהּ בְּבְחִינַת חֶסְרוֹן אוֹרָהּ, זֶהוּ סוֹד הַלְּבָנָה בְּתִיקּוּנָהּ), even in the light of Chesed (אֲפִלּוּ בְּאוֹר הַחֶסֶד). This is the aspect of Yishmael, as you have heard (וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת יִשְׁמָעֵאל כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁמַעְתָּ).

However, you have already heard that they have two aspects (אֲבָל הֲרֵי כְּבָר שָׁמַעְתָּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם שְׁתֵּי בְּחִינוֹת). One is that they reckon according to the moon, because of her deficiency (א׳ – מַה שֶׁהֵם מוֹנִים לַלְּבָנָה מִפְּנֵי חֶסְרוֹנָהּ), and this is the secret of the maidservant of the moon, in the aspect of her light (וְהוּא סוֹד הַשִּׁפְחָה שֶׁל הַלְּבָנָה בִּבְחִינַת אוֹרָהּ). The second is the aspect of Shabbtai [Saturn], which is the eclipse (הַב׳ – הִיא בְּחִינַת שַׁבְתַּאי שֶׁהוּא הַלְּקוּת), for deficiency and eclipse are not one matter (כִּי אֵין הַחֶסְרוֹן וְהַלְּקוּת עִנְיָן אֶחָד). Rather, deficiency is the aspect of the maidservant according to the order of reality (אֶלָּא הַחֶסְרוֹן הוּא בְּחִינַת הַשִּׁפְחָה לְפִי סֵדֶר הַמְּצִיאוּת), whereas eclipse is the aspect of: “A maidservant when she inherits her mistress” (וְהַלְּקוּת הוּא בְּחִינַת ״שִׁפְחָה כִּי תִירַשׁ גְּבִרְתָּהּ״), as I will explain to you afterward, with the help of Heaven (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ אַחַר כָּךְ בְּסִיַּיעְתָּא דִשְׁמַיָּיא).

The secret of the matter is that they reckon according to the moon from the side of the evil within the deficiency (וְסוֹד הָעִנְיָן, כִּי הֵם מוֹנִים לַלְּבָנָה מִצַּד הָרַע שֶׁבַּחֶסְרוֹן). That is, you have already heard that they have no portion in the essence of the Shekhinah, as Yisrael does (פֵּירוּשׁ – כִּי כְּבָר שָׁמַעְתָּ שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק בְּעַצְמוּת הַשְּׁכִינָה כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), but only in her governance (אֶלָּא בְּהַנְהָגָתָהּ). Thus, the aspect of judgment within her—which provides a place for the nourishment [Yenikah] of evil, in the secret of deficiency—is their root (וְנִמְצָא שֶׁבְּחִינַת הַדִּין שֶׁבָּהּ הַנּוֹתֵן מָקוֹם לִינִיקַת הָרַע בְּסוֹד הַחֶסְרוֹן – זֶהוּ שֹׁרֶשׁ לָהֶם).

And in truth, from there Lilith emerges, in the secret of poverty within Klipat Nogah (וּבֶאֱמֶת מִשָּׁם יוֹצֵאת לִילִית בְּסוֹד עֲנִיּוּת בִּקְלִיפַּת נוֹגַהּ). And she is precisely in the secret of this evil that is included in the obscuration of the moon, in the secret of the above judgment (וְהִיא דַּוְקָא בְּסוֹד זֶה שֶׁל הָרַע הַנִּכְלָל בְּחֶסְיוֹן הַלְּבָנָה בְּסוֹד הַדִּין הַנַּ״ל).

But another aspect is included within this Lilith, and it is the secret of Shabtai [Saturn]: this is the aspect of the eclipse of “A maidservant when she inherits” (אֲבָל בְּלִילִית זֹאת נִכְלֶלֶת בְּחִינָה אַחֶרֶת, וְהִיא סוֹד שַׁבְתַּאי, הִיא בְּחִינַת הַלְּקוּת שֶׁל ״שִׁפְחָה כִּי תִירַשׁ״). For the aspect of Lilith could exist and stand subjugated beneath her mistress (כִּי בְּחִינַת לִילִית הָיְתָה יְכוֹלָה לְהִמָּצֵא וְלַעֲמֹד כְּפוּיָה תַּחַת גְּבִירְתָּהּ), but Shabtai is when she prevails (אֲבָל שַׁבְתַּאי הוּא כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְגַּבֶּרֶת).

Thus, from the side of the moon, her maidservant is the Mi‘uta de-Sihara [Diminution of the Moon], and she is precisely the secret of the above Lilith (וְנִמְצָא שֶׁמִצַּד הַלְּבָנָה – שִׁפְחָתָהּ הִיא מִעוּט דְּסִיהֲרָא, וְהִיא מַמָּשׁ סוֹד לִילִית הַנַּ״ל). And from the side of the sun, her maidservant is Gehinnom (וּמִצַּד הַחַמָּה – שִׁפְחָתָהּ גֵּיהִנּוֹם).

But Shabtai is in the secret of “A maidservant when she inherits” (אֲבָל שַׁבְתַּאי הוּא בְּסוֹד שִׁפְחָה כִּי תִירַשׁ), and this is: “That you turned the nape,” precisely (וְזֶהוּ ״דַּאֲהַדַּרְתְּ עֹרֶף״ דַּיְקָא) (Zohar, Ki Tetze 281). For when she turns toward her, it is the secret of: “Like the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress” (כִּי כְּשֶׁהִיא פּוֹנָה אֵלֶיהָ הוּא סוֹד: ״כְּעֵינֵי שִׁפְחָה אֶל יַד גְּבִירְתָּהּ״) (Psalms 123:2). But when she turns away from her, Gehinnom—being the Sitra Achra [Other Side] itself—then dominates and rules (אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהִיא פּוֹנָה מִמֶּנָּה, אָז שׁוֹלֶטֶת וּמָשֶׁלֶת הַגֵּיהִנּוֹם שֶׁהִיא הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא בְּעַצְמָהּ).

For the Sitra Achra itself had power to rule only on the second day, in the secret of the Gevurah that brings her forth (כִּי הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא בְּעַצְמָהּ לֹא הָיָה לָהּ לִשְׁלוֹט אֶלָּא בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי בְּסוֹד הַגְּבוּרָה שֶׁמוֹצִיאָתָהּ). But in the secret of this eclipse, she rules on every day and at every level (אֲבָל בְּסוֹד הַלְּקוּת הַזֶּה שׁוֹלֶטֶת בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל מַדְרֵגָה).

And understand according to this (וְתָבִין לְפִי זֶה) that Esav was the destroyer (כִּי עֵשָׂו הָיָה הַמַּחֲרִיב), but Yishma’el was the one who extended power to him (אֲבָל יִשְׁמָעֵאל הוּא שֶׁהִמְשִׁיךְ לוֹ הַכֹּחַ). Therefore, vengeance must be taken upon both of them (וְעַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ שְׁנֵיהֶם לְהִנָּקֵם). Yet, with all this, the evil of Esav is greater (אֲךְ עִם כָּל זֶה יוֹתֵר הָרַע עֵשָׂו), for he is the Sitra Achra [Other Side] itself, which hates holiness (שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא בְּעַצְמָהּ הַשּׂוֹנֵאָה הַקְּדֻשָּׁה).

For Yishma’el, insofar as he is closer (כִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל כַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא יוֹתֵר קָרוֹב), and insofar as he has greater power to draw down (כַּאֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ לוֹ יוֹתֵר כֹּחַ לְהַמְשִׁיךְ), is not so severe (כָּךְ אֵינוֹ כָּל כָּךְ קָשֶׁה). You must know that Yishma’el is in the secret of: “A maidservant when she inherits her mistress” (וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁתֵּדַע כִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל הוּא בְּסוֹד ״שִׁפְחָה כִּי תִירַשׁ גְּבִרְתָּהּ״), in the secret of Eretz Yisrael (בְּסוֹד א״י), and this is called his being in the prison-house (וְזֶה נִקְרָא שֶׁהוּא בְּבֵית הַסֹּהַר).

But the secret of the matter is that the exile of the Torah depends upon this (אֲךְ סוֹד הָעִנְיָן, כִּי בְּכָאן תָּלוּי גָּלוּת הַתּוֹרָה), whose aspect is the daughter of the King (שֶׁבְּחִינָתָהּ בַּת מֶלֶךְ), which is the secret of the Torah (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד הַתּוֹרָה), as I explained above (כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְתִּי לְמַעְלָה). This is what was given into exile (זֶה מַה שֶּׁנִּתַּן בַּגָּלוּת), and it is the secret of Shabtai [Saturn]: the desecration of Shabbat (וְהוּא סוֹד שַׁבְּתַאי חִלּוּל שַׁבָּת).

For you have already heard that the secret of the Torah is truly the secret of Shabbat (כִּי כְּבָר שָׁמַעְתָּ הֱיוֹת סוֹד הַתּוֹרָה סוֹד שַׁבָּת מַמָּשׁ). When she is bound in adhesions (וּבְהִיּוֹתָהּ אֲסוּרָה בְּסִירְכוֹת)—which are the grasp of the Sitra Achra according to the particular gradations which strengthen themselves to accuse concerning this (שֶׁהִיא אֲחִיזַת הַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא לְפִי הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת הַפְּרָטִיּוֹת הַמִּתְחַזְּקִים לְקַטְרֵג זֶה)—then it is said: “Though you set your nest among the stars” (אָז נֶאֱמַר: ״וְאִם בֵּין כּוֹכָבִים שִׂים קִנֶּךָ״) (Obadiah 1:4).

For the nest of Samael, which is this prison-house (כִּי הַקֵּן שֶׁל סַמָּאֵל שֶׁהִיא בֵּית הַסֹּהַר הַזֶּה), strengthens itself to rule over the daughter of the King (הִיא מִתְחַזֶּקֶת לִשְׁלוֹט עַל הַבַּת מֶלֶךְ), who is truly the rectification of the star (שֶׁהִיא מַמָּשׁ תִּקּוּן הַכּוֹכָב), which makes her Shabbat, as above (שֶׁהוּא הָעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָהּ שַׁבָּת כְּנַ״ל). Therefore Scripture said, speaking of the exile of the Torah (וְעַל כֵּן אָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּדַבְּרוֹ עַל עִנְיַן גָּלוּת הַתּוֹרָה): “Though you set your nest among the stars, from there I shall bring you down—says Hashem” (״וְאִם בֵּין כּוֹכָבִים שִׂים קִנֶּךָ מִשָּׁם אוֹרִידְךָ נְאֻם ה׳״) (Obadiah 1:4), at the time of the redemption (בִּזְמַן הַגְּאֻולָּה).