Yosef and the Wife of Potiphar

יוֹסֵף וְאֵשֶׁת פּוֹטִיפַר

And it is found that the Yesod was truly damaged by the sin of Adam (וְנִמְצָא שֶׁהַיְּסוֹד בֶּאֱמֶת נִפְגַּם בְּחֵטְאוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם), and this is the secret of “drawing back the foreskin” (וְהוּא סוֹד: "מוֹשֵׁךְ בְּעָרְלָתוֹ הָיָה), for from it the orlah was found over the sign of the holy covenant (כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ נִמְצְאָה הָעָרְלָה עַל אוֹת בְּרִית קֹדֶשׁ). And then the sparks of holiness emerged outward (וְאָז יָצְאוּ הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת שֶׁל הַקְּדוּשָּׁה לַחוּץ), as is known (כַּיָּדוּעַ).

And behold, Yosef was this Yesod destined for rectification (וְהִנֵּה יוֹסֵף הָיָה הַיְּסוֹד הַזֶּה הָרָאוּי לְתַקֵּן). And the Satan prosecuted (וְהַשָּׂטָן קִטְרֵג), until he caused the tribes to sell him to Egypt (עַד שֶׁגָּרַם שֶׁהַשְּׁבָטִים מָכְרוּ אוֹתוֹ לְמִצְרַיִם). And then the very first corruption returned to be strengthened (וְאָז חָזַר מַמָּשׁ הַקִּלְקוּל הָרִאשׁוֹן לְהִתְחַזֵּק), which is the Yesod covered by the Orlah [foreskin] (שֶׁהוּא הַיְּסוֹד הַנֶּחְפֶּה בְּעָרְלָה), and the matter of his master’s wife came into his hands (וּבָא לְיָדוֹ עִנְיַן אֵשֶׁת אֲדוֹנָיו). And she is the aspect of the nakedness of the land (וְהִיא בְּחִינַת עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ), who sought to cling to him (שֶׁהָיְתָה רוֹצָה לְהִדָּבֵק בּוֹ). But the secret of the matter is this (אֲבָל סוֹד הָעִנְיָן): for Asenat was there (כִּי אָסְנַת הָיְתָה שָׁם), who was in the secret of the Shekhinah fit to be united with him through clarification and rectification (שֶׁהָיְתָה בְּסוֹד הַשְּׁכִינָה הָרְאוּיָה לְהִתְחַבֵּר עִמּוֹ בְּבֵרוּר וּבְתִיקּוּן). And her mother too was from this secret (וְאִמָּהּ גַּם כֵּן הָיְתָה מִסוֹד זֶה), but she was in the secret of how the Klipah of Egypt strengthened itself to pursue her from behind (אֲבָל הָיְתָה בְּסוֹד מַה שֶּׁקְּלִפַּת מִצְרַיִם הָיְתָה מִתְחַזֶּקֶת לְהִדָּבֵק אַחֲרֶיהָ).

Therefore, Asenat was fit for him (וְלָכֵן אָסְנַת הָיְתָה רְאוּיָה לוֹ), for through her he would rule over Egypt (שֶׁעַל יְדֵי כֵּן שָׁלַט עַל מִצְרַיִם), but her mother was not fit for him (אֲבָל אִמָּהּ לֹא הָיְתָה רְאוּיָה לוֹ). And he initially thought that it was fitting for him to come to her (וְהוּא חָשַׁב בַּתְּחִלָּה שֶׁרָאוּי לוֹ לָבוֹא אֵלֶיהָ), in order to bestow light to the Shekhinah within the Klipot (לָתֵת הָאָרָה לַשְּׁכִינָה שֶׁהִיא בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת). And the secret of the matter is: “and he came into the house to do his work” (Bereshit 39:11) (וְסוֹד הָעִנְיָן: "וַיָּבוֹא הַבַּיְתָה לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלַאכְתּוֹ). But the image of his father appeared to him (אֲבָל נִרְאֵית לוֹ דְּיוֹקְנוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו), and informed him that this is not the path (וְהוֹדִיעַ לוֹ כִּי לֹא זוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ), and that from every matter of nakedness one must guard himself greatly (וּמִכָּל דָּבָר עֶרְוָה צָרִיךְ לְהִשָּׁמֵר מְאֹד), for this is not a Tikkun, but a great and terrible corruption (כִּי אֵין זֶה תִּקּוּן, אֶלָּא קִלְקוּל רַב וְעָצוּם).

And in truth, in that very thought, ten drops emerged from him (וּבֶאֱמֶת, שֶׁבְּאוֹתָהּ הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה יָצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ עֶשֶׂר טִפִּין), and this caused many corruptions in the exiles (וְזֶה גָּרַם כַּמָּה קִלְקוּלִים בַּגָּלוּיוֹת), as I will explain to you with Heaven’s help (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ בְּסִ״ד).

And I will now tell you a great secret (וְאוֹמֵר לְךָ עַתָּה סוֹד גָּדוֹל), for truly from here the Sitra Achra took power to seduce Israel in this matter (כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת מִכָּאן לָקְחָה כּוֹחַ הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא לְפַתּוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָוֹן הַזֶּה), to show them allowance in forbidden unions and the like (לְהַרְאוֹת לָהֶם הֶיתֵּר אִסּוּרֵי עֶרְוָה וְדוֹמֵיהֶם), deceiving them to think that this could be a Tikkun (בְּרַמּוֹתוֹ אוֹתָם לַחְשׁוֹב שֶׁיּוּכַל זֶה לִהְיוֹת תִּקּוּן). For thus does the Sitra achra grow strong through the strength it is given from the deeds of human beings (כִּי כָּךְ הַסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא מִתְחַזֶּקֶת בַּכֹּחַ שֶׁנוֹתְנִים לָהּ מַעֲשֵׂי בְּנֵי אָדָם). And therefore, from the incident of Yosef and this thought, it acquired strength (וְעַל כֵּן מִקַּבָּלָה מִמַּעֲשֵׂה יוֹסֵף הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה הַזֹּאת – בָּהּ נִתְחַזְּקָה), to seduce others who did not know how to guard themselves from it (לְפַתּוֹת אֶת הָאֲחֵרִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדְעוּ לְהִשָּׁמֵר מִמֶּנָּה).