9a (ט׳:א׳)

And this is hinted in these twenty-two letters (וְזֶה רָמוּז בְּאֵלוּ כ״ב אוֹתִיּוֹת), and this is because from Aleph to Yod are ten letters (וְזֶה כִּי מֵאָלֶף עַד יוֹ״ד עֲשָׂרָה אוֹתִיּוֹת), and from Kaf to Tzadi are eight letters (וּמִכַּ״ף עַד צַדִּי שְׁמוֹנֶה אוֹתִיּוֹת), which is the number eighteen (שֶׁהוּא כְּמִנְיָן חַ״י). And from kuf to tav are four, which are dalet (וּמִקּוּ״ף וְעַד תּ״ו אַרְבַּעָה שֶׁהֵם דָּלֶ״ת).

Behold, Yod, Chet, Dalet-which spell yachad [together] (הֲרֵי יו״ד חֵ״ת דָּלֶ״ת, שֶׁהֵן יַחַ״ד). This is to inform us that the entire Torah was originally one essence (וְזֶה לְהוֹדִיעֵנוּ שֶׁכָּל הַתּוֹרָה הָיְתָה עֶצֶם אֶחָד בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה), wholly unified without division into sections and verses (יַחַד כֻּלָּהּ בְּלִי הֶפְסֵק פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת וּפְסוּקִים), but rather all was one single utterance (אֶלָּא כֻּלָּהּ דָּבָר אֶחָד). And since the first man distanced himself from the divine and spiritual portion (וּלְפִי שֶׁהִרְחִיק אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן עַצְמוֹ מֵהַחֵלֶק הָאֱלוֹהִי וְהָרוּחָנִי), and cleaved to the physical portion (וְדָבַק בַּחֵלֶק הַגַּשְׁמִי), there were added five letters to the twenty-two (נִתוֹסְפוּ ה׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת עַל הַכ״ב), which are MNTZPKH (שֶׁהֵם מ״נְצַפ״ךְ), from which are made final letters of words and ends of verses (שֶׁמֵּהֶם נַעֲשׂוּ סוֹפֵי תֵּבוֹת וְסוֹפֵי פְּסוּקִים), corresponding to the five senses that were added to man, which are physical (כְּנֶגֶד ה׳ חוּשִׁים שֶׁנִּתוֹסְפוּ בָּאָדָם שֶׁהֵם גַּשְׁמִיִּים).

And to teach you that if the first man had not sinned (וּלְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁאִלּוּ לֹא חָטָא אָדָם), we would not have needed to make final letters using MNTZPKH (לֹא הָיִינוּ צְרִיכִין לַעֲשׂוֹת סוֹפֵי תֵּבוֹת עִם מ״נְצַפ״ךְ), nor would we have needed the five physical senses in man (וְגַם לֹא הָיִינוּ צְרִיכִין לַחֲמִשָּׁה חוּשִׁים גּוּפָנִיִּים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּאָדָם). And since man cleaved to material forces and bodily lusts (וּכְיוֹן שֶׁדָּבַק הָאָדָם בַּכֹּחוֹת הַחֹמְרִיּוֹת וּבְתַאֲווֹת גּוּפָנִיּוֹת), and the five physical senses became joined to him (וְנִתְחַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו ה׳ חוּשִׁים גּוּפָנִיִּים), immediately the Torah was divided into sections and verses (מִיָּד נֶחְלְקָה הַתּוֹרָה לְפָרָשִׁיּוֹת וּפְסוּקִים), and it became necessary to use MNTZPKH (וְהֻצְרְכוּ לָהֶם מ״נְצַפ״ךְ), which are five letters (שֶׁהֵם ה׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת), to make word-endings with them (לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמָּהֶם סוֹפֵי תֵּבוֹת).

For if the first man had not sinned (שֶׁאִלּוּ לֹא חָטָא אָדָם), there would have been no need in the Torah for the letters MNTZPKH (לֹא הָיְתָה צְרִיכָה הַתּוֹרָה אוֹתִיּוֹת מ״נְצַפ״ךְ), since all of it would have been one word (לְפִי שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ הָיְתָה דָּבָר אֶחָד), and now with these letters of MNTZPKH it is divided into many pathways (וְעַתָּה בְּאֵלוּ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל מ״נְצַפ״ךְ נֶחְלֶקֶת לְכַמָּה דְּרָכִים). This is what the Sages, may their memory be a blessing, said (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה): the paths of the Torah are scattered (מְטֻלְטָלִין שְׁבִילֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה). And the Torah was divided into five books (וְנֶחְלְקָה הַתּוֹרָה לַחֲמִשָּׁה חֻמָּשִׁים), corresponding to the five letters which are MNTZPKH (כְּנֶגֶד ה׳ אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁהֵם מ״נְצַפ״ךְ), and in Mispar katan [reduced numerical value] they total twenty-eight (וְעוֹלוֹת בְּמִסְפָּר קָטָן כ״ח). He showed us His strength, blessed be He (הֶרְאָנוּ ה׳ כֹּחוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ), as it is said: “The power of His works He declared to His people” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו הִגִּיד לְעַמּוֹ) (Psalm 111:6). And since the redemption from Egypt was by power alone (וּלְפִי שֶׁגְּאֻלַּת מִצְרַיִם הָיְתָה בְּכֹחַ לְבַד), it was not complete (לֹא הָיְתָה שְׁלֵמָה), and we inherited only six lands (וְגַם לֹא יָרַשְׁנוּ אֶלָּא אֲרָצוֹת שֵׁשׁ), whose initials amount to twenty-eight in Mispar katan [reduced numerical value] (שֶׁרָאשֵׁי תֵבוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם עוֹלִים בְּמִסְפָּר קָטָן כ״ח).

And they are: Kaf [Canaanite], Chet [Hittite], Aleph [Amorite], Peh [Perizzite], Chet [Hivite], Yod [Jebusite] (וְהֵם כ׳ ח׳ א׳ פ׳ ח׳ י׳), as we shall explain each one individually (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנְּפָרֵשׁ כָּל אֶחָת לְפָנֵינוּ).

And since man distanced himself from the spiritual part within him (וּלְפִי שֶׁהָאָדָם הִרְחִיק אֶת עַצְמוֹ מֵהַחֵלֶק הָרוּחָנִי שֶׁבּוֹ), and cleaved to the bodily part, namely, the lusts of the world (וְדָבַק בַּחֵלֶק הַגּוּפָנִי שֶׁהֵם תַּאֲווֹת הָעוֹלָם), therefore the Torah was divided into parashiyot [sections], pesukim [verses], nekudot [vowel-points], and te‘amim [cantillation-notes] (לָכֵן נֶחְלְקָה הַתּוֹרָה לְפָרָשִׁיּוֹת וּפְסוּקִים וּנְקֻדוֹת וּטְעָמִים). And also his dominion, which he had before he sinned, was taken from him (וְגַם מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה לוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁחָטָא נִטְּלָה מִמֶּנּוּ), and was divided among the supernal princes appointed over the nations (וְנֶחְלְקָה לְשָׂרֵי מַעְלָה הַמְּמֻנִּים עַל הָאוּמּוֹת). And man was also deprived of attaining and enjoying the radiance of the Shekhinah (וְנֶעְדַּר גַּם כֵּן אָדָם מִלְּהַשִּׂיג וּמֵהֵנוֹת מִזִּיו הַ הַשְּׁכִינָה); this is what the verse said: “And He placed at the east of the Garden of Eden the cherubim” (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: “וַיַּשְׁכֵּן מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן־עֵדֶן אֶת הַכְּרֻבִים”) (Bereshit 3:24).

Explanation: originally, man could perceive and understand supernal matters without intermediaries (פֵּרוּשׁ: שֶׁבָּרִאשׁוָנָה הָיָה אָדָם מַשִּׂיג וּמֵבִין דְּבָרִים עֶלְיוֹנִים בְּלִי אֶמְצָעִים), and after he sinned, that power and comprehension were removed from him (וְאַחַר שֶׁחָטָא נֶעְדְּרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ הַכֹּחַ וְהַהֲבָנָה הַהִיא). He is unable to comprehend and attain Divine matters according to the will of the Holy One, blessed be He (וְאֵין בּוֹ יְכוֹלֶת לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֱלֹהִיִּים עַל פִּי הַקָּבָּ״ה), except by means of one intermediary, or two or more intermediaries (אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי אֶמְצָעִי אוֹ אֶמְצָעִיִּים שְׁנַיִם אוֹ יוֹתֵר), who transmit influence from level to level (הַמַּשְׁפִּיעִים מִמַּדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה). The transmitter closest to us is Gavriel (וְהַמַּשְׁפִּיעַ הַקָּרוֹב אֵלֵינוּ הוּא גַּבְרִיאֵל), the angel appointed over the moon (שֶׁהוּא מַלְאָךְ מְמֻנֶּה עַל הַלְּבָנָה), and our father Yisrael receives from him (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִינוּ מְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ).

This is the intention of our Sages of blessed memory when they said (זוֹ הִיא כַּוָּנַת רַז״ל בְּאָמְרָם): “The form of Ya‘akov our father is engraved in the moon” (צוּרַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ חֲקוּקָה בַּלְּבָנָה), for there is no actual form or likeness there whatsoever (כִּי לֹא יֵשׁ שָׁם צוּרָה וּדְמוּת כְּלָל).

And now I shall explain the secret to you (וְעַתָּה אֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ הַסּוֹד): you already know that our Sages of blessed memory said (כְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַז״ל) that of the cherubim upon the cover of the Ark (שֶׁהַכְּרוּבִים שֶׁהָיוּ בִּכְפֹרֶת הָאָרוֹן), one had the form of a male and one had the form of a female (שֶׁהָאֶחָד הָיְתָה לוֹ צוּרַת זָכָר וְהָאֶחָד הָיְתָה לוֹ צוּרַת נְקֵבָה). This is because the male form is a hint to Gavriel (וְזֶה כִּי צוּרַת זָכָר רֶמֶז לְגַבְרִיאֵל), who imparts prophecy to the prophets by His blessed utterance (שֶׁמַּשְׁפִּיעַ נְבוּאָה בַּנְּבִיאִים בִּמְאֹמָרוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ), while the female form is a hint to Yisrael (וְצוּרַת נְקֵבָה רֶמֶז לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), for he and his offspring receive prophecy (שֶׁהוּא וְזַרְעוֹ מְקַבְּלִים הַנְּבוּאָה), and no other nation does (וְלֹא שׁוּם אוּמָּה אַחֶרֶת).

As our Sages of blessed memory said (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַז״ל): “And we shall be distinguished, I and Your people …” (וְנִפְלִינוּ אֲנִי וְעַמְּךָ וְגוֹ׳) (Berakhot 7a/Exodus 33:16), teaching that Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, requested that the Shekhinah rest upon Yisrael and not upon the other nations (מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם שֶׁתִּשְׁרֶה הַשְּׁכִינָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא עַל שְׁאָר הָאוּמּוֹת).

If so, the Torah had already warned emphatically in the Ten Utterances (וְאִם כֵּן כְּבָר הִזְהִירָה הַתּוֹרָה מְאֹד בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת) not to make any likeness (שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת שׁוּם דְּמוּת), as it is written: “You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness” (לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְכָל תְּמוּנָה) (Exodus 20:4). Yet now He commanded that they make the form of a male and a female (וְעַתָּה צִוָּה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ צוּרַת זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה) upon the cover of the holy Ark (בְּכַפֹּרֶת אֲרוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ), in which were the Tablets of the Covenant (אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ לוּחוֹת הַבְּרִית). For it is forbidden to make a form in every place (כִּי בְּכָל מָקוֹם אָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת צוּרָה), all the more so in the place of the Holy of Holies (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בִּמְקוֹם קֹדֶשׁ הַקָּדָשִׁים).

Behold, know (הִנֵּה דַּע): before man sinned (כִּי קֹדֶם שֶׁחָטָא הָאָדָם), he perceived all supernal Divine matters (הָיָה מַשִּׂיג כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הָאֱלֹהִיִּים) more than the ministering angels (יוֹתֵר מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת), and recognized his Creator (וְהָיָה מַכִּיר אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ). His soul was hewn from beneath the Throne of Glory (וְנִשְׁמָתוֹ חֲצוּבָה מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד), praising and exalting before Him, may He be blessed (מְשַׁבַּחַת וּמְהַלֶּלֶת לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ).