Chapter Eight (פֶּרֶק שְׁמִינִי)

When he immerses on the eve of Shabbat (כְּשֶׁטּוֹבֵל בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת), from Minchah and onward (מִן הַמִּנְחָה וָלְמַעְלָה), while standing in the water (בְּעָמְדוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם), he should bow toward the west of the world (יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְמַעֲרַב הָעוֹלָם), and say (וְיֹאמַר), in this first immersion (בַּטְּבִילָה רִאשׁוֹנָה זוֹ), behold, I immerse (הֲרֵינִי טוֹבֵל), to remove the garments of the weekday (לִפְשֹׁט מַלְבּוּשֵׁי הַחוֹל).

And afterward (וְאַחַר כָּךְ), he should bow another time (יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה פַּעַם אַחֶרֶת), and say (וְיֹאמַר), behold, I immerse (הֲרֵינִי טוֹבֵל), in order to receive the illumination of Shabbat (כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל הֶאָרַת שַׁבָּת), Zakhor [Remember] and Shamor [Observe] (זָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר), in one union (בְּחִבּוּרָא חֲדָא), and he should direct his intention (וִיכַוֵּן), that Zakhor [Remember] (בְּזָכוֹר), has the numerical value of A"B and K"S"A (גִּימַטְרִיָּא ע״ב וקס״א), mentioned above (הַנִּזְכָּר), which are the illumination of Abba and Imma to Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (שֶׁהֵם הֶאָרַת או״א לְזו״ן), to give them strength to ascend (לָתֵת לָהֶם כֹּחַ שֶׁיַּעֲלוּ), through the Tikkunim [Rectifications] that follow afterward (בַּתִּיקּוּנִים שֶׁאַחַר כָּךְ). And in Shamor [Observe] (וּבְשָׁמוֹר), he should direct his intention to Elohim (יְכַוֵּן אֱלֹהִים), whose numerical value is Shin (גִּימַטְרִיָּא ש׳), and in its squared expansion has the numerical value of Resh (וּבְרִבּוּעוֹ גִּימַטְרִיָּא ר׳), leaving forty-six (נִשְׁאַר מ״ו), which is the milui of A"B with Yuds (הוּא מִלּוּי ע״ב דְּיוּדִי״ן), thus the entire word Shamor [Observe] (הֲרֵי מִלַּת שָׁמוֹר כֻּלּוֹ), shines through the Names that illuminate the Nukvah (מְאִירִים בַּשֵּׁמוֹת הַמְּאִירִים לַנּוּקְבָא), who requires protection from the Klipot (הַצְּרִיכָה שְׁמִירָה מֵהַקְּלִיפּוֹת).

To separate them from her (לְהַבְדִּילָם מִמֶּנָּה), during her ascent above (בַּעֲלוֹתָהּ לְמַעְלָה), and to unite her with Zakhor [Remember] (וּלְחַבְּרָהּ עִם זָכוֹר), which is literally (שֶׁהוּא מַמָּשׁ): “Remember the day of Shabbat” (זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת) (Exodus 20:8). It follows that in Zakhor [Remember] and Shamor [Observe] (נִמְצָא בְּזָכוֹר וְשָׁמוֹר), there are five Names for Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (חֲמִשָּׁה שֵׁמוֹת לְזו״ן), which receive from their Father and Mother (הַמְקַבְּלִים מֵאֲבִיהֶם וְאִמָּם), and eat with them on the day of Shabbat (וְאוֹכְלִים עִמָּהֶם בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת), as I shall write with the help of the Creator and His Shekhinah (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֶכְתּוֹב בְּעֶזְרַת הַבּוֹרֵא וּשְׁכִינָתוֹ).

Thus there are two Names in Zakhor [Remember] (הֲרֵי ב׳ שֵׁמוֹת בְּזָכוֹר), and in Shamor [Observe], three Names (וּבְשָׁמוֹר ג׳ שֵׁמוֹת), making five (הֵם ה׳), corresponding to the five Clouds of Glory (כְּנֶגֶד ה׳ עַנְנֵי כָבוֹד), which surround the person while he stands in the water (הַמַּקִּיפִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּעָמְדוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם), and afterward (וְאַחַר כָּךְ), he should bow a third time (יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה פַּעַם שְׁלִישִׁית), and say (וְיֹאמַר), “Behold, I immerse” (הֲרֵינִי טוֹבֵל), in order to receive the additional Neshamah [Soul] (בַּעֲבוּר לְקַבֵּל נְשָׁמָה יְתֵרָה). And he should direct his intention to the three Ehyeh Names (וִיכַוֵּן בְּג׳ אַהְיֶ״ה), spelled with Yuds, K"S"A (דְּיוּדִי״ן קס״א), spelled with Hehs, K"N"A (וְדְהֶהִי״ן קנ״א), and spelled with Alephs, K"M"G (וּבְאַלְפִי״ן קמ״ג), and they should be arranged in his intention between his eyes (וְיִהְיוּ סְדוּרִים בְּכַוָּנָתוֹ בֵּין עֵינָיו), like this (כָּזֶה): Aleph Heh Yud Heh (אלף הי יוד הי), Aleph Heh Heh Yud Heh Heh (אלף הה יוד הה), Aleph Heh Aleph Yud Heh Aleph (אלף הא יוד הא).

And afterward (וְאַחַר כָּךְ), you shall come out of the water (תֵּצֵא מִן הַמַּיִם), and when you come out (וּבִיצִיאָתְךָ), you shall take three steps backward (תַּפְסִיעַ ג׳ פְּסִיעוֹת לַאֲחוֹרֶיךָ), corresponding to the three steps of the Amidah prayer (כְּעִנְיַן ג׳ פְּסִיעוֹת דִּתְפִלָּה), and fortunate are you in this world (וְאַשְׁרֶיךָ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה), and good shall be yours in the Olam haBa [World to Come] (וְטוֹב לְךָ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא). Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (בָּרוּךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן), blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (יִתְבָּרַךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).