Chapter Fifteen (פֶּרֶק חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר)

After I have explained to you the enclothing of Nogah in Metatron (אַחַר שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְךָ הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת נֹגַהּ בְּמֶטַטְרוֹן), I shall now explain to you the secret of the Klipot [Husks] of the Four Kingdoms (עַתָּה אֲפָרֵשׁ לְךָ סוֹד קְלִיפּוֹת ד׳ מַלְכֻיּוֹת), how they receive from the light of Nogah and draw sustenance from its light (הִיאךְ מְקַבְּלִים מֵאוֹר נֹגַהּ וְיוֹנְקִים מֵאוֹרוֹ), as it is stated in the Zohar Chadash, Parashat Yitro, “Vayeshma Yitro,” daf 74b, “On the River Kevar” (כִּדְאִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר חָדָשׁ פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ דַּף ע״ד ע״ב [מַאֲמָר עַל נְהַר כְּבָר]). And this is its language (וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ):

“And I saw, and behold, a storm wind came from the north” (וָאֵרֶא וְהִנֵּה רוּחַ סְעָרָה בָּאָה מִן הַצָּפוֹן) (Ezekiel 1:4). “From here begins the revelation of the mysteries” (מִכָּאן שֵׁירוּתָא לְגַלָּאָה רָזִין). “But they were not to be revealed except to the wise of heart, who know how to expound them” (וְלָא אִצְטְרִיכוּ לְגַלָּאָה בַּר לְחַכִּימֵי לִבָּא דְּיָדְעֵי לְמִדְרַשׁ בְּהוֹ). “It is written, ‘And I saw’ (וָאֵרֶא), and it is not written, ‘And I looked’ (וָאֶרְאֶה), rather the supernal Heh withdrew (אֶלָּא ה״א עִלָּאָה אִסְתַּלַּק), and he did not see what he had not been given permission to reveal (וְלָא חָמָא מַה דְּלָא אִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְגַלָּאָה), nor for another to reveal (וְלָא לְאַחֲרָא לְגַלָּאָה), and he looked below at those visions that were more revealed (וְהוּא אִסְתַּכַּל לְתַתָּא בְּאִנּוּן מַרְאוֹת דְּאִתְגַּלְיָין יַתִּיר), and there it is written, ‘And I looked’ (וְתַמָּן כְּתִיב וָאֶרְאֶה). “But here, although it alludes to supernal matters (אֲבָל הָכָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּקָא רָמִיז מִילִין עִלָּאִין), it was like one looking from behind a wall (כְּמַאן דְּאִסְתַּכַּל בָּתַר כָּתְלָא הֲוָה), therefore the Heh was removed from this word (בְּגִין כָּךְ אִסְתַּלַּק ה׳ מִתֵּיבָה דָּא), ‘And behold, a storm wind came from the north’ (וְהִנֵּה רוּחַ סְעָרָה בָּאָה מִן הַצָּפוֹן), this is the secret that we have spoken of (הַאי אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּקָאָמַרְן), which came to destroy before Nebuchadnezzar, the accursed wicked one, the head of the kingdoms (דְּאָתָא לְמִתְבַּר קֳמֵי נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שְׁחִיק טְמֵי חַיָּיבָא רֵישׁ מַלְכוָון), the storm wind that storms everything (רוּחַ סְעָרָה דְּקָא מְסַעַר כֹּלָּא).”

“And this is the secret that the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to Eliyahu (וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא דְּקָא גָּלֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאֵלִיָּהוּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): ‘And behold... a great and mighty wind, rending mountains and shattering rocks... Hashem was not in the wind’ (וְהִנֵּה... רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה וְחָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים וּמְשַׁבֵּר סְלָעִים... לֹא בָרוּחַ ה׳) (I Kings 19:11), indeed (וַדַּאי). ‘And after the wind an earthquake; Hashem was not in the earthquake’ (וְאַחַר הָרוּחַ רַעַשׁ לֹא בָרַעַשׁ ה׳) (I Kings 19:11). “And this is the great cloud (וְהַיְינוּ עָנָן גָּדוֹל), for that cloud goes forth causing trembling (דְּהַהוּא עֲנָנָא קָא מַרְעִישׁ וְאָזִיל), and it is great (דְּאִיהוּ גָדוֹל). ‘And after the earthquake, fire; Hashem was not in the fire’ (וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ לֹא בָאֵשׁ ה׳) (I Kings 19:12), indeed (וַדַּאי), and this is the flaming fire (וְהַיְינוּ אֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת).”

“And all those Klipot surround the Moach [Brain] (וְכָל אִנּוּן קְלִיפִּין לְמוֹחָא דְּסַחֲרָן), one within another (דָּא לְגוֹ מִן דָּא וְדָא לְגוֹ מִן דָּא), and that fire (וְהַהוּא אֵשׁ), is more subtle (דַּקָּה יַתִּיר), and is grasped within that Nogah (אֲחִיד בְּגוֹיֵהּ דְּהַהוּא נֹגַהּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): ‘And a brightness was around it’ (וְנֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב) (Ezekiel 1:4). “This is the innermost of all (הַאי אִיהוּ לְגוֹ מִן כֹּלָּא), and this is what is united with the Moach [Brain] (וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּקָא מִתְאַחֵד בְּמוֹחָא).”

“Here is the secret of the four kingdoms that surround everything (הָכָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּד׳ מַלְכוָון דְּסַחֲרִין כֹּלָּא): the storm wind—this is the kingdom of Babylon (רוּחַ סְעָרָה דָּא מַלְכוּת בָּבֶל), the great cloud—this is the kingdom of Media (עָנָן גָּדוֹל דָּא אִיהוּ מַלְכוּת מָדַי), the flaming fire—this is the kingdom of Edom (וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת דָּא אִיהוּ מַלְכוּת אֱדוֹם), and ‘a brightness round about it’—this is the kingdom of Greece (וְנֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב דָּא אִיהוּ מַלְכוּת יָוָן), for Nogah surrounds them (דְּסַחֲרָא לוֹן נֹגַהּ), but Nogah is not within them (וְלָאו בְּהוֹ נֹגַהּ), as it is written concerning them (דִּכְתִיב בְּהוֹן): ‘round about’ (סָבִיב).

“Because among all the kingdoms there are none as close to the path of faith as these (בְּגִין דְּלֵית בְּכָל מַלְכוָון דְּאִינוּן קְרִיבִין לְאוֹרַח דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא כְּוָתַיְיהוּ), so too among these Klipot, none is as close to the Moach [Brain] as this one (אַף הָכָא בְּאִינּוּן קְלִיפִּין לֵית מַאן דְּקָרִיב לְמוֹחָא כְּהַאי), and this one is surrounded by Nogah, but Nogah is not within it (וְהַאי סַחֲרָא לֵהּ נֹגַהּ וְלָאו בֵיהּ נֹגַהּ), rather it goes forth from within the Moach [Brain] (אֶלָּא נַפְקָא מִגּוֹ מוֹחָא), and shines round about (וְנָהֲרָא סְחוֹר סְחוֹר).

“And these four kingdoms alternate (וְאֵלִין ד׳ מַלְכוָון מִתְחַלְפִין): when one of them rules over the others (כַּד שַׁלְטָא הַאי עַל אִינּוּן אַחֲרָנִין), all the others are thrust aside (אִתְדַּחְיָין כָּל אֵלִין), and the one that rules enters to receive from this Nogah (וְעָאל הַהוּא דְּשַׁלְטָא לְקַבָּלָא מֵהַאי נֹגַהּ), and through it he rules, to be brought near (וּבֵיהּ שַׁלְטָא לְמֶהֱוֵי קָרִיב).” Thus far is its language, for our present purpose (עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ, לְעִנְיָנֵנוּ).

And behold, Yechezkel the prophet, peace and blessing be upon him (וְהִנֵּה יְחֶזְקֵאל הַנָּבִיא עָלָיו הַבְּרָכָה וְהַשָּׁלוֹם), said that he saw the final Heh of Havayah withdrawn from the word “And I saw” (אָמַר שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁנִּסְתַּלְּקָה ה׳ אַחֲרוֹנָה דַהֲוָיָה מִן מִלַּת וָאֵרַא), for the Shekhinah descended with them into the Babylonian exile (כִּי הַשְּׁכִינָה יָרְדָה בְּגָלוּת בָּבֶל עִמָּהֶם), and therefore he saw Her from within the Klipot (וְלָכֵן רָאָה אוֹתָהּ מִתּוֹךְ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת). And he saw the nine visions of the World of Yetzirah (וְרָאָה הַט׳ מַרְאוֹת שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַיְצִירָה), from within the four Klipot (מִתּוֹךְ ד׳ קְלִיפּוֹת), and the forces of impurity of the seventy nations (וְכֹחוֹת הַטֻּמְאָה שֶׁל ע׳ אֻמּוֹת), and they are the four Klipot of the nut (וְהֵם ד׳ קְלִיפּוֹת הָאֱגוֹז), which is closed on every side (שֶׁהִיא סְתוּמָא מִכָּל סִטְרִין), while the food, namely the Moach [Kernel], is within (וְהָאֹכֶל דְּהַיְינוּ מוֹחָא מִבִּפְנִים).

Therefore King Shlomo, peace and blessing be upon him, said (לָכֵן אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם וְהַבְּרָכָה): “To the garden of nuts I went down to see...” (אֶל גִּנַּת אֱגוֹז יָרַדְתִּי לִרְאוֹת...) (Song of Songs 6:11). And they are clothed one within another (וְהֵם לְבוּשִׁים אֵלּוּ לְאֵלּוּ), and each pushes aside the other (וְדוֹחִים הָאֶחָד אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ), in order to draw near to Nogah (לְהִתְקָרֵב אֶל נֹגַהּ), and to receive from it according to the dominion granted to it by the Holy One, blessed be He (וּלְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ כְּפִי מֶמְשַׁלְתּוֹ הַנְּתוּנָה לוֹ מֵאֵת הַבָּ״ה). And its companions beneath it receive through it (וַחֲבֵרָיו שֶׁתַּחְתָּיו מְקַבְּלִים עַל יָדוֹ), and are compelled to serve it (וּמֻכְרָחִים לְעָבְדוֹ), because it is above them (עַל שֶׁהוּא עֶלְיוֹן עָלָיו), by the decree of the Creator (בִּגְזֵרַת הַבּוֹרֵא). And then its nation likewise rules below (וְאָז מוֹשֶׁלֶת אֻמָּתוֹ גַּם כֵּן לְמַטָּה). Therefore the Zohar says (לָכֵן אוֹמֵר הַזֹּהַר): “The storm wind goes forth causing upheaval, and stirs the whole world (רוּחַ סְעָרָה דְּקָא מַרְעִישׁ וְאָזִיל, וּמְסַעַר כָּל עָלְמָא), to break the whole world before the guilty, accursed, defiled Nebuchadnezzar (לְמִתְבַּר כָּל הָעוֹלָם קֳמֵי נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר חַיָּיבָא שְׁחִיק־טְמֵי), above all the kingdoms (כָּל הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת).”

And behold (וְהִנֵּה), the Klipah of Greece is surrounded by Nogah (קְלִיפַת־יָוָן דְּסַחֲרָא לוֹן נֹגַהּ), but Nogah is not within them (וְלָאו בְּהוֹ נֹגַהּ), rather it shines round about them (אֶלָּא נָהִיר סְחוֹר סְחוֹר), to give them vitality (לָתֵת לָהֶם חַיּוּת). And as soon as it touches them (וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהֶם), holiness immediately pours away from there (תֵּכֶף מְעָרָה הַקְּדֻשָּׁה מִשָּׁם), in the secret of (בְּסוֹד): “Hashem rebuke you, O Satan” (יִגְעַר ה׳ בְּךָ הַשָּׂטָן) (Zechariah 3:2), which is the dominion of the serpent (שֶׁהוּא מֶמְשֶׁלֶת נָחָשׁ), and also Satan with the Kolel [inclusive count] (גַּם שָׂטָן עִם הַכּוֹלֵל). In the secret of Ge-Ahr [Touching–Pouring Away] (בְּסוֹד גַּע־עַר), meaning (רָצָה לוֹמַר), it touches and pours away the holiness from there (נוֹגֵעַ וּמְעָרֶה הַקְּדֻשָּׁה מִשָּׁם), like the nature of river water or sea water (כְּטֶבַע מֵי־נָהָר, אוֹ מֵי הַיָּם), which strike and wash upon the shore (הַמַּכִּים וְשׁוֹטְפִים עַל שְׂפָתוֹ), and then recede (וְחוֹזְרִים לְאָחוֹר), and the one who understands will understand (וְהַמֵּבִין יָבִין).

And this is the meaning of his statement (וְזֶהוּ אָמְרוֹ): “It shines round about the bank of its river and then returns” (דְּנָהִיר סְחוֹר סְחוֹר עַל שְׂפַת יְאוֹרָם וְחוֹזֵר לְאָחוֹר). And this is his intention in saying (וְזֶהוּ כַּוָּנָתוֹ בְּאוֹמְרוֹ): “Nogah surrounds them, but Nogah is not within them” (וְסַחֲרָא לוֹן נֹגַהּ וְלָאו בְּהוֹ נֹגַהּ). And this is the secret of the verse (וְזֶה סוֹד הַכָּתוּב): “But the wicked are like the troubled sea” (וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ) (Isaiah 57:20), and the wicked are the Klipah (וְהָרְשָׁעִים הֵם הַקְּלִיפָּה).

Thus is the explanation of the verse (כָּךְ הוּא פֵּרוּשׁ הַפָּסוּק): “And a brightness was around it” (וְנֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב) (Ezekiel 1:4), namely, around the Klipah of Greece (דְּהַיְינוּ אֵצֶל קְלִיפַת יָוָן סָבִיב), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “The wicked walk on every side” (סָבִיב רְשָׁעִים יִתְהַלָּכוּן) (Psalms 12:9), but it does not touch them (וְאֵינוֹ נוֹגֵעַ). And because the philosophers come from the nation of Greece (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַפִּילוֹסוֹפִים בָּאִים מֵאוּמָה שֶׁל יָוָן), they became great sages in the natural sciences (לָכֵן הָיוּ חֲכָמִים גְּדוֹלִים בְּטִבְעִיּוֹת), and they sought to prove the existence of the Godhead by way of intellect and philosophical inquiry (וְרָצוּ לְהַכְרִיחַ מְצִיאוּת הָאֱלֹהוּת עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַחֲקִירָה), and many among our people satisfy themselves with their arguments (וְרַבִּים מִבְּנֵי עַמֵּנוּ הֵם מְסַפְּקִים עַצְמָם מִסְּבָרוֹתֵיהֶם).

Nevertheless (וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים), it is a great Klipah (הִיא קְלִיפָּה גְדוֹלָה), for they seek to render the miracles of our holy Torah corporeal (שֶׁרוֹצִים לְהַגְשִׁים הַנִּסִּים שֶׁל תּוֹרָתֵנוּ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה). And all this they attained only to a slight degree (וְכָל זֶה הִשִּׂיגוּ מְעַט קְט), from Nogah at a distance (מִן נֹגַהּ מֵרָחוֹק), for they see but do not derive benefit from its light (שֶׁרוֹאִים וְאֵינָם נֶהֱנִים מֵאוֹרוֹ), to fulfill their desire to attain the truth (לְמַלּוֹת תַּאֲוָתָם לְהַשִּׂיג הָאֱמֶת). And with all this (וְכָל זֹאת), they are close to the path of faith (שֶׁהֵם קְרוֹבִים לְאוֹרַח דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and just as the Klipah of Greece is always repelled when it touches it (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁקְּלִיפַת יָוָן תָּמִיד נִדְחֵית בִּנְגִיעָתָהּ), and pours away its holy light from there (וּמְעָרָה אוֹרָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ מִשָּׁם), they remain with the impure intellect of the Klipah (נִשְׁאָרִים בַּשֵּׂכֶל הַטָּמֵא שֶׁל קְלִיפָּה), and immediately the good intellect is lost from them (וְתֵכֶף נֶאֱבָד מֵהֶם הַשֵּׂכֶל הַטּוֹב), and they are unable to reach the Root and the ultimate end (וְאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לָבוֹא אֶל הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ וְהַתַּכְלִית).

And whoever desires not to lose his soul and his portion in the Olam haBa [World to Come] (וְהָרוֹצֶה שֶׁלֹּא יֹאבַד נַפְשׁוֹ וְנַחֲלָתוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא), should guard himself from their books and from their arguments (יִשְׁמֹר נַפְשׁוֹ מִסִּפְרֵיהֶם וּמִסְּבָרוֹתֵיהֶם). And concerning their books (וְעַל סִפְרֵיהֶם), King Shlomo, peace and blessing be upon him, said (אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם וְהַבְּרָכָה): “To keep you from the strange woman, from the foreign woman whose words are smooth” (לְשָׁמְרְךָ מֵאִשָּׁה זָרָה מִנָּכְרִיָּה אֲמָרֶיהָ הֶחֱלִיקָה) (Proverbs 2:16), with smooth speech (בִּלְשׁוֹן חֲלַקְלַקּוּת), therefore (לְפִיכָךְ), “Keep your feet away from her path” (מְנַע רַגְלְךָ מִנְּתִיבָתָהּ) (Proverbs 5:8), “None who go to her return” (כָּל בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן) (Proverbs 2:19), “He who guards his soul shall keep far from them” (שׁוֹמֵר נַפְשׁוֹ יִרְחַק מֵהֶם).

Rather (אֶלָּא), let him study the words of Rashbi, peace and blessing be upon him (יַעֲיֵן בְּדִבְרֵי הָרַשְׁבִּ״י עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם וְהַבְּרָכָה), and the words of the Ari, peace and blessing be upon him (וּבְדִבְרֵי הָאֲרִ״י עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם וְהַבְּרָכָה), whose words I have made a crown throughout all the ways of Kabbalah (אֲשֶׁר דִּבְרֵיהֶם עָשִׂיתִי עֲטָרָה בְּכָל דַּרְכֵי הַקַּבָּלָה), according to the good hand of Hashem my God upon me (כְּיַד ה׳ אֱלֹקַי הַטּוֹבָה עָלַי), and whoever listens to me and to my books (וְהַשּׁוֹמֵעַ לִי וּלְסְפָרַי), shall dwell securely (יִשְׁכּוֹן בֶּטַח), “walking onward, and the light increasing until the day is established” (הוֹלֵךְ וָאוֹר עַד נָכוֹן הַיּוֹם) (Proverbs 4:18). 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).