Chapter Twelve (פֶּרֶק שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר)

Behold (הִנֵּה), I have explained to you the seven Margalin [Jewels] briefly (בֵּאַרְתִּי לְךָ הַז׳ מַרְגָּלָאִין בְּקִצּוּר), which you must intend during your immersion (שֶׁצָּרִיךְ אַתָּה לְכַוֵּן בִּטְבִילָתְךָ), and such is the custom that has spread throughout all the districts of the Land of Israel (וְכֵן הוּא הַמִּנְהָג שֶׁנִּתְפַּשֵּׁט בְּכָל גְּלִילוֹת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל), that until this day they immerse every eve of Shabbat (עַד הַיּוֹם הֵם טוֹבְלִים בְּכָל עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת), for there is the Gate of Heaven (כִּי שָׁם שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם). And they receive lashes upon themselves (וּמְקַבְּלִים עֲלֵיהֶם מַלְקוּת), especially if one is a Ba’al Teshuvah [Master of Repentance] (וּבִפְרָט אִם הוּא בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה), then all the more so (עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה), he must perform all these intentions (שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל הַכַּוָּנוֹת הַלָּלוּ), receiving the lashes beforehand (לְקַבֵּל עָלָיו הַמַּלְקוֹת קֹדֶם).

But for other righteous and pious men (אֲבָל שְׁאָר צַדִּיקִים וַחֲסִידִים), the choice is theirs whether to receive lashes or not (הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדָם לִלְקוֹת אוֹ לָאו), if they know with certainty that they have not transgressed a negative commandment (אִם יָדַע בְּבֵרוּר שֶׁלֹּא עָבַר עַל מִצְוַת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה), but “there is no righteous man upon earth who does good” (אֲבָל אֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה טּוֹב) (Ecclesiastes 7:20), namely the positive commandments (דְּהַיְינוּ מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה), “and does not sin” (וְלֹא יֶחֱטָא) (Ecclesiastes 7:20), by a negative commandment that involves no active deed (בְּמִצְוֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ קוּם וַעֲשֵׂה). And if he has no time (וְאִם אֵין לוֹ פְּנַאי), at the very least (עַל כָּל פָּנִים), he should not neglect the other Tikkunei Shabbat [Rectifications of Shabbat] because of this (לֹא יְבַטֵּל שְׁאָר תִּיקּוּנֵי שַׁבָּת מִפְּנֵי זֶה). And this is the order of the lashes for Ba’alei Teshuvah [Masters of Repentance] (וְכָךְ הוּא סֵדֶר הַמַּלְקוֹת לְבַעֲלֵי תְּשׁוּבָה): the strap shall be of calfskin (הָרְצוּעָה תִּהְיֶה שֶׁל עֵגֶל), and the handle of donkey hide (וְהַמַּעֲבַרְתָּא שֶׁל חֲמוֹר), for they are the secret of the holy ox and donkey (כִּי הֵם סוֹד שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר דִּקְדֻשָּׁה).

The ox is Gevurah (שׁוֹר הוּא גְּבוּרָה), the face of the ox of the Merkavah [Chariot] (פְּנֵי שׁוֹר דְּמֶרְכָּבָה), with which to strike the world (לְהַלְקוֹת בָּהֶם הָעוֹלָם), and the donkey is from the side of Avraham (וַחֲמוֹר מִסִּטְרָא דְּאַבְרָהָם), for the donkey in the sea is fit and pure (כִּי הַחֲמוֹר שֶׁבַּיָּם הוּא כָּשֵׁר וְטָהוֹר), and it is from the watermills flowing downhill (וְהוּא מִטַּחֲנוֹת הַמַּיִם הַנִּגָּרִים בַּמּוֹרָד), which is the attribute of the Chesed [Kindness] of Avraham (שֶׁהוּא מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם), to subdue the Klipot and the transgressors (לְהַכְנִיעַ הַקְּלִיפּוֹת וְהַפּוֹשְׁעִים). Therefore Yaakov said (לָכֵן אָמַר יַעֲקֹב): “And I have ox and donkey” (וַיְהִי לִי שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר) (Genesis 32:6), of holiness (דִּקְדֻשָּׁה), for they assist me (כִּי הֵם מְסַיְּעִים אוֹתִי).

Therefore our Rabbis of blessed memory said (וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ רז״ל): “Great are the righteous, for they transform the attribute of judgment into the attribute of mercy” (גְּדוֹלִים הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁמְּהַפְּכִים מִדַּת הַדִּין לְמִדַּת רַחֲמִים). And they were subject to Yaakov (וְהֵם הָיוּ כְּפוּפִים תַּחַת יַעֲקֹב), who is Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁהוּא זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and they are the limbs of Tiferet (וְהֵם אֵיבָרָיו שֶׁל תִּפְאֶרֶת), as is known (כַּנּוֹדָע). It follows that through this (וְנִמְצָא בָּזֶה), if he subdues the ox and donkey of the Klipot (אִם מַכְנִיעַ לְשׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר דִּקְלִיפּוֹת), which are the power of Esav (שֶׁהֵם כֹּחַ עֵשָׂו), who married the daughter of Yishmael (שֶׁהָיָה מִתְחַתֵּן בְּבַת יִשְׁמָעֵאל), to strengthen himself through the power of his Klipah (לְהַחֲזִיק עַצְמוֹ בְּכֹחַ הַקְּלִיפָּה שֶׁלּוֹ), from the right and from the left (מִיָּמִין וּמִשְּׂמֹאל), although they have no true right side (וְאֵין לָהֶם יָמִין מַמָּשׁ), but only the right side of the left (אֶלָּא יָמִין שֶׁל שְׂמֹאל), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “And their right hand is a right hand of falsehood” (וִימִינָם יְמִין שָׁקֶר) (Psalms 144:8).

And let us return to the matter of the order of the lashes (וְנַחֲזוֹר לְעִנְיַן סֵדֶר הַמַּלְקוֹת), thus it is (כָּךְ הוּא): the judge sitting in the middle (הַדַּיָּן הַיּוֹשֵׁב בָּאֶמְצַע), reads the verse with melody and cantillation (קוֹרֵא הַפָּסוּק בְּנִגּוּן וּבַטְּעָמִים), and the one sitting at his right (וְהַיּוֹשֵׁב מִימִינוֹ), authorizes the messenger (מַרְשֶׁה הַשָּׁלִיחַ), and says to him (וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ): “Strike, you shall strike” (הַכֵּה תַכֶּה), and the one sitting at his left (וְהַיּוֹשֵׁב מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ), counts the blows (מוֹנֶה הַהַכָּאוֹת), and they sit like half of a circular threshing floor (וְיוֹשְׁבִים כַּחֲצִי גֹּרֶן עֲגֻלָּה), with their faces toward the pillar (פְּנֵיהֶם אֶל הָעַמּוּד).

The three judges (הַדַּיָּנִין בִּשְׁלשָׁה), correspond to the Three Heads (מְכֻוָּנִים לְג׳ רֵישִׁין), to bring down upon him abundance from the Thirteen Rectifications of the Beard (וּלְהוֹרִיד עָלָיו שֶׁפַע מִי״ג תִּיקּוּנֵי דִּיקְנָא), which are in the Three Heads (שֶׁהֵם בְּג׳ רֵישִׁין), and they rectify what he corrupted through his sin (וּמְתַקְּנִים אֶת אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱוָה בְּחֶטְאוֹ), and caused the attribute of judgment to come upon him (וְהִמְשִׁיךְ עָלָיו מִדַּת הַדִּין), by transgressing the negative commandments (בְּעָבְרוֹ עַל מִצְוֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה), which correspond to the judgments, as is known (שֶׁהֵם כְּנֶגֶד הַדִּינִין כַּנּוֹדָע). And the court messenger who administers the lashes (וּשְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין הַמַּכֶּה), corresponds to Imma (הוּא נֶגֶד אִימָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “Whom his mother chastens” (אֲשֶׁר יִסַּרְתּוֹ אִמּוֹ) (Proverbs 31:1).

And the reader (וְהַקּוֹרֵא), reads gently (קוֹרֵא בְּנַחַת), and with the cantillation (וּבַטְּעָמִים), including within himself the Three Heads (כּוֹלֵל בְּעַצְמוֹ ג׳ רֵישִׁין), and arouses Supernal Teshuvah [Repentance] upon the one receiving lashes (וּמְעוֹרֵר תְּשׁוּבָה עִילָאָה עַל הַלּוֹקֶה), while he confesses (וְהוּא מִתְוַדֶּה), justifies the judgment upon himself (וּמַצְדִּיק עָלָיו אֶת הַדִּין), and accepts upon himself the four deaths administered by the court (וּמְקַבֵּל עָלָיו ד׳ מִיתוֹת בֵּית דִּין).

The one administering the lashes begins with the left shoulder (הַמַּלְקֶה מַתְחִיל בְּכָתֵף שְׂמֹאל תְּחִלָּה), and directs his intention each time to Yah spelled with Hehs (וּמְכַוֵּן בְּכָל פַּעַם לְיָהּ דְּהֶהִי״ן), and afterward to the right shoulder (וְאַחַר כָּךְ בְּכָתֵף יָמִין), directing his intention to Yah spelled with Yuds (וִיכַוֵּן לְיָהּ דְּיוּדִי״ן), and in front upon the chest (וּלְפָנָיו עַל הֶחָזֶה), to Yah spelled with Alephs (בְּיָהּ דְּאַלְפִי״ן), and it is good to receive five sets of lashes (וְטוֹב לִלְקוֹת ה׳ מַלְקִיּוֹת). And during the first lashes (וּבְמַלְקוֹת רִאשׁוֹנוֹת), he should visualize the Name Yah spelled with Yuds, Hehs, and Alephs (יְצַיֵּר שֵׁם יָהּ בְּיוּדִין וְהֶהִי״ן וְאַלְפִי״ן), all without vowel points (כֻּלָּם בְּלִי נִקּוּד). During the second lashes (וּבְמַלְקוֹת שְׁנִיּוֹת), all the letters with the vowel Tzere (כָּל הָאוֹתִיּוֹת בְּנִקּוּד צֵירֵי). During the third (בַּשְּׁלִישִׁית), all with the vowel Patach (כֻּלָּם בְּנִקּוּד פַּתַח). During the fourth (בָּרְבִיעִית), all with the vowel Kamatz (כֻּלָּם בְּקָמַץ). During the fifth (בַּחֲמִישִׁית), all the letters formed with crowns and tagin, without vowel points (כָּל הָאוֹתִיּוֹת מְצוּיָּרוֹת בְּעַיְינִין וְתַגִּין, בְּלֹא נִקּוּד).

And during these lashes (וּבְמַלְקוֹת הַזֶּה), the one receiving them should intend (יְכַוֵּן הַנִּלְקֶה), that he becomes a Merkavah [Chariot] for Ze’ir Anpin (שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה מֶרְכָּבָה לִזְ״א), and fulfills within himself (וּמְקַיֵּם בְּעַצְמוֹ): “Whom his mother chastens” (אֲשֶׁר יִסַּרְתּוֹ אִמּוֹ) (Proverbs 31:1), as mentioned above (כַּנִּזְכָּר), that these lights descend from the Name Yah, which are Abba and Imma (שֶׁיּוֹרְדִים אֵלּוּ הָאוֹרוֹת מִשֵּׁם יָהּ דְּאִינוּן או״א). And these lashes (וְהַמַּלְקוֹת הַזֶּה), must take place before the immersion (צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת קֹדֶם הַטְּבִילָה), and it shall be fulfilled in him (וִיקֻיָּם בּוֹ): “We came through fire” (בָּאנוּ בָאֵשׁ) (Psalms 66:12), for the lashes come from fire (כִּי הַמַּלְקוֹת הוּא בָּא מֵהָאֵשׁ), in order to extinguish it (לְכַבּוֹת אוֹתָהּ), and concerning this it is said (וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר): “When a fire breaks out... the one who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution” (כִּי תֵצֵא אֵשׁ... שַׁלֵּם יְשַׁלֵּם הַמַּבְעִיר...) (Exodus 22:5), to sweeten it with water and with lashes (לְהַמְתִּיקוֹ בְּמַיִם וּבְמַלְקוֹת), to appease the judgment (לְפִיּוּס הַדִּין), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, washed with milk...” (עֵינָיו כְּיוֹנִים עַל אֲפִיקֵי מָיִם רֹחֲצוֹת בֶּחָלָב...) (Song of Songs 5:12). And the numerical value of Ayin [Eye] is one hundred and thirty (וְעַיִן גִּימַטְרִיָּא ק״ל), and two times Ayin [Eye] (וּב׳ פְּעָמִים עַיִן), have the numerical value of Kilkel [He corrupted] (הוּא גִּימַטְרִיָּא קִלְקֵל), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “And he did not only corrupt the face” (וְהוּא לֹא פָנִים קִלְקֵל), and the two eyes (וּב׳ עֵינַיִם), right and left (יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל), Chesed [Kindness] and judgment (חֶסֶד וְדִין), are what he corrupted (וְהוּא שֶׁקִּלְקֵל), up to the two eyes (עַד שְׁתֵּי עֵינַיִם). And the rectification of the sin of Adam haRishon will not be completed (וְלֹא יְהֵא נִתְקָן תִּיקּוּן חֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), until King David, peace and blessing be upon him, our righteous Mashiach, comes (עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא דָּוִיד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם וְהַבְּרָכָה מְשִׁיחַ צִדְקֵנוּ), concerning whom it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ): “And he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes” (וְהוּא אַדְמוֹנִי עִם יְפֵה עֵינַיִם) (I Samuel 16:12), and “through water” (וּבַמַּיִם), namely the immersion (הַיְנוּ הַטְּבִילָה), and then it shall be fulfilled in him (וְאָז יְקוּיָם בּוֹ): “And You brought us out into abundance” (וַתּוֹצִיאֵנוּ לָרְוָיָה) (Psalms 66:12). Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (בָּרוּךְ י״י לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).