Daf 17a (דַּף י״ז ע״א)
Another introduction to the Tikkunei HaZohar
(הַקְדָּמָה אַחֶרֶת לְתִּקּוּנֵי הַזֹּהַר)
“Bereshit bara Elohim…” (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִי״ם וְגוֹמֵר). It is written: “And they that are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament…” (כְּתִיב הַמַּשְׂכִּילִים יַזְהִירוּ כְּזֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ וְגוֹמֵר) (Daniel 12). These are Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai and his friends (אִלֵּין אִינוּן רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאִי וַחֲבֵרָיו), Rabbi El'azar his son (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ), Rabbi Abba (וְרַבִּי אַבָּא), Rabbi Yose (וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי), Rabbi Ḥiyya (וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא), Rabbi Yitzḥak (וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק), and the other companions (וּשְׁאָר חַבְרַיָּא), who were illuminated with brightness above, as the brightness of the firmament (דְאִזְדַּהֲרוּ זְהִירוּ לְעִילָא כְּזֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ). What is “brightness”? (מַאי כְּזֹהַר) Rather, when they composed this work (אֶלָּא כַּד עָבְדוּ הַאי חִבּוּרָא), it was established above upon them (אִסְתַּכְּמוּ עֲלֵיהּ לְעִילָא), and they called it “Sefer HaZohar” (וְקָרְאוּ לֵיהּ סֵפֶר הַזֹּהַר). And “those who justify the many” through it will be many, as the stars forever and ever (וּמַצְדִּיקֵי הָרַבִּים בֵּיהּ יְהוֹן נְפִישִׁין כַּכֹּכָבִים לְעוֹלָם וָעִ״ד), for their light will not darken forever and to all eternity (דְּלָא אִתְחֲשִׁיךְ נְהוֹרָא דִלְהוֹן לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין). At that time when this work was composed (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְאִתְחַבַּר הַאי חִבּוּרָא), permission was given to Eliyahu to be in agreement with them in it (רְשׁוּתָא אִתְיְהִיב לְאֵלִיָּהוּ לְאַסְכָּמָא עִמְּהוֹן בֵּיהּ), and to all the Masters of the Academies above and below (וּלְכָל מָארֵי מְתִיבְתָּא דִלְעִילָא וְתַתָּא), and to all the hosts of the supernal angels (וְכָל חֲיָילִין דְּמַלְאָכִין עִלָּאִין), and the supernal Neshamot (וְנִשְׁמָתִין עִלָּאִין), to be with them in agreement and in will as one (לְמֶהֱוִי עִמְּהוֹן בְּאַסְכָּמוּתָא וּרְעוּתָא כַּחֲדָא).
Eliyahu opened and said (פָּתַח אֵלִיָּהוּ וְאָמַר):p1-7 Master of Worlds, You are One and not in number (רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין דְּאַנְתְּ הוּא חָד וְלָא בְחֻשְׁבָּן). You are Most High over all the exalted (אַנְתְּ הוּא עִלָּאָה עַל כָּל עִלָּאִין), hidden over all that is hidden (סְתִימָא עַל כָּל סְתִימִין). No thought can grasp You at all (לֵית מַחֲשָׁבָה תְּפִיסָא בָךְ כְּלָל). You are He who brought forth ten adornments (אַנְתְּ הוּא דְאַפִּיקַת עֲשַׂר תִּקּוּנִין), and we call them ten Sefirot (וְקָרִינָן לוֹן עֲשַׂר סְפִירָן), to conduct through them concealed worlds that are not revealed (לְאַנְהָגָא בְהוֹן עָלְמִין סְתִימִין דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְיָין), and revealed worlds (וְעָלְמִין דְּאִתְגַּלְיָין). And in them You are concealed from the sons of men (וּבְהוֹן אִתְכְּסִיאַת מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא). And You are He who binds them and unifies them (וְאַנְתְּ הוּא דְקָשִׁיר לוֹן וּמְיַחֵד לוֹן). And because You are inside them, whoever separates one from another of these ten is considered as if he has separated from You (וּבְגִין דְּאַנְתְּ מִלְּגָאו כָּל מָאן דְּאַפְרֵישׁ חַד מִן חַבְרֵיהּ מֵאִלֵּין עֲשַׂר אִתְחַשֵּׁיב לֵיהּ כְּאִלּוּ אַפְרֵישׁ בָּךְ).
And these ten Sefirot go in their order (וְאִלֵּין עֲשַׂר סְפִירָן אִינּוּן אָזְלִין כְּסִדְרָן): one long, one short, and one intermediate (חַד אֲרִיךְ, וְחַד קְצִר, וְחַד בֵּינוּנִי). And You are He who leads them (וְאַנְתְּ הוּא דְאַנְהִיג לוֹן), and there is none who leads You - not above, not below, and not from any side (וְלֵית מָאן דְּאַנְהִיג לָךְ, לָא לְעִילָא וְלָא לְתַתָּא וְלָא מִכָּל סִטְרָא). Garments You have prepared for them (לְבוּשִׁין תְּקִינַת לוֹן), from which souls fly forth to human beings (דְּמִנַּיְיהוּ פָּרְחִין נִשְׁמָתִין לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא). And bodies You have prepared for them (וְכַמָּה גוּפִין תְּקִינַת לוֹן), which are called “body” in relation to the garments that cover upon them (דְּאִתְקְרִיאוּ גוּפָא לְגַבֵּי לְבוּשִׁין דִּמְכַסְיָין עֲלֵיהוֹן). And they are called in this arrangement: Chesed - the right arm (וְאִתְקְרִיאוּ בְּתִקּוּנָא דָא, חֶסֶד דְּרוֹעָא יְמִינָא); Gevurah - the left arm (גְּבוּרָה דְרוֹעָא שְׂמָאלָא); Tiferet - the body (תִּפְאֶרֶת גוּפָא); Netzach and Hod - the two thighs (נֶצַח וְהוֹד תְּרֵין שׁוֹקִין); Yesod - the completion of the body, the sign of the holy covenant (וִיסוֹד סִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא אוֹת בְּרִית קֹדֶשׁ); Malkhut - the mouth, the Oral Torah, as we call it (מַלְכוּת פֶּה תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה קָרִינָן לֵיהּ).
Chokhmah - the brain, which is thought within (חָכְמָה מוֹחָא אִיהוּ מַחֲשָׁבָה מִלְּגָו). Binah - the heart, and in it the heart understands (בִּינָה לִבָּא וּבָהּ הַלֵּב מֵבִין). And about these two it is written: “The hidden things belong to Hashem our God” (וְעַל אִלֵּין תְּרֵין כְּתִיב הַנִּסְתָּרוֹת לַיהו״ה אֱלֹהֵינ״ו) (Deuteronomy 29). The supernal Keter - this is the crown of kingship (כֶּתֶר עִלְיוֹן אִיהוּ כֶּתֶר מַלְכוּת). And about it is said: “Declaring the end from the beginning” (וַעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּמַר מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית) (Isaiah 46). And it is the skull of the head (וְאִיהוּ קַרְקַפְתָּא דִתְּפִלֵּי). Within it is Yod–Heh–Vav–Heh (מִלְּגָו אִיהוּ יו״ד ה״א וָא״ו ה״א), which is the path of Atzilut (דְּאִיהוּ אֹרַח אֲצִילוּת). It is the watering channel of the Tree, through its arms and branches (אִיהוּ שַׁקְיוּ דְאִילָנָא בִּדְרוֹעוֹי וְעַנְפּוֹי), like water that gives drink to a tree (כְּמַיָּא דְאַשְׁקֵי לְאִילָנָא), and it increases through that watering (וְאִתְרַבֵּי בְּהַהוּא שַׁקְיוּ).
Notes
Torah Ohr, Vayera 1:2: Elijah opened and said (פָּתַח אֵלִיָּהוּ), You are One and not in number (אַנְתּ הוּא חַד וְלָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּן), You are He who brought forth ten Tikkunim, etc. (אַנְתּ הוּא דְאַפִּיקַת עֶשֶׂר תִּיקּוּנִין כו׳). To understand this matter, why the ten Sefirot are called by the name Tikkunim (לְהָבִין עִנְיָן זֶה לָמָּה נִקְרָאִים י״ס בְּשֵׁם תִּיקּוּנִין), it is necessary to preface an explanation of the matter of the essence of the soul (צָרִיךְ לְהַקְדִּים בֵּאוּר עִנְיַן מַהוּת הַנֶּפֶשׁ). For behold, the soul in its essence is a simple light without division of intellect and emotions (כִּי הִנֵּה הַנֶּפֶשׁ מִצַּד עַצְמָהּ הִיא אוֹר פָּשׁוּט בְּלִי הִתְחַלְּקוּת שֵׂכֶל וּמִדּוֹת), and its intellect and its emotions are aspects of garments for the soul (וְהַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁלָּהּ הֵן בְּחִינַת לְבוּשִׁין לַנֶּפֶשׁ), for the soul has intellect and emotions but they are not the essence and the essentiality of the soul (שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ יֵשׁ לָהּ שֵׂכֶל וּמִדּוֹת אֲבָל אֵינָן מַהוּת וְעַצְמִיּוּת הַנֶּפֶשׁ). And that which is written in Tanya that the soul itself is divided into intellect and emotions which are called the essentiality of the soul (וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּתַּנְיָא שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ עַצְמָהּ מִתְחַלֶּקֶת לְשֵׂכֶל וּמִדּוֹת שֶׁהֵם נִקְרָאִים עַצְמִיּוּת הַנֶּפֶשׁ), this is only in relation to thought, speech, and action which are garments that are truly separate from the essence of the soul (אֵין זֶה אֶלָּא לְגַבֵּי מַחֲשָׁבָה דִּבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהֵם לְבוּשִׁין נִפְרָדִין מַמָּשׁ מִמַּהוּת הַנֶּפֶשׁ), which are the aspect of Beri’ah, Yetzirah, Asiyah (שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת בִּי״ע), concerning which it is said “garments You have made for them,” etc. (שֶׁעַל זֶה אָמַר לְבוּשִׁין תִּקִּינַת לוֹן כו׳), for they are Beri’ah, Yetzirah, Asiyah (דְאִינוּן בִּי״ע). But the intellect and the emotions, although they are aspects of garments, are not truly separate garments (אֲבָל הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַמִּדּוֹת עִם הֱיוֹת שֶׁהֵן בְּחִינַת לְבוּשִׁין אֵינָן לְבוּשִׁין נִפְרָדִין מַמָּשׁ), rather like the aspect of vessels of Atzilut, that He and His vessels are one (אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ בְּחִינַת כֵּלִים דַּאֲצִילוּת דְּאִיהוּ וְגַרְמוֹהִי חַד כו׳), and therefore they are called by the name “essentiality” though not true essentiality (וְלָכֵן נִקְרָאִין בְּשֵׁם עַצְמִיּוּת וְלֹא עַצְמִיּוּת מַמָּשׁ). Rather, they are called by the name Tikkunim, for the soul is rectified and clothed within them (אֶלָּא שֶׁהֵן נִקְרָאִין בְּשֵׁם תִּיקּוּנִין שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ מִתְתַּקֶּנֶת וּמִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בָּהֶן). And like the Targum on the verse “a man shall not wear the garment of a woman” (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁתַּרְגּוּם עַל פָּסוּק לֹא יִלְבַּשׁ גֶּבֶר שִׂמְלַת אִשָּׁה), “a man shall not adorn himself with the adornments of a woman” (לָא יְתַקֵּן גְּבַר בְּתִיקּוּנֵי אִתְּתָא). And the matter of Tikkun is from the language of adornment, that one adorns oneself with it and is affected by it (וְעִנְיַן תִּיקּוּן הוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן תַּכְשִׁיט שֶׁמִּתְקַשֵּׁט בּוֹ וּמִתְפָּעֵל מִמֶּנּוּ), and behold he becomes united with this adornment as if it were truly part of his body (וַהֲרֵי מִתְאַחֵד עִם תַּכְשִׁיט זֶה כְּאִלּוּ הוּא מִגּוּפוֹ מַמָּשׁ).