א ביאור ע״פ זאת חקת כו׳

11. An explanation on “This is the statute of,” etc. Now, it is explained in the Idra (138b) that wherever the Name Havayah is found twice

in one verse, the meaning is that the first Name is in Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes) and the second is in Atik. And although all is one, it is nevertheless [a matter of] the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin) and the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin).

(And see what is written above in Parshas Mikeitz on the verse “For You are my lamp, Havayah, and Havayah lights up my darkness,” that there too the meaning is two Names Havayah, as mentioned above. But there the two Names are right next to each other; whereas here, although they are not adjacent, but only

in one verse, nevertheless the meaning is one for Z’eir Anpin and one for Atika Kadisha, as is written in the Arizal’s explanation of the Idra there. And in the glosses of the Rav, Rabbi Tzemach, there, he wrote that it is not an absolute rule in all verses, but only where the verse holds a meaning that can bear this rule, etc.)

And this is [the meaning of] “And Havayah spoke to Moshe”: this Name Havayah is in Z’eir Anpin. “This is the statute of the Torah that Havayah commanded”: that is, the Name Havayah of Atik. “Saying” (lemor) is the level of Chochmah (wisdom), which is called amirah (saying), as is written in the Zohar, Parshas Bereishis (22a),

on the verse “And Elokim said”: “Abba said [it] by way of amirah,” etc. And it is above the level of speech (dibbur), which is from the level of Binah (understanding).

This is as the Maggid, whose soul is in Eden, explained what is written regarding the Ten Commandments (Aseres HaDibros): “And Elokim spoke all these words, saying”:

namely, that the Holy One, blessed be He, joined and bound the Ten Commandments to the level of “saying” (lemor), that is, the Ten Utterances (Asarah Maamaros) that were said during the six days of Creation. And as is written in the Zohar, Vayikra (11b), how the Ten Commandments correspond to the Ten Utterances.

But the difference between speech and saying is that saying is in the heart, and speech is in the mouth, which is the level of revelation to another.

So too, by way of analogy, above there are two levels: the Ten Utterances and the Ten Commandments. The Ten Utterances are in Chochmah of the World of Atzilus (Emanation), as mentioned above in the name of the Zohar, Bereishis (22).

And the Ten Commandments are in Binah, which is the level of revelation. [And so it is implied in the Idra (beginning of 133a); see there on the matter of saying and speech. And so the Mikdash Melech wrote, on Vayikra there,

in the name of Rabbi Chaim Vital. And something close to this is explained in the Pardes, Sha’ar 2, chapter 5. And see further on the matter of saying and speech in the Ramaz, at the beginning of Parshas Emor; and see what is written on the verse “And when she came before the king, he said with the letter (sefer),” etc.]

Therefore it is said regarding the Ten Commandments, “And Elokim spoke,” etc., “saying”: that He joined the Ten Commandments, which are from the level of Binah, to “saying,” to the level of the Ten Utterances of Chochmah. [For Chochmah and Binah are “two companions,” etc.;

and with this is resolved the “saying” in the Ten Commandments, which at first glance is superfluous, since all Israel heard [them] from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He. See what is written above on this in Shir HaShirim, in the discourse beginning “There are sixty queens.”]

2Now, tzivah (commanded) is an expression of tzavta (joining), which is the matter of binding and joining together. And this is the meaning of “that Havayah commanded, saying”: that there be a binding and joining of the Havayah of Atik with the level of “saying,” which is Chochmah (wisdom);

that is, the drawing-down and revelation of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) within the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin). And that is also that there be a drawing-down of the Torah from its source and root, which is above Chochmah, into Chochmah. For “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah,” but its root is high above Chochmah, and one draws down from its source and root into the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah).

And see what is written on the verse “Then I was by Him as a nursling,” on the matter of “I, Your Torah, was a delight,” etc. And of this drawing-down it is said, “that Havayah commanded, saying,” as mentioned above.

And the explanation of the matter is that there are four levels, ta’amim, nekudos, tagin, osiyos: the cantillation notes (ta’amim) in Chochmah, the vowels (nekudos) in Binah (understanding), the crowns (tagin) in Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), and the letters (osiyos) in Malchus (sovereignty).

3Now, although Chochmah (wisdom) is the level of the cantillation notes (ta’amim), nevertheless, relative to the world above it, it is at the level of a recipient from the letters of the higher world.

For the level of the letters in the higher world becomes the source of Chochmah for the lower world, just as Malchus (sovereignty) of the World of Atzilus (Emanation) becomes Atik for the World of Beriah (Creation), etc.; and just as, by way of analogy, the speech of the teacher becomes a source for the intellect of the student.

And this is [the meaning of] “that Havayah commanded”: that is, the level of the speech and letters of the Name Havayah that is above Atzilus. From this is made the level of “saying,” a source for Chochmah of Atzilus.

(And see what is written in Parshas Shelach on the verse “And now, let it be great,” etc., “as You have spoken, saying”; and in Parshas Bamidbar, in the discourse beginning “And I will betroth you to Me,” on the meaning of “You have exalted (he’emarta) Havayah today”; and see what is written on the meaning of “Blessed is He who said, and the world came into being.”)

42. Now, all this was drawn down through the procedure of the red heifer. For it is written, “And the kohen shall take cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet of the worm (shni tola’as), and cast [them] into the midst of the burning of the heifer,” etc.; and, “They shall take for the impure person from the dust of the burning of the sin-offering, and he shall put upon it living water in a vessel.”

5To understand this, we must first preface that, as is known, there are four levels: the speaking (medaber), the living (chai), the growing (tzomeach) and the inanimate (domem) [which also correspond to the four levels of ta’amim, nekudos, tagin, osiyos]; and the higher of them also includes the lower.

For example, the inanimate, which is the last and lowest level of the four levels mentioned above, is therefore only at its own level alone, that it is inanimate; but the levels of the growing, the living, etc., are in a state of withdrawal from it.

6The growing, such as trees and grasses, has more life-force (chayus) in it than the inanimate, namely the power of growth; and nevertheless it also includes the level of the inanimate.

For the very substance of the tree, apart from the power of growth within it, is like the level of the inanimate; only that, in addition to this, it also has the power of growth.

And because this level, that it grows, is added in it beyond the inanimate, it is called “growing.” [As is written in Etz Chaim at its end, that the inanimate has in it nothing but the combining soul,

that is, the power of combination, which combines and joins together in it the four elements of which it is composed. And the soul in the growing thing has in it

two levels: the first, its outer [level], is the combining soul within it, like the soul of the inanimate; and added to it is a more inner level, called the growing soul; but it does not have the vital soul.]

7The living has all this, and added to it is the vital and volitional soul, which is not so with the growing and the inanimate; and on account of this it is called “living.” But nevertheless the levels of the growing and the inanimate are also included in it, for “a hundred is included in two hundred.”

8That is, there are small animals and large ones, and the small ones keep growing larger; and this is the level of the growing that is in the living.

And it also has in it the level of the inanimate, in the manner mentioned above, that in the growing there is the level of the inanimate. And this is seen more in the bones in the animal’s body, which are the level of the inanimate in themselves, only that nevertheless they are also the level of the growing and the living.

And the speaking, which has in it the intellectual, speaking soul, nevertheless also includes within it the levels of the inanimate, the growing and the living; for, after all, it is alive, and the small one grows larger, etc.

9Now, just as the speaking, which is man, is composed of the four physical levels of the inanimate, the growing, the living and the speaking, so too in the powers of the speaking soul there is also an inclusion of the inanimate, the growing and the living.

Thought, speech and action are all the level of the inanimate [see the discourse beginning “If you walk in My statutes”]; for from one letter and one word, another letter and word will not come into being, and when one speaks another word, that is a different drawing-forth from the power of speech.

But in this word that came out of him, no growth at all applies; as it is, so it will remain. And so too with the letters of thought: there is no growth or sprouting in them. Therefore they are called inanimate.

10And the emotive attributes (middos) are the level of the growing, for there is growth in them from smallness to greatness. For example, with a child, his emotive attributes are for small things, and when he grows up his emotive attributes will be of a higher standing, in proportion to him. And even in an adult, at first the attribute and the emotion are small, like a spark of fire, and afterward it broadens and grows.

And the intellect is the level of the living, as it is written, “And wisdom gives life” (and a proof of the matter: when one writes an idea and when one speaks the idea, the idea is more recognizable in speech than in writing; and all this is because the intellect is the level of the living, and speech is not so much the level of the inanimate as action is; therefore the intellect is more recognizable in speech. I found this written).

And Keser (the Crown), which is above the intellect, is the level of the speaking; for speech itself is the level of the inanimate, as mentioned above, but the level of the speaking is the level of Keser, by which one is able to speak. And a proof is from the small child, who understands everything yet cannot speak until he grows up a little;

and that is because speech is from a place higher than the intellect that is understood and grasped, as is explained in Iggeres HaKodesh, in the epistle beginning “And David made a name.”

11So too it will be understood above: the level of the letters of thought and speech above is the level of the inanimate. And therefore in Sefer Yetzirah they are called stones: “Two stones build two houses,” etc.

And the supernal emotive attributes (middos) are the level of the growing: for just as in the growing there is growth and sprouting, so in Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), which is called “growing,” there is smallness and greatness; for there are the intellect (mochin) of smallness, the mochin of nursing, and the mochin of the first greatness and of the second greatness, etc.

And this is also the matter of the cedar wood and hyssop that he would cast into the burning of the heifer: for the cedar is the greatest of the growing, and the hyssop is the lowest of the kind of the growing, as it is written, “from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that comes out of the wall”

(as is written in the Zohar, Parshas Tazria, 48a) (and in the Zohar, Parshas Metzora) (53b). The meaning is that the cedar and the hyssop are Tiferes (beauty) and Yesod (foundation); so the Pardes and the Mikdash Melech explain. However, the Ramaz explains that the cedar wood is Daas (knowledge).

Now, in the Zohar there it is written that they are two vavs; and in the Zohar, Parshas Yisro (68a), it is written that the two vavs mentioned above are the level of Moshe and Yosef, and there it was explained that this is Yesod of Abba and Yesod of Z’eir Anpin. And it is possible to reconcile it with the Ramaz’s explanation,

for Yesod of Abba is Daas of Z’eir Anpin. And Chochmah (wisdom) is called “living,” as it is written, “And wisdom gives life”; and this is the matter of “living water,” which wells up from beneath the earth. So it is with Chochmah: “wisdom is found from ayin (nothing),” from the level of Keser (the Crown), which is called “the source of life.”

12And Keser (the Crown) is called “the speaking,” for it is above the level of the living, as mentioned above, that of it is said, “For with You is the source of life.” And it is also called by the name “speaking” on account of its being the source of speech, even though speech is the level of the inanimate.

But [this is] because “their beginning is wedged in their end, and their end in their beginning,” precisely: for the root of Malchus (sovereignty) is from Keser. And therefore, in the Ten Sefiros of the returning light (or chozer), Malchus is Keser, as is written in Etz Chaim; and that is why the king wears the crown and the diadem.

Therefore the root of speech is drawn specifically from the level of Keser, which on account of this is called “speaking.” And therefore the letters encompass the intellect and clothe it, for their root is from above Chochmah (wisdom).

And therefore the letters of the Torah have their root in a level and rank higher than the Chochmah within them; for “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah,” but the letters have their root in a level that is above Chochmah, etc.

(And with this it is well understood why an unlearned person goes up to the Torah and recites the blessing, although he does not understand the meaning of the words: it is because reading the letters of the Written Torah is called reading in the Torah, even though he does not understand at all the meaning that is clothed in them, as is explained elsewhere.

And see what is written above in Parshas Bereishis, in the discourse beginning “And He formed,” on the connection of the level of the inanimate specifically to the speaking, which is why the body of Adam, the first man, was at first the level of the inanimate, etc.; see there. And although it was explained above that the speaking includes all three levels of the inanimate, the growing and the living, and likewise the living also includes the growing and the inanimate,

and likewise the growing includes the level of the inanimate. For example, the emotive attributes (middos), which are called “growing,” also include the level of the inanimate, that is, the level of letters, for in the stirring of the attribute the level of letters is included in it in concealment;

and the intellect, which is the level of the living, also has included in it the levels of the growing and the inanimate, which are the emotive attributes within the intellect and the letters; and this is the matter of the spelling-out (milui) of yud, which is vav, dalet: the vav is six emotive attributes, and the dalet is the level of speech, which were included at first in the yud, which is Chochmah, and afterward the emotive attributes sprouted and were born from the intellect, etc.;

and so too, in the same way, Keser, which is the level of the speaking, includes all three levels mentioned above, which are Chochmah, the emotive attributes and the letters, called the inanimate, the growing and the living; and this is the matter of Mocha Stima’ah (the hidden brain) in Keser and the emotive attributes of Arich Anpin, etc. And certainly the level of the living that is included in the speaking is infinitely higher than the level of the living itself,

and in the same way in all the levels, the lower levels that the higher one includes are there far more excellent than the actual lower levels; if so, since Chochmah too has its root in Keser, just as the letters have their root in Keser, how can there be in the letters a level higher than Chochmah?

And [how can it be] that Keser is therefore called “speaking” specifically, on account of the speech drawn from it, and not on account of Chochmah, which is also drawn from it? However, it can be said that the root of the letters in Keser is from a higher level than the root of Chochmah there.

For although below, Chochmah is higher than the letters, in their root it is the reverse: there the letters are higher, etc. And so it is explained below, on the verse “And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes,” etc., on the matter of the inanimate, the growing and the living, etc.

And the matter is well understood according to what the Ramaz wrote at the beginning of Parshas Vayikra, that the root of the letters is drawn from the level of Avira (the “air”), which is above Mocha Stima’ah. And see what is written on this in the discourse on “The mezuzah on the right and the Chanukah lamp on the left,” and in the discourse beginning “Your ointments have a goodly fragrance,”

and then, if so, it is above the root of Chochmah, whose root is from Mocha Stima’ah of Arich [Anpin], which is the Chochmah within Keser, and this too through the mazalos and the hairs; whereas the letters have their root in the level of Avira, which is above Mocha Stima’ah.

And so it is also with the growing and the living: although below, the living is higher than the growing, and likewise the intellect, which is called “living,” is higher than the emotive attributes, which are called “growing,” nevertheless in their root Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes) is higher than Chochmah and Binah (understanding), as is stated in the Idra Zuta (292): “Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah) are included in the mazla, and on it they hang and by it they are held;

Z’eir Anpin is held by and hangs on Atika.” And the Arizal explains there that Abba and Imma receive their flow from the Chochmah within Keser through the mazla, as mentioned above, but Z’eir Anpin receives its flow from higher, from Keser of Arich Anpin itself, and from this aspect Z’eir Anpin is sometimes superior to Abba and Imma. End of quote. And see what is written above on this in Parshas Yisro, on the matter of “The Patriarchs are themselves the chariot.”

It follows that in their root the growing is higher than the living. And see what is written regarding the waving of the two loaves upon the two lambs. And indeed, the inanimate has its root higher even than the growing, for the letters have their root in Avira, as mentioned above, where there is the revelation of the level of Radla (the Head that is not known), which is above even Keser of Arich Anpin.

And so it is implied in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Arich Anpin, chapter 2, that the root of Malchus is from Radla; and Malchus is the level of the inanimate and of speech. And see what is written elsewhere on the verse “A psalm, a song for the dedication of the House,” on the matter of food, clothing and house, etc.)

133. And this is the matter of the procedure of the heifer: for the ash is the raising of mayin nukvin (feminine waters), and included in this is the mayin nukvin from all three levels of the inanimate, the growing and the living. For the heifer is living, and it becomes ash;

and also the cedar wood and hyssop, which are the level of the growing, and the growing in its very essence also includes the level of the inanimate; and the scarlet of the worm is the level of speech, for its strength is in its mouth;

it follows that its root corresponds to the level of the speaking; and also the letters of speech themselves are the level of the inanimate. And all this is because the procedure of the heifer is the general and collective expression of the level of “running and returning” (ratzo vashov),

and therefore it is called “the statute of the Torah.” Therefore the ash, which is the “running,” is made from the levels in the world as a whole, inanimate, growing, living, etc.;

therefore, through this, afterward, in the sanctifying of the waters of purification (mei chatas), “and he shall put upon it living water,” there is the drawing-down of mayin duchrin (masculine waters) from the level of “And wisdom gives life,” which is from the level of Mocha Stima’ah (the hidden brain), etc.

And from all this will also be understood the matter of “that Havayah commanded, saying”: that from the level of the letters of Atik it is drawn down to be a source for Chochmah (wisdom), which is called amirah (saying);

that is, the level of these letters is above Chochmah: namely, the root of the letters as they are in the level of Keser (the Crown), on account of which Keser is called “speaking”;

only that in their descent below, into the level of Malchus (sovereignty), they are then garments or houses for the level of Chochmah; but as they are still included in their root, they are above the level of Chochmah, as mentioned above.

Therefore it says, “that Havayah commanded, saying”: that there be a joining (tzavta) and drawing-down from the level of the letters of the Name Havayah of Atik to the level of Chochmah;

and this is “saying.” (And it is possible to say that the meaning of the sanctifying of the waters of purification is that through this raising of mayin nukvin of the heifer’s ash, through this one draws down from the level of the supernal Kodesh (holiness), the “crystalline dew” (tala d’vedolcha), into the living water; that is, the enclothing of Gevurah (restraint) of Atik in Mocha Stima’ah;

that is, one draws down from the level of the speaking, the source of speech, the level of “For with You is the source of life”; from there one draws down into the living water, which is the level of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), which is called “living,” “And wisdom gives life.” And afterward one sprinkles from it to drive away the spirit of impurity, through the drawing-down of Keser and the higher Chochmah, etc.)

And to understand a very little of the matter of the heifer: now, it is known that from the left line comes the nourishment of the external forces (chitzonim): “the head of Esav in the bosom of Yitzchak.” And this is the matter of “the dross of gold.”

And this is because the level and rank of the Gevuros and the left line is to be in the state of returning light (or chozer), of “running” and withdrawal, to be absorbed into the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He; and this is the opposite of the level of drawing-down and revelation below.

14And what is drawn down from the Gevuros below is in great contraction; therefore, through the many contractions, there are drawn from this, below, harsh Gevuros and the nourishment of the external forces.

Which is not so with the right line: for the level and rank of Chesed (kindness) and the right line is to be the drawing-down and revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, below, the level of direct light (or yashar);

therefore, even when it is drawn down through the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), there can be no nourishment of the external forces from it, for the self-nullification (bittul) is drawn down below, etc. (And see in the Zohar, Pekudei) (page 224b), and what the Ramaz wrote there, that the right, etc.,

but the left, etc. And see what is written on the saying of the Zohar, Parshas Acharei (79b), “Bring an atonement for Me,” etc., “for on their account is aroused,” etc.,

for from what is written there it will be understood how from the left line there is room for the nourishment of the external forces, and mainly in the World of Yetzirah (Formation) and the World of Asiyah (Action), because there the Gevuros are more separated from the Chasadim; which is not so in the World of Beriah (Creation), and all the more so in the World of Atzilus (Emanation), where “the left is included in the right” in actual fact.

And this is the matter of the red heifer, which “receives from the left,” from the level of “the face of an ox on the left”; for the heifer is the level of the Nukva (the feminine) of nogah (as Rabbi Chaim Vital wrote in Ta’amei HaMitzvos, Parshas Chukas).

Now, it is known that kelipas nogah (the glowing husk) is an intermediate level between the completely impure kelipos and the level of holiness. That is, the completely impure kelipos are the root of the evil inclination for outright evil,

such as murder, adultery, robbery, evil speech and the like; and kelipas nogah is the root of the evil inclination for permitted desires, when they are not for the sake of Heaven but only for the pleasure of one’s body.

For it is composed of good and evil: its inner dimension descends and is drawn from the level of good and is clothed in evil; and through the good within it, it receives life-force (chayus) from the level of holiness. And this is [the meaning of] its “receiving” from the level of “the face of the ox” in the Chariot.

15And it gives flow to the impure kelipos and the external forces through the evil within it. It follows that it connects, so that nourishment is drawn from the Ten Sefiros of holiness to the “ten crowns of impurity,” which are the root of outright evil, as mentioned above. And to rectify this came the mitzvah of the red heifer.

Therefore it is done outside the camp: for in the World of Atzilus (Emanation) “He and His vessels are one” (ihu vegarmohi chad), and “the left is included in the right,” and there is no nourishment there;

and also outside Beriah [for even kelipas nogah of Beriah is still mostly good; only in Yetzirah is it half good and half evil, and in Asiyah it is mostly, as though entirely, evil, with only a little good mixed into it, etc., as is written in Mishnas Chassidim, in the Order of Nezikin].

16And also, it is done outside the partition (pargod) and the screen that separates between holiness and the profane, in order to rectify and bring back the nourishment that is drawn from it, from there, to the external forces.

That is, first the sprinkling, to bring out the good, which is the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of kelipas nogah (the glowing husk), to return it to its root, to holiness; and therefore he would sprinkle facing the Holy of Holies,

as stated in chapter 3 of Parah, mishnah 9, and in chapter 2 of Middos (and see what is written above in Parshas Masei on “And the border shall go down to the Jordan”: the matter of the Yarden, which takes from this one and gives to that one); and afterward, “And he shall burn the heifer,” to rectify the outer dimension (chitzoniyus) of kelipas nogah.

Now, the body of an animal too is composed of the four elements, fire, air, water and earth; but most of the body’s structure is from earth (afar), and therefore it was said to man, “And to dust (afar) you shall return.”

It follows that the essential substance of the heifer’s body is the element of earth, only that it was also compounded of three more elements: fire, air and water.

17And when they burned the heifer, there remained the ash, which is its essential substance, the element of earth within it; and the other three elements, fire, air and water, of which it was compounded, separate from it through the burning.

And so too in the thing illustrated (the nimshal): the ash is the essence of the heifer. For the root of the coming-into-being of kelipas nogah (the glowing husk) is from the World of Tohu, because of the breaking of the vessels, in which 288 sparks fell into kelipas nogah.

18And this is its essence, by way of analogy: that is, this is the main thing, only that through the breaking it came about that they became mixed with evil; and this, by way of analogy, is the level of compounding. And the burning of the heifer is

that through this the evil that became mixed into the sparks of Tohu will be separated and will depart from the good, in the manner of “And you shall eradicate the evil from your midst”; and then there will remain the ash, which is the essence, that is, the sparks of Tohu as they are, without the admixture of evil.

19And this is the meaning of “the ash of the heifer” (efer haparah): from the level of par with a hei (parah) it becomes par with an alef (efer), etc. [And also, that the Name Ban rises to its root in the Name Sag. The Name Ban is the spelling-out with hei’s, and Sag is the spelling-out with yud’s, but the vav is spelled out with an alef, etc.]

20And in the service of G‑d, this is that the emotive attributes (middos) of the animal soul are also from kelipas nogah (the glowing husk), and the root of their root is from the World of Tohu, as mentioned above; and one must burn and consume the evil that became mixed into them,

that is, the fact that he drew and inclined his emotive attributes toward the desires of this world, and the attribute became mixed with much evil, mostly, as though entirely, evil, etc.;

and that is, by separating the “filthy garments,” which are the desires toward which he inclined his heart: “they shall not be remembered nor recalled,” “nor shall they come to mind,” and “all wickedness shall vanish like smoke.”

21And they will be separated from his emotive attributes (middos): that he no longer draws his emotive attributes toward them, and removes his mind from them entirely. And then, afterward, the very essence of the emotive attributes of the animal soul will be transformed into actual holiness, so that from this there comes an abundant love (ahavah rabbah) for Him, may He be blessed, in the manner of “the advantage of light from darkness,” and his heart cries out to G‑d with greater strength (b’cheila yatir).

22And this is [the meaning of] what is written in the Zohar, in explaining “with all your heart (levavcha)”: “with both your inclinations; and this is a mystery.” And we need to understand what the mystery is, for at first glance it is very simple that the love for the Holy One, blessed be He, should be with both your inclinations, as stated in the Gemara;

but it is because it is not understood how the evil inclination and the desire that he had for this world, how this very love can be transformed and included in holiness, to become an abundant love for G‑d; and not only this,

but then it is loftier even than the good inclination, for it rises to its root in Sag, which is above the Name Mah. But nevertheless, in truth it is so: for when the vessels of the will of the animal soul are consumed and burned,

that is, that he “shuts his eyes from looking upon evil,” and his thought from musing [on it], and there remains only the ash, which is the will itself, then it can be transformed, so that this very will is for G‑d, may He be blessed.

And this is the level and rank of teshuvah (return) out of love, etc. And this is the matter of ash on the place where the tefillin are laid, as it is written, “to give them glory (pe’er) in place of ash (efer)”: the alef is the sweetening of the five Gevuros, Mantzepach, which in numerical value equal par (280).

And the meaning and matter of the sweetening is “to turn bitterness into sweetness” (and this explanation is explained in Parshas Mikeitz, in the discourse beginning “The Chanukah lamp,” etc., “the mezuzah on the right,” etc.)

“and darkness into light,” etc. And these are the words of Rabbi Chaim Vital in Sha’ar Tikkun Avonos, at the end of chapter 2: “And after the judgments are burned and become ash, they are sweetened;

and therefore they would burn the red heifer. And they put ash on the forehead, for there is the beginning of Yesod (foundation), to arouse the union, for the Gevuros are mayin nukvin (feminine waters).” End of quote.

And with this will be understood the matter of placing the ash upon the living water. For the ash is the refinement of the emotive attributes of the animal soul, to be “with both your inclinations,” and it is the level of “running” (ratzo).

23And afterward there must be the level of “returning” (shov); and this is the matter of “and he shall put upon it living water in a vessel.” Water is the level of Chochmah (wisdom);

but living water, which wells up from beneath the earth, is the drawing-forth and welling-up of Chochmah, which is drawn and wells up from the level of Keser (the Crown), which is called “the source of living water,”

and it is “the most hidden of all hidden” (stima d’chol stimin); and it is the level of the wisdom that is in the Torah. And this living water must be [put] specifically “in a vessel”:

that is, the letters of the Torah, Tractate Berachos, Tractate Shabbos, which are vessels for the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, that is clothed there. And the study of Torah is the level of “returning,” to be a drawing-down of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, below.

And nevertheless the ash must be upon the living water: that even after the level of “returning,” the “running” will not be extinguished, and its impression will be recognizable

(and see what is written above in Parshas Yisro, in the discourse beginning “And all the people saw the voices,” etc., on this matter, how the water does not extinguish the fire, etc.).

244. And now we must understand the explanation of the matter of the scarlet worm (tola’as shani). And the matter is according to what is written in Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 5, chapter 3, on the section of the continual burnt-offering (olas hatamid), and in Mishnas Chassidim there: olas

has the letters of tola (worm), and its numerical value is [that of] Avgitatz, which is Chesed (kindness) within the Gevuros, the mystery of “the worm of Yaakov,” etc.; l’hakriv (to offer up) has the letters of l’harkiv (to cause to rot), etc. See there in Mishnas Chassidim.

And the Ramaz, in Parshas Tzav (on page 27), wrote that because it is a Name of Gevurah (restraint), its special power is to separate holiness from impurity and to raise up from below to above, etc.;

see there. And as is also written in Parshas Masei on the matter of the forty-two journeys, which were also to subdue the kelipos and to raise up the holiness, as it is written,

“And it was, when the Ark set out, that Moshe said, ‘Arise, Havayah, and let Your enemies be scattered,’” etc. And therefore there were also forty-two journeys, which is the level of the Name of forty-two [letters] of “Ana b’choach gedulas yeminecha tatir tzerurah (We beseech You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the bound one),” etc.

25Now, the matter of this level in the service of G‑d is as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Just as this worm strikes the cedars only with its mouth, so Israel have nothing

but prayer,” etc. And as is also written in Parshas Eileh Masei, mentioned above, how the level of the ascent of the forty-two journeys mentioned above applies to the Shema and prayer; see there at length.

But in truth, the level of “the worm of Yaakov” likewise refers to the study of Torah with the speech of the mouth, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Moed Katan 16b) regarding David: when he would sit and occupy himself with Torah, he would make himself soft like a worm.

And the matter is that the Torah is called “strength and sound wisdom” (oz vesushiyah): that is, speech in Torah gives strength and power to the G‑dly soul, so that it can rise and be included in the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He; and it weakens the power of the animal soul, which holds back this ascent and cleaving, etc.

And this is [why] the level of the continual burnt-offering, olas, the letters of tola, is “the one that was made at Mount Sinai,” etc., at the receiving of the Torah: for this power, that the halachah coming out of their mouths should be actually the word of G‑d, was given to them at the time of the receiving of the Torah.

And this is the matter of “saying” in “And Elokim spoke all these words, saying,” as is explained elsewhere, in Parshas Yisro, in the discourse beginning “In the third month,” etc.

26And this is the meaning of “We beseech You, by the great power of Your right hand, release the bound one” (Ana b’choach gedulas yeminecha tatir tzerurah). For it is written, “Your right hand, Havayah, is glorious in power; Your right hand, Havayah, shatters the enemy.”

That is, through the right being “glorious in power (ko’ach),” which is the Torah, as it is written, “The voice of Havayah is in power,” for “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah (wisdom),” and the right, which is Chesed (kindness), receives from Chochmah

[and there is also the level of “and abundant in kindness” (verav chesed), which is clothed in Chochmah, etc.], through this specifically “it shatters the enemy,” which is the evil inclination.

For from the side of the essence of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), after all, even “the spider takes hold with its hands,” etc. And therefore “the enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,’” etc. But through the Torah, which is Chochmah, the separation is made,

as it is written, “From there I will bring you down, says (ne’um) Havayah”: ne’um is the level of the speech of the Torah, etc. And therefore Chochmah is called “judgment” (din), as the Arizal wrote, that the level of Gevurah (restraint) of Atik is clothed in Mocha Stima’ah (the hidden brain).

27And this is “We beseech You, by the great power of Your right hand, release,” etc.: that is to say, through the right being glorious in the “great power,” which is the Torah, namely, through “the voice is the voice of Yaakov,” through this You “release the bound one” and “shatter the enemy.”

And this is the level of “the worm of Yaakov,” which strikes the cedar and makes it rot, as is written afterward, kra satan (“tear up the Satan”), and as it is written, “Let the adversaries of my soul be consumed.”

Now, the matter of “its strength is only in its mouth,” which is speech specifically, in the letters of Torah and prayer, is as explained above: that speech is drawn from the level of Keser (the Crown), which is the level of the speaking,

for “their beginning is wedged in their end,” precisely. (And this is why Malchus (sovereignty) is called “the worm of Yaakov,” and Tiferes (beauty) too is called tola, as is written in the Pardes, in the entry tola’as; and they are the words of prayer and Torah, whose root is from Keser, which is called “speaking.”)

And this is along the lines of what is written in Michah (chapter 5), “Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off”: that from the level of “Your hand shall be lifted up,” that is, the uplifted hand,

which is the level of Keser, it is drawn down that “all your enemies shall be cut off.” And as is also written regarding the Exodus from Egypt, “And the children of Israel went out with an uplifted hand”; and this is also what is written, “And it was, when Moshe raised his hand, that Israel prevailed,” etc.

And as it is written, “Your hand is lifted up, yet they do not see”; and it is written, “Let the rebellious not exalt themselves,” etc. And the matter is according to what is explained elsewhere on the verse “And Haman took the garment and the horse”:

how, through a person arousing in his soul the level of holy pride, so that he will not want to lower himself into the desires of this world, through this he also arouses above the level of “for He is highly exalted” (ki ga’oh ga’ah), which the Targum renders “He is exalted over the exalted”: that is, He exalts Himself and withdraws His flow from the proud,

namely, the wicked who say, “Our hand is high, and it is not Havayah who has done all this,” in Parshas Haazinu (32:27), and likewise, “My river is mine, and I have made myself” (in Ezekiel 29:3).

And therefore “for He is highly exalted” is said regarding the miracle of the Splitting of the Sea, for He humbled the proud and drowned the Egyptians in the sea and raised up the lowly; and this is through the level of “highly exalted.”

And as for the fact that we sometimes find the opposite, that, on the contrary, because of the greatness, life-force (chayus) can be drawn even to the kelipos, since from the side of the greatness it is considered as nothing and there is no room to be exacting, as it is written, “The spider takes hold with its hands,” etc.,

this is specifically when, as it were, He does not exalt and raise Himself; then it is without exactingness, and since “all before Him is as nothing,” therefore all can receive.

But through the level of “highly exalted,” He is then particular that the proud, the wicked, should not receive. And this is “Havayah, Your hand is lifted up, yet they do not see”: meaning, specifically when “Your hand is lifted up,” through this “they do not see,” etc.

28And it seems [possible] to explain this according to what the Arizal wrote in explaining “We were slaves to Pharaoh,” who draws nourishment from the nape (oref) of Arich Anpin: that specifically from the level of the nape and the back of Keser (the Crown), from there even Pharaoh, who said, “My river is mine,” etc.,

can also receive life-force (chayus) and nourishment; which is not so when the flow is drawn from the level of the face (panim): [of this] it is written, specifically, “May Havayah make His face shine upon you.” And this is “Your hand is lifted up”: that it is drawn from the level of the face, and then “they do not see.”

29And it can also be said that the meaning of “highly exalted” (ga’oh ga’ah) is along the lines of “Master of wonders”: that is, even the level of wonder is considered by Him, may He be blessed, like physical making, as it is written, “doing wonders” (oseh fele); and as is explained above in Parshas Beshalach, in the discourse beginning “I will sing,” etc.

And this level and rank is what is called Atik Yomin (the Ancient of Days), “who is exalted from the days of the world,” which is the highest level in Keser (the Crown), “the most hidden of all hidden”; and as is also written in the Zohar (Beshalach, page 52) regarding the Splitting of the Sea: “the matter depends on Atika.”

And the matter is that the level of Atik is the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of Keser: that is, it is all face, and there is no level of “back” in it at all, as is written in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Atik, chapter 2.

And therefore of this it is said, “highly exalted,” “He is exalted over the exalted”: for from this level there is no nourishment at all for the kelipos and the wicked; for their nourishment, which comes from the side of His greatness, may He be blessed, is nevertheless

only from the level of the back; and since in this level no back applies at all, it follows of itself that it is impossible for them to have nourishment.

30And Pharaoh’s nourishment is only from the nape of Arich Anpin: for in Arich Anpin face and back apply, and so from the level of the nape Pharaoh can draw nourishment;

that is, from the immensity of the greatness, in which “all before Him is considered as nothing,” even Pharaoh can receive; and this is specifically when the flow is drawn by way of the back,

that is, like one who throws [something] over his shoulders. Which is not so when it is drawn from the level of the face of Arich Anpin, with will, longing and desire: of this it is said, “And Havayah our G‑d brought us out,” etc. (as is explained at length elsewhere on the passage “We were slaves,” mentioned above).

And this is “And in the greatness of Your exaltedness You overthrow those who rise against You”: “in the greatness of Your exaltedness” precisely, which is the level of “highly exalted”; for from this level You certainly “overthrow those who rise against You,” since from there it is impossible for them to draw nourishment, for the reason mentioned above (and see the Zohar, Parshas Beshalach, page 58b, and consider it carefully).

And this is also what is explained elsewhere on the meaning of “May Havayah lift up His face to you”: that is, that He lift and raise His face to the level where there is no level of back at all, and through this the flow will be drawn “to you,” precisely.

And this is “Exalted and lifted up,” etc., “He lowers the proud,” etc.; “For thus says the One who is exalted and lifted up,” etc., “and with the crushed and lowly of spirit,” etc.

For [when] “Your hand is lifted up,” precisely, then “they do not see.” And as is also explained elsewhere on the meaning of “For a hand is upon the throne of Kah,” that it is the level of the uplifted hand specifically, etc.;

see there at length, in the discourse beginning “A person is obligated to become intoxicated on Purim.” It can also be said that the uplifted hand is Tiferes (beauty) within Keser (the Crown), etc., for Tiferes rises up to, etc.

31And from all this will be understood the matter of “the worm of Yaakov,” which is the level of the speech of Torah and prayer, whose root is from the level mentioned above, for it draws down from the level of the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of Keser (the Crown), as is explained below on the meaning of “the statute of the Torah,” and as is written in Iggeres HaKodesh, at the end of the epistle beginning “David, you called them songs,” on the matter of the tablets, which were read from both their sides;

that is to say, that their root is from the level of Atik Yomin, which is entirely the level of face and has no level of back at all, as mentioned above. And therefore this is the level of the continual burnt-offering (olas tamid), etc., l’hakriv (to offer):

the letters of tola, etc., l’harkiv (to make rot), so that the flow will not be drawn to the kelipos, the root of the evil inclination, which raise themselves up like an eagle to draw nourishment from the level of the nape, etc.

And of this it is said, “From there I will bring you down, says Havayah”: ne’um (says) is speech, as mentioned above (and see what is written above in Parshas Vayishlach on the verse “And [a man] wrestled,” etc.).

This will also be understood along the lines of what is written elsewhere, that the Torah is called “the parable of the Ancient One” (meshal hakadmoni): that for a revelation of light to be drawn from the level of “the Ancient One of the world,” which is above the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) and the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), is specifically through the Torah, which is the level of a parable and a garment for this level, etc.

32Now, the initials of “Ana b’choach,” etc., are the numerical value of tola, and the initials of “Shavaseinu kabel ushma tza’akaseinu yode’a ta’alumos” (Accept our plea and hear our cry, You who know hidden things) are the numerical value of tola’as.

As for the matter of the two levels, tola and tola’as, it can be said that they are two levels: namely, the letters of the Torah and the letters of prayer;

for “by the great power of Your right hand,” etc., refers to the letters and speech in Torah, as mentioned above, and “Accept our plea,” etc., is the matter of prayer. And see the Arizal’s Likkutei Torah, Parshas Terumah, in the passage beginning “And scarlet of the worm.”

It can further be said, on the meaning of “its strength is only in its mouth,” that above, too, it is stated, “Daas (knowledge) is hidden in the mouth”; and this is [the meaning of] what is written, “from His mouth, knowledge,” etc. (see Niddah, page 70).

And this is the matter of casting the scarlet of the worm into the burning of the heifer: for the burning of the heifer is to bring back the nourishment of the external forces,

that is, the refinement and rectification of kelipas nogah (the glowing husk) (through which, also, the kelipos below kelipas nogah will not be able to draw nourishment from holiness, for their nourishment is by means of the level of kelipas nogah, as mentioned above);

but so that they will no longer receive nourishment, for this there was the scarlet of the worm, which rots and consumes their nourishment (and see the Zohar, Parshas Vayechi) (238b) on the verse

“for all her household are clothed in scarlet (shanim).” And it can also be said that this is also so that they will not raise themselves up like an eagle to receive nourishment from above, etc.,

as is written elsewhere on the verse “And I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath,” etc. And see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “Your cheeks are comely with rows [of jewels],” on the matter of “Your lips are like a thread of scarlet,” etc.

335. And this is the matter of “the statute (chukas) of the Torah”: an expression of engraving (chakikah). And the matter is that engraving is higher than letters of writing; and therefore regarding the tablets it is written, “engraved upon the tablets,” for they were drawn from the root of the Torah as it is in the level of engraved letters.

34And the Written Torah is [the Torah] after its enclothing in the level of written letters. And regarding the red heifer it is said, “This is the statute of the Torah,” for in it and through it one draws down from the level of “the statute (engraving) of the Torah,” that it be drawn and revealed below.

And this is “that Havayah commanded”: that there be a level of joining (tzavta) and connection from the Name Havayah of Atik, which is the level and rank of the engraved letters, “saying”: in the level of Chochmah (wisdom), which is the level of the Written Torah.

35And in truth, the level and rank that is called above “the statute (engraving) of the Torah,” that is, the matter of the engraved letters above, is higher than the rank of the engraving that was revealed in the tablets. For although the letters

were engraved from the stone itself and in it, nevertheless, at any rate, something was missing from the stone in the place of the letter. Which is not so with the level of “the statute of the Torah” as it is above, in its source and root in the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, [where] “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one.”

And the matter is according to what is written in the Zohar (beginning of Parshas Bereishis, 15): “At the head of the King’s authority (b’reish hormenusa d’malka), He engraved an engraving in the supernal luster.” And gelif is engraving (chakikah), for the Targum of “and you shall engrave upon it engravings” is vesiglof, etc.

(And the meaning of “At the head of the King’s authority”: the Eshel Avraham explains that this is the level of the King of the kings of kings, that is, the level of Malchus (sovereignty) of the Infinite One; that is, what arose in His simple will, that “King” should be His name. And see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “For as the earth brings forth its growth,” regarding the meaning of “the holy King,” which we say during the Ten Days of Teshuvah.)

And the matter is, by way of analogy, like one who marks and engraves some letters or markings in a precious stone that shines and gleams greatly: in the place of the engraving and the marking it does not gleam and shine so much

as the precious stone gleams and shines in a place where no engravings and markings were made, where it is brightest; whereas in a place where engravings were made in it, its light is darkened a little.

But nevertheless this engraving is in the precious stone itself, and there is nothing else here besides it, only it alone, except that its brilliance is darkened a little. And so, by way of analogy, when there was emanated from the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof)

(the meaning of “the Infinite Light” is, by way of analogy, a light and radiance drawn from Him, may He be blessed, as is explained elsewhere) the level of Keser (the Crown), which is the level of the configurations (partzufim) of Atik and Arich, it is called “He engraved an engraving,” for the engraving is from itself and in itself,

and it is actually the same thing; for they too are called Ein Sof, and they are far, far above the level of the World of Atzilus (Emanation) (and see the Ramaz, Parshas Shelach, on page 159, on the meaning of “The Holy One, blessed be He, has three worlds”).

But nevertheless, relative to the Infinite Light, Keser too is called by the name “darkness,” as is written in the Tikkunei Zohar: “The supernal Crown, even though it is a clear light, is black, black before the Cause of causes.”

And this is like the analogy, that in the place of the engraving the brilliance of the precious stone is darkened and is not like the brilliance of the precious stone not in the place of the engraving, which is the Infinite Light that is above the level of the emanation of Keser, of which “no thought can grasp Him at all”; and in the place of the engraving,

which is the emanation of Atik and Arich, it is called “black, black” relative to the light itself; and through this it can be a source and root for the coming-into-being of the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus.

But nevertheless, this engraving (gelifu) is far, far above the level of written letters. By way of analogy, in the engraving of the letters, although through this the level of letters was revealed and came into being, which is, by way of analogy, the emanation of Atik and Arich,

nevertheless the letters are from itself and in itself: nothing at all was added to it and nothing is lacking; there is nothing but the precious stone alone, only that its brilliance is darkened somewhat.

So, by way of analogy, the level of Keser is the level of the Infinite One (Ein Sof) itself, only that relative to the true Infinite Light it is called darkness, etc.;

which is not so with written letters, which one writes upon the scroll in ink: the ink is something actually foreign in essence to the parchment,

and also the black ink completely hides the whiteness of the parchment under the ink, until the white of the parchment under the letter is not seen at all.

36And this is the level of Chochmah and Binah of Atzilus: for with the enclothing of the Torah in Chochmah and Binah, as in the saying, “The Torah comes forth from Chochmah,” it is called the Written Torah, like the analogy of the written letters mentioned above. For Chochmah (wisdom) is like physical action relative to the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He,

which is exalted far, far above the essence and definition of the level of Chochmah. And that, nevertheless, the Infinite Light is drawn down and clothed in Chochmah and Binah (understanding), this is like the analogy of the parchment being clothed in the letters that are made upon it from ink, for the ink is not at all of the order and essence of the white parchment.

37And it is not like engraving, where the letters are actually one thing with the precious stone, and also the letter does not hide at all.

And one can find something of an analogy for this, such as the revelation of the intellect relative to the essence of the soul, which is in truth above the intellect: [the revealed intellect] is

like an entity by itself, only that the soul acts through it; whereas the level of the power of intellect within the soul is the extension of the light of the soul itself, etc. And therefore Keser (the Crown), which is called the Supernal Will, is likened to engraved letters, and Chochmah and Binah are called written letters, etc.

38And although in Atzilus “He and His vessels are one” (ihu vegarmohi chad), that is relative to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, which are the level of the created and of “something” (yesh); therefore, relative to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, Atzilus is called “He and His vessels are one.”

But relative to Atik and Arich Anpin, even Chochmah (wisdom), which is the beginning of Atzilus, is called by the name beriah, “something from nothing,” as it is written, “And wisdom is found from nothing (ayin)”: something from nothing.

And this is the level of the vessels of the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus, which are called vessels because the Infinite One, blessed be He, acts through them. And therefore the Torah, which was drawn from Chochmah of Atzilus, which is clothed in Binah (understanding), for Chochmah and Binah are

“two companions that never part,” and the main level of the coming-into-being of letters is in Binah, which is called sefer (book) (as is written elsewhere on the verse “he said with the letter (sefer),” and see the Zohar, Part II, Vayakhel, 200a, on the matter of the Written Torah),

is called the Written Torah, in black fire upon white fire. For just as the letters made of ink hide the white of the parchment beneath them, so the drawing-down of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, the white fire, to be grasped in Chochmah and Binah of Atzilus, is an actual hiding and concealment;

for regarding the Infinite Light, blessed be He, one cannot speak of comprehension and understanding at all, except only through a contraction (tzimtzum) of the light, etc.

39And see what is written in the discourse beginning “I am black but comely,” on the meaning and matter of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, at the end of [the section] “His head is as the finest gold”: “Reish Lakish said, ‘The Torah that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave: its parchment was of white fire, and it was written with black fire,’ etc.;

as it is written, ‘From His right hand, a fiery law.’” And it was explained there by way of the analogy of the letters of thought that clothe the intellect, etc.; and this is the matter of the Written Torah, and the matter of the analogy for the engraved letters.

This is what is written there. And this contraction is like, in the analogy, the level of the letters in the soul, so that there be a revelation of actual letters in thought and speech: for the level of the contraction and coming-into-being of letters in the soul is an analogy for the level of the engraved letters above,

which are the source and root for the Written Torah afterward to be given in black fire upon white fire (and see on this also in the Zohar, Part III, Nasso, 132a; Nasso, 132a; Shoftim, 275a).

40Now, regarding the red heifer it is said, “This is the statute of the Torah”: for through the “running and returning” of the heifer’s ash and the living water, as mentioned above, through this there is drawn down from the level of the engraved letters of Atik and Arich of the World of Atzilus (Emanation).

And therefore King Shlomo, peace be upon him, said of it, “I said, ‘I will become wise,’ but it is far from me” (in Koheles, chapter 7:23): for it is above, far from Chochmah (wisdom) of Atzilus; but through it there is drawn a drawing-down of the light of Atik and Arich Anpin into Chochmah and Binah (understanding).

And this is also the meaning of “the statute of the Torah”: that the Torah be drawn from its root and source, which is in the level of “He engraved an engraving in the supernal luster,” to be clothed and revealed in the Written Torah, which is Chochmah and Binah of Atzilus. And this is “that Havayah commanded, saying,” as mentioned above.

(And see on the matter of “I will become wise, but it is far from me” in the Zohar, Part III, Pinchas, end of 223a; Part I, beginning of Parshas Toldos, 135a; Vayechi, end of 225b; the Rabbah on Parshas Chukas; and in Koheles Rabbah on this verse, page 104a–b; the first chapter of Yoma, 14a; the first chapter of Niddah, 9a.)

416. Now, in the Rabbah, at the beginning of Parshas Chukas: “‘This is the statute’: this is what the verse says, ‘Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure one? Not one’ (in Job 14:4): such as Avraham from Terach,

Chizkiyahu from Achaz, etc.; the World to Come from this world, etc. Who did so? Who commanded so? Who decreed so? Is it not the Only One of the world?”

Now, the matter of “Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure one” can be said of what was refined from the three kelipos that are below nogah; as with Avraham from Terach, for Terach was an idol worshipper, etc.

But this is difficult, for the three kelipos have no refinement now, until the Time to Come. And see on the matter of “Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure one” in the Zohar, Part II

(Pekudei, end of 237a; and in the Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 20, 42a). And see in Biurei HaZohar, at the beginning of Parshas Chukas, on the matter of living water, that it is the level of “And wisdom is found from nothing (ayin).”

And it explains that this is why atonement (kapparah) is needed, to draw down from the level of ayin (nothing), which is Keser (the Crown): because there is a difference between this, where one purifies one who is impure

through the dead, and the other refinements, where one sorts good from evil and food from waste: there it is the level of refinement alone, but not that the waste is transformed into food and the evil into good.

42And this can be through Chochmah (wisdom) alone, for “through Chochmah they are refined.” But here, to purify one impure through the dead: and the impurity of the dead is drawn from the shattering of the vessels, of which it is said, “And he reigned… and he died,” etc.,

which fell far, far below kelipas nogah (the glowing husk); and likewise from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, etc. And to purify this level of impurity, the impure is transformed into pure, and this is not

like the refinement mentioned above. Therefore this cannot be drawn from Chochmah, but only from the level that is above the shattering and the rectification (tikkun), the level of Keser (the Crown), of which it is said, “and take from the Tree of Life… and live forever,” etc.; and from there it is drawn down to remove the spirit of impurity. Thus far his words.

43And according to this, it can be said that this is the matter of “‘wisdom’ is the Order of Kodashim, and ‘knowledge’ is the Order of Taharos”: for the offerings are the matter of the refinement of kelipas nogah (the glowing husk), and “through Chochmah (wisdom) they are refined”;

and this is “‘wisdom’ is the Order of Kodashim.” And nevertheless, this refinement of Kodashim is through Chochmah, whereas the refinement of ordinary food prepared in the purity of the holy is through Binah (understanding), etc.

But “and ‘knowledge’ is the Order of Taharos”: for the impure becoming pure is through Daas (knowledge), which draws down from Keser (the Crown). And see what is written on this in the explanation on “I am Havayah your G‑d” in the section of tzitzis.

44And this is “Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure one? Is it not the One,” the Only One of the world: which is Keser (the Crown), called “Only” (Yachid). From there specifically this level is drawn, whereas from Chochmah (wisdom) there is only “through Chochmah they are refined,” etc.

It can also be said that “Who (mi) will give” is the level of Mi, as is written in the explanation on “At the time that Israel put ‘we will do’ first,” on the matter of what is written, “Who will give that they had such a heart,” etc.; see there.

And this is the saying of the Midrash Rabbah here (Parshas Chukas, page 273, end of column d): “‘If this one becomes impure, by what will his purification be?’ He did not answer him. At that moment Moshe’s face turned pale. When he reached the section of the red heifer,” etc.

From the fact that his face turned pale, it is evident that Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, thought that there is no purification for him; and it is difficult: from where would he have come to this?

45But according to the above it is well understood: for the Torah is drawn from the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), and “through Chochmah they are refined,” to distinguish between the pure and the impure, etc.;

but that there should be a pure thing out of an impure one, this cannot come about through Chochmah. Therefore his face turned pale, until he reached the section of the heifer, which is the drawing-down of living water from the level of the Tree of Life, from Keser (the Crown), from which it is drawn that “Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure one,” etc.

46And one should note the matter of the three reversals (“And He turned,” etc., “the curse into a blessing,” etc.); see what is written on this at the end of the discourse beginning “And He did not want,” in Parshas Teitzei.

And see what is written further on the matter of “Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure one” in Torah Ohr, Parshas Vayishlach, at the end of the discourse beginning “And he took from what came to his hand a gift,” and in the discourse beginning “And Yaakov sent”; and see Me’orei Or, letter ches, section 6.

(And see further on the matter of “Who can bring a pure thing” in the Zohar, Part I, Vayera, 102b; Part II, Yisro, 69b; Part III, Tazria, 48b.)

And on the matter of “This is the statute of the Torah… that they take to you a heifer,” in the Rabbah (end of Parshas Bo, chapter 19, page 135, column d); and it will be understood according to what is written in the Zohar, Part III, Pinchas (page 244b).

The Rabbah on Tetzaveh, beginning of chapter 38; Parshas Emor, end of chapter 30 (page 201a); Nasso, chapter 13 (page 253, column d), on the verse “On the second day Nesanel offered.”