ביאור על זה

1An explanation of this.

2Now, regarding the journeys it is written, “And it was, when the Ark set out, that Moshe said: Arise, Havayah, and let Your enemies be scattered,” etc. And we need to understand the matter of the journeys that took place until the Giving of the Torah, when there was not yet an Ark.

But the explanation is that the first journeys were in the desert near inhabited land, and therefore Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, and Israel themselves were able to subdue it,

even though the Ark was not yet with them. Whereas for the journeys afterward, deep within the desert, far from inhabited land, it was necessary, in order to subdue it, [to have] the Ark specifically as well. And this is “And it was, when the Ark set out,” etc.

3And so too is the matter above. For nogah (“brightness”) is the intermediary between holiness and the impure kelipos (husks), since it is composed of good and evil.

And this is what is written in Yechezkel’s [vision of the] Chariot: “a stormy wind, a great cloud and a flaring fire, and a brightness (nogah) round about it.” For after kelipas nogah begins the descending chain (hishtalshelus) of the three kelipos mentioned above, which receive their nourishment from holiness by means of kelipas nogah.

Therefore they are not all equal: in that which is closer to nogah, the evil is not as strong as in that which is far from nogah.

(And this is [the meaning of] what is written regarding Amalek, “and his end shall be to perish forever,” as was explained in the discourse beginning “A person is obligated to become intoxicated on Purim”; see there. And this is why at times it was said, “The Satan and Peninah intended it for the sake of Heaven,” while elsewhere they said, “He set his eyes on the First Temple,” etc., as is explained elsewhere.)

Therefore, those journeys that were in the desert adjoining inhabited land, that is, the beginning of the descending chain of the impure kelipos, which are still close to nogah: therefore the six hundred thousand souls of Israel, and Moshe and Aharon, were able to subdue them even before the Giving of the Torah, through the seven mitzvos that they were commanded at Marah, the keeping of Shabbos and the honoring of father

and mother, as is said of them in the later [version of the] Commandments, “as Havayah your G‑d commanded you,” and Rashi explained that “as He commanded you” means at Marah.

But the journeys they made afterward, deep within the desert far from inhabited land, where the kelipos that are far from nogah have their dwelling, these being the full force of evil: it was necessary, in order to subdue them, [that it be] through “when the Ark set out, Moshe said,” etc.

And the whole essential purpose of the journeys in the desert is to subdue it, because it is the source of the kelipos, opposite the level of Jerusalem in holiness

(and see the Zohar, Terumah, 157a; Tetzaveh, 184a and b; and Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Haaras HaMochin (the Gate of the Illumination of the Mochin) of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, chapter 5).

And this is a sign for the generations: that through this every one of Israel is able to serve G‑d and to subdue his body, by iskafya (subjugation) or is’hapcha (transformation), which is the essence of the service, etc.

Now, the forty-two journeys correspond to the Name of forty-two words of “Ana bekoach gedulas,” etc., which is the seven supernal attributes (middos), Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferes, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchus, each of them composed of six aspects only: Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferes, Netzach, Hod and Yesod.

Therefore it is seven verses, and each verse has only six words, for the seventh aspect within each attribute is not

in the count of the Name of forty-two. And we need to understand why, in the Counting of the Omer, there are forty-nine days, meaning that each of the seven supernal attributes is composed of seven, for we also count the aspect of Malchus within each attribute.

4The explanation is that the level of Malchus is the intermediary: Malchus of Atzilus becomes Atik (the “Ancient One”) for Beriah, and Malchus of Beriah [becomes] Atik for Yetzirah, etc., and Malchus of Ein Sof [becomes] Atik for Atzilus. For only the level of Malchus of the higher descends to become Atik and source for the lower.

5Now, the Name of forty-two is the level of ascents from below upward; this is why the section of Shema has forty-two words, from “And you shall love” until “and on your gates.”

At first glance this is not understood, for the section of Shema is Chesed and “And you shall love,” while the Name of forty-two is Gevurah. But [it is] because regarding the love of the section of Shema it is said, “with all your might (me’odecha),” without the limit of a vessel; and this is the level of ascent, which is through the Name of forty-two.

Whereas in the section “And it will be, if you listen,” where “with all your might” is not said, and it is the level of drawing down, it is the Name of seventy-two, as is explained elsewhere.

6Therefore the seven attributes of the Name of forty-two are each composed of only six aspects, which are the aspect of the essence of each attribute, and they are what ascend; whereas the seventh aspect within each attribute is the matter of the revelation of the attribute, etc.

This is because the ascents are into the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is “the most hidden of all hidden,” so that the seven attributes become nullified in Him, may He be blessed, for “He is not any of these attributes at all,” as it is written, “Yours, Havayah, is the greatness,” etc.

And this is the opposite of the level of the revelation of the attribute, which is the level of yesh (separate existence), etc. (And perhaps this is why the Name of forty-two is also in the Havayos of Av, Sag and Mah, whereas in the Name Ban there is no aspect of forty-two, as is written in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Kisei HaKavod (the Gate of the Throne of Glory), end of chapter 7, and in Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar HaKaddishim, chapter 1:

for the Name of forty-two is the level of ascents, and this is the opposite of the Name Ban, which is the level of Malchus, to be revelation, etc. And see Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 6, chapter 4, on “His head is as the finest gold (kesem paz)”: paz (87) is Mah (45) [and] forty-two, etc. And see the Mikdash Melech, Parshas Shemos.)

(on folio 8), on “a crown of fine gold (paz).” And see what is written on the Splitting of the Sea of Reeds at the end of the discourse beginning “The sea saw and fled; the mountains skipped,” etc.; see there.

But the Counting of the Omer is the level of drawings-down: “Today is day one,” etc. “Day” is a term for illumination and revelation, drawn down from the World of Atzilus to Beriah, and from Beriah to Yetzirah, and from Yetzirah to Asiyah, until it is drawn down into the soul of a person.

Therefore in each attribute we count seven aspects, for the main point here is that there be revelation and drawing down below, and this is the seventh aspect within each attribute: the revelation of the attribute. (And also, the omer of barley is the Name Ban.)

And from where do we begin to count? From the first day of Pesach; yet it itself is not part of the count, for it is the source from which the lights are drawn down, which is the matter of the counting, “Today is day…,” as mentioned above.

For of the first day of Pesach it is written, “And the children of Israel were going out with an upraised hand (beyad ramah)”; this means that it is in the level of exaltedness (romemus), above Chochmah (wisdom).

And this is “And you shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the Shabbos”: that is, from a level that is above Shabbos. For Shabbos is the intellect (mochin) of Abba, and “an upraised hand” is a level above that; and from this level you shall count forty-nine days, so that in each attribute there are specifically seven aspects.

(And see above, in the discourse beginning “To explain the matter of the journeys,” where the matter of the Name of forty-two of the journeys was explained as six attributes, each composed of seven; and this is not as was written [here], that they are seven attributes, each composed of six.

And it may be said, according to what is written in Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar HaKaddishim, beginning of chapter 2, in these words: “For the Name of forty-two of the kavanah (intention) of Kaddish is not the Name of forty-two known to us, which is Ana Bekoach, but rather the Name of forty-two of the Havayos,” etc.

And see there that the forty-two of the Havayos are the three hands: the great hand, the strong hand and the upraised hand, each hand being two times seven. It follows that the forty-two of the Havayos are six aspects, each composed of seven.

And this is what was explained there regarding the Name of forty-two. The matter of these three hands is explained elsewhere, in the discourse for Purim, on “For a hand is upon the throne,” etc. And see also what is written on this in the explanation of the verse “Take a count (Naso es),” etc.; see there.

And what was explained here regarding the Name of forty-two is Ana Bekoach, etc. And see further on the matter of the Name of forty-two in Pri Etz Chaim, on the kavanah of the first section of the Shema, in which there is the Name of forty-two; it is explained that the Name of forty-two is in the head of Z’eir Anpin, in Keser, Chochmah and Binah, etc. And see the Zohar, Parshas Terumah.)

(132b): “The Name of forty-two letters: its secret is the Patriarchs, who are crowned in the supernal world,” etc., until “that it is crowned in the Infinite (Ein Sof).” And see what is written about this in the Pardes, Sha’ar 30, chapter 7.

And see further the Zohar, Parshas Acharei (78a), and the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Behar (108b), and the Ramaz at the beginning of Parshas Teitzei, and on Parshas Bereishis (folio 4a).

Now, in each of the journeys there was an encampment afterward, and this is the drawing down of the light below to subdue the kelipos.

But in order that the drawing down be from a very high place, so that through this they would be subdued, for this there was first the ascent. And so too in the Name of forty-two: “six wings,” etc.

(“And with two he would fly,” and “with two” specifically: ascent and drawing down. And this is also the matter of Levites and Kohanim. And in the discourse beginning “To explain the matter of the journeys,” it was explained, on “Arise, Havayah, and let Your enemies be scattered,” etc., that through the ascent, too, there was the subduing of the kelipos; see there.)

72. Now, it is explained in the main text that the matter of “their goings-forth to their journeys” and “their journeys to their goings-forth” can be understood from the matter of the blessing over mitzvos. For just as in the journeys there was setting out and encamping, so in the performance of a mitzvah there is likewise ascent and drawing down.

That is: the drawing down of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is drawn down through the performance of the mitzvah, as with tallis and tzitzis, the drawing down of the encompassing [light] (makif) and the level of the thirty-two paths of Chochmah, and with tefillin, the drawing down of the intellect (mochin).

This drawing down comes through the refinement (birur) of kelipas nogah. For the parchment of the tefillin and the wool of the tzitzis were taken from kelipas nogah, and through the fulfillment of the mitzvah we refine kelipas nogah and raise the sparks to their root.

8Now, in order for this refinement and ascent to take place, there must first be a drawing down from above, for “were it not that He helps him,” etc.: an arousal from above, to awaken an arousal from below.

And this is the matter of the blessing over mitzvos: it is the drawing down of the encompassing [light] (makif), that is, the illumination of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), which is what raises and elevates, etc. (And see what is written elsewhere, in Parshas Mikeitz, in the discourse beginning “Who is raised on high to dwell,” etc., that every level of makif is what raises upward.)

Therefore the blessings over the mitzvos are rabbinic, for they are the drawing down of encompassing [lights] (makifim). And of this our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Dear upon me (alai) are the words of the Scribes”: “upon me” specifically, which is the level of makif, etc., as is explained elsewhere (in Parshas Shemos).

And this is the matter of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, “All the mitzvos: one blesses over them over la’asiyasan (passing ahead of their performance).” For at first glance it should have said, in the plain way, “before (kodem) their performance.” Why did they use the term over, so that afterward they needed to prove that this over is an expression of going ahead? Rather,

over la’asiyasan means that it is the level of makif to the performance of the mitzvah, which raises the deed (as in what is written, “the torrent would have passed (avar) over our soul”; see what is written on this at the end of the discourse beginning “To understand the matter of the verse ‘Who is a G‑d like You’”; and as in the explanation of “passing to the merchant (over lasocher)” in the Idra Rabba)

(128b), and see the book Kol BeRamah there: from the term sechor sechor (“around, around”), etc.; and as in “And Havayah passed (vaya’avor) over his face,” etc. And see the Zohar, Parshas Lech Lecha, 79b.

And this is also the matter of the difference between the drawing down at the beginning, to awaken the mayin nukvin (feminine waters), and the drawing down of mayin duchrin (masculine waters), which is drawn afterward through the raising of the mayin nukvin: that later drawing down shines and is revealed in an inward manner, whereas the drawing down at the beginning shines only in the manner of makif and the outer dimension (chitzoniyus).

As in “and his right hand embraces me”: he embraces her outwardly, and through this “the woman gives seed” and raises mayin nukvin, and through this the mayin duchrin, the male drop, is drawn afterward into her inwardly, so that from this there comes birth.

And also, when “the woman gives seed first, she bears a male,” because the drawing down of mayin duchrin and the arousal from above that is drawn down through the precedence of the arousal from below is from a higher level than the arousal from above at the beginning.

9All this is explained in the matter of the blessing over mitzvos. The blessing has in it the second person, “Blessed are You,” etc., and this is the drawing down to awaken the mayin nukvin; and afterward the third person, “Who has sanctified us with His commandments,” for the third person indicates a higher level, as in “He made us.”

That is, the raising of the mayin nukvin of the performance of the mitzvah, which rises higher and higher, as is explained on the matter of “Rise up, O well,” etc. Afterward, “and commanded us” is the matter of the drawing down of mayin duchrin, which is drawn afterward through the raising of the mayin nukvin.

For vetzivanu (“and commanded us”) is a term of tzavta (companionship) and joining, in that the mayin duchrin is drawn down in an inward manner, etc. (as is written in the Arizal’s Likkutei Torah, Parshas Bereishis, at the end of the introduction to Taamei HaMitzvos, that through the mitzvah the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva is effected).

And likewise it is also with the offerings, which are the level of the raising of mayin nukvin from the animal soul, which is in nogah, etc., and through this mayin duchrin are drawn and descend (see Iggeres HaKodesh, in the discourse beginning “Why was it juxtaposed”).

But here too, in order for there to be the raising of mayin nukvin, it is through the Kohen who offers [the sacrifice], who is supernal Chesed drawn down to raise the mayin nukvin, etc.

And the matter of the difference between Torah and mitzvos, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, overlooked,” etc., “but He did not overlook the neglect of Torah”: for the Torah is the level of the inner organs, on which the main life-force depends, and whose perforation [disqualifies] at the slightest amount.

And the mitzvos, “the 248 organs of the King,” are the level of the outer organs. The explanation is that above there are lights and vessels.

Now, the Torah, which is the level of Chochmah and intellect, is of the level of lights; and the mitzvos, which are the level of action, are of the level of vessels

(and see Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 41, chapter 7, that the union of the Infinite Light with Chochmah is called “He and His life-forces are one”; and it is known that “His life-forces” means lights, and garmohi means vessels).

But because, nevertheless, the root of the vessels is higher than the lights, therefore at times they said that the mitzvos are higher than the Torah, and “whoever learns not in order to do, it would have been better for him had his afterbirth been turned over,” etc.

For the mitzvos, which are of the level of vessels, are, relative to the Torah, which is the level of the lights, like the analogy of the afterbirth that surrounds the child, which was formed first from the drop

(as is written in Iggeres HaKodesh, the discourse beginning “He and His life-forces,” etc. And this is also the matter of “as in the creation of the world: first darkness,” which is the root of the vessels, “and then light,” the level of lights. And see what is written on this matter in the explanation of the verse “And the Jews undertook,” etc.).

The explanation is that the Torah is the level of the inner dimension (pnimiyus) and the mitzvos are the level of the outer dimension, but it is a supernal outer dimension, so that therefore only the outer dimension can be revealed, as in “Be silent! Thus it arose in thought,” and this is the level of the Gulgalta (the skull).

And so, because they are a very lofty outer dimension, therefore from this aspect they are higher than the Torah (and see what is written in Parshas Mikeitz on the matter of “eight princes of men”),

just as the skull surrounds the brain, which is the level of Chochmah (and see Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 22, chapter 5, in the Shklov printing). But nevertheless, because the Torah is of the level of the mocha (brain), the level of Chochmah, which is the level of the inner dimension,

therefore they said that the Torah is higher than the mitzvos (and see what is written in Parshas Acharei on the verse “For on this day He shall atone,” etc., and regarding Shavuos, on the verse “And G‑d spoke”).

And therefore the Torah is food for the soul, whose revelation in Gan Eden is in an inward manner, in reason and intellect; whereas from the mitzvos garments are made, which can shine only in the manner of a garment, which is the level of the outer dimension, etc.

103. And now let us return to our subject, the matter of the journeys, in which there was setting out and encamping, ascent and drawing down. And just as with the mitzvos there must also be a drawing down at the beginning in order for the ascent to take place, and this is the matter of the blessing over mitzvos “passing ahead of their performance” (over la’asiyasan),

so too it is with the journeys. And this is the matter of “And Moshe wrote their goings-forth to their journeys”: it is a drawing down first from above, from the level of the goings-forth of the souls of Israel, “to their journeys,” that is, to give strength and power for the ascent to take place.

And the meaning of “And Moshe wrote” is “the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, is truth” (see Shemos Rabbah, parashah 5, on the verse “Kindness and truth have met”: “and truth is Moshe”; and see the Ramaz on Parshas Va’eschanan) (261a): “And this is Moshe, truth,” etc.;

see there. And also, “wrote” is like “the scribe wrote” in the Mishnah at the end of Gittin, which the Gemara explains as “the scribe signed”; and likewise in the verse “and he shall write,” regarding the bill of divorce, according to the view of Rabbi Meir in the Gemara, its meaning is “he shall sign,” etc.

This will be understood by first introducing that there are two levels of Chochmah, as is written in the Idra Rabba (128b): namely, the Chochmah of Atzilus spreads out and goes forth into thirty-two paths, and of this it is said, “And a river goes forth from Eden.”

But the hidden Chochmah (Chochmah Stima’ah) is the level that “has not been opened,” which is above intellect and comprehension. And this is the matter of “Be silent! Thus it arose in thought” (Menachos 29b), which does not mean that thus it arose without a reason, G‑d forbid.

Rather, that reason is utterly hidden and not given to comprehension, so much so that below it appears that there is no reason in the will; and this is the level of the hidden Chochmah

(which is called “thought” in the Zohar, Parshas Noach) (65b). And see what is written on this in the explanation of the verse “If in My statutes,” and in the discourse beginning “The matter of the recital of Shema.”

Therefore even Moshe, who received the Torah, and “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah,” which is the level of the Chochmah of Atzilus, could not grasp at all the reason in the supernal Thought, which is the level of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), to Whom all the worlds of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah bear no comparison, may He be blessed.

(And this is the matter of “Your thoughts are very deep,” as [will be explained] below.) Now, the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, which are the thirteen tikkunim of the beard (tikkunei dikna), are drawn from the hidden brain (Mocha Stima’ah)

(and therefore below, too, in a person, the growth of the beard comes after he has the mature intellect (gadlus hamochin), as is explained in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim) (section 53, paragraph 8): that the years in which it is fitting for his beard to fill out are after twenty years.

And it is explained in Etz Chaim, end of Sha’ar 24, concerning the reason [that one may not] sell of his father’s property until he is twenty years old, for then his mind is settled, as is written in the Gemara (Bava Basra 156b) and in the Rambam:

that this is because at that time the two makifim (encompassing lights) of Abba, the lamed and the mem, etc., are drawn into him, and after these makifim have entered, then his beard fills out, as is written in Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 10, chapter 6, that this is why the Thirteen Attributes are said after the Shemoneh Esreh, etc.

But nevertheless, their drawing down from the hidden brain is only in the manner of hairs alone. This is because, even though they are very lofty attributes, nevertheless, for the level of attributes to come into being from the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, Who “is not any of these attributes at all,” is not

[possible] except through tremendous contractions (tzimtzumim). For the level of the attributes “Compassionate and Gracious” does not apply unless there applies the level of a world and created beings, upon whom the attribute of mercy may fall.

11As is written at the beginning of Otzros Chaim: for if there is no one in the world to receive mercy from Him, how could He be called Compassionate? And this is “Remember Your mercies, Havayah, and Your kindnesses,

for they are me’olam (‘from the world’)”: these attributes are within the bounds of worlds; and as is explained elsewhere, even the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) is within the bounds of worlds. If so, relative to His Being and Essence, may He be blessed, which is not within the bounds of worlds at all.

12And even now, although the worlds have come into being, nevertheless “all before Him is considered as nothing,” meaning that in truth He alone is,

as before the world was created, and all created beings are nullified in their very existence, like the nullification of the sun’s radiance when it is within the body of the sun, and the term yesh (an existing thing) does not apply to them at all, as is written at length in Sefer Shel Beinonim, Part II, chapter 3, and Part I, chapter 20.

If so, before Him, may He be blessed, truly as He alone is, these attributes do not apply at all, even though they are the very highest attributes, for nevertheless “they are me’olam (from the world).”

Whereas the level of the hidden Chochmah is the level of “He is wise, but not with a known wisdom,” which is as He, may He be blessed, alone is, even had He not created the worlds at all (see on this the end of the discourse beginning “And these are the names”).

And this is the meaning and matter of “Kodesh (holy) is a thing unto itself,” explained in the Zohar, Emor (folio 94): that it is a level that has no relation to the worlds at all, and this is “a thing unto itself.”

And it is not like the attributes, which are descriptions brought about by others, as is written in the gloss at the beginning of Otzros Chaim in the name of the commentators. Therefore the drawing down of the Thirteen Attributes from the hidden Chochmah is not

other than in the manner of the thirteen tikkunim of the beard. By way of analogy, the hairs have no comparison or relation at all to the brain (mochin) in the head, and the main life-force of the brain does not spread into them at all;

for if a person cuts the hair of his head, the brain feels no pain at all, since only a mere contracted glimmer spreads into them, so that they have only nourishment from the brain and a hold in it.

So too, by way of analogy, is the illumination drawn from the hidden Chochmah for the coming into being of the Thirteen Attributes, which are the source for the level of worlds, Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, etc.;

and for the coming into being of the level of yesh (existence), and that the yesh be nullified, etc., it is only from the level of a mere radiance and glimmer, through tremendous contractions, etc. (and see Sefer Shel Beinonim, Part II, chapter 9, in the gloss).

And this is “Remember Your mercies,” etc., for remembering applies only to something that is distant from one in place or in rank, etc. And this is “How great are Your works, Havayah; Your thoughts are very deep.” For

the coming into being of all the worlds, higher and lower, Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, which is the matter of “How great are Your works,” is from the supernal attributes, which are sources for the level of worlds. And they, relative to His Thought, may He be blessed, are like a person’s hair relative to his brain, by way of analogy.

If so, from this we can contemplate the greatness of the depth of His Thought, may He be blessed, and its superiority, without end or limit, over the level of the life-force of all the worlds, etc. And see on this at the end of Iggeres HaKodesh, the discourse beginning “David, you called them songs.”

13Now, the seventh of the thirteen tikkunim of the beard is “and truth” (ve’emes), which is the seventh attribute of the Thirteen Attributes that Moshe said. And we need to understand, along the lines of the question raised in the Zohar at the beginning of Parshas Vayikra: “And if you will say, are the other letters not truth?” etc.

But the explanation is that in the seventh tikkun the light of the hidden Chochmah is drawn down and revealed not through the contraction of the level of hairs, as is written in the Idra (131, and 133b): “The seventh tikkun: the hair ceases, and two apples are seen,” etc.;

as it is written, “In the light of the King’s face is life.” The meaning of “the hair ceases” is as on the face there is no growth of hair at all; and therefore this level is called “and truth,” that is, the revelation of the truth,

as He alone is and there is none besides Him. And this is the rank of Chochmah that is called “a thing unto itself,” as is written in Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapter 35, in the gloss, “I heard from my teacher,” etc.;

see there. And this level is drawn down and revealed in the seventh tikkun, since in it the light of the hidden Chochmah shines not through the contraction of the hairs.

Whereas in the other tikkunim, which are the level of the attributes, even though they are the very highest attributes, “and abundant in kindness,” etc., nevertheless, since they pertain to the level of worlds, there is not in them the revelation of the essence of the hidden Chochmah, which is

as He alone is, the true One, and there is nothing else at all; and this is because the drawing down is only through the level of hairs, as mentioned above.

(And close to this, the Rambam wrote in explaining “truth”; these are his words: “This is what the prophet says, ‘And Havayah, G‑d, is truth’: that is to say, there is no true existent besides Him like Him, for all existing things need Him, and He, blessed be He, does not need them, nor any one of them; therefore His truth is not like the truth of any one of them.” Thus far his words.)

(And see [Bereishis] Rabbah, Vayishlach, parashah 81, on the matter of “the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, is truth,” and Shir HaShirim Rabbah on the verse “To my mare in my chariots,” that it is named for “I am first and I am last,” etc. And see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “The heads of the tribes.”)

144. And the meaning of the illumination in the seventh tikkun, which is called “in the light of the King’s face,” will be understood along the lines of what is related: Rabbi Abahu’s face shone because he had found a new Tosefta (and so it is in Nedarim) (49b), regarding Rabbi Yehudah: “A man’s wisdom makes his face shine.”

And therefore his face was shining; thus the light of wisdom and intellect actually lights up his face. And although that which lights up his face is not spiritual

like the intellect in the brain, but rather a physical illumination, nevertheless it is far higher than the level of the nourishment from the brain that is in the hairs, which are only the surplus of the brain (mochin),

and which are, moreover, only of the level of the vegetative, which bears no comparison to the essence of the level of the speaking [being]. Whereas the illumination with which wisdom makes his face shine is drawn specifically from the very essence of the wisdom: it is precisely because he found a new Tosefta that his face would shine.

And also, the illumination is in the face, which is the main place where the life-force is revealed, etc. And by way of this analogy, the matter of “In the light of the King’s face is life” will be understood above: it is the revelation of a supernal illumination from the hidden Chochmah itself, far, far above the level of hairs, etc.

And this is “For in the light of Your face You gave us a Torah of life.” (Therefore, even though the third of the thirteen tikkunim of the beard is also free of hairs, as is written in the Zohar)

(there, 131a), nevertheless the seventh tikkun is different, for in it the light of the hidden Chochmah is drawn down and revealed, as “a man’s wisdom makes his face shine,” his face specifically; therefore it is called “and truth.”

And so regarding the Torah it is written, “A Torah of truth was in his mouth,” and “Buy truth,” etc. And the Ramaz, at the beginning of Parshas Vayikra, wrote that the Daas of Atik, which shines in the head of Arich, shines in the seventh tikkun, for “Daas testifies in the face,” etc.

15And see what is written in Mevo She’arim, Sha’ar 3, Part 2, chapter 2: “Now, in Atik there are no hairs,” etc. And this is the matter of “Like an apple among the trees of the forest,” as Rabbi Chaim Vital explained, brought in the book Nishmas David on

the Song of Songs: “the trees of the forest” are the hairs of the beard, and “the apple” is the seventh tikkun, and in it the illumination of all seven tikkunim of the Gulgalta is revealed. “So is my beloved” is Z’eir Anpin, etc., for the illumination of the face of Arich Anpin shines in the face of Z’eir Anpin, as [will be explained] below.

16And the reason they are likened to the trees of the forest is that the hairs, by way of analogy, are only the level of the vegetative within the speaking [being], and bear no comparison to the essence of the person himself, the level of the speaking [being].

But the seventh tikkun is called “apple,” for it has goodness of taste, appearance and fragrance; and so too the illumination of the level of “the light of the face,” etc.,

in that a man’s very wisdom makes his face shine, etc.: “to make the face shine from oil” is the level of “the oil of holy anointing,” which is the hidden Chochmah, etc.

And this is the matter of “the glory of gray hair” (Proverbs 16:31), which is the level of “the splendor of the face” (hadras panim). See what is written on this elsewhere, in Parshas Vayeishev, in the discourse beginning “On the twenty-fifth of Kislev,” and see there the explanation of “Gray hair is a crown of glory”:

that it is the matter of “a helmet of salvation,” to draw down the level of the splendor of the face; and all this “is found in the way of tzedakah (righteousness),” for in it and through it the level of the “crown of glory” is drawn down (see the Zohar, Part III, 42b, and 36, end of side a).

And see Iggeres HaKodesh, at the end of the discourse beginning “And He donned tzedakah as a coat of mail,” and see what is written in the explanation of the verse “I will greatly rejoice,” etc., “for He has clothed me in garments of salvation,” etc.

Now, in the commentary on the Idra by the disciples of the Arizal, of blessed memory, in the book Kol BeRamah, it explains the matter of “and truth” as meaning that it does not change at all, “and it is already known that all truth depends on Atika.” End of quote. The meaning is as it is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed”: that there is no change at all, etc.

And also in the manner of “a spring of water whose waters do not fail (yechazvu)”: thus truth is that there is no interruption at all to its flow, as opposed to “rivers that fail” in chapter 8 of Tractate Parah.

And this is what the Shunammite woman said to Elisha, “Do not deceive (techazev) your maidservant.” For this does not mean that she did not believe his words; rather, her intent was that his soul should not be drawn from a place that has no permanence and continuity.

This will be understood according to what is written on this matter in the Zohar, Beshalach (44b). And this is what it says, that “all truth depends on Atika”: for below, in Z’eir Anpin, where there is right and left,

therefore at times the attribute of judgment holds back and causes the withholding of the flow, G‑d forbid. Whereas in Atika Kadisha, as “there is no left in this Atika,” therefore there is no interruption or withholding at all of its flow.

And this is the matter of “a source of living waters,” which always flow. And of this our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Wherever ‘to Me’ is said, it has no interruption forever,” as is explained elsewhere on “And I will betroth you to Me forever,” etc.; and this is “With an everlasting love You have loved us,” etc. And see what is written in Parshas Yisro, in the discourse beginning

“Now, to understand the root of the matter of the Giving of the Torah,” on the meaning and matter of “For He is not a man, that He should relent.” And therefore this level is called “truth.”

17Now, from this an additional explanation will be understood of what was explained above, that the hidden Chochmah itself is the level of “He is not any of these attributes at all,”

and this is the level of truth. The intent is not, G‑d forbid, that the acts and the benefits that come from the attributes “Compassionate and Gracious” are not drawn from the level of truth, because “all before Him is considered as nothing.”

For heaven forbid to think so, as the Rambam wrote, that all existing things exist only from the truth of His existence, specifically. And as mentioned above, the meaning of “truth” is that His goodness and His flow never cease, and “His waters do not fail,” G‑d forbid.

And so it is explained at length in the Zohar there (133b): “and all His goodness does not cease,” etc., as it is written, “In the light of the King’s face is life.” Rather, the intent is that the flow and the light are drawn down not in the manner of the flow drawn from the level of attributes, in which the worlds occupy a place, to the point that these attributes apply there,

but rather that all the good and the light come without any being affected (hispa’alus) of the attributes at all; and this is the matter of “In the light of the King’s face is life.”

And this is the matter that the level of truth is “I have not changed”: that there is no change or being affected at all, etc.; and it is the source of the good, for “all His goodness does not cease,” etc.

And although in truth even the attributes of Atzilus are not at all of the order and kind of the attributes of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, and the attribute [there] is not a matter of being affected and change, G‑d forbid, as is written in Iggeres HaKodesh, the discourse beginning “To understand the parable and allegory,” in the name of the Maggid, whose soul is in Eden, explaining what Avraham said, “And I am dust and ashes,” etc.; see there.

18And see what is written on this in Parshas Yisro, in the first discourse on the verse “Remember the Shabbos day,” etc.; and see what is written elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “Eliyahu opened,” in Parshas Vayeira, that the descending chain (hishtalshelus) of the attributes of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah from the attributes of Atzilus is along the lines of what our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “You have no blade of grass,” etc.;

see there. And all the more so, a fortiori, the attributes that are above Atzilus, whose ways are exalted far, far above the attributes of Atzilus, as is explained elsewhere on the verse “Havayah: those who strive with Him shall be broken.”

But even so, relative to the truth of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, itself, even the essence of the attributes above Atzilus does not apply at all, as mentioned above, and the drawing down of the Thirteen Attributes is through the level of hairs, etc.,

as mentioned above. And this is “The Good One, for Your mercies have not ended”: for the level of “and in His goodness” is still above the attributes called “for Your mercies have not ended,” which are the Thirteen Attributes;

but from the level of “and in His goodness” the Thirteen Attributes are drawn, so that there is “for Your mercies have not ended.” And the meaning of “have not ended” is as is written in the Idra (133b),

that the Chesed of Atik is “Chesed of truth” (chesed dikeshot), that is, kindness of truth; and the disciples of the Arizal, of blessed memory, explained that it never ceases, etc.

And perhaps the meaning is also that the tikkun “and truth,” though it is above the attributes, nevertheless shines its illumination into all the attributes as well, as it is written, “Kindness and truth have met”;

and this is the matter of “Like an apple among the trees of the forest,” as mentioned above. And therefore the Chesed is called “Chesed of truth,” kindness of actual truth.

19And this is the matter of “the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, is truth.” For the essence of the level of truth is when one grasps the wisdom and knows that it is so; whereas when it is still in a state of concealment, and “no eye has seen,” the truth is not known.

Therefore the hidden Chochmah itself, as it is hidden, “not found and not opened,” cannot yet be called truth, until an illumination and revelation is drawn from it in the level of the “two apples,” which is the level of “the light of the King’s face.”

20And therefore it is called “His seal,” like a person’s seal, which is only the level of action. And so, by way of analogy, the illumination in the face is like action relative to the essence of the wisdom in a person’s brain, from which his face shines.

But nevertheless, the seal is what establishes every matter, and “all follows the seal.” And likewise above, the level of the illumination of the face is drawn from the power of the essence of the hidden Chochmah, as mentioned above in the analogy;

therefore, although it is considered the level of action relative to the being and essence of the hidden Chochmah, nevertheless it is what establishes everything. And this is the matter of “and seal us in the book of life,” “and seal us in the book of livelihood,” etc., for “in the light of the King’s face is life.”

215. Now, it is written, “You will give truth to Yaakov.” The meaning is: Yaakov is Z’eir Anpin, and in it is the main level of truth. For the Thirteen Attributes, “G‑d, compassionate,” etc., “and truth,” etc.,

that Moshe said means that he drew the Thirteen Attributes from Arich Anpin to Z’eir Anpin, so that there would be thirteen attributes in it as well (as is written in the Idra of Naso, 131b and 138a), and then it is called “and truth.”

And although truth is above, in Atika, and there specifically is the source of truth, as mentioned above, it is not yet revealed; but when it is drawn into Z’eir Anpin it is revealed, and then it can be called “and truth,” for then the truth becomes known.

And this is the matter of the gaze (istakluta) of Z’eir Anpin into the face of Arich Anpin, through which it receives one hundred and fifty and two hundred and twenty lights, etc. (and see there, in Parshas Naso) (131a): “From the two apples,” etc.,

“the face of Z’eir Anpin shines”; and so it is at 133b and 136b, “His face shines,” etc. And see (135, end of side b): “and they become long,” etc.,

“because He looks,” etc. That is: to Z’eir Anpin are drawn 150 of the 370 lights in the face of Arich Anpin, and therefore it is called Ze’ir (“small”), because there remain arech (220) lights

of the 370 lights that were not drawn into it. But at times Arich Anpin bestows on it all the 370 lights, and this is “and they become long,” etc. And see Etz Chaim, end of Sha’ar Arich Anpin, and see the Idra Zuta, 288b.

22And there is more within this: from Z’eir Anpin there is drawn also to Malchus, which is the source of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, the illumination of the face that was drawn into it from Arich Anpin.

And this is “Your eyes are doves,” like a pair of doves that always gaze at one another and take delight, etc. And so Malchus receives the illumination of the face of Z’eir Anpin, that which the face of Arich Anpin shines into it

(and this is the matter of “May Havayah make His face shine upon you,” as explained in the Idra, Parshas Naso) (133b); and in the Zohar, Va’eschanan (261a), on “Face to face He spoke,” etc., in the explanation of the Ramaz: that the face of Arich Anpin was clothed in the face of Z’eir Anpin, and spoke with you.

And in the Mikdash Melech it explains: Z’eir Anpin was clothed in Malchus, etc.; and this is the illumination of the face of Arich Anpin drawn to Israel through Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, etc. And there, in Malchus, is the main [place of the] seal; and this is why at Ne’ilah of Yom Kippur we say, “and seal us in the book of life,” etc.,

for Malchus of Atzilus is the source of the created beings, and its ascent at Ne’ilah is higher and higher, up to the beard of Arich Anpin; and from the level of the illumination of the face, the level of “the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, is truth” is drawn into it. And this is “You will give truth to Yaakov,” etc.

(Accordingly, it is well understood in its plain sense that it is called a “seal,” which is the level of action: for Malchus is the level of action within Atzilus, relative to Keser, which is called Atzilus of Atzilus.

And see Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Tefillas Rosh HaShanah (the Gate of the Prayer of Rosh HaShanah), chapter 4, on the kavanah of “King, Helper, Savior and Shield”: that it now has the light of all the 370 myriads of lights that are in the face of Arich Anpin, etc.; it follows, etc.; see there. And see Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Yom HaKippurim, chapter 5.)

And this is the matter of “And Moshe wrote their goings-forth to their journeys.” For Moshe is “the King’s groomsman (shushvina demalka),” who conducts the drawing down of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), and he drew down from the level of “their goings-forth,” which is the source of the souls of Israel, from the term motza mayim (“a spring of water”). That is, because

the souls themselves “arose in thought,” but their source is in the Essence of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, the Master of the thought, the Master of the will.

23And this drawing down from their goings-forth is “for their journeys”: so that through this they will be able to ascend from below upward in the level of “with all your might (me’odecha),” that is, that there be an intensification of the love of the G‑dly soul, until even the evil inclination

turns to the love of G‑d, for then it is the level of “very good.” For in order for there to be this ascent, there must first be a drawing down of power from above, as it is written, “And I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them upon his arms”: for when

a father wants to lift his small son and raise him up to himself, it is by lowering his stature to him, and then he lifts him upon his arms, etc. And see what is written on this verse in the discourse beginning “Israel is holy,” in Parshas Pinchas.

(Now, the matter that the power for the ascent is through the drawing down from the level of “the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, is truth” is understood from what was explained above: that the level of truth is as He alone is and there is none besides Him;

and therefore the higher Chochmah is called truth, because this is the rank of Chochmah, which is the level of actual nullification (bittul), as is written in Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapter 35, in the gloss.

And therefore, from the level of truth, the drawing down of bittul is drawn below as well, so that there be the nullification of the yesh (separate existence); and therefore the power for the ascent and the bittul to take place is through “And Moshe wrote,” for he drew down from the level of truth below as well, as it is written, “And the truth of Havayah is forever.”

And see what is further written elsewhere on the matter of the drawing down of bittul from the higher Chochmah below, so that through this there will be the power for the nullification of the yesh; it is on the verse “And it shall be for you as tzitzis,” etc.; see there.

But to understand the matter that the goings-forth and root of the souls of Israel are from the level of truth: it is as mentioned above, that their goings-forth and root are in the Essence of the Infinite One, blessed be He, the Master of the will, etc.,

which is the level of “a spring of water whose waters do not fail,” which is the level of truth, as it is written, “Me they have forsaken, the source of living waters.” And also the power of the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, from which the souls themselves are drawn, comes and is drawn through the gazing into Arich Anpin.)

(And see the Zohar, Shelach, 163b: “Truth includes male and female together,” etc. And see the Zohar, Part II, Beshalach, 57b; Yisro, 89a, and 90, end of side a, on the matter of “truth to Yaakov”; Zohar, Part I, Lech Lecha, 96a; Part III, Vayikra, 12b; Acharei, 73b; Naso, 131b and 134a;

Va’eschanan, 267a; Ha’azinu, 297a.) And see what is written on the verse “And these are the laws,” how Moshe draws down Daas (knowledge) to the souls of Israel; and this drawing down is the matter of “If you acquire a Hebrew (ivri) servant,” that is, from the level of “Your fathers dwelt on the other side (ever) of the river,” etc.; see there.

And this is the matter of “their goings-forth,” which is from the level of “the other side of the river,” etc.; and the drawing down of Daas is actually from the tikkun “and truth,” as the Ramaz wrote at the beginning of Parshas Vayikra.

24Now, the drawing down of this arousal from above, of the level of “And Moshe wrote their goings-forth,” is through the study of Torah, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The light within it brings them back to good.”

Therefore it is called “a Torah of truth,” and “in the light of Your face You gave us a Torah of life.” And this is “Write them upon the tablet of your heart,” that is, as was explained regarding “And Moshe wrote,” that it is the drawing down of the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He.

And see what is written in Parshas Bereishis, at the end of the discourse beginning “To understand the matter of the blessings,” on the meaning of “Seal the Torah among My disciples,” etc., and this is the matter of sealing with “Blessed,” etc.;

see there. (And see on this the Zohar, end of Parshas Tzav, 35a; and see what is written in Parshas Mikeitz, in the discourse beginning “Sing and rejoice, O daughter [of Zion],” on the explanation of “You will give truth to Yaakov,” etc., “from days of old.”)

And this matter, how this drawing down is through the study of Torah, will be further understood according to what is written elsewhere, at the end of the discourse beginning “And He spoke,” on “in the Wilderness of Sinai”,

and in the discourse beginning “And He spoke,” on the Ten Commandments: that through the study of Torah the level of the mazal and source of the soul is drawn down to be in the soul that is enclothed in the body, etc.; see there. And this is precisely the matter of the drawing down from the level of “their goings-forth to their journeys,” etc.

And afterward it is said, “And these are their journeys to their goings-forth,” which is the level of the ascent from below upward. (And see what is written on the verse “My dove, in the clefts,” etc., on the meaning of “and go for yourself.”)