כתיב ה׳ יחתו מריבו וגו׳

1It is written, “Havayah—those who contend with Him (merivo) shall be shattered,” etc. Now this is difficult: who are those who contend with G‑d? And see in the Zohar, Parshas Vayikra (page 19b), what it explains: “At the time when the judgments are aroused and hold sway,

they hold sway over mercy, and mercy is subdued; and at the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, is blessed from the wellspring of the stream, then mercy prevails and the judgments are subdued. As it is written, ‘Havayah—merivo shall be shattered’: meriv vav, [the one who] contends with the vav,” etc.; see there.

To understand this: how is the matter of “judgments being aroused” called “those who contend with Him”? The explanation is that the Name Havayah is the attribute of mercy. And although the Name Havayah is in Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes) of Atzilus,

and, after all, it contains the attribute of Gevurah (restraint); and likewise in the coming into being of the creations, whose coming into being is from the Name Havayah, there are, after all, four camps of the Shechinah (Divine Presence): the camp of Michael, Chesed (kindness), and the camp of Gavriel, Gevurah.

But this level of Gevurah is in the manner of “including the left in the right”: it is included in, and nullified before, the attribute of Chesed. If so, then on the contrary, there comes from it a benefit and an added advantage in the Chesed, beyond what there would be if the Chesed were by itself.

For Chesed is the level of coldness, like water, which is cold and moist [see the Zohar, at the beginning of Parshas Va’eira]; while the essence of life-force (chayus) comes through warmth, as [in the verse], “for the blood is the soul”;

and so it is in spiritual matters as well; for from the side of the level of the waters themselves, the level of coldness, there can also come [a state where] “the waters freeze,” which is the withholding of the flow altogether. And this is [the meaning of] what is written regarding Yaakov, “And the flocks came into heat (vayechemu),” etc.

2“And they came into heat when they came to drink,” etc.: for no procreation can come about except through warmth, which is from the level of Gevurah (restraint). Therefore in the Name Havayah, which brings everything into being, there must also be the level of Gevurah.

Only, it is included in the right; and if so, it is from this specifically that the essence of life-force and of coming into being comes. But if the attribute of Gevurah is not included in Chesed (kindness),

as was the case in the World of Tohu, where there was not the level of “including the left in the right,” then there branched out from this the coming into being of harsh judgments; and these are the accusers above, whose whole desire is to carry out judgment, as is written

in the Zohar, at the beginning of Parshas Miketz, on the verse “And every end He searches out.” And likewise below, among human beings, there are people who rejoice at the misfortune of their fellows.

3And also, at times when they are enraged at the sinner, it is not that they are grieved over the sin, but rather that their desire is for the carrying out of judgment.

So too with the accusers above, who are in the manner mentioned above: they are not distressed over the sin in the manner of “the zeal of Havayah of Hosts,” but rather their desire is for the carrying out of judgment. That is because they are the dross of Gevurah (restraint).

Therefore they are the ones called merivav, “those who contend with” the Name Havayah: for they are against the Name Havayah, since His will, may He be blessed, is specifically for Chesed (kindness) and “to include the left in the right.” [And along these lines the Zohar, at the end of Parshas Acharei (page 79b), explains the matter of “those who banded together against Havayah”:

that is, Korach too wanted to separate the Gevuros by themselves, and not to have the level of “including the left in the right,” as is written in the Zohar, at the beginning of Parshas Korach.

And along these lines there is explained elsewhere the meaning and matter of “to execute the vengeance of Havayah upon Midian”: for the level of Midian, strife and contention (riv umadon), is likewise the opposite of, and against, the level of the Name Havayah; as is written in the discourse beginning “Arm from among you,” etc.,

in Parshas Mattos. And it is explained there that although in the Torah there are many punishments and Gevuros, yet this Gevurah has Chesed as its purpose: that through it there should be a rectification (tikkun) for the soul of the sinner,

like a father who strikes his son so that he will walk “in the way of the good”; whereas harsh Gevuros desire the carrying out of judgment for its own sake. See the Zohar, Balak

(page 192b), regarding “What is written in it?” He said to him, “You shall not murder,” etc.; see there.] And of this it is said, “Havayah—those who contend with Him shall be shattered.”

Now, the cantillation mark on this Name Havayah is gershayim, which is two strokes; in Pardes, in the Gate of the Cantillation Marks (Sha’ar HaTe’amim), it is called trein gerishin (two gereshes); and this cantillation is two sounds.

4And this is because, for there to be a sweetening of the judgments and their nullification, it must come through a drawing-down from the level of the Chesed (kindness) of Arich Anpin, which is far, far above the Chesed of Z’eir Anpin. For the Chesed of Z’eir Anpin is called chesed olam (kindness of the world), and of it is said, “And Yours, Ado-nai, is kindness,

for You repay a man according to his deeds”: that is, according to the measure of the deeds of human beings; as the arousal from below (isarusa dilesata) is, so is the arousal from above (isarusa dile’eila) and the drawing-down from this Chesed. Therefore it is called chesed olam, for it is within limit and measure.

5Therefore, there the accusers find room to accuse; as with Bilam, who searched for and found the places where Israel were destined to sin, and through this wanted to accuse, to argue for guilt, etc., to arouse the attribute of judgment.

But the level of the Chesed (kindness) of Arich Anpin is the supernal Chesed (chesed ila’ah), and it is called “and abundant in kindness” (verav chesed), because it shines and spreads forth from the level of the Infinite One (Ein Sof) without limit

or measure [see Iggeres HaKodesh, section 10, on the verse “The kindnesses of Havayah”]; and there the arousal from below (isarusa dilesata) does not reach at all; rather, the Chesed descends and is drawn down constantly, of itself,

“for He desires kindness.” Therefore, through a drawing-down from this level of Chesed, all the judgments are nullified, and the accusations have no place at all (and see what is written on the verse “But Havayah your G‑d would not listen to Bilam”).

However, the Chesed of Arich Anpin itself cannot be drawn down below at all, for it is without limit, and [those below] would not be able to receive [it]. Therefore it must be enclothed in the Chesed of Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), which is the level of a vessel for the revelation of the light of the Chesed of Arich Anpin

(and the Chesed of Z’eir Anpin is called “the body” (gufa) relative to “abundant in kindness,” which is like the level of a soul to the Chesed of Z’eir Anpin; just as, by way of analogy, from the soul itself, without enclothement in a body, there would be only an influence of spiritual things,

but for physical influences to come from it is specifically through the medium of its enclothement in the body; so too the level of “and abundant in kindness” is above the essence of the level of Chesed; rather, it is the source of Chesed,

as in the expression “Father of mercy” (Av HaRachamim), meaning the father and source of the attribute of mercy. Therefore it is impossible for influences to be drawn from it into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah except through its enclothement in the Chesed of Atzilus, which is called the body: “Chesed, the right arm,” etc.; and as is written in the Zohar, in the Idra)

(page 133b): “And true kindness (chesed dikshot) is not said of the life of the body, but of the life of the soul,” etc. Furthermore, since the Chesed of Arich Anpin is without limit, and the arousal from below

has no place [there] at all, then the external forces (chitzonim) too would be able to receive from it. Therefore the drawing-down from the Chesed of Arich Anpin must be through the Chesed of Z’eir Anpin, so that this level of revelation of the supernal Chesed be drawn down

only to the side of holiness. And see what is written on the verse “And a man wrestled,” and on “We were slaves,” etc., “and Havayah our G‑d took us out”: Abba and Imma, which enclothed the arms of Arich Anpin.

6And this is why the cantillation of the Name [in] “Havayah—those who contend with Him shall be shattered” is gershayim, which are two movements, one above the other: to indicate that it is a drawing-down from a very high place, from Arich Anpin to Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), in which there must be two drawings-down: the first, from the Chesed (kindness) of Arich Anpin to Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah);

7and afterwards, from Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah) it is drawn to Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes). Therefore this cantillation is two movements [and see what is written in the discourse beginning “The Song of Songs,” on the matter of the two levels of chasan (bridegroom): chas darga (“he descended a level”), etc.,

and in the discourse beginning “You have captured my heart” (libavtini): two hearts, etc.; see there]. And then, when it is drawn from the Name Havayah of Arich Anpin into Z’eir Anpin, through this “those who contend with Him shall be shattered”: the forces of judgment, which are those who contend with Z’eir Anpin, are nullified.

8And in the Zohar it explains meriv vav, “[one who] contends with the vav”: for the vav is the six emotive attributes (middos) of Z’eir Anpin, in which Chesed (kindness) prevails, since the level of Gevurah (restraint) in it is in the manner of “including the left in the right,” as mentioned above. And the accusers above, in the chambers

of the external forces, who accuse Israel, are against precisely this level, and are called merivav, “those who contend with Him”; as is written in the Torah, in the portion of Bilam, “And the anger of Elokim flared because he was going,” etc. And through the revelation of the Name Havayah of Arich Anpin in Z’eir Anpin, through this “those who contend with Him shall be shattered.”

9And this is along the lines of what is written, “And Havayah passed before his face (al panav), and called: Havayah, Havayah.” This was after the sin of the Calf; and to draw down forgiveness and pardon was specifically through Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, drawing down the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy of Arich Anpin.

Therefore he said, “If Your face does not go, do not bring us up from here”: for according to judgment they were not worthy, since they had sinned.

10And this is [the meaning of] “and called: Havayah, Havayah,” where the cantillation makes a break between them: that he called and drew down from the Name Havayah of Arich Anpin into the Name Havayah of Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes). And this drawing-down must come through “And Havayah passed before his face (al panav).” “His face” is Chochmah (wisdom) and Binah (understanding), as it is written, “A man’s wisdom lights up his face,” etc.

11And the Chesed (kindness) of Arich Anpin is drawn through Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah) to Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), as mentioned above. Therefore here too the cantillation of the Name Havayah in “those who contend with Him shall be shattered” is gershayim, etc.

[Now, gershayim is also a term of driving out (gerushin), as is written on the matter of the service of the sons of Gershon, which is also to drive out the external forces; and this too is through drawing down “abundant in kindness” into the six extremities (vav ketzavos) of Z’eir Anpin, which are the six colors (shisa gavnin);

and this is gresh (drive out), and after it vav, and after it nun [in the name Gershon], as is written above. And this is like the matter of “Havayah—merivo shall be shattered”: meriv vav, as mentioned above.]

122. “Upon him, in the heavens, He will thunder.” The meaning is: besides the Chesed (kindness) of Arich Anpin being enclothed within the Chesed of Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), through which those who contend with Him, the masters of judgment, are shattered,

further still He will do wonders: He will thunder upon them with a sound of thunder afterwards, also from the Chesed of Arich Anpin itself as it is, not through enclothement in the Chesed of Z’eir Anpin; for then the Chesed

is more expansive than when it is enclothed in the Chesed of Z’eir Anpin, which somewhat conceals the Chesed of Arich Anpin. [And in the Zohar there it explains the matter of “Upon him, in the heavens”: that is to say, the dew of Atika (tala de’Atika), which is drawn upon Z’eir Anpin, which is called “heavens.”

13And one can also align it with this explanation. For the drawing-down of the crystalline dew (tala dibedolcha) and of Mocha Stima’ah (the hidden brain) is a higher level than the drawing-down of the Chesed (kindness) of Arich Anpin: for to the level of the Chesed of Arich Anpin enclothement applies, in that it is actually enclothed in Chochmah (wisdom), etc., and from it to Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), an actual enclothement;

but the level of Mocha Stima’ah and the crystalline dew is above the level of actual enclothement, for it is from the first three [Sefiros] of Keser (the Crown), the lowest level that is in the Emanator, etc.;

and from this level it is drawn down that “He will thunder” upon the masters of judgment, the accusers, etc., with greater intensity than the level of “those who contend with Him shall be shattered.”] (And see the Zohar, Parshas Vayishlach, page 166b.)

And this is [the meaning of] what David the King, peace be upon him, [said] [II Samuel 22]: “Havayah thunders from the heavens, and the Most High gives forth His voice,” etc. The meaning is that David the King, peace be upon him, was humble and did not ascribe [it] to his own merit, but rather [it was] in the manner of “And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious,” etc.;

that is, through the revelation of the level of Arich Anpin, from where it was drawn down to save him “from the hand of all his enemies.” And this is “and the Most High gives forth His voice”: the meaning of “and the Most High” (ve’Elyon) is the level of Arich Anpin, for the Chesed of Arich Anpin is called the supernal Chesed (chesed ila’ah).

14“And He sent forth His arrows,” etc.: that is, the flow of the supernal Gevuros (restraints) of holiness, to consume and destroy the forces of judgment, the accusers; and they are the enemies of G‑d, who hold back the flow.

15“And He will give strength to His king.” Strength (oz) is the level of Gevuros (restraints), and it is the left line, which is to be drawn only “to His king,” into Malchus (sovereignty) of Atzilus, in order to arouse love, as it is written, “His left hand is under my head”; and nothing is to be drawn from it to the external forces, for then the Gevuros are in the manner of the level of judgment, G‑d forbid.

The explanation is that there are two levels in the left line. The first is in the manner of “His left hand is under my head”: it arouses the souls of Israel, so that they have an uplifting in “flashes of the fire” of love, etc.; and this is in the manner of “And the flocks came into heat.”

For the whole essence of the union (yichud) is through the arousal of Gevurah and the flashes of the fire of love, in the manner of warmth and intensification; which is not so from the level of coldness, as mentioned above. And see what is written on this in Parshas Tazria, in the discourse beginning “The world is like a portico.”

And the second is like the matter of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory (Sotah 47a), “The left pushes away and the right draws near.” And from this level, through the chain of descent (hishtalshelus), there is drawn the nurture of the external forces, the masters of harsh judgments,

who are only a left that pushes away, without any right that draws near, for there is not in them the level of “including the left in the right.”

However, after “those who contend with Him are shattered” through the Chesed (kindness) of Arich Anpin, then the level of the Gevuros too will be only in the manner of “And He will give strength to His king,” in the manner of “His left hand is under my head”: for through the inclusion of the Gevuros in the Chesed, the flow will be with greater intensity and great life-force (chayus). And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “Havayah will give strength to His people,” etc.

[And see in the Zohar, Parshas Lech Lecha, page 84a, on the matter of “And He will give strength,” etc.; and see in the commentary of the Ramaz (Rabbi Moshe Zacuto), Parshas Emor, page 93b, on the matter of “Seek Havayah and His strength.”

16Now, it is explained above that the Chesed (kindness) of Arich Anpin is what is called “the great hand,” and this is the matter of “Havayah—those who contend with Him shall be shattered,” with the cantillation gershayim, etc.;

“And He will give strength”: it can be said that this is the level of “the strong hand”; and “and He will raise the horn of His anointed”: this is “the upraised hand”; and as it is written, “and to him shall be the gathering of the peoples,” etc.]

Now, this drawing-down, that there be a revelation of the Chesed of Arich Anpin below, is not according to the natural way of the order of the chain of descent (hishtalshelus); only the great tzaddikim are able to draw it down through their prayer, so that it be drawn to be revealed below.

And this was the service and toil of Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, in his prayer: to draw down the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, for it was he who drew them down, as it is written, “And Moshe hastened, and bowed to the ground, and prostrated himself” [and as is written in the Zohar, in the Idra (page 138a):

“How great is the strength of Moshe, who brought the attributes of mercy down below,” etc.; see there. And see further in the Zohar, Shelach (page 161b),

on the explanation of “And now, let the power of Ado-nai be great”; and see what is written in Parshas Shelach on this verse. And there is a difference: in Parshas Ki Sisa the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are mentioned, meaning that the thirteen tikkunim of the beard (tikkunei dikna) are drawn from Arich Anpin to Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes); while in Parshas Shelach nine tikkunim of the beard of Z’eir Anpin are mentioned. And see in the Idra

(page 139a): “It is taught: when it descends from the precious, supernal beard,” etc., “in nine tikkunim,” etc.; and in the Idra Zuta (page 295a and b):

“These nine tikkunim Moshe said,” etc., “for even though the thirteen tikkunim he did not say [now], the matter depends on intention,” etc.

And see there well, that “the power of G‑d” is a drawing-down from the Mazla of Arich Anpin to shine into the nine tikkunim of the beard of Z’eir Anpin; and as is written also in the Idra Rabba (page 140, end of side a). And see in the Zohar, at the end of Parshas Nasso (page 147, beginning of side a), and in the Mikdash Melech there.]

And so too in Gan Eden there is no revelation of this level of Arich Anpin except to the great tzaddikim, who inherit the four hundred worlds of yearning, which are drawn from Arich Anpin, etc.

And see what is written in the explanation on the verse “I am Havayah your G‑d, who brought you out of the land of Egypt,” on the matter of the supernal Chesed mentioned above.

And see further on the matter of “Havayah—those who contend with Him shall be shattered” in the first chapter of Rosh HaShanah (page 17a); and see what is written in the discourse beginning “And a man wrestled with him.” In the Jerusalem Talmud, chapter 4 of Berachos, halachah 3:

“The nine blessings of Rosh HaShanah: from where [are they derived]? Rabbi Abba Kartogna said: corresponding to the nine mentions [of the Name] that are written in the section of Chanah”; and at its end it is written, “Havayah will judge the ends of the earth”; that is to say, and Rosh HaShanah is the day of judgment. And see on this also in our Talmud, chapter 4 of Berachos (page 29a).

And regarding Rosh HaShanah it is written, “And the sons of G‑d came to present themselves before Havayah, and there came also,” etc. And see Zohar, Part II, at the beginning of Parshas Bo, and in Parshas Tetzaveh (184a),

and in Parshas Pinchas, page 231. And the main accusation is over the casting off of the yoke that there is below, because of which they are not worthy of the revelation of His sovereignty, may He be blessed, as is written in the discourse beginning “Sound the shofar on the New Moon”; and of this it is said, “Havayah—those who contend with Him shall be shattered.”

“And He will give strength to His king”: as it is written, “Havayah reigns; He is clothed in majesty; Havayah is clothed in strength,” etc. Therefore there are nine mentions [of the Name], to draw nine Sefiros into Malchus (sovereignty), which in essence is a single point; and this drawing-down is from the nine upper Sefiros.

And this is [the meaning of] “And the strength of the King loves justice”: the meaning of “and the strength of the King” is in the manner of “I will exalt You, my G‑d, the King,” and like the matter of “And now, let the power of Ado-nai be great,” as is written below on this verse in Parshas Shelach. And see on the matter of “And He will give strength” in Shemos Rabbah, section 1 (page 118a),

and in Parshas Yisro, section 27; Nasso, section 1 (page 221c); in Eichah, on the verse “He has cut off in fierce anger”; page 72c–d.

The matter of “And He will raise the horn” through teshuvah (return): and see what is written in Torah Ohr, Parshas Yisro, in the explanation on “Remember” and “Keep,” on the meaning of “my horn is raised high,” that it is the level of Atika, etc.