עוד ביאור הדברים ע״פ יונתי בחגוי הסלע וגו׳

1A further explanation of the matters, on [the verse] “My dove, in the clefts of the rock, etc.”

2Now, our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The unripe fruit (novlos) of the wisdom above is the Torah.” For the revealed Torah is the level of the glow of Chochmah (wisdom) that is enclothed in the emotive attributes (middos).

And therefore they are also the six orders of the Mishnah, corresponding to the six supernal attributes: the Order of Zera’im is from the level of Chesed (kindness), etc. And the explanation is that fit and unfit, impure and pure, liable and innocent, are drawn from the supernal attributes;

that is: fit, permitted and pure is the level of Chesed, and “the right hand draws near,” so that that thing may rise to be included in the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof); and unfit, forbidden and impure is the level of Gevurah (restraint), “the left hand pushes away,” so that it cannot rise, etc.

And all this is according to His wisdom, may He be blessed, [of which it is said,] “He is wise, but not with a known wisdom,” which is drawn down and enclothed in His attributes, may He be blessed. And therefore the Torah is called “the unripe fruit of the wisdom above” (in Bereishis Rabbah, section 17).

For this wisdom, which is enclothed in the attributes, is only the level of unripe fruit compared with the essence of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), His wisdom, may He be blessed, which is lofty and exalted above the attributes, etc.

(And see what is written in the discourse beginning “The heavens are My throne,” etc., that it refers to the Torah, which is called “My throne” for the level of His will, His wisdom and His understanding, etc.; and this is for this reason. And see there on this subject.)

And therefore it is said of Israel, “Israel is holy to G‑d, the first of His produce”: that Israel is the beginning and the source of the Torah. For Israel arose in thought.

The meaning is: “thought” is the level of Chochmah, and “arose in thought” means in the highest level within thought (and this is like the matter of “first in thought,” that is, the beginning of thought).

And the explanation is this. In the matter of the chain of descent (hishtalshelus) of cause and effect, the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of the cause is attached to its own cause, and only its outer dimension (chitzoniyus) is what is drawn forth in the influence to the effect.

And in this way it is drawn down and descends from cause to cause, all only in this manner: that from the level of the outer dimension of the higher, the inner dimension of the lower is made (and see what is written on this at some length in Parshas Shelach, in the discourse beginning “The matter of the libations”).

If so, according to this rule, the higher Chochmah, which receives from the level of Keser (the Crown), as it is written, “And Chochmah comes from ayin (nothing)”: the highest level within Chochmah, its inner dimension, is attached to the supernal Keser

(and see Pardes, Gate Three, chapter 3: “Each and every Sefirah is to be examined in three aspects,” etc.; and in the Gate of the Paths, beginning of chapter 3: “The first path,” etc., “the union of Chochmah with Keser,” etc.; and further there, that “the Wondrous Intellect resembles the Emanator,” etc.; and see in Parshas Pinchas) (folio 256, end of side b);

and what is drawn and spreads from the level of Chochmah downward into the attributes is only from the level of the outer dimension of Chochmah, and this is the matter of “the unripe fruit of wisdom,” as mentioned above. But the souls of Israel, who arose in thought, [arose] in the highest level within thought; for

that is why it is said, “You are children to G‑d,” [and] “My son, My firstborn, Israel”: just as, by way of analogy, the son, who is drawn from the father’s brain, is enclothed in the drop [that comes] from the very essence and being of the wisdom in the father’s brain, etc.

3So too, the souls of Israel: their root and source is from the very essence and inner dimension of the higher Chochmah, which is above the level of unripe fruit and the outer dimension, etc.; as is written in the discourse beginning “There are sixty queens,” etc., on the meaning of the Congregation of Israel (Knesses Yisrael) that is in the inner dimension of Z’eir Anpin, etc.; see there.

And see also what is written in the discourse beginning “I am asleep,” on the meaning of “arose in thought,” that is, the level of thought within thought, etc.; see there. If so, in the same way here too,

it means that the souls of Israel are rooted in the highest level within the higher Chochmah. And therefore they are “the first of His produce,” and they are the source and foundation of the Torah, which is the level of “the unripe fruit of wisdom.”

4And therefore the Torah is called “the Torah of Moshe,” etc.: because the soul of Moshe is rooted in the essence of the higher Chochmah, which is the source of the Torah; as is written on this in the discourse beginning “To understand the matter of the double bread (lechem mishneh),” in Parshas Beshalach.

That is why it is said of Moshe, “heavy of mouth,” with regard to the Oral Torah, etc., and “heavy of tongue,” with regard to the Written Torah: that he could not lower himself so that the Torah, which is the level of “the unripe fruit of wisdom,” would be drawn forth from him, etc. And see what is written in the discourse beginning “Moshe would speak.”

And see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “And you shall make holy garments”: that this is the matter of the Torah being called a bride and betrothed, and Israel are the level of the bridegroom, who bestows, etc.

5Now, although this is the level of Moshe, nevertheless there are likewise also very lofty souls that have in them [something] of the level of Moshe.

And this is [the meaning of] what Rav Safra said to Rava, “Moshe, are you speaking correctly?” etc. And these are the souls that are called brothers and friends to the Omnipresent, as it is written, “For the sake of my brothers and my friends,” etc.

And it is explained in the Zohar that they are above even the level of children (see Zohar, Part II, folio 121, end of side b, and folio 94, end of side b; Part III, folio 7, side b); that is, they are drawn from the union of Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah) of Atzilus,

and therefore they are called brothers of Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus, and they are above the level of Torah; as was also explained in the explanation on [the verse] “There are sixty queens,” mentioned above, on the matter of the early pious ones (chassidim harishonim) in the Gemara.

However, the souls that are drawn from the coupling (zivug) of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilus: that means the soul is drawn from nothing to something (from ayin to yesh), that is, from Atzilus, to become the level of actual Beriah (creation).

But a soul of Atzilus is the level of actual G‑dliness, which is the level of Atzilus as it is in Atzilus itself, far, far above the level of Beriah, something from nothing;

except that they are only from the level of the vessels of Atzilus. For the meaning of the vessels of Atzilus is the level of limit that exists even in Atzilus, of which they said, “the measure of the stature (shiur komah) is 236 thousand myriads of parasangs.”

And as for the souls that are drawn from the vessels, the soul is like one drop compared to the vessels themselves; and nevertheless it is the level of G‑dliness. As is written elsewhere, explaining this matter on the basis of the statement of the Zohar, Parshas Pinchas (folio 249, side a), on [the verse] “And in the first month,” etc.:

“What is ‘the hind of the dawn’?” etc.; see there. And this is the matter of the souls that are drawn from the union of Abba and Imma, which are called brothers and friends of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilus: on account of their also being emanated from Abba and Imma,

just as the vessels of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilus were emanated; except that they are a very small glow compared to the vessels of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, which are the Ten Sefiros.

Whereas the souls that are born from the union and coupling of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilus: their birth is into the World of Beriah, as is written in Etz Chaim, Gate of the Order of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, chapters 4 [and] 5; that is, the soul was drawn to become a creation, something from nothing. And of this they said, “Israel are bound to the Torah.”

And even according to what is written elsewhere, that from the coupling of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilus too there are sometimes born and drawn very lofty souls, which are called actual souls of Atzilus, as is implied in the Zohar, Vayikra (folio 24, end of side b), and in the Zohar, Mishpatim (folio 94, side b), and in other places,

nevertheless, since their root is from the coupling of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilus, and therefore they are called children of the Omnipresent, then they are only one drop drawn from the intellect (mochin) of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva. And the Torah is the very essence of Chochmah, Binah and Daas of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilus itself.

And needless to say, the souls of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, etc. And therefore of this they said, “Israel are bound to the Torah.” And nevertheless, even the souls of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah proper all have their root in the supernal Atzilus itself.

6And they also arose in thought; and see what is written on [the verse] “And these are the ordinances,” regarding “If you buy a Hebrew servant,” etc. If so, we need to understand: what is the meaning

and the explanation [of this], that the early righteous specifically, they alone, are souls of Atzilus, which is not so of all the other souls, which are of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, etc.?

But the explanation is that in the souls of the early righteous, the soul that is enclothed in their very body is the level of actual Atzilus,

like the soul of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who had a soul of Atzilus actually enclothed in his body, actually down below; and along the lines of what is written in Iggeres HaKodesh, the section beginning “He and His life-forces,” that even

after the nefesh, ruach and neshamah of Atzilus have descended into this world, to the early righteous, it is possible that their essence has not changed so as to become a thing separate from G‑dliness, etc.; see there. Which is not so of the rest of the souls of Israel as a whole, the righteous and the intermediates (beinonim), etc.,

which are called souls of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah: that is, although the root of all the souls is from Atzilus, nevertheless this level of the soul’s root, which is from Atzilus, is not enclothed in the body and does not shine in it at all;

rather, the light remains at the level of Atzilus, in a state of concealment and only as a surrounding [light] (makif) over the soul that is enclothed in the body. And the soul that is drawn down and enclothed in the body is only a nefesh or ruach or neshamah of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, and not from the level of Atzilus at all.

And therefore it is called only nefesh, ruach and neshamah of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. But nevertheless, the root of the root, the level of “their mazal” and the surrounding [light], exists in all the souls of Israel, from the level that arose in thought; and therefore,

from this aspect, it is said of all the souls of Israel, “Israel is holy to G‑d, the first of His produce”: that they are the very source and foundation of the Torah. And from the aspect of the soul that is enclothed in the body, they are the level of “are bound to the Torah,” etc.

72. And now the matter of “Arise for yourself, my beloved (ra’yasi)” will be understood. “My beloved” means Israel, who sustain their Father in heaven. For Atzilus bears no comparison at all to the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, endlessly more than Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah bear no comparison to Atzilus, etc.

And for this reason it is necessary to draw down a drawing-forth of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, into Atzilus, as is written in the discourse beginning “To my mare,” on the matter of “For I said, ‘The world is built by kindness.’” And of this they said, “Israel sustain their Father in heaven”: that they draw down so that “the world is built by kindness.”

8And this is the meaning of “their Father in heaven (shamayim)”: for shamayim, “fire and water,” are the supernal attributes, and “their Father in heaven” is the light of Abba, which is drawn into Z’eir Anpin; and from there is the level of the Torah as well. And Israel, because they arose in thought,

which is the essence of the light of Abba, therefore draw down the Infinite Light, which is drawn and enclothed in the higher Chochmah, so that it is drawn into Z’eir Anpin, etc.; and this is the drawing-down of additional lights into the vessels.

9And this is [the meaning of] “And you shall do them.” And our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “[It is] as though they had made Me.” And see what is written in the discourse beginning “Go forth and see,” on the meaning of “Lift up your hands in holiness and bless G‑d.”

And this is [the meaning of] “May He make His face shine with us”: for in order that there be a drawing-down of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah) into Z’eir Anpin, which is the matter of “A man’s wisdom makes his face shine,” this is “with us,” through Israel, for the reason mentioned above, that they arose in thought, etc.

And the meaning of “with us” is also interpreted as referring to the soul that is in the body itself. That is: since Israel are bound to the Torah, and through the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) being drawn and enclothed in the Torah, etc.,

through this the light will be drawn “with us” specifically, to the side of holiness specifically; as is written elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “For with You is the source of life; in Your light we see light”; see there, on the meaning of “Look down from Your holy dwelling, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel.”

But first there must be “Arise for yourself,” through prayer, which is called a “ladder,” etc.; that is, so that there be the cleaving of the soul to its root,

which arose in thought, through self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) at “One” in the Shema. And through this the light is drawn from the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, [of whom it is said,] “There is none comparable to You,” etc., into the higher Chochmah; and through this, afterwards, they sustain their Father in heaven. And it will be explained below.

10Now, “my beloved” is the drawing of the Infinite Light into Atzilus, and that is through the Torah; and the level of “my fair one (yafasi)” is through the mitzvos, through which it is drawn also into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. And the explanation is that, for there to be drawings-forth of the light into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, it is specifically through its first being enclothed in Malchus of Atzilus

(and see what is written in the explanation on [the verse] “I am black, yet comely,” that Malchus of Atzilus is the intermediary that joins the light of Atzilus with Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, just as Keser is the intermediary between the Emanator and the emanated, etc.; and see there. And see what is written in Parshas Va’eschanan, in the discourse beginning “So that you may fear”);

and that is also through Malchus of Atzilus first being enclothed in the screen (masach) and partition (parsa) that is between Atzilus and Beriah, and breaking through the screen and descending into Beriah:

then specifically can the light be drawn into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, etc. Whereas were it not for the level of the screen mentioned above, Beriah could not receive at all.

11And this is [why] Malchus (sovereignty) is called a garment, as it is written, “G‑d reigns; He has clothed Himself in majesty”; and it is written, “Let them bring royal apparel (levush malchus)”; [and] “And Esther clothed herself in royalty (malchus).”

And this is the meaning of “my fair one”: that the drawing-down of the level of this royal garment comes through the mitzvos; and therefore they are called “the commandments of the King,”

as we say in the blessing over the mitzvos, “Blessed are You, G‑d, our G‑d, King of the universe,” etc. And it is the level of beautiful garments; and from this it comes about that there is “Israel, in you I glory,” etc.

And it is along the lines of what was explained on the meaning of “May He make His face shine with us, Selah,” that [it is] through the Torah; and so too through the mitzvos, which are the level of “my fair one,” there is the level of “in you I glory,” etc.: “in you” specifically.

But in order to draw down the level of this garment, the level of “Arise for yourself,” etc., must first come before it. For opposite the garment mentioned above,

which is the partition (parsa) and the royal garment, there is also the level of “I clothe the heavens in blackness,” etc.; and this is along the lines of what is written, “G‑d reigns over the nations,” etc.,

worshippers of idols (and see what is written in the discourse beginning “In the third month,” on the matter of the reason that the people of Jericho would “bundle” the Shema and would not interrupt between “One” and “And you shall love” with “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever,” etc.).

And this will be understood along the lines of what is said of the World of Tohu: “And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the children of Israel,” etc.

That is: the matter of the World of Tikkun (rectification) is the enclothing of the light in vessels and garments; for the Targum of “nor shall a man put on” is “nor shall a man array himself (yesakein),” etc.

And this is the matter that in Tohu the Ten Sefiros were in the state of points (nekudos), and in Tikkun they became configurations (partzufim); for the essential matter of a configuration (partzuf) is the arrayings (tikkunim) of the garments and the vessels

(and see Etz Chaim, Gate of the Tikkun, chapter 3, and the book Kol BeRamah, in the explanation of the Idra Rabba, folio 10, side b, and folio 11, side a). And through these garments and vessels of holiness the effect is brought about that they can bear the light,

and also that through this the light will be drawn only to the fitting place alone; for this is the protection of the garments: to contract the light, so that it is drawn only as is needed, etc.

(And see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “And it came to pass, when Pharaoh sent out,” and in the discourse beginning “And a man wrestled with him,” and in Parshas Lech Lecha, in the discourse beginning “The meaning of ‘Shield of Avraham,’” and in the discourse beginning “And the curtain shall divide for you.”) And therefore these garments of Tikkun are the level of the beautiful garments of “You have clothed Yourself in glory and splendor.”

But in the World of Tohu, since the lights were not in a state of enclothement, in the form of a configuration, therefore it followed from this that there was no royal garment for the lights of Tohu that was united with the divine holiness;

rather, there were also foreign garments clothing them; that is, the flow of influence was drawn also to the external forces (chitzonim) from the supernal attributes of Tohu, etc. And these are the level of the seven kings of the World of Tohu, of which it is said, “And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom,” etc.

(That is: the royal garment of holiness is that there be the acceptance of the yoke (kabbalas ol) of the kingdom of heaven, in a state of self-nullification (bittul) to the attribute of His kingship, may He be blessed — “G‑d reigns; He has clothed Himself in majesty” — for He is the true existence, and all before Him is considered as nothing. And see what is written on the subject of Malchus in the explanation on [the verse] “And it shall be for you as tzitzis,” on the matter of the techeles, etc.

But the royal garment of the sitra achra (the other side) is that they take existence for themselves and have no self-nullification toward Him, may He be blessed; that is, like the saying of Pharaoh, “My river is mine, and I made myself,” in Ezekiel, chapter 29; only that they call Him “the G‑d of gods,” etc.)

However, after the World of Tikkun was made, the level of a configuration, in which the light was rectified and drawn into the garments and vessels of the World of Tikkun, then it followed that the light does not spread to the sitra achra and to the worshippers of stars; as it is written, “There was no king in Edom,” etc.

But nevertheless, there is something like the above even after the World of Tikkun (that is, in the exile of Egypt, and Babylon, and Edom); that is, because in exile the Holy One, blessed be He, ascends higher and higher,

and this is called the level of sleep, etc. And because of this ascent the lights are not enclothed in the garments and vessels of the level of Tikkun; as is written in Pri Etz Chaim, that in Egypt there was the gestation (ibbur) of Z’eir Anpin in the womb of Imma, etc.,

for the lights and the intellect (mochin) of Z’eir Anpin withdrew from their vessels and rise into the level of the higher Imma (Imma Ila’ah), and still higher, where it is said, “If you are righteous, what do you give Him?” etc.

And because of this it follows that Malchus of Atzilus is enclothed in the kelipos, in the foreign garments of blackness; for the one depends on the other, etc.:

because Z’eir Anpin is in the state of sleep and has ascended from the vessels and the garments higher and higher, there follows “I clothe the heavens in blackness”; just as in the World of Tohu, where, through the supernal lights withdrawing upward, the vessels fell downward, etc.

(And see what is written on this subject in the discourse beginning “And I appeared to Avraham,” etc., and in the discourse beginning “A song of ascents,” etc., “we were like dreamers,” and in the discourse beginning “I am asleep,” etc.)

Therefore, in order to rectify and draw down the level of the royal garment, there must first be a drawing of the intellect to Z’eir Anpin, that it be drawn from the level of “ascends higher and higher” to be enclothed in the vessels and garments of Tikkun of the configuration of Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus;

and then, as a matter of course, through this, afterwards, through the doing of the mitzvos, the drawing-forth into the royal garment of Atzilus will be drawn down, and there will not be the level of “I clothe the heavens in blackness,” etc. (And see what is written in the discourse beginning “For the mountains may move,” on the matter of “If Israel do teshuvah, they are redeemed,” etc.)

Now, it is known from Etz Chaim that for there to be a drawing of the intellect to Z’eir Anpin, it is through the union of Abba and Imma, who beget the intellect for Z’eir Anpin and Nukva.

And Abba and Imma need to receive the power from higher up, from the light of Keser, and it is what joins and draws the light of the Emanator into the emanated, etc. (And see what is written in Pri Etz Chaim, Gate of the Shema, chapter 11.)

Therefore the union of Abba and Imma is brought about specifically through self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh), and the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva through Torah and mitzvos.

For the union of Abba and Imma is the drawing of a new light from the Source of all, from the Emanator, blessed be He, to whom there is no comparison at all, etc.

And this drawing-forth is impossible except through self-sacrifice, for self-sacrifice rises truly higher and higher, that is, to the level of the essence of the Emanator. And see what is written on this in the explanation on [the verse] “And I shall be sanctified among the children of Israel.”

And therefore the Maggid told the Beis Yosef that he would grant him the merit of self-sacrifice for the sanctification of G‑d’s Name, from which it is implied that this merit would be greater than all [the merit of] his living long in Torah and mitzvos, etc.

And that is for the reason mentioned above. And this is also the matter of self-sacrifice at “One” in the Shema: for the Shema is called the union of Abba and Imma, that is, the drawing of a new light from the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He;

and this is specifically through self-sacrifice, etc.; like the known matter of the superiority of teshuvah, which is “with greater strength”: “there is one who acquires his world in a single hour,” etc. And this is the matter of the first verse of the Shema, which is the union of Abba and Imma;

and then afterwards it is said, “And these words, which I command you, shall be,” etc.: for drawing the light afterwards from Abba and Imma into Z’eir Anpin and Nukva is through Torah and mitzvos, etc.

And this is called engaging in Torah for its own sake (lishmah), for the sake of the Torah itself: that the light of the Torah be drawn into Z’eir Anpin from the inner dimension of the higher Chochmah, which is above the level of unripe fruit (novlos), etc.;

which is through the self-sacrifice at the outset, through which the union of Abba and Imma is drawn forth, etc., the drawing of a new light; and from this it is drawn also into Z’eir Anpin, etc.

And from this it also follows that through the mitzvos there will be the level of “my fair one,” “You have clothed Yourself in glory and splendor,” and there will not be the level of “I clothe the heavens in blackness,”

as in the World of Tohu (and see what is written elsewhere in explaining the statement of the Zohar, Parshas Balak, folio 191, side a, on [the verse] “Black,” etc.: “And then,” etc., “her beloved goes out,” etc., “she is built and made in her adornments,” etc.).

And this is why first there must be “Arise for yourself,” to the level of the root of the soul; and this is through self-sacrifice at “One,” from which the union of Abba and Imma is drawn forth

(and therefore it is called “Arise for yourself (kumi lach)”: to the level of kaf; see Pri Etz Chaim, Gate of the Prostration (nefilas apayim), end of chapter 5). And through this, afterwards, there will be “my beloved,” to draw the intellect into Z’eir Anpin, and “my fair one,” into Malchus; and this is the matter of the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, etc.

Now, all this was said of the time of the Exodus from Egypt, about which it is said, “For behold, the winter has passed,” etc.: that is, that then the level of the World of Tikkun was revealed, and the winter passed and the rain went by,

that is, the concealment of “I clothe the heavens in blackness,” etc., which is drawn from the World of Tohu and from the exile of Egypt, etc. And on the matter of the doubled wording, “winter” and “rain,” see the [Midrash] Rabbah on Song of Songs, and see Zohar HaRakia, at the beginning of Parshas Vayechi.

12And then it is said, “Arise for yourself, my beloved,” etc. But in the time of exile it is said, “My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the hidden place of the step (madregah),” etc., for she cannot be in the state of “Arise for yourself,” etc.

And the counsel for this is the level of “Show me your appearance (mar’ayich)”: that he should remember and take to heart that the concealment is only in the manner of a mirror (mar’ah); that he has come down “from a high roof,” etc.; and he will cry out to G‑d in his distress, etc.

133. And the explanation of this matter: there are Ten Sefiros from above to below, of direct light (or yashar), and Ten Sefiros of returning light (or chozer), from below to above (as is written in Etz Chaim, Gate of the Feminine Waters and Masculine Waters (mayin nukvin and mayin duchrin), chapter 14, and in Pardes, the Gate “From Below to Above”).

That is: through the partition (parsa) that interrupts at the conclusion of Atzilus, the lights burst forth and rise as returning light, and Keser, Chochmah and Binah are made below; as is written on this in Iggeres HaKodesh, in the section beginning “He and His life-forces.”

And the explanation of this in man below is along the lines of what is written, “And you shall love G‑d,” etc., “with all your might (me’odecha)”; and me’od is without limit, and that is the level of the Infinite (Ein Sof).

14And this is, by way of analogy, above, the drawing-down of the light of Keser that shines into Atzilus; for this was the purpose of the soul’s descent, which is for the sake of ascent, etc. For the emanated [levels] are in the state of the chain of descent (hishtalshelus):

for human intellect as a whole is drawn from the Chochmah of Asiyah, by means of the nefesh of Asiyah; and the Chochmah of Yetzirah is the source of the Chochmah of Asiyah, although it is more spiritual; and the Chochmah of Beriah is the source of the Chochmah of Yetzirah; and the Chochmah of Atzilus is the source of the Chochmah of Beriah.

If so, human intellect is drawn, through the chain of descent, from the Chochmah of Atzilus (and see what is written on the subject of this chain of descent in the discourse beginning “Eliyahu opened,” in Parshas Vayeira).

And because of this it is said, “You have made them all with wisdom”: for with respect to the Emanator, He is “exalted alone,” and bears no comparison to Chochmah and Binah, etc.;

and Atzilus are only attributes — “cleave to His attributes: as He is merciful” — but the Emanator is the level of “to Him, and not to His attributes,” etc.

And the main coming-into-being of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah from the Emanator is only from the level of names, for a name bears no comparison to the very essence; as is written in Etz Chaim, that the yud is the source of Atzilus and the hei is in Beriah, etc.; and as it is written, “His splendor is upon earth and heaven,” etc.

15Now, the intermediary for this, which brings the flow of influence down from the Emanator to the emanated, is the light of Keser (the Crown). And this is what is written in the Tikkunei Zohar: “The supernal Keser,” etc.:

“it is the Name Mah, which is the path of Atzilus, and it is the watering of the tree,” etc.; that is, the life-force (chayus) of the World of Atzilus, which is through Keser: “For with You is the source of life,” etc.

(And see what is written in the discourse beginning “Eliyahu opened,” mentioned above, that of Keser they said, “You are One, but not in number,” etc., that there is no comparison to Him, etc.; and “Chochmah comes from ayin (nothing),” and not in the order of the chain of descent (hishtalshelus) of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah mentioned above.) And this is the matter of “descent for the sake of ascent,” etc.

For this is the difference between angels and souls: since the angels are above, and nothing at all conceals [anything] from them, and they are in the state of the chain of descent, they cannot draw down a new light, since it is not of their essence; and because of this they are called “standing,” etc.

(And see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “And now, let it be great, I pray,” in Parshas Shelach.) But below, in Israel, who have been lowered into a body, which conceals the holiness of the soul, and other things

that hold back: because of this concealment, which does not let [the light] spread below, returning light (or chozer) is made, from below to above, in the point of the heart. And through this, “From the depths I have called You, Havayah”: so that there be “I have called You, Havayah,” in the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus.

That is, through the depth of the heart, the higher teshuvah (teshuvah ila’ah), etc., which draws Him down “with greater strength”; through which “a new light will shine upon Zion,” etc.

And that is through the level of “with all your might.” (And the meaning of “a new light,” that is to say, is as is written in Pri Etz Chaim, Gate of the Shema, chapter 11; and these are his words:

“However, the mystery of the matter is that the coupling of the worlds is drawn from the intellect (mochin) of Abba and Imma themselves, without their receiving from above; for since all of them were drawn from them, then certainly they have in them a power corresponding to all that is below them.

But a coupling that is to bring forth new souls: for this they need to receive a new light from above. And keep this principle in your hand.” End of quote.

But what he wrote, “without their receiving from above,” needs explanation: for certainly “Chochmah comes from ayin” constantly, for were the flow of influence from the Emanator, blessed be He, interrupted, the Sefiros would be as though they had never been. And so wrote the Maharnash in the introduction to Pri Etz Chaim: “And for this they draw in influence through that service, for their existence,” etc.;

see there. And it must be said that the intent is that this influence itself is not actually drawn from above Chochmah, as in the coupling of the inner dimension (pnimiyus), where this influence itself is an actual new light from above Chochmah, and actually new lights and souls;

which is not so in the coupling of the outer dimension (chitzoniyus), which is only to strengthen the old, and there is nothing new, etc. And this difference is perhaps something like what is written in Etz Chaim, Gate of the Rectification of Nukva, chapter 2, section 5: “You must understand,” etc., “for when,” etc., “and when it is delayed,” etc.; see there.

Moreover, even the drawing-forth by which “Chochmah comes from ayin” constantly bears no comparison to the influence of the new light mentioned above; as is written in the introduction of the Maharnash mentioned above, that one should not reckon “their fixed allotment, allotted to them by the Creator, may He be blessed, as comparable to that addition,” etc.; see there at length.

And as was explained elsewhere, this influence is an actual revelation from the level that is above the order of the chain of descent, from what is above the influence by which “Chochmah comes from ayin” constantly, etc.

And one may further say an example from which to understand the difference between these two influences, along the lines of what our Sages, of blessed memory, said at the end of chapter 4 of Megillah: that those [curses] in Mishneh Torah (Deuteronomy), “Moshe said them from his own mouth” — and Tosafos wrote: “and with the holy spirit (ruach hakodesh)” —

which is not so of those [curses] in Toras Kohanim (Leviticus), which he said from the mouth of the Almighty (Gevurah), and he became an emissary to say, “Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me,” etc., as Rashi explains there. And that is to say: “from his own mouth” means as is explained in Parshas Va’eschanan)

(folio 261, side a); see there in the Mikdash Melech, that it is from Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus; that is, since the root of his prophecy and his comprehension was from there, therefore this is called “from his own mouth.”

But what was said to him from the mouth of the Almighty is what was drawn from far higher than Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus; only, it was drawn through Moshe, and he is only an emissary, etc.

And this is along the lines of what is written in the Zohar (Parshas Vayechi, folio 246, side b): “And that voice is sent from a deep place above”; and in Parshas Balak (187a): “When he is an emissary from above,” etc.; see there.

And it is along the lines of the difference there is in the matter of an angel: at a time when it is not an emissary, it says, “Holy, holy, holy is Havayah of hosts,” that is to say, that the Name Havayah is holy and separate from them; but when it is an emissary from above, we find that the angel itself is called by the Name Havayah, according to the explanation of the Ramban in Parshas Vayeira.

Thus, in the state when it is an emissary from above, there shines in it a supernal radiance, greater and more wondrous than the radiance that shines in it of itself, even though it always has a lofty comprehension too, etc.

And in the same way will be understood the difference between the level of Moshe [speaking] from his own mouth, with the holy spirit, as against when he is an emissary of the Holy One, blessed be He: that the one bears no comparison to the other.

And see further on the matter of the meaning of “Moshe said them from his own mouth” in Parshas Vayikra (folio 7, side a); and see what is written in the discourse beginning “And He spoke,” of the Ten Commandments, on the meaning of Mishneh Torah.

And in the same way will be understood here the difference between the drawing-forth that is drawn from the intellect of Abba and Imma themselves, and a new light, etc.: even though [what comes] from themselves is also rooted in what was drawn to them from above, nevertheless it is called “from themselves,” like the matter of Moshe “from his own mouth,” etc.

Which is not so of the level of a new light: it is drawn from far above the root of Chochmah and Binah themselves; that is, as is written in the Arizal’s Likkutei Torah, Parshas Vayeira, that it is drawn from the supernal Emanator Himself, who alone has the power to renew constantly, etc.,

only that it is drawn to Abba and Imma, etc. (And see Parshas Acharei, folio 61c, and Parshas Beshalach, folio 63, side b.) And this drawing-forth is drawn through an arousal from below (isarusa dilesata).

In the level of “with all your might,” since it is the level of me’od, without limit, it therefore draws down the revelation of a new light, the level of the Infinite (Ein Sof) itself.

Now, this me’od is the evil inclination: for being “with all your might,” without limit, is drawn from the concealment, through which the returning light, the level of me’od, is drawn forth, etc.

16And from this is understood also above: that through the conclusion, the partition (parsa), which does not let [the light] spread below, returning light is made, at the level of the inner point of the heart; that is, Malchus becomes Keser, etc.

And this is like the analogy of the rushing of water through a board that blocks [it]: through this they gain strength and rush with greater force than their running of themselves, before the board blocked [them]. And see what is written on [the verse] “Then Israel sang,” etc., “Spring up, O well,” etc.

And this is the level of a mirror: through the concealment of the mirror, returning light is made, from below to above, to see what lies behind one, etc. And likewise Malchus is called a mirror from this aspect, etc.

174. “Let me hear your voice”: the voice of the Torah, through which the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) is drawn down to be enclothed in the Torah, which is the Chochmah of Atzilus; as it is written, “And He placed a Torah in Israel,” etc.

And this is what is written, “for your voice is pleasant (arev)”: pleasantness, sweetness, the level of delight (taanug); that is, they draw the supernal delight into the Torah. And then “you shall delight,” etc.: that is, the drawing of Keser into Chochmah, for Keser is the source of delights.

And this is what is written, “I delight in Your Torah,” which is the delight and the supernal delights (sha’ashuim); as it is written, “And I was a delight day by day”; the meaning of “day by day” is Abba and Imma (and see what is written in the discourse beginning “And I was with Him as a nursling”).

And this is the difference between the study that is before prayer and the study that is after prayer: for the main drawing of Keser into Chochmah through the Torah is when the level of “and with all your might” comes first, which is the drawing of Keser mentioned above.

But through the Torah that is before prayer there is only a drawing-forth from Chochmah, where the root of the Torah itself is, for “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah”; and it is called “my beloved,” that they sustain, etc.

And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Abba Binyamin says: About my prayer, that it be close to my bed”; for the Torah must be after prayer, so that there be the drawing of Keser into Chochmah, as mentioned above.

(And see what is written in the discourse beginning “I have come into My garden,” on the meaning of “I have gathered My myrrh with My spice”; and see what is written in Parshas Re’eh, in the discourse beginning “When you hearken to the voice (bekol)”: “voice” (kol) is a drawing-forth, etc., but “in the voice” (bekol) is the inner dimension of the voice, etc.; see there. And see what is written in Parshas HaBerachah, in the explanation on [the verse] “Moshe commanded us the Torah.”)

“And your appearance is comely”: these are the mitzvos. For they said, “The transgressors of Israel are full of mitzvos,” etc.; if so, what difference is there between the righteous who do mitzvos and the wicked?

But it is as was written above: “A parable of two who roasted their Paschal offerings,” etc.: that this one draws down a higher drawing-forth than that one, although the mitzvah is one and the same, sukkah, esrog, etc.

(And see what is written on [the verse] “He washes his garment in wine,” and at the end of the discourse beginning “And you shall make holy garments,” regarding the three levels and grades there are in the making of the garments, etc.; and see Pardes, Gate 8, chapter 1.)

And this is the level of “comely” and “my fair one,” which are Tiferes (beauty): for the Tiferes of Imma becomes Keser for Z’eir Anpin, and the lower third of the Tiferes of Z’eir Anpin [becomes] Keser for Nukva, etc.

(This needs examination, [in view of] Etz Chaim, Gate 20, chapter 2: “the two lower thirds,” etc.; “however, from the brain,” etc., “only half a third.”)

For Tiferes and Keser are all one matter, namely the power of joining, for both are from the middle line, etc. And just as Keser is the intermediary between the Emanator and the emanated, which joins the radiance of the Emanator, the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, to the emanated, so Tiferes is the intermediary that joins,

as from Imma to Z’eir Anpin, and from Z’eir Anpin to Nukva; for Netzach, Hod and Yesod are the very influence itself, but the intermediary that brings the flow of influence down through its mediation is Tiferes, etc.

18And this is why, through “Show me your appearance,” which is the drawing of Keser at the level of “and with all your might,” there then comes about “your appearance is comely,” at the level of Tiferes, which becomes Keser.

And this is the matter of “teshuvah and good deeds”: through teshuvah, the level of “with all your might,” the deeds become good and shining: “And G‑d saw the light, that it was good.”

(And see what is written further on the subject of Tiferes in Parshas Noach, in the discourse beginning “Behold, they are one people with one language,” and in the discourse beginning “If the bright spot came first”; and see what is written elsewhere on the statement in Parshas Chayei Sarah) (folio 133a), on the matter of “the evening prayer is optional.”

And see what is written on the verse “As an eagle stirs up.” And as for the matter of “and your appearance is comely,” it may be said that the meaning is that through this the Keser of Nukva is drawn from a higher level.

And it is along the lines of what the Ramaz wrote in Parshas Vayeira (on folio 97, end of side b), on the passage beginning “This is the voice that goes forth”: that her Keser is rectified, shining from the upper third of Tiferes, in the mystery of “And I will make your pinnacles of rubies (kadkod),” etc.

And this is the matter of “at a time when Israel do the will of the Omnipresent”: that is, specifically through the level of “and with all your might,” through which they make and draw down the Keser of Nukva, which is called “the will of the Omnipresent,” from the highest level.

19And see what is written on this subject in Parshas Shelach, in the discourse beginning “And they found a man gathering wood,” etc.; see there. That is: since the level of “with all your might” is the level of Keser in the Ten Sefiros of returning light (or chozer),

therefore this is the raising of the feminine waters (mayin nukvin), to arouse and draw down, also from the level of the supernal Keser of direct light (or yashar), a new light from the Emanator, the Infinite One, blessed be He, until it is drawn also into the Keser of Nukva, so that there be “and your appearance is comely”: that this Keser be drawn from a higher level, etc., than it is always.

20And see Etz Chaim, Gate of the Diminution of the Moon, chapters 1 [and] 2, that there are several levels in this, one above the other, until she receives her Keser also from the Tiferes of Imma, etc.

And according to this one can understand the superiority of the ascent that comes through the level of “Show me your appearance” over the level of “Arise for yourself (kumi lachi).” For

it is explained above, in Parshas Beshalach, at the end of the discourse beginning “And G‑d went before them by day,” that the ascent of Malchus of Atzilus, which is the Congregation of Israel (Knesses Yisrael), through an arousal from below (isarusa dilesata), is only up to the level of Chochmah, etc.,

because their source is from there, etc.; see there. And that is as is written on the meaning of “Israel arose in thought,” that it is the highest level within Chochmah.

It follows that this ascent of the level of “Arise for yourself” is at the level of Chochmah, etc.; and it is also through the level of Chochmah in the soul. See Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapters 18 [and] 19, on the subject of the level of Chochmah in the soul.

But above the Chochmah of Atzilus, that is, at the level of Keser, the arousal from below of the level of “Arise for yourself,” which is the grade of the righteous, does not reach, since it is above their root; as is written on this at the end of the discourse beginning “I am asleep,” that it is not in the count of the Ten Sefiros, etc.

However, through “Show me your appearance,” which is the level of teshuvah, “with greater strength,” in which, because of the concealment, returning light is made: since through this Malchus becomes the level of Keser in the Ten Sefiros of returning light, therefore through this one arouses and draws down from above also from the level of Keser of actual direct light, which is above Chochmah, etc.

21And this is what is mentioned there, that on Yom Kippur there is the ascent of Malchus to the level of Keser; and this is above Chochmah. Only, that is through teshuvah.

And this is [the meaning of] “In the place where penitents (baalei teshuvah) stand,” etc. And although it was explained above that [in] the union of Abba and Imma that is drawn down in the Shema, the drawing-forth is from Keser, and through the service of the righteous, which is the level of “Arise for yourself,” to your root, “Hear, O Israel,” etc., this union is drawn down,

this is only because Keser has in it the level of what is enclothed in Abba and Imma, and through its being enclothed in Abba and Imma they are able to draw [it] down, etc. And see Etz Chaim, Gate of the Severance (nesirah), end of chapter 3.

But for the drawing-forth to be from the level of Keser, from what is far above the enclothement in Chochmah and Binah: this is drawn down specifically through teshuvah, etc.

22And along these lines it was explained elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “Blow at the New Moon,” that the supernal will has two levels, etc.; see there. And along these lines one may explain the meaning of “She has fallen and will no more rise.”

“Rise” is the level of “Arise for yourself,” in the order of the levels, etc.; but now that she has descended “in the hidden place of the step,” the ascent is not in the order of the levels, but through teshuvah.

23As our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “If Israel do teshuvah, they are redeemed,” etc.; and teshuvah is not in the order of the chain of descent (hishtalshelus) of the levels, etc. And this is the matter of “Show me your appearance”: that Malchus becomes Keser through returning light.

It follows that the highest level, which is Keser, is revealed below, at the level of Malchus; and this is not in the order of the levels, etc.

As in the analogy of returning light, through the sun striking the earth: the lower air specifically is hot, which is not so of the middle air, etc.

And through this there is drawn down also an arousal from above (isarusa dileila), that there be a revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, below specifically; as is written in the Zohar, Vayikra (folio 6, side b): “And she will no more rise”;

“rather, the King will come to her.” And this is [the meaning of] “On the third day He will raise us up”: that is, that also below there will be the level of a superior rising, etc.

And see what is written in the discourse beginning “When you go out,” etc., and in the discourse beginning “And the king extended to Esther,” etc. And this is [the meaning of] “For behold, I come, and I will dwell in your midst,” etc.

24And it may also be said that these two levels are the matter of “Hear, O Israel” and “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever”: for “Hear, O Israel” is the matter of “Arise for yourself,” to your root, to the level of Israel above, etc.;

and the Men of the Great Assembly instituted saying “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever,” which is when the Congregation of Israel has descended into “the clefts of the rock,” etc., so that there be the level of “Show me your appearance,” returning light, from which the level of “with all your might” is drawn.

And see what is written on the subject of “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever” in Parshas Va’eschanan, in the discourse beginning “Hear, O Israel,” etc. And one may further say, according to what the Ramaz wrote in Parshas Ki Sisa (on folio 188, side b),

regarding “In the West they resolve it thus: ‘She will no more fall again; rise (kum), O virgin of Israel,’” etc.: and it is difficult, for it should have said “Rise (kumi), O virgin of Israel,” etc.; up to “but in the Future, a masculine song (shir),” etc.; see there.

And according to this it may be said here too: that through the returning light of “Show me your appearance” it comes about that there is the level of kum (“rise”), which is the masculine song (shir), which is above the level of “Arise for yourself (kumi lach)” of the Exodus from Egypt, which is like the matter of the feminine song (shirah), etc. And this is [the meaning of] “On the third day He will raise us up, and we will live before Him.”

“Before Him” specifically: that is, the level of the inner dimension of Atik Yomin, which will be revealed in the Time to Come; whereas now there is no power to draw down from there, etc.

25And therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said in the Midrash, in Bereishis Rabbah, section 17: “The unripe fruit (novlos) of the World to Come is Shabbos.” For even on Shabbos, which is the ascent of the worlds,

so that Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus is elevated into the beard of Arich Anpin, and Malchus into the light of Abba, etc., and it is also the drawing-down of “the dew that drips from Atika Kadisha,” etc., nevertheless the drawing-down is only from the outer dimension (chitzoniyus) of Atik.

26Therefore it is called “unripe fruit” relative to the World to Come, when there will be a revelation of the inner dimension of Atik Yomin, etc. And see what is written in the explanation on [the verse] “Set me as a seal.”

And this is [the meaning of] “My dove, in the clefts of the rock”: Malchus is called a dove, and she descends “into the clefts of the rock,” into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. For although Malchus is “the end of all levels,” nevertheless, since

it is at the level of Atzilus, where “He and His vessels (ihu vegarmohi) are one,” for the Infinite Light rests in them, then her descent into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah is a great contraction (tzimtzum), and she becomes the level of a point, etc.;

for it is impossible to receive the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence) even in the higher Gan Eden unless it has first been contracted into the level of the limit of a point, etc.

And according to the service below: at the time of prayer there is an expansion of love and awe, and afterwards, all day, [it is] in contraction, and on the morrow expansion comes about, etc.

Now, “the clefts of the rock” is the descent into nogah, and “the hidden place of the step” is lower still; for there are several different descents, as in the day or in the night, “and she gives food to her household,” etc. And this suffices for one who understands.