להבין ענין הברכות כי הנה אנשי כנה״ג תקנו…

1To understand the matter of the blessings: the Men of the Great Assembly instituted the blessings in the time of the Second Temple, but in the time of the First Temple they did not recite blessings.

The matter is this: all Israel are believers, sons of believers, etc. — [believing in] what the philosophers and investigators wearied themselves to understand with their intellect.

For faith is above comprehension and intellect, even above the comprehension that is in the root of the G‑dly soul in Israel, of which [it is said] “its mazal sees,” etc.; for no thought can grasp Him, and He is exalted and lofty above their mazal.

2Now, in the time of the First Temple the souls of Israel were of the highest level, and the Infinite Light rested and was revealed in their souls, so that this faith was revealed to them as if one sees, etc.

But in the time of the Second Temple, when the souls were not of so high a level, the Men of the Great Assembly instituted the blessings, to draw down the revelation of this faith: that Havayah, the Infinite Light, blessed be He, be “blessed” and drawn down in revelation below.

3The order of the progression of the drawing down of the revelation is: first, “Havayah our G‑d” — the revelation of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, in the souls of Israel, that He be actually “our G‑d,” in a state of self-nullification, because they are from the inner dimension of the worlds.

This is not so with the angels, who are from the outer dimension of the worlds, of whom it is said, “And from there it divided and became four heads” — four rivers, which are the four camps of the Shechinah: the camp of Michael, etc. And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Berachos 4b), “Michael in one.”

They did not state any measure for the souls of Israel, because the matter of flying, in which they fly across the world, does not apply to souls at all, for the world and all it contains takes up no space at all in relation to them.

Whereas in relation to the angels, the world does take up some space; only, Michael needs just one flight, Gabriel two, etc., and Eliyahu four — with his body, which at first was physical and was transformed, etc.

And afterwards, “King of the world,” which is over the world, is only the revelation of His sovereignty, may He be blessed, for “there is no king without a people,” etc.

4Now, through the blessing one draws down blessing and drawing-down, that there be a revelation of the Infinite Light in the soul of the community of Israel, so that faith in G‑d be strengthened in their heart in a revealed manner, as if one sees, etc.

But what precedes the blessing and the drawing down of the indwelling of this revelation is the one who blesses — he is the one who does the mitzvah — because the mitzvos are vessels for the indwelling of the Infinite Light itself, etc., and in them and through them one draws the Infinite Light below.

And this is “Who has sanctified us with His commandments.” “Asher” has the sense of “for,” which gives the reason for something; that is to say, because He has sanctified us with His commandments.

“And has commanded us” (vetzivanu) is from the term tzavta, joining, and connection with the Infinite Light, blessed be He, the root of the mitzvos above; therefore we have the power to draw down the revelation of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, with this blessing.

5Now, it is said in the Jerusalem Talmud (Berachos, ch. 1, halachah 8): A short formula opens with “Baruch” and does not seal with “Baruch”; a long formula opens with “Baruch” and seals with “Baruch.”

To understand this — and also to understand what the term “seal” means; it should have said “end” — the matter is that, as is known, there are two levels: the level of the hidden world and the level of the revealed world.

Of the revealed world it is said (Genesis 2), “And from there it divided and became four heads” — four rivers, corresponding to the four camps of the Shechinah, which enclothes itself in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, etc.

And in the progression and descent of the levels, level after level, as it enclothes itself in the seventy princes, etc., there comes to be the world of separation, etc.; and there the kelipos and the sitra achra have a hold and nurture, to draw from holiness, as it were.

But their nurture is only from the surplus of the flow and the waste, etc., and not from the essence of holiness, heaven forbid.

And the matter of how the surplus of the flow and the waste come into being in the revealed world is this: even though the revealed world, too, of itself, is in truth not a separate thing, heaven forbid — as it is written (Deuteronomy 4), “For Havayah is Elokim,” etc. — it is rather the revelation of what was hidden in the hidden world.

As in the analogy of the fetus, which is formed in the womb of the female with a differentiation into bones and sinews, etc.: they come from the drop of the male, the white, from which [come] the bones, etc.

Only, in the drop of the male there was no actual differentiation of bones and sinews; they were only in the potential of that drop, in concealment; and through its being in the womb of the female nine months, it takes on the form of the fetus and emerges from concealment to revelation.

6Now, as in the analogy of the fetus: when it has grown and the formation of all the limbs is complete, it then pushes out from itself surpluses, hair and nails; this is the sign of the fetus’s growth, that it is complete when its hair and nails are completed, etc.

And when it leaves its mother’s womb it expels more waste through the opening of its orifices, etc. — waste that was not in the drop, for the fetus is formed only from the refined part of it.

So too, by way of analogy, when the order of the chain of descent is revealed in the revealed world, from concealment to revelation, in a great division of levels, so that there be the form of the particulars of the worlds in their blend and character, then there come to be surpluses of the flow and waste, which it pushes outward.

And this is the overflow of the flow, [giving] nurture and a hold to the sitra achra.

This is not so with the hidden world, which is in a state of inclusion, etc.; and “there is the hiding of His strength,” and there is “no adversary and no evil occurrence,” heaven forbid, etc.

7Now, the short formula alludes to the hidden world, which is the level of the drop alone, in inclusion, in concealment and potential; therefore it is a short formula, which includes everything in brief language.

And it needs only to open with “Baruch,” so that there be blessing and drawing-down from the Infinite Light itself, blessed be He; for the blessing is to be an indwelling and revelation from the essence of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, which is not within the category of worlds at all, as explained above.

8And since this blessing and drawing-down will be drawn there, it “shall not be moved forever and ever,” for there is no nurture there for the sitra achra, heaven forbid.

But the long formula alludes to the revealed world, which is the level of the revelation of creation into its minutest particulars, in many and vast divisions; and so is the long formula, with length of words, in the many detailed particulars of the things that are said and repeated in it.

9Now, in the revealed world, after “from there it divided” into the level of the division of particulars, there is nurture for the sitra achra, heaven forbid; and they must be separated, so that they do not draw from the essence of holiness, heaven forbid, but only by way of the overflow of the flow, from the surpluses and waste, etc. Therefore it must also seal with “Baruch.”

10The matter of the seal is like the term “seal” [used for the one] on the outside of a letter, so that no stranger reads this letter, one whom [the writer] does not want to know what is written there.

So too is this seal of the blessing and drawing-down that one draws further after the long formula: that this drawing-down, which is the revelation of the hidden, be only in the realm of holiness alone, and that strangers have no portion or inheritance in it.

And this is the difference between the opening of the blessing and its seal: the opening of the blessing is the drawing down of the revelation alone, that “blessed” and drawn down be “Havayah, the G‑d of Israel, from world to world”; but the seal is that this drawing-down be specifically in holiness.

“Who chooses His people Israel with love”; (Malachi 1) “And I loved Yaakov, and Eisav I hated”; (Psalms 47) “He chooses our inheritance for us, the pride of Yaakov whom He loved,” etc.

Therefore it is called by the term “seal,” as one seals a letter so that another will not read it, and like a seal against the touch of a stranger, which is a safeguard, etc.

And therefore one seals with “Baruch,” which is a drawing down from the level of the encompassing, which is a protection from above, as it is written (ibid. 121), “Havayah is your guardian, Havayah is your shade,” etc.

Therefore the seal of the community of Israel as a whole is at Ne’ilah of Yom Kippur, for then they merit the highest level: (Leviticus 16) “Before Havayah you shall be purified” — above the level of Havayah, etc., as explained elsewhere.

11Now we will come to the explanation of the matter of the first two blessings of marriage, which are “Who forms man” and “Who formed man in His image.”

The first opens with “Baruch” and does not seal, and the second opens with “Baruch” and seals with “Baruch.”

The matter is that in the Gemara (Kesubos 8a; see there) they said that these two formations correspond to the two formations that there were with Adam, the first man: first, man was created alone, with two faces, and afterwards the Holy One, blessed be He, sawed off Chavah, etc.

The explanation of the matter: Adam and Chavah allude to the Written Torah and the Oral Torah. The Written Torah is the level of Adam, the level of the drop of the male, the white, from which [come] the bones, etc.

For the Written Torah is the level of supernal Chochmah, which is only the level of a drop and a point; for Chochmah is the level of lightning that flashes in one’s mind.

It has not yet come to the length and breadth of comprehension, to understand and grasp all the paths of the wisdom in general and in particular; rather, it is like mere lightning that sparkles and illuminates the power of intellect in his mind.

And it is not revealed except as a point; but afterwards the point expands in length and breadth and comes to comprehension, and then it is called by the name Binah, etc.

And so is the level of the Written Torah, in which there is no revelation of comprehension; for Rabbi Akiva would expound on each and every thorn mounds upon mounds of laws.

These laws are not explained and revealed in manifest comprehension in that thorn; rather, each and every thorn includes many mounds upon mounds of laws, which are included and hidden in that thorn in a state of concealment.

And in this thorn there is only a mere hint and the level of a point. And the thorns are the level of the crowns (tagin).

12And so too, in this manner, in all the aspects of the cantillation marks, vowels, crowns and letters: all allude to many matters and many wondrous secrets. And all this is in the Written Torah in a state of concealment and potential, and not in actuality and revelation.

As in the analogy of the drop of the male, which includes all the aspects that are in the fetus, the white, from which [come] the bones, sinews, etc.: in that drop the differentiation of the bones and sinews, etc., is not revealed in actual fact; they are only in concealment and potential.

And their emergence from concealment to revelation is through remaining nine months in the womb of the female, where the fetus takes form; and she brings it out to revelation, in the differentiation of particular, revealed limbs.

And so, by way of analogy, the emergence of the concealed of the Written Torah, which is the level of supernal Chochmah, into revelation is through the Oral Torah (and Rabbi Akiva would expound, etc., for Rabbi Akiva was the source of the Oral Torah, as they said, “an anonymous Sifrei,” etc., “and all of them follow Rabbi Akiva”), which is the level of lower Chochmah.

For from one statement in the Written Torah, such as the matter of keeping Shabbos, which was stated in the Torah in general terms, a complete tractate is made, which is the revelation of the particulars of the laws of Shabbos: what the primary categories of labor are, and how one becomes liable for them, and all their matters in all their particulars and fine points.

Therefore the Oral Torah is called by the name Chavah, for Chavah is numerically equal to the filling of Havayah (which amounts to 19), for the filling is the revelation of the concealed, as explained elsewhere. Also, Chavah is a term of revelation, for the Targum of “and he told” is “vachavi.” And telling (haggadah) is a term of drawing down, drawing from concealment to revelation.

And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “And the man called his wife’s name Chavah, because she was the mother of all living.” Seemingly, then, why did he call her Chavah? He should have called her Chayah! Rather, [it is] because Chavah is a term of revelation.

And this is “because she was the mother of all living,” meaning: and therefore she brought them out from concealment to revelation, like the mother of children, in whom the fetus takes form and she brings it out from concealment.

13And this is [the meaning of] “Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night expresses knowledge.” Explanation: “Day to day” is the level of the Written Torah; “pours forth speech (omer)”: omer is an acronym of fire (esh), water (mayim), air (ruach); and in the level of the Written Torah it “pours forth” like a spring that flows from its source,

which is still attached to its source and one with it; because the Written Torah is the level of supernal Chochmah, and there the Infinite Light, Havayah, rests and is revealed in Chochmah.

Therefore there [it says] “pours forth,” like a flowing spring, which flows from the source and does not go and spread out in length and breadth, but is only the flowing of Chochmah, which is the level of a point and a flashing lightning.

And the omer, which is the acronym of fire, water, air, is included and elevated in it in concealment and potential, and not in revelation and in actual fact.

For there is no differentiation there of the levels of fire, air and water as such, as they are after they have been particularized and come to revelation; they are only in the level of the flowing alone, like the inclusion of the spring that flows from its source and is united and included in its source, which is the Infinite One, blessed be He, Havayah in Chochmah.

“And night to night” is the level of the Oral Torah, “expresses knowledge” in revelation, to explain and detail the particulars of the division of creation as they are in the order of the chain of descent, in many and vast levels. (And this is why Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, learned Scripture by day and Mishnah by night when he was on the mountain, etc.)

14Now, the first blessing corresponds to Adam, the first man, who is the level of supernal Chochmah, the Written Torah — that is, to draw down the Infinite Light into Chochmah, etc.

And the meaning of “Yotzer” (Who forms) is like “forming a form” (tzar tzurah), by way of analogy, one who fashions the shape of the material. And this shape too is a revelation in relation to the material, which was simple material, like the body of a raw lump of metal.

15Its appearance and its workmanship, or the form that is fashioned upon it, is the revelation of the material, which was made into this particular shape.

And this form is not a separate thing, nor is the form seen as a thing in itself; rather, through the form the structure of the vessel appears in a more fitting way than it was in its raw state; and it is the raw material of the vessel itself that was formed and revealed.

So too in the analogue: “Adam,” which is the Written Torah, is also in the level of revelation relative to the primordial matter, which is the hylic potential, in which no revelation at all is grasped.

Of this it is said (Psalms 18), “He made darkness His hiding place.” The hylic matter is called by the name “Adam of Beriah,” and the beginning of revelation is in Chochmah, the Written Torah, and it is called “Adam of Yetzirah.”

And the second blessing corresponds to Chavah, the level of the Oral Torah.

Therefore the word “es” is added in it: “Who formed es ha’adam.” “Es” means the level of the letters, from alef to tav, for the letters are of the level of the revealed world, since the letters are the revelation of the intellect.

16That is, the revelation of lower Chochmah, which is the level of revelation of supernal Chochmah, the Written Torah, as explained above; and it is a revelation after a revelation, for supernal Chochmah is the revelation of the primordial hylic matter, as explained above.

And this is “in His image, in the image of the likeness of His form.” For “image” is a term of form and revelation, and the doubling, “in His image, in the image,” means revelation after revelation.

The first revelation is that the Infinite Light be in supernal Chochmah in the manner of “pours forth”; and afterwards [comes] the revelation of lower Chochmah, and it is “the likeness of His form,” that is, the level of the actual revealed world.

17“And prepared for him from himself an everlasting edifice”: the revealed world, even though “her feet go down,” etc., nevertheless is not a separate thing, heaven forbid, but rather “and prepared for him from himself” — from his very self.

For the revelation of lower Chochmah is the revelation of the radiance of the Infinite Light itself, blessed be He, that is in supernal Chochmah.

Only, since in it there were particularized and divided, in a multitude of levels, in particular form, what had been included in supernal Chochmah in concealment, in general form, the light in it is contracted and enclothed in many kinds of contractions and various enclothings,

in order to shine and be revealed in each and every level according to what it is, so that those levels be seen and revealed and not be nullified out of existence.

18And the light was contracted and diminished so much, until it descended level after level into the hiddenness of the levels, where the garment hides and covers that light, and it became a source for the world of separation, that “from there it divides,” etc.

But the main purpose of the contraction of the light is that there be the edifice of the worlds, that they not be nullified out of existence; and this is “an everlasting edifice,”

that is, that He reign forever and ever: that the attribute of His sovereignty be forever, above without end and below without limit.

19And this is the revelation of His sovereignty in the level of the actual Infinite; only, in order that there be a revelation of the Infinite One, blessed be He, in the level of His sovereignty, there had to be the level of an edifice,

that is, the concealment of the light, its contraction and its enclothing in many kinds of garments, until this light shines and is revealed in this level specifically.

For the Infinite Light in itself is as its name: it has no end, etc., and is not of any of the attributes at all, as explained elsewhere.

And even the Infinite Light that is in supernal Chochmah is in a state of contraction and garment, for supernal Chochmah is called a garment for the Infinite Light, etc.

20And to whatever extent the light descended and was revealed, revelation after revelation, this is a descent. And this diminution of the light and its enclothing, and this descent, are so that the Infinite Light, blessed be He, shine also in the lower levels.

For the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place among the lower realms; and if so, the ultimate intent of His sovereignty in giving life to separate worlds is not that they be separate, heaven forbid, but on the contrary, that there be “an everlasting edifice,” for “and prepared for him from himself,” etc., as explained above.

21However, our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “If he merits, it becomes for him an elixir of life,” etc. — for the matter depends on merit, and the words were said according to the intention of the heart of the one who occupies himself with Torah.

For since he occupies himself with the Oral Torah, which is lower Chochmah, which descended into the world of separation and enclothed itself in physical things, which are from the seventy princes, in which it enclothed itself through the great chain of descent of the levels, to give them power and dominion over those physical things;

and the physical thing with which he occupies himself, which is under the dominion of the princes, is what hides and covers the holiness of the Infinite Light that is drawn from supernal Chochmah and enclothed in lower Chochmah — therefore it can draw a person and bring him down and make him fall below,

so that “he not see the majesty of Havayah” and the splendor of the mantle of His garment, which is the enclothing of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that is drawn down and enclothed in lower Chochmah, in the ruling of the law as it is set forth concerning those physical things. For “the word of Havayah” — this is halachah, and it is His wisdom and His will, etc.

22Therefore, [if] he did not merit and is drawn after the world of separation, he causes the separation of the revealed world, which is lower Chochmah, from its source and root, which is supernal Chochmah; and he gives a hand and dominion for there to be rule and a hold for the kelipos and the sitra achra,

so that their nurture and hold be from the essence of holiness, etc., and not from the dregs and waste that were given to them for their life-force from above, from lower Chochmah, which is His sovereignty, may He be blessed, in its enclothing in the princes, etc.,

by way of the descent and chain of the levels, level after level, until it descended into the hiddenness of the levels, so that a little life-force is drawn to them from the dregs and waste, by way of the nurture of hair and nails, the surplus of the flow, etc.

For since he is drawn after the physicality of things, which are from the princes, etc., and regards them as something existing and primary, he thereby arouses the same above, as it were.

And therefore it becomes for him an actual “elixir of death,” for he takes his life-force from the kelipos, which are called death; and from there evil thoughts fall upon him from the chambers of the kelipos and sitra achra, to regard himself as something existing and significant through what he learns, etc.

And this is “one who says, ‘I have nothing but Torah,’” etc.: that he says, “I have nothing [but Torah] for myself,” because he is in the state of “did not merit” and wants to be, for himself, something existing and a separate thing.

23Therefore “even Torah he does not have,” for the Torah is bestowed and drawn down specifically in a place of holiness.

For the Infinite Light rests only on one who is nullified, etc.; and this is the side of holiness. Therefore all the bestowal of holiness is from itself and to another, that is, one does not want [it] for oneself.

This is not so with the side of kelipah, for “all the good that they do, they do for themselves,” etc. Therefore it is said of Doeg and Achitophel that they did not bring their learning to accord with the halachah.

But of King David, peace be upon him, it is written, “And Havayah was with him” — that the halachah follows him in every place. And this is because the drawing down of the Torah is specifically in a place of holiness, and according to the intention of the heart of the one who occupies himself with Torah.

For according to how he is in the arousal from below, so he arouses above, that “a spirit from on high be poured upon him” in an arousal from above — if he merits and cleaves to the Infinite Light that is drawn down in the Torah,

as it is written, “And all your children shall be taught of Havayah”; that is, that his learning of this halachah be because it is the word of G‑d, etc.

But this power, that the drawing down of the Infinite Light that is in the Torah be specifically in holiness, is from the level of the seal above,

as it is written, “Seal the Torah among My disciples” — the meaning of “among My disciples” being that they be “taught of Havayah” specifically; and this seal is what separates the kelipos, so that they not draw from the essence of holiness, heaven forbid, as explained above.

Therefore we seal with “Baruch,” so that there be no nurture or hold for the kelipos through “did not merit”; for this seal too depends on the arousal from below.

24Now, “those who seek Havayah will understand all”: that just as it is with regard to Torah, so, similarly, it is with regard to the service of the heart, in love and awe, etc.

For there are two levels in the heart: the inner dimension of the heart and its outer dimension. The level of the inner dimension of the heart is the blazing and flaming of love for G‑d, with joy and gladness of heart, more than anything,

which is the joy of the G‑dly soul, which intellectually grasps and contemplates the Infinite Light, blessed be He, the source from which it was hewn and its root, in which it was included in its Emanator, blessed be He, before its descent into this world.

25And now, too, it is so: all its desire and all its salvation is to delight in G‑d, that is, the actual Infinite Light, blessed be He — love in delights, in the revelation of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, in the Chochmah that is in the soul, the koach mah (“the power of what”), etc.

“Who is wise? One who sees what is born” — from nothing, etc.; for the world does not conceal and hide the Infinite Light, blessed be He, which is not within the category of worlds at all, and all before Him is as nothing and truly as naught.

26And therefore there will be a cleaving of the soul to its root in the living G‑d, in a tremendous inclusion and unity, as it was included and united before its descent; and of this it is said, “Day to day pours forth,” like a spring that flows from its source and is united with it.

And from this will come the soul’s rejoicing in G‑d its Maker, that is, the Infinite Light, blessed be He, which rests and is revealed in Chochmah.

And the joy will be great unto G‑d, with the flaming and blazing of the soul because of the nearness of G‑d, which is good for it; “and in its joy no stranger shares,” heaven forbid, for in [the side that is] “one opposite the other” there exists no joy like it or resembling it at all.

For it is from the level of yechidah in the soul, which is not enclothed at all in the garments of the body and the animal soul; rather, the soul is filled with light and joy for G‑d alone.

27And this is the quality of day and light, as it is written, “Day to day pours forth.” But the outer dimension of the heart is the quality of night and darkness, in which there is concealment and hiding caused by the garments of the body and the animal soul, which is from nogah, which clothe the soul.

And just as [there are] the emotive attributes in the G‑dly soul, love and awe, etc., so they are [also there], “one opposite the other”; for this love is from the level of the lower unity, in which the world appears as something existing, etc.,

because of the enclothing of the Infinite Light in the chain of descent and the descent of the levels, until this physical world came to be, etc. Therefore war is needed, “and one nation shall be mightier than the other nation,” and “were it not that the Holy One, blessed be He,” etc.,

for it is in the power of his soul to arouse the love until it desires to divest itself of its garments, because in truth it is not a separate thing, etc.; only, the unity is of the level of the lower unity, etc.

(And see what is explained on “Shir HaShirim,” on the matter of the two levels of “kallah”; from there what is said here will be understood. And see further what is explained on “Tze’enah u’re’enah,” on the matter of “Lift up your hands,” etc.) And for this King David, peace be upon him, prayed, “Unite my heart.”

For even though they are two hearts, the quality of day and the quality of night, they are not separate in their essence, heaven forbid; only, the quality of night is the level of revelation of the essence of the attribute,

which is the quality of day, so that it come into revelation in actual fact, from the concealment and hidden recesses of the understanding of the heart into the revelation of the heart in actual fact, so that the heart be a vessel and dwelling place for the indwelling of this love.

28So too, the supernal love that comes from above the chain of descent, the level of love in delights, from the level of the higher unity, is to be revealed in the soul in the love of the heart that is enclothed in the body and the animal soul,

which is the love from the lower unity; and the revelation of the attribute is not a thing separate from the essence of the attribute, but rather “and prepared for him from himself,” etc.

Only, it is impossible for the level of supernal love to come to revelation except through the quality of night and darkness.

This is the contraction of the light and its enclothing in its descent, level after level, until it acquired for itself the name “the quality of night” and “the lower unity,” and it appears as if it were a separate thing. Therefore he prayed, “Unite my heart,” etc.

29Now, in the revelation of the attributes, since it appears as if it is separate, and there is there the enclothing of the body and the animal soul, which is from nogah, which conceal and hide, etc., therefore the kelipos and the sitra achra have a hold, to take hold and draw from the essence of holiness, heaven forbid.

And for this there must be the drawing down of the seal, that is, that there be a supernal drawing-down and blessing to separate the kelipos, and that the revelation of the attributes be only for His unity as well, as it is written, “Unite my heart.”

30And chosam (seal) has the letters of techum (boundary); that is to say, “Thus far you shall come, and no further” — that there be no addition of life-force beyond the limited measure, etc.,

that is, that a person not add to giving his strength and all his toil to his animal soul, but only as it is written, “The toil of your hands,” etc., and as explained elsewhere.

And by this he arouses above, through the arousal from below, that there be drawn to them only the surplus of the flow, hair and nails, etc., and “like one who throws [it] over his shoulder,” etc.,

who does not give of his good will, by way of love and affection, but only as it is written, “And Eisav I hated.” And all this depends on the arousal from below. And the power for this arousal from below — that the arousal from above should depend on it — is from the level of the seal explained above.