כי אברהם לא ידענו כו׳ אתה ה׳ אבינו כו׳

1“For Abraham has not known us,” etc.; “You, G‑d, are our Father,” etc. To understand what is written in Pri Etz Chaim, in the discourse on Purim: the illumination of the Yesod of Abba in Nukva (the feminine / Malchus), not through Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), “on this night [the king’s sleep] was disturbed,” etc.,

and its illumination went out below, into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, as it is written, “And Mordechai passed,” and “And Mordechai went out,” etc.; see there. Now, it is known that between the Emanator and the created beings there must be an intermediary.

2And these are the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus, which are intermediaries between the level of the Emanator, the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, and the level of created beings — Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, [and] the higher Gan Eden. And the revelation of His attributes (middos), may He be blessed, at the level of Atzilus, where “He and His vessels (ihu vegarmohi) are one,” was not needed

except for the sake of created beings. And “from my flesh I behold G‑d”: when a person is by himself, there is no need for the revelation of his wisdom and his attributes, but only when he reveals himself to another.

3And it is known that the Chochmah (wisdom) of Atzilus is the beginning of revelation; in it is the chief revelation of the Infinite One, blessed be He, in all the worlds, higher and lower, as it is written, “G‑d founded the earth with Chochmah.”

And it is explained elsewhere why [it is] specifically through Chochmah. And the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah) of Atzilus is the level of an intermediary, and it comprises the level of the Emanator, the Infinite One, blessed be He, in that it is the level of a vessel for the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He.

4And there is also in it the level of a created being, and it is called the lower Chochmah (Chochmah Tata’ah), that is, the root of the level of the Life of life, the Infinite One, blessed be He, for all levels of created beings, higher and lower, that are in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah,

which is the level of His speech and the breath of His mouth, may He be blessed, that gives life to all the worlds. And it is also called the lower Imma, Rachel, the mainstay of the house, who directs all the worlds, as it is written, “And she gives food to her household,” etc.: the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin).

5And it is known that it is called the Congregation of Israel (Knesses Yisrael), meaning the general and collective expression (klalus) of the souls of Israel, since its vessels are inner, middle, outer: the inner is the root of the neshamah that is in Beriah; and the middle, the root of the ruach that is in Yetzirah;

and the outer, the root of the nefesh that is in Asiyah. And each one of Israel, even the lowest of the low, has in him a spark of the nefesh of Asiyah, in which is clothed an illumination from the Malchus of Atzilus, from its outer vessels.

Therefore the level of speech and the lower Chochmah, the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), depends on the deeds of Israel, as it is written in the Zohar, “It either ascends or descends on account of Israel,” etc. And this is the matter of the exile of the Shechinah (Divine Presence).

6Now we must understand how the level of speech came into being, to give life to the worlds, from the level of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah) mentioned above, which is Havayah, the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin).

Now, it is explained in Etz Chaim that the level of the Nukva (the feminine / Malchus) of Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes) begins from the chest of Z’eir Anpin. And the explanation is: Z’eir Anpin is the attributes of Chesed (kindness) and Gevurah (restraint); love is the light for the vessel of Chesed,

for “He desires kindness”; and from the brain a flow goes out through the veins to the heart, which are the attributes; and from the heart, where the lungs are, the level of speech begins to be, for breath goes out from the lungs and becomes voice.

It follows that the enclothing of the life-force from Chochmah into speech is through the attributes in the heart, by means of contractions (tzimtzumim), by way of apertures and windows.

7Now, when Israel were on a lofty level, in the time of the [Holy] Temple, the level of Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes) and Nukva (the feminine / Malchus) was face to face — as in the face, where the main life-force in a person is, and most of his senses, sight and hearing, etc.;

whereas behind him the spiritual life-force is small and very slight. And even in the sense of touch the difference is noticeable: on the side of his face he will feel even something slight, whereas behind him the spiritual life-force is small.

8Now, as for His attributes (middos), may He be blessed, human intellect has no grasp of them whatsoever, for they are not at all of the nature and the measure of human attributes — even His level of speech, etc.; and this is

only to accommodate the ear, and “from my flesh I behold.” As in the known analogy: from the burning of wood, ash is made — so the level of Abraham, “My beloved,” who was a chariot for the Chesed (kindness) of Atzilus, is called “dust and ashes” relative to the Chesed of Atzilus; and Michael of Beriah is the outer level of the soul of Abraham, etc.

9Now, the higher attributes, Chesed (kindness) and Gevurah (restraint), used to shine the flow that comes to them from the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah) into the level of Nukva (the feminine / Malchus) in the manner of the face, the main

life-force, as mentioned above; and the level of the attributes that exist in this world — day and night, east and west, etc. — came by way of the chain of descent (hishtalshelus) from the higher attributes to the level of Nukva, the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), and she bestows [it], etc.

10And as it is written regarding Moses, when he performs a miracle — the level of a revelation of what is above nature, as will be explained: “Who led the arm at the right hand of Moses,” etc. — Chesed (kindness) is at his right, the level of Abraham, as mentioned above. And when Israel sinned, it is written, “For they have turned their back to Me.”

For through their deeds they caused the withdrawal of the illumination of the face of the higher attributes toward the level of Nukva (the feminine / Malchus), the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), and they shine only in the manner of the back, as mentioned above, where the life-force is small and slight, etc.

11And the division of the attributes that exists in the lower worlds — day and night — is only from the level of the back of the higher attributes, back to back.

And when a person turns [his] face to G‑d — that is, the wondrous longing and desire, when it is only to cleave to G‑d alone, and no stranger is with Him;

and in the matters of this world he is at the level of the back, with diminished life-force, as mentioned above — he causes the joining of the hei with the vav, and the cleaving of it to G‑d face to face; and through the arousal from below (isarusa dilesata), the arousal from above (isarusa dile’eila) [comes] also in the manner of the face: “May G‑d make His face shine”

and “the maiden was beautiful of form and fair to look upon,” and “goodly to behold.” He also causes “as the appearance of a man”: the delight and the longing from above to below.

12Now, it is mentioned in Etz Chaim that now, in the time of exile, Nukva (the feminine / Malchus) receives the intellect (mochin) not through Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), but from the higher mochin — the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), the Yesod of Abba, the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). [It is] not that the Netzach, Hod and Yesod of Z’eir Anpin become mochin for her,

but rather the mochin of Z’eir Anpin itself, which it used to take from the Netzach, Hod and Yesod of Abba and Imma — now that it is in the state of dormita (slumber), Nukva takes those mochin. (And see Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar HaPurim, chapter 5.)

And the matter, by way of analogy: just as a person can speak words of wisdom and knowledge that are in his mind without the mediation of the attributes in the heart, so too, by way of analogy, [with] the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is clothed within all worlds to give them life and to sustain them: there comes, to give life to

it, the flow of life-force from the Life of life, the source of the higher life, which is called the higher Chochmah, the light that encompasses all worlds, without first being clothed in the attributes called Z’eir Anpin and descending through many contractions by way of apertures and windows. And this is what Israel said in exile:

“For Abraham has not known us,” etc., “for You, G‑d, are our Father,” etc. For [with] every spark of the soul of each and every one of Israel, “the G‑d of his father is his help,” even before he has turned in the manner of the face mentioned above, when he believes with a true faith

that “You are our Father” — the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, before whom “all is considered as nothing”; and “in every [gathering of] ten the Shechinah (Divine Presence) rests”; and at the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, sins do not separate and interpose between Israel, etc.;

“for G‑d — a sin-offering”; “bearing iniquity”; “willful sins become as merits,” etc. For at the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, the world does not interpose at all,

as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “These are His mighty deeds” — idolaters dance in His Sanctuary; and as the analogy of the fly walking at the edge of the house, which takes up no space. And even this analogy is only for the human intellect;

but in truth there is no comparison at all [to] the absence of taking up space of the levels of the worlds, higher and lower, relative to the level of Havayah, the light that encompasses all worlds, the higher Chochmah. And of the Time to Come it is written, when He will take vengeance: “He will put on garments of vengeance as clothing.”

That is, He will contract Himself through several contractions until He is clothed in the higher attributes, and from there He will be able to descend through many contractions, so that there can be the level of vengeance against the idolaters who dance in His Sanctuary, etc.

13And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “And I am prayer.” “And I am in the midst of the exile”: when it is in the state mentioned above, she herself is the level of prayer, for there is no need to draw down by way of the higher attributes, since “You are our Father” — “Abba founded the Daughter.”

But when she is not in the midst of the exile, then she is at the level of face to face, asking her needs from Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), her husband, as it is written, “my life at my request.”

And Z’eir Anpin is called “the husband of prayer” (baal tefillah). But in exile, “And I am prayer”: she herself is prayer — a term for the bond of the lower Chochmah with the higher Chochmah.

14And this is [the meaning of] “For Abraham has not known us”: above the level of love and awe. Except that afterwards, through this contemplation — “For You are our Father” — he will come from it to love and awe at the level of face to face, flames of fire of longing for Havayah alone, which is the matter of the nesirah (the “sawing” apart), to return her face to face — the six attributes — until Yom Kippur.

15And this is why Yochanan the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) abolished the “awakeners,” who would say, “Awake! Why do You sleep?” — for in truth, “For You are our Father,” as mentioned above; only Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes) is in the state of dormita (slumber).

And this is [the meaning of] “For I have fallen, I have risen”: that is, at the very time of the fall I have risen, for she receives the intellect (mochin) not through Z’eir Anpin.

Also, “She has fallen, she will not rise any more”: that is, there cannot be a rising greater than at the time of the fall, etc.

Only, the intent of creation was for the revelation of G‑dliness, and this is [when it is] not the time of exile, for then there is more revelation, visible to the eye. And in the Future, two kings will use one crown.

That is, Z’eir Anpin and Nukva (the feminine / Malchus) will be equal in their stature, so that she will receive the mochin from Abba and Imma just as Z’eir Anpin receives — and although now too she receives from Abba, then she will be in the mystery of “a woman of valor is the crown of her husband,” and the attributes too will not be in the state of dormita.

16And this is the mystery of the inverted Havayahs, which are called the five Gevuros, back to back. But when the mystery of the five Chasadim comes, they separate them, to be face to face. And in man himself as well: the vital soul desires the matters of this world — the level of back to back;

but in the intellect, the will toward Havayah, it is at the level of the nesirah, face to face. And in the matters of this world everything must be at the level of the back; for even regarding matters of marital union our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “as though a demon compelled him”; and all the more so in other matters.

17Now, Purim and Yom Kippur are on one level: the illumination of the Yesod of Abba in Nukva (the feminine / Malchus), and its illumination goes out all the way down to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. For all the festivals are to be nullified except Purim and the halachos (laws).

For it is known from the analogy of the lion, which is among the unclean beasts, yet in the holy Chariot “the face of a lion [is] on the right”: because, owing to its very high level, it does not yet have vessels in which to be clothed

except in the lowest place, which is in an unclean animal, in the place of the kelipos (husks); whereas in a clean [animal] the vessel would be nullified before the light.

18So too, the illumination of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah) must be clothed in the lowest place, that is, the matters of the halachos — unclean, fit, etc. — which are the revelation of the supernal will that is in the higher Chochmah, in the matters of this world.

And this is [the meaning of] “And Mordechai went out from before the king.” Mordechai is the higher Chochmah; he went out from the level of Malchus in “the apparel of Malchus” — these are physical matters; and “And Mordechai passed,” as is explained in Etz Chaim, that he goes out, etc.

19Now, it is written, “We have not seen our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows until when.” For in the time of exile, for the most part, all the miracles and wonders are done by way of nature,

as with Achashverosh, where there was nothing visible to the eye that was above nature, only through the love of Esther; and nevertheless it is plainly seen that all the causes were only above nature. And this is because the miracle descended and came

by way of nature; for when the higher attributes shone face to face, there was a revelation of the higher attributes in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, as it is written, “Who led at the right hand of Moses.”

20Therefore there were prophets — that is, emissaries of the attributes of holiness — and it came into their speech: “Who creates the speech of the lips.” And all the prophets are from the Netzach and Hod of Atzilus.

That is, Netzach and Hod are “the two halves of the body,” “the kidneys that counsel,” which ripen the seed — how the flow will be from the level of Yesod, as is known; and they are “outside the body.”

That is, they are not of the essence of the body, which is the attributes Chesed and Gevurah, but only emissaries to send forth a word from before them; and this is the matter of prophets. And when the attributes withdrew, and there remained the illumination from the place of the Yesod of Abba, etc., it must be clothed in lower things, according to nature, which is the level of Elokim, equal in gematria to hateva (nature).

21Now, we must understand the conduct of Esther, who did everything on her own, without Mordechai’s counsel, and made a feast twice. [It is] since Rachel is the mainstay of the house: all matters of the conduct of the world belong to her.

And her husband, Mordechai — the Yesod of Abba — who “took her for himself as a daughter”: “the heart of her husband trusts in her,” that she will certainly not do anything improper, G‑d forbid.

22Therefore she herself made a feast twice, until she raised Haman up and brought him too close to holiness, and then his downfall came of itself;

for the kelipah (husk) cannot receive life-force and nurture, to be a “something” and a thing in its own right, except when it is distant from holiness; and whatever is closer to holiness is nullified of itself, “as wax melts before fire.”

23Therefore she brought Haman to the utmost closeness, seating him at the feasts of the king and the queen, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “When the lion and the lioness stand [together], woe to whoever passes between them.” And when she saw at the first feast that he was still a “something,” she made a second feast, until “Haman’s face was covered.”

24And this is [the meaning of] “Let the king and Haman come today”: for when they went into exile to Babylon, the Shechinah (Divine Presence) was with them, and she was in exile within him. And Esther is the mainstay of the house in holiness,

according to the plain [meaning]; and regarding the kelipos (husks) it is said, “Let there be no tikvah (hope)”: a tik (sheath) and case for vav-hei, to separate [it] from yud-hei. And she brought Haman so close that he was nullified of himself, and the combination of Havayah remained; and him they hanged on the gallows,

for “Haman cast pur, that is, the lot.” “Before Haman”: that they cast it before him, and not he himself; for the kelipah wants to liken itself to holiness, like a monkey before a man.

25And the matter of the lot in the Sanctuary is that the one who casts the lot, before the lot falls, does not know how it will fall, to this one or to that, and he agrees in his mind regarding the goat that is for Azazel;

and if the lot “for G‑d” falls on it, it will be a sin-offering for G‑d; for there sins do not separate, and willful sins become as merits.

26Therefore the lot is “before G‑d,” specifically in the Sanctuary, for this level is high. And this is why Haman, the root of Esau, wanted to raise himself up like the eagle, in coarseness of spirit and haughtiness, to liken himself to holiness and to cast a lot “before Haman”;

therefore he made a gallows of fifty cubits, of the impurity of the kelipah (husk) of Beriah, corresponding to the fifty (nun) cubits of the Mordechai of holiness — the fifty gates of Binah — and he wanted to hang Mordechai and to take the life-force of the Mordechai of holiness into the house of Haman.

And it is written, “when man ruled over man to his harm.” “He has swallowed wealth and will vomit it up”: the base man wants to snatch nurture from holiness, “and it was turned about,” so that the house of Haman was given to Mordechai specifically.