Adir BaMurom — Chapter 5: Adam Kadmon — The Beginning of the Order of Existence; The Holy War of Torah

One must understand what the matter of machatzday chakla [the reapers of the field] is — for were there not many sages in the days of Rashbi? And we know that all the Tannaim and Amoraim spoke all their words along the paths of the secrets, to be sure (see Zohar III, 244b). You must know: the essential action that a person needs to perform is to direct his ways and his going toward the rectification of the Shechinah — as stated above in the secret of: "A time to act for the Lord, they have made void Your Torah" [Psalms 119:126]. For one who performs the commandments even not for the sake of reward — even if he did it only for the rectification of his own soul — the Tikkunim say of him: "all the kindness they perform — they perform for themselves" (Tikkun 30, second nesiv). Rather, a person must take upon himself the rectification of the Shechinah — and this is what is truly called machatzday chakla.

And the secret of the matter: all the services that human beings perform before the Holy Blessed One have as their secret the avodas hasadeh [work of the field] — and this is the secret of: "the king is served by the field" [Ecclesiastes 5:8]. Just as there are many kinds of work in a field, all of which must be brought to the tikkun it requires — so it is with the Shechinah. And these works are precisely the commandments, which also encompass many kinds. And it is written: "much seed shall you bring out to the field and little shall you gather" [Deuteronomy 28:38], and also: "you shall sow but shall not reap" [Micah 6:15]. And the secret of this: the commandments work in the manner of sowing — for the lights are sown in the Nukva, which is the field. But when they come to be reaped — meaning to go out from the Nukva to those below — there it is said: "at the door sin crouches" [Genesis 4:7], and the Sitra Achra grows strong to seize this light. And if there is none who knows how to reap the field properly, then the light — so as not to be delivered to the Sitra Achra — does not spread, in the secret of: "He turned His right hand back from before the enemy" [Lamentations 2:3]. But whoever takes upon himself the matter of the rectification of the Shechinah — he ascends to take the light from a place where the Sitra Achra cannot reach, and brings it down below. And once it is taken from there, it is protected — for all the danger is in the spreading from Malchus to the person. And this is in truth the matter of why the members of Rashbi's yeshiva were always going out on the roads, and there they would study the secrets — for this is precisely the true path by which to accomplish this tikkun. And it is something that Rashbi, of blessed memory, taught them, as will be explained further on, G‑d willing.

And in general: the air of this world is the thick/heavy one [avir ha-olam hazeh]. For the shefa [divine abundance] to reach the person sitting within it — this is the danger we described. But there is one path through which the air of Gan Eden spreads within this thick air, and the person can receive from within that air — and there there is no danger at all. And afterwards one brings the shefa that he received in that air into this air and illuminates the whole world — for since he took it there, I already said that it is protected. And this is what those sages were doing when they walked in the fields and the deserts — for there the air of Gan Eden would be revealed to them — and therefore the study of secrets was not dangerous at all. As it says in the Zohar, Parshas Emor fol. 105b: "In the days of Rabbi Shimon, one person would say to his friend: 'Open your mouth and let your words illuminate.'"

For all the danger is on account of this thick air — but for them, the lights were drawn through that hidden air that was mentioned. And others also knew of this path a little, but not much — and even the little they knew, they did not know much of it. Therefore he said: "the reapers of the field are few." And know that all the matters of the miraculous journeys [gazmiyos] in Perek HaSefinah [the chapter of the ship] and other such passages — they are along this path: that they would appear to go to caves or the like, and they were passing from one air to another. And I will yet explain this matter further on, G‑d willing. And also know: the path by which Rashbi, of blessed memory, taught these holy companions to attain this attainment properly — for in the beginning they knew only a little and attained only a little. And this is what he said: "and they stand at the edges of the vineyard [beshulei karma]" — for the Shechinah, when she is properly rectified in all her illuminations, is called a kerem [vineyard] — for the lights depend one upon another and are attached to their root, like a vineyard literally. And one needs to arrive at this vineyard and look at all the places of the great and essential lights, and to contemplate what is needed to attain her properly. But those who were there before Rashbi taught the clear path — they stood only at the shulay hakerem [edges of the vineyard], which is at the gradation of those below, for they could not enter inside. And I will tell you the matter of: "they do not look and they do not know." It is written: "one who contemplates a matter will find good" [Proverbs 16:20]. And this is a great principle in the Torah: "I have toiled and not found — do not believe [it]" (Megillah 6b) — for the lights are truly hidden, but through great contemplation upon them they continuously draw closer, approaching after approaching. And the majority of them stood only at the edges of the vineyard — and their hearts were not moved nor did they find the strength to go inside, for the luminaries were lofty. But all of this was because they did not pay attention to the needs of the rectification of the Shechinah — what each side requires — for then they would have attained and known all the sides. And this is: "they do not attend — and it follows from this that they do not know to what place to go, as befits." The explanation: they do not attend, and from this it follows that they do not know which place is the fitting and needed one to engage with. And the essence of all this matter: the greatest and most powerful tikkun is the matter of this reaping I described — for this brings the great light into the world. And none can accomplish it except one who takes upon himself the yoke of the rectification of the Shechinah, and walks the paths required for this, as I will explain further on. And this is the matter of what he said to them: "Assemble, companions, to the house of the Idra, clothed in armor and spears [shirin ve-rumchin]." And I will now tell you great and very hidden secrets — the holy path of learning literally for the rectification of the Shechinah. And it is learning in the pattern of what is above — which is the path whereby Rashbi, of blessed memory, led his companions. And this is the matter of the wars mentioned constantly in the Tikkunim and the Ra'aya Mehemna. And in Parshas Balak fol. 188b they said: "Rabbi Elazar said: Beloved, holy son — behold! We need all these kinds of war — we have labored in them and know how to wage war with the sword and with the bow and with the spear and with the stones of the kirta [slingshot]." And the explanation of this matter is from the loftiest and most sublime of secrets. And it is the very matter I mentioned to you above — the enclothing within the air. And the foundation of all and the root of all is: that the learning should be only for the rectification of the Shechinah, and no other aim should be found to reach oneself. And this is what is said in Tikkunay Zohar Chadash: "and furthermore — many masters of midrash who are companions among themselves cry out every day and night in the oral Torah with many questions, crying in it like dogs who say 'give, give' — and there is none who labors in the Torah to raise the Shechinah from the house of exile, and to unite her with her Husband..." — look it up there. And when his thought arrives at this purity and this cleanliness — then he can walk these paths. Know: the disputes and dialectics [pilpulim] that one engages in through Torah are to break the klippos and remove the difficulties [kushiyos] — which are the secret of straw and chaff. But what is revealed externally is merely a physical engagement — the form of argument that can produce these effects. But above there are also these same dialectics — but they are in the secret of actual wars: lights spreading to remove the Sitra Achra, as I will tell you, G‑d willing. It is written: "Is not My word like fire — says the Lord" [Jeremiah 23:29]. And the matter: whoever sets his mind to contemplate one thing and to reflect upon it — that matter becomes for him in the secret of the final Heh of the Name — meaning the Nukva rests upon him. For all attainments and operations are always through the Nukva. And just as a flame stands bound to the coal and all its colors are bound to it — for it is as a base for them — so in the power of the contemplation all the colors [gevonin] are inflamed within him through this Heh. And the secret of the colors is יה״ו — and they flame and go, and the person attains from them what he can attain. And this is what he attains in that instance from that matter. And the Yesod will further illuminate upon this base — which is the verse or the teaching, which is the coal — and then sparks will spread in many directions. And each spark is called one world, and they are many worlds inflamed from that verse, in the secret of shiv'im anpin [seventy faces], and the secret of forty-nine faces impure and forty-nine faces pure — and from all of these, they attain what they attain. And there are some places where the Sitra Achra causes sealment [satum] — and this is called a kushiya [difficulty/obstruction]. Then one must arouse in power the lights of gevura [stern force] to remove the Sitra Achra from there. And the Shechinah herself is the secret of the weapon-armor [kli zayin] raised against the Sitra Achra — whether in the secret of the bow, or the sword, or the spear, or the slingstone — as I will explain further on — until that obstruction passes. And sometimes there is not strength to remove the sealment — and then a kushiya or tiyuvta [unanswerable refutation] remains. For it is written: "Vahev in Sufah" [Numbers 21:14], and also: "iron sharpens iron" [Proverbs 27:17 — see Taanis 7a]. For the battle appears to take place between one scholar and another — and this is not so — for both of them are fighting against the Sitra Achra. And the matter: whoever attains one thing is upholding the Shechinah in the secret of one world. And there are some places where the Sitra Achra seizes and seals — and then another must help and draw one of the lights of gevura I mentioned to that place, until the Sitra Achra separates. And sometimes there is already great strength in the attainer's hand to uphold his halakha [ruling/attainment] — and this is the secret of the magen [shield], and this is a great secret. For in truth all these operations must be accomplished in the power of the inflaming of the lights — and the building is drawn always through the power of chesed, while the felling of the enemy is through the power of gevura. And sometimes the lights flame in gevura and combine with the lights of chesed and flame together — and in this flaming the matter is fixed. The magen is in chesed — receiving the blows of gevura. But if the power is insufficient in the attainer's hand, the blow of gevura will arrive and smite the Sitra Achra that was clinging there. And then the one who delivered the blow must draw a new light for the revelation of the needed matter. And sometimes the new light will come through the attainer's hand himself. And sometimes his strength will falter — and then the one who struck must draw the power to reveal the needed matter — and this is the matter of "he poses it and he resolves it [hu mosiv lah ve-hu mefarek lah]". And whoever wishes to expound and arrange his attainment properly must accustom himself to the orderings of these wars — for all of them require very great kavanos [mystical intentions] in the orderings of the luminaries and their operations. And I will complete for you now the orderings of the battle-array and the bonds of the war properly — to be like one of the mighty men who wage the war of Hashem. And you will understand many matters found in the Zohar and Tikkunim — sealed and stopped up. And know ultimately: this war is nothing but the INFLAMING OF THE LIGHTS — through whose power the Sitra Achra must separate and fall — and the Torah illuminates in its power. One must know how to arouse these lights in their times and bring their effect to light. And this is the ordering of the use of the weapons called: kirta [slingstone], or kishta [bow], or rumcha [spear], or charva [sword]. All of them are LIGHTS — that must be brought out through the power of service and the intention of the heart. And ABOVE they are seen to the eyes — these lights walking where they walk — according to the one who arouses and draws them. If the Sitra Achra were not able to strengthen itself and seize the lights to seal them — then the Torah would ALWAYS be revealed in tranquility and ease — for lights would always be renewed upon the souls. And THESE THEMSELVES are their tranquility, their goodness, and their delight — for the sole desire of the souls is to attain their root. And every light that emerges from the root and reaches them is a new delight for them. And these lights ARE themselves the Torah that flows to them. And all receive from Malchus — in the secret of: "let the one who boasts, boast in this" [Jeremiah 9:23] — which is the one made for this, to bring things to those who receive. The matter is lengthy for one not expert in the chambers of wisdom, and easy and clear for one who is. For in Malchus is the yeshiva10 — she rests upon each tzadik to draw to him what is fitting for him. And if the lights were to come and be renewed always, attained immediately by the receivers — THIS would be the rest and the inheritance that will exist in the World to Come forever and ever. But because the Sitra Achra seizes — the lights coming to a person are not received immediately in their full pattern, for many sealments are found through the clinging Sitra Achra. And the war is required to remove these sealments — namely the kushiyos and the tirutzim [resolutions]. For when one light arrives and cannot spread with its full force — one must arouse a great illumination from the needed place, and it comes and reaches the master of that luminary. For upon one soul or many souls that luminary is drawn — and the sealment seizes them — until it is removed through the power of the arriving illumination. And then if there is strength in them they receive the illumination in a great light called magen — and the lights flame and the Sitra Achra separates and the sealment opens. And if there is no strength in them — the illumination will at any rate remove the sealment in the power of the one who draws and arouses it. And this is the matter of: "from me and from you the ruling shall be established" (Pesachim 88a) — "the One on high is glorified" (Sota 40a). And even those who dispute below WITHOUT this knowledge — debating halakha — they too rectify such tikkunim: the removal of the sealing Sitra Achra. But there is no comparison between one tikkun and another — as you will find explicitly in many places in the Zohar and Tikkunim — for the essential tikkunim are through the camp of secrets studied for the sake of the tikkun of the Shechinah as above. And do not panic — and let your heart not rush to be satisfied with the initial understanding of these matters — thinking you have already encompassed them in your thought and gathered them in your handfuls — and that you are master over them. For I know that I have no power to expound and clarify them before your eyes as would be needed to establish you in their certainty — for they are matters standing in another order that our eyes have not seen. For they are not like the ways of this world — they are other paths, very far from our paths. And I cannot say and explain except insofar as I have the knowledge and understanding to say and explain. And you shall join all my words together — the earlier and the later — and on each and every word deepen yourself to picture a good picture in your mind — and then these matters will be revealed before you as if you had seen them with your own eyes. And until you have pictured them with this clarity — know that you have not attained them. And therefore the Ra'aya Mehemna said in Parshas Pinchas (fol. 293b): "The Faithful Shepherd said: These words — how hidden are they to one who does not know them, and revealed to one who knows them!" For in truth: the matters of this world — even if one does not attain the full extent of their meaning — will not be so far from one's mind, as far as these matters are from one who has not accustomed himself to them and has not made of them a correct and clear picture in his heart. And let us return to our matter. Know: there are TWO KINDS OF WARS. The first is the WAR OF THE INDIVIDUAL — and this is milchemes chova [obligatory war, incumbent on every person]. And the second is the WAR OF THE MANY — and this is milchemes mitzva [the commanded war, the greater holy war]. For whoever wishes to attain true Torah must fight with the Sitra Achra which is the sealer — and this is incumbent upon every individual: to remove AMALEK from the world — which is the SEALER. But a much stronger war is the war of the many — and this is the secret of: "iron sharpens iron" [Proverbs 27:17]. For the individual fighter must remove the Sitra Achra that seizes HIM to seal him. But those who fight in the many — each one must remove the Sitra Achra that seizes his FELLOW. And all of this is encompassed in what the Sages said: "they shall not be shamed when they speak with their enemies at the gate — even father and son became enemies" [Psalms 127:5]. Rabbi Chiya bar Abba said: "they did not move from there until they had become lovers" (Kiddushin 30a). And this is precisely the matter of this war — and its secret: "you shall surely rebuke your fellow" [Leviticus 19:17]. And this is the matter of: "love rebuke" (Avos 6:6) — which is needed for the acquisition of Torah. For when one of the members of the upper yeshiva sees a sealment sealed upon the one who upholds the luminary in its place — who is the master of that halakha — he draws toward him with power and gevura great lights, removing the sealment. And if the master of the halakha has strength — he produces the magen for him — and its secret is THREE TIMES EL [א"ל × 3 = 93] — which is the light of chesed. And then the arriving illumination is received in this chesed — and it is said to withdraw in peace and flame in power, encompassed in rest, and the Sitra Achra departs. And the inflaming of the lights is the Shechinah herself as a weapon according to what she receives. Thus the questioner draws the Shechinah in the secret of the weapon — and she reaches the place of the halakha. And in the inflaming of light with light, through the camp of souls combining for the service, the tikkun emerges. And if there is no strength — the sealment being too powerful — the magen will not be found, but the weapon reaches the master of the halakha and smites the Sitra Achra that was seizing him. And then the master of the weapon upholds that matter — and lights are renewed to establish the first luminary in its clarity. And of this it is truly said: "faithful are the wounds of a friend" [Proverbs 27:6]. For these gevuros smite the soul — but in truth it is not a smiting that pains at all — for it merely separates the evil that was seizing there — and this is the matter: they become enemies of each other — and all of it is to establish the love. And I will now explain one passage from the Tikkunay Zohar Chadash whose path is very hidden from one who does not know the proper ways of wisdom. The passage says (fol. 5b): "Meanwhile the Faithful Shepherd arrived — he took the slingstone in his hand, opened and said: Zaraka-Makaf, Shofar-Holech, Segulta — he took three stones... Receive this stone among yourselves — for the Shechinah is in exile and there is none among you who stirs toward her to make her pleasing to her Husband..." — and the matter is lengthy there. And at the end of his words: "They arose and said: take your stone to yourself... He said to them: You cannot be saved if you are saved from one stone..." He took the slingstone again and said Zaraka-Makaf-Shofar... And at the end: "one elder among them arose and said: Faithful Shepherd — how hard are the flint stones you hurled... beware of it... and furthermore you are the one of whom it was said: he struck the rock — and place the rock of the serpent to atone for your sin..." Now all these words appear as words of taunting — but it is precisely the matter I told you: for the power of the illuminations drawn in gevura removes the sealment of the Sitra Achra. And this is the secret of: "reprove a wise man and he will love you" [Proverbs 9:8]. And the truth is: because of the sins that Israel sinned, and what they caused Moses to sin at the rock, and the matters of the Erev Rav and all the other corruptions that were in the world — these cause the sealment of the Sitra Achra. And the souls of the tzadikim rectify greatly on behalf of Israel — for they bear their sins, in the secret of: "and he was wounded because of our transgressions" [Isaiah 53:5]. And they must be in this war that appears before us — in truth only against the Sitra Achra. And at first their illumination was strong in the secret of the magen — therefore they were saved from the stone, for they did not need to be smitten. Understand well — for all these are great tikkunim constantly rectified above by the six hundred thousand souls of the upper and celestial yeshiva — and their secret is the root of all souls of Israel. For the souls are DOUBLED — there is one upper portion standing above, and one portion standing below within and around the body, in the secret of NaRaN and neshama-to-neshama. And in the secret of these roots, all the souls of Israel stand in the secret of SaR [600] — even though below the souls spread into many particulars — at their root they are only 600. And each soul when it returns goes under its root and is encompassed there. These 600 are rooted in the upper yeshiva and the lower yeshiva. In the lower yeshiva are the kushiyos and the wars — in the upper yeshiva it is not so, as stated in Zohar Chadash Parshas Yisro. And know: there are kushiyos that are resolved, and those that are not resolved — in the secret of kushiya and tiyuvta. And there is also ultaymich — which requires returning the luminary drawn in gevura to the one who drew it. And all this is in the war of the many. But in individual wars — each person must strengthen himself in his Torah and subdue the Samech-Mem. And when he knows and arrives at learning Torah in the ways of the wars of Hashem — he has truly accomplished a great tikkun. For in reaching the air of Gan Eden — he soars in his thought in the secret of the Name of 42 of MaH — until a letter, verse, or topic illuminates upon him — and that matter becomes a base for him in the secret of the Heh of "Is not My word like fire?" — until the colors flame and he strikes with the hammer — gleaning what he gleans in the power of the spear. And the child-sage said to Rabbi Elazar: "Do you remember your spear?" And the secret of the ROMACH: ח' פעמים אל = 8 × EL = AVRAHAM in gematria [248]. And: ROMACH's secret is RESH-YUD-VAV [216] = three times 72, plus 32 paths of wisdom. And the secret of ARNON: the light of NUN in the secret of ChuB [Chochma-Bina]. And his intent is to strike with this spear at the sealing Sitra Achra. And I will now explain what these instruments are and the manner of their use — each at its proper time. The ROMACH [spear] is the first that every warrior must hold — for it draws the lights — in the secret of kum aseh "arise and do". When he does not attain them well — he strikes blow after blow. Beyond this he must draw the power of gevura to subdue the sealing Sitra Achra — in the secret of the kushiyos. For this is not a deficiency of attainment — but a sealment at some particular side. And then he must unsheathe the CHARVA [sword] — which requires great preparations. For of the sword it was said to Esav: "by your sword you shall live" [Genesis 27:40] — for the Sitra Achra strengthens from gevura. One must take the sword from its hand and make it "a sword of the Lord" — then it subdues the Sitra Achra. Therefore one must encompass it immediately within the Name HVYH: יו"ד = its head, ד"ו = the body of the sword, ה"א ה"א = its two cutting edges (Zohar III, 274a). And one must strike with it the serpent — cutting it into pieces. Know: CHARVA [sword = חרב] = GEZAR in gematria [= 210] — from the language of: "who cut the Sea of Reeds into pieces" [Psalms 136:13]. The secret: the gradations of the Sitra Achra join together and perform accusation. The power of the gevura of holiness must separate them — in the secret of: "let all workers of iniquity be separated" [Psalms 92:10] — cutting each gradation by itself, leaving each subjugated under the corresponding gradation in holiness. One must also fill the sword with blood — in the secret of: "the sword of the Lord is filled with blood" [Isaiah 34:6] — and fill it in the secret of SIXTY BOLTS OF FIRE to encircle the VaK and separate the Sitra Achra — making them pieces, not in a union — and then the light can illuminate. The time to use the sword is when a matter becomes difficult concerning a topic one has already attained — it is the sword that cuts only at close range. And in the war of many: Rabbi Abba said to the child-sage: "here is the sharpened blade of the sword for you" — when he questioned him about his very matter. And if the master of the halakha has strength — he answers as the child-sage: "I strengthened myself with shield and buckler" — receiving the sword's blows in the magen — the lights flame one with the other and withdraw in peace. But the KESHES [bow] illuminates in the Nukva from the side of Yesod. Three arrows must be shot — in the secret of: "and I — the three arrows I shoot to the side of it, I will send" [I Samuel 20:20]. For the bow is the secret of Yesod — and three drops of the brain descend from ChaB"D. Strengthen the bow and its cord — two Vavs — their secret: Yesod and Tiferes. Three drops descend — one Yud with three points — becoming a Vav — and together: 22, in the secret of the 22 letters of the Torah — "through you shall Israel bless" [Genesis 48:20]. Their name: the 22 letters of אנקתם etc. — from: "May the Lord bless you... illuminate... lift..." [Numbers 6:24]. Aim the arrow: this Yud is composed of three Yuds = Lamed [30]. Three Yuds = three HVYHs = 78. Total = 108 = the gematria of CHATZI [arrow = חצי]. And the secret of the bow: "blessings upon the head of the righteous" [Proverbs 10:6] — subduing the Sitra Achra and multiplying lights. Use it when difficulties come from another place — contradictions and analogies — for this is the weapon that reaches from afar. And the most noble and powerful weapon is the KIRTA [slingstone] — the testing stone of mighty warriors, to know each man's strength. With it David overpowered the Philistine. And the Ra'aya Mehemna's power is great with this slingstone — as explained in many places in the Zohar and Tikkunim. In Parshas Eikev (fol. 272a in the Ra'aya Mehemna) the child-sage said what he had already done with his slingstone against the Samech-Mem: "and I destroyed his building and I brought him low." And the secret of the KIRTA is the secret of the STONE NOT CUT BY HANDS [Daniel 2:34] — that descends and smites the statue. The Nukva was prepared to serve the needs of the King — she needs to be bound to all the luminaries — for she is truly the vessel of all, and in her all are bound. When the bond of this connection is established permanently — from there onward is the time of receiving eternal reward. And all these matters will yet be heard below in the explanation of: the path of the division of the gates — for there is the place of the explanation of all these matters. And know: it is written: "They will build but I will destroy" [Malachi 1:4]. The secret: the Sitra Achra joins gradations to gradations — making one tower — and its secret is MIGDAEL, the tower of the generation of the Dispersion, whose power comes from the breaking of the first kings — namely the Name Be"N in which the breaking occurred. And against this tower: "I am first and I am last" [Isaiah 44:6] — the ASCENT OF THE NUKVA to be bound to all the luminaries. She ascends to Ayn Sof and descends to Ayn Tachlis, binding everything. And the secret: "Let the waters beneath the heavens be gathered to one place" [Genesis 1:9] — the Nukva in which all luminaries are bound — the upper ones descending, the lower ones ascending. And she is the stone — in the secret of Be"N — with ALEF joining it in the secret of HVYH of Ze'ir Anpin = YaVaY. And this is GaN — in the secret of 63 orders of the Torah. And she goes with full force to the wicked Samech-Mem and strikes him a blow from which he has no further recovery — all in the secret of: ANI [I — the Shechinah]. And the tower: "the air of the tower causes forgetfulness" (Sanhedrin 109a) — causing the concealment of Torah. And the kirta has power to bring down this tower and reveal supernal lights. The ordering of using it: Malchus is the SLING — one Heh. And one must draw to her FIVE GEVUROS from Imma — the FIVE SMOOTH STONES FROM THE STREAM [I Samuel 17:40] — five Names: יו"ד ה"ה וא"ו ה"ה — all in the secret of GaN. Through their power all five partzufim are bound in the Nukva in the secret of gevura — becoming ONE STONE — all bound in her and in each other. And then through this power she is thrown to Ayn Sof and Ayn Tachlis — binding all particular luminaries above and below unto the Ayn Sof. And know: this is the SECRET OF THE YICHUD OF SHEMA YISRAEL. The FIVE WORDS of Shema are the FIVE STONES — and in ONE they all become one in the yichud — ascending to Ayn Sof and Ayn Tachlis. And five times GaN = 265 = SaHaR. And then LILIT — who is SaHaR — is subdued. For she is the BEIS HASOHAR that causes sealment for the lights and souls — the princess imprisoned in the beis hasohar in her exile — and this prison is broken and the lights are revealed. And then this stone becomes HaRaS [destruction = ה"ר"ס] — destroying the building of the Sitra Achra. Therefore the child-sage said: "ve-harasna — I destroyed his building" — precisely harasna in the secret of HaRaS — fulfilling: "they will build but I will destroy." And KIRTA = SHIN-CHAF [= 320] — in the secret of five times DIN [judgment = 64 × 5 = 320]. And the secret of the smooth stones: the SQUARE of Be"N = KEDEM = the gematria of CHALUK [smooth]. And five times KEDEM = KATASH [= 820] — the secret of: "if you pound the fool in a mortar" [Proverbs 27:22] — so of this stone: "and it crushed the multitude" [Daniel 2:34]. And know: there is KIRTA DE-DAVID [David's slingstone] — with five stones, from the five partzufim alone. But the KIRTA DE-MOSHE — the Ra'aya Mehemna's slingstone — is in the secret of THREE HEADS [tlas reishin — the three heads of Atik] — elevating it above all others, binding with powers none others can bind. David's kirta: the secret of the five partzufim — namely Cha"G"T, Na"H — with Bina spreading in them in the secret of the stream. Moses's kirta: in the secret of ChaB"D — the three heads. Use the slingstone to draw the depth of secrets — stone after stone — tikkun after tikkun — lights and great secrets always revealed. And the child-sage would say: "to strike with the slingstone swiftly — stone after stone." This is the matter of: "David strengthened himself over the Philistine with sling and stone" [I Samuel 17:50]. And you must strengthen yourself in your war and let not your arm weaken — for sometimes the lights are hidden within great rocks, requiring labor and great toil. And even when they see the sling-stones coming at them, or the bow-arrows — the lights go and hide themselves even more. And do not be troubled: how can lights go and hide themselves — surely their desire is to be revealed, not to hide? For you are not yet expert in the way of wisdom. And I will explain to you this great secret — and you will understand one of the hidden passages in the Zohar speaking according to these paths. In Parshas Pinchas fol. 238b in the Ra'aya Mehemna: "Meanwhile the Faithful Shepherd came out from that rock and said: Holy Lamp — what use is it for me to hide from you? For I have left no place where I have not entered to hide from you — and have not found it. If so — we need not hide from you." And the way of this passage is deep — for how shall we understand that the Faithful Shepherd wishes to hide from before the Holy Lamp? But the matter is: know that the Shechinah hides within the klippos. And when the King stirs to seek her — she does not immediately make herself available — but on the contrary, enters from klipa to klipa — so that the King must, as it were, traverse all the klippos to find her — and then every klipa is subdued and broken before him. And when she finally emerges through him — she does not emerge from one klipa alone — but from ALL the klippos. For when she sees a time of willingness and love strengthening in the secret of the yichud — it is the time when one who has begun a mitzva is told: complete it. Therefore even if according to that particular klipa the toil is not so great — yet Malchus will not attach her arousal from below upward immediately — but until the King performs this great act to silence all that opposes. And meanwhile the lights continually grow stronger and the love is inflamed — and this is the secret of: "many waters cannot extinguish the love" [Song of Songs 8:7]. And: "let her breasts satisfy you at all times — and in her love be ravished always" [Proverbs 5:19]. And the secret of: "we have a little sister and she has no breasts" [Song of Songs 8:8]. And here there are great and very hidden secrets — "happy is the people that is so situated, happy is the people whose G‑d is the Lord." But I cannot explain them here — for they can only be transmitted in a whisper, from within awe and fear and trembling and perspiration. What I tell you, I say as one who draws a fox from its thorns — so that you may understand the matters I am explaining to you here. For the COMPLETION of the lights of Ze'ir Anpin is the Nukva. And the COMPLETION of the lights of the Nukva is the REVELATION OF IMMA UPON HER — and this is the secret of: "He did not cease loving her until He called her 'My mother'" (Zohar III, 222a). And this is the secret of the Name קס"א [= 161 = Imma's Name AHYH in full spelling]. Therefore: "the master of the lost object pursues his loss" (Kiddushin 2a). And this completion will begin and not end until the war is complete. And at any rate: "let her breasts satisfy you at all times — and in her love be ravished always" [Proverbs 5:19]. And thus you find: when the great tikkunim are going to reach the place prepared for them — the lights will sometimes not wish to receive them — hiding even more — so that the rectifier strengthens himself further to remove that very concealment. And the secret of the matter: "Truly You are a G‑d who hides Himself" [Isaiah 45:15] — it does not say נסתר [is hidden — static] but מסתתר [actively hides Himself — dynamic, ongoing]. For His will is concealment after concealment. And this EL is the Shechinah — in the secret of: "Be not silent, and be not still, O El" [Psalms 83:2]. And in this you will also understand the secret the child-sage explained on: "mighty in strength, doers of His word" [Psalms 103:20]. And first of all — whoever wishes to walk this path must accustom himself to draw toward himself the aspect of the inner air of Gan Eden that I described. And this is the secret of: "Assemble, companions, to the house of the Idra," as will yet be explained, G‑d willing. And one must first encloth oneself in shirin ve-rumchin [armor and spears]. And the secret of the matter is milchemes mitzva [obligatory war]2 — for simple dialectics not according to these inner orderings is called merely matza [a dispute]. But this is called milchemes mitzva — with the addition of the Vav which is the masculine — as explained elsewhere.3 And the truth is: Torah without mitzva is not Torah — therefore it is impossible to do this thing except in the bond of Torah with the secret of mitzva. For the mitzva is the service imposed upon human beings, and it is the tikkun that they have power to accomplish. And every portion of the Torah includes the secret of the 613 commandments — and through these 613 one must strengthen oneself for this war. And this is the secret of "shirin ve-rumchin": the shirin [armor] is made from the negative commandments, and the rumach [spear] from the positive commandments. And I will yet tell you this matter more clearly — though I cannot explain all of it in writing, for it requires oral transmission from mouth to mouth. Therefore I speak to you in fragments — for a very great dread and fear is needed in approaching this path. Even though it is truly the path of G‑d, a select and desirable and pleasing path — for the place of the flame of the coal is "its flames are flames of fire, a great blaze reaching to the heart of the heavens." And a person must guard himself from it with great guardianship, lest he be consumed in a single moment. And the guardianship depends upon purity — that the person be clean and pure in his deeds — and his learning must be specifically for the sake of the rectification of the Shechinah, to return her to the King. No trace of any other aim should be found in his thought — even to rectify himself and his soul to find favor in the eyes of the King — but only to do His will alone, from the abundance of love and the intensity of affection and cleaving. And above all: awe of the Exaltedness — to be a crown upon his head, before his eyes and before his face always. And his mind should not grow haughty so as to say: "I am pure and my deeds are pleasing before Him." All the more so should he not desire to attain wisdom for the sake of greatness, heaven forbid. Rather, his service should be pure fine flour [soles nekiya] — only to return the Shechinah to the King, and to magnify His honor. And when the person finds himself thus — let him know that he is the holy one whom the Lord will choose — and He will draw him close to be among the members of the holy palace, to behold the pleasantness of the Lord and to visit His Hechal. And if not — let him guard his soul greatly, lest he be a corrupter and not a rectifier, and be repelled, heaven forbid, as another was, or be struck down like Ben Zoma. And let his heart not carry him to say: "The Holy Blessed One is forgiving" — for the Lord did not impose this burden upon all human beings to accomplish, for He knows our inclination. And it was not given to the ministering angels — the Torah was not given to them. Rather: the survivors, the strong of heart whom the Lord has touched — they shall bring their offering as a pleasing fragrance before the Lord, and their pure offering shall be acceptable before Him. But let no man presume to approach this great and exalted service who was not called — and who did not guard himself from impurity and did not prepare his heart according to the word of the Lord. Rather let him dwell humbly as all other human beings together — and let not his heart be lifted above his brothers to rise to what is not fitting for him — and he will receive reward for the abstaining as for the seeking. Therefore I do not clarify the matter for you in orderly fashion — so that not all who wish to take the Name may come and take it. Rather I will explain the words of Rashbi, of blessed memory, according to their substance — and every reader will know that he will not find sufficient instruction in these words to come to action — only to theory: to understand the matters before you. "And the priests and the people — let them not break through to come up to the Lord, lest He break forth upon them" [Exodus 19:24], heaven forbid. Know: there is a great difference between the air of this world and the air of Gan Eden — for this is avir [air — spelled אויר], while the air of Gan Eden is Yud-or [י — אור = Yud + light — the Yud transforms the air into light]. And the secret of the matter: "Into the Ye'or [river/light] cast him" [Exodus 1:22] — which the Tikkunim expound as the secret of the light of Torah. And the secret of the matter: or Yud [the light of the Yud] — whose secret is chesed and din [lovingkindness and judgment] born at the beginning of existence in the secret of the tzimtzum [the primordial contraction]. And when the Yud is within the light — it interrupts within the light, and this is the aspect of the sealment — for the light cannot spread with its full force, and this is the aspect of the air of this world. But in the secret of Yud-or [Yud + light] — or or-Yud [light + Yud] — it can join and spread and illuminates greatly. And then the Yud becomes merely subsidiary, in the secret of: "Your Teacher shall no longer be hidden, and your eyes shall behold your Teacher" [Isaiah 30:20]. And this is "haYe'orah" — י אור [Yud-or]. And I will tell you a great secret in this: for in this verse there is encompassed one Name that rules over Gan Eden — and it is Oriyah [אוריה]. Of this name they said in the chapter Lo Yachpor (Bava Batra 25a): Oriyah — avir Yah [the air of יה]. And the truth is that in Gan Eden יה illuminates there — and its secret is: ה׳ = גן, י׳ = עדן [Heh = the Gan, Yud = the Eden] (Zohar III, 245b). And this is the Name through which one must strengthen oneself and draw the air of Gan Eden into this air through the gates — as I will explain further on, G‑d willing. And the gate of Gan Eden must be drawn to where it is needed — in order to ascend from there to the Gan and draw the aforesaid air. And the secret of all this is in the Yesod of the Nukva which is Gan HaAtis [the Ancient Garden]. And at the end of the Gan stand the three Names אדני אדני אדני — and they are קצ״ה — and they are the tzedek with the concealment of the inner point. And these three become gates in the secret of תרע״א [= 671, the value of אדני × three] — and then they are called: sha'aray tzedek [gates of righteousness]. And when these are drawn to the proper place, one must open them — and their opening is through the force of הוי״ה which is the one who opens the gates — in the secret of: "Then fought the kings of Shechem" [Judges 5:19 / az lachem she'arim]. And when ע״ב joins with tzedek, the sum is רע״ב. And the הויות are further filled with chesed — in the secret of ע״ב in full — and they are רי״ו — and רי״ו + רע״ב = פת״ח [= opening, patach] — and then the gates are opened. And this is: "Open for me the gates of righteousness" [Psalms 118:19]. And one must ascend through these openings in the power of the Name of 42 [shem mem-beis]. And therefore he [David] said: "I will come [avo bam] and praise Yah" — bam = the 42 letters of Av-Gimel-Yis-Tzas. "I will praise Yah" — this is the יה of or Yah that I mentioned — for the drawing of the air. And I will now explain to you a great secret found in Tikkunay Zohar Chadash — and it is deep, deep, its intention fathomless. It says there (fol. 31b): "And she placed it in the end, upon the lip of the Ye'or — in the sof [end] of the Torah, in order to conceal it in exile — of which it is said: 'Every son that is born — into the Ye'or you shall cast him' — this is the nehora [light] of the Torah, which is or [light] — 'cast him' — and every daughter, which is the ner [candle/commandment]... 'you shall keep alive.' And in this son who is born into the Ye'or — into him you shall cast him — for through him a Savior will emerge, encompassed in all his powers..." — and in truth this is a very deep secret. This is the matter I spoke to you about until now — the air of Gan Eden. For the abundant wisdom flows in a person through the power of this spreading of Gan Eden. And this was already found in the generation of the desert [dor de'ah], and also in Jerusalem afterwards — and through the power of this air it was great in knowledge ["rabati bide'os"]. And this secret is the spirit of the Messiah — of whom it is said: "Come, O spirit, from the four winds" [Ezekiel 37:9] — and this is the spirit of wisdom and understanding mentioned in the verse. And since the Temple was destroyed, it is true that the Messiah was born — as is known — and this is the secret of: "For a child is born to us" [Isaiah 9:5]. But the Holy Blessed One decreed that he remain by himself in Gan Eden, and his spreading be sealed. And this is: "Into the Ye'or, cast him" — to withdraw from the study of the secret — and to cast it into the Ye'or, which is in Gan Eden and not in this world. Yet the bas [daughter — = the mitzva]: "you shall keep alive" — to draw life downward through her secret, to keep all engaged with the simple meaning. But ha-meyaldos [the midwives] — who are precisely the matter of the machatzday chakla I mentioned above: the reaping of the plant that is born — they clothed themselves in awe, for this is what is most needed to guard against the serpent. And through this power: "and they kept the children alive." For all those who stand in this tikkun of the secret — drawing it below — are called: "children in whom there is no blemish" [Daniel 1:4]. For they all stand in the aspect of that spirit called "the son who is born." And they themselves are the maskilim [the enlightened], of whom it is said: "And the maskilim shall shine like the brightness of the firmament" [Daniel 12:3]. For to annul the decree is impossible, and it is impossible to bring down the Messiah below — and after him the spreading of the Gan would follow. Rather, another path was found: to ascend to the Gan — that is, to be all encompassed in this spirit of the Messiah, which is ha-ben ha-yilod [the born son] — and to strengthen themselves in it, all of them cast into the Ye'or. And this is the tikkun I am explaining to you. And know: the place where the gate of the Gan is fitting to be revealed is in the sadeh [field] — therefore they [Rashbi and his companions] would go out in the fields and there merit this attainment. And the secret of the matter: "like the fragrance of a field which the Lord has blessed" [Genesis 27:27] — for when Gan Eden entered with Yaakov this was said of it. And within Gan Eden itself there are many gradations. There is the secret of house, palace, and courtyards — and there is the aspect of the sadeh — and the sadeh is in the secret of the sprouting of the lights that are sown there, and there is the place of receiving the light I described. And the truth: the sadeh is the partner of Shaddai — and this secret is יה in man and woman. This is the first tikkun that needs to be accomplished — the secret of "the field which the Lord has blessed." And the secret of the matter: bracha [blessing] = עסמ״ב in gematria — which is the same as the four letters of הויה. And one must draw all this in the secret of Shaddai, and from there to the sadeh its partner. Therefore one must strengthen oneself in the secret of Shaddai — expounded as: or mayim rakiya [light, water, firmament] and a hundred blessings — which are themselves עסמ״ב. And all this must be corrected in the secret of the sadeh. And when you do the Heh in the secret of Dav [ד״ו = the two faces, masculine and feminine] — then it becomes like יו״ד like Shaddai — and all the lights illuminating in Shaddai will illuminate in sadeh, only that the Yud of sadeh is in the secret of the Heh as above. And if it is in a house — one must return the house to a field, and without this this revelation will not come. And now one must return the Yud itself to light [or]. For or with its three letters has the value of ר״י [= 210]. The simple Yud is ten — and as the lights multiply it becomes full, and also multiplies itself — namely יו״ד = י × ו״ד, ו״ד × י = ר׳ — plus the Yud = ר״י. And in the spreading of the air through the gate — then the matter is in the aspect of ner mitzva [the candle of the commandment] — and the ner in its secret is three unifications as is known — and one must strengthen oneself in them: their secret is nefesh and ruach, and the light is the neshama that flows and rests upon them. And then the war is in the secret of milchemes mitzva. And then a shiryon [breastplate/armor] is immediately formed for him — its secret is א״ר שס״ה: for א״ר = אלף ר׳ — which is the gate I told you of — and שס״ה = the 365 negative commandments. And they are themselves the secret of three times 120, and the five on top of them — the Heh of הויה — for in the ר״מ״ח [248] there are a Vav — and this is the spear [romach]. But all are encompassed in one gate — and this is the great gate = אלף ר׳ — and this is the whole armor. And from the ר״מ״ח positive commandments his spear is made — and then he is armed and can enter the war. Now you have already heard the orderings of the war — and this is called the derech hayirah [path of fear/awe]. And there is another path — called derech ahavah [path of love] — which begins after the armor and spears. And this is what he said here: "Adorn yourselves with your adornments, with counsel and wisdom" — for Rashbi took the path of love in this tikkun, as what follows states: "our matter depends on love." And I will now explain to you this matter well. When the person has elevated himself to the Gan and clothed himself in the mitzva — there are two paths to draw toward himself the lights of wisdom: either through the path of awe — to subdue the Sitra Achra through the forces of war; or through the path of love — to cleave with great cleaving to the luminaries and draw the lights toward himself in the manner of chesed. And one must choose between them according to the times and the tikkunim. And the general ordering of this love is: to make oneself a vehicle [merkava] for the supernal lights and to cleave to them — and this is the love through which the Torah was given. And this is the bond of the luminaries reaching the souls of Israel. And the root of this love is in the Name יאאא of MaH — as I will explain to you further on. And love is echad [one — = 13 = the gematria of אהבה] — the bond of the yichud. And the root of all this is the etzah [counsel] — which is the secret of the kelayos yo'atzos [the counseling kidneys]. And this is what is said: "I will bless the Lord who has counseled me, yea at night my kidneys instruct me" [Psalms 16:7]. For all of this depends on the secret of the Etz HaChaim [the Tree of Life] which spreads in many branches — but it cannot spread and produce fruit except through Imma that spreads and rests upon it. And this is the secret of: "And it shall be like a tree planted upon streams of water, which gives its fruit in its season" [Psalms 1:3] — and the palgay mayim [streams of water] are in the secret of Imma. And you must know the ways of this Tree of Life well. The tree is the tzelem [image] — and it equals ק״ס [= 160]: י × ה, ה × י, ר × ה, ה × ר. And when Imma spreads in it, it becomes etzah [counsel]. And this is the secret of: "You shall not destroy its tree to force it" [Deuteronomy 20:19] — for then it becomes in the secret of ד״ו [Dalet-Vav = 10 = the two faces] — and its secret is etz maachal [tree of food] = יאהדונה״י. But the Sitra Achra is a barren tree — in separation without yichud — and therefore: "only a tree that is not food — that you shall destroy and cut" [Deuteronomy 20:20]. And Bina [Understanding] is the revelation of Chochma [Wisdom]. And when Bina spreads upon this tree — the Chochma is still sealed, until the completion of its spreading — when it settles in its place, which is in NaH [Netzach-Hod] in the secret of the kidneys — and then it is said that the etzah is complete. Therefore: "the kidneys counsel" (Berachos 61a) — for each of them is called kol [all/total] — which is the totality of the fifty gates of Bina. For all the spreading is encompassed to the right — which is the right kidney — and encompassed to the left — the left kidney. And from these two together the heart is built in its two chambers. And it rises higher to the place of Tiferes — the trunk of the tree — and cleaves there. And the secret of this: when the spreading reaches the kidneys, then the Chochma that was sealed emerges and flows — meaning the kidneys give forth wisdom. And then the 32 paths of Chochma are revealed — and this is the ל״ב made from the kidneys. And the kidneys together are כל × כל = 100 — and this secret: חכ״ם ל״ב = 100. Therefore it is written: "and in the heart of every wise-hearted person I have placed wisdom" [Exodus 31:6]. And ק״ס divides into five — each portion being ל״ב — and then all is encompassed in the heart: five times ל״ב = ק״ס. And then all the branches strengthen and bring forth fruits. And then all are joined in the secret of love — and many bonds are made in this secret. And first the middle line is bound — which is in the secret of the main trunk [guf ha-ilan] — and יאאא is bound: the Yud in Keser — being the fiftieth gate of the fifty gates of Bina spreading in this tree. And the three Alefs in DaT"Y [Daas-Tiferes-Yesod] — being three times or = כתר in gematria — for they emerge from the Keser which is the Yud. And the Yud itself has the secret of echad [one] — namely: Yud and its three points [kotzin] = 13 = echad. And therefore they are 13 in the aspect of the Yud itself, and they are 13 in the joining of the Yud with the rest of the line. And all this in the secret of this etzah — in the secret of: "he who increases counsel increases understanding" [Avos 2:7], through these three gates of Bina. And further, ChaB"D of Ze'ir Anpin are bound in the secret of א״ל — namely ייאי of Sa"G [= Imma spreading]. And thus there are here two bonds: one bond in the secret of DaT"Y, and one bond in the secret of ChaB"D. And the first is the secret of two times echad — one in Keser itself, and one in its joining with DaT"Y. And this is the secret of: "Have we not all one Father?" [Malachi 2:10] — this is the Keser whose secret is Atzilus in the secret of Abba. "Has not one G‑d created us?" — this is the bond of ChaB"D which is א״ל, and the bond of DaT"Y which is echad — and this in the secret of Imma-Beriah. And all these Names together total zan [= nourishment] — namely: echad + el + echad — and its secret: "and nourishment for all is within him" [Daniel 4:9]. And it thus emerges that the tree has already reached the production of nourishment for all — all in the secret of love which is cleaving as above. And one must make oneself a true image of what is above — to be sanctified oneself in this love. Therefore let one make one's entire body a vehicle [merkava] for the sefiros14 — one's head for Keser in the secret of this etzah, and one's brains for ChaB"D. And therefore he said to them: "Be'ita b'chochmeta u-v'sukletanutah b'da'ata" — [Aramaic:] "with counsel, with wisdom, and with understanding." And I will now explain to you all the matters of this Tree of Life as befitting — its trunk, its branches, and its fruits — all correctly. And you will know its ways — to grasp it and eat of its fruit to revive your soul. And you will know its height and its appearance, and the waters upon which it is planted, and the birds that nest among its branches, and the beasts that stand in the shade of its holiness — all these are paths known to masters of wisdom by which to walk according to their proper pattern. And the root of all is the might of love and the force of cleaving. And therefore do not let your heart lead you to approach its paths if you do not find your heart complete in this love as it should be — for you will not succeed. And know: those who cleave to this love may experience what happened to Ben Azzai — of whom it is said: "precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones" [Psalms 116:15] — because of his cleaving to chesed and remaining cleaved there in the abundance of love. And of this it is written: "for love is as strong as death" [Song of Songs 8:6]. For whoever does not accept upon himself to remain cleaved in this love — let him not enter this path — for he will gain nothing from it, except he shall be greatly punished, for it will be said to him: "Who asked this of you — to trample My courtyards?" And I would not be writing these things at all, except to make known the sacred beauty of the words of Rashbi, of blessed memory — for all these matters are encompassed in his words, spoken with the depth of his wisdom to his holy companions. Know: for in the dream of Nevuchadnezzar, this very tree was explicitly described in all its parts — portion by portion, according to its pattern. And it is said there: "The tree was great and strong..." [Daniel 4:8]. And do not ask: "But was not that tree an allusion to Nevuchadnezzar, who was certainly impure — how can we expound it as referring to the Tree of Life?" For in truth this is a great and very deep secret. And briefly I will tell you: Nevuchadnezzar had a great imprint [reshimo] from holiness within him — of which it is said: "Nevuchadnezzar My servant" [see Jeremiah 27:6]15 — because he came from the power of Solomon who had attached himself to the Queen of Sheba. And this imprint spread in him with great splendor and appeared precisely in the pattern of what is above. Therefore from what is mentioned of him, you can understand what exists in holiness. And all these matters a person must arrange and correct in his thought, and make himself a vehicle for all of them. One must rectify the main trunk of the tree and ascend to the head — where it is rectified by Imma that rests upon it — and this is the tikkun of reisha de-malka [the head of the King]. And then the etzah is made as above. And one must reach its height [that] reaches to the heavens — which is Tiferes of Imma = Keser of Ze'ir Anpin. And then the head is corrected with all the tikkunim I told you until now — the bonds of the trunk in the middle line and the bonds of the brains which are the head. And also draw into this Tiferes — which is the Keser — power from Abba. And the secret of this: "Have we not all one Father?" [Malachi 2:10] — for therefore the Keser is mentioned here in the secret of Av [Father], apart from it truly being the Father of all the Fathers. And Av is Keser — encompassing two: ChuB [Chochma-Bina]. And then one must rectify its appearance — that it spread to all the land. For as long as this head is not strengthened in all its powers, the face is hidden and the eyes are as if sealed and do not illuminate to the place they need to illuminate — and the influence remains concealed and hidden. But when the lights are properly rectified, then it is said: "May the Lord make His face shine upon you" [Numbers 6:25]. And this is drawn through the strengthening of wisdom — which is life — to rectify these faces. And the secret of this: "the wisdom of a person illuminates his face" [Ecclesiastes 8:1]. Therefore strengthen yourself to illuminate these faces in the power of this wisdom and in the power of the bond you already made in the head — whose calculation is נ״ז in the secret of א״ל הוי״ה. And this is what is said: "G‑d — and He illuminated for us" [Psalms 118:27]. And then make your face radiant, and your eyes and your vigilance strengthened — to be a vehicle for the vision that proceeds to reach all the land. And this is the chizu [vision/appearance] that Rashbi, of blessed memory, commanded his companions to correct themselves in. And now go to the branches — to extend them from the trunk, each to its place. And these branches are of two kinds: the branches spreading from above toward the trunk; and the branches spreading from the trunk outward. The matter: many lights flow from the trunk here and there. Some of them come from Imma — which is the head — to flow into the trunk. And these are the roots of the trunk in Imma that spread into it — though the place from which they spread is not seen, for it is hidden, and only the place where they combine is seen. And their secret in the body: the yadayim [hands] — and their secret: "lift your hands in holiness" [Psalms 134:2] — for they are elevated toward Imma and draw from her into this trunk. And there are those that proceed from the trunk to those below — to bestow upon those who come to its feet — and they descend to them. And their secret in the body: the raglayim [feet]. And both spread to right and left — meaning Chesed, Gevura, Netzach, Hod — and through these branches you will rectify all their portions, their leaves and their fruits, and the nestlings within them. And prepare them now to bring forth their offspring — and strengthen the Yesod which is fruitfulness and multiplication. And the secret of this: "the fruit of the righteous is a Tree of Life" [Proverbs 11:30]. For only the Tzadik has the capacity to be fruitful and multiply. For the fruitfulness and multiplication has as its secret: "and abundant in chesed" [Exodus 34:6] — which is the multiplying of the chassadim — and in gematria: ו-ר-ב ח-ס-ד = פ״ר = fruitfulness and multiplication. Therefore direct your mind to multiply chesed — and then the fruits will emerge from all the branches as they should. And first you must water the tree from the palgay mayim [streams of water] upon which it is planted — and they are two streams of water: two Names MaH totaling 90 = the gematria of mayim [water]. One to draw to Lea, and one to draw to Rachel — emerging from the two instances of MaH. And you must rectify the birds nesting in the branches — for they are the many souls born within them. And beneath the branches the beasts will stand — which are the holy chayos [living-beings of the Merkava]. For the birds receive in the secret of Tiferes, and the beasts in the secret of Malchus. And the secret of this: "beneath it the beasts of the field will dwell" [Daniel 4:9] — in the secret of Malchus. And you must also bind all these branches with the power of Imma that spreads within the tree and bonds it — which is the Tzadik of the tzelem. And then you must make your own self a vehicle for all of this — in truth in the image of what is above — to sanctify yourself in this love. And therefore — let him make his entire body a vehicle for the sefiros. And then Rashbi said: "Amliku aleychon" — Aramaic: "Let Her reign over you" — in the secret of Imma who reigns within the body, namely this tree. And everything must culminate in the secret of the immense love. And it cannot be called love — unless it reaches equanimity between life and death. And this is the secret of: "love is as strong as death [azah kamos ahavah]" [Song of Songs 8:6]. For if the cleaving does not reach this measure — in the secret of: "my soul went out when he spoke" [Song of Songs 5:6] — it is not love. And therefore he said: "for the one in whose possession are life and death." For they surrendered everything to him to do as he wills — whether to return the soul to the body in the secret of life, or to leave it cleaved to its root. And you will see that indeed this is what truly happened — that three of the companions died through the power of the great cleaving — as will be explained in its place, G‑d willing. And know: the completion of the zivug [sacred union] is when both the zivug ha-yesodos [union of the foundations] and the zivug ha-neshikin [union of the kisses] are found — whose secret is love — which is the cleaving of spirit to spirit [rucha be-rucha], and this is a great and complete cleaving. But there is no power to arouse this through prayer alone — only through the surrendering of oneself to death. And our master the Ari, of blessed memory, has already well explained this matter. And since Rashbi wished to accomplish this tikkun in the secret of love — therefore he wished that they should surrender themselves to death. 1 See Derech Etz HaChaim at its beginning (printed at the end of Mesilas Yesharim). 2 See the end of Sefer Mayim Adirim by the Ramam of Shklov, fol. 58. 3 See above, p. 5. 4 See Sha'ar Ruach HaKodesh, Tikkun 27; and see Tefilos Pinat HaMerkava (Otzaros Ramchal, p. 344). 5 See Tikkunay Zohar Chadash, fol. 154. 6 See Sha'ar Ruach HaKodesh, Yichud 18. 7 See p. 190 [the section on orchah de-pilgusa de-sha'arei]. 8 See Sha'ar HaKavanos, Kavanos Chanukah. 9 See Yichud HaYirah (pp. 142 and 162). 10 In the yeshiva, since Malchus is the dwelling [see the note]. 11 Alternate reading: "how the entire inflaming of the lights is a weapon of war, etc." 12 See Kitzur HaKavanos, p. 134, kavanos Hoshana Rabba; and see Tefila no. 497. 13 Alternate reading: nof [canopy/top]. And so in all places where guf ha-ilan [trunk of the tree] is written, in the manuscripts it is written as nof. 14 See Sha'ar Ruach HaKodesh, Yichud 21. 15 See Part II, p. 20.