Okay, rabotai (gentlemen), vihi no'am Hashem Eloheinu aleinu uma'aseh yadeinu konenah aleinu uma'aseh yadeinu konenehu (May the favor of Hashem our God be upon us; establish the work of our hands). We’re learning Da'at U-Tevunot, and we’re in perek (chapter) kaf gimmel. I have us at perek kaf gimmel, shin-peh-tet. We’re in the timeliest story you can have: the story of Par'oh and Mitzrayim, exactly where we’re holding in the parashiyot (Torah portions) and Shovavim as well.
Let’s go to the paragraph: “ve-hinei Par'oh ha-rasha hayah choshev ki keivan she-Ze'eir Anpin ha-nikra bera buchra chazar le-hit'alem toch Imma be-sod ha-ibbur” (and behold, wicked Pharaoh thought that, since Ze'eir Anpin, called bera buchra, had returned to be concealed within Imma in the mystery of gestation). We learned in yesterday’s lesson that Par'oh was a mechashef, a sorcerer. Actually, the Ben Ish Chai refers to him, from the Rabbeinu ha-Ari, as a mechashef gadol (great sorcerer). He was a sorcerer, a witch, involved in black magic. Amazingly enough, he knew all this stuff. All this stuff we’re reading about with Za and Imma and ibbur, he knew it all.
Just to review what we learned yesterday: Bnei Yisrael, the Jewish people who were in Mitzrayim, were old souls. These were souls that came from dor, from Adam ha-Rishon (the first man), from the 130 years that he separated from his wife. So there was some sort of zera (seed) or keri (emission). We don’t know whether it was le-vatalah (in vain) or keri that should have come into the world and didn’t because he abstained from his wife—whatever you want to learn. Ultimately, those nitzotzot (sparks) of Adam ha-Rishon went into the kelipah (shell).
They eventually came back in the Dor ha-Mabbul (generation of the Flood) for a tikkun (rectification), but ki hishchit kol basar (for all flesh had corrupted its way): they only repeated the sin. Then they came back in the Dor ha-Palagah (generation of the Dispersion). Like the pasuk (verse) we read yesterday, lir'ot et ra'at ha-adam (to see the evil of mankind): God came down during Palagah to see the ra'at ha-adam, because they actually emanate from the shoresh (root) of Adam. They didn’t fix it; they did another sin, avodah zarah (idolatry), and so they got even worse.
Finally, they had to come down into the Dor ha-Mabbul—and, I’m sorry, into Dor Mitzrayim, the generation of Mitzrayim, the shi'bud Mitzrayim. It was basically a repeat appearance of the Dor ha-Mabbul and the Dor ha-Palagah. Hence, in the Dor ha-Mabbul, we see déjà vu: kol ha-ben ha-yilod ha-ye'orah tashlichuhu (Every son who is born, cast into the river)—there’s the water. And in the Dor ha-Palagah, they built buildings, so va-yiven arei miskenot le-Far'oh (They built store-cities for Pharaoh): sitting and building buildings.
Basically, the ha-Ari, of blessed memory, says the pegam (flaw) was in the da'at (knowledge). That’s where the pegam of Klal Yisrael, the Jewish people, was. It’s exactly where Par'oh hangs out: Par'oh is ha-oref (the nape); Par'oh, the letters of ha-oref. There was a leak—a leaky pipe—in the da'at. Once there’s a leaky pipe in one of the sefirot (emanations), the kelipot are able to be ochez (grasp). There was an achizah (hold) of the Mitzrim in the da'at.
So what did ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, blessed be He) do? It’s really a chesed, a great kindness. He had to do this: a chesed. He limited it. He shut the main, basically. By shutting the main, that means the Za went back into the ibbur stage in Imma, telat agav telat (three within three), which is the level of Nahi. Therefore, the da'at wasn’t manifest anymore. If the da'at isn’t manifest anymore, there’s nowhere for them to be yonek (draw sustenance).
This is what we call in the books: there was no mochin de-gadlut (expanded consciousness) anymore; there was mochin de-katnut (constricted consciousness). Mochin de-katnut is Elokim. But the Yud-Kay-Vav-Kay was not manifest. The Za went into hiding, so to speak—nit'alem.
That’s why Par'oh, who knew this, could take advantage. That’s the amazing part. Anytime Moshe Rabbeinu comes and says, “Hashem sent me,” Par'oh says, “Hashem sent you? Mi Hashem (Who is Hashem?)? He’s not here. He’s hiding.” He knows to take advantage of it. He feels that the Jewish people are vulnerable. If the Za is in the ibbur stage, we don’t have a hashpa'ah (influence) from Yud-Kay-Vav-Kay; we only have a hashpa'ah from Elokim, which is less. Par'oh has no problem with Elokim. When Yosef ha-Tzaddik says, “Elokim ya'aneh et shelom Par'oh (God will answer for Pharaoh’s welfare),” Par'oh doesn’t balk. He says, “Fine, no problem.” “Acharei hodi'a Elokim otcha et kol zot (Since God has informed you of all this).” But it’s Yud-Kay-Vav-Kay.
Now I’m reading the paragraph: “ve-hinei Par'oh ha-rasha hayah choshev ki keivan she-Ze'eir Anpin ha-nikra bera buchra”—new terminology; we’re also calling Za bera buchra, meaning ben ha-bechor (firstborn son)—“chazar le-hit'alem toch Imma be-sod ha-ibbur, she-chas ve-shalom lo yachzor le-kadmuto ve-hitgalut latzet la-chutz mi-beten Imma Ila'ah.” He thought it was never coming out again, and that was his advantage. He didn’t want it to come out again.
“Ve-al yedei chen af bnei adam ha-tachtonim ha-nikra'im Yisrael”—we’re called Yisrael because of the name of Ze'eir Anpin, which is called Yisrael—“gam hem yisha'aru be-galut toch Mitzrayim.” If the Za can’t emerge from Imma, then Bnei Yisrael can’t emerge from the galut, “keivan shesaro ha'elyon hasholet aleihem batel chas veshalom metziuto.” Once the Ze'eir, which is Yisrael elyon (supernal Israel), has been nullified, that’s going to have a direct impact on Yisrael tachton (lower Israel).
“Velachen, shalach lo Hashem yitbarach al yedei Moshe Rabbeinu, ko amar Hashem beni vechori Yisrael (My son, My firstborn, Israel).” What is beni vechori Yisrael? “Lirmoz, ela ben habechor ha'elyon”—that is Ze'eir, “ha-nikra Yisrael, ki kiyumo kayam, velo nitbatel chas veshalom.” It’s an amazing story. Imagine the message Par'oh received. This is the part you’re not going to see in the movie. When Moshe goes to Par'oh, what is he basically telling him? “You think the Ze'eir is remaining in ibbur in Imma? You’re wrong.” Go talk to an anti-Semite today like that. Today, anti-Semites just hate the Jews, but they don’t know these inner workings. These are the real old-time anti-Semites, who knew exactly when we were vulnerable.
Haman knew this. As we’ll learn before Purim, be'ezrat Hashem, we’ll remind ourselves that he knew this. That’s why he said, “Now’s the time to strike,” when the Ze'eir also went back into hiding in the times of Purim.
Anyway, the Rabbi says: “ki lefi shekafar bimtziuto”—since you are a kofer (denier) in this concept, Par'oh—“lachen, yihyeh onsho midah keneged midah (measure for measure) bemakat bechorot (plague of the firstborn).” How beautiful. Finally, we get to understand where makat bechorot comes from. What’s the midah keneged midah? You want to tell me dam (blood), because they shut the mikva'ot (ritual baths) and the ladies couldn’t purify themselves from dam nidah (menstrual blood)? Tzfardea (frog), you want to say, because he caused us to scream in tefilah (prayer), so the frogs screamed as well: “Quack, quack, quack.” Kinim (lice)—they didn’t let us bathe, so therefore they had—We can explain every one of the makot (plagues) midah keneged midah, as the Midrash does.
Makat bechorot: did Par'oh kill any firstborns? Did he? But he was kofer in beni vechori, he was kofer in the Ze'eir—in that koach of ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu, that He could bring out the Ze'eir. Let’s take it to the next step: since he was kofer in beni vechori le'eila (My firstborn son above), mimeila he was kofer in beni vechori letata (My firstborn son below). That’s Klal Yisrael. He said Klal Yisrael would never go out.
So Hashem says, “Ah, you’re kofer in beni vechori? Fine. We’ll have a midah keneged midah.” “Lefi shekafar beven habechor ha'elyon, vezeh mah she'amar hakatuv, ve'im ma'en atah, vetema'en leshalcho (If you refuse, and refuse to send him), hineh anochi horeg et bincha bechorecha (I am about to kill your firstborn son).” And this is what the verse says: “vehayah ki yish'alcha bincha machar (When your son asks you tomorrow).” We say it in the Hagadah shel Pesach as well. We say this pasuk every day: “vehayah ki yish'alcha bincha machar,” because “haben habechor hanimshach min haben hakadosh habechor ha'elyon hu asher yish'alcha she'elah zo, ya'an elav noga'at zo hashe'elah, ki bo hayah rotzeh lichpor Par'oh, ule'akev et Yisrael begalut tachat reshuto.”
So when it says “vehayah ki yish'alcha bincha,” “bincha bechorecha” (your firstborn son), because bincha is referring to the Ze'eir that was ne'elam, which Par'oh was kofer in. The Rabbi writes further in the sefer Mevo She'arim, and this is his wording: “Vezeh sod hapasuk, vayomer, Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (I Am That I Am).” That is God telling Moshe Rabbeinu at the sneh (bush).
“Veha'inyan, kemo shenitba'er etzleinu besod kavanat yetzi'at Mitzrayim beleil Pesach, ki az hayah Ze'eir Anpin bivchinat ibbur toch Imma, veratzah Hashem yitbarach lehodi'a leMoshe Rabbeinu alav hashalom ki atah nolad ha-Ze'eir Anpin.” That means Bnei Yisrael are going to come out. That is the matter of yetzi'at Mitzrayim. He informed him how the matter began: at first, there was a zivug (union) of Arich Anpin in the mystery of neshikin (kisses), as mentioned, to bring out Ze'eir and nukva through the two Ehyeh’s mentioned.
In order for Ze'eir to emerge, there was a zivug above Ze'eir, meaning in Arich. That is called the zivug of neshikin. We know that Arich corresponds to Ehyeh; that is the keter (crown), which is in the throat of Arich Anpin. Therefore, Ze'eir and the nukva had a zivug at the level of the Ehyehs. We call that neshikin because those are the neshikin at the higher part, “letzorech Ze'eir venukba, echad le-Ze'eir Anpin”—one Ehyeh corresponds to the Ze'eir—“ve'echad Ehyeh keneged nukva, vehaben zeh.”
Baruch Hashem, the process is beginning: “Ehyeh, Ehyeh.” We’re starting the zivug on top. Then the zivug is going to make it all the way to the bottom, the Ze'eir will emerge, and then there will be a full zivug. “Ki chemo shekatavti lesham shenei Ehyeh keneged Abba ve'Imma.” Just as we have Abba ve'Imma (Father and Mother) Ehyehs—we can call them both Ehyehs—“kein, misham nimshach el Ze'eir Anpin velanukba.” Regarding the two Ehyehs, that is what the pasuk says: “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh,” as was explained earlier in this perek.
“Ve'achar kach yardu tipot (drops) elu liyesod (foundation) de'Arich.” The zivug of Ehyeh Ehyeh in Arich created a zivug, and that caused the tipah to go down to the yesod of Arich. “Umisham lemalchut (kingdom) de'Arich”—it goes right down the center column. “Umisham le'Abba ve-misham le'Imma,” as will be explained in the next perek, be'ezrat Hashem. There, in Imma, it remained in the mystery of ibbur, and that is where the ibbur of Za remained. Za remained in ibbur. “Vesham nitkan legamrei. Ve'Imma zo hi sod shem Ehyeh hashlishi.” So you have the Ehyeh in Arich, then the Ehyeh in Arich again—Ehyeh, Ehyeh—and the third Ehyeh is in Imma.
As it says, “Ehyeh shelachani aleichem.” This is the third Ehyeh; there are three Ehyehs in the pasuk. What’s the third one? The third one is the one that comes down to—So, again, Arich has two, and then it trickles down into Imma, which is the third. “Ve'ayein bechelek bet perek gimmel.”
After that, when Ze'eir Anpin was born, it was called the name Havayah. Then it was said, “Koh tomar livnei Yisra'el Hashem Elohei avoteichem (Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: Hashem, God of your fathers).” Since Ze'eir Anpin was born, it was called—meaning, go tell them, “Hashem.” The Za was born. There was a new zivug, and the Za was born, and we’re creating a new hashpa'ah that’s going to cause Yetzi'at Mitzrayim.
“Vehineh tzarich levareir chakirah nifla'ah (remarkable question), she'eich yetzuyar inyan zeh sheyihyeh Ze'eir Anpin chozeir besod ibur lego Imma Ila'ah?” How is this possible? How can the Ze'eir just fold up and go back into Imma? “Vahalo metzi'ut kazeh i efshar lihyot be'adam hatachton sheyachzor besod ibur beveten imo achar shenolad,” right? Everything has to have a parallel in real life. None of my kids try that. But today, who knows? In real life, this can’t happen. Once a child is born, you can’t go back into your mother’s womb.
Therefore, if there’s no example in real life, you have to ask how there can be a metzi'ut in the olamot (worlds). Because there are parallel worlds. That’s a very, very important yesod (principle): they take this concept so seriously that they ask, “How can it be? We don’t have such a metzi'ut.” We know the rule, “Mibsari echezeh Elo'ah (From my flesh I behold God).” I understand God from my basar. “Mibsari echezeh”—how do I understand God? That’s really a great chesed that ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu did. He created parallel systems so we could learn. He didn’t have to do that. They could have said, “Listen, the system in heaven works one way, and on earth it works a different way, and you’ll never figure it out through anything that’s going on on earth.” Then we’d have a problem.
Instead, Hashem made such a symmetry in systems that the same systems follow throughout nature, throughout science, and throughout mathematics. Wherever you go, especially in the body, you’ll be able to figure out the upper systems in heaven through these systems. So, if that’s the case, we don’t have a parallel to going back into Imma. How can this matter be possible?
“Harei be'emet huvar zeh heiteiv hadavar etzel Rabbeinu, ba'avur ki Rabbeinu z"l atzmo chakar chakirah zo, gam ken sham be-Ma'amarei Rashbi”—he discussed this as well. We already discussed this in the explanation of Idra Ha'azinu, regarding ibbur hasheini (second gestation) for the sake of mochin deholadah (consciousness for birth). This is his wording: “Techilah neva'er be'inyan ibbur hasheini hazeh eich efshar lihyot, ki harei betzelem Elokim asah et ha'adam, umibsari echezeh Elo'ah. Vaharei ein inyan zeh yachol lihyot be'adam hatachton sheyachzor besod ibur beveten imo achar shenolad,” right? He’s born, and he doesn’t have the mochin.
So what do we say in Kabbalah? He goes back into Imma and then gets the mochin. Okay, but where do we have that? “Ve'omnam navin zeh, tzarich sheneva'er inyan mayin nukvin va'aliyatam hanizkeret bechol makom mah inyanam ad tumam.” Now, what is mayin nukvin? Know that “bechinat mayin nukvin shel Zun, the mayin nukvin of Zun, hem nishmot hatzaddikim shehem nikra'im banim shelahem.” What activates Zun and energizes it? You always need somebody below to send up a charge. We call that charge mayin nukvin, and it arouses Za. Then Za arouses Abba ve'Imma. It’s like a pinball machine: bing, bing, bing, bing, all the way to the top.
So who arouses Za? The pasuk says, “Banim atem la-Hashem (You are children of Hashem).” Hashem is the Za, Yud-Kei-Vav-Kay. Who are the banim? All the tzaddikim (righteous people). The neshamot (souls) of the tzaddikim, through their avodah, their service, arouse the Za in the mystery of “Banim atem la-Hashem, Elokeichem.” Hashem Elokeichem: Za veNukva. “Uvchinat hamayim nukvin shel Abba ve'Imma hem Ze'eir veNukva, banim shelahem.” Who are the children of Abba ve'Imma? Ze'eir veNukva. Ze'eir veNukva are the banim who arouse Abba ve'Imma.
There always has to be something working. You’ll never have something take place on a higher level unless somebody below activated it. “Uchmo she'anu, ki b'chol lailah velailah olim nishmot hatachtonim besod beyadcha afkid ruchi b'et hashchivah.” Here it is: this is what happens when a person goes to sleep. What happens to the neshamah when a person goes to sleep? It goes up. “Umit'aber mehem nukba d'le'eila d'Ze'ir Anpin,” and it causes an ibbur into Ze'ir veNukva in the mystery of “chadashim labekarim (They are renewed every morning),” born again in the morning. Yes, you are born again every single morning. That’s considered going back into the womb and emerging.
“Veto'elet”—otherwise, what do you need such a system for? Why shouldn’t we just stay up? Why did God create sleeping? Because we need to get new mochin, and the only way you can get new mochin is through ibbur sheni. Ibbur sheni has to take place at a time of sleeping, at least for us. “Veto'elet aliyat inyanai kedei lechadesh et haneshamot shelahem”—to give us upgrades. Not only your phone gets upgrades every night; your Tesla, your body, your neshamah gets upgrades. “Velatet koach uleha'ir bahem, ve'inyan hachidush hazeh hu mah shemechadesh umetaken hamochin shelo.”
Every single day we say “chadashim labekarim,” which is in the aspect of the neshamah that sits in the moach (brain). Likewise, ZON, the children of Abba ve'Imma, rise in the mystery of mayin nukvin of Abba ve'Imma, and they get renewed as well, in order to renew their mochin, as was explained. This ascent is what we call ibur hasheni shel hamochin deholadah. Understand this.
Okay, so he basically found a parallel on earth. The parallel is sleep. So you’ve got to go to sleep.
Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha'olam shehakol nihyah bidvaro. Amen.
“Vehineh nimtza katuv bichtav yad haRav al divrei Rabenu z"l be-Sha'ar haKavanot hagahah achat mehaRav Eldadan, dehainu Reb David Majar, vehu be'Emet LeYa'akov Ninio.” This is found written in the handwriting of the Rav, on the words of Rabbeinu, in Sha'ar haKavanot, in one gloss by Rav Eldadan—that is, Reb David Majar—and it is in Emet LeYa'akov Ninio. This is his wording: “Hineh noda desod yetzi'at Mitzrayim hu mah shechazar Ze'ir Anpin livchinat ibbur telat kelilin bitlat, hakol hu bepartzuf hamochin.”
Everything that concerns the partzufim (configurations) of ZON of Atzilut (Emanation) and Bi'a (Creation, Formation, Action), which are not the imprint of the partzufim of Atzilut, is complete. They were completed and rectified at the proper time, when the Ma'atzil (Emanator) willed and emanated, created, formed, and made all the worlds, “bisphirot vetikunam (in their form and rectification).” There is no place for diminution, descent, ascent, or expanded and constricted states in them.
So the original ZON of Atzilut and Bi'a—the Majar is saying this here—which is the part of the partzufim of Atzilut, was created complete, betzivyonam vetikunam. There is no place for mi'ut (diminution) and yeridah (descent), or aliyah (ascent), or gadlut vekatnut (expanded and constricted states). So where is this happening, then? “Vechol kavanatenu bedrushei haRav, kulam medabrim bepartzuf hamochin deZON.” Aha! All this is happening in the mochin of ZON, which, I guess, is the top three. The bottom six—nothing can change there.
They’re like what we said: “Ner Hashem (the lamp of Hashem).” Ner Hashem is nefesh (life-force) and ruach (spirit). Ner Hashem represents the Nahi and the Chagat. The nefesh is the Nahi, and the ruach is the Chagat. That is Ner Hashem, from Hashem. “Nishmat adam (the soul of a person).” We already have to work from neshamah, from Binah (understanding), then Chochmah (wisdom), and then Keter.
Therefore, he says, “veZON shehem banim le'Abba ve'Imma, hem metaknim partzuf hamochin de'Abba ve'Imma.” The ZON, the children of Abba ve'Imma, rectify the partzuf above them. What is that? The mochin of Abba ve'Imma. “Nikra'im ZON gam hem le'inyan mah shelemalah mehem.” They’re considered ZON in relation to what’s above them. So we’re always fixing ZON. Even when we say Abba ve'Imma, we’re going to call it ZON because it’s ZON legabei Arich, in relation to what’s above it. That’s always the theory of relativity I like to talk about.
“Gam hem le'inyan mah shelemalah mehem vetzerichim ibur, yenikah, mochin”—the same three levels—“vehakol nitkan al yedei Zun de'Atzilut, shehem banim shelahem, vechen al derech zeh Abba ve'Imma de'Arich Anpin venukbeh, ad Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man), vehakol talui lefi ma'aseinu al yedei kiyum haTorah uma'asim tovim.” And who is that? That’s us. We have to do mitzvot and ma'asim tovim, which we perform in Zun. We work the lower levels of Zun.
“Kaha kodmin po'alim Zun de'Abba ve'Imma.” Likewise, in this way, they all work, because what is rectified by the Ma'atzil following the tikkun is the Zun included in each partzuf. They are the seven lower ones of every individual and comprehensive level. You have zayin tachtonot of every level, on every madregah (level); they’re called Zun of every detail and every general structure of Adam Kadmon, Atik, Arich Anpin, Abba ve'Imma, and Zun. Everything the Rav says concerns the relative levels of the kinnuyim. Relative to us, we come as children to Zun.
“VeZun de'Atzilut, hem davka chaserim ibur, yenikah umochin.” Therefore, we need to fix Zun of Atzilut. What is it missing? Ibbur, yenikah, and mochin. We need to fix it and bring it to completion. “Anu lehashlimam al yadeinu, omnam Abba ve'Imma hem shelemim, vechol sheken hapartzuf shelemalah mehem, vezeh kelal gadol, dechol kavanatenu bitfilah va'avodatenu vehamitzvot, hakol hu bepartzuf hamochin deZun.” That’s it: we’re only working in Zun, not on the—Once we fix Zun, then it’ll trickle up, you know, as it goes.
With this, we come to what the Rav wrote: during the galut of Mitzrayim, Ze'eir Anpin returned to the aspect of “telat kelilin bitlat” within Imma Ila'ah. If so, who was speaking with Moshe Rabbeinu? That’s a good question. If Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei is in hiding, who’s talking to Moshe at the sneh? In Mitzrayim itself, who tells him, “Go to Par'oh, tell him this, tell him that”? Who gives the instructions? And who takes Yisrael out of Mitzrayim? How were all the worlds of Bya maintained, when their life-force is drawn through the nukva? Why didn’t the world return to tohu vavohu (formlessness and void)? If Za disappears, the world has to go back into tohu vavohu. So how is the world—
There’s another point to examine in what the Rav wrote: during the entire galut Mitzrayim, Zun was in the aspect of achor be'achor (back to back), in the second aspect; on Shabbat, it returned to panim bifanim (face to face), in the third aspect. This seems to contradict what the Rav wrote in Sefer haKavanot. It seems that there was a certain revelation in Mitzrayim, at least on Shabbatot. Here it seems there was nothing.
Rather, it is simply and clearly explained that everything they are discussing in the aspect of the partzuf of the mochin of Zun concerns the upper part; not all of Zun went into galut, but the mochin. However, the partzuf of Zun of Atzilut, the actual partzuf of Zun that was emanated at the time of Atzilut, along with all the worlds and all the partzufim, had no change at all.
With this we can also understand what Rabbeinu wrote in the derush of Purim: during all those seventy years of the galut of Bavel, Ze'eir Anpin was in the mystery of dormita (sleeping). If that’s the case, then to whom were they crying and praying, and who was watching over them? As we wrote, everything is explained. Up to here is the wording of the Radam in the aforementioned gloss.
The Radam is saying a big chiddush (new insight) here. The Rashash is going to say it in his words. Let’s read it, and then we’ll go back. “Vechen nimtza davar meforash be-shi'urei hadevarim mehaRashash, vezeh leshono: hineh noda mah shekatav haRav bechammah mekomot uvifrat beSha'ar haMochin, ki Arich Anpin kalul mi-NaRaNChaY, vehu yechidah (singular soul) dechelalut de'Atzilut, ve'Abba ve'Imma Ila'in kelulim mi-NaRaNChaY, vehem chayah (living soul) dechelalut de'Atzilut, veYisrael Sava uTevunah kelulim mi-NaRaNChaY, vehem neshamah dechelalut de'Atzilut, uZe'eir Anpin kalul mi-NaRaNChaY, vehu ru'ach dechelalut de'Atzilut, vehanukba Rachel kelulah mi-NaRaNChaY, vehi nefesh dechelalut de'Atzilut.”
Atzilut, from top to bottom, has a kelalut (comprehensive structure). From top to bottom is nefesh, ru'ach, neshamah, chayah, yechidah, representing the five partzufim. “Vehineh Arich Anpin ve'Abba ve'Imma veYisrael Sava uTevunah, shehem neshamah, chayah, yechidah of the kelalut of Atzilut, yatz'u shelemim.” Each of those, when created, was created complete, each one included in ten sefirot. They are the NaRaNChaY within it.
“Omnam ZON yatzu chaserim.” ZON came out incomplete, because Ze'eir Anpin came out included in only the six extremities, which are the nefesh and ruach within it. “Ve-chaserim keter chochmah u-vinah shelo,” which are the neshamah, chayah, and yechidah. “U-ve'et ha-tikkun, tiknu Abba ve-Imma et shenei partzufim ha-chitzon ve-ha-emtza'i ha-nizkarim le'eil.” Abba ve'Imma will bring it down and give them mochin. “She-haytah bahem ha-shevirah, ve-chibru immahem sheshet ketzavot de-Mah. Ve-ellu ha-shenei partzufim einam tzerichim mochin.”
“Ki hem shelemim legamrei mikol ha-eser sefirot, shehem NaRaNChaY, kimevo'ar ba-sefer ha-hu, velo yitztarchu mochin me-Abba ve'Imma, u-malbishim le-Ze'eir Anpin. Ve-ellu lo yachseru mi-Ze'eir Anpin le'olam.” They are completely complete, with all ten sefirot, which are the NaRaNChaY, as explained in that sefer. They won’t need mochin from Abba ve'Imma, which clothe Ze'eir Anpin, and they will never be lacking from Ze'eir Anpin.
After that comes the third partzuf, the one that is missing: Binah of Ze'eir Anpin, included in three partzufim called penimi, emtza'i, and chitzon. They had three parts: ibbur, yenikah, and mochin of neshamah. Within them, the mochin of katnut and gadlut of the three heads, called Yisrael Saba u-Tevunah, spread out. From the nefesh within them, the nefesh of the neshamah of Ze'eir Anpin was formed; that is ibbur of neshamah. From the ruach within them, yenikah of neshamah was formed. From the neshamah within them, the mochin of katnut and gadlut of the neshamah of Ze'eir Anpin were formed. The Chochmah and Keter within them, chayah and yechidah, are surrounding lights.
All of this is for the third partzuf, Binah, which is called neshamah. All the mochin that come from Yisrael Saba u-Tevunah are called neshamah. That comes from Tevunah, and that’s Binah. Now we need the fourth partzuf, which is Chochmah. The same thing: the chayah of Ze'eir Anpin came from chayah, which is Abba. “U-vo nitpashtu mochin mi-tzad Abba ve-Imma, ha-nikra'im chayah, al derech ha-nizkar, partzuf ha-shelishi mamash.”
After that comes the fifth partzuf, which is Keter, the Keter and yechidah of Ze'eir Anpin. The mochin spread out in it from the side of Arich Anpin, which is called yechidah, just as mentioned above. Then Ze'eir Anpin is complete with all ten sefirot. All the mochin that come to Ze'eir Anpin from Yisrael Saba and Tevunah are to complete its full neshamah. That is the third partzuf, neshamah, chayah, and yechidah, which is the third partzuf called Binah.
Even its nefesh and ruach, which come in the days of ibbur and yenikah, are for ibbur and yenikah of the partzuf of Binah of Ze'eir Anpin, its nefesh and ruach. All of this that’s coming is only in—in other words, the entirety of the Za in the bottom six has full nefesh and full ruach. What’s missing is in the GAR. It’s missing—It has the bottom six in the GAR, and it’s missing, as if we’re saying, the GAR of the GAR. That’s what it sounded like it was saying.
So you’re not filling up the full GAR? Right, you’re not filling it up, because Ner is always there. Even in the—Right, exactly. That means that in the kelalut of Atzilut, you always have the NaRaNChaY, and the NaRaNChaY is complete. The nefesh has all ten, the ruach has all ten, and of course, as you go up. So where’s the part that’s missing? Exactly: the NaCHaY—the neshamah, chayah, and yechidah. It says it has the Binah? Right, it doesn’t have the Binah. We have—it starts with Binah, then Chochmah, and then Keter. And where is that part missing? Only in the GAR. Exactly, only in the GAR.
Therefore, there’s a very small part that we have to—It’s not the biggest part, but it’s a perat of a perat that we’re fixing. That’s why the ha-Ari explains: when a baby is born, it has a head. Right. So it has its VAK; it’s just that the upper GAR needs the mochin. Right, it has a head; you just need to give it the mochin. Right, the GAR of its—Therefore, in the GAR, let’s say, “Binah Whole shape to talk?” Something to that effect. Binah had seven, and you needed to add the three parts to Binah; then you need three parts to Chochmah, and you need three parts to Keter.
“Ve-ellu hem ha-mistalkim be-ikkar bi-Kri'at Shema (recitation of the Shema) ve-Amidah (standing prayer). Aval ha-shenei partzufim de-nefesh ve-ruach, de-kollalut Ze'eir Anpin, hinneh hem shelemim legamrei.” The lower nefesh and ruach of the comprehensive structure of Ze'eir Anpin are completely complete. It has its GAR. That’s it; it has a GAR. The nefesh is complete, the ruach—We were only working in the NaCHaY, in the neshamah, chayah, and yechidah. “Ve-shum mochin einam tzerichim, ve-ellu lo yachseru le'olam mi-Ze'eir Anpin.”
Sometimes Ze'eir Anpin returns to first katnut, and even to ibbur, as in the Churban HaBayit (destruction of the Temple) and similar cases. That is ibbur of the neshamah itself. It’s not the whole Za. His question was: if the whole Za goes into ibbur, who are we talking to? No, the Za remains; it’s just the neshamah of the Za that goes in to get an upgrade. Basically, the brain goes back in for a little upgrade, but everything else is outside. You can negotiate with that. There’s something to talk to; there’s somebody to mashgiach (watch over us).
Now you can understand for yourself: “ki hamedaber hu haMa'atzil ha'elyon pashet paratut hasefirot.” Who is the medaber (speaker)? God, who communicates through the sefirot. “Hu mistater umitlabesh be-Ze'eir Anpin de'Atzilut uv'chol hapartzufim shekulam nichlalim be-Shem Havayah baruch Hu.” Every one of the partzufim also has five partzufim. It’s all made of five, so it has a Za, which includes everything: the Or Ein Sof (Infinite Light), let’s say, and the four otiot (letters). They include the tip of the yud and the four letters, which all include the light of Or Ein Sof, through which we get from Keter down to ZON, all the way down to the vav-heh.
Rather, all the matters and commands of the Ma'atzil emerge and become revealed with Ze'eir Anpin of Atzilut, which is simply called Havayah. We have already said that the partzufim of ZON made in Atzilut last forever and have no change. They are the partzuf of the six extremities and malchut, which are ruach and nefesh of the comprehensive structure of Atzilut, alluded to in the vav-heh of the name Havayah. They are complete partzufim, with all the mochin appropriate for them. From there the speech to Moshe Rabbeinu, alav hashalom, emerged and became revealed.
Beautiful. So it was coming from the VAK, and the VAK is complete. The nefesh and ruach of the Za are complete, and therefore all the wires are intact there. It’s not—So now you can see that there could be higher levels of communication. If the Za is missing its GAR, you can still get communication, but it’s going to be—
“And enough is missing that they enslave her?” Right, right. Why? Enough that they be in slavery. That’s his point: if the Za disappeared, who’s watching over us? Who’s talking to us? The GAR keeps us in slavery, but it doesn’t cause a blackout. It doesn’t prevent Moshe Rabbeinu from having any discussion. “Umisham hayah yotze umitgaleh hadibur le-Moshe Rabbeinu alav hashalom.” In truth, of course, the speech is drawn from the Ma'atzil, blessed be He, through those sefirot.
Therefore, we understand well what Rabbeinu wrote: “lachen shalach lo Hashem Yitbarach al yedei Moshe koh amar Hashem beni bechori Yisra'el”—to allude to the firstborn son above, called Yisrael, whose existence is everlasting. See there. In truth, although the matters emerge and become revealed to Moshe Rabbeinu, alav hashalom, from Ze'eir Anpin of Atzilut, called Yisrael, they are really drawn and come from the Ma'atzil above, blessed be He, who is concealed there. He speaks through the partzuf of the mochin of Ze'eir Anpin.
By way of example, Reuven speaks with Shimon. The speech emerges and becomes revealed from Reuven’s body, but in truth it is drawn from the neshamah within him. It’s always like that. Even though we say it’s the Za, it’s not the Za; it’s what’s in the Za. What’s in the Za? Neshamah. The neshamah, which is Hashem. So even though He says “beni bechori,” that He is coming to you from beni bechori, from the Za, it’s not the Za. We always have to say that. The Za is only a guf (body); it doesn’t have the koach (power) on its own. Only what’s inside it has the ability.
We also find an explicit matter in what we wrote earlier in perek kaf-bet, in the explanation of the pasuk “ra'iti et ha'am hazeh vehineh am kesheh oref” (I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people). Because they sinned with the egel (calf), “ve'e'eseh otcha legoy gadol”—the Ma'atzil above, blessed be He, wanted to nullify the existence of the lower nukva, Rachel, which we learned yesterday or two days ago. The Creator of the World wanted to get rid of Rachel and make a new nukva for Ze'eir Anpin from the side of Binah, from which Leah is joined with Y-H. Therefore, the sins cannot destroy it, and the Jewish people have to be on a very high level—that’s Moshe Rabbeinu and his children. All these matters must come and be drawn from the Ma'atzil above.
Everything comes from Hashem. He is the neshamah of everything. Rather, the matters emerge and become revealed to Moshe Rabbeinu from Ze'eir—Where is the voice coming from? Is it coming from the higher level or from the lower level? It’s all Hashem, but there are different revelations. It’s like high definition and low definition. This is a low definition because the Za was—Now listen to what he’s going to say.
He says that when it came to Moshe Rabbeinu, it came from Ze'eir Anpin, called Havayah, which includes everything. As the Idra Raba says, this is its wording: “kelala dechula mineih Atika Kadisha ad Ze'eir Anpin, kulehu chad, vechula hevei vechula yehe, lo yishtaneh velo mishtaneh,” as Rabbeinu wrote in his explanation. The intention is that Arich Anpin holds the entire stature of Atzilut. We know Arich goes all the way down, from top to bottom. It clothes itself within Abba ve'Imma. If you go to the bottom line and get to the core of it, everything goes back to Arich; Arich clothes itself over Atika, and Atika is Adam Kadmon. Bottom line, it’s just a question of how many filters you’re going through.
Atika d'Atikin includes Ze'eir Anpin. If you peel away the layers of the onion, at the end you get to the bulb inside, which is the Or Ein Sof. It’s all one thing: one garment over another garment. When he writes about this clothing, which is included in the name Havayah, blessed be He, the tip of the yud and the four letters, all of which come from the Or Ein Sof, may it be blessed and sanctified, in Keter, down to the mystery of Atzilut, as mentioned in this sefer at length—see there.
One more paragraph: “V'da, ki hineh shebe'emet partzuf Ze'eir Anpin ha'ikari d'vchinat ruach v'nefesh”—its lower parts, ruach and nefesh—“partzuf shalem.” The world can exist with that. As long as the nefesh and ruach are complete, “u'vo hanhagat ha'olam.” It’s true that at the higher levels they’re missing their GAR, but that’s a bonus round. The world can exist with nefesh and ruach. “V'hu hayah galui umfursam v'lo hayah chisaron b'sod ha'ibur.” That didn’t go into ibbur. Therefore, the world continues in its regular way, and from there the simple speech of Moshe Rabbeinu emerged.
That is, through the connection and simplicity of everything in its mystery, with the Or Ein Sof concealed within them, because everything is in one unity. Nevertheless, Par'oh was kofer in Ze'eir Anpin. Here’s the chiddush: even though some of the Za was really out, he was still kofer. Why? “Mipnei ki yada shepartzuf hamochin”—where are the mochin? He was saying Ze'eir Anpin was in the mystery of ibbur. Par'oh knew this too. He knew, “I know the world can’t exist without the Za being present. But I’m also aware that only the bottom part of the Za is present in completeness. I’m talking about the mochin. Where are they? They went back in.”
Therefore, “v'yada ki zeh ha-partzuf hamochin shayach yoter l'Yisrael.” The world can exist with nefesh and ruach, but Klal Yisrael is connected to the mochin. When the mochin go back into Imma, that affects us. So Par'oh knew that we’re most vulnerable when Za—Exactly, loses its mochin. “V'chashav ki yisha'er chas v'shalom b'he'elmut zeh,” and if it remains concealed, “v'az b'zeh yuchal l'hakot”—God forbid. He says, in truth, he wasn’t right, he wasn’t wrong: “biheyot partzuf mochin nisgar b'sod ha'ibur yiheyeh al yedei chen mi'ut hashgachah al Yisrael.” That’s it—like Haman!
Haman the wicked thought the same thing. During the galut of Madai (Media), Ze'eir Anpin was in the mystery of dormita. Dormita means sleeping. Za was sleeping, which also means the partzuf of the mochin was missing. That would mean a diminution of His providential oversight of Yisrael in those days, as it says in Purim.
But Par'oh—Haman wasn’t kofer in it; maybe he was, but Par'oh was kofer. Par'oh kafar b'Ze'eir Anpin yoter mita'am l'el. He said, “Mi Hashem?” You don’t see Haman using that lashon (expression). Therefore, he asked, through Moshe Rabbeinu—to make a great miracle that would enlarge Ze'eir Anpin to its ultimate greatness.
What we’re going to learn in the next session is really the kavanot of Leil Seder. Par'oh had an achizah because Za went back into Imma, and therefore it was mochin de-katnut, which is Elokim, and the kelipot can hold on to the Elokims. But all of a sudden, the Za is going to come out and there’s going to be a big light. Par'oh won’t be able to handle it. But the Jewish people are really unworthy of this light.
Basically, it’s going to be what we call Pesach. Pesach means we’re going to skip levels; we’re skipping. Pesach means bedilug: we skip levels. We didn’t deserve it. That’s why on Leil Seder we say Kadesh Urechatz (Sanctify and wash). Really, it should be rechatz—go to the mikveh—then kadesh, afterward. On Seder it’s the opposite: kadesh! For doing nothing! The kedushah (holiness) comes, and then urechatz, and then go to the mikveh. It’s reversed: Kadesh Urechatz. Normally, you’d say you have to prepare for the kedushah.
On Leil Seder, kadesh! We learned from Rabbeinu that just picking up the cup on Leil Seder brings down mochin, gadlut, katnut, and all this business. It repeats itself every year; that’s the greatness of it. On Leil Seder, whatever happened in Mitzrayim to shake Par'oh away, Bore Olam had to bring a nuclear bomb. All of a sudden, mochin de-gadlut came out. But what did we do to deserve it? Nothing. Bore Olam says, “Okay, now you saw what it looks like; you saw the goal. Now, 49 days: take the steps.”
That means you get to take the elevator. I gave you the elevator; I gave you a free ride spaceship. At the end of Leil Seder, Bore Olam brings you back to the ground. Unless you tasted it and saw it, you don’t know what you can attain. That’s what it’s saying here: Par'oh saw that the mochin of Za were in galut, so to speak, and he said, “That’s it. As long as they stay in there, and Klal Yisrael is doing avodah zarah anyway, there’s no way they’ll get out.” If you really look at it according to these rules, according to the way things are supposed to work, we’re really in trouble. That’s why it says that the ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu Himself had to come and change the whole—
The irony is that when we call it seder (order), it’s actually not seder. That’s why we have to say it’s the seder of Leil Pesach, because the regular seder doesn’t work like this. The seder of Leil Pesach is the only night of the year when it’s not the seder; it’s really i-seder, not the seder. That’s why we call it seder in the sense that it’s a new seder. We know the regular seder: 354, 60, 63 days a year. This is a new seder, so we call it seder, seder Leil Pesach; it has a different configuration.
Okay, we’ll stop here, ad kan (up to here). Tomorrow night’s another night, boys, hopefully at the same time.