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יז (אֶלָּא שֶׁבְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ – הַחַיּוּת הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת שָׂרִים הַחִיצוֹנִים הַמְמוּנִּים עַל ע׳ אוּמּוֹת. דְּהַיְינוּ, שֶׁיּוֹרֵד נִיצוֹץ מִ״דְּבַר ה׳״, הַנִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ״מַלְכוּת דַּעֲשִׂיָּה״, וּמֵאִיר עַל הַשָּׂרִים שֶׁל מַעְלָה בִּבְחִינַת מַקִּיף מִלְמַעְלָה, אַךְ אֵינוֹ מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בָּהֶם מַמָּשׁ, אֶלָּא נִמְשָׁךְ לָהֶם חַיּוּת מֵהֶאָרָה זוֹ שֶׁמֵּאִיר עֲלֵיהֶם מִלְמַעְלָה, בִּבְחִינַת מַקִּיף.

17(³³However, in the countries of the heathens³⁴ the vivification is by way of an investment of the extraneous patron-angels (sarim hachitzonim) that are appointed over the seventy nations.³⁵ That is, a spark from the “word of the L–rd,” called malchut of Asiyah, descends and radiates over the supernal patron-angels in a way of encompassing from aloft, but does not truly vest itself in them. Rather, the vivification issues to them from this radiation shining over them from aloft, in a mode of encompassment.

יחוּמֵהַשָּׂרִים – נִשְׁפַּע חַיּוּת לָאוּמּוֹת, וְלִבְהֵמוֹת חַיּוֹת וְעוֹפוֹת שֶׁבְּאַרְצוֹתֵיהֶם, וְלָאָרֶץ הַגַּשְׁמִית וְלַשָּׁמַיִם הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים שֶׁהֵם הַגַּלְגַּלִּים (אֶלָּא שֶׁשָּׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ וּבְהֵמוֹת וְחַיּוֹת וְעוֹפוֹת טְהוֹרִים – נִשְׁפָּעִים מִקְּלִיפַּת נוֹגַהּ, וְהַטְּמֵאִים וְנַפְשׁוֹת הָאוּמּוֹת – מִשְּׁאָר קְלִיפּוֹת).

18And from the patron-angels vivification issues to the heathens, and to the cattle, beasts, and fowl that are in their lands, and to the physical earth, and to the physical heavens, i.e., the planets.³⁶ (³⁷However, the heavens and the earth, and the cattle, beasts, and fowl that are pure, are influenced by the kelipat nogah.³⁸ The impure (animals) and the souls of the heathens, however, are (influenced) by the other kelipot.)³⁹

יטוְהִנֵּה, שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ, כּוּלָּם כְּלָא מַמָּשׁ חֲשִׁיבֵי לְגַבֵּי הַשָּׂרִים שֶׁהֵם חַיּוּתָם וְקִיּוּמָם.

19Now, in the lands of the heathens, the heavens and the earth and all they contain, are all esteemed as truly nothing in relation to the patron-angels—which are their vivification and sustenance.

כוְהַשָּׂרִים – כְּלָא מַמָּשׁ חֲשִׁיבֵי לְגַבֵּי הַחַיּוּת הַנִּמְשָׁךְ לָהֶם מֵהַנִּיצוֹץ מִ״דְּבַר ה׳״ הַמֵּאִיר עֲלֵיהֶם מִלְמַעְלָה. וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן, הַחַיּוּת הַנִּמְשָׁךְ לְתוֹכָם מֵהֶאָרָה זוֹ – הוּא בִּבְחִינַת גָּלוּת בְּתוֹכָם, שֶׁלָּכֵן נִקְרָאִים בְּשֵׁם ״אֱלֹקִים אֲחֵרִים״, וְקָרוּ לֵיהּ: ״אֱלָהָא דֶאֱלָהַיָּא״, שֶׁגַּם הֵם, הֵן בְּחִינַת אֱלֹקוּת.

20The patron-angels themselves are esteemed as truly nothing in relation to the vivification issuing to them from the spark of the “word of the L–rd,” which radiates over them from aloft. And even so, the vivification issuing to them from this radiation is in them in a state of exile. That is why they are called elohim acherim (other gods)⁴⁰ [while they call Him—“G–d of the gods”⁴¹], as if they, too, are in the category of Divinity.

כאוְלָכֵן, הַגּוֹיִם הַנִּשְׁפָּעִים מֵהֶם – הֵם עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה מַמָּשׁ, עַד עֵת קֵץ, שֶׁיְּבוּלַּע הַמָּוֶת וְהַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא, וְ״אָז אֶהְפּוֹךְ אֶל עַמִּים כוּ׳ לִקְרוֹא כוּלָּם בְּשֵׁם ה׳״. וְנִקְרָא גַם כֵּן בְּשֵׁם ״גָּלוּת הַשְּׁכִינָה״, מֵאַחַר שֶׁחַיּוּת זֶה אֲשֶׁר בִּבְחִינַת ״גָּלוּת״ בְּתוֹכָם, הוּא מֵהֶאָרָה הַנִּמְשֶׁכֶת לָהֶם מֵהַנִּיצוֹץ מִ״דְּבַר ה׳״ הַנִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ״שְׁכִינָה״ (וְגָלוּת זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ מֵחֵטְא עֵץ הַדַּעַת וְאֵילַךְ, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת ״אֲחוֹרַיִים״ לְבַד דִּקְדוּשָּׁה.

21The heathens who are influenced by them, therefore, are truly idolaters, until the time of the end when death and the sitra achara⁴² will be swallowed up,⁴³ and “then I shall turn to the nations …that they may all call by the Name of the L–rd.”⁴⁴ This is also referred to as the “exile of the Shechinah.” For this vivification, in a state of exile within them, stems from the radiation issuing to them from the spark of the “word of the L–rd” called Shechinah. (⁴⁵And this exile stems from the sin of the Tree of Knowledge and onward,⁴⁶ and is a rank of mere achorayim of holiness.

כבאַךְ כְּשֶׁגָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבֵין הָאוּמּוֹת, וַאֲחִיזַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשָׁרְשָׁם הוּא בִּבְחִינַת ״פָּנִים״ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הִנֵּה זוֹ הִיא גָלוּת שְׁלֵימָה, וְעַל זֶה אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״גָּלוּ לֶאֱדוֹם שְׁכִינָה עִמָּהֶם״)):

22But when the Israelites were exiled to be among the nations—and the attachment and root of the Israelites is in the rank of the supernal face (panim)⁴⁷—this became a total exile. Of this our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “When they were exiled to Edom, the Shechinah went with them.”⁴⁸))

Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org

Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org