Chapter 54

אNow, in order to understand the chaining down of the “opposite side” in a detailed manner etc., in regard to the ten Sefirot of the husks of Kelipah of Atzilut, Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah etc., we must first preface with the root of the aspect of the Kelipah-husks and understand what it is.

בNow, it is known that the reason it is called by the name Kelipah-husks, is because it is likened to the husk of a fruit, which is the dross of each thing that comes about because of the admixture of good and bad etc. due to the shattering of the vessels etc. of the seven kings [of Tohu] who died and fell below etc.

גThe husk precedes the fruit,¹ just as in the growth of any fruit, the peel always grows first. This is like the relationship of the placenta to the fetus, which comes about from the dross of the seminal drop etc.

דNow, the root of these matters is known; that even within the aspect of pleasure, there is the aspect of its opposite. This is pain which is the opposite of pleasure, just as the letters Nega-plague-נגע are the opposite of the letters Oneg-pleasure-ענג.²

ה(Similarly, Pesha-transgression-פשע is the opposite letters of Shefa-abundance-שפע.³)

וThis is because certainly, everything that comes into an aspect of spreading forth from the essence, has its opposing power, which also comes from the essence.

זTherefore, even the aspect of the spreading forth of the light of pleasure and desire has an opposing power that opposes it. For example, this is when one is prevented from delighting in that pleasure. Likewise, if there is something in opposition, which is the opposite of that pleasure, it is called pain and suffering etc.

חLikewise, within the wisdom and reason for the pleasure and desire there automatically is an opposing reason that opposes the desire. This is likewise so of emotions and thought, speech and action etc.

טThis is like a servant who transgresses and opposes the will of his master. In doing so, he opposes all the particulars included in the will [of his master] etc.

יSimilarly, [it states,⁴] “God made one thing opposite the other etc.,” so that there should be an aspect of opposition. This is called the dross (Pesolet), the husk (Kelipah) and the concealment that preceded at first etc.

יאThis comes about by means of the aspect of the Tzimtzum and concealment that precedes all light and influence of desire, pleasure and wisdom etc.

יבThis is like [the verse,⁵] “Who knows the strength of Your anger and Your wrath is like the fear due You etc.” This is the aspect of the opposition to the desire. It is there that anger and wrath are applicable to those who oppose and transgress the will etc., until,⁶ “The wrath of HaShem-יהו"ה shall rest upon the heads of the wicked etc.”

יג(This is as explained elsewhere about the matter of, “At first there was darkness [and then the light returned],” therefore,⁷ “The insolent amongst the nations of the world are powerful at first etc.”)

ידNow, it is known that the principal shattering [which brought about] an admixture of actual good and evil, was in the aspect of Sa”G-ס״ג (יו״ד ה״י וא״ו ה״י), which is the aspect of the seven lower Sefirot of Binah.

טוThese are the aspect of the emotions of the intellect that give rise to the emotions of the heart, including bad emotions, such as anger, murderousness, evil lusts, evil love and fear, conquest and boastfulness for [the sake of] evil etc.

טזHowever, in Chochmah there was no shattering.⁸ Rather, only the externality of Abba and Imma fell,⁹ this being the root of external wisdoms [and sciences].¹⁰

יזNow, [in Chochmah] too there is the matter of [the verses],¹¹ “I am wisdom, I dwell with craftiness,” or,¹² “My father was [nearly] destroyed by the Aramite,” which refers to Chochmah of the Kelipah-husks, that is only for the sake of wickedness, as in,¹³ “They are wise to do evil,” but not to do good whatsoever. This is not true Chochmah-wisdom, but rather only craftiness and falsehood, as known.

יחEven from the aspect of the “Supernal Pleasure,” the aspect of its externality was lowered.¹⁴ This is the root for the existence of the pleasures of this world.

יטNevertheless, the principal aspect of evil is in the emotions, which branched far down into the husks (Kelipah) of Asiyah.

כThese are the wicked accusers who carry out actual evil, whose very [pleasure] in life is only to kill, like agents of death etc.

כאBelow in this world, these are destructive creatures, such as snakes or predatory beasts etc., whereas in mankind these are the murderers.

כבTherefore, regarding the coming future when evil will be negated, it states,¹⁵ “They will neither injure nor destroy [in all of My sacred mountain; for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of HaShem-יהו״ה as the water covers the ocean bed],” because then, the remnants of the seven kings [of Tohu], that have not yet been rectified, will have been purified, as known.

כגNow, in the “other side” of Kelipah there [also] is an aspect of the form of man. He is called, “Man without a yoke-Adam Bleeya’al-אדם בליעל,” and is the aspect of Zeir Anpin of Kelipah, like it states,¹⁶ “And there wrestled a man with him etc.”

כדThis is the aspect of the emotions with the intellect of Abba and Imma of the Kelipah-husks, including the aspect of Keter and Atik Yomin of Kelipah, which is called the depth of evil (Omek Ra),¹⁷ because it is the depth of the desire and pleasure for all wickedness, which is the source for all wicked desire.

כהIn the Zohar these are called,¹⁸ the “Crowns of Impurity - Kitrin D'Mesavoota” and in the terminology of the Talmud they are called,¹⁹ “The gates of impurity etc.”

כוNow generally, there is the aspect of the ten Sefirot of Kelipat Nogah in [each world] of Atzilut, Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.

כזHowever, in the aspect of Nogah of Atzilut there is no evil whatsoever, as it states,²⁰ “Evil shall not dwell with You etc.” Rather, it is the aspect of, “the sense of somethingness,” which is very pronounced and felt, such as the aspect of a person’s awareness of his own kindness, in that he glories in the kind deeds that he does.

כחSimilarly, in regard to Chochmah, this is when he is very aware of his own wisdom. The same holds true of all one’s qualities and positive qualities. He knows and is aware of them in a very pronounced way.

כטWhat branches out as a result of this, leads to an aspect of actual evil. For example, in one who feels himself to be kind, there will branch out kindness that is only for his own self-aggrandizement and benefit, such as the kindness of Ishmael²¹ and the like.

לThis then, is an example of the chaining down of Nogah of Briyah, which branches out from Nogah of Atzilut, in that, all in all, it has a minority of evil,²² which is the aspect of doing something for one’s own benefit, with the pride and haughtiness of a “something-Yesh,” separate and apart [from HaShem-יהו"ה] etc.

לא(For example, because of fervor during prayer, which is pronounced, in that he is aware of himself, a person will become angered against anyone who opposes him, to the point of striking and pursuing him, if his honor is slighted.)

לבSimilarly, it states that,²³ “Satan and Peninah’s intentions were for the sake of heaven” – which is the aspect of Nogah of Atzilut – however, “he set his eyes on the first Temple and destroyed it.”²⁴

לגThis was from the aspect of the envy of the primordial snake,²⁵ [which is] the aspect of, “somethingness for the sake of oneself,” with a minority of evil, even though this envy came about because of his recognition and closeness, as [it states],²⁶ “Envy applies primarily [when the wise envies the wise, the mighty envies the mighty and the wealthy envies the wealthy] etc.”

לדNogah of Yetzirah however, is half evil, with actual accusations, as it states,²⁷ “And the Satan also came [amongst them] etc., and he said,²⁸ ‘does Iyov fear God without personal benefit etc.?’”

לה[It then descends further] until the aspect of Nogah of Asiyah, which is mostly evil, to actualize every harsh judgment, which literally is its vitality.

לוThis is called,²⁹ “An evil whip with which to smite etc.” Moreover, it is like a leech that draws out the dross of the blood etc., as it states,³⁰ “The leech has [two daughters called] give, give etc.” This is the root of the aspect of hell (Gehinom) that will, “rest upon the heads of the wicked,”³¹ as known.

לזNow, the three impure Kelipot-husks are like the snake, serpent and scorpion in the, “desert of the nations.”³²

לח[This is] the aspect of Keter of Kelipah, which is completely evil without any admixture of good whatsoever.

לטThis is called³³ a “Rasha v'Ra Lo - A wicked one who has bad,” for which as of yet, there is no rectification whatsoever, but rather, only in the future, about which it states,³⁴ “I will – completely - remove the spirit of impurity” etc., as known. This will suffice for the understanding.

מEnd of Shaar HaYichud

מא1 Zohar II 108b; Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Vayikra Vol. 1, p. 209.

מב2 Sefer Yetzirah 2:4 and the commentaries there; Also see Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Kuntreisim p. 210; Shaar HaTeshuvah 53d.

מג3 Zohar III (Idra Rabba) 133a; Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Devarim Vol.1, p. 307; Torat Chayim Bereishit 28b.

מד4 Ecclesiastes 7:14

מה5 Psalms 7:11

מו6 Jeremiah 23:19 & 30:23

מז7 See Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Bereshit p. 179; Torat Chayim, Vayishlach 185a.

מח8 Etz Chayim, Shaar 8, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 6

מט9 Etz Chayim, Shaar 8, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 6; Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Devarim Vol. 3, pg. 1,116.

נ10 See Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Devarim Vol. 1, pg. 9; Vol. 4, pg. 1,225; Na”Ch pg. 365; Sefer HaMaamarim 5649, pg. 267.

נא11 Proverbs 8:12; See Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Devarim Vol. 2, pg. 532; Torat Chayim, Noach pg. 79a

נב12 Deuteronomy 8:12; Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Devarim Vol. 4, pg. 1,496.

נג13 Jeremiah 4:22

נד14 Etz Chayim, Shaar 8, Ch. 3; Shaar 9, Ch. 2.

נה15 Isaiah 11:9 & 65:25

נו16 Genesis 32:25; Shaar HaTeshuvah 49c

נז17 Sefer Yetzirah 1:5; Shaar HaTeshuvah Vol. 1, pg. 4a.

נח18 Zohar III 41b; 70a;143a-b.

נט19 See also Shaar HaTeshuva Vol. 1, pg. 4b

ס20 Psalms 5:5; Maamarei Admor HaZaken, Parshiot HaTorah Vol. 2, pg. 829; Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Na”Ch pg. 191.

סא21 See Siddur Im Divrei Elokim Chayim, Shaar HaSukkot pg. 259c; Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Na”Ch pg. 534.

סב22 See the previous chapter.

סג23 Talmud Bavli, Bava Batra 16a; See Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Vayikra Vol. 2, p. 476.

סד24 Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 52a; Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Bereshit pg. 98.

סה25 Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 59b; Maamarei Admor HaEmtzaee, Hanachot 5577, pg. 231; Torat Chayim, Bereishit 33a & 16a.

סו26 Talmud Bavli, Avoda Zarah 55a

סז27 Job 1:6 (2:1)

סח28 Job 1:9

סט29 See Introduction to Zohar 11b.

ע30 Proverbs 30:15; Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 17a

עא31 Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 13b

עב32 Deuteronomy 8:15; Likkutei Torah, Naso 20a; Shaar HaTeshuvah Vol. 1, p. 4b.

עג33 Talmud Bavli, Brachot 7a; Tanya Ch. 11

עד34 Zachariah 13:2