Part IV; Iggeret HaKodesh, Chapter 19

אעוֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָה וְגוֹ׳. הִנֵּה, בְּ״לִקּוּטֵי תּוֹרָה״ שֶׁל הָאֲרִיזַ״ל פָּרָשַׁת כִּי תִשָּׂא וּפָרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא כָּתַב, כִּי הַשָּׂגַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו־הַשָּׁלוֹם לֹא הָיְתָה בִּבְחִינַת פְּנִימִיּוּת דְּחָכְמָה עִילָּאָה, הַנִּקְרָא ״אַבָּא דַאֲצִילוּת״, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בִּסְפִירַת הַכֶּתֶר שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמֶּנָּה, הַנִּקְרָא ״אֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין״, כִּי אִם בִּבְחִינַת אֲחוֹרַיִים דְּחָכְמָה הַמִּתְלַבְּשִׁים בְּבִינָה, הַמִּתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בְּז׳ סְפִירוֹת תַּחְתּוֹנוֹת שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים ״זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין״, סוֹד הַתּוֹרָה, וּמִתְפַּשֶּׁטֶת עַד סוֹף ד׳ סְפִירוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת, שֶׁהֵן נֶצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד־מַלְכוּת, וְשָׁם הָיְתָה הַשָּׂגַת נְבוּאָתוֹ בִּבְחִינַת פְּנִימִיּוּת, דְּהַיְינוּ מִבְּחִינַת פְּנִימִיּוּת דְּנֶצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד־מַלְכוּת.

1NINETEEN. “He wraps (Himself with) light as (with) a garment….”¹ In Likkutei Torah by the Arizal,² section Ki Tissa and section Vayikra, it is stated that the apprehension of Moses our Master, peace to him, was not in the rank of the pnimiyut ³ of the supreme chochmah—which is called abba ⁴ of Atzilut, and, a fortiori, not in the sefirah of keter, called arich anpin,⁵ which transcends (chochmah). Rather, it was in the rank of the achorayim ⁶ of chochmah ⁷ which vest themselves⁸ in binah,⁹ which (in turn) vests itself in the seven lower sefirot,¹⁰ called z’eyr anpin¹¹—the principium of the Torah,¹² and extends to the end of the four lowest sefirot: netzach, hod, yesod, malchut (n.h.y.m.). There the apprehension of his prophecy was in the rank of the pnimiyut, i.e., in the rank of the pnimiyut of n.h.y.m.

באֲבָל לְמַעְלָה מִנֶּצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד־מַלְכוּת לֹא הָיְתָה לוֹ שׁוּם הַשָּׂגָה בִּפְנִימִיּוּת, כִּי אִם בִּבְחִינַת אֲחוֹרַיִים דְּחָכְמָה הַמְלוּבָּשִׁים בְּבִינָה, הַמְלוּבֶּשֶׁת וּמִתְפַּשֶּׁטֶת תּוֹךְ פְּנִימִיּוּת דְּנֶצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד־מַלְכוּת, בְּסוֹד ״נוֹבְלוֹת חָכְמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה – תּוֹרָה״, שֶׁהִיא בִּבְחִינַת ״זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין״, וּכְדִכְתִיב: ״וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחוֹרָי, וּפָנַי לֹא יֵרָאוּ״, עַיֵּין שָׁם וּבְשַׁעַר הַנְּבוּאָה פֶּרֶק א׳.

2But (on the levels) beyond n.h.y.m. he had no apprehension in the pnimiyut, but only in the rank of the achorayim of the chochmah which are vested¹³ in binah, which (in turn) is vested and extends itself within the pnimiyut of n.h.y.m. This is the principium of “The Torah is an attenuated form¹⁴ of the supernal chochmah,”¹⁵ on the level of z’eyr anpin. Thus it is written:¹⁶ “You shall see achoray,¹⁷ but panay¹⁸ shall not be seen”; see there, and in Shaar Hanevuah, ch. 1.¹⁹

גוְלִכְאוֹרָה יֵשׁ לְהַפְלִיא, הֲרֵי נֶאֱמַר: ״וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה״, וְאֵיךְ הִשִּׂיג הָאֲרִיזַ״ל יוֹתֵר מִמֶּנּוּ וְדָרַשׁ כַּמָּה דְרוּשִׁים בִּבְחִינַת פְּנִימִיּוּת, אֲפִילוּ בִּסְפִירוֹת וּמַדְרֵגוֹת רַבּוֹת שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהַחָכְמָה וְכֶתֶר דַּאֲצִילוּת?

3Now this seems rather surprising. After all, it is said: “And there did not rise another prophet in Israel as Moses.”²⁰ How then did the Arizal apprehend more than he and expound many themes dealing with the pnimiyut, even of many sefirot and levels that transcend chochmah and keter of Atzilut?

דאַךְ הָעִנְיָן הוּא פָּשׁוּט וּמוּבָן לַכֹּל, שֶׁיֵּשׁ הֶפְרֵשׁ גָּדוֹל בֵּין הַשָּׂגַת חַכְמֵי הָאֱמֶת כְּרַשְׁבִּ״י וְהָאֲרִיזַ״ל, שֶׁהִיא הַשָּׂגַת חָכְמָה וָדַעַת, וּבֵין הַשָּׂגַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו־הַשָּׁלוֹם וּשְׁאָר הַנְּבִיאִים בִּנְבוּאָה, הַמְכוּנָּה בַּכָּתוּב בְּשֵׁם ״רְאִיָּה״ מַמָּשׁ; וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחוֹרָי״, ״וָאֶרְאֶה אֶת ה׳״, ״וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו ה׳״.

4But the matter is (as follows). It is plain and clear to all that there is a great difference between the apprehension of the Kabbalists, as R. Shimon bar Yochai and the Arizal, an apprehension by wisdom and knowledge, and the prophetic apprehension of Moses our Master, peace to him, and the other prophets, to which Scripture refers as an actual vision: “You shall see achoray”;²¹ “And I saw the L–rd”;²² “And the L–rd appeared to him.”²³

הוְאַף שֶׁזֶּהוּ דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, וְאֵינָהּ רְאִיַּית עֵין בָּשָׂר גַּשְׁמִי מַמָּשׁ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם, הַנִּמְשָׁל צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת דּוֹמֶה לַמָּשָׁל, וּכְתַרְגּוּם ״וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו ה׳״, ״וְאִתְגְּלִי לֵיהּ וְכוּ׳״, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת, שֶׁנִּגְלָה אֵלָיו הַנֶּעְלָם בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בִּבְחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת. מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּהַשָּׂגַת חַכְמֵי הָאֱמֶת, שֶׁלֹּא נִגְלָה אֲלֵיהֶם הַוָיָ׳ בִּבְחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת, רַק שֶׁהֵם מַשִּׂיגִים תַּעֲלוּמוֹת חָכְמָה הַנֶּעְלָם [נוסח אחר: בַּנֶּעְלָם] וּמוּפְלָא מֵהֶם.

5Now, though this is in a metaphorical sense and does not mean actual sight by the physical eye composed of flesh, nevertheless, the subject (of a metaphor) needs to resemble the metaphor, and as the Targum²⁴ (translates) וירא אליו ה’: “And (the L–rd) became revealed to him…, thus a mode of revelation, that G–d,²⁵ blessed is He, Who is hidden, became revealed to him in a state of manifestation. It is different, though, with the apprehension of the Kabbalists.²⁶ To them G–d²⁷ does not become revealed in the mode of manifestation; rather, they apprehend the secrets of wisdom, that which is hidden and concealed from them.

ווְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ: ״חָכָם עָדִיף מִנָּבִיא״, שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהַשִּׂיג בְּחָכְמָתוֹ לְמַעְלָה מַּעְלָה מִמַּדְרֵגוֹת שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לֵירֵד לְמַטָּה בִּבְחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת לִנְבִיאִים בְּמַרְאֵה נְבוּאָתָם, כִּי לֹא יוּכְלוּ לֵירֵד וּלְהִתְגַּלּוֹת אֲלֵיהֶם, רַק מַדְרֵגוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת, שֶׁהֵן: נֶצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד־מַלְכוּת, שֶׁהֵן הֵן הַיּוֹרְדוֹת תָּמִיד וּמִתְגַּלּוֹת מֵהַמַּשְׁפִּיעַ לְהַמְקַבֵּל בִּבְחִינַת מוֹחִין וְחַיּוּת, כַּיָּדוּעַ לְיוֹדְעֵי חֵן, שֶׁהַנֶּצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד־מַלְכוּת שֶׁל הָעֶלְיוֹן מִתְלַבְּשִׁים בַּתַּחְתּוֹן לְהַחֲיוֹתוֹ, שֶׁהֵן הֵן כְּלֵי הַהַשְׁפָּעָה וְהוֹרָדַת הַחַיּוּת מֵהָעֶלְיוֹן לַתַּחְתּוֹן בְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת וְהַמַּדְרֵגוֹת, וְלָכֵן גַּם כֵּן – הֵן הֵן הַמִּתְגַּלּוֹת לַנְּבִיאִים בִּבְחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת מַמָּשׁ, וּבְתוֹכָן מְלוּבָּשׁ אוֹר הַבִּינָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הֲבָנַת הָאֱלֹהוּת מֵאוֹר [נוסח אחר: וְאוֹר] אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא.

6They²⁸ therefore said:²⁹ “A wise man is better than a prophet,”³⁰ because by his wisdom he can apprehend exceedingly beyond the levels that can descend netherward in a mode of revelation to the prophets in the vision of their prophecy.³¹ For only the lowest ranks can descend and become revealed to them, namely n.h.y.m. (The ranks of n.h.y.m.) are the ones that always descend and become revealed from the emanator to the recipient as a faculty of mochin (brains) and life-force. Thus it is known to the students of Kabbalah that the n.h.y.m. of the higher (realm) vest themselves in the lower, in order to vivify it.³² For they are the kelim of the effluence and of the descent of the vivification from the higher to the lower, with respect to all the worlds and levels. Hence they also become revealed to the prophets in a mode of an actual revelation. Within these is vested the light of binah, the aspect of the understanding of Divinity and³³ the light of the En Sof, blessed is He.

זוּבְתוֹכָהּ מְלוּבָּשִׁים אֲחוֹרַיִים דְּחָכְמָה, שֶׁהִיא מַדְרֵגָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַהֲבָנָה בֵּאלֹהוּת בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, כִּי שֵׁם ״חָכְמָה״ מוֹרֶה עַל מְקוֹר הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַהֲבָנָה. וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ בַּזֹּהַר דְּ״אוֹרַיְיתָא – מֵחָכְמָה נָפְקַת״, כִּי טַעֲמֵי מִצְוֹת לֹא נִתְגַּלּוּ, וְהֵם לְמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַהֲבָנָה.

7And in it are vested the achorayim of chochmah, a level transcending the conception and comprehension of Divinity, blessed is He, as the term chochmah denotes the source of conception and comprehension.³⁴ That is why they said in the Zohar³⁵ that “the Torah derives from chochmah,”³⁶ for the reasons for the commandments were not revealed and transcend conception and comprehension.³⁷

חוְגַם בְּאֵיזֶהוּ מְקוֹמָן שֶׁנִּתְגַּלָּה וְנִתְפָּרֵשׁ אֵיזֶה טַעַם הַמּוּבָן לָנוּ לִכְאוֹרָה אֵין זֶה – הַטַּעַם הַמּוּבָן לָנוּ לְבַדּוֹ – תַּכְלִית הַטַּעַם וּגְבוּלוֹ, אֶלָּא בְּתוֹכוֹ מְלוּבָּשׁ פְּנִימִיּוּת וְתַעֲלוּמוֹת חָכְמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַהֲבָנָה.

8And even the occasional places where some apparently intelligible reason was revealed and explained, this, to our intelligible reason, is not the full and absolute reason;³⁸ rather, within it is vested the pnimiyut and principium of chochmah, transcending conception and comprehension.

טוְכֵן בְּכָל דִּיבּוּר וְדִיבּוּר שֶׁיָּצָא מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא לַנְּבִיאִים, הַכְּתוּבִים בַּתּוֹרָה־נְבִיאִים־כְּתוּבִים, הֵן דִּבְרֵי תּוֹכָחָה וְהֵן סִיפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, מְלוּבָּשׁ בְּתוֹכָם בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת אֱלֹהוּת שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַהֲבָנָה, כַּנִּרְאֶה בְּחוּשׁ מֵעִנְיַן הַ״קְּרִי״ וְהַ״כְּתִיב״, כִּי הַ״קְּרִי״ הוּא לְפִי הַהֲבָנָה הַנִּגְלֵית לָנוּ, וְהַ״כְּתִיב״ הוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַהֲבָנָה, שֶׁתֵּיבָה זוֹ כִּכְתִיבָתָהּ אֵין לָהּ לְבוּשׁ בִּבְחִינַת הַהֲבָנָה, וּבִקְרִיאָתָהּ בַּפֶּה יֵשׁ לָהּ לְבוּשׁ.

9It is likewise with respect to every word that was emitted from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed is He, to the prophets, as recorded in Tanach,³⁹ whether they be words of admonishment or tales of events. In them is vested an aspect of the Divine chochmah transcending conception and comprehension.⁴⁰ This is empirically evident from the principle of kri and ktiv.⁴¹ The kri relates to the comprehension as revealed to us. The ktiv transcends conception and comprehension; that is, this word in its written form has no garment subject to comprehension, but in its oral reading form it does have a garment.⁴²

יוְכֵן הָעִנְיָן בְּאוֹתִיּוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת שֶׁבְּתוֹרָה נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים, שֶׁהֵן מֵעָלְמָא עִילָּאָה, וּמְאִירוֹת מִשָּׁם בְּגִילּוּי – בְּלִי לְבוּשׁ כִּשְׁאָר הָאוֹתִיּוֹת.

10The same applies to the large letters in the Tanach;⁴³ they are from a supremely sublime world and radiate from there openly, not with a garment like the other letters.⁴⁴

יאוְהִנֵּה, בְּחִינַת חָכְמַת אֱלֹהוּת בָּרוּךְ־הוּא הַמְלוּבֶּשֶׁת בְּתַרְיַ״ג מִצְוֹת הַתּוֹרָה נִקְרֵאת בְּשֵׁם ״בְּחִינַת אֲחוֹרַיִים דְּחָכְמָה״, כִּי כָּל אֲחוֹרַיִים שֶׁבַּסְּפִירוֹת הֵן מַדְרֵגוֹת הַחִיצוֹנוֹת וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת בְּמַעֲלָה שֶׁבִּסְפִירָה זוֹ, מַה שֶּׁיּוּכְלוּ לֵירֵד וּלְהִתְפַּשֵּׁט לְמַטָּה לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בַּבְּרוּאִים לְהַחֲיוֹתָם; וּבְחִינַת הַפָּנִים, הִיא הַסְּפִירָה עַצְמָהּ הַמְיוּחֶדֶת בְּמַאֲצִילָהּ אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בְּתַכְלִית הַיִּחוּד.

11Now, the aspect of the Divine chochmah, blessed is He, vested in the 613 commandments of the Torah, is referred to as the category of the achorayim of chochmah. For all the achorayim in the sefirot are the external and lower levels in the gradation of that sefirah. That is why they can descend and extend below, to become vested in the creatures in order to vivify them. The aspect of the panim is the sefirah itself. It is united with its Emanator, the En Sof, blessed is He, by an absolute union.

יבכְּגוֹן דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, סְפִירַת חָכְמָה שֶׁהִיא מְיוּחֶדֶת בְּמַאֲצִילָהּ אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בְּתַכְלִית הַיִּחוּד, כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא וְחָכְמָתוֹ אֶחָד (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר לְעֵיל), וּמַה שֶּׁמֵּאִיר וּמִתְפַּשֵּׁט מֵחָכְמָתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ לְמַטָּה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים, שֶׁהֵם בַּעֲלֵי גְבוּל וְתַכְלִית, וּמִתְלַבֵּשׁ בָּהֶם – נִקְרָא ״אֲחוֹרַיִים״, וְנִקְרָא גַם כֵּן בְּחִינַת ״עֲשִׂיָּה שֶׁבַּאֲצִילוּת״.

12As, for example, the sefirah of chochmah: it is united with its Emanator, the En Sof, blessed is He, in an absolute unity, for the Holy One, blessed is He, and His wisdom, are one⁴⁵ (⁴⁶as explained above⁴⁷). But that which radiates and extends from His wisdom, blessed be He, below [among the limited and finite nether beings, and becomes vested in them], is called achorayim, and is also called the aspect of Asiyah of Atzilut.⁴⁸

יגפֵּירוּשׁ, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּאָדָם הַתַּחְתּוֹן שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּנִשְׁמָתוֹ ה׳ מַדְרֵגוֹת, זוֹ לְמַטָּה מִזּוֹ, שֶׁהֵן בְּחִינוֹת הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַמִּדּוֹת וּמַחֲשָׁבָה וְדִבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה, וְהַמַּעֲשֶׂה – הִיא הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה שֶׁבְּכוּלָּם, שֶׁהַחַיּוּת הַמִּתְפַּשֵּׁט מֵהַנְּשָׁמָה וּמְלוּבָּשׁ בְּכֹחַ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, הוּא כְּאַיִן לְגַבֵּי הַחַיּוּת הַמִּתְפַּשֵּׁט מִמֶּנָּה וּמְלוּבָּשׁ בְּכֹחַ הַדִּבּוּר, שֶׁהוּא כְּאַיִן לְגַבֵּי הַחַיּוּת הַמִּתְפַּשֵּׁט מִמֶּנָּה וּמְלוּבָּשׁ בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה וּמִדּוֹת וְשֵׂכֶל.

13Metaphorically speaking, this will be understood by the analogy with terrestrial man. There are five ranks in his soul, one lower than the other. These are the faculties of the intellect, the (emotive) attributes, thought, speech, and action.⁴⁹ Action is the lowest of them all. For the vivification that extends from the soul and is vested in the power of action is as nothing compared to the vivification that extends from it and is vested in the power of speech. The latter (in turn) is as nothing compared to the vivification that extends from (the soul) and is vested in thought, the (emotive) attributes, and the intellect.

ידכֵּן עַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה מַמָּשׁ – הִיא בְּחִינַת חָכְמָתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, מַה שֶּׁיּוּכַל לְהִתְפַּשֵּׁט מִמֶּנָּה (לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ) [לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ] בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים כּוּלָּם, הֵם כְּאַיִן לְגַבֵּי בְּחִינַת פָּנִים הַמְיוּחָד בַּמַּאֲצִיל בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, דְּ״כוּלָּא קַמֵּיהּ כְּלָא חֲשִׁיב״, וְהַהַשְׁפָּעָה לְכָל הַנִּבְרָאִים כּוּלָּם שֶׁהֵם בַּעֲלֵי גְבוּל וְתַכְלִית – נֶחְשֶׁבֶת יְרִידָה וְצִמְצוּם כִּבְיָכוֹל לְגַבֵּי הַמַּאֲצִיל אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּחְשֶׁבֶת יְרִידָה וְצִמְצוּם לְשֵׂכֶל הָאָדָם הַמַּשְׂכִּיל הַמְצוּמְצָם בְּאֵיזֶה עֲשִׂיָּה גַּשְׁמִיּוּת וְחוּמְרִית מַמָּשׁ.

14In a precisely like manner (with respect to) the category of His wisdom, blessed be He, that which can become extended from it to become vested⁵⁰ in all the nether beings is⁵¹ as nothing compared to the category of the panim, which is united with the Emanator, blessed is He. For “All that are before Him are esteemed as naught.”⁵² But the effluence to all limited and finite nether beings is regarded, so to speak, as a descent and contraction (tzimtzum) with respect to the Emanator, the En Sof, blessed is He, just as, metaphorically speaking, it would be regarded as a descent and contraction for the intellect of an intelligent person to be contracted to some purely physical and material act.

טווְלָכֵן מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו־הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁהִשִּׂיג עַד אֲחוֹרַיִים דְּחָכְמָה, זָכָה שֶׁתִּנָּתֵן עַל יָדוֹ הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהִיא ״נוֹבְלוֹת חָכְמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה״, פֵּירוּשׁ, מַה שֶּׁנּוֹבֵל מִמֶּנָּה וְיוֹרֵד לְמַטָּה וּמִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּתוֹרָה גַשְׁמִיּוּת שֶׁלָּנוּ, שֶׁעִיקָּרָהּ וְתַכְלִיתָהּ הוּא קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה וַעֲשֵׂה בְּפוֹעַל וּמַעֲשֶׂה מַמָּשׁ, כַּמַּאֲמָר: ״הַיּוֹם לַעֲשׂוֹתָם״, וְ״גָדוֹל תַּלְמוּד שֶׁמֵּבִיא לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה״, וְ״הַלּוֹמֵד שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת נוֹחַ לוֹ שֶׁנֶּהֶפְכָה שִׁלְיָיתוֹ וְכוּ׳״, וְכָל אָדָם מוּכְרָח לְהִתְגַּלְגֵּל עַד שֶׁיְּקַיֵּים כָּל הַתַּרְיַ״ג מִצְוֹת בְּפוֹעַל מַמָּשׁ, כַּנּוֹדָע מֵהָאֲרִיזַ״ל:

15Moses our Master, peace to him, who apprehended up to the achorayim of chochmah, therefore merited that through him was given the Torah—“an attenuated form of supernal chochmah,” i.e., that which sheds from it and descends netherward and becomes vested in our physical Torah.⁵³ Its principal object and purpose is the upkeep of the operative and prohibitory commandments, in true actuality and performance,⁵⁴ in accord with the saying: “To do them this day,”⁵⁵ and “Study (of Torah) is greater because it leads to performance,”⁵⁶ and “He who learns with the intent of not doing, it would have been better for him if his after-birth had been turned over….”⁵⁷ And every person needs to become reincarnated until he has actually observed all the 613 commandments, as known from the Arizal.⁵⁸
* * *

טזהָאוֹתִיּוֹת הַנִּגְלוֹת לָנוּ, הֵן בְּמַעֲשֶׂה דִּבּוּר וּמַחֲשָׁבָה.

16⁵⁹The letters that are revealed to us are in action, speech, and thought.

יזדְּמַעֲשֶׂה – הֵן תְּמוּנַת הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁבִּכְתָב אֲשׁוּרִי שֶׁבְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה.

17Pertaining to action are the forms⁶⁰ of the letters as they are in the Assyrian script of the Torah scroll.

יחוְאוֹתִיּוֹת הַדִּבּוּר – נֶחְקָקוֹת בְּהֶבֶל וְקוֹל, הַמִּתְחַלֵּק לְכ״ב חֲלָקִים שׁוֹנִים זֶה מִזֶּה בְּצוּרָתָן, שֶׁהִיא הֲבָרַת וּמִבְטָא הַכ״ב אוֹתִיּוֹת בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן, כִּי אֵין הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין לְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבֵין שְׁאָר לְשׁוֹנוֹת בְּמַהוּת הֲבָרַת הָאוֹתִיּוֹת, כִּי אִם בְּצֵירוּפָן.

18The letters pertaining to speech are engraved in the breath and voice which is divided into twenty-two parts. One differs from the other with respect to their form, i.e., the enunciation and utterance of the twenty-two letters in any language. For there is no difference between the sacred tongue and the other languages with respect to the nature of the letters’ enunciation, only as regards their combinations.

יטוְאוֹתִיּוֹת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה הֵן – גַּם כֵּן בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן שֶׁאָדָם מְחַשֵּׁב – תֵּיבוֹת וְאוֹתִיּוֹת הַלָּשׁוֹן, שֶׁהֵן כ״ב לְבַד.

19The letters pertaining to thought are [again, in any language a person may think] the words and letters of the language, which are twenty-two only.

כרַק שֶׁבְּמַחֲשָׁבָה, יֵשׁ בָּהּ ג׳ מִינֵי בְּחִינוֹת אוֹתִיּוֹת. שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּשֶׁרוֹאֶה בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה תְּמוּנַת הָאוֹתִיּוֹת – הֵן מִצְטַיְּירוֹת בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ, וְזֶה נִקְרָא בְּחִינַת ״עֲשִׂיָּה שֶׁבְּמַחֲשָׁבָה״; וְכֵן כַּאֲשֶׁר שׁוֹמֵעַ אוֹתִיּוֹת הַדִּבּוּר הֵן נִרְשָׁמוֹת בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ וּמְהַרְהֵר בָּהֶן, וְזֶה נִקְרָא בְּחִינַת ״דִּבּוּר שֶׁבְּמַחֲשָׁבָה״ וּבְחִינַת ״יְצִירָה״; וְאוֹתִיּוֹת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה לְבַדָּהּ בְּלִי הִרְהוּר אוֹתִיּוֹת הַדִּבּוּר נִקְרָאוֹת ״מַחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁבְּמַחֲשָׁבָה״, בְּחִינַת ״בְּרִיאָה״.

20Though, in thought there are three kinds of [the aspect of] letters. When one sees in the Torah scroll the form of the letters, they are pictured in his thought. This is referred to as the rank of “action⁶¹ of thought.” Likewise, when one hears the letters of speech, they become inscribed in his thought and he meditates upon them. This is referred to as the rank of the “speech of thought,” and as the rank of Yetzirah.⁶² The letters of thought only, without any meditation on the letters of speech, are referred to as the “thought of thought,” the rank of Beriah.⁶³

כאוְהִנֵּה, אוֹתִיּוֹת הַדִּבּוּר מַמָּשׁ, הֵן מִתְהַוּוֹת וּמְקַבְּלוֹת חַיּוּתָן מֵאוֹתִיּוֹת אֵלּוּ עַצְמָן שֶׁבְּמַחֲשָׁבָה.

21Now, the letters of actual speech come about and receive their vivification from those very same letters that are in the thought.

כבוְאַף שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים מְדַבֵּר אָדָם וּמְהַרְהֵר בְּדָבָר אַחֵר – הֲרֵי אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְדַבֵּר, כִּי אִם אוֹתָן דִּבּוּרִים וְצֵירוּפִים שֶׁכְּבָר דִּבְּרָם וְהָיוּ בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ פְּעָמִים רַבּוֹת מְאֹד, וְנִשְׁאַר בְּדִיבּוּרִים וְצֵירוּפִים אֵלּוּ הָרְשִׁימוּ מֵהַמַּחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁנִּכְנְסָה בָּהֶם פְּעָמִים רַבּוֹת.

22Though sometimes a person may speak while thinking of another matter, he can, then, speak only such words and combinations that he has already spoken (previously) and that were in his thought a great many times. Thus in those words and combinations there is left the vestige of the thought that entered into them many times.

כגוְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת אֲחוֹרַיִים וְחִיצוֹנִיּוּת נֶצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד מִפַּרְצוּף הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁנִּכְנַס בַּתַּחְתּוֹן, לִהְיוֹת לוֹ בְּחִינַת מוֹחִין וְחַיּוּת, כַּנּוֹדָע:

23And this is the rank of the achorayim and externality of the n.h.y. of the partzuf of the higher (realm), which enters into the lower one to be a faculty of mochin and life-force to it, as known.

241 Psalms 104:2.

252 See above, Epistle 5, note 103.

263 Inwardness, the highest and most profound levels (see Addendum, Mystical Concepts in Chassidism, s.v. Pnimiyut).

274 Father; i.e., the partzuf of abba (see below, note 11).

285 Macroprosopus (long or extended Countenance; see below, note 11).

296 Hinder, or extraneous sides; the lowest and most extraneous levels (see below).

307 The partzuf of abba.

318 Text corrected according to L. H.

329 The partzuf of imma (the supreme mother).

3310 Chesed to malchut.

3411 Microprosopus (the small, or lesser Countenance).—The ten sefirot form a configuration (partzuf) analogous to the image of man (consisting of the ten general categories of the sefirot; 248 “organs” and 365 “sinews”). The principal, or general, partzuf subdivides into five configurations: 1. Keter—the partzuf of arich anpin (including the aspect of atik yomin (or atika kadisha), the very original emanation—see Intro., note 56); 2. Chochmah—the partzuf of abba; 3. Binah—the partzuf of imma; 4. The middot (chesed to yesod; generally referred to by the all-inclusive principle of tiferet)—the partzuf of z’eyr anpin (sometimes referred to as the masculine aspect of z’eyr anpin); 5. Malchut—the partzuf of nukva (the female; sometimes referred to as the feminine aspect of z’eyr anpin). Both of these partzufim again compounds the levels of the ten sefirot and the 613 aspects, though the sefirah by which it is called is the dominant sphere of that configuration. All five proceed from, and succeed each other, in this order as different modes of Divine manifestations. Each one has two general aspects: pnimiyut (analogous to the relation from soul to body), and chitzoniyut (analogous to the relation from body to soul).—See Addendum, ibid., s.v. Partzufim.

3512 The Torah as given to Moses, though originating in the supreme chochmah, is itself on the lower level of z’eyr anpin, or tiferet. Cf. below, Epistle 20.

3613 Text corrected according to L. H.

3714 Lit., “withered” (see Isaiah 34:4), or “things that fall” (see comment. by Maharzu to Bereishit Rabbah 17:5). A withered plant is an attenuated or weaker form of a healthy plant. Similarly, the Torah is a weaker manifestation of supreme chochmah, but not chochmah as it is itself.

3815 Bereishit Rabbah 17:5; 44:17. The Midrash describes several parallels, microcosms to their original: dream to prophecy, Shabbat to the Coming World, the sun to the Light Above, and Torah to the supreme wisdom. (The latter is the Midrashic equivalent of the Zoharic statement “the Torah derives from chochmah”; below, note 35).

3916 Exodus 33:23.

4017 My hinderside (the aspect of achorayim).

4118 My face (the aspect of pnimiyut; cf. above, Epistle 4, note 8).

4219 Cf. Maimonides, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 1:10.

4320 Deuteronomy 34:10.

4421 Exodus 33:23.

4522 Isaiah 6:11.

4623 Genesis 18:1.

4724 On Genesis 18:1.

4825 Inserted acc. to H. V.

4926 Chachmei HaEmet in the Hebrew—lit., the “sages of the truth” (i.e., of Kabbalah).

5027 Text reads here too: Who is hidden, but omitted acc. to L. H.

5128 The Sages of the Talmud.

5229 Bava Batra 12a.

5330 See Arizal, Likkutei Hashass, ad loc.; see also Maamarei Admur Hazaken Haketzarim, pp. 84 and 355.

5431 Cf. also Arizal, Shulchan Aruch, s.v. Keriah Bechochmat Hakabbalah, par. 6.

5532 See Etz Chaim 8:2 and below, Epistle 20.

5633 V. L.: from (instead of and).

5734 Thus itself beyond it.

5835 Zohar II:121a; 85a; III:81a.

5936 The Torah as revealed to man only originates in supreme chochmah, but is not chochmah in itself.

6037 Cf. Sanhedrin 21b, Beit Habechirah and Maharsha commentaries, ad loc. (see also the latter’s comment. on Pesachim 119); Moreh Nevuchim 3:26.

6138 See ref. cited above, note 37, and see Berachot 33b and Rashi, ad loc. (s.v. Middotav), and Jerusalem Talmud, Berachot 5:3.

6239 Torah-Neviim-Ketuvim (the Bible).

6340 Cf. Zohar III:149b; 152a; Moreh Nevuchim 3:50.

6441 The textual reading of Scripture (kri) sometimes differs from the textual writ (ktiv).

6542 Cf. Pesachim 50a and Rashi, ad loc.; Zohar III:230a.

6643 Some letters in Scripture are written larger than others. Cf. Encyclopedia Talmudit, vol. 1. s.v. Otiyot, p. 190 ff.

6744 Cf. Zohar II:132a and III:2a. See also Zohar I:3b and ref. cited in Derech Emet, ad loc.

6845 Maimonides, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 2:10; Moreh Nevuchim 3:20. See Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 2.

6946 Brackets appear in the text.

7047 This reference (“above”) is not clear; cf. H. V., ad loc.

7148 The lowest realm within the world of Atzilut.—The four worlds (see Addendum, Mystical Concepts in Chassidism) compound not only the order of the ten sefirot but also the general levels denoted by the names of the worlds. Thus Atzilut is divisible into Atzilut of Atzilut, Beriah of Atzilut, etc.; the same applies to the lower three realms (Atzilut of Beriah, etc.) R. Moses Cordovero illustrates this with an analogy to a silversmith who classifies his silver into four groups according to the purity of the metal: the first type is the most pure silver, free of base metals; the second type is less pure than the first; the third is about half pure and half impure; and the fourth contains more base metals than silver. Now, even the first class of silver cannot be wholly and absolutely pure. There always are some drosses that cannot be removed. Thus even this first class can be subdivided into more and less “wholly pure,” truly, into these four general categories. And the same applies also to the other three classes, one category differing from the other in the degree of purity (Pardes Rimonim 24:10).

7249 See Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 3 ff. and Part II, ch. 8.

7350 V. L.: to emanate.

7451 Emended according to H. V.

7552 Zohar I:11b. The panim of chochmah thus is completely absorbed in the Emanator.

7653 Cf. Etz Chaim, Shaar Hakelalim, end of ch. 1; ibid., 32:8 and 37:1.

7754 The aspects of Asiyah—Action, or making.

7855 Deuteronomy 7:11; see Eruvin 22a.

7956 Kiddushin 40b.

8057 Jerusalem Talmud, Berachot 1:2; ibid., Shabbat 1:2; Vayikra Rabbah 35:6; cf. below, Epistle 20.

8158 See above, Epistle 7, note 37.

8259 This part, to the end, does not seem to be part of the preceding, though the content is somewhat related.

8360 Emended according to H. V.

8461 Or: making (Asiyah).

8562 Formation.

8663 Creation.

Kehot Publication Society (English Translation)