Idra Zuta Reader

There are six features here that are called nine. The first is the emergence of a spark, a harsh luminary. It strikes underneath the head hair, below the tufts over the ears. It descends before the orifice in the ears down to the top of the mouth. This feature is not from Atika Kadisha. Instead, the fount of Chochmah flows from the stream of Mazala of Atika Kadisha, whence the fount of Chochmah originates. When Ima flows down and becomes included in the pure air, Ima takes the whiteness. The spark, that is, the dark luminary, enters the pure air and becomes part of it. Afterwards, it comes out and they join each other, that is, it struck the tips of hair over the ears, as said. The two judgments unite and become one feature.

And when it is required to pour out Chesed or judgments, one rises above the other and one hides itself from its neighbor. That is, when judgments need to be bestowed, Chesed in the beard is covered and judgments are in force. When it is time to bestow Chesed, judgment in the beard hides and Chesed is in force (as said in section 150). Everything therefore is necessary, both the rule of Chesed and the rule of judgment. The purpose of one is to take revenge against the enemies of Israel; and one to have mercy on Israel. That is why King David desired this beard, as we explained (in the Greater Gathering, section 259) that King David spoke of nine features in the verse, “Out of distress I called upon Yah” (Tehillim 118:5); study there.

the beard has nine features, which are six myriads of hairs corresponding to Chesed, Gvurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod and Yesod that hang from them and spread by shining throughout the whole body, that is, throughout the six directions that are called body. The six features derive from the hair under the offering of spice, that is, below the face that is called an offering of spices (as said in section 140).

There are three features on one side of the face and three features on the other side of the face – that is, Chochmah, Chesed and Netzach on the right and Binah, Gvurah and Hod on the left. Three others derive from the preciousness of the beard, that is, from the most visible part of the beard that beautifies the face; one is above the hair over the lips and two in the hair that cascades down to the navel.

That is, the second is in the visible upper area of the entire beard. The third is in the lower portion of the beard closer to the torso. The three features correspond to the three Sfirot of the central column that are Da’at, Tiferet and Yesod. The central column – Da’at, Tiferet and Yesod – constitutes the bulk of the beard.

They are the main part of the beard because it comprises both the right and left columns (Chochmah, Chesed and Netzach; and Binah, Gvurah and Hod). All six – three from each side – derive and hang down from the hair that hangs and extend throughout the body.

And since the three – Da’at, Tiferet and Yesod – are the most dignified part of the beard, because they adorn and beautify the face, the holy name is written with reference to them, as written, “Out of distress I called upon Yah; Yah answered me with liberation. Hashem takes my part; I will not fear.” We have explained in the Greater Gathering (section 266) that “Out of distress (metzar) I called upon Yah,” which is the first feature, begins where the beard starts to spread, which is a narrow (tzar) area, meaning that the hair occupies a narrow place, not a wide one, in front of the ears. This explanation is good; distress derives from narrow. Yet here he speaks of the hair over the lips.

He inquires further, in the book of Aggadah of Rav Yeva Saba, he spoke and explained as follows: the beard begins first with the highest Chesed, as written, “Yours, Hashem, is the greatness and the power and the glory…” (I Divrei Hayamim 1:29). Just as the Sfirot start with Chesed that is called greatness, so does the beard begin with Chesed. Yet here we say it starts with Chochmah and that it follows the path of the three columns – Chochmah, Chesed, Netzach; Binah, Gvurah, Hod; Da’at, Tiferet, Yesod.

Yet the beard includes everything, because the beard starts growing in this manner, as Rav Yeva Saba said. The nine features derive and hang down from the beard and in front of the ears, as said in the Greater Gathering. But they are only constant in another place, that is, in the three columns, as said, as I explained.

All the hairs of the beard of Zeir Anpin are coarse and tough because they enforce the judgments when sacred Mazala appears. When one wants to wage war, one is seen – by means of the beard – as a brave hero who is victorious in war. Then it is plucked and balded.

Moshe recited the nine features a second time (in portion Shelach), when he needed to return them all to mercy. Even though he did not recite the thirteen attributes (as in portion Tisa), this is a matter of intention, because it won’t do to mention these attributes of Zeir Anpin that are not complete mercy; but he referred to Mazala, that is, the thirteen attributes of the beard of Arich Anpin. And he mentioned it, as written, “and now, I pray you, let the power of Hashem be great” (Bemidbar 14:17). What is the power of Hashem? It is that which is called the most hidden holy Mazala, that is, the beard of Arich Anpin. This power and this light in the beard of Zeir Anpin derives from Mazala. And when Moshe uttered the nine attributes of Arich Anpin and mentioned it, that is, Mazala that is called the power of Hashem and concentrated on it to draw from the thirteen features of the beard of Arich Anpin to the nine of Zeir Anpin, he recited the nine features that derive from Zeir Anpin so they will all shine by drawing from the thirteen of Arich Anpin and there will be no judgment present, because the thirteen of Arich Anpin are complete mercy. Everything therefore depends on Mazala, which is the beard of Arich Anpin.

He asks, what is a watcher (ir) and answers, he explained in the book of Aggadah that it is similar to “and become your enemy (ar)” (I Shmuel 28:16). For the judgments rise against those who are not beloved above; those who arise to execute judgment are their enemies. They are therefore called watchers. Nevertheless, the decree is formed in two ways – with mercy and with judgment; hence, they are called watchers and holy ones – judgment and mercy, referring to the verse, “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones.” Watcher indicates judgment and holy one mercy.

Aleph, Chet, Hei, Ayin – Gimel, Yud, Caf, Kof “His mouth is most sweet” due to the imprinted letters that are engraved on it with their crowns. The sweetness in the palate comes from letters engraved on it according to the sequence of the three columns and the receiving Malchut. This sequence crowns them. The letters Aleph, Chet, Hei, Ayin are engraved on the throat, each with three columns.

The three columns in the Aleph, its right column, drives away kings; the left column removes kings from their kingship, the central column upholds kings. Of the three columns in the Chet, its right column drives away and descends; the left column ascends and crowns; the central column vanquishes with fire and engraves with wind. The three columns in the Hei are receiving from Ima, that is, out of what the Female receives from Ima.

The central column of Ima strikes the Female; from the left column of Ima, the Female extends into a large Female, that is, she receives from it the maturity of the left column. The central column of Ima lies in the desire of the holy city for Chassadim that makes it unite with the central column. The places of right and left are interconnected as said, “the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense” (Shir Hashirim 4:6).

Of the three columns of the Ayin, its right column is the brightness in the form of the level; its left column is the engraving in the form of the level; the central column is the stretching branches that join the engraved spirits at their sides.

In the Secrets of Letters of King Shelomo, he says that the four letters Aleph, Chet, Hei and Ayin were crowned with the four letters Gimel, Yud, Caf and Kof in the palate (as said in Mishpatim, section 532). Therefore, there is an allusion to three columns in the palate as well, as said, “the palate tastes food” (Iyov 34:2) referring to the right column; “Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt?” (Ibid. 6:6) referring to the left column that we must not enjoy before it unites with the right, like the “unsavory without salt.”

The verse, “And the work of righteousness shall be peace” (Yeshayahu 32:17) is the central column that unites and makes peace between the two columns, right and left. “More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter” (Tehillim 19:11) refers to Malchut that receives the abundance of the three columns that are surely sweet.

King David, following the verse, “More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter” that alludes to the three columns’ outpour of sweetness and preciousness, concludes with, “Moreover by them is your servant warned…” (Ibid.), that is, he was careful not to receive from the left column without the right. Rabbi Shimon concludes with, I testify that all my life I have been careful by them, the three columns, not to make the mistake of receiving from the left column on its own, except on one day.

I was making crowns for the king in the cave of Meron, he did not make sure the left would be incorporated with the right, and I saw a flame of burning fire across the cave. That is, he saw the judgments of the left column without the right, which is burning fire, and I was shaken. Since that day I am consciously careful by them, to receive only from the three columns together, and I have not abandoned them all my life.

Blessed is the portion of he who is warned by the king’s sweetmeats and properly tastes them. It is written of this, “O taste and see that Hashem is good” (Tehillim 34:9) and “Come, eat of my bread…” (Mishlei 9:5).

Construction of the back of the Female of Zeir Anpin The Male that is Zeir Anpin expanded in his brain of Da’at, and parlors and chambers were filled. They are Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Chesed, Gvurah and Tiferet. Da’at begins at the top of the head and expands throughout the body – the chest, arms, and its entirety. A spark of the dark light, which is the illumination of the left column of Binah, became attached behind it and was ablaze, producing a single skull that is sealed from every direction; the illumination of the two brain lobes of Chochmah and Binah is engraved on it and is attached to the male side from behind. It is therefore called, “my dove, my undefiled (tamati)” (Shir Hashirim 5:2). Do not read tamati but surely te’omati (my female twin).

The hairs of the Female that is Malchut include the colors white, red, and green that is called purple, as said, “and the hair of your head like purple” (Ibid. 7:7). Gvurah that is the left part of Da’at that fell into her body, was connected to five Gvurot, meaning that is spread throughout the ten Sfirot of her body – Keter, Chochmah, Tiferet, Netzach and Hod. From her aspect of Gvurah, Malchut spreads and cleaves to the side of the Male that is Zeir Anpin, that is, she cleaved to his back (as said in the Greater Gathering, section 305; study there well.)

Construction of the Female of Zeir Anpin to be face to face Malchut was then separated from the side of Zeir Anpin by sawing (as explained in the Greater Gathering, section 324), and she came to join him face to face. When they are joined, they seem a veritable single body, because originally, they are the right and left of a single level. Even though they were separated and constructed as two levels, they rejoin as a single body, the right and left of a single level.

We have learned from this regarding people’s souls that the male by himself seem like half a body, that is, the right part of the soul that is wholly Chesed. The female of the soul as well is the left portion and is wholly Gvurah. When they join, it all seems like a single body, because the two halves join into one. And this is truly so.

Here too, the Male that is Zeir Anpin unites with Malchut, it is all one body. All the worlds are then in a state of joy because they are blessed by a whole body. This is the second stage of Malchut, explained above.

This is the meaning behind the verse, “therefore Hashem blessed the Shabbat day and hallowed it” (Shemot 20:11). Everything is then influenced by a single whole body, because Malchut cleaves to the king on Shabbat, so they are one body. Blessings therefore abide on that day. From this we deduce that whoever is not in a state of male and female is considered half a body, and no blessings resides over something damaged and lacking but on a whole place, something whole, not on half a thing; and half a thing cannot endure and is never blessed.

The beauty of the female is entirely derived from the beauty of the male. We have already explained these matters and they are known among the companions. All those below in the three realms of Briah, Yetzirah and Asiyah are united by the Female, Malchut; they are fed by her and return to her, because Malchut is the root of all three realms under Atzilut (as said in the Greater Gathering section 324). She is called the mother of all. Just as the other one, Binah, is the mother of the body, which is Zeir Anpin that is called body, and the entire body receives from it, from Binah; so is this Malchut a mother for all the others below, in Briah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.

It is written, “Say to wisdom, You are my sister” (Mishlei 7:4). There is Chochmah, and then there is Chochmah. That is, upper Chochmah that is Aba and Ima and lower Chochmah that is Malchut. This Female, which is Malchut, is called the lesser Chochmah in relation to the other, which is the highest Chochmah.

It is therefore written, “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts” (Shir Hashirim 8:8). This Chochmah was carried into exile and therefore has no breasts to extend abundance to Israel. “We have a little sister”: she surely seems little while in exile; but she is great and multitudinous, being the wholeness that receives from all the Sfirot, when Israel dwell in their own land, as written, “I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers” (Ibid. 10), that is, they are full to suckle everyone. They are as towers that are the great rivers that originate in the highest Ima that are called towers.

The first three Sfirot of light; and Netzach, Hod and Yesod of the vessels of Chayah of Zeir Anpin The Male, which is Zeir Anpin, expanded further to right and left of the property of the inheritance, that is, to Chochmah and Binah that are called the bequeathal of Aba and Ima (as said in section 67); Chochmah extended into Chesed and Binah into Gvurah. And when the colors – white from the right and red from the left – join in the central column, it is called Tiferet and the entire body reached equilibrium.

A large, strong, handsome, and comely tree is formed, under which the animals of the field, which are the hosts of Briah, roam. The fowl of the sky perch on its branches, they are the hosts of Yetzirah, and it has food for everyone. Its branches are right and left, which are Chesed and Gvurah. Life and Chesed are extended from the right, and death and Gvurah are extended from the left.

Its innards are made whole with Da’at and fill all parlors and chambers that are Netzach, Hod and Yesod, and Chesed, Gvurah and Tiferet, as I said (above in section 161), as written, “and by knowledge are the chambers filled” (Mishlei 24:4). This expansion signifies the first three Sfirot of the light of Chayah of Zeir Anpin.

The body expanded further into the two legs, Netzach and Hod, with the two kidneys and two testicles of the male between them. They are the inner Netzach and Hod. Liquid refuse flows out from the kidneys to the external forces and semen flows for souls from the testicles. All the oil and greatness and the strength of the entire body gathers in the two testicles, for all the hosts going out to Briah, Yetzirah and Asiyah originate from them. They all rest at the mouth of Yesod. Therefore, they are called hosts and they are Netzach and Hod. Tiferet is called Hashem, and Netzach and Hod are called hosts. Hence, they are mentioned together in the verse, “Hashem of hosts.” This expansion is at the level of Netzach and Hod of the vessels for the light of Chayah of Zeir Anpin.

The male member is the ending of the entire torso and is called Yesod. This level perfumes Malchut. The entire desire of the Male, which is Zeir Anpin, for Malchut is in it. With Yesod he penetrates Malchut, the place that is called Zion, where Malchut is covered like a woman’s womb. Yesod is therefore called Hashem of hosts. This expansion signifies Yesod of the vessels for the light of Chayah of Zeir Anpin, which is capable of begetting souls.

The face-to-face union of the Male and the Female After explaining the construction of the first three Sfirot of lights; and Netzach, Hod and Yesod of vessels of Zeir Anpin, which makes him capable of begetting souls, he explains the face-to-face union of the Male and the Female and says, it is written, “For Hashem has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation” (Tehillim 132:13). This happens after Malchut has separated from being attached to the back and joined the king face to face (as said in section 163) on Shabbat eve (section 164). Everything becomes a single body (as said there). Then the Holy One, blessed be He, is seated on his throne and everything is called a whole name, a holy name, blessed be his name forever and ever. I have brought up all these matters on this day, so it would be crowned with them in the world to come. Now that they have been revealed here, blessed is my portion with them.

When this queen unites with the king, all realms are blessed and are in complete joy. Just as the Male comprises three columns and the beginning is in three – Chochmah, Binah and Da’at – so is everything. Even the body is composed of three – Chesed, Gvurah, Tiferet – so is the ending of the torso – which is Netzach, Hod and Yesod. The queen is blessed only through the inclusion of the three, Netzach, Hod and Yesod; for her root in Zeir Anpin begins at the chest, so she only attains from the chest of Zeir Anpin down.

She is perfumed and blessed from the place called the lower Holy of Holies, which is Yesod. Arich Anpin, and Aba and Ima, are called the upper Holy of Holies while Yesod of Malchut is called the lower Holy of Holies; as written, “for there Hashem has commanded the blessing” (Tehillim 133:3), referring to Zion that is called Holy of Holies. There are two levels, above and below, Zion and Jerusalem. Yesod of Malchut is called Zion and Malchut of Malchut is called Jerusalem; and Zion is called the Holy of Holies.

In this world therefore only the High Priest. who is from the side of Chesed, is allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, because none enters that most high place, that is, Yesod of Malchut that is called Zion, except for that which is called Chesed of Zeir Anpin that is the level of the High Priest who enters the Holy of Holies. Malchut is then perfumed, and the Holy of Holies is blessed within, that is, the place that is called Zion. Zion and Jerusalem are two levels, one is mercy, and one is judgment. Zion is mercy, as written, “Zion shall be redeemed with justice” (Yeshayahu 1:27), justice being mercy. Jerusalem is judgment, as written, “righteousness lodged in it” (Ibid. 21), righteousness being judgment, as we have explained.

The entire desire of the Male that is Zeir Anpin for the Female lies here in Zion. It is called a blessing, since blessings come out from there to all the realms and everyone is blessed. This place, Zion, is called holy. And all the holies, that is, the holy lights of the Male, which is Zeir Anpin, penetrate there the level I spoke of, namely, Zion.

And they all come from the top of the head of the male skull, that is, from the first three Sfirot of Chayah of Zeir Anpin, from the part of the highest brains that reside in it. And that blessing flows from the brain lobes to all body parts that are Chesed, Gvurah and Tiferet down to those called hosts that are Netzach and Hod. All the abundance that flows from the entire torso is gathered there in Netzach and Hod, which is why they are called hosts: all the higher and lower hosts in the three realms of Briah, Yetzirah and Asiyah derive from Netzach and Hod.

They place it in the holy Yesod, which is wholly white, which is why it is called Chesed. And that Chesed enters the Holy of Holies as written, “for there Hashem has commanded the blessing, even light for evermore.”

The passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai Rabbi Aba said, the holy luminary, has barely finished uttering the word life, when his words trailed off. I was writing and was prepared to write further but heard nothing. I have not raised my head because the light was strong, and I could not see. As I shuddered, I heard a resounding voice saying, “length of days and long life” (Mishlei 3:3) and then I heard another voice, “He asked life of you…” (Tehillim 21:5).

Throughout that day, fire did not cease from the house, and none could enter it because they could not for the light and fire encircling it. All that day I was prostrate on the floor, crying. When the fire was gone, I saw the holy luminary, Holy of Holies; he passed away from the world, covered and lying on his right side, his face smiling.

Rabbi Elazar his son stood, took his hands, and kissed them; and I licked the dust under his feet. The companions wanted to cry but could not speak. The companions began weeping, and Rabbi Elazar his son fell three times, unable to open his mouth. He then started saying, Father, father, there were three that now became one.

That is, there were three great men in the world – Rabbi Elazar, his father Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, and Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair his father-in-law. Now Rabbi Elazar remained orphaned of both and remained alone in the world. Now that the great tree is gone, under which the animals of the field roamed and on which branches fowl perched, and it had food for all (as said in section 167). Now the animals migrate and the fowl that sat on its branches sink into the abysses in the great see. And the companions, instead of the food they received from him, will drink blood.

Rabbi Chinay rose and said, until now the Holy Luminary has taken care of us. Now is the time to strive to honor him. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba rose and took him from his place to a bed fashioned as a ladder to raise him onto his bed. Whoever saw the confusion of the companions! The entire house emitted good scents. They raised him to his bed, and only Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba ministered to him.

Bullies and shield bearers came from the village of Tzipori, who wanted to have him buried there and came to take him by force. The people of Meron in their masses drove them away and yelled at them, because they did not want him to be buried there but in Meron. After the bed left the house, it rose in the air with fire blazing before it. They heard a divine voice: enter, come, and gather to the feast of Rabbi Shimon. “He that walks in his uprightness, shall enter in peace to them that rest in their graves” (Yeshayahu 57:2).