Tikkunei Zohar Reader

Arose one elder – he began a discourse and said: ‘Hei ה specifically has within it three Vavs ו (=18), which are the 18∞ḥaiy blessings, like this:, of which it is stated: (Prov. 10:6) Blessings are upon the head of ‘the righteous-one’...

What is the head of the righteous-one? This is the Middle Pillar, in which reside the 18 blessings of higher Hei ה, and from where they are extended to the lesser Hei ה, by means of the Righteous-One (tzadiq).

And because of this, ‘body (Tiperet) and covenant (Yesod) are considered as one.’clxxiiiSee Sepher ha-Bahir Ot 168

The Vav ו which is between Hei-Hei ה־ה is the ‘dimension of stature’, and it is a cubit (amah) and amounts [Var. which amounts], through the letter Yod י (=10), to ten cubits, of which is stated: (Ex. 26:16)... ten cubits is the length of a plank, and a cubit and half a cubit is the width of one plank. This is Vav ו and Yod י, which is in the mystery of the letter Zayin ז, through which all ‘crownlets’ (tagin) are called.

(Ex. 28:7)... two shoulder pieces adjoining, – this is ‘the higher shoulder’ and ‘the lower shoulder’, which are right and left, and they are Hei-Hei ה־ה,... to its two edges... – these are Vav-Vav ו־ו, and with them Hei-Hei ה־ה is joined. And because of this:... to its two ends, and it is joined.

In every place, ‘a cubit’ is Vav ו (=6). And because of this, it is six handbreadths∞tephaḥ,clxxivBT Menaḥot 97a and ‘half a cubit’ is Yod י, for two Yods are the dimension of a cubit, and the letter Yod (=10) – its measure is 3 handbreadths, and this is the letter Gimmel ג (=3).

And ten cubits is the measure of the human body, corresponding to the ten things words, that are stated of ‘the cup of blessing’,clxxvBT Berakhot 51a of which, at this time, there remain only four, [Var. for the Vav ו has withdrawn, and there remains Dalet ד from ‘DU (two) faces’, And the measure of all, Vav ו in the letter Yod י, ascends to ten] as they the sages have determined.clxxviibid.

And they, the 5 fingers, are all the measure of the poles, and they are: (Is. 40:12) Who has measured the waters with His step... etc. And they have already established the meaning of this. And they are: 5 Alephs: אָ אֵ אֹ אִ אֻ – these five vowel-points, which are called qametz ָ, tzerei ֵ, ḥolem ֹ, ḥireq ִ, shureq ֻ, are in the mystery of ELQYM (=86), for thus they add up in numeric-value. And the mystery of ELQYM is MaLEi (full-of -QaH, =86), and this is [Var. Y-H-V] certainly Binah. And so it is with the mystery of the 5 Alephs, included in the lower Hei ה (=5).

And these letters are three: soul (neshamah), spirit∞ruaḥ, and animating-soul (nephesh).

The lesser Hei is the body, the receptacle of them all, like a wick (petilah) [Var. the thread of Hei ה ], in which are united the three colours of a candle flame, which is: (Prov. 20:27) A candle of Y”Y is the soul of man.

An olive from the olives – this is the Righteous-One (Yesod), of which it is stated: (Ex. 27:20)... pure olive oil, crushed... For it grinds up with these letters [Var. olives], which are the limbs of the body. And this is the covenant of circumcision, in relation to the Shekhinah which is called GaD.

And the mystery of the matter: (Num. 11:7) And the manna was as coriander (gad) seed... with that Yod י it is made into GYD (vein). And why is she called gad (coriander)? Because She is comprised of the 7 sephirot, which equal the numeric-value of gad (=7)∞coriander.

And why is it called manna (man)? Because they all: (Ex. 16:15)... did not know what it is (mah-hu). For the blessed Holy One caused MaN (manna) to descend for them, which is like white coriander seed: (Num. 11:7)... and its colour as the colour of bdellium – which is white from the right-hand side, (Ex. 16:31)... and its taste was like wafers made with honey – from the left-hand side. Mah-hu (What) it is – comprised of ten letters which are:

Every Name Of ten is of the Lower Shekhinah (Malkhut), which is: (Num. 28:5) And a tenth of an eiphah of fine flour... and through Her, tithes are taken, and because She is inclusive of ten, it is stated of Her:clxxviiiSee BT Sukkah 5a and Berakhot 6a ‘the Divine Presence (Shekhinah) does not reside in less than ten.’

Of the cantillation note zarqa ֘: this crownlet (taga) is Yod י, and its ‘thread’ is Vav ו. And they the sages have actually established:clxxixMishnah Pesaḥim 4:8 ‘They the men of Jericho would ‘wind around’ the Shm’a’, with its following verse: (Deut. 6:5) And you shall love... And they would not interrupt between them, because the letter Yod י is a pearl stone, holy, precious.

A ‘sling’ is the lip, comprising five constructs, which are: A-Ḥ-H-A B-U-M-Ph etc. And this is the lesser Hei ה (=5).

The five stones of ‘the sling’ – this is higher Hei ה (=5) – and they are the five words of: (Deut. 6:4) Hear Israel Y”Y ELoQeYNU Y”Y.

The five stones are made eḥad (One). The ‘winding’ of all of them is Vav ו (=6), which then comprises the six words of the unity, which are: Hear Israel Y”Y ELoQeYNU Y”Y One.

And with that winding, one needs to encompass ‘the sling’, and to lengthen with it, this stone is comprised of five [Var. ‘of ten’], until it elevates Her infinitely. And the mystery of the matter: (Deut. 17:20)... in order that the days of his kingdom be lengthened...

When this stone wishes to effect judgement upon’Amaleq, or upon ‘the other sides’, and thus also with the wicked, it takes from Gevurah, and through it are included all of the sephirot – and all are called through it: ‘severities’ (gevurot). And when it wishes to bestow grace and kindness in the world, it takes from Ḥesed, and all the sephirot are included in it – and they are called ‘benevolences’∞ḥasadim. And when it wishes to be merciful upon the world, it takes from the Middle Pillar (Tipheret), and all the sephirot are included in it – and they are called ‘mercies’∞raḥamei. And this Yod י is in every aspect.

If so, how is it individually recognised when it takes from the Patriarchs? But it is recognised with vowel-pointing. When it is vowel-pointed from the aspect of qametz ָ – it has taken from Ḥesed, and when it is vowel-pointed from the aspect of shva ְ – it has taken [Var. suckled] from Gevurah, and when it is vowel-pointed from ḥolem ֹ – it is from the aspect of the Middle Pillar, for these three vowel-points are: water and fire and wind.

[Here is missing, and it is in Tiqqunei Zohar Ḥadash 24c]

(Gen. 4:9) And He said: ‘Where (ey) is Abel your brother?

Come see: These two letters EY composed of Aleph א and Yod י which were withdrawn from It the Name ADNY, – with which he Abel sinned – caused his death, Aleph א – the ‘wondrous and hidden designer’, Yod י – thought.

Rabbi El’azar said to him: ‘Father, behold there are many thoughts. Lower Shekhinah is called ‘thought’, Higher Ḥokhmah is called ‘thought’, and higher and higher is ‘thought’, and above all of them, is the ‘thought’ above which there is nothing higher, and it is the Hidden of all hidden-ones, the Highest of all high-ones.

‘Higher Mother’ stood by Adam, and ‘Lower Mother’ by Abel, for the sin of Adam was greater than that of Abel. And because of that, my son, The E-Y from EQYeQ is the E-Y through which sinned [Abel, and they withdrew, and there remained] [Var. Cain, and it withdrew, and there remained] H-H ה־ה.

And therefore: (Gen. 4:9)... Where (E-Y) is Abel, your brother? And it is the A-Y from ADNY, and there remained D-N (judging) from ADNY. The sin of Adam caused the removal of Y-V from YQV”Q, leaving H-H.’

He said to him: ‘Father! This Y-V should have been V-Y!.’

He said to him: ‘My son, this surely is the mystery: that he Adam sinned in ‘higher Thought’, for a י Yod was removed from א Aleph, leaving the form of ‘V-Y’ ו־י (woe), because the Cause of causes withdrew from there, Who is the Hidden Thought in the letter Yod י of א Aleph, for there is no unity [Var. thought] without it.

And here is a mystery which has never been revealed until now.

And this is: (Ps. 91:14–15)... because he has known My Name. He shall call Me, and I will answer him...

This is the ‘Name of Yod י’, above Which nothing at all is higher except: He that created everything, and Whom no-one created. For there is a creating agent that is created, such as water, which creates vegetations, and grows them – yet itself is created. But This-One created, and was not created, He above Whom there is no higher god.’

He said to him: ‘Father, what is AV-Y OY HV-Y HOY?’

He said to him: ‘My son, this is when Aleph is removed from EQYe”Q, together with Y-V from YQV”Q, it is made into A-V-Y AUY (woe)’.

He said to him: ‘If so, then this א Aleph, where there is Vav ו Yod י, it is higher than the Aleph א of EQY”Q, and of all other Names!’

He said to him: ‘My son, there is an Aleph which is in this image: Y-O-D – Yod י above, Vav ו in the middle, Dalet ד below – and this is the Aleph א of EQY”Q, the Aleph of ADNY.

But of this א Aleph, its end is like its beginning, and its beginning is like its end! And of it, the Cause of causes has said: (Is. 44:6)... I am first and I am last... And of the middle letter Vav ו:... and besides Me there is no ELQYM.’

The second Adam sinned in ‘thought’, and the third Adam sinned in ‘action’. For there are three Adams: the Adam of ‘creation’ (briyah), the Adam of ‘formation’ (yetzirah), the Adam of ‘action’ (’asiyah), – and not all sins are equal.’

He said further to him: ‘My son, nevertheless, the letter Hei ה stood by Adam.

After the mixed multitude (’eirev) rav came and made the golden calf, they caused the withdrawal of Hei ה towards V-Y, and it was made into H-V-Y HOY. And who caused this? (Is. 1:4) Woe (HOY)! A sinning nation!...

And the final Hei ה remained alone. It is this that is written: (Lam. 1:1) How She dwells alone... For at first: (Ruth 1:19) And they went, the two of them... – Hei ה and Hei ה.

Later, when higher Hei was removed, the lower, final Hei remained alone, because good had become mixed with bad – that which the blessed Holy One had separated. It is this that is written: (Gen. 1:4) And ELQYM divided between the light and the darkness...

They the mixed multitude caused the Shekhinah to be exiled, and She became ‘mixed’ among the nations of the world, [Var. amongst the nations of the world, and Her children with Her] and yet She watches over them [Var. to watch over them] in exile.

At that time, the blessed Holy One descends, through all His letters that were withdrawn in exile. It is this that is written: (Is. 42:8) I am Y”Y, that is My Name, and My glory I shall not give to another... etc.’

In the beginning (Be-reishyt) (Gen. 1:1) ELQYM created...

ELQYM is the letters of MiY (who-are) ELeH (these) About that, it is stated: (Is. 40:26) Lift your eyes up high, and see ‘Who’ (MiY) has created ‘these’ (ELeH).

Be-REiShYT (In-the-beginning) Two elders descended there, and they said: ‘We have been occupied with what you have been, and we have not been [Var. and we were not without pronoun] – and this is Beiyt ב (=2) – two ‘beginnings’.’

And because of this: (Ps. 102:1) A prayer of the pauper, when he enwraps... For all of them become enwrapped because of Her, until She ascends with them, for there is no separation in Her from them.

And this prayer is called ‘heel’ (’aqev), in relation to other prayers, and, because of it, it is stated:iBT Berakhot 30b ‘Even if a snake is wound around his heel, he should not interrupt his prayer’, – even if it surrounds that point which is the tip of the letter Dalet ד – armed with many sins, to instruct condemnation upon the children of the Shekhinah – he should not interrupt for the sake of that point.

For if he interrupts, then because of him is the tip of Dalet removed from EḤaD (One), and what remains is AḤeR∞‘another’, which is ‘the snake wound about his ankle’. He should not interrupt because of the snake, and the tip of the letter Dalet ד of EḤaD (One) must not be removed.

But due to a scorpion it is removed, and he does interrupt, and he flees from it. It is this that is written: (Gen. 39:12)... and he abandoned his garment in her hand, and he escaped and went outside.

Meanwhile, a young man happened along, driving a donkey after cattle. He said to them: ‘What is the meaning of:... and he abandoned his garment in her hand...?

But the word ’aqrav (scorpion) is composed of: the word ’aqar (uprooted) and the letter Beiyt ב (house) – for it has uprooted the house of the Shekhinah.

And this is the meaning of his garment – of the snake of idol worship. When the snake comes to conjoin with the body of a sleeping person – for she, the brazen whore, said... lie down with me – it is stated of the ‘sign of covenant’ of circumcision:... and he escaped and went outside.’

[ms. Var. And, because of this: ‘Even if a snake is wound around his heel, he should not interrupt his prayer’, even if it surrounds that point of the letter Dalet ד, he should not stop, for if he stops, then because of him is withdrawn the tip of Dalet ד of EḤaD (One), and there remains AḤeR∞‘another’, which is the wound-up snake. Because of the snake he should not stop – and it is not withdrawn – unlike when he stops and flees from it. But for a scorpion he should stop, as did the righteous Joseph. It is this that is written: (Gen. 39:12)... and he left his garment with her and he escaped... etc.

Meanwhile, behold a young man happened by them, driving a donkey after cattle. They said to him: ‘What is:... and he left his garment with her etc.?’ But the word ’aqrav (scorpion) is composed of: ’aqar (uprooted) and the letter Beiyt ב (house) – for it has uprooted the house of the Shekhinah. When it wants to be conjoined with the righteous, one is required to desist from it and not to benefit from it, and even

from its skin. “Go, Go!” we say to the Nazarite: “Take a circuitous route! Do not approach the vineyard!”iiBT Shabbat 13a It is this that is written:... and he left his garment with her... – the skin of the evil inclination, and this is the garment of the snake – idol worship – when it comes to conjoin with the righteous, and it says, “lie with me” – the brazen whore – then it is stated of the ‘sign of covenant’ of circumcision:... and he fled and he went outside.]

And this ‘gold’ (ZaHaB) is stands for: ‘Zayin’ ז (=7) 7 days of creation, ‘Hei’ ה (=5) 5 mentions of light, ‘Beiyt’ ב is the Beiyt of Be-REiShYT. About that it is stated: (Song. 6:10)... beautiful like the moon... ‘The Oral Torah’ we call Her, in the Academy on high.

Many warriors, many armoured defenders, have therefore gathered in the house of study, to fight the battle with the snake, for her sake, and many defenders are making legal decisions, for the sake of the daughter of the King.

(Ex. 2:12) And he turned this way and that, and he saw that there was no man – among them, that would kill the snake, until there arrived he Moses of whom it is stated: And he turned this way and that... and he smote the Egyptian. (ibid.) And thus is it stated: (Gen. 49:10)... until Shiloh shall come... ShiYLoH (=345) in numeric value is MoSheH (Moses), for it is his inheritance. And because of this, it is stated for his sake:... until Shiloh shall come... similar to she-lo (his) – ‘his’ [Var. hers] definitely!