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Tikkunei Zohar Reader

Read Tikkunei Zohar in source order, passage by passage, with the close English translation where available and the original source text for checking.

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521Tikkunei Zohar 95:13522Tikkunei Zohar 95:16523Tikkunei Zohar 95:19524Tikkunei Zohar 95:22525Tikkunei Zohar 96:2526Tikkunei Zohar 96:5527Tikkunei Zohar 96:8528Tikkunei Zohar 96:11529Tikkunei Zohar 96:13530Tikkunei Zohar 96:15531Tikkunei Zohar 96:18532Tikkunei Zohar 96:20533Tikkunei Zohar 96:24534Tikkunei Zohar 97:1535Tikkunei Zohar 97:4536Tikkunei Zohar 97:7537Tikkunei Zohar 97:10538Tikkunei Zohar 97:13539Tikkunei Zohar 97:17540Tikkunei Zohar 97:19541Tikkunei Zohar 97:21542Tikkunei Zohar 97:25543Tikkunei Zohar 97:27544Tikkunei Zohar 98:1545Tikkunei Zohar 98:3546Tikkunei Zohar 98:5547Tikkunei Zohar 98:8548Tikkunei Zohar 98:10549Tikkunei Zohar 98:12550Tikkunei Zohar 98:15551Tikkunei Zohar 98:17552Tikkunei Zohar 98:19553Tikkunei Zohar 98:22554Tikkunei Zohar 99:1555Tikkunei Zohar 99:3556Tikkunei Zohar 99:6557Tikkunei Zohar 99:9558Tikkunei Zohar 99:12559Tikkunei Zohar 99:15560Tikkunei Zohar 99:17
521

Original Aramaic

As soon as he had blessed them, he ascended to his place.

Rabbi Shim’on arose first, he opened a discourse and said: ‘Tanna! Tanna! Guard yourself, for the sling is with you – and this is the Shekhinah, and through it are thrown three stones, which are the three higher drops of the brain, which are Y-Y-Y י־י־י, and are included in Ḥokhmah, in Tevunah (Binah) and in Da’at.’

He said to him: ‘Rabbi! (Num. 24:21)... you place your nest in the rock (sel)’a, for the bow is with you, which is the sign of the covenant. Guard yourself from its arrows which are three: V-V-V ו־ו־ו, which numerically add up to 18∞ḥaiy, and this is ‘the life-force∞ḥaiy (=18) of the worlds.’

522

Original Aramaic

A second tanna arose and said to him: ‘There is a teaching that assists you, with a spear∞rumḥa which is comprised of the four scriptural sections, and this Vav ו (=6) which is the Middle Pillar, comprising the six words of the Unity, and the 248∞RaMaḤ words within it: (Num. 24:21)... and you place your nest in the rock.

For the cantillation-note qarnei parah ֟ is with you, who are ‘the two prophets of truth’.

Upon them it is stated: (Ps. 132:17)... I will cause to flourish a horn for David... ‘and cause the flourishing of a horn of salvation’.xxxLiturgical: The ‘Standing’ Prayer of 18 Blessings

523

Original Aramaic

From the aspect of the Shekhinah, it is called qarnei parah ֟∞‘horns of a cow’, from the aspect of the ox: (Deut. 33:17)... and the horns of the re-eim are his horn... and they are the first and second messiah: Yod י and Vav ו, the First and Second Temples, Hei-Hei ה־ה.

And the Shekhinah takes a robe of red fire, and is coloured by it, and She is called ‘red’.

(Num. 19:2)... a perfectly red cow... Red, certainly, from the aspect of Gevurah, perfectly (te-mimah), from the aspect of He of whom it is stated: (Gen. 17:1)... walk before Me and be perfect (tamim).

524

Source Text

... that which has no blemish... (Num. 19:2) from the aspect of Jacob, in whom there was no refuse,xxxiBT Shabbat 146a of whom it is stated: (Gen. 25:27)... and Jacob was a perfect (tam) man... Jacob above, and in his likeness, Jacob below.... upon which no yoke has been placed... (Num. 19:2) of the servitude of the exile, because She is called Higher Shekhinah.

And moreover: but She is called ‘Sabbath’, for She is forbidden in work, because She is called ‘freedom’∞ḥerut.

And because of Her, Solomon said: (Ecc. 7:23)... I said I shall become wise, and it or She is far from me – because of the red cow, ‘who purifies the defiled, and defiles the pure who is occupied with it.’

525

Source Text

And the mystery of the matter: (Job 14:4) Who can make pure from defilement? Not one! – it purifies the defiled from the right-side, for the priest, of the right-side, is called ‘a pure man’, for to the side [Var. for the side] of the right is the water of the Torah – even though he is impure he is purified in it. ‘And it defiles the pure’ – this is Gevurah, on whose side Samael fell from his holiness, and that which was pure became defiled, because he rules

And a priest who is pure, when he would strive to offer to’Azazel, would purify Israel from all its sins, as it says: (Lev. 16:30) For upon this day it will atone for you, to purify you etc.

526

Source Text

And he that was pure, would become impure through that’Azazel.

And thus also, regarding the ‘waters of nidah’: the priest would purify her, and would be himself impure until evening time, and then would become purified.

And furthermore: on the idea of ‘it purifies the impure’. When Moses was born, it is stated of him in relation to the daughter of Pharaoh: (Ex. 2:2)... and she saw him that he was good... – for she saw the Shekhinah with him, and as soon as she touched him, she became purified and healedxxxiiSee Pirqei d-Rabbi Eli’ezer Ch.47 from her leprosy, and the leprosy then adhered to Moses, as it says: (Ex. 4:6)... and behold his hand was leprous like snow.

527

Source Text

For at that time, when the daughter of Pharaoh touched him, the Shekhinah flew away from him, and because of this, when he wanted to approach Her at the bush, She said to him: (Ex. 3:5)... ‘Do not approach here, remove your shoes from your feet’ – until he shall divest himself of that body, which the daughter of Pharaoh had touched.

It is there at the bush that He showed him, that the body of a person in this world is leprous, from the skin of the snake.

After he a person becomes divested of it, and returns to the Garden of Eden, he becomes clothed in his holy body, and this is: (Ex. 4:7)... and behold it returned as his flesh...

528

Source Text

And thus was Moses enclothed in it. And this is... and behold it returned as his flesh – like it was ‘at first’ with Adam, of whom it is stated:... (Gen. 2:23) bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.

And because of this, He said to him:... remove your shoes from your feet (Ex. 3:5) – this is the body, which was as a ‘shoe’ for him, that which the daughter of Pharaoh had touched, and had become enclothed in another. And at that time, the Shekhinah returned to be upon him.

And because of this, it was shown to [Var. He showed] to him through signs that He made – through the first sign – and He said to him: (Ex. 4:6) Put your hand in your bosom etc. And why in your bosom? Here He alluded to: (Mic. 7:5)... from the one lying in your breast, guard the openings of your mouth. (Ex. 4:6) And behold his hand was leprous like snow.

529

Source Text

After which, He showed him that it leprosy is purified cured in the Torah, it is this that is written of it: (Ex. 4:7)... and behold it returned as his flesh.

And furthermore: the Lower Shekhinah is ‘the calf whose neck is broken’, and from the aspect of the cow – it is ‘ox’. And this is: (Ez. 1:10)... and the face of an ox from the left... And from the aspect of the calf: (Lev. 9:2)... a calf of the cattle for a sin offering. And a ‘cow’ (parah) specifically is called the Higher Shekhinah, when it takes from Gevurah, and the Lower Shekhinah is called ‘calf’ (’eglah), when it takes from it.

530

Original Aramaic

And furthermore: the cantillation-note qarnei parah ֟ is Netzaḥ and Hod, (Deut. 33:17)... with them he shall gore nations together...... the horns of re-eim – Ḥesed and Gevurah, with which He makes war with’Amaleq, and will vanquish him and his seed from the world.

And furthermore: the cantillation-note qarnei parah ֟∞‘horns of a cow’ – these are the scholars, who argue with one another in the Torah, and gore each other like oxen, because the Oral Torah is from the side of Gevurah, which is called ELQYM, and with it the Torah opens: (Gen. 1:1) In the beginning, ELQYM created...

531

Source Text

Because of this, scholars are ‘goring’ in the Torah, like oxen, one with each other. And because of this: (Is. 42:13) YQV”Q will go out like a warrior (gibor) – from the aspect of Gevurah, He will shout – in te-ru’ah, He will scream – in she-varim, over His enemies He will prevail – in te-qi’ah.

At that time, all the sephirot take from Gevurah, and the Name of YOD QE VAV QE, and even the angels above and Israel below take from there.

And after He has taken revenge upon them, He shall be filled with mercy over Israel, and before He shall take revenge upon’Amaleq, He does not sit upon the throne.

532

Original Aramaic

And at the time that He takes revenge upon the sons of Esau, He will come to appease the young deer, and She will wail (ga)’iya and cry. It is this that is written: (Jer. 31:14)... Rachel is crying over her children... Until the blessed Holy One promises, to remove them from the world, and to kill them, until the sea is coloured from their blood. And He shall kill so many of them, until wild beasts will be sustained by them for twelve years, and the birds of the heavens for seven years.

And furthermore: the cantillation-notes: ga’iya, talisha ֩, azla ge-rish ֝.

533

Original Aramaic

Ga’iya is in te-ru’ah, and it gives them ‘stoning’ (sqilah). It is this that is written: (Is. 34:11)... and He stretches over it a line of chaos (tohu), and stones of void (bohu).

Talisha ֩ is in she-varim, composed of tel (mound) and esh (fire) [and this is ‘burning’]. ‘Mound’ (tel) is strangling∞ḥeneq, similarly, ‘fire’ (esh) is burning (sreiphah).

Azla ge-rish ֝ is in te-qi’ah – which is like a spear with which to kill them, with ‘beheading’ (hereg).

Shalshelet ֓∞chain is te-ru’ah, to take hold of them – prisoners in the prison of the King, as it says: (Ps. 149:8) To bind their kings in chains... etc.

534

Original Aramaic

Shophar holekh ֣, paseq maqaph ֽ – the sound of the ram’s horn (shophar) ascends in te-ru’ah...

like a spear∞romḥa, to arouse upon them the sound of the shouting (te-ru)’ah of war – and this is shophar holekh ֣.

535

Original Aramaic

Paseq ֽ is she-varim (breakages), which makes, for them the enemy, interruptions and ‘bindings’, [Var. and slings, or: and rips] – and this is: (Esth. 9:5)... a blow of the sword, killing and destruction.

Maqaph – is te-ru’ah – this is ‘strangling’∞ḥeneq. And this is: (Ex. 19:19)... becoming ‘very’ strong...... very (me-od) – this is a death (da) mavetxxxiiiSee Bereishyt Rabbah 9:5 that overpowers them, like the giving of the Torah.

And furthermore, on the cantillation-note azla ge-rish ֝: the Shekhinah said to the blessed Holy One: (Gen. 21:10)... Send-away (garesh) this maidservant and her son... – these are the mixed multitude, who: (1 Samuel 26:19) have expelled me (geirshuni)...... from cleaving to the inheritance of Y”Y... Expel them from this world and from the world to come, that they may have no portion with Israel.

536

Original Aramaic

The cantillation-notes: Shophar holekh, re-vi’a, shnei grishin, shalshelet.

At that time, the blessed Holy One takes a spear∞romaḥ, which are the 248∞RaMaḤ words that are in the recital of the Shm’a, and the six words of the Unity, and with it: (Num. 25:8)... and he skewered both-of-them... – male and female: this is Samael and snake, and the image of the re-vi’a ֗ is similar to a spear.

The cantillation-note Shnei grishin ֞∞‘two expulsions’ the blessed Holy One will expel them from heaven and earth. At that time: (Ps. 33:17) False is the horse for salvation... etc. For the blessed Holy One will then pursue them, and will take hold of them with a shalshelet∞chain ֓ around their necks, after which He will kill them with the spear which is re-vi’a ֗.

537

Original Aramaic

At first, He expels them, and after He pursues them, He captures them, after which He kills them.

And re-vi’a ֗, shnei grishin ֞, and shalshelet ֓, are the horn-blasts te-qi’ah, she-varim, te-ru’ah.

She-varim: (Ex. 23:24)... you shall surely smash (shaber) their idols. These are they of whom it is stated: (Job 1:6)... and the sons of ELQYM came, to stand ‘upon’ ∞’al before Y”Y... in judgement concerning Israel and the Shekhinah, of which it is stated:... and the Satan also came among them... (ibid.) – this is Samael, who came to accuse the Children of Israel, and to judge the Shekhinah. And since he sought judgement, concerning Shekhinah and His children, it is as if he stood ‘over’ Him.

538

Source Text

Te-ru’ah – with it: (Ps. 2:9) You shall break them (te-ro)’em with a rod of iron.

Te-qi’ah – (Num. 25:4)... and hang (ve-hoq)’a them to Y”Y opposite the sun... And the shophar (ram)’s horn is the voice (qala), from which emerges the sound (qala), in the horn-blasts of te-qi’ah, she-varim, te-ru’ah.

Te-qi’ah is from the brain, she-varim is from the heart, as it says: (Ps. 51:19)... a broken (nishbar) and depressed heart... etc. This is: (ibid) The sacrifices of ELQYM are: a broken spirit... The sound in te-ru’ah is from the ‘wings’ of the lung. And all of them are included in the windpipe and the lung – and are made into voice, and in the mouth – speech.

539

Source Text

And furthermore: the soul, and spirit, and animating-soul of a person, are the horn-blasts of te-qi’ah, te-ru’ah, she-varim.

‘Animating-soul’ (naphsha) is in the heart, and this is she-varim, as it says:... a broken and depressed heart.

‘Soul’ (nishmata) is in the brain, and this is te-qi’ah.

‘Spirit’∞ru-aḥ is in the ‘wings’ of the lung, for it blows upon the heart, which is a burning fire – and if not, it would ignite the whole body. And the mystery of the matter: (Ps. 68:14)... the wings of a dove covered in silver... etc. And ‘spirit’ is composed of fire and water, and because of this, it is the horn-blast of te-ru’ah.

540

Source Text

And upon it is stated: (Ps. 89:16) Happy is the nation, those who know the te-ru’ah... Because ‘soul’ is ‘the soul-of (nishmat) life’ – Binah, which takes from Ḥokhmah. ‘Animating-soul’, the Malkhut of ‘understanding’∞tevunah (Binah). Ru-aḥ∞spirit is of Tipheret – and it is Da’at, comprising both-of-them. Upon it is stated: (Prov. 24:4) And with knowledge (da)’at shall rooms be filled...

And from Binah are ‘the Prophets’ (ne-vi-m), – and they are Netzaḥ and Hod, and from Malkhut are ‘the Writings’ (ke-tuvim) – and they are Ḥesed and Gevurah, Tipheret is Torah, which includes all of them.

541

Source Text

And all stands upon one pillar, and that is: (Prov. 10:25) righteous-one (tzadiq), foundation (yesod) of the world.

The liver and spleen – this is S”M Samael and snake, the liver is red fire, the bile (marah) is green fire, the spleen is black fire, the extra lobe of the liver is inclusive of them all. Liver and spleen – Samael and snake, the liver is ‘another god’, the bile is its ‘poison of death’. The spleen is snake, its female partner, impure fat. And the bile is the sword of the Angle of Death, as it says: (Prov. 5:4) And its end is bitter (marah) like the wormwood, sharp as the edge of a sword.

542

Source Text

And in the Torah, which is the elixir of life:xxxivBT Qiddushin 30b and if a soul is impure, it is eliminated from the world. [liver and spleen – this is Samael and snake, who are ‘another god’]

And the liver, which is ‘another god’, by means of the te-ru’ah, which is ‘spirit’, is eliminated from the world.

The spleen, which is snake, by means of she-varim, which is animating-soul, is eliminated from the world.

The gall bladder, which is the poison of death, by means of te-qi’ah, is eliminated from the world.

543

Source Text

Worthy is he who combines soul and spirit with animating-soul, in the ‘voice’ of the Torah! For in the Torah they are strengthened, for anyone who is not occupied in the Torah, their ‘soul, spirit and animating-soul’ is weakened, above and below.

And the extra lobe of the liver is ‘whore’. It is that which is the ‘left-overs’, by which all ‘other gods’ are strengthened. And why is it called ‘the extra lobe of the liver’? Because after it performs acts of sexual immorality with everyone, it gives the left-overs to her husband. And upon her it is stated: (Prov. 6:26) Because for the sake of a whoring woman – until a loaf of bread, for she becomes ‘on heat’ from the liver.

544

Source Text

is: (Ecc. 7:6)... the laughter of the fool... xxxvSee BT Berakhot 61b and upon it is stated:xxxviBT Berakhot 7b ‘If you see a wicked person for whom the hour is smiling, do not provoke him’, because he is destined for the depth of hell, of which it is stated: (Ḥab. 1:13)... the one more righteous than he, it swallows, but the ‘completely righteous-person’ it does not swallow. ‘The liver gets angry’xxxviiBT Berakhot 61b and kills.

545

Source Text

The heart understands, the heart knows, the heart sees. The heart is the Shekhinah, which takes only the pure blood, which is the offering of prayer, clean, without sin and without refuse, and She offers to Her husband the best of everything.

But the extra lobe of the liver, does not give to her husband anything, except ‘left-overs’ and refuse. And what is it that is ‘upon her?’ or: is ‘her husband?’ [spleen] [Var. liver] – symbolised by ‘another god’, and from these left-overs that he takes from her, the blood of the spleen is made dark and blackened. It is the deceptive snake, which seduced Eve, who is the heart, and caused her death.

546

Source Text

And yet there are two chambers of the heart, which of them did it seduce? But it was that one of the left-side, of which it is stated: (Ecc. 10:2)... the heart of the fool is to his left.

And upon it is stated: (Ecc. 7:26) And I find woman more bitter than death... (Ecc. 10:2) The heart of the wise man is to his right... – this is: (Prov. 12:4) A woman of valour is the crown of her husband... About her it is stated: (Prov. 18:22) He that has found a woman, has found goodness... For She is ‘the good inclination’ – the mazal of a person. About her it is stated: (Ez. 44:30)... to let blessing reside in your house,xxxviiiSee BT Yevamot 62b (Prov. 10:22) The blessing of Y”Y will make wealthy... And about her it is stated: (Ecc. 9:9) See life with the woman that you love...

547

Source Text

It is in the image of the Lower Shekhinah, – composed of ten. And She is: (Prov. 6:23) the ‘candle of precept’ (ner) mitzvah, and the spirit that blows upon it – (Lam. 2:1) the glory (tipheret) of Israel – it is in ‘the wings of the lung’. And this is: (Prov. 6:23)... and Torah is light, which shines through Her, that is the Higher Shekhinah – the soul of life, which descends from the brain to illuminate them in the heart.

What is NeR (candle)? An acronym of Napsha (animating-soul) and Ruḥa (spirit).

For animating-soul is the wick, [Var. so named because it is the ‘partner’ of the body] spirit is the olive oil. Of the soul: (Prov. 20:27) The candle of Y”Y is the soul of a human...

548

Original Aramaic

[The human (adam) – who is the ‘light’ of a candle – there shines (nahir) within him the Written Torah, and the soul – which is ‘candle’ – there shines within it ‘precept’ (mitzvah). And when light and candle do not shine within it, it is said of the soul: (Song. 1:6) Do not look upon me for I am blackened, and it is stated of the person: (Is. 50:3) I shall dress the heavens with darkeness...]

And what is NeR (candle)? An acronym of Naphsha and Ruḥa: Nun נ is naphsha (animating-soul), Reish ר is ruḥa (spirit).

549

Source Text

Corresponding to these three ‘bindings’, there are three colours: a fire of black, white, and blue. Whoever preserves the candle of Ha-Shem (Prov. 20:27) – the soul of a person, in Torah, in positive and negative precepts – the fire of hell has no control over him.

And this is: liver, and gall bladder and spleen. The liver is red fire, the gall bladder is green fire, the spleen is black fire, the extra lobe of the liver includes them all, dark blue. And the colour blue (te-khelet) of the tzitzit is a precept, and there is no tekhelet (blue) in ‘the other side’, because it that particular blue is similar to the throne of glory.xxxixBT Sotah 17a

550

Source Text

The colours of a candle are the garments, for: (ibid.) A candle of Ha-Shem is the soul of a human.

The colour black, which is the spleen, when the animating-soul becomes enclothed there through sins, it says: (Song. 1:6) Do not look upon me for I am blackened... – blackened with the darkness of My children, in their oppression, in their poverty.

Darkness and mockery and poverty emerge from the spleen, when the soul is imprisoned within it in exile. And this is: (Prov. 30:23)... and a maidservant when she inherits her mistress. And at that time, the spleen laughs.

551

Original Aramaic

And when King Messiah shall arrive, to take vengeance upon the spleen – which is the maidservant – then (Ps. 2:4) He who sits in the heavens will laugh... He will laugh... at their destruction, as it says: (Prov. 11:10)... and in the destruction of the wicked there is joy.

RiNaH (joy) is an anagram of Ha-NeR (the-candle) – and it is an anagram of NaHaR (river) emerging from Eden. (Gen. 2:10) And what are they? The positive precepts and the negative precepts are of the numeric-value of: the letters of NaHaR written: NUN נ (=106) HEi ה (=6) ReYSh ר (=501) total is 613 – and it is the candle that illuminates a person, and about this it is stated:... in the destruction of the wicked there is joy (RiNaH) (Prov. 11:10).

552

Source Text

And at that time, the spleen which laughs is destroyed. And then will be fulfilled: (Ps. 126:2) Then will our mouth be filled with laughter, and our tongue with joy (rinah) – specifically. And then: (Prov. 31:18)... her candle will not be extinguished by night, because: She advises that her merchandise is good...

And at that time, Jerusalem will become fixed – which is the heart. The heart Ha-LeV is an anagram of LaHaV (flame) of the altar. Yikhbeh (will-extinguish) is the numeric-value of Ha-LeV (the-heart, =37). LaHaV is an anagram of HeVeL∞breath (vanity). It will not be extinguished – in the exile, which is night.

553

Source Text

And it will be built by the hand of the blessed Holy One, as it says: (Ps. 147:2) The builder of Jerusalem is Y”Y...

[whoever preserves (Prov. 20:27) the candle of Ha-Shem, the soul of a human, in positive and negative commandments, the fire of hell does not rule over him, which is liver, gall bladder and spleen.]

And furthermore: gall bladder, spleen, liver – they are ‘exile’ for soul, spirit and animating-soul. For She, the Shekhinah, when She is exiled in the liver, it is stated of the limbs, which are the Holy People, Her host: (Ex. 5:9) Make heavier the labour upon the people... When She is exiled in the gall bladder (marah), it is stated of Her: (Ex. 1:14) And they embittered (mare-ru) their lives... When She is exiled in the spleen, it is stated of Her: (Ex. 6:9)... and they did not listen to Moses from vexation of spirit... (for it was in her belly, and from harsh servitude which was in the spleen) And they were crying out from it to the blessed Holy One. It is this that is written: (Jon. 2:3)... from the belly of hell I cried out, You heard my voice. And it is stated of them: (Ex. 2:23)... and their crying out rose to ELQYM from the servitude.

555

Source Text

Woe to the person, whose soul has descended to beneath his feet, for at that time it is stated of his mazal: (Amos 5:2) She has fallen, she shall no longer rise-up... And it has no rising or ascent, except by the hand of the blessed Holy One, for the holy Name goes to the right and raises Her up.

And the mystery of the matter: (Ruth 3:13) Stay the night, and it shall be in the morning, if he will redeem you, then good (tov), he shall redeem,... good... – which is the covenant – shall redeem,... and if he shall not wish to redeem you, then ‘I’ (Anokhi) shall redeem you, as Y”Y lives, lie down until the morning, The ‘I’ which is Higher Mother, the (Ex. 20:2) ‘I’ (Anokhi) of the exodus from Egypt.

556

Source Text

(Ruth 3:13)... as Y”Y lives lie down until the morning, which is the right-side, in which is the power of the Written Torah, which is the Middle Pillar, for the Written Torah is given from the right-side, and from the left-side is given the Oral Torah, which is ‘female’.

And because of this ‘good’ (tov), the Righteous-One, ‘the life-force∞ḥaiy of the worlds’, is from the left-hand side, for it is ‘the mighty-one (gibor) who conquers his evil inclination’xlMishnah Avot 4:1 – which is Samael.

And because of this: ‘the left-hand rejects,’xliBT Sotah 47a and with the right-hand it raises, because one who is fallen should only be raised with the right hand, and because of this: As Y”Y lives, lie down until the morning.

557

Source Text

And the left-hand side is the New Year, and the right-hand side is Passover, and through it was ‘the oath of 14∞yad (hand) days’ – and this is: (Ex. 17:16)... for a hand is upon the throne of YaQ...

And regarding that time, She says: (Song. 1:6) Do not look upon me for I am blackened – do not look upon me from the left-hand side, of Isaac, for I am in blackness through it.

It is this that is written: (Gen. 27:1)... and his eyes were dimmed ‘from seeing’,... from seeing (mei-re-ot)... into the redemption specifically, which is the light of the ‘visions’ (mare-ot) of prophecy, of which it is stated: (Ez. 1:1)... the heavens were opened, and I saw ‘visions’ of ELQYM. And this is the meaning of... and his eyes were dimmed ‘from seeing’ (Gen. 27:1) – from the side of ‘the left’, and it is stated at that time of the blessed Holy One: (Is. 50:3) I shall dress the heavens with blackening...

558

Original Aramaic

A candle (ner) is the letter Hei ה (=5), five colours shine in it, and they are white, red, green and black, and blue. Vav ו is the light of the candle from inside.

Samael is darkness∞ḥoshekh, the snake is ‘blackening’ (qadrut), and upon him is stated: I shall dress the heavens with blackening, and of his female:... and sackcloth I shall make their covering. (ibid.)

Woe to the soul when it becomes enclothed in their blackness! (Gen. 27:1) And upon it is stated:... and his eyes were dimmed from seeing...

559

Source Text

And these are ‘the dark-ones’ that cover the eyes, that do not have permission to gaze, at the blessed Holy One and His Shekhinah.

And of the light and candle, which shine [Var. that have darkened] in them, it is stated of them: (Ecc. 12:3)... and those who look through the windows have darkened... As Qohelet said: (Ecc. 12:2) While the sun and the light shall not yet darken... etc.

And of ‘light and candle’ it is stated: (Prov. 6:23) For a candle is precept, and the Torah is light... And why do they become darkened in them? It is because they have not been striving in Torah and precept, in love and fear, which are the letters of the Name Y-Q.

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And as soon as they strive in them with fear and love, the blessed Holy One has made an oath by Y-H, which are fear and love, to remove them from the world of the soul, because those ‘dark-ones’ cause separation between Y-Q and V-Q. As they have established the meaning of that which is written: (Ex. 17:16)... for a hand is upon the throne of YaH...

And at that time, it is stated of humanity: ‘the heavens have donned darkness etc.’. And at that time, when darkness and the blackening are removed from the soul, then immediately: (Ps. 150:6) Every soul shall praise YaH...