Tikkunei Zohar Reader

And therefore, when Israel seeks to petition the King, they say to Her: (Song. 6:1) Where has your beloved gone? – of whom it is stated: (Song. 8:14) Flee my beloved... (Song. 6:1)... to where has your beloved turned, that we may seek him with you? – with many requests of prayers and petitions.

For it is because of You, that He descends upon us.

For He does not depart from us, except that we have not behaved respectfully towards You.

For it is because of You, that He is held captive with us, all six days, it is this that is written: (Ez. 46:1)... it shall be closed for the six days of work, and on the Sabbath day it shall be open, and on the day of New Moon, it shall be open.

For so is the Shekhinah concealed with Him on a weekday, like a rose that is closed-up. And on the day of Sabbath, and the day of New Moon and Festival days, She opens-up to receive scents and perfumes, and to bequeath souls and delights to their children.

Woe to humans! For the blessed Holy One is captive with them in exile, and the Shekhinah is captive with them. And it is stated of Her: ‘A prisoner does release himself from prison’.xxBT Berakhot 5b And Her redemption, which is repentance (teshuvah) – Higher Mother (Binah) – depends upon them!

For there are fifty gates of freedom, with Her, corresponding to the fifty times, that the ‘Exodus from Egypt’ is mentioned in the Torah. This is the meaning of (Ex. 2:12) And he turned ‘this way and that’ (koh va-khoh, =25)+25..., with these fifty letters, with which they unify Him, every day, twice: (Deut. 6:4) Hear (Shm)’a O Israel... in which there are: ‘25 and 25’ letters, (Ex. 2:12)... and he saw that there was no man... – that was aroused for Her amongst them.

And She is (Song. 2:9)... watching from the windows∞ḥalonot... Of which is stated: (Mal. 1:9)... beseech, please∞ḥalu na, the face of EL, and He will be gracious unto us... To Her of Whom it is stated: (Num. 12:13) EL, please heal her, please! For the cure is in His hands, which is the hand extended to receive penitents, but (Ex. 2:12)... and he saw that there was no man.

And She (Judg. 5:28)... was looking out from the window∞ḥalon, and she was ‘peering’ (va-te-yabev) – with the shophar sound te-ru’ah which is a ‘wailing’ (ye-vavah), of which it is stated: (Gen. 8:6)... and Noah opened the window, of the ark that he had made, – and this is the Day of Atonement.

For Noah’s ark is Higher Mother (Binah), its window is the Middle Pillar (Tipheret), in which is light, (Prov. 6:23)... and Torah is light... and it is the hidden light.

(Ex. 2:12) And he turned this way and that... (Song. 2:9)... peeking from the lattice... these are ‘the Ten Days of Repentance’, but... and he saw that there was no man... (Ex. 2:12)

And furthermore:... watching from the windows... (Song. 2:9) – these are the windows of the synagogue, for the Father and his sons are in the house [of the synagogue], they are imprisoned, and He, every day, watches over them, and gives them sustenance.

And he turned this way and that... (Ex. 2:12) If there is someone who is aroused, in repentance, to smash [Var. with it] their prison, then it is this that is written: (Is. 49:9) To say to the prisoners: ‘Go out!’, and to whomever is in darkness ‘Be revealed!’

(Ex. 2:12) And he turned this way and that, and he saw that there was no man... But rather each man had turned to his own way, with their own occupations, with their own journeys, (Is. 56:11)... each man to his own profit from his own quarter, with the profit of this world, in order to inherit this world.

And they are not of the aspect of those of whom it is stated: (Ex. 18:21)... men of valour, those who fear ELQYM, men of truth, haters of illicit gain... Rather, they are all crying out in prayer on the Day of Atonement, like dogs: ‘Give! Give us sustenance, and forgiveness and atonement and life – write us for life!’ And they are brazen like dogs, which are the nations of the world, who cry out to Him and have no shame.

For there is no-one who calls them to repent, so that the Shekhinah be returned to the blessed Holy One, from Whom She is far, to return Her to Him.

And they are likened to dogs, of which it is stated: (Ps. 106:35) And they mingled with the nations, and they learnt their ways, and these are ‘the mixed multitude’, that whatever kindness they do, they do for their own benefit.

And furthermore: they request sustenance and clothing and sexual fulfilment, which is the sexual fulfilment of their couplings, of which it is stated: (Ex. 21:10)... her provisions, her covering, and her sexual fulfilment, he shall not diminish...

And there are none who request the real sustenance, which is Torah, the ‘provision’ of the Shekhinah, and which is Higher Mother, of Whom it is stated: (Prov. 1:8)... do not forsake the Torah of your mother.

– this is ‘the covering’ of tzitzit, and its ‘enwrapping’ of the talit, and the phylacteries (tephilin) of the hand, of which it is stated: (Ps. 102:1)... a prayer for the poor man when he wraps...

... and ‘her sexual fulfilment’ (’onatah)... (Ex. 21:10) – this is the reciting of the Shm’a at its appropriate time (’onatah).

(Ex. 21:11) For if these three things he shall not do for her... – for the Shekhinah,... then shall she exit free without money (kaseph)... He has no shame (kisupha) in relation to the Shekhinah, he is impudent. And furthermore:... without money... – he shall have no desire (ke-supha) in the world to come.

(Job 33:29) And behold all these will EL do twice or three times with a man... And thus: (Ex. 22:26)... it alone is his covering... – this is the first reincarnation,... it is his garment for his skin... – this is the second reincarnation,... with what shall he lie down? – this is the third reincarnation.

And these are the three ‘garments’, of the three coverings, of the three colours of the eye, which are the garments of ‘the daughter of the eye’, which is the soul. And of these three it is stated: (Ex. 23:17) Three times in the year, all your males must be seen...

And corresponding to these three colours [Var. times] are the three colours of a candle, of which it is stated: (Ex. 3:2) And an angel of Y”Y appeared to him, in a flame (labat) of fire, from the midst of the bush... And there appeared... – this is one colour, in a flame of the fire, from the midst of the bush... – this is a second colour, And he saw, and behold the bush was burning in fire... – this is three colours. And they correspond to the three colours of the eye.... in a flame of the fire... – this is ‘the daughter of the eye’ (bat)’ayin.

At that time, when the three colours of the eye are shining, which correspond to the three colours of the bow, then immediately: (Gen. 9:16)... and I will see it to remember the eternal covenant... and at that time: (Is. 52:8) For eye to eye they shall see, when Ha-Shem returns to Zion...

The light of the eye is the Middle Pillar – ‘the daughter of the eye’ the pupil is its house. At that time, when the cloud is cleared from the daughter of the eye, of which it is stated: (Lam. 3:44) You have covered Yourself in a cloud... etc. which is the cataract of the eye, which is ‘Greater Rome’, the Higher Shekhinah is destined to say to the blessed Holy One: (Gen. 24:31)... Why should You stand outside, when ‘I’ (anokhi) have cleared the house? – (Ex. 20:2) ‘I’ (Anokhi) – of ‘the Exodus from Egypt’.

And even though ‘A prisoner does not release himself [from prison]’xxiBT Berakhot 5b – which is the Shekhinah, Who is imprisoned in exile – the Higher Shekhinah will redeem Her.

It is this that is written: (Ruth 3:13) If your redeemer shall redeem, then good, and if he shall not desire to redeem you, then ANoKhiY∞‘I’ (Binah) shall redeem you, as Y”Y lives, lie down until the morning, which is ‘the right hand extended to accept penitents’. For this thing depends only upon repentancexxiiBT Sanhedrin 97b – the higher right-hand of the Shekhinah.

Worthy is he, who prepares a dwelling place for Her in his heart, and beautiful vessels with his limbs, and ‘a beautiful woman,’ – which is his soul, because it is for Her sake that Higher Shekhinah abides – which is ‘the soul of all life’ – upon it the soul.

And the blessed Holy One, (Ex. 31:17)... He ‘ceased’ (shavat) – in one,... and He ‘rested’ (naphash) – in one. In relation to the Higher Shekhinah, it is He ceased upon them, and in relation to the Lower Shekhinah, it is He rested upon them – and gave them extra souls, which are: (Ps. 45:15)... virgins following her, her companions, which arrive with Her. And many appointed angels and their servants, arrive with them, which are 70, which are suspended from: (Ex. 20:8) Remember and (Deut. 5:12) Observe.

And this is: (Gen. 2:1) ‘And they were completed’ (va-ye-khulu, =72), comprising seventy and two, and these souls are called ‘guests’, because they dwell in Israel only on the Sabbath, and when the Sabbath terminates, they all return to their places.

And the souls who are from the side of the Higher Shekhinah, are called ‘chicks’, and the souls from the side of the Lower Shekhinah, are called ‘eggs’.

And this is the mystery of: ‘Who spreads a tabernacle of peace over us.’xxiiiLiturgical: Friday Evening Service. Higher Mother is the ‘tabernacle of peace’, Who spreads over them, and ‘peace’ is with Her, of which it is stated: (Num. 25:12)... behold I give to you my covenant of peace.

Immediately, upon the emergence of Remember and Observe of the Sabbath, and the night of the first day of Sabbath arrives, a second voice goes out: (Deut. 22:7) You shall surely send!

And furthermore: When a bird’s nest happens before you... (Deut. 22:6) – this is the Sukkah festival booth, which is Higher Mother,... in any tree... – it is this that is written: (Lev. 23:40) And you shall take for yourselves, on the first day, the fruit of a stately (hadar) tree...

... the chicks... (Deut. 22:6) – these are the seven days of Tabernacles... or eggs... – in which are performed the 7 perambulations.

And four times 18 shakings are required: one with the taking of the lulav, and one [Var. and two] at (Ps. 118:25) Please Y”Y... two others at (Ps. 118:1) Give thanks to Y”Y – beginning and end.

And with these shakings, they bring low, from above to below, the seventy-two nations.

And after they are victorious over them, they say: ANY VaHO Hoshi’ah na – twice, which are the VAV from V-QO, ANY V-QO, from: (Ex. 14:19–21) And he the angel travelled... And it the cloud came... And he Moses stretched...

And at that time: (Deut. 22:6)... do not take the mother upon the children. Eggs are from the aspect of the angels called ophanim, chicks are from the aspect of the ‘youth’ – Metatron, children are from the aspect of the throne, which is the ‘the tabernacle of peace’, which is the nest of the Shekhinah, for Higher Mother nests in the throne, in the three upper sephirot.

The Middle Pillar comprises six sephirot, nesting in Metatron. Lower Mother nests in the ‘wheel’ (ophan), of which it is stated: (Ez. 1:15)... and behold one ophan (wheel) on the earth...

And furthermore: the Shekhinah, from the aspect of the throne, is called ‘eagle’. And from the aspect of ‘youth’ [Var. ḥayah∞‘living-being’ ], a ‘dove’, and from the aspect of ophan, a ‘bird’, and of the Shekhinah: (Ez. 1:5)... they had the image of a human.

And furthermore: (Deut. 22:7) You shall surely send... Come and see: There is an angel appointed over birds – which are souls that are called ‘birds’ – and Sandalphon is its name. And when Israel fulfils this commandment of sending the nest, and Mother goes wandering, and the children cry out, it the angel instructs merit over its birds, and it says to the blessed Holy One: ‘And yet it is written of You: (Ps. 145:9)... and His mercy is upon all His works – so why have You decreed of this bird, that it should be driven from its nest?’

And so does Metatron instruct merit for its ‘birds’, which are the spirits that fly-forth into humans. For such ‘souls’ (nishmatin) are from the throne, and from this ḥayah are ‘spirits’∞ruḥin, and from ophan are ‘animating-souls’ (naphshin), and they are in the domains of: ‘Creation’ (briyah), ‘Formation’ (ye-tzirah), ‘Making’ (’asiyah).

On Sabbath and Festivals, souls, spirits and animating-souls descend upon them, by way of ‘emanation’ (atzilut), which are the spirit of holiness from the 10 sephirot. And each appointed angel instructs merit over its own ‘birds’, which are the souls that fly-forth into humans. And when Israel fulfils this commandment of sending the nest, each appointed-one instructs merit over its ‘birds’.

And what does the blessed Holy One do? He gathers all His forces, and says: ‘And is it [Var. thus] that every appointed-one over birds below, instructs merit upon its birds that it is appointed over? And yet no-one amongst you instructs merit upon My son who is Israel: (Ex. 4:22) My son, My firstborn Israel, and upon the Shekhinah who is in exile, Whose nest – which is Jerusalem – is destroyed.’

And His children in exile, are under the hand of harsh masters – the nations of the world, and there is no-one who requests mercy for them, and instructs merit upon them.

At that time, the blessed Holy One ‘cries out’, and He says: (Is. 48:11) For My sake, for My sake, I shall act... (Ez. 20:14)... and I shall act for the sake of My Name... and through this, mercy is aroused upon His Shekhinah, and upon His children in exile.

Rabbi Elazar arose and said: ‘But before Israel and the Shekhinah were exiled, why would they have fulfilled ‘the sending of the nest’?’

Rabbi Shim’on said to him: ‘My son, so as to arouse mercy, over those souls, and spirits and animating-souls, which went into exile in reincarnation, driven from their bodies which were destroyed, about whom it is stated: that ‘the blessed Holy One builds worlds and destroys∞ma-ḥariv them’,xxivMidrash Rabbah, Qohelet, 3:14 for their bodies remained destroyed for them.

And the prevention of blessings above causes: (Job 14:11)... and the river becomes parched∞ye-ḥerav and dry. And thus they the sages have determined:xxvBereishyt Rabbah 2:5 ‘The First Temple was destroyed – is alluded to by (Gen. 1:2) And the earth was formless and void...

The Second Temple was destroyed – is alluded to by (Gen. 1:2)... and darkness upon the face of the deep...’

And for the sake of those souls, who were created before the world was created, and they have no bodies therefore, in order to arouse mercy over them, they Israel would fulfil this precept of sending the nest.

He said to him: ‘But Father, if so, then in the case of a scholar, who is from the aspect of that thought, of which it is stated:xxviSee Bereishyt Rabbah 1:4 ‘Israel arose in thought to be created’, then the Torah is like a son to the scholar, and thus, why would his wife require levirate marriage, for the sages of the Mishnah made no distinction, between a scholar and other men on this matter?’

He said to him: ‘My son, [She] definitely requires levirate marriage, for the sake of those souls that have been ‘going naked’, since the six days of creation.’

He said to him: ‘But it is written: (Lev. 27:10)... he shall not swap it or exchange it... etc. And so, how can this wife, who is ‘holy of holies’, be a nest [Var. perch ] for one who is not of her ‘type’? For it is written: (Gen. 1:24) ‘Let the earth bring-forth each living soul, of its type...’ And she should only be ‘grafted’ with her ‘type’.

He said to him: ‘My son, reincarnations are of the mystery of ‘grafting’. Like one who grafts a tree with another tree that is not of its type, like those who graft trees one to another. But the principle of (Lev. 27:33)... and if he shall exchange it at all... is that it needs to be ‘holy’ for ‘holy’.

For there is a tree which is from the aspect of impurity, which is evil, and because of that it is stated: (Lev. 27:10) He shall not exchange it, good for bad or bad for good... For this is the mystery, of:xxviiBT Berakhot 7a ‘the righteous-one for whom it is evil, and the wicked-one for whom it is good.’

But if he shall surely exchange it, (Lev. 27:33) then it and its exchange are sacred.

And thus, do we graft sacred onto sacred, and one receives from the other. And the mystery of the matter is: (Ex. 26:5)... the loops corresponding... and ‘each with its own type’ – that is: ‘the righteous-one for whom it is good.’

And when that soul which is holy, does not find its ‘type’, it is stated of it: (Gen. 8:9) And the dove did not find a resting place, for the sole of her foot...

And so is the mystery of the bird’s nest, of which it is stated: (Deut. 22:7) You shall surely send away the mother... and She goes wandering from her nest, (Job 33:29) And behold, all of these does EL do, twice or three times with a man... – corresponding to the three ‘missions’ of the dove. And, when it finds a place in which to abide, it is stated of it: (Gen. 8:12) And she did not continue to return to him anymore, [what is anymore?] – to come yet another time, in ‘grafting’ [reincarnation].

And therefore, the ‘sending of the nest’ is only with holy birds [and not impure-ones],xxviiiMishnah Ḥullin 12:2 who are souls that have gone wandering, to arouse mercy over them.

And that which is written of them: (Ps. 84:4) Even a bird has found a home... – this is the first reincarnation which is ‘animating-soul’ (nephesh),... and the freedom of the nest is hers... – this is the second reincarnation – of ‘spirit’∞ruḥa,... where she has placed her chicks... – this is the third reincarnation – of soul (nishmata). [in its reincarnation:... Your altars, Y”Y TZVA-OT].

And therefore, this You shall ‘surely’ send∞shalei-aḥ te-shalaḥ, (Deut. 22:7) corresponds to ‘animating-soul’ and ‘spirit’.... the mother (et) ha-eim... is to include the level of ‘soul’, of whom it is stated: And through your sins your mother was sent away... (Is. 50:1)... et ha-eim (the) mother – et comes to include the third reincarnation.

And therefore, whoever receives ‘the visitors’, who are the extra souls, which are grafted onto them on the Sabbath eve, with bright faces, [with radiant bodies], with joy, with delight in this world, then when the soul, and the spirit, and the animating-soul, exit from his body, from this world, that is how They receive them in the world to come, and it is stated of them: (Ps. 84:4) Even the bird has found a home... etc.

Worthy is he who welcomes visitors with perfect will, as though he is receiving the face of the Shekhinah, ‘for by the measure with which a person measures, so do they measure esteem him.’xxixBT Sotah 8b

Rabbi El’azar, his son, came and kissed his hands, and all the companions prostrated before him and said to him: ‘If we had not come to the world except to hear these words, it would have been enough.’

Meanwhile, behold Elijah the prophet had descended from above, with many hosts of souls, and many angels around him, and with the Higher Shekhinah as a diadem upon all of them, ‘a crown upon the head of every righteous-one’.xxxBT Megillah 15b

At that moment, a voice was aroused in song in the Tree above, where many ‘birds’ of souls reside in its branches, it is this that is written: (Dan. 4:8) The tree grew and became strong... etc. – and thus did it the voice say:

‘Rabbi! Rabbi! You are the tree that grows and becomes mighty in Torah! In your branches, which are holy limbs, many ‘birds’ dwell there, of holy souls! Like ‘above’, of which it is stated: (Dan. 4:9)... and in its branches dwelt the birds of the heavens...’

And many people below, shall be sustained from this

composition of yours, when it shall be revealed below, in the final generation, at the end of days. And due to it: (Lev. 25:10) and you shall proclaim freedom (dror) in the land etc.

Opened Elijah, and he said: ‘When Sabbath and festivals terminate, and Israel are under the governance of Samael, and the ‘appointed seventy’, and they are oppressing Israel, a voice goes out from the heavens towards it Samael, and says thus: ‘YRE (fear) BoSheT (shame) – and this is the letters of Be-REiShYT (In-the-beginning), may you have shame from heaven.’

Be-REiShYT (In-the-beginning) the same letters as YRE (fear) BoSheT (shame).

Woe unto Samael, when the blessed Holy One shall come redeem the Shekhinah, and Israel Her children! And He shall make claim of him, and from the seventy nations and their appointed-ones, over all the persecutions, by which they troubled Israel in exile.

Because before Israel were exiled, the blessed Holy One revealed to him Samael, that Israel will be destined to be under their captive control, [Var. to go out from under their subservience] and He showed him, and the seventy appointed-ones under his hand, their reward – if they will respect Israel in exile. It is this that is written: (Gen. 39:5) And Y”Y blessed the House of the Egyptian, because of Joseph.

But he and his appointed-ones, did not behave respectfully towards them, instead, they degraded them and the Shekhinah, for they say to them every day: (Ps. 42:4)... where is your God?

But he Samael and his appointed-ones did not fear Him, and they destroyed His house, – the First Temple, and the Second Temple.

And therefore: (Is. 24:23)... and the moon shall be humiliated... – which is the snake, the whoring wife,... and the sun ashamed... – which is hell. For the snake, the whoring wife, destroyed the house of the Shekhinah, and the sun – which is hell, the poison of death – it burnt the sanctuary.

And when the blessed Holy One shall build them as before – it is this that is written: (Ps. 147:2) The builder of Jerusalem is Y”Y... – at that time: and the moon shall be humiliated, and the sun ashamed... (Is. 24:23) When? At the time (ibid.)... when Y”Y of Hosts will have reigned...

For the first building Temples, was made [Var. were built] by human hands, and thus, they conquered them, because (Ps. 127:1) If Y”Y shall not build the house, then its builders have toiled in vain...

And because the last building, shall be by the ‘hand’ of the blessed Holy One, it will endure. And upon this, scripture has stated: (Hag. 2:9) Greater shall be the glory of this house, of the latter than the former...

And at that time, when the Temple building shall be built by the ‘hand’ of the blessed Holy One, above and below, then it is stated of the Shekhinah, Higher and Lower: And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun... (Is. 30:26)

(Is. 24:23) And the moon shall be humiliated, and the sun ashamed – which are the female partners of Samael. And because Samael did not fear the blessed Holy One, – Who is called ‘the heavens’ – and his partner did not fear His Shekhinah, – Who is His ‘earth’ – it is stated of them: (Is. 51:6)... for the heavens like smoke shall dissipate, and the earth like a garment shall be worn out... – this refers to Samael and his partner.

Be-REiShYT (In-the-beginning) is composed of the letters YeRE (Fear) ShaBaT (Sabbath) which is the Shekhinah, about Whom it is stated: (Ex. 31:14)... its desecrators∞me-ḥale-leha shall surely be put to death... For the enemies have entered into Her ‘space’∞ḥalal, which is the Holy of Holies, and it is stated of them: (Num. 19:20)... he has defiled the sanctuary of Y”Y, (Lam. 2:2) He has profaned∞ḥilel the kingdom and its princes, and the maidservant has entered the place of the mistress, for she is ‘menstruant, maidservant, heathen, whore’, and she has polluted Her place, there that was the resting place of the Shekhinah. And a voice descended and said: ‘Fear (YeRE) Sabbath∞ShaBaT!’ And she did not do so, but profaned the kingdom and its princes, and the Shekhinah fled from there.