Tikkunei Zohar Reader

Arose Rabbi Shim’on with all the companions and said:

‘Faithful shepherd! Master of all prophets! Arise! Be aroused from your sleep! For you are among the prophets, like the sun,xciiiBT Baba Batra 75a from which the moon and the planets shine. And they have no light from ‘the other side’. And when you were gathered from the world, it is stated of them: (Job 3:9) May the stars of its twilight be darkened...

And not only that: but at the time you were gathered from the world, ‘the house of prophecy’ – of which it is stated: (Num. 12:7) Not so my servant Moses, in all My ‘house’ he is faithful – it is shut.

For in that [Var. for to this] house, no prophet or seer has authority to enter there, except by permission.

And yet you would enter without permission, like the son of the king, for whom no gate there is closed.

And not only that, but other prophets would not enter to see the King, except at specified hours and certain days, as we find with Aaron, who was higher than all the others, that it is stated of him: (Lev. 16:2)... and he shall not come at just any time to the sacred... but rather: (Lev. 16:3) In ‘this’∞zot (Malkhut) shall Aaron come to the sacred... How much more so, others! And yet you, at any hour and on any day that you wished, would enter to see the King.

And not only that, but all other prophets, would see [Var. comprehend] their prophecy through the limbs of the King, each one through a specific limb and not more – some of them through the head of the King, some through the hairs of the head, which are numberless stars and constellations, some of them through the eyes, some of them through the ears, some of them through the face, some of them through the nose, some of them through the mouth, some of them through the neck, some of them through the hands, some of them through ‘the stature’ – which is the body, some of them through the thighs, some of them through ‘the sign of the covenant’, some of them through the garments of the King, – for they have no permission to look further.

But Moses, through every limb and through every place, would comprehend his prophecy. And through every limb would She (Malkhut) descend towards him, which was not the case with any of the other prophets.

For each would ascend to his own limb, because his soul was an emanation from that limb, and that limb was ‘his father’.

And the Daughter of the King, She is the chamber, of each-and-every limb, the precept (mitzvah) of each-and-every limb.

ADNY is the same numeric-value as HeYKhaL (chamber, =65), and because of this [Var. because of Her], it is stated: (Ps. 51:17) ADNY! Open my lips...

YQV”Q is in each-and-every limb, ADNY is the chamber [YQV”Q is in each-and-every chamber], and it is ‘the prophetic experience’ of each-and-every limb, ‘the appearance’ (mar-eh) of each-and-every limb it is called.

And each-and-every limb has [Var. is called] a specific sephirah.

The chamber of all of them is the Lower Shekhinah ADNY. And many appointees, guardians of the gates, there are, to the chamber, for no prophets can enter there except by permission.

Arise faithful shepherd! Arise open the chamber! For many masters of prophecy are knocking, on the gates of the chamber and saying: “ADNY open my lips...” And She is shut for them. Until you arrive there, She is not opened.

I shall give thanks to YaQ, Who is the crown (keter) above all.

And many angels and souls illuminate before Her, who are called: (Prov. 15:3)... the eyes of Y”Y. And about them it is stated: (Job 34:21) For His eyes are upon the ways of man...

And many fulfilled precepts ascend before Her, through all of which She is called: (Ps. 19:9)... the precept (mitzvah) of Y”Y is pure, enlightening the eyes.

And many angels ascend with Her, who are called the ‘ears of Y”Y’, who are appointed over the voices of prayers, and over human conversation, to hear prayers.

And many angels ascend with Her, who are called ‘the face of Y”Y’, of whom it is stated: (Ez. 1:10) And the image of their faces, the face of a human (adam) etc. – shining with many colours.

And many angels ascend with Her, who are called ‘spirits’∞ruḥin and ‘fires’, of whom it is stated: (Ps. 104:4) He makes winds∞ruḥot His messengers, His servants are a blazing fire, [Var. they are] which are appointed over the scent and smoke of sacrifices, and they are the ‘masters of the nose’.

And many ‘masters of voices and speech’ of the mouth, ascend with Her, of whom it is stated: (Ecc. 10:20)... for the bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and those with wings shall tell a word.

And many ‘masters of the neck’ ascend with Her, for it is there that are ‘windpipe and oesophagus’, who are appointed over sacrifices and prayers [Var. of prayers], of which it is stated: (Num. 28:2) My offering, My bread for My ‘fires’ (ishaiy)... and these are called ‘fires’ (ishiym).

And many angels ascend with Her that are called ‘masters of hands’, of whom it is stated: (Ez. 1:8) And the hands of a man beneath their wings...

And many ‘masters of the body’ ascend with Her, of whom it is stated: (Dan. 10:6) And its body like tarshish.

And many ‘masters of the covenant’ ascend with Her, of whom it is stated: (Ez. 1:28) Like the appearance of the rainbow... – and they are the ‘masters of signs’.

And many ‘masters of feet’ ascend with Her, of whom it is stated: (Ez. 1:7)... and their feet, a straight foot...

And when He is in Her chamber, all the prophets ascend there and knock at the gates, and they say: (Ps. 51:17) “ADNY! Open my lips...”

In the first three blessings of prayer, they make request for their soul, to enter through them to be before the Cause of causes, for it is there that is the life of the soul.

The middle blessings of prayer are appointed over requests, to ask their desires about the needs of the body.

In the last three blessings of prayer, they receive the response to all requests, from the King.

And above all of them, the hand writes, and below all of them, the hand signs. It is this that is written: (Job 37:7) And by the hand of every man he seals...

A hand writes – the Written Torah, which is to the right, a hand signs – the Oral Torah, which is to the left.

About the written Torah, which is to the right, it is stated: (Ex. 14:8)... and the Children of Israel came out with a high hand... – and this is the Middle Pillar, which is the Torah that was given from the right-hand, for Ḥokhmah is there.

The Oral Torah, – where the Lower Shekhinah is – is called ‘mouth’ from the aspect of the Righteous-One. Because thus does the word peh (mouth, =85), add up to the numeric-value of the word milah (word) (circumcision, =85), which is ‘every mouth’.

And because of this: And by the hand of every man he seals... (Job 37:7) And She (Malkhut) is to the left, for Higher Mother is there, of whom it is stated: ‘sign us for life!’ And the Righteous-One (Yesod), because of Her, is called, ‘the book of life’,

as we say:xcivLiturgical: High Holidays ‘And in the book of life... etc.’

Here come the prophets, the ‘masters of the feet’, who are knocking at the gate, and are speaking to he who closes the chamber, Sagron, who is called ADNY – his name is as the name of his Master.xcvSee BT Sanhedrin 38b They say to him: (Ps. 51:17) “ADNY, open my lips!” ‘Open the gates of the chamber!’

At that time, the guardians of the gate enter the presence of the King, and they say to Him:

‘Master of the worlds! Behold the masters of the feet are knocking at the gate, they are the ‘emissaries of precept’, who stand in ‘the standing prayer’ before you.’

The Queen, who is ‘the precept’ (mitzvah) of the King, the custodian of all precepts, instructs merit before the King on their behalf, and says to Him:

‘Master of the World! Here are those who stand before You in prayer. It is necessary to grant them their requests.’

At that time, a voice goes out towards the masters of the feet and says: “ (Ez. 2:1) Son of man! Stand upon your feet and I shall speak with you...” ‘Speak with Me of your request, through the twelve intermediate blessings of prayer, and it shall be granted to you in the last three blessings!’

And one is required to return three steps backwardsxcviBT Yoma 53b so as not to turn one’s shouldersxcviiSee BT Yoma 53a to the King.

These then exit, and Sagron closes the door after them.

Now, the ‘masters of signs’ are knocking at the entrance, saying: “ADNY! Open∞tiphtaḥ my lips!” (Ps. 51:17) Open – this is Patḥon.

And these are the masters of the 18∞ḥaiy blessings of prayer, from the aspect of the ‘life-force∞ḥaiy of the worlds’, who unite the blessed Holy One and the Shekhinah there, for the Righteous-One (Yesod) is the ninth, from above to below, and from below to above.

Nine vowel points: nine cantillation notes. And about them it is stated: (Gen. 1:17) And ELQYM placed them, in the firmament of the heavens... – and this is the Righteous-One in which are all vowel-points,... to illuminate the earth... (ibid.) – this is the Shekhinah – Who is comprised of all letters.

Immediately, the ‘masters of requests’ knock at the gate.

Many guardians of the gate enter before the King and say: ‘Master of the Universe! Behold the ‘righteous masters’ – masters of prayer, who bless you with the 18 blessings, are seeking to enter before You.

Immediately, He instructs to open for them, and to grant its the group’s request.

And these are the ‘masters of the signs’, from the aspect of those of whom it is stated: (Gen. 1:14)... and they shall be for ‘signs’ (otot) and seasons, and for days and for years.

And these are they who worship on their knees, through the ‘life-force∞ḥaiy of the worlds’, [all] with 18∞ḥaiy blessings towards the Shekhinah.

Then the ‘masters of the stature’ are knocking at the entrance, those who are kneeling and worshiping the King in prayers. As they have said:xcviiiBT Berakhot 12a ‘All who bend the knee, bend the knee at ‘Blessed’, and all who stand straight, stand straight at the Name.’

One bends the knee in relation to ADNY, through the Righteous-One, of which it is stated: (1 King. 2:45) And King Solomon is ‘blessed’... And one stands up straight in relation to YQV”Q, to join the two-of-them together, like this: Y-A-Q-D-V-N-Q-Y.

And upon all of them does the Shekhinah instruct merit.

And these, when their souls ascend above, many angels receive them upon their wings, and elevate them, to the gate of the chamber of the King.

As soon as they knock at the entrance, they instruct merit before the King on their behalf, and the King instructs to open for them. And these are they that utter silently before the King, and ask from him their requests in silence. They are ‘individuals’ before the King, and the King grants them their requests.

Immediately: the Queen takes hold of them, and instructs merit on their behalf before they exit from the chamber, and She says:

‘Master of the Universe! These are they who cover me, with the wrapping of the precept of tzitzit, with five knots and thirteen ‘segments’ on each side, and with thirty-two ‘branches’ of the precept.

Immediately: The blessed Holy One instructs the angels of the supernal chariot, to take them on their wings, and to fly with them from place to place, and to shield them, from all damaging forces and harmful angels.

– and immediately, He instructs them to open for them.

time, and the ‘hands of a man’ emerge, which are Gedulah☉Ḥesed and Gevurah, and they receive their gift.

It is this that is written: (Ez. 1:8) And the hands of a ‘man’ (adam) from beneath their wings... What is ‘man’? He of whom it is stated: (Is. 44:13)... like the glory (tipheret) of a man...

And they accept the present from them, and they give it to the King. And if the gift is not fitting, it is handed to ‘the dog’, and they expel their request [Var. for them] to the outside.

For there are those for whom the gates do not open, and it is stated of them: (Deut. 24:11) Outside you shall stand... And the King speaks with them outside, and grants them their request outside, and then they go away.

For not everyone enters the house of the King, rather only those who are ‘masters of the house’, of whom it is stated: (Dan. 1:4) Children in whom there was no blemish... – not in their prayers, and not in their souls,... and of handsome appearance – in all their deeds,... and who understand all wisdom – and are beautiful to behold, for about them it is stated: (Song. 2:14)... show me your appearance, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet and your appearance beautiful.

(Dan. 1:4)... and who are erudite in knowledge, and who understand science (mad)’a – who know in wisdom and understanding (te-vunah) and knowledge, for one does not expound the ‘act of creation’,xcixSee Mishnah Ḥagigah 2:1 unless he is ‘wise in wisdom’∞ḥokhmah, and ‘understands with understanding’ (binah), and ‘knows with knowledge’ (da)’at.

... and who have strength∞ko-aḥ△28 – this is the Higher Shekhinah, Who is the ko-aḥ∞28∞power letters of the act of creation, to stand through all of them, in the ‘standing’ of prayer.

These shall enter the chamber of the King, for they are completely righteous.

Ordinary people are granted their requests outside, and they do not enter within.

The wicked are rejected from there, and they are not granted their requests, rather, it is stated of them: (Is. 1:12) Who asked this of you, trampling my courts?

And these are the wicked, who disrespect the King with their prayers, for they ignore hearing the prayer, and they interrupt prayer with mundane conversation.

And then others enter, who are ‘masters of the neck’, who bless the blessed Holy One, upon the food and drink of sacrifices, of the offerings which they recite every day, reciting: (Num. 28:2) Command the Children of Israel and say unto them: My offering, My bread, for My fires, My sweet savour... which they are offering to the blessed Holy One and His Shekhinah, in the many sacrifices of prayer. And these are they who have pleasure, through the ‘delight (’oneg) of the Sabbath’, and bless the blessed Holy One. The blessed Holy One grants them their request, while others, who eat without prayer, are rejected from there, and they are given over to the hand of many harmful angels, who are damaging forces.

Now the ‘masters of voices and speech’, – in hymns and praises and thanksgiving of prayer – are knocking, and the ‘masters of voices’, who call to the blessed Holy One in the recital of the Shm’a: (Deut. 6:4) Hear O Israel... – twice: morning and evening.

Meanwhile, the ‘masters of feet’ are knocking at the entrance – the masters of the ‘standing’ (’amidah) of prayer – of whom it is stated: (Dan. 1:4)... and who have the strength to stand, in the chamber of the King...

The King... unspecified – this is the blessed Holy One,cSee Esther Rabbah 3:10... the chamber of the King – this is ADNY, of which it is stated: ADNY! Open my lips... (Ps. 51:17) ADNY (=65) amounts to the numeric-value of HeYKHaL (chamber, =65). And it is stated: (Hab. 2:20)... and Ha-Shem in His holy chamber, let the whole Earth be silent (HaS, =65) before Him.

Worthy is he who merits entering the chamber of the blessed Holy One, to behold the King and the Queen.

Worthy is the mouth [which is the ‘chamber’ of YQV”Q] in which resides prayer – which is ADNY, to Whom they say: (Ps. 51:17) “ADNY! Open my lips...” And worthy are the lips that are gates to the chamber, like those of whom it is stated: (Ps. 118:19) Open for me the gates of righteousness...

For when his mouth opens in prayer with the Shekhinah, then Y”Y answers immediately. It is this that is written: (Is. 58:9) Then (az) shall you call, and Y”Y will answer... AZ (then, =8) – eight letters: YQV”Q EQY”Q.... and Y”Y will answer... – He and His court of judgement, and this is: YQV”Q ADNY: Y-A-Q-D-V-N-Q-Y.

Corresponding to these eight letters, are the [letters] [Var. angelic-beasts] of the ‘ḥashmal’ (electrum), which are angelic-beasts of fire, – there is a time they are ‘silent’∞ḥash, and there is a time they are ‘speaking’ (mal). Sitting in prayer they are speaking, standing in prayer, they are silent.

[Var. Here belongs the sections “and when a man prays” on p. 34]

And come and see: If a person elevates, in his thought, through his prayer, the Shekhinah, or through each and any precept that he performs, [Var. And come see: through prayer which elevates the Shekhinah, or through any precept which elevates the Shekhinah] then as soon as he knocks at the entrance of the chamber of the King, whether he be prophet, or seer, or sage, or a righteous person or a pious person, then, as soon as he calls at the gate, if the Shekhinah has ascended there, then shall YQVQ immediately answer. And He does not wait for any servant or any appointee, to open for him, but He Himself actually opens for him, from the affection and love that He has towards Her, like a groom towards a bride.

But if the Shekhinah has not ascended, in that prayer or precept, then the blessed Holy One does not consider it sufficient, to open His chamber for him, and even by means of an agent.

And he is not worthy of entering the chamber of the King, and about him it is stated: (Deut. 24:11) Outside shall you stand... And from outside, they grant him his request, by means of an emissary or appointee.

And if his prayer does not ascend appropriately, they expel him to the outside, and they shut the door in his face. And about that is stated: (Prov. 1:28) Then shall they call me, but I shall not answer, they will seek me out early, but they will not find me.

And so it is, when each-and-every individual of Israel calls to the blessed Holy One, through the recitation of the Shm’a, or in prayer, or through any precept, if the Shekhinah is not there, then He does not descend there.

It is this that is written: (Ex. 20:24)... in every place where I cause mention of My Name, I shall come to you, and I shall bless you. And Onqelos translated this to mean: ‘in every place that ‘My Presence’ (Shekhinti) resides, there... etc.’

For when a person elevates the Shekhinah, through his performance of precepts, towards the blessed Holy One, then the blessed Holy One descends upon him, for Her sake. And because of this, the prophet said: (Jer. 9:22–23) Let not the boaster... etc.... except in ‘this’∞zot (Malkhut)... and thus, they have established it.

[And so it is, when a person elevates the Shekhinah, through his prayer, towards the blessed Holy One, then the blessed Holy One descends to receive his prayer, and His Shekhinah precedes Him] [Var. and so also, when a person causes the blessed Holy One to descend, through his prayer, towards the Shekhinah, then the Shekhinah immediately proceeds] to open for him. It is this that is written: (Gen. 24:15) And it was, before he had finished speaking, and behold Rebecca emerged...

And this is the mystery, that the Masters of the Mishnah established:ciBT Berakhot 34b ‘If the prayer is fluent in my mouth, then I know that it is accepted, and if not, then I know that it is torn-up’ – and they tear up his prayer in his face.

And because of this: And it was, before he had finished speaking – and to utter his prayer in the Name of YQV”Q – then immediately, the Shekhinah emerged towards him, [Var. to receive him], and because of him, the Shekhinah descended to his feet. It is this that is written: (Ps. 85:14) Righteousness shall go before him, and shall place his steps ∞pe-’amav upon the way.

And when the Shekhinah stands upon Israel – and Israel are the ‘feet’ (regel) upon which She stands in exile – then the blessed Holy One praises Her through them: (Song. 7:2) How beautiful are your ‘steps’ (phe-)’amayikh in shoes... etc.

And furthermore: How beautiful are your steps... when Israel fulfil ritual pilgrimage – three times (pe-)’amim a year.

And furthermore: How beautiful are your steps (phe-)’amayikh in shoes... refers to when Israel stood at Mount Sinai, about which it is stated: (Zech. 14:4) And his feet shall stand on that day...

And furthermore: (Song. 7:2) How beautiful are your steps in shoes... When they stand on the New Year, on the Day of Judgement, in prayer, then the blessed Holy One, because of them, stands-up from the ‘Throne of Judgement’, and sits upon the ‘Throne of Mercy’.ciiPesiqta d-Rav Kahana, Pisqa 23, Ot 3

When they Israel stand with the Shekhinah in exile, and they suffer for its sake so many judgements and so many afflictions, that they say: (Ps. 44:23) Because for Your sake we are killed all the day, we are considered as sheep for the slaughter.

And when a person prays, he needs firstly, to cause the blessed Holy One to descend – Who is YQV”Q – through the recitation of the Shm’a.

And it is to Him, that we say “Hear O Israel” on all Sabbaths and festivals. Because on weekdays, the inner gate of the chamber is shut. It is this that is written: (Ez. 46:1) Thus said Y”Y ELQYM: the gate of the inner court, facing eastward, shall be closed for the six days of work...

And why? Because Metatron rules over it, and on the Sabbath day, when Her Husband arrives, it shall be opened, and similarly, on the ‘day of the new moon’ it shall be opened.