שער יג - נסירה

Now we will explain the two Divine Names of "YHVH YHVH" mentioned in the Torah. Know that we have already explained that in the skull (Galgalta) there are ten sefirot up to the forehead. These sefirot are arranged with Keter at the top and Malkhut at the bottom. The last sefirah, Malkhut, is the aspect of the "corner of the head," as in all places "corner" represents Malkhut. In the head of Arikh Anpin (Ancient of Days), this corner is the name MTzPTz, consisting of two letters—one on the right and one on the left. On the right, it corresponds to (Zeir Anpin) Abba and Imma, and on the left, it corresponds to (Nuqba of) Zeir Anpin, as there is also Zeir Anpin and (Nuqba) in ‘Atiq (Ancient). Each of these Names includes thirteen rectifications (tikkunim) in this way: the four upper rectifications are the secret of the four "minds," which are represented by the letter Mem in MTzPTz. The remaining nine rectifications are represented by the letter Tzadi in MTzPTz. The reason for this is that the first four rectifications are included in the Keter and Chokhmah because they possess greater significance, as they include the head of ‘Atiq, as known. Afterward, the nine rectifications are counted from Binah and below. Yet, since there is still an advantage of Binah over the other eight, it is counted separately as the letter Peh in MTzPTz. The final Tzadi represents the nine of Zeir Anpin. Thus, each of these Names contains thirteen rectifications. These two Names flow from the corners of the head, and they have a numerical value of 300. The Name "Elohim" with Yuds also equals 300, as in "Aleph-Lamed-Heh-Yud-Mem." This Elohim in Arikh Anpin is equivalent to the Name MTzPTz, for it is said, "And there is no Elohim besides Me," and there is only YHVH. Where Elohim appears in Zeir Anpin, it is exchanged with YHVH in Arikh Anpin with MTzPTz. In the end, all substitutions are judgments, and since Elohim has thirteen letters in its full spelling, the thirteen rectifications are drawn from there. It is already known that the entire presence of the beard represents judgments, and it subdues the lower judgments, as judgment can only be sweetened in its source. Since the presence of this corner is Malkhut, which is called Elohim, as it is known, the three Elohim correspond to: one in Gevurah, one in Hod, and one in Malkhut. Thus, the Malkhut of the ten sefirot of the head above is Elohim, and its numerical value is "Peah" (corner), but spelled with Yuds, representing its connection to the head, which is in Zeir Anpin. However, in Arikh Anpin, the corner is the Name MTzPTz, as explained. The two corners are on the two sides of the head, and they represent the two great luminaries, "MTzPTz MTzPTz," as mentioned in the Zohar, Bereshit 22b. These are the two Names preceding the thirteen attributes of mercy, which are "YHVH YHVH El Rachum..." The explanation is that Zeir Anpin came from the right MTzPTz, and Nuqba came from the left MTzPTz. These are the roots of the two great luminaries, for there is no difference between them; each has the complete YHVH—one on the right and the other on the left. It was previously explained that in Arikh Anpin, there are Chesed and Gevurah, which are Zeir Anpin and Nuqba. Therefore, from the right side of the head, from where Chesed (right pillar) extends, one corner emerges from which Zeir Anpin is nourished, since the hairs are the residue of the "mind." The Gevurot (left pillar) extend to the left corner, from which Nuqba is nourished. As it says in the Zohar, the two first Names are counted before the thirteen attributes. This is because the first rectification of the beard is "El," which represents Malkhut, and the corner represents the aspect of Malkhut. Hence, the two Malkhuts are adjacent to each other. At the point where the Malkhut of the head ends, which is the corner of the head, there begins the Malkhut of the beard, which is the first rectification, and then the lower (Malkhut) is nourished from the upper (Malkhut). Thus, from the hairs of the head that remain in the corner of the head, the thirteen rectifications of the beard emerge. Therefore, all the thirteen rectifications are nourished from the two corners of the head. Thus, in the beginning, we mention these two Names, which are the secret of MTzPTz MTzPTz in substitution, and afterward, we mention the thirteen attributes. It has already been explained that Zeir Anpin only has nine rectifications, not thirteen. Even when we mention thirteen rectifications in Zeir Anpin, it is merely because the illumination of the thirteen is included in the nine of Zeir Anpin, and they contain thirteen illuminations, but the actual thirteen rectifications are only nine. Thus, the true thirteen rectifications belong to Arikh Anpin, which extend until the nine of Zeir Anpin. Therefore, there are two Names, "MTzPTz MTzPTz." If they were in Zeir Anpin, there would be only two "Elohim" with Yuds, as explained. From the two Elohim in the corners of the head, two "El" Names were drawn to form the first and second rectifications. The "YH YH" in the two "Elohim" extended to the sixth rectification, as mentioned in the Idra, in the explanation of "From the straits I called upon YH." It is also known that in the first rectification, there is "El," and the points of the hairs are there; therefore, it is called "El," and it is drawn from the "El" in Elohim. In the sixth rectification, which is partly in the "strait" (some say it is in the secret of) the beard, there is the "YH" of Elohim, with the Yud on the right and the Heh of Elohim on the left. This is the meaning of "From the straits I called upon YH." Below, where the beard begins to widen, corresponding to the two cheeks, there is also the second "YH" from the second Elohim, with Yud on the right and Heh on the left. Afterward, the closed Mem of Elohim is in the mouth, resembling a closed Mem. These are the two M's, as the lips closing the mouth resemble a closed Mem. After that, the teeth also resemble a round wall like a closed Mem, and they are the two M's of the Name Elohim. Thus, the verse "From the straits I called upon YH" is explained. The "El" began to reveal itself there, and therefore, its intention was to also extend the remaining "YH" from Elohim, but "YH" did not answer in the straits, for it is not its place, only in "the wide expanse," where it descended in the sixth rectification and did not remain in the straits. Thus, it is explained how the entire beard is the secret of judgments from the Name Elohim. The reason is that the entire beard originates from the "mind," and judgments originate from the "hidden mind," which subdue all that is beneath them. Therefore, it is said that the secret of the beard is to subdue judgments.

It seems possible that this is what our sages, of blessed memory, intended when they said, "One kingship does not touch its fellow even to the width of a hair." They were precise in saying "the width of a hair," alluding to what is written here—that the kingship in the hairs of the head and the kingship in the hairs of the beard are close to one another but do not touch each other, not even a single hair, as mentioned, not even one hair. Instead, it is exactly at the point where the kingship of the hairs ends that the kingship of the beard begins.