64. When disagreement was aroused through the fierceness of the left, the mist of fire increased and became overpowering. The spirits produced from within THAT MIST immediately congealed; they became dry and without any moisture. These spirits, which were male and female, produced a multitude of evil spirits. From this, all the might of the impure spirit appeared in all those strong spirits. This is the secret of THE KLIPAH OF the foreskin. These spirits were strengthened in impurity through the violent demons. One is called a viper and the other a serpent, and these two kinds become one. The viper bears offspring every seventy years, WHILE THE SERPENT ONLY EVERY SEVEN YEARS. But as they are joined together, everything returned to the seven years of the serpent. THEREFORE, THE VIPER BEGETS EVERY SEVEN YEARS LIKE THE SERPENT, AND THEY BECOME AS IF ONE SPECIES.

364. Tosefta (addendum): We have learned that he who performs circumcision, but does not uncover the corona by splitting the skin, acts as if he does not perform circumcision at all. Why? Because circumcision and the uncovering of the corona are two different grades that correspond to 'Remember' and 'Keep,' the Righteous and righteousness, male and female. CIRCUMCISION IS the sign of the covenant corresponding to Joseph, NAMELY YESOD, AND THE SPLITTING OF THE SKIN IS the covenant that corresponds to Rachel, NAMELY THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE OF ZEIR ANPIN. They should be united together, YESOD AND THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE. When does one unite them? When he circumcises THE FORESKIN and uncovers the corona. He who circumcises without uncovering the corona acts as if he has created a separation BETWEEN ZEIR ANPIN AND HIS FEMALE PRINCIPLE. (End of Tosefta)

383. Happy is the lot of he who resembles his father and mother, WHO ARE THE MALE AND FEMALE PRINCIPLES. Therefore, the sacred imprint - THE CUTTING OF THE FORESKIN on the eighth day - is for the purpose of making him resemble his mother, WHO IS THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE OF ZEIR ANPIN. Thus, the splitting of the membrane and exposure of the sacred imprint is done to make him resemble his father, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN. FOR BY THE PRECEPT OF CIRCUMCISION, HE MERITS THE MOCHIN OF THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE AND BY THE SPLITTING OF THE MEMBRANE, HE RECEIVES THE MOCHIN OF ZEIR ANPIN. This is why the "fruit tree" is one's mother, THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE OF ZEIR ANPIN, and "yielding fruit" is the holy covenant, WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, one's father. It is "after its kind" so that he may resemble his father, and be imprinted by him TO RECEIVE ALL HIS VIRTUES.

434. Rabbi Yehuda asked Rabbi Shimon: We have learned that Adam pulled at his foreskin. What is the meaning of this? He replied: He separated the holy covenant, NAMELY YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, from its place, NAMELY THE SHECHINAH, hence he pulled at his foreskin when he abandoned the holy covenant, NAMELY, THE UNITY OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WITH HIS SHECHINAH, cleaved to the foreskin - THE KLIPAH THAT SEPARATES THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, FROM HIS SHECHINAH - and was seduced by the serpent's words.