Bereshit B
Adam Death Death and the Afterlife Dwellings Evil Grades Light Lights Male Tree Tree of Life Wickedness Wisdom

288. And because they sinned and attached themselves to the tree where death dwells below, it is written: "And they heard the voice of Hashem Elohim walking (Heb. mit'halech) in the garden" (Beresheet 3:8). Note that the word is not mehalech (walking), WHICH WOULD INDICATE THE MALE GENDER, but mit'halech, WHICH INDICATES THE FEMININE GENDER. (FOR THE ADDITIONAL LETTER TAV INDICATES THE FEMININE GENDER.) Come and behold: Before he sinned, Adam was continually ascending TO HIGHER LEVELS, had access to celestial wisdom, and was never disconnected from the Tree of Life. But he was drawn after the lights and parted from the Tree of Life, descending AND DRAWING DOWN LIGHT FROM ABOVE because of his increasing desire for knowledge. He discovered evil and left good. Thus, it is written: "For You are not El that has pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with You" (Tehilim 5:5), because he who is drawn after evil has no dwelling with the Tree of Life.

288. כֵּיוָן דְּחָטוּ, וְאִתְדַּבְּקוּ בְּאִילָנָא דְּשָׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ מוֹתָא לְתַתָּא. מַה כְּתִיב, וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶת קוֹל ה' אֱלֹקִים מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגָּן. מְהַלֵּךְ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא מִתְהַלֵּךְ תָּא חֲזֵי, עַד לָא חָטָא אָדָם, הֲוָה סָלֵיק וְקָאֵים בְּחָכְמָה דִנְהִירוּ עִלָּאָה. וְלָא הֲוָה מִתְפָּרֵשׁ מֵאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי. כֵּיוָן דְּאַסְגֵי תֵּיאוּבְתָּא לְמִנְדַע, וּלְנַחֲתָא לְתַתָּא, אִתְמְשַׁךְ אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ, עַד דְּאִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, וְיָדַע רָע וְשָׁבַק טוֹב, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב כִּי לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אַתָּה לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע. מַאן דְּאִתְמְשַׁךְ בָּתַר רָע, לֵית לֵיהּ דִּירָה, עִם אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי.

Fear Mochin Sin Wisdom

289. And as long as they did not sin, they could hear the divine voice, partake of supernal wisdom, exist within THE MOCHIN OF the holy radiance, and have no fear. But, once they sinned, they could no longer withstand it.

289. וְעַד לָא חָטְאוּ, הֲווֹ שָׁמְעִין קָלָא מִלְּעֵילָא, וַהֲווֹ יָדְעֵי חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה, וְקָיְימֵי בְּקִיּוּמָא דְזִיהֲרָא עִלָּאָה, וְלָא דָחֲלֵי. כֵּיוָן דְּחָטְאוּ, אֲפִילּוּ קָלָא דִּלְתַתָּא, לָא הֲוֵי יָכְלִין לְמֵיקַם בֵּיהּ.

Evil Evil Inclination Light Mount Sinai Serpent Sin Tree Tree of Life

290. Similarly, as long as Yisrael did not sin, from the time they stood at Mount Sinai, the filth of this serpent was removed from them. There was a total annulment of the Evil Inclination in the world when Yisrael rejected the serpent. They clung to the Tree of Life, elevated, and did not go down. THIS MEANS THAT THEY ELEVATED THE LIGHT OF THE LEFT FROM BELOW AND DID NOT DRAW ANY LIGHT DOWNWARD. WHICH IS THE ASPECT OF THE TREE OF LIFE.

290. כְּגַוְונָא דָא, עַד לָא חָבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקָיְימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל טוּרָא דְסִינַי, אִתְעֲבַר מִנַּיְיהוּ זוּהֲמָא, דְּהַאי חִיוְיָא, דְּהָא כְּדֵין בִּטּוּל יֵצֶר הָרָע הֲוָה מֵעָלְמָא, וְדָחוּ לֵיהּ מִנַּיְיהוּ. וּכְדֵין אִתְאֲחִידוּ בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, וְסָלְקוֹ לְעֵילָא, וְלָא נָחֲתוּ לְתַתָּא.

Eyes Hebrew Letters Holy Name Mirror Ornaments Serpent

291. Then they knew and saw the holy mirrors. Their eyes were lit and they were happy to know and to hear. Hence, the Holy One, blessed be He, wrapped them with cords made of letters from His Holy Name, so that the serpent could not control them and would not defile them, as before. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE ORNAMENTS THAT THEY RECEIVED ON MOUNT HOREB.

291. כְּדֵין הֲווֹ יָדְעִין וְחָמָאן אִסְפַּקְלַרְיָאן עִלָּאִין, וְאִתְנָהֲרִין עֵינַיְיהוּ, וְחָדָאן לְמִנְדַע וּלְמִשְׁמַע, וּכְדֵין חָגַר לוֹן קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חֲגוֹרִין דְאַתְוָון דִּשְׁמֵיהּ קַדִּישָׁא, דְּלָא יֵיכוֹל לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ, הַאי חִוְיָא, וְלָא יְסָאַב לוֹן כְּקַדְמֵיתָא.

Death Death and the Afterlife Evil Grades Lights Serpent

292. And because they sinned with the Calf, all those supernal levels and lights were taken away from them. And all the armed cords, ornamented with the Holy Name, were retrieved. They drew upon them the evil serpent as before and caused death to all the world.

292. כֵּיוָן דְּחָטְאוּ בָּעֵגֶל, אִתְעֲבַר מִנַּיְיהוּ כָּל אִינוּן דַּרְגִּין, וּנְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין, וְאִתְעַבְּרוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ אִינוּן חֲגִירוּ מְזַיְינִין, דְּאִתְעַטְּרוּ מִשְׁמָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא, וְאַמְשִׁיכוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ חִוְיָא בִישָׁא, כְּמִלְקַדְּמִין, וְגָרְמוּ מוֹתָא, לְכָל עַלְמָא.

Aaron Face Fear Lights Mirror Moses Seas Skin Zeir Anpin

293. Subsequently, it is written: "And when Aaron and all the children of Yisrael saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him" (Shemot 34:30). Come and behold: it is written before, "And Yisrael saw the great hand" (Shemot 14:31). Before, they all saw the divine lights and were enlightened by the shining mirror, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. As it is written: "And all the people saw the voices" (Shemot 20:18). And also upon the sea they saw yet were not afraid, as indicated by the words: "He is my El, and I shall praise Him" (Shemot 15:2). But, after they sinned, they could not withstand the sight of even the mediator, MOSES, as it was written "and they were afraid to come near him."

293. וּלְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב וַיַּרְא אַהֲרֹן וְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת מֹשֶׁה וְהִנֵּה קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו וַיִּירְאוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו. תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדוֹלָה. וְכָלְהוֹ חָמָאן זָהֲרִין עִלָּאִין, וּמִתְנַהֲרִין בְּאִסְפַּקְלַרְיָא דְּנָהֲרָא, דִּכְתִיב וְכָל הָעָם רוֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלוֹת, וְעַל יַמָּא הֲווֹ חָמָאן וְלָא דָחֲלִין, דִּכְתִיב זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ, לְבָתַר דְּחָטוּ פְּנֵי הַסַּרְסוּר לָא הֲווֹ יָכְלִין לְמֶחֱמֵי, דִּכְתִיב וַיִּירְאוּ מִגֶּשֶׁת אֵלָיו.