The skull of Zeir Anpin
Rabbi Shimon explains the process whereby Arich Anpin sent the spark and the fine pure air that spread to create the skull of Zeir Anpin. Thousands of worlds reside in this skull, and dew drips into it from the white head; from that dew which he shakes off his head the dead will be restored to life. Those who awake to everlasting life will merit the white dew, and those who awake to shame and everlasting contempt will merit the dew that has a red hue in it. We read about the illumination of this skull to both sides and how it spreads to His face. When Zeir Anpin observes the face of Arich Anpin and has compassion on the world His face becomes long like that of Arich Anpin. The illumination that spreads from Zeir Anpin to those below requires that those below give dues to Atik Yomin when they are counted in the census.
181. We have learned that when it was the wish of the white head, THE SKULL OF ARICH ANPIN, to glorify its glory, it formed and prepared and produced from the hard candle a spark which went up and spread into 370 directions. That spark is constant and pure air begins to be discharged and roll forth. It blew at it, so it was restored. A strong skull was released and spread to four directions.
181. תָּאנָא, כַּד סָלִיק בִּרְעוּתָא דְּרֵישָׁא חִוָּורָא, לְמֶעְבַּד יְקָרָא לִיקָרֵיהּ, תַּקִּין וְזַמִּין וְאַפִּיק מִבּוּצִינָא דְּקַרְדִּינוּתָא, חַד נִיצוֹצָא, וְסָלִיק וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט לִתְלַת מְאָה וְשַׁבְעִין עִיבָר. וְנִיצוֹצָא קָאֵים, וְשָׁארִי נָפִיק אֲוִירָא דַּכְיָא וּמִתְגַּלְגְּלָא, נָשַׁב בֵּיהּ אִתְתָּקַּן. וְנָפִיק חַד גּוּלְגַלְתָּא תַּקִּיפָא, וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט לְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין.
182. Within fine pure air, THAT IS IN THE SKULL, the spark was sucked, and became part of it. HE ASKS: Could you imagine that it became part of it? HE REPLIES: It only means that it was hidden in it. Therefore, this skull OF ZEIR ANPIN was spread to its sides and this air WITHIN IT, is the most hidden from Atik Yomin (Eng. 'Ancient in Days'), with the spirit that it stored.
182. וּבְהַאי אֲוִירָא דַּכְיָא, אִשְׁתְּאִיב נִיצוֹצָא וְאִתְאֲחָד, וְאִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ. בֵּיהּ ס"ד. אֶלָּא אִתְטָמַר בֵּיהּ. וּבְגִין כַּךְ, הַאי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא אִתְפָּשַׁט בְּסִטְרוֹי, וְהַאי אֲוִירָא הוּא טָמִיר דִּטְמִירִין דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין, בְּרוּחָא דְּגָנִיז.
183. In the skull OF ZEIR ANPIN fire unfurled from one direction and air from the other. Pure air is prevalent above it from one side and pure fire is prevalent upon it from the other side. HE ASKS: What is the fire here? HE REPLIES: It is not really composed of fire, but this spark, that is comprised in the refined air, illuminates to the 270 worlds, and Judgment emerges from its side. Therefore, this skull is referred to as the hard skull.
183. בְּהַאי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא אִתְפָּשָׁטוּ אֶשָּׁא מִסְּטַר חַד, וַאֲוִירָא מִסְּטַר חַד. וַאֲוִירָא דַּכְיָא קָאֵים עָלֵיהּ מֵהַאי סְטָר. וְאֶשָּׁא דַּכְיָא קָאֵים מֵהַאי סְטָר. מַאי אֶשָּׁא הָכָא. אֶלָּא לָאו הוּא אֶשָּׁא, אֲבָל דָּא נִיצוֹצָא דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בַּאֲוִירָא דַּכְיָא, נָהִיר לְמָאתָן וְשַׁבְעִין עָלְמִין, וְדִינָא מִסִּטְרוֹי אִשְׁתְּכַח, ובג"ד, הַאי גּוּלְגַלְתָּא, אִתְקְרֵי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא תַּקִּיפָא.
184. In this skull, nine thousand ten thousands worlds reside which ride on it and depend on it. Into this skull drips dew from the white head, MEANING FROM THE SKULL OF ARICH ANPIN, that is always filled from it. From this dew, which He shakes off from His head, the dead will be restored to life.
184. בְּגוּלְגַּלְתָּא דָּא, יַתְבִין תִּשְׁעָה אַלְפֵי רִבּוֹא עָלְמִין, דְּנַטְלִין עֲלוֹי וְסַמְכִין עֲלוֹי. בְּהַאי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא, נָטִיף טַלָּא מֵרֵישָׁא חִיוָּורָא, דְּאִתְמְלֵּי מִנֵיהּ תָּדִיר. וּמֵהַאי טַלָּא דְּאַנְעַר מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ זְמִינִין מֵיתַיָּיא לְאַחֲיָּאָה.
185. That dew is included in two aspects from the direction of the white head, THAT IS ARICH ANPIN. FIRSTLY, it is in essence white. SECONDLY, it comprises all whites. However, when THIS DEW resides on this head in Zeir Anpin, some redness is apparent, it is like the crystal, which is in essence white but where the red color appears in the white color.
185. וְהוּא טַלָּא דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בִּתְרֵי גְּוָונֵי, מִסִּטְרָא דְּרֵישָׁא חִיוָּרָא, חִיוָּור בְּגַוֵויהּ. דְּכָלִיל כֻּלְּהוּ חִיוָּורֵי אֲבָל כַּד אִתְיַישְּׁבָן בְּהַאי רֵישָׁא דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין, אִתְחֲזֵי בֵּיהּ סוּמָקָא. כְּהַאי בְּדוֹלְחָא דְּאִיהוּ חִיוָּור, וְאִתְחַזְיָיא גַּוְונָא סוּמָקָא בְּגַוְונָא חִיוָּורָא.
186. Therefore, it is written: "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2). "To everlasting life:" These are the ones that merit this white DEW, which comes from the direction of Atik Yomin, Arich Anpin. "Some to shame and everlasting contempt" are those that deserve that red color IN THE DEW of Zeir Anpin. All is included in that dew, as it is written: "For your dew is as the dew on herbs (also: 'of lights')" (Yeshayah 26:19). Lights MEANING two, since that dew drips every day to the field of apple trees, WHICH IS MALCHUT, AND CONTAINS WITHIN IT TWO LIGHTS similar to white and red.
186. וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב, וְרַבִּים מִיְּשֵׁנֵי אַדְמַת עָפָר יָקִיצוּ אֵלֶּה לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם וְאֵלֶּה לַחֲרָפוֹת לְדִרְאוֹן עוֹלָם. לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם, בְּגִין דְּאִתְחֲזִיאוּ לְהַהוּא חִיוָּורָא, דְּאָתֵי מִסְטַר דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין, אֲרִיכָא דְּאַנְפִּין. לַחֲרָפוֹת לְדִרְאוֹן עוֹלָם, בְּגִין דְּאִתְחֲזִיאוּ לְהַהוּא סוּמָקָא דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין. וְכֹלָּא כָּלִיל בְּהַהוּא טַלָּא, הה"ד כִּי טַל אוֹרוֹת טַלֶּךָ. אוֹרוֹת: תְּרֵין. וְהַהוּא טַלָּא דְּנָטִיף, נָטִיף כָּל יוֹמָא לְחַקְלָא דְּתַפּוּחִים. כְּגְוָונֵי חִיוָּורָא וְסוּמָקָא.
187. This skull, OF ZEIR ANPIN, illuminates on both sides to this direction and to that direction, THAT IS REFINED AIR AND REFINED FIRE. From this refined air, spread from HIS skull to his face 150 ten thousands realms. Therefore, it is called Zeir Anpin, WHICH MEANS A SMALL FACE. When the need arises, MEANING WHEN THE LOWER GRADES ARE WORTHY, His face expands and becomes long during that period, SIMILAR TO ARICH ANPIN (LIT. 'LONG FACE') THAT IS 370 TEN THOUSAND ILLUMINATIONS. This is because He sees the face of the most ancient of the ancient and has compassion on the world.
187. הַאי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא אַנְהִיר בִּתְרֵי גְּוָונֵי, לְהַאי סְטָר וּלְהָאי סְטָר. וּמֵהַאי אֲוִירָא דַּכְיָא, אִתְפָּשָׁט מְגוּלְגַּלְתָּא לְאַנְפּוֹי ק"נ רִבּוֹא עָלְמִין. וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִתְקְרֵי זְעֵיר אַפִּין. וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ, אִתְפְּשָׁטוּ אַנְפּוֹי וַאֲרִיכִין בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, בְּגִין דְּאַשְׁגַּח בְּאַנְפּוֹי דְּעַתִּיקֵי דְּעַתִּיקִין, וְחָיֵיס לְעָלְמָא.
188. From this skull IN ZEIR ANPIN, a path goes out, to all those below. They give dues to Atik Yomin, when they are numbered under the wand. Corresponding to this is the "beka for every man" (Shemot 38:26) THAT IS GIVEN below when census is taken. This "beka" is the due compensation which is given to Atik Yomin.
188. וּמֵהַאי גּוּלְגַּלְתָּא, נָפִיק חַד עִיבָר, לְכָל אִינּוּן דִּלְתַּתָּא. וְיָהֲבֵי אֲגָר אוֹרָאוּתָא לְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין. כַּד עָאלִין בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, תְּחוֹת שַׁרְבִיטָא. וְלָקֳבֵיל דָּא. בֶּקַע לַגוּלְגֹּלֶת לְתַתָּא, כַּד עָאלִין בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא. וְהַאי בֶּקַע אֲגָר אוֹרָאוּתָא, אִשְׁתְּכַח מִנֵּיהּ לְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין.