Idra Raba: Chapter 28

The forehead of Zeir Anpin

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon says that the forehead of the skull is the supervision of providence, and that it is not revealed except when it is necessary to scrutinize the deeds of the wicked; then the world at large is given to trial except when Atik Yomin wishes to have compassion on Yisrael because their prayers ascend to Him. When God is aroused to delight in the righteous, the face of Atik Yomin shines in the face of Zeir Anpin; the forehead of Arich Anpin is revealed and shines upon the forehead of Zeir Anpin - this is referred to as a period of grace, when judgment is silenced and not executed. In the countenance of man there are correspondences to the brow of Zeir Anpin, wherein the six Sfirot are revealed. When the forehead of Zeir Anpin is revealed, all is in judgment because the brow of Adam is also revealed.

Atik-Yomin Deeds Forehead Judgment Prayer Wicked Wickedness Zeir Anpin

199. The forehead of the skull is the supervision of providence. It is not revealed except for the period during which the wicked must be accounted AND IT IS NECESSARY to scrutinize their deeds. We have learned that when the forehead OF ZEIR ANPIN is revealed, all the plaintiffs are aroused and the world at large is given to trial, except for that particular period when the prayers of Yisrael ascend before Atik Yomin and he wishes to have compassion on his children. He reveals HIS forehead THAT IS REFERRED TO AS the Will of all Will and illuminates with that FOREHEAD of Zeir Anpin, and Judgment is soothed.

199. מִצְחָא דְּגוּלְגַּלְתָּא. אַשְׁגָּחוּתָא דְּאַשְׁגָּחוּתָא. וְלָא מִתְגַּלְיָיא, בַּר הַהוּא זִמְנָא, דִּצְרִיכִין חַיָּיבַיָּא לְאִתְפַּקְּדָא, וּלְעַיְּינָא בְּעוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וְתָאנָא, כַּד אִתְגַּלְיָיא הַאי מִצְחָא, אִתְּעֲרוּ כָּל מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא, וְכָל עָלְמָא בְּדִינָא אִתְמְסַר. בַּר הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, כַּד סְלִיקוּ צְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְקַמֵּי עַתִּיק יוֹמִין, וּבָעֵי לְרַחֲמָא עַל בְּנוֹי, גַּלֵּי מִצְחָא דְּרַעֲוָא דְּרַעֲוִין, וְנָהִיר בְּהַאי דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין, וְאִשְׁתְּכִיךְ דִּינָא.

Brain Deeds Fifty Forehead Gates Hair Harlotry Jeremiah Judgment Wicked Wickedness Zeir Anpin

200. In that forehead emerges one hair that spreads on it from the brain that produced fifty gates. When THAT HAIR expands OVER THE FOREHEAD OF ZEIR ANPIN, it becomes the supervising forehead over the wicked of the world, those who are not ashamed of their deeds. This is the meaning of: "And you did have a harlot's forehead, you did refuse to be ashamed" (Yirmeyah 3:3).

200. בְּהַאי מִצְחָא, נָפִיק חַד שַׂעֲרָא, דְּמִתְפְּשָׁט בֵּיהּ מִמּוֹחָא דְּאַפִּיק חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין. וְכַד אִתְפְּשָׁט, אִתְעֲבִיד מִצְחָא דְּאַשְׁגָּחוּתָא, לְחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא, לְאִינּוּן דְּלָא מִתְכַּסְּפֵי בְּעוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. הה"ד, וּמֵצַח אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה הָיָה לָךְ מֵאַנְתְּ הִכָּלֵם.

Atik-Yomin Face Forehead Hair Judgment Righteous Sin Zeir Anpin

201. We have learned that there is no hair in that specific place in the brow, because THE FOREHEAD is revealed to those who sin with impudence. During the period that the Holy One, blessed be He, is aroused to delight in the righteous, the face of Atik Yomin shines in the face of Zeir Anpin. The forehead OF ARICH ANPIN is revealed and shines upon the forehead OF ZEIR ANPIN and it is referred to as a time of goodwill. During each individual period that Judgment impends and the forehead of Zeir Anpin is revealed, the forehead of the most ancient among the ancient ones is revealed, and Judgment is appeared and not executed.

201. וְתַנְיָא, שַׂעֲרָא לָא קָאֵים בְּהַאי אֲתָר דְּמִצְחָא, בְּגִין דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא לְאִינּוּן דְּחַצִּיפִין בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ. וְשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִתְּעַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא עִם צַדִּיקַיָּיא, נְהִירִין אַנְפּוֹהִי דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין, בְּאַנְפּוֹי דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין, וּמִתְגַּלְיָא מִצְחֵיהּ, וְנָהִיר לְהַאי מִצְחָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְקְרֵי עֵת רָצוֹן. וְכָל שַׁעֲתָא וְשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינָא תָּלֵי, וְהַאי מִצְחָא דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין אִתְגַּלְיָיא, אִתְגַּלְיָיא מִצְחָא דְּעַתִּיקָא דְּעַתִּיקִין, וְאִשְׁתְּכִיךְ דִּינָא, וְלָא אִתְעָבֵיד.

Destruction Forehead Red Zeir Anpin

202. We have learned that this brow expands in 200,000 beings most red that are attached to it and are comprised within. When the forehead of Zeir Anpin is revealed, there is permission for all to destroy; that is, to cause DESTRUCTION. When the forehead of the Will of all wills is revealed and shines on to this forehead, all are appeased.

202. תָּאנָא, הַאי מִצְחָא, אִתְפָּשָׁט בְּמָאתָן אֲלַף סוּמָקֵי דְּסוּמָקֵי, דְּאִתְאַחֲדָן בֵּיהּ, וּכְלִילָן בֵּיהּ. וְכַד אִתְגַּלְיָיא מִצְחָא דִּזְעֵיר אַפִּין, אִית רְשׁוּתָא לְכֻלְּהוּ לְחַרָבָּא. וְכַד אִתְגַּלְיָיא מִצְחָא דְּרַעֲוָא דְּרַעֲוִין, דְּנָהִיר לְהַאי מִצְחָא, כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ מִשְׁתַּכְכִין.

Body Forehead Hebrew Letters Judgment

203. We have learned that 24 courts of law exist in this brow and all are referred to as Netzach. With the adjoining letters, MEANING THE TRANSPOSITION OF ADJACENT LETTERS, it becomes Metzach (Eng. 'forehead'), SINCE THE NUN OF NETZACH EXCHANGES WITH MEM. There is a Netzach which is Netzachim, or as we have learned Netzach Netzachim. They exist in the forehead and expand from there into the body in certain places.

203. וְתַנְיָא, עֶשְׂרִין וְאַרְבַּע בָּתֵּי דִּינִין מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין בְּהַאי מִצְחָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן נֶצַח. וּבְאַתְוָון רְצוּפִין, הוּא מֶצַח. וְאִית נֶצַח דְּאִינּוּן נְצָחִים. וְהַיְינוּ דִּתְנָן נֶצַח נְצָחִים. וְאִינּוּן בְּמִצְחָא, וּמִתְפַּשְּׁטָן מִנְּהוֹן בְּגוּפָא, בְּאַתְרִין יְדִיעָן.

Adam Body Face Forehead Head Judgment Nose Repentance Samuel

204. We have learned that it is written: "And also the Eternal One (Heb. Netzach) of Yisrael will not lie nor change his mind: for he is not a man, that He should change his mind" (I Shmuel 15:29). We have explained this secret meaning: All the Netzach that spreads in the body, THAT IS, IN THE SIX EXTEMITIES, sometimes causes judgment to impend on people to judge, and then changes his mind and does not execute judgment if they repent. What is the reason? Because he exists in a place referred to as man and is able to change his mind. However, if it is in a place referred to as head, MEANING THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, then that Netzach is revealed; it is not the time and place to change his mind. What is the reason? It is because he is not in the place called man, WHICH IS THE SIX EXTREMITIES, SINCE the countenance OF THE FACE and nose, WHICH ARE SIX EXTREMITIES CALLED MAN, were not revealed, just the brow itself is revealed, THAT IS THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, SINCE THE FOREHEAD AND THE FACE ARE THE FIRST THREE SFIROT AND THE SIX EXTREMITIES. In the place where there is no countenance OF THE FACE, WHICH IS SIX EXTREMITIES THAT ARE IN THE FOREHEAD, it is not considered man. Therefore, "for he is not a man, that he should change his mind," as is the Netzach in other bodily Corrections (formations), MEANING THE NETZACH IN THE SIX EXTREMITIES THAT MAKE UP MAN.

204. תַּנְיָא, מַאי דִּכְתִּיב וְגַם נֵצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יְשַׁקֵּר וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם כִּי לֹא אָדָם הוּא לְהִנָּחֵם. הַאי רָזָא אוֹקִימְנָא, כָּל הַהוּא נֶצַח דְּאִתְפְּשַׁט בְּגוּפָא, זִמְנִין דְּתָלֵי עַל עָלְמָא לְמֵידָן, וְתָב וּמִתְחָרֵט וְלָא עָבֵיד דִּינָא, אִי תַּיְיבִין. מ"ט. מִשּׁוּם דְּקָאֵי בְּדוּכְתָּא דְּאִקְרֵי אָדָם, וְיָכִיל לְאִתְחָרְטָא. אֲבָל אִי בְּאֲתָר דְּאִתְקְרֵי רֹאשׁ, אִתְחֲזֵי וְאִתְגַּלְיָיא הַאי נֶצַח, לָאו הוּא עִידָּן וַאֲתָר לְאִתְחָרְטָא. מ"ט. מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא הֲוָה מֵאֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי אָדָם, דְּהָא לָא אִתְגְּלֵי פַּרְצוּפָא וְחוֹטָמָא, אֶלָּא מִצְחָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. וּבַאֲתָר דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח פַּרְצוּפָא, לָא אִקְרֵי אָדָם. ובג"כ לֹא אָדָם הוּא לְהִנָּחֵם כְּנֶצַח דְּבִשְׁאַר תִּקּוּנֵי גּוּפָא.

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