First Correction (formation) of the nine Corrections (formations) of the beard of Zeir Anpin

257. Rabbi Shimon said to his son Rabbi Elazar: Rise my son, and curl the arrangement of the holy beard through these Corrections (formations). Rabbi Elazar stood up and said, "Out of my distress I called upon Yah: Yah answered me with liberation...than to trust in princes" (Tehilim 118:5-9). We have learned here, IN THIS VERSE, of the nine forms that exist in this beard, IN ZEIR ANPIN. King David needed these Corrections (formations) in order to conquer the other kings and nations.

258. Come and see that as soon as he said those nine Corrections (formations), he concluded with the verse: "All nations compassed me about: but in the name of Hashem I cut them off" (Ibid. 10). He said: All these Corrections (formations) that I mentioned, what purpose do they serve me? It is because all nations compassed me about. In the arrangement of this beard are nine Corrections (formations), which are the name of Hashem, AND THROUGH THEM, I will abolish them from the world. This is what is written: "In the name of Hashem I cut them off."

259. We have learned in the hidden book that King David has mentioned here nine Corrections (formations) IN THE VERSES OF: "OUT OF MY DISTRESS..." Six are in the Holy Name, in that there are IN THESE VERSES six names, and three times man. If you say we only find "MAN" twice, IT IS NOT SO, BUT RATHER there are three, since "princes" are also included in "man." WE CONSIDER THE WORD "PRINCES" AS IF "MAN" IS SAID, SO WE HAVE "MAN" THREE TIMES, AS IS FURTHER EXPLAINED.

260. We have learned that there are six names, as it is written: 1) "Out of my distress I called upon Yah;" 2) "Yah answered me with liberation;" 3) "Hashem is on my side; I will not fear;" 4) "Hashem takes my part;" 5) "It is better to take refuge in Hashem," and 6) "It is better to take refuge in Hashem," WHICH IS IN THE SECOND VERSE. THUS WE HAVE HERE SIX NAMES. "Man" is there three times, as it is written: 1) "Hashem is on my side; I will not fear: what can a man do to me?;" 2) "It is better to take refuge in Hashem than to put confidence in man," and 3) "It is better to take refuge in Hashem than to trust in princes." PRINCES ARE MAN, AS MENTIONED ABOVE, SO WE HAVE "MAN" THREE TIMES.

261. Come and see the secret of the matter. Everywhere man is mentioned here, it is mentioned only together with the Holy Name, THAT IS TO SAY, IN THE SAME VERSE MAN IS MENTIONED, YUD HEI VAV HEI IS ALSO MENTIONED. This is as it should be, as man is only referred to with that which he deserves. What is THE NAME "MAN" deserving? It is the Holy Name YUD HEI VAV HEI, MEANING TO SAY THAT PRIOR TO THE PERFECTION OF THE HOLY NAME, YUD HEI VAV HEI, THE MOCHIN THAT ARE REFERRED TO AS "MAN" ARE NOT COATED WITH IT, as it is written: "Hashem Elohim formed man" (Beresheet 2:7), YUD HEI VAV HEI ELOHIM BEING THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, 'THE MAN,' MEANING THE MOCHIN IN THE IMAGE OF ZEIR ANPIN, THAT ARE REFERRED TO AS "MAN," THAT IS, with a full name which is Yud Hei Vav Hei Elohim, as is befitting it, THE NAME MAN. Therefore, man is mentioned only TOGETHER with the Holy Name.

262. We have learned that it is written, "Out of my distress I called upon Yah: Yah answered me with liberation;" that is twice Yud-Hei. That is for the two cheeks to which the hairs are attached. When DAVID saw that the hairs flow and hang, he commenced saying, "Hashem is on my side; I will not fear... Hashem takes my part," MEANING WITH THE COMPLETE NAME OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, with a name that is not missing in it VAV-HEI, a name that is holy. Man is mentioned with this FULL name, SINCE MOCHIN RESIDE ONLY WITH A FULL NAME, AS MENTIONED.

263. He said, "What can a man do to me?" This is ITS MEANING. We have learned that all these holy Sfirot of the King that were formed with shapes, THAT IS, THAT THE MOCHIN FLOW THROUGH THEM, are referred to as man, who is the general form including all FORMS. THE THREE FORMS - LION, OX, EAGLE - ARE COMPRISED IN THE FORM OF MAN. THAT IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT THAT COMPRISES IN IT ALL THE THREE COLUMNS. CONSEQUENTLY, THE UNION OF THE THREE MOCHIN - CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT, WHICH CORRESPOND TO LION, OX AND EAGLE - ARE ONLY IN THE FORM OF MAN. What emanates FROM THE MOCHIN, THAT IS, WHAT IS CONCEIVABLE TO THE LOWER BEINGS, is referred to as the Holy Name, SINCE NAME MEANS CONCEPTION. The sheath, THAT IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT REFERRED TO AS SHEATH, and what it contains, WHICH ARE THE MOCHIN, are called Yud Hei Vav Hei and are called man. That is the whole of the sheath together with its content.

264. Those nine Corrections (formations) that David said here were in order to subdue his enemies. Whoever holds on to the beard of the King and honors him with the utmost honor, the King will oblige and do for him all that he desires from the King. HE ASKS: What is the reason THAT THERE IS A NEED TO HOLD on to the beard and not to his body? HE REPLIES: It is because the body follows the beard, SINCE ALL THE LIGHTS OF THE BODY FLOW FROM THE BEARD, BUT the beard does not follow the body. CONSEQUENTLY, WHEN YOU ARE ATTACHED TO THE BEARD YOU ARE ALSO ATTACHED TO THE BODY, BUT WHEN ONE IS ATTACHED TO THE BODY HE IS NOT YET ATTACHED TO THE BEARD.

265. There are two ways to count THE NINE CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS) OF THE BEARD IN THE VERSES OF: "OUT OF MY DISTRESS." The first is as we already said, THAT "OUT OF MY DISTRESS I CALLED UPON YAH" IS THE FIRST AND "YAH ANSWERED ME WITH LIBERATION" IS THE FOURTH CORRECTION (FORMATION) THAT IS REFERRED TO IN OUR PRESENT ACCOUNT AS: "WHAT CAN A MAN DO TO ME?" The second IS THE ACCOUNT BEFORE US, OF WHICH "out of my distress I called upon Yah," is the first CORRECTION (FORMATION). The second is: "Yah answered me with liberation;" the third is: "Hashem is on my side; I will not fear" and the fourth is: "What can man do to me?" The fifth is: "Hashem takes my part;" the sixth is: "Therefore I shall gaze upon those who hate me;" the seventh is: "It is better to take refuge in Hashem;" the eighth is: "Than to put confidence in man," and the ninth is: "It is better to take refuge in Hashem than to trust in princes."

266. HE ASKS: THE FIRST CORRECTION (FORMATION) THAT IS REFERRED TO, "Out of my distress I called upon Yah," what does it mean? HE REPLIES: All that David said here, MEANING THE REST OF THE EIGHT CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS) OF THE BEARD, he said about this Correction (formation) of the beard, THE FIRST ONE, "Out of my distress (lit. 'straight') I called upon Yah," that is, from the place where the beard begins to spread out, which is a narrow area above and in front of the ear openings below the hair of the head. THIS MEANS THAT AT THESE POINTS, THE HAIRS ARE SHORT AND THE AREA IS NARROW THAT POINTS OUT THE ASPECT OF JUDGMENT THAT EXISTS IN THE BEARD, WHICH IS THEREFORE REFERRED TO AS: "THE STRAIGHT." This is why he says Yud-Hei Yud-Hei twice, MEANING IN THE FIRST CORRECTION (FORMATION) AND THE SECOND, BEFORE THE BEARD STARTS TO WIDEN, SINCE YUD-HEI POINTS OUT THAT THE NAME IS DEVOID OF VAV-HEI. However, in the area where the beard spreads out, where it drops from the ears and begins to widen, MEANING IN THE THIRD CORRECTION (FORMATION), he says, "Hashem is on my side; I will not fear." THAT IS THE COMPLETE NAME - YUD HEI VAV HEI - because that is an area that is not narrow. CONSEQUENTLY, ALL THE CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS) FOLLOW TO MITIGATE THE JUDGMENT IN THE FIRST CORRECTION (FORMATION), IN WHICH THE NAME IS NOT COMPLETE. David required all these CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS) in order to subdue kings and nations beneath him, through the glory of this beard.

267. We have learned in the hidden book that whoever sees in his dream his hand holding onto the beard of an important person, or extending his hand TO HOLD ON to it, he should be aware that he is in union with higher beings. He will throw under him all those who distress him, SINCE THE BEARD INDICATES THE SUBDUING OF ENEMIES AND WHOLENESS, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. We have learned that the supernal beard is formed with nine Corrections (formations), which is the beard in Zeir Anpin that is formed with nine Corrections (formations) SINCE THE BEARD OF ARICH ANPIN IS FORMED WITH THIRTEEN CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS).

268. The first Correction (formation): The hair is arranged from above and grows out in front of the ear openings underneath the locks OF HEAD HAIR that hang over the ears. The hair descends strand by strand to the corner of the mouth. We have learned that all these hairs in the beard are coarsen than all the strands in the locks of head hair. The head hairs are long, while those IN THE BEARD are not long. Of the head hairs, some are smooth and some are rough.

269. When the white hairs of Atik Yomin flow to the hair of Zeir Anpin, it is written: "Wisdoms cry aloud in the street (lit. 'outside')" (Mishlei 1:20). What is the meaning of: "outside?" That is in Zeir Anpin, to which two brains join, THE BRAIN OF ARICH ANPIN IN THE BRAINS OF ZEIR ANPIN OUTSIDE ARICH ANPIN, ABOUT WHICH IS SAID "WISDOMS CRY ALOUD OUTSIDE."

270. HE ASKS: Two brains, how could you imagine this, SINCE IN ZEIR ANPIN ALONE THERE ARE THREE BRAINS? HE REPLIES: Therefore, just say four brains. There are three brains are in Zeir Anpin in the three spherical cavities in the skull and one brain OF ARICH ANPIN rests in its station that includes WITHIN IT all three brains. From it there is a flow FROM ARICH ANPIN, balanced perfectly, continuously, into the white hair IN ARICH ANPIN to the three brains within Zeir Anpin.

271. There are four brains in Zeir Anpin, WHICH ARE CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, THE RIGHT OF DA'AT AND THE LEFT OF DA'AT. AS A RESULT OF THE BRAIN ILLUMINATION OF ARICH ANPIN TO HIS THREE BRAINS, HIS THREE BRAINS DIVIDE UP TO FOUR. As a result of these, the four portions, written in Tefilin, are completed, SINCE THE FOUR CHAPTERS IN THE TEFILIN ARE THE SECRET OF THE SURROUNDING LIGHT OF THE THREE BRAINS - CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT - IN ZEIR ANPIN. DUE TO THE INCLUSION OF THE BRAIN OF ARICH ANPIN WITHIN THEM, THE BRAIN OF DA'AT IN ZEIR ANPIN IS SPLIT INTO TWO BRAINS, TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT, AND THAT COMPLETES THE FOUR CHAPTERS - THAT IS, FOUR BRAINS, since the Holy Name of Atik Yomin is included in them, the most ancient among the ancient, WHICH IS THE FIRST BRAIN THAT IS ARICH ANPIN, and that of Zeir Anpin, WHICH CONTAINS THREE BRAINS. This is the perfection of the Holy Name, as it is written: "And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of Hashem; and they shall be afraid of you" (Devarim 28:10). The name of Hashem is the actual name of Hashem, which are the boxes of the Tefilin, SINCE THE MOCHIN (LIT. 'BRAINS') ARE THE SECRET OF YUD HEI VAV HEI AND THE COMPARTMENTS OF THE BRAINS ARE THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, REFERRED TO AS THE NAME OF HASHEM.

272. Therefore, SCRIPTURE SAYS: "Wisdoms cry aloud outside," WHICH ARE CHOCHMAH OF ZEIR ANPIN AND THAT OF ARICH ANPIN. They exist here IN ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS OUTSIDE ARICH ANPIN. The wisdom of the Ancient among the ancient, the most concealed of all concealed, is not available and is not prepared TO BE DISCOVERED, since it is wisdom concealed from all and is indescribable. Since the four brains joined in Zeir Anpin, four springs flow forth from it to every direction, WHICH ARE FOUR BRAINS - CHOCHMAH, BINAH, THE RIGHT OF DA'AT AND THE LEFT OF DA'AT. THESE FOUR are separated by one spring that emanates to them all, THAT IS THE BRAIN OF CHOCHMAH, WHICH GOES OUT AND SPLITS INTO FOUR BRAINS, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE 32 PATHS OF WISDOM THAT ARE REVEALED TO THE LOWER GRADES. Therefore, there are four BRAINS IN CHOCHMAH OF ZEIR ANPIN DUE TO THE REASON THAT CHOCHMAH OF ARICH ANPIN IS INCLUDED IN THEM, SO THAT THEY WILL BE BESTOWED BY HIM UPON THE LOWER BEINGS SINCE IN THE CONCEALED BRAIN, FROM ITS LOCATION, NOTHING AT ALL IS REVEALED. THEREFORE, THE VERSE SAYS: "WISDOMS CRY ALOUD OUTSIDE," SINCE ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE IN THE PLACE OF ZEIR ANPIN WILL THEY SING JOYOUSLY - THAT IS, BE REVEALED.

273. We have learned that this Chochmah that is a combination of four, MEANING THE BRAIN OF CHOCHMAH IN ZEIR ANPIN, is drawn through the hairs OF ZEIR ANPIN that hang wave upon wave. All are rough and coarse and are drawn and go forth, each to its own direction. A thousand of thousands and ten thousand of tens of thousands are hanging, some of them without number. This is why it says, "His locks are wavy" (Shir Hashirim 5:11), wave upon wave. All are too heavy and coarse to join, like a hard flint, and like that stone that is so strong and sturdy, so that they make holes and streams under the hair, and strong currents continue forth in each side and every direction. Since these hairs are black and dark, it is written about them: "He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death" (Iyov 12:22).

274. We have learned that the hairs in the beard are rougher than the head hair because THE BEARD HAIRS alone are available and explainable. CONSEQUENTLY, they are harsher in their ways.

275. HE ASKS: Why are they rough? If you will say because all pertain to Judgment, it is not so, for Mercy ALSO exists in these forms. When the thirteen springs of oil come down, THAT IS THIRTEEN BEARD CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS) OF ARICH ANPIN THAT DESCEND DOWN TO THE BEARD IN ZEIR ANPIN, they all pertain to Mercy. IF SO, WHY ARE THEY ROUGH?

276. HE REPLIES: We have learned that all the beard hairs are rough. What is the reason? It is because all these of Mercy - THAT IS, THE ONES THAT DRAW FROM THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH IS MERCY - must be rough in order to subdue THE LEFT COLUMN, WHICH IS Judgment, AND TO JOIN IT WITH THE RIGHT. All these which pertain to Judgment, MEANING THE ONES DRAWN FROM THE LEFT COLUMN, WHICH ARE HARSH JUDGMENTS, are ESSENTIALLY rough. They need to be harsh from the two aspects, BOTH FROM THE COMPASSIONATE SIDE AND FROM THE JUDGMENTAL SIDE. When the world requires Mercy, THOSE HAIRS OF mercy FROM THE CENTRAL COLUMN are strong and overcome judgments, BECAUSE THEY UNITE THE LEFT WITH THE RIGHT COLUMN, WHICH IS CHASSADIM, AND THE BRAINS THAT ARE COMPASSIONATE ARE REVEALED. When the world requires Judgment, DURING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH THAT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE EXCEPT WITH THE EXPOSITION OF JUDGMENT, the Judgment is then strong and overcomes mercy. Therefore, they need to be rough on both sides. When mercy is required, the hairs that are mercy stand up and the beard is seen in these hairs. THE OTHERS ARE NOT VISIBLE and everything happens according to Mercy. When Judgment is needed, the beard is seen ONLY in these hairs OF JUDGMENT AND THE OTHERS ARE NOT VISIBLE. And everything, EITHER MERCY OR JUDGMENT, prevails through the beard.

277. When the holy white beard OF ARICH ANPIN is revealed, the ones and the others shine and bathe IN THE CHASSADIM OF THE BEARD IN ARICH ANPIN. This is similar to someone who bathes in a deep river from THE MURKINESS that was in him, MEANING FROM THE JUDGMENTS. Everything exists with Mercy and there is no Judgment. When all these nine BEARD CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS) illuminate together, they all bathe in mercy.

278. Therefore, Moses repeated for a second time THE ATTRIBUTES: "Hashem is longsuffering, and great in love" (Bemidbar 14:18), THAT IS IN THE PORTION OF SHELACH. However 'truth' is not mentioned THERE, AS HE SAYS IN THE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES IN THE PORTION OF KI TISA. THAT IS because the secret of the matter is those nine attributes, MEANING THE NINE CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS) OF THE BEARD IN ZEIR ANPIN. They illuminate from Atik Yomin to Zeir Anpin. When Moses said THE ATTRIBUTES the second time, IN THE PORTION OF SHELACH, he said nine Corrections (formations), which are the Corrections (formations) of the beard that are in Zeir Anpin, and descend from Atik Yomin and illuminate within him. Therefore, HE DID NOT MENTION IN THEM 'AND TRUTH,' SINCE truth depends upon holy Atik, WHO IS THE SECRET OF THE SEVENTH OF THE THIRTEEN CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS) OF THE BEARD OF ARICH ANPIN, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE BRIGHTENING OF THE FACE IN ARICH ANPIN. WHEN HE ONLY RECEIVED NINE CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS) FROM ATIK, Moses did not say, 'and truth,' SINCE THIS CORRECTION OF ATIK IS NOT SHINING WITHIN HIM AT PRESENT.

279. We have learned that the hairs of Zeir Anpin are all rough, wave upon wave, and are not smooth AS THE HAIR OF ARICH ANPIN. I see that there are three brains there in the three spaces and illuminate from the concealed brain OF ARICH ANPIN. The brain of Atik Yomin, THAT IS THE CONCEALED BRAIN, is quiet and resting like fine wine upon its sediments. AS THOSE SEDIMENTS DO NOT SPOIL THE WINE, BUT QUITE THE OPPOSITE, THEY FORTIFY IT, SO TOO THE JUDGMENTS IN THE CONCEALED BRAIN ARE NOT JUDGMENTS THAT WOULD EVEN SLIGHTLY DIMINISH THE CONCEALED BRAIN IN ITS OWN ESSENCE; TO THE CONTRARY, THEY STRENGTHEN IT. THEREFORE, the hairs OF ARICH ANPIN are all smooth and polished in fine oil and it is written: "And the hair of whose head was like the pure wool" (Daniel 17:9).

280. Those of Zeir Anpin are rough yet not so rough, since all are hanging and not curly. Therefore, wisdom continues to flow THROUGH THEM. But this is not so for Chochmah of Chochmah, which is silent and quiet, IN THE CONCEALED BRAIN OF ARICH ANPIN. We have learned that there is nobody who could fathom the brain of Atik Yomin, except himself, and it is written: "Elohim understands its way, and he knows its place" (Iyov 28:23). This is said only OF CHOCHMAH of Zeir Anpin THAT IS REVEALED, AND NOT OF CHOCHMAH OF ARICH ANPIN THAT IS CONCEALED AND IS NOT REVEALED AT ALL. Rabbi Shimon said: Blessed is my son to the Holy One, blessed be He, in this world and in the World to Come.