Zion and Jerusalem

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi speaks about the masculine and feminine referrals to Zion and Jerusalem, their inner and outer aspects, and their aspects of mercy and judgment. He then wonders whether there could be defilement above to correspond to the defilement below. Rabbi Chiya answers that deeds are stirred above by deeds below. He says that there is no good and evil or Holiness and Defilement without its essence and root above, and the same is true of those things that depend on words.

Zion Zot (This, Fem.)

101. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi walked together from Usha to Tiberias. Rabbi Chiya said: It is written, "For Hashem has chosen (in) Zion: He has desired it for His habitation. 'This (Heb. Zot) is My resting place forever; Here will I dwell; for I have desired her'" (Tehilim 132:13-14). HE ASKS: Sometimes the friends address THE NAME ZION in the masculine, since Zion, YESOD OF MALCHUT, is Mercy. Yet here, the scripture addresses it IN THE FEMININE, AS WRITTEN: "HE HAS DESIRED IT FOR HIS HABITATION (HEB. MAS)...FOR I HAVE DESIRED HER."

101. ר' חִיָּיא וְר' יוֹסֵי הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי מֵאוּשָׁא לִטְבֶרְיָה, אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, כְּתִיב כִּי בָחַר יְיָ' בְּצִיּוֹן וְגוֹ.' זֹאת מְנוּחָתִי וְגוֹ,' לְזִמְנִין קָרָאן לְהַאי חַבְרַיָּיא כֻּלְּהוּ דְּכוּרָא, בְּגִין דְּצִיּוֹן אִיהוּ רַחֲמֵי. וְהָכָא קְרָא נוּקְבָּא קָרָא לֵיהּ.

Blessing Grades Jerusalem Nukva Zeir Anpin Zion

102. Rabbi Yosi said: I have heard from the Holy Luminary that when they, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, mate and are joined together, in order to show that the Nukva is included WITHIN ZEIR ANPIN into one whole, the Nukva is then called by the name of the Male. Then, the blessings of Malchut abide and there is no division in Her at all. It is therefore written: "His habitation," in the masculine. It is also written: "For Hashem has chosen in Zion." "In Zion" is accurate, WHICH MEANS INSIDE ZION, NAMELY the one that is within Her and dwells in Her, NAMELY, THE INNER YESOD OF MALCHUT. It therefore does not say "to Zion," WHICH WOULD REFER TO ITS OUTER SIDE. HENCE, everything is one, whether it is in the masculine or in the feminine, since everything is the same and of the same grade. THE SCRIPTURE THEREFORE ADDRESSES IT SOMETIMES IN THE MASCULINE, AND SOMETIMES IN THE FEMININE, NAMELY "FOR I HAVE DESIRED HER."

102. אָמַר ר' יוֹסֵי, הָכִי שְׁמִיעַ לִי מִבּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּזִוּוּגָא אִזְדְּוַוג כַּחֲדָא, לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּהָא נוּקְבָּא אִתְכְּלִילַת בֵּיהּ בִּכְלָלָא חֲדָא, אִתְקְרֵי נוּקְבָּא בִּשְׁמָא דִּדְכוּרָא, דְּהָא כְּדֵין בִּרְכָאן דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ, וְלָא הֲוֵי בָּהּ פְּרִישׁוּתָא כְּלַל. וְעַל דָּא לְמוֹשָׁב לוֹ כְּתִיב. וּכְתִיב כִּי בָחַר יְיָ' בְּצִיּוֹן, בְּצִיּוֹן דַּיְיקָא, בְּהַהוּא דְּאִית בְּגַוֵּיהּ דְּשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ, וְלָא כְּתִיב לְצִיּוֹן. וְכֹלָּא חַד, בֵּין דְּקָרָא לְהַאי בִּשְׁמָא דִּדְכוּרָא, וּבֵין דְּקָרָא לְהַאי בִּשְׁמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא כֹּלָּא חַד וּבְדַרְגָּא חַד קַיְימִין.

Jerusalem Zeir Anpin Zion

103. It is therefore written: "But of Zion it shall be said, 'Man and that man was born in her'" (Tehilim 87:5). IT SAYS 'MAN' TWICE, one of Judgment and another of Mercy. YESOD OF MALCHUT, CALLED "ZION," CONTAINS TWO ASPECTS, WHICH ARE JUDGMENT AND MERCY. THAT JUDGMENT IN HER IS CALLED 'JERUSALEM,' yet when ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT are united together in one nation, YESOD OF MALCHUT is then called ONLY BY THE NAME Zion. Zion and Jerusalem are then known in this manner, WITH ZION THE INNER SIDE OF YESOD OF MALCHUT AND JERUSALEM THE OUTER SIDE OF YESOD OF MALCHUT. Thus, they are interdependent.