"Naftali is a hind let loose"

Synopsis

An interpretation of this difficult section reveals that while Malchut is considered female, anything that rises above her to Binah is considered male. We learn that a male is considered perfect when he is circumcised, because he possesses the sign of the Covenant. Therefore, the verse, "a male without blemish," alludes to the virile member which must not be castrated. Although Binah is often referred to as female, since she has many feminine aspects, when the "final part," the aspect of maleness, is revealed, all turns into male. The discussion next moves to the question of why God omitted Joseph and put Ephraim in his place when He ordered the four standards for the twelve tribes in order to adorn the Shechinah. We learn that although Joseph was righteous, he had the imprint of the male. Because the Shechinah's adornments are all female, Joseph was removed and Ephraim, who is of the feminine aspect, was put in his place. Finally, the rabbis provide further insight into the title verse through an explanation of the words, "and your mouth (speech) is comely." The voice, which signifies Zeir Anpin, guides the speech, which signifies Malchut. Just as there is no voice without speech and vice versa, Malchut and Zeir Anpin cannot illuminate without each other. Thus, the whole depends on the part, and the part depends on the whole.

Relevance

The realization of the interconnectedness and perfect harmony of all reality begins to take hold within our consciousness. We receive purification of our negative sexual deeds and thoughts through the Light that is set aflame during circumcision. Our efforts of meditating upon these verses help to couple Malchut and Zeir Anpin, bringing Light to the planet and balance to the male and female energies that permeate all worlds.

Congregation Female Hind Male Naftali Nukva Offering

759. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion with: "Naftali is a hind let loose, he gives goodly words" (Beresheet 49:21). THIS VERSE IS CONSIDERED DIFFICULT, FOR SINCE IT SAYS "A HIND LET LOOSE," IT SHOULD END WITH 'SHE GIVES GOODLY WORDS,' INSTEAD OF "HE." We have learned that the supernal world, BINAH, is the world of the male. Once something rises from the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS FEMALE, it becomes male. Whence do we know that? From the burnt offering (Heb. olah). Why is it called olah (lit. 'goes up,' fem.)? Because it rises up from the Nukva. Therefore, "let him offer a male without blemish" (Vayikra 1:3), AS ABOVE THE NUKVA IT IS MALE. FOR THIS REASON THE SUPERNAL WORLD, BINAH, IS CONSIDERED THE WORLD OF THE MALE.

759. ר"ש פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, נַפְתָּלִי אַיָּלָה שְׁלוּחָה הַנּוֹתֵן אִמְרֵי שָׁפֶר. הָא אִתְּמָר, דְּעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה עַלְמָא דִּדְכוּרָא אִיהוּ, כֵּיוָן דְּסָלְקָא מִלָּה מִכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְעֵילָא, כֹּלָּא הוּא דְּכַר. מְנָלָן, מֵעוֹלָה, אַמַּאי אִתְקְרֵי עוֹלָה, בְּגִין דְּסָלְקָא לְעֵילָא מִן נוּקְבָא. וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ, עוֹלָה זָכָר תָּמִים יַקְרִיבֶנּוּ וגו.'

Brit (Covenant) Castration Circumcision Covenant (Brit) Female Male Noah Righteous

760. HE ASKS, Why DOES SCRIPTURE say "A MALE without blemish?" Was there any intention of bringing it in pieces, that it admonishes "without blemish (lit. 'perfect')?" HE ANSWERS, What is perfect? It is expressed by the words, "Walk before me, and be perfect" (Beresheet 17:1). When was he perfect? At the time he was circumcised, since a male exists and is recognized only by the place called perfect, the sign of the Covenant, which indicates the difference between male and female. Hence it says, "Noah was a righteous perfect man" (Beresheet 6:9), RIGHTEOUS BEING YESOD WHICH IS CALLED PERFECT. Therefore, the words "a male without blemish" allude to the virile member which must not be castrated.

760. אַמַּאי תָּמִים, וְכִי פִּיסְקֵי פִּיסְקֵי בְּעִינָן לֵיהּ, דַּאֲמַר תָּמִים, מַהוּ תָּמִים. אֶלָּא, כְּדִכְתִיב הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֶה תָמִים. אֵימָתַי תָּמִים, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְאִתְגְּזַר, דְּהָא דְכוּרָא לָא הֲוֵי, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע, אֶלָּא בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי תָמִים, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא אָת קַיָּימָא, דְּבֵיהּ אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע דְּכוּרָא מִן נוּקְבָא, כְּדִכְתִיב אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה. בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ זָכָר תָּמִים, דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע בֵּיהּ הַאי שַׁיְיפָא, וְלָא יְסָרְסוּן לֵיהּ.

Female Male Nukva Offering Righteous

761. HE ASKS, Yet it also says "a female without blemish." HE ANSWERS, Assuredly, as YESOD is called "righteous perfect," so does the Nukva, since she receives everything from him AND IS THEREFORE CALLED PERFECT LIKE HIM. BUT THE ATTRIBUTE "PERFECT" MAINLY REFERS TO THE MALE. Hence, the burnt offering which rises from the female unto the male IS MALE, since from that place, THE NUKVA, upwards, all is male. From the Nukva downward all is female, as has already been explained.

761. וְאִי תֵימָא, הָא כְתִיב, נְקֵבָה תְמִימָה. הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, כְּמָה דְאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק תָּמִים, כָּךְ אִקְרֵי צֶדֶק תְּמִימָה. בְּגִין דְּכֹלָּא, נָטְלָא מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ, עוֹלָה דְּסָלְקָא מִן נוּקְבָא לִדְכוּרָא, וּמֵהַאי אֲתַר וּלְעֵילָא, כֹּלָּא הוּא דְּכוּרָא. וּמִן נוּקְבָא וּלְתַתָּא, כֹּלָּא הוּא נוּקְבָא, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא.

Body Female Head Male Nukva Zeir Anpin

762. HE ASKS, But there is also a female above, BINAH. HE REPLIES, The final part of the body shows that the whole body is male. The head and body OF BINAH - BEING CHOCHMAH, BINAH, DA'AT, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, are feminine until the final part, TO NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, CLOTHED IN THE HEAD OF ZEIR ANPIN TO ASSUME THE ASPECT OF THE MALE LIKE HIM, and when the final part shows THE ASPECT OF MALENESS all turns into male, EVEN ITS CHOCHMAH, BINAH, DA'AT, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, WHICH ARE NOT CLOTHED WITH ZEIR ANPIN, ARE ALSO CONSIDERED TO BE MALE. But here IN THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, the head and end are considered feminine, for her whole body is female, WITHOUT A TRACE OF MALE IN HER NETZACH HOD YESOD (IS THIS CORRECT?).

762. וְאִי תֵימָא, הָכֵי נָמֵי נוּקְבָא דִּלְעֵילָא. אֶלָא, סִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא אַחֲזֵי עַל כָּל גּוּפָא דְּאִיהוּ דְכַר, רֵישָׁא דְגוּפָא נוּקְבָא, עַד דְּנָחֵית לְסִיּוּמָא, וְכַד סִיּוּמָא אִתְחֲזֵי, הָא עָבֵיד כֹּלָּא דְכַר. אֲבָל הָכָא, רֵישָׁא וְסוֹפָא נוּקְבָא, דְּהָא כָּל תִּקּוּן גּוּפָא נוּקְבָא.

Ephraim Jacob Joseph Righteous Shechinah Sin Twelve Twelve Tribes of Israel

763. תָּא חֲזֵי, חַד רָזָא עִלָּאָה אִית בְּמִלָּה דָא, דְּהָא חָמִינָן דְּיַעֲקֹב בָּרֵיךְ לְיוֹסֵף בְּגוֹ אֲחוֹהִי, כֵּיוָן דְּמַנֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַרְבַּע דְּגָלִים בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, בִּתְרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא בְּהוֹ, גָּרַע מִנַּיְיהוּ לְיוֹסֵף, וְשַׁוֵּי לְאֶפְרַיִם בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. מ"ט אִסְתַּלַּק יוֹסֵף מִנַּיְיהוּ, אִי תֵימָא בְּגִין חוֹבוֹי, לָאו הָכֵי, דְּהָא זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ.

Congregation Corners David Head Joseph Male Nukva Righteous Stone Well

764. HE ANSWERS, The secret meaning of this is that Joseph was the imprint of the male, as it is written, "Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well" (Beresheet 49:22), WHICH IS THE ASPECT OF YESOD CALLED A FRUITFUL BOUGH, and "from thence he fed the stone of Yisrael" (Ibid. 24). The stone is the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY THE NUKVA, of which David said, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the head stone of the corner" (Tehilim 118:21). Since Joseph was the imprint of the male, he is called Joseph the righteous, for indeed he was righteous, YESOD. "From thence he fed the stone of Yisrael" WHICH GIVES TO THE NUKVA.

764. אֶלָּא, רָזָא דְמִלָּה, יוֹסֵף רְשִׁימָא דִּדְכוּרָא הֲוָה, דִּכְתִיב בֵּן פּוֹרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פּוֹרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן. וּכְתִיב מִשָּׁם רוֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִתַּמָּן אִתְּזָן, הַאי אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֶבֶן: דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַעֲלָה אֲמַר דָוִד אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה. וּבְגִין דְּיוֹסֵף אִיהוּ רְשִׁימוּ דִּדְכוּרָא, אִקְרֵי יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק, דְּהָא אִיהוּ צַדִּיק וַדַּאי, מִשָּׁם רוֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Dwellings Ephraim Female Joseph Male Nukva Shechinah Twelve West

765. Since all the implements of the Shechinah are female, FOR FROM THE NUKVA DOWNWARD ALL IS FEMALE, Joseph was removed from them and Ephraim was assigned in his place to the TWELVE implements, for he is of the aspect of the female. He was then stationed on the west side, the dwelling of the Nukva, THE SHECHINAH BEING ON THE WEST, and the impress of the male, NAMELY JOSEPH, was removed from the implements, which are all of the world of the female and not of the world of the male. All implements need to bear the aspect of the female.

765. וּבְגִין דְּכָל תִּקּוּנֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא אִינוּן נוּקְבָן, אִסְתַּלַּק יוֹסֵף מִתַּמָּן, וְאִתְמַנֵּי תְּחוֹתֵיהּ אֶפְרַיִם, וְאִיהוּ נוּקְבָא לְתִקּוּנָהָא. וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ הָכֵי, אִתְמַנֵּי לִסְטַר מַעֲרָב, אֲתַר דְּנוּקְבָא שַׁרְיָא, וְהַהוּא רְשִׁימוּ דְּאִיהוּ דְכוּרָא, אִסְתַּלַּק מִתִּקּוּנָהָא, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ עַלְמָא דְנוּקְבָא, וְלָא עַלְמָא דִּדְכוּרָא, וְכָל תִּקּוּנָהָא בָּעְיָין נוּקְבֵי.

Body Ephraim Female Grades Joseph Likenesses Male Righteous Shechinah Tribes Twelve Twelve Tribes of Israel

766. Hence Joseph the righteous, YESOD WHICH IS MALE, was removed from the adornments and Ephraim was put in his stead. Therefore all the twelve tribes WHO ARE CONSIDERED FEMALE, are the adornments of the Shechinah, and must bear the likeness of above; MEANING, TO BE FEMALES LIKE THE SHECHINAH, except the grade of righteous OF THE TRIBES, WHICH IS YESOD, which turn all the members of the body into male and should not be counted among the twelve implements so that there will be no need to deduct him.

766. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, יוֹסֵף דְּאִיהוּ צַדִּיק, אִסְתַּלַק מִתִּקּוּנָהָא, וְאִתְמַנֵּי אֶפְרַיִם תְּחוֹתֵיהּ. וְע"ד, כֻּלְּהוּ תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין, תִּקּוּנֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא אִינוּן, וְכֻלְּהוּ בָּעְיָין כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא, בַּר דַּרְגָּא דְּצַדִּיק, דְּאִיהוּ עָבֵיד כָּל שַׁיְיפִין דְּכַר, וְלָא בָּעֵי לְאַכְּחָשָׁא לֵיהּ.

Chassadim Hind Light Male Naftali Nukva South West Zeir Anpin

767. "Naftali is a hind let loose, he gives goodly words" as it says "and your mouth (speech) is comely" (Shir Hashirim 4:3), for the voice, ZEIR ANPIN, guides the speech, THE NUKVA. There is no voice without speech. The voice is sent from a deep place above, BINAH, to guide the speech, since there is no voice without speech nor speech without voice. This is the whole needing the part, and the part in need of the whole. The voice comes forth from the south, WHICH IS THE RIGHT COLUMN, THE LIGHT OF CHASSADIM and leads the west, THE NUKVA, which inherits the two sides, THE LIGHT OF CHASSADIM FROM THE SOUTH AND THE LIGHT OF CHOCHMAH FROM THE WEST. Hence it is written, "And of Naftali he said...possess you the west and the south" (Devarim 33:23). Therefore it is said that "Naftali is a hind let loose," NAMELY the Nukva below. In the same manner, the male above SHINES TOGETHER WITH HER, FOR THEY DO NOT SHINE THE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER. Hence, "he gives goodly words" is written in the masculine, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, instead of the feminine.

767. נַפְתָּלִי אַיָּלָה שְׁלוּחָה הַנּוֹתֵן אִמְרֵי שָׁפֶר, הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב וּמִדְבָּרֵךְ נָאוֶה, בְּגִין דְּקוֹל מַדְבַּר לֵיהּ לְדִבּוּר, וְלֵית קוֹל בְּלָא דִבּוּר, וְהַהוּא קוֹל אִשְׁתַּלַּח מֵאֲתַר עֲמִיקָא דִּלְעֵילָא, וּשְׁלִיחַ מִקַּמֵּיהּ, לְאַנְהָגָא לְדִבּוּר, דְּהָא לֵית קוֹל בְּלָא דִבּוּר, וְלָא דִבּוּר בְּלֹא קוֹל, וְדָא כְּלַל דְּצָרִיךְ לִפְרַט, וּפְרַט דְּצָרִיךְ לִכְלַל, וְדָא קוֹל נַפְקָא מִדָּרוֹם, וּמַדְבַּר לְמַעֲרָב, יָרֵית לִתְרֵין סִטְרִין, וְדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וּלְנַפְתָּלִי אָמַר וגו,' יָם וְדָרוֹם יְרָשָׁה, לְעֵילָא דְכַר, לְתַתָּא נוּקְבָא, בְּגִין כָּךְ נַפְתָּלִי אַיָּלָה שְׁלוּחָה נוּקְבָא לְתַתָּא. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא דְּכַר לְעֵילָא, דִּכְתִיב הַנּוֹתֵן אִמְרֵי שָׁפֶר, הַנּוֹתֵן כְּתִיב, וְלֹא הַנּוֹתֶנֶת.