Three things about Zeir Anpin

Here’s the text of the end of Petach 95 again, and its explanations.

We must next understand that when it comes to Erich Anpin as the root rather than the generator of Zeir Anpin spoken of below and the mystical implications of its governance, we’re only to consider Erich‘s “skull” and “brain” which are cited in Iddrah Rabbah (122b). And we’re to consider their Tikkunim which are the other, non-governing elements like the “hairs”, the “nose”, and the like which the Iddrah Rabbah  cites there, according to their functions in the mystical idea of the overpowering of Erich‘s Chessed.

The Iddrah Zuta (288a), on the other hand, cites three governing element and doesn’t elucidate much about the aforementioned Tikkunim.  Thus were told that when it comes to the mystical idea of Erich generating Zeir Anpin rather than being its root spoken of above we’re to consider Erich‘s “three heads”, i.e., its “crown”, “cavity”, and “brain” and their Tikkunim which generate Tikkunim in Zeir Anpin. “Crown”, “cavity”, and “brain” allude to the left, right, and middle aspects of Zeir, which are an admixture of the thesis and antithesis of Chessed and Gevurah along with their synthesis of Rachamim. That’s in contrast to the Erich‘s exclusively Chessed-based form of governance.

As to the terms “Skull”, “Brain”, “Crown”, and “Cavity”, which are found in the Zohar and in Ari’s writings, they’re openly and decidedly anthropomorphic. Each element refers to things in Adam Kadmon that don’t affect us now. Suffice it to note that the “skull” is underneath the head’s “crown” and it’s comprised of a “cavity” within which sits the “brain”.

This completes Section Sixteen.

(c) 2015 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

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Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

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