Tikkunei Zohar #119 | Tikkun 19 | What We Are Doing in This World

(ד) אַמָּאי בָּעָאת לְאִסְתַּמְכָא תַמָּן, בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן תְּרֵין גַּוְונִין דְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה, חִוָּור וְסוּמַק, רַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא, דְּאִינוּן חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה, וְתַמָּן רֵיחָא דְשׁוֹשַׁנָּה, וְדָא אִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא, וּבְגִין דְּאָרְחַת בֵּיהּ, אָמְרַת סַמְּכוּנִי בָּאֲשִׁישׁוֹת, וּבֵיהּ אִתְעֲבִידַת סֶגוֹ"ל, כַּד נָחְתָא רַפְּדוּנִי בַּתַּפּוּחִים, אִלֵּין אִינוּן תְּרֵי סַמְכֵי קְשׁוֹט, דְּאִינוּן חִוָּור וְסוּמַק, וּבְגִין דְּאָרְחַת בְּאָת ו' דְּאִיהִי בִּבְרִית, אָמְרַת רַפְּדוּנִי בַּתַּפּוּחִים.

(ה) וְכַד אִתְחַבְּרַת בֵּיהּ אִתְעֲבִידַת סֶגוֹ"ל, מַה דַּהֲווֹ צֵרִ"י אִתְעֲבִיד צִיֵּיר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ב ז) וַיִּיצֶר יהו"ה אלהי"ם אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה וְגוֹמֵר, וַיַּצְמַח יהו"ה אלהי"ם מִן הָאֲדָמָה כָּל עִץ נֶחְמָד לְמַרְאֶה וְגוֹמֵר, דָּא צַדִּיק אִיהוּ עִץ פְּרִי עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי לְמִינוֹ, וּבְהַאי אֲתַר אִיהוּ רְחִימוּ דִילָהּ בְּחִבּוּרָא וְיִחוּדָא דְבַעִִלָהּ, וּבְגִין דָּא אָמְרַת (שיר ב ה) כִּי חוֹלַת אַהֲבָה אָנִי.

(ד) תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב וְגו' הַשְׁתָּא אַפִּיקַת חֵילָא בְּאִנּוּן מַיִּין דְּאִתְכְּנָשׁוּ לְאֲתַר חָד וְנַגְדִין בְּגַוֵויהּ גּוֹ טְמִירוּ סְתִימָאָה. וְנָפְקִין בְּגַוֵּיהּ טְמִירִין עִלָּאִין וְחַיָּילִין קַדִּישִׁין. דִּי כָּל אִנּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא מְתַקְנָן לוֹן בְּתִקּוּנָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא בְּהַהִיא פּוּלְחָנָא דְמָארֵיהוֹן.

(ה) וְרָזָא דָא (תהילים ק״ד:י״ד) מַצְמִיחַ חָצִיר לַבְּהֵמָה וְגו' דָא בְּהֵמָה דִּרְבִיעָאָה עַל אֶלֶף טוּרִין וּמְגַדְּלִין לָהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא הַהוּא חָצִיר. וְחָצִיר דָּא אִנּוּן מַלְאָכִין שַׁלִּיטִין לְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְבְּרִיאוּ בַּשֵּׁנִי וְקַיָּימִין לְמֵיכָלָא דְהַאי בְּהֵמָה. בְּגִין דְּאִית אֶשָׁא אֶכְלָא אֶשָׁא.

(ו) וְעֵשֶׂב לַעֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם עֵשֶׂב דָּא אִלֵּין אוֹפַנִּין וְחַיּוֹת וּכְרוּבִים. דְּכֻלְהוּ מְתַקְנָן גּוֹ תִּקּוּנַיְיהוּ וְקַיָּימִין לְאִתְתַּקְנָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּבְנֵי נְשָׁא אַתְיָין לְפוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן בְּקָרְבְּנֵיהוֹן וּבִצְלוֹתָא דְּדָא אִיהוּ עֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם. וְעֵשֶׂב דָּא אִזְדַּמַּן וְאִתְעַתַּד לַעֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא בְּתִקּוּנֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכַד אִנּוּן מִתְתַּקְנָן בְּהַהִיא עֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם, לְבָתַר מִנַּיְיהוּ נָפְקֵי מְזוֹנֵי וְטָרְפִּין לְעָלְמָא דִּכְתִיב (תהילים ק״ד:י״ד) לְהוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ. וְדָא אִיהוּ עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע, דְּהָא חָצִיר לָא מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע אִיהוּ אֶלָּא אִזְדַּמַּן לְמֵיכְלָא דְאֶשָׁא קַדִּישָׁא. וְעֵשֶׂב לְתִקּוּנָא דְּעָלְמָא.

(4) 4. The verse: "Let the earth bring forth grass" (Genesis 1:11) is the secret of the lower union, as it is now revealing its powers in these waters that have been gathered in one place. The Mochin are drawn down into it in a concealed and a hidden manner. And from within it come forth supernal and concealed souls and holy hosts. These are formed and drawn, using the edifices of Faith, by the righteous, the men of Faith - namely the female waters - by worshipping their Master.

(5) 5. This is the secret of the verse: "Who causes the grass to grow for the cattle" (Tehilim 104:14). This is the living creature that crouches on a thousand mountains and for whom grass is grown every day. This grass refers to those angels who govern only for a specific time, but then must vanish immediately; because they were created on the second day, their dominion draws upon the Left Column that was created on the second day. In their dominion they wish to annul the right. They are destined to be food for this living creature, which means that nothing of their illumination is drawn down to the lower beings. Only the Female principle enjoys it, and then she burns and annuls them with it as there is fire that consumes fire, which is the dominion of the Left, called 'fire.'

(6) 6. In the verse: "And plants for the service of man" (Ibid.), the word "plants" refers to wheels, holy living creatures and Cherubs. The wheels (Heb. Ofanim) are the angels of Asiyah, the holy living creatures are the angels of Yetzirah and the Cherubs are the angels of Briyah. All of these are made ready and clothed by the Creator Himself. However, they are further prepared when people worship their Master with sacrifices and prayer. This is what is meant by "the service of man." The plants were predestined and prepared for "the service of man" and will be further perfected by that service, as it should be. When they are made ready by "the service of man," sustenance and food come from them to the world, as it is written: "That he may bring forth food out of the earth" (Idid.). This is what is meant: "herb yielding seed" (Gen. 1:12), which is the secret of the Mochin. The grass (hay) does not yield any seed, but is intended to be consumed by the sacred fire of the Female principle, as explained above, whereas the herb, which yields seed, is intended for the improvement of the world.