MALE AND FEMALE

Rabbi Simeon set out one time for Tiberias, and with him were Rabbi Yose, Rabbi Judah, and Rabbi Hiyya. On the road coming toward them they met Rabbi Phineas. All dismounted and sat down on the mountainside, under a tree. Rabbi Phineas spoke: While we sit, I should like to hear some of those wondrous ideas which figure in your discourse daily.

Then Rabbi Simeon spoke, commencing with the text, "And he went on his journey from the South even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Ai" {Gen. 13:3}. He said: We might here have expected the word journey; but instead we read "journeys", which is intended to mean that on the journey with him was the Divine Presence. It behooves a man to be "male and female", always, so that his faith may remain stable, and in order that the Presence may never leave him. You will ask: How with the man who makes a journey, and, away from his wife, ceases to be "male and female"? Such a one, before starting, and while he still is "male and female", must pray to God, to draw unto himself the Presence of his Master. After he has prayed and offered thanksgiving, and when the Presence is resting on him, then he may go, for by virtue of his union with the Presence he is now male and female in the country, just as he was male and female in the town, for it is written: "Righteousness {zedek, feminine of zaddik} shall go before him and shall make his footsteps a way" {Ps. 85:14}.

Remark this. The whole time of his travelling a man should heed well his actions, lest the holy union break off, and he be left imperfect, deprived of the union with the female. If it was needful when he and his wife were together, how much greater the need when the heavenly mate is with him? And the more so, indeed, since this heavenly union acts as his constant guard on his journey, until his return home. Moreover, it is his duty, once back home, to give his wife pleasure, inasmuch as she it was who obtained for him the heavenly union.

There is twofold reason for this duty of cohabitation. First, this pleasure is a religious one, giving joy also to the Divine Presence, and it is an instrument for peace in the world, as it stands written, "and thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation and not sin" {Job 5:24}. (It may be questioned, is it a sin if he fails to go in to his wife? It is a sin, for in his failure, he detracts from the honour of the heavenly mate who was given him by reason of his wife.) Secondly, if his wife should conceive, the heavenly partner bestows upon the child a holy soul; for this covenant is called the covenant of the Holy One, be blessed.

Hence, a man should be as zealous to enjoy this joy as to enjoy the joy of Sabbath, at which time is consummated the union of the sages with their wives. Thus, "thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace," for the Presence accompanies you and sojourns in your house, and for this reason "thou shalt visit thy habitation and not sin," in gladly carrying out the religious duty to have conjugal intercourse before the Presence.

So it is that the students of Torah, away from their wives the six days of the week they engage in study, are in this period attached to a heavenly mate, so that they do not cease to be "male and female". And with the incoming of the Sabbath, it behooves them to rejoice their wives, to the honour of the heavenly union, and in seeking to do the will of their Master, as has been stated.

In like wise, when a man's wife is in her days of separation, in those days while he waits for her the man has with him the heavenly mate, so that he continues to be "male and female". When the wife is purified, the man is in duty bound to rejoice her, in the joyful fulfillment of a religious obligation. The same reasons we have given apply also in this case.

According to secret doctrine, the mystics are bound to give their whole mind and purpose to the one {the Shekhinah}. It may be objected that in the light of the previous argument, a man is in a state of more honour on a journey than at home, by virtue of the heavenly mate who is then with him. This is not so. At home, the wife is the foundation of a man's house, inasmuch as it is by virtue of her that the Presence does not leave the house.

So the verse, "and Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent" {Gen. 24:67}, our masters have interpreted to mean that the Divine Presence came to Isaac's house along with Rebecca. According to secret doctrine, the supernal Mother is together with the male only when the house is in readiness and at that time the male and female are conjoined. At such time blessings are showered forth by the supernal Mother upon them.

Likewise, the lower Mother is found together with the male only when the house is in readiness, and the male goes in to the female and they conjoin together; then the blessings of the lower Mother are showered forth for them. Therefore, two females, his Mother and his wife, are to compass a man about in his house, like the Male above. There is reference to this in the verse "Unto {ad} the desire of the everlasting hills" {Gen. 49:26}. This ad is the desired object of the "everlasting hills", by which is meant the supreme female, who is to make ready for him, and make him blissful and bless him, and also the lower female, who is to be joined in union with him and take support from him.

Likewise below, the desire of the "everlasting hills" is for the man when he is married, and two females, one of the upper, one of the lower world, are to give him bliss—the upper one in showering upon him all blessings and the lower one in receiving support from him and being joined together with him. So it is with the man in his house. But when he is on a journey, while the supernal Mother is still with him, the lower wife remains behind; and therefore on his returning, it behooves him to do that which will compass him about with two females, as we have explained.

[full original text with some English translation from Sefaria follows...  ]
Volume 1:49b
א
בְּאִנְתְּתֵיהּ בָּעֵי לְמִפְגַע לָהּ וּלְבַסְמָא לָהּ בְּמִלִּין, וְאִי לָאו לָא (קמח ב) יָבִית לְגַבָּהּ. בְּגִין דִּיהֵא רְעוּתָא דִלְהוֹן כְּחֲדָא בִּדְלָא אֲנִיסוּ.
ב
וַיָּלֶן שָׁם כִּי בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּאֲסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְשַׁמְשָׁא עַרְסֵיהּ בִּימָמָא. וַיִּקַּח מֵאַבְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם וַיָּשֶׂם מֵרַאֲשׁוֹתָיו, הָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא דַּאֲפִילוּ יְהוֹן לְמַלְכָּא עַרְסֵי דְדַהֲבָא וּלְבוּשֵׁי יְקָר לְמֵיבַת בְּהוּ וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא תַּתְקֵין לֵיהּ עַרְסָא מִתְתַּקַּן בְּאַבְנִין, יִשְׁבּוֹק דִּילֵיהּ וְיָבֵית בַּמֶּה דְּאִיהִי תַּתְקִין דִּכְתִיב וַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא.
ג
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב הָכָא וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָדָם זֹאת הַפַּעַם וְגו'. הָא בְּסִימוּ דְּמִלִּין לְאַמְשְׁכָא עִמָּהּ חֲבִיבוּתָא, וּלְאַמְשָׁכָא לָהּ (עמה) לִרְעוּתֵיהּ לְאַתְעָרָא עִמָּהּ רְחִימוּתָא. חָמֵי כַּמָּה בְּסִימִין אִנּוּן מִלִּין, כַּמָּה מִלֵּי דִרְחִימוּתָא אִנּוּן, עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי, בְּגִין לְאַחֲזָאָה לָהּ דְּאִנּוּן חַד וְלָא אִית פִּירוּדָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ בְּכֹלָּא.
ד
הַשְׁתָּא שָׁרֵי לְשַׁבָּחָא לָהּ. לְזֹאת יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה דָּא הִיא דְּלָא יִשְׁתַּכַּח כַּוָּותָהּ. דָּא הִיא יְקָרָא דְּבֵיתָא כֻּלְּהוֹן נָשִׁין גַּבָּהּ כְּקוֹפָא בִּפְנֵי בְּנִי נָשָׁא. אֲבָל לְזֹאת יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא לְזֹאת וְלָא לְאַחֲרָא. כֹּלָּא הוּא מָלֵי רְחִימוּתָא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (משלי ל״א:כ״ט) רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל כֻּלָּנָה: עַל כֵּן יַעֲזָב אִישׁ אֶת אָבִיו וְאֶת אִמּוֹ וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ וְהָיוּ לְבָשָׂר אֶחָד, כֹּלָּא לְאַמְשָׁכָא לָהּ בִּרְחִימוּ וּלְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בַּהֲדָהּ, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְעַר לְגַבָּהּ כָּל מִלִּין אִלֵּין, מַה כְּתִיב וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם וְגו'. הָא אִתְעַר יֵצֶר הָרָע לְאַחֲדָא בָּהּ בְּגִין לְקָשְׁרָא לָהּ בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא דְגוּפָא וּלְאַתְעָרָא לְגַבָּהּ מִלִּין אָחֳרָנִין דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע אִתְעַנַּג בְּהוּ.
ה
עַד לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב וַתֵרֶא הָאִשָּׁה כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ לְמַאֲכָל וְכִי תַאֲוָה הוּא לָעֵינַיִם וַתִּקַּח מִפִּרְיוֹ וַתֹּאכַל, קְבֵילַת לֵיהּ בִּרְעוּתָא וַתִּתֵּן גַּם לְאִישָׁהּ עִמָּהּ (ויאכל) הָא כְּדֵין הִיא אִתְעֲרָא לְגַבֵּיהּ בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא (נ''א בתאובתא) לְאַתְעָרָא (נ''א למיהב) לֵיהּ רְעוּתָא וּרְחִימוּ, דָּא מִלָּה לְאַחֲזָאָה עוֹבָדָא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא.
ו
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אִי הָכִי בְּמַאי נוֹקִים לֵיהּ לְעֵילָא יֵצֶר הָרָע דְּאָחִיד בָּהּ בְּנוּקְבָא, אָמַר לֵיהּ, הָא אִתְעֲרָא אִלֵּין לְעֵילָא וְאִלֵּין לְתַתָּא יֵצֶר טוֹב וְיֵצֶר רָע. יֵצֶר טוֹב מִיָּמִינָא וְיֵצֶר רָע מִשְׂמָאלָא, וּשְׂמָאלָא לְעֵילָא אָחִיד בְּנוּקְבָא לְקַשְׁרָא לָהּ כְּחֲדָא (נ''א לאתקשרא ביה) בְּגוּפָא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (שיר השירים ב׳:ו׳) שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי וְגו', וְעַל דָּא מִלִּין אִתְפַּרְשָׁן לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא עַד הָכָא, מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה מִלִּין בְּזוּטְרָא (נ''א בזוטא) דְּזִיפְתָא לִזְעִירֵיהּ דְּטִינְקִין לְפָרְשָׁא מִלָּה, וְהָא אִתְעָרוּ בֵּיהּ חַבְרַיָּיא.
7
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֲוָה אָזִיל לִטְבֶרְיָה, וְהֲווּ עִמֵּיהּ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא. אַדְּהָכִי חָמוּ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי פִּנְחָס דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְחַבָּרוּ כְּחֲדָא, נַחֲתוּ וְיָתְבוּ תְּחוֹת אִילָנָא חַד מֵאִילָנֵי טוּרָא. אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס הָא יָתִיבְנָא, מֵאִלֵּין מִלֵּי מַעַלְיָיתָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּעֵינָא לְמִשְׁמַע.
Rabbi Simeon was journeying to Tiberias, and there were with him, Rabbi Jose, Rabbi Jehuda, and Rabbi Hiya. While on the way, they saw Rabbi Pinchus coming to meet them. After exchanging greetings, they all sat down under a great shady tree by a hillside. Then Rabbi Pinchus said: "now that we are seated, please instruct me further in the Secret Doctrine, that you are teaching daily."
8
פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר (בראשית יג) וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו מִנֶּגֶב וְעַד בֵּית אֵל עַד הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר הָיָה שָׁם אָהֳלֹה בַּתְּחִלָּה בֵּין בֵּית אֵל וּבֵין הָעָי. וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו, לְמַסָּעוֹ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. מַאי לְמַסָּעָיו. אֶלָּא תְּרֵין מַטְלָנִין אִנּוּן. חַד דִּידֵיהּ וְחַד דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא. דְּהָא כָּל בַּר נָשׁ בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא בְּגִין לְאַתְקָפָא מְהֵימְנוּתָא. וּכְדֵין שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין.
Then Rabbi Simeon said: "It is written, 'and he went on his journeys from the south to Bethel unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai' (Gen. 13:3). It says, 'He went on his journeys' instead of 'his journey.' Why is that? There is a reference not only to his own journeying, but also that of the Schekina, who always went with Jacob, and therefore we learn that every person needs to be male and female at all time, for the sake of his faith, he ought not to think or imagine that the Schekina forsakes
9
וְאִי תֵימָא מָאן דְּנָפִיק לְאוֹרְחָא דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, שְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנִּיהּ. תָּא חֲזֵי, הַאי מַאן דְּנָפִיק לְאָרְחָא (קסח א) יְסַדֵּר צְלוֹתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. בְּגִין לְאַמְשָׁכָא עֲלֵיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּמָרֵיהּ עַד לָא יִפּוּק לְאָרְחָא בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. כֵּיוָן דְּסַדַּר צְלוֹתֵיהּ וְשִׁבְחֵיהּ וּשְׁכִינְתָּא שָׁרְיָיא עֲלֵיהּ יִפּוּק. דְּהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא אִזְדַּוְוגַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ. בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא בְּמָתָא. דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא בְּחַקְלָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהלים פה) צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו.
him in any way. See, it has been said, a man ought always to cleave to his wife that the Schekina may always be with him, yet it is possible to go alone on a journey and the Schekina will still be with him. And when doing so he ought to direct his prayer to the Holy One that this may be, and in this way the male and female will always be associated in union with oneself.
י
תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל

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