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Jewish Mysticism
Zohar 1-66b

Come and see the secret of the matter- When the righteous man is in the world, the Shekhinah does not depart from him, and her desire is for him. Consequently, the desire of love for her from above is like the desire of a male for a female when he is jealous of her.

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in “Eunuchs who Keep the Sabbath- Becoming Male and the Ascetic Ideal in Thirteenth Century Jewish Mysticism,” in Becoming Male in the Middle Ages, 151-185. Edited by J. J. Cohen and B. Wheeler. New York- Garland, 1997.

Joseph Gikatilla, in Heikhal ha-Shem (Venice, 1601), 40a.

Sexual intercourse is the secret of holiness (sod ha-qedushah) and the multiplication of the [divine] image, and its opposite is the diminution of the image. Therefore, sexual intercourse on Friday evenings is the time of the conjugal obligation of the scholar, “who yields his fruit in season” (Ps. 1-3), in the secret of zakhor and shamor, and the secret of “you must keep My Sabbaths” (Exod. 31-13). Since the extra soul (neshamah yeterah) is added to a person on Sabbath eves, then is the time for the sanctification of the union (qedushat ha-hibbur) and worthy children [shall be born] on behalf of the “eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths” (Isa. 56-4).

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in, “Coronation of the Sabbath Bride- Kabbalistic Myth and the Ritual of Androgynisation,” Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy 6 (1997)- 301-344.

Ma‘arekhet ha-’Elohut, 120a.

Since intercourse is considered profane in relation to Adam after he had sinned, and it is performed through the sign of the holy covenant, it is appropriate not to engage in sexual intercourse except for the nights of Sabbath in order not to make from that which is holy something profane. On the eve of Sabbath he is in his potency and intercourse is then holy, for the days of the week, wherein the shells surround them below, are completed and finished on the day of Sabbath. This is the secret of [the tradition that] the time for scholars to fulfill their marital obligation is on the eve of Sabbath.

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in, “Coronation of the Sabbath Bride- Kabbalistic Myth and the Ritual of Androgynisation,” Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy 6 (1997)- 301-344.

Jacob Semah, Semah Saddiq.

When the sign of the covenant (’ot berit), the foundation and governance of the worlds, is garbed in the shells (qelippot), this instructs about governance firm in his judgment … but when he is garbed in the holy gradations, that is, the secret of the feminine (sod ha-neqevah), then is the rectification of the world (tiqqun ‘olam), and his opening overflows (petihato lehashpi‘a)… There are two shells that garb, the foreskin (‘orlah) and pulling back the membrane (peri‘ah) … and the two of them are Samael and Lilith, that is, the other gods (’elohim ’aherim), and the face of Shekhinah is the sign of the covenant, the yod of governance. With regard to this it says “You should have no other gods before me” (Exod. 20-3), that is, the shells that cover the covenant.

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in “Circumcision, Secrecy, and the Veiling of the Veil- Phallomorphic Exposure and Kabbalistic Essotericism.” In The Covenant of Circumcision- New Perspectives on an Ancient Rite, pp. 58-70. Edited by Elizabeth W. Mark. Hanover and London- Brandeis University Press, 2003, from Jacob Semah, Semah Saddiq (Korets, 1785), 37b.

Hayim Vital, ‘Es Hayyim, 39-2, 67d.

Indeed, in the first time of the first copulation, the male was aroused by himself (nit‘orer ha-zakhar me-‘asmo) without arousal of the feminine, and there arose in him the will and the desire to copulate (rason we-ta’awah lehizdawweg) even though as of yet there was no aspect of the female waters. Therefore, this copulation is very hidden and it was not in the aspect of the intercourse of his genitalia with her genitalia, for the feminine was still not created in the world. If this is so, with who would there be copulation when the world was created? Therefore, this first copulation was in the supernal will, thought, the upper brain, in the secret of the supernal will that is entirely masculine and without any mark of the feminine, and understand this.

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in “Divine Suffering and the Hermeneutics of Reading- Philosophical Reflections on Lurianic Mythology,” in Suffering Religion, 101-162, Edited by R. Gibbs and E. R. Wolfson. New York and London- Routledge, 2002.

Sha‘ar Ma’amerei Rashbi, 29b.

This delight (sha‘ashu‘a) is for the sake of the copulation (ziwwug), to bring forth the masculine waters from above to below, for just as there is delight in the souls of the righteous below in relation to the feminine waters so there must be delight in which to take pleasure and to bring forth the masculine waters in the secret of the wine that gladdens, and from our flesh we see that the joy and delight increases the desire.

Zohar 3-100b

R. Eleazar said- It is written, “on the full moon for our feast day” (Ps. 81-4) . . . [ba-keseh] with [the letter] he, for the moon is concealed (de-itkasseya’ sihara). . . . Come and see- On that day the moon is hidden, and she does not shine until the tenth of the month when Israel all repent in a perfect repentance, and the supernal mother returns and illuminates her. On that day she takes the illumination of the mother, and joy is found in everything. Thus it is written, yom ha-kippurim hu (“This is the day of Yom Kippur”) (Lev. 23-27). It should have been yom kippur [in the singular]. Why is it yom ha-kippurim [in the plural]? To indicate that two lights are illumined as one, the upper radiance shining upon the lower radiance. On that day she shines from the supernal light and not from the light of the sun. Therefore it is written “on the full moon for our feast day.” R. Abba sent [a question] to R. Simeon- What is the [appropriate] time for the copulation of the Community of Israel and the holy king? He responded to him [with the words of Abraham]- “And besides, she is in truth my sister, my father’s daughter though not my mother’s daughter; and she became my wife” (Gen. 20-12). . . . R. Hiyya said to R. Abba- What did he say in his response to you? He said that the coupling of the king and the queen is certainly only at the time that she is illumined from the supernal father, for when she is illumined from him they call her “holy” (kodesh), for she takes from the house of the father, and they are united as one, for the king is called “holy,” as it is written, “Israel is holy unto the Lord” (Jer. 2-3), for he takes from the place that is called “holy.” Consequently, “she is my father’s daughter though not my mother’s daughter,” for this name [kodesh] is from the house of the father and not from the house of the mother. And thus “she became my wife,” to unite as one at that time and not another time, at the time she takes from the house of the father and not at the time she takes from the house of the mother. The day of Yom Kippur proves the point for sexual intercourse is forbidden, for the coupling does not take place since she takes from the house of the mother rather than from the house of the father.

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in “Fore/giveness on the Way- Nesting in the Womb of Response,” Graven Images- Studies in Culture, Law, and the Sacred 4 (1998)- 153-169.

Zohar 2-136a

Souls ascend and souls descend to crown the holy people; on Sabbath eve there is a rotation of souls, some come and others go, some ascend and others descend…

So it goes until the [angelic] announcer rises and proclaims- “Sanctified! Sanctified!” Then rest is found and contentment for all. The wicked in Gehinnom are appeased in their places and they have repose. All the souls are crowned, the ones above and the ones below. Happy are the people who may partake of this!…

At midnight of Sabbath eve the wise are aroused to have their intercourse (mit’arin le shimusha dilhon) [in] the upper spirit in which they were crowned when the day was sanctified. When they are asleep on their beds and their other souls want to ascend to see the glory of the King, then that upper spirit that descended at [the inception of] Sabbath eve takes that soul and elevates it above. That other soul is cleansed by the aromatic fluids of the Garden of Eden, and there it sees what it sees. When it descends to rest in its place at midnight, that soul returns to its place. Those who are wise should say one verse for the arousal of that upper holy soul, the crown of Sabbath, e.g., “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me as a herald of joy to the humble etc.” (Isa. 61-1), “When those moved, these moved; and when those stood still, these stood still; and when these were borne above the earth etc.” (Ezek. 1-22), “Wherever the spirit impelled them to go, they went etc.” (ibid., 20), for they are crowned by that spirit in virtue of their arousal in the joy of intercourse, and the emanation of that upper spirit of Sabbath is in that devotional act of intercourse.

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in “Forms of Visionary Ascent and Ecstatic Experience,” in Gershom Scholem’s Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism 50 Years After 209-235. Edited by J. Dan and P. Schafer, Tubingen- J. C. B. Mohr, 1993.

Zohar 3-12b 13a

R. Hizqiyah was sitting before R. Isaac. They rose at midnight to study Torah. R. Isaac began to expound, saying- “Now bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord [who stand nightly in the house of the Lord]” (Ps. 134-1). This verse has been established by the comrades. But this praise relates to all those who are faithful (benei mehemanuta). Who are the faithful? Those who study Torah and know how to unify the Holy Name as is appropriate. The praise of those faithful is that they rise at midnight to study Torah and cleave by means of it to the Community of Israel [Shekhinah], to praise her before the Holy One, blessed be He, in words of Torah. Come and see- When a person rises at midnight to study Torah and the north wind stirs at midnight, the doe [Shekhinah] rises and praises the Holy One, blessed be He. When she rises several thousand and tens of thousands rise with her, and they all begin to praise the Holy King. The Holy One, blessed be He, listens to the one who is righteous and rises at midnight to study Torah … as it is written “O you who linger in the garden, lovers are listening; let me hear your voice” (Cant. 8-13) … You are the glory of the Holy King, You are the crown of the King. That doe is crowned by those people and she stands before the King and says- See with which son I have come before You, by which son I have been aroused in relation to You, they who are the most praiseworthy of all before the King! He answered and said- “Those who stand nightly in the house of the Lord,” these are the servants of the Lord who are worthy to bless the Holy King, and their blessing is a blessing, as it says, “Lift your hands toward the sanctuary and bless the Lord” (Ps. 134-2).

Zohar 3-260a

“Come and see- When the north wind stirs at midnight … those who belong to the supernal palace rise to be involved with the praise of Torah, and they join the Community of Israel until the day shines; when morning comes she and all those who belong to the palace come before the Holy King, and they are called sons of the King and Matrona … At night they were occupied with the Matrona, now they come with the Matrona to unite her with the King.”

Zohar 2-46a

At midnight the Holy One, blessed be He, enters the Garden of Eden to take delight with the righteous. At that time one must rise to study Torah. Thus it is said that the Holy One, blessed be He, and all the righteous in the Garden of Eden listen to their voice, as it is written, “O you who finger in the garden, lovers are listening; let me hear your voice” (Cant. 8-13). The one who lingers in the garden, i.e., the Community of Israel, for she praises him before the Holy One, blessed be He, by virtue of the praise of Torah at night. Happy is the lot of one who joins her to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, by means of the praise of Torah. When morning comes the Community of Israel comes and takes delight with the Holy One, blessed be He, and he extends to her the scepter of mercy [i.e., the sefirah of Yesod which corresponds to the phallus]. She does not enter alone but together with those who join her. Thus is it written, “By day may the lord vouchsafe His faithful care, so that at night [a song to Him may be with me, a prayer to the God of my life]” (Ps. 42-9).

Sefer Hasidim, § 815, p. 206

The yearning for children and wives, the jesting with friends, excursions, and the innovation of useless things cause one to neglect the words of Torah. Thus, [it is written] “with all your heart and all your soul” (Deut. 6-4) with respect to the love and worship [of God], so that one might abandon them on behalf of the blessed holy One. He should worship and love the blessed holy One, “in all your ways know him” (Prov. 3-6), “to love the Lord” (Deut. 11-13), for the soul is filled with love, and it is bound in joy, and that joy drives away from his heart the pleasures of the body and the delight of the world. That joy is so strong and augmented in his heart that even if a young man who has not had intercourse with his wife for many days, and he has a great desire, and when he ejaculates his semen like an arrow he has pleasure, this is nothing in comparison to the strength and the vigor of the joy of the love of the Lord. All the love of the joyance of the heart of the one who loves the Lord with all his heart and all of his thoughts are on how to execute the will of the Creator, to exonerate the masses, to fulfill the sanctification of the Lord, and to offer himself in the love of the Creator … and the love should be like Phinehas who offered himself for the sake of the Creator, and Abraham our father who feared the Lord, as it says, “I swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap” (Gen. 14-22-23), and Elisha who did not want to take from Naaman. That love prevents a person from abrogating the words of Torah on account of joking and toying around with his children, or on account of the love of seeing women and [engaging in idle] speech, and it also enables him to abandon excursions, and it causes him to sing sweet songs in order to fill his heart in the joy of the love of the Lord, and he toils and labors in the path that is the will of the Creator.

Translated by Elliot Wolfson, “Martyrdom, Eroticism and Asceticism in Twelfth Century Ashkenazi Piety,” in Jews and Christians in Twelfth Century Europe, 171-220. Edited by J. van Engen and M. Signer, Notre Dame- University of Notre Dame Press, 2001.

Eleazar of Worms, Sefer ha-Roqeah (Jerusalem, 1967), pp. 5-6

The soul is full of love of God and it is bound with ropes of love in joy and the goodness of the heart. He is not like one who serves his master against his will; rather, even if there were those who tried to hinder him, the love burns within his heart to worship and he is glad to fulfill the will of his Creator. … He does not worship for the sake of his benefit or for his glory. He says- What am I? Despised and helpless, here today and tomorrow in the grave, beaten by transgression, I am filled with excrement, yet I have been chosen and I have been created to be a servant of the glorious king. … The lover thinks not about the pleasure of this world, and he is not concerned about the excursions of his wife, nor about his sons and daughters, and everything is as nothing for him apart from fulfilling the will of his Creator, to render others meritorious, to sanctify his name, and to give himself in the love of him as Abraham, “I swear [to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth], I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal strap” (Gen. 14-22-23), and as Phinehas who gave of himself when he killed Zimri (Num. 25-14). They do not elevate themselves, speak trivial words, look at the faces of women, and they listen to their reproach but do not respond, and all of their thoughts are with their Creator, and they sing sweet songs to their Creator, and all the designs of their thoughts burn from the fire of his love.

Moses Cordevero, Zohar ‘im Perush ’Or Yaqar (Jerusalem, 1963), 2- 233

It says “daughters” and not “sons” because the essence of sexual modesty (seni‘ut) depends on the feminine, for [women] must be modest, and by means of this the men will be modest and the children will emerge with a disposition of modesty. Therefore, the beginning of the damage sprouted from the licentiousness of the daughters, and thus it says “and daughters were born to them.” And from here the sexual immorality (perisut) began to produce a bad result, estranged children …. The explanation for the blessed copulation is related to the fact that the holy soul is garbed within it, and it must be like the supernal copulation, for just as the supernal copulation is hidden in secrecy, such that no created being can experience it, so too the lower copulation must be in concealment (seni‘ut) such that it is not known by any creature in the world. Consequently, the holy soul, which is made from the supernal copulation, will descend, but when the copulation is in the open and in public no supernal holiness dwells there.

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in “Occultation of the Feminine and the body of Secrecy in Medieval Kabbalah,” in Rending the Veil- Concealment and Revelation of Secrets in the History of Religions, 113-154. Edited by Elliot R. Wolfson, New York and London- Seven Bridges Press, 1999.

Zohar 3-61b-62a

Come and see- It is written, “A river issues from Eden to water the garden” (Gen. 2-10). That river [Binah] overflows its sides when [Hokhmah] unites with it in perfect union. Then that Eden [Hokhmah] is in that path which is not known above or below, as it says, “No bird of prey knows the path” (Job 28-7). They are found in [a state of] harmony for the one never separates from the other. Then the springs and streams come forth and crown the Holy Son [Tif’eret] with all these crowns; then it is written “wearing the crown that his mother gave him” (Cant. 3-11). At that moment the Son inherits the portion of his Father and Mother, and he delights in that pleasure and comfort. It has been taught- When the Supernal King is in [a state of] royal comfort and he sits with his crowns, then it is written “When the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance” (Cant. 1-12), i.e., Yesod which emits blessings to unite the Holy King and the Matrona. Consequently, blessings are bestowed upon all the worlds and the upper and lower beings are blessed. Now the holy spark is crowned by the crowns of that gradation, and he and the comrades send up the praises from below to above, and she is crowned in those praises. Now blessings must be drawn out from above to below for all the comrades by means of that holy gradation.

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in Through a Speculum that Shines- Vision and Imagination in Medieval Jewish Mysticism, Princeton- Princeton University Press, 1994.

Zohar 3-22a

Come and see the secret of the matter. The Community of Israel [Shekhinah] does not stand before the King [Tif’eret] except by means of the Torah. Whenever earthly Israel are engaged in [the study of] Torah the Communtiy of Israel dwells with them… Thus, when the Community of Israel is aroused before the King by means of Torah, her forces are strengthened and the Holy King is glad to receive her. However, when the Community of Israel comes before the King and Torah is not found with her, her strength, as it were, is weakened.

Translated by Elliot Wolfson in Through a Speculum that Shines- Vision and Imagination in Medieval Jewish Mysticism, Princeton- Princeton University Press, 1994.

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