And on Your New Moons

684) It is written, “And on your new moons [beginnings of months],” in plural form, which are Jacob and Joseph, ZA and Yesod, as it is written, “These are the generations of Jacob Joseph,” who renew the moon, Malchut. As the moon, Malchut, is purified in the beginning of the month, to approach her husband, ZA, one portion of that kind of Sitra Achra should be given to the Sitra Achra, meaning a he-goat. Likewise, when the woman is purified for her husband, she should give one portion to the Sitra Achra, of his own kind.

685) That part which the woman must give to the Sitra Achra is the nails with their filth, and a little of the tips of the hair. She must comb her hair, tie them together, and give them to the Sitra Achra, and that evil side will not follow her to harm her, and will part from her from all sides. Once she has tied together those hairs and nails she must place them in a place where people do not go, or in low-lying holes in the yard, and hide them there.

686) “And on your new moons [beginnings of months].” When they would sanctify the month according to the courthouse, they would burn torches on the tops of the mountains, and would say, “Obey this to the letter.” Sometimes the moon was like this: , when she was looking up with her rays. Sometimes she would look down, like this: . At times she would look to the east, like this: , and at times to the west, like this: . And at times to the south and at times to the north.

This is her looking to the six sides, where Tifferet, the big Vav, includes them, which are Gedula [greatness], Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod. Gedula, Hesed, is her looking to the south. Her looking to the north is Gevura, to the east is Tifferet, and to the west is Yesod.

687) The dot that extends in the moon, Malchut, from within, is Hochma. The thread that surrounds the moon, is Keter. The dot as a whole is Malchut, and at times she is the Atara to ZA, as it is written, “A virtuous woman is her husband’s crown.” At times she is a throne to ZA, to sit on, at times a footstool for the feet of ZA.

688) Malchut is called Levana [“white,” but also “moon”] after the Libun [whitening] of the law, after the Hochma of the right that whitens the law, Malchut, which is called “law.” The Hochma is from within Malchut, as it is written, “The King's daughter is all glorious within.” She is whitened by the fire of Bina that descends upon her, as it is written, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”

And the reason why she was called ADNI, with the letters DINA [Dalet-Yod-Nun-Aleph], red in Gevura, on the left line, where it is Bina, she is whitened by Hesed, where it is Hochma, and returns to the name HaVaYaH, mercy. The Hochma of the left receives from Bina, she receives Hassadim from Hochma of the right, and she is whitened by both.

689) And what caused Malchut to turn from judgment to mercy? The complete righteous. The Klipa of the moon, Malchut from the side of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, is darkness. She is a black dot, which is the evil inclination, a maidservant. Also, Malchut has of her own only that thread which illuminates in her, a thread of Hochma of the left without Hassadim, which is the heart of her structure. However, its light is as faint as a thread, since it cannot illuminate without Hassadim.

It accompanies her at night in the exile, as it is written, “She rises while it is still night.” It is removed from her during the day because in the day is the governance of Hassadim de ZA, and Hochma of the left cannot rule during the day. In the day it is the light of Hesed of the next world, Bina, of which it is written, “But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings.”

690) The moon, Malchut, from the side of the tree of life, ZA, that point of internality within her, Hochma of the right, Hesed, is as a never ending fountain because it extends from upper AVI through ZA, whose Zivug never ceases. It is written about her, “like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” She is called a “doe of love” from the side of Hesed, love, as it is written, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with affection have I drawn you with grace [Hesed].” Thus, love is Hesed. She has two rays from the light, like this: . Sometimes one is higher than the other, like this, , and at times they are equal.

The rays are illumination of NH de ZA, hence the ray of the right, Netzah, is higher than the ray of the left, Hod. ZA and Malchut are NH, since they clothe NH de AA. For this reason, when ZA and Malchut are face-to-face on the same level, NH de ZA are also on the same level, and Netzah is not higher than Hod. At that time the rays of Malchut are also on the same level, when ZON are on the same level.