זוהר, אחרי מות ל׳Zohar, Achrei Mot 30

Segment 1א׳

רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, וָא"ו אֲמַאי כָּלִיל ו' א' ו'. אֶלָּא, ו' דְּיָתִיב עַל כּוּרְסְיָיא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (יחזקאל א׳:כ״ו) וְעַל דְּמוּת הַכִּסֵּא דְּמוּת כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם עָלָיו מִלְמָעְלָה. א' סָתִים בְּגַוִּיהּ וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא, וְדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית כ״ב:ט״ז) בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי (ק"ל ע"א) נְאֻם יְיָ', בְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וְלָא אִקְרֵי, בַּתְרָאָה, כְּלָלָא דְּקַדְמָאָה. בַּתְרָאָה, הָא אוֹקִימְנָא (נ"א בתראה כללא דו' קדמאה ו' בתראה) דָּא יְסוֹד, דְּאִיהוּ סִיּוּמָא דְּגוּפָא, וּכְלָלָא דִּילֵיהּ. וְעַל דָּא כְּלִילָן אַתְוָון דָּא בְּדָא, וָא"ו, רֵישָׁא וְסִיּוּמָא, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא.

R. Abba said: Why does Vau comprise Vau, Aleph, Vau? Because it is the Vau that sits upon the throne, as it says, “and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above” (Ezek. 1, 26). The Aleph is hidden within it and is not revealed, and this is what is written, “By Myself have I sworn, says the Lord” (Gen. 22, 16) (folio 130a): therefore it is written and it is not read. The last is the sum of the first. The last — we have explained — is yesod (foundation), which is the completion of the body and the sum of it. And therefore the letters are comprised one within the other: Vau, head and completion, as we have explained.

Segment 2ב׳

וְתָאנָא, תְּרֵין אַתְוָון אִינּוּן, כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא וָא"ו דַּאֲמֵינָא, נוּ"ן אוּף הָכִי. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאוּקְמוּהָ מִלָּה, נוּ"ן הָכִי מִתְפָּרְשָׁא: נ' כְּפוּפָה, דָּא מַטְרוֹנִיתָא. וּסְמִיכָא לָהּ ו', דְּאִיהוּ יְסוֹד, בְּגִין לְאִתְבָּרְכָא מִנֵּיהּ. ן' פְּשׁוּטָה, אִתְפַּשְּׁטוּתָא דְּתִפְאֶרֶת. וְעַל דָּא כְּלִילָן אַתְוָון, וּמִתְאַחֲדָן דָּא בְּדָא. וְאִי תֵּימָא, אֲמַאי אַהְדָּר ו' אַנְפּוֹי מִנּוּ"ן כְּפוּפָה, וְאַהְדָּר אַנְפּוֹי לְגַבֵּי ן' פְּשׁוּטָה. אֶלָּא בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא, אַהְדָּר אַנְפּוֹי לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא.

And it has been taught: there are two letters of this kind. Vau, as I have said; and Nun likewise. And although they have explained the matter, Nun is expounded thus: the bent Nun is the Matrona, and the Vau is close beside her, which is yesod, so that she may be blessed from it; the straight Nun is the spreading forth of tiferet (beauty). And therefore the letters are comprised and joined one to the other. And should you say: why does the Vau turn its face away from the bent Nun and turn its face toward the straight Nun? It is because of the honour of the King: it turns its face toward the King.

Segment 3ג׳

וְתָאנָא, מֵ"ם לָא כָּלִיל בְּגַוָּיהּ אָת אָחֳרָא, (בגין) אֶלָּא מ' פְּתוּחָה, ם' סְתוּמָה. מ' פְּתוּחָה: דְּהוּא כַּד דְּכַר אִתְחַבָּר עִמָּהּ. ם' סְתוּמָה: יוֹבְלָא. דְּהָא סְתִימִין אֲרְחָהָא וְאַף עַל גַּב דְמִתְפַשְׁטִין לְזִמְנִין, וְאִית דְמַתְנֵי בְהַאי כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (שיר השירים ד׳:י״ב) גַּן נָעוּל אֲחוֹתִי כַלָּה גַּל נָעוּל מַעְיָן חָתוּם.

And it has been taught: Mem does not comprise another letter within it; rather, there is an open Mem and a closed Mem. The open Mem is when the male is joined with her. The closed Mem is the jubilee, for her ways are closed, even though at times they spread forth. And some teach in this way, as it says, “A garden shut up is my sister, my bride; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed” (S.S. 4, 12).