זוהר, האדרא רבא י״חZohar, Idra Rabba 18

Segment 1א׳

תִּקּוּנָא תְּמִינָאָה. נָפִיק חַד חוּטָא דְּשַׂעְרֵי סוֹחֲרָנֵיהּ דְּדִיקְנָא, וְתַלְיָין בְּשִׁקּוּלָא עַד טַבּוּרָא. קוּם אֶלְעָזָר בְּרִי, אַתְקִין תִּקּוּנָא דָּא.

The eighth adornment. One thread of hairs goes out around the beard, and they hang in balance down to the navel. Rise, Eleazar my son, and set this adornment in order.

Segment 2ב׳

קָם רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר (בריה), פָּתַח וְאָמַר, הַכֹּל תָּלוּי בְּמַזָּל, וַאֲפִילּוּ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה בָּהֵיכָל. מִלָּה דָּא אוֹקִימְנָא בְּסִפְרָא דִּצְנִיעוּתָא, וְהָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, וְכִי הַכֹּל תָּלוּי בְּמַזָּל, וְתָנֵינָן, סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה קֹדֶשׁ, וְנַרְתֵּקוֹ קֹדֶשׁ, וְהַהֵיכָל קֹדֶשׁ. וּכְתִיב (ישעיהו ו׳:ג׳) וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל זֶה וְאָמַר קָדשׁ קָדשׁ קָדשׁ, הָא תְּלַת אִינּוּן. וְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה. לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן, נַרְתְּקוֹ קֹדֶשׁ, וְהַהֵיכָל קֹדֶשׁ, וְהוּא קָדשׁ. וְהַתּוֹרָה נִתְּנָה בְּג' קְדוּשׁוֹת. בְּשָׁלֹשׁ מַעֲלוֹת, בְּיָּמִים שְׁלֹשָׁה, שְׁכִינָה בְּשָׁלֹשׁ, לוּחוֹת וַאֲרוֹן וְהֵיכַל בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה תַּלְיָא, וְאִיהוּ תַּלְיָא בְּמַזָּל, וּכְתִיב (ירמיהו י׳:ב׳) וּמֵאוֹתוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם אַל תֵּחָתּוּ. מַאן דְּאִיהוּ בִּקְדוּשׁוֹת הַלָּלוּ לֶהֱוֵי תַּלְיָא בְּמַזָּלָא.

R. Eleazar (a variant adds: his son) rose, opened and said: Everything hangs on mazzal (fortune), even the Scroll of the Law in the sanctuary. This matter we have explained in the Book of the Hidden Mystery, and here there is something to consider. Does everything hang on mazzal? Yet we have learnt: the Scroll of the Law is holy, and its case is holy, and the sanctuary is holy. And it is written, “And one called to another, and said: Holy, holy, holy” (Isa. 6, 3) — here, then, are three. And the Scroll of the Law: corresponding to them, its case is holy, and the sanctuary is holy, and it is holy. And the Torah was given with three sanctities: in three degrees, in three days, the Shekinah in three. The tablets and the ark and the sanctuary hang upon the Scroll of the Law — and does it hang on mazzal? And it is written, “and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven” (Jer. 10, 2). Shall one who is in these sanctities hang on mazzal?

Segment 3ג׳

אֶלָּא הָכִי אוֹקִימְנָא בְּסִפְרָא דִּצְנִיעוּתָא, הַאי חוּטָא יַקִּירָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּכָל שַׂעְרֵי דְּדִיקְנָא תַּלְיָין בֵּיהּ, אִתְקְרֵי מַזָּל. מַאי טַעְמָא. מִשּׁוּם דְּכָל קָדְשֵׁי קוֹדָשִׁין דְּקוּדְשַיָּא, בְּהַאי מַזָּלָא תַּלְיָין. וְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ קָדוֹשׁ לָא חָל עָלֵיהּ עֶשֶׂר קִדוּשִׁין עַד דְּעָיִיל לָהֵיכָל. כֵּיוָן דְּעָיִיל לָהֵיכָל, אִתְקְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ בְּעֶשֶׂר קְדוּשׁוֹת. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא דְּלָא אִתְקְרֵי הֵיכָל, אֶלָּא כַּד אִתְחַבְּרָן עֶשֶׂר קְדוּשׁוֹת. וְתָאנָא, הַכֹּל תָּלוּי בְּמַזָּל, דְּאִיהוּ הַאי חוּטָא יַקִּירָא קַדִישָׁא, דְּכָל שַׂעֲרִין תַּלְיָין בֵּיהּ.

Rather, thus we have explained it in the Book of the Hidden Mystery: this precious, holy thread, on which all the hairs of the beard hang, is called mazzal. What is the reason? Because all the holies of holies of holiness hang on this mazzal. And the Scroll of the Law, although it is holy, ten sanctities do not rest upon it until it enters the sanctuary. Once it enters the sanctuary, it is called holy with ten sanctities. In like manner, it is not called a sanctuary except when ten sanctities are joined. And it has been taught: everything hangs on mazzal — which is this precious, holy thread on which all the hairs hang.