זוהר, הקדמה ל׳Zohar, Introduction 30

Segment 1א׳

פִּקּוּדָא עֲשִׂירָאָה לְאֲנָחָא תְּפִלִּין וּלְאַשְׁלָמָא גַרְמֵיהּ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא עִלָּאָה. דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית א׳:כ״ז) וַיִּבְרָא אֱלהִים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ. פָּתַח וְאָמַר (שיר השירים ז׳:ו׳) רֹאשֵׁךְ עָלַיִךְ כַּכַּרְמֶל הַאי קְרָא אוֹקִימְנָא וְאִתְּמַר. אֲבָל רֹאשֵׁךְ עָלַיִךְ כַּכַּרְמֶל, דָּא רֵישָׁא עִלָּאָה תְּפִלִּין דְּרֵישָׁא, שְׁמָא דְמַלְכָּא עִלָאָה קַדִּישָׁא ידוד בְּאָתְוָון רְשִׁימִין, כָּל אָת וְאָת פַּרְשָׁתָא חָדָא, שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא גְּלִיפָא בְּסִדּוּרָא דְּאָתְוָון כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וּתְנַן (דברים כ״ח:י׳) כִּי שֵׁם ה' נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ וְיָרְאוּ מִמֶּךָּ, אִלֵּין תְּפִלִּין דְּרֵישָׁא, דְּאִנּוּן שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּסִדּוּרָא דְּאָתְווֹי.

The tenth precept is to put on tephillin (phylacteries), and thereby to attain in oneself the perfection of the divine image, according to that which is written: And the Lord created man in His own image.’ R. Simeon discoursed in this connection on the text “Thy head upon thee is like Carmel” (S. S. 7, 6). ‘This verse,’ he said, ‘has already been explained in a way, but its true meaning is as follows: “Thy head upon thee is like Carmel” alludes to the phylactery worn on the head above, containing four sections of the Torah which represent each one of the four letters of the Divine Name (Tetragrammaton) of the most high King. Our teachers have told us that the verse: “that the name of the Lord is called upon thee, and they shall be afraid of thee” (Deut. 28, 10) alludes to the phylactery worn on the head which represents the Divine Name in order of its letters.

Segment 2ב׳

פַּרְשְׁתָא קַדְמָאָה (שמות י״ג:ב׳) קַדֶּשׁ לִי כָל בְּכֹר. דָּא י דְּאִיהִי קֹדֶשׁ. בּוּכְרָא דְּכָל קוּדְשִׁין עִלָּאִין. פֶּטֶר כָּל רֶחֶם, בְּהַהוּא שְׁבִיל דַּקִּיק דְּנָחַת מִן יוּ"ד דְּאִיהוּ אַפְתַּח רַחֲמָא (רחמה) לְמֶעְבַּד פֵּירִין וְאִבִּין כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת. וְאִיהוּ קֹדֶשׁ עִלָּאָה.

Thus, the first section, “Sanctify unto me all the first-born, etc.” (Exod. 13, 2) represents the Yod, which is the first of all the supernal sanctities; “whatsoever openeth the womb” (Ibid.) is an allusion to the slender stroke underneath the yod which opens the womb to bring forth fitting fruit.

Segment 3ג׳

פַּרְשְׁתָא תִּנְיָינָא (שמות יג) וְהָיָה כִי יְבִיאֲךָ. דָּא ה הֵיכָלָא. דְּאִתְפַּתַּח רַחֲמָא (רחמה) דִילָהּ מִגּוֹ יוּ"ד בְּחַמְשִׁין פִּתְחִין אַכְּסַדְּרָאִין וְאִדְּרִין סְתִימִין דְּבֵיהּ. דְּהַהוּא פֶּטֶר דְּעֲבִיד יו"ד בְּהַאי הֵיכָלָא לְמִשְׁמַע בָּהּ קָלָא דִי נָפְקָא מִגּוֹ שׁוֹפָר דָּא. בְּגִין דְּשׁוֹפָר דָּא הוּא סָתִים בְּכָל סִטְרִין, וְאָתָא יוּ"ד וּפְתַח לֵיהּ לְאַפָּקָא מִינֵּיהּ קָלָא. וְכֵיוָן דְּאַפְתַּח לֵיהּ תָּקַע לֵיהּ וְאַפִּיק מִנֵּיהּ קָלָא לְאַפָּקָא עַבְדִין לְחֵירוּ.

The second section, “And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee, etc.” (Ibid. 5) represents the He, significant of the palace the womb of which was opened by the Yod. It is through fifty mysterious gates and forecourts and enclosures that the Yod makes an opening and enters that palace, causing the sound to issue from the great Shofar. For the Shofar was closed on all sides and the Yod came and opened it to cause the emission of its sound; and as soon as he opened it he emitted a blast as a signal for the freeing of the slaves.