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122) It is written, “Under their wings on their four sides were hands of man.” These are hands to receive those who repent, who return to the Creator. But these hands of man are sublime forms and secrets, which the Creator has placed in man and has set them up in fingers from without and from within, in the palm of the hand.
123) When the Creator created man, He set up all the forms of the high secrets of the upper world—Bina—within him, as well as all the forms of the lower secrets of the bottom world, Malchut. They are all engraved in man, who is in the shade of God, since he is called “a creation of the hand,” a creation of the hand of the Creator.
124) The meaning of the palm is of this letter called Chaf [palm but also the letter Chaf ()]. It is written, “And God created the man in His own image.” This is the meaning of the letter Chaf. This letter contains sublime secrets and sublime forms. In this Chaf, that is, in this palm of the hand, there are ten utterances hanging on the right and on the left, five in the right palm and five in the left palm. Yet, they are one, regarded as one, since the right and left unite into one.
125) It is written, “Also, I will clap My hands together,” meaning that they will be in dispute with each other and the blessings will depart from the world because the pride of Israel was given to idol worshippers. This is so because GAR is extended to Israel from the left, through the unification of right and left. This is their pride. And when they are disputed, the idol worshippers suckle from the left line and the pride of Israel is given to idol worshippers.
When they unite, it is written, “One gold pan of ten, full of incense,” which implies a single unification, when the ten on the right and left become one palm. And when they are united, it is written, “And God created the man in His own image.” “And God created” is the departure of the inner thought.
First, Malchut must be mitigated in Bina, Midat ha Rachamim [quality of mercy], through raising of Malchut to Bina, who is called “thought.” Subsequently, the GAR of the thought, who are her internality, will depart and she will remain in VAK, which are a half degree. This operation is called “created” or “And created,” which implies diminution. Without that diminution, man would be unfit for reception of Mochin.
“The man” means male and female together because Et [the] is female and man is male. “In the image of God” is Chaf, the two palms, right and left when they became one palm [Chaf], at which time all the upper Mochin depart from them.
126) When the man was created, it is written about him, “Clothe me with skin and flesh.” And what is the man himself? Is man not merely skin, flesh, bones, and tendons? He is not, since indeed, man is only the soul [Neshama], while skin, flesh, bones, and tendons are only clothes. They are the man’s Kelim, not the man himself. When the man passes away, he takes off those Kelim that he wore.
127) When a man dresses in skin and in all those bones and tendons, they are all in the high Hochma, as it is above. The skin is as it is above, as it is written about curtains, “Stretching out heaven like a curtain.” Reddened skins of deer and skins of Tahash [a kind of animal] are clothes above, covering the clothing, which is the expansion of the heaven, the clothing without. Curtains are the clothing within; it is a crust that covers the flesh. This is why it is written, “Stretching out heaven like a curtain,” since curtains are the inner clothing, with the heaven atop them from without.
128) Bones and tendons are the Merkavot [plural of Merkava (chariot/assembly)], and all those armies that stand within are the internality and GAR of the externality of the degree. This is so because tendons are the Neshama of the clothing, and bones are the Haya of the clothing, and all of them are clothes for the internal, for the superior man.
129) So it is below. The man is internal and within; his clothes are as it is above. Bones and tendons are as was said about those Merkavot and armies, which are called “bones” and “tendons.” The flesh covers those camps and Merkavot, which are called “bones” and “tendons” and stands outside them.
This is the meaning of the flesh being extended from him to the other side. The skin that covers everything is as those firmaments that cover everything, and they are all clothes to clothe in, and the one inside them is the man. It is all an issue of below being as above. This is why it is written, “And God created man in His own image,” in the image of God, since man below is entirely as it is above.
130) Inscriptions were made in that firmament above, which covers everything, to show and to know hidden secrets and things in those inscriptions that were set up in it. These are the inscriptions of stars and signs that were written and established in that firmament, which covers from without. Here, too, the skin, which covers one from the outside, is like the firmament that covers everything, and contains inscriptions and lines. These are regarded as stars and signs of that skin, to show and to know in them hidden things and secrets in stars and signs, which are the inscriptions and lines in the skin, for the wise-at-heart to scrutinize them and observe them, to know the looking in the face, in the secrets that we said.
131) This is when the face illuminates and stands without anger. Then it is possible to look and to know. When anger governs a person, another judgment is given to know in him. And why is it not possible to govern a person? This can be known when the judgment governs in the firmament.
132) But looking at the face in a true way is when the face shines and a person persists. Then those inscriptions are seen in a true way because then, in that looking, he can further sentence his scrutiny, even though those sages may look in all the manners.
133) All the palm-lines and finger-lines are within. They all stand in other secrets, to know hidden things. Those are stars that shine to look inside the signs, in the superior appointees.
134) The fingers are in high secrets; the fingernails that stand and cover them are without, and they learn in those secrets that are insides that are without. And there are secrets in them to those sorcerers who look in the nails, in the light of another thing that governs them, and those sorcerers defile that place.
135) Sometimes, little white stars illuminate in the nails, appearing as white dots. That is, white dots are seen on the nails, which are as an offshoot of lentils. They are sunk in the fingernails like that nail on the board, and they are not as other white dots that are not sunken, but stand atop, over the fingernails. The ones that are not sunken are unreal, but those white ones, which are sunken, as an offshoot of lentils, area real and it is a good sign for a person, and he will succeed at that time or will be saved from a sentence that he had been sentenced.
136) The lines of the hand are in high secrets, and the lines of the fingers are within, not to the side of the nails but to the side of the flesh. In the hands there are big lines and little lines, and thin, high ones on the right, as well as small lines in those fingers in them. There are thin inscriptions in the little finger on the right. This finger always insists on deeds on the other side.
137) There are lines in that finger, those that the finger folds on when closing the hand. Those are not for observation, unless more lines are added. If two other lines are added to that line on which the finger folds, a way will not come by him and it he does, he does not succeed.
138) But if the lines that stand in the length between each two inscriptions, between the inscriptions that the finger folds on when he pulls the skin of the finger backward, these specific inscriptions will remain and will not be cancelled due to the pulling of the skin. This will succeed on the way, and the sign for it is three, three lines across, and four to the length. This is Zayin, of the letters of Katnut, for there are three types of alphabet—big, medium, and small—and the Zayin here belongs to the alphabet of the small letters.
139) If one inscription is to the length, and twice two inscriptions are across, from the way, he will hear things in the near future and they will be of no use. If four inscriptions are to the length and four inscriptions across, the way will come to him with great effort, and will eventually be to his benefit. It is a Zayin from the medium letters of the alphabet, between the big alphabet and the small alphabet.
140) There are five small inscriptions across below, four across above, and four to the length. He has rest in his home, and he is idle. This road was set up before him but he did not wish to do. If he does, he will succeed on this path, but he will not do it because he is idle. This is a small Zayin.
141) The middle finger: This finger stands to show whether to do that deed that he contemplated. If one line stands in the length between the lines in the width, he thinks thoughts and they depart from him. He is afraid and does not do them, and that thought is not done at all.
142) If two lines are on the length, even if standing, when they pull the skin of the fingers back and are not cancelled because of the pulling of the skin, there are no thoughts in him. This is because he thinks temporary thoughts and they are done, but not a thought that he contemplates, but rather a thought that is quick and small, but a thought in contemplation is absent in him.
143) If there are three lists to the length, and two or three across after the skin of the finger stretches back, it is a person who is wise and thoughtful. And all those thoughts that are to the side of the Creator exist in him, and other thoughts do not.
144) If four or five inscriptions are to the length, after the expansion of the skin of the finger, when they are on the inscriptions to the length—on the three, on the four, or on the two and so on—it is a person whose thoughts are to harm, and he praises himself in them. His beard and his eyebrows are red, he thinks evil and praises himself in it; he is short-lived, and he is wise, and always yields before the evil qualities. He succeeds, and after a few days departs from the world.
145) The cure for this is repentance. Then there are three inscriptions or four that are over the two, three inscriptions or four to the length over the two across. This is so because the inscriptions change from time to time according to one’s customs. It is as it is written, “The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.”
146) As the Creator changes armies and times in the stars of the heaven, one day so and another day so, and as all of the deeds of the superior man are in internality and appear in this firmament, so it appears in this skin of the inferior man, whose skin covers everything—he is a firmament.
147) It is all as the eye of man within. Sometimes, it stands in judgment, and sometimes in mercy. Precisely so, it appears on the firmament from without, sometimes as this manner and sometimes as that manner. Similarly, below in this man, as it is sometimes said, it appears on the skin in this manner, and sometimes in that manner. This is the letter Zayin that the letter Yod is included in it.
148) These secrets are in the fingers of the right hand, in the little finger and in the big finger, which is the middle finger. And the sign is as it is written, “You shall hear the small and the great alike.” Henceforth, other lines are all called “generations,” and they are the generations of Adam, as it is written, “The generations of the heaven,” and everything is that. It is as the generations of man. In all those forms of the face, and in all those that we said, and in all those generations of the lines of the hands that are seen as internal, as it should be.
149) This is the book of the generations of Adam, meaning lines. The sign Zayin–Reish–Hey Peh–Samech–Tzadi, which are the letters of “This is the book” [in Hebrew], with the letter Tzadi added to them. The secrets are to the wise-hearted. Reish–Zayin–Hey–Samech–Peh are five letters in five gates, to know Hochma [wisdom] in Tevuna [understanding].
150) The first gate is Reish. There are thin lines and there are big lines in the hand, and they all mingle with one another. When the big lines in the hand are two to the length and two across, and they cling to one another, it is in the letter Hey and in the letter Reish, repelling the letter Zayin and taking those two letters: taking Hey across and taking Reish to the length. Its sign is Hey–Reish.
151) This one has on the left hand similar to that on the right hand—in the big lines. But the left does not take the little lines that the right takes. Rather, the right takes one thin line above to the length and one thin line below, gripping between those two big lines that are there. On the length, there is one thin line that grips to those two lines that are on it. This is not so on the left, and its secret is in the right and not in the left.
152) This is a person who sometimes wishes to be at home and sometimes on the road. His heart will not be at peace in either. When he is at home, he longs for the road; when he is on the road, he longs for home. He always succeeds on the road, and sometimes at home, as well. If he exerts in them, he succeeds in Torah and in the secrets of Torah. He sees in his enemies, the public benefits from him, he is idle in mundane matters, and if he awakens below there is awakening above to benefit him. He merits in his words; he is endeared and he squanders money. He is generous, his prayer is heard, and he descends and ascends in money and in his possessions.
153) Sometimes, his heart breaks before his master, and then three little lines pass over that thin line that is added to those two on the length. This is the Hey that connects to the Reish.
He repeats the matters concisely, which is good for remembering: this is a road; this is a house; this is joy; this is sadness; this is benefit; this one is idle; this one is generous; this one is dear and squanders money; and this one’s heart is broken and he returns to his master.
154) The second gate is Zayin. There are inscriptions in the right hand, in the part that absorbs and receives—meaning the palm. When there are three big lines across, two big ones to the length, and one of those to the length grips those two on the width, and the other line does not grip them, there is a flaw in his seed either from his mother’s side or from his father’s side.
155) Then, below those three lines across are two thin lines that grip them below. This is a person who corrects his deeds in front of people, but whose heart is untrue. When he is old, he returns to be corrected. Then those two lines to the length grip those across with one another, and two others—thin ones—are with them in the middle, and this is to the length. And three thin ones are across. This is the Zayin that connects to the letter Reish.
156) When he reaches old age and repents, he is corrected in the letter Reish, which connects with the letter Zayin. Afterwards, when he is corrected, he is always hidden and all his works are in hiding. However, he is not properly existing because that flaw in his seed has not yet given up in him and evokes him toward evil.
157) Once that flaw gives up, there are lines in the right hand, four and five—four to the length and five across. This is the Zayin that conjoined with the letter Hey. Sometimes he succeeds and sometimes he does not succeed. He succeeds in Torah, and at the end of his days he succeeds even in money.
158) The third gate is the letter Hey. When there are five lines across on his right, and three to the length, that middle line of those three to the length is clearly apparent in him. This is the letter Hey, supported by the letter Samech.
159) When there is that middle line of those three to the length, when he enters and grips inside those five lines across, it is a person who is sad and angry in his home. But he is not so among people. At home, he is stingy, angry, and hungry, and sometimes he is not.
He is not so outside his home. He succeeds in mundane matters. When he engages in Torah, he looks a little and regrets it. He is faithful, but not at all times. When he is not faithful, he pretends to be truthful, but he is not completely truthful. He succeeds in judgment, and he is loyal with the secrets of Torah. This is in the letter Hey, which connects to the letter Samech.
160) If there are four lines across, five to the length, and two of those to the length enter those four across, he is a person who is happy in his home. Outside, he seems sad, but he is not so, since when he speaks to people he shows joy and means his words.
161) When three small lines enter those on the length, he has one black inscription in his body. Also, three hairs hang down that inscription, and that inscription is as a circle, with one breakage at the top of the inscription. Wise-hearted who know these secrets called this inscription “An eagle’s head.” Sometimes, this inscription is seen between his shoulders, sometimes in the right arm, and sometimes on the right arm, on his fingers.
162) If that inscription, called “an eagle’s head,” is upright in its corrections, he will rise to wealth and honor. If that eagle’s head is turned back, he will sometimes be rewarded with sons. But when he grows old, he will be rewarded with great wealth and great honor, more than during his youth. If he engages in it, he will be rewarded with the Torah.
163) Sometimes, that eagle’s head seems black, and sometimes in color that is only a little red, who was not so colored. Sometimes, the hairs that hang down it are seen as smooth, and it is all one sign and judged in one sentence.
164) If that red color is painted more and he remains in his color, and he was painted in a short time—since those colors sometimes illuminate and are sometimes dark—and if he is painted red and shines, his left hand contains three lines to the length, three lines across, one thin line over those across, and one thin line over those to the length. And only one line is added across, in the right hand. This is a man who lays during menstruation and does not repent his transgression before his master.
165) When he repents, the lines on the left hand remain and that line that was added on the right was removed from him. Also, that red color was removed, for it does not seem so illuminating. Sometimes, although he repents, that red is not removed from him for some time. This is in the letter Hey. The letter Samech was removed, the letter Tzadi entered in its stead, and the letter Hey connected with the letter Tzadi. This one needs quick correction for his soul. Wise-hearted who see him must tell him, “Go heal yourself.”
166) If there are three lines to the length and one across, it is only in the letter Hey, which sometimes connects with the letter Zayin. This person is the greediest in the world. If not, he is a womanizer and his craving is adultery. And although he is the greediest in the world, it is not removed from him and he is not ashamed. His eyes are sunken and he speaks in them, meaning when he speaks, he winks.
167) If he repents before his master, the lines are inverted—three across, and one to the length—and those two thin ones remain present. Then his desire is more for his wife and he clings to her. If one very thin line enters between those two thin lines, the letter Hey connects to the letter Zayin.
168) And if there is one line to the length, four across, three thin ones stand over that one to the length, and one line is over those four across, and there are thee fine marks on the left arm—born in him a few days ago—and one hair hangs on that one that leads them, he is pursuing adultery with his friend’s wife. He is malicious, he scares with the left eye without any words, and he complements, meaning he completes his work and does not need to speak. And because he is malicious, he does not care for his master’s glory, to repent before him, and then a serpent or a red person kills him.
169) If there are four to the length, three across, and those that go up were removed from him, he breaks his heart before his master and repents. Then he is in the letter Peh, which joins with the letter Hey. It is written about him and about others like him, “Peace, peace, to the far and to the near.”
170) Thus far all the secrets of the generations of Adam, which is a history created in him from time to time, according to man’s ways. Happy are those who sit before Rabbi Shimon and are rewarded with hearing the secrets of the Torah from his mouth. Happy are they in this world and happy are they in the next world. Rabbi Shimon said, “Happy are you, friends, for no secret is hidden from you, and several high places await you in the next world.”
171) It is written, “And you shall behold out of the whole people brave men who fear God, men of truth, who hate greed.” It does not say, “select.” “See” means according to one’s sight, in the form of the person, in those six Behinot [discernments] that we learn, and it is all in this verse. “And you will see” is 1, in the hair. “Out of the whole people” is 2, in the forehead. “Brave men” is 3, in the face. “Who fear God” is 4, in the eyes. “Men of truth” is 5, in the lips. “Who hate greed” is 6, in the hands, in their lines.
172) Those are the signs by which to know people for those that the spirit of Hochma [wisdom] is over them. And yet, Moses did not need it. Rather, it is written, “And Moses selected brave men out of all of Israel,” since the spirit of holiness came to him and informed him, and in it, he saw everything.
173) It is written, “If they have an issue, come to me.” It did not say “Come to me” [in plural form], but “Come to me” [in singular form]. This is the spirit of holiness that would come to him, and by which he would know and did not need all that—to look and to scrutinize—but for a short while, Moses would know.
174) King Solomon knew in a similar way. He knew in his throne that the spirit of holiness was over him, that anyone who approached his throne was overcome by dread and fear. And he would judge in it without testimony because there were forms in his throne, and anyone who approached with a lie, that form would knock and King Solomon would know that he came with a lie. This is why everyone were overcome by the fear of the throne and they were all righteous before him.
175) The Messiah King judges with scent, as it is written, “And he smelled him with the fear of the Lord, and he will not judge by the sight of his eyes.” Those three, Moses, King Solomon, and the Messiah King, judge the world without testimony or alert. The rest of the people in the world judge by testimony according to the Torah. The sages were known for those forms; they must warn the people of the world and provide healing to people and cure them. Happy are they in this world and happy are they in the next world.
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