Whereas the inner and nail-less side of the fingers symbolizes the Inner Countenance which is hidden. This symbolical action is based on the verse, “and thou shalt see my back; but my face shall not be seen” (Ex. 33, 23). “My back” is represented by the outer and nail-part of the fingers which, when we say the blessing over the light, must be placed so as to catch that light; “but My face shall not be seen”, and hence the inner side of the fingers symbolizing the Inner Countenance, need not face the light to be illumined by it, as their illumination emanates from no other source but the Supernal Lamp in the height of heights, which is utterly concealed and undisclosed.
The outer and nail parts of the fingers must therefore be shown to the light, but the inner parts not. They are hidden and illumined from the hidden; innermost and illumined from the innermost; exalted and illumined from the highest. Happy is Israel in this world and in the world to come.
It behoves us at the conclusion of the Sabbath to inhale the sweet odour of aromatic spices in order to fortify ourselves against the departure of the super-spirit, as by this departure a man’s own soul is left forlorn and naked, as it were.
In this regard it is written, “and he smelled the smell of his raiment” (Gen. 27, 27). This passage has already been expounded in a way. But observe further that the sweet smell provides sustenance for the soul, it being a substance which enters the soul but is too tenuous for absorption by the body. Now, the raiment here mentioned has been expounded as alluding to the garments of Adam the first man, those in which the Holy One arrayed him when He placed him in the Garden of Eden.
When Adam sinned, however, he was stripped of these precious garments and was clothed in others instead. The original garments with which Adam was arrayed in the Garden of Eden were of the same kind as those in which the legions, called “hind-parts” (ahorayim), are arrayed, and bear the name of “nail-raiment”.
And so long as Adam remained in the Garden of Eden all those legions encompassed and guarded him so that no evil could come near him. But after he sinned he was stripped of those garments and clothed in profane garments, made out of vicious stuff and evil spirits, and the holy legions departed from him; and there was only left on him of the original covering the fingernails. These, however, have also an outer edge of impurity.
For this reason we should not allow those nails with their impurity to grow; for as they keep growing so do the man’s accusers multiply, and so does he himself sink every day into deeper melancholy. It behoves us, then, to cut them off, nor must we throw the cuttings away in a place where people pass, lest harm come to them. Now, all this is on the celestial pattern; for there also the “hinder” region is surrounded by the “other side”.
Later on, the Holy One made for Adam other garments out of the leaves of the terrestrial Garden of Eden. Now, those original garments, which were an emanation of the celestial Garden of Eden, emitted the sweet fragrances and aromas of the kind which calm and soothe the soul and make it happy. Isaac thus “smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him”, as that fragrance calmed and soothed his soul and spirit.
וְרָזָא דָּא, טוּפְרֵי דַּאֲחוֹרֵי אֶצְבְּעָאן. וְאֶצְבְּעָאן לְחוֹדַיְיהוּ לְגוֹ. טוּפְרֵי דַּאֲחוֹרֵי אֶצְבְּעָאן, אִינּוּן אַנְפִּין אַחֲרָנִין, דְּאִצְטְרִיכוּ לְאַנְהָרָא מִגּוֹ הַהוּא שְׁרָגָא, וְאִינּוּן אַנְפִּין דְּאִקְרוּן אֲחוֹרַיִים. אֶצְבְּעָאן לְגוֹ בְּלָא טוּפְרִין, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן אַנְפִּין פְּנִימָאִן אִתְכַּסְיָין. וְרָזָא דָּא, (שמות ל״ג:כ״ג) וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחוֹרָי. אִלֵּין אֲחוֹרֵי, (בראשית ר"א ע"א) אֶצְבְּעָאן, לַאֲחוֹרָא בְּטוּפְרֵיהוֹן. וּפָנַי לֹא יֵרָאוּ, אִלֵּין אֶצְבְּעָאן לְגוֹ, בְּלָא טוּפְרִין, דְּאִינּוּן אַנְפִּין פְּנִימָאִין.
Whereas the inner and nail-less side of the fingers symbolizes the Inner Countenance which is hidden. This symbolical action is based on the verse, “and thou shalt see my back; but my face shall not be seen” (Ex. 33, 23). “My back” is represented by the outer and nail-part of the fingers which, when we say the blessing over the light, must be placed so as to catch that light; “but My face shall not be seen”, and hence the inner side of the fingers symbolizing the Inner Countenance, need not face the light to be illumined by it, as their illumination emanates from no other source but the Supernal Lamp in the height of heights, which is utterly concealed and undisclosed.
וְכַד מְבָרְכֵינָן עַל שְׁרָגָא, בָּעֵי לְאַחֲזָאָה אֲחוֹרֵי אֶצְבְּעָאן בְּטוּפְרִין, לְאִתְנָהֲרָא מִגּוֹ הַהוּא שְׁרָגָא, וּפְנִימָאֵי דְּאֶצְבְּעָאן, לָא אִצְטְרִיכוּ לְאַכְפַּיָּא (נ"א לאחזאה) לוֹן לְאִתְנָהֲרָא מִגּוֹ הַהוּא שְׁרָגָא, דְּהָא אִינּוּן לָא נַהֲרִין, אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ שְׁרָגָא עִלָּאָה דִּלְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא, דְּאִיהִי טְמִירָא וּגְנִיזָא דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא כְּלַל. וְאִינּוּן לָא נַהֲרִין מִגּוֹ שְׁרָגָא דְּאִתְגַּלְיָא כְּלַל, בְּגִין כַּךְ בָּעֵי לְאַחֲזָאָה אֲחוֹרֵי אֶצְבְּעָאן בְּטוּפְרִין. וּפְנִימָאֵי דְּאֶצְבְּעָאן, לָא בָּעֵי לְאַחֲזָאָה קַמֵּי הַאי שְׁרָגָא. טְמִירִין אִינּוּן, וּבִטְמִירוּ אִתְנָהֲרִין. פְּנִימָאִין אִינּוּן, וּמִפְּנִימָאָה אִתְנָהֲרָן. עִלָּאִין אִינּוּן, וּמְעִלָּאָה אִתְנָהֲרָן. זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
The outer and nail parts of the fingers must therefore be shown to the light, but the inner parts not. They are hidden and illumined from the hidden; innermost and illumined from the innermost; exalted and illumined from the highest. Happy is Israel in this world and in the world to come.
וּבָעֵי לְאָרְחָא בְּבוּסְמִין, כַּד נָפִיק שַׁבְּתָא, עַל דְּאִסְתַּלָּק הַהוּא רוּחָא, וְנַפְשָׁא דְּבַר נָשׁ אִשְׁתְּאָרַת בְּעַרְטוּלָא, (ס"א אשתנית בקרטופא) בְּגִין הַהוּא סְלִיקוּ, דְּאִסְתַּלָּק רוּחָא מִנֵּיהּ וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.
It behoves us at the conclusion of the Sabbath to inhale the sweet odour of aromatic spices in order to fortify ourselves against the departure of the super-spirit, as by this departure a man’s own soul is left forlorn and naked, as it were.
כְּתִיב (בראשית כ״ז:כ״ז) וַיָּרַח אֶת רֵיחַ בְּגָדָיו וַיְבָרֲכֵהוּ וְגוֹ'. הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמַר, אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, רֵיחָא אִיהוּ קִיוּמָא דְּנַפְשָׁא, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מִלָּה דְּאָעִיל לְנַפְשָׁא, וְלָא לְגוּפָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב וַיָּרַח אֶת רֵיחַ בְּגָדָיו, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, אִינּוּן לְבוּשֵׁי דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה הֲווֹ, דְּיָהַב לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַלְבָּשָׁא לוֹן.
In this regard it is written, “and he smelled the smell of his raiment” (Gen. 27, 27). This passage has already been expounded in a way. But observe further that the sweet smell provides sustenance for the soul, it being a substance which enters the soul but is too tenuous for absorption by the body. Now, the raiment here mentioned has been expounded as alluding to the garments of Adam the first man, those in which the Holy One arrayed him when He placed him in the Garden of Eden.
בְּגִין דְּהָא כַּד חָב אָדָם, אִתְעָדֵי מִנִּיהּ הַהוּא לְבוּשָׁא יַקִּירָא, דְּאִתְלָבַּשׁ בֵּיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, כַּד אָעִיל לֵיהּ בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן. וּלְבָתַר דְּחַב, אַלְבִּישׁ לֵיהּ בִּלְבוּשָׁא אַחֲרָא, לְבוּשָׁא קַדְמָאָה, דְּאִתְלָבַּשׁ בֵּיהּ אָדָם בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, אִיהוּ הֲוָה (מאינון מלבושין) מֵאִינּוּן רְתִיכִין, דְּאִקְרוּן אֲחוֹרַיִים, וְאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין דְּאִקְרוּן לְבוּשֵׁי טוּפְרָא.
When Adam sinned, however, he was stripped of these precious garments and was clothed in others instead. The original garments with which Adam was arrayed in the Garden of Eden were of the same kind as those in which the legions, called “hind-parts” (ahorayim), are arrayed, and bear the name of “nail-raiment”.
וְכַד הֲוָה בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, כָּל אִינּוּן רְתִיכִין, וְכָל אִינּוּן מַשִׁרְיָין קַדִּישִׁין, כֻּלְּהוּ סָחֲרִין לֵיהּ לְאָדָם, וְאִתְנְטִיר מִכֹּלָּא, וְלָא הֲוָה יָכִיל מִלָּה בִּישָׁא לְאִתְקָרְבָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּחַב, וְאִתְעַדוּ מִנֵּיהּ אִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין, (ס"א ואתלבש בלבושין דחול ממלין כו') דָּחִיל מִמִּלִּין בִּישִׁין, וְרוּחִין בִּישִׁין, וְאִסְתָּלָּקוּ מִנֵּיהּ אִינּוּן מַשִׁרְיָין קַדִּישִׁין, וְלָא אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ בֵּיהּ, אֶלָּא אִינּוּן רָאשֵׁי טוּפְרֵי דְּאֶצְבְּעָאן, דְּסַחֲרִין לוֹן לְטוּפְרִין סָחְרָנוּ דְּזוּהֲמָא אַחֲרָא.
And so long as Adam remained in the Garden of Eden all those legions encompassed and guarded him so that no evil could come near him. But after he sinned he was stripped of those garments and clothed in profane garments, made out of vicious stuff and evil spirits, and the holy legions departed from him; and there was only left on him of the original covering the fingernails. These, however, have also an outer edge of impurity.
וּבְגִין כַּךְ, לָא לִיבְעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְרַבָּאָה אִינּוּן טוּפְרִין דְּזוּהֲמָא, דְּהָא כְּמָה דְּאַסְגִּיאוּ, הָכִי נָמֵי אַסְגֵּי עֲלֵיהּ קִסְטוּרָא, וְיִדְאַג בְכָל יוֹמָא, וּבָעֵי לְסַפְּרָא לוֹן, וְלָא יִרְמֵי לוֹן, דְּלָא יַעְבִיד קְלָנָא בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר, דְּיָכִיל הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ לְאַתְּזְקָא. וְכֹלָּא כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה. דְּהָא לְכֻלְּהוּ אֲחוֹרַיִים, סַחֲרָא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ בַּאֲתָר דְּעָלְמָא.
For this reason we should not allow those nails with their impurity to grow; for as they keep growing so do the man’s accusers multiply, and so does he himself sink every day into deeper melancholy. It behoves us, then, to cut them off, nor must we throw the cuttings away in a place where people pass, lest harm come to them. Now, all this is on the celestial pattern; for there also the “hinder” region is surrounded by the “other side”.
לְבָתַר עֲבַד לֵיהּ לְאָדָם, לְבוּשִׁין אַחֲרָנִין, מִטַּרְפֵּי אִילָנִין דְּגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן דְּאַרְעָא. דְּהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא הֲווֹ אִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין, מֵאִינּוּן אֲחוֹרַיִים דְּגִנְתָּא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְהַשְׁתָּא מִגִּנְתָּא דְּאַרְעָא, וְנַפְקֵי מִגִּנְתָּא. וְאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין הֲווֹ סַלְּקִין רֵיחִין וּבוּסְמִין דְּגִּנְתָּא, דְּנַפְשָׁא מִתְיַישְּׁבָא בְּהוּ, וְחַדֵּי בְּהוּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיָּרַח אֶת רֵיחַ בְּגָדָיו וַיְבָרַכֵהוּ, דְּהָא אִתְיַישְׁבָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ וְרוּחֵיהּ דְּיִצְחָק בְּהַהוּא רֵיחָא.
Later on, the Holy One made for Adam other garments out of the leaves of the terrestrial Garden of Eden. Now, those original garments, which were an emanation of the celestial Garden of Eden, emitted the sweet fragrances and aromas of the kind which calm and soothe the soul and make it happy. Isaac thus “smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him”, as that fragrance calmed and soothed his soul and spirit.