The fingernails

268. This is the secret meaning of the fingernails at the back of the fingers, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE LUMINARIES OF FIRE, and the fingers themselves on the inside OF THE HAND, THE SECRET OF THE LUMINARIES OF LIGHT. HE EXPLAINS THAT the fingernails at the back of the fingers are considered 'outer (Heb. acherim) countenance', that need to shine from within the candle, MALCHUT, which face is named "achoraim (lit. 'hind-parts')." The fingers inside THE HAND, without the nails, are the 'inner (Heb. pnimiyim) countenance' that is covered, BECAUSE THERE IS NO SIGHT, CHOCHMAH, IN THEM. This is the secret of the verse, "and you shall see My back (Heb. achorai)" (Shemot 33:23). For 'My back' ALLUDES TO the nails at the back of the fingers. "but My face (Heb. panai) shall not be seen" (Ibid.) refers to the fingers on the inside OF THE HAND, the part without nails, the 'inner countenance'.

269. When we say the blessing over the candle, we should expose the nails at the back of the fingers, WHICH ALLUDES TO THE FOUR CHARIOTS, to be illumined by that candle, WHICH REFERS TO MALCHUT. But the inner side of the fingers must not be exposed to the light of the candle to shine by it, MALCHUT, because they do not shine save by the supernal, most high candle, CHOCHMAH OF ZEIR ANPIN, which is covered and concealed, AND ITS CHOCHMAH is not revealed at all. They do not shine from the uncovered candle, MALCHUT IN WHICH CHOCHMAH IS REVEALED. Therefore the nails at the back of the fingers should be exposed, TO DRAW CHOCHMAH FROM THAT CANDLE, MALCHUT. But the inner side of the fingers must not be seen by that candle, because it is hidden and shines secretly, AND DOES NOT RECEIVE CHOCHMAH FROM THAT CANDLE. For it pertains to the inner part and shines from the inner side, it is supernal and therefore illumines from the supernal luminaries. Happy are Yisrael in this world and in the World to Come.

270. It behooves us at the end of Shabbat to smell spices, because that Ruach leaves MAN, THE ADDITIONAL SOUL OF SHABBAT, and the Nefesh of man is left naked, because the Ruach left it. We already expounded on the subject.

271. It is written: "and he smelt the smell of his garments" (Beresheet 27:27). This was already explained, and we learned it. But come and see, the smell is sustenance to the Nefesh, because it enters the Nefesh and not the body. Come and see, the verse "and he smelt the smell of his garments," refers, as explained, to the garments of Adam, that were given to him by the Holy One, blessed be He, to wear.

272. When Adam sinned, that precious garment he received when the Holy One, blessed be He, placed him in the Garden of Eden, was stripped from him, and he was given another garment. The original garment he put on first in the Garden of Eden was of the Chariots that are called hind-parts, which are the garments by the name garments of nails.

273. When Adam was in the Garden of Eden, all those Chariots and holy legions surrounded him, and thus he was completely protected, and nothing evil could approach him. Once he sinned and those nail-garments were stripped of him, he started to fear evil things and evil spirits, and the holy legions THAT SURROUNDED AND PROTECTED HIM left. From those garments nothing remained but the nails at the tip of the fingers, surrounded by the filth of the Other SIDE.

274. For that reason we must not grow our fingernails, for there is filth in them, and as they grow, so grows in relation to it the power of Judgment, FROM THE POWER OF THE KLIPOT THAT NOURISHES FROM THE PART OF THE NAILS THAT OUTGROWS THE FLESH. One should see to it daily, to cut the nails, but not throw them, so as not to show contempt for the place, FOR THEY EMANATE FROM A HIGH PLACE AS MENTIONED, because a man might be harmed by it. All that follows a higher pattern, because the Other Side is around all THE hinder VESSELS ABOVE. IN THE SAME MANNER, THE NAILS ARE SURROUNDED BY FILTH, BECAUSE THEY EMANATE FROM THE BACK, AS MENTIONED. And they should not exist in the place of the world, NAMELY IN INHABITED PLACES.