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385) Happy are Israel, for the Creator has chosen them from among all peoples and gave them this Brit [covenant]. This is so because anyone who has this sign on him does not go down to Hell, if he has kept properly and did not admit it into a different authority—to menstruation, a handmaid, a gentile whore—and did not lie in the name of the King. Anyone who lies in His name, in the sign of the covenant, it is as though he lies in the name of the Creator, as it is written, “They have dealt treacherously against the Lord, for they have begotten strange children.”
386) When a person raises his son to admit him into this covenant, the Creator calls His company, the angels of above, and says, “See the value of the creation that I have made in the world.” At that time, Elijah comes and flies around the world four times.
387) Hence, a person must set up a special chair in Elijah’s honor and say, “This is the chair of Elijah.” If he does not say it, he is not there and he rises and testifies before the Creator.
388) In the beginning it writes, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And it is written, “I have been very jealous for the Lord … for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant.” The Creator said to Elijah, “Yet, where My sons inscribe this holy inscription in their flesh, you will be present. And the mouth that has testified that Israel have left the covenant will testify that Israel are keeping the covenant.” Elijah was punished by the Creator because he slandered against his sons, “For the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant.”
391) “When Praot [upheaval] unfold in Israel.” Why did Deborah and Barak begin their song with these words? It is because the world cannot exist without the covenant, as it is written, “If My covenant is not day and night, I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth.”
392) For this reason, as long as Israel keep this covenant, the ordinances of heaven and earth persist. And whenever Israel revoke this covenant, the covenant of heaven and earth does not persist and there are no blessings in the world.
393) Other nations rule over Israel only when they have annulled that covenant from themselves. And what did they annul from themselves? They circumcised but did not expose, and the flesh of holiness was not disclosed [in Hebrew, “expose” has the same root as “upheaval” and the words can be interchanged]. This is why it is written, “And the children of Israel abandoned the Lord.” And then, “And He gave them over into the hand of Sisera.”
Thus, the nations did not rule over them except after they revoked the covenant and actually left the Creator, since through the exposure, the letters of the name Koh appear, meaning the upper Mochin. This is why Priah [exposure] has the letters of Parah Koh [The Creator exposed].
And since they did not expose, the name Koh [Yod–Hey] did not appear over them. And it is written, “And they abandoned the Lord,” meaning that they actually abandoned the name Koh. Finally, Deborah came and offered herself willingly to the whole of Israel on that matter of disclosing the Mochin of Koh, which is exposing, and then their enemies surrendered to them.
394) The Creator said to Joshua, “But Israel are uncircumcised; they did not expose and the flesh of holiness was not disclosed and they are not keeping My covenant. And you wish to bring them into the land and subdue their enemies? Circumcise the children of Israel once more.” Thus, before they exposed and this covenant was disclosed, they did not enter the land and their enemies did not surrender.
Here, too, when Israel offered themselves willingly in the sign of this covenant, their enemies surrendered to them and the blessings returned to the world, as it is written, “When Praot [upheaval] unfold in Israel,” which is Priah [exposure], “When the people offer themselves willingly,” meaning when they volunteered to keep it, “Bless the Lord.” This is the reason why the singing of Deborah and Barak begins with this verse.
395) The Creator said to Moses, “Are you going to bring Israel out of Egypt and to subdue a great and ruling king while you yourself are avoiding a commandment, since your son was not circumcised?” Promptly, “And [the Creator] sought to kill him.”
396) Gabriel came down in a flame of fire to burn him, and a serpent, a seraph, was implied that it would swallow him into its midst. Why specifically a serpent? The Creator told him, “You are going to kill a great and strong serpent, the great monster that lies in the midst of its Niles—the king of Egypt—but your son is uncircumcised. Promptly, it was hinted to the serpent to kill Moses.
397) Finally, Zipporah saw and circumcised her son. It is written, “Then Zipporah took a flint.” A flint is healing. What is the healing? It is written, “And cut off her son’s foreskin,” since the spirit of holiness sparked within her, by which Moses would be saved from death.
398) “And Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Please come closer to me.’ And they came closer. And he said, ‘I am your brother Joseph.’” Why did he call them? After all, they were close to him. Yet, when he told them, “I am your brother Joseph, they were perplexed because they saw him in high kingship. Joseph told them, “I have earned this kingship because of the commandment of the circumcision. “‘Please come closer to me.’ And they came closer.” He showed them the sign of the circumcision and said, “This caused me this kingship, because I kept it.”
399) Thus, one who keeps the sign of the covenant, the kingship is kept for him. How do we know that? From Boaz, as it is written, “As the Lord lives; lie down until the morning,” since the inclination was deviating him until he swore this oath, “As the Lord lives,” and kept the covenant.” This is why he was rewarded with kings and rulers of kings and the Messiah King—who is called “the Creator”—coming out of him. Thus, one who keeps his covenant from defiling him, the kingship is kept for him.
400) David said, “Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; …In this, I am confident.” “In this” is the sign of the covenant, which is always present in a person and is implied above in Malchut, who is called “This.” This is why it was said, “In this,” as it is written, “This is the token of the covenant,” “This is My covenant,” and it is all one degree. “This” [in male form in Hebrew] and “This” [in female form in Hebrew] are in the same degree and they are not separated. The covenant, Yesod, is called “This.” However, Malchut is called “This” only when she is bonded with the covenant in one degree, as it is written, “This is My covenant,” and it is about that that David said, “In this I have confidence.”
401) Can the rest of the people in the world say, “In this I have confidence,” like David? Why did only David say it and none other? It is because this degree clings to David and is implied in him, since the name David implies to Malchut, and she is his crown of Malchut [kingship].
402) Because David did not properly keep this “This,” the kingship [Malchut] was taken away from him for as long as he was fighting with Absalom, his son. Also, we learn that this “This” is implied in the Malchut above, and is implied in Jerusalem, the city of holiness.
403) When David broke it, with the deed with Bat Sheba, a voice came out and said, “David, that to which you were tied, this ‘This,’ which is implied in Malchut and implied in Jerusalem, it has been permitted that you should be expelled from Jerusalem and for the kingship to be taken away from you.” It is written about it, “Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house,” his very home, the Nukva, who is called “This.” And the evil is that he will part from her. And so it was: Where he transgressed, there he was punished, since he did not keep that degree, the covenant, and hence was parted from it. And if this is so for King David, it is all the more so for the rest of the people in the world.
404) “Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have dwelt in silence.” What was Israel’s reward that they do not go down to Hell like the rest of the nations, who are idol worshippers, and were not given into the hands of Dumah, the minister of Hell? They were rewarded so by that token of the covenant.
405) When a person passes away from the world, several parcels of Klipot come to him to harm him. When they raise their eyes and see this sign, the holy covenant, they part from him and he is not given into the hands of Dumah, to go down to Hell, since anyone who is given into his hands certainly descends to Hell.
406) The upper ones and lower ones fear this sign, and harsh Dinim [judgments] do not govern a person if he is rewarded with keeping this sign, since by that he unites with the name of the Creator.
407) After King David did not keep this covenant and the kingship was taken away from him, and he was expelled from Jerusalem, he was afraid. He thought that he would be brought down immediately and would be given into the hands of Dumah, and he would die in the world of truth, meaning that he would not be granted the spiritual life. Finally, he was told, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.” At that time, he started and said, “Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have dwelt in silence,” for he would be given into the hands of Angel Dumah.
408) David said, “And show me both Him, and His habitation.” Who could see the Creator? At the time when he was sentenced to that punishment from Absalom, and David knew that he did not keep this token properly with the deed with Bat Sheba, he was punished by his kingship being taken away from him. This is so because everything is united as one, and everything is implied in this sign—the kingdom above and Jerusalem—and one who did not keep this sign properly is not considered righteous.
This is why he was praying his prayer and said, “And show me both Him, and His habitation.” “Him” is the sign of the holy covenant, since I fear losing the sign of the covenant, since both—Malchut and Jerusalem—grip to the sign of the covenant. And since he lost the kingship [Malchut] and was expelled from Jerusalem, he thought that he had also lost the sign of the covenant. This is why with his prayer, he connected Him and His habitation together, where Him is the sign of the covenant, and His habitation is the Malchut. He prayed for the return of Malchut, which is connected to his place by this sign, and it is all one issue.
410) “From my flesh shall I see God.” What is “From my flesh”? It should have said, “From myself.” However, it is indeed from my flesh, from Yesod, that “I shall see God.” And why is it written, “And the hallowed flesh is passed from you,” which is the holy covenant? It is written, “And My covenant shall be in your flesh,” meaning Yesod. This is so because whenever a person is inscribed in the holy inscription of this sign, meaning that the sign of the covenant is written in him to always keep him, he sees the Creator actually from within it, and the holy soul grips to him in the sign of the covenant.
411) And if he is not rewarded, since he did not keep this covenant, it is written about him, “By the breath of God they perish,” since the inscription of the Creator was not kept. And if he is rewarded and keeps it, Divinity never parts from him.
412) When is Divinity present in him? When he marries a woman. This token enters in its place, in Divinity, and they conjoin, the male and the female, who are the sign of the covenant and Divinity. And they are called by one name. And then there is high grace on them, on the male side, the grace in the name “God,” which comes and exits from the upper Hochma and is crowned in the male. Thus, through these Hassadim, the Nukva is mitigated.
413) In the name Elokah [God], the El is illumination of Hochma. Vav is the male and Hey is the female. The male and female conjoin, and they are called by one name, Elokah. Then the holy Neshama [soul] grips from that place and everything depends on that sign of the covenant.
414) This is why it is written, “From my flesh shall I see God,” for it is the completion of everything. From my very flesh, from the Yesod, from the actual sign of the covenant. This is why the holy Israel are happy, for they unite with the Creator. Happy are they in this world and in the next world. It is written about them, “And you that cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.”
422) “Happy is the man whom You choose and bring near, that he may dwell in Your courts; may we be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, the holy place of Your temple.” In the beginning, it writes, “Your courts,” afterwards, “Your house,” and after that, “Your temple.” This is within that, and one is above the other—the three degrees of Malchut from below upwards, one atop the other. In the beginning, it is “May dwell in Your courts,” NHY, which are outside the Guf [body], and are called “courts.” It is written about it, “And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem, shall be called ‘holy,’” since the primary part of NHY is Yesod, and Zion is the internality of Yesod, while Jerusalem is its externality, and both are called “courts.” After that comes “May we be satisfied with the goodness of Your house.” Once he is completed in the degree of the court, he is rewarded with the degree of house, as it is written, “In wisdom is a house built.”
423) It does not say, “The wisdom [Hochma] will build a house,” for if it did say so, it would mean that Hochma is called “a house.” Rather, it writes, “In wisdom is a house built,” which means that Malchut receives Hochma and then she is called “a house.” It is written about it, “And a river comes out of Eden to water the garden.” The river that comes out of Eden is Bina that returns to Hochma, and the garden is Malchut, and then she is called “a house.”
424) “The holy place of Your Temple” is once he has been completed in the degree of a house, the completeness of everything. Heichal [Temple] is Hey Kol [all/everything]. One who is rewarded with this degree wonders and says, “How was all this revealed?” Here, everything is completed together, and each thing finds its final perfection here.
425) The words, “Happy is the man whom You choose and bring near, that he may dwell in Your courts,” prove to us that anyone who offers his son as sacrifice before the Creator, meaning circumcises him, the Creator wants that offering. He wants it and brings him closer, and places him there—in the two rooms of Yesod, Zion and Jerusalem, and he grabs both of them because the two of them are connected as one. When it writes, “Your courts,” it is indeed two courts.
426) This is why when the first Hassidim offered their sons to this sacrifice of the circumcision, they started with saying, “Happy is the man whom You choose and bring near, that he may dwell in Your courts.” And those who stood with them said, “May we be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, the holy place of Your Temple.” Afterwards he blessed, “Who sanctified us with His Mitzvot [commandments] and commanded us to admit him into the covenant of Abraham our Father.” And those who stood with them said, “As You admitted him into the covenant.”
427) First, one must plead for mercy on himself, and then on his friend, as it is written, “And he atoned for him first,” and afterwards for the whole of the congregation of Israel. We took this path and it is good for us. Thus, first, the celebrator of the circumcision should say the verses of the pleas, and then those who stand with him say.
428) This is certainly so, and it is good to say, “Whom You choose and bring near.” One who does not say so excludes himself from ten Huppot [plural of Huppah (wedding canopy)], which the Creator is destined to make for the righteous in the next world, and they all tie to that verse. This is the reason why there are ten circumcisions of the faith in this verse, “Whom You choose and bring near,” and each word is made into one Huppah.
Happy are you in this world and in the next world because the Torah is tied to your hearts as if you stood at Mount Sinai in person when the Torah was given to Israel.
430) Anyone who offers his son as an offering of circumcision, it is as though he made all the offerings in the world before the Creator, and as though he built a whole altar before Him, as it is written, “An altar of earth you shall make unto Me.”
431) This is why an altar must be set up with a vessel filled with earth, on which to circumcise this holy covenant. This is considered by the Creator as though he slaughtered on it offerings and sacrifices, sheep and cattle.
432) The circumcision is favored by the Creator more than all the offerings, as it is written, “And you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned.” “I cause My name to be mentioned” is circumcision, as it is written, “The counsel of the Lord is for those who fear Him; and His covenant is to make them know it.”
433) “An altar of earth” is as it is written, “And if you make Me an altar of stone.” This is an intimation for a proselyte when he converts. When he is from a stiff-necked and hard-hearted people, it is called, “An altar of stone.”
434) “You shall not build it of cut stones.” The proselyte must be ushered into the work of the Creator and he will not circumcise him until he forgets the idol worship that he has been performing thus far, until it departs from his heart, and until the foreskin in his heart is removed.
435) And if he is circumcised but did not remove the hardness of the heart so as to be admitted into the holy work of the Creator, then he is like a stone statue—sculptured from this side and from that side, but the stone remains a stone as in the beginning. This is the reason why, “You shall not build it of cut stones,” for if he remains in his hardness, this circumcision that he was circumcised will not help him.
436) For this reason, happy is one who offers this sacrifice willingly and joyfully before the Creator, and one should delight in this part all day, as it is written, “So shall all those that take refuge in You rejoice, they shall ever shout for joy.”
437) “And when Abram was ninety year and nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram.” Did the Creator not appear to Abraham thus far? Moreover, it writes, “Ninety year and nine years old.” Why does it begin with “Year” and ends with “Years”?
438) For all those days thus far, it does not say, “The Lord appeared to Abram.” As long as he was uncircumcised and blocked, the Creator did not properly appear to him. Now He has properly appeared to him, as it is written, “Appeared,” since He wished to disclose this token of the covenant in him, which is the holy crown.
439) Also, the Creator wished to elicit holy seed out of him, and he could not be holy while he was uncircumcised. Thus, the Creator said, “Now that he is ninety-nine years old, the time is near for the holy seed to come out of him, for he is close to being one hundred years old. Let him be holy first; let him circumcise himself, and then holy seed will come out of him. This is why he counted his days with nine years, since he drew close to the time when he should beget in wholeness, and not at any of the times before.
440) It writes, “Ninety year,” and not “Years,” since all the days before he was circumcised were not years. They were considered as one year because his days were not days. Now that he has reached those years, to the ninety-nine years, so he will circumcise himself, they counted for him as years and it does not write “Year” in regards to them. Rather, it writes, “And nine years.”
441) “And said unto him, ‘I am God Almighty [Heb: El Shadai].’” What is the reason that thus far, the Creator did not tell him, I am God Almighty”? The Creator made Ketarim [crowns] below, which are not holy, and all those who were not circumcised will be defiled in them.
442) There are Reshimot [recollections] in the lower Ketarim, since only Shin and Dalet are visible in them, and not more. The Yod from the name Shadai [Almighty] is missing there, and this is why they are defiled in them and the lower Ketarim cling to them, compared to the ten Ketarim de Kedusha [crowns of holiness], since “God has made one opposite the other,” and the sorcerers and the demons suck their livelihood and all their strength from these bottom Ketarim.
After they are circumcised, they come out of these bottom Ketarim and enter the wings of Divinity, and the Yod, the holy Reshimo, appears in them, meaning the sign of the complete covenant. Then the name Shadai is inscribed in them and he is completed with complete existence. This is why it is written in relation to Abraham, “I am God Almighty,” which was not written so before he was instructed with the circumcision.
443) “Walk before Me, and be wholehearted.” “Wholehearted” means complete. Until now he was missing the Yod in the Reshimo of the Shin and Dalet. This is why the Creator told him, “Circumcise yourself and be whole in the Reshimo of the Yod, and the name Shadai will be whole in you.” And one who is whole in this Reshimo is worthy of being blessed in this name, as it is written, “And God Almighty will bless you.”
444) What is the name, “God Almighty”? It is the name from which the blessings come out. It is the one that rules over all the lower Ketarim, and everyone fears and trembles for the fear of him. For this reason, anyone who is circumcised, all those who are not holy depart from them and do not govern him. Moreover, he does not go down to Hell, as it is written, “Then all your people will be righteous, they shall inherit the land for ever.”
445) He said about Rashbi and his disciples: “Happy are you in this world and in the next world. You are all holy; you are all sons of the Holy God. It is written about you, ‘One shall say, ‘I am the Lord’s’; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob.’ Each of you is tied and connected to the High and Holy King, and you are appointed ministers with a shield from that land, called ‘the land of the living,’ the Nukva that clothes upper Ima, whose ministers eat from the MAN of the Holy dew.”
446) Happy are you, land, for your king is free. Land is the Nukva, who rose and clothed the Bina. She governs all of the life above, in Bina, and this is why she is called “the land of the living.” It is written about her, “A land which the Lord your God always cares for.” It is also written, “A land … without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything.” It is precisely, “In which you will not lack anything,” for she receives from a never-ending Zivug. “For your king is free” refers to the Creator, as it is written, “My son, My firstborn, Israel.”
When ZA rises and clothes upper AVI, and the Nukva rises and clothes YESHSUT, and they are Panim be Panim [face-to-face]. Then ZA is called “Israel,” as it is written, “My son, My firstborn, Israel,” and he is called “free.” Also, the Nukva is called “the land of the living,” as it is written, “In which you will not lack anything,” since ZA bestows upon her from the Zivug of AVI, which is incessant.
447) What is “free”? It is written, “For it is a jubilee [Yovel]; it shall be holy unto you.” Yovel means Bina. It is written, “And proclaim liberty throughout the land.” Thus, each freedom comes from Yovel, Bina. Because ZA has Mochin de Bina, he is called “free.” Why “free” and not “the son of free”?
The Mochin of illumination of Hochma are called “freedom.” This is so because these Mochin subdue all the Klipot and the Sitra Achra. Also, these Mochin de Hochma shine only from below upwards, which is VAK de GAR, and it is considered female light because any light that does not shine from above downwards is not male light. This is why the Mochin are called “freedom,” in female form, and not “Son of free,” who is in male form. But this is so indeed; it should be “son of freedom” because the Mochin are not imparted from above downwards.
448) Why does it say, “Son of free”? It is because when the Yod unites with the Hey, it is written, “A river comes out of Eden,” which is ZA, “To water the garden.” You must not say, “When they unite,” but rather, “unite,” certainly. This is why it is written, “Son of free,” since when they unite, it indicates that their Zivug stops and at times, they unite. And since this concerns upper AVI, whose Zivug does not stop, it cannot be said, “When they unite,” but rather, “Always unite.” Then when ZA receives these Mochin of upper AVI, which shine from above downwards, he is called “Son of free.”
When upper AVI are in Zivug with YESHSUT, they give them the Mochin of illumination of Hochma, and then AVI, too, are considered Mochin of freedom, although in themselves they are only covered Hassadim. This is so because they include the Mochin de YESHSUT. Additionally, they give from above downwards, hence, they are called, “holes,” in male form. This is why the writing says about ZA, “Happy are you, land, for your king is free, and whose princes eat in due time,” happily, in wholeness, and willingly.
449) It is written, “Woe unto you, a land whose king is a youth.” This land below is the Nukva in Beria, the wife of Matat. All the other lands of the rest of the idol-worshipping nations were given to ministers who are appointed over them. And the one atop them all is the one of whom it is written, “I have been a youth, and now am old.” This is the minister of the world, Matat, who is called “a youth.” It is written about him, “Woe unto you, a land whose king is a youth.” Woe unto the world, who nurses from the side of Matat. When Israel are in exile, they nurse from him as one who nurses from a foreign authority, since Israel should nurse from the Creator, not from him.
450) “And your princes eat in the morning,” not on the rest of the hours in the day. When the sun shines and the people of the world bow to the sun, there is anger in the world. Also, during the midday prayer there is anger in the world, and that is the time of Din [judgment]. Who caused it? It is because your king is a youth, meaning Matat, who is called “a youth.”
451) And you, the true, holy, high righteous, sons of the holy King, are not nursed from that side of Matat, but from that holy place above, from Nukva de ZA, who is called “the land of the living.” It is written about you, “And you that cleave unto the Lord your God are alive everyone of you this day.”
452) “I shall sing to my well-beloved, a song of my beloved to his vineyard.” It writes, “singing,” but it should have written “admonition,” since admonition is for Israel. It writes, “To my well-beloved”; it should have written, “To my beloved,” as it is written, “A song of my beloved to his vineyard.” It also writes, “My well-beloved had a vineyard at the horn of Ben-Shemen.” However, in the whole Torah, there is no such place called Ben-Shemen.
453) “I shall sing to my well-beloved” is Isaac, who was well-beloved. He was called “well-beloved” before he came out to the world. It is said about him, “Who sanctified a well-beloved one from the womb.”
454) Why is Isaac called “well-beloved”? It is because the Creator had great love for Isaac, for he was not made until Abraham the patriarch was circumcised and was called “wholehearted,” for then he was told, “And be wholehearted,” and the Hey was added to complement his name. This Hey was given to Sarah, too, for he was called Abraham, and she—Sarah.
455) It is appropriate that the Hey was given to Sarah, but why was a Hey given to Abraham and not a Yod? After all, a Yod should have been added to his name because he is a male, and the Yod belongs to the discernment of a male, while the Hey belongs to the female. However, this is a high and secret thing: Abraham rose up and took a secret from the first Hey, Bina, the male world. This is so because in the first Hey and the bottom Hey in the name HaVaYaH, the first Hey depends on the male and the bottom Hey depends on the female. The Hey that Abraham took is the first Hey, which is male, Bina.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are three lines that extend from the three points, Holam, Shuruk, and Hirik. ZON is the middle line, the point of Hirik, and in the two lines—right and left—meaning Holam and Shuruk, ZON have nothing in them, since they are MI ELEH in the name Elokim in Bina. However, since three come out of one, meaning that the three lines of Bina came out through Masach de Hirik of ZON, one is rewarded with all three of them, and ZON, too, were rewarded with the two lines—right and left of Bina. And along with the middle line that is within them, they are three lines, since the lower one is rewarded with the full amount that it causes to illuminate in the upper one, as well.
When it writes that he is called “well-beloved” before he came out to the world, it is because well-beloved is the left line, where there is the love of lovers. And all the souls extend from ZON, who are called “world.” Thus, it is perplexing, since there is no existence to the left line in the world, which is ZON, except in Bina. Hence, Isaac extends from Bina before he came out to the world to ZON. And even when he has come out of ZON, his birth is still not from Bina, where there is existence of the left line. Rather, he comes out through ZON by transference, since because the souls are a lower degree than ZON, they must go through ZON, although their root is from Bina.
And why is Isaac called “well-beloved”? It is because he came out of ZON and was born to Abraham. Yet, how is it possible that Isaac would extend from the left line, which is called “well-beloved,” when ZON and Abraham are from the Masach de Hirik, which is the middle line? The Creator had great love for Isaac, as he was not made until Abraham the patriarch was circumcised and the Hey was added to his name as a complementation, for the Hey that was added to his name is Bina. It indicates that Abraham rose to Bina and took the Bina herself. And there, while still in Bina, he begot Isaac, since there he clothed the right line of Bina, Holam, and begot Isaac in the left line of Bina, Shuruk. This is why Isaac came out as well-beloved, left line of Bina, above ZON.
456) “So shall your seed be,” meaning your actual seed, that is, Koh, Malchut, will actually be his seed. This is so because he began to enter this covenant, and anyone who begins to enter, enters this covenant, Malchut, which is called Koh. And this is why a proselyte who is circumcised is called “a proselyte of justice [Tzedek],” since he does not come from a holy seed that was circumcised, he begins to enter the covenant, and anyone who begins, enters Malchut. Thus, one who enters Malchut, who is called Tzedek [justice], is called “a proselyte of Tzedek.”
457) This is why it is written about Abraham, “So shall your seed be,” which means “Your seed,” literally, since Koh, the lower Hey, meaning Malchut, will actually be your seed. And he explains how Malchut became a seed to him. He says, “The two letters Hey—Bina and Malchut—conjoined.” This means that once Abraham rose to the first Hey, the bottom Hey, Malchut, rose to him and the two of them conjoined and bore two lines above, in Bina, MI ELEH. In the beginning, ELEH fell to Bina through the ascent of Malchut to Bina, and remained in the two letters, MI de Elokim. This is considered the entrance of the Yod into the light of Bina, and the making of the Ohr [light] into Avir [air]. This is the point of Holam.
Afterwards, Malchut descended from Bina to her place and ELEH returned to Bina and became a left line, the Shuruk. What comes out of them during the birth of the left line is Yod, the Yod that comes out of the Avir of Bina, and the return of Bina to being light of GAR. This is the reason why the first letter of the name Isaac is Yod, male, since it is from the letter Yod that the male begins to expand. Also, male is Mochin de GAR, which spread through the exit of the Yod from the Avir.
This is why it is written, “For in Isaac shall a seed be called unto you,” precisely in Isaac, who is the left line—ELEH that returned to Bina. Also, the Yod went out of Avir and the Bina returned to being light of GAR. It does not say, “In you,” for there is no completeness in Abraham himself, for he is MI de Elokim, who was diminished due to the ascent of the bottom Hey to the first Hey, and became VAK. But during the birth of the left line, which is Isaac, Abraham, too, returned to being GAR. This is why the text makes the precision that precisely “In Isaac shall a seed be called unto you,” and through him, you will obtain wholeness, and not in you, for in you, yourself, there is no GAR without Isaac.
Isaac begot. It is written, “You will give truth to Jacob.” Jacob complemented everything, although Jacob is the middle line, ZA, and thus did not need to be born above, in the place of Bina, like Isaac. However, since Jacob complemented everything—for without the middle line the two lines in Bina would not be able to shine—Isaac bore Jacob above, in Bina’s place, and Jacob became Daat there, determining between Hochma and Bina, which are Abraham and Isaac.
458) Can it be that Abraham is included in the left line of Isaac? After all, it is written, “Mercy [Hesed] to Abraham,” which means that he was gripped to the right. However, his part is Hesed because he was merciful with the people of the world. However, to beget, he was included in the left line, and from here he begins. This is so because there is begetting only from illumination of Hochma, which is obtained through integration of right and left, as it is written, “For in Isaac shall a seed be called unto you,” and not in you.
A hundred years are ten Sefirot, in each of which are ten. In the Kelim of the ten Sefirot, the upper ones grow first—beginning with Keter and ending in Malchut. Thus, the correction of the 100th year, Malchut de Malchut, is very hard. This is why Abraham was circumcised in the 99th year, so he could correct the 100th year.
459) And this is the reason why Isaac—who is harsh Din, left line, who was concealed due to the absence of Levush [clothing] of Hassadim—went out to complement his part and to beget the middle line, Jacob. He is called Hesed because he extended the level of Hassadim on the Masach de Hirik, the middle line, which is called Jacob, who increased the Hassadim, and then the right and left were mingled in one another. This is why Jacob complemented everything from the right side and from the left side—since the parts of Abraham and Isaac were mingled above through Jacob, the middle line, by which the Hassadim on the right were completed. This is the first completion of Jacob. The second completion of Jacob is that it was made possible for them to beget from below upwards.
In other words, the Hochma on the left was complemented through the clothing of Hassadim on the right, and then the Hochma shines from below upwards and he becomes worthy of begetting. All this was complemented through Jacob, and this is Jacob’s second completion. Thus, Jacob complemented from the right and from the left. This is why it is written, “Israel, in whom I will be glorified,” since in him, in Israel, the colors, meaning lights were complemented from above and from below.
460) This is why it is written, “I shall sing to my well-beloved,” singing indeed, to remind my well-beloved. This indicates to the birth of a male, who is Isaac, the Mochin of the left line from Bina, the male world. This is so because Isaac was called “well-beloved” even before he came out to the world, before he came out through ZON, which are called “world,” while he was still a left line in Bina. And this is why he is a male, like Bina, which is why it writes here, “I shall sing,” since there is singing in a male, who is GAR.
461) Some say, “I shall sing to my well-beloved” is Abraham, as is written, “What has My beloved to do in My house,” who is Abraham. Similarly, here “My well-beloved” is Abraham. Abraham inherited an inheritance—a glebe of a field, which is the Malchut, which is called “vineyard” here. It says about her, “A song of my beloved for His vineyard.”
462) “A song of my beloved for His vineyard.” “My beloved is the Creator,” as it is written, “My beloved is white and red.” When “My well-beloved” is gripped to “My beloved,” he is a male. “My beloved” is ZA. He grips to my well-beloved, the left line of Bina when ZA serves as a middle line there. And then ZA has these Mochin of Bina, male. And from him, with the illumination of the left of Bina, he planted a vineyard—the Malchut and Nukva de ZA, as it is written, “My well-beloved had a vineyard,” for she is built of the left of Bina.
463) “At the horn of Ben-Shemen” is as it is written, “With horn of the Yovel,” meaning Malchut that is mitigated in Bina. This is so because the horn is Malchut and the Yovel [jubilee] is Bina. This horn here united with this male, who is called Ben-Shemen, Bina. The exit and planting of the vineyard, Malchut, were done only because of her ascent to Bina, to the male, as it is written, “And he dug it, and cleared it of stones.”
464) Ben-Shemen [son of oil] is like Ben-Horin [son of free], Bina. And both of them—Ben-Shemen and Yovel—are Bina. It is called Shemen [oil] because oil and Gadlut extend from there, from Bina, to light the candles, until this horn, Malchut, takes them and collects them. It is also called, “the horn of the Yovel,” and for this reason, the kingship of the house of David was anointed, since he was anointed with a horn and was united in it.
465) How was the vineyard born and came out of the horn of Ben-Shemen through her ascent to Bina? It says, “And he dug it,” meaning he restricted it and fenced it all around like a ring that surrounds from all sides. “Digging” is a ring [In Aramaic, Azka means “digging,” as well as a “ring”], and the writing brings the correction of the vineyard from its Katnut to its Gadlut, which is done due to its ascent to Bina.
First, when Malchut rose to Bina, it is considered that the Yod entered the light of Bina and became Avir. Then Bina was diminished into VAK since at that time, ELEH fell from her to ZON and she remained in MI. Then ZON, too, were diminished into VAK. It is about that that the writing says, “And he dug it,” meaning surrounded it from all sides, diminishing it into VAK because of the Yod that entered the light of Bina and made the Avir, the level of Ruach, meaning VAK.
“And cleared it of stones” means that he removed from the vineyard and from his lot all those big ones and all those ministers, and all the lower Ketarim. Through the ascent of Malchut to Bina, she was diminished into VAK without a Rosh, and the Emanator removed from Malchut all the great forces of the Sitra Achra that were attached to Malchut. This is so because after she was diminished into VAK, they have nothing to suck from her, and then he, Bina, takes the vineyard into his lot, meaning that she clung to Bina and became a part of the Bina, as it is written, “For the portion of the Lord is His people, Jacob the lot of His inheritance.” This is so because since Malchut became a part of Bina, Israel became a part of Bina, too, since they are attached to her.
466) “And [He] planted it with the choicest vine,” as it is written, “Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a seed of truth.” It writes, “Wholly” with a Hey, like any Hey, which is Malchut. This is so because by Bina lowering the Yod from the Avir once more, and bringing ELEH back to her, the left line, Shuruk, came out, meaning the light of Hochma without Hassadim, and Bina imparted these Mochin to the Malchut. At that time, every Hey is a seed of truth because the light of Hochma that illuminates the Bina to the vineyard is called “truth.”
From that state, from the light of Shuruk, Abraham began to beget Isaac above, since he is considered that Shuruk. And out of that came the seed of truth, since illumination of Hochma is called “truth,” as it is written, “So shall your seed be,” since when this left line shines in Malchut, Malchut is called Koh. It is all one thing: Shuruk, seed of truth, the birth of Isaac, “So shall your seed be.” They are all one thing—the illumination of the left line from Bina.
Happy are Israel, for they inherit this great inheritance, since these Mochin are called inheritance because they are from above ZON, and ZON receive them from AVI by inheritance. Israel, too, like a son who inherits from his father and is rewarded with it even though it is not the deed of his own hands, ZON is rewarded with Mochin de Bina, although for themselves, they have nothing of him. And so are Israel from ZON.
467) “And [He] built a tower in the midst of it.” What is a tower? It is written, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is set up on high.” The righteous runs indeed, since with respect to the illumination of Shuruk, Malchut cannot exist because she is Hochma without Hassadim, and the construction of the tower means clothing of Hochma in Hassadim, at which time “The righteous runs into it, and is set up on high,” and not before.
468) “And also hewed out a wine vat in it.” This is the gate of Tzedek, as it is written, “Open to me the gates of justice.” The level of Hassadim and middle line extends on the Masach de Hirik. Without it, the Hochma would not shine. This is the reason why there is integration of Hochma in these Hassadim. What is the meaning of “Open to me the gates of justice”? Anyone from Israel who is circumcised enters through both of them and is rewarded with both of them—the tower and the wine vat. The tower is integration of Hochma in Hassadim; the wine vat is integration of Hassadim in Hochma. This is why David asked, “Open to me the gates of justice,” to be rewarded with both.
469) One who offers his son as a sacrifice of circumcision admits him into the holy Name. It is upon this sign that the heaven and earth exist, as it is written, “If My covenant is not day and night, I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth.” That celebrator is rewarded with everything, and he is rewarded with seeing the Creator face-to-face on that day.
470) Happy are we for we have been rewarded with this day, and happy are you with us. This son that is born to you, I call upon him as it is written, “Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him,” and also, “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord.”
475) It is not for me that I regret, but that He punished them with the exile in Babylon.
Rabbi Shimon said, “Indeed, they were not punished. It is only that since the secrets have been revealed among them so much, they were sentenced to exile among the friends in Babel and to learn their ways, and the secrets will be covered among them. This is so because the secrets will be revealed only among us, for the Creator concurred with us and the matters will be revealed through us.”
476) The Creator is destined to declare His sons, as it is written, “Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily.”
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