There Are Capturing Fortresses

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287) In the upper secrets, meaning upper lights, there are capturing fortresses, meaning the Dinim in the left line. The lights ascend and descend. The fortresses are in their posts. The lights, the turning wheels, are present since the time when the dust was gathering, and they circle the world in a circle.

HG TM de ZA are called “the four legs of the chair,” Bina, and with respect to the Merkava [chariot/structure] they are called “four wheels”—three lines and Malchut who receives them. They are called “turning wheels” because they illuminate as they roll and travel. They were completed on the third day of the work of creation, when Malchut was established from what she was, prior to the arrival of the middle line, as dry and crumbled dust, in the Dalet of the EhaD [“one,” a special word in the Shema prayer]. The dust gathered and became a fruit-bearing land by having received from the middle line, and then the four wheels were completed.

This is why it was said that they are present since the time when the dust gathered, from the time it is written, “Let the earth put forth grass.” They illuminate the Malchut through their circling, which is called “world,” Nukva de ZA. Also, those wheels circle the world in a circle because they do not illuminate to the world, Nukva de ZA, except by circling, and this is why it is considered that they are circling the world.

288) In the circling that they circle the deserts, the domination of absorption of Hochma within them, there is a wheel among them that is turning and not turning. It stands in 12,000 worlds; it is among the wheels; it rises and journeys among them.

The world divides into the settled and the deserts. The right line is ascribed to the settled; the left line is ascribed to the deserts. The circle that the deserts circle is the left line, the domination of absorption, meaning obtainment of Hochma within them, since the Hochma is extended by the circles of the left line.

The fourth wheel, Malchut, is not considered a specific line, but rather receives from the three lines. There are three lines in it, as well, and it turns and does not turn because with respect to the three lines that it receives, it is considered turning. But in itself, there is no turning in it, hence it is regarded as not turning.

It stands in 12,000 worlds because the three lines in it illuminate in HG TM in it, and three times four is 12. Since the illumination of Hochma in them is called “thousands,” they are 12,000 worlds, on which the fourth wheel stands. And because it is between three lines, it ascends and travels within them, and its turning comes to it because it is found in the three lines in which it travels. But with respect to its being 12,000 worlds and not 16,000, it is regarded as not turning, since her own Behina [essence/discernment] is missing, as even in Malchut there are no more than three lines, without the Behina of Malchut.

289) A pillar stands under the fourth wheel, pinned through the great deep. In the great deep, stones are rolling, rising, and falling within the deeps. That pillar stands atop them, journeying and not journeying, pinned from above downward. 220 other wheels surround that pillar.

The great deep is Malchut that is mitigated in Bina. The pinned down pillar is Yesod de ZA. Under the fourth wheel—Malchut from Chazeh de ZA and above—meaning from Chazeh de ZA and below, “A pillar stands,” Yesod de ZA, “Pinned through the great deep,” meaning the mitigated Malchut.

“In the great deep, stones are rolling,” meaning Masachim, “Within the deeps,” within the Malchuts. “Rising” means that the Masachim raise Ohr Hozer, and “Falling” means that Ohr Yashar comes down, as is the case with the Zivug of the upper light on the Masach in the Kli of Malchut. “That pillar stands atop them,” meaning that the upper light extends to these stones through the Yesod.

Yesod receives all the Behinot in Partzuf ZA, and it, itself, is the middle line from Chazeh de ZA and below. Accordingly, it, too, is considered among the three traveling lines. On the one hand, it is regarded as traveling, as it is the middle line, and it also receives HG TM of above. Hence, it travels like them. On the other hand, it is regarded as not traveling because there is no journeying of lines in the place from the Chazeh and below, but only what the wheels above the Chazeh illuminate on them. “Pinned from above downward” means that it extends everything that there is above Chazeh de ZA to the place below Chazeh de ZA.

Yesod consists of Hochma and Hassadim, and it is called Avrech. It is made of the letters Av [father] Rach [soft]—Av from Hochma, and Rach from Hassadim. However, the dominion in it is given to Hassadim, and the Hochma is only included in it. It was said, “220 other wheels surround that pillar.” It is not like the fourth wheel, in which the Hochma has dominion, but the wheels that turn and illuminate around the Yesod—220 [Rach in Gematria] wheels—are only Hassadim, which are called Rach [“soft,” 220]. Moreover, Rach indicates a general illumination of all twenty-two letters, where each letter contains ten Sefirot, and ten times 22 is 220.

290) The other wheel on the pinned down pillar, the fourth wheel, which stands in 12,000 worlds, is turning inside the tabernacle, Nukva de ZA. It turns and does not turn, and the tabernacle stands on 12,000 worlds. In the tabernacle, there is that clarion who calls, “Beware the turning wheel!”

291) One who has eyes in Tevuna [gumption] will know and regard the wisdom of his Master, and will know these sublime matters where the keys of his Master are found, which are hidden within the holy tabernacle. They are happy in this world and happy in the next world. It is written about them, “Happy is the man whose strength is in You; in whose heart are the highways.” “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 palace!”

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