– SURSĂ DE TEXTE FUNDAMENTALE, CĂRŢI, CURSURI, LECŢII, ÎN LIMBA ROMÂNĂ –
Autor: arhiprofesor
Rene Guenon spunea candva ca numai prostii cred ca se pot initia singuri. Intotdeuna ai nevoie de un maestru. Dar cartea ramane o sursa de imbogatire a cunostintelor noastre fara de care nici maestrii nu-si pot desavarsi lucrarea. Biblioteca de arhitectura este pentru un arhitect tot atat de importanta cat experimentarea in concret a trairii fiecarui spatiu arhitectural.
119) It is written, “Behold now, I know that he is a holy man of God who always passes by us.” It is also written, “Let us make a little attic and let us place for him there a bed, and a table, and a chair, and a lamp.” With this verse, we have an easy support for the order of the prayer. “Behold now, I know” is the will in which a person should place during the prayer. “That he is a holy man of God” is the upper world, ZA, who sits on His throne and all the sanctities emit from Him, and He sanctifies to all the worlds. “Who always passes by us” means that from that sanctity that he sanctifies all the worlds above, he sanctifies us in this world, since there is no Kedusha [holiness/sanctity] above unless there is Kedusha below, as it is written, “And I will be sanctified among the children of Israel.”
120) And because this is so, “Let us make a little attic” is an order of correction of Divinity, which is called “an attic,” as it is written, “And Hezekiah turned his face to the wall.” “Small,” since it is small, as it is written, “A small town.” “And let us place for him there.” By this correction that we correct, and with our order in the singing and praising and praying, we correct for Him, for ZA, for His contentment. “A bed, and a table, and a chair, and a lamp.” All of these four are in Divinity, who is corrected in all of these corrections toward the upper world, ZA, in the order that we establish.
121) In the order of the evening prayer and its correction, it is a bed. And in the order of the offerings and the sacrifices that we establish in the morning, these songs and praises are a table. In that order of prayer sitting down, and in the correction of the Shema reading, in the unification that we establish, they are a chair, and in the order of Prayer in Standing, as well as in those sanctities in the prayer, Yotzer [maker], in the repeat of the prayer, in the added Kedusha of “And came to Zion,” the blessings that we establish are a lamp.
122) Happy is the man who places his will in that—to complement his Master each day and to set up this small attic, Divinity, for his Master, with those corrections of bed, table, chair, and lamp. Then it is certain that the Creator will be his guest every day. Happy is he in this world and happy is he in the next world because those four are corrections of Divinity to be corrected for her husband, ZA. With these four corrections she is corrected each day in beauty, in gladness, and in a vision through the holy people.
123) The bed was given to Jacob to be corrected. For this reason, Jacob established the evening prayer. King David set up the table through the songs and praises that he established, as it is written, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Abraham set up a chair with his connecting, when he performed Hesed [grace/mercy] and the completeness of the souls for all the people of the world. Also, there is no correction of the throne unless by Abraham’s Hesed, as it is written, “A throne will be established in Hesed [mercy].”
124) Isaac established the lamp, sanctifying the name of the Creator before the eyes of the whole world, and illuminating the light of the upper candle with that sanctity. For this reason, the holy people must always say and place their wish to set up a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp toward the upper world, ZA, the master of the house, the man of God, to have wholeness above and below each day.
78) One bird started and said, “Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.” This is the right line in Malchut, which shines in Hassadim. This is why he says, “Praise the name of the Lord,” which invites to praise the name of the Lord, Malchut. After some time, when the Hochma in her illuminates, he will clothe her with Hassadim.
The second bird started and said, “Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever.” This is the illumination of the left line, which shines illumination of Hochma, from which comes the essence of Malchut. This is why it says, “Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time,” meaning that it immediately shines in Malchut, who is called “The name of the Lord.”
The third bird started and said, “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is praised.” This is the illumination of the middle line, which receives from the essence of Tifferet, who is called “sun.” Then a herald hurries and calls out, “Prepare yourselves, O holy high ones, those who praise their Master, be corrected in the praise of the day.” At that time the day divides from the night. Happy is he who rose in the morning out of the praise of the Torah in which he engaged at night. That time is the time of the morning prayer.
79) “The watchman says, ‘Morning comes but also night. If you would ask, ask; come back again.’” This verse is about the exile of Israel who are dwelling among the sons of Se’ir. Israel say to the Creator, “Watchman, what of the night?” What shall become of us from this exile, which is like the darkness of the night? It is written, “The Watchman says.” This is the Creator. “Morning comes,” meaning I have already illuminated for you in the exile in Egypt, and I have raised you and brought you near to My work. I have given you the Torah so you are rewarded with everlasting life. You have left My Torah [also “law”] as well as the night. I had brought you into the exile in Babylon and I have raised you. You have left My law as before. I have brought it to you in the exile again, as before. ‘If you ask, ask,’ as it is written, ‘Seek from the book of the Lord, and read.’ There you will find on what your exile and redemption depend. And when you seek it, it shall say and declare before you, ‘Come back again,’ return in complete repentance and you promptly come and draw near Me.”
80) It is written in this verse, “The burden of Dumah.” Prophecy was said to the prophets in six degrees: in a sight, in a vision, in a revelation, in an appearance, in a matter, and in a burden. All five are as one who sees that illumination of the light from behind the wall. Some of them are as one who sees the light of the sun through the glass of a lantern, but a burden is when the light comes after great labor, when it was hard for him but he could not reveal it, as it is written, “That You have laid the burden of all this people on me,” and this is why it is called “burden.”
81) Here it writes, “The burden of Dumah,” great labor, since the prophecy could not be revealed. It is a prophecy in hiding and it stands concealed. “Calls me from Se’ir.” Here, it is not revealed who said “Calls me from Se’ir,” whether it is the Creator or the faithful prophet. However, it is certain that this prophecy is hidden within the upper faith, and out of the concealment spoke the faithful prophet, to whom the voice of faith, Malchut, was calling, saying, “Calls me from Se’ir.” It is written, “And rose from Se’ir unto them.” It does not write, “And rose for Se’ir,” since so is faith, illuminating degrees within degrees, those within those, Klipa inside Klipa, and Moach [brain/mind] within Moach. This is why it is written, “From Se’ir,” for it appeared from the Klipa of Se’ir.
82) “Behold, a stormy wind was coming from the north” is one degree. “A great cloud” is a second degree, “Fire flashing forth” is a third degree, “And a bright light around it” is a fourth degree, “And in its midst, like electricity from within the fire.” “And from within it, the image of four animals,” thus degrees within degrees.
83) Here, too, when the Creator appeared to Israel, He appeared only from within these degrees. “[The Lord] came from Sinai” is the most hidden degree. Afterwards, and he said, “And rose from Se’ir” should appear. This is another degree, more revealed, a Klipa over the Moach. Then “Appeared from Mount Paran” is another degree, and then “Came from the holy myriads” is the praise of all of them. Even though He appeared on all those degrees, it is considered that He began to appear from this place, which is the essence of everything, from the place of the holy myriads, which are the upper degrees above. Here, too, “Calls me from Se’ir,” from a degree, “And rose from Se’ir unto them,” meaning clinging above.
84) “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” The watchman is Matat. It is written about him, “He who guards his Master is honored,” for he governs at night. What is the difference between the first “night” and the second “night”? It is all one; they are both night and darkness. But in the part of the second night, the Sitra Achra governs, and in the part of the first night she does not govern at all.
The second night needs guarding, as it is written, “It is a night of watching.” Hence, it lacks the letter Hey [in the Hebrew spelling of the second “night”]. Hey points to the corrected Malchut, so when the night begins until half of it, the first half of the night through midnight is called “second night,” and from midnight onward the night with the Hey governs, as it is written, “And it came to pass at midnight” [with a Hey]. That night, “The night shines as the day.” This is why it is written, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”
85) “The watchman says.” I have found in Adam’s book the difference between “And he said” and “Said”: “And he said” is above, ZA. “Said” is below, Matat, as it is written, “And said to Moses.” Who said it? The keeper said it, Matat. “Morning comes,” the morning prayer, the governance of the day, which rules over the night. It is not that the morning comes alone and the male, morning, is separated from the female, night. After all, it is written, “But also night,” both of them together, and they never part from one another. This voice calls out these things, “Morning comes but also night,” and they are both gathered to you.
86) Henceforth, “If you ask, ask.” If you make your requests before the King in prayer, ask, pray and ask your requests and return to your Master. “Come,” as one who invites, greeting his sons and having mercy on them. So is the Creator. In the morning and also at night, He calls out and says, “Come.” Happy are the holy nation whose Master seeks them and calls for them to bring them near Him.
87) Then the holy people must bond and come to the synagogue, and all who come first, bond with Divinity in a single bonding. The first one at the synagogue, happy is he for he stands at the degree of righteous toward Divinity, as it is written, “Those who seek Me shall find Me.” He rises in the uppermost degree. Also, we learn that when the Creator comes to the synagogue and does not find ten there, He promptly becomes angry. Thus, how can it be that that one who came early bonded with Divinity and is at the degree of righteous?
88) Rather, it is like a king who sent for all the townspeople to be with him on a certain day at a certain place. While the townspeople were preparing themselves, one was early and came to that place. As it happened, the king came and found there the man who was early. The king told him, “Mr. so and so, where are the townspeople?” He replied, “Sir, I came before them; they are coming after me according to the order of the king.” This was good in the eyes of the king and he sat there with him and spoke with him, and he became the king’s beloved one.
In the meantime, the rest of the people came and the king reconciled with them and sent them in peace. However, if those townspeople had not come, and one had not come to speak before the king, to be seen for them, and to say that they are all coming, the king would have been promptly angered and annoyed.
89) Here, too, since one came early and was present at the synagogue, and Divinity came and found him, it is considered as though they are all there, for he is waiting for them there. Divinity promptly bonds with him and they sit in bonding, He makes acquaintance him, and He places him at the degree of a righteous.
But if none had come and was there, it is written, “Why have I come and there was no one?” It does not say, “And there was not ten,” but “And there was no one,” meaning one person to bond with Me and be with Me, as it is written, “A man of God,” which means being at the degree of a righteous.
90) Moreover, he makes acquaintance with him and asks about him if he does not come for one day, as it is written, “Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of His servant?” And we have explained what is written, “Calls me from Se’ir,” which is degree after degree and degree within degree. Hence, although it is written of that watchman, “Calls me from Se’ir,” it is Matat, calling loudly each day, “Morning comes but also night,” meaning for the morning prayer. It is of him that the Creator asks, “Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of His servant,” Matat, and comes to the house of prayer? Thus, if he does not come, the Creator asks about him and says, “Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of His servant?” For this reason, happy is he who comes to the synagogue early to rise by this degree to the degree of a righteous.
91) When the morning comes and the public is at the synagogue, they must be singing and praising David. The order is to evoke love above and below, to correct corrections and to evoke joy, as hence the Levites evoke the awakening of love and joy above, through those songs and praises.
92) One who speaks mundane words in the synagogue, woe unto him, for he shows separation. Woe unto him, for he subtracts from the faith. Woe unto him for he has no part in the God of Israel, for by that he shows that there is no God, that He is not there, that he is not afraid of Him, and acts contemptuously toward the upper correction of above, since the synagogue is established corresponding to the uppermost Malchut.
93) When Israel establish an order of songs and praises and the order of prayer in the synagogue, three camps of high angels gather. One camp is the holy angels who praise the Creator in the day. There are others who praise the Creator at night, but those are the ones who praise the Creator, and sing and praise with Israel during the day.
94) The second camp is the holy angels that are in each Kedusha that Israel sanctify below. Under their governance are all those who awaken in all the firmaments in the prayer of Israel. The third camp is the high maidens, which are seven spirits of seven palaces of Beria, which correct along with the Malchut. They correct the Malchut to bring her in before the King.
95) They all correct in the order of Israel that correct below, in those songs and praises and in the prayer that Israel pray. When these three camps gather, Israel begin to sing, and they chant before their Master. And the first camp, who are appointed on praising their Master during the day, congregate with them and sing together with them in those praises of King David.
96) When Israel conclude the praises of David, they say the praise of the singing of the sea. Why is this praise the last correction after David’s praises? After all, the written Torah preceded the oral Torah, preceded the prophets, and preceded the writings [hagiographa]. As it precedes, should it not be first?
97) Yet, since the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, is corrected by the written Torah, the singing should be said in the beginning of her corrections, near the prayer in sitting. This praise is more important than all the praises in the world. Also, nothing corrects Malchut as much as this praise because it is near the prayer in sitting, the prayer Yotzer [maker].
98) When the singing of the sea is said, the Assembly of Israel is crowned in the crown with which the Creator will crown the Messiah King. That crown is decorated and engraved with the holy names, as the Creator was crowned on the day when Israel crossed the sea and He drowned all of Pharaoh’s camps and his horsemen. For this reason, one must place one’s will in this singing, and anyone who is rewarded with it in this world is rewarded with seeing the Messiah King in the correction of that crown, in the arms that he is armed, and he is rewarded with praising this singing there.
99) When a person reaches “Shall be praised,” the Creator takes that crown and places it before Him, and the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, begins to establish herself to come before the High King, ZA. She should be included in the thirteen upper qualities of Rachamim from which they are blessed, which are thirteen kinds of upper perfumes, as it is written, “Nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon.” Here they are song, praise, eulogy, singing, valor, governance, Netzah [eternity], greatness, Gevura [fortitude], glory, Tifferet [magnificence], and Kedusha [sanctity], thus twelve. Afterwards, she is to be connected with them and say, “And Malchut [kingship],” and they are thirteen for she is blessed through them.
100) Therefore, when Malchut is included among the thirteen qualities, one should mind it and not speak at all or stop between them. If he stops between them, a flame comes out from under the Cherubim, calls out loud and says, “So and so stopped the majesty of the Creator, let him end and his life shall be terminated so he will not see the majesty of the holy King, as it is written, ‘And let him not see the majesty of the Lord,’” since these thirteen are the majesty of the Creator.
101) Henceforth, “God of thanksgivings.” This is the upper King, a King that all the peace is His, as it is written, “The song of songs, which is Solomon’s,” the king that peace is his, ZA. This is so because all those praises that were previously of the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, when she is complemented with the camps below, from then on, “He forms light and creates darkness.” These are the corrections of the upper world, ZA.
102) The Aleph–Bet at the beginning of the words “El Baruch [a blessed God], great in view” are corrections of the lower world, Malchut, since at the beginning of the letters are 22 small letters, for there are big letters and small letters. The small letters are in the lower world, Malchut. The big letters are in the next world, Bina.
103) They are great in everything for two reasons: they are big letters in themselves even when they come in units, and they are big when these letters expand further. Each letter comes in its appropriate Merkava [chariot/structure], the praise of Sabbath, for these are the letters of praise. “God, master of all the deeds.” “Blessed, and blessed in the mouth of the whole of the soul.” These letters expand in five-five words, since there are five words in “God, master” [in Hebrew], as well as in “Blessed, and blessed.” These correspond to the 50 gates of the next world, Bina, the five Sefirot KHBTM, each of which comprises ten.
104) Two other letters, which are at the end of the praise of “God, master”—Shin–Tav—are in six words, corresponding to VAKHGTNHY of the next world, Bina, and come out of there: Shin is “The whole of the hosts above will give Him Shevach [praise].” Tav is “Tifferet [magnificence], greatness, Seraphim [types of angels], and holy animals.”
105) These are the two letters Shin–Tav, in six-six letters. The first two letters, Aleph–Bet, are in five-five letters, and the rest of the letters are in the middle. All of them are in four-four letters, since they are in the upper Merkava [chariot/structure], since the first letters, Aleph–Bet, which are ten, and those Shin–Tav in the end, which are twelve, complete together the 22 letters because there are 22 words in them, corresponding to the 22 upper letters that are in Bina.
There remain 18 other letters in the middle, which rise in their Merkava, meaning in their expansion, into four-four words, which are 72 words together. This is so because 18 times 4 is 72, the explicit name, the holy engraving of the 72 letters in which the Creator is crowned. This name crowns the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, and rises to be crowned in them inside the wholeness of Divinity.
106) These are the letters that are crowned in the upper praise, the first ones, which are Aleph–Bet, and the last ones, which are Shin–Tav, which rise in their crowns. They are the combination from Aleph–Bet of Aleph–TavBet–Shin, Aleph spreading in five letters El Adon [God, master]. Tav is in six letters, Tifferet and Gedulah [magnificence and greatness]. Bet is in five letters Baruch and Mevorach [“blessed” and “is blessed”]. Shin is in six letters [in Hebrew], “He is given praise,” and this is why the Aleph–TavBet–Shin in the praise “God, master,” in which there are 22 words, are the whole of the 22 letters of ZA. These are a crown to the 32 paths of wisdom, since the 32 paths of wisdom are the 22 letters of ZA, where ten Sefirot rose to Bina in her and 22 and 10 are 32 paths of wisdom, that is, of Bina that has become Hochma. And the 22 letters in Aleph–TavShin–Bet imply to ZA in Bina in the praise “God, master.”
107) And the other letters, besides the Aleph–TavBet–Shin, which rise in their Merkavot [plural of Merkava], are GAR, beginning with Gimel—Godlo ve Tuvo Maleh Olam [His greatness and His goodness fill the world]—and end with a Reish, Raah ve Hitkin Tzurat ha Levana [saw and established the form of the moon]. They are all the holy Merkava, HGTdeZA, and Malchut that connects with them, when they become a Merkava for Bina and are called “upper Merkava.” Aleph–TavBet–Shin in the praise “God, master” are the holy name HaVaYaH, ZA that rose to Bina. The GAR in “God, master” is the 18 letters from Gimel to Reish. It is the holy Merkava that amounts to 72: HGT, in which are the three verses, “And journeyed,” “And came,” “And pitched.” The holy name was made of them, to crown the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, out of the upper Merkava, where the Malchut receives the 72 words of HGT, which are the upper Merkava.
108) For this reason, the name AB is included in the patriarchs in three lines, and Malchut is crowned with them to be a holy name. It is not a superior name like those superior names of the upper world, ZA, which grip up above in Bina and do not extend below. And although that name is superior, for it is three lines HGTdeZA, it is still King David, Malchut, who is crowned in the patriarchs, HGTdeZA. This means that it does not concern HGT themselves, but in relation to Malchut that receives from them. In that respect, it is drawn below. However, HGT themselves are superior and do not extend below.
109) The name of the 42 letters is the patriarchs, HGTdeZA, the 22 letters that are crowned in the upper world, in the ten Sefirot deBina, and the upper world is crowned in the one above it, in ten Sefirot deHochma—22 of ZA, 10 of Bina, and ten of Hochma, which amount to 42. Hence, it rises and does not come down, meaning it does not impart Hochma from above downward in Malchut because it crowns in the upper thought, Hochma, upper AVI, which are always in covered Hassadim, since Bina here is YESHSUT, and Hochma here is upper AVI. Happy is he who knows in it in the name 42 and is careful with it.
110) David, Malchut, is crowned with the patriarchs, HGTdeZA. HGTdeZA are 72 words in the three verses, “And journeyed,” “And came,” And pitched,” which give Hochma to Malchut. He rises and falls, giving below, to Malchut, like that Matzpatz, who is HaVaYaH on the sides of RoshdeAA, which, when joining Aleph–TavBet–Shin, she is Matzpatz. She is the name from which the 13 qualities of Rachamim are extended, which are 12 in the holy Merkava, HBTM, in each of which are three lines, which amount to 12. They emerge from the one who is on them, who is Matzpatz, and they are 13. She rises and falls to impart Hochma from above downwards.
This is the reason why AB goes up and down—up from the right—HGTdeZA—and down from the left—Malchut, who receives the HGT, as the name of the13 qualities of Rachamim that rise from this side and descend from that side. The one that descends is to extend the good below, to Malchut. Hence, in Aleph–Bet of Aleph–Tav, Bet–Shin, Gimel–Reish, etc., the first letters go up in the count because Bet is higher in count than Aleph, Gimel than Bet, Dalet than Gimel and so forth. The last letters descend in the count because Shin is less than Tav, Reish is less than Shin, and Kof is less than Reish, etc.. They rise from one side and descend from the other side, and the reason they come down is to extend the good that is above downward.
111) The name Mem–Bet is crowned for a superior Merkava, for the upper HB. The name AB is crowned for a lower Merkava, to Malchut. Happy is he who exerts to know his Master, happy is he in this world and happy is he in the next world.
112) For this reason, the praise of Sabbath, “God, master,” who praises the king that peace is his, praises him with the name AB, in the 18 letters from Gimel to Reish, and in the 22 words in the four letters in Aleph–TavBet–Shin, which are 22 letters so he will be crowned in him to rise up to Bina in that name. Hence, “God, master” is a praise of the next world, Bina, and the ascent of the upper, holy Merkava, HGTdeZA, which is crowned to rise upward, to Bina. And the ascent of the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, which is crowned to rise and to receive from the upper Merkava, HGTdeZA.
113) The Aleph–Bet of Aleph–TavBet–Shin rise and fall. The last letters in them descend. The Aleph–Bet of Aleph–LamedBet–Mem rise and do not fall, meaning that the last letters in them also rise because from the number Lamed, it rises to the number Mem, then to Nun, and then to Samech. For this reason, they do not descend to impart below.
Aleph–TavBet–Shin is only Sabbath, Malchut, who give below. Aleph–LamedBet–Mem is Sabbath and Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement], Malchut that rises to Bina, which is Yom Kippur that goes up above, from Bina to Hochma until everything is crowned in Ein Sof and is not imparted below.
114) El Baruch [a blessed God] at the end of the praise, which illuminates for the land and for the dwellers, is the order of Aleph–Bet of small letters that are in Malchut. These are the corrections of the Assembly of Israel, Malchut on each day in the prayer. And because they are small letters, there is no space between them; they do not expand each to several words, as with the praise “God, master” of the Sabbath. These are the corrections of the maidens, the seven palaces of Beria that come with the queen, Malchut, to the upper King, ZA.
It is known that during the Katnut of the degrees, when Malchut rose to Bina, all the degrees divide in two, and Bina and TM in each degree fall to the degree below it. It follows that then Bina and TM of Malchut fell into the seven palaces in the world of Beria, and during Gadlut, when the fallen half degrees, Bina and TM, return to their degree, they raise with them the lower degree that they were in.
Then Bina and TMdeMalchut, which were fallen in the seven palaces of Beria, rise back to Malchut deAtzilut, and raise with them the seven palaces of Beria in which they were clothed during the Katnut. This is so because when Malchut comes to the King, ZA, during her Gadlut, her Bina and TM that were fallen in the seven palaces of Beria return to their degree in Atzilut, and take with them the seven palaces of Beria that they clothed in. These are called “seven maidens,” and they, too, come with Bina and TMdeMalchut to the King, ZA.
115) This Kedusha that the upper angels sanctify, the Kedusha in the blessing, Yotzer [Maker] and in the Eighteen Prayer, is not when one is alone. Any Kedusha that is in the holy tongue, a lone man is forbidden to say it. Also, Kedusha in the language of translation [Aramaic] is always alone and never in company, since the lone man is indeed its correction, and not the collective.
We learn that two is the Bible and one is translation, since two is plural, implying that Kedusha, which is indeed in the holy tongue, the Bible, is forbidden when alone, but only in a collective, in ten. Also, Kedusha in translation is deficient in a collective and must always be said only when alone. One is translation, not two or more. The reason is that a translation comes to diminish, and so it should be. The holy tongue comes to multiply, and so it should be because sanctity is increased, not decreased, and in translation there is decreasing and not increasing, one and not more, since there is no increasing whatsoever.
116) This Kedusha in the blessing Yotzer is not the story of the history of the world. Rather, it is Kedusha by which Divinity and all her Merkavot are sanctified, to be corrected before the upper King. And because it is the Kedusha of the lower world, Malchut, it is said in sitting and not standing. The other Kedusha, which is said at the repeat of the prayer, is Kedusha of the upper world, ZA. This is why it is said standing up, to extend the Kedusha below. Also, all the words of the upper world, ZA, are in standing and not sitting.
117) In all those sanctities, Israel sanctify in them below. For this reason, Israel are sanctified in the Kedusha of the bottom Merkava, Malchut, sitting down, and in the Kedusha of the upper Merkava, ZA, standing up. The other Kedusha, of “And [a redeemer] came to Zion,” is additional Kedusha. For this reason, it is after the prayer, for because it is additional Kedusha over the other Kedushot [sanctities], it is after the prayer. And because each and every one must extend upon himself from that addition, the Kedusha of translation is established for each and every one.
118) But there is also the Kedusha of the holy tongue in it. This is for the collective, so they are all sanctified with that additional Kedusha. And because an individual is not permitted to say it in the holy tongue and to be sanctified alone, it was established in the language of translation, which is for the lone person, so each and every one will be sanctified in that addition, to extend upon himself more Kedusha. Happy are Israel, who are sanctified in the upper Kedushot because they cling above, as it is written, “And you that did cleave to the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.”
61) It is written, “Evening and morning and noon.” These are the times of prayer on each day. The friends explained these three times: Evening is the mirror that does not illuminate, Malchut. Morning is the mirror that illuminates, ZA. Noon is a place called “darkness,” Gevura, gripped to the evening, Malchut. They stand with one another because the left grips to Malchut.
62) Noon is the power of the sun. He chose a nice wording, since this is the custom—that a black man is referred to as white, using a nice wording, and sometimes a white man is referred to as black, as it is written, “For he had married a Cushite [From Cush, black people] woman,” and as it is written, “You are as the sons of Cushites to Me, O children of Israel.”
63) Evening is the evening prayer, since in the evening, the Sitra Achra intervenes, since his light darkens and he governs in the night. This is why they made it optional and there is no set time for the evening prayer, for it corresponds to the internals and the fat that remain of the offerings, which are then eaten on the altar all through the night. From here, several regiments of spirits that emerge and govern in the night are nourished because the outer ones feed on the remains of the offerings.
64) All the carriers of the Sitra Achra of the spirit of Tuma’a do not govern the holy land, and Israel awaken for them to chase them out. It is forbidden to evoke them into staying over the holy land.
65) At night, the smoke of the internals and the fat goes up. It does not go up like smoke of other offerings, for that smoke would rise up straight. Here the smoke would rise up to a certain hole in the north direction, which is the dwelling place of evil spirits. And when the smoke rises and winds its way toward that side, they would all be fed and stand and enter their places, and do not go out of there to rule the world.
66) Over the hole in the north, on that side there is a certain appointee over all the regiments of spirits, whose name is Sangiria. When that smoke winds its way and rises, that appointee and 600,000 thousand other camps all congregate to greet him and to be fed by him. They stand in the hole in the north and enter through a vent called Keri [incident/against], as it is written, “And if you act against Me.” It is also written, “Then I will act with wrathful hostility against you,” meaning with anger that comes out of an opening called Keri.
67) Those who roam at night, if they are not nourished by smoke, then when the souls come out of the opening to be seen above, they come out and slander them, and they cannot rise and be seen above. Excluded are the highest, holy pious, who breach through the firmaments and airs and rise. These camps of spirits go out and inform people with false words, and appear to them in different forms of females. They tease them until they emit semen, and they are called “carriers of Keri” [Keri also means nocturnal emission] for because they come out of an opening that is called Keri, it causes them to be called “carriers of Keri.”
68) When the internals and the fat are eaten on the altar, smoke satiates and nourishes them. According to their merit, so is there food, according to what they deserve. By that, they do not go out and do not roam the holy land.
69) Evening is called that way, as it is written, “A mixed multitude also went up with them,” which is a mixture [Erev means both “evening” and “mixture”]. This is so because all the regiments of spirits mingle in the governance of the night, hence they did not make the evening prayer mandatory, since there is none who can establish it like Jacob, who was the owner of the tabernacle, Malchut, and would establish it properly.
70) And although it is optional, this prayer is to protect us from fear at night from several types of Hell, since at that time the wicked are punished doubly than during the day. For this reason, Israel are early to say “And He is merciful,” for fear of Hell.
On Sabbath, when there is no fear of the Din of Hell or of another Din, it is forbidden to evoke him saying, “And He is merciful” for it seems that there is no permission for the Sabbath to remove the Din from the world.
71) There is also the fear of slandering of the souls when they wish to go up and appear before their Master. For this reason, they are early to say, “Who keeps His people Israel forever, Amen,” for fear of harm-doers that are present at night, who have permission to harm one who leaves his doorstep and goes outside. For this reason, we are early to say, “Guard our leaving and coming.”
72) For fear of all that, we commit the bodies and the spirits and the souls to the upper Malchut, in whose hands is the entire governance. And this is why the evening prayer is every night. Now that there are no offerings and altars, we do all the corrections that are done over the smoke of the offerings.
73) At midnight, when the north wind awakens—meaning the left line, which is then completed—it strikes all those sections of evil spirits, breaks the Sitra Achra, and enters and roams above and below. And all those regiments of spirits enter their places, their powers break, and they do not govern. Then the Creator comes in to play with the righteous in the Garden of Eden.
74) When the morning comes, the candlelight that governs in the night, meaning illumination of the left, is concealed before the daylight, light of Hassadim. Then the morning governs, Yesod, and the governance of the evening, Malchut, passes away. Morning is the first light. It complements the good to all the worlds. From it, the upper and lower are nourished, it waters the garden, Malchut, and it is the keeping of the entire world.
75) One who wishes to set out to the road should rise while it is still night, watch by observing the hour on the east side, and see in a vision the letters that strike the firmament, one going up, the other going down. This is the sparkling of the letters with which the heaven and earth were created.
76) If he knows these letters, meaning the holy name of the 42 letters, and mentions them properly, with the will of the heart, he will see six letters Yod within the illumination of the brightness of the firmament—three to the right and three to the left—and three letters Vav descending and glittering in the firmament. These are the letters of the blessings of the priests, in which there are six letters Yod at the beginning of the words of the verses, “The Lord [HaVaYaH] will bless,” “The Lord will shine,” and “The Lord will lift up,” and the three Vavs of “And keep you,” “And be gracious to you,” and “And give you.” The letters Yod divide into two lines—right and left—and the Vavs are the middle line that unites them. Then he should pray his prayer and set out, for Divinity has certainly greeted him, happy is he.
77) When this morning comes, one pillar, Tifferet, is imbedded on the south side of the expansion of the firmament over the garden, leaning toward Hesed. It is outside the pillar that is imbedded in the middle of the garden. Also, that pillar shines in illumination of three colors, HGT, embroidered together in crimson color. In that pillar, Tifferet, there is a branch, Yesod, and on it, three birds congregate. These are the three lines that shine in Malchut, since Malchut on the part of illumination of Hochma in her is called “a bird,” evoking tweeting for praise.
60) “This is the donation which you shall take from them: gold and silver and bronze.” This verse is to the upper side, the side of Kedusha, right, and to the lower side, to the other side, left, since the tabernacle was built from the left side first, and was then connected to the right. When the Creator created the world, He began to create from the side of silver, right, since silver is above gold, for silver is Hesed and right, and gold is Gevura and left. In the making of the tabernacle, Malchut, He began from the left, gold, and then from the right, silver, since the tabernacle is from the left. This is why here it begins from the left, from gold, and in the creation of the world, from the right.
42) There are three colors, NHY, in the upper chamber, Malchut. They blaze inside a flame, which is the Dinim that are in the place of the Chazeh due to the ascent of Malchut to there, since Tifferet is BinadeGuf. That flame comes out from the south side, right, from Malchut that is mitigated in Bina, at the point of Holam in the right line, and there is no Din there from the unmitigated Malchut.
Also, those colors spread to three sides: one goes up, shining from below upward, Netzah; one goes down, shining from above downward, Hod; one that is seen is concealed when the sun shines. This is illumination of Hochma inside the Hassadim that are dispensed from Yesod, which illuminates at night, which is dominated by the Nukva, and not during the day, which is dominated by ZA.
43) The color that goes up, Netzah, comes out. It is the color white more than other whiteness; it comes out, enters the flame, and is colored some, meaning included with the Dinim of the flame. However, it is not colored, meaning no color, which is Din, is apparent in it. That color stands above, at the top of the chamber, on the Rosh of Malchut. When Israel come to the synagogue and pray their prayer, when they come to redeem Israel and attach redemption to prayer, not stopping in the middle, by that they cause Yesod, which is called “redemption,” to approach Malchut, which is called “prayer,” that white color, Netzah, rises to the top of the chamber, Malchut, and becomes a Keter [crown] for it.
44) A herald comes out and says, “Happy are you, holy nation, for you do good, you cause the unification of Yesod (called ‘good’) before the Creator.” It is written, “And I have done what is good in Your eyes,” attaching redemption to prayer, for at that time, when reaching “Praises to God above,” that color, Netzah, rises to the top of the chamber, that righteous, YesoddeZA, awakens to bond in the place that is needed in love, in fondness, in gladness, and in good will. And all the organs, all the Sefirot, willingly conjoin with one another, upper ones in lower ones.
Then all the candles, all the degrees illuminate and blaze, and they are all in a single bonding in this righteous who is called “good,” as it is written, “Say, ‘A righteous is good.’” This unites everyone in a single bonding, and then everything is in a whisper above and below, in kissing in good will, and the matter is in a bonding of the room, in an embrace.
There are two kinds of illumination of HBTM, which are three lines and the Malchut that receives them: From below upward is Netzah, from above downward is Hod. There are two kinds of Zivugim [plural of Zivug] in ZON: 1) Neshikin [kisses] in GAR, and Hibuk [embrace] in VAK. These two Zivugim illuminate from below upward because they receive from the illumination of Netzah. 2) Yesodot illuminate from above downward at the Sium [end] of NHY, since they receive from the illumination of Hod. These are the three parts in the Eighteen Prayer: The first three blessings and the twelve middle blessings are HBDHGT. There are Hibuk and Neshikin in them. These two Zivugim receive from the illuminations of Netzah, hence they illuminate only from below upward. The three last blessings, in which there is Zivug of Yesodot, receive from the illuminations of Hod, and hence shine from above downward.
45) When reaching “Establish Peace,” the last blessing of the 18, Yesod, the river that comes out of Eden makes a service, Yesod, in the chamber, which is Malchut. Then everyone must go out from before the King. No person and none other should be there or ask questions. Rather, one should fall on one’s face [kneel], meaning say “Kneeling,” since it is the time of servicing. Every person should be ashamed before his Master and cover his face with great shame, and include himself in the service of the souls, for this room is included with souls and spirits from above and from below. Then another color that comes down, Hod, rises and grips the end of this chamber.
This concerns the disclosure of Hochma in NH. In Netzah, it shines from below upward, and in Hod from above downward. How can Hochma be drawn from above downward if it is a grave iniquity and the sin of the tree of knowledge? All the harsh Dinim that were caused by the extension of Hochma from above downward are gathered in Hod. When Hod discloses these Dinim, their cause appears as well—the very extension of Hochma from above downward—which caused these Dinim. It follows that the disclosure is primarily for the Dinim, and the Hochma is extended by itself. In this way, it is Kedusha and there is no prohibition in it. Hence, during the Zivug, when disclosure of Hochma from above downward is required, the second color, Hod, appears, and discloses the Hochma there through disclosure of the Dinim.
It follows that there are two discernments here: 1) the actual Hochma that appears from above downward; 2) the disclosure of the Dinim that were caused by the extension of Hochma from above downward. One who clings to the first discernment wishes to draw or to pray for reception of the illumination of the Zivug in the first discernment, and is regarded as being before the King during the Zivug, wishing to draw from there illumination of Hochma from above downward. This is a grave prohibition.
Instead, one should cling to the second discernment, to the disclosure of Dinim that were caused by the extension of Hochma from above downward. This clinging is regarded as falling on one’s face, since face is Hochma, as it is written, “Man’s wisdom illuminates his face.” These Dinim caution him not to extend Hochma; they seemingly drop his face. One should cling to the Dinim that drop his face, and this is falling on one’s face. It is so because during service, the two discernments appear and one should be ashamed of clinging to the first discernment of the illumination of the Zivug, for then he will flaw the Zivug of the King because it is forbidden to extend the Hochma from above downward. Rather, one should cling to the second discernment, to the Dinim that cover the Hochma. He should include himself in the Zivug of the King in this discernment.
46) A herald comes out and calls and says, “Upper ones and lower ones, do testify, who is the one who makes souls and exonerates the wicked, who reforms them, who should be crowned with the crown of kingship on his head, and should now come before the King and queen because the King and the queen are asking about him?”
ZA and Malchut are the right line and the left line. As the left line of Bina does not conjoin with the right line of Bina, except through the Masach deHirik that raises the middle line, ZA, the Malchut does not conjoin with ZA if not through a Masach deHirik that elevates the lower one, who becomes a middle line to them, uniting them with one another.
Before the lower ones raise MAN and Malchut is in the left without right, it is forbidden to suckle from her. However, the wicked suckle from her and extend Hochma from her from above downward. After the lower one raised MAN and conjoined Malchut with ZA, the wicked have nothing more to suckle from Malchut, and many of them reform because of that and cling to ZON. It follows that this righteous who raised MAN is the one who reformed them through his actions, extending for them NefashotdeKedusha from ZivugZON.
One who raised MAN in a Masach deHirik and brought Malchut back, conjoining her with ZA, by that he reformed the wicked from iniquity and extended for them NefashotdeKedusha. He is worthy of being crowned with the crown of kingship on his head, since the lower one who causes lights to the upper one is himself rewarded with the same amount that he had caused to the upper one. And because the Malchut bonded with ZA and received GAR through his MAN, he is rewarded with GAR, as well. And because he caused the Zivug of the King and the queen, he is therefore worthy of being there, and the King and the queen ask about him and wish to impart upon him all that he had caused for them.
47) At that time, two witnesses arrive from those eyes of the Lord that roam the entire world, meaning the angels that watch over the world. They stand before the curtain and testify this testimony, saying, “We testify that Mr. so and so, son of so and so, is the one who made souls below, the souls of the wicked that were on the other side.” Then the Creator is honored with complete joy. Happy is he, for thanks to him, his father is also mentioned favorably because they testified, “Mr. so and so, son of so and so.”
48) At that time, a certain appointee arrives, the treasurer of the forms of the righteous, in service of letters, meaning the Zivug of the letters of the name. He is called Yehodiam, since there are Yod–Hey–Vav in him from the letters of the name, and he is in Keter of Zivug of the letters Yod–Hey of the holy name in Daat. The Creator is implying to the appointee and brings the form of man, who made the souls of the wicked, and places him before the King and queen. That angel extends from the middle line, VavdeHaVaYaH, which mates the two letters Yod–HeydeHaVaYaH.
It is said, “In service of letters, meaning the Zivug of the letters of the name. He is called Yehodiam, since there are three letters Yod–Hey–Vav in him,” indicating the Vav that mates the Yod–Hey. There is also Daat in him, a Sefira that rises from the Zivug of Yod–Hey of the holy name. Also, he is in Keter of the Zivug of the letters Yod–Hey of the holy name because Keter means the Sefira of Daat, which rises from servicing Yod–Hey, and this is why he is called Yehodiam.
49) Rabbi Shimon said, “I testify to heaven and earth that at that time they give to him that shape of a righteous,” for there is not a righteous man in this world whose form is not engraved above under the hand of this appointee. They give 70 keys into the hand of this righteous, in which there are all the treasures of his Master, which are ZATdeHochma. Then the King blesses the form of a righteous with all the blessings that He blessed Abraham when he made the souls of the wicked, as it is written, “The souls that they had made in Haran.”
50) The Creator implies the four upper camps of angels. They take that form and walk with it, and he enters the 70 hidden worlds with which no other man has been rewarded, since those hidden ones are for those who make the souls of the wicked. And if people knew how much benefit and merit they are rewarded when they reward them with repentance, they would follow them and chase them as one who chases life.
51) A poor man rewards people with several benefits, several upper treasures, and he is not as one who rewarded the wicked. What is the difference between them? One who exerts and does charity to the poor completes life for his soul and causes him to exist. By that, he is rewarded with several benefits in that world. One who exerts after the wicked, to reform them, complements more, since he is making the other side of other gods surrender and not rule, and removes his governance from him. He makes the Creator rise on this throne of glory, and makes another soul for that wicked one, happy is he.
52) The other color, the third one, which is seen and not seen when the sun shines, when Israel arrive at the KedushadeSidra—the Kedusha “And a redeemer came to Zion”—the third color, which is hidden, comes out, since this Kedusha is holy, meaning that Israel sanctify more than the upper angels, when they befriend them. That color shines and appears when Israel sanctify that Kedusha until they conclude it, so that the angels above will not notice and punish them above, and will not slander them.
There are three Kedushot [sanctities/sanctifications]: 1) Kedusha deYotzer [maker], 2) Kedusha of the 18 upon the repetition of the leader in the prayer, and 3) Kedusha of “A redeemer came to Zion.” We receive the first two Kedushot by praising the angels. We befriend them and receive the Kedusha in the angels’ place above. Also, we receive the illumination of Hochma in them from below upward as it should be. However, with the third Kedusha, of “A redeemer came to Zion,” after the prayer we extend the Kedusha to our own place, from above downward, not by clinging to the angels. It exceeds them because now we extend from above downward.
And because there is illumination of Hochma in the illumination of Kedusha—which is forbidden to extend from above downward, for then the angels will punish us and slander us—the third color shines on us, the illumination of Yesod, which illuminates in the Hassadim within which the illumination of Hochma is concealed and is not seen. There is no prohibition on extending it below. And because we use only the third color, the illumination of Hassadim in Yesod, there is no fear of punishment or slandering of the angels, for they are meticulous only with the apparent illumination of Hochma.
53) At that time, the herald comes out and says, “Upper ones and lower ones, pay heed. Who is of rude spirit in words of Torah? It is one whose every word is only to boast in words of Torah.” This is so because a man must be lowly in words of Torah in this world, as there is pride in the Torah only for the next world. This is so because the concealing of the Hochma inside the Hassadim was done by illumination of Yesod, who is considered humbleness and lowliness, since the light of Hochma is far higher and more important than the light of Hassadim, and disclosure of Hochma is regarded as pride and Gadlut [adulthood/greatness]. And because we are obliged to extend illumination of Kedusha only in the third color—the concealing of Hochma inside the Hassadim—that calling that forbids boasting in words of Torah comes out. But for the next world, where Hochma is received from below upward, it is permitted to take pride, to extend disclosure of Hochma, where Hochma is received from below upward.
54) We should be cautious with this Kedusha and conceal it among us so we are sanctified in Kedusha in Rosh and in Sof more than those Kedushot that the upper angels say with us. The Kedusha that we sanctify in the Eighteen Prayer with the praise that we praise the upper angels, and thanks to this praise they leave us to come within the upper gates, it is why we say this Kedusha in the holy language, the language that the ministering angels use. They leave us to come through these gates above with love. It is so because we praise them in their order when we say, “And they called unto one another.” For this reason, we receive great Kedusha and enter through the upper gates.
55) This is not deceit that we do not praise them wholeheartedly, but to receive Kedusha. Rather, the upper angels are holier than us and receive more Kedusha. If we did not take and pull over us these Kedushot through the praise that we praise them, we would not be able to be friends with them, and the glory of the Creator would not be completed above and below at the same time, for we would not be able to receive the upper Kedusha. For this reason, through the praise that we praise them, we try to befriend them, and the glory of the Creator will rise above and below at the same time.
56) The Kedusha at the end of “A redeemer came to Zion” is a translation. Even a person alone can say it because it is a translation. But Kedusha in words of the holy language is only in ten, since Divinity connects to the holy language, and in any Kedusha in which Divinity comes, it is only in ten. It is written, “And I will be sanctified among the children of Israel.” The children of Israel are certainly in the holy language, not the rest of the nations, who have another tongue.
57) But the Kedusha of the Kadish [a part of sanctification in the prayer], which is a translation, why is that not alone? The Kedusha of the Kadish is not as other sanctities, which are triangles. Rather, this Kedusha rises on all the sides, above, below, and on all the sides of faith, and breaks locks, iron rings, and evil Klipot to raise the glory of the Creator above all. We must say it in the language of the Sitra Achra and answer with great force, “Amen, may His great name be blessed,” so the power of the Sitra Achra may break and the Creator will rise in His glory over everything. When the power of the Sitra Achra breaks in this Kedusha, the Creator rises in His glory, remembers His sons, and remembers His name. And because the Creator rises in His glory in this Kedusha, it is only in ten.
58) In this language of translation, the Sitra Achra necessarily surrenders, her power breaks, and the glory of the Creator rises and breaks locks and rings, strong chains and evil Klipot, and the Creator remembers His name and His sons. Happy is the holy nation to which the Creator gave the holy Torah to be rewarded with it for the next world.
59) Rabbi Shimon said to the friends, “Happy are you for the next world. And since I began with words of the Keter of the upper Malchut, I shall say more and only for you, and the Creator will reward you in that world, and that fume of your mouths will rise up as though you said these words yourselves.”
34) “And they shall take a donation for Me.” One who wishes to exert in a Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot] and exert in the Creator must not exert in it futilely and for nothing. Rather, one should exert in it properly, according to one’s strength. It is good for a person to accept the Creator’s exertion, as it is written, “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.”
35) But it is written, “Buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost,” thus it is free, and it is the Creator’s exertion. Wine and milk mean the Torah, which is called so. But with exertion in the Torah, anyone who wishes is granted. The exertion of the Creator is to know Him, and anyone who wishes is rewarded with Him without any pay at all. But the exertion of the Creator that stands in an act must not be taken for nothing and futilely, for he will not be rewarded with that act at all, to extend on it the spirit of holiness, but only with the full pay.
36) It is written in magic books that Asmodeus, king of the demons, taught King Solomon, “Anyone who wishes to exert and to remove the spirit of Tuma’a [impurity] from himself, and subdue the spirit of the Sitra Achra, should buy that act in which he wishes to exert for the full price. He should give all that is asked of him, whether much or little.” This is so because the spirit of Tuma’a is always readily available for free and for naught, and is sold at no cost because it forces people, staying over them and deflecting them with several incitements to dwell with them, luring them in several ways into making their habitat with him.
37) It is not so with the spirit of Kedusha [holiness], but rather with the full price, with great and manifold exertions, with purifying himself and purifying his abode, and with the will of his heart and soul. And even then may he be able to earn him so he will make his dwelling place with him. And yet, he must go on the straight path and not stray to the right or to the left. And if not, he parts from him at once and moves away from him, and will no longer be able to earn him as before.
38) This is why it is written, “And they shall take a donation for Me from every man,” from anyone who is called “a man,” who has overcome his inclination, “Whose heart moves him,” meaning who is desired by the Creator. It is written, “My heart said to You”; “The rock of my heart”; “Glad of heart”; “His heart was merry.” These are all the Creator’s heart, His will. Here, too, “Whose heart moves him” is the heart of the Creator. From him “You shall take My donation,” for there is the Creator, staying in him, and not elsewhere.
39) And how do we know that the Creator desires him and places His abode within him? When we see that man’s will is to chase and to exert after the Creator with his heart, soul, and will, we know for certain that Divinity is present there. Then we need to buy that man for the full cost, bond with him and learn from him. We learn about that, “And buy yourself a friend.” He should be bought for the full price to be rewarded with the Divinity that is in him. This is how far we must chase a righteous man and buy him.
40) Similarly, that righteous must chase the wicked and buy him for the full cost, so he will remove that filth from him and subdue the Sitra Achra. He will make him because it is considered for him as though he has created him. This is a merit by which the glory of the Creator is elevated more than in other praises, and this elevation is more than anything because it caused the subjugation of the Sitra Achra, and the raising of the glory of the Creator. It is written about it in Aaron, “And he turned many back from iniquity,” and it is written, “My covenant was with him.”
41) Anyone who holds the hand of the wicked and exerts with him so he will leave the bad way rises in three ascensions, which no other man has risen. He causes the subjugation of the Sitra Achra, causes the Creator’s glory to rise, and causes the keeping of the entire world in its existence above and below. It is written of such a person, “My covenant was with him, the life and the peace.” He is rewarded with seeing sons to his sons, and he is rewarded in this world and rewarded with the next world. No litigator can sentence him in this world and in the next world, he enters through the twelve gates in the firmament, and there is none who can protest against him.
26) “From the trees of the Lebanon” are the six days of creation, where each day arranges in this sedan chair the order that is appropriate for it. Each quality of HGTNHYdeZA that was complemented by Bina emanates one part in the building of Malchut, who is called a “sedan chair.”
The first order extends from the right side, Bina. It is the first hidden light and was taken from the right side of ZA and entered the sedan chair through one Yesod and uses it. Afterwards, the sedan chair elicits one form that is appropriate for this light—the sedan chair’s quality of Hesed, as it is written, “‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Since God said, “Let there be light,” why does it write, “And there was light”? Indeed, this light elicited another light, and this is the first day of those trees of Lebanon.
27) The second order extends from the left side of Bina. It is the separation of water by extension of strong fire, and was taken from the left side of ZA, entering the sedan chair and using it, dividing between the water on the right side and the water on the left side. Afterwards, the sedan chair elicited one form and the quality of Gevura of the sedan chair was built, as it is written, “[Divided] the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament.” This is the second day of those trees of Lebanon.
28) The third order extends from the middle side and from the right side, the third day, the quality of TifferetdeZA, the middle line, which makes peace in the world—between the two lines, right and left, from which fruits extend to all. It uses the sedan chair and brings forth a kind for its kind, a kind that does many deeds, as a kind that is worthy of Him. These are all the grasses, the herbs, and the trees in several forces, and its form remains in the sedan chair, and the sedan chair elicits a kind that is just like it, emerging from the middle line. Thus, the quality of Tifferet of the sedan chair is built. This is the third day, consisting of two sides—right and left—of these trees of Lebanon.
29) The fourth order extended and illuminated the light of the sun to the sedan chair, within its darkness, and entered it to illuminate. It does not make use of it, building only the Achoraim of the sedan chair, its darkness, until the fifth day, when her face and her root from the Chazeh down are established. At that time the sedan chair brought forth the use of the illumination, which entered her on the fourth day, and the sedan chair elicits precisely such as that light. By that, that quality of Netzah of the sedan chair is built, and this is the fourth day of these trees of Lebanon.
30) The fifth order extends one extension of the swarming of the waters, and makes use to elicit light from the order of the fourth day, using the sedan chair in the way of the fifth day, eliciting many kinds after its kind precisely like it. This day of the trees of Lebanon did more using than on all other days because it corrected the quality of Hod in the sedan chair with Dinim that are mitigated in Bina. Everything is suspended until the sixth day, when the sedan chair brings forth all that was hidden in it, as it is written, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind.” This is the fifth day, one day of these trees of Lebanon.
31) The sixth order is a day that set up this whole sedan chair. There is no correction or power to the sedan chair except through that day, YesoddeZA, since the sedan chair does not receive anything from the upper ones unless through YesoddeZA. When that day came, the sedan chair was set up in several spirits, in several souls, in several comely maidens, which are seven palaces that serve the Malchut, those who are worthy of dwelling in the King’s palace. Yesod, too, was established in the beauty of all the days that preceded it, since Yesod includes all five days HGTNH, and established them in one craving, willingly, gladly, and in correction above and below.
32) Then the sedan chair was sanctified with high sanctities and crowned itself with its crowns until it rose in the ascent of the crown of rest, and it was called “the upper name,” “the holy name,” “Sabbath.” The rest of all is the lust of all, the Dvekut [adhesion] of all, of above and of below together. Then it is written, “King Solomon has made him a sedan chair from the trees of Lebanon.”
33) One who is rewarded with a sedan chair is rewarded with everything. He is rewarded with resting in peace in the shade of the Creator, as it is written, “In his shade I delighted and sat.” And now that I am sitting in the shade of this rest, we should regard that we are sitting only in the shade of the Creator, inside that sedan chair. We should crown this place with high crowns until the trees of that sedan chair awaken and come to us with another shade.
Now the sedan chair is set up with Malchut that is mitigated in Bina. It follows that the shade is not of Malchut herself, but of Bina, of the trees of Lebanon. But at the end of correction, Malchut herself will be corrected and will not need Bina’s mitigation, and then we will sit in the shade of Malchut herself; we will sit in the shade of the sedan chair itself.
20) “King Solomon has made him a sedan chair from the trees of Lebanon.” A sedan chair is the lower palace, Malchut, like the upper palace, Bina. The Creator called it “the Garden of Eden,” and He planted it for His delight. His desire is to play in it with the souls of the righteous, where they all stand and are inscribed within it. These are the souls without bodies in this world; they all rise and become crowned there, and they have places to see, to be delighted in the sublime delight, called “the pleasantness of the Lord,” and there they are filled with all the pleasures of the rivers of pure persimmon.
21) A persimmon is the upper palace, which is covered and concealed, Bina. The sedan chair, the lower palace, is Malchut, in which there is no support until it is supported by the upper palace. This is the reason why the letter Samech is blocked on all its sides [].
22) What is the connection between a persimmon and a sedan chair? When the upper light above is hidden and concealed inside the Bina, meaning GARdeBina that were established into upper AVI when the Yod rose into the Ohr, the light was blocked and became Avir, she stands in the shape of the letter Samech. The light is blocked in it and concealed in it, to rise upward. When she returned and sat, she crouches over the children below, to nurse them, that is, she is the six lower Sefirot of Bina that were established as YESHSUT. At that time she stands in the shape of the letter Mem [], which crouches and which is blocked to the four directions of the world, HGT and Malchut, where HG are south and north, and TM are east and west.
Bina divides into GAR and VAK: GAR that are HBD, and GARdeGuf, which are HGT up to the Chazeh, were established as upper AVI. Since they are six Sefirot HBDHGT, each of which consists of ten, they are called Samech [60 in Gematria], six times ten. It is also because the light of Hochma was concealed from them. From Chazeh deBina and below, the four Sefirot NHYM were set up as YESHSUT. And since they are four Sefirot, each of which consists of ten, they are called by the letter Mem [40 in Gematria], four times ten. Also, it is because she is blocked to the four directions of the world, HGTM, which was made blocked because she must give Mochin to ZA, who is HGTM. And because of these four directions she was blocked.
23) Hence, it is a persimmon and it is a sedan chair. The sedan chair, which is the Malchut, was set up like the persimmon, Bina, and they are of the same shape. And instead of the two letters Samech and Mem that are found in the persimmon, the Yod stands in the sedan chair in a covenant, meaning that she is destined to receive everything from Samech and Mem, which are 100 blessings. Samech and Mem are 60 and 40: 60 correspond to VAK that comes out of the Samech, HBDHGT through Chazeh deBina, and he calls them VAK because the Yod does not come out of their Avir and they are as HGTNHY. 40 corresponds to the four directions of the world, HGTMdeYESHSUT, NHYMdeBina from the Chazeh down. All of them complement 100.
Also, the letter Yod of “persimmon” complements to 100, ten Sefirot, each of which comprises 10, like Samech and Mem above in the persimmon, Bina. This is why this is a persimmon and this is a sedan chair, and their form is the same.
24) The rivers that come out of the persimmon and the high souls without bodies in this world suckle from the light that comes out of the pure persimmon and delight in the high delight. The souls that have bodies in this world rise and suckle from the sedan chair and come down. They give and take—give off scent from those good deeds in which they exerted in this world, and take from the scent that remains in the garden, as it is written, “As the scent of a field which the Lord has blessed,” a scent that remains in the field. They all stand in the garden—those without bodies in this world delight above, in the persimmon, which is Bina in the garden, and those with bodies in this world delight below, in the sedan chair, which is the Malchut in the garden.
Due to the Dinim in her, Malchut is called Efer [ash] and Efron. Efron means “our Efer.” From the moment Malchut rose to Bina, Bina is called Efron, as well. At that time Bina divides into two—GAR, upper AVI, are Samech, corresponding to the six SefirotHBDHGT, each of which comprises ten. From the Chazeh down she is established as Partzuf YESHSUT, which includes the four Sefirot NHYM, and it is Mem. When these two Partzufim, Samech and Mem, shine in Bina and enter her Efron, she becomes a persimmon and her lights are called “rivers of pure persimmon.” And when Malchut receives from these two Partzufim—Samech and Mem in Bina—she obtains Yod in their stead, which entered her Efron and became a sedan chair. The Garden of Eden includes the illuminations of both of them, where the souls that did not clothe in a body in this world receive from the persimmon in the garden, and those with bodies in this world receive from the sedan chair in the garden.
25) “King Solomon has made him [a sedan chair] from the trees of Lebanon.” “Made him” means for himself. But the souls of the righteous play with him; why does it write, “Made him”? It is because the sedan chair and all the souls of the righteous stand so that the Creator will play with them. It follows that he made it for himself. King Solomon is a king that peace is his, the upper king, ZA. Just “the king” is the Messiah King, Malchut. This is the male world and that is the female world.
“From the trees of Lebanon” means the trees and plantations that the Creator uprooted them and planted them elsewhere—the seven Sefirot deZON that were in the place of Malchut deMidat ha Din [the quality of judgment]. He uprooted them from there and planted them in Bina’s place, in Malchut of MidathaRachamim [the quality of mercy]. Those six Sefirot HGTNHY of ZON are called “Cedars of Lebanon,” as it is written, “The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,” and that sedan chair was built and completed only in them.
14) “How great is Your goodness, which You have hidden for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You.”
15) The upper degree, the upper world, Bina, is called MI. The lower degree, the lower world, Malchut, is called MA. It is written, “What [Heb: MA] does the Lord your God ask of you.” Do not pronounce it MA [what] but Me’ah [100], since all the upper degrees in their completeness, which are fifty, are in Malchut. This is why it is called 100 since her 50, which are KHBTM, each of which comprises 10, and Bina’s 50 are 100. For this reason, Bina is called MI, which are 50, and Malchut is MA, which is 100, since she also includes within it Bina’s 50.
16) Another reason why Malchut is called MA: Even though the upper extension of Hochma extends through the upper degrees, Bina and ZA, she does not appear until she is completed in Malchut, which is the place of the end of all the degrees. She is the end of the extension of everything, and she stands disclosed in illumination of Hochma. And even though she is more disclosed than all, she is poised for the question, MA [what], meaning “What did you see?” “What did you know?” as it is written, “Since you did not see any image.”
17) This is the reason why it is written, “How great is Your goodness.” MA [Heb: “how”] is Malchut, “Great is Your goodness” is YesoddeZA. It is called “great goodness,” as it is written, “And the great goodness for the house of Israel.” This is so because the first light that is included in Yesod is only called “good.” Here, however, there are male and female mingled, so the female is called MA, as well, since the Hochma appeared in her. She, too, is included here, as it is written, “How [MA] great is Your goodness.” This is why it is written, “Great,” since “great” indicates illumination of Hochma.
“Which You have concealed,” since this light is hidden, just as the first light was concealed and was kept for the righteous. “Which You have wrought,” since in Malchut, called MA after the inclusion of Bina in her, is the craftsmanship of everything: the craftsmanship of the whole world, the craftsmanship of souls and spirits. Were it not for this craftsmanship of inclusion of Bina in Malchut, Mochin in ZON would not have come out, as well as the three worlds BYA.
18) In the inclusion of Bina in Malchut, the Creator made the craftsmanship of the world. This is the meaning of what is written, “In the beginning God [Elokim] created the heaven and the earth.” By that, the tabernacle was made and built in the form of the world above, Bina, and in the form of the lower world, Malchut. It is written, “They shall take a donation for Me.” “A donation for Me” are two degrees, Bina and Malchut, which are one, as they conjoin together.
8) When the Creator, who is Bina, created the world, which is Malchut, He carved in His engravings the faith, Malchut, within the upper lights. When the Creator, Bina, raised faith, meaning Malchut, to Himself, and carved the faith with engravings inside His own upper lights, out of that came Bina and TM of Bina and descended to the degree below her, leaving KHdeKelim in Bina, in lights of RuachNefesh. This is considered “engraving in His lights.” He engraved above, in Bina, and engraved below, in Malchut. Afterwards, Malchut, too, received that above-mentioned carving that was made in Bina.
It is all one: Malchut’s engraving was in one form with Bina’s engraving, in the engravings of the holy name HaVaYaH, who governs his letters above and below, in Bina and Malchut, which are the first Hey and the bottom HeydeHaVaYaH, both of which are of a single form, Hey. Thus, the worlds were completed—the upper world, Bina, and the lower world, Malchut.
9) The upper world was completed with the letter Yod of HaVaYaH, which includes AA and AVI, the first and uppermost point, AA, who comes out of the hidden and concealed that is unknown and that is not about to know, and which is not known at all. His ascent is in Ein Sof, Atik, and out of that concealment, from AA, there illuminates a single fine and hidden light: upper AVI. There are two Yesodot in them: 1) a narrow trail, 2) a hidden path, which includes within it all the lights.
Within the hidden path in AVI, which is the Miftacha [key], he who did not trample him at first, when he was in upper AVI, trampled him. Now he trampled and opened the blockade, lowering the Yod from the Avir of the hidden path and making light again, and those who did not illuminate in him illuminated. Even though he illuminated in him, he still did not illuminate due to lack of Hassadim.
Then he took out a single light, which is refinement for refinement, Hochma to Hochma, since Eden is Hochma deAA that was blocked, and this Hochma is Bina that returned to RoshAA and became Hochma. She is called “Eden” because she receives from Eden in RoshdeAA, hence she is called “refinement for refinement.” She is to play and to conceal the fine light, the light of Hassadim deAVI that was hidden in that light. The light of Hassadim deAVI was concealed at the time of the coming out of this Hochma, and it is YESHSUT.
10) Through the middle line, six Reshimot, VAKdeHochma, which are unknown, existed and were completed in this light, refinement for refinement, which is blocked due to absence of Hassadim. They do not appear in order to illuminate, except when the fine light of AVI comes in to be concealed. At that time, the refinement for refinement illuminates in its illumination. This is so because illumination of Hochma illuminates only on the point of Shuruk during the journeying of the three points—Holam, Shuruk, Hirik—one after the other. When the point of Shuruk illuminates, the light of Hassadim deAVI is blocked. It follows that the refinement for refinement shines only during the concealment of the fine light, which is the light of Hassadim deAVI.
11) This light, which comes out to the lower ones out of the fine light, is terrible and awful, and mighty strong. This is so because Malchut deMidat ha Din [quality of judgment], called Man’ula [lock] is established in that fine light, from which upper AVI are established. This fine light expanded and became one world, upper AVI, which illuminates to all the worlds. It is a hidden world, which is not known at all, since the Yod does not come out of their Avir, and 60,000 thousand dwellers, armies, and upper camps dwell within it. These are expansion from the lights HGTNHYdeAtik, whose Sefirot are 10,000, which is clothed within them, and of HSdeAVI, whose Sefirot are thousands, hence they are 60,000 thousands.
12) And because the Yod brought them out as two Partzufim, AVI from the fine light and YESHSUT from the light of refinement for refinement, and they were completed together, they are one bonding Yod–Hey. Upper AVI are Yod, including AA and AVI, and YESHSUT are the letter Hey. Also, they are the letter Vav that conjoined in the hidden world, in the hidden refinement for refinement, YESHSUT, the letter Hey.
Within the Hey there is the letter Vav, which implies Jacob. Then it is written, “For Jacob has chosen Koh [the Lord] for himself,” meaning he clung to the name Yod–Hey [Koh], and this is the Zivug of Jacob and Leah, when the light there receives from below upward and is regarded as VAK. When the Vav comes out and is completed out of the Yod–Hey, becoming a Vav in itself with those Mochin of Yod–Hey, and he has GAR, then Israel are “His merit.” He is called “Israel” and not Jacob, and he joins Rachel below, meaning Malchut. At that time the Malchut is called Segula [merit], and this is the meaning of “Israel for his merit,” and this is the Zivug of Jacob and Rachel.
13) Except for Jacob, the rest of the people in the world were not given permission to rise to Bina and cling to Yod–Hey, but only to “His merit,” the place that receives and collects everything, the degree below, Malchut. From the Malchut, they receive illumination of Hassadim that is above, in Bina, who is Leah, by blocking the will. However, it is not as openly as Jacob takes, as it is written, “And they shall take a donation for Me.”
Jacob rose and joined in Yod–Hey Himself, and receives from there illumination of Hassadim in Bina, which is the Zivug of Jacob and Leah. Hence, the rest of the people in the world are bound in two sisters, since there is revealing of nakedness in them, as they extend the illumination of Bina, Leah, in the place of Malchut, Rachel. But Jacob, who rose up to the place of Bina herself, was permitted that, even while her sister Rachel was alive.
It is written, “And they shall take a donation for Me,” meaning that the rest of the people in the world will take Malchut and raise her, and there will not be two sisters remaining, for then they will desecrate her with revealing of the nakedness, the Dinim, since they themselves are from Malchut’s place, the place of the Dinim.