Autor: arhiprofesor

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237) “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was priest of God the Most High.” When the Creator, Bina, wished to create the world, which is ZA, He elicited one flame of the harsh spark and blew wind into wind, and the flame was darkened, as well as burned. He elicited a single drop from the sides of the deep and put them together—the drop and the flame—and created the world with them, ZA.

It is known that when Bina gives VAK to ZON, she, too, must diminish into VAK. At that time, she lowers the three letters ELEH de Elokim to ZON, while she herself remains in the two letters MI of Elokim, which are VAK without a Rosh. And then she gives VAK to ZON.

When she wishes to impart GAR to ZON, she raises ELEH from ZON and returns them to her degree, and the ZON rise with them. At that time, the left line comes out in Bina and the five letters Elokim [in Hebrew] become concealed in name due to lack of Hassadim. Thus, division occurs between the two lines—right and left—of Bina, and ZA with the Masach de Hirik becomes MAN to her. On the one hand he reduces the power of the left line, and on the other hand he increases the Hassadim, and then he decides between them and unites them with one another.

And after ZA complements the three lines in Bina, he is rewarded with those three lines, as well, since the lower one is rewarded with the full measure that he induces in the upper one. Here The Zohar explains the imparting of Mochin de GAR to the ZON, which is her own GAR, when she has already returned ELEH to herself and the illumination of Shuruk illuminated in her, meaning the left line in her. At that time, the lights in her are concealed and she needs the ascent of ZA with his Masach, to mate on it and to educe the middle line through it, which decides and complements her two lines.

This is why it is written that when the Creator, Bina, wished to create the world, to give Mochin de GAR to the world, which is ZON, He elicited a single flame of the harsh spark, which disclosed the power of Din of the left line like a fire that burns for lack of Hassadim. “And he blew wind into wind,” meaning the lower wind [Ruach], which is ZA, blew into the upper Ruach, ZAT de Bina, and then ZA rose for MAN with his Masach to ZAT de Bina and became Ruach to her.

This is regarded as “the blowing of wind into wind” [Ruach into Ruach]. “And the flame was darkened, as well as burned,” since the Dinim in ZAT de Bina were doubled. This is so because before the Zivug was made on the Masach de ZA, not only was the fire of the left line not corrected, but the left line was diminished and darkened into VAK, which is Haran, as well. It follows that it was darkened because the Masach de ZA rose and burned, as well, since the Zivug on the Masach did not yet come out to extend the level of Hassadim.

Afterwards, the Zivug of the upper light on the Masach de ZA was made and the level of Hassadim appeared on it, as it was written, “He elicited a single drop from the sides of the deep.” The Masach de Tzimtzum Bet [second restriction] is called, “deep,” and the level of Hassadim, the middle line, is called “a single drop,” since the three lines are called “three drops.” With a Zivug on the Masach, called “the sides of the deep,” He elicited a single drop, the level of Hassadim. “And put them together as one” means that He connected the two lines—right and left of Bina—at the level of Hassadim, to be as one line, meaning He made peace between them. Thus, they clothed one another—the Hochma on the left with the Hassadim on the right—and the Hassadim on the right in the Hochma on the left. With these Mochin, He created the world, ZA, since because ZA caused the illumination of these Mochin in Bina, he was rewarded with them, as well.

238) After he explained the elicitation of the Mochin in Bina, and their extension to ZA, he elaborates on it. He says, “That flame rose and was crowned with the left line of Bina, and that drop, which is the middle line, rose and was crowned with the right line of Bina. Then they rose in one another and the two lines were mingled in each other.

The right and the left exchanged places: 1) The Hassadim on the right extended and came to the left side, and the illumination of Hochma on the left, which is like a burning flame, clothed in Hassadim and returned to the mitigated illumination of Hochma. 2) The illumination of Hochma on the left extended and came to the right side, and now the Hassadim on the right, in VAK, received GAR from the illumination of the left.

It follows that the illumination of the left, which illuminated from above downwards, rose to shine only from below upwards, and the illumination of the right, which illuminated from below upwards, shines from above downwards after it was included with the illumination of the left.

239) The two lines, right and left of Bina were mingled in one another and a complete Ruach, ZA, emerged out of them. Since the ascent of ZA to Bina caused the elicitation of three lines in Bina, ZA, too, was rewarded with those three lines.

This means that ZA emanated from them in three lines. The right and left of Bina were mingled in one another and became one in ZA, and the Ruach was placed between them as a middle line. This is why three lines emerged in it, and all three lines of ZA were crowned in one another like the three lines of Bina, where the left was crowned in Hassadim of the right, and the Hochma in it was completed. Thus, the right was crowned with the Hochma on the left, was completed in GAR, and the middle line was crowned with the Hassadim on the right and obtained GAR from the right. Then there is wholeness above, in Bina, and wholeness below, in ZA, and the degree of Mochin de ZA is completed.

240) It turns out that the first Hey de HaVaYaH, Bina, was crowned with Vav de HaVaYaH, ZA. This is so because by the ascent of ZA to Bina, the Mochin in her appeared as three that come out of one. Vav de HaVaYaH, ZA, was crowned in Mochin through the first Hey de HaVaYaH, and Bina is the one that is rewarded with all three.

Then the bottom Hey de HaVaYaH, Nukva de ZA, rose to Vav de HaVaYaH, ZA, and was tied in him in a complete connection. In other words, she received the Mochin de Bina from him, and at that time, it was said about the bottom Hey, which is called “Melchizedek,” as it is written, “Melchizedek King of Salem” [King of Salem also means “whole king” in Hebrew]. This is so because now he is a whole king, a king who reigns in full. When is Nukva de ZA regarded as a whole king? On Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement], when Malchut rises and clothes in Bina, and every Panim [face/anterior] shines, and the Panim of Nukva shines as the Panim of Bina.

241) Melchizedek is the last world, the Nukva de ZA. King of Salem is the upper world, Bina. When they are crowned in one another, the lower world is crowned with the upper world without separation and the two worlds are as one. Then even the lower world is completely one with the upper world, since at that time the Nukva de ZA rises and dresses the Bina, and each lower one that rises to the upper one becomes exactly like him. Thus, then the two worlds—the Nukva with the Bina—become as one thing.

It is written, “Brought forth bread and wine,” meaning that those two are in him. Bread means the light of Hassadim on the right, and wine means the illumination of Hochma on the left. This is why it is written, “Brought forth bread and wine,” telling us that these two lights are now in Melchizedek, the Nukva when she clothes Bina.

It is also written, “And he was priest of God the Most High,” meaning that the lower world is using Hassadim opposite the upper world. This is so because “And he was priest” is right, the light of Hassadim in Nukva. “Of God the Most High” is the upper world, Bina. And the meaning of the words, “He was priest” is that the Nukva is using the light of Hassadim, called “priest,” for “God the Most High,” for Bina. The decision of the middle line in Bina, which came out through the Zivug on the Masach de Hirik, makes Nukva de ZA the carrier of this Masach. Thus, the Nukva serves as a priest to illuminate the Hassadim to God the Most High, to Bina. This is why the Nukva is blessed with Hassadim, as well.

242) The lower world, the Nukva, receives blessings when she bonds with the high priest, the right line in Bina. At that time, after the Nukva received the blessings from the high priest, she blessed Abraham, as it is written, “And he blessed him, and said, ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High.’” Similarly, the priest below, in this world, should make ties and unite unifications and bless this place, Nukva de ZA, so she will connect with the Hassadim on the right of Bina. By that, the two worlds, Nukva and Bina, connect and become as one.

243) “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth.” This is a blessing, in which there is the correction of the intention that we must intend in all the blessings that we bless, since “Blessed be Abram” is similar to what we say in every blessing, “Blessed are You.” “Of God Most High” is similar to what we say in every blessing, “The Lord our God.” “Maker of heaven and earth” is similar to what we say in every blessing,” “King of the world.” This verse is the blessing.

“And he blessed him, and said, ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High’” is the order of intention from below upwards. “And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand” is the order of the intention from above downwards.

The intention of the blessing is that first, abundance is brought down from Bina to ZON, to elevate the Bina and educe all the Mochin in her. This is considered from below upwards, raising ZON from their place up to Bina to complement her. This order is in the first half of the blessing, through “King of the world.” Finally, the abundance is extended from above downwards, from Bina to ZON and to the lower ones. This comes at the conclusion of the blessing, after “King of the world.”

The explanation is that the merit of ZON to receive the Mochin from Bina is only because they rose and complemented the Mochin de Bina with the middle line that comes out on their Masach in three that comes out of one. At that time, ZON, too, are rewarded with the same amount that illuminated in Bina thanks to them, in one that is rewarded with all three. Therefore, if we wish to extend a degree from Bina to ZON, we must first elevate the ZON to Bina, to cause additional Mochin in her. Afterwards, they will receive that same addition that they caused in Bina, too.

Also, the ascents of ZON to Bina are through the letters ELEH of Elokim. During Bina’s diminution, they come down to ZON, and during her Gadlut, she brings the letters ELEH back to her and they raise the ZON to her along with them.

This is why the first half of the blessing is arranged from below upwards, to elevate ZON so as to complement the Bina. Also, the word “Blessed” implies extending ELEH from the Katnut of Bina, the upper blessing, and to bring them down to HGT de ZA, which are the three circumcisions, “You are the Lord our God.” “You” is Hesed, “The Lord” is Tifferet, “Our God” is Gevura.

After ELEH extended in HGT de ZA, we intend for the Bina to bring her ELEH back to her degree, at which time the ZON rise along with them and complement the Mochin in her in the middle line. At that time, Bina is called “King of the world” because the Mochin have been completed in her. Afterwards, in the second half of the blessing, we extend the Mochin from above downwards, from Bina to ZON and to the lower ones because they are rewarded with the same amount that ZON have caused in Bina.

It is written, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth.” This is the arrangement of the phrasing of all the blessings. The first three words, “Abram of God Most High” imply to HGT de ZA, who receive ELEH from the upper blessing. It is like the three words [in Hebrew], “You are the Lord our God.” “Maker of heaven and earth” is like “King of the world.” When Bina brought ELEH back to her, when ZON rose along with them and complemented the Mochin with her, at which time Bina is called “Maker of heaven and earth,” as in the rest of the blessings, when she is called “King of the world.”

Thus far, “And he blessed him, and said, ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High,’” is the order of intention from below upwards, when raising ZON from their own place up, to complement the Bina. “And blessed be God Most High” is the order of intention from above downwards, when extending the Mochin from above, from Bina, down to the ZON, like the second half of the blessing, like the rest of the blessings.

It is written, “And He gave him a tenth of all,” meaning he gave a tithing to Nukva, to adhere to the place, since the connection is tied below, in the Malchut that ends the illumination of the Nukva, so as to prevent a gripping to the outer ones, and the tithing ends her illumination.

244) It is written, “To David, Unto You, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.” Why does it not say, “A psalm of David” or “A psalm for David”?

245) David spoke for his own degree, and the praise he said was for himself. “Unto You, O Lord, do I lift up my soul” means to You, Lord, above. “My soul” is David, who is the first degree, Malchut, the first one from below upwards. “I lift up” as in “I will lift up my eyes unto the mountains,” since throughout his life, David tried to raise his degree to Bina, to crown it above in Bina and to tie it there in a complete connection as it should be.

246) Similarly, it is written, “To David. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all my insides, bless His holy name.” He also said, “Bless the Lord, O my soul” for his own degree. Et [“of,” absent in the English translation] is to connect to Bina. “And all my insides” are the rest of the animals of the field, meaning the Sefirot of the Nukva, as it is written, “And my insides were moved for him.”

He said, “Bless … my soul” for his own degree. “The Lord” is the wholeness of everything, the whole of everything. Et [the] is Malchut, “The Lord” is ZA, and “The Lord” is the complete unification of ZA and Nukva.

249) It is written, “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake.” One “I” is at Sinai and one “I” is when the world was created. “I” is the name of Malchut, and this is in Sinai. But in the creation of the world it is the name of Bina, since with the ascent of Malchut to Bina, Bina is called “I,” as well, like Malchut. “I am the Lord your God” is in Sinai, and one when He created the world, as it is written, “I have made the earth.” Here, it includes Malchut and Bina together, showing that there was no separation between above—Bina—and below—Malchut.

250) It does not say “Removes your transgressions,” but “Wipes out your transgressions,” so they will never be seen again. When it writes, “For My own sake,” it is to reveal the Rachamim that are dependent upon Me, as it is written, “For the Lord your God is a merciful God.”

251) “Who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake.” With their sins, the wicked of the world make a flaw above. This is because when the sins go up, the Rachamim, the upper light, and the suction of the blessings do not come down. Hence, this degree, the Nukva, which is called, “I,” does not receive blessings from above to nurse the lower ones. This is why it is considered a flaw for her. This is why she says, “For My own sake,” so the blessings will not prevent Me from nursing everyone.

252) Similarly, it is written, “See now that I, even I, am He.” There, too, the first “I” indicates Bina and the second “I” indicates Malchut to show that there is no separation between the Bina above and the Malchut below.

253) Similarly, when there are righteous in the world, the blessings extend to all the worlds. When Abraham came, blessings extended to all the worlds, and thanks to him there are blessings above—in the upper worlds—and below—in the lower worlds. It is written about that, “In you shall … be blessed,” which is the lower ones, and it is written, “And I will bless them that bless you”, which is the upper worlds. When imparting blessings below, they are blessed first, which is as it is written, “And I will bless them that bless you.”

254) Isaac came and announced to all that there is a Din [judgment] and a Dayan [judge] above to avenge the wicked. He evoked the Din in the world so that all the people in the world will see the Creator. Jacob came and evoked Rachamim [mercy] in the world, and complemented the faith in the world as it should be. Abraham extended the Hesed, the right line of faith, the Nukva; Isaac extended the Din and the Gevura for her, her left line; and Jacob complemented her by extending Rachamim, the middle line.

255) During the days of Abraham, it is written, “And Melchizedek king of Salem.” This means that the throne, Nukva, was crowned in her place, in Bina, and then the Nukva is a whole king [Shalem (like Salem) means “whole” in Hebrew], completely flawless, and the Nukva elicited proper nourishments to all the worlds. It is written about it, “Brought forth bread and wine,” meaning that all the worlds were not devoid of the blessings. “Brought forth” is as it is written, “And the earth brought forth,” meaning the Nukva, which brought forth nourishments and blessings from the upper degrees to all the worlds.

256) “And he was priest of God the Most High,” meaning that everything is in the uppermost wholeness, as it should be, in the wholeness of Bina, who is called “God above.” This indicates that as the wicked blemish the world and prevent the blessings from the world, the blessings come to the world thanks to the righteous and all the people in the world are blessed because of them.

257) “And he gave him a tenth of all,” meaning Melchizedek gave him of those blessings that come out of the “all,” which is Yesod. This means that Melchizedek, who is the Nukva, received the tenth, the blessings, from Yesod, and imparted upon Abraham. It is from the Yesod because this is the place from which all the blessings that come down to the world come out.

Another interpretation: “And he gave him a tenth of all” means that the Creator gave a tenth to Abraham, one out of ten, ten out of a hundred, the Malchut. In her Katnut, there is only one Sefira in her—Keter. At that time it is one out of ten Sefirot in ZA. In her Gadlut, she has ten complete Sefirot, and then she is ten out of one hundred Sefirot in ZA. The Creator gave Abraham this degree, and henceforth Abraham was admitted into proper existence above, meaning he was rewarded with complete attainment for all eternity.

259) Rabbi Shimon said that anyone who does not wash his hands properly [Netilat Yadaim—spiritual cleansing of hands], besides being punished for it above, he is punished below, in this world, too, for he inflicts poverty on himself. And according to his punishment, so is his reward above and below. And one who washes his hands properly brings upon himself blessings above—the blessings are properly on his hands—and is blessed below with wealth.

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231) The awakening of the upper one is only through the awakening of the lower one because the awakening of the upper one depends on the craving of the lower one.

232) “O God, do not keep silent.” This is the awakening from below, from the side of the Nukva, so as to govern. David said, “O God, do not keep silent” from awakening to the upper one, ZA, and to bond with the right, his Hesed.

233) “For behold, Your enemies make an uproar. …For they have conspired together with one mind, against You they make a covenant.” The Nukva is the left, Hochma without Hassadim, and Hochma cannot shine without Hassadim. For this reason, all the Klipot and enemies of Kedusha [holiness] raise their heads. And for this reason, “O God, do not keep silent” from awakening upwards to ZA.

This is so because at that time, the right of ZA awakens and ties her with him. And when she is tied to the right, when the Hochma in her dresses in the Hassadim on the right, the enemies break, since the illumination of Hochma destroys all the enemies of Kedusha, as it is written, “Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, Your right hand, O Lord, dashes the enemy in pieces.”

234) When all those kings join together to wage war on Abraham, they conspired to annihilate him from the world. And since they ruled Lot, Abram’s nephew, they immediately went, as it is written, “And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son … and his goods, and departed.” This was so because Lot’s form was similar to that of Abraham, and this is why “And [they] departed,” since the whole war was for him and they thought that they had already captured him.

235) They wanted to kill Abraham because Abraham brought the people of the world out of idolatry and into service of the Creator. This is why they wished to kill him. Furthermore, the Creator evoked them in the world to fight Abraham, so as to magnify Abraham’s name in the world and bring him closer to His work.

236) When Abraham awakened to chase them, it was said, “O God, do not keep silent.” This means that the Nukva awakened for ZA and raised MAN to him, to extend Hesed, which is right, until everything was tied to Abraham, Hesed de ZA, meaning the Hochma in her clothed in Hassadim and her illumination was completed. And when everything was tied in Abraham, all the kings broke before him.

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211) Seven firmaments did the Creator make above, which are the ZAT de Atzilut, HGT NHYM. All of them are in order to know the glory of the Creator and all of them are poised to announce the meaning of the high faith.

212) There is a hidden upper firmament, above those seven firmaments—Bina de Atzilut—the firmament that leads them and shines to all of them. It is hidden—meaning its GAR, AVI—and it is doubted because it is unknown, meaning its ZAT, YESHSUT, since it is hidden and deep and everyone wonders about it. This is why its ZAT is called MI [also “who” in Hebrew], as in, “Out of whose abdomen came the ice?” This is the uppermost firmament, which stands atop all seven firmaments.

213) Below, there is a firmament, Malchut, the lowermost, and it does not shine. And because it is the lowermost and does not shine, that uppermost firmament atop them, Bina, which is called MI, conjoins in it. This means that the uppermost firmament, MI, the Hochma, does not shine to any firmament of the ZAT, but only to the lowest among them, which is Malchut. And the two letters, Mem, Yod, of the upper firmament, which is called MI, contains them within it. It is called Yam [sea], from the letters MI.

214) Because all those other firmaments above the lowermost firmament, which are HGT NHY, became streams and enter it, it becomes the upper sea and bears fruit and various fish, which are the Mochin that it gives to BYA. David said about it, “There is the sea, great and wide, in which are swarms without number, animals both small and great.”

215) It is written about it, “Who has aroused one from the east whom He calls in righteousness to His feet? He delivers up nations before him and subdues kings.” “Who has aroused from the east” is Abraham. Abraham awakened the upper firmament, called MI, to bestow Hochma upon the lower firmament, called Yam [sea]. “He calls in righteousness to His feet” is the lowest firmament of all seven firmaments, which became a sea.

“He delivers up nations before him.” “Before him” is the bottom firmament, which takes vengeance and makes the enemies fall. David is praised in him and says, “You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, and I destroyed those who hated me.” This is so because the illumination of Hochma destroys all the external ones and the Klipot. And since only the bottom firmament receives illumination of Hochma, and the six that are above it, he says that he takes vengeance and makes the enemies fall, and also, “He gives nations before him.”

216) “He gives nations before him” are the nations that Abraham was chasing and the Creator was killing. “And subdues kings” refers to the angels appointed over them from above. This is so because when the Creator inflicts Din [judgment] in the world, He inflicts Din on everyone, above and below, in the nations below and in their ministers above in heaven.

217) “He pursues them, passing on in peace.” “He pursues them” is Abraham, since Abraham was pursuing them and the Creator was passing before him and killing them. “Passing on in peace” is the Creator, who is called “peace.”

218) “By a way he had not been traversing with his feet” means that neither an angel nor a messenger was walking before Abraham, but only the Creator, as it is written, “Traversing with his feet.” “His feet” are those angels that are under the Creator, as it is written, “And His feet shall stand in that day.” The angels are called “His feet.” And the meaning of the words, “His feet” is the angels—who will not come by Abraham’s way at that time, but the Creator alone was on his way.

219) Another interpretation: When the Creator awakened the world, which is Malchut, to bring Abraham closer to Him, this awakening was for Jacob, who is the east. This is because Jacob was destined to come out of him and beget twelve tribes, all of which would be righteous before the Creator. And the meaning of the words is that MI, which is Bina, awakened the world to bring Abraham from the east, for the east is Jacob, since Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are called “south,” “north,” and “east.”

220) “He calls in righteousness to His feet.” The Creator was always calling on Jacob since the day the world was created. And this indeed is the reason why he was called Tzedek [justice], which is Malchut. “To His feet” means bonding with Him in His work and bringing him closer to Him, as it is written, “And all the people that are at your feet,” which is the people that are connected to you. “To His feet” means bonding with Him.

221) “Who has aroused one from the east,” from which the light begins to shine. All the force of the light in the south, Hesed, is from the east, which is Tifferet. This is why it is written, “Who has aroused” the light of the south, Hesed, “From the east,” which is Tifferet, who aroused him. Tifferet takes and is nourished first, and then gives to VAK, which are included in Tifferet, in which there is the south, Hesed. The desire of the upper firmament, Bina, is to bestow upon the east, Tifferet. This means that the one who receives from Bina is Tifferet, who is the main one from the VAK. Afterwards, he gives to the edges, in which there is the light of Hesed. Thus, the south does not receive from Bina but from the east. This is why it is written, “Who has aroused one from the east?”

222) “He calls in righteousness to His feet” is west, Malchut, who always calls to the east, Tifferet, and does not rest, as it is written, “O God, keep not Your silence,” since the west, Malchut, called Elokim [God], always awakens to Him. “He delivers up nations before him and subdues kings,” since from Him, from the east, he receives the strength to subdue all the peoples of the world.

223) “Who has aroused one from the east” is Abraham, who took the awakening to the Creator only from the east because when he saw the sun rising in the morning from the east, he took an awakening for himself, which is the Creator. He said about the sun, “This is the King who created me,” and he worshipped the sun the whole day. In the evening, he saw that the sun was setting and the moon rose. He said about the moon, “This one must be ruling the worship that he was worshipping the whole of that day, the sun, since the sun had darkened before the moon and does not shine.” Thus, he worshipped the moon the whole of that night.

224) In the morning, he saw that the moon darkened and the east illuminated. He said, “There must be a king and a ruler over all those, who leads them.” When the Creator saw Abraham’s desire, He appeared before him and spoke to him, as it is written, “He calls in righteousness to His feet.” Righteousness is the Creator, who called him and spoke to him and appeared before him.

225) “Speak righteousness and declare things that are right.” All of the Creator’s words are true. “And declare things that are right” because when the Creator created the world, the world did not stand, but collapsed to this side and to that side. The Creator said to the world, “Why are you falling?” It told Him, “Dear Lord, I cannot stand because I have no foundation [Yesod] on which to stand.”

226) The Creator told it, “Thus, I will place a righteous one within you, Abraham, who will love Me.” And the world immediately stood and existed. It is written, “These are the generations of the heaven and the earth when they were created.” Do not read it, BeHibar’am [when they were created], but BeAvraham [in Abraham, same letters in Hebrew], since the world existed in Abraham.

227) The world replied to the Creator, “Abraham is destined to beget sons who will destroy the Temple and burn the Torah.” The Creator told it, “One man will come out of him, Jacob, and twelve tribes will come out of him, all of which are righteous.” Promptly, the world existed for him.

228) It was said, “And he spoke,” and “And he said,” and each has its unique reason. “And he spoke” means in disclosure, which is Malchut, who is called “the revealed world.” This is the outermost degree and is not an internal degree, such as the ones above her. “And declare things that are right” is the Malchut, which is considered speech.

229) “And he said” implies to an internal degree, above Malchut, which governs the speech, Malchut. This is the meaning of “Declare things that are right.” “Right” is a high degree, where Jacob is, Tifferet, as it is written, “You have established rightness.” This is why it writes, “Declares” here, and does not write, “Speak,” to indicate that it refers to Tifferet and not to Malchut.

230) But it is written, “And He spoke unto you His covenant.” As was said “Speak” regarding the covenant, he could have said it with Tzedek [justice], too. Speaking is also considered a covenant, Yesod, since Tifferet and covenant are one. However, Yesod is a degree that rules over the lower one, which is the “Speak righteousness,” hence it is possible to use “Spoke” in it, as well.

Although it is said that speaking is the lowermost, it is a high and important degree. Speaking indicates that it is filled with all the degrees and that it is a high degree. This is so because although speech is the outermost degree, Malchut, Malchut is not called “speech,” unless when she is built and made of an internal Partzuf, equal to ZA PBP [Panim be Panim (face-to-face)]. At that time, ZA is called “voice,” and the Nukva, “speech.” Thus, on the one hand, speech means Malchut, the most external and the lowest, and on the other hand, it indicates to her complete construction, PBP with ZA, at which time she is a high degree.

(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / Lech Lecha – click)

(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / Lech Lecha – click)

195) Rabbi Elazar happened into a motel in Lod, and Rabbi Hizkiya was there with him. Rabbi Elazar rose at night to study Torah, and Rabbi Hizkiya stood by him because the place was narrow to them. Rabbi Elazar said, “The friends are in a narrow place,” meaning they were doing much Torah and little work, “This is why they are always encountered in narrow and small motels, for they have no money to rent spacious houses.”

196) He said further, “The Creator is like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, lovely and crowns in His colors,” in the three lines, HGT, which are considered the three colors—white, red, and green. “There is none like Him among all the other trees,” which are the seventy ministers, who resemble Kedusha [holiness] like a monkey before a man. “He is finer than all,” meaning He excels and there is none other like Him.

Because of the sin of the tree of knowledge, Divinity was drawn to the side of the seventy ministers, which are the externality of ZA. Hence, after she was corrected and clung once more to ZA, who is called the Creator, Divinity said, “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the sons. In his shade I took great delight and sat, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.” This means that there is none other like Him among the seventy ministers to which she clung before, and now the merit of the Creator over them is as apparent as far as light excels over darkness.

197) Prior to her correction, Divinity was under the shade of another, the shade of fig-leaves, the shade of the seventy ministers. It is written, “In his shade, I took great delight and sat.” Since when did she take delight? It cannot be said that she always took delight because due to the sin, she leaned toward the seventy ministers. But he says that it is from the day when Abraham came to the world and loved the Creator with love, as it is written, “Abraham, who loves Me.” Then he corrected Divinity and she reunited with ZA.

“And his fruit was sweet to my taste” is Isaac, who is Abraham’s holy fruit. This is so because while she leaned toward the seventy ministers, which is illumination of the left, she was empty from both Hochma and Hassadim. And after Abraham corrected her to a Zivug with ZA and she received the right line from him, the covered Hassadim, which are considered a shade, the left line illuminated in her once more, too, meaning illumination of Hochma that is clothed in Hassadim of the right. Thus, the illumination of Hochma is considered a fruit and an offshoot of the right line because she could not shine before, as it is written, “Abraham begot Isaac.”

198) Another interpretation: “In his shade, I took great delight and sat” is Jacob, the middle line. Because he decides in the Masach de Hirik, which diminishes the level, it is considered shade and sitting. “And his fruit was sweet to my taste” is Joseph, Yesod, who makes holy fruits in the world, meaning the souls. This is why it is written, “These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph, for all those generations of Jacob stand in the righteous Joseph, who is considered the Yesod of Jacob, and this is why Israel are named after Ephraim, as it is written, “Ephraim my darling son.”

199) “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest” is Abraham, who is like a fragrant apple. He excelled in whole faith more than all his contemporaries, and he excelled, as in, one above and one below, as it is written, “Abraham was one.”

200) He was one because there was none other in the world who excelled in faith in the Creator besides him. However, it is written, “And the souls that they had made in Haran.” This means that Abraham was converting the men and Sarah the women. Thus, there were others with faith in the Creator besides him, yet, they were not at the high degrees with which Abraham was crowned.

201) Abraham was not called “one” until he was mingled with Isaac and Jacob. When he was mingled with Isaac and Jacob and all three together became the patriarchs of the world, Abraham was called “one.” In other words, after he was mingled as one with all three lines, he was called “one,” and not before. This is when he was called “an apple” in the world, meaning that he has three colors—white, red, and green—like an apple, which implies to the three lines, and he excelled above all his contemporaries.

202) “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest” is the Creator, the right line. “My beloved” is the Creator, the left line. “In his shade” is the Creator, the middle line. “I took great delight and sat,” on the day when the Creator appeared on Mount Sinai and Israel received the Torah and said, “We will do and we will hear.” Then Divinity said, “I took great delight and sat.”

203) “And his fruit was sweet to my taste” are the words of the Torah, which are sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. “And his fruit was sweet to my taste” are the souls of the righteous, all of whom are the fruits of the produce of the actions of the Creator, and stand with Him above.

204) The souls of the world, which are the produce of the actions of the Creator, are all one. Above, it is still not apparent that they are male and female until all the souls descend in the form of male and female, and each soul is male and female connected as one.

205) The female’s craving for the male makes a soul. And also, the male’s craving for the female and his adhesion with her produces a soul, which includes the soul from the craving of the female and takes it. Thus, the craving of the lower one, the female, is included in the craving of the upper one, the male, and the two souls become one, without separation.

206) And then the female contains everything, taking both souls and becoming impregnated by the male in them. The craving of the both of them becomes attached and they become as one. Hence, everything is mingled with each other and when the souls come out, male and female are mingled in them as one.

207) Afterwards, when they descend to the world, the male and female separate from one another; one turns this way and the other turns that way, and later, the Creator mates them. But the key for the Zivug is given to none other than the Creator, for only He knows how to mate them, to unite them properly so they become male and female of the same soul.

208) Happy is the man who is rewarded with his actions and walks on the path of truth, to unite a soul with a soul for him, male and female, as they were before they descended into the world. But if he is not rewarded, he will not be given his mate. This is why it is written about him, “And his fruit was sweet to my taste,” since that man has been blessed with a proper correction of male and female. Also, the world will be blessed with sweet fruits from him, meaning handsome offspring, since everything depends on man’s actions, on whether or not he was rewarded.

209) The Creator said to the assembly of Israel, Divinity, “From Me is your fruit found.” It does not say, “Is My fruit found,” but “Your fruit,” indicating to that craving of the female, who makes the female of the soul, which is included in the strength of the male. Also, the soul of the female is included in the soul of the male and they become one, mingled in one another. Afterwards, they are separated in the world.

Indeed, by the force of the male is the fruit of the female present in the world. The words, “Your fruit” point to the fruits of the female, to the soul that extends by her craving. The text tells us that even the soul of the female is not from her self, but from her mingling with the soul of the male. This is why he says, “From Me is your fruit found.”

210) “From Me is your fruit found.” This is so because by the craving of the female herself, from which the female of the soul comes, the fruit of the male is found. Had it not been for the craving of the female for the male, there would be no fruits in the world, meaning there would be no offspring.

(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / Lech Lecha – click)

(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / Lech Lecha – click)

180) Woe unto one who hides himself from the Creator, of whom it is written, “Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord.” Why did Jonah escape the Creator, as it is written, “But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord”?

181) It is written, “My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret place of the pathway.” “My dove” is the assembly of Israel, Divinity. “In the clefts of the rock” is Jerusalem, the highest in the whole world. As a rock is higher and stronger than all, Jerusalem is higher and stronger than anything. “In the secret place of the pathway” is the place called “the house of the Holy of Holies,” the heart of the entire world.

182) It is written about the Holy of Holies that it is in the “Secret place of the pathway” since Divinity hid herself there, like a woman who is chaste for her husband and does not walk outside her house, as it is written, “Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine, in the innermost parts of your house.” Similarly, the assembly of Israel does not stay outside her place, in the secret place of the pathway, except during the exile, when she is within the exile. This is why the rest of the nations have it better and more peaceful than Israel.

The Temple is the Nukva, as it is written, “And the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.” The veil is the Parsa at the place of Chazeh, which separates between the Chazeh and below, where the Hassadim are revealed in illumination of Hochma, which is the holy, and the Chazeh and above, where the Hassadim are covered and are hidden from illumination of Hochma, which is the Holy of Holies. This is why the Holy of Holies is called, “The secret place of the pathway,” since the Hochma hides there and does not become revealed. The place of the Zivug is from the Chazeh and above in the place of the Holy of Holies, where Divinity would hide herself like a woman who is chaste for her husband and does not go outside her house, for there is the face of a man.

183) When Israel are in the holy land, everything is properly corrected and the throne, the Nukva, is whole over them. When the throne was whole for the upper Israel, they did the work of the Creator, raising MAN and fissuring the airs of the world, and the work rose to her place, to ZON, causing them to mate. This is so because the land is established to work only for Israel. This is why the rest of the nations were moving away from the land, meaning they did not rule it as now, for they were nourished only by the extract of the abundance, which Israel extended through their work, and which satiated the nations of the world, as well. But the majority of the abundance came to Israel and the nations received only an extract of the abundance. For this reason, the governance was for Israel.

184) But did not several kings from among the nations rule even while the Temple stood in the world? In the First Temple, before Israel defiled the land, the rest of the nations did not rule so. Rather, they were feeding on the extract, and at that time, their governance was from this extract. Hence, their governance was not so strong.

When Israel sinned and defiled the land, they seemingly rejected Divinity from her place and she drew nearer to another place. And then the rest of the nations ruled because they were given permission to rule.

185) Only the Creator governs over the land of Israel. When Israel sinned and were offering incense to other gods inside the land, Divinity was seemingly rejected from her place because they were anointing and burning incense for other gods to connect with Divinity, and then they were given governance. The incense makes a tie so as to connect. Hence, they were sucking from Divinity and received the governance from her, and then the rest of the nations ruled, the prophets were cancelled, and all those high degrees did not rule over the land.

186) The domination was not removed from the rest of the nations because they pulled the abundance of Divinity to them. This is why the governance was not removed from the rest of the nations in the Second Temple.

It is even more so during the exile, when the abundance of Divinity is among the rest of the nations, the place where the rest of the appointees govern. For this reason, everyone sucks from Divinity, who grew closer to them.

187) Thus, when Israel were in the land and worshipped the Creator, Divinity was chaste among them and did not come out of the house openly. This is why while the Temple existed, all the prophets of the time did not receive prophecy outside the land of Israel. And this is why Jonah fled outside the holy land, so that prophecy would not be revealed upon him and he would not be obliged to go in the Creator’s mission.

188) But did Divinity not appear to Ezekiel in Babylon, which is outside the land of Israel? However, what happened at that time did not happen before since the day the Temple was built, and that prophecy was only for a time, to comfort Israel. It is written, “The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel … by the river Kevar” [Kevar means “already” in Hebrew], meaning a river that has existed since the day the world was created, and Divinity was always disclosed on it, before the Temple was built. It is written about it, “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it parted and became four heads.” This river, “Kevar,” is one of those four rivers. The garden is Divinity, from which the river that went out of Eden, Hochma, extended and became four rivers. This is why she was disclosed on those four rivers before the Temple was built.

190) And there, Divinity was revealed for the time when Israel needed her, to comfort them for the ruin of the Temple. But Divinity did not appear abroad at other times. This is the reason why Jonah fled, so Divinity would not be revealed over him. Hence, he went from the holy land and fled. And it is written, “For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord.”

191) As Divinity appears only in the place where she should, she appears and is revealed only to one who is worthy of her. Thus, since the day when Lot wished to turn around in his sin, the spirit of holiness departed from Abraham, and when Lot parted from him, the spirit of holiness was promptly over Abraham, as it is written, “And the Lord said unto Abram, after Lot was separated from him.”

Each degree divides into internality and externality. At the root of that division was the ascent of the bottom Hey to the Eynaim, and a new Sium was made at the Sium of GE, a Parsa, and the AHP went outside the degree. Thus, the Kelim above the Parsa, which remained in the degree, are called “internality,” and the Kelim that went outside, below the Parsa, are called “externality” or Achoraim [posterior].

The external Kelim below the Parsa are brought back to the degree during Gadlut because ZAT de Atzilut, which are ZON, are completed only by ascending to the place above the Chazeh, which is the completion of the lower one in the upper one, and they are not complemented in their own place, below the Chazeh. For this reason, the Kelim Bina and TM from the Chazeh and below are always regarded as externality because they cannot be sorted and complemented prior to the end of correction, when the ZON will receive the second kind of completion.

This is the difference between the souls of Israel and the nations of the world. Israel extend from Kelim de Panim [anterior Kelim], which are fit for reception of complete lights even prior to the end of correction. But the nations of the world extend from the external Kelim, which cannot receive completion prior to the end of correction.

Similarly, the worlds divide into internality and externality. The land of Israel are Kelim de Panim with respect to the world, and abroad are the Kelim of externality. Thus, there is no wholeness abroad before the end of correction, for then it is said, “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth,” and “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord.” However, before the end of correction, there is no wholeness except in the Kelim de Panim of the world, which are the land of Israel.

Also, the Creator alone governs over the land of Israel. Since the land of Israel is made of Kelim de Panim, it received a correction at that time, too, as it is written, “A land which the eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it,” and in which Divinity appears. However, abroad, dominion is given to the seventy ministers, which are also the externality of Kedusha [holiness], extending from the external Kelim, and which have no wholeness prior to the end of correction. Hence, “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth” did not come true except in the land of Israel.

This is why it is written that as Divinity appears only in its proper place, in the land of Israel, she appears and is revealed only to a man who is worthy of her, who will keep from evoking the Zivug in the externality of the Nukva, in the place below the Chazeh. This is so because then he separates the Nukva from ZA and the abundance goes abroad to the seventy ministers of the nations of the world, which are the owners of the external Kelim that yearn for that abundance.

When Israel sinned and were burning incense to other gods inside the land, they evoked a Zivug in Nukva’s external Kelim, extending the abundance from above downwards, and then the abundance goes to other gods. At that time the rest of the nations reign because the abundance reached their seventy nations. Hence, all suck from Divinity, which drew near them because the external Kelim of Divinity were close to the nations of the world, for only they receive from them.

192) When Abraham saw that Lot had gone back to his bad ways, he was afraid. He said, “Because of my bonding with this one, I lost the holy part that the Creator crowned me with.” “The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, ‘Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward.’” What is, “From the place where you are”? It is the place to which you first adhered and were crowned with whole faith, which is “Northward and southward and eastward and westward.” These are the journeys that he traveled in the beginning, as it is written, “And he went on his journeys,” which are Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, and Haya. Northward is Bina and Neshama; southward is Hochma and Haya; eastward is Tifferet and Ruach; and westward is Malchut and Nefesh. It is written, “Going on still toward the Negev.” Those are the upper degrees, with which he was crowned in complete faith in the beginning.

194) And then he was told that they would not be lifted from him and from his sons forever, as it is written, “For all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your seed forever.” “Which you see” is the first degree that appeared to him, the degree of Nefesh, as it is written, “To the Lord, who appeared to him.” This is why it was said, “Which you see,” since this first degree, which is the Nukva, consists of all the degrees and all the degrees are seen in it. This is why it was said, “For all the land which you see.”

(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / Lech Lecha – click)

(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / Lech Lecha – click)

174) “And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle.” “Strife” is written without a Yod [in Hebrew], indicating that Lot wished to return to the idol worship that the dwellers of the land were worshipping. The end of the verse proves it, for it writes, “And the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land.” This shows that Lot wished to idol worship, like them. And the reason why it writes “Strife” without a Yod is to indicate to idolatry, as it is written, “And the elder shall serve the younger.” Also, Esau said to Jacob, “I have enough,” and Jacob told him, “I have everything.” And so it is, and the mixed multitude rose with them.

175) Where did he hear that Lot relapsed into idolatry? It is written, “And Lot journeyed from Kedem [east],” from the Kadmon [primordial] of the world.

176) Since Abraham knew that Lot’s heart had gone after idolatry, promptly, “And Abram said unto Lot, ‘Separate yourself from me,’” you are unfit for bonding with me. Then Abraham parted from him and no longer wished to go and bond with him, since anyone who bonds with a wicked will end up following him and will be punished because of him.

178) This is why Abraham did not wish to go with Lot. And for this reason, Lot did not wish to repent from his sin. Rather, as it is written, “So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed from Kedem.” This means that he went from the east of the world and did not wish to cling to complete faith as did Abraham.

179) “Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan.” The land of Canaan is the Nukva. He “Sat in the land of Canaan” to cling to the place of faith, in the Nukva, and to know his Master’s wisdom. “And Lot dwelt in the cities of the Plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom.” This means that he bonded with the wicked in the world, who departed from faith, and of whom it is written, “Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against the Lord.” Each parted to his own way and was fit for him—Abraham for Kedusha [holiness] and Lot for the wicked of the world.

This is the reason why the friends are happy, for they engage in Torah day and night and their bonding is with the Creator, since they do as Abraham did and not as Lot did. It is written abut them, “And you that cleave unto the Lord your God are alive everyone of you this day.”

(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / Lech Lecha – click)

(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / Lech Lecha – click)

164) “And he went on his journeys … unto the place where his tent had been in the beginning,” meaning he went to visit his place and degree. It writes, “His journeys” without a Yod [in Hebrew], meaning in singular form. This is the first degree that was seen to him, in the beginning. It writes here, “And he went on his journeys,” and it is written, “With a perfect [Shlema] stone is a journey built.” The “Perfect stone” is the kingdom of the king that peace [Shalom] is his, ZA. “A perfect stone” is Nukva de ZA, and here, too, she is the Nukva de ZA.

165) “On his journeys” means he went in all those degrees, degree-by-degree, as it is written, “From the Negev to Beth-el,” to correct his place, Hesed, which is called “Negev,” and connect it with Beth-el, which is the Nukva, in complete unification, since from Negev to Beth-el is where Hochma is found.

The Nukva is called “Beth-el.” She shines in light of Hochma because she is called “lower Hochma,” but the Hochma cannot shine in her without Hassadim. This is why he says, “From the Negev to Beth-el,” Hochma is present as it should be, since when he connects the Negev, which is Hassadim, with the Hochma in Beth-el, the Hochma can shine properly. However, before she connects in the Negev, the Hochma in Beth-el cannot shine.

166) “Unto the place where his tent had been in the beginning.” It writes “His tent” with a Hey, not with a Vav. This indicates that “His tent” is Beth-el, which is called “A perfect stone,” the Nukva de ZA. He also mentions that his intention is for the Nukva. He says, “Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there before,” of which it is written, “To the Lord, who appeared to him,” meaning the Nukva. And then, “And there Abram called on the name of the Lord,” since then he adhered in complete faith in the whole of the Nukva, which is called “whole faith.”

167) First, he rose in degrees from below upwards, as it is written, “And the Lord appeared unto Abram, …and he built there an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.” This is the first degree, the perfect stone, the Nukva, where there is seeing. From here he obtained Nefesh.

Afterwards, it writes, “Going on still toward the Negev,” meaning he went degree-by-degree until he was crowned in the south, which is Hesed de ZA, which is his share and lot. Here he obtained Ruach.

Afterwards, when he rose further, he hides the matter and says only “And he built there an altar unto the Lord.” He does not say, “To the Lord, who appeared unto him.” This is the upper world, Bina. Here he obtained the Neshama.

From there he traveled further on the degrees, going down to Egypt and rising from there, by which he obtained the degree of Hochma from the right side, when Hesed became Hochma. Afterwards, he went from above downwards, as it is written, “And he went on his journeys,” and all clung to its place as it should.

168) When you examine the degrees in the text, you will find the matter of upper Hochma here, the Hochma of the right. It is written, “And he went on his journeys from the Negev,” from the right side, the south. This is the beginning of the upper one, Bina, which is hidden and profound all the way up to Ein Sof. The Negev is Hochma at the start of the right line, the beginning and the root of Bina, who stands at the start of the left line. This Hochma is hidden and profound all the way to Ein Sof. From there he comes down degree-by-degree from above downwards, from Negev to Beth-el, which is the Nukva.

169) “And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.” This means that he attached the unification to its proper place, as it is written, “Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there before.” “Which he had made there,” since first, he elevated the Nukva from below upwards, and now he brought her down by the degrees from above downwards so she would not move away from those high degrees, and so that they would not move away from her. Thus, everything was united in one unification as it should be.

170) Then Abraham was crowned and the lot of his share was made in the Creator. Happy are the righteous who are crowned with the Creator and He is crowned with them. Happy are they in this world and happy are they in the next world. It is written about them, “Then all your people will be righteous, they shall inherit the land for ever.” It is also written, “But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn that shines more and more unto the perfect day.”

171) David said, “Turn unto me and be gracious to me.” Did David, who was humble, say, “Turn unto me and be gracious to me”? He said that for the degree with which he was crowned; he was praying for the Nukva de ZA, as it is written, “Give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your handmaid.” “Give Your strength” is the upper strength, Hochma, as it is written, “He will give strength unto His king.” “His king” is plainly a king, the Messiah King, Malchut, Nukva de ZA. Here, too, “Your servant” is the Messiah King, as we said, plainly a king, the Nukva.

173) “And save the son of Your handmaid.” But was he not the son of Yishai, that he had to state his mother’s name and not his father’s name? When a person comes to mention himself for receiving a high thing, he must come with a clear thing. This is why he mentioned his mother’s name, saying “The son of Your handmaid,” and not his father. Moreover, it is plainly a king, meaning he did not pray for himself, but for the Nukva, who is called “plainly a king.” This is why he mentioned his mother, the Nukva, and did not mention his father.

(înapoi la pagina ZOHAR CUPRINS / Lech Lecha – click)

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151) This is the Nefesh. When her craving rises, it is to the Creator. She does not cling to other kinds of light and she follows her own holy kind, in the place from which she emerged, which is the Nukva, from which the Nefesh extends and comes out. This is why it is written, “With my soul have I desired You in the night,” to chase You, to cling unto You, and to not be lured after another kind, a strange one.

152) My soul [Nefesh] is the one who governs at night, chasing after her degree, Nukva de ZA, to cling unto her. It is written about it, “With my soul have I desired You in the night,” meaning the Nefesh that governs in the night, for then she rises and appears before the King. And the Ruach governs during the day, as it is written, “With my spirit [Ruach] within me have I sought You earnestly.”

In other words, NR extend from ZON—the Ruach from ZA, Hassadim, and the Nefesh from the Nukva. As ZA rules during the day, the Ruach rules during the day. And as the Nukva rules at night, as it is written, “She rises while it is still night,” the Nefesh rules at night, for she is similar to the Nukva, where there is seeing. But the rest of the degrees—Ruach and Neshama—that extend from ZA and Bina, do not rise to be seen before the King because there is no seeing in them.

153) NR are not two separate degrees from one another. Rather, they are one degree, and they are two that are conjoined. And there is one that is superior who governs them and clings to them, and they to her. And she is called Neshama.

154) All the degrees rise in Hochma because when the degrees look at each other, man looks in the upper Hochma and this Neshama enters in NR and they cling to her. When the Neshama governs, a man is considered holy, completely whole, and he is of one will with the Creator.

155) Nefesh is a lower awakening from the lights NRN. It is near to the Guf [body] and nourishes it, the Guf clings to her, and she clings to the Guf. Afterwards, the Nefesh is corrected through good deeds that a man does and she becomes a throne where the Ruach can be, by the awakening of the Nefesh that clings to the Guf, as it is written, “Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high.”

156) After they have both been corrected, the Nefesh and the Ruach, they are destined to receive a Neshama, since the Ruach has become a throne for the Neshama to be on. This Neshama is superior to all and is hidden, unattained, more hidden than all that is hidden.

157) It follows that there is a throne to a throne, since the Nefesh is a throne to the Ruach, which is a throne, too, and a throne to the one above them, since the Ruach is a throne to the Neshama who is superior to them. When you examine the degrees, you will find how the light of Hochma is drawn through these NRN, and everything is Hochma by which to obtain hidden things.

158) Nefesh is a low awakening that clings to the Guf, like candlelight, whose bottom light is black, clings to the wick, does not depart it, and is corrected only in it. And when the black light is corrected and grips to the wick, it becomes a throne to the white light atop it, for it hovers over the black light. And that white light corresponds to the light of Ruach.

159) Once they are both corrected, the black light and the white light atop it, the white light becomes a throne to a hidden light, and it is not seen or known that it hovers over the white light. It corresponds to the light of Neshama, and then it is a complete light. Thus, there are three lights one atop the other in a candlelight: 1) The black light that clings to the wick, below all the others; 2) the white light over the black light; and 3) the hidden, unknown light over the white light.

Similarly, a man who is complete in everything has three lights one atop the other, NRN, as with the candlelight. And then a man is called “holy,” as it is written, “As for the holy that are in the earth.”

160) When Abraham came to the land, the Creator appeared to him, as it is written, “And he built there an altar to the Lord, who appeared to him.” He obtained there the light of Nefesh and built an altar for that degree. Afterwards, it is written, “Going on still toward the Negev,” by which he obtained the light of Ruach. Subsequently, when he rises to cling within the light of Neshama, the hidden world, it is written, “And he built there an altar.” Yet, it does not say, “To the Lord, who appeared to him,” since this is Neshama, who is more hidden than all that is hidden. This is why it is not written about her, “To the Lord, who appeared to him,” as it is written in regards to the light of Nefesh.

161) Afterwards, Abraham knew that he had to be further purified and crowned in degrees. Promptly, “And Abram went down to Egypt,” and was saved from there and was not lured into their lights. Thus, he was purified and returned to his place.

When he went down to Egypt and was purified there, promptly, “And Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev.” He went up indeed, meaning had an ascent in degree because he was rewarded with the light of Haya, Hochma of the right, and he returned to his place, to the land of Israel and clung to the upper faith, as it is written, “To the Negev,” meaning Hochma of the right, which is Hesed that rises at the time of Gadlut and becomes Hochma. However, there are five degrees NRNHY in this degree, and now he was rewarded with the first degrees in her.

162) Henceforth, Abraham knew the upper Hochma and clung to the Creator, and became the right-hand-side of the world. This is why it is written, “And Abram was very heavy with cattle, and silver, and gold.” “Very heavy” means from the east, Tifferet. “With cattle” means from the west, Malchut. “And silver” is from the south, Hochma, and “And gold” means from the north, Bina.

163) All the friends came and kissed Rabbi Shimon’s hands. They wept, “Woe, when you depart from the world, who will light the light of Torah?” Happy are the friends who heard these words of Torah from your mouth.

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146) How is it that people do not look to understand the words of Torah and to know why they exist in the world? He said, “When a man goes to sleep on his bed, his soul departs from him and goes up, as it is written, ‘At night my soul longs for You.’” It cannot be said that the rest of the degrees, too, Ruach and Neshama, rise along with her, since not everyone sees the face of the King. Rather, the Nefesh rises to the King, and at that time only one Reshimo remains with the Guf [body], which is the heart’s measure of life.

147) The Nefesh goes from the Guf and seeks to rise. There are several degrees to rise. She roams and encounters the Klipot of the lights of impurity. If she is pure and is not defiled with the Guf during the day, she rises. If she is not pure, she is defiled among those Klipot and clings to them and she will not rise again.

148) There, among the Klipot, she is told of those things that are destined to come in the near future, and the Nefesh clings to them. Sometimes she is mocked and is informed false things, and thus she roams all through the night until a man awakens from his sleep and the soul returns to her place to the Guf. Happy are the righteous, to whom the Creator reveals His secrets in a dream so they will keep themselves from the Din. Woe unto the wicked who defile themselves and their souls.

149) When those who were not defiled during the day rise to their beds to sleep, first, the Nefesh [soul] rises and enters among all those degrees of Klipot. She rises from them and does not cling to them. Afterwards, she walks and roams and rises according to her degree.

150) That Nefesh that was rewarded with rising appears before the King and adheres with a desire to be seen, a sublime craving to see the pleasantness of the King and to visit His palace. This is a man who always has a share in the next world.

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136) That whole night when Sarah was with Pharaoh, the upper angels came to sing before the Creator with songs and praises. The Creator told them, “Go and afflict great plagues upon Egypt, as a note and a sign of what I will do later, as it is written, ‘And the Lord plagued Pharaoh … with great plagues.’”

137) “And Pharaoh called Abram and said, ‘…Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?’” How did he know that Sarah was Abram’s wife? After all, it does not say here as it does with Abimelech, “Now therefore restore the man’s wife”? Here the Creator told Pharaoh nothing.

138) It is written about Sarai, Abram’s wife, since this is what the angels said about Sarai, Abram’s wife. But the Creator did not speak with him as He spoke with Abimelech. He was only told these words, “This plague is because of Sarai Abram’s wife.”

Also, it was not the Creator who spoke to him. Rather, the striking angels said that. Then he knew that she was Abram’s wife. Promptly, “And Pharaoh called Abram.”

139) “Pharaoh commanded men concerning him,” so no man would approach to harm them, “And they sent him away,” accompanying him throughout the land of Egypt. The Creator told Pharaoh, “This is what you are destined to do with his sons. You will accompany them from your land, as it is written, ‘And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had sent the people away,’” meaning he accompanied them out of his whole country.

140) Abraham needed all that in order to increase the name of Abraham and Sarah in the world, so that even in Egypt, who were the sorcerers of the world and no one could save himself from them, there, too, Abraham’s name grew and was raised up high. It is written about it, “And Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev,” to his initial degree.

141) The writing implies to the degrees of the Egyptians, who extend the Hochma from above downwards. Abraham went down to their depths and knew them but did not cling to them but returned to his Master.

142) He was not seduced by them like Adam, who was seduced by the serpent when he reached that degree and caused death to the whole world. He was also not seduced like Noah when he came down to that degree, as it is written, “And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.” “His tent” is written with the letter Hey, which is a strange woman.

143) But concerning Abraham, it is written, “And Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev.” In other words, he went up and did not descend. He returned to his place, the high degree to which he adhered in the beginning. This act was in order to instruct wisdom, to exist in complete existence as he should. He was not lured after the Egyptians but maintained his persistence and returned to his place, the Negev, which is the south wind, Hesed de ZA, the upper degree that he had held in the beginning. It is written about it, “Going on still toward the Negev.” Now, too, it is toward the Negev, the place to which he adhered in the beginning.

144) Had Abram not gone down to Egypt and had not been purified there first, he would have had no share and lot in the Creator. It was likewise with his sons when the Creator wished to make them one nation, a whole nation, and to bring them closer to Him. Had they not gone down to Egypt first and had they not been purified there, they would not have been His one nation. Similarly, had the land of holiness not been given to Canaan first, and had they not ruled it, the land would not have been the share and lot of the Creator, and it is all one.

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