Advanced Parsha Zohar18 – Yitro – Yeshua Centered Judaism

“When Jethro…heard”
Rabbi Chizkiyah begins a discussion to do with raising up the hands. It is important to raise them only in prayer and blessing, as the ten fingers
correspond to the ten potentates who receive blessings, and to the ten sayings. The lesson turns to the King and priest above, and the King and
priest below, and we learn that there is a King and a priest of the Other Side as well. The number ten is additionally significant, as God struck the
Pharaoh with ten plagues. About Jethro, we now learn that he gave advice to Moses on the administration of justice following the laws of God, and
Moses listened to him. Though the people had seen the miracles done by Moses, they gave up their idol worship and believed in Moses’ God only
after Jethro, who was a powerful priest of Midian, acknowledged the greatness of Hashem. We read of the three advisors to the Pharaoh: Jethro, Job
and Bilaam. Bilaam was a sorcerer, but Job had fear, and we are told of the great power of fear to draw down the spirit from above, whether it be
Holy or from the Other side. While Job converted to worship of the Holy One due to the fear generated by his witnessing of the miracles, Jethro did
not convert until after the drowning in the Red Sea. However, Bilaam neither repented nor converted; we are told that even in the Other Side there is
a small streak of light that comes from the Holy side, and Bilaam knew how to use this. In the same way, Moses saw a fine streak of darkness from
the Other Side. So we learn that all things connect to one another, the pure and the impure.
“When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’s father-in-law, heard of
all that Hashem had done for Moses…” (Shemot 18:1). Rabbi
Chizkiyah opened the discussion, saying: “And Aaron lifted up his
hands” (Vayikra 9:22). “His hands” is spelled without Yud, thus
meaning one hand only. And this is the reason: one should lift up his
right hand above his left hand. And we have already explained this
secret.
I found this in the book of King Solomon: anyone who desires to
raise his hands upwards, without any prayer or request in them, will
be cursed by ten potentates. These are “ten rulers who are in a
city” (Kohelet 7:19). These ten potentates are designated for those
who spread their hands upwards, to receive this prayer or that
blessing and to bestow upon them powers through which the Holy
Name is exalted and blessed from below. When the Name is blessed
from below, through the spreading of the hands upwards, it then
receives blessings from above. Thus, it is exalted from all sides.
These ten appointed potentates are there to receive the blessings
from above and propel them below, to bless those who are
deserving of these blessings. As it is written: “And I will bless
them” (Bemidbar 6:27).
Consequently, man must be careful that, at the time when he
raises his hands upwards, they are raised in prayer, in blessing, or in
entreaty. And he must not raise his hands idly, since those ten
potentates are ready and are roused towards the spreading of the
hands, and if it is in vain, these ten will curse it with two hundred
and forty-eight curses. This is what is written: “For he loved cursing,
and it came to him” (Tehilim 109:17).
And thus, an impure spirit rests on these hands for its way is to
rest in empty places. But blessings do not rest in empty places.
Therefore, it is written: “I have raised my hand to Hashem, the most
high El” (Beresheet 14:22), which is translated into Aramaic as ‘with
prayer’.1
This lifting of the hands has supreme secrets. At the time that one
spreads out his hands and lifts them upwards, man glorifies the Holy
One, blessed be He, with many supernal secrets, and is worthy of
uniting the ten sayings in order to unify the whole and bless the Holy
Name properly. He also unites the inner Chariots OF ATZILUT and
the outer Chariots OUTSIDE ATZILUT so that the Holy Name may be
blessed from all sides, and all becomes one above and below.
He opened the discussion, saying: “and none shall appear before
Me empty” (Shemot 23:15). This is the secret of the raising of the
fingers. For when man spreads his fingers upwards, he should not
do so in vain, but only with prayer, supplications and blessings. This
is the secret of: “and none shall appear before Me (lit. ‘My face’)
empty.” It does not say, ‘and none shall appear before Me’, but rather
(lit.) “My face,” which refers to the secret of the raising of the fingers

that it should not be done without an intention, as we said.

The ten rulers of which we spoke are the lower ten sayings,
according to the secret of the inscribed letters correlating to those
above; and at first, they have control of the raising of the fingers.
And through this, the whole side of Holiness is united above; thus,
the Other Side yields all and acknowledges the Holy King.
Come and behold: in the secret doctrine of Holiness, there is a
king and a priest who serves under him, both above and below. The
King above is the secret of Holy of Holies, NAMELY BINAH. He is the
King above; and under him there is a priest, the secret of primeval
light who ministers before him, WHICH IS THE SFIRAH OF CHESED.
He is the priest who is called ‘great’, at the right side.
There is a king below, NAMELY MALCHUT, in the likeness of the
King above, and he is the king over all that is below, NAMELY THE
WORLDS OF BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH. And under him there
is a priest who ministers to him, whom we signify as Michael, the
High Priest at his right hand, NAMELY CHESED. This is the true
secret of Faith, the side of Holiness.
On the Other Side, meaning the side which is not Holy, there is a
secret, which is a king, and we have established that he is called “an
old and foolish king” (Kohelet 4:13). THIS IS THE EVIL INCLINATION.
And under him there is the priest of On, as it is written in the verse:
“And Efraim said: ‘Yet I am become rich, I have found wealth (Heb.
ON) for myself'” (Hoshea 12:9). THIS IS THE PRIEST OF THE OTHER
SIDE, because this power, On, ruled over an act of idolatry
committed by Jerobaam. And if there had not been such power, he
would not have been able to succeed in his act.1
The essence of this matter is as follows. When this king and this
priest OF THE OTHER SIDE yield, and their power is broken, then all
the other sides yield and acknowledge the sovereignty of the Holy
One, blessed be He. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, alone rules
both above and below, as it is written: “And Hashem alone shall be
exalted on that day” (Yeshayah 2:11).
The Holy One, blessed be He, acted in a similar manner and with
this exact secret here on earth in breaking the old and foolish king,
namely Pharaoh. In the hour that Moses came to Pharaoh and said to
him: “the Elohim of the Hebrews had met with us” (Shemot 5:3), he
replied: “I know not Hashem” (Ibid. 2). The Holy One, blessed be He,
desired that His name be glorified on earth as it is glorified above
AND HE STRUCK HIM WITH TEN PLAGUES. After He struck him and
his nation, Pharoah came and acknowledged the Holy One, blessed
be He.
Afterwards, He broke and humbled the priest of On, Jethro, that
served under him, until he came and acknowledged the Holy One,
blessed be He, saying “Blessed be Hashem, who has delivered you…
Now I know that Hashem is great” (Shemot 18:10-11). And this is the
priest of On, from the Other Side, which is the left side. And this is
the secret Rachel communicated when she saw death. She said:
“Ben-Oni (lit. ‘son of my sorrow’)” (Beresheet 35:18), and because of
this Jacob hastened to say, “Benjamin (lit. ‘son of the right’)” the
right side and not the left side.
When the king and that priest acknowledged the Holy One,
blessed be He, and were humbled before Him, the Holy One, blessed
be He, was then above everyone in glory, above and below. And
before the Holy One, blessed be He, rose in glory before these
acknowledged, the Torah was not yet given. It was only after Jethro
came and acknowledged Him by saying, “I now know that Hashem is
supreme over all other Elohim.” “Blessed be Hashem, who has
delivered you.” Then the Holy One, blessed be He, rose in glory
above and below. And only afterwards was the Torah given in full,
expressing His sovereignty over all.
Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the following verse:
“Let the peoples praise You, Elohim, let all the peoples give thanks
to You” (Tehilim 67:3). Come and behold: King David rose and
praised and thanked the Holy King. He was studying the Torah at
that moment when the north wind rose and struck the strings of his
harp, and the harp made music. HE ASKS: Now what was the song
of the harp?1
AND HE RESPONDS: Come and behold. In the hour that the Holy
One, blessed be He, is roused towards the Chariots to give them
nourishment, as it is written: “She rises while it is night and gives
food to her household and a portion to her maidens” (Mishlei 31:15),
then everyone opens joyfully: “Elohim be gracious to us and bless
us; and cause His face to shine upon us Selah” (Tehilim 67:2). And
when the north wind is awakened and descends upon the world, it
blows, saying: “that Your way may be known upon earth, Your
salvation among all nations” (Ibid. 3). And the harp, at the hour that
it is played by that wind, opens and says, “let all the peoples give
thanks to you.” When he was awakened and roused by the Holy
Spirit, David said: “The earth has yielded her increase; and Elohim,
even our Elohim shall bless us. Elohim shall bless us; and let all the
ends of the earth fear Him” (Ibid. 8), so as to draw down the
goodness of the Holy One, blessed be He, from above downwards.
Later, David, roused by the Holy Spirit, arranged all the songs into
one, AS IT IS WRITTEN, “ELOHIM WILL BLESS US…” He observed
this scriptural verse of the harp, “LET ALL THE PEOPLES GIVE
THANKS TO YOU” (IBID. 5), for the glorification of the Holy One,
blessed be He, is above and below, NAMELY “AND LET ALL THE
ENDS OF THE EARTH FEAR HIM.”
The hour when the other nations yielded came, and they
acknowledged the Holy One, blessed be He. Once they yielded and
acknowledged Him, the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He,
became complete above and below. In the hour that Moses came to
Pharaoh and said to him, “the Elohim of the Hebrews had met with
us,” Pharaoh replied, “I know not Hashem…”
When the Holy One, blessed be He, desired that His name be
glorified on earth as it is above, after He struck him and his nation,
he came and acknowledged the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is
written: “Hashem is righteous” (Shemot 9:27). The instant he, who
was the most important king in the world, acknowledged Him, all the
other kings acknowledged, as it is written: “then the chiefs of Edom
shall be amazed” (Shemot 15:15).
Jethro came, the great and supreme priest, appointed ruler over
the whole pagan world, and acknowledged the Holy One, blessed be
He, saying: “I now know that Hashem is supreme over all Elohim.”
Then the Holy One, blessed be He, was exalted in His glory from
above and below, and afterwards He gave the Torah in the
completeness of His dominion.1
Rabbi Shimon said to his son, Rabbi Elazar: Regarding this it is
written, “Let all peoples praise You, O Elohim; let all the peoples
give thanks to You.” Then Rabbi Elazar came and kissed the hand of
his father. Rabbi Aba wept and said: “As a father pities his
children” (Tehilim 103:13). Who will have pity on Rabbi Elazar and
bring his words to completion, except by the love of my master?
How happy can we consider ourselves that we were privileged to
hear these words so that we shall not be ashamed through them in
the World to Come!
Rabbi Aba said: It was not written that Jethro was a priest of On,
but rather of Midian. He said to him: It is all one. At first the father-in-
law of Joseph was called a priest of On; afterwards, the father-in-law
of Moses was called a priest of Midian. For all are of the same secret.
THE PRIEST OF MIDIAN IS SIMILAR TO THE PRIEST OF ON. For
these two, Moses and Joseph, are at the same grade of secret, the
secret of the letter Vav THAT IS FULLY SPELLED WITH two Vavs
together; THE FIRST VAV REFERS TO MOSES, TIFERET; THE
SECOND VAV IS JOSEPH, YESOD. And what is said of the priest of
Midian is the secret of a contentious (Heb. Midianim) woman.
Rabbi Aba raised his hands to his head and cried, saying: The
light of the Torah now reaches the highest throne in heaven. When
the master passes away from earth, who will light the lamp of the
Torah? Woe to the world which will be orphaned from you. However,
the words of the master will shine in the world until there comes the
King Messiah, and then it is written: “the earth shall be full of the
knowledge of Hashem” (Yeshayah 11:9).
“When Jethro…” Rabbi Chiya said: We should look further into
this verse. In the first instance it is written: “Everything that Elohim
did for Moses” (Shemot 18:1). Later it is written: “and that Hashem
has brought Yisrael out” (Ibid.). HE ANSWERS: This is the secret.
“Everything that Elohim did,” WHICH IS MALCHUT, is the Name that
protected Moses and Yisrael, and did not move from them in exile.
Later it was the Supreme Name which brought them out of Egypt, for
the Name that brought them forth FROM EGYPT is the principle of
Jubilee, WHICH IS BINAH.
Another interpretation. “Everything that Elohim did for Moses,”
refers to when he was thrown into the river and was saved from the
sword of Pharaoh. And “for Yisrael, His people,” is as it is written:
“And Elohim heard their groaning” (Shemot 2:24), and: “But the
more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and
grew” (Shemot 1:12).1
“When Jethro, the priest of Midian…” Rabbi Yosi began the
discussion, saying: “He sent redemption to His people. He has
commanded His covenant forever. Holy and revered is His
Name” (Tehilim 111:9). HE ASKS: Why is there a difference? In all
other verses, each verse has two letters in alphabetical order, SUCH
AS THE VERSE BEFORE, WHICH IS SPELLED WITH TWO LETTERS,
SAMECH AND AYIN. HOWEVER, in this verse, and the verse
following it, there are three each. IN THIS VERSE, THERE ARE
THREE LETTERS AND THE VERSE FOLLOWING HAS THREE
LETTERS. THE REPLY: This is in order to complete six aspects by
the alphabet, WHICH ARE THE THREE REDEMPTIONS OF YISRAEL
AND THE THREE DIVISIONS OF THE SCRIPTURES – THE TORAH,
THE PROPHETS AND THE WRITINGS. THIS VERSE corresponds to
the three redemptions of Yisrael, BABYLON, GREECE AND EDOM,
apart from the first redemption FROM EGYPT, WHICH HAD
ALREADY TAKEN PLACE. The last verse corresponds to the Torah,
the Prophets and the Writings. And everything is dependent upon
this wisdom. SINCE THE TORAH, THE PROPHETS AND THE
WRITINGS DEPEND AND COME FROM WISDOM, THE FOLLOWING
VERSE THEREFORE BEGINS WITH: “THE BEGINNING OF
CHOCHMAH.”
Another interpretation of: “He sent redemption to His people,” is
when the Holy One, blessed be He, brought forth Yisrael from the
land of Egypt and caused mighty deeds and miracles. “He had
commanded His covenant forever.” This is when Jethro came and
was received by the Holy One, blessed be He, who brought him
closer to His worship, and so all proselytes were brought near under
the wings of the Shechinah. From then onward, “holy and revered is
His name.” For then the Holy Name of the Holy One, blessed be He,
became hallowed. The Holy Name becomes further hallowed when
the Other Side becomes broken and yielding, as it was with Jethro.
“When Jethro…” HE ASKS: Only Jethro heard, while the rest of
the world did not hear? Is it not written: “The people shall hear, and
be afraid” (Shemot 15:14)? HE ANSWERS: Indeed, the whole world
did hear, but they were not broken. THEREFORE, IT WAS AS IF
THEY DID NOT HEAR. But he heard, and was broken and yielded
before the Holy One, blessed be He, and was brought near to fearing
Him. THEREFORE HIS IS INDEED A HEARING.
Rabbi Aba said: In many places we have learned that whatever
the Holy One, blessed be He, does above or below, is all true and His
works are true. And there is nothing in the world that man needs to
reject or find despicable, for all are works of truth, and are all needed
in the world.1
It once happened that Rabbi Elazar was walking along the road,
accompanied by Rabbi Chizkiyah. They saw a snake and Rabbi
Chizkiyah rose to kill it. Rabbi Elazar said to him: Leave it alone, do
not kill it. He replied to him: But this is an evil thing that kills human
beings. He said to Rabbi Chizkiyah: But it is written, “If the serpent
bites and can not be charmed (lit. ‘without a charm’)” (Kohelet 10:11).
The snake does not bite a person unless it is whispered to from
above and ordered, ‘Go and kill that person’!
At times, just as it does this, so does it save man from other
things. And thus, by its hand does the Holy One perform a miracle
for men. Everything is in the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He,
for it is all His creation. The world needs them. For if the world did
not need them, the Holy One, blessed be He, would not have created
them. Therefore man must not conduct himself in a despicable
manner with things of the world; how much more so with the words
or the acts of the Holy One, blessed be He.
He opened the discussion with the verse: “And Elohim saw
everything that He had made and, behold, it was very
good” (Beresheet 1:31). “And Elohim saw,” refers to living Elohim,
WHICH IS BINAH; “And Elohim saw,” MEANS He was intent upon
giving them Light, and guarding them; “everything that He had
made,” is everything united, above and below; “very,” is the left
side; “good,” is the right side. As it was already established, “very,”
is the Angel of Death; “good,” is the Angel of Life. It is all one secret,
a secret to those who observe the mystery of Wisdom.
“And Elohim saw everything that He had made.” HE ASKS:
Throughout the works of Creation, it is written: “And Elohim saw
that it was good.” But here, it is written: “And Elohim saw everything
He had made.” HE ANSWERS: The lower Elohim, MALCHUT, rules
those below. The Elohim above, BINAH, rules those above. ELOHIM
ABOVE, THAT RULES THOSE ABOVE, is an aspect of the Living
Elohim, WHICH IS BINAH. HENCE, “AND ELOHIM SAW EVERYTHING
HE HAD MADE,” as He illuminated and lit all candles above and
below, and from there all lights emerge to illuminate.
Tosefta (addendum)
Upon the most hidden of all that is hidden, one imprint was
impressed that is neither seen, nor revealed. This impression is an
impression yet not an impression. Those of understanding and open
eyes, GIFTED IN WISDOM, can not understand its nature. It
maintains everything. This impression is so small as to be unseen
and not revealed, existing there by the will to sustain all. It receives
whatever it receives from that which has no impression or will, and
is not visible.1
This impression desired to veil itself, and created for itself a
chamber with which to be covered. It drew it from itself, and
extended it with great expansion from all sides and adorned it with
valuable attire, thereby opening up in it fifty gates.
In the innermost part IN THAT CHAMBER, that impression was
treasured and concealed. After being concealed, it was penetrated
by light. From this light there issued forth lights and sparks, and it
emerged through the gates of the chamber and shone upon
everything.
This chamber is cloaked, THAT IS TO SAY, CLOTHED with six
screens. Yet these six screens are but five. In the innermost part of
these screens, there prevails one embroidered screen. It is with this
screen that the chamber is covered AND CLOTHED. From within, it
monitors and sees everything.
This chamber is the opening of eyes – so that it does not sleep. It
is forever attentive to shed light below, out of the light of the
impression. This understanding, this concealed wisdom and the will
of wills, is concealed and cloaked, and not revealed; it exists yet
does not exist. Blessed be it from the concealed of all the concealed.
Blessed be it forever and eternally, Amen.
(End of Tosefta)
Come and behold: it was Jethro who gave advice to Moses on
the administration of justice. And this is how it should be. And this is
the secret of acknowledging the Holy One, blessed be He, and
arranging openly the administration of justice: to teach what is
written, “for the Judgment is Elohim’s” (Devarim 1:17), and not of the
Other Side. And these laws were given to Yisrael and to none other,
as it is written: “His statutes and His judgments to Yisrael” (Tehilim
147:19). Come and behold: man must not despise another, and the
words from a layman are still words, as it is written of Moses, “And
Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law.”1
“When Jethro…heard” He opened the discussion, saying:
“Therefore I will give thanks to You, Hashem, among the nations,
and sing praises to Your Name” (Tehilim 18:50). King David said this,
in the spirit of Holiness, when he saw that only the other nations
exalted and glorified the Holy One, blessed be He, in the world. But if
you say that the Holy One, blessed be He, exalts Himself in the world
only for Yisrael, this is certainly so. For Yisrael is the base of the
shine of the candle. Yet when the other nations come forth to
acknowledge Him through worship of the glory of the Holy One,
blessed be He, then the base of the candle increases and is
strengthened. And then the Holy One, blessed be He, rules alone,
above and below.
It happened that great fear and terror of the Holy One, blessed be
He, fell upon the entire world WHEN THEY HEARD OF THE
MIRACLES OCCURRING DURING THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT. And
when Jethro came, the High Priest of the heathen deities, then the
glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, was strengthened and He ruled
over all.
For when the people of the entire world heard of the wonders of
the Holy One, blessed be He, they trembled. Then they looked up to
Jethro, who was the wisest and was appointed over all of the
heathen deities. When they saw that he came to worship the Holy
One, blessed be He, saying: “Now I know that Hashem is greater
than all the Elohim,” they gave up their idol worship, realizing their
idols were worthless. At that time, the glory of the Holy Name of the
Holy One, blessed be He, was exalted on all sides. Therefore this
scriptural chapter has been recorded in the Torah, with Jethro’s
name at its beginning.
Jethro was one of the advisors to Pharaoh. Pharaoh had three
advisors: Jethro, Job and Bilaam. One was Jethro, and there was no
worship, appointed minister, sun or star that ruled over his empire
that he did not know its appropriate service. Bilaam was a sorcerer
in all manner of enchantments, whether by act or by word.
Job had fear. This reverence was his mainstay, IT WAS THE
ESSENCE OF HIS STRENGTH. For a word above, whether it be Holy
or of the Other Side, man can draw down the spirit from above and
unite with it below, only with fear, by concentrating his heart and
mind with fear, broken-heartedly. And only then can he draw down
the spirit of above, and the needed wish.1
And if he does not direct his heart and mind in fear to that side,
then his mind cannot cling to it, only with diminutive images, and not
even with all of them, since they are ruled by those who require
meditation of the heart and fear, and even more so in the case of
those supernal objects who require much more fear, terror, and
intention.
Jethro had to worship that side continuously, whether his
worshippers needed him or not, so that that side would cleave to
him when he needed it. Bilaam was connected with that sorcery, as
was stated before.
Due to an overpowering sense of fear within him, when Job
witnessed the miracles and mighty works the Holy One, blessed be
He, had performed in Egypt, he returned to Egypt to worship the
Holy One, blessed be He, in fear. Jethro did not convert to the
worship of the Holy One, blessed be He, until the exodus from Egypt.
All of the bonds and images that the Egyptians made were to no
avail, for still they departed. And only when they drowned in the sea
did Jethro convert to worship the Holy One, blessed be He.
Bilaam did not repent or convert, since the impurities of the
Other Side still clung to him. And yet, he observed from a distance,
and prophesied through the impurities and the clinging to the Other
Side. For in the Other Side there is one small thread of light that
surrounds it, as it is written: “And a brightness was about
it” (Yechezkel 1:27). And he saw through this small brightness from
afar, though not in all matters.
And when he perceived this small streak of light, it was as if from
behind a wall, and he spoke, yet did not know what he said. He
perceived this light as if with the white part of the eye – as when the
eye rolls and one sees covered light, yet does see. And this is the
secret of: “whose eyes are opened” (Bemidbar 24:15). And we
learned that “opened (Heb. satum, spelled with the Hebrew letter
sin)” MEANS closed (Heb. satum, with the Hebrew letter Samech).
And all pertains to the same thing.
There can always be found a small streak of light that comes
from the side of Holiness, as in most dreams, where in a pile of straw
there is one grain of wheat. Except for those minor images that are
most unclean. And it was in these, that Bilaam knew.1
Happy is the lot of Moses, who is high above all other supernal
sanctities. For he perceived that which no other man on earth was
ever given permission to observe. And just as Bilaam saw a small
light, fine and thin, as if behind a wall, from within the Other Side, so
through the great supernal light of Holiness did Moses see below, as
if from behind a wall, a fine streak of darkness. And he did not see it
always, just as Bilaam did not always see that light.
Happy is the lot of Moses, the faithful prophet. For it is written
about him: “And an Angel of Hashem appeared to him in a flame of
fire out of the midst of a bush” (Shemot 3:2). “…a bush…” REFERS
TO A KLIPAH, which was in Holiness and was connected to it. For all
things connect one to another, the pure and the impure. There is no
purity except from within impurity.
And this is the principle of: “Who can bring a clean thing out of
an unclean?” (Iyov 14:4). The shell (Heb. Klipah) and the fruit are
correlated, one with the other. And this Klipah will never be broken
or be gone until the dead rise from the dust. Then the Klipah will be
broken and the light will shine into the world, without any covering,
from the inner part. Happy are the righteous in this world and in the
World to Come.
“and her two sons”
Three of the rabbis are wondering why the title verse says “her sons” instead of ‘the sons of Moses’. Their comprehension is corrected by Rabbi
Shimon, who tells them that the sons referred to belong to Jethro, not Moses, and that Jethro brought his whole family that they might enter under
the wings of the Shechinah, who was joined celestially with Moses.
“…and her two sons…” (Shemot 18:3). Rabbi Chiya said: Why are
they called “her sons” and not ‘the sons of Moses’? HE ANSWERS:
Because she raised them without her husband, the Torah calls them
“her sons,” and not ‘his sons’. Rabbi Yosi said: Even though they
were the sons of Moses, THEY WERE, BY A SECRET PRINCIPLE,
most certainly her sons. BECAUSE, Rabbi Elazar said: Moses united
himself in another holy, celestial place, and it would not have been
respectful to call them his sons. Now, even though they were his
sons, because of the dignity of the place in which he united, WHICH
WAS THE SHECHINAH, they were here called “her sons.”
Afterwards, they were called “his sons.” What is the reason?
Because when they reached MOSES, Moses was talking to the
Shechinah. Later, when he separated FROM THE SHECHINAH and
went out to meet his father-in-law, then it is written: “And Jethro,
Moses’s father-in-law, came, with his sons” (Ibid. 5).1
Rabbi Shimon said: Elazar, Elazar. I see in this portion that the
beginning of your interpretation is quite proper, but the ending is not
the way you interpret it. Certainly, because of the respect of the
Shechinah, who was joined celestially with Moses, it is written “her
sons.” And though it is written, “And Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law,
came, with his sons and his wife to Moses,” IT STATES “HIS SONS,”
which is inclusive, and the words “his sons,” refer to the sons of
Jethro. For after Moses came to him, he had sons.
And so it was with Jacob. When he came to Laban and dwelt in
his house, Laban had sons. Also here, when Moses dwelt with
Jethro, he too had sons. And Jethro brought his whole family, so
they might all enter together under the wings of the Shechinah. And
Jethro said to Moses: “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am come to you,
and your wife, and her two sons with her.” And it is not written ‘your
two sons’. WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS? That Jethro had
children, as it is written: “And the children of the Kenite, Moses’s
father-in-law went up out of the city of palm trees” (Shoftim 1:16).
And he left his sons with Moses.
“and Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, came”
The discussion turns around the verse, “And many nations shall go and say, ‘Come and let us go up to the mountain of Hashem’,” and we learn that
the mountain is symbolic of conversion, to proselytize the soul.
“And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law came” (Shemot 18:5). He
opened the discussion with the verse: “And many nations shall go
and say, ‘Come and let us go up to the mountain of
Hashem'” (Yeshayah 2:3). This verse is explained in many places.
Yet, the time will come when the other nations will strive to come
under the wings of the Shechinah. “…let us go up…” All idol
worshippers of the world pertain to descent, but those who cleave to
the Holy One, blessed be He, will achieve an ascent. THEREFORE, IT
IS WRITTEN: “LET US GO UP.”
“…the mountain of Hashem…” refers to Abraham, as written: “as
it is said to this day: In the mount Hashem will appear” (Beresheet
22:14). For Abraham called it ‘a mountain’. Just as the mountain is
abandoned property, free to all who care for it, so is this holy place,
THE TEMPLE, open to all those who desire it on earth. “…to the
house…” (Yeshayah 2:3) is Jacob, who called this place a “house,”
as it is written: “this is no other than the house of
Elohim” (Beresheet 28:17).
Another interpretation. Though “mountain” and “house” pertain
to the same grade, one is higher than the other. A “mountain” is for
the rest of the nations who come to enter under its wings. A “house”
is to the nation of Yisrael like a wife to her husband in one
household – united in happiness, it adheres to them like a mother
over her children.1
Come and behold: what is written here regarding Jethro? “…and
Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, came, with his sons and his wife to
Moses into the wilderness.” HE ASKS: Since it is written, “to
Moses,” why does the verse add, “into the wilderness”? HE
ANSWERS: What is important is what Jethro came to the desert for.
And what is it? It is a mountain of Elohim, and it is a place for a
stranger to convert. Therefore, it is written “…to Moses into the
wilderness.” “To Moses,” to proselytize them and bring them under
the wings of the Shechinah. “Into the wilderness,” they would come.
For the mountain of Elohim is to proselytize the soul, THAT IS, TO
RECEIVE FROM THENCE THE NEFESH OF THE CONVERT.
On account of this, the location stands as a mystery called
“mountain,” and everyone who comes there is credited with the title:
“a convert of righteousness.” We have explained that he is called a
convert. Even though he united on high, with the celestial and holy,
because he left his own country and kin, HE IS CALLED “A
CONVERT.” He is called “a convert of righteousness” since he set
up his dwelling in a place he did not know before, WHICH IS IN THE
SHECHINAH, CALLED ‘RIGHTEOUSNESS’.
“This is the book”
We learn that the book in “This is the book of the generations of Adam” is actually two books, an upper and a lower, and comprises Male and
Female together. They also incorporate the secret of ‘keep’ and ‘remember’. Lastly we are also told that the book refers to the secret of the features
of human beings by which the descendants of man can be recognized.
Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yosi were sitting and studying the
Torah in Tiberias. Rabbi Shimon passed before them. He asked
them: With what are you occupied? They answered him: The verse
which we have learned from our master. He said to them: Which is
that? They responded: That which is written, “This is the book of the
generations of Adam. In the day that Elohim created man, in the
likeness of Elohim He made him” (Beresheet 5:1). And after all, we
have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed to Adam all
those generations that in the future will be born onto earth, and all
the leaders and all the sages that in the future will be present in each
and every generation.
And this is a secret we have learned. “This is the Book,”
NAMELY there are two books. There is an upper book and there is a
lower book. The lower book is called ‘the Book of the
Remembrance’, WHICH MEANS the Book of that Remembrance,
which is a certain Righteous one, NAMELY YESOD, called “this (Heb.
zeh).” AND MALCHUT IS HIS BOOK. In order not to separate them,
since they are always together and form one, it is therefore written:
“This (Heb. zeh) is the book” – two levels which are one, the principle
of Male and Female. FOR “THIS” IS MASCULINE, YESOD, AND THE
“BOOK” IS FEMININE, MALCHUT.1
And this is one principle: all those souls and spirits that fly into
human beings, which consist of all the descendants, are assuredly
in the secret of the generations of Adam, NAMELY THE
DESCENDANTS OF THE UPPER MAN, REFERRING TO ZEIR ANPIN.
This is because from this said Righteous all the souls fly forth with
one desire. And this is the watering of the Garden that this river,
which went forth from Eden, gives, as it is written: “And a river went
out of Eden to water the Garden” (Beresheet 2:10). THE
EXPLANATION: FROM YESOD FLOWED THE SOULS AND SPIRITS
OF THE GARDEN, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and this is the secret of
Adam, as it is written: “the generations of Adam.”
Afterwards, THE WORDS, “In the day that Elohim created man,”
refer to the lower man, because there are two men mentioned in this
verse. One refers to the secret OF ADAM from above, and one refers
to the secret OF ADAM from below. Adam, in the secret of above,
WHICH IMPLIES ZEIR ANPIN, is within the mystery of that verse
concealed in Male and Female, in one secret. As it is stated, “This is
the book,” which comprises Male and Female together, AS STATED
BEFORE. When they together produced offspring, they were openly
called ‘man’ (Adam), as is written “the generations of Adam.”
After it was revealed from the first supernal mystery of the verse,
NAMELY, IT WAS REVEALED THAT “THIS IS THE BOOK” ALLUDES
TO THE SUPERNAL MAN, WHOSE GENERATIONS ARE THE SOULS
AND SPIRITS OF HUMAN BEINGS AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE,
He created the lower man as it is written: “In the day that Elohim
created man, in the likeness of Elohim He made him.” “In the
likeness,” MEANS Adam was like a mirror with figures that appear in
it; the figures do not stay fixed in the mirror for very long, but fade
away from it. It is also HERE, “in the likeness of Elohim.”
Another interpretation: “In the likeness of Elohim,” MEANS the
shape of the limbs of male and female, in the secret of back and
front. The back is of the secret of “keep,” fOR THAT IS A FEMININE
ASPECT. The front is the male, in the secret of “remember,” WHICH
IS ZEIR ANPIN. And on these all the commandments of the Torah
depend, 613 commandments of the Torah, that are all inclusive. We
have learned THAT MAN WAS CREATED after the Creation and
before the act of the divine Chariot. And one is dependent upon the
other. “In the likeness of Elohim,” is in the exact shape OF
MALCHUT. So it was explained to me by my master.
More about, “This is the book of the generations of Adam.” This
refers to the secret of the features of human beings, the features
with which to recognize the descendants of man, and the hidden
meanings of these human features: the hair, the forehead, the eyes,
the face, the lips, the lines on the hand, and the ears. With these
seven human beings can be recognized.
And you shall behold the secret of the hair
This section describes the traits and motivations of persons with different types of hair. We are told that the mysteries of the varied types of hair are
for those who are wise in Torah, who recognize what is hidden in human beings, and are in the image of Elohim. It is they who sit in judgment.1
One is recognized by the hair. All who have creased hair,
MEANING CURLY HAIR, that is swept upwards, AND DOES NOT
HANG DOWN FROM THE HEAD, IS OF an angry disposition. His
heart is wrinkled like a rag, SIGNIFYING HIS HEART IS FULL OF
FEAR. His actions are not good. In partnership, one must stay away
from him.
If his hair is unusually smooth, and hangs low, then it is good to
associate with him, for gain is found within him. IN OTHER WORDS,
ONE BENEFITS FROM AN ASSOCIATION WITH HIM. However, when
he is alone (THAT IS, WITHOUT A COMPANION) it is not so. THERE
IS NO SUCCESS WITH HIM. He can keep secrets of great importance,
yet, in secrets of minor importance, he is not reliable. His actions are
SOMETIMES good, AND SOMETIMES not good.
If his hair hangs low and is not smooth, he has no fear in his
heart. He is a malicious person. He desires good deeds, and thinks
well of them, but he does not accomplish THEM. When he reaches
old age, he returns to fear HASHEM, and his actions are proper. And
these things pertain to the secular world, FOR THEN HE IS A
MALICIOUS PERSON AND DOES NOT ACCOMPLISH GOOD DEEDS.
But in esoteric matters, everyone benefits who associates with him.
Do not reveal important secrets to him, but he will safeguard minor
secrets. He can make big things from little things, and his words will
be heard with respect. He is under the letter of Zayin, according to
the letters taught by our master.
If the hair is black and extremely shiny, he will succeed in all his
actions, specifically in worldly matters – THIS IS MALCHUT, CALLED
‘WORLD’ – and in commerce, WHICH IS THE ABUNDANCE OF
MALCHUT, ACCORDING TO THE SECRET OF THE VERSE: “SHE IS
LIKE THE MERCHANT SHIPS” (MISHLEI 31:5). He is benevolent, but
he succeeds only when alone, WITHOUT AN ASSOCIATE. And
whosoever joins him as an associate will not succeed for long, but
will have only immediate success, and that success shall fly from
him. This secret is included in the letter Zayin.
If his hair is black and not shiny, at times he will be successful
and at times he will not succeed. It is good to associate and work
with him for a short time, but not for a lengthy time, for during
lengthy times he tends to think. So in order not to be parted from
him, he is good for a short time. Such a one succeeds in Torah
studies if he perseveres after it. And others will likewise succeed by
him. He can not keep secrets for a long time. He is mean-hearted. He
shall see his enemies, and they shall not prevail against him. He is
mean (Heb. tzar)-hearted, as in the esoteric principle of the letter
Yud, WHICH IS SMALL AND NARROW (HEB. TZAR) – and he is not
included in the letter Zayin, AS STATED PREVIOUSLY, but the in
letter Yud, in the secret of small letters.
If his hair is balding, he will succeed in business, but he is a
swindler. There is a scarcity of food in his house. On the surface, it
seems he fears sin, but it is not so within. And all this is so before he
comes to old age. But if he becomes bald in his old age, he becomes
the opposite of what he was before, for good or for bad.1
The stated words refer to hair balding on the forehead, between
the eyes, at the place where the Tefilin are placed. However, at
another spot on the head, it is not so. He is not a swindler, but an
evil gossiper, one who gossips quietly without raising his voice. At
times he is fears sin, and at times he does not. Thus, he is under the
secret of the letter Zayin, when it includes the letter Yud.
Until this point, the mysteries of the varied types of hair are for
those who sit in judgment, know the ways and mysteries of the
Torah, recognize what is hidden in human beings, and are in the
image of Elohim, in whom this nomenclature, ELOHIM, is concealed –
which is explained in many ways.
And you shall behold the secret of the forehead
This part examines the shape, size and slope of the forehead, together with the minute details of the furrows in the forehead; it uses these facts to
explain the persons who have these sets of characteristics. The secret of the forehead is under the letter Nun, that is Gvurah.
The secret of the forehead. This is under the letter Nun, WHICH IS
GVURAH, which is the perfection of the letter Zayin – WHICH IS
MALCHUT, SINCE MALCHUT WAS BUILT FROM THE LEFT COLUMN,
WHICH IS GVURAH. Sometimes THE NUN is included in the letter
Zayin, and at times it stands by itself. A forehead which is small,
rises sharply, and is not round, signifies a man who is not settled in
his mind. He thinks he is wise, but knows little. He is frightened in
spirit, and has a serpent’s tongue.
IF the furrows in his forehead are large and are not joined ONE
WITH THE OTHER, and if when he speaks these same furrows are
formed, but not joined, while the other lines in his forehead are all
joined, ONE WITH THE OTHER, then one is not to associate with him
for more than a brief period, and not for a lengthy time. Whatever he
does and thinks is only for his own advantage, and he has no
concern for the benefit of others. He can not keep a secret at all. Of
him it is said: “A talebearer reveals secrets” (Mishlei 11:13). His
words are not meaningful. This is the mystery of the letter Nun,
which is included in the letter Zayin. He does not have a reliable
disposition.
IF his forehead is small and rounded, he makes intelligent
observations, yet, he is fearful in spirit. His love is joyous. He is
kindhearted to everyone. He has interests in many things. If he
studies the Torah, he will become quite wise.1
IF three large wrinkles are in his forehead at the time when he
speaks, and three wrinkles are near one eye, and three wrinkles are
near the other eye, and he cries at the time he is angry, then he is
better than he appears to be. Whether it be in deeds or in words, he
throws over his shoulders all secular matters, and cares not for
them. He will have success in the study of the Torah. In fact, anyone
who engages with him will profit even in secular matters, FOR
WHICH HE ATTACHES NO IMPORTANCE. At times he clings to the
will of the Holy One, blessed be He, and at times he does not. In legal
matters, he has no success; he stays far away from legal judgments.
And this is the secret of the letter Nun by itself, not included in the
Zayin. Since it is not included in the letter Zayin, he keeps his
distance from the law and does not stay there. Rather, love is his
side.
IF his forehead is not rounded but is large, this is a man who,
whether he stands or walks, always bends his head. This type can be
divided into two aspects of madness. One aspect is a noticeable
madness, evident to all who observe and recognize it. He is the fool.
IF he has four large wrinkles on his forehead – and sometimes
when he speaks they appear on his forehead, while at other times
the skin on his forehead is stretched so the wrinkles are not seen;
there are wrinkles that are seen, and THEN other large wrinkles close
to his eyes; he laughs freely WITHOUT REASON; and his mouth is
large, this man has no worth, and is of the Other Side. Madness is
concealed in him and people do not notice it. And he gets wiser in
everything he does, even in the study of Torah – but not for its own
sake but only to boast before people. And his custom is to be
clandestine and conceited. He appears to be pious, but is not so.
Everything he says is not for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be
He, but for man. His thoughts and his behavior are for external
appearance, to draw attention to himself. This is the mystery of the
letter Nun, which is included in the letter Zayin.
IF the forehead is rounded and large, he is clever. He remembers
everything. He acquires wisdom from whatever he works hard at,
and even without a trainer to teach him. He succeeds at whatever he
endeavors. However, in money matters, sometimes he succeeds,
and sometimes he does not. From little things, he can infer great
things. He is called ‘wise’. He does not concern himself with
mundane matters, even when he knows that he may be embarrassed
by not concerning himself with these matters. He pays no attention
to them. He is soft-hearted.1
IF there are two large wrinkles set high upon his forehead, one
wrinkle over one eye, and one wrinkle over another eye, and there
are also three large wrinkles in his forehead, those above his eyes,
and apart FROM THEM a lower furrow split above the eyes, this
signifies deep inner thought, not revealed on the outside because
people do not pay attention to his actions. He is in fear for a short
time only, but never more than that. As for pleasing, he is only
concerned with his outward actions before people, and these, HIS
ACTIONS, are nothing more than childish at times, and at times they
are wise. This stands in the mystery of the letter Nun when it is alone
and is not included in the letter Zayin. But it is weak because it has
not been included in the original letters, but is supported by the
letter Samech to be included with it, but not with the original letters.
Until this point are the secrets of wisdom of the forehead.
And you shall behold the secret of the eyes
The secret of the eyes is found in the secret of the letter Samech. Here one must discern the color of the eyes, and the way the eye rests in the
socket. The eyebrows are also examined.
As for the secret of the eyes, they may be found in the secret of
the letter Samech. ONE MUST DISCERN the color that encircles the
eyes from the outside, and the way the eye rests in its fullness, and
that it is not immersed deeply in its socket. Such a one is not
deceptive, and has not a trace of fraudulence.
There are four colors to be found in the eyes: A) There is the
white outside, that circles the eye, common to every person. THAT
IS, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN THIS ASPECT FROM PERSON TO
PERSON. B) Enclosed within it is a black color that encircles, and
the black and white merge together, WHICH ALLUDES TO CHESED
AND GVURAH, WHICH INCLUDE ONE WITH THE OTHER. C) Within
this is a greenish color, ALLUDING TO TIFERET, included in the
black. D) The innermost is the pupil of the eye, which is a black dot.
THIS ALLUDES TO MALCHUT. This is a person who is always
laughing and full of cheer. He has good intentions, but his intentions
are never accomplished, since they slip from his mind. He is
occupied with worldly matters, but when occupied with spiritual
matters, he will succeed. Therefore, he should be encouraged to
occupy himself with the Torah, for he will succeed in it.
IF his eyebrows are thick, inclining downwards, AND IF in the
color of his eyes there are red lined impressions, these impressions
are called “small letters of the eyes” because when these colors of
the eye shine in the light, the light causes the letters to be revealed
to those who judge, together with the other, small impressions. This
is in the shape of the letter Samech, and is included in the letter Hei.1
Green eyes that are surrounded in white, with the green blended
in the white, implies that he is a merciful man, yet he thinks always
for his own benefit. The harm of others does not concern him at all.
IF the black color is not noticeable in his eyes, he is greedy, but
not in an evil way. But if an opportunity should arise for him to
accomplish evil, he will not turn from it. He can be trustworthy when
speaking of things he knows, yet not trustworthy in things he does
not know. He can keep a secret as long as it is a secret, until he
hears the secret at another place. Once he hears about it, he reveals
everything and it is no longer a secret with him at all, because
nothing he does is perfect. The eye color encircled with white and
green is the secret of the letter Hei when included with the letters
Zayin and Samech.
IF his eyes are yellowish-green, he has madness about him, and
because of this madness his mouth speaks in a bombastic manner,
and he carries a self-importance about himself, and whoever attacks
him, conquers him. He is not worthy of the Torah secrets, since in
his heart he can not keep silent about such secrets, AND HE
REVEALS THEM TO OTHERS so that through them he can make
himself seem a bigger MAN. This is the mystery of the letter Hei,
which is only included in the letter Zayin, and is removed from the
letter Samech. It is because he conducts himself with pride that he is
far removed from the letter Samech and can not approach it. When
he speaks, he produces many wrinkles on his forehead.
One with white eyes, encircled lightly with green, has an angry
disposition, but for the most part, he is kind-hearted. However, when
he is full of anger he has no love in him whatsoever, and becomes
cruel. He can not be trusted with a secret. This belongs to the
mystery of the letter Hei, which is included in the letter Samech.
He with eyes that are green and white together with a little black
color in them, can be trusted with secrets and is successful in
utilizing them. If he begins with success, then he will continue to
succeed further. His enemies can not prevail against him and he
rules over them entirely, and they are submissive to him. This is
under the sign of the letter Caf, which is included in the letter
Samech. Thus, he rules once he starts TO RULE. Thus far are the
mysteries of the eyes, which are revealed to the wise.
And you shall behold the secret of the face
The secret of the face is for those who master inner wisdom. We learn that the features of the face are recognized not by outward impressions, but
rather from the spirit and the impressions of inner secrets. The impressions of all 22 letters are engraved into the spirit, and these impressions enter
into the face, to be seen only by those with wisdom. Also, the spirit projects the image of the face of a man, a lion, an ox and an eagle, all for a time.1
The secret of the face is for those who master inner wisdom. The
features of the face are not RECOGNIZED by the outward
impressions ON THE SKIN OF THE FACE, AS WAS SAID OF THE
FOREHEAD, but by the impressions of inner secrets. For the
features of the face are inverted AND APPEAR by force of
impressions of the face, which are concealed in the spirit that dwells
within. And from this spirit, the features of the face appear outside,
which are recognizable only to the wise OF INTERNAL WISDOM, AS
MENTIONED ABOVE.
The features of the face are recognized from the spirit. There is in
man a spirit on which the secret of the letters are engraved, and all
22 letters are enclosed in that spirit. According to the seasons OF
MAN, the impressions of these very same letters enter into the face.
And as these letters come up, so does the face appear with these
engraved impressions according to the time OF MAN. But this
appearance does not last long, FOR THESE FEATURES SOON PASS.
Only men of Wisdom see them, and they exist never to be forgotten
by them.
There is a place which is called the ‘World to Come’, WHICH IS
BINAH. From there issues forth the secret of the Torah, WHICH IS
ZEIR ANPIN THAT EMANATES FROM BINAH, with all its letters,
consisting of 22 letters that comprise everything. And the river that
goes forth from Eden, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, receives everything.
When the spirits and the souls soar from it, all are stamped with the
imprint of these same letters. And everything emerges in this
manner. Therefore, the spirit of man is stamped with the imprint of
these letters, and the imprint forms a shape on the face OF MAN.
Rabbi Shimon said to him: If so, the image of the mother OF THE
SPIRIT, NAMELY MALCHUT, is not shaped from within that spirit, AS
THE LETTERS COME FROM THE FATHER OF THE SPIRIT – NAMELY
ZEIR ANPIN, AS MENTIONED. They replied to him: So we heard from
our master, that the form of letters comes from above, FROM ZEIR
ANPIN and the form of the mother – NAMELY MALCHUT
CONTAINING FOUR FACES, LION, OX, AND SO ON – is formed in
that spirit below. And the form of the letters, THAT COME FROM
ZEIR ANPIN, are concealed within, and the form of Ima projects
outwardly.
The form of Ima, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is the face of a man, the
face of a lion, the face of an ox and the face of an eagle. And the
spirit projects the image of all of them for a time, for everything
belonging on the side of the spirit projects itself to the outside, and
when it becomes visible, is IMMEDIATELY concealed. All these
forms which become visible and are designed in the shape of letters,
COME FROM ZEIR ANPIN, even though they are concealed FROM
WITHIN, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. These four forms are visible
for a time to those who have eyes to see, AND THESE ARE MEN OF
WISDOM who comprehend, by the mystery of wisdom, how to
contemplate them.1
The first form is as follows. When a man walks in the way of
Truth, those who know the secret of their Master discern him,
because the spirit within is established in him and projects the
design to the outside, WHICH INCLUDES the full design; that form
becomes the form of man. This form is the most perfect of all other
designs, and this is the design that passes for a time before the eyes
of the wise-hearted. When they look at his appearance from the
outside, at that face that is before them, the eyes of the heart are
moved to love him.
Four letter signs are impressed on it. One vein is conspicuous on
his face in a depression, THAT IS TO SAY, IT IS NOT PROJECTED
ON THE OUTSIDE, LIKE A CONSPICUOUS GROOVE, from the right
side. There is another vein that includes and seizes two others that
are attached to it from the left side OF THE FACE. These four signs
are the four letters Ayin, Vav, Dalet, and Tav (Heb. edut, lit.
‘testimony’). The sign Ayin is the vein on the right side and is
conspicuous in its sunken position. The Dalet and the two letters
attached to it, Vav and Tav, form a vein which includes two other
veins ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FACE. This is the secret of the
phrase: “This He ordained in Joseph for testimony” (Tehilim 81:6),
for everyone who saw him loved him in their heart, and in this love
he was perfected.
In the seed of David, the colors are reversed. This is why
Samuel erred, as it is written: “look not on his countenance” (I
Shmuel 16:7), since the Other Side was in Eliav, which was not so in
David. For the features of David were covered, for the forms of the
Other Side were included in his own features. And it is the form of
the Other Side that is seen first, passing over the eyes temporarily
and frightening the heart, yet afterwards: “a comely person, and
Hashem is with him” (Ibid. 19). This gives testimony about him.
The image of man includes all forms, and all forms include his.
Such a man is not frightened in spirit, in times of anger he is calm,
his words are calming and he is quickly appeased.
In the seed of David – where the image OF THE OTHER SIDE is
seen at first and passes briefly before the eyes, AS PREVIOUSLY
DISCUSSED – he is self-controlled in anger, and quickly appeased.
Yet, he must guard a serpentine hatred in the end. For it is that side
that brought THIS about, surrounding itself on all sides UNTIL IT
TAKES ITS REVENGE, but the fruit that is enclosed in its shell and
the heart become righteous. This is true for righteous people, but in
evil people, the original evil form is not turned aside from them,
being fully attached to them.1
This is the second form. If a man does not walk much in the
ways of wickedness, turning aside from this path and returning to
His Master, this means that a good spirit is beginning to rest upon
him, overpowering the first impurities that were upon him. It is
projected outside, observed by the eyes temporarily, in the form of a
powerful lion. At the time when THIS IMAGE is seen, this appearance
causes the spirit of a powerful lion to prevail in his heart – THAT IS
TO SAY, HIS HEART PREVAILS OVER THE EVIL SIDE.
With reference to him, WHO HAS THE IMAGE OF A POWERFUL
LION, when they discern his face afterwards, it is a face that the
heart does not love immediately, but an instant later, the heart
returns to love it. When people look at him, he becomes
embarrassed and thinks everyone knows his ways; THAT IS TO SAY,
IT SEEMS TO HIM THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT HE THINKS AND
DOES IN SECRET. AND IN HIS SHAME, blood rushes to his face for a
short time, AND AFTERWARDS it reverses its colors to white or
green.
Three fine veins are on his face. There is one on the right. This
is traced on the face, which grips it. Another proceeds upward to the
bridge of the nose. There are two on the left, and one that branches
downward from these two attaches itself to this one and that one.
These letters which are carved upon his face protrude and are not
sunken. But when he becomes settled, and gradually becomes
accustomed to walking in the way of Truth, they sink.
The secret of these letters. He is near (Heb. karov, Kuf Resh Vav
Bet). He was far, and when HE CAME NEAR, the letters protruded in
his face to give hasty testimony. And this is the mark of Kuf, which
is on the right side OF THE FACE. The other letters, WHICH ARE
RESH VAV BET, are on the left side OF THE FACE. And even though
other veins are seen in his face, they do not protrude on the outside
as these do, except when he walks on the path of evil – THEN THESE
ALSO PROTRUDE.
This appearance is different in one who is from the seed of
David. First he appears in the form of man, then that of a lion. He
then separates from the Other Side. And in all things, he is the
reverse of other men.1
This is the third form. If a man walks in a path that is not correct
and his ways lead him away from the path of the Torah, that Holy
Spirit is removed from him and another spirit is seen in him; another
image which is protruding, observable to the eyes of the wise-
hearted as the form of an ox. At the moment that he is observed BY
THE WISE OF HEART, they pass the image OF AN OX across their
hearts, and contemplate it.
On the right side of his face there are three red kernels OF WILD
CROCUS, and these red veins are small. And there are three on the
left side OF HIS FACE. These are the letters, which are prominent in
him. One vein FROM THE THREE ON THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT
SIDE is small and spherical. And two other thin veins above are also
circular. The eyes of this person are sunken INTO HIS FOREHEAD.
This is the secret of these letters. One OF THE THREE is the
letter Caf, the other two veins form the letters Resh and Tav. So it is
WITH THE THREE VEINS on the left side: ONE OF THEM IS THE
LETTER CAF AND THE OTHERS RESH AND TAV. And these letters
form that which is written: “The sight of their countenance (Heb.
hakarat, Hei-Caf-Resh-Tav) witnesses against them” (Yeshayah 3:9).
And these are the letters that protrude in the face more than all other
sinews. But if he returns REPENTING, turning away from the left
AND COMING to THE SIDE OF the right, then that spirit yields and
the spirit of Holiness prevails. Then these veins sink and others
protrude on the outside, as we have studied.
It is the opposite with the seed of David. The image of the lion is
seen first, and afterwards it turns to the image of an ox. Two dark
veins are visible in his face, one from the right and one from the left,
and these are the letters: one was called ‘Dalet’ and the other called
‘Ayin’. And in everything it is the opposite from other men.
The fourth image is the form of a man, always standing ready to
amend a secret past, AND DOING NO MORE DAMAGE. This is seen
by the wise of heart in the form of an eagle. His spirit is a spirit of
weakness. He does not exhibit on his face letters that protrude
outwardly, since these were lost and sunk in his early days. Since
they left him, they are no longer protruding.1
This is the secret of him. His eyes do not sparkle with
brightness, even when he is joyful, nor at those times when he trims
the hair on his head and his beard. This is because his spirit does
not shine in those letters, and the sparks of light which he had at the
beginning have now declined. It can not be observed when one
looks at his face BECAUSE THERE ARE NO PROTRUDING
LETTERS, AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE. And this is the secret as it
is written: “So I praised the dead that are already dead more than the
living that are yet alive” (Kohelet 4:2). However, pertaining to the
seed of David, “the counsel (also: ‘secret’) of Hashem is with them
that fear Him: and He will reveal to them His covenant” (Tehilim
25:14).
In the spirit of man, letters are impressed, as we have learned,
which protrude through to the outside ON THE FACE. And this
wisdom has been given to the wise to comprehend and to recognize.
The spirit can be approached through the concealed significance of
the phrase, “This is the book” (Beresheet 5:11). Everything is
approached through this mystery except for facial features, which
we judge by another method, according to the rule of the spirit or
man of spirit. Happy are those wise ones who are privileged to be
entrusted with this knowledge. Until this point is the secret of faces.
And you shall behold the secret of the lips
The secret of the lips is in the letter Pe, and we read of the qualities of men with different types of lips.
From here forward is the secret of the lips, of the letter Pe,
which is included in the secret of the letter Samech. Big lips denote
a man who spreads malicious gossip without shame or fear. He is a
person who causes dissension and slander between one another,
THAT IS TO SAY, BETWEEN MAN AND HIS NEIGHBOR. He is “one
that sows discord among brethren” (Mishlei 6:19), and he can not
keep a secret. When he endeavors in the Torah, he can keep hidden
secrets. Yet he still is a malicious gossiper without any fear in his
heart.
This sign, the letter Pe, is included in the letter Resh but not in
the letter Samech. Such a one seems to be righteous but he has no
fear of transgressing. One should have no dealings with him,
because whatever he does proceeds out of his mouth alone and not
from his body.
Lips that are dry and shriveled and not thin signify a man with a
quick temper. He is malicious. He is intolerant with everything.
Openly, he spreads malicious gossip without shame. At times he is
frivolous, and scoffs at others. This is a man from whom you must
remain at a distance.1
If his beard becomes full, according to evil speech, such a one
speaks openly to everyone. He has no shame and he concerns
himself with causing strife. Yet, he is successful in worldly matters.
He gazes upon his enemies, and he “winks with his eyes” (Ibid. 13).
Concerning him, it is said: “A wicked man hardens his face” (Mishlei
21:29). He stands under the mystery of the letter Pe alone, when it is
not included in the Samech at all. Yet at times it is joined to the letter
Resh. It is included in this letter Resh.
And you shall behold the secret of the ears
The size and shape of ears is correlated to certain human characteristics, the ears being of the letter Yud. From here, we are told that the Zohar will
speak about the mysteries of the verse, “This is the book,” in its supreme spiritual level in the context of times and seasons of this world.
The mystery of the ears. One whose ears are large has
foolishness in his heart and madness in his spirit. One whose ears
are small and preserve a proper shape, when awakened, is wise-
hearted. He will concern himself with everything. This type is under
the letter Yud, which is included in all other letters.
Until this point is the secret of the shapes of man. From here
forward we will concern ourselves with other mysteries of our
master RABBI SHIMON which have no standing with regard to the
countenance. Rather, we will endeavor to learn the mysteries of the
verse, “THIS IS THE BOOK,” in its supreme spiritual level in the
context of times and seasons of this world, of WHICH UNTIL NOW
we were not worthy of knowing.
Rabbi Shimon said: My children, you are worthy in this world
and you are worthy in the World to Come. Blessed are my eyes that
will be worthy to see this when I enter the World to Come. For the
sake of my soul, I call to Atik Yomin (‘Ancient of Days’) this verse:
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: You
anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over” (Tehilim 23:5). And the
Holy One, blessed be He, calls to us: “Open the Gates, that the
righteous nation that keeps faithfulness may enter in” (Yeshayah
26:2).
And you shall behold the secret of the lines of the hands
We are told that God impressed spiritual mysteries upon the palm and fingers of a person. The mystery of the palm is of the letter Caf. The skin,
bones and sinews are compared to things in the supernal realms. Returning to a discussion of the face, we read that it is only possible to discern a
person fully when the face is without anger, but is shining and serene. Much reference is made in this whole section to the firmament, the heavens
and the stars. At the end we learn that Moses had no need of these signs by which the wise recognize the wise, for he was informed by the Holy
Spirit; King Solomon knew these things and was able to judge because of his throne, but King Messiah will judge by the fragrance. And these three
were able to judge the world without witnesses. All others who are wise in these signs must warn people, and try to heal them.1
They opened the discussion with a discourse on the verse: “and
they had the hands of a man under their wings” (Yechezkel 1:8). This
verse, the friends explained, are the hands to receive penitents who
return to the Holy One, blessed be He. “…the hands of a man…” are
the forms and spiritual mysteries which the Holy One, Blessed be
He, impressed upon man and arranged in his fingers, outwardly and
inwardly, and in his palm. THAT IS, THE PALM OF HIS HAND.
When the Holy One, blessed be He, created man, He arranged in
him all the forms of the supernal mysteries of the world above,
WHICH IS BINAH, and all the images of the lower mysteries of the
world below, WHICH IS MALCHUT. And all is carved in man and
found in the image of Elohim, because he is called “the creation of
the palm,” WHICH IS THE PALM OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE
HE.
And the mystery of the palm (Heb. caf) is of the letter which is
called ‘Caf’, as it is written: “And Elohim created Man in His own
image” (Beresheet 1:27). This is the secret of the letter Caf. This
letter has supernal secrets and spiritual forms. This Caf, WHICH IS
THE PALM OF THE HAND, contains ten sayings from right and left –
five in the right PALM and five in the left PALM. And all are one, in
one secret – THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT ARE UNITED INTO ONE.
It is written: “I will also smite My one palm upon the
other” (Yechezkel 21:22). ITS EXPLANATION is that this one and that
one shall be in conflict so that blessings will be removed from this
world, and the pride of Yisrael will be given over to the other nations.
THIS IS BECAUSE FROM THE UNIFICATION OF RIGHT AND LEFT
THERE CONTINUE FROM THE LEFT THE THREE FIRST SFIROT TO
YISRAEL, WHICH IS THEIR PRIDE. WHEN THEY ARE DIVIDED, THE
OTHER NATIONS SUCKLE FROM THE LEFT COLUMN, AND THE
PRIDE OF YISRAEL IS GIVEN OVER TO THE HEATHEN NATIONS.
And when they are joined together, it is written: “One spoon (Heb.
caf) of ten shekels of gold, full of incense” (Bemidbar 7:14). This is
an indication of one connection, WHICH MEANS THE TEN FROM
THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT ARE UNITED IN ONE PALM (HEB. CAF).
And when they are united in one connection, it is written: “And
Elohim created man in His own image…” “And Elohim created,”
implies the departure of thought through the inner mystery; “man,”
is the secret of Male and Female together, SINCE ET (ENG. ‘THE’),
WHICH COMES BEFORE THE WORD “MAN,” IS FEMALE, AND
“MAN” (HEB. ADAM) IS MALE. “In the image of Elohim,” is the
mystery of Caf, THAT IS, WHEN TWO RIGHT AND LEFT PALMS
WERE UNIFIED INTO ONE CAF, WHEN ALL SUPERNAL MOCHIN
EMANATE FROM THEM.
When man was created, what is written concerning him: “You
have clothed me with skin and flesh…” (Iyov 10:11). HE ASKS: If so,
what is man IN HIS ESSENCE? AND HE ANSWERS: If you think
THAT MAN is nothing more than skin, flesh, bones and sinews, this
is not so. For certainly man is but his soul. And skin, flesh, bones,
and sinews, are all only the clothing. These are the implements of
man, and not man HIMSELF. And when man passes away, he divests
himself of all these implements that he wore.1
The skin with which man has been clothed and all these bones
and sinews, are all in the mystery of the supernal wisdom
corresponding to that which is above. AND HE EXPLAINS THAT the
skin, corresponding to that which is above, is, as we have learned, in
connection with the curtains, as it is written: “who stretches out the
heavens like a curtain” (Tehilim 104:1), “rams’ skins dyed red, and
badgers’ skins” (Shemot 25:5). These are the garments up above
that cover the garments which are like the extensions of the
heavens, which is the outer garment. The curtains are the inner
garments, corresponding to the skin that protects the flesh. AND
THUS IT IS SAID, “WHO STRETCHES OUT THE HEAVENS LIKE A
CURTAIN,” AS THE CURTAINS ARE THE INNER GARMENTS, AND
ON THESE ARE THE HEAVENLY GARMENTS FROM THE OUTSIDE.
The bones and the sinews are the Chariots and all the hosts,
which are appointed inward. THAT IS, THEY ARE ALL AN INNER
ASPECT AND THE FIRST THREE SFIROT OF THE OUTER PART OF
THE GRADE, FOR THE SINEWS ARE THE NESHAMAH OF THE
GARMENT, AND THE BONES ARE AN ASPECT OF CHAYAH OF THE
GARMENT. And all of these are garments to that which is inward,
which is also the mystery of the supernal man who is the innermost
TO THEM.
The same secret is found here below. Man is the inner of the
innermost and his garments correspond to that which is above. The
bones and the sinews are similar to what we have said regarding the
Chariots and hosts, THAT ARE CALLED ‘BONES’ AND ‘SINEWS’. The
flesh is a covering to those hosts and Chariots THAT ARE CALLED
‘BONES’ AND ‘SINEWS’, and appears itself outwardly TO THEM. And
this is the secret THAT THE FLESH is being drawn FROM HIM to the
Other Side. The skin, which covers all, corresponds to the
firmaments which cover everything. And all of these are garments to
be worn by him, the innermost being the mystery of man. And all is a
secret. For what is below corresponds to the above. And thus it is
written: “And Elohim created man in His own image, in the image of
Elohim” (Beresheet 1:97). For the mystery of man below
corresponds entirely to the secret above.
In this firmament up above, which covers everything,
impressions were set in it to show and know, through these
impressions, things and concealed secrets. These are the shapes of
the stars and constellations recorded and fixed in this firmament,
which covers externally. Similarly, the skin which covers man FROM
THE OUTSIDE is like the firmament that covers all, having lines and
impressions – which is CONSIDERED TO BE AN ASPECT OF THE
stars and constellations of this skin. One may perceive in them
hidden things and deep mysteries of the stars and constellations,
THAT ARE THE IMPRESSIONS AND LINES IN THE SKIN, through
which the wise of heart may study them, and discern the secrets
hidden within, as we have stated. And this is the secret of: “the
astrologers, the stargazers” (Yeshayah 47:13).1
And this can be discerned only when the face shines and
remains without anger, FOR ONLY THEN CAN WE OBSERVE AND
DISCERN, AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY. At the time when anger
rules over man, another Judgment is applied. And why was this
principle not given to us for our use? IT IS POSSIBLE to know at the
time when Judgment rules the firmament.
But the face is observed in its truthful way, when the face
shines and man is secure. THEN these impressions are seen in a
truthful way, and with this discernment one is able to judge better,
with clarification – although there are many STYLES the wise can
utilize to discern.
The lines of the hands and the lines of the fingers from the
inside are all set under other secrets with which to discern
concealed matters. And these are the stars that shine so as to reveal
the interiors of the constellations in high ministers.
There are supernal secrets in the fingers. The nails of the
fingers cover them from the outside. They are explained through
these inner secrets that are manifested on the outside. These
contain secrets to those wizards who contemplate the fingernails, in
the light of other principles that govern them, and these magicians
defile that place.
In the nails, there are times when little white stars shine from
them – THAT IS, LITTLE WHITE SPOTS ARE SEEN IN THE NAILS,
which are similar to birthmarks, the shape of lentils – and they are
sunk IN THE NAILS as if nailed to a board. And they are different to
those other white SPOTS that are not sunken, but are fixed above
ON THE NAILS; those that are not sunken have no meaning. But
those that are white and immersed like birthmarks the shape of
lentils, have meaning, and they are a good omen for man, and he will
succeed during this time. Or if a judgment was imposed upon him he
will be rescued from it.
The lines of the hands are among the supernal mysteries, along
with the fingers from the inside, THAT IS, NOT ON THE SIDE OF THE
NAILS, BUT THE SIDE OF THE FLESH. In the hands, there are large
lines and small, thin upper lines in the right. In the little finger on the
right, there are thin impressions. This finger is fixed permanently on
acts by the Other Side.
In this finger, we find lines that are formed when the finger is
folded, DURING THE CLOSING OF THE HAND. We do not observe
these, except if added to BY OTHER LINES. If two other lines are
added to the line THAT THE FINGER formed when doubled over, a
way of opportunity will not be opened to him. And if he does initiate
an opportunity, he will not succeed.1
In the case where the lines are fixed lengthwise between
impressions, BETWEEN THE IMPRESSIONS FORMED WHEN THE
FINGER IS FOLDED OVER, at the time when the skin of the finger is
pulled backwards – AND WITH ALL THIS, these recognizable
impressions remain AND ARE NOT ERASED DUE TO THE PULLING
OF THE SKIN, such a person will succeed in his ways. The sign for
this is three lines in width, and four in length. This is the secret of
Zayin from the small letters. FOR IN THE HEBREW ALPHABET
THERE ARE THREE STYLES OF LETTERS: LARGE, MEDIUM, AND
SMALL. AND THE ZAYIN HERETOFORE MENTIONED REFERS TO
THE SMALLEST STYLE OF LETTERS.
IF there is one impression that is a lengthwise line, and there
are two widthwise lines, then along his travels he will hear of things
in the near future, but they will not benefit him. If there are
impressions that are four lengthwise lines and four widthwise lines,
an opportunity will come his way, and through hard effort the results
will be to his benefit. And this is the mystery of Zayin from the
medium size letters of the Hebrew alphabet, those between the large
LETTERS and the smaller LETTERS.
If there are five small impressions in width at the bottom, and
four in width at the top, and four lengthwise, he has peace in the
house, and he is lazy. An opportunity may present itself for him, but
he does not wish to take advantage of it. Had he taken advantage, he
would have succeeded along this path. But he takes no advantage of
it because he is lazy. And this is the mystery of the small Zayin.
The middle finger is the finger that stands TO SHOW IF he
should manifest the action of which he thought. If one line is fixed
lengthwise between lines at width, he thinks thoughts, but they are
gone from him; he fears and he does not CARRY THEM OUT, and
these thoughts amount to nothing.
If two lines are fixed lengthwise EVEN when the skin of the
finger is pulled backwards, AND THEY ARE NOT CANCELED DUE
TO THE PULL OF THE SKIN, he has no real thoughts, but only thinks
superficial thoughts of the moment and accomplishes them. But he
does not have contemplative thoughts, rather impulsive and petty
thoughts, but no contemplative thoughts.
If there are three impressions in length and two or three
impressions in width, after he stretches the skin OF THE FINGER
backwards, he is a man who is wise and contemplative. And all
those thoughts that are on the side of the Holy One, Blessed be He,
will be fulfilled by his hands, but not so with other thoughts.1
If there are four or five IMPRESSIONS in length after the skin OF
THE FINGER is stretched, as previously stated, and they rest on
three or four, or even two or more IMPRESSIONS OF THE lines in
width, such a person has thoughts which tend to be evil and he
glories in such thoughts. And when the beard and eyebrows are red,
he thinks evil and glories in it for a brief time. He is cunning, and he
always yields to these evil characteristics. Thus, he succeeds. After
a brief period, he dies.
The remedy for this is repentance. And then we find three or
four impressions resting on two, THAT IS, three or four impressions
in length resting on two impressions in width, since, according to
the habit of man, lines are changed from time to time. This secret is
derived from the verse: “that brings out their host by number; He
calls them all by names; because of the greatness of His might, and
because He is strong in power” (Yeshayah 40:26).
As the Holy One, blessed be He, changes hosts and seasons in
the stars in the heavens – this day, so, and another day, thus, all
according to the SUPERNAL man who is the inner aspect of his
actions as they appear in these heavens, the same is seen on the
skin of man below, since his skin, which covers everything, is a
firmament.
And all is according to the kind of inner man who is at times
under Judgment and at times under Mercy. This is exactly the same
sight outside, OVER THE FIRMAMENT, that at times appears in this
mode, and at other times in that mode. This is also similar to that
man, as we have stated previously, that is at times SEEN ON HIS
SKIN in this way and at other times in that way. This is the secret
sign of the letter Zayin when it is included in the letter Yud.
And these secrets are in the fingers of the right hand – the little
FINGER and the large one, THAT IS, THE MIDDLE FINGER. The
indication is: “but hear the small as well as the great” (Devarim
1:17). These two fingers are connected to these secrets. These are
the mysteries which we have learned from our master, from the
secrets of Rav Yesa Saba (the elder). From now and onward, other
lines, are all called ‘descendants’, which refers to the descendants of
Adam, as it has been written: “the generations of the
heavens” (Beresheet 2:4). As we have learned, all is this secret.
Similar to this are the descendants of man in all the shapes of the
face, and in all that we discussed before, and in those descendants
of the lines of the hands that are seen through inner secrets, as is fit.1
“This is the book of the generations of Adam” (Beresheet 5:1).
This refers to the lines. To the signs Zayin-Resh-Hei-Pe-Samech-
Tzadik, WHICH ARE THE LETTERS OF “THIS IS THE BOOK (HEB.
ZEH-SEFER, ZAYIN-HEI, SAMECH-PE-RESH),” TZADIK HAS BEEN
ADDED. The secrets to the wise in heart are Resh-Zayin-Hei-Samech-
final Pe; Five letters in five gates for the gain of Wisdom by
understanding.
The First Gate is Resh. In the hand, there are thin lines and
great lines. And all these lines mingle with one another. The great
lines that are in the hand, when they are two in length, and two in
width, and merge with each other are the secret of the letter Hei, and
the letter Resh. It rejects the letter Zayin, and seizes these two
letters. At its width, it takes the letter Hei; at its length, it takes the
letter Resh. Its sign is Hei-Resh.
There are those who have similar lines TO THOSE ON THE
RIGHT HAND ALSO in the left hand, particularly with the great lines.
But it is with small lines that the right hand receives, while the left
hand does not receive. For the right hand receives one thin line in
length above, and one thin line below, which is seized between two
great lines THAT ARE FOUND THERE. In the width there is one thin
line that touches below two lines resting upon it. But in the left hand,
this is not so. Thus, the secret is in the right hand and not the left.
This is a man who adores BEING at home at times, and on the
road at times. His heart is not at ease with either. When he is at
home, he yearns for the road; and when he is on the road, he yearns
for home. He is always successful on the road, and at times at home.
This person is successful in the Torah and in the mysteries of the
Torah if he puts effort into them. He gazes on his enemies. Many will
benefit from him. He is lazy in worldly matters. Yet, if he is
stimulated FROM BELOW, then they will stimulate to improve him
from above. He gains merit through his words. He is precious and
spends his money. He has a good eye. His prayers are heard. In
regards to money, he has ups and downs THAT IS, IN HIS
POSSESSIONS.
There are times when his heart is broken before his Master. And
then we find three small lines crossing the thin line that was added
to the two lines in width. And this is the secret. The Hei is joined with
the Resh. HE GIVES A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE WORDS, WHICH IS
GOOD FOR THE MEMORY. It is the road. It is home. It is delight. It is
sadness. It is beneficial. He is lazy. He is good-eyed. He is precious
and scatters his money. It implies a broken heart, and the return to
his Master.1
The second gate is Zayin. In the right HAND, in the part that
accepts AND RECEIVES, NAMELY IN THE PALM OF THE HAND,
there are impressions. When three great lines in width and two great
lines are found, and one of those in length touches two in width,
while the other one does not touch them, this implies a defect in the
seed, either from the side of the father or the side of the mother.
And then we find below the three lines in width, two thin lines
that touch them from below. This signifies a man who amends his
actions in front of other people, yet his heart is not true. And at the
time of his old age he repents to correct his actions. Then we find
the two lines in length touch those in width, this one with that one,
and two others, thin lines, with them in the middle – lengthwise – and
also three thin lines in width. And this is the mystery of the Zayin
that is linked to the letter Resh.
When he reaches old age and repents, as we have said, he is
corrected under the secret of the letter Resh, and is joined with the
letter Zayin. Afterwards, when matters have been corrected, he is
always in silence and all his actions are secretive. But he is not
established fully in this, because this defect, WHICH IS STILL IN HIS
SEED, has not given him up AND STIMULATES HIM TO EVIL.
But after this defective seed gives up, then we find four and five
lines in his right hand, four lines in length and five in width. And this
secret is Zayin that is linked to the letter sign Hei. This implies that at
times he succeeds in matters, and at times he does not succeed. He
will succeed in Torah learning. And toward the end of his life, he will
even succeed even in financial matters.
The third gate is Hei. In the right hand, when there are five lines
in width, and three in length, and there is a middle line RECOGNIZED
ESPECIALLY among the three lines IN LENGTH, this is the secret of
the letter Hei, which is supported by the letter Samech.1
If this middle line FROM THE THREE LINES IN LENGTH is found
to enter and to touch those five lines in width, it signifies a man who
is sad and angry in his house. But this is not so with other men. He
is a miser in his house, he is angry and hungry, yet at other times he
is not. Outside of his house, he is not this way. He succeeds in
worldly matters. When he is occupied with Torah, he observes a
little, and then goes back to it. He is truthful, but not always. And at
those times that he is not truthful, he appears to be truthful. He is
successful in judgments. He is faithful to the secrets of the Torah.
And this is the sign of the letter Hei and is linked to the letter
Samech.
If there are four lines in width, and five lines in length, and two
of those in length enter in the midst of those four IN WIDTH, it
signifies a man who is happy in his house, but appears to be of sad
heart on the outside. Yet, this is not true for as soon as he speaks
with people, he shows happiness and speaks with intent.
Three small lines enter in the midst of those lines in length. And
this person has a black spot on his body, and three hairs hang from
this spot. The spot is round, and a break is in the top OF THE SPOT.
This impression is called by the wise in heart, who know these
mysteries, the name of ‘Eagle Head’. This impression is sometimes
seen between his shoulders, and at times on his right arm, and at
times on his right hand on his fingers.
If this impression, which we call Eagle Head, is in a manner that
is well set, then he will be raised to wealth and honor. But if this
Eagle Head is turned backwards, he will at times be worthy of
children. As he grows older, he will be worthy of great wealth and
great honor, more than when he was a youth. He will also succeed in
the Torah if he occupies himself with it.
This Eagle Head looks black at times, and at times it is a color
that is only slightly red, for it was not dyed much. And WE LOOK AT
THE HAIR HANGING FROM IT, for at times they are straight. And
everything is under one sign, and judged according to the same law.1
If this red color is significantly red and maintains its color; and
if it is only a brief time since it became colored; and – since these
colors are found shining at times, and at other times are dim – if this
red color becomes bright and shining; and he has in his left hand
three lines in length, and three lines in width; and there is one thin
line on those width lines and one thin line on those length lines; and
in the right hand, one thin line alone is added to the width, then he is
a man who slept with a menstruant woman and did not repent to his
Master.
And when he repents, the lines in the left hand remain. And the
line that was added in the right hand is gone. And the red color is
also gone, for the brightness does not shine as much. And at times,
even though he repents, the redness is not removed for a time. This
is in the mystery of the letter Hei. And the letter Samech is removed,
and instead the letter final Tzadik has been substituted, and the
letter Hei is linked to final Tzadik. This person quickly needs a
correction of the spirit. It is incumbent upon the wise of heart, who
observe him, to say to him: “Go and heal yourself.”
Three lines in length and one in width is the secret of the letter
Hei by itself. And at times it is linked to the mystery of the letter
Zayin. This signifies a man who lusts and is greedy for profit in the
world. And if not, then he chases women with the lust for committing
adultery. And even though he lusts and is greedy for gain in the
world, this is not removed from him, and he is not ashamed. His
eyes are sunken, and he speaks with them. THAT IS, AT THE TIME
OF SPEAKING HE WINKS WITH HIS EYES.
If he returns to his Master, the lines are changed – three in
width, and one in length. The two thin lines remain. This implies that
he desires his wife more, and attaches himself to her. One especially
thin line enters between two thin lines. Then the letter Hei joins itself
to the letter Zayin.
If: one line is in length and four lines are in width; and three thin
lines remain on the same one THAT IS IN LENGTH; and one line on
the four THAT ARE IN WIDTH; on the left arm are three thin lines that
just appeared a few days previously; and a single hair hangs on that
one THAT IS at their top, then he is one eager to commit adultery
with his neighbor’s wife. He is malicious. He frightens with his left
eye, without uttering a word, and completes – THAT IS, HE
COMPLETES HIS WORK AND DOES NOT HAVE TO SPEAK. Because
he is malicious, returning to his Master does not concern him.
Afterwards a serpent or a red man, will kill him.1
If there are four in length, and three in width, and those lines
that go up are removed from him, this implies he breaks his heart
before his Master and repents. This is under the principle of the
letter Pe, and is joined with the letter Hei. Of these it is written:
“Peace, peace both for far and near.” (Yeshayah 57:19).
Until this point are all the secrets of the generations of Adam,
which is the history of those born to him from time to time,
according to the nature of man. Happy is the lot of those who sit
before my master, RABBI SHIMON, who are worthy to hear from his
lips the secrets of the Torah. Happy are those in this world, and
happy are those in the World to Come. Rabbi Shimon said: Happy
are you, friends that no secret has disappeared from you. How many
supernal places await you in the World to Come!
He opened with the quote, “Moreover (lit. ‘and’) you shall
provide (lit. ‘behold’) out of all the people able men, such as fear
Elohim, men of truth, hating unjust gain” (Shemot 18:21). HE ASKS:
But it is written: “you shall behold” instead of, ‘you shall choose’.
AND HE ANSWERS: “you shall behold” according to sight. In what?
In the image of man, in those six characteristics that we previously
discussed, and everything is in that verse. “…you shall behold…” is
the first, of the hair; “out of all the people” is the second, of the
brow; “able men” is third, of the face; “such as fear Elohim” is the
fourth, of the eyes; “men of truth” is the fifth, of the lips; “hating
unjust gain” is sixth, of the hands and their lines.
For all these are the signs by which we recognize men on whom
the spirit of Wisdom rests. Yet Moses had no need of them, for as it
is written: “And Moses chose able men out of all Yisrael” (Ibid. 25).
For the Holy Spirit came to him and informed him. And through this
he could see it all.
From where do we learn this? From the verse: “When they have
a matter, they come (lit. ‘he comes’) to me” (Ibid. 16). It is not written
‘they come’, but “he comes.” This is the Holy Spirit that came to him,
and that is how he knew. Therefore, Moses had no need to observe
and ponder all this, since he knew instantly.1
Similarly, King Solomon also knew. He knew through his throne,
for the Holy Spirit rested upon it. Trembling and fear overcame
everyone who came near his throne. And he could judge them
without witnesses. Since there were images in his throne, the image
would knock if anyone approached with a falsehood, and King
Solomon would know that he came with a lie. Because of this the
fear of the throne fell upon all, and all were found righteous before
him.
King Messiah will judge by the fragrance, as it is written: “and
his delight (lit. ‘smell’) shall be in the fear of Hashem; and he shall
not judge after the sight of his eyes…” (Yeshayah 11:3). And these
three, NAMELY MOSES, KING SOLOMON, AND KING MESSIAH
judged the world without witnesses and without warning. The rest of
the world must judge by word of witnesses and by word of the
Torah. It is incumbent upon those who are wise in these images to
warn people and give them succor, and to heal them. Happy are they
in this world, and happy are they in the World to Come.
And you shall behold the secret of secrets
Rabbi Shimon tells us of the secrets of the book of Adam and the secret book of King Solomon. He reveals that the Tree of Life is the book, so that
the concealed wisdom was transmitted to Adam in the shapes and visages of people; Solomon inherited this wisdom and wrote it in his book, while
Moses learned the wisdom from the Shechinah. Rabbi Shimon reiterates that the six aspects of man to be observed are the hair, the eyes, the nose,
the lips, the face and the hands, especially the lines in the hands. He compares the skin that covers everything to the skin of the firmament, with
which God created the stars and constellations, and says that the appearance of the stars and planets are everchanging, as is the appearance of the
skin of man. This is followed by another long description of the six aspects and how they manifest in people of different character. In the Mishnah
we learn that when the time came to create man, the light was bestowed from Keter to Binah to Zeir Anpin, and thus brought forth the souls of man.
The Ruach is the result of the mating of Zeir Anpin and Malchut, and it takes on hues from the sun and moon, from water and fire, wind and earth.
Rabbi Shimon explains further about the creation of the body of man, and the Nefesh and the Ruach, and says that the actions of the Nefesh inside
the body appear on the skin outside.
Raza deRazin – secret of secrets
“Moreover (lit. ‘and’) you shall provide (lit. ‘behold’) out of all the
people” (Shemot 18:21). “This is the book of the generations of
Adam” (Beresheet 5:1), which is to say this book is from those
books that are sealed and are profoundly deep. Rabbi Shimon said: I
have raised my hand in prayer to the One who created the world.
Even though in this scriptural verse the ancient ones revealed higher
hidden things, yet we must further study and ponder the secrets of
the book of Adam, as from that point continues the secret book of
King Solomon.
HE EXPOUNDS UPON THE VERSE: “THIS IS THE BOOK.” “This”
indicates that everything is dependent on it. “This” is the Tree of
Life, THAT IS, TIFERET. “This” REVEALS, and there is none other to
reveal. “This,” is as it is written: “This month shall be to you the
beginning of months,” (Shemot 12:2) WHICH MEANS THAT “This”
refers to Nisan and no other month. AND ALSO, “THIS” REVEALS
AND NONE OTHER.1
It is this book that we contemplate to reveal the generations of
man. IT IS a tree that reveals the generations of Adam that will bear
fruit, THAT IS, THAT WILL GIVE BIRTH TO SOULS, to bring them out
into the world. “This is the book” from which may be known the
concealed and profound wisdom that was transmitted to the First
Man in the shapes of people. This wisdom was transmitted to King
Solomon , who inherited it and wrote it in his book.
We have been taught that Moses found this difficult until the
Shechinah came and taught it to him. She perceived and sorted out
all those people who could be seen AND RECOGNIZED by their
countenances, and Moses thereby learned this wisdom, and was
brought into it. Therefore it is written: “And You shall behold,” that
of which it is written “and You are the same, and Your years shall
never end.” (Tehilim 102: 27) “…and You do preserve them
all…” (Nechemyah 9:6) “and You, Hashem, are a shield for
me” (Tehilim 3:4). JUST AS IN ALL THESE WORDS “AND YOU” IS TO
BE EXPLAINED AS THE SHECHINAH, SO HERE, “AND YOU SHALL
BEHOLD,” REFERS TO THE SHECHINAH.
“And You,” NAMELY THE SHECHINAH, “shall behold” and
observe it. You and none other, to know and to contemplate six
hundred thousand. In six aspects you are to contemplate the images
of man and to clearly know this wisdom. These are: the hair, the
eyes, the nose, the lips, the face, and the hands, especially the lines
in the hands. Of the six aspects, it is written: “And you shall behold.”
“And you shall behold,” THAT IS, in the hair, the creases on the
brow, and the eyebrows. “…out of all the people…” IS TO BE
INTERPRETED AS with eyes, in the membranes in the eyes, and in
the folds under the eyes. “…able men…” REFERS TO those who have
the strength to stand in the palace of the King. They are recognized
by the brightness on their faces, by their face, by the wrinkles on
their faces, and by the marks in their beards. “…hating unjust gain…”
REFERS TO the hands, and the lines in the hands, and the marks in
them. All these six aspects implied here, IN THE SCRIPTURAL
VERSE, were transmitted to Moses to contemplate and from which to
learn concealed wisdom. This wisdom is inherited by those who are
properly righteous and truthful. Happy is their lot.
It is written: “You have clothed me with skin and flesh…” (Iyov
10:11). In a similar fashion, the Holy One, blessed be He, made levels
upon levels above, these upon those, concealed ones within others
concealed, hosts and Chariots, the one over the other. Similarly, He
made in all these arteries and tendons THAT HE MADE IN THEM
LEVEL UPON LEVEL…and these are the bones that exist on higher
levels. And those OF THE LEVELS are called ‘flesh’, being the levels
of the domain of the end of all flesh. And all these benefit from the
smoke of the flesh, from the scent of the sacrificial offerings, and
from others things associated with flesh. And above all these is the
skin. This is the hide that covers everything.1
The Holy One, blessed be He, created the stars and the
constellations with the skin of the firmament, as they are the signs of
the heavens so that we may observe them to know the wisdom from
them. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, created man with
marks and wrinkles in THE SKIN OF the face of man, which are
similar to the stars and constellations IN THE FIRMAMENT, through
which to know and to perceive great wisdom, applying it to the body.
Just as the appearance of the stars and constellations change
in the firmament according to worldly events, so does the
appearance of the marks and wrinkles on the skin of man change
according to the actions of man from time to time. This wisdom was
given only for the true righteous to learn and to know this great
knowledge.
“This is the book of the generations of Adam.” From time to
time, according to the actions of man, marks are born, changed and
etched upon the skin of man. For when the Holy Spirit rests within
him, it produces offspring, and shows these marks of the Outside
Spirit.
And when the Holy Spirit removes itself from him and the Spirit
of Defilement comes, this Spirit of Defilement pulsates within him
and appears on his exterior with familiar marks. It is recognizable in
the wrinkles of his exterior skin, even if the hair, the brow, and the
nose remain unchanged.
Zayin-Resh-Hei-Pe-Samech-final Tzadik. This letter, REFERRING
TO THE FINAL TZADIK, is always exchangeable in this wisdom. TO
CLARIFY, THE MAIN ONES ARE THE FIVE LETTERS: ZAYIN, RESH,
HEI, PE, SAMECH. THESE LETTERS FORM THE WORDS “ZEH
SEFER (‘THIS BOOK’).” THE FINAL TZADIK JOINS WITH THEM,
ALWAYS TO BE EXCHANGED WITH THESE LETTERS. The letter
Zayin is that letter that is found in the hair of man; this is derived
from Zayin, NAMELY WEAPONS (Heb. ZAYIN). And the weapons of
Shimshon were in his hair, FOR IN HIS HAIR WAS ALL HIS
BRAVERY. This was the crown of Elohim that was upon him.
Hair that stands in a familiar way and hangs FROM THE TOP
DOWN stands in the letter sign of Zayin and is joined by the letter
Tzadik, which enters and takes out the letter Samech.1
There is hair that hangs and is black, and in the forehead there
are three lines on the right side, and two on the left side, and these
ones are not joined together with the others. On the right side there
are three thin marks that pass over them. These are paths to cross
over other lines. On the left side, there are five lines. One of them is
small in length. This is included in the letter Zayin and the letter final
Tzadik. Then there are the strong eyebrows above the eye sockets
that are joined together.
Such a man is angry. Though not quick to become angry, he
impedes his peace of mind. He holds himself to be wise, but he is
not. He constantly holds his head up high to watch. He is
quarrelsome in public, but not at home. He is not interested in Torah
learning. He considers people’s words as a burden, and answers
them with emphatic words.
If the eyebrows are separated one from the other, touching yet
not touching ONE ANOTHER, then you will find on the right side of
the forehead two large lines and one small one, and two small marks
that have entered between them in width. And on the left side are
two lines, one large, one small, and one small mark that has entered
on one line but not the other.
This is a man of anger. He is angry one moment, and the next
moment he forgets his anger. He is quarrelsome in his house, and he
is not at peace in spirit. There was a time in his life when he was
quite emphatic with people. He looks down. His forehead is creased
at the time of his anger, similar to a dog, and when immediately it is
forgotten, his response is soft. This is a man whose spirit and will is
occupied with business. He vows to pay taxes, THAT IS TO PAY ALL
KINDS OF TAXES TO THE KING, and in his endeavors TO DO
BUSINESS he becomes wealthy, for the letter final Tzadik is replaced
by a Samech.
If the eyebrows are separated one from the other, and other
small hairs intercross them, this is a person who has always a great,
vindictive hatred. He is well behaved in his house. He is both happy
and grievous with people. This lies between the final Tzadik and
Samech. He conceals his money. He does not wish to reveal his
doings, nor does he wish that anyone should reveal his doings. He is
a miser, and his hairs hang in equal length, one to the other. He does
not give any thought to the wearing of proper clothes. What he does
wear does not fit him properly. His forehead is large, with three lines
on the right side, four on the left side, and with two marks entering
between them.1
When he speaks, he stretches the skin of his forehead, and
these lines can not be seen clearly. He bends his head down and
walks. His right is like his left, and his left like his right. He is always
depressed. He mourns. He has an evil tongue. He regards himself as
one who is wise in all his deeds. He has a hatred for all who occupy
themselves with Torah learning.
Another type is signified by a black mark on his left arm with
four small hairs in it. Two large ones that are hanging on it are red.
The hairs are smooth and hanging, neither red nor black, and his
forehead is neither large nor small. This stands between the letter
Samech and the letter final Tzadik. It is included in the letter Zayin.
There is one large line in his forehead that spans in width from
this side to that side. There are two other lines not marked so
emphatically, since they are not continuous from one side to the
other side, AS IN THE CASE OF THE FIRST LINE. There are four
small creases that stand between the two eyebrows at the top of the
nose.
This is a happy man. He is wise, intelligent, and lenient with his
money. He becomes wise in whatever he endeavors to know. He can
become angry in one moment, and the next moment his anger is
calmed. He does not hold a vindictive hatred forever. At times he is
well behaved, and at other times he is not as well behaved, but he is
found in balance – THAT IS, NEITHER PARTICULARLY GOOD, NOR
PARTICULARLY BAD. When he repents to his Master, his Master
holds his hands and he is raised to great honor. Everyone needs
him. The letter Samech goes with him always, more than the letter
final Tzadik. All who counsel him with bad advice will not succeed,
for the bad advice will not be fulfilled. And they can not injure him.
He seems to be a charlatan, but it is not so. The letter Samech and
the letter final Tzadik wrestle over him. Therefore, AT TIMES he is up
AND AT TIMES he is down. When he repents before his Master, the
letter Samech is victorious and fulfills his wish in everything. He is
compassionate, and he cries when he is full of compassion.
One mark is in the right arm, and his face is without any hair at
all. But if there is hair which is curled, not dangling below the ears,
but raised and curled above the ears, then he keeps his word.1
His forehead is large, but not huge. There are five lines on it.
Three pass from this side to that side OF THE FOREHEAD, and two
lines do not traverse. This man is a quarrelsome person, at home for
the most part. All his actions are hurried, and though they seem
beneficial, they are not. He lauds himself for what he does not have.
This pertains to the letter Zayin itself, remotely aspiring to the letter
Tzadik by itself, reaching yet not reaching. The letter Samech is not
included in him at all. He is lenient in his speech, but no more than
that. He brings more than he deserves to himself. One who partakes
with him must be wary of his greed but will succeed with him.
Another type is signified by hair that is dangling and is not flat.
He has a profusion of hair and five lines in it; some are touching yet
are not touching each other. His eyes are shining and alert. His head
is bent low. He seems to be pleasant and honest, but is not so. He
praises himself. If he occupies himself with Torah learning, he acts
like a great man. He has strong desires. When he speaks, he
wrinkles his nose, and stretches the skin of his forehead. All of his
actions are for the sake of appearances in public. He succeeds in
wealth. He is deceitful in all that he does. He is a slanderer. He
knows how to defend himself from people in everything. He has
madness in him, and conceals what he does SO THAT IT SHALL
NOT BE RECOGNIZED. He secretly brings strife BETWEEN FRIENDS.
He has big ears which are placed underneath his hair. He is
established by the letter final Tzadik and the letter Zayin. Therefore,
his actions are for the public. If three hairs hang between his
shoulders, without any marks at all, one who partakes with him will
not succeed. But he will succeed with his own deceit. He appears to
be righteous with respect to another and thinks that his are truthful
actions in dealing with him.
If his hair is crimped and hangs beneath his ears; if he is
unmarried; and if there is one line in his brow, and three creases at
the top of his nose, between his eyebrows, then, he is a happy man,
intelligent in all matters. He is deceitful. He concedes and gives in to
those closest to him. This stands under the letter Samech and the
letter Zayin. As he grows older, the letters are exchanged – the letter
Zayin is at the beginning, followed by the letter Samech. He then no
longer concedes, except in his home. He succeeds in wealth. He is
no longer deceitful, having removed himself from that path.1
On his left eyebrow, there is a small mark where a man had hit
him in his youth. His right eye is closed. There are five furrows on
top of his nose, spanning the width between his eyebrows. His hair
is curled slightly on his head. He creases his eyes. This person
stands in the letter Zayin alone. He has no understanding. He has
madness in his heart. He is hasty in his actions.
He who has one line on his brow and four other small ones, has
no faith. One should not associate with him, since he will not be
successful. He sins against his Master in all his actions. He has one
small birthmark on his left thigh. At times, it disappears, at other
times, it reappears. If he has four lines on his brow, he has all these
MENTIONED ABOVE, except for the birthmark ON HIS LEFT THIGH.
If he has three large lines and three small ones ON HIS FOREHEAD,
and they are in the center of the forehead, he has beautiful hair. Until
this point is the secret of the hair.
The forehead is to be made understandable through the hair
and is to be defined through the eyes. The eyes are to be explained
through the hair from four perspectives: in the pupil of the eye; in
the colors of the eye; in the white of the eye; in the black pupil of the
eye. All perceptions should be performed with the stated six signs,
THE HAIR ON THE FOREHEAD, AND SO ON, AS MENTIONED
PREVIOUSLY. These are to be applied to persons of at least thirteen
years in age, when IN A MAN, the Holy Spirit has already separated
itself from the Spirit of Uncleanliness. The exception is the lines,
since these lines, whether small or large, are constantly changing. IT
IS POSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH IF THEY ARE FROM THE
UNCLEANLINESS, OR FROM THE HOLINESS. And so it is with all of
them, AS WILL BE DISCUSSED FURTHER.
It is written: “And Moses chose able men out of all
Yisrael” (Shemot 18:25). For he was seeking other signs APART
FROM “ABLE MEN,” but did not find any. Also, “Take wise men, who
are understanding and known among your tribes” (Devarim 1:13).
What is the meaning of “known”? For they are known by those signs
MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY. And he found them, but they were not
men of understanding. THIS INDICATES THAT “ABLE MEN” AND
“WISE MEN” ARE NEAR EACH OTHER IN QUALITY, SINCE HERE
THE SCRIPTURES STATE, “AND MOSES CHOSE ABLE MEN,” AND
IN DEVARIM THE SCRIPTURES STATE, “SO I TOOK THE CHIEFS OF
YOUR TRIBES, WISE MEN, AND KNOWN” (IBID. 15).1
The eye is under the secret of the letter Resh and the letter Pe.
The eyebrows are white, and the hair is red. If the eyebrows are
white, this is a man of whom people must be wary. Everything he
does is deceitful. He is shrewd. He harbors hatred. And all this is
under the letter Resh alone, when it is not joined with the letter Pe.
This letter, REFERRING TO PE, walks and rambles over him, and
does not settle in him. His eyes are sunken. He is rushed in his
actions. And so it is with all those whose eyes are recessed. We
must be wary of all their actions. They are deceitful. And with their
deceit, they give logic to their words.
If his forehead is large, and not round shaped; and two broad
marks sweep across the brow from side to side, and also four small
marks; and his hair hangs, then he is cool-headed. Therefore, he is
intelligent. His ears are small. He has hairy arms. He is covered with
black spots. If he has red marks, he returns occasionally to do good.
And so he remains for a brief time, and sometimes he returns to his
evil ways. He is lustful.
It is the reverse with the seed of David. King David inherited this
fine red to do judgment and to perform suitable deeds. His eyes were
filled with compassion and were settled in fullness, projecting grace
and kindness. And a green line ran through them. At the time he
waged war, that line changed and became red as a rose. When his
anger was calmed from the war, the line returned to its original.
Great miracles were in his eyes. People were happy, and they longed
to see them. THERE WERE IN THEM specks in three colors. Joy
filled his whole heart. The evil-doers who observed them were
greatly agitated, and great fright and terror arose in their hearts.
Another type is he whose forehead is large and nicely rounded,
and all the letters are visible and rising in it. Some rise and some
descend; those that descend rise, and each one gives space to the
other. Because of this, his impressions go upward in length ON HIS
FOREHEAD. His eyebrows are filled with compassion. They are not
black, nor are they red, but in fact they are between THESE two
colors. The pupil of the eye, from within, projects all the worldly
images. A red line surrounds it, and joy surrounds everything.1
At first, when the evil doers approach to look at THE EYES,
these same evil-doers laugh, for there is compassion, beauty and
kindness IN THEM. Afterwards, THEY SEE IN THEM power and fear,
terror and anger. And his eyes are like doves when turned towards
them. What are dove’s eyes? They are eyes that deceive the wicked,
as it is written in scriptures: “you shall not defraud (Heb. tonu) one
another” (Vayikra 25:14). And it is written: “you have dove’s (Heb.
yonim) eyes” (Shir Hashirim 4:1) that attract WHOEVER OBSERVES
THEM, and repel THEM. All the images of the world are included in
his face. The hairs on his head are blazed with the colors of seven
kinds of gold.
I saw the following written in the book of Adam: the appearance
of the first Messiah is as the moon – WHICH IS MALCHUT, MEANING
OF THE SEED OF DAVID, SINCE THE SECOND MESSIAH IS
MESSIAH, SON OF JOSEPH. His face will be greenish gold in
appearance. The color of his beard will appear to be as the gold of
Ofir. The appearance of his eyebrows is of Sheva gold. The
appearance of the eyebrows, NAMELY IN THE EYELASHES, is of the
gold of Parvayim. Pure gold is the appearance of his hair. The finest
gold is the color on his chest, on the tablet of his heart. On both his
arms is the color and appearance of Tarshish gold. All these seven
colors are recorded in all the places of the hair.
On his right arm, one impression was carved and marked,
concealed from people. And this is a tower on which a lion was
engraved. A small Aleph is marked within. And this is the sign “on
which there hand a thousand (Heb. elef) bucklers” (Shir Hashirim
4:4). When he wages war, that mark always becomes erect and
protrudes. And in the tower that Aleph pulsates, and he becomes
powerful to wage a war. When he enters into war, the lion pulsates;
he becomes as strong as a lion and wins the wars. In pulsating, that
tower accelerates, and its sign is: “…the righteous runs into it and is
safe…” (Mishlei 18:10). David is safe from his enemies; they can not
overcome him. And some of these signs and impressions were
registered on his left arm. No other individual ever had these marks
AS THE SEED OF DAVID.
If the eyes are bright and protruding, he has madness in his
heart. His forehead is large. Many hairs are hanging DOWNWARD,
remote from the skin of the skull. He is wise. He boasts. His lips are
wilted. He has the evil tongue.
Three lines are in his forehead. If there are two red veins in his
eyes, then it is under the letter Resh only. An illuminating vein is
present in them. An opportunity arose for him to commit a
transgression and he was saved from it.1
If there is one red vein in his eye within, standing lengthwise,
and two small veins beneath it, and one vein traverses the eye, he
gives bad counsel pertaining to a woman prohibited to him. And if
the counsel still exists, you will find one line lengthwise on his
forehead. From his right eyebrow PROTRUDES one hair, and four
small hairs underneath. And there is one hair that passes between
them, widthwise.
If he withdrew from that transgression, then you will find in his
eyes two thin veins passing along the width of the eye, but no other
vein passes between them. It is the same with the forehead. The time
of consideration for his withdrawal from this iniquity is nine days.
From then on, these impressions are erased, and other impressions
appear.
Narrow eyes that become slightly red signify an understanding
man. All his words are in argument. On his forehead you will find
three impressions. A large one passes from one side to the other
side. Two others do not pass this length. His eyebrows are large. He
is stubborn. When he speaks or when his heart is hard, he wrinkles
his nose in anger. He has a bad reputation. He is bad in the eyes of
everyone, and all hate him. Sometimes he succeeds and sometimes
he does not.
Three large hairs are on his breast, over his heart. His lips are
parched. He is arrogant to the point of lunacy. He has an evil tongue.
His hair is flat, long, and profuse. He has a slightly long and
slightly rounded face; At times he regrets all he did but returns to his
bad deeds. In his eyes, you will find two veins in his right eye, and
one in his left eye. His ears are small and straight.
The seed of David is the reverse. In the offspring of David all
these signs are good signs and bring benefit, except for big lips. For
all those who have big lips are slanderers, whether righteous or evil,
unless he is a thoroughly righteous man that succeeds by his merits
and guards himself FROM THE EVIL TONGUE.1
IF the eyes are green with a little red mixed in, and on his
forehead there are two impressions from this side to that side, one
small mark above, and a small one on the bottom, he is under the
letters Pe and Resh. This person’s forehead is large and circular. He
is good to all. He gives all of what he has to everybody. He is
yielding. His hair is flat and hangs. On the right side, he has white
hairs from the day he was born.
Mishnah. Men of the world, of understanding, of open eyes,
REFERRING TO PEOPLE OF CHOCHMAH, people of Faith, THE
SHECHINAH, which is treasured in you: of whoever among you
ascended and descended – THAT IS, THE RECIPIENTS OF THE
LIGHTS THAT ILLUMINATE FROM BELOW UPWARD, CALLED
‘ASCENT’ AND LIGHTS THAT ILLUMINATE FROM ABOVE
DOWNWARD CALLED ‘DESCENT’ – he who has the Spirit of Holy
Elohim in him shall rise and know that at the instant that the white
head, WHICH IS KETER, so desired to create man, it bestowed light
into one luminary, WHICH IS BINAH. And this luminary bestowed
light through the extension of the luminary, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN,
WHO BALANCES AND ILLUMINATES THE TWO COLUMNS, RIGHT
AND LEFT, OF BINAH. And this extension of the luminary brought
forth the souls OF MAN.
Even so, the extension of the luminary, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN,
united with and poured into one solid rock, WHICH IS MALCHUT.
And that rock brought forth a scorching flame textured with a variety
of hues. And that flame ascends and descends, until the extension
OF THAT LUMINARY, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, influences it – NAMELY,
IT POURED INTO IT THE ASPECT OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN AND
CHASSADIM, and THEN it returns and settles in its place and
becomes the Ruach life, OF ADAM.
This Ruach acquired boundaries OF TWELVE DIAGONAL
LIMITS THAT IT RECEIVED FROM ZEIR ANPIN. It takes on one hue
from the sun, FROM ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS GREEN IN COLOR. Then
it descends to a lower level and takes on one color from the moon,
MALCHUT, WHICH IS A HUE THAT RECEIVES FROM ALL THE HUES
AND RECEIVES FROM FOUR LIVING CREATURES: THE LION, THE
OX, THE EAGLE, AND MAN, IN THE LOWER CHARIOT. It moves to
the right and takes on the hue of water, WHICH IS WHITE, that is
included in the mouth of a lion, WHICH IS CHESED. It moves to the
left and takes on the hue of fire, WHICH IS RED and is included in the
mouth of an ox that is red like a rose, WHICH IS GVURAH. Moving to
the front, it takes on the hue of the wind, GREEN, THAT IS included
in the mouth of a large eagle with great wings and feathers in which
all hues are seen – WHICH IS THE HUE OF PURPLE INCLUDED IN
ALL THE HUES. THIS IS TIFERET. Moving to the rear, it takes on the
hue of earth THAT RECEIVES FROM ALL THE HUES – that is
included in all four corners of the earth, CHESED AND GVURAH,
TIFERET AND MALCHUT – RECEIVING from the mouth of man’s face,
toward whom all images look. THIS IS MALCHUT.
This Ruach settled in this earth and was clothed in it. FOR THE
SOIL IS MALCHUT, WHICH IS THE NEFESH OF ADAM. AND THE
RUACH WAS CLOTHED IN THE NEFESH. Then that soil, WHICH IS
THE NEFESH, swirled, descended and gathered soil from the four
directions. And it was made into a form and a countenance, WHICH
IS THE BODY OF THE FIRST MAN. The Ruach was concealed in the
innermost. And the Nefesh poured bounty into that soil that
assembled from the four winds, WHICH IS THE BODY, when it was
included in the Ruach.1
This Nefesh is the origin of the actions of the body. According
to the actions of that Nefesh inside the body, so shall it appear on
the skin outside. The Ruach is concealed on the inside, and that,
REFERRING TO THE NEFESH, is visible from the outside. It ascends
and descends and strikes in his face, showing shapes and
impressions. It strikes in his forehead, showing shapes and marks, it
strikes in the eyes, showing shapes and marks, as it is written: “the
sight of their face does witness against them” (Yeshayah 3:9).
The luminary from which measurement is drawn, IS of one
green thread, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT HAS A
GREEN COLOR. IT RECEIVED the flame of formlessness, NAMELY,
THE FIRE OF MALCHUT OF THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT. It
strikes on the hands of man when he is asleep and records
impressions and lines in his hands. According to the actions of man,
so is his hand etched. These letters turn over in him from the bottom
to top. This wisdom is known by those friends, who are RIGHTEOUS
MEN OF Truth, through the imprint of the letters of the luminary –
WHICH IS MALCHUT, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. All the inner
resources of man manifest impressions, lines and letters that
interchange. He who inscribes these also inscribes in the end of the
tabernacle, WHICH IS MALCHUT CALLED ‘TABERNACLE’, as it is
written: “and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the
earth” (Tehilim 139:15). THIS REFERS TO THE LOWEST PART OF
MALCHUT, WHICH IS CALLED ‘EARTH’. SHE IS ALSO FASHIONED
FROM THE POWER OF THE FLAME OF THE ATTRIBUTE OF
JUDGMENT, LIKE THE HANDS OF MAN. Blessed be He, and blessed
be His Name forever and ever.
White eyes and slivers of red flesh where THE EYES protrude –
NAMELY IN THE EYE SOCKETS, SO THAT WHEN HE ROTATES HIS
EYES, THEY ARE VISIBLE – are from the letter Pe and the letter Resh
when they are included together.
Another type of person has a large forehead, and three lines
that come up in his forehead, and six smaller ones, red yet not very
red, and they stay between these two colors. The same is true for his
hair. He has a large face. His hair is wrinkled, THAT IS, CURLY, but
not too much. It hangs slightly below his ears. That PERSON is
good. He has faith. The moment he becomes angry, it is an
extremely intense anger.
If that red below his eyes, IN THE EYE SOCKETS, AS
MENTIONED BEFORE, spreads in his eyes, he has a bad temper.
When he talks in anger, he closes his mouth, and his nostrils fume.
After a short time, his anger subsides, but not completely until after
a day or two. He is sometimes successful and sometimes not. But he
usually succeeds, whether a little or much.1
If the red inside his eye is fine as a thread, and does not spread
in the time of his anger, if he has those signs he has a weak heart
and is fearful of everything. His sleep is unsettled, He always has
thoughts and is afraid of everything. He causes everybody WHO
JOINS HIM to succeed. He is corrupt and does not refrain from
adultery.
Sometimes he repents and is afraid, and in his fright, you will
find redness inside his right eye, at the rim of the eye, and one fine
red vein on his left eye. And if they change – that which was in the
right is in the left, and that which was in the left is in the right – then
he is sinful, NOT HAVING REPENTED. He returned and broke a piece
of ice, WHICH INTERRUPTED HIM FROM THE TRANSGRESSION in
order to commit transgression.
Two furows on top of his eye, and three underneath. On his left
foot, on the middle toe, there are six hairs and sometimes five.
Presently he has six hairs, since one of them is short. He has black
eyes, and his eyebrows have many hairs resting over each other.
These eyes are black eyes interlaced with green, but the green is
more recessed. That person has five lines on his forehead: two
which traverse from side to side, and three which do not. (THE END
IS MISSING)
(End of Raza deRazin)
“In the third month”
This section tells us of the two lights of the right and the left called Gemini, that is the constellation that rules over the third month, Sivan. Uriel rules
over this month, and we are told of his camps, each of which has keys of light issuing from the inner supernal Chasmal. Rabbi Shimon explains the
significance of twins in terms of the birth of Jacob and Esau, and then says that the Torah itself is twins – the Written Torah and the Oral Torah –
given in the third month to the triple nation of the Three Fathers. And finally he tells us that the Torah was given in three parts – the Torah, the
Prophets and the Writings. But the important conclusion is that all is one.
“In the third month, after the children of Yisrael went out of the
land of Egypt” (Shemot 19:1). The Great Minister, Uriel, rules over
THE THIRD MONTH, FOR NISAN, IYAR AND SIVAN ARE COMPARED
WITH CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, AS MICHAEL RULES IN
CHESED, GAVRIEL IN GVURAH, AND URIEL RULES IN TIFERET. He
is accompanied by 365 ten thousands of camps, corresponding to
the number of days of the year, WHICH ARE 365 DAYS OF THE
SOLAR YEAR. And all of them have 365 keys of light issuing from
the inner supernal Chashmal (Eng. ‘electrum’), which is treasured
and concealed, and in which the mysteries of the holy supernal
letters of the Holy Name are suspended.1
This is the secret of “a plain man” (Beresheet 25:27), WHO IS
JACOB, THE SECRET OF TIFERET – MEANING THAT he is the
master of the house, a man of Elohim. “PLAIN” IS DERIVED FROM
WHOLENESS, for there is the ending of the knot of the Tefilin,
WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT IS CALLED ‘LEAH’. “…and
Jacob was a plain man…” MEANING HER MAN. And the secret of the
inner supreme Chashmal, which is concealed and treasured, has his
shape. And he holds all the hidden supreme lights, and they issue
forth from him. And all the camps OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED
ANGEL URIEL hold the keys of that light that issues from the
Chashmal.
And that light includes the two lights OF THE RIGHT AND THE
LEFT and yet they are in it one LIGHT. The first light is a white one
too bright for an eye to behold and this is the treasured light for the
righteous as it is written: “Light is sown for the righteous” (Tehilim
97:11) and the second light is one which gleams and sparkles red,
FOR IT IS THE SECRET OF THE LEFT LIGHT. And both of them are
included as one in it, and they became one.
Uriel the Arch Minister and all those camps WITH HIM take that
light which is called ‘Gemini’ for it includes two lights. Therefore,
that constellation rules over THIS MONTH, which is called ‘Gemini’,
after its secret, in which the Torah was given and from which all the
grades are drawn below until they rise through the Name to
illuminate the world.
None of the other signs WHICH RULE IN OTHER MONTHS have
a mouth or tongue but this one, GEMINI, has a mouth and tongue
included as one. Therefore, it is written in regards to the Torah: “And
you shall meditate therein day and night” (Yehoshua 1:8). “Day”
corresponds to the tongue, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and “night”
corresponds to the mouth, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and all is included
in THE SECRET OF the Gemini (Heb. teomim).
It is written: “Tomim,” WITHOUT THE LETTER ALEPH, and in
relation to this secret it is written “Tomim,” in: “behold, there were
twins (Heb. tomim) in her womb” (Beresheet 25:24). And “TOMIM” is
not said OF JACOB AND ESAU, for Esau is not connected to this
secret. It indicates that it is said “TOMIM” of Jacob ALONE, FOR
JACOB IS THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN WHICH
INCLUDES TWO LIGHTS, THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, AND AFTER
THOSE TWO LIGHTS HE IS CALLED “TOMIM”. WHEN THE
SCRIPTURE SAYS “BEHOLD TOMIM,” IT INDICATES THAT HE,
JACOB, WAS IN HER WOMB. And the scripture praises Jacob for
being in the womb of that righteous woman, but because the wicked
ESAU was there too, the letter Aleph departed, AND IT IS WRITTEN
“TOMIM” WITHOUT ALEPH.1
All is one secret, for Jacob receives through his secret,
TIFERET, THE CENTRAL COLUMN, the two months Nisan and Iyar,
and he is included in the secret of THE MONTH Sivan, which is THE
SIGN OF Gemini. THIS MEANS THAT BY BEING INCLUDED IN THE
MONTH SIVAN – WHICH INCLUDES TWO MONTHS, NISAN AND
IYAR, WHICH ARE RIGHT AND LEFT – IT IS THEREFORE CALLED
“TWINS,” AND SINCE JACOB IS ALSO INCLUDED IN IT HE
RECEIVES THOSE TWO MONTHS. Esau receives through his own
inner meaning the two months, Tammuz and Av, but since he does
not abide in THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH IS ELUL, he therefore
loses Elul, for Elul is not his. And he does not even have the whole
MONTH of Av, but only nine days and no more, so it can be seen that
he is not included in the secret of the twins – WHICH IS THE
CENTRAL COLUMN. He separated himself and turned towards the
Other Side in naught and desolation, as it is written: “The enemies
are come to an end in perpetual ruins” (Tehilim 9:7).
Because Jacob is in the sign of the twins, the Torah was given
to his children in the months of the twins, being itself “twins” –
WHICH IS the Written Torah and the Oral Torah. IT WAS GIVEN in the
third month to the triple nation, WHICH INCLUDES three grades,
NAMELY, THE ‘THREE FATHERS’. THE TORAH WAS GIVEN in three
parts: the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings, and all is one.
“In the third month…” We have already explained that chapter in
the scripture above. Rabbi Chiya said that at the time that Yisrael
approached Mount Sinai, the Holy One, blessed be He, gathered the
seeds of the nation of Yisrael and examined them all. And He found
no blemish in all the seeds of Yisrael but saw they were all of a holy
seed and of Truth.
At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: ‘Now
do I wish to give Yisrael the Torah. Draw them to Me by My love for
the patriarchs and by the signs that I have made manifest to them.
And you shall be My messenger. Therefore, go and tell them those
words.’ Rabbi Yosi said that Rabbi Yehuda said that those were the
words that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, and
continued: ‘Thus, you shall be My faithful messenger by drawing
Yisrael to go after Me.’
“And Moses went up to Elohim”
This section offers several interpretations of “And Moses went up to Elohim and Hashem called to him out of the mountain, saying.” One
explanation is that Moses went up to the place where the Shechinah’s wings are outspread. The discussion turns to the issue of perfection, and we
hear that there is always awe or dread when in the presence of the perfection of all. The title verse is then applied first to Moses, then to God, and
finally to the four bonds of earth, air, fire and water. Rabbi Shimon hears Rabbi Yesa tell of a dream where from Rabbi Yesa finally remembered and
understood that Chochmah was above, Tiferet below, and Malchut the Sanctuary of God that lay between them. The last interpretation reminds us
that whoever comes to be purified is always assisted.
“And Moses went up to Elohim and Hashem called to him out of
the mountain, saying” (Shemot 19:3). “And Moses went up to
Elohim,” MEANS THAT Moses went up to the place where the wings
of the Shechinah are outspread, as it is written: “He bowed the
heavens also and came down” (Tehilim 18:9).1
We have learned that Rabbi Yehuda said that as long as the
legislations of the Supernal King adhere to their proper places,
MEANING THAT THEY BALANCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND LEFT, all
the worlds are with joy and all the works are maintained properly, as
it is written: “the work of Hashem…that it is tremendous” (Shemot
34:10). What does “tremendous” mean? Rabbi Elazar said that it is
the perfection of all, as it is written: “A great El, a mighty and a
terrible” (Devarim 10:17). What does “terrible” mean? This is Jacob,
THE CENTRAL COLUMN, for it is written: “And Jacob was a plain
man” (Beresheet 25:27). “…plain…” means, according to the Aramaic
translation, ‘a complete man’, perfect in all. Thus, all the deeds of the
Holy One, blessed be He, are perfect in wholeness, and are perfectly
maintained.
As we learned, Rabbi Yosi explained that one day, while he was
standing before Rabbi Yehuda Saba (the elder), he asked him about
the meaning of the verse: “And he was afraid and said: ‘How
dreadful is this place'” (Beresheet 28:17). What did Jacob see that
frightened him and made him call it “dreadful”? Rabbi Yehuda
explained that he saw there the perfection of the holy Faith, WHICH
IS MALCHUT, that was frequent in that place as it is above, and any
place wherein His perfection is found is called “dreadful.”
I asked him: If that is so, why then is the word “dreadful”
translated into Aramaic as ‘fear’ and not as ‘perfection’? FOR IF
“DREADFUL” MEANS ‘PERFECTION’, HE SHOULD HAVE
TRANSLATED IT AS “PERFECTION.” He answered that there is no
awe but in a place where perfection is found, and any place in which
there is completeness is called “dreadful”, as it is written: “O fear
Hashem you saints of His, for those who fear Him there is no
lack” (Tehilim 34:10). We can learn from this verse, “there is no
lack,” THAT AWE IS COMPLETENESS, for wherever there is no
deficiency there is completeness.
We studied: “Who has ascended up into heaven and come
down” (Mishlei 30:4). Rabbi Yosi said that it is Moses, for it is
written: “And Moses went up to Elohim” (Shemot 19:3). “Who has
gathered the wind in His fists” (Mishlei 30:4)? It is Aaron, as it is
written: “And his hands full of sweet incense beaten small” (Vayikra
16:12). “Who has bound the waters in a garment”? It is Eliyahu, as it
is written: “There shall not be dew or rain these years but according
to my word” (I Melachim 17:1). “Who has established all the ends of
the earth”? It is Abraham, of whom it is written: “These are the
generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created
(behibar’am)” (Beresheet 2:4). Do not pronounce it ‘behibar’am’, but
“beAbraham (lit. ‘by Abraham’),” (spelled with the same letters).
He taught this, and said: “Who has ascended up into heaven?”
The Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written: “Elohim is gone
up with a shout” (Tehilim 47:6). “Who gathered the wind in His
fists”? The Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written: “In whose
hands is the soul of every living thing” (Iyov 12:9). “Who has bound
the waters in a garment”? The Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it
is written: “He binds up the waters in His thick clouds” (Iyov 26:8).
“Who has established all the ends of the earth”? The Holy One,
blessed be He, of whom it is written: “In the day that Hashem Elohim
made the earth and the heavens” (Beresheet 2:4). RABBI YOSI
continued further and said: “Who went up into heaven and came
down”? Those are the four bonds of the world: fire, air, water and
earth.1
Rabbi Yesa said: It is evident that Rabbi Yosi’s interpretations
of this verse have no hold, FOR THEY ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH
EACH OTHER. But when Rabbi Shimon heard them he put his hand
on the head of Rabbi Yosi and blessed him, saying: Your
interpretations are quite right and well said, and it is indeed so.
Where have you learned THIS? And he answered: I have learned
them from my father who heard it from Rav Hamnuna Saba (the
elder).
One day, Rabbi Shimon was sitting at the gate of Tzipori when
Rabbi Yesa said to him: That which Rabbi Yosi said, “Who ascended
up into the heavens and came down,” he applied once to Moses then
to the Holy One, blessed be He, and finally he said that these are the
four bonds, fire, air, water and earth – and I saw that my master
blessed him!
Rabbi Shimon replied: Assuredly, what he said is well spoken,
and so it is. All are the same, and all things apply to the Holy One,
blessed be He, and all of them amount to the same thing. Rabbi Yesa
became excited by the words of Rabbi Shimon and he said: This is
indeed so, and on another occasion I learned from my master the
explanation of the verse: “These are the generations of the heavens
and of the earth when they were created” (Heb. behibar’am). Do not
read it as ‘behibar’am’, but rather “beabra’ham (‘in Abraham’)” (with
the same letters) – NAMELY, WITH CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN, as it is
written: “For I have said, the world is built by Chesed (Eng.
‘kindness’)” (Tehilim 89:3), – AND ALL THE OTHER NAMES: MOSES,
AARON, ELIYAHU AND THE FOUR ELEMENTS, FIRE, AIR, WATER
AND EARTH, AS ALL ARE THE NAMES OF THE HOLY ONE,
BLESSED BE HE.
This is well said, but what is the meaning of the last part of the
verse saying: “What is his name and what is His son’s name that you
should know” (Mishlei 30:4)? I can understand “What is His name,”
but what about “His son’s name”? Rabbi Shimon replied: I have
already taught the secret of this verse to my son Rabbi Elazar. He
said to him: Please, tell me master, for I have asked you in a dream
concerning it and I have forgotten the answer. He replied: Now if I
tell you will you remember it? Rabbi Yesa answered: Assuredly, for
what my master teaches me by daytime I remember.
He said: The secret of it is connected with the verse, “Yisrael is
My son, my firstborn” (Shemot 4:22), and, “Yisrael, in whom I will be
glorified” (Yeshayah 49:3). And it is in the supernal secret of this
verse THAT YISRAEL SIGNIFIES TIFERET and is called “His son.”
Rabbi Yesa replied: Be assured, my master, that I know this secret.
Yet Rabbi Yesa could not remember WHAT HE WAS TOLD IN HIS
DREAM, and distressed, he went home and slept. Then he had a
dream in which he was shown a book of Agadah wherein it was
written: “Chochmah and Tiferet are in His sanctuary.”1
When he awoke he went to Rabbi Shimon and kissed his hands
saying: Thus I was shown in my dream, and some other time I saw in
my dream a book of Agadah wherein it was written: “Chochmah and
Tiferet in His sanctuary.” “Chochmah” above, “Tiferet” below, and
His sanctuary, WHICH IS MALCHUT, by them. This is what I saw
once in my dream, and these words were on my lips. Then Rabbi
Shimon said to him: Until now you were too young to be enumerated
among the reapers of the field, MEANING THOSE
KNOWLEDGEABLE IN SECRETS, but now everything has been
shown to you. And this is the meaning of the verse: “What is His
name and what is his son’s name that you should know.” Chochmah
is “His name” and Tiferet is “His son’s name,” FOR CHOCHMAH
AND BINAH ARE ABA AND IMA OF TIFERET, AS IT IS KNOWN.
“And Moses went up to Elohim.” Happy is the portion of Moses
for being worthy of this honor to which the Torah itself testifies.
Come and behold the difference between Moses and all other men of
the world. When other men rise, they rise in richness or they rise to
greatness or kingship, but of Moses it is written: “And Moses went
up to Elohim.” Blessed is his share.
Rabbi Yosi said: From this verse the friends deduced that “he
who comes to be purified is assisted,” for it is written, “And Moses
went up to Elohim,” and afterwards it is written, “and Hashem called
to him.” Thus, he who desires to come nearer is brought nearer.
“Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob”
Here we read of the happiness of those who are chosen by God to come near to Him. Those who reside in the Holy Land have the presence of God
because the Shechinah always dwells there. In, “And Hashem called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob’,”
Hashem means to reveal wisdom to the children of Yisrael, and to tell them the truth about what He has done for them. We read how Rabbi Yosi and
Rabbi Chiya fall in with a man who has the wisdom of herbs, and who cures them with one of his herbs of an ailment that they did not even know
they had. He shows them the danger and the power of his herb, and they watch while it kills the serpent. In this way we learn the tremendous power
inherent in everything that God created to grow on earth.
“And Hashem called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus
shall you say to the house of Jacob'” (Shemot 19:3). Rabbi Yitzchak
opened the discussion with the verse: “Happy is he whom You
choose, and cause to approach to You, that he may dwell in Your
court” (Tehilim 65:5). Happy is the portion of the man whom the Holy
One, blessed be He, desires to bring near to Him to dwell in the Holy
Palace, for he whom He desires to receive to worship Him is
inscribed above, to make it known that he has been chosen by the
Holy King to dwell in His appartment. And everyone who has upon
him such a sign can pass through all the supernal gates without any
hindrance.1
Rabbi Yehuda said: Happy is the share of Moses, of whom it is
written, “Happy is he whom You choose, and cause to approach to
You,” and of whom it is also written, “And Moses drew near to the
mist” (Shemot 20:18), and, “And Moses alone shall come near
Hashem: but they shall not come near” (Shemot 24:2). “Thus shall
you say to the House of Jacob,” are the wp,em, and “the children of
Yisrael” are the men.
Rabbi Shimon said: “Thus (Heb. koh) shall you say” has the
same meaning as in the verse, “In this way (Heb. koh) shall you
bless” (Bemidbar 6:22), and as in another verse, “And Your pious
ones shall bless You (Heb. yevarchuchah)” (Tehilim 145:10), namely,
bless (Heb. yevarchu) koh – KOH BEING MALCHUT WHICH IS
CALLED ‘KOH’. “Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob,” meaning
by “saying,” from the side of Judgment. “…and tell the children of
Yisrael…” is the same as in the verse, “And He declared (told) to you
His Covenant” (Devarim 4:13), and as in the verse, “I profess (tell)
this day to Hashem your Elohim” (Devarim 26:3), FOR “TELLING”
PERTAINS TO MERCY. “…the children of Yisrael…” are the men who
come from the side of Mercy, THEREFORE IT IS ADDRESSED TO
THEM BY “TELLING.”
Rabbi Yitzchak said: Since we have come upon this verse, why
is it written: “I told this day to Hashem your Elohim,” instead of
‘Hashem our Elohim’? Rabbi Shimon replied: Not only this. For it is
also written: “For Hashem your Elohim brings you into a good
land” (Devarim 8:7), “that Hashem your Elohim gives you” (Devarim
7:16), and it is written, “For Hashem your Elohim is a consuming
fire” (Devarim 4:24). And all of them are written the same way.
We have learned that he who resides in the land of Yisrael has
Elohim, and he who resides outside of it is as he who is without
Elohim. The reason for this is that the holy seed comes to the Holy
Land and the Shechinah dwells in Her place, and they depend on
each other. Therefore, Moses did not say “your Elohim” except to
those who were going to settle in the Holy Land and to receive the
Shechinah. And Moses did not say ‘our Elohim’ since he did not
merit to enter into the Holy Land. Therefore, it is written “your
Elohim” in all these verses, for they were to enter there.
He said to him: Assuredly it is so, but why is it written, “And
you shall come to the priest that shall be in those days, and say to
him, ‘I profess this day to Hashem your Elohim'” (Devarim 26:3)? If
they were already in the Holy Land, why did he say “your Elohim”
and not ‘our Elohim’? AND HE ANSWERS that they show and praise
the supernal Chesed, for it granted them all that merit to enter and
dwell in that Holy Land, and performed by them all that goodness.
Therefore, they said those words to the priest, as it is written: “I
profess this day to the Hashem your Elohim,” for he comes from the
side of the Chesed.1
“Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob,” namely to that
place which is appropriate TO THEIR GRADE; “And tell the children
of Yisrael,” namely to that place which is appropriate TO THEIR
GRADE, for Jacob and Yisrael are two grades. JACOB IS THE LEVEL
OF THE SIX ENDS AND YISRAEL IS THE GRADE OF THE FIRST
THREE SFIROT, and both of them amount to one grade, WHICH IS
ZEIR ANPIN, but Yisrael is called ‘the completeness of all’. Therefore,
it is written: “And tell the children of Yisrael,” MEANING to reveal
Wisdom to them and to tell them in the spirit of Wisdom the grace
and the Truth of what the Holy One, blessed be He, has done for
them, FOR “TELLING” ALLUDES TO CHOCHMAH, as it is written:
“And He declared (told) to you His Covenant.”
We learned that Rabbi Yosi said: Once I was on my way
accompanied by Rabbi Chiya, my son. While walking we came upon
a man who was collecting medicinal herbs in the field. We drew near
him and I asked him: Tell us, what are these bundles of herbs for?
He gave no reply and did not even raise his head. I asked him again
but he gave no answer. Then I said to Rabbi Chiya, my son: This
man is either deaf or mad or wise. So we sat down near him.
Afterwards he collected all the herbs and made them into bundles
and covered each bundle with fig leaves.
He turned to us and said: I see that you are Jews and Jews are
said to be clever people. If I did not have pity for you now, you would
be expelled from people as lepers are, for I perceive the odor of a
certain herb which has entered your body. You would be outcasts
FROM MEN for three days. But now eat this wild garlic and you will
be healed.
So we ate from these that were before us and fell into a sleep,
and we were bathed in perspiration for a long time. When we
awakened that man said: Now your Elohim is with you, for you have
found me and the cure of your bodies is accomplished through me.
As we went along he said to us: Every person must converse
with his fellow according to their way. That is, to a woman according
to her way, and to a man according to his way, and to a man among
men according to his way. Then I was struck by this remark and said
to Rabbi Chiya, my son: This accords with the verse, “Thus shall you
say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of Yisrael.”1
The man said to us: You probably noticed that I did not raise my
head, nor did I speak to you. This is because my father was a greater
expert in herbs than any one else at his time, and I have learned from
him the powers and the uses of all the herbs that are true, and I
spend the whole year among them.
Now I will tell you of this herb you saw me cover with fig leaves.
In a northern corner in my house there is a place in which there is a
millstone from the hole of which a man with two heads emerges. He
carries a sharp sword in his hands, and every day he distresses us. I
gathered this herb on account of him. Now follow me and you shall
see the power of this herb, and what the supreme Elohim has
revealed in the world, and that there is no one that knows His ways.
So we followed him. On the way to his house we saw him
bending to a hole in the ground in which he deposited some of that
herb, and a serpent with an enormous head issued. The man took a
rope and bound the serpent as though it was a lamb. We were afraid,
but the man told us to follow him.
When we reached his house, we saw that place in the dark
behind a wall. He took a candle and kindled a fire around that place
of the millstone. Then he said to us: Do not be frightened at what
you see and keep silent.
While at that, he loosened the serpent’s bonds and ground
some of the herbs and sprinkled this upon the serpent’s head. Then
the serpent descended into the opening of that millstone and we
heard a voice which caused the whole place to shake. We wanted to
leave, but the man took hold of our hands saying: Fear not. Come
close to me.
Meanwhile the serpent reappeared, and it was dripping blood.
Again the man took some of that herb and sprinkled it upon the
serpent’s head. THE SERPENT entered the opening of that millstone.
After a short time we saw a man with two heads came out from the
millstone with a serpent wound about his neck. He come in and out
of that millstone three times, saying: Chameleon, chameleon, woe to
his mother who brought him to that place!1
Then the millstone was torn from its place and both the man
and the serpent came out, fell down, and died. We were terrified.
Then that man said: Thus is the power of the herb which I collected
in your presence. This was the reason why I did not speak to you or
raise my head when you approached me.
He said to us: If men only knew the wisdom of all that the Holy
One, blessed be He, has planted in the earth, and all the power of all
that which is to be found in the world, they would acknowledge the
power of their Master in His great wisdom. But the Holy One, blessed
be He, has purposely hidden this wisdom from men in order that
they do not turn from His ways by trusting in that wisdom alone,
thus forgetting Him.
When I came and recounted those things to Rabbi Shimon, he
said: Surely that was a wise man, for observe that there is no grass
or herb that grows on the earth in which much wisdom and great
power in heaven is not manifested. Come and observe this from the
hyssop, for whenever the Holy One, blessed be He, desires that men
purify themselves, they have to do it by the hyssop. What is the
reason? To arouse that power above that is appointed over, for when
it is aroused, it exterminates the Spirit of Impurity and the defiled
person is cleansed. And to you I say: Blessed be the Merciful One
who delivered you.
“on eagles’ wings”
You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I bore you on eagles’ wings. This section tells us by way of analogy with the eagle that God is merciful to
His own children, but uses severe judgment with the heathen nations. In the vision of Ezekiel the face of man includes the face of a lion and the face
of an ox, with the face of the eagle – mercy – between them and combining them.
“You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I bore you on
eagles’ wings” (Shemot 19:4). What does “eagles’ wings” mean?
Rabbi Yehuda said that “eagles’ wings” means Mercy, as it is written
in the verse: “As an eagle stirs up her nest” (Devarim 32:11),
MEANING THAT “AN EAGLE” SIGNIFIES MERCY. And this is the
secret in Rabbi Shimon’s words: “The way of the vultures in the
air” (Mishlei 30:19). “…in the air…” means with Mercy, FOR ZEIR
ANPIN IS CALLED ‘HEAVEN’ AND HAS MERCY, FOR CHESED,
GVURAH AND TIFERET ARE JUDGMENT AND MERCY. As the eagle
watches mercifully over its own young but is cruel toward others, so
is the Holy One, blessed be He, merciful towards Yisrael but judges
the heathen nations severly.
Rabbi Elazar was once going from Cappadocia to Lod
accompanied by Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chiya. They had risen at
sunrise and as the light appeared they started to walk. Rabbi Chiya
said: I see the vision which is described in the verse, “And they four
had the face of a lion, on the right side and they four had the face of
an ox, on the left side, they four also had the face of an
eagle” (Yechezkel 1:10), AND I WONDER, if the lion is on the right
side and the ox is on the left one, where is the place of the eagle?1
Rabbi Elazar replied: Its place is where Jacob is, MEANING THE
CENTRAL COLUMN. The reason for this is that the eagle combines
everything, BOTH MERCY AND JUDGMENT – Mercy to its own young
and Judgment to the others. So the Holy One, blessed be He, THE
SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN, led Yisrael with love and dealt
sternly with others, as it is written: “And bore you on eagles’ wings,”
and, “As an eagle stirs up her nest.”
We can learn that an eagle signifies Mercy, for it is written: “The
way of the vultures (lit. ‘eagle’) in the air (lit. ‘heaven’),” actually ‘in
heaven’, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, THE PROPRIETOR OF MERCY.
Therefore, the lion is on the right and the ox on the left, and the
eagle is between them and combines both of them. “THE FACE OF a
man” includes all of them and in it they are all comprised, FOR HE IS
THE ASPECT OF MALCHUT WHICH RECEIVES FROM ALL OF THEM,
as it is written: “Upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as
the appearance of a man above upon it” (Ibid. 26).
“And it came to pass, on the third day”
The theme of mercy and judgment is continued in this section. Good deeds are necessary to deserve mercy, and this idea is explored through
looking at the verse, “We have a little sister and she has no breasts, what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for.” The
“third day” of the title verse refers to Tiferet, that is Mercy.
“And it came to pass, on the third day” (Shemot 19:16). Rabbi
Aba opened the discussion with the verse: “We have a little sister
and she has no breasts, what shall we do for our sister in the day
when she shall be spoken for” (Shir Hashirim 8:8). “A little sister” is
the Congregation of Yisrael, which is called ‘the sister of the Holy
One, blessed be He’. “She has no breasts” is as we have learned,
that when Yisrael approached Mount Sinai, they had in them no
merits or good deeds to protect them, as it is written: “she has no
breasts” – for they are the beauty of a woman, and a woman’s beauty
comes from them alone. “What shall we do for our sister,” that is,
what will be done with them when the Holy One, blessed be He,
reveals Himself on Mount Sinai to proclaim the words of the Torah,
for their souls will fly away from them.
Rabbi Yosi said: At the time Yisrael approached Mount Sinai,
together with that night and the following morning, it was three days
altogether during which the people abstained from conjugal
intercourse with their wives. The holy angels came and received
them with fraternity, for they are angels above and Yisrael are angels
below; they sanctify the Supreme Name above, while Yisrael sanctify
the Supreme Name below.1
And Yisrael were crowned with seventy crowns on that night.
Then the supernal angels said: ‘”We have a little sister and she has
no breasts,” for they have no merits and good deeds, so “what shall
we do for our sister?” That is, how shall we honor her on the day
when the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals Himself on Mount Sinai to
give them the Torah?
It is written: “Be ready by the third day, come not near a
woman,” (Shemot 19:15) and, “And it came to pass, on the third
day.” Rabbi Shimon said that at the time that the Holy One, blessed
be He, desired to be revealed on Mount Sinai, He gathered all His
retinue and told them: ‘Now Yisrael are like children who do not
know My commandments, and I desire to be revealed before them
with Mercy, and they will accept My Law.’ Therefore it is written:
“And it came to pass on the third day.” Indeed, the manifestation
took place on the third day, FOR IT IS THE DAY OF TIFERET, which
is Mercy. And how do we know all that? It is written: “He bowed the
heavens also, and came down” (II Shmuel 22:10), AND “HEAVENS”
ARE TIFERET, WHICH IS MERCY, AS IS EXPLAINED ABOVE.
When the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself before
Yisrael, He extended Mercy at first and afterwards He gave them the
Torah, from the side of Gvurah, on the third day. THUS, THEY
INCLUDED BOTH MERCY AND JUDGMENT, as is appropriate for
them. Hence, they are called ‘Yisrael’, FOR THE NAME ‘YISAREL’
CONSTITUTES MERCY AND JUDGMENT.
“When morning came.” It is written: “In a morning without
clouds” (II Shmuel 23:4), for if it was a cloudy morning, there would
have been darkness in it and Chesed would not have been revealed.
And when does Chesed reveal itself? In the morning, as it is written:
“the morning was light” (Beresheet 44:3). Thus, as soon as the day
breaks, Chesed is present in the world and Judgments are removed,
but when the light of the morning does not enter, Judgments are not
removed, as it is written: “When the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy” (Iyov 37:7), as soon as
the stars fade away and the sun shines at that time, as it is written:
“A morning without clouds.” And Chesed is awakened in the lower
world at that time, it is written: “When morning came,” since the
stars disappeared and morning appeared.
Rabbi Yosi said that “When morning came,” the Holy One,
blessed be He, started to reveal Himself on Mount Sinai. We learned
that, “When morning came,” means when the merit of Abraham is
awakened, of whom it is written: “And Abraham went early in the
morning” (Beresheet 19:26).
“There were thunders and lightnings”
The rabbis offer various ideas about “voices.” One of them says that it means two voices – water and wind – which became one; one of them says
that it is one voice that never ceases; one of them says that it comes from three – wind, water and fire. The discussion moves to lightning and then
to the “fiery law” that is the Torah. And we learn that the sound of the Shofar came forth to break the heavy dark cloud.1
“There were thunders (Heb. kolot) and lightnings” (Shemot
19:16). Rabbi Aba said that “kolot” is spelled without VAV, THE
INDICATION OF THE PLURAL FORM, signifying that there were two
thunders (lit. ‘voices’) that became one again, one emanating from
the other – wind from water and water from wind, two that are one,
and one that is two. THEREFORE THE WORD “KOLOT” IS WRITTEN
WITHOUT VAV.
Rabbi Yosi said: “kolot,” MEANS one; this voice is a great and
strong one which never ceases, as it is written: “A great voice which
was not heard again” (Devarim 5:19). This is because all the other
voices do cease. As we learned, four times a year the voice ceases,
and then Judgments are awakened in the world. But this voice,
which includes the other voices, never ceases and never abates of
its full existence and force. We have learned that this voice is the
voice of voices, the voice which contains all other voices.
Rabbi Yehuda said: There is no voice but the one which comes
from wind, water and fire, THAT ARE THE THREE COLUMNS. And all
this the voice performs, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN. AND BY
IT, THE COLUMNS are included in each other AND BECOME ONE.
Therefore, the word “kolot” is spelled WITHOUT VAV, THE
INDICATION OF THE PLURAL FORM. “…and lightning…”: Rabbi Yosi
cited that verse and explained: “He makes lightning for the
rain” (Tehilim 135:7), MEANING THAT “LIGHTNING” IS THE
COMBINATION OF FIRE AND WATER, AS LIGHTNING IN THE RAIN –
for the flame OF THE LIGHTNING in the rain INDICATES THAT IT IS a
union of Mercy with infrequent love.
Rabbi Yehuda said: We have learned that the Torah was given
from the side of Gvurah. Rabbi Yosi said: In that case THE TORAH
must be of the left side. He said: It returned to the right, as it is
written: “From His right hand went a fiery law for them” (Devarim
33:2), and: “Your right hand, Hashem, is glorious in power” (Shemot
15:6). So we see that the left is included within the right, FOR IT IS
WRITTEN: “FROM HIS RIGHT HAND A FIERY LAW FOR THEM”; and
the right is included within the left FOR IT IS WRITTEN: “YOUR
RIGHT HAND, HASHEM, IS GLORIOUS IN POWER.” Thus, Gvurah,
WHICH IS THE LEFT, is included within the right.
“And a heavy cloud upon the mountain” (Shemot 19:16)
meaning, a very mighty cloud stuck in one place BECAUSE OF ITS
HEAVINESS that does not move FROM PLACE TO PLACE AS DO
OTHER CLOUDS. “And the sound of a shofar exceedingly
loud” (Ibid.); that sound was very strong, for it issued from the midst
of the heavy cloud IN ORDER TO BREAK IT, as it is written: “When
you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness” (Devarim 5:20).
Rabbi Yehuda said: There were three kinds of darkness, for it is
written, “darkness, clouds and thick darkness” (Devarim 4:11). And
that voice, NAMELY, THE VOICE OF THE SHOFAR, came forth as the
innermost depths. Rabbi Yosi said that the innermost of all of them
was THE VOICE of which it is written: “A great voice which was not
heard again.”
“and all the people saw the voices”
Here the experience where Moses talked face to face with God on Mount Sinai is compared to Ezekiel’s visions. It is pointed out that Ezekiel saw the
Shechinah and the hand of God, but Moses was greater because he saw the head and body of Zeir Anpin. All the people who were on the mountain1
literally “saw the voice” as it was carved out of darkness, cloud and fog – and figuratively they saw what no one in succeeding generations would
ever again see until the time of Messiah, and that was the supernal illumination that showed them all hidden and veiled knowledge.
Rabbi Aba said: It is written, “And all the people perceived the
thunderings (lit. ‘saw the voices’)” (Shemot 20:15). HE ASKS: WHY IS
IT WRITTEN “see,” rather than ‘hear’? AND HE ANSWERS that we
have already learned that those voices were carved out upon the
darkness, cloud and the fog, visible as a body is. And they saw
whatever it was they saw, and heard what they heard from within the
darkness, cloud and fog. And because they saw that sight they were
illuminated with a supernal illumination and knew things beyond the
understanding of all other generations to come.
All of them saw face to face, as it is written: “Hashem talked
with you face to face” (Devarim 5:4). And what did they see? Rabbi
Yosi explains: From the illumination of those voices, as there was
not a voice that did not shine, they could see all things hidden and
veiled which will never be revealed to succeeding generations until
the days of King Messiah. Therefore it is written: “And all the people
see the voices,” for they actually saw.
Rabbi Elazar said: “And all the people see” means, as we have
said, that they saw all those wonderful things that no generation
after will ever see, by means of the illumination of those voices. “…
the voices…” has the same meaning as in the verse: “I saw
Hashem” (Yeshayah 6:1). It is written: “Hashem” preceded by the
particle Et, WHICH MEANS THAT HE SAW THE SHECHINAH WHICH
IS CALLED ‘ET’. In this verse too it is written: “And all the people see
the voices,” with the particle Et (lit. ‘the’), TO INDICATE THAT THEY
SAW THE SHECHINAH.
In the same manner we can explain the verse: “the heaven and
the earth” (Beresheet 1:1), for all the “Et (lit. ‘the’)” particles
mentioned in the Torah enable us to have the perception of wisdom –
as in the verse: “Honor (et) your father and (et) your
mother” (Shemot 20:12) and the verse, “Honor (et) Hashem with your
substance” (Mishlei 3:8). These verses ARE EXPLAINED as
including something in addition. Here too, “the voices” include that
other voice below, WHICH IS MALCHUT, which gathers into itself the
other voices and that which emerges from them. In it, IN MALCHUT,
the people saw and beheld, through sublime Wisdom, all the
celestial treasures and all the hidden mysteries which were never
revealed to succeeding generations or to any far away generations,
and will not be revealed until the days of King Messiah. As it is
written: “For they shall see eye to eye Hashem returning to
Zion” (Yeshayah 52:8). HE ASKS: Why is “the lightning” called first
“lightning (Heb. berakim),” (Shemot 19:16) and afterwards “lightning
(Heb. lapidim)”? AND HE ANSWERS that both of them have one
meaning, for when THE BERAKIM are quite formed and ready to
appear, they are called LAPIDIM.1
“…the sound in the Shofar…” (Shemot 20:15). Rabbi Yitzchak
says: It is written, “Elohim has spoken once: twice have I heard
this” (Tehilim 62:12). This is similar to: “I am Hashem your Elohim,”
and, “You shall not make for yourself” (Shemot 20:2). “I AM”
SIGNIFIES THE SECRET OF BINAH, AND “YOU SHALL NOT MAKE
FOR YOURSELF” SIGNIFIES THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, AND
BOTH OF THEM WERE UTTERED AT ONCE. IN THIS VERSE, TOO,
THE SOUND IS ZEIR ANPIN AND THE SHOFAR IS BINAH, AND BOTH
WERE UTTERED AT THE SAME TIME.
Rabbi Yehuda said: It should have said ‘the sound in the
Shofar’; why DOES IT SAY “of the Shofar”? AND HE ANSWERS: That
voice was called ‘Shofar’, as in the verse: “Then shall you cause the
Shofar to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, on the Day
of Atonement” (Vayikra 25:9). On that YOM KIPPUR (DAY OF
ATONEMENT) it is called ‘Shofar’, MEANING THAT WHEN THE
SOUND ISSUES FROM BINAH, THE SOUND IS CALLED ‘SHOFAR’.
Rabbi Yosi said: As the PHYSICAL Shofar makes a sound
WHICH INCLUDES fire, air and water, here too everything is included
in it, FOR HERE IN THE SOUND THAT COMES OUT FROM THE
SHOFAR, FIRE, WIND AND WATER ARE INCLUDED – WHICH ARE
CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, THE SECRET OF THE THREE
COLUMNS. And from this sound other sounds emerge.
Rabbi Elazar said that “THE SOUND OF THE SHOFAR” MEANS
the sound which comes out from a Shofar, which means that there is
one Shofar and a solitary sound comes out from it, FOR THE SOUND
IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN AND THE SHOFAR IS THE SECRET
OF BINAH. The Shofar stands by itself SEPARATE FROM THE
SOUND WHICH COMES OUT OF IT, therefore it is written: “the sound
of the Shofar,” AND NOT, ‘THE SOUND IN THE SHOFAR’.
Rabbi Yehuda said: In “the sound of the Shofar,” the word
“Shofar” is spelled without THE LETTER VAV, FOR IT HAS THE
SAME MEANING AS IN THE VERSE, “It pleased (Heb. shafar)
Daryavesh” (Daniel 6:1) and in the verse, “O king, let my counsel be
acceptable (Heb. yishpar) to you” (Daniel 4:24) and the verse, “I
thought it good (Heb. shefar) to report the signs and
wonders” (Daniel 3:32) – MEANING THAT THESE ARE EXPRESSIONS
WHICH SPEAK OF GLORY AND BEAUTY, WHICH ALLUDES TO ZEIR
ANPIN, THE SECRET OF TIFERET.
Rabbi Shimon said that “the sound of the Shofar” MEANS THAT
the place from which the sound comes out is called ‘Shofar’, FOR
THE SOUND IS ZEIR ANPIN AND THE SHOFAR IS BINAH, AND ZEIR
ANPIN ISSUES FROM BINAH, AS IS KNOWN. Rabbi Shimon
continued and said: Come and behold: “the sound of the Shofar”
refers to where the voice is, for it is written: “By every word that
proceeds out of the mouth of Hashem does man live” (Devarim 7:3).
What comes “out of the mouth of Hashem”? “…the sound of the
Shofar…” which is greater than any other lower voices, and stronger
than them all, as it is written: “the sound of a Shofar exceedingly
loud” (Shemot 19:16). Of other voices it is not said “exceedingly loud
(lit. ‘very strong’).” Everything depends on this sound of the Shofar,
and it is called ‘a great voice’, as written: “a great voice which was
not heard again” (Devarim 5:19), and it called “a still small voice” (I
Melachim 19:12), which is the light of the luminaries, which is pure
and subtle, and purifies and illuminates all things.1
IT IS WRITTEN: “still.” What does “still” mean? Rabbi Shimon
said that one must be silent WITH AWE and shut his mouth, as it is
written: “I said, ‘I will take heed of my ways that I sin not with my
tongue: I will keep a curb on my mouth” (Tehilim 39:2). The word
“still” means silence in which no voice is heard outside. “When the
people saw it, they were shaken and stood afar off,” for what they
saw FRIGHTENED THEM. The word “shaken (also:
‘moved’)” (Shemot 20:15), has the same meaning as in: “And the
posts of the door moved at the voice of him” (Yeshayah 6:4).
We have learned that Ezekiel saw the might of the ways of the
Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written: “And I looked and behold, a
storm wind came out…” (Yechezkel 1:4) What is the storm wind for?
Rabbi Yosi explained: To break the four kingdoms. Rabbi Yehuda
said: We have learned that it is a great wind that was aroused
through the mighty deeds above. And it “came out from the north.” It
is not written ‘from north’ but “the north,” WITH THE DEFINITE
ARTICLE, which indicates that specific wind which is hidden and
kept above.
“…a great cloud and a fire flaring up…” (Ibid.) “…FLARING UP…”
MEANS THAT it held yet held not to it, gripping its sides to arouse
Judgment. We learned that three times a day Severe Judgment
sucks from the supernal inscriptions that come from the side of
Gvurah. Therefore it says, “and a fire flaring up,” so that it would be
roused in the world.
What mitigates this “FLARING UP FIRE” OF BINAH? “A
brightness was about it” (Ibid.), for that splendor, WHICH IS
CHOCHMAH, surrounds it and encircles it and mitigates it, so that
the Judgment is not too hard for men to bear.
“…and out of the midst of it, as it were the color of electrum”
MEANS from its interior part. What is “electrum (Heb. chashmal)”?
RABBI YEHUDA SAID: It is the speaking of fiery animals (Heb.
CHAYOT ESH – memalelot), WHICH ARE FROM THE ASPECT OF THE
MALE AND FEMALE, WHEN FACE TO FACE, WHICH ARE THEN
CALLED ‘VOICE’ AND ‘SPEECH’.” HENCE, THEY TALK.
Rabbi Yosi said: We have learned that chashmal MEANS the
heart (Heb. lev, Lamed-Bet) of the fire, MEANING THE SECRET OF
THE LAMED-BET (=32) PATHS OF CHOCHMAH – WHICH ARE THE
LIVING CREATURES OF BINAH, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE
“FIRE FLARING UP,” as it is written: “out of the midst of it, as it were
the color of electrum.” It is written this way instead of JUST “the
electrum,” FOR “AS IT WERE (LIT. ‘LIKE THE EYE’)” ALLUDES TO
THE LIGHT OF THE CHOCHMAH WHICH IS CALLED ‘AN EYE’. “…out
of the midst of the fire…” means from the inner part of the fire. “As it
were the color of electrum” means that ELECTRUM is behind the
four grades, for it is written: “a storm wind,” “a great cloud,” “a fire
flaring up,” and “a brightness was about it.” “…out of the midst of
the fire…” refers to that “fire flaring up,” WHICH IS BINAH, AND IT
DOES NOT MEAN OUT OF THE MIDST OF THE BRIGHTNESS.1
Rabbi Yosi, the son of Rabbi Yehuda, said that Yisrael at Mount
Sinai saw what the prophet Ezekiel never saw, and they were all
united with the divine, precious Wisdom. Yisrael saw five grades of
voices on Mount Sinai, by which the Torah was given. The fifth grade
was “the sound of the Shofar.” Ezekiel saw but five lower grades
outside THOSE FIVE VOICES, which were: “a storm wind,” “a great
cloud,” “a fire flaring up,” “a brightness was about it,” and “as it
were the color of electrum.”
Rabbi Elazar said: Of Yisrael, it is written, “Hashem talked with
you face to face” (Devarim 5:4), and of Ezekiel it is written, “as it
were,” and “likeness,” – like one who looks from behind many walls,
like a man looking from behind a wall. Rabbi Yehuda said that what
Yisrael saw on Mount Sinai no prophet ever saw, and much more so,
what Moses saw no other prophet saw. Happy is his share, of whom
it is written: “And he was there with Hashem” (Shemot 34:28), FOR
THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE SHINING MIRROR, instead of a
different mirror WHICH DOES NOT SHINE, as it is written:
“manifestly and not in dark speeches” (Bemidbar 12:8) – NOT LIKE
THE OTHER MIRRORS WHICH DO NOT ILLUMINATE AND SPEAK IN
RIDDLES.
Rabbi Yosi said: Come and behold. When the scripture said,
“The word of Hashem came (Heb. hayoh-hayah)” (Yechezkel 1:3) it
indicated that the prophecy was for that time alone. THEREFORE, IT
IS WRITTEN THERE, “HAYOH-HAYAH.” Rabbi Yehuda said that this
was for support, for Yisrael to know that the Holy One, blessed be
He, had not forsaken them and to prove to them that wherever they
are spread in exile, He is with them.
Rabbi Elazar remarked that the expression “hayoh-haya (lit.
‘was being’)” MEANS that he both saw and did not see, understood
and did not understand, as it is written: “I saw something like the
color of electrum” (Yechezkel 1:27). IT IS not WRITTEN, ‘I SAW
electrum’, but of Yisrael, it is written: “And all the people see the
voices,” MEANING that each one of them saw according to what he
was worthy of seeing.
We have learned that they stood in rows and in groups and
divisions, and each one saw as befitted him. Rabbi Shimon said that
the chiefs of the tribes STOOD by themselves and all the women by
themselves. And five grades STOOD at the right and five grades at
the left, as it is written: “You stand this day all of you before Hashem
your Elohim, your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your
officers, with all the men of Yisrael” (Devarim 29:9). These are the
five grades to the right. And what are the five grades to the left? It is
written: “your little ones, your wives, and your stranger that is in
your camp, from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your
water” (Ibid. 10). These are the five grades to the left.1
All these grades were established in the likeness of above.
Against them, Yisrael inherited an eternal possession, the Ten
Commandments, from which are suspended all the precepts and
merits, and all the inheritance of their portion, being the good
portion of Yisrael.
We have learned that at the time that the Holy One, blessed be
He, revealed Himself on Mount Sinai, all of Yisrael looked as one
who sees a light streaming through the glass of an oil-lamp. By
means of that light each one of them saw more than the prophet
Ezekiel.
How is this so? Because all the supernal voices were revealed
at once, as it is written: “And all the people see the voices.” But to
Ezekiel the Shechinah alone was revealed through Her Chariots, and
he caught but glimpses of it as though through many walls.
Rabbi Yehuda said: Happy is the portion of Moses. Of him, it is
written: “And Hashem came down upon Mount Sinai…and Hashem
called Moses” (Shemot 19:20). And happy are the generation of
whom it is written: “Hashem will came down in the sight of all the
people upon Mount Sinai.”
Come and behold: whatever was revealed came from the right
side, as it is written: “From His right hand went a fiery law for
them” (Devarim 33:2). AND HE ASKS: What is the difference between
this and the one WHICH EZEKIEL SAW? Rabbi Yosi answered that
here, on Mount Sinai, the head and the body of the King were
revealed, as it is written: “He bowed the heavens also and came
down” (II Shmuel 22:10), FOR BEFORE THIS IT IS WRITTEN, “THERE
WENT UP A SMOKE OUT OF HIS NOSTRILS AND FIRE OUT OF HIS
MOUTH” (IBID. 9), MEANING THAT THERE WAS ONLY A HEAD OF
WHICH NOSTRILS AND MOUTH ARE MENTIONED, and wherever
there is a head, there is also a body. But of Ezekiel it is written: “And
the hand of Hashem was there upon him” (Yechezkel 1:3). Only the
hand was revealed, not the body, and we have learned that even the
hand has two aspects: the supernal hand, WHICH IS THE HAND OF
ZEIR ANPIN, and the lower hand, WHICH IS MALCHUT AND IS
CALLED ‘A HAND’. AND TO EZEKIEL THE LOWER HAND WAS
REVEALED.
Come and behold: in the verse, “The heavens were opened and
I saw visions of Elohim” (Yechezkel 1:1), the word “visions” (Heb.
MAR’OT) is written without THE LETTER VAV, AN INDICATION OF
one mirror, which is the Shechinah. Rabbi Yesa asked: Is not the
Shechinah all inclusive? Rabbi Yosi answered: The head of the King
is not to be likened with His feet, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH THAT
CLOTHES HIM FROM THE CHEST DOWNWARDS, CALLED HIS
‘FEET’ – although everything is part of the body of the King.1
Come and behold: It is said of Isaiah, “and I saw
Hashem” (Yeshayah 6:1), WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, CALLED “ET
(LIT. ‘THE’).” And of Ezekiel it is written: “And I saw visions of
Elohim.” Here “Et” IS THE SHECHINAH, and there “visions” IS THE
SHECHINAH, for what one saw, so did the other, NAMELY ONLY THE
SHECHINAH. Happy is the portion of Moses. There was no prophet
as perfect as he, FOR HE SAW THE ILLUMINATING MIRROR, WHICH
IS ZEIR ANPIN.
“…and I saw (et) Hashem.” Et precisely REFERS TO THE
SHECHINAH. “And I saw visions of Elohim,” “vision” being precisely
THE SHECHINAH. ISAIAH AND EZEKIEL were BOTH in the same
grade. AND HE ASKS: Why then did Isaiah not give a detailed
description AS EZEKIEL DID? Rabbi Yosi answers: The one spoke in
general, NAMELY ISAIAH, and the other in details, NAMELY
EZEKIEL. Why did Ezekiel give such a detailed description? HE
ANSWERS: EZEKIEL SPOKE IN A DETAILED MANNER in
consideration of Yisrael, so that they would know that the Holy One,
blessed be He, loved them and that the Shechinah with Her Chariots
had gone down into exile to dwell with them.
Rabbi Chiya asked: Why did the Shechinah reveal Herself in
“the land of Casdim,” FOR IT IS WRITTEN: “Behold the land of
Casdim, this people was not” (Yeshayah 23:13). If it was for Yisrael’s
sake, surely She could have been present among them without being
revealed? AND HE ANSWERS: We have learned that if She had not
revealed Herself, they would not have known THAT SHE WAS WITH
THEM.
She revealed Herself, as written, “by the river K’var” (Yechezkel
1:1), meaning by the water, in a place where impurity can not dwell.
That river was one of the four rivers which issued from the Garden of
Eden, as written: “by the river K’var.” What does “K’var” (lit.
‘already’) mean? That it already existed from a place upon which the
Shechinah dwelt, as it is written: “And the hand of Hashem was
there” (Ibid.), that is, there and not elsewhere.
Rabbi Chiya said: It is written, “Also out of the midst of it came
the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance;
they had the likeness of a man” (Yechezkel 1:5). And we have
learned, according to the esoteric teaching, that there are four living
creatures in the holy chamber, WHICH IS BINAH. They are the most
ancient celestial beings WHICH ARE DERIVED from Atika Kadisha
(the Holy Ancient One), and which include the Supernal Name, YUD
HEI VAV HEI, FOR YUD IS A LION, HEI IS AN OX, VAV IS AN EAGLE,
AND THE LAST HEI IS A MAN. AND THEY ARE THE SECRET OF THE
THREE COLUMNS AND MALCHUT WHICH RECEIVES THEM. Ezekiel
saw only the likeness of the supernal Chariots, because he saw them
from a region which was not very bright, MEANING FROM THE
WORLD OF YETZIRAH. As we have already learned, as there is
above IN BINAH so it is below IN MALE AND FEMALE, and so in all
the worlds, BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH. And all of them are
linked one with another, AND WHATEVER THERE IS IN THE UPPER
WORLD, THERE IS ALSO IN THE LOWER ONE, AND HE SAW THEM
IN THE WORLD OF YETZIRAH.1
And you may think that he beheld them further above THE
WORLD OF YETZIRAH. Yet we learned that Moses saw the vision
from a bright mirror, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, while other prophets
derived their visions from a dull mirror, as written: “And I saw
visions (Heb. mar’ot) of Elohim.” The word “MAR’OT” is written
WITHOUT THE LETTER VAV, WHICH INDICATES MALCHUT, and: “If
there be a prophet among you, I, Hashem make Myself known to him
in a vision…My servant Moses is not so…With him I speak mouth to
mouth” (Bemidbar 12:6-7).
Rabbi Yosi said: Come and behold. All the prophets are IN
COMPARISON WITH MOSES, like a female to a male, as written:
“With him I speak mouth to mouth, manifestly (Heb. u’mar’eh, lit:
‘and a mirror’),” WHICH IS MOST CERTAINLY THE BRIGHT MIRROR
(HEB. MAR’AH), AS IT IS WRITTEN: WITH HIM I SPEAK “MOUTH TO
MOUTH.” Of all other prophets it is said: “If there be a prophet
among you, I, Hashem make Myself known to him in a vision (Heb.
bemar’ah),” MEANING THAT THEY DERIVED THEIR VISION FROM A
DULL MIRROR. AND IT IS WRITTEN, “bemar’ah,” (lit. ‘a vision’) and
not ‘mar’ot’, WITHOUT THE LETTER VAV. All the more so of Ezekiel,
as it is not written in relation to him ‘mar’eh’ but rather “mar’ot,”
without THE LETTER VAV, FOR HE SAW THE VISION FROM THE
WORLD OF YETZIRAH. This is all the more so for Moses, of whom it
is written: “and not in dark speeches,” but showed him everything
clearly. Blessed, indeed, was the generation among whom this
prophet lived.
Rabbi Yosi said, in the name of Rabbi Yehuda, that Yisrael saw
the precious glory of their King face to face, and there were neither
blind nor lame, nor deaf, nor any without hands among them. No
blind, as it is written, “And all the people perceived”; no lame, as it is
written, “And they stood at the foot of the mountain” (Shemot 19:17).
There were no lame and none without hands, as written, “And they
said, ‘All that Hashem has said will we do and obey” (Shemot 24:7);
and of the days to come it says, “Then shall the lame man leap as a
hart and the tongue of the dumb sing” (Yeshayah 35:6).
“And Elohim spoke”
We are told here of God’s admonitions to his chosen people so that they will merit the World to Come and be worthy of the heaven above, Zeir
Anpin, and the earth above, Malchut. Rabbi Shimon explains that the heritage of Jacob bestowed through Isaac’s blessing means that Jacob and all
his descendants will be revived by the dew of heaven, that is, raised from the dead in the time to come. When Elohim spoke, each word rose and
descended, was watered with the heavenly dew, encircled Yisrael and brought back their souls. Then it was engraved upon the tablets of stone, and
each word was like a treasure house full of precious secrets and laws. He who occupies himself with the study of the Torah, of its secrets and laws,
is saved from the fire of Gehenom, and this is due to the merit of Abraham, who pled for the children of Yisrael. Lastly we are told that the smoke
that came out of Sinai was the Shechinah who manifested Herself there to the people.
“And Elohim spoke all these words, saying” (Shemot 20:1).
Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with that verse and said: “Who
can utter the mighty acts of Hashem? Who can declare all His
praise?” (Tehilim 106:2). In how many ways does the Torah
admonish man not to sin before his Master. In how many ways does
it counsel him not to turn from the way, either to the right or to the
left, and in how many forms it shows him how to return to his Master
so that He may forgive him.1
We have learned that the Torah has given a man 613 counsels in
order that he may be perfect with his Master, for his Master desires
only his good, both in this world and in the World to Come, but
especially in the World to Come, since whatever good the Holy One,
blessed be He, bestows upon man in this world is taken from the
sum of good which he is entitled to receive in the World to Come.
Why is that? Because the World to Come is the possession of the
Holy One, blessed be He.
We have learned that the comparison between this world and
the World to Come is as an antechamber compared with the hall
itself. The reward of the righteous is His very own, as it is written of
the tribe of Levi: “Therefore shall they have no inheritance among
their brethren.” Why? Because “Hashem is their
inheritance” (Devarim 18:2). Happy is the man who is entitled to
receive such a supernal heritage, for he merits it in this world and in
the house of this world, as well as in the World to Come and the
heavenly, holy House, as it is written: “And to them will I give in My
house and within My walls a memorial” (Yeshayah 56:5). Happy is
the portion of the righteous for being worthy to dwell with the King
in His own House.
Rabbi Shimon said: Happy is the portion of the righteous who is
worthy of this, as it is written: “Then shall you delight yourself in (lit.
‘above’) Hashem” (Yeshayah 58:14). It is not written ‘in Hashem’, but
“above Hashem,” namely in the place from which the upper and the
lower worlds are derived and for which they yearn, of which it is
written: “From where (Heb. ayin) comes my help?” (Tehilim 121:1)
REFERRING TO THE SFIRAH OF KETER, WHICH IS CALLED
NOTHINGNESS (Heb. AYIN). And it is also written: “And came to the
Ancient of Days and they brought him near before him” (Daniel 7:13)
NAMELY KETER WHICH IS CALLED ‘THE ANCIENT OF DAYS’. The
desire and the delight of the righteous is to look at that splendor
whence all lights issue and all celestial crowns, WHICH ARE THE
SFIROT, are drawn.
Rabbi Shimon continued: We learned of the verse, “Then shall
you delight yourself in Hashem,” that it ends with, “and I will cause
you to ride upon the high places of the earth” (Yeshayah 58:14). This
refers to the place called ‘the high places of the earth’, which is
above “the earth,” WHICH IS MALCHUT AND IS CALLED ‘EARTH’,
and “heaven,” NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, as is written: “the high places
of the earth,” FOR HEAVEN IS ABOVE THE EARTH.
Rabbi Aba continued with more explanations: It is not written,
‘shall you sit’ but rather, “shall you delight yourself in (lit. ‘above’)
Hashem,” namely “heaven,” WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, for it is written:
“Be You exalted, O Elohim, above the heavens” (Tehilim 57:12) THAT
IS, ZEIR ANPIN. “And I will cause you to ride upon the high places of
the earth,” refers to the Land of the Living, WHICH IS MALCHUT
CALLED ‘EARTH’. The meaning of “upon the high places” is that it
includes Zion and Jerusalem, FOR THEY ARE THE INSIDE AND THE
OUTSIDE OF YESOD OF MALCHUT – meaning THAT THE VERSE
SPEAKS OF the heaven above, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and the earth
above, WHICH IS MALCHUT. And that which Rabbi Shimon spoke is
thus, AS I SAID, and it is all one, as written: “And came to the
Ancient of Days,” and all amounts to the same.1
Rabbi Aba asked Rabbi Shimon: May my master explain the
verse: “And I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the
earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.” RABBI
SHIMON answered him: It was already explained that the delight and
pleasure are, as written, “above Hashem,” which is above, NAMELY
KETER. And it is written: “And came to the Ancient of Days and they
brought him near before him.” “Upon the high places of the earth” is
as we said, THE LAND OF THE LIVING, NAMELY MALCHUT.
“And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,” has the
same meaning as the verse: “Therefore the Elohim give you of the
dew of heaven” (Beresheet 27:28). “THE DEW OF HEAVEN” means
the heritage of Jacob, and when Isaac blessed Jacob he alluded to
heaven, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and he gave him the blessing that all
the descendants of Jacob in the future will be revived by that dew,
as it is written: “Therefore the Elohim give you.” Only “you,” and not
to someone else. “The dew of heaven” is that by which the dead will
be revived in the days to come, FOR THAT DEW ISSUES from Atika
Kadisha (the Holy Ancient One) to Zeir Anpin, WHICH IS CALLED
‘HEAVEN’ and resides in heaven. Rabbi Aba thought OF THE VERSE
and said: Now everything is clear, and I see that there is even more
significance in Isaac’s blessing than I had thought.
“Who can utter (Heb. yemalel) the mighty acts of
Hashem?” (Tehilim 106:2). HE ASKS: Why does it say “utter” instead
of ‘tell’. Rabbi Chiya explained the answer by citing the verse: “then
you may pluck the ears (Heb. melilot) with your hand” (Devarim
23:26). THEY ARE SO CALLED, FOR ONE HAS TO SEPARATE THE
GRAINS FROM THE EAR BY PLUCKING (HEB. MELILAH) WITH THE
HANDS, AND WHEN IT SAYS “UTTER” IT MEANS THAT ONE
SHOULD SEPARATE AND CANCEL THE JUDGMENTS OF HASHEM.
The word “Gvurot (lit. ‘mighty acts’)” of Hashem IS SPELLED
WITHOUT THE LETTER VAV, THE INDICATION OF THE PLURAL
FORM, AND implies that there are many Gvurot but all of them are
coming from one Gvurah. We have learned that there is one supernal
Gvurah, the crown of the crowns, WHICH IS BINAH FROM WHICH
JUDGMENTS ARE AROUSED and from which come fifty gates, some
to the right and some to the left. And each one of them is called
‘Gvurah’, and each one of them is crowned with the lights of the
supernal carvings, and all of them are called “the mighty acts of
Hashem.”
Rabbi Chiya said: THEREFORE, the word Gvurot is written
without THE LETTER VAV, for all THE GVUROT are included within
THE SUPERNAL GVURAH, WHICH IS BINAH. The closing part of the
verse is: “Who can declare all His praise?” This indicates the
Shechinah, which is the most precious glory of the Holy One,
blessed be He, as it is expressed in the verse: “His glory covered the
heavens and the earth was full of His praise” (Chavakuk 3:3).1
Rabbi Shimon cited a verse: “And a river went out of Eden to
water the Garden and from thence it was parted and branched into
four streams, the name of the first is Pishon…” (Beresheet 2:10).
Those RIVERS which came from that river which comes forth from
Eden have names; but what is the name of the one which comes out
OF EDEN? Rabbi Shimon says that its name is Yuval, for it is written:
“And that spreads out its roots by the river (Heb. yuval)” (Yirmeyah
17:8), and, “Nor shall it cease from yielding fruit” (Ibid.). The reason
that it shall not “cease from yielding fruit” is that it spreads “its roots
by the river,” WHICH IS BINAH. Therefore it is written: “Like a spring
of water whose waters fail not” (Yeshayah 58:11), FOR THE PLENTY
WHICH COMES FORTH FROM THE BINAH NEVER CEASES.
Therefore, it is written: “A river went OUT OF EDEN”; it comes out of
it and never ceases.
Rabbi Shimon cited the verse: “And Elohim spoke all these
words” (Shemot 20:1). IT SAYS “SPOKE” AND NOT ‘SAID’,
BECAUSE “spoke” denotes announcing IN A LOUD VOICE, for we
have learned that at the time that the Holy One, blessed be He,
revealed Himself and began to speak, the celestial and the terrestrial
beings began to tremble, and the souls of Yisrael left them.
We have learned that that word soared from above downwards,
being engraved upon the four winds of the universe on its way, and
then rose once more and again descended. When it rose up it was
filled from the mountains of pure balsam and was watered with the
heavenly dew. Then it encircled Yisrael and brought back their souls.
Then it turned back and was engraved upon the tablets of stone. And
so it was with each and every word.
Rabbi Shimon said that every word contained all manner of
legal implications and derivations, all the laws concerning reward
and punishment, as well as all mysteries and hidden aspects, for
each word was like a treasure house full of precious things.
When one word was uttered it seemed as one, but when it was
engraved in its place UPON THE TABLETS OF STONES, seventy
branches were revealed in it, fifty crowns less one on one side, and
fifty less one upon the other, like the hammer which breaks the
rocks in a mountain, as it is written: “Like a hammer that breaks the
rock in pieces” (Yirmeyah 23:29). And all of Yisrael saw eye to eye
and rejoiced.
The souls of all the generations to come were present there and
all of them received the Torah on Mount Sinai, as it is written: “but
with those that stands here with us this day…and also with those
that are not here with us this day” (Devarim 29:14). They were all
there, each according to his merit, and saw and received the words.1
“AND ELOHIM SPOKE ALL THESE (HEB. ‘ET’) WORDS,
SAYING” (SHEMOT 20:1). THE NAME Elohim indicates Gvurah; ‘Et’
INDICATES that it was joined to the right. As we have learned, “the
(Et) heaven” is the right and “and the earth” is the left, as written:
“My hand also has laid the foundation of the earth and My right hand
has spanned the heavens” (Yeshayah 48:13). The right side IS
CHESED AND is called “Et (the).” The word “all” is IN ORDER to
include all the other Sfirot. “These words” INDICATE that everything
is included, one within the other. “These” INDICATES all the
meanings, the secrets, the mysteries, decrees and penalties.
The word “saying” INDICATES THAT all that was said was an
inheritance for everyone, as it is written: “Moses commanded us a
Torah, the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob” (Devarim 33:4).
You may say that IT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD LITERALLY, TO
REVEAL TO EVERYONE AND to reveal what must not be revealed to
anyone. However, it says: “I am Hashem your Elohim” (Shemot 20:1)
WHICH INDICATES THAT as I am hidden and concealed, so should
these words be covered and concealed in your heart.
There is another interpretation of this verse. “And Elohim
spoke” is one GRADE. “All (et) these words saying,” are five more
grades, FOR EACH WORD IS A GRADE. Rabbi Yehuda said that
“And Elohim spoke” is Gvurah, “Et” is the right side, WHICH IS
CHESED, and “all” INCLUDES both GVURAH AND CHESED. Rabbi
Yitzchak said that “ALL” includes Abraham, for it is written: “And
Hashem had blessed Abraham in all things” (Beresheet 24:1).
The function of “words” is to include all the covered crowns.
The word “these” includes all those which were revealed, as it is
written: “And all the people see the voices,” NAMELY THE
REVEALED VISIONS INCLUDED IN “THESE.” “Saying,” REFERS TO
THE SHECHINAH, as it is written: “A virtuous woman is a crown to
her husband” (Mishlei 12:4), and: “It was said: ‘If a man put away his
wife'” (Yirmeyah 3:1). THE WORD “SAYING” IS CLOSE TO HER MAN,
WHICH INDICATES THAT IT REFERS TO THE NUKVA OF ZEIR
ANPIN, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH.
Rabbi Yitzchak asked: Why was the Torah given in fire and
darkness, as it is written, “And the mountain burned with fire to the
heart of heaven, with darkness clouds and thick darkness” (Devarim
4:11). AND HE ANSWERED THAT THE REASON IS that he who is
occupied with the study of the Torah will be saved from the other fire
of Gehenom, and from the darkness that the other nations bring
upon Yisrael. It was the merit of Abraham which saved Yisrael from
the fire of Gehenom.1
As we have learned, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to
Abraham: ‘As long as your children shall study the Torah they will
be saved FROM FIRE AND DARKNESS, but if they should turn from
her and forget her paths, the fire of Gehenom will have dominion
over them and they will be subjected to the nations’. Then
ABRAHAM said to Him: ‘May things not come to pass, THE FIRE OF
GEHENOM AND EXILE, with these two knots. If it pleases You, let
them escape from the fire of Gehenom and go into exile and become
enslaved to other nations until they return to You’. THE HOLY ONE,
BLESSED BE HE, answered him: ‘So be it then’, and so it was as it is
written: “unless their Rock had sold them” (Devarim 32:30). Who is
“their Rock”? Abraham, as it is written: “Look to the rock whence
you are hewn” (Yeshayah 51:1). “And Hashem had shut them
up” (Ibid.), refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who agreed with
him.
Rabbi Yehuda said: Fifty days elapsed between the day Yisrael
were led out from Egypt and the day the Torah was given to them.
What was the reason? Rabbi Yehuda said: In order that the number
of days should correspond to the number of years of Jubilee, WHICH
IS BINAH, as it is written: “And you shall hallow the fiftieth
year” (Vayikra 25:10), NAMELY, THE FIFTIETH GATE IN BINAH.
Rabbi Shimon said: We have learned that it was the Jubilee
which led Yisrael out from Egypt. If you believe that it is Jubilee
itself, NAMELY BINAH ITSELF, IT IS NOT SO. THE EXODUS occurred
through the aspect of Jubilee and from the aspect of the same
Judgment was stirred up against the Egyptians. Therefore, those
fifty years are THE FIFTY GATES OF Jubilee, WHICH IS BINAH.
We have learned that the deeds in Egypt are mentioned fifty
times in the Torah, and in all of those times words of praise are said.
For example: “who have brought you out of the land of
Egypt” (Shemot 20:2), and, “And brought you out” (Devarim 4:37),
and, “For by strength of hand Hashem brought you out from this
place…” (Shemot 13:3): fifty times exactly and no more, since all is
adorned with Jubilee, WHICH IS BINAH, and from the side of Jubilee
everything comes. AND THERE ARE FIFTY GATES TO BINAH.
Therefore, the Torah, which comes from Gvurah, is crowned in the
right, as it is written: “From His right hand went a fiery law for
them” (Devarim 33:2). We have also learned that WHEN THE TORAH
WAS GIVEN, there were five voices: CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET,
NETZACH AND HOD IN BINAH, and all of these were seen in them,
included in them, and crowned IN BINAH.
Rabbi Shimon said: At the time that Yisrael received the Torah,
that Jubilee, WHICH IS BINAH, crowned the Holy One, blessed be He,
WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, as a king is crowned in the midst of his hosts,
as it is written: “Go forth, O daughters of Zion, and behold King
Solomon with the crown with which his mother crowned him” (Shir
Hashirim 3:11). Who is “his mother”? It is Yovel, FOR BINAH IS
CALLED ‘JUBILEE’ (HEB. YOVEL) AND SHE IS THE MOTHER OF
ZEIR ANPIN, CALLED ‘SOLOMON’. The Jubilee was crowned with
joy, love and perfection, as it is written: “be a joyful mother of
children” (Tehilim 113:9). Who is the “mother of children”? Rabbi
Shimon said: This is Jubilee.1
Rabbi Yehuda said: Concerning this it is written, “Let your
father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you
rejoice” (Mishlei 23:24). Who are “your father and your mother”?
They are as explained in Safra deTz’niuta (lit. ‘the Concealed Book’),
relating to the verse: “The nakedness of your father, or the
nakedness of your mother, shall you not uncover” (Vayikra 17:7).
Woe to one who uncovers their nakedness, FOR THE SECRET OF
CHOCHMAH AND BINAH ARE CALLED ‘FATHER’ AND ‘MOTHER’.
Rabbi Yitzchak said: We have learned that at the time that the
Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself on Mount Sinai, the
mountain began to shake and all the mountains on earth trembled
and quaked, and they rose and fell until the Holy One, blessed be He,
stretched out His hand and calmed them. And a voice was heard
proclaiming: “What ails you, O you sea, that you flee? O Jorden, that
you are driven back? You mountains, that you skip like
rams…” (Tehilim 114:4-5).
And they answered Him: “Tremble, you earth, at the presence of
the Master.” Rabbi Yitzchak said: “At the presence of the Master,”
refers to Ima, WHO IS BINAH, as it is written: “a joyful mother of
children.” “Tremble, you earth,” refers to the lower Ima, WHO IS
MALCHUT. “At the presence of the Eloha of Jacob,” is Aba, WHO IS
ZEIR ANPIN, LOWER ABA, as it is written: “Yisrael is My son, My
firstborn” (Shemot 4:22), MEANING ZEIR ANPIN WHICH IS CALLED
‘YISRAEL’. And of that it is written: “the crown with which his mother
crowned him,” “HIS MOTHER” BEING BINAH.
HE ASKS: What is “the crown WITH WHICH HIS MOTHER
CROWNED HIM”? and Rabbi Yitzchak replies: This resembles the
verse, “For Shaul and his men compassed David and his men round
about” (I Shmuel 23:26), WHICH IS LIKE ENCIRCLING, for ZEIR
ANPIN is crowned AND SURROUNDED BY IMA with white, red and
green, all colors – THE SECRET OF THE THREE COLUMNS – all of
which are included and encircled in it. Rabbi Yehuda asked: In the
verse, “the crown with which his mother crowned him,” what is the
crown? It has the same meaning as in “Yisrael, in whom I will be
glorified” (Yeshayah 49:3), and, “And I will glorify the house of My
glory” (Yeshayah 60:7), NAMELY, THE FIRST THREE SFIROT WHICH
ARE THE GLORY OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS CALLED ‘YISRAEL’
AND ALSO ‘TIFERET’.
Rabbi Yitzchak said that the Torah was given in a black fire
engraved upon a white fire, in order to include the right in the left.
And the left was returned to the right, as it is written: “From His right
hand went a fiery law for them.”
Rabbi Aba said: When the smoke came out of Mount Sinai, a fire
ascended and was crowned with it openly, AND LOOKED like
cluster. And it flared high and dwindled again, and all the aromas of
the Garden of Eden were blended in that smoke, having the colors
white, red and black, as it is written: “Perfumed with myrrh and
frankincense, with all powders of the merchant” (Shir Hashirim 3:6).1
Rabbi Yitzchak said that the smoke was the Shechinah who
manifested Herself there, as it is written in the verse: “Who is this
coming out of the wilderness like columns of smoke” (Ibid.), WHICH
ALLUDES TO THE SHECHINAH. Rabbi Yehuda said: Surely you do
not have to go to great lengths to learn of it, for there is a whole
description: “And Mount Sinai smoked in every part, because
Hashem descended upon it in fire, and the smoke of it ascended like
the smoke of a furnace” (Shemot 19:18). Blessed are the people who
saw it and knew it.
“the tablets were the work of Elohim”
We hear how the tablets of the Ten Commandments were of sapphire, and the letters were visible on both sides and composed of both black fire and
white fire, from the left and the right. The rabbis are in some confusion about whether Elohim made the tablets specially or whether they were really
‘just’ sapphire as any other sapphire. Rabbi Shimon says the tablets were formed of the supernal dew which flows from Atika Kadisha, and that they
pre-existed the creation of the world but were perfected on the sixth day of creation especially for this purpose. The miracle was that one could read
one side from the other. We are told that the Torah actually literally restored the souls of Yisrael after they had flown away at the time that the people
heard the words of God. The text now turns to the rule of Solomon, during which time the moon was full. When Zedekiah came, the moon waned and
remained thus, so Malchut was removed far from Zeir Anpin, and became dark. The moon shone when Yisrael stood by Mount Sinai, and it shone
when Judah was found worthy to receive the kingdom.
Rabbi Chiya said: When the letters were engraved upon the two
tablets of stone, they were visible on both sides. The tablets were of
sapphire, engraved and covered with white fire and the letters were
of black fire, covered again, and engraved with white fire upon both
sides.
Rabbi Aba said that the two tablets remained as they were,
THAT IS, COMPLETE, WITHOUT ANY CHANGE. And the letters
soared in the air and could be seen with both black and white fire in
order to demonstrate the union of the right and the left, FOR WHITE
IS RIGHT AND BLACK IS LEFT, as it is written: “Length of days is in
her right hand and in her left hand are riches and honor” (Mishlei
3:16). HE ASKS: Is it not written: “From His right hand went a fiery
law to them” (Devarim 33:2)? AND HE ANSWERS THAT the Torah
emanated from the side of Gvurah, WHICH IS THE LEFT, and was
included in the right side. Therefore IT HAD IN IT black and white fire.
As we learned, it says “the tablets (Heb. luchot) were the work
of Elohim” (Shemot 32:16). Rabbi Yehuda said that it is written
“luchot,” WITHOUT VAV, that is one (in singular), to indicate that
although they were two, they appeared as one. And the Ten
Commandments were engraved upon them, one section of five being
included in the other section of five, so that all pertains to the right
side. In this way they were indeed the very “work of Elohim.”
Rabbi Yitzchak said that the tablets were of sapphire, for there
were originally two sapphire stones which were rough hewn, and the
Holy One, blessed be He, caused a wind to blow upon them, and
they were smoothed and transformed into two tablets. Rabbi Yehuda
said that they only looked like sapphire, BUT WERE NOT OF REAL
SAPPHIRE, and this is the meaning of the verse which describes
them as “the work of Elohim.” FOR IF THEY WERE OF SAPPHIRE,
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE OTHER PRECIOUS STONES AND
NOT “THE WORK OF ELOHIM.”1
He said to him: If this is so, the sapphire, which is a stone more
precious than any other, is not the work of Elohim, YET THE WHOLE
CREATION IS “THE WORK OF ELOHIM”. So he explained to him:
How then do we explain the words: “were the work of Elohim”? They
were indeed so. THEY WERE A SPECIAL “WORK OF ELOHIM,” NOT
INCLUDED IN THE WORKS OF CREATION. Yet come and behold: it
is written that “the tablets were the work of Elohim.” It says “the
tablets,” not ‘the stones were the work of Elohim’, FOR HE BLEW
UPON THE STONES, WHICH WERE OF REAL SAPPHIRE, AND THEY
WERE TRANSFORMED INTO TWO TABLETS, AS MENTIONED
ABOVE.
Rabbi Shimon said: Both are the same, FOR BOTH RABBI
YOSI’S AND RABBI YEHUDA’S WORDS LEAD TO THE SAME PLACE.
These two tablets existed from before the creation of the world, but
were perfected on the sixth day of Creation especially for this
purpose. Thus, they were a particular work of the Holy One, blessed
be He.
HE ASKS: Of what were they made? AND HE ANSWERS: We
have learned that they were formed of the supernal dew which
issues from Atika Kadisa (the Holy Ancient One), BEING KETER.
When this supernal dew was descending on the field of the holy
apple trees, MALCHUT, the Holy One, blessed be He, took two drops,
causing them to solidify and turn into two precious stones. He blew
on them and they became flat like tablets, as it is written: “the work
of Elohim, and the writing was the writing of Elohim,” and “written
with the finger of Elohim” (Devarim 9:10).
We learned that “the finger of Elohim” expanded into ten, FOR
THE TEN FINGERS CORRESPOND TO THE TEN SFIROT AND EACH
ONE OF THEM INCLUDES TEN SFIROT, as written: “written with the
finger of Elohim.” Each one of the fingers expanded into ten until a
complete hand was formed, as it is written: “And Yisrael saw that
great work (lit. ‘hand’)” (Shemot 14:31). THUS, HERE ALSO, “THE
FINGER OF ELOHIM” IS EXPANDED INTO TEN.
Rabbi Yehuda said: “engraved upon the tablets.” THE LETTERS
ON the stones were pierced so that the writing could be seen FROM
ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, AND THE WRITING was seen from both
sides. “…engraved…” means that THE WRITING formed an engraving
within an engraving, THROUGH ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.
According to Rabbi Aba, it was possible to see one side from the
other side and to read the writing thereon.
Rabbi Elazar said: They were written miraculously in order that
every man would bear testimony that it was the writing of Elohim, for
none of the people in the world could conceive them as they really
were.1
HE ASKS: According to those who say they were pierced
THROUGH, why does it not say that the writing was engraved ‘in the
tablets’ instead of “upon the tablets”? AND HE ANSWERS: We have
learned that five sounds were on the right and five on the left, and
those of the left were included in the right, and from the right one
could see those of the left. And here, UPON THE TABLETS, all was
on the right, because THOSE FIVE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LEFT
were included in those OF THE RIGHT. THEREFORE, he who stood
at one side could see what was on the other side and read the
letters, FOR THE MIRACLE WITH WHICH THE LETTERS WERE
ENGRAVED WAS THAT ONE COULD READ ONE SIDE FROM THE
OTHER. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO THE FRONT AND BACK, BUT
TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE, BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT
ENGRAVED THROUGH. For we have learned that the left turned into
the right, as it is written: “From His right hand went a fiery law for
them.” Therefore, assuredly it was “the work of Elohim.”
HE EXPLAINS: Thus, he who stood on one would read “I am
Hashem your Elohim,” and out of these letters he could see and read
the words, “You shall not murder,” and he read, “You shall not
have,” and could see and read the words, “You shall not commit
adultery.” He read “You shall not take the name of Hashem your
Elohim in vain,” and at the same time he could see and read the
words, “You shall not steal.” And it was thus with all the words from
THE RIGHT side, and in the same way all those from the other side,
and they were all included one within the other this way. Of this, it is
said: “the writing of Elohim,” for assuredly it was “the writing of
Elohim” (Shemot 32:16).
Rabbi Yosi said: What is the point of the remark, “And Moses
went down to the people and said to them” (Shemot 19:25), if what
he said to them is not written? Rabbi Yitzchak explained: Come and
behold. When a person expects some good fortune or misfortune to
befall him, before he knows what it is, he can not bear it, it is
because his heart will fly out from him for a time. But once the best
or the worst is known, he is relaxed and can endure it. It is all the
more so in this case. When Moses prepared them for that which was
about to take place, he strengthened their hearts with his words, for
otherwise they would not be able to bear all that was about to come.
Therefore, it is written: “and said to them,” and right after that “And
Elohim spoke” (Shemot 20:1).
Despite all this, they could not endure it, for as we have been
taught from Rabbi Yehuda who said in the name of Rabbi Chiya, in
the name of Rabbi Yosi: When they heard the words of the Holy One,
blessed be He, their souls flew from them and ascended up to the
Throne of Glory in order to cleave to it.1
The Torah said to the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘Was it for
nothing that I was fashioned two thousand years before the creation
of the world? Is it all in vain that in Me it is inscribed: “Whatever man
there be of the house of Yisrael, or of the strangers who sojourn
among you” (Vayikra 17:8); “And you shall speak to the children of
Yisrael, saying” (Vayikra 24:15); and “For to Me the children of
Yisrael are servants” (Vayikra 25:55). Where, then, are these children
of Yisrael?’ At that hour, the Torah returned their souls to the
children of Yisrael, every one of them to its own place. The Torah
strengthened and took hold of the souls and gave them back to
Yisrael, as it is written: “The Torah of Hashem is perfect, restoring
the soul” (Tehilim 19:8). “…restoring…” literally, AS IT RESTORED
THE SOULS OF YISRAEL AFTER THEY FLEW AWAY FROM THEM.
We have learned that the verses: “Then Solomon sat on the
throne of Hashem as king,” (I Divrei Hayamim 29:23) and, “The
throne had six steps” (I Melachim 10:19) CORRESPOND TO THE SIX
SFIROT: CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD.
THEREFORE, IT IS CALLED “THE THRONE OF HASHEM.” Rabbi Aba
said that the moon was then full; as we learned that in the days of
King Solomon, the moon was in its fullness – MEANING THAT THE
NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS CALLED ‘MOON’, WAS IN HER
FULLNESS.
HE ASKS: When was the moon, WHICH IS MALCHUT, in its
fullness? AND HE ANSWERS: When it was established by fifteen
KINGS, as we learned: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Peretz,
Chetzron, Ram, Aminadav, Nachshon, Shalmon, Boaz, Oved, Yishai,
David, and Solomon. When Solomon sat on his throne, the moon,
WHICH IS MALCHUT was in its fullness. Therefore, it is written:
“Then Solomon sat on the Throne of Hashem as king,” WHICH IS
MALCHUT. It is also written: “The throne had six steps,”
CORRESPONDING TO THE SIX SFIROT OF MALCHUT: CHESED,
GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, having the same
model as above.
In the days of Zedekiah, the moon, WHICH IS MALCHUT, was
waning and was defective, as it is written: “And the moon shall not
shed her light” (Yeshayah 13:10). For as we have learned, in the days
of Tidkiyahu the moon was in its wane and the face of Yisrael was
darkened.
Come and behold: Rechavam, Aviyah, Asa, Yehoshafat,
Yehoram, Achazyahu, Yoash, Amatzyahu, Uziyahu, Yotam, Achaz,
Yechizkiyahu, Menasheh, Amon, Yoshiyahu. When Zedekiah came,
the moon waned and remained thus, for it is written: “Then he put
out the eyes of Zedekiah” (Yirmeyah 52:11). Then “Hashem…cast
down from heaven (to) earth” (Eichah 2:1), meaning that the earth,
WHICH IS MALCHUT, was removed far from heaven, WHICH IS ZEIR
ANPIN, and became dark.1
We have learned that when Yisrael stood by Mount Sinai the
moon began to shine, as it is written: “He bowed the heavens also,
and came down” (II Shmuel 22:10) meaning that the sun, WHICH IS
ZEIR ANPIN AND IS CALLED ‘HEAVENS’, approached the moon,
WHICH IS MALCHUT. And the moon began to shine, as is expressed
in the verse: “And on the east side towards the rising of the sun
shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch by their
hosts” (Bemidbar 2:3). “JUDAH” IS THE CHARIOT OF MALCHUT,
AND “THE EAST SIDE” SIGNIFIES SHINING AND ILLUMINATION.
On Mount Sinai Judah was appointed chief in the kingdom, as it
is written: “But Judah still rules with El, and is faithful with Holy
Ones” (Hoshea 12:1), “…faithful with Holy Ones…” meaning that
when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Yisrael: “And you shall be
to Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (Shemot 19:6), Judah
was found trustworthy to receive the kingship. Then the moon,
WHICH IS MALCHUT, began to shine.
“I am Hashem your Elohim”
We are told that the Torah includes all the Sfirot, and that we must never forsake it. The commandments of the Torah cling to the body of Zeir Anpin,
so that when a person sins he transgresses against the body of the King. When the Torah was given, Binah and her children, Male and Female, were
in perfect harmony, but if a person sins it removes the mother from her children. Rabbi Elazar now tells us that God created heaven and earth
simultaneously, one with His right hand and the other with His left. In the grade called ‘righteous’, the newly created heavens longed for the earth, as
a man longs to join with a woman, and a holy river of oil comes from the head of the King and pours itself out upon the earth just as the male injects
seed into the female. Rabbi Yitzchak now asks where Hashem went when He came down upon Mount Sinai. Rabbi Yosi said He came lower and
lower down through the grades until he reached earth, and He went toward the Shechinah who stood there. Hence Zeir Anpin descended and united
with the Shechinah.
“I am Hashem your Elohim who have brought you
out…” (Shemot 20:2). Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the
verse: “My son, hear the instruction of your father and do not
forsake the Torah of your mother” (Mishlei 1:8). “My son, hear the
instruction of your father,” refers to the Holy One, blessed be He,
MEANING, ZEIR ANPIN; “do not forsake the Torah of your mother”
refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, which is Binah, as it is written:
“To perceive the words of understanding (Heb. Binah)” (Mishlei 1:1).
According to Rabbi Yehuda, “the instruction of your father” is
Chochmah CALLED ABA (ENG. ‘FATHER’), and “do not forsake the
Torah of your mother,” is Binah. Rabbi Yitzchak said that both of the
interpretations mean the same thing, for as we have learned, the
Torah emanated from the supernal Chochmah, AND CHOCHMAH
(LIT. ‘WISDOM’) IS DIVIDED INTO THE RIGHT, CALLED ‘ABA’, AND
THE LEFT, CALLED ‘IMA’. Rabbi Yosi said that THE TORAH
emanated from Binah, for it is written: “To perceive the words of
understanding,” and also, “Do not forsake the Torah of your
mother,” AND BINAH IS CALLED ‘IMA’ (ENG. ‘MOTHER’).
Rabbi Yehuda said: The Torah includes both Chochmah and
Binah, as it is written, “My son, hear the instruction of your father
and do not forsake the Torah of your mother.” Rabbi Aba said that
the Torah contains all THE SFIROT, since once it combines both
CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, it combines all THE SFIROT, FOR
CHOCHMAH AND BINAH INCLUDE ALL THE SFIROT: Chesed,
Judgment and Mercy – BEING CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET – in
all required perfection. When the King and the Queen are joined
WITH IT, all the others are joined WITH IT, for wherever CHOCHMAH
AND BINAH are found, all the others are found as well.1
Rabbi Yosi said: “I” (Shemot 20:2) is the Shechinah, as it is
written: “I will go down with you into Egypt” (Beresheet 46:4). Rabbi
Yitzchak said that “I,” which is the Shechinah, is separated by a
trope; AFTER THE WORD “I” THERE IS A TONAL PAUSE BETWEEN
IT AND THE NEXT WORDS, “HASHEM YOUR ELOHIM,” THE SAME
as in “I am Esau your firstborn” (Beresheet 27:19), WHICH MEANS, I
AM WHO I AM; ESAU IS YOUR FIRSTBORN. THEREFORE, “Hashem
your Elohim” is the Holy One, blessed be He, THAT IS, ZEIR ANPIN,
as it is said: “Out of heaven He made you hear His voice” (Devarim
4:36), AND ‘HEAVEN’ IS ZEIR ANPIN. It is also written: “You have
seen that I have talked with you from heaven” (Shemot 20:19): “From
heaven” indeed, for this is the Holy One, blessed be He, NAMELY
ZEIR ANPIN.
“…who (Heb. asher) have brought you out of the land of
Egypt.” (Shemot 20:2). Asher MEANS a place which everyone calls
happy (Heb. osher), WHICH IS BINAH. “…brought you out of Egypt…”
designates Jubilee WHICH IS BINAH, CALLED ‘ASHER’, “WHO HAVE
BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT,” for as we have
learned, the aspect of Jubilee WHICH IS BINAH, was the cause of
Yisrael’s exodus from Egypt. Therefore, this event is mentioned fifty
times in the Torah. Fifty days passed from the exodus to the
receiving of the Torah, and fifty years had to pass for the liberation
of the slaves, FOR ALL THESE EVENTS CORRESPOND TO THE
FIFTY GATES OF BINAH.
“…out of the house of bondage…” as it is written: “Hashem
smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt” (Shemot 12:29). We have
learned that this signifies the lower crowns in which the Egyptians
had faith. As there is a house above, there is one below, a holy
House above as it is said: “through wisdom a house is built” (Mishlei
24:3) and an unholy house below, IN THE KLIPOT, as it is written,
“out of the house of bondage.”
We have learned that when the “I” was proclaimed, all those
commandments of the Torah which were united with the Supernal
Holy King, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, were comprised in this word “I.”
As we have already learned, all the commandments of the Torah
clung to the body of the King, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, some of them
to His head, some to His hands and some to His feet, and none of
them ever step out and become separate from the body of the King.
Therefore, he who transgresses even one of the commandments of
the Torah is as though he transgresses against the body of the King,
as it is written: “And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses
of the men that have rebelled against Me” (Yeshayah 66:24) –
“against Me,” literally. Woe to the wicked who break the words of the
Torah, and do not know what they do.1
Thus said Rabbi Shimon: The very place against which a sinner
has committed a sin, reveals the sin. When a sin has been
committed against the Holy One, blessed be He, AS MENTIONED
ABOVE, the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals his sin, as it is written:
“The heaven shall reveal his iniquity and the earth shall rise up
against him” (Iyov 20:27). “The heaven shall reveal his iniquity,”
signifies the Holy One, blessed be He, MEANING, ZEIR ANPIN
CALLED ‘HEAVEN’, and “the earth shall rise up against him,”
signifies the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY MALCHUT WHICH IS
CALLED ‘EARTH’.
We have learned that “the heaven,” ZEIR ANPIN, reveals a
man’s sin and at that time “the earth,” WHICH IS MALCHUT,
executes Judgment on the sinner, as it is written: “And the earth
shall rise up against him,” to punish him. Rabbi Yosi said in the
name of Rabbi Shimon that when the Torah was given, the Mother,
WHICH IS BINAH, and the Children, WHICH ARE MALE AND
FEMALE, were in perfect harmony, as it is written: “and be a joyful
mother of children” (Tehilim 113:9).
“I am Hashem your Elohim.” “I” is, as we have learned, that
Abraham the patriarch had a daughter. It is the Shechinah who is a
Daughter. “Hashem your Elohim,” SIGNIFIES ZEIR ANPIN WHICH IS
CALLED ‘YISRAEL’, as it is written: “Yisrael is My son, My
firstborn” (Shemot 4:22). It is also written: “She is the Tree of Life to
those who lay hold on her” (Mishlei 3:18). THIS SIGNIFIES ZEIR
ANPIN, WHICH IS CALLED ‘THE TREE OF LIFE’. This is the son.
“Who have brought you out of the land of Egypt.” It is as it is
written: “For it is a Jubilee; it shall be holy to you” (Vayikra 25:12),
NAMELY, BINAH. IT IS ALSO WRITTEN: “And be a joyful mother of
children,” and, “And you shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim
liberty” (Ibid. 10). THIS IS BINAH WHICH IS CALLED ‘THE FIFTIETH
YEAR’, AND ALSO CALLED ‘IMA’. Thus, there are mother and
children. THE MOTHER HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO US FROM THE
LAND OF EGYPT AND THE CHILDREN, “I” THE DAUGHTER, AND
“HASHEM YOUR ELOHIM” THE SON, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. Thus,
the mother and children were there, all in joy and completeness. Of
this it is written: “a joyful mother of children.” When the mother is
gone, everybody is gone from their place, as written: “You shall not
take the mother bird together with the young” (Devarim 22:6). We
have learned that THE MEANING OF THIS VERSE IS THAT a man
should be careful not to sin below, as THAT CAUSES the removal of
the mother from the children.
Rabbi Yitzchak said that all THE SFIROT MENTIONED ABOVE
refer to the Holy One, blessed be He, who is everything. And this
thing is disclosed to the reapers of the field, MEANING TO THOSE
WHO ALREADY HAVE THE MERIT TO KNOW THE SECRETS OF THE
TORAH AND WHO “SHALL REAP IN JOY” (TEHILIM 126:4),
MEANING THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THEIR GRADES FROM
MALCHUT WHICH IS CALLED ‘FIELD’. Happy they are in this world
and in the world to come.1
Rabbi Elazar said: It is written, “In the beginning Elohim created
the heaven and the earth” (Beresheet 1:1), THE HEAVEN
PRECEDING THE EARTH, and, “in the day that Hashem Elohim made
the earth and the heavens” (Beresheet 2:4), THE EARTH PRECEDING
THE HEAVEN. How can we reconcile these verses WHICH
CONTRADICT EACH OTHER? HE ANSWERS: We learned that both
were created together. We have learned that the Holy One, blessed
be He, stretched out His right hand and created the heavens, and
then He stretched out His left hand and created the earth.
THEREFORE, it first says, “the heaven and the earth,” and later, “the
earth and the heavens.”
It is written: “‘And it shall come to pass on that day, that I will
respond,’ says Hashem. ‘I will answer the heavens and they shall
answer the earth'” (Hoshea 2:23). “I will answer the heavens,”
NAMELY the heavens themselves, ZEIR ANPIN, as it is written:
“Heaven is My throne” (Yeshayah 66:1), FOR BINAH SAYS: ZEIR
ANPIN IS MY THRONE. “…and they shall answer the earth…” the
earth herself, MALCHUT, as it is written: “and the earth is My
footstool” (Ibid.). “The heaven,” refer to the supernal heavens, ZEIR
ANPIN, and “the earth” to the supernal earth, WHICH IS MALCHUT,
for as we have learned, when the heavens were created, they longed
for the earth. This occurs in the grade called ‘Righteous’, as it is
written: “The righteous is an everlasting (lit. ‘of the world’)
foundation” (Mishlei 10:25). And it cleaved to that earth.
A holy river of the oil of anointment COMES from the head of
the King, THE THREE FIRST SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN, to the place
wherein this Righteous dwells, WHO IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, and
pours itself out in fullness of desire upon this earth, WHICH IS
MALCHUT. The earth, having received it thence, nourishes all, both
above and below. This happens the same way as the male, having
the desire to unite with the female, brings out of the top of his head a
seed of propagation into the male organ and injects it in the female,
from which she conceives. Thus, all parts of the body cleave to the
female, and the female receives everything. According to this model
we have learned, that the one who completes the first ten people
who come to pray in a synagogue receives their merits. Rabbi Yosi
says that he is considered as ten, FOR THEY CORRESPOND TO THE
TEN SFIROT, AND HE CORRESPONDS TO MALCHUT, NAMELY THE
NUKVA WHO RECEIVES ALL, AS MENTIONED ABOVE.
Rabbi Yitzchak said: It is written, “He bowed the heavens also,
and came down” (II Shmuel 22:10), AND IN THE TORAH it is written,
“And Hashem will come down in the sight of all the people upon
Mount Sinai” (Shemot 19:11). When He “came down,” to where did
He go down? You may think it was to Sinai, AS WRITTEN IN THE
TORAH, yet it says, “upon (lit. ‘above’) Mount Sinai” and not ‘on
Mount Sinai’.
HE EXPLAINS: “He bowed the heavens also, and came down.”
To where did He descend? Rabbi Yosi said: He descended down His
grades, from grade to grade, from crown to crown, until He reached
this earth, WHICH IS MALCHUT. Then the moon, MALCHUT, shone
and stood in its fullness. Therefore, it is written: “He bowed the
heaven also, and came down” to this earth. Then it says “upon
Mount Sinai.” Who stood upon Mount Sinai? The Shechinah did,
AND HE DESCENDED TOWARDS HER.1
Rabbi Aba said: From the following verses WE LEARN THAT HE
DESCENDED TOWARDS THE SHECHINAH, for it is written, “Because
Hashem descended upon it in fire” (Shemot 19:18), and, “For
Hashem your Elohim is a consuming fire” (Devarim 4:24), WHICH IS
THE SHECHINAH, TOWARDS WHOM HE DESCENDED. HE
QUESTIONS FURTHER: Yet it says, “Then Hashem rained upon
S’dom and upon Amorah brimstone and fire from Hashem out of
heaven” (Beresheet 19:24). THUS, ZEIR ANPIN HIMSELF IS THE
FIRE, PART OF WHICH RAINED UPON S’DOM. HE ANSWERS: “Then
Hashem rained” signifies the earth, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, FOR
“THEN (AND) HASHEM” INDICATES HE AND HIS COURT-HOUSE,
WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH FROM WHICH THE FIRE WAS ISSUED
UPON S’DOM. Whence did she receive it? The second part of the
verse, “from Hashem out of heaven,” explained that she received
from heaven itself, BEING ZEIR ANPIN, AND WHATEVER THE
SHECHINAH HAS, SHE RECEIVES FROM ZEIR ANPIN. “From
Hashem out of heaven,” the heaven themselves, WHICH IS ZEIR
ANPIN, FOR WHATEVER THE SHECHINAH HAS SHE RECEIVES
FROM ZEIR ANPIN. Rabbi Chiya said that this verse SIGNIFIES THAT
HE DESCENDED AND BECAME UNITED WITH THE SHECHINAH.
“And Elohim spoke all these words saying…” (Shemot 20:1)
“ELOHIM” IS THE SHECHINAH; “all” MEANS the inclusion of
everything, BEING ZEIR ANPIN upon whom everything and everyone
depends. HENCE, ZEIR ANPIN DESCENDED AND UNITED WITH THE
SHECHINAH.
“You shall not have”
We learn that when a man is circumcised he enters into the covenant established by Abraham. However this is only a beginning, for he must also
obey the commandments of the Torah in order to enter the grade of Adam. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Chizkiyah speak about how vital to their
understanding is the wisdom of Rabbi Shimon, who is such a light to everyone. Rabbi Shimon, when encountered, teaches them that the prayer of
the poor man is more effective than all others, for the poor are nearer to God than anyone else is. He says that God dwells in broken vessels, in
those who are broken hearted and humble, and that if we harm the poor we wrong the Shechinah.
“You shall have no other Elohim beside Me” (Shemot 20:3).
According to Rabbi Yitzchak, “other Elohim” excludes the
Shechinah, and thus, “YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER ELOHIM”
THAN THE SHECHINAH, CALLED “ELOHIM.” “…beside Me (lit. ‘My
face’)…” excludes the face of the King upon which the Holy King is
manifested. It is His Name and His Name is it; THE VISIBLE FACE IS
HIS NAME, WHICH IS MALCHUT, AND HIS NAME IS THE VISIBLE
FACE. He is His Name, AND ZEIR ANPIN IS HIS NAME, WHICH
MEANS THEY ARE ONE, as it is written: “I am Hashem, that is My
Name” (Yeshayah 42:8). He and His Name are one. Blessed be His
Name for ever and ever.
Rabbi Shimon taught: Blessed are Yisrael, for the Holy One,
blessed be He, called them ‘men’, as it is written: “But you My flock,
the flock of My pasture, are men” (Yechezkel 34:31), AND ALSO, “If a
man of you bring an offering” (Vayikra 1:2). Why are they called
“men”? The reason is found in the verse: “You that did cleave to
Hashem your Elohim” (Devarim 4:4) – you and not the heathen
nations. Therefore, you are called “men” and they are not.1
Rabbi Shimon continued with his explanations: When a Jewish
boy is circumcised he enters into the Covenant which the Holy One,
blessed be He, made with Abraham, as it says: “And Hashem had
blessed Abraham in all things” (Beresheet 24:1), and, “loyal love to
Abraham” (Michah 7:20). Thus, he begins to enter into that place,
and when he commences to keep the precepts of the Torah he
enters the grade of Adam (man), THAT OF THE SUPERNAL
CHARIOT, and becomes attached to the body of the King. Then he is
called ‘man’.
The seed of Yisrael is called ‘man’. Come and behold: of
Ishmael it is written: “And he will be a wild man” (Beresheet 16:12).
“…a wild man…” and not ‘a man’. HE WAS CALLED “a wild man”
because he was circumcised, and therefore he had the beginnings of
being “a man,” as it is written: “And Ishmael his son was thirteen
years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his
foreskin” (Beresheet 17:25). Since his circumcision he entered to the
grade which is called ‘all’, WHICH IS YESOD. Hence, he was not
called ‘a man’ but “a wild man”. “His hand will be against every man
(lit. ‘in all’)” (Beresheet 16:12). Assuredly, “in all” and no more,
because he did not accept the commandments of the Torah. He had
the start, being circumcised, but was not perfected through the
commandments of the Torah. But the seed of Yisrael, who were
perfected in all things, is called “men” in the full sense, as it is
written: “For Hashem’s portion is His people, Jacob is the lot of His
inheritance” (Devarim 32:9).
Rabbi Yosi said: Therefore, the engraving and painting of all
faces is permitted, except the face of a man. Rabbi Yitzchak said that
when A HUMAN FORM is represented, it looks engraved with an
engraving of perfection, THAT IS, A SPECIAL PERFECTION IS
PERCEIVED THEREIN. Rabbi Yehuda said: This accords with the
popular saying: ‘the form of the spirit is in the image’, MEANING
THAT ACCORDING TO THE IMAGE OF THE MAN FORMED, HIS
CONNECTION WITH THE SPIRIT WITHIN HIM IS RECOGNIZED.
Rabbi Yehuda was once going from Cappadocia to Lod to see
Rabbi Shimon who was there, and Rabbi Chizkiyah accompanied
him. Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi Chizkiyah: What Rabbi Shimon
taught us concerning the meaning of the term “wild man” is perfectly
true and quite clear, BUT what is the meaning of the second part of
the verse which says: “And he shall dwell in the presence of all his
brethren” (Beresheet 16:12).
He replied: I have heard no interpretation and I shall not give
any, for we learned that, “And this is the Torah which Moses set
Yisrael” (Devarim 4:44). That “which Moses set” you can speak of,
but what Moses did not set, MEANING WHAT WAS NOT TAUGHT BY
ONE’S TEACHER, one can not tell.1
Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with that verse: “For He is
your life, and the length of your days” (Devarim 30:20). He who is
worthy of the Torah and does not separate himself from her is
worthy of two lives, life in this world and life in the World to Come,
as it is written, “your life,” LITERALLY, IN A PLURAL FORM, WHICH
MEANS two. He who separates himself from her, separates himself
from life, and he who separates himself from Rabbi Shimon,
separates himself from all things.
Here is a verse to which Rabbi Shimon already opened a door,
yet we can not enter it. How much more difficult will it be for us to
understand these words of the Torah. Woe to the generation from
which Rabbi Shimon will be removed, for as long as we are in his
presence the springs of the heart are open on every direction and
everything is revealed, but as soon as we separate ourselves from
him we know nothing and all the springs are closed.
Rabbi Chizkiyah said: As it is written, “And he took the spirit
that was upon him, and gave it to the seventy elders” (Bemidbar
11:25). It was like a light of a candle from which many lights are
kindled; it remains whole AND ITS LIGHT STANDS IN ITS FULLNESS
EVEN THOUGH MANY CANDLES WERE LIT BY IT. Rabbi Shimon bar
Yochai is such a light. He illuminates everyone and yet his light is
not diminished, but remains steadfast in its full splendor. They
walked on until they reached his dwelling.
When they reached him, they found him studying the Torah. He
was saying: “A prayer of the afflicted (lit. ‘poor’) when he faints and
pours out his complaint before Hashem” (Tehilim 102:1). He said: All
prayers of Yisrael are effective, but the prayer of the poor man is
more effective than all others. Why? Because it reaches the Throne
of Glory and becomes a garland for His head, and the Holy One,
blessed be He, is praised by this prayer. THEREFORE, a prayer of a
poor man is called ‘a prayer’.
“…when he faints (Heb. ya’atof; also Eng. ‘wraps’)…” This
wrapping is not that of garments, for he has no GARMENT, but the
word “ya’atof” has the same significance here as the words in the
verse: “That faint (Heb. atufim) for hunger” (Eichah 2:19). IN THIS
VERSE AS WELL, HE IS CLOTHED IN HUNGER. “He pours out his
complaints before Hashem.” He should cry before his Master
because this is pleasing to the Holy One, blessed be He, for the
world is sustained him. Woe to him against whom a poor man
complains to his Master, for the poor man is nearer to the King than
anyone else, as it is written: “when he cries to Me, that I will
hear” (Shemot 22:26).1
As for other people, sometimes He hears them, and sometimes
He does not. What is the reason for this? The Holy One, blessed be
He, dwells in broken vessels, as it is written: “yet with him also that
is of a contrite and humble spirit” (Yeshayah 57:15), and: “Hashem is
near to them who are of a broken heart” (Tehilim 34:19), and also: “A
broken and a contrite heart, Elohim, You will not despise” (Tehilim
51:19).
Hence, we have learned that he who wrongs a poor man wrongs
the Shechinah, as it is written: “yet with him also that is of a contrite
and humble spirit,” and also, “For Hashem will plead their
cause” (Mishlei 22:23). For Hashem is their Protector and He rules
everywhere and needs no witnesses, and no other judge. He does
not accept pledges like other judges, except those of the souls, as it
is written: “And rob of life those who rob them” (Mishlei 22:23).
He continued with his explanations: “A prayer (Heb. tfilah) of
the afflicted.” Wherever the word “Tfilah” is mentioned, it signifies
something supernal, for it ascends to a supernal place. Tfilah (Eng.
‘phylactery’) of the head is the Tefilin which the King puts, NAMELY
THE MOCHIN OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH ARE CALLED ‘HEAD TEFILIN’.
Rabbi Shimon turned his head and saw Rabbi Yehuda and
Rabbi Chizkiyah approaching him. When he had finished he looked
at them and said: You look as if you have lost something valuable.
FOR THEY HAD HEARD WORDS OF TORAH WHICH THEY FORGOT.
They replied: Yes, for the master opened a precious door and yet we
can not enter into it.
What is it? He asked. They said to him: What is the meaning of
the last part of the verse, “And he will be a wild man,” which is, “and
he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren”? The beginning of
the verse is clear to us, but what of this? The end does not seem to
suit the beginning.
Then Rabbi Shimon replied: Upon your life, both parts of the
verse have one significance and point to the same truth. We know
that the Holy One, blessed be He, has many aspects (faces) upon
aspects. There is a shining aspect, a dull aspect, a low aspect, a
distant aspect, an external aspect, an inner aspect, the right aspect,
and the left aspect.1
Come and behold: happy are Yisrael before the Holy One,
blessed be He, for they are united with the most supernal aspect of
the King, with the aspect in which He and His Name are one, while
other nations are united with the most distant aspect, the lower
aspect, and therefore they are at a great distance from the body of
the King. For we see that all those Egyptians who are related to
Ishmael, and his many kin and relatives, were all connected with the
lower and distant aspects.
Ishmael, however, when he was circumcised, had the privilege,
for Abraham’s sake, of having his dwelling place and his portion in
the sphere which dominated all those distant and lower aspects,
rather than in the aspects of the other nations. Therefore it says of
him: “His hand will be against every man (lit. ‘in all’).” THE WORD
“ALL” SIGNIFIES YESOD, therefore “he shall dwell in the presence
(lit. ‘above the face’) of all his brethren,” meaning that he will be in a
superior dwelling to any of them, as “in all” rules over all the aspects
that are below. Hence, “above the face of all his brethren,” for they
had no such merit.
Then Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Chizkiyah approached him and
kissed his hands. Rabbi Yehuda said: This is an illustration of the
proverb, ‘Wine settled on its lees and a bubbling spring is a crown
over earth and dross,’ FOR IT COVERS IT AND WHEN THE SPRING
IS ABOUT TO BREAK THROUGH THE EARTH IT BECOMES MORE
POWERFUL. THUS ISHMAEL RULED POWERFULLY OVER THE
DROSS OF HIS BROTHERS, WHO WERE CONNECTED WITH THE
LOWER AND DISTANT ASPECTS, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. Woe to
the world when the master is gone from it. Woe to the generation in
which time it will happen. Happy is the generation that is privileged
to know him and in which he lives.
Rabbi Chizkiyah said: We have learned that a proselyte, when
circumcised, is merely called “a proselyte of Righteousness” and
nothing more, and yet, according to your interpretation of this verse,
master, “His hand will be against every man (lit. ‘in all’),” MEANING
THAT HE HAD THE MERIT TO DWELL IN YESOD, WHICH IS CALLED
“ALL.” Rabbi Shimon replied: All is attached to the same place. Yet
we were speaking of converts. Ishmael was not merely a proselyte
for he was a son of Abraham, a son of a holy man, and of Ishmael it
says “Behold, I have blessed him” (Beresheet 17:20). It says here “I
have blessed him,” and elsewhere “And Hashem blessed Abraham
in all” (Beresheet 24:1). THIS BLESSING HERE, TOO, IS IN “ALL.”
Therefore of Ishmael it is written “his hand in all.”1
Therefore it is written: “And he shall dwell in the presence of all
his brethren.” For proselytes from among other nations, Ishmael’s
kin, would be called “proselytes of righteousness” and no more, but
he is superior to them all. Moreover, he dwells higher than the
aspects of those who were not circumcised and were connected with
the distant and lower aspects, and the aspects of the heathen
nations. Therefore, it is written: “And he shall dwell in the presence
(lit. ‘above the faces’) of all his brethren.” Rabbi Yehuda said: Hence
the proclamation of the Holy One, blessed be He: “You shall have no
other Elohim beside Me (lit. ‘over My face’),” FOR HIS FACE IS
MALCHUT, CALLED ‘FACE’.
“You shall not make”
You shall not make for yourself any carved idol, or any likeness. In this section we are reminded not to attach interpretations to the Torah without
knowing the correct meaning or without having learned them from our teacher; we are reminded not to be false to the Holy Name, and not to be false
to the Covenant of Abraham by bringing it into a foreign domain.
“You shall not make for yourself any carved idol, or any
likeness” (Shemot 20:4). This was already explained. Rabbi Yosi
added any form of a face one can make, except that of a man, for a
man’s face rules over all things.
There is also another explanation of the verse: “You shall not
make any carved idol or any likeness.” Rabbi Yitzchak opened the
discussion with the verse: “Do not let your mouth cause your flesh
to sin” (Kohelet 5:5). How careful one must be not to err in regard to
the meaning of the words of the Torah, and not to attach
interpretations to the Torah without knowing the correct meaning or
having learned them from his teacher, for of whoever speaks of
scripture without knowledge or learning from his Rabbi, it says:
“You shall not make any carved idol or any likeness.” The Holy One,
blessed be He, will punish him in the World to Come, when his soul
shall desire to enter its place. It will then be repelled and it will be cut
off from that region which is bound up with the bundle of life,
wherein are the other souls.
Rabbi Yehuda said: From this we understand the verse: “Why
should the Elohim be angry at your voice?” (Kohelet 5:5). “Your
voice” signifies a soul of a man. Rabbi Chiya said: Of this it is
written, “For I Hashem your Elohim am a jealous El” (Shemot 20:5).
He is zealous above all for His Name when He sees an image of a
face, or one who is false to His name, or when the Torah IS
MISINTERPRETED WITH AN EXPLANATION ONE HAD NOT
LEARNED FROM HIS TEACHERS.1
We have learned that the whole Torah is a Holy Name, for there
is not a word written which is not included in the Holy Name.
Therefore, one must beware of erring in regard to His Holy Name,
and one must not be false to it. He who is false to the Supernal King
will not be allowed to enter the King’s palace, and will be driven
away from the World to Come.
Rabbi Aba cited the verse: “You shall not make for yourself any
carved idol (Heb. pesel),” and in another place it is written: “Hew
(Heb. pesol) for yourself two tablets of stone” (Shemot 34:1),
MEANING you shall not hew another Torah which you neither know,
nor have learned from your master. Why? Because “I Hashem your
Elohim am a jealous El” and I shall punish you in the World to Come,
MEANING it is I who will punish you in the World to Come when your
soul shall long to stand in My Presence. How many emissaries will
then be ready to frustrate its desire and thrust it into Gehenom.
Rabbi Yitzchak said: “You shall not make…” means that one
should not be false to the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, for
Yisrael entered into the first Covenant and union with the Holy One,
blessed be He, when they circumcised, for this was the first
condition to enter the Covenant of Abraham, the bond with the
Shechinah. And one must not be false to that Covenant, for he that is
false to that Covenant, is false to the Holy One, blessed be He. What
is this falsehood? The bringing of the covenant into a foreign
domain, as it is written: “And has married the daughter of a strange
El” (Malachi 2:11).
Rabbi Yehuda said: Hence, “They have dealt treacherously
against Hashem, for they have begotten strange children” (Hoshea
5:7). Whoever is false to the Covenant is false to the Holy One,
blessed be He, because the Covenant is united with Him. Therefore,
it is written: “You shall not make for yourself any carved idol, or any
likeness of any thing that is in heaven above…”
“You shall not bow down to them”
Rabbi Elazar explains why it is forbidden to marry any woman from a heathen nation, for the result is always rebellious children who inherit the taint
of idolatry. We are reminded that we who keep the commandments of the Torah are the children of Hashem.
“You shall not bow down to them, nor serve them” (Shemot
20:5). Rabbi Elazar was once walking in company with Rabbi Chiya.
Rabbi Chiya said: It is written, “And you see among the captives a
beautiful woman…” (Devarim 21:11). Why DOES THE TORAH ALLOW
MARRIAGE TO HER? Is it written: “you shall not make marriages
with them” (Devarim 7:3). He replied to him: THIS ONLY APPLIED to
women independent in their own land. HERE IT INDICATES A
CAPTIVE WOMAN WHO COMES UNDER THE RULE OF YISRAEL.
THEREFORE, SHE IS PERMITTED BY THE TORAH TO BE TAKEN AS
A WIFE.1
Come and behold: there is no woman among the heathen
nations who is free from taint, therefore this section concerning the
captive woman is immediately followed by that of the rebellious son,
to indicate that whoever marries such a woman, begets rebellious
children. What is the reason for this? The impurity of idolatry
inherited by the mother is difficult to remove, and this is even the
more so if she has already been married to a heathen, for Judgment
cleaves to Judgment, and she is tainted. Therefore, Moses
commanded the extermination of the Midianite women, as it is
written: “Kill every woman that has known man by lying with
him” (Bemidbar 31:17).
Happy is the portion of the man who keeps this heritage in
purity, THAT OF THE HOLY COVENANT, for in this holy possession
he unites himself with the Holy One, blessed be He. This is all the
more so if he keeps the commandments of the Torah. Then the King
stretches out His right hand to receive him, and he cleaves to the
Holy Body, NAMELY, ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore it is written of Yisrael:
“But you that did cleave to Hashem your Elohim” (Devarim 4:4), and:
“You are the children of Hashem your Elohim” (Devarim 14:1) –
literally children, as it is written: “Yisrael is My son, My
firstborn” (Shemot 4:22), and “Yisrael, in whom I will be
glorified” (Yeshayah 49:3).
“You shall not take the Name”
Rabbi Shimon tells us that the supernal blessing requires something to bless, that it cannot dwell on an empty place. One cannot say a blessing
over an empty table. The discussion turns to “A good name is better than precious ointment,” which Rabbi Elazar says represents the supernal
mountains of pure balsam. It is vital never to take the Name of the Holy One in vain, and that Name must be uttered only after a preceding word.
Rabbi Yosi tells us that the blessing is the Holy Name itself, the source of blessing for the whole universe.
“You shall not take the Name…” (Shemot 20:7). Rabbi Shimon
cited the verse: “And Elisha said to her, ‘What shall I do for you? Tell
me, what have you in the house?'” (II Melachim 4:2). He explained:
What Elisha meant was: Have you aught upon which the blessing of
the Holy One, blessed be He, could rest? For one should not say the
blessing after the meal over an empty table. Why? Because the
supernal blessing can not rest on an empty place.
Therefore, it is necessary to put a loaf or more on the table
before one says his grace, and in case one has not MUCH TO PUT
ON the table, he must put at least the remnants of his meal, IN
ORDER THAT THERE WILL BE SOMETHING to bless, so that he will
not say a blessing over an empty TABLE.1
When she said: “Your handmaid has nothing in the house,
except a pot of oil” (Ibid.), he said, “This is fit to receive a perfect
blessing,” as it is written: “A good name is better than (lit. ‘from’)
precious ointment” (Kohelet 7:1), for the Holy Name comes forth
from oil, to bless and to kindle the Holy Lights. HE ASKED: What is
this oil? and Rabbi Yitzchak said: It represents the same oil as
described in the scripture: “It is like the precious ointment upon the
head” (Tehilim 133:2), MEANING THE SUPERNAL PLENTY. Rabbi
Elazar said: It represents the supernal mountains of pure balsam,
MEANING THE PLENTY OF THE SUPERNAL BINAH.
Rabbi Shimon interpreted the verse: “A good name is better.”
How good is the Supernal Name of the Supernal Holy Lights, for they
radiate ???? “precious ointment,” and a man must not mention the
Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, in vain, for he who does so
would have been better not to have been born.
Rabbi Elazar said: One should utter the Holy Name only after a
preceding word, as in the Torah it is mentioned for the first time after
two words: “In the beginning Elohim created (Heb. Beresheet-bara-
Elohim).”
Rabbi Shimon said: The Holy Name is mentioned only in
connection with a completed world, NAMELY, YUD HEI VAV HEI, as
it is written: “In the day that Hashem Elohim made the earth and the
heavens” (Beresheet 2:4). From this it follows that one should not
mention the Holy Name in vain, as it is written: “You shall not take
the Name of Hashem your Elohim in vain” (Shemot 20:7).
Rabbi Yosi said: What is the blessing? It is the Holy Name,
being the source of blessing for the whole universe. A blessing does
not dwell in an empty place, nor rests upon it, and therefore it is
written: “You shall not take the Name of Hashem your Elohim in
vain.”
“Remember the Shabbat day, to keep it holy”
This very long section tells of the blessings and joy that accrue from observing the three Sabbath meals properly. He who blemishes one of these
meals will be made to bear three burdens: judgment in Gehenom, Armageddon, and pre-Messianic tribulations. We are told that on festivals and
holidays one must share with the poor. Because all the Faith is centered in the Sabbath, a man is given an additional soul on this day, and all
judgments are withheld. Rabbi Yehudah tells us that the Sabbath is of equal importance to the Torah, and that one who keeps the Sabbath is
considered as having fulfilled the Torah. Rabbi Shimon tells about the verse “For thus says Hashem to the eunuchs,” explaining that those who
study Torah are like eunuchs for six nights but on the Sabbath they have conjugal union, this being the right time to unite the Matron with the King;
then they are blessed with good and holy children.1
“Remember the Shabbat day to keep it holy” (Shemot 20:8).
Rabbi Yitzchak cited the verse: “And Elohim blessed the seventh
day” (Beresheet 2:3). Of the manna, it is written: “Six days you shall
gather it but on the seventh day, which is Shabbat, on it there shall
be none” (Shemot 16:26). HE ASKS: If there was no food on that day,
what blessing is attached to it?
We have learned that all blessing from above and from below
depend upon the seventh day, and we have also learned that there
was no manna on the seventh day because all the six supernal days

WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND
YESOD – derive their blessing from it, and each of them sends forth
nourishment to the world below from the blessing it received from
the seventh day.

Therefore, he who has attained the grade of Faith must prepare
a table and a meal on Shabbat eve so that his table may be blessed
all through the other six days. For at that time, blessing is prevalent
for all the six week days, for no blessing is found at an empty table.
Therefore, one should make ready the table on Shabbat eve with
bread and other foods, IN ORDER TO DERIVE BLESSINGS FOR ALL
THE SIX DAYS.
Rabbi Yitzchak said: Also on Shabbat day ONE SHOULD
PREPARE THE TABLE WITH MEALS AND DRAW BLESSING FOR
THE OTHER SIX DAYS. Rabbi Yehuda added: One must enjoy
himself on this day with three meals, in order that there will be
satisfaction and pleasure in the world on that day.
Rabbi Aba explained that THE REASON FOR PREPARING
THREE MEALS FOR SHABBAT IS in order that blessings may spread
to the supernal days – CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD
AND YESOD – which receive their blessing from that day, WHICH IS
THE SHECHINAH, THE SEVENTH ATTRIBUTE. On this day the head
of Zeir Anpin, MEANING THE THREE FIRST SFIROT, is filled with the
dew, MEANING PLENTY, which descends from the most hidden
Atika Kadisha (the Holy Ancient One). He causes it to descend into
the field of holy apple trees, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, three times
after the entrance of the Shabbat, in order that all may enjoy the
blessing.
Therefore, a man should enjoy these three times, for therein
depends the true Faith, in Atika Kadisha, in Zeir Anpin and the field
of holy apple trees, MEANING THAT ZEIR ANPIN RECEIVES FROM
ATIKA AND TRANSFERS IT TO MALCHUT, AS IS MENTIONED
ABOVE. He who lessens the number of the meals exposes a blemish
into the regions above, and his punishment will be great.1
Therefore, it is necessary to prepare the table with three meals
after the entrance of the Shabbat, and his table must not be empty.
Thus, blessing will rest upon it during all the other week days, for
therein depends the true Faith above.
Rabbi Shimon said: When a man has completed the three meals
on Shabbat, a voice comes forth and proclaims of him: “Then shall
you delight yourself in Hashem” (Yeshayah 58:14). This is in
reference to one meal, which corresponds to the most Holy Ancient
One among the holy. “And I will cause you to ride upon the high
places of the earth” (Ibid.), is the second meal, which corresponds to
the field of holy apple trees, WHICH IS MALCHUT. “And feed you
with the heritage of Jacob your father” (Ibid.), is the perfection it
reaches in Zeir Anpin, IN THE THIRD MEAL.
Corresponding to this, one should complete the meals and find
joy in each and all of them because this is a manifestation of
perfected Faith. Therefore, Shabbat is more precious than all other
times and holidays because it contains all in itself, whereas no other
times or holidays do so. Rabbi Chiya said: Because all things are in
it, it is mentioned three times: “And by the seventh day Elohim
ended His work which He had done… And He rested on the seventh
day from all His work which He had done… And Elohim blessed the
seventh day and sanctified it” (Beresheet 2:2-3).
When Rabbi Aba sat at his Shabbat meals, he used to rejoice in
each one of them and he would say: This is the holy meal of the Holy
Ancient, hidden to all. Over another he would say: This is the meal of
the Holy One, blessed be He, NAMELY, ZEIR ANPIN, and so in each
and every meal. And when he came to the last one, he would say:
The meals of the Faith are completed.
When Rabbi Shimon sat at his meals, he would say: Prepare the
meal of the supernal Faith! Prepare the meal of the King! And then
he would sit and rejoice. When the third meal was completed, it was
proclaimed of him: “Then shall you delight yourself in Hashem and I
will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed you
with the heritage of Jacob your father.”1
Rabbi Elazar said to his father: How are those three meals
prepared? Rabbi Shimon replied: At Shabbat eve, as it is written:
“And I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth.” In
this night the Matron is blessed and the whole field of apples,
WHICH IS MALCHUT, is also blessed, and the man’s table is blessed
and a soul is added TO A MAN. This night signifies the rejoicing of
the Matron, and therefore a man should rejoice and partake in the
meal of the Matron, WHICH IS MALCHUT.
Concerning the second meal of Shabbat day, it is written: “Then
shall you delight yourself in (lit. ‘above’) Hashem.” Most assuredly
“above Hashem,” WHICH MEANS ABOVE ZEIR ANPIN, for at that
hour the Holy Ancient One reveals Himself and all the worlds are in
joy. And we, in participating in this meal, contribute to that joy and
completeness of Atika (the Ancient One) for, assuredly, this is His
meal.
Concerning the third meal of Shabbat, it is written: “And feed
you with the heritage of Jacob your father.” This is the meal of Zeir
Anpin, who is then in perfection, from which all the six days receive
their blessing. Therefore, a man must rejoice in these meals and
complete his meals, for they are meals of the perfect Faith of the
holy seed of Yisrael, the supernal Faith, which is theirs and not that
of the heathen nations. Hence, it is written: “It is a sign between Me
and the children of Yisrael” (Shemot 31:17).
Come and behold: by these meals Yisrael are distinguished as
the King’s children, belonging to the palace of the King as people of
Faith. And he who blemishes one of these meals shows an
incompleteness above, and he testifies of himself that he is not one
of the King’s sons, not part of the palace of the King, and not of the
holy seed of Yisrael. He will be made to bear the burden of three
things: the punishment in Gehenom, THE WAR OF GOG AND
MAGOG (ARMAGEDDON) AND PRE-MESSIANIC TRIBULATIONS.
Come and behold: on all festivals and holidays a man must both
rejoice himself and give joy to the poor. If he rejoices alone and does
not share with the poor his punishment will be great, for he rejoices
himself and does not make others happy. Of him it is written: “And
spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your
feasts” (Malachi 2:3) but he is not punished if he rejoices on Shabbat
and does not give a share to another. For it is written: “the dung of
your feasts” and not ‘the dung of your Shabbat,’ and it is also
written, “Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul
hates” (Yeshayah 1:14), but Shabbat is not mentioned.1
Therefore it is written: “Between Me and the children of Yisrael,”
and because all the Faith is centered in Shabbat, man is given an
additional soul on this day, a supernal soul, a soul in which all
perfection exists, resembling that of the World to Come. Therefore,
this day is called Shabbat. What does the word Shabbat mean? This
is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, WHICH IS MALCHUT,
the Name which is perfect on all sides ON SHABBAT DAY.
Rabbi Yosi said: It is indeed so. Woe to a man who does not
complete the joy of the Holy King. And what is His joy? Those three
meals of the Faith, the meals wherein Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
participate and express joy upon joy, and the Faith, MALCHUT, is
perfect on all sides.
We have learned that on this day the Fathers, WHO ARE
CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, are crowned, FOR THEY BECOME
THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, and all the children, NETZACH, HOD
AND YESOD, suckle from them differently than on other festive and
holy days. On this day all Judgments are held back and are not
aroused, BUT THEY BECOME THE FIRST THREE SFIROT. On this
day, the sinners rest in Gehenom. On this day the Torah, WHICH IS
ZEIR ANPIN, is crowned with perfect crowns, MEANING THE
SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA. On this day joy and gladness resound
throughout two hundred and fifty worlds.
Come and behold: on all six days of the week, when the hour of
Minchah (the Afternoon Prayer) arrives, Stern Judgment rules and all
the chastisements are aroused. But on Shabbat, at the time of
Minchah, the will of all wills is present, and Atika Kadisha (the Holy
Ancient One) shows goodwill, and all the Judgments rest, and
gladness and joy are everywhere.
In this time of goodwill, Moses, the holy faithful prophet, passed
away from this world, in order that it should be known that he was
not taken away in time of Judgment. At that hour his soul departed
by the will of the Holy Ancient One, and was treasured in Him.
Therefore, it is written: “No man knows his grave” (Devarim 34:6). As
the Holy Ancient One is the most hidden of all, whom neither those
above nor those below can comprehend, so this soul was hidden by
the will OF THE HOLY ANCIENT ONE at the hour of Shabbat
Afternoon Prayer. This soul of which it is written: “No man knows
his grave,” is the most hidden of all hidden things in the world, and
Judgment does not rule over it. Happy is the portion of Moses.1
We have learned that on this SHABBAT day with which the
Torah crowned itself, it crowns itself with everything: with all those
commandments, with all those decrees and punishments, and with
seventy branches of light which illuminate all sides – FOR THE
SEVEN SFIROT ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD,
YESOD AND MALCHUT, AND EACH ONE OF THEM INCLUDES TEN
SFIROT, AND ALL OF THEM TOGETHER ARE SEVENTY. Who saw
the twigs which emanate from each branch OF THE SEVENTY
BRANCHES, five of which are within the tree itself – MEANING THE
FIVE SFIROT: CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH AND HOD OF
ZEIR ANPIN, CALLED A ‘TREE’, WHICH RECEIVES THEM FROM
BINAH. All the aspects are attached to them. Who saw all those
gates which open to each and every side OF THEM, AS EACH ONE
INCLUDES TEN, SO THAT TOGETHER THEY ARE FIFTY GATES.
They all shine and glow by that never-ending stream of light.
A voice proclaims: Awake supernal saints! Awake holy people
chosen from above and from below! Raise joy before your Master!
Awake in perfect joy! Prepare yourselves in the threefold joy of the
three Fathers, MEANING THE THREE MEALS OF SHABBAT! Prepare
yourselves for the Faith, the joy of all joys. Happy is your portion,
holy Yisrael, in this world and in the World to Come. This is your
heritage OVER AND ABOVE that of all heathen nations. Hence, it is
written: “between Me and the children of Yisrael.”
Rabbi Yehuda said: It is indeed so, and therefore it is written,
“Remember the Shabbat day to keep it holy” (Shemot 20:8), and:
“You shall be holy, for I Hashem your Elohim am holy” (Vayikra
19:2), and, “And call the Shabbat a delight, the holy day of Hashem.”
We have learned that on this SHABBAT day all the souls of the
righteous feast on the delights of Atika Kadisha (the Holy Ancient
One), the most hidden of all, KETER. One spirit of this delight of
Atika Kadisha, is extended through all the worlds. It ascends and
descends and spreads abroad to all the holy children, to all the
guardians of the Torah, so that they enjoy perfect rest, forgetting all
cares, all penalties and all hard work, as it is written: “And it shall
come to pass on the day that Hashem shall give you rest from your
sorrow and from your fear, and from the hard bondage in which you
were made to serve” (Yeshayah 14:3).
Therefore the Shabbat is equal in importance to the Torah, and
he who keeps the Shabbat is regarded as one who fulfills the whole
Torah. It is written: “Happy is the man that does this, and the son of
man that lays hold on it, that keeps the Shabbat and does not
profane it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil” (Yeshayah 56:2).
From this we understand that he who keeps the Shabbat is as if he
kept the whole Torah.1
One day Rabbi Yudai met Rabbi Shimon on the road and asked
him to explain a verse concerning the weekly portion, wherein Isaiah
says: “For thus says Hashem: ‘To the eunuchs that keep My
Shabbatot and choose the things that please Me, and take hold of My
Covenant. To them will I give, in My house and within My
walls…” (Ibid. 4-5). What does this mean?
Rabbi Shimon said: Cappadocian! – NAMING HIM AFTER THE
NAME OF THE CITY HE LIVED IN – Fasten your donkey to a fence
and alight, for words of Torah require attentiveness. Turn around
and follow me, and pay attention. He replied: It is for the master’s
sake that I have come all this long way, and in following him I shall
behold the Shechinah.
He said to him: Come and behold. This verse has already been
considered by the friends but they have not explained it sufficiently.
“For thus says Hashem: To the eunuchs.” Who are these
“eunuchs”? These are students of the Torah who study Torah and
make themselves “eunuchs” during the six days of the week. And on
Shabbat night they hasten to have their conjugal union, for they
know the supernal secret of the right time when the Matron is united
with the King.
Those students who know this secret concentrate their hearts
on the Faith of their Master and are blessed with offspring on that
night. Therefore, it is written: “That keep My Shabbatot,” as it is said
in the verse: “But his father kept the matter in mind” (Beresheet
37:11).
They are called “eunuchs” because they wait for the Shabbat in
order to please their Master, as it is written: “and choose the things
that please Me,” meaning His union with the Matron; “and take hold
of My Covenant” amounts to the same, AS IT ALSO MEANS A
UNION. “My Covenant” without attribute IS THE SUPERNAL YESOD
WHO IS UNITED WITH THE MATRON. Happy is the man who is
sanctified in this Holiness and knows this secret.
Come and behold: in the verse, “Six days shall you labour, and
do all your work, but the seventh day is a Shabbat to Hashem your
Elohim” (Shemot 20:9), the words “all your work” indicate that in
those six days man must work, and therefore those who study the
Torah have their conjugal union only at a time when they do not
work, but when the Holy One, blessed be He, works – MEANING, IN
SHABBAT, WHEN MAN’S WORK IS FORBIDDEN. Then His work is
the union with the Matron, MALCHUT, in order to bring forth holy
souls into the world.1
Therefore, the companions sanctify themselves on this night in
the Holiness of their Master and concentrate their hearts, and begot
good and holy children who turn neither to the right nor to the left,
children of the King and the Matron. Of them it is written: “You are
the children of Hashem your Elohim” (Devarim 14:1). Assuredly, of
“Hashem your Elohim,” for they are called “His children,” the
children of the King and the Matron.
Those who study the Torah know this secret and cling to it,
therefore they are called ‘the children of the Holy One, blessed be
He’, and the world is sustained by their merit. And when the world is
placed on trial, the Holy One, blessed be He, looks on His children
and has mercy on the world. Therefore, it is written: “an entirely right
seed” (Yirmeyah 2:21). It is a “right (lit. ‘true’) seed,” indeed. And
what does “true” mean? This is the perfect and holy circle. This is
expressed in the verse: “You will show truth to Jacob” (Michah
7:20); JACOB IS THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN, and all
these verses refer to the same thing. Hence, it is assuredly a true
seed.
Rabbi Yudai said to him: Blessed be the Merciful One who sent
me here! Blessed be the Merciful One for allowing me to come and
hear your words! Rabbi Yudai wept. Rabbi Shimon asked: Why do
you weep? He answered: I weep because of those people whose
ways are the ways of beasts, without knowledge and observation. It
would have been better for them not to have been created. Woe to
the world when you, master, will depart from it, for who will then
reveal the secrets and who will then comprehend the ways of the
Torah?
He said to him: Upon your life, the world is created only for
those who are occupied in Torah and know its secrets. Assuredly,
the sages have decreed that the ignorant corrupt their ways, not
knowing their right hand from their left, and are like cattle. And so it
is fitting to punish them even on Yom Kippur (the Day of
Atonement). Of their children, it is written: “For they are the children
of harlotry” (Hoshea 2:6), actual children of harlotry.
He said to him: Rabbi, this verse should have been explained
further by more explanation, for it is written: “And to them will I give
in My house and within My walls, a memorial better than sons and
daughters. I will give him an everlasting name”. HE ASKS: Why is it
written, “I will give him an everlasting name” (Yeshayah 56:5)? It
should have been written: ‘I will give them’, NAMELY, TO THE
EUNUCHS.1
He said to him: Come and behold. It is written: “And to them will
I give in My house.” What does “my house” signify? It signifies the
same meaning as in the verse: “For he is trusted one in all My
house” (Bemidbar 12:7), MEANING THE SHECHINAH, WHICH IS
CALLED ‘A HOUSE’. “…and within My walls…” is as it is written: “I
have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem” (Yeshayah 62:6),
MEANING THE EXTERNAL ASPECT OF THE SHECHINAH. “A
memorial” (lit. ‘a hand and a name’) means that they would draw holy
souls from this place, THE SHECHINAH, and that ‘hand’ MEANS a
portion of perfection. The word “better” MEANS abundant with sons
and daughters. “I will give him an everlasting name,” meaning to this
part of perfection WHICH IS CALLED ‘A HAND’. “That shall not be cut
off” (Ibid. 5) for all generations. Another explanation is that “I will
give him,” MEANS to him who knows this secret “OF THE EUNUCHS
WHO KEEP MY SHABBATOT,” with appropriate intention.
Rabbi Shimon continued by citing the verse: “You shall kindle
no fire throughout your habitations on the Shabbat day” (Shemot
35:3), and he explained that the reason for it is that there is no
Judgment on that day, AND HE WHO KINDLES A FIRE AROUSES
JUDGMENT. You may protest that it rises high, REFERRING TO THE
FIRE ON THE ALTAR WHICH BURNS ON SHABBAT AS WELL. HE
ANSWERS: It is written “throughout your habitations,” and not, ‘high
above’, for that FIRE which ascends high, rises to subdue another
Judgment. For as we have learned, there is a fire which consumes a
fire, and the fire of the altar consumes the other fire, NAMELY, IT
SUBDUES THE OTHER JUDGMENT SO IT WILL NOT RULE ON THE
DAYS OF THE WEEK.
Therefore, Atika Kadisha reveals Himself on that day MORE
than on any other day. And when He reveals Himself, Judgment is
not in evidence at all, and all the upper and lower beings are in
perfect joy, and Judgment has no dominion.
We have learned from the verse: “For (in) six days Hashem
made heavens and earth” (Shemot 31:17), that it was assuredly “six
days,” WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD
AND YESOD, FROM WHICH THE HEAVENS AND EARTH, BEING
MALE AND FEMALE, WERE CREATED. Therefore, it is not written,
‘within six days’. Those supernal holy days are called days in which
the Holy Name, MALCHUT, WHICH IS CALLED ‘EARTH’, is included.
And they are contained in it. Happy is the portion of Yisrael above all
the heathen nations; of them it is written: “But you that did cleave to
Hashem your Elohim are alive every one of you this day” (Devarim
4:4).
“Honor your father and your mother”
Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Aba explain that “father” is the spring of the holy fountain which feeds the river from Eden, and that Eden itself is called
“father.” Rabbi Shimon adds that the words “Honor your father” refer to the Holy One, Zeir Anpin, and “your mother” refers to the Congregation of
Yisrael, Malchut. From here the discussion turns to the first five of the Ten Commandments, showing us that they include the second five within
them; then they are paired and analyzed at some length. Rabbi Elazar explains that all the laws of the Torah are engraved in the Ten
Commandments, for the Torah is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He.1
“Honor your father and your mother” (Shemot 20:12). Rabbi
Chiya opened the discussion with the verse: “And a river went out of
Eden…” (Beresheet 2:10). “And a river,” is the spring of the fountain
which flows constantly and never stops, and whence the whole
Garden of Eden is watered. And this spring of the holy fountain is
called ‘father’ because it maintains the Garden.
Rabbi Aba said that Eden itself is called ‘father’, because it
issues from a place called “Ayin” (lit. ‘naught’), THE KETER OF
ARICH ANPIN, OF WHICH NO ONE CAN CONCEIVE. It is therefore
called ‘father’. We have already explained that the place whence
everything issues is called ‘Atah’ (lit. ‘you’), and is called ‘Av’ (lit.
‘Father’), as it is written: “You are our father” (Yeshayah 63:16).
Rabbi Shimon said: The words “Honor your father” allude to the
Holy One, blessed be He, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN; “your mother”
alludes to the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY, MALCHUT; the
particle “Et” before “your” alludes to the Supernal Shechinah,
WHICH IS THE NUKVA, IS FROM THE CHEST ABOVE OF ZEIR
ANPIN. Rabbi Yehuda said that “Honor your Father” is unspecified,
and “your mother” is unspecified, because they account for
everything, THEY SIGNIFY CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, AND ALSO
ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA, SINCE THE WORDS ARE NOT
SPECIFIC, and the article “Et” adds all that is above and all that is
below, BOTH ABA AND IMA, AND MALE AND FEMALE.
Rabbi Yosi referred to Rabbi Aba’s remark that the place
whence everything begins is called ‘you’, for we have learned that
what is hidden and has no beginning, OF BESTOWING MOCHIN, is
called ‘he’, NAMELY, THE THIRD PERSON. The place whence there
is a beginning, OF BESTOWING MOCHIN, is called ‘you’, and is also
called ‘father’, and it is all one. Blessed Be His Name for ever and
ever. Amen.
Rabbi Chizkiyah said: Assuredly, they are all one. “Honor your
father,” indicates the Holy One, blessed be He, NAMELY, ZEIR
ANPIN; “your mother,” indicates the Congregation of Yisrael,
NAMELY, MALCHUT, for we have learned from Rabbi Shimon that
the verse “You are the children of Hashem your Elohim” (Devarim
14:1) alludes to the place called ‘children’, WHICH ARE MALE AND
FEMALE. Therefore, the verse: “Honor your father and your mother,”
includes all, MEANING ABA AND IMA, above and below. Rabbi
Yitzchak said that it includes one’s teacher of the Torah, who ushers
one to the World to Come. Rabbi Yehuda said that THE TEACHER is
included in the Holy One, blessed be He.1
We have learned that the first five commandments IN THE
RIGHT SIDE are all inclusive. In these five commandments the
second five OF THE LEFT are engraved, five within five. How? The
first commandment, “I am Hashem your Elohim” (Shemot 20:2)
corresponds to, “You shall not murder,” for as we learned, these two
are under one principle. For one who murders diminishes the image
and likeness of his Master, because according to the scripture, “in
the image of Elohim made He man” (Beresheet 9:6), and: “And upon
the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a
man” (Yechezkel 1:26).
Rabbi Chiya said: It is written, “Whoever sheds man’s blood by
man, his blood shall be shed” (Beresheet 9:6). He who sheds blood
is considered as if he diminishes the supernal image and likeness
above, meaning that he does not diminish the image of the man
BELOW, but another image, and this is the interpretation of the
verse: “Whoever sheds man’s blood by man, his blood shall be
shed”. The damage he does by shedding blood reaches the supernal
man. Why? “…for in the image of Elohim made He man.” Therefore,
they are interdependent, THE FIRST COMMANDMENT DEPENDS ON
“YOU SHALL NOT MURDER.”
“You shall have no other Elohim beside Me,” corresponds to,
“You shall not commit adultery.” THE ADULTERER is false to the
Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, which is impressed upon man,
a sin including many other sins and entailing corresponding
punishments. He who is unfaithful in this, is unfaithful towards the
King, as it is written: “They have dealt treacherously against
Hashem, for they have begotten strange children” (Hoshea 5:7), and,
“You shall not bow down to them, nor serve them.” One is the result
of the other. THUS, “YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER ELOHIM” IS
CONNECTED WITH, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.”
“You shall not take the name of Hashem your Elohim in vain,”
corresponds to “You shall not steal.” For a thief is inclined to swear
falsely because he who steals also lies, as it is written: “Whoever is
partner with a thief is his own enemy, he hears the adjuration of
witnesses, but discloses nothing” (Mishlei 29:24).
“Remember the Shabbat day to keep it holy,” corresponds to,
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor,” for as
Rabbi Yosi said, the Shabbat day is called ‘a witness’, and man
should bear testimony to the verse: “in six days Hashem made
heaven and earth.” And Shabbat comprises everything. Rabbi Yosi
said that he who bears false witness against his neighbor lies
against the Shabbat, which is the true witness, and the verse, “You
will show truth to Jacob” (Michah 7:20), refers to the same motive
which is expressed in the verse: “Wherefore the children of Yisrael
shall keep the Shabbat” (Shemot 31:16). Therefore, he who lies
against the Shabbat lies against the whole Torah. Hence, they are
interdependent. THUS, “REMEMBER” IS CONNECTED TO “YOU
SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE…”1
“Honor your father and your mother,” corresponds to, “You
shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.” According to the explanation
of Rabbi Yitzchak, “Honor your father,” refers to one’s own father;
for when he who covets a woman begets a child, the child will honor
another who is not his own father. It is written: “Honor your father
and your mother,” and, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.”
The second part OF THE FORMER is, “that your days may be long in
the land which Hashem your Elohim gives you,” MEANING that
whatever is given to you shall be yours, and you shall not covet
another. Assuredly, they are interdependent. THUS, “HONOR…” IS
CONNECTED WITH “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”
These first five COMMANDMENTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE include
the second five. Therefore: “From His right hand went a fiery law for
them,” (Devarim 33:2) for all was included in the right, and the Torah
was proclaimed in five voices. Rabbi Yehuda said that the whole TEN
COMMANDMENTS were folded in such a way that five were within
five, corresponding to the five Books of the Torah.
Rabbi Elazar explained that in the ten commandments were
engraved all the laws of the Torah, all the decrees and punishments,
all the laws concerning purity and impurity, all the branches and the
roots, trees and plants, heavens and earth, seas and depths, for the
Torah is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He. As the Name of
the Holy One, blessed be He, is engraved in the ten commandments,
the ten commandments are the Name of the Holy One, blessed be
He. So is the whole Torah engraved in them, and the whole Torah is
thus one Name, the Holy Name of the Holy One, blessed be He,
indeed.
Blessed is the one who is worthy of the Torah, for he will be
worthy of the Holy Name. Rabbi Yosi said that he will be worthy of
the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself, as He and His Name are one.
Blessed be His Name, for ever and ever. Amen.
“You shall not make with Me”
Rabbi Yitzchak says that the two colors gold and silver are engraved in Yisrael, which is the central column that includes and balances them. Mercy
and judgment are imprinted upon God, whose garments are the colors of Chesed and Gvurah. Righteousness, Malchut, has those two colors
engraved in her as well. Rabbi Yosi closes by telling of the four kinds of joy that correspond to the four exiles of the children of Yisrael.
“You shall not make with Me Elohim of silver, neither shall you
make for yourselves Elohim of gold” (Shemot 20:20). Rabbi Yosi
gave his interpretation of this verse by saying that although, “The
silver is Mine and the gold is Mine” (Chagai 2:8), “you shall not make
with Me,” that is, ‘make Me.’1
Rabbi Yitzchak cited the verse: “For as much as there is none
like You, Hashem, You are great, and Your Name is great in
might” (Yirmeyah 10:6). The verse, “You are great,” corresponds to,
“The silver is Mine,” BEING CHESED, THE RIGHT COLUMN, while,
“Your name is great in might,” corresponds to “The gold is Mine,”
WHICH IS GVURAH, THE LEFT COLUMN. These two colors are only
visible in their full beauty when they are engraved in one place,
namely Yisrael, BEING THE CENTRAL COLUMN, TIFERET, WHICH
INCLUDES AND BALANCES BOTH OF THEM. Here the colors are
seen in their beauty, as it is written: “You are My servant, Yisrael, in
whom I will be glorified” (Yeshayah 49:3).
Rabbi Yehuda opened his discourse with the verse: “I will
greatly rejoice in Hashem, my soul shall be joyful in my Elohim, for
He has clothed me with the garments of salvation” (Yeshayah 61:10).
Blessed is the portion of Yisrael above all heathen nations, for they
have their joy in the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written: “I will
greatly rejoice in Hashem”. As it says, “Hashem,” why add, “my
Elohim”? Yisrael said that when He comes with Mercy, “I will greatly
rejoice in Hashem,” WHICH IS MERCY, and when He comes in
Judgment, then “My soul shall be joyful in my Elohim,” WHICH IS
JUDGMENT.
Why DO YISRAEL REJOICE IN TIMES OF MERCY AS WELL AS
IN THOSE OF JUDGMENT? For these two are imprinted upon Him,
THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, as indicated by the words: “for
He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,” meaning that
these “garments of salvation” are the colors OF CHESED AND
GVURAH, so imprinted that one can gain a perception of Him,
NAMELY, DERIVE CHOCHMAH. It is written: “They looked, but there
was none to save, to Hashem…” (II Shmuel 22:42). Hence, salvation
means looking. ‘Whoever wishes to behold Me, let him behold My
colors OF CHESED AND GVURAH’. What is the reason? It is found in
the verse: “He has covered me with the robe of
righteousness” (Ibid.), exactly righteousness, NAMELY MALCHUT,
CALLED “RIGHTEOUSNESS,” has those two colors engraved in her,
FOR CHOCHMAH IS DRAWN ONLY BY MALCHUT. “As a bridegroom
decks himself with a garland” (Yeshayah 61:10), is one color,
CHESED, “and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels”(Ibid.), is the
other color, GVURAH. And when both colors are united IN THE
CENTRAL COLUMN, they are visible and all are aflame to behold Him.
Rabbi Yosi said that the words, “I will greatly rejoice in
Hashem,” refer to two kinds of joy. One joy is in “Hashem,” meaning
in Mercy, and, “my soul shall be joyful IN MY ELOHIM,” is in
Judgment. Rabbi Yehuda said: THEY REJOICE BOTH IN MERCY
AND IN JUDGMENT, and in each joy there is joy upon joy. However,
the joy which the Holy One, blessed be He, will bring upon Yisrael in
the future, the joy in Zion, will excel them all, as it is written: “And
the ransomed of Hashem shall return and come to Zion with
songs…” (Yeshayah 35:10). “And the ransomed of Hashem shall
return,” signifies one joy; “and come to Zion with songs,” signifies
the second; “and everlasting joy upon their heads,” the third; and
“they shall obtain joy and gladness” is the fourth joy. THESE ARE
four kind of joy which correspond to the four exiles of Yisrael among
the nations. Then, “in that day shall you say, ‘Praise Hashem, call
upon His name…'” (Yeshayah 12:4).
“I am Hashem your Elohim,” part two
We learn that Malchut, the moon, was in perfect unity with Zeir Anpin, equal with Him and under the same crown. After the moon was diminished
she received light only from the sun, and her own aspect is hidden. This section then tells of the meaning of “I,” Anochi, the secret that contains
everything. It closes by saying that souls are punished for sins they committed in earlier incarnations.1
“And Elohim spoke all these words, saying…” (Shemot 20:1); “…
all these words…” means that THE TEN COMMANDMENTS contain
everything that there is, above and below.
“I,” signifies the mystery of the supernal world, NAMELY, THE
NUKVA WHICH IS PLACED FROM THE CHEST ABOVE OF ZEIR
ANPIN. This is the secret of the Holy Name, Yud-Hei-Vav, BEING THE
THREE COLUMNS CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, WHICH THE
NUKVA RECEIVES FROM ZEIR ANPIN. “I,” MALCHUT, was first
revealed and LATER concealed. She was revealed in the Holy Secret
of the Throne, BINAH, FOR MALCHUT WAS THE FOURTH LEG OF
THE THRONE, and the moon, MALCHUT, was then in perfect unity
WITH ZEIR ANPIN – WHICH MEANS THAT BOTH MALCHUT AND
ZEIR ANPIN WERE EQUAL AND WERE UNDER THE SAME CROWN.
AND SHE IS HIDDEN when the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, rules. And the
moon receives its light from it, not having THEN any praise OF ITS
OWN, except the praise of light which ZEIR ANPIN radiates upon it,
THUS ITS OWN ASPECT IS HIDDEN. THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE
MOON WAS DIMINISHED.
“I,” SIGNIFIES MALCHUT WHEN SHE IS completing part of the
perfection of the Lower Throne – MEANING THAT AFTER SHE WAS
DIMINISHED AND DESCENDED FROM ABOVE THE CHEST TO
BELOW THE CHEST, AND WAS ESTABLISHED THERE AS THE
PRINCIPLE OF THE LOWER THRONE, all the holy living creatures
departed from her. Then, being in perfection and beauty, when her
Husband, ZEIR ANPIN, comes to her, she is called “I.”
“I” is the secret WHICH CONTAINS everything together, BY
INCLUDING ALL THE 22 LETTERS, AND THE 32 PATHS OF
CHOCHMAH, WHICH MEANS all THE 22 letters in the 32 paths of the
Torah that permeate from the supernal secret, NAMELY FROM
CHOCHMAH. From this “I” all the upper and lower secrets are
suspended. “I” contains the secret of the reward kept for the
righteous who are the Torah keepers and await Him. Through this
“I,” they have faith in the world to come. This is derived from, “I am
Pharaoh” (Beresheet 41:44), THESE WORDS SAID IN ORDER TO
ASSURE JOSEPH THAT HIS PROMISE WILL BE KEPT.
The two commandments “I” (Heb. Anochi), and, “You shall have
no” (Shemot 20:3), contain the secret of the Torah which is
“Remember the Shabbat” (Shemot 20:8), and “Keep the
Shabbat” (Devarim 5:12). “I” SIGNIFIES THE SECRET OF
“REMEMBER,” AND “YOU SHALL HAVE NO,” SIGNIFIES THE
SECRET OF “KEEP.” “I” contains the concealed and kept secret of
all the grades of the supernal world, BEING THE YUD, HEI AND VAV
united together, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. And when the word “I” had
been uttered, all were united within one secret, FOR “I” SIGNIFIES
THE UNITY OF ALL THE GRADES.
The word “I (Heb. Anochi)” contains the secret of the two
thrones WHICH ARE THE SUPERNAL THRONE, BINAH HAVING
MALCHUT AS A FOURTH LEG, AND THE LOWER THRONE, BEING
MALCHUT HERSELF AFTER BECOMING DIMINISHED, AS
MENTIONED ABOVE. Ani, Aleph Nun-Yud (Ani=I) OF “ANOCHI,”
ALLUDES to the Lower Throne, and the letter Caf of the word
“Anochi,” ALLUDES to the Supernal Throne.1
The word “Anochi” INDICATES that the Temple is purified,
WHICH IS MALCHUT, and that no stranger has approached it. The
Temple alone radiated its light, for then the Evil Inclination was
removed from the world and the Holy One, blessed be He, alone was
exalted in glory. Then the words, “I am Hashem your Elohim,” were
uttered, having the complete secret folded in His Holy Name. The
letter Aleph OF “ANOCHI” INDICATES the unification of the secret of
the Holy Name together with its grades into one, as its secret is the
letter Vav OF YUD HEI VAV HEI. The letter Nun IN THE WORD
“ANOCHI” INDICATES the secret of standing in awe of the Holy One,
blessed be He, knowing that there is a judge and Judgment, the
righteous will be rewarded, and the wicked will be punished, for its
secret is the lower Hei IN THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI.
The letter Caf IN THE WORD “ANOCHI” signifies that one should
sanctify the Holy Name daily, sanctify oneself through holy grades,
and say the everyday prayers to Him to raise the supreme crown, the
secret of the Upper Throne, NAMELY BINAH, in a proper manner
above the supernal living creatures – WHICH ARE CHESED AND
GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, FROM THE CHEST ABOVE OF
ZEIR ANPIN, AND THE FOUR LEGS OF THE THRONE, WHOSE
FOURTH LIVING CREATURE AND FOURTH LEG IS MALCHUT. Its
secret is the supernal Hei OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH
IS BINAH. SINCE MALCHUT IS THE FOURTH LEG OF THE
SUPERNAL THRONE, WHICH IS BINAH, SHE IS CONSIDERED AS
PERTAINING TO BINAH AND TO THE UPPER HEI OF YUD HEI VAV
HEI.
The letter Yud IN THE WORD “ANOCHI” INDICATES that one
should study the Torah day and night, and circumcise his son on the
eighth day, and sanctify the firstborn, and put on Tefilin, and wear
the fringes (Heb. tzitzit), and affix a Mezuzah, and surrender his life
to cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, with his whole heart. These
are the twelve supernal commandments – WHICH ARE ALLUDED TO
BY THE WORD “ANOCHI,” which include 236 other commandments,
BRINGING IT TO 248 POSITIVE COMMANDMENTS – which are
included in the words “Remember the Shabbat.” FOR “REMEMBER”
INCLUDES 248 POSITIVE COMMANDMENTS, AND “KEEP”
INCLUDES THE 365 NEGATIVE COMMANDMENTS. This letter is not
interchangeable with another place, AS THE ALEPH, NUN AND CAF
OF ANOCHI, WHICH ARE INTERCHANGEABLE WITH HEI, VAV AND
HEI OF YUD HEI VAV HEI. For the letter Yud signifies the supernal
secret of the whole Torah, MEANING THAT IT IS THE SECRET OF
THE LOWER CHOCHMAH WHICH UNITES WITH THE LETTER YUD
OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, THE SECRET OF THE UPPER CHOCHMAH.
THEREFORE, THIS IS NOT A CHANGE OF PLACE. Those twelve
COMMANDMENTS include the twelve attributes of Mercy which are
derived from them. And one rules THEM ALL, WHICH IS THE
ESSENCE OF MALCHUT WHICH IS CALLED “ANOCHI,” bringing it to
thirteen, CORRESPONDING TO THE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES OF
MERCY.
The commandment “You shall have no other Elohim” (Shemot
20:3), signifies the secret of “keep,” which includes the 365
NEGATIVE PRECEPTS in the Torah. The letter Lamed IN “YOU
SHALL HAVE NO (HEB. LO, LAMED-ALEPH)” contains the secret of
not worshipping or paying respect to other Elohim. The letter Lamed
has the form of a tower rising up in the air. One should not be
tempted to build A CASTLE to other Elohim, in the secret of building
a tower, AS IN THE TIME OF THE GENERATION OF THE TOWER OF
BABYLON. Lamed shows that one should not look at the images of
idol worshipping, nor think about it, neither bowing, nor subduing
oneself to other Elohim.1
The letter Aleph IN THE COMMANDMENT, “YOU SHALL HAVE
NO OTHER ELOHIM,” indicates that one should not replace his
Master with other Elohim; he should not even meditate on the
existence of another deity besides Him; he should not take counsel
from a necromancer or a soothsayer through the medium of the
image of man or any other form; he is not to ask of the dead; he is
not to practice magic; and he should not swear in another deity’s
name. Up to this point are the other twelve COMMANDMENTS, the
precepts INCLUDED in “keep.” From them come the other 353
precepts of “keep,” included in these twelve, BRINGING IT TO 365.
This is the secret of the word “Anochi,” AND, “YOU SHALL HAVE
NO.”
Rabbi Shimon said: We have learned that the word “Anochi” (lit.
‘I’) includes the above and the below, the upper and lower beings. It
includes the holy living creatures. All is included in the secret of
“Anochi.” “You shall have no,” refers to the secret below, of the
twelve lower living creatures IN MALCHUT.
“You shall not make for yourself any carved idol (Heb. pesel),”
alludes to the dross (Heb. pesolet) of that lofty place, NAMELY, THE
LEFT SIDE OF HOLINESS, pesel being the refuse of Holiness, the
secret of other Elohim, as it is written: “And I looked and behold, a
storm wind came out of the north” (Yechezkel 1:4). THE NORTH IS
THE SECRET OF THE LEFT SIDE OF HOLINESS. “…any likeness of
any thing…” (Shemot 20:4) as it is written, “a fire flaring
up” (Yechezkel 1:4). “For I Hashem your Elohim,” so that your heart
should be directed upwards, and it should not descend below and
approach the portal OF THE OTHER SIDE. He is “a jealous El,” for in
that place lies jealousy.
This is the secret of, “For three things the earth is
disquieted” (Mishlei 30:21), which are: “You shall not make for
yourself,” “A carved idol,” and, “any likeness of any thing.” For
these “the earth is disquieted.”
It is written: “Punishing the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children to the third and fourth generation” (Shemot 20:5). HE WAS
PRESENTED WITH THE DIFFICULTY OF THE WORDS: “NOR THE
CHILDREN BE PUT TO DEATH FOR THE FATHERS” (II MELACHIM
14:6). AND HE ANSWERS THAT this is the same tree, THE SAME
SOUL coming once, twice, thrice, four times, WHICH MEANS IT HAD
BEEN INCARNATED AND COME IN FOUR BODIES, being punished
for the first sins IN THE FOURTH REINCARNATION. For the father,
the son, the third and fourth generations, NAMELY THESE FOUR
INCARNATIONS, are one, BEING ONE SOUL that has not done its
correction or cared to attend to it. IT IS THEREFORE PUNISHED FOR
THE SINS IN THE FIRST INCARNATIONS. The reverse is also true. A
tree well established THROUGH INCARNATIONS stands firm, AND
OF IT, IT IS WRITTEN: “But showing mercy…” (Shemot 20:5).
“You shall not take the name of Hashem your Elohim in vain”
We learn that at the time that God created the world He placed a stone with His name engraved upon it into the deep waters. This stone flows up to
receive the oath of those who swear on the Truth; then it returns to the deep waters. If the oath is false, the waters flow up but the stone retreats
without receiving the oath, and the letters on the stone disperse in the deep, until God invites Azriel to engrave the Holy Letters as they were before,
and the world is settled by them.1
“You shall not take the name of Hashem your Elohim in
vain” (Shemot 20:7). This secret has already been interpreted by the
friends. When the Holy One, blessed be He, planted the world, He
planted into the deep waters His Name engraved UPON A STONE.
Since then, when the water desires to rise, INTENDING TO DROWN
THE WORLD, it sees the Holy Name engraved on that stone and
retreats and returns to its place, and the Holy Name remains in the
deep waters to this day.
At the time when men take a true oath, firmly attached to the
Truth, that rock flows up and receives that oath, and then it returns
to its place in the deep waters. And the world is maintained by that
true oath.
When men take a false oath, that rock flows up, intending to
receive that oath, but when it sees that this oath was taken in vain, it
retreats and all the waters flow up. And the letters of that stone soar
inside the deep and disperse. And the waters wish to cover the world
and return it to its former state OF WATER.
Then the Holy One, blessed be He, invites Ye’azriel the Minister,
who is in charge of seventy keys of the secret of the Holy Name. He
then engraves the Holy Letters as they were before, and the world is
settled by them, and the deep waters return to their place. Of that it
is written: “You shall not take the Name of Hashem your Elohim in
vain” (Shemot 20:7).
We learn that the twelfth commandment is to swear by God’s name
truthfully, for he who takes a true oath combines himself with the
supernal seven grades. He who takes a false oath causes Malchut to
be disturbed. Taking a vow is a stricter act than taking an oath, for it
is connected higher.
Ra’aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd)
The twelfth commandment is to swear in His name in a truthful
way. And he who takes an oath combines himself with the supernal
seven grades in which the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He,
WHICH IS MALCHUT, is included. Thus, there are six grades:
CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, and
when man take a true oath, he then includes himself with them by
becoming a seventh, CORRESPONDING TO MALCHUT, so as to
maintain the Holy Name, WHICH IS MALCHUT, in its place.
Therefore, it is written: “And shall swear by His Name” (Devarim
6:13). And he who takes a false oath causes that place, MALCHUT, to
be disturbed in its abode.1
The oath to keep one’s Master’s commandment is a true oath,
and the Evil Inclination denounces him and tempts this man to
transgress his Master’s commandment. Such is an oath with which
his Master praises himself, and it is proper for man to take a true
oath in the Name of his Master, for then the Holy One, blessed be He,
is praised by this oath, as Boaz did, as written: “As Hashem lives, lie
down until the morning” (Rut 3:13). He took an oath, for the Evil
Inclination was, then, denouncing him. He therefore swore to it.
A vow (Heb. neder) is connected higher and is the King’s life,
MEANING THE MOCHIN OF MALCHUT IN BINAH, the secret of 248
limbs and twelve ties, WHICH ARE THE FOUR SFIROT: CHESED
AND GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT. EACH ONE OF THESE
SFIROT INCLUDES THE THREE COLUMNS. Thus, they amount to the
numerical value of “neder” (=254) AS 248 PLUS TWELVE AMOUNTS
TO 254. Therefore, taking a vow is a stricter act than taking a oath.
This King’s Life maintains all the 248 limbs and it is called ‘THE
KING’S LIFE’ for indeed it gives life, and this life descends from
above, FROM THE ENDLESS LIGHT downwards, to the source of life,
WHICH IS BINAH from which it descends TO MALCHUT, to all the
248 limbs.
An oath maintains the lower grade, the secret of the Holy Name,
WHICH IS MALCHUT, called the King Himself, whose supernal spirit
within His body COMES to dwell in it and stay in it as a spirit
dwelling in a body – WHICH MEANS THAT THE MOCHIN ARE
ALREADY PLACED IN THE VESSEL OF MALCHUT, WHICH IS
CALLED ‘BODY’. FOR IT IS HIDDEN ABOVE IN BINAH, AND IS
REVEALED ONLY IN MALCHUT. Therefore, he who takes a true oath
maintains that place and by doing so, the whole world is maintained.
A vow applies to both that which is obligatory and optional. But an
oath is not so, AS IT DOES NOT APPLY TO PRECEPTS. This has
been explained by the friends.
End of Ra’aya Meheimna
“Remember the Shabbat day to keep it holy,” part two
We are reminded that the Sabbath includes the whole Torah, and he who keeps the Sabbath is considered to have kept the entire Torah.
“Remember the Shabbat day, to keep it holy” (Shemot 20:8).
This is the secret of the Holy Covenant, WHICH IS YESOD, for in this
Covenant lie all the sources of the limbs of the body, and it
comprises everything. In the same manner, the Shabbat day
includes all the Torah, all of its secrets originate in it. And he who
keeps the Shabbat is considered as one who keeps the whole Torah.
This section talks about ‘remember’ and ‘keep’, and the three grades

the supernal Sabbath, the Sabbath day, and Sabbath night – that
include all the secrets of the whole Torah: The Law, the Prophets
and the Writings.
Ra’aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd)1

The twenty-fourth commandment is to remember the Shabbat
day, as written: “Remember the Shabbat day, to keep it holy.” We
have explained the secret of Shabbat in many places. It is to be
remembered as the day of the world’s rest, and it includes the whole
Torah, and he who keeps the Shabbat is considered as one who
keeps the whole Torah. We have already learned that a man who
remembers the Shabbat has to sanctify it in all manners of
sanctifications. He who remembers the King has to praise Him, and
he who remembers the Shabbat day, has to sanctify it, as we have
already learned.
“Remember” applies to the Male, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and
“keep” applies to the Female, WHICH IS MALCHUT. The Shabbat day
is the secret of the whole Faith which is suspended from the
supernal head, WHICH IS KETER, to the bottom of all the grades.
Shabbat is everything.
There are three grades and all of them are called Shabbat.
These are the supernal Shabbat, WHICH IS BINAH, Shabbat day,
WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and Shabbat night, WHICH IS MALCHUT. All
of them are called Shabbat, and when the time comes for one of
them to rule, all the others are invited to rule with it. And when it is
manifested in the world, all come to be with it.
When the time of SHABBAT night comes, it invites the Shabbat
day to its palace, and they are both hidden. Once it comes, the
supernal Shabbat is drawn over it, and all of them are concealed in
the palace of the SHABBAT night. Therefore, the meal on SHABBAT
night is as significant as the one during the Shabbat day.
When the time of SHABBAT day comes, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN,
it invites the other two, the supernal and the lower grades – the one
which illuminates, NAMELY BINAH, and the one which is illuminated
from it, NAMELY MALCHUT. All these three grades together are
called ‘Shabbat’ and rule on the day of Shabbat, and they include
and are the secrets of the whole Torah: The Law, the Prophets and
The Writings. And he who keeps the Shabbat keeps the whole Torah.
Two pearls
We read of two pearls, a supernal pearl – Binah – and a lower pearl – Malchut – which are separated by a curtain that is made of the 22 letters that
comprise the whole Torah. There is a long description of the engravings and movement and meaning of all the letters in the Names of God, and of
the twelve tribes, the seventy branches and the ten sayings. The lower pearl is illuminated by and joins to the supernal pearl, and both of them
become one.
There are two pearls and there is a curtain between them. The
supernal pearl is hidden and has no visible color.1
When the supernal pearl is about to be revealed, seven shining
engraved letters come out, piercing through palaces, and illuminate
each one of them. These seven letters are the two names which are
engraved upon the pearl. On the Shabbat day they sparkle and
shine, and they come out through doorways and rule. These are
Aleph-Hei-Yud-Hei and Yud-Hei-Vav. The letters glitter, and by their
glitter they intermingle and shine, the one within the other.
When these letters are combined, they illuminate from within
each other by two colors: white, WHICH IS RIGHT, and red, WHICH IS
LEFT – MEANING THAT THEY DO NOT REALLY BECOME ONE
GRADE, BUT THE ALEPH-HEI-YUD-HEI TURNS TO BE THE RIGHT
SIDE, AND YUD-HEI-VAV TURNS TO BE THE LEFT ONE, AND THEY
ARE BOTH UNITED. Of these two colors, two other names are
formed, until the letters produce seven names, FOR EACH ONE OF
THE LETTERS OF ALEPH-HEI-YUD-HEI AND YUD-HEI- VAV
BECOMES ONE NAME.
HE EXPLAINS HOW THE SEVEN LETTERS BECOME SEVEN
NAMES. HE SAYS THAT the letter Aleph OF THE NAME ALEPH-HEI-
YUD-HEI comes out shining and enters into the letter Vav OF THE
NAME YUD-HEI-VAV. And they illuminate in two colors, WHITE AND
RED, AS MENTIONED ABOVE, and become two Names: one Name is
called Yud Hei Vav Hei and the other one is called ‘Aleph-
Lamed’ (meaning: El), and both of them shine together. The letter Hei
OF THE NAME ALEPH-HEI-YUD-HEI comes out shining and enters
and combines with the letter Hei OF THE NAME YUD-HEI-VAV. And
they illuminate in two colors, WHITE AND RED, and become two
Names. One is called ‘Yud Hei Vav Hei’, in the secret of THE
VOWELING OF Elohim, IN WHICH THE LETTER YUD IS VOWELED
WITH A SEMIVOWEL (CHATAF-SEGOL), AND THE HEI WITH THE
VOWEL CHOLAM, AND THE VAV WITH CHIRIK. And one is called
‘Elohim’, and the letters shine together. Yud OF ALEPH-HEI-YUD-HEI
enters into the Yud OF YUD-HEI-VAV and they both shine,
penetrating each other, imprinted upon and engraved together. And
they lift their head, MEANING THAT THEY ATTAIN THE THREE FIRST
SFIROT, shining and glittering. And eleven branches shoot forth
from each side, THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, AND TOGETHER THEY
ARE TWENTY-TWO BRANCHES, THE SECRET OF THE TWENTY-
TWO LETTERS.
Those two shining letters – THE YUD OF ALEPH-HEI-YUD-HEI
AND THE YUD OF YUD-HEI-VAV – embracing each other are Yud Hei
Vav Hei, Yud Hei Vav Hei, Mem-Tzadik-Pe-Tzadik, Mem-Tzadik-Pe-
Tzadik, in the secret of the thirteen attributes of Mercy. When these
two letters interpenetrate, and embrace each other, and lift their
heads, ATTAINING THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, they shine and glitter
upon all, with eleven branches shooting forth from each side,
ELEVEN FROM THE LEFT AND ELEVEN FROM THE RIGHT. AND
TOGETHER THEY ARE THE 22 LETTERS OF THE TORAH, AS
MENTIONED ABOVE, FOR THE WHOLE TORAH AND WISDOM ARE
REVEALED BY THE 22 LETTERS.
The remaining Hei OF ALEPH-HEI-YUD-HEI is raised by one
Name, Aleph-Dalet-Nun-Yud, to join with them. FROM THEN ON HE
EXPLAINS THAT THIS LETTER DESCENDED FROM THERE TO THE
LOWER PEARL. And all those raised, shining Names issue and rule
on that SHABBAT day. Since they rule, the supernal pearl, THE
FIRST THREE SFIROT OF BINAH, comes out, protruding and shining
without any color.1
When THE PEARL comes out, it unites with AND GIVES PLENTY
TO those Names, ALEPH-HEI-YUD-HEI, AND YUD-HEI-VAV, WHICH
ARE ITS SEVEN LOWER SFIROT. Then, one of the Names, Aleph-
Dalet-Nun-Yud, WHICH IS MALCHUT FROM THE CHEST AND
BELOW, which is the seventh, is crowned and enters the lower pearl,
WHICH IS MALCHUT. Then another Name replaces ALEPH-DALET-
NUN-YUD. This is Yud-Hei, NAMELY CHOCHMAH AND BINAH. Then
the supernal pearl is settled by the name OF YUD-HEI, and it is
adorned by the radiation of the light of this Name.
After THE SUPERNAL PEARL unites with AND IS BESTOWED
WITH PLENTY BY those Names, ALEPH-HEI-YUD-HEI AND YUD-HEI-
VAV, AS MENTIONED ABOVE, seventy branches shoot forth from all
the sides, WHICH ARE ZEIR ANPIN. And all of them join together and
become a Chariot and a Throne to the supernal pearl. And the King,
WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, is crowned on that day and rules, and all
rejoice. Since all rejoice, the King sits on His Throne, which is raised
by seventy branches as we have mentioned – FOR THE SEVENTY
BRANCHES ARE ZEIR ANPIN, WHOSE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET
AND MALCHUT BECOME ITS FOUR LEGS.
Those two letters, NAMELY, THE TWO YUD’S OF THE NAMES
ALEPH-HEI-YUD-HEI AND YUD-HEI-VAV, ascend and descend, and
illuminate, and adorn the 22 letters, being the whole Torah. They
unite with the two first letters OF THE 22 LETTERS, NAMELY THE
TAV AND THE SHIN, IN REVERSE ALPHABETICAL ORDER. And they
ascend THROUGH THEIR LIGHT, the one to the six tribes, and the
other to the other six tribes. These are the twelve tribes of supernal
Yisrael, NAMELY, YISRAEL-SABA, THE SECRET OF THE FOUR
GRADES – CHESED AND GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, EVERY
ONE OF WHICH INCLUDES THE THREE COLUMNS, BRINGING
TOGETHER THE TWELVE.
Those two letters, THE TWO YUD’S IN THE NAMES ALEPH-HEI-
YUD HEI AND YUD-HEI-VAV, ascend and descend and unite with the
two last letters of the 22 letters WHEN ARRANGED IN REVERSE
ORDER OF TAV-SHIN-RESH-KOF, NAMELY, BET AND ALEPH. They
ascend AND ILLUMINATE five grades each, CORRESPONDING
TOGETHER TO TEN SAYINGS. These ten sayings include the 22
letters. The twelve tribes EMERGED BY the two letters TAV AND
SHIN, TOGETHER WITH the ten sayings of the last two letters, BET
AND ALEPH, which are the whole Torah, NAMELY, ZEIR ANPIN
WHICH IS CALLED ‘TORAH’ AND WHICH IS CREATED FROM THOSE
22 LETTERS. The supernal pearl inherits this secret upon a throne of
72, and the 22 letters shine.
When the supernal pearl sits upon the throne of the 72 and the
22 letters illuminate, then the lower pearl, which is in the darkness,
observes the illumination OF THE 22 LETTERS through the letters
imprinted upon it – which are called Aleph-Dalet-Nun-Yud. Then that
light ascends and shines and receives all those 22 supernal letters,
and the lower pearl draws them. And then it shines in 72 directions.1
Since that LOWER pearl shines and derives all those letters
from it, the supernal pearl is then attracted to them, and pearl
cleaves to pearl. THE LOWER PEARL, WHICH IS MALCHUT, CLINGS
TO THE SUPERNAL PEARL, WHICH IS BINAH. AND BOTH OF THEM
become one. This is the secret of a certain praise which we already
expounded upon, THE SONG OF PRAISE ‘EL ADON’, WHICH IS SAID
ON SHABBAT DAY.
The 22 letters which shine on both sides, TO THE RIGHT SIDE
AND TO THE LEFT, are the curtain between THE SUPERNAL pearl
and THE LOWER pearl. And they become the secret of the Holy
Name of Mem-Bet (42) letters, and this is the secret of the Holy Name
of Ayin-Bet (72) letters of the supernal Chariot. And both THE NAME
OF MEM-BET AND THE NAME OF AYIN-BET are called ‘Shabbat’,
and this is the secret of Shabbat.
End of Ra’aya Meheimna
We read of the meaning of “remember,” that is Zeir Anpin, above
which there is no forgetfulness. We are reminded to remember the
Sabbath day.
“Remember” is the secret of the Male, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN,
which receives all the limbs, NAMELY, THE WHOLE MOCHIN of the
supernal world, NAMELY BINAH. “The (Heb. ‘et’) Shabbat day”
includes Shabbat eve, which is night, NAMELY, MALCHUT WHICH IS
CALLED ‘NIGHT’. The word “Et” expresses it, FOR MALCHUT IS
CALLED “ET.” It is necessary “to keep it holy,” for it must receive
Holiness from the Holy Nation and be crowned by them, as is proper.
“Remember” comes from a place wherein there is no
forgetfulness, for there is no forgetfulness in the place of the
supernal Covenant, WHICH IS YESOD, and all the more so above IN
ZEIR ANPIN. Below, IN MALCHUT, there is forgetfulness, for this is
the place wherein men should be reminded, as it is written: “May the
iniquity of his fathers be remembered” (Tehilim 109:14).
There is no forgetfulness before the Holy Throne, that is, she
who stands in front of the Holy Throne, NAMELY, BINAH. And who
stands before the Throne? “Remember,” NAMELY, ZEIR ANPIN, FOR
ZEIR ANPIN STANDS BEFORE BINAH AND RECEIVES FROM HER.
OF ZEIR ANPIN IT IS SAID: “THERE IS NO FORGETFULNESS
BEFORE THE THRONE OF YOUR HONOR.” Above ZEIR ANPIN
THERE IS NO FORGETFULNESS, for there lies the whole secret of
the Male, wherein the secret of the Holy Name, Yud-Hei-Vav, is
engraved. Below, NAMELY, IN MALCHUT, men should be sanctified
by fulfilling the commandment “remember” (the Shabbat day),
WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN from which MALCHUT derives all her
blessings and Holiness. Then Shabbat eve, NAMELY, MALCHUT, is
crowned, as it should be, by the prayers of the Holy Nation and by
joyful preparations.
You might say that “remember,” NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, does not
need to be sanctified BY YISRAEL, for all THE BLESSINGS AND
Holiness in the world come from it. This is not so, for ZEIR ANPIN
should be sanctified on the SHABBAT day AND MALCHUT on the
SHABBAT night, and only then Yisrael are sanctified by the Holiness
of the Holy One, blessed be He.
“Honor your father and your mother”1
We are told to honor the Holy One, blessed be He, who is our father, and Malchut, who is our mother, by studying the Torah and observing the
commandments. A man is created from two drops of seed – one from his father and one from his mother, and the parents have an obligation to teach
their children to learn Torah and good deeds. There are three partners in creating a man: the father and mother, who gave him his body, and God,
who gave him his soul. A man must honor all three of them. He must also perform correct actions with all of his heart and desire, with the correct
intentions.
“Honor your father and your mother” (Shemot 20:12). HONOR
THEM with respect, and gladden them with good deeds, as it is
written: “The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice” (Mishlei
23:24), for this is the way one should honor his father and mother.
Ra’aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd)
“Honor your father and your mother.” Honor THE HOLY ONE,
BLESSED BE HE, WHICH IS CALLED “YOUR FATHER,” AND
MALCHUT WHICH IS CALLED “YOUR MOTHER,” by a clean fringed
garment, MEANING, A NICE PRAYING SHAWL (HEB. TALIT) WHICH
IS CALLED ‘AN ARTICLE FOR FULFILLING A COMMANDMENT’.
“Honor Hashem with your substance” (Mishlei 2:8), meaning, by
studying the Torah and fulfilling the commandments, as it is written:
“Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand are riches
and honor” (Mishlei 3:15). A man is considered poor when he does
not study the Torah or fulfill the commandments. It is known, since it
has been explained by the sages of the Mishnah, that poverty is the
lack of the Torah and the precepts, which are a man’s wealth.
Therefore, “Honor Hashem with your substance,” and do not
study the Torah in order to magnify yourself. As the students of the
Torah said: Do not make them into a wreath, wherewith to magnify
yourself. And do not say: I will study the Torah so I will be called
“Rabbi,” but rather, “O magnify Hashem with me” (Tehilim 34:4).
“Honor Hashem with your substance,” as a child must honor his
father and mother.
A man is created from two drops of seed. From his father’s
sperm the bones of the body and the whiteness of the eyes ARE
CREATED, and from his mother’s the blackness of the eyes, the skin
and the flesh ARE CREATED. And both of them raise the child to
learn the Torah and good deeds.
A man should teach his son Torah, as it is written: “And you
shall teach them diligently to your children” (Devarim 6:7), otherwise
he is as if he makes him idols. Therefore, it is written: “You shall not
make for yourself any carved idol” (Shemot 20:4). The ignorant son
is destined to be an unruly child who treats his father and mother
with contempt and robs them of many blessings. For since he is
ignorant, he is suspected to transgress in everything, even idolatry,
incest and bloodshed. For when the ignorant goes where he is not
known and does not know how to say a benediction, he is believed
to be an idol worshipper.
End of Ra’aya Meheimna1
“Honor your father” MEANS the same as “Honor Hashem with
your substance.” “…your substance…” means your money. And
“your substance” means your grace, MEANING, with a joyful tune,
for then the heart is gladdened as when any melody is sounded. The
son’s good deeds gladden the hearts of his father and mother. Thus,
“with your substance,” means with your money, for anything
necessary.
As a man honors the Holy One, blessed be He, so should he
HONOR his father and mother, for they are in partnership over him
with the Holy One, blessed be He. FOR THERE ARE THREE
PARTNERS IN CREATING MAN: THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE,
THE FATHER, AND MOTHER. HIS FATHER AND MOTHER GIVE HIM
THE BODY, AND THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, GIVES HIM THE
SOUL. As a man should have great fear of the Holy One, blessed be
He, so should he respect his father and mother, and honor them by
all the means he has.
“…that your days may be long…” (Shemot 20:12); For there are
days above – NAMELY, THE SEVEN SFIROT: CHESED, GVURAH,
TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT – on which a
man’s life in this world depends. We have explained that these are
man’s days in that world above, THE SEVEN SFIROT, which are
placed before the Holy One, blessed be He. And by them man’s life is
known.
“…in the land which Hashem your Elohim gives you…” (Ibid.);
this is a promise given to enjoy the shining mirror. “…in the land…”
is the mirror which shines upon the supernal days – CHESED,
GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT OF
ZEIR ANPIN – and which shines from the fount of everything, WHICH
IS BINAH.
HE ASKS: What is the difference between the two
commandments of the Torah, of which it is written: “that your days
may be long,” this one and the other which refers to driving away the
mother-bird from the nest? HE ANSWERS: Both of the
commandments refer to the world above. Aba and Ima are the secret
of “remember” and “keep” in one, BEING ZEIR ANPIN AND
MALCHUT. Therefore, it is written: “that your days may be long.” In
regards to letting the mother-bird go from the nest, it is written: “but
you shall surely let the mother go, and take the young to you; that it
may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days” (Devarim
22:7). This is the secret of the supernal world, WHICH IS BINAH
BEING CALLED ‘MOTHER’, MEANING that no permission is given to
look at her, and one should steer away from asking any questions or
looking at her.
“…and take the young to you…” HERE, “THE YOUNG” ARE ZEIR
ANPIN AND MALCHUT, as it is written: “For ask now of the days that
are past, which were before you since the day that Elohim created
man upon the earth and from the one side of heaven to the
other” (Devarim 4:32) – MEANING THAT ONE CAN ASK A QUESTION
OF AND LOOK AT HEAVEN, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN CALLED
‘HEAVEN’, WHICH CAN BE INVESTIGATED AND OBSERVED. But
above the heaven, ZEIR ANPIN, you not should let your thoughts
investigate.1
Therefore, it is written: “that it may be well with you and that
you may prolong your days.” It says, “that it may be well with you,”
in the third person. It is not written: ‘that your days may be long’, but
rather, “that you may prolong your days.” “…it may be well with
you…” refers to the place from which goodness issues for everyone,
and this is the hidden and unrevealed world, BINAH. “…that you may
prolong your days…” meaning, BY YOUR OWN STRENGTH, as it is
written: “and take the young to you,” for one is capable OF
CLINGING TO THE CHILDREN, WHICH ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND
MALCHUT. FOR THROUGH THEM ONE HAS A LENGTH OF DAYS.
If one has the opportunity to perform A PRECEPT and he does
so attentively, then he is considered as a righteous man. And even if
this is not his intention, he is still considered righteous because he
fulfills the commandment of his Master – FOR PERFORMING A
PRECEPT DOES NOT REQUIRE AN INTENTION. Yet he who does not
understand the reason is not considered as he who directs his will
for the sake of doing it and meditates upon it, with the wish to
behold the glory of his Master. This is because an intentional deed
depends upon the wish. Such a deed below arouses a
corresponding act above, WHICH IS MALCHUT, CALLED ‘AN ACT’,
and is properly rectified.
As in a physical action, an act of the soul is also manifested
through that intention, for the Holy One, blessed be He, desires the
heart and intention of man. If a person does not fulfill the
commandment with his heart, which is the most essential quality, of
this prayed David: “and establish the work of our hands upon us; O
prosper it, the work of our hands” (Tehilim 90:17), for not everyone
has the capability to be mindful and to direct his heart, to correct
everything, and perform a precept. He therefore said this prayer,
“and establish the work of our hands upon us.”
HE ASKS FOR THE MEANING OF: “and establish the work of
our hands upon us,” AND HE ANSWERS THAT “establish” MEANS
accomplish your establishment properly above. “..upon us…”
although we know only how to act, but not how to direct the right
intentions of the heart. “O prosper it, the work of our hands”. HE
ASKS: Prosper whom? AND ANSWERS: The grade that needs
establishing, NAMELY MALCHUT. It must prosper so that it can be
united with the fathers – WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND
TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN – and in whom it will be properly
established, through this deed.
“You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery”
This section tells us that in specific instances killing may be prohibited or permitted, in order to kill those who transgress the law. Intercourse may
be prohibited or allowed for correct reasons like procreation. The text goes on to tell how the tonal pause in each commandment allows for the
possibility of prohibition or permission under certain circumstances. However, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” is always
forbidden. “You shall not covet” is always forbidden except for the desire of the Torah. In truth, the Ten Commandments contain the essence of all
celestial and terrestrial commandments, and through their engraving on the tablets of stone they were revealed to all the children of Yisrael. At that
time the bodies of the children of Yisrael became lucent, with no impurity, and their souls were bright as they beheld the glory of their Master. The
Holy One, blessed be He, was made known both above and below, and He was exalted over all.1
“You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall
not steal” (Shemot 20:13-15). UNDER the word “shall not (Heb. lo)” in
all three commandments, there is a tonal pause, for in the absence
of this interruptive mark, harmony would be unattainable in the
world. It would be forbidden to kill even one who transgresses the
law. However, the presence of the pause TEACHES that in specific
instances, killing may be prohibited or permitted.
“You shall not commit adultery”: in the absence of this tonal
pause, it would be prohibited to engage in the commandments of
procreation or to enjoy marital intercourse. The inclusion of the
trope INDICTATES the possibility of prohibition or permission. “You
shall not steal”: in the absence of the interruptive mark, it would be
forbidden to deceive one’s Torah teacher or a Torah scholar in order
to gaze upon him. Furthermore, it would be prohibited for a judge to
trick a swindling claimant or two disputants in order to clarify the
truth. However, once again the punctuation INDICTATES that it is
permitted or prohibited.
“You shall not bear false witness against your
neighbor” (Shemot 20:13). Here there is no tonal pause, indicating
that this is always forbidden. The Holy One, blessed be He, has
placed supernal mysteries in all the words of Torah and instructed
mankind how to strive towards perfection through it, as it is written:
“I am Hashem your Elohim who teaches you for your profit, who
leads you by the way that you should go” (Yeshayah 48:17).
Also in the commandment: “You shall not covet” (Ibid. 17), the
tonal pause is absent. If you say that even desiring Torah is
forbidden, due to the absence of the punctuation, come and behold:
the previous prohibitions were stated in a general manner. However,
specific details were stated in regards to this prohibition, as it is
written: “Your neighbor’s house, his field, or his
manservant…” (Devarim 5:18). The prohibition extends ONLY
towards material possessions, thus excluding the Torah, which is
forever desirable. It is delight and eternal life in this world and the
World to Come.
The Ten Commandments of the Torah contain the essence of all
celestial and terrestrial commandments, the essence of the ten
sayings of Creation. They were engraved on tablets of stone and all
the hidden things in them were seen by everybody’s eyes, so as to
conceive and behold the secret of the 613 commandments of the
Torah. Everything was revealed to their eyes, through
understanding, to the attentive hearts of all of Yisrael. Everything
shone before their eyes.1
At that hour, all the mysteries of the Torah were revealed. No
mystery of heaven and earth was held back from them, for they saw
the splendor of the glory of their Master; that which has never
occurred since the creation of the world: the revelation of the glory
of the Holy One, blessed be He, upon Mount Sinai.
You might say that we learned that upon the crossing of the Red
Sea, even a maid-servant saw more than the prophet Ezekiel – THAT
IT RESEMBLED the day when Yisrael stood upon Mount Sinai. This
is not so. For on this day all the dross was removed from them, and
their bodies became as lucent as the angels above when they are
clothed in radiant garments for the accomplishments of their
Master’s mission.
They penetrated fire without fear wearing those radiant
garments, as we have read concerning the angel who appeared to
Manoach, who entered a flame and ascended to heaven, as it is
written: “The angel of Hashem ascended in the flame of the
altar” (Shoftim 13:20). When all the impurity was removed from
Yisrael, their bodies became lucent, without any impurity
whatsoever, and the souls within the bodies were as bright as the
splendor of the sky, ready to receive light.
Such was the state of Yisrael when they beheld the glory of their
Master. It was not thus at the Red Sea, when the filth had not yet
been removed from them. There, at Mount Sinai, when impurity was
removed from their bodies, even the embryos in their mother’s
wombs could observe their Master’s glory, and everyone received
according to his worth.
On that day the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoiced more than on
any previous day since He had created the world, for the world had
no proper existence before Yisrael received the Torah, as it is
written: “If my Covenant be not day and night, it is as if I had not
made the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Yirmeyah 33:25).
Once Yisrael received the Torah on Mount Sinai, the world was
completely sweetened and heaven and earth received a proper
foundation. And the Holy One, blessed be He, was made known both
above and below, and He was exalted in His glory over all.
Concerning that day it is written: “Hashem reigns, He is clothed with
majesty, Hashem is robed, he has girded Himself with
strength” (Tehilim 92:1), and “strength” is the Torah, as it is written:
“Hashem gives strength to His people, Hashem blesses His people
with peace” (Tehilim 29:11).