Kabbalah Library

20. “A firstborn bull—he has majesty, and his horns are the horns of an oryx.” “A firstborn bull is Joseph. “Majesty” is Jacob, as it is written, “These are the generations of Jacob Joseph.” Jacob is called “majesty,” as it is written, “and Hadar [majesty] reigned in his place.” “His horns are the horns of an oryx” are Abraham and Isaac. With them, they gore nations together. Together, when all the patriarchs are together, there is no one to rise before them, and at that time, Israel raise their head, as it is written, “When you take the census of the people of Israel.”

21. When Israel came out of Egypt, they came out with the help of the patriarchs and raised their head, as it is written, “And the children of Israel going out with a high hand.” A “high hand” is Abraham, the right hand of ZA, Hesed. It is called “high” because it must be lifted above the left hand, Gevura, since we must ordain the Hesed over the judgment.

22. Like Abraham, for whom the Creator avenged at night against the angels who took his brothers captive, as it is written, “And he divided his forces against them by night,” so Israel went out with a high hand, which is Abraham, and gripped his help. They kept his hand, meaning the oath he swore to Elimelech, and therefore, in order to keep the high hand, meaning the oath, it is written, “God did not lead them by way of the land of the philistines.”

23. They counted seven weeks, HGT NHYM, from below upward, from Malchut to Hesed, in order to rise to the place of Abraham, Hesed, and receive freedom from upper Ima, Bina, who is after Hesed. This is so because once they completed the Hesed, they ascended to Bina on Shavuot. When they were completed, the Torah came down, and its opening is in Abraham, Hesed, for as it is written, “I am the Lord your God,” corresponding to Abraham, and “You will not have other gods,” corresponding to Isaac.