Kabbalah Library

106) “And the Lord will guide you always, and satisfy your soul in droughts, and give strength to your bones. And you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.” With this verse, the owners of faith were strengthened, for it secures them in the next world.

It said, “And the Lord will guide you.” Why should he add “always”? This implies to the “always” of the twilight, when he receives his strength from under the arm of Isaac, opposite the midday prayer that Isaac established, which is the illumination of the left. This is a share for the next world, the Nukva that receives the part of Hochma from YESHSUT, called “next world.”

How do we know that “And the Lord will guide you always” means illumination of the left? From David, as it is written, “He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” “He guides me” is the illumination of the left, since it is written, “In cycles of righteousness,” which is the name of the Nukva when she shines from the left.

107) “And satisfy thy soul in droughts” is the shining Menorah [lampstand], ZA, illumination of the right, Hassadim, which all the souls enjoy looking and delighting within it.

If the soul of the righteous is satiated, as it is written, “and satisfy your soul in droughts,” what is “and give strength to your bones”? Is it speaking of the bones of the body? Rather, it is the revival of the dead, for the Creator is destined to revive the dead and to correct man’s bones so they are as in the beginning and in a whole body. Then there will be another light from within the shining mirror for the soul, so it will shine along with the body for complete sustenance as it should be. Thus, now too, he speaks of the soul of the righteous, so the Creator will give it a complete Guf to clothe in for eternity.

108) “A watered garden” is one whose upper waters, the abundance of Bina, never cease from it, for all eternity. This garden, Malchut, drinks from them and is always satiated by them. And as the outlet of the river, it is that river that stretches out of Eden, whose waters never stop.

When the Nukva nourishes only from the left side—before the middle line is extended for her, the screen of Hirik that unites the right and the left in one another—the illumination of Hochma blocks her, since she has no Hassadim. At that time, she is called “a pit,” as it is written, “And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.”

After the middle line is drawn to her, namely the level of Hassadim that emerges on the screen of the point of Hirik, and unites the two lines, right and left with one another, and the Hochma in her left clothes in the Hassadim in her right and both shine in full within her, she is then called “a well.” This is so because the screen of Hirik on which the level of Hassadim emerges is therefore considered the outlet of the water. It is implied in the letter Aleph in Be’er [well], in a way that the Nukva herself, being only the left, is an empty pit. But when the screen of Hirik is extended in her, which is the Aleph—the outlet of the water in her—she is called “a well of living water.” This is because water is Hassadim, life is Hochma, the light of Haya [life] that is clothed in Hassadim.

In the beginning, the screen of Hirik appears from the unsweetened Malchut, called “a lock.” Subsequently, the screen rises and is sweetened in Bina, and the screen is corrected by the discernment of Bina, which is then called “a key.”

109) A well of living water means that the upper one, Bina, is inside faith, in Malchut. At that time, she is a pit in which there is an outlet for the water, and she is a pit that is filled by that outlet of water. They are two degrees as one—male and female.

When the upper one, Bina, is inside Malchut, called faith, the screen of Hirik, called outlet of water that is extended to Malchut, is established in her on the level of Bina, as a key. Then, after the screen is sweetened by Bina, it becomes in her the outlet of the water, eliciting the level of Hassadim in her, called “water.” And then the well, Malchut, is filled with all her lights by that outlet of water, both by the light of Hochma and by the light of Hassadim.

But as long as the screen is not sweetened in Bina, it is unfit to fill the Malchut with all the lights, since the screen of the lock, the first restriction, rides atop it and is unsuitable for light of Hochma. This is because after the screen of Hirik, the outlet of the water in the pit, has been corrected by Bina, they are both considered one—the pit and the outlet of the water in it. This is because they are both the key, and they are male and female because the screen of Hirik is the giving male, and the pit is the female that receives and is filled by it.

This explains the difference and the relation between the watered garden and the outlet of the water, whose waters never dry out. The watered garden is Malchut herself, the pit that is filled by the outlet of the water. The outlet of the water is the river that stretches out of Eden, the screen of Hirik that has already been established into being the Yesod of Bina, which is called “a river that stretches out of Eden,” discerned as a key. And it is written, “Whose waters never dry out.”

But before it is completely corrected in the key, its waters could dry out. This is because when the lock is revealed on it, the lights promptly depart, as in, “If he is not rewarded, he is bad.”

110) The outlet of the water and the pit are one, and together they are called “a well.” The outlet of the water is implied in the Aleph and the Malchut is the Bor [pit], and together: Be’er [“well,” a combination of the Aleph and the Bor]. This is because that source enters the Malchut and never leaves her. And anyone who looks in that pit, Malchut, looks at the sublime faith, Bina, since Malchut has been corrected with the key.

This is the sign of the work of the patriarchs, who exerted in digging the well of water within the upper one, which is Bina, as in, the key. And we should not separate the source, the outlet of the water, from the pit itself, for they are all one.

111) Then it is written, “And he called the name of it Rehoboth.” And for this reason, its springs spread to all sides, to the right and to the left, which are Hochma and Hassadim, as it is written, “Let thy springs be dispersed abroad, and courses of water in the streets.”

Why did Isaac call the well “Rehoboth,” which is the name of Bina, while the well is the middle line that is extended on the screen of Hirik, which is screen of ZON that was already separated from Bina? The three wells that Isaac dug are extensions of three lines from the three points Holam, Shuruk, Hirik, to Yesod of Nukva, called “well,” which are three sowings, called three diggings.

In the Holam, the GAR disappear and the letters ELEH fall into ZON, and from ZON to BYA. This is the digging of the first well, and this is why he called its name “Esek,” “because they contended with him,” since the Sitra Achra grips to a place of lack.

From here the right line is extended, Hassadim, the digging of the second well, the second sowing, the point of Shuruk. Even though the light of Hochma has returned and was completed, it still does not shine because it is devoid of Hassadim, as it is written, “And they strove for that also,” since in that one, too, the Sitra Achra gripped. Hence, he called its name Sitnah [intense hatred]. From here the left line is extended, Hochma without Hassadim.

And the digging of the third well is the third sowing, Hirik, is the screen of ZON and not from Bina. It has the strength to subdue the two lines—right and left of Bina, and the Hochma and Hassadim clothe in one another, and their illumination is completed from all sides.

It is written, “He moved away from there,” meaning he moved from Bina and came to the degree of ZON, the place of the screen of the point of Hirik. And then it is written, “And dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it” because the middle line is extended on that screen, uniting the two lines in one another and complementing both. This is why the Sitra Achra was separated and they could no longer slander him. Hence, “And he called the name of it Rehoboth.”

And since “he moved away from there,” meaning he moved from the two lines, which are from Bina, and came to the degree of ZON, why did he call them by the name of Bina, meaning Rehoboth?

It is because the outlet of the water is the screen of Hirik, on which the middle line is extended. And as long as this screen is as a lock, it is considered the outlet of the water because the first restriction rides it and it cannot receive Hochma. Only after it is established by the letters ELEH of Bina, called “a river that stretches out of Eden,” and it is called “a key,” it is corrected in the middle line and is extended to the Nukva, to unite the two lines in her, the right and left within her, and to complement the lights in her from all sides.

If the source—the outlet of the water in her—is from the lock there will be separation between it and the pit, since the Nukva is called “pit” only when she sucks Hochma without Hassadim from the left line. And then she is necessarily corrected by the vessels of Bina, which are a key. Without them, she would not be able to receive light of the left of Bina.

Hence, if the outlet of the water in her is from a lock, which is unsuitable for Hochma, it will blemish her pit and will no longer be fit for reception of GAR. Thus, the outlet of the water must first be established as the key, like the pit, and then they are two degrees, male and female, as one, and the outlet of the water complements her so Hochma and Hassadim will shine in her together.

And since the third well is considered screen of Hirik, middle line, the outlet of the water in Nukva, he therefore called its name Rehoboth, sweetening it and extending the key to it, which is extended from Yesod of Bina, called Rehoboth. “And he called the name of it Rehoboth,” to draw in her the sweetened outlet of the water from the river that stretches out of Eden, called Rehoboth, since then the outlet of the water became suitable for uniting right and left in one another.

And the Sitra Achra will not slander any longer, “And they did not quarrel over it.” But had he not called it Rehoboth, meaning had he not drawn the key to her and the lock were still present, it would not have been suitable for uniting the two lines in her. Moreover, there would be separation between the source and the pit, and the Sitra Achra would have slandered against him even more than with the first two wells.

112) “Wisdoms sing outside, she utters her voice in the streets.” Why does it say “wisdoms,” in plural tense, and not “wisdom”? He says that they are the upper Hochma, Hochma of AA, and the small Hochma, bottom Hochma, Nukva, included and present in the upper one. It is written about these two Hochmot [wisdoms], “wisdoms.”

113) The upper Hochma of AA is more concealed than all that is concealed, and it is unknown. It is unrevealed. When it expanded in order to shine, she illuminated in the next world, YESHSUT, excluding the upper AVI, which are called “in the future,” for Hochma of AA does not expand to shine in them since they are pure air.

And how did the Hochma of AA expand to shine in YESHSUT? The next world was created from AA in the letter Yod, and this Hochma was covered there. When the holy Atik, AA, wished to appear before the worlds, he raised the Malchut under the concealed Hochma of the Rosh of AA, and Bina and TM went outside the Rosh of AA and became VAK without Rosh. The next world, Bina, YESHSUT, was created from AA, departed the Rosh of AA, and became VAK without a Rosh. This is why it was said that the next world was created from AA in the letter Yod of the name HaVaYaH, which indicates AA and AVI. YESHSUT went outside AA and AVI, which are Rosh, and the letter Yod, and became VAK without Rosh. And the Hochma, which is Rosh, was covered and concealed from YESHSUT.

And they became one with the Rosh of AA when everything was crowned in the next world, when the Hochma of AA returned and crowned the next world, which is YESHSUT, with the crown of GAR. At that time, she shines with joy, and it is all in a whisper, never sounding on the outside.

The upper Hochma of AA expanded to shine in YESHSUT in the next world. Through diminution and expansion due to Malchut’s ascent to Rosh of AA, Bina went outside the Rosh of AA and the GAR diminished, since she remained only in the two letters MI of Elokim, and her letters ELEH departed her and fell to ZON.

Afterwards, she re-expanded when she obtained GAR through a new light from the coupling of AB SAG, which returns and brings the Malchut down from Rosh of AA, elevating the letters ELEH back to Bina. Also, Bina returned to the Rosh of AA, and the Hochma of AA spread in her once more.

When everything is crowned in the next world, when they obtain GAR, called “a crown,” the Bina returned and became one with Rosh of AA. This means that the letters ELEH of Bina returned to the Bina, and Bina returned to Rosh of AA. At that time, she shines in joy, meaning specifically the GAR in her and not the ZAT in her, since when Bina returns to Rosh of AA, she receives there Hochma without Hassadim because the Rosh of AA is all Hochma. Hence, only the GAR of YESHSUT, which do not need Hassadim, can shine.

But the ZAT, whose structure is mainly light of Hassadim, cannot receive Hochma without Hassadim and remain concealed, as was said, everything is in whisper, which is never heard outside, in the world. The speech is without a sound, since sound is the light of Hassadim, and speech is the light of Hochma. And when Hochma is without Hassadim, it is considered speech without sound.

114) He wished to expand further, to shine also to the ZAT, which need the clothing of Hochma in Hassadim. And fire, water, and wind came out of YESHSUT, which became one voice that came out and was heard. Henceforth, he became external to YESHSUT, a Guf, VAK. This is so because inside means in whisper, soundless, never having been heard. But now that the secret has been heard, it is called “outside.” From here on, man must mend his deeds and ask, pray, and raise MAN to draw Hochma, which comes from the words, “asking about the rains.”

For ZAT of Bina to shine in illumination of Hochma, as well, ZA rises to Bina as MAN in the screen of Hirik that is attached to it, which is the screen of phase one, which diminishes the left line from GAR of GAR. Then it surrenders to the right line and they are included in one another, and Hochma clothes in Hassadim. Then she, too, shines in ZAT of Bina, and the three lines—Hochma, Bina, Daat—emerge there. And since ZA caused the elicitation of the three lines HBD in Bina, he, too, is rewarded with those three lines, which are called “water,” “fire,” and “wind” in him.

When he wished to also expand and shine Hochma in ZAT, ZA rose to MAN in the screen of Hirik in him and caused the elicitation of the three lines HBD in Bina, and Hochma shone in the ZAT in her, as well. As a result, three lines emerged in ZA—water, fire, and wind—and these three lines became one Partzuf, which is ZA, called “sound.” It emerged and sounded outside, meaning departed being GAR, internality, into the discernment of VAK, called “externality,” since the screen of Hirik turns it into VAK, which is externality. Thus, it is considered that it went outside.

And then it is heard, meaning bestows illumination of Hochma. But while it is in internality—before ZA determines with the screen of Hirik in him, which is considered outside—he is in a whisper, speech without sound, Hochma without Hassadim. This is why he was not heard, for now bestowal appeared from him.

“Wisdoms sing outside.” There are two wisdoms, the upper Hochma [wisdom] and the lower Hochma, which shine together. “Sing outside,” through the ascent of ZA to MAN, which is outside. Then they are imparted upon and are heard.

And what was said, that when everything is crowned in the next world, at that time, she shines with joy, and everything is in a whisper, never heard outside. Although ZA rose and elicited three lines, HBD, ZA is considered externality because every screen cannot diminish above its own place. This is why it is considered that ZA became the middle line in Bina, regarded as an inner voice that was not heard because his screen does not diminish anything there. And it was not heard because the place of disclosure of Hochma is only in the coupling of ZON, in voice and speech, and not above them.

115) “She utters her voice‎ in the streets.” This is the firmament, where all the stars shine, the Yesod of Bina upon which all the Mochin of ZON and the souls, called “stars,” depend. It is a fountain whose waters never dry out, as it is written, “And a river stretches out of Eden to water the garden.” And there she utters her voice, the upper one is Bina and the lower one is Malchut.

“She utters her voice in the streets.” Nukva of ZA utters her voice, which is the screen, in the streets, in Yesod of Bina. And her own voice is not heard means that the Nukva will utter her voice in Yesod of Bina, where Bina and Nukva became one. This settles why he called the third well Rehoboth, although he was detached, outside of Bina. It is because Isaac corrected the screen of Hirik that was sweetened in the form of Rehoboth.

It turns out that when it is written, “He moved away from there,” it is as it is written, “Wisdoms sing outside,” which were removed from the inside out. “And he named it Rehoboth” is as it is written, “She utters her voice in the streets,” since the voice of the Nukva becomes one with the voice of Bina, called Rehoboth.

116) “Sing outside” means that Hochma appears only after it is moved from within outwardly, through the screen of Hirik in ZA. This is so because from ZA, which is called “outside,” the work, which is the Nukva, is going to be corrected. And this thing is questioned, meaning raising MAN to reveal the illumination of Hochma, as it is written, “For ask now of the days past.” Thus, only in ZA, called “heaven,” is there a question, as it is written, “And from the one end of heaven unto the other.”

117) “And make it fit for yourself in the field, and afterwards build your home.” The Nukva is called a “field which the Lord has blessed,” extending illumination of Hochma to the Nukva. And after he knows the Hochma and corrects himself in it, it is written, “Build your home.” The home is man’s soul, to correct it in his body and become a whole person.

Hence, when Isaac dug and made the well in peace, when he sweetened it in Bina so the shells would have no grip on it, it is the reason why they did not fight over it. It is that peace which he called Rehoboth—the sweetening of Bina. Thus, everything was established properly. Happy are the righteous, for their deeds before the Creator exist forever, to build and to sustain the Nukva, which is called “a world.”