Kabbalah Library

131) “And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore he named the place Succoth.” When the Creator, who is ZA, wished to create the world, to build Partzuf Nukva, called “world,” he took a knot, which is the screen, out of the hard spark.

In other words, ZA rose for MAN to Ima, and a level of Hassadim came out there on his screen of Hirik. This level is the middle line that connects the two lines—right and left of Bina—to one another. This is why it is called “a knot,” and was set alight from within the dark, as it was included in the left line, which is darkness, and its illumination is considered setting alight, as in “creator of the light of the fire.”

This illumination, which is illumination of Hochma, remains in ascent, as it shines from below upwards. His own illumination, which is Hassadim, descends, as it shines from above downwards. This is because when the middle line connects the two lines—right and left—to one another in a way that both shine, it keeps the illumination of the left so it will shine from below upwards, and the illumination of the right from above downwards.

After The Zohar explains the manner of emergence of the connection—the middle line—and how he properly corrected both illuminations, he now explains how the left line, the darkness, is itself included of all three lines, and emanates them to the Nukva. That darkness, the left line, is blazing and shines in 100 trails, in ways finer than fine, and in ways that are great, and they become the house of the world, from which the Nukva, called “home,” is built.

Yesodot [plural for Yesod, foundation] of AVI are called “trails,” and Yesodot of YESHSUT are called “ways.” It is known that the right line is AVI, which shine in pure air—covered Hassadim—and the left line is YESHSUT, which shine in illumination of Hochma—the Yod that departed the Avir [air], and Ohr [light] remained. This is why it calls the incorporation of the left in the right line, “100 trails,” since he receives from Yesodot AVI, called “trails.” And the number, 100, is from YESHSUT, which are counted as hundreds.¹

The illumination of Hochma on the left is extended from Yesodot of YESHSUT, called “ways.” They are divided into two discernments: 1. Before it is incorporated in the middle line, it is called “small ways,” since then they are blocked and frozen. 2. After it is included in the middle line, it is called “great ways,” since then it shines abundantly.

Small ways are from the left line itself, the great are from the middle line, and after the dark, which is the left, is included in all three lines, the Nukva, called “the house of the world,” is built out of it.

132) That house is in the middle of everything, in the middle line of all the trails and ways. In those that are considered great ways, the Nukva has several doors and around the high, Holy places where the birds of the sky, the angels of above, nest each kind separately. Within it, a huge and great tree emerges, whose branches and fruits are many, and which nourishes all. That tree rises up to the clouds in the sky and is covered between three mountains. Underneath these three mountains, it comes out, ascends, and rises upward, and descends downward.

The NHY of Nukva are called “doors,” and her HGT are called “rooms.” They receive from the three lines, which are included of the left of Ima, originally called “three places.” The doors and the rooms receive from the three places of Ima, which are the high, Holy places.

After it explains the construction of the Nukva, The Zohar clarifies the order of ZA’s imparting to the Nukva. He says, “Within him emerges one big and huge tree,” which is ZA, which imparts its branches and many fruits into the house and feeds all. It contains both the bestowal of Hassadim and bestowal of Hochma, and each receives its own discernment from it.

That tree rises up to the clouds of the sky, to the illumination of Hassadim, called “clouds,” and is covered between three mountains, as mountains are but fathers, HGT, in which the Hassadim are covered so as to not receive illumination of Hochma.

And it emerges from under these three mountains, at the NHY below HGT—rises up and climbs down. Below HGT, the Hassadim come out and appear in illumination of Hochma, through the middle line that preserves the right and the left. The middle line emerges from the cover of HGT and preserves the illumination of right and left, so that the illumination of the left rises, shining from below upward, and the illumination of the right descends, shining from above downward.

133) This house, Nukva, receives two kinds of illuminations from ZA: 1) When she is watered by it with illumination of Hochma, called “drinking.” 2) When ZA conceals many sublime, uncharted treasures within the house, meaning illumination of Hassadim from AVI, called “hidden” and “unknown.” By that, the house is built and improved.

That tree, ZA, appears during the day and covers at night. And that house, the Nukva, governs at night and is covered during the day.

Also, at night, which is the illumination of the left, darkness, since the Hochma is without Hassadim and cannot shine, there is emergence of the middle line, the incorporation of left in right, as well as the coupling of ZON. It is all as it is during the day. The only difference is in the governance, because all three lines shine at night, too, and ZA is in coupling with Nukva as during the day. However, Nukva has control, and ZA and the right line are subordinate to her and are seemingly covered, to make room for her dominion, as it is written that at that time, the Creator enters the Garden of Eden—the Nukva—to play with the illumination of Hochma in her. Hence, the illumination of Hassadim is not apparent and she is darkness and not light.

It is to the contrary during the day. At that time, the Nukva is subordinate to ZA, the illumination of the Nukva is covered, ZA governs, and only the illumination of Hassadim—the quality of ZA—is apparent. But there is no difference between day and night in the order of the building and the order of the coupling.

134) When darkness comes and the Nukva connects to it, she governs and shines in Hochma, which is her governance. And since she lacks Hassadim, all her openings are blocked from all sides, for all the lights freeze within her and there is no vent in her, through which any light can appear.

These three lines on the left are the three shifts of the night—three times four hours.

The first shift is trails, the quality of judgment of the unsweetened Malchut—the incorporation of the right line in it.

The second shift is the four middle hours of the night. Those are considered ways—the sweetened Malchut. But the first two hours until midnight are small ways, which are illumination of the left line with respect to itself, before it is included with a middle line, and the point of midnight is the coming of the middle line and its inclusion in the left. At that time it receives what is discerned as great lights. This discernment continues the whole night and is ascribed primarily to the third shift, but its manifestation time is midnight.

The hour when darkness comes is in the beginning of the night, the first shift. At that time, it is called “trails,” and the Nukva becomes tied to it. Afterwards, in the beginning of the second shift, once the Nukva has been tied to the darkness, which is the left line of Ima and her control, she is regarded as being in small ways, since this discernment precedes the appearance of the middle line. Hence, all her openings are closed from all sides, meaning not only do the openings of the Hassadim not shine, but even the openings of Hochma do not shine in her, since Hochma cannot shine without clothing of Hassadim. This lasts two hours, until the point of midnight.

Then, in those two hours, many spirits of the righteous blossom in the air and crave to know, to receive Hochma and to permeate the Nukva. And they enter among those birds and take testimony there; they receive Mochin of Eden, Hochma, and roam and see what they see. Seeing is Mochin of Hochma.

Although at that time, the vents in the Nukva are blocked from all sides so no light is seen from her. Yet, the time of reception of light of Hochma is precisely then. This is why The Zohar accurately says that all her openings are closed, that she is filled with light, but the openings are closed. Afterwards, when the middle line awakens in her and opens the vents, they will receive the illumination of Hochma from her, which was blocked within her at that time.

This is so because afterwards she diminishes from GAR to VAK because of the middle line and her illumination is far lower than during that time, when she was still not included in the middle line. This is why it is said that many spirits of the righteous fly in the air and crave to know, to receive Hochma [wisdom]. They crave to permeate the Nukva precisely when she is in small ways and blocked openings, since only then is the Hochma in her complete.

They enter among those birds and take testimony there, coming among the discernments of birds in the Nukva and receive Mochin of Eden, of Hochma. Birds refer to the discernment of Nefesh of Nukva, the Shechina from the side of the throne, which is a Neshama [soul], is called “eagle.” And from the side of the boy, which is Ruach [spirit], she is called “dove”; and from the side of the wheel, which is Nefesh, she is a “bird.” But even at that time, the spirits of the righteous cannot receive from her, from the discernment of Ruach in the Nukva, but only from the discernment of Nefesh in her. This is why it was said that they come among those birds and take testimony there, and not above the discernment of birds.

135) The blocking of the vents continues until that darkness—the left line of Ima that the Nukva was tied to—awakens and produces one flame. This means that the darkness in the Nukva awakened ZA to rise for MAN to Ima, in the screen of Hirik in it, which is considered a flame. And there the middle line comes out on it, which strikes with all the strong hammers, the shells, and opens the blocked vents and breaks the rocks.

There are two actions here: 1. The action extended from the actual flame, the screen of Hirik that diminishes the ten Sefirot of the left line from GAR to VAK. It is said about her, “and breaks rocks,” since the Sefirot of the left line are akin to hard rocks due to the multitude of judgments in them. The screen breaks them, and removes the GAR in them from the left line, leaving in it only the ZAT in them. 2. The action extended from the level of Hassadim that emerges on that screen, which opens the vents, since now the Hochma clothes these Hassadim and shines in utter perfection. This is considered that all the gates that were blocked have now been opened to shine abundantly.

These two actions unfold in the middle of the second shift, which is the midnight point.

That flame, which is the screen of Hirik, rises and falls. It rises to Ima through ZA and then descends from there to ZA himself.

And he strikes and bestows in the world, and through her, through a coupling by striking, he elicits the level of Hassadim in Nukva, too, which is called “world,” and voices awaken above and below. Voices are the level of Hassadim that emerge on the screen of Hirik—above in Bina and below in Nukva.

136) At that time, an announcer rises and connects to the Avir [air] and calls out. That air comes out of the pillar of cloud of the internal altar, and when it leaves, it spreads through the four winds of the world. Thousands are in it on the left side; tens of thousands are in it on the right side, and then the announcer proclaims its existence, and reads aloud and calls. At that time, many are those who correct singing and do work. And there are two open vents in her—one to the south, for illumination of Hassadim, and one to the north, for illumination of Hochma.

Illumination of Hochma before its completion is called “announcer,” since after it is complete with clothing of Hassadim in a daytime coupling, she is called “speech,” which reveals the illumination of Hochma in the Mochin. But at night, she is called “announcer” because she is still not completed to be named “speech,” for as it is written, “The words of the wise are heard in pleasantness,” and the announcer is heard by raising a loud voice, which points to the judgments that are mingled in it. However, both announcer and speech are heard only when clothed in Hassadim, called “voice.”

At midnight, an announcer rises, the illumination of Hochma, and connects to the Avir [air], which dresses in Hassadim. At that time, it is possible to call him and declare. But before he is clothed in Hassadim, he has no voice and he cannot announce.

There are two kinds of Hassadim: 1. Those that are extended from the upper AVI, which are GAR, even though they are covered from Hochma. These are called “pure air.” 2. Those that are extended from YESHSUT. These lack GAR and are therefore simply called “air.” These are not pure because of the absence of Hochma is felt in them.

Therefore, as long as there is no illumination of Hochma in ZON, the Hassadim are considered as drawing from YESHSUT, lacking GAR. However, after there is illumination of Hochma in ZON, the Hassadim are considered to be drawing GAR and pure air from the upper AVI.

That air is the light of Hassadim that the announcer is clothed in. He emerges from the pillar of cloud of the inner altar. The upper Ima is called the “inner altar.” The light of Hassadim is called the “pillar of cloud.” The Hassadim that the announcer clothed in, the illumination of Hochma, are extended from upper Aba and Ima, called the “inner altar,” which are pure air. This means that there is already illumination of Hochma here, in the announcer himself, for then the Hassadim are extended in the form of pure air from AVI. When he comes out, he expands to the four directions of the world in HB TM in the Nukva.

And the ten Sefirot of YESHSUT, from which the left line emerges in illumination of Hochma after the Yod departs their Avir [air] and Ohr [light] remains, is considered thousands. And the ten Sefirot of upper AVI, from which the Hassadim are extended, are considered tens of thousands. It is said, “A thousand thousands are in it on the left side, since in this phase it is extended from YESHSUT, whose ten Sefirot are one thousand. And tens of thousands are in it on the right side, since the phase of Hassadim on the right is extended from the upper AVI, whose ten Sefirot are ten thousand. Then the announcer persists, since he incorporates the Hassadim of AVI, and calls out loud and declares that after the announcer is incorporated in Hassadim, called “voice,” he can call aloud and declare.

137) Once the Nukva is built for her own needs from the three lines that are included in the left, she rises to ZA for a coupling to receive for others. And this house, the Nukva, rises and permits connection between the two sides—right and left—of ZA. And they sing songs and praises rise from the lower ones who raise MAN for the coupling of ZON.

At that time, ZA enters whispering, since the Nukva has no voice, as she is Hassadim. And although she has already received Hassadim for her own construction, she is still considered left without right—to bestow upon others. This is why the coupling in whisper and at night, without light, since then ZA bestows light of Hassadim upon her, which is “voice.” And the house, which is Nukva, is inflamed in the six lights of Hassadim, HGT NHY. These shine splendor to all sides, which are Hassadim mixed with Hochma.

And rivers of perfume, which is illumination of Hochma, emerge from her, mingled with Hassadim, for all the animals to drink, as it is written, “will water all you beasts of the field.” And they sing until the morning comes. And when the light of day rises, the stars and fortunes and the heaven and their host all praise and sing, as it is written, “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.”

This is so because the illumination of the coupling from the night, although there is Hassadim in it, the dominion is still for the illumination of Hochma. This is why at that time, only the animals of the field receive, since they are extended from the posterior of the Nukva, and this is why they sing. But those that are extended from the anterior of Nukva receive from her only in the morning. At that time, all the degrees in BYA sing, both those that are extended from the anterior, and those that are extended from the posterior, as it is written, “and all the sons of God shouted for joy,” because they all sing.

138) It is written, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labored in it in vain.” “Unless the Lord” is the Upper King, ZA, who always builds, in a never ending coupling. “The house” is the Nukva, and He corrects it. He bestows upon her from the never ending coupling, when the intentions of the work properly rise from below. When the lower ones raise MAN for this coupling, ZON rise to AVI, and like them, are in a never ending coupling.

139) “Unless the Lord guards the city, the guardsman guards in vain.” When the night is dark and armed discernments of the Sitra Achra wander in the world and the openings are closed, HaVaYaH, the middle line, raises MAN from the screen of Hirik, and draws a middle line. Then and the openings open, and by this it is kept from all sides that no uncircumcised and impure will approach the holy, as it is written, “henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the impure,” for the Creator will remove them from the world.

There are two actions in the middle line, until it unites the two lines—right and left—with one another: 1) it draws the level of Hassadim on the screen; 2) it diminishes the GAR of the left line, when the left does not surrender until it comes and connects with the right only by these two actions.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labored in it in vain.” This is the first action because HaVaYaH is ZA. Had he not drawn plentiful Hassadim through the middle line to build the Nukva, called “house,” the left line would not have surrendered to unite with the right, and “they labor in vain who build it.”

“Unless the Lord guards the city” refers to the second action, which is the diminution of GAR of the left line. By diminishing the GAR of the left line, they remove the grip of the Sitra Achra from the left line in the Nukva, and the city, Nukva, is kept from the uncircumcised and the unclean by ZA raising the screen of Hirik and diminishing the GAR of the left line. This is so because then they have nothing on which to nourish from her left and they part her, as it is written, “Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.”

140) Who is uncircumcised and who is impure? The uncircumcised and unclean are all one. It is what Adam and his woman were tempted by and followed and caused death to the whole world—the primordial serpent. This is what defiles that house, the Nukva, until such time as the Creator removes him from the world, which is Nukva. For this reason, “Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.”

141) “And Jacob journeyed to Succoth,” to Bina, meaning raised MAN from the screen of Hirik, to receive the share of the faith, the Nukva. It is written, “So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir, and Jacob journeyed to Succoth.” This was because each separated to his own side: Esau to the side of Seir, which is a strange woman, a foreign god, and Jacob went to Succoth, which is the upper faith, Bina, meaning he raised MAN from the screen of Hirik to Bina in order to draw the middle line from there so as to build the Nukva.

142) “…and built him a house,” the house of Jacob, the Nukva. He corrected the evening prayer, the Nukva, as it should be, meaning drew for her Hassadim from upper AVI. “…and made booths for his cattle,” different Succoth, so as to keep them.

The two actions are clarified in the text. 1. The abundance of Hassadim is clarified in the verse “…and built him a house,” whose correction and construction are done by drawing Hassadim, as it is written, “Unless the Lord builds the house.” 2. The diminution of GAR from the left line in order to keep it from the uncircumcised and the impure, as it is written, “…and made booths for his cattle.” This is so because a Succah [tabernacle] comes from the word Masach [screen], that he drew the screen of Hirik to diminish the GAR of the left line, as it is written, “Unless the Lord guards the city.” This is why it is written, “and made booths [Succoth] for his livestock,” other Succoth, to guard them from the uncircumcised and the impure.

143) And Jacob came whole. He was complete with everything—with Hochma and with Hassadim. And it is written, “In Salem [in Hebrew it is pronounced Shallem, which means “whole”] also is set His tabernacle,” and it is all one—attainment of wholeness through the middle line, both for ZA, called “Jacob,” and for his Succah, which is the Nukva. This is so because then, when he is whole, faith, the Nukva, connects with him. And when he crowns in his worthy place, in the middle line, the Succah crowns with him, as well, and it is written about her, as well, “In Salem also is set His tabernacle.”

This was so because he was complete with his fathers, complete with his children, and this is considered being whole, when he is complete above and complete below, complete in heaven, and complete on earth. Complete above is ZA, as it includes the patriarchs, which is Tifferet Israel [the glory of Israel], which includes Abraham and Isaac, Hesed and Gevura. Complete below, in the Nukva, in his holy sons, which are the twelve tribes, being the chariot of the Nukva. It turns out that he is complete in heaven, which is ZA. This is why it is written about him, “And Jacob came whole.” And complete on earth is the Nukva, when it is written about her, “In Salem also is set His tabernacle.”

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1. Nukva is considered units, ZA—tens, YESHSUT—hundreds, AVI—thousands, and AA—tens of thousands.↩