Kabbalah Library
Zohar for All, Volume 7
Be Joyful with Jerusalem
21) “Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her.” How favored is the Torah by the Creator because wherever words of Torah are heard, the Creator and all His armies listen to His words. And the Creator comes to dwell with him, as it is written, “In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned.” Moreover, those who hate Him fall before him.
22) The Mitzvot of the Torah are sublime, superior. A man comes and performs a Mitzva. That Mitzva stands before the Creator and crowns before Him and says, “So and so made me,” and “I am from so and so,” since he awakened it above. This is so because as he evoked the Mitzva below, it is awakened above and makes peace above and below. This causes Zivug between ZA and Malchut, who are called “above” and “below.”
23) “Be joyful with Jerusalem,” since there is joy only when Israel are in the holy land, where a woman connects with her husband, ZA and Malchut. Then it is the joy of everyone, a joy above and below. And when Israel are not in the holy land, one is forbidden to rejoice and to display joy, as it is written, “Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her.” Rejoice for her, when Israel are in her.
24) When Jerusalem rejoices, man should rejoice, and not during the exile. “Be joyful with Jerusalem,” as it is written, “Serve the Lord with gladness.” Jerusalem, meaning Divinity, should be served and delighted.
25) One verse says, “Serve the Lord with gladness,” and one verse says, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” When Israel are in the holy land, they serve before the Lord with gladness. When Israel are in another land, they should serve with fear and rejoice with trembling. “Serve the Lord with fear” is the assembly of Israel, Malchut, when she is in exile among the nations.
26) “For you shall go out with joy.” This is the assembly of Israel. As long as she is in exile and lies in the dust, she is not called “joy,” until the Creator comes to her and raises her from the dust, and says, “Shake thyself from the dust; arise,” shine and they will bond together. Then she is called “joy,” the joy of everyone. And then, “For you shall go out with joy.” Then several armies will go out to welcome the mistress for the joy of the King’s meal.
