Kabbalah Library

80. “I will see Him, but not now; I will behold Him, but not near; a star shall come out of Jacob; a scepter shall rise out of Israel.” “I will see him” concerns the matter of this redemption, which is the fourth exile. “And not now,” but in the latter days.

81. There were six days in the world in the work of creation. On the fourth day, I saw that the lights were departing and waning in it. The sun and the moon, and the stars and the signs were concealed in it, for it is written about it, “Let there be lights” without a Vav [in Hebrew]. These were on the fourth day since the work of creation. Also, the lights departed from it during the day, which is the fourth millennium in which the Temple was ruined.

82. Rabbi Shimon wept and said, “Woe that the exile is continuing; who can tolerate it?” He said to him, “Oh Rabbi, Oh Rabbi, if you knew what alarm and confusion the Creator made in all the firmaments when He decreed and gave Israel into the hands of that handmaid, to be enslaved under the hands of Edom.

83. At the time when they wrote the verdict in heaven, before it was signed by the ring of the king’s seal, the Creator called all the armies of heaven, and called Gabriel, who has the inkwell at his waist, and said to him, “Delay the verdicts before they are signed, and I will weep over My children, and I will make for them a lamentation and mourning. I adjure‎ you, all the armies of heaven, to leave Me; do not rush to console Me, as it is written, ‘Turn away from me, let me weep bitterly! Do not try to console me over the destruction of the daughter of my people.’”

84. He kicked kicks in the firmament that is called Aravot, and made splits and open windows in it, and He said, “My children, My guts’ beloved ones, I have raised you and carried you like a father carries His son. I have taught you the fear of Me; I have ordained you over all the nations of the world. You have sinned against Me many sins, which I forgave you; I pardoned you because you were My precious, beloved children.

85. “My children, My children, I call on the four directions of the world and adjure‎ them regarding you. ‘East, east, I adjure‎ you, if My children scatter within you, look at their appearance and form, how they have changed and became black from the torments that are done to them within you. Cry and lament them, and guard them.’

86. “My children, My children, when you were in My house, in the bosom of your mother in gentleness and pleasures, you did not consider Me. My children, My children, what shall I do to you? I have made a decree by oath to exile you, but you and I will be exiled.

87. “Moses, how did you not watch over My children, the holy flock that I have placed in your hands? East, east, wake up to Moses and cry and lament over My children, sound a mourning and lamentation together until I hear and ache along with you.

88. “My children, My children, My soul’s beloved ones, how you walk in strong chains, your hands tied behind you. Children who were raised with gentleness; children who are more precious than gold and sapphires.

“My children, My children, holy Hassidim [pious/people with the quality of Hesed], how you fell into the hands of foreigners who have no mercy whatsoever. The holy flesh in your bodies, how was it thrown and desecrated in the markets and the streets. My children, My children, woe on you and on Me.” Then He tore His royal garment, as it is written, “He has fulfilled His word.”

89. “South, South, I adjure‎ you, when My children are scattered in you, look at them, how their form has been blackened, and their right hand is broken among the nations. South, south, I adjure‎ you to awaken Abraham, who loves Me, and tell him how his children have fallen and been scattered among their enemies, and cry and lament them. South, south, I adjure you to guard My children, My soul’s beloved ones, when they are scattered within you.

90. “North, north, wake up with a voice of weeping and lamentation, and mourning and grief over My children, and tell the one who is tied on My altar, Isaac, how his children are walking in exile, and how they are falling by the sword. Do not say this and do not alert Jacob their father about this, so that the world will not be overturned in an instant.

91. “West, west, awaken to the groaning of the slain and the strong wars of My children; awaken to My loved one, My dove, My perfect one, the Shechina, how her children are walking in exile and how they are scattered to many directions.

92. “My sister, My daughter, My wife, My shepherd, My soul’s beloved one, the Shechina, what has become of our children? What shall they do? But My love, My sister, I am telling you, if it is your wish, then you are quadrupled, incorporating four Sefirot HB TM, and your wings are spread to the four directions of the world. I adjure you, My only daughter, to walk with them and not leave them, and cover them in the four directions of the world. If you do not do so, they will perish from the world.”

93. At that time, the assembly of Israel, the Shechina, heard this and raised a voice, and 18,000 worlds were shaken, and the Creator with her. Then, it is written, “A voice is heard in Ramah, wailing, bitter weeping, Rachel mourning her children.” Then the Creator, “On that day the Lord God of Hosts called for weeping and wailing.”

94. Who saw the panic in all the firmaments. Who saw the confusion and the lamentation there, until all the armies of heaven thought that all the worlds would overturn.

95. The Creator said to the assembly of Israel, “My daughter, My only one, go cover them and dwell with our children.” She said to Him, “Lord of the world, I will not go. After You raised them and corrected them and made them great, I will be seeing that their enemies are eating them, and You will forget us there.”

Then the Creator swore to her to raise her and redeem Israel, and bring them out from the exile, as it is written, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tear, for there is reward to your work, declares the Lord, and they will return from the land of the enemy, and there is hope for your end, declares the Lord, and the children shall return to their territory.’”

96. When she heard this, she departed from Him to go into exile. When she departed from him, the Creator opened on all the armies of heaven and said, “How the gold has grown dim,” and all of that lamentation of the alphabet. The Creator alone said to her. Afterwards, when Rachel left into exile, namely Malchut from the Chazeh and below, He tied love to that other one, to Malchut from the Chazeh and above, Leah, and they signed the verdict.

97. Now let us return to the story of Balaam, since the exile is continuing. “I will see him, but not now.” It is written, “I will see him” about the one of whom it is written, “She refused to be comforted regarding her children for they are gone.” He said, “I will see him” when he comes to visit the doe, the Shechina, to bring her out of exile. “But not now,” and not in the near future. “I will behold him, but not near,” meaning I look at him but not now, but to the remote future.