Kabbalah Library

321. It is written in Zechariah, “And he showed me Joshua the high priest.” What did he see? It is written, “And Joshua was clothed in filthy clothes and stood before the angel.” He stood before the angel dressed in filthy clothes until the herald came out and said, “Take the filthy clothes off of him.” Here it is written that he stood before the angel, before the angel who was making his sentence, the one of whom it is written, “And do not say before the angel that it is a mistake.” He is Malchut, meaning that any person who was not rewarded with cloaking a cloak of commandment in this world, and to dress in a garment of a commandment, in a Tzitzit [four-fringed garment], when he enters that world, he stands in filthy clothes, which should not be so, and stands in it in judgment.

322. Several garments occur in that world. That person who was not rewarded with garments of a commandment in this world, with a Talit [prayer shawl] and a Tzitzit, when he enters that world, he is clothed in a different garment known to the master of Hell. That garment, woe unto he who wears it, since several interrogators of judgment are destined to hold him and put him in Hell. And King Solomon shouted and said, “Let your garments be always white.”

323. Four kings, HGTM of ZA, emerge and are emanated before four: HB, the right of Daat, the left of Daat. Hesed is from Hochma, Gevura is from Bina, Tifferet is from the right of Daat, and Malchut is from the left of Daat.

The HGTM are hanging on HBD like grapes in a cluster. That is, they are drawn and suckle from them, each from its corresponding phase. Seven runners are incorporated in HGTM, meaning that in the four Sefirot HGTM, there are seven Sefirot HGT NHYM. They make a testimony, reveal illumination of Hochma, called “testimony.”

They do not stand still when they make the testimony. When they reveal illumination of Hochma, they do not stand still, in ZA, but in the place of Malchut, for Hochma is revealed only in Malchut.

Four kings, HGTM of ZA, imply the fringes. And the four edges where the fringes are hanging imply four Mochin, HB, the right of Daat, and the left of Daat. The HGTM, which are four fringes, are hanging in them like grapes in a cluster.

The seven wrappings we make in each fringe imply the seven Sefirot incorporated in HGTM. Although these four kings HGTM are in ZA, and the Tzitzit is in Malchut and not in ZA, because HGTM of ZA do not shine in illumination of Hochma in their own place, in ZA, but in the place of Malchut, therefore, they are implied in the place of Malchut, which is a Tzitzit. The flanks of the garments, the fringes, and the wrappings are all Malchut, since they have no revelation in the place of ZA.

324. It is a commandment to remember all the commandments of the Torah because of the Tzitzit, as it is written, “And it shall be a tassel [Tzitzit] for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them.” It is the sign of the king to remember and to do.

325. You shall also make a plate of gold,” a plate by which to decorate a high priest. A Tzitz [plate] means seeing, from the word Hetzitz [peeped], for the eyes to look at it. It is a sign of the upper world, ZA, with which the High Priest is decorated, and where there is bestowal of illumination of Hochma, called “looking of the eyes.”

326. Because of it, the looking of the plate atones for audacity, since none can stand against him but a face of truth. The matter of all those high Panim [faces/anterior], which is illumination of Hochma clothed in Hassadim, called Panim, which is a face of truth, a face of truth incorporated in the truth of Jacob, ZA, as it is written, “Give truth to Jacob.”

327. Tzitzit is female, the lower world, Malchut, looking in order to remember, as it is written, “And you shall see it and remember.” Tzitz is male, ZA. Tzitzit is female, Malchut; Tzitzit is for every person; Tzitz is only for a priest.

328. It is forbidden to look at the Shechina [Divinity]. This is why there is azure in the Tzitzit, since azure is a throne for the house of David, Malchut, and his correction. It is in order to fear the Creator, fear that place. This is why it is written, “And you shall see it and remember all the commandments of the Lord.” Azure is a throne in which fates of souls are determined. All the colors are good for a dream except azure, which is a throne that ascends with fates of souls.

Azure is incorporation with the black color, which is the force of the screen of the point of the lock, Malchut of the first restriction that is not sweetened in Bina. Since there is this incorporation in the azure, it is a throne in which fates of souls are determined, meaning that it guards the Malchut so as not to draw Hochma from her from above downward. One who draws Hochma from above downward, she awakens against him and takes his soul.

It is forbidden to look at the Shechina. Hochma is called “looking of the eyes, and it is forbidden to draw it from above downward. This is why there is azure in the Tzitzit, since azure is a throne from the house of David. A throne of judgment to Malchut, called the “house of David,” and azure is the correction of Malchut, to guard her so that Hochma is not drawn from her from above downward.

Since the Tzitzit is illumination of Hochma, azure for keeping must be placed on her, so it will be drawn only from below upward, as it is written, “And you shall see it and remember all the commandments of the Lord.” For fear of the azure, you will remember to observe all the commandments of the Creator properly.

329. “And to put an azure thread in the tassels [Tzitzit] of the corners.” Putting on the Tzitzit because this is what covers the rest of the threads. A Tzitzit implies illumination of Hochma. Hence, all they need is covering and guarding from the azure thread. This is why it is written that they put on the Tzitzit.

330. “And you shall see it and remember,” as it is written, “Remember what Amalek did to you.” It is like a son who broke in through a fence and a dog bit him. Every time his father wants to reprimand him, he says, “Do you remember when the dog bit you?” Here, too, “And you shall see it and remember,” since the azure is the place from which the souls ascend to be sentenced. Hence, it is similar to the verse, “Remember what Amalek did to you.”

331. Similarly, it is written, “and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” When he raises it before his eyes and sees the shape of the one that bit him, he is afraid and prays to the Creator, and he knows that it is a punishment to the wicked. As long as the son sees his father’s strap, he fears his father. When he is saved from the strap, he is saved from everything. What caused him to be saved? That he saw the strap with his eyes.

It follows that that strap caused him to be saved. For this reason, “He shall see it and live.” He saw the strap that struck him and it causes him to be saved. Here, too, “and you shall see it and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and you shall do them.” And if not, then the strap, the azure, will make you return to My work, always, and then, “and you shall do them.”

332. “That you may not follow your hearts.” Seeing the azure will spare you other bad ways, and you will certainly not seek and not do harm. This is why there is a sight of azure on the Tzitzit. This azure is similar to the throne. As the throne makes a person follow the straight path to purify him, this azure makes a person follow the straight path. Certainly, each person should fear this place, to walk in the straight path.

333. “From the ends of the earth we have heard songs: ‘Glory to the righteous!’ But I said, ‘I am ruined, ruined! Woe to me! The traitors have betrayed, and a traitor’s garment is their garment.’” “We have heard songs” are all those threads that come out and hang down from a high place inside those high trails that emerge from upper Hochma. The threads are HGTM of ZA that come out from the upper HBD.

“Glory to the righteous” is the righteous who lives forever, Yesod of ZA. They are the threads of the Tzitzit, HGTM of ZA; they are its beauty, since from it, they come out and give to Malchut, and each thread consists of two sides, Hassadim and Hochma, right and left.

When I look, I say, “I am ruined, ruined!” since from the upper secret of all the faith, they come out, and they are the totality of all the lights of Malchut, who is called “faith.” When I look at the azure and I see a strap to spank, which is the place of fear, in order to fear, I say “Woe to me,” for people do not know to observe and to look at why they are punished with lying, by this, “the traitors have betrayed,” since they read the Shema reading without a Tzitzit and make a false testimony. These are the traitors who have betrayed, who lie about themselves.

334. “A traitor’s garment is their garment.” The clothing without a Tzitzit is called a “traitor’s garment,” the clothing of those who betray, who have betrayed, who lie and make false testimony each day. Woe to them, woe to their souls, since they rise to the azure throne to judge them. It is written about them, “One who speaks lies shall not be established before Me.” Their garment is known to all the accusers; woe to them, for they have no part in the next world. Happy are the righteous, whose garments and corrections are known above, to do good to them in this world and in the next world.

335. The commandment of Tzitzit consists of azure and white, four white threads and one azure thread, which are judgment and mercy in fire. White fire does not consume; azure one consumes and destroys everything, as it is written, “and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices.” White fire is from the right, and azure fire is from the left. The middle pillar, the middle line, which unites right and left, is the unification of the two of them, and it is green fire. This is why we learn, “When do we read the Shema at dawn? When it is possible to recognize between azure and white,” recognize judgment from Hesed, for then he will adhere to the Hesed, which is the Shema reading. This is why they compiled the portion Tzitzit, to read it specifically.

336. The Creator has made many witnesses to testify about people, and they all stand in counsel and in testimony before Him. In the morning, He rises and stretches out His leg to walk, and the witnesses stand before Him and declare and say, “He will preserve the feet of His followers.” “Keep your feet as you walk; straighten the circle of your feet; opens his eyes to look in the world,” the witnesses say, “Your eyes look straight ahead.” “He rises to speak,” the witnesses say, “Keep your tongue from evil.” He stretches out His hands to matters of the world,” the witnesses say, “Turn away from bad and do good.”

337. If he listens to them, good. If not, Satan stands by his right to slander him, and everyone testifies his iniquities above. But if a person wants to engage in the work of the Creator, all the witnesses become supporters, and are poised to give a good testimony about him when he needs it.

338. He rises in the morning, says a few blessings, and wears Tefillin on his head between his eyes. He wants to raise his head, sees the upper holy name gripped and inscribed on his head, and straps are hanging over his heart from this side and from that side. Thus, he is looking at the glory of his master. He stretches out his hands and sees the other hand connecting in a connection of the holy name. He brings back his hands and looks at the glory of his master.

He wraps himself with a wrapping of a commandment, with a cover with four fringes, and four angels come out before the four, four witnesses of truth of the king, which are four tassels hanging from the four edges and hanging in them like a cluster of grapes.

339. As a cluster of grapes is one, and several grapes are hanging from it on this side and on that side, so the Tzitzit is one commandment, and several grapes and leaves and branches are hanging from it, several degrees. Severn runners are tied to it, seven covers of azure that must be wrapped in each one, or to multiply up to thirteen wrappings. One who adds to them should not add more than thirteen, and one who takes away should not take away more than seven.

340. Azure is King David, Malchut, Abraham’s thread, the screen of the right line at the dot of Holam, where it is sweetened in Bina, with which Abraham was rewarded with his sons after him. Azure is the end of everything since its correction is the completion of all the worlds. It is called “the throne,” Malchut [kingship].

341. Seven wrappings that are tied on the Tzitzit are the Shechina, which is the seventh of everything, since she is blessed by the six other Sefirot HGT NHY through the righteous, Yesod. For this reason, she contains all seven. If we make thirteen wrappings, they are like the thirteen qualities of mercy, and Malchut is the door to all of them, and therefore contains thirteen.

342. Azure is one thread, and is inscribed in its colors. Its color comes from one fish that walks in the Kineret [Sea of Galilea]. It is called Kineret after Malchut, and because a Kinor [violin/harp] was hanging above David’s bed. A Kinor is Malchut; it is David’s Kinor which plays by itself to the upper holy king, ZA. This is why the colors of the azure rise up to the firmament, ZA, and soar up to the throne, Bina.

343. A commandment is written here, “And you shall remember all the commandments of the Lord,” because Malchut is called a “commandment,” as it is written, “for it is the commandment of the king,” implying Malchut. It is written, “Why are you transgressing the king’s commandment?” and all those verses imply Malchut, who is called “the king’s commandment.”

Yesod, the final Sefira of ZA, and the root, Keter, the root of everything, crown together in Malchut. Malchut is the memory and the door to all the other Sefirot, as it is written, “Open for me the gates of justice.” Malchut is called “justice.” Afterwards, it is written, “This is the gate to the Lord,” as she is the gate to all the Sefirot.

This is why it is written, “And you shall see it and remember all the commandments of the Lord.” The verse comes to include all the other Sefirot in Malchut, for in Malchut, called “commandment,” all the other Sefirot that are included in her are called “commandments.”

The Sefirot of ZA make a testimony, meaning reveal illumination of Hochma, called “testimony.” They do not stand in their place in ZA because she is commandments, since the Tzitzit is Malchut, called “commandment,” and the Sefirot of ZA that are incorporated in her are called “commandments.” Hence, they are not in their place, in ZA, but in Malchut.

344. Tools for commandments of Malchut are thrown away. But the Lulav [palm branch] implies Yesod of ZA, and the Aravot [branches of a willow tree] imply NH of ZA, and are therefore not tools for commandments but rather for holiness, in ZA, so why are they thrown away? However, tools of holiness, since they are inscribed with the writing of the holy name. But the Lulav and the Aravot, although they imply ZA, they are nevertheless as tools of commandment, and are thrown away.

345. The threads of the Tzitzit are to show how they are hanging from here and from here to the four directions of the world from this place. Malchut controls all of them in the heart, as she is the heart of all of this world, and the heart of the upper ones from the three worlds BYA. She is hanging in the upper heart, ZA, and everything is in the heart [Lamed-Bet, 32] that comes out from the upper Hochma. That is, a heart implies the thirty-two paths of Hochma that shine in it. The measure and the length of the Tzitzit is clarified in engraved letters.

346. The Creator said, “One who wants to follow the fear of Me shall follow this heart, Malchut, and the eyes that stand on her.” The eyes are as it is written, “The eyes of the Lord are to the righteous,” the eyes of ZA. But you “may not follow your hearts and your eyes,” since you are as harlots after them.

347. What is the reason that the exodus from Egypt is mentioned here, as it is written, “Who took you out from the land of Egypt”? When they went out from Egypt, they entered Malchut. In Malchut, the Creator killed the slain of Egypt. This is why the exodus from Egypt is mentioned in His place, and in His place, he warned them by what is written, “I am the Lord who took you out.” In His place, since the commandment of the Tzitzit is the place of Malchut.

348. It is written, “As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show them wonders.” What is “As in the days”? It should have said, “As in the day,” since they went at once and did not stall. However, as the upper days, HGT NHY of ZA, by which the assembly of Israel was blessed. Similarly, the Creator is destined to bring Israel out from the exile through days of ZA. Then, it is written, “And you shall say in that day, “Thank the Lord, call out His name; make known His deeds among the nations,” mention that His name is sublime, “Sing to the Lord, for He has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth.”

“Let this be known,” since now it is known, Malchut, wrapped with a Talit [prayer shawl] of commandment, a Tzitzit. At that time, it will be known in several ways of hers that the Creator will do signs and miracles in the world. Then it is written, “In that day, the Lord will be one, and His name, One.”