Kabbalah Library

101. Therefore, it is not when I am written that I am called in this world. It is written HaVaYaH, and it is pronounced ADNI. Why is it written, “I the Lord do not change”? In writing, it does not change, but in reading, it changes so because writing indicates that He, in His place, does not change; and in reading, in Malchut, which is called “speech,” outside His place, it does change, and He is called ADNI.

It is written, “Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.” Because His servant, her name is ADNI, as the name of the queen, and the Creator changed in Matat, since he is a boy [youth], it is written about Him, “will return to the days of his youth.”

102. But the Shechina does not change in the Creator, and the Creator does not change in her, as it is written, “I the Lord do not change.” “I” is the Shechina; HaVaYaH is the middle pillar, ZA.

A man taking off his shoe is Sandalfon, who is a sandal with the Creator and a shoe with the Shechina. But Tifferet, which comprises six Sefirot, is a body to the name HaVaYaH, and Malchut is a body to the Shechina, who is ADNI.

The first correction of Atzilut was in the ascent of Malchut to Bina, for were it not for that, ZON and BYA would be suitable for receiving the upper light. That correction begins in the Se’arot of SAG, where Malchut of the Se’arot ascended to Bina of the Se’arot, and the ten Sefirot of the Se’arot were divided into two degrees—KHB above the Malchut became the Se’arot of the Rosh, and Bina and TM of Se’arot went outside the Rosh and became the Se’arot of Dikna [beard]. Malchut that ascended to Bina of the Se’arot and divided the Se’arot into two degrees is called the sidelock of the Rosh, the Sium [end] of the Se’arot of the Rosh.

At the time of Gadlut, the sidelock of the Rosh returns and descends to her place under the Se’arot Dikna, and then Bina and TM of the Se’arot, which are the Dikna, ascend and become the Se’arot Rosh once more, and receive there the thirteen qualities of Rachamim [mercy].

You find that the sidelock makes the Katnut, since it takes Bina and TM of the Se’arot outside the Rosh, and it also makes the Gadlut of the Mochin, which is the thirteen qualities of Rachamim, by descending from Bina of the Se’arot and returning to Malchut of the Se’arot under the Dikna, becoming the root of the thirteen qualities of Rachamim.

There is a great transformation in the sidelock. For this reason, it is considered that in Katnut, the sidelocks are called MATZPATZ, an inversion of the letters of HaVaYaH, where in the alphabet, Aleph-Tav becomes Bet-Shin. During the Gadlut, they are called HaVaYaH, where the two sidelocks are two HaVaYot that came before the thirteen qualities of Rachamim, as it is written, “Lord, Lord [HaVaYaH, HaVaYaH], merciful and gracious God.”

However, in SAG of AK, all this is regarded merely as the root. The primary correction of Katnut and Gadlut is in the Partzufim ABYA, which receive from there. The correction of the Se’arot is first discerned in AA of Atzilut, where in Katnut, its two sidelocks are called MATZPATZ, MATZPATZ, and in Gadlut, HaVaYaH, HaVaYaH.

Changing the name HaVaYaH to MATZPATZ and MATZPATZ to HaVaYaH is implied in the verse, “Now previously in Israel, concerning the redemption and the transformation.” When Malchut of each degree ascended to her Bina at the time of Katnut. It is considered that Bina and TM of each Partzuf, the Raglayim of each Partzuf, are clothed in Malchut of the Partzuf below it.

For example, Bina and TM of Bina, the Raglayim of Bina, fell into ZA and clothed his HGT up to the Chazeh, where Malchut of ZA have already ascended to his Bina, who is at the place of the Chazeh, and ends the Partzuf there. You find that she also ends the Raglayim of Bina, which are clothed in the internality of these HGT that end at the Chazeh.

Thus, the Raglayim of the upper one, of Bina, clothed the Malchut that stands at the Chazeh of the lower one, ZA, and the Raglayim of ZON, which are their Bina and TM, fell to the world of Beria and clothe Matat through his Chazeh, where Malchut of Matat, called Sandalfon, has already ascended to the place of the Chazeh and ends Partzuf Matat, and along with it, ends the Raglayim of ZON, which are clothed in HGT of Matat through the Chazeh.

Likewise, in each Partzuf, the Raglayim of the upper one are clothed in Malchut of the lower one during the Katnut. Malchut is called “shoe” since she ends and locks the lights. For this reason, it is considered that in the Katnut of the Partzufim, the Raglayim of each upper Partzuf are clothed in the shoe of the one below it.

At the time of Gadlut, when Malchut of each Partzuf descends once again from Bina to her place, and Bina and TM of each Partzuf, which fell to the one below it, rise once more to their degree, to the upper one, it is considered that each upper one pulled up its legs from the shoe of the lower one, raised them above the place of its degree, and returned the shoe to the lower one.

For example, at the time of Gadlut, Bina and TM of Bina, the Raglayim of Bina—which were clothed in a shoe of ZA, in his Malchut in the place of the Chazeh—Bina pulled her legs out from the shoe of ZA and returned the shoe to him, since Bina returned her Raglayim to the place of Bina. Similarly, Bina and TM of ZON, which were clothed in the shoe of Matat, pulled up their legs from his shoe since they returned their Raglayim to Atzilut, and returned the shoe to Matat. Also, each upper one pulls up his shoe, the point of Chazeh of the lower one, and gives it back to his lower friend, since he raised his legs to the place of his own degree.

This is as it is written, “Now previously in Israel.” ZA is called “Israel,” and “this” was previously in ZA, when he came out of Katnut to receive Mochin of Gadlut. “Concerning the redemption,” to receive his Mochin, which are called “redemption, “and the transformation,” to correct the changing of the name, which the upper one lost when it was in the place of the lower one.

“A man would take off his shoe and give it to the other.” Each upper one would pull out its leg from the shoe that it had in the place of the lower one, and give the shoe to the other, the lower one, since he raised his feet from there to his own place, and by this received new Mochin and new vessels. The new Mochin are called “redemption,” and the new vessels are called “transformation” [also, “compensation” or “exchange”].

“And this was a testimony in Israel,” that pulling out of the shoe was to extend the testimony, new Mochin from Bina, to Israel, ZA. Since the pulling up from the shoe in spirituality would lead to acquisition of Mochin and vessels; hence, they did likewise in this world for each reception of a new building from one to the other.

The seller takes off his shoe and gives it to the buyer, and by this gives him a new possession, similar to the spirituals, since when the upper one pulls its Raglayim up from the shoe, and gives it to the lower one, and raises his Raglayim to his own place, at that time, he also elevates the lower one with him and gives him a new possession and Mochin.

In taking off the shoe, there is transformation of the name, transformation of the place, and transformation of the act.

The transformation of the name: In Katnut, when Bina and TM fell to HGT of the lower one, the vessels of the upper one changed and received the name of the lower one. For example, Bina and TM of Bina that fell to HGT of ZA are called ZA, and Bina and TM of ZON that fell to HGT of Matat, their name changed into Matat. This is the transformation of the name.

The transformation of the place: After the taking off of the shoe, when the upper one raises to himself his own Bina and TM, along with the lower one, you find that every lower one is in the place of the upper one. This is called “transformation of the place,” when each lower one changes its place and comes to the place of the upper one.

The transformation of the act: After the lower one received his Mochin from the upper one and descended to his place with those Mochin, this is called “transformation of the act,” since a deed was done, a correction where the Mochin of the upper one have changed into being Mochin of the lower one. This is a big transformation of the act.

In the descent of Bina and TM of Bina to the place of ZA, their name changed to ZA, and in the descent of Bina and TM of ZA to Malchut, their name changed to Malchut, as it is written, “Now previously in Israel.” This transformation of the name was previously in Israel, at the time of Katnut.

“Concerning the redemption and the transformation,” at the time of Gadlut. This is the transformation of the place, EKYEH, Bina, of whom it was said, “Where is the place of His glory, to admire Him?” Indeed, Yod-Hey-Vav, HGT of ZA, rise to Bina and become EKYEH, since the lower one that ascends to the upper one becomes like him. This is regarded as a transformation of the place.

The transformation of the act is ADNI. Aleph of ADNI is EKYEH; Yod of ADNI is HaVaYaH, and both change in ADNI. After ADNI returned to her place with the Mochin of EKYEH and with the Mochin of HaVaYaH, which she received through her ascent to ZA, you find that the two Mochin of EKYEH and of HaVaYaH have changed and become Mochin of ADNI. This is why it is called “transformation of the act,” as for this reason, they are implied in the name ADNI, where Aleph of ADNI implies EKYEH, and Yod of ADNI implies HaVaYaH.

It is written, “And this was a testimony in Israel.” The Mochin of upper Ima are called Edut [testimony], from the words Eden and Edut. “In Israel” is ZA, and the taking off of the shoe drew the testimony, which is Mochin of upper Ima, to Israel, ZA. He brings evidence from the verse, “Bind up [or fashion] the testimony; seal the Torah among My disciples.” “Bind up” is Bina, who is called “the upper rock” [Tzor means both binding up and rock]. For this reason, “testimony” is also Bina, the sealing of the Torah, which is ZA, who is called Torah, “among My disciples,” in Mochin.

The Mochin are received in the seal and in the imprint [the thing being sealed]. The testimony, Bina, is the seal of the world, the seal of heaven and earth. She is the seal of heaven, and ZA is the seal of earth, Malchut.

Concerning the transformation [or compensation or exchange] means the lower Shechina, Malchut, whose bottom nine descended to Beria and were exchanged there for Malchut of Beria. In which place did Malchut hide herself? In which place did she hide when she fell to Beria? In her young man, Angel Matat, and he changed her, for she clothed in HGT of Matat, and Matat changed her into his own phase, since when the upper one descends to the lower one, it becomes like the lower one. There, Malchut is called Mishna, from the word Shinui [change].

As Malchut, so is man. It is written about him, “As the glory of a man to dwell at home,” which is ZA. When Bina and TM fell and clothed in Matat, it is written about him, “You change his face and send him away,” since his Bina and TM have changed into Matat. ZA is called “the written Torah,” and Malchut is called “the oral Torah.” In writing, the name HaVaYaH does not change because it is in its place. But in reading, when it is clothed in speech and in reading, it changes because the upper one that comes to the place of the lower one becomes like the lower one.

It is written, “Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.” Because the name of His maidservant is ADNI, and the maidservant of Malchut of Atzilut, Malchut of Beria, is also called ADNI, since Bina and TM of Malchut of Atzilut are clothed in her, and the Creator, ZA, changed in Matat, where Bina and TM of ZA that clothe in Matat change because Matat is called a “youth,” hence, Bina and TM of ZA, too, changed and became a youth, as it is written, “will return to the days of his youth,’ that ZA will return to the phase of the young man and the youth, since they clothed in him.

However, when the Shechina is in her place in Atzilut, with the Creator, there is no change in her, and the Creator does not change in her. When ZA is in his place in Atzilut, with Malchut, He has no change, as it is written, “I the Lord do not change.” “I” is the Shechina; HaVaYaH is the middle pillar, ZA.

“A man would take off his shoe” is Sandalfon, Malchut of Beria, which, in Katnut, ascends to the Chazeh of Matat and clothes the Raglayim of ZON, their Bina and TM. There are two kinds of judgment in Malchut of Beria: 1) male judgments, which are drawn from the left line, and are called “Sandal,” with the letters of Sinaa [hate], Dalut [poverty]. All this is drawn from the left. 2) Female judgments, which are drawn from the screen of Sium [end] in her, and are called “shoe,” since they lock the lights in his screen so they do not expand from Him onward.

A sandal with the Creator is from the male judgments, and a shoe with the Shechina is from the female judgments. But Malchut of Atzilut is not regarded as a shoe for ZA.

Tifferet, which contains six Sefirot, which is ZA, is a Guf for the name HaVaYaH. The six Sefirot HGT NHY are the vessels, and HaVaYaH is the light in them. Malchut is the Guf for the Shechina, who is ADNI, where Malchut is the vessel, and the Shechina, ADNI, is the light that is clothed in Malchut.

In other words, ZA and Malchut are two sperate Partzufim where one has vessels and lights, and the other has vessels and lights. In Gadlut, Malchut is not a shoe for ZA, but in Katnut, Keter of Malchut remains in her, and she is adhered to the Chazeh of ZA and is not regarded as Guf and lights.

103. “Then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, and remove his shoe from his foot.” It is a commandment to release. Releasing a spirit from that body with which he should deal as a brother and marry his wife, and he untied the connection of brotherhood with his brother and the widow no longer needs him.

That spirit of the dead man who parted from his brother through the release walks and wanders until it finds redemption, as it is written, “His uncle or his cousin may redeem him, or a close relative from his clan.” And if he does not find, it is written, “Or if he grows rich, he may redeem himself,” meaning he must wait until he obtains enough to redeem himself. The spirit of the dead is as a guest who walks from place to place, or as a slave who walks with a chain on his neck until he finds redemption from his master for his iniquities by reincarnating. Woe to one who did not leave a son to redeem him.

104. “One who is imprisoned, does not redeem himself from prison.” This is ZA, who is tied by the knot of the hand Tefillin, and imprisoned by the head Tefillin when he has no son, a man to serve the Creator not in order to receive reward, who is called “a son to the Creator,” to redeem him from the side of Ben Yod-Hey.

That is, if the one who wears the Tefillin is not a Merkava [chariot/structure] to a son of Yod-Hey, ZA, who does not aim to bring contentment to his Maker like a son who works for his father not in order to receive reward, you find that in that knot of the Tefillin, the Creator is a chained and imprisoned brother, that He has no permission to redeem himself, that he is the Dalet in the EhaD, that He Himself is Aleph-Het [brother] in the EhaD [one], ZA.

“A bone of my bones,” ZA calls her from the side of the scalp of the head Tefillin. “And flesh of my flesh,” the heart calls her from the side of the heart. This is so because the ten Sefirot KHB TM are called Moach, Atzamot, Gidin, Bassar, Or [marrow, bones, tendons, flesh, skin respectively]. You find that a bone implies Hochma, and flesh implies Tifferet. “A bone of my bones,” ZA calls her from the side of the scalp of the head Tefillin, which is Hochma. This is the Dalet in the EhaD, where He Himself is the Aleph-Het in the EhaD, since Malchut is called the Dalet in the EhaD when she is from the left, Hochma without Hassadim.

Although she is poor and empty since the Hochma does not shine without Hassadim, nevertheless, He Himself is the Aleph-Het in the EhaD, she is the bone, Hochma. He calls her “A bone of my bones” from the side of the heart, from Tifferet, where there is the heart, since flesh is Tifferet.