Kabbalah Library

238) Each day when the sun rises, a single bird awakens on a tree in the Garden of Eden and calls three times, the scepter straightens up, and the announcer calls out loudly, “The laws of choice tell you who sees and who does not see, who is in the world without knowing why they exist, and who does not observe the honor of their Master.” The Torah stands before them and they do not delve in it. It would be better for them not to be created than to be created. Why should they rise without wisdom? Woe unto them when the days of evil awaken upon them and they are expelled from the world, as it is written, “See, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil, and choose life.”

It is known that at dawn, in the end of the night, when darkness thickens and there is the coupling of ZON—a coupling from which the light of day arises, from the third shift—a woman speaks with her husband. And the illumination of the coupling is extended from ZA to the Nukva in three lines that are extended in three times and in three places—Holam, Shuruk, and Hirik. Hence, these three lines are called “three places” or “three hours,” and here they are called “three times.”

It was said, “Each day when the sun rises, a single bird awakens.” A bird is the Nukva that has awakened for a coupling, to emit the light of day, “On a tree in the Garden of Eden,” with ZA, who is called “the tree of life” in the Garden of Eden. “And calls three times,” receiving three lines from him, called “three times.” And “The scepter straightens up.” This is the scepter of judgment, which straightens up at the beginning of the coupling and governs with the ruling of the left line that awakens at that time.

“And the announcer calls out loudly, ‘The laws of choice tell you,’” as it is written, “and choose life.” This is so because then, with the illumination of the coupling, appears the light and the pleasantness that stem from the middle line, which is the tree of life, meaning life and good, as well as the measure of harsh punishments that come to the wicked, those who do not wish to cling to the middle line but to the left, meaning death and evil. Then, “Therefore choose life. Thus, through those two types of illuminations the choice of life appears to the righteous. This is why they are called, “The laws of choice.”

And the herald says, “He among you who does not see.” Seeing is Hochma. And those who cling to the left and not to the right see and do not see, since the Hochma on the left does not shine without clothing in the light of Hassadim on the right. Hence, even though there is Hochma there, for they see, they still do not receive Hochma for lack of clothing in Hassadim. This is why they do not see.

“Who is in the world without knowing why they are here.” This is said to those who cling to the right, and not to the left, who have sustenance in the world through the light of Hassadim, but do not know why they exist, meaning they lack GAR, since illumination of the right without left is VAK without a Rosh, and they do not know why they exist. It turns out that both those who cling to the left, and those who cling to the right without the left, who do not sook at the glory of their Master, those will lack Hassadim and these will lack Hochma. And all this came to them because the Torah stands before them and they do not exert in it.

The Torah is the middle line, ZA, which unites the two lines in one another. And because they are on the edges, either on the right or on the left, and do not try to adhere to the middle line that stands before them.

Therefore, it is better for them not to be created than to be created. Why will they rise without understanding? Because they will not be rewarded with Mochin, which are extended from YESHSUT. Woe unto them when the days of evil awaken upon them, when there is coupling of ZON. In the beginning of the coupling, the left governs, regarded as the days of evil. Then the bitter punishments on the left will appear, and they will be uprooted from the world.

239) What are days of evil? Can it be that these are days of old age, it is not so because if one is rewarded with sons and grandsons, they are days of good.

240) Rather, they are as it is written, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come.” They are not days of old age, for when the Creator created the world, He created it with the letters of the Torah, and each letter came before Him until all the letters existed in the letter Bet, for it is Beracha [blessing], and this is why the world was created with it. And the letters evolved by 231 kinds of anterior and 231 of posterior, and all are poised to create the world with them, after having received the blessing from the letter Bet.

241) Since the letters evolved and came in the alphabet, where the two letters Tet and Reish unite, the Tet rose and did not sit with the Reish until the Creator reproached her and told her, “Tet, why are you rising instead of sitting in your place?” She told Him, “You have made me a letter at the beginning of the word Tov [good], and the Torah begins with me Ki Tov [that it was good], as it is written, ‘And God saw the light, that it was good.’ How can I bond and sit with the letter Reish, which is the beginning of the word Ra [bad/evil]?”

Here we must remember the order of elicitation of the three lines of ZA in their root in Bina, in the form of Holam, Shuruk, Hirik. First, Malchut rose to Bina, by which the ELEH of Elokim fell from her and only the MI of Elokim remained in her, meaning VAK without GAR. This remaining is Holam and right line that shines in Hassadim.

Afterwards, during Gadlut, the ELEH rose once more and connected with the MI, and GAR returned to Bina, illumination of Hochma. However, it was blocked extensively, since the Hassadim departed there and Hochma cannot shine without Hassadim. And the ELEH that returned are the point of Shuruk and are considered left line due to the harsh judgments that are extended from them.

These judgments continue until a coupling is made on the screen of ZON that rose there and a middle line emerges on it. After it diminishes the GAR of Hochma from the left line, it includes them in one another, so the right is included with the left and acquires GAR of Hochma, and the left is included with the right and acquires the clothing of Hassadim.

This completes the three lines in Bina through the screen of ZA, which are the point of Hirik. And since ZA caused these three in Bina, ZA, too, obtains these three lines and his Mochin are completed. Thus, the two lines, right and left, are called Tet and Reish here, where Tet is the right line, Holam, and Reish is the left line, Shuruk.

This is why it was said, “When the Creator,” who is Bina, “created the world,” which is ZON, meaning when Bina drew the Mochin of ZON in the form of, “three come out of one; one is rewarded with all three,” He created it with letters, in three lines. Since the two letters, Tet and Reish, came to unite as one when the letters ELEH, which are left line, and the letter Reish, returned to Bina and connected with the letters MI, which are right line and the letter Tet.

At that time, the Tet rose and did not settle, since the Tet, which is the right line and Hassadim, moves away from the left line, which is the letter Reish, and does not settle with her.

Thus, there was a dispute between them until the Creator, ZA, middle line, reproached her and by the force of the screen of the middle line, the GAR of the left line were diminished, and all the more so the GAR of the right line.

242) “He told her, ‘Return to your place, for you need the letter Ra, since you will both be included in man, whom I wish to create, and then he will be a created being. But you will be to the right and she, to the left.’ Then the letters Tet and Reish returned and settled in each other together.”

After the GAR were diminished by the force of the screen of ZON, the lock, the act of mitigating Malchut in Bina took place there, and the key was extended, by which the Hochma shines in the left once more, but in the form of VAK of GAR. Then the right, too, which is the letter Tet, receives illumination of Hochma from the left. Thus, the Tet must connect and receive illumination of Hochma from the Reish. Otherwise, she would remain in VAK without GAR because of the screen of ZA, and then Adam was created, by the force of this incorporation.

He said, “But you are to the right and she is to the left.” That is, the Tet will be to the right and the Reish, to the left, meaning that the left is regarded as having judgments extended from it, by which it determines that judgments will be drawn out of the Reish.

There is a sublime matter about it, which must be elaborated. First, we should understand the connection between the Creator and the letter Tet, when the letter Tet did not wish to unite with the Reish and the Creator forced her. The thing is that it is the nature of the spiritual that the root governs the branch and the branch annuls itself before it. This is why the Tet did not wish to unite with the Reish and receive Hochma from her, since then the Reish would be the root and the Tet would be the branch, and it would be annulled before the Reish. For this reason, she moved away from her and did not wish to receive Hochma.

But the Creator wished for her to receive Hochma from the Reish, so that through this incorporation, man would receive Mochin of GAR from her. This is why He established it that following the illumination of the Reish, when the letters ELEH rise back to Bina, harsh and bitter judgments would spread from her, and that for this reason, the Reish would rush to unite with the Tet, to draw Hassadim from her, so her Hochma would clothe in the Hassadim of the Tet and would be able to shine. Thus, the Tet became the root of the Reish once more, since without her light of Hassadim, the Reish would not be able to shine because of all the harsh judgments that are extended by the force of her illumination.

However, you are to the right and she is to the left; you will be the right—and the root—and she will be the left—and the branch. By that, during the illumination of the Reish, when harsh and bitter judgments are extended, the Reish will reunite with you, to receive Hassadim and clothing from you. Thus, even though she would receive Hochma from her, she would remain her root, since the Reish must immediately be included in her and receive from her the light of Hassadim.

Now you see that in the beginning, the coupling is in a sentence that the right cannot be included and receive Hochma from the left before the left shows its sentence, for fear that it will not be annulled before it. However, when the left shows its sentence, it can receive Hochma, since then the left must be included in his Hassadim and he becomes the root of the left once more. Thus, that illumination of Hochma, dispensed from the left, is precisely from its sentence, since the right cannot receive the Hochma from him in any other way.

243) At that time, the Creator separated their illuminations from one another—one shines in the absolute good, and the other in the absolute bad. And He created days and years for each of them, twenty-eight times—these to the right and those to the left, fourteen times for the good, and fourteen times for the bad. Those on the right are called “the days of good,” and those on the left are called “the days of evil.” Solomon said about that, “Before the evil days come,” which divert a person through the sins that he had sinned.

Because the days of good and days of bad were created, the Tet and Reish were reunited so as to be included in man. This is so because after the days of evil were created, under the domination of the Reish, which is illumination of the left, the Tet can now sit with the Reish and receive Hochma from her, and impart Mochin of GAR upon man.

244) This is why David said, “Why should I fear in days of evil, when the iniquity of my foes surrounds me?” “Days of evil” means that they are extended during the illumination of the left. They are called “days of hunger,” “years of hunger,” and “illumination of the left” and those are called “days of satiation, “years of satiation,” and “illumination of the right.”

245) This means not bringing out the fountain of the holy covenant, so as to not copulate during days of famine, in the year of the famine. This is why Joseph, the covenant, blocked his fountain in the years of the famine and did not give it room to multiply in the world, as it is written, “And two sons were born to Joseph before the years of famine came.” Thus, while the year of the famine rules, man must block his fountain of holy covenant so as to not give room for the left to multiply in the world.

There was a correction above that the fountains of bounty will be blocked during the illumination of the left and judgments would spread in the world so that thus the left would be included in the right and would annul before it—to receive Hassadim from it. It is similar with man below, when the expansion of the judgment from the left is apparent: In the days of hunger, he should resemble the upper one, block his fountain, and avoid reproduction.

This is so because if he produces many offspring during the domination of the left, by this act below, he increases and multiplies the power of the left above, and will not be included in the right. For this reason, while the year of famine governs, one must block the fountain of his holy covenant, so as not to give room for the left to multiply in the world.

246) This is a very high secret. During the year of famine, which is the illumination of the left, man must block his fountain and not reproduce because she governs. This is so for two reasons:

1. If he does not block his fountain, he causes extension of Ruach from the left side unto the newborn.

2. It gives that side room for the side of impurity to grow over the side of holiness. This causes the left side to not be annulled in the right. At that time, should the right receive Hochma from it, the left will be the root and the right—the branch. This will increase the side of impurity, which sucks from the left, over the holiness in the right.

Also, it is written, “Under three things the earth quakes, and under four, it cannot endure: under a slave when he reigns, and a fool when he is filled with bread.” By this act, one causes what is presented in this verse, that the servant will rule, the villain will be filled with bread, and the hated woman will be married. The shell will receive abundance from the holiness and the maidservant will be heir to her mistress. The shell will inherit the Shechina because the left has become the root and the right—the branch.

247) For this reason, Joseph the Righteous, who is the covenant, rose and blocked his fountain in the years of famine, so as to not mingle with the left whatsoever and to not give her room to rule over the right. It is written about one who opens his fountain at that time, “They have betrayed the Lord, for they have begotten strange children.”

This is because the children that one begets during the year of the famine are alien children for he draws Ruach from that side unto the side of the newborn. And he certainly betrayed the Creator because he gives room for the left to grow over the right, thus betraying the name HaVaYaH. Hence, happy are the holy Israel, who did not replace a holy place for a place of impurity.

248) This is why it is written, “And two sons were born to Joseph before the year of the famine came.” This is so because from the time the year of the famine ruled, meaning the left without the right, it blocked its fountain and raised its source, to not give children to the side of impurity and to avoid replacing a holy place with a place of impurity, meaning to raise the impurity over the holiness. And one should wait for one’s Master to come and rule the world, as it is written, “And I will wait for the Lord, who hides His face.”

249) Happy are the righteous who know the ways of the Creator and keep the commandments of the Torah to go by them, as it is written, “For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them, and the wicked will fail in them,” and it is written, “But you who adhere to the Lord are alive every one of you today.”

250) This is the reason why the Creator warned Israel to sanctify, as it is written, “And you be holy for I am holy.” “I” is the Creator, the holy Kingdom of Heaven, Nukva. The other Malchut—of idol worshipping nations—is called “other,” as it is written, “For you shall not bow down to any other god.”

251) “I” is the government of this world and the next world, and everything depends on it, on the Nukva. And one who clings to that “I” has a part in this world and in the next world.

252) And one who clings to that “other,” the Nukva of the idol worshippers, is lost from the world of truth and has no part in the next world. But he does have a part in the impurity in this world, since that other Malchut, of the idolaters, has several armies and litigants appointed to govern this world.

253) And this is why Elisha is considered “other,” for he descended and clung to that degree—Malchut of the idolaters, called “other.” He was expelled from the next world and was not given permission to repent and was suspended from the world of truth. This is why he was called, “other.”

254) Therefore, one should separate oneself from all the sides, to not be defiled by that side, and to be rewarded with this world and with the next world. This is why the holy Nukva is called “blessing” and the Nukva of idolaters is called “curse.”

255) Hence, during the years of famine, when the Nukva of idolaters rules, one should not show oneself on the street and avoid opening one’s fountain and beget, giving sons to the other god.

256) Happy is a man who is vigilant and walks in the path of truth and always adheres to his Master, as it is written, “And cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name,” in the Nukva, who is called “name.” And “you shall swear by His name” means to adhere to faith, Nukva, which is called “Seven,” after the seven Sefirot, HGT NHYM, which she receives from Bina.

257) There are seven degrees above, in Bina, above everything. They are the wholeness of the faith, and the complete wholeness of the Nukva is to rise and to clothe these seven degrees, HGT NHYM of Bina. And there are seven degrees below them, the Nukva herself, which are one bond and one connection. These are seven lower ones within these seven upper ones, for they are all one.

This is why it is written, “Seven days and seven days, fourteen days.” All are one and one connection, since when the seven of the Nukva are in wholeness, they rise and clothe the seven of Bina and connect as one. This is why it is written, “And you shall swear by His name,” indicating sevens [in Hebrew, “swear” is written similar to “seven”], from above and from below, to cling to the two sevens, the seven of Bina and the seven of the Nukva, and to unite them as one.

258) It is written about the one who unites these in those, the lower seven in the upper seven, “The Lord will open unto you His good treasure the heaven.” These are treasures of above—the seven of Bina, and of below—the seven of Nukva, since the seven days of Bina and the seven days of Nukva are all one, as it is written, “His good treasure the heaven.” “His good treasure” is one, and He, “The heaven.” This means that when the seven of Nukva rise and clothe the seven of Bina, they are called together, “The heaven,” for then they are one—one treasure, as it is written, “Seven and seven spouts,” and they are one.

259) Rabbi Hiya and Rabbi Yosi were walking along the road. They saw a man approaching, robed in a robe of Mitzva [precept], a Tzitzit, with weapons tied under it. One said, “This man, is one of the two: either he is a complete righteous, who wraps himself with a Talit with Tzitzits even on the road, or he deceives people, for he is girded with arms, meaning he is a robber, and he robes himself with a Talit with Tzitzits to fool people, to trap them in his net.”

260) “But the high sages said, ‘Judge every person to the side of merit.’ And we learned that one who heads for the road and fears robbers should aim for three things: a gift, a war, and a prayer. From where do we have this? From Jacob, who aimed for these three and girded himself for a gift, for war, and for prayer, as it is written. He sent a gift to Esau, and divided the camps in two, lest Esau would come and strike him, which is for war. Also, he prayed to the Lord, “Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother,” which is prayer. And this man, walking on the road, has a wrapping of a Mitzva, for prayer, weapons for war, and since he has those two, there is no need to chase after her, to know if there is the gift in him, for because he has two, he certainly has the third in him, as well.”

261) When he approached them, they greeted him but he did not reply. One said, “Thus, one of these three things that should be in him is not, since he did not prepare himself for the gift, for peace [also “Hello” in Hebrew] is included in the gift and he does not return the greeting.” Perhaps he is engaged in his prayer, or whispering his study so he does not forget it.

262) The walked together, and that man did not speak with them. afterward, Rabbi Hiya and Rabbi Yosi slipped aside and engaged in Torah. When that man saw them engaging in Torah, he approached them and greeted them.

263) He said to them, “Sirs, what did you suspect me of when you greeted me and I did not reply?” One told him, “We thought perhaps you were saying a prayer or whispering your studies.” He told them, “The Creator will sentence you to a scale of merit.”

264) “But I will tell you. One day, I was walking along the road when I came across a man and greeted him. That man was a robber who rose up against me and pained me. Had I not prevailed over him, I would have been sorry. Since that day, I have vowed to greet only righteous people, and only if I first know that he is righteous, for fear that he could pain me and overcome me by force. And because it is forbidden to greet an evil person, as it is written, ‘There is no peace, says the Lord to the wicked.’”

265) “But when I saw you, and you greeted me and I did not reply, I was suspecting you were not righteous, since I did not see in you a Mitzva that could be seen on the outside. Hence, I did not return your greeting. And besides, I was engaged in my studies and could not return your greeting. But now that I see that you are righteous, the road is paved before me.”

266) “A Psalm of Asaph; God is only good to Israel, to the pure of heart.” The Creator made the right, and He made the left, to lead the world. One is called “good,” “right,” and one is called “evil,” “left.” Man includes both and approaches the Creator with everything, as we learned, “In both of your inclinations—the good inclination and the evil inclination.”

267) The evil, which is the left, contains the idol worshipping nations. It was placed on their side to be defiled in, since they are gentile at heart and gentile in flesh. But concerning Israel, it is written, “Only good to Israel.

268) Is He good to everyone? No, but to those who were not defiled by the evil, as it is written, “To the pure of heart,” since this good and this evil—the good is only for Israel and the evil is only for the idol worshipping nations. “Only good to Israel”—to cling with it to the Creator. By that, Israel adhere to the upper one, ZA, in faith, which is Nukva, so that all will be one, for by attaining the good, they are rewarded with uniting ZON as one and adhering to them.

269) Rabbi Yosi said, “Happy are we for not mistaking you, for it is the Creator who sent you to us.” Because the good is for Israel, Israel have a share in this world and in the next world, and to see the vision of glory eye to eye, as it is written, “for they shall see, eye to eye, the Lord returning to Zion,” blessed be the Lord, Amen and Amen.