Kabbalah Library

94. At the time when the soul of that righteous one rises before the Creator, He makes a promise to him and blesses him, as it is written, “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’” Abram is the soul. “In a vision,” when he lies in his bed. He tells him, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

95. “In a vision” is as it is written, “The appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain.” This is Matat, who leads him before his Creator.

96. It is written above, “except what the young men have eaten,” and it is written, “After these things, there was the word of the Lord to Abram.” At that time, the soul sits and is nourished by that light of above, and dresses in it. The clothing of the soul for the next world is a glowing light above the throne, as it is written, “a light sown to the righteous, and joy to the upright at heart. It is also written, “And the Lord will be to you an everlasting light,” and not an angel and not the throne. And David said, “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom would I fear?”

97. The soul of the righteous was taken from the light of the throne, and he enters this world. If she merits and rises up, it is not a judgment that she will be given additional light to what she received at first, to enter this world. And from whom does she receive the light? It is written, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield.” I and not another. And why? It is because “your reward shall be very great.”

98. “Your reward shall be very great.” You have a very great reward, more than you had in the beginning. He clothes in that light, and the Creator takes one letter from his name and places it at its top, since the Creator is destined to be a crown at the head of every righteous one in the next world, and that letter Hey [Hey-Aleph] is when He created heaven and earth, as it is written, “When they were created,” He created them with a Hey [Hey-Aleph].

99. “And your name shall no longer be called Abram, and your name shall be Abraham,” since the soul is utterly complete, in absolute wholeness and good, as it is written, “The eye has not seen a God besides You, will do for those who await Him.”