260. (A) "The fifteenth day" (Vayikra 23:34). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with, "And when the Canaanite, the king of Arad" (Bemidbar 21:1). We learned that three celestial gifts were given to Yisrael by the three siblings, Moses, Aaron and Miriam - the manna through the merit of Moses, the clouds of glory through the merit of Aaron and the well through the merit of Miriam. They are all attached above. The manna is by the merit of Moses, as it is written, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you" (Shemot 16:4). "from heaven" refers to Moses, NAMELY THE CHARIOT TO ZEIR ANPIN CALLED MOSES AND ALSO CALLED HEAVEN.

(B) The clouds of glory are by merit of Aaron, A CHARIOT TO CHESED, as it is written, "that You Hashem are seen face to face..." (Bemidbar 14:14), and, "the cloud of the incense may cover" (Vayikra 16:13). As on the other verse, IN RELATION TO INCENSE, there are seven CLOUDS, so in the former, IN, "YOUR CLOUD STANDS OVER THEM" (BEMIDBAR 14:14), there are also seven CLOUDS. For there were seven clouds of incense joined together, and Aaron is the uppermost of the seven clouds. FOR THE SEVEN CLOUDS ARE THE SECRET OF CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT. AARON, WHO IS A CHARIOT TO CHESED, IS THE FIRST SFIRAH, and he is daily connected through it to the six other clouds, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT. THE CLOUDS ARE THEREFORE CONSIDERED TO COME BY THE MERIT OF AARON, AS HE IS THE ASPECT OF CHESED, THE TOP CLOUD, WHICH INCLUDES THEM.

265. Come and see, throughout Aaron's life Yisrael were under the shadow of Faith, under these SEVEN clouds. After Aaron died, one cloud was gone, WHICH IS CHESED OF THE CLOUDS, HIS OWN ATTRIBUTE, the one most to the right. When that was gone, the other clouds were gone with it, THE SIX SFIROT INCLUDED IN IT. Everyone OF YISRAEL were seen lacking. We explained the verse, "And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead" (Bemidbar 20:29). Do not pronounce it 'saw (Heb. vayir'u)' but 'were seen (Heb. vayera'u),' WHICH MEANS THAT THE CLOUDS' SHADOWS DISAPPEARED FROM THEM AND THEY WERE EXPOSED. Immediately, "And when the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negev, heard that Yisrael came by the way of Atarim" (Bemidbar 21:1), he heard that the clouds of glory were gone and the great guide died, to whom all the clouds were attached.

266. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Surely it was "the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negev." When the spies Moses sent returned, they said, "Amalek dwells in the land of the Negev" (Bemidbar 13:29), in order to break their heart, since their strength was first broken by Amalek.