250. Another explanation OF THE VERSE "And from thence it was parted, and branched into four streams" IS THAT IT IS THE SECRET OF the four SAGES: BEN AZAI, BEN ZOMA, THE OTHER ONE AND RABBI AKIVA, who entered the pardes (orchard). THE HEBREW WORD PARDES CONSISTS OF THE INITIALS OF THE WORDS PESHAT (THE LITERAL MEANING OF THE TORAH), REMEZ (HINTS AND ALLUSIONS), DRASH (HOMILETICAL INTERPRETATION) AND SOD (ESOTERIC INTERPRETATION). One OF THE FOUR SAGES entered THE RIVER OF Pishon, WHICH ALLUDES TO THE PESHAT (LITERAL MEANING) OF THE TORAH THAT SHINES IN THE ORCHARD, as Pishon is composed of Pi-Shoneh- (lit. 'My mouth repeats') Halachah, which is the literal meaning. The second entered THE RIVER OF Gichon, where is buried the one of which it is written: "Whatever goes on the belly" (Heb. gachon) (Vayikra 11:42). THIS REFERS TO MOSES, WHO IS THE SECRET OF THE LETTER VAV OF GACHON, WHICH IS BIG AND IS THE LETTER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TORAH. THIS IS ALSO THE ASPECT OF Gabriel THAT CONSISTS OF THE LETTERS Gavar El, THE GVURAH OF EL. Of him it is written: "To a man (Heb. gever) whose way is hidden, and from whom Eloha has screened Himself" (Iyov 3:23), MEANING THAT THE REASON FOR HIM HIDING HIS WAYS AND NOT REVEALING HIMSELF IN FULL IS BECAUSE "ELOHA HAS SCREENED HIMSELF" AND NOT BECAUSE OF MOSES'S DEFICIENCY. THIS IS WHY no man knew the place of his burial - nor will until the very day when he will be revealed there. THIS IS BECAUSE THE PLACE OF THE DEFECT IS THE PLACE OF BURIAL AND, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DEFECT IN HIM, NOBODY KNEW WHERE HE WAS BURIED. ONLY AT THE END OF CORRECTION, AFTER MOSES'S PREFECTION IS REVEALED, WILL THE DEFICIENCY BE DISTINGUISHED BY THE PERFECTION THAT WILL BE REVEALED. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE PLACE OF HIS BURIAL. This is the part of remez (hints) OF THE TORAH, and wise men ARE INFORMED by hints.

251. The third OF THE FOUR SAGES entered the Chiddekel, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE LETTERS Chet-Dalet Kof-Lamed, which ALLUDES TO a sharp (Heb. chad), FAULTLESS tongue that is quick (Heb. kal) in giving homiletical explanations. The fourth OF THE FOUR SAGES entered the Prat (Euphrates), which is the innermost stream, where procreation (Heb. priyah) occurs, AS THE SEED IS DRAWN OUT OF THE INNERMOST (BRAIN). So ben Zoma and ben Azai, who entered the shells of the Torah, were affected by them, but Rabbi Akiva, who entered the inner part OF THE TORAH, is said to have entered and come out in peace.

256. Another explanation OF THE VERSE: "And a river went out of Eden" (Beresheet 2:10) is that there are no strange Klipot in the Tree of Life above, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN OF ATZILUT, as it is written: "Nor shall evil dwell with You" (Tehilim 5:5). WHY? BECAUSE THE KLIPOT FIRST APPEAR IN THE WORLD OF BRIYAH, BELOW THE WORLD OF ATZILUT, but the tree below IN THE WORLD OF BRIYAH does indeed have strange Klipot. THIS TREE is planted in the Garden of Eden of THE LOWER Zeir Anpin; NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN OF BRIYAH. And this TREE is CALLED Enoch or Metatron, because in the upper Garden of Eden of the Holy One, blessed be He - NAMELY IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN OF ATZILUT - there are no devious or stubborn Klipot. For this reason, IT IS WRITTEN: "And a river went out of Eden..." The "river" - Metatron - "went out of Eden" MEANING THAT it left its pleasures (Heb. Eden), WHICH CONSISTED OF THE MOCHIN OF IMA, AS BINAH IS CALLED EDEN, AND "to water the garden" means his garden, OF METATRON. IT IS his orchard, NAMELY MALCHUT OF THE WORLD OF BRIYAH, into which ben Azai, ben Zoma and Elisha entered. METATRON'S Klipot are good from one side and evil from the other. This is WHY THE TORAH lists the permissible and the prohibited, kosher and unfit, pure and impure .