45. He said to him: Elazar, my son, come and see that all sacrifices and burnt offerings bring gratification to the Holy One, blessed be He. But there is no truer gratification BEFORE HIM than the incense, for the incense is the most praiseworthy. This is the reason that it is offered in the innermost chambers, NAMELY THE HOLY OF HOLIES, silently. We have learned that. For this reason people were not punished for other kinds of sacrifices and burnt offerings as for incense, because in the whole of the service of the Holy One, blessed be He, this is the most joined and connected. That is why it is called incense, BECAUSE INCENSE IN ARAMAIC MEANS CONNECTING, so it says, "Ointment and incense rejoice the heart" (Mishlei 27:9).

48. In the book of Rabbi Hamnuna Saba, it is written: what is the meaning of 'worlds (Heb. olamot)?' It is according to the verse, "She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food to her household, and a portion to her maidens" (Mishlei 31:15). THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE SEVEN CHAMBERS OF BRIYAH, WHICH SERVICE MALCHUT AND ARE REFERRED TO AS MAIDENS. These maidens ARE "the virgins (Heb. alamot) love you," to bless Your name and to sing praises before You. From there, there are blessings among all the lower beings, and the upper and lower beings are blessed.

50. "The king has brought me into his chambers" (Ibid.): If the King will bring me into His chambers, then "we will be glad and rejoice in you" (Ibid.), meaning I and all the troops. We have learned that all the forces rejoice when the Congregation of Yisrael is joyous and blessed, and harsh decrees do not transpire in the world. Hence, it says, "Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad" (Tehilim 96:11).

91. We have learned that Rabbi Yitzchak said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda: SOLOMON sent TO HIRAM a demon that lowered him to the seven chambers of Gehenom, and then raised him up. Then, he sent him letters daily until he repented FROM HIS DEEDS, and thanked Solomon ABOUT THIS. We have learned that Solomon inherited the moon, DENOTING MALCHUT, in all its aspects, BOTH CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM, for he ruled over all this with his wisdom. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai ruled with his wisdom over mankind, and all those that rise to his level only rise to perfect MALCHUT with him.

167. Afterwards, Moses wanted to know the details of the matter. Then THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, explained it to him, "THUS SHALL YOU SAY TO THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL, Eheyeh" (Shemot 3:14). THIS NAME is specific TO YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH. Therefore, it is not written here: 'Asher Eheyeh.' I have found in the book of King Solomon that "Asher" MEANS the chamber, BINAH, is in connection with Eden, DENOTING CHOCHMAH, when in the exalted knot, as it is written, "Happy am I (Heb. oshri), for the daughters will call me blessed" (Beresheet 30:13). ALSO HERE, "ASHER" IS DERIVED FROM HAPPY, "Eheyeh" MEANS prepared to give birth.

214. From these sounds that She cries, the seventy SOUNDS equaling the seventy words IN THE PSALM, "May Hashem hear you in the day of trouble" (Tehilim 20), Her womb is opened. This refers to the letter Bet (=two) MEANING CHAMBER OF (HEB. BEIT) THE WOMB, encompassing two chambers in order to give birth FROM THEM to two Messiahs - MESSIAH, SON OF DAVID AND MESSIAH, SON OF JOSEPH. She brings her head between her knees. Her head is the central pillar, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN. HER KNEES ARE two thighs, Netzach and Hod, which are the two prophets. From there are born two Messiahs, AS MENTIONED. At that time, He "strips the forests bare," MEANING CHOCHMAH WILL BE REVEALED. The serpent will be removed from the world, AS THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH WILL DO AWAY WITH ALL KLIPOT. End of Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd).

220. We have learned that from the day the world was created, THE SOULS OF THE GREAT PIOUS ONES have stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, held back IN HIS PRESENCE. THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WATCHES THEM until the time arrives to send them below, MEANING TO BECOME CLOTHED WITH A BODY, and they rule above and below. Thus the verse, "As Hashem the Elohim of Yisrael lives, before whom I stood." It doesn't say, 'I stand,' but "I stood," MEANING BEFORE DESCENDING TO THIS WORLD. Afterwards, he returned to his place IN HEAVEN and entered his chamber. Other SOULS do not ASCEND TO THEIR PLACE until they die. This is because they never stood earlier BEFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, ON THAT LEVEL of the others, NAMELY ENOCH AND ELIJAH THAT MERITED TO ASCEND TO THEIR PLACE WHEN STILL ALIVE. For this reason, Elijah became a messenger and angel above, AND ENOCH TOO. And these were those that clung most to the King, MEANING MORE THAN AN ANGEL.

242. Rabbi Yehuda said: How lucky were Yisrael that the Holy One, blessed be He, craved them and wished to cleanse them, so that no sin would be found with them, in order that they could be members of His chamber and dwell in His palace. Regarding the future, it is written, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you..." (Yechezkel 36:25).

260. The second dwelling is the earthly Garden of Eden. In it, the Holy One, blessed be He, made upper precious dwellings that are similar to this world and similar to the supernal world, MEANING THEY ARE INCLUDED WITH ASPECTS OF MALCHUT AND ASPECTS OF BINAH. THE GARDEN IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT AND EDEN IS THE SECRET OF BINAH. The chambers are ALSO of two types LIKE THE DWELLING without number, and trees and grasses and fragrances rise daily. In that place rests that which is called Ruach of these righteous. This is the dwelling in which Ruach dwells. Each Ruach is clothed with precious garments of the likeness of this world and the supernal world.

313. Four wings cover the body with small hands beneath their wings, each engraved with five. They fly high above the chamber that is beautiful in form and handsome in appearance.

328. Rabbi Shimon clasped his hands and wept. He cried: Woe if I do speak and reveal the secret, woe if I do not and the friends lose THIS matter. Ah Hashem Elohim! Will You make a full end of the remnant of Yisrael?" (Yechezkel 11:13). What is meant by "Ah" and what is meant by "Will You make a full end?" HE ANSWERS: The secret of the matter is, that when the lower Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is expelled from the chamber of the King, the other upper Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, DENOTING BINAH, withholds the blessings for its sake. Then is written, "Ah (Aleph Hei Hei)...Will You make a full end," BECAUSE THE IMPAIRMENT REACHES BOTH HEIS OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, BINAH AND MALCHUT, because when THE LOWER HEI IS WITHHELD from receiving blessings, the other UPPER Hei withholds BLESSINGS from all, NOT SPREADING EVEN TO ZEIR ANPIN. What is the reason? It is because blessings are to be found only where there are Male and a Female, AND SINCE MALCHUT IS EXPELLED FROM ZEIR ANPIN, THERE ARE NO BLESSINGS IN ZEIR ANPIN BECAUSE OF HIS BEING WITHOUT THE FEMALE.

334. We have learned that the Vav, DENOTING ZEIR ANPIN, ascended high up TO KETER, BEING THE SECRET OF ALEPH, AS MENTIONED. The sanctuary was consumed, the people exiled, the Queen expelled, and the Temple was in ruins. Later, as the Vav returned to its position, it took notice of the Temple and found it in ruins. It sought the Queen , but she moved far away. It saw its sanctuary, but it was consumed by fire, and it looked for the people but they were exiled. It saw the blessings of the deep streams FROM BINAH that were flowing, but now ceased. Then it is written, "And on that day did Adonai Elohim Tzevaot call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth" (Yeshayah 22:12). Then, "I clothe the heavens, ZEIR ANPIN, with blackness."

375. At the time when the Queen returns to the chamber, the King will rejoin her in one mating, and everything will join together without division. Therefore, it is written, "On that day Hashem will be one, and His name one." "On that day," MEANING when the Queen will return to the palace, everything will be one without division. Then "liberators shall ascend upon Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau" (Ovadyah 1:21).