16. This is what is written, "One shall say, I am Hashem's..." (Yeshayah 44:5). "One shall say, I am Hashem's" refers to Hananiah, WHO DECLARED THAT "HASHEM TAKES MY PART..." "And another shall call himself by the name of Jacob" (Ibid.): This is Mishael, WHO SAID, "FEAR YOU NOT, O MY SERVANT JACOB." "And another shall subscribe with his hand to Hashem, and surname himself by the name of Yisrael" (Ibid.). This is Azariah, WHO SAID, "HEAR O' YISRAEL..." At that moment, the Holy One, blessed be He, assembled His heavenly council, NAMELY THE ANGELS, and said to them, 'For which word among the words that these three uttered, should I save them?' They replied, "That they may know that You alone, whose name is Hashem, are the most high over all the earth" (Tehilim 83:19), MEANING SAVE THEM, BECAUSE THEY TRUSTED IN HASHEM.

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).

54. HE QUESTIONS: What song did they sing? HE ANSWERS, "For Hashem is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all Elohim" (Tehilim 96:4). THEY SAID this when they raised their wings, WHICH IS THE ASPECT OF THE RIGHT COLUMN, MEANING CHESED TERMED "GREAT." When they spread them, they would say, "For all the Elohim of the nations are idols: but Hashem made the heavens" (Ibid. 5). THIS IS THE ASPECT OF THE LEFT COLUMN THAT SUBDUES THE ENTIRE OTHER SIDE. When they covered the ark cover, they would say, "Before Hashem; for He comes to judge the earth: with righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with equity" (Tehilim 98:9). THIS IS THE ASPECT OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN DENOTING TIFERET, REFERRED TO AS JUSTICE.

63. Another explanation is that THE SHECHINAH SPOKE literally OF "my mother's children," REFERRING TO THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN, THE CHILDREN OF BINAH WHO IS THE MOTHER OF THE SHECHINAH, as the verse says, "And cast down from heaven (to) earth..." (Eichah 2:1). So when ZEIR ANPIN threw from heaven the earth, MEANING THE SHECHINAH, "they made me the keeper of the vineyards" (Shir Hashirim 1:6), REFERRING TO THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD. SHE HAS TO POUR ABUNDANCE TO THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD SO THAT YISRAEL WILL DRAW SUSTENANCE FROM THEM. What is the reason? BECAUSE "my own vineyard," NAMELY YISRAEL, "I have not kept" (Ibid.), BECAUSE THEY SINNED. We thus learn that "the children of my mother," NAMELY THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN, agreed against me, TO DISTANCE ME, meaning the earth was removed with this, REFERRING TO MALCHUT, from heaven, DENOTING ZEIR ANPIN. We established that it is written, "And his sister stood afar off" (Shemot 2:4). THE SHECHINAH, CALLED THE SISTER OF ZEIR ANPIN, STOOD FROM A DISTANCE, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN HAD CAUSED HER TO STAND AT A DISTANCE.

78. There is no count to those holding on to the hair OF MALCHUT, MEANING THE JUDGMENTS THEREIN NAMED HAIR. Two sons suckle daily FROM MALCHUT called the spies of the earth and this is the secret written in the Hidden Book (Heb. Safra Det'zeniuta) AT THE END OF TRUMAH, "And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shitim two men to spy secretly, saying" (Yehoshua 2:1). These TWO SONS nurturing from under the sides of the wings OF MALCHUT ARE THE SECRET OF CHESED AND GVURAH. Now two daughters, WHOSE SECRET IS TWO HARLOTS, are under the feet OF MALCHUT, MEANING NETZACH AND HOD OF MALCHUT. Therefore, it is written ABOUT THEM, "And the sons of Elohim saw the daughters of men" (Beresheet 6:2). They, THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE KLIPAH, hold on to the nails of that bed, NAMELY MALCHUT, AS HER NAILS MEAN THE BACK PART OF THE FINGERS OF THE HANDS AND FEET. This is what the verse teaches us, "Then came there two women, that were harlots, to the king" (I Melachim 3:16), "Then came" but not before. And when Yisrael are down, turning their backs on the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written, "As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them" (Yeshayah 3:12), surely REFERRING TO THE TWO WOMEN MENTIONED ABOVE.

83. This bed, NAMELY MALCHUT, includes them, NAMELY ALL THOSE LEVELS MENTIONED ABOVE. This bed's legs link to the four directions of the world, MEANING IT CONTAINS IN IT THE FOUR SFIROT OF CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT - WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THREE COLUMNS AND MALCHUT THAT RECEIVES THEM. Everything is counted, BOTH what there is above, NAMELY THE GRADES OF ZEIR ANPIN, AND what is below, NAMELY HER OWN GRADES. THIS IS THE SECRET OF "in heaven above," NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, "and upon the earth beneath" (Devarim 4:39), NAMELY MALCHUT, KNOWN AS EARTH. Therefore, it is written, "Behold," MEANING "BEHOLD THE BED OF SOLOMON." What is meant by "Behold?" It means it is ready TO SHED LIGHT to all above and below, and this bed is impressed by all. It is called Adonai, which means master (Heb. adon) over all, marked among its armies.

96. All of these that are not found to be just in this world, even there ABOVE BEFORE COMING TO THE WORLD, distance themselves from the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He. They enter the chasm of the great abyss and hurry to descend to this world. And we learned that their souls are stiff necked in this world, as they were before coming to this world. They throw away the saintly part that THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, gave to them FROM THE SIDE OF HOLINESS and go wander about and become impure in that chasm of the great abyss. They take their share there, precipitate the hour and descend to earth. If a man later gains merit and repents before his Master, he will receive back his own portion, NAMELY, THE HOLY PORTION THAT HE THREW UPWARD, AS MENTIONED. This is the meaning of the verse, "That which is, already has been; and that which is to be has already been..."

115. We have learned that Yisrael has a more fortunate share than the idolatrous nations, as the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to purify them and have mercy for them as they are His portion and inheritance. It is written, "For Hashem's portion is His people..." (Devarim 32:9) and "He made him ride on the high places of the earth" (Ibid. 13). "On the high places" exactly, as they join up higher and higher WITH ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, is clinging to them, as it is written, "'I have loved you,' says Hashem" (Malachi 1:2) and, "But because Hashem loved you" (Devarim 7:8). From this excessive love, He gave them one day during the year to purify them and clear them from their sins, as it is written, "for on that day..." (Vayikra 16:30). This was in order that they may be meritorious in this world and in the World to Come, and that no sin may be found in them. Consequently on this day, Yisrael are crowned and rule over the prosecutors and all spirits.

144. He opened the discussion saying, "Cold water to a thirsty soul" is referring to Torah. Of all those who merit to toil in Torah and satiate their souls from it, it is written, "good news from a far country." The Holy One, blessed be He, announces about many favors for him in this world and in the World to Come. This is the meaning of "good news." Whence do they come TO BE GOOD? "From a far country," MEANING from the place in which the Holy One, blessed be He, was far off from him at the beginning, MEANING where He was in enmity with him at first, as it is written, "And the earth shall rise up against him" (Iyov 20:27). From this place, they welcome him with peace. This is the meaning of, "A far country." It is also written, "Hashem appeared to me from afar, saying, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore I have remained true to you" (Yirmeyah 31:2). THE END OF THE ARTICLE IS MISSING.

145. "And he shall go out to the altar that is before Hashem, and make atonement for it" (Vayikra 16:18). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion saying, "A psalm of Asaf. El, Elohim, Hashem, has spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof" (Tehilim 50:1). We have learned that 1,550 tens of thousands of singers sing to the Holy One, blessed be He, with the first light of day, and 1,548 with the FIRST LIGHT OF moon, MEANING NIGHT. Another 1,590 tens of thousands SING PRAISE at the time of twilight.

156. We have learned that at that hour, THE ARRIVAL OF MORNING, the Patriarchs - NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN - meet with the Queen and proceed to speak with her and join us with her. The Holy One, blessed be He, ZEIR ANPIN, speaks with her through them, and He calls her to spread His wings upon her. This is the meaning of the verse, "A psalm of Asaf. El, Elohim, Hashem, has spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof." El refers to light of Chochmah and is called Chesed, NAMELY THE RIGHT COLUMN, DENOTING CHESED THAT RISES TO BECOME CHOCHMAH. Elohim denotes Gvurah, REFERRING TO THE LEFT COLUMN. Hashem refers to total perfection, to mercy, NAMELY THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT BRINGS TOGETHER RIGHT TO LEFT. Therefore, THE CENTRAL COLUMN "has spoken and called the earth," DENOTING MALCHUT, AND IN THAT IT PERFECTS MALCHUT.

174. We have learned that Rabbi Yehuda said, "El Elohim, Hashem, has spoken, and called the earth" (Tehilim 50:1). "EL, ELOHIM AND YUD HEI VAV HEI" REFER TO CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, WHICH ARE perfection of all, the perfection of the holy Patriarchs - NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET. "Has spoken and called the earth:" SPOKEN MEANS POURING AND EARTH REFERS TO MALCHUT in order to be in the Congregation of Yisrael in perfection and in joy. From what place is He with her? He repeated, "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, Elohim has shown forth" (Ibid. 2), MEANING FROM YESOD OF MALCHUT KNOWN AS ZION.

175. We have learned that when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to create the lower world, He made it all similar to the upper. He made Jerusalem the center of the entire earth, and one place above it called Zion, WHOSE SECRET IS YESOD. It receives blessings from this place. Through this place of Zion, the earth started to be built, and through it the world was built. This is what the verse says, "El Elohim, Hashem, has spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof" (Tehilim 50:1). From which place? "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, Elohim has shown forth" (Ibid. 2), meaning Elohim did appear from Zion, which is the ultimate beauty of the world. Come and see that Jerusalem, WHICH IS MALCHUT, was blessed only from Zion, WHICH IS YESOD, and Zion WAS BLESSED from above, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN. Everything is one, one bonded into one, AS ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, THE SECRET OF ONE ON ONE, ARE JOINED BY ZION.

205. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Yisrael said before the Holy One, blessed be He, so long as my soul is within me "have I desired You in the night." Wherefore "in the night?" It is because the Nefesh at that time needs to covet You. "With my spirit within me I seek You," MEANING when the Holy Spirit stirs within me, I seek You with excitement in order to do Your will. "For when Your sentences are on the earth," MEANS at the time when justice, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, comes down to earth, MEANING to bring fragrance to the world, TO MALCHUT. Then "the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness" (Ibid.), which means that they are capable of tolerating the Judgments of righteousness and mankind should not perish as a result of it. When will "the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness?" "When Your sentences are on the earth." Rabbi Chizkiyah said, "With my soul (Nefesh) have I desired You in the night" refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY MALCHUT, while "with my spirit (Ruach) within me I seek You" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He. MALCHUT IS THE SECRET OF NEFESH AND THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, IS THE SECRET OF RUACH.

218. We have learned that the pious one, whose Ruach and Nefesh cling to the above, to the Holy King, with the proper love, will rule upon the earth below and what he decrees for the world will come to pass. How do we know this? From Elijah, as it is written, "As Hashem the Elohim of Yisrael lives, before whom I stood, there shall not be dew or rain these years, but acording to my word" (I Melachim 17:1).

219. Come and see: When the holy souls come from above downwards and the pious of the world draw them from the King and the Queen, NAMELY FROM THE UNION OF MALE AND FEMALE, there are few THAT MERIT it, that at the exact moment when they descend TO EARTH, they are standing AND SERVING before the King, who pleases to look at it. AFTERWARDS, IT DESCENDS INTO THE WORLD. When the Holy One, blessed be He, blew the breath INTO EVERY SINGLE SOUL AND into every angel in Heaven, all the hosts were created and stood complete, as we have established. This is what the verse says, "And all the hosts of them by the breath of His mouth" (Tehilim 33:6). Among THE SOULS, there are those that remain STANDING BEFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, AS MENTIONED, until the Holy One, blessed be He, causes them to descend.

230. We have learned that one day the friends were walking with Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Shimon said, I see all nations are higher above and Yisrael are below all. Why? It is because the King has dismissed the Queen from Him, and invited a maid in her stead, as the verse says, "For three things the earth is disquieted...for a slave when he becomes king...and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress" (Mishlei 30:21-23). Who is this handmaid? She is the foreign kingdom OF THE OTHER SIDE, whose firstborn Hashem smote in Egypt, as it is written, "Even to the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill" (Shemot 11:5). At first, she used to sit behind the millstone, but now she is "a handmaid that is heir to her mistress." INSTEAD OF EXTENDING HER ABUNDANCE TO HOLY MALCHUT, THIS MAID OF THE OTHER SIDE TAKES ALL THE ABUNDANCE AND EXTENDS IT TO THE NATIONS THAT ARE FROM HER SIDE.

251. Come and see what is written concerning Isaac, "And Jacob went near to Isaac his father; and he felt him" (Beresheet 27:22). He said: He is lacking only the dew from heaven that flowed upon the earth, MEANING THAT HE LACKS ONLY THE BOUNTY OF ZEIR ANPIN CALLED HEAVEN, THE LIGHT OF CHASSADIM, AS HE IS A CHARIOT FOR ZEIR ANPIN. BUT HE DOES NOT NEED THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. Rabbi Yosi spoke, "And the fatness of the earth" (Ibid. 28) IS ALSO WRITTEN DENOTING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, and he blessed him with everything, BOTH CHASSIDIM AND CHOCHMAH. Why DID HE BLESS HIM WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH? When he saw him with hair, DENOTING JUDGMENTS, he said, in order to remove this FROM HIM, he needs "the fatness of the earth" DENOTING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, but not the filth of the earth, LIKE THE OTHER SIDE THAT FEEDS UPON THE FILTH OF THE NAILS. This filth comes from the earth, DENOTING MALCHUT. When the dew of Heaven and the fine fruit of the earth join, DENOTING ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, that filth passes.

255. Rabbi Yitzchak said: How fortunate are the pious in this world and the World to Come, as they are all holy. Their bodies are holy and their Nefesh is holy. Their Ruach is holy and their Neshamah is the Holy of Holies. There are three levels - NEFESH, RUACH AND NESHAMAH - just like above, reflecting MALCHUT, TIFERET AND BINAH OF ABOVE. As Rabbi Yehuda has taught, it is written, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures (Heb. 'nefesh')" (Beresheet 1:24), which refers to the soul of Adam. Come and see: These three levels - Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah - join together, and the superior one is Neshamah.

258. IN THE BOOK OF KING SOLOMON, it is written that the Holy One, blessed be He, made three dwellings for righteous people, FOR THEIR NEFESH, RUACH AND NESHAMAH AFTER THEIR DEMISE. One is for the Nefashot (Heb. plural) of the righteous that did not depart this world and are still in this world, AS THE NEFESH OF THE DECEASED DOES NOT DEPART THIS WORLD. When the world needs mercy and living PEOPLE are in distress, the Nefashot pray for them. They go and tell this to those who slumber in Hebron, MEANING THE PATRIARCHS, who awaken and go to the earthly Garden of Eden, where the Ruach of the righteous are clothed with crowns of light, take counsel with them and make a decree. And the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills their wish and shows mercy to the world.

261. The third dwelling is the holy dwelling on high called the bundle of Life, MEANING THE GARDEN OF EDEN ON HIGH. There, the highest, holy level called Neshamah has pleasure. It clings to find pleasure in the most high Eden and it is written, "Then you shall delight yourself in Hashem; and I will cause you to ride..." (Yeshayah 58:14). THE GARDEN OF EDEN ON HIGH IS CALLED THE HIGH PLACES OF THE EARTH.

285. (A) "And she said, Will you give me a pledge, till you send it?" (Beresheet 38:17) These are the marks of a Queen blessed by the King during her nuptials. And he said: What pledge shall I give you? And she said: Your signet, and your cord, and your staff (Ibid. 18). These are the heavenly bonds, the jewels of the Bride who is blessed by these three - NAMELY Netzach, Hod and Yesod. Everything is contained within these three. The Bride is blessed from this. Immediately, "he gave it her, and came into her, and she conceived by him" (Ibid.).

(B) "And it came to pass about three months after" (Ibid. 24). HE QUESTIONS: What is meant by three months? HE ANSWERS: After a tripled month. The three months ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, as we have established. HERE IT IS WRITTEN, "About three months," MEANING as the fourth month began, DENOTING MALCHUT, to stir up the Judgments in the world due to the sins of mankind and to nurture from the Other Side. Then, "it was told Judah, saying, Tamar your daughter in law has played the harlot" (Ibid.), so the bride is found on the Other Side. It is written, "Bring her out" (Ibid.) as the verse says, "And cast down from heaven (to) earth the beauty of Yisrael" (Eichah 2:1). "And let her be burnt" (Beresheet 38:24) with a flaming fire in exile.

(C) It is written, "When she was brought forth" to be drawn into the exile, "She sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man whose these are, I AM WITH CHILD" (Ibid. 25). It is not written: 'from whom these are,' but "whose these are," WHICH MEANS these items are proof of him by whom I am with child. THESE WERE BRIDAL ORNAMENTS AND THEY HAD ALREADY BECOME HERS, AS EARLIER MENTIONED, BUT ONLY HE GAVE THEM. Immediately, "And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She has been more righteous (Heb. tzedakah) than I" (Ibid. 26). Assuredly she is righteous, for this was brought about by that name, FOR SO IS MALCHUT CALLED. What brought upon her this name? He continued, "than I (also: 'from me')," as it is written, "For Hashem is righteous, He loves righteousness (Heb. tzedakah); the upright shall behold His face" (Tehilim 11:7). This is because tzedakah is justice (Heb. tzedek) and Hei, and she received that name from me. She inherited IT from me and all this is come from me.

290. "After the doings of the land of Egypt:" Rabbi Chiya said, "That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it" (Iyov 38:13). We have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, in the future will cleanse His land, MALCHUT, from all the defilement of the idolatrous nations that defiled it, just as one takes hold of a garment and shakes out from it all the filth, referring to all THE WICKED buried in the Holy Land. SO HE WILL SHAKE OUT THE LAND in order to cast them out and IN ORDER to purify the Holy Land, DENOTING MALCHUT, from the Other Side. It is as if it was sustaining the other ministers of the nations, from whom it received defilement in order to guide them. And He will cleanse it and remove THE MINISTERS OF THE NATIONS to the outside.

291. Rabbi Shimon was cleansing the marketplaces of Tiberias. He dug out all the dead that were there, and cleansed the land. We have learned that it is written, "But when you entered, you defiled My land" (Yirmeyah 2:7). Rabbi Yehuda said: Fortunate is the portion of he who deserves during his lifetime to make his dwelling in the Holy Land. All who merit it will cause the dew of the heaven above to continue to descend upon the earth, so all who deserve the Holy Land in this lifetime will later deserve the higher Holy Land, MALCHUT.

294. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Because of this, whoever brings into the land any of the evil beings or other domains defiles the land. Woe is to him, woe to his soul, as the Holy Land will not receive him after that. Of him, it is written, "The sinners will be consumed out of the earth" (Tehilim 104:35) in this world and the World to Come. Then, "the wicked will be no more" (Ibid.) during the resurrection of the dead. Then "Bless you Hashem, my soul, Haleluyah" (Ibid.).

301. If it is so to Yisrael, THAT TORAH IS NOT TO BE REVEALED BUT TO ONE WHO IS IN THE UPPER LEVEL, it is all the more so with the idolatrous nations. If one gives to all those who are uncircumcised even a single letter of the Torah, it is considered as if he devastated the world and was false to the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. It is all dependent upon this, CIRCUMCISION. One is bound to the other, TORAH IS CONNECTED TO CIRCUMCISION, as it is written, "If My covenant be not day and night, it were as if I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth" (Yirmeyah 33:25).

303. Come and see: The first subject of the Torah we give to children is the Alphabet. This is a matter that mankind cannot comprehend, nor can it rise in their minds, not to mention saying it with their mouths. Even supernal angels and the most sublime cannot comprehend it, as these matters are the mysteries of the Holy Name. There are 14,050,000 worlds dependent upon the stroke of the Aleph א, MEANING THE STROKE OF THE UPPER YUD OF THE ALEPH, and 72 holy names are engraved in the impressed letters in them. The high and low beings; heaven, earth and the seat of glory of the King - are hanging from one side to the other side, MEANING FROM THE UPPER STROKE TO THE LOWER STROKE of the expansion of the Aleph. They sustain all the worlds and are the supports of the upper and lower beings within the secret of wisdom.

314. One strong youth came out with a sharp sword that turns into males and females, who carry the measuring of an efa between heaven and earth, sometimes carrying it throughout the world. All are measured by it, as it is written, "A just efa" (Vayikra 19:36).

319. And the Holy One, blessed be He, praises the Congregation of Yisrael like a rose, and we have already explained why HE PRAISED HER as a rose. Rabbi Yehuda said: When righteous men increase in the world, the Congregation of Yisrael, DENOTING MALCHUT, raises good fragrance BEING THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH THAT SHINES FROM BELOW UPWARD AS FRAGRANCE, and is blessed WITH CHASSADIM from the Holy King, and her face shines. But when the wicked increase in the world, it is as if the Congregation of Yisrael does not raise up the good fragrance, and tastes from the bitter FEEDING of the Other Side. Then it is written, "And cast down from heaven (to) earth..." (Eichah 2:1), MEANING THE COUPLING OF ZEIR ANPIN CALLED HEAVEN AND MALCHUT CALLED EARTH HAS BEEN DISBANDED, and her face is dark.

376. We have learned that Rabbi Shimon said: The Queen will not enter in joy in His palace until the kingdom of Esau will be judged, and she will have her vengeance for causing all this. Then she will join with the King and joy will be complete. This is the meaning of the verse, "And liberators shall ascend upon Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau" at first, then "and the kingdom shall be Hashem's" (Ibid.). What is meant by kingdom? It refers to the Queen. This is the meaning of, "And the kingdom shall be Hashem's." After they rejoin, it is written, "And Hashem shall be the King over all the earth: on that day Hashem shall be one, and His name One."

377. "You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother" (Vayikra 18:14): Rabbi Yehuda said that this verse speaks of Yisrael below, AS YISRAEL ARE THE BROTHERS OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHO IS YOUR FATHER. "Your mother's sister" (Ibid. 13) is Jerusalem on earth, THE SISTER OF MALCHUT ABOVE, YOUR MOTHER. Through these sins IS UNCOVERED THE NAKEDNESS OF YISRAEL, MEANING Yisrael will be in exile among the nations. THE NAKEDNESS OF JERUSALEM IS UNCOVERED, MEANING Jerusalem below will be destroyed. About this, we learned of the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, in that He called Yisrael brothers, as it is written, "For my brethren and friends' sake, I will now say..." (Tehilim 122:8). THEREFORE, THE VERSE SAYS ABOUT THEM, "THE NAKEDNESS OF YOUR FATHER'S BROTHER."

401. We have learned that when the strong serpent from above was awakened as a result of earth's sins, he dwelt and joined the female and injected his poison in her. Then the male departed from her because she was unclean, and she was called unclean. Then it would not be proper for the male to approach her. Woe TO THE WORLD, if he would become unclean with her when she was unclean.

402. We have learned that 125 kinds of impurity descended to earth joined AND HELD BY the side of the mighty serpent, and the greater 27 of them hold to the female to join with her. Woe to anyone approaching her at this time, for one who does approach her points to a defect above. With this sin, the mighty serpent above is awakened to spew poison in places where he should not, and he joins the female. The hairs of the male grow and the female is defiled. Her hair grows and her nails grow. Then harsh Judgments begin circulating in the world and everything becomes defiled. This is the essence of the verse, "Because he has defiled the sanctuary of Hashem" (Bemidbar 19:20). The sanctuary of Hashem was defiled due to sins of mankind.