317. Pertaining to this, IT IS SAID, "Who is like You among the mighty (Heb. Elim), Hashem." What is the meaning of "Elim?" 'Tree,' as it is written, "For you shall be ashamed of the sacred oaks (Heb. eilim) on which you set your desires" (Yeshayah 1:29). For they worshipped an image that was engraved on this tree. "Who is like You," to do as You do and have Mercy upon all. "Who is like You," throughout the surrounding of the tree; even though He dominates, He guards everything, He guards all the rest and does not desire to destroy them completely, AS THEY WANTED TO DO WHEN THEY DOMINATED. "Who is like You, glorious in Holiness," MEANS THAT IT IS GLORIOUS with the supernal power, which is called 'Holiness.' Verily, it is glorious in Holiness, WHICH IS THE MOCHIN OF BINAH and is called "the strength of Hashem," and, "the pleasantness of Hashem." And we have hereby expounded on the words.
317. וְעַל דָּא מִי כָמוֹכָה בָּאֵלִים יְיָ.' מַאי בָּאֵלִים. אִילָנָא. כד"א, כִּי יֵבוֹשׁוּ מֵאֵילִים אֲשֶׁר חֲמַדְתֶּם. דְּהוּא אִילָנָא, דַּהֲווֹ פַּלְחִין לְחַד דְּפוּסָא, דִּמְחַקְּקִין בְּגַוֵּיהּ. וְאִקְרֵי אֵלִים אִילָנָא מִי כָּמֹכָה דְּיַעֲבֵיד כְּעוֹבָדָךְ וִירַחֵם עַל כֹּלָּא. מִי כָּמֹכָה בְּכָל הַהוּא סַחֲרָנֵיהּ דְּאִילָנָא דְּאע"ג דְּאִיהוּ שַׁלְטָא, נָטִיר לְכֹלָּא, נָטִיר לְכָל שְׁאַר, וְלָא בַּעְיָא לְמֶעְבַּד עִמְּהוֹן גְּמִירָא. מִי כָּמֹכָה נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ, בְּהַהוּא חֵילָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִקְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ. נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, וְאִקְרֵי כֹּחַ יְיָ' נֹעַם יְיָ,' וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִילֵי.
394. We learned that at that time Yisrael became perfected below, similar to above, as we have established by the verse, "And they came to Elim, where were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees..." (Shemot 15:27). THIS MEANS THAT the holy tree, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, was strengthened by twelve boundaries in the four sides of the world, CHESED AND GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, AND THERE ARE TWELVE BOUNDARIES, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF THE TWELVE SPRINGS OF WATER. And it was strengthened with seventy branches, WHICH ARE THE SEVENTY MINISTERS, THE SECRET OF THE SEVENTY PALM TREES. And it all resembles that which is above.
394. תָּאנָא, בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, דִּכְתִּיב, וַיָּבוֹאוּ אֵלִימָה וְשָׁם שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עֵינוֹת מַיִם וְשִׁבְעִים תְּמָרִים וגו.' וְאִתְתָּקַּף אִילָנָא קַדִּישָׁא, בִּתְרֵיסַר תְּחוּמִין, בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא. וְאִתְתָּקַּף בְּשַׁבְעִין עַנְפִין, וְכֹלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא.
439. This is what is meant by, "And they came to Elim, where were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees" (Shemot 15:27), and we have already explained and learned the meaning of this in many places. What is the meaning of, "and they encamped there by the water?" At that time, Yisrael dominated those waters that were under the branches of the tree that are called "the proud water" (Tehilim 124:5). And referring to this IS WRITTEN, "Blessed are you that sow beside all waters," NAMELY, IN ORDER TO SUBDUE ALL KINDS OF WATERS OF THE OTHER SIDE.
439. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, וַיָּבֹאוּ אֵלִימָה וְשָׁם שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עֵינוֹת מַיִם וְשִׁבְעִים תְּמָרִים, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, וְאִתְּמַר בְּכַמָּה אֲתָר. מַאי וְיַּחֲנוּ שָׁם עַל הַמָּיִם. אֶלָּא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, שָׁלִיטוּ עַל אִינּוּן מַיָּא, דְּאִינּוּן תְּחוֹת עַנְפִּין דְּאִילָנָא, דְּאִקְרוּן הַמַּיִם הַזֵּידוֹנִים. וְע"ד אַשְׁרֵיכֶם זוֹרְעֵי עַל כָּל מָיִם.