55. When the priest heard their voices in the Temple, he placed the incense in its right place and meditated on something, in order that the blessing should flow to all. The wings of the Cherubs were moving up and down, singing and covering the ark. Then they would raise them. This is the meaning of "overspreading." "Overspreading" is exact. Where do we derive that their voices were heard? NAMELY from the verse, "I heard the noise of their wings" (Yechezkel 1:24).

76. We have learned that 1,500 sword-bearers wielding authority are linked to the side of these SIXTY mighty ones. In the hands of the one known as the youth, NAMELY METATRON, are four large keys, REFERRING TO FOUR ANGELS - MICHAEL, GABRIEL, URIEL AND REPHAEL. THEY ARE REFERRED TO AS LARGE KEYS, BECAUSE THEY CAUSE THE MOCHIN OF GREATNESS TO FLOW TO THOSE BELOW. Crocodiles, NAMELY THE GRADES OF CHOCHMAH, move under the ship, WHICH IS MALCHUT, THAT IS, IN BRIYAH, of the great sea, BINAH, FROM WHICH MALCHUT RECEIVES HER LIGHT, to HER four corners. The one moves to this side, SOUTH, and the other moves to this side, NORTH, and it is so with all of them, ALSO EASTWARD AND WESTWARD, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT. The four shapes of the face appear in them, MEANING IN THESE CROCODILES, AND ARE LION, OX, EAGLE AND MAN, FOR THEY ARE DRAWN FROM THE THREE COLUMNS AND MALCHUT THAT RECEIVES THEM, WHICH IS THE FACE OF A MAN. When they are joined within the one WHICH IS MALCHUT, it is written, "As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man" (Yechezkel 1:10). THIS MEANS the face of all of them, NAMELY THE THREE SHAPES OF LION, OX, EAGLE, RECEIVES A HUMAN FACE LIKE MALCHUT WHEN ALL ARE INCLUDED IN IT.

90. "And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon:" HE ASKS: What is THE CONNECTION between them? HE ANSWERS: We have learned that "Hashem gave Solomon wisdom." How did he establish this wisdom? Rabbi Yosi said: This is how he established this wisdom. Solomon caused Hiram to descend from that level where he said, "I sit in the seat of Elohim" (Yechezkel 28:2). We have learned that Hiram, King of Tyre, announced himself a deity, MEANING HE WAS DEVOTED TO OTHER ELOHIM WHO DRAW CHOCHMAH FROM ABOVE DOWNWARD, AS MENTIONED, AND BEHAVED LIKE THEM. Afterwards, SOLOMON came and, with his wisdom, caused Hiram to depart from this counsel OF OTHER ELOHIM. Thus, he thanked Solomon for this. For this reason, "there was peace between Hiram and Solomon."

109. Behold, here is Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, who is Sfirah of Chesed, a supernal head OF ZEIR ANPIN, MEANING THAT HIS CHESED HAS BECOME CHOCHMAH, WHICH IS HEAD. For this reason, he inherits the glory of most High and binds the highest knot, the knot of holiness, the knot of Faith, MEANING THE UNITY OF ZEIR ANPIN WITH MALCHUT. How fortunate is his share in this world and in the World to Come. About this table is said, "This is the table that is before Hashem" (Yechezkel 41:22). Rabbi Pinchas rose and kissed him and blessed him. He kissed Rabbi Elazar and all the friends and blessed them. He then took the cup and said a blessing.

185. Rabbi Aba said: Why does the letter Vav contain Vav-Aleph-Vav ואו IN THIS PRONUNCIATION? HE ANSWERS: Vav, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, sits on the throne, REFERRING TO MALCHUT CALLED THRONE, as the verse reads, "And upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it" (Yechezkel 1:26), REFERRING TO ZEIR ANPIN. The Aleph is silent within VAV and is not revealed, AS THE ALEPH REPRESENTS ARICH ANPIN, CLOTHED FROM THE CENTER DOWNWARD WITH ZEIR ANPIN, AND IS NOT REVEALED OUTSIDE OF ZEIR ANPIN. This is what is written, "'By Myself have I sworn,' says Hashem" (Beresheet 22:16), AS ZEIR ANPIN SWORE BY ARICH ANPIN WHO IS CLOTHED WITHIN HIM. For this reason, THE ALEPH is written but not pronounced, MEANING WHEN WE READ THE VAV, THE ALEPH IS SILENT AND IS NOT HEARD IN ITS PRONUNCIATION, AS IT HINTS AT ARICH ANPIN WHO IS CONCEALED AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE. The last VAV comprises the first and we have established that THE LAST VAV is Yesod, the ending of the body, TIFERET, and comprises it all, AS IT IS PART OF THE BODY. Therefore, the letters are connected one with the other, Vav-Aleph-Vav being the beginning and end, MEANING TIFERET AND YESOD THAT ARE ONE, AND THE ALEPH REPRESENTS ARICH ANPIN CLOTHED IN TIFERET, as we have explained.

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).

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.