295. Now you speak of the strong ones. The strong ones (Heb. eitanim) are below, DENOTING NETZACH, HOD, AND YESOD, and mountains above DENOTE CHESED, GVURAH, AND TIFERET. Be on guard, old man, as there is another thought that conflicts with yours, as written, "A maskil of Eitan the Ezrachite" (Tehilim 89:1), referring to old Abraham, called Eitan. So if Abraham is known as 'Eitan' then Isaac and Jacob must be referred to as eitanim (lit. 'strong ones') AND WE KNOW THAT THE FATHERS DENOTE CHESED, GVURAH, AND TIFERET, FOR CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET ARE REFERRED TO AS 'STRONG.' Rise, old man, as you see that this thought conflicts with your thought.

297. It is written "A maskil of Eitan the Ezrachite," and there is a verse, "A maskil of David," denoting the river that flows from Eden, ALLUDING TO YESOD, that clarifies David, REPRESENTING MALCHUT, to inform him of these concealed heavenly matters, AND SO YESOD BECOMES REFERRED TO AS 'MASKIL' (ENG. 'ERUDITE'). Now if maskil alludes to the river flowing from Eden, MEANING YESOD THAT IS BELOW, IN NETZACH, HOD, AND YESOD, then Eitan the Ezrachite ALLUDES TO Abraham, whom I know to be above, WITH CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET. And though I am an old man, I overcome this thought. BUT Eitan the Ezrachite points to two grades, as the verse says, "As soon as the morning was light." "Light" denotes Abraham, WHO IS CHESED; "morning" is the river, WHICH IS YESOD. So in relation to Eitan the Ezrachite, 'Ezrachite' alludes to Abraham and 'Eitan' is, as we said, that river flowing from Eden, NAMELY YESOD.

299. Furthermore, from your OWN words, SAYING THAT EITAN THE EZRACHITE REPRESENTS TWO LEVELS, you had better leave the field and not be found, for had the verse said, "A maskil Eitan the Ezrachite," then things would be FINE, since as you maintained, IT REPRESENTS TWO LEVELS. But now that it writes, 'A maskil of Eitan the Ezrachite,' your fight is meaningless, BECAUSE NOW IT APPEARS THAT IT IS ONE LEVEL, NOT TWO. Depart the field unwillingly, and do not be seen.

301. He commenced, it is written, "A maskil of Eitan the Ezrachite." Had it been written 'A maskil of David,' the explanation would have been as you said, REFLECTING YESOD THAT OFFERS BOUNTY TO MALCHUT, CALLED 'DAVID.' But IT IS WRITTEN "A maskil of Eitan." HE ANSWERS, There is maskil and there is maskil, a maskil on high and one below. Maskil of Eitan is to tell us when that river, YESOD, rises with yearning, all limbs rejoice and join with him. If it rises to the point that that supernal mind, CHESED BECOMING CHOCHMAH, is favored to him and rejoices in him, then you have a maskil of Eitan the Ezrachite. For it instructs (Heb. maskil) Eitan the Ezrachite, instructing YESOD, and informs him through Abraham his beloved, REPRESENTING CHESED THAT ROSE TO BECOME CHOCHMAH, with all that is necessary. That supernal mind, BEING CHOCHMAH, is maskil of Eitan, DENOTING YESOD. When king David, DENOTING MALCHUT, is established with yearning TO YESOD, YESOD informs (maskil) David, just as the supernal mind maskil TO YESOD. So there is maskil and maskil.