34. We have learned that this river gave forth deep streams, WHICH REPRESENT THE THREE SFIROT - CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN - with the anointing oil to replenish the Garden of Eden, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and water the trees and plants, NAMELY THE SFIROT OF MALCHUT. Of this, it is written, "The trees of Hashem have their fill; the cedars of Lebanon, which He has planted" (Tehilim 104:16). These streams, NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, flow and continue on and join two pillars that the Baraithas refer to as Yachin and Boaz, NAMELY NETZACH AND HOD. These NAMES are appropriate. From there, NETZACH AND HOD come out all these streams, NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, and rest in a certain level referred to as Righteous, NAMELY YESOD, as it is written, "But the righteous is an everlasting foundation (Heb. yesod)" (Mishlei 10:25). All together they join in that level referred to as "sea" that is the sea of wisdom, NAMELY MALCHUT. This is the meaning of the verse, "All the rivers run into the sea" (Kohelet 1:7).

35. You may say that when the streams reach this spot, NAMELY MALCHUT, they stop and don't come back, yet immediately following that, it says, "To the place where the rivers flow, thither they return (lit. 'return to go')" (Ibid.), for the river never stops its waters. "They return:" To where do THEY return? HE ANSWERS: They "return" to the two pillars, Netzach and Hod. They "go" to this Righteous, WHICH IS YESOD, to seek out blessings and joy. This is the secret of what we learned, "This is the Leviathan, whom You have made to play therein" (Tehilim 104:26). It is the righteous.

47. The oil was then poured from level to level among the levels that are called the Holy Name, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and the verse then reads, "For your flowing oil you are renowned: therefore do the virgins love you" (Ibid.). What is meant by "virgins" (Heb. alamot)? It is worlds (Heb. olamot), as we mentioned, actual worlds. INASMUCH AS THE OIL POURS TO MALCHUT CALLED NAME, ALL WORLDS RECEIVE FROM HER. Another explanation for alamot is as it is written, "A song to Alamot" (Tehilim 46:1), MEANING GRADES REPRESENTING ASPECTS OF CHASSADIM THAT IS REFERRED TO AS ALOMOT, DERIVED FROM THE WORD HE'ALEM (LIT. 'HIDDEN'). It all comes to the same thing. THE WORD OLAMOT (LIT. 'WORLDS') ALSO COMES FROM THEIR BEING CONCEALED.

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.

87. We have learned before my master what is Holiness - It is perfection of all called the highly sublime Chochmah, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA. From this place flows the holy anointing oil through known paths to the place called supernal Binah, THE SECRET OF YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH. From there, flow streams and fountains in every direction, MEANING BOTH TO CHOCHMAH AND TO CHASSADIM until they reach this zot (Eng. 'this'), NAMELY MALCHUT. When blessed, this zot is called holiness and is called Chochmah and we call her the Spirit of the Holiness, meaning spirit, NAMELY THE SIX ENDS, from this holiness of higher above, MEANING THE SIX EXTREMITIES OF CHOCHMAH. When the secrets of Torah exit and stir from her, she is then called 'the holy tongue.'

88. When the anointing oil flows to these two pillars, referred to as "students of Hashem" (Yeshayah 54:13), and are called Tzevaot, NAMELY NETZACH AND HOD, it gathers there. When it exits from there through that level called Yesod AND ARRIVES at the smaller Chochmah THAT IS MALCHUT, KNOWN AS THE SMALL CHOCHMAH BECAUSE IT CONTAINS ONLY SIX CORNERS OF CHOCHMAH AS EXPLAINED EARLIER, it is called the 'tongue of the learned.' FROM HER, it goes out to awaken the sublime holy beings. At that point, it is written, "Hashem Elohim has given me the tongue of the learned." Why? "That I should know how to sustain him that weary." The Holy One, blessed be He, gave this to the holy luminary, Rabbi Shimon. Furthermore, he raised him higher and higher TO UPPER WORLDS. For this reason, all his words are said manifestly, and are not concealed. About him, it is written, "With him I speak mouth to mouth, manifestly, and not in dark speeches" (Bemidbar 12:8).

159. Come and analyze the secret of the matter. There are three degrees, yet each degree is independent even though they are one, connected into one and do not separate one from the other. Come and see: All the plants - NAMELY THE SFIROT - and all these candles - NAMELY THE SFIROT OF MALCHUT KNOWN AS THE FIERY LIGHTS - shine and blaze. All are watered and blessed from that river that continually flows, NAMELY BINAH, in which everything is included, AS ALL MOCHIN STEM FROM IT, and the sum of everything is within it.

171. Come and see that the Yud י at the beginning OF THE NAME, YUD HEI VAV HEI, includes it all. It is concealed on all sides, and no paths open WITHIN IT. It encompasses male and female, NAMELY THE SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA, AS THE YUD IS THE SECRET OF ABA AND TWO LETTERS OF THE YUD FULLY SPELLED - NAMELY VAV AND DALET - ARE IMA. THEY ARE CONCEALED AND UNOPENED. The tip at the top of the Yud hints at naught, MEANING KETER CALLED SO, SINCE THERE IS NO CONCEIVING IT. Afterwards, the Yud, THE SECRET OF EDEN, issued from itself that river that continually flows out, NAMELY BINAH. From it, Hei will conceive WITH A SON AND A DAUGHTER, WHICH ARE VAV AND DALET. ITS SHAPE HINTS AT ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT AS EMBRYOS WITHIN IT, IN THE SHAPE OF DALET AND VAV. Of this HEI, it is written, "And a river went (lit. 'goes') out of Eden" (Beresheet 2:10). IT IS WRITTEN "goes out," MEANING CONTINUOUSLY FLOWING, not 'went out,' IN THE PAST TENSE. For this reason, THE HEI need not part FROM THE YUD. As a result, it is written, "my love" (Shir Hashirim 4:1) IN RELATION TO HEI, WHICH IS WITH YUD AS TWO FRIENDS THAT NEVER PART FROM ONE ANOTHER.

209. HE QUESTIONS: What are the sources of the spring? HE ANSWERS: THERE IS one spring above, NAMELY BINAH, as it is written, "And a river went out of Eden to water the Garden..." (Beresheet 2:10). It flows on from there and waters the Garden, NAMELY MALCHUT. All these streams, NAMELY THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN THAT RECEIVE FROM THE RIVER, flow out and join in the two springs known as Netzach and Hod OF ZEIR ANPIN. These are called water brooks AND POUR in that level called Righteous, MEANING YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, from which it continues and goes out; and the Garden is watered, NAMELY MALCHUT. For this reason, the hart and the deer are together, REFERRING TO righteousness and the Righteous, NAMELY YESOD AND MALCHUT THAT ARE TOGETHER. HART STANDS FOR MALCHUT AND DEER FOR YESOD.

211. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). The Faithful Shepherd, NAMELY THE SOUL OF MOSES, said, at that time, BEFORE THE COMING OF MESSIAH, the Mishnah scholars, sages of supernal wisdom, scholars of Kabbalah, scholars of the secrets in the Torah, will have a time of hardship, AS THEY HAVE NOTHING TO SUPPORT THEM. This is the meaning of, "As the hart (Heb. ayal) pants after the water brooks" (Tehilim 42:2) as they, NAMELY THE SAGES MENTIONED EARLIER, are springs of water of Torah flowing to the Shechinah, AS TORAH IS REFERRED TO AS WATER. Torah is the central pillar, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, THE CENTRAL COLUMN. These springs of water, NAMELY THE SAGES MENTIONED EARLIER FROM WHICH COMES FORTH TORAH MEANING WATER, are in distress, in sadness and in poverty. These are the pains and distresses of the one who has given birth, namely the Shechinah, as it is written in regard to Her, "And let her who bore you rejoice" (Mishlei 23:25). She will be in those labor pains, MEANING with their distress OF THE SCHOLARS OF WISDOM AND TORAH, AS MENTIONED, AS THEIR AGONY IS CONSIDERED AS THE LABOR PAINS OF THE SHECHINAH.

237. We have learned that on that day, all joy and every light and every indulgence in the worlds, NAMELY FORGIVENESS OF SINS, all depend on supernal Ima. All springs are drawn and flow from it, MEANING BOTH THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH AND THE ILLUMINATION OF CHASSADIM. Then all these candles glow, BEING THE SECRET OF THE LIGHTS OF THE FIRE WITHIN MALCHUT, and they glow with light and joy until everything becomes fragrant. At that point, all Judgments are within the glow, AS THOSE JUDGMENTS DRAWN FROM THE FIVE AFFLICTIONS CAUSE CHOCHMAH TO SHINE FORTH. IF NOT FOR THEM, THE CHOCHMAH WOULD NOT BECOME REVEALED AS MENTIONED. The Judgment is not being carried out, BUT IS MERELY IMPENDING. This is the meaning of, "You shall afflict your souls," TO ENABLE THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH.

241. Rabbi Elazar said: It is written, "For on that day will He forgive you..." (Vayikra 16:30). It should say, 'will I forgive you,' AS IF SOMEONE IS SPEAKING FOR HIMSELF. HE ANSWERS, "Will He forgive you" SPOKEN IN THIRD PERSON includes Jubilee, DENOTING BINAH, from which springs flow, MEANING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, to water on this day all sides and to water and satiate everything. This is the meaning of "you," namely "for you," in order to cleanse you this day, as it says, "that you may be clean of all your sins before Hashem" (Ibid.). Harsh Judgment will not affect you.

246. Rabbi Aba said, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem" MEANS there is a hidden spot above. It is the depth of the well, DENOTING BINAH. From here flow streams and springs in every direction and the deepest part is called repentance. One who wishes to return and cleanse oneself from sins in this depth needs to call upon the Holy One, blessed be He, as the verse says, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem."

247. We have studied that when one sins before his Master, Mercy is awakened if he offers his sacrifice on the altar and the priest attains forgiveness for him and prays his prayer for him. The Judgments are mitigated and repentance, NAMELY BINAH, pours out blessings in the springs that emerge and flow. All candles are blessed together, NAMELY THE SFIROT OF MALCHUT, and one is cleansed from his sin.

304. Concealed paths, THE SECRET OF THE 32 PATHS OF CHOCHMAH, and deep rivers, THE SECRET OF THE SFIROT OF BINAH, ten sayings, THE SECRET OF THE TEN SFIROT OF DA'AT THAT UNIFIES CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, DENOTING THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT OF ZEIR ANPIN, all come out AND FLOW INTO THE WORLDS from the lower tip underneath the Aleph. FOR THE LOWER YUD OF THE ALEPH IS THE SECRET OF MALE AND FEMALE, AS MENTIONED, WHOSE LIGHTS FLOW THROUGH THE LOWER TIP OF THE YUD. THEREFORE, IT IS COLLECTIVE, AS ALL ARE COLLECTED WITHIN THE ALEPH. From here on begin THE LIGHTS OF Aleph to spread to the Bet. One cannot keep track of the wisdom that is engraved here.

329. So it is written, "Hashem shall roar from on high, and utter His voice from His holy habitation; He shall mightily roar because of His habitation" (Yirmeyah 25:30), because of His actual habitation, namely the Queen, WHO IS GONE. It is surely so THAT HE ROARS. What does He say? THUS: woe that I have demolished My house. "My house" MEANS the union with the Queen. This is surely the meaning of, "The nakedness of your father, or the nakedness of your mother, shall you not uncover." From all directions there is nakedness, NAMELY BLEMISH. FOR WHEN MALCHUT, YOUR MOTHER, PARTED DUE TO THE SIN OF THE LOWER BEINGS, THEN THE LIGHTS DEPARTED FROM ZEIR ANPIN AS WELL. THUS, ZEIR ANPIN, YOUR FATHER, WAS DAMAGED. Then "I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering" (Yeshayah 50:3), MEANING ZEIR ANPIN REFERRED TO AS HEAVEN, as the place of the reception of blessings of the springs' sources, WHICH ARE IN BINAH which were flowing and watering ZEIR ANPIN properly, withdrew AND STOPPED.

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."

380. Rabbi Aba said, "Through wisdom a house is built" (Mishlei 24:3). What is a house built with Chochmah? Some say it is the river flowing from Eden, MEANING BINAH. For this reason it is WRITTEN, "born at home," MEANING MALCHUT BORN FROM BINAH CONSIDERED A HOUSE FOR CHOCHMAH. "Or born abroad," MEANING when MALCHUT comes out of the Vav, BEING ZEIR ANPIN, as it is written WHEN ADAM, ZEIR ANPIN, SAID ABOUT EVE, MALCHUT, "Bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh" (Beresheet 2:23). It is also written, "And He took one of his sides" (Ibid. 21), SO MALCHUT IS COMING OUT FROM ZEIR ANPIN. This is "born abroad," from the place where Zeir Anpin is, WHICH IS CONSIDERED ON THE OUTSIDE OF IMA, as we have learned.

382. Rabbi Yitzchak said, "There the tribes used to go, the tribes of Yah" (Ibid. 4). Who are the tribes? HE ANSWERS: These are the twelve boundaries that spread from that large and strong tree, BEING ZEIR ANPIN, BEING THE SECRET OF FOUR SFIROT - CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT. EACH HAS THREE COLUMNS WHICH ARE TWELVE BOUNDARIES. FROM ZEIR ANPIN, THEY ARE DRAWN TO MALCHUT, WHERE THEY ARE CALLED BY THE NAME OF TWELVE TRIBES that HE inherited from Aba and Ima. This is what is written, "The tribes of Yah," MEANING from the good testimony that the holy son gives, as it is written, "The tribes of Yah, an appointed practice (lit. 'testimony') for Yisrael," AS THE TWELVE BOUNDARIES ARE THE SECRET OF THE TESTIMONY, MEANING THE ILLUMINATION OF EDEN (CHOCHMAH). These are the deep rivers flowing from Yah (Yud Hei), WHICH ARE ABA AND IMA. It is all for the purpose "to give thanks to the name of Hashem" (Ibid. 4). THEREFORE, "for there are set thrones of Judgment, the thrones of the house of David" (Ibid. 5), in order to bequeath the Holy Kingdom to him and his sons for generations. This is the poem recited by David concerning the holy, supernal kingdom.

397. We have learned it is written, "Also you shall not approach to a woman in the impurity of her menstrual flow, to uncover her nakedness" (Vayikra 18:19). Rabbi Yehuda taught, the generation in which Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai dwells are all meritorious, all pious, all sin fearing, the Shechinah dwelling in their midst. Not so in other generations. For this reason, these things are expounded and not concealed, IN HIS GENERATION. In other generations it is not so, and supernal secrets cannot be revealed. And those who do know them are afraid TO REVEAL. When Rabbi Shimon would relate the secret of this verse among all the friends, their eyes would flow with tears. All the words he said were being revealed before their very eyes, as the verse says, "With him I speak mouth to mouth, manifestly, and not in dark speeches" (Bemidbar 12:8).

400. We have learned Rabbi Shimon said that if people would look at what is written in the Torah, they would not come to anger their Master. We have learned when harsh Judgments are stirred to descend to the world, IT IS then WRITTEN, "To a woman in the impurity of her menstrual flow..." (Vayikra 18:19). About this, it is written, "The secret of Hashem is with them that fear Him" (Tehilim 25:14). We have learned this in the Holy gathering and here I wish to reveal this secret. Here it is proper to do, MEANING HERE IS THE PLACE TO REVEAL IT.

411. Rabbi Yosi found Rabbi Aba sitting and reading this verse, "Cast your burden upon Hashem" (Tehilim 55:23). "Upon" is exact, MEANING ABOVE HASHEM, ZEIR ANPIN. Sustenance is dependent on Mazal, THE BEARD OF ARICH ANPIN. Rabbi Yehuda used to read, "For (lit. 'upon') this (Heb. zot fem.) shall everyone that is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found" (Tehilim 32:6). "Upon Zot" surely, MEANING ABOVE MALCHUT CALLED ZOT, BEING TIFERET THAT IS ABOVE MALCHUT. "In a time...be found," we established that it REFERS TO A WOMAN. Yet "in a time...be found" is like the words, "Seek Hashem while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Yeshayah 55:6), REFERRING TO THE TEN DAYS OF REPENTANCE. Another explanation for, "In a time...be found," MEANING when the rivers, THE LIGHTS OF BINAH, flow and are drawn continuously. The Patriarchs, BEING CHESED GVURAH TIFERET, receive and all are blessed, FOR EVERY PIOUS MAN SHOULD PRAY FOR THIS. What is meant by "the flood of great waters" (Tehilim 32:6)? HE ANSWERS: It is the depth of the springs and rivers, BEING ATIKA KADISHA, FROM WHICH ARE DRAWN THE LIGHTS AND SPRINGS TO BINAH. For who will merit it, and who will merit to come near and ascend there! This is what is meant by the verse, "The flood of great waters shall not come near him." It is because they are not worthy and not capable OF RECEIVING FROM ATIKA.