481. Hosea was afraid to look at the chambersto which the children of Yisrael clung, to be defiled, IN FEAR of being drawn after them, as it is written of Noah "and he drank of the wine, and was drunk: and he was uncovered." Then He said to him "take to you a wife of harlotry, and children of harlotry," THE WIFE OF HARLOTRY BEING MALCHUT OF THE OTHER SIDE, AND THE CHILDREN OF HARLOTRY HER GRADES. It is also written, "So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Divlayim" (Hoshea 1:3), to know what the children of Yisrael clung to and were defiled with and why they left the secret of the Faith, MALCHUT OF HOLINESS, for a strange El, MALCHUT OF DEFILEMENT. And he saw THIS within the first chamber, the opening of all the grades. THEREFORE, IT IS SAID OF HER "SIN CROUCHES AT THE DOOR" (BERESHEET 4:7), FOR AT THE VERY OPENING OF THIS CHAMBER, THE OTHER SIDE CROUCHES, WHICH IS A WIFE OF HARLOTRY. AND THE CHIEFTAIN OF THE OTHER SIDE IS STANDING AT THE GATE.