52. We have learned that it is written, "And Hashem descended in the cloud" (Shemot 34:5) and "I appear in the cloud upon the ark cover." We have learned that this is the place, NAMELY MALCHUT, where the Cherubs rested, WHO ARE METATRON AND SANDALPHON, as we learned. The Cherubs were in place by means of a miracle (Heb. nes), MEANING UPON MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED NES. We have learned that three times daily - THE SECRET MEANING OF THE THREE COLUMNS - a miracle (Heb. nes) occurred, MEANING THAT THE SHECHINAH REVEALED HERSELF in their wings. At the moment when the sanctity of the King revealed itself upon them, they raised their wings of their own accord, spread them, and covered over the ark cover. Afterwards, they closed their wings and held them against their bodies, as the verse says, "And the Cherubs shall stretch out their wings on high" (Shemot 25:20). The verse uses the term "stretch out," MEANING AT TIMES THEY WOULD SPREAD AND AT TIMES CLOSE. The verse does not read 'stretched out,' WHICH WOULD BE CORRECT WERE THEY PASSIVE; IN THE SAME WAY, 'overspreading' instead of 'were overspread.' This is WHAT THEY SAID, 'they were erect by means of a miracle and were rejoicing in the Shechinah.'

56. Rabbi Yosi said, "And the people with equity (Heb. meisharim)" (Tehilim 98:9): What is meant by Meisharim? HE ANSWERS: As the verse says, "sincerely (Heb. meisharim) they love you" (Shir Hashirim 1:4). THE SHECHINAH includes BY THIS the two Cherubs, METATRON AND SANDALPHON, who are assuredly called "meisharim," and IT SAYS about this, "And the people with equity (Heb. meisharim)." BEFORE THIS, IT IS WRITTEN, "WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL HE JUDGE THE WORLD" (Tehilim 98:9) AND "JUDGE" REFERS TO ZEIR ANPIN, WHILE "RIGHTEOUSNESS" DENOTES MALCHUT. LATER, THE VERSE INCLUDES ALSO THE CHERUBS AND THUS SAYS, "AND THE PEOPLE WITH EQUITY."

71. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "Behold the bed of Solomon sixty valiant men are round about it..." (Shir Hashirim 3:7). "Behold the bed of Solomon:" What is meant by "his litter?" It refers to the throne of glory of the King, NAMELY MALCHUT CALLED BED. It is written about it, "The heart of her husband safely trusts in her" (Mishlei 31:11) and Solomon (Heb. Shlomo) REFERS TO the King that the peace (Heb. shalom) is His, REFERRING TO ZEIR ANPIN. "Sixty valiant men are round about it:" They are attached to MALCHUT'S aspect of harsh Judgment and are connoted as sixty fire guards, MEANING SIXTY GUARDIANS FROM FIRE. That youth, MEANING METATRON, clothes himself with them.

72. On the right side OF METATRON is the mighty bright sword, and on the left are strong burning coals that enjoin his imprints with 70,000 flames of consuming fire. They are sixty mighty ones heavily armed with the mighty Gvurot of supernal Gvurah of the Holy One, blessed be He, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN. This is what is meant by, "Of the mighty ones of Yisrael" (Shir Hashirim 3:7), NAMELY GVURAH OF ZEIR ANPIN REFERRED TO AS YISRAEL.

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.

153. This goes on until morning. When morning arrives, the youth rises, METATRON, who is nurtured at the breast of his mother, MALCHUT, to cleanse them, NAMELY THE ANGELS OF THE NIGHT, and he comes in to serve. The early morning is a period of goodwill when the Queen talks with the King, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN. The King extends from Himself a single thread of blessings, NAMELY CHASSADIM, and spreads over the Queen and those allied with her, NAMELY those that toil in Torah at midnight.