40. The great crocodile IS THE MALE LEVIATHAN THAT REMAINED ALIVE. IT IS SAID ABOUT HIM, "THAT COUCHES IN THE MIDST OF HIS STREAMS." There are nine rivers that he lies in, CORRESPONDING TO NINE SFIROT: CHOCHMAH, BINAH, DA'AT, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD. And there is one river whose waters are quiet. THIS IS KETER. The blessings of the waters of the Garden, WHICH IS MALCHUT OF ATZILUT, pour into it three times a year. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE THREE COLUMNS - RIGHT, LEFT AND CENTRAL, OF WHICH IT IS SAID, "THREE TIMES A YEAR SHALL ALL YOUR MALES APPEAR" (DEVARIM 16:16). If they pour in twice, MEANING ONLY TWO COLUMNS, RIGHT AND LEFT, the river is blessed, but not as much BECAUSE THE CENTRAL COLUMN IS MISSING. If only one pours in, MEANING EITHER ONLY THE RIGHT OR ONLY THE LEFT, it is not BLESSED BY IT. THE NINE RIVERS, THE LOWER NINE SFIROT, RECEIVE FROM THE RIVER, WHICH IS KETER.

225. Afterwards, "and He shall smite it in seven streams" (Yeshayah 11:15), He made seven precious vessels and called them 'Greatness,' NAMELY CHESED, Gvurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malchut. He called Himself Great in Greatness and also Pious (Heb. chasid), mighty in Gvurah ('Might'), glorious in Tiferet ('Glory') and victorious in battles in Netzach Netzachim ('Victory'). In Hod ('Majesty'), He called Himself 'The Majesty of our Creator' and in Yesod, He called himself 'Righteous.' Foundation (Yesod) supports everything, all the vessels and all the worlds. And in Malchut ('Kingdom'), He called Himself 'King.' To Him is "the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in heaven," NAMELY YESOD, and to Him is "the kingdom" (I Divrei Hayamim 29:11), THAT IS MALCHUT.