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).

46. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "Your ointments are fragrant..." (Shir Hashirim 1:3). I have closely studied this verse and this is the explanation: What is meant by "fragrant?" IT MEANS THAT the fragrance of the incense is subtle and finer, more interior than anything else. When this fragrance rises to join with the anointing oil of the fountain streams, WHICH ARE THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN, they wake one another and connect together. Then these ointments are good for illumination, as the verse says, "Your ointments are fragrant (lit. 'good for fragrance)."

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.

49. Another explanation for "the virgins (Heb. alamot) love you:" It is fine to read this verse as: 'over death (Heb. al mavet) they love you,' for with this, NAMELY OIL WHICH DENOTES CHASSADIM, the harsh prosecutors embalm themselves, AS 'ALAMOT' IS SPELLED WITH THE SAME LETTERS AS 'AL MAVET.' For incense, SIGNIFYING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, joins with the higher level ointment, WHICH IS CHASSADIM, and is held in high esteem before the Holy One, blessed be He, more than all sacrifices and burnt offerings. The Congregation of Yisrael said: I am like the incense, DENOTING MALCHUT, AS MALCHUT IS THE SECRET MEANING OF LOWER CHOCHMAH, and You, DENOTING ZEIR ANPIN, are like ointment, DENOTING CHASSADIM. THEREFORE, "Draw me, we will run after you" (Shir Hashirim 1:4). "We will run" IS A PLURAL EXPRESSION, as in, "therefore do the virgins love you," THAT IS, I and all my troops, who all hold onto me. Hence, "draw me," as they are all dependent on me.

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).