26. HE QUESTIONS: What is apparent here, MEANING WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN A FOREIGN FIRE TO A FOREIGN WOMAN? HE ANSWERS: At the beginning, they brought near TO THE HOLINESS something that was far removed FROM HOLINESS AND DEFILED THE HOLINESS, as it is written, "When they offered a foreign fire." Here too, Zimri COMMITTED THE VERY SAME SIN in that he brought near THAT which was far FROM HOLINESS (NAMELY, THE FOREIGN WOMAN TO THE HOLINESS) BECAUSE he brought near the name of the King, THE SIGN OF THE HOLY COVENANT, to the distant one - NAMELY, THE FOREIGN WOMAN. Immediately, "When Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation" (Bemidbar 25:7). At this point, he corrected the earlier crookedness. Then the Yud was added to his name to enjoin the letters together, THE SECRET OF YESOD THAT CONNECTS ZEIR ANPIN WITH MALCHUT. Thus, he was promised peace, WHICH IS YESOD REFERRED TO AS PEACE, as it is written, "Wherefore say, Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace" (Ibid. 12), My very covenant, NAMELY YESOD.

27. HE ASKS: What is this 'peace' we speak of here WHEN IT SAYS, "BEHOLD, I GIVE TO HIM MY COVENANT OF PEACE?" HE ANSWERS: At first they sinned against this Sfirah, YESOD, BY OFFERING FOREIGN FIRE, AS EARLIER MENTIONED. They damaged this Sfirah in instigating a quarrel BETWEEN ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, AS IT IS WRITTEN ABOVE. Now that it is corrected, it is written, "Behold I give him My covenant of peace," My actual covenant, NAMELY THE SFIRAH OF YESOD WHICH GOES BY THE NAME COVENANT. It will be at peace with him, NAMELY THE PEACE BETWEEN ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT. For this reason, a small Yud was added to his name, WHICH HINTS AT YESOD, which is of the small letters to show that what was earlier crooked has already been corrected, MEANING THAT YESOD WHICH WAS CURVED EARLIER HAS BEEN STRAIGHTENED, AS WAS SAID BEFORE, and now MALCHUT is perfected through YESOD. Rabbi Elazar kissed his hands and said: Blessed is the Merciful One for allowing me to ask this thing so it should not get lost from me.

37. Come and see: When this "all," WHICH IS YESOD, KNOWN AS "KOL (LIT. 'ALL')," perfumes "due season," WHICH IS MALCHUT, which joins with him, all the world rejoices in blessings and peace is found among the upper and lower beings. However, when the wicked cause, that blessings of these streams are not present - NAMELY, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN, and this season receives nourishment from another side, NAMELY JUDGMENT, then Judgments are awakened in the world and there is no peace. When people want to be blessed, they can do so only through the priest, who could arouse his Sfirah, WHICH IS CHESED. Thus, the Matron, WHO IS MALCHUT, is blessed and the blessings will prevail throughout the worlds.

61. As they were walking, he said, "I am black, but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem..." (Shir Hashirim 1:5). The Congregation of Yisrael said before the Holy One, blessed be He: I may be black in exile but I am comely with the commandments of the Torah. Even though Yisrael are in exile, they do not forsake THE PRECEPTS. "Like the tents of Kedar" (Ibid.), MEANING EVEN THOUGH I AM like the children of Keturah, whose faces are always black, still I am like "the curtains of Solomon" (Ibid.), MEANING like the view of heaven for purity, as it is written, "Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain" (Tehilim 104:2). SOLOMON (HEB. SHLOMO) IS THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, THE KING OF PEACE (HEB. SHALOM).

66. My friends, just as you have had affection for each other until now, do not part from one another from now on until the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoices with you. He will call peace upon you and, for your merits, peace will prevail in the world. This is the meaning of the verse, "For my brethren and friends' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within you" (Tehilim 122:8).

69. HE ANSWERS: At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the sweet incense to Aaron, He wanted no one else to deal with this during his lifetime. For what reason? Because Aaron increased peace in the world. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: 'Since you wish to increase peace in the world, peace will multiply above through you. The sweet incense will be transmitted to you from now on, AS INCENSE INCREASES PEACE ABOVE, and during your life, no one else will be permitted to deal with it.' During their father's lifetime, Nadab and Abihu hastened to offer that which was not given to them, and this matter caused them to make a mistake BY OFFERING A FOREIGN FIRE.

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.

89. Rabbi Yesa opened the discussion saying, "And Hashem gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon..." (I Melachim 5:26). "And Hashem gave Solomon wisdom:" This is what we learned that during the days of King Solomon, the moon, DENOTING MALCHUT, remained in its fullness; THEN MALCHUT IS CALLED CHOCHMAH, AS MENTIONED. And He gave it to Solomon "as he promised him," MEANING as was said to him, "Wisdom and knowledge are granted to you" (II Divrei Hayamim 1:12).

90. "And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon:" HE ASKS: What is THE CONNECTION between them? HE ANSWERS: We have learned that "Hashem gave Solomon wisdom." How did he establish this wisdom? Rabbi Yosi said: This is how he established this wisdom. Solomon caused Hiram to descend from that level where he said, "I sit in the seat of Elohim" (Yechezkel 28:2). We have learned that Hiram, King of Tyre, announced himself a deity, MEANING HE WAS DEVOTED TO OTHER ELOHIM WHO DRAW CHOCHMAH FROM ABOVE DOWNWARD, AS MENTIONED, AND BEHAVED LIKE THEM. Afterwards, SOLOMON came and, with his wisdom, caused Hiram to depart from this counsel OF OTHER ELOHIM. Thus, he thanked Solomon for this. For this reason, "there was peace between Hiram and Solomon."

92. Rabbi Yosi said, "My dove, who is in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the cliff" (Shir Hashirim 2:14). "My dove" refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, DENOTING MALCHUT. Just as a dove never forsakes her mate, so the Congregation of Yisrael never forsakes the Holy One, blessed be He. "In the clefts of the rock:" These are the Torah scholars that find no peace in this world, AND ARE HIDING, SO TO SPEAK, IN THE CRACKS OF THE ROCK FROM THEIR ENEMIES. "In the secret places of the cliff:" These are the modest scholars WHO CONCEAL THEIR LEVEL FROM PEOPLE. Among them are the pious who fear the Holy One, blessed be He, from whom the Shechinah never departs. Then, the Holy One, blessed be He, demands from the Congregation of Yisrael on behalf of the pious and says, "Let me see your countenance, let me hear your voice; for sweet is your voice" (Ibid.), for no voice is heard above except the voice of those who toil in the Torah.

105. "And watered the sheep" (Ibid.), MEANING they pour out blessings from this well to the higher and lower levels. Afterwards, they "put the stone back upon the well's mouth" (Ibid.), MEANING the Judgment returns to its position. It is because it is needed in order to bring fragrance and correction to the world. Now, the Holy One, blessed be He, has poured upon you blessings from the springs of the fountain stream and from you are blessed all the members of your generation. How fortunate is your share in this world and in the World to Come. About you, it is written, "And all your children shall be taught of Hashem; and great shall be the peace of your children" (Yeshayah 54:13).

110. He opened the discussion saying, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies" (Tehilim 23:5). They sat there all day long. The friends were rejoicing with words of Torah and the joy of Rabbi Shimon was great. Rabbi Pinchas took hold of Rabbi Elazar and did not leave him all that day and night, and rejoiced with him. He referred to a verse about him, "Then you shall delight yourself in Hashem" (Yeshayah 58:14). All this great joy and pleasure are in my portion, AS RABBI ELAZAR WAS HIS DAUGHTER'S SON. Sometime in the future, they will in that world announce about me: Fortunate is your lot, Rabbi Pinchas, that you have merited all this and "peace, peace be to you, and peace to your helpers; for your Elohim helps you" (I Divrei Hayamim 12:19). They rose to depart. Rabbi Pinchas rose, held onto Rabbi Elazar and did not let him leave. Rabbi Pinchas escorted Rabbi Shimon and blessed him and all the scholars. As they were departing, Rabbi Shimon said to the friends, "It is time to act for Hashem" (Tehilim 119:126).

117. This GOAT comes out and roams around the world. It finds Yisrael performing various kinds of worship on various levels and a variety of good practices and it cannot overcome them. Among them all, peace reigns and the goat cannot commence to slander them, MEANING TO INSTIGATE AGAINST THEM. This goat is sent with the burden of all the sins of Yisrael.

144. He opened the discussion saying, "Cold water to a thirsty soul" is referring to Torah. Of all those who merit to toil in Torah and satiate their souls from it, it is written, "good news from a far country." The Holy One, blessed be He, announces about many favors for him in this world and in the World to Come. This is the meaning of "good news." Whence do they come TO BE GOOD? "From a far country," MEANING from the place in which the Holy One, blessed be He, was far off from him at the beginning, MEANING where He was in enmity with him at first, as it is written, "And the earth shall rise up against him" (Iyov 20:27). From this place, they welcome him with peace. This is the meaning of, "A far country." It is also written, "Hashem appeared to me from afar, saying, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore I have remained true to you" (Yirmeyah 31:2). THE END OF THE ARTICLE IS MISSING.

181. It is apparent that perfection above and below depend on the priest. If his Sfirah is awakened, all are awakened and perfection is present. Therefore, it is written, "And he shall make atonement for the holy place." At first, "he shall make atonement for the holy place," MEANING to increase peace in the world and multiply joy in the world. When there is the joy of the joining of the King and Queen, all courtiers of the palace and all that serve show joy. All sins done before the King are atoned for, as it is written, "That you may be clean from all your sins before Hashem" (Ibid. 30). For this reason, it is written, "And there shall be no man in the Tent of Meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, until he comes out" (Ibid. 17). This is at the time when he enters to join them. At that hour, when the King and Queen are joined, he will "have made atonement for himself, and for his household" (Ibid.).

189. We have learned that Rabbi Yehuda said: The priest awakens peace in the world above and below. We have learned that he enters the first level OF MALCHUT and washes his body. He departs this level to the next, OF ZEIR ANPIN, washes his body and extends peace to this one and that one, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT. He sanctifies his hands and they are blessed together. In everything, he needs to show action BELOW IN ORDER TO TRIGGER ITS COUNTERPART ABOVE. He needs to show that the garments he wears should be in line with his actions and he should aim to organize everything as needed. Then the upper and lower beings will be blessed.

308. "And keep My ordinances" (Vayikra 18:4): "My ordinances" are the customs of the King, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN. "My Judgments (lit. 'justices)" (Ibid.) are the decrees of the Torah. Rabbi Yehuda said: All these customs stem from the place called righteousness, DENOTING MALCHUT. They are called "My ordinances" and are Royal decrees. Wherever something is called Justice, it refers to Royal Laws of the Holy King, the Holy One, blessed be He, the King to whom all peace is His, being the Holy King in a place where two portions are held one with another, MEANING Judgment and Mercy. Therefore, it is written, "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne" (Tehilim 89:15) and they are Judgment and Mercy. For this reason, THEY ARE ordinance and Judgment. Of this, it is written, "His statutes and His Judgments (lit. 'justices') to Yisrael" (Tehilim 147:19) to Yisrael, but not to any other nation.

356. He said to him: Blessed is the Merciful One that I was able to hear this thing. Blessed is he who offered me first a greeting of peace, in order to merit this, as it is written, "'Peace, peace, both for far and near,' says Hashem" (Yeshayah 57:19). When I was far off, the Holy One, blessed be He, greeted me first in peace, MEANING HE INVITED ME to be near. Rabbi Aba announced about him, "Peace be both to you, and peace to your house, and peace to all that you have" (I Shmuel 25:6).