180. In every respect this turns to incarnation. Peretz was so, AN INCARNATION OF ER; Boaz was so, AN INCARNATION OF JUDAH; Oved was so, AN INCARNATION OF MACHLON. In them all, the tree came out of the evil side and then cleaved to the good. At first, "And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Hashem" (Beresheet 38:7). Machlon was also evil, though not as much. But in these, evil was consumed, and good then emerged, THAT IS, him of whom it is written, "good looking" (I Shmuel 16:12), AND "Hashem was with him" (Ibid. 18). Here the lower tree, MALCHUT, reached completion, and "Elohim reigns over the nations" (Tehilim 47:9).

191. Judah is the father first OF ER AND ONAN, and father a second time TO PERETZ AND ZERACH, WHO ARE THE INCARNATIONS OF ER AND ONAN. He was never exchanged, AS THE GRADE NEVER CHANGED BY THE BROTHER BECOMING THE FATHER. FOR THE CHILDLESS DEAD INCARNATES IN THE SON BORN TO HIS BROTHER, WHO BECOMES HIS FATHER, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A DESCENT IN GRADES AND A BLEMISH. BUT THERE WAS NO CHANGE AND DESCENT OF GRADE IN JUDAH, BECAUSE HE WAS ALSO THE FIRST FATHER OF ER AND ONAN, WHO INCARNATED IN PERETZ AND ZERACH. This is why Peretz was very forceful, AS WRITTEN OF HIM, "WHY HAVE YOU MADE SUCH A BREACH FOR YOURSELF" (BERESHEET 38:29). THIS IS BECAUSE HIS GRADE DID NOT DESCEND, which is not the case for any other man in the world WHO INCARNATES, WHO DESCENDS, AS THE BROTHER BECOMES HIS FATHER. Therefore the establishment of David begins to be counted with Peretz and not with Boaz, who suffered a change, NOT BEING THE FIRST FATHER OF THE INCARNATED MAN, WHO IS MACHLON. Friends, if you observe my words, such words are not spoken vaguely WITHOUT POSSIBILITY OF UNDERSTANDING THEM, though they are vague.

192. Hence Judah achieved the name called 'you.' He was properly established the first time WITH ER AND ONAN and the second time WITH PERETZ AND ZERACH and never changed. His children and descendants praise and say, "You are our father" (Yeshayah 63:16), SINCE THEY DID NOT SUFFER A DESCENT, WHEN THE BROTHER BECOMES THE FATHER. This is not so with other incarnated in the world. Other people who incarnate, two fathers and two mothers have a party in their edifice. FOR IN ADDITION TO HIS FIRST FATHER, HIS BROTHER BECOMES HIS FATHER, SO HE HAS TWO FATHERS, AND ALSO TWO MOTHERS, AS IN ADDITION TO HIS FIRST MOTHER, HIS WIFE BECOMES HIS MOTHER. These mysteries are in the depths of the sea, in the middle of the abyss. Who could take them out of there? Arise, old man, grow strong with your might, and draw pearls out of the depths.

197. This is the meaning of, "from the prey, my son, you are gone up" (Beresheet 49:9), for there is no prey OR FOOD for another on your table. "He stooped down" when Er died, "he couched" when Onan died. He then got stronger "as a lion" to sire Peretz, "and as a lioness" to raise up Zerach. "Who shall rouse him up?" (Ibid.), as written, "And he knew her again no more" (Beresheet 38:26), which is translated into Aramaic as, "and he stopped not." This is the meaning of, "Who shall rouse him up?" Who can say this woman is forbidden, who can say that once she completed her practices, you need her no longer, that once the widow has finished her practices, she is of no more use to you, and you are beholden to withdraw from her. But, "Who shall rouse him up?" From now on she is his, because she bore him, who was moving about in her belly, NAMELY THE SPIRIT OF HER FIRST HUSBAND, WHICH HE LEFT IN HER IN HIS FORMER LIFE. IT WAS MOVING IN HER BELLY, AND NOW SHE BORE IT.