50. When THE SHECHINAH first appeared to Moses, She is called 'an angel,' AS IT SAYS, "AND THE ANGEL OF HASHEM APPEARED TO HIM IN THE FLAME OF FIRE" (SHEMOT 3:2). To Jacob, She did not appear like that, except in a likeness, MEANING IN RACHEL BELOW, WHO IS THE LIKENESS OF RACHEL ABOVE, WHICH IS MALCHUT. It is written: "Rachel came" (Beresheet 29:9), which is the form of another Rachel ABOVE, WHICH IS MALCHUT, as it is written: "Thus says Hashem; A voice is heard in Ramah... Rachel weeping for her children" (Yirmeyah 31:14). THIS RACHEL IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT. HERE TOO, "Rachel came" unspecified INDICATES MALCHUT. "With sheep" (Beresheet 29:9): These are the levels OF MALCHUT. "Her father's" (Ibid.), surely, SINCE ABA, THAT IS CHOCHMAH, ESTABLISHED THE DAUGHTER, WHICH IS MALCHUT. And all, THAT IS, ALL THE WORLDS, were appointed and assigned to her hands, "for she kept them." She also leads them and has been assigned over them.

321. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion with the verse: "And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, 'Who are those with you?' And he said, 'The children which Elohim has graciously given Your servant'" (Beresheet 33:5). Come and see that the wicked one allowed his eyes to gaze at the women. Due to him, JACOB had to make some arrangements. Jacob placed the handmaidens in front, and their sons, who were a little more important, behind them. Leah followed behind them, and her sons were behind her. Behind them was Joseph and behind him Rachel. And he HIMSELF went in front of all of them.

322. (THIS IS ANOTHER VERSION, EXPLAINING DIFFERENTLY). After they all bowed down, it is written: "Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves" (Ibid. 6). Afterward, it says, "And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves" (Ibid. 7). HE ASKS: But Joseph was last behind Rachel and Rachel was in front of him, AND NOT JOSEPH IN FRONT OF RACHEL. HE REPLIES: It is just that when this good son, beloved son, the righteous in the world, Joseph, noticed that the eyes of the wicked were staring at the women, he was fearful for his mother. THEN he came out from behind her and spread his arms and his body and covered her, so that wicked one would not place his eyes on his mother. How much did he inflate his size? Six cubits to each direction, so he covered her up so that the eyes of the wicked one shall have no effect over her. CONSEQUENTLY, AT THE START, JOSEPH WAS INDEED BEHIND HER, AS IT IS WRITTEN EARLIER. HOWEVER, HE LATER CAME OUT FROM BEHIND HER AND WENT IN FRONT OF HER.

324. The wicked one said, I will remove AND MAKE VOID this line OF THE TRIBES OF JOSEPH AND BENJAMIN, so that they will not last IN THE WORLD, and I will gaze at them WITH MY EVIL EYE as is required. Rachel was present there and noticed that the eye of the wicked one was focussed to do harm. What did she do? She came out and spread her wings over them, which covered over her children. This is what it says: "And Bilaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Yisrael." Once the Holy Spirit, WHICH IS MALCHUT CALLED 'RACHEL,' noticed the focussed eye OF BILAAM, instantly "the spirit of Elohim came upon him." Upon whom WAS THE SPIRIT OF ELOHIM? THAT MEANS upon Yisrael, THAT THE SPIRIT OF ELOHIM spread its wings and covered over them. Immediately, the wicked one retreated.

325. At first, the son was covering his mother and now the mother covered her son. At that time when JOSEPH covered his mother, Rachel, so the evil eye of the wicked one would not harm her, the Holy One, blessed be He, said TO JOSEPH, 'Upon your life, when an evil eye approaches to gaze at your children and Mine, your mother will cover over them. You covered over your mother and your mother will cover you.'