24. AT THE YESHIVAH OF THE FIRMAMENT stands the appointee of Gehenom to prosecute. Happy is the one who was found guiltless in that trial. If not, that appointee of Gehenom takes him when they hand him over to him and slings him downward, like someone who hurtles a stone with a sling, as it is written: "And the souls of your enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the hollow of a sling..." (I Shmuel 25:29). The appointee throws him into Gehenom and he receives his punishment corresponding to his sentence.

90. Enoch Metatron said, Three tendrils definitely correspond to the three patriarchs THAT ARE THREE COLUMNS - WHICH ARE MICHAEL, URIEL, RAPHAEL. HE ASKS, Does she not have four ANGELS, MICHAEL, GABRIEL, URIEL AND RAPHAEL, AND WHY DOES IT SAY THREE? HE REPLIES: It must be in accordance with what is written, "And it was as though it budded," because during the time when she rises and soars with her wings so as to rise up, MEANING WHEN SHE SHINES UPWARDS, then "its blossoms shot forth." That is the fourth one that remained, MEANING GABRIEL, who rises with her and does not abandon her, SINCE GABRIEL IS FROM THE LEFT COLUMN, AND SO IS MALCHUT FROM THE LEFT COLUMN. THEREFORE, HE DOESN'T SEPARATE FROM HER, MEANING THAT GABRIEL TOO COULD NOT RULE, EXCEPT WHEN MALCHUT FLIES AND SHINES UPWARD. This is what is written: "And He rode upon a Cherub and did fly" (II Shmuel 22:11). THAT MEANS, WHEN MALCHUT is flying, SHE THEN RIDES ON A CHERUB, THAT IS GABRIEL, THAT IS "its blossoms shot forth," MEANING THIS HAPPENS WHEN SHE SHINES UPWARDS, SINCE THE LEFT IS NOT CAPABLE OF SHINING EXCEPT UPWARDS. Enoch Metatron spoke well and so it is.

101. At that time, the Holy Spirit rested on David. THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT IS MALCHUT, said to him,: David, when I measured the entire universe and threw lots, and Yisrael was "the lot (Heb. chevel) of His inheritance" (Devarim 32:9), I remember what Moab did to "the lot of His inheritance." It is written: "And measured them with a line (Heb. chevel)" (II Shmuel 8:2), meaning with the very measuring line of Hashem's inheritance THAT IS YISRAEL. That line was hanging on to all those who issued from that seed OF MOAB THAT DID HARM YISRAEL IN THE DAYS OF MOSES.

113. Therefore, it is written for the high angels: "Bless Hashem" and for us: "Et Hashem" in addition, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DRAW UPON US MALCHUT FIRST. The child said, I definitely knew that your weapons were fine. Remember them and do not forget them. Certainly, the strength of a man of war is by the lance and sword. But what is the meaning of "mighty ones who perform His bidding, hearkening to the voice of His word?" Rabbi Elazar replied, I have already spoken OF THE EXPLANATION. The child said, I already realize that the strength of your arm is weakened (SINCE HE SAID, THIS I FOUND AND NO OTHER; ALSO, HE FORGOT THE THREE SANCTIFICATIONS.) Now is no time to delay, but strike with the sling, stone after stone, as it says, "With a sling and with a stone" (I Shmuel 17:50) rapidly, without interruption, one after the other. Rabbi Elazar rejoiced and Rabbi Aba and the friends also rejoiced.

179. "That bites the horse's heels" (Ibid.): This refers to Ira, who was with David, whose descent was from the tribe of Dan. Through his merit, David's might balanced in his favor, as it is written: "And David lamed all the chariot horses" (II Shmuel 8:4). "So that his rider shall fall backwards" (Beresheet 49:17) refers to Srayah, who will come with Messiah, son of Ephraim. He will be a descendant of Dan's tribe and he will take revenge and do wars with the rest of the nations. When this one rises, you will wait for the redemption of Yisrael, as it is written: "I wait for Your salvation, Hashem" (Ibid.). Although this verse has already been explained, the definition of it is as we mentioned and as was explained. The verse in the scripture is proof of this.

221. Rabbi Elazar spoke again saying, "Even the sparrow has found a home" refers to Jethro. "And the swallow (Heb. dror) a nest for herself:" That is his sons, who were in Cell of Gazith studying Torah, and decree Torah laws with their lips. "Find a home:" What is the meaning of that? HE RESPONDS: It is because they journeyed and camped in the desert at first, then traveled from the pleasures of Midian and from their sweet life there and camped in the desert. When the Holy One, blessed be He, noticed their desire for Torah, He drew them from there and gave them a place in the Cell of Gazith. "And the swallow a nest for herself" is all one and the same, because a sparrow and swallow are both one and the same bird. AND NEST (HEB. KEN) IS LIKE: "Heber the Kenite" (Shoftim 4:17), and: "And Saul said to the Kenites" (I Shmuel 15:6).

369. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse: "Hashem kills, and gives life: He brings down to the grave and brings up" (I Shmuel 2:6). This verse requires more study. Does Hashem kill? Behold, this name, YUD HEI VAV HEI, is an elixir of life to everyone and this thing, death, does not prevail in it. Everywhere this name provides life to the whole world. What then is the meaning of "Hashem kills" that people could think that He kills all human beings? Certainly the name Yud Hei Vav Hei kills. How does it cause death? You might think to say that when it leaves a person HE DIES, because while it is still prevailing over him none of the Accusers could do damage to him, but when it departs all the prosecutors immediately overcome him and the person dies. Yet this is not so.

386. Idol worship: How do we know THAT DUE TO THAT CAUSE PLAGUES COME? Because it is written: "And when Moses saw that the people were in disorder; for Aaron had made them disorderly" (Shemot 32:25). What is the meaning of, "were in disorder?" It means that they were inflicted with leprosy. It is written here, "were in disorder (Heb. paru'a)" and it is written there, "And the diseased man in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall grow long (Heb. paru'a)..." (Vayikra 13:45). JUST LIKE IT MEANS LEPROSY THERE, HERE TOO IT IS LEPROSY. About cursing the name of Hashem, HOW DO WE KNOW? It is because it is written: "This day will Hashem deliver you (Heb. yesagercha) into my hand" (I Shmuel 17:46), MEANING THE PHILISTINE WHO WAS REVILING AND CURSING THE NAME. It is written ABOUT THE LEPER: "And the priest shall shut him up (Heb. hisgiro)" (Vayikra 13:5). WE UNDERSTAND FROM THIS COMPARISON BY ANALOGY. JUST LIKE IT WAS REGARDING LEPROSY THERE, HERE TOO IT HAS TO DO WITH LEPROSY.

387. Rabbi Aba said, This matter REGARDING THE PHILISTINE has not suited me, and I need to study it further. Rabbi Elazar said, It is definitely so. This Philistine was close to the lineage of David and was the son of Orpah. That is the meaning of what is written: "Out of the ranks (Heb. ma'arachot) of the Philistines" (I Shmuel 17:23). Do not pronounce "ma'arachot," but read 'from the caves (Heb. me'arot) of the Philistines,' because he caused shame to his mother, making her as a cave, because it is written: "And the Philistine cursed David by his Elohim" (Ibid. 43). David gazed at him with an evil eye and anywhere THAT DAVID was gazing with an evil eye, all kinds of leprosy flowed from the eyes of David. This is the way it was regarding Joab. As soon as David gazed at him with an evil eye, it is written: "And let the house of Joab never lack such as are afflicted with an issue, or with leprosy..." (II Shmuel 3:29).

388. Here with this Philistine, as soon as he cursed the Name, David looked at him with an evil eye and saw on his forehead that he became leprous. Immediately, "the stone buried itself in his forehead" (I Shmuel 17:49), because the leprosy was stuck to his forehead. All this was DUE TO the impression of the evil eye of the leprosy in his forehead, that this stone was actually sunk into his brow. IT IS definite that he was a leper.

464. "Come, curse (Heb. ara) me Jacob" (Ibid. 7). Ara means 'pick,' DERIVED FROM: "I HAVE GATHERED (HEB. ARITI) MY MYRRH WITH MY SPICE" (SHIR HASHIRIM 5:1). Rabbi Yosi said, He threw them off from that level where they stood before, as it is written: "And I will shoot (Heb. ore) on the side of it" (I Shmuel 20:20), MEANING SHOOT AND HURL THEM AWAY. He said, If you will be able to hurl them off that level, THAT IS MALCHUT, all of them will be uprooted from the world. "And come, denounce Yisrael" (Bemidbar 23:7) REFERS TO Yisrael above, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, WHO SHOULD CAUSE HIM TO BE ANGRY, meaning anger AND INDIGNATION shall be before Him, as it says, "And an El who has indignation every day" (Tehilim 7:12).