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).

35. You may say that when the streams reach this spot, NAMELY MALCHUT, they stop and don't come back, yet immediately following that, it says, "To the place where the rivers flow, thither they return (lit. 'return to go')" (Ibid.), for the river never stops its waters. "They return:" To where do THEY return? HE ANSWERS: They "return" to the two pillars, Netzach and Hod. They "go" to this Righteous, WHICH IS YESOD, to seek out blessings and joy. This is the secret of what we learned, "This is the Leviathan, whom You have made to play therein" (Tehilim 104:26). It is the righteous.

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.

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)."

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.'

101. Now, LET US EXPLAIN this verse from the standpoint of the secret of wisdom. Come and see, "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden" (Beresheet 2:10). This river, DENOTING BINAH, spreads on all sides when this Eden, NAMELY CHOCHMAH, joins with it in complete union in this path not known above or below, DENOTING YESOD OF CHOCHMAH, as in the verse, "There is a path which no bird of prey knows" (Iyov 28:7). Thus, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH desire not to part from one another. Then fountains and streams exit FROM THEM, DENOTING THE MOCHIN OF ZEIR ANPIN, and crown the holy son, ZEIR ANPIN THE SON OF YUD HEI, with all these crowns, DENOTING MOCHIN. It is then written, "With the crown with which his mother crowned him" (Shir Hashirim 3:11), DENOTING MOCHIN ALSO KNOWN AS CROWN. At that time, that son ZEIR ANPIN will inherit the inheritance of his father and mother, NAMELY THE MOCHIN THAT EXUDES FROM THE UNION OF CHOCHMAH AND BINAH THAT ARE REFERRED TO AS ABA AND IMA. Then, He will delight in pleasures.

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).

207. What are my delights? The Torah as the Torah is called delights, as it is written, "And I was daily His delight" (Mishlei 8:30). We have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to delight Himself with the righteous in the Garden of Eden. What is meant by 'delight Himself?' IT MEANS to rejoice in them. As we learned, fortunate are the righteous about whom it is written, "Then you shall delight yourself in Hashem" (Yeshayah 58:14), so as to take pleasure from the drink of the stream, MEANING BINAH, as it is written, "And satisfy your soul in drought" (Ibid. 11). It is as if the Holy One, blessed be He, delights in them by means of that drink of the stream that the righteous take pleasure in, so He comes to have delight with the righteous. All those that toil in the Torah will merit to find delight in the righteous from that drink of the stream, MEANING BINAH.

209. HE QUESTIONS: What are the sources of the spring? HE ANSWERS: THERE IS one spring above, NAMELY BINAH, as it is written, "And a river went out of Eden to water the Garden..." (Beresheet 2:10). It flows on from there and waters the Garden, NAMELY MALCHUT. All these streams, NAMELY THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN THAT RECEIVE FROM THE RIVER, flow out and join in the two springs known as Netzach and Hod OF ZEIR ANPIN. These are called water brooks AND POUR in that level called Righteous, MEANING YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, from which it continues and goes out; and the Garden is watered, NAMELY MALCHUT. For this reason, the hart and the deer are together, REFERRING TO righteousness and the Righteous, NAMELY YESOD AND MALCHUT THAT ARE TOGETHER. HART STANDS FOR MALCHUT AND DEER FOR YESOD.

246. Rabbi Aba said, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem" MEANS there is a hidden spot above. It is the depth of the well, DENOTING BINAH. From here flow streams and springs in every direction and the deepest part is called repentance. One who wishes to return and cleanse oneself from sins in this depth needs to call upon the Holy One, blessed be He, as the verse says, "Out of the depths I have cried to You, Hashem."

334. We have learned that the Vav, DENOTING ZEIR ANPIN, ascended high up TO KETER, BEING THE SECRET OF ALEPH, AS MENTIONED. The sanctuary was consumed, the people exiled, the Queen expelled, and the Temple was in ruins. Later, as the Vav returned to its position, it took notice of the Temple and found it in ruins. It sought the Queen , but she moved far away. It saw its sanctuary, but it was consumed by fire, and it looked for the people but they were exiled. It saw the blessings of the deep streams FROM BINAH that were flowing, but now ceased. Then it is written, "And on that day did Adonai Elohim Tzevaot call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth" (Yeshayah 22:12). Then, "I clothe the heavens, ZEIR ANPIN, with blackness."

374. BINAH DOES NOT SUSTAIN ZEIR ANPIN, because the King without the Queen is not crowned with the crowns of Ima, as He used to be in the beginning when He was joined with the Queen, WHEN IMA USED TO ADORN HIM with several crowns, numerous lights, with supernal holy crowns, as it is written, "Go forth, daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the crown with which his mother crowned him..." (Shir Hashirim 3:11). When He joined with the Queen, supernal Ima crowned Him properly. Now that the King is not with the Queen, the supernal Ima takes back her crowns, withholds from Him the sources of the streams and He is not part of the one connection. CONSEQUENTLY, He is not found to be one, so to speak.

385. The Hei OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, BEING BINAH, is included in the Yud OF YUD HEI VAV HEI. It emerges from it, AS BINAH EMANATES FROM CHOCHMAH. Then CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, WHICH ARE YUD HEI OF YUD HEI VAV HEI crown the Patriarchs, MEANING CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN CALLED ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB. The Hei is opened with its streams, MEANING WITH THE FIFTY GATES OF BINAH IN IT, and crowns the head of the Vav, MEANING IT SUPPLIES THE FIRST THREE SFIROT TO ZEIR ANPIN, THE SECRET OF VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, where the Patriarchs dwell. THIS MEANS THAT THE PATRIARCHS, CHESED, supernal GVURAH AND TIFERET, RISE AND BECOME HEAD - MEANING CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT - THROUGH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE FIFTY GATES OF BINAH.