72. On the right side OF METATRON is the mighty bright sword, and on the left are strong burning coals that enjoin his imprints with 70,000 flames of consuming fire. They are sixty mighty ones heavily armed with the mighty Gvurot of supernal Gvurah of the Holy One, blessed be He, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN. This is what is meant by, "Of the mighty ones of Yisrael" (Shir Hashirim 3:7), NAMELY GVURAH OF ZEIR ANPIN REFERRED TO AS YISRAEL.

73. We have learned that, regarding this bed, REFERRING TO MALCHUT, it is written , "She rises also while it is yet night" (Mishlei 31:15). When she nurtures from the side of Judgment, MEANING WHEN MALCHUT RISES TO POUR THE ABUNDANCE OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, IT IS NIGHT, MEANING JUDGMENT, SINCE HER CHOCHMAH IS GIVEN ONLY WITH JUDGMENTS. AS EARLIER MENTIONED, "RISING" REFERS TO THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. "And gives food (Heb. teref) to her household" (Ibid.): What is meant by "teref?" It is the same as in, "And tears down (Heb. taraf) in pieces, and none can deliver" (Michah 5:7), NAMELY THE JUDGMENTS ATTACHED TO THIS CHOCHMAH FROM WHICH THERE IS NO SAVING. This is what is meant by, "All girt with swords, and expert in war" (Shir Hashirim 3:8). They are ready to execute Judgment everywhere and are called wailers and moaners.

108. We have learned that all these attributes OF MALCHUT rise and become crowned and rest in a head OF ZEIR ANPIN. There is crowned the head of the King, He that is called by the highest level of Piety, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, WHOSE CHESED CONVERTS TO CHOCHMAH. The pious ones THAT CLING TO ZEIR ANPIN inherit all that glory of above, WHICH IS MALCHUT WITH HER THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES, as it is written, "Let the pious be joyful in glory," NAMELY in this world, DENOTING MALCHUT. "Let them sing aloud upon their beds," MEANING in the World to Come, DENOTING BINAH. "The high praises of El are in their mouths" (Tehilim 149:6), MEANING they know to bind the bond of Faith properly, AS MALCHUT IS CALLED EL. Then "and a two-edged sword in their hand" (Ibid.). What is "a two-edged sword?" This is Hashem's sword, DENOTING MALCHUT FROM THE ASPECT OF JUDGMENT, REFERRED TO AS SWORD. "Two-edged sword" implies that it flames with two Judgments, NAMELY JUDGMENTS OF LEFT AND JUDGMENTS OF THE CURTAIN. For what purpose is all this? It is "to execute vengeance upon the nations..." (Ibid.)

309. It is later written, "He has not dealt so with any other nation" (Ibid. 20). We have learned that even though he was circumcised, if he does not perform the commandments of the Torah he is to be considered an idolater throughout. It is thus forbidden to teach him the words of the Torah. We have learned that "you will make Me an altar of stone" (Shemot 20:22). This, CIRCUMCISION, is considered literally an altar of stone, MEANING IT SOFTENS HIS STONE HEART, but for he WHO IS CIRCUMCISED YET DOES NOT OBSERVE THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE TORAH, the hardness of his heart remains as is and the filth does not cease from him. For this reason, the circumcision did not succeed nor did it help him. Therefore, it is written, "For if you lift up your tool upon it, you have defiled it" (Ibid.). THIS MEANS THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU RAISED YOUR SWORD UPON IT, MEANING IF ONE IS CIRCUMCISED, YET DOES NOT OBSERVE THE COMMANDMENTS, "YOU HAVE DEFILED IT" - THE CIRCUMCISION BECOMES DEFILED AND IS TO NO AVAIL. THUS, IT IS PROHIBITED TO TEACH HIM TORAH.

314. One strong youth came out with a sharp sword that turns into males and females, who carry the measuring of an efa between heaven and earth, sometimes carrying it throughout the world. All are measured by it, as it is written, "A just efa" (Vayikra 19:36).

315. There is a crystal mirror on one sword. On the top of that sword glistens the color of red in the midst of the crystal. From the two sides very deep impressions appear in that sword. One strong warrior, a youth standing in thirteen worlds, is girded with that sword to do vengeance. With him are sixty other mighty warriors girded with swords, all trained to be victorious in war. This is the meaning of the verse, "Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior: your glory and your majesty" (Tehilim 45:4). It is also written, "All girt with swords, and expert in war..." (Shir Hashirim 3:8). They turn forward in several ways, and no one knows them except one worm that swims among the fish of the sea. All rocks that pass over them break up.

316. At that time, the sound that is emitted from those girded with swords, NAMELY THE SIXTY WARRIORS, breaks eighteen large mountains. No one lends his ear, everyone is blind and has a closed heart. There is no one to see that this construction is about to shatter. When unseemly deeds are done and people turn away from the correct way, the right is removed, DENOTING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHASSADIM, and the left rules WITHOUT THE RIGHT. Then there is nakedness. Woe to the wicked who bring it upon the world, as there is no blessing above before these EVILDOERS are vanquished here below. This is what the verse says, "And the wicked will be no more. Bless You Hashem, O my soul, Haleluyah" (Tehilim 104:35).