61. As they were walking, he said, "I am black, but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem..." (Shir Hashirim 1:5). The Congregation of Yisrael said before the Holy One, blessed be He: I may be black in exile but I am comely with the commandments of the Torah. Even though Yisrael are in exile, they do not forsake THE PRECEPTS. "Like the tents of Kedar" (Ibid.), MEANING EVEN THOUGH I AM like the children of Keturah, whose faces are always black, still I am like "the curtains of Solomon" (Ibid.), MEANING like the view of heaven for purity, as it is written, "Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain" (Tehilim 104:2). SOLOMON (HEB. SHLOMO) IS THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, THE KING OF PEACE (HEB. SHALOM).

181. It is apparent that perfection above and below depend on the priest. If his Sfirah is awakened, all are awakened and perfection is present. Therefore, it is written, "And he shall make atonement for the holy place." At first, "he shall make atonement for the holy place," MEANING to increase peace in the world and multiply joy in the world. When there is the joy of the joining of the King and Queen, all courtiers of the palace and all that serve show joy. All sins done before the King are atoned for, as it is written, "That you may be clean from all your sins before Hashem" (Ibid. 30). For this reason, it is written, "And there shall be no man in the Tent of Meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, until he comes out" (Ibid. 17). This is at the time when he enters to join them. At that hour, when the King and Queen are joined, he will "have made atonement for himself, and for his household" (Ibid.).

182. "And there shall be no man in the Tent of Meeting." Rabbi Yitzchak said, "Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac..." (Vayikra 26:42). This verse has been explained. Come and see: When Yisrael are in exile, it is as if the Holy One, blessed be He, is with them in exile, as the Shechinah never forsakes them. When Yisrael were in exile in Babylon, the Shechinah resided among them and returned with them from exile. In the merits of these righteous people who remained in the land, She resided in the land and never left them. Rabbi Yehuda said: Then the Queen returned to the King and all returned TO BE IN the banquet of joy of the king. For this, they are called the men of the Great Assembly. The Great Assembly surely, AS MALCHUT CALLED ASSEMBLY RETURNED FROM ITS DIMINISHED STATUS DURING THE EXILE TO REGAIN HER PROMINENCE.

188. Rabbi Yitzchak said: When the Holy King remembers Yisrael for His Name's sake and returns the Queen to her position, it is written, "And there shall be no man in the Tent of Meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the holy place" (Vayikra 16:17). At the time the priest enters to unify the Holy Name and makes atonement in the holy place to join the King with the Queen, it is then written, "And there shall be no man in the Tent of Meeting..."

280. "And sat by the entrance of Enayim:" HE QUESTIONS: What is "the entrance of Enayim?" HE ANSWERS: It is as it says, "As he sat by the tent door" (Beresheet 18:1), "Hashem will pass over the door" (Shemot 12:23) and, "Open to me the gates of righteousness" (Tehilim 118:19). "Enayim (lit. 'eyes'):" The eyes of the whole world look to this door "which is by the way to Timna" (Beresheet 38:14). What is Timna? The verse reads, "And the similitude (heb. tmunah) of Hashem does he behold" (Bemidbar 12:8). So we explained that Tamar carried this out below, flowers appeared and branches sprouted in the secret of the Faith.