106. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "Let the pious be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds" (Tehilim 149:5). We have learned that the knot of Faith, NAMELY MALCHUT, is tied with the thirteen attributes OF MERCY so that blessings are to be available for all. The entire Faith of the Holy One, blessed be He, is enclosed in three, NAMELY THREE COLUMNS, THE SECRET OF THIRTEEN, AS THEY ENLIGHTEN EACH OF FOUR SFIROT - CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT WITHIN IT. NOW, THREE TIMES FOUR EQUALS TWELVE AND, TOGETHER WITH MALCHUT THAT CONTAINS THEM, THERE ARE THIRTEEN. Consequently, the Torah is crowned with the thirteen attributes, as we have established IN THE BARAITHA OF RABBI YISHMAEL, namely using the arguments of an inference from minor to major and comparison by analogy. We have explained this several times. The Holy Name, NAMELY MALCHUT, is crowned with this.

107. Come and see that when Jacob wished his sons to be blessed in the name of the Faith, it is written, "All these are the twelve tribes of Yisrael: and this (Heb. zot fem.) IS THAT WHICH THEIR FATHER SPOKE TO THEM" (Beresheet 49:28). TWELVE AND ZOT are thirteen, since the Shechinah, CALLED ZOT, participated with them and the blessings were fulfilled. This is the meaning of the verse, "Every one according to his blessing he blessed them" (Ibid.). What is meant by "according to his blessing?" MEANING according to the resemblance to that which is above, THE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES OF MERCY, NAMELY according to the blessing of each attribute.

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.)

184. Rabbi Chiya said: What is the reason that Jacob is MENTIONED first in the verse, AS IT READS, "THEN WILL I REMEMBER MY COVENANT WITH JACOB" AND LATER ISAAC AND LATER ABRAHAM? HE ANSWERS: Jacob, TIFERET, is the principal of the fathers, AS TIFERET ABSORBS WITHIN IT CHESED AND GVURAH, ALSO KNOWN AS ABRAHAM AND ISAAC. He is the holy tree, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN THAT INCLUDES ALL SIX ENDS. As such, the Vav of the Holy Name YUD HEI VAV HEI holds to him, so we pronounce Jacob with a Vav. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Vav FULLY SPELLED with all its letters HAS THE NUMERICAL VALUE OF THIRTEEN, NAMELY the thirteen attributes OF MERCY, AS JACOB, BEING ZEIR ANPIN, inherits the inheritance of the thirteen springs of the Holy sealed spring KNOWN AS ARICH ANPIN. FROM HIS BEARD ARE DRAWN THIRTEEN CORRECTIONS TO ZEIR ANPIN CALLED JACOB AND FOR THIS REASON, JACOB IS SPELLED WITH VAV.