"A fountain of gardens"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon tells Rabbi Pinchas that a spring in a garden is better than a spring in the desert because the former benefits grasses and fruits, flowers and plants; it is a well of life-giving water. The Congregation of Yisrael when gathered together are referred to as a spring of gardens, and Rabbi Shimon says that the five gardens in which God takes pleasure are Chesed, Gvurah, Tiferet, Netzach and Hod of Zeir Anpin. They receive water from the spring above them, Binah; the garden below them, Malchut, benefits from the five gardens. We hear that there are other gardens - the three worlds - underneath this garden, and they produce a variety of fruits. Rabbi Shimon says that sometimes Malchut is a spring and sometimes a well.

Fruit Lebanon Streams Water Waters Well

310. Rabbi Pinchas opened the discussion saying, "A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon" (Shir Hashirim 4:15). "A fountain of gardens:" HE INQUIRES, Does he not have a spring except from gardens? There are so many good and valuable springs in the world. HE RESPONDS: All pleasures are not equal. There is a spring that emerges in the desert, in a dry place, and there is enjoyment in it for whoever sits down and drinks. However, how much better and more precious is that fountain of gardens. It benefits the grasses and the fruits. Whoever gets close to it enjoys everything; he has pleasure from the water, enjoys the grass and benefits from the fruits. That spring is adorned by everything - many roses, many fragrant plants and grasses surrounding it. How worthy is this spring above all other springs. It is a well living water.

310. פָּתַח ר' פִּנְחָס וְאָמַר, מַעְיַן גַּנִּים בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים וְנוֹזְלִים מִן לְבָנוֹן. מַעְיַן גַּנִּים, וְכִי לֵית מַעְיָין אֶלָּא הַהוּא מִן גַּנִּים, וְהָא כַּמָה מַעְיָינִין טָבִין וְיַקִּירִין אִית בְּעָלְמָא. אֶלָּא לֵית כָּל הֲנָאוֹת שָׁוִין. אִית מַעְיָין דְּנָפִיק בְּמַדְבְּרָא, בַּאֲתָר יְבֵישָׁא, הֲנָאָה אִית לְמַאן דְּיָתִיב וְשָׁתֵי. אֲבָל מַעְיָין גַּנִּים, כַּמָה אִיהוּ טַב וְיַקִּירָא, הַהוּא מַעְיָין עָבֵיד טִיבוּ לַעֲשָׂבִין וְאֵיבִין, מַאן דְּקָרִיב עָלֵיהּ אִתְהֲנֵי בְּכֹלָּא. אִתְהֲנֵי בְּמַיָּא, אִתְהֲנֵי בַּעֲשָׂבִין, אִתְהֲנֵי בְּאֵיבִין. הַהוּא מַעְיָין מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּכֹלָּא. כַּמָה וְורָדִין, כַּמָּה עֲשָׂבִין דְּרֵיחָא סַחֲרָנֵיהּ, כַּמָּה יָאוּת הַהוּא מַעְיָין, מִשְּׁאַר מַעְיָינִין, בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים.

Asiyah Briyah Congregation Directions Fruit Waters Worlds Yetzirah Zeir Anpin

311. This is how we established it regarding the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, which is referred to as a fountain of gardens. Who are the gardens? HE RESPONDS: The Holy One, blessed be He, has five gardens, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH AND HOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, in which He takes pleasure. One spring above them, THAT IS, BINAH, is hidden and stored away. It waters and saturates them, and all produce fruits and plants. There is a garden below them, WHICH IS MALCHUT, THAT RECEIVES FROM THE FIVE GARDENS. That garden is protected and surrounded from all directions. Underneath this garden, there are other gardens, IN BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH, that produce a variety of fruits.

311. וְהָכִי אוֹקִימְנָא כֹּלָּא בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל קָאָמַר, אִיהִי מַעְיָין גַּנִּים. מַאן גַּנִּים. חָמֵשׁ גַּנִּים אִית לֵיהּ לקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּקָא מִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּהוּ. וּמַעְיָינָא חֲדָא עִלָוַויְיהוּ, דְּקָא אַשְׁקֵי לוֹן, וְרַוֵּי לוֹן, טָמִיר וְגָנִיז, וְכֻלְּהוּ עַבְדִּין פֵּירִין וְאֵיבִין. גִּנְתָּא חֲדָא אִית לְתַתָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְהַהוּא גִּנְתָּא נָטִיר סַחְרָא מִכָּל סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא. תְּחוֹת הַאי גִּנְתָּא, אִית גַּנִּים אַחֲרָנִין, עַבְדִּין אֵיבִין לִזְנַּיְיהוּ.

Asiyah Briyah Flow Lebanon Miracle Soul, The Streams Water Waters Well Worlds Yetzirah Zeir Anpin

312. That garden, WHICH IS MALCHUT, turns into and becomes a watering spring TO ALL THE GARDENS IN BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AMD ASIYAH, a well of living water. When it needs to, it is a spring and when it needs, it is a well. What is the difference between the two? HE REPLIES: Water that flows by itself, LIKE IN A WELL, is not like water that is drawn up to give drink AS IN THE GARDEN. "And streams from Lebanon:" What is the meaning of "streams?" HE RESPONDS: These waters again become a spring when water flows and drops fall down from above, fresh water for which the soul longs. So these are the five sources, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH AND HOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, that emerge from Lebanon, WHICH IS BINAH. They become streams in this spring, WHICH IS MALCHUT, WHERETO THEY FLOW DROP BY DROP. So, too, the Holy One, blessed be He, has produced a miracle for us at this place. THAT IS WHY I read this verse about this spring.

312. וְהַאי גִּנְתָּא, אִתְהַפָּךְ וַהֲוֵי מַעְיָין דְּאַשְׁקֵי לוֹן, בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים, כַּד אִצְטְרִיךְ הֲוֵי מַעְיָין, וְכַד אִצְטְרִיךְ הֲוֵי בְּאֵר, מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. לָא דָּאמֵי, כַּד אִתְמַשְּׁכוּן מַיָּא מִאֵלַיְיהוּ, לְכַד שַׁאֲבִין מַיָּא לְאַשְׁקָאָה. וְנוֹזְלִים מִן לְבָנוֹן, מַאי נוֹזְלִים. אִלֵּין נוֹזְלִים אָהַדְרוּ לְמַעְיָין, כַּד נַבְעִין מַיִין וְנוֹזְלִים טִפִּין מִלְּעֵילָּא אִלֵּין בָּתַר אִלֵּין, מַיִין מְתִיקָן, דְּנַפְשָׁא אַזְלָא אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ. כַּךְ אִינּוּן חָמֵשׁ מְקוֹרִין, דְּנָפְקוּ מִן לְבָנוֹן, אִתְעָבֵידוּ נוֹזְלִים בְּהַאי מַעְיָין. כַּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָחִישׁ לָן נִיסָא בַּאֲתָר דָּא, קָרֵינָּא עַל מַעְיָינָא דָּא קְרָא דָּא.