224. Rabbi Aba opened the discussion with the verse: "If you know not, O you fairest among women, go your way forth by the footsteps of the flock" (Shir Hashirim 1:8). The Congregation of Yisrael spoke in this manner in the presence of the King up high. The Congregation of Yisrael? What is the meaning of this congregation? HE RESPONDS: That is the assembly, meaning the gathering, as it says, "Which was the rearward (gatherer) of all the camps" (Bemidbar 10:25), since it assembles to her all the higher camps, MEANING MALCHUT WHICH RECEIVES FROM ALL THE FIRST NINE SFIROT.

225. Sometimes the female, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is called by the name 'congregation,' and it says ABOUT HER "assembly." THAT IS DERIVED FROM WITHHOLDING, as it says, "For Hashem has fast closed" (Beresheet 20:18), WHICH MEANS she receives and does not provide. So it is certain that, due to her great faith, there is no fault in her. She, MALCHUT, is granted without any delay and when THE ABUNDANCE reaches her, she holds in all that she gathered in, and slows down and delays it so it should not fall and shine, but rather, only as dew, drop by drop, bit by bit. What is the reason? Because she finds no faith below, except as it says: "Here a little, and there a little" (Yeshayah 28:13), MEANING a little merit and a little illumination, JUST LIKE dew, measure for measure.

226. If there would have been faith IN THE WORLD as it prevails in her, IN MALCHUT, it would have flowed in every direction, BOTH CHOCHMAH ON THE LEFT SIDE AND CHESED ON THE RIGHT SIDE, without any delay at all. She would have been glad and then she would have received many presents and gifts one on top of another, MEANING ONE GIFT AFTER ANOTHER, and nothing would be held back from her. However, the lower beings, IF THEY LACK FAITH, delay these GIFTS, WHICH SHOULD BE SUPPLIED IN ABUNDANCE TO MALCHUT. As a result, they hold back MALCHUT FROM PROVIDING FOR THE LOWER BEINGS. At that point, she is referred to as "atzeret (lit. 'assembly')." "For Hashem has fast closed (Heb. atzar)," He so to speak is giving the residue and nothing more.

227. Notwithstanding all this, as a mother who provides for her children in secret so no one should notice her, so MALCHUT acts to her children, to Yisrael. I learned from the holy luminary that, when MALCHUT ascends to receive the pleasures and delights, but fault exists in Yisrael below, a tiny drop of BLOOD, AS a mustard seed, reaches her and immediately HER DOMINATION is removed. She dwells over it for several days; then they are aware above that there is fault with Yisrael.

228. The left is awakened instantly, pulls a string below, "and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see" (Beresheet 27:1). Whereas he observed PREVIOUSLY with a favorable eye, in the sense of Abraham, THAT IS CHESED, without any Judgment at all, now "his eyes were dim, so that he could not see." "See:" From seeing definitely, which means from looking at it with a sense of Mercy. Then there is an awakening of Samael in a strong voice to stir accusations on the world, as is said: "He called Esau, his eldest (bigger) son" (Ibid.). He is bigger, towards the camps of the Other Side he is great, and steers all the ships in the ocean that meet the evil wind, to sink them into the depth of his ocean.

229. When the Holy One, blessed be He, is in a state of Mercy, He hands him over all the sins and iniquities of Yisrael. He throws them into the depths of the sea, MEANING TO HIS CAMPS, since all his camps are called the depths of the sea. They take them and wander with them to all the rest of the nations. HE INQUIRES: Do the sins of Yisrael and their iniquities get thrown and divided to their nations? AND WHY SHOULD THEY DO THIS? HE RESPONDS: It is only because they wait and look for the gifts from above like dogs at the table. When the Holy One, blessed be He, takes all the sins of Yisrael and throws them to them, they all immediately think that the gifts and presents that were meant to be given to Yisrael were removed from Yisrael and were granted to them. Immediately, they all together throw them to all other nations.

230. Come and see the Congregation of Yisrael. She said at first, "I am black, but comely" (Shir Hashirim 1:5). She diminished herself before the Supernal King up high and asked of Him, saying, "Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where (Heb. Eichah) you feed, where you make your flock rest at noon" (Ibid. 7). HE INQUIRES: Why twice "Eichah (lit. 'how')?" HE RESPONDS: It is only that they are alluding to the two destructions of the two Temples. When everybody reads the scriptural verses of Eichah, Eichah - "where you feed" at the destruction of the first Temple and "where you make your flock rest" at the destruction of the second Temple. Therefore, it is written twice - Eichah, Eichah.

231. HE INQUIRES: "You feed" and "you make rest." One is not like the other. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM? HE REPLIES: The Babylonian exile was for a short period, and it calls it: "you feed." About the Edomite exile, which is for a prolonged period, it calls it: "you make rest." Therefore, two times Eichah, Eichah. Another reason: "You (also, 'she will') feed" and "you make rest" should have read, 'he feeds' and 'he makes rest,' since it refers to Yisrael. HE RESPONDS: Only that She, THE SHECHINAH, said it about Herself, Eichah, how will Your bride THAT IS THE SHECHINAH feed Her children in exile, when they will be among the other nations? How will She make rest, drip upon them dew and water, MEANING CHASSADIM, in the heat of high noon, MEANING AT A TIME WHEN JUDGMENTS ARE DOMINANT?

232. "Why should I be like one who cloaks himself" (Ibid.), meaning when Yisrael call UPON THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, from their distress and sorrow? The rest of the nations curse and insult them: When will you leave this exile? Why does your Elohim not perform any miracles for you? But I sit like one cloaked who cannot perform miracles for them and take revenge ON THEIR ENEMIES. He, ZEIR ANPIN, replies to her, "If you know not (lit. 'for yourself'), O you fairest among women" (Ibid. 8). He asks, What is the meaning of: "for yourself?" And he answers, "If you know not for yourself" MEANS IF YOU KNOW NOT how to gain the strength for yourself in this exile and be strengthened with power to guard over your children. Get out and be strengthened "by the footsteps of the flock" (Ibid.): This refers to the children in their master's schools, who learn and study Torah. FROM THEM, YOU WILL TAKE THE STRENGTH TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN.

233. "And feed your kids" (Ibid.): These are the ones who were "removed from the breasts" (Yeshayah 28:9), who died and were drawn to the upper Yeshivah, which is, "besides (lit. 'above) the shepherds' tents" (Shir Hashirim 1:8). "Above" is precise. It does not say, 'By the shepherds' tents,' but "above the shepherds' tents" that refers to the Yeshivah of Metatron THAT IS ABOVE THE SHEPHERDS' TENTS IN THIS WORLD, SINCE THE SHEPHERDS, WHO ARE THE LEADERS IN THIS WORLD, GO UP THERE AFTER THEIR DEMISE. There are all the powerful and children of the world, and the leaders in the Torah, who guide in matters of the forbidden and permitted of this world, and all the matters necessary for people. THEREFORE, THEY ARE REFERRED TO AS SHEPHERDS, since "the footsteps of the flock" refers to the children, as we explained. THE "SHEPHERDS" REFER TO THE LEADERS OF THE WORLD.