"The well that the princes dug out"

Synopsis

Rabbi Aba says that the title verse refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, to Aba and Ima and to the Patriarchs. Malchut is called both a 'well' when Isaac goes out with weapons from the side of Ima, and a 'sea' when it illuminates from the uppermost river of Aba. From the day that the Congregation of Yisrael entered exile the waters failed, but the righteous, Yesod, fills Malchut with the supernal flow so that the universe inherits all the blessings.

Aba and Ima Abraham Congregation Grades Ima Patriarchs Righteous Well Zeir Anpin

29. "The well that the princes dug out, that the nobles of the people delved..." (Bemidbar 21:18). The well is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT; "that the princes dug out," is Aba and Ima, that gave birth TO MALCHUT; "that the nobles of the people delved," are the Patriarchs, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN. It is written: "the nobles of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the Elohim of Abraham" (Tehilim 47:10). THE ELOHIM OF ABRAHAM IS CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN, FROM WHICH GVURAH AND TIFERET ARE DRAWN. "...THAT THE NOBLES OF THE PEOPLE DELVED..." MEANS THAT THEY CONSTRUCTED it in order that it would be blessed from them through one level that is the Righteous, WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, that stands over it AND POURS UPON IT ALL THAT THERE IS IN CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET. Therefore, we have this saying: 'When this well travels, it is with the help of the patriarchs that it travels.'

29. בְּאֵר חֲפָרוּהָ שָׂרִים כָּרוּהָ נְדִיבֵי הָעָם, בְּאֵר, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. חֲפָרוּהָ שָׂרִים, דָּא אַבָּא וְאִמָא, דְּאוֹלִידוּ לָהּ. כָּרוּהָ נְדִיבֵי הָעָם, אִלֵּין אֲבָהָן. דִּכְתִּיב נְדִיבֵי עַמִּים נֶאֱסָפוּ עַם אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם וְגוֹ.' בְּגִין לְאִתְבָּרְכָא מִנְּהוֹן, ע"י דְּדַרְגָא חַד, וּמַנּוֹ. צַדִּיק דְּקָאֵים עָלָה. וע"ד אַמְרֵינָן, כַּד הַאי בְּאֵר נַטְלָא, בְּסִיוּעָא דַּאֲבָהָן נַטְלָא.

Aba and Ima Chassadim Head Ima Isaac Rivers Seas Streams Well Zeir Anpin

30. AT TIMES MALCHUT is called a 'well' AND AT TIMES it is called a 'sea.' It is called a 'well' when Isaac, WHO IS GVURAH OF ZEIR ANPIN, goes out with weapons FROM THE LEFT COLUMN from the side of Ima, and comes to draw THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH FROM IMA TO MALCHUT and fill her up, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SECRET OF THE VERSE: "HIS LEFT HAND IS UNDER MY HEAD" (SHIR HASHIRIM 2:6). Then She is called 'the well of Isaac' OR 'the well of Miriam,' as has already been explained. IT IS CALLED 'sea' when it illuminates from the uppermost river of Aba, SINCE SHE THEN RECEIVES CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM, since streams run to her, as it is written: "all the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full" (Kohelet 1:7).

30. וְאִקְרֵי בְּאֵר, וְאִקְרֵי יָם. אִקְרֵי בְּאֵר, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיִצְחָק נָפִק מִזַּיְינָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִימָא, וְאָתֵי לְאַמְשָׁכָא אֲבַּתְרָא דְּדָא, וּמַלֵּי לָהּ, כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי בְּאֵר דְּיִצְחָק. בְּאֵר דְּמִרְיָם. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ. יָם כַּד אִתְנַהֲרָא מִנָּהֲרָא עִלָּאָה דְּאַבָּא, כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי יָם, דְּנַחֲלִין אַזְלִין לְגַוָּוהּ, כד"א כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם וְהַיָּם אֵינֶנּוּ מָלֵא.

Blessing Congregation Eden Exile Flow Righteous Rivers Seas Streams Universe Waters

31. From the day that the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, went into exile, it is written: "the waters fail from the sea" (Iyov 14:11). That refers to the Congregation of Yisrael THAT IS CALLED 'SEA,' while, "the river is parched, and dries up" (Ibid.), is the Righteous, WHO IS YESOD. Hence, it is written: "The righteous perishes" (Yeshayah 57:1), since he was the uppermost and precious river that entered her. He gathered all these rivers and streams that are drawn from the flow of that holy river whose waters never cease, THAT IS BINAH, AND that comes out and emerges from the uppermost Eden. It enters within her and fills up her ponds, MEANING THE SFIROT OF MALCHUT, and from there, the universe inherits all the blessings in all PERFECTION.

31. וּמִיּוֹמָא דְּגָלְתָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא, כְּתִיב אָזְלוּ מַיִם מִנִּי יָם, דָּא כנ"י. וְנָהָר יֶחֱרָב וְיָבֵשׁ, דָּא צַדִּיק. וע"ד כְּתִיב, הַצַּדִיק אָבָד וְגוֹ.' דְּהוּא הֲוָה נָהָר עִלָּאָה וְיַקִירָא, דְּעָיֵיל בְּגַוָוהּ, וְהוּא כָּנִישׁ כָּל אִינּוּן נַהֲרִין וּנַחֲלִין, דְּנַגְדִּין מִנְּגִידוּ דְּהַהוּא נָהָר קַדִּישָׁא, דְּלָא פַּסְקִין מֵימוֹי לְעָלְמִין, דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן עִלָּאָה, וְהוּא עָיֵיל בְּגַוָּוהּ וּמַלֵּי אַגְמָהָא, וּמִתַּמָּן יָרְתִין עָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ בִּרְכָּן בְּכֹלָּא.

Congregation