The Name of Ayin-Bet (72) letters

33. It is written: "and the angel of Elohim, who went before the camp of Yisrael, removed..." (Shemot 14:19). The angel of Elohim is the Congregation of Yisrael, who, as we have explained moved with the help of the Patriarchs at that time AS IT SAYS, "AND THE ANGEL...REMOVED," MEANING TO SAY THAT SHE THEN RECEIVED FROM THE THREE COLUMNS - CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET - THAT ARE REFERRED TO AS THE 'PATRIARCHS.' When they are by her, everything is, BOTH CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM. Due to this, the Holy Name OF 72 is passed on in these verses in which the Patriarchs are incorporated, as we have explained. One verse in forward direction POINTING TO THE RIGHT COLUMN, one verse backward POINTING TO THE LEFT COLUMN, and one verse forward, POINTING TO THE CENTRAL COLUMN.

34. "And the angel of Elohim, who went before the camp of Yisrael, removed..." This verse is in the regular direction, because Abraham is present here, WHO IS CHESED, THE RIGHT COLUMN, and all those who come from his side. Therefore, THE LETTERS are in this order.

35. Abraham, WHO IS CHESED, was adorned with his crowns here, and he crowned the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, in the right way to go by day, MEANING CHESED, as it is written: "yet Hashem will command His steadfast love (Chesed) in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me" (Tehilim 42:9). Therefore, it is written, "removed." When did they move? By day when the sun shines, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, FOR THEN CHESED RULES. This verse (Shemot 14:19) contains 72 letters.

36. The second verse is of Isaac, WHO IS GVURAH OF ZEIR ANPIN. We find that there are also 72 letters, in which there is Judgment for the Egyptians and Mercy for Yisrael. Therefore, it is written HERE: "and it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Yisrael" (Shemot 14:20), that is, toward the ones and toward the others. ISAAC IS THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, AND THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH FLOWS FORTH ONLY WITH HARSH JUDGMENTS FOR THE WICKED AND GOOD RECOMPENSE FOR THE RIGHTEOUS. THIS IS THE SECRET OF, "AND IT CAME BETWEEN THE CAMP OF EGYPT AND THE CAMP OF YISRAEL." "And it was a cloud and darkness" (Ibid.), since that is the day of Isaac, A DAY THAT IS cloudy, for the cloud and the darkness originate in it. Therefore, the order of the letters is backward and not straightforward, like this one.

37. Therefore, the letters are all backward, as it is written: "and it was a cloud and darkness," WHICH IS JUDGMENT, AND BACKWARD DIRECTION ALLUDES TO JUDGMENT. As soon as Isaac got involved in its Judgments, "the one came not near the other" (Ibid.). It is written: "the one came not near the other," because those that come from the side of Abraham, MEANING FROM THE LIGHT OF CHESED, do not come near the other - MEANING THAT THE RIGHT COLUMN, WHICH IS CHESED, DID NOT GET NEAR TO BESTOW ABUNDANCE ON THE LEFT COLUMN, WHICH IS GVURAH. CONSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT WAS WITH CHOCHMAH WITHOUT CHASSADIM, WHICH IS A HARSH JUDGMENT AND DARK. AND ZEIR ANPIN, THAT IS CHESED, DID NOT APPROACH THE NUKVA TO PRESENT HER WITH CHASSADIM. THE NUKVA WAS RECEIVING FROM THE LEFT COLUMN CHOCHMAH WITHOUT CHASSADIM, WHICH IS DARKNESS. They were unable TO GET NEAR ONE ANOTHER, since this well, WHICH IS MALCHUT, was attached to Isaac, WHO IS THE LEFT COLUMN. It is written: "but it gave light by night" (Ibid.), MEANING THAT THE LEFT COLUMN ILLUMINATED THE NIGHT, WHICH IS MALCHUT. When it was filled up to join with Isaac, "the one came not near the other," and was unable to get near, SINCE THERE WAS NO UNION BETWEEN ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT FROM THE SIDE OF CHESED. They were separated until Jacob, WHO IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, came and joined to Abraham, WHO IS CHESED, and took Isaac and placed him in the middle - BETWEEN MERCY, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN AND CHESED, WHICH IS THE RIGHT COLUMN. Then the Faith was connected, one with the other, MEANING THAT THE TWO COLUMNS, RIGHT AND LEFT, WERE TIED TOGETHER AND ALSO ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT WERE COUPLED TOGETHER FROM THE SIDE OF CHESED. And Yisrael were saved.

38. We have learned that in the place where the Patriarchs are, other righteous people are with them, MEANING THAT IN A PLACE WHERE THERE ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET - WHICH ARE THE PATRIARCHS - THERE ARE ALSO NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT - WHO ARE CALLED 'MOSES,' 'AARON' AND 'JOSEPH.' Therefore, this name OF AYIN-BET (72) is understood and explained in other ways, MEANING THAT THE NAME OF 72 IS EXPLAINED IN THIS MANNER. THE TWELVE BOUNDARIES - WHICH ARE THE SECRET CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, IN EACH OF THE THREE COLUMNS, EQUALING TWELVE - ILLUMINATE IN ALL ENDS OF THE SIX ENDS OF ZEIR ANPIN, AND SIX TIMES TWELVE EQUALS 72. AND SIMILARLY, THERE ARE OTHER MANNERS IN THIS LINE, although all EXPLANATIONS result in one direction.

39. When this well, WHICH IS MALCHUT from the side of Isaac, WHO IS THE LEFT COLUMN, lights up and is tied to him, the Great Sea is formed, strong AND RAGING. Strong waves go up and go down powerfully, with anger and rage, as they travel up, ascend, and come down. THIS IS THE SECRET OF WHAT IS WRITTEN: "THEY MOUNT UP TO THE SKY, THEY GO DOWN AGAIN TO THE DEPTHS" (TEHILIM 107:26). Abraham comes towards it, WHO IS THE RIGHT COLUMN, MEANING THAT THE RIGHT COLUMN IS OPPOSITE IT. THEREFORE, THIS QUARREL AND NOISE IS PRODUCED. FOR WHEN THE LEFT GAINS STRENGTH, THEN THE WAVES OF THE OCEAN RISE WITH THEIR PEAK TO THE SKY, AND WHEN THE RIGHT GAINS STRENGTH, WHICH IS ABRAHAM, THEN THE WAVES DESCEND TO THE DEPTHS. Because of this anger and rage and wrath, they did not get near to one another, THE TWO COLUMNS, BUT KEPT BATTLING until Jacob came, WHO IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, and silenced and subdued the anger, MEANING THAT HE REDUCED THE FIRST THREE SFIROT OF THE LEFT. He broke the waves of the sea. This is what is written: "and Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and Hashem caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind..." (Shemot 14:21). What is "a strong east wind (also: 'spirit')?" That is Jacob's spirit, WHO IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH IS strong and powerful against THE LEFT COLUMN, breaking the anger of this sea. THEN, "He made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided" (Ibid.), by emptying the sea of the waters of anger. The waters split to the side of Abraham, WHO IS RIGHT, WHICH IS CHESED, and to the side of Jacob, WHO IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH IS MERCY. This is what is written: "and the waters were divided," to this side and to that side. Therefore, all the letters IN THIS VERSE OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN are in the right direction.

40. These letters are in forward direction on the side of Jacob, WHO IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, and so are all those who come from his side. When Jacob arrived, he connected to Abraham, WHO IS THE RIGHT COLUMN, and took Isaac, WHO IS THE LEFT COLUMN, and placed him in the middle, BETWEEN HIM AND THE RIGHT COLUMN. Then the Faith was tied between the one and the other, MEANING THAT THE TWO COLUMNS CONNECTED - THE RIGHT COLUMN AND THE LEFT COLUMN, ONE TO THE OTHER - AND ALL THREE TO MALCHUT, THAT IS CALLED 'FAITH.' Therefore, the task of the construction of the Holy Name is made known through the uniting of the Patriarchs, MEANING THE RIGHT WITH THE LEFT, AND THE LEFT WITH THE RIGHT, AND BOTH WITH THE CENTRAL, which is one knot. ALL THREE COLUMNS BECOME ONE, the knot of Faith, AND ALL THREE COLUMNS ARE CONNECTED IN MALCHUT, THAT IS CALLED 'FAITH,' to become a whole Chariot - WHICH ARE THREE COLUMNS AND MALCHUT, THE FOUR LEGS OF THE THRONE, WHICH ARE THE THRONE AND THE CHARIOT TO BINAH. Everything is accomplished with the uniting of the Patriarchs together, AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.

41. The friends know how to proceed in the right way, MEANING IN THE CENTRAL COLUMN, to establish the deeds properly. And with this name OF AYIN-BET (72), that is the knot of the Patriarchs, are found ways to Judgment, to Mercy, to help, to kindness, to awe, to Torah, to life, to death, to good and bad. Praised are those virtuous ones who know the manners of the Torah and know to go in the ways of the Holy King. They are praised in this world and the World to Come.