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.'
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).
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.
32. Come and behold: when the Congregation of Yisrael is blessed, all the worlds are blessed, and Yisrael below suckle and are blessed on her account. We explained that MALCHUT protects Yisrael, as we have learned.