"Over against the border"

Synopsis

The Zohar describes the way in which water, fire, and wind can become unified in our physical existence. Water is the physical expression of the Right Column, the positive energy force of sharing. This male principle [+] corresponds to the proton in an atom. Fire corresponds to the Left Column, the negative energy force of receiving. This female principle [-] is expressed as the electron. Wind is the personification of the Central Column, the neutral energy which corresponds to the neutron in an atom. Just as an atom unites these three forces into the building blocks of our physical universe, we, through our actions, can unite them as the building blocks of our spiritual universe. The positive force relates to the soul and our will to share. The negative force concerns the ego and its bottomless desire to receive and consume.

The neutral force corresponds to the free will of man. Each of us possesses the power to unify these three columns by learning to receive for the sake of sharing, rather than receiving for gratification of the ego.

Gates Lamps Light Table World to Come, The

335. Rabbi Shimon explained the controversy, EXPLAINING THE INCLUSION OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT COLUMNS, WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN IN DISCORD. He opened the scriptures and began with the verse: "Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the poles to bear the table" (Shemot 25:27). HE ASKS: What is this border? AND REPLIES: This is a closed place. The only access is through a narrow path that is hidden within it. Through its power, it is filled WITH LIGHT and marks gates, so as to light the lamps. BECAUSE it is a concealed and hidden place, it is called a border, or a frame. This is the World to Come, which is called 'frame'.

335. רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּרֵישׁ פְּלוּגְתָּא, וַאֲמַר, פְּתַח קְרָא וַאֲמַר, כְּתִיב לְעֻמַּת הַמִּסְגֶּרֶת תִּהְיֶינָה הַטַּבָּעוֹת בָּתִּים לְבַדִּים, מָאן הַהוּא מִסְגֶּרֶת, דָּא הוּא אֲתַר סְגִיר דְּלָא פְּתִיחָא, בַּר בִּשְׁבִיל חַד דַּקִּיק, דְּאִתְיְידַע בִּגְנִיזוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, וּבְגִינֵיהּ אִתְמְלֵי וְרָשִׁים תַּרְעִין, לְאַדְלָקָא בּוֹצִינִין. וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ אֲתַר גָּנִיז וְסָתִים, אִקְרֵי מִסְגֶּרֶת, וְדָא הוּא עָלְמָא דַּאֲתֵי, וְהַהוּא עָלְמָא דַּאֲתֵי אִתְקְרֵי מִסְגֶּרֶת.

Eden Fire Mochin Rivers Water Waters Wind Yisrael-Saba and Tevunah Zeir Anpin

336. The phrase: "shall the rings be" refers to the upper rings - MEANING CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET - WHICH ARE ABOVE THE CHEST OF ZEIR ANPIN and cling to one another. WATER, FIRE AND WIND CORRESPOND TO CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN. WHEN THEY RECEIVE THE MOCHIN, THEY ARE COMBINED ONE WITH THE OTHER. Water - WHICH IS CHESED - is included with wind - WHICH IS TIFERET - wind with fire, WHICH IS GVURAH, and fire with water. They combine together, and issue the one from the other like rings. All the rings reach that border (closure), WHICH IS THE SECRET OF YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH, where they reach for the supernal river that waters them. THAT IS THE SECRET OF THE RIVER THAT COMES OUT OF EDEN, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH. And they cling to it.

336. תִּהְיֶינָה הַטַּבָּעוֹת, אִלֵּין עִזְקָאן עִלָּאִין, דְּאִתְאַחֲדָן דָּא בְדָא, מַיָא מֵרוּחָא, וְרוּחָא מֵאֶשָׁא, וְאֶשָׁא מִמַּיָּא, כָּלְהוֹן אִתְאַחֲדָן דָּא בְּדָא, וְנַפְקָן דָּא מִן דָּא בְּהָנֵי עִזְקָאן, וְכָלְהוֹן מִסְתַּכְּלָן לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא מִסְגֶּרֶת, דְּבֵיהּ מִתְאַחֵד, לְהַהוּא נַהֲרָא עִלָּאָה, לְאַשְׁקָאָה לוֹן, וְאִתְאַחֲדָן בֵּיהּ.

Ark Chariot Death Death and the Afterlife Fire Foreigner Mochin Shechinah Soul, The Testimony Vineyard Water Wind Zeir Anpin

337. THE VERSE CONTINUES: "for places of the poles," BECAUSE the upper rings, WHICH ARE ABOVE THE CHEST OF ZEIR ANPIN, have AT THIS STAGE become houses and places for the poles - WHICH ARE NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD BELOW THE CHEST OF ZEIR ANPIN. These POLES are the lower Chariot, AS THEY ORIGINATE FROM THE UPPER CHARIOT - WHICH IS CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET - WHICH CORRESPOND TO WATER, FIRE AND WIND. THUS, THE LEFT COLUMN OF THE POLES, WHICH IS CALLED HOD, originates from the aspect of fire OF THE UPPER CHARIOT, WHICH IS CALLED GVURAH. THE RIGHT COLUMN OF THE POLES, WHICH IS CALLED NETZACH, originates from the aspect of water OF THE UPPER CHARIOT, WHICH IS CALLED CHESED. AND THE CENTRAL COLUMN OF THE POLES, WHICH IS CALLED YESOD, originates from the aspect of wind OF THE UPPER CHARIOT, WHICH IS CALLED TIFERET. This continues so everything THAT EXISTS IN THE UPPER CHARIOT IS DRAWN DOWN TO THE LOWER CHARIOT, so that THE POLES can be formed into a Chariot for the ark of the Testimony, WHERE THE SHECHINAH RESTS. Therefore, all who approach shall approach these poles - WHICH ARE THE ASPECT OF NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, WHICH ARE FROM THE CHEST DOWNWARD - but not go inside them. NO ONE IS TO APPROACH AND DRAW MOCHIN FROM CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, WHICH ARE ABOVE THE CHEST OF ZEIR ANPIN. Go, go, they say to the Nazirite, go around, that you may not come near the vineyard. Only those who are worthy of serving within - REFERRING TO THOSE PEOPLE WHOSE SOULS COME FROM THE CHEST UPWARD OF ZEIR ANPIN - are given permission to enter, serve and come near. This is why it is written: "And the stranger that comes near shall be put to death" (Bemidbar 1:51).

337. בָּתִּים לְבַדִּים, הָנֵי עִזְקָאן, מְלֵאִין אִינוּן בָּתִּים, וְאַתְרִין לְבַדִּים, דְּאִינוּן רְתִיכִין דִּלְתַתָּא, בְּגִין דָּדָא אָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּאֶשָׁא, וְדָא מִסִּטְרָא דְמַיָא, וְדָא מִסִּטְרָא דְרוּחָא, וְכֵן כָּלְהוֹ, בְּגִין לְמֶהֱוֵי רְתִיכָא לַאֲרוֹנָא, וְעַל דָּא מָאן דְּמִקְרַב יִקְרַב בְּאִלֵּין בַּדִּים, וְלָא בַּמֶּה דִּלְגַו, לֵךְ לֵךְ אָמְרִין נְזִירָא, סְחוֹר סְחוֹר לְכַרְמָא לָא תִקְרָב בַּר אִינוּן דְּאִתְחַזּוּן לְשַׁמָּשָׁא לְגַו, לוֹן אִתְיְהֵיב רְשׁוּתָא לְאַעֲלָאָה לְשַׁמָּשָׁא וּלְקָרָבָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת.