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'.
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.
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).