The rock and the boulder

424. "And your rod, with which you smote the river, take in your hand, and go" (Ibid. 5). What is the reason? Because it was engraved with miraclesת and the Supernal Holy Name was imprinted on it. At first, THE ROD WAS TURNED INTO a snake, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN OF SMALLNESS. As we have learned, "The way of a snake upon a rock" (Mishlei 30:19). The snake, it is known, arouses the rock, WHICH IS MALCHUT. In which area was THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, revealed? Here He became revealed, as it is written, "Behold, I will stand before you there upon the rock" (Shemot 17:6). And who is the rock? It is as written, "He is the rock, His work is perfect" (Devarim 32:4), WHICH IS MALCHUT. Moses realized there how the snake stood by the stone. And we have already explained these matters.

425. Rabbi Yehuda said, If the Torah had remained silent and had not said more, it would be good. But rather, it is written, "And you shall smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it" (Shemot 17:6). IS THIS THE CUSTOM OF THE HOLY NAME? He said to him, Certainly, it is so. For there is no single Name of all the Holy Names of the Holy One, blessed be He, that does not perform miracles and mighty acts, and does not bring forth whatever is necessary for the world, especially to bring forth water here.

426. He said to him, If so, it is written, "He smote the rock, that the waters gushed out" (Tehilim 78:20). Who strikes in His name? He said, It is recognizable from the blows that the hammer is sharp, MEANING A SHARP PERSON KNOWS HOW TO ASK, and you ask this. But come and behold, "rock" always refers to Gvurah, MEANING MALCHUT WHEN SHE IS IN THE ASPECT OF GVURAH. And when the Holy One, blessed be He, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, wants to strike or punish, this Gvurah is aroused and that Gvurah smites and punishes. And this is what is written, "Behold, (he) smote the rock, that the waters gushed out," WHICH MEANS THAT THE ROCK DID SMITE. And if the rock had not been aroused to smite in the necessary place, the water would not have flowed.

427. He said to him, If so, is it not written, "Of the Rock that begot you you are unmindful" (Devarim 32:18)? What is the meaning of "unmindful?" You weakened it, WHICH CANNOT HAPPEN BY A NAME. He said to him, It is certainly so. For if the wicked had known that the rock was going to become aroused against them to punish them, they would have refrained from sinning against it. But it was weak in their sight, because they did not look at it, and it did not observe their ways TO PUNISH THEM IMMEDIATELY. And pertaining to this IT IS SAID, "Of the Rock that begot you you are unmindful."

428. Rabbi Aba said, There is a rock and there is a rock. From the side of the supernal rock emerges a different rock. And what is the supernal Rock? He is the Rock of every rock. And who is it? It is She who bore the children of Yisrael, ZEIR ANPIN. It is written, "Of the Rock that begot you you are unmindful," MEANING BINAH THAT GAVE BIRTH TO YISRAEL. Because from the side of the supernal Rock of above emerges another rock; from the side of Ima, WHICH IS BINAH, emerges Gvurah, WHICH IS MALCHUT.

429. And this proceeds as Rabbi Elazar said, It is written, "Who can utter the mighty acts of Hashem?" (Tehilim 106:2). What are the mighty acts of Hashem? It is to include the supreme Ima of all, WHICH IS BINAH, that even though she HERSELF is not of Judgment, yet from her side is Judgment prevalent, because from her side there is Gvurah, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS SWEETENED IN BINAH. And therefore it is called 'the supernal Rock.' "And have forgotten El that formed you" (Devarim 32:18), is the light of Aba. What is it? It is supernal Chesed, which is the light of Aba.

430. Rabbi Aba also said, Wherever water IS WRITTEN, it is known TO ALLUDE TO THE LIGHT OF CHESED. And the Holy One, blessed be He, becomes aroused by this rock, WHICH IS JUDGMENT, to cause water to flow, WHICH IS CHESED, because it is not proper FOR IT EMERGE UNLESS IT IS FROM CHESED. And this is the sign and miracle of the Holy One, blessed be He, THAT THE ROCK, WHICH IS JUDGMENT, SHOULD INSPIRE THE FLOWING FORTH OF CHASSADIM. David praised this and said, "Who turned the rock into a pond of water..." (Tehilim 114:8). And the meaning of "turned" IS THAT HE TURNED IT FROM JUDGMENT TO CHESED, because it is not the customary way of rock TO POUR FORTH CHESED.

431. And regarding this, through the supernal Rock, WHICH IS BINAH, He brought forth water from a lower place, FROM MALCHUT. And what is the name of that lower place? Boulder, as it is written, "And you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock (boulder)" (Bemidbar 20:8). And this boulder brought forth water as with the power of the supernal Rock, WHICH IS BINAH.

432. Rabbi Shimon said, "He is the Rock, His work is perfect." What is the meaning of, "He is the Rock, His work is perfect?" IT IS that the Rock was turned and changed to do the work of the perfect one. And who is he? Abraham, WHO IS CHESED, of whom it is written, "Walk before Me, and be perfect" (Beresheet 17:1). This is the meaning of "who turned the rock into a pond of water..." - THAT IT CHANGED FROM EXECUTING JUDGMENT TO THE MINISTERING OF CHESED. This means that "His work is perfect," NAMELY CHESED. And this is Abraham, WHO IS CHESED.

433. At this time, the rock reverted to being perfect. At another time, when Moses wanted to draw water from this rock, due to the sins of Yisrael, it did not return to perfection, as before. At that moment Moses raged and said, "Of the Rock that begot you you are unmindful" (Devarim 32:18). Namely, you weakened it from what it was before. For because of you it is not perfect now, and Judgment was executed; what was not so when it begot you, meaning in the days of your youth.