248. "And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent" (Beresheet 24:67). Rabbi Yosi said that this is a difficult verse. It is literally written, "...to the tent, Sarah his mother," but it should have been written 'Sarah's tent.' What is the meaning of "to the tent?" He says that the Shechinah returned, THAT IS CALLED TENT. THEREFORE IT SAYS 'HA'OHELAH (TO THE TENT), WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, for the Shechinah never left Sarah as long as she was in the world. And the candle burned in the tent all the days of the week, from Shabbat eve to Shabbat eve. After she died, the candle was extinguished. Once Rivkah came, the Shechinah returned and the candle burned again. "Sarah his mother" means that she resembled Sarah in everything she did.

249. Rabbi Yehuda said, "SARAH HIS MOTHER" MEANS THAT because the image of Isaac was the same as the image of Abraham, whoever saw Isaac said it was Abraham. Of course, they knew that Abraham begot Isaac, so the image of Rivkah was exactly the same as the image of Sarah. For that reason it is written, "Sarah his mother." THE IMAGES OF ISAAC AND RIVKAH WERE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE IMAGES OF ABRAHAM AND SARAH. IT WAS APPARENT THAT ABRAHAM BEGAT ISAAC AND SARAH BORE RIVKAH.

250. Rabbi Elazar said, This EXPLANATION is exactly right, but come and behold this secret. Although Sarah died, her image did not leave the house. It remained unseen from the day she died until Rivkah came. Once Rivkah came, the image of Sarah was seen again, as it is written, "And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent," but it was seen only by Isaac when he entered the tent. Therefore, "Isaac was comforted after his mother" (Beresheet 24:67), because his mother was seen and chanced before him in the house. Therefore, it is not written, 'After his mother's death,' but rather "after his mother," BECAUSE SHE NEVER DIED FOR ISAAC.

251. Rabbi Shimon then discoursed on the difference in verse that is written of Isaac, "And took Rivkah, and she became his wife; and he loved her" (Beresheet 24:67). Because it is written that "she became his wife," we should assume that he loved her as all the inhabitants of the world love their wives. What was different here, that made it necessary to add, "And he loved her?"

252. HE ANSWERS, Assuredly the awakening of the love of the male for the female is from the Left COLUMN, as it is written, "His left hand is under my head" (Shir Hashirim 8:3). Darkness, THE LEFT COLUMN, and night, THE NUKVA, are as one, because the left always arouses love to the Nukva and holds on to her. Therefore, although Abraham loved Sarah, it is not written of him, "And he loved her," but only of Isaac, WHO IS THE LEFT COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN. If you say, however, that it is written, "And Jacob loved Rachel" (Beresheet 29:18), THOUGH HE IS NOT OF THE LEFT COLUMN, it is because that side of Isaac was included within him.

253. Come and behold, When Abraham, THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN, saw Sarah, THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, he only embraced her, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "AND HIS RIGHT HAND EMBRACES ME" (SHIR HASHIRIM 8:3). But Isaac, THE LEFT COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN, her husband, took her and put his arm under her head, as it is written, "His left hand is under my head" (Ibid.). When Jacob, THE CENTRAL COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN, arrived afterward, he performed his marital duty and begot twelve tribes. All is as it should be.

254. Come and behold, The patriarchs all lived by one secret, NAMELY THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, they each had four wives REPRESENTING CHOCHMAH, BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT OF THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN. Abraham also had four wives - Sarah, Hagar, and two concubines - as it is written, "But to the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had" (Beresheet 25:6). IT IS WRITTEN concubines, WHICH MEANS two, AND TOGETHER WITH SARAH AND HAGAR, there were four.

255. Isaac also had four WIVES, all contained within Rivkah, as it is written, "And took Rivkah," which is one, "and she became his wife," which is two; "and he loved her," which is three "and Isaac was comforted after his mother," which is four. Correspondingly Jacob had four wives, and all of them, THE TWELVE WIVES, are one secret, NAMELY THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN ALONE, WHO CONTAINED ALL TWELVE ASPECTS.

256. Rabbi Chiya said that Abraham and Isaac each performed their marital duties with one wife on the side of holiness, BECAUSE HAGAR AND THE CONCUBINES WERE NOT OF HOLINESS. Abraham did so with Sarah, and Isaac with Rivkah. In comparison, Jacob had four wives, two each REPRESENTING THE HOLY AND THE NOT HOLY. LEAH AND RACHEL REPRESENTED HOLINESS, BILHAH AND ZILPHAH REPRESENTED THE NOT HOLY THAT HE CHANGED TO HOLY. Rabbi Shimon said that these matters have reached their proper place IN HOLINESS. EVEN HAGAR AND THE CONCUBINES WERE PART OF THE SECRET OF HOLINESS, AS RABBI SHIMON EXPLAINS THAT THE TWELVE WOMEN WERE BUT TWELVE ASPECTS OF THE NUKVA. For everything is done in the secret of holiness, and all is one secret; NAMELY, ALL OF THEM ARE INCLUDED WITHIN THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN ALONE.