Ten things one must do for the meal

31. There are ten things one must do for the meal: 1) the hand washing; 2) the preparation of the two Shabbat challah loaves; 3) to eat of three meals and add from weekdays to holiness; 4) to light a candle on the table, as was explained, that a table should be to the north side, and the candle on the south, and to recline, as was explained that if they recline together, one makes the blessing for everyone.

32. On Shabbat, one should add from weekdays to holiness in everything he does, in his food and drink, his dress and his seating. He should prepare a comfortable reclining bed with many pillows and embroidered cushions from all that he has in his house, as when preparing the marriage canopy for the bride, because Shabbat is both a queen and a bride. Due to this, the sages of the Mishnah used to hasten to come out on Shabbat eve to welcome her on the way. And they used to say: 'Come bride, come bride.' There is a need to invoke on that table song and joy for her.

33. There is yet another secret meaning to it. ONE NEEDS TO WELCOME SHABBAT as it behooves one to welcome a lady by lighting many lamps for Shabbat, by many pleasures, beautiful clothes, a house set with many adorned vessels and nicely set up comfortable chairs for everyone. For joy and preparation cause the evil handmaid, THAT IS THE KLIPAH, to remain in the dark in hunger, in weeping, in mourning, and in black dress like a widow. When the one is filled, the other is destroyed, BECAUSE THE KLIPAH IS FILLED ONLY WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF HOLINESS. SIMILARLY, HOLINESS BECOMES FULL FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF THE KLIPAH.

34. The Good Inclination is the Holy Queen, Malchut of holiness that descended on Shabbat that is comprised of ten Sfirot. She is decorated with seven names that are not erased, with the many Chariots of the living creatures, and with the many armies and camps OF ANGELS. The King goes out to her with many camps, and the Evil Inclination that is the wicked handmaid remains in the dark, like a widow without her husband, without any Chariots.

35. It was said about them: "to those who sacrifice and burn incense to the queen of the heavens, and the constellation which I have not commanded" (Devarim 17:3), which is the worship WITH WHICH THEY SERVE the wicked handmaid that rules on Shabbat eve and on Wednesday eves. What do they do ON SHABBAT? HE RESPONDS: They wear black clothes, extinguish their lights, and lament on Shabbat eve to participate WITH THE WICKED HANDMAID, TO BE IN SADNESS, TROUBLE AND DARKNESS as she is, because "Elohim has made the one as well as the other" (Kohelet 7:14).

36. After Yisrael sinned and the Temple was destroyed, it is said regarding the Shechinah, holy Ima: "How does the city sit solitary, that was full of people! How is she become like a widow" (Eichah 1:1)? THEREFORE, people extinguish lamps and candles on Tishah B'Av, and sit like mourners to participate in the sorrow of the Shechinah, because they caused Her all this calamity IN THEIR INIQUITIES.

37. The fifth THING IT BEHOOVES US TO PREPARE ON SHABBAT is the cup OF WINE for saying, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished (Heb. vaychulu)..." (Beresheet 2:1) NAMELY, KIDDUSH. The sixth is to speak words of Torah at the table. The seventh is to extend the meal and allow the poor to come to the table. The eighth is washing the hands with fingerbowl water. The ninth is the blessing after the meal. The tenth is the cup for the blessing AFTER THE MEAL. It is necessary to repeat THESE TEN THINGS and to prepare them in accordance with the holy meaning, for she, MALCHUT, is comprised of ten Sfirot. MALCHUT IS CONSIDERED the table of the Holy One, blessed be He, from the side of Gvurah. Hence, the sages have explained that the table should face the north, WHICH IS FROM THE SIDE OF GVURAH.

38. NOW COME THE WORDS OF THE FAITHFUL SHEPHERD, WHO EXPLAINS THESE TEN THINGS IT BEHOOVES ONE TO DO AT SHABBAT MEAL. The first, the washing of hands, MEANS THAT the sages of the Mishnah explained that: 'Filthy hands are unfit for blessing, because they are twice removed from uncleanness.' When hands are unclean, they are considered a principle cause of defilement, which is once removed from uncleanness, and when the hands are clean, they are considered twice removed from uncleanness and are fit to bless, because blessing rests only on purity, because blessing rests on a priest, who is a pure man, a man of kindness. This is the meaning of: "It is like the precious ointment upon the head..." (Tehilim 133:2). Therefore, "speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'In this way you shall bless the children of Yisrael...'" (Bemidbar 6:23). It was explained that every priest who blesses is blessed, and if he does not bless he is not blessed. The sages of the Mishnah have further explained that any blessing that does not have a recitation of the Name OF YUD HEI VAV HEI and Malchut, THAT IS, 'KING OF THE WORLD,' is not considered a blessing, as Malchut is the name of Adonai. THUS, EVERY BLESSING SHOULD CONTAIN A RECITATION OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, AND MALCHUT, WHICH IS ADONAI.

39. In addition, the hands need to be washed up to the joint THAT ATTACH THE FIVE FINGERS, because it was decreed TO WASH fourteen (Yud Dalet) joints IN THE FIVE FINGERS. EACH FINGER HAS THREE JOINTS AND THE THUMB TWO. At that time, the hand (Heb. yad, Yud Dalet) of Hashem rests on him. It is the hand of blessing from the aspect of Chesed, wherein Chochmah lies in the right hand, BECAUSE DURING THE GREATNESS OF ZEIR ANPIN CHESED ASCENDS TO BECOME CHOCHMAH. It is the hand of holiness from the aspect of Gvurah that prevails on Judgment. It is also the hand of unification from the aspect of Tiferet THAT UNIFIES RIGHT AND LEFT INTO ONE. This rests on the fourteen joints of the body, because there are twelve joints in the two arms, THREE JOINTS IN EACH ARM THERE, and in the two legs WITH THREE JOINTS IN EACH LEG, WHICH ADDS UP TO SIX, AND TOGETHER THEY ARE TWELVE. TOGETHER WITH the two in the body and genital organ, they total fourteen. AND IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THREE TIMES FOURTEEN ALSO REFERS TO THE THREE SFIROT - CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET.

40. Three times fourteen equals 42, and the three Yuds in three times hand (Yud Dalet) are indicated in "Hashem bless you (Heb. yevarechecha) ...Hashem make His face shine upon you (Heb. ya'er)...Hashem lift up His countenance to you (Heb. yisa)" (Bemidbar 6:24-25) of Yud Hei Vav Hei, Yud Hei Vav Hei, Yud Hei Vav Hei IN THE VERSES, MEANING THE THREE YUDS IN THE THREE times YUD HEI VAV HEI IN, "HASHEM BLESS YOU...HASHEM MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU...HASHEM LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE TO YOU." The three Dalets in three hands (Yud Dalet) are implied in Adonai, Adonai, Adonai. The prophet said about them, THE THREE TIMES YUD HEI VAV HEI AND THREE TIMES ADONAI: "The temple of Hashem, the temple of Hashem, the temple of Hashem, are these" (Yirmeyah 7:4). THIS TEMPLE IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED ADONAI. THEREFORE, IT REPEATS THREE TIMES "THE TEMPLE OF HASHEM," WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THREE TIMES ADONAI AND THREE TIMES YUD HEI VAV HEI, AS MENTIONED. Hence the decree of washing the hands, TO INDICATE THE SECRET OF THE FOURTEEN JOINTS AND THE THREE TIMES FOURTEEN IN CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, WHICH IS THE SECRET MEANING OF THREE TIMES YUD HEI VAV HEI AND THREE ADONAI, AS MENTIONED.

41. Every side OF THE THREE COLUMNS - CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, WHICH ARE RIGHT, LEFT AND CENTRAL THAT ARE THREE TIMES FOURTEEN, is comprised of the three faces of the living creatures, THE LION, OX, AND EAGLE, which are Yud Hei Vav Hei, Yud Hei Vav Hei, Yud Hei Vav Hei, and the three wings in the living creatures are Dalet, Dalet, Dalet, THAT IS, THREE TIMES ADONAI, AS MENTIONED. They all need to derive from the power (Heb. ko'ach, = 28) of man (Adam), THAT IS, YUD HEI VAV HEI FULLY SPELLED WITH ALEPHS, that is, Yud Vav Dalet, Hei Aleph, Vav Aleph Vav, Hei Aleph, which has the same numerical value as Adam. His power, THE FULLY SPELLED YUD HEI VAV HEI, AGAIN FULLY SPELLED, is Yud Vav Dalet, Vav Aleph Vav, Dalet Lamed Tav; Hei Aleph, Aleph Lamed Pe; Vav Aleph Vav, Aleph Lamed Pe, Vav Aleph Vav; Hei Aleph, Aleph Lamed Pe. THESE ARE 28 LETTERS THAT CORRESPOND TO THE 28 JOINTS IN THE TEN FINGERS OF THE HAND. The Queen does not dwell in his power, in the 28 finger joints, until all the filth of the wicked, unfit handmaid, wife to the unfit, is removed. Therefore, the sages of the Mishnah explained that 'dirty hands are unfit to make a blessing,' BECAUSE THE HANDMAID RESTS ON THEM.

42. This water is for cleansing the hand upon which the hand of Yud Hei Vav Hei rests, AS MENTIONED NEARBY. The hand of Yud Hei Vav Hei is the water of the Torah. The ignorant people are considered like unclean reptiles, WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF THE TORAH TO TAKE AWAY THEIR IMPURITY. What good will immersing in water do them, holding in their hand that reptile, which is the wicked handmaid, stolen goods in their possession, the stolen blessings they stole from the Holy One, blessed be He. They do not know what a blessing is, or what filth is.

43. Immediately after the friends and myself heard these words, we could not stand to wait for him to finish all these ten items pertaining to blessings. We prostrated ourselves before him AND SAID TO HIM: Certainly, there is no one who could speak these things except for you, since you are comparable to the four sections in the Garden of Eden. If a person enters the children's section, he becomes a child; in the youths' section he becomes a youth; in the young men's section, he becomes a young man, and in the old people's section, he becomes an old man. Hence, it is written about you: "from the place of His habitation He looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth" (Tehilim 33:14), WHICH INITIALS IN HEBREW FORM MOSES. Also, it is about you that it says: "for that he also (Heb. beshagam) is flesh" (Beresheet 6:3). THE WORD BESHAGAM CONTAINS THE LETTERS OF THE WORD MOSES, AS IT CONTAINS MEM AND SHIN, AND BET AND GIMEL BECOME HEI. You were present in the generation of the Tower of Babel, and in every generation YOU RETURN by incarnation like a wheel that turns around in many ways, yet you revealed yourself only at the generation when the Torah was given at your hands.

44. As soon as you departed from the world, you became like a sun that shines in every generation. Even when the sun is gathered at night, it illuminates the moon and 600,000 stars. So are you who shine on the 600,000 people in each and every generation. That is what Kohelet indicated in the verse: "One generation passes away, and another generation comes" (Kohelet 1:4). The sages have explained that a generation does not consist of less than 600,000 people. They also explained THIS VERSE TO MEAN the generation that passes away is the one that comes. THAT IS, THE SOULS OF THE PREVIOUS GENERATION REINCARNATE AND COME IN THE FOLLOWING GENERATION. This fulfills THE VERSE: "That which has been, it is that which shall be" (Kohelet 1:9). From here on, complete the ten items about Shabbat table openly. The Faithful Shepherd said TO RABBI SHIMON: Holy Luminary, blessed is your lot that the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to you what He has not revealed to any prophet or seer.

45. The second SETTING REGARDING SHABBAT TABLE is to break bread over two loaves of bread on Shabbat, which are alluded to in the two tablets of the Torah that were given on Shabbat in pairs. On the third day, THAT IS TIFERET, they descended FROM HEAVEN, on which it was said twice 'good,' SINCE IT COMPRISES RIGHT AND LEFT. On Shabbat, WHICH IS MALCHUT, the Torah was given, in which, IN MALCHUT, THERE ARE TWO FEMALES, ONE FROM THE CHEST OF ZEIR ANPIN AND UPWARD, AND ONE FROM THE CHEST OF ZEIR ANPIN DOWNWARD. THESE ARE two females, which correspond to twice 'good,' SAID ON THE THIRD DAY, WHICH IS TIFERET. Though it was explained that demons are assigned TO HARM pairs - as has been explained THAT ONE MUST NOT EAT two eggs or two walnuts, YET IF THIS IS SO, WHY ARE TWO LOAVES OF BREAD USED ON SHABBAT, SEEING THEY ARE A PAIR? HE RESPONDS, it is a usage dating from Moses as delivered from Sinai that those sent on pious missions will meet no evil. THEREFORE, THERE IS NO NEED TO FEAR PERFORMING A PRECEPT DUE TO IT BEING IN PAIRS.

46. You may wonder why we learned that one should not begin anything on the second day of the week or finish on Wednesday - MEANING ON THE SECOND AND ON THE FOURTH BECAUSE THEY ARE PAIRS, WHICH APPLIES TO MATTERS OF PRECEPTS AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH THOSE SENT ON PIOUS MISSIONS WILL MEET NO EVIL. HE ANSWERS, THIS IS when with the mixed multitude, THAT IS, WHEN THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL ARE MINGLED WITH THE MIXED MULTITUDE, who are never sent on pious missions, because they have not converted for Heaven's sake. THEN, IT IS FORBIDDEN TO BEGIN ON MONDAY OR WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER, THE RIGHTEOUS, WHO HAVE NO CONNECTION WITH THE MIXED MULTITUDE MAY START ON MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY FOR THE SAKE OF PERFORMING A PRECEPT, BECAUSE THOSE SENT ON A PIOUS MISSION SHALL COME TO NO HARM. THEREFORE, after they were gone from the world, AFTER THE SIN OF THE GOLDEN CALF, the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded to take "two tablets of stone like the first" (Shemot 34:1), saying:" "And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets..." (Ibid.). AND HE DID NOT MIND THE PAIRS.

47. The two loaves of bread on Shabbat indicate the two Yuds IN THE COMBINATION OF YUD HEI VAV HEI AND ADONAI, WHICH IS Yud Aleph Hei Dalet Vav Nun Hei Yud. For Adonai, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is alone without her husband, WHICH IS YUD HEI VAV HEI, during the six weekdays, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THEN IN A COMPLETE UNION. On Shabbat, YUD HEI VAV HEI descends TO ADONAI AND THE COMBINATION IS FORMED OF YUD ALEPH HEI DALET VAV NUN HEI YUD. THEREFORE, TWO LOAVES OF BREAD ARE USED TO INDICATE THE TWO YUDS AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THIS COMBINATION OF THE NAME YUD-ALEPH-HEI-DALET VAV-NUN-HEI-YUD. Hence, all Neshamot, Ruchot and Nefashot leave and come down in pairs on Shabbat, and no devil or demon has power on Shabbat day. Even Gehenom has no power and does not burn on Shabbat. Therefore, "you shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on Shabbat day" (Shemot 35:3). That refers to strange fire, but the fire of sacrifice is a fire of holiness, WHICH IS PERMISSIBLE IN THE TEMPLE ON SHABBAT. THUS, WE NEED TO TAKE TWO LOAVES OF BREAD ON SHABBAT AND NOT TO BE AFRAID OF PAIRS. There is no need to speak at length on THE SUBJECT OF their apportioning, MEANING, ABOUT THE MEASURE OF AN OLIVE'S SIZE OR AN EGG'S SIZE, as it was already explained above.

48. The third SETTING REGARDING THE SHABBAT TABLE IS to eat three meals on Shabbat, as was explained by the sages of the Mishnah. One of them said: 'Let my lot be with those who eat on three meals on Shabbat,' which complete the seven blessings in the Amidah prayer by bringing them to a total of ten. The secret of delight (Heb. oneg, Ayin Nun Gimel) is THE SECRET MEANING OF: "and a river went out of Eden to water that garden" (Beresheet 2:10). FOR EDEN MEANS DELIGHT, AND THE GARDEN IS MALCHUT, THE SECRET MEANING OF SHABBAT. ALSO, ONEG IS THE INITIALS OF EDEN, NAHAR (ENG. 'RIVER') AND GAN (ENG. 'GARDEN'). Whoever can but does not observe them, for him the oneg turns into a plague (Heb. nega) of leprosy, AS THEY ARE SPELLED WITH THE SAME LETTERS. In order that he should not come to this, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: 'Borrow on Me and I will pay,' AND IT IS WRITTEN: "then shall you delight yourself in Hashem" (Yeshayah 58:14).

49. The fourth SETTING is to light the table with a lamp, as was decreed by ancient sages that a table should be at the north and the lamp at the south, for the table of the Holy One, blessed be He, MALCHUT, needs to be that way. The fifth SETTING is the wine cup of 'vaychulu,' MEANING THE KIDDUSH CUP. The numerical value of 'kos (Eng. 'cup')' is that of Elohim, THAT IS, 86. 'Vaychulu' is 72 IN NUMERICAL VALUE, which the holy Bride, MALCHUT, includes, NAMELY, THE NAME ELOHIM AND THE NAME OF AYIN BET (72). The cup, WHICH IS MALCHUT, filled with the wine, MEANING THE ABUNDNBCE OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, of the Torah, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN CALLED TORAH, needs to bear testimony to the act of Creation, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF BINAH, BECAUSE THE ABUNDANCE OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH IS CONSIDERED A TESTIMONY (HEB. EDUT), BASED ON EDEN, AND BINAH IS THE SOURCE THAT POURS IT. THAT IS THE REASON WHY ONE SHOULD TESTIFY TO THE ACT OF CREATION.

50. The sixth SETTING is to have words of Torah at one's table, because that is how the sages of the Mishnah decreed about 'three who ate on the same table yet have not spoken on it words of Torah...' The secret meaning is that they have decreed that the table should be to the north and that the Torah was given from the right. THEREFORE, IT BEHOOVES ONE TO SAY WORDS OF TORAH AT THE TABLE in order to join the right, which is Mercy, with the left, which is Judgment. The Torah is Yud Hei Vav Hei, ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH WAS GIVEN from the right, and the table is Adonai, MALCHUT, which is from the left, WHICH IS AT THE NORTH. THEREFORE, one needs to join them, BECAUSE THE LEFT WITHOUT THE RIGHT CONFERS HARSH JUDGMENTS. Since that table is at the left side, the sages of the Mishnah have explained that a person's sustenance is as difficult to obtain as the splitting of the Red Sea. Therefore, one needs to invite him a Torah scholar, who will study Torah.

51. The seventh SETTING is to stay a long time at the table for the poor TO COME. Whoever stays long at the table will have his days and years extended. For that reason: "charity delivers from death" (Mishlei 10:2). Since a poor man is like a dead man, whom he revives WITH CHARITY, the Holy One, blessed be He, also revives him.

52. Furthermore, an esoteric explanation is that all the poor people originate from the part of the letter Dalet, about which it is said: "I was brought low (Heb. daloti), and He saved me" (Tehilim 116:6). The pronunciation of the letter Dalet in 'Echad' (lit. 'one') should be prolonged. That is meant by the verse: "that he may prolong his days in his kingdom" (Devarim 17:20). Therefore, it behooves one to stay long at the table, which is Dalet (=four), because it has the four legs of the table. In honor of that letter Dalet, one should stay long at the table for the sake of the poor.

53. In relation to it the sages explained that the Holy One, blessed be He, sought a comely virtue for Yisrael, and found only the virtue of poverty. A difficulty was raised here, since the ancient sages explained that the number of different deaths is equivalent to the numerical value of the word 'totzaot (lit. 'modes')' (=903) (Tehilim 68:21), and that an empty pocket is the most difficult. How could it be said He found no better virtue for Yisrael than poverty?

54. He RESPONDS, It is only because about each nation and people, IT IS SAID, "and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their Elohim, and look upward" (Yeshayah 8:21). However, the children of Yisrael are in the Covenant with the Holy One, blessed be He, also with this virtue and do not deny His existence. Hence they shall be redeemed by this virtue. This is the meaning of: "and the afflicted people You shall save" (II Shmuel 22:28). 'Ani (Eng.. 'poor')' is derived from 'inui (Eng. 'suffering'),' since even when one has wealth but suffers from illnesses and afflictions, he is considered poor. Or he is distressed FOR HIS WEALTH and is afflicted every day. This is surely true for one who is poorer than him, MEANING THAT HE LACKS EVEN ENOUGH TO FULFILL HIS NEEDS and must wander from place to place, WHO IS MOST CERTAINLY CONSIDERED POOR.

55. There is another kind of poor man, who lost his mind like Job, about whom, it is said: "Job has spoken without knowledge" (Iyov 34:35). So too is the Dalet, which is the Shechinah; when Aleph and Chet OF ECHAD were gone from it, which is the Central Pillar called Da'at (knowledge), IT IS POOR. And one, WHO IS WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, does not incur iniquity by speaking IMPROPERLY. Furthermore, Aleph Chet is the Torah that is comprised of the 613 commandments. This is the meaning of: "this is My name (Heb. shmi) forever, and this is My memorial (Heb. zichri) to all generations" (Shemot 3:15). Shmi plus Yud-Hei IS NUMERICALLY 365, and zichri plus Vav-Hei is NUMERICALLY 248. Therefore it has been explained that one is poor only in Torah and commandments. This is because the other poor people suffer BUT ARE NOT POOR. The letter Dalet of Adonai, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is also poor without Yud Hei Vav Hei. SIMILARLY, THE DALET OF ECHAD, WHICH IS MALCHUT, IS POOR WITHOUT ALEPH AND CHET OF ECHAD THAT IS THE 613 COMMANDMENTS OF THE TORAH THAT ARE CHASSADIM.

56. The eighth SETTING is the fingerbowl water that was instituted due to the salt of S'dom that is blinding to the eyes. Why is it considered obligatory? HE ANSWERS: According to the esoteric interpretation, deadly poison rests on dirty hands, with which one makes a blessing, and on a cup, over which one makes a blessing without cleanliness, and it is considered defiled. Just as a cup from which people drank is considered unclean for a blessing until it is cleansed by rinsing it inside and out, the hands all the more so. Hence fingerbowl water is obligatory. The secret of this is in the verse: "You shall therefore sanctify yourself" (Vayikra 26:2), which refers to the washing of hands before the meal. "And you shall be holy" (Ibid.) refers to fingerbowl water. "For I am holy" (Ibid.), refers to fragrant ointment, WHICH WAS USED TO ANOINT THE HANDS AFTER FINGERBOWL WATER. THESE THREE THINGS correspond to "Holy, holy, holy." "You shall therefore sanctify yourself" so that it shall be known that you are children of the Holy One, blessed be He. That is what is meant by: "You are the children of Hashem your Elohim" (Devarim 14:1).

57. The ninth SETTING is the cup of blessing. As has been explained by the sages of the Mishnah, ten things were said about this cup of blessing, which are: decorating, wrapping, washing, rinsing, unmixed wine, full cup, receiving it with both hands and leaving it with the right, raising it from the surface a handbreadth, looking at it, and sending it as a gift to the members of his household. Now we have only four, which are washing, rinsing, unmixed wine, and a full cup. Some say the wine should be taken unmixed from the cask, BUT IN THE CUP, WATER MAY BE ADDED TO IT. Some say that unmixed (lit. living) wine means the cup should be whole, AND NOT THAT IT MAY NOT BE DILUTED, because its breaking is its death. THEREFORE, WHEN IT IS WHOLE, IT IS CONSIDERED LIVING. THE OTHER ITEMS ARE EXPLAINED BEFORE US.

58. He EXPLAINS WHAT A WHOLE CUP IS. A cup, according to wisdom, is MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED Elohim (Aleph Lamed Hei Yud Mem), when it is full with Yud Hei. WHEN IT IS IN SMALLNESS, MALCHUT IS CONSIDERED MUTE (HEB. ILEM, ALEPH LAMED MEM) WITHOUT YUD HEI. And they are whole, MEANING THAT BOTH NAMES, THE CUP AND ELOHIM, ARE COMPLETE THIS WAY. HOWEVER, a cup (Heb. kos) without Vav is like kes (Caf Samech) instead of kise (Eng. 'throne,' Caf Samech Aleph), which would be defective and lacking without Aleph. Therefore, KES INSTEAD OF KISE is lacking without Vav, and is defective. The Throne does amount numerically to kos, SINCE HAKISE (ENG. 'THE THRONE') IS ALSO A NAME OF MALCHUT, AS IS KOS.

59. The cup is MALCHUT, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF Hei (=five) OF YUD HEI VAV HEI. Ten items are needed that correspond to Yud (=ten) TO MULTIPLY TEN BY FIVE AND DRAW THE FIFTY GATES OF BINAH. They are: 1) crowning that indicates the secret of the corona, meaning the crown of Tiferet, WHICH IS MALCHUT OF YESOD. This is the secret of the crowning, of which the sages of blessed memory said that he used to crown it by placing scholars around it, that is, the corona of the member of the Covenant, IN ORDER TO JOIN WITH IT MALCHUT OF YESOD, WHICH INDICATES THE UNION OF YESOD AND MALCHUT, TO GIVE BIRTH TO SOULS, THE SECRET OF SCHOLARS. 2) Wrapping INDICATES the verse: "a prayer of the poor when he faints (or: 'wraps')" (Tehilim 102:1) because all these blessings and prayers are covered together, MEANING THEY ARE DELAYED IN BEING RECEIVED until the prayer of the poor rises. THE PRAYER OF THE POOR IS THE CORRECTION OF MALCHUT FROM THE SIDE OF DALET OF ECHAD, WHICH IS CALLED POOR. THE WRAPPING INDICATES THIS CORRECTION.

60. 3) and 4) are washing and rinsing, which are like: "and cleanse it, and hallow it" (Vayikra 16:19). Cleansing is from the right, WHICH IS Chesed, and the hallowing is from the left, WHICH IS Gvurah. The cup of blessing IS CALLED Malchut from the part of Binah that is called Elohim, and called a wreath from the part of Keter. 5) IT IS CALLED unmixed (living) from the aspect of Yesod that is also called peace, as it is written: "'neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed,' said Hashem that has mercy on you" (Yeshayah 54:10). RATHER, IT WILL BE ALIVE FOREVER. THEREFORE, MALCHUT IS CALLED LIVING FROM THIS ASPECT. 6) Full is from the aspect of Tiferet, MEANING WHEN IT RECEIVES FROM TIFERET THAT IS ABOVE THE CHEST, IT IS WHOLE AND FULL. 7) Accepting it with both hands, THAT INDICATE THE TWO HEIS OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, in WHICH THE UPPER HEI, WHICH IS BINAH, IS CHESED, AND THE LOWER HEI IS MALCHUT, IS GVURAH.

61. Leaving it with the right hand, because the upper Hei IS Chesed, and the second Hei IS Gvurah. THEREFORE, HE SHOULD GIVE IT WITH THE RIGHT HAND, WITH THE FIRST HEI. 8) Lifting it off the surface a handbreadth. THE HANDBREATH INDICATES the secret of the letter Yud, because Hei is raised by Yud, MEANING THAT ONE SHOULD RAISE THE FIVE SFIROT OF MALCHUT FROM HER PLACE, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE SURFACE, MULTIPLY HER BY YUD, AND MEDITATE ON HER RECEIVING THE FIFTY GATES OF BINAH. 9) Looking at it with the eyes, which are the secret OF THE UNIFICATION of Yud-Aleph-Hei-Dalet-Vav-Nun-Hei-Yud, NAMELY, THE COMBINATION OF YUD HEI VAV HEI AND ADONAI. ONE SHOULD MEDITATE THAT Yud Hei Vav Hei, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, shines in the pupil of the eye, WHICH IS ADONAI. Yud Hei Vav Hei SHINES IN THE THREE COLORS OF THE EYES, WHITE, RED AND GREEN, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN. Adonai shines in the two eyelids, as well as the two pupils OF THE EYE AND THE HAIR OF THE EYELASHES. 10) Sending it as a gift to the members of the household. ONE'S HOUSE is Binah, regarding which it is written: 'Let Moses rejoice in the gift of his portion.' This is BECAUSE MOSES MERITED BINAH AND ONE NEEDS TO ATTACH THE CUP, WHICH IS MALCHUT, TO THE LIGHTS OF BINAH.

62. The tenth SETTING OF THE SHABBAT TABLE is the blessing after the meal. It was explained by the sages that three, WHO EAT TOGETHER, need a cup. The secret meaning of this is that THREE are THE ASPECT OF: "your love as a bride (Heb. kelulotayich)" (Yirmeyah 2:2), NAMELY, THE LOVE OF ALL THREE 'KOL,' who are the patriarchs, regarding whom it is written: 'in all, of all, all (Heb. bakol mikol kol),' SINCE KELULOTAYICH IS DERIVED FROM KOL; IN RESPECT TO ABRAHAM, IT SAYS, "HASHEM BLESSED ABRAHAM IN ALL THINGS (HEB. BAKOL)" (BERESHEET 24:1); IN RESPECT TO ISAAC, IT SAYS, "AND I HAVE EATEN OF ALL (HEB. MIKOL)," AND IN RESPECT TO JACOB, IT SAYS, "I HAVE ENOUGH (ALL) (HEB. KOL)" (BERESHEET 33:11). We should not speak at length about it, BECAUSE IT IS A HIDDEN MYSTERY.

63. How do we know that the blessing after the meal is prescribed by the Torah? Because it is written: "When you have eaten, and are replete, then you shall bless Hashem your Elohim FOR THE GOOD LAND WHICH HE HAS GIVEN YOU" (Devarim 8:10). We have studied in the Baraita that "you shall bless" refers to the blessing 'Who sustains (Heb. hazan) EVERYTHING.' "Hashem your Elohim" REFERS TO THE BLESSING FOR THE LAND AND FOR SUSTENANCE (HEB. AL HA'ARETZ VE'AL HAMAZON), IN WHICH "HASHEM YOUR ELOHIM" refers to blessing for the food, and "for the land" refers to the blessing, 'Who builds Jerusalem (Heb. boneh Yerushalaim).' It also says, "that goodly mountain region and the Lebanon" (Devarim 3:25). This explains only THE BLESSINGS after THE MEAL. YET where is THE BLESSING before THE MEAL indicated? It is indicated in the words: "which He has given you," WHICH MEANS THAT from the time He has given you, EVEN BEFORE EATING, you must bless Him.

64. The sages of blessed memory have interpreted that Moses instituted for the children of Yisrael the blessing 'Who sustains (Heb. hazan)' when manna descended on them. Joshua instituted for them the blessing over the land when he entered them into the Holy Land. David and Solomon instituted the blessing for the building of Jerusalem. In addition, there is an indication of the blessing after the meal in the passage relating to the manna, as it is written: "in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am Hashem your Elohim" (Shemot 16:12).

65. Rabbi Shimon said: The secret of these seven Zayins - THE THREE ZAYINS IN THE THREE HEADED SHIN AND THE FOUR ZAYINS IN THE FOUR HEADED SHIN - that are inscribed on the Tefilin, is that the Zayins in the Shins INSCRIBED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TEFILIN allude to the seven lobes in man's lung, by which he draws air and exhales with it a fiery spark from his mouth - BECAUSE AIR IS COMPOSED OF FIRE, WATER AND AIR. They also allude to the seven days OF THE WEEK and the SEVEN weeks from Pesach to Shavuot. Also, they indicate the seven branches of the candelabra, on which there are seven holy lamps. They also indicate the seven planets that shine in the firmament and they indicate the seven grades - CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT - by which the world is maintained, which are the foundation, root and essence of everything. The friends said about these SEVEN ZAYINS that whoever wishes to put on the head Tefilin has to examine these two Shins hinted in the seven Zayins, for there are an allusion in them to hidden mysteries and deep allusions.