149. This is the meaning of, "seven complete Shabbatot" (Vayikra 23:15), WHICH MEANS THAT after seven Shabbatot have passed, the Holy King comes to unite with the Congregation of Yisrael, and the Torah is given. Then the King, ZEIR ANPIN, is adorned with the complete union, and the time of the Torah has come. All the trees that produce the firstfruits start singing, BECAUSE THEY DO SO BY THE ILLUMINATION OF THE UNION. What do they sing when THE FRUITS are gathered? "Hashem has established His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all" (Tehilim 103:19), AS THE THRONE, MALCHUT, IS BUILT AND ESTABLISHED IN THE HEAVENS, ZEIR ANPIN. THEN MALCHUT IS PERFECTED IN EVERY RESPECT, and it is written, "Your steadfast love, Hashem, is in the heavens" (Tehilim 36:6), WHICH MEANS THAT CHASSADIM FLOW FROM ZEIR ANPIN TO MALCHUT. And it is also written, "and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands" (Yeshayah 55:12), NAMELY, THE ILLUMINATION OF MALCHUT CALLED "FIELD" WILL CLAP HANDS. IN RELATION TO THIS UNION, RABBI SHIMON OPENED THE ARTICLE WITH THE VERSE, "THEN SHALL THE TREES OF THE WOOD SING FOR JOY" (I DIVREI HAYAMIM 16:33).
150. He continued with, "A Psalm. O sing to Hashem a new song; for He has done marvelous things" (Tehilim 98:1). It is considered a new song, THE SAME ONE THAT THE TREES RECITE WHEN THE FRUITS ARE GATHERED. For that reason IT IS WRITTEN, "when you bring a new meal offering" (Bemidbar 28:26). There, IN RELATION TO THE OMER, it is a meal offering of jealousies, THAT IS, A BARLEY MEAL OFFERING, while here it is a new offering. IT IS CONSIDERED new because the bride is renewed here, which is the bond of the bride above and below, ABOVE AND BELOW THE CHEST OF ZEIR ANPIN, the bond of Faith. Hence Jacob who is whole, ZEIR ANPIN, is adorned with his crowns and the Torah is given.
151. When the firstfruits arrived at the priest, it behooved one to say and to explain these matters as referring to that tree upon the earth that is perfected in the likeness of above, ZEIR ANPIN, in twelve regions and seventy branches. When Laban the Aramaean wished to destroy it so the world will be blemished because of it, the Holy One, blessed be He, saved the world and was adorned with His children, NAMELY THE SOULS OF YISRAEL, as we explained. For the entire bond of Faith, WHICH IS MALCHUT, comes from that tree, ZEIR ANPIN; hence MALCHUT is then CALLED a new meal offering. The reason is that the higher and lower beings and the moon, MALCHUT, rejoice in it. Whenever the moon, MALCHUT, is new, it is the bond of Faith WITH ZEIR ANPIN and its joy.
152. THIS IS LIKENED to a king who had sons and one daughter. He prepared a meal for all his sons, but the daughter did not sit at the table. When she came, she said to the king, Sir, you have invited all my brothers and have given each one certain portions, but you have not given me a portion among them. He said to her, Upon your life, daughter, you shall have a double portion, for each will give you of their share. Thus she later had a double portion, MORE than anyone. So the Congregation of Yisrael took portions from each OF THE GRADES, BOTH FROM CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM. Hence she is called a bride (Heb. kalah), SINCE SHE includes (Heb. kelulah), EVERYTHING, as a bride, to whom everyone gives garments, portions and jewels. Such is the Congregation of Yisrael. She is renewed in all THE GRADES and everyone gives her portions and garments, NAMELY MOCHIN AND THE GARMENTS OF MOCHIN.
153. Come and see, when the Holy King, ZEIR ANPIN, is adorned WITH THE MOCHIN OF THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, the Congregation of Yisrael rejoices BECAUSE SHE TOO IS WITH THOSE MOCHIN. When the Torah was given, the Congregation of Yisrael was adorned with celestial crowns, and since the entire bond of Faith, MALCHUT, was attached to this Tree, TO ZEIR ANPIN, it is considered one day, as it is written, "but it shall be one particular day which shall be known as Hashem's" (Zecharyah 14:7). Assuredly it is one day, since the Congregation of Yisrael is one day connected above, NAMELY, UNITED WITH ZEIR ANPIN, FOR ZEIR ANPIN IS CONSIDERED ONE ONLY WHEN UNITED WITH MALCHUT.
154. The connection above, IN ZEIR ANPIN, IS the head, WHICH IS the skull and the brain. THE SKULL IS KETER AND THE PARTS OF THE BRAINS (MOCHIN) ARE CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT. Another connection is the two arms, CHESED AND GVURAH, and the torso, WHICH IS TIFERET. CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET are attached by means of the head, THAT IS, THEY COME FROM CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT IN THE HEAD. Rav Hamnuna explained it as the three knots of the patriarchs, NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, the two pillars, NETZACH AND HOD that flow with the anointing oil in two grades, RIGHT AND LEFT in two rivers, THE SECRET OF SKIES, to gather the semen IN THEM, NAMELY, THE PLENTY OF CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, to bring them out in another grade, THE CENTRAL COLUMN at the mouth of the penis, WHICH IS YESOD. The Tree is the torso in the middle, NAMELY TIFERET that is attached to all those, CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, and they are all attached to it, so that everything is one. And when the Matron, MALCHUT, is united with it, then it is one COMPLETELY. We already explained these matters.
155. Come and see, it is written, "On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly (Heb. Shmini Atzeret)" (Bemidbar 29:35). What is the assembly? HE ANSWERS that the place in which everything is connected together is called an assembly, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT RECEIVES FROM ALL THE SFIROT. For what does "assembly" mean? A gathering. You may ask for the reason that it is called an assembly here. AND HE ANSWERS, Throughout the days OF SUKKOT were the feast days of the branches of the Tree, NAMELY THE SEVENTY MINISTERS THAT COME FROM THE OUTER PART OF ZEIR ANPIN - hence the seventy bullocks SACRIFICED ON THE SEVEN DAYS OF SUKKOT. After that, ON SHMINI ATZERET (THE DAY OF CONVOCATION) comes the joy of the Tree itself, ZEIR ANPIN HIMSELF. For there it is an assembly for one day, which is the joy in the Torah, the joy of the Tree, which is the body, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN.
156. Therefore only the Holy One, blessed be He and the Congregation of Yisrael take part in this day, SHMINI ATZERET. For that reason, "you shall have a solemn assembly," you and no other, for when the King is present, everything is there in Him. We therefore learned in relation to Shmini Atzeret about the fruit of the tree, WHICH ALLUDES TO ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED TREE, WHOSE DAY IT IS. This was already explained. For that reason He is called one, BEING united with Malchut. Surely one, as we said.
157. Come and see, it is written, "You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves...they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven" (Vayikra 23:17). Why is it different here, that leaven IS BROUGHT? HE ANSWERS, Since everything is attached to the tree, ZEIR ANPIN, WHEN IT IS PERFECTED ON SHAVUOT, since the branches are attached to the Tree, leaves are attached to the Tree, WHICH ARE Klipot and many Judgments on every side, AND IT MITIGATES THEM. Everything is in it, for that Tree atones for the Evil Inclination in its dwelling place in man. FOR THAT REASON LEAVEN IS BROUGHT THAT DAY, WHICH IS AN INDICATION THAT THOUGH KLIPOT ARE ATTACHED TO IT, THEY ARE NEVERTHELESS MITIGATED AND THERE IS NO FEAR OF THEIR ATTACHMENT.
158. Rabbi Elazar said, From this Tree, ZEIR ANPIN, the other trees below are nourished, WHICH ARE THE GRADES IN MALCHUT AND BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH. It has its roots in a deep river that flows, which waters never stop flowing, NAMELY BINAH. It is written of it, "For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, and that spreads out its roots by the river" (Yirmeyah 17:8), THE RIVER BEING BINAH. Hence the Torah, ZEIR ANPIN, is called "She is a Tree of Life..." (Mishlei 3:18), SINCE LIFE IS DRAWN FROM BINAH. What is meant by, "and happy are those who hold her fast" (Ibid.)? We explained it, yet "happy are those who hold her fast" is similar to, "Happy am I (Heb. oshri), for the daughters will call me blessed" (Beresheet 30:13), WHICH ALLUDES TO BINAH CALLED ASHER.