211. We learned that Rabbi Yitzchak said, All these structures and these matters were given to the reapers of the field, NAMELY TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY FINISHED THE WORK OF HOLINESS AND PURIFICATION, AND HAVE ALREADY MERITED TO BEHOLD THE FRUIT OF THEIR WORK. We learned that the wicked cause, so to speak, blemish above. The blemish accords with the verse, "Not His the corruption, but the blemish of His sons" (Devarim 32:5); THE DAMAGE IS ONLY IN RELATION TO THE SONS, WHO CANNOT RECEIVE THEIR PLENTY, because all these structures DEVISED IN ORDER TO BESTOW UPON THE LOWER BEINGS are not properly settled, BECAUSE OF THE DEEDS OF THE WICKED. THIS IS THE MEANING OF, "THE BLEMISH OF HIS SONS." One verse says, "For He put on righteousness as a breastplate" (Yeshayah 59:17), and another verse says, "and He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing" (Ibid.). Yet, says Rabbi Yitzchak, "He put on righteousness" when Yisrael are worthy. When they have no merit, "He put on the garments of vengeance..." THIS IS THE BLEMISH THE WICKED CREATE IN THE SUPERNAL STRUCTURES, SO HE TAKES OFF, SO TO SPEAK, THE GARMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND WEARS GARMENTS OF VENGEANCE.

212. Rabbi Yosi said, What is the blemish THE WICKED DO WITH THEIR ACTIONS ABOVE? It is as we learned that the patriarchs, WHO ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, do not receive supply to be blessed from the flow of the river, WHICH IS THE PLENTY OF BINAH, and even less so do their children. FOR SINCE THEY DO NOT RECEIVE PLENTY FOR THE LOWER BEINGS, A BLEMISH AND DAMAGE ARE MADE BELOW, as it is written, "Not (Heb. lo) His (Heb. lo) the corruption, but the blemish of His sons." Why 'lo' twice? ONE COULD HAVE SUFFICED IN SAYING 'IT IS HIS SONS' BLEMISH.' Yet one is above, AS A BLEMISH WAS CREATED ABOVE, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT RECEIVE BLESSINGS, FOR WHICH IT SAYS, "HIS THE CORRUPTION," and one below, BECAUSE THEY ARE WANTING IN EVERY RESPECT, WHICH IS WHY IT SAYS, "THE BLEMISH OF HIS SONS." MEANING, IT IS NOT CONSIDERED A BLEMISH IN RELATION TO THE HIGHER BUT ONLY IN RELATION TO THE CHILDREN, WHO ARE YISRAEL.

213. This is the meaning of the words of Rabbi Shimon that as long as there are many wicked men in the world, the Holy Name is not blessed, so to speak, in the world. And as long as there are not many wicked in the world, the Holy Name is blessed in the world. This is the meaning of, "The sinners will be consumed...Bless you Hashem, O my soul. Haleluyah" (Tehilim 104:35). Rabbi Aba said, This verse is certainly precise, which says, "Not His the corruption, but the blemish of His sons." Who brought that blemish about? "a perverse and crooked generation" (Devarim 32:5), because the evil people and that generation are in such a state.

214. This is why after Moses said all these things, and properly invoked the Holy Name, he said, Surely, "just and right is He" (Ibid. 4), when things are as they should be, but "Not His the corruption, but the blemish of His sons." The reason it is so is that "they are a perverse and crooked generation." Rabbi Yehuda said, "not His" means that the wicked bring it upon themselves, causing blessings to be missing from the world. Rabbi Aba said, "not His" was explained and it is so. The following verse says, "Do you thus requite Hashem" (Ibid. 6), THAT IS, YOU reward this way the Holy One, blessed be He, for all the good things He brought on you and performed before you.