Essays on circumcision

385. Rabbi Aba said, Happy are Yisrael, that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose them from among all the other nations to receive the sign of the covenant. Because whoever retains this sign shall not go down to Gehenom as long as he preserves it properly, does not subject it to another power, REFERRING TO A MENSTRUATING WOMAN, A FEMALE SLAVE, A GENTILE WOMAN, OR A PROSTITUTE, and does not lie in the Name of the King. Because if one has lied IN THE NAME, BY THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT, it is as though he has lied in the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "They have dealt treacherously against Hashem, for they have begotten strange children" (Hoshea 5:7).

386. Rabbi Aba continued, "When a man brings his son forth to elevate and initiate him to the covenant, the Holy One, blessed be He, calls upon His retinue, THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN, and declares, 'See what a creature I have made in the world.' At that time, Elijah is invited, flies over the entire world in four crossings, and then appears there."

387. Therefore, we have learned that a man should prepare a chair in honor of Elijah, and should say, "This is the chair of Elijah." If he does not announce this, Elijah will not appear in that place nor ascend and testify about the circumcision before the Holy One, blessed be He.

388. Come and behold, It is written first, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (I Melachim 19:13), and "I have been very jealous for Hashem...because they have forsaken Your covenant..." (Ibid. 14). THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, SAID TO ELIJAH, "As you live, you shall be present in every place that My sons shall imprint this holy sign on their flesh. And the mouth that testified that Yisrael had forsaken the covenant shall now testify that Yisrael observes it!" Thus, we have learned why Elijah was punished by the Holy One, blessed be He - because he accused His sons BY SAYING THAT THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL "HAVE FORSAKEN YOUR COVENANT."

389. By now, the light of day shone, and they were still studying Torah. As they stood to go, THE LANDLORD said to them, "Complete the subject that you were discussing during the night." They asked, "What subject?" He answered, "Tomorrow you can see the face of the guarantor of the covenant, ELIJAH, because my wife begs you to stay for the celebration of the circumcision of our son." Rabbi Aba responded, "This is an invitation to participate in a commandment, so let us stay!"

390. They waited all that day. At night, the landlord gathered all his friends together. They studied Torah all that night, and nobody slept. He said to them, "I ask of you all, that each person give a new explanation about the words of the Torah."

391. One man opened the discussion by saying that it is written, "In time of tumultuous strife (Heb. pra'ot) in Yisrael, when the people willingly offered themselves, praise Hashem" (Shoftim 5:2). AND HE ASKED, "Why did Deborah and Barak open their poem with this phrase?" Because, as we have learned, the world cannot exist without this covenant. And it is written, "If My covenant be not day and night, it were as if I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth" (Yirmeyah 33:25), as heaven and earth are established upon it.

392. As a result, as long as Yisrael observe this covenant, the ordinances of heaven and earth continue to exist. But as soon as Yisrael does not heed to this covenant, then the covenant between the heavens and the earth ceases to exist, and no blessings appear in the world.

393. Come and behold, Other nations ruled over Yisrael only when Yisrael neglected this covenant. And what did they neglect? THEY PERFORMED THE CIRCUMCISION, BUT they did not uncover the corona (Heb. pri'a) and reveal the sacred flesh. This is why it is written, "And they forsook Hashem ..." (Shoftim 2:13) and so "He sold them to the hand of Sisra" (I Shmuel 12:9). THEREFORE, THE NATIONS DID NOT RULE OVER YISRAEL UNTIL THEY NEGLECTED THE COVENANT and they actually "forsook Hashem." Then Deborah appeared and volunteered in the name of all Yisrael, for the cause, and then their enemies were subdued.

394. This refers to what we have learned about the Holy One, blessed be He, Who said to Joshua, "The children of Yisrael are not circumcised because they did not uncover the sacred flesh. Therefore they do not uphold My covenant. Yet you plan on bringing them to the land of Yisrael and overcoming their enemies. "Circumcise the children of Yisrael a second time!" (Yehoshua 5:2). And before they uncovered the corona and this covenant was revealed, they did not enter to the land of Yisrael and their enemies were not subdued. So here as well, when Yisrael volunteered to reveal the sign OF THIS COVENANT, their enemies were overcome and blessings returned to the world. Therefore it is written, "In time of tumultuous strife (also: an uncovering of flesh) in Yisrael, when the people willingly offered themselves, praise Hashem."

395. Another man stood up and said, as it is written, "And it came to pass on the way to the inn, that Hashem met him, and sought to kill him." (Shemot 4:24) . Whom HAD HE SOUGHT TO KILL? Moses! The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "You are about to go and bring Yisrael out of Egypt and overcome a great and powerful ruler, while you neglect a precept - your son is not yet circumcised! Immediately then He "sought to kill him."

396. We have learned that Gabriel came down in a flame of fire to burn him. He appeared as a burning serpent which sought to swallow him. AND HE ASKED, "Why a serpent?" AND HE REPLIED, "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'You are going to slay a great and mighty serpent, REFERRING TO THE GREAT SEA CRODODILE THAT LIES IN THE RIVERS, WHO IS THE KING OF EGYPT, while your son is not yet circumcised.'" So immediately a serpent was given the intimation to kill MOSES.

397. However, Tziporah understood and circumcised her son, as it is written, "And Tziporah took a flint" (Heb. tzor). And what is a tzor? TZOR also MEANS a remedy. And what was the remedy? To "cut off the foreskin of her son" (Ibid. 25). So because the Holy Spirit sparkled within her, MOSES WAS SAVED FROM DEATH.

398. Another man stood and quoted, "And Joseph said to his brothers, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said..." (Beresheet 45:4). AND HE ASKED, "Why did he have to call them, as they were close by?" AND HE REPLIED, "Because when he told them, 'I am Joseph your brother' they were astonished, because they saw him as elevated royalty. So Joseph told them, "I gained this kingdom because of this [REFERRING TO CIRCUMCISION]. "Come near to me." They came nearer, and he showed them the sign of the covenant - the circumcision. He said, Because I have preserved the covenant, I have earned this kingdom.

399. From this we have learned that whoever keeps this sign of the covenant, the kingdom will be kept for him. And how do we know this? Another example is Boaz. As it is written, "As Hashem lives, lie down until the morning" (Rut 3:13). Because his lust was aroused and disturbed him until he took an oath - "AS HASHEM LIVES" - and preserved the sign of the covenant. As a result, his sons became kings and rulers over other kings, and the King Messiah, who is called by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. THEREFORE, KINGSHIP AWAITS HE WHO PRESERVES THE COVENANT FROM DEFILEMENT.

400. Another one then quoted, "Though a host should encamp against me..." (Tehilim 27:3). We have learned that "in this (Heb. zot) I trust" (Ibid.). What does 'zot (this)' refer to?" AND HE ANSWERED, "This is the sign of the covenant that always exists in a person and is hinted on high IN MALCHUT CALLED ZOT. Therefore, it is written as zot, just as it is also written, "This (Heb. zot) is the sign of the covenant" (Beresheet 9:12) and "This (Heb. zot) is my covenant" (Yeshayah 59:21). All apply to the same grade. And we have learned, zeh (masc. this) and zot (fem. this) are both in the same grade and are not separated.

401. You might say, "If so, then the other people in the world are the same AS DAVID, AS THEY CAN SAY 'IN THIS (ZOT) I TRUST.' So why was David the only one to say so, and nobody else?" AND HE REPLIED, "Because THE GRADE OF ZOT is attached to DAVID and appears in him, MEANING THAT THE NAME OF DAVID ALLUDES TO MALCHUT and is the Crown of his kingdom.

402. Come and behold, Because King David did not preserve ZOT properly, the kingship was taken away from him during all that time THAT HE FOUGHT WITH ABSHALOM, HIS SON. And so we have learned that this Zot is hinted in the upper Kingdom and in the holy city of Jerusalem.

403. When David sinned WITH BATHSHEBA, a voice went forth and said, 'David, You are to be disjoined - as you shall be banished from Jerusalem and the kingship shall be taken away from you - from that with which you were united, NAMELY ZOT, WHICH ALLUDES TO MALCHUT AND TO JERUSALEM.' How do we know this? From the verse, "Behold I will raise up evil against you out of your own house" (II Shmuel 12:11). Actually "your own house," HIS OWN HOUSE, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF NUKVA THAT IS CALLED ZOT. AND THE "EVIL" MENTIONED IN THE VERSE REFERS TO HIS SEPARATION FROM HER. And so he was punished for having sinned. BECAUSE HE DID NOT PRESERVE THE GRADE OF ZOT, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE COVENANT, HE WAS SEPARATED FROM HER. And if David was punished so, even more so the rest of the world!

404. Another continued the discussion with the verse, "Unless Hashem had been my help, my soul had soon dwelt in silence (Heb. Dumah)" (Tehilim 94:17). We have learned why Yisrael is saved from going down to Gehenom, unlike idol-worshipping nations, and are not handed over to the hands of Dumah, WHO IS THE GOVERNOR OF GEHENOM. They have merit because of the sign OF THE COVENANT.

405. Because we have learned that when a person passes from this world, hoards of Klipot fall upon him TO HURT HIM. But when they hold up their eyes and see this sign, which is the sacred covenant, they leave him and he is not handed over to the hands of Dumah to be taken down to Gehenom. Whoever is handed over to his hands shall definitely go down to Gehenom.

406. The upper and lower beings are afraid of this sign and do not inflict evil judgments on the man who preserves it, because, by doing so, he becomes united with the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He.

407. Because David did not preserve this sign of the covenant as he should have, kingship was taken away from him and he was banished from Jerusalem. He was afraid that he would immediately be brought down to be handed over to Dumah and that he would die in the World of Truth WITHOUT MERITING SPIRITUAL LIFE. Then he was given the good news. As it is written, "Hashem also has commuted your sin, and you shall not die" (II Shmuel 12:13). At that very moment he exclaimed, "Unless Hashem had been my help, my soul had soon dwelt in silence (Dumah)," MEANING THAT HE WOULD HAVE BEEN HANDED OVER TO THE ANGEL DUMAH.

408. Another one continued the discussion by asking what is meant by the words of David, "and show me both him, and his habitation" (II Shmuel 15:25), for who is able to see the Holy One, blessed be He? AND HE REPLIES, "We have learned that at the moment when ABSHALOM decreed David's punishment, David knew that it was because BY SINING WITH BAT- SHEVA he did not preserve the sign, as he should have. So he was punished in this, IN HAVING HIS KINGDOM TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM, because everything is united as one and everything is alluded to in the sign, MALCHUT OF ABOVE AND JERUSALEM. And one is not a righteous man if he does not preserve the sign properly. For this reason, David prayed and said, "...and show me both him (Heb. oto), and his habitation."

409. What is oto? It is the sign of the holy covenant (Heb. ot), and David was afraid that he had lost it. Why DID HE THINK THAT HE HAD LOST THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT? Because these two - the kingdom and Jerusalem - are both attached TO THIS SIGN OF THE COVENANT. SO AS THE KINGSHIP WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM AND HE WAS BANISHED FROM JERUSALEM, HE THOUGHT THAT THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT WAS ALSO TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM. Therefore in his prayer he linked "oto" and "His habitation" together, BECAUSE "OTO" ALLUDES TO THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT AND "HIS HABITATION" TO MALCHUT. So, he prayed that Malchut (Kingdom) which is attached to this sign (Heb. ot), may return to its place - and both subjects are actually the same.

410. Another one then continued with the text, "From my flesh shall I see Eloha" (Iyov 19:26). AND HE ASKS, What is "my flesh?" He should have said 'myself.' AND HE REPLIED THAT "from my flesh" is definitely correct, REFERRING TO YESOD WHICH IS CALLED FLESH, HE SAID, "...SHALL I SEE ELOHA." What is the meaning of "and the holy flesh is passed from you..." (Yirmeyah 11:15), WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE HOLY COVENANT, and, "and my covenant shall be in your flesh..." (Beresheet 17:13), WHICH APPLIES TO YESOD. We have learned that as long as a man is stamped by the holy imprint of this sign, THAT THIS SIGN OF THE COVENANT IS STAMPED IN HIM AND GUARDS HIM ALWAYS, then from within it he can actually see the Holy One, blessed be He, and the holy soul remains attached to him in the sign of the covenant.

411. But if he is not deserving, because he did not preserve this sign, what is written of him? IT IS WRITTEN, "By the breath (or soul) of Eloha they perish..." (Iyov 4:9), because the imprint of the Holy One, blessed be He, has not been preserved. If he has the merit of preserving it, then the Shechinah shall never depart from him.

412. AND HE ASKS, When does THE SHECHINAH reside within him? AND HE SAID, When he marries, and this sign enters to its place, TO THE SHECHINAH. Then they are attached together, THE MALE AND THE FEMALE, WHO ARE THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT AND THE SHECHINAH, and are called by one name, and supernal Chesed rests upon them. Where does CHESED rest? It rests at the side of the male. And what is Chesed? It is Chesed IN THE NAME of El, that comes forth from the supernal Chochmah and adorns the male as a crown over his head. And by these CHASSADIM, the female is sweetened.

413. And we have learned further (IN EXPLANATION OF THE PREVIOUS PASSAGE) THAT the name Eloha (El-Vav-Hei) is interpreted as follows, El is the Light of Chochmah, Vav is the male, and Hei is the female. MALE AND FEMALE are attached together and are called BY ONE NAME, Eloha. So the holy soul clings to this place, and everything depends on the sign OF THE COVENANT.

414. Hence the words, "from my flesh shall I see Eloha," REFERRING TO THE NAME ELOHA, represent overall completion, because it is "from my flesh," my own - WHICH IS YESOD THAT IS CALLED FLESH - the actual sign of the covenant. Therefore, happy are the holy Yisrael who are united with the Holy One, blessed be He; happy is their portion in this world and the World to Come. Of them, it is written, "You that cleave to Hashem your Elohim are alive every one of you this day" (Devarim 4:4)."

415. Rabbi Aba said, You are all so wise, and yet you sit here! They said to him, If birds are uprooted from their homes, they shall not know where to fly. As it is written, "As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his place" (Mishlei 27:8).

416. So this place, WHERE WE LIVE, has given us the advantage of studying Torah, and also our habit to sleep half the night and to study Torah during the second half. When we rise in the morning, the smell of the fields and water streams illuminates the words of Torah, and they are instilled to our hearts.

417. This place was once punished from above, and many great scholars died because they neglected the study of Torah. Since then, our occupation is studying Torah, day and night, and this place helps us. So whoever leaves this place acts as if he were abandoning eternal life.

418. Rabbi Aba raised up his hands, and blessed them. They sat until daylight shone. And after daylight had shone, they told the children who sat in front of them, "Go out and see if day has come." And each one of you should give a new explanation of the Torah to this great man, A REFERENCE TO RABBI ABA!

419. They went outside and saw that day had come. One of them said, It is destined that a fire from above shall appear on this day! Another one added, And in this house! Another then said, An old man here is destined to be burned by this fire on this day! Rabbi Aba said, Let the Merciful One save us!

420. RABBI ABA was astonished and could not speak. Then he said, The secret of the supernal government is grasped on earth, BECAUSE EVEN THE CHILDREN KNOW HOW TO TELL THE FUTURE. And so it was! On that same day, the friends saw the face of the Shechinah and were surrounded by fire. And Rabbi Aba's face was aflame with the light of the fire from the joy of the Torah.

421. We have learned that, all that day, none of them left the house, which was enveloped with fire and flame. And the words that were uttered brought happiness among them, as though they received Torah on that day from Mount Sinai. So that, when they left that place, they did not know whether it was day or night. Rabbi Aba said, As long as we are here, each of us should say a new word of wisdom, in order to present a fitting return to the landlord, the host of the celebration.

422. One of them opened the discussion with the verse, "Blessed is the man whom You choose and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts...; we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, the holy place of Your temple" (Tehilim 65:5). THE VERSE first SAYS, "Your courts," then "Your house," and then "Your temple" - one within the other and one above the other. THIS MEANS THAT MALCHUT HAS THREE GRADES FROM BOTTOM TO TOP, EACH ONE HIGHER THAN THE OTHER. The first is "Your court," WHICH ALLUDES TO THE ASPECTS OF NETZACH, HOD, AND YESOD THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE BODY AND ARE CALLED "YOUR COURTS." As it is written, "And is shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem, shall be called holy" (Yeshayah 4:3). BECAUSE THE ESSENCE OF NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD IS YESOD. ZION IS THE INTERNAL ASPECT OF YESOD AND JERUSALEM ITS EXTERNAL ASPECT; BOTH ARE CALLED "COURTS."

423. The verse "We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house" comes next, MEANING THAT AFTER THE GRADE OF THE COURT IS COMPLETED, HE THEN MERITS THE GRADE OF THE HOUSE. It is written, "Through wisdom is a house built" (Mishlei 24:3); it is not written, "wisdom will build a house," which would have meant that the wisdom is called a house. Therefore, "Through wisdom is a house built" MEANS THAT WHEN MALCHUT RECEIVES CHOCHMAH, IT IS CALLED A HOUSE. This relates to the verse, "a river went out of Eden to water the garden" (Beresheet 2:10), WHICH IS THE SECRET OF BINAH RETURNING TO CHOCHMAH, AND THE GARDEN IS MALCHUT.

424. Finally comes "the holy place of Your temple (Heb. heichal)," which is the completion of all. As we have learned, heichal (Hei Yud Caf Lamed) means Hei Kol (Hei Yud Caf Lamed). HE WHO MERITS THIS GRADE IS ASTONISHED AND EXCLAIMS, "HOW WAS ALL (HEB. KOL) THIS REVEALED!" And all here reaches completion, WHICH MEANS THAT EVERYTHING HAS NOW REACHED FULL PERFECTION.

425. What does the beginning of the verse teach us? The verse opens, "Blessed is the man whom You choose and cause to approach to You, that he may dwell in Your courts." THIS MEANS THAT whoever offers his son as a sacrifice before the Holy One, blessed be He, CIRCUMCISES HIM, gives something desirable to the Holy One, blessed be, Who then wants him and brings him closer to Himself. There he dwells in the two chambers OF YESOD, WHICH ARE ZION AND JERUSALEM. He clings to both of them, because they are joined as one, as it is written, "that he may dwell in Your courts," "courts" being two!

426. This is why the pious men who lived here in earlier days, the grandfathers of these people, when they offered their sons to this sacrifice OF CIRCUMCISION began by saying, "Blessed is the man whom You choose, and causes to approach to You, that he may dwell in Your courts." Those who were present there said, "We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of the holy place of Your temple." After this, he would say the blessing, '...who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to initiate the child in the covenant of the patriarch Abraham.' And those present responded, 'Just as you have initiated him to the covenant...'

427. As we have learned, a person should first ask for mercy for himself, and then for another, as it is written, "and he shall make an atonement for himself" at first, and afterward "for all the Congregation of Yisrael" (Vayikra 16:17). We have chosen this path, which is good and suitable for us. THEREFORE THE HOST OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE CIRCUMCISION SHOULD AT FIRST RECITE VERSES TO ASK FOR MERCY, AND THEN THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT RECITE AFTER HIM.

428. Rabbi Aba said, "This is definitely well said," REFERRING TO THE VERSE, "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOM YOU CHOOSE..." He who does not recite this is excluded from under the ten canopies that the Holy One, blessed be He, shall prepare in the future for the righteous men in the World to Come. And everyone should be attached to this VERSE! Therefore this verse contains ten words of faith, "Blessed is the man..." and from each word a canopy is prepared.

429. Happy are your portions in this world and in the World to Come, as Torah is absorbed into your hearts, as if you were standing yourselves on Mount Sinai at the time when the Torah was given to Yisrael.

430. Another person began by saying, "An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and shall sacrifice thereon your burnt offerings and your peace offerings..." (Shemot 20:21). We have learned that whoever offers his son as a sacrifice THROUGH CIRCUMCISION is as deserving as one who has offered all the sacrifices in the world before the Holy One, blessed be He. It is as though he were building a perfect altar to Him!

431. Thus, the circumcision to this Holy Covenant should be performed over an altar prepared by using a vessel full of earth. It is considered before the Holy One, blessed be He, as if he had offered sacrifices of sheep and oxen upon the altar.

432. And it, THE CIRCUMCISION, pleases the Holy One, blessed be He, more than all THE OTHER SACRIFICES, as it is written, "and shall sacrifice thereon your burnt offerings and your peace offerings...in every place where I mention My name..." What do the words "I mention My name" mean? They refer to circumcision, as it is written, "The secret of Hashem is with them that fear Him, and He will reveal to them his covenant" (Tehilim 25:14). SO THE COVENANT APPEARS THERE!

433. This "altar of earth" is as I have stated. Next, it is written, "And if they make Me an altar of stones" (Shemot 20:22), which is an allusion to the proselyte who comes from a stiff-necked and stony-hearted people. This is what is referred to as an altar of stones.

434. What is the meaning of the verse, "You shall not build it of hewn stones?" (Ibid.) IT MEANS THAT the proselyte should enter to the service of the Holy One, blessed be He, but should not be circumcised until he has forgotten the idol worshipping that he practiced until then and the hardness is removed from his heart.

435. Because if he is circumcised before he removes the hardness from his heart in order to join in the holy service of the Holy One, blessed be He, he will be like a statue of stone that is hewn on all sides, but still remains a stone. Because of this, "You shall not build it of hewn stones," because if he still has harshness in his heart, then "you lift up your tool upon it, you have defiled it." This means that the circumcision performed on him serves no purpose.

436. Therefore, happy is the fate of he who willingly and joyously offers the sacrifice to the Holy One, blessed be He. And one should rejoice with this person all day long, as it is written, "But let all those that put their trust in You rejoice, let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them, and let those who love Your name be joyful in You" (Tehilim 5:12).

437. Another one began by saying, "And when Abraham was ninety-nine years old (lit. 'ninety year and nine years'), Hashem appeared before Abraham and said to him, I am El Shadai; walk before, me, and be perfect" (Beresheet 17:1). This passage should be studied carefully, because in many ways it is difficult. Could it be saying that only now, when Abraham reached such an age, did the Holy One, blessed be He, appear for the first time to Abraham? - That "Hashem appeared to Abraham," now and never before? But HOW CAN THIS BE, WHEN it has previously been written, "Now Hashem has said to Abraham" (Beresheet 12:1), "And Hashem said to Abraham" (Beresheet 13:14), "And He said to Abraham, know surely..." (Beresheet 15:13). Yet now, as he is counting and calculating the days, it is written, "Hashem appeared to Abraham..." which means that until now Hashem did not appear to him. Further, as it is written, "when Abraham was ninety year and nine years," it first SAYS "year" and concludes with "years."

438. What is the reason that for all the days until now it was not written, "AND HASHEM appeared TO ABRAHAM?" We have learned that as long as he was uncircumcised and covered, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not appear to him properly. But now He did appear to him properly, as it is written, "And...appeared." For what purpose? To expose in him the sign of the covenant, which is the holy crown.

439. Furthermore, the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to bring forth holy seed from him, and this could not happen as long as Abraham remained with uncovered flesh. So the Holy One, blessed be He, said "Now, that he is ninety year and nine years old, and the time is close for the holy seed to issue from him, MEANING THAT HE IS ALMOST 100 YEARS OLD, let him first become holy, LET HIM FIRST CIRCUMCISE HIMSELF, and after that let the holy seed come forth." This is why his age was counted in this manner now, REFERRING TO THE "NINE YEARS," BECAUSE HE WAS NOW NEAR THE RIGHT AGE TO BEGET HIS CHILD IN COMPLETE PERFECTION, and not at any other time before, REFERRING TO THE OTHER NINETY YEARS, WHEN HE WAS STILL NOT READY TO BEGET HOLY DESCENDANTS. THEREFORE, THESE YEARS ARE DESCRIBED AS "NINETY YEAR" AND NOT "YEARS."

440. Furthermore, THE VERSE SAYS "ninety year" AND NOT YEARS because all the days before HIS CIRCUMCISION were not years. Rather, THEY WERE CONSIDERED AS one year. THIS IS because his days were not considered as days. Only now, as he reached these years, REFERRING TO THE 99TH YEAR, DURING WHICH HE WAS CIRCUMCISED, were they counted as years for him. Therefore they are not counted as a year, BUT RATHER, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "NINE YEARS."

441. Of the verse, "And He said to him, I am El Shadai," HE ASKS, "Why has not THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, said to him until now, 'I am El Shadai.'" AND HE REPLIES, "Because we have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, prepared lower Crowns that are not holy. So all those who are uncircumcised are defiled by them."

442. And these LOWER CROWNS have marks! What are these marks? They are the letters Shin and Dalet; nothing else appears in them. THIS MEANING THAT THE YUD IN THE NAME SHADAI IS MISSING FROM THERE. This is why they are defiled by them, and cling on to them - TO THOSE LOWER CROWNS. After they are circumcised, they leave them - THESE LOWER CROWNS - and enter under the wings of the Shechinah, and Yud, which is the mark of holiness, is revealed from within them. This is the regular, complete, and proper sign of the covenant. And the name Shadai is imprinted upon those who are circumcised and is completed in full perfection. Therefore, it is written ABOUT ABRAHAM; "I am El Shadai," WHICH WAS NOT WRITTEN BEFORE HE WAS COMMANDED TO PERFORM CIRCUMCISION.

443. In the verse, "Walk before me, and be perfect" (Beresheet 17:1), "PERFECT" MEANS complete. Because until now the letter YUD was missing in the mark of Shin-Dalet. THEREFORE, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, SAID TO HIM, "Circumcise yourself, and be completed by the mark of the Yud," SO THE NAME SHADAI (SHIN-DALET-YUD) MAY REACH COMPLETION IN YOU. Because whoever is completed by this mark is worthy of being blessed by this Name, as it is written, "And El Shadai shall bless you..." (Beresheet 28:3).

444. AND HE ASKS, "What is the meaning of THE NAME 'El Shadai'?" AND HE ANSWERS, "This is THE NAME from which all the blessings issue. It controls all the lower crowns. And all are in awe and tremble from fear of it. Therefore, all those who are impure stay away from him who has been circumcised and have no control over him. In addition, he is not pulled down to Gehenom, as it is written, "Your people also shall be all righteous..." (Yeshayah 60: 21).

445. Rabbi Aba said, "Happy is your lot in this world and in the World to Come. Happy is my fate that I have come here and heard these words from your mouths - all of you are holy. You are all the sons of the holy Elohim. Of you it is written, 'One shall say, I am Hashem's, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand to Hashem and surname himself by the name of Yisrael' (Yeshayah 44:5). Each of you clings to the holy supernal King and is attached to Him. And you are ruling governors with shields, from that land that is called the land of the living, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA THAT ENCLOTHES THE UPPER IMA, where its governors feed on the manna of the sacred dew."

446. Another continued the discussion with "Blessed are you, O land, when your king is a free man and your princes eat in due season..." (Kohelet 10:17). Consider also the previous verse, "Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning" (Ibid. 16). These two verses do not seem to agree with each other. THE "LAND" REFERS TO THE NUKVA, BUT ONE VERSE SAYS "YOUR KING IS A FREE MAN;" THE OTHER THAT "YOUR KING IS A CHILD!" AND HE SAID, "Indeed they do not CONTRADICT EACH OTHER. "Blessed are you, land" refers to the land above, NAMELY THE NUKVA THAT ASCENDED UPWARD AND ENCLOTHED BINAH, which governs all life on high - IN BINAH. For this reason, it is called the land of the living. Of this land it is written, "Land which Hashem your Elohim cares for..." (Devarim 11:12) and "A land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it..." (Devarim 8:9). Exactly! "You shall not lack any thing in it" MEANS THAT IT IS NOURISHED BY A NEVER-ENDING UNION. Wherefore all this? Because, as it is written, "Your king is the son of a free man." This is the Holy One, blessed be He, WHO IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, as you may read, "Yisrael is my son, My firstborn" (Shemot 4:22).

447. AND HE ASKED, "What is THE MEANING OF the son of a free man?" AND HE ANSWERED, "As you may read, 'For it is the Jubilee, it shall be holy to you...'" (Vayikra 25:12). JUBILEE ALLUDES TO BINAH. And it is further written, "and proclaim liberty throughout all the land..." (Ibid. 10). So all freedom is derived from Jubilee, WHICH IS BINAH, Therefore, WHEN ZEIR ANPIN ATTAINS THE MOCHIN OF BINAH, HE IS THEN CALLED "a free man!" AND HE SAID, "You may ask why IS IT WRITTEN 'chorin (masc. a free man)' and not 'cherut (fem. Freedom)?'" AND HE REPLIED, "Definitely, it should be 'a man of freedom!'"

448. IF SO, THEN WHY IS IT WRITTEN, "A FREE MAN?" We have learned the answer in our secret Mishnah. When the Yud and the Hei are united, it is written, "And a river went out of Eden, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, to water the garden" (Beresheet 2:10). It does not say, "When they are united," but assuredly "they are united." Therefore, it is written, "the son of a free man." This, THEN, is the reason why the verse describes ZEIR ANPIN, "Blessed are you, land, when your king is a free man and your princes eat in due season," NAMELY with pleasure and contentment!

449. The verse "Woe to you, land, when your king is a child" refers to the land down below; NAMELY THE NUKVA THAT IS IN THE WORLD OF BRIYAH, WHO IS THE WIFE OF METATRON. For we have learned that all the lands that belong to nations that worship the stars and constellations are ruled by the governors. And the highest of them all is he of whom it is written, "I have been young, and now am old" (Tehilim 37:25). And we have also learned that the verse was spoken by the governor of the world, NAMELY METATRON, WHO IS CALLED "A LAD." Of him it is written, "Woe to the land, when the king is a child." Woe to the world that draws its nourishment from this aspect, NAMELY THE ASPECT OF METATRON. But when Yisrael is in exile, they draw their nourishment from him, as one who feeds on a stranger BECAUSE THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL ARE SUPPOSED TO DERIVE THEIR SUSTENANCE FROM THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, AND NOT FROM METATRON!

450. The verse says that "your princes eat in the morning" and not during the other hours of the day. The morning IS MENTIONED, and the other times of the day are not. We have learned that when the sun shines AND THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD bow to the sun, wrath hangs over the world, as it also does at the hour of the afternoon prayer, BECAUSE THAT IS THE TIME OF JUDGMENT. Why is this true? Because "your king is a lad" - he who is called "a lad," NAMELY METATRON.

451. And you, truly pious and holy men of above, the sons of the Holy King, do not derive sustenance from that aspect OF METATRON, but rather from that holy place on high, NAMELY THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN WHICH IS CALLED THE LAND OF THE LIVING. Of you it is written, "You that cleave to Hashem your Elohim are alive every one of you this day" (Devarim 4:4).

452. Rabbi Aba then discoursed on the verse, "Now I will sing to my friend a song of my beloved for his vineyard...And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof..." (Yeshayah 5:1-2). These verses should be studied carefully. Why does it read, "a song" rather than "a reprimand?" BECAUSE THESE ARE WORDS OF REPROOF TO YISRAEL. AND FURTHERMORE, IT IS WRITTEN, "to my friend," when it should have been written, "to my beloved," just as it is written, "a song of my beloved!" IN ADDITION, IT IS WRITTEN, "My friend has a vineyard in a very fruitful hill (Heb. Keren Ben Shemen)" (Yeshayah 5:1-2). But I have searched the entire Torah and cannot find a place called "Keren Ben Shemen!"

453. AND HE REPLIED, "These verses are clarified by the friends in different ways, all of which are good and correct. Nevertheless, "Now will I sing to my friend," refers to Isaac, who was a "friend" and was named "friend" before he even came to this world. THUS WE SAY ABOUT HIM, "HE WHO HAS SANCTIFIED A FRIEND FROM THE WOMB."

454. AND HE ASKS, "Why WAS ISAAC CALLED "a friend?" AND HE ANSWERS, "Because we have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, bore a great love for Isaac, who was not conceived until Abraham, the patriarch, was circumcised and called 'perfect.'" ONLY THEN WAS HE TOLD, "AND BE PERFECT." And the Hei was added TO HIS NAME for perfection, as well as to Sarah's name. THEN HE WAS CALLED ABRAHAM AND SHE SARAH!

455. This should be studied! The Hei THAT WAS GIVEN to Sarah is suitable, but why was Abraham given the Hei and not the Yud? The Yud should have been added to his name, because he is a male, AND THE ASPECT OF YUD BELONGS TO THE MALE, WHILE THE ASPECT OF THE HEI BELONGS TO THE FEMALE! AND HE REPLIES, "There is a sublime secret of a concealed aspect. Abraham rose up and took a secret from the upper Hei, BINAH, which is the world of the male. Because of the upper Hei and lower Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, one relates to the male, NAMELY THE UPPER HEI, and one relates to the female, NAMELY THE LOWER HEI. SO THE HEI THAT ABRAHAM TOOK IS THE UPPER HEI, WHICH BELONGS TO THE MALE, NAMELY BINAH.

456. As it is written, "So (Heb. koh) shall your seed be" (Beresheet 15:5). And we have learned that "your seed" is actually "your seed!" THIS MEANS THAT KOH, WHICH IS MALCHUT, SHALL BE HIS ACTUAL SEED. He started to enter into this covenant, and whoever starts to enter, does actually enter into this covenant, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED KOH. Therefore, a proselyte who is circumcised is called "a proselyte of righteousness," because he does not come from the "holy seed" that was circumcised AND HE STARTS TO ENTER INTO THE COVENANT, AND WHOEVER STARTS ENTERS INTO MALCHUT. Therefore, whoever enters this, NAMELY MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED "RIGHTEOUSNESS," is called by this name, A PROSELYTE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

457. This is why it is written of Abraham. "So (Koh) shall your seed be," which means "your seed" exactly. BECAUSE THE TERM KOH, WHICH IS THE LOWER HEI, NAMELY MALCHUT, SHALL ACTUALLY BE "YOUR SEED." Therefore he was given the Hei. AS HE CONTINUES TO EXPLAIN HOW MALCHUT BECOMES HIS "SEED," HE SAYS, The two Hei's, WHICH ARE BINAH AND MALCHUT, are joined together. AFTER ABRAHAM ROSE TO THE FIRST HEI, THE LOWER HEI, MALCHUT, ROSE UP TO HIM, AND THE TWO JOINED TOGETHER. Then they gave birth up there IN BINAH. And what issues from those, AS THE LEFT COLUMN IS FORMED, is Yud. This is why Yud, WHICH IS THE ASPECT OF the male, is the first letter of the name of Isaac. From here, the male expands, BECAUSE FROM THE SECRET OF YUD THE MALE STARTS TO EXPAND. Because of this, it is written, "for in Isaac shall your seed be called" (Beresheet 21:12). IT SAYS "in Isaac," and not in you. Isaac bore above, as it is written, "You will show truth to Jacob" (Michah 7:20), who completed everything.

458. You might claim, "But it was Abraham who was attached to this grade," WHO, IN OTHER WORDS, BECAME INCLUDED IN THE ASPECT OF THE LEFT COLUMN OF ISAAC, and no more! Yet it is written, "Kindness (Chesed) to Abraham" (Michah 7:20), SO HE IS ATTACHED TO THE RIGHT! AND HE REPLIED, "His portion is indeed so, NAMELY CHESED, because he showed kindness to the people of the world. But to beget children, he remained attached to this grade, MEANING THAT HE BECAME INCLUDED WITHIN THE LEFT COLUMN, and from here he begins, BECAUSE THERE IS NO BEGETTING WITHOUT THE ASPECT OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, WHICH IS ACHIEVED BY COMBINING THE RIGHT AND LEFT TOGETHER. AND THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE VERSE "IN ISAAC SHALL YOUR SEED BE CALLED," AND NOT IN YOU. This is why Abraham was not circumcised until the age of ninety-nine years. And this secret is known and explained in our Mishnah.

459. For this, Isaac, who is harsh Judgment, AND IS THE LEFT COLUMN THAT WAS BLOCKED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF CHASSADIM, came forth to complete his share and beget THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH IS JACOB and is called Chesed. THEN, RIGHT AND LEFT WERE INCLUDED IN EACH OTHER. This is how Jacob completed everything from this side, THE RIGHT SIDE, and from that side, THE LEFT SIDE, from the side where Abraham and Isaac were combined in their portion on high THROUGH JACOB WHO IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN. AND BY THIS, THE CHASSADIM OF THE RIGHT WERE COMPLETED - this is ONE completion - OF JACOB. And from the side that was given the ability to give birth and beget from below upward this is THE SECOND completion FOR JACOB. Therefore it is written, "Yisrael, in whom I will be glorified" (Yeshayah 49:3), BECAUSE in him, IN YISRAEL, were the colors, NAMELY THE LIGHTS, completed from above and below!

460. This is why it is written "a song" in the verse "Now will I sing to my friend" AND NOT A REPROVAL. This is definitely a song, because he is called to beget a male. HIS MENTION OF "MY FRIEND" ALLUDES TO BEGETTING A MALE, WHO IS ISAAC, THE MOCHIN OF THE LEFT COLUMN OF BINAH, WHICH THE WORLD OF THE MALE. He was call a "friend" before he appeared in the world.

461. There are those who say that "Now will I sing to my friend" refers to Abraham, as it is written, "What has my friend to do in my house" (Yirmeyah 11:15), WHICH REFERS TO ABRAHAM. SO MY FRIEND HERE ALSO REFERS TO ABRAHAM. And Abraham inherited the portion of this field, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED HERE "VINEYARD." AND HE RECITES A SONG OF MY BELOVED FOR HIS VINEYARD. "But," RABBI ABA SAID, "What I have said - that it is Isaac - is indeed so."

462. In the verse, "A song of my beloved for his vineyard," my beloved refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called "my beloved," as it is written, "My beloved is white and ruddy "(Shir Hashirim 5:10). When my friend is united with my beloved, he is a male. AND THEN, from this, WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT COLUMN OF BINAH, he planted a vineyard, WHICH IS MALCHUT AND NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, as it is written, "My beloved has a vineyard" (Yeshayah 5:1), BECAUSE MALCHUT IS CONSTRUCTED BY THE LEFT COLUMN OF BINAH.

463. In discoursing on the verse "a very fruitful hill (Heb. Keren Ben Shemen)," HE ASKS, "What is Keren Ben Shemen? AND HE REPLIED, "This is TO TEACH US how the vineyard came to be and how it was planted!" So he repeated, "by keren!" And what is the keren? This is, as it is written, "with the ram's horn (lit. 'with the horn [keren] of Jubilee')" (Yehoshua 6:5), WHICH ALLUDES TO MALCHUT THAT IS SWEETENED BY BINAH--BECAUSE KEREN IS MALCHUT, WHILE THE JUBILEE IS BINAH. And this Keren THAT APPEARS HERE has joined this male that is called Ben Shemen (lit.'the Son of Oil'), WHICH IS ALSO BINAH. THE VERSE TEACHES US, THAT THE EMERGENCE AND PLANTING OF THE VINEYARD, MALCHUT, WAS BROUGHT ABOUT BY ITS ASCENDING TO BINAH, WHICH IS MALE.

464. HE ASKED, "What is THE MEANING OF 'Ben Shemen' (the Son of Oil)?' AND HE RESPONDS, "This is the equivalent of the verse "(Heb. ben or bar) a free man," WHICH MEANS BINAH. And both of them - BEN SHEMEN AND JUBILEE - are the same thing, NAMELY BINAH. AND THIS IS CALLED Shemen (oil) because from there, BINAH, the oil and greatness is drawn for the purpose of lighting the candles. Thus, "the son of oil." And this Keren, WHICH IS MALCHUT, assembles them all, and this is ALSO CALLED, the Keren (horn) of the Jubilee. Therefore, the kingship is anointed only by this horn, and the kingship of THE HOUSE OF David endures because he was anointed with the horn and was attached to it.

465. The verse continues with the words, "And he fenced it..." AND NOW HE EXPLAINS THIS VERSE, DESCRIBING HOW THE VINEYARD CAME FORTH AND WAS BORN BY KEREN BEN SHEMEN, OR, IN OTHER WORDS, BY ASCENDING TO BINAH. SO HE SAID, "And he fenced it," WHICH MEANS THAT HE RESTRICTED IT AND FENCED IT ALL AROUND, just like a ring that surrounds it from all directions. "And gathered out the stones thereof" MEANS THAT he removed all the great ones and all the governors and the lower crowns from his portion and his vineyard. Then He, NAMELY BINAH, took the vineyard to be his portion. THIS MEANS THAT IT CLUNG TO BINAH AND BECAME A PART OF BINAH, as it is written, "For Hashem's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance" (Devarim 32:9). BECAUSE, AS MALCHUT HAS BECOME A PART OF BINAH, SO YISRAEL HAS BECOME A PART OF BINAH, SINCE THEY ARE ATTACHED TO IT.

466. The verse, "and planted it with the choicest vine," is similar to the verse "I had planted you a noble vine, an entirely (Heb. kuloh) right seed..." (Yirmeyah 2:21). It is written kuloh with the letter Hei. SO IT IS AS THOUGH IT WERE WRITTEN, KOL (ALL) HEI, WHICH MEANS ALL OF HEI, WHICH IS MALCHUT. And from this stage Abraham started to beget ISAAC above. THEREFORE HE SAYS, And from here the 'right seed' issued - definitely "an entirely right seed," BECAUSE THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH IS CALLED RIGHT OR TRUTH. And as it is written, "So (Koh) shall your seed be," BECAUSE WHEN THE LEFT COLUMN SHINES IN MALCHUT, IT IS CALLED KOH. Thus, they are the same, "THE CHOICEST VINE," "THE RIGHT SEED," THE FATHERING OF ISAAC, AND "KOH SHALL YOUR SEED BE." THEY ALL REFER TO THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT FROM BINAH. Happy is the lot of Yisrael, who receives such a great inheritance.

467. The verse continues, "and built a tower in the midst of it." AND HE ASKS, "What is a tower?" AND HE RESPONDS, "This is as it is written, 'The name of Hashem is a strong tower, the righteous run to it, and are safe'" (Mishlei 18:10). Assuredly, "the righteous run to it."

468. The text, "and also made a winepress therein" refers to the "gate of righteousness," as it is written, "Open to me the gates of righteousness..." (Tehilim 118:19). AND HE ASKS, "What is the meaning OF THE VERSE 'OPEN TO ME THE GATES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS?'" AND HE ANSWERS, "Each person among Yisrael who is circumcised enters and merits them both, THIS IS WHY DAVID PLEADED, "OPEN TO ME THE GATES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS" in order to merit them both.

469. He who offers his son for the sacrifice OF CIRCUMCISION brings his son to the Holy Name. And the heavens and earth are based upon this sign, as it is written, "If My covenant be not day and night, it were as if I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth" (Yirmeyah 33:25). So our host has merited all this, AND HE HAD THE PRIVILEGE to see the Holy One, blessed be He, face to face on this day.

470. Happy is our lot that we have merited this day, and happy is your lot together with ours. And upon this boy that is born to you, I pronounce, "Everyone that is called by my name...I have formed him, yea, I have made him" (Yeshayah 43:7), and "And all your children shall be taught of Hashem..." (Yeshayah 54:13). Then he accompanied Rabbi Aba for three miles.

471. They said to RABBI ABA, "The host who made the ceremony, the owner of your guest house, has merited all this because he performed a precept!" He asked, "What is the precept?" Then that man, THE OWNER OF THE GUESTHOUSE, said, "My wife was the wife of my brother, who died childless. So I married her. And this is the first child that I got from her, and I named him after my dead brother." He said to him, "From now on you shall call him Iddi. He is Iddi the son of Jacob!" Rabbi Aba then blessed them and went on his way.

472. When he arrived at his destination, he told everything to Rabbi Elazar, but he was afraid to tell it in front of Rabbi Shimon, WHO MIGHT PUNISH THEM FOR REVEALING THE SECRETS. One day, while with Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Shimon said, "Why is it written, 'And Abraham fell on his face and Elohim spoke with him, saying, as for Me, behold My covenant is with you'" (Beresheet 17:3-4)? This means that as long as he was not circumcised, he fell on his face when He spoke with him. But after he was circumcised, he stood upright and was not afraid. "As for Me, behold My covenant is with you," MEANING THAT he found himself to be circumcised, AS THE WORDS OF HASHEM AFFECTED HIM AND HE BECAME CIRCUMCISED!

473. Rabbi Aba said to him, "I hope it will be pleasing in the eyes of my master for me to say a few of those good things that I have heard about this subject." He said to him, "Speak!" He said to him, "I am afraid that somebody might be punished because of me." Rabbi Shimon said, "Heaven forbid, 'He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed, trusting in Hashem'" (Tehilim 112:7). Rabbi Aba then told him every thing that had happened.

474. Rabbi Shimon said, "Could it be that all these good things were hidden in you and you did not reveal them! I hereby bring a decree upon you that for the next 30 days you shall immediately forget everything you learn! Is it not written, "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it" (Mishlei 13.27)? And so it came to be THAT HE FORGOT EVERYTHING HE LEARNED! He, RABBI SHIMON, said, "I bring a decree that they with their learnings(REFERRING TO THE OWNER OF THE GUESTHOUSE AND HIS FRIENDS) be banished to Babylon, where they will stay among the friends THAT LIVE THERE.

475. Rabbi Aba's mind became confused. One day, Rabbi Shimon saw him and said, "The reflection of your heart can be seen in your face." RABBI ABA responded, I am not sorrowful for myself, but for them, AS RABBI SHIMON PUNISHED THEM TO EXILE IN BABYLON. RABBI SHIMON THEN said, "Heaven forbid, that they were punished. Rather, because the secrets were revealed among them so openly, I BROUGHT A DECREE UPON THEM, that they be banished and be among the friends IN BABYLON, where they will learn to conceal and hide the secrets among them. Because the secrets should be revealed only among us, as the Holy One, blessed be He, gave permission to us. So through us only should these things be revealed."

476. Rabbi Yosi said: It is written, "Then shall your light break forth as the morning..." (Yeshayah 58:8). The Holy One, blessed be He, shall in the future declare to His children, "Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you and the glory of Hashem shall be your rearguard."