323. Mishnah "And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech" (Beresheet 11:1). Rabbi Shimon began by quoting: "And the house, during its construction, was built of stone made ready before it was brought there, so that there was neither hammer nor ax nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was being built" (I Melachim 6:7). HE ASKS IF THE WORDS, "And the house, during its construction,," MEAN THAT THE HOUSE BUILT ITSELF. Could it be that Solomon and all his artisans did not build it? Why does it read, "during its construction?"

324. We read: "And you shall make a candelabra. In one piece of pure gold shall the candelabra be made" (Shemot 25:31). Now a candelabra is to be made of beaten work, MEANING IF THE ARTISANS ARE TO BEAT THE BAR OF METAL WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER, why does the verse continue, "shall the candelabra be made?" THAT IS TO SAY, SHALL IT BE MADE BY ITSELF! But, of course, IN THE TEMPLE everything happened, and all objects made themselves, by miracles and signs. As soon as the artisans began to work, the art crafted itself, showing them how to work in ways they had not known before THEY STARTED.

325. Why was that so? Because the blessings of the Holy One, blessed be He, was upon their hands. Therefore, it says, "when it was in building," to indicate that it was built by itself. The building taught the artisans how to start their work by guiding their hands with signs. The artisans did not turn their eyes away from the vision of the form until the house was completely built.

326. In the words "stone made ready (Heb. shlema; lit. 'whole') before it was brought there (Heb. masa; lit. 'journey);" shlema is spelled without a Yud. AS A RESULT, IT CAN BE ALSO PRONOUNCED SHLOMOH (ENG. 'SOLOMON'), AND NOT JUST SHLEMA. THAT REFERS TO THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE, CALLED THE STONE OF THE KING OF PEACE (HEB. SHALOM). Now the word masa indicates that A WHOLE STONE, THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE, TRAVELED FROM ABOVE AND came to dwell upon them and accomplish the work. ANOTHER INTERPRETATION IS THAT THE STONE made the hands "travel" or work involuntarily. For here, it is written masa, just as it appears in the verse, "and for the journeying (masa) of the camps" (Bemidbar 10:2). BECAUSE THE WORD IN THE LATTER VERSE REFERS TO AN ACTION, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT IN THE FORMER IT ALSO DESCRIBES AN ACTION.

327. "There was neither hammer nor ax nor any tool of iron heard in the house," because a CERTAIN WORM CALLED shamir (Eng. 'emery') split everything noiselessly, and thus, they did not require other tools. Everything occurred by a miracle.

328. How pleasant it is to hear the words of the Torah; how good is the lot of he who delves in them and knows how to walk the path of truth, said Rabbi Shimon. So, "the house, when it was in building" MEANS THAT the desire of the Holy One, blessed be He, to be glorified arose from within the Thought and spread forth. IN OTHER WORDS, BINAH, WHICH IS CALLED 'DESIRE,' CAME FROM THE HEAD OF ARICH ANPIN, WHICH IS CALLED 'THOUGHT,' and spread forth from the place that is called 'Concealed Thought.' THAT IS, IT SPREAD FORTH FROM THE 'CONCEALED CHOCHMAH' OF ARICH ANPIN, which is a mystery.

329. BINAH spread forth until it lodged inside the 'throat' OF ARICH ANPIN, from where it constantly flows by the secret of the 'spirit of life.' Afterward, Thought, CHOCHMAH OF ARICH ANPIN, had expanded and settled in that place. Thus, Thought is called 'Living Elohim, as is written: "He is the living Elohim" (Yirmeyah 10:10).

330. THE EMANATOR wanted to continue expanding and revealing Himself, so He caused THE SECRET OF THE THREE COLUMNS--fire, wind, and water -- to come forth. Thus, Jacob, the perfect man, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, came forth. And his was the one voice that came through and was heard. From this, we learn that Thought that was secretly hidden - BINAH - was revealed and made audible BY JACOB, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN.

331. This Thought kept expanding so that it could be revealed, and this voice struck upon the lips and speech came out, completing and revealing everything. We learn from this that everything is Thought that was concealed internally, and therefore all are one.

332. Speech was an extension OF BINAH, MEANING THAT BINAH WAS DRAWN TO THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE and was formed by the power of the voice. THE VOICE IS ZEIR ANPIN, WHO RECEIVES FROM BINAH AND PASSES ON TO THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE. The words, "And the house, during its construction,," REFER TO THE FACT THAT IT BUILT ITSELF BY SIGNS AND MIRACLES. The verse reads, "when it was in building" and not "when it was built." IF THE PHRASE WAS MEANT TO INDICATE THAT THE HOUSE BUILT ITSELF, IT WOULD HAVE READ, 'AND THE HOUSE WHEN IT WAS BUILT,' WHY DOES IT READ, "during its construction?" AND HE EXPLAINS THAT THIS IS TO TEACH US THAT it is so at all times. "Stone made ready" is THE STONE OF SOLOMON as we said before. It is also written: "with the crown with which his mother crowned him" (Shir Hashirim 3:11), REFERRING TO BINAH, WHICH IS CALLED IMA. THUS, WHEN THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE RECEIVES THESE CROWN, SHE IS CALLED THE STONE OF SOLOMON.