"And the thousand seven hundred and seventy-five"

108. "And of the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals" (Shemot 38:28). Come and see: We learned that Moses forgot these shekels and knew not what became of them, until a voice resounded, saying, "And of the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars."

109. Rabbi Chizkiyah opened the discussion with the verse: "While the king was reclining at his board, my nard sent forth its fragrance" (Shir Hashirim 1:12). This was already explained. Yet, "While the King was reclining at His board" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, BINAH, when He gave the Torah to Yisrael and came to Sinai. Many Chariots were with Him, all of them sacred, THE SECRET OF THE LEFT COLUMN, and all the high sanctifications, from the sanctification of the Torah, THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT COLUMN. All were there. The Torah, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN, was given with flaming fire, and all was of the side of fire, written by white fire, OF THE SIDE OF CHESED, upon black fire, OF THE SIDE OF GVURAH. FOR THE CENTRAL COLUMN IS COMPRISED OF CHESED AND GVURAH, RIGHT AND LEFT. And the letters were soaring and rising up in the air. IN THE MYSTERY OF THE AIR, THE LOWER GRADES SOARED AND ROSE TO THE HIGHER ONES.

110. And the first letter of the Torah was divided into 775 on each side, and all were seen in the air of the firmament by the letter Vav, Vav on each and every side.

111. These hooks (Heb. vavim) were standing on pillars, WHICH ARE NETZACH AND HOD OF ZEIR ANPIN FROM THE CHEST DOWN. And these pillars are suspended by means of a miracle, NAMELY, THEY WERE SHINING TO MALCHUT CALLED 'BANNER', and all the hooks are upon them, ALL ARE SHINING UPON MALCHUT. AND HE EXPLAINS: Since the secret of the Torah abides by the Vav, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, THEREFORE, THE ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE LIGHTS COMPRISED IN IT ARE CALLED 'VAV'S'. These Vav's (Heb. vavim), which are the mystery of the Faith in the Torah, all stand upon these pillars, the secret from which the prophets come, NAMELY, NETZACH AND HOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHENCE THE PROPHETS ARE INSPIRED. And their secret is on every side, NAMELY, THEY ILLUMINATE THE FOUR DIRECTIONS CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET AND MALCHUT. On these pillars the hooks stand.

112. The high Vav is the secret of a resounding voice, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. Upon this secret the Torah is established, since the Torah, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, comes out of that inner voice, WITHIN BINAH, called 'A great voice'. And a great voice IN BINAH is the secret of the Torah, THAT ISSUES FROM IT. Therefore, it is written, "a great voice which was not heard again" (Devarim 5:19), FOR THE TORAH ISSUED FROM IT.

113. Come and see: This great voice is the main part and the secret of the Holy Name, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF DA'AT OF BINAH. For that reason we established that a man must not greet his friend before praying. This secret was explained from the verse, "whoever greets his friend in a great voice early in the morning, it is considered as a curse upon him" (Mishlei 27:14). This is not forbidden as long as greeting is not said with a great voice, which is the main part of the Holy Name, FOR EXAMPLE, IF HE SAID TO HIM 'MAY HASHEM BLESS YOU.' BUT WHEN THE HOLY NAME IS NOT MENTIONED, IT IS NOT FORBIDDEN.

114. Therefore, the secret of the Torah emerges from that great voice, INSIDE BINAH, and this is the King, NAMELY WHAT WAS SAID, "While the king was reclining at His board," that alludes to the revelation of Sinai. "My nard sent forth its fragrance," this is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT. And all this came about because the children of Yisrael said: "Everything that Hashem spoke, will we do and obey" (Shemot 24:7) BY WHICH THEY MERITED ALL THIS REVELATION. And the King is the High King, NAMELY, BINAH, as was explained.

115. Come and see: When the Holy One, blessed be He brought a flood upon the world to destroy everything, He told Noah, 'you should be careful not to show yourself to the Destroyer, THE ANGEL OF DEATH, so he would not have power over you'. THE REASON IS THAT there was no one to protect him. And when the sacrifice was offered by Noah, the world became perfumed. But it was not perfumed so much until Yisrael stood on Mount Sinai. And when Yisrael stood on Mount Sinai, the world was perfumed and the Destroyer was no longer present in the world.

116. The Holy One, blessed be He wanted at that time to remove the Destroyer from the world, THAT DEATH WILL BE SWALLOWED FOREVER, but after a few days Yisrael sinned and made the calf. Then, it is written, "the children of Yisrael stripped themselves of their ornaments (Heb. edyam) from Mount Horeb" (Shemot 33:6). Edyam is the secret of the Holy Name that the Holy One, blessed be He adorned them with AT THE GIVING OF THE LAW, then was taken from them. Then the Destroyer ruled the world, as before, when he was ruling the world and judging PEOPLE.

117. Rabbi Yosi said: At the time of the flood, who put the Destroyer there? For the water went up, AND WIPED OFF ALL THE WORLD. WHY DID NOAH HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF THE DESTROYER? HE REPLIES: Come and see, there is no Judgment in the world, or a world smitten with Judgment, where there will not be that Destroyer, to walk among the Judgments in the world. Here also, there was a flood and the Destroyer walked in its midst and was named 'FLOOD' after it. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He told Noah to hide himself and not be seen in the world. And this was already explained. Come and see: Rabbi Yosi said, The word was not yet in order again, and the earth not over the filth of the snake.

118. Come and see: Rabbi Elazar said, "And of the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks (Heb. vavim) for the pillars." HE ASKS: Why did he make hooks? AND HE ANSWERS: For they were in the shape of 'Vav', NAMELY, THEY WERE DRAWN FROM THE CENTRAL COLUMN CALLED 'VAV'. And he overlaid their capitals with gold, and they of themselves were silver, WHICH IS THE LIGHT OF CHASSADIM. And their capitals, THAT IS, THEIR FIRST THREE SFIROT, are overlaid with gold, THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH CALLED 'GOLD'. HE EXPLAINS: Each Vav is of the side of Mercy, NAMELY, FROM ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, and all were known above through reckoning, IN THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. Since they come from the side of Mercy, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, they are called 'Vav's (Heb. vavim)'. And the rest OF THE SFIROT IN THEM are suspended from them. The Vav's are made solely of silver and gold together, TO INCLUDE THE TWO COLUMNS RIGHT AND LEFT, CHASSADIM AND THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. For this reason they are called the 'Vavvim of the pillars'. What are the pillars? They are explained in the verse, "The two pillars" (I Melachim 7:20), NETZACH AND HOD, since they are outside the body, TIFERET, downward.

119. Rabbi Yitzchak said: I am not sure whether this is a holy or a mundane work, since it is written, "And of the thousand," the same as in "you, Solomon, may have the one thousand" (Shir Hashirim 8:12). As in the latter, 'thousand' is secular, so here it pertains to mundane matters.

120. He said to him: This is not so, for if it were secular, no hooks would have been made from it. Also, there it is written "thousand" and no more, and here it is written, "And of the one thousand seven hundred seventy-five." THEREFORE, THE TWO MAY NOT BE COMPARED. That thousand pertains to the secular, as it is written, "You, Solomon, may have the thousand." It is secular, because all that is mundane is not of the side of holiness at all, but pertains to impurity. Hence, the Havdalah (Eng. 'separation') between holiness and the mundane. This is the secret of the words "and that you may differentiate between holy and secular, and between unclean and clean" (Vayikra 10:10).

121. But though we separate holiness from unholiness (lit. 'secular'), nevertheless PROFANITY has one portion of holiness, from the left side OF HOLINESS. Therefore, "you, Solomon, may have the thousand" refers to the thousand days of unholiness, the days of exile. As there are a thousand days of holiness, so there are a thousand days to the Other Side. The friends mentioned here that the days of exile amount to a thousand years.

122. And therefore, there is a thousand and a thousand, A THOUSAND OF HOLINESS AND A THOUSAND OF DEFILEMENT, the thousand years of exile. And though Yisrael may be in exile longer THAN A THOUSAND YEARS, it is considered to continue for one thousand years SINCE THEY DO NOT CORRECT THEM, which are the thousand days we mentioned. For that reason it was said that every mention of Solomon in Shir Hashirim pertains to holiness save this verse, "YOU, SOLOMON, MAY HAVE THE THOUSAND." But the thousand mentioned here OF THE HOOKS FOR THE PILLARS is sacred and all that is made thereof is sacred. Therefore, he used them to make hooks for the pillars.

123. Come and see: We have said that each and every Vav is in the secret of Mercy, and wherever there is Vav in the Holy Name there is Mercy. For example "And (=Vav) Hashem (Yud Hei Vav Hei) rained upon Sodom" (Beresheet 19:24), "And (Vav) Hashem said to Abram" (Beresheet 13:14). This indicates the merging of Mercy and Judgment. The difference in the account of the flood is that the name Elohim is used instead of "And Hashem." And we learned that wherever it is written, "And Hashem," it is INDICATION OF Him, ZEIR ANPIN, and His courthouse, MALCHUT. And if it is written just Elohim, it is Judgment alone.

124. Rather in Sodom Judgment was executed, but not to destroy the world. That is why ZEIR ANPIN is mingled with Judgment, MEANING THAT IT IS TEMPERED BY MERCY. But at the time of the flood the whole world perished, together with its inhabitants. THAT IS WHY THE NAME ELOHIM IS MENTIONED THERE, TO INDICATE JUDGMENT ALONE, NOT TEMPERED BY MERCY. And if you say that Noah and those with him were saved, it is because he was hidden from sight, and was not seen IN THE WORLD FOR HE WAS INSIDE THE ARK. But all that was in the world perished.

125. Therefore, "And Hashem" is revealed and does not destroy everything. And if it is written Elohim, it is concealed, and we should take care for it destroys everything. Therefore, AT THE FLOOD, only Elohim was present. This is the secret of "Hashem sat enthroned at the flood" (Tehilim 29:10). What is the meaning of "sat"? Were it not for that verse, we would not have been able to tell, for "sat" MEANS THAT He sat alone, ON HIS OWN, and was not united with the Judgment OF THE FLOOD. The word "sat" is the same as in "he shall sit alone" (Vayikra 13:46), IN THE ONE CASE HE SITS ALONE, AND SO IN THE OTHER.

126. And we learned a secret. The Holy One, blessed be He is concealed and revealed, NAMELY, CONCEALED FROM THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, FOR IT SHINES THROUGH CHASSADIM ALONE, AND REVEALED IN THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. Revealed is the court below, WHICH IS MALCHUT, WHEREIN CHOCHMAH ILLUMINATES; concealed is the place whence all blessings issue, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, when the utterances of man are in secrecy, blessings are upon him. And when they are revealed, that place of the court house is upon him, since he is in an open place, WHICH IS MALCHUT. And everything is in the high secret as above.

127. "While the king was reclining at his board" (Shir Hashirim 1:12), namely joining and delighting in the supernal Eden, THE SUPERNAL CHOCHMAH, DRAWN TO BINAH by that unknown and concealed path WHICH IS YESOD OF ABA. It is filled thereof and emerges into certain brooks, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD OF BINAH. "My nard sent forth its fragrance" (Ibid.) alludes to the last sea, WHICH IS MALCHUT, that created the lower world, MALCHUT, as a reflection of above, BINAH, and diffused a sweet loft perfume, THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, by which to rule and act. And it is able and rules and shines by the supernal light.

128. Come and see: While the nard sends an odor upwards, THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, love is united, NAMELY, CONJUGAL LOVE COMING FROM THE LEFT. This nard rises to be joined above, THAT IS, TO SHINE FROM BELOW UPWARD. And all the holy Chariots RECEIVE FROM THAT NARD AND send forth odors to be adorned above, NAMELY, TO ILLUMINATE FROM BELOW UPWARD AS IS THE NATURE OF ODORS. These Chariots are called 'maidens of song', as it is written, "upon maidens of song" (Tehilim 46:1), and this was explained. What are these maidens of song? They are "maidens without number" (Shir Hashirim 6:8), as "Is there any number to His armies?" (Iyov 25:3), NUMBER MEANING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. And because they are without number, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, therefore, it is written, "and maidens without number" FOR THERE IS NO ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH IN THEM. THEY ARE THEREFORE CALLED 'MAIDENS' (HEB. ALAMOT), DERIVED FROM 'NOT REVEALED' (HEB. HE'ALEM), AND ARE IN NEED OF RECEIVING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH FROM THE NARD.

129. The "hooks for the pillars" are all male, for they are drawn from ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS MALE. They ascend with the dignity of anointing oil upward, TO ZEIR ANPIN, where they stand in the secret of males. And only the Vav is considered male, which is the secret of heaven, ZEIR ANPIN, being male. And all those below, NAMELY IN MALCHUT are considered females. For that reason, those that come from the left, NAMELY from the female, WHICH IS MALCHUT, are assigned to sing, and they sing always. Therefore, it is written, "upon maidens of song." All are issued in the secret of 'Hei', WHICH IS MALCHUT. Hei issued many kinds of armies by the secret of Vav, FOR THEY ARE MALE. Vav is the secret of the male who is to give food to the female, WHICH IS MALCHUT.

130. For that reason, all the hooks made by Betzalel, WERE MADE to let them dwell upon the female, WHICH IS MALCHUT. They are issued by the secret of thousand, which is a complete reckoning, NAMELY, CHOCHMAH CALLED 'RECKONING'. The seven hundred are a whole secret, NAMELY, THE SEVEN SFIROT CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT OF BINAH WHOSE SFIROT ARE NUMBERED BY HUNDREDS. Five is also a whole secret, NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH AND HOD OF MALCHUT, WHOSE SFIROT ARE COUNTED BY SINGLE UNITS. Seventy ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHOSE SFIROT ARE COUNTED BY TENS. And all pertain to one mystery. From that secret and that counting he made the hooks, and all are according to the secret of the Vav, MEANING FROM THE ASPECT OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN, with the shape of Vav, and they were all formed according to the high mystery and counting.