"Praise Hashem from the heavens"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon talks about two of the Psalms of Praise and how they correspond to the Sfirot and the names of God and then the parts of the body. He says that "Praise Him, all His angels" refers to the two pillars Netzach and Hod that stand underneath and support the body, Tiferet. These pillars are also the secret of the angels, and the knees are the messengers. Speaking about "Praise Him, sun and moon," Rabbi Shimon tells us that the sun includes all the Sfirot of Zeir Anpin, and therefore it contains all the high stars and constellations. When it has finished shining it goes up to a high place from where Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah all emanate. He reveals that the stars below exist by virtue of what they can draw from the supernal pattern in Zeir Anpin, so all the stars and constellations from the highest firmament rule the world beneath them. From that high place there are levels all the way down to the stars below in this world that don't have anything under their command. Everything is ruled by the higher level.

David Heavens Holy Name Sanctuary Seven Ten Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH) Zeir Anpin

217. He opened the discussion and said: "Haleluyah, Praise Hashem from the heavens..." (Tehilim 148:1). Come and see: This praise was said by David in reference to the secret of the Holy Name, Yud Hei Vav Hei, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, which is comprised of all the praises. There are two praises reflecting the secret of the Holy Supernal Name, Yud Hei Vav Hei, which is comprised of all the praises. There is this one "PRAISE HASHEM FROM THE HEAVENS" and the last praise IN THE BOOK OF TEHILIM that is comprised of all of the praises, as it is written, "Haleluyah, praise Hashem in His sanctuary" (Tehilim 150:1). In the latter there are ten kinds, AS TEN TIMES IT IS MENTIONED, CORRESPONDING TO THE TEN SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN. The former consists of seven, FOR SEVEN TIMES THE WORD "PRAISE" APPEARS, CORRESPONDING TO CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT OF ZEIR ANPIN. And everything is the one secret of the Holy Name.

217. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, הַלְלוּיָהּ הַלְלוּ אֶת יְיָ' מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ', ת"ח תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דָּא אָמַר דָּוִד, לָקֳבֵל רָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִיהוּ כְּלָלָא דְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּכֹלָּא. תְּרֵין תּוּשְׁבְּחָן אִינּוּן, כְּגַוְונָא דְּרָזָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהוּ כְּלָלָא דְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּכֹלָּא. וְאִינּוּן: דָּא, וְתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא בַּתְרָאָה, דְּאִיהִי כְּלָלָא דְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּכֹלָּא, דִּכְתִּיב הַלְלוּיָהּ הַלְלוּ אֵל בְּקָדְשׁוֹ וְגוֹ'. אֲבָל דָּא הֲוָה, עַל עֶשֶׂר מִינִים. וְדָא הוּא עַל שֶׁבַע, וְכֹלָּא רָזָא חֲדָא בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא.

Creation Directions Heaven Heavens Seven Zeir Anpin

218. "Haleluyah, praise Hashem from the heavens": this refers to the beginning from where the six directions, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, emanate downward, for this secret may be examined, OR COMPREHENDED, NAMELY, ZEIR ANPIN, according to the verse, "For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you..." (Devarim 4:32). THEY ARE THE SEVEN DAYS CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT OF ZEIR ANPIN, up to which one may investigate, "From the day of creation until the end of heaven" (Ibid.), CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN. From here and further, WHICH ARE KETER, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH OF ZEIR ANPIN, one may not inquire there, because that place is hidden and concealed.

218. הַלְלוּיָהּ הַלְלוּ אֶת יְיָ' מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, אִיהוּ שֵׁירוּתָא דְּשִׁית סִטְרִין לְאִתְפַּשְׁטָא לְתַתָּא, דְּדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּקַיְּימָא לִשְׁאֵלָה, כד"א, כִּי שְׁאַל נָא לְיָמִים רִאשׁוֹנִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לְפָנֶיךָ וְגוֹ', עַד הָכָא אִית רְשׁוּ לְשָׁאֲלָה, מִן הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא וְגוֹ', וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, לָאו קַיְּימָא לִשְׁאֵלָא, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אֲתָר טָמִיר וְגָנִיז.

Angels Body Correction Grades Heavens Pillar Zeir Anpin

219. וע"ד הַלְלוּ אֶת יְיָ' מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הַלְלוּהוּ בַּמְרוֹמִים, אִלֵּין תְּרֵין סִטְרִין, יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא. וּמֵהָכָא אִתְפַּשְּׁטָאן כֻּלְּהוּ אַחֲרָנִין לְתַתָּא, בְּרָזָא דְּדַרְגִּין לְאִתְתַּקְנָא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת. הַלְלוּהוּ כָל מַלְאָכָיו, אִלֵּין תְּרֵין קַיָימִין דְּקַיְימֵי תְּחוֹת גּוּפָא, לְמִשְׁעָן גּוּפָא עָלַיְיהוּ.

Angels Body Pillar

220. ת"ח, אִינּוּן קַיָימִין דְּגוּפָא אִשְׁתְּעָן עָלַיְיהוּ, קַיְימֵי הָכָא בְּרָזָא דְּמַלְאָכִין, בְּגִין דְּיַרְכִּין אִינּוּן שְׁלִיחָן, לְמֵיזָל מֵאֲתָר לְאֲתָר, וּמֵרָזָא דָּא, נָפְקִין אִינּוּן דְּאִקְרוּן מַלְאֲכִין, דְּאִינּוּן שְׁלִיחָן לְמֵהַךְ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, מֵאֲתָר לַאֲתָר.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Hosts Zeir Anpin

221. הַלְלוּהוּ כָּל צְבָאָיו, דָּא אִיהוּ אֲתָר דְּנַפְקֵי מִנֵּיהּ כָּל חֵילִין קַדִּישִׁין עִלָּאִין, רָזָא דְּאָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאִיהוּ רָשִׁים בְּכָל שְׁאַר רִבְּוָון, כַּדְקָא אַמָרָן, דִּכְתִּיב יְיָ' צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ, אוֹת אִיהוּ בְּכָל שְׁאַר חֵילִין וְרִבְוָון.

Asiyah Astrology Briyah Earth Fire Hail Heaven Heavens Mochin Moon Stars Sun Worlds Yetzirah Zeir Anpin

222. "Praise Him, sun and moon" (Tehilim 148:3). The secret OF ALL THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN is based on THE SUN, BECAUSE THE SUN IS TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN, ITS MAIN PART, AND ALL THE REST OF THE SFIROT ARE BUT COMPRISED WITHIN TIFERET. So the sun shines and in it are the illuminating high stars and the constellations, as we explained. Afterwards it returns up high to the place in the height of heights, BINAH, where all of them are stored, MEANING THAT THE MOCHIN OF ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT AND BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH EMANATE FROM THERE. This place is alluded to in "praise Him, heavens of heavens" (Ibid. 7), BECAUSE THE HEAVENS ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND THE HEAVENS OF HEAVEN ARE BINAH. Then "Praise Hashem from the earth" (Ibid.), WHICH IS MALCHUT OF ZEIR ANPIN, corresponding to the rest of the verse, "fire and hail..." (Ibid. 8)

222. הַלְלוּהוּ שֶׁמֶשׁ וְיָרֵחַ, בֵּיהּ קַיְּימָא רָזָא דָּא, וְאִיהוּ שִׁמְשָׁא לְאַנְהָרָא, וּבֵיהּ קַיְימִין כֹּכָבַיָיא עִלָּאִין דְּנַהֲרִין, וּמַזָּלֵי, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא. לְבָתַר אַהְדָּר לְעֵילָּא, לְהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּקָאֵים בְּרוּמָא דִּמְּרוֹמִים, וְתַמָּן תְּקִיעוּ דְּכֹלָּא, הַלְלוּהוּ שְׁמֵי הַשָׁמָיִם. לְבָתַר הַלְלוּ אֶת יְיָ' מִן הָאָרֶץ, לָקֳבֵל אִלֵּין אֵשׁ וּבָרָד וְגוֹ'.

Astrology Firmaments Grades Stars Zeir Anpin

223. Come and see: The stars below exist upon what they draw from the high secret IN ZEIR ANPIN, for their existence is based upon the supernal pattern, as was already explained. That is why all the stars and constellations from the height of the firmament, ZEIR ANPIN, rule the world beneath them. From that place grades are spread down to the stars below, IN THIS WORLD, which have nothing under their command. For we have already explained that all are ruled by a higher authority. About that speaks the verse, "Let now the astrologers, the stargazers...stand up and save you" (Yeshayah 47:13). All is by permission FROM ABOVE, as explained.

223. ת"ח, אִינּוּן כֹּכָבִים לְתַתָּא, קַיְימִין בִּמְשִׁיכוּ דְּאִתְמַשְּׁכָאן מֵרָזָא עִלָּאָה, בְּגִין דְּכֹלָּא קַיְּימָא בְּדִיּוּקְנָא עִלָּאָה, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא. וּבְגִין כַּךְ כָּל אִינּוּן כֹּכָבַיָיא וּמַזָּלֵי, מֵרוּם רְקִיעָא, כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי לְאַנְהָגָא בֵּיהּ עָלְמָא דִּלְתַתָּא מִנֵּיהּ, וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְפַּשְּׁטָאן דַּרְגִּין, עַד דְּקַיְימִין דַּרְגִּין לְאִינּוּן כֹּכָבַיָיא דִּלְתַתָּא, דְּכֻלְּהוּ לָא קַיְימֵי בִּרְשׁוּתַיְיהוּ כְּלוּם, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְּימָאן בִּרְשׁוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, יַעַמְדוּ נָא וְיוֹשִׁיעֻךָ הוֹבְרֵי שָׁמַיִם הַחוֹזִים בַּכּוֹכָבִים, וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ בִּרְשׁוּתָא וְאִתְּמַר.