The fifth chamber of love - Chesed

632. The fifth chamber is for illuminating the lower beings. It shines in the secret of the Faith. There is an opening to this chamber, and a chief in charge over it, called 'Sanegoryah'. The chief stands at the gate to argue in favor (Heb. sanegor), NAMELY, TO GIVE GOOD RECOMMENDATION ON YISRAEL, before their Master, so the Other Side will not have sway over them.

633. There is a spirit in this chamber, consisting of four, for this spirit comprises four colors: white, black, green and red, Chesed, Gvurah, Tiferet and Malchut. This spirit, which consists of them all, is called 'Suriyah', a general of all the lower armies beneath him and appointed by him.

634. This is the spirit who opens and closes, for all the higher keys were given into his hand. All the lower armies are included and stand beneath him, sustained by him. This spirit knows all the secrets of his Master, for they were all handed to him.

635. This spirit is called 'Love', and for that reason the chamber is called 'the chamber of love'. For here the mystery of mysteries were stored for whoever should conceive it. This is the secret of the verse, "there will I give you my love" (Shir Hashirim 7:13).

636. This spirit is in charge of the keeping above, called "He who keeps Yisrael" (Tehilim 121:3), "who keeps covenant" (Devarim 7:9). Here are kept all the supernal treasures, and the stores of his Master are there stored. From here start all the paths and ways to those below, to awaken in them the spirit of love.

637. The four said colors were included within one another. Whenever they wish to be included, they strike each other, and one holy living creature emerges, called 'splendor' (Heb. zohar). Of this living creature it is written, "This is the living creature that I saw...by the river K'var" (Yechezkel 10:20).

638. From this chamber come out all the holy spirits, sustained by the existence of the supernal kissing. For from these kisses an air of a spirit issues that sustains the ilfe of all the high souls given to men. This is the secret of the verse, "but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Hashem does man live" (Devarim 8:3). In this chamber you may find all the souls and spirits destined to descend to men since the world was created. Therefore, this chamber holds all the souls born of that river which is drawn and issuing, Yesod of Zeir Anpin, and therefore is never empty.

639. Since the destruction of the Temple no other souls came in here. And when there will be no more, namely, all the souls in this chamber will go down to be clothed in men, this chamber will be empty, and it will be visited from above, and King Messiah will come. Then the chamber above will be aroused - Malchut - and the chamber below, so His kingdom will be revealed in this world.

640. It is written of the secret of this chamber, "your two breasts are like two fawns..." (Shir Hashirim 4:5). For in this chamber there is the spirit we mentioned, love, and that living creature, splendor, and their joining together issued two lights, included in one another, and united together, to be called, 'El Shadai'. The two lights are called 'Shadai', and together with El of the chamber below called Zechut El, they join each other and intermingle to be called 'El Shadai', for they issued from the two breasts (Heb. shadayim).

641. The name 'El' is of the right. It takes from this place all the compassion there that nourish the chamber below called 'merit', named after the spirit in it, as we said. The name 'Shadai' suckles all the lower beings and all the chambers, and those standing outside on this side, called 'the pegs of the Tabernacle', as we explained. It is therefore called 'Shadai', for giving plenty of food to the lower beings, that it receives from the right.

642. From here come out the lights called, "the bright blade of a revolving sword" (Beresheet 3:24), for they revolve and turn into several colors. We already explained that they are those aroused to accomplish a mission above. And in this world they are of the left. When this spirit expands, it strikes and emits lights on all sides, RIGHT AND LEFT, like breasts pouring milk on all sides. So from this spirit lights come out on every side, and issue another living creature in charge over those called 'the bright blade of a revolving sword'. This is called (A FEW LINES ARE MISSING).

643. (THE BEGINNING IS MISSING) he is in charge over the world. When there is hunger, and the world is sentenced to it, this living creature is appointed over the world. It issues a spirit of nourishment to the faithful, so they will not starve on account of the Other Side. While hunger has sway over the world, two spirits of defilement issue from that side, called "destruction and famine." This is the secret of the verse, "At destruction and famine you shall laugh" (Iyov 5:22). They abide in the world and denounce men. The one who sends them hunger and they die IS DESTRUCTION. When the other, FAMINE, has sway, people eat but are never satisfied, WHICH IS FAMINE because an evil spirit rules over the world.

644. This is the living creature, which produced the spark coming out of the two glittering sparks, that revolve and turn into several colors, SOMETIMES FEMALE, SOMETIMES MALE. This spark is called 'Seraphim'. It grasps and inflames them.

645. In this chamber there are two officers, lights standing upon thousands and tens of thousands called 'vines', and thousands and tens of thousands called 'pomegranates'. They all exist through love, and bring love between Yisrael below, and the Holy One, blessed be He, above. They all arouse love and endure through love. When love is awakened from below upward, and from above downward, the chamber is filled with goodness, and charity, and mercy, and the love below and the love above join each other. BET-HEI BELOW ARE ATTACHED TO ALEPH-HEI ABOVE. (ALEPH-HEI-BET-HEI = AHAVEH, LIT. 'LOVE').

646. From here come out two chiefs, called 'love' after the chamber. Their duty is to watch over those who proclaim the unison of the Master with love, sacrifice their lives with love, and ascend to testify above. All those who do an act of kindness in the world, these acts go up and enter this chamber to be adorned, then go further up to be adorned by the supernal love. Concerning this the verse says, "For Your kindness (Heb. Chesed) is great above the heavens" (Tehilim 108:5). Of this chamber it is written, "Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it..." (Shir Hashirim 8:7).