162. Out of the supernal light, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, a spark shines out and into the mirror, which does not shine, NAMELY, SHINES UPON MALCHUT. This spark is comprised of all the illuminating colors, and is called 'purple'. When purple strikes, GIVING PLENTY TO that darkened light, WHICH IS MALCHUT, another spark, not as glowing, comes out, WHICH IS BLUE. They intermingle, and form the sacred robes which Michael, the High Priest, donned.
163. AND WHEN MICHAEL is attired with these glorious robes, he enters to minister in the sanctuary. He does not enter the sanctuary before he is thus attired. In the same manner "Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the mountain" (Shemot 24:18). We learned that Moses donned a cloud, and then went up into the mountain, for he could not go up the mountain before he donned the cloud. The High Priest also did not enter the sanctuary before he put on these robes.
164. Since they emanate from high principles, and are a reflection of above, they are called 'uniforms' (Heb. serad), FROM RESIDUE (HEB. SARID). For they are the residue of the supernal garments, being made of what was left of the light of the supernal splendors. Blue, MALCHUT, and purple, ZEIR ANPIN, are the colors of the Holy Name, that is considered a full name, Yud Hei Vav Hei Elohim. FOR YUD HEI VAV HEI IS THE SECRET OF PURPLE, AND ELOHIM THE SECRET OF BLUE. This is the secret of what the High Priest wears when he enters the sanctuary: the scarlet is the red color, CORRESPONDING TO GVURAH, and blue and purple, CORRESPONDING TO MALCHUT AND ZEIR ANPIN, which are comprised of all these colors. And since the High Priest wears garments of these colors, he enters inside and is not ejected outside.
165. Come and see: All is done in the secret of the Faith, NAMELY, IN THE GRADES OF MALCHUT CALLED 'FAITH', so as to reflect what is above. Therefore it is written, "The uniforms for service in the holy place" (Shemot 39:41). They are called 'holy garments' only when these colors are in them as it is written, "these are holy garment" (Vayikra 16:4), and, "Yisrael is holy to Hashem, the first fruits of His increase" (Yirmeyah 2:3). "Yisrael is holy" since all the colors are seen in Yisrael, WHICH ARE the Priests, Levites, and Yisrael. THEY ARE THE COLORS OF CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, WHITE, RED AND GREEN. THE PRIESTS ARE WHITE, THE LEVITES RED AND YISRAEL GREEN. These are the colors that are seen inside THE SANCTUARY.
166. Come and see: The soul does not go up to be seen before the Holy King, before it is worthy of donning the garments of above so it may be seen there. In the same manner, it does not descend to below, until it wears the clothes of this world.
167. It is the same with the holy angels of above, of which it is written, "Who makes the winds His messengers, the flames of fire His ministers" (Tehilim 104:4). When they have a mission in this world, they do not descend until they wear the clothes of this world. Everything is according to the place visited. And we explained that the soul does not ascend unless it dons the luminous garment.
168. Come and see: When Adam was in the Garden of Eden, he wore a garment looking like the supernal garment, a clothing of celestial light. When he was driven away from there, he needed the colors of this world, as it is written, "Hashem Elohim made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them" (Beresheet 3:21). Before that they were coats of light, of the supernal light, which ministered in the Garden of Eden.
169. Since in the Garden of Eden, the supernal shining light served him; therefore, when Adam entered the Garden of Eden, the Holy One, blessed be He gave him a raiment of that light and led him in. And he could not enter before wearing that raiment of light. Since he was driven thence, he needed another garment. Then "Hashem Elohim made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them." All is as it should be. In the same manner, the uniforms were made for the service in the holy place, to bring him there.
170. And we established that the good deeds man performs in this world draw light from the supreme radiance and fix him a raiment of that world so he may be seen before the Holy One, blessed be He. And by that clothing which he dons, he has pleasure and looks into the shining mirror, as it is said, "To behold the beauty of Hashem, and to inquire in His Temple" (Tehilim 27:4).
171. For that reason the soul dons special garments for the two worlds, so it may have wholeness in all, in this world below and in the world above. Therefore it is written, "Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your Name, the upright shall dwell in Your Presence" (Tehilim 140:14) - "Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your Name" in this world, and "the upright shall dwell in Your Presence" in that world.