Seven firmaments

443. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). The Faithful Shepherd began by saying: It is written: 'Though our lips were full of praise as the expansive firmament.' And the firmaments are seven in number: Curtain, Firmament, Heavens, Abode, Residence, Dwelling, and Skies. Heavens (Heb. Shechakim) is so called because therein the millstones grind the mannah for the righteous, WHICH ARE YESOD AND MALCHUT THAT ARE CALLED 'RIGHTEOUS' AND 'RIGHTEOUSNESS,' for the future to come, NAMELY FROM THE EMANATION OF BINAH THAT IS CALLED 'THE FUTURE TO COME.' And the basis for the name Shchakim is the verse: "And you shall beat (Heb. shachakta) some of it very small" (Shemot 30:36). And they are Netzach and Hod, about which it is said: "and let the heavens pour down righteousness" (Yeshayah 45:8), which is the lower Shechinah, NAMELY MALCHUT, WHICH IS CALLED 'RIGHTEOUSNESS,' TO WHICH BOUNTY POURS DOWN FROM HEAVENS.

444. THE FIRST FIRMAMENT, WHICH IS MALCHUT, IS CALLED 'Curtain,' for it pours PLENTY into it in the evening, and brings out, THAT IS, BESTOWS, in the morning, THIS BEING THE TIME FOR EMANATING. AND THE SECOND ONE TO BE CALLED 'a Firmament' is Yesod, for in it the sun and the moon give light, for they are the Central Column, NAMELY TIFERET, and the lower Shechinah, NAMELY MALCHUT. THAT IS TO SAY THAT YESOD UNITES ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT WITH EACH OTHER, AND BOTH OF THEM ILLUMINATE THROUGH IT, as it is written: "And Elohim set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth" (Beresheet 1:17). And the Righteous, WHICH IS YESOD, IS CALLED sign when uniting Netzach and Hod, and IS CALLED testimony when uniting Tiferet and Malchut.