The coming of the Messiah

96. Rabbi Shimon raised his hands, wept and said, Woe to he who is present at that time, and blissful is the portion of he who is present and WILL BE ABLE TO attend at that time. AND HE EXPLAINS, Woe to he who is present at that time, because when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to visit the Gazelle WHO IS THE SHECHINAH, He will observe who is standing by Her, and all those who are with Her. He will contemplate the actions of each and every one, but no righteous person will be found, as is written, "And I looked and there was none to help" (Yeshayah 63:5). And how many troubles upon troubles will there be for Yisrael.

97. Happy is he who is present, because he who is present at that time with Faith, will merit that light of joy of the King. In relation to that time it is written, "And I will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried" (Zecharyah 13:9).

98. After these troubles have been aroused against Yisrael, all the peoples and their kings will counsel together against them, raise many bad decrees, and come upon them with one mind. There will come troubles upon troubles and the later troubles will cause the earlier ones to be forgotten. Then a pillar of fire shall be seen there, standing from above down for forty days. And all the nations of the world will see it.

99. At that time the king, Messiah, will arise to go out of the Garden of Eden from the place called the 'bird's nest' and he will become revealed in the land of Galilee. On the day that MESSIAH goes there, the whole world will tremble and all the people of the world will hide in the caves and CRACKS in the rocks and will not expect to survive. And concerning that time, it is written, "And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and in the caves of the earth, for fear of Hashem, and for the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth terribly" (Yeshayah 2:19).

100. AND HE EXPLAINS, "For fear of Hashem," is the trembling of the whole world, "and for the glory OF HIS majesty" is Messiah. ."..When He arises to shake the earth terribly..." refers to when MESSIAH will arise and be revealed in the land of Galilee, because this was the first place in the Holy Land that was destroyed BY ASHUR. Therefore, He will be revealed there before any other place, and from there He will stir wars all over the world.

101. After 40 days, the pillar will stand from the earth to the heaven before the eyes of the whole world, and Messiah will be revealed. There will arise from the East side a star that will glow with variety of colors, and seven other stars will surround that star and will war with it on all sides, three times a day up to seventy days. And all the people of the world will see.

102. And that star will do battle with them with flames of fire that will burn and sparkle in every direction, and it will smite them until it will swallow them every night; and by day, AGAIN it shall take them out where they will battle before the eyes of the whole world. And so it shall ensue, every day for seventy days! After seventy days, that star will be hidden and Messiah will be concealed for up to twelve months. Then the pillar of fire will return as originally, and in it Messiah will be concealed, and that pillar is invisible.

103. After twelve months, Messiah will be elevated within that pillar to the sky, and there he will receive the power and crown of the Kingdom. And when he descends TO THE EARTH, that pillar of fire will again appear as originally, before the eyes of the whole world. Afterwards, Messiah will appear and many nations will gather to him and he will wage wars throughout the entire world. At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, will rise with His might against all the nations of the world. Messiah will be publicly known throughout the world, and all the kings of the world will join together to do battle with Him.

104. Many of the oppressors of Yisrael will turn and join THESE NATIONS to war against the king Messiah; then will the world darken for fifteen days. Many of Yisrael will perish during this darkness. Of this it is written, "For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples" (Yeshayah 60:2).

105. He opened the discussion saying: "If a bird's nest chance to be before you, and in your way, in any tree or on the ground, whether they be young ones or eggs, and the mother bird sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, you shall not take the mother together with the young: but you shall surely let the mother go" (Devarim 22:6). We have explained this verse and it is one of the concealed commandments of the Torah. We have in it concealed secrets of the Torah, paths and ways known to the friends in the 32 paths of the Torah.

106. Rabbi Shimon said to his son Rabbi Elazar, Elazar, when Messiah awakens, so many other signs and miracles will be aroused in the world. Come and behold, in the terrestrial Garden of Eden, there is one place which is concealed and hidden and is not known, and it is woven with many colors. Therein are hidden a thousand pleasant chambers and no one enters them except for Messiah, who is ever present in the Garden of Eden.

107. The entire Garden is surrounded by many Chariots of the righteous, and Messiah stands over them and over many hosts and camps of souls of the righteous who are there. And Messiah enters that place on the first day of the month and festivals and Shabbatot, WHERE THERE ARE A THOUSAND CHAMBERS OF PLEASURES, to delight in all these chambers.

108. Innermost from all these THOUSAND chambers OF PLEASURES, there is one place concealed and hidden that is entirely unknown, called 'Eden.' There is no one who can conceive it. Messiah is concealed outside around that place, until a place called 'bird's nest' is revealed to him. This place is announced by the bird, which awakens daily in the Garden of Eden.

109. In that place CALLED 'BIRD'S NEST,' the images of all the nations that gathered against Yisrael to harm them are woven IN A GARMENT CALLED 'THE CLOAK OF MAJESTY.' MESSIAH enters that place, raises his eyes and sees the patriarchs who entered the house of Elohim that was destroyed, until he sees Rachel with tears on her cheeks. And the Holy One, blessed be He, is consoling her but she refuses to accept condolences, as it is written, "She refuses to be comforted for her children..." (Yirmeyah 31:14). Then, Messiah raises his voice and weeps, and the whole Garden of Eden shakes. All the righteous who are there break down and weep with him.

110. He cries bitterly a second time, and the firmament above the Garden trembles. So too do 15,000,000 supernal angels until MESSIAH reaches the supernal throne. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, motions to that bird. It enters its nest, sits next to Messiah, cries whatever it cries and awakens whatever it awakens.

111. This continues until from the holy throne, WHICH IS BINAH, that same bird's nest is called three times - NAMELY THE THREE COLUMNS, ONE AFTER THE OTHER. Messiah and everyone then ascend above TO BINAH, and the Holy One, blessed be He, makes them swear to remove the Wicked Kingdom from the world through Messiah, to avenge Yisrael and TO DRAW all the goodness that the Holy One, blessed be He, will do for His people. The bird's nest and Messiah then return to their places and Messiah is again concealed in that place, THAT IS, THE BIRD'S NEST, as previously explained.

112. At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, will be aroused to remedy the worlds, and the letters of the Name will illuminate completely, the Yud OF THE NAME, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, WILL ILLUMINATE the Hei, WHICH IS BINAH; Vav OF THE NAME, WHICH IS TIFERET, WILL ILLUMINATE the SECOND Hei, WHICH IS MALCHUT. YUD-HEI will be in complete union WITH VAV-HEI - THAT IS TO SAY, one awful star will rise, WHICH IS TIFERET, CALLED 'AWFUL,' in the middle of the firmament, IT BEING THE CENTRAL COLUMN, of the color purple, THAT AS IT INCLUDES ALL THE COLORS, SO IT INCLUDES ALL THE THREE COLUMNS. It will flame and sparkle by day, MEANING WITH THE LIGHT OF CHASSADIM CALLED 'DAY,' before the eyes of the whole world - MEANING ALSO WITH THE LIGHT OF CHOCHMAH, WHICH IS CALLED 'EYES.'

113. A flame of fire will rise from the north side, MEANING FROM THE LEFT COLUMN, FOR AT THE MOMENT THAT CHOCHMAH FROM ABOVE IS DRAWN DOWN, ITS LIGHT IS CONVERTED TO A FLAME OF FIRE in the firmament, and they stand opposite each other for forty days. THE FLAME, WHICH IS FROM THE LEFT COLUMN, SEPARATES ITSELF FROM EACH OF CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT THAT ARE IN THE CENTRAL COLUMN, EACH MADE UP OF TEN SFIROT, SO THEY ARE FORTY. And all the people of the world will be confused. At the end of forty days, MEANING THE LAST SFIRAH, WHICH IS MALCHUT OF MALCHUT, the star and the flame will wage war before everyone's eyes, and the flame will spread with a fiery conflagration within the firmament on the north side. Many rulers and kings and nations will become confused by this - MEANING, FROM THE STRENGTHENING OF THE FLAME!

114. Then the star will ascend to the south side, WHICH IS THE RIGHT COLUMN AND THE LIGHT OF CHESED, AND CHASSADIM WILL AGAIN ILLUMINATE THE WORLD. THUS, it will rule over the flame, and the flame will be swallowed bit by bit in the firmament because of the star, until it is no longer visible. Then the star will make pathways in the sky in twelve borders. AND WHEN ITS THREE COLUMNS WILL BE INCLUDED IN EACH ONE OF CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, THREE TIMES FOUR ARE TWELVE PATHWAYS. And these lights will stand in the sky for twelve days. FOR EVEN MALCHUT HERSELF ILLUMINATES ONLY IN THE THREE COLUMNS CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET. BUT MALCHUT IN IT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE; THEREFORE, THERE ARE ONLY TWELVE LIGHTS.

115. WHEN HE DESIRES TO DRAW THEIR ILLUMINATION after twelve days, MEANING TO THE ASPECT OF MALCHUT, all the people of the world will tremble BECAUSE OF THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT IN MALCHUT. The sun will be darkened at midday, as it was darkened on the day that the Temple was destroyed, to a point that both heaven and earth will not be visible. And a sound will erupt in thunder and lightning, MEANING A SOUND FROM THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT IN MALCHUT. The world will shudder because of that sound, and numerous hosts and companies will perish because of it.

116. And that day, WHICH IS MALCHUT, WILL CAUSE there to be ignited in the great city of Rome - WHICH IS THE SECRET OF BINAH OF KLIPOT - a flame of fire, WHICH IS THE JUDGMENTS OF THE LEFT. That sound will be stirred up in the whole world, WHICH IS FROM THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT IN MALCHUT, THAT IS, THESE TWO KINDS OF JUDGMENTS WILL BE COMBINED. It will burn many towers and many palaces, and many towers will collapse and many potentates and ministers will fall on that day. All of them, MEANING ALL OF THE JUDGMENTS, will gather upon it to cause harm. And all the people of the world will be unable to be saved.

117. From that day for twelve months time, THAT IS, UNTIL THE ILLUMINATIONS OF THE TWELVE BOUNDARIES SHALL BE REMEDIED IN MALCHUT AS WELL - BECAUSE IN ZEIR ANPIN THEY ARE CALLED TWELVE DAYS, BUT IN MALCHUT THEY ARE CALLED 'TWELVE MONTHS' - all the kings will counsel and will make numerous decrees and numerous persecutions against Yisrael and they will succeed with them. As we learned, "Fortunate is he who will chance to be there," MEANING IN THE DAYS OF MESSIAH. Fortunate is he who will not be there, THAT HE WILL BE SAVED FROM THESE JUDGMENTS, and the whole world will be greatly confused.

118. At the end of twelve months, MEANING AFTER THE TWELVE LIGHTS IN MALCHUT ARE RECTIFIED, there will arise a tribe in Yisrael, which is the king Messiah who will awaken in the Garden of Eden. All the righteous will crown him there, and will gird him with weapons with engraved letters of the vessels of the Holy Name.

119. A voice will explode in the branches of the trees in the garden that cries powerfully and says, Awaken, supernal holy ones, arise before Messiah. Behold, it is the time for a wife to join with her husband, MEANING TIFERET WITH MALCHUT. Her husband, TIFERET, wishes to avenge her in the world, raise her and shake the dust off her.

120. Then they will all arise and will gird him with weapons as before, Abraham at his right, Isaac at his left, Jacob before him, Moses the Faithful Shepherd above all these righteous, walking and dancing in the Garden of Eden.

121. As soon as Messiah is perfected through the righteous in the Garden of Eden, he will enter as before in this place that is called 'bird's nest.' He sees a picture of the destroyed Temple and all the righteous who were killed there. Then, he takes from there ten garments called 'garments of jealousy' to be hidden there for forty days and not to be revealed at all.

122. At the end of forty days, a voice will stir and will call from the supernal throne, WHICH IS BINAH, to the bird's nest that conceals the King Messiah. Then he is raised up. And the Holy One, blessed be He, sees the King Messiah who is dressed in garments of revenge and is girded with his weapons. He takes him and kisses him on his head.

123. Then 390 firmaments tremble and the Holy One, blessed be He, beckoned to one firmament that had been concealed since the Six Days of Creation, and took a crown engraved with holy names from one chamber in that firmament. The Holy One, blessed be He, who crowned Himself with this crown when Yisrael crossed the sea to take revenge on the chariots and riders of Pharaoh, then crowned the King Messiah with THE CROWN.

124. Once MESSIAH was crowned and perfected with all these perfections, the Holy One, blessed be He, took him and kissed him again. Who saw this? The holy Chariots and companies of supernal angels that surround him and give him presents and many precious things. He is crowned with them all.

125. He enters there into one chamber and sees all the supernal angels who are called the 'Mourners of Zion.' They weep over the destruction of the Temple and weep constantly, and they give him a royal purple garment to avenge. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, conceals him in that bird's nest, and he is hidden there for thirty days.

126. After thirty days, having disappeared in that bird's nest, he will descend ornamented with all those adornments from above, with many holy companies around him, and the whole world will see one light suspended from the sky to the earth. It will remain seven days IN THE SECRET OF CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT IN MALCHUT, AND CAN BE FOUND ILLUMINATING EVEN IN MALCHUT OF MALCHUT. All the inhabitants of the world will wonder and be shocked and will not understand at all, except for those sages who know these secrets - blessed be their portion.

127. And all these seven days, he will be adorned on the earth - WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT - in that bird's nest, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE VERSE, "IF A BIRD'S NEST CHANCE TO BE BEFORE YOU" (DEVARIM 22:6) THAT ALLUDES TO THE KING MESSIAH WHO IS ADORNED WITH A BIRD'S NEST. Where is that place? "In the way," which is the grave of Rachel, for she is placed on the crossroads. MESSIAH IS ALSO ADORNED WITH THE LIGHT OF MALCHUT OF MALCHUT THAT IS CAPABLE OF THE GATHERING OF THE EXILES. Therefore, he will bear these good tidings to her and console her. Then she will accept consolations, UNLIKE AS DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY, "SHE REFUSES TO BE COMFORTED FOR HER CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT" (YIRMEYAH 31:14). And she will arise and kiss MESSIAH!

128. Then shall the light arise from that place, THAT IS, RACHEL'S GRAVE, and settle in Jericho, the city of trees, AS IS WRITTEN, "In any tree" (Devarim 22:6) - which is Jericho, THE CITY OF PALM TREES, THAT JOSHUA WAS NOT ABLE TO MEND COMPLETELY. THEREFORE HE SAID, "CURSED BE THE MAN BEFORE HASHEM, THAT RISES UP TO BUILD THIS CITY JERICHO" (YEHOSHUA 6:26), BECAUSE IT IS DRAWN FROM THE ATTRIBUTES OF JUDGMENT WHICH IS IN MALCHUT OF MALCHUT, AND NOW MESSIAH WILL MEND IT WITH THE LIGHT OF THE SEVEN DAYS. "Or on the ground" (Devarim 22:6), is Jerusalem WHICH IS THE EXTERNAL PART OF MALCHUT, and he will be concealed in that light in the bird's nest for twelve months.

129. After twelve months, that light will be stretched between the heaven and the earth and rest on in the land of Galilee, since the exile of Yisrael, NAMELY THE EXILE OF ASHUR, was initiated in Galilee. Then will MESSIAH be revealed from that very same light of the bird's nest, and return to his place. On that day, the whole earth will tremble as earlier, from one end of heaven to the other end, and then the whole world will see that Messiah has been revealed in the land of Galilee!

130. And all those who were occupied with Torah, THOSE WHO ARE CALLED IN THE VERSE 'CHILDREN' ('YOUNG'), will gather to him. They are few in the world, and in the merit of school children, the strength OF MESSIAH will grow greatly. And this is the secret of the young IN THE VERSE. And if these are not to be found, then the infants that sit in their mother's lap and suckle, as written, "Those that are weaned from milk, and removed from the breasts" (Yeshayah 28:9); or the "eggs" (Devarim 22:6). It is because of these that the Shechinah dwells with Yisrael in the exile.

131. For the sages WHO ARE CALLED 'CHILDREN' ('YOUNG') will be few in that time, and this is what is meant: "And the mother bird sitting upon the young or upon the eggs, do not take the mother bird together with the young," SINCE THEN THERE WILL BE NO CHILDREN. THEREFORE, DO NOT TAKE THE MOTHER, WHO IS SHECHINAH; and MESSIAH will tarry up to another twelve months. Then her husband, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, will come to raise her from the dust as is said, "I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen" (Amos 9:11).

132. On that day, Messiah will start to gather the exiled from one end of the world to the other, as it is written, "If your outcast be at the utmost parts of heaven..." (Devarim 30:4). From that day, all the signs and miracles and mighty acts that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed in Egypt, He will perform for Yisrael: "As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt I will show him marvelous things" (Michah 7:15).

133. Rabbi Shimon said, Elazar my son, all these things you shall find in the secret of 32 paths OF CHOCHMAH of the Holy Name. And as long as these miracles do not happen in the world, the secret of the Holy Name will not be completed, nor will love awaken - as it is said, "I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem by the gazelles for hosts or by the hinds of the fields" (Shir Hashirim 2:7). Hosts refer to the King Messiah, who is so called. "The kinds of the fields," refers to the other hosts and encampments below. "That you stir not up, nor awake my love" (Ibid.), is the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, MEANING THE SFIRAH OF CHESED, which is called 'love.' "Till it please," refers to She who lies in the dust, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH IN EXILE, whom the King should favor her! Righteous is he who will have the merit to be in that generation. He is righteous in this world and righteous in the World to Come.

134. Rabbi Shimon raised his hands in prayer before the Holy One, blessed be He, and prayed. After he recited his prayer, his son, Rabbi Elazar, and Rabbi Aba sat before him. While they were sitting before him, they saw a ray of daylight become dim, and a conduit of flaming fire, THAT IS, A STREAM OF BURNING FIRE, sink into the sea of Galilee, and the whole place was agitated.

135. Rabbi Shimon said, Certainly now is the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, remembers His children, and He lowers two tears into the Great Sea. As they descend, they touch this conduit of flaming fire and sink TOGETHER into the sea, one with the other. Rabbi Shimon wept and the friends wept.

136. Rabbi Shimon said, I have stirred in the secret of the letters of the Holy Name in the secret of the awakening OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, towards His children. But now I may reveal that which was not permitted to any other person to reveal, but the merit of this generation will preserve the world till the King Messiah will come. Rabbi Shimon said to his son Rabbi Elazar and to Rabbi Aba: Get up on your feet. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba got up. Rabbi Shimon wept a second time and said, Oh, who will arise then? For what I see is that the exile will be lengthened. Who will be able to endure?

137. RABBI SHIMON also got up and said, "O Hashem our Elohim; other masters besides You have had dominion over us. But by You only will we make mention of Your Name" (Yeshayah 26:13). This verse is explained. But this verse contains a supernal secret in the secret of Faith. "Hashem our Elohim," is the beginning of the supernal secrets, NAMELY CHOCHMAH AND BINAH. From these, all the light emanates to kindle all the candles, MEANING THAT ALL THE MOCHIN OF MALE AND FEMALE AND BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH EMANATE FROM CHOCHMAH AND BINAH THAT ARE CALLED "HASHEM OUR ELOHIM." There is the essence of the entire secret of Faith, WHICH IS FEMALE, MEANING IN THE SECRET OF THE VERSE, "AND OF THE SIDE WHICH HASHEM ELOHIM HAD TAKEN..." (BERESHEET 2:22), WHICH IS THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH AND BINAH. THE SIDE IS THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA, WHICH IS CALLED 'FAITH.'

138. "Other masters besides You have had dominion over us." There is no one to dominate over the nation of Yisrael except for the Supernal Name, HASHEM OUR ELOHIM, AS EARLIER MENTIONED. And now in exile, the Other Side holds dominion over it. THIS IS WHAT IS WRITTEN, "OTHER MASTERS BESIDES YOU HAVE HAD DOMINION OVER US."

139. "But by You only will we make mention of Your Name," MEANING the secret of the Holy Name, NAMELY THE NUKVA, is the inclusion of all 22 letters. THEREFORE, SHE IS CALLED 'ET' (ALEPH-TAV), WHICH ALLUDES TO THE 22 LETTERS FROM ALEPH TO TAV. And the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, is blessed only through that name called 'Becha' ('by you'), WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN THAT INCLUDES ALSO 22 LETTERS, LIKE "BECHA" WHICH NUMERICALLY TOTALS 22, as is written, "To whom You did swear by Your own self (Heb. becha)" (Shemot 32:13). "By You (Heb. becha) shall Yisrael bless" (Beresheet 48:20) and "For by You (Heb. becha) I run upon a troop" (Tehilim 18:30) ALL OF WHICH ALLUDE TO ZEIR ANPIN. At the time when perfection was prevalent, ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA were not separated from each other. And it is prohibited to separate them one from the other, a wife from her husband, neither in thought, nor by allusion, in order not to show separation. And now in exile, separation is prevalent because of the trouble THAT COMES UPON US at all times, which we cause THROUGH THIS separation by mentioning that name - WHICH IS THE NUKVA away from her husband, ZEIR ANPIN, because she is lying on the dust. This is, "But by You only will we make mention of Your Name..."

140. HE EXPLAINS, WHEN THE NUKVA is separated from her husband, IT IS CONSIDERED as if we mention this name separately, since we are far from You. AND WE CAUSED that others should rule over us. And Your Name, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, is separated from the name becha (lit. 'In You') WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, AS MENTIONED EARLIER. And this is so during the days of exile.

141. The first exile was since the First Temple and the First Temple is the secret of the first Hei OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS BINAH. Corresponding to its seventy years, WHICH ARE THE SEVEN LOWER SFIROT CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT, the exile of the First Temple lasted seventy years, SINCE EVERY SFIRAH INCLUDES TEN, TOTALING SEVENTY. During these seventy years, the mother, WHICH IS THE THREE FIRST SFIROT OF BINAH, was not sitting on them and they were separated from the Supernal Name, which is the secret of the first Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI. Then the Yud OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, which is the supernal secret OF BINAH, ASCENDS higher and higher into the Endless World (Heb. ein sof), and the First Temple, WHICH IS BINAH, does not gush forth a flow of living water, because its source, WHICH IS THE YUD OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, has departed.

142. And THE FIRST HEI OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, is the seventy years in exile, because it is called 'seven years' as is said, "So was he seven years in building it" (I Melachim 6:38), REFERRING TO THE FIRST TEMPLE, WHICH IS THE FIRST HEI. HE ASKS, Would you say that the kingdom of Babylon ruled above in the secret of seventy years, WHICH IS BINAH? Heaven forbid! AND HE ANSWERS, During the time that the Temple existed, the pouring forth of Supernal Ima, WHICH IS BINAH, illuminated and descended below. However, when Yisrael sinned and the Temple was destroyed, the kingdom of Babylon reigned, that light was covered and darkened, and the holy lower beings did not illuminate.

143. Since the lower beings were not illuminating, because of the dominion of the kingdom of Babylon, that light OF BINAH departed and that supernal emanation that poured forth TO BINAH - which is the secret of Yud OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH - withdrew higher and higher into the Endless World. Then those seventy years OF BINAH did not illuminate because of that illumination OF THE YUD that was prevented FROM ILLUMINATING UPON THE HEI. This was certainly the exile of seventy years OF BINAH, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE FIRST TEMPLE.

144. As soon as the reign of Babylon was removed and the second Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI commenced to illuminate, all of Yisrael did not purify to be a perfect possession as earlier, but rather bit by bit RETURNED FROM THE BABYLONIAN EXILE TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL. And since there was no perfection, the Yud OF YUD HEI VAV HEI did not descend to illuminate as it illuminated originally, but rather bit by bit without order, because Yisrael were not purified properly, as before. Therefore, the Supernal Fountain, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE YUD OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, did not gush forth and did not illuminate. It returned to illuminate bit by bit because of the need of the Name.

145. Therefore, Yisrael were challenged in many wars until the darkness covered the earth and the Lower Hei, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, became darkened and fell to the earth. The Supernal Fountain, WHICH IS THE YUD OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, withdrew again, because the kingdom of Edom became strong and Yisrael returned to their sins.

146. Therefore, the LOWER Hei, WHICH IS the Second Temple that was destroyed, and all its twelve tribes, OF THE LOWER HEI - as the number of the legions OF YISRAEL, WHO ARE THE TWELVE TRIBES OF YAH - are in exile of the kingdom of Edom. And the Supernal Fountain, WHICH IS THE VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, ZEIR ANPIN, withdrew from that fountain that it supplies, WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN. As it is said, "the righteous perishes...(lost)" (Yeshayah 57:1) - WHICH IS YESOD, that lost that outpouring of the upper source that flowed from above.

147. Then there was a separation in the Hei, WHICH IS the Second Temple, THAT SEPARATED FROM THE VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and it GOES INTO the exile in Edom with all these twelve tribes and their legions OF YISRAEL. Twelve tribes add up to a great number, AS WRITTEN BEFORE US, and since the secret of the Hei was included in this number, the exile therefore continues A LONG TIME.

148. The secret of secrets is given over to the wise of heart. The ten tribes are one thousand years. Two tribes are two hundred years. SINCE TWELVE LIGHTS OF THE NUKVA, WHICH ARE CALLED 'TRIBES,' ARE DRAWN FROM BINAH, WHOSE SFIROT ARE IN THE SECRET OF HUNDREDS, THEY ARE THEREFORE TWELVE HUNDRED. Tears started to fall - MEANING THAT RABBI SHIMON STARTED WEEPING. He opened the discussion saying, "She weeps sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks" (Eichah 1:2). At the end of the twelve tribes of exile, MEANING AT THE END OF ONE THOUSAND AND TWO HUNDRED AS MENTIONED, the night will darken for Yisrael until the Vav awakens at the sixty-sixth year.

149. At the end of twelve tribes, which are twelve hundred years of exile, and at the end of 66 years of the darkness of night, WHICH IS THE EXILE, "Then will I remember My Covenant with Jacob" (Vayikra 26:42), WHICH IS TIFERET. This is the awakening of the letter Vav - WHICH IS TIFERET, WHICH IS THE VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI - which is the soul, MEANING THE INNER PART of the house of Jacob; WHICH IS THE NUKVA THAT IS CALLED THE 'HOUSE OF JACOB.' And this is the secret of, "All the souls that came with Jacob were 66" (Beresheet 46:26), which is Vav, the soul of the Second Temple, the secret of the lower Hei. And this Vav is the secret of 66, sixty for the awakening of Jacob, WHO IS TIFERET, and six for the awakening of Joseph, WHO IS YESOD. Therefore, it is A FULLY SPELLED Vav (Vav-Vav), WHICH ALLUDES TO TIFERET AND YESOD, which are two in one combination and one secret, BECAUSE YESOD AND TIFERET ARE CONSIDERED AS ONE AND ARE THEREFORE ALLUDED TO IN THE TWO VAV'S OF THE FULLY SPELLED VAV, WHICH FORM ONE LETTER.

150. From then on, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will stir these miracles and signs that we mentioned earlier, and all the troubles that we said will rise against Yisrael. Then it is said, "And also My Covenant with Isaac" (Vayikra 26:42), BECAUSE ISAAC IS THE SECRET OF GVURAH AND JUDGMENT. Afterwards, King Messiah will wage wars throughout the whole world with the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, WHICH IS CHESED, as is said, "Your right hand, Hashem, is glorious in power" (Shemot 15:6). Then IT IS SAID, "And also My Covenant with Abraham will I remember" (Vayikra 26:42), FOR ABRAHAM IS THE SECRET OF CHESED. Afterwards, "And I will remember the land" (Ibid.), which is the last Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI; NAMELY, THE NUKVA THAT IS CALLED 'LAND.' About that time it is written, "And Hashem shall be king over all the earth; on that day Hashem shall be One and His Name One" (Zecharyah 14:9).

151. After the end of 66 more years, which is 132 years TOGETHER WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED 66, the letters in the Holy Name, OF THE 66, will appear engraved to perfection, above IN TIFERET and below IN THE NUKVA, as is proper. This is the secret of the supernal and lower Hei THAT ARE IN THE LOWER HEI FULLY SPELLED (HEI-HEI). SIMILAR TO VAV, THAT CONTAINS ANOTHER VAV WHEN FULLY SPELLED, AS MENTIONED THAT THE UPPER VAV EMANATES THE SECRET OF SIXTY TO THE UPPER HEI, AND THE LOWER VAV EMANATES THE SECRET OF SIX TO THE LOWER HEI. And all these paths, which are 32 years OF THE AFOREMENTIONED 132, are included in the secret of the letters Vav-Hei, Vav-Hei, THE FIRST VAV-HEI BEING TWO TIMES SIXTY, AND THE SECOND VAV-HEI BEING TWO TIMES SIX, AS MENTIONED TOGETHER THEY AMOUNT TO 132, OUT OF WHICH, THE NUMBER 32 ALLUDES TO the secret of the completeness of 132, MEANING THAT THE PREPARATION WAS MADE IN THEM TO RECEIVE THE 32 PATHS OF WISDOM FROM THE YUD OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, AS WRITTEN BEFORE.

152. At the end of the other 132 years - AS THOSE 132 THAT WERE COMPLETED IN TIFERET AND THE NUKVA, WHICH ARE VAV-HEI OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, ALSO HAVE TO ILLUMINATE IN CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, WHICH ARE YUD-HEI OF YUD HEI VAV HEI - THE VERSE will be fulfilled, "That it might take hold of the ends of the earth that the wicked might be shaken out of it" (Iyov 38:13). The Holy Land will be purified and the Holy One, blessed be He, will resurrect the dead in the Holy Land, and hosts upon hosts will arise in the Galilee.

153. Then will be mended the obstruction, which is in the Supernal Fountain OF YUD HEI VAV HEI - WHICH IS the letter Yud, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH - and the 32 paths IN CHOCHMAH will be established in completeness to emanate down. The letters of the Holy Name will be established, all of them completely, MEANING THE NAME Yud Hei Vav Hei, that were not complete heretofore.

154. Then shall come the time that the Supernal Fountain will flow and be drawn, WHICH IS YUD CONNECTED WITH HEI-VAV, WHICH ARE BINAH AND TIFERET, into the last Hei OF THE YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS THE NUKVA. This will be at the culmination of another 144 years. FOR THEY ARE THE SECRET OF THE THIRD 132 TO BE THERE WITH THE TWELVE TRIBES THAT ARE IN THE NUKVA, WHICH TOGETHER ARE 144 YEARS. The other dead in the other countries will be resurrected, NAMELY THE DEAD OUTSIDE OF THE LAND OF YISRAEL.

155. All this adds up to Chet-Tav, WHICH ARE TWO TIMES 132, PLUS 144 WHICH TOTALS TAV-CHET (= 408). The world will settle and have fragrance, and the Other Side will be removed from the world. And the lower Hei, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, will become filled from the Supernal Fountain, WHICH IS YUD OF YUD HEI VAV HEI AND THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH, and be crowned and illuminated perfectly. Then, it is written, "And the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold" (Yeshayah 30:26).

156. There will be a Shabbat for Hashem to gather souls with holy delight, NAMELY TO DRAW ADDITIONAL SOULS IN THE SECRET OF THE SUPERNAL UNION, during the entire seventh millennium, WHICH IS ENTIRELY SHABBAT. This is the stirring of the holy spirits of the nation of Yisrael to clothe themselves after Shabbat - NAMELY AFTER THE SEVENTH MILLENIUM - in other holy bodies, so as to be called 'Holy Ones,' as is written, "And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem shall be called Holy..." (Yeshayah 4:3). Up to this point are words of the concealed secrets.