176. "And there went a man of the house of Levi" (Shemot 2:1). Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion saying: "My beloved is gone down to his garden to the bed of spices" (Shir Hashirim 6:2). His garden is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, because she is a "bed of spices," included with all kinds of spices and fragrances of the World to Come, WHICH IS BINAH. At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, descends to this garden, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, all the souls of the righteous adorn themselves there, MEANING THAT THEY RECEIVE MOCHIN AND ILLUMINATIONS. They all exude fragrance, as is written, "The smell of your ointments than (or 'from' why not use the more intelligible translation?) all spices" (Shir Hashirim 4:10). These are the souls of the righteous, WHO ARE CALLED 'SPICES,' AND AFTER THEM, THE NUKVA IS CALLED 'A BED OF SPICES.' For Rabbi Yitzchak said, All these souls of the righteous who were in this world, and all the souls that will descend in the future to this world, are in this garden, WHICH IS THE NUKVA.
177. In the terrestrial Garden of Eden, they all retain the form and image that they had in this world, and their secrets and mystery were given over to the sages. The spirit that descends to people, which is of the female side, is always engraved on like a seal, WHOSE LETTERS ARE ETCHED. This is because the form of the body in this world protrudes outward, and the spirit is engraved internally. When the spirit removes itself from the body AND ASCENDS TO THE TERRESTRIAL GARDEN OF EDEN, that spirit protrudes in the terrestrial Garden of Eden in the form and shape of the body exactly as in this world, because it is always like a seal.
178. And therefore she said, "Set me as a seal" (Shir Hashirim 8:6). As a seal is engraved inwards, and THAT WHICH IS SEALED takes shape with an outward protruding form, so is the spirit that is from her side in that way exactly in this world; it is engraved inwards, AS WRITTEN IN THE PREVIOUS VERSE. When it removes itself from the body and enters the terrestrial Garden of Eden, in the air there - MEANING THAT IT CLEAVES THERE TO ITS LEVEL, WHICH IS THE SPIRIT IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN PROTRUDING FROM THAT ENGRAVING WHICH IS INWARDS to assume a shape - it takes shape with a form that protrudes outwardly as the configuration of the body was in this world.
179. The soul OF THE PERSON that is born of the Tree of Life, FROM ZEIR ANPIN, is formed there above in that bundle of life, WHICH IS MALCHUT, to delight in the beauty of Hashem, as is written, "To behold the beauty of Hashem, and to inquire in His temple" (Tehilim 27:4).
180. "And there went a man of the house of Levi." This is Gabriel, as written, "And the man Gabriel whom I saw in a vision" (Daniel 9:21). The house of Levi is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, that comes from the left side, BECAUSE GABRIEL IS FROM THE LEFT SIDE. "And took to wife a daughter of Levi" (Shemot 2:1); that is, the soul.
181. For we have learned that at the time that the body of a righteous is born in this world, the Holy One, blessed be He, calls Gabriel. Gabriel takes that soul that is in the Garden, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and lowers it to the body of the righteous man who is born in this world, and he, GABRIEL, is appointed over it and guards it.
182. You may ask why the angel who is appointed over the spirits of the righteous is named 'Night,' and yet you say that he is Gabriel? Most certainly HIS NAME IS NIGHT, because he comes from the left side and everything that comes from the left side is called 'NIGHT,' BUT HIS NAME IS ACTUALLY GABRIEL.
183. "And there went a man." This is Amram. "And took to wife a daughter of Levi." This is Jochebed. A heavenly voice came down and said to Amram that he should marry her because the time for the redemption of Yisrael is near, and it will come through the son that shall be born from them.
184. And the Holy One, blessed be He, assisted him, for we learned the Shechinah dwelt on their bed and that their intention when they cleaved together was on the Shechinah. Therefore, the Shechinah was not removed from the son whom they bore, so as to fulfill what is written, "And you shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy" (Vayikra 11:44). A person sanctifies himself from below, so the Holy One, blessed be He, sanctifies him from above. As their intention was the cleaving of the Shechinah, so did the Shechinah cleave to their very actions.
185. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Fortunate are the righteous, whose desire is to cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, always. As they cleave to Him constantly, thus does He cleave to them and never leaves them. Woe to the wicked, that their desire and cleaving are far removed from Him, FROM THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. For not only are they distanced from Him, but they also cleave to the Other Side, MEANING THE SIDE OF IMPURITY. Come and behold, from Amram who cleaved to the Holy One, blessed be He, Moses came. The Holy One, blessed be He, never turned from him, and the Shechinah cleaved to him always; thus, blessed is his lot.