106. "And he removed from there, and dug another well..." (Beresheet 26:22). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, "and Hashem shall guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and make strong your bones" (Yeshayah 58:11). This verse had already been explained, but by this verse the faithful were strengthened, for it promises them the World to Come. "And Hashem shall guide you continually" in this world and the World to Come. "And Hashem shall guide you." HE ASKS, Because he said, "And Hashem shall guide you," why add the word "continually (Heb. tamid)?" For this hints at the daily offering (lit. 'continue') made at dusk that receives its strength from underneath Yitzchak's arm, AS IT CORRESPONDS TO THE SERVICE OF MINCHAH, THAT ISAAC COMPOSED, WHO IS THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT. It is the portion of the World to Come, NAMELY, THE NUKVA, THAT RECEIVES THE PORTION OF CHOCHMAH FROM YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH, CALLED 'THE WORLD TO COME.' How do we know that "HASHEM SHALL GUIDE YOU CONTINUALLY" REFERS TO THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT? From David, as it is written, "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (Tehilim 23:3). JUST AS THE WORD "LEADS," SPOKEN BY DAVID, MEANS THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS," WHICH IS A NAME OF THE NUKVA WHEN SHE SHINES FROM THE LEFT, HERE TOO WHEN IT SAYS "GUIDE," IT ALLUDES TO THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT.
107. "And satisfy your soul in drought (also: brightness)" (Yeshayah 58:11) refers to the shining lamp, NAMELY, ZEIR ANPIN, THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE RIGHT, THE SECRET OF CHASSADIM, that all the souls delight in and take pleasure in beholding. The verses ends, "and make strong your bones" (Ibid.). The end does not suit the beginning, for if the soul of the righteous IS SATISFIED, AS SAID BEFORE "AND SATISFY YOUR SOUL IN BRIGHTNESS," WHICH SPEAKS ABOUT THE NEFESH AND NESHAMAH OF THE RIGHTEOUS, why does it now say "and make strong your bones," WHICH TALKS ABOUT THE BONES OF THE BODY? BUT HE ANSWERS that this has already been explained. It refers to the resurrection of the dead, the fact that the Holy One blessed be He, will revive the dead and fix man's bones as they were at first, in a whole body. And Light will be added from the shining lamp so the soul will be illuminated together with the body in a complete whole. IN THIS MANNER, IT REFERS TO THE SOUL OF THE RIGHTEOUS, TO WHICH THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WILL GIVE A WHOLE BODY IN WHICH TO BE CLOTHED FOR ETERNITY.
108. For this reason, it is written, "You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water" (Yeshayah 58:11). HE ASKS, What is this watered garden? AND HE ANSWERS, Its supernal water, THAT IS, THE ABUNDANT YIELD OF BINAH, never ceases its eternal flow. This garden, MALCHUT, always slakes its thirst from it. "A spring of water" refers to that river, which emerges and flows out of Eden, whose waters never cease flowing.
109. HE THEN EXPLAINED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WATERED GARDEN AND THE SPRING OF WATER. Come and behold, A well of living water is the supreme secret, WHICH IS BINAH, within the faith, WHICH IS MALCHUT. THEN SHE IS a cistern, from where the spring of water, and a cistern that is filled by that spring of water. These two grades are one, namely, male and female properly as one.
110. Come and behold, This spring of water and the cistern are one. Together they are called 'a well.' FOR THE SPRING IS DERIVES FROM ALEPH, AND MALCHUT IS A CISTERN (HEB. BOR). TOGETHER THEY FORM THE WELL (HEB. BE'ER). For this spring flows INTO MALCHUT and never ceases, so the cistern is always filled. And whoever looks at the well (NAMELY, AT MALCHUT) looks on the supernal mystery of faith (BINAH). And this is the reasoning behind THE LABOR OF the Patriarchs, who strove to dig a well of water in the supernal secret, BINAH. There must be no division between the source, WHICH IS THE SPRING OF WATER, and the cistern itself, for all is one.
111. THEN, "and he called the name of it Rechovot" (Beresheet 26:22). For this reason, its springs will spread on all sides, THAT IS, TO THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, WHICH ARE CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM, as it is written, "So will your spring be dispersed abroad, and streams of water will flow in the broad places (Heb. rechovot)" (Mishlei 5:16). For this reason, "he called the name of it Rechovot."
112. Rabbi Shimon began with the verse, "Wisdoms cry aloud in the streets; she utters her voice in the squares (Heb. rechovot)" (Mishlei 1:20). This verse contains a deep mystery. Why IS IT WRITTEN IN THE PLURAL, THAT IS, "wisdoms," AND NOT WISDOM? HE SAID, They are the upper wisdom, CHOCHMAH OF ARICH ANPIN, and the lower wisdom that is included and dwells within the upper one, THE LOWER CHOCHMAH, NAMELY, THE NUKVA.
113. "Cry aloud in the streets," Come and behold, The upper Chochmah OF ARICH ANPIN is the most concealed of all. It is not to be known or revealed, as it is written, "Man cannot know its price" (Iyov 28:13), for when it was diffused in order to illuminate, it shone on the secret of the World to Come. This World to Come was created from it, ARICH ANPIN, as we learned that the World to Come was created by the Yud, in which Chochmah was covered. And they became one WITH THE HEAD OF ARICH ANPIN, when everything was adorned with the secret of the World to Come. Everything then is joyfully luminous, everything is silent, never heard outside.
114. It wanted to illuminate further. Thus, from this place came fire, water, and wind, as we have learned. And they became one voice that went out and was heard. From then on, it assumed the aspect of "out." For inside it is silent, SOUNDLESS, never to be heard. Now that the secret is heard, it is called "out." From here on, it behooves a man to improve his deeds and ask, NAMELY TO PRAY AND ELEVATE FEMALE WATER AND DRAW CHOCHMAH. THIS IS LIKE ASKING FOR RAIN.
115. "In the squares (Heb. rechovot)." HE ASKS, What is the meaning of squares? HE REPLIED, this is the firmament where all the stars are shining, YESOD OF BINAH IN WHICH ARE SUSPENDED THE ENTIRE MOCHIN OF MALE AND FEMALE, AND THE SOULS, WHICH ARE CALLED 'STARS.' It is a spring "whose waters fail not" (Yeshayah 58:11), as it is written, "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden" (Beresheet 2:10). It is called 'Rechovot.' There "she utters her voice," the upper, BINAH, and the lower, MALCHUT. And all is one.