"Gold, and silver, and brass"

227. He opened the discussion saying, "That they bring Me an offering... " (Shemot 25:2), MEANING THAT IT IS MALCHUT THAT IS JOINED WITH ZEIR ANPIN, as we have learned. What makes it an offering? IT IS in the secret of Gold, WHICH IS THE LEFT COLUMN, because it is nourished originally from there as it is the lower Gvurah that comes from the side of Gold. FROM THERE IS THE ILLUMINATIONS OF CHOCHMAH BECAUSE MALCHUT IS BUILT FROM THE LEFT COLUMN. Even though She comes from the side of Gold, She perseveres only by the side of silver, which is the Right COLUMN, NAMELY, BY THE ILLUMINATION OF CHASSADIM.

228. This is the secret of the Cup of Blessing THAT ALLUDES TO MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'CUP.' One should accept it with the right and left hands, but it remains only in the right. The left arouses the right, FOR IT PROVIDES THE BRILLIANCE OF CHOCHMAH THAT IS IN IT. It does not become attached, because THE CUP is given between right and left, and the left joins AND IS INCLUDED under THE RIGHT. The right becomes joined above, IN ZEIR ANPIN, as it is written, "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me" (Shir Hashirim 2:6). Gold and silver are as in the verse, "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine" (Chagai 2:8), MEANING THE RIGHT AND LEFT OF ZEIR ANPIN. BUT IN MALCHUT, GOLD IS FIRST AND THEN SILVER, BECAUSE SHE IS BUILT FROM THE LEFT COLUMN WHICH IS GOLD, as has already been explained.

229. "And brass" (Shemot 25:3): Its color is similar to gold, because it is colored from the color gold and the color silver, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS RECEIVED IN THE RIGHT AND LEFT OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH ARE GOLD AND SILVER AS MENTIONED EARLIER. Therefore, the brass altar was small, as it is written, "For the altar that was before Hashem was too small to accommodate the offering... " (I Melachim 8:64), and, "And David was the smallest" (I Shmuel 17:14), MEANING MALCHUT WHICH IS CALLED "THE LESSER LUMINARY" (BERESHEET 1:16). Even though it is small, everything is included in it. If you ask why the other altar, NAMELY THE INNER ONE, is called 'small,' IT IS BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY ONE CUBIT BY ONE CUBIT. It is not so, FOR IT IS NOT DEPENDENT UPON MEASURE, for the only one which is small is the one about which it is written, "The greater luminary to rule the day, and the lesser luminary to rule the night." This one, THE BRASS ALTAR, is the lesser luminary; the greater luminary is the inner altar, which is the gold altar.

230. "And blue" (Ibid.): This is the blue wool of the Tzitzit (Eng. 'fringes'). Blue wool is the Throne, the secret of the hand Tefilin, WHICH IS MALCHUT. Blue wool is the Throne OF JUSTICE, on which criminal law, life and death, is judged, MEANING MALCHUT IN THE SIDE OF SEVERE JUDGMENT. There is a throne upon which monetary laws are judged, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF WEAK JUDGMENT, and there is a throne upon which criminal law is judged, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF SEVERE JUDGMENT. AND BLUE IS THE SEVERE JUDGMENT THAT IS IN MALCHUT. Therefore, all the colors are acceptable in a dream except for blue, for this notifies one that his soul is to be judged. When the soul is being judged, the body is sentenced to destruction, and that dream needs great Mercy.

231. Blue wool is the Throne, about which is written, "The likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone... A brightness round about him" (Yechezkel 1:26-27). When it is used for loops for the Tzitzit (Eng. 'fringes'), THE BRIGHTNESS ILLUMINATES IT. When the brightness illuminates it, it becomes the color green, AS WHITE BECOMES MORE VISIBLE IN IT, FOR THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE BRIGHTNESS THAT LIGHTS UP TOWARD MORNING. From then on the time starts to read the reading of Sh'ma, because the color of blue has changed from what it was; NAMELY, TO THE COLOR GREEN WHICH IS WEAK JUDGMENT. It is therefore prohibited to judge life and death law at night, because the color blue dominates at that time and permission is given to snatch a soul without trial, MEANING THE OTHER SIDE HAS POWER THEN TO CONFUSE THE MINDS OF THE JUDGES, because the Judgment, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN WHICH IS MERCY, does not dominate at that time.

232. When morning arrives, the right of above awakens, that light emerges and reaches this blue. It changes from what it was, and then the RIGHT dominates it and a different holy throne then attaches to it, OF MERCY. From that moment on is the time to recite the reading of Sh'ma.

233. "And purple:" This is all the colors gathered together, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, MEANING THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT INCLUDES ALL THE THREE COLUMNS WHICH ARE WHITE, RED, AND GREEN. "And scarlet:" It is written "scarlet (lit. 'worm of shani')" and 'scarlet' in, "For all her household are clothed with scarlet (Heb. shanim)" (Mishlei 31:21). This here is the color called 'scarlet,' which includes all the colors. And shani and shanim are one, as shanim IS CALLED when they are all included in it together. Shani emerges from the supernal Throne, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS THE THRONE FOR BINAH, that dominates blue from the right side. This is the guardian of Yisrael, of whom it is written, "Michael your prince" (Daniel 10:21). HE IS CALLED 'a worm,' because his strength is in his mouth, like a worm that breaks everything and uproots everything.

234. "And scarlet, and fine linen" (Shemot 25:3): These are two colors together of right and left, which are white and red AND THEY ARE BOTH IN YESOD, BECAUSE THE JUDGMENTS IN MALCHUT ARE INCLUDED IN YESOD. "Fine linen (Heb. shesh)" is linen in which six (Heb. shesh) threads are combined, NAMELY YESOD. This is the meaning of, "His body also was like the beryl" (Ibid. 6), WHO IS THE ANGEL GABRIEL. This is because in these two, WHICH ARE CHESED AND GVURAH THAT ARE IN YESOD, are included two others, WHICH ARE MICHAEL AND GABRIEL. MICHAEL IS IN SCARLET AND GABRIEL IN FINE LINEN.

235. "And goats' skins" (Ibid. 3): They are lower Gvurot in the exterior; THEY ARE TIFERET AND MALCHUT THAT ARE IN THE KLIPAH OF NOGAH (ENG. 'BRIGHTNESS') OF BRIYAH that cover the internal ones THAT ARE IN HOLINESS. Everything is necessary, because it is necessary to give place for everything. They come from the side of gold, FOR THEY ARE DRAWN FROM THE SIDE OF GVURAH THAT IS CALLED 'GOLD.' "And rams' skins dyed red" (Ibid. 5): They are drawn from two sides, right and left, WHICH ARE CHOCHMAH AND BINAH OF THE KLIPAH OF NOGAH in order to cover in another place THE HOLINESS, BECAUSE THE GOATS' SKINS COVER OVER THE ASPECTS THAT CORRESPOND TO THEM IN HOLINESS AND RAMS' SKINS DYED RED COVER OVER THE ASPECTS THAT CORRESPOND TO THEM IN HOLINESS.

236. "And badgers' skins:" There is one aspect that grows in the Other Side, in the wilderness and is not found in inhabited places. This is the aspect of purity and is called 'badger,' WHICH IS MALE AND FEMALE NOGAH OF ATZILUT THAT GROWS IN THE MIDST OF THREE KLIPOT, WHICH ARE A STORM WIND, A GREAT CLOUD, AND A FIRE FLARING UP.

237. In the Book of King Solomon there are high secrets concerning the brass altar as we said. About the earthen altar it is written, "An altar of earth you shall make to Me" (Shemot 20:21). This is a regular secret, WHICH IS MALCHUT. When other mountains dominate AND MALCHUT has to nourish them, She becomes colored in this color OF BRASS in order to nourish them. FOR THEN MALCHUT IS CALLED 'THE BRASS ALTAR' and they are called 'brass mountains.'

238. One spirit is drawn from this altar upon these brass mountains, MALCHUT, WHICH IS THE LETTER NUN OF NECHOSHET (NUN-CHET -SHIN-TAV). When this altar ascends in a different ascension, the letter Nun also ascends, which is the holy altar. And the spirit of these brass mountains remains, WHICH IS THE LETTERS CHET-SHIN-TAV. When the spirit starts rising, it is called 'a badger' (Heb. tachash, Tav-Chet-Shin), because the letter Nun has gone up from it.

239. This spirit TACHASH is divided into many other spirits and this nation was therefore called 'Tachash,' as it is written, "And Tachash and Ma'achah" (Beresheet 22:24). They used to have knowledge of this animal, TACHASH, that was in the tabernacle and is named after them.

240. "And Acacia wood" (Shemot 25:5): These are the holy secrets of these holy boards of the Tabernacle, which are named after their secret, NAMELY ACACIA WOOD. IN RELATION TO THE BOARDS, it is written, "Acacia wood standing up" (Shemot 26:15) and "Serafim stood above" (Yeshayah 6:2) TO TEACH THAT THE BOARDS ARE THE SECRET OF SERAFIM.

241. From here and further, "oil for the light" is the drawing of the holy oil of greatness to flow upon them; NAMELY, THE MOCHIN OF THE FIRST THREE SFIROT. "Onyx stones and stones to be set" (Shemot 25:7): These are the holy stones, the foundations of the tabernacle, FOR THEY ARE THE SECRET OF THE FOUR ANGELS, MICHAEL, GABRIEL, URIEL AND RAPHAEL. FOR EACH ONE OF THEM INCLUDES THREE COLUMNS WHICH ARE THE TWELVE THAT CARRY THE CHARIOT, WHICH IS MALCHUT. In these holy Chariots, these TWELVE HERETOFORE MENTIONED come on their own to glorify and praise in a precious garment, NAMELY THE BREASTPLATE, so the priest should concentrate there on them and mention these twelve tribes. Therefore, there are twelve stones, as we have learned.

242. There are thirteen kinds, NAMELY GOLD, SILVER, ETC., besides these twelve precious stones THAT ARE THE STONES TO BE SET. Together, they add up to 25, the 25 letters in the supernal mystery of union. Corresponding to these, Moses engraved and arranged 25 letters in the secret of the verse of union, as it is written, "Hear, O Yisrael, Hashem our Elohim, Hashem is One" (Devarim 6:4), which contains 25 letters engraved and carved in the supernal secret.

243. Jacob wanted to prepare below, IN MALCHUT, in the secret of union, so he prepared 24 letters, which are, 'Blessed is the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.' He did not complete to 25 letters, because the tabernacle was not yet completed, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO MALCHUT. As soon as the tabernacle was completed and the first thing to emerge was completed, he spoke only with 25 letters to show that it was completed similarly to above, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. As it is written, "And Hashem called to Moses, and spoke to him out of the Tent of Meeting, saying" (Vayikra 1:1), which contains 25 letters.

244. Therefore, there were 25 kinds with which to complete the preparation of the tabernacle, and we established all these letters to be the engraved letters, about which I learned from Master. Once the tabernacle was completed with these secrets, it is called 'koh' (Caf-Hei = 25) IN THE COMPLETE UNION OF THE TABERNACLE, WHICH IS MALCHUT. Therefore, it is written, "And Your pious ones shall bless You (Heb. yevarchuchah)" (Tehilim 145:10), WHICH CONTAINS THE LETTERS 'YEVARCHU (ENG. 'BLESS') CAF-HEI,' for CAF-HEI is the secret of the completion of the entire tabernacle and its preparation, AS EXPLAINED IN THE ADJACENT ESSAY. Caf-Hei corresponds to 22 letters and the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings, which are under one rule and one secret.

245. The children of Yisrael declare the unity with this passage in the secret of the 25 letters, which are, "Hear, O Yisrael: Hashem our Elohim; Hashem is one" together with 'Blessed is the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever,' which contains 24 letters and concentrate on each one of them. Then all the letters join together and, in one bond, amount to 49 gates in the secret of Jubilee,' WHICH IS BINAH, BECAUSE 25 AND 24 EQUAL 49. It is necessary to mount UNTIL BINAH but not higher. And then the 49 gates of BINAH are opened and the Holy One, blessed be He, considers for the person as though he has fulfilled the whole Torah that comes in 49 aspects.

246. Therefore, the person has to concentrate the heart and will on 25 and 24 and elevate them with a willing of the heart to the 49 gates that we mentioned. After he has concentrated on this, he should concentrate on that union that my master said, WHO IS RABBI SHIMON, that "Hear, O Yisrael" and 'Blessed is the Name... ' are the inclusion of the entire Torah. Happy is the portion of he who concentrates on them, for it is certainly the entirety of the whole Torah above and below. This is the secret of the complete man, male and female, BECAUSE SH'MA YISRAEL IS THE ASPECT MALE AND 'BLESSED IS THE NAME' IS THE ASPECT OF FEMALE, and this is the secret of the entire Faith.

247. There is an argument between Shammai and Hillel about rising up and lying down, for it is written, "When you lie down, and when you rise up" (Devarim 6:7). Shammai holds that in the evening the female rules, so in relation to the female it is necessary to turn and recite THE SH'MA, MEANING LYING DOWN. In the morning, when the male, ZEIR ANPIN, dominates with the domination of the upper world, it is necessary to rise up and read before the male, just as it is necessary during Amidah prayer, WHICH MUST BE STANDING. So in every place that relates to the male, IT IS IN STANDING.

248. The house of Hillel holds that if this one would be alone, ZEIR ANPIN, and this one alone, MALCHUT, then it should have been so, TO DIVIDE IT THUS THAT THIS ONE SHOULD BE STANDING AND THIS ONE LYING. But since we join ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT together, in the union of 49 versions and 49 gates, WHICH ARE THE 25 OF "SH'MA" AND THE 24 OF 'BLESSED IS THE NAME... ' AS MENTIONED ABOVE, we do not have to separate this one on its own and that one on its own, but rather see that everything is one without division. FOR THERE SHOULD BE NO DIVISION BETWEEN THE READING OF SH'MA IN THE MORNING AND THE READING OF SH'MA IN THE EVENING. However, as to the person finds himself, so he should recite it, EITHER STANDING OR LYING DOWN, because they are both in one bond as they please. This is the way it should be presented.

249. Therefore, the male, ZEIR ANPIN, is in six sides of the passage, "Sh'ma Yisrael," which are six other words CORRESPONDING TO THE SIX SIDES OF GREATNESS THAT HE RECEIVES FROM ABA AND IMA. And the female is in the six sides of, 'Blessed is the Name,' which are the six words CORRESPONDING TO THE SIX SIDES OF GREATNESS THAT SHE RECEIVES FROM ZEIR ANPIN. They BOTH rise in one bond in the secret of 49 gates, and the law is always according to the house of Hillel.