The balsam tree and the palanquin

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Aba and Rabbi Yosi are sitting one day under the pleasant shade of some trees. Rabbi Shimon opens the discussion by saying, "King Solomon made himself a palanquin from the woods of Levanon." He goes on to speak of the palanquin as 'the lower chamber,' which God called 'the Garden of Eden,' and built for Himself in order to commune with the souls of the righteous - for they are recorded there and it is there too that they are crowned. Disembodied souls, we are told, are filled with the delights of the river of the pure balsam tree. Rabbi Shimon states that the balsam tree is the upper chamber, covered and hidden, which represents Binah. 'Palanquin' is the lower chamber that has no support until it is held up by the upper chamber.

A discussion between the rabbis follows on the secret of one hundred, which is hidden in the names for 'Palanquin' and 'Balsam tree,' whose forms are comparable. Those who do not have a body in this world are suckled by the river of light that emerges from the pure balsam, while those who do have a body delight in the palanquin, which is the earthly garden. Rabbi Shimon then says that "King Solomon" means Zeir Anpin, God, with his attributes, which are the male world. The king without attributes refers to the Messiah, the female world. He concludes by saying that "The cedars of Lebanon that He planted," and of which the palanquin was built and completed, were Chesed, Gvurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod and Yesod.

Relevance

This marvelously informative discussion speaks to us of the two forms of the Garden of Eden that God has made for us, the garden on earth, where we may rest and be comforted, and the higher garden that awaits us after death, where we may commune with Him. Our souls give to and take from the qualities of the garden, emitting fragrance from our good deeds and in turn absorbing the exquisite fragrance of the garden.

By our thoughtful reading, our entire world is nourished by His Light. Our life is scented with the aroma of the garden, and the fragrance of Eden now emanates throughout the world, ushering in the arrival of the Messianic age.

Balsam Balsam Tree Offering Palanquin Sea of Galilee Seas Torah Tree Valley

19. וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה וְגוֹ'. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְר' אַבָּא וְר' יוֹסִי, הֲווֹ יַתְבֵי יוֹמָא חַד, תְּחוֹת אִילָנֵי, בְּבִקְעָתָא גַּבֵּי יַמָּא דְּגִנּוֹסָר. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כַּמָּה יָאֶה צִלָּא דָּא, דְּחַפְיָא עֲלָן מִגּוֹ אִילָנֵי, וַאֲנָן צְרִיכִין לְאַעְטְּרָא הַאי אֲתָר בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא.

Balsam Balsam Tree Body Chambers Crowns Eden Heifer Lebanon Palanquin Righteous Rivers Soul, The Tree

20. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "King Solomon made himself a palanquin from the woods of Lebanon" (Shir Hashirim 3:9). We have established and learned this passage. Still, palanquin is the lower chamber, MALCHUT, which is similar to the upper chamber, BINAH. The Holy One, blessed be He, called it the Garden of Eden, which He plants for His pleasure, and His desire is to amuse Himself in it with the souls of the righteous, for they all stand there and are recorded there. The souls that do not have a body in this world all ascend and are crowned there. They have places to see and to delight in the supernal delight that is called the pleasantness of Hashem, and there they are filled with all the delights of the river of the pure balsam tree.

20. פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר, אַפִּרְיוֹן עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה מֵעֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן. הַאי קְרָא הָא אוֹקִימְנָא לֵיהּ וְאִתְּמַר, אֲבָל אַפִּרְיוֹן, דָּא הֵיכָלָא דִּלְתַתָּא, דְּאִיהוּ כְּגַוְונָא דְּהֵיכָלָא עִלָּאָה, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרָא לֵיהּ גִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, דְּאִיהוּ נָטַע לֵיהּ לַהֲנָאָתֵיהּ, וְכִסּוּפָא דִּילֵיהּ לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בֵּיהּ גּוֹ אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּתַּמָּן כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימִין וּרְשִׁימִין בְּגַוֵּיהּ. אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּלֵית לוֹן גּוּפָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, כֻּלְּהוּ סַלְּקִין וּמִתְעַטְּרָן תַּמָּן, וְאִית לוֹן דּוּכְתִּין לְמֵחֱמֵי, לְאִתְעַנְּגָא גּוֹ עִנּוּגָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִקְרֵי נֹעַם יְיָ'. וְתַמָּן אִתְמַלְּיָין מִכָּל כִּסּוּפִין דְּנַהֲרֵי דְּאֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא.

Balsam Balsam Tree Chambers Palanquin Tree

Balsam Balsam Tree Directions East Form Light North Palanquin South Tree West

22. What is the difference BETWEEN THE BALSAM TREE AND THE PALANQUIN? When the supernal light above is hidden and concealed in it, BINAH assumes in the form of the letter Samech, IN WHICH THE LIGHT is concealed. It is hidden in it in order to ascend above. When she returns and settles, she sits over her children below to nurse them. Then it dons the form of the letter final Mem, which lies and is closed to all four directions of the world, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, AND MALCHUT, FOR CHESED AND GVURAH ARE SOUTH AND NORTH AND TIFERET AND MALCHUT ARE EAST AND WEST.

22. מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּסָתִים וְאִתְגְּנִיז בְּגַוֵּיהּ, גּוֹ נְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה לְעֵילָּא, כְּדֵין אִיהִי קַיְּימָא, בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּאָת סָמֶךְ סָתִים בְּגַוֵּיהּ, וְאִתְגְּנִיז בֵּיהּ, לְסַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא. וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּהַדְרָא וְיָתְבָא רְבִיעָא עַל בְּנִין לְתַתָּא לְיַנְקָא לוֹן, כְּדֵין אִיהִי קַיְּימָא בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּאָת ם רְבִיעָא סְתִימָא לְגוֹ אַרְבַּע סִטְרִין דְּעָלְמָא.

Balsam Balsam Tree Blessing Brit (Covenant) Corners Covenant (Brit) Directions Form Hebrew Letters Hundred Palanquin Ten Tree

23. Hence, one is a balsam tree and the other a palanquin, BECAUSE A PALANQUIN (HEB. APIRION), WHICH IS MALCHUT, IS PERFECTED SIMILAR TO THE BALSAM TREE (HEB. APHARSEMON), WHICH IS BINAH, AND THEY HAVE THE SAME FORM instead of the two letters, Samech and final Mem, THAT ARE IN APHARSEMON, there is a Yud IN APIRION, in the secret of the Covenant, and it will eventually receive all FROM THE SAMECH (= 60) AND FINAL MEM (= 40), which is the secret of the one hundred blessings. Samech and final Mem ARE sixty and forty, with sixty corresponding to the six corners that emerge from the Samech and forty corresponding to the four directions of the world. The letter Yud OF APIRION ALSO completes the secret of one hundred, THAT IS, YUD (= 10) SFIROT, EACH COMPOSED OF TEN - like the supernal SAMECH AND FINAL MEM IN APHARSEMON - WHICH IS BINAH. Therefore, one is apharsemon and the other an apirion, AND THEIR FORMS ARE EQUAL!

23. וְעַל דָּא, דָּא אִיהוּ אֲפַרְסָמוֹן, וְדָא הוּא אַפִּרְיוֹן. וּבַאֲתָר תְּרֵין אַתְוָון ס"מ, קַיְּימָא י', בְּרָזָא דִּבְרִית, דְּאִיהוּ זַמִּין לְנָטְלָא כֹּלָּא, רָזָא דְּאִינּוּן מְאָה בִּרְכָּאן, שִׁתִין וְאַרְבְּעִין. שִׁתִּין, לָקֳבֵל שִׁית סִטְרִין, דְּנַפְקֵי מֵאָת ס.' אַרְבְּעִין, לָקֳבֵל ד' סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא, וְכֹלָּא אַשְׁלִימוּ לְמֵאָה. וְאָת יוֹ"ד, אִיהוּ אַשְׁלִים לְרָזָא דְּמֵאָה, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. וע"ד, דָּא אֲפַרְסָמוֹן, וְדָא אַפִּרְיוֹן.

Balsam Body Deeds Eden Fragrance Light Palanquin Rivers Soul, The

24. They are the rivers that emerge from that balsam, and the supernal souls that do not have a body in this world nurse from the light that emerges from the pure balsam and delight in this supernal delight. The souls that have a body in this world ascend and nurse from this palanquin and descend. These give and take, giving the fragrance from those good deeds in which they endeavored in this world and taking from that fragrance that remained in the Garden of Eden, as it is written, "Like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed" (Beresheet 27:27), meaning the fragrance that remained in that field. They all stand in that Garden. Those THAT DO NOT HAVE A BODY IN THIS WORLD delight above IN THE BALSAM WHICH IS BINAH IN THE GARDEN, and those THAT HAVE A BODY IN THIS WORLD, delight below IN THE PALANQUIN, WHICH IS MALCHUT IN THE GARDEN.

24. אִינּוּן נַהֲרֵי נָפְקִין מֵאֲפַרְסָמוֹן דָּא, וְנִשְׁמָתִין עִלָּאִין, דְּלֵית לוֹן גּוּפָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, יַנְקִין מֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּ דְּנָפִיק מֵאִינּוּן נַהֲרֵי אֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא, וּמִתְעַנְּגֵי בְּעִנּוּגָא דָּא עִלָּאָה, וְנִשְׁמָתִין דְּאִית לוֹן גּוּפָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, סַלְּקִין וְיַנְקִין מֵהַהוּא נְהִירוּ דְּאַפִּרְיוֹן דָּא, וְנַחְתִּין. וְאִלֵּין יַהֲבֵי וְנַטְלֵי. יַהֲבֵי רֵיחָא, מֵאִינּוּן עוֹבְדִין דְּכַשְׁרָאן, דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. וְנַטְלֵי מֵהַהוּא רֵיחָא דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר בֵּיהּ בְּגִנְתָּא, כד"א כְּרֵיחַ שָׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרֲכוֹ יְיָ', רֵיחָא דְּאִשְׁתְּאַר בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא חַקְלָא. וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי בְּהַהִיא גִּנְתָּא, אִלֵּין מִתְעַנְּגֵי לְעֵילָּא, וְאִלֵּין מִתְעַנְּגֵי לְתַתָּא.

Female Lebanon Male Messiah, The Palanquin Peace Righteous Soul, The Zeir Anpin

25. "King Solomon made himself," for his own benefit. HE QUESTIONS, The souls of the pious delight with it, yet you say "made himself?" HE ANSWERS, It is certainly so, because this palanquin and these souls of the righteous all exist so that the Holy One, blessed be He, can amuse Himself with them, SO WE SEE THAT HE MADE IT FOR HIMSELF. "King Solomon" (Heb. Shlomo) is the King that the peace (Heb. shalom) is His, namely the supernal King, ZEIR ANPIN. 'The King' without attributes refers to Messiah, WHICH IS MALCHUT. The one is the male world and the other the female world. "From the woods of Lebanon:" THESE ARE the trees and plants that the Holy One, blessed be He, uprooted and planted in a different place. THEY ARE THE SEVEN SFIROT OF MALE AND FEMALE THAT WERE IN MALCHUT WITH THE QUALITY OF JUDGMENT, WHICH HE UPROOTED AND REPLANTED IN BINAH, IN THE SECRET OF MALCHUT OF THE QUALITY OF MERCY. These are called the cedars of Lebanon, as it is written, "The cedars of Lebanon that He planted" (Tehilim 104:16). This palanquin was built and completed with them alone.

25. עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה, עָשָׂה לוֹ, לְגַרְמֵיהּ. וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא מִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָן בֵּיהּ, וְאַתּ אַמָרְתּ עָשָׂה לוֹ. הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי. בְּגִין דְּהַאי אַפִּרְיוֹן וְכָל אִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה, מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְדָא אִיהוּ מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה הַמֶּלֶךְ סְתָם, דָּא מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. דָּא עָלְמָא דִּדְכוּרָא, וְדָא עָלְמָא דְּנוּקְבָּא. מֵעֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן אִינּוּן אִילָנִין נְטִיעָן, דְּעָקַר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְשָׁתִיל לוֹן בַּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא, וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן, כד"א, אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן אֲשֶׁר נָטָע. וְלָא אִתְבְּנֵי הַאי אַפִּרְיוֹן, וְלָא אִשְׁתַּכְלָל אֶלָּא בְּהוּ.