253. Rabbi Aba opened the scripture and said, "A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah" (Tehilim 63:1). HE QUESTIONS, What is the difference from all the other praises, in which it doesn't say where King David recited them, but here it says, "... when he was in the wilderness of Judah?" HE ANSWERS, This is really not the only one, because there is also, "When he changed his demeanor before Avimelech" (Tehilim 34:1) and also, "When the Zifim came" (Tehilim 54:2). This is to show to all the people of the world the praise of David. Even though he was in pain and they were pursuing him, he endeavored to recite songs and praises to his Master.

254. He would say it through the Holy Spirit, yet the Holy Spirit did not dwell upon him until he endeavored that it should dwell upon him. And always, the Holy Spirit does not dwell from above until the person arouses it from below. Even though they were pursuing David and he was in pain, he did not forsake the songs and praises from his mouth and HE DID NOT INTERRUPT his praising of his Master above any other thing.

255. If you ask that we learned, "A psalm of David" SHOWS THAT FIRST THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELT UPON HIM AND AFTERWARD HE RECITED POETRY, or "To David a psalm" SHOWS THAT FIRST HE RECITED POETRY AND AFTERWARDS THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELT UPON HIM. Here the Holy Spirit dwelt first, because he said, "A psalm of David." SO IT SEEMS THAT IT WAS WITHOUT ENDEAVORING? HE ANSWERS, But if he did not consecrate himself first, the Holy Spirit would not dwell upon him.

256. "A psalm" is the Holy Spirit THAT IS CALLED 'A PSALM.' Why is it called so? Because MALCHUT, WHICH IS THE HOLY SPIRIT, constantly praises the supernal King, ZEIR ANPIN, for at all times She praises and sings and is not silent. When David came and found the body OF MALCHUT, MEANING HER SIX ENDS, properly prepared and she dwelt upon him, he revealed in this world his praise and song to the King, ZEIR ANPIN, and all this in order to prepare this world similar to the world of above.

257. "To David," MEANING a man who is complete in his exertions, a perfected man, a righteous man. David certainly did not ever change. FOR HE WAS THE SAME, BOTH AT TIME OF PEACE AND TIME OF GRIEF. "When he was in the wilderness of Judah:" This is the praise of David, even though he was in his pain and even though they were pursuing him, HE SANG AND PRAISED HASHEM. Which praise did he say? A praise that is great and precious.

258. What is the superiority OF THIS PRAISE? IT IS "Elohim, You are my El; earnestly I seek You" (Tehilim 63:2). HE QUESTIONS, Just Elohim MEANS THE ELOHIM OF ALL, since he said "Elohim." Why did he add "my El?" HE ANSWERS, But this SHOWS his level, because there are three levels here, "Elohim," "my El," and "You." Even though they are three names, they are one level in the secret of Living Elohim. "Elohim" IS above IN BINAH THAT IS CALLED 'Living Elohim.' "My El" is the end of the heavens to the end of the heavens, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN and "You" is his level, NAMELY MALCHUT. Even though it is all one and it amounts to one name ACCORDING TO THE LITERAL MEANING OF THE PASSAGE, STILL IN ALL THEY ALLUDE TO THREE LEVELS.

259. "I seek You (Heb. ashacharecha)." (Tehilim 65:2). If we follow the literal meaning, it is beautiful AND NEEDS NO EXPLANATION, but THERE IS A SECRET HERE. Ashacharecha MEANS that he prepared the light that illuminates during blackness (Heb. shacharut), WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE LIGHT OF CHOCHMAH. DUE TO LACK OF CHASSADIM, IT CANNOT ILLUMINATE. THEREFORE, IT IS CALLED 'BLACK LIGHT,' because the light that is found in blackness does not illuminate until it is mended below, MEANING UNTIL MAYIN NUKVIN (FEMALE WATERS) ARE ELEVATED AND CHASSADIM ARE DRAWN, SO THAT CHOCHMAH CAN BE ATTIRED WITH THEM. THEN IT ILLUMINATES, AS IT IS WRITTEN THERE. The one that mends this blackness, even though he is black, merits the white light that illuminates. For this is the light of the mirror that illuminates, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and such a person will merit the World to Come.

260. This is the secret of, "And those who seek me early (Heb. meshacharai) shall find me (Heb. yimtza'uneni)" (Mishlei 8:17). Meshacharai MEANS that they prepare the light of meshacharai, NAMELY THE black (Heb. shachor) LIGHT. 'Yimtza'uneni' instead of the common 'yimtzauni' SHOWS that he merits two lights, the light of blackness, WHICH IS THE CHOCHMAH THAT IS IN MALCHUT THAT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF CHASSADIM, and the white light illuminating, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN THAT ATTIRES THE CHOCHMAH THAT IS IN MALCHUT WITH CHASSADIM, SO SHE ILLUMINATES. SO WE FIND THAT he merits the mirror that does not illuminate, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and the mirror that illuminates, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN; hence 'yimtza'uneni,' MEANING TWO LIGHTS. Therefore, David said, "I seek You (Heb. ashacharecha)," because he installed the black light, WHICH IS MALCHUT, so that the white light that illuminates could shine on him, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN SO THAT THE CHOCHMAH IN MALCHUT WOULD BE ATTIRED IN THE CHASSADIM OF ZEIR ANPIN. THEN MALCHUT IS MENDED AND ILLUMINATES.

261. "My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You" (Tehilim 63:2); NAMELY, as one hungry for food and thirsty for water "in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is," (Ibid.), MEANING MALCHUT UNDER THE DOMINATION OF THE LEFT, WHICH IS A BLACK LIGHT, AS MENTIONED ABOVE, DUE TO A LACK OF CHASSADIM CALLED 'WATER' for then it is a wasteland and not a place of habitation, nor a holy place. Therefore, IT IS CONSIDERED a place without water. THEREFORE DAVID IMPROVED HER AND DREW WATER TO HER FROM ZEIR ANPIN, AS MENTIONED ABOVE. As we are hungry and thirsty for you, FOR CHASSADIM, in this place, so "I have seen You in the sanctuary," BECAUSE HUNGER AND THIRST CAUSE THE ELEVATION OF MAYIN NUKVIN (FEMALE WATERS), THE DRAWING OF CHASSADIM FROM ZEIR ANPIN AND THE CLOTHING OF THE BLACK LIGHT OF MALCHUT. THEN SHE RETURNS TO HOLINESS AND ILLUMINATES. RABBI ABA SAID TO RABBI SHIMON, Just as we are thirsty for Master to drink thirstily his words in this place, so are we thirsty to drink His words thirstily in the Temple, the place that is called 'Holy.' Rabbi Shimon said to Rabbi Aba: Let him who started speaking, speak now AS WELL.