740. The Holy One, blessed be He, sowed this light in His Garden of Eden, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and formed it in rows, MEANING THAT HE DIVIDED IT ACCORDING TO THE COLUMNS, by the hand of this righteous, who is the gardener of the Garden, who took this light and sowed it a true seed. And He formed it in rows in the Garden of Eden, WHICH IS MALCHUT. It sprouted and produced fruit, and from there is the world nourished. This is what is meant by, "Light is sown for the righteous" (Tehilim 97:11).

741. It is written, "And as a garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth" (Yeshayah 61:11). HE QUESTIONS, What are "the things that are sown in it?" HE ANSWERS, These are the things that were sown by the First Light, which is sown constantly. Now it bears and produces fruits, and now it is again sown as before, before the world eats up this fruit that this plant produces, so we find that it produces fruit incessantly. Therefore, the world is fed by the supply of that Garden, which is called 'Righteous,' NAMELY YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, that neither rests nor pauses forever.

742. Except during the time that the children of Yisrael are in exile. If you ask, During the time of exile, it is said, "The waters fail from the sea" (Iyov 14:11), WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'SEA' and the river is parched, and dries up" (Ibid.) WHICH IS YESOD THAT IS CALLED 'A RIVER' THAT EMERGES FROM EDEN. IF SO, how can it produce offspring? HE ANSWERS, But it is written "is sown," WHICH MEANS that constantly it is sown, EVEN DURING THE TIME OF EXILE. From the day that that river stopped coming into the Garden of Eden, WHICH IS YESOD THAT IS CALLED 'GARDENER,' that gardener no longer entered there. That light that is constantly being sown produces fruits, because from it and by itself it is sown as before, and it never ceases. THIS IS LIKE a garden that produces offspring, and from its PREVIOUS planting it falls back to its place, MEANING THAT DURING THE HARVESTING OF THE FIELD, SEEDS FALL TO THE GROUND, and produce offspring by itself, as before. If you remark that the offspring and the fruits are the same as when that gardener was there, it is not so. Yet this sowing is never interrupted.

743. Similarly, "And Torah is light" (Mishlei 6:23). The Torah was given from the side of that First Light and so is it sown constantly in the world, producing offspring and fruits. It never stops, and from its fruit the world is nourished.

744. "And reproofs of instruction are the way of life" (Mishlei 6:23). There are two ways, one is the way of life and one is the opposite of it. What is the sign of the way of life? It is "reproofs of instruction," for when the Holy One, blessed be He, wishes to guard the way of life, He places over it one who smites and makes reproofs of instruction for the people of the world. Who is he? He is that of which is written, "And the bright blade of a revolving sword to guard the way to the Tree of Life" (Beresheet 3:24). Therefore, "reproofs of instruction are the way of life," for one who receives reproof, MEANING SUFFERINGS, is surely awakened to walk that way of life, for there dwell reproofs of instruction.

745. The verse, "FOR THE COMMANDMENT IS A CANDLE... :" Its beginning is not like its end and its end is not like its beginning, BECAUSE IT STARTS WITH THE LIGHT OF TORAH AND PRECEPTS AND ENDS WITH REPROOFS OF INSTRUCTION. HE ANSWERS, All that is in this verse pertains to the secret of the Faith, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT. "For the commandment is a candle" is the secret of 'keep,' WHICH IS MALCHUT, and "Torah is light" is the secret of 'remember,' WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. "And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:" These are the decrees and punishments in the Torah. It is all the secret of the Faith, NAMELY FOR THE PERFECTION OF MALCHUT, and they need each other so that the secret of it all is well established.