922. Rabbi Yitzchak said, It is written, "And I will make youngsters their princes, and babes shall rule over them" (Yeshayah 3:4). This is in accordance with the verse, "And you shall make two Cherubs of gold" (Shemot 25:18) THAT ARE METATRON AND SANDALPHON, WHO ARE CALLED 'YOUTHS.' It is written, "who sits upon the Cherubs" (I Shmuel 4:4) and also, "And He rode upon a Cherub, and did fly" (II Shmuel 22:11), MEANING ONLY ON ONE CHERUB. HE ANSWERS, When THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, wishes to settle upon them entirely, it is written, "Who sits upon the Cherubs," THAT HE SETTLES ON THEM BOTH TOGETHER. But when the King does not dwell and is not seated on the throne, MEANING WHEN THERE IS NO UNION ABOVE BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE, it is written, "And He rode upon a Cherub." This is because the King, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, is not seated on His throne, THAT IS MALCHUT. BUT "Who sits on the Cherubs" would imply two.

923. Rabbi Yosi said, Woe is to the world when one cherub turns his face away from his neighbor, FOR THIS SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO UNION ABOVE OF RIGHT AND LEFT. It is written, "And their faces shall look one to another" (Shemot 25:20) at the time that there is peace in the world. IT IS IMPLIED THAT IF THEY DO NOT FACE EACH OTHER, THERE IS NO PEACE IN THE WORLD. Rabbi Yitzchak said, We have learned that "the nakedness of your father, or the nakedness of your mother, shall you not uncover" (Vayikra 18:7), MEANING THAT ONE SHOULD NOT SIN BY SEPARATING THE UNION OF MALE AND FEMALE WHO ARE YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER. Woe is to he who uncovers their nakedness, MEANING IF HE BLEMISHES THEM. THEREFORE, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO DERIVE THIS FROM, "AND THEIR FACES ONE TO ANOTHER." Similar to this, it is written by Jacob: 'Shall reach from end to end,' MEANING THAT HE UNITES RIGHT AND LEFT TOGETHER. Blessed is the portion of Yisrael that the Holy One, blessed be He, praises Himself with their praise as above, IN TIFERET, as it is written, "Yisrael in whom I will be glorified" (Yeshayah 49:3).

924. We have learned that Rabbi Yitzchak said, In the early days, a person would say to his neighbor, 'Tell me a word of Torah, and receive a coin of silver.' Now a person says to his neighbor, 'Receive a coin of silver and study Torah.' No one cares and no one pays attention, except for these few holy ones with whom the Holy One, blessed be He, praises Himself, as it is written, "Your people also shall be all righteous, they shall inherit the land forever; they shall be the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified" (Yeshayah 60:21).