108. There are four kinds in the lulav, which are seven; NAMELY, THREE BOUGHS OF MYRTLE, AND TWO BOUGHS OF WILLOW, LULAV AND ETROG. It may be argued that there are seven kinds but it is not so, for there are four divided into three more, THE MYRTLE INTO THREE AND THE WILLOWS INTO TWO. THUS, TWO WERE ADDED TO THE MYRTLE AND ONE TO THE WILLOW; HENCE THERE ARE SEVEN. Through the action of WAVING THEM TO OBSERVE THE PRECEPT, other seven are stirred above - THE SEVEN SFIROT: CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT. THE THREE BOUGHS OF MYRTLE CORRESPOND TO CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, THE TWO BOUGHS OF WILLOW TO NETZACH AND HOD, THE LULAV TO YESOD, AND THE ETHROG TO MALCHUT. All are to do good for the world in several respects, THROUGH THE ABOVE MENTIONED SEVEN SFIROT.

109. Although it is part of the seven Sfirot, the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, is blessed from all the six SFIROT ABOVE HER (MALCHUT) - CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD - and from the deep river that is drawn from its source. These waters never stop to be drawn to THE SIX SFIROT - CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD. She suckles the Daughter, MALCHUT, for she is her daughter, the daughter of the supernal world, BINAH, and the lower world, ZEIR ANPIN, and receives blessings from them when they stir. When they bless the Congregation of Yisrael, all the worlds are blessed, FOR THEY RECEIVE FROM HER. Hence the encircling of the altar, as we learned, ON THE SEVEN DAYS OF THE FEAST OF SUKKOT (HOLIDAY OF THE BOOTHS), SINCE THE ALTAR CORRESPONDS TO MALCHUT, WHICH RECEIVES FROM BINAH AND ZEIR ANPIN. BY THE SEVEN CIRCLINGS, SHE IS FILLED WITH THE SEVEN SFIROT.

110. Moreover, by this stirring, BY WAVING THE FOUR KINDS, all six SFIROT - NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD - are blessed with water, NAMELY ABUNDANCE, and are satisfied with it. They all draw from the source of the deepest river, BINAH, and take it down to the world. All THE FOUR KINDS therefore need to be fresh, not dry, SINCE FRESH REFERS TO THEIR BEING FULL TO ABUNDANCE, to draw blessings to the world. Those trees, MYRTLE, WILLOW AND LULAV, are always fresh and their leaves are ever present IN THE TREE, WHETHER SUMMER OR WINTER. The time of their joy is ON THE SEVEN DAYS OF SUKKOT.

111. We learned in the book of Rav Hamnuna Saba that the minister appointed over those trees, OF THE FOUR KINDS, each receive joyful blessings from above only at that time. They all rejoice above, and the rejoicing of those trees is below at the time OF THE DAYS OF SUKKOT. Their stirring depends upon the holy men of the King; NAMELY, UPON YISRAEL WAVING THE LULAV. When Yisrael wave them, everything is stirred at that time and the world, MALCHUT, is blessed and pours blessings upon THIS world.

112. It is written: "The voice of Hashem is upon the waters: El of Glory" (Tehilim 29:3). Rabbi Yosi said: This is Abraham, NAMELY, THE ATTRIBUTE OF CHESED. "The voice of Hashem is powerful" (Ibid. 4), is Yitzchak, NAMELY GVURAH; "the voice of Hashem is full of majesty" (Ibid. 4), is Jacob, NAMELY TIFERET; "the voice of Hashem breaks the cedars" (Ibid. 5), is Netzach; "The voice of Hashem divides the flames of fire" (Ibid. 7), is Hod; "the voice of Hashem shakes the wilderness" (Ibid. 8), is the Righteous, YESOD; and "the voice of Hashem makes the hinds to calve" (Ibid. 9) is Righteousness, NAMELY MALCHUT. They all grow by the sea, BINAH, and are given water, NAMELY THE ABUNDANCE OF BINAH, in order to grow. Hence, it says: "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden" (Beresheet 2:10). They all arouse blessings to the world by the drink they give all.

113. Come and behold: these seven voices - CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT - depend upon the words of the mouth throughout the year, but ON THE SEVEN DAYS OF SUKKOT, they depend only upon deed. We need then an action, not a speech, since during the time OF THE SEVEN DAYS OF SUKKOT, the whole year is blessed.

114. On the seventh day of the feast, NAMELY HOSHANA RABA, Judgment of the world comes to an end. Sentences are sent from the King's house and Gvurot are aroused and ended on that day. The willows of the brook depend upon them, THESE GVUROT. One needs to arouse the Gvurot toward the water and to circle the altar, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO MALCHUT, seven times - AGAINST CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT - in order to imbue the altar with Yitzchak's water; NAMELY, WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH OF THE LEFT COLUMN, CALLED 'ISAAC.' That water will fill Isaac's well, NAMELY MALCHUT, THAT WHEN SHE RECEIVES FROM THE LEFT, IT IS CALLED BY THAT NAME. When she is filled, the whole world is blessed with water.

115. On that day, HOSHANA RABA, there is need of Gvurot IN ORDER TO DRAW water, THE SECRET OF THE MENTIONED ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, WHICH IS DRAWN ONLY TOGETHER WITH GVUROT AND JUDGMENTS, and to conclude them later. On that day, Judgment is concluded, AS THERE IS NO FURTHER NEED TO DRAW THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH DRAWN THROUGH JUDGMENT. Hence, one needs to beat THE WILLOW BOUGHS on the ground and end them, NAMELY THEIR ILLUMINATION, so there will not be any. On that day, there is the stirring OF CHOCHMAH and the conclusion OF CHOCHMAH, and we make use of the willows of the brook, WHICH ALLUDES TO NETZACH AND HOD THROUGH WHICH CHOCHMAH IS REVEALED BY MEANS OF JUDGMENTS.

116. Rabbi Chiya said: This is surely so, and it is well spoken. The willows of the brook are so CALLED because from the side of the brook, NAMELY BINAH, Gvurot come out, NAMELY THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH WITH THEIR JUDGMENTS. On that day, they are aroused and ended. Of that day, it is written: "And Isaac dug again the wells of water" (Beresheet 26:18). The word Beerot (lit. 'wells') is written without the Vav, SINCE IT ALLUDES TO MALCHUT CALLED 'WELL' (HEB. BEER). What is "again?" The first day of the month, NAMELY ON ROSH HASHANAH, is the day of the beginning of Judgments throughout the world, and Isaac, THE SECRET OF THE LEFT COLUMN, rose to the Throne of Judgment to sentence the world. On that day OF HOSHANA RABA, Isaac again stirred the decrees and brought verdicts to an end. "Isaac dug the wells of water," NAMELY, he poured Gvurot upon the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT CALLED "WELL," in order to arouse the water, THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. Water descends upon the world through Gvurot; NAMELY, THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH COMES DOWN ONLY COUPLED WITH JUDGMENT.

117. Since these Gvurot descend only by means of clouds, WHICH ARE JUDGMENTS, and on a cloudy day the wind of the pillars of the world rests upon them only SINCE IT MUST BE SO since the world needs them. Why is it so? Because the world was created through decrees. NAMELY, ON ROSH HASHANAH. HENCE JUDGMENTS SHOULD ALWAYS BE REVEALED TOGETHER WITH WATER, WHICH MEANS THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, SO THE WICKED WILL NOT GET HOLD OT THE LEFT COLUMN AND BRING BACK THE JUDGMENTS OF ROSH HASHANAH. And everything must be this way, because it all depends upon actions. Therefore, through the deed and correction that the priest does below, NAMELY THE ACTION OF SACRIFICING, the upper and lower are aroused to be corrected, and are corrected by him. IN THE SAME MANNER, THROUGH THE DEED OF THE FOUR KINDS AND THE WILLOW OF HOSHANA RABA, CHOCHMAH IS CORRECTED BY MEANS OF JUDGMENTS, WHICH ARE REVEALED TOGETHER WITH IT SO THAT THE WICKED WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE HOLD OF IT.