173. Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the verse: "All is of the dust, and all returns to dust" (Kohelet 3:20). We learned that all is of the dust, even the sun wheel. What is the dust? It is that dust found under the Holy Throne of Glory, WHICH IS BINAH.
174. In his book, Rabbi Yesa Saba said that all is of the dust, NAMELY the place that gathers everything, MALCHUT. He explains that paths lead to this side and that side, NAMELY RIGHT AND LEFT, and are gathered to illuminate ON EVERY SIDE, like dust thrown in every direction. Hence, "all are of the dust, and all return to dust." ACCORDING TO THIS, DUST MEANS MALCHUT. THIS RAISES DIFFICULTIES CONCERNING THE WORDS OF RABBI ELAZAR, WHO SAID THAT DUST MEANS THE DUST UNDER THE HOLY THRONE OF GLORY, MALCHUT OF BINAH.
175. HE ANSWERS: But "of the dust," MEANS OF THE DUST of the Temple, NAMELY MALCHUT, AS RABBI YESA SABA SAID. This dust is of the supernal dust FROM BINAH, as said, "and it has dust of gold," (Iyov 28:6) WHICH REFERS TO BINAH, CALLED 'GOLD.' As there is an action below IN MALCHUT, likewise there is also one above, IN BINAH. We explained that dust MEANS the dust in the Temple, since this world, MALCHUT, was created by Hei, WHICH IS BINAH, and even the wheel of the sun WAS OF THE DUST. It is written: "These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created (Heb. BeHibaram)," WHICH MEANS BeHei Bara'am (lit. 'he created them with Hei'). THUS, THE HEAVEN TOO, WHICH IS THE WHEEL OF THE SUN, WAS CREATED BY HEI. For this reason, all is of the dust. What is the dust? It is that which dwells under the Holy Throne of Glory, THAT IS, BINAH.
176. It is written: "You are all fair, my love; there is no blemish in you" (Shir Hashirim 4:7). "You are all fair, my love," is the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT. And, "there is no blemish in you," refers to the members of the Sanhedrin, corresponding to the 72 names WITHIN MALCHUT. THEY ARE MAINLY SEVENTY, THE SECRET OF THE SEVENTY MEMBERS OF THE SANHEDRIN, WITH TWO WITNESSES. THEY CORRESPOND TO the seventy souls that came down with Jacob, and with the Holy One, blessed be He, above them all, THEY ARE 72. Therefore, the Sanhedrin and above are not checked FOR DEFECTS.
177. We learned the verse: "And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, and a Holy Nation" (Shemot 19:6). What is "a kingdom of priests?" It is like, "This (Heb. zot) is the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons," WHICH MEANS THAT "ZOT," MALCHUT, WAS ANOINTED BY AARON, for when the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, was blessed by the priests, she was called after them, as written: "a kingdom of priests."
178. Rabbi Shimon said: Come and behold. It is not called 'Malchut of Priests,' but "mamlechet" of Priests, since the priests, WHO ARE CHESED, made her high BY DRAWING CHASSADIM UPON IT, AND IN IT CHOCHMAH IS CLOTHED WITH CHASSADIM. THEN IT ILLUMINATES AND RULES. They made it mistress over all. Yet it is not called 'Malchut of Priests,' since IN THE ASPECTS OF HER BEING DRAWN FROM HEAVEN, ZEIR ANPIN, She is called 'Malchut,' NAMELY the kingdom of heaven, assuredly. Here, SHE IS CALLED "mamlechet," because the priests made Her ruler and joined Her to the King, ZEIR ANPIN. WHEN UNITED WITH ZEIR ANPIN, she rules over all the King's treasures, over the King's armory, over the upper and lower, and over the whole world.