77. One day, Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were before Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "Be afraid of the sword. For wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know that there is a judgment" (Iyov 19:29). HE ASKS, It is written, "Be afraid of the sword." What sword? HE ANSWERS, This is "a sword...that shall avenge My covenant" (Vayikra 26:25). This sword, WHICH IS MALCHUT, stands to observe who is false to the covenant, WHICH IS YESOD, because anyone who is false to the covenant BLEMISHES IT WITH SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OR SPILLING SEMEN IN VAIN, it is this sword that takes vengeance on him.
78. This is the meaning of, "For wrath brings the punishments of the sword." What is the reason? IT IS that anyone who is false to the covenant distances the desire OF MALCHUT TO RECEIVE SUSTENANCE FROM ZEIR ANPIN, and thus whoever should receive SUSTENANCE, NAMELY YESOD does not receive it, and does not give to his place, since his place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is not awakened toward him. BECAUSE OF THE BLEMISH IN THE COVENANT THE DESIRE TO RECEIVE SUSTENANCE WAS TAKEN FROM HER. Everyone who observes this covenant arouses the covenant towards its place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and the upper and lower beings are blessed.
79. Who awakens this covenant to its place? When there are righteous people in the world, THEY AWAKEN IT. How do we know this? From the words, "And I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojourns (Heb. megureihem)" (Shemot 6:4). What is 'megureihem?' IT IS as it is written, "Be afraid (Heb. guru) of the sword", WHICH IS MALCHUT AS MENTIONED. Because it is a place that causes fear in the world. Therefore IT SAYS, "Be afraid of the sword." SO THE PATRIARCHS STIMULATED THE COVENANT TO ITS PLACE, WHICH IS MALCHUT, OF WHICH IT SAYS, "TO GIVE TO THEM THE LAND OF THEIR SOJOURNS," AS EXPLAINED.
80. "In which they sojourned (Heb. garu)" (Ibid.). 'GARU' MEANS THAT from the day that they approached the Holy One, blessed be He, they had feared in it FROM HASHEM and it consisted of a supernal fear in observing His commandments. BECAUSE MALCHUT IS THE ASPECT OF FEAR, and if a person will not place fear over his head IN OBSERVING THE COVENANT, he will never fear the Holy One, blessed be He, in the other precepts.
81. Come and see, of the awakening from below, when Yisrael were awakened towards the Holy One, blessed be He, and cried before Him, it is written, "And I have remembered My covenant" (Shemot 6:5), because He remembered the covenant. Then the desire arose to connect everything in one bond, as since the covenant was awakened, WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, the bond of all THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN became awakened. "And I have remembered My covenant" MEANS to attach it to its place, WHICH IS MALCHUT. Therefore it is written, "Therefore say to the children of Yisrael, I am Hashem" (Ibid. 6) FOR ALL THE SFIROT JOINED INTO ONE BOND TO REDEEM YISRAEL FROM EGYPT.