The four paragraphs of the Tefilin

37. We learned from a supernal mystery in the Concealed Book that there are three cavities of engraved letters, WHICH ARE YUD HEI VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, seen in the skull of Zeir Anpin. And we learned that there are three parts of the brain (Mochin), CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT, which are hidden in these cavities. THE CAVITIES ARE VESSELS AND THE LOBES OF THE BRAIN ARE THE LIGHTS THAT ARE CLOTHED IN THEM. From the top of the highest concealed brain of Atika Kadisha that flows into the Mochin of that Zeir Anpin, there are four Mochin, CHOCHMAH, BINAH, THE RIGHT SIDE OF DA'AT, WHICH IS TIFERET, AND THE LEFT SIDE OF DA'AT, WHICH IS MALCHUT. These four Mochin ARE IN THE HEAD OF ZEIR ANPIN AND expand throughout the body. These are the four paragraphs in the four compartments of the Tefilin, which the Holy One, blessed be He, puts on.

38. One should put on TEFILIN every day, because they are the supernal Holy Name of engraved letters, YUD HEI VAV HEI, NAMELY THE FOUR MOCHIN, as it is written, "And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of Hashem" (Devarim 28:10). We learned this is the actual name of Hashem. These are the head Tefilin.

39. Rabbi Yitzchak said, This is what is meant by the verse, "Sanctify to Me (Heb. kadesh li) all the firstborn" (Shemot 13:2). This is the Sfirah that includes and conceals all the others, NAMELY, CHOCHMAH THAT INCLUDES INSIDE ITSELF ALL THE SFIROT. The drawing OF LIGHT from above is hidden within it. It is called "whatever opens the womb" (Ibid.), because it opens the whole flow of mercy and supernal light.

40. Rabbi Shimon said, THIS SFIRAH OF CHOCHMAH is hidden in the Yud of the Holy Name YUD HEI VAV HEI. It is one compartment of the Tefilin, which is "Sanctify to Me all the firstborn." Unspecific FIRSTBORN relates to the supernal part of the brain, Chochmah.

41. The second compartment OF THE TEFILIN is, "And it shall be, when Hashem your Elohim shall bring you (Heb. vehayah ki yeviacha)" (Devarim 6:10). Rabbi Yehuda said, This is the part of the brain the gates of which become fifty gates, NAMELY BINAH, WHICH EXPANDS INTO THE FIFTY GATES OF BINAH. These many gates correspond to the many mentions of the phrases, "who have brought you out of the land of Egypt," and "brought you forth out of Egypt." The memory of the exodus from Egypt is mentioned many times in the Torah, fifty TIMES that correspond to the fifty GATES OF BINAH. FOR THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT CAME THROUGH THE ILLUMINATION OF BINAH. THEY ARE THEREFORE FIFTY, TO CORRESPOND TO ITS FIFTY GATES.

42. We learned from the book of Rav Hamnuna Saba, who said that the Holy One, blessed be He, broke many upper and lower gates that were bound by chains, in order to bring Yisrael out of Egypt. For through these gates of the brain lobe OF BINAH the other BLOCKED gates were opened and loosened. Had not the gates of the brain lobe OF BINAH opened and aroused, the other BLOCKED gates would not have opened to execute punishment AGAINST EGYPT to bring Yisrael out of slavery. FOR THAT REASON THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT WAS MENTIONED FIFTY TIMES, WHICH OCCURRED BY MEANS OF THE FIFTY GATES OF BINAH.

43. Everything is concealed inside this BRAIN OF BINAH, which is called supernal Ima, from which power was roused for lower Ima, WHICH IS MALCHUT. What is that? It is that of which is written, "and give ear to Me, O My nation (Heb. le'umi)" (Yeshayah 51:4), which should be pronounced 'le'imi (Eng. 'to my mother'), rather than le'umi. For the Holy One, blessed be He cherished the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, to the extent of calling her 'My mother,' SO MALCHUT RECEIVED THE LIGHTS OF SUPERNAL IMA. For these LIGHTS come out of supernal Ima, which is the second compartment OF THE TEFILIN, which is called Hei of the Holy Name YUD HEI VAV HEI that opened into fifty gates. From this part of the brain a wind goes out to a nostril in the window of the nose of Zeir Anpin.

44. We learned that the Jubilee, in which slaves are freed, is united with this brain lobe OF BINAH. THE FIFTY GATES OF BINAH are the fifty years of the Jubilee, and the fifty days of the counting of the Omer unite WITH THE BRAIN LOBE OF BINAH, in which the spirits of the slaves rest, and their spirit achieves FREEDOM AND rest, as it is written, "the day that Hashem shall give you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear, and from the hard bondage..." (Yeshayah 14:3). For that reason, FIRST Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS BINAH, rests the spirit and liberates the spirit. The exodus from Egypt comes out from the SECOND compartment OF THE TEFILIN and the FIRST Hei of the Holy Name, as we learned. Up to here, THE FIRST TWO COMPARTMENTS OF THE TEFILIN all is about Yud Hei of the Holy Name.

45. Come and see, from the aspect of Aba, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, Chesed emerges, and from the aspect of Ima, WHICH IS BINAH, Gvurah comes out. The Holy One, blessed be He, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, is attached to them all and is adorned with them, being the letter Vav, FOR ZEIR ANPIN IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT COMPREHENDS THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, WHICH ARE ABA AND CHESED TO THE RIGHT AND IMA AND GVURAH TO THE LEFT.

46. The third compartment OF THE TEFILIN IS "Hear O Yisrael (Heb. Sh'ma Yisrael)" (Devarim 6:4), which is Yisrael Saba, TOGETHER WITH "And you shall love Hashem your Elohim" (Ibid. 5). Rabbi Shimon taught, this is a high mystery that the supernal Yisrael, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, was adorned with the aspect of Aba. This is Abraham. Adorned with the aspect of Ima it is Isaac.

47. We learned about, "And you shall love," that he who loves the King does much kindness (Chesed), BY BEING KIND to everyone. This type of kindness is called an act of true kindness, not wishing for reward FOR ONE'S DEEDS, but acting so for the love one bears for the King. HENCE Chesed comes out of the love for the King. Abraham was called My beloved because for his love for Him he did much kindness in the world. Hence it is written here, IN THE THIRD COMPARTMENT OF THE TEFILIN, WHICH IS CHESED, "And you shall love," BECAUSE Chesed comes from love. This is the third compartment OF THE TEFILIN.

48. The fourth compartment OF THE TEFILIN IS "And it shall come to pass, if you hearken (Heb. vehayah im shamo'a)... Hashem's anger be inflamed..." (Devarim 11:13-17), WHICH IS ALL AN INDICATION OF harsh Judgment. And harsh Judgment emerges from the aspect of supernal Ima. We learned that though IMA is not of Judgment, Judgment, which is supernal Gvurah, comes out of its aspect. You may say that, "And it shall come to pass, if you hearken" is not Judgment, BECAUSE THE PARAGRAPH ALSO SAYS, "I WILL GIVE YOU THE RAIN OF YOUR LAND IN ITS DUE SEASON...THAT YOU MAY EAT AND BE FULL." HE ANSWERS, Among all the Sfirot of the King there is none that is not including both Judgment and Mercy, and Gvurah more than the others, in which both good and evil are included. HENCE GOOD THINGS ARE WRITTEN IN THE PARAGRAPH OF, "AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, IF YOU HEARKEN," BUT IN GENERAL, IT IS HARSH JUDGMENT.

49. The Vav, WHICH IS ZEIR Anpin, receives these four PASSAGES, WHICH ARE CHOCHMAH, BINAH, THE RIGHT SIDE OF DA'AT AND THE LEFT SIDE OF DA'AT, and adorns itself with them, WHICH MEANS THEY BECOME ITS MOCHIN. These are the Tefilin the Holy One, blessed be He, puts on. We learned that this Vav, ZEIR ANPIN, rises TO BINAH, which is adorned with its crowns and one is attached to the other, NAMELY, ITS RIGHT COLUMN, ITS CHOCHMAH AND ITS LEFT COLUMN, ITS BINAH. It is adorned with them all. Vav, ZEIR ANPIN, is therefore in the center of everything, above and below, to display the completion of Chochmah in every direction.

50. Rabbi Aba taught, It is written, "Only Hashem took delight in your fathers" (Devarim 10:15). From this Rabbi Shimon deduced that the fathers are the holy supernal Chariot, as is also written, "Hashem took delight." Come and see, just as there is a holy Chariot below IN MALCHUT, WHICH IS FROM THE CHEST BELOW OF ZEIR ANPIN there is a holy Chariot above, FROM THE CHEST UP OF ZEIR ANPIN. Who are they? They are those we mentioned, THE FATHERS CALLED CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET. The whole is called a holy Chariot, because everything is interconnected and becomes one.

51. "ONLY HASHEM TOOK DELIGHT IN your fathers," WHO YOU SAID WERE A CHARIOT, ARE BUT three, yet a Chariot consists of four. Whence do we get a fourth? AND HE ANSWERS, From the verse, "and He chose their seed after them" (Ibid.). HE ASKS what it means AND HE ANSWERS THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE VERSE IS to include King David with the Patriarchs, being the fourth to be established in a Holy Chariot. For we learned that the Patriarchs establish and perfect everything. They are the body, NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET THAT ARE CALLED BODY. By them THE BODY is completed and built and to them it is attached, NAMELY, THE BODY, ZEIR ANPIN, IS MOSTLY CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET IN HIM, WHICH ARE ABOVE THE CHEST AND ARE CALLED THE PATRIARCHS. King David came and perfected everything. He established the body and perfected it through them, BY BECOMING A FOURTH, THE SECRET OF MALCHUT THAT PERFECTS ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED BODY. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Just as the Patriarchs merited to be adorned with a holy Chariot, so did David merit to be established as a fourth pillar of the Chariot.

52. Rabbi Yehuda said, It is written of David, "Now he was ruddy, with fine eyes, and good looking" (I Shmuel 16:12). What is the reason HE IS CALLED ruddy? Because the portion of his lot brought it on him, SINCE BEING A CHARIOT TO MALCHUT, HE WAS OF THE ASPECT OF JUDGMENT LIKE MALCHUT. Ruddy is certainly of Judgment; "with fine eyes" means Judgment included Mercy, as it is written, "the sure loving promises of David" (Yeshayah 55:3).

53. Rabbi Yitzchak said, We explained about "the sure loving promises (Chassadim) of David" in its place. THEY DO NOT ALLUDE TO THE INCLUSION OF JUDGMENT WITH CHESED. But "Now he was ruddy" MEANS as we said THAT HE IS JUDGMENT; "with fine eyes" refers to the Patriarchs, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET THAT SHINE IN THE THREE COLORS OF THE EYE. Come and see, Jerusalem and Zion are Judgment and Mercy, yet it is written, "the city of David, which is Zion" (I Melachim 8:1), WHICH INDICATES THAT JUDGMENT COMPREHENDS MERCY. It is also written, "the Holy One is in the midst of you, and I will not come into the city" (Hoshea 11:9), WHICH HAS BEEN SAID TO INDICATE THAT the Holy One, blessed be He, will not enter celestial Jerusalem UNTIL YISRAEL WILL ENTER TERRESTRIAL JERUSALEM. HE ASKS WHEN THIS WILL TAKE PLACE. Rabbi Yehuda said, When the kingdom of David returns to its place below, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WILL ENTER CELESTIAL JERUSALEM.

54. Rabbi Yitzchak said, There is a Shin with three knots, THAT IS, THREE HEADS, and a Shin with four knots, NAMELY FOUR HEADS. It alludes to three and alludes to four. We spoke of the three, NAMELY THE THREE PATRIARCHS, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET. The four INCLUDE MALCHUT AS WELL to form a holy Chariot together, for MALCHUT is the inclusion of the supernal establishment, SINCE MALCHUT COMPLETES ZEIR ANPIN. From here the lower grades spread and flow by their ways and straps. They come out of the hairs on the head, suspended from them as all these other grades come down from them, until they are tied in their place.

55. We learned that Vav, ZEIR ANPIN, receives these supernal MOCHIN, CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT we mentioned, which are the Tefilin the Holy One, blessed be He, dons. For that reason, one should be glorified in them, BECAUSE TEFILIN ARE CALLED GLORY. Of them it is written, "And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of Hashem" (Devarim 28:10), the actual name of Hashem, THE MOCHIN CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, YUD-HEI, AND THE RIGHT AND LEFT OF DA'AT, WHICH ARE VAV-HEI. These are the head Tefilin. The hand Tefilin are the left, called strength, ACCORDING TO THE SECRET MEANING OF, "HASHEM HAS SWORN BY HIS RIGHT HAND, AND BY THE ARM OF HIS STRENGTH" (YESHAYAH 62:8). THE RIGHT HAND IS THE TORAH AND THE ARM OF HIS STRENGTH IS THE TEFILIN. MALCHUT receives from the strength, THE SECRET OF THE LEFT COLUMN. This is why, "And it shall be for a sign to you upon your hand (Heb. yadechah)" (Shemot 13:9) is spelled with EXTRA Hei. This is the Hei we discussed, NAMELY MALCHUT. Happy is the portion of Yisrael. Hence the last Hei, MALCHUT, receives the Tefilin, being left BECAUSE MALCHUT IS BUILT BY THE LEFT COLUMN. HENCE SHE RECEIVES THE TEFILIN ON THE LEFT ARM.

56. HE ASKS, Who are these four PASSAGES for, which are one body, for which reason they are included in one compartment, and what are they? HE ANSWERS, They are Tiferet, Netzach, Hod and Yesod, NAMELY THE FOUR SFIROT FROM THE CHEST AND LOWER OF ZEIR ANPIN. They are the Hei in 'yadechah,' WHICH IS MALCHUT. For they all, ALL FOUR SFIROT, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD FROM THE CHEST LOWER are attached TO MALCHUT so she would be blessed by them. HENCE she includes all four SFIROT FROM THE CHEST AND LOWER OF ZEIR ANPIN.

57. Rabbi Chiya said, Yet it is written, "and you shall see My back" (Shemot 33:23). We also learned it is the knot of Tefilin. He said to him, We have already explained and it is fine and clarifies the matter. Hence from this HAND TEFILIN one strap hangs down, WHICH INDICATES the lower beings are suspended from it and nourish from it. Hence it is called a sign, BECAUSE IT IS ATTACHED TO YESOD. This is the meaning of, "This is the token of the covenant" (Beresheet 9:17). It is also written, "And it shall be for a sign to you upon your hand (Heb. yadechah)" with EXTRA Hei, which has already been explained.

58. Rabbi Yesa says that "Hear (Sh'ma), O Yisrael" (Devarim 6:4) is Yisrael Saba. Rabbi Yitzchak said that the large Ayin IN SH'MA includes seventy names, THE SECRET OF THE NAME OF 72 NAMES: THE SEVENTY NAMES PLUS THE TWO WITNESSES. It is overall testimony, NAMELY THE FLOWING OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH from SUPERNAL EDEN, CALLED TESTIMONY. "Hear O Yisrael" resembles the words, "Hear, heavens" (Yeshayah 1:2) and, "Give ear, O heavens" (Devarim 32:1), WHICH MEANS THEY SHOULD BE WITNESSES. Here too, "Hear, O Yisrael" INDICATES TO MOCHIN OF TESTIMONY. It all pertains to the same issue.

59. AFTER EXPLAINING "HEAR, O YISRAEL" HE GOES ON TO INTERPRET THE OTHER WORDS IN THE VERSE. Hashem is the highest of all in the illumination of Atika Kadisha, WHICH IS Chochmah. It is called father, NAMELY ABA. "our Elohim" is the depths of the rivers and streams FROM WHENCE they emerge and flow on everything, NAMELY BINAH, FROM WHICH MALE, FEMALE AND ALL LOWER BEINGS RECEIVE, AND WHICH IS CALLED IMA. The SECOND Yud Hei Vav Hei is the trunk of the tree, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, which is the whole of the roots, BEING THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT INCLUDES CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, WHICH ARE "HASHEM OUR ELOHIM." "One" is the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY MALCHUT, and everything, ALL THESE SFIROT, make one wholeness and are interconnected. There is no division BETWEEN THEM, but all is one.

60. Rabbi Yitzchak taught that the supernal Holy Chariot, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, are the four compartments of the Tefilin that Vav puts on, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, as we learned. Another holy Chariot, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD are the four other PASSAGES included in one COMPARTMENT, WHICH ARE THE TEFILIN the last Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI puts on, WHICH IS MALCHUT, as we explained.