Smelling the myrtle branches

Synopsis

We are told that after Adam sinned, God made him other garments from the leaves of the Garden's trees, that were lights. These garments were made of the earthly Garden of the World of Asiyah. Adam's garments emanated the fragrance of that higher Garden; the Nefesh and Ruach of Isaac were composed by that smell. This is why we should smell fragrance at the end of Shabbat to let the soul be calmed; the best odor is myrtle, for the sustenance of the holy place from which the souls emanate is called myrtle. Thus the Nefesh, Malchut, is sustained.

275. Afterwards, the Holy One, blessed be He, made for Adam other garments from the leaves of the trees in the Garden of Eden. IT IS WRITTEN: "DID HASHEM ELOHIM MAKE COATS OF SKIN (HEB. OR, AYIN RESH)" (BERESHEET 3:21). HOWEVER, RABBI MEIR'S TORAH SCROLL HAD IT AS COATS OF LIGHT (HEB. OR, ALEPH RESH), FOR THEY WERE INDEED MADE OF LEAVES OF THE TREES IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, THAT WERE LIGHTS. The reason for that is that at first his garments were made from the back of the higher garden, MALCHUT OF ATZILUT, but now AFTER THE SIN his garments were made of the earthly garden, OF THE WORLD OF ASIYAH, and came from the garden. The original garments were emanating smells and perfumes of the garden, by which the Nefesh is calmed and gladdened. This is the meaning of the verse "and he smelt the smell of his garments," for the Nefesh and Ruach of Isaac were composed by that smell.

275. לְבָתַר עֲבַד לֵיהּ לְאָדָם, לְבוּשִׁין אַחֲרָנִין, מִטַּרְפֵּי אִילָנִין דְּגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן דְּאַרְעָא. דְּהָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא הֲווֹ אִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין, מֵאִינּוּן אֲחוֹרַיִים דְּגִנְתָּא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְהַשְׁתָּא מִגִּנְתָּא דְּאַרְעָא, וְנַפְקֵי מִגִּנְתָּא. וְאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין הֲווֹ סַלְּקִין רֵיחִין וּבוּסְמִין דְּגִּנְתָּא, דְּנַפְשָׁא מִתְיַישְּׁבָא בְּהוּ, וְחַדֵּי בְּהוּ. הה"ד וַיָּרַח אֶת רֵיחַ בְּגָדָיו וַיְבָרֲכֵהוּ, דְּהָא אִתְיַישְׁבָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ וְרוּחֵיהּ דְּיִצְחָק בְּהַהוּא רֵיחָא.

276. For that reason, at the conclusion of Shabbat, we should smell spices, to let the Nefesh be calmed by the fragrance, instead of the high and holy fragrance that left it. And the most worthy odor is that of the myrtle, for the sustenance of the holy place, NAMELY, MALCHUT, from which the souls emanate, is the myrtle. It also gives sustenance to the Nefesh of man, as well as the high one, so it may be maintained when it is left naked, AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF THE ADDITIONAL SOUL OF SHABBAT

276. בג"ד כַּד נָפַק שַׁבְּתָא, בָּעֵי לְאָרְחָא בְּבוּסְמִין, לְאִתְיַשְּׂבָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּהַהוּא רֵיחָא, עַל הַהוּא רֵיחָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִסְתַּלָּק מִינָּהּ. וְהַהוּא רֵיחָא מְעַלְּיָא דְּבוּסְמִין אִיהוּ הֲדַס. דְּהָא קִיוּמָא דַּאֲתָר קַדִּישָׁא דְּנִשְׁמָתִין נָפְקִין מִנֵּיהּ, הֲדַס אִיהוּ. וְדָא אִיהוּ קִיוּמָא דְּנַפְשָׁא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, לְאִתְקַיְּימָא מֵהַהוּא עִרְטוּלָא דְּאִשְׁתְּאָרַת.

277. כַּד נָפַק שַׁבְּתָא, אִתְלָבָּשׁ אָדָם, בְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין דְּגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן דְּאַרְעָא, דְּסַלְּקִין רֵיחִין וּבוּסְמִין, לְקַיְּימָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ, עַל הַהוּא רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה יַקִּירָא דְּאִסְתַּלָּק מִנֵּיהּ. וַהֲדַס אִיהוּ קִיוּמָא דְּנַפְשָׁא וַדַּאי. כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִתְקַיְּימָא קִיוּמָא דְּנַפְשָׁא.