158. "You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations" (Shemot 35:3). Here there are most high mysteries revealed to those in possession of supernal wisdom. The friends have already expounded on the secret of Shabbat, yet this mystery was given to the wisest men, for it is a very high secret.

159. Come and see, on Friday, when evening sets, a shining star comes from the north and with it seventy other stars; the star smites these SEVENTY stars, which become incorporated in that star and WITHIN IT all seventy become one. That star then expands and turns into a blazing flame on all sides. This flame is extended across a thousand mountains, and stands UPON THEM like a thread encircling THEM.

160. And this flaming mass draws to it other colors that are inside it UNDERNEATH ITS OWN COLOR. The first color is green, WHICH IS THE LIGHT OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN. When this color is established that flame of fire jumps upon this green color and enters inside it and throws the green color out. The green color stays out, and the flame of fire of that star INCLUDED OF SEVENTY STARS IS inside.

161. Afterwards it draws to it a second color, white, THE LIGHT OF THE RIGHT COLUMN. This white color shone inside, but after that color is established, the flame of fire of the star rose, expelling the white color, and entering inside. The same procedure transpired with all the other colors. It threw them out, went inside and approached the hidden point, to receive light.

162. He opened and said, "and I looked, and, behold, a storm wind came out of the north..." (Yechezkel 1:4). Yechezkel saw that vision in a pattern that appears only when that star rules, as we said, FOR IT DOES NOT ALWAYS RULE BUT IS HIDDEN. We explained that "and behold, a storm wind," refers to the wind that comes to conquer the world for Nebuchadnezzar. Yet the storm wind is that star we mentioned that swallowed seventy other stars. This is the storm wind Elijah had seen, OF WHICH IS SAID "rending the mountains and breaking up the rocks" (I Melachim 19:11), FOR THERE IS NO FORCE THAT COULD WITHSTAND IT. It is that which always stands against all THE KLIPOT ON THE OUTSIDE to protect what is inside, like a shell protects the fruit.

163. Why is it called a storm? because it storms against everything above and below, AND NOTHING CAN STAND IN ITS WAY. It "came out of the north," for this is the side it came from. We can tell this from the verse "out of the north the evil shall break forth" (Yirmeyah 1:14). For many other aspects besides the north hold on to that storm wind. Therefore THE SCRIPTURE SAYS ABOUT THEM, that it comes out from the north.

164. THE SECOND KLIPAH MENTIONED IN EZEKIEL IS CALLED 'A GREAT CLOUD'. IT IS CALLED a cloud because it is the dross of gold. This dross clings to the northern side, NAMELY, TO THE LEFT COLUMN, and is the central point, which abides in deserted places. Once it learned how to seduce EVE, it controls the central point of the inhabited world and everything that pertains to it, save the land of Yisrael. When Yisrael dwelt in it, it had no power over it, but later when Yisrael sinned, it took control over the holy land too. That is shown in the verse "He has drawn back His right hand from before the enemy" (Eichah 2:3).

165. HE ASKS why it is called a great cloud, AND ANSWERS: For it is a cloud of darkness that darkened the whole world. Come and see, there are different clouds. Of that cloud, it is written: "and the cloud of Hashem was upon them by day" (Bemidbar 10:34), and "that your cloud stands over them" (Bemidbar 14:14). That cloud is shining and luminous and all lights are seen within that cloud. But this cloud OF THE KLIPOT is a cloud of darkness that sheds no light, but prevents all the lights from being seen through it.

166. HE ASKS: IT IS CALLED GREAT. YET IF IT IS DARK why call it great, if it is small? HE ANSWERS: it is indeed great, because it has power. Also IT IS CALLED great, since the darkness in it is great, and it covers all the lights, so that they are not seen because of it. And it is greater than anything done in the world.

167. "And a fire flaring up" (Yechezkel 1:4) alludes to the fire of rigorous Judgment that never leaves it. MEANING THAT THE KLIPAH ITSELF IS NOT FIRE - RIGOROUS JUDGMENT - BUT THE FIRE THAT CAME FROM BELOW FROM THE STORM WIND. IT CATCHES THE FIRE AND NEVER LEAVES IT. "And a brightness was about it" (Ibid.), INDICATES THAT even though all this is in THE KLIPAH OF A FIRE FLARING UP, NEVERTHELESS, "a brightness was about it." Hence we learn that though this is but the side of defilement, there is a brightness about it, that there is brightness and the illumination of holiness around it. Therefore a man should not cast it out. The reason is that since "a brightness was about it," it has part in the holy side of Faith, and one should not treat it with contempt. Therefore it should be given a part in the holy side of Faith.