217. The reason of reading the Torah scroll on that day was already expounded. We learned that "So they read in the book, in the Torah scroll of Elohim distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading" (Nechemyah 8:8). We also explained that the mysteries of the verse divisions, the tonal accents, the Massoretic readings and all the small details, together with the supernal secrets, were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. HE ASKS: If the Torah was given to Moses together with all these details, and the Torah scroll given with these sanctities, why then is it lacking all those corrections and mysteries that were given to Moses inside the Torah?

218. HE ANSWERS: The secret of the matter is that when the holy throne, MALCHUT, is decorated by and incorporated in the Written Law, TIFERET, then all those punctuation marks, tonal accents and Massoretic points are impressed upon the holy throne FROM TIFERET and concealed therein. On the other hand the shapes (letters) of the Written Law, TIFERET, are brought into the Oral Law, MALCHUT, and cause her to conceive, as a woman conceiving from the male. So the high letters IN THE WRITTEN LAW remain alone in their sanctity as should be, WITHOUT ADDITIONAL SIGNS and are thus shown in synagogue. For the throne, MALCHUT, is blessed and adorned by the secret of the Written Law, and in it, IN MALCHUT, are put all those shapes, WHICH ARE ACCENTS AND MASSORETIC READINGS AS MENTIONED so it is sanctified by the Written Law. The bare letters alone ought to be seen.

219. Then everything is sanctified with most high sanctity as fit, most certainly and especially on this day, SHABBAT. On this day seven people are called up to publicly read the Torah. They correspond to seven voices, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT OF ZEIR ANPIN, which are the inner mystery of the Torah, ZEIR ANPIN. On festivals, only five people are called up in accordance with this principle, BECAUSE THE SEVEN SFIROT ARE PRINCIPALLY FIVE, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH AND HOD; YESOD IS THEIR INCLUSION FROM THE GIVING PART AND MALCHUT INCLUDES THEM ON THE RECEIVING PART. On Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) six people are called up, according to this higher mystery, VIZ. THE SIX SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN: CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN.

220. All these rules HE EXPLAINS, come from the same principle. The five people CALLED UP ON HOLIDAYS, correspond to the five grades CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH AND HOD, that are beneath the grade of the ancient light, BINAH AND THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, below IN ZEIR ANPIN. They are the secret of the Torah, FOR ZEIR ANPIN IS CALLED TORAH. The six people ON YOM KIPPUR correspond to the six directions, THAT IS, THE FIVE SFIROT AND YESOD THAT INCLUDES THEM. All comes from the same mystery. FOR THERE IS NO ADDITION TO THE PRINCIPAL FIVE SFIROT. The seven PEOPLE CALLED UP ON SHABBAT CORRESPOND TO the seven voices, FOR MALCHUT INCLUDEDS THEM TOO. All these combinations stem from the one secret, NAMELY THAT THEY ALLUDE TO THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN.

221. On the day of the new month, one person is added, WHO CORRESPONDS TO MALCHUT, to the three readers ON WEEKDAYS, THAT ALLUDE TO CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN, because at that time the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, shines upon the moon, MALCHUT. This is the secret of the Musaf (lit. 'additional prayer') OF THE NEW MONTH THAT SIGNIFIES THE SAID ADDITION. Upon reading the Torah only one voice and speech ought to be heard.

222. The holy nation should fix and prepare on that day, as well as other days WHEN the Torah scroll IS READ, a throne to become a reader's desk. That throne must have six steps, THE SIX SFIROT OF MALCHUT, leading to it and no more, as is written: "and there were six steps to the throne" (II Divrei Hayamim 9:18), WHICH ALLUDES TO MALCHUT. And there is also one step above, THAT REFERS TO CHOCHMAH OF MALCHUT - THE READER'S DESK, to put on it the Torah scroll and show it to everyone. BECAUSE THE READER'S DESK, THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH OF MALCHUT, ENABLES THE TORAH SCROLL TO BE SEEN, THAT IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN. FOR SIGHT IS AVALIABLE ONLY IN MALCHUT.

223. When the Torah scroll is put there, the whole people should make themselves ready down below, with awe and fear, quaking and trembling, and to meditate in their heart, as if there were standing now beneath Mount Sinai to receive the Torah. They should listen and lend their ears. For the people are not permitted to open their mouths even to discuss the Torah, not to mention other matters. But they are all in awe, as one who is speechless. And we already explained it in relation to the words: "and when he opened it, all the people stood up" (Nechemyah 8:5), and "and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the Torah" (Ibid. 3).

224. Rabbi Shimon said that when the Torah scroll is brought out to be read in public, the heavenly gates of Mercy open and stir the love of above. Then one should thus pray:

225. Blessed be the name of the Master of the universe, blessed be Your crown and Your place. May Your good will be with Your people Yisrael for ever, and the redemption of Your right hand be shown to Your people in Your Temple. May You bestow on us the bounty of Your light, and accept our prayers in mercy. May it please You, that You shall lengthen our lives in goodness, and that I, Your servant, shall be remembered among the righteous, so as to have mercy upon me and safeguard me and all that is mine, and that of Your people Yisrael. You are that giver of nourishment and sustenance for all. You rule over all. You rule over kings, and the kingdom is Yours. I am the servant of the Holy One, blessed be He; before Him I bow, and before the majesty of His Torah at all times. Not upon man do I put my trust, nor upon angels do I rely, but only upon Elohim in heaven, that is the Elohim of truth, and Whose Torah is truth, and Whose prophets are true; that acts with much kindness and truth. In Him do I put my trust, and to His holy and precious name do I sing praises. May it beYour will to open my heart to Your Torah, and to grant me male children to do Your wish; and may You fill the proper requests of my heart, and the heart of all Your people Yisrael for good and life and peace. Amen.

226. Only one person is allowed to read the Torah, and everyone else are to listen in silence, to hear the words of his mouth, as if they were now receiving it on Mount Sinai. There should be one person standing next to the reader, VIZ. THAT WAS CALLED UP TO THE READING. And he must be silent so that only one speech is heard and not two. THERE SHOULD BE ONE WHO READS IN the holy tongue, not two, because if two read the Torah, it would diminish the secret of the Faith, and the majesty of the Torah is reduced. It is essential to have only one voice. THERE ALSO SHOULD BE one translator, in the secret of the shell and the fruit. BECAUSE THE TRANSLATOR IS CONSIDERED THE SHELL, AND THE READER IN THE HOLY TONGUE ALLUDES TO THE FRUIT. THERE IS NO FRUIT WITHOUT A SHELL.