275. Rabbi Chiya said, "And I will lie with my fathers..." Rabbi Yitzchak opened the discussion with the verse, "What profit has a man of all his labor wherein he labors under the sun?" (Kohelet 1:3). We have studied several times the words of Solomon, and they do not seem to be understood, for all his words should be read with wisdom.

276. We studied the verse, "And Solomon's Wisdom excelled" (I Melachim 5:10). During the days of King Solomon, the moon, NAMELY THE NUKVA, was in her fullness. Hence it is written, "And Solomon's Wisdom excelled the Wisdom of all the children of the east country." Regarding this, we learned who the children of the east were. It has already been explained. Nevertheless, the wisdom of the children of the east is the Wisdom they inherited from Abraham.

277. We learned, It is written, "And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac" (Beresheet 35:5). HE ASKS, What was "all that he had" WHICH HE GAVE TO ISAAC? HE ANSWERS, It is supernal Wisdom, for he knew the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. This may be understood from the verse, "All that he had," for the supernal Wisdom is his, in the same way we learned of the daughter he had named Bakol (lit. 'in everything'), THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA.

278. "But to the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts" (Beresheet 35:6). He gave them certain knowledge from the lower crowns and settled them in the east country. From this, the children of the east country inherited Wisdom, NAMELY FROM THE LOWER CROWNS, as it is written, "The wisdom of all the children of the east country."

279. We learned that one day Rabbi Shimon came from Cappadocia to Lod. Rabbi Aba and Rabbi Yehuda came with him. Rabbi Aba was tired running after Rabbi Shimon who was mounted. He said, "They shall walk after Hashem, who shall roar like a lion" (Hoshea 11:10).

280. Rabbi Shimon dismounted and said to him: Indeed it is written, "Then I abode in the mountain forty days and forty nights" (Devarim 9:9). Surely wisdom does not settle upon man when he walks but when he just sits down. We have already explained why it says, "I abode (or: 'sat')" and now we should rest. They sat down.

281. Rabbi Aba said, It is written, "And Solomon's Wisdom excelled the Wisdom of all the children of the east country and all the Wisdom of Egypt." What is the Wisdom of Solomon, the Wisdom of Egypt and the Wisdom of the east country? He said to him, Come and behold, we have explained in several places in regard to the name of the moon, NAMELY THE NUKVA. When She is blessed by all THE SFIROT, it is written "excelled." THIS WAS SAID in the days of Solomon, THE NUKVA grew and was blessed and reached her fullness.

282. We have learned that a thousand mountains grow GRASS before her, and she swallows them in one bite; a thousand great rivers she has, which she swallows in one gulp.

283. Her nails reach 1,070 directions, her hands hold four and twenty directions. None escapes her to the RIGHT side and none escapes her to the LEFT side, BUT THROUGH THE MIDDLE. Many thousands of shields cling to her hairs.

284. A youth, whose height is from the top of the world to its bottom, NAMELY METATRON, WHOSE HEIGHT IS FROM THE HEAD OF BRIYAH TO THE BOTTOM OF ASIYAH, comes from between her legs, NETZACH AND HOD OF THE NUKVA, clothed in sixty clubs of fire, BY WHICH HE DRIVES AWAY THE EXTERNAL FORCES SO THEY WOULD NOT CLING TO THE LEGS OF THE NUKVA. In this way, he is in charge over the lower beings of the four sides. This is the youth, who holds 613 upper keys on the side of Ima. All the supernal keys dangle from the sharp sword girded about his waist.