529. He opened the discussion saying, "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength" (Beresheet 49:3). HE ASKS, Why did Jacob begin by blessing Reuben? Why not start with Judah, who, WHEN THE STANDARDS TRAVEL, is a king and is the first to journey among the camps, AS IT SAYS, "THESE SHALL FIRST SET FORTH" (BEMIDBAR 2:9). Moreover, we saw that he did not bless REUBEN and the blessings were removed from him until Moses prayed for him, as it says, "Let Reuben live, and not die" (Devarim 33:6). ACCORDING TO THIS, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO BEGIN WITH JUDAH AND START WITH A BLESSING.

530. HE ANSWERS, Assuredly he blessed REUBEN, and the blessing arose to its place. This is like the story of a man who had a son. When the time came for him to pass away from the world, the King came to him. He said, Let all my money be in the hands of the King, who will keep it for my son. When the King sees that my son is worthy of it, he will give it to him. Jacob also said, "Reuben, you are my firstborn," you are beloved of my heart and bowels, yet your blessings shall be in the hands of the Holy King until He shall see you ARE WORTHY OF THEM. THIS IS BECAUSE you followed your anger LIKE WATER, according to the Aramaic translation TO "UNSTABLE AS WATER."

531. "Reuben, you are my firstborn:" Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion saying, "Then he said to me, 'Prophesy to the wind (also: 'breath')...'" (Yechezkel 37:9). How obtuse are people, who neither know nor care for the glory of the King. Though the Torah announces it to them daily, no one lends an ear. This verse is difficult to understand. After saying "Prophesy to the wind," why add, "Prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind."

532. From this, we learned the secret of Wisdom. There are two commands here, the first is to arouse from below upward, for if they are not wakened FIRST from below, there is no awakening above. Through the lower awakening, there is an upper awakening. THE SECOND COMMAND IS TO AROUSE FROM ABOVE DOWNWARD. "Prophesy to the wind" is from below upward, and "prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind" is from above downward.

533. For even above, when there is stirring below, the supernal receives from that which is even superior to it, like it is said in the next words, "Come from the four winds, O wind" (Yechezkel 37:9). The four winds are south, east, north, west - CHESED, TIFERET, GVURAH AND MALCHUT. The wind coming from the west, MALCHUT, joins the others, SOUTH, NORTH, EAST, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, as it says "that the nobles of the people delved" (Bemidbar 21:18).

534. Spirits and souls issue forth from MALCHUT to receive the impression from the inhabitants of the world; NAMELY TO RECEIVE THEIR SHAPES, THE SHAPE OF THE FIRST THREE SFIROT. "And breathe UPON THESE SLAIN" as in the verse, "And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life" (Beresheet 2:7). Come and see, MALCHUT receives on one side and gives on another. This is the reason why "all the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full" (Kohelet 1:7). It is not full since it receives and gives, takes in and out.

535. Rabbi Elazar asked Rabbi Shimon a question. He said, Since it is known to the Holy One, blessed be He, that people die, why then did He bring souls down into the world? What purpose do they serve? He said to him: Many sages were asked this question by their students. They explained it THOUGH IT IS DIFFICULT. The Holy One, blessed be He, sends souls into the world to declare His glory. Yet He takes them away. Wherefore did they descend?

536. HE ANSWERS, The explanation is as follows: he opened the discussion saying, "Drink waters out of your own cistern, and flowing streams out of your own well" (Mishlei 5:15). We have explained that a cistern is a place out of which no water flows, WHILE A WELL FLOWS BY ITSELF. When does water flow BY ITSELF? When the soul is perfected in this world, and ascends to where it is attached, MALCHUT. Then it is completed on all sides, above and below.

537. When the soul ascends, the desire of the female is stirred toward the male, and then the water flows IN MALCHUT from below upward, AND THAT WHICH WAS a cistern becomes a well of flowing water. Then there is a joining in union and desire, for that place, MALCHUT, is perfected by the souls of the righteous, friendship and goodwill are aroused above, AND ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT are joined as one.

538. "Reuben, you are my firstborn." Assuredly so, for he was of the first seed of Jacob, WHO HAD NO POLLUTION IN HIS DAYS, whose thoughts were directed to another place, NAMELY RACHEL as we learned. Come and see Reuben and all the twelve tribes were joined with the Shechinah. When Jacob saw the Shechinah upon him, he called his sons to be united with Her.