639. They recited about him the verse, "Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness" (Shoftim 14:14). The boy said to them: You have spoken THIS VERSE, now explain it. They said to him: The Holy One, blessed be He, appointed us a path of life, you speak!
640. He opened the discussion saying, "Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness." There is another verse which shows that the eater is the righteous, which says, "The righteous eats to satisfy his soul" (Mishlei 13:25). The Righteous, YESOD, indeed eats and takes all THE ABUNDANCE FROM THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN. Why? "To satisfy his soul" and to satisfy that place called David's soul, NAMELY THE NUKVA. "Came forth food:" Were it not for the righteous, no food would be provided for the world, and the world, THE NUKVA, would not have been able to endure. "And out of the strong came forth sweetness." This is Isaac, who blessed Jacob "of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth" (Beresheet 27:28).
641. TO EXPLAIN further, though all THE SFIROT ARE one, YET were it not for the strength of the strict Judgment OF THE LEFT OF ZEIR ANPIN, no honey would have come forth, WHICH IS THE ABUNDANCE OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT WITHIN THE NUKVA, RECEIVED FROM THE LEFT OF ZEIR ANPIN. What is this honey? It is the Oral Law, THE NUKVA, of which it says, "Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (Tehilim 19:11). ACCORDING TO THIS, "the strong" is the Written Torah, WHICH IS THUS CALLED as it is written, "Hashem gives strength to His people" (Tehilim 29:11), ZEIR ANPIN WILL GIVE STRENGTH. "Came forth sweetness:" The Oral Law, NAMELY THE NUKVA, IN WHICH IS THE SECRET OF HONEY.
642. They went together for three days until they reached the village where the CHILD'S mother LIVED. When she saw them she prepared the house and they stayed there for three more days, blessed him and went. They related what happened to Rabbi Shimon. He said, Surely he inherited the Torah. Were it not for ancestral merits OF RABBI HAMNUNA SABA (THE ELDER), he would have been punished from above. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is with those who follow the Torah. They inherit it and their descendants after them forever, as it is written, "As for Me, this is My Covenant with them, says Hashem; My spirit that is upon you" (Yeshayah 59:21).
643. "Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; and he shall be a haven for ships, and his border (or: 'thigh')..." Rabbi Aba opened the discussion saying, "Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior: Your glory and your majesty" (Tehilim 45:4). HE ASKS, Is there glory and majesty in girding and wearing a weapon? Whoever studies the Torah and is engaged in war for the Torah, and arms himself with it, he is praiseworthy. This is glory and majesty. Why does it say, "Gird your sword...YOUR GLORY AND YOUR MAJESTY?"
644. HE ANSWERS, Assuredly the meaning of this is that the Holy One, blessed be He, imprinted the sign of the Holy Covenant upon men to preserve it and not blemish the impress of the King. Whoever impairs it, the avenging sword rises before him and takes the vengeance of the Holy Covenant, which was imprinted upon him, yet he who impaired.
645. He who desires to keep this place, THE HOLY COVENANT, should prepare and arm himself, and when the Evil Inclination assails him, he should draw before it this sword which is upon the thigh, thus taking vengeance upon him who impairs that place CALLED THIGH. Hence, "Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior." He is mighty, WHO VANQUISHES THE EVIL INCLINATION, and is called mighty. This is "your glory and majesty."
646. Another explanation for, "Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior:" Before setting out on a journey, one should prepare himself with a prayer to his Master, and gird himself with righteousness, NAMELY MALCHUT, which is the supernal sword, through prayers and supplication, as it is written, "Righteousness shall go before him, and walk in the way of his steps" (Tehilim 85:14).
647. Come and see, Zebulun always went out on ways and paths, and engaged in wars, and armed himself with this supernal sword, WHICH IS THE NUKVA ON THE SIDE OF JUDGMENTS OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT, with prayers and supplication, before setting out on his way. He then overcame and conquered nations. You may say that this was assigned to Judah, who was ready with the sword to wage wars and prepare amendments, FOR HE IS OF THE ASPECT OF MALCHUT; why then Zebulun? HE ANSWERS, Come and behold, the twelve tribes were the adornments of the Matron, WHO IS MALCHUT. THUS ZEBULUN TOO IS OF THE ASPECT OF MALCHUT.