787. Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the following verse, "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf" (Beresheet 49:27). HE ASKS, Why is Benjamin called a wolf? HE ANSWERS, Because he was so engraved upon the throne, THE NUKVA, IN THE SHAPE OF A WOLF. For all the great and small living creatures are imprinted UPON THE THRONE, as it is written "both small and great beasts" (Tehilim 104:25). The throne made by Solomon was also engraved in the same manner, after the pattern of the THRONE above.
788. Another explanation for "a ravenous wolf" is that the altar was in Benjamin's portion, and the altar is a wolf. If you say that Benjamin is a wolf, it is not so, the altar on his territory was the wolf, since it consumed flesh every day; NAMELY THE SACRIFICES OFFERED UPON IT. Benjamin used to feed it WITH SACRIFICES, because it was in his territory. It was as if he nourished and fed that wolf. "RAVENOUS" MEANS FEEDING, THE VERSE MAY READ 'BENJAMIN SHALL FEED THE WOLF,' THE ALTAR. Another explanation for "a ravenous wolf" is that 'he shall feed the wolf.' Who is the wolf? ANGELS sworn to enmity who are ready to accuse Yisrael from above. They are all appeased by the sacrifices, aroused the awakening above. THUS BENJAMIN, IN WHOSE TERRITORY THE ALTAR LIES, FEEDS THE ACCUSERS CALLED WOLF, SO THAT THEY WILL NOT BRING ACCUSATION UPON YISRAEL.
789. "In the morning he shall devour the prey (Heb. ad), and at night he shall divide the spoil" (Beresheet 49:27). HE ASKS, What is the meaning of: "In the morning he shall devour the prey?" HE REPLIES, In the morning, when Abraham, CHESED, stirs in the world, and it is time of goodwill, the offering causes stirring and pleasure. It rises to 'Ad,' the place of which it says "and you shall return to (Heb. ad) Hashem your Elohim" (Devarim 30:2), WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, FROM THE CHEST UPWARD.
790. "In the morning" refers to Abraham like we said - WHO IS CHESED, as it is written, "And Abraham rose up early in the morning" (Beresheet 22:3) when it is the time of grace and no one else eats the sacrifice. Who would eat it? The place called Ad would. It is the supernal throne, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET FROM THE CHEST OF ZEIR ANPIN UPWARD, THE THRONE OF BINAH, 'adey ad (Eng. 'forever'),' FOR EATING IS UNITING SHALL BE EXPLAINED.
791. Ad eats in the morning, NAMELY WHEN CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN HAS THE ASCENDANCY. Ad is above THE CHEST OF ZEIR ANPIN, A PLACE WHICH IS ALL CHASSADIM, as it is written, "Trust in Hashem forever (Heb. adey-ad)" (Yeshayah 26:4). FROM THIS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT AD IS A VERY HIGH PLACE. In the morning, WHEN CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN REIGNS, there is a sacrifice unto Hashem, WHEN THE NUKVA CALLED SACRIFICE IS UNITED WITH HASHEM; THEREFORE "he shall devour ad (or: 'ad shall devour')," THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN AND RIGHT, WHICH IS CHESED, SHALL, and no other GRADE.
792. HE EXPLAINS THE UNION WHICH IS BROUGHT ABOUT THROUGH THE SACRIFICE, SAYING the smoke OF THE SACRIFICE rises, THE AWAKENING FROM BELOW, love is aroused above and connects BETWEEN ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA, and they stand facing each other. The candle, THE NUKVA, is kindled and shines from the awakening below, MEANING, IT RECEIVES ABUNDANCE FROM ZEIR ANPIN. The priest is stirred and the Levites praise with joy. The wine, OF THE LEFT SIDE AND GVURAH, is mingled with water, WHICH IS RIGHT AND CHESED. The wine illuminates and brings joy, FOR WHEN GVUROT ARE CLOTHED IN CHASSADIM, THEY ARE CALLED 'GLADDENING WINE.' Therefore good wine should be poured from below, so as to gladden the other wine above. All then are aroused to connect the left with the right.
793. The bread of fine flour, which is Malchut, THE NUKVA, was roused by the stirring BELOW. THE NUKVA IS CALLED 'BREAD,' ACCORDING TO THE SECRET MEANING OF THE VERSE, "SAVE THE BREAD WHICH HE DID EAT" (BERESHEET 39:6). She is taken by left and right, and attached to the body, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN CALLED BODY. Then supernal oil is poured FROM ZEIR ANPIN and She receives it through the Righteous, YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, awakening below should be performed with fine flour in oil. All is attached together, and there is delight and pleasure in the union, and the crowns, THE SFIROT OF THE NUKVA, receive that delight and pleasure of the union. ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA are attached to each other; the moon, THE NUKVA, shines and joins the sun, and all settled delightedly.
794. This is the sacrifice unto Hashem, WHEN THE NUKVA IS BROUGHT UNTO HASHEM and to no one else. Therefore "in the morning he shall devour the prey (Heb. ad);" AD SHALL EAT IN THE MORNING, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN CALLED 'AD,' and none other. THE VERSE TEACHES US that first Ad, ZEIR ANPIN, shall eat and be delighted in his union in the morning, WHEN CHASSADIM RULE, for the Holy Name should be the first to be blessed. Then will the others be blessed, AS IT SAYS, "AND AT NIGHT HE SHALL DIVIDE THE SPOIL" (BERESHEET 49:27), AS WILL BE EXPLAINED.
795. This is why it is forbidden for a man to greet his neighbor in the morning before blessing the Holy One, blessed be He, who should be blessed first, as "in the morning he shall devour ad" (or: 'ad shall devour') , WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. The others shall be blessed later; NAMELY "at night he shall divide the spoil" for the first sacrifices are offered entirely to the Holy One, blessed be He, and the stirring BELOW rises thither. Once he is blessed, he links by knots all the other supernal armies and confers blessings, each according to his worth. The worlds are sweetened and the upper and lower are blessed.
796. This is the secret of the verse, "I have drunk my wine with my milk" first. Then, dividing amongst them all, he says, "Eat, O dear ones, and drink; drink deep, O loving companions" (Shir Hashirim 5:1), thus conferring blessings upon them all and allotting each with his fitting share. Therefore, "at night he shall divide the spoil" for the Holy Name is blessed first and then imparts blessings amongst all the worlds. Do not say that the sacrifice is offered them nor to any other force, but all is offered to the Holy One, blessed be He, who bestows blessings and divides them to all the worlds. Therefore it is a sacrifice to Hashem, and to no other GRADE.