431. Rabbi Yosi began the discussion with the verse, "Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of your house, and your children like olive plants round about your table" (Tehilim 128:3). "Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine" MEANS THAT as long as the woman remains by the sides of the house and does not go outside, she is modest and worthy of bearing worthy children. "As a fruitful vine" means that just as a vine is always planted with its own kind, so shall an honorable wife never grow any sprouts, NAMELY CHILDREN, from another man. And just as a vine is never grafted with another kind of tree, so an honorable wife NEVER MATES WITH ANOTHER MAN.
432. What is her reward? It is "your children like olive plants." Just as the leaves of the olive plants never fall, but are attached to the tree all the time, so "the children like olive plants round about your table" SHALL ALWAYS BE ATTACHED TO YOU.
433. What is written next? "Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed, that fears Hashem" (Tehilim 128:4). AND HE ASKS, What is MEANT BY "Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed." SHOULD IT NOT BE WRITTEN, 'BEHOLD - THUS?' AND HE REPLIES, This is another issue that is learned from her. As long as the Shechinah was kept modestly in Her place, as is properly suited for Her, then it is as though "your children are like olive plants." These are the children of Yisrael living in the land OF YISRAEL "round about your table," as they eat, drink, offer sacrifices, and rejoice before the Holy One, blessed be He. And the upper and lower beings are blessed because of them.
434. After the Shechinah departed FROM HER PLACE, the children of Yisrael were exiled from the table of their Father and dispersed among the nations. And they cry out all day long, but there is no one who takes heed except the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies..." (Vayikra 26:44) And we do see how many holy and saintly men did perish under harsh decrees, all this being a punishment of the Torah, which Yisrael did not observe when they lived in the Holy Land.
435. As it is written, "Because you do not serve Hashem your Elohim with joyfulness and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things" (Devarim 28:47). There is a secret in this verse. The verse "Because you serve not Hashem your Elohim with joyfulness" refers to when the priests offered sacrifices and burned offerings, which is done "...with joyfulness." "And with gladness of heart..." refers to the Levites. And "for the abundance of all things" refers to Yisrael, who are positioned in the middle, between THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES, and receive blessings from both sides - FROM THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT.
436. As it is written, "You have multiplied the nation, and increased its joy" (Yeshayah 9:2). This refers to the priests. "Yisrael rejoiced before You as the joy in harvest" refers to Yisrael, who are blessed by the Holy One, blessed be He, with the harvest OF the fields, as they offer a tenth of everything. "...And as men rejoice when they divide the spoil" refers to the Levites, who receive a tenth from the threshing floor.
437. A different meaning of "You have multiplied the nation" is that it refers to Yisrael, who properly keep Faith in the Holy One, blessed be He. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH INCLUDES THE RIGHT AND LEFT COLUMNS, AS WAS SAID BEFORE. The words "and increased its joy" mean the grade of the supernal Head, REFERRING TO CHESED THAT HAS BECOME CHOCHMAH, to which Abraham has cleaved, because it is called 'Great' and joyfulness can be found in it. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT COLUMN, WHICH IS CHESED.
438. "They rejoiced before You" refers to the time when they rose to cleave to You "as the joy in harvest," which is the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY THE NUKVA, which rejoiced in His harvest. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE LEFT COLUMN, BECAUSE THE REAPING OF THE CROP OF A FIELD COMES FROM THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT. AND THE "HARVEST" IS THE DESIRED RESULT OF WORKING THE FIELDS. SO WHEN IT IS SAID, "THE JOY IN HARVEST," THIS IS THE SECRET OF HER HUSBAND BEING CROWNED BY HER, WHILE SHE IN RETURN IS NOT CROWNED BY HER HUSBAND. "...As men rejoice when they divide the spoil" refers to rejoicing by the other hosts and Chariots, THOSE BENEATH THE NUKVA, while they divide among themselves the spoil and fall upon the prey before everyone else. THIS REFERS TO THE SUPERNAL HEAD, WHICH ABRAHAM CLEAVED TO AND WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT COLUMN, WHICH IS CHESED.