439. Rabbi Yehuda opened with the verse, "It is time to work for Hashem, for they have made void Your Torah" (Tehilim 119:126). AND HE ASKS, What is the meaning of "It is time to work for Hashem"? AND HE REPLIES, This has already been explained. Nevertheless, "time" alludes to the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY THE NUKVA, which is called "time." As it is written, "that he come not at all times into the holy place" (Vayikra 16:2). And what is MEANT BY "that he comes not at all times?" The meaning is similar to what is written, "That they may keep you from a strange woman" (Mishlei 7:5). And this also relates to the verse, "and offered strange fire before Hashem" (Vayikra 10:1). IN OTHER WORDS, THE NUKVA OF THE KLIPOT IS ALSO CALLED 'TIME,' WHICH IS A STRANGE WOMAN, A STRANGE FIRE. THIS IS WHY IT IS WRITTEN, "THAT HE COME NOT AT ALL TIMES INTO THE HOLY PLACE," BUT ONLY AT THE TIMES OF HOLINESS. AND HE ASKS, Why is THE NUKVA CALLED 'Time?' AND HE REPLIES, Because there is a time and a period for everything. THIS REFERS TO THE 28 PERIODS OF TIME THAT APPEAR IN THE BOOK OF KOHELET IN ORDER to come closer to shine from and cleave TO ZEIR ANPIN properly, as it is written, "But as for me, my prayer is to You, Hashem, in an acceptable time" (Tehilim 69:14).
440. "To work (or make) for Hashem" is similar to what is written, "and David made himself a name" (II Shmuel 8:13), WHICH MEANS THAT HE AMENDED THE NUKVA THAT IS CALLED "A NAME." AND IN THE SAME MANNER, whoever studies Torah, it is as though he "made" and prepared the "time," WHICH IS THE NUKVA, to attach Her to the Holy One, blessed be He. And why do all that? WHY SHOULD ANYONE HAVE TO WORK AND PREPARE THE NUKVA? Because "they have made void Your Torah." Had they not "made void Your Torah," then there would not have ever been a separation of the Holy One, blessed be He, from Yisrael, BECAUSE THE UNION OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, AND HIS SHECHINAH WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN INTERRUPTED.
441. Rabbi Yosi said that the same applies to the verse, "I Hashem will hasten it in its time" (Yeshayah 60:22). What does "in its time (Heb. itah)" mean? IT MEANS at the time (et) when Hei, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, shall rise up from Her dust - then I "will hasten it." IN OTHER WORDS, BY MY POWER, NOT BY HER OWN STRENGTH, SHE SHALL RISE FROM THE DUST OF EXILE. Rabbi Yosi said that in spite of all this, the Congregation of Yisrael lies only for one day in the dust OF EXILE, and no more. THIS REFERS TO THE ONE DAY OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WHICH LASTS A THOUSAND YEARS, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "FOR A THOUSAND YEARS IN YOUR EYES ARE BUT AS YESTERDAY..." (TEHILIM 90:4) AND THIS ALLUDES TO THE FIFTH MILLENNIUM, AS IS FURTHER EXPLAINED, BECAUSE THE FOURTH MILLENNIUM WAS NOT FULL, AS IT LACKED 172 YEARS BECAUSE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE OCCURRED IN THE YEAR 3828.
442. Rabbi Yehuda then said, So it has been expressed;nevertheless, come and behold the secret that I learned. At the time when the Congregation of Yisrael was exiled from Her place, it was as if the letters of the Holy Name were separated from one another. Hei was separated from Vav IN THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI. As a result of this separation, it is written, "I was dumb with stillness" (Tehilim 39:3). Because the Vav departed from the Hei, the voice disappeared. As a result, Speech was silenced.
443. And because of this, She lies in the dust OF EXILE during all that day of the Hei. And when is this? It is during the fifth millennium, even though She was exiled before it began - BECAUSE THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED DURING THE FOURTH MILLENNIUM, IT WAS NOT A FULL MILLENNIUM AND WE DO NOT COUNT IT.
444. And when the sixth millennium arrives, which is the secret of the Vav - NAMELY THE YESOD, SPELLED WITH THE VAV, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN - then the Vav shall elevate the Hei, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, at the time of "six multiplied by ten," as the Vav (= 6) rises up to the Yud (= 10) OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH. THEN the Vav descends to the Hei, AND BRINGS TO IT ABUNDANCE.
445. And when the Vav, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, reaches completion by reaching sixty (by multiplying six times ten), THE NUKVA is raised from the dust. So every sixty years during the sixth millennium, the Hei is strengthened and rises up through its own grades to become firm. And in the year 600 of the sixth millennium, the gates of Wisdom of above and the fountains of Wisdom below shall be opened. And the world shall be prepared to enter the seventh MILLENNIUM, as a person who prepares himself on the sixth day (Friday), as the sun sets, to enter the Shabbat. And as a mnemonic for this, we take the verse, "In the six hundredth year of Noach's life...all the fountains of the great deep were broken open" (Beresheet 7:11).
446. Rabbi Yosi said to him, This is more time than the friends have said - the exile of the Congregation of Yisrael is only for one day and no more, as it is written, "He has made me desolate and faint all the day" (Eichah 1:13). THIS IS THE SECRET OF "ONE DAY" OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WHICH IS 1000 YEARS, AS EXPLAINED ABOVE. He said to him, I have learned so from my father among the secrets of the letters of the holy name, YUD HEI VAV HEI, and in the years of the world, and the days of Creation, all is one secret.
447. And then the rainbow will be seen in the clouds in shining colors, as a woman who adorns herself for her husband - BECAUSE THE RAINBOW IS THE MYSTERY OF THE NUKVA. As it is written, "And I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant" (Beresheet 9:16). And this has already been carefully explained. HOWEVER, "and I will look upon it" MEANS in its shining colors, as should properly be.
448. And then IT SHALL BE SAID, "That I may remember the everlasting covenant." And what is the "everlasting covenant?" It is the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY THE NUKVA, WHICH IS THE COVENANT. And the Vav will join the Hei and raise it from the dust, as it is written, "And Elohim remembered his covenant" (Shemot 2:24). This is the Congregation of Yisrael, which is the covenant, as it is written, "And it shall be for a sign of a covenant" (Beresheet 9:13).