267. "And Elohim remembered Rachel." This is because CHILD BEARING depends on Mazal, THE SECRET OF THE RIVER THAT FLOWS OUT OF EDEN AND WATERS THE GARDEN, THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore the term "remembering" is used. IT IS DERIVED FROM THE WORD "REMEMBER," WHICH IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHILE VISITATION IS DERIVED FROM THE NUKVA. HE ASKS, Does the verse, "And Hashem visited Sarah" (Beresheet 21:1), not come from Mazal, SINCE THE TERM "REMEMBER" IS UNMENTIONED? It may be said that childbearing does depend on Mazal and not on a lower place, THE NUKVA. So here, there was no Mazal ('luck') for Sarah. HE ANSWERS, There is Vav-Yud Hei Vav Hei, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "AND THE HASHEM (IN THE TEXT: VAV-YUD HEI VAV HEI) VISITED...," which comprises all in one. FOR VAV-YUD HEI VAV HEI ALLUDES TO HIM AND HIS COURT OF LAW, ZEIR ANPIN TOGETHER WITH THE NUKVA. THUS, REMEMBRANCE FROM ZEIR ANPIN, THE SECRET OF MAZAL, IS ALSO MENTIONED IN CONNECTION WITH SARAH.

268. HE ASKS, If it be true THAT VAV-YUD HEI VAV HEI ('AND HASHEM') INCLUDES BOTH ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA, THE SECRET OF REMEMBERING AND VISITING, why then is the term "visiting" used? VAV -YUD HEI VAV HEI ALSO INCLUDES "VISITING." HE ANSWERS, Because remembrance had already occurred, and the key FOR CHILDREN was delivered downward, as it is written, "But My covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time..." (Beresheet 17:21). Afterward, it is similarly written, "AND HASHEM SAID... I WILL RETURN TO YOU, AT THIS SEASON, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON" (BERESHEET 18:13-14). Because remembrance has already been mentioned in the secret of above, OF ZEIR ANPIN - AS WRITTEN, "MY COVENANT," WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN - it was said in the secret of visiting, the Nukva, so that all will be united into one, and both REMEMBRANCE AND VISITATION will be together for her.

269. "And Elohim remembered Rachel." Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, "And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Yisrael, kept in bondage by Egypt; and I have remembered My covenant" (Shemot 6:5). "I have remembered" refers to remembrance (Heb. zachor), for it is above IN ZEIR ANPIN, because Mazal, which abides above in the male (Heb. zachar), comes upon visitation, the Nukva below, while she is in exile, TO REDEEM HER. It is similarly written, "And Elohim remembered Rachel," which has the same meaning as, "and I have remembered My covenant."

270. Come and see, It is written, "I have surely visited you" (Shemot 3:16). HE ASKS, COULD THE SCRIPTURE USE THE WORD "visited," while visitation was in the Nukva, who was in exile at the time? How could she say, "I have surely visited," WHEN SHE WAS IN EXILE? HE ANSWERS, Here we should look at the mystery of wisdom, AND ASK: 1) Since she was in exile, how was she revealed to Moses, and 2) how could she say, "I have surely visited?"

271. HE ANSWERS, We have learned that when the sun shines, it is in heaven, and its power and strength rule everywhere on earth. Similarly, it was said OF HASHEM that "the whole earth is full of His glory," while the Temple was in existence. This verse refers to the Holy Land, NAMELY, THE NUKVA. THE SHECHINAH IS THEN WONT TO BE REVEALED. Now when Yisrael are in exile, THE SHECHINAH is above YET her power IS DRAWN TOWARD THE EARTH LIKE THE SUN, WHICH HIDES IN THE SKY, YET ITS POWER AND STRENGTH FILL THE EARTH. SHE encircles Yisrael to protect them, although they are IN EXILE in a different land.

272. HE FURTHER EXPLAINED, Come and behold. There is the Shechinah below and above THE CHEST OF ZEIR ANPIN. The Shechinah above abides in the twelve borders of the holy Chariots and the twelve supernal living creatures. The Shechinah below abides in the twelve holy tribes. The Shechinah includes of above and below and they all shine simultaneously. AND THEN, "THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY" (YESHAYAH 6:3), AND THE SHECHINAH IS REVEALED BELOW IN THIS WORLD. When Yisrael were in exile, the Shechinah was not perfected below or above. This is because the Shechinah is in exile with them.

273. HE ASKS, How is the Shechinah amended DURING HER EXILE SO AS TO BE REVEALED BELOW? HE SAID, This is like a king whose son died. What did he do? In mourning, he even turned down his bed and, instead of making it, threw thorns and thistles under it and lay on them. So did the Holy One, blessed be He, behave when Yisrael went into exile, and the Temple was destroyed. He put thorns and thistles underneath Him. This is the meaning of the verse, "And the angel of Hashem appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush" (Shemot 3:2). HE DID THIS because Yisrael was in exile. THIS EXPLAINS HOW THE SHECHINAH WAS REVEALED TO MOSES IN EXILE. SHE APPEARS TO MOSES IN A THORNBUSH, WHICH IS IMPERFECT AND FULL OF JUDGMENT, FOR SHE CAN APPEAR IN THIS MANNER EVEN IN EXILE.

274. "I have surely visited you." HE RETURNED TO THE OTHER QUESTION, Whom can a person visit who is not in his own domain, BUT IS IN EXILE? What can he do? HOW COULD THE SHECHINAH SAY, "I HAVE SURELY VISITED YOU (LIT. 'VISIT I HAVE VISITED YOU')," WHEN SHE WAS IN EXILE? HE ANSWERS, "visit" means from above, ZEIR ANPIN, THE SECRET OF REMEMBRANCE, and "visited" is below IN THE NUKVA. He did not mention the word "remember," because remembrance has been over Her earlier, as it is written, "and I have remembered My covenant." Once it was written, "and I have remembered," remembrance had been inserted into Her. Therefore she later said, "Visit I have visited you," THE WORD "VISIT" ALLUDING TO THE REMEMBRANCE ALREADY GIVEN HER, because She held to that sign - IN THE WORDS "VISIT, I HAVE VISITED YOU," beforehand. The same applies to Sarah, as it is written, "And Hashem visited Sarah." As for Rachel, who was not remembered before, the term "visiting" is not used. Rather, "remembrance" is used. Everything that pertains to "remembrance" is in the secret meaning of Mazal.

275. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Chizkiyah were going from Cappadocia to Lod. Rabbi Yehuda was riding, and Rabbi Chizkiyah was on foot. As they traveled, Rabbi Yehuda dismounted FROM THE ASS and said, From now on let us be occupied with the Torah, as it is written, "ascribe greatness to our Elohim" (Devarim 32:3).

276. He said to him: It would be better if there were three of us, because one would speak and the other two would respond. He replied, This is true only for benedictions, when one mentions the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and two respond, as it is written, "Because I will call on the name of Hashem: ascribe greatness to our Elohim." "...Because I will call on the name of Hashem..." is the one WHO UTTERS THE NAME; "ascribe greatness to our Elohim," refers to the two WHO RESPOND. But in regard to the Torah, even two who sit AND STUDY THE TORAH ascribe greatness, might, and the splendor of the Torah to the Holy One, blessed be He.