Ten names

155. We learned that ten names were constructed and came from this Yud. The Yud is the tenth letter IN THE ALPHABET. The Yud immersed them all in the holy river, BINAH, which became pregnant with them. All the ten names are concealed within one SUPERNAL NAME, all concealed within the Yud. The Yud contains them and the Yud issues them. It is the father of all, father of the fathers - NAMELY, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET.

156. From THE YUD come out Vav-Dalet, WITH WHICH IT IS FULLY SPELLED. This is alluded to by their numerical value, which is ten LIKE THE YUD. The letters of Yud include Vav Dalet, which are the perfection of everything. Vav Dalet are male and female, ZEIR ANPIN TYPIFYING VAV AND MALCHUT PERSONIFYING DALET, WHICH ARE MALE AND FEMALE OF CHOCHMAH. They are called Du (spelled Dalet Vav), which means two. Therefore, man is created with two faces. These faces were male and female like it is above. THEY ARE READ AS Vav Dalet from above downward, STARTING WITH VAV, INFERRING ZEIR ANPIN, FOLLOWED BY DALET, IMPLYING MALCHUT. THEY ARE READ AS Dalet Vav from below upward, WHEREBY MALCHUT IS FIRST AND THEN ZEIR ANPIN. It all amounts to the same thing. The thirteen attributes of Mercy depend on the Yud, NAMELY ON THE UPPER TIP OF THE YUD, WHICH IS KETER, IN WHICH ARE THE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES OF MERCY. The Yud therefore includes Vav Dalet AS AN INDICATION OF THE MALE AND FEMALE INSIDE IT, FROM WHICH YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH, THE SECRET OF BINAH, WERE MADE. THEY ARE TURNED AGAIN TO BE CHOCHMAH, WHENCE ALL MOCHIN EMERGE, THE PERFECTION OF EVERYTHING, THE SECRET OF THE FULL SPELLING WITH VAV DALET OF THE SAME NUMERICAL VALUE AS YUD, as we have learned and established.

157. Come and see, the ten names correspond to the ten letters, NAMELY, TO THE YUD, THE TENTH LETTER IN THE ALPHABET. IT THEREFORE CONSISTS OF TEN LETTERS. In his book, Rav Hamnuna Saba said that there are eight NAMES FROM BINAH DOWNWARDS, and the two grades, KETER AND CHOCHMAH, correspond to two firmaments. THAT IS, THEY ARE HIDDEN AND UNNAMED, BECAUSE A NAME MEANS REVELATION, AND WHAT IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE CANNOT BE KNOWN BY NAME. THE NUMBER OF names changes into ten WHEN COUNTING FROM KETER, nine WHEN COUNTING FROM CHOCHMAH, eight WHEN COUNTING FROM BINAH and seven WHEN STARTING FROM CHESED.

158. HE STARTS COUNTING FROM CHOCHMAH, SAYING the first NAME is Yah (Yud-Hei), WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, since Yud includes Hei within it. NAMELY, THE YUD FULLY SPELLED INCLUDES VAV DALET, WHICH FORM THE SHAPE OF HEI, and Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI comes out of Yud. IT IS FORMED OF VAV DALET, WITH WHICH YUD IS FULLY SPELLED. IT CAME OUT OF YUD, THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH, AND BECAME BINAH. THUS THE TWO LETTERS YUD HEI ARE INCLUDED WITHIN YUD, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH. Chochmah is therefore called Yah.

159. The second NAME is Yud Hei Vav Hei called Elohim, NAMELY YUD HEI VAV HEI WITH THE VOWELING OF ELOHIM, WHICH IS BINAH. For that river, BINAH, is of Mercy. But since Judgments rouse from it DUE TO THE RISING OF MALCHUT TO BINAH, NOT FROM ITSELF, ITS NAME IS THEREFORE spelled with the letters of Mercy, YUD HEI VAV HEI, with the voweling of Elohim; NAMELY, WITH THE VOWELS E, O, I. But it is not SPELLED WITH THE LETTERS OF Elohim, which represent Judgment.

160. The third NAME is El. It is greatness, NAMELY CHESED. It is called the great El. The fourth NAME is Elohim, from which Judgments awaken. It is severe Judgment, NAMELY THE SFIRAH OF GVURAH. The fifth NAME is Yud Hei Vav Hei that includes absolute Faith. It is mercy perfected, THE SFIRAH OF Tiferet. The sixth and seventh NAMES OF NETZACH AND HOD are called Tzva'ot.

161. The eighth NAME is living El, as written, "For there Hashem has commanded the blessing, even life..." (Tehilim 133:3). This is the Righteous, NAMELY YESOD, from whom all life comes. It is called Yud Hei Vav Hei, as written, "Hashem (Yud Hei Vav Hei) tries the righteous" (Tehilim 11:5). It is the small Vav of the Holy Name, and therefore the fully spelled Vav OF THE HOLY NAME COMPRISES two Vavs, THE FIRST VAV BEING TIFERET AND THE SECOND VAV YESOD.

162. The ninth NAME is Adonai. It is the holy Malchut from which Judgments come into the world. It is the last crown, NAMELY THE LAST SFIRAH, of all names. The name Eheyeh is inclusive, concealed in the first SFIRAH, supernal Keter, beginning of all beginnings. Its name is concealed and is not revealed, FOR EHEYEH MEANS I WILL BE REVEALED, BUT NOW I AM NOT YET REVEALED, as has been explained. In the book of Agadah, the ten names are spelled differently, but I have not learned it that way.

163. Rabbi Aba opened the discussion with the verse: "Awake, north wind; and come, you south; blow on my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat its choicest fruits" (Shir Hashirim 4:16). "Awake, north wind:" These are burnt offerings ritually slaughtered on the north (Heb. tzafon) side of the altar, because they are DUE TO thoughts hidden (Heb. tzefunim) in the heart and in a place of Judgment, AS THE NORTH SIDE IS LEFT AND JUDGMENT. This is because thoughts come at night, a time of Judgment. The north wind blows at midnight when people wake from their sleep, and David's harp, THE SECRET OF MALCHUT PLAYING TO THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, plays on its own. People's thoughts then awaken.

164. "And come, you south:" These are peace offerings that are slaughtered on the south side of the altar - THE SIDE OF CHESED, RIGHT - because they bring peace to everyone, peace to the upper and lower beings, AS PEACE OFFERINGS (HEB. SHLAMIM) BRINGS PEACE (HEB. SHALOM) AND PERFECTION (HEB. SHLEMUT). They are the perfection of the directions of the world, overall perfection from the aspect of Faith, MALCHUT. Since peace offerings are overall peace, the owners eat of them and enjoy them, for it gives one peace and everyone is on the same level. Sin offerings and guilt offerings are eaten by the priests alone, NOT BY THE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT THEM, since it is for the priests to atone for them and to commute their sins. Of all offerings, the peace offerings are the most beloved by the Holy One, blessed be He, because they bring peace to the upper and lower beings.

165. Best of all offerings is incense, which is completely wholesome and not burned for sin, nor for any inadvertent trespass, nor any wrongdoing, but for joy, as written, "Ointment and incense rejoice the heart" (Mishlei 27:9), as we have already explained. Incense therefore is offered only when oil is offered. Hence, it is written, "And Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning: when he dresses the lamps, he shall burn incense on it" and "And when Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn incense on it" (Shemot 30:7-8). This is so that incense and oil shall be together, AS OIL ALLUDES TO CHOCHMAH AND INCENSE TO BINAH, AND CHOCHMAH AND BINAH ARE ALWAYS TOGETHER. Come and see: peace offerings bring peace to everything and thus, dissension and persecution never appear in the world, but incense binds the bond of Faith BY DRAWING MOCHIN TO MALCHUT CALLED FAITH.

166. Rabbi Elazar said, All ten names are written IN THE TORAH, and we learned THAT the first name, "I will be (Heb. eheyeh)" (Shemot 3:14), is concealed high above, as one saying: I am what I am, without it being known who he is. IT IS KETER. It is then written "that I will be (Heb. asher eheyeh)" (Ibid.), WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, MEANING I will be revealed in these OTHER crowns. At first, it is concealed, NAMELY IN KETER, and then it begins to be revealed, NAMELY IN CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, until the Holy Name is revealed IN TIFERET.

167. Thus, it is first written by Moses, Eheyeh, which is concealed more than everything, NAMELY KETER, WHICH MEANS, I am what I am; then "asher Eheyeh (lit. 'that I will be')," WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, MEANING I will be revealed. Then comes the last Eheyeh, NAMELY "EHEYEH HAS SENT ME TO YOU" (IBID. 15), WHICH IS BINAH. This is when Ima becomes pregnant WITH MALE AND FEMALE, yet the name is still concealed. When is the name revealed? When it is written, "Go, and gather the elders of Yisrael together, and say to them, Hashem the Elohim of your fathers..." (Ibid. 16). This NAME is overall perfection and here lies the revelation and unity of the Holy Name, WHICH IS TIFERET.

168. Therefore, the first NAME before all is Eheyeh, KETER. The second is Yah, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, as Chochmah, YUD, issued Hei, BINAH, which is concealed in it and never separates FROM THE YUD. THIS IS THE SECRET OF BINAH INCLUDED WITHIN CHOCHMAH, AND THEY ARE CALLED SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA. CHOCHMAH IS THEREFORE CALLED BY THE NAME YAH. We have already explained the words: "And a river went out of Eden" (Beresheet 2:10), WHICH MEANS THAT BINAH, CALLED RIVER, COMES OUT OF EDEN, CHOCHMAH. THIS BINAH IS THE SECRET OF YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH, MEANING LOWER CHOCHMAH AND BINAH. THEY LOOK like the shape of Hei ה. THAT IS, THE RIGHT ANGLE OF THE LETTER HEI IS THE SECRET OF YUD, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH REFERRED TO AS LOWER ABA, AND IS CALLED ALSO YISRAEL-SABA. THE LETTER HEI, WHICH IS BINAH CALLED LOWER IMA AND CALLED TEVUNAH, EXTENDS FROM IT.

169. I have learned from my father that Yud is CHOCHMAH, as we said. Then came Yah, WHEN CHOCHMAH PRODUCED BINAH INSIDE IT IN THE SECRET OF VAV DALET OF THE FULLY SPELLED LETTER YUD, THE SECRET OF SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA, who never separate from each other. AFTERWARDS, Yud produced Hei in the shape of Hei, ה. THIS HEI HAS A MARK OF A YUD AT THE CORNER OF THE HEI. Thus we have Yud, WHICH IS YISRAEL-SABA, and the river that comes out from it, WHICH IS TEVUNAH, THE ACTUAL HEI THAT EXTENDS FROM THE YUD IN ITS CORNER. AND THEY ARE THE SECRET OF THE FIRST HEI IN THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI.

170. Drawn down FROM HEI, NAMELY YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH, are two children coming out from them. From the aspect of LOWER Aba, who is Yud AT THE CORNER OF THE HEI, a son comes out, ZEIR ANPIN, who cleaves to Yud, YISRAEL-SABA, CALLED ABA, and cleaves to the river, TEVUNAH CALLED IMA, THE ACTUAL HEI EXPANDING FROM YUD. From the side of Ima, THE ACTUAL HEI, a daughter comes out, MALCHUT, the lower river. This son, ZEIR ANPIN, that comes out and issues from them - YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH - is the Vav OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, who inherits Aba and Ima THAT ARE YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH. HE RECEIVES THEIR MOCHIN, THOUGH THEY ARE NOT HIS OWN, HE ONLY INHERITS THEM. The overall Faith, MALCHUT, is attached to Him, and the daughter is nourished from Him, from the inheritance He received FROM YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH, MEANING THAT HE ILLUMINATES UPON HER FROM THOSE MOCHIN.

171. The Holy Name should therefore be spelled first with Yud. First a tip SHOULD BE DRAWN above THE YUD, then a tip in the middle OF THE YUD, and a tip at the bottom OF THE YUD. THIS IS THE SECRET OF KETER, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH ALLUDED TO IN YUD, as we already learned. Then IT BEHOOVES US TO WRITE Yud Hei, which never separate from each other, in the shape of the letter Hei. THAT IS, FIRST A YUD SHOULD BE DRAWN AT THE UPPER RIGHT ANGLE, THEN TWO LINES SHOULD BE DRAWN FROM IT, ONE UP AS A ROOF AND ONE BELOW AS THE RIGHT LEG WITH A SMALL LINE AS THE LEFT LEG. Thus, both will be completely perfect, a father and a mother INCLUDED WITHIN THE YUD, THE SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA. THEN YUD ISSUES ITS FULL SPELLING VAV DALET AND THE LETTER HEI IS FORMED FROM THEM IN THE FORM OF HEI, WHICH ARE a son and a daughter OF YUD. FOR VAV DALET OF THE FULLY SPELLED YUD ARE THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT INCLUDED WITHIN CHOCHMAH AND ARE CALLED A SON AND A DAUGHTER. In the same manner Yud Hei SHOULD BE WRITTEN. Behold Faith perfected, WHICH IS BINAH.

172. Afterwards Faith has spread, WHICH IS BINAH, and two children come out from it, from the whole and go their DIFFERENT ways. The son, ZEIR ANPIN, issues from them both, FROM YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH. He is Vav of the Holy Name YUD HEI VAV HEI. The daughter, MALCHUT, issues from the side of Ima, TEVUNAH. She is the last Hei of the Holy Name YUD HEI VAV HEI. She is completed only with Vav, AS MALCHUT REACHES PERFECTION ONLY THROUGH ZEIR ANPIN, for she is sustained, NAMELY, RECEIVES HER FLOW OF PLENTY, from Him. Therefore, THE FORM OF HEI should be drawn first as Vav ו, then Hei-like this ה- WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT INCLUDED WITHIN MALCHUT. Behold Vav, together with the expansion coming from it THAT COMPLETES THE SHAPE OF HEI, RESEMBLE the river TEVUNAH that comes out of Yud THAT IS YISRAEL- SABA, AS WAS EXPLAINED IN THE FORM OF THE FIRST HEI OF YUD HEI VAV HEI IN THE EARLIER PARAGRAPH. As THE HEI, WHICH IS BINAH, is nourished from YUD, THE SAME HOLDS FOR THE LAST HEI - ONE SHOULD FIRST DRAW VAV AND THEN DRAW FROM IT THE SHAPE OF HEI, BECAUSE THIS HEI IS NOURISHED FROM THE VAV. This Vav, FORMING THE FIRST OUTLINE OF THE HEI, is the son that comes out FROM VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI downward INTO THE LAST HEI; NAMELY, IT IS ZEIR ANPIN WITHIN MALCHUT.

173. These matters were expounded to me by my father. And when I come by these words, I say them thus, because it is a token from my father; NAMELY, THEY WERE THUS TRANSMITTED TO ME. A man should be careful with the Holy Name, to write it in this manner, for this is how it is proper. If it is not DONE IN THIS MANNER, it is not considered a Holy Name but is considered defective. And he who renders the Holy Name defective, it were better if he were never born.

174. AFTER EXPLAINING THE FIRST TWO NAMES, EHEYEH AND YAH, KETER AND CHOCHMAH, HE EXPLAINS the third NAME, which is Yud Hei Vav Hei called Elohim, NAMELY BINAH. As we learned, BINAH IS ACTUALLY of Mercy, but Judgment comes out from it. IT IS THEREFORE SPELLED YUD HEI VAV HEI, MERCY, BUT PRONOUNCED ELOHIM, JUDGMENT, AS IT IS VOWELED WITH THE VOWELS OF ELOHIM. This is the river that comes out from Eden, WHICH IS BINAH. The fourth NAME is great El. We have already learned that it is greatness, NAMELY THE SFIRAH OF CHESED. The fifth NAME is Elohim, which is always Gvurah. The sixth NAME is Yud Hei Vav Hei, Mercy, overall perfection, the essence of everything, the bond of Faith, which holds on to all ends, AS IT INCLUDES ALL OF THE SIX EXTREMITIES - CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD. It is the glory (Tiferet) of Yisrael.

175. The seventh and eighth NAMES are called together Tzva'ot. THESE ARE NETZACH AND HOD. Thus, the name Yud Hei Vav Hei, TIFERET, is close to everything and attached to all ends, for sometimes IT IS WRITTEN, "Hashem (Yud Hei Vav Hei) Elohim," AN INDICATION that Tiferet has an affinity to Gvurah. Other times, IT IS WRITTEN, "Hashem Tzva'ot," AN INDICATION that Tiferet has an affinity to Netzach and Hod called Tzva'ot. We learned that it can be concluded from the words of the true prophets that when they had proclaimed, "Thus says Hashem Elohim" and "Thus says Hashem Tzva'ot," they knew the place from where the words OF PROPHECY had come.

176. The ninth NAME is Shadai, NAMELY YESOD, which said to the world 'enough (Heb. dai).' Enough MEANS it is satisfied IN ALL ITS NEEDS. Satisfaction comes to the world only from the righteous, the foundation of the world, who said to the world 'enough;' NAMELY, ALL ITS NEEDS ARE SATISFIED. The tenth NAME is Adonai, MALCHUT, because the Judgment of Malchut is true Judgment (Heb. din) indeed AND ADONAI IS SPELLED WITH THE LETTERS OF DIN. It is used for waging the wars of the King, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, in the world. It is CALLED lower Gvurah and is CALLED righteousness.

177. These are the ten names of the Holy One, blessed be He with which He is called. They are attached to each other in a complete union. These TEN NAMES are the holy Sfirot of the King, KETER, CHOCHMAH, BINAH, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT, through which He is made known. They are His name and He is they. When they are all connected as one by the scent of incense, then it is considered there as incense, WHICH MEANS BOND IN ARAMAIC, the bond that THE GRADES have together. Happy is the portion of the righteous, who know the ways of the Torah and know how to acknowledge the glory of their Master. Of them, it is written, "And they shall come, and see My glory" (Yeshayah 66:18).