421. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse: "Then will I go to the altar of Elohim" (Tehilim 43:4). What is "the altar of Elohim?" It is the upper altar, NAMELY MALCHUT, which is SURELY the altar of Elohim, A SIGN OF JUDGMENT. It is also the well of Isaac, NAMELY MALCHUT CALLED WELL, WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED BY GVURAH, THE SECRET OF ELOHIM CALLED ISAAC. Sometimes, it is also called the altar of Yud Hei Vav Hei, WHICH IS THE NAME OF MERCY, as written, "He arose from the altar of Hashem" (I Melachim 8:54). The worlds therefore inherit FROM MALCHUT Judgment and Mercy, because she sucks from both sides; NAMELY, THE SIDE OF JUDGMENT AND THE SIDE OF MERCY. This has already been explained.

422. "If a Nefesh (lit. 'person') commit a trespass..." (Vayikra 5:15): Rabbi Yitzchak said, We have explained that it is the Nefesh, NOT THE NESHAMAH OR THE RUACH, FOR THEY DO NOT SIN BUT LEAVE BEFORE THE SIN. It is written, "Yet the soul (Nefesh) of my master shall be bound in the bond of life with Hashem your Elohim" (I Shmuel 25:29) and "the souls (Nefesh) of your enemies, them shall He sling out, as out of the hollow of a sling" (Ibid.). THUS, REWARD AND PUNISHMENT APPLY MOSTLY TO THE NEFESH.

423. Blessed are the righteous for they take part in the Holy One, blessed be He, in the holy portion and in the sanctifications of the King, for they consecrate themselves with the sanctifications of their Master. Whoever is hallowed, the Holy One, blessed be He, makes him holy, as written, "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy" (Vayikra 20:7). Man sanctifies himself from below and is sanctified from above. When man is sanctified with the holiness of his Master, he is clothed with a holy Neshamah, the heritage of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Congregation of Yisrael, AS THE NESHAMAH IS THE ISSUE OF MALE AND FEMALE. He then inherits everything. Such men are called the children of the Holy One, blessed be He, as written, "You are children of Hashem your Elohim" (Devarim 14:1). This has already been explained.

424. Come and see that it is written, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures (Nefesh)" (Beresheet 1:24). We explained that a living Nefesh is not specified. It is from this portion that King David received an inheritance to which he was attached with an upper bond and inherited the kingdom, as we have learned. Hence, "yet the soul (Nefesh) of my master shall be bound in the bond of life." We explained that the Nefesh is attached to the Ruach, the Ruach to the Neshamah and the Neshamah to the Holy One, blessed be He; THEREFORE, THEY ARE CALLED THE BUNDLE OF LIFE. Happy is the portion of he who inherits this high inheritance.

425. Woe to those evil men whose Nefesh has no merit in this world, not to mention the World to Come. Of them, it is written, "And the souls (Nefesh) of your enemies, He shall sling them out, as out of the hollow of a sling." They roam about the world, but do not find a resting place to stay in. They are defiled by the defiled side. A herald cries out, saying: "If a person (Nefesh) commit a trespass...of Hashem," "he has defiled the sanctuary of Hashem" (Bemidbar 19:20), NAMELY HIS NEFESH. THIS IS NOT REALLY THE TEMPLE OF HASHEM, for since he did not enter holiness and was not included within it, HOW COULD HE HAVE DEFILED IT? They are the demons in the world, NAMELY THE NEFESH OF THE EVIL, because they cleave TO THE OTHER SIDE and become unholy.

426. Rabbi Yitzchak said, We have explained that a Nefesh, when the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, is adorned by the Holy King, ZEIR ANPIN, and MALCHUT is named the bundle of life, since everything is attached to her, THE NEFESH IS ATTACHED TO HER FROM BELOW AND ZEIR ANPIN FROM ABOVE. Rabbi Elazar said, When the Shechinah journeys, WHICH IS MALCHUT, she journeys together with the fathers - CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN. Hence, it is written, "And the angel of Elohim, who went before the camp of Yisrael, removed..." (Shemot 14:19). THESE ARE THE THREE VERSES (SHEMOT 14:19-21) THAT INDICATE THE THREE COLUMNS, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN, OF WHICH THE SHECHINAH IS THE RECIPIENT AND WITH WHICH SHE JOURNEYS.

427. Rabbi Aba said everything, THE THREE COLUMNS - CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET - AND THE SHECHINAH became one crown, so that they will be crowned together and the Holy Name, NAMELY THE NAME OF AYIN BET (= 72), will be seen in their midst. At that time ZEIR ANPIN is called: "Like the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons" (Shir Hashirim 2:3), FOR THE THREE COLUMNS - CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET - ARE THE SECRET OF THE THREE COLORS WHITE, RED AND GREEN SEEN IN THE APPLE. Yisrael then saw ON THE SEA a supernal precious splendor journeying before them. We have learned this from: "And brought you out, He Himself being present, with His mighty power out of Egypt" (Devarim 4:37). These are the patriarchs - CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF "AND THE ANGEL...REMOVED... AND IT CAME...AND MOSES STRETCHED OUT..." - and therefore, this name, MALCHUT, breaks mountains and breaks rocks and it may bring good and evil. Happy is the portion of Yisrael.

428. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). It is a commandment that he who trespasses in the holy things should bring the capital (Heb. keren) and add the fifth part, as written, "And add the fifth part to it" (Vayikra 5:16). The capital (also: 'horn') is THE SECRET OF Vav OF THE YUD HEI VAV HEI, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, and its fifth part is Hei, NAMELY MALCHUT, AS THERE ARE FIVE ASPECTS TO ZEIR ANPIN, KETER, CHOCHMAH, BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, OF WHICH MALCHUT IS THE FIFTH PART. This is the ram's horn (Heb. 'Yovel'); NAMELY, THE HORN, ZEIR ANPIN, RECEIVES FROM JUBEILEE (HEB. YOVEL,) BINAH. THIS IS THE SECRET OF the horn that was on the forehead of the bull that the first man sacrificed. THIS HORN (HEB. KEREN) ALLUDES TO ZEIR ANPIN, FOR BY BRINGING AN OFFERING, HE BROUGHT MALCHUT TO ZEIR ANPIN. This, NAMELY BRINGING THE FIFTH PART TO THE CAPITAL, is the principal part in every offering. THIS IS THE SECRET OF the capital (Heb. keren), ZEIR ANPIN, awaiting one in the World to Come, BINAH; NAMELY, HE RECEIVES FROM BINAH while one may enjoy its fruits in this world, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT RECEIVES FROM ZEIR ANPIN. This is Hei Hei, THE FIRST HEI OF THE YUD HEI VAV HEI, BINAH, AND THE LAST HEI OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, MALCHUT. VAV, ZEIR ANPIN, STANDS BETWEEN THEM, RECEIVING FROM THE FIRST HEI, THE SECRET OF THE CAPITAL AWAITING HIM IN THE WORLD TO COME, AND GIVING PLENTY TO THE LAST HEI, THE SECRET OF THE FRUIT IN THIS WORLD. End of Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd).

429. Come and see why a goat is brought as an offering. Rabbi Shimon said that it was brought because of her name goat (Heb. ez), from which we deduce that it is the Evil Side and an evil species, FOR 'Ez' INDICATES HARSH (HEB. AZ) AND SEVERE JUDGMENTS. WHY THEREFORE IS SHE BROUGHT FOR AN OFFERING? HE ANSWERS, Rabbi Shimon said that she has to be offered, because if a spirit of defilement passed over him or he dealt with it, he should offer the goat, NAMELY, in accordance with his manner of sinning.