96. "Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed" (Devarim 25:3). This precept is to strike the wicked, who is Samael, who the Holy One, blessed be He, will give fifty stripes for turning himself into a deity. Let the unification OF KRIAT SH'MA AND 'BLESSED BE...' that Yisrael meditate on twice a day in the 25 plus 25 letters in them, come and strike with them whoever turns himself into a deity, and who is nothing but a filthy servant. And as for those who sinned against LAST Hei, WHICH IS MALCHUT, the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed to strike them with Yud Vav Dalet, Hei Aleph, Vav Aleph Vav, which are of the numerical value of forty minus one. With this name the Holy One, blessed be He, gave ten stripes to Adam, ten to Eve, ten to the serpent and ten to the land, WHICH AMOUNT TO 39 STRIPES, since they all sinned against the letter Hei, WHICH IS MALCHUT. Hence IT IS WRITTEN, "Because you have done this" (Beresheet 2:14), 'THIS' BEING A NAME OF MALCHUT.