596. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion saying, Of these mysteries of the Tabernacle, it is written, "And look that you make them after their pattern... " (Shemot 25:40) and it is written, "And you shall rear up the Tabernacle according to its fashion... " (Shemot 26:30). We have learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to Moses of all the forms and all the constructions of the Tabernacle, each one as it should be, and showed him THE ANGEL, Metatron, who serves the High Priest inside. You may say, But the Tabernacle above was not erected until the day that the Tabernacle was erected below, and that youth, METATRON, did not serve above until the day that they served below in the other Tabernacle.
596. פָּתַח רַבִּי יוֹסִי וְאָמַר, בְּאִינּוּן רָזִין עִלָּאִין דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא כְּתִיב, וּרְאֵה וַעֲשֵׂה בְּתַבְנִיתָם וְגוֹ,' וּכְתִיב וַהֲקֵמֹתָ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּמִשְׁפָּטוֹ וְגוֹ,' אוֹלִיפְנָא דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, כָּל תִּקּוּנִין, וְכָל דִּיוּקְנִין דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא, כָּל חַד וְחַד כַּדְקָא חֲזִי לֵיהּ, דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ לִמְטַטְרוֹ"ן, דְּקָא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְכַהֲנָא רַבָּא לְגוֹ. וְאִי תֵּימָא, וְהָא לָא אִתְּקַם מַשְׁכְּנָא לְעֵילָּא, עַד יוֹמָא דְּאִתְּקַם מַשְׁכְּנָא לְתַתָּא, וְלָא שִׁמֵשׁ הַהוּא נַעַר דִּלְעֵילָּא, עַד יוֹמָא דְּשִׁמְשׁוּ לְתַתָּא, בְּהַאי מַשְׁכְּנָא אַחֲרָא.
597. HE ANSWERS, Certainly it is so that the Tabernacle was not erected above until it was erected below. Moses saw above the appearance of the whole Tabernacle, but it was not arranged completely until the Tabernacle was erected below, and he saw Metatron, who he served afterwards. AND HE DID NOT SEE HIM actually serving but rather as he would be serving later on, but not at that time. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, 'See the Tabernacle and see the youth, METATRON, but it will all be delayed until the Tabernacle will be erected below.'
597. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, דְּהָא מַשְׁכְּנָא לָא אִתְּקַם לְעֵילָּא, עַד דְּאִתְּקַם מַשְׁכְּנָא לְתַתָּא, אֲבָל חָמָא מֹשֶׁה חֵיזוּ דְּכָל מַשְׁכְּנָא, וְלָא הֲוָה מִתְסַדֵּר בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ, עַד דְּאִתְּקַם מַשְׁכְּנָא לְתַתָּא, וְחָמָא לֵיהּ לִמְטַטְרוֹ"ן מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְבָתַר, לָאו דַּהֲוָה אִיהוּ מְשַׁמֵשׁ, אֶלָּא דַּהֲוָה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְבָתַר, וְלָאו בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, חָמֵי מַשְׁכְּנָא, וְחָמֵי נַעַר, כֹּלָּא מִתְעֲכָּב עַד דְּיִתְקָם הָכָא לְתַתָּא.
598. If you ask, Metatron serves in the Tabernacle above AND NOT MICHAEL? HE ANSWERS, The tabernacle is of Metatron and Michael the High Priest is the one who serves in the Tabernacle of Metatron, as the High Priest serves above in another Tabernacle that is concealed and not revealed, which is the secret of the World to Come, WHICH IS BINAH. There are two tabernacles. One is concealed, BINAH, and one is the Tabernacle of Metatron. There are two priests, MEANING THE ATTRIBUTES OF CHESED THAT IS CALLED 'PRIEST.' One is the primordial light, NAMELY CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN, and one is Michael, the High Priest below
598. וְאִי תֵּימָא, אִי הָכִי, מְטַטְרוֹן אִיהוּ דְּקָא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי מַשְׁכְּנָא דִּילֵיהּ אִיהוּ, וּמִיכָאֵל כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא, אִיהוּ דְּקָא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ גּוֹ הַהוּא מַשְׁכְּנָא דִּמְטַטְרוֹן. כְּגַוְונָא דִּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא עִלָּאָה לְעֵילָּא, גּוֹ מַשְׁכְּנָא אַחֲרָא סְתִימָא דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְיָיא, בְּרָזָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. תְּרֵין מַשְׁכְּנִין אִינּוּן. חַד אִיהוּ סְתִימָא עִלָּאָה. וְחַד הַאי מַשְׁכְּנָא דִּמְטַטְרוֹן. תְּרֵי כַּהֲנֵי אִינּוּן, חַד אוֹר קַדְמָאָה. וְחַד מִיכָאֵל כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא לְתַתָּא.