Levítico 26:42 Cábala: Sha'arei Orah

Know that the quality of Avraham, which is kindness-Chessed-חסד, and the quality of Yaakov, which is mercy-Rachamim and Truth-Emet-אמת, had to be mentioned in this verse. However, the quality of Yitzchak, which is Fear-Pachad-פחד, did not have to be mentioned, as explained before. Now, you might question this with another verse that states,⁵⁹Leviticus 26:42 “I will remember My covenant with Yaakov, and also My covenant with Yitzchak, and also My covenant with Avraham will I remember,” in which all three forefathers are mentioned. However, know that this verse does not mention their qualities, but only the covenant-Brit-ברית that HaShem-יהו"ה formed with them, to act in a way of goodness with their descendants. Proof of this is from another similar verse,⁶⁰Exodus 32:13 “Remember for the sake of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, Your servants, to whom You swore.” As you can see, the oath-Shvu’ah-שבועה in this verse also mentions all three, but only in regard to acting in a way of goodness to the Jewish people, as the verse continues, “and You told them, ‘I will increase your offspring etc.’” The same is true of the first verse, “I will remember My covenant with Yaakov etc.,” for the covenant-Brit-ברית and this oath-Shevu’ah-שבועה are one and the same. Rather, when it mentions the covenant of Yaakov, and the covenant of Yitzchak, and the covenant of Avraham, it means that it is fitting to act in a way of goodness to the Jewish people because of the covenant and oath, which accords to justice. For example, this is like a person who has deposited something as security with his fellow and comes to collect it according to justice. The same is likewise so with the covenant of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. We request of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, to fulfill it according to justice.

This quality is sometimes called³⁰¹Genesis 49:24 “The Mighty One of Yaakov-Abeer Yaakov-אביר יעקב.” The reason is because it is from Understanding-Binah that the hawk of wisdom-Chochmah grows pinions-Ya’aver Neitz-יאב״ר נץ.³⁰²See Job 39:26; The word Mighty-Abeer-אביר shares the same letters as Ya’aver-יאבר. This is the matter of the lower Shabbat and the upper Shabbat.³⁰³As explained before, the lower Shabbat is the quality of Foundation-Yesod, whereas the upper Shabbat is the quality of understanding-Binah. The reason it is called “The Mighty One of Yaakov-Abeer Yaakov-אביר יעקב” and not “The Mighty One of Avraham” or “The Mighty One of Yitzchak” is because this quality depends on the quality of Yaakov,³⁰⁴This is as indicated by the verse (Genesis 37:2), “These are the progeny of Yaakov, Yosef.” That is, Yosef, who is the quality of foundation-Yesod, is the progeny of Yaakov, who is the quality of beauty-Tiferet. for Yaakov is the middle line who mediates and corresponds to the letter Vav-ו of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He. Now, the matter of the letter Vav-ו of the Name HaShem-יהו"ה is unique to Yaakov, and is the matter of the quality of splendor-Tiferet.³⁰⁵The quality of beauty-Tiferet is between kindness-Gedulah, which is the quality of Avraham, and might-Gevurah, which is the quality of Yitzchak. The qualities of Avraham and Yitzchak take hold of this quality, Avraham to its right, Yitzchak to its left, with Yaakov in the middle line. The sign by which to remember this is the verse,³⁰⁶Genesis 25:27 “Yaakov was a perfect-Tam-תם man, dwelling in tents-Ohalim-אהלים.” The matter of a “perfect-Tam-תם man” is the same as the matter of the “Twin leaf-Tiyomet-תיומת of the Lulav,”³⁰⁷See Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 32a and elsewhere. which is the middle spine of the Lulav. The words, “dwelling in tents-Ohalim-אהלים” [in the plural] refers to the tent of Avraham and the tent of Yitzchak, which are the two sides of the Lulav. Thus, since the matter of Yaakov is that he is the middle line and is the matter of the letter Vav-ו of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, we therefore say, “The God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchak, and the God of Yaakov-V’Elohei Yaakov-ואלה״י יעקב,”³⁰⁸In the Amidah prayer. Also see Exodus 3:6 with the addition of the letter Vav-ו in reference to Yaakov. The same is so of the words,³⁰⁹In the Amidah prayer. Also see Deuteronomy 10:17 “The Great-HaGadol-הגדול, the Mighty-HaGibor-הגבור, and the Awesome-V’HaNora-והנורא God.” The great matter is the verse,³¹⁰Leviticus 26:42 “I will remember My covenant with Yaakov-יעקוב,” in which the word Yaakov-יעקוב is spelled with the Vav-ו, and the “covenant of Yaakov-Brit Yaakov-ברית יעקב” is the same as the matter of “The Mighty One of Yaakov-Abeer Yaakov-אביר יעקב.”

Now, the head of the letter Vav-ו bears the secret of the Crown-Keter, wisdom-Chochmah, and understanding-Binah. The middle of the letter Vav-ו bears the secret of Greatness-Gedulah, might-Gevurah, and splendor-Tiferet, and its lower portion bears the secret of victory-Netzach, majesty-Hod, and foundation-Yesod. The sign for this is hinted in the verse,⁴³⁴Genesis 6:16 “Make it with bottom, second, and third decks.” Thus, the final Hey-ה of the Name remains and becomes unified with the letter Vav-ו, as we have said. This is the secret of the letter Vav-ו of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, which is called the middle line-Kav HaEmtza’ee-קו האמצעי and stands in place of the whole Name HaShem-יהו״ה. This is also the secret of the letter Vav-ו of the name Yaakov-יעקוב,⁴³⁵Leviticus 26:42 and is the secret of why the verse states,⁴³⁶Exodus 3:6 “and the God of Yaakov-V’Elohei Yaakov-ואלה״י יעקב.” Now, this Sefirah is called The Tree of Life-Etz HaChayim-עץ החיים, meaning, the tree-Etz-עץ to which the Sefirah of understanding-Binah, called life-Chayim-חיים, unifies, because it is the secret of the union of the three upper Sefirot.