L’Exode 28:9 Cabale : Sha'arei Orah

In response to this, King David, peace be upon him, composed his songs-zemirot-זמירות, in order to clear the path for the prayers to pass. This is because all those camps are like a cloud that obstructs the prayers from ascending. About this it states,¹¹Lamentations 3:44 “You have covered Yourself in a cloud that prayer cannot penetrate.” However, now that David came and composed songs-zemirot-זמירות, when a person recites these songs-zemirot-זמירות, then these destroyers, spoilers and obstructers withdraw and go away. They are called songs-zemirot-זמירות from the term “machete-mazmer-מזמר,” as in the verse,¹²Isaiah 18:5 “He will cut down the young branches with machetes-mazmerot-מזמרות.” About this scripture states,¹³Psalms 119:54. This verse is usually translated, “Your statutes were music to me in my house of residence.” “Your statutes were like machetes-zemirot-זמירות for me in the house of my fears-megurai-מגורי.” This is to say that in those places on the way that I was in fear and terror-magor-מגור, I scattered and cut through them with those machetes-zemirot-זמירות (songs).

However, this stone-Even-אבן yearns, desires, and sets its entire purpose for another, loftier stone than it, and from that stone all kinds of emanations come to it. These two stones are very precious to the Jewish people, as indicated by the verse,⁶⁶Exodus 28:9 “You shall take the two Shoham stones-Avnei Shoham-אבני שהם and engrave the names of the sons of Israel upon them.” The meaning of this mystery is hinted in the verse,⁶⁷Genesis 15:2 “Lord HaShem-Adona”y HaShem-אדנ"י יהו"ה [pronounced Adona”y Elohi”m-אדנ"י אלהי"ם] what will you give me etc.”⁶⁸That is, the title Lord-Adona”y-אדנ״י refers to the quality of the Sefirah of Kingship-Malchut. When the Name HaShem-יהו״ה follows immediately after the title Lord-Adonay-אדנ״י in the Torah, the Name HaShem-יהו"ה is pronounced as Elohi”m-אלהי״ם,” and is a reference to the quality of the Sefirah of understanding-Binah, as will later be explained. That is, the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה (Shechinah) draws from Above to below and is drawn from below to Above.

Thus, these two stones, the upper stone and the lower stone, are called “Dar-דר” and “Socharet-סוחרת.” The upper stone is called “Socharet-סוחרת” because she encompasses (Sechor-סחור) all seven lower Sefirot. The lower stone is called “Dar-דר” because she always dwells-Darah-דרה with the children of Israel. Accordingly, there were two stones on the breastplate [of the high priest], which were stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, as stated,¹¹²Exodus 28:9-10 “You shall take the two shoham stones and engrave the names of the sons of Israel upon them; six names on one stone-Even-אבן, and six remaining names on the second stone-Even-אבן, according to the order of their birth.” These are “six names” of those who merit to honor the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He (Shechinah), that dwells-Dar-דר in this world. Those who merit, merit to honor the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה (Shechinah) in this world, which is called “dwells-Dar-דר, and will merit to honor “the second stone,” which is perfect, is called “encompassing-Socharet-סוחרת,” and is the matter of the coming world-Olam HaBa-עולם הבא. Now, the word, “b’Toldotam-בתולדותם,” which means, “according to the order of their birth,” also means, “according to their offspring-Toldot-תולדות,” referring to their deeds, be they good or wicked deeds, whether they are good or evil, whether they are few or many. That is, the “offspring-Toldot-תולדות” are the deeds of man.¹¹³Also see Sefer HaMashalim of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as The Book of Allegories, Section 38 and elsewhere.