La Genèse 12:9 Cabale : Pardes Rimmonim & Sha'arei Orah

The sages, may their memory be blessed, also said, "The forefathers are the chariot themselves." And they did not say that each one of the forefathers was the chariot, but rather that the forefathers are the chariot themselves. How is that? Our father Abraham took the right side in purity and inherited the right side above which is the trait of Kindness [Chesed]. And about this is it stated: Then Abram journeyed by stages toward the South (Genesis 31:9). And Isaac took the trait of the left side in purity, which is Fear. And about this is it stated: and Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac (Genesis 31:53). And Jacob took the middle line in purity. And about this is it stated: and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents, etc. (Genesis 25:27). It comes out that the three forefathers were the chariot. And the words of a sage are a charm [chen, which is also an abbreviation for hidden wisdom, meaning kabbalah]. And that is even though there is a small difference between our path and the path of [the author]. And now we would like to write one more preface about the subject of appellations.

And now my son, listen to my voice, let your ears be attentive to my counsel. My son, if sinners seduce you, do not be enticed.¹¹Proverbs 1:10 If they tell you, “Come with us and we will give into your hands names and pronunciations that you can use,” my son, do not walk on the way with them. Restrain your legs from their path.¹²Proverbs 1:15 For all those names and usages are kinds of nets and traps with which to hunt souls and lead them to destruction.

About this our sages, of blessed memory, stated,³¹Midrash Bereshith Rabbah 47:6 “The forefathers are the chariot.” They did not state, “Each of the forefathers is the chariot,” but rather, “The forefathers are the chariot.” How so? Our forefather Avraham, peace be upon him, took the right side in purity and acquired the Supernal right side, which is the quality of Chesed-kindness. About this it states,³²Genesis 12:9 “And Avram traveled onward toward the south.”³³That is, the south (Negev) corresponds to the quality of kindness (Chessed), whereas the north (Tzafon) corresponds to the quality of judgment (Gevurah). This will be discussed at greater length later, in the appropriate Gates. (Also see Pardes Rimonim, Shaar 23 (Erchei HaKinuyim), Ch. 14.) Yitzchak took the left side in purity, which is fear. About this it states,³⁴Genesis 31:53 “And Yaakov swore by the fear of his father Yitzchak.” Yaakov took the middle line in purity. About this it states,³⁵Genesis 25:27 “And Yaakov was a pure man who dwelt in tents,” that is, between the tent of Avraham and the tent of Yitzchak.³⁶That is, the quality of beauty-Tiferet. This will be discussed at greater length later, in the appropriate Gates. We thus find that altogether, the three forefathers are the seat of the chariot (Merkavah). It is in this manner that the matter becomes clearly explained, and “the Creator is affixed upon His base.”³⁷Sefer Yetzirah 1:4