Kabbalah Kejadian 12:8: Sha'arei Orah

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

Now, from where do we know that Avraham repaired and adorned the quality of Kingship-Malchut? From the verse that states,¹²⁵Genesis 26:5 “Because Avraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My decrees, and My Torahs.” It also is written,¹²⁶Genesis 21:23 “He planted a Tamarisk-Eshel-אשל in Be’er Sheva-באר שבע.” That is, he began replanting what Adam, the first man, had severed. Where did he plant them? In the Well of Seven-Beer Sheva-באר שבע. About this the verse states,¹²⁷Genesis 17:22 “God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם ascended from upon Avraham,” and it states,¹²⁸Genesis 12:8 and elsewhere. “And he built an altar there to HaShem-יהו״ה.”