Kabbalah Kidung Agung 5:1: Pardes Rimmonim & Sha'arei Orah

Tif’eret further harmonizes between Gedolah[/Chesed] and Hod, and between Gevurah and Netsach, and the reason is that Gedolah and Netsach are the right side [which is] Chesed/Mercy, and Gevurah and Hod they are Din/Judgement, the left, and they need harmonizing. And there is some proof to this in the words of Rashbi of blessed memory in the book of the Faithful Shepherd [Raya Mehemna, Zohar Parasha Pinchas, III.244a], this is what it says: ‘And in the first redaction: “I have gathered my myrrh with my balsam…”[Song of Songs 5:1], right arm with left thigh. “my honeycomb with my honey”[ibidem], Jacob and Rachel. “my wine with my milk” [ibidem], left arm with right thigh. Chesed with Hod, these are the right arm with the left thigh. Jacob and Rachel, the Pillar of the Center with Malkut. Gevurah with Netsach, these are left arm with right thigh. And why are there two of his attributes here? Because it is a secret which he will thus express. David said here: “Your priests will be clothed in righteousness and your devout ones will rejoice [Psalms 132:9]. It is written there, [but] ‘and your Levites will rejoice’ it should have said. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘it is not customary to change my attributes, but after you have invited me, I must do after your wish.’ From this we are taught that the master of the house, when he invites even the king, the king must do after his [= the master of the house’s] wish. And because of this we have been taught: “all what the master of the house will say, do” [Babylonian Talmud, Pesachim 86b]. And this being so, it is a fitting secret, etc.’ End of citation.

And further we understand that in the expression of the first recension [Zohar III.241a/b] he says: ‘right arm in/with (ב) left thigh’ and similarly ‘left arm in/with (ב) right thigh’, and he does not say ‘with’ (עם), ‘with’ (עם), but [he speaks] in brief. And in this saying [here, Zohar III.244a] in his explanation he clarifies ‘Chesed with (עם) Hod’ etc., and he [now] says ‘with’ ‘with’. ‘And why are two of his attributes here?’ Explanation: it is right if it is this what they are clarifying, as there is only a modification of the attributes concerning the influx and the sucking only, which we would have thought in the explanation ‘right arm in/with (ב) left leg’, that its intention is on the influx only which Chesed influences in Hod, and similarly which Gevurah influences in Netsach, there is no difficulty for us at all that thus [is] the way of the attributes that the ones suck from the others. But according to what he explains in this saying ‘right arm in/with (ב) left thigh’, explanation: ‘with’ (עם) really [they are really together], which is that Chesed unifies itself downwards into Hod, and Gevurah downwards into Netsach. If this is so, it is [still] difficult ‘why the two attributes [are] here’. As according to the way of the real unification, this is not the way of unification of the Sefirot, as Netsach connects itself with Chesed, and Hod with Gevurah, as we will explain in the Gate of the Thigh of Jacob [Gate XVII], with assistance and help of HaShem, in the chapters 3 and 4. And the meaning according to the influx, even if it is that Chesed can influence in/with Hod, yet Hod will perform its [natural] action which is an action of Din/Judgement, even if it will not perform [it] with the strength as it would be when it would suck from Gevurah, and there is in this no [need for] fear, since there is [here] no modification of the attributes [the way the attributes act remains the same, although the intensity may differ]. Truly [however] in real union there is doubt because the activity of Judgement/Din is abolished from everything. Since when Gevurah wishes to act with Judgement/Din, Netsach will conquer that Judgement/Din and will not allow it to act, in the mystery of the unity. And therefore it is difficult ‘why the two attributes [are] thus’, as it is a modification of the attributes and a restraint of Judgement/Din, and this is not convenient. And this is not the natural order, that which was told to David: “On account of David, your servant etc.” [Psalm 132:10] he changed and extended the power of Compassion/Rachamim. As even if the joy [רינה, referring to the previous verse (Psalm 132:9) mentioned in the beginning of the current chapter] is from the side of Judgement/Din as is known, he [= David] wanted that it would be from the side of Chesed/Mercy, and this will be explained further in the Gate of the What-ness and the Conduct [Gate VIII], with help of HaShem, in chapter 6. And thus concerning Tif’eret, since it came to the house of Malkut, as it says: "I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride” [Song of Songs 5:1]. When this is so, it is that it behaves itself according to her [= Malkut’s] will, even with modification of the attributes, to extend the power of Compassion/Rachamim further. And this is what is called ‘Chesed in/with Hod, Gevurah in/with Netsach and Jacob in/with Rachel, because they [are] three upper ones in/with three lower ones by means of Jacob the bridegroom who has come to the house of his bride Rachel as we have explained. But if it would have been so that the bride would go up to the house of the bridegroom, it would not have been convenient to change, as it is not the natural order to change [in those circumstances].

We now must awaken you to many places in Torah where the name Ya”h-י״ה is found. For example, the verse states,³Exodus 17:16 “For a hand is [raised in oath] on the throne of Ya”h-י״ה; HaShem-יהו״ה maintains a war against Amalek from generation to generation.” What does it mean, “From generation to generation-MiDor Dor-מדור דור”? The following explains this verse: The wicked Amalek⁴The numerical value of Amalek-עמלק-240 is the same as “doubt-Safek-ספק-240,” in that the external husk (Kelipah) of Amalek sows doubt, as will soon be intimated. comes from the power of the primordial snake (Nachash HaKadmonee). He adheres to him and derives his strength from him. From the time that the primordial snake (Nachash HaKadmonee) instilled his contamination into Chavah,⁵Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 146a Adam severed the plantings above⁶After the sin of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam separated from his wife Chavah for one-hundred and thirty years, during which time he had nocturnal emissions of his seed with she-demons (Liliot) in his dreams. He thus caused a separation between the Sefirah of Kingship-Malchut and the Sefirah of Splendor-Tiferet. This caused the plantings to be severed, and the conduits to pour out wasted influence. This caused the separation of the Ingathering of Israel-Knesset Yisroel from the Holy One, blessed is He, in which the title Lord-Adona”y-אדנ״י was separated from the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, thus blemishing the letters Vav-Hey-ו"ה of the Name HaShem-יהו"ה. He then repented and returned to his wife Chavah and gave birth to his son Sheth who was born “in his likeness and image.” See Genesis 5:3 and Rashi there; Midrash Bereishit Rabba 20:11, 24:6; Bamidbar Rabba 14:12; Zohar III 31a, and elsewhere. and “estranged the Master-Alooph-אלוף.”⁷See Proverbs 17:9 – That is, he brought about a separation of the title Lord-Adona”y-אדנ״י from the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, thus concealing the Master of the World-Aloopho Shel Olam-אלופו של עולם. This is the secret of the withdrawal of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, the Shechinah, the essential root of which was in the lower worlds,⁸Midrash Shir HaShirim Rabba 5:1 to Song of Songs 5:1 – “At first, the essential root of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, the Ikkar Shechinah, was in the lower worlds.” so that, “the dove could not find a resting place for the sole of its foot.”⁹Genesis 8:9 – The dove-Yonah-יונה refers to the Ingathering of Israel-Knesset Yisroel, the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, the Shechinah. This verse thus hints at the exile of the Indwelling Presence of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, from (Isaiah 66:1) “the earth (Aretz-ארץ) is My footstool,” as well as the exile of the Jewish people. See Talmud Bavli, Brachot 53b; Tikkunei Zohar 22b. Now, even though when the children of Israel stood at Mount Sinai, their contamination ceased,¹⁰Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 146a ibid. – “When the Jewish people stood at Mount Sinai their contamination (which was instilled in Chava by the primordial snake ceased.” That is, at the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai there was a direct revelation of the true unity and singularity of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, in a manner that there is no room for doubt-Safek-ספק-240 (which is Amalek-עמלק-240) as it states (Exodus 19:20), “And HaShem-יהו״ה came down upon Mount Sinai,” and (Exodus 20:2), “I am HaShem-יהו״ה your God,” that we heard directly from the Almighty One, as discussed before in Gate Six. nevertheless, the blemish of the moon¹¹Kingdom-Malchut (Levanah-לבנה) was never removed,¹²See at greater length in Talmud Bavli, Chulin 60b; This is explained at length in Pardes Rimonim, Shaar 18 (Shaar Mi’ut HaYare’ach-The Gate on the Diminishment of the Moon), Etz Chayim, Shaar 36 (Shaar Mi’ut HaYare’ach-The Gate on the Diminishment of the Moon) and elsewhere. except at specific intervals in time [on Rosh Chodesh-the new moon] when certain known sacrifices are offered, namely the known he-goats (Se’irim-שעירים) that Se’ir adheres to, in that Se’ir is the first (Reishit-ראשית) of Amalek’s strength.¹³That is, the verse (Genesis 36:20) states, “These are the sons of Se’ir-שעיר the Horite… Lotan,” and (Genesis 36:22), “Lotan’s sister was Timna,” and (Genesis 36:12), “Timna was the concubine of Esav’s son Eliphaz; She gave birth to Amalek-עמלק-240 from Eliphaz.” (Also note Rashi there, that her birth came about through promiscuity and adultery, in which there was doubt-Safek-ספק-240 as to who her father was, which is why the verse only specifies that “Lotan’s sister was Timna.”) The sign for this is the verse,¹⁴Numbers 24:20 – Amalak was the first nation to attack the Jewish people after they left Egypt, and did so without any reason or provocation. “The first of the nations (Reishit Goyim-ראשית גוים) is Amalek.” When Amalek came,¹⁵That is, when Amalek (who is rooted in the blemish of the moon-Levanah) came and waged war on the Ingathering of Israel, their intention was to cause the separation of the Sefirah of Foundation-Yesod from the Sefirah of Kingship-Malchut, by blemishing the Sign of the Holy Covenant-Ot Brit Kodesh-אות ברית קודש (the circumcision), so that it will not receive beneficence from the upper Sefirot. he added further iniquity to the blemish of the moon by “disjointing Yaakov’s thigh,”¹⁶Genesis 32:26, 33; Also see Zohar I 146a, 170b; Zohar II 111b; Tikkunei Zohar 36a and elsewhere. Also see Shaar HaYichud of Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch, translated as The Gate of Unity (with commentary), Ch. 35, and the explanatory notes and citations there. thereby shattering the Kingdom of the House of David.¹⁷That is, the Sefirah of Kingship-Malchut is called “The Kingship of the House of David”-Malchut Beit David-מלכות בית דוד, as discussed in the First Gate. Now, when the plantings were severed at the time of Adam, and when Amalek “disjointed Yaakov’s thigh,” the Torah portion of Remember-Zachor-זכור what Amalek did to you (Parshat Zachor) was established.¹⁸That is, the Torah portion of (Deuteronomy 25:17), “Remember-Zachor-זכור what Amalek did to you,” (which is to be recalled daily, see Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 5:5). As explained in Gate Two, the aspect of Remember-Zachor-זכור corresponds to the Sefirah of Foundation-Yesod, which is where Amalek attempts to cause blemish in order to separate the Sefirah of Foundation-Yesod from the Sefirah of Kingship-Malchut. Therefore, to repair this, the Torah portion of Zachor-זכור is recited daily to repair this. Also see Zohar II 66a. Thus, the final two letters of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, were blemished by the hand (Yedei-ידי) of Amalek, so to speak. This was possible because the hand of HaShem-Yad HaShem-יד יהו״ה afflicted them, as in the verse,¹⁹Samuel I 12:12-15 – “But when you saw that Nachash-נחש, king of the children of Ammon, came upon you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us!’ But HaShem-יהו״ה your God, is your King! And now, here is the king who you have chosen, who you requested; for behold, HaShem-יהו״ה has set a king over you. If you will fear HaShem-יהו״ה and worship Him and listen to His voice and do not rebel against the word of HaShem-יהו״ה, then you and the king who reigns over you shall follow after HaShem-יהו״ה your God. But if you do not listen to HaShem’s-יהו״ה voice and rebel against the word of HaShem-יהו״ה, the hand of HaShem-יהו״ה shall be against you and against your fathers.” “The hand of HaShem-Yad HaShem-יד יהו״ה shall be against you,” and it states,²⁰Proverbs 30:19 – Also note the explanation (in Gate Six) about the verse (Deuteronomy 32:18), “You have weakened the Rock-Tzur-צור who gave birth to you, and have forgotten the God who brought you forth.” See Midrash Eichah Rabba 1:33; Also see Shaarei Tzedek of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, Shaar 2; Zohar II 64a; Etz Chayim, Shaar 49, Ch. 7. “the way of a snake-Nachash-נחש is upon a rock-Tzur-צור.” The sign for this is the verse,²¹Exodus 17:8 “Amalek came and fought against Israel in Rephidim-רפידים,” meaning,²²Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 17:8 – “Rephidim-רפידים means ‘The slackening of the hands-Riphyon Yadayim-רפיון ידים,’ in that the Jewish people were slack in their Torah study [and observance], and it is on account of this that the enemy came upon them.” That is to say, through a weakening in the Sefirot of the “hands” and below, which are the Sefirot indicated by the letters Vav-Hey-ו״ה of The Name HaShem-יהו״ה, Amalak and the primordial snake (Nachash HaKadmoni) are able to set their hand against those Sefirot. It is for this reason that (Exodus 17:11), “Whenever Moshe raised his hands, Israel was stronger, and when he lowered his hands, Amalek was stronger,” [and particularly, when he would raise the middle finger of his hands, which is the Sefirah of Splendor-Tiferet and is the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, then the children of Israel prevailed. See Zohar III 186a-b (Yenukah).] “Because of the slackness of their hands-Riphyon Yadayim-רפיון ידים.”