Kabbalah Pengkhotbah 10:8: Ohr HaSekhel & Sha'arei Orah

At the beginning of the stages that everyone seeking God's glory must go through is the avoidance of breaching a fence, lest a snake dwell there. This is a common occurrence where people, accustomed to making breaches to trap, as hinted by King Solomon in Ecclesiastes [10:8], 'He who digs a pit may fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.' Due to the fact that this connection includes various distinct aspects, which are very evident in our generation, we have initiated it with the matter of the breach of walls, in the ancient days when many wise men stumbled in this, as Daniel prophesied [12:10], 'Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.' He gave a reason for this by saying, 'And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.' Thus, we began with the matter of breaching fences, as was the downfall of many in ancient times, as Daniel foretold [11:35], 'And some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.' He provided a rationale for this, saying, 'to refine and to cleanse them, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.' And he gave a reason for this as well, saying, 'None of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.' This will increase knowledge, as he said [Daniel 12:4], 'But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.' Because breaches have increased, they have since prevented the priests from blessing using the explicit Name as prescribed. However, they agreed to bless the people with the Name in the Temple, as the Scripture instructs, and in the country with its various appellations [Sotah 38a].

I will now hint at this matter by saying the following: They did not enter by way of the place called Love-Ahavah-אהבה,¹⁰⁴The quality of Kindness-Chessed. but by way of the place called Rock-Tzur-צור,¹⁰⁵The quality of Might-Gevurah is called the Rock-Tzur-צור. Zohar II 64a. which is guarded by the snake-Nachash-נחש, and is the primary root of the dog-Kelev-כלב.¹⁰⁶The evil inclination that stems from the right side of Yishmael (who also is called the Donkey-Chamor-חמור) is called the snake-Nachash-נחש, whereas the evil inclination that stems from the left side of Esav (who also is called the Bull-Shor-שור) is called the dog-Kelev-כלב. See Zohar III 124a (Ra’aya Mehemna). However, since they are intertwined, they generally are mentioned together, as in the Talmudic statement (Bava Kamma 23b), “If he incited a dog-Kelev-כלב, or if he incited a snake-Nachash-נחש.” The verse therefore states, “contentiousness and belligerence-Massah uMerivah-מסה ומריבה.” I will explain the matter further. They wanted to delve into the question and know the principle of the difference between the Sefirah called “Nothing-Ayin-אין” and the Sefirah called “Something-Yesh-יש.”¹⁰⁷In his book Shaarei Tzeddek, Shaar 10, Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla explains further, as follows: The Sefirah of Wisdom-Chochmah, which is the second Sefirah that depends on the Sefirah called “Nothing-Ayin-אין,” is emanated from it. For, the letter Yod-י is the secret of inner manifestation (Penimee). However, the Yod-י depends on the thorn of the Yod-י, and the thorn is called “Nothing-Ayin-אין,” because it is the secret of “No limitation-Ein Gvul-אין גבול” and “No measure-Ein Shi’ur-אין שיעור.” It is from the thorn that the Yod-י, which is Something-Yesh-יש, was emanated. It is called “Something-Yesh-יש” in that it is an actual tangible something-Yesh-יש, which is the existence of wisdom-Chochmah. It is about this that the generation of the desert inquired by way of contention and belligerence, rousing strife amongst the Jewish people, by saying, “Is there-HaYesh-היש HaShem-יהו״ה within us or ‘Naught-Ayin-אין’?” That is, they sought to cause a separation where there never is any separation at all, being that the Yod-י is always dependent on the thorn, and the thorn is always connected to the Yod-י, as the verse states (Job 28:12), “Wisdom-Chochmah is found from Nothing-Ayin-אין.” That is, the Yod-י, which is “Something-Yesh-יש and the thorn, which is “Nothing-Ayin-אין” adhere and are inseparable from each other, and Understanding-Binah is likewise bound to them, as the verse continues, “and where is the place of Understanding-Binah.” They thus were punished by the powers below them, were thrown out, and the dog-Kelev-כלב came and bit them. About this the verse states (Ecclesiastes 10:8), “One who breaches a wall will be bitten by a snake-Nachash-נחש.” (Also see Zohar II 64b) However, because they asked by way of the place where there are several castigators and accusers called, “contention and belligerence-Massah uMerivah-מסה ומריבה,” they were punished that the snake-Nachash-נחש and dog-Kelev-כלב took hold of them by means of the Bull-Shor-שור and Donkey-Chamor-חמור.¹⁰⁸See the previous note about Yishmael and Esav.