Chasidut su Salmi 103:19

Indeed, all who sincerely and carefully study the words of the Rambam will see that the conduct of the world, from the beginning of effluence at the Source of Life down to the depths in the lowly physical world, are all included in the workings of the Divine Chariot. The true imprint of the Merkava is apparent in all of existence. This idea was expressed by the holy Arizal in the seventh section of the Ez Hayyim (heichal ABI”YA) in introduction to the sha’ar tsiyur ha’olamot (gate of the picture of the worlds). He says, “We now find that this lowly planet earth, which contains people and animals, and all the vessels of the physical world, is the most external of all the worlds. The aspect of the “inner direct light” (ohr yosher pnimi).¹⁰⁷Visualize the universe (including all the spiritual worlds) a series of concentric circles, with a radial line cutting through them. (See next footnote.) The innermost point would be the physical world, and each circle representing a higher spiritual realm, with the Eyn Sof – the God’s infinite light – surrounding them all. Afterwards, the earth is surrounded by the heavens and the firmament (the “cosmos”), which is the aspect of the ohr makif d’yosher d’asiya – the surrounding direct light of the physical world. This level is surrounded by different, spiritual “heavens,” which are the ohr makif iggulei d’asiya, ¹⁰⁸Iggulim – ten Sefirot in concentric circles on the level of nefesh (the lowest level of soul), representing general providence. Yosher – ten Sefirot divided into three columns, right, left, and middle, or upper, middle and lower triads – is the level of ruach, a higher level of soul, representing individual providence. The Lurianic cosmology describes the entire existence is an alternation of levels of Iggulim and Yosher. However, when the Zohar discusses sefirot, or how God sends his power down and communicates with mankind, it mostly refers to the three column “human” arrangement of the ten sefirot called, “yosher.” Simply put, the author regards the Rambam’s understanding of the Divine Charriot and Arizal’s order and flow of Divine effluence as one in the same. which translates as the encompassing light of the iggulim (“concentric circle arangement”) of the physical universe. (And the Infinite Eyn Sof surrounds everything.)” (This was found earlier in the Tikkunei Zohar (introduction, page 3b), “and above all, He illuminates in the ten Sefirot of the word of emanation (atzilut), and (then, after in) the ten Sefirot of the world of creation (beriyah), and in the ten groups of angels in the world of formation (yetzirah), and in the ten spherical firmaments if the physical world (asiyah). In every place, He does not change.”) In the Etz Hayyim it is explained that the “garments” are the aspect of vessels. The essence (atzmut) is dressed within the vessels.¹⁰⁹The author now refers to an alternative depiction of reality. Rather than thinking of God as surrounding reality from without (with physicality being the densest, center point), we can also think of God as within; that is, at the heart of creation, with successively dense layers of creation “covering” and concealing Him from without. Both models are true, depending upon one’s perspective. There it is also explained that in each of the worlds, the essence is divided into the five levels of soul (in order from lowest to highest), nefesh, ruah, neshama, haya, yehida. Each garment covers an inner soul. Yet each garment is also the inner soul for that which clothes it from the outside. Here we find it stated explicitly that the planets of the solar system are themselves the vessels in the World of Assiya. It is further explained that the Divine Chariot is found in all of the worlds, vessels, essence, and soul-levels of nefesh, ruah, neshama, haya, and yehida. Though we find it said in the Etz Hayyim (Sha’ar Klipat Nogah, Ch. 2) that the Divine Chariot is in the World of Formation (yetzirah), yet this means that it is perceived from nogah¹¹⁰A spiritual level even lower than the World of Assiyah. Again, the point here is to dispel any notion that the Rambam understood the Holy Chariot as mere astronomy. More likely, the Rambam was hiding the true, hidden meaning from the unworthy, for the workings of astronomy hint at the deeper reality. A person of great spiritual sensitivity can look at astronomy and see how it is actually a garment for the spiritual realms of Godliness, which are constantly sustaining the physical world. This world is just a parable waiting to be solved by “the moral of the story,” according to true wisdom. in the World of Assiyah until its root in the World of Yetzirah. This is clearly explained in all of the chapters mentioned. We explained above that because of the Babylonian exile, it was necessary to reveal the mysteries of the Divine Merkava to Yehezkel, in order to show him that God’s sovereignty is in all governing forces. (See Tehillim, 103:19) Therefore, Yehezkel saw from the very source of understanding until the place where he needed to see, namely the place which is the source of the power of Divine concealment, meaning until the world of formation (yetzirah). It is explained in the Etz Hayyim (Sha’ar haKlipah, Ch. 3) that in the world of emanation (astiloot, the highest of the four worlds) in the realm of holiness, good is prevalent over evil. This is also true in the world of creation (beriyah, second highest world). Below, in the world of formation (yetsira), the amount of good and evil are equal. This is why the power of the concealment of God’s presence begins in the world of formation. Thus it was necessary to show the prophet Yehezkel that the source of the power of concealment is in the hands of God, as mentioned in the Zohar quoted above (Shemot, 2b, Bamidbar, 118b.)