Levitico 26:21 Cabala: Be'ur Eser S'firot & Reshit Chokhmah

Answer. Like it's impossible for a ship to not have a captain, so it's impossible for the world to not have a Ruler. And the Ruler is the Infinite One for God's honor and God's word - as the matter is written, "I have seen an end to every purpose; but Thy commandment is exceeding broad." (Ps. 119:96), and it is written, "That God will call every creature to account for everything unknown, be it good or bad." (Ecc. 12:14) And what is this that is hidden, without end or beginning, and without detail and without anything outside of it? And the sages of the investigation agree that this is a thing without end and without detail and without border, the causes of all causes, and the reason behind all reasons. And the way of the Ruler that we have seen is without end and all of God's actions are hidden from one who investigates the issue, as its written, "God hath set the world in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end." (Ecc. 3:11) And its also written, "though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it." (ibid, 8:17). And about this the text cautions, "... lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe..." (Deut. 29:17) And its written, "that he bless himself in his heart, saying: 'I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart...'" (ibid, 18) that is to say, that there's no believer in name and in image except for he that believes in the Infinite and draws from God strength for himself - and he doesn't do so through the virtue of name. And regarding one who has denied the name, it is written, and in him God protests God's name in order to contend with him and his image. And the one that believes in God will believe that there is a Ruler of the world, and the believer in the Infinite. But the one who doesn't believe that there is a Ruler of the world, but instead says that the world is degraded and happened by chance, about him it is written, 'If you walk contrary to me..." (Lev. 26:21) And it's written, "...then I will walk contrary to you in fury." (ibid, 28) That is to say, that each and every person is measured by God in the same measure of desire, and in him is the path which is established for him.

Another reason for Keri is explained by what it says in the Torah “Then if you walk contrary (lit. Keri) to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins…then I will walk contrary (lit. Keri) to you in fury” (Leviticus 26:21-28). Rashi explains about this: Our teachers said that “Keri” here means ‘casual’, meaning by chance or something that happens sometimes, as if to say “if you are casual with my precepts”. And Menachem [Ben Saruk] explains “Keri” means and expression of ‘holding back’, which is similar to “Hokar Raglecha” (hold back your foot; Proverbs 25:17), and “Yekar Ruach” (withheld of spirit; Proverbs 17:27). This is also similar to Onkelos’s translation, which he explained it to mean “hardness” since they hardened their hearts to hold themselves back from bringing themselves close to Me. Both of these explanations come to one conclusion.

Thus what is written after: “then I will walk contrary (lit. Keri) to you in fury” (Leviticus 26:28). Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in the Zohar in Terumah explains about this: 66. This is the secret of that which is written: “And if you walk contrary (Heb. keri) to me” (Vayikra 26:21) and that which is written: “Then I will walk contrary to you also in fury” (Ibid. 28), MEANING with that anger that goes forth from the entrance CALLED ‘keri’. 67. There are those who float around during the night, IF THEY ARE NOT BEING NOURISHED FROM THE SMOKE AS MENTIONED EARLIER. When the souls emerge from the entrance to appear above, they go out and accuse them, so they are not able to ascend and appear above, except for those holy supernal pious ones who split the firmaments and airs and ascend. These camps of spirits go forth and inform people with falsehoods, and appear to them in other FEMALE forms and seduce them until they discharge semen. They are called men who have nocturnal emission of semen (Heb. keri), because it causes those who go forth from the entrance called ‘keri’ TO BE CALLED MEN OF NOCTURNAL EMISSION.