וַיָּ֣קָם ׀ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה ה֗וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י נָשָׁיו֙ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֣י שִׁפְחֹתָ֔יו וְאֶת־אַחַ֥ד עָשָׂ֖ר יְלָדָ֑יו וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֔ר אֵ֖ת מַעֲבַ֥ר יַבֹּֽק׃
Naquela noite, ele se levantou, tomou suas duas esposas, suas duas servas e seus onze filhos, e atravessou o vau do Yabok.
Sha'arei Orah
Whoever understands this, will understand the secret of the Torah portion of “Remember-Zachor-זכור,”26That is, the Torah portion of (Deuteronomy 25:17), “Remember-Zachor-זכור what Amalek did to you,” in which the aspect of Remember-Zachor-זכור corresponds to the Sefirah of Foundation-Yesod, which is where Amalek tries to cause blemish in order to separate the upper Sefirot from the Sefirah of Kingship-Malchut, that is, to separate the Name HaShem-יהו״ה from His title of Lordship-Adona”y-אדנ״י, as mentioned before. Thus, to repair this, the Torah portion of Zachor-זכור is recited daily. Also see Zohar II 66a. as well as the Torah portion of the crossing of the Ford of Yabok-יבק,27Genesis 32:23-33, about the incident in which Yaakov was attacked by the angel of Esav and wrestled with him. See previous citations where this is explained further. Now, it should be pointed out that the name Yabok-יבק-112 has the same numerical value of the three names of the middle line (mentioned in the introduction and elsewhere). These names are Eheye”h-אהי״ה-21 HaShem-יהו״ה-26 and Adona”y-אדנ״י-65, equaling Yabok-יבק-112. That is, Amalek wanted to cause a separation of the union of the Crown-Keter, Splendor-Tiferet and Kingship-Malchut, of the middle line. Also see Ginat Egoz of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as HaShem Is One, Vol. 1, The Gate of Intrinsic Being (Shaar HaHavayah). for both these Torah portions include this matter.
Sha'arei Orah
Moreover, our sages, of blessed memory, established these very two verses at the end of Pesukei d’Zimrah-Verses of Song [recited every day in the morning prayers].51As mentioned at the beginning of Gate One, “They are called “songs-Zemirot-זמירות” [or Verses of Song-Pesukei d’Zimra-פסוקי דזמרה] from the term “machete-mazmer-מזמר,” as in the verse (Isaiah 18:5), “He will cut down the young branches with machetes-mazmerot-מזמרות.” About this scripture states (Psalms 119:54), “Your statutes were like machetes-zemirot-זמירות for me in the house of my fears-megurai-מגורי.” This is to say that in those places on the way that I was in fear and terror-magor-מגור, I scattered and cut through them with those machetes-zemirot-זמירות [the verses (Torah) and statutes (mitzvot)].” That is, every morning we pray, “And saviors will ascend Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esav, and the Kingdom will be HaShem’s-יהו״ה; And HaShem-יהו״ה will be King over all the earth. On that day HaShem will be One-HaShem Echad-יהו״ה אחד and His Name One-u’Shmo Echad-ושמו אחד.” It is at this point in our prayers that the sages joined these two prophecies, this one-Zu-זו with that one-Zu-זו.52That is, the One-Echad-אחד-13 Above with the one-Echad-אחד-13 below, thus affecting the unification of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה-26. For, upon the joining of these two prophecies as one, the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, is unified. Whoever understands the depth of what the sages established here, will understand the secret of the verse,53Psalms 118:10 “All the nations surround me, in the Name of HaShem-יהו״ה, I cut them off!”54See Ginat Egoz of our master and teacher, Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as HaShem Is One, Vol. 1, The Gate of Intrinsic Being (Shaar HaHavayah) and on. and the secret of the verse, “The first of the nations is Amalek,” and the secret of the Torah portion of Remember-Zachor-זכור (Parshat Zachor), and the secret of the Torah portion of the crossing of the Ford of Yabok-יבק.55Genesis 32:23-33 – See the previous note regarding this. It therefore behooves you to contemplate the verse in Torah,56Exodus 17:16 “For a hand is [raised in oath] upon the throne of Ya”h-י״ה,” and realize that by means of this,57The name Ya”h-י״ה, referring to the upper three Sefirot. salvations, redemptions and goodness will come to the Jewish people. For when the Jewish people are in exile, it is as though the travails have also come upon Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, and David, all of whom are included in the letters Vav-Hey-ו״ה.58This is because Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov and David are the four legs of the Throne (Kis’eh-כסא) and Chariot (Merkavah) as explained before. That is, Avraham is Kindness-Chessed (and Victory-Netzach branches from kindness), Yitzchak is Might-Gevurah (and Majesty-Hod branches from might), Yaakov is Splendor-Tiferet (and Foundation-Yesod branches from Splendor-Tiferet) and David is Kingship-Malchut. They thus are all included in the letters Vav-Hey-ו״ה. Therefore, during a time of exile, it is as though they too are afflicted. Therefore, salvation and redemption must come from above them, that is, from the letters Yod-Hey-י״ה, which are the three upper Sefirot. Thus, the name Ya”h-י״ה must bring salvation and redemption. The sign for this is the verse,59Exodus 15:2, recited in the Pesukei d’Zimra as part of the Song of the Sea. “The might and vengeance60See Rashi to Exodus 15:2 about the word “Zimrat-זמרת” in this verse, which Onkelos translated as “Song of Ya”h-י״ה” or “The Praise of Ya”h-י״ה.” However, as explained in Gate One, it also means “to cut off,” as explained in Gate One. of Ya”h-י״ה was salvation for me.” Similarly, another verse states,61Psalms 118:5-6 “From the straits I called Ya”h-י״ה.” That is, from the constraints (Meitzar-מיצר), which refer to the secret of the letters Vav-Hey-ו״ה, which has castigators and constraints (Meitzarim-מצרים), in that they are surrounded by the ministering angels of the seventy nations. This is as explained before62In the Eighth Gate. on the verse,63Lamentations 1:3 “[Judah has gone into exile because of suffering and great servitude. She dwelled amongst the nations, but found no rest;] all her pursuers overtook her between the straits-Mitzarim-מצרים.” The verse therefore specifies, “From the straits I called Ya”h-י״ה,” being that Ya’h-י"ה has no constraints, limitations, or castigators, since it is the place of the Expansiveness of the River-Rechovot HaNahar-רחובות הנהר,64That is, the Sefirah of Understanding-Binah (and the other two upper Sefirot that are revealed through it), as explained in the preceding Gate Eight. It is for this reason that the verse concludes, “Ya”h-י״ה answered me with expansiveness-Merchav-מרחב,” as discussed there, and as will be mentioned shortly. and the World of Mercy-Olam HaRachamim, where there is no room whatsoever for the ministering angels or their nations to have a hold. Rather, it solely is given to Yaakov, who is the middle line-Kav HaEmtza’ee-קו האמצעי that ascends higher than Avraham and Yitzchak. The verse therefore states,65Isaiah 58:14; Also see Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 118b ibid. “Then you will delight in HaShem-יהו״ה, and I will mount you astride the heights of the earth-Bamatei Aretz-במתי ארץ; I will provide you the inheritance of your forefather Yaakov.”66See Gate Eight at length. The verse therefore specifies, “From the straits (Meitzar-מיצר) I called Ya”h-י״ה.”