Хавакук 3:4 Каббала: Sha'arei Orah

The general matter is included in the Act of the Chariot (Ma’aseh Merkavah) of Yechezkel,³¹Ezekiel 1:4 “I saw and behold! There was a stormy wind coming from the north, a great cloud with flashing fire, and a brilliance (Nogah) surrounding Him,³²That is, this verse (the stormy wind, the great cloud, and the flashing fire) refers to the three completely impure husks of evil (Shalosh Kelipot), and the fourth surrounding husk of brilliance-Nogah, which cause separation between the Jewish people and their Heavenly father, as discussed before. and from its midst, there was like the appearance of the eye of the Chashmal from the midst of the fire,” and,³³Psalms 18:12 “He made darkness His concealment, His shelter around Him – the darkness of water, the clouds of heaven. From out of the brilliance (Nogah) that is before Him, His clouds passed over, with hail and fiery coals,” and,³⁴Habakkuk 3:4 “A brilliance (Nogah) that was like the light of day; rays of light came from His hand to Israel; and there His hidden strength was revealed,” and,³⁵Ecclesiastes 2:13 “And I perceived that wisdom excels folly, as light excels darkness,”³⁶See Zohar III (Tazriya) 47b and,³⁷Isaiah 9:1 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light,” and,³⁸Micah 7:8 “Though I sit in darkness, HaShem-יהו״ה is light for me,” and,³⁹Isaiah 60:2 “For, behold, darkness may cover the earth and a thick cloud [may cover] the kingdoms, but upon you HaShem-יהו״ה will shine.”

Now, all those worlds are filled with beneficence and blessing without limit or measure. However, when one enters to take of those treasures, 310-Yesh-יש classes of sentinels stand guarding the gates. They are positioned at the Great Court of Law of the quality of Might-Gevurah, before the 310-Yesh-יש worlds.⁹²See the notes in the Fifth Gate where this was discussed, as well as the beginning of the Seventh Gate. The verse thus states,⁹³Habakkuk 3:4 “Rays of light [came] from His hand to [Israel]; and there His hidden strength [was revealed].”⁹⁴See Sefer HaBahir 148 That is, it often is so, that there are various drawings forth of beneficence from those 310-Yesh-יש worlds through the quality of Magnanimity-Gedulah, which is the secret of E”l-א״ל. However, when they arrive at the quality of Judgment-Gevurah, they are judged whether it is fitting for the beneficence and bestowal to descend below. If it arises in judgment that it is unbefitting for them to descend, they remain sealed in the treasuries of Might-Gevurah, called the Hidden Treasuries-Otzrot Tzafoon-אצרות צפון.⁹⁵This was discussed at length in Gate Seven, along with the title North-Tzafon-צפון. About this the verse states,⁹⁶Psalms 31:20 “How abundant is Your goodness that You have hidden-Tzafanta-צפנת for those who fear You,” as it states,⁹⁷Proverbs 8:21; Also see Zohar II 166b; Zohar I 47a “I have something-Yesh-יש to bestow to those who love Me, and I shall fill their storehouses.” Some Kabbalists say that this is the “Something-Yesh-יש” that is hidden-Tzafoon-צפון for the righteous Tzaddikim.

Know that this quality called God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם, positioned on the left, is sometimes called the Dim Hand-Yad Keheh-יד כהה. The reason it is called the dim hand-Yad Keheh-יד כהה is because it is the left hand that restricts and obstructs the right hand from bestowing goodness to the world, except according to what is proper according to judgment-Din. Thus, since it restrains the right hand from bestowing goodness to the world, this quality, called the left, takes all the wealth it receives from the right and brings it into its storehouses, as said above. This is the secret of the verse,¹⁵⁴Habakkik 3:4 “Rays of light came from His hand to [Israel]; and there His hidden strength [was revealed].” Understand this well.