Kabbalah sa Genesis 15:2: Sha'arei Orah

Our rabbis, of blessed memory, found it necessary to awaken us to this, and therefore informed us of a very important principle when they said,⁸Talmud Berachot 58a “The earthly kingdom is similar to the heavenly kingdom.” That is, if it is necessary to be careful about all the above matters when entering into the presence of an earthly king of flesh and blood, how much more is this so of a person who enters to greet the face of the King, King of kings, the Holy One, blessed is He, He Who is blessed and exalted.

In response to this, King David, peace be upon him, composed his songs-zemirot-זמירות, in order to clear the path for the prayers to pass. This is because all those camps are like a cloud that obstructs the prayers from ascending. About this it states,¹¹Lamentations 3:44 “You have covered Yourself in a cloud that prayer cannot penetrate.” However, now that David came and composed songs-zemirot-זמירות, when a person recites these songs-zemirot-זמירות, then these destroyers, spoilers and obstructers withdraw and go away. They are called songs-zemirot-זמירות from the term “machete-mazmer-מזמר,” as in the verse,¹²Isaiah 18:5 “He will cut down the young branches with machetes-mazmerot-מזמרות.” About this scripture states,¹³Psalms 119:54. This verse is usually translated, “Your statutes were music to me in my house of residence.” “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 (songs).

In contrast, when His title of Lordship-Adona”y-אדנ״י is mentioned first, and then followed by HaShem-יהו״ה, such as the verse,⁴⁶Genesis 15:2 “Adona”y HaShem-אדנ״י יהו״ה: What can You give me,” and similarly,⁴⁷Deuteronomy 3:23 “Adona”y HaShem-אדנ״י יהו״ה, You have begun to show Your servant,” or,⁴⁸Deuteronomy 9:26 “Adona”y HaShem-אדנ״י יהו״ה, do not destroy Your people,” and the like, [all of which are pronounced Adona”y Elohi”m-אדנ"י אלהי"ם] then you should know and have faith that this indicates the matter of ascent from below to Above. That is, know that when you see the names mentioned in the order of Adona”y HaShem-אדנ״י יהו״ה [pronounced Adona”y Elohi”m-אדנ"י אלהי"ם] this refers to the matter of the ascent of the Sefirot and their unification with one another, until the intention ascends to the desirable place, like one who desires to take hold of and adhere to the place of the Supernal Light. For, the name of Lordship-Adona”y-אדנ״י yearns to ascend and take hold of the Sefirah of understanding-Binah, which is called HaShem-יהו״ה with the vowels of Elohi”m-אלהי״ם. However, when HaShem Adona”y-יהו״ה אדנ״י is written [pronounced Elohi”m Adona”y-אלהי"ם אדנ"י] it then is the matter of bestowal of understanding-Binah, which descends by way of the conduits and reaches His title of Lordship-Adona”y-אדנ״י, and then the whole world is blessed.