Kabbalah sa Isaias 18:5: Sha'arei Orah

The foundation of wisdom and the essence of the received knowledge-Kabbalah¹The opening words to this section begin “YesodHaChochmahV’IkarHaKabbalah-יסוד החכמה ועיקר הקבלה,” the first letters of which are the Name HaShem-יהו״ה. is to trust in the faithfulness of HaShem-יהו"ה, blessed is He.²The first letters of each of these words, “EmunatHaShemYitbarachHaAmen-אמונת ה׳ יתברך האמן” are the name Eheyeh-אהי״ה. If your thoughts go in His Presence,³The first letters of each of these words, “ImDerechNechochahYidrechu-אם דרך נכוחה ידרכו” are the name Adona”y-אדנ״י. “Then you will walk on your way securely and your foot will not stumble.”⁴Proverbs 3:23

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).

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.”