Kabbalah sa Isaias 40:14: Sha'arei Orah

This then, is the meaning of the verse, “That which is deep deep-Amok Amok-עמוק עמוק, Who-Mee-מי can fathom it,” [as a positive statement]. I now will hint at the term “Who-Mee-מי” with the following. The verse states,¹⁶⁴Job 38:29 “From Whose-Mee-מי belly did the ice-Kerach-קרח come forth.” Ice-Kerach-קרח here refers to the final letter Hey-ה of the Name HaShem-יהו"ה whose waters have coagulated.¹⁶⁵See at greater length in Ginat Egoz of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as HaShem Is One, Vol. 4 (The Vowels of Creation), The Gate of the Cheereek-חרק vowel; Also see the explanation in Shaar HaYichud of Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch, translated as The Gate of Unity, Ch. 44. That is, Who-Mee-מי is given to inquiry and investigation,¹⁶⁶That is, the word “Ice-Kerach-קרח” indicates the “waters” of intellect that “have coagulated” into the letters (Otiyot) of speech of the final Hey-ה of Kingship-Malchut, and thus are within the parameters of grasp and inquiry-Cheker-חקר. See Ginat Egoz translated as HaShem Is One, Vol. 4 (The Vowels of Creation), The Gate of the Cheereek-חרק vowel ibid. Also see Pardes Rimonim, Shaar 23, Ch. 19, and Shaar HaYichud, translated as The Gate of Unity, Ch. 44 ibid. but the “inquiry can only be up to here, and from this point on, it would be like a person who pokes his finger in His eye.”¹⁶⁷See Batei Medrashot, Seder Rabba Bereishit, Section 22. It also states,¹⁶⁸Psalms 106:2 – This was discussed in Gate Eight. “Who-Mee-מ״י can express the powers-Gevurot-גבורות of HaShem-יהו״ה,” and,¹⁶⁹Isaiah 40:26 “Who-Mee-מי created these-Eileh-אלה.”¹⁷⁰As mentioned before, it is the quality of understanding-Binah called “Who-Mee-מי-50” that gives birth to the emotional qualities called “these-Eileh-אלה,” (in that there are six emotions, each one of which includes six. 6 x 6 = “these-Eileh-אלה-36”). The lower emotions of Zeir Anpin are called “man-Adam-אדם” and are upon the earth-Aretz-ארץ, which is Kingship-Malchut, as will be hinted. That is, “You may only inquire ‘from the day that God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם created man-Adam-אדם on earth-Aretz-ארץ,’¹⁷¹Deuteronomy 4:32 – “For inquire now regarding the early days that preceded you, from the day when God created man on earth, and from one end of the heavens to the other end of heavens etc.” [but not before],”¹⁷²Talmud Bavli, Chagigah 11b; Zohar II 232a and it states,¹⁷³Isaiah 40:14 “From Who-Mee-מי did He seek counsel and gave Him understanding.”

Now, although counsel-Eitzah-עצה begins from the place of understanding-Binah, the culmination of the counsel is in victory-Netzach and majesty-Hod. This great mystery is hinted in the verse,¹⁹³Isaiah 40:14 “From who-Mi-מי did He seek counsel?¹⁹⁴The term “Who-Mi-מי” (which has a numerical value of 50) refers to the quality of understanding-Binah, as will be discussed in the Eighth Gate. The verse can thus be read as a positive statement, rather than a question, namely, that it is in “Who-Mi-מי” referring to understanding-Binah, that He seeks counsel, and who provides understanding. [Who] gave Him understanding-Vayivineihu-ויבינהו? Who taught Him the path of justice?” It similarly states,¹⁹⁵Proverbs 8:14 “With me there is counsel-Eitzah-עצה and resourcefulness; I am understanding-Binah, might-Gevurah is mine.” The great secret according to the way of the Sefirot, is found in the verse,¹⁹⁶Isaiah 9:5 “He called his name, the Wondrous Councilor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” The words, “He called his name Wondrous-Pele-פלא,” refer to wisdom-Chochmah, as it states at the beginning of Sefer Yetzirah, “Wondrous-Pele-פלא is wisdom-Chochmah.” The word “Councilor-Yo’etz-יועץ” refers to understanding-Binah. The word “God-E”l-אל” refers to greatness-Gedulah. The word “Mighty-Gibor-גבור” refers to might-Gevurah. The words “Eternal Father-Avi Ad-אבי עד” refer to splendor-Tiferet, and the words “Prince of Peace-Sar Shalom-שר שלום” refer to foundation-Yesod, which also includes victory-Netzach and majesty-Hod.

This is also the secret of the verse,²⁰⁷Isaiah 40:14 “From who-Mee-מי did He seek counsel, and gave Him understanding-Vayivineihu-ויבינהו.” That is, it is certainly with the quality called Who-Mee-מי that the Holy One, blessed is He, sought counsel, and it is through His emanation of understanding-Binah that He created the world. This is the meaning of the word, “and gave Him understanding-Vayivineihu-ויבינהו,” [which is also of the root “to build-Beniyah-בניה”]. This quality is the secret of the place of repentance-Teshuvah. Therefore, even though the sentence has already been decreed Above, nonetheless, the children of Israel can annul it through the power of repentance-Teshuvah which is called Who-Mee-מי.