קבלה אויף שמות 3:6

This Sefirah is also called Fear-Yirah-יראה. That is, whosoever comes to contemplate this deep and supernal place, should do so with fear and dread, for perhaps his thoughts will become confused and his thoughts may begin to run and ponder beyond the appropriate measure. About this Sefer Yetzirah says,²⁰⁸Sefer Yetzirah 1:8 “Muzzle your mouth from speaking, and your heart from pondering, and if your heart runs, return [it] to [its] place.” For, this place is a place of fear and dread to ponder the matter and its depth. Thus, when our forefather Yaakov arrived at this place called Something-Yesh-יש, he was filled with fear and dread, saying,²⁰⁹Genesis 28:16-17 “Surely, there is-Yesh-יש HaShem-יהו״ה is in this place! He became frightened-Vayirah-ויירא and said, ‘How awesome-Norah-נורא is this place!’” Even though the Sefirah of Splendor-Tiferet is called “Awesome-Norah-נורא,” this is because it ascends to the heights and adheres to the Sefirah of Crown-Keter, which is the secret of the Desire-Ratzon-רצון and the secret of Fear-Yirah-יראה. Similarly, it states about Moshe,²¹⁰Exodus 3:6 “He was afraid-Yareh-ירא to gaze,” meaning, in the depth of his thoughts, in that he set a boundary to his thoughts. Praised is he who, like our teacher Moshe, peace be upon him, attains the level of fear-Yirah-יראה.

With the above in mind, understand the secret of the verse,¹²⁹Genesis 22:1 “And God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם tested (Nisah-נסה) Avraham,” [in which the word Nisah-נסה also means “to raise a banner]. That is, God-Elohi”m-אלהי״ם, which is the quality of judgment-Din, gave its banner-HaNes-הנס and flag into the hand of Avraham, who is the matter of E”l-א״ל, which is the quality of kindness-Chessed. That is, the words, “And Elohi”m-אלהי״ם tested-Nisah-נסה Avraham,” is of the same root as in the verse,¹³⁰Isaiah 62:10 “Raise a banner-Nes-נס over the nations.” This is why the verse states,¹³¹Exodus 3:6; Also see the Amidah prayer. “The God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchak, [and the God of Yaakov-V’Elohei Yaakov-ואלה״י יעקב,]” and does not state, “and the God of Yitzchak-v’Elohei Yitzchak-ואלה״י יצחק,” because the quality of judgment-Din is conquered and ruled by the quality of kindness-Chessed, since the banner of Yitzchak, which is the quality of the title Elohi”m-אלהי״ם, has been given over into the hand of Avraham, which is the matter of the quality of the Almighty-E”l-א״ל.

This quality is sometimes called³⁰¹Genesis 49:24 “The Mighty One of Yaakov-Abeer Yaakov-אביר יעקב.” The reason is because it is from Understanding-Binah that the hawk of wisdom-Chochmah grows pinions-Ya’aver Neitz-יאב״ר נץ.³⁰²See Job 39:26; The word Mighty-Abeer-אביר shares the same letters as Ya’aver-יאבר. This is the matter of the lower Shabbat and the upper Shabbat.³⁰³As explained before, the lower Shabbat is the quality of Foundation-Yesod, whereas the upper Shabbat is the quality of understanding-Binah. The reason it is called “The Mighty One of Yaakov-Abeer Yaakov-אביר יעקב” and not “The Mighty One of Avraham” or “The Mighty One of Yitzchak” is because this quality depends on the quality of Yaakov,³⁰⁴This is as indicated by the verse (Genesis 37:2), “These are the progeny of Yaakov, Yosef.” That is, Yosef, who is the quality of foundation-Yesod, is the progeny of Yaakov, who is the quality of beauty-Tiferet. for Yaakov is the middle line who mediates and corresponds to the letter Vav-ו of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He. Now, the matter of the letter Vav-ו of the Name HaShem-יהו"ה is unique to Yaakov, and is the matter of the quality of splendor-Tiferet.³⁰⁵The quality of beauty-Tiferet is between kindness-Gedulah, which is the quality of Avraham, and might-Gevurah, which is the quality of Yitzchak. The qualities of Avraham and Yitzchak take hold of this quality, Avraham to its right, Yitzchak to its left, with Yaakov in the middle line. The sign by which to remember this is the verse,³⁰⁶Genesis 25:27 “Yaakov was a perfect-Tam-תם man, dwelling in tents-Ohalim-אהלים.” The matter of a “perfect-Tam-תם man” is the same as the matter of the “Twin leaf-Tiyomet-תיומת of the Lulav,”³⁰⁷See Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 32a and elsewhere. which is the middle spine of the Lulav. The words, “dwelling in tents-Ohalim-אהלים” [in the plural] refers to the tent of Avraham and the tent of Yitzchak, which are the two sides of the Lulav. Thus, since the matter of Yaakov is that he is the middle line and is the matter of the letter Vav-ו of the Name HaShem-יהו״ה, we therefore say, “The God of Avraham, the God of Yitzchak, and the God of Yaakov-V’Elohei Yaakov-ואלה״י יעקב,”³⁰⁸In the Amidah prayer. Also see Exodus 3:6 with the addition of the letter Vav-ו in reference to Yaakov. The same is so of the words,³⁰⁹In the Amidah prayer. Also see Deuteronomy 10:17 “The Great-HaGadol-הגדול, the Mighty-HaGibor-הגבור, and the Awesome-V’HaNora-והנורא God.” The great matter is the verse,³¹⁰Leviticus 26:42 “I will remember My covenant with Yaakov-יעקוב,” in which the word Yaakov-יעקוב is spelled with the Vav-ו, and the “covenant of Yaakov-Brit Yaakov-ברית יעקב” is the same as the matter of “The Mighty One of Yaakov-Abeer Yaakov-אביר יעקב.”