268. There are fifteen forms of incest (sexual misconduct), which are equivalent to the numerical value of Yud-Hei OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, and the other six are equivalent to the Vav OF THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI. EVEN before The Children of Yisrael were exiled and the Shechinah was still with them, the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Yisrael, "The nakedness of your mother, shall you not uncover" (Vayikra 18:7). THEY SHOULD NOT HARM THE SHECHINAH, WHICH IS THE MOTHER OF YISRAEL. So this exile is CONSIDERED the uncovering of the nakedness of the Shechinah, as it is written: "For your transgressions was your mother put away" (Yeshayah 50:1). Therefore, because of THE TRANSGRESSIONS OF incest, The Children of Yisrael were banished and the Shechinah was condemned to exile. This is the uncovering of the nakedness of the Shechinah, BECAUSE THE GOING OF THE SHECHINAH INTO EXILE IS CONSIDERED TO BE HER NAKEDNESS, AS IT IS WRITTEN: "ALL THAT HONORED HER DESPISE HER, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SEEN HER NAKEDNESS" (EICHAH 1:8). The nakedness OF THE SHECHINAH is Lilit, the mother of the mixed multitude. IT IS CONSIDERED NAKEDNESS BECAUSE THE RULE OF THE SHECHINAH, THE MOTHER OF YISRAEL, AND HER BOUNTY PASSED TO LILIT, THE MOTHER OF THE MIXED MULTITUDE. The mixed multitude, WHICH HAS CONTROL OVER YISRAEL IN EXILE, REPRESENTS the nakedness OF THE SHECHINAH and the nakedness of supernal Yisrael, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, THE HUSBAND OF THE SHECHINAH. And of this SUPERNAL YISRAEL, it is written: "The nakedness of your father shall you not uncover" (Vayikra 18:7). BECAUSE WHEN THE SHECHINAH IS IN EXILE, LILIT AND THE MIXED MULTITUDE RECEIVE HIS ABUNDANCE, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GIVEN TO THE SHECHINAH. FOR THIS REASON, THE EXILE IS CONSIDERED THE NAKEDNESS OF SUPERNAL YISRAEL.