Manna, the well and the clouds of glory

260. (A) "The fifteenth day" (Vayikra 23:34). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with, "And when the Canaanite, the king of Arad" (Bemidbar 21:1). We learned that three celestial gifts were given to Yisrael by the three siblings, Moses, Aaron and Miriam - the manna through the merit of Moses, the clouds of glory through the merit of Aaron and the well through the merit of Miriam. They are all attached above. The manna is by the merit of Moses, as it is written, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you" (Shemot 16:4). "from heaven" refers to Moses, NAMELY THE CHARIOT TO ZEIR ANPIN CALLED MOSES AND ALSO CALLED HEAVEN.

(B) The clouds of glory are by merit of Aaron, A CHARIOT TO CHESED, as it is written, "that You Hashem are seen face to face..." (Bemidbar 14:14), and, "the cloud of the incense may cover" (Vayikra 16:13). As on the other verse, IN RELATION TO INCENSE, there are seven CLOUDS, so in the former, IN, "YOUR CLOUD STANDS OVER THEM" (BEMIDBAR 14:14), there are also seven CLOUDS. For there were seven clouds of incense joined together, and Aaron is the uppermost of the seven clouds. FOR THE SEVEN CLOUDS ARE THE SECRET OF CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT. AARON, WHO IS A CHARIOT TO CHESED, IS THE FIRST SFIRAH, and he is daily connected through it to the six other clouds, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT. THE CLOUDS ARE THEREFORE CONSIDERED TO COME BY THE MERIT OF AARON, AS HE IS THE ASPECT OF CHESED, THE TOP CLOUD, WHICH INCLUDES THEM.

261. The well comes by merit of Miriam, WHO WAS A CHARIOT TO MALCHUT, since she is surely called a well. In the book of Agadah, WE LEARNED, "And his sister stood afar off, to know..." (Shemot 2:4). This is a well of living water, NAMELY MALCHUT, and all was bound into one, SINCE MIRIAM WAS CONNECTED TO MALCHUT. When Miriam died, the well was gone, as it is written, "And there was no water for the congregation" (Bemidbar 20:2). At that time, another well wished to depart, MALCHUT, that was with Yisrael, BUT when it saw the six clouds, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, that were connected to it, TO THE CLOUD OF MALCHUT, HER OWN ASPECT, MALCHUT became connected to them.

262. When Aaron died, the clouds of glory were gone, and with them was gone the SEVENTH cloud, TO WHICH the well, MALCHUT, WAS ATTACHED. Moses returned them to them, as it is written, "You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive. You have received gifts from men" (Tehilim 68:19). Surely, "You have received gifts from men," the presents that were there before, NAMELY, the well and the clouds.

263. This well is Isaac's well, NAMELY MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED WELL WHEN RECEIVING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH FROM THE LEFT CALLED ISAAC. These clouds are Aaron's clouds, WHICH MEANS THAT CLOUDS ARE CHASSADIM, BECAUSE THEY ARE OF THE ASPECT OF AARON WHO IS CHESED. Rabbi Yitzchak said, What is the reason Aaron was worthy THAT THE CLOUDS OF GLORY WILL COME OVER YISRAEL BY HIS MERIT? This is because he is connected to the clouds, WHICH MEANS HE IS THE ATTRIBUTE OF CHESED LIKE THEM. And he, BEING A CHARIOT TO CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN, THE TOP CLOUD, used to connect AND UNITE them all into one daily, so they will all be blessed by him.

264. Come and see, whatever kindness (Chesed) the Holy One, blessed be He, did to Yisrael, He attached the seven clouds of glory to it, WHICH CORRESPOND TO CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT. And He connected them to the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, since her cloud was connected to the others six, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD. Thus Yisrael walked in the desert with all seven clouds. The reason is that they were all the bonds of Faith, ATTACHED TO MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED FAITH. In relation to that SCRIPTURE SAYS, "You shall dwell in booths seven days" (Vayikra 23:42), THE SECRET OF THE SEVEN CLOUDS OF GLORY THAT WENT WITH YISRAEL IN THE DESERT. What does that teach us? HE ANSWERS, It is written, "I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste" (Shir Hashirim 2:3), THE SECRET OF THE SHADOW OF THE CLOUDS OF GLORY AND THE SECRET OF THE SHADOW OF THE SUKKAH. Man should display himself sitting under the shadow of Faith.

265. Come and see, throughout Aaron's life Yisrael were under the shadow of Faith, under these SEVEN clouds. After Aaron died, one cloud was gone, WHICH IS CHESED OF THE CLOUDS, HIS OWN ATTRIBUTE, the one most to the right. When that was gone, the other clouds were gone with it, THE SIX SFIROT INCLUDED IN IT. Everyone OF YISRAEL were seen lacking. We explained the verse, "And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead" (Bemidbar 20:29). Do not pronounce it 'saw (Heb. vayir'u)' but 'were seen (Heb. vayera'u),' WHICH MEANS THAT THE CLOUDS' SHADOWS DISAPPEARED FROM THEM AND THEY WERE EXPOSED. Immediately, "And when the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negev, heard that Yisrael came by the way of Atarim" (Bemidbar 21:1), he heard that the clouds of glory were gone and the great guide died, to whom all the clouds were attached.

266. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Surely it was "the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negev." When the spies Moses sent returned, they said, "Amalek dwells in the land of the Negev" (Bemidbar 13:29), in order to break their heart, since their strength was first broken by Amalek.

267. Rabbi Aba said, "the Canaanite...heard." Why is THE CANAANITE MENTIONED here, COMING after the clouds were gone? AND HE ANSWERS, It is written of Canaan, "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brethren" (Beresheet 9:25). We learned here FROM THE VERSE, "THE CANAANITE...HEARD," that whoever excludes himself from the shadow of Faith is worthy of being a servant to servants of servants, NAMELY TO CANAANITES. This is the meaning of, "he fought against Yisrael, and took some of them prisoners" (Bemidbar 21:1), taking himself servants from among Yisrael.

268. It is therefore written, "all that are home born in Yisrael shall dwell in booths" (Vayikra 23:42), for whoever is from the root and holy stock of Yisrael shall dwell in booths under the shadow of Faith. Whoever is not from the holy stock and root of Yisrael shall not dwell in them, but excludes himself from under the shadow of Faith.

269. It is written, "As for the merchant (also: 'the Canaanite'), the balances of deceit are in his hand" (Hoshea 12:8). This refers to Eliezer, Abraham's servant. Come and see, it is written, "Cursed be Canaan." Since this Canaan, ELIEZER, merited to serve Abraham and since he did serve Abraham and dwelt under the shadow of Faith, he was worthy of being excluded from the curse he was cursed with. Furthermore, a blessing is written about him, as it is written, "And he said, Come in, you blessed of Hashem" (Beresheet 24:31). This teaches us that whoever dwells under the shadow of Faith bequeaths freedom for himself and for his descendants forever, and is blessed with a celestial blessing. Whoever excludes himself from the shadow of Faith bequeaths exile for himself and for his descendants, as it is written, "he fought against Yisrael, and took some of them prisoners."

270. "You shall dwell in booths (Heb. Sukkot)." SUKKOT IS SPELLED WITHOUT VAV, because THIS SUKKOT ALLUDES to one cloud only, WHICH IS CHESED, to which all SIX CLOUDS are attached. HENCE THERE ARE SEVEN DAYS, as it is written, "And the cloud of Hashem was upon them by day" (Bemidbar 10:34), and, "and that You go before them by day time in a pillar of cloud" (Bemidbar 14:14), which is Aaron's cloud, WHICH IS CHESED that is called "by day," as it is written, "Yet Hashem will command His Chesed in the daytime" (Tehilim 42:9). One cloud, WHICH IS CHESED, receives with it five other clouds, WHICH ARE GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, so they are six. Another cloud, of which is written, "and in a pillar of fire by night" (Bemidbar 14:14), WHICH IS MALCHUT, shines on Yisrael from the illumination of the six CLOUDS.