Aleph, Chet, Hei, Ayin; Gimel, Yud, Caf, Kof

180. "His mouth (lit. 'palate') IS MOST SWEET" (Shir Hashirim 5:16), because of the imprinted letters that are engraved on it with their crowns. THAT IS, THE SWEETNESS IN THE MOUTH COMES FROM THE FACT THAT THE LETTERS ARE ENGRAVED ON IT IN THE SEQUENCE OF THE THREE COLUMNS AND THE RECEIVING MALCHUT; THIS SEQUENCE ADORNS THEM WITH CROWNS. THE LETTERS Aleph, Chet, Hei and Ayin are engraved on the throat EACH WITH THREE COLUMNS. OF THE THREE COLUMNS OF Aleph, ITS RIGHT COLUMN drives kings away, THE LEFT COLUMN OF ALEPH deposes kings FROM THEIR KINGDOMS, AND THE CENTRAL COLUMN establishes kings. OF THE THREE COLUMNS OF Chet, ITS RIGHT COLUMN drives away and descends, THE LEFT COLUMN ascends and crowns, AND THE CENTRAL COLUMN conquers with fire and engraves with wind. OF THE THREE COLUMNS OF Hei THAT IS nourished from Ima, THAT IS, OF WHAT THE NUKVA RECEIVES FROM IMA, THE RIGHT COLUMN OF IMA strikes the Nukva; THROUGH THE LEFT COLUMN OF IMA, THE NUKVA spreads into a large Nukva; THE CENTRAL COLUMN OF IMA IS IN THAT, THAT through the desire of the holy city FOR CHASSADIM, IT IS CONNECTED WITH THE CENTRAL COLUMN. And the places OF RIGHT AND LEFT are interconnected, as it says, "the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense" (Shir Hashirim 4:6). OF THE THREE COLUMNS OF Ayin, ITS RIGHT COLUMN IS the clarity of the shape of the grade; ITS LEFT COLUMN IS the engraved of the shape of the grade; ITS CENTRAL COLUMN IS when the running boughs join the engraved spirits at their sides.

181. And here, in the secret of the letters of King Solomon, HE SAYS that these four letters ALEPH, CHET, HEI AND AYIN, are crowned with the four LETTERS Gimel, Yud, Caf, Kof in the palate. HENCE THREE COLUMNS ARE INDICATED IN THE PALATE AS WELL. This is as in, "the palate tastes food" (Iyov 34:3), THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT COLUMN; "Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt" (Iyov 6:6) REFERS TO THE LEFT COLUMN, WHICH, BEFORE IT IS JOINED WITH THE RIGHT, CANNOT BE ENJOYED LIKE UNSAVORY FOOD WITHOUT SALT. And the verse, "And the work of righteousness shall be peace" (Yeshayah 32:17) IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT JOINS AND ESTABLISHES PEACE BETWEEN THE TWO COLUMNS, RIGHT AND LEFT. "More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold..." (Tehilim 19:11) REFERS TO MALCHUT THAT RECEIVES THE PLENTY OF THE THREE COLUMNS, which are surely very sweet.

182. King David, AFTER THE WORDS, "MORE TO BE DESIRED..." THAT ALLUDE TO THE SWEET AND PRECIOUS BOUNTY OF THE THREE COLUMNS, CONCLUDES, "Moreover by them is Your servant enlightened (or: 'careful')..." (Ibid. 12), THAT IS, HE IS CAREFUL NOT TO RECEIVE FROM THE LEFT COLUMN WITHOUT THE RIGHT. RABBI SHIMON CONCLUDES, I testify about myself that throughout my life I was careful OF THE THREE COLUMNS not to mistake IN RECEIVING THE LEFT COLUMN ON ITS OWN, except for one day when I crowned the King in the cave of Meronia, WHEN HE WAS NOT CAREFUL TO HAVE THE LEFT UNITED WITH THE RIGHT. And I saw a flame of burning fire across the cave, THAT IS, HE SAW THE JUDGMENTS OF THE LEFT COLUMN WITHOUT THE RIGHT, WHICH IS A BURNING FIRE, and I trembled. Since that day I am careful in my mind TO RECEIVE ONLY FROM THE THREE COLUMNS TOGETHER and never left them throughout my life. Blessed is the portion of he that is careful with the sweets of the King and tastes of them judiciously. It says of this, "O taste and see that Hashem is good" (Tehilim 34:9), and, "Come, eat of my bread" (Mishlei 9:5).