Melchizedek

237. "And Melchizedek king of Shalem brought forth bread and wine..." (Beresheet 14:18). Rabbi Shimon opened the discourse, saying, "In Shalem also is set his tabernacle" (Tehilim 76:3). Come and behold, When the Holy One, blessed be He, WHO IS THE SECRET OF BINAH, decided to create the world, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED THE 'WORLD', He produced a flame from the Holy illumination. As wind blew wind, THE FLAME darkened and began to burn. And He took out from within an abyss a particular drop, which He joined with the flame. With them, He created the world, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN.

238. HE EXPLAINS THAT the flame rose and was crowned by the Left COLUMN OF BINAH. And the drop, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, rose and was crowned by the Right COLUMN OF BINAH. Then they became intertwined - THE RIGHT AND LEFT repeatedly exchanging places with each other. That which had descended now ascended and that which had ascended then descended.

239. BOTH COLUMNS - THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT OF BINAH - combined and a completed Ruach came forth. THIS REFERS TO ZEIR ANPIN, WHO IS CALLED RUACH AND EMANATES FROM THE UNION OF THE TWO COLUMNS. Two sides emerged as one, AND THE RUACH ITSELF was placed in the middle AS THE ASPECT OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN. HENCE, THE RESULT WAS THREE COLUMNS. And they were crowned by one another - THAT IS, ALL THREE COLUMNS OF ZEIR ANPIN WERE CROWNED BY ONE ANOTHER. Then there was perfection above, IN BINAH, and perfection below, IN ZEIR ANPIN. The grade was established, AND THE GRADE OF THE MOCHIN OF ZEIR ANPIN WAS COMPLETED!

240. The FIRST Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS BINAH, was crowned by the Vav, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. The Vav OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, in turn, was crowned by the Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS BINAH. THEN the SECOND Hei OF THE YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN TO THE VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, rose and became perfectly attached TO HIM, BY RECEIVING FROM HIM THE MOCHIN OF BINAH. Thus, "And Melchizedek king of Shalem (lit. 'perfect');" and indeed he is a perfect king! THUS, IT IS WRITTEN ABOUT THE SECOND HEI, WHICH IS CALLED MELCHIZEDEK, "AND MELCHIZEDEK, KING OF SHALEM," BECAUSE NOW IT IS ASSUREDLY A PERFECT KING. THIS MEANS a king who rules perfectly. He askes, When is THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN considered to be a perfect king? AND HE ANSWERS, On Yom Kippur, WHEN MALCHUT RISES UP AND ENCLOTHES BINAH, AND when all faces shine - EVEN THE FACE OF THE NUKVA SHINES LIKE THE FACE OF BINAH!

241. "And Melchizedek (lit. 'king of justice')" can also be explained as a reference to the last world, NAMELY THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, AND "King of Shalem" to the upper world, WHICH IS BINAH. They adorn one another, MEANING THAT THE LOWER WORLD WAS CROWNED BY THE UPPER WORLD, they are inseparable and the two worlds are as one. And even the lower world is entirely one WITH THE UPPER WORLD. WHY? BECAUSE AT THAT TIME THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN RISES TO CLOTHE BINAH, EVERY LOWER GRADE THAT RISES TO AN UPPER GRADE BECOMES COMPLETELY LIKE IT. THEREFORE, THESE TWO WORLDS, WHICH ARE THE NUKVA AND BINAH, BECOME AS IF THE SAME. "Brought forth bread and wine" indicates that both are included; BREAD ALLUDES TO THE LIGHT OF CHASSADIM FROM THE RIGHT; WINE ALLUDES TO THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH FROM THE LEFT. THEREFORE HE "BROUGHT FORTH BREAD AND WINE" TO INFORM US THAT BOTH OF THESE ILLUMINATIONS EXIST NOW IN MELCHIZEDEK, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA AS SHE ENCLOTHES BINAH. "And he was the priest of the most high El," who served the world that corresponds to another world. "And he was the priest of the most high El" MEANS THAT THE LOWER WORLD SERVES THE UPPER WORLD WITH CHASSADIM. BECAUSE "the priest" is the right, REFERRING TO THE LIGHT OF CHASSADIM IN THE NUKVA, AND "the most high El" is the upper world, NAMELY BINAH. The priests, therefore, desire to bless the world.

242. Come and behold, this lower world, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, receives blessings when it is attached to the high priest, NAMELY TO THE RIGHT COLUMN OF BINAH THAT IS CALLED "THE HIGH PRIEST." "And blessed him" MEANS THAT AFTER THE NUKVA HAD RECEIVED THE BLESSINGS FROM THE HIGH PRIEST; SHE BLESSED ABRAHAM. AS IT IS WRITTEN, "and he said, Blessed be Abraham of the most high El" (Beresheet 14:19), as it is surely so! The same applies to the priest below IN THIS WORLD. HE SHOULD tie knots, NAMELY TO MEDITATE AS IS EXPLAINED HERE, to bless this place, NAMELY THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, so that SHE may be attached to CHASSADIM OF the right SIDE OF BINAH. Thus both worlds, THE NUKVA AND BINAH, are united as one!

243. "Blessed be Abraham." The secret behind this is that this blessing contains the meditations that we should have whenever we say a blessing. "Blessed be Abraham" is similar to the words "Blessed are You," which we recite IN EVERY BLESSING; "of the most high El," WHICH APPEARS HERE, IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE RECITE IN EVERY BLESSING, "Hashem our Elohim;" "possessor of heaven and earth" IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE RECITE IN EVERY BLESSING, "the king of the world." So this phrase is the secret of all the blessings. "And he blessed him, AND SAID, BLESSED BE ABRAHAM," WHICH IS THE DIRECTION OF THE MEDITATION from below upward. "Blessed be the most high El, WHO HAD DELIVERED THE ENEMIES TO YOUR HANDS" IS THE DIRECTION OF THE MEDITATION from above downward. "And he gave him a tithe of everything" MEANS THAT HE GAVE THE NUKVA A TITHE in order to be attached to that place, where the tie has been made with the world below. THIS IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, WHICH FINISHES THE ILLUMINATION OF THE NUKVA, SO AS NOT TO GIVE HOLD TO THE EXTERNALS, AS THE SECRET OF THE TITHE IS THE CONCLUSION OF HER ILLUMINATION.

244. As they were walking, they met Rabbi Yesa and a Jew who was with him. The Jew quoted the verse, "Of David, To you, Hashem, do I lift up my soul" (Tehilim 25:1), AND HE ASKED WHY IS IT WRITTEN "Of David" rather than "A psalm of David" or "To David a psalm?"

245. AND HE ANSWERS, It is written 'Of David' because it was meant for his own grade. And the praise that he recited was for his own sake. "To you Hashem, do I lift up my soul" MEANS "To you, Hashem" upward. "My soul (Nefesh)." Who is meant by "my Nefesh?" David is meant. David is the first grade, as we have stated; NAMELY HE IS MALCHUT, WHICH IS THE FIRST GRADE FROM BELOW UPWARD. "Do I lift up" MEANS to elevate, as it is written, "I will lift up my eyes to the hills" (Tehilim 121:1) - because, during his entire life, David was always striving to raise his grade TO THAT OF BINAH, to adorn it BY BINAH above and to attach it there in a true and everlasting bond, as it should properly be!

246. Similarly, "Of David, bless Hashem, my soul (Nefesh)" (Tehilim 103:1) was also said for the sake of his own grade. And what did he say? "Bless Hashem, my soul (Nefesh)." In this case, the particle Et before "Hashem" MEANS to be attached with bonds to the upper GRADE - BINAH. And what is meant by "and all that is within me?" It refers to the other beasts of the fields, NAMELY THE SFIROT OF THE NUKVA, that are called "all that is within me (lit. 'entrails')." As it is written, "and my bowels yearned for him" (Shir Hashirim 5:5). Another explanation of the words "bless ...my soul" is that he said it for the sake of his own grade. "Hashem" is the full perfection of everything - the inclusion of everything. THIS MEANS THAT ET IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT; HASHEM (YUD HEI VAV HEI) IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN. SO ET HASHEM ALLUDES TO THE COMPLETE UNISON OF ZEIR ANPIN WITH HIS NUKVA.

247. Rabbi Elazar said to Rabbi Yesa, I see that you have come in company with the Shechinah. HE SAID THIS BECAUSE HE SAW THAT THE SHECHINAH RESTED UPON THE JEW. He said to him, Most certainly! I walked with him for three parasangs, and he has told me many goodly matters. And I have hired him to serve me for this day, and did not realize that he is such a shining light as I see now!"

248. Rabbi Elazar asked the Jew, "What is your name?" He answered, "Yoezer." Rabbi Elazar said, Let us sit together, AS OUR NAMES ARE SIMILAR. They sat beside a rock in that field. The Jew opened the discussion, by quoting, "I, even I, am he that blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember your sins" (Yeshayah 43:25). HE ASKED HIM, "What is the reason for saying 'I... I' twice?"

249. AND HE REPLIED THAT the first "I" was said at Mount Sinai and the second was said during the creation of the world. Thus, at Mount Sinai it is written, "I am Hashem your Elohim" (Shemot 20:2); and at the creation, it is written, "I have made the earth and created man upon it" (Yeshayah 45:12). This shows that there is no separation between above, BINAH, and below, MALCHUT.

250. HE ASKS, Why does it say "blots out" rather than "removes your transgressions?" AND HE REPLIES, So that they shall never appear again in the world. "For My own sake" - to reveal the compassion that emerges from Me. As it is written, "For Hashem your Elohim is a merciful El" (Devarim 4:31).

251. Come and behold, another explanation of the words "blots out your transgressions for My own sake," is that the wicked of the world cause damage. For when their sins rise, mercy and the Supernal Light are lost and blessings cannot descend to this world. So this grade, NAMELY THE NUKVA WHICH IS NAMED "I," does not receive any blessings from above to pass on to the lower beings. THEREFORE, THIS IS CONSIDERED BY HER A DAMAGE, and so She says, "for my own sake," so that blessings will not be withheld from me, to be given to all.

252. The same applies to the verse, "See now that I, even I, am He..." (Devarim 32:39), IN WHICH THE FIRST "I" APPLIES TO BINAH AND THE SECOND "I" TO MALCHUT. THIS IS to show that no separation exists between BINAH above and MALCHUT below, as we have already explained.

253. Come and behold, similarly, when there are righteous people in the world, blessings are sent down to all the worlds. As soon as Abraham arrived, the blessings were sent to the world. As it is written, "And I will bless you, and you shall be a blessing" (Beresheet 12:2). HE ASKS, What is the meaning of, "And you shall be a blessing"? AND HE ANSWERS that because of his merit, blessings shall be abundant on high, IN THE UPPER WORLDS, and down below, IN THE LOWER WORLDS. As it is written, "And in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed," REFERRING TO THE LOWER BEINGS, and "I will bless them that bless you," REFERRING TO THE UPPER WORLDS. WHEN THEY CONVEY THE BLESSINGS DOWNWARD, THEY ARE BLESSED FIRST, AS IS KNOWN. THIS IS THE SECRET OF "I WILL BLESS THEM THAT BLESS YOU!"

254. Isaac arrived and informed everyone that there is judgment and there is a Judge above to punish the wicked. And he awakened judgment on the world, so that all would be in awe of the Holy One, blessed He. Jacob arrived, brought mercy on the world, and perfected the Faith in the world as proper. ABRAHAM DREW CHESED, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT COLUMN OF THE FAITH, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA. AND ISAAC DREW FOR HER THE JUDGMENT AND THE SFIRAH OF GVURAH, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF HER LEFT COLUMN. JACOB COMPLETED HER BY DRAWING DOWN MERCY, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN.

255. Thus, of the days of Abraham, it is written, "And Melchizedek king of Shalem," since the Throne, THE NUKVA, was crowned in its own place, IN BINAH. Then THE NUKVA, the "king of Shalem" (a perfect king), was completely flawless. THE NUKVA "brought forth bread and wine" to nourish all of the worlds as ought to be. The words "brought forth bread and wine" SHOW THAT the blessings were not withheld from any of the worlds. The words "brought forth" are similar to the phrase "Let the Earth bring forth," (Beresheet 1:24) WHICH REFERS TO THE NUKVA, WHICH BROUGHT nourishment and blessings from the highest levels to all the worlds!

256. "And he was the priest of the most high El" (Beresheet 14:68) MEANS THAT everything has reached full supernal perfection, as it ought to. THAT REFERS TO THE PERFECTION OF BINAH, WHICH IS CALLED "THE MOST HIGH EL." This teaches us that just as the sinners bring damage upon the world and prevent blessings FROM REACHING IT, so the righteous bring blessings to the world, and for their sake, all the people of the world are blessed as well.

257. What is the meaning of "And he gave him a tithe of all" (Beresheet 14:20)? IT MEANS THAT MELCHIZEDEK GAVE HIM those blessings that issue from "all," WHICH IS YESOD. THIS MEANS THAT MELCHIZEDEK, WHO IS THE NUKVA, RECEIVED THE TITHE, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE BLESSINGS, FROM YESOD, AND PASSED THEM ON TO ABRAHAM. WHY FROM THE YESOD? Because this is the place from which all blessings that reach the world originate. Another explanation of the words "And he gave him a tithe of all" is that it was the Holy One, blessed be He, who gave Abraham the tithe. And what is the tithe? It is a grade, where all the gates of faith and the blessings of the world are established, it is one out of ten, and ten out of a hundred, NAMELY MALCHUT, WHICH DURING HER IMMATURE STATE, HAS NO OTHER SFIRAH BUT KETER. AND THIS SFIRAH IS BUT ONE OUT OF THE TEN SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN. BUT DURING HER STAGE OF MATURITY, MALCHUT HAS TEN COMPLETE SFIROT, AND THEN SHE IS "TEN OUT OF A HUNDRED" SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN. AND THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, GAVE THIS GRADE TO ABRAHAM. From this point on, Abraham's existence became firmly established from above, WHICH MEANS THAT HE MERITED FULL CONCEPTION FOREVER!' Rabbi Elazar said to him, "You have spoken well!"

258. Rabbi Elazar asked him, "What is your job?" He responded, "I teach children, back home. But when Rabbi Yosi of the village Chanin came to town, all the children were taken from me and passed on to him. NEVERTHELESS, the people of my town paid my salary, as they had when the children were with me. But I searched my soul and found it improper to benefit from doing nothing. So I offered my services to this wise man, NAMELY RABBI YESA." Rabbi Elazar said, Here, the blessings of my father - REFERRING TO RABBI SHIMON BAR YOCHAI - are required.

259. They went before Rabbi Shimon, and THE JEW would sit and study all day long before Rabbi Shimon. One day, as they were studying the laws concerning the washing of the hands, RABBI SHIMON said, Whoever does not wash his hands properly is punished from above and also below IN THIS WORLD. And what is his punishment below? He brings poverty upon himself. And just as he who washes his hands improperly is punished, so he who washes his hands properly is rewarded ABOVE AND BELOW, bringing the blessings of above on himself. Because the blessings OF ABOVE rest properly on his hands, he is blessed BELOW with wealth.

260. At a later time, Rabbi Shimon woke up in time to see the Jew washing his hands with a great quantity of water. Rabbi Shimon said, "Fill his hands with your blessings." And so it was from that day onward, because the Jew became rich and found a treasure, he studied Torah and gave food and nourishment to the poor every day, and was happy and kind to them. As a result, in reference to him, Rabbi Shimon quoted the verse, "And you shall rejoice in Hashem and shall glory in the Holy One of Yisrael" (Yeshayah 41:16).