"All the rivers run into the sea"

Synopsis

Rabbi Chiya opens with: "All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full...," saying that these rivers are the secret of the Sfirot that are the holy rivers that filled the great sea, Malchut. The sea then flows over and provides water for the animals in the field. The sea of Malchut takes in the springs, the lights of Zeir Anpin, and pours them out into the Holy Chariots below. All of these are named and counted by Malchut. We are told that 'the Tabernacle' in the opening verse is Malchut, and that the grades that she waters correspond to the utensils of the tabernacle, all of which are called by name.

Animals Asiyah Beasts Briyah Flow Grades Rivers Seas Tabernacle Testimony Waters Worlds Yetzirah Zeir Anpin

1. "These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the Testimony as they were counted, according to the commandments of Moses..." (Shemot 38:21). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse: "All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full..." (Kohelet 1:7). This verse has already been elucidated and learned. Yet all these rivers are the secret of the holy rivers and springs, THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN, that filled and flowed to illuminate and fill this great sea, MALCHUT. And when the great sea is filled by these rivers, it flows over and waters the field animals as it is written - "they give drink to every wild beast" (Tehilim 104: 11), WHICH ARE THE GRADES OF BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH.

1. אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדוּת אֲשֶׁר פֻּקַּד עַל פִּי מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ'. ר' חִיָיא פָּתַח, כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם וְהַיָּם אֵינֶנּוּ מָלֵא וְגוֹ'. הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמַר, אֲבָל כָּל הַנְּחָלִים אִלֵּין רָזִין דִּנְחָלִין וּמַבּוּעִין קַדִּישִׁין, דְּאִתְמַלְּיָין, וְנָפְקִין לְאַנְהָרָא וּלְמַלְּיָיא לְהַאי יַמָּא רַבָּא, וְכֵיוָן דְּהַאי יַמָא רַבָּא אִתְמְלֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִינּוּן נַחֲלִין כְּדֵין הוּא אַפִּיק מַיָּא, וְאַשְׁקֵי לְכָל חֵיוָון בָּרָא, כד"א יַשְׁקוּ כָּל חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי.

Asiyah Beasts Briyah Chariot Grades Lights Seas Tabernacle Water Waters Worlds Yetzirah Zeir Anpin

2. The verse preceding, "THEY GIVE DRINK TO EVERY WILD BEAST," is "He sends the springs into the valleys..." and after it, "they give drink to every wild beast: the wild asses quench their thirst." These are the lower Chariots, OF BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH, CALLED 'WILD BEASTS' AND 'WILD ASSES'. And when the sea, MALCHUT, receives THE SPRINGS, THE LIGHTS OF ZEIR ANPIN, it takes and swallows them inside, then lets water out on the other side, which is the Holy Chariots below IN BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH, and waters them and all are counted and numbered by name. FOR ALL THE GRADES THAT MALCHUT WATERS, SHE CALLS BY NAME, as it is said, "He calls them all by names" (Yeshayah 40:26). Therefore it is written: "These are the accounts of the Tabernacle." FOR THE TABERNACLE IS MALCHUT, AND THE GRADES THAT SHE WATERS, NAMELY THE UTENSILS OF THE TABERNACLE, ARE ACCOUNTED, THAT ARE CALLED BY NAME.

2. מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָּא, הַמְשַׁלֵּחַ מַעְיָנִים וְגוֹ', וּלְבָתַר, יַשְׁקוּ כָּל חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי יְשַׂבֵּרוּ פְרָאִים צְמָאָם. אִלֵּין אִינּוּן רְתִיכִין דִּלְתַתָּא, דְּכַד יַמָּא נָקִיט לוֹן, כֻּלְּהוּ נָקִיט לוֹן, וְשָׁאִיב לוֹן בְּגַוֵיהּ, וּלְבָתַר אַפִּיק מַיִין לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, דְּאִינּוּן רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין דִּלְתַתָּא, וְאַשְׁקֵי לוֹן. וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְמְנוּן וְאִתְפָּקְדוּן בִּשְׁמָא, כד"א לְכֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא. וּבְגִין כַּךְ, אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדוּת.