The Written Law and the Oral Law

Synopsis

We learn that the Torah is the Written Law, Zeir Anpin, and the commandments are the Oral Torah, Malchut. The parent of both is the preserved wine, Binah. The youth tells us about the "Supernal Book," Chochmah, that disappeared, and that inspired the Written Law. The Oral Torah is kept by the mouth, that is Knowledge or Zeir Anpin. Moses was elevated above all other prophets because he is the Chariot of Da'at, from which issues the Oral Torah. The youth says that when the wicked are removed from the world, God's throne is established in Righteousness and not in Judgment.

Chambers Moses Mountains Nukva Oral Law Stone Supernal Book Tablets Torah Wine Written Law Zachar Zeir Anpin

93. He continued his discourse and cited: "And Hashem said to Moses, 'Come up to Me to the mountain AND WAIT THERE; AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE TABLETS OF STONE AND THE TORAH AND THE COMMANDMENTS WHICH I HAVE WRITTEN, THAT YOU MAY TEACH THEM'" (Shemot 24:12). "And the Torah," is the Written Law, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, while "and the commandments," is the Oral Torah, WHICH IS MALCHUT. "You may teach them (Heb. lehorotam)," is written without the letter Vav, as it is written in the verse: "And into the chamber of her who conceived me (Heb. horati)" (Shir Hashirim 3:4). We should observe to whom it refers when it says: "Teach them (also: 'their parents of')." You may think that it refers to Yisrael, WHICH IS MALE AND FEMALE, FOR THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL ARE THEIR CHILDREN, AS IT IS WRITTEN: "YOU ARE THE CHILDREN OF HASHEM YOUR ELOHIM" (DEVARIM 14:1). Yet this is not so, for the children of Yisrael are not mentioned in this verse, AND SO IT IS NOT SAID OF THEM, "TEACH THEM." The parent of the Torah and the commandments is the preserved wine, WHICH IS BINAH, THE MOTHER OF MALE AND FEMALE, WHICH IS CALLED "THE TORAH AND THE COMMANDMENTS." All the writings of the Supernal Book, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, rest there IN THE BINAH, FOR THE SUPERNAL BOOK, CHOCHMAH, IS CONCEALED. AND ITS FIRST REVELATION, WHICH IS CONSIDERED WRITTING, IS IN BINAH, from which the WRITTEN Law, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN issues. Therefore, we call ZEIR ANPIN, 'the Written Law,' FOR IT WAS INSPIRED BY THE WRITING, WHICH IS BINAH. That is the meaning of: "Which I have written that you may teach them (or: for their parents)." It is indeed "their parents," NAMELY CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, THE SECRET OF A BOOK AND OF WRITING, WHICH ARE THE PARENTS OF ZEIR ANPIN.

93. תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה עֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה וְגוֹ.' וְהַתּוֹרָה, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב. וְהַמִּצְוָה, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה. לְהֹרֹתָם כְּתִיב חָסֵר, כד"א וְאֶל חֶדֶר הוֹרָתִי. הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, לְהוֹרֹתָם דְּמִי, אִי תֵּימָא הוֹרֹתָם דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לָאו הָכֵי, דְּהָא יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא אַדְכָּרוּ בְּהַאי קְרָא. אֶלָּא הוֹרֹתָם דְּתוֹרָה וּמִצְוָה. וּמַאי הִיא. דָּא יַיִן דְּמִנְטְרָא. בְּגִין דְּכָל כְּתִיבָה דְּסֵפֶר עִלָּאָה תַּמָּן שַׁרְיָא, וּמִתַּמָּן נָפְקָא תּוֹרָה, וְעַל דָּא קָרֵינָן תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב. וְדָא הוּא אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְהֹרֹתָם, לְהֹרֹתָם וַדַּאי.

Chariot Moses Prophets Torah Zeir Anpin

94. The Oral Torah, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is another Torah which is kept AND MAINTAINED orally (lit. 'by mouth'). Who is the mouth? It is Da'at ('Knowledge'), NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH RECONCILES CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, the mouth of the book and the writing, WHICH ARE CHOCHMAH AND BINAH. FOR DA'AT IS ZEIR ANPIN, IT RECONCILES AND REVEALES CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, THE SECRET OF A BOOK AND OF WRITING, AS THE MOUTH OF A MAN REVEALS WHAT IS HIDDEN IN HIS MIND. This Torah is different FROM THE WRITTEN TORAH and it is called 'the Oral Torah,' which is kept AND MAINTAINED by (lit. 'the mouth') of that Torah which is called 'the Written Torah,' WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. MALCHUT IS MAINTAINED BY ZEIR ANPIN, AS IS KNOWN; THEREFORE, IT IS CALLED 'THE ORAL TORAH.' Therefore, Moses was elevated above all other faithful prophets, as it is written: "And I will give you," especially TO HIM, EXCLUDING THE OTHER PROPHETS. FOR MOSES IS THE CHARIOT OF THE DA'AT, FROM WHICH ISSUES THE ORAL TORAH.

94. תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, תּוֹרָה אָחֳרָא, דְּקַיְּימָא עַל פֶּה. מַאן אִיהוּ פֶּה. דָּא הוּא דַּעַת, דְּאִיהוּ פֶּה דְּסֵפֶר וּכְתִיבָה. וְתוֹרָה דָּא, הִיא תּוֹרָה אָחֳרָא, דְּאִקְרֵי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, דְּאִיהִי קַיְּימָא עַל הַהוּא פֶּה דְּאִיהִי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב, בְּגִין כַּךְ אִסְתָּלִיק מֹשֶׁה בְּכֹלָּא, עַל כָּל שְׁאָר נְבִיאֵי מְהֵימְנֵי, דִּכְתִּיב וְאֶתְּנָה לְךָ, לְךָ דַּיְיקָא.