A fire on Shabbat eve

158. "You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations" (Shemot 35:3). Here there are most high mysteries revealed to those in possession of supernal wisdom. The friends have already expounded on the secret of Shabbat, yet this mystery was given to the wisest men, for it is a very high secret.

159. Come and see, on Friday, when evening sets, a shining star comes from the north and with it seventy other stars; the star smites these SEVENTY stars, which become incorporated in that star and WITHIN IT all seventy become one. That star then expands and turns into a blazing flame on all sides. This flame is extended across a thousand mountains, and stands UPON THEM like a thread encircling THEM.

160. And this flaming mass draws to it other colors that are inside it UNDERNEATH ITS OWN COLOR. The first color is green, WHICH IS THE LIGHT OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN. When this color is established that flame of fire jumps upon this green color and enters inside it and throws the green color out. The green color stays out, and the flame of fire of that star INCLUDED OF SEVENTY STARS IS inside.

161. Afterwards it draws to it a second color, white, THE LIGHT OF THE RIGHT COLUMN. This white color shone inside, but after that color is established, the flame of fire of the star rose, expelling the white color, and entering inside. The same procedure transpired with all the other colors. It threw them out, went inside and approached the hidden point, to receive light.

162. He opened and said, "and I looked, and, behold, a storm wind came out of the north..." (Yechezkel 1:4). Yechezkel saw that vision in a pattern that appears only when that star rules, as we said, FOR IT DOES NOT ALWAYS RULE BUT IS HIDDEN. We explained that "and behold, a storm wind," refers to the wind that comes to conquer the world for Nebuchadnezzar. Yet the storm wind is that star we mentioned that swallowed seventy other stars. This is the storm wind Elijah had seen, OF WHICH IS SAID "rending the mountains and breaking up the rocks" (I Melachim 19:11), FOR THERE IS NO FORCE THAT COULD WITHSTAND IT. It is that which always stands against all THE KLIPOT ON THE OUTSIDE to protect what is inside, like a shell protects the fruit.

163. Why is it called a storm? because it storms against everything above and below, AND NOTHING CAN STAND IN ITS WAY. It "came out of the north," for this is the side it came from. We can tell this from the verse "out of the north the evil shall break forth" (Yirmeyah 1:14). For many other aspects besides the north hold on to that storm wind. Therefore THE SCRIPTURE SAYS ABOUT THEM, that it comes out from the north.

164. THE SECOND KLIPAH MENTIONED IN EZEKIEL IS CALLED 'A GREAT CLOUD'. IT IS CALLED a cloud because it is the dross of gold. This dross clings to the northern side, NAMELY, TO THE LEFT COLUMN, and is the central point, which abides in deserted places. Once it learned how to seduce EVE, it controls the central point of the inhabited world and everything that pertains to it, save the land of Yisrael. When Yisrael dwelt in it, it had no power over it, but later when Yisrael sinned, it took control over the holy land too. That is shown in the verse "He has drawn back His right hand from before the enemy" (Eichah 2:3).

165. HE ASKS why it is called a great cloud, AND ANSWERS: For it is a cloud of darkness that darkened the whole world. Come and see, there are different clouds. Of that cloud, it is written: "and the cloud of Hashem was upon them by day" (Bemidbar 10:34), and "that your cloud stands over them" (Bemidbar 14:14). That cloud is shining and luminous and all lights are seen within that cloud. But this cloud OF THE KLIPOT is a cloud of darkness that sheds no light, but prevents all the lights from being seen through it.

166. HE ASKS: IT IS CALLED GREAT. YET IF IT IS DARK why call it great, if it is small? HE ANSWERS: it is indeed great, because it has power. Also IT IS CALLED great, since the darkness in it is great, and it covers all the lights, so that they are not seen because of it. And it is greater than anything done in the world.

167. "And a fire flaring up" (Yechezkel 1:4) alludes to the fire of rigorous Judgment that never leaves it. MEANING THAT THE KLIPAH ITSELF IS NOT FIRE - RIGOROUS JUDGMENT - BUT THE FIRE THAT CAME FROM BELOW FROM THE STORM WIND. IT CATCHES THE FIRE AND NEVER LEAVES IT. "And a brightness was about it" (Ibid.), INDICATES THAT even though all this is in THE KLIPAH OF A FIRE FLARING UP, NEVERTHELESS, "a brightness was about it." Hence we learn that though this is but the side of defilement, there is a brightness about it, that there is brightness and the illumination of holiness around it. Therefore a man should not cast it out. The reason is that since "a brightness was about it," it has part in the holy side of Faith, and one should not treat it with contempt. Therefore it should be given a part in the holy side of Faith.

168. Rabbi Hamnuna Saba said that, THIS WAS WRITTEN AS A QUESTION, 'is there a brightness about it?' Therefore it should be treated with contempt, because there is brightness only inside it, not outside AND AROUND THE FIRE FLARING UP. And since that brightness is inside, it is written: "and out of the midst of it, as it were the color of electrum (Heb. chashmal)" (Yechezkel 1:4). In the midst of what - of that brightness. The color of Chashmal consists of the letters of chash mal, namely, muttering fiery living creatures (Heb. chayot esh memalelot).

169. But from the holy luminary we heard the most secret mysteries concerning the subject. When the foreskin rests on the member of the holy covenant and defiles the temple, WHICH IS THE GLANS PENIS, THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, then that temple is prevented from exposing the secret of the sign of the covenant inside the foreskin. And when that brightness enters and separates the foreskin from the temple, it is called Chashmal, WHICH MEANS it hastens (Heb. chash) to be revealed. BUT, HE ASKS, THERE IS ALSO 'Mal' IN CHASHMAL. What is 'Mal'? HE ANSWERS: it is written, "Joshua circumcised (Heb. mal)" (Yehoshua 5:4), WHICH ALLUDES TO the secret sign of the covenant (circumcision) that was detained from revealing its light by the foreskin. BUT NOW, SINCE HE ALREADY CIRCUMCISED (HEB. MAL), THE LIGHT IS REVEALED. AND THE MEANING OF CHASHMAL IS THAT HE HASTENED (HEB. CHASH) TO EXPOSE, SINCE HE ALREADY CIRCUMCISED (HEB. MAL) THE FORESKIN.

170. Another secret states, that the light OF THE KLIPOT was both visible and invisible, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE WAS STILL IN THEM A TINY RAY THAT MAY BE SEEN ONCE, but when Chashmal was revealed, their light was gone COMPLETELY. But the first secret THAT WE SAID, is well embedded in the written verse while this secret cannot fit properly in the writing. Nonetheless, All is well and correct, FOR BOTH ARE TRUE.

171. With this brightness, THE SNAKE seduced the woman EVE to receive light. That is the meaning of "and her mouth is smoother than oil" (Mishlei 5:3), for it put light against the covenant. That is why it seduced her and she took its light. This is the temptation with which it tempted the woman, as written "for the lips of a strange woman drip honey..." (Ibid.).

172. Come and see, on Friday, WHICH IS YESOD, when evening sets, AT ITS CONCLUSION, the burning flame, THE STORM WIND, leaps inside to enter within the colors. Then Yisrael make ready below, fix the meals and set the tables, each his own table. A flame of fire then comes out and strikes the burning flame, AND JOINS IT. Once it struck and they joined, the flame of fire and that flame roll TOGETHER, and enter a hollow in a great abyss, where they sit concealed.

173. And that flame of fire is from the right. Since it is from the right side, it canceled THE JUDGMENTS OF that fire and put it into the cavern in the great abyss. There it sits IN THE GREAT ABYSS, until Shabbat is concluded. When Shabbat is concluded, Yisrael must say the benediction over fire. By that benediction from below, the flame of fire comes out and has power over that flame all that night AFTER SHABBAT. And this flame is subdued, FOR ITS POWER IS CONCEALED.

174. Come and see, when Shabbat enters and that flame was hidden IN THE GREAT ABYSS, all the flames of the harmful fire are hidden and subdued, FOR THE FLAME, WHICH IS A STORM WIND, IS THE ROOT OF ALL THE STRICT JUDGMENTS. And even the fire of Gehenom rests, and all the evil therein have respite, and all, above and below have rest. And at the end of Shabbat, when Yisrael recite the benediction over fire, all the hidden flames come out and return each to its place. In order not to kindle another flame OF THOSE THAT ARE HIDDEN, it is written: "You shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations on the Shabbat day" (Shemot 35:3). And it was already explained why the fire on the altar is allowed ON SHABBAT.