The firmament above Malchut

339. The firmament above the garden stands upon the four heads of the living creatures, that are the four letters MEM, RESH, GIMEL AND NUN, said to be the mystery of the living creatures, MICHAEL, GABRIEL, RAPHAEL AND NURIEL. And that firmament stands upon them as said. The firmament of the point, THE FIRMAMENT ABOVE MALCHUT, stands upon high four living creatures as said. THEY ARE SUPERIOR COMPARED TO THOSE OF THE LOWER GARDEN OF EDEN. That firmament ABOVE MALCHUT OF ATZILUT is embroidered with holy colors. AS THERE ARE FOUR COLORS IN THE FIRMAMENT ABOVE THE LOWER GARDEN, SO IS THE UPPER FIRMAMENT ABOVE MALCHUT EMBROIDERED WITH COLORS. 'THE ZOHAR' EXPLAINS TO US THAT ALL THAT WAS SAID CONCERNING THE FIRMAMENT OVER THE LOWER GARDEN OF EDEN, ALSO APPLIES FOR THE UPPER FIRMAMENT ABOVE MALCHUT OF ATZILUT.

340. The four living creatures and all the armies below observe at the firmament ABOVE THE UPPER MALCHUT, to see when it is shining and glittering in its colors. THE FOUR MENTIONED COLORS, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT WITHIN THE FIRMAMENT ITSELF, SHINE THROUGH THE PORTALS. The Chariots and all the armies and legions know then that there is food to be had, FOR THEY RECEIVE IT THROUGH THE PORTALS. This firmament is embroidered with holy colors, THE FOUR LIGHTS OF CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT. Therein are four doors, THROUGH EACH SHINES ONE COLOR. AND THE LIGHTS are impressed upon four glittering letters.

341. One portal is to the east, TIFERET. One letter stands in it, SAME AS IN THE FIRMAMENT ABOVE THE GARDEN, ONLY THERE STANDS THE LETTER RESH, THE FIRST LETTER OF RAPHAEL, AND HERE STANDS ALEPH, THE FIRST LETTER OF THE NAME ADONAI. This letter glitters and goes up and down inside the portal. This portal is shining and scintillating from the supernal glittering, THAT IS FROM ONE OF THE COLORS OF CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, THE LIGHTS WITHIN THE FIRMAMENT ITSELF. The letter ALEPH glitters and stands out in it, going up and down, and gets marked in that opening.

342. The second portal is inscribed in the northern side, GVURAH. In it stands one letter, the letter Dalet OF THE NAME ADONAI. It stands glittering, going up and down and glowing in that portal TO THE NORTH. Sometimes it glitters sparklingly and sometimes it is concealed and therefore does not shine. Therefore this letter is not stable in its presence. This letter is stamped upon that door.

343. The third door is to the west, MALCHUT. In it stands one letter stamped upon the door and shines there. This is the letter Nun OF THE NAME ADONAI. This letters glitters sparkingly in that portal.

344. The fourth door is to the south, CHESED. In it stands the impression of a lower small point, visible yet invisible. This is the letter Yud OF THE NAME ADONAI. These four letters OF ADONAI (ALEPH-DALET-NUN-YUD) GLITTER to the four sides of the firmament, in the FOUR doors AT ITS ENDS.

345. In this firmament, other letters are written, with crowns on their heads. These are the twenty two letters adorned with crowns. THE TWENTY TWO LETTERS ARE THE MYSTERY OF ZEIR ANPIN INCLUDED IN THIS FIRMAMENT OF MALCHUT. THE CROWNS ABOVE THEIR HEADS ARE AN ASPECT OF BINAH, WHICH IS KETER OF ZEIR ANPIN. FOR THE ROOT OF EACH LETTER, NAMED CROWN, COMES FROM BINAH. This firmament moves and revolves over the living creatures, upon which the letters are marked, based on the reckoning of the unity, the secret of one ALPHABETICAL combination, that are: Aleph-Tet, Bet-Chet, Gimel-Zayin, Dalet-Vav.

346. These letters, ALEPH-TET, BET-CHET, GIMEL-ZAYIN, DALET-VAV, go round this firmament based on the secret of other high, holy and undisclosed letters, THAT COME FROM BINAH. And those other undisclosed letters revolve round that firmament, and are then seen when turned into the letters mentioned before - Aleph-Tet, Bet-Chet, GIMEL-ZAYIN, DALET- VAV and are stamped upon this firmament.

347. When this firmament shines, four secrets are luminous in it, THE FOUR LETTERS YUD HEI VAV HEI, of the Holy Names in combinations. THESE ARE THE TWELVE COMBINATIONS OF THE YUD HEI VAV HEI of the thirty two paths. NAMELY, IT ILLUMINATES THIRTY TWO PATHS OF WISDOM UPON THE TWELVE NAMES. Then dew, THE HOLY ABUNDANCE, descends from this firmament by these letters in the mystery of the Holy Name, THAT IS, WITH THE TWELVE COMBINATIONS OF YUD HEI VAV HEI. And all the holy Chariots, armies and legions are sustained and gladly receive it.

348. When Judgment impends upon the world, the letters hide and are concealed inside the four LETTERS, NAMELY ALEPH, BET, GIMEL, DALET WHICH ARE THE ROOTS, hide and disappear, and these, Tet, Chet, Zayin Vav are left, NAMELY, THE BRANCHES WITHOUT THE ROOTS. Once ALEPH, BET, GIMEL, DALET are concealed and hide, a voice resounds in the north side, WHERE JUDGMENTS LIE, and makes it known that Judgment impends upon the world. In this firmament, one color is imprinted, that includes all other colors. THIS IS MALCHUT RECEIVING FROM THE THREE COLUMNS, WHICH SYMBOLIZE THE THREE COLORS.

349. When the firmament on the east side, THE CENTRAL COLUMN, travels; the four heads, THE FOUR ROOTS, which allude to the four letters, ALEPH, BET, GIMEL AND DALET, all travel and ascend, THAT IS, THEY DISAPPEAR. And when they disappear, something disappears, TO WIT, THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH DOES SINCE THE ROOTS OF ALEPH-TET, BET-CHET, GIMEL-ZAYIN, DALET-VAV GO UP. AFTERWARDS, the letters ALEPH, BET, GIMEL AND DALET reappear WITHIN THE BRANCHES whole like in the first combination Aleph-Tet, Bet-Chet, Gimel-Zayin, Dalet-Vav. They are woven into the firmament and it illuminates with the light OF CHOCHMAH.

350. When the firmament shines upon the letters as before, UPON THE LETTERS, ALEPH-TET, BET-CHET...everyone roars again and seeks food. Once they roar and cry aloud, it is heard above, and those WHO ARE WORTHY come to collect blessings and holy things.

351. The letters ALEPH-TET, BET-CHET...turn around and revolve ROUND THE THREE COLUMNS. They go round the firmament ABOVE MALCHUT and come to stand on the southern side. They mount glittering and sparkling in the glow. Then in the middle of that firmament an impression is stamped. This impression is comprised of one letter Yud. Once it is written down and seen, the other three letters, Hei Vav Hei start to glow AND THE NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI IS ILLUMINATING.

352. These letters, YUD HEI VAV HEI, glitter in the middle of the firmament, go up and down and burn, glowing with twelve glitters, NAMELY, WITH THE TWELVE PERMUTATIONS OF THE HOLY NAME. After they burn and glow twelve times, something descends, THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. It is absorbed in the letters OF THE TWELVE PERMUTATIONS OF THE HOLY NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI, crowned by them and becomes unknown. Then all the troops and camps rejoice and utter songs and hymns.

353. The firmament travels a second time, revolves and turns round THE THREE COLUMNS. And the first letters, mentioned above, Aleph-Tet, Bet-Chet...are all included within the supernal letters that are in the mystery of Holy Name, YUD HEI VAV HEI as we said. They turn round the firmament, and the letters, YUD HEI VAV HEI, the secret of the Holy Name, which were standing in its midst, were imprinted on the northern, LEFT side. Imprinted and not imprinted, because no one looks at that side, NAMELY, TO DRAW CHOCHMAH WHICH IS THE SECRET OF SIGHT. All are wrapped BY CHOCHMAH and say in a pleasant voice, "Blessed be the glory of Hashem from His place" (Yechezkel 3:12). They wrap themselves in the northern side, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE LEFT COLUMN, and say it. Then they are wrapped on all sides and say it, NAMELY, "BLESSED BE THE GLORY OF HASHEM FROM HIS PLACE." THE REASON IS THAT THE NORTH SIDE COMPRISES ALL THE THREE SIDES. THE SENSE IS THAT CHOCHMAH IS REVEALED ONLY WITHIN MALCHUT THAT RECEIVES FROM THE THREE COLUMNS, AND NOT WITHIN THE THREE COLUMNS THEMSELVES.

354. AFTER EXPLAINING THE ACTIONS DONE IN THE FIRMAMENT ON ITS THREE SIDES, EAST, SOUTH AND NORTH, WHICH ARE THE THREE COLUMNS; HE NOW EXPLAINS THE ACTIONS DONE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE FIRMAMENT, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT RECEIVES FROM ALL THE SIDES TOGETHER. HE SAYS, this firmament revolves as before and sways from side to side, TO ALL FOUR SIDES, UNTIL IT REACHES WEST, WHICH IS MALCHUT. Then a pleasant voice of many troops OF ANGELS arises from this side, and a pleasant voice of many troops on that side, and so on all sides, EAST, SOUTH, NORTH AND WEST. At that time the firmament illuminates with another, greater light than it used to ILLUMINATE IN THE THREE SIDES, FOR IN IT THE LIGHT OF CHOCHMAH IS REVEALED, WHICH IS REVEALED ONLY IN MALCHUT. It illuminates, displaying another color, that comprises all colors. FOR MALCHUT COMPRISES THE THREE COLORS IN THE THREE COLUMNS.

355. These letters we mentioned, YUD HEI VAV HEI, mount up to that firmament, NAMELY, TO ZEIR ANPIN, where they receive one supernal letter FROM IT, which unites with the name of those letters YUD HEI VAV HEI. For though these letters are of the Holy Name, YUD HEI VAV HEI, NEVERTHELESS this name is included below, THAT IS, IN THE FIRMAMENT OF MALCHUT. For the secret of that name is included above IN ZEIR ANPIN and below IN MALCHUT. And when it is included below IN MALCHUT, the letters OF YUD HEI VAV HEI go up to receive one letter FROM ZEIR ANPIN, for the letters YUD HEI VAV HEI below, IN MALCHUT, are sustained by that letter. It is the letter Vav, which descends INTO MALCHUT, where the letters, YUD HEI VAV HEI, are united with it, NAMELY 'VAV YUD HEI VAV HEI', IN WHICH THE FIRST VAV INDICATES ZEIR ANPIN CONNECTED WITH THE HOLY NAME WITHIN MALCHUT, BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF 'HE AND HIS COURTHOUSE'. Then they become one crown and one complete name is formed.

356. THE HOLY NAME YUD HEI VAV HEI below is complete yet incomplete. IT IS COMPLETE IN ITSELF, AND INCOMPLETE, BEING INCLUDED IN THE ASPECT OF MALCHUT. A whole name includes five letters, VAV YUD HEI VAV HEI, IN WHICH THE VAV FROM ZEIR ANPIN, UNITED WITH YUD HEI VAV HEI, ALLUDES TO ZEIR ANPIN AND ITS COURTHOUSE, MALCHUT. This is the secret which alludes to male and female, FOR THE VAV ALLUDES TO MALE, AND YUD HEI VAV HEI ALLUDES TO FEMALE. THE ENTIRE whole name INDICATING COMPLETENESS consists of nine letters, that are Yud Hei Vav Hei, Elohim, WHEREBY YUD HEI VAV HEI, ALLUDES TO MALE AND ELOHIM TO FEMALE. Together the name is completely whole. The other name, Vav YUD HEI VAV HEI, is an allusion, FOR THE VAV REFERS TO MALE, and contains five letters as said. But this NAME OF NINE LETTERS YUD HEI VAV HEI, ELOHIM is entirely complete.

357. When the letters are united, NAMELY, VAV-HEI-VAV-YUD-HEI, the firmament illuminates with thirty two lights, TO WIT, THE THIRTY TWO PATHS OF CHOCHMAH. Then all is filled with joy, and is one mystery, above and below. All the Chariots and the troops are in the secret of completeness, and all the grades are established in their place, each as it ought.

358. In the firmament OF MALCHUT, to the north, WHERE CHOCHMAH IS LUMINOUS WITHIN MALCHUT, there is one flame that shines forever. TO WIT, THE JUDGEMENT VERDICT WHERE CHOCHMAH IS REVEALED. THIS JUDGMENT IS NAMED 'FLAME'. Other letters are imprinted to its right, the ten names turned into seventy names. THEY DERIVE FROM THE SEVENTY TWO NAMES OF THE HOLY NAME OF 72 (AYIN BET) LETTERS, AS WAS SAID, THAT THEY ARE THE SECRET OF SEVENTY MEMBERS OF THE SANHEDRIN AND THE TWO WITNESSES. All are engraved upon this firmament and illuminate together.

359. From this firmament travel all the lower firmaments on the side of holiness, until they reach the other firmaments of the Other Side, called "curtains of goats' hair," as is written: "And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle" (Shemot 36:14).

360. There are curtains and curtains. The curtains of the tabernacle are called the firmaments of the living creatures of the holy tabernacle. The curtains of goats' hair are other firmaments of the Other Side. These firmaments OF THE TABERNACLE are based on the secret of the Chariots of the holy spirits, and those firmaments outside, THE CURTAINS OF GOATS' HAIR, shine with worldly matters, and are considered aspects of repentance and bodily worship BY PEOPLE. And they cover the firmaments inside as a shell covers the fruit. The firmaments inside are like a thin SKIN MEMBRANE around the brain, and called "the heavens of Hashem," NAMELY, the one name YUD HEI VAV HEI, down below IN MALCHUT.

361. There are other firmaments above: the inner firmaments OF ZEIR ANPIN, named the firmaments of the living creatures. They are the secret of the Holy Name, YUD HEI VAV HEI, according to the mystery of the large upper living creatures, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT FROM THE CHEST UPWARD OF ZEIR ANPIN. They are the secret of the high letters of the mysteries of the Torah, NAMELY, the whole of the twenty two letters engraved and impressed, coming from the eighth firmament, BINAH, above the high living creatures, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT OF ZEIR ANPIN. This FIRMAMENT has no visibility, concealed and hidden without hues.

362. All the colors are coming from THE EIGHTH FIRMAMENT, BINAH. In ITSELF, there are no colors, it is neither seen nor appears. This is the meaning of it letting out all luminaries, FOR ALL MOCHIN OF THE THREE COLUMNS OF BINAH COME OUT, but in ITSELF no light is seen, nor darkness, nor any other color, except for the souls of the righteous, who watch from the lower firmament OF MALCHUT, as if from behind a wall, the light sent to shine by the upper firmament, BINAH. And no one is able to know or bear that light OF BINAH which never stops.

363. Underneath THE FIRMAMENT OF BINAH, all the firmaments were designed to completeness by that name and are thus called 'heavens'. Of those called IN THE SCRIPTURE 'the heavens', some bear the Supernal Name YUD HEI VAV HEI OF ZEIR ANPIN, and with some, the Holy Name, MALCHUT, is adorned, FOR THE FIRMAMENTS OF MALCHUT RECEIVE FROM THE FIRMAMENTS OF ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore it is written: "the heaven are the heavens of Hashem" (Tehilim 115:16), that is, they are concealed in the supernal firmament, BINAH, that is situated over them.

364. Up to THE FIRMAMENT OF BINAH, the Holy Name, YUD HEI VAV HEI. is alluded to, IN THE VERSE "THE HEAVENS ARE THE HEAVENS TO YUD HEI VAV HEI." For the Holy One, blessed be He, BINAH, is called by names, AND A NAME MEANS PERCEPTION, FOR WHAT WE DO NOT PERCEIVE, WE DO NOT CALL BY NAME. From now upward, HIGHER THAN BINAH, no wise man can, by use of intelligence, know and grasp anything but one slight illumination, that is not enough to grasp fully. Happy is the portion of whoever comes in and goes out and knows how to behold the mysteries of his Master, and be devoted to Him.

365. By these mysteries a man can be devoted to his Master and know the wholeness of wisdom in the high secret. While he worships his Master in prayer, will and intention of the heart, he connects his will as a fire to coal, to unite these lower firmaments of the holy side, FROM MALCHUT, and bedeck them with a lower name, YUD HEI VAV HEI IN THE FIRMAMENTS OF MALCHUT, and from there on, to unite the inner and high FIRMAMENTS OF ZEIR ANPIN, so they would all become one in the supernal firmament OF BINAH, that is situated over them.

366. While his mouth and lips are moving, he should concentrate his heart, and his will should soar higher and higher, to unite all in the secret of secrets, where all wills and thoughts are kept. This place is in the secret of the Endless Light. One must meditate upon it in each prayer everyday, to adorn his days in the secret of the high days, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT, in his worship.

367. At night he should pay attention that he is about to pass away and his soul leaves to return to the Master of all. For every night, the point MALCHUT absorbs the souls of the righteous. THAT IS, THE SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS MOUNT TO MALCHUT EVERY NIGHT BY MEANS OF MAYIN NUKVIN.

368. The mystery of mysteries is to be known by the wise of heart. The lower firmament is established by the secret of the point MALCHUT, as we said. This firmament consists of high and low, and its base down below is like a candle emitting black light, to be united with white light, OVER THE BLACK LIGHT, THAT IS, FROM ABOVE. Its base is below, in the wick of oil. So is that point, MALCHUT, BASED below. During the day it is united above, WITH ZEIR ANPIN, at night it is united below with the souls of the righteous.

369. All that is in the world go back to their source and root from which the came, and for a few nights each of them is going to take what it deserves. This is written in, "my kidneys also admonish me in the night" (Tehilim 16:7). FOR EVERYTHING GOES BACK TO ITS SOURCE, and the soul hovers back to its root, that fits it, ABOVE. And the body stays quiet as a stone and goes back to the place fit to hover above it, TO WIT, THE OTHER SIDE THAT WILL PREVAIL OVER IT AFTER DEATH. For that reason the body returns to its side, and the soul to its side.

370. After the body returns TO ITS SIDE, the secret of the Other Side prevails upon it, and therefore the hands are defiled and should be washed, as we explained that at night everything returns to there its place, ITS ROOT. The souls of the righteous mount and return to their source, THEIR ROOT WHICH IS MALCHUT OUT OF WHICH THEY WERE BORN. And the one who wishes to, NAMELY, MALCHUT, is bedecked with crowns, whole on all sides, ABOVE AND BELOW. Then the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, rises to be adorned by all.

371. The chieftains appointed over the souls of the righteous rule at night. They elevate them, and sacrifice them as fragrant sacrifice to their Master. The chief appointed over these legions is called Suriya, a supreme chief. Once the soul mounts through all these firmaments, it is brought before him, SURIYA, and he smells it, same as in the verse "and he will inhale the scent of the fear of Hashem" (Yeshayah 11:13). Namely, as will the King Messiah do in the world of the future, SO DOES CHIEF SURIYA, and the souls pass before him, under his charge, to further approach MALCHUT.

372. All souls approaching that place, NAMELY MALCHUT, are seen there. This is a secret: THEN all the souls are contained within that point, MALCHUT, and it takes them at once, as if swallowing them, and conceives like a woman. This secret is for the scholars engrossed in the law, when this point conceives as a woman in conception. It has pleasure having the soul of this world included in it, together with its deeds and study of the Torah during that day. It takes that will of this world and gladly rejoices in it, becoming whole on all sides, ABOVE AND BELOW.

373. Then MALCHUT lets them out, and gives them birth as before. FOR THE SOULS ARE THE OFFSPRING OF MALCHUT, and the soul is now new as in its birth. This is the secret of "they are new every morning..." (Eichah 3:23), THAT ALLUDES TO THE SOULS, which are certainly new EVERY MORNING. What is the sense of their being new? It is in the secret at the end of the verse "great is Your faithfulness" (Ibid.). FOR MALCHUT IS NAMED FAITH AND it is indeed great and can contain THE SOULS, let them in and bring them out when they are new. Therefore it receives others from above, during the day. Happy are the righteous in this world and the World to Come.

374. In the meantime, the daylight broke. Rabbi Aba said 'let us rise and go to thank the Master of the universe.' So they prayed. Afterwards the friends came back TO RABBI ABA and said to him 'whoever started, let him finish praising'. Happy is our portion on the way, that we so deserved to adorn the Holy One, blessed be He, with the secrets of wisdom.