Yitro
Eden Ezekiel Hands Rivers Shechinah Water

326. She revealed Herself, as written, "by the river K'var" (Yechezkel 1:1), meaning by the water, in a place where impurity cannot dwell. That river was one of the four rivers which issued from the Garden of Eden, as written, "by the river K'var." What does "K'var" (lit. 'already') mean? That it already existed from a place upon which the Shechinah dwelt, as it is written, "And the hand of Hashem was there" (Ibid.), that is, there and not elsewhere.

326. וְהָא דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא, מַה כְּתִיב, עַל נְהַר כְּבָר, עַל מַיָּא, בְּאֲתָר דְּלָא יִסְתְּאַב, וְלָא שַׁרְיָא מְסָאֳבוּתָא. וְהַהוּא נַהֲרָא, הֲוָה חַד מֵאַרְבַּע נָהֲרִין, דְּנָפְקִין מִגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן, דִּכְתִּיב עַל נְהַר כְּבָר. מַאי כְּבָר. דִּכְבָר הֲוָה. מֵאֲתָר דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי. וּכְתִיב וַתְּהִי עָלָיו שָׁם יַד יְיָ', שָׁם, וְלָא בְּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא.

Asiyah Atika Kadisha Briyah Chambers Chariot Eagle Ezekiel Likenesses Lion Living Creatures Nukva Ox Worlds Yetzirah Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH) Zeir Anpin

327. Rabbi Chiya said, It is written, "Also out of the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man" (Yechezkel 1:5). And we have learned, according to the esoteric teaching, that there are four living creatures in the holy chamber, WHICH IS BINAH. They are the most ancient celestial beings WHICH ARE DERIVED from Atika Kadisha (the Holy Ancient One), and which include the Supernal Name, YUD HEI VAV HEI, FOR YUD IS A LION, HEI IS AN OX, VAV IS AN EAGLE, AND THE LAST HEI IS A MAN. AND THEY ARE THE SECRET OF THE THREE COLUMNS AND MALCHUT WHICH RECEIVES THEM. Ezekiel saw only the likeness of the supernal Chariots, because he saw them from a region which was not very bright, MEANING FROM THE WORLD OF YETZIRAH. As we have already learned, as there is above IN BINAH so it is below IN MALE AND FEMALE, and so in all the worlds, BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH. And all of them are linked one with another, AND WHATEVER THERE IS IN THE UPPER WORLD, THERE IS ALSO IN THE LOWER ONE, AND HE SAW THEM IN THE WORLD OF YETZIRAH.

327. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא, כְּתִיב וּמִתּוֹכָהּ דְּמוּת אַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת וְזֶה מַרְאֵיהֶן דְּמוּת אָדָם לָהֵנָּה. תָּאנָא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה, אַרְבַּע חִיוָון אִית, דְּאִינְהוּ לְגוֹ בְּגוֹ הֵיכָלָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאִינּוּן קַדְמָאֵי, עַתִּיקִין דְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, כְּלָלָא דִּשְׁמָא עִלָּאָה. וִיחֶזְקֵאל חָמָא, דְּמוּת דִּרְתִּיכִין עִלָּאִין, דְּהָא הוּא חָמָא, מֵאֲתָר דְּלָא הֲוָה נָהִיר כָּל כַּךְ. תָּאנָא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, אִית לְתַתָּא מִינַיְיהוּ, וְכֵן בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין, כּוּלְּהוּ אֲחִידָן דָּא בְּדָא, וְדָא בְּדָא.

Mirror Moses Prophets Worlds Yetzirah Zeir Anpin

328. And you may think that he beheld them further above THE WORLD OF YETZIRAH. Yet we learned that Moses saw the vision from a bright mirror, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, while other prophets derived their visions from a dull mirror, as written, "And I saw visions (Heb. mar'ot) of Elohim." The word "MAR'OT" is written WITHOUT THE LETTER VAV, WHICH INDICATES MALCHUT, and, "If there be a prophet among you, I, Hashem make Myself known to him in a vision... My servant Moses is not so...With him I speak mouth to mouth" (Bemidbar 12:6-7).

328. וְאִי תֵּימָא לְעֵילָּא יַתִּיר דְּחָמָא. תָּנֵינָן, מֹשֶׁה חָמָא בְּאַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּנָהֲרָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ נְבִיאֵי לָא חָמוּ אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּלָא נָהֲרָא, דִּכְתִּיב וָאֶרְאֶה מַרְאֹת אֱלֹהִים. וּכְתִיב אִם יִהְיֶה נְבִיאֲכֶם יְיָ' בַּמַּרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוַדָּע וְגוֹ' לֹא כֵן עַבְדִּי מֹשֶׁה וגו', וּכְתִיב פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ.

Ezekiel Face Female Male Mirror Moses Prophets Worlds Yetzirah

329. Rabbi Yosi said, Come and behold. All the prophets are IN COMPARISON WITH MOSES, like a female to a male, as written, "With him I speak mouth to mouth, manifestly (Heb. u'mar'eh, lit: 'and a mirror')," WHICH IS MOST CERTAINLY THE BRIGHT MIRROR (HEB. MAR'AH), AS IT IS WRITTEN, WITH HIM I SPEAK "MOUTH TO MOUTH." Of all other prophets it is said, "If there be a prophet among you, I, Hashem make Myself known to him in a vision (Heb. bemar'ah)," MEANING THAT THEY DERIVED THEIR VISION FROM A DULL MIRROR. AND IT IS WRITTEN, "bemar'ah," (lit. 'a vision') and not 'mar'ot,' WITHOUT THE LETTER VAV. All the more so of Ezekiel, as it is not written in relation to him 'mar'eh' but rather "mar'ot," without THE LETTER VAV, FOR HE SAW THE VISION FROM THE WORLD OF YETZIRAH. This is all the more so for Moses, of whom it is written, "and not in dark speeches," but showed him everything clearly. Blessed, indeed, was the generation among whom this prophet lived.

329. א"ר יוֹסֵי, ת"ח, דִּנְבִיאִין כֻּלְּהוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, כְּנוּקְבָא לְגַבֵּי דְּכוּרָא, דִּכְתִּיב פֶּה אֶל פֶּה אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ וּמַרְאֶה. וְלִשְׁאַר נְבִיאִים כְּתִיב, בַּמַּרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוַדָּע. בַּמַּרְאָה וְלָא מַרְאֹת. כ"ש יְחֶזְקֵאל, דַּאֲפִילּוּ מַרְאֶה לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ, אֶלָּא מַרְאֹת חָסֵר, וכ"ש דִּכְתִּיב בְּמֹשֶׁה, וְלֹא בְחִידוֹת, אֶלָּא כָּל מִלָּה עַל בּוּרְיֵיהּ. זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ דָּרָא, דִּנְבִיאָה דָּא שָׁרֵי בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ.

Blind Deaf Face Hands Mountains

330. Rabbi Yosi said, In the name of Rabbi Yehuda, that Yisrael saw the precious glory of their King face to face, and there were neither blind nor lame, nor deaf, nor any without hands among them. No blind, as it is written, "And all the people perceived;" no lame, as it is written, "And they stood at the foot of the mountain" (Shemot 19:17). There were no lame and none without hands, as written, "And they said, 'All that Hashem has said will we do and obey" (Shemot 24:7); and of the days to come it says, "Then shall the lame man leap as a hart and the tongue of the dumb sing" (Yeshayah 35:6).

330. א"ר יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה, אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין חָמוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל זִיו יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכֵּיהוֹן, וְלָא הֲוָה בְּהוֹן סוּמִין, וְחִגְּרִין, וּקְטִיעִין, וְחֵרְשִׁין. סוּמִין, מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִּיב וְכָל הָעָם רוֹאִים. חִגְרִין, דִּכְתִּיב וַיִתְיַצְּבוּ בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר. קְטִיעִין חֵרְשִׁין, וְנַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע. וּלְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי כְּתִיב אָז יְדַלֵּג כְּאַיָּל פִּסֵּחַ וְתָרוֹן לְשׁוֹן אִלֵּם.

Praise Sin Torah

331. "And Elohim spoke all these words, saying" (Shemot 20:1). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with that verse and said, "Who can utter the mighty acts of Hashem? Who can declare all His praise?" (Tehilim 106:2). In how many ways does the Torah admonish man not to sin before his Master. In how many ways does it counsel him not to turn from the way, either to the right or to the left, and in how many forms it shows him how to return to his Master so that He may forgive him.

331. וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֵאמֹר. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת יְיָ' יַשְׁמִיעַ כָּל תְּהִלָּתוֹ. בְּכַמָּה אָרְחִין, אוֹרַיְיתָא אַסְהִידַת בְּבַר נָשׁ, דְּלָא יְחוּב קַמֵי מָארֵיהּ. בְּכַמָּה אָרְחִין, יָהִיב לֵיהּ עֵיטָא, דְּלָא יִסְטֵי מֵאָרְחוֹי לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא. בְּכַמָּה אָרְחִין יָהִיב לֵיהּ עֵיטָא, הֵיךְ יֵתוּב קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ, וְיִמְחוֹל לֵיהּ.

Hundred Thirteen Torah World to Come, The

332. We have learned that the Torah has given a man 613 counsels in order that he may be perfect with his Master, for his Master desires only his good, both in this world and in the World to Come, but especially in the World to Come, since whatever good the Holy One, blessed be He, bestows upon man in this world is taken from the sum of good which he is entitled to receive in the World to Come. Why is that? Because the World to Come is the possession of the Holy One, blessed be He.

332. דִּתְנָן, שִׁית מְאָה וּתְלַת עָשָׂר זִינֵי עֵיטָא, יָהִיב אוֹרַיְיתָא לְבַר נָשׁ, לְמֶהֱוֵי שְׁלִים בְּמָארֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּמָארֵיהּ בָּעָא לְאוֹטָבָא לֵיהּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. וְיַתִּיר בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דְּהָא תָּנֵינָן, כָּל מַה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַשְׁלִים לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ, מֵאִינּוּן טָבָאן דְּזָכֵי בְּהוּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּהוּ. מַאי טַעֲמָא. מִשּׁוּם דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוֵי.

Righteous Tribes Walls World to Come, The

333. We have learned that the comparison between this world and the World to Come is as an antechamber compared with the hall itself. The reward of the righteous is His very own, as it is written of the tribe of Levi: "Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren." Why? Because "Hashem is their inheritance" (Devarim 18:2). Happy is the man who is entitled to receive such a supernal heritage, for he merits it in this world and in the house of this world, as well as in the World to Come and the heavenly, holy House, as it is written, "And to them will I give in My house and within My walls a memorial" (Yeshayah 56:5). Happy is the portion of the righteous for being worthy to dwell with the King in His own House.

333. וְהָכִי תָּנֵינָן, הַאי עָלְמָא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, לָא הֲוֵי אֶלָּא כִּפְרוֹזְדוֹר לְגַבֵּי טְרַקְלִין. וְכַד זָכֵי הַהוּא זַכָּאָה, בְּדִידֵיהּ זָכֵי. דְּתַנְיָא, כְּתִיב וְנַחֲלָה לֹא יִהְיֶה לּוֹ בְּקֶרֶב אֶחָיו. מ"ט. מִשּׁוּם דַּיְיָ' הוּא נַחֲלָתוֹ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ, מַאן דְּזָכֵי לְאַחֲסָנָא אַחֲסַנְתָּא עִלָּאָה דָּא. זָכֵי בָּהּ בְּעָלְמָא דָּא, וּבְבֵיתָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא. כַּךְ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וּבְבֵיתָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא, דִּכְתִּיב וְנָתַתִּי לָהֶם בְּבֵיתִי וּבְחוֹמוֹתַי יָד וָשֵׁם, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא זַכָּאָה, דְּמָדוֹרֵיהּ עִם מַלְכָּא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ.

Crowns Daniel Keter Lights Righteous

334. Rabbi Shimon said, Happy is the portion of the righteous who is worthy of this, as it is written, "Then shall you delight yourself in (lit. 'above') Hashem" (Yeshayah 58:14). It is not written 'in Hashem,' but "above Hashem," namely in the place from which the upper and the lower worlds are derived and for which they yearn, of which it is written, "From where (Heb. ayin) comes my help?" (Tehilim 121:1) REFERS TO KETER WHICH IS CALLED NOTHINGNESS (Heb. AYIN). And it is also written, "And came to the Ancient of Days and they brought him near before him" (Daniel 7:13) NAMELY KETER WHICH IS CALLED 'THE ANCIENT OF DAYS.' The desire and the delight of the righteous is to look at that splendor whence all lights issue and all celestial crowns, WHICH ARE THE SFIROT, are drawn.

334. ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא זַכָּאָה, דְּזָכֵי לְהַאי דִּכְתִּיב, אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ', עִם יְיָ' לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא עַל יְיָ'. מַאי עַל יְיָ'. אֲתָר דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין אִתְמַשְּׁכָן מִינֵּיהּ, וְתָאָבִין לְהַהוּא אֲתָר, דִּכְתִּיב מֵאַיִן יָבֹא עֶזְרִי. וּכְתִיב, וְעַד עַתִּיק יוֹמַיָּא מְטָה וּקְדָמוֹהִי הַקְרְבוּהִי. וְתִיאוּבְתָּא וְעִנּוּגָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא, לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא לְהַהוּא זִיוָא, דְּכָל זִיוָא מִינֵּיהּ נָפְקָא, וְאִתְמַשְּׁכָן מִנֵיהּ כָּל אִינּוּן כִּתְרִין.

Earth Heaven Zeir Anpin

335. Rabbi Shimon continued, We learned of the verse, "Then shall you delight yourself in Hashem," that it ends with, "and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth" (Yeshayah 58:14). This refers to the place called 'the high places of the earth,' which is above "the earth," WHICH IS MALCHUT AND IS CALLED 'EARTH,' and "heaven," NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, as it is written, "The high places of the earth," FOR HEAVEN IS ABOVE THE EARTH.

335. תּוּ אר"ש, תָּנֵינָן בְּהַאי קְרָא אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ', סוֹפְיֵהּ דִּקְרָא מַה כְּתִיב, וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיךָ עַל בָּמוֹתֵי אָרֶץ, עַל הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי בָּמוֹתֵי אָרֶץ, אִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא מֵהַאי אֶרֶץ, וְהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ, הַיְינוּ שָׁמַיִם. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב עַל בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ.