First chamber: Yesod

6. The first chamber below was created in the likeness of that which is above, THAT IS THE SFIRAH OF YESOD WITHIN MALCHUT - SET IN ITS PLACE BELOW TO CORRESPOND TO BINAH. It has already been explained that a law of the Garden of Eden states that ALL ITS ASPECTS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME as those in the celestial secret OF BINAH, ALTHOUGH THE ASPECT OF MALCHUT OF THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT IS NOT NOTICEABLE THERE. It is not visible to the eye, BECAUSE THE ESSENCE OF MALCHUT IS STORED DEEP WITHIN, AND THUS CANNOT BE SEEN. THE ATTRIBUTE OF MERCY CAN BE SEEN, but only by the souls of the righteous. Such souls are engraved on above and below. REACHING COMPLETION FROM BOTH BINAH AND MALCHUT, THEY ARE ABLE TO ATTAIN THE ESSENCE OF MALCHUT. FURTHERMORE, THROUGH MALCHUT, they are able to behold the secret of their Master and to enjoy celestial bliss.

7. Those WHO REACH MALCHUT WITHIN THE CHAMBERS are the righteous people, who have not betrayed their Master for other Elohim. THEY ATTAIN MALCHUT AS IS IMPLIED BY THE SECRET MEANING OF THE PHRASE "a virtuous woman is the crown of her husband" (Mishlei 12:4). The secret of Faith - NAMELY MALCHUT - is that whoever attains it should cleave to his Master, always be in awe of Him, and never stray to the left or to the right. As we have explained, one must not follow other deities - which are termed 'a sinful woman'. This is the reason for the verse, "That they may shield you from a foreign woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words" (Mishlei 7:5). AND NO ONE MERITS ANY OF THIS EXCEPT THROUGH MALCHUT. HENCE THE STATURE OF THOSE RIGHTEOUS WHO DO MERIT IT IS VERY HIGH. AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE ONLY ATTAINABLE CHAMBERS ARE THE SIX OF ZEIR ANPIN; THE SEVENTH IS UNATTAINABLE. THE CHAMBERS, TOGETHER WITH ZEIR ANPIN, ARE CONSIDERED THE TEN SFIROT. REMEMBER THAT THE FIRST CHAMBER OF YESOD ALSO INCLUDES MALCHUT, AND THE LAST CHAMBER OF BINAH ALSO INCLUDES THE THREE TOP SFIROT: KETER, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH.

8. This chamber is fixed in the secret of the celestial form, WHICH IS BINAH, because when the souls of the righteous leave this world, WHEN THEY DEPART TO THEIR OWN WORLD, they enter those chambers of the lower Garden of Eden. And each one remains there for as long as it is necessary for the soul to be there.

9. In each and every chamber OF THE LOWER GARDEN OF EDEN there are figures in the supernal form OF BINAH, and there are figures in the lower form OF MALCHUT. CONSEQUENTLY, EVEN IF THE SOUL IS NOT ENTIRELY PURIFIED OF BODILY QUALITIES, IT CAN ENTER AND BE THERE IN THE SHAPE OF MALCHUT, WHICH IS CONNECTED WITH THE PHYSICAL NATURE. THE SOUL, WHICH IS THE ASPECT OF BINAH, CAN ALSO ENTER AND, AS EXPLAINED, BE CONNECTED TO BINAH. And therein, IN THE LOWER GARDEN OF EDEN, the soul is clothed with garments similar to those worn in the physical world, and it enjoys all the time it needs there. IT ENJOYS THE BLISS OF SUPERNAL LIGHT, IN ORDER TO BE ENTIRELY CLEANSED OF THE FILTH OF ITS PHYSICAL NATURE, until such a time as it can be elevated to its celestial home. THIS MEANS THAT UNTIL ALL THE IMPRINTS OF THE PHYSICAL BODY THAT WERE ATTACHED TO THE SOUL IN THIS WORLD DISSIPATE, IT CANNOT BE ELEVATED TO ITS PLACE IN THE SUPERNAL GARDEN OF EDEN, AS IT NEEDS TO BE - FOR EACH SOUL IS FROM BINAH AND MUST RETURN TO ITS SOURCE, WHICH IS THE UPPER GARDEN OF EDEN. And with the new form or clothing that THE SOUL NOW wears, it is able to see celestial entities FROM BINAH, and can thus glimpse the glory of its Master. THIS CLOTHING IS SIMILAR TO WORLDLY GARMENTS, BUT IT ALSO CONTAINS SUPERNAL FORMS FROM BINAH, AND THEREFORE, THROUGH ITS FORM, THE SOUL CAN STRIVE TO SEE THE CELESTIAL LIGHTS OF BINAH, AND BEHOLD THE GLORY OF ITS MASTER.

10. This chamber has visible supernal lights, and the souls of the converts enter and stand there to behold the celestial splendor. Here they are clad in one luminous garment, that shines and yet also shines not. WITH THE LIGHTS IN THIS CHAMBER, THE RIGHTEOUS ARE ABLE TO SEE AND ENDOW THE SOULS OF THE CONVERTS, ENABLING THEM TO ENTER INSIDE AND RECEIVE THE CELESTIAL SPLENDOR - AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN DRESSED IN A LUMINOUS GARMENT, THAT BOTH SHINES AND DOES NOT SHINE. THE LIGHTS HAVE TWO FUNCTIONS, WHICH ARE THE SAME: TO SHINE UPON THE WORTHY, AND NOT TO SHINE UPON - IN OTHER WORDS, TO LEAVE IN DARKNESS - THE UNWORTHY. THE CLOTHING BRINGS THEM JOY, BECAUSE THEY MERIT IT AND ARE FIT TO RECEIVE IT. This chamber is lined with precious stones and gold.

11. There is an opening that leads down to the gates of Gehenom. From there, THE CONVERTS look at all the evil, THE IDOL WORSHIPERS, THOSE WHO HAVE NOT CONVERTED AND THUS have not entered the holy covenant. They are chased away by the angels of destruction with fire, and the converts see this, rejoicing that they have converted AND ARE THUS SPARED SUCH A HARSH PUNISHMENT.

12. And three times a day they are illuminated by Celestial Light, taking delight in there, IN THE LIGHTS OF THE THREE TOP SFIROT, WHICH ARE DRAWN INTO THIS CHAMBER. Above them reside Obadiah the convert and Onkelus the convert, and the other SIMILARLY IMPORTANT converts. And, as has been explained REGARDING THIS CHAMBER IN THE LOWER GARDEN OF EDEN, SO TOO IN THE LOWER CHAMBER OF THE UPPER GARDEN OF EDEN, the souls ascend when they can and are adorned, AFTER RESIDING FOR A SUFFICIENT TIME IN THE LOWER GARDEN OF EDEN.