ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל וכו׳

1“And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel,” etc. We need to understand what the expression “midst” means. We also need to understand the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, about there being three companies of angels.

One company says “Holy”; one company says “Holy, holy”; and one company says “Holy, holy, holy is Havayah of Hosts,” etc.

As is found in [Tractate] Chullin (91b). That is to say, the first company says “Holy” once, the second company doubles it and says “Holy” twice, and the third company three times, as we say [it].

We also need to understand what is said of the nazirite, likewise using the expression “holy,” as it is written, “He shall be holy; he shall let the locks grow,” etc. Now, it is written, “Seraphim stood above Him.”

2We must understand how it is possible that they should stand above the Shechinah (Divine Presence): are they not created beings, possessed of limits? Now, it is written, “For with You is the source of life”; and why does it not say “and You,” etc.?

All this will be understood by first understanding the meaning and concept of “holy.” For “holy” means separate; that is, as it is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed”: there is no change at all in Him, may He be blessed, between before the creation of the world and after it was created;

and as the saying goes, “You are He before the world was created, and You are He after it was created,” etc. That is to say, there is no change and no being affected at all, G‑d forbid, in Him, may He be blessed, by the creation of the world; and as it is written, “I am the first and I am the last,” etc.

This is because He, may He be blessed, is separate from all the worlds; that is, His giving life to the worlds and bringing them into being is not like the way the soul gives life to the body, where the very being of the soul is enclothed within the body to give it life,

and so it is actually held within the body, and the life-force that spreads from it into the body divides into three parts: the life-force enclothed in the brain in the head.

3The life-force in the body, and the life-force in the legs. For the life-force enclothed in the head is far higher than the life-force in the body, as is plainly seen: in the head is the whole inner dimension (pnimiyus) of the life-force,

namely the power of thought and of intellect, and the superior senses in the face: sight, hearing, etc. The life-force in the body is below this level;

that is, there is the seat of the emotive attributes (middos) in the heart, which are below the intellect; and also the power of action in the hands is lower in rank than the senses in the face, sight and hearing, etc.

4And then, in the legs, the life-force is lower still than the level of the life-force in the body. All this is because the brain in the head receives the life-force first, and from a more inner level,

that is, from the inner dimension of the soul; and afterwards, from the lowest level in the head, it is drawn down to the body, etc. Therefore the life-force in the body is lower in rank than the life-force in the head, and so too, in the same way, from the body to the legs.

Thus the life-force that spreads from the being of the soul divides into the three general parts mentioned above, head, body and legs; and in each one there are several particular limbs, as is known. But in general they are the three levels mentioned above.

5The difference between their levels comes from the difference in the revelation of the life-force drawn to them from the soul, as mentioned above: in the head a higher level of the soul shines, etc.

It follows that the life-force of the soul is actually held and enclothed within the vessels of the body; and therefore this life-force, which spreads from it and is held in the body, divides according to

the nature of the body’s vessels: since the vessels of the brain are higher than the vessels of the body, they receive a higher level of the soul’s life-force, namely its power of mind and intellect, as mentioned above.

But the way He, may He be blessed, gives life to the worlds is not so: in Him there is no aspect of division at all, G‑d forbid, and it is not at all relevant to speak of head and end with regard to Him,

for He is first and He is last, etc. This is because He, may He be blessed, is not enclothed within the worlds at all.

6And not as the soul is enclothed in the body, as mentioned above. And since this is so, the aspect of division does not apply at all to the life-force with which He brings the worlds into being; for division comes from enclothement, as mentioned above: since the vessels of the brain are higher,

therefore a higher level is enclothed in them, etc.; and it is specifically of life-force that is enclothed within vessels that this can be said.

This is not so with Him, may He be blessed, for His giving life to the worlds is not through being enclothed within them at all. Therefore no division whatsoever applies at all, even to the life-force drawn from Him to give them life, since He is not enclothed within them.

7This is the meaning and concept of “holy”: that He, may He be blessed, is holy and separate from the worlds; for although He gives them life and brings them into being from nothing, nevertheless He is not enclothed within them, etc.

Therefore there is no change and no being affected in Him, may He be blessed, by creation; whereas the soul is affected by what happens to the body, because it is enclothed and held in the body, as mentioned above.

82. However, this must be understood: for in the creation of the worlds, too, there is a division into endless levels, as is known regarding the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), “one higher than the high watches,” etc. And in this world, too, we see distinctions of levels: inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking.

And in general, too, there is a division into three general levels, as it is written, “And for My glory I have created it, I have formed it, I have also made it”: these are three general worlds (and within them many particulars), the higher Gan Eden, the lower Gan Eden, and this world.

This is, by way of analogy, exactly like the division of the life-force in the human body, which divides in general into three levels, head, body and leg. And so, of this world it is written, “And the earth is My footstool”; and the lower Gan Eden is like the body in the analogy, where the seat of the emotive attributes is, in the heart.

9And so it is known that “the six Sefiros nest in Yetzirah”: that is, there is the revelation of His attributes, may He be blessed, Chesed (kindness), etc., and also the intellect (mochin), Chochmah, Binah and Daas, is enclothed in the attributes, etc.

And the higher Gan Eden is where the level of the very Chochmah, Binah and Daas of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, is revealed to the souls, who “sit and delight in the radiance”; and this is, by way of analogy, like the head, in which is the seat of the intellect.

If so, it is understood from this that the life-force (chayus) drawn from Him, may He be blessed, into the worlds also divides within them into distinct levels, just like, by way of analogy, the life-force that spreads from the soul into the body, as mentioned above; and the division comes about because of the enclothement in vessels.

If so, it appears that the life-force drawn from Him, may He be blessed, is also enclothed within them. And so it is found explicitly in [the words of] our Sages, of blessed memory (in the first chapter of [Tractate] Berachos),

that they compared the drawing down of the life-force from Him, may He be blessed, to the worlds to the order of the drawing down of the life-force from the soul into the body. This is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (folio 10a):

“Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, fills the whole world, so the soul fills the whole body.” And in Midrash Tehillim, on [the verse] “Bless,

my soul,” they said: “Just as the soul fills the body, so the Holy One, blessed be He, fills the world.” Now, the soul’s filling the body is by way of actual enclothement and being held, as mentioned above.

10If so, they compare to this the enclothement of the life-force from Him, may He be blessed, in the worlds. And this seems to be the opposite of what was explained, that He, may He be blessed, is holy and separate and gives life to the world not through enclothement, G‑d forbid.

And this is a great principle in the Torah, as is known: “He grasps all the worlds, and there is none who grasps Him.” But the explanation is that there certainly is a level of life-force that is enclothed in the worlds, in their very inner dimension (pnimiyus), and divides into distinct levels, like the division of the life-force of the soul in the body in the analogy.

But this life-force that is enclothed in the worlds, as a whole, is only the level of the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence) alone: a radiance specifically, from the level that is called Shechinah.

11And this is what is also called the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin). The meaning is that the life-force drawn from Him, may He be blessed, to be enclothed in the very innermost of the worlds is only

from the level of a mere radiance and illumination of the Shechinah, blessed be He; and this level of radiance is what is drawn down to be the light that fills all worlds. And [it is] by way of enclothement and division for each world according to its level: in the higher Gan Eden thus, etc.

12Now, this level of radiance, which is the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), is what the Zohar calls “the revealed world” (alma de’isgalya). The reason is that of this level it is said, “And from my flesh I shall behold G‑d.”

“I shall behold,” actually, as though it were actually seen with the eye, openly. And the nature of this seeing is like the way that from my flesh we see that we have a soul which gives life to the flesh of the body: when the soul departs from the body,

the body becomes a corpse, like a stone; as is seen at night, in sleep, when the soul departs from the body and [only] “a small measure of life” remains. Thus sleep is one sixtieth of death.

That is why every morning, on rising from sleep, we bless: “Blessed are You, G‑d, Who restores souls to dead corpses”; for every day the life-force is renewed and one becomes a new creature. Thus, even though we do not see with the eyes of sight the being of the soul, how and what it is,

nevertheless it is known and felt by us that the soul is enclothed in the body, for its activities are visible to us, in that the body lives from it; for of itself the body is like a stone when the soul departs from it.

13If so, the soul is truly revealed to us, in that the soul’s enclothement in the body is visible to us, even though its being, what it is, is not grasped or seen. And exactly so, “I shall behold G‑d”:

for we see with our eyes His visible work: that the world is a great living body, and necessarily there is in them a life-force that gives them life, just as the soul is known to us through its visible work in the body.

And just as we see the life-force in this world, so too the created beings in the higher worlds also see and grasp, to a greater degree, the life-force that brings them into being. And this is “And from my flesh I shall behold G‑d”: “from my flesh” specifically:

just as from my flesh I sense and behold the soul that You placed within me, so “I shall behold G‑d,” that is, the enclothement of the life-force, the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), drawn from the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, into the very innermost of the worlds,

just as the soul fills the whole body. And so this life-force divides into three general levels: the higher Gan Eden, the lower Gan Eden, and this world.

14Therefore the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin) is called “the revealed world.” [And see what is written in Parshas Va’eschanan on the verse “And you shall know this day.”] 3. But this level of life-force, drawn down as the light that fills all worlds, is

merely an illumination and radiance, the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence). But He Himself, may He be blessed, is holy and separate, for He is not enclothed, G‑d forbid, within the worlds.

15And even of the life-force (chayus) drawn from Him, may He be blessed, to give life to the worlds, the main life-force is not enclothed within them at all; rather, it gives them life and brings them into being not through enclothement. And this is the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin).

This is what was explained above: that the life-force with which He, may He be blessed, gives life to the worlds is not like the way the soul gives life to the body; for He, may He be blessed, gives them life although He is not enclothed within them, but only encompasses and surrounds them.

16And the illumination that is drawn down as the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin) is only a radiance and illumination from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), and it is called the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), as mentioned above. Therefore no change whatsoever applies to Him through creation; unlike the soul, which is affected by what happens to the body, because its very being and essence is enclothed in the body.

17Accordingly, it is understood that in the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) there is no division of head and end, above and below, since it is not enclothed in the worlds. And this is [the meaning of] what is written,

“For His Name alone is exalted; His splendor is upon earth and heaven.” That is, only the radiance and splendor of His Name, may He be blessed, is enclothed in earth and heaven to give them life, and divides into parts,

as mentioned above. [It is also known that earth and heaven are called the higher and lower Gan Eden, as is known from the explanation of “Whom do I have in heaven,” etc.] But His Name itself is holy and separate, and “exalted alone.”

18And as it is written, “There is none to compare to You”: meaning, it is impossible for the life-force to be drawn from Him, may He be blessed, by way of the ordered chain of descent (hishtalshelus) of cause and effect. Cause and effect is like the way an emotive attribute in the heart comes into being from the intellect, and from the attribute, thought, etc.,

where the very being of the intellect is held in the attribute, etc. Whereas He, may He be blessed, is the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), and is not held in the worlds; and it is not as an effect grasps its cause; rather, “there is none to compare to You,” literally.

19Of this it is said, “For His Name alone is exalted.” Therefore it is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed,” and “You are He before [the world] was created,” etc., “and since the world was created”: it is all the same. And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “the living Elokim and King of the world.”

The meaning: His being “the living Elokim” is that life-force is drawn from Him to be enclothed in every created being, in its very inner dimension (pnimiyus); and therefore “Elokim” is in the plural, on account of the many divisions of the life-force for each created being.

20This is the expression “the living Elokim,” etc. Now, this drawing down, in general, is only from the level of “King of the world,” that is, from the level of His attribute of kingship (Malchus), may He be blessed, as it is written, “Your kingship is a kingship over all worlds.”

From there, too, is drawn the ordered chain of descent (hishtalshelus) of cause and effect, and of above and below, like head and body, etc., as mentioned above; whereas His being and essence, may He be blessed, is holy and separate. It is like the analogy of the spreading forth

of the king’s rule and lordship over the people of the country: through this rule he leads them and his awe is upon them; yet the essence of the king is not held in the people of the country; only his name alone is called upon them,

and that is his rule and his awe. So too it will be understood above: the life-force of the worlds is drawn from His attribute of kingship, may He be blessed; for from the level of Malchus the life-force is drawn to spread forth and be enclothed in the three worlds mentioned above, the higher and lower Gan Eden and this world.

21Indeed, it is also understood from the analogy of kingship that the level of [the king’s] exaltedness is a level that encompasses and is above the people of the country. So too, the level of His kingship (Malchus), may He be blessed, is the level of encompassing and surrounding the worlds,

and only a radiance and illumination from it is drawn down to be enclothed in the worlds. This is the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), which is drawn down to be “the power of the Maker within the made,” actually; and then the ordered chain of cause and effect applies, etc.

And as was written above, even the level of His Name, which is His kingship, is “exalted alone,” and only the splendor of His Name is “upon earth and heaven,” etc. And this is [the meaning of] “You are holy and Your Name is holy” (and as is written elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “Therefore say to the children of Israel”).

With this will be understood the matter of the large dalet of “Echad” (“One”), which alludes to His attribute of kingship, may He be blessed, as is known. If so, we need to understand what is said afterwards, “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingship forever and ever”: was the matter of His kingship not already alluded to in the large dalet of “Echad”?

But the explanation is that the large dalet of “Echad” alludes to the level of the essence of His attribute of kingship, may He be blessed, which is above enclothement in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah;

and therefore the four sides, east and west, north and south, are nullified in their existence there, for there is no division of above and below there, as mentioned above.

But the level of “the Name of the glory of His kingship,” the matter of these three words, is the radiance drawn from His attribute of kingship, may He be blessed, to be enclothed in the very innermost of the worlds as the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), actually,

“the power of the Maker within the made.” And since they are divided in general into three parts, the higher and lower Gan Eden and this world, the levels of “I have created it, I have formed it, I have made it,” therefore three words come for this, namely shem kevod malchuso, “the Name of the glory of His kingship.”

22And this is the meaning of “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingship forever and ever”: that we draw down, so that there be flows from the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin). And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “For with You is the source of life,” and it does not say

“For You are the source of life”; for then it would imply that He, blessed be He, is the source from which life flows by way of a chain (hishtalshelus) of cause and effect.

23And this is not possible at all, as mentioned above: it was not possible for an ordered and graded chain (hishtalshelus) of cause and effect to be drawn from Him, may He be blessed;

for if the flow had been drawn from Him by way of cause and effect, the worlds would not have come into being at all as limited and measured.

Therefore it says, “For with You is the source of life”: the source from which the chain of cause and effect flows is “with You,” that is to say, it is something subordinate and nullified in relation to You, because

this source is what is called “the revealed world” and is called the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is enclothed within the worlds, in their inner dimension (pnimiyus); and there it is relevant to speak of a chain of cause and effect.

24Now, it has been explained that the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin) is the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), which is a mere radiance and illumination; and also, it is drawn down first through an immense tzimtzum (contraction), so that the revelation should be

only like a drop from the ocean, and even more so, beyond all comparison, etc.; then, afterwards, a source for the chain of descent (hishtalshelus) is drawn from this.

Now, the radiance is subordinate and nullified in existence relative to its source, like the nullification of one drop in the ocean, were the sea without limit,

by way of analogy, and like the nullification of the sun’s radiance in the sun. That is why it is called “with You,” etc. But He, blessed be He, in His being and essence, is separate, in the manner of “There is none to compare to You.”

25And this is [the meaning of] what is said, “You are first and You are last, and apart from You we have no King”: that is, “You,” in His being and essence, may He be blessed, is separate,

for He is first and He is last, as it is written, “I have not changed,” etc.; and the life-force of all the worlds is only from the level of “King,” as mentioned above in the explanation of “the living Elokim and King of the world.”

Thus the concept and meaning of “holy” has been explained: it is to say that He, may He be blessed, is holy and separate, and gives life to the worlds not through enclothement in their innermost being, in the way that the soul gives life to the body.

26And although it was also explained that there is a level of G‑dly life-force enclothed in their inner dimension (pnimiyus), as the soul is enclothed in the body, this is only the level of the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), an illumination of an illumination;

but His being and essence, as was explained, is holy and separate; and even of the level of His Name it is said, “For His Name alone is exalted,” and only the splendor of His Name is “upon earth and heaven,” and this is the level of an illumination of an illumination, as mentioned above.

274. With this will be understood what is said of the nazirite, “He shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.” We need to understand what holiness has to do with growing the hair.

But the explanation is this. It is written, “And the Ancient of Days sat,” etc., “and the hair of His head was like pure wool.” And the meaning of “Ancient of Days” (Atik Yomin) is as it is said, “Who is exalted above the days of the world.”

For “the days of the world” are the level of the source of life that is enclothed as the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), as is known from the explanation of what is written, “Six days Havayah made,” and it is not written “in six”;

rather, it alludes to the supernal attributes that are enclothed to give life to the worlds: on the first day the level of Chesed (kindness) was drawn down, and through this light and water were created, etc.

28This is the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin). But of His being and essence, may He be blessed, which is holy and separate, it is said, “Who is exalted above the days of the world”: He is raised and exalted beyond being enclothed within them, for there is no comparison to Him at all.

And this is the meaning of “Atik Yomin,” from the expression “Who removes (hama’tik) mountains”: He is removed and separated from the level of “the days of the world.” [And see the Zohar, Part III, 133b, on the verse “And My kindness [shall not depart] from you,” etc., and it is written, “And with everlasting kindness,” etc.;

and folio 134b, on the matter of “the days of old” and “the days of the world.” And see what is written elsewhere on the verse “On the eighth day, an assembly,” in the explanation of “which You swore to our fathers from the days of old,” and in the discourse beginning “The heavens are My throne,” on the matter of the Torah

having preceded the world by two thousand years.] And the flow drawn from Him to be a source and life-force for the coming into being of the level of “the days of the world” and the level of the light that fills all worlds is only a contracted illumination, which bears no comparison at all to His being and essence, may He be blessed.

29Of this it is said, “And the hair of His head was like wool,” etc.: it is likened to the hair breaking through from the brain. For although life-force from the brain is drawn into the hair, as is known that the hair is hollow and within the hollow there is nourishment from the brain,

nevertheless it is only the surplus of the brain and an extremely contracted life-force, so much so that it does not touch the life of the brain at all, to the point

that when the hair is cut the brain feels no pain at all. So, by way of analogy, it is impossible to offer any other analogy for the light and life-force drawn from His being and essence, may He be blessed, to be a source for the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is called “the source of life,”

only that of a hair; for from this analogy it is understood how, although this illumination is drawn from Him, nevertheless He is entirely holy and separate;

for the hair does not touch the being and essence of the brain at all, by way of analogy; and so this illumination does not touch His being and essence, may He be blessed, at all,

for He Himself is entirely holy and separate; and only a contracted illumination, which is likened to hairs, is drawn down to be a source for the coming into being of “the source of life” and of the light that fills all worlds.

30That is why holiness is connected with hair. For it is specifically the hair that indicates holiness, since the one depends on the other: because He is holy and separate, the flow from Him can come only through the level of hairs specifically.

Therefore the supernal holiness hangs on these hairs, for they are drawn from the level of the holy and separate, the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), from which no inward flow at all is possible except through hairs, etc.

Whereas from the level of the life-force of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is drawn down and enclothed in the innermost of the worlds, where enclothement and a chain (hishtalshelus) of cause and effect apply; and it was explained above that enclothement and a chain of descent mean that the very being of the cause is held in the effect,

like the enclothement of the intellect in an attribute, or even like the enclothement of the soul in the body; therefore the flow from there need not come through the level of hairs specifically.

For this chain of descent is the opposite of the level of hairs: the hair indicates a flow that comes with an immense contraction, so much so that it bears no comparison at all to the source.

Rather, there the analogy of the soul’s enclothement in the body applies, or like the enclothement of the intellect in the power of action in the hand, etc.

31That is why our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “A woman’s hair is nakedness (ervah)”: for “woman” alludes to the level of the life-force enclothed in the worlds, which is the level of Nukva (the feminine), as is known.

Therefore, when the flow is drawn from there by way of an immense contraction, in the manner mentioned above, as a hair, the external forces can draw nourishment from it, because of the many contractions.

And that is why the Levites, too, were commanded “to pass a razor,” etc.: since they themselves are of the level of Gevuros (restraints), therefore, when the flow would be drawn from them through hairs and contractions, the external forces would draw nourishment.

(And see what is written about this at the end of the discourse beginning “And Korach took,” and in the discourse beginning “When you go out,” on the matter of “and she shall shave her head,” and in the discourse beginning “Sarai your wife.” And see in Parshas Vayechi, folio 217a, “and before it became bald (galish),” etc.

And in the Mikdash Melech and in the Zohar HaRakia there. And see in Parshas Acharei, folio 60b, and in Parshas Naso, folio 142a. And see in the book Nishmas David on the Song of Songs, on the verse “Your hair is like a flock of goats,” [which] explains that the external forces have no hold at all on her hair, etc.; see there.

And so it is implied by what is written elsewhere in the name of the Tikkunim, in the explanation of “And the locks of your head are like purple”: these are the reasons of the Torah, and they are the hairs of Nukva, from which the revelation of the reasons of the Torah is drawn into the chambers of Beriah; and the meaning of “like purple” is “colors that are included within colors,” as written in the Idra, 141b, and in the Idra Zuta, folio 296a. Seemingly, this contradicts the statements mentioned above.

But the explanation is as written in the Zohar HaRakia, Parshas Vayechi, there: when Nukva is above, in Atzilus, the external forces have no nourishment at all from her hair; but when Nukva is below, in Beriah, in the mystery of the kelipos, then they draw nourishment from the hair.

And this is [the meaning of] “Your hair is like a flock of goats that streamed down from Mount Gilead”: “Gilead” is the idea of “this mound is a witness” (ed hagal hazeh), which is the partition (parsa) that separates between the worlds; and so too there is a partition separating between Atzilus and Beriah, etc. And through this the external forces have no hold at all on her hair.

And this is [the meaning of] “that streamed down” (shegalshu), explained according to its Targum: galish is the Targum [Aramaic rendering] of “bald.” That is, as though they had been made bald and there were no hair there at all, so they have no hold from the hair, etc. And this is brought about through the level of “Mount Gilead,”

which is in the manner of “To the righteous it appears like a mountain”; and “Your people are all righteous,” meaning that every small prohibition appears to them like a mountain and a screen dividing between a person and his Maker, and through this he will not be drawn after physicality. And as written elsewhere on this verse, “Turn away your eyes,” etc.,

“your hair is like a flock,” etc. And through this, the level of “that streamed down from Mount Gilead” mentioned above is also drawn forth above. And see what is written on the matter of the partition in the discourse beginning “And the curtain shall divide,” that there are several levels of partition between one world and another which prevent the external forces from drawing nourishment, etc.; see there, and as mentioned above.)

Whereas from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), which is holy and separate, from which a chain of cause and effect is impossible, the flow can therefore come only through the level of a hair specifically.

And on these hairs hangs the supernal holiness specifically, which is a source for the coming into being of the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), as mentioned above. And since the matter of the nazirite vow, “when he shall make a wondrous [vow] to be a nazirite,”

this mitzvah alludes to what is very high above: that is, the nazirite ascends to a lofty place and resembles the One Above

(as written in the Zohar, Parshas Naso, folio 127b, and in the Arizal’s Likkutei Torah there, in Taamei HaMitzvos, and in the Zohar HaRakia, Parshas Vayechi, there); therefore it is said of him, “He shall be holy; he shall let the locks grow,” etc.

325. And this is the matter of the first company, who say “Holy”: they are of the level of the seraphim, as explained in the verse and in the Gemara of Chullin there. The explanation is that they are the level of the higher angels in the World of Beriah (Creation), where Chochmah, Binah and Daas are revealed, so that the souls and angels grasp the greatness of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He.

33As mentioned above regarding the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), the life-force divides in general into three levels, the higher Gan Eden, the lower Gan Eden and this world, like head, body and legs. Therefore the seraphim,

who are of the level of the World of Beriah (Creation), where the higher Gan Eden is, grasp the greatness of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He. And the essence of the grasp is this: how

He, may He be blessed, is holy and separate, in the manner of “There is none to compare to Him,” blessed be He; and the source of the drawing of life-force from Him, may He be blessed, to be the level of the light that fills all worlds, is only through an immense contraction, as a hair, as mentioned above.

34And from the level of the source called the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin) are drawn and revealed all the grasps of G‑dliness in the higher and lower worlds and the higher Gan Eden, etc.

But He Himself, may He be blessed, is holy and separate, and “no thought can grasp Him” at all. And the life-force with which He, may He be blessed, gives them life not through contractions, which is called the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), cannot be enclothed in their innermost at all, but only in the manner of encompassing and concealment.

Therefore it is written, “I have not changed,” and there is no division of above and below in Him. And of this it is said, “I am the first and I am the last,” as mentioned above.

35Now, through their contemplation and grasp of this, they are set aflame and blaze with longing and fiery flashes “to gaze upon the glory of the King,” in the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), which is holy and separate. That is why they are called seraphim, on account of the fiery flashes and the wondrous longing.

And their saying “Holy” once is that they have one will: to be absorbed into the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, etc. And that is why it is said of them, “Seraphim stood above Him.”

36The question was set out above: how can it be said of a created being that it stands above the Shechinah (Divine Presence), as it were? The explanation is that Isaiah said, “And I saw Ado-nai sitting upon a throne, high,” etc., “Seraphim stood above Him.”

The Name Ado-nai is the level of His attribute of kingship (Malchus), may He be blessed. Now, Isaiah did not grasp the level of His attribute of kingship

as it still is above enclothement in the worlds, which is the level of the large dalet of “Echad,” as mentioned above; that, Isaiah did not grasp at all

(except that of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, our Sages, of blessed memory, said that He showed him the knot of the tefillin; and it is known that this knot is the level of dalet, namely the large dalet of “Echad”).

Rather, his grasp was of the level of His attribute of kingship as it is enclothed in the worlds, as the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is the matter of “the Name of the glory of His kingship.”

And this is what Isaiah said, “I saw Ado-nai sitting upon a throne,” etc.: that is, when it is drawn down to be enclothed in the World of Beriah (Creation), which is called “throne,” as is known. And this is “You are mighty forever, Ado-nai”: there must first be gevuros (restraints) and contractions, until it is drawn down to be at the level of Ado-nai;

that is, the idea of “You are known as L‑rd over all.” For from this level is drawn the coming into being of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah with division, and the life-force is enclothed in each one according to its measure;

and this is through gevuros and contractions first, to contract the light and the life-force until it can be enclothed in the worlds, and so that they come into being as limited and measured

(and see the Mikdash Melech at the beginning of Parshas Bereishis, in these words: “I found in the words of the Arizal, of blessed memory, that the point of Malchus that descends into Beriah is called by the Name Ado-nai”). And of this he said, “Seraphim stood above Him”;

that is to say, as though they were above the level of the Name Ado-nai, which is the level of the light that fills all worlds; because their main longing is to grasp the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), which is called “holy.”

That is, they long to go out of their limitation and contraction by the G‑dly power of the Maker, which gives them life in a contracted manner from the level of the light that fills all worlds, and to cleave to the level of the light that encompasses all worlds. And since, wherever their spirit turns in their longing, they are called by the name “standing” there,

this is [why] the seraphim “stand,” in their longing, “above Him,” above the Name Ado-nai: that is to say, their longing is for the level of the light that encompasses all worlds. And this is their saying “Holy” once. And see what is written on the matter of “Seraphim stood” in the discourse beginning “I am black and comely.”

Now, man is a small world, and in him too there are the three levels of the three companies of angels mentioned above

(for each of the angels is a particular level, but man is comprised of all the worlds; that is why it is said of him, “Let us make man,” in the plural, as explained elsewhere at length). And this

level of the first company, the seraphim who say “Holy” once, whose longing is “to gaze upon the glory of the King” and who blaze with fiery flashes, etc.,

exists in man too: it is the level of the element of fire in the heart. For just as the human body is composed of four physical elements, and so too the animal soul is composed of four spiritual elements of nogah,

so too the G‑dly soul is comprised and composed of four spiritual elements of G‑dly holiness (as written in Sefer Shel Beinonim, Part I, chapter 3). The seat of the element of water is in the brain, and the element of fire is in the heart.

Now, the blends of the four elements are not the same in every person: in one, the element of water is more dominant, and in another the element of fire prevails more.

37It is like, for example, coals: there are burning coals, in which the fire blazes openly, and there are dimmed coals, in which the fire does not blaze, but there is in them only a single spark, hidden.

Nevertheless, since there is at any rate one spark in them, therefore when one blows hard on the spark in them, it blazes up in the coal, openly, etc.

So too with the G‑dly soul in man: in one, the element of G‑dly fire in his heart prevails more, openly, like burning coals in the analogy, etc.;

and in another, the element of G‑dly fire in his heart is hidden, like dimmed coals, in which there is only one spark, and that hidden. But one spark there is in each and every one of Israel.

38For this the remedy is to blow on it hard, for then it blazes and flames up and spreads through the whole coal, openly. And so too with the G‑dly soul in man: one must kindle the spark in the element of fire in the heart, so that it becomes openly revealed, by blowing on it.

This is the whole order of prayer up to the Shema, in which one contemplates His greatness, may He be blessed: how He “spoke and the world came into being,” “says and does,” etc.

For this contemplation in prayer, up to “with all your heart” in the Shema, is all by way of blowing: one blows on the spark of the element of G‑dly fire in his heart, so that it shines openly in the heart, etc.

39And at “with all your heart” in the Shema the spark of the element of G‑dly fire in the heart is openly revealed: it blazes and flames with longing and fiery flashes toward Him, may He be blessed.

And this is [the meaning of] “And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel”: “the midst of the children of Israel” is the inner point of the heart of each and every one of Israel;

and there, in the midst of the inner point of the heart, “I shall be sanctified”: their heart burns with fiery flashes and fierce love “to gaze upon the glory of the King,” Who, may He be blessed, is holy and separate, and there is no comparison to Him at all.

Therefore the longing for Him, may He be blessed, through the contemplation of how He, may He be blessed, is holy, etc., will be held within the inner core of the point of the heart; and this is the saying of “Holy” by the first company.

In man it is the level of the love of “with all your heart”: that is, the inner core of the heart is actually revealed, so that the heart is full and overflowing with the love of G‑d, in the manner of the soul’s expiring, as it is written, “My soul yearns, and even expires,” etc.

(Also, the reason it is called “midst”: it was already explained above that the life-force of the soul enclothed in the body divides into three levels, namely head, body and legs, and these are the three levels of head, midst and end; if so, the heart is the level of “midst.” And this is “And I shall be sanctified in the midst,” etc.:

that it should touch the very midst of his heart, as it is written, “And to serve Him with all your heart,” and our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Service in the heart: this is prayer.” But the main meaning of “in the midst” is in the innermost core and inner dimension of the heart, as written in the discourse beginning “Havayah is with me among my helpers,” on the explanation of “absorption,” that it should be absorbed into its very midst and its inner core.

A further meaning of “And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel”: “I shall be sanctified” literally; as written in the Zohar, Pekudei, folio 231a, that “when His Name is sanctified in the revealed, His hidden Name ascends upon His throne of glory, as it is written, ‘And I shall be sanctified,’” etc.; see there. And the meaning of “ascends” is that it is drawn from a higher place; and this is the meaning of “I shall be sanctified.” The matter is as written elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “Go out and see,”

on the explanation of “He did not cease to cherish her until He called her ‘My mother’”: this is as it is written, “Lift up your hands in holiness (kodesh) and bless Havayah,” for the righteous are those who draw down the level of kodesh from the supernal Kodesh, which is very far above the level of kadosh with a vav; that is, through the lifting of their hands in the higher unity (yichuda ila’ah) and the lower unity (yichuda tata’ah), to give over one’s soul at “One” in the Shema;

and therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, called her “My mother,” for they are the ones who draw down the level of kadosh with a vav, etc.; see there at length. And this is the meaning of “And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel”: through the stirring from His holiness, may He be blessed, being held in the innermost of the heart of the souls of Israel, so as to be in the manner of “Lift up your hands,” etc.,

through this they actually draw down His holiness, may He be blessed; that is, they draw from the level of the supernal Kodesh so that there be the level of kadosh. And this is what is said there, “ascends upon His throne of glory”: the light is drawn into Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes) from the level of the supernal Kodesh, etc.

And this is what is said in the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Emor, folio 93a: “And since Israel sanctify,” etc., “that Kodesh shines,” etc., “and then He is called above Kadosh,” etc., “upon the throne, which is heaven,” etc.; see there.)

406. Afterwards, the second company says “Holy” twice. The explanation: the first “Holy” is an ascent from below upward, for the seraphim want to be absorbed into the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, “to gaze,” etc.; and this is the level of the first company.

But the level of the second company, who say “Holy” a second time, is that they desire that there also be a drawing down from above to below; since

the thirst of the seraphim is to cleave to the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), and specifically through the nullification (bittul) of their very being, utterly; but the second company want and desire the drawing down of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, below.

(And see what is written in the discourse beginning “I am black,” mentioned above, on the difference between the seraphim, who say “Holy,” and the ofanim, who say “Blessed.” One may further note what is written elsewhere on the verse “Then Moshe and the children of Israel sang”: that the meaning of the blessing “Blessed are You,” etc.,

“from world to world,” is that the level of the hidden world (alma de’iskasya) and the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, which is the level of the nullification of “all before Him is considered as nothing,” should be drawn down openly into the revealed world as well, “and all flesh shall see,” etc.

And along these lines is the service of the company of angels who say “Holy” twice, which is a drawing down from above to below. However, the virtue of the first company is like what is written there: “But the service of the Levites, another quality was in them, and it is from below upward,” etc.:

that the level and rank of the revealed world should not appear as any level or rank at all, and should not occupy any place at all, as it is written, “You are Havayah alone,” etc., until: and therefore “He turned the sea into dry land.”

That is, the inclusion of the creatures of the revealed world into the hidden world itself, as explained elsewhere that it is the ascent of Beriah into Atzilus, and not merely the drawing down of an illumination from the hidden world, etc. And along these lines is the matter of the first company, who say “Holy” once, which is to be absorbed into the hidden world.)

(And see what is written below, in Parshas Behar, on the verse “When you come into the land,” on the matter of love that is of the level of fire, etc.)

In man, who is a small world, there is this level too: it is the level and rank of the love of “with all your soul,” which comes after the love of “with all your heart”;

it, too, is a drawing down from above to below: that a person’s Chochmah, Binah and Daas, and the garments of the soul, thought, speech and action, should be bound up with the Chochmah, Binah and Daas of the Infinite One, blessed be He, that is in the Torah, and with His supernal will, blessed be He, that is in the mitzvos;

and also “with all your soul” in its plain sense, “even if He takes your soul,” in the manner of what is written, “Whom do I have in heaven? And with You, I desire nothing,” etc.: this is the giving over of the soul and of the will, to have only one will, for G‑d.

(Nevertheless, it is not like the nullification of the seraphim; for there their will is to separate from the wick of itself, “to gaze,” etc., and this is the level of ascent. Whereas in “with all your soul,” where one makes the resolve that “even if He takes,” etc., this is not ascent alone; on the contrary, he also desires to engage in Torah and mitzvos,

only that he makes the resolve that “even if He takes,” etc. And this resolve is a lofty and exalted positive commandment, for the mitzvah of “with all your soul, even if He takes,” etc., is counted among the commandments, as is known. And see the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Emor, 93a: “the vav, the mystery of heaven, ascends,” etc.;

that is, the first “Holy” is the level of ascent. And this is as written in the writings of the Arizal, of blessed memory: the union of Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah) comes about through the raising of mayin nukvin (feminine waters) with self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh); for in order to arouse the level of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), so that there be a drawing down of new light into the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), etc.,

this is through a person arousing the level of Ein Sof in his soul, to give himself over at “One,” which is the level of the limitlessness of the vessel. And this is the matter of the “Holy” of the seraphim, “above Him,” above the level of vav: then “that Kodesh shines” in them, in the level of vav; from the Tiferes of Imma a Keser (crown) is made for Z’eir Anpin.

Afterwards, the second “Holy” is the drawing down that comes through Torah, and the third “Holy” is the drawing down that comes through mitzvos.) (As explained below, and so it is understood from what is written in the Raaya Mehemna there.)

417. “And one company says, ‘Holy, holy, holy.’” This level of the third company exists also in the service of man below: it is the level of “with all your might” (me’odecha) in the Shema;

for me’od means without limit, and it is the level of the Infinite (Ein Sof), above the vessels; and one must draw the level of me’od, the level of the Infinite, down below; and this is through the mitzvos.

42That is why over them we bless, “Who has sanctified us with His commandments”: for through the mitzvos we draw the level of “holy” below as well, etc. And so over the Torah too we bless, “Who has sanctified us,” etc., “concerning the words of Torah.”

The matter will be understood along the lines of what is written, “Bless Havayah, His angels, mighty in strength,” etc., “all His hosts, His ministers, who do His will.”

43The meaning of “who do His will” is that they make in Him, may He be blessed, a will: that He should want to lower Himself to bring the worlds into being. For of Himself, a will that He should want the worlds to come into being does not apply to Him, since He has no need of them, as it is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed.”

And although the Torah preceded the world by two thousand years, He, may He be blessed, is far loftier than the “thousands” (alafim), which are the level of Chochmah and Binah, [as in] “I will teach you (a’alefcha) wisdom, I will teach you understanding”; for it is written, “You have made them all with wisdom,” so that even the higher Chochmah is considered like physical action in relation to Him, may He be blessed.

However, at first the drawing down of this will was from His own side, in gratuitous kindness, as it is written, “And a Torah of kindness”; and this was because “and there was no man to work,” etc. But now there must be an arousal from below (isarusa dilesata) to arouse this drawing down.

44And this is [the meaning of] “His angels, mighty in strength,” with the arousal from below (isarusa dilesata); and through this they arouse above, as it were, the drawing down of the will. And this is “who do His will”: they make Him a will, that He should want to set His light aside, as it were, and descend to contract Himself, etc.

Now, the main [way of] this drawing down is through Torah and mitzvos, for through them one makes Him a will, as it were, that He should want to be King of the world; as our Sages, of blessed memory, said on the verse “And you shall do them”: “‘You’ (atem) is written: as though they made Me”;

that is, they draw down the shiur komah (the full stature), the level of “like the appearance of a man,” which is the drawing down to be a source and life-force for the coming into being of the worlds, etc.

[See what is written about this on the verse “Go out and see,” and see what is written in the discourse beginning “To My mare,” in Shir HaShirim, on the matter of “For I said, the world shall be built with kindness.”]

45And this is the meaning of the blessing over all the mitzvos, “Blessed are You, Havayah”: “blessed” is a drawing down, that “Havayah our G‑d” be revealed to the souls of the righteous, and that He be “King of the world” in the outer dimension (chitzoniyus) of the worlds as well. “Who

has sanctified us with His commandments”: the word “who” (asher) gives a reason: the power for this drawing down is because He has sanctified us with His commandments; that is why we can, through the mitzvos, draw down the will that He should want to be King of the world.

(And see what is written on this matter in the discourse beginning “When Israel put ‘We will do’ before ‘We will hear,’” concerning the explanation of “who do His word,” etc.; and as will be explained below, in the explanation of “For I am Havayah, Who sanctifies you.”)

468. Now, in particular, there is a difference between the drawing down that comes through engaging in Torah and the drawing down that comes through the mitzvos. Through the Torah one draws from the inner dimension (pnimiyus), by engaging in the Written Torah and the Oral Torah; for “Malchus is the mouth; the Oral Torah we call it.”

And as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Our Mishnah is a queen”: that is the speech with which one speaks words of Torah, in which the word of G‑d is enclothed, as it is written, “And I have put My words in your mouth.” And through engaging in the practical mitzvos one draws from the level of the outer dimension (chitzoniyus),

like the mitzvah of charity, which is a giving, “to revive the spirit of the lowly”; so too one draws from above that there be an influx “to revive the spirit of the lowly” and “the heart of the contrite.” (And see what is written about this in the discourse beginning “And G‑d spoke all these words.”)

Now, these two levels, of Torah and of mitzvos, are written in the Shema: first it is written, “And you shall speak of them” (bam), and speech is a term for leading;

and this is that through his engagement in Torah he will draw and lead the level of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, “into them,” that is, into the words of Torah that he speaks; and through this he draws this flow into the inner dimension of the worlds. And this is the level of the second “Holy.”

47And afterwards it is written, “And you shall bind them,” which is the practical mitzvos, for all the mitzvos are compared to tefillin. The reason is that the main inner intent of all the mitzvos is entirely to draw the level of “One” down below.

And this is more explicit in the mitzvah of tefillin, in which “One” is written on physical parchment, and likewise in the mezuzah; and from it we learn about all the mitzvos, that the inner intent is entirely to draw the level of “One” down below. And this is the level of the third company, who say “Holy” three times;

that is, as it is written, “Holy, holy, holy is Havayah of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory”: “the whole earth is full” precisely, that the drawing down be into physical action. And this is the drawing down of the level of “your might” (me’odecha), the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), which is without limit, down below.

(In general this drawing down is through Torah and mitzvos, and in particular, through the mitzvos the revelation is drawn into the more outer dimension as well, as written elsewhere on the verse “And David made a name.” That is why they are two levels of “Holy,” and both of them are drawings down from above to below.

And they are the levels of “with all your soul” and “with all your might,” apart from the first “Holy,” which is from below upward, etc., the level of “with all your heart.”

And what is written elsewhere several times, that the level of “with all your might” is the great love (ahavah rabbah) that is above the vessel, does not contradict what is written here; for here it is expounded according to the saying that “with all your might” is “with all your wealth,” that is, the mitzvah of charity, which is the general and collective expression (klalus) of the mitzvos;

and further, here too the intent is that the level of me’od is without limit, only that it is by way of a drawing down from above to below, as it is written, “Your commandment is exceedingly (me’od) broad”: the mitzvos are a vessel for the revelation of the level of me’od, as this verse is explained in Iggeres HaKodesh, in the passage beginning “It is known that through an arousal from below”; see there.)

489. “I am Havayah, Who sanctifies you.” The meaning: it comes to say how there is the power in man, through practical mitzvos and words of Torah that speak of the practical mitzvos, to draw down through this a revelation of the actual Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, where “no thought can grasp Him” at all. To this He said, “I am Havayah, Who sanctifies you.”

The meaning: Havayah is the order of the drawing down, for every drawing down from above to below is drawn through the letters of the Name Havayah: the yud indicates the contraction (tzimtzum) that must come first so that the drawing down can take place, and the hei, which has length and breadth, indicates the expansion.

49And then the vav is the drawing down to the level of the lower hei: “When they were created” (behibar’am), “with a hei He created them.” Therefore He says, “I am Havayah, Who sanctifies you”: for the drawing down of the level of the holy and separate, the Infinite Light, blessed be He, through Torah and practical mitzvos, which are not commensurate, etc.,

“I” do this for you, and draw down for you the order of the drawing down of supernal holiness through the letters of the Name Havayah; and “I” is the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, Himself, Who, may He be blessed, gives this power, that we are able to draw down the Infinite Light, blessed be He, through Torah and mitzvos

(and see what is written elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “On the eighth day, an assembly,” concerning “Give truth to Yaakov,” etc., and what is written in the discourse beginning “Remember the Shabbos day,” that this is the matter of the giving of the Torah, when this power was given, etc.; see there).

Only, first there must be “And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel”: that is, we must prepare the vessel, so that the level of His holiness is held in the innermost of the children of Israel, which is the level of the first “Holy”;

that is, that there be a revelation of the inner core of the point of the heart, which is the level of the element of G‑dly fire in the heart, so that it burns toward the level of “holy,” which is the Infinite One, blessed be He, in the manner of the first company, the seraphim.

50And then, through this, “I am Havayah, Who sanctifies you”: through Torah and practical mitzvos this “holy” will be drawn from above to below into the vessels of all the positive commandments and their branches, and of the keeping of the prohibitive commandments and their branches, and of the Rabbinic commandments.

It is like, by way of analogy, physical fire: all vessels are made through fire, for any vessel one wishes to make of silver or of gold, its main making is first to heat it in the fire, and afterwards he shapes it

and smooths it. So too above, as it is written, “And vessels of diverse vessels, and royal wine in abundance”: the many vessels are the mitzvos of the Torah and of the Rabbis and their branches, as mentioned above; and “royal wine in abundance” is the flow that is drawn into these vessels.

But the making of all the vessels is through the level of the element of G‑dly fire, which is the level of the seraphim; for through it one can make all the vessels mentioned above.

51Now, first it is written, “And you shall not profane,” etc.; for all that was said above, of the level of “And I shall be sanctified” and the level of “Who sanctifies you,” is the level of “and do good.”

But first there must be “turn from evil,” completely; and of this it is written first, “And you shall not profane My holy Name”: that you should not make a void (chalal) and an interruption that separates, G‑d forbid, between a person and our Father in heaven.

52This is as it is written, “Your iniquities have separated between you and,” etc.: through the iniquities one makes a void that separates, and then the blowing on the spark of the element of G‑dly fire in the heart will not help, for it is extinguished by this.

And this is “And you shall not profane”: through your being at the level of “turn from evil,” completely; and then there can be “And I shall be sanctified in the midst,” etc.,

and afterwards, as a matter of course, there will be “I am Havayah, Who sanctifies you,” as mentioned above. And see what is written along these lines in the discourse beginning “In the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting,” etc.:

that first there must be the level of the Exodus from Egypt, which is “turn from evil,” and then afterwards one can come to the levels and rank of “the wilderness of Sinai” and “the Tent of Meeting,” etc.; see there.