ויקרא אל משה וגו׳

1“And He called to Moshe,” etc. The alef of Vayikra is small, while in Divrei HaYamim “Adam” is written with a large alef. To understand this: our Sages, of blessed memory, said in the Midrash, Vayikra Rabbah, chapter 1: “‘And He called to Moshe’: and not as with Avraham.

Of Avraham it is written, ‘And an angel of G‑d called to Avraham’: the angel calls, and the [Divine] speech speaks. But here, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘I am the One who calls, and I am the One who speaks.’”

So too it is in the Zohar, Parshas Balak (folio 200b): “‘And He called to Moshe’: the voice of the King, and not through another messenger.”

According to this, we must understand why it does not say, “And G‑d called to Moshe.” And why is it not mentioned at all in the verse who the caller was?

We must also understand [this]: in the Zohar, Parshas Vayera (end of folio 102b), it is written: “‘And He called to Moshe,’ and it does not say who it was, etc. Rather, in all of these it was the Angel of the Covenant, and all of it is said of the Holy One, blessed be He.”

The explanation is this. Just before it, it is written, “And Moshe could not come into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud rested upon it, and the glory of G‑d filled the Mishkan.” The meaning of “there rested upon it

the cloud” is the drawing down and resting of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, from an exceedingly high and awesome place, of which it is said, “He made darkness His hiding place.” This is the level of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), to which no revelation of comprehension whatsoever applies,

for “no thought can grasp Him at all,” and “You are wise, but not with a known wisdom”; “He is the Knower and He is the Knowledge,” etc.

Therefore it is said of this, “He made darkness His hiding place”: darkness is something in which no grasp or comprehension whatsoever is seen.

2The explanation of the matter is this. We say, “You are holy, and Your Name is holy.” This means that even the level of His Name “alone is exalted”: the worlds bear no comparison at all to His Name, may He be blessed, to the point

that He, may He be blessed, is holy and separate from the worlds; only the splendor and radiance of His Name extend “over earth and heaven,” etc., that is, a mere illumination from the level of His Name.

But the meaning of “You are holy” is the Holy One, blessed be He, in His own glory and essence, which is above the level of His Name: that is, even as radiance and splendor the worlds could not receive from Him at all. [This is] as is explained in the discourse beginning “Therefore say to the Children of Israel,” in Parshas Vaera.

3Along these lines we will understand the meaning of “He made darkness His hiding place.” That is: since the worlds cannot receive even radiance and illumination from Him, may He be blessed, at all, it is therefore called, in relation to them, by the name “darkness.”

And the radiance that they can receive is from the level of “Your Name is holy,” and it is called the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), as is explained concerning this on the verse “And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes,” etc.; see there.

In the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Pinchas (folio 225a), it is stated that “He made darkness His hiding place” is Keser Elyon (the Supernal Crown). And of this drawing down it is said, “because the cloud rested upon it.”

And as for “and the glory of G‑d filled the Mishkan,” the Zohar explains, in Parshas Noach (folio 67a) and at the beginning of Parshas Vayikra (folio 2b): “Why malei [‘full’], and not milei [‘filled’]? Rather, it is surely malei, for it was filled from everything.”

The explanation: if [it meant] as the plain sense of the verse, that the glory of G‑d filled the Mishkan, then it should have said milei [‘filled’]; for the meaning would be only that the level of the glory filled the Mishkan.

But since it is written malei, this implies something more: that the level of the glory of G‑d was completed and filled, and afterwards the glory of G‑d at this level was drawn down and revealed in the Mishkan.

4The explanation: the meaning of “the glory of G‑d” is the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin). “His glory” means “the radiance of His glory.” This is the level of the attribute of His Malchus (sovereignty), may He be blessed, which is also called the lower Chochmah (wisdom), the source of [the Worlds of] Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah (Creation, Formation and Action).

Its root and source, however, is from the level of the higher Chochmah, which is called the higher glory, and in it is the resting of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof),

blessed be He, itself. Of this it is said, “Show me, please, Your glory” [see the commentary of the Ramaz on the Zohar, Parshas Bamidbar, folio 118a, on the passage beginning “Israel: from what place are they blessed?”].

And of this it is said, “Blessed be the glory of G‑d from His place.” This means that the level of the attribute of His Malchus, may He be blessed, the light that fills all worlds, is to be blessed from the level of its place and root, which is the higher Chochmah, the head and source of all blessings. And this is the drawing down from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) into the light that fills all worlds.

5This is the meaning of “and the glory of G‑d was full (malei)”: as the Zohar explains it, the glory was filled from its source, from the level of the higher glory. And this is because “the cloud rested upon it,” upon the Mishkan,

which is the drawing down of the level of the supernal encompassing light (makif). Through this there was also drawn down the revelation of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) within the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), as inner light (or pnimi), and it actually filled the Mishkan.

(See what is written on the verse “For over all the glory shall be a canopy,” and on the verse “You have captured my heart, my sister, [my] bride,” concerning the revelation of sovev kol almin within memalei kol almin. And see what is written on the verse “For seven days he shall fill,” etc.)

Therefore “Moshe could not come” into the Mishkan, for it was not within his ability to receive from this level of “He made

darkness His hiding place,” which is exceedingly high. Although at Mount Sinai it is said, “And Moshe came into the midst of the cloud and went up onto the mountain,” the Zohar, at the beginning of Parshas Vayikra, resolves [this]: there were two clouds, etc.

62. Now, therefore it is said, “And He called to Moshe.” The meaning of this calling is an illumination and a bestowal upon Moshe, so that through this he would be able to ascend and come into the Tent of Meeting. So too it is explained in Asarah Maamaros (Maamar Em Kol Chai, Part 2, chapter 36).

For on the verse “And one called to the other and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy,’” [Targum] Yonasan translates: “And they receive from one another and say, ‘Holy,’” etc.

He translated [the idea of] calling as receiving, which is through a drawing down that they draw down to one another, and each one receives this drawing down.

7And he is right, for it is impossible to explain it according to its plain meaning: if so, it makes no sense why Michael needs to call Gavriel at the time he is to say “Holy,” and likewise Gavriel [to call] Michael.

Rather, the explanation is that this “calling” means receiving: they receive from one another through the drawing down and the bestowal from one to the other.

That is, through this each angel is able to say “Holy” three times. For saying “Holy” is the expiring of his soul (klos hanefesh) into the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is like “they go out with song,” etc.

8Now, Michael’s expiring of the soul is in love, and Gavriel’s in awe. If so, Michael could say “Holy” only once, that is, the expiring of the soul at the level of love,

and likewise Gavriel [could say] “Holy” once, in awe. For each one to say “Holy” three times is through “And one called to the other,” whereby the bestowal is drawn from one to the other.

This is the level of the inter-inclusion of the levels in one another, for in general they are three levels, Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferes (kindness, restraint and beauty): Michael, Gavriel and Refael.

9And through their receiving from one another, each one is able to say “Holy” three times. [Through this they ascend higher than they would be from the side of their own level alone. This is along the lines of what is explained elsewhere, at the end of the discourse beginning “Your teeth are like a flock of ewes,” etc.,

“all of which bear twins,” etc. And see what is written in Parshas Bereishis on the verse “Yaval was,” etc., concerning the threefold song; and in the discourse beginning “Your cheeks are comely with rows [of jewels].”

And see the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Eikev (end of folio 271b), concerning “And one called to the other,” and the commentary of the Ramaz there; and Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 15, end of chapter 6. And see what is written in the discourse beginning “Thus shall you bless the Children of Israel,” on the meaning of “And the man called names,” etc.,

that it too is a drawing down, etc.; see there. And see the Zohar, Bereishis (end of folio 16b), on the verse “And G‑d called the light day,” etc.,

that it too is along these lines; see there. Along these lines one may explain “He called to the sun, and light shone forth.”] So too, the meaning of “And He called to Moshe” is the drawing down of an illumination to Moshe. And this illumination is the small alef of Vayikra.

For alef has the letters of pele (wonder), which is what is above comprehension. Alef is also from the expression “I will teach you (a’alefcha) wisdom,” that is, it is the source from which Chochmah (wisdom) is found.

10That is, the alef is in Keser (the Crown), which is above Chochmah (wisdom). And see what is written in Parshas Tzav concerning “who has dealt wondrously with you.”

And see the Zohar, Bereishis, in the Introduction, folio 3b. However, there is an alef of the large letters, that is, the level of Keser as it is in its own being and essence, and there Moshe could not enter.

11And [there is] an alef of the small letters, that is, the illumination of Keser as it is drawn down below through tzimtzum (contraction). From this level is “And He called to Moshe”: an illumination was drawn to him, through which he would afterwards be able to come into the Tent of Meeting, upon which the cloud rested, etc.

And in Divrei HaYamim, “Adam” is said with an alef of the large letters. This is the level of Adam, the first man, as he was before the sin, when he was at an exceedingly high and lofty level, as is written in Sefer HaGilgulim, chapter 19.

And on “And He called to Moshe,” see Yoma (folio 4b): “The Torah has taught you,” etc.; and Shemos Rabbah, chapter 19: “unless he calls me,” etc.;

and in Ki Sisa, chapter 46; and Bamidbar Rabbah (chapter 2, folio 211d), Nasso, end of chapter 14 (folio 262c–d, folio 263a); and Koheles Rabbah (folio 99c),

on the verse “Whatever has been, its name has already been called” (and see the Zohar, Part I, end of folio 102b, folio 138a and folio 173b; Part II, folio 138a and folio 157a; Part III, folio 53b). It is understood along the lines of what has been explained.

123. From this we will understand what the Midrash says, “But here: I am the One who calls, and I am the One who speaks.” We must first preface what is explained elsewhere, on the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, on the verse “These are the appointed festivals of G‑d, holy convocations, which you shall proclaim them (osam).”

And read it as “you (atem) shall proclaim”: Scripture made the sanctification of the festivals depend on the proclamation of the court. And as we say, “Who sanctifies Israel and the seasons”: it is Israel who sanctify the seasons.

This matter is as explained in the Zohar, Parshas Emor (folio 94a): “[It is like] a king who invites guests,” etc.; “Three are the ones invited from Kodesh (holiness),” etc. For the festivals mostly fall on the six weekdays.

Then, when Yom Tov (the festival) falls on the weekday, it means that [the day] is called and invited to the level of Kodesh (holiness), which is the higher Chochmah. Therefore it is called mikra kodesh, a “calling of holiness.” This is the parable of “a king who invites guests,” etc.

But in order that the weekdays, which are the outer dimension (chitzoniyus) of the emotive attributes (middos), Chesed and Gevurah (kindness and restraint), etc., can ascend on high to the level of the higher Chochmah (wisdom), which is the level of the supernal Kodesh,

there must first be a drawing down of an illumination from above to below, from the level of the higher Chochmah, to that day, so that then, through this, it can ascend.

13This drawing down is through the souls of Israel, and of this it is said, “which you (atem) shall proclaim,” specifically. The reason is along the lines of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, about agency, that “a person’s agent is like himself.”

Therefore a deaf-mute, a person not of sound mind and a minor cannot act as agents, for they are not like the sender. But when one is fit to be an agent, he is truly like the sender, to the point that “a man betroths [a woman] himself or through his agent,” etc.

Therefore, in the same way, for the agent from the supernal Kodesh to invite the weekdays so that they become holy convocations, it is impossible unless the agent is like the sender.

14That is [the meaning of] “you” (atem): of the souls of Israel it is said, “Israel is holy (kodesh) to G‑d,” for their root is from the level of the higher Chochmah (wisdom). And see the Zohar, Parshas Pekudei, folio 225b.

Therefore in them and through them there can be the drawing down of the light from the level of the supernal Kodesh to the day on which Yom Tov falls, so that through this, through “you (atem) shall proclaim” specifically, they become holy convocations,

so that afterwards they ascend to the level of the supernal Kodesh. And see what is written in the discourse beginning “Command the Children of Israel,” etc., in Parshas Pinchas, concerning “to offer to Me in its appointed time.”

It follows from this, concerning agency above, that is, when an illumination is drawn through the medium of some level, that the agent must stand in some relation to the source from which the illumination is drawn. If not, he is not an agent, etc.

15Now, the angels too are agents, for the meaning of malach (angel) is “messenger”: they are the messengers of the bestowal, as is explained elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “I have come into my garden,” on “I have eaten my honeycomb,” etc.

More than this is explained in the discourse beginning “How beautiful are your steps in sandals,” concerning Metatron, who is called a “sandal,” etc. And see Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Mayin Nukvin and Mayin Duchrin (feminine and masculine waters), Derush 4, concerning the angels.

16And see Iggeres HaKodesh, near its end: there is a great difference in the rank of an angel. At the time that he is an emissary from above, he is then called by the Name

Havayah itself, which dwells within him; whereas when he is not an emissary, he has another name, according to his service, and then he calls, “Holy, holy, holy is G‑d,” etc., meaning that the Name Havayah is separate from him.

17And see Pardes, the Gate of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, beginning of chapter 4. Let us return to our subject, the words of the Midrash, that of Avraham it is written, “And an angel called,” etc.: “the angel calls and the [Divine] speech speaks.” The explanation is this. It is written, “And I appeared to Avraham,” etc., “as Kel Sha-dai,

but [by] My Name Havayah I was not known to them.” See what is written about this in Parshas Vaera, on this verse, at the end of the discourse beginning “And Elokim spoke,” etc., [on] “And I appeared”: that the apprehension of the Patriarchs was of the level of the Name Havayah once it has already been drawn down into the level of Elokim,

but “My Name Havayah,” that is, before it is enclothed in the Name Elokim, “I was not known to them”; only from there was the apprehension of Moshe, etc.

And see the commentary of the Ramaz on the Zohar, Parshas Vaera, folio 23a; study it well there; and the Zohar, Part I, Parshas Vayera (folio 98a).

Therefore, with Avraham, “the angel calls and the [Divine] speech speaks”: the angel can be an agent to bring the drawing down of the flow first, which is the “calling,” through which he could ascend and receive the speech.

That is because the speech was drawn from the level of enclothement in the actual Name Elokim. Therefore the angels, who are also called elokim in Scripture, as it is written, “For G‑d your G‑d, He is the G‑d of the elokim,” and Pardes explains in Erchei HaKinuyim that this means that He is the G‑d of the angels,

18and the angels are also called “sons of Elokim”: therefore the angel is fit to be an agent of the speech that speaks. “But here,” with Moshe, whose prophecy and [Divine] speech were drawn from the Name Havayah itself, before it is enclothed in the Name Elokim, and the source of this drawing down is also the level of the cloud of “He made darkness His hiding place,”

therefore the calling too, the drawing down that comes first from this level, could not be through an angel, who is a created being, brought into existence from nothing.

Rather, “I am the One who calls, and I am the One who speaks.” The meaning is as it is written, “I am first and I am last,” and of this it is said of the Time to Come, “See now that I, I am He.”

The Zohar, Parshas Lech Lecha (folio 87b), explains [it]: “to show that there is no separation between above and below,” etc.

That is: “I am last” is the attribute of His Malchus (sovereignty), may He be blessed, “the end of all levels,” which is enclothed in [the Worlds of] Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, “and from there it divides,” for it brings into being the yesh (created existence), something separate.

But “I am first” is the level of ayin (nothingness), “and Chochmah (wisdom) is found from ayin,” for Chochmah is the level of self-nullification (bittul). In the Time to Come the revelation will be below

as it is above. This is “See now that I, I am He”: in the Time to Come this revelation will be in our own sight as well, as it is written, “For eye to eye they shall see,” etc.

19And see what is written about this on the verse “Your cheeks are comely with rows.” But with Moshe, of whom it is said, “And he saw the first portion (reishis) for himself,” which is the level of the higher Chochmah (wisdom), called reishis (“first”), drawn from the level of ayin, “I am first,” therefore of this our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “I am the One who calls, and I am the One who speaks,” etc.

The meaning: “I am the One who calls” is the attribute of His Malchus (sovereignty), may He be blessed, which is called “I am last,” and this is [the meaning of] “Ani vaho, please save.”

And “I am the One who speaks” is the level of “and Chochmah is found from ayin,” for in the higher Chochmah the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, is truly enclothed, as it is written, “Havayah with Chochmah.”

This revelation is called “I am first,” etc. As for what is said in the Zohar, Parshas Vayera (end of folio 102b), that “And He called to Moshe” is the Angel of the Covenant,

the explanation is that Malchus itself, which is called “king” (melech), is sometimes called “angel” (malach), as is said in the Zohar, Parshas Balak, folio 187a: “when she is an emissary from above and receives radiance,” etc. That is,

just as the created angel, when he is an emissary from above, is then at a higher level than when he is not an emissary, as explained above, so too, in the same way, with the level of Malchus: although “she and her vessels are one” (ihi vegarmohi chad), nevertheless “when she is an emissary from above,” etc.,

she is at a higher level, as the Ramaz explains in Parshas Balak there. In the same way is the small alef of Vayikra: it is an illumination and drawing down from the level of “because the cloud rested upon it,” of “He made darkness His hiding place,” and it is called malach (angel): melech (king) [and] alef, etc.

And see the Zohar, at the end of Parshas Vayera (folio 120b), on the verse “and the angel of His presence saved them”; and see the Zohar, Parshas Vayechi (folio 246b), on the verse “Naftali is a hind let loose”; and see Pardes, in Erchei HaKinuyim, the entry malach (angel).

204. Now, the Torah is eternal, and these levels apply now as well. For of the study of Torah it is written, “And I have put My words in your mouth, and in the shadow of My hand I have covered you.” “Shadow”

is the level of a supernal encompassing light (makif), as is known concerning Sukkos, “the shade of faith,” which is the drawing down of supernal makifim; and “a sukkah whose sunlight is more than its shade is invalid,”

for this is like the drawing down from the level of “He made darkness His hiding place,” which is drawn down only as shade and makif, and not as light and revelation. This is [the meaning of] the Clouds of Glory, like

“because the cloud rested upon it.” But “the stars are seen through it”: the illumination of the makif is drawn inward, like the small alef, etc. In the same way, of the study of Torah it is also said, “and in the shadow of My hand I have covered you,”

for it is from the level of makif, as is explained elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “On the eighth day, a solemn assembly”: the point is that from the breath of speech a makif is made for the soul, etc.; see there. And in the discourse beginning “And I will betroth you to Me,” that this is [the meaning of] “You have affirmed G‑d today,” etc.

21And see about this in the discourse beginning “And He spoke … in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting.” But through the comprehension and study of Torah, in which one also grasps and takes in the halachah with his mind and understanding, of this it is said, “He reveals deep things out of darkness.”

That is, he draws from the level of the makif of “He made darkness His hiding place,” which is darkness and concealment, so that it is drawn down as light and revelation. Of this it is said, “and Torah is light,”

so that the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, rests below as above, as it is written, “I am first and I am last,” etc., as all this is explained in the discourse beginning “Who is enthroned on high,” etc.; see there.

22This is the meaning of “And G‑d spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting,” etc., for of the Tent of Meeting it is written, “because the cloud rested upon it, and the glory of G‑d filled,” etc.

And all these levels are in the study of Torah, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Since the Holy Temple was destroyed, the Holy One, blessed be He, has in His world only the four cubits of halachah.” If so, there is in the study of Torah [something] of the levels mentioned above, which rested in the Mishkan and in the Holy Temple,

for “there is no glory but Torah,” since “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah (wisdom),” and this is the higher glory, the thirty-two paths of Chochmah.

But in this Chochmah the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) itself is enclothed, “revealing deep things out of darkness,” from the level of “He made darkness His hiding place,” as the Ramaz explains in Parshas Bamidbar, folio 118, mentioned above, on the meaning of “Show me, please, Your glory.”

23And see what is written in Parshas Beshalach, in the discourse beginning “To a mare.” This is [the meaning of] “and the glory of G‑d was full (malei)”: it is not written milei [“filled”] but malei [“full”], as explained above.

It may be said that this is a higher level than “the stars seen through” the sukkah, which are only stars and sparks of the makif alone;

but in the Torah, which is truly the level of “and Torah is light,” from the very essence of the makif there shines a great and mighty illumination, in an inward way.

24And see what is written elsewhere concerning the Splitting of the Sea of Reeds, where it is written, “And there was the cloud and the darkness, and it gave light”: the cloud of “He made darkness His hiding place,” itself, was drawn down as light and revelation. Along these lines one may explain the meaning of “He reveals deep things out of darkness,” said of the Torah.

25Something like this we find on Shemini Atzeres, which is Simchas Torah: the makifim of Sukkos are drawn inward, as is explained elsewhere on the verse “In his shade I delighted and sat, and his fruit was sweet to my palate,”

that this is [the meaning of] Sukkos and Shemini Atzeres. And the Zohar, Parshas Lech Lecha, folio 85b, explains this verse as speaking of the study of Torah: “‘In his shade’: this is the Holy One, blessed be He,” etc.;

“‘and his fruit was sweet to my palate’: these are the words of Torah, of which it is written, ‘and sweeter than honey,’” etc. That is, the fruit is a drawing down in an inward way, drawn from the level of the shade and the makif. (And see the Zohar, Parshas Noach, end of folio 72b.)

26Now, “the extension of Moshe in every generation” is the level of self-nullification (bittul) that is in every person, which is from the level of Moshe: “and what (mah) are we,” etc., as is explained elsewhere, at the end of the discourse beginning “Moshe would speak.”

For the essence of Torah study must be in the way of bittul. And Moshe is the level of Daas (knowledge), which draws down the level of the unity of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, below, so that it rests and is revealed in the soul of a person, so that he is in the state of a “Tent of Meeting” (ohel mo’ed), from the expression “and I will meet (venoadti) with you there,” etc.,

which has the letters of venodati (“I will be known”): that is, to know G‑d, who is the Life of all life, and there is nothing else besides Him, in the manner of what is written, “See now that I, I am He.”

For although this verse was said of the Time to Come, as mentioned above, nevertheless this power is in every soul of Israel, through its drawing [nurture] from the soul of Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him: to bind his thought to G‑d with a strong and firm bond, as it is bound to a physical thing that he sees with eyes of flesh, etc.

27Now, along these lines we will also understand the meaning of “to come into the Tent of Meeting”: it must be in the manner of “he who comes here with his learning in his hand,” for the Torah before us is enclothed in physicality.

As it is written, “And I (Anochi) taught Ephraim to walk (tirgalti),” meaning: the level of Anochi, “Who I am,” I made to walk and lowered to the level of a foot (regel); these are all the physical matters in the Oral Torah, etc.;

and there must be “taking them upon His arms,” the level of love and awe, etc. This is the level of “coming here,” which is the outpouring of the soul to its source and root, as is explained in the discourse beginning

“When you come into the land,” in Parshas Behar. And see what is written in the discourse beginning “My dove,” concerning “Arise (kumi lach),” in order that she be “My beloved,” etc.; see there.

28Now, with Moshe himself, the meaning of “And Moshe could not come,” etc., was explained above: it was because the cloud was from the level of “He made darkness His hiding place,” as mentioned above.

But in the level of “the extension of Moshe” that is in every person, that is, the Daas (knowledge) in the G‑dly soul, the meaning is as it plainly reads: this level of Daas cannot come and be revealed in the person because of the concealment of the animal soul.

29In order that the level of Moshe that is in every person come and be revealed, to be at the level of “coming here,” this requires the drawing down of an arousal from above, and this is through the mitzvos, through which it is said, “taking them upon His arms,”

for “charity uplifts,” as is explained on the verse “And now, let the power of Ado-nai be great, please”: through fulfilling the mitzvos a supernal power and supernal makifim are drawn down to raise up the soul and bind it to G‑d.

30This is the meaning of “And He called to Moshe”: “I am the One who calls.” For the mitzvos are called “the commands of the King,” and it is stated in Midrash Tanchuma, Parshas Vayigash: “Honor the mitzvos, for they are My agents,” and “a person’s agent is like himself.”

The explanation is as is written elsewhere on the verse “And you shall remember all the commandments of Havayah and do them.” For [the word] mitzvah is mem-tzaddi, which in At-bash is yud-hei.

31So, then, mitzvah is the Name Havayah. That is why the mitzvos are called “the 248 limbs of the King,” which is the level of a vessel for the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) itself. And sometimes they are called “the commands of the King,” for “the command of a king” is the level of the King’s commanding, which is Malchus (sovereignty) of the World of Atzilus (Emanation).

32The explanation is that the mitzvos, as they are drawn down below, are the level of “the commands of the King,” but their root above is the level of “limbs of the King.”

That is, through a person’s arousal from below he draws [it] down, so that the mitzvah becomes “limbs of the King,” etc. And this is why at first the mitzvos are called “agents of G‑d,”

33that is, as they are at first, at the level of Malchus (sovereignty). This is [the meaning of] “And behold, a ladder set up,” etc., “and the angels of Elokim were ascending,” etc.

The meaning: “the angels of Elokim” are the mitzvos, which ascend on high by means of the ladder, which is the level of prayer, as is explained elsewhere concerning Yom Kippur. Nevertheless, even then they are not agents like the angels,

for an angel is the level of a created being, brought into existence from nothing. Rather, it is in the manner of “I am the One who calls”: “I” Myself. That is, it is the drawing of power into the soul, through which the soul is uplifted to be at the level of “coming here.”

34This is [the meaning of] “And I am prayer.” And this is also a preparation, so that afterwards, in the study of Torah, there will be the level of “And I have put My words in your mouth, and in the shadow of My hand,” etc.,

as in the saying [of the prayer]: first “Sanctify us with Your mitzvos,” and afterwards “and grant our portion in Your Torah.” As is explained about this in the discourse beginning “And G‑d spoke,” etc., “I (Anochi),” etc.; see there.

35This is the meaning of “And G‑d spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting.” See what is written about all this in Parshas Bamidbar, on the verse “in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting”: that the meaning of “Tent of Meeting” (ohel mo’ed) is from the expression “and I will meet (venoadti),” etc., in the manner of what is written, “See now that I, I am He,” etc., as mentioned above.

36This drawing down is through the study of Torah, as is explained at the end of the discourse beginning “Who is enthroned on high, who lowers [Himself] to look in heaven and on earth”: [heaven and earth are] the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, for then it is “to look,” the level of sight and revelation.

That is, through the level of “I am the One who calls and I am the One who speaks.” And this is “I speak with charity (tzedakah)”: through the charity and acts of kindness (gemilus chassadim) that a person does, there is drawn into his Torah study the level of “I speak,”

as it is written, “and My words that I have put in your mouth,” etc., and it is written, “In every place where I cause My Name to be mentioned,” etc. And as is explained elsewhere on the verse “There are sixty queens,” etc.