ויקהל משה את כל עדת בני ישראל ויאמר אליהם וגו׳

1“And Moshe assembled the whole congregation of the children of Israel and said to them,” etc. “Six days shall work be done, and on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy [day], a Shabbos of complete rest (Shabbos Shabbason) to G‑d.”

[We need] to understand the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, on this: why the section of Shabbos was placed next to the work of the Mishkan. We must also understand why, in the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, in Parshas Terumah and Tetzaveh, the work of the vessels of the Mishkan, namely the Ark, the Table and the Menorah, etc., is stated first,

2and afterwards the work of the Mishkan itself, namely the curtains of the Mishkan; and afterwards, last of all, it is said in Parshas Ki Sisa, “But My Shabbosos you shall keep,” etc. Thus He put the vessels first, afterwards the curtains, and afterwards the keeping of Shabbos.

3But in the command of Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, to Israel, that is, in this section of “And Moshe assembled,” he reversed the order: he told them first [about] the keeping of Shabbos,

afterwards the work of the Mishkan, and afterwards the vessels. The explanation is this. It is written, “And they shall make Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell within them.” It does not say “within it,” but “within them,”

that is, within the souls of Israel as a whole the glory of Havayah, may He be blessed, will dwell, through the Mishkan; and now, too, this is through their occupation with Torah and mitzvos. For the Torah is like the level of the vessels of the Mishkan,

4and the mitzvos are the level of the curtains of the Mishkan. For through the mitzvos the aspect of garments is made for the soul, as it is written, “And your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of G‑d shall gather you in.”

This is like the level of the curtains, which are the level of encompassing [lights] (makifim). And the Torah is the level of food for the soul, as it is written, “And Your Torah is within my innards.” This is the level of the vessels of the Mishkan, which are the level of inner [lights] (pnimiyim).

5To understand this, we must first understand what is written, “I, G‑d, have not changed”: that there is no change or being affected in Him, may He be blessed, G‑d forbid, through the creation of the world; that just as He was singular and unique before the creation of the world, so is He also after the creation of the world,

as in the saying, “You are He before the world was created, and You are He since it was created,” etc. By this it means that the creation of the worlds brings about no change at all in Him, G‑d forbid.

6That is, because the life-force (chayus) drawn from Him, may He be blessed, to give life to the worlds, this light and life-force as a whole, is only the level of a mere illumination (he’arah) from His being and essence, may He be blessed, which He shone forth and drew from Himself, by way of analogy, as a mere illumination.

And through this illumination He, may He be blessed, gives them life and brings them into being from nothing to something. But He, may He be blessed, in His being and essence, is exalted and uplifted beyond the bounds of worlds.

7This is why He is called “the Holy One, blessed be He”: for He is holy and set apart. And although it is said, “And You give life to them all,” the principal [source] of their life and existence is only the level of a mere illumination, as mentioned above.

And this illumination is the level of the attribute of His Malchus (sovereignty), may He be blessed, as it is written, “Your kingship is a kingship of all worlds”: the life-force of all the worlds is from the level of “Your kingship.” That is, from the very fact that He, may He be blessed, is called King over them, from this itself they live and exist.

8And this is [the meaning of] what is said, “May Your Name be praised forever, our King.” That is, the spreading forth of the attribute of His Malchus, may He be blessed, which is also called His Name, is “forever,”

that is, without end or limit; for the attribute of His Malchus is also truly the level of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), since it is an illumination from Him, may He be blessed.

9And this is [the meaning of] what is said in the blessing of Yotzer, “And they proclaim in awe, together, with a voice (bekol), the words of the living G‑d and King of the world”: they grasp only the drawing forth that is drawn from “the living G‑d and King of the world,” for a voice is a drawing forth, as is known.

But His essence and being, may He be blessed, is holy and set apart, so that no thought can grasp Him at all; and therefore “I have not changed,” as mentioned above. And this is [the meaning of] “And the living creatures (Chayos) carry the Throne,” etc., “trembling with dread of the Throne”:

for awe and dread of the attribute of His Malchus, may He be blessed, fall upon them, which is the level of “a King sitting upon a high and exalted throne”; and therefore they accept upon themselves the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven, etc.

10Now, from the level of the attribute of His Malchus, may He be blessed, the light and life-force are also drawn in two levels, namely the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) and [that of] the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin).

That is, since the level of Malchus is also truly the level of the Infinite One (Ein Sof). And this is the meaning and the matter of the “Infinite Light” (Or Ein Sof) mentioned in the books: for light is the level of revelation and drawing forth from His essence and being.

11As is known, the sun itself is called a “luminary” (maor), whereas “light” (or) is the radiance drawn from the luminary of the sun that shines upon the earth and upon those who dwell on it.

So too the level of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) is, by way of analogy, a radiance drawn from His being and essence, may He be blessed; but to His actual being and essence, may He be blessed, the term “light” does not apply at all.

And since the light, too, is truly the level of Ein Sof, therefore it is impossible for the worlds to contain the light within themselves without being utterly nullified out of existence.

Therefore the principal [part] of the light is the level of encompassing (sovev) and surrounding (makif) them; only, through a great and mighty contraction (tzimtzum), some contracted flow is drawn from the light to be enclothed within the worlds, and this is called the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), etc.

12With this one will also understand the good reason why the Kabbalists called the drawing forth of the life-force from the Creator, may He be blessed, by the name “light,” as mentioned above regarding the term “Infinite Light” (Or Ein Sof).

(And similarly in the Tanya (chapter 48) he used the term “illumination” (he’arah) for the matter of the sovev, etc.; see there.) And although there are many reasons for this,

yet one of the reasons is this. That is: just as, in physical terms, illumination is the drawing of the sun’s radiance upon some object,

the radiance is only [in] the aspect of encompassing (makif) that object, and does not enter its interior. It follows that the illumination is a drawing forth and a revelation out of concealment.

For when there is a cloud and the sun does not shine, that is complete concealment; when the radiance is drawn forth and shines upon the earth and those who dwell on it, that is revelation.

13Nevertheless, this revelation is [in] the aspect of encompassing (makif), for the radiance does not enter the inside of the earth and of man, etc. So too one will understand the matter of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), which is the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin),

for it is a revelation, to give life to the level of worlds. And before the creation of the world, His Name was included in the level of “He alone,” in His being and essence.

This is [the meaning of] the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, “Before the world was created, there were only He and His Name”: His Name was in the level of “He alone.” And with the creation of the world it was drawn forth to become a revelation, so as to be the level of sovev kol almin.

But nevertheless this revelation is only [in] the aspect of encompassing, and therefore it is called “illumination” (he’arah), like the analogy of the sun’s illumination, where the illumination surrounds, etc.

14And this is [the meaning of] “I will exalt You, my G‑d the King, and I will bless Your Name forever and ever (le’olam va’ed).” For at first glance the expression “forever and ever” is not understood, since “the days of our years are seventy years.”

Rather, the meaning of “I will bless Your Name” is to draw the revelation of His G‑dliness into the worlds themselves, and this is “forever and ever” (le’olam va’ed). But for this drawing forth to come from its source and root, it is through [there being] first “I will exalt You,” etc.

For the meaning of “I will exalt You” is the exaltation and elevation of the level of the King, which is the level of sovev kol almin, as in the analogy of a king’s elevation over his people, which is [in] the aspect of encompassing, etc.;

and from there it will afterwards be drawn down, to become “and I will bless Your Name forever and ever,” in the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), etc. And this is [the meaning of] “with a voice, the words of the living G‑d and King of the world”: a voice is a drawing forth into the inner [dimension], etc.

15Now, just as in the light and life-force as a whole, which is drawn from the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, to give life to the worlds, there are two levels, sovev and memalei, as mentioned above,

so too in the drawing forth of the revelation of G‑dliness, may He be blessed, which we draw down through Torah and mitzvos, there are likewise these two levels.

For through the mitzvos the aspect of garments is drawn down, which is the aspect of encompassing (makif); and through the Torah the aspect of food is drawn down, which is the aspect of inner light (or pnimi), as mentioned above.

16The explanation is this. The 248 positive commandments are called “the 248 limbs of the King” (ramach evarin demalka), and they are also called “the commands of the King.” The meaning of “limbs of the King” is this: just as a limb is a garment in which the soul is enclothed, for the power of action is enclothed in the hands

and the power of walking is enclothed in the feet, and that limb becomes a vessel and garment specific to that power which is enclothed within it,

so, by way of analogy, above: the 248 positive commandments are the level of vessels and garments for the level of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is drawn into them and through them.

For it is written, “You shall surely set a king over you.” The meaning is to draw upon oneself the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven, and this is through the doing of the mitzvos, which are the commands of the King;

just as, through putting on the tallis, one draws upon himself the yoke of His kingship, may He be blessed, and through this a flow is drawn from above, from the attribute of His Malchus, may He be blessed, upon the soul.

17And this flow is the aspect of encompassing (makif). This is [the meaning of] “set over you” (tasim alecha): in the aspect of encompassing, which is enclothed in the doing of the mitzvos, which are called “the limbs of the King.”

And through this it is drawn upon the soul in the aspect of encompassing, from above, as it is written, “Let them bring a garment of kingship (levush malchus),” etc.; and so too, “And Mordechai went out from before the king in a garment of kingship,” etc.

For the attribute of His Malchus, may He be blessed, is called the level of “a garment of Malchus,” because it is not enclothed entirely, in a revealed way, within the worlds, in the manner of actual inwardness; it is only enclothed in the manner of a garment, and encompasses them from above;

that is, through the doing of the mitzvos, which are the garments in which and through which the attribute of His Malchus, may He be blessed, is drawn down and enclothed, to become the level of “a garment of Malchus” and the aspect of encompassing, etc.

For when a person fulfills one mitzvah, he draws upon himself the level of “a garment of Malchus,” which will be drawn upon him in the aspect of encompassing;

as, for example, through putting on tefillin on his arm and on his head, which contain four sections, he draws upon himself the level of the four supernal mochin (intellectual faculties). For the section “Sanctify” (Kadesh) corresponds to the faculty (mo’ach) of Chochmah;

18[the section] “And it shall be when He brings you” is the level of Binah, etc. But this flow is only the aspect of encompassing, for through

putting on the tefillin, which are written on physical parchment with physical ink, the light of the four supernal mochin does not enter the person’s intellect in an actually revealed way; it only rests upon the brain in the aspect of encompassing alone.

19In the same way, through all the mitzvos, [a flow] is drawn from the level of His Malchus, may He be blessed, upon the soul in the aspect of encompassing. And the mitzvos are called “limbs,”

as, by way of analogy, with the limbs of the body: when one takes hold of his fellow by one of his limbs, by the hand or by the foot, he can draw the whole body of the person to himself

by holding him by one of his limbs. So, by way of this analogy, with the mitzvos, which are called “the 248 limbs of the King”: through fulfilling each mitzvah, one draws upon himself the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He.

(In all the discourses it is explained that the mitzvos are flows drawn from the level of “I am who I am” (Anochi mi she’Anochi), which is above the level of Malchus. But in truth here, too, the flow meant is from the level of sovev kol almin, which is the level of Keser, which is also called “the Crown of Malchus” (Keser Malchus), etc.)

And this is [the meaning of] “I will exalt You, my G‑d the King,” in the aspect of exaltation and encompassing; through this, “and I will bless Your Name,” in the aspect of inner revelation. And this is [the meaning of] “And David made a name”: through the doing of the mitzvos the level of His Malchus, may He be blessed, is drawn down to be “a kingship of all worlds,” in time and space, etc.

20Now, this drawing forth of the level of encompassing [lights] (makifim) through the mitzvos is also the matter of the curtains of the Mishkan. For although in detail they are 248 positive commandments, 248 limbs, etc.,

yet in general they divide into seven parts, as it is written, “She has hewn out her seven pillars.” The meaning: “her pillars” are the mitzvos, for the 613 commandments of the Torah, together with the seven commandments of the Rabbis, are called “the 620 pillars of light.”

21Their general and collective expression (klalus) is seven levels, which are the seven supernal attributes (middos); and therefore in the curtains of the Mishkan there were seven kinds: blue wool, purple wool, scarlet wool, fine linen, goats’ hair, rams’ skins and tachash skins, etc.

For the curtains are the level of the encompassing [lights] (makifim), in the manner of the encompassing [lights] drawn down through the doing of the mitzvos, which are the level of “She has hewn out her seven pillars,” etc.

And this is also the matter of Mordechai’s garments, as it is said, “And Mordechai went out in a garment of kingship, blue and white,” etc. (This needs examination, for here only six garments are mentioned. Perhaps it is along the lines of what is written elsewhere in explaining the Zohar’s expression, “Six they are, seven they are,” etc.; see there.)

All this is the level of the doing of the mitzvos, which are the drawing forth of the level of encompassing [lights], the level of curtains, etc. And the revelation in the soul is not in the manner of an actual inner light (or pnimi);

but through the Torah the level of inner light is drawn down, to enter the soul, into its very inside, in the manner of food and life-force, as it is written, “And Your Torah is within my innards,” etc.; and this will be explained below, G‑d willing.

22Now, before the level and rank of the Torah is explained in detail, we must explain in general what the matter of the level of Shabbos is

(for it was placed next to the work of the Mishkan: both in the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, and in Moshe’s command to Israel these three things are mentioned, the curtains and vessels of the Mishkan, and Shabbos; only that Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, put Shabbos first, etc., and changed the order, as [explained] above).

For it is known from the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, that on Shabbos an additional soul (neshamah yeseirah) is added to each and every one of Israel. At first glance it is not understood what the additional soul is, for a person does not feel in his soul any addition to his life-force on Shabbos more than in the whole week.

The explanation is this. It is written in the first section of the Shema, “Hear, O Israel,” etc., “One,” “And you shall love with all your heart,” etc. That is, this love is born and drawn forth from contemplating His greatness, may He be blessed: how Havayah is One.

As our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Make Him King in the heavens and the earth and the four directions of the world”; this is what the ches and the dalet of echad (“One”) indicate. The ches is the level of the seven heavens and the earth,

23and the dalet is the four directions of the world, which are nullified to His unity, may He be blessed, which is alluded to in the letter alef.

And so too above, up to the highest heights, there is the level of seven spiritual heavens and earth, the level of “Yours, G‑d, is the greatness,” etc.; and all of them receive life-force only from the level of “the Name of the glory of His kingdom,” etc.

24And through this contemplation one will come to the level of “And you shall love with all your heart,” in the manner of what the tribes said to Yaakov: “Just as there is nothing in your heart but One, so there is nothing in our heart but One.” That is: “just as there is nothing in your heart

but One,” for Yaakov’s root was very high and exalted, for he was truly the level of a chariot (merkavah) for His unity and oneness, may He be blessed;

“so there is nothing in our heart but One”: although we are below, in the world of separation (alma deperuda), nevertheless, through the nullification of the will, to subdue the sitra achra (the other side), so that one desires nothing whatsoever in the world except G‑d alone, they too come to have one heart for their Father in Heaven

(and see the Zohar, Parshas Terumah, page 134b, on this), that is, a single, simple will fixed in the heart, to desire nothing whatsoever in the world except G‑d alone. Therefore “there is nothing in our heart

but One” alone: although we are below, below becomes one as above (in Atzilus, where it is the level of the private domain (reshus hayachid); and this is [the meaning of] “Israel, one nation in the earth”: that there be a revelation of One also in physical Asiyah).

And this is what it says, “And you shall love with all your heart (levavcha)”: with both your inclinations, so that the will of the animal soul, which is called the evil inclination, also be transformed to be for G‑d alone.

And this will and this love are born and drawn forth from the intellect, that is, through the contemplation in which one contemplates His greatness and exaltedness, may He be blessed: how “all before Him is considered as nothing,” and there is nothing besides Him; from this the nullification of the will will come.

Therefore the verse “And you shall love” is placed next to the verse before it, “Havayah is One”: for through contemplating how He, may He be blessed, is One in the seven heavens and the earth, as mentioned above, the spiritual and the physical, will come “And you shall love with all your heart,” etc.

25Now, all this is during all the six days of work, of which it is said, “Six days you shall labor.” And the labor is the level of “service out of love” (pulchana derechimusa),

for it is the level of labor and toil: it is impossible for love to be born and drawn forth from contemplation unless one toils to bind his mind with strength; and for this all the thirty-nine labors are needed, in the spiritual sense, sowing and plowing, etc., as written elsewhere.

26And this level of love on weekdays is only the love drawn from the intellect and contemplation, etc. But on Shabbos an additional soul is added in each one; that is, something truly new is born in the Congregation of Israel (Knesses Yisrael), which is not found in them on weekdays:

namely, the level of love and will for G‑d that is above intellect and contemplation. For there is will and there is will (is ratzon ve’is ratzon).

That is: there is a will that is born of intellect and contemplation, and it is called the lower will, because this level of will is born of the intellect; if so, it is below Chochmah and Binah, and is born and drawn from them. But there is the level of the supernal will, which is far above Chochmah.

27And the revelation of this level in a person’s soul is the level of the love that is not born of the intellect’s contemplation, but is a simple love above the intellect; this is the level of yechidah in the soul, which is above Chochmah;

as, for example, when a person desires, with desire and will, something that touches the very essence of the soul, and it causes him to do things not

according to reason and intellect at all, for this will is deep, deep beyond the intellect, etc. As is known, there is a level of will above the intellect, in the manner of their saying, “So it arose in thought,” and “there is no reason for will.”

28And this level of love and will for G‑d is revealed in a person’s soul on the day of Shabbos specifically. It is the level of great love (ahavah rabbah), which comes from above to below into the G‑dly soul on Shabbos;

that is, the love is not only in proportion to the intellect and contemplation; rather, it is above the intellect and is drawn from the level of the supernal will (ratzon ha’elyon), which is above Chochmah.

(And this is what is explained in the Pri Etz Chaim: that the Chamber of Love (heichal ha’ahavah) that shines in the Shema of Shabbos is far above the level of the Chamber of Love that shines in the Shema of the weekdays; see there.) For the revelation of the level of the supernal will is on Shabbos specifically. For it is written, “The gate of the inner court that faces east (kadim),” etc.

The meaning: “With ten utterances the world was created,” in the six days of Bereishis; and “In the beginning” (Bereishis), which is the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), “is also an utterance”; and the higher Chochmah and the attributes (middos) descended to be enclothed in the level of speech, to say “Let there be light,” etc.; by way of analogy, like a person who writes or draws, etc.

29Therefore they are called the six “days of Bereishis” (yemei Bereishis), for they receive from the level of reishis (“beginning”), which is the higher Chochmah. And of Shabbos it is written, “and He rested” (vayinafash): for the work was finished, and Chochmah and the attributes ascended to the level that is above Chochmah, which is the level of the supernal will and delight.

And this is the level of “that faces kadim”: the level that is above Chochmah is called kedem (“before”), which is above the level of reishis (“beginning”), etc.; for a “beginning” has a second to it,

which is not so with the level of “the Primordial One of the world” (Kadmono shel olam), etc.; and as is also known on [the verse] “Declaring from the beginning,” etc., “and from before,” etc.; see there. And on Shabbos the gate that faces kadim is opened, which is the revelation of the supernal will and the supernal delight; because “He ceased and rested” (shavas vayinafash) is the ascent of Chochmah into what is above Chochmah,

which is not so in the six days of work, which are called the six days of Bereishis, for they receive from Chochmah and not from the level of kedem that is above Chochmah, which is not then in a revealed state; as, by way of analogy, while work is being done the delight is not yet revealed, only when it is finished, etc.

Therefore the revelation of the level of the supernal will is also drawn into a person’s soul, which is the revelation of the great love (ahavah rabbah) that is above the intellect, etc., as is explained on [the verse] “For your love is better than wine.”

And the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, “They are sweeter to me,” etc. (And this is what we say in the Kiddush of Shabbos, “and He has desired us” (veratzah vanu), on account of the revelation of the supernal will in us ourselves.)

30And this is the matter of “a Shabbos of complete rest (Shabbos Shabbason) to G‑d.” For the drawing down of the supernal will, which is the level of the will that is above the intellect, which is drawn down and revealed on Shabbos, is specifically when there is a vessel for the revelation of this light;

and the vessel is the level of the lower will, born of the intellect and contemplation during all six days of work. For this lower will becomes the level of a vessel for this supernal will, so that it will be drawn into it, actually, in the manner of resting (hashra’ah), as light rests within an actual vessel.

For the lower will, although it is below the level of the supernal will, is at any rate a vessel for the revelation of the supernal will, so that it will be enclothed in it, in a true joining and union, on the day of Shabbos.

31And of this it is said, “a Shabbos of complete rest (Shabbos Shabbason) to Havayah.” The meaning: “Shabbos Shabbason” is the two wills mentioned above, which join as one and become truly one. And the expression “Shabbason to Havayah” is because, in the Name Havayah,

the yud is the level of Chochmah, etc.; and on Shabbos it is the level of “Shabbos to Havayah,” for the supernal will, which is above the Name Havayah, is revealed, etc.

32And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “For Havayah is a G‑d of knowledges (de’os)”: there are two levels of Daas (knowledge), the first the higher Daas, and the second the lower Daas.

That is, daas is a term for will, for knowledge and will are all one matter, as it is written, “Only you have I known of all the families,” etc.;

the intent is: I have chosen and willed you, to choose you for Myself as a treasured people. For knowledge is a matter of recognition, which is the level of attachment that brings about will, etc.

33And similarly, “And the man knew” is a term for attachment and union, etc. And the meaning of “a G‑d of knowledges” is the joining of the two levels of knowledge mentioned above, which are the two wills mentioned above.

And then it is the level of “Shabbos Shabbason to the Name Havayah”; and this is also the meaning of “Havayah is a G‑d of knowledges”: that the two wills join, so that the supernal will, which is above Chochmah, shines and is revealed also in the lower will, etc.

And this is the matter of the additional soul of Shabbos: it is the revelation of the supernal will from the level of yechidah, as mentioned above. And this is what is called “Nishmas kol chai” (“the soul of every living being”).

And as it is written, “and You satisfy every living being [with] will (ratzon)”: that the revelation of the supernal will is drawn into the level that is called “every living being” (kol chai), etc.; and from there it is drawn to be “He does the will of those who fear Him,” that the supernal will be revealed in them.

34Now, when the supernal will is drawn down to be enclothed in the lower will on the day of Shabbos, then an illumination is also drawn from it into all six days of work, so that there is found in a person the level of an illumination from the supernal will, which is above the intellect.

And the revelation of this illumination is at the time of weekday prayer, when one is aroused with love and desire for G‑d, may He be blessed; which is the level of an illumination from the holiness of Shabbos that shines in the weekdays,

as it is written in the holy Zohar, “This day gives strength to the other days,” etc. Therefore it can shine in them from the level of the supernal will mentioned above.

(As he brought in Reishis Chochmah, Sha’ar HaKedushah, chapter 2, the sayings of the Zohar that explain how one must sanctify oneself and draw upon oneself, every day, from the holiness of Shabbos. And this is the meaning of what is written, “You shall be holy,” etc.: to draw upon oneself from the level of Shabbos, which is holy in essence.

And so it is written in the Pri Etz Chaim: that the additional nefesh, ruach and neshamah that shine on Shabbos do not depart on the weekdays either; only the level of the additional chayah and yechidah departs at the close of the holy Shabbos, etc. But one must prepare oneself to receive this level of additional nefesh, ruach and neshamah; and this is through thought, speech and action in Torah and mitzvos, which are vessels for the level of nefesh, ruach and neshamah.

As will be explained below regarding the seven branches of the Menorah, how through Torah and mitzvos one draws down the revelation of the level of the supernal will, etc. And this is the matter of “ordinary food prepared in the purity of holy things”: that is, when on the weekdays, too, something of the holiness of Shabbos shines, etc.)

Now, weekday prayer is the level of the intermediary between Shabbos and the weekdays, which draws the illumination from the level of the supernal will that is revealed on Shabbos into all the weekdays, etc.

Therefore prayer is likened to a ladder, as it is written, “And behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and its top reaching to heaven,” etc.; as in the analogy of a ladder, on which and by which one who is below goes up from the ground below onto the roof.

35And likewise by it one who is above comes down from above to below. So, by way of analogy, prayer is likened to a ladder: through prayer the soul ascends from below to above, in higher steps and levels, level after level (darga bassar darga), up to the highest heights.

That is, through the cry of the heart, with the heart’s desire (re’usa deliba), for one’s soul to expire [in longing] for Him, may He be blessed; this is the level of raising mayin nukvin (“feminine waters”) from below to above, to rise from elevation to elevation up to the highest heights, to be included in the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He.

36And likewise there is found in it the level of descent from above to below; that is, when one has already risen to the utmost elevation, in the highest heights, on reaching the level of the supernal will, blessed be He,

then they will arouse and draw [it] down, so that it descends through the chain of levels (hishtalshelus) from above to below, to be enclothed in the lower will; and from it the illumination will spread through all six days.

And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “And angels of G‑d were going up and coming down on it”: on the ladder there are found two different aspects and levels, the aspect of ascent from below to above and the aspect of descent from above to below.

And this is the level of prayer, etc., which joins the holiness of Shabbos with the six weekdays, so that the illumination of the supernal will that is on Shabbos shines in all the weekdays, for them to be “ordinary food prepared in the purity of holy things.”

And this is through ascent and descent. (And see what is written on the verse “My dove,” etc.: how there is the level of the soul within the body, and there is the level of the root of the soul; and it is explained there that the root of the soul is in the level of the primordial thought (machshavah hakedumah), which is above even the level of Torah, and this is the level of the supernal will mentioned above. And it is also explained there that through prayer the soul within the body ascends to its root mentioned above.

If so, it appears regarding the addition of the additional soul of Shabbos that it is also from the level of the root of the soul mentioned above. And so it is implied in the Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar HaShabbos, chapter 19: that on Shabbos the encompassing [lights] (makifim) enter in the manner of inner [lights], and an illumination from it shines every day, etc., through prayer, as mentioned above.)

37Now, through the Torah, too, one draws down the supernal will to be enclothed in the lower will, for the Torah is drawn from the level of the supernal will. And although “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah,”

it is specifically “comes forth”: its emergence from concealment into revelation is from the level of Chochmah, but its root is from the level of the supernal will, may He be blessed (for the 613 commandments of the Torah, with the seven of the Rabbis, equal Keser in gematria),

only that below it was enclothed in the level of the attributes, Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferes of Atzilus: from the level of Chesed comes leniency, that a thing be kosher, permitted and innocent, and from the level of Gevurah comes stringency, etc. And the level of the attributes is below Chochmah.

It follows that the Torah is the drawing of the supernal will, which is above, into the lower will, which is the level of the lower Daas, which is the level of the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of the attributes, as is known

(only that this drawing down through the Torah cannot be drawn except by prayer coming first, which is the level of the ladder, to ascend from below to above; and also only by the level of Shabbos coming first, whose letters are also those of tashev (“return”): the ascent of the lower will into the supernal will, and the descent of the supernal will into the lower will;

and this is like the level of an arousal from below (isarusa dilesata), through which one will afterwards be able to draw down through Torah and mitzvos, etc., from above to below, as [explained] below, G‑d willing). Now, the Torah corresponds to the level of the vessels of the Mishkan, which are the Menorah and the Table.

(And all the more so the Ark, in which the Tablets themselves lay; only that the level of the Ark, which was in the Holy of Holies, is like the Torah in its root, and the level of the Menorah, which was in the Sanctuary (heichal), is the level of the revelation of the Torah in the attributes.

And this is [the meaning of] what is written of the Torah, “She opens her mouth with wisdom (Chochmah), and the Torah of kindness (Chesed) is on her tongue”: it is called the level of Chochmah and the level of Chesed. For “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah,” and this is the level of the Ark; and it is enclothed in the attributes, whose general and collective expression is Chesed, and this is the level of the Menorah, which was in the south, the level of Chesed, etc.) For

just as in the Menorah one kindles light, so too of the Torah it is written, “and the Torah is light.” And the meaning of the light of the Torah is as it is written, “A man’s wisdom makes his face shine.”

For our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “‘Wisdom’ (chochmas): this is the Order of Kodashim”; for through studying the Order of Kodashim one arouses and draws down the revelation in the level of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), so that “a man’s wisdom makes his face shine.”

38And the matter of the shining of the face above is, by way of analogy, like a person below: when he grasps a new insight his face glows, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said of Rabbi Abahu, that his face glowed because he had seen a new teaching (tosefta chadta).

This is because of the revelation of the delight that is revealed and enclothed in the new insight; it is drawn and revealed in the face itself, until his face glows and shines.

So, by way of analogy, above: through occupation with the Torah one draws down the revelation of the light of the supernal delight, to shine and be drawn into the higher Chochmah; and this is the level of a new light from the essence of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is enclothed in the wisdom of the Torah.

39And this is the matter of “May G‑d make His face shine upon you,” etc. And this is also the matter of the light of the Menorah. And with this one will also understand the seven branches of the Menorah:

namely, the middle branch, which is the body of the Menorah, and three branches going out of its one side, and three branches out of its other side, and “a knob under two branches of it,” etc.;

that is, at the place where two branches go out from the middle branch, one to this side and one to that side, there is a knob, etc.; and so too under the second two branches, and under the third two branches.

40The explanation is that all this alludes to the Torah as a whole, which is the Written Torah and the Oral Torah. And this is the matter of the six branches that go out from the middle branch: they are the six orders of the Mishnah, which receive from the middle branch, which is the level of the Written Torah.

For everything is learned from Scripture, as is said in the Gemara, “What is the reason? Because the verse says,” etc. It follows that the Oral Torah comes forth and is drawn from the level of the Written Torah, just as the six branches go out from the Menorah, etc.

41And the matter of the knob under two branches: the point is that any flow drawn from a giver (mashpia) to a receiver (mekabel) can only come about through an arousal from below, from the receiver toward the giver; and through this an arousal from above is drawn from the giver. These are called mayin nukvin and mayin duchrin (“feminine waters” and “masculine waters”).

So too in the flow from the Written Torah to the Oral Torah there are likewise these two levels. For it is known that the Written Torah is called “the instruction of your father”: the level of father is the level of the masculine (dechura), the giver;

42and the Oral Torah is called “the Torah of your mother,” the level of the feminine (Nukva), which receives from the Written Torah, only that there the flow grows, etc. If so, there is in this the level of raising mayin nukvin and drawing down mayin duchrin, which are called an arousal from below and an arousal from above.

And this is the matter of the knob under two branches: at the place where the branch goes out from the middle branch, there is the joining of the mayin nukvin and the mayin duchrin, where the arousal from below and the arousal from above join;

therefore there is a double light there, by way of analogy, from the joining of the two levels. Therefore there was a knob, which is thicker than the rest of the Menorah, since at this level the two levels of giver and receiver join, etc.

43And this level is called “knots” (kishrin) in the Zohar: by way of analogy, a knot that ties two things together is thicker at the place of the knot, because there two things are joined together. And so too the Table also alludes to the level of the Torah, for upon it the showbread (lechem hapanim) is placed.

44And the Torah is called bread: “Come, eat of my bread”; for it is the level of food for the soul, to draw the revelation inward: one grasps the wisdom within himself, for his intellect grasps the wisdom of the Torah, in which the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, is enclothed, etc.

Therefore from this there is made for him actual food and life-force for the soul. And so too above, it is the level of “Israel sustain,” etc.: that there be an enclothing of the Infinite One (Ein Sof) in the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), etc.

But the mitzvos are the level of garments and encompassing [lights] for the soul, for they are flows from a level whose revelation cannot be enclothed within him; only the light of G‑d encompasses him from his head to his foot. And they are the level of the curtains of the Mishkan, as was explained above

(and there it was explained that in the mitzvos, too, there are seven levels, “She has hewn out her seven pillars,” and likewise seven kinds in the curtains, only that they are encompassing; and in the Torah, the seven branches of the Menorah are the level of inner [lights]).

45And according to all that has been said in explaining the level of the curtains and vessels of the Mishkan, which are the level of Torah and mitzvos, as mentioned above, and in explaining the matter of Shabbos, which is the level of the additional soul, the joining of the supernal will with the lower will,

one will understand with good reason the connection of the command of the mitzvah of Shabbos, placed next to the command of the work of the Mishkan, as it is written in Parshas [Ki] Sisa, “But My Shabbosos you shall keep,” etc.

46And also [why] Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, put the command about Shabbos before the work of the Mishkan, the reverse of what is mentioned in the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him.

The explanation is this. Although through Torah and mitzvos one draws down the level of encompassing and inner [lights], which are the level of garments and the level of food for the soul, so that there will be a revelation of the supernal will in the soul, in an inner manner through the Torah and in an encompassing manner through the mitzvos,

yet in truth, since a person is below, in a physical body, it is impossible for him to reach the level of the supernal will, which is far above all the worlds, to draw the light down from there.

47Therefore there must first be the level of an arousal from below: that one arouse his soul and ascend, to reach the revelation of the level of the supernal will. And this ascent is the level of

Shabbos, whose letters are tashev (“return”): the ascents of the worlds from below to far above, up to the highest heights, which is the level of the supernal will that is revealed at Minchah on Shabbos, as it is written, “And as for me, my prayer is to You, G‑d, at a time of will (eis ratzon),” etc.

48And in a person’s soul, too, there is this level of ascent and this revelation, which is the matter of the additional soul, as [explained] above.

And afterwards [a flow] is drawn from this level of illumination to all the weekdays through prayer, which is called a ladder; and through this they will afterwards be able to draw down, through Torah and mitzvos, the revelation and flow of the light from above to below;

which is not so without the level of ascent through Shabbos coming first: then it is impossible to draw down. As our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Whoever says, ‘I have only Torah,’” etc.

49Therefore, in the command of Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, to Israel concerning the making of the Mishkan, he put first the command about Shabbos, and afterwards he commanded about the curtains of the Mishkan, which are the level of the encompassing [lights] drawn down through the mitzvos, and afterwards about the vessels of the Mishkan, which is the level of inner [lights].

The point is that in every drawing down from above to below, the light is first drawn in an encompassing manner upon the receiver, and afterwards an illumination from it flows and is drawn into his interior, etc.,

50and the rest remains encompassing. Therefore he put the curtains before the vessels. And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Whoever recites the Shema without tefillin is as though he gives false testimony about himself.”

For in the tefillin, too, are the sections “Shema” and “Vehayah” of the Shema; only that in the tefillin they are the aspect of encompassing, while in the Shema, when one says “One” and “And you shall love,” it is the aspect of revelation within.

Therefore first there must be the encompassing and afterwards the inner. And when one recites the Shema without tefillin, to draw down the inner without the encompassing, this is false testimony, etc.

51All this order is in the matter of a person’s divine service, and this is the command of Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, to Israel in Parshas Vayakhel. But in the order of the drawing down of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, into the worlds, it is the reverse: first there must be the vessels, afterwards the curtains, and afterwards the level of Shabbos.

For for there to be a drawing down from the Infinite Light into the worlds, there had to be a great and mighty contraction (tzimtzum), so that the revelation would be only a small illumination, so that the worlds could receive [it] and not be nullified out of existence; and this level of revelation is the matter of the vessels of the Mishkan, which are the level of inner [lights].

52And afterwards, from this level of revelation, it is then drawn to be the level of encompassing and surrounding the worlds; and this is the matter of the curtains of the Mishkan.

And this is why in Parshas Terumah and Tetzaveh, which is the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, to Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, the vessels are stated first and afterwards the curtains, for such is the order of the drawing down from above to below; and afterwards the command of Shabbos is stated, in Parshas [Ki] Sisa.

53The point is that the vessels and the curtains are the order of the drawing down from above to below; and afterwards, at the completion and end of the descent of the supernal flow, there is then the level of Shabbos, which is the rest and the withdrawal into His essence,

as it is written, “for on it He ceased and rested”: like a person who ceases [work] and rests, which is the level of the ascent of the powers of the soul from their lowering back to their essence, etc.

54Therefore the command of Shabbos is stated afterwards. For the level of ceasing and of returning light (or chozer) applies only if first the level of direct light (or yashar), a drawing down from above to below, has been drawn through the vessels and the curtains; then afterwards there must be returning light, through Shabbos;

which is not so in a person’s service from below to above: there must first be the ascent, that is, the level of Shabbos, to rise far above, up to the highest heights.

55And afterwards he will draw the flow from above to below, that is, from the level of the supernal will that is revealed on the day of Shabbos; and the drawing down from this level is first in the manner of encompassing and garment, which is the matter of the curtains of the Mishkan,

and afterwards the level of the vessels, that is, the level of the Torah, which is His wisdom (Chochmah), may He be blessed; and from Chochmah is drawn the attribute of Chesed, which is likened to water:

as water descends from a high place to a low place, so the Torah was drawn from a very high place and descended below; therefore it is likened to water.

And this is [the meaning of] “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the Torah of kindness is on her tongue”: the Torah is called “the Torah of kindness” on account of the drawing down, etc.,

for His wisdom, may He be blessed, was drawn down far below. As is known, Chochmah and Chesed are one line; and this is the level of Torah and acts of kindness (gemilus chasadim).