ארדה נא וגו׳

1“I will go down now [and see]” etc. Now, “according to its outcry” (haktza’akasah) is in the feminine form, and so is “which has come” (haba’ah); while “they have done” (asu) is a form [shared by] the feminine and the masculine. We must also understand what “I will go down now and see” means: surely “G‑d looked down from heaven.”

But the meaning of “according to its outcry” is: the outcry that rises from the level of the attribute of judgment, which is the level of the attribute of Malchus (sovereignty), which is called “law”, [as in] “the law of the kingdom is law”; only that it is a soft judgment, [as in] “A king by justice establishes the land.” And this is [the meaning of] “according to its outcry which has come (haba’ah),” as it is written, “In the evening she would come (ba’ah),”

2[and] “And Rachel came (ba’ah).” And the explanation of the matter: first we must preface [with] the expression that is common in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory: “It is revealed and known before Him Who spoke and the world came into being.” “Revealed and known,” precisely.

For the philosophers have wearied [themselves] to grasp the matter of individual providence, such as “A person does not bruise his finger below unless it is proclaimed concerning him above,” for it is difficult for them: since

He, may He be blessed, is singular and unique, the true One, then how is it possible [that there be] G‑d’s knowledge of the particulars, and individual providence, [that He should] set His mind on many matters, when this is [a state of] multiplicity?

3And our Sages, of blessed memory, meant to resolve this in a single phrase, by saying “It is revealed and known before [Him]” etc.: that His knowledge, may He be blessed, is not like a person’s knowledge of some thing, where his mind has grasped

the thing, and at first he did not know it, and when he knows the thing his mind is enclothed in this knowledge and in this thought, as he applies his mind to grasp it; and before his knowing, his mind was free. And this is [a state of] change and of being affected.

Above, however, it is not so. His knowledge, may He be blessed, by which He knows all the worlds and their particulars, does not mean that His mind is enclothed in it and grasped by it; rather,

[it is] in the manner of “revealed and known”: that everything is revealed and known before Him, may He be blessed, of itself, and He need not be grasped by and enclothed in the thing in order to know [it].

(All the more so, from [the fact] that He gives life to the thing and brings it into being not by being enclothed in the thing, but by His being the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). Then all the more so, by kal vachomer, knowing the thing and its particulars need not come by being enclothed in and grasped by the thing, etc.)

And since it is “revealed and known,” their question, that this is [a state of] multiplicity, does not apply at all; for this is so only in the kind of knowledge a person has, who cannot know a thing except by his mind and thought being enclothed in the knowledge of the thing.

And this is [the meaning of] “For My thoughts are not your thoughts” etc.: for it is “revealed and known” etc. (The discerning will understand the subtlety of these matters; not every mind can bear this.)

Now it is written (Zechariah, chapter 4), “These seven are the eyes of G‑d; they roam (meshotetim) throughout the whole earth”; and it is written (II Chronicles 16:9), “For G‑d, His eyes roam (meshotetos) throughout the whole earth.”

And this must be understood: the term “roam” (meshotetim, meshotetos) implies that [the gaze] extends to see and examine the thing by means of this seeing; and this is like a state of being enclothed in the thing that is seen and known. And this seems to be the opposite of what was said in explaining “revealed and known.”

But the explanation is that, as is known, in the ten Sefiros there are lights and vessels. For the level of Chesed (kindness) and Gevurah (restraint) is the level of a vessel; but the light is a radiance from the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, [of Whom it is said that] “He is not of any of these attributes at all.”

Only, the light is enclothed in the vessel, which is Chesed and Gevurah and the other attributes, which are called the level of vessels, for they limit the light. And in them

and through them the light is drawn down to give life to finite creations, bringing into being Michael and Gabriel: the camp of Michael receives from the level of Chesed, and Gabriel from the level of Gevurah. For this drawing-down cannot come from the light itself, but only through the vessels,

just as there cannot be a giving of silver and gold from the soul unless it is enclothed in a body, and the soul gives charity to the poor man through the physical hand.

4Now likewise, through the vessels of the ten Sefiros there is also the raising up of the merit and the guilt of every creature.

For when a person commits a transgression, he “acquires for himself one accuser”: a blemish and a stain is made in the angel appointed over this [matter]. For there are angels that receive from this attribute and [angels that receive] from that attribute, as was said above regarding Michael and Gabriel, etc.

And this angel raises the matter up to an angel higher than it, until it rises into the vessels of the ten Sefiros of Malchus of Atzilus, which are enclothed in [the worlds of] Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah; and within the vessel is enclothed the light from the Infinite One, blessed be He.

5It follows that through the vessels [the matter] rises to the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is enclothed in the vessels of the ten Sefiros. Therefore it is said of this, “His eyes roam,” which is the level of the vessels of the ten Sefiros. And the angels that receive from them, too, are called “masters of eyes”; and there are [also] “masters of ears.”

6And they roam throughout the whole earth, as in the saying, “Know what is above you: an eye that sees” etc. And of the vessels it is fitting to say “roam,” in the sense of being enclothed in the thing.

And in them and through them the matter rises to the level of the light from the Infinite One, blessed be He, that is enclothed within them; and this is in the manner of “revealed and known”: that this knowledge in the vessels of the ten Sefiros, which [comes] through “His eyes roam,” is, in the manner of

“revealed and known,” [known] to the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that is enclothed in the vessels; since the light in truth “is not of any of these attributes at all,” even though it is enclothed in the vessel, etc.

7And this is the answer to the philosophers’ question, that this knowledge and providence does not cause [a state of] multiplicity. For the providence in the manner of “His eyes roam” is through the vessels, as said above;

but the knowledge in the Infinite One, blessed be He, Who is enclothed in the vessels, [namely,] what He knows and sees of what His eyes roam over: this knowledge of His, may He be blessed, is in the manner of “revealed and known” etc.

8Gloss: (And see Pardes, Sha’ar, chapter 8, and Sha’ar 4, chapter 9, on this subject; and in the Zohar, Pekudei, p. 252a: “And these are the eyes of G‑d; all of them take up watchfulness” etc., see there; and in the Ra’aya Mehemna, Parshas Shoftim, p. 275, end of column a. Now this must be understood: since the meaning of “the eyes of G‑d” is the vessels of the ten Sefiros of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, and the angels,

then how can it be that the Creator, may He be blessed, would need to know all the creatures by means of the ten Sefiros? Surely “He Who forms the eye, shall He not see?” by Himself. Granted, as regards the flow of influence and the drawing of life-force into the creatures, it had to be through the vessels of the ten Sefiros, for otherwise the creatures could not receive [it];

but as regards G‑d’s knowledge, by which He knows all the creatures, one cannot say so, heaven forbid. If so, why must there be the level of the eyes, which are the vessels, roaming etc.? For surely everything is revealed and known before Him, may He be blessed, Himself, to a far greater degree, without any mediation of the vessels at all.)

But the explanation is as it is written, “For G‑d is a G‑d of knowledges”: that there are two levels in Daas (knowledge): the higher Daas and the lower Daas. The higher Daas is the level of the encompassing and of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin); that is,

there is a level of Daas that knows and sees everything, only that this Daas is in an encompassing mode, meaning that it does not extend into the attributes so as to [produce] a reaction to the thing that it knows or sees; as in the matter

that is said, “He has not looked at iniquity in Jacob”: the meaning is not that He did not look at all, but as it is written, “He sees iniquity and does not consider [it]”; and as it is written, “If you are righteous, what do you give Him?” And of this it is said, “[You are] too pure of eyes to look upon evil”: His seeing of evil makes no impression and [produces] no reaction at all,

for “the lizard grasps with its hands.” And from there is the source of forgiveness and compassion, for no blemish reaches there; and it is above the vessels of the ten Sefiros.

Only the blemish, and the reward and punishment, are drawn through the Daas that extends and is drawn into the attributes, which is called the lower Daas; and it is what is enclothed in the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), that is, in the vessels of the ten Sefiros of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.

Therefore this knowledge is through the level of “the eyes of G‑d,” which are the vessels and the attributes, through which the reaction of reward and punishment is drawn; for the blemish reaches the vessels, precisely;

whereas through the knowledge that is in the higher Daas, not through the vessels of the ten Sefiros, even though everything is revealed and known, no reaction is drawn from it, etc.

9And you may know that this is so from the matter of knowledge and free choice: that the knowledge by which G‑d, blessed be He, knows that this one will be righteous or wicked does not compel the choice at all. And how is this?

Rather, because this knowledge, by which G‑d, blessed be He, knows everything before it is done, is in the level of the higher Daas, not through the vessels of the ten Sefiros.

For “the eyes of G‑d roam” to see the deed that has already been done, which is seen by the level of the angels and the vessels of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, so that a blemish and a stain is thereby made in the angel, etc., as said above;

whereas the knowledge by which the Holy One, blessed be He, knows the future and a person’s deeds before they are done is not through them at all. Rather, this knowledge is in a very high place, the level of the higher Daas; and since this Daas is an encompassing level, it does not compel the choice, for the person is not affected by it,

just as no reaction is drawn from this Daas even into the supernal attributes, Chesed and Gevurah, so that reward and punishment would come of it, as said above.

10And that there be reward and punishment is specifically through the lower Daas, which is through the vessels and the eyes. And see Pardes, Sha’ar 4, chapter 9, on the matter of knowledge and choice, where he writes that there is a difference in the knowledge before a person sins, even though he will sin in the future, [and] after he has sinned, etc.; see there.

11And according to what has been said, it will be understood that the knowledge before he sins is in the level of the higher Daas, as said above.

And this is what is said in Parshas Shemos: “And G‑d saw the children of Israel, and G‑d knew.” The meaning is not that the knowledge was new; rather, beforehand it was in the higher Daas, from which no reaction was drawn [to bring] punishment for Pharaoh and reward for Israel.

And through “And G‑d saw,” through the level of “the eyes of G‑d” seeing the deed once it had already actually been done, thereby “and G‑d knew”: the level of the lower Daas, which extends into the attributes, was drawn [down], so that there be reward and punishment.

12Now of this providence, from the level of the higher Daas, it is said, “The eye of G‑d is toward those who fear Him”; and it is written, “eye to eye [You] were seen,” as explained in the Idra Rabba, p. 130a; and see there that Joseph the righteous merited this, and this is [the meaning of]

“A fruitful son above the eye.” And he merited this through “And Joseph sustained”; and this is [the meaning of] “He who has a good eye shall be blessed, for he has given of his bread to the poor”; see there.

And from this it will be understood that, because of the sin of Sodom, in which they blemished this, the revelation of this supernal level, which sweetens all the judgments, the level of “and abundant in kindness” etc., was withheld from them.

13(End of the gloss.)

14Now in the Zohar, in the Saba deMishpatim, p. 107a, it explains that what is said, “His eyes roam (meshotetos),” these are feminine; and what is said, “they roam (meshotetim),” these are masculine. And so it is in the Zohar, Vayechi, p. 241, end of column a, which explains that “roam (meshotetim)” are in the adornments of the Shechinah below, etc. That is,

there are angels that are from Z’eir Anpin and there are angels that are from Malchus, as Rabbi Chaim Vital wrote on what is said in the Zohar at the beginning of Parshas Shemos, p. 4a, on “each man came with his household”; and this is his wording: “Note: Tiferes and Malchus; and he means the angels that are from Z’eir Anpin and the angels that are from Malchus.” Until here the wording of the Mikdash Melech there.

15And the angels that are in the adornments of the Shechinah, which is the level of Malchus of Atzilus, are called feminine; as is said there in the Zohar, p. 247a, explaining “Daughters stepped, to be upon the wall” (banos tza’adah alei shur): “’Daughters stepped’ (tza’adah):

it should have said tza’adus (in the plural). Rather, [it is] that eye which is written above; and what is it? The eye of justice, etc.; and it steps and strides to take daughters for its adornment. And this is [why it says] ‘daughters stepped,’ and not ‘sons.’”

The meaning is that the providence which is drawn through the ten Sefiros of Malchus of Atzilus, which is the level of “the eye of justice,” after [the verse] “A king by justice establishes the land,” is drawn down and enclothed in the angels that are called “daughters,” which are the level of the feminine.

16And this is [the meaning of] “daughters stepped”: that Malchus steps over the daughters “upon the wall,” to see and watch over the deeds of the lower beings. And of this it is said, “His eyes roam (meshotetos),” in the feminine. And this is the matter of “according to its outcry which has come to Me,”

in the feminine, which is the level of Malchus, which is called “the law of the kingdom”; and it is the raising up of the blemish through the angels that are of the level of Malchus, and the vessels of the ten Sefiros of the level of Malchus, “which has come to Me”: to the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that is enclothed in the ten Sefiros of Atzilus.

17And of this it is said, “I will go down now and see”: through the attribute of Chesed. And as is known, Z’eir Anpin is mostly chasadim (kindnesses), [as in] “the face of the King shines,” which is

what is said, “the eyes of G‑d, they roam (meshotetim),” in the masculine, which are the level of the masculine, which is the level of Chesed. “And I will see according to its outcry” etc.: that perhaps through the attribute of Chesed merit will be found for them.

18And as is explained in the Idra Zuta, p. 293b, that the providence through the level of “His eyes roam (meshotetos),” in the feminine, is the level of judgment, and the providence that is through the level of “the eyes of G‑d, they roam (meshotetim)” is the level of compassion, etc.; see there.

And the matter is, by way of analogy, as it is written, “And the congregation shall judge... and the congregation shall save”: a congregation that judges and a congregation that saves. For in every matter one can argue for merit and for guilt.

And therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “I disqualify [myself from judging] a Torah scholar, for he is as dear to me as my own body”; and “a person does not see guilt in himself.” Thus,

even though he is truly guilty, one does not see guilt in him; for because of closeness of mind and affection, one finds room to argue for merit.

Whereas for one who is not so dear to him, he would argue for guilt; as it is written, “and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil” etc.;

and through this there followed, “And G‑d said, I will blot out man” etc. Thus, because the inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil, [judgment] was drawn to argue for guilt.

And afterwards, in Parshas Noach, it is written, “And G‑d said in His heart, I will not again curse the ground any more because of man,

for the inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” Thus from this very reasoning, that the inclination of man’s heart is evil, He found [a way] to argue for merit: that He would not again curse the ground because of man.

And this is because there was a revelation of the attribute of Chesed through “And G‑d smelled the pleasing fragrance”: through the offering that Noah brought, he drew down a revelation of the attribute of Chesed to argue for merit with this very reasoning that at first had been drawn to argue for guilt through the attribute of judgment.

And this is the difference between the two levels of providence mentioned above. (And see what is written elsewhere on the verse “to do what is right in the eyes of G‑d your G‑d.”) And this is the meaning of “I will go down now”:

for “its outcry” is that which comes from below to above, which is the level of the gevuros (severities) and the returning light (or chozer); and therefore it says “I will go down now,” a term of descent, which is from above to below, that is, the level of the direct light (or yashar), which is the level of Chesed, to watch over with the attribute of Chesed, to argue for merit.

“And I will see [whether] according to its outcry which has come to Me they have done”: that is, if their sin is so great, too great to bear, that even according to Chesed He could not find merit, then [there will be] destruction (kalah). “And if not”: meaning, perhaps through Chesed He could argue for merit, etc.

And this is what is said in the Midrash: “I will go down now”: from the attribute of mercy to the attribute of judgment; and in the Zohar, p. 105b: “I will go down now: from the level of mercy to the level of judgment”; meaning, to draw mercy from the attribute of mercy into the level of the attribute of judgment, “and I will see,” etc.

19Now Rashi explains in the Chumash [on] “I will go down now”: “[This] teaches judges not to decide capital cases except by seeing.” And the explanation is that it is found in the Tikkunei Zohar: “And these ten Sefiros go in their order: one long, one short, and one intermediate.”

The meaning is that the ten Sefiros are divided into three lines. The right line, Chochmah, Chesed and Netzach, is called “one long,” for Chesed extends and spreads further.

And therefore acts of kindness [are done] both to the poor and to the rich; thus Chesed spreads further than compassion, for compassion does not apply to the rich man, but only to the poor.

And the left line, Binah, Gevurah and Hod, is called “one short,” for it extends only to one who is most worthy. And the middle line is called “intermediate,” for it has compassion on whoever is fitting for compassion.

20Now there is seeing and there is hearing. Seeing is drawn from the level of Chochmah, the right line, and hearing from Binah, the left line; as is known from the matter of Reuven and Shimon.

And therefore seeing is from above to below, and hearing from below to above, for the letters rise and enter the ear of the listener. And for this reason too, seeing descends lower than hearing, for it sees a physical thing,

whereas hearing is only voice and speech. For seeing is from the level of “one long,” as is known that the Yesod of Abba is long, etc.

And this is what is said, “I will go down now and see”: for “according to its outcry which has come” is like the level of hearing, which is from the level of Binah; therefore it comes from below to above, and it is the level of the left line. But “I will go down now and see” is in the level of seeing, which is the level of chasadim (kindnesses), etc.