Adir BaMurom — Chapter 14: The Forehead (Metzach) of Arikh Anpin — Ra'ava De-Ra'avin; Prayer; The Three Services

The FOREHEAD [metzach] of Arikh Anpin radiates the Divine WILL — and when it is revealed there is a et ratzon [time of willingness] — and no din operates. This is why the Mincha of Shabbos is the most propitious time for prayer — for the forehead of Arikh shines then without interruption. And the forehead of Ze'ir Anpin: when Arikh Anpin's forehead illuminates upon Ze'ir Anpin's forehead — metzach be-metzach — then all the dinim are sweetened.

The THREE DAILY PRAYERS correspond to the three aspects of Ze'ir Anpin's governance: Shacharit = the drawing down of the light; Mincha = the time of fullest illumination (associated with Arikh's forehead on Shabbos, and with the Mincha offering); Ma'ariv = the drawing-in and the return. And the twelve hours of day/night: the Ramchal explains why twelve hours and not twenty-four — and this relates to the pattern of Malchus's governance in this world.

And the Idra says: "the forehead of the skull = the will of all wills." And the Ramchal explains the RATZON [will]: the word has FIVE MEANINGS: (1) the VOLITIONAL THOUGHT itself; (2) what one wills to be — a kind of rational decree; (3) DESIRE and LONGING; (4) the ULTIMATE PURPOSE; (5) APPEASEMENT and favorable countenance. And this is truly a great secret.

When we speak of the Emanator — we speak only from the aspect of His operations, never of His essence and substance. Even when we call Him Ayn Sof — we mean only His operations. For since we know He emanated all He emanated — our knowledge of Him is only that He is a SIMPLE LIGHT THAT SHINES [or pashut me'ir]. "Shines" means His illumination reaches others. What that light IS — does not enter our understanding at all. We call it simply LIGHT because we cannot speak of its essence. And to this illumination we call AYN SOF — for it can be in endless configurations with no end and no measure whatsoever. And why are we permitted to speak of it? Because the moment we said we speak only of the Will and not of the essence but only of its operations — we speak only of the operation of the Emanator, not of the Emanator at all. Yet in our hearts remains the awareness that there is an essence performing that operation, which is not grasped by us.

And this ILLUMINATION is called RATZON [will]. For the Emanator's WILLING THAT EXISTENTS EXIST — this is the source of the existents themselves, for He needs only His will to bring them into being. And since this will is the source of what comes from the Emanator to what is outside Him — it is called LIGHT or ILLUMINATION. The essence of the Will's possessor and the Will itself — are ONE — for what the thinking soul wills is not grasped by us at all — only the RESULT of the one will it chose is what comes close to us. And no change occurred G-d forbid in the Emanator through His emanating — only revelation of a power in actuality that He wished to reveal. The Will is thus primordial — one with His simple incomprehensible essence. And therefore when we mention AYN SOF — we intend the Emanator from the side of His being WILL — and Ayn Sof is the name for this aspect of will.

And the Will's decree: the TZIMTZUM and the revealing of the power of din — this was not necessitated in Him at all — He simply willed it so. The Will INCLINED toward this particular operation — one of the infinite operations it has power to incline toward. And now the Will wills in actuality the tzimtzum and all its consequences — and the unlimited wills it in potential — for the power of Will does not change through willing. And since this Will wills a particular CONTRACTED WILL — we discern the gradations of this contracted will in which the power of Will operates. Each sefira is that essence from the side of its particular willing — Keter from the side of willing one way; Chochma from the side of willing another — and the ascents and descents are ascents and descents from will to will.

And ARIKH ANPIN is the END OF THE WILL — for its arrangement is according to the end-purpose of the will which is the RETURN OF DIN TO CHESED. And Ze'ir Anpin is the PRESENT WILL — operating now through chesed and din according to free choice. And the METZACH of Arikh is where the end-will itself is revealed — as it should be at the ultimate end — and therefore it is great chesed. For from this aspect many luminaries flow all called RATZON — like Da'as or Yesod — for in all of them great sweetening is revealed from this power of will. But the root of all is this Metzach of Arikh — therefore called "Ra'ava De-Ra'avin" [will of all wills].

And when Ze'ir Anpin becomes like Arikh Anpin — then the Will shall be truly revealed. And this is the secret of: "to proclaim a year of ratzon [good will] for G-d, and a day of vengeance for our G-d" [Isaiah 61:2]. For truly two things will occur together: the VENGEANCE from the side of the lower governance [Ze'ir Anpin completing the judgment of its time]; and the RATZON from the side of the upper — Arikh's end-will revealed and fully operating when ZA rises to its level. And the forehead of ZA shows the PRESENT will — the will operating now through din in the tzimtzum — while the forehead of Arikh shows the ULTIMATE will that is the root of all.

And now the Ramchal explains the deeper secret of the priesthood. The service of the KOHANIM and LEVI'IM is the secret of rectifying the Nukva to ascend before Ze'ir Anpin for the daily ZIVUG — for all the needs of those below. And Abba-Imma must build her — and this is done through the arousal of the Kohanim and Levi'im who represent the Chesed and Gevura of Ze'ir Anpin. For the substance of the Nukva is from Tiferes — as it says: "for from man she was taken" — but Chesed-Gevura are her builders, with Abba-Imma spreading in them as right and left. Therefore the KORBAN comes from Israel, while the HAKTARAH [the offering act] is performed by Kohanim and Levi'im to build her. And the Kohanim bring the building from the aspect of Abba, the Levi'im from the aspect of Imma for the ascent. And the Kohen Gadol is greater than any Levi Gadol — for the Levi'im are rooted in the Kohanim and the root of all is the Kohen Gadol.

And the PRIESTLY GARMENTS are literally the luminaries needed for the service — and they flow from the chesed of Atik Yomin. For the eight tikkunim of the beard of Arikh Anpin correspond to the EIGHT GARMENTS of the Kohen Gadol. And the root of the eight is YESH = Yud-Shin = the gematria of EL = 31 — and EL expanded through the eight letters of YaHaDVNHa"Y gives 8 × EL = 248 = gematria of AVRAHAM. And: "by HEH He created them" — by the FIVE letters of AVRAHAM — and 248 = the value of AVRAHAM. For THE 248 POSITIVE COMMANDMENTS [mitzvos aseh] are the secret of the spreading of the five Chesed-lights into their 248 particulars. And: "by HEH He created them" = "with Avraham" — five letters of Avraham. And 365 PROHIBITIVE COMMANDMENTS [mitzvos lo ta'aseh] are rooted in the thirteen levels of Gevura in the beard — ELOHIM = five letters = root, three full-spellings = 120 each = 360, total = 365.

And the TZITZ [golden headband] on the forehead is the most essential of all priestly garments — for it connects the forehead of Arikh Anpin with the forehead of Ze'ir Anpin — maintaining the bond: "the will of Ze'ir Anpin to receive that will." For the will of Arikh descends and spreads through MAZAL NOTZER CHESED — and from there through Yesod of Abba into the forehead of Ze'ir Anpin — and this is the TZITZ — in the secret of the full value of Ayin-Beis without the simple spelling = 46 — and 10 × 46 = 460 = KADOSH LAHASHEM. And: "it shall be upon his forehead always, for acceptance" [Exodus 28:38]. For when this will is revealed — the prayers of Israel are accepted with no hindrance. And: "all the peoples of the earth will see that the Name of G-d is called upon you and fear you" [Deuteronomy 28:10] — these are the Tefillin of the head as the Sages said. And the Tzitz on the Kohen Gadol's forehead corresponds to the revealed will above — while the Tefillin revealed through the forehead correspond to Yesod of Imma flowing from MAZAL VE-NAKA.

And there are TWO TYPES OF MEM-BEIS [Name of 42]: the first is AHYAH-YHV [= 42] — the secret of the seven Names of Mem-Beis, seven aspects of four letters each — the secret of the seven days of the week, each 12 hours. And the second is the Mem-Beis of HVYH plain-spelled-full-spelled — all one Name without division. The first illuminates in Mazal ve-Naka and sweetens the dins always — like the sanctity of Shabbos illuminating the weekdays. The second illuminates in Mazal Notzer Chesed — and Atzilus ascends on Shabbos and the Names AHYAH-YHV shine — while at MINCHA OF SHABBOS they ascend to Mazal Notzer and the Mem-Beis of HVYH illuminates — and this is the secret of "but as for me, my prayer to You, G-d, is at a time of ratzon" [Psalms 69:14] — meaning the Name HVYH in its Mem-Beis. And this is why Mincha of Shabbos is the most propitious time — for at that moment the deepest level of Divine will is accessible.

And the Metzach of Arikh though always present and always sweetening the dins below — is sometimes COVERED. For when it is aroused it removes the dins entirely — but this is not always appropriate in governance. Times must exist for dins to pass and times for them to remain. And: the Metzach is sometimes revealed and sometimes covered — this is the secret of "de-iskasiya ve-lo iskasiya" [covered and not covered]. At MINCHA OF SHABBOS it is revealed — and then prayers are accepted without hindrance.

And now the Ramchal explains: the SHECHINA is called ANI [Aleph-Nun-Yud] — she ascends as prayer laden with all the rectifications of those below. If she is accepted — all the luminaries arouse according to the tikkunim prepared within her and she is filled with their bounty. If she is not accepted — it is as Naomi said: "I went out full but G-d returned me empty" [Ruth 1:21].

And the Shechina is called ANI specifically in prayer because: Arikh Anpin and Abba-Imma are called AIN [Aleph-Yud-Nun] — and they are rooted in the three heads of Arikh. For Arikh = the Aleph of AIN (the Aleph of PELI = encompassing all in its unity); Abba = the Yud of AIN (the secret of the river going out from Eden); Imma = the Nun of AIN = the fifty gates of Bina, in the secret of "G-d settles the solitary within a house" — she joins Zu"N together as complete Adam, for the NUN = Adam of Zu"N together. And from these three all things spread — and the Nukva, receiving from all of them, is called ANI = the letters of AIN rearranged — for the Imma-aspect precedes the Abba-aspect in her.

And the end-purpose: ANI returns to AIN. For the Emanator desires the tikkun completed through the merit of those below — and Malchus is prepared to be aroused endlessly to complete all tikkunim needed to reach the end which is AIN. And: "the surplus of man over animal = AIN" [Ecclesiastes 3:19] — for when matters return to AIN, the spreading that gave the Sitra Achra its foothold will no longer exist. And: "He will swallow up death forever" [Isaiah 25:8].

And the KADDISH corresponds to both aspects of the service. For the Shechina is called Ani — and in TITKABAL TZELOATHON ["may their prayers be accepted"] — we pray for the Shechina rising to be received before KADAM AVUHON DE-VISHMAYA — literally "before their Father in heaven" = Abba in the secret of the Tzitz. And then: YEHEI SHLAMA RABBA ["may there be great peace"] — for Yesod of Abba is called SHALOM RAV [great peace] — and from there life flows as the verse says: "wisdom gives life to those who possess it."

And the PRIESTLY BLESSING also corresponds to this: for after the Kohen (who is the man of Chesed) completes all tikkunim above — they must connect below with Israel. And the three blessings are: YEVARECHE"CHA [arouse the blessing reaching Israel]; YA'ER [the luminaries illuminating each in its place]; YISSA [the luminaries moving toward those below]; VEYASEM LECHA SHALOM [their remaining below through the bond of love — the secret of SHALOM]. And correspondingly: TITKABAL = the service/prayer; YEHEI SHLAMA = Birkas Kohanim. And all depends on the Kohen — and the root of all is the Metzach-will of Arikh Anpin.

The Ramchal now explains why Rabbi Shimon asked Rabbi Elazar about the time of the Metzach's revelation — and Rabbi Elazar answered: "at the hour of Mincha of Shabbos." And the truth is that this time is prepared for this by its very nature in the ascents — but it is also a particular connection to prayer, which is even more apt than the Korban. For prayer is avodah she-baLev [service of the heart].

And the THREE DAILY PRAYERS: SHACHARIT [morning] = the zivug of Yaakov with RACHEL — for that zivug is the primary one and through it comes the primary flow to all worlds. MINCHA [afternoon] = the zivug with LEAH — which is actually for Rachel's sake, for it is the sustaining of Shacharit's tikkun through the six hours of Yitzchak's Gevura. MA'ARIV [evening] = Yaakov in a further dimension. For: the essential goal of Ze'ir Anpin is always Rachel, but from that intention other zivugim emerge — sometimes Leah, in all their particular aspects. And: "and Leah went out toward him" [Genesis 30:16] — Leah always goes out toward Yaakov, for Yaakov's intention is toward Rachel, yet from that intention Leah's zivug arises and presents itself — like Rivka who was given to Yitzchak.

And the secret of the SUN: the sun has an INNER DIMENSION [penimiyus] and an outer dimension. The inner dimension emerges from the windows of the firmament at the East point, clothing itself in the outer sun, and illuminates all day until the West. And the inner is what is truly called CHAMAH and SHEMESH — for all names of the sun point primarily to the inner. And the outer sun travels its circuit but the power of the inner is the governance. And this is what the Sages meant by their statements about the sun that do not accord with what the eye sees — they were speaking of this inner dimension.

And the NORTH SIDE IS OPEN [tzafon paru'a] — for the Gevura above has not been fully rectified. And correspondingly below, the north has a habitation for demons and a place of the klippos — for the inner sun does not extend its light there but only borders it from outside. When the inner sun reaches the northwest corner it removes itself — accompanying the outer sun in its circuit but not vesting within it, illuminating only from afar — until it returns to the eastern point and vests again.

And the six HOURS OF CHESED [from sunrise to noon] = the zivug with Rachel = the primary flow. And the six HOURS OF GEVURA [from noon to sunset] = Yitzchak going out to the field — the MINCHA prayer — sustaining and establishing the tikkun of Shacharit by subduing the Sitra Achra. For once the sun completes its chesed-operations, the Sitra Achra has permission to spread — and the six hours of Gevura are needed to subdue it and maintain all that was established in the morning. This is: "and Yitzchak went out to meditate in the field toward evening" — his Gevura's power going out to dig the wells, to maintain the channels against the Philistines who stop them. And the MINCHA prayer tikkuns the leftward chamber of the Heart.

And the HEART = NUKVA in the aspect of governing all worlds — for in this aspect the heart was given to Adam, and the heart understands and feels. And all the acts of all the worlds reach the Nukva for she is affected by those below. And all human hearts are portions of this Heart — for all souls are rooted in the Nukva. And they are her MA"N [feminine waters] — for she is not called complete unless she comes with all her branches included. And then: "He Who fashions their hearts together, Who understands all their deeds" [Psalms 33:15].

And the HEART has TWO CHAMBERS [trei batei liva] — and in them dwell the YETZER TOV and YETZER HARA [good and evil inclinations] (Berachos 61a). For governance must be through right and left. And the Heart's secret: LAMED-BES HVYH [32 HVYH's] and LAMED-BES ELOHIM [32 ELOHIM's]. The governance of Chesed is in the 32 HVYH's; the governance of Din is in the 32 ELOHIM's. And correspondingly in a person: a wise heart and a foolish heart — the two chambers with Yetzer Tov and Yetzer Hara. When a person strengthens the foolish heart [left/Sitra Achra], the 32 ELOHIM above are aroused and the governance becomes din. And: "and He was grieved to His heart" — this is when the Sitra Achra seizes the gevuros in accusation — this is the grief. And: "G-d said to His heart" — when the left is governed from above.

And PRAYER = service of the heart. For even the Korban reaches the Heart — "G-d smelled the pleasing aroma and G-d said to His heart" — for the Korban is the bringing of branches to their root which is this Heart. And the limbs bring the blood to the heart. When the branches reach the Heart, through the tikkunim they perform, it is left in its tikkun to distribute its understanding to all sides for good. But the FIRST operation of the Korban is the bringing-near [haktarah] — and from this follows the tikkun of the Heart.

But PRAYER is more direct to the Heart — it reaches it first to prepare it to understand all the limbs properly. For the root of the tikkun: this Heart in all its aspects — both right and left — must cleave to HVYH = Ze'ir Anpin and be encompassed in him — and then the Sitra Achra has no dominion at all. For: "with all your heart — with your two inclinations" (Berachos 54a). When a person turns toward the Sitra Achra — the serpent draws the heart's left side toward it — and so causes above that the serpent seizes in the left chamber. And the tikkun: the Heart taken from Ze'ir Anpin — then all that emerges from his Mouth is only good.

And now the Eliyahu episode becomes clear: at the time of Baal-worship in Israel, the Nukva was back-to-back due to their sins — "You turned their heart backward." The Sitra Achra was dominating. And Eliyahu waited for the MINCHA hour — for that is precisely the time when even the back-to-back aspect is sweetened by the first five of Ze'ir Anpin's aspects [the ChaCha"T of his upper half] — and even in that state the Sitra Achra cannot seize. And: "when the Mincha ascended — and Eliyahu the prophet came forward" [I Kings 18:36]. The Nukva is called MINCHAH for she is literally the gift-offering sent from those below to the King. But Rachel is called MENUCHAH [rest] — for she is the rest of Ze'ir Anpin. In the Temple, the morning was zivug with Rachel and the afternoon with Leah — but Leah's zivug was for Rachel's sake and tikkun.

And on SHABBOS MINCHA: all the weekday times are sweetened within Shabbos. And at the Mincha hour of Shabbos, when the sun descends and the YA"H [the forty-two letters of HVYH] shines — the inner will of Arikh's Metzach is revealed. For on one side the great Din of Ze'ir Anpin's Metzach arises [for it is the time of the six hours of Gevura] — but Shabbos's power sweetens it through the END OF THE WILL — and a great sweetening is given at the moment of the great Din. Therefore the verse is recited: "but as for me — my prayer to You, G-d, is at a time of ratzon" [Psalms 69:14] — to draw the Et Ratzon for all other times from the power established at this Shabbos Mincha.

And: "he who owns the lost object is searching for his loss" (Kiddushin 2a) — this is the secret of the RIB taken from Ze'ir Anpin: Imma took it, and then it was LOST from Ze'ir Anpin — and this is the secret of: "G-d built the rib". For all matters of the Nukva being "not found" derive from this root — Imma concealing her light from the world when there is accusation.

For all the luminaries needed for governance are arranged in sequence. The arousal from below travels from luminary to luminary until it reaches the place it has power to reach. But sometimes one luminary is NOT FOUND — for Imma, who is the root of governance, strengthens her power over one of the luminaries and gathers its dominion to herself. When she takes that luminary itself, or part of its power, then the arousal from below cannot reach it at all. And: "the faithfulness has perished" = the Shechinah; "the righteous has perished" = Yesod [the Tzadik]. These are "lost" — and: "truly You are a G-d Who hides Himself" [Isaiah 45:15] — for Imma conceals Ze'ir Anpin too, so prayers cannot arouse him to redeem.

And the FURNACE AND TORCH [tanurah ve-lapid esh] that passed between the pieces [Genesis 15:17] — for even within the Sitra Achra a certain power flows from the holiness to subdue the impurity. And this flows from the THREE FIRST KINGS who were rectified at the beginning of the beard — BELA, YOVAV, and CHUSHAM — who are Da'as, Chesed, and Gevura. For their dross is the Sitra Achra — but from these of the holiness, a powerful gevura flows and passes through the Sitra Achra, subduing it. And the FURNACE is one thing and the KIRAYIM is another — for Chesed-Gevura join as one. And: "on that day G-d made a covenant with Avram" — the Bris is the inner revelation in the Nukva of this power subduing the Sitra Achra from within.

And from the passing of the flow from the head to the face, beyond YIR'AH [awe], BUSHAH [shame] is also born — for shame is the weakening of the soul before something more precious than itself. In all holy beings there is shame before the Shechina — the angels upon receiving are ashamed and hide their faces. For they recognize the majesty of their Master and see themselves as a candle before the sun [ke-sharaga be-tihara]. And this recognition — flowing from the KETER — the Sitra Achra does not have. For its Keter is not revealed over it, and therefore they remain bold-faced [azei panim] — for awe and shame are lacking in them from the absence of Keter's dominion. This is: "malkhuta bela taga" [kingdom without a crown] (Sanhedrin 105a). And: "be-ikvos Meshicha chutzpa yisga" — in the footsteps of Mashiach, brazenness will increase — for then the light of Keter was meant to be hidden, and the Metzach of din would be exposed, giving the Sitra Achra a degree of governance in its brazenness.

And the COVERING OF THE HEAD: the body must be covered except for the face and hands and feet — for garments are made to hide the body since the illumination is not to be revealed outwardly. But the places set to flow toward those below — the FACE — must be revealed: "may G-d make His face shine toward you." But the HEAD must be covered, for there vest the great luminaries descending from above — and by covering the head one covers that great illumination, as befits the honor of what dwells there.

And know: in every PARTZUF, the AYN SOF strengthens in its KETER — and from there the partzuf spreads. This is the secret of the measuring-cord [kav ha-midah] with its three knots — the knot of Keter, the knot of Tiferes, and the knot of Malchus — the three knots of the lulav. At the beginning of spreading, there the Ayn Sof strengthens — and this is precisely the Keter — and then the rest of the spreading is made. And at the METZACH, the will of the tzimtzum immediately reveals itself as the MIDDLE OF THE WILL, and through this all the buildings of the partzuf stand.

And the Idra says: "from this Metzach below illuminate 400 courts of judgment." For the name ELOHIM is the secret of FIFTY GATES OF BINA. And the fifty gates have two aspects: the FORTY-NINE lower gates, and the FIFTIETH gate = the Keter of all forty-nine. Together they are 99. And the name ELOHIM divides: ALEH [= the forty-nine] and MI [= the fiftieth gate — the secret of ten AHYAH = forty letters plus ten AHYAH themselves = fifty]. And the forty-nine gates = FORTY-NINE FACES PURE AND FORTY-NINE FACES IMPURE [Yerushalmi Sanhedrin] — the secret of merit and liability. But all return to and are included in the fiftieth gate — where chesed and din join and make the tikkun from both together. And this is: "G-d stands in the divine assembly, He judges in the midst of judges" [Psalms 82:1].

And the FOUR TYPES OF COURTS: Sanhedrin Gedolah of 71, Sanhedrin Ketanah of 23, Beis Din of 3, and Yachid Mumcheh — together = 98. And their secret: 98 = 2 × 49 — the forty-nine faces pure and forty-nine faces impure — the secret of the ALEH of ELOHIM. And this is the secret of the 98 REBUKES [tochechos] in the Torah [Deuteronomy 28]. And the YAM of ELOHIM = the fiftieth gate gathering all 98 and returning them to 400 = 10 × 40.

And: "Abraham rose early in the morning" — this BOKER [morning] sweetens the 320 dins [shin-chaf]. For Abraham = 248 = chesed = Ayin-Beis — and chesed = EL — and: "chesed of Abraham" [Micha 7:20]. And 248 + 72 = 320 = the sweetening of the 320 dins. And OR [light] = EL + AHYAH — for EL full-spelled [Alef-Lamed-Peh, Lamed-Mem-Dalet] with the number of AHYAH [21] = 207 = OR. And BOKER itself: OR [207] + three Yuds [from AHYAH di-Yudin] = 210 = BOKER [Beis-Kuf-Resh] — and this is: "when the morning stars sang together" [Job 38:7]. And: "Abraham ran to the cattle, and he took a young calf, tender [rach] and good" [Genesis 18:7] — for RACH = 220 = the spreading of the sweetened chesed, and the young calf [ben bakar] is given to the servant [na'ar] — gematria of SHIN-CHAF — to sweeten those 320.

And the DECREE PROCESS: first the decrees are determined in the courts of judgment. Then the decree flows from Yesod to Malchus — this is called WRITING IN THE BOOK, for the Nukva is the book; what is inscribed in her from the upper luminaries is what is then effected in the lower world. After this is the SEAL [chotam]: Imma is the master of judgment — "for G-d is the Judge" — and an illumination must reach from Imma to Yesod of Nukva as a seal — which is the three AHYAH: Yodin, HaHin, and Alfin = 161 + 151 + 143 = CHOTAM [seal] as is known. And then the matter is established to be enacted. But after this there must be the DELIVERING OF THE NOTES [patkei] — for the decree is a flow of energy vested in angels. And until the patkei are delivered it is easy to reverse the decree — for the luminaries are still in ratzo ve-shov and can quickly shift. But once the energy has gone out from the luminaries to the separated beings [angels], then reversal requires the power of AIN swallowing the matter in its root — and this is very difficult.

But in the REVELATION OF THE WILL: then the Din SITS IN ITS PLACE ["dina yativ"] — it does not spread outward. For when the end-will is revealed, the din returns to sit in the very level where it was primordially placed — without any spreading. Even if the process had begun and the decree-drop was about to descend — it returns to its place and is absorbed there. And this is why: "SHEI'RA LA KAIM BE-HAI ATAR" — no hair stands in this place of the Metzach — for all other sweetening from Arikh to Ze'ir comes through gradations, each level sweetening what corresponds to it. But THIS REVELATION of the will removes dins entirely — even reversing decrees already in motion. Such complete revelation requires no measure or limit whatsoever — and the hairs are what measure the illumination. Therefore where such immeasurable total revelation shines, there can be no hair at all.

And: "from this Metzach spread 270,000 lights." For there are THREE EXISTENCES of the luminaries: (1) their existence from their own side — an incomprehensible and unknowable essence — not perceived by any seer at all. This is called EDEN — "eye has not seen, O G-d, except You" [Isaiah 64:3]. (2) As they are perceived by the seer's eye — the seeing is not of the essence but of how the luminaries present themselves to the perceiving eye. This is called NAHAR [river] — and: "G-d informs the righteous of the secret of the Nahar." (3) Vested in angels — "My Name is within him" — and this is called GAN [garden]. And: EDEN and GAN are the two extremes; NAHAR is only the continuation flowing from Eden to Gan. And: the soul in this world is in GAN [in the secret of Malchus = deed = time of commandments]. After leaving this world it is in NAHAR [in ZA = Torah study]. And the ultimate pleasure is EDEN.

And the 270,000 = 10 × 27 — the TWENTY-SEVEN LETTERS = the secret of the pure oil [shemen zach], the secret of EDEN — emerging from concealed Chochma. And this flows through the will to MAZAL NOTZER, then to ABBA — and from there reaches the Eden of Ze'ir Anpin, which is the Eden revealed now not permanently. And: "G-d understood His way and He knows its place" [Job 28:23] — ELOHIM understood the PATH = the spreading to Nahar and Gan; HE KNEW ITS PLACE = the upper Eden sealed in the Kruma — known only to Atik Yomin. And the THIRTY-TWO ELOHIM in Bereishis = the 32 paths of Chochma vested in Bina = Nahar and Gan. For HVYH is vocalized with the vowels of ELOHIM in Bina — and then emerge the 32 ELOHIM. In the secret of ELOHIM they are the fifty gates of Bina; in the secret of 32 they are the 32 paths of Chochma vested in Bina — therefore: "He UNDERSTOOD its way" [with Bina]. And "He KNOWS its place" = Atik Yomin in the secret of Leah as written above.

Chapter 7 of Adir BaMurom is the longest and most profound chapter in the entire work — the Ramchal's masterpiece: a complete systematic exposition of the second half of the Idra Rabba, from the continuation of the Eye of Arikh Anpin through the final closing of the Idra. It spans pages 116–488 of the printed text (373 pages) and covers seven major thematic arcs:

I. THE EYE OF ARIKH ANPIN (§§1–11b, pp. 116–340). The five senses as breaking-through points of light; the Reshimu as vessel and the Kav as light; the three white hues [chivorin]; how ZA's eye has no illumination except from AA's; the Mikveh's three aspects [40 Se'ah / 9 Kabin / 3 Lugin] as the sweetening of the Eye's Gevuros; wine becoming water; chachlili einayim mi-yayin; the double bonding of ZA with AA drawing Imma's milk to wash ZA's eyes; the third white hue sending illumination downward to all six extremities; tov ayin hu yivorach — the blessing going out from the goodly eye; yiras ha-romemus vs. yiras ha-onesh; hineh lo yanum ve-lo yishan shomer Yisroel — 60 letters of Birkas Kohanim as the protection of the All.

II. THE NAME OF ATIK AND THE GREAT TEACHING ON CREATION (§§12–12b, pp. 341–397). The Name of Atik Yomin is hidden throughout Torah except at the Akeidah, where bi nishba'ti ne'um Hashem reveals that Atik IS the inner secret of HVYH itself; the complete teaching on the Tzimtzum and the Kav; Torah preceded the world by 2000 years [= the YH before the VH]; the world first created with Din then with Rachamim; BEREISHIS = Torah; the Patriarchs as cosmic forces [Avraham = Kav = 248 = Chesed; Yitzchak = Reshimu rectified; Yaakov = lights breaking through]; Esav and Yishmael; Moshe = Shem MaH; the 70 nations from the Nikkudos; Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben Dovid; NACHASH = MASHIACH in gematria — Mashiach binds the klippos as head controls tail; the Nose of Arikh Anpin as Malchus of the head-tikkunim; the two breaths: one for ZA now, one reserved for Mashiach; the four lights of the Nose flaring into the Great Sea [Dikna]; the Four Kingdoms of Daniel [Bavel/Paras-Madai/Yavan/Edom]; Atik Yomin sitting on the Dikna of Arikh — "when Atik sits upon it, it is subdued; the one who rides controls."

III. THE RUACH OF MASHIACH, FREE CHOICE, AND THE SIN OF ADAM (§13, pp. 398–440). The Ruach of Mashiach was created before the world and all human tikkunim depend on it; everything Mashiach will do — Adam HaRishon could have done on the day he was created; his sin only lengthened the time; the two trees = two paths to the same ultimate point; the Tree of Life = immediate direct path; the Tree of Knowledge = the long path of exile and tikkun; the secret of Free Choice — G-d is the ultimate good and even evil must return to good; judgment by free choice enables this without coercion [= the shame of "bread not one's own"]; ROSH and SOFA [beginning and end] — the Unity of the Emitter is equally present in both; 7th millennium = revelation of Sofa; 8th millennium = equalization of Rosh and Sofa = "Hashem Echad u-Shemo Echad"; the Tzimtzum at the center of all infinite light — when its opposite [evil] is revealed as identical to the Blessed One, His unity is clarified completely; SHEM and KINUY: ELOHIM is the cognomen concealing HVYH — all evil is only a concealment that hides the inner good; nine Heichalos; the Pargod between Keter and Chochma; Gan Eden's plants = 613 commandments.

IV. THE PARGOD, THE NINE HEICHALOS, AND THE 42 PAIRINGS (§13b, pp. 441–460). The Pargod [brain membrane] is born from Chochma's pursuit of Keter — it is the root of all screens between all levels; its shape = the letter Aleph [two Yuds facing a Resh]; nine Heichalos as root of Atzilus; three illumination levels [Keter = sealed Kamatz; Chochma = Patzach = opened; Bina = the Mouth/Peh]; mati ve-lo mati — in the reaching aspect things are known; in the not-reaching aspect all gathers in Unity; the 42 pairings through the seven Heichalos of BIY"A; the Korbanos ascending from below, connecting Kavod to Atzilus and Atzilus to Ayn Sof.

V. THE EIGHT EDOMITE KINGS (§13b cont., pp. 460–488). Each of the eight Malchin Kadma'in [primordial kings] in Bereishis 36 corresponds to a stage in the world's governance: BELA = the sealed mouth of Bina / chesron ha-da'as / reward and punishment; YOVAV = the trembling voices [ro'esh] / Shevarim-Teruah / all worldly hardship; CHUSHAM = the senses / 2000 years of Tohu / materialist blindness to Providence; HADAD = Tiferes breaking / the domain of SA's unchecked power / ultimately destroyed; SAMLAH from MASREKAH = the nations as fallen garments of Jewish souls / Mashiach as the folding Vav completing for the later generations / Chirik→Shuruk→Cholam at redemption; SHAUL from RECHOVOS HA-NAHAR = Yesod / Torah-joy through revelation to others / David inheriting and completing this; BAAL-CHANAN = times of expansiveness vs. sealing of lights / the tzaddik-mouse and the evil-mouse; HADAR = the general tikkun of all the Breaking / ZU"N united / TZEDEK + YaK = HADAR / Ruach HaKodesh from Malchus — the final governance.

VI. SOULS, GARMENTS, AND MASHIACH'S FOLDING (§§13b–14). Before Adam's sin, all souls were to be Israel and the nations only their outer garments; after the sin the garments fell; Mashiach stands at the "fold" between the earlier and later generations, completing for those who could not complete for themselves; the Tzaddik = Yesod = the giver to the Nukva; Torah-joy = the flaming of the 231 gates when Torah is revealed to others; Yerushalayim = City of Tzedek; Tzedek + YaK = Hadar = the final king = the final tikkun.

VII. THE METAPHYSICS OF THE EMITTER (§§13–13b). Woven throughout the chapter's final arc: the Keter is the first emanation and may not be investigated [only from Chochma downward]; the sefirot are the Emitter's attributes as they relate to those below; there are nine upper Heichalos and seven lower Heichalos; the ultimate reward of souls is endless new comprehension of the Infinite; the blessed Emitter desired that even the evil of exile shall be revealed as good — so that in the end not merely "the illness passed" but the illness itself is transformed into the healing.

1 The Pargod as the membrane of the brain: see Zohar Bereishis 15a; and see Eitz Chaim, Sha'ar ha-Tzimtzum.

2 On the nine Heichalos as root of Atzilus: see Zohar Pekudei 259b; and Kla"ch Petach 136.

3 On Mati ve-lo mati: see Kla"ch Pataich 93–94; Pischei Chochma ve-Da'as §9 (Sha'arei Ramchal p. 144).

4 On the 42 Zivugim = the seven Names in the Heichalos with 42 letters: see Kitzur ha-Kavanos p. 162; and Sha'ar ha-Zivugim.

5 On Bereishis = Bra Shis: Zohar Bereishis 3b. On the seven Voices: Zohar 2:25b (parashas Va'era).

6 On the Eight Edomite Kings = eight stages of Breaking and Tikkun: see Eitz Chaim, Sha'ar ha-Shvirah; and Maamar Sod ha-Yichud (Ginzei Ramchal p. 270).

7 On the Vavs = garments of AK contracting to threads: see Eitz Chaim, Sha'ar ha-Klalim §3; and Kla"ch Petach 29 (p. 87).

8 On Mashiach as the folding Vav: see Da'as Tevunos Part 2 (Ginzei Ramchal p. 48); Maamar Sod Demut ha-Adam (Ginzei Ramchal p. 263).

9 On the Simchas Torah = flaming of the 231 gates: see Tamid 32b; and Kla"ch Petach 52.

10 On Tzedek + YaK = Hadar: Sha'arei Ramchal p. 386. And see Kla"ch Petach 58 on Malchus as Yesod.