Ginzay Ramchal — Section 10: Ma'amar Vayhi Miketz

The Ma'amar Vayhi Miketz itself, on the opening of Parshas Miketz ("And it was, at the end of two years of days, and Pharaoh was dreaming"). The Ramchal opens with the grammatical distinction between *cholem* (present participle) and *chalam* (past tense), using it to unfold two distinct modes of mochin — a hidden mode and a revealed mode — mapped to two bechinos of Divine governance.

The Zohar discourse — Vayhi Miketz [spoken by the elder Avraham the pious]: "Rabbi, Rabbi — 'And it came to pass at the end of two years of days — and Pharaoh was dreaming.' It does not write Pharaoh dreamed — or and he dreamed — but: and Pharaoh dreaming [choleim]. Why? — for here there are deep and hidden supernal secrets in the ways of the holy King — secret and concealed ways from human beings — who do not look and do not know in the light of the glory of their Master. For the forces of the other side darkened their eyes — and they think to walk in its ways — but these are not its ways — as it is written: 'For the ways of Hashem are straight' etc. [Hoshea 14:10]." He opened and said: Master of all worlds — One — there is none like You — for You created the world in Your holy Name. And in Your holy Name You guide it — to sustain it according to Your will. And the Torah in this holy Name You gave to Israel Your people with love — for You loved them — to bind them to You in the bond of faith — that they never separate for all time. May it be Your will to arouse upon them now with this love — in the holy unity — to give me strength — to arouse love between You and Israel Your holy people. And from the darkness light will illuminate — and pleasure and ease before You — and may Your Name be blessed for ever and for all eternity. He opened and said [Shir ha-Shirim 8:6]: "Set me as a seal upon your heart" — behold the deepest secrets for the wise of heart — to look and to know the hidden ways of the King. It is written [Iyov 37:12]: "And it turns in its revolutions by His counsels" etc. — revolving specifically — for within the secrets of the levels the ways of the King are separated one from another — paths from within paths — which rise to many sides — changing these from those — a level going forth from a level — all arranged in arrangement — to go against that impure forces of the other side — as it is said [Shmuel II 22:27]: "And with the crooked You show Yourself crooked." Therefore: "And it turns in its revolutions by His counsels" — revolving specifically. See how deep are the secrets of the holy King — within the innermost — a bond is bound — the bond of faith in that middle pillar — there the levels combine in one combination. One supernal Aleph binds a hidden bond within — and there things are arranged in a hidden measure — to stand on their clarity in the world on the holy side — and the levels are separated to other sides in another measure — that appears fitting to go against that crooked impurity — in order to subdue it. And the entire world in this bond is literally signed and sealed. From there onward in the revealed — things are arranged in another measure — this secret is: truth — the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, is truth — this is the seal with which all creatures are sealed. Since they were sealed in this — things are separated to their ways. Therefore: all worlds are guided thus — the secret of hidden and revealed. Here it is written: "For the ways of Hashem are straight" etc. — straight indeed — from the side of this truth. But the revealed governance is what is known to all — and there things appear without order — but in chaos — the matter of "vanity of vanities" that Koheles said — and therefore: "transgressors stumble in them."

See — Israel here are bound in this bond indeed — and because of it it is said of them: "Israel is one nation" — for here the unity stands to be recognized: "Hear O Israel — Hashem our G-d — Hashem is One." ה׳ — this is the Jubilee — Elokeinu — this is the middle pillar — ה׳ — this is the Shechinah. The middle pillar — the central bolt fastening from end to end — supernal end — lower end. And if you ask: why above and below is הוי״ה — and in the middle is Elokim? Rather — all is a supernal secret — it is the bond of unity that is bound in its levels — הוי״ה stands in the middle — above and below: Elokim. When the levels combine in complete unity — הוי״ה spreads above and below — Elokim stands in the middle — they all combine in one combination. The secret of all: Hashem-Elokim — the complete Name [Bereishis 2:7]: "And Hashem G-d formed the man." And the entire world in this likeness: "G-d made man upright" — and afterward: "and they sought many calculations." And of Israel it is said [Yirmiyahu 2:21]: "And I planted you a noble vine" etc. See — the Vav is bound in three vowel-points: cholam above — chirik below — shurek in the middle. Cholam — it is the crown upon the head of the King. Chirik below — the Shechinah is the throne beneath Him. Shurek in the middle — its secret indeed. There Israel are rooted — and it is said of them [Michah 7:20]: "You will give truth to Yaakov." Therefore: "I planted you a noble vine" — this is the shurek — "an entirely pure seed of truth." And see — the Shechinah from its own side is the flaming turning sword [lahat ha-cherev ha-mithapechet]. But from the side of its being included in Him in the King — it is said of it: "Set me as a seal upon your heart" — this is the seal said of — bound in the heart of the King. About this secret it is written [Yeshayah 55:9]: "For the heavens are higher than the earth" etc. — the Shechinah in its secret is the earth — and there is the flaming turning sword. But from the side of its being included in Him in the King in that bond we mentioned — in the heavens it is — there things are hidden — the revealed below are arranged in the arrangement fitting to them. Therefore: "For the heavens are higher" indeed.

It is found: all in two sides. A bond is bound within — there is the hidden of all levels. They are separated outward — in changed ways — to go against that crooked one — to subdue it. And from the time the Mixed Multitude made that calf — a wicked mixing of impurity was mixed within Israel — and because of it — no light illuminates for Israel — without there being an accusation against it. But what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? Within the hidden of the bond — things are arranged. Between one thing and another — outwardly different revolutions revolve — for the forces of the other side stand with a strong accusation to confuse things. But in the inner hidden — things stand in their place. At the end of all — all those deep and hidden revolutions that were hidden within are revealed — and it will be known that all goes forth from that secret — even though they appeared in another way. See — so now — behold the Holy One, blessed be He, desired with you to illuminate a supernal light near you. But even so — from within the hidden of the bond — things come. And afterward they revolve in many different revolutions. May it be on account of them — the forces of the other side stand with a strong accusation — and shook the world — and darkened the eyes of many sages from seeing. And the Holy One, blessed be He, above arranged things within — until the time arrives and they are revealed. Then [Yeshayah 40:5]: "And the glory of Hashem shall be revealed" — and all those revolutions of things will be recognized — that all of them: the holy King desired to set everything on its clarity. And in the time to come likewise — "and the glory of Hashem shall be revealed — and all flesh shall see it together" etc. — for now in the exile the Holy One, blessed be He, arranges things within that hidden — and the exile turns in its revolutions. When the exile is completed — "and the glory of Hashem shall be revealed." Then all will know: "for the mouth of Hashem has spoken" from before. And all the revolutions of the exile are for the rectification of Israel — and they were needed. And from that hidden arrangement — each one went forth to their sides. About this secret: "And it came to pass at the end of two years of days — and Pharaoh was dreaming." See — this dream — is the secret of the Shechinah in her governance taking dominion over Egypt — to prepare the exile and the redemption for Israel. And this secret: "the seven cows" — but this matter appeared two years before — only the forces of the other side drew out the matter for all those two years — and between one and another the Holy One, blessed be He, was arranging things above in this hidden of His. When the two years were completed — the matter that was prepared from before was revealed — and Pharaoh appeared dreaming a dream — which showed this dominion that the Shechinah took — as I said. And see — in this bond — the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel are indeed bound — as it is written [Shir ha-Shirim 8:6]: "For love is as strong as death" etc. A hidden and concealed secret — which I now reveal to arouse this love as fitting. Happy is the portion of Israel in this world and in the world to come.