Ginzay Ramchal — Section 11: The Ramchal's Commentary on Ma'amar Vayhi Miketz

The Ramchal's own commentary on his Vayhi Miketz discourse. He unpacks the grammatical variation "U'Pharaoh cholem" (dreaming) rather than "U'Pharaoh chalam" (dreamed) and sets two kabbalistic foundations for reading every subsequent detail: the state of mochin before manifestation, and the shift when they emerge into revelation.

The Ramchal's Commentary on the Ma'amar Vayhi Miketz

The precision on the verse is explained — on his saying "and Pharaoh dreaming" and not "and Pharaoh dreamed." And to answer truthfully — broad and correct introductions were prefaced — and this is their matter:

There are two aspects by which the supernal lights are examined — namely: the Partzufim and the Sefirot — which the Emanator prepared for the governance of His world. The first — the lights themselves in all their particulars — and the second — their varied combinations. For all the operations needed for the worlds — are rooted in the particular combinations. Behold — the general governance in Ze'ir Anpin — they are Zu"N. And matters are drawn through unions — which is the agreement of the right and left — the two heads of governance as is known. But according to the light dominating the union — that union will be. And according to its particular combination illuminating in that union — the operation will be drawn from there. And according to this matter — from one light alone — different operations will be drawn according to its combinations. And behold — for the matter of the general governance — two sources are found: the first — a hidden source — and the second — a revealed source. The hidden one is one bond in a particular combination — called the seal of truth — and it is in the middle of the Tiferes of Ze'ir Anpin — a source where the upper and lower combine — Aba v'Ima and Zu"N — for the Yesod of Imma is completed in the middle of this Tiferes — and there is the beginning of Rachel the Nukva of Ze'ir Anpin — and the Tiferes itself in its middle. And this is the source of the inner governance — for all things together are revolving and arranged as one — for such is the order of governance: from Imma to Ze'ir Anpin — and from Ze'ir Anpin to the Nukva. And the revealed source — is the rest of the Sefirot in their place. And the secret of this matter — for the inner intention is not revealed in the act of Hashem — and this is because of the forces of the other side. For after Adam sinned — and caused it to spread in the world — the inner intention must be concealed and hidden. And the truth is: the governance is not now as it would have been if Adam had not sinned — rather it is in another way — in the secret of: "and with the crooked You show Yourself crooked" — for matters go in many concealed revolutions — changing from deed to deed — until the final purpose — and all because of the forces of the other side — to walk against its accusations. But the straight governance is not thereby prevented — rather it is concealed — and it emerges from this particular combination that is in the Tiferes of Ze'ir Anpin as mentioned. And what is decreed from there — goes forth afterward according to the revealed governance — which turns in its devices — going forth from the rest of the Sefirot — for this is the entire matter of the combination of the Sefirot and their compounding — to bring forth from them offspring in governance according to the need.

And behold — all the creatures of the worlds — existence was also given to them from this root — and then it is called that they are sealed in this seal of truth. And afterward — existence was given to them according to the revealed governance — for all must be thus: hidden and revealed. And about this secret it is written: "G-d made man upright" — for so he was created — and such is how the governance upon him needed to be in uprightness — without turning in revolutions. But after he sinned — he did not stand in this — rather another governance [manuscript correction: was conducted] upon him — and this is the secret of "the flaming turning sword" — turning from level to level — which is the revealed governance. For this is like the matter of the wheels encountering each other — and the movement of one moves the second — and so all — until the operation emerges to the deed. About this it is written: "For the ways of Hashem are straight" — from the side of this truth — but the revealed governance is what is known to all — and there things appear without order — which is the matter of "vanity of vanities" that Koheles said. And behold — the root of Israel is in the secret of this bond — for they are rooted in the inner of governance. Here is the foundation upon which all the discourse is based — and the rest I believe is understood.