Yichud HaYeeruh - Part 2B: Chain of Descent and Commentary

Yichud HaYeeruh

The Unification of Awe

Segment 3 of 4 · The Chain-Descent · The Fruits of Awe · Commentary on the Zohar

Segment 3 · PDF pages 318–325a · ~2,129 source words

The Order of the Chain-Descent and Extension of Matters from Atik to Nukva

I will now complete the elucidation of the order of all these matters — how they chain-descend and extend — and afterwards I will explain the effect and the consequence of each. Behold:

The lights of Atik — you have already heard that their secret is אהיה אשר אהיה, and from their striking emerge the four letters of אדנ"י etc. Afterwards, in Chochma Stima'ah [Concealed Wisdom], the lights of Awe and Wisdom blaze as described above, and one existence is emanated whose secret is Da'as [Knowledge] — and this is the clear Knowledge [yedi'ah brurah]. And this is the secret of the Da'as that is emanated from Wisdom — from the two dimensions within it that correspond to the ו"ב [Vov and Beis = Ze'ir Anpin and Binah]. Yet despite this, everything is Wisdom — only that it is in the secret of: Wisdom = mind [moach], Binah = heart [leiv], as is expounded elsewhere.1 And truly, two matters are now bound together: the matter of what Atik does, and the matter of the Tishach [920] of Yesod as above. Then the Name יהו"ה Baruch Hu that stands in Tif'eres is aroused — because of the connection that exists between Chochma Stima'ah and Tif'eres, as is known. And in its awakening it blazes upward from below — and it truly encompasses within itself all the Knowledge-states in the secret of the four letters of יהו"ה Baruch Hu, which are the totality of all Wisdom, as is known. And then it binds all four Words that are above — from below to above — namely: אהיה אשר אהיה אדנ"י are included within it.

And you must know: "Asher" [which stands in the middle] exists to include אדנ"י between the two אהיה — and it is the secret of Awe of Punishment included within Awe of Sublimity. For even from punishment one must fear — not on account of one's own suffering, but on account of the blemish [pegam]: that the Supernal Lights would need to darken and the Sitra Achra to be given dominion — which the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu certainly does not desire, for He desires nothing but good. And the binding of these Words together — its secret is Awe, and they are the binding of all the Extremities [ktzavos]:

The י of אדנ"י

The ר of אשר

The א of [the first] אהיה

The ה of [the second] אהיה

— in this form, for this is the order of their illumination:

The four extremity-letters in order of illumination: י (of אדנ"י) · ר (of אשר) · א (of [1st] אהיה) · ה (of [2nd] אהיה) And the extremities are found bound together, and everything becomes a single union — and everything returns and is bound in the first אהיה. And the secret of this: the two אהיה interlock with each other, and the second אהיה takes precedence [by acting first] — in the secret of "a woman who emits seed first" [Niddah 31a] — so that the first אהיה shall reign. And [the combined form] becomes אאההייה"ה — and the final ה is found to be the last of the first [אהיה], and therefore it comes last.

This is the second appearance of the Seal in the treatise — here in the context of the complete chain-descent. In Segment 1 (step ז of the Yichud), the Seal was introduced as the meditative configuration. Here the Ramchal explains the metaphysical mechanism: the four extremity-letters י-ר-א-ה spell יראה — Awe itself. And when the Name יהו"ה Baruch Hu rises up to receive Awe into itself — then Yiras Hashem [Awe of God] is formed. For the ה [of יראה] is exchanged for a ת because of the semicha [grammatical construct] — to show that it is attached to the Name יהו"ה Baruch Hu. And then the Name יהו"ה Baruch Hu is vowelized as יְהֹוָה — and this is: "to fear the Name, the Glorious" — and this is called Yiras Hashem l'Chaim [Awe of God for Life], for it causes the resting of the Chai HaChaim [Life of Life]. And this is in the secret of Da'ah [intimate knowledge] — and therefore they said: "Whoever lacks Da'as — it is forbidden to have compassion upon him" [Sanhedrin 92a]. And we likewise pray: "and grant us from Yourself Binah and Da'ah and Sechel" [from the weekday Amidah].

The Descent to Nukva — Da'ah Becomes Da'as

Afterwards the matters descend to Nukva [the Feminine]. Behold, from the Name Baruch Hu, all the knowledge-states are arranged there — but from the Awe that we described, two kinds of Awe are formed, each one for itself. And this is the secret that Da'ah [the intimate-knowledge form] becomes Da'as [the knowledge-dispersal form]. And this is the secret of the Names in Nukva: ע"ב ק"ל [72 × 130], ע"ב קד"ם ב"ן [72 before 52] — as is known2 — in the secret of the Gevuros [judgments/powers] of Da'as, and the knowledge-states come through the dimension of re'as [the other face of Da'as], according to Awe.

And within this Da'as there is a Head and a Tail:

The Head is the dimension that proceeds according to the matter of Awe of Sublimity — it descends and creates the Yeshivos [receptacle-seats] we mentioned. It is included in the ד"ע [= Dalet-Ayin] of דעת [Da'as], and these are the 70 sparks included in the four letters of יהו"ה, in the secret: "the secret of God is for those who fear Him" [Tehillim 25:14]. And the Light of Tekheles is formed upon the Yeshivos as above. And this is the secret of the ע"ד of "Shema Yisrael".3 The Tail: the ת of דעת goes outward — and becomes the four capital executions [arba mivos beis din]. And this is the secret of the 400 men of Esav, and the 400 years of Egypt. And behold: stoning, burning, execution, strangulation — their acronym [roshei teivos] equals the numerical value גע"ש [= 373], in the secret of: "the earth shook and trembled [vatigas vatirash]" [Shemu'el II 22:8].

And when they all unite together — a flame is made, in the secret of consuming fire. And this is the meaning of: "a flame shall consume the wicked" [Yeshayahu 47:14] — in the secret of the Name מ"ב [= 42] that burns them.

And within this מ"ב — fifteen letters are in the secret of the Name י"ה that holds the Sitra Achra within its boundary. And the secret of this: "Happy is the man whom You chasten, O God [Yah]" [Tehillim 94:12] — and from this come afflictions of love [yisurim shel ahavah]. And through this [י"ה] the Sitra Achra is also driven away [from those who are worthy]. But all of this [twenty-seven remaining letters] — they give the Sitra Achra the power to perform its actions. And this is the secret of: "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of Yah" [Tehillim 118:17]. And the secret of: "I shall praise Yah among the living [b'am]" [Tehillim 118:18]. And from these [י"ה letters] comes the lashing [malkos], which is in the secret of the Name י"ה, as is known. And therefore all those liable to kores [spiritual excision] who were lashed were exempted from their kores. And likewise: "Once he is lashed he is as your brother" [Makkos 23a].

And understand the two kinds of punishments: death [misah] and lashing [malkos]. The [letters associated with] death are the secret of ת [= 400] — and this is the Evil Awe, the end of the evil [side], as above.

Four letters emerge from striking

Two blazings → one existence

The Seal binds all extremities

Da'ah → Yiras Hashem l'Chaim

Two kinds of Awe separate

The four extremity-letters of the Seal spell יראה — Awe. The entire chain is the kabbalistic mechanism by which the meditation in the Yichud text (steps א–טו) produces its effect.

The Effect of Awe of Sublimity — Revelation of the Secrets of Torah Now up to here was the unfolding of the matters. Now I will explain the effect.

Behold — the Holy Blessed One placed the Sitra Achra to be a shell protecting a fruit [klipah shomeres l'peri]. And this is the meaning of what the Holy Blessed One made — that the world should be chol [secular/ordinary]. And the truth is: there is chol and there is Shabbos — and most of existence is chol. This is because the Holy Blessed One arranged that the governance of the Shechinah should be clothed in Klipas Nogah [the Shell of Radiance] — for one who is not yet worthy to enter into the inner Holiness. And even that Shell does nothing except the work of G-d — to chastise the wicked and bring them to Torah.

But according to Awe, this is how the divine influence flows:

One who fears with Evil Awe — that is, the Shell of Nogah — behold, he is delivered into its hands, like a child delivered into the hands of a maidservant to raise him and straighten his ways. She lashes him as he needs, to improve his deeds. But in exchange for this he has knowledge only in the matters of nature and the vanities of the world, or in external wisdoms — all of which are the path of chol. And so it turns out that even if he is not impure, he is [spiritually] ordinary [chol] — and he cannot receive from the inwardness [of Torah]. — But one who holds to Awe of Sublimity — the Shechinah itself chastises him according to the order of the Yeshivos we described.

And then the inner secrets are revealed to him — those that are revealed according to Awe — in the secret of: "the secret of God is for those who fear Him, and His covenant to make it known to them" [Tehillim 25:14]. And this is the secret of what is said in the Tikkunim: that Torah scholars are in the secret of Shabbos, for they are in the secret of the Shechinah — and not in the secret of Klipas Nogah. And they are in the secret of the Tishach [920] of the Yeshivos, drawing the great knowledge-states from above.

The True Path — and the Practical Meditation

Now — the true path to draw the great lights from above and the deep knowledge-states: it is the path of Awe — that a person sets his mind to contemplate the Sublimity of the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu and to fear Him. And immediately the Shechinah draws him near4 and gives him settlement [yishuv] in the secret of the Yeshivos, as above.

Then [in the meditation] he should intend through the secret of the 902 [תש"ב] [or according to the variant reading: 920 תש"ך] lights of the Tzaddik — to draw to them the lights of the Chai HaChaim of the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu, through the power of the two lights of Atik. And intend within them אהיה אשר אהיה and אדנ"י — those that emerge from the striking — in the secret of Awe. And intend that they blaze in Chochma Stima'ah through the secret of Awe and Wisdom.5 And then the Name יהו"ה Baruch Hu will be aroused with power — and it will draw to itself the four letters of Awe, and make Yiras Hashem [Awe of God]. And there strengthen your intention to hold with power the force of this Name יהו"ה, in the secret of: "I have placed God before me always" [Tehillim 16:8].

And then complete the extension through the secret of Da'as to the Holy Shechinah. And there the essential intention must be to draw through the beginning of Da'as [reishis hada'as], through the secret of the Supernal Yeshivos — and not through the end of Da'as. And then immediately the Chai HaChaim will rest, and great secrets will be revealed to him through the power of this path. And this is the secret of: "Yiras Hashem reishis da'as ikrei" — Awe of God is called the Beginning of Knowledge.

And then the Evil Awe will be trodden under his feet, for he does not fear it. On the contrary — even Awe of Punishment he fears through the path of Awe of Sublimity. And then the vanities of the world shall not dominate him; rather [he will walk] the path of true Knowledge, and he will receive Supernal secrets. And if he accustoms himself to this — he will certainly attain Supernal Wisdom, and the good deeds he does will be very great deeds.

However — he must purify himself from sins. If not so, he may attain the Wisdom, but it can happen to him as it did to Elisha Acher [= Acher], Heaven forbid — like Do'eg and Achitofel, of whom they said: there was a taint [tina] in their hearts. [Sanhedrin 106b] But if he purifies himself — then certainly this is the strongest path to a wondrous rectification.

Commentary on the Zohar Passage — "The First Commandment," etc.

I will now explain the passage briefly.

"Rav" [great] — that there is no measure to His power at all, for He has no boundary like the Sefiros. "V'shalit" [and ruling] — in the secret of the Yichud [Unification] that rules over the Sefiros. And despite this He is the Root of all the worlds — for all the worlds are nothing other than the revelation of what is already perfected as Perfection within the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu.

This is what is expounded in the secret of Knowledge and Choice [yedi'ah u'vechirah]: that all the existence of the worlds is like one who dreams a dream and sees something in imagination — so too, the complete power of the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu in Whom there is no time — appears according to the way of time. And when one wishes to remove this imagination — behold, there is nothing real at all. And the secret of this is: "as a dream upon awakening — You, O Lord, shall despise their image in the city" [Tehillim 73:20] — for the actions of the Sitra Achra are nothing, for this imagination already passes and it is not so — and this is "chala chashivin" [as nothing]. And this is the secret of: "all the nations are as nothing before Him" [Yeshayahu 40:17] — for they exist only in the dimension of this "nothingness."

But truly, Israel are not so — for they are according to the root of the Good: the Goodness of His Blessed Name that is found in actual deed.6

The matter in general — like one who seals a single window with a pane of coloured glass: the sun strikes it according to its own [pure] nature without change — and in the room there appear many kinds of colours and embroideries, coming from the sparks of the sun itself, as if the sun were embroidered that way. But one who is in the room cannot see it any other way; it is impossible to understand that spark in any other manner.

So too the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu acts in the way of His Completeness — and before Him is the screen of the Tzimtzum [masach hatzimtzum], upon which hang all these colours — and they are all the laws of nature from beginning to end. And all these matters are, according to the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu, in an entirely different way — which we cannot understand as they truly are. Only this we know: that all these things that appear to us in existence as being such — their true nature is not this at all, but rather something far more elevated. Only according to the glass sealing the sun — does it appear to us this way.

So too, time [zman] is not something real at all — it is only what we imagine nature to be as it appears to us according to the Tzimtzum. For notice: even within a dream itself, it appears to us that days and years have passed within a single dream, and the dreamer perceives it as actually being so. Exactly so: we in our waking state — in the matters of nature — we estimate what we see and call this estimation "time," as if there could be one hour or one moment — just as the two years of a dream are in truth a single moment. And understand this well.

This is the intention one must intend at the outset — to elevate his thought into the greatness of the Sublimity of His Blessed Name. And this is the secret of: "one does not stand to pray except from a state of gravity of head [koved rosh]" [Berachos 30b] — that one must roam [leshotes] in his thought, to gaze upon His Blessed Sublimity, and from there to come to the intention of Awe in its place among the Sefiros.

Up to here [the Zohar] spoke in general — and afterwards it wished to explain further. Therefore it said: "Vai i eima, vai i lo eima." And it said: "b'asar d'yir'ah kadisha sharei" [in the place where Holy Awe rests] — and did not say: "b'asar d'yir'ah kadisha" [merely: the place of Holy Awe], nor "b'asar d'is yir'ah" [where there is Awe], nor "d'ikrei yir'ah" [called Awe]. Rather it speaks here specifically about the place of revelation — where Awe rests in the secret of the Yeshivos of the Garden of Eden, as mentioned above.

The Land of Israel and the Garden of Eden

And you must know: the Garden of Eden literally illuminates upon Eretz Yisrael [the Land of Israel] — and therefore what is revealed there in the secret of the Yeshivos descends below into Eretz Yisrael. And this is the secret of: "there is no Torah like the Torah of the Land of Israel" [Bereishis Rabbah 16:7]. And this is the secret of: "and the gold of that land is good" [Bereishis 2:12] — everything is in the secret of Awe.

And you have already heard that surrounding the Garden of Eden there is the Evil Awe of punishments — and therefore [the Zohar] said "milra" [from below] and did not say "letata" [downward]. For Eretz Yisrael is called "below" in the straight sense [l'yosher] — but milra means: relative to the external forces. It is below the Garden of Eden — but to their side [the Klipah's side], as above.

"Is yir'ah ra'ah d'lakai u'machei" ["There is an Evil Awe that strikes and smites"] — this is Klipas Nogah, which encompasses all dimensions of punishment, and this is the essence of their action at the outset. For just as the ministering angels were created to bring the action of Chesed [kindness] into deed, so too the Sitra Achra was [created] to bring the action of Gevurah [severity] into deed. And therefore it is the instrument with which the Holy Blessed One punishes — and this is: "d'lakai u'machei" ["it strikes and smites"]. And because these punishments are in the secret of the ת of Da'as — lashing and death — therefore it said: "d'lakai u'machei."

But of itself — because of the evil of its character — it also accuses: meaning, it brings stumbling-blocks to people so they stumble, Heaven forbid. And this is the matter of "the Satan accuses" — and this too flows from its being a servant of judgment. But the primary role is to punish whoever needs it, and the second role flows from its evil disposition — because it emerged from judgment — always seeking to cause to stumble even those it cannot punish, who are not deserving of punishment, but it seeks to bring them to punishment, Heaven forbid.

And at first its secret is Evil Awe — which encompasses all the punishments, but does not itself enact them. Rather in truth it frightens people from the evil stored within it. But the actual enactment of punishment — it does that through the union with the three other hard Kliphos, when it sends them out. For they emerge from it in graduated stages — giving each its action. It includes itself in their particular action as well — and together they are the four judicial executions literally in practice. And then it is called the strap of flogging [retzu'as malkos].

And whoever fears punishment and flogging — he is said to fear the Nogah [the outer Shell] — because he does not fear the deed [itself], only what might happen.

The Two Roads Diverge — Irrevocably

Now we have already said how, as Awe departs from Malchus [Sovereignty], it divides into two paths. And whoever fears the external [side] — this does not awaken at all the entire progression of Awe that we described above, which begins from Atik and reaches Malchus, and from there to the Garden of Eden, called Yiras Hashem l'Chaim. Rather, Evil Awe rests upon him — that is Nogah. But the truth is that in the continuation, the other Kliphos that are governed by it also rest upon him — for it is the first to be awakened, and it receives its strength from that [Evil] Awe. And then it awakens the three other Kliphos with the strength it received — and they rest upon him.

But Yiras Hashem does not rest at all. Lest you think he could somehow rise from there on his own to the inner Awe, or that eventually [the Holy Awe] too would be awakened by the force of that [Evil] Awe — on the contrary: it retreats and goes further away. For they are two completely opposite directions, receding from each other. And therefore [the Zohar] returned and said: "v'lo yiras Hashem."

And note that [the Zohar] mentioned the matters in the reverse order from before. Earlier it said: "is yir'ah ra'ah" [there is Evil Awe], and afterwards "v'ihi retzu'ah" [and it is a strap]. But here it says: "retzu'ah yir'ah ra'ah v'lo yiras Hashem" [a strap of Evil Awe — and not Awe of God]. The secret is this: Holy Awe certainly has its merkavah [chariot-vehicles] — the four holy elements corresponding to the Name יהו"ה Baruch Hu, as is known. And Evil Awe also has its merkavah — and that is the strap as above. And in truth these are the four evil elements that cause all the fear and dread of the wicked. And therefore when a person fears Evil Awe — the awakening reaches Evil Awe, and it spreads out its evil vehicles, and they rest upon the person, with it [Evil Awe] above them. And this is: "strap of Evil Awe" — the evil vehicles, with it upon them.

But do not think that matters will then ascend, so that Yiras Hashem [Holy Awe] rests upon the Evil Awe — like a rider upon his horse. For it is not so. Rather, Yiras Hashem retreats when these rest upon a person — retreat upon retreat. And it is almost more distant from such a person than it would be from someone who had never yet known any form of Awe at all — from whom it could still draw close when he came to know it. But this person has already distanced it completely.

Every Mitzvah Without Awe — and Awe as the Gate

Explanation: that Awe is included here in the dimension of Reishis [Beginning] — in the secret of "the Awe of God is the beginning of Knowledge" — because this is truly the essence of Torah: that there be Awe, and that this be the dimension from which all good deeds ascend all the way to the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu literally. And [the Zohar] said: "da ikara v'yesoda" [this is the root and foundation] — meaning that all the mitzvahs are made to repair the Supernal Luminaries, which are His Blessed Unification [Yichudo]. And this is the secret of: "in all that we call upon Him — and not to His attributes alone" — meaning the intention must always be toward the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu in the dimension of His Unification — to reveal the Yichud upon the attributes, not upon the matter of the attributes alone. Meaning: upon the governance of reward and punishment — for it is not enough that there be good for the good and evil for the evil; rather, every evil must return to good. And this cannot be reached except through the power of the true Awe — Yiras Hashem which is l'Chaim [for life].

And therefore [the Zohar] said "man d'natiyr" [whoever guards] — meaning: in any case, mitzvahs without Awe at all are nothing. For whether it be through inner Awe or through Evil Awe — all [action] is called [service] in [the field of] work, and upon him rests the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven and his deeds function. Only that if it is Evil Awe — he operates only through the attributes — to bring reward and to distance punishment. Even so, he is not wicked and has deeds in his hand. And therefore [the Zohar] returned and said "man d'natiyr" — for beyond this, the principle is: "man d'la natiyr yir'ah la natiyr pkudei d'oraisa" [whoever does not guard Awe does not guard the commandments of Torah] — at all. For there are no commandments upon them at all — for he is completely outside the Supernal Worlds and from action within them.

Gate is the name for that which admits a person — so that his actions make an impression above. And whoever does not enter — his actions are lost as nothing literally. And [the Zohar] said "hei retzu'ah bishta" ["that evil strap"] — meaning: whoever has no Awe at all — the entire evil strap that he did not even fear — shall strike him. All the more so that the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu distances Himself from him — and this is simple. But beyond this he needs the punishment of all the transgressions together — and this is what it concluded: "hai onsha l'man d'yavar al pkudei d'oraisa" — meaning, upon the remaining commandments — each one as befits it. And all of them come upon the one who transgresses Awe.

And [the Zohar] said: "U'vigein kann ksaiv Bereishis bara" etc. — this is certainly Awe. But [the word] Reishis was mentioned specifically, and not another word — to teach us not to make essential [any other Awe] except that Awe which is called Reishis. And this is the meaning of: "u'ksaiv l'vasar yir'ah reishis" ["and it is then written: Awe — which is Reishis"] — for we derive from this: since it mentioned the punishment of each [transgression] individually — this one single [commandment] stands against all. And yet we should not depart from our matter: that [the Zohar] mentioned Awe by the name Reishis, to say that although one cannot say that one who transgresses the inner Awe is liable to all four executions — since he has Awe from some angle — nevertheless, even for such a person this applies: if it is not actual liability, he is close to it. But actual liability — [that] is for whoever has no Awe at all. And for one who lacks the inwardness — there will be what is close to this, but in a different dimension — in the withdrawal of the Light of the Ayn Sof Baruch Hu from him. And this is the matter that [the Zohar] said after elucidating this foundation properly: "mi'kan u'l'hal'ah sh'ar pkudin d'oraisa" ["from here onward, the rest of the commandments of Torah"]. Until here is the commentary on the passage — and understand it well.

And [the Zohar] said: "man d'avar al da" [whoever transgresses this]. Explanation: the Torah places on one side a single commandment, and on the other side the punishment of one who transgresses all the commandments together — to teach us that in truth this one commandment is the foundation of the entire Torah. It is like one who dismantles a building stone by stone one at a time until he dismantles everything — like one who removes the foundation and everything falls. Therefore, whoever transgressed Awe transgresses only one commandment — but the punishment of one who transgresses this is the punishment fitting for one who transgresses all the commandments. Translator's Summary — Segment 3

The Chain-Descent completes the kabbalistic anatomy: the entire process runs from Atik (the two Ehyeh Names striking) through Chochma Stima'ah (Awe and Wisdom blazing → clear Knowledge) through the Seal at Yesod → into Tif'eres of Ze'ir Anpin as "Yiras Hashem l'Chaim" → and finally into Nukva, where Da'ah bifurcates into a Head (the Yeshivos of the Garden of Eden, through which Torah-wisdom flows) and a Tail (the four executions and lashing, through which the evil side operates). The four extremity-letters of the Seal — י-ר-א-ה — spell Awe itself. This is not a cipher but the metaphysical reality: Awe is the binding force that holds all these levels together.

The Effect of Awe gives the practical-theological conclusion: the world is mostly chol (secular), governed by the Shell of Nogah. Those who fear with Evil Awe are delivered into its hands and receive only natural/external knowledge. Those who fear with Awe of Sublimity are directly governed by the Shechinah — placed into the Yeshivos — and the inner secrets of Torah open to them. The meditation of the Yichud text is precisely the mechanism of the latter. The caution about Elisha Acher, Do'eg, and Achitofel is sobering: wisdom can be received by those who lack purity of deed — but it becomes destructive. Purity is essential.

The Commentary on the Zohar Passage is the Ramchal at his sharpest as a commentator. Word by word through the passage: "Rav" = no measure to His power (unlike the Sefiros); "chala chashivin" = the sunlight-through-coloured-glass metaphor of Creation; "u'l'shava'ah re'usei" = the opening of the Yichud meditation itself. The two diverging roads of Awe — Holy Awe and Evil Awe — are shown to be not merely different choices but mutually exclusive metaphysical realities: choosing Evil Awe does not merely delay Holy Awe — it actively repels it. And the final point — that Awe without which all mitzvahs are "nothing" — is not moralistic rhetoric: it is a precise kabbalistic statement. Without entering through the gate of Awe, one's deeds make no impression in the Supernal Worlds at all.

2 See Sha'ar Ruach HaKodesh, Yichud 13.

3 The ע"ד [= 70+4 = 74] of Shema Yisrael refers to the enlarged ע of שמע and the enlarged ד of אחד. These two letters spell עֵד = witness — the Jew declares himself a witness to the Divine Unity. Their gematria (70 + 4 = 74) connects to the 70 lights of the Head of Da'as and the four letters of the Name.

4 See Adir BaMarom, p. 319.

5 Editor's note: the text should read "Awe and Wisdom" [יראה וחכמה] — not "Awe and Love" as two manuscript copies have it. The context (Chochma Stima'ah = Wisdom) demands Wisdom.

6 The editor's footnotes here clarify: "the way of time" does not mean that existence itself is illusory — only that existence appears to us differently from how it appears in the Ayn Sof. The nations of the world emerge from the "way of time" dimension (the "chala chashivin"). Israel emerges from the action of the Divine Goodness that operates within creation (the "line" of the Kav) — and therefore about the nations it is said: they are accounted as "nothing" [באין].

— END OF SEGMENT 3 · CONTINUE TO SEGMENT 4: PEIRUSH HAYICHUD — BI'UR ALEF THROUGH TES-VOV —