תּוֹרָה מו - נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי תָמִיד

Torah 1052

Clapping the palms during prayer is the aspect of the union — of placing the bed between north and south [Berachos 5b] — which are the aspect of the two hands. (And see above §9 — that through proper prayer one merits one's union and one's livelihood.)

Also through this the judgments are sweetened. For the right hand is the great hand — and the left is the strong hand. And at the moment of striking — when they join together — this is the aspect of the high hand [yad ramah]. And they are the aspect of three hands — the aspect of three Divine Names [havayos]. For "yad" [hand] is the aspect of the Divine Name — ten letters in its full spelling and four letters in its simple form — corresponding to the fourteen joints in each hand. And through the three hands which are three Divine Names — the three "Elokim" [the judgments] are sweetened — which are the aspect of the words issuing from the throat — which have the numerical value of three times "Elokim".

Also through this one is saved from forgetting and merits memory. For through sweetening the judgments — the aspect of "Elokim" — through the palms as above — when palm strikes palm — in the aspect of: ""my soul is always in my palm"" [Psalms 119:109] — "nafshi" [my soul] — the aspect of prayer and speech — as it is written [Song of Songs 5:6]: ""my soul went out at His speaking"" — and through this: ""and Your Torah I have not forgotten"" — the initial letters of which spell 336 [shin-lamed-vav] — the numerical value of three "havayos" and three "Elokim". That is: the sweetening of the judgments — the aspect of "mochin d'katnus" [constricted minds] — from which comes forgetting — and one comes to "mochin d'gadlus" [expanded minds] — the aspect of memory and the revelation of speech through the minds. And therefore during prayer one knows whether he is in "mochin d'katnus" or "mochin d'gadlus".

Also through this strife is nullified. For all strife is drawn from the aspect of Korach — the aspect of darkness (the numerical value of "k'Korach" [like Korach] = "choshech" [darkness]) — the aspect of left — against Aharon — the aspect of light — the aspect of right. And through clapping the palm they are included in one another and unity is made. And this is the explanation of: ""all the peoples — clap the palm"" [Psalms 47:2] — ""the language of joining"" (as Rashi explains there).