There Is Gan Eden, and They Are Two Aspects: Gan and Eden

286 – There Is Gan Eden, and They Are Two Aspects: Gan and Eden (I heard from his name long ago something he said on the portion “Judges and Officers,” which the teacher forgot much of, and this is what we still remember:) There is Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden), which has two aspects: Gan and Eden.

These correspond to Upper Wisdom and Lower Wisdom, because the main delight of Gan Eden is the attainment of Divine wisdom—that is, both the upper and lower wisdom. However, it is impossible to merit this except through the gates—these gates are the aspect of the gates of Gan Eden, through which one merits to enter Gan Eden, i.e., to attain upper and lower wisdom. These gates, however, are hidden and concealed in the earth, as it is written: “Its gates sank into the earth” (Lamentations 2:6). For this, one needs a master of the house on earth, who is a ruler on earth able to take out, raise, and set up the gates that sank in the earth. Know that by studying the poskim (Jewish legal decisors ), one merits to become king and ruler on earth, and then one can set up and raise the gates that sank in the earth. This is the meaning of: “A king by justice establishes the land” (Proverbs 29:4). “By justice” specifically refers to judgment, meaning the judgments and laws of the Torah—that is, the study of poskim who clarify judgments and laws of the Torah. Through this, one becomes king and ruler, and through this can set up the land, raise, and reveal the gates that sank in the earth.

Through this, one becomes king and ruler, and through this can set up the land, raise, and reveal the gates that sank in the earth.

Therefore, “Judges and officers will give you in all your gates…” (Deuteronomy 16:18)— These judges and officers are the leaders and rulers on earth. It is precisely through the judges, by the judgments of the Torah ( poskim ), that the gates buried in the earth are revealed. Thus, judges and officers correspond to the leaders who raise the gates that sank in the earth through their judgments (study of poskim ), fulfilling: “A king by justice establishes the land It is precisely through the judges, by the judgments of the Torah (poskim), that the gates buried in the earth are revealed. Thus, judges and officers correspond to the leaders who raise the gates that sank in the earth through their judgments (study of poskim), fulfilling: “A king by justice establishes the land”.