Ginzay Ramchal — Section 23: Tefillah Dalet — Prayer on Gevurah

File 9 — Prayer 4 [ד] v2 — full audit

Fourth Prayer — [ד] (Prayer 4)

§ 54. Prayer 4 — Opening: The Hidden Splendor Above All Pillars

**Master of all the worlds — G-d One, Unique, and Singular — who can utter Your preciousness and the splendor of the glory hidden from every *sekhel* and concealed from every *chochmah*?** **Before You shall thunder all the pillars of heaven and earth, and from Your might-acts shall tremble all masters of power. And the sashes (*ezorei*) of might which You arranged in the abundance of wonders — the seat of the height of Your Glory — in the Temples of *Nogah* and the Chambers of Splendor** (*Heichalei Nogah ve-Chadrei Tif'arah*) — **in them You watch over Your world, and gaze in compassion upon all Your creations.**

§ 55. The High Mountains and the Resting Place of the Righteous

**And You placed high mountains — mighty in the abundance of Your rulership — and upon them (*ha-shemaras*) [*ha-tzmichas* — the growing-forth of] grass and herb after their kinds — ascending in abundance of beauty, the mandrakes and issuers of grace — and rivers of honey and cream You caused to pass between them.** ***Mei menuchos* (waters of rest) are their waters, and streams from Levanon** [allusion to Shir HaShirim 4:15]. **Thrones and a bridal-canopy You established for Your *chasidim* — to delight in the radiance of Your light, to gaze upon the pleasantness of Hashem and to visit in His Sanctuary** [Tehillim 27:4]. And thus it is written: *"In pleasant pastures He shall make me lie down; upon waters of rest He shall lead me; He shall restore my soul"* [Tehillim 23:2-3]. **And the ultimate of all good You have prepared for all who serve before You in dread and awe — the *menuchah* of quiet forever and ever.**

§ 56. "*Mima'al le-Rosh Kol Rom*" — The Throne Above and the 13 Gates of Mercy

**From above the head of all height and lofty-elevation is seen the Glory — the Glory, precious and hidden.** Unto him is the desire of every soul; every spirit — to him is his yearning — to ascend from ascent to ascent, and to shine in the Light forever and ever. **And Your Throne of Glory You placed — to be served by the holy *Serafim*, *Chayos*, and *Ofanim*.** And Your Ru'ach leads them to every side and every corner. **And from beneath the footstool of Your feet — a Ru'ach of storm, a great cloud, a fire flashing, and *Nogah* round about it** [Yechezkel 1:4]. **"You upon their heights shall tread"** [Devarim 33:29]. **Your kingdom rules in every dominion — the rulership of the Unique-One, Master of All. And You gave to Adam — whom You created to serve You — Torah and commandments, to open the Gates of Mercy — thirteen gates** [the 13 Gates corresponding to the 13 Middos of Mercy — cf. Prayer 3 §34].

§ 57. The Twelve Letters *ALEF DALES NUN YUD* — the Spelled-Out *Adonai*

**Twelve they encircle at the first, and appointees You placed over them — faithful gatekeepers — prostrating and standing before Your Glory — and the keys of the gates are in their hand**. **Over them is *SANDALFo"n*** [[סנדלפו"ן] — a classical Heichalos-literature angel who is said to "weave crowns for his Master from the prayers of Yisrael"; his Name corresponds to *sandal/shoe* imagery — one who stands at the foot of the Throne] **— who uses the four letters of Your Holy Name**. And in the opening of the Sealed Gate that includes all the gates — the **twelve letters *ALEF DALES NUN YUD* shine forth** [[אלף דלת נון יוד] — the 4 letters of *Adonai* אדנ"י written out **fully** as 4 words, giving 3+3+3+3 = **12 letters**. This is the *milui* (expansion) of the Name *Adonai* that equals **671** in gematria] — *"this is the gate of Hashem; the righteous shall enter through it"* [Tehillim 118:20]. There is the Gate of the Sanctified Sanctuary — in which Your Great, Mighty and Awesome Holy Name is magnified — as the matter is said: *"Great is Hashem and highly praised in the city of our G-d, the mountain of His holiness"* [Tehillim 48:2].

§ 58. "*Mi yemalel Had ha-avirim*" — The Name *YAKDONAKI* and the Chambers of Nogah

**Who can utter the echo of the airs (*had ha-avirim*) filling all the Chambers of *Nogah* — when Your Great Name glories within them — *YAKDONAKI*** [[יאקדונקי] — the 8-letter *Yichud*-Name braided from YHVH + Adonai with Kof-substitution for both Hehs — see File 7 §11 for full breakdown]. **For then all the faithful gatekeepers received power, and the gates opened for the sons of Yisrael Your holy people** — when their prayer ascends, and it stands outside the doors — it reaches what it reaches to the Sanctified Name that stands in the airs. **And from it issues a voice from within the Light of *Nogah*, the radiance of splendor**, and it says: *"Open the gates, and let enter a righteous nation that keeps faithfulness"* [Yeshayahu 26:2]. **And immediately all the clouds are split, and all the winds settle in their place, and the fire blazes... and the *Nogah* revolves from afar around the gate.** And the prayer ascends in the abundance of Your mercies, and is crowned as a crown upon the head of the *Tzaddik*, Life of the worlds.

§ 59. "*Miyad Chayos ha-Kodesh*" — The Holy *Chayos* and the Four Banners of Dread

**And immediately the Holy *Chayos* stand at their post, to praise with a voice of song, and to cause to hear praise before the splendor of Your Glory.** Then shall Your Glory ascend, and emanate His luminaries in **four banners of dread and awe** — standing above their heads from above. **Unto them shall lift their eyes all the camps of Your Glory — and before You they shall prostrate and kneel.**

§ 60. The Alphabetical Names of the King — from *Melech Adir* to *Melech Tam*

**Who can utter the force of their might, and the strength given in their wings, to bear the understanding before You?** And thus they praise You: **Blessed are You forever, and glorified is Your remembrance in the mouth of every creation of Yours — Hashem G-d of Yisrael — Splendid-One of all kings, G-d of the gods and Lord of the lords — King of Yisrael and its Redeemer, Hashem of hosts — forever shall You be blessed and eternally exalted unto worlds of eternity.**

**King Splendid (*Adir*), King Blessed (*Barukh*), King Great (*Gadol*), King Distinguished (*Dagul*), King Majestic (*Hadur*), King Ancient (*Vasik*), King Pure (*Zakh*), King Gracious (*Chanun*), King Clean (*Tahor*), King Upright (*Yashar*), King Mighty (*Kabir*), King Forever (*La'ad*), King Compassionate (*Merachem*), King Awesome (*Nora*), King Supporting (*Somekh*), King Helper (*Ozer*), King Redeemer (*Podeh*), King Righteous (*Tzaddik*), King Clear (*Tzach*), King Near (*Karov*), King Merciful (*Rachum*), King Keeper (*Shomer*), King Whole (*Tam*)** [22 Names — one for each letter of the Alef-Beis (with both *Tzaddik*+*Tzach* for letter Tzadi, making 23 listed). This is the classical alphabetical *Melech* acrostic, derived from the Selichos tradition].

§ 61. The Ten Holy Names and the Seal *YK"V* on Six Directions

**And in that time the splendor of Your Glory sparkles in the might of His wonders — in the ten Holy Names of Yours, vocalized with their vowel-points — and their branches are forty — illuminating the height of every world, and unto all the corners.** **Evenings and mornings You shall cause to sing** — in Your standing up all the watches in their proper stations — the watches of the day at their times, and the watches of the night at their times. **All sing the unity of Your Name** — those standing at the six directions (*sheishes ha-ketzavos*), **sealed with the seal of Your Name *YK"V*** [[יק"ו] with Kof-substitution = *YH"V* = Yud-Heh-Vav, the first 3 letters of YHVH — see File 7 §32] — **eighteen letters** [18 = 6 directions × 3 letters of *YH"V*, sealing each of the 6 directions with the tri-letter Name; cf. *Sefer Yetzirah* 1:13 which similarly seals the 6 directions with YHV permutations] — in them You are a sign (*os*) in Your host, to give life to every creation of Yours — not a man missing — and the dwellers of the corners shall know from Your letters.

§ 62. Conclusion — The Spirit Going Forth and the Sending of Eliyahu

**You are Hashem the G-d, G-d of Yisrael — Who is exalted in the abundance of splendor — lifted above every blessing and praise — in the abundance of the praises.** **At the hour that the Ru'ach issues forth from before You to lead all Your camps — who can utter its majesty and splendor? — for it is filled from every treasure of kings**, **embroidered from every heaven of the splendor of Your holiness, from the wealth of delights that You have established** — there is seen Your goodness hidden from the eye of every creation. **And when this Ru'ach brings from there the great pleasantness, all the souls cleaved to it and became as one.** Immediately: *"Unto wherever the Ru'ach shall be going, they go"* [Yechezkel 1:12].

**And the awesome *Rakia* is stretched upon their heads — that they not see the height of Your Glory — for it is exalted.** *"An eye has not seen, G-d, beside You, what [He] shall do for him who waits for Him"* [Yeshayahu 64:3]. **In the strengthening of the power of the rulership of the Fourth Corner (*ha-Pinah ha-Revi'is*), which is for the chariot of Your Glory** [the Fourth Corner = *Gevurah*, corresponding to Files 5 and the doctrinal exposition] — **then exalted pleasantness rises higher, above the *Rakia* — and in it ascended all the deeds of the sons of Adam who served before You with wholeness of their heart.** And all the orders of the chariot of Your Glory hastened and stood still. And the path of Your Ru'ach was not seen — for to the hidden place is its course — and after it all the luminaries of Your holinesses. **For Your Glory ascends upon Your Throne — the likeness as the appearance of Adam upon it from above** [Yechezkel 1:26].

**I lift unto You a cry in my mouth, and my heart is lowly opposite You. Hashem, You chose Your people — unto You our service and our deeds that You desired — before the height of the splendor of Your Glory shall they ascend for favor — may our remembrance come before You in mercies — G-d One and Singular.**

**Who can tell the force of the splendor that emanates from the height of the strength of Your Throne — which is exemplified on high in Your Glory** — **and all His luminaries settled in their place, to gladden all the poor of the earth.** All shall declare in the might of Your rulership — the wonders and formations of which You have enlightened their eyes — and they shall understand the illumination of the work of Your holiness. **Return, Hashem, the myriads of thousands of Yisrael** [Bamidbar 10:36] — for the wheel of Your revolutions has turned no few years, and wonders have You done upon Your people. **This day let *menuchah* and quiet be for all that You created for Your sake — and the rulership of Your holiness shall be revealed in Your world**, as the matter is said: *"Ruler in His might forever; His eyes watch over the nations — the rebellious shall not raise themselves up, selah"* [Tehillim 66:7].

**And send to us Eliyahu Your servant, remembered for good, to act in the world — and from there shall ascend every deed that You have done — the great and awesome — to the levels of *menuchah* and quiet** — **through the letter *Heh* of Your Holy Name YK"K, blessed be He, forever** [the **third letter** *Heh* — wait, actually the **final** Heh? Context suggests the 2nd *Heh*; this continues the letter-climb from File 6 (Yud) and File 7 (first Heh)] **etc., through Your righteous Mashiach whom You made us know through Your holy prophets — to give *menuchah* to all Your people Beis Yisrael**, as the matter is said: *"And it shall be on that day — the root of Yishai, who stands as a banner of peoples — unto him shall nations seek — and his resting-place shall be glory"* [Yeshayahu 11:10].

**Master of all the worlds — One, Unique, and Singular — we have done righteousness; now You shall act, and unto You are our eyes**, as the matter is said: *"As the eyes of servants unto the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maidservant unto the hand of her mistress — so are our eyes unto Hashem our G-d — until He favors us. Favor us, Hashem, favor us — for we have been abundantly sated with contempt"* [Tehillim 123:2-3]. And it is said: *"And we know not what we shall do, for upon You are our eyes"* [Divrei HaYamim II 20:12]. *"May the words of my mouth..."* *"And I — my prayer..."*. **Blessed be Hashem forever, *Amen* and *Amen*. "May the Glory of Hashem be forever; Hashem shall rejoice in His works"** — **"the sons of Tzion shall exult in their King"**.

[Prayer 4 ends here. A new structural section begins on p. 346 middle: **בְּהֲנֻ"א** with numbered teachings ל"ד (34), ל"ג (33), ל"ג ג"כ — followed by the *Four Worlds* sections (*Olam HaAsiyah*, *Yetzirah*, *Beriah*, *Atzilus*) — to be addressed in Files 10 onwards.]