AND THIS IS THE HEAVE-OFFERING WHICH YE SHALL TAKE FROM THEM. Said R. Eleazar: This verse has been interpreted and the inner mystery thereof explained. But there is evidently a contradiction between the above verse (where it says “That they take Me a heave-offering”) and this. First it says, “take Me”; then “take My heaveoffering”; then “take from them”.
However, the whole meaning amounts to this: “Take Me (as) a heave-offering”- but who should take? The children of Israel. And from whom should they take? “From every man whose heart impells him”, namely from the supernal angels above, upon whom this “Heave” (the Shekinah) is raised, those who do perpetually raise Her up to the Supernal King; and when Israel is worthy, they take Her from them and bring Her down. Who are those angels? The four who raise Her, and in whom the Heart (God) takes delight.
Yet, though this “heave- offering” is borne aloft by them, “ye shall take” from them, in order to bring Her down to earth. How are they to do so, even in this dispensation? By the power of good works, prayer, and the keeping of the Law. But at the time when the Temple yet stood, it was by means of the colours that were manifested below, after the pattern of the colours above, through the sacrificial worship. Those colours drew down the Terumah (the Shekinah) to the lower spheres; that is to say, the colours which were below prevailed over those that were above, the former bringing down the latter, one entering into the other, the former becoming “bodies” for the latter. Therefore it says, “which ye shall take from them”.
GOLD, AND SILVER, ETC. Gold is included in Gabriel. The supernal gold is carried below by Gabriel, and seven kinds of gold separate themselves from it. “Silver” above is united with Michael below, and one rests on the other. “Brass” is also above; it originates from gold, because gold and five have the same symbolism. It is fire which brings forth brass, and from this power emanate supernal mysterious serpents (nehashim = nehosheth = brass) and Seraphim brought forth by fire (from saraph, to burn). Therefore brass is golden, lit with orange and red, like fire. It is contained in Noriel (Fire of God) and forms his body.
Techeleth (purple blue) is contained in both brass and gold, and derives energy from both sides. It possesses great strength and nothing can obtain dominion over it. It forms the throne of the power of judgement, and is therefore called “Boel” (“In him is El”, i.e. God as Power), as it is written: “And El (God) is angry every day” (Ps. 7, 12). But when men turn back to God with perfect repentance, his name is changed into Raphael (God heals): for he brings healing to assuage the pains of that bitter judgement.
In “purple-red” (Argaman) gold and silver are fused: Michael and Gabriel are intertwined with each other, and of this it is written: “He maketh peace among the dwellers on high” (Job 25, 2). The two, being joined one with the other, become one body.
There is “crimson” also above, contained in Uriel, like the former, to combine purple-blue and purple-red. Byssus also is above, contained, like the former, in the mystery of Raphael, in order that silver and gold may be united.
So much for the mystery of the seven pillars1i.e. the seven angels symbolized by the seven colours. ] above which are contained in the seven that are below. ‘Assuredly, there is shell within shell for protection, or rather, as we have said, brain within brain. Thus there is goats’ hair, as the shell which guards the brain.
“Rams’ skins reddened” symbolizes the mail-clad lords with the flaming eyes1Angels of chastisement. -“And his eyes as lamps of fire” (Dan. 10, 6). They are called outer “firmaments” within the “shell”. “Tahash skins”: these are powers which stand on the holy side but are not in union with it.
As has been said above, Abraham begat a son by the “other” wife, whose name was Tahash (Gen. 22, 24), a brother of Ishmael by his mother; so, just as there is a celestial representative of Esau, so likewise is there one of Ishmael. Ishmael’s mother begat Tahash from Abraham. For, in spreading radiance on all things, the primordial light, as it shone forth on all sides, also shot forth sparks. When it was established, God stored it away. For whom? For the righteous. And why for them? In order that it might bring forth fruit through and in them. And so it indeed was, for they did bring forth fruit in the world, for Abraham and Sarah “made souls” (Gen. 12, 5)1v. Zohar, Genesis, 79a. , and as they made souls under the sign of holiness, so they also did under the sign of the “other side”; for, were it not for this impulse which Abraham implanted in the “other side”, there would be no proselytes in the world. “Acacia wood” has already been explained as symbolizing the Seraphim, who “stand above it” (Isa. 6, 2); that is to say, ahove the Shell (v. supra). “Oil for the candle-stick.” This symbolizes the supernal oil which emanates from above. It has two names: “The oil of the light” (Ex. 39, 37), and the “oil for the light”. The former is the one above; the latter the one below.
The former never ceases to flow: it is always full of holiness and of blessing, and all lights and lamps are blessed and lit up from thence. The latter is sometimes full and sometimes otherwise.
It is written: “And God made the two great lights: the great light to rule the day, and the small light to rule the night” (Gen. 1, 16). This has been correctly interpreted by the Companions, but we may add the following. The “two great lights” refer to the “Oil of the light” and the “Oil for the light”: the higher world and the lower world; the Masculine (Sun) and the Feminine (Moon), which, when they are manifested together, are both called by the masculine gender. Because the upper world is called “great”, the lower world, which is united with it, is also called “great”,
but as soon as the above and the below part, and are separate, the one is called “great” and the other “small”. Therefore the ancients said that “man should rather be a tail to lions than a head to foxes” (Pirke Aboth 4, 20). For the part bears the designation of the whole; since the tail of a lion is certainly lion, without any separation. Similarly, the head of a fox is still fox.
Thus, as we see, it first calls both the Sun and the Moon “great lights”, but when the Moon has separated Herself from the Sun she is called “small”, even as to be head to a fox is less than to be tail to a lion. Symbolically, therefore, the “oil of the Light” never ceases: it stands in the path of perpetual ascent, in order to rule by day, but the “oil for the light” is intermittent, and is called “small” on this account, and rules at night.
The five materials of which the spices were composed (Ex. 30, 34) were ” for the anointing oil and for the incense”. These two are really one with the “onyx stones”, etc. Thus there are thirteen things connected with the construction of the Tabernacle. We may now revert to the former interpretation of their symbolism.
It has been remarked that there are seven kinds of gold. Now, it might be thought that there is a mistake here, since gold denotes judgement and silver mercy, and yet gold appears to be reckoned as being above silver. There is, however, no mistake. Gold really does surpass all, but only that gold which is the seventh and the best of all the species of gold, and which is meant by the term “gold” here. It is the kind which shines and sparkles, dazzling the eyes, and he who gets hold of it hides it carefully. From it all other kinds emanate.
And when is it called “gold”? When its radiance rises in the awe-inspiring glory of supernal joy to waft back to those below a measure of this holy joy. When it stands for the sign of judgement it changes colour to blue, dark blue, and red-indicating severe judgement. But its essential character is joy, and it ever ascends with joy and trembling to the supernal regions and awakens joyousness.
The silver below is connected with the mystery of the Right Arm, while the Supernal Head is symbolized by gold, as it is written: “Thou art the head of gold” (Dan. 2, 38). And when does silver find its consummation? When it is contained in gold, a mystery alluded to in the words, “Like apples of gold in pictures of silver” (Prov. 25, 11). Thus silver comes back to gold, completing the circle. So there are indeed seven kinds of gold.
Brass originates from gold, of which it is a degenerate form, and forms the Left Arm; purple-blue forms the Left Thigh; dark purple, included in the left, forms the Right Thigh. Byssus is the “River which issues forth” and which unifies all the six sides (shesh= byssus= shesh=six), and, as we have already pointed out, the same thing obtains below.
Thus with this river there are seven corresponding to the seven cycles of the “Jubilee”, and the “seven” of the years of release (Deut. 15, 9). Although there are six they are thirteen through the seventh. Thus the thirteenth is the head, which stands on the whole body below, which is above all the limbs and is of gold. What, now, is the difference between the two kinds of gold? The higher gold is in the symbol of the closed mystery, and its name is Zahab sagur, “shut-in-gold”, that is, pure precious gold (I Kings 6, 20-21), shut off and hidden from all, concealed from the eye, which has no power over it, but the gold below is more revealed.1This symbolism of metals evidently refers to the Sephirotic Tree, and it would require much space for the proper elucidation. What follows to the end of Page 148b is merely a disconnected fragment of a longer section, dealing with priestly and prophetic offices of Moses, Aaron, Samuel, and Jeremiah, and the differences between them, touching on the symbolism of gold, silver, brass, and the brazen serpent.2The last 19 lines of the Hebrew text are not translated as explained by the Translator’s note.
(שמות כ״ה:ג׳) וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ, וְרָזִין דִּילֵיהּ הָא אִתְּמַר. אֲבָל (פשטא) רָזָא דִּקְרָא הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא, וְקַשְׁיָין קְרָאֵי, דְּאִי אִינּוּן בְּרָזָא דִּלְתַתָּא קַשְׁיָין אֲהַדְדֵי. וְאִי בְּרָזָא דִּלְעֵילָּא לָא אִינּוּן בִּנְהִירוּ. (אלא הכי הוא) דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה שַׁפִּיר. תִּקְחוּ אֶת תְּרוּמָתִי קַשְׁיָא. וְזֹאת הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם קַשְׁיָא וְדָּא (ס"א ודאי) כֹּלָּא, עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא כַּחֲדָא.
AND THIS IS THE HEAVE-OFFERING WHICH YE SHALL TAKE FROM THEM. Said R. Eleazar: This verse has been interpreted and the inner mystery thereof explained. But there is evidently a contradiction between the above verse (where it says “That they take Me a heave-offering”) and this. First it says, “take Me”; then “take My heaveoffering”; then “take from them”.
אֶלָּא הָכִי אִיהוּ, וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה. מַאן. בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ: אִלֵּין מַלְאָכִין עִלָּאִין לְעֵילָּא, בְּגִין דְּעַלֵיהוֹן אִיהִי תְּרוּמָה, אַרָמוּתָא דְּאִינּוּן אָרִימוּ לָהּ תָּדִיר לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה דְּהָא אִינּוּן סַלְּקִין לָהּ תָּדִיר, לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה. וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל זַכָּאִין, אִינּוּן נַטְלִין לָהּ מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְנַחְתִּין לָהּ לְתַתָּא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ. וּמַאן אִינּוּן. אִינּוּן אַרְבַּע דְּאָרִימוּ לָהּ לְעֵילָּא. דְּהַהוּא לֵב אִתְרְעֵי בְּהוּ. וְהַהִיא תְּרוּמָה. אִיהִי זַקְפָא עָלַיְיהוּ.
However, the whole meaning amounts to this: “Take Me (as) a heave-offering”- but who should take? The children of Israel. And from whom should they take? “From every man whose heart impells him”, namely from the supernal angels above, upon whom this “Heave” (the Shekinah) is raised, those who do perpetually raise Her up to the Supernal King; and when Israel is worthy, they take Her from them and bring Her down. Who are those angels? The four who raise Her, and in whom the Heart (God) takes delight.
וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהִי קַיָּימָא עָלַיְיהוּ, וּמַנְחָא עַל גַּבַּיְיהוּ. תִּקְחוּ: תִּסְבוּן לָהּ מִנַּיְיהוּ לְנַחְתָּהָא לְתַתָּא. וּבְמַה. בְּזִמְנָא דָּא, בְּאִינּוּן עוֹבָדִין דְּכַשְׁרָאן, בִּצְלוֹתִין וּבְבָעוּתִין, לְמֶעְבַּד פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא. בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, בְּאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דְּאִתְחַזְיָין לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, בְּאִינּוּן פּוּלְחָנִין (אחרנין.) וְאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין אַמְשְׁכָאן לְתַתָּא הַהוּא אַרָמוּתָא, וְנַצְחָן גַּוְונִין דִּלְתַתָּא, לְאִינוּן גַּוְונִין דִּלְעֵילָּא, וּמַשְׁכִין לוֹן גַּוְונִין אִלֵּין, לִגְוָונִין עִלָּאִין, וְעַיְילִין אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין, וְאִתְעָבִידוּ אִלֵּין גּוּפָא לְאִלֵּין, וְעַל דָּא תִּקְחוּ מֵאִתָּם כְּתִיב.
Yet, though this “heave- offering” is borne aloft by them, “ye shall take” from them, in order to bring Her down to earth. How are they to do so, even in this dispensation? By the power of good works, prayer, and the keeping of the Law. But at the time when the Temple yet stood, it was by means of the colours that were manifested below, after the pattern of the colours above, through the sacrificial worship. Those colours drew down the Terumah (the Shekinah) to the lower spheres; that is to say, the colours which were below prevailed over those that were above, the former bringing down the latter, one entering into the other, the former becoming “bodies” for the latter. Therefore it says, “which ye shall take from them”.
זָהָב דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בְּגַּבְרִיאֵל, זָהָב לְעֵילָּא, גַּבְרִי"אֵל נָטִיל לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא. וְשִׁבְעָה זִינֵי זָהָב אִתְפָּרְשָׁאן לְתַתָּא מִן דָּא. וָכֶסֶף לְעֵילָּא, וְאִתְכְּלִיל בְּמִיכָאֵל לְתַתָּא, וְשַׁרְיָא דָּא עַל דָּא. וּנְחֹשֶׁת לְעֵילָּא, וְנָפְקָא מִן זָהָב, בְּגִין דְּזָהָב וְאֶשָּׁא בְּרָזָא חֲדָא קַיְימִין וְאַזְלִין, אֶשָּׁא אַפִּיק נְחֹשֶׁת. וּמֵחֵילָא וְתֻּקְפָּא דָּא, אִתְבַּדְרָן (נ"א אתערון) נְחָשִׁים שְׂרָפִים דְּנַפְקֵי מֵאֶשָּׁא. וְעַל דָּא, נְחֹשֶׁת אִיהוּ סוּמָקָא כְּאֶשָּׁא וְאִתְכְּלִיל בְּאוּרִי"אֵל (נ"א נוריא"ל) וְאִתְעָבִיד דָּא גּוּפָא לְגַבֵּי דָּא.
GOLD, AND SILVER, ETC. Gold is included in Gabriel. The supernal gold is carried below by Gabriel, and seven kinds of gold separate themselves from it. “Silver” above is united with Michael below, and one rests on the other. “Brass” is also above; it originates from gold, because gold and five have the same symbolism. It is fire which brings forth brass, and from this power emanate supernal mysterious serpents (nehashim = nehosheth = brass) and Seraphim brought forth by fire (from saraph, to burn). Therefore brass is golden, lit with orange and red, like fire. It is contained in Noriel (Fire of God) and forms his body.
וּתְכֵלֶת שַׁרְיָא בְּדָא וּבְדָא, בַּנְּחֹשֶׁת וּבַזָּהָב, וּבְגִין דְּאִתְתָּקַּף בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין. תְּכֵלֶת אִיהוּ תַּקִּיפָא, וְלֵית מַאן דְּשַׁלְטָא (קנ"ב ע"א) עָלֵיהּ לְחַיִין, דְּאִיהוּ כֻּרְסְיָּיא דְּדִינָא לְשַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ דִּינָא תַּקִּיפָא, וְדָא אִיהוּ ב"ו א"ל ב"ו א"ל דִּכְתִּיב, (תהלים ז) וְאֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם. וְכַד אִתְהַדְרָן בְּנִי נָשָׁא בְּתִיוּבְתָּא שְׁלֵימָתָא, (ר"ס ע"ב, ר"י ע"א) אִתְהַדָּר שְׁמֵיהּ רְפָאֵ"ל, דְּהָא אַסְוָותָא אִזְדָּמַן לְהוּ מֵהַהוּא דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא.
Techeleth (purple blue) is contained in both brass and gold, and derives energy from both sides. It possesses great strength and nothing can obtain dominion over it. It forms the throne of the power of judgement, and is therefore called “Boel” (“In him is El”, i.e. God as Power), as it is written: “And El (God) is angry every day” (Ps. 7, 12). But when men turn back to God with perfect repentance, his name is changed into Raphael (God heals): for he brings healing to assuage the pains of that bitter judgement.
וְאַרְגָּמָן: דָּא זָהָב וָכֶסֶף, דְּאִתְהַדְרָן לְאַכְלְלָא כַּחֲדָא, מִיכָאֵל וְגַבְרִיאֵל אִתְכְּלִילוּ דָּא עִם דָּא, מְשֻׁלְּבָאן דָּא בְּדָא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (איוב כ״ה:ב׳) עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו. וּבְגִין דְּאִינּוּן מְשֻׁלְּבָאן דָּא בְּדָא, אִתְעָבִידוּ גּוּפָא חַד.
In “purple-red” (Argaman) gold and silver are fused: Michael and Gabriel are intertwined with each other, and of this it is written: “He maketh peace among the dwellers on high” (Job 25, 2). The two, being joined one with the other, become one body.
וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי לְעֵילָּא, וְאִתְכְּלִיל בְּאוּרִיאֵ"ל כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין, לְמֶהוֵי אֲחִידוּ גּוֹ תְּכֵלֶת, וּבְגוֹ אַרְגָּמָן. וְשֵׁשׁ אִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא, וְאִתְכְּלִיל כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין בְּרָזָא דִּרְפָאֵל, לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בַּכֶּסֶף וּבַזָּהָב.
There is “crimson” also above, contained in Uriel, like the former, to combine purple-blue and purple-red. Byssus also is above, contained, like the former, in the mystery of Raphael, in order that silver and gold may be united.
עַד הָכָא, רָזָא דְּז' עַמּוּדִין לְעֵילָּא, גּוֹ ז' עַמּוּדִים דִּלְתַתָּא. קְלִיפָּה גּוֹ קְלִיפָּה, לִנְטוּרָא. וְעִזִּים: הָא אוֹקִימְנָא דְּהָא אִלֵּין ז', מוֹחָא לְמוֹחָא, וְדָא אִיהוּ קְלִיפָּה לְמוֹחָא.
So much for the mystery of the seven pillars1i.e. the seven angels symbolized by the seven colours. ] above which are contained in the seven that are below. ‘Assuredly, there is shell within shell for protection, or rather, as we have said, brain within brain. Thus there is goats’ hair, as the shell which guards the brain.
(שמות כ״ה:ה׳) וְעוֹרוֹת אֵלִים מְאָדָּמִים, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן מָארֵי תְּרִיסִין, עַיְינִין מְלַהֲטִין בְּטִיסִין דְּנוּרָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (דניאל י׳:ו׳) וְעֵינָיו כְּלַפִּידֵי אֵשׁ. וְאִקְרוּן רְקִיעִין לְבַר בְּגוֹ קְלִיפָה. (שמות כ״ה:ה׳) וְעוֹרוֹת תְּחָשִׁים, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן לְגוֹ בְּסִטְרָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאִתְאַחֲדָן בִּקְדוּשָׁה, וְלָא אִתְאַחֲדָן.
“Rams’ skins reddened” symbolizes the mail-clad lords with the flaming eyes1Angels of chastisement. -“And his eyes as lamps of fire” (Dan. 10, 6). They are called outer “firmaments” within the “shell”. “Tahash skins”: these are powers which stand on the holy side but are not in union with it.
כְּמָה (קל"ט ע"א) דְּאַמָרָן דְאַבְרָהָם הָא אוֹלִיד בְּאִינְתוּ אַחֲרָא תַּחַשׁ כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (קל"ט א') וְאֶת תַּחַשׁ וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן בְּאִימָא דְיִשְׁמָעֵאל אֲחוּהוֹן דְיִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּכְּמָה דְּאִית דַּרְגָּא בְּעֵשָׂו הֲכִי נָמֵי אִית דַּרְגָּא בְּיִשְׁמָעֶאל. אִימָא דְיִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹלִידת לְתָּחַשׁ וּמִסִּטְרָא דְאַבְרָהָם קַאֲתָּת דְהָא נְהוֹרָא קַדְמָאָה (ויקרא רצ"ב ב') מצפ"ץ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָפַק נְהוֹרִין לְכָל סִטְרִין. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְבְּסָם הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא קַדְמָאָה גָּנִיז לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּלְמָאן גָּנִיז לֵיהּ (שם צ"א ב') לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא. וּמָאן אִינּוּן. צַדִּיק וְצֶדֶק בְּגִין לְמֶעְבָּד בְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא קַדְמָאָה אִיבִּין לְעָלְמָא. וְאִינּוּן אִיבִּין דִּזְמִינִין לְמֵיתֵי לְעָלְמָא. דְהָא אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה עָבְדוּ (ס"א ואברהם ושרה מההוא נהורא עבדו) אִיבִּין וְנַפְשִׁין דִּכְתִיב (בראשית י״ב:ה׳) וְאֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עֲשׂוּ בְּחָרָן. וּכְּמָה דְּעָבְדוּ נַפְשָׁן בְּסִטְרָא דִקְדוּשָׁה הֲכִי (שלח קס"ח א') נָמֵי עֲבָד נֶפֶשׁ בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דְּאִלְמָלֵא הַהוּא אִתְעָרוּ דְּאִתְעָר אַבְרָהָם בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ גִיוּרִין בְּעָלְמָא כְּלָל. (שמות כ״ה:ה׳) וַעֲצֵי שִׁטִּים, הָא אוֹקִימְנָא דְּאִינּוּן שְׂרָפִים עוֹמְדִים, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (ישעיהו ו׳:ב׳) שְׂרָפִים עוֹמְדִים מִמַּעַל לוֹ. מַאי מִמַּעַל לוֹ. מִמַּעַל לְהַהִיא קְלִיפָה. וְאִי תֵּימָא, הַאי קְרָא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְּמַר, וְהָא אִתְּמַר (ישעיה ו) וָאֶרְאֶה אֶת יְיָ', אֶת דַּיְיקָא, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא דִּכְתִּיב בְּהַאי קְרָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו ו׳:א׳) וְשׁוּלָיו מְלֵאִים אֶת הַהֵיכָל, אֶת דַּיְיקָא לְאַסְּגָאָה הַהִיא קְלִיפָּה. כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר רָזָא דְּהַהִיא קְלִיפָּה, כְּתִיב שְׂרָפִים עוֹמְדִים מִמַּעַל לוֹ, מִמַּעַל לְהַהִיא קְלִיפָּה.
As has been said above, Abraham begat a son by the “other” wife, whose name was Tahash (Gen. 22, 24), a brother of Ishmael by his mother; so, just as there is a celestial representative of Esau, so likewise is there one of Ishmael. Ishmael’s mother begat Tahash from Abraham. For, in spreading radiance on all things, the primordial light, as it shone forth on all sides, also shot forth sparks. When it was established, God stored it away. For whom? For the righteous. And why for them? In order that it might bring forth fruit through and in them. And so it indeed was, for they did bring forth fruit in the world, for Abraham and Sarah “made souls” (Gen. 12, 5)1v. Zohar, Genesis, 79a. , and as they made souls under the sign of holiness, so they also did under the sign of the “other side”; for, were it not for this impulse which Abraham implanted in the “other side”, there would be no proselytes in the world. “Acacia wood” has already been explained as symbolizing the Seraphim, who “stand above it” (Isa. 6, 2); that is to say, ahove the Shell (v. supra). “Oil for the candle-stick.” This symbolizes the supernal oil which emanates from above. It has two names: “The oil of the light” (Ex. 39, 37), and the “oil for the light”. The former is the one above; the latter the one below.
(שמות כ״ה:ו׳) שֶׁמֶן לַמָּאוֹר, דָּא מְשַׁח רְבוּת עִלָּאָה, דְּאַתְיָא מִלְּעֵילָּא. תְּרֵין שֶׁמֶן אִינּוּן. וְאִינּוּן תְּרֵי, (ד"א חד) לְעֵילָּא, דְּאִקְרֵי שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר. וְחַד לְתַתָּא דְּאִקְרֵי שֶׁמֶן לַמָּאוֹר. שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר אִיהוּ עִלָּאָה, דְּקַיְּימָא בְּוַדַּאי, וְלָא פָּסִיק לְעָלְמִין, וְתָדִיר מַלְיָא רְבוּת קֻדְשָׁא, וְכָל בִּרְכָּאן, וְכָל נְהוֹרִין, וְכָל בּוּצִינִין, כֹּלָּא אִתְבָּרְכָאן וְאִתְנַהֲרָן מִתַּמָּן. שֶׁמֶן לַמָּאוֹר, לְזִמְנִין אִתְמַלְיָא וּלְזִמְנִין לָא.
The former never ceases to flow: it is always full of holiness and of blessing, and all lights and lamps are blessed and lit up from thence. The latter is sometimes full and sometimes otherwise.
תּוּ, הָא תָּנֵינָן, כְּתִיב (בראשית א׳:ט״ז) וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת שְׁנִי הַמְּאֹרֹת הַגְּדוֹלִים וְגוֹ', וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא, וְהָכִי אִיהוּ. אֲבָל שְׁנֵי הַמְּאֹרֹת הַגְּדוֹלִים אִלֵּין: שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר, וְשֶׁמֶן לַמָּאוֹר. עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה, וְעָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה. חַד דְּכַר, וְחַד נוּקְבָּא. וְכָל זִמְנָא דִּדְכוּרָא וְנוּקְבָּא אַתְיָין כַּחֲדָא, (בראשית מ"ט ע"א) תַּרְוַויְיהוּ קַרְיָין בְּלִישְׁנָא דִּדְכוּרָא. וּבְגִין דְּעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה אִקְרֵי גָּדוֹל, בְּגִינֵיהּ עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה דְּאִתְחַבָּר בַּהֲדֵיהּ בִּכְלָלָא, אִקְרֵי גָּדוֹל.
It is written: “And God made the two great lights: the great light to rule the day, and the small light to rule the night” (Gen. 1, 16). This has been correctly interpreted by the Companions, but we may add the following. The “two great lights” refer to the “Oil of the light” and the “Oil for the light”: the higher world and the lower world; the Masculine (Sun) and the Feminine (Moon), which, when they are manifested together, are both called by the masculine gender. Because the upper world is called “great”, the lower world, which is united with it, is also called “great”,
כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפְּרַשׁ דָּא מִן דָּא, אִדְכָּרוּ בִּפְרַט, כָּל חַד וְחַד כַּדְקָא חֲזִי לֵיהּ. דָּא אִקְרֵי גָּדוֹל, וְדָא אִקְרֵי קָטָן. וּבְּגִין כָּךְ אָמְרוּ קַדְמָאֵי, דְּלִיהֱוֵי בַּר נָשׁ זַנְבָא לְאַרְיָוָותָא, וְלָא רֵישָׁא לְשׁוּעָלַיָא. דְּכַד אִיהוּ קַיְימָא גּוֹ אַרְיְוָותָא, אִקְרֵי כֹּלָּא בִּכְלָלָא דְּאַרְיָוָותָא. זַנְבָא דְּאַרְיָא אַרְיָא אִיהוּ, בְּלָא פִּרוּדָא. וְאִי בְּגוֹ שׁוּעָלִים, אֲפִילּוּ אִיהוּ רֵישָׁא. רֵישָׁא דְּשׁוּעָל שׁוּעָל אִיהוּ, בְּלָא פִּרוּדָא, וְשׁוּעָל אִקְרֵי.
but as soon as the above and the below part, and are separate, the one is called “great” and the other “small”. Therefore the ancients said that “man should rather be a tail to lions than a head to foxes” (Pirke Aboth 4, 20). For the part bears the designation of the whole; since the tail of a lion is certainly lion, without any separation. Similarly, the head of a fox is still fox.
וְרָזָא דָּא הַאי קְרָא, דְּהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד יַתְבִין כַּחֲדָא, שְׁנֵי הַמְּאוֹרוֹת הַגְּדוֹלִים אִתְקְרוּן, אַף עַל גַּב דְּדָא זַּנְבָא לְגַבֵּי דְּעִלָּאָה. כֵּיוָן דְּדָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵעִלָּאָה, כִּבְיָכוֹל לְמֶהוֵי רֵישָׁא לְשׁוּעָלִים, כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי קָטָן. וְעַל רָזָא דָּא שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר, דְּלָא פָּסִיק לְעָלְמִין, וְקַיְּימָא בִּסְלִיקוּ עִלָּאָה לְמִשְׁלַט בִּימָמָא. שֶׁמֶן לַמָּאוֹר פָּסִיק, וְאִקְרֵי קָטָן, וְשָׁלְטָא בְּלֵילְיָא.
Thus, as we see, it first calls both the Sun and the Moon “great lights”, but when the Moon has separated Herself from the Sun she is called “small”, even as to be head to a fox is less than to be tail to a lion. Symbolically, therefore, the “oil of the Light” never ceases: it stands in the path of perpetual ascent, in order to rule by day, but the “oil for the light” is intermittent, and is called “small” on this account, and rules at night.
וְחָמֵשׁ בּוּסְמִין אִינּוּן לְגוֹ שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהִי חַד אִינּוּן תְּרִין וְכֹלָּא חַד. (שמות כ״ה:ז׳) אַבְנֵי שֹׂהַם וְגוֹ'. כָּל הָנֵי תְּלֵיסַר אִינּוּן וְאִינּוּן תִּקּוּנָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא.
The five materials of which the spices were composed (Ex. 30, 34) were ” for the anointing oil and for the incense”. These two are really one with the “onyx stones”, etc. Thus there are thirteen things connected with the construction of the Tabernacle. We may now revert to the former interpretation of their symbolism.
וְאָהֲדַרְנָא לְמִלֵּי קַדְמָאֵי, זָהָב הָא אִתְּמַר דְּשִׁבְעָה זִינִי זָהָב אִינּוּן. וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּזָהָב אִיהוּ דִּינָא, וְכֶסֶף אִיהוּ רַחֲמֵי, וְאִסְתַּלָּק זָהָב לְעֵילָּא מִנֵּיהּ. לָאו הָכִי, דְּוַדַּאי זָהָב סָלִיק יַתִּיר אִיהוּ עַל כֹּלָּא, אֲבָל זָהָב בְּאֹרַח סְתָם אִיהוּ, וְדָא זָהָב עִלָּאָה, דְּאִיהוּ שְׁבִיעָאָה מִכָּל אִינּוּן זִינִי זָהָב, וְדָא אִיהוּ זָהָב דְּנָהִיר וְנָצִיץ לְעַיְינִין, וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּכַד נָפִיק לְעָלְמָא, (ד"א ל"ג נפיק) מַאן דְּאִדְבַּק לֵיהּ, טָמִיר לֵיהּ בְּגַוֵּיהּ, וּמִתַּמָּן נַפְקֵי וְאִתְמַשְּׁכָן כָּל זִינִי זָהָב.
It has been remarked that there are seven kinds of gold. Now, it might be thought that there is a mistake here, since gold denotes judgement and silver mercy, and yet gold appears to be reckoned as being above silver. There is, however, no mistake. Gold really does surpass all, but only that gold which is the seventh and the best of all the species of gold, and which is meant by the term “gold” here. It is the kind which shines and sparkles, dazzling the eyes, and he who gets hold of it hides it carefully. From it all other kinds emanate.
אֵימָתַי אִקְרֵי זָהָב, מַאן דְּאִקְרֵי זָהָב. כַּד אִיהוּ בִּנְהִירוּ, וְאִסְתַּלָּק בִּיקָר דְּחִילוּ, וְאִיהוּ בְּחֶדְוָה עִלָּאָה, לְמֶחדֵי לְתַתָּאֵי. וְכַד אִיהוּ בְּדִינָא, כַּד אִשְׁתַּנֵי מֵהַהוּא גּוָֹון, לְגָוֶון תִּכְלָא אוּכָם וְסוּמָק, כְּדֵין אִיהוּ בְּדִינָא תַּקִּיפָא. אֲבָל זָהָב, בְּחֶדְוָה אִיהוּ, וּבִסְלִיקוּ דִּדְחִילוּ דְּחֶדְוָה קַיְּימָא, וּבְאִתְעָרוּתָא דְּחֶדְוָה.
And when is it called “gold”? When its radiance rises in the awe-inspiring glory of supernal joy to waft back to those below a measure of this holy joy. When it stands for the sign of judgement it changes colour to blue, dark blue, and red-indicating severe judgement. But its essential character is joy, and it ever ascends with joy and trembling to the supernal regions and awakens joyousness.
וָכֶסֶף לְתַתָּא, רָזָא דְּרוֹעָא יְמִינָא, דְּהָא רֵישָׁא עִלָּאָה זָהָב אִיהוּ, דִּכְתִּיב, (דניאל ב) אַנְתְּ הוּא רֵישָׁא דְּדַהֲבָא. (דניאל ב׳:ל״ב) חַדוֹהִי וּדְרָעוֹהִי דִּי כְסַף לְתַתָּא. (נ"א ואימתי אישתלים כסף כד אתכליל וכו') וְכַד אִשְׁתְּלִים כֶּסֶף, כְּדֵין אִתְכְּלִיל בַּזָּהָב, וְרָזָא דָּא (משלי כ״ה:י״א) תַּפּוּחֵי זָהָב בְּמַּשְׂכִיּוֹת כָּסֶף. אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכֶסֶף אִתְהַדָּר לְזָהָב, וּכְדֵין אִשְׁתְּלִים אַתְרֵיהּ. (נ"א אלים אריה) וְעַל דָּא ז' זִינֵי זָהָב אִינּוּן.
The silver below is connected with the mystery of the Right Arm, while the Supernal Head is symbolized by gold, as it is written: “Thou art the head of gold” (Dan. 2, 38). And when does silver find its consummation? When it is contained in gold, a mystery alluded to in the words, “Like apples of gold in pictures of silver” (Prov. 25, 11). Thus silver comes back to gold, completing the circle. So there are indeed seven kinds of gold.
וּנְחֹשֶׁת נָפְקָא מִזָּהָב, וְאִשְׁתָּנֵי לְגִרְעוֹנָא, דְּרוֹעָא שְׂמָאלָא. וּתְכֵלֶת יַרְכָא שְׂמָאלָא. וְתוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי, יַרְכָא יְמִינָא, וְאִתְכְּלִיל בִּשְׂמָאלָא. וְשֵׁשׁ, דָּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק, דְּאִיהוּ נָטִיל כָּל שִׁית סִטְרִין. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לְתַתָּא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמַר.
Brass originates from gold, of which it is a degenerate form, and forms the Left Arm; purple-blue forms the Left Thigh; dark purple, included in the left, forms the Right Thigh. Byssus is the “River which issues forth” and which unifies all the six sides (shesh= byssus= shesh=six), and, as we have already pointed out, the same thing obtains below.
הָא הָכָא שֶׁבַע דְּיוֹבֵל, וְאִינּוּן ז' דִּשְׁמִיטָּה. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינּוּן שִׁית, אִינּוּן תְּלֵיסַר, בִּשְׁבִיעָאָה, דְּאִיהוּ רֵישָׁא עָלַיְיהוּ, הָא תְּלֵיסַר. רִישָׁא דְּקַיְּימָא עַל כָּל גּוּפָא לְתַתָּא, רֵישָׁא דְּקַיְּימָא עַל כָּל שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא, אִיהוּ זָהָב. מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. זָהָב עִלָּאָה, אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא סְתִימָא, וּשְׁמָא דִּילֵיהּ אִיהוּ זָהָב סָגוּר. סָגוּר וְסָתוּם מִכֹּלָּא, וְעַל כֵּן אִקְרֵי סָגוּר, דְּאִיהוּ סָגוּר מֵעֵינָא דְּלָא שַׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ. זָהָב תַּתָּאָה אִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא יַתִּיר. (ושמא דיליה איקרי זהב ירקרק וכו'.)
Thus with this river there are seven corresponding to the seven cycles of the “Jubilee”, and the “seven” of the years of release (Deut. 15, 9). Although there are six they are thirteen through the seventh. Thus the thirteenth is the head, which stands on the whole body below, which is above all the limbs and is of gold. What, now, is the difference between the two kinds of gold? The higher gold is in the symbol of the closed mystery, and its name is Zahab sagur, “shut-in-gold”, that is, pure precious gold (I Kings 6, 20-21), shut off and hidden from all, concealed from the eye, which has no power over it, but the gold below is more revealed.1This symbolism of metals evidently refers to the Sephirotic Tree, and it would require much space for the proper elucidation. What follows to the end of Page 148b is merely a disconnected fragment of a longer section, dealing with priestly and prophetic offices of Moses, Aaron, Samuel, and Jeremiah, and the differences between them, touching on the symbolism of gold, silver, brass, and the brazen serpent.2The last 19 lines of the Hebrew text are not translated as explained by the Translator’s note.