The Vision of Rabbi Chiya
49. Rabbi Chiya prostrated himself on the earth, kissed the dust and cried: “Dust, dust, how stubborn and shameless you are that all the delights of the eye perish within you! Rabbi Shimon, the Light of the worlds, the greatest leader who governs the entire world and whose merit sustains the world is consumed by you!” He then collected himself and said: “Dust, do not be proud! The pillars of the world will not be delivered into your hands, and Rabbi Shimon shall not be consumed by you!”
Malchut is the only creation. This creation is a desire to receive pleasure. It was made this way and its essence cannot be changed. Yet what can be changed is intention – for whose sake to receive this pleasure.
As a result of Malchut joining with Bina, with an altruistic will to bestow delight, Malchut acquired Bina’s desire that is opposite to its own nature.
Only this desire of Bina in Malchut can result in a Zivug and the consecutive reception of the light. When Malchut receives all the desires it possibly can from Bina, and fills them with the light, only its own original egoistical property will remain uncorrected. The Creator Himself will correct it from above. The order of correction and reception of the light in Bina’s properties (inside Malchut) is referred to as the reception on a Zivug of Yesod. It happens gradually on 6000 consecutive levels that are called 6000 years.
Malchut de Malchut of the world of Atzilut cannot receive any light during the 6000 years until all of its parts are absolutely corrected. All Zivugim are made not on Malchut, but on the properties it received from Bina. The place of such a Zivug is called Yesod de Malchut or Ateret Yesod. Malchut itself (egoistical desires) stays closed to the light, hence they are called “closed gates”.
The correction of the Partzufim during the 6000 years, and the gradual filling of Malchut with the light, takes place with the help of Bina’s desires in Malchut which are called “Miftecha” (Yesod de Malchut). This is because the impure (egoistical) force has no power over this part of Malchut.
Yesod de Malchut means that Malchut only acts with the properties it received from the higher Sefira Yesod, which is free from the influence of the Klipot. All the properties, except for those of Malchut, are altruistic, because they originate from Bina. However, since we wish to emphasize that a Zivug is made on the altruistic desire, we usually say Yesod instead of Bina. Since Yesod id the Sefira immediately above Malchut, we say that a Zivug is made not on the altruistic desires of Malchut, but on Yesod. After acquiring the properties of Yesod Malchut can receive the light. Therefore, such a reception on Yesod de Malchut is called “Miftecha”, the key that opens the way for the upper light.
Since Malchut de Malchut (“closed gates”) remains inaccessible to the light for 6000 years, Rabbi Chiya (a definite spiritual level) could not understand how Rabbi Shimon (the spiritual Partzuf) could achieve such an absolute perfection. Rabbi Shimon is a Partzuf of such spiritual height that it receives the light of Yechida. It is impossible to receive this light unless a Zivug on Malchut de Malchut is made. However, this part of Malchut remains uncorrected for 6000 years and may not be used until the final correction comes. By defying these desires, the person, as it were, partially corrects this part of Malchut. All the forbidden commandments refer to Malchut de Malchut; hence the ban imposed on its use is called a restriction.
Yet, if it is impossible to fill the “stony heart” (“Lev HaEven”), i.e. Malchut de Malchut (the root of egoism, the basis of the creation) with the light, how, then, can even a single soul can be completely corrected? Does the final correction not mean that the light should fill the entire Malchut? Each soul, each part of Malchut that man is destined to correct contains a part of all the other parts of Malchut, including his part of Malchut de Malchut with which he may not work until the end of correction.
On the other hand, Rabbi Chiya sees Rabbi Shimon in the state of final correction. So how could the latter achieve such a state? This contradiction agitated Rabbi Chiya so greatly that he prostrated himself on the ground and cried.
It is impossible to constantly “translate” the words of the Torah or “The Zohar” into the language we are able to understand and explain. For example, “ground” means egoism and “dust” is impure forces, and to “cry” implies raising MAN, etc. All the words and definitions in “The Zohar” should be perceived sensuously rather than literally, as physical actions of our world. Whatever “The Zohar” says is only related to the person’s inner spiritual sensations.
All the worlds constitute the “environment”, the spiritual sphere, inside which the Creator made His only creation, Man (Adam). Everything else was only created in order to help man to achieve his spiritual mission, to become equal to his Creator.
All the creatures of our world (excluding man) are robots of their animal nature and possess no free will. Similarly, all the spiritual beings except for the soul are robots of their spiritual nature. Being born in our world, man is an animal that has no freedom to act against his egoistical will to receive pleasure. He usually stays that way during his existence on the earth, being no different from the still, vegetative and animal levels of nature, automatically carrying out orders of his inner master, egoism.
Only with the help of Kabbalah can a person gradually obtain spiritual powers and consequently become free from the influence of impure forces. But such an opportunity is only given to man if he can control his egoistical nature. Depending on the strength of his screen, he ascends (inwardly, in his sensations) from this world to the spiritual one.
Having created the spiritual worlds as a place for his future creation, the Creator then made His creation (the soul, Adam). The soul constitutes a desire to enjoy the sensation of the Creator. The sensation of the Creator is called the light. There is nothing in the entire universe besides the light and the soul!
Although the soul is Malchut de Malchut (the only egoistical creation), the Creator imparted the property of altruism to it, mixed it with the Kelim (desires) of Bina and thus demonstrated how wonderful it is to be similar to Him.
While performing altruistic actions, the soul (Adam) decided to use its natural egoism, Malchut de Malchut in order to receive the Creator’s light with altruistic intentions. Yet, when it began to let the powerful light of Yechida into Malchut de Malchut, it could not resist the temptation and wished to enjoy egoistically. Such a change in the soul’s desires is called the fall.
As a result of the fall, Adam’s soul split into a multitude of parts, (600,000) all of which fell into captivity to the impure, egoistical forces (i.e. acquired egoistical desires). After the fall Adam corrected some of the souls (obtained an anti-egoistical screen), but only partially. Out of the total number of the souls, some of them are selected for correction, lowered into this world and clothed into bodies, thus creating a succession of generations.
The descent (moving away from the Creator) to our world (egoistical sensations of only one’s own desires) occurs as a result of attaching an additional “makeweight” of egoism to the soul. In the spiritual world movement (farther from the Creator or closer to Him) and distance (from Him) are determined by the correlation of egoistical and altruistic desires within the soul.
The purpose behind the descent of the souls to our world is to transform one’s egoistical desires with the help of Kabbalah and to return to the Creator with one’s intentions, by performing altruistic actions. The descent of the souls continues until each and every one of them achieves complete correction.
The most exalted souls that refer to the levels of Yechida and GAR of Chaya depend on the correction of Malchut in Malchut of the world of Atzilut (“closed gates”). They will only be corrected at the end of the 6000 years, after the correction of the rest of the souls. This is because of the inverse relationship between the souls and the light that fills them. The more egoistical the soul is, and the lower it is located, the bigger the light is that enters the general Partzuf (soul) at the time of its correction.
THE LIGHT OF THE SOUL: Yechida Chaya Neshama Ruach Nefesh
MALCHUT: Keter Hochma Bina ZA Malchut
Therefore, these exalted souls are consumed by the dust, i.e. the impure force rules over them with its enormous and insolent power, because it is certain that no one or no-thing can save the soul from its captivity.
This is why Rabbi Chiya cried: “Dust, how cruel you are! All the most exalted souls are absorbed by you without any hope to escape from your power!” This means that the essence of creation, the original egoism cannot be corrected.
It turns out that all the righteous people bringing the light to the world cannot achieve perfection, as long as the souls are in the impure forces’ captivity. Since all the souls are interconnected, not a single individual soul can reach the end of correction until all of them are corrected. Hence they are ruthlessly ruled by the dust.
At first Rabbi Chiya wishes to say that Rabbi Shimon was also consumed by the dust, and did not achieve the final correction. He heard that Rabbi Yossi similarly opines that the gates are closed for all. Yet, after some contemplation he inquires: “If Rabbi Shimon enlivens all the worlds and rules over them, how can it possibly be that he has not reached perfection?”
He concludes that Rabbi Shimon was not consumed by the dust, i.e. he did achieve the final correction and the state of absolute perfection. The thing Rabbi Chiya cannot understand is how anyone (an individual soul) is able to reach the end of correction prior to (without) the complete correction of all the others.
50. Rabbi Chiya stood up and walked along weeping, accompanied by Rabbi Yossi. He fasted for forty days so that he might meet with Rabbi Shimon. He was told he was not fit to see him. He then wept and fasted for another forty days. They showed him Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar his son, in a vision. They were discussing the words he said to Rabbi Yossi. And many thousands were listening to their discussion.
Although the fast “The Zohar” speaks about is a spiritual act, in our world such a description is a good example of how strong a desire should be in order to be answered from above. Similar spiritual actions include crying, shedding tears – the small state (Katnut) of the spiritual Partzuf in this particular case called “Rabbi Chiya”. Naturally, Rabbi Shimon and all the other characters of “The Zohar” are the spiritual Partzufim, and not the people of our world.
The spiritual level of the person known by a certain name in our world may coincide with his spiritual level described in the Torah. However, elucidation of this question is outside of the scope of this particular article. We should nevertheless point out that the Pharaoh in Egypt was by no means a spiritual Pharaoh the way he is described in “The Zohar” (the Partzuf that includes all of Malchut), and Laban, who is portrayed as a villain in the Torah, is in fact the spiritual light of the Partzuf AB, the light of Hochma. This will be explained further.
The strong desire to achieve Rabbi Shimon’s spiritual level allowed Rabbi Chiya to see him, because he was convinced that Rabbi Shimon had not been consumed by dust. He came to such a conclusion as a result of his conversation with Rabbi Yossi and passionately desired to see Rabbi Shimon.
51. Meanwhile, he saw many great celestial wings. Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar mounted on them and were borne aloft to the heavenly Assembly. And all those wings were waiting for them. Afterwards both of them returned to their place and shone more than before, brighter than the sun.
The heavenly Assembly refers to the angel called Matatron. However, this full name is not pronounced. The short name Matat is used instead, because pronouncing a name is equivalent to action and is not desirable. The term supernal Assembly refers to the Creator Himself, while the heavenly Assembly refers to Matat.
The wings that were waiting for Rabbi Shimon and his son Elazar are angels (the robot-like spiritual forces that are similar to the draft animals in our world), whose task is to help the souls to ascend from one spiritual level to another. These wings assist the souls both to be elevated and lowered to their places. Therefore it is said that the wings were waiting for Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar to bring them back down.
When Rabbi Chiya saw them returning from the heavenly Assembly to their place (i.e. to Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly) he noticed a new light on their faces and radiance brighter than the sun around them.
52. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by saying: “Let Rabbi Chiya enter and see how much the Creator shall restore the faces of the righteous in the world to come. How happy is he who comes here without shame, and how happy is he who stands erect in this world as a strong pillar!” Rabbi Chiya saw himself entering, and Rabbi Elazar stood up. So did all of the other pillars of the world, who were sitting there. And he, Rabbi Chiya was embarrassed. He entered and humbly sat at the feet of Rabbi Shimon.
Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion (opened the way for the light) and said: “Happy is he who comes here without shame”. None of those who were present felt any shame. Only Rabbi Chiya was embarrassed. This is because they had strength to withstand the power of dust and he did not. All of them were perfect, while Rabbi Chiya had one flaw, the desire to attain. This desire made him feel shame.
53. A voice came forth, saying: “Lower your eyes, do not raise your head up, and do not look! He lowered his eyes and saw a Light that shone from afar”. The voice returned and said: “You hidden and unseen celestials on high, you who wander throughout the world, behold and see! Earthly beings are sunk in deep slumber, the light of their eyes is concealed in the darkness. Wake them up!
After he followed the instruction to lower his eyes and not to raise his head (not to use his desire to receive the light), he was worthy to hear (the light of Hassadim) the appeal, with the help of which he attained everything he wished. The voice divides all the souls into two groups: the first one is a group of supernal holy ones, whose eyes opened to see the entire world; the second one is a group of blind souls with the light concealed in their eyes. This is why the voice called upon the souls of the first group to look, i.e. to use the reception of the upper light, to draw the light together with the second group.
54. Who among you has, during his lifetime in that world transformed darkness into Light and the taste of bitter into sweet before he came here? Who, among you has waited eagerly every day for the Light that shines when the King moves away, when His Honor is glorified, and He is called the King of all the other kings of the world? For he who does not wait eagerly for this every day while living in this world, has no place in the other world as well.
The Creator’s goal is to help man to attain Him, feel Him as he did before descending to this world, before incarnating into a physical body. From this we clearly see that the people in our world are divided into two groups, and the voice appeals to them.
The voice emphasizes the advantage of each of the two groups. It says to the souls of the first group that they turned darkness into light. These are the souls of the world of Atzilut, because the Creator created two opposite systems in the worlds of the BYA: the system of darkness and bitterness and the system of light and sweetness. Therefore there is a division into fit and unfit, pure and impure, allowed and forbidden, holy and unholy in the Torah of the worlds of the BYA. Whereas the Torah of the world of Atzilut that consists of the Creator’s names has nothing impure in it.
The sinner Laban is regarded as a holy name in the world of Atzilut as well as Pharaoh. All the names that represent impure forces in the worlds of the BYA turn into corrected, exalted and pure spiritual objects and forces with corresponding holy names. Therefore, the souls that reached the light of the world of Atzilut transform darkness into light and bitterness into sweetness. Thus all the difference between the holy, pure and good and impure and evil is in correction of desire and presence of an anti-egoistical screen on the will to receive.
The voice says to the second group that they expect the Creator’s help, that He will rise (Shechina, His manifestation to the lower one) from dust (in their sensations). However, those who do not wait for Him and are preoccupied with other aspirations will not rise from dust remaining separated from the Creator in their sensations.
55. In his vision, Rabbi Chiya saw many of his friends gathering around the standing pillars, and he saw how they elevated them to the heavenly Assembly. Some were ascending while others were descending. And high above them all, he saw the owner of the wings, Matat.
While the voice was calling, Rabbi Chiya saw several souls of the righteous belonging to the two groups. They stood around the two pillars that were in Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly and whom he already saw ascending to the Heavenly Assembly. Some of them were ascending, and some descending.
This way the two groups help one another according to the calling voice that instructs the first group to descend and the second one to ascend. Rabbi Chiya also saw that in response to the agitation of all these souls, i.e. because of the power of the two groups Matat descended from the Heavenly Assembly to the Assembly of Rabbi Shimon and took an oath.
56. The angel Matat swore that he heard from behind the Curtain how the King grieves over Malchut every day and remembers how She lies in the soil of the earth. At that time, He strikes 390 heavens, which all quake and tremble with fear because of Him. And He, the King, sheds tears mourning for the Shechina, Malchut that lies in the soil of the earth. And the tears, that are hot as fire, fall down into the Great Sea. By the power of these tears, the governor who rules the sea, and is called Rachav, is sustained and stays alive. He sanctifies the Creator’s name by taking it upon himself to swallow all the days of creation. He gathers them all within himself so that on the day when all the nations assemble against the Holy Nation, the waters will dry up, while Israel crosses over on dry land.
The oath consists in that the Creator never forgets that the Shechina is plunged into dust. But not all of the holy Shechina is meant: the Creator does not have to swear about it, for it is revealed to all who dwell in the upper worlds. He does everything only for the Shechina (Malchut).
Rabbi Chiya thinks about Malchut de Malchut held captive by the impure forces, abandoned and forgotten. Hence he cried: “Oh dust that consumes all!” The angel Matat appeared in the Assembly of Rabbi Shimon and revealed to Rabbi Chiya that the Creator’s rule is absolute and limitless and that He remembers Malchut de Malchut every day.
Zivug (combination of the screen with the light) is defined as a stroke of light into the screen with the desire to enter and cross the screen’s barrier. The screen withstands and pushes it back. This act is called the Reflected light and it rises up from the screen and dresses the coming upper light.
This may be compared with the example of the host (the Creator) offering delicious food (the light) to his guest (Kli) who wishes to enjoy the delicacies. But because of shame he refuses to accept the food and pushes it away. By this he says to the host (the Creator) that he cannot agree to receive the pleasure for himself. This repulsion of food (the light) forms the Reflected light, because it stems not just from the unwillingness to feel shame as in our world, but from the vessel’s desire to be similar to the Creator.
The Reflected light is an altruistic intention, desire. Only in this spiritual Kli (vessel), can the light be received; only in this intention can the Creator be felt.
After the Kli was able to push away all pleasure coming to it and demonstrated that it can meet the condition of the First Restriction (refrain from egoistical reception), it begins to calculate how much light it can receive for the sake of the Creator. Only this amount of the light may be received by the Kli.
The delight that was received inside the Kli is referred to as the Inner light. The amount of the light received inside the vessel determines the degree of its similarity to the Creator. The Kli wishes to be like the Creator. As He desires to bestow pleasure upon the Kli, so the Kli wishes to bestow upon Him. Therefore the size of the Kli, (from the Peh to the Tabur where it receives the light) determines the degree of merging with the Creator. In this place the Kli bonds with Him by its properties and intentions.
If the Kli is unable to receive for the sake of the Creator and can only refrain from reception it is considered to be in the “small” state. The Kli created by the Creator is the strongest one. But afterwards, as it begins to descend, its screen gets increasingly weaker until it finally reaches a level where the Kli can no longer receive for the Creator’s sake. All it can do now is not to receive for itself. This is why starting from this level and below it, the Kli’s desire to receive is under a ban. The Kli may only use its G”E, but not its AHP. The boundary beyond, which the light cannot spread to, is called the Parsa, the firmament, etc. This barrier will prevent the Kli from receiving the light, even if it wants to receive for itself.
The screen divides the firmament and consists of four parts: Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut, the four letters of HaVaYaH. Because Malchut joined with Bina and corrected its egoistical properties, the screen is located not in Malchut, but in Bina. Bina is estimated as 100, so the four parts H-B-T-F equal 400. However, there is no Zivug (reception of the light) on Malchut itself (hence it is called “closed gates”). This means that Malchut has 90 Sefirot and not 100: 9 Sefirot each consisting of 10.
The screen called the firmament makes a Zivug with the Upper light by reflecting it. It consists of 390 parts, for the part of Malchut de Malchut is absent. The firmament is therefore said to consist of 390 firmaments and a daily Zivug with the Shechina is made on it. A Zivug on the dust (i.e. 10 parts of Malchut de Malchut) is forbidden. The impact between the screen and the light resembles shuddering with fear to receive the light beyond the restricted limits.
There are 5 Sefirot in the Rosh (head) of Partzuf:
|
Keter |
- |
Galgalta (or Metzah) |
- |
forehead |
|
Hochma |
- |
Eynaim |
- |
eyes |
|
Bina |
- |
Ozen |
- |
ear |
|
ZA |
- |
Hotem |
- |
nose |
|
Malchut |
- |
Peh |
- |
mouth |
Similar to tears that physiological eyes shed, the light of Hochma that comes from the part of spiritual Kli called “eyes” is referred to as “tears”. Tears constitute the part of the light that is rejected by the Partzuf due to the absence of a screen on Malchut de Malchut. The light that comes to the Partzuf wishes to enter inside and fill it with its pleasure, even the part for which the Partzuf has no screen to work with altruistic intentions. Therefore the screen instantly pushes this part of the light away.
But between the light stroke and the screen’s resistance, tiny drops of light seep through the screen, which is unable to repel them for all its incredible speed. These drops have nothing to do with the level of Hochma of the Partzuf, because they are not enveloped in the Reflected light. They ooze out of the Partzuf of Hochma and receive the name “tears”. Yet this is the light!
Similarly, we are filled with tears of compassion as we see someone’s grief. Everything that is found in our world exists because it derives from its spiritual prototype, and all that occurs here is emanated by its Upper, spiritual root.
The fact that the Upper light strikes the screen trying to break through its restriction stems from its origin in the Creator, and is unrelated to the creation’s desire to receive this light within the bounds of its altruistic capabilities. The light comes from the world of Infinity, from the Creator Himself, long before the Kli appeared and decided to restrict itself.
The Upper light longs to fill the desire it created with delight. It is said that “the Creator wishes to dwell in His creatures”. The light and the Creator are the same, because man defines the sensation of the Creator as spiritual light. This Upper light tries to force its way through the screen and enter the person’s desires, but the screen hurls it back turning it into the Reflected light, man’s altruistic intentions to bestow delight upon the Creator.
As a result of collision with the screen, portions of the light come out, because these tears originate from the Creator’s love and compassion for His creation. This spiritual action brings forth tears in the person overwhelmed with suffering and love. However, spiritual tears do not disappear.
This is described in “Song of songs”: “For love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave; the flashes thereof are flashes of fire, a very flame of the Lord!”
Being related to the property of Hochma, Malchut is called the sea. The tears (the light of Hochma not clothed in the light of Hassadim) fall into the sea (Malchut). It is written that the sea waters will not extinguish the Creator’s love for His creation.
During the creation of the world it was said: “Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place”. But the angel supervising over the sea did not wish to swallow these waters, hence he was killed (was left without the light). Now, as the tears fall, he is revived.
The reason for this is that during the creation of the world Malchut de Malchut was not corrected. The Creator created the worlds of the ABYA in a special state called MAN de Bina or Ateret Yesod and not MAN de Malchut or Malchut de Malchut. The correction is possible if man corrects not Malchut de Malchut (his essence), but completely refrains from its use (use of egoism). He acquires altruistic desires from Bina and receives the Creator’s light in them (in the Sefirot K-H-B-ZA de Malchut, in 390 Sefirot).
These altruistic desires are defined as MAN de Bina, and Zivug (reception of the light) is made not on egoism (Malchut), but on the will to “bestow” (Ateret Yesod). This Zivug is therefore sufficient to fill only the first nine Sefirot in Malchut.
The Prophet writes about it: “Who are you with? I started the worlds, you are to complete them!” The correction of Malchut de Malchut is incumbent on the created beings. Hence, when the sea angel was told: “Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place”, he refused to swallow up the created waters. Impure forces prevailed over him due to the uncorrected state of Malchut de Malchut and he was killed.
However, these tears correct Malchut de Malchut and revive the sea angel so that he would fulfill the Creator’s will and swallow up the primeval waters. All the impure forces, all evil in the world will disappear. All desires will gather in one place (property) called Atzilut, because the world of Atzilut spreads down to the end of the world of AK and reaches our world. The end of correction will come, because the worlds of the BYA will rise with their properties to the world of Atzilut.
In the future, at the end of the correction of the first nine Sefirot of Malchut, when only the tenth Sefira, Malchut de Malchut remains to be corrected, all the nations of the world (Malchut de Malchut) will unite to destroy Israel (the first nine Sefirot of Malchut). The sea angel will then swallow up all the evil waters and the waters (severe restrictions) will dry up and the sons of Israel (those who aspire for the Creator) will walk on dry land.
The prophet Micah says about it: “As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvelous things”. But this was only a beginning, because it happened in the Final Sea (the Red sea; the Hebrew name “Suf” means the end of Malchut, or Malchut de Malchut) for a limited period of time. At the end of correction death will be forever gone. This is what Matat said about his oath: the Creator never forgets that His Malchut is cast in dust. Although a daily Zivug with the Shechina is only made on 390 firmaments, on the 9 Sefirot of Malchut, while Malchut de Malchut seemingly lies in dust completely forgotten by the Creator, it is not so. He corrects it with every Zivug, because the tears fall outside as a result of the strokes on the 390 firmaments. These tears are not lost, but fall into the sea (Malchut de Malchut), which receives from them gradual corrections, although it is the light of Hochma without the light of Hassadim. As it becomes more and more corrected, the sea angel rises to life. The amount of accumulated tears will finally reach the measure sufficient for correction of the entire Malchut, so that all of its intentions would be for the Creator’s sake.
This will be at the time, when all the nations get together to attack Israel. The sea angel will then be resurrected. He will swallow up the primeval waters, because Malchut de Malchut will receive the correction it lacked. The Creator takes constant care of it until His only creation reaches its final correction.
Here Rabbi Chiya saw his delusion: he discovered that nothing disappears in dust. On the contrary, Malchut goes through daily corrections, as Matat admitted in his oath.
57. Meanwhile, he heard a voice call out: “Move aside, make room!” King Mashiach is coming to the Assembly of Rabbi Shimon, because all the righteous people there are the heads of the Assemblies. And all the members of each Assembly ascend from this Assembly here to the heavenly Assembly. And Mashiach visits all these Assemblies and signs the Torah with the seal of the teachings that come from the mouths of the righteous. At that time, King Mashiach came to the Assembly of Rabbi Shimon surrounded by all the heads of the Assemblies.
As a result of this awesome revelation about the end of correction concealed in the oath of Matat, all the righteous men present at Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly were elevated; all the more the two groups of the righteous that brought Matat and made him take his oath. All of them reached the higher levels of "heads of Assemblies". Each assembly has its members and the head. The difference between them is similar to the difference between VAK, G”E of the Partzuf and GAR, the complete Partzuf.
Hence it is written that a place should be vacated for Mashiach. When Matat revealed the secret of the end (of correction), i.e. how creation will be delivered (from egoism), a voice commanded to prepare a place for Mashiach, the liberating King. The end of correction is related to the King Mashiach. Yet only the righteous members of Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly, who are above all the heads of all the higher Assemblies, are worthy to see his face. Only those who are on the same level with the King (i.e. all who corrected the first 9 Sefirot in their part of Malchut, all of their properties except for the original egoism, Malchut de Malchut) may come before him.
The level of Mashiach is the light of Yechida. Unless all the members reach the level of the heads of the Assemblies, GAR of the levels, i.e. correct everything they could, they would not be worthy of seeing the face of Mashiach. But the heads of the Assemblies are not GAR of the low levels. Their level is so high that they reached the heavenly Assembly of Matat.
Thanks to their corrections, Mashiach came to all of these Assemblies to be adorned with their deeds in the Torah. Now that all the members reached the level of the heads of the Assemblies, Mashiach is adorned with the Torah of that level, i.e. thanks to them Mashiach himself ascends to the higher level.
58. At the same time, all the colleagues, and Rabbi Shimon as well, stood up. Rabbi Shimon's light reached up to the firmament. Mashiach said to him: “Rabbi, how blessed you are, that your Torah has been elevated in 370 beams of Light. And every single beam is divided into 613 beams (properties). They rise up and bathe themselves in the rivers of holy Apharsemon. The Creator approves the Torah study of your Assembly, of the Assembly of Chizkiyah, the King of the Judean Kingdom and of the Assembly of Ichiya Ha-Shiloni.
When Mashiach revealed himself to them and came to Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly, all the members stood up (i.e. rose from the level of VAK to GAR), and Rabbi Shimon stood on the same level as Mashiach. The light rose to the firmament. This indicates that Rabbi Shimon reached the light of the ten firmaments, the missing tenth firmament of the closed gates of Malchut de Malchut. He now received the light of Yechida, because he could make a Zivug on Malchut de Malchut. The light of Yechida shining as a result of this Zivug is called Mashiach. The “sitting” level is 390, or VAK; the “standing” level is 400, or GAR.
And Mashiach said to Rabbi Shimon that his Torah gave rise to the light of Yechida in the Partzuf Atik, because:
Ones (0 – 9) are in Malchut,
Tens (10 – 90) are in ZA,
Hundreds (100 – 900) are in Ima,
Thousands (1000 – 9000) are in Aba,
Tens of thousands (10 000 – 90 000) are in Arich Anpin,
Hundreds of thousands (100 000 – 900 000) are in Atik.
Since each Sefira of Atik equals 100 000, the four Sefirot of HaVaYaH (H-B-T-M of Atik) total 400 000.
In this case, it should be said that the Torah manifested in 400 000. Yet he said that the light emanated by Ima is not used on 400, but just on 370, because although the Torah had reached the Zenith of the firmament, it could not reach GAR of the last, upper hundred. Hence there is only 370 lights, while 30 upper lights are absent in Ima.
As regards thousands, the light of Aba does not use the light of each thousand, but only VAK, i.e. 600 instead of 1000, it uses 13 instead of GAR of each thousand (Hochma of “32 Netivot Hochma”). This is because “13” signifies Hochma of “32 Netivot Hochma”, the small light of Hochma called the holy Apharsemon.
It is therefore said that the Torah reached 370 lights, and each of them divides into 613 beams. So in the 400 lights of Ima, 30 lights of Hochma are absent, which leaves it with only 370. Each thousand lacks 400 upper lights (the GAR of Hochma). Instead of using the 13 paths of the holy Apharsemon, each thousand has only 613, for all the upper secrets are concealed in Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly. The Creator Himself sealed them up, because He is elevated and adorned with the achievements of all the righteous men in the Torah.
It is known in Talmud (Sanhedrin, 99:1) that everything the prophets ever said referred to the coming of the days of Mashiach, but in the future (Isaiah, 64) everyone will see the Creator. All the levels that refer to the days of Mashiach will then be corrected, and all the secrets of the Torah will be revealed. Every one will completely attain the Creator in himself, and as it is said, everyone will see with his own eyes (sight means GAR de Hochma).
From the above-said it is clear that there is a chance to correct one’s individual Malchut de Malchut before all the other souls do the same in the future. In this case the person reaches his INDIVIDUAL level of attainment of 400, although his GENERAL level cannot be higher than 370. This is the level that Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Chizkiyah and Ashiloni had reached.
59. Mashiach said: “I have come to approve the Torah of your Assembly only because the “one with wings” is on his way here. Because I know that He shall not enter any other Assembly - only yours”. Meanwhile, he told Rabbi Shimon about the oath taken by the “one with wings”. Mashiach trembled and raised up his voice. The heavens also trembled, as did the Great Sea and the Leviathan. The world was about to collapse”.
Also at this time, he noticed Rabbi Chiya in Rabbi Shimon’s adornments. He asked: “Who allowed a human being to wear the adornments and cloaks of that world?” (that world dressed on the body of this world). Rabbi Shimon answered: “This is Rabbi Chiya! He is the Shining Light of the Torah”. He said: "Let him and his sons be gathered and join your Assembly!” Rabbi Shimon said: “Let him be given time! And time was given to him". (Rabbi Chiya’s time has not yet come).
Mashiach said to Rabbi Shimon that he came not for the sake of the Torah, but because the “one with wings” appeared in the Assembly wishing to know what Matat had said. Matat revealed that the end of correction would be preceded by terrible sufferings for Israel. The firmaments and the great sea would tremble; the world would be on the verge of collapse, as predicted in Talmud (Sanhedrin 97): “Everything was crushed”. So he raised his voice wishing to mitigate all this upheaval.
Mashiach was surprised to see Rabbi Chiya’s dress (i.e. that R. Chiya was in the physical body of our world, in the property of this world). This is because if he reached the level Matat and his oath, it means he had corrected all of his evil. Since he deserved to see Mashiach’s face (to receive the light Yechida), he had obviously completed his work in this world and there is nothing for him to do here anymore. Hence he should leave it and join Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly in the garden of paradise.
But Rabbi Shimon persuaded Rabbi Chiya to continue his new additional corrections in this world. Both Mashiach and Rabbi Shimon explained to Rabbi Chiya what else he would have to do in this world.
60. Rabbi Chiya was deeply shaken and wept, when Mashiach left Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly trembling all over, his eyes brimming with tears. Rabbi Chiya was also distressed by the great desire to reach the final correction and complete redemption. He said: “How happy are the righteous with their role in the world to come, and how happy is Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who has deserved all this".