214) This is the reason why it is written, \u201c\u2018To whom then will you liken Me, that I would be his equal?\u2019 says the Holy One.\u201d There is no creature that will be equal to Me. And even though I have created it in the image of My letters, I can obliterate that form and remake it several times, and there is no other God over Me that can obliterate My form. This is why it is written, \u201cFor their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
215) But it is written, \u201cFor you saw no manner of image,\u201d so how can we specify letters and names in Him? It is written, \u201cAnd he beholds the image of the Lord.\u201d The image he saw is the Sefira<\/em> of Malchut<\/em>, and not any other image that He created and formed in the letters. This is so because the Sefira<\/em> of Malchut<\/em> is the root of all the receivers and the vessels [vessels], but not in the first nine Sefirot<\/em>, which are devoid of any form. And this is why He said, \u201cTo whom then will you liken Me, that I would be his equal?\u201d and, \u201cTo whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 216) And even this image in Malchut<\/em> is not in the place of Malchut<\/em>, but only when the light of Malchut<\/em> descends and expands to the creatures, to rule over them. Then it appears to each of them, according to their image, and vision, and imagination, meaning with respect to the receivers, and not with respect to Malchut<\/em> herself, as it is written, \u201cAnd through the prophets I gave parables.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 217) This is why the Creator tells them, \u201cAlthough I appear to you in your forms, in vision and imagination, still, \u201cTo whom then will you liken Me, that I would be his equal?\u201d After all, before the Creator created an image in the world, and before He drew a form, the Creator was alone in the world, shapeless and imageless. And one who attains Him prior to the degree of Beria<\/em>, which is Bina<\/em>, still outside of any form, is forbidden to make a form and likeness in the world, not in the letter Hey<\/em>, not in the letter Yod<\/em>, or even to call Him by the Holy Name, or by any letter or dot. It is written, \u201cFor you saw no manner of image,\u201d meaning you did not see anything that has an image or similitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 218) But after He had made that form of the chariot of the upper Adam, He descended and clothed there, and he is named in it in the shape of the four letters HaVaYaH<\/em>, the ten Sefirot KHB<\/em> TM<\/em>, so He will be attained through his qualities, which are the Sefirot<\/em>, in each quality. And He is called, \u201cGod, Oh God, I will be the Lord of Hosts,\u201d so he will be known in each quality, how He leads the world with mercy and with judgment, according to people\u2019s actions. And had He not spread His light over all creations, how would they know Him, and how would the verse, \u201cThe whole earth is full of His glory\u201d come true?<\/p>\n\n\n\n 219) Woe unto one who imagines Him as any quality, and even one of His qualities, and all the more so to people, which are inferior vessels. But the imagination that we imagine is according to His dominion over that quality, and even according to His dominion over all creations. And there is no similitude above that quality. And when His dominion departs one, one has no measure, no likeness, and no form of that quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 220) Such as the sea. There is neither perception nor form in the waters of the sea that come out of him. But the expansion of the waters of the sea over the vessel, which is the earth, creates their image. And we can calculate there: The source of the sea is one; the spring that emerges from it, according to its expansion in the vessel as a circle (which is Yod<\/em>), makes two forms, for the source is one and the spring that emerges from it is two. Also, the source is the Keter<\/em> and the spring is the Hochma<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 221) Afterwards, He made a big vessel, similar to one who digs a deep hole, and it was filled with the water that comes out of the spring. And this vessel is called, \u201cthe sea.\u201d This is the third vessel, Bina<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, that vessel is divided into seven streams. As with long vessels, the water spread from the sea to the seven streams. Thus, the source, the spring, the sea, and the seven streams make ten. And if the craftsman were to break these tools that He had corrected, the waters would return to the source and the broken vessels would remain dry, without water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 222) Thus, the Cause of Causes made ten Sefirot<\/em>. He called the Keter<\/em>, source, and in it, there is no end to the springing of His light. For this reason, He called Himself, Ein Sof<\/em> [No End]. And He has no shape and form, and there is no tool by which to attain Him there, and to know anything at all about Him. This is why it is said, \u201cDo not interpret what you cannot perceive; do not inquire into what is covered from you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 223) Afterwards, He made a small vessel, which is the Yod<\/em>, and it was filled by the source. He called it, \u201ca wellspring,\u201d Hochma<\/em> [wisdom]. And He called Himself within it, \u201cWise.\u201d And he called that vessel Hochma<\/em>. Subsequently, He made a big vessel and called it, \u201cSea,\u201d and called it, Bina<\/em> [understanding]. And He called Himself within it Mevin<\/em> [the one who understands].<\/p>\n\n\n\n 224) Wise of his own and understanding of his own. This is so because Hochma<\/em> is not called Hochma<\/em> with respect to itself, but because of this wise, who fills her with His springing. And she is not called Bina<\/em> with respect to herself, but after that Understanding One, who fills her with Him. If He parted her, she would remain dry, as it is written, \u201cAs water evaporates from the sea, and a river becomes parched and dried up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 225) Afterwards, it is written, \u201cHe struck it into seven streams and made seven dignified vessels and called them, HGT NHYM<\/em>. And in greatness, He called Himself \u201cGreat,\u201d and in Hesed, Hasid<\/em> [kind\/benevolent]. Gibor<\/em> [mighty] in Gevura<\/em>, Mefoar<\/em> [glorified] in Tifferet<\/em>, and Baal Nitzahon<\/em> [triumphant] in the wars in Netzah<\/em> Netzahim<\/em> [all eternity]. In Hod<\/em>, He called Himself, \u201cThe Magnificence of Our Creator,\u201d and in Yesod<\/em>, He called Himself, \u201cRighteous.\u201d And Yesod<\/em>, everything is near it, all the vessels and all the worlds. And in Malchut<\/em>, He called Himself, Melech<\/em> [King]. And His is the greatness, the Gevura<\/em>, the Tifferet<\/em>, the Netzah<\/em>, and the Hod<\/em>, for all that is in heaven is righteous, Yesod<\/em>, and His is the kingdom, which is Malchut<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 226) Everything is under His authority. Whether to remove vessels and add springs in them, or to subtract, goes by His will for them. And there is no God that will add or subtract in Him. Hence, it is about the vessels from the world of Atzilut<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 227) Afterwards, He made servants to these vessels of Atzilut<\/em>\u2014a chair with four pillars and six steps to the chair, thus, they are ten. And altogether, it is called, \u201cA Throne,\u201d which is the world of Beria<\/em>. It is like a cup of blessing in which ten things are corrected, since the Torah was given in the ten commandments because the world, which is the act of creation, was created in ten utterances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 228) And He established parties to serve the throne. Those are angels, Er\u2019elim, Seraphim, animals, Ofanim<\/em> [wheels], Hashmalim<\/em> [electricity], Elim<\/em> [gods], Elohim<\/em> [God], sons of Elohim<\/em>, persons. And He made servants to these\u2014 Sam with all his parties, which are as clouds, to ride them and to descend to the earth. And they are as horses for them, for the angels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 229) Clouds are called, \u201cvehicle,\u201d as it is written, \u201cBehold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt.\u201d This is Egypt\u2019s appointee, called, \u201cSwift Cloud.\u201d When they saw that their god, which is their appointee, is as a horse under the Creator\u2019s chariot, promptly, \u201cThe idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, And the heart of the Egyptians will melt.\u201d They moved from their faith and their hearts melted like wax from the faith that they had in their appointed minister. And they said, \u201cUntil now, faith,\u201d meaning the Godly, \u201cOur appointee has become like a horse.\u201d Their hearts moved from their faith and melted like wax. And how do we know? Because melting comes from the words, \u201cmelting like wax,\u201d as it is written, \u201cMy heart is like wax; it is melted within me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 214) This is the reason why it is written, \u201c\u2018To whom then will you liken Me, that I would be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":10153,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"topic":[28],"class_list":["post-11064","book","type-book","status-publish","hentry","topic-zohar"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n