Chapter Sixteen (פֶּרֶק שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר)

And now we shall return to speak about the lower Heikhal [Palace] of Etzem haShamayim [Essence of the Heavens] (וְעַתָּה נַחֲזוֹר לְדַבֵּר בְּהֵיכָל עֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם הַתַּחְתּוֹן), which is in the secret of the Yesod of Malchut (שֶׁהוּא בְּסוֹד יְסוֹד דְּמַלְכוּת), and this is called Zohar Etzem haShamayim [Radiance of the Essence of the Heavens] (שֶׁנִּקְרָא זֹהַר עֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם), while the upper one is called Etzmei haShamayim [the Essences of the Heavens] (וְהָעֶלְיוֹן נִקְרָא עֶצְמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם). The reason why this one is called Zohar Shamayim [Radiance of the Heavens] (טַעַם לָמָּה נִקְרָא זֶה זֹהַר־שָׁמַיִם), know (דַּע), that in this Heikhal [Palace] of Zohar Etzem haShamayim [Radiance of the Essence of the Heavens] (כִּי בְּהֵיכָל זֹהַר עֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם), there are within it two angels for each direction of its four directions (יֵשׁ בְּתוֹכוֹ ב׳ מַלְאָכִים לְכָל רוּחַ מִד׳ רוּחוֹתָיו), for each one of these two angels has two angels beneath him (שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מִב׳ מַלְאָכִים אֵלּוּ יֵשׁ לוֹ ב׳ מַלְאָכִים תַּחְתָּיו). And the two in the east are (וְשֵׁם הַב׳ שֶׁבַּמִּזְרָח): the first is YHDNIAL (שֵׁם הָאֶחָד יהדניאל), and it emerges from the verse (וְיוֹצֵא מִפָּסוּק): “And the width of the court on the eastern side eastward shall be fifty cubits, and fifteen cubits of hangings for the shoulder, their pillars three and their sockets three” (וְרֹחַב הֶחָצֵר לִפְאַת קֵדְמָה מִזְרָחָה נ׳ אַמָּה, וַחֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה קְלָעִים לַכָּתֵף עַמּוּדֵיהֶם ג׳ וְאַדְנֵיהֶם ג׳) (Exodus 27:13–14), and the Mem of “vaAdneihem [and their sockets]” is in place of the Yud through ATBSH (וּמֵ״ם שֶׁל וְאַדְנֵיהֶם הִיא בִּמְקוֹם יוּ״ד בְּאַ״ת בַּ״ש). And the second name is GZVRYAH (וְשֵׁם הַב׳ גזוריה), emerging from this same verse (יוֹצֵא מִפָּסוּק זֶה עַצְמוֹ): “And the width of the court on the eastern side eastward shall be fifty cubits, and fifteen cubits of hangings for the shoulder” (וְרֹחַב הֶחָצֵר לִפְאַת קֵדְמָה מִזְרָחָה נ׳ אַמָּה וַחֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה קְלָעִים לַכָּתֵף), and the Resh of “veRochav [and the width]” is exchanged with a Gimel through ATBSH (וְר׳ שֶׁל וְרֹחַב מִתְחַלֶּפֶת בְּג׳ בְּאַ״ת בַּ״ש), and the Mem of “Mizrachah [eastward]” is exchanged with a Yud through ATBSH (וּמֵ״ם שֶׁל מִזְרָחָה מִתְחַלֶּפֶת בְּיוּ״ד בְּאַ״ת בַּ״ש). And the two southern names are AHRIAL and BRHIAL (וְשֵׁם הַב׳ דְּרוֹמִיִּים אהריאל ברהיאל), and they emerge from the verse (וְיוֹצֵא מִפָּסוּק): “And you shall make the court of the Mishkan on the south side southward, hangings for the court of fine twisted linen, one hundred cubits in length for one side” (וְעָשִׂיתָ אֶת הֶחָצֵר הַמִּשְׁכָּן לִפְאַת נֶגֶב תֵּימָנָה קְלָעִים לֶחָצֵר שֵׁשׁ מָשְׁזָר מֵאָה בָאַמָּה אֹרֶךְ לַפֵּאָה הָאֶחָת) (Exodus 27:9), and the Mem of “Me’ah [one hundred]” is exchanged with a Yud through ATBSH (וּמֵ״ם שֶׁל מֵאָה מִתְחַלֶּפֶת בְּיוּ״ד בְּאַ״ת בַּ״ש). And these four angels, eastern and southern (וְד׳ מַלְאָכִים אֵלּוּ מִזְרָחִיִּים וּדְרוֹמִיִּים), are appointed to receive the voice of the Chayah [Living Creature] at the time of her giving birth (הֵם מְמֻנִּים לְקַבֵּל קוֹל הַחַיָּה בְּעֵת לִדְתָּהּ), when she sits upon the birthing stool (בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיּוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל הַמַּשְׁבֵּר), and they bring her voice before the Holy One, blessed be He (וּמְבִיאִים קוֹלָהּ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא), and He opens her womb (וּפוֹתֵחַ אֶת רַחְמָהּ), and one who knows how to intend these four Names and their root (וְהַיּוֹדֵעַ לְכַוֵּן בְּד׳ שֵׁמוֹת הַלָּלוּ וְשָׁרְשָׁם), will help one who has difficulty giving birth (יוֹעִיל לַמְקַשָּׁה לֵילֵד). And these four angels are called Avanim [Stones] (וְד׳ מַלְאָכִים אֵלּוּ נִקְרָאִים אֲבָנִים), because they surround a woman when she has difficulty in childbirth (לְפִי שֶׁסּוֹבְבִים אֶל אִשָּׁה בְּהַקְשׁוֹתָהּ בְּלִדְתָּהּ), if she calls out to Hashem (אִם תִּקְרָא אֶל ה׳), and they protect her and pray on her behalf (וּמְגִנִּים וּמִתְפַּלְלִים עָלֶיהָ), and when the Blessed God hears the voice of the Chayah [Woman in Labor] (וְהָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹל הַחַיָּה), He says: “What is this voice in My ears?” (אוֹמֵר מָה הַקּוֹל הַזֶּה בְּאָזְנַי), and the four angels reply (וְד׳ מַלְאָכִים מְשִׁיבִין): “This is the voice of a certain woman” (זֶה קוֹל אִשָּׁה פְּלוֹנִית), and then the Holy One, blessed be He, is filled with mercy (וְאָז הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְמַלֵּא רַחֲמִים).

And know (וְדַע), that one of the six angels beneath GZVRYAH (כִּי אֶחָד מו׳ מַלְאָכִים שֶׁתַּחַת גזוריה), is Mikha’el (הוּא מִיכָאֵל), but he is not Mikha’el the Great Prince (אֲבָל אֵינוֹ מִיכָאֵל הַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל), and he is appointed to receive the voice of the Ayalah [Doe] crying out in childbirth (וְהוּא מְמֻנֶּה לְקַבֵּל קוֹל אַיָּלָה הַצּוֹעֶקֶת בְּלִדְתָּהּ), and he brings her voice before GZVRYAH (וּמֵבִיא קוֹלָהּ לִפְנֵי גזוריה), and GZVRYAH brings it before Him, blessed be He (וְגזוריה מֵבִיא לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ), and He has mercy upon her (וּמְרַחֵם עָלֶיהָ). And the Ayalot [Does] have particular providence (וְיֵשׁ לָאַיָּלוֹת הַשְׁגָּחָה פְּרָטִית), because they allude to Rachel and Leah and Knesset Yisrael and Malchut and Binah (לְפִי שֶׁהִיא רוֹמֶזֶת לְרָחֵל וּלְלֵאָה וּלְכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְמַלְכוּת וּלְבִינָה), and this is like the secret of the bird’s nest (וְהוּא כְּמוֹ סוֹד קַן צִפּוֹר), for the angel Sandalfon is appointed over the birds (שֶׁמַּלְאָךְ סַנְדַּלְפוֹן הוּא מְמֻנֶּה עַל הָעוֹפוֹת), and when a person takes the young and sends away the mother (וּכְשֶׁאָדָם לוֹקֵחַ הַבָּנִים וּמְשַׁלֵּחַ הָאֵם), she cries out (הִיא צוֹעֶקֶת). And Sandalfon comes (וּבָא סַנְדַּלְפוֹן), and brings this bird’s cry before Him [before Hashem] beforehand (וּמַקְדִּים לְפָנָיו [לִפְנֵי ה׳] קוֹל הַצִּפּוֹר זֶה), and says to Him (וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ): just as this one cries out over her children, and her voice comes before You (כְּמוֹ שֶׁזֹּאת הִיא צוֹעֶקֶת עַל בָּנֶיהָ וְקוֹלָהּ בָּא אֵלֶיךָ), so too may the voice of Rachel weeping for her children ascend before You (כֵּן יַעֲלֶה לְפָנֶיךָ קוֹל רָחֵל שֶׁמְּבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ), and he pleads merit on behalf of Yisrael (וּמְלַמֵּד זְכוּת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל). And exactly so is the secret of the Ayalta [Doe] (וְכֵן מַמָּשׁ סוֹד אַיָּלוּתָא), that just as she is in the pain of childbirth (שֶׁכְּמוֹ שֶׁהִיא בְּצַעַר הַלֵּידָה), so too Knesset Yisrael [the Congregation of Israel] (כֵּן כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written: “Like a pregnant woman who approaches childbirth, writhes and cries out in her pangs” (כְּמוֹ הָרָה תַּקְרִיב לָלֶדֶת תָּחִיל וְתִזְעַק בַּחֲבָלֶיהָ) (Isaiah 26:17), from the pain caused to her by the serpent (מֵהַצַּעַר שֶׁמְּצַעֲרָהּ בָּא נָחָשׁ), whose letters [numerical value] are Mashiach (שֶׁאוֹתִיּוֹת [גִּימַטְרִיָּא] נָחָשׁ הוּא מָשִׁיחַ), as though it bites her (כְּמוֹ דְּנָכִישׁ אוֹתָהּ), to open her womb (לִפְתֹּחַ רַחְמָהּ), so too Mashiach awakens through the sound of the Shofar (כְּמוֹ כֵן מָשִׁיחַ מְעוֹרֵר בְּקוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר), to open the prison of the captive (לִפְתֹּחַ מִמַּסְגֵּר אָסִיר), namely her children (דְּחַיְינוּ בָּנֶיהָ). And she alludes to all of them (וְהִיא רוֹמֶזֶת לְכֻלָּם), because all of them wandered from their place at the time of the destruction (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכֻּלָּם נָדְדוּ מִמְּקוֹמָם בִּשְׁעַת הַחֻרְבָּן), and they cry out from the pain of our exile (וְהֵם צוֹעֲקִים מִצַּעַר גָּלֻיּוֹתֵינוּ).