Chapter Twenty-Three (פֶּרֶק עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה)

Until now we have spoken of the Upper Heikhal Ahavah [Palace of Love] (עַד עַתָּה דִּבַּרְנוּ בְּהֵיכָל אַהֲבָה הָעֶלְיוֹן), now we shall speak of the Lower Heikhal Ahavah [Palace of Love] (עַתָּה נְדַבֵּר בְּהֵיכָל אַהֲבָה הַתַּחְתּוֹן), and there stand three hundred and sixty-five appointees there, corresponding to the number of the days of the year (וְשָׁם הֵם עוֹמְדִים שְׁסָ״ה מְמֻנִּים כְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה), and over them are four supreme Somekhin [Supporters] as heads over all of them (וְרָאשִׁים עֲלֵיהֶם אַרְבָּעָה סוֹמְכִין עֶלְיוֹנִים עַל כֻּלָּם). And these are Kaddishiah’el, Satriah’el, Asiriah, and Kaddishiel (וְאֵלּוּ הֵם קַדְשִׁיהָא״ל סַטְרִיהָא״ל עֲסִירִיָה קַדְשִׁיאֵל), and they are the pegs of this Heikhal [Palace] (וְהֵם הַיְּתֵדוֹת שֶׁל הֵיכָל זֶה), and they are appointed to gladden Israel (וְהֵם מְמֻנִּים לְשַׂמֵּחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And when Shabbat enters (וּכְשֶׁנִּכְנָס שַׁבָּת), then the additional soul comes from above (אָז בָּאָה הַנְּשָׁמָה יְתֵרָה מִלְמַעְלָה), and these angels accompany it below (וְאֵלּוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים מְלַוִּים אוֹתָהּ לְמַטָּה), and they remove from all the observers of Shabbat (וּמַעֲבִירִים מִכָּל שׁוֹמְרֵי שַׁבָּת), every sadness, grief, and sighing (כָּל עַצְבוּת וְיָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה), and every weariness of labor (וְכָל יְגִיעַת מְלָאכָה), and every bitterness of the soul (וְכָל מְרִירַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ), and every anger in the world (וְכָל רֹגֶז שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם).

Therefore, joy is more appropriate on Shabbat than on all the festivals (לָכֵן שַׁיָּיךְ יוֹתֵר שִׂמְחָה בְּשַׁבָּת מִכָּל הַמּוֹעֲדִים), and not like the wording emended by Our Master and Teacher, Rabbi Shabbetai, peace be upon him (וְלֹא כְּהַנּוּסַח שֶׁהִגִּיהַּ מַהֲרַ״ר שַׁבְּתַי עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם), according to the Sephardic wording (כְּנוּסַח הַסְּפָרַדִּים), who say: “and may those who sanctify Your Name rest in it” (וְיָנוּחוּ בוֹ מְקַדְּשֵׁי שְׁמֶךָ), or the wording (אוֹ נוּסַח): “this Day of Rest” (אֶת יוֹם הַמָּנוֹחַ הַזֶּה), which is contrary to the secret of Shabbat (שֶׁהוּא נֶגֶד סוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת), which nullifies and overturns the influence of the star Shabtai [Saturn] (הַמְבַטֵּל וּמְשַׁדֵּד הַמַּעֲרָכֶת שֶׁל כּוֹכַב שַׁבְּתַאי), which indicates destruction, cessation, ruin, grief, and sighing (הַמּוֹרֶה הֲרִיסָה וּשְׁבִיתָה וְחֻרְבָּן וְיָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה), to wear black garments (לִלְבּוֹשׁ שְׁחוֹרִים), and to dwell in a sad and dark abode (וּבְדִירָה עֲצֵבָה וַחֲשׁוּכָה), and not to drink wine and not to eat meat (וְלֹא לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן וְלֹא לֶאֱכוֹל בָּשָׂר), and not to rejoice in any joy (וְלֹא לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּשׁוּם שִׂמְחָה), and then the power of Shabtai [Saturn] can be drawn upon him (וְאָז יָכוֹל לְהִמָּשֵׁךְ עָלָיו כֹּחַ שַׁבְּתַאי), as mentioned in Zohar Chadash, Parashat Yitro (כַּנִּזְכָּר בְּזֹהַר חָדָשׁ פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ). But we must acknowledge that the Holy One, blessed be He, overturns the celestial influences (אֲבָל יֵשׁ לָנוּ לְהוֹדוֹת שֶׁהַקב״ה מְשַׁדֵּד הַמַּעֲרָכוֹת), and He is the true Leader (וְהוּא הַמַּנְהִיג הָאֲמִתִּי), and we must rejoice with every kind of joy (וְיֵשׁ לָנוּ לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּכָל מִינֵי שִׂמְחָה), and especially the joy that all the worlds possess (וּבִפְרָט הַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת), because they have rest from the kingdom of wickedness (שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם מְנוּחָה מִמַּלְכוּת זָדוֹן). They are the enemies who cause grief and sighing (הֵם הָאוֹיְבִים הַגּוֹרְמִים יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה), causing the angels of peace to weep bitterly (לְמַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם מַר יִבְכָּיוּן) (Isaiah 33:7), and they are compelled to fall into the female of the Great Deep (וּמֻכְרָחִים הֵם לִפּוֹל בְּנוּקְבָא דִתְּהוֹם רַבָּא), and the Holy One, blessed be He, spreads over us shelters of peace (וְהַקב״ה פּוֹרֵשׂ עָלֵינוּ סֻכּוֹת שָׁלוֹם), the like of which does not exist on the festivals (מַה שֶּׁאֵין עָלֶיהָ כָּמוֹהָ בְּיוֹם טוֹב). And these appointees also remove all sorrow, grief, and sighing (וְגַם אֵלּוּ מְמֻנִּים לְהָסִיר כָּל הַצַּעַר וְיָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה), from those wicked ones who sit in Gehinnom all the days of the week (מֵאוֹתָם הָרְשָׁעִים הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּגֵיהִנָּם כָּל יְמֵי הַשָּׁבוּעַ), and they proclaim that the judgment be removed from them (וְהֵם מַכְרִיזִים לְסַלֵּק הַדִּין מֵהֶם), and therefore they gladden one who sits in mourning and sorrow (וְלָכֵן הֵם מְשַׂמְּחִים מִי שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב בַּאֲבֵלוּת וְצַעַר). And concerning the wicked it is said (וְעַל הָרְשָׁעִים): “Those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, bound in affliction and iron” (יֹשְׁבֵי חֹשֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָוֶת אֲסִירֵי עֳנִי וּבַרְזֶל) (Psalms 107:10), “He saves them from their distresses” (מִמְּצוּקוֹתֵיהֶם יוֹשִׁיעֵם) (Psalms 107:13). And concerning the future it is said (וְלֶעָתִיד נֶאֱמַר): “Rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn for her” (שִׂישׂוּ אִתָּהּ מָשׂוֹשׂ כָּל הַמִּתְאַבְּלִים עָלֶיהָ) (Isaiah 66:10), and it is said (וְנֶאֱמַר): “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears” (מִנְעִי קוֹלֵךְ מִבֶּכִי וְעֵינַיִךְ מִדִּמְעָה) (Jeremiah 31:15), “and there is hope for your future, and the children shall return to their border” (וְיֵשׁ תִּקְוָה לְאַחֲרִיתֵךְ וְשָׁבוּ בָנִים לִגְבוּלָם) (Jeremiah 31:16). And all the Heikhalot [Palaces] below (וְכָל הַהֵיכָלוֹת שֶׁלְּמַטָּה), stand to receive crowns and abundance from the Heikhalot [Palaces] above (עוֹמְדִים לְקַבֵּל עֲטָרוֹת וְשֶׁפַע מֵהַהֵיכָלוֹת שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה), and especially when the Heikhalot [Palaces] of the Nukvah ascend (וּבִפְרָט כְּשֶׁעוֹלִים הֵיכָלוֹת הַנּוּקְבָה), to unite with the Heikhalot [Palaces] of the male (לְהִזְדַּוֵּג בְּהֵיכָלוֹת הַזָּכָר), then they illuminate with a very great light (אָז הֵם מְאִירִים אוֹר גָּדוֹל מְאֹוד).