Daf 45b (דַּף מ״ה ע״ב)

For the legs of Ze'ir Anpin are the eyes of the Shekhinah (כִּי הָרַגְלַיִם דְּזְעֵיר הֵם הָעֵינַיִם שֶׁל הַשְּׁכִינָה), and these eyes are the mystery of the Name Tzevaot (וְהָעֵינַיִם הַלָּלוּ הֵם סוֹד הַשֵּׁם צְבָאוֹת), for it strengthens the Hosts of Hashem (כִּי הוּא הַמְחַזֵּק צִבְאוֹת ה׳), standing upon the boundary of Holiness (הָעוֹמְדִים עַל גְּבוּל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה), to keep the accusers away from the entrances of the Chariot (לְהַרְחִיק הַמְקַטְרְגִים מִמְּבוֹאוֹת הַמֶּרְכָּבָה), so that they may not approach the Holy Place (שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרְבוּ אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ), as it is said, “The outsider who approaches shall be put to death” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת) (Numbers 1:51), and these Hosts cover these two Heikhalot [Palaces] with their wings (וְהַצְּבָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ מְכַסִּים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם הַשְּׁנֵי הֵיכָלוֹת הַלָּלוּ), and hover and shelter with their wings, each one toward the other (וְחוֹפְפִים וְסוֹכְכִים בְּכַנְפֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו), so that the princes of impurity may not gain a hold there (לְבַל יֹאחֲזוּ שָׁם שָׂרֵי הַטֻּמְאָה), but in the future it is said, “Your Teacher shall no longer be concealed, and your eyes shall behold your Teacher” (אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד נֶאֱמַר וְלֹא יִכָּנֵף עוֹד מוֹרֶיךָ וְהָיוּ עֵינֶיךָ רֹאוֹת אֶת מוֹרֶיךָ) (Isaiah 30:20). And the Name Tzevaot equals Tapuach [Apple] together with the letters and the kollel (וְשֵׁם צְבָאוֹת עוֹלֶה תַּפּוּחַ עִם הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְהַכּוֹלֵל), and this is the mystery of, “Sustain me with apples, for I am sick with love” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד רַפְּדוּנִי בַּתַּפּוּחִים כִּי חוֹלַת אַהֲבָה אָנִי) (Song of Songs 2:5), and this is the mystery of the Zivug [Union] of these two loves, Ahavah Rabbah [Great Love] and Ahavah Zuta [Lesser Love] (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הַזִּוּוּג שֶׁבְּאֵלּוּ הַשְּׁתֵּי אַהֲבוֹת אַהֲבָה רַבָּה וְאַהֲבָה זּוּטָא), and the Name Havayah equals two times Ahavah [Love] (וְשֵׁם הוי״ה עוֹלֶה בּ׳ פְּעָמִים אַהֲבָה), and this is the mystery of the Zivug [Union] of the Keri'at Shema (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד הַזִּוּוּג שֶׁל הַק״ש), which unites them first in the Heikhal [Palace] of Ahavah [Love] (שֶׁמְּזַוֵּג אוֹתָם בְּהֵיכַל אַהֲבָה קֹדֶם), and Tapuach [Apple] is the mystery of Chuppat Chatanim [Wedding Canopy of Bridegrooms] (וְתַפּוּ״ח הוּא סוֹד חוּפַ״ת חֲתָנִים), for if you reverse the letters of Tapuach you obtain Chuppat Chatanim [Wedding Canopy of Bridegrooms] (כִּי הָפוּךְ תַּפּוּחַ הוּא חוּפַת חֲתָנִים), by which Ze'ir Anpin and Nukvah are brought into the Chuppah [Wedding Canopy] (שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ לַחוּפָּה), for the Netzach and Hod are the Mochin [Mentalities] that she receives from him through his Netzach and Hod (כִּי הַנ״ה הֵם הַמּוֹחִין אֲשֶׁר הִיא מַשֶּׂגֶת מִמֶּנּוּ ע״י נ״ה שֶׁבּוֹ), and they are the legs that tread upon the high places of the earth (וְהֵם הָרַגְלַיִם אֲשֶׁר דּוֹרְכִים עַל בָּמוֹתֵי אָרֶץ), as it is said, “And you shall tread upon their high places” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאַתָּה עַל בָּמוֹתֵימוֹ תִדְרֹךְ) (Deuteronomy 33:29), and these Netzach and Hod are the mystery of the Mem and Samekh of the Tablets (וְהַנ״ה הַלָּלוּ הֵם סוֹד מֵ״ם וְסָמֶ״ךְ שֶׁבַּלּוּחוֹת), and the Appiryon [Palanquin] below likewise becomes Afarsemon [Persimmon Balsam] (וְנַעֲשֶׂה אַפַרְסְמוֹן גַּם בָּאַפִּרְיוֹן לְמַטָּה), and all their arousal is through the Mem and Samekh of Imma (וְכָל הִתְעוֹרְרוּתָם ע״י מֵ״ם וְסָמֶ״ךְ שֶׁל אִמָּא), dwelling through Ze'ir Anpin and Nukvah upon the Throne (הַמְקַנֶּנֶת ע״י זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ בְּכוּרְסְיָיא). Its explanation is: upon the two thrones of Ze'ir Anpin and Nukvah of Beri'ah (פֵּרוּשׁ בִּשְׁתֵּי כִּסְאוֹת שֶׁל זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ דִּבְרִיאָה), and since they are the two halves of one body (וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהֵם תְּרֵי פַּלְגָא דְגוּפָא), they come under one Name, which is Tzevaot (הֵם בָּאִים בְּשֵׁם אֶחָד הַנִּקְרָא צְבָאוֹת). “Over Darkness rests the Name Elohim” (חֹשֶׁךְ עֲלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא שֵׁם אֱלֹהִים). Its explanation is: this Darkness, from which the extension of Esav emerged, derives its power from the final Gevurah [Power of Judgment] adjacent to the night (פֵּרוּשׁוֹ הוּא הַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ מְשִׁיכוּ דְּעֵשָׂו וְכֹחָהּ מִגְּבוּרָה הָאַחֲרוֹנָה הַסְּמוּכָה לְלֵילְיָא), in the mystery of, “And it came to pass, when Yitzchak was old, that his eyes grew dim from seeing” (בְּסוֹד וַיְהִי כִּי זָקֵן יִצְחָק וַתִּכְהֶיןָ עֵינָיו מֵרְאֹת) (Genesis 27:1), and this Elohim is the Holy Elohim (וֶאֱלֹהִים הַזֶּה הוּא אֱלֹהִים קְדוֹשִׁים), as it is said, “For He is Holy Elohim” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי אֱלֹהִים קְדוֹשִׁים הוּא) (Joshua 24:19), and it subdues the dominion of the back-aspect Elohim (וְהוּא הַכּוֹפֶה שְׁלִיטַת אֱלֹהִים אֲחוֹרַיִים), namely the essential Darkness (הוּא חֹשֶׁךְ הָעַצְמִי), in which the Ox, the Dog, and the Donkey take hold (שֶׁבּוֹ אוֹחֵז שׁוֹר כֶּלֶב חֲמוֹר).