Notes

1. Mikdash Melekh, RaMaZ Commentary on Zohar: “Stories of the world,” etc. (סִפּוּרִין בְּעָלְמָא וְכוּ׳), he said this in contrast to what Rabbi Abba explained as a supernal secret (אָמַר כֵּן לְעוּמַּת מַה שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ ר׳ אַבָּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה), regarding that which appears to be only a narrative account (בְּמַה שֶׁנִּרְאֶה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בּוֹ רַק סִפּוּר הָעִנְיָן), namely “in the second year, in the first month” (וִיהְיֶה בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית וְחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן), for what need is there for these details if nothing practical for a commandment results from them (כִּי מַה צוֹרֶךְ לְאֵלּוּ הַפְּרָטִים שֶׁלֹּא נִמְשַׁךְ מֵהֶם שׁוּם דָּבָר לְקִיּוּם אֵיזוֹ מִצְוָה), it is understandable for the account of the Exodus for the commandment of Pesach which occurs in the first month (תִּינַח סִפּוּר יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם לְמִצְוַת פֶּסַח שֶׁהָיָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן), but this account has no need, only that in brief the Holy One Blessed Be He would command to continue performing the Pesach (אֲבָל סִפּוּר זֶה אֵין צוֹרֶךְ רַק שֶׁבְּקִצּוּר יְצַוֶּה הקב״ה שֶׁיַּתְמִידוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַפֶּסַח), and he added further “words of ordinary speech” (וְהוֹסִיף עוֹד מִלִּין דְּהֶדְיוֹטֵי), as mentioned above (כַּנּ״ל), “if so, even…” (דְּאִי הָכִי אַפִּי וְכוּ׳), for there are many narratives in the books of Chronicles, such as the matters of the sons of the Hasmoneans, and they are not called words of Torah nor words of prophets (כִּי כַּמָּה סִפּוּרִים בְּסִפְרֵי דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים כְּעִנְיְנֵי בְּנֵי חַשְׁמוֹנָאִי וְאֵינָם נִקְרָאִים לֹא דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וְלֹא דִּבְרֵי נְבִיאִים).

2. Mikdash Melekh, RaMaZ Commentary on Zohar: “Rather all the words of the Orayta,” etc. (אֶלָּא כָּל מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְכוּ׳), he means as Rabbi Abba explained above, a great secret in that which appeared to be only a simple narrative (יְרַצֶּה כְּמַה שֶׁלְּעֵיל פֵּירֵשׁ ר׳ אַבָּא סוֹד גָּדוֹל בְּמַה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה נִרְאֶה בּוֹ אֶלָּא סִפּוּר בְּעָלְמָא), “come and see, the supernal world,” etc. (תָּא חֲזֵי עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה וְכוּ׳), he presents two wondrous explanations to clarify his words (יַצִּיעַ ב׳ הַצָּעוֹת מוּפְלָאוֹת לְהַסְבִּיר דְּבָרָיו). The first (הָא׳), that even though this lower world is material, the wisdom of the attributes and supernal secrets are not hidden from it (שֶׁגַּם שֶׁעוֹלָם זֶה הַתַּחְתּוֹן הוּא חוֹמְרִי לֹא נִפְלָא מִמֶּנּוּ חָכְמַת הַמִּדּוֹת וְרָזִים עֶלְיוֹנִים), and this is that the two worlds are equal (וְזֶה שֶׁשְּׁנֵי הָעוֹלָמוֹת שְׁקוּלִים הֵם), as the sages said that sometimes the heavens precede the earth and sometimes the earth precedes the heavens, to teach that they are equal (וּכְמַרְז״ל שֶׁפַּעַם קָדְמוּ שָׁמַיִם לָאָרֶץ וּפַעַם הָאָרֶץ קוֹדֶמֶת לַשָּׁמַיִם לְלַמֵּד שֶׁשְּׁקוּלִים הֵם), and Israel below (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא), whose souls are a portion of God above, are fit to attain wisdom like the supernal angels (שֶׁנִּשְׁמָתָם חֵלֶק אֱלוֹהַּ מִמַּעַל וְלָהֶם יָכוֹן לִמּוּד הַחָכְמוֹת כְּמוֹ לַמַּלְאָכִים הָעֶלְיוֹנִים). The second explanation (וְהַהַצָּעָה הַב׳), is the reason the Orayta is clothed in the garment of material simplicity (טַעַם לְהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת הַתּוֹרָה בְּלְבוּשׁ חוֹמֶר הַפְּשָׁט), and therefore it says “the supernal angels are written about,” etc. (וְלָזֶה אָמַר מַלְאָכֵי עִלָּאֵי כְּתִיב בְּהוּ וְכוּ׳), the matter is as explained in the writings of the Ari, that angels come only from the union of kisses, which is from Abba veImma through Da‘at (הָעִנְיָן כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּאִ״י שֶׁהַמַּלְאָכִים אֵינָם בָּאִים אֶלָּא מִזִּוּוּג הַנְּשִׁיקִין שֶׁהוּא מֵאַבָּא וְאִמָּא עַל יְדֵי הַדַּעַת), whereas human souls also require the union of the body, which is Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah (וְנִשְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם צְרִיכוֹת גַּם לְזִוּוּגָא דְּגוּפָא שֶׁהוּא זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבָא), and therefore they must be clothed in a body (וְלָכֵן הֻצְרְכוּ לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּגוּף). “And this is the secret of the name ‘malach’” (וְזֶהוּ סוֹד שֵׁם מַלְאָךְ), whose numerical value corresponds to three fillings of Yod–Heh (גִּימַטְרִיָּא ג׳ מִלּוּאֵי י״ה), And if you multiply them—Yod times Yod, Heh times Heh, etc.—they will amount to the numerical value of Ruchot (Spirits) (וְאִם תַּרְבֶּה אוֹתָם יו״ד פ״א יו״ד ה״י וְגוֹ׳ יַעֲלוּ גִּימַטְרִיָּא רוּחוֹת), and the reason for these two numbers is as explained in the Ari, that although angels come from the union of Abba veImma, they must also pass through the supernal union of Chokhmah, Binah, and Da‘at (וְטַעַם ב׳ הַמִּסְפָּרִים הוּא לְמַה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּאִ״י שֶׁגַּם שֶׁהַמַּלְאָכִים הֵם מִזִּוּוּג אַבָּא וְאִמָּא צְרִיכִים עוֹד לַעֲבוֹר דֶּרֶךְ זִוּוּג הָעֶלְיוֹן דְּהַיְינוּ חב״ד דִּילֵיהּ), and thus both aspects are hinted, and the term “ruḥot” is appropriate, because Ze’ir Anpin is the aspect of spirit (וּלְעוּמַּת זֶה רוֹמְזִים שְׁנֵי הָעִנְיָנִים וְיִצְדַּק לְשׁוֹן רוּחוֹת לְפִי שֶׁזְּעֵיר הוּא סוֹד רוּחַ).

3. Mikdash Melekh, RaMaZ Commentary on Zohar: “But at the time when they descend below, even though they descend” (אֲבָל בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּנַחְתִּין לְתַתָּא אַע״ג דְּנַחְתִּין), this means when they descend to this world (יִרְצֶה כְּשֶׁיּוֹרְדִים לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה), as they came to Avraham our father (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁבָּאוּ לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ), and certainly they must descend from their level and acquire a new existence (וּבְלִי סָפֵק שֶׁצְּרִיכִים הֵם לָרֶדֶת מִמַּעֲלָתָם וְלִקְנוֹת מְצִיאוּת חָדָשׁ), and to come through the union of Ze’ir Anpin and Nukvah, which is the union of the body (וְלָבוֹא דֶּרֶךְ זִוּוּג זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבָא זוּגָא דְּגוּפָא), and this is “even though they descend” (וְזֶהוּ אַע״ג דְּנַחְתִּין), nevertheless they are clothed in the garment of this world (מִכָּל מָקוֹם מִתְלַבְּשִׁים בִּלְבוּשָׁא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא), which is the secret of the four subtle elements that extend through the spheres (הוּא סוֹד ד׳ יְסוֹדוֹת דַּקִּים הַמִּתְפַּשְּׁטִים דֶּרֶךְ הַגַּלְגַּלִּים), and they are the foundations for the lower material elements (וְהֵם יְסוֹדוֹת לַיְסוֹדוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים הַחוֹמְרִיִּים), and the beginning of their emanation is from Ḥesed, Gevurah, Tiferet (וְרֵאשִׁית הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּתָם הוּא מֵחֶסֶד גְּבוּרָה תִּפְאֶרֶת), in my humble opinion from the externality of Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet of Asiyah (נִרְאֶה לִי מֵחִיצוֹנִיּוּת שֶׁל חֶסֶד גְּבוּרָה תִּפְאֶרֶת דַּעֲשִׂיָּה), and something close to the general idea of these words was written by the author of Chesed of Avraham at the end of Ma‘ayan one (וְקָרוֹב לִכְלָלוּת דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ כָּתַב בַּעַל חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם סוֹף מַעְיָן א׳), and about this it says “in the garment of this world” (וְעַל זֶה אָמַר בִּלְבוּשָׁא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא), which is not truly material, but resembles it, since it is from the higher elements (שֶׁאֵינוֹ חוֹמְרִי מַמָּשׁ אֶלָּא דּוֹמֶה לוֹ לִהְיוֹתוֹ מִיְּסוֹדוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים). “And if they were not clothed, they could not stand in this world” (וְאִם לֹא הָיוּ מִתְלַבְּשִׁין לֹא יָכְלִין לְמֵיקַם בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), for in the reality of their essence they have no physical place in which to stand (כִּי הֵם בִּמְצִיאוּת מַהוּתָם אֵין לָהֶם מָקוֹם גַּשְׁמִי לְהִתְקוֹמֵם בּוֹ), and the world could not bear them because of the intensity of their radiance and the strength of their holiness (וְלָא סָבִיל לוֹן עָלְמָא מֵחֲמַת עֹצֶם זֹהַרָם וְעֹצֶם קְדוּשָּׁתָם), as Manoach said “we shall surely die, for we have seen God” (הֲלֹא מָנוֹחַ אָמַר מוֹת נָמוּת כִּי אֱלֹהִים רָאִינוּ). “And if with angels it is so, that the higher ones are from Beri’ah” (וְאִי בְּמַלְאָכִים כָּךְ שֶׁהַיּוֹתֵר עֶלְיוֹנִים הֵם מִן הַבְּרִיאָה), “the Orayta that created them,” etc. (אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּבָרָא לְהוֹ וְכוּ׳), this is the secret of the inner aspect of Abba veImma from which the angels and all the worlds emerged, as it is said “You made them all with wisdom” (הוּא סוֹד פְּנִימִיּוּת אַבָּא וְאִמָּא שֶׁמֵּהֶם יָצְאוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים וְכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂית), and it was not possible for them to be created except according to the order of the levels (וְלֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶם לְהִבָּרֵא אֶלָּא כְּסֵדֶר הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת), and their light also ascends within them in the hiddenness of the level (וְגַם אוֹרָם מִתְעַלֶּה בְּתוֹכָם בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה). “If it were not that it was clothed,” etc. (אִי לָאו דְּאִתְלַבְּשָׁא וְכוּ׳), and behold the sages said that even though the Torah was given to the world in the garments of the simple meaning, if it had been given in its proper order they would have been able to perform wonders and miracles through it (וַהֲלֹא אָמְרוּ רז״ל שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּתְּנָה הַתּוֹרָה לָעוֹלָם בִּלְבוּשֵׁי הַפְּשָׁט אִם נִתְּנָה כְּסֵדֶר הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהּ נִסֵּי נִסִּים). “And all the more so if it had been revealed and studied in one of its secrets, for all of them are Names of the Holy One Blessed Be He, in many hidden aspects of mysteries, even beyond what Moshe grasped” (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן אִם הָיְתָה מִתְגַּלָּה וְנֶהֱגֵית בְּאֶחָד מִסּוֹדוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁכֻּלָּם שְׁמוֹתָיו שֶׁל הקב״ה בְּכַמָּה אוֹ פָנֵי רָזִים נֶעְלָמִים אַפִילּוּ מִמֹּשֶׁה), and it is known how much they struggled at the time it was given that it be given to them without a garment (וְכִיָּדוּעַ כַּמָּה נִתְחַבְּטוּ בְּעֵת נְתִינָתָהּ שֶׁתִּנָּתֵן לָהֶם בְּלִי לְבוּשׁ), and therefore they said “a treasured delight,” etc. (וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ חֶמְדָּה גְנוּזָה וְכוּ׳), as if to say that even though man has a supernal soul, in the end he is born of a woman and cannot endure it (כְּאוֹמֵר גַּם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָאָדָם נְשָׁמָה עֶלְיוֹנָה סוֹף הוּא יְלוּד אִשָּׁה וְלֹא יָכוֹל לְהִתְקַיֵּם), until Moshe said “what is written in it,” etc. (עַד שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה מַה כְּתִיב בָּהּ וְכוּ׳), meaning understand that it must be given hidden within a material garment (יֵרָצֶה דְּעוּ שֶׁתִּנָּתֵן כְּמוּסָה בְּלְבוּשׁ חוֹמְרִי). “And in this manner the story of the Orayta is a garment,” etc. (וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הַאי סִפּוּרָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא לְבוּשָׁא וְכוּ׳), meaning there is no doubt that that narrative is true and does not depart from its simple meaning (פֵּירוּשׁ שֶׁאֵין סָפֵק שֶׁאוֹתוֹ סִפּוּר הוּא אֱמֶת וְאֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא מִדֵּי פְּשׁוּטוֹ), but this is not the essential intention of Hashem in it (אֲבָל אֵין כַּוָּנַת ה׳ בּוֹ בְּעֶצֶם), as in the matter of “and these are the kings” (וּכְעִנְיַן פָּרָשַׁת וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים), which certainly occurred as it is written (שֶׁוַּדַּאי מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָיָה כָּךְ הָיָה), but within it are hidden the secrets of the world of Tohu (אֲבָל בָּהּ נִגְנְזוּ סוֹדוֹת עוֹלָם הַתֹּהוּ). “And it seems to me that those kings that were in Edom themselves, each one corresponded to the residue of that king alluded to in it” (וְנִרְאֶה לִי שֶׁאוֹתָם הַמְּלָכִים שֶׁהָיוּ בֶּאֱדוֹם מַמָּשׁ הָיָה כָּל אֶחָד מִסִּיגֵי אוֹתוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ הַנִּרְמָז בּוֹ), and since the essential intention is toward the secrets, the narrative comes in varied details (וְלִהְיוֹת עֶצֶם הַכַּוָּנָה אֶל הַסּוֹדוֹת לָכֵן בָּא הַסִּפּוּר בִּפְרָטִים שׁוֹנִים), in some of them the name of his city is mentioned and in some not (שֶׁבְּקִצְתָּם נֶאֱמַר שָׁם עִירוֹ וּבְקִצְתָּם לֹא), and in the sixth no place is mentioned at all (וּבַשִּׁשִּׁי לֹא נֶאֱמַר שָׁם מְקוֹמוֹ כְּלָל), and in some the names of their fathers are mentioned and in some not (וּבְקִצְתָּם נִזְכַּר שֵׁם אֲבוֹתָם וּבְקִצְתָּם לֹא), and in the last his wife is mentioned, and many other variations (וּבָאַחֲרוֹן נִזְכַּר אִשְׁתּוֹ וְעוֹד כַּמָּה שִׁנּוּיִים), which for the simple narrative do not add or subtract anything (שֶׁלְּעִנְיַן הַסִּפּוּר לֹא מַעֲלִים וְלֹא מוֹרִידִים), but according to the secret they allude to wondrous matters, as brought in Etz Ḥayyim (וּכְפִי הַסּוֹד רוֹמְזִים עִנְיָנִים נִפְלָאִים הוּבְאוּ בְּעֵץ חַיִּים).

4. Mikdash Melekh, RaMaZ Commentary on Zohar: “One who considers,” etc. (מַאן דְּחָשִׁיב וְכוּ׳), “may his spirit be blasted,” for he disgraces the honor of the Torah (תִּיפַּח רוּחֵיהּ שֶׁמְּבַזֶּה כְּבוֹד הַתּוֹרָה), “and he will have no portion,” etc. (וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לֵיהּ וְכוּ׳), for in the future the Torah will be revealed in the radiance of its secrets, and one who does not believe in them will not merit to behold them (שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד תִּתְגַּלֶּה הַתּוֹרָה בְּזוֹהַר רָזֶיהָ וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַאֲמִין בָּהֶם לֹא יִזְכֶּה לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בָּהֶם). “Uncover my eyes and I will behold,” etc. (גַּל עֵינַי וְאַבִּיטָה וְגוֹ׳), he prays to Hashem that he merit to remove the veil of the garment from before his eyes (יִתְפַּלֵּל לַה׳ שֶׁיִּזְכֶּהוּ לְהָסִיר מְסַךְ הַלְּבוּשׁ מִנֶּגֶד עֵינָיו), and “I will behold” means contemplation with intention, as Rashi explains “and he looked at the copper serpent” (וְאַבִּיטָה ר״ל הִסְתַּכְּלוּת בְּכַוָּנָה כְּפֵירוּשׁ רַשׁ״י וְהִבִּיט אֶל נְחַשׁ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת), “to understand the wonders of Your Torah,” meaning the secrets concealed beneath the garments of the simple meaning (לְהָבִין נִפְלָאוֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶךָ ר״ל הַסּוֹדוֹת הַמְכֻסִּים תַּחַת לְבוּשֵׁי הַפְּשָׁט), in the sense that “wonder” means concealed (עַל דֶּרֶךְ וְהוּא פֶּלֶא שֶׁר״ל מְכֻסֶּה). “And he did not say ‘the wonders of Your Torah,’” (וְלֹא אָמַר נִפְלָאוֹת תּוֹרָתֶךָ), but “from Your Torah,” alluding to what is written in the Shelah, Parashat Shelach, daf 36 (יְכַוֵּן לְמַה שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּשְּׁל״ה דַּף ל״ו), on what the sages said “He has made me dwell in darkness—this is the Babylonian Talmud” (עַל מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רז״ל בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּים הוֹשִׁיבַנִי זֶה תַּלְמוּד בַּבְלִי), and this is its wording (וְז״ל): “that which we were given two Torahs, Written and Oral, is because through the sin of Adam the light of the intellect was darkened, and therefore one needed to toil in the Oral Torah greatly, and perhaps he will understand and gain insight (מַה שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ לָנוּ ב׳ תּוֹרוֹת שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְשֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבְּחֵטְא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן חָשַׁךְ אוֹר הַשֵּׂכֶל וְלָכֵן הֻצְרַךְ לְהִתְיַגֵּעַ בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה וְכוּלֵי הַאי וְאוּלַי יָבִין וְיַשְׂכִּיל), and if he had not sinned, his intellect would have been clear and radiant and influenced by the light of Hashem, such that from the Written Torah alone one who is understanding would grasp all matters of the Torah in all its ways” (וְאִם לֹא חָטָא הָיָה שִׂכְלוֹ בָּהִיר וּמֵאִיר וּמֻשְׁפָּע מֵאוֹר ה׳ עַד שֶׁמִּן הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב בִּלְבַד הָיָה מֵבִין לַמַּשְׂכִּיל כָּל עִנְיְנֵי הַתּוֹרָה בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיהָ), end of quote (עכ״ל). “And this is what is meant by ‘the wonders from Your Torah,’ that through studying Your written Torah I will behold with the eye of my intellect all the wonders within it” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר נִפְלָאוֹת מִתּוֹרָתֶךָ שֶׁבְּלוֹמְדֵי תּוֹרָתֶךָ הַכְּתוּבָה מִמֶּנָּה אַבִּיט בְּעֵין שִׂכְלִי כָּל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת שֶׁבָּהּ). “And an example of this is that there are people of refined sight, called ‘miradors,’ who are able to peer into the depth of the earth and say: here there is a spring or a gathering of water at such and such a depth” (וְדוּגְמָא לָזֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֲנָשִׁים זַכֵּי הָרְאִיָּה הַנִּקְרָאִים מִירָאד״וֹרִים שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לְהַצִּיץ בְּעוֹבִי הָאֲדָמָה וְיֹאמְרוּ כָּאן יֵשׁ מַעְיָן אוֹ קִבּוּץ מַיִם בְּעוֹמֶק כָּךְ וְכָךְ אַמּוֹת), “and so too the letters of the Torah, its vowels, its cantillation, and its crowns all allude to supernal lights, whose holiness is hidden within them and whose power is concealed in their midst” (וְכֵן אוֹתִיּוֹת הַתּוֹרָה וְנְקוּדוֹתֶיהָ וְטַעֲמֶיהָ וְתַגֶּיהָ כֻּלָּם רוֹמְזִים לְאוֹרוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים שֶׁקְּדוּשָּׁתָם כְּמוּסָה בְּתוֹכָם וּסְגוּלָּתָם גְּנוּזָה בְּקִרְבָּם), “and it is revealed to the holy soul, for like is drawn to like” (וְהִיא נִגְלֵית לַנֶּפֶשׁ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה כִּי מָצָא מִין אֶת מִינוֹ). “The Orayta has a body” (אוֹרַיְיתָא אִית לָהּ גּוּפָא), “this matter includes all parts of the commandments and the laws that come into practical action and are perceptible” (הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה כּוֹלֵל כָּל חֶלְקֵי הַמִּצְוֹת וְהַהֲלָכוֹת הַיּוֹצְאִים לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה מוּרְגָּשׁ), “and concerning them we learned in the first chapter of Ḥagigah: the laws, the services, the purities and the impurities, etc., have something upon which to rely, and they are the very bodies of the Torah” (וַעֲלֵיהֶם שָׁנִינוּ בְּפ״א דְּחַגִּיגָה הַדִּינִין וְהָעֲבוֹדוֹת הַטָּהֳרוֹת וְהַטֻּמְאוֹת וְכוּ׳ יֵשׁ לָהֶם עַל מַה שֶׁיִּסְמֹכוּ וְהֵן הֵן גּוּפֵי תּוֹרָה), “meaning the actions themselves” (פֵּירוּשׁ הַמַּעֲשִׂים בְּעַצְמָם), end of the words of the RaMaZ (עכ״ל הָרַמ״ז).

5. Mikdash Melekh on Zohar: “The bodies of the Torah” (גּוּפֵי תּוֹרָה), the halakhot and the laws are called the body (הֲלָכוֹת וְדִינִים נִקְרָא גּוּף), “in the soul” (בְּנִשְׁמָתָא), these are the secrets of the Torah (סוֹדוֹת הַתּוֹרָה), “in the soul of the soul of the Orayta” (בְּנִשְׁמָתָא דְּנִשְׁמָתָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא), these are the very deep secrets (סוֹדוֹת הָעֲמוּקִים הַרְבֵּה).

6. Mikdash Melekh on Zohar 3:152a: “This is Atika Kadisha” (דָּא אִיהוּ עַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא), meaning the upper three, which are called Atika (פֵּירוּשׁ גַּר רִאשׁוֹנוֹת הַנִּקְרָא עַתִּיקָא), and they are a soul within Ze’ir Anpin (וְהֵם נְשָׁמָה בְּתוֹךְ זְעֵיר).

7. Ohr HaChammah on Zohar: “Heaven and their hosts” (שְׁמַיָּא וְחֵילֵיהוֹן), in this are included Beri’ah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah (בָּזֶה נִכְלָל בְּרִיאָה יְצִירָה עֲשִׂיָּה), and all are the secret of a garment for the Shekhinah that governs the world (וְהַכֹּל סוֹד לְבוּשׁ לַשְּׁכִינָה הַמַּנְהֶגֶת הָעוֹלָם), and this is the narratives of the Torah in which the commandments are clothed (וְהַיְינוּ סִפּוּרֵי הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבָּהֶם נִתְלַבְּשׁוּ הַמִּצְוֹת), “Knesset Yisrael—this is the body” (כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל דָּא גּוּפָא), for it is called a commandment and all the actions of the commandments depend on it, and it is the body and the palace for Tiferet (כִּי הוּא נִקְרָא מִצְוָה וְכָל מַעֲשֵׂי הַמִּצְוֹת תְּלוּיִים בָּהּ וְהוּא גּוּף וְהֵיכָל לְתִפְאֶרֶת), and so the simple action of the commandments is the body and palace for their hidden aspect (כֵּן פְּשַׁט מַעֲשֵׂי הַמִּצְוֹת גּוּף וְהֵיכָל לְנִסְתָּרָם), “its soul,” etc. (נִשְׁמָתָהּ וְכוּ׳), this is what enters the palace, which is Malchut, as explained above, and this is the secrets of the Torah and the hidden aspect of the action of the commandment (הַיְינוּ מַה שֶׁנִּכְנָס בַּהֵיכָל שֶׁהוּא הַמַּלְכוּת כַּדְּפֵירֵשׁ לְעֵיל וְהוּא סוֹדוֹת הַתּוֹרָה וְנִסְתַּר מַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּצְוָה כַּדְּפֵירֵשׁ).