Introduction of the Ra'avad, of blessed memory

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Its engraving and carving were done by His spirit and its doors. For just as I engraved the Abyss original: Tehom, referring to the primordial depths of the world before it was ordered with cloud and thick darkness, He set a boundary at its "lips" the shoreline through decrees. These were spread out into separations and movements, dividing until they became bound together; then the sand of the sea congealed and hardened. I measured its dimensions and prepared for it paths and structures to draw its surroundings, like a sea and a road, while leaving a space within it. This refers to the waters being split and the Abyss being prevented from flooding the entire world. This is hinted at in the verse: "He rebukes the sea" Nahum 1:4, which refers to the ancient mystery of the "weeping waters." To say that their strength was limited by the Waters of the Beginning original: Mayim Rishonim. Our Sages have already hinted at this secret in the verse: "And God made the firmament and divided" Genesis 1:7, where He extracted and set apart what was before us. Here, these matters are revealed and received through a tradition of established crowns. In the Talmudic chapter "He who sells the ship" Bava Batra, Chapter 5, which contains many mystical legends about the sea, regarding the verse: "By His power He stilled the sea; by His wisdom He cut Rahab to pieces" Job 26:12, consider this:

The language of the Targum the Aramaic translation of the Bible explains: "And I set my decree upon them, and I placed bars and doors." This means I barred and closed off its boundaries. For just as I engraved the limit for the children of men, so too did the waters have the potential to spread infinitely. Therefore, in the second stage of Divine Thought, the heart of the Almighty original: Shaddai decreed: "Enough!" original: Dai. He said to His world: "Enough!" This is why the commandment of the "Decree" is explained as a restriction, saying: "Thus far you shall come, and no farther; and here your proud waves shall stop" Job 38:11. This means that as soon as the waves reach their limit, they dry up and return to being dust and clay. Were it not for this salt-like boundary, the Abyss would have flooded the entire world.

Behold, the entire mystery of Loving-kindness original: Chesed is to allow the Abyss to be covered. This is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Job: "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" Job 38:4. Therefore, the translator rendered it: "And I commanded the depth, 'Do not continue, and here you shall set your waves in their colors.'"

"Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, or told the dawn its place?" Job 38:12. Our Sages of blessed memory said: In the future, every righteous person is destined to inherit three hundred and ten worlds The Hebrew word for "substance" or "is" (Yesh) has the numerical value of 310, as it is written: "That I may cause those who love Me to inherit substance [Yesh]" Proverbs 8:21. My intention here is the Crown original: Keter, the highest of the ten Siphrot or divine emanations.

The secret within this collective is what is mentioned in the Great Chapters of the Palaces original: Heikhalot Rabbati, an early Jewish mystical text regarding the rain and Metatron, the Prince of the Countenance, who is called the Lesser Lord original: Adonai Ha-Katan. From the perspective of the "end of the heel," these spirits delay every crown. The Great Light that is with them is part of the "Small Waters." Regarding this, the Torah states: "Be on your guard before him and obey his voice... for My name is in him" Exodus 23:21. Our Sages said this refers to Metatron, whose name is numerically equivalent to his Master's name both Metatron and Shaddai equal 314. The philosophers call his voice the Active Intellect original: Sekhel Poel, which acts upon the celestial spheres, and some say it acts upon the physical elements.

Furthermore, our Sages said that in the future, the righteous will have "Holy" proclaimed before them, as it is written: "And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy—everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem" Isaiah 4:3. This is because every righteous person is recorded for an eternal, uninterrupted life—a permanence like the sand. This fulfills the verse: "But you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today" Deuteronomy 4:4. The secret of their labor is: "They dwelt there with the King for His work" 1 Chronicles 4:23. This means they dwell with the King of Kings, participating in the actions of the righteous, which are like a king creating a world. See the Book of Genesis according to its Sefirot divine emanations; this occurs in every path and line. The fullness of the day moves from the side of the mundane to the Sabbath. From the "Lower Light"—meaning from the Sefirah of Understanding original: Binah downwards—the world was created. Thus, one merits to be "Morning" in the future, as it says: "And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light... and God called the light Day." This is the secret of the verse: "Have you ever... built the morning?" a variant of Job 38:12.

"And told the dawn its place"—this refers to the Sun and the Shield of the Lord God. It does not refer to the physical sun alone, but to the entire Wheel of the Chariot original: Merkavah in the heavens. A quarter of a day encompasses twelve "Existences" original: Havayot, permutations of the Divine Name, corresponding to the twelve signs of the Zodiac. When you divide the number of the day and its quarter by twelve, each "Existence" receives 3 days, 3 hours, and 540 "parts" original: chalakim, a traditional unit of time where 1080 parts equal one hour. This movement is compared to the pace of a horse. However, there is also a daily movement, and we do not honor the Wheel with it at all times. This is to say that in its daily movement, one Living Creature original: Chayah, a type of angel moves through every hour. There are six "Existences" in a day...