The Book of Splendor

Come and see: sixty thousand The number 600,000 is often used in Jewish mysticism to represent the totality of the souls of Israel surrounding, sounding the blast and not ceasing (other versions: not extinguished); they open the gates and announce whoever goes and hastens. Thousands are masters of the alarm-blast; they sound the blasts and do not cease (other versions: do not extinguish). A wick of fire from the side of the dregs sits upon the Throne of the Feminine. At that time, He would mention His holy, supernal Name, the secret of the names that guide life for all. He opened and said: "Sanctuary of the King, royal city, arise and depart from the midst of the upheaval; you have dwelt long enough in the valley of weeping, and He will have compassion upon you with mercy." This is a quote from the liturgical poem Lecha Dodi, though here used in a mystical context regarding the Shekhinah's exile When the holy wheels first shine, thousands and tens of thousands and masters of the gates praise and say: "Blessed is the glory of the Lord" original: Baruch Yekara d'Adonai from the place of His dwelling below. That river of hidden purity in the word, and seventy worlds surround it; the glory of its radiance goes out from the heavens to its radiance, and the radiance includes and stirs all sides... The Shekhinah opened in that hidden place, the Patron of all, and mentions the Name Y-A-W L-H and Ch-Y and L-H Mystical permutations of Divine Names, and they all open in the furrows of Michael, the Angel of Mercy. Who has seen all these mighty ones? The mercies of the worlds are the strongest of the strong, holy chariots... they praise the Holy Name and sanctify the arrangement. And all of them are for you, like the hour of the righteous to be established in that world...

Main Text (Zohar)

Rabbi Shimon said: When the Shekhinah The Divine Presence, often viewed as the feminine aspect of God descended to Egypt, a "Living Being" original: Chayah - a high-ranking angel named "Israel" descended, in the likeness of that Elder Jacob/Israel. And forty-two The text reads "fifteen and two" or "sixty-two" depending on the variant, but often refers to the 42-letter Name holy sides were with him, and each and every one had a holy seal. And all of them descended with Jacob to Egypt. This is what is written: Exodus 1:1 "And these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob."

Rabbi Yitzhak said: The verse implies "the children of Israel" and afterwards "with Jacob," which is not as we have learned. Rabbi Yehuda asked Rabbi Eleazar about this. He said to him: Since you have heard the sound of the hoofbeats of the image... he said to him: "And he called out in a loud voice." He said to him: That word which he spoke, the wise ones were licking it up A metaphor for absorbing deep wisdom above and below... This is what is written: "The Living Being and their life-force."

Rabbi Yitzhak was standing before Rabbi Eleazar. He said to him: The Shekhinah descended to Egypt, as it is written: Genesis 46:4 "I will go down with you [to Egypt]." He said to him: Come and see, the Shekhinah descended to Egypt, and with her sixty thousand original: shis ribo holy chariots Rethikin: celestial vehicles or angelic entourages as companions. And these are what is written... sixty thousand holy chariots descended with Jacob to Egypt, and all of them ascended from there when Israel went out of Egypt. This is what is written: Exodus 12:37 "And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand..." Not just as a number, but as the "six hundred thousand" [chariots]. Just as these [the angels] went out, so these [the Israelites] went out. And come see the secret of the matter: when these holy chariots went out from the holy assembly from among Israel, they knew that their children would be delayed... and this is what is written: Exodus 12:39 "And they could not tarry." It should have said "they did not want to tarry," but it says "they could not."

And it is known that all the children of Israel were like the "Israel" of the Firmament The celestial archetype of the nation. And this is what is written: "The children of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob." And regarding this: "And these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt." It is an argument from minor to major original: Kal V'Chomer: If when Jacob went to Laban it is written: Genesis 32:2 "And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him," how much more so when he descended into exile and the Almighty had said: "I will go down with you to Egypt."