The Book of Splendor

And These Are the Names

It was not alone, or in a mundane or empty fashion, that they descended; rather, His supports The divine powers or angels descended with them. This is what is written: "...into Egypt with Jacob." Rabbi Jacob of Kfar Hanan said in the name of Rabbi Abba: Who are these "Children of Israel"? For they are indeed called the literal Children of Israel. Rabbi Abba opened his discourse and said: "Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth" Psalm 46:9. Do not read "desolations" (shammot) but rather "names" (shemot). And regarding this, Rabbi Hiyya said: For the sake of the heavens, the Holy One, blessed be He, acted upon the earth. Just as there are holy names in the heavens, there are holy names on the earth. Rabbi Judah said: On that day when Jacob descended to Egypt, myriads of high angels descended with him. Rabbi Judah opened with the verse: "Behold the bed of Solomon, sixty mighty men are around it..." Song of Songs 3:7. These are the commanders engraved in the firmaments original: kanditin/kalditin - celestial spheres or ornaments, stationed in their places, commanders in the celestial order original: stieusa engraved as it is presented here. He interprets "sixty mighty men are around it" as the "bed" which refers to the Shekhinah The Divine Presence, often symbolized as a feminine receptacle or "bed". "Of Solomon" refers to the King to whom peace belongs A common Zoharic wordplay: Shlomo (Solomon) relates to Shalom (Peace). The "sixty mighty men around it" are the sixty myriads of high angels who reflect the strength of the Shekhinah that descended with Jacob into Egypt. "From the mighty of Israel"—this refers to the Israel Above The spiritual archetype of Jacob/Israel. Here he interprets that the names of the Children of Israel, the members of his household, all came, as we have seen, according to their heavenly ranks.

Rabbi Hiyya was traveling from Haifa to Lod, riding on a donkey, and Rabbi Jose was with him. Rabbi Hiyya leaned his hand upon Rabbi Jose and said: I know the resting place of Jacob at the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "I will go down with you to Egypt" Genesis 46:4. There were angels of the dust earthly messengers for three parasangs near his grave, for so the great masters of the world from the back of the Academy term for the scholars of the Yeshiva explained it. It is written: "And the angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved..." Exodus 14:19. He came, and there came with him the "Back" a mystical level of emanation, and the libations reached him. The heads of the fathers and the "Evening Assembly" Knesset Yisrael/Shekhinah went out with them, and it was arranged that all of Israel went out toward them. Who is the "Camp of Israel" that goes out and does not depart? For Aaron and the princes who go out and do not depart, it is found that the children of the "Staff" the tribe or lineage all went out. And if the children of the Staff are thus, how much more so for the Holy One, blessed be He, when He said, "I will go down with you to Egypt."

While they were walking, they encountered Rabbi Abba. He said to him: Today the Shekhinah is here, for one of the members of the Academy is with you. He said to him: Abba, in their partitions and their paths they call out, as it is written: "I will go down with you to Egypt," etc. The entire descent of Jacob to Egypt is as it is written: "And these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob," for they all descended with Jacob to Egypt. Rabbi Abba said to him: And it was not only then. He opened and said: "The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the son of Buzi, the priest, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar..." Ezekiel 1:3. There are three difficulties here: One, that we have learned that the Shekhinah does not dwell outside of the Land of Israel. Second, that he [Ezekiel] was not as faithful as the "Staff" Moses, of whom it is written "In all My house he is faithful," yet he revealed and publicized all the hidden things of the King. And third, that he saw in a vision that which was not according to his own mind. Rather, thus we have established in our Academy: that Ezekiel was a complete prophet, and by the permission of the Holy One, blessed be He, he revealed all that he revealed, and it was all necessary to reveal and publicize. For we have learned: one who is accustomed to bearing a burden, etc. And all was necessary, for the Holy One, blessed be He, never leaves Israel in exile until He comes to dwell with them. Just as it was with Jacob who was in exile, the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shekhinah, and the high and low holy ones, and all the Chariots Divine vehicles/angels were with Jacob. Here he interprets "who came to Egypt with Jacob."

Another matter: Rabbi Abba opened and said: "Come, come, your King..." Rabbi Isaac said: Woe to the people who do not know and do not observe the service of their Master! For Rabbi Isaac saw that every single day a Heavenly Voice Bat Kol goes out from Mount Korchakhan: "Woe to the people for neglecting the service of their Master! Woe to the people for the insult to the Torah!"