Leviticus (Vayikra)

Main Text (The Zohar)

These are the kings of the upper Tabernacle The celestial counterpart to the earthly Tabernacle, all of them in this manner. It is written: "And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud rested upon it..." Exodus 40:35 and it is written: "Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle..." Exodus 40:34 We learn from this verse that which is written: "And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting." Did Moses then not know [how to enter]? For behold, it is written: "And Moses went into the midst of the cloud." Exodus 24:18

At the time he reached the mountain, it was like the time he went out. But on the day the Tabernacle was established, it was not like the Tent of Meeting at Mount Sinai. For at the time that strength and burden came to him from the outside, at times he would reach the mountain and be delayed, reaching a great service, prepared and sheltered, and established with the rectifications of all those holy spirits that are prepared below. For there were two clouds: one that Moses entered, and one cloud that crowned the Tabernacle.

Come and see what is written: "And the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle." The word is not written except as "filled," original: malah (מלא) and the end rises above and below until the Tabernacle below. A hidden arrangement Tikkun: a spiritual rectification or structural arrangement descended below to be established within the Divine Presence Shekhinah: the feminine, indwelling aspect of God. Four sides of angelic hosts original: matronin (מטרונין), referring here to the angelic camps surrounding the Divine Presence were appointed in that first arrangement. One from the side of those four hosts, all of them until the "Head" is established on the right side—in this, Michael [is appointed]. The hosts that are under the authority of Michael and his people were under his hand. And one is appointed to arrange over four, three, four below, because all those hosts are over them when they descend.

And they are appointed from it to arrange on the left side; when they are over them, they do not look upon the worlds. And the one appointed over them in this is Gabriel, standing over them within, and one is appointed over their heads. By the life of the Small YHVH A mystical reference to the angel Metatron or a specific divine name, all these who arrange are nullified to that place of purity and see everything.

From those spirits of the two hosts who stand under the authority of Michael and his people, all those hosts are under his hand. And one appointee stands over them who is called the "Gate of Mercy," to whom twelve appointees are counted, three by three, four times. And the spirit of the second appointee stands over all of them below; a single crown is upon their heads, upon all those hosts. And by the life of the letter Resh, when these crowns are nullified, they all belong to that side called "The Gathering." But the letter stands upon its branches, revealing secrets and supporting the head and the nest.

From those is Raphael, the Great Appointee, the Great Host under the authority of Michael, and with him were arranged all those hosts under his hand. They were not permitted to be seen as a covering, so as not to be changed here until [reaching] the "House of Worlds" The Temple in Jerusalem or the afterlife, for there they are all swaddled and the hosts are hidden and nullified.

And what do they resemble here? All those hosts under his hand who were handed over at that hour to that people. And one appointee stands over them, and Chamziel is his name. Twelve appointees crown him on every side, three by three as we have said. And Nofiel, the Great Appointee, stands over all of them so that his name shall not be nicknamed. And each crown is upon the heads of all those hosts. And by the life of the Lord, the letter Kof, when this crown is nullified, they all belong to that side called "The Gathering of Kof." To them, the letter Kof hangs in radiance and covers them three times a day; it rises and descends. Two other [angels] call out to them for the arrangement, who stand in wisdom: one who favors below, and one who strikes, looking toward the Crown Keter: the highest Sephirah or emanation.

From those is Kadumiel, the Great Appointee, the Great Host under the authority of Michael, and with him were arranged all those hosts under his hand. And one appointee stands over them who is called the "Gate," and the spirit of the twelve appointees crowns him, three to each side. And the appointee Kadumiel stands over them so that his name shall never be nicknamed. One crown stands upon their heads, and it is the letter Resh.

The secret of the cloud and the smoke. See the commentary of the Rabbi Likely referring to Rabbi Isaac Luria, the Arizal on the mystery of the entrance of Moses into the thick darkness. The four camps of the Shekhinah: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel. Here the text expands on their specific subordinates and the letters of the alphabet that govern their movements.