Leviticus

Main Text (Zohar)

With the garment of his horses and the radiance of all the kings, they are established and find favor from the flow of the stream. "Eat, O friends; drink, and be drunk, O beloveds" Song of Songs 5:1—these are all those below. And all the branches are all blessed and nourished when these [above] are blessed on high. And how many are blessed and sweetened, all of them, by the spirit of the sacrifice! Come and see: at the time when the power of the will of the Holy One, Blessed be He, descends to rest in the air original: "avir" upon the half-ice A mystical reference to the firmament separating the realms, it is so that blessings and joy may be found in all worlds, and He is sweetened to bring forth from the daughter of blessings The Shekhinah to all. For when these are blessed, then all the worlds are blessed as one below. "I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride" Song of Songs 5:1.

Rabbi Isaac said: There is no satisfaction or preparation [of the soul] and the ascent that does not cease. Rabbi Judah said: All the words of the star and the ascent that did not enter, all of them enjoy the Bride. And my mother-in-law for the bride, all of them in that hour, and after them all, they eat and rejoice. Rabbi Abba said: "Eat" refers to those who are called "gracious," of whom it is written: "The king has brought me into his chambers" Song of Songs 1:4 for everyone. Rabbi Eleazar said: All those below are blessed accordingly. This one said: The Bride is beautiful to every spirit below.

Rabbi Eleazar said to him: Who are those "above" and who are those "below"? He said to him: The merit of this fear is the supernal place where they are like desire and joy that are never separated; they are called "Friends" Re'im: The union of Chochmah (Wisdom) and Binah (Understanding) which is constant. This is what is written: "And a river went out of Eden" Genesis 2:10; Eden and that river are never separated and are found forever in a will of joy. "Drink and be drunk, O beloveds"—these are those below who are called "Beloveds" Dodim: The union of the lower Sefirot, which fluctuates based on human action at known times, as we have established.

Come and see: regarding the higher ones, "eating" is written of them, because they receive the blessing from the source of eating. And because the Mother The Sefirah of Binah dwells there, where the "guarded wine" is, "eating" is written of them. But regarding the lower ones who require watering, "drinking" is written of them, for all the hosts require watering from the power of the Deep. Therefore, for the higher ones it is "eating" and for the lower ones it is "drinking"; these are "Friends" and those are "Beloveds."

Rabbi Eleazar said: Come and see, for "Beloveds" implies a love that is seen in those below. These are the ones who share with one another but are not found constantly; they are called "Beloveds." But those who are found constantly, and are neither hidden nor separated from one another, are called "Friends." And regarding these "Beloveds" and these "Friends," these [Friends] are in a will of constant joy, while those [Beloveds] are in repentance at times. And this is the perfection of all, because everything is blessed, and then there is joy in all worlds.

Rabbi Hezekiah applied this verse to the sacrifices, because they are the feast of the King to be brought before Him, and they enjoy His portion, and they are all sweetened, and joy is found for all. Rabbi Yose applied this verse to the time when the Shekhinah The Divine Presence enters to be found in joy with blessings and gladness in all, and the Shekhinah goes like a bride to the canopy Chuppah, and then Israel below are perfected and rejoice in Her.

Commentary