The Book of Splendor

Main Text (Zohar)

It is carved before the Holy One, blessed be He, and because it is beloved when one brings an offering to the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written: Exodus 18:12 And Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God. "Before God" is stated precisely. From all this we learn that whoever brings an offering with a willing heart term: "re'uta de-libba" — the mystical intention or "will of the heart" that elevates a physical act, the Holy One, blessed be He, is present before him. Come and see: the offering of a poor man is carved before the Holy One, blessed be He, for he actually brings two offerings before Him. One is his own fat and blood meaning his physical exertion and the hunger he suffers to afford the sacrifice, and the other is the actual sacrifice he brings, for he has nothing to eat, and that sacrifice is his very life. The lightest offering of them all is two turtledoves or two young pigeons, and if not even that, a little flour, and he is atoned through it. At that moment, heralds go forth and say: Psalms 22:25 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the poor. Why all this? Because the offering of the poor is superior to all, for he grinds himself down to be part of the "moistness" the divine flow of life. Therefore, I have commanded concerning all the property of the poor, for they have caused Me all this. Just as the poor man prepares his fat and blood, so that flour is prepared with five types of kneading. And so we have learned, that even if any person brings this meal-offering upon the Altar, it is refined; for just as the "engraver" the divine attribute of Judgment cuts into his fat and blood through the sin of evil judgment, and all the edges of Mercy [are blunted] by sin, so this offering acts like the "swords" that draw down [grace] from below. The essence of the sin offering brought before the Holy One, blessed be He, is the will of his heart, his spirit, and his longing—this is more beloved than anything else before Him. Happy is the portion of the righteous, for they bring this offering before the Holy One, blessed be He, every single day. And what is it? It is their very bodies and their longings that they offer before Him. This is how we must truly bring this offering, and this is what the Holy One, blessed be He, desires. Above all, the offering of the "All" the collective community is superior so that all the worlds may be blessed. Furthermore, he opened and said: Psalms 135:21 Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem. Hallelujah. How many times is He "Blessed"? This flows from the deep, supernal spring—He is Blessed. Rather, "Blessed be the Lord" refers to when the Moon the Shekhinah/Divine Presence is illuminated by the light of the Sun the Holy One and they draw near to one another, so that one light does not destroy the other. Sometimes, in its clarity, it is called by the Name of the King, as it is written: Genesis 19:24 And the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. Not only this, but even a single messenger from them is called by the Name of the King. To the Lord: "Blessed be the Lord out of Zion"—from which place is the Holy One, blessed be He, known? He is Blessed, and then [known] "from Zion"; from the place of Zion it is known that He is Blessed. What is the reason? Because it is written: Psalms 133:3 For there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. Rabbi Isaac returned to him: Happy is the portion of the righteous who are alive and vigorous, those who labor in the Torah; for whoever labors in the Torah is entirely grasped by the Holy One, blessed be He. This is what is written: Deuteronomy 4:4 But you who did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.

If his offering be a sacrifice of peace offering Leviticus 3:1. Rabbi Judah opened: Genesis 1:6 And God said: "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters..." Come and see: according to the pattern by which the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He created seven firmaments above, He created seven lands below, seven seas, seven rivers, seven times, seven weeks, seven years, seven cycles, and the thousands of years that the world exists—the Holy One, blessed be He, is the seventh of them all. He ascended on high, and in each and every one are stars, constellations, and ministers who minister in each and every firmament. All of them drive chariots term: "ratikhin" — celestial vehicles or angelic assemblies, one above the other, to receive upon themselves the yoke of the kingdom of their Master. In all the firmaments, there are chariots and ministers differing from one another, one above the other. Some have twenty-six wings, and some have twenty-four wings. Some have four faces, and some have two faces. Some are made of consuming fire, some of water, and some of the spirit that is occupied [in service]. Some hold spears [standing] from one side to the other. All these firmaments are one above the other like the layers of an onion, these below and those above. Each and every firmament moves and trembles from the awe of their Master; by His word they all stand. The eye of the Holy One, blessed be He, is over all of them, sustaining them all with His strength and power. In this same manner, there are seven lands below, and all of them are a covering, except that these are in fear...