And the Likeness on the Heads of the Animal Was a Firmament

454. Like the animals in the upper one, ZA, so it is below in Malchut. It is written, “And the likeness on the heads of the animal was a firmament.” A likeness indicates that the form of the firmament below is as the firmament above, since thus far, there is permission to interpret, and henceforth, one who sees, sees, and there is no permission to look. From this firmament and below, there is permission to see, and from this firmament and below, there is permission to look. From the place of looking and above, the trails and paths are covered; there is no eye that will look at it, since everything has been covered.

The firmament on the four animals in Malchut, ZA, which is in Hassadim that are covered from Hochma, there is no permission to look at it, since looking is revealing Hochma. It is just as there is no permission to look at the upper firmament of AVI, since they are in covered Hassadim. But below the firmament, in Malchut, there is permission to look, since the place of the revelation of Hochma is in Malchut.

As the animals are in the upper one, in ZA, so it is below, in the four animals of Malchut. It is written, “And the likeness on the heads of the animal was a firmament.” A likeness indicates that the form of the firmament below, in ZA, is as the upper firmament in AVI, since thus far, below the firmament, there is permission to interpret because below the firmament of ZA, in Malchut, is the place of revealing the Hochma.

From here and above, in the firmament of ZA, one who sees, sees. One who sees without scrutiny and looking, can see. However, there is no permission to look and examine. And from this firmament and below, in Malchut, there is permission to look.

From the place of looking, the place of Malchut, and above, the trails and paths were covered. Trails are in AVI; paths are in YESHSUT. Even in the paths of YESHSUT, which is the origin of revealing the Hochma, the Hochma is not revealed there whatsoever, until it expands to the place of Malchut, from the firmament and below.

455. The heads of the animals are the Merkavot [pl. of Merkava]. They are the four heads of lights to the four pairs. They are twelve months, and they are twelve qualities and one that governs them, so they are thirteen qualities of Rachamim [mercy], and these are called “the head governors, rulers that shine to everyone.

There is no looking from the firmament on the animals and above, since the Hochma is covered there. From the firmament and below, in the animals in Malchut, there is looking, revelation of Hochma. The heads of the animal means the Merkavot that reveal Hochma, which are the four heads of lights to four pairs, since they are three lines and Malchut, with three lines in each, as there are three lines in the right, three lines in the left, three lines in the middle line, and three lines in Malchut.

The difference is in the governance. The right, Hesed, governs in the three lines in the right. The left governs in the three lines in the left, with illumination of Hochma. The middle line governs in the three lines in the middle line, and Malchut governs the three lines in Malchut. In this way, the right governs the pair of lines—left and middle—and the left governs the pair of lines—right and middle, the middle governs the pair of lines—right and left, and Malchut governs the three lines.

It follows that there are four heads of lights, three lines and Malchut, heads to the four pairs. Together, they are twelve kinds of light. These twelve lights are twelve months in the year. A year is Malchut, and twelve months is twelve lights: four lights of three lines and Malchut, each of which comprising three, and they are twelve.

They are twelve qualities and one that governs them, so they are thirteen. These twelve lights are the thirteen qualities of Rachamim, since the lights are twelve, and the one that contains them is the thirteenth. The four heads of the lights are heads of rulers, where each of the four rules over the pair that is below him, and these four are rulers who shine to everyone, shining to all those lights.

456. They are two firmaments. In one, there are forms that are unseen. In one, there are no forms and no colors, and not to know and not to look, and there is no one who understands it. This is a high and hidden firmament that conceals what it conceals, and gives joy and existence to all.

There is a in upper AVI, and there is a firmament in YESHSUT. Although both are in covered Hassadim, there is a big difference between them, since upper AVI never receive Hochma, and they are as it is written, “because he desires mercy.” However, YESHSUT receive Hochma, but it is not revealed in their place, but rather expands to Malchut, and in their place, they, too, are in covered Hassadim.

They are two firmaments. In one firmament, there are forms, forms of Hochma, but they are unseen, since the Hochma in them is not revealed in their own place but in Malchut, and in their own place, the Hochma is covered and unseen. In one, there are no forms in it, no forms of Hochma, and no colors, meaning there are no white, red, and green there because the Yod does not come out from their air.

Also, there is no color of the left there, red, which is made from the exit of the air. And much more so, there is no green color there, of the middle line, since there is no dispute between the right and left there, and there is no need for a middle line that will unite them.

Hence, it is impossible to know and to look at the firmament of AVI, and there is no one who understands it. This is a high and hidden firmament, which conceals what it conceals, since in the firmament of AVI, Malchut of the lock is concealed. It gives joy and existence to all, for although for themselves, they do not receive Hochma, they bestow Hochma to YESHSUT, so that all the lights and Mochin are extended from upper AVI and give sustenance to all, both to the degrees that shine in Hassadim, and to the degrees that shine in Hochma.

457. The Zohar returns to interpret the firmament of YESHSUT and says about the name EKYEH, the wholeness of all the names, is Bina, and refers to ZAT of Bina, which are called YESHSUT.

The name EKYEH is the holy Merkava, which reveals Hochma that will expand to Malchut. The Merkava is three lines and Malchut, which govern four pairs in the upper world, where each of the four governs one pair, and they are twelve. They are four names incorporated in one, three upper names of the three lines—El, Elokim, HaVaYaH—and one that connects to them in one collective, ADNI, Malchut, for the three pairs are incorporated in it since she receives them.

458. Yod-Hey, AVI and YESHSUT, the upper concealment, the hidden GAR, the entirety of everything is the upper, hidden firmament that stands in concealment, the firmament of AVI. There is one hidden sapphire on it, Malchut of the lock, which is hidden from all. The lock united and did not unite with what is unknown, AVI, and cannot be comprehended, and it is the entirety of everything; it is Yod of HaVaYaH.

When that name expanded below, to YESHSUT, which are Hey of HaVaYaH, and then to ZA, it is Vav in the place of Aleph. Then it is a firmament below, like the firmament of AVI above, and one sapphire stone is above, on the firmament. It is Malchut of the lock that is hidden there, as in the firmament of AVI, and it is the bottom Hey, where the name is interpreted below the firmament, in Malchut herself, which is the place of the revelation of Hochma, and it is Yod-Hey Vav-Hey.

There are two phases in ZA, the shape of an Aleph and the shape of a Vav. This is so because when he bestows Hochma upon Malchut, he is in the shape of an Aleph, which is the shape of three lines, where the top Yod is the right line, the bottom Yod is the left line, and the line in between is the middle line that unites the right and the left. When he is in Hassadim that are covered from Hochma, he is in the shape of a Vav, which is one expansion from each VAK in him, in one line, only in Hassadim that are in the middle line.

When that name expanded below, to YESHSUT, which are Hey of HaVaYaH, and then to ZA, it is Vav instead of Aleph. When ZA is in the shape of Vav instead of the shape of Aleph, where his whole VAK are in one expansion of covered Hassadim, then he is a firmament below, hidden and concealed like the firmament of upper AVI. As the sapphire, the lock, is concealed on the firmament of AVI, so there is one sapphire stone above, on the firmament, for the lock is concealed on the firmament of ZA, too.

It follows that the firmament of ZA is covered and concealed like the firmament of AVI, but below the firmament of ZA, Malchut of the key rules, in whom there is the place of disclosure of Hochma. This is the bottom Hey, where the name is interpreted below, where the bottom Hey is interpreted below the firmament of ZA, meaning that the Hochma is revealed in her.

459. Sometimes, the letter Vav connects to the name HaVaYaH, meaning VavHaVaYaH [and the Lord]. This indicates that it is one entirety, He and His courthouse, that ZA and Malchut, who is His courthouse, are incorporated together, and it is all one. This is the secret of secrets in the holy names.

460. It is written, “stretched over their heads from above.” A firmament means above, over the heads of the animals, so the animals will not be able to know and to look at their heads. Everything is gripped to one another, for a person can only look at his body, and not at his head, although it is himself, much less what is hidden in the head, GAR, he will certainly not be able to look and attain.

461. The upper firmament of ZA, which is stretched over their heads, does not have the form of Hochma in it. There is no one who looks; from there onward, everything is hidden and sealed with a ring. The firmament is stretched over the heads of the animals above. Their food drips from that firmament, and below, everyone exists in illumination of Hochma under this firmament.

462. Three names are hanging on the firmament of ZA—El, Elokim, HaVaYaH—as they are stretched below: holy, merciful, and gracious, which are the appellations of the holy names. The names above are hidden and clothed in the appellations of below; everything is one inside the other.

463. The names El, Elokim, HaVaYaH, which are the body of the animals, their secret is inside the faith, in Bina, who is called “upper faith,” since the animals are a Merkava to Bina. All those appellations of the names are hanging on the holy names El, Elokim, HaVaYaH, which are called “hidden animals.”

The appellations cover the names that are inside, on the animals, and the animals fly in those appellations and cover themselves in them, since the appellations are wings to the animals. The Creator is called by these appellations, and this is the meaning of the verse, “I have taken off my robe,” in order to be corrected for the kingship.

The firmament of ZA contains three lines, which are called by the three holy names. The right line is called El; the left line is called Elokim; the middle line is called HaVaYaH; and each line has nine appellations.

The firmament of ZA, three names are hanging on it above: El, Elokim, and HaVaYaH. They are from the firmament of ZA and above, and that firmament of ZA shines in the Vav instead of the Aleph, for the three lines are incorporated in it in one line, Hesed, and not when ZA is in the form of Aleph, when it divides so as to shine according to the illumination of the three lines, when it also shines in illumination of Hochma.

Three names are hanging on the firmament of ZA, above—El, Elokim, HaVaYaH—as they are spread below—holy, merciful, and gracious—which are the appellations of the holy names. This is so because the appellations are extended from ZA when he is in the shape of Aleph, for then each line is divided into nine lines called “nine appellations.”

This is why it was said that they stretch out, since by the illumination of the appellations, the three lines are divided in the shape of the Aleph. They spread out below for because the appellations shine in illumination of Hochma, they cannot be above the Chazeh, where ZA is always under the governance of Hassadim. For this reason, they stretch out from the firmament and below, since the firmament stands in the place of the Chazeh of ZA, and those three appellations—holy, merciful, gracious—belong to the nine appellations of the name El.

The appellations are hanging on the three names—El, Elokim, HaVaYaH—which are from the firmament and above, since they are a division of each line into nine lines. Hence, how can they come down and shine from the firmament and below? These three hidden names of above clothe in the appellations of below; it is all as one inside the other, where the names are in the internality of the appellations, and the appellations cover the names. Hence, they have the power to come down and shine from the firmament and below, since the illumination of the names from the firmament and above continues with them even when they are from the firmament and below, as well.

The names El, Elokim, HaVaYaH, which are the body of the animals, their secret is inside the faith, since the three holy names, the three lines, emerge from Bina, upper faith. All those appellations of names are hanging on the holy names since the appellations are a division of each of the three lines into nine lines. Thus, they emerge from the three holy names, from the three lines.

The three lines of ZA are called “hidden animals,” where the illumination of Hochma is covered in them. The appellations cover the names that are clothed in their internality, over the animals, and the animals fly in these appellations and are covered with them. This is so because with the division of three lines each to its phase, the judgments in each line, which are called “sowings,” are revealed, and these judgments are regarded as covering the illumination of the names since they diminish their lights.

However, with respect to this, they correct the illumination of the names so they shine in Hochma and Hassadim together, and from this phase, they elevate and enhance the illumination of the names. This is why the names fly and ascend through the appellations.

It was said about the first phase, “and are covered with them,” meaning that the judgments in them diminish the illumination of the names. This is so because the two phases are in them, and from these two phases, the appellations that are a clothing for the middle line are regarded as a garment that covers the body of the person on the one hand, and on the other hand, extols and glorifies the person.

The Creator, the middle line, is called by these appellations since they reveal His actions. This is the meaning of what is written, “I have taken off my robe,” in order to be corrected to Malchut, since the coupling of ZA and Malchut is when ZA is in Vav, under the governance of Hassadim. At that time, he takes off the appellations, which are his garment and like his robe, since he must be in the phase of Vav, and they shine in illumination of Hochma. This is “I have taken off my robe,” since I have already taken off the appellations in order to be corrected with Malchut.