158. “And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven.’” This is the Vav, which is called “heaven,” ZA. “The firmament of the heaven,” since she expanded from ZA, one expansion to shine to the earth, to Malchut, and to water the dry land. This is so because before Malchut connected with ZA, she is called “dry land,” and the expansion is the firmament of the heaven.
The firmament of the heaven is the expansion that she expanded from the letter Vav, ZA, in three lines, like the letter Gimel. It is an expansion that expanded from the letter Vav to shine and to water the earth, as it is written, “And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to shine upon the earth.”
159. The letter Vav, which indicates ZA during the coupling with Malchut, that form is denied from all the phases of right and left, which are not seen in it at all from all the other sides, except for the expansion of the Guf [body], the middle line, without arms, right and left, HG, and without pillars, right and left, NH, and the Vav stands in the holy name HaVaYaH in a way that she will be ready to bestow downward to the Nukva, to Malchut, the bottom Hey of HaVaYaH.
160. Although the other sides, HG NH, are inscribed in the letter Vav, which contains HGT NHY, there is the secret of secrets here to those who know the secrets of faith, to know at which time she is Aleph, and at which time she is Vav. That is, when is ZA called by the name Aleph, and when is it called by the name Vav.
161. When ZA is poised to instruct faith and to teach the unification in the holy name to the whole world, at that time, it stands in Aleph. The right and left are interpreted in it in the form of Aleph, where the two letters Yod in it are right and left, and the line in the middle of the letters Yod is the middle line.
It is called Aleph, to observe that the beginning of everything is to learn the faith of the unification with the Creator, since Aleph means learning, from the words “I will teach you wisdom.” Hence, she stands at the beginning of all the letters, since man comes to the world only to study and know his master. It stands in the shape of three lines before everyone’s eyes and says, “Learn your master’s wisdom of faith.”
This is only as it is written, “and from the end of the heaven to the end of the heaven,” which is ZA. But above ZA, no attainment and no learning belong there.
162. For this reason, the forms of the days of creation were inscribed in the Aleph, three lines HGT of ZA, which are called “the days of creation.” The first days, of which it is appropriate for one to ask and to know, as it is written, “For do ask about the first days.” But above ZA, which are GAR, there is no attainment there, and we should not ask or know about them.
The first question is for one to know one’s master. This is the beginning of everything. Then, ZA in Aleph, the beginning that stands to all the letters.
163. When ZA is poised to make a coupling with the Nukva, Malchut, in the holy name, Vav-Hey of HaVaYaH, he stands in the letter Vav and is denied of all the phases of right and left, and only the Guf is seen in it, the middle line. Everything connects to the Nukva, Malchut, where the right and left in him connect in Malchut: His left arm under the Rosh [head] of Malchut, and his right arm embraces Malchut.
164. Hence, the knees, NH, and those three lines HGT in the firmament, are unseen in the letter Vav, since they are all concealed within her in concealment, in the secret of secrets. They are seen as only Vav, as though they were denied all the phases of right and left in them. At that time, ZA is ready and connects in order to bestow upon the Nukva, Malchut. This is why the letter Vav in the holy name is ready for all VAK, HGT NHY, will be seen in his phase, and the bottom Hey of HaVaYaH, Malchut, who receives from the Vav, is full and complete.
Happy is he who enters in Hochma and exits safely, who knows the ways and trails of faith, to know his master. Happy is he in this world and in the next world.