The
Letters
of
the
Nun
127)
“And
it
came
to
pass,
when
the
ark
set
out.”
The
[letter]
Nun
[
]
turns
her
face
to
the
back
[
]
in
two
places—before
the
Parasha
[Torah
portion],
“When
the
Ark
Set
Out,”
and
after
it.
If
you
say
that
it
implies
to
the
bent
Nun,
then
the
bent
Nun
is
the
Nukva,
Malchut.
The
stretched
out
Nun
is
both
male
and
female,
ZA
and
Malchut.
And
we
explained
about
the
bent
Nun,
of
whom
it
was
said,
“And
it
came
to
pass,
when
the
ark
set
out,
that
Moses
said:
‘Return,
O
Lord,’”
that
“Return”
was
said
about
the
bent
Nun.
This
is
why
the
two
Nuns
were
written
opposite,
and
this
is
why
their
faces
were
turned
back
again.
The
verse
about
the
Nun
was
not
said
concerning
the
Aleph
of
“Happy
are
they
that
dwell
in
Your
house,”
since
the
Nun,
Malchut,
is
in
exile.
It
is
written
about
her,
“The
virgin
of
Israel
is
fallen,
she
shall
no
more
rise.”
But
what
does
it
say
above?
“And
the
ark
of
the
covenant
of
the
Lord
went
before
them
three
days’
journey,
to
seek
out
a
resting-place
for
them.”
Since
the
ark
was
journeying,
the
Nun
was
journeying
on
it,
for
Divinity
was
seated
on
the
ark.
Come
and
see
the
Creator’s
love
for
Israel:
even
though
they
strayed
off
the
right
path,
the
Creator
does
not
wish
to
leave
them
and
repeatedly
turns
His
face
to
them,
or
else
they
will
never
have
revival
in
the
world.
129)
The
ark
was
traveling
before
them
for
three
days.
The
Nun,
which
is
Divinity,
did
not
part
from
it
but
traveled
with
it.
And
out
of
the
love
of
Israel,
He
turned
His
face
to
Israel
and
she
turns
herself
from
the
ark.
When
that
young
deer
walks,
she
turns
her
face
to
the
place
from
which
she
came
out.
Hence,
when
the
ark
travels,
the
Nun
turned
her
face
toward
Israel
and
the
shoulders
of
her
body
toward
the
ark.
130)
For
this
reason,
when
the
ark
was
traveling,
Moses
said,
“Return,
O
Lord,”
meaning
do
not
leave
us
and
turn
Your
face
to
us.
Then
the
Nun
turned
her
face
to
them
like
this
[],
as
one
who
turns
his
face
toward
the
object
of
his
love.
And
when
the
ark
began
to
rest,
He
turned
his
face
from
Israel
and
returned
His
face
toward
the
ark,
and
turned
them
back
completely.
In
the
beginning
he
explains
that
the
bent
Nun,
Malchut,
is
in
falling
prior
to
the
Zivug
with
ZA.
At
that
time
it
is
as
though
she
is
in
exile,
and
it
was
said
about
her,
“Fallen,
she
shall
no
more
rise.”
Hence,
in
the
beginning
she
must
be
raised
from
her
falling.
Afterwards
she
can
mate
with
him.
Falling
means
she
lacks
GAR,
and
rising
means
the
returning
of
the
GAR,
which
is
illumination
of
Hochma
in
Malchut.
And
the
ark
with
the
plates
within
it
is
ZA
and
Malchut,
where
the
plates
are
ZA
and
the
ark
is
Malchut.
It
turns
out
that
before
“And
it
came
to
pass,
when
the
ark
set
out,”
Malchut
was
not
in
Zivug
with
ZA
due
to
the
lack
of
Hochma.
It
is
known
that
there
is
disclosure
of
Hochma
only
during
traveling,
which
is
the
traveling
of
the
three
lines
in
three
places.
Hence,
he
preceded
the
journeying
to
the
Zivug,
as
it
is
written,
“And
it
came
to
pass,
when
the
ark
set
out,
that
Moses
said:
‘Return,
O
Lord,’”
since
then
illumination
of
Hochma
appeared
and
raised
the
Nun
from
her
falling.
Subsequently,
after
the
journey
was
completed
and
she
received
illumination
of
Hochma,
Moses
said,
“Return
O
Lord,”
for
then
the
illumination
of
Hochma
had
ceased
and
she
returned
to
mating
with
ZA,
which
is
Hassadim.
It
was
said,
“And
the
ark
of
the
covenant
of
the
Lord
went
before
them
three
days’
journey,
to
seek
out
a
resting-place
for
them.”
Rest
means
Zivug,
ZA
and
Malchut.
To
prepare
Malchut
so
she
is
ready
for
a
Zivug
with
ZA,
the
ark
of
the
covenant
had
to
travel
through
three
days,
which
are
three
lines
in
three
places.
Along
those
three
days,
she
received
illumination
of
Hochma
that
raised
her
from
her
falling,
and
then
she
was
ready
for
rest,
which
is
the
Zivug.
Similarly,
Israel
are
not
ready
to
receive
from
Zivug
ZON
before
they
receive
the
illumination
of
Hochma
in
Malchut.
It
was
written,
“To
seek
out
a
resting-place
for
them,”
so
that
Israel
would
be
able
to
receive
the
rest
from
Zivug
ZON,
where
even
though
they
had
strayed
off
the
right
path
and
are
not
worthy
of
receiving
the
rest
from
Zivug
ZON,
the
Creator
does
not
leave
them
like
that.
Instead,
each
time,
Malchut
turns
her
face
to
them
and
shines
illumination
of
Hochma
for
them,
to
qualify
them
so
they
will
later
be
able
to
receive
from
the
rest.
The
ark
went
before
them
three
days.
The
Nun
was
not
separated
from
it
but
traveled
with
it,
since
the
traveling
of
the
three
lines
is
in
ZA,
but
the
Malchut
is
not
separated
from
ZA
during
the
journey,
and
she,
too,
receives
those
three
lines.
And
out
of
the
Creator’s
love
for
Israel,
He
turns
His
face
back.
This
means
that
the
illumination
of
Hochma
that
she
receives,
called
“Face,”
as
it
is
written,
“A
man's
wisdom
illuminates
his
face,”
turns
its
face
back
to
Israel
and
imparts
them
with
illumination
of
Hochma.
It
brings
itself
back
from
ZA,
which
is
the
plates
in
the
ark,
since
ZA
is
considered
covered
Hassadim,
and
when
Malchut
receives
Hochma,
when
she
is
not
considered
ZA,
it
is
considered
that
the
Malchut
brings
herself
back
from
him.
In
other
words,
she
retires
from
ZA
and
seemingly
turns
her
face
back.
And
the
reason
why
he
says
in
the
allegory
about
the
deer
that
He
turns
His
face
back
is
that
it
implies
that
the
Malchut,
called
“Deer,”
comes
out
of
the
left
line,
which
is
her
root,
and
hence
turns
her
face
back
to
the
illumination
of
Hochma
on
the
left
line.
The
implication
in
the
Torah,
in
the
portion,
“When
the
ark
set
out”
is
considered
the
journeying
ark
of
the
covenant.
And
then
comes
the
Zivug,
which
is
rest.
It
writes
an
opposite
Nun
[]
before
because
her
back
is
to
the
portion,
“When
the
ark
set
out,”
and
her
face
to
the
previous
portions,
which
are
considered
Israel.
Also,
after
the
portion,
“When
the
ark
set
out”
there
is
an
opposite
Nun
[]
written,
whose
face
is
toward
the
portion
“When
the
ark
set
out,”
which
is
the
ark
of
the
covenant,
and
her
back
is
to
the
other
portions
following
her,
which
are
considered
as
discernments
of
Israel,
as
in,
“The
Torah
and
Israel
are
one.”
In
the
words,
“And
it
came
to
pass,
when
the
ark
set
out,”
the
Nun
was
turning
her
face
toward
Israel,
and
the
shoulders
of
her
body
toward
the
ark.
Thus,
you
write
Nun
[]
that
turns
her
face
toward
the
previous
portions,
which
are
Israel,
and
the
shoulders
of
her
body
toward
the
portion,
“When
the
ark
set
out,”
which
is
ZA.
This
is
so
because
during
the
next
traveling
she
receives
Hochma,
which
is
her
face,
and
she
gives
this
face
to
Israel.
And
since
ZA
is
considered
covered
Hassadim,
it
is
considered
that
her
back
is
toward
ZA
where
back
means
that
she
does
not
receive
his
actual
self
from
him.
Hence,
when
the
ark
went,
Moses
said,
“Return,
O
Lord,”
meaning
do
not
leave
us,
turn
Your
face
back
to
us,
that
is,
receive
the
rising,
which
is
Hochma,
and
bestow
the
face
of
Hochma
upon
Israel
so
they
will
later
be
rewarded
with
receiving
from
a
complete
Zivug,
which
is
rest.
And
when
the
ark
began
to
rest,
after
it
completed
receiving
the
three
lines,
which
is
the
journey,
and
came
to
rest,
which
is
the
Zivug
with
ZA,
He
turned
the
face
of
the
Nun
from
Israel,
meaning
the
giving
of
Hochma
had
ceased
and
He
turned
His
face
back
to
the
ark.
This
means
that
she
received
GAR
de
Hassadim
from
ZA,
that
is,
she
gave
her
face,
which
are
GAR,
to
ZA,
to
the
discernment
of
ZA,
which
is
Hassadim,
and
completely
returned
to
Hassadim
de
ZA.
This
is
so
because
there
is
disclosure
of
Hochma
only
during
the
traveling
of
the
lines.
After
the
traveling,
they
completely
return
to
being
Hassadim.
This
is
why
a
second
opposite
Nun
[]
was
written
here,
with
her
face
toward
the
portion,
“When
the
ark
set
out,”
and
her
back
toward
the
portions
of
the
Torah
that
follow
“When
the
ark
set
out,”
which
are
Israel.
131)
There
must
certainly
be
two
opposite
Nuns
here,
before
it
and
after
it.
But
after
“When
the
ark
set
out,”
Malchut
did
not
return
her
face
from
Israel,
meaning
she
did
not
cease
her
bestowal
upon
Israel.
If
she
did,
this
Nun
should
have
been
written
opposite,
like
the
other
Nun,
the
upper
one,
the
Malchut.
This
is
so
because
this
reversed
Nun
toward
Israel,
and
this
upper
one,
Malchut,
is
aligned
with
the
ark,
meaning
it
is
in
Zivug
with
ZA,
and
then
her
face
is
certainly
toward
Israel.
132)
But
certainly,
Malchut
did
not
turn
her
face
from
Israel.
Rather,
what
did
she
do
when
the
ark
began
to
rest?
Then
Moses
said,
“Return,
O
Lord,”
so
the
illumination
of
Hochma
would
cease
and
she
would
return
to
illumination
of
Hassadim
de
ZA.
Then
the
ark
sat,
meaning
rested,
and
Divinity
stood
on
the
other
side,
the
right
line,
Hassadim,
and
received
GAR
de
Hassadim,
Panim
[face]
from
ZA.
And
she
turns
this
face
of
hers
to
Israel,
opposite
the
ark,
meaning
that
her
face
turns
toward
the
ark
to
receive
Hassadim
from
it,
while
her
face
is
toward
Israel,
to
impart
them
with
these
Hassadim
that
she
receives
from
the
ark
of
the
covenant.
And
then
she
contains
within
her
everything,
the
ark
and
Israel.
But
afterwards
Israel
cause
Malchut
to
turn
her
back
to
them,
which
is
why
the
Nun
[]
is
written
opposite
between
“When
the
ark
set
out”
and
the
portion,
“And
the
people
were
as
those
who
complain.”
There
is
no
dispute
about
the
actual
writing
of
the
Nun.
Everyone
agrees
that
it
should
be
opposite,
with
her
face
toward
the
portion,
“When
the
ark
set
out”
and
her
back
to
Israel,
meaning
toward
the
rest
of
the
portions
in
the
Torah.
But
there
is
a
dispute
about
the
reason.
He
says
that
during
the
rest,
she
arrests
her
bestowal
upon
Israel,
hence
her
back
is
toward
Israel
and
her
face
toward
the
ark
of
the
covenant,
to
receive
Hassadim
from
it.
And
he
disagrees
with
it
and
says
that
during
the
rest,
she
not
only
turns
her
face
back
toward
Israel,
but
it
is
a
face
of
Hassadim.
And
yet,
the
Nun
should
be
opposite,
with
her
face
toward
“When
the
ark
set
out”
and
her
back
toward
the
rest
of
the
portions.
However,
it
is
for
another
reason,
since
here
Israel
sinned
in
the
portion,
“And
the
people
were
as
those
who
complain,”
and
this
is
why
here
she
turned
her
back
to
Israel.
133)
Whether
on
this
side
or
on
that
side,
the
Nun
turns
her
face
back.
Before
“When
the
ark
set
out,”
she
turned
her
face
to
Israel.
After
“When
the
ark
set
out,”
she
turns
her
face
to
the
ark
and
her
back
to
Israel.
It
is
good
that
the
writing
of
the
Nuns
should
be
like
that,
but
the
reason
why
she
turned
her
back
to
Israel
is
not
because
of
the
rest,
but
because
of
what
is
written
after
her,
“And
the
people
were
as
those
who
complain.”
This
is
what
you
find
in
the
book
of
Rav
Hamnuna
Saba.