תורה 11

7. {“From the distant corner of the earth we heard songs, tzvi latzaddik (glory to the righteous). But I said, ‘Razi li (A secret to me), razi li (a secret to me)!’” (Isaiah 24:16).}

This also the aspect of secrets and deep secrets. Razin (secrets) corresponds to Halakhah. Razin d’razin (deep secrets) corresponds Kabbalah. The encompassing of the Kabbalah within the Halakhah is similar to the Holy One’s conduct during the six days of the week—the lower unification.

This is alluded to in, “… tzvi latzaddik… razi li, razi li.” The words tzvi latzaddik refers to the holiness of marital relations, of which there are two razin: the upper unification and the lower unification. These correspond to Halakhah and Kabbalah, secrets and deep secrets. And this is what our Sages taught: “May God’s glory be forever” (Psalms 104:31) —the ministering angel of the world said this. When the Holy One commanded the trees [to yield fruit] after their own kind, the grasses drew an inference with regard to themselves: If the trees—which are large and do not [reproduce] in close proximity—were commanded by the Holy One “after its own kind” (Genesis 1:11), then all the more so we—who are small and do [reproduce] in close proximity—must bring forth [only] “after its own kind.” The ministering angel of the world spoke up and said, “May God’s glory be forever; [God shall rejoice in His works]” (Chullin 60a, cf. Rashi).

For in truth, even the great ones—whose marital relations are not in close proximity, but from one Shabbat to the next—are also warned by the Torah concerning guarding the brit. They must guard themselves. As is brought in the Kavanot (Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar HaShabbat 18): It is written (Exodus 31:16), “v’shamru B’nei Yisrael Æt Hashabbat (the Children of Israel shall keep the Shabbat)”—the first letters of which spell BYAH (sexual relations). In other words, even though his marital relations are only from Shabbat to Shabbat, he still must exercise great ShMiRah (guarding). This is “v’ShaMRu ….”

All the more so the small ones, who correspond to the grasses. Their marital relations, which also take place during the weekdays, are in close proximity. They must certainly exercise great caution in guarding their brit. They must guard themselves in accordance with the Torah, in the aspect of “after its own kind.”

As soon as the ministering angel of the world—this is Metat whose rule is the six weekdays, corresponding to the grasses/the lower unification—heard this, he spoke up and said, “May God’s glory be [forever].” Specifically “glory,” because, as explained, by guarding the brit on both levels glory is complete.

Thus, by guarding the brit on the two levels mentioned—corresponding to the upper and lower unifications/trees and grasses/great ones and small ones/marital relations of Shabbat and of weekdays/Halakhah and Kabbalah/secrets and deep secrets—glory is then complete. And through glory a person merits speech which enlightens; and through speech he can come to deep Torah understanding.