הקדמה

130. “Then, at that time etc.”Then, at that time, when the heavens, which is Ze’er Anpin, enters the wedding canopy, and comes and illuminates for her, all those colleagues who established her, through the Torah engagement during the night, all become known by their names there. This is the meaning of the verse: “And the firmament says His handiwork” (Psalms 19:2). “His handiwork” are those who have the sign of the covenant, who are called “His handiwork,” as it is stated: “Establish You upon us the work of our hands,” which is a sign of the covenant that is imprinted upon a man’s flesh.

Explanation: The colleagues are those who preserve the Torah, in which there is practice [assiya], which is [relating to] good and evil. The [Zohar] is saying that even those parts in which the aspect of evil is still without rectification are also “known by their names” of holiness. [The Zohar] thus states that “this is [the meaning of] the verse: And the firmament says His handiwork [ma’aseh],” because the firmament is the book of remembrance, as explained below, which is the mystical meaning of the light of the great fusion [of the future], which brings to repentance out of love, when willful transgressions become for them like merits (Yoma 86b). Even with regard to those who chose to slander, it will be said about them, “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another etc.” (Malachi 3:16, as explained above in section #126#; see there).

Thus, it is this practice [of Torah], of the preservation of the Torah in which there is good and evil, and in which it is good for one who merits and bad for one who does not merit, the whole of the practice has now ascended into a state of holiness and has become the handiwork of the Holy One, blessed be He. Even upon those who did not merit, “the firmament says” that “then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another,” as stated. Accordingly, it is [revealed] that all the colleagues performed only holy service, because they established her for the wedding canopy, 1Meaning, through their practice, even the ill deeds and the ostensibly “ungodly” part of the world of Asiya becomes part of the holy service that establishes the canopy. and they “all become known by their names.”

[The Zohar] continues: “As it is stated: Establish You upon us the work of our hands.” Now, this proof appears to contradict [the idea for which it was cited as evidence]. 2The main text refers to the “the work of His hands,” while the proof text refers to the “the work of our hands.” The verse states “the work of our hands,” not “the work of His hands.” However, the proof is cited from the verse only with respect to [the claim that] the sign of the covenant is called “the work of our hands.” “Establish You upon us” is the aspect of Yesod that establishes and founds the entire structure, and the rectification of the Yesod is the covenant of circumcision. Consequently, the sign of the covenant is called “the work of our hands,” since we remove the foreskin from the Yesod, and this is the work of our hands. 3The foreskin on the male sexual organ represents the barrier that can exist between us and God, or in other words, the kelippa and the Sitra aḥara. The male sexual organ corresponds to the sefira of Yesod. When there is a foreskin present, it represents an impediment to the connection between the male and female. This corresponds to the male and female aspects of existence (God and the Divine Presence), in which such an impediment prevents divine development in the world.

This is [the case] only before the completion of the rectification, but at the completion of the rectification, everything will be revealed as the handiwork of the Holy One, blessed be He, and He Himself will remove the foreskin. [The Zohar] thus states that [“His handiwork”] are those who have the sign of the covenant, [who] are called “His handiwork.” For then the Holy One, blessed be He, will Himself remove the foreskin, which is the mystical meaning of: “The firmament shows His handiwork,” and a proof is brought regarding the rectification of the covenant, which is currently called “the work of our hands,” from the verse: “Establish You upon us the work of our hands.”