הקדמה

18. “The other letters etc.”The other letters, i.e., alef-lamed-heh, are drawn forth by Israel from above, from the Bina, to this place, that is, to the Malkhut that is now called by the name of Mi, like the Bina.1As was explained in the preceding sections, when Nukba achieves the higher brains of maturity, it reaches the level of Mi, beyond the previous level of Ma. “These [eleh] things I remember” (Psalms 42:5) means: I hereby recall these letters in my mouth, and I pour out tears with the desire of my soul, in order to draw forth these letters, alef-lamed-heh, from the Bina. Then “I will lead them” from above, from Bina, “to the house of Elohim,” Malkhut, so that Malkhut will be called “Elohim,” like the Bina, which is called Elohim. And with what shall I draw them? “With the voice of joy and praise, a multitude keeping holyday” (Psalms 42:5). Rabbi Elazar said: My silence built the Temple above, which is Bina, and it built the Temple below, which is Malkhut. Certainly, it is as people say: “If a word is worth one sela, silence is worth two” (Megilla 18a). “If a word is worth one sela” – that which I said and noted. “Silence is worth two” – this is the silence that I maintained, which is worth twice as much, for the two worlds, Bina and Malkhut, were built and created together. Had I not refrained from speaking (as stated in section 11, above), I would not have attained the union of these two worlds.

Explanation: After the heh was removed from Ma, to be replaced by a yod alongside the [letter] mem, so that it is called Mi, then Israel, by raising feminine waters draws forth different letters, i.e., alef-lamed-heh, to this place, i.e. Mi, and the Nukba ascends through the name Elohim.2As extensively discussed in previous sections, the ascent of Nukba transpires through the acquisition of all five lights, the brains represented by the five letters of the name Elohim. Thus, Nukba ascends through the power of these higher brains. The nature of this drawing forth has already been explained above. Alef-lamed-heh of the higher [level] fall to the lower [level] in the phase of immaturity, and therefore [Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut] draw up the lower [level] in the phase of maturity. When the Bina, and Tiferet, and Malkhut of the higher [level] – which are the letters alef-lamed-heh – return to the head of the higher [level],3Meaning, in the phase of maturity, when the effects of the second constriction are reversed. they take the lower [level] with them as well. The lower [level] then acquires the letters alef-lamed-heh and the brains in them, since [the lower level] is together with them in the head of the upper level, as a lower [entity] that ascends to an higher [level] becomes like [that higher level] (as stated in section 17, third paragraph).

[The Zohar] thus states: “The other letters, etc. These [eleh] things I remember etc. in order to draw forth these letters.” This is the mystical meaning of the raising of feminine waters, as Israel raises feminine waters in order to draw forth the brains of maturity by means of drawing the letters alef-lamed-heh of Imma Ila'ah4Literally, "supernal mother," in this context, this term refers to the female component of the level of Bina, the level of brains acquired by Nukba in this phase of maturity. to the Nukba. This is the meaning of the statement: “These [eleh] things I remember,” i.e., to draw them forth, and therefore “I recall in my mouth, and I pour out tears with the desire of my soul.” This is referring to prayer at the gate of tears, which is never returned empty [see Berakhot 32b]. Then, after the feminine waters have been raised, “I will lead them from above”; I will draw forth the letters alef-lamed-heh from above, from Abba and Imma (father and mother), to the house of Elohim, meaning, to the Nukba, which is called “the house of Elohim.” After the drawing forth of the letters alef-lamed-heh, the Nukba itself is called Elohim. This is the meaning of the statement: “So that it will be called Elohim, like it,” i.e., like the mother.5Meaning, like Bina.

[The Zohar] thus says: “If a word is worth one sela, silence is worth two,” as Rabbi Elazar’s statement raised the Nukba to the Tevuna,6As was explained in the previous sections, Tevuna refers to the female component of Yisrael Saba and Tevuna, the level of brains acquired by the Nukba prior to this higher phase of maturity. which is below the chest of Arikh Anpin, for then [the Nukba] is still poised for a question, as stated, and is called “a sela.” This is the meaning of the statement: “If a word is worth one sela.” However, by means of Rabbi Elazar’s silence, which gave room for Rabbi Shimon to reveal the brains of ḥaya – which is through the ascent of the Nukba to the Imma Ila'ah7Literally, "supernal mother," in this context, this term refers to the female component of the level of Bina, the level of brains acquired by Nukba in this phase of maturity. – two worlds were built as one. The lower world, Nukba, became one with the higher world. This is the meaning of the statement: “Silence is worth two – for the two worlds were built and created together,” as the Nukba ascended to Imma [Ila'ah] and became a male, like the Imma Ila'ah.