The Eighth Commandment

228) The eighth commandment is to love the proselyte who comes to be circumcised and be under the wings of the Shechina [Divinity]. She, Malchut, lets under her wings all those who separate themselves from the other, impure side, and draw near her, as it is written, “Let the earth bring forth living souls after its kind.”

The issue of the wings of the Shechina is a long and profound matter, but I will clarify it as needed to understand the words below. Malchut, the Nukva of ZA, is called Shechina with regard to the disclosure. That is, she does not depart us even when we are very far from her, as we learn, “In every place where they are exiled, the Shechina is with them,” and as it is written, “Who dwells with them in the midst of their impurity.” In that respect, ZA is also called Shochen [dweller in masculine form], and the Nukva is Shechina. This disclosure is present only when ZON are face-to-face on an equal level, since then the illumination of the coupling is very great until the unification appears in even the most remote and restricted places.

Also, it is known that the structure of the Gadlut of ZON does not come at once. Rather, first the Katnut of ZON is built in Mochin of VAK, then the Gadlut is extended. This applies to all the degrees of ZON. Moreover, even when ZON have Mochin of Gadlut, the Mochin of Katnut are not canceled‎ because they, too, need to assist the coupling of Mochin of Gadlut. At that time, they are called “the wings of the Shechina.”

It is written, “And the cherubim shall spread out their wings upward, covering the ark with their wings.” Their primary task is to spread their wings and cover the illumination of the coupling of Gadlut so that even the most remote will be able to receive the light of the coupling without anything reaching the shells through it. It is so because those who are not in complete purity are always repelled from the light of Kedusha [holiness] for fear that they will pass the abundance to the shells. However, now—through the covering of the wings—there is careful guarding of the abundance until even the ones nearest to the shells cannot fail and bring down the abundance to the shells because the wings protect them.

Therefore, one who comes to convert and be circumcised, since his body comes from the foreskin, whose fathers did not stand by Mount Sinai and the filth of the serpent did not cease from them, we still have the power to raise him to upper Kedusha by raising MAN for the great coupling of ZON face-to-face, where the wings of the Shechina govern, spreading their wings and covering the light of the coupling. Then we can raise the soul of the proselyte to there, as well, and he is sanctified by the light of that coupling.

And even though he is not completely pure, at that time, he can receive from the illumination of the coupling because the wings protect him so the abundance will not be transferred to the shells, although he is near them. It was said, “Under the wings of the Shechina” because they can receive only from the light of Malchut, and only from her wings, the externality of Malchut, but not from the body of the Shechina, much less from ZA himself.

Malchut brings them under her wings. We could ask about it, that he previously said that coming under the wings of the Shechina means that we must raise the proselyte to be under the wings of the Shechina, while here he says that she lets under her wings. This would mean that the Shechina herself brings them up to her. The thing is that it is possible to bring the soul of the proselyte closer only through a coupling of Gadlut, for only then are the wings of the Shechina covering the illumination of the coupling.

Thus, first we must raise MAN to evoke this coupling of Gadlut, and draw illumination of the coupling for our soul, and then the Shechina spreads her wings and covers the light of the coupling, bringing the soul of the proselyte under her wings. It follows that first we elevate the soul of the proselyte through our MAN, and once he has risen, the Shechina receives him under her wings.

229) It cannot be said that this living soul that is included in Israel is meant for all. Rather, it is as written, “Living souls after its kind,” to Israel and not to the proselytes. This earth, which is called “living” [Haya means “living” as well as “animal”] has several corridors and rooms one inside the other under its wings.

Commentary: It is possible to raise the soul of the proselyte only when we raise MAN for coupling of Gadlut and draw upon ourselves illumination of Neshama from that coupling. At that time, there is the spreading of the wings of the Shechina, to which the soul of the proselyte rises, and he, too, receives from the light of the coupling. For this reason, it cannot be said that this living soul that is included in Israel is meant for all.

Perhaps you could say that the proselyte, too, receives from that light of coupling of living soul that Israel drew for the illumination of their souls. However, as it is written, “Living souls after its kind” means that the proselytes receive from the illumination of the coupling that which belongs to their kind—only from the externality of the coupling and not from the internality, which belongs only to Israel.

The wings are VAK from the time of Katnut, which operate during the coupling of Gadlut, as well, for covering the light of the coupling. There are HGT NHY in VAK—HGT are called “rooms” to dwell in, NHY are called “corridors,” “a gate,” and “an entrance” to the rooms, but they are not to be dwelled in, in themselves, for they serve only as entrance and exit. This is so because the core of HGT is Tifferet, their middle line, which is a complete vessel and a receptacle for the light of Hassadim. The core of NHY is Yesod, the middle line, in which there is no receptacle for itself, and it serves as a way to pass through and raise reflected light. This is why the NHY are called “corridors.”

The earth, which is called “animal,” has “Several corridors and rooms one inside the other under its wings.” Because she must bring under her wings proselytes from seventy nations, several rooms are ready for them in HGT of the wings, and several corridors in the NHY of the wings. They receive Nefesh from the corridors and Ruach from the rooms.

230) There are two corridors in the right-hand side wing of Malchut, which divide from this wing into two other nations, which are close to Israel in the unification, to bring them into the corridors. Under the left wing are two other corridors, which divide into two other nations, Amon and Moav, and they are all called “living soul.”

Previously, it was said that there are several corridors, and here it is said that there are only two on the right and two on the left. The thing is that here it is only about the inclusive, meaning that there are two inclusive corridors on the right, for the nations that belong to the right, and there are two inclusive corridors on the left, for the nations that belong to the left.

The two nations on the right include all the nations on the right that relate to the two general corridors on the right wing, but The Zohar does not explain which are they. The two nations on the left include all the nations on the left, which are Amon and Moav, and relate to the two general corridors on the left wing.

All of them are called “Living souls.” All the souls of the proselytes that come from all the nations are called “living souls.” This is because they can receive only from the coupling of Gadlut of ZON, when ZON are in the place of upper AVI. Then Malchut is called “living soul” because there is the light of AVI in her, which is the light of Haya. And since the souls of the proselytes receive from the wings of the living soul, they are called “living souls,” as well.

231) Several other closed rooms and other halls are in each wing. Spirits come out of them to be dispensed to all those converting proselytes. They are called “Living souls” but “After its kind.” They all enter under the wings of the Shechina but no further.

This is so because each wing consists of VAK, HGT NHY, which are called “rooms” and “corridors.” Each nation has its own room in HGT, and its own corridor in NHY. Each receives Nefesh from the corridors, and each receives Ruach from the rooms. The rooms are closed because HGT of VAK are covered Hassadim, blocked from illumination of Hochma.

232) But the Neshama [also “soul”] of Israel comes out of the body of the tree, ZA, from which souls fly into the earth, Malchut, to its intestines, deep within, as it is written, “For you shall be a delightful land.” Hence, Israel is a delightful son, and her heart goes out to him. They are called “That are borne from the gut,” and not from the wings, outside the body. Proselytes have no part in the upper tree, ZA, much less his body. Rather, their share is in Malchut’s wings and no further.

The proselyte is under the wings of the Shechina, and no further. Proselytes of justice are those who are present there and grip there, but not inside. This is why it is written, “Let the earth bring forth living souls after its kind.” To whom? “Cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after its kind.” All suckle the living soul from that animal, but each by its kind, as befits it.

ZA is called “a tree,” “the tree of life,” and Nukva is called “the land of the living,” at the time of Gadlut, when they clothe upper AVI, Mochin of Haya. The Neshama of Israel comes out of the body of the tree, from the insides of ZA, and from there souls fly into earth, Malchut, to its insides, deep within. Through a coupling of a tree, ZA, in the land of the living, the Nukva, ZA gives the souls of Israel to the Nukva, to its very insides, and from her, Israel receive their souls.

But not as proselytes, receiving only from the Nukva, and only from the externality of the Nukva. From her wings, not from the very inside, meaning the deepest part. This is so because the Nukva has three Partzufim clothed in one another—Ibur, Yenika, Mochin. Partzuf Mochin is clothed inside Partzuf Yenika, and Partzuf Yenika is clothed inside Partzuf Ibur. He made the precision that Israel receive from the very inside of the Nukva, from Partzuf Mochin.

This is why Israel are called “a delightful son, to which her heart goes out.” They are also called “Borne from the gut,” and not from the wings, which are her externality.

Commentary: The NHY of the Nukva are called “gut” because there is the place of Ibur [conception] and raising of the soul of Israel. Yet, this does not relate to the NHY of the two external Partzufim, Ibur and Yenika—the wings—but to NHY of Partzuf Mochin, the intestines, as it is written, “My dear son, Ephraim, is he a delightful child? For whenever I speak of him, I certainly still remember him. Therefore, My heart goes out to him” [in Hebrew, “guts” is used instead of “heart”].

Since the souls of Israel are from the internality of Malchut, who is called “intestines,” it is written, “My heart [or gut] goes out to him.” This is why he calls them “Borne from the gut”—the NHY of Partzuf Mochin—and not from the wings, which are outside the body and not from NHY of the two external Partzufim, which are the wings.

It was said that proselytes have no share in the upper tree, ZA, much less in his body. Rather, their share is only the wings and no further, under the wings of the Shechina and no further. This is why they are called “proselytes of justice,” since the Shechina is called Justice. They dwell under her wings, uniting with her, and they have no part from above, from the Shechina.

This is why it is written, “Let the earth bring forth living souls after its kind.” To whom? “Cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after its kind.” Anyone who has a soul from a cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth receives her only from Nefesh of Haya, which is Malchut in coupling of Gadlut face-to-face with ZA. Hence, each is to its kind, as befits it, only from the wings and not from the insides of the illumination of this great coupling.