📕 TUESDAY PRAYER: TIFERET-MAIN READING OF THE WEEK – THE ZOHAR BOOK

READING: SUNSET MONDAY

Main Reading for PRAYER OF MANY, today with ENGLISH ZOHAR READING, page 217

ARVUT OF : Robin Anderson

66. Rabbi Elazar said, “What is the meaning of ‘in the shadow of your hands’
    garments?’”. He answered, when the Torah was passed to Moshe, tens of
    thousands of Supernal angels appeared so as to raise him with the flames of
    their mouths, but the Creator protected him. So now, when the renewal in
    the Torah ascends and appears before the Creator, He protects it and shelters
    the one who performed it, so as to prevent the angels from finding out and
    envying him, until new Heaven and earth are made out of this renewal in
    the Torah. Hence, it is said, “To take the Heavens and lay the foundations of
    the land from the shadow of your hands’ garments.” It follows that all that is
    concealed from the eyes achieves a supernal result. This is why it is said, “In
    the shadow of your hands’ garments.” Yet, why should it be concealed from
    the eyes for the sake of a supernal result? Hence, it is immediately said, “So
    that I may take the Heavens and lay the foundations of the land.” As we have
    learned—so that new Heavens and earth will appear out of this concealment.
    The phrase “In the shadow of your hands’ garments” alludes to Ohr Hozer,
    the garment that stems from the firmament, clothing and covering of the Ohr
    Hochma. Like a shadow, this garment conceals Hochma from outsiders’ eyes, so
    they do not know what is inside. Why are High Degrees concealed from angels?
    So they would not envy man, for when the angels, which are made of a very light
    material (without egoism), look at one who is righteous and see his negative
    properties, they envy him for the High Degree that he has achieved. They then
    begin slandering that righteous, the properties that they discover in him. This
    brings harm to the righteous.
    Therefore, when a degree clothes into the garment of a firmament (Ohr
    Hozer), this garment measures the degree itself, its magnitude, to prevent man
    from receiving more than his intention for the Creator’s sake allows, i.e., only
    to the extent of Ohr Hozer. Thus, he is protected from the angels’ envy and from
    their ability to harm his spiritual condition, for he becomes equal to them in his
    properties: his Returning Light makes him equal.
    Like everything else that fills the worlds, Melachim (angels) are man’s
    inner properties and forces. In order to avoid harming himself by wishing to
    attain Higher Degrees before he has acquired Ohr Hozer, these degrees must
    be concealed. However, in addition to Ohr Hozer, one should exercise caution
    against his desire.
    This explains the rule: “The eye sees and the heart covets,” and man would
    not be able to protect his intention, to keep it for the Creator’s sake alone, and
    would desire to receive for himself. However, once clothed in the garment of
    the firmament, he can be certain that he will not receive above his intention to
    receive for the Creator’s sake.