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

READING: SUNSET MONDAY

Main Reading for PRAYER OF MANY, today with ENGLISH ZOHAR READING, page 226

ARVUT OF : Robin Anderson

The reason for this is that on the fourth day, Malchut is in the state of
Katnut, called the small phase of the Moon. As a result, the Moon (Malchut)
returns to the state called Shabbat, when all the Light of all the days of creation
manifest and shine within her. This is why the Light of the first three days of
creation becomes revealed only on Shabbat.

79. Yet, if Shabbat is Malchut, then why does the Torah say, “My Sabbaths
    you are to observe,” implying two? It is written of the two parts of Shabbat:
    the night (Malchut) and the day (ZA) that shines in Malchut. Thus, there
    is no division between them, for they merge face to face in a Zivug, and are
    therefore called two Sabbaths.
    He asks: two Malchuyot (plural for Malchut) of the fourth and the seventh days
    are completely separate, as is written, “You shall keep my Sabbaths,” implying
    two? Yet, when we clarify that the fourth day manifests in perfection only on the
    seventh day, it becomes clear that there is only one Shabbat. But what is meant
    here is ZA and Malchut that shine in the holiness of Shabbat, for this day is the
    male, bestowing part (Zachar) that manifests in the female part (Malchut or Nukva).
    Hence, they are called Sabbaths (plural). However, by merging in perfection, they
    become a single whole. As a result, ZA also assumes the name of Shabbat.
80. Following behind them with the donkeys, the donkey driver asked: “Why
    is it said, ‘You shall fear sanctity?’” They replied: “This refers to the sanctity of
    Shabbat.” The donkey driver asked: “What is the sanctity of Shabbat?” They
    replied: “It is the sanctity that descends from Above, from AVI.” He said to
    them, “If that is so, then Shabbatot (plural for Shabbat) are without sanctity,
    for sanctity descends on it from Above, from AVI.” Rabbi Aba answered him:
    “It is indeed so.” And it is said: “And call Shabbat a delight, a holy day dedicated
    to the Creator.” Shabbat and a holy day are mentioned separately. The donkey
    driver asked: “If that is so, then what does a holy day mean to the Creator?”
    He replied: “That is when sanctity descends from Above, from ZA, and fills
    Shabbat, Malchut.” The donkey driver objected, “But if sanctity descends
    from Above, then Shabbat itself is not a holy day. And yet, it is written, ‘You
    shall sanctify Shabbat,’ meaning Shabbat itself.” Rabbi Elazar said to Rabbi
    Aba, “Leave this man alone, for there is much wisdom in him, of which we do
    not know.” So he said to the donkey driver, “Speak, and we shall listen.”
    The donkey driver’s question is this: if Shabbat is ZA, then why is it described
    as holy? After all, sanctity is the property of AVI, and only AVI are called holy.