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

READING: SUNSET MONDAY

Main Reading for PRAYER OF MANY, today with ENGLISH ZOHAR READING, page 234

ARVUT OF : Robin Anderson

And here they receive the donkey driver’s help, who reveals to them the
secret of Ohr Haya. He explains that the phrase “You shall observe my Shabbatot”
signifies the Upper and the lower Shabbatot, which come together, due to the
ascent of ZON to AVI. As a result, ZON themselves become holy (the square
within the circle) and acquire the properties of Bina: mercy, altruism, Ohr
Hassadim. Hence, it is written with regard to them: fear not and observe. For
Ohr Haya repels foreign, impure forces and desires, and all restrictions are lifted
on Shabbat; hence, there is no fear.
And, according to the donkey driver’s explanation, the phrase “You shall
fear My sanctity” refers only to the central point that is used in GAR de AVI, in
GAR of Ohr Haya, which is unattainable and where fear does exist.
At that, the soul of the donkey driver has fulfilled its role, for it brought
them to the attainment of Ohr Haya. Only then did they merit the attainment
of the height of the soul that had helped them, since they attained its revelation
and were thus able to appreciate it.
This is why Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba dismounted from their donkeys
and kissed him, for the attainment of the Upper One is defined as a “kiss.”
However, this exalted soul has not yet finished aiding them: it must still help
them attain Ohr Yechida. Yet, since the attainment of Ohr Haya already provides
perfection, they’ve already attained thereby the degree of the son of Rabbi
Hamnuna-Saba.
The level of Rabbi Hamnuna-Saba himself is the degree of attainment
of Ohr Yechida. Therefore, by attaining only Ohr Haya, they mistakenly
thought that the soul guiding them belongs to the son of Rabbi Hamnuna-
Saba. However, after the donkey driver had revealed to them the secret of the
attainment of Ohr Yechida, they realized that their companion is none other
than Rabbi Hamnuna-Saba himself.
And the reason why they could not recognize him before is that the powers
of the helping soul cannot be seen until its role is fulfilled. Hence, they asked
him to reveal his name, but he told them not to inquire about his name, for
without having completed all the corrections, they do not merit the revelation
of the secrets of the Torah. And he must help them in their studies of the
Torah, for he still needs to illuminate their path, as they have not yet attained
the desired goal.