📕 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
- 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.