The Secret Letter of the GR"A

The following is from page 711 of HaTekufah HaGedolah. I'll translate the part after the letter.

On the outside of the letter is written:

בהיפו"י

למו"צ דק"ק יצ"ו

ויל"פ

בצדקה תכונני

דברו אל י'ש'ר'א'ל'

למ"מ שיבב"א

Inside the letter itself is written:

"יום ג' פ' לך לך. מאלקא רבא קדישא, דשכין שמיה בקרתא קדישא, שלמא רבא ונפישא, לעמיה קדישא ופרישא, ע"י הדא איגרתא קדישא, דהיא זעירא ורבי' פרישא.

מיבע שטמט מטדמל

אביו שבשאמ נאי בתערמ ותותוצ מארה ללא וללא וימצב ותדוא וי"ח לתקע"בג וילי הכד אוי אמת ואמכם ציון

והאות על זה

שבד' מספר כ"ו ינוח שם רמ"ח בן מ"ב עם אבותיו שם ב"ן ושם ס"ג

שמי א' ש"א.

According to the tradition it is told in the introduction to the letter that was brought to print (Warsaw 5696) that the GR"A left after him a closed letter with an attached instruction not to open it until 100 years had passed since his death.

When the time came, the letter was opened in the "קלויז" of the GR"A, but no one knew how to decode its secrets. The wise men of the "קלויז" sent a copy of the letter to all the important communities which had mekubalim, so that they would try to decode it. When the letter reached Yerushalayim it was printed in 5658 in the periodical "Torah MiTzion" (3rd year, number 3).

In 5662 it was brought to print by Rav Pesach Cohen Pinfer in his book "The Tradition of the Torah and the Prophets", and on the sides was printed a letter of Rav Shmuel Chaim Luria to the publisher, saying that "the letter of the GR"A is in my hands", and that he got it from the Rada"l. He added that the words of the Rada"l that "there is no man in the world that can write an explanation for this, but in the future Eliyahu will explain it". Rav Pesach was requested himself to try to decode the letter.

The letter was printed again in the introduction to a book "Divrei Eliyahu" of Rav Avraham Dovid Bloch, from the students of "קלויז הגר"א", and also printed and distributed in many forms by Rav Pinchas Arkin from Briansk. Rav Pinchas would say that he knew the secret of the letter, but he said it was forbidden to him to reveal it in Chutz La'Aretz, and therefore he asked that he be assisted to go up to Yerushalayim, there he can reveal the secret. In the days of the gathering of Rabbanim that took place in 5695 in Warsaw, Rav Pinchas arrived to the offices of "Agudas Yisrael" and gave a copy of the letter to Rav Zusha Friedman. But he didn't reveal to him its secret, and he passed away in holiness and purity on the steps of the mikveh in Otbotsk, and the secret, he took with him.

In the year 5696 the letter was brought to press by Rav Y. Dimdus, and he also tried in his powers to achieve the meaning of the letter, saying that the GR"A hinted at the secrets of the Geulah.

On the side of that printing, it was written that in the near future there will be a detailed explanation of the letter, with the agreement of the great mekubalim, at their head Rav Shimon Tzvi Horovitz of Yerushalayim, but nothing is known of this printing.

Between Pekidah and Zechirah

We stand today between two great lights, Pekidah and Zechirah. The Pekidah was a great light, the 2nd part of the 4 parts of Geulah. The light of the Zechirah, unlike the Pekidah, does not fade away. Its Tikkunim are permanent. The extremely lengthy Zohar Chadash translation I posted here seems to be referring to this period of time. The calculation seems to hinge on the year 5751. Per Kol HaTor, 5750 is the end of the last generation, implying the beginning of a new era thereafter.

• The beginning of the Pekidah was in 5727, 24 years before 5751.
• The end of the darkness which follows the Pekidah is in 5775, 24 years after 5751.

It is darkest before dawn.

Prior to the Six Day War, there was great darkness and fear. The light was so great that "we were like dreamers" (Tehillim 126). A new Teshuvah movement followed the war, akin to the Ramchal's description of the very reason for the Pekidah. Nonetheless, Israeli history has been in decline since that point. Israeli confidence did not match the mechanics of what was occurring behind the scenes (both physically and spiritually), and after the 6 year period of the Pekidah ended, the Yom Kippur War commenced. War after 6 years of relative quiet.

Another great light is approaching at the next Yovel year, 5776, when the Zechirah will begin. While there are fundamental differences, there are parallels. It is the same Other Side that realizes that this is another step towards its extinction, and as such, the darkness will increase in the years leading up to this, as the Zohar Chadash describes. The quick fading of that great light, however, will not repeat like it did 40 years ago.

Our task at this time is to head off this darkness.

The Fourth and Final Keitz

As I mentioned here, the Geulah Shleimah is made up of 4 individual Geulot, each a more obvious level of revelation.

1. רנו
2. 60
3. 66
4. 72

As I mentioned here, the Geulah at 72 is not really at 72, but some time before that. It is a sort of worst case scenario's Achishenah. We will have a few "easy" chances to cause Geulah Achishenah between now and then, but regardless, we are guaranteed that even at the very end it will be Achishenah.

The reason for that is hidden in the secret of Kol HaTor and Birkat HaChamah.

Zohar Chadash: Darach Kokhav MiYaakov

If anyone knows how to make this blog post not show the entire text, and have a "Click here for more" button, please post in the comments.

A star went out from Yaakov. Rebbe, Rebbe, so many sealed secrets are included here. He opened and said "And Hashem Elokim put sleep on the man and he slept (Breishit 2). When HaKadosh Baruch Hu created Adam HaRishon, He created him with 2 faces, and they would connect together without separation. What is the reason? For it is written "male and female He created them", without separation, and it isn't written "He created him" but "He created them".

Because they were created, they were 1 with the other, equal. What did HaKadosh Baruch Hu do? He cut them apart with a separation. He took the female from him, fixed her with a few repairs, adorned her with some adornments, and dressed her with some clothes.

In what place? In Gan Eden He fixed her. How many adornments did he adorn her (with)? 70. They are the 70 faces of the Torah. How many repairs did he repair her? 13 repairs. These are the 13 midot that the Torah is expounded with. How many clothes did he dress her with? 6. These are the 6 orders of the Mishnah, in 6 faces.

All these repairs, all these adornments, all these clothes, HaKadosh Baruch Hu did for her there in Gan Eden, and afterwards brought her to the man (Adam). And where was Adam? At the place of the point of Tzion, where the Beit HaMikdash is. And from there He took them, and brought them to Gan Eden, and blessed them the Blessing of Grooms.

And this is the secret, "a star went out from Yaakov". He went and adorned and repaired that star, which was taken from Yaakov. That because of this, it will be revealed for her who will be revealed. For this he came to her, and is drawn from above below. And sceptor will rise from Yisrael, this is the Tree of Life. And will rise: like you say (in Breishit 6) and I will stand up my covenant.

And when this will occur, "he will smite the corners of Moav", etc. All these sides are bound up in the lower tree, will pass and leave her. Then, "And the man said, this time" (Breishit 2). That is the time of enjoyment, to enjoy together and not like other times that the evil side is bound up between us. But now there is no mixture of the Sitra Achra with us, but rather "bone from my bones", and not another partnership with evil.

"Bone from my bones", light of the real enlightening vision. "And flesh from my flesh", clothing from that clothing that he was dressed in and my Upper Light. "To this will be called woman", in the upper government on the whole world, that will not leave forever. Then, "it shall break all these kingdoms to pieces, and it will stand forever" (Daniel 2:44)

"I see him, but not now" - This seeing that I see, I will see it in the future, to come together as one. "But not now", in Galus Bavel, and in that House (Beit HaMikdash) that was built by Olei Golah (Those that left the Galus for Eretz Yisrael). "I behold him" - I will in the future look at him face to face. "But not near" - rather in the last House (the 3rd Beit HaMikdash). That between this and that, it wasn't at rest, and there wasn't closeness and togetherness as is proper.

Oy Rebbe, Oy Rebbe, how difficult is this thing, how long is the time, evil upon evil, the times that Am Yisrael is in Galus, and how much will the animals control, and how much will they try to rip apart the weak of Yisrael, at every time until the End of Days.

At the time of the End of Days, according to the hour of the day, at the time that the sun shines, from the 6th Day, at the time that is ready according to the count of years, of Yovel and Shmitah together, which is רע"ד (Raa'd, 274 in Gematria) from the 6th Day. At that time a single voice is prepared to awaken at the heights of the upper heavens, a sad and bitter voice, such that hasn't been since the day that the world was created.

And that voice will be fine (דק), in secret, in bitterness, in sadness, going down and up, up and down, and thus it will say: "I had a beloved doe from the old days, but it forgot me. I had strong love with her. I remember that the form of her face was impressed on my heart and on my arm, and my love for her was strong within me, and the flames burned within me."

At that hour, he will cry three cries, one after another, and all the heavens will shake, and all the worlds will shake, until 3 voices are heard, in to the Tanin fish (נונא תנינא), and will run away 400,000 parsaot to one fish in the sea. There it will put out its traps and nets, and pull it from the sea, and bring it to the Yeshiva in the heavens, and see from it all the problems and disagreements that will be presented there. And he will be stuck there 150 days.

And at that time, HaKadosh Baruch Hu will gather all the hosts of heaven, and all the members of his Yeshivah, and He is above them all, and they are bringing before him that Tanin, and they will tie 3 knots on his neck, and take his 3 beloved ones, and return him to the place he is held. And his beloeved ones will enter one sanctuary which is called Ahavah (Love) and they will be hidden there.

And HaKadosh Baruch Hu will impose an oath on all of these hosts, and to these 2 Yeshivot, that all of them go, and hear the voice of the beloved, that He desires to hear her voice with them. At that time there will be aroused on the Holy Nation troubles, one on top of the other, with great force, and they cry out cry after cry, tears after tears, and they awaken her. And he sounds her voice out for her children.

And HaKadosh Baruch Hu calls and says, this is my doe, my friend, my dove, my complete one that sits in gardens, that would only sit in the hidden part of the cliff on the inside, like you say "All the honor of the daughter of the king is on the inside" (Tehillim 45), and now she is in the gardens (Shir HaShirim 8), boldly, like a mother going after her son, in the market and open areas of the city, in fear to make sure they won't hurt him.

My doe, my friend, look, behold all of the friends of the 2 Yeshivot are here. Friends/members of those Yeshivot are listening to your voice, make it heard! (Shir HaShirim 8) for My desire is to hear your voice.

How long it has been since I last heard your voice, that I didn't know you. Then all the inhabitants of the world were mixed, people in people, nation in nation. And he who isn't worthy to rule, they bring him to be in charge. And they bring with him foreign nations and different tongues, that don't know justice, and not the laws of rulership. And how many wars they consider making.

And in a soft lip, soft speech, he (referring to the one above who is not worthy to rule) will do as he desires, and rule. He will think some thoughts to do evil. And for the Unique Nation he will make evil decrees. Then there will be trouble upon trouble upon that Unique Nation. At that time Hakadosh Baruch Hu will be strengthened, and He will appease His doe a few different appeasements, and He will take her and raise her up from the dirt, Him and none else, and the 2 Yeshivot will remain with her.

Three kings will remain, and will awaken at 3 sides of the world on this nation, and that king that would rule with a soft mouth, will rule with great anger, and strength on the Holy Nation.

And in the 3rd month (Sivan), on the 4th of the month, at 9 and 1/2 hours, all the members of the Yeshivah will go with the doe, to the grave of the shepherd, the faithful of His house, and give him 3 voices. At the time that the sun leaves the world, and his grave will open, and the members of the Yeshivah will want to go inside, but they will not be allowed, and all will go away to their places. And She will enter, and from her will go out what will go out. And she will find Moshe sitting and toiling (in Torah), and a candle lit before him, and some incense surrounding him.

And because he saw her entering, he will stand up and they will join together, and the voices will be aroused in the heights of heaven, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu will hear, and enter the Sanctuary of Ahavah, and take from there the three beloved ones, and open for them his cave. And then that night, Moshiach will be awakened, and he will be found with them, and they will go over secrets of Torah, that entire night, like in the cave of Moshe.

And when the first morning light comes up, Moshiach will be hidden, while Moshe and the Shechinah remain there on that day, like the day of Shavuot. And the Shechinah will go up on that mountain, and there will be 3 voices heard, 1 for Avrahahm, 1 for Yitzchak, and 1 for Moshe and Yaakov. That is what is written "On a high mountain rise up for yourself, you that tell good tidings of Tzion, raise your voice with strength" (Yeshayahu 40), etc, raise up and don't be afraid, speak, etc.

Raise your voice, raise your voice, speak. This "raise your voice in power", that is Teruah. "Raise your voice and don't fear", that is Tekiah. Speak, that is Teruah Tekiah and Teruah together. And that is called Shofar Teruah. Shofar from that Teruah above.

A small shofar, for there is another one called the big shofar. This small shofar goes like the movement of a candle, and that is what is written "And the voice of the shofar goes (Shemot 19). For the other shofar is hidden away, and doesn't go. Rather this small one, he is here on the day of Shavuot, for he awakens on the day of Torah, the day of Shavuot.

And in this awakening of the shofar, that the Teruah Tekiah and Teruah awaken, will awaken the Avot from the cave, and they will go up in a wind, and come to her. And from that voice, many wicked ones in the Holy Land will die, and leave the world. And on that day the prayers of Yisrael will go up in all of their places before The Holy King. And the Avot will come together, and will be at that mountain, and Moshe will go up with them. And there he will look at the Avot, and them at him. And all will enter in to the cave of Moshe, and Moshiach will awaken to them, and they will all join together on that day.

And on that day, the 10 tribes will awaken, to do war in the 4 directions of the world with the Moshiach which will be anointed upon them, and he will receive his anointment by a righteous Kohen, the 7 Faithful Shepherds with him.

And this Moshiach is from the tribe of Efraim, the seed of Yerovam ben Nevat, the son of Aviyah, that died in his youth, and that day that he died, there was a son born to him, and he was taken from the house of Yerovam to the desert. And 170 strong men took him there, all righteous men from the tribe of Efraim, that he wouldn't fall in to the sin of Yerovam.

And from this son of Aviyah, will go out this Moshiach. Therefore it is written "And all of Israel eulogized him and buried him" (Melachim Aleph 14) And this was sealed, this prophecy, for its time and prophecy for the future. For this by itself will come to Yerovam to his grave because there is something good found for Hashem, G-d of Israel in the house of Yerovam. That is Moshiach, which is a good thing for Hashem.

Because the Avot will know, that HaKadosh Baruch Hu is remembering His doe and His nation, there will be so much happiness upon happiness on that day. In the northern land, kingdom of Teiman, there will be trouble upon troubles on that day for Am Yisrael, and their prayers will be gladly accepted. And on the night of that day, the Shechinah will return to the house, and Moshiach to his place, and the Avot to their cave.

The Shechinah will go and return by Moshe for 70 days. At the end of 70 days, the cry of Israel will go up before the Holy King, that they are causing troubles for them at all corners of the world. And one Knesset on the south will be destroyed and lost. And amongst them 5 Righteous Men of Truth will be killed.

And then 32 days after they will kill that Knesset, HaKadosh Baruch Hu will dress that small shofar with zealotry. And that Moshiach ben Efraim will spread out a cover like a bull that his horns go up like an ox.

And that small shofar, will call out Teruah Tekiah and Teruah 3 times at the head of the mountain as at first, and then the flags of that Moshiach will travel, and a great noise will fall on the world by the voices of that shofar. And all the people of the world will see and hear. Like it says "All the residents of the land and, and dwellers of the earth like the raising of a staff will see, and like the blowing of the shofar you will hear" (Yeshayahu 18).

And then the idols in the Holy Land will be burned. And 3 wars the sons of Yishmael will do with Moshiach. And they will come and bow to the Ruler of the World on the Holy Mountain in Yerushalayim. And these wars will be in the 6th millenium.

And in the month of Bul (Cheshvan), the haters will fall, and all the remaining idols will be removed from the Holy Land. And from there they will go and arouse wars on the world. And will they are doing these wars with the people of the earth, the children of Edom will gather on the Holy Land, and capture it, and control it for 12 months.

At the end of 12 months, the entire world will erupt and quake. And between these times, the Shechinah will go and return to the cave of Moshe. And the Melech HaMoshiach will be hidden for 9 months, like the months of childbirth, and these 9 months, he will accept upon himself much pain and suffering.

And while this is happening, HaKadosh Baruch Hu increases his suffering, and he will enter in the paths of one tree, for he has a great, holy, and strong tree. And there in 70 branches, he will take the measurements of the diagonals, and take 70 appointed ones, that circle the 70 branches of the tree, to those measurements of the diagonals, and they will be found to be forbidden one weight of a measure and a half (וישתכחון אסורין חד תקלא דמכילא ופלגו). Then he will bring them down from every branch.

And many branches which are small and which aren't small will break when he brings them down, because they are caught up in the (main) branches, and will break coming down. Then many of the Holy Nation will break between the legs of the other nations. And all these appointed ones, will pass them through Nehar Dinur, and will have their control taken away.

And in the mean time, Moshiach will suffer much pain and suffering like a woman in childbirth. About this time it is written "Hashem will respond to you in the day of trouble" (Tehillim 20:1). That these 9 verses are like the months of pregnancy. And there are 70 words, like the 70 years in the 6th millenium, he will give birth and control the whole world. And because this is during the 9 months, they will be visible all night, from midnight onwards, a chariot of fire, and horses of fire outside of the heavens, that do war, one with another, until the morning light.

After these 9 months, HaKadosh Baruch will awaken this Moshiach, and bring him out of Gan Eden. And this day that he comes out, the whole world will shake, and everyone in the world will think that he is dying.

And on this day it is written "And they will go in to caves of rocks and in to holes in the earth from fear of Hashem" That is the Shechinah, that will be raised up from this time going forward, and the Moshiach with her. "And from the glory of His majesty" - that is the Moshiach, "when he arises to shake the earth." (Yeshayahu 2:19). And then "And he will gather the dispersed of Israel and the outcast of Yehudah he will gather" (Yeshayahu 11:12).

That is in 60 years of the 6th millenium, and they will go afterwards and HaKadosh Baruch Hu will do for them many miracles.

Zohar Raya Mehemna Pinchas 249a

This Raya Mehemna seems to be written as a commentary on the Zohar.

The Faithful Shepherd said: At that time, the masters of wisdom, etc, until: and the snake shall pass from the world, as it is printed in Acharei Mot 67b, and afterwards throughout what is written by that.

If you want to say that at 70 she goes in to labor and after 2 years gives birth after 1200, according to the calculation of רע"ב, that is what is written "before she goes in to labor she gives birth" (Yeshayahu 66:7), and the secret of the matter is "and it will be before they call and I will answer, they are still [speaking and I will hear] (Yoma 61). But before, meaning before they complete. These 72 after 1200 are the pains of birth, in which the 2 Moshiach's are revealed to the world, and in that time "and in His Sanctuary all say glory" (Tehillim 29:9). And we've already established that the Wise inherit Glory.

And at that time the masters of Torah will be glorified, those that suffered some birth pains like a woman giving birth and were despied amongst the Amei HaAretz will be glorified and immediately "Hashem sat (on His throne) for the flood" for the wicked. There is no flood but judgements of flood, like when the wells of the deep and the gates of heaven opened on the day of the flood. Also here the judgements will be awakened against them above and below until there is no end and all the disgrace that the nations of the Aku"m did in the world did, for Hashem and His people (i.e. the judgements are done for the sake of Hashem and Israel). And how many insults did Israel suffer from them in the name of Hashem? For all of them HaKadosh Baruch Hu takes revenge and for that reason it is said that Hashem avenges and keeps his wrath for them.

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Yahel Ohr of the GR"A on Raya Mehemna 249a

And if you want to say: It brings up a seeming problem that it says in Acharei Mot that the 72 years after the 1200 she will give birth 2 years for 2 Moshiachs after the birth pangs, but isn't it written "before she goes in to labor she gives birth"? That is to say that the pain and difficulty of the servitude and the calling out to Hashem from the troubles.

Yoma: It needs to say here "and what is before?" That is to say, how is this "before"?

But before: An explanation to this seeming difficulty. That is to say that "before" (of the verse) is talking about before the 72 years complete.

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Commentary

While the entire matter of 1200, etc, is about the Keitz B'Itah, and that from the side of strict judgement we should have to wait for these 72 years to be complete, in any event the Keitz is before 72. Guaranteed Achishenah even when the Keitz is B'Itah.

Four Redemptions

One of the prior posts indicates that there are in fact 4 different Geulot (Redemptions) that Am Yisrael is to experience. The full text was posted yesterday here.

The 4 listed are as follows:

• Rejoice (The Hebrew רנו, pronounced Ronnu)
• 60 (The Aramaic שיתין)
• 66 (The Aramaic שיתין ושית)
• 72 (The abbreviation ע"ב)

Rejoice, רנו, is in Gematria 256. I believe that I know what year this means. I will not explain that calculation, but there are conclusions:

• The Final Redemption is (in this Zohar quote) divided in to 4 different mini-Redemptions.
• We have already been redeemed twice. Once was hundreds of years ago, once was decades ago.
• The First Redemption was completely hidden from the world, setting the latest date of the Geulah.
• The Second Redemption (The Pekidah) was mostly hidden from the world, setting the stage for the next step.
• The Third Redemption (The Zechirah) will be obvious, yet there will still be detractors.
• The Fourth Redemption, Creation is perfected.

Zohar Vayera 1:119a

Rebbi Shimon opened up and said: "And I will remember My covenant with Yaakov" (Vayikra 26:42) . (Yaakov is written) full with a Vav, why? But in 2 sides is the secret of Chochmah, one which is a secret on the level of Chochmah, the place where Yaakov dwells, but this verse is said about the Galut of Israel, for when they are in Galus, the time that they are remembered (the House of Yaakov), they are remembered via the secret of Vav. And that is that in the 6th millenium, and the Rememberance (Pekidah) is in the secret of Vav, 6 moments and a half time and in the time of the 60th year to the bar on the door in the 6th millenium, the G-d of Heaven will raise a rememberance for the Daughter of Yaakov, and from that time until the Full Rememberance (Zechirah) will be 6 years and a half, and from that time another 6 years, and these are 72 and a half. In 66, the King Moshiach will be revealed in the Land of Galilee. And one star in the east will swallow 7 stars in the north, and a flame will be hanging in the sky for 60 days, and battles will be aroused in the world on the northern side, and 2 kings will fall in these battles, and all the nations of the world will gather on the Daughter of Yaakov, to push her out from the world, and on this time it is written "And it is a time of trouble for Yaakov, and from it he will be saved" (Yirmiyahu 30:7)

And thus the souls will finish from the body, and will need to be renewed. And the sign for this (the verse that has a hint for this) is "All of the souls that come to Yaakov to Mitzraim are 66" (Breishit 46:26).

At 73, all the kings of the world will gather in the large city of Rome, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu will arouse upon them fire and hail and algabish stones, and they will be lost from the world, except for those kings that didn't go to there, and they will return to fight other battles. And from that time, the King Moshiach will be aroused in the whole world, and some other nations and some other forces will gather with him, and all of B'nei Yisrael will be gathered in all those places, until the completion of those 100 years.

And thus the Vav will join with the Heh, and thus "And they will bring all of your brothers from all of the nations as an offering to Hashem" (Yeshayahu 66:20).

And the sons of Yishmael are ready at that time to arouse all the nations of the world to come upon Yerushalayim, as it says "And I will gather all of the nations to Yerushalayim for war" (Zecharya 14:2), and it is written "And the kings of the earth will gather and the rulers will take counsel on Hashem and his Moshiach" (Tehillim 2:2). And it is written "He who sits in Heaven laughs, Hashem derides them" (Tehillim 2:4). And afterwards, the small Vav will arouse to be joined, and will renew souls that were old, in order to renew the world, like it is written "Hashem will be glad in his handiwork" (Tehillim 114:31), and it is written "Hashem's glory is eternal" (Tehillim 114:31), to be joined as is proper. "Hashem will be happy with his handiwork", to bring them down (to rest) forever, to that everything will be as a new creation, to join the entire world together as one.

Happy are all those that will be around in the world at the end of the 6th millenium, to go up to Shabbat, that this is one day for HaKadosh Baruch Hu by itself, to join together as is proper, to absorb new souls, and to be in the world with those that remain in the beginning, as it is written "And it will be those found in Tzion and the remainder in Yerushalayim holy will be said to him, all those written for life in Yerushalayim.

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This section does not mention the 1200 years, as the others do, but has a common denominator of 66 with the passage from the Zohar on Shemot.

Zohar Raya Mehemna Pinchas 252a

And behold 60 after 1200, and the Holy Light said "all the souls of Beit Yaakov are 66", 60 for the awakening of the First Moshiach, and 6 for the Awakening of the Second Moshiach, leaving 6 years to 72, to fulfill in it "6 years plant your field and 6 years prune your vineyard, and you will gather in its crop", that is said "Holy is Israel to Hashem, the first of his crop". If thus, what is written above "rejoice, Yaakov (in) happiness". But rather there are 4 future Geulot to correspond to the 4 Cups of Pesach, and because Israel is dispersed to the 4 corners of the world and those that are far from the nations, the first is for "rejoice" (רנו), the 2nd at 60, the 3rd at 66, and the 4th at 72, and these Geulot are with the 4 Chayot in the name of Hashem that ride upon it. And that is what is written "for you ride on your horses, your chariots of salvation" that in parallel, the 4 flags and 12 tribes are awoken. In the secret of "Hashem ruled, Hashem is King, Hashem will rule forever and ever." There are 12 letters and they correspond to 12 tribes and 12 faces of 3 forefathers, that is said about him that the forefathers are the Merkavah. And these 10 tribes are 1000 years and 2 tribes are 200 years. And from the 12 letters hang the 72 names which are the 72 years after the 1200...

Zohar Shemot 2:9a - 2:10a

Rebbi Shimon said: Behold we have awoken to the secrets of the letters of the Holy Name in the hiding place of His Awakening towards his sons, but now I have to reveal something for which permission was not given to any other to reveal. Rather the merit of this generation will sustain the world until the coming of Melech HaMoshiach. Rebbi Shimon said to Rebbi Elazar his son and to Rebbi Abba: Stand in your place. Rebbi Elazar and Rebbi Abba stood. Rebbi Shimon cried again, and said: Oy, who can stand (after hearing) what I say, the Galus will last so long, who can suffer?

He also stood up and said "Oh Hashem our G-d, other masters have controlled us, but by you only do we mention Your Name" (Yeshayahu 26:13) This verse, we have stood it up. However in this verse there is a great secret in faith. Hashem our G-d, that is the beginning of the upper secrets, the place from which the lights all go out. There hangs the secret of faith. And this name controls everything.

"other masters have controlled us", that verily Am Yisrael doesn't have anyone to control it other than this Upper Name. And now in Galus the Sitra Achra controls them.

"But by you only do we mention Your Name" (לבד ב"ך נזכיר שמך) The secret of the Holy Name that is made of 22 letters, and Knesset Yisrael is not blessed except through this name called ב"ך, like you say "like you swore to them by you (בך)" (Shemot 32:13), "by you (בך) Israel will bless" (Breishit 48:20), "for by you (בך) I will run upon a troop" (Tehillim 18:30). And a time that the completeness is found, they do not separate from eachother. And it is forbidden to separate one from the other, a woman from her husband, not in thought and not in speech, in order to not show separation, and now in Galus there is separation, and from hardship of every time, we are making a separation, that someone mentions that name other than her husband, because she lies in the dirt, and that is "But by you only do we mention Your Name".

Other than her husband we mention this name in separation, because we are far from You and others control us, and your name is in separation from the name called ב"ך, and that is in times of Galus.

Because the first Galus was from the 1st Beit HaMikdash, and the 1st Beit HaMikdash was in the secret of the first ה, and against its 70 years, the Galus of Bayit Rishon was 70 years, and for those 70 years, the Imma wasn't found hovering over them, and it was in separation from the Upper Name, secret of the Upper ה. And then יו"ד, the upper secret, went up above without limit, and the Upper Holy Bayit Rishon did not flow out its flow of living waters, for its source had gone away.

And this is the 70 years in Galus, because it was called 7 years, like you say "And he built it 7 years" (Melachim 1 6:38). And if you will say that the kingdom of Bavel controlled above for 70 years, G-d forbid. Rather at the time that the Beit HaMikdash stood, the light and the flow of the upper Imma would light up and go down. And because Am Yisrael sinned, and the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, the kingdom of Bavel was in control, and that light was covered and dark, and the lower holy ones could not give off light.

Due to the fact that the lower ones could not give off light because of the kingdom of Bavel, that light went away, and that upper spring that would give forth the secret of י, went up without limit. Then those 70 years wouldn't shine, because that light was held back, and that is definitely the 70 years.

Because the kingdom of Bavel was removed, and the lower ה began to give off light, not all of Am Yisrael returned to be purified to be a complete treasure as before, but rather little by little. And because there was no completeness, therefore the יו"ד, the Upper Flow, did not come down so much to give light as before, but rather little by little and mixed up, that they weren't pure like before like it needs to be. And therefore the Upper Flow didn't flow and didn't give light, but rather returned to give light little by little and from force.

And therefore many nations provoked Am Yisrael with many wars, until the darkness covered the land. And the lower ה darkened and fell to the ground, and the Upper Flow went away as before, because the kingdom of Edom strengthened and Am Yisrael returned to go away.

Due to the ה, Bayit Sheini was destroyed, and all these 12 tribes of her, like the count of their camps, they are in Galus of the kingdom of Edom. And the Upper Flow went away from that flow that stands upon her like you say "the righteous one is lost", lost that flow from its Upper Source that would draw out from above.

And because of this separation in the ה of Bayit Sheini, and he is in Galus Edom in all of those 12 tribes and their camps. And 12 tribes count up to a large calculation, and by the secret of the calculation of ה, the Galus continues.

Secret of Secrets is transmitted to the wise of heart. Ten tribes, 1000 years, two tribes, 200 years. The tears started to fall. He opened and said "You will surely cry at night and her tears are on her cheek." At the end of 12 tribes of Galus, night will darken for Yisrael, until the awakening of the וא"ו at the time of 66 years.

And after the 12 tribes which are 1200 years of Galus, and after 66 years of darkness of the night, "then I will remember my covenant with Yaakov". This is the awakening of the letter ו' which is the soul of Yaakov of Beit Yaakov. And this secret is (from) "All of the souls that come to Yaakov to Egypt, etc, are 66" and this is the ה' souls of Bayit Sheini, the secret of the lower ה . And this ה' is the secret of 66. There is 60 for the awakening of Yaakov and 6 for the awakening of Yosef. And therefore it is ו"ו, which are 2 in one connection and 1 secret.

From then onwards, HaKadosh Baruch Hu will awaken those miracles and wonders as we say, and he will awaken on Am Yisrael these troubles that we say, and then "and even my covenant with Yitzhak". And afterwards when Melech HaMoshiach will wage war in the whole world at the right hand of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, like you say "Your Right Hand, Hashem, is glorious in strength". And then "and even my covenant with Avraham I will remember" and then afterwards "and the land, I will remember", that is the final ה. At that time it is written "And Hashem will be for a king on all of the land, and on that day Hashem will be One and His Name will be One.

At the end of another 66 years, that together are 132 years, the letters of the Holy Name will be shown as complete above and below as is proper, and the secret of this is Heh-Heh upper and lower, and all these pathways which are the 32 years which are included in the secret of the letter Vav (הו"ה), the secret of completion of the 132, at the end another 132 years, the verse will be fulfilled "To hold on the corners of the earth, and the shake the wicked from it", and the Holy Land will be purified, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu will arouse the dead of the Holy Land and there will be legions and legions in the land of the Galil. And thus the will be awakened the stoppage of the flow of the upper letter Yud, and the 32 pathways will be sustained up against it below, and the letters of the Holy Name will be sustained in their places, (then it says Shem HaShem), that up until now it won't be complete, until that time that the upper flow will be brought down, in connections of the letters in the final Heh, and that will be at the end of the filling of 144 years afterwards which will be completed, and the remaining dead of Yisrael will be awoken in the rest of the lands, that is found that all of this is in the value of חי"ת, that the world will be settled and the world fragrant, and the Sitra Achra will be removed from the world, and the lower Heh will be filled with the flow from above, and will be crowned and enlightened completely, and thus it is written "And the light of the moon (will be) like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun 7 times greater" (Yeshayahu 30:26), until it will be Shabbat to Hashem, to harvest souls in holy joy, all of the 7th millenium, and that is the awakening of the holy souls of Am Yisrael, to be dressed after Shabbat in different holy bodies to be called holy, as it is written "And it will be what is left in Tzion and the remainder in Yerushalayim, Holy will be said to him" (Yeshayahu 4:3), up until here are words of closed secrets.

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Please note that in this entire thing, Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai does not even mention the chance of Am Yisrael doing Teshuvah. He obviously knew that the gates of Teshuvah are open, as does his audience. Regardless, he provides a calculation for the length of Galus and when Moshiach will arrive. I will not delve in to that at present.

Pekidah

The Ramchal lists a few different actions that occur during the time of Pekidah.

• The rising of the Shechinah from the dirt of Galus - The dirt is a metaphor for the klipot. At this time, the Shechinah gains the light of rulership, but it is only revealed outward at the time of Zechirah.
• The first Zivug between the Tsaddik and the Shechinah
• The fixing of Hester Panim - as discussed in the previous posts. This repair is partial, and is not easily viewed from the outside. Only a discerning eye (or perhaps one with 20/20 hindsight) can see this. Also, this fix is temporary, until the time of Zechirah.
• The light of the Pekidah causes a desire in Am Yisrael to do Teshuvah. The Ramchal writes that this is the purpose of the Pekidah.
• The going out of the imprisoned souls
• The Yechidah (the highest level of soul) is built for Moshiach

Following the Pekidah is a time of darkness, a weakness after the light of the Pekidah is withdrawn.

Pekidah and Zechirah - The Repair

The Ramchal tells us further the following in Maamar HaGeulah:

• The Pekidah is the time of repair for the first problem of Galus, Hester Panim, and even then, only partially.
• The Zechirah is the time of repair for the rest of the problems generated by Galus.

This seems to be problematic. If we have Hester Panim on the one hand, and abundance to the nations of the world on the other, should it not be that the tikkun for both is at the same time? But alas this is not the case, the Ramchal writes. There is a period of time when things begin to get better for Am Yisrael (particularly in Eretz Yisrael) in an incomplete way. Then there is the period between Pekidah and Zechirah where Am Yisrael receive in more abundance, and the nations are receiving in abundance.

The period of Zechirah brings this parity to a close.

It is not hard to see (based on the above), but I will state it anyway. We are in between Pekidah and Zechirah.

Effects of Galus

The Ramchal, in part 1 of Maamar HaGeulah, writes that 4 things occur during Galus, each with its own benefit. All 4 are to be repaired during the Geulah.

• Hastarat Panim - The "pipes" through which abundance arrives at Am Yisrael from Heaven are "clogged", so to speak, only allowing what is necessary to pass through. It is lack of strength and abundance, and also the Torah and Wisdom is lacking.
• Great Abundance for the Nations of the World - From an expression in Pesachim 42:2 - If this one is full, this one is desolate.
• Galus of the Shechinah - Because the Shechinah is in exile, this strengthens the effects of the abundance given to the nations.
• The Sufferings of Galus (and their benefit) - The Ramchal here writes that the benefit of this suffering is to (to quote Daniel 9:24) to finish transgression and end sin. That is to say to serve as atonement for Am Yisrael's sins.

He then goes on to say that the Geulah itself is divided in to two parts, the Pekidah and the Zechirah. These two ideas will require their own posts.

Text of the GR"A on Tikkunei Zohar

For anyone interested, here's the text of the GR"A on Tikkunei Zohar that is referenced in the previous post.

כלומר שחושב עשרים שנה קודם החורבן דס"ל דעשרים שנה קודם החורבן בטל התמיד והוי ליה משבטל התמיד אלף מאתים ותשעים כמ"ש ומעת הוסר התמיד כו'

That is to say that he calculates from 20 years before the Churban, that he thinks that 20 years before the Churban the Tamid ceased, and therefore from the time of the cessation of the Tamid 1290, as it is written "and from the time of the removal of the Tamid"

I don't have the footnote text handy, hopefully I'll post that as well soon.

Happy is One Who Waits...

Daniel 12

9. And he said, go Daniel, for closed and sealed are the words until the time of the Keitz. 10. Many will be refined, whitened, and the wicked will do wickedly, and the wicked will not understand, and the enlighted will understand. 11. And from the time of the cessation of the Tamid, and to the giving of the Desolate Abomination, days: one thousand two hundred and ninety. 12. Happy is the one who waits and arrives to days: one thousand three hundred and thirty five. 13. And you Daniel, go to the end, and rest and stand for your destiny for the Keitz HaYamin.

The Introduction to Tikkunei Zohar on page 4b

And immediately after it went up, "and they went without strength before the pursuer", and because of this the masters of the mishnah have set up, that everyone that says Amen Yehei Shmeh Rabba with all his might, (in heaven) they tear up a sentence of 70 years, that these 70 years, are after 1200 years, that the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, and there are those that calculate it from the time that the Tamid ceased, because the Keitz of the Redemption is dependent on the level of Yaakov, which is the level of Truth, and that is what is written "Give truth to Yaakov" (Michah 7), which is the sign for 1290, and there are those that add a further 2, from "Close is Hashem to those that call Him, to all those that call Him in truth (in truth has 2 more in gematria), to know in the land Your ways, thus it is here with land, Aleph Ra"tz (i.e. Elef, or 1000, and Ra"tz which is the gematria of 290), 90, to fulfill with it Truth sprouts up from the Land, so that there will be a value of Land (i.e. 1290), but the sentence itself is 70 years.

I do not want to enter in to the subject that is actually being discussed, which is 1200 years of Galus.

Note the following:

• The time of the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash is taken as a different year than the cessation of the Tamid. When dealing with years, 3 weeks (between the 17th of Tamuz and the 9th of Av) is not significant.
• The juxtaposition of the two year counts, 1200 and 1290, indicates that they start at the same time.

So the question is, are we referring to the 1st Beit HaMikdash or the 2nd Beit HaMikdash?

The GR"A's peirush on the Tikkunei Zohar answers this implicitly. On the words "and there are those that calculate it from the cessation of the Tamid", he writes that the Tamid ceased to be brought 20 years prior to the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. In his notes on the bottom of the page, on the issue of the 2 years for the letter beit, he writes that in reality it was 18 years.

(Explanation - We go 20 years back, and then count 1292 years, or go forward 2 years before counting 1290. Alternatively, subtract 18 from the year of destruction.)

The 1st Beit HaMikdash was destroyed in the year 3338. If we look 18 years prior, we find the year that Nevuchadnezar first came to Yerushalayim. The writers of the Tikkunei Zohar are referring us to this year as our starting point.

So theoretically, if we add 1290 years to this point, we should find our answer as to the identity of the Desolate Abomination.

• 3338 - 18 = 3320
• 3320 + 1290 = 4610
• 4610 - 3760 = 850 CE

What happened in 850 CE of note that might shed light on the matter? Nothing.

However, according to the physical reality, the 1st Beit HaMikdash was not destroyed 2430 years ago, but rather a further 163 years prior in the year 3175 (586 BCE).

• 3175 - 18 = 3157
• 3157 + 1290 = 4447
• 4447 - 3760 = 687 CE

That year was the beginning of the construction of the Dome of the Rock.

That is it.

The verses say to count days. Why would it say days if the meaning is years? I propose that the word days is given to indicate to us that these are physical years. Why? If I tell you to count a number of days, you can actually count the number of days very easily. If I tell you to count a number of years, you will most likely find an outside event as a reference point for your beginning and end. Days represent the physical reality, while years represent a different, yet not contradictory, spiritual reality based on the Jewish year count.

It is clear as day that 45 years later (i.e. 1335 years from the starting point) was not something to rejoice over. We must start over at 0 and count to 1335 starting the next year.

4448 + 1335 = 5783

Construction continued until 4451.

4451 + 1335 = 5786

Indeed happy we will be to witness the events that will occur during those years.

Note how this period coincides with the time that Moshiach ben Yosef will finally be completely free of the Klipah of the Left as I wrote in The Sprouting of Moshiach. The implication is clear. The reason that we are to pray for the survival of Moshiach ben Yosef during the blessing regarding the building of Yerushalayim is now understood. Moshiach ben Yosef will build the Beit HaMikdash. He will be in danger at that time, but he is destined to succeed, for Moshiach ben Yosef does and he succeeds.

Postscript: The chidush here is not the simplicity of seeing that 3175 is about 1290 years before the Dome of the Rock was built, but rather:

• The calculation for the exact year comes directly from an ancient Jewish source, Tikkunei Zohar, made more precise/explicit by the GR"A.
• The "secular" dating of Churban Bayit Rishon also has its place in Torah.
• If the Geulah follows the order of prayer, we can have a further sense of where we are and where we're going.

Further, it opens up further interesting questions to ponder:

• What date was the introduction to Tikkunei Zohar written?
• Though the GR"A obviously lived after the Dome of the Rock was built, did he know the actual year it was built?

For the Appointed Time is Coming

תהלים קב:יד - אתה תקום, תרחם ציון, כי עת לחננה, כי בא מועד

תהלים קב:טו - כי רצו עבדיך את אבניה, ואת עפרה יחננו

Tehillim 102:14 - You will rise, have mercy on Tzion, for it is the time to cherish her, the appointed time has come (alternatively: is coming).

Tehillim 102:15 - For Your servants have desired her stones, and cherished her dirt.

A Moed, an Appointed Time, is not just a moment in time, a date on the calendar. It is a time in history that certain actions towards the Geulah are most likely to succeed during the process of Geulah that comes in its time. The Six-Day War, for example, could not have occurred at any other time.

In chapter 4 of Kol HaTor, it is explained that the Moed will actually move towards us in time. When will this happen? When the second verse's conditions hold true, namely that Am Yisrael will again turn to desire Eretz Yisrael's stones and cherish Eretz Yisrael's dust.

It makes sense if you think about it.

Let's say that the final possible date for Geulah really is the year 6000. This would be if we do not fulfill this verse's requirement. In such a scenario, the return to Eretz Yisrael would be completely forced upon us, with no Awakening from Below. This is later, more sudden, and overall takes more time.

At a certain point in history, by a certain amount of Am Yisrael's actions in the Awakening from Below, we merited that the Moed moved towards us. The year 6000 is not the deadline any longer.

The lesson here is fairly explicit: How much we must wait for the Moed is intricately related to Am Yisrael's attitude and actions in relation to Eretz Yisrael.

The Threefold System

קהלת ד:יב - ... והחוט המשולש, לא במהרה ינתק

Kohelet 4:12 - ... and the threefold cord is not quickly broken

The fourth chapter of Kol HaTor discusses a system made up of three parts:

• The Appointed Action (יעודים)
• The Appointed Time (מועדים)
• The Appointed Person (מיועדים)

The basic idea is that we can learn what the appointed times are, as we have touched upon elsewhere in this blog. We can also learn what is to happen in these times. The appointed person must know, based on the gematrias of his name (see Kol HaTor chapter 3) that he is the one that must initiate action at the appointed times.

But that is not exactly what Kol HaTor says. It says that the Person initiates the Action, which brings forward the Time. I will now translate a paragraph from page 101 of Kol HaTor, in chapter 4.

And how is it that the Appointed Times (Moed) will become closer? It is easy to understand that we can move up the Actions, but how can we move up the Appointed Times, meaning date, the times of the Kitzim which are already set? That in the 6th millenium, about which it is said Moed, Moadim and a Half (Daniel 12), the sign for every Appointed Time according to its action, and the half to a half, and thus onward, for every action done in the Awakening from Below, Midat HaDin is assisted by Midat HaChesed from the Right, and explained elsewhere, we find that also every Appointed Time is cut in half the time, and that is the meaning of the verse "For the Appointed Time is coming", that is to say that we won't need to go to the Appointed Time but rather the Appointed Time will come to us after "Your servants have desired her rocks and they will cherish her dust", and it will be completed on the center line Midat HaRachamim, by way of the Middle Column, as said at the beginning of the verse "You will have mercy on Tzion" etc. And thus it is in the Midrash on the verse "And to Tzion will come the Redeemer", that the coming of the Redeemer is dependent on the building of Tzion.

קהלת ג:א - לכל זמן, ועת לכל חפץ תחת השמים

Kohelet 3:1 - For everything there is a time, and there is a season for every desire under the sun.

The season is dictated by our desire, which must be put in to action.

More on 5 Opposing 5

In my last post, the issue of the 5 Yaakov's and the 5 Eliyah's was discussed, 5 on one side, 5 on another.

There is an example of this principle in Breishit.

• Avram (אברם) in Gematria is 243
• Sarai (שרי) in Gematria is 510
• Total of the 2 together is 753

After they are renamed, we have these values.

• Avraham (אברהם) in Gematria is 248
• Sarah (שרה) in Gematria is 505
• Total of the 2 together is 753

In order to make the family work, Sarah had to take her Yud (from Sarai), which is 10, and give half to Avraham, and keep half for herself.

There is an example of this principle in Shemot (and Devarim) with the Ten Commandments. Akin to the discussion of the 5 Vav's, we have imbalance here as well.

(The following is partially based on a drash attributed to the GR"A which can be found in Pninim miShulchan HaGR"A)

As I have written before, the Spiritual stems from the Right and the Physical from the Left. The Ten Commandments have 5 Commandments about the relationship between the Individual and Hashem, and 5 Commandments with the relationship between Individuals. The first 5 are the Right, the second 5 are the Left. Therefore, it would be proper for the first 5 to use the name Hashem exclusively, and the second 5 would use the name Elokim exclusively. But what we have is that the first 5 use both names, Hashem and Elokim, whereas the second 5 have no names of Hashem. The statement in the Tikunei Zohar is "The Left is included in the Right".

Pinchas - Eliyah - Yaakov

There are multiple places in Chazal where it is written that Pinchas is Eliyahu. For one such example, see Pirkei D'Rebbi Eliezer chapter 46.

In BaMidbar 25:12 it is written:

לכן אמר, הנני נתן לו את בריתי שלום

Therefore say: Behold I give to him my Covenent of Peace.

In Masechet Kiddushin 66b it is written that the Vav of the word Shalom needs to be written in two parts, cut down the middle.

The Ba'al HaTurim says there:

ו' קטיעא כי פנחס הוא אליהו. וכן אליה כתיב חסר ו' ויעקוב מלא ו', שנטל ו' מאליהו למשכון עד שיבא עם המשיח ויגאל את בניו

A cut Vav, for Pinchas is Eliyahu, and Eliyahu is written without a Vav (Eliyah) and Yaakov with a Vav, for he took the Vav from Eliyahu as collateral until he comes with Moshiach to redeem his (Yaakov's) sons.

We see from this Midrash that Yaakov Avinu is holding on to a certain number of Vav's to make sure Eliyahu comes with Moshiach to redeem Am Yisrael.

There are 5 Vav's total that are out of place.

At the end of chapter 3 of Kol HaTor, it is recounted that in 5542 (the beginning of the 2nd hour of the day where 1000 is divided in to 24 parts), the GR"A set out to make Aliyah, to start the work of Kibbutz Galuyot, by himself. While he was on the way, he realized that he had advanced from the level of Yehoshua bin-Nun to the level of Moshe Rabbeinu, whose role is to send his student in to Eretz Yisrael. He then turned back to Vilna, in deep worry regarding the problems that faced the move back to Eretz Yisrael. He fasted for days and using secret methods, managed to attain a revelation of Yaakov Avinu. In this revelation, Yaakov Avinu transferred to him these 5 Vav's that he had taken from Eliyahu. The GR"A then handed this over to someone whose name is equal to Vav 5 times.

(Vav spelled Vav Aleph Vav is 13, 13 * 5 = 65, the Gematria of Hillel, implying Rav Hillel, author of Kol HaTor, who came to Yerushalayim 196 years ago)

Here is a list of the verses that make up the drash on the Vav's:

Yaakov - יעקוב

• Vayikra 26:42
• Yirmiyahu 30:18
• Yirmiyahu 33:26
• Yirmiyahu 46:27
• Yirmiyahu 51:19

Eliyah HaNavi - אליה הנביא

• Melachim 2 1:3
• Melachim 2 1:4
• Melachim 2 1:8
• Melachim 2 1:12
• Malachi 3:23

Notice we have 5 against 5. Four of each are from one sefer of Tanach, and a 5th from a different sefer. They mirror eachother.

Yaakov - יעקוב

• Vayikra speaks of rememberance, a word of Chesed.
• The verses of Yirmiyahu are all words of consolation, Chesed.

Eliyah - אליה

• The verses of Melachim are all verses of Din, punishment for sin.
• The verse from Malachi speaks of the Great and Awesome Day, invoking fear, and indeed this is confirmed in the next and last verse of the sefer.

From here it is not a big jump to arrive at other Kabbalistic concepts, like the idea of seeing the 10 Sefirot as 5 on the Right and 5 on the Left, from the perspective of Da'at (Kabbalistic relativity).