json/Kabbalah/Other Kabbalah Works/The Wars of God/English/merged.json

{
    "title": "The Wars of God",
    "language": "en",
    "versionTitle": "merged",
    "versionSource": "https://www.sefaria.org/The_Wars_of_God",
    "text": [
        [
            "Introduction",
            "The Book of the War of the Lord, that informs the path of unique truths: it will be blessed according to the Torah and the explanations of the Sages in the Mishnah, Babylonian Talmud, Jerusalem Talmud, Midrashim of the Sages, and like the understanding of the Ge'onim - Rav Saadia Ga'on, Rabbenu Bahye in Duties of the Heart, Yehuda Halevi in his songs, and in the Kuzari, Maimonides, and the author of Sefer Mitzwoth Gadholoth, and Rav Yoseph Albo, like it is transmitted down to every man of Israel. And with  it, an intense warning not to worship any creature as the acceptance of all our prophets and all our Sages: the Tannaim, the Amoraim, the Geonim, and the first legal decisiors, Moshe and Aaron, and the elders.",
            "Know that a great reader will not understand this book after reading. A great reader will not change themselves. This is because the author worked day and night, weary and meticulously, in many books to get strong evidence. He came out with a mind full of things and therefore I ask you as a worthy reader not to come in Esau's agony, but with Jacob's voice. I also ask you to look at things and those who are powerless without the ability to speak. G-d Almighty will give you mercy and protect us his people Israel. ",
            "-Publisher"
        ],
        [
            "The Wars of H......",
            "An asking asked one of the disciples, and this was his language: \"to inform us about the essence of the worship and prayer that we engage in towards the One to whom it belongs. To elevate the highest of heights, or to the emanation from which emanates (meaning) as David, peace be upon him, explained to us in your ears, may it be said, regarding his journey from here to the Holy Land through true faith, as elaborated in the book \"Mitzaref HaEmunah\" and in the book \"Eheyeh Asher Eheyeh,\" that one who serves the Infinite serves the true God and the God of justice, so that we may know whom we shall worship and receive your response swiftly, my Lord.\"",
            "Response. Your answer is explained in the book \"Kisei Eliyahu\" from page 13 to page 18. One should listen attentively and study the teachings of the wise and Joseph's acquisition. And the accepted practice in our hands is that the service is directed to one Lord, to draw the influence from Him to the ten Sefirot, as written in the book \"Lacham Shlomo\" (Bread of Solomon). This is the response.",
            "The questioner responded and said, \"Your answer, my friend, is vague and ambiguous, containing only a reference to 'see in the book Kisei Eliyahu, from page 13 to page 18, Yishma Chacham veYosef Lakach, and the accepted practice in our hands is that the service is directed to one Lord,' etc.\" I didn't understand your opinion and intention in this matter, whether the accepted practice in your hands aligns with the words of Kisei Eliyahu or contradicts them. When I examined the section of Kisei Eliyahu you mentioned, I did not find what I was looking for. On the contrary, on page 3, it presents the concept of the Creator's unity compared to other types of unity, stating: \"Just as this house, in its entirety, is called by the name 'one house'.\" And if you enter it, you will find many large and small rooms and various other places. Each and every one of them is given a specific name. Similarly, a structure made of trees contains various forms within it. You will also find that the holy wall, which was built, had different parts. Each stone was divided into its own sections, with the earth being bound together in clusters and the lime in separate parts, and so on. And after the builder came and connected all these parts with his wisdom, one within another, and this next to that, they became one unified wall, etc. Then everything was one piece and one unit. The same applies to our matter, etc. And there, on page 25 and 29, it compares it to the human body, which is composed of bones, tendons, flesh, a head, an eye, an ear, a nose, a mouth, hands, and feet, and all of it is called by the name \"human,\" whether it is Reuben or Simon. And on pages 25, 26, and 27, it is written: The fundamental principle that emerges from the mouths of all the Kabbalists is that the first cause called \"Ein Sof\" (the Infinite) is the one who emanated, created, formed, and made, and He is concealed within the \"Zair Anpin\" (Small Face) and within the Zair Anpin, He reigns over all creatures, guides them, sustains them, and provides for them with the power of the Infinite within Him. Therefore, He is our God, and we are with Him because our souls are His portion, and Him we serve. He is the God of our ancestors, in His hands lie the governance of the worlds, rewards and punishments. However, the Infinite is beyond the other countenances that are above the Zair Anpin, and even if people arrange their prayers to them specifically, without praying to the Zair Anpin, even if they direct their intentions to the concealed soul within them, they will cry out, but they will not be answered. On the contrary, those who pray to them will be punished, for it is the will of the First Cause that He alone be the one who brings forth and bestows His abundance upon the lower beings, and there is no other besides Him. This is stated and understood. The words of Rabbi Kisa Eliyahu stand in opposition to the words of the Rambam (may his memory be blessed) in his commentary on the Mishnah, his compilation, and the Guide for the Perplexed. They also stand in opposition to the words of the pious author of Chovat HaLevavot, in the Gate of Unity, as well as the words of Saadia Gaon in his book, Emunot ve-De'ot, and the philosopher who wrote that the unity of the Divine is not like the unity of a pair, nor like the unity of a species, nor like the unity of an individual that can be divided into many. And not one like the simple body, etc., which accepts division into infinity. But the Almighty is one in a oneness that has no comparison. Similarly, Kisei Eliyahu wrote that the Infinite is an ancient soul, long and expansive, a father and a mother, small and encompassing, and our revered sages of blessed memory wrote that it is not a body and not a force within a body! And according to his words, it is a force within a body. Similarly, he wrote that the long and expansive beings, Abba and Ima (Father and Mother), preceded the small and encompassing being, which is our God (according to his words), and it is called the child of Abba and Ima, and so on. And our Sages said that He predates all existence, and that every existing thing is not preeminent compared to Him, and so on. Likewise, it is written that the Infinite One, may He be blessed, is not subject to any service or invocation whatsoever. And in Him, no name is applicable, neither the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) nor \"Adonut\" (Lordship), and so on. They only pertain to the Divine Emanation (Zeir Anpin) and its counterpart, which exist in the world of Emanation (Atzilut) alone, and not to the World of Creation (Assiyah), the Father and Mother, Zeir Anpin, and its counterpart, which exist in the higher realms above the world of Emanation, as explained there in the book (Keter Shem Tov) on page 49, at the end of page 1, and on page 53...",
            "And how can we assume that all the divinities above the world of Atzilut, and specifically worship only Zeir Anpin and Nukva in the world of Atzilut, which are preceded by several ancient and Arikh Anpin and Aor (Ancient of Days), and Zeir Anpin and Nukva in the higher worlds, which are countless and infinitely closer to the Infinite?",
            "And our Sages of old said that it is not fitting to worship, praise, magnify, and glorify anyone except the First God of all existence, without any others! So why would we abandon the primary Infinite Being, who transcends all others, along with all the close counterparts to Him, and instead worship the one who is far removed from Him, who is the ultimate counterpart in the world of Emanation? All of this we have understood, our Lord, let us go and pursue the Creator, the Creator of the beginning. And do not burden us, God forbid, with worthless matters. For who can gather grace and true understanding in His hands, grasping and knowing the Lord through the investigation of these divine matters, primarily the principles of faith, like you? Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord, and who shall stand in His holy place like you? For I am but a burning man and have no understanding; no one is like you, O understanding person. And the Rock, who knows the secrets of the heart, examines the minds. For I have not given slumber to my eyes, and my sleep has been stolen from my eyes until I find solutions, and the one who comes to purify himself, they assist him. To provide him with a guide on the path of holiness, with intellect and knowledge, in all matters of economics and ethics. And among the wise of truth, he is wise and skilled, like a strong and faithful one. Perhaps the lacking rabbis, lacking this wisdom, bear false burdens and stumble, heaven forbid. And You, my Lord, to You are revealed its mysteries, and Your hiddenness is filled with the delight of Your disciples. They shall be satisfied and enjoy Your goodness, and upon us is the obligation to reward Your deeds. And You, do not withhold goodness from its recipients. And behold, I swear by the God of heavens, I turn Your attention towards us to listen to every word spoken before You, and we shall serve as Your servants, my Lord. And the reward of Your abundant goodness, our lips shall declare it, and then we shall not be ashamed, neither in this world nor in the world to come, and we shall rejoice in lilies from the secret of the wise and understanding.",
            "Once again, I have reviewed everything written in the esteemed book, like a majestic tree with numerous branches, towering as the height of cedars. After pardoning the delay, for the passage of time was relentless, and every delay was for the better. As I examine the writing, I notice a discrepancy in your mention of divinity in your thoughts, which contradicts our beliefs. And as for us, why should we be influenced by your disdain and disrespect? It does not reach us, but rather only reaches the wise sages of Israel, whose understanding surpasses yours. All of Israel relies on them, and it is through their merit that the world stands. It is not upon you to express words about them that are not in accordance with the law, with arrogance and baseless accusations. However, their judgment has already been clarified by the mouths of all scholars. And regarding what you wrote about the Kisei Eliyahu, that on page 3 it seems that His unity is similar to the unity of others. You are already going astray. Didn't the beginning of his words on page 20 clarify that all these likenesses are regarding holy lights that cannot be comprehended or perceived in any intellectual or conceptual manner? They are only presented in order for the intellect to be able to receive them and form an image. And on page 4b, he wrote that all the designations and descriptions are in the realm of analogy within the spheres and emanations of the holy beings that are created. However, regarding the divine itself, there is no likeness, form, or perception in thought whatsoever. And as for what you wrote about how we assume that the other countenances and aspects serve Zair Anpin with the divine power within it (blessed be He), Rabbi Kesa explained in Tractate Hagigah, page 25b, that we refer to Zair Anpin as a collective term for all the countenances, with the hidden soul concealed within them. While you challenge the imaginations concerning the supernal beings, which you have no authority to contemplate, let alone mock, you should focus on your own physical body, which performs all the tasks, while the higher head above does nothing. Indeed, the power of speech, which is your glory over all living creatures, why wasn't it granted to you from above your eyes? Rather, such is the decree of His wisdom. And if you have fair advice, go to your Creator and consult with Him. And regarding what you wrote about the statements of the Kabbalists contradicting those of the Rambam and so on, where they stated that it is not a physical power, according to the words of the Kabbalists, it is a physical power. But don't all the accepted authorities here respond and say that anyone who presents such views regarding the Sefirot like yours is a heretic and has no share in the God of Israel? And as for what you called those subtle lights, it is only to appease the ear! We have to question what the Rambam wrote: \"One should direct his heart towards the Divine Presence and pray.\" In the Guide for the Perplexed, it is taught that the Divine Presence is a created light. Furthermore, it is mentioned that the glory of God is also created. If that is the case, how were the Israelites able to exit their tents and prostrate themselves before the created? Moreover, it is stated that every form that the prophets saw and communicated with is a created light. If that is the case, then we do not have any prophecy from the Creator Himself, but rather all prophecy comes from the realm of the created. And if it is said that the created being is attached to the Creator, then according to your understanding, it is a physical entity! Your response should quickly emerge. We do not comprehend Me, says the Lord. ",
            "Response to the inquirer: My soul yearns to hear profound words, tightly sealed, burning from the lofty heavens. For I, with all humility, search for the shadow of the ultimate truth. And by your answer, may you enlighten me and quench my thirst like a parched land. You have made me a harlot in the marketplace, and my human soul laments in exalted praises (like the curse of the wicked Balaam). Your words resonate like a striking harp, but to a wild and untamed man, they are discipline and a scorching flame. Truly, this is not the way of the Torah. Our holy Torah has pleasant paths, and 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. So said Hillel, the leader of Israel! The head of the Sanhedrin said, 'What I have explained is to belittle the sages of Israel and utter words that are not according to the law.' Heaven forbid for me to belittle any person, even a gentile, let alone Israel. And I do not know any place in my words that would lead you to claim they contain belittlement. And if you find difficulty with their words of the sages and seek to expose their hidden intentions, there is no prohibition in that. In the Talmud, they even raise objections against greater sages and bring evidence to contradict their words, saying, 'This is the refutation of Rabbi So-and-so.' Here, Rabbi So-and-so is of different opinion (as stated in the Aruch Baruchta version), and in Sanhedrin and Berachot, we say: 'One who sees a rainbow should bow down,' for it is written, 'Like the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds,' etc., 'and I fell upon my face.' Rabbi Abahu mocked it and so on. Now, in your letter, I found your complaints, but I did not find an answer. Am I the one who called these personifications 'deities'? Haven't the Kabbalists themselves said so? Learn from the intent of the blessings and prayers, who is our God and who is the God of our ancestors. And in the Zohar, they ask, 'Who is the God who did so and so?' Furthermore, the Kabbalists explained that countless worlds, thousands upon thousands and myriads upon myriads, were emanated, created, and formed, yet they did not delve into them extensively due to their concealment. For they are extremely subtle lights. Each world consists of ten Sefirot, and each Sefirah contains ten individual details, as we explained in the world of Atzilut. And all these worlds, each one of them contains two general and specific configurations, round within round, one within another. And the same applies to the configurations of the upright Sefirot, which depict the human form with its 248 organs, etc. All these worlds, each one of them includes two configurations, general and specific, in round and upright. All the words of the Kabbalists and their explanations refer only to the world of Atzilut, which has already become clearer and revealed more, and therein they explained all the matters of the personifications that comprise five: Arikh Anpin, Abba, Ima, Zeir Anpin, and Nukva. And once it has become clear to you from their words that they said that these personifications are called deities by saying 'our God and the God of our ancestors' in prayer and blessings, and they aim at a known measure in every word, there is no complaint left for you against them, neither. ",
            "Please inform me as well, who governs all the hidden worlds that the Kabbalists did not speak about, and who sustains and reveals them. If Zeir Anpin is in the realm of Atzilut, then he sustains and provides for them, and they worship and prostrate themselves before him. But if the Infinite is their leader, and they serve Him alone, then we serve Zeir Anpin, for he sustains us and is our God, as the Kabbalists have said. According to this, the Infinite is the God of the upper realms, while Zeir Anpin is the God of the lower realms, and here we have two distinct authorities, God forbid. Specifically, some of them have said: \"You have seen all the great works of the Lord, which is greater than any small thing.\" Our true Rabbis have said, as it is brought in Menorat HaMaor, Parashat K'M'G, that at the time of the giving of the Torah, He (God) tore for them seven firmaments and opened seven lands, and He said to the Israelites: Understand in the upper realms and understand in the lower realms, and know that there is no God other than Me, neither in the upper realms nor in the lower realms. I am the Lord your God. In Midrash Rabbah, Parashat Yitro, it is said: \"I am the Lord your God.\" Rabbi Abbahu said a parable: It is comparable to a king of flesh and blood who stands before you, and he has a father, a brother, or a son. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I am not like that. I am the First, and I am the Last, and besides Me, there is no other God. I am the First, who has no father.  \"And I am the Last, who has no son. Besides Me, there is no other God, who has no brother.\" This is the content of the Midrash, etc. Rabbi Eitz Yosef, may his memory be a blessing, explained that when a mortal king has a father, his kingship is not complete because he must honor his father and share his kingship with him. Or he has a brother who shares the honor of the kingship. Or he has a son who exercises authority with him and becomes his successor. The phrase \"Besides Me, there is no other God\" means that He has no father, which is the primary cause [of His existence]. And He has no brother because He is unique and has no second. And He has no son in the sense that the qualities derived from Him are not inherent in a manner similar to a son from a father, as some have speculated (which is the viewpoint of the Kabbalists who said that Zeir Anpin is a son of Imma and a father to the subsequent generations, etc.). And He has no sister or female siblings, for according to that viewpoint, He does not have the ability to change anything in the world, and His kingship is not complete. But the Almighty, blessed be He, said: \"I am the Lord your God.\" This is an expression of His power to bring them out of the land of Egypt, for His kingship is complete, and there is no power that can challenge Him, as explained above.",
            "In the Jerusalem Talmud, in the tractate Shabbat, it is said by our sages (Chazal): \"The beauty of the fourth one is similar to the son of God.\" Rabbi Reuben said: At that moment, an angel descended and slapped that wicked person on his mouth and said to him, \"Is it appropriate for you to speak in this manner and call Him 'Son'?\"He (the wicked person) again said, \"Blessed be the gods who sent their messengers and left them to do their work, for it is written here 'His angels' and not 'His Son's angels.'\" Rabbi Levi explained that Nebuchadnezzar the wicked thought that the angels were derived from him and were descended from him naturally, like a son from a father, according to the beliefs of the Kabbalists regarding the spheres of all worlds and likewise the souls. Therefore, the angel slapped him. And he (the wicked person) again said, \"who sent His angels, etc.\" There you have it clearly stated, diverging from the words of Midrash Rabbah and the Jerusalem Talmud, contradicting the beliefs of the Kabbalists. For everything that exists, the Almighty brought them into being out of His kindness, from absolute nothingness to the smallest gnat. They do not derive from His essence, as a son is formed from the power of the seed that comes from his father. ",
            "The main point of all this is that there should be no worship of any form or image of all the created beings found in the higher and lower worlds, which the Almighty created out of His kindness. For Him alone it is fitting to worship and pray, and for this reason the commandment and warning came at Sinai: \"I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before Me,\" as stated by the revered Maimonides, may his memory be blessed, in Chapter 2 of Hilchot Avodat Kochavim (Laws of Idolatry). In Chapter 3 of Hilchot Teshuvah (Laws of Repentance), he wrote, may his memory be blessed: \"And these are the ones who have no share in the World to Come, but are cut off and lost due to the magnitude of their wickedness and their sins forever and ever: the heretics, the apostates, and so on.\" And in the subsequent law, it states: \"There are five categories called heretics.\" The one who says that there is no God and no ruler in the world, and the one who says that there is a ruler but they are two or more, and the one who says that there is one Supreme Being but they have a physical form and image, and the one who says that the Supreme Being is not alone and has a partner for everything. And similarly, one who worships another in order to serve as an intermediary between themselves and the Master of the Universe. Each of these notions is considered heresy. The Rabbi Lechem Mishneh commented on the four divisions mentioned by our Rabbi, and regarding the one who says that the Supreme Being is not alone, etc., it is like the opinion of the Raavad (Rabbi Abraham ben David). Just as he said, \"Your God is a great artist,\" meaning that He found significant signs, chaos, void, darkness, water, and wind, and with them, He created what He created. This is the opinion of the Raavad. And the explanation of Rabbi Lechem Mishneh is that his intention is to add to the words of our Rabbi. Although he acknowledges that no cause preceded our God, for whom we exist, he claims that when God created the world, there was something existing, indicating a separate entity. This, therefore, falls into the category of heresy. Regarding our judgment on the new Kabbalistic belief, as explained in their books according to our understanding and the understanding of many wise and discerning individuals, including prominent rabbis who have distanced themselves from it, both earlier and more recent authorities like the Riva\"sh and Chavot Yair, as mentioned in the introduction to the Teshuvah Beit Yosef and other subsequent sources, it has been concluded that those who believe in such teachings have no share in the World to Come. There is one abundant Divinity, blessed be He, and Adam Kadmon, Adam Kadmon, Arikh Anpin, Abba, Ima, Zair, and Nukva! Furthermore, they are owners of a subtle body, which is light, and the Divine Soul resides within these bodies. Thirdly, the worship is not directed towards the primary cause, which is referred to as \"Ain Sof\" among them, but rather towards the secondary cause, which is the ultimate purpose among these causes. Fourthly, it is the intermediate that continues the flow from those higher attributes, which are the ancient and expansive En Sof, Aba, and Ima. They call it \"Ben\" (Son) among them, and it is also considered a father to the crown of creation, according to the progression of the worlds as understood by them, may the Merciful One protect us. ",
            "And I saw this in your response. I will explain these matters briefly, for they are the essence of my letter. How can we assume the En Sof and the other close faces to the En Sof, and still worship the intermediate? Your response was that the other attributes include both judgment and mercy, and this intermediate encompasses them all. And for this reason, the Emanator desired to manifest His actions through this instrument, and so forth. I will provide you with an analogy from the physical hand, which performs all the tasks, whereas the head, which is positioned above, does nothing. Even the power of speech, which is a glory, and so forth - all your words are but words of wonderment! I asked you about their statement that the \"other-than-He\" is our God and Him we shall serve, and you respond to me regarding the actions they perform willingly. But should we worship all those who act willingly? And you claim that they are our God? Isn't it the sun that performs many good actions for us, such as illuminating, warming the air and the earth, causing vegetation to grow, and ripening fruits? Should we worship them too? The moon and the stars also act below according to the will of the Creator, as it is written: \"From the choicest produce of the sun and from the choicest yield of the months.\" Should we worship them as well? The earth, the water, and the fire also act to make vegetation and trees grow and nurture them. And with fire, we fulfill all our desires to bake and cook all our food. In many crafts, we inflate coal in fire and shape tools for their purposes. Should we worship any of them? And His will is to perform His actions through simple and evident means, as described in the Scriptures. The waters will flow, giving life to the living creatures; the earth will produce vegetation, and it is said that His messengers are winds and His servants are flaming fire, and so on and so forth, in every aspect of His delegated tasks. And despite all this, the Almighty commanded us to serve Him alone and warned us not to worship any other besides Him. At the chosen moment of His revelation during the exile on Mount Sinai, His voice resounded before His entire assembly, saying, \"I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before Me.\" And it is said: \"I am the Lord; that is My name! And My glory I will not give to another.\" You and I stood before the Creator, who made us, and He did not desire that we worship any other, even though He has appointed agents to perform certain actions. Why should we not heed His voice and go worship that which He did not command us to worship?",
            "And regarding your questions about what Rabbi Moses Maimonides, may his memory be blessed, wrote: 'One should direct their heart towards the Shekhinah and pray,' and in the Guide for the Perplexed, he wrote that the Shekhinah is a created light, and so on. By your question, it is revealed that you consider yourself wise in your own eyes but have not learned ethics. And is it the proper way for the questioner to question their questioner? Nevertheless, I will not hide my words from you, even though you acted unfairly! I will state that it is straightforward and known to every intelligent person well-versed in the books of Israel that the term Shekhinah is used in three instances: referring to God, as our Rabbi wrote in Hilchot Teshuvah, Chapter 7: 'Teshuvah is great, as it brings a person close to the Shekhinah,' as it is stated, 'Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,' and it is said, 'And you did not return to Me, says the Lord,' and it is said, 'If Israel returns to Me.' Meaning, if you return through repentance, you cleave to Me, and so on. Additionally, it refers to the virtue of repentance, as it says, 'Last night, this person was separated from the Lord God of Israel,' and today, they are attached to the Shekhinah, as it is stated, 'And you who cling to the Lord your God,' crying out and immediately answered, as it is said, 'Before they call, I will answer.' The same idea applies to his words in Hilchot Tefillah, that if one is in a place where they cannot direct their thoughts, and so on. Our ancient sages also quoted this, and here and there, the verse is employed, and may my tongue cleave to my palate if I do not expound on the greatness of the divine presence, which is united with me. ",
            "And the second case is in a place where the term 'revelation of the Shekhinah' is mentioned, such as with our forefather Abraham when he went to bind Isaac, as it is stated about him, 'And he saw the place from afar.' And our Sages, may their memory be blessed, said that he saw the light from afar on Mount Moriah, as the Paitan said, 'And he saw the likeness of glory, splendor, and honor,' and he asked his servants, 'Did you see the light shining on the top of Mount Moriah,' and so on. This is the created light that our Rabbi wrote about. The same applies to the case of the burning bush, as it is said, 'And he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire,' and explicitly stated there, 'And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of the bush,' and this is the created light. And likewise, every place where the term 'revelation of the Shekhinah' is mentioned, it refers to the created light.",
            "And thirdly, the divine providence of the Almighty over us is also called Shekhinah, as our Sages, may their memory be blessed, said: 'The Shekhinah went into exile with them to Babylon.' Meaning, the divine providence of the Holy One, blessed be He, cleaved to us as He promised us in the Torah: 'Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, nor shall I abhor them to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God.' And so it is in all similar cases. Each instance will be understood according to its context in one of these three aspects. ",
            "And regarding what you wrote: \"Furthermore, in light of what is said about the honor of God, who is the Creator of light, how could the Israelites go out of their tents and prostrate themselves to a created being?\" They do not worship the visible glory, but rather the One who bestowed His glory upon them. The visible glory is merely a sign and symbol for them, for the Almighty does not confine Himself to a physical dwelling like we bow down and pray before Him in the presence of the Sanctuary and Jerusalem, for the Lord has chosen Zion as His dwelling place. The Rambam (Maimonides) has already explained in Chapter 4 of the \"Sefer HaMitzvot\" (Book of Commandments), that the glory of God is sometimes used to refer to the created light that the Holy One, blessed be He, dwells in a specific place, as it is written: \"And the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it, etc.\" (Exodus 24:16). And sometimes it refers to God's essence and truth, as in the verse \"Show me, please, Your glory,\" and the response is, \"For man shall not see Me and live,\" indicating that the glory mentioned here is the essence of the Almighty. The phrase \"Your glory\" is used to magnify and praise it, etc. And similarly, we find in the words of our sages (Razal) that the name of God is shared by judges, angels, and the Almighty. The name Shekhinah (Divine Presence) is also shared with what I mentioned earlier. I noticed that you raised the question here regarding whether it is prohibited to prostrate oneself before a person, as long as one's intention is not to accept him as a deity and not to worship him, but rather to humble oneself before him or express gratitude for the good he has done. For indeed, our forefather Abraham prostrated himself before the sons of Heth, acknowledging the kindness they had shown him by granting him a burial plot. Similarly, Rabbi Saadia Gaon translated: \"And he bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth, and he worshiped at the tent of El-Berith that he had erected.\" And Joshua prostrated himself before the angel. The Prophet Nathan and Bathsheba prostrated themselves before David. And we find many instances in the Scriptures where they prostrated themselves before a created being. In Sanhedrin, in Chapter Four of the laws of capital punishment (Sanhedrin 61b), it is stated: \"It was stated: One who serves an idol out of love or fear, Abaye said: He is liable, because he has prostrated himself.\" Rava said, \"He is exempt; if he did not accept it upon himself as a deity, then no, he is not liable.\" Abaye said, \"From where do I derive this? Because we learned in a Mishnah: One who serves an idol, whether he serves, sacrifices, offers libations, prostrates himself, or accepts it upon himself as a deity, and one who says to it, 'You are my god.'\" What does it mean by \"whether he serves out of love or fear?\" Rava said to you, \"No, but rather as explained by Rabbi Yirmeyah (as Rashi explains: 'One who serves' refers to any form of worship that is its usual manner, and 'and one who sacrifices, etc.' refers to acts performed not in its usual manner, and ultimately, the beginning and end of the Mishnah refer to accepting it as a deity).\" Abaye said, \"From where do I know this?\" As it is taught in a braita: \"You shall not bow down to them\" - to them, you shall not bow down. But you may bow down to a person like yourself. Could this even include serving someone like Haman? Therefore, the verse states: \"And you shall not serve them.\" And as for Haman, he is served out of fear! And Rava? It is \"like Haman\" but not exactly Haman. \"Like Haman\" refers to himself, who is considered idolatrous. \"Not like Haman\" refers to someone else who, if they were like Haman, would be served out of fear, but here it is not out of fear. And Abaye said, \"From where do I know this?\" As it is taught in a braita: \"The anointed priest is served out of fear.\" Rabbi (Judah) says (that one is liable for) unintentional act (done on Shabbat) and the sages say (that one is liable for) a concealed matter. And they are equal in terms of the liability of a sin offering brought by an individual. And they are equal in that one does not bring a guilt offering. What is the nature of this \"unintentional act\"? If one holds that it refers to one who read from the Torah and then inadvertently prostrated himself, his intention was for Heaven (to fulfill a religious duty). Rather, it means (the case of) one who saw a statue and prostrated himself before it. (This means) that he saw a statue resembling the king, as people were accustomed to make statues resembling the king, and one who saw it would prostrate himself before it in honor of the king. (However, there are) times when they worshiped it, and this person saw someone worshiping it and prostrated himself before him. If he did it intentionally, accepting it as an idol, then it is deliberate idolatry. But if he did not accept it as an idol, it is nothing (meaning it is not considered idolatry because he did not intend it for idol worship). Rather, isn't it out of love and fear (of God)? Rava said to you: When it says \"permissible,\" it means complete permission. Does \"permissible\" mean concealment of the matter? No, when it says \"permissible,\" it means the partial fulfillment of the commandment and the partial nullification of it. That is the explanation of the Gemara, along with some commentary by Rashi. And the lesson we learn is that it is forbidden to bow down to any created being other than a human. This is to ensure that one does not worship like Haman, who made himself an idol, as stated in the Megillah (Esther 9:19). If not for this, Mordecai would not have refrained from bowing down to him, as it is taught in the Talmudic teaching: \"Do not bow down to them\" - to them, you shall not bow down, but you may bow down to a person like yourself. This is to prevent oneself from being worshipped like Haman who made himself a deity. Instead, one may bow down to a person as a sign of respect and honor, not as an act of worship. Therefore, Joshua bowed down to the angel since he appeared to him in the form of a human being, as it is written: \"And behold, a man was standing opposite him.\" Thus, he bowed down to the angel as a sign of respect and honor, not as a servant to be worshipped. And refer to the book Ha'Ikarim, Chapter 2, where it extensively explains the verses that attribute the term \"kavod\" (honor/glory) to the visible manifestations of God to the prophets in the name of Yahweh. It also applies the term to the Ark, as it is stated: \"And it came to pass when the Ark set out... Arise, O Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered; and when it rests, he would say, Return, O Lord\" (Numbers 10:35-36). Additionally, Joshua called the Ark \"the Lord of all the earth\" (Joshua 3:11) - see there for further details. And according to his opinion, the reason Joshua prostrated himself before the angel was because that act of prostration was for the honor of the Almighty, considering the angel as His emissary, and so on - see there for further details. And our Sages said, \"Raise a person to his appointed position, and he will prostrate himself before you,\" meaning that a person of lesser status and lowliness, like a fox, when placed in a position of authority, will prostrate himself before the one who appointed him. Similarly, it is customary among us and among the Arabs to prostrate and kiss the feet of a distinguished person of high stature, and there is no prohibition in this. It is not an act of worship, but rather an act of showing respect and honor by prostrating oneself and kissing the person's feet. ",
            "And this is greater than what they do in prostrating before a king or a nobleman of flocks and cattle, which are external actions. One who performs these actions towards one of the species of idolatry, even though his intention is not in worshipping it, is liable, as stated in Sanhedrin, Chapter 4: 'One who serves idolatry, one who seizes the altar, one who burns incense, one who pours libations, and one who prostrates himself,' and the Gemara asks: What does 'one who serves' mean? Rabbi Yirmiyah said: It means one who serves according to its manner, and the same applies to 'one who seizes the altar,' 'one who burns incense,' 'one who pours libations,' and 'one who prostrates himself,' even if not according to its manner. And all the halachic decisors ruled that these four acts of service incur liability even if not according to its manner. And this practice is still observed among our brethren, the villagers and townspeople, that if one of them has an enemy seeking to harm him, he brings a lamb and slaughters it before his ruler to save him from his enemy. And it is also written: 'Present it now to your governor, etc.' Our ancestors also had this practice when the king would come to a province, they would slaughter a bull before him, and they would take the blood of the bull from the community chest. And no one raised any objection to this due to idolatry, because their intention was not to serve him or accept him as a deity. It was only a sign of honor they accorded him. Our forefather Jacob said to his sons: 'Take some of the best products of the land in your vessels and bring the man a gift, a little balsam and a little honey, etc.' And it states: 'And they brought him the gift which was in their hand, and they bowed down to him, etc.' But concerning Saul the chosen of the Lord, it is said: 'And the wicked sons said, \"How can this man save us?\" and they did not bring him a gift.' In the Tractate Nedarim, we learned: 'One takes a vow concerning an offering, and he said, \"I took a vow only concerning the offerings of kings.\"' This indicates that prostration, slaughter, offering of gifts, and all four internal acts of service are permitted for a person who is not worshipped like Haman, for if he is worshipped like Haman, it is forbidden. Thus, Mordecai refrained from prostrating before Haman because he made himself an object of worship. ",
            "And in the book Teshuat Yisrael by Rabbi Menasheh ben Yisrael, may his memory be blessed, it is written as follows: I have been prompted to inform about the customs of honor and reverence with which the Jews honor the Torah scroll, for our adversaries who are unaware of this provoke us by saying that we are idolaters and that we prostrate ourselves before the wooden Ark and the parchment scrolls within it. Therefore, I will present my response in an orderly fashion, with the help of the good hand of the Lord, and every Israelite should see himself obligated to rise and stand when the Torah scroll is taken out of the Holy Ark until it is placed on the lectern to be shown to all the people and to be read from. We find that this was done in the time of Nehemiah, as it is written: 'And when he opened it, all the people stood up.' And they should do this out of fear and honor for the living words of God written within it. For the same reason, they should support their heads as they carry it from the Ark to the lectern, and not for any other reasons that we will mention.",
            "The first distinction is significant between one who worships and prays to something, and one who honors something alone. It is forbidden for us to pray and worship anything, whether it be a person or an angel, physical or spiritual. However, to show honor, such as a youth honoring an elder, a servant honoring his master, or a lesser person honoring someone honorable, is permissible. We find this with our forefather Abraham, who believed in the Lord, smashed and destroyed idols, and despised them. He prostrated himself before three angels who appeared to him, even though they appeared as men to him. Similarly, Joshua did the same in Jericho when he saw a man standing before him and considered him an angel. He fell to the ground before him. If people of discernment, like them, who walked in their ways and did not stumble at the commands of their lips, did this and were not considered guilty of idolatry, it is clear that honoring the Torah scroll is not idolatrous worship.",
            "Furthermore, the Jews were very cautious about engaging in any form of foreign worship, and it was strictly forbidden for them to even appear as if they were honoring it. As stated in the Talmud and by Maimonides, if a person's path leads him to an idolatrous house and he has a thorn in his foot, he should not sit, nor bow down, nor prostrate himself there in order to remove the thorn, so that he will not be seen by passersby as bowing down and honoring foreign worship. And if the act of prostration were performed before the Ark in a different form of worship, the Jews would not have adhered to this practice. Since they have maintained it from the days of their ancestors, it is a true sign that it is uncorrupted.",
            "Thirdly, one of the customs of honoring the idol was through kissing, as we also find in the Scripture: 'Yet I have left in Israel seven thousand, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.' And it is said, 'Those who sacrifice to men kiss the calves.' So if that is the case, would all those who kiss the Torah scroll be considered idolaters? But it is not so, because it is only a form of honor to respect their Torah and not worship. Therefore, prostration before the Ark is also merely an act of honor and not worship.",
            "Fourthly, experience has taught us that in all the languages of the nations, customs of honor were found where individuals would honor one another through various forms of greeting, such as bowing their heads towards each other. This, too, serves as a sign to us that it is not idol worship but rather customs of honor. ",
            "Fifthly, the people residing in Asia, when they receive a royal decree, they seize it with their hands, kiss it with their mouths, and place it on their heads. Likewise, we honor the words of the living God, the King over all the earth. ",
            "Sixthly, when the seventy-two elders brought the Torah to King Ptolemy of Egypt, he rose from his throne and prostrated himself before it seven times. If an idol worshiper, who did not bring his neck under the yoke of our Torah, honored it to such an extent, how much more so should we, who enter into the covenant and have received it as our heritage. Seventhly, the foundation and essence of our religion",
            "Seventhly, the fundamental and central principles of our religion are the existence of one unique Creator, who is eternal and not composed of matter or any material force. He gave the Torah to His people Israel through the faithful legislator, Moses, the servant of the Lord, who surpasses all prophets. Blessed is He, who observes and oversees the worlds He has created. His eyes roam over everything, investigating and examining the hearts of human beings, and He judges their actions with righteousness. From Him alone do we seek help in times of distress, and He will deliver us from the seed of Jesse, who will gather the scattered of Israel from the four corners of the earth and from all the ends to which they have been dispersed. Their dry bones shall be revived, and their decayed bodies shall rise. These are the essential and foundational principles of our religion. And as for the elements of idolatry found in them, it is essential to understand that their beliefs and doctrines are distinct from our knowledge and faith.",
            "According to our ways, following the path of our sages in the holy covenant, there is no need for all of this, as our intention is not to prostrate ourselves before the Torah scroll itself, but rather to the One who chose the Torah. Specifically, we say, \"Come, let us prostrate ourselves and bow; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker. The prostration of our forefather Abraham to the angels, and similarly Joshua, if you wish to say that they prostrated themselves because the angels appeared to them as human beings, what the Rabbis say in the covenant is not to prostrate ourselves to them. To them, you should not prostrate yourself, but you should prostrate yourself before a person of your own stature, since to them it was revealed in the form of human beings. And if you wish to say that the intention of Abraham and Joshua was to prostrate themselves to the One who sent them, as stated in the book \"Sefer Ha'ikarim.\"",
            "And your question regarding prophecy, even though it is not directly relevant to our subject and your intention was not to mislead or divert us to another matter, it is clarified in the levels of prophecy in the Rambam's Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, and in Part Two of the Guide for the Perplexed, as well as in the book \"Emunot ve-De'ot\" by the RaSaG. Based on your perception, since you consider yourself wise, I will ask you to provide me with an ultimate answer from the words of the Sages of the Talmud, because according to your belief, only you alone have been granted knowledge of all mysteries, and you possess exceptional understanding and a fresh spirit within you. Our teachers, myself and my colleagues, please enlighten us on how things can be reconciled and harmonized in a unified and beneficial manner. For our souls yearn to hear your teachings, to delight in your pure Torah, and may righteousness be with you, and may you also receive great honor from us.",
            "Answering a person according to the thoughts of his heart, and responding to him from the mouth of God. And when I saw your letter, I sat astonished and bewildered. How your heart yearns to seek and explore the depths of genius, which are faithful in the Torah, the great pillars of knowledge like the descendants of the mighty, and after many rulings and interpretations, as well as the early scholars. And after many rulings and also the early interpreters, along with the later sages, the wise ones of the West, Ashkenaz, Spain, and Yemen. And the rest of the holy congregations, the descendants of faithful parents, this is their desire, more precious than gold and many pearls. And if trouble should arise, from the hands of faithful righteous ones, knowledgeable in the wisdom of the sages, intelligent, God-fearing, and turning away from evil with zeal. With their wisdom, they have defeated many adversaries and opponents who stood against them at all times. And when you received merchandise with deception and false reasoning, which, due to the majority of your wisdom, found favor in the mouths of singers and poets, you presented yourselves before kings and rulers. But did they walk on a path that was not good, both fathers and sons? How many centuries is this? And how outstanding they are in every wisdom and renowned scholars, accepted in philosophy and reasoning, medicine and healing, and innovations. They are wise day and night, calm and content, enjoying the fruit of their good deeds, fresh and invigorated. Heaven forbid! This is not credible and should not even cross the mind except for the naive, who believe everything they hear, relying solely on their intellect. It is not fitting for me to respond to you. For what am I to delve into matters that I haven't inherited to contemplate, let alone to answer questioners. However, for the sake of fulfilling my duty to God, I will respond to you based on what I have found written in the words of our sages (may their memory be a blessing). And may their merit stand for me, that no harm will befall me through it. Here, what you have written that you do not belittle the sages of Israel, there are already several witnesses against you, which you cannot deny. And what led you to such a conclusion that you attribute to them error and heresy. But it's because they are despicable in your eyes. However, a person should be cautious not to strike them with their own coals, for righteous individuals are greater in their death than in their life, as it is said in the Talmud. And what you wrote, that if we were to discover the place of contradiction and the Talmud also brings evidence to refute the words of those great individuals, the comparison is not appropriate. Where do we find that evidence is brought to refute a Halacha given to Moses at Sinai? And the scholars of Kabbalah say that this is how they received it from the mouth of Moses. Who is this person and where is he who gave you the authority to investigate and seek after their words? And what you wrote, that they attribute divinity, God forbid, to physical appearances, is not what they say. And as for what you wrote, go and learn from the intent of the blessings and prayers. It has already been explained that the purpose of all ascent is contained in a certain Sefirah known as such. And in the specific Sefirah known as such.And as for what you wrote, that the Kabbalists explained that there are thousands upon thousands of worlds, and so on, and even if there were millions upon millions, since they all originate from the same Creator and He sustains them all, what loss is there in this? And as for what you wrote, that they are depicted as a human figure, it has already been stated by the great strength of the prophets that they portray the sublime form of power from above in the shape of a human. And as for what you wrote about the 248 organs, it has already been explained what these organs are. For they are the 216 letters of the name \"Ben A\"b\" and the 32 paths, which allude to the divine forces. And regarding what you wrote, that I have already admitted that in my opinion there is no prayer relevant to the cause of all causes, you are speaking falsehood. But didn't the beginning of your question inquire about the words of the Mishrafa that I addressed? Refer to the Kisei Eliyahu. However, our tradition is that prayer is directed to the Ein Sof and influences the Ten Sefirot, as stated in the writings of Shelomo HaMelech (King Solomon). And what I told you is to look into the Kisei Eliyahu (the Throne of Elijah) so that you will know that the words of the Mesharef (the heretic) are truly words of denial and should be rejected. Heaven forbid that they can be found in any book, but the words of the Kabbalistic tradition are not like his words, heaven forbid. For the words of the Kisei Eliyahu, the \"Zeir Anpin\" are nothing but vessels for the actions of the Creator. And what is stated on page 25 in our scriptures, that we read the Tetragrammaton as \"Adonai,\" we attribute to all faces with the concealed soul within them, which is the endless one, blessed be He. It is not meant to imply that prayer is not directed towards the Divine Presence, God forbid. Rather, it means that the ascent of prayer to the Divine Presence, blessed be He, occurs through this method or attribute. And the proof of this is what is stated in page 17b, may it be blessed, and what is written in the intentions of prayer and blessings, to direct in each blessing a specific intention to a specific sefirah, God forbid, to the essence of the sefirah. For it is a severance, God forbid, and it is forbidden to direct to any specific power or particular sefirah. Rather, everything is for the essence of the One, blessed be He, encompassing all the powers together. Furthermore, it is also stated in page 25a that all our prayers are directed towards the Infinite One. However, we cannot address Him by any title or name. That is why we pray through the sefirot, for in the sefirot all the appellations and names are included.",
            "And what you wrote, who is the leader of all these hidden worlds? The one who created them is the one who sustains them. And what you wrote, that the Z\"A is the God of the lower realms. Didn't I write to you that it is only a tool for the actions of the Creator? And what you wrote, that some of them said that all of God's great deeds are included in a smaller category? Those who say so have already explained that their intention is referring to Metatron, whose name is like that of his Master, as it is stated in the Talmud: \"And to Moses He said, 'Come up to the Lord'\" (Exodus 24:1). Eli inquired, 'To me, He said, \"Come up to the Lord\"?' Rather, this refers to Metatron, whose name is like that of his Master, as mentioned in the Yalkut. And what you wrote about our true Rabbis' statement, which is brought in Menorat HaMa'or, that during the giving of the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, tore apart the seven heavens, etc. And in Midrash Rabbah, they said, \"I am the Lord your God, I am the first and I am the last. I am the first, having no father, and I am the last, having no son. Besides me, there is no God; I have no sibling.\" Who claims to have a father or a mother or a sibling? Rather, you are spreading slander about the sages who affirm such statements. They have already explained their words, stating that all the appellations and descriptions are in the realm of the sefirot to accommodate human understanding. Please go and see what was written by Rabbi Yitzchak Gikatilla in the introduction to his book \"Sha'arei Orah,\" as well as the divine Rabbi Menachem Recanati and Rabbi Yitzchak Chaim (may their souls rest in peace). In conclusion, wherever you see matters that are not appropriate to ascribe to the Creator, such as measurements of height and similar concepts, it is all said in reference to the sefirot. However, when you see expressions of praise and acknowledgment, it is all said in reference to the Creator Himself, both within and beyond the sefirot, as nothing can limit Him. Therefore, one should not say about the Creator, neither right nor left, neither front nor back, and so on. Please refer to the sources for further clarification. And regarding what you wrote about the opinion of the Kabbalists that the sefirot evolve naturally like a son from his father, perish the thought that they said so. On the contrary, they absolutely denied and rejected the belief or suggestion that the sefirot are separate entities from the Infinite One, who brought them forth and caused them to evolve from the highest level to the lowest. Such a notion is a grave error. The Infinite One is not divided into parts, perish the thought, and He does not undergo any addition or subtraction. Rather, His existence is constant without any change whatsoever, and He constantly renews them with an absolute renewal. ",
            "And regarding what you wrote, that Z\"A (Zeir Anpin) is a son to Abba and Imma, and he is a father to the subsequent offspring, and he has a feminine counterpart called Nukva D'Zeir Anpin, all of this is allegorical and symbolic in the context of the Sefirot. And regarding what you wrote, that there is no need to worship any particular form or face, this is known in the words of all the Kabbalists, and there is no need for your cautionary statement. And regarding what you wrote in the name of the Rambam (Maimonides) about the five types of heretics, who is the one who denies the existence of God, or claims that there are multiple gods, or that God has a physical form, or that He is not the sole and unique entity, or worships others in order to be an intermediary, or claims to have found signs, or denies that the world was created by the One and Only (God), may it never be. But it seems that doubt has already arisen in your heart, and you scrutinize the holy books, taking their words at face value and relying on your understanding. And you have forgotten what the wise of the wise has said, and do not rely on your understanding. And because you have already informed me that you understand, cease my doubts that I have sent to you and those that I am about to send. And what you wrote and understood is known to many great and wise scholars, both those who preceded and those who followed, God forbid that any wise person would deviate from it. And if there is anyone who deviates from it, he himself openly admits that he lacks knowledge in it. And what you wrote, like quoting the Ribash and Chayei Adam, is a falsehood; you are speaking falsely about them. And they are two valid witnesses to testify against you that you are speaking lies. The aforementioned Ribash (Rabbi Isaac ben Sheshet) briefly states that Rabbi Peretz HaKohen did not speak or consider those spheres. I also heard from his mouth that Rabbi Shimshon of Kiyunon used to say, \"I pray for the knowledge of this matter, namely, to remove from the hearts of the Kabbalists who pray sometimes to one sphere and sometimes to another sphere.\" In the prayer of the 18 blessings (Shemoneh Esrei), they also have a specific intention for each and every one of them towards a known sphere. All of this is very foreign to those who are not initiated and do not possess their knowledge. And they think that it is a belief of falsehoods. And there was one who, among those who mock the initiates, would speak derogatorily about the Kabbalists, saying that the Nazarenes believe in the Trinity and the Kabbalists believe in the Ten Sefirot. And he asked the wise elder, Don Yosef Shushan, who was a sage in the Talmud. And he was knowledgeable in philosophy, and he was accepted, pious, great, and meticulous in observing the commandments. And he asked him, \"How do you, the Kabbalists, direct your intention in one blessing to a specific Sefirah and in another blessing to a different Sefirah?\" And furthermore, are there deities for the Sefirot? Should a person pray to them? They answered him, \"Heaven forbid that prayer should be directed to the Sefirot themselves, but rather one's thoughts should be directed towards drawing the divine influence to that specific Sefirah that pertains to the desired matter. For example, in the blessing for the righteous, one should intend to the Sefirah called Chesed (Kindness), which is the attribute of mercy, and so on.\" And he brought a parable to illustrate this. He responded and said, \"Behold, this is very good.\" And he said, \"I do not confine myself to that wisdom which I have not received from the mouth of an accepted sage. And if I have seen some insights regarding the secrets of the Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman), They uncover a handbreadth and cover a handbreadth. And he said that one wise person interpreted the Kabbalah differently than the Ramban. Therefore, he said that the words of that wise person should be considered only by himself. And he concluded his words by saying that in such matters, one should rely only on the words of an accepted sage.",
            "You have shown knowledge of what the Ribash did not address, which is because he did not receive it orally, not due to any hesitation as you claim. And behold, there is another testimony from the great Gaon (Rabbi Yair Chayim Bacharach), the author of Chavot Yair, may his memory be blessed. In short, he was asked by a certain wise scholar who had spent his days studying the Talmud and legal decisions. Suddenly, a spirit stirred within him and prompted him to study Kabbalah in order to explore its elevated levels, which are the soul of the Torah. He saw several statements from the Zohar that indicated that it is impossible to ascend before the Holy King except through it. The scholars of the Talmud only cautioned not to delve into it, but they did not command to completely abstain from it. Astonished, he asked the sage for guidance to help him navigate through this complexity. The sage answered and said to him, \"Woe unto me if I advise you to separate from it, causing weakness and preventing you from this wisdom, which is undoubtedly the soul of the Torah and the root of faith, like wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Without a doubt, she deserves to be acquired by those who are worthy. How fortunate is his portion, and how pleasant is his fate. He is beloved above and so on.\" The words of the esteemed Rabbi Menachem Diunov, may his memory be blessed, were raised. He elaborated greatly and gathered, like a diligent farmer, numerous opinions that preceded him, bringing them closer rather than distancing them. He countered the book \"Bechinat HaDat,\" which sought to undermine many. He stated that he found a firmly anchored peg in an iron pillar in a reliable place, to which one can cling and agree to receive reward for separation more than for seeking, as in the book \"Shemen La'maor\" written by the father of the Rabbi, may his memory be blessed. In short, this statement was written in the name of Rabbi Meir Gabbai, that anyone who did not receive the secrets of the Torah from his teacher and thinks to weigh them in his own mind transgresses the prohibition \"You shall not make for yourself a graven image.\" I said with all my heart to awaken people in our generation. I have seen infants who have not seen light saying, \"My mother, I have seen light,\" as within them lies hidden the light of chicks whose eyes have not yet opened, and so on. Even the great scholars who are sharp and diligent in their study chambers, their intellect alone is not capable of attaining the chambers of enlightenment. It can only be achieved through the teachings of an elder and mentor. And so, the Ramban (Nachmanides) in his introduction, according to the interpretation of the Torah, I too bring forth in this trustworthy covenant, which provides fair counsel to anyone who examines this book, so that they may not entertain any erroneous thoughts and not conceive notions from all the hints that I write in the secrets of the Torah. For I firmly declare that my words cannot be grasped by any intellect or understanding, except through the teachings of a wise and accepted sage who is capable of comprehending. And their explanations contain numerous benefits, preventing great harm, and promoting understanding, etc. Now, if you claim that I am providing the interpretation of the Ramban, and that all his words are in short and hinted form, unlike other books of Kabbalah that explain their teachings explicitly, then observe in the gateways of light, where it is written on every page, \"Behold, I am hinting.\" Likewise, in the book \"Bechayei Ketzar,\" it is customary and frequent in his language to say, \"And the discerning will understand,\" how much more so with the Book of Zohar, which is sealed and closed. And in the introduction to \"Etz Chayim,\" it is said, \"Although certainly in the later generations, they sustain themselves from this composition.\" There is no doubt that the depths of wisdom are not revealed to every person through their own intellectual effort alone, but rather through the abundant divine influence upon them. And if the latter among the Kabbalists expressed that his words would not be understood, how can it enter the mind of any individual, particularly in our generation, to comprehend and grasp the words of the living God, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, whose words are like fiery flames, and they are sealed with the seal of strength, etc. Therefore, people of understanding, listen to me and do not rush to explore recent books constructed based on human intellect alone. In my opinion, when a person sins with the contemplation of thought in the world of Atzilut, the magnitude of his transgression is immense. Even though many and even esteemed recent Kabbalists have aroused the hearts of people greatly towards studying Kabbalah and have written that darkness itself prevents one from studying Kabbalah, causing one to be excluded from its partition and lose their world. It seems to me that I do not disagree, and certainly one who is capable of learning from the mouth of a divine Kabbalist who can explain the matters to him, as the Arizal did for his students, is fortunate indeed. And even though the recent Kabbalists have permitted studying from books and understanding based on one's own intellect. The beauty of the ancients' teachings is well-known, and it is better to return and refrain from doing. It is indeed more stringent because it poses a physical danger, not to mention the danger to the soul, and so on. We should not delve into hidden matters but rather focus on studying the plain meaning of the Scriptures and receiving ethical rebuke in order to conduct ourselves in upright paths. Our knowledge is limited, and therefore, we rely on the oil of illumination, which provides evidence to support separation, and so forth. However, despite all of this, I have revealed my opinion to you, but you should not rely on me or anyone else, for I am not worthy of making decisions. Nevertheless, I compare the study of this sacred knowledge to a journey to the Holy Land, as its virtue is well-known, as stated in the Talmud. For without it, one is likened to someone without a God, while one who worships idols walks merely four cubits in the Land of Israel and receives numerous praises. However, even so, the Tosafot wrote in the name of Rabbi Chaim that nowadays it is not a commandment to dwell in the Land, for there are several commandments that are dependent on the Land that we cannot fulfill. Furthermore, due to the dangers of the journey and the poverty that may lead us to act against our own conscience and the will of our Creator. And if one does not possess exceptional knowledge and utmost caution against all harm, it is good to refrain from it! Can anyone deny the greatness of this wisdom that soars above without measure? Provided that one is worthy and able to learn it from the mouth of a reliable and accepted teacher who also received it from his own teacher. Indeed, I am perplexed by books that were composed by later individuals who included statements from the Zohar. And they argue and explain according to their own judgment. Who granted permission to the human intellect to invent, based on its own judgment, entities that do not exist in the first three realms and three firmaments? It is clear in the Zohar that there is a realm that is beyond inquiry, and there is no evidence from the statements of the Zohar, Sefer Yetzirah, or Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, who received teachings from the elders, Elijah, and the supernal sanctified beings. All those young ones in the Zohar, the spirit of God spoke through them, and His word was upon their tongues. Even the Ari and his disciples, who received teachings directly from the upper realms, expressed matters that are beyond our comprehension in our studies, except for reading the words. This is not the case with those latter individuals who explain based on their own judgment.",
            "And behold, my beloved ones, like my brothers, may their souls rest in peace, governing the Land of Israel, for the one who journeys extensively to the place of the Name in the pursuit of the secret, he attains brevity in comprehension and depth in understanding. The multitude of suggestions that serve as impediments in attaining wisdom, particularly in the wisdom of Kabbalah from various angles, sin separates and distinguishes between the intellect and the intelligent, etc. Even though the possessor of the pomegranate orchard, due to the greatness of his sanctity and piety, is extremely cautious in several places and warns greatly against foreign thoughts that separate and establish boundaries and governance, etc. Yet, we also say, \"Who would grant that a spirit would rise upon us from on high, that we may comprehend and understand these matters without any bias towards the truth and the roots of the faith, etc.\" And in these matters, it is appropriate for you to adopt the following principle: all things that are forbidden in the books of the Kabbalists, which they mentioned without dispute and without investigation, their simple meaning shall be understood, and the connection of these matters shall be tied on a white tablet, becoming droplets before your eyes. Even if you encounter matters that appear perplexing in and of themselves or from a seemingly discordant perspective that suggests separation, multiplicity, materiality, or change, accept them with the faith of an artisan. Say to yourself in your heart that your knowledge and understanding are limited in depth, without entertaining any doubt regarding the fundamental principles of the great and numerous branches of the faith. For even those fundamental principles cannot be grasped at their root by human intellect, and so on. Henceforth, go forth and learn that it is forbidden to innovate or derive understanding from what is written in the book, lest one deviate from the truth. However, it is permissible to elucidate verses according to what the Kabbalists have said, provided that the explanation is based on an agreed-upon tradition. Only in this context does the portion elucidate, or it may allude to the numerical value (gematria) or the initial and final letters of words. It is good and proper to only say that in a possible way one should not decide the matter, etc. Only one should not spend too much time on them. And if God has placed it in his heart, and it is genuinely inspired without any coercion, he should not follow after vanity. Rather, he should write it for remembrance, and it will be a great treasure in his eyes, for it is a sign for his soul, a divine portion from above that has nourishment and a source in a high place, and it is said to be holy. And now, behold, I have revealed to you a glimpse of my innermost thoughts. And you, the king in your profound and holy wisdom, enlighten me with your ways, and I will humble my mind before your knowledge. May life shine brightly in your realm.",
            "You have shown the fear and trepidation of the esteemed sage, Yair, regarding delving into esoteric matters, and you rely on the words of the wise sage, Ba'al Shemen, to shed light on them. His words have been brought forth on high. Yet, he is still cautious, explicitly stating his concern about causing fatigue in the hands from engaging in this sacred wisdom. He praises this wisdom, desiring to merit learning it from the mouths of the Kabbalists. He acknowledges that anyone who refrains from studying it after receiving it is cast out from its enclosure. However, he also permits engaging with Kabbalistic teachings, even if encountering perplexing matters, as long as they are accepted with the faith of an artist and one's understanding remains concise. Therefore, according to your statement, both the testimony of R. Yeshayah and the perspective of Yair affirm and declare about you that you ponder matters from your heart. Where, then, is your separation that you mentioned? Didn't you yourself say, \"Who will grant us to awaken a spirit from on high,\" and so on? And I bring you proof that he merited the wisdom of Kabbalah, for in section 182 he wrote, may his memory be blessed, that it is possible that there are still hidden secrets and mysteries in the two verses: \"Alufim bat yachil\" and \"Shalosh alafim bat katef.\" For through the sin of the first man, three thousand elements of truth, greatness, and humanity were corrupted, and only the law of bloodshed against idolatry, sexual immorality, and murder remained. And King David rectified the truth, therefore he did not taste sleep at night, and he did not have the opportunity to rectify the law of bloodshed as well, as the Holy One, blessed be He, said, \"You shall not build the House, for you have shed much blood.\" Only your son Solomon shall build it, for he is a man of peace, etc. And Solomon rectified two thousand, and with the addition of one thousand from his father, three thousand were rectified. The matter of \"bat\" (daughter) is known to the initiated, for the main flaw is there, and he elaborated further on the secret of the matter there. Regarding the matter of Seder Kuf Ayin Vav (106), concerning the impure nourishment in one of his eyes, and despite all that, I read a dispute because it appears to me that in their harmonization, there is room for unification. However, where there is another suitable explanation, it is appropriate to consider it as a possibility, for it is known that the 248 organs correspond to the 248 supernal lights and the 248 organs of the soul. And if so, since this deficiency affects the throne, hidden secrets are intertwined within the organs of the body, and there is a lack of abundant blessing in the cup. The Supreme One also affirms this in the seal of the book, as he composed responses in the year 5745 (תרל\"ה), and he collected from them 232 (רל\"ב) in the book \"Yehi Or,\" which corresponds to the four-lettered fullness of the Divine Name (הויה) in permutation of Samekh-Gimel-Mem-Heh (סגמה), representing the father, mother, son, daughter, and the smallest one. \"And let there be light, Yah Yair.\" They are the sources of beauty and sovereignty within understanding, which is the light that emanated on the first day. And he further expounded on the secrets and hidden matters extensively. His father, too, possessed the illuminating oil of divine reception, as his verses were printed at the end of the book. They are based on the name \"Ben M\"V\" and \"Yod Bet,\" combinations of the Divine Name, and \"Kaf Dalet,\" combinations of lordship, and the name \"Ben Kaf Bet.\" Additionally, the true sage, the possessor of the luminary lamp, was also a divine receiver. He wrote in Perek \"Tzadik Gimmel\" about Baruch She'amar, explaining its content in the format of the ten Sefirot and so on. In Perek \"Tzadik Hey\" it is stated that Kaddish is not recited with fewer than ten people. The reason for this is that the sanctity, which is higher than the ten Sefirot, is completed with ten. In Perek \"Kuf Lamed Gimmel\" it is written that when Jacob descended to Egypt, he saw that the exile began with him and his descendants, and he feared it. He offered sacrifices to the fear of his father Isaac, so that the attribute of judgment would not be directed against him. He did this in Be'er Sheva, which was a house of prayer for his ancestors, and he brought peace offerings to reconcile all the attributes, as the term \"Shelamim\" implies bringing peace to complete the attribute of strength. In Perek \"Kuf Mem Zayin\" it is written that the perfection of sanctity is found in the ten allusions to the ten divine utterances through which the world was created. In Perek \"Kuf Nun Gimel\" it is written, \"And in the path of truth, God created for six days, etc., and on the seventh day, it is Shabbat, and it has no partner.\" The assembly of Israel is its partner, as it is said, \"And the land was united.\" And behold, it is Shemini Atzeret, for there everything is halted. This is their statement: \"Shemini is a festival in itself, separate from the first seven days, for it is the emanation of the primordial beings and is not in their unity. Whoever understands the essences will comprehend and find the truth.\" In the closing of the book, it is written: \"And on the fifth day, I have left the profound matters that are hidden and lofty, which only an individual in each generation can grasp, should he wish to write the secrets in his composition.\" Rather, because they are not suitable for every individual. It is evident that there is no one who disputes the validity of the Kabbalah, neither the ancients nor the later generations, not the multitude nor the individuals, not the great scholars nor the lesser ones. On the contrary, everyone agrees that whoever merits receiving the Kabbalah, there is no better measure than it. And it is forbidden to inquire and investigate it, unless one willingly accepts it with complete faith and does not interpret it with human intellect. For one should rely on what is difficult for him to grasp in the limitation of his knowledge and not undermine the essence of the soul by assuming anything. Thus, all the words of the humblest are fulfilled. \"Order your way, and you will turn and hear the voice of God.\" ",
            "I will seek an answer from the Divine, may it guide me in upright paths and deliver us from the mouth of falsehood and the deceitful tongue. Teach me, O Lord, your ways, and I will walk in your truth. May my heart be united to fear Your name, and may You send forth Your light and Your truth to guide me, that they may lead me and enable me to speak words in line with Your will. Remove from me disgrace and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies. Even when princes sit together and speak against me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. So I will not be ashamed, for I do not deviate from the path that our Sages, the masters of Mishnah, Talmud, true Midrashim, and the decisive halakhic authorities, have taught us to follow. For all the house of Israel relies on them, for they are the bearers of true tradition, having received it from Moses at Sinai, encompassing the entirety and details of the Torah. Moses stood with them for forty days and forty nights, and he transmitted it to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders, as stated in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers). A) And it is our sacred obligation to follow in their footsteps in every matter that emerges for judgment, regarding all issues of prohibition and permission, impurity and purity, invalidation and validity. And especially regarding the matter of the unique unity of the Almighty, which is the great foundation, and after that the acceptance of all the commandments, and how to perform them as stated by the Tanna (early rabbinic sage) of blessed memory, \"Why does the recitation of the Shema precede 'Vehaya Im Shamoa,' etc.!\" And any author of a book who comes to add or subtract from their teachings, and especially to deviate us from the belief in the unity of the Holy One, according to the tradition of our Sages, the authors of the Mishnah and the Talmud. It is not heeded, and even if he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth, we do not turn away from following the Lord our God according to the tradition of our Sages, the authors of the Mishnah and the Talmud, and the subsequent legal decisors who follow in their footsteps. Even if a heavenly voice were to proclaim, we do not pay attention to it, as stated by Rabbi Yehoshua, \"We do not pay attention to a heavenly voice, for the Torah is not in heaven.\""
        ],
        [
            "2) Moreover, we do not believe in someone who claims that Elijah or the \"grandfather of grandfathers\" (a term referring to an ancient holy figure known as the \"Supernal Crown\") appeared to him. Such a person is undoubtedly a false prophet, and according to Jewish law, he would be sentenced to death by strangulation. This is explained in the introduction to the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides, specifically in his commentary on the section of Zera'im. In the Gemara Pesachim 34a, there are different versions of a statement. The version of Rav Yochanan is: \"She is rendered impure.\" Meaning, if Elijah were to come and declare her purity, stating that no impurity has come into contact with her, we would listen to him. However, according to Reish Lakish, he says: \"She is rendered invalid.\" If Elijah were to come and declare her purity, we would not listen to him. This is the explanation given by our Sages, namely, that \"invalid\" refers specifically to matters of sanctity, as they become disqualified through this. And the term \"invalid\" applies on its own. Even if Elijah were to come and say that all those who are ritually impure have become ritually pure, due to a distraction from their impurity, we would not listen to him. This is the case unless a person has the authority to modify or permit a prohibition, even a rabbinical one, we do not listen to him. ",
            "3) In truth, your words have begun with foolishness and evil folly. How can I fill my heart with seeking and investigating, etc.? Why not? On the contrary, the opposite is logical (since it is said to serve this entity, which is created, it is appropriate to have a sincere heart. See Yosher Levav, page 3b, and strength to God). We have an absolute obligation upon us and upon every individual in Israel to know the Lord, who is the Creator and not created, and to serve Him, as it is written, \"Know this day and take to your heart that the Lord is God\" (Deuteronomy 4:39). And it is said, \"Know the God of your fathers and serve Him\" (1 Chronicles 28:9). The sages permitted discussing matters of Torah even in places like the bathroom and bathhouse, where it is generally prohibited to engage in Torah thoughts. However, they prohibited discussing matters of Torah in an inappropriate manner. As for your wonderment, how could they permit it? It is not surprising. And it is not preferable to follow the later Kabbalistic sects who deviated after the teachings of the philosopher, the author of the Zohar, who misled them regarding Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and his son Rabbi Elazar and their colleagues from the Great Sanhedrin who sat in the Chamber of Hewn Stone. Regarding them, the Scripture says, \"If a matter arises that is too difficult for you to judge, etc., then you shall arise and go up to the place which the Lord your God chooses, etc., and you shall do according to the word that they tell you, etc.\" Despite all of this, the Torah states that if the Great Sanhedrin unintentionally errs in a ruling, and the people act according to their instructions, they are required to bring a sacrifice for their unintentional transgression. If their error involves idolatry, they are to bring a bull for a burnt offering and a goat for a sin offering from each tribe. And this is what is stated in Parashat Shelach: \"But if the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally, and the matter is hidden from the eyes of the assembly...\" (Numbers 15:26). And concerning other deliberate transgressions, if they err and it is hidden from them, they are to bring a bull for a sin offering from each tribe, as stated in Parashat Vayikra (Leviticus). However, if the entire congregation of Israel unintentionally sins and the matter is hidden from the eyes of the assembly... (Numbers 15:25).",
            "4) The authority of our great Rabbis, the masters of the new Kabbalah, should not exceed the authority of the Great Sanhedrin sitting in the Chamber of Hewn Stone, nor should their understanding surpass the understanding of the Great Sanhedrin. Nevertheless, despite this, the Torah states that if they err and permit what is forbidden, or if they unintentionally transgress in matters of idolatry, etc. We have learned from the Torah and our Sages in the tractate of Horayot that it is possible for the Great Sanhedrin to err and permit a specific matter related to idolatry. For a person is fallible, regardless of their status, whether they are great or small, and they are prone to error. Therefore, the Torah commands, \"If a matter is too difficult for you to judge... you shall arise and go up to the place which the Lord your God chooses\" (Deuteronomy 17:8), in order to minimize the possibility of error. How can it be ensured that even the Great Court (Sanhedrin) will not err? For it is stated in the Torah, \"And if a matter eludes you, arising out of a legal dispute... and it is hidden from your eyes\" (Deuteronomy 17:8). And it further says, \"If the whole congregation of Israel errs, and the matter eludes the eyes of the community\" (Leviticus 4:13). According to our limited understanding and observations, there is a significant consensus among our early Rabbis regarding their belief in the matter of divinity and the unity of the Almighty, as expounded upon by Rabbi Bachya in his work \"Chovot HaLevavot,\" Rabbi Yehuda Halevi in his book \"The Kuzari\" and his prayers, Rabbi Saadia Gaon in his book \"Emunot ve-De'ot,\" and Maimonides in his writings, including his comprehensive work, his commentary on the Mishnah, and \"The Guide for the Perplexed.\" And the author of \"Sha'ar HaYichud,\" and Rabbi Joseph Albo in his book \"Sefer Ha'Ikarim,\" and Rabbi Meir Al-dabi in his book \"Shevilei Emunah.\" Their writings have greatly enriched our understanding and belief. And how is it now in the works of our recent Rabbis according to the new Kabbalah that emerged since the beginning of the 16th century in the lands of Ashkenaz until it became prevalent in our time, like the waves of the sea? They believed in many gods, and their main principle is that all our worship and blessings are directed towards the final countenance in the emanation, known as \"Katzar Afim\" (the short-faced) or \"Za'ir Anpin.\" ",
            "5) This new belief is very far from the path of our sacred Torah, both the written and oral traditions. Therefore, we have distanced ourselves from it and adhered to the words of our esteemed Rabbis, the authors of the Mishnah and the Talmud Bavli and Yerushalmi, as well as the legal decisors (Poskim) and the renowned Midrashim such as Midrash Rabbah, Tanchuma, Yalkut Shimoni, and the Great Midrash found in Yemen, known as Kitab al-Nur al-Tha'lam and similar works. We have also found and observed that the remaining writings of our ancient Yemenite sages are precise in their adherence to the words of the aforementioned great scholars and their opinions. And as you see, when we explained from the new tradition, you became angry with us, and in the heights of your spirit, you belittled us with false accusations. And we asked you to guide us on how to reconcile the words of our contemporary accepted Rabbis with the words of our earlier Rabbis mentioned above, and with the words of the Tannaim and Amoraim. And your response to us was filled with confusion and evasive tactics.",
            "And for the third time, your response was when one of the four sons asked, \"What is this service to you?\" as if we were not commanded in the Torah, \"You shall know this day and take it to your heart that the Lord is God,\" and numerous verses in the Torah, Prophets, and Writings emphasize this, not to mention the words of our Sages. You have also returned to being part of the group of those who speak slander and accept it, by saying that there are already several witnesses against us that we disrespect the sages, and we cannot deny it anymore, and so on. And it is well-known and widely acknowledged that testimony is only accepted in the presence of a judge. From the Torah, there is no distinction between monetary cases and capital cases regarding examination and investigation, as the esteemed Maimonides (may his memory be blessed) stated in Chapter 3 of the Laws of Testimony. However, the sages have said that in order not to shut the door on Levi, monetary witnesses require examination and investigation, and so on. These matters apply to acknowledgments, loans, gifts, and sales. However, in cases of penalties, examination and investigation are required, not to mention cases of lashes and exile. In cases of exceptional severity, even in monetary cases, examination and investigation are necessary.",
            "6) And in all these matters, we have encountered them. How can you, with an open heart, accept slanderous speech from foolish individuals who wander aimlessly like nomads? How can you consider it as absolute testimony and hold onto it, disregarding your fellow in matters of Torah and both biblical and rabbinic commandments, to the point of aligning with heretics and sectarians who, by definition, bring down and do not uplift? It is well known and widely acknowledged that this generation is a generation of falsehood and deceit. Yet, despite this, they hold positions of leadership in Israel, and each one is honored by disgracing their colleague and teacher, whom they have set as their target. This, they claim, is the light of Torah. And in my night-time missions and days, I have served the Torah, so that it will not be forgotten from Israel to the best of my abilities. But you have poured scorn, treating Torah scholars with contempt and humiliation, treating them like worthless vessels without any value. And all those who do evil are good in your eyes, and you honor them more than the Torah scholars. Through false rumors that you have spread, you have degraded Torah scholars in the eyes of all who see them, to the point where they have reached a much lower status. The common people boast about themselves, saying, \"Fortunate are we, how good is our portion, and our lot is more pleasant than those who stand in the house of God at night.\" They seek to fulfill what is said: \"And if you despise My statutes, if your soul abhors My ordinances\" (Leviticus 26:15). Just as the revered Rambam stated in the laws of Torah study.",
            "7) And this is what the esteemed Kabbalist, the master of the Chamber of Blessing, may his memory be a blessing, said: It is a positive commandment for the court to diligently examine and investigate the witnesses through seven interrogations, and so on. There are additional inquiries, such as questioning the witnesses about the clothing they wore, the soil on which they stood, whether it was black, sand, or clay, and if their testimonies contradict each other, the testimony is invalidated. From the roots of this commandment, there emerges a comprehensive principle that encompasses a beautiful aspect. It is the proper conduct of this world that free choice should be given to individuals, and their eyes should be directed towards proper choices and avoiding harm to married couples. And there are eyes of the Temple of Justice, the eyes of the community, which judge based on knowledge with the testimony of two witnesses, two crowns. And understanding is the secret of eyes, as it is known, and this light spreads in seven dimensions, as mentioned elsewhere. In the commandment \"You shall not go about as a talebearer,\" it is written and it is explained that one should not tell their fellow that something negative was said about them, as it is stated, \"You shall not go about as a talebearer.\" And even if one speaks the truth, there is a great sin in this according to the laws of the commandment. Furthermore, in general, this prohibition also includes not speaking derogatorily about one's fellow, even if it is true, and it is as if one denies the essence [of their fellow]. And there is further elaboration on the punishment for speaking evil speech and the reward for refraining from it.",
            "8) In the warning \"Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor,\" it means that even by merely standing idly without responding, you should not witness your friend's distress when someone humiliates him or speaks ill of him. Instead, you should do everything in your power to rebuke the one who belittles your friend or engages in gossip and evil speech. You should not be a listener and remain silent. Rather, you should say to him, \"Evil one, you are troubling Israel. Why do you speak slander against the image of our Creator and the Divine presence that is within your people, and thereby incur this sin?\" And for this reason, one prohibition is linked to the other: \"Do not go about as a talebearer\" and \"Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.\" This means that if I refrain from speaking, thinking that I will listen quietly and derive pleasure from hearing what the wicked person says about my friend, even the one who listens and remains silent is considered utterly wicked. Such a person transgresses the commandment of not standing idly by the blood of their neighbor. Such a person has no share in the God of Israel when they listen to the wicked speaking slander against the righteous or engage in whispering lies about their friend. Rather, immediately reject them and say to them, \"Wicked one, depart from me, I will not listen to you.\" If someone merely listens and remains silent, they are certainly condemned to an unquenchable fire and will not merit to stand among the partition of the righteous. When listening, responding, speaking, they will all ultimately perish from the world because of this and similar sins.",
            "9) You, our friend, are not exempt from these matters, as you have not refrained from committing any of these actions. Rather, you have believed their words and accepted their falsehoods without the presence of a judge, without investigation, inquiry, or examination. You have derived pleasure from their words and even aided in strengthening their lies, imprinting in your mind that their falsehood is true. You went so far as to write, \"I can no longer deny it,\" and so on. And you have not taken to heart that testimony is only accepted before a judge, and that you are obligated to investigate and inquire through seven examinations and inquiries as commanded upon you. All the more so when they have performed their deeds in darkness, and they have slipped their tongues to you in secret with their words, seeking to find fault and you would be obligated to silence them with reproof. This is nothing but an evil inclination that you enjoy and yearn for their gossip and slander. May the Merciful One save us from this mindset! It is possible that you, too, are adding your own false slander in order to gain honor at the expense of your friends. In Chapter Eruvin of Tractate Pesachim (115b), we learn in the name of Rav Sheshet, in the name of Rabbi Akiva: Anyone who engages in lashon hara (evil speech) and bears false witness against his fellow is deserving of being cast to the dogs, as it is stated, \"To a dog, you shall throw it\" (Exodus 22:30). And it is explicitly written, \"You shall not bear false witness\" (Exodus 20:13), and our Sages have expounded on the punishment for lashon hara in various ways. In Tractate Avot, it is stated: \"Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place\" (Avot 2:4). This means that one should not pass judgment on others until they have experienced the same circumstances. This can be illustrated by the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat. When Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh, she brought him all kinds of foreign worship practices. Once, when Solomon went to sleep, the day darkened, and she called upon the craftsmen of wood and stone, who worked in the art of carving and sculpting. They created for his bed something resembling the sky, with the sun, moon, stars, and constellations. And in the morning, as the city awakened and he rose from his sleep to open the doors of the temple, for the keys to the temple were under his authority, he saw that the sky was bright with stars and constellations. He mistakenly thought that it was still daytime and returned to sleep. He slept for another four hours until he realized and recognized on his own that the night is not so long. And regarding that specific hour, we learned the testimony about the constant offering of the dawn that is brought within the four hours, during the morning selection. Before the summer dawned, Jeroboam son of Nebat went to the entrance of his house, and a voice passed by, saying, \"Wicked one, how long will you sleep and nullify the morning offering? Why do you slumber? Arise and call upon your God!\" A heavenly voice emerged and said to him, \"You wicked son of a wicked man, in the future, you will cause many deliberate sacrifices of Israel to be nullified, and you will hold him liable for unintentional transgressions as if they were intentional.\" And against his will! This is indicated by the verse, \"Like the stumbling of Ephraim in guilt, so Israel stumbled because of Baal, and they died\" (Hosea 13:1). This refers to the matter of Jeroboam, who was from the tribe of Ephraim. \"Stumbling\" is an accusation against Solomon, and \"Israel\" refers to Jeroboam, the ruler and king of Israel. The heavenly voice responded to him that he would be held accountable for worshiping Baal and would eventually die, and so on. You magnify and surpass the evil deeds of Jeroboam son of Nebat. After you brought us to the prison of falsehood and slander in our exalted government! You incited the entire people to go to the house of Alamin, commanding them to be covered in dust on their heads for no reason. Not because we nullified a light commandment, and not because we violated a severe commandment, God forbid, but rather because we followed the customs of our ancestors and established our studies based on Mishnah, Talmud, Rambam, and Shulchan Aruch to learn and teach, to observe and practice. We did not learn from your fabricated book, the Zohar, as it is not our custom. ",
            "10) From now on, with the help of God, we will return to the main point of our question that we asked you, to inform us according to the approach of the Kabbalists, whom we mention in our prayers and bless in all our blessings, and from whom we seek forgiveness and atonement. Your response was filled with mocking words, distorting our argument, acknowledging him with false claims and denying the well-known and widely published information in their books. It's as if you swore that a man is a woman and a woman is a man, and that a pillar of marble is made of gold. You expressed anger towards the book \"Mitzaref HaEmunah,\" mocked it, belittled it, and referred to it as the \"Book of the Sorcerer,\" etc. By doing so, you revealed to everyone that you are the one who belittles the sages. As for our questions, since according to their words, the Divine presence is small and insignificant, and He is the one who sustains and provides for us, whom then sustains and provides for all the higher worlds beyond the world of Atzilut? If He only provides abundance from below to above, and they worship and prostrate themselves before Him, or perhaps their gods provide and sustain them, He is the supreme One, and they worship Him, while we worship and serve the insignificant Divine presence who sustains and provides for us? So, if the Supreme God is not the same as the lower gods, God forbid, this is the contradiction we sought from you to clarify and instruct us. And your response is that the matter is not comparable to evidence, and we do not bring evidence to contradict the halacha given to Moses at Sinai? And the Kabbalistic sages claim that this is how they received it from Moses. ",
            "We are greatly astonished and amazed by your words and this response of yours. Is it a halacha given to Moses at Sinai to believe in multiple deities? And to worship other gods besides our first God and the Rock of all? He is the cause of all causes, and with deceit you come with these answers to those who are stubborn of heart, whom you have boasted about and shown these words to, saying. See that I have concealed their words and rejected their arguments, but your stubbornness persists, and you repeat your assertion to all those gathered. After considering and praising you for being sharp and intelligent, you bring it forth to us. Indeed, all of these are mere errors, as you are unaware of what you are responding to in our question. Regarding your false misconception, we shall address it again. It is well-known and widely accepted among the poskim (such as the Chacham Tzvi, the Derech HaChaim, and the She'elat Yaavetz) that whenever there is a dispute between the received tradition (Kabbalah) and the halachic ruling, one follows the halachic ruling. This principle is widely recognized in Israel. If your claim is that this Kabbalistic tradition is a halachah leMoshe miSinai, then why would a halachic ruling be set aside due to the opinion of a certain Tanna or Amora, let alone a later authority (see later, Siman 15)? It is incumbent upon you to provide evidence and inform us where we find that any Tanna or Amora would dare to contradict and rule against the accepted halachah from Moshe Rabbeinu, may his memory be blessed. Shouldn't one who is foolish, wicked, or arrogant be called so? In several places in the Talmud, the Sages implicitly suggest that if a halachah is accepted, there is no room for further debate, and if there is a legal question, there is an answer.",
            "12) Indeed, it is certain that all your words are divisions and exaggerations intended to agitate the foolish and the insane, lovers of wonders and superstitions, and not spoken with reason. None of your words are based on sound judgment. And through deceit, you refuse to know the Lord, as the prophet Jeremiah, may peace be upon him, said in the name of the Lord: \"Your habitation is in deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me, declares the Lord\" (Jeremiah 9:5). And one of the deceivers among you has already said: \"We know that the truth is not with you.\" But what do you gain by revealing this matter and publicizing it to some of the students? It is better for you to let them remain in their error, just as the wicked one in the parable of the four sons who asks, \"What is this service to you?\" and so on. The evidence you present is baseless, for in your letter you falsely claim that the revered author of \"Mitzaref HaEmunah\" is a heretic and denier. You even referred to his book as \"Mashref HaEmunah\" (Destroyer of Faith). And he, until his final days, remains loyal to the teachings of the Zohar, the Holy Temple, Kabbalistic works such as Sefer Chassidim, Sefer HaBrit, Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Arizal), and the writings of Rabbi Chaim Vital, including Etz Chaim, Nachat Yosef, and Sulam Yaakov, all of which he studies diligently. As will be explained later, I will first present several proofs. This Kabbalistic tradition is not a Halacha (Jewish law) that was transmitted to Moses at Sinai, as our sages said in Eruvin, that any teaching not taught in the study hall of Rabbi Oshaya is not a valid teaching and should not be derived from it, as it causes confusion. Indeed, regarding any teaching that did not enter the study hall of Rabbi Chiya or Rabbi Oshaya, it is not necessary to consider it as a Halacha (Jewish law) that was transmitted to Moses at Sinai. Moreover, even if it is stated by an Amora (rabbinic sage from the Talmudic period), we do not rely on it. In the Jerusalem Talmud, in Eruvin, Chapter 1, in the first verse, it is stated: \"And Acha said to him, so said Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, any Mishnah that did not enter the company (of scholars), we do not rely on it.\" Therefore, refer to later in section 42 for further discussion on this matter. In the ancient writings of our early sages, I found a passage from there written by Rabbi Saadia Gaon, may his memory be a blessing. It states, \"The measure of the height of their intellect does not come close to the measure of the Mishnah, and not to the measure of the Talmud, and not to the measure of the subtle understanding with which Rabbi Yeshaya'el excelled, or the depth of understanding with which Pnesavah (his disciple) was adorned, as if they surpassed the written knowledge contained in the highest tree of the Torah.\" This is the general idea. (Translation by the author: \"The book 'Sefer Shiur Komah' is not within our hands as an accepted source from the sages of our faith, as it is neither in the Mishnah nor in the Talmud. Furthermore, there is no evidence to study from it, whether it was truly said by Rabbi Yishmael or others attributed it to him, as many books attribute certain teachings to renowned scholars.\")",
            "13) We have learned from the words of the Gaon that many books are falsely attributed to the names of great sages of Israel for their own benefit. We have also learned that anything not explicitly stated in the Mishnah and the Gemara, and we see that it contradicts the meaning of the Talmud, is not an accepted source. Therefore, the halachic decisors do not rely on teachings from the Midrashim in a place where they contradict the Talmud. Even the Jerusalem Talmud is not considered concerning when it disagrees with the Babylonian Talmud, which is the foundation for the Jewish people, whether to be lenient or strict, as explained by our authoritative rabbis in various places. Refer to the following (Siman 42) for further discussion. What I wrote there in the name of the Ra'ash, go and learn from what R. Tam wrote in his novellae brought in the Sefer Rabid HaZahav, in the laws of Passover, may his memory be blessed. In our time, this knowledge has vanished, and the secrets of Torah have disappeared from the eyes of all living beings. No human knows the order of this wisdom, and anyone who holds onto it will encounter great strength and danger, meaning a great danger and the danger of heresy, which has no share in the God of Israel. And in similar matters, our Sages warned us, 'Do not inquire into the miraculous, and do not investigate the concealed.' And it is sufficient for us that we have been instructed by the true and universally accepted sages of authentic Kabbalah, who thoroughly explain the Torah and its commandments from every perspective. According to the tradition handed down from person to person, from the time of Moses until the present, which is known as the Oral Torah, for which Moses ascended to the heavens and stood there for forty days to learn its general principles and specific details, as transmitted to him by the Divine Power. And in these matters, we are obligated to engage with them, for they are our life and the length of our days, and not one of them shall be changed. One's religious duty is to be stringent in observing them, and anyone who rebels against the words of the sages is liable to death. However, the remaining hints and allusions that were not fully understood by the Kabbalistic sages, as they pertain to the hidden aspects of the Torah and matters of intellect, we were not commanded concerning them. For those who choose to delve into them individually are considered unique in their time, as was the case with our predecessors, and so on. But not everyone who wishes to take the name shall take it, for these are matters that are beyond our grasp. In our time, this is a wonder of ancestral merit, and not everyone holds onto this righteousness. On the contrary, they destroy the corners of the Torah and its pillars. They delight in the clamor of passing winds, and the blind who do not know the path where the light dwells grope like the blind, unable to find their way. And in a place where they thought to gain sudden profit, they shall be shattered, and there is no remedy. Many among the ignorant people boast, saying, 'The secret of the Lord is with us; we have inherited the highest waters, not you, the possessors of the Talmud who walk in darkness.' Their hearts are not with them, their vision is blurred, and they lack understanding. The wise act to their own detriment. For they held onto what their limited intellect could grasp, and they desire to ascend to lofty heights without a doubt in their ability to reach the ultimate goal. They will grasp a shard in their hand to scratch themselves with, and it will become a snare for them, etc. For from them shall emerge a stumbling block to breach the fence of the Torah and destroy its walls. They will boast in what they do not understand and be deceived by the beginnings of the Torah and its roots, leading them to fall into heresy. They will distance themselves from the desired goal, which is closeness to God, and instead prefer nonexistence. How much more so will they distort interpretations and abolish halakhah, and so on. ",
            "14) See and understand, dear friend, how the esteemed Rabbi Tam, may his memory be a blessing, vehemently rebuked those involved in the New Kabbalah, for they breached the fences of the Torah. They corrupted its foundations and roots, especially in relation to the Divine, as will be explained further. Instead of seeking closeness to the Divine, they strayed from the path and came to believe in and serve other gods! This is also expressed in the words of Rabbi Tam and likewise affirmed by Rabbi Yitzchak Albo in his work \"Sefer HaIkarim,\" Chapter 28, Mishnah 2. Furthermore, Rabbi Tam extensively discussed in his book \"Sefer Rabid HaZahav\" and also presented the words of the great Rabbi Shlomo Luria, may his memory be a blessing, in his responsa and his work \"Yam Shel Shlomo\" regarding those who engage in new innovations studied in Kabbalah. He wrote that since the Talmud has been sealed, we should not be stringent against the Gemara, and it is considered similar to heresy, as explained in the \"Chok Yaakov\" (Rabbi Yaakov Chagiz), Chapter 489, Subsection 11, at length. All of this is based on the assumption and attribution that the Zohar ascribes to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the Tanna. However, after the scrutiny and examination of wise hearts who came after him, it became clear who authored the mentioned ideas, when the composition was produced, and by whom. It is clarified thoroughly that the Zohar is one of the later works, and those ideas did not originate from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, may his memory be a blessing, at all. In fact, it contains several principles contrary to the teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in the Talmud and the well-known Midrashim in Israel. Therefore, it is certainly not reliable in any matter related to the customs of the Jewish people that our predecessors followed. And the sages of the Middle Ages did a disservice by introducing several changes to our prayer liturgy based on the Zohar and Kabbalistic teachings. Some of these alterations lead to erroneous beliefs in multiple authorities and idolatrous worship, as will be explained further.",
            "15) Furthermore, Rabbi Ravad brought additional statements of our master (Maran) in his work \"Beit Yosef,\" expressing caution regarding the words of the Zohar in a context not mentioned in the Talmud, contrary to its teachings. The Rama (Rabbi Moshe Isserles, of blessed memory) wrote about this that even though his words are not mentioned in the Talmud, they are not considered binding according to the rulings of the halakhic authorities, and there is no need to be concerned with the words of the Zohar in this matter. Declare from now on that the words of the halakhic authorities mentioned in the response of Rabbi Ravad, which include Maran (Rabbi Joseph Caro) of blessed memory, Moram (Rabbi Moses Isserles), the Radbaz (Rabbi David ben Solomon ibn Abi Zimra), the Keneged Gidon (Rabbi Gideon ben Abraham Gershon), Mahar\"i Halevi, like Mahar\"sh Halevi, Rabbi Elijah Halevi, HaRama Elqabuli, R\"t ben Yachya, Rabbi Chak Yaakov, Maharashal, and Mahar\"m Elshakar, who state that there is no need to be concerned with the words of the Zohar and the Kabbalists, as it contradicts the Mishnah, Talmud, and even individual halakhic authorities. Behold, from this you have proven to yourself that you have written something that is a complete fabrication and utter foolishness. Your words are baseless and completely devoid of any truth. ",
            "16) And as for your claim against me, saying, 'Who gave you the authority to seek and investigate their words?' I am greatly astonished by your words. Is the Torah given to be read like a chirping bird or a lifeless animal that does not understand what it is saying? Surely one who acts in such a manner is called a wicked fool, as stated in Sotah (22a). Ulla said, 'This refers to one who reads and studies but does not serve (apply) Torah.' Rabbi Eliezer said, 'This refers to an am ha'aretz (ignorant person).' Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, 'This is a boor.' Rabbi Yannai said, 'This is a Samaritan.' Rabbi Acha bar Yaakov said, 'This is an ignoramus.' Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said, 'It seems that the opinion of Rabbi Acha bar Yaakov is correct, as people say, \"A rat from Gusha doesn't even know what it is ratting.\"' A tanna taught: 'And he does not know what he has taught.' That is the explanation. And according to your words, matters pertaining to the body and commercial writings, which deal with the affairs of physical life, are considered superior to the study of Torah, which pertains to the life of the soul, through which we merit eternal life and seek the presence of our God, our King. For if two conflicting commercial documents were presented to you, you would pay close attention to understand them in order to avoid loss, and yet you would not accept them with the faith of a skilled artisan! But when it comes to Torah, which is the life of the soul, you would accept contradictions in your faith without understanding? Isn't the essence of Torah to know and understand its commandments and statutes? King David, may he rest in peace, said, 'Teach me and I will learn your commandments' (Psalms 119:73). And I further say, it is good and reasonable to understand that through your commandments I have believed, and it is a logical deduction. For in other commandments of the Torah, one needs to pay attention in order not to mistakenly permit what is prohibited or even prohibit what is permitted. As our sages said, 'Be cautious in studying, for an unintentional error in studying is tantamount to intentional transgression.' But in the commandments of knowing the Almighty and His unity, based on truth and righteousness, as commanded by the Almighty in the Torah, as it is written, 'You shall know this day and consider it in your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and upon the earth below, there is none other' (Deuteronomy 4:39). And King David, peace be upon him, commanded his son, saying, 'Know the God of your father and serve Him.' And the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed and said, 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches. But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who practices steadfast love...' How much more so do we need to know whom we shall worship.",
            "17) From the written Torah and the Oral Torah that has been transmitted to us, each person from the mouth of another, from our prophet Moses, peace be upon him, there are strong and truthful testimonies that our God, who is called by the name 'YHWH' and 'Adonai,' and according to the words of our sages, in the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, He is the primary cause. He alone is the necessary existence, as will be explained later. This is not as stated in the Book of the Covenant, in the name 'Yosher Levav' (uprightness of heart), or as stated by the Arizal, who followed the words of the philosopher in the book 'HaZohar' and claimed that He is a small countenance (Ze'eir Anpin). From the Torah, as it is written, 'From everlasting to everlasting, You are God,' for the Lord our God is the primary cause for all created beings, above and below, and He alone is the one we worship, as stated by the Rambam (Maimonides) in his commentary on the Mishnah, and in the writings of Rabbi Saadia Gaon and Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, and others. And it is said, 'I am the Lord, and there is no other God besides Me.' And King David, peace be upon him, said, 'For who is God besides the Lord? And who is a rock except our God?' For He, may He be blessed, is the cause and the initial act for everything other than Himself, as explained by the revered teacher in Chapter 16 of the Guide for the Perplexed. There is no other preceding cause before Him. And the righteous Chassid, author of the book Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart), states in the Gate of Unity, based on the principle that He always exists as the beginning. There is no beginning before Him, and He is the first without a first, and He is the one who formed and created everything from nothing, not through something and not upon something, as it is said, 'I am the Lord, who does all these things, who stretches out the heavens alone, who spreads out the earth by Myself.' And Job said, 'He stretches out the north over empty space, He hangs the earth on nothingness, and so on.' He is the primordial first, without a beginning to His beginning. There is no end to His primacy, as the scripture says, 'I am the first and I am the last, and besides Me, there is no God.' Also, in the liturgical amendments made by the Men of the Great Assembly, it is said, 'You are true, You are the first, and You are the last, and so on.'",
            "18) Furthermore, there is another proof that is not based on the tradition received from Moses, for we find disagreements among the Kabbalists regarding its quality and essence. One says it should be done this way, and another says it should be done that way. This is a conclusive proof that it is not a law given to Moses at Sinai, as you have suggested. In fact, the Rambam (Maimonides) stated in Hilchot Mamrim, Chapter 1, that there is no disagreement at all in matters of tradition. And any matter in which you find disagreement is known that it is not a tradition from Moses, my teacher. Since all the proofs we bring are from the words of the Sages, the authors of the Mishnah and the Talmud, the true Midrashim, the Geonim, and the Poskim who are undoubtedly the possessors of the true tradition from Moses, my teacher. And anyone who contradicts their words is a heretic and an epicurean. So how can you claim to search and investigate the words of the authors of the new Kabbalah? One of the distinguished sages of the Yemenite scholars, Rabbi Yitzhak Tzahari, already testified in his sermons on Parashat Lech Lecha, saying, 'And I have come to tell you a few brief words of the new Kabbalah that have recently emerged.' And this testimony serves as an enhancement for us to strengthen our words, for these are new teachings that were not known to our early sages. The survival of their books testifies and declares the truth, as they are found in our possession in the great Midrash of Rabbi David ben Amram Ish Edan, as mentioned by Rabbi Yitzhak in his poems on Parashat Bereshit and at the beginning of Devarim. Similarly, it is stated in the book Segulat Yisrael, the book Nur al-Tsalam by Rabbi Nethanel ben Yeshua, and the Midrash Hefetz by Rabbi Yehiya HaRofe, may their souls be blessed. ",
            "18) And this power to investigate and inquire in the Torah according to the teachings of our sages, the masters of the Mishnah and Talmud, is handed down to us from our sages, as the Tanna said, 'Turn it over and over again, for everything is in it. Look into it, delve into it!' For unless a person studies and understands, the secret will not be revealed to him, and he will not grasp the matter. As we learn in Berachot (tractate of the Talmud), \"A person should always run to perform a mitzvah, even on Shabbat, as it is said: 'After the Lord, they shall go like a lion, they shall roar,' etc.\" Rabbi Zeira explained: It is the reward for the effort expended by those who rush to hear a discourse from a wise sage. The reward is for the effort of running because most people do not understand how to properly transmit the teachings after a certain period. The reward comes from the effort put into studying. The phrase \"Agra d'Kalla Dukhta\" refers to the Shabbat before a holiday when everyone gathers to hear the laws of the upcoming holiday. The phrase \"Agra d'Shma'ata Savra\" means that one toils, exerts effort, and contemplates to understand the rationale behind something. And in Tractate Sanhedrin, the versions state, \"With cunning, you shall make war for yourself.\" Rabbi Acha, son of Rabbi Chanina, said in the name of Rabbi Assi, who said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, \"With whom do you find the Torah waging war? With someone who possesses bundles of Mishnah.\" This means that the war of Torah is fought through its teachings, understanding its core principles, and delving into its depths. It is not like someone who is shallow, sharp-witted, and has mere opinions but has not studied many Mishnayot and Braitot. For how can one grasp its essence? Only someone who has studied numerous Mishnayot, for if they need to understand a rationale, they can derive it from another Mishnah. Or if something is difficult for him, he will understand it from the Mishnayot in his possession. This is referring to Rabbi Ploni, whose teachings were heard elsewhere. So says the Gemara and Rashi. And it is also mentioned in Tractate Chagigah, where it opens by stating, \"The words of the sages are like well-driven nails, given by one shepherd.\" Why were the words of Torah compared to Mordecai, who guides toward the paths of life? Just as these sages are the \"ones gathered,\" meaning the students of the sages who gather together and engage in Torah study. These render impure, and these render pure. These prohibit, and these permit. These disqualify, and these qualify. Perhaps one might say, 'How can I learn Torah?' But it is taught: 'They were all given from one Shepherd; one God formed them all.' And one Provider said, from the mouth of the Master of all actions, blessed be He, as it is stated: 'And God spoke all these words, saying.' Therefore, make your ear like a funnel and acquire for yourself understanding to hear the words of the impure and the words of the pure, the words of the prohibitions and the words of the permissions, the words of the disqualifications and the words of the qualifications. And Rashi, may his memory be blessed, explained: 'One God spoke,' meaning there is no one among the disputants who brings proof from the Torah of another, but rather from the Torah of the Holy One, blessed be He. And one Provider said, 'There is no one who brings proof from the words of a prophet to dispute Moses, our teacher, blessed be he.' Make your ear like a funnel, since all of them are for the sake of Heaven. Make an ear that hears, learns, and knows all of their words. And when you know how to discern which dry land established the halakha like itself, etc. Similarly, the Maharsha explains that this is a parable for our matter: that one should let many of their words enter their ear, whether impure or pure, but acquire a discerning heart to distinguish the opinions in order to determine the halakha accordingly."
        ],
        [
            "20) And from now on, incline your ear and listen to the answers of the true Torah of Moses. For the honor of the Lord, the true God. Regarding what you have written and responded to deny that the seas[9] correspond to the five faces of divinity, and you say, God forbid, that they say so, it is a blindfold that you have, for you have not seen the words of the Zohar in Genesis 22, which states: 'And God said, \"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.\"' This is the secret of the Lord for those who fear Him. There was an elder among the elders who opened and said, 'Shimon, Shimon, who is the one who said, \"And God said\"? What is the meaning of this \"God\"?' At that moment, that elder among the elders became silent and did not answer. And like Rabbi Shimon heard, who used to be called Shimon, Shimon, and not Rabbi Shimon, he said to his colleague, 'Certainly, this is the Holy One, blessed be He, about whom it is said that He sits in ancient days.' (Explanation: The Rabbi follows the true path, the elder of the elders, and he is the highest crown.) And the holy Temple, King David, the elder of the elders, is ancient, as Rabbi Shimon said later, 'For a father and mother are called elders and ancient, and a great-grandfather is called the elder of the elders.' And it is fitting for Rabbi Shimon, who is ancient but not aged. Now, this is the time to unlock the secret. Indeed, here is a secret that has not been revealed. He opened and said to the king, who had many buildings among his sons. And that craftsman did not serve based on his own knowledge, but by the permission of the king, as it is said, 'And I was with him, a skilled craftsman.' The king himself is undoubtedly the highest wisdom above.  And the middle pillar, the king below, is the skilled craftsman, and indeed, it can be said that the higher God is the skilled craftsman above, and the lower God is the dwelling place and manifestation, having no permission to act on its own without the permission of its master. And all the buildings that existed in the realm of its nobility, Abba would say in relation to Ima, 'Let it be so,' and it would immediately come to be, as it is stated, 'And God said, \"Let there be light,\" and there was light,' and it is stated, 'And God said, \"Let there be a firmament,\" \"Let there be lights,\"' and everything was done immediately. When it comes to the world of separation, which is the world of the distinct beings, the skilled craftsman said about building, 'Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.' The skilled craftsman indeed wanted to create him, but he is destined to rebel against you, O building, for he is a foolish son, as it is said, 'A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.' This is what his mother said, since his obligation depends on the mother and not the father, I want to dissolve the partnership I have with him. As it is stated, 'And God created man in His own image,' and there was no need for the father to participate. In a time of anger, what is written? 'Because of your sins, your mother was sent away.' The king said to the mother, \"You did not tell me that he is destined to rebel.\" At that moment, the mother argued with him, and because of that, it is written, \"A wise son brings joy to his father,\" referring to Adam, who comes from the realm of nobility, and \"a foolish son\" refers to Adam of the created world, etc. Rabbi Shevivi explained that from here we can understand that the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself, so to speak, did not agree to create Adam. Only the Shekhinah pleaded to allow Adam to exist according to her destiny. Additionally, Rabbi Makdish explained that \"the middle pillar, the king's son, a wise son,\" refers to Adam from the realm of nobility. He is the smallest of the nobility, and \"a foolish son\" refers to Adam of the created world. Adam HaRishon, and so forth. Furthermore, based on this, Rabbi Makdish explains that in the verse \"And God said\" (referring to the creation of Adam), it implies that the mother said to the father, \"Let us make man.\" This is what it means when it says, \"And God said,\" where \"God\" represents the father, and \"said\" represents the mother. This is different from the general pattern of \"And God said\" in the Genesis narrative, which implies that the father speaks and the mother understands, etc.",
            "It is explained from this that the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called \"Eternal\" (Atik), revealed Himself to Rabbi Shimon in his study hall in the form of an elderly sage. That is why Rabbi Shimon called him \"Saba d'Seban,\" meaning the elder of elders, as mentioned earlier in the name of Derech Emet and Makdish Melech. And the Holy One, blessed be He, who is referred to as \"Eternal,\" allowed Rabbi Shimon to reveal the secrets of the Torah. It is the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called \"Mother\" (Imma), who said to the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called \"Father\" (Abba), \"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,\" and so on. So, it has been clarified for you that He is called \"Eternal\" (Atik) by Rabbi Shimon, and also \"Father\" (Abba), and he calls the \"Mother\" (Imma) God, and he also calls the \"Father\" (Abba) God, as well as the \"Eternal\" (Atik). And in every act of creation in Genesis, the Father (Abba) says to the Mother (Imma), \"Let it be this way,\" and she does it. But in the statement, \"Let us make man,\" the Mother (Imma) said to the Father (Abba), \"Let us make man,\" but the Father (Abba) did not agree with the creation of man. And the Mother (Imma) said to him, \"What difference does it make to you? If he sins against me, it is my concern, not yours,\" as it is stated, \"A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.\" And when Adam sinned with the Tree of Knowledge, He expelled both him and her, as it is said, \"For your transgressions, your mother was sent away.\" ",
            "In the Tree of Life by Rabbi Chaim Vital, in Sha'ar HaNekudim, chapter 6, it is explained that when the seven lower sefirot were still not fully formed, the lower Adam (humanity) had not yet been created in the world. The male and female aspects were joined together from behind, out of fear that they would not be able to nurse. If they had remained face-to-face, there would have been a place for the kelipot (negative forces) to cling to the same place. However, when the first Adam was created and performed positive commandments through practical actions, he turned them face-to-face by means of the commandments and good deeds, and so on. See there for his entire discourse, which is the opposite of the teachings of the Zohar. In fact, it was the opposite: Adam HaRishon (the first man) sinned and it was the Mother (Imma) who was expelled because of him. From this, one can understand that each of the Kabbalists interprets things according to their own understanding and desire. ",
            "21) In the Zohar, in section 4, verse 22, Rabbi Shimon further opens the discussion and says, \"See now that I am He, and there is no God beside Me.\" He said, \"Companions, these are ancient words that I wish to reveal after permission has been granted from above to say them. Who are the ones who said, 'See now that I am He'? It is not that He ascended over all the supernal realms that are called 'ascend on high.' Rather, He ascended from these ascents, from the ascents that do not perform any action until permission is taken from that supreme realm.\" As I have explained earlier regarding \"Let us make man,\" it is indeed done through two aspects. It is stated that from that upper level permission is granted, saying, \"Let us make.\" And no action is done from below until permission and directive are taken from that upper level, and that which is from that upper level does not act from below until it takes counsel from its companions. However, that which is called \"ascend on high\" has nothing above it, and it does not have an equal counterpart below it, as it is stated: \"To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal?\" said the Holy One. He said, \"See now that I am He, and there is no God beside Me,\" taking counsel from it, as in the case of the statement: \"And God said, 'Let us make man.'\" And refer to Etz Chaim, Sha'ar Atik, chapter 2, and the explanation of Rabbi Mekadesh Melech in the name of the Ari in the book Likutei Amarim, that \"ascend on high\" refers to the ancient man who is called \"ascend on high.\" \"Ascend on high\" includes all the aspects called by that name, as it has ascended to the heights below it. But when we say \"ascend all the ascents,\" it refers to the ancient man who is the first ascent of all the aspects, as explained. It has been clarified to you from the words of the philosopher, the author of the Zohar, and his commentators, Mekadesh Melech in the name of the Ari and Derech Emet, and Shvivei Noga, that the Divine presence, who granted permission to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai to delve into matters that are forbidden to bring to heart or contemplate the plurality in the Godhead, is the \"Ancient One,\" the Holy One. And it is not this Divine presence that said to the Israelites, \"See now that I am He,\" etc. For the Holy One, who said, \"See now that I am He,\" refers to the ancient man who is the first ascent of all the aspects, and he does not require permission from anyone. And the Holy One, who said, \"Let there be light,\" \"Let there be a firmament,\" \"Let the waters gather,\" etc., is the Father (Abba). And the one who said, \"Let us make man in our image\" is the Mother (Imma), who said to the Father, \"Let us make man.\" But the Holy One, blessed be He, did not agree that He is the Father in His creation. The Mother said to Him, \"Why do you care? If he sins against me, let him sin, it is not for you. As it is stated, 'A foolish son is a grief to his mother and bitterness to her who bore him.'\" And thus, man was created without the Father's consent, as explained in Shvivei Noga. If the Father had agreed to his creation, He would not have expelled him when he sinned. But surely the Father did not agree to this, as it is stated in the Zohar, \"He did not consult the Matrona (Imma),\" etc. Therefore, he was expelled from the Garden of Eden, and He expelled him along with Him.",
            "22) The Israelite man will indeed be greatly alarmed by the words of this philosopher who speaks such things, interchanging the various gods mentioned here, and dividing the ten utterances by which the world was created into different gods, one from another! In Sanhedrin, in the first chapter of monetary laws, we learn, \"Therefore, man was created as an individual,\" etc., so that the heretics will not say there are many authorities in heaven, etc. Rashi explains that each one created his own [part], accordingly. And in the Beraita, the Sages teach, \"Adam was created as an individual because of the heretics who would claim there are many authorities in heaven.\" Furthermore, Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav, \"When the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to create man, He took counsel with a group of ministering angels and said to them, 'Let us make man in our image.' They said to Him, 'Master of the Universe, what are his deeds?' He replied to them, 'His deeds will be such and such.' They said to Him, 'Master of the Universe, what is man that You should remember him?' He extended His little finger and burned them, and so it is written in a second verse.\" The third group said before Him, the Holy One, blessed be He: \"The earlier ones who said before You, what did they accomplish? The whole world is Yours; everything You wish to do in Your world, do. Once it came to the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Tower of Babel, they said before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Wasn't it good what the earlier ones said before You?' He said to them, 'I am enduring until old age, and until gray hair, I will bear it.' See the commentary of Matersdorf (Matirasa) and see later in section 25.\"",
            "23) Furthermore, we have another version stated there: Rabbi Yochanan said, \"Wherever the heretics have made their claims, their response is in their favor: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.' And God created man in His own image. 'Come, let us go down and confuse their language there.' And the Lord descended to see the city, etc.\" Rashi explains, \"Wherever the heretics bring proof to support their claims of plurality of gods, their response is on their side: 'in our image'—there, in that context, it is explicitly stated in the Torah that God is one. As the Sefer Mitzvot Gadol (Smag) from Rabbi Saadia Gaon cites, it will be brought further in section 61.\" And in the Zohar, which I mentioned earlier, it says, \"Let us make man\" - definitely referring to two entities, as explained that the mother said to the father, \"Let us make man.\" And she did so according to her will and created man without his consent, as I previously mentioned in the name of Shvivi Negah. But is this not the belief of the heretics who bring proof to support their claim that there are many gods and each one acts according to their will? ",
            "24) Furthermore, it is mentioned in the Zohar, Genesis 15, \"In the beginning God created the heavens,\" where it explains that in this \"beginning,\" the concealed entity that was not known to this palace (world) was created. The commentary of the holy book \"Mikdash Melech\" explains that this \"beginning\" refers to the Father (Abba) who created that concealed entity. He is the Ancient One, unknown to this palace, and the palace itself is referred to as the Mother called Elohim. Another interpretation explains the verse, \"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,\" as meaning that the power of the Father (Abba) created the heavens and the earth, which represent the lesser countenance (Zeir Anpin) and its female aspect, according to this interpretation. It is clear from this that both in the first interpretation and in the latter, the term \"Father\" is used for the beginning, but in the first interpretation, it refers to the Ancient One, while in the latter, it refers to the Father (Abba) as the understanding (Binah) that encompasses the heavens and the earth, which represents the small countenance (Zeir Anpin) and its female aspect. And according to the latter interpretation, \"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,\" refers to the power of the Father (Abba) who created the heavens and the earth, which are the male and female aspects. The commentary of the book \"Mikdash Melech\" explains that the heavens represent the right side of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the earth represents the left side. The Holy One, blessed be He, extended His right side and created the heavens, and He extended His left side and created the earth. The commentary in the margin of the book \"Rechav HaChesed\" explains that the attribute of Chesed (loving-kindness) builds the male aspect (Zeir Anpin), and the attribute of Gevurah (severity) builds the female aspect. This is indicated by the verse, \"Even My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has stretched out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand up together\" (Isaiah 48:13). What does it mean that they stand up together? It does not mean that the heavens and the earth physically stand up together. Rather, it means that the right side and the left side, which are represented by the words \"et\" (את), are in unity. And the commentary of \"Mikdash Melech\" explains that the verse \"Even My hand has laid the foundation of the earth\" represents the attribute of Binah (understanding) saying so. It is not possible to say that they physically stand up together, as it would imply that they are always standing together. But that cannot be said because the female aspect (Nukva) sometimes separates from the male aspect (Zeir Anpin) during exile. Refer to Likutei Sichot Yud-Zayin (17) for the opposite interpretation that is not applicable to our realm. The one who examines will see, recognize, and understand how the philosopher, author of the Zohar, deviated from the path of interpreting the scriptures according to the will of the sages, as explained later in section Dalet (4) below.",
            " 25) According to the words of the Zohar and Mikdash Melech, the reason the seventy-two elders changed the wording for King Ptolemy when they translated the Torah for him is as we learn in Chapter 1 of Megillah. There is a story about King Ptolemy who gathered seventy-two elders and seated them in seventy-two separate chambers, without revealing to them the reason for their gathering. He then visited each one of them individually and said to them, \"Write for me the Torah of your master Moses.\" And the Holy One, blessed be He, placed a plan in the heart of each and every one of them, and their minds agreed upon one understanding. They wrote for him, \"God created in the beginning the heavens and the earth.\" And Rashi explained that they did not write the name \"Yahweh\" in the beginning, as there are two authorities, one creating the other. Likewise, they wrote, \"Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.\" And the esteemed Rabbi from the school of the Rosh (Rabbi Asher) also explained, following Rashi's interpretation, that they did not say there are two authorities, and this way, it does not contradict what was said in Sanhedrin: \"Whenever the heretics denied [God], their response was by their side.\" \"Let us make man,\" \"and God created,\" \"come, let us go down,\" \"and the Lord descended,\" and they were written from the beginning in plural form, as Rabbi Yochanan said: The Holy One, blessed be He, does not do anything until He consults with the heavenly assembly and so on. And its meaning is as Rashi explained in the Torah, that it is an attribute of humility, that the greater should consult with the lesser. This is in accordance with Midrash Bereishit Rabbah and so on. ",
            "And refer to \"The Guide for the Perplexed\" in Chapter 6, where it presents two versions. One version states that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not do anything until He looks into the supreme intellect and derives existence from it, similar to the saying of Plato that the Divine Being contemplates the world of intelligibles and brings forth reality from it. The second version is that they said in another place that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not do anything until He is crowned in the supreme Kingship. \"Pemiliya\" is a term from the Greek language. In Bereishit Rabbah and in Midrash Kohelet, it is stated: \"That which has already been done.\" It is not said \"He made it,\" but rather \"He did it.\" It is metaphorical to say that He and His court deliberated over each and every limb within you and then placed it in its proper position, as it is written: \"He has made you and established you\" (Deuteronomy 32:6). In Bereishit Rabbah, it is also said that in every place where it is written \"the Lord\" and \"His court,\" it does not mean that the Almighty consults with others, seeks advice, or contemplates, nor does it imply that He requires assistance from the knowledge of others. How can the Creator benefit from what He has created? Rather, the intention is to teach us that even the various components of existence, including the organs of living beings, were created according to the purpose that was determined by Him. All of this occurs through the intermediaries of angels, as all the forces are angels. How greatly damaging is the arrogance of foolishness, and how greatly harmful it is when they claim to be wise individuals of Israel, and so on. See there for further elaboration.",
            "Your question addresses how our Sages (may their memory be blessed) distanced themselves from attributing to the Almighty that He needs His creations and relies on them, or attributing to the angels any role in creation. Rather, everything is dependent on the Almighty Himself, unlike what the philosopher who authored the Zohar did, calling Him \"Father-Creator,\" or referring to the mother as the skilled craftsman fulfilling the will of the master of the house. As explained earlier, the attribution of creation should not be solely attributed to the first cause as the father, or in the sense that the Creator was weak and relied on them for creation. According to your words that the Kabbalists received it as such from Moses, their teacher (may his memory be blessed), they should have copied the Scriptures as they are and explained to him that \"In the beginning, which is understanding, the father created God.\" Similarly, they should have clarified to him the meaning that \"Let us make man\" refers to two entities. Why did they needlessly corrupt the Scriptures and consider their words as advice without the knowledge of Torah, which is the Halacha handed down to Moses at Sinai? It would have been appropriate for them to leave the Scriptures as they are and explain to him the meaning of the verses in their form, which is the Halacha according to your words. And their words would have been correct and accepted by him according to his understanding of the belief in the One God. They should have also explained to him that \"In the beginning\" means that the Father, who is also God, said, \"Let there be light,\" \"Let there be an expanse,\" and \"Let the waters be gathered.\" They should have also explained to him the meaning of \"the heavens and the earth.\" The names are divine attributes, as the philosopher explained in the Zohar that they are small and feminine. However, our Sages distanced themselves from these opinions to the extreme, as we find in the statement in Chagigah (Chapter Ein Dorshin), where Rabbi Yishmael asked Rabbi Akiva while they were walking on the road. Rabbi Yishmael said to him, \"You served Nahum Ish Gamzu for twenty-two years, and he used to interpret every occurrence in the Torah. What did he interpret regarding the heavens and the earth?\" Rabbi Akiva replied to him, \"If it had been written 'the heavens and the earth,' I would have said that they are the names of the Holy One, blessed be He. But now it is written 'the heavens and the earth.'\" \"Heavens, heavens in the true sense; earth, earth in the true sense.\" And in Bereshit Rabbah, the matter is further clarified. Rabbi Yishmael asked Rabbi Akiva and said to him, \"Since you served Nahum Ish Gamzu for twenty-two years, prepare and count: few, small, numerous, and complete. What is the interpretation of what is written here?\" Rabbi Akiva said to him, \"If it had been written 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,' we would say that the heavens and the earth are divine attributes. Therefore, see the commentary of Maharsha and Etz Yosef and understand that this is indeed the opinion of the Zohar, for the heavens and the earth mentioned here are small and feminine, which is according to their opinion, 'the Lord our God,' as will be explained later.",
            "26) In the Zohar, in Parashat Bereshit, page 34a, it is written: \"The Lord is King, the Lord is King, the Lord shall reign forever and ever, the Lord shall reign above.\" The Lord is King: in the middle. The Lord shall reign below accordingly. The explanation of the Holy Temple is that \"King\" refers to the divine intentions. The Lord is King is the long countenance. The Lord is King, the Father and Mother. The Lord shall reign, small and feminine accordingly. And in Parashat Beshalach, page 64a, regarding the verse \"Is the Lord in our midst or not,\" if there is no difficulty in the Zohar, are the Israelites foolish, etc.? Rather, they wanted to understand the distinction between the Ancient Concealed One, called \"Ain,\" and the Small Countenance, called \"Havayah\" (the name of God). And because it is not written \"Is the Lord in our midst or not,\" except as it is written \"If you follow my teachings or not,\" the Israelites said: If this question is asked in one context, and if that question is asked in another context. And concerning this, immediately Amalek came, and the Maharal of Prague explained that the intention of the Zohar is that our ancestors sought to know who is their leader and performs all these miracles for them, whether it is the Holy One, called \"Za\" (Zeir Anpin) and \"Havayah\" (the name of God), or it is the Ancient One. They conducted this investigation in order to serve Him in the appropriate manner, whether as Zeir Anpin in a different manner, or as the Ancient One in a different manner, because there is a distinction between one form of worship and another, and between one intention and another. They were uncertain about this until they heard the words, \"I am the Lord your God,\" and then they knew that He is Zeir Anpin, as mentioned above. ",
            "In the tractate Menachot, in the chapter \"Harei Alai Asaron,\" it is taught in a Baraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Azzai said, \"Come and see what is written in the portion of the sacrifices. It does not say in them 'to El' or 'to Elohim,' but rather 'to Hashem' (the Lord). This is to prevent the litigant from having an opening to argue, and Rashi explains that it is to say that they are authorities.\" And this matter proves that the one who is referred to as Hashem (the Lord) commanded to offer him a meal offering (mincha), and the one who is referred to as Hashem (the Lord) commanded to offer him bulls and rams, as mentioned above. You have learned that according to the author of the Zohar, the divine entities are divided. Our ancestors (according to his words) sought to know through their investigation which deity was leading them: whether it was Atik (the Ancient One) whose worship is in a different manner, or Zeir Anpin (the Lesser Countenance) whose worship is different. They did not have a clear understanding of this uncertainty until the giving of the Torah, when they (according to his approach) knew that it was Zeir Anpin. This is clarified as stated by Maimonides in Chapter 3 of Hilchot Avodat Kochavim (Laws of Idolatry), and it is also mentioned in the words of our Sages. Many idolaters established various forms of worship for each specific image. However, we, as believers in monotheism, affirm that there is nothing comparable to the One in all other entities. There is no room for such matters, as our Sages have stated in Tractate Menachot. ",
            "From all the statements in the Zohar and its commentaries mentioned above, it is evident that they ascribe these titles to each of the countenances in the divine emanations of Atzilut, such as Havayah, Adonut, Elohim, and the Holy One, Blessed be He. However, they chose to worship the last countenance, which is Ze'eir Anpin. And they said that the Infinite One, with all the emanated countenances deriving from Him, is not involved in any service or invocation, and that one who prays to them is not generally answered in their exaltedness. Even more so, the countenances in the higher worlds, which are above the world of Atzilut, have no connection to any service in most cases, and only with Ze'eir Anpin alone is there a connection to service, prayer, and calling upon Him in times of distress. For He is with them as the intermediary that connects all the forces above and below, as He was elevated by Abba and Ima and entrusted with dominion over all creatures. They were commanded to serve and bless Him, and according to their understanding, He is the Lord our God. And it is explained in the Zohar, Parshat Balak, page 191b, with the commentary of \"Mikdash Melech\" on the verse \"He does not withhold blessing from His nation\" (Numbers 23:20). And the secret of the word \"Bereiza\" is written in the secret of the supernal word, His Name and the Name of His son, \"Ki Teda\" (meaning \"that you may know\"). That Name is the knowledge of the Lord of Hosts (meaning \"Abba\"), and the Name of His son is Israel (meaning \"Ze'eir Anpin\"), as it is written, \"Israel is My firstborn\" (Exodus 4:22), and this Israel is the key to all the gates of faith. And it is concealed, and He said, \"The Lord said to me, 'You are My son'\" (Psalm 2:7), which means that Abba, who is called the Lord of Hosts, entrusted it to me, my son. And this is certainly the case. Indeed, Abba and Imma crowned him and blessed him with many blessings. And it is said, \"And they appointed for him guards with swords, lest he become angry.\" They appointed guards for this son, as if to say, \"We rule and give him authority over every chamber, so that he may merit compassion and mercy.\" All the blessings from above and below rise and adorn that son. And why do they withhold blessings from this son? It is because they first spread out their sins before the Holy King (some say, before the Holy Mother) in order to be cleansed. That is the understanding. Indeed, it is clear that the Zohar refers to Abba as \"the Lord of Hosts,\" and it refers to Zeir Anpin as the \"Son of Abba and Imma.\" The name YHVH is also used in several places in the Zohar to refer to Zeir Anpin. Abba and Imma have bestowed upon him power and dominion over all creation and commanded to serve him. Our blessings and prayers specifically ascend to him to become a crown for Zeir Anpin, not for Abba and Imma, not for Arich Anpin, not for Atik, not for Adam Kadmon, who is called the \"Sacrifice of all sacrifices\" (as mentioned above), and not even for Adam Kadmon, for all the higher worlds beyond the world of Atzilut are encompassed within him (Mikdash Melech Genesis 115). And certainly, they do not reach the Infinite, who is distant and transcendent above all. Regarding him (Zeir Anpin), it is said that no worship, prayer, or blessing is directed towards him. Rather, only Zeir Anpin is relevant and dependent on the providence over the lower realms and their actions, not on the higher divinities. He alone, as Zeir Anpin, rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked. However, all the higher faces, together with the Infinite, who is above all, do not oversee or assign tasks in the affairs of the lower realms, whether for good or for evil. Their hands are short and unable to redeem, and they lack the power to rescue those who call upon them in times of distress. God forbid, the heavens and the earth are abandoned by the Infinite, and they are entrusted to the hands of a short-tempered being, namely Zeir Anpin. He (Zeir Anpin) is a creation and not a creator, as will be further explained later from the words of the Zohar and the Kabbalists. Our sages, may their memory be blessed, interpreted the verse \"Who has ascended to heaven and come down?\" in a beautiful manner. It is brought in Yalkut Mishlei (remaz 522) and in Midrash Hagadol (beginning of Parshat Shemot) that \"Who has ascended to heaven?\" refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who ascended with a shout, and \"and come down\" - the Lord descended on Mount Sinai. \"Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name?\" (Proverbs 30:4). His name is the Rock, His name is the Almighty, His name is the Lord of Hosts. And what is His name? \"Bnei Bechori Yisrael\" (My firstborn son is Israel). The matter is straightforward, as it refers to Israel who are called children of the Most High, because through Israel, the divinity of the Almighty is revealed in the world. It does not mean that there is a name for Zeir Anpin referred to as \"son\" in the Zohar, as understood by the philosophers. And now we have completed the matter that we began. ",
            "27) 27) This is the understanding of the Zohar and the subsequent Kabbalistic teachings that all our service and prayers are specifically directed to Zeir Anpin (the Lesser Countenance). As it is stated in the Zohar, \"Look, fear the Lord your God\" (Deuteronomy 10:12). It is written not as \"elohaykha\" (your God) but as \"et Hashem elohaykha\" (the Lord your God). What is the meaning of \"et,\" which precedes the word \"Hashem\"? It is explained in the Galyon Malkhut (an exposition of the Zohar) with the interpretation \"et Hashem elohaykha\" means \"Fear the 'et' of the Holy One, blessed be He.\" Because from there, \"Bar Nash\" (the Son) needs to fear before his Master, for He is in the house of judgment. And that service, which is of a higher degree, sustains the lower degree and is not revealed to the worlds. \"Et\" and \"v'et\" are connected and are not separated. What is \"v'et\"? It is the sign of the Holy Covenant, an eternal sign, for that quality does not descend, and it does not reveal itself but rather ascends. But that quality ascends on high. Therefore, \"v'et\" signifies service (meaning the service is to Zeir Anpin, as it is stated: \"And serve Him, and cleave to Him\" (Deuteronomy 13:5)). Refer to the Sefer Hamitzvot (Book of Commandments) in the prayer of Elijah the Prophet, which is explained at length. This is the language of the Zohar, according to the commentary of the Rashba (Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet) in Galyon. The intention of the Zohar is to interpret why it is not written, \"Fear the Lord your God and serve Him,\" but rather it is written \"et\" (the word \"et\" adds emphasis). This is to include and amplify the attribute of Malchut (Kingship), which is the female aspect of Zeir Anpin, in the aspect of fear. And from what is written \"v'et oto ta'avod\" (and you shall serve Him), it minimizes it from the service, specifically \"v'et oto ta'avod\" (and you shall serve Him), and not \"oto ta'avod\" (Him you shall serve). This means that it amplifies the aspect of fear and minimizes it from the service, because the service is specifically to Zeir Anpin. ",
            "28) From here it can be proven that it is not a direct tradition from our teacher Moses, as you have assumed. For if it were a direct tradition from Moses, why did Shimon HaAmsoni or Nehemiah HaAmsoni explain all the \"et\" occurrences in the Torah when he reached \"et Hashem Elohecha tira\" (you shall fear the Lord your God), as mentioned in the Gemara in tractate Pesachim? It is taught that Shimon HaAmsoni, or some say Nehemiah HaAmsoni, used to interpret all the \"et\" occurrences in the Torah. But when he reached \"et Hashem Elohecha tira,\" he stopped and his students asked him, \"Rabbi, what is the explanation for all the occurrences of 'et'?\" He said to them, \"Just as I received reward for the interpretation, so I receive reward for refraining from interpreting. Until Rabbi Akiva came and interpreted 'et Hashem Elohecha tira' to include the Torah scholars.\" And Rashi explained that once he reached \"et Hashem Elohecha tira,\" he said, \"How can I increase His fear? I have explained them all and retracted from all the additional interpretations.\" Until Rabbi Akiva came and interpreted it to include the Torah scholars, that their fear of their teacher should be like the fear of Heaven. This is the language of the Talmud and Rashi. And if, according to your words, it is a halacha given to Moses at Sinai, what prompted Shimon HaAmsoni to interpret it? Didn't he know to include the wife of Zer Anpin (the divine emanation representing God) as \"Hashem Eloheinu\" based on their words? And just as our sages expounded in Ketubot, it is taught: \"Honor your father and your mother.\" 'Your father' refers to your father's wife, and 'your mother' refers to your mother's husband, and the extra vav (and) is to include your older brother. ",
            "And even concerning Rabbi Akiva, who was the teacher of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi) and also surpassed the other four sages who entered the mystical realm (pardes) and reached the place of the pure marble stones, entering and leaving in peace— it is truly astonishing why he included the sages, who are flesh and blood, in the category of fearing God, equating their reverence with the reverence for Heaven. Moreover, Rabbi Akiva himself established in the Mishnah, in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), Chapter 4, in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Shouldn't he have included the wife of Zer Anpin as \"Hashem Eloheinu\" based on their words? Or perhaps he should have included the fathers of Zer Anpin, who are considered the father and mother? ",
            "29) In the book \"HaB'rit,\" Part 1, in Chapter 20, the author of \"Ma'amar Kuf\" writes in the book \"Yashar Levav\" that the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is customary on our lips. And when we pronounce the name \"Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey\" (YHVH), it refers to the countenance of Zer Anpin, who is the Holy One, blessed be He, and whose hidden soul is concealed within him through the inner countenances. He is the very first cause, and it is Him whom we worship in His service. The general principle, as understood by all the Kabbalists, is that the primary cause, which is referred to by them as \"Ein Sof\" (the Infinite), is the one who created all existence out of nothingness. He encompasses that entire existence from the outside, and in His chosen aspect, which is the selected aspect among the primordial ancestors, known as Zer Anpin, the concealed dwelling place [14] hidden from the chamber like the soul within the body and enlivening it. Therefore, this chosen one, Zer Anpin, rules over all creatures, guides them, sustains them, and provides for them. He is our God, and we are with Him because our souls are His portion. He is the one praised in all the praises mentioned in our holy Torah, which He bequeathed to us, and through it, He revealed all the hidden things to us, and so forth. Further evidence from the Zohar and the Tikkunim emphasizes that the service is directed towards Zer Anpin, who is the intermediary that connects everything together. Furthermore, it is written in the name of the Arizal (Rabbi Isaac Luria) in \"Likutei Tanach\" regarding the verse \"Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah the Lord is an everlasting rock\" (Isaiah 26:4). It is understood that when a person directs their intention solely towards Zer Anpin, it is sufficient, for within that name, Arich Anpin (the Long Face) and Abba (Father) and Ima (Mother) are encompassed, one within the other within Zer Anpin, and so forth. ",
            "Also, in the book \"Etz Chaim\" by Rabbi Chaim Vital, in Sha'ar HaKlalim, Chapter 11, it is written that Moses said to the Israelites upon their entry into the land: \"And you who cleave to the Lord your God, you are all alive today.\" For the Lord your God is Zer Anpin and its female counterpart. And the Israelites who entered the land were... (the text continues, please refer to the source for further details). Additionally, in the book \"HaKavanot\" on the customs of the Arizal, it is written that when you utter the name of the Tetragrammaton (YHVH), you should direct your intention toward Zer Anpin and intend with it, \"Yod-Hey-Vav, Zer Anpin, and Hey, the final Hey, which represents Malchut (the Kingdom).\" You should intend to form the complete name of Adonai in a certain manner, and so on (further details can be found in the source). Similarly, in the book \"Machberet HaKodesh\" in the Musaf prayer for Shabbat, it is mentioned that numerous angels from the higher realms give a crown to Zer Anpin, who is the Lord our God. See there, page 40a. Additionally, in the \"Mikdash Melech\" commentary on the 12th gate of King David, it is explained that the name \"Eloha Rabba\" is not attributed to Eloha d'Rabba (the Great God), but rather to Zer Anpin, and in wisdom, it is called \"Chacham\" (wise), and so on. And one who directs their intention towards the Infinite One due to His exaltedness, as He has no name or point that can define Him, their prayer is not considered a prayer. Rather, one should direct their intention toward Him as He is clothed in His attributes, and so on. Please refer to section 100 and the \"Nachalat Yosef\" for further details. ",
            "30) From all of this, it becomes clear to you with a good explanation that the Zohar and all its commentators, including the \"Mikdash Melech,\" the \"Kisei Eliyahu,\" Rabbi Emanuel of the Mishnat Chassidim, \"Yosher Levav,\" the Rashab, \"Matzref HaEmunah,\" and the book \"HaKavanot,\" as well as the author of \"Eitz Chaim,\" \"Machberet HaKodesh,\" \"Sefer HaBrit,\" the Ari in \"Likkutei HaLekutim\" and \"Nachalat Yosef,\" and others, all unanimously respond and say that regarding the Infinite One, who is the first cause, no worship or invocation is appropriate. Only towards Zer Anpin, who is the last cause among all the emanations, according to their understanding, who connects all the faces, and sustains and provides for all creatures, we should direct our worship. Only to Him should we call out in times of distress, and He will answer us on the day we call. However, Rabbi Kisei Eliyahu requires that when praying to him, one should also mention the other faces above him. If one does not include them in his prayer, he will not be quickly answered unless he mentions the other faces along with him. This is stated in page 26 [of the source], and it is necessary to emphasize the unity of all the faces along the path we mentioned earlier, to pray to Zer Anpin. And in their prayers, they should mention the names of the higher faces above them because they need them. If they do not do so and only unify their prayer towards Zer Anpin, they will not be quickly answered, as we mentioned. This is the meaning of the combination of the letters \"מה תצעק אלי\" (from ancient sources, etc.), and it concludes there that even if they only prayed to Zer Anpin, they would not be lacking, but they would not be answered as quickly. Similarly, Rabbi Yosher Levav wrote in Beit Bet, Room 3, Chapter 7, etc. The devoted reader, deeply attached to the Torah of our teacher Moses, may wonder about the vast knowledge he possesses in both the written and oral Torah, including the Mishnah, Talmud, and the Midrashim of our sages. His eyes behold the words of the great luminaries such as the pious author of \"Chovot HaLevavot\" (Duties of the Heart), Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, Rabbi Saadia Gaon, Maimonides in his works, Rabbi Eliezer of Germaiza in \"B'rukach\" and \"Sefer Mitzvot Gadol,\" \"Sefer Mitzvot Katan,\" \"Ba'al Ha'ikarim,\" and similar works that speak of the unity of the Almighty according to the teachings of our sages, who faithfully transmit the tradition. ",
            "His heart trembles greatly as he hears about the intricate system of the Divine realms, which has been expounded and expanded among the Jewish people since the beginning of the sixth millennium, starting with a few authors. From generation to generation, from the time of the Geonim, this belief has grown significantly, surpassing the belief in one cause over another, and recognizing that with the will of one of the causes, a creation comes into being and receives authority from the cause above it. This is elucidated explicitly in the Zohar (Genesis 22) that each level receives authority from the level above it: Malchut from Zeir Anpin, Zeir Anpin from Imma, Imma from Abba, Abba from Arich, Arich from Atik, and Atik from Adam Kadmon. For he is the head of the countenances of the Emanation, and he alone said, \"See now that I, I am He, and there is no God with Me,\" as he does not need to receive authority from Adam Kadmon, who is above him. And in every act of creation, the King, the Creator, was Abba. He is called \"the Supernal King\" in the Zohar, and Imma is called \"Craftsman.\" At the time of the creation of the first man, Abba did not desire to create him, knowing that he would sin. Imma, the Craftsman, persuaded him, saying, \"Since his sin depends on me, it doesn't matter to you.\" This is elucidated there, and in the Holy Temple as well. ",
            "31) This matter is indeed very difficult. Why does Adam Kadmon not need to receive authority from Adam Kadmon who is above him, nor from A\"S who is higher than him? I have already mentioned earlier the language of the Book of the Covenant from the words of Yeshurun Levav, who said that the familiar name of the Holy One, blessed be He, that is uttered in our mouths, is a reference to Zeir Anpin. The same applies to the name YHVH, as mentioned in Metzaref HaEmunah. However, I did not quote his words since you profane it and consider it heretical due to your lack of understanding. Surely, you have erred in this matter, as I have written before, for this is the belief of all the Kabbalists. In Bereishit Rabbah, Parasha 12, and also in Midrash Rabbah, hints 18, it is mentioned: \"And for everything that exists, there are generations of the heavens and the earth, as it is said, 'These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created' (Genesis 2:4). Mountains have their generations, as it is said, 'Before the mountains were born' (Psalm 90:2). Rain has its generations, as it is said, 'Is there any father to the rain?' (Job 38:28). Dew has its generations, as it is said, 'Or who has begotten the drops of dew?' (Job 38:28). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: These are the legs of the dew. It was taught: Anyone who has generations dies and is renewed, while I create, and anyone who does not have generations neither dies nor is renewed.\" And the one who creates but is not created—Rabbi Azariah said in the name of Rabbi—this applies to the higher realm. And this is a true and clear principle. The explanation of Rabbi Etz Yosef is that death and renewal are two separate things. Death signifies loss, while renewal signifies rejuvenation while still existing. For everything that exists is constantly lacking and diminishing in its nature, were it not for the fact that the Almighty renews it every day with His goodness, following the pattern of the work of Creation. And anyone who does not have generations means that even though there is nothing but the Almighty, He is saying that through all those who study, He carries everything. This is similar to the explanation of Rabbi Azariah in the name of Rabbi regarding the higher realm. And from the outset, you have learned that since the mentioned entities in the words of the Zohar and the Kabbalists have generations, transitions, and sustenance, it is false and inconceivable to attribute the title of \"Creator\" solely to the one mentioned among all the entities. Alternatively, it can be interpreted that one who has generations means that there is a cause for their existence, making their existence possible. And every possible existence entails potential loss, but our blessed God has no other preceding cause, and He alone is the sole cause for all creation. As the esteemed Maimonides (Rambam) stated in his work \"Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah\" and its commentary, and as our predecessors wrote regarding what Rabbi Y. wrote in his fourth principle, that we believe that this One is indeed the Primordial Being, and everything besides Him is not primordial, etc. The Rabbis, Rabbi Hatur and Rabbi Zachariah the physician, may their souls rest in peace, wrote that the Primordial Being is the one without a beginning, and the created beings are those He brought into existence and brought forth. Blessed is the Divine Being who is the absolute First. And this interpretation aligns with the explanation of the Midrash Rabba regarding mountains, rain, and dew. And certainly, it is false to attribute any of the faces (manifestations) as God or Creator, since each one has a different cause that preceded it. In the Mishnat Chassidim, in the tractate Lail Pesach, Chapter 7, Mishnah 23, in the commentary of Hagadat Lail Pesach, it is stated that \"And God took us out,\" which refers to the expressions \"Father\" and \"Mother,\" etc., and if the Almighty did not redeem them, as the Primordial Being prolonged the lives of our ancestors who were Father and Mother in Egypt, etc. In the tractate Nedarim, Chapter 20, it is stated that the Kabbalists refer to the Almighty as the Primordial Being. Therefore, each of the faces is called \"The Lord of Hosts,\" \"YHVH,\" \"Adonai,\" \"The Holy One, Blessed be He,\" and other names and epithets unique to the Divine. When you examine their writings carefully, especially if you study their books with understanding, you will see this. And they also call (referring) to the Almighty as \"Father\" and \"Our Father\" who redeemed us from Egypt through the Primordial Being (Arich Anpin) from the hand of Pharaoh (who is the Other Side called \"Eloah Achad\"). This was concealed by the Primordial Being (Arich Anpin) from Pharaoh, and this continued according to their misconception, as they believe in the existence of a singular deity (Eloah Achad), contrary to the words of our Sages (Razal). They also believed that the other imagined gods ruled over the holy gods, who are the Father, Mother, Ze'ir Anpin, and Nukva, and the Primordial Being (Arich Anpin) redeemed them from them. ",
            "The refutation of these ideas held by later Kabbalists, who were influenced by the ideas of the author of the Zohar, can be clarified by what our Sages (Razal) said (Shabbat 88a): Rabbi Akiva said, \"When Moses ascended to receive the Torah, the ministering angels said before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'What is a human being doing among us?'\" He replied to them, \"To receive the Torah, come and see,\" until the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, \"Reply to them.\" Moses feared and said, \"What if they burn me with the breath of their mouths?\" He said to him, \"Grasp onto the throne of My glory and respond to them.\" And the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed the radiance of His Divine Presence upon him and said before Him, \"Master of the Universe, what is written in the Torah that You are giving to them?\" He said to them, \"I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.\" He said to them, \"Did you descend to Egypt? Were you enslaved to Pharaoh? Why do you need the Torah?\" According to the teachings of the new Kabbalists, if even the Father, Mother, Ze'ir Anpin, and Nukva were enslaved to Pharaoh (who is the Other Side), how much more so the angels? It is also clarified there in the teachings of the Chassidim that Ze'ir Anpin suffered greatly in a great exile, like a fetus in its mother's womb! And their words contradict each other. For they said that Ze'ir Anpin gives the Torah, and it is he who said, \"I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.\" And here it is saying that the Holy One, blessed be He, who is Ze'ir Anpin, brought our ancestors, who are the Father, Mother, and Ze'ir Anpin, out of Egypt in distress and exile? And do not be puzzled by what the Sages said that the Divine Presence was with them in their exile in Egypt. They were exiled to Babylon, and the Divine Presence was with them, as it is stated, \"I am with him in distress\" (Psalms 91:15). All of this is in accordance with the statement in Exodus 18:23: \"For I do not desire the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.\" Furthermore, it can be said that it is seemingly necessary to fulfill His promise to us even in exile. Moreover, even when they are in the land of their enemies, they are not despised or completely destroyed, and so forth. The divine providence has clung to us in exile, so that our enemies do not annihilate us completely. And furthermore, it is known from the words of our Sages that there is no existence of any other deity in the world whatsoever. And the Torah only speaks according to the mindset of the people. ",
            "32) In addition, it is known and well-known how much our Sages emphasized the strictness of transmitting the tradition from Moses, may he rest in peace. They specifically emphasized the case of one who says \"Modim, Modim\" (we acknowledge, we acknowledge) twice or \"Shema, Shema\" (hear, hear) twice, as they silence him, as stated in the Mishnah in Berakhot, Chapter 1: \"Ein Om'din\" (they do not interrupt). And in Megillah, Chapter 4, regarding the one who says \"Modim, Modim,\" they silence him as well. And in Berakhot, page 33a, Ger said that Rabbi Zeira said, \"Anyone who says 'Shema, Shema' is similar to one who says 'Modim, Modim.'\" The explanation given by the commentators is that it appears as if there are two authorities or as if he accepts two deities upon himself. In Berakhot, page 14a, there is a case where someone stood before Rava and heard someone say \"Emet, Emet\" (truth, truth) twice. Rava said, \"Every 'Emet, Emet' that he said, he took hold of it.\" Therefore, the intention is in the eye of the beholder. Just as one cannot say \"Achad, Achad\" (one, one) because it implies multiplicity and not unity, one cannot say \"Emet, Emet\" because truth is only one. This is the statement of Rava, a concise expression of truth, that he firmly holds onto. This means that he believes in strengthening his words with the truths of the Almighty, as he adds and does not subtract from them. In Sukkah, chapter \"HaChalil,\" it is taught: \"We read it 'Anu LeYeih' ('we read it as such'), but I say, Rabbi Zeira said, 'Whoever says \"Shema Shema\" (hear, hear) is as though he said \"Modim Modim\" (we give thanks, we give thanks).'\" Rashi explains that this is because we silence him, as it appears as if there are two authorities. However, the resolution is as follows: \"We read it 'Modim' (we give thanks),\" and we forgive him for it. Thus, it implies that the Rabbis were particular, but the matter suggests that there are two authorities. And this is the ruling of all the decisors, that if one says \"Shema Shema\" or \"Modim Modim,\" we silence him because it appears as if there are two authorities. And from this, we can derive a logical inference (according to the principle commonly accepted in our hands that a person can reason from himself) to make a comparison and draw an a fortiori argument. This is discussed in the Zohar (Genesis 34a), where it is written: \"The Lord is King, the Lord was King, the Lord will be King forever and ever.\" The Lord is King above, the Lord is King in the middle, the Lord will be King below. The Holy One, blessed be He, explained that the King mentioned here is \"Erich\" (long). The Lord is King; He is the Father and Mother. The Lord will be King, small and female. Thus, when it is stated that \"The Lord is King,\" it means He is crowning Erich Anpin. When it is stated that \"The Lord is King,\" it means He is crowning the Father and Mother. And when it is stated that \"The Lord will be King forever and ever,\" it means He is crowning the small and female. Is there any belief greater and more significant than this belief in multiple authorities and great entities? Since it states that God crowned three kings with the statement, \"The Lord is King,\" how can one falsely claim, \"Our Father, our King, we have no king but You\"? Haven't three kings already been crowned? In which of them is He now choosing to reign? And how can He remove the crown of kingship from the others? In this regard and similar cases, the words of Rabbi Ba'al Ha'ikarim in the end of Chapter 28 hold true. He strongly warned not to study the Zohar and other Kabbalistic texts. He emphasized and advised you, \"Be cautious and guard your soul diligently, lest you stumble after them and be ensnared in their trap.\" For they forsake the paths of righteousness to walk in the ways of darkness, for they do not know and do not understand the darkness in which they walk. Those who engage in Kabbalah without proper knowledge, relying on sources other than the received tradition from an authorized and accepted sage, are at fault. Therefore, every lover of the Almighty and adherent to His written and oral Torah, which our sages, the masters of the Mishnah and Talmud, transmitted, should distance themselves from the new Kabbalah. They should not worry about its reasons and concerns, lest they jeopardize their pure and fortified faith, which has been established multiple times according to the teachings of the Tannaim, Amoraim, and Poskim. ",
            "33) Any intelligent person who delves even slightly into the books of the Zohar and Kabbalistic teachings will know and recognize that the sefirot and the faces mentioned in their words preceded the creation of heaven and earth and all their hosts. This is apparent from the words of Rabbi Hayyim Vital in his book Etz Hayim, in the Gate of Principles and the Gate of Circles and Rectitude. It is further explained extensively in the Gate of Breaking the Vessels, Chapter 3, and elsewhere. The order of the emanation of the kings is elucidated, starting from the first one, which is the attribute of \"Da'at\" (knowledge) that emerged first. When the vessel could no longer bear, as mentioned above, it broke and descended below into the world of Beri'ah. I mean to say that it descended to the place where the world of Beri'ah was destined to exist afterward, for at that time the world of Beri'ah had not yet been created, and this vessel fell in the place where the future emanation of Beri'ah would be, and so on. ",
            "And the conclusion we derive from this is that our contemporary Kabbalistic sages, who ventured to ask and explore above and below, what is before and what is behind, have erred in seeking answers outside the realm of the teachings received by our revered sages of the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds, Midrash Rabbah, Tanchuma, and other Midrashim of our sages, which are authoritative. As the Gemara states in Chagigah, Chapter Ein Dorshin: \"One may not inquire about matters from the early days.\" Could one inquire about the sacred secrets of the world's creation? Therefore, the verse states, \"From the day that God created man on the earth.\" Could one inquire from the six days of creation? Therefore, it says, \"From the earliest days,\" meaning from the first day. Could one inquire about what is above, what is below, what is in front, and what is behind? The verse instructs us, \"From one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens,\" meaning you may ask only within these boundaries. And you should not inquire about what is above, what is below, what is in front, and what is behind, as stated in the Gemara. Refer to the insights of Maharsha in his novellae on the story of Rabbi Elazar, who said to Rabbi Yochanan, \"Come, and I will teach you the Ma'aseh Merkavah.\" Rabbi Yochanan replied, \"I already heard it once, and when I encountered difficulties, Rabbi Asi said to me, 'Come, and I will teach you the Ma'aseh Merkavah.'\" Rabbi Yochanan refrained from teaching it, both in his youth and in his old age. Maharsha perceives from this incident that the teachings of the new Kabbalah surpass the level of the Ma'aseh Merkavah, and it is more appropriate to conceal them rather than to publicly expound upon them. And I say that it is categorically forbidden to delve into it, neither individually nor publicly. Just as the sages did not permit the study of Ma'aseh Merkavah beyond a certain point, even for wise and knowledgeable scholars, but only until the \"chashmal\" or, according to some opinions, until \"va'era\" and no further, as from there and upward it is completely prohibited to discuss at all, according to the tradition of the sages and their warning. And anyone who transgresses the words of the sages is liable to the death penalty. From all of this, we have learned that our rabbis of the new Kabbalah made a great mistake, as they went beyond what was permitted and allowed to them, as will be explained later. A foreign thought arose in their hearts that as the time of redemption approaches, this halacha will be nullified, and it will be permissible to delve into what was previously forbidden to them. As explained in the ruling made by Rabbi Yitzchak, which appears at the beginning of the Zohar, it is an error in his hands to contradict the halacha as stated in the Mishnah, Talmud, and the rulings of the poskim (Jewish legal decisors), and one should not rely on him at all. The new Kabbalists did not take to heart the statement of our sages (zichronam livracha) that all the laws of the Oral Torah will not be nullified, as stated by the Rambam (Maimonides) in the conclusion of the laws of the Megillah. By deviating from the words of our sages, they fell into the unintentional mistake of believing in multiple deities and acknowledging the existence of other gods, and of associating the name of Heaven with something else. As Rabbi Shimon said, anyone who associates the name of Heaven with something else will be uprooted from the world. In the conclusion of Tractate Pesachim, we have the following versions: \"What is meant by the ancient covering? It refers to the covering of ancient matters, hidden secrets of the Torah\" (commentary of Rashi, based on Ma'aseh Merkavah and Bereishit Rabbah). And some say, \"This refers to the revealing of matters that were covered for ancient days, hidden secrets of the Torah.\" And what are these? They are the reasons of the Torah. Therefore, the revealing of the Ma'aseh Merkavah (Divine Chariot) will not bring any benefit to the righteous, even more so for matters that are higher than the Ma'aseh Merkavah, which should not be discussed at all. Permission is not granted to reveal them except for the reasons of the Torah alone. But the hidden secrets of the Torah are not permitted to be revealed, and certainly they should not be expounded upon in public, even in the study hall, especially not to students of the wise, and all the more so among the masses who do not know and understand. This would lead them to heresies in matters of faith, as our eyes have witnessed. It is unthinkable to consider that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, the Tanna, would transgress this prohibition by discussing matters that are higher than the Ma'aseh Merkavah and matters that existed prior to the creation of the world. Similarly, no Tanna or Amora should do such a thing and claim that the Almighty revealed it to him and permitted him to discuss what is forbidden. This would be false prophecy (and according to Maimonides, it is punishable by strangulation, as stated in the introduction to Seder Zera'im), for a prophet is not allowed to introduce anything new, as \"it is not in heaven.\"  ",
            "34) In section 4, Rabbi Chaim Vital, in his book Etz Chaim, ruled for himself to speak and expound upon matters that existed before and to clarify their main principles. He contemplated providing a reason why the world was created at this particular time and not earlier. He suggested that in ancient times, the Creator was engaged in creating higher worlds and did not complete them until the time of creating this physical world. The Creator did not find a suitable and available time to create this physical world because throughout the duration of the earlier time, He was preoccupied with the creation of the higher worlds. It was necessary to have a specific duration of time for the creation of the world, as mentioned elsewhere. ",
            "And the statement of Rabbi Chaim Vital contradicts what Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides) wrote in the Guide for the Perplexed, at the end of Chapter 15. Maimonides states that if one were to say metaphorically that the Creator created many worlds before this world in accordance with the numerical measure of the width of the upper sphere, chardeleth (mustard seed), and each world existed for countless years equivalent to the width of the upper sphere (chardeleth), it would imply that when He actualized their existence, they had no purpose like these worlds. It would then mean that God created the world \"yesterday.\" For when the initial existence followed non-existence (the negation of the previous state), there is no difference whether you say it was created hundreds of thousands of years ago or a very recent time. And from this, you will understand the deficiency in wisdom of Rabbi Chaim Vital, who attempted to be wise without wisdom. In the book \"On to God\" in the Holy of Holies, Chapter 21, Verse 4, according to his audacity to respond, he said: \"If you are not satisfied with the answer of choice, I will give you another answer: Listen! The Holy King, blessed be He, created the worlds.\" With this, you cannot question why He created them now and not earlier, because once He became a Creator, He created them all. According to his words, it turns out that the Creator, blessed be He, is not much greater than the first man, as He took only five days. And according to his words, how can he explain what the sages, may their memory be blessed, interpreted regarding the verse \"And I was with him as a faithful witness\"? For according to his view, the Torah existed before the creation of the world by several generations, as he asserts that the Torah preceded the Creator's existence, may He be exalted, and may He protect us from such foreign thoughts. And the late Rabbi Yitzhak Tzahari, in the name of Rabbi Saadia Gaon, explains in the seventh matter of the Parashah of Bereshit to inform us that although the heavens appear great in their measure, as explained in the demonstration to the possessors of the wisdom of astronomy in heaven and on earth, do not think that they required a long time to be created. Rather, I call them to stand together, and I mean by \"Bereshit\" in a short time within the times, without effort, toil, or exertion. Similarly, it says, \"He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable,\" and so on. In Bereishit Rabbah, it is mentioned in Chapter 1 and 3, and in Midrash Bereshit Rabba Amz, and in Isaiah 42 and Psalms 136, the Sages asked when the angels were created. Rabbi Yochanan said that they were created on the second day, as it is written, \"When He established the heavens, I was there\" (Proverbs 8:27), and it is written afterwards, \"He makes His angels spirits.\" Rabbi Chanina said they were created on the fifth day, as it is written, \"Let birds fly above the earth\" (Genesis 1:20), and it is written, \"And with twain he did fly.\" Rabbi Luliani, in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak, said that both Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Chanina agree that nothing was created on the first day. They said this to prevent the possibility of saying that Michael stretched out the southern part of the firmament and Gabriel the northern part, and the Holy One, blessed be He, measured in the middle. Rather, \"I, the Lord, am the Maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, and spreading out the earth all alone.\" (Isaiah 44:24) Who was with Me, it is written, who was My partner in the creation of the world. Likewise, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi) said in Tractate Rosh Hashanah, Chapter 1, that the angels were not created until the second day, as stated by Rabbi Yochanan. And so writes the Semag (Sefer Mitzvot Gadol) in the introduction to his work, that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He created it on the first day, and the angels were created on the second day, as it is written, \"When He established the heavens, I was there,\" and it is written afterwards, \"He makes His angels spirits.\" Thus, it supports the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan. In the Midrash Tehillim (Psalms), it is said, \"And it was evening, and it was morning, one day.\" It was the first day of the eternal world, which had nothing in it except for Him. Therefore, it is said, \"You are He, the Lord God alone.\" However, it is different with You. For You are great and perform wonders in the governance of the world. When an earthly king is honored in a country, the nobles of that country are also honored with him because they bear his burden. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that. He alone created the world, He alone is honored in the world. He alone takes pride in His world. Rabbi Tanchuma said, \"For You are great and perform wonders. Why? Because You alone are God. You alone, by Yourself, created the world.\" ",
            "35) And from this, my dear friend, the true essence of our pure and firmly established faith becomes clear, based on the teachings of our Sages, may their memory be blessed, who received the tradition from Moses, our teacher, peace be upon him. The Holy One, blessed be He, who is the ultimate cause, created everything on His own, without any assistance from any created being. This is contrary to the interpretation of the philosopher mentioned earlier in the Zohar that I brought above in Sections 20, 21, and 24, where he suggested that the many ascending levels that the Creator established assist one another, and each one derives authority from the higher level above it. There is room for the judge to say that the Ancient One stretches out in the south, and the Long Face in the north, and the Father in the east, and the Mother in the west, and the Small One and His Consort in the corners, while the Primordial Adam, the greatest among them, measures in the middle. This contradicts what our Sages said about the governance of the world, that when an earthly king is honored, the nobles of the kingdom are honored with him because they bear his burden, and so on. Similarly, the false prophet philosopher, the author of the Zohar, and other Kabbalists, in their misguided reverence for our Father, our King, have done the same. All the entities they have invented in their imaginations are honored alongside the Creator. The Primordial Adam, the greatest among them, is honored with the statement, \"Behold now, for I, I am He, I am the true one, and I give life,\" and so on, without any other superior authority above him from which he derives permission. The Father is honored with the statement, \"Let there be light, and the waters shall gather,\" as mentioned above. The Mother is honored with the statement, \"Let us make man.\" The Ancient One is honored with the statement, \"The Lord, your work in the midst of the years, revive it.\" As for the Small One, he is honored with the statement, \"I am the Lord your God who brought you out,\" and so on. As stated in the book of Genesis (to be referenced in section 16) and by Rabbi Nachalat Yosef (page 61a-61b), the concept is mentioned that the kingdom is associated with the statement \"These are the gods who struck Egypt,\" as the kingdom was inflicting punishment on them with the assistance of understanding, as Rabbi Nachalat Yosef explains. ",
            "See, my friend, how the Kabbalists criticize all the great philosophers with the severity befitting the King of Kings. They treat them as if they oppose the words of our sages, who said, \"You alone are God,\" as mentioned earlier. May the Merciful One protect us from such foreign beliefs! I have seen that the Lord teaches the students in the portion of Jethro, where it is stated that the angels were created before the creation of heaven and earth. He brings his words in the Ba'al Haturim's commentary on Numbers 8, and it seems that he wrote it that way. It is a reasonable assumption, and it supports the precision of the blessing \"Blessed is He who spoke and the world came into being.\" And you have seen that his precision is even greater, as we do not originally have the version \"Blessed is He who creates the beginning,\" as written by Maharitz in section Etz Chayim. Even according to their version, it is not necessary to conclude that the angels were not called \"beginning.\" According to the words of our sages in Bereishit Rabbah, it is more logical. Furthermore, their words are words of tradition, and we should not delve too much into the matters of Aggadah that do not have practical implications, for our goal here is to clarify the true essence of the Creator according to our holy Torah and the tradition of our sages and transmitters, in order to understand what Israel should do when reciting the Shema twice a day, \"Hear, O Israel,\" and \"The Lord, our God, helps me,\" and so on....",
            "26) Yes, my reading friend, you already know the statement of our sages in Tractate Shabbat and Chagigah, Chapter 1, and in the tractate Eyn Dorshin. Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav, \"Remember that man for good, Chananiah ben Chizkiyah, for had he not hidden the book of Ezekiel, which contained statements contradicting the words of the Torah, what did he do? They would have suppressed it. But what did he do? He brought up 300 jugs of oil and sat on top of them and expounded [the problematic verses].\" And Rashi explained that it contradicted the words of the Torah regarding the prohibition for priests to eat carrion and torn animals, asking, \"Should priests not eat it? But what about Israelites?\" And similarly, \"And you shall do the same for seven days.\" Where is this sacrifice hinted at in the Torah? And he expounded as we expound in the tractate Menachot, because since the rite of bird-offering was permitted for priests, it was necessary to caution them about the striking of non-sacrificial fowl, which is carrion, and so on. We examine it from various angles, and what about the book of Ezekiel, which was already established as a true prophet, and he revived the dead in the valley of Dura, and his book is included among the holy books, and it is saved from being burned on Shabbat. And despite all this, the sages sought to hide it because it appeared to contradict the words of the Torah in a negative prohibition. How much more so in the case of the Book of Zohar, where a contradiction to the written and oral Torah is apparent and evident, regarding the prohibition of idolatry, which carries the punishment of stoning and excision. It is tantamount to rejecting the entire Torah. Not only that, but it also belittles the Mishnah and the Talmud, labeling them as \"klippah\" and \"other rock,\" and so on, as will be explained in Section 67 and 68. It is absolutely forbidden to read it at all. Once his forgery became clear and was exposed to the wise and intelligent scholars, and it was evident that his statements regarding divinity contradicted the words of the Torah and the words of the Sages that were transmitted to us from our ancient scholars, the transmitters of tradition, and the geonim and the poskim who received from them. Furthermore, we also find in Tractate Shabbat (fol. 30b) that Rav Yehudah, son of Rav Yehudah bar Shilat, said in the name of Rav: The sages sought to hide the Book of Ecclesiastes because its words contradict one another, and so on. In the beginning, in the Ethics of Rabbi Nathan, they would only read the Book of Proverbs. The Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes were hidden until the Men of the Great Assembly came and elucidated them and included them among the Writings. Therefore, from this, we can deduce a fortiori reasoning. If regarding King Solomon, peace be upon him, it is stated: \"And he was wiser than all men, and he built the Temple, and the Divine Presence dwelled in it, and the Lord appeared to him, as explained in the Scriptures,\" then we also say in Eruvin (fol. 21b) that when he established the laws of eruv and handwashing, a heavenly voice came forth and said, \"My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will rejoice.\" And the sage says, \"My son, be wise and gladden my heart, and I will be able to answer my detractors.\" And we also say there (Eruvin fol. 21b) that they instituted the use of parables, ear, and investigation. Rabbi Eliezer said, \"Initially, the Torah was like a tightly rolled scroll without ears, until Solomon came and gave it ears!\" Despite all this praise, the sages did not show him favor, and they sought to hide his books because certain things seemed contradictory until the Men of the Great Assembly elucidated them. These are books whose words appear contradictory to one another, and they even contradict the words of the Torah and undermine its foundations. Additionally, it is not clear who authored them, nor is it known where those statements originated from. It was only later that foreign elements emerged among us, and they mistakenly attributed those words to Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, the Tanna. There are reliable sources that prove that they falsely attributed them to Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, to whom it is absolutely prohibited to attribute those words. ",
            "27) Now, take heed and deeply contemplate the words of Rabbi Tzadok ben Yechiel as brought in the book \"Ravid HaZahav\" and quoted above in Section 13. He stated that the Mishnah and Talmud are the true and universally accepted tradition from every perspective, such that there is no room for any doubt. However, regarding the books of the Kabbalah, there are several uncertainties. Many scholars, well-versed in Jewish literature, have expressed concerns about relying on them in any legal matter, contrary to the Talmud and the decisors, as written by the authors of the Klalim in the methodologies of the decisors. Certainly, a fortiori, this applies to the Divine Name and its worship, as we have been warned in the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings, as explained by our sages in numerous admonitions, as elaborated earlier. And as we have learned, why did the Mishnah prioritize the recitation of the Shema before the blessings? As the Rambam states in his Mishneh Torah, Chapter 1 of the Laws of Kri'at Shema, one recites the portion of Shema first because it contains the commandment regarding the unity of God's name, His love, and His study, which are the fundamental principles upon which everything depends. Additionally, as I previously mentioned in Section 32, our sages were extremely meticulous about any matter derived from it, emphasizing the belief in the two authorities and stating that one should remain silent. And what more can be said? They said \"Kal HaD\" after they already said \"V'Hashav Lanu\" and considered many reasons that grant permission to each individual based on the reason that is higher than them, as if we were commanded to say the same thing with our lips, while in our hearts, there are many deities. This is the language of the Rambam in the Guide for the Perplexed, Chapter 3, to the first point. Understand, O inquirer into these matters, that faith is not a matter that is expressed verbally, but rather it is a state that exists within the soul. When we believe in it, we believe that it is as it is described, and if you are satisfied with true opinions or their reliable foundations when you articulate them without forming mental images and believe in them, how much more so when you seek from them the truth. It is very easy, just as you will find that many simple individuals preserve their faith without forming any conception of it. However, if your intellect is capable of ascending to this elevated level, which is the degree of inquiry, and if it is established to you that God's name is truly One, to the extent that you find no composition in Him whatsoever. And it should not be thought in any way that there is any division or distinction in any sense. Know that God does not have any intrinsic attribute or quality in any way or in any matter. Just as He is devoid of corporeality, so He is devoid of possessing any intrinsic attribute. However, one who believes that He is One with many attributes has already stated that He is One in His essence. And one who believes that He is multiple in thought, this is like the saying of the Nazarenes, that He is One. But He is three, and the three are One. Similarly, the saying that He is One, but He possesses multiple attributes, and He and His attributes are One. With the removal of corporeal conceptions and the acceptance of absolute simplicity, it is as if our intention and inquiry are directed towards how it is said, not towards what we believe. And faith is nothing but the form of conception, for faith is the belief in that which is conceived by the intellect. And if there is with this faith that it is impossible to conceive any alternative or find any room for rejection of that faith, it will be true. And when you free yourself from desires and customs, and possess understanding, and ponder what is stated in the following chapters regarding the removal of attributes, you will find that what we have said is necessarily true. And then you will have grasped the conception of the unity of God, not from one who merely utters it with their mouth but does not conceive it. And you will be close to their speech and far from their kidneys, meaning you will not rely solely on their verbal expression but will seek to grasp the truth even if it is not articulated. Just as the important ones commanded and it was said to them, \"Speak in your hearts upon your beds, and be silent\" (Psalms 4:5), etc., as explained by the revered teacher. ",
            "38) Now, my friend, let me clarify to you that our contemporary Kabbalistic sages made many inadvertent mistakes when they attempted to depict and describe the Almighty using various different shapes and forms. They portrayed Him in circular and straight shapes, with different faces, one within another, and one above another, despite the received tradition of our Sages that it is forbidden to contemplate or speculate on such matters, as they are beyond our comprehension, whether they are related to what is above, below, in front, or behind. Furthermore, these contemporary Kabbalistic sages claim that initially, the Almighty filled the entire space of the world and then contracted Himself and withdrew to the surrounding sides, altering His essence in order to create space for the entire world. This is the language of the author Rabbi Chaim Vital in his book \"Etz Chaim,\" Gate of Circles and Straight Lines, Branch 2. After the contraction, which left space empty and void, through the light of the Infinite Ein Sof, there was already a place where the emanated beings, creations, formations, and actions could exist. Then, a single straight line extended from the upper circular light, descending through that space, and it is the uppermost part of the line that extends from the Ein Sof itself and touches it. However, the end of that line below does not touch the Infinite Light below, and in that space, the Emanator created and formed all the worlds. This line is like a thin tube through which the light of the upper Infinite extends to all the worlds that exist in that space of air and emptiness. Now, the matter of the Kabbalists' investigation regarding how there can be a beginning and an end in the spheres is explained. While the beginning of that line touches the Infinite Light from the upper side, its end does not extend downward to the place of the surrounding Infinite below the worlds, and it is not attached to it. Therefore, it is justified to have a beginning and an end in it, because if there were two opposite receiving ends through which the Infinite Light would flow, the two ends would be equal to each other, and there would be no distinction between higher and lower. Similarly, if the Infinite were to extend from all sides of that space, there would be no higher or lower, no front or back. Not east, nor west, not north, nor south, but when the light of the Infinite extends through a single line and a thin tube alone, the distinction between higher and lower, front and back, east and west is justified (these words are not based on intellect, for the distinction between higher and lower is understandable, but how can we justify front and back, east and west?). And behold, when the light of the Infinite extends in the form of a straight line within the space, it does not immediately extend and spread downward, but rather it gradually extends. I mean to say that initially, the line of light began to spread there, and immediately at the beginning of its spread, in the secret of the line, it expanded, extended, and became like a circular wheel around it. And this circle was not attached to the Infinite that surrounds it from all sides, for if it were to adhere to it, the matter would return to its original state and be nullified in the light of the Infinite, and its power would not be seen at all, and everything would be solely the light of the Infinite as it was at first. (Regarding these words, there is room for questioning his statement, for he will mention later that through this line descends an inner light, which is the soul of the spheres, and a encompassing light, which is their garment. Why doesn't it mix and adhere to the substance of the spheres, and cause the essence of the spheres, along with their garments and souls, to become one entity, nullifying the vessel and mingling with the inner light and the outer light?) Therefore, this circle is close to the Infinite and does not adhere to it. And the entire essence of the connection and attachment of that emanation with the Infinite Emanator is through that line through which the light from the Infinite, which influences that circle, descends and extends. And the Infinite surrounds and encompasses it from all sides, distant from it in equal measure from all sides. For it, too, is in the form of a circle surrounding it, for it is necessary that the illumination of the Infinite Emanator reaches the emanations only through that line. For if that light were to extend to them from all their surroundings, the emanations would be in the state of the Emanator itself without limits and boundaries. Moreover, even that line is extremely thin and not thick, so that the light that extends to the emanations would have a measure and dimension, which is why these emanations are called the ten attributes and the ten spheres, for they have a measure, dimension, and fixed number. And behold, this first circle that is most closely attached to the Infinite is called the Crown of Adam Kadmon. And after that, this line spread out and extended a little, then returned to form a second circle within the first circle. This is called the Circle of Wisdom of Adam Kadmon. It further spread downward, returned to form a third circle within these two circles, and is called the Circle of Understanding of Adam Kadmon. In this manner, it continued to revolve and form circles until the tenth circle called the Circle of Kingdom of Adam Kadmon, and so on. However, it is clear and evident that many types of worlds emanated, were created, formed, and made, numbering thousands upon thousands and myriads upon myriads, and all of them, as one, exist within the aforementioned empty space, and there is nothing outside of it. And in each world, there are ten specific spheres. And each sphere within each world contains ten individual sub-spheres. Now, let us further explain the second aspect, which exists within the ten spheres. It is the aspect of straightness in the form of the Supernal Adam. The line mentioned earlier, which extends from above to below, from which the circles emanate, that very line also extends straightly from above to below, from the highest point of the upper circle to the lowest point at the conclusion of all the circles. It includes ten spheres in the secret of the image of the upright human form, consisting of 28 organs, and so on. This second aspect is called the Image of God, as alluded to in the verse, \"And God created man in His image, in the image of God, He created him,\" etc. And since most of the teachings of the Zohar and the Tikkunim (corrections) deal with this second aspect, which is the aspect of straightness, etc. And in the branch of Chesed, there is another multiplication of things that are higher and superior to the ten spheres of the world of Atzilut. For several worlds of ABY\"A (Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, Assiyah) preceded them. And due to their sublime nature, they were not explicitly mentioned in the Zohar and the Tikkunim, but rather alluded to in a wondrous manner. And it further explains there how far the feet of Adam Kadmon of straightness reach, and how far the feet of Ancient of Days reach, and the feet of Long Countenance, and the feet of Abba and Ima, and the feet of Nukva of Zeir Anpin. And Abba and Ima are of short stature, and their height is only from the throat of Long Countenance to the navel of Long Countenance. And these matters are also explained in the Gate of Introductions, in the book \"Kisei Eliyahu,\" and in \"Mikdash Melech\" in the portion of Bereshit. See there for more details. ",
            "39) Now, from all of this, it is thoroughly explained that the body of the Sefirot extends and unfolds through the subtle line from the essence of the Ein Sof (the Infinite), both the circles and the straightness. Thus, it is understood that the body of the Sefirot, along with their inner light, which is their soul, and their encompassing light, which is their garment, all emanate and extend from the very same essence of the Ein Sof. This matter is explicitly stated in detail in the book \"Shushan Sodot\" in the order of prayer, as well as in the order of the seven days of Passover. And know that the ten Sefirot are not created entities but rather a concept that extends from the essence of the Creator, and they are not separate from Him. He continuously exists within them, just as a spark is always found in its garment, and so on. This is stated in this folio by Rabbi Moshe Zacuto in the name of the RAMAZ (Rabbi Moshe Zacuto), in the portion of Behar, page 109, that the vessels of Atzilut have a divine aspect. Similarly, Rabbi Menachem HaMeiri wrote at the end of Tractate Asiyah that even the entire Atzilut, whether in the aspect of lights or in the aspect of vessels, and even their garments, are all complete divinity. (Likewise, Rabbi Uzziel Elohim wrote in Beit Kodesh HaKodashim that the body and the soul are unified, and so it is written in the book \"Heichal HaBerachah\" in the section of Vayikra in the treasury of life, page 4.) However, in the levels of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Assiyah, from their spirit and below, even the spirit, as a whole, is not complete divinity. This is stated in the teachings of the Chassidim. Furthermore, it is also evident from the language of the Zohar that I mentioned earlier in section 21, where it refers to each of the faces as the \"uppermost of the upper.\" This is because it is an elevation above the lower levels. However, Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man) is called the \"uppermost of all the upper,\" as it is the initial elevation for all the faces, as mentioned above. And from this, there is a response to your statement where you denied and said, God forbid, that the Kabbalists said so. On the contrary, they said that one should not believe or entertain the thought that the Sefirot are part of the Ein Sof (the Infinite). Rather, it emerged and unfolded from an upper elevation to a lower one, and so on. Your words contradict the teachings of the Zohar, the Maharal of Prague, Shushan Sodot, and the RAMAZ (Rabbi Moshe Zacuto). They also contradict the teachings of the Chassidim who explained the quality of their unfolding from the essence of the Ein Sof and that they are complete divinity. Thus, you admit that their statements, which you claimed to be erroneous, are in fact a grave error. And I have already mentioned earlier the words of the Zohar, which refer to the Abba and Imma as \"the Lord of Hosts\" and to Ze'eir Anpin as the son of Abba and Imma. And in this regard, it is said that all our service and prayers are directed specifically to Ze'eir Anpin, who is the son of Abba and Imma. And all the Kabbalists agree with this. As I mentioned earlier, quoting the works \"Mikdash Melech,\" \"HaRashba,\" \"Yosher Levav,\" \"Sefer HaBrit,\" \"Maharsha,\" \"Etz Chaim,\" \"Ha'ari\" in \"Likutei Amarim,\" \"Kisei Eliyahu,\" \"Matzref HaEmunah,\" and \"Nachalat Yosef,\" all of them unanimously affirm that all praises and blessings are specifically for Ze'eir Anpin. They are not directed towards the Ein Sof or any other higher faces in the world of Atzilut, nor towards the faces below Ze'eir Anpin in the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, even though it is acknowledged and stated that within each of the three aforementioned worlds, there exist all the faces of the world of Atzilut, and they originate from the same essence of the Ein Sof, extending and unfolding through the line that emerges from it and descends downward, as explained earlier. However, they are not considered complete divinity to pray to them or to invoke them in times of distress unless the source of the matter reveals itself through their words. And regarding these matters and the aforementioned beliefs, our sages said in Sanhedrin, page 91b: \"From the gods of the nations that are near you or far from you.\" Why do I need both \"near\" and \"far\"? Rather, it means to say that just as you learn the goodness of those who are near, learn from them the goodness of those who are far. And Rashi explained: \"Therefore, I say to you, look at the idols that are close to you and see that they have no substance. And from them, learn the nature of those that are far.\" Thus, our sages showed us a way to understand the nature of the idols: by examining the goodness of the idols that are close, we can discern the goodness of the distant idols. Based on this, we can analyze and discuss all the faces of the New Kabbalistic Tradition, which states that within each world of the four worlds, the mentioned faces can be found. Accordingly, the worship is directed only to Ze'eir Anpin of Atzilut. Just as the entities near us in the worlds of Assiyah, Yetzirah, and Beriah are not to be worshipped as they have no substance and are not gods, so too Ze'eir Anpin of Atzilut, who is distant, has no substance, and there is no deity besides our God. And since we have clarified that the consensus of all the new Kabbalists is that all worship, praises, and blessings are directed to Ze'eir Anpin of Atzilut, all your claims against us and all your denials are mere empty words and ill intentions, akin to saying that a man is a woman or that a pillar of marble is made of gold, and so on. And in your response, you acted as a golem, as the Tanna said in Pirkei Avot, Chapter 5: \"Ten things were created on the eve of the Sabbath... with a golem, with the appearance and characteristics of a golem.\" And from this principle, the wise one asks according to halacha and answers accordingly, with a golem in this exchange. And you have done the same, for the question posed to you regarding who we should worship according to the New Kabbalah, whether it is Atik, Arich Anpin, Abba and Ima, etc. And your response is not relevant, as if you were asked about your acceptance, etc., as if you were asked about your acceptance. And you have also multiplied words and extended by bringing hints and gematria from the words of Chavat Ya'ir that did not understand the words of his father. And you mentioned hints that any person can do like them without any acceptance, as Rabbi Shmuel did when he composed the book \"Koach Hashem,\" which is filled with combinations, gematria, and hints in one night from his own knowledge without any acceptance, only to demonstrate his power and ability to create combinations, gematria, and hints effortlessly, as written in the book \"Alef Bet of Nachmanides.\" Now, hints and combinations that do not touch upon the honor of the Holy Blessed One, or worshiping other gods, or belittling the importance of Mishnah, Talmud, and the Midrashim that describe the praises of our holy Torah, there is nothing wrong with them not being hinted at in the Torah. But in particular, you have extended to mention the hints mentioned in the \"Ba'al Menorat HaMa'or\" regarding their locations, and you did not answer what was requested from you, and your lips have not reached the measure of a golem, as the Tanna mentioned that he does not know how to respond as requested from him. "
        ],
        [
            "And the new kabbalists that formed the Ein Sof (Infinite) that circles around the Contraction like a round sphere and a hollow in his middle, and inside it thousands and myriads of circles that extend from himself, may he be blessed, also Faces of straightness  there is no end to their amount that extend and chain from himself the way of the line that comes out from him, from the first man that he is above the world of Emanation (Atziluth) and until the end of the Faces of all the four worlds, of them said our teacher and our master the Rambam (Guide for the Perplexed Part 1 50:4), \"Thou art near in their mouth, and far from their kidneys\" (jer. 12:2) because with their mouth they say that he is one, and with all their minds and all their soul and their thoughts - that he is partitioned into many Faces and levels one above the other, and they need to take permission one from the other like it was made clear before and it is almost that this belief is worse than the beliefs of the \"Akum\", and like the Rivash wrote in the name of one of the philosophizers. \"as the nazarethites say that they are three and the three is one, the kabbalists say that they are five in the world of Atziluth and the five are split into twelve, and the all is one\". and i remember that in the book \"beith yehuda\" it is written that the words mentioned in the Rivash from one of the philosophizers, is a matter from himself, but he attributed them to \"one of the philosophizers\" lest one of the runners after honor encounter him and harm him, therefore he attributed the matter to others, and to this he concludes that he doesn't hold himself to study the new kabbalah, as it is enough for him in the old kabbalah that it is in the mishnah and the talmud. and the new kabbalists metophorize His Existence Blessed is He to the body of man that is made up of 248 limbs and 365 sinews and he is called... "
        ],
        [],
        [
            "And I will quote here a little of the principles that are required for our topic from the Thirteen Principles that the Rambam wrote in the Commentary on the Mishnah in the chapter [entitled] Chelek and which is brought by the Rabbi of Shvilei Emunah. And [these are his words]: The first principle is to believe that the Creator, may He be blessed, exists with complete existence, that He is the cause of the existence of all that exists and that the source of their existence is from Him. And if we could imagine the cessation of His existence, the existence of all that exists would be nullified. But if we were to imagine the nullification of totally everything that exists besides Him,  His existence would not be nullified on their account, nor would it [even] be lacking. For the Creator, may He be blessed, is abounding; as He does not need the existence of anything else. And everything besides Him of intelligences, planetary bodies and that which is in them all need Him, may He be blessed, for their existence. [But] He does not need them. And this principle is hinted in the phrase, \"I am the Lord, your God.\" And the second principle is His unity, may He be blessed. And that is to know that the Cause of everything is one. Not one that is a composite specie, like the human species which includes many individual people. Nor is He like one that is an individual within the specie, as you would say about an individual person, yet you would include 248 limbs in him. Nor is He one that is constructed, which can be divided into many ones. Nor is He like a simple (unconstructed) body which is unique, but can [still] be divided without end. For each one of these is called, \"one,\" by way of borrowing [from the true meaning of the word]. For these things that are grouped together by that word are [only actually unified by being] the same regarding [that] one matter, but they are not truly one. Indeed, the true One is the unity of the Creator, may He be blessed, about whom there is no oneness like Him in any fashion. And that is His, may He be blessed, saying, \"Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One\" (Deuteronomy 6:4). To here are his [words]."
        ]
    ],
    "versions": [
        [
            "Sefaria Community Translation",
            "https://www.sefaria.org"
        ]
    ],
    "heTitle": "מלחמות השם יחיא קאפח",
    "categories": [
        "Kabbalah",
        "Other Kabbalah Works"
    ],
    "sectionNames": [
        "chapter",
        "verse"
    ]
}