005 —עיני כל אליך ישברו

Einei Kol Eilecha Yesaberu.

Regarding what is written: 'Her husband is known in the gates'—the Zohar (Parshas Vayeira 103b) explains: 'according to what is measured in his heart.' It also says there: 'What are gates? As it says: Lift up your heads, O gates.' In Parshas Pinchas (Zohar 253b), it is explained that these are supernal gates, namely the fifty gates, which are the fifty gates of Binah. To understand this, how is it that about the gates of Binah it is said 'measured in his heart'?

For it is stated: 'The heart knows, the heart understands' (see Raaya Mehemna, end of Parshas Ki Seitzei 288b). And in Koheles Rabbah on the verse: 'I spoke with my heart'—the heart sees, as it says: 'and my heart saw much wisdom.' The heart hears, as it says: 'and You shall give Your servant a listening heart.' The heart contemplates, etc. (see Avos 2:9). It is also said: 'Binah is the heart, and with it the heart understands.'

The explanation is as follows. When one contemplates the light of the Ein Sof, how He is both sovev kol almin (encompassing all worlds) and memale kol almin (filling all worlds), while this is still in the mind’s understanding and has not yet drawn illumination and extension into the heart so that the heart is affected, this is called 'moach Binah' (the mind of understanding) and not 'shaarei Binah' (the gates of understanding). But when light is opened from it to shine also in the heart, it is called 'shaarei Binah.' Like a gate that opens to the outside, so too the light of comprehension leaves the mind and is grasped by the heart, so that the heart measures and comprehends that same understanding and contemplation.

(See Yalkut at the beginning of Mishlei: 'Where is wisdom found?' etc. Also see Zohar Parshas Shelach 161b. And see elsewhere on the verse: 'And it shall be for you as tzitzis' in the discourse beginning 'To understand the matter of the heart.')

And this is what is said: 'Shema Yisrael'—hearing in the heart to understand, etc. This is the intent of the Zohar in Parshas Vayeira 103b on the verse: 'Her husband is known in the gates, each according to what is measured in his heart'—that is, according to how much one measures and comprehends in his heart the contemplation that is in his mind from sovev kol almin, etc. Therefore, they are also called the fifty gates of Binah, for the light leaves the mind and extends outward to the heart’s understanding, like a gate that opens.

(Elsewhere, on the verse: 'And you shall count for yourselves,' it is explained that the fifty gates are the seven supernal middos (attributes), and each is comprised of seven, totaling forty-nine. For the dwelling place of the middos is in the heart, and when the mind’s understanding is drawn into the heart’s comprehension so that the heart understands, etc., then the Binah is drawn into the middos of the heart. Therefore, there are forty-nine gates corresponding to the seven middos as above. See also the discourse on 'Command… My offering, My bread' regarding the essence of sinews and flesh, and see Pardes, Shaar 13, Shaar HaShaarim, chapters 5 and 7. See also elsewhere on the verse: 'And your gates of carbuncle stones.')

And this is: 'Kol' (all) has the gematria of fifty, which are the fifty gates. The meaning is: 'Einei Kol'—Knesses Yisrael is called 'Kol,' corresponding to the fifty gates, each according to his measure—'Eilecha Yesaberu,' etc.

(And the explanation of 'Einei Kol' is as above regarding the heart seeing. For although the gates are from the mind of Binah, vision is from the level of Chochmah. However, the fiftieth gate connects Chochmah and Binah and draws the extension of supernal Chochmah into all forty-nine gates. See the discourse on 'And you shall count for yourselves' mentioned above. See also Ramaz on Parshas Emor 93b regarding the heart.)

And in the name of the Maggid of Mezritch, it is said on the verse: 'Chazeh HaTenufah'—that is why it is called 'Chazeh' (chest), because Chochmah, which is the aspect of vision, extends until the chest, and from there downward is the aspect of the thighs. As is known regarding the 'courtyard of the liver,' which is a barrier separating the organs of respiration, etc. But since the chest is external, it is called 'Chazeh,' which is the Aramaic for vision. See elsewhere on the verse: 'From my flesh I see G‑d' in the discourse 'And you shall know today,' that 'Achazeh,' which is Aramaic, is the external aspect of actual vision.

But sometimes Knesses Yisrael is called 'Kalah' (bride) with an added hei. The reason is that there is an 'arusah' (betrothed) and a 'nesuah' (married). Before entering the chuppah, when she is not yet fit for union, she is called 'arusah,' and after entering the chuppah and being fit for union, she is called 'nesuah' and 'kalah' with a hei. See the discourse 'He will revive us after two days.'

The explanation of this in the service of the heart, which is prayer, is as follows: When the contemplation is drawn into the heart, it is called a gate that is measured in the heart. However, it is possible that even if it is measured in the heart, the light is not absorbed into the innermost depth of the heart, as it says: 'With all my heart I have sought You'—meaning when it is absorbed, etc., then it is called 'with all my heart,' that is, when all fifty gates are drawn into the point of his heart.

But if it is not absorbed and remains only in the externality of the heart, it is called 'Kol' without a hei. But when it is absorbed as above, it is called 'Kalah' with a hei, for the hei indicates the inner heart that receives the fifty gates within it, similar to the absorption of the feminine by the drop of the masculine. Therefore, she is called 'nesuah' after the light of the Ein Sof is absorbed in the comprehension of her mind into the point of her heart in unity and union. See the discourse on the concept of Rosh Hashanah in Parshas Tavo. Whereas the aspect of 'arusah' is when it is not absorbed as above, then she is called 'arusah' and 'Kol' as above.

And this is: 'Her husband is known in the gates'—'known' is an expression of union and intimacy, as in 'and Adam knew,' etc. And it says: 'And you shall know today and bring it to your heart,' etc.

(See the discourse on 'For the fragrance of Your oils' regarding 'and when she receives from the masculine, she is called 'naarah' with a hei, for the hei indicates that she has received influence from the world of the masculine. Therefore, in the holy tongue, the addition of a hei also indicates the masculine, as in 've'et'—feminine, 've'atah'—masculine, as Rashi explains on Parshas Va'eschanan, on the verse 've'et tedaber.' Likewise in Mishnah Nazir 4 and in the beginning of Kiddushin regarding 'shalosh' and 'shaloshah.' See Pardes, Shaar HaShaarim, chapter 26, and the author’s entry on 'Kol.' See also the discourse on 'For everything in heaven and earth' in Shir HaShirim, in the discourse 'To My horse in Pharaoh’s chariots.')

2) However, the aspect of absorption does not occur until after the chuppah, for the chuppah is a surrounding light from above that shines upon the groom and bride so they can unite. This is the illumination of the supernal will that rests as a makif (encompassing light) upon the heart so that it can absorb the light within. Above, in Knesses Yisrael, this is also the supernal makif called chuppah, as it says: 'For over all the glory there shall be a chuppah,' in order for there to be union and intimacy, and then Knesses Yisrael is called 'kalah' with a hei.

(The concept of this chuppah in avodah can be explained according to what is written elsewhere on the verse: 'It is better to take refuge'—that there are several types of contemplation: some enter deep within a person and his heart, so that the heart is a vessel to receive this love. There is contemplation that remains above, in the mind’s comprehension, and the heart is too small to contain it; if it were to reach the heart, his flesh and heart would expire in utter yearning, etc. And there is that even the mind cannot bear, which is the idea of prayer in a whisper and in secret, which is the nullification of the soul’s comprehension beyond what it can bear, etc. This level of contemplation, which is makif, is called chuppah. See elsewhere on this makif in the discourse on 'And you shall count for yourselves' in Parshas Emor. See also the discourse on chuppah in 'To My horse,' and in the discourse 'Torah Tzivah.'

And this is: 'Einei Kol'—meaning, before she is called 'kalah,' that is, before absorption, and then it is: 'Einei Kol Eilecha Yesaberu'—in a state of longing from afar, like a betrothed to her groom. But after the chuppah, it is the time of union and intimacy to receive and absorb the light in the aspect of 'kalah,' and then she is called 'nesuah.' And on this it is said: 'And You give them their food'—'food' here is an expression of intimacy, as in 'I have come to My garden, My sister, My bride, I have eaten,' etc. (See Zohar Parshas Pinchas 226a, and Raaya Mehemna 271b, and the commentary there, and there in the name of the RaShaSh.) This refers to the influence of supernal light to be received and absorbed in the aspect of Malchus, which is called 'heart.' Then it is: 'Kalah libavtani, achosi kalah.' The drawing down of the masculine waters is called 'their food,' as in: 'except for the bread which he eats,' and 'she has eaten and wiped her mouth.'

And why does it not say 'in their time' (be’itam) as it does with 'their food,' but rather 'in its time' (be’ito) with a vav? This refers to the time of the supernal will of the essence of the Emanator. For the drawing down of the masculine waters depends on an awakening from above, not at all on an awakening from below. Therefore, it says 'be’ito'—His will, the supernal will alone, as on Shabbos and Yom Tov.

(See nearby that the supernal will is the aspect of the chuppah. Therefore, it is correct that this revelation is on Shabbos and Yom Tov, when the supernal will is revealed. See the discourse 'Torah Tzivah' mentioned above regarding 'and grant us as You desired and said,' etc. See also the discourse 'Vayakhel Moshe' regarding 'and on the day of Shabbos it shall be opened.' See Zohar Parshas Bereishis 8a.)

And this is alluded to in Kiddush Levanah: 'A statute and a time He gave them, that they should not change their task' (see Zohar Parshas Acharei 58a). To understand the phrase 'and a time He gave them,' see Ramaz on Parshas Ki Sisa 188b, explaining 'the Holy One is destined to do for Israel,' etc. See also the discourse on 'And it shall be the number of Bnei Yisrael' regarding the census of the land, etc.

And this is the meaning of 'Ve’atah'—the drawing down from the aspect of Chochmah, the beginning of the drawing down of the masculine waters. See Zohar Parshas Balak 193b on the verse: 'Hashem Elokai, You I will exalt,' etc.

And the meaning of 'Ve’atah'—'et' is the drawing down of the twenty-two letters to the lower hei, which is the aspect of Malchus. The vav in 'Ve’atah' indicates this drawing down, for the shape of the vav is that at its head is like a yud, and from there a thin line extends. See Parshas Tetzaveh 179b, and see the discourse 'And Hashem will be for me' regarding 'and he set it up as a pillar,' etc.

And this is: 'Ve’atah noten… be’ito' specifically—that is, at the time of the supernal will, which is the aspect of the chuppah before the union. (See more on 'Einei Kol' in the discourse 'For the mountains may depart.')

The meaning of 'Poteach es yadecha' (You open Your hand) is as in the verse: 'The sanctuary, O L‑rd, which Your hands established'—for it is necessary to make a vessel, a receptacle in Malchus, to receive the drawing down of the masculine waters, which is called 'their food,' etc. For before the union, she is called 'betulah' (virgin), meaning sealed, her heart sealed like a virgin. And on this it is said: 'The well, which the princes dug,' etc. (see Etz Chaim 31:7, and Shaar HaYareach 3, and Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar Krias Shema al HaMitah, chapters 11 and 6).

And this is: 'Poteach es yadecha'—that You open the supernal hands to dig and make below a vessel and a well to receive their food as above. And this is: 'The sanctuary, O L‑rd, which Your hands established.'

For it is written: 'And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell among them.' Our sages said: 'It does not say within it, but within them.' And they also said: 'Since the destruction of the Temple, the Holy One has only the four cubits of halachah'—which is the revelation of His will and wisdom, and is called the drawing down of the masculine waters, the drop of supernal Chochmah. But there must be a vessel for this, to be: 'With all my heart I have sought You,' etc.—then she is called 'kalah' as above. Making this vessel is 'which Your hands established.' See the explanation of the verse: 'The well, which the princes dug,' and the explanation of the verse: 'Lift up the head of the sons of Gershon.'

Also, 'yadecha' (Your hands) is an expression of 'yudin' (yuds)—for the opening of the yuds is that from the yud at its head, a vav is made, and this is the drawing down of the supernal will to build for her a vessel, a house of reception. As our sages said: 'A woman makes a covenant only with one who made her a vessel.' As it says: 'For your husband is your Maker,' etc.

And afterwards: 'You satisfy the desire of every living thing'—'every living thing' is the aspect of the yesod (foundation) of the feminine, which receives from the yesod of the masculine. Therefore, it is called 'kol chai' (every living thing), for it receives from 'Chai Olamim' (the Living of the Worlds), and after absorption, then He satisfies with satiation, the opposite of longing. For longing is from afar, when the desire has not been attained—'and to your husband will be your longing.' But after the union, when the flow of light is absorbed within her, and it brings her satisfaction, as it says at the beginning of Parshas Noach (59b), then He satisfies every living thing with the supernal will that is drawn down in its time, as above, in the aspect of satiation as above.

See the explanation of the verse: 'So shall you bless,' etc. And from all this, the explanation is understood regarding the verse: 'And a woman who vows… in her father’s house in her youth.' And the concept of 'arusah' and 'nesuah.'

Summary

This maamar teaches that true understanding in Torah and G‑dliness must move from intellectual contemplation (Binah) to heartfelt internalization, likened to the union of bride and groom. Only when the heart absorbs the mind’s insight does one achieve spiritual fulfillment and unity with the Divine.