83. Concerning the Right Vav, the Left Vav

There is the discernment of Ze (‘this’ in male form) and the discernment of Zot (‘this’ in female form). Moses is considered Ze, which is the King’s best-man. The rest of the prophets are considered Zot or Koh (the letters Chaf and Hey), which is the meaning of Yadecha (thy hand), a left Vav. There also is the discernment of the right Vav.

And this is the meaning of “the gathering Zayins,” which gather two Vavs. This is the meaning of “and one that contains them,” which is the thirteen, considered a complete degree.

There is a right Vav and there is a left Vav. The right Vav is called “the tree of life,” and the left Vav is called “the tree of knowledge,” where there is the place of the guarding. The two Vavs are called “the twelve Challahs,” [1]two rows, six in a row, which is the meaning of the thirteen Tikkunim (corrections), which are twelve, and one that contains them, called “luck and cleansed.”

It also contains the thirteenth correction, called “shall not be cleansed,” which is the meaning of the gathering Zayins. The Zayin is Malchut; she contains them. Before one is rewarded with “shall not turn back to folly,” she is called “shall not be cleansed.” And those who have already been rewarded with not turning back to folly are called “cleansed.”

This is the meaning of “will reveal its flavors in twelve roars, which are a sign in his sky, twice and weak” (in the song I will Prepare for a Meal). It is also written, “she will be crowned with Vavs and gathering Zayins” (in the song I will Praise with a Song). We should interpret the crowning with the Vavs, that the connection through two Vavs is the meaning of the twelve roars (which are the twelve Challahs) that are a sign in the sky.

A sign is called Yesod, and it is called “twice and weak.” This means that the Vavs have been doubled: the left Vav is called “the tree of knowledge,” the place of the guarding. Then they became weak (called “light”), and then a room was made through which it was easy to pass. Had it not been for the doubling with the tree of knowledge, they would have had to work with the right Vav, discerned as “the tree of life.” And then, who could elevate himself and receive the Mochin?

However, with the left Vav, discerned as the keeping, one is always in this form. And by merit of the keeping, when he assumes above reason, his work is then desirable. This is why it is called “weak,” light, meaning it is easy to find a place for work.

This means that in any state one is in, one can be the Creator’s worker, since he does not need anything, but does everything above reason. It turns out that one does not need any Mochin, with which to be the servant of the Creator.

Now we can interpret what is written, “set up a table before me, against my enemies.” A table means, as it is written, “and sendeth her out of his house, and she departeth out of his house, and goeth” (Deuteronomy 24:1-2). A Shulchan (table) is like VeShlacha (and sendeth her), meaning exit from the work.

We should interpret that even during the exits from the work, meaning in a state of decline, one still has a place to work. This means that when one prevails above reason during the declines, and says that the descents, too, were given to him from Above, the enemies are thus canceled. This is so because the enemies thought that through the declines the person will reach utter lowness and escape the campaign, but in the end the opposite occurred—the enemies were cancelled.

This is the meaning of what is written, “the table that is before the Lord,” that precisely in this manner does he receive the face of the Creator. And this is the meaning of subduing all the judgments, even the greatest judgments, since he assumes the burden of the Kingdom of Heaven at all times. That is, he always finds a place for work, as it is written that Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai said, “there is not a place to hide from Thee.”

[1] Braided bread (traditionally served during the Sabbath).