Jerusalem
No Torah, No Jerusalem
VaYetze [Jacob Went Out]
85) Rabbi Hiya and Rabbi Hizkiyah were sitting under the trees of the field of his strength. Rabbi Hiya dozed, and saw Elijah. Rabbi Hiya said to Elijah, “From my lord’s proof of the way, the field—which is the Nukva—shines.” Elijah said, “I have come to you now, to alert you that Jerusalem is nearing destruction, and all the cities of the sages along with it,” since Jerusalem, the Nukva, is Din [judgment]. It stands on Din and is ruined over the Din in it. And Sam’el has already been given permission over her and over the heroes of the world.
As long as the Torah awakens from below, when people engage in it, the tree of life will not depart Jerusalem above. The Torah below has stopped, since people have stopped engaging in it, in the tree of life, ZA, the tree of life from the world, the Nukva, which is called, “world,” as well as “Jerusalem.” And we must not say that this refers to the Jerusalem below, for the sages were many years after the ruin of Jerusalem.
86) Hence, as long as the sages rejoice in the practice of Torah, Sam’el cannot prevail over them, for it is written, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” This is the upper Torah, ZA, called, “the voice of Jacob,” and while the voice does not stop, the speech rules and triumphs. Hence, the Torah must not be stopped.
87) One who leans to the left destroys the Nukva, since it is written, “Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.” Those who engage in Torah, who cling to the middle line, called “Torah,” the holy city, Nukva, stands over them. At that time, HaVaYaH, which is the middle pillar, guards the city, and not the strong people of the world, meaning those who cling to the left. This is why it is written, “Unless the Lord,” the middle line, “guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain,” for it will finally be ruined.
Be Joyful with Jerusalem
Bamidbar [In the Desert]
21) “Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her.” How favored is the Torah by the Creator because wherever words of Torah are heard, the Creator and all His armies listen to His words. And the Creator comes to dwell with him, as it is written, “In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned.” Moreover, those who hate Him fall before him.
23) “Be joyful with Jerusalem,” since there is joy only when Israel are in the holy land, where a woman connects with her husband, ZA and Malchut. Then it is the joy of everyone, a joy above and below. And when Israel are not in the holy land, one is forbidden to rejoice and to display joy, as it is written, “Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her.” Rejoice for her, when Israel are in her.
26) “For you shall go out with joy.” This is the assembly of Israel. As long as she is in exile and lies in the dust, she is not called “joy,” until the Creator comes to her and raises her from the dust, and says, “Shake thyself from the dust; arise,” shine and they will bond together. Then she is called “joy,” the joy of everyone. And then, “For you shall go out with joy.” Then several armies will go out to welcome the mistress for the joy of the King’s meal.
Walls and Gates
Bo [Come unto Pharaoh]
126) The Creator made Jerusalem below, Malchut, such as Jerusalem above, Bina. And He had made the walls of the holy city and its gates. One who comes does not enter until the gates are opened to him, and one who climbs does not rise until the steps to the walls are fixed.
Who can open the gates of the holy city, and who fixes the high steps? It is Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai. He opens the gates to the secrets of the wisdom, and he fixes the high degrees. It is written, “All your males shall appear before the face of the Lord God.” Who is, “the face of the Lord God”? It is Rashbi.
Zion
Aharei Mot [After the Death]
175) When the Creator wished to create the lower world, He made it entirely as above. He made Jerusalem the middle of the whole of the earth, and a place on top of it, called Zion, Yesod, and from this place, she is blessed. From this place, Zion, the world began to be built and from it, it was built, as it is written, “God, the Lord, has spoken, and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.” God appeared from Zion, from the inclusive beauty. God appeared from Zion, who is the perfection of the beauty of the world. Jerusalem, Malchut, was blessed only out of Zion, who is Yesod, and Zion was blessed from above, who is Zeir Anpin. All is tied to one another, Zeir Anpin and Malchut to one another, united by Zion.
Jerusalem of Above and of Below
Chayei Sarah [The Life of Sarah]
113) The whole of the land of Israel is folded under Jerusalem, which is the Malchut. And she is above and below. Thus, there is Jerusalem above, which is Bina, and there is Jerusalem below, which is Malchut, for she is gripped above and she is gripped below. Jerusalem above is gripped by two sides—above and below. And Jerusalem below is gripped by two sides—above and below. This is why she is twofold.
Jerusalem above is Bina and Jerusalem below is Malchut. It is known that the association of the quality of Rachamim in Din means that they were mingled in one another. And four discernments emerged out of this mingling— Bina, Malchut in Bina, Bina, and Malchut in Malchut. It turns out that the quality of Malchut is twofold, since there is Malchut in Bina and there is Malchut in Malchut.