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Now the Righteous One holds fast to the upper world and also to the lower world. As for the words "nor his seed begging bread", the meaning is that when the seed flows forward, he does not court the Female, since she abides with him and never parts from him, and hence is ever in a state of readiness for him. For the seed does not flow save when the Female is present, and their mutual desires are blended into one indissoluble ecstasy. Hence he has no need to ask for consent.'
R. Jesse remarked: 'This surely is not the case during the time of exile.' R. Simeon rejoined: 'As regards the seed it is, since it is written "his seed" but not he himself; that is, the outpouring of the blessings only occurs when there is close union of the female with the male.
It may be asked then, does the assertion, "and I have not seen a righteous forsaken" apply to the time of exile? The truth is that the Righteous One is always closely bound to the upper world and so far is never abandoned. Thus at one time, that is, at the time of exile, the Righteous One is not forsaken from the side of the upper world, to which he holds fast, whilst at another time he is not forsaken from the two sides, holding fast to both, the upper and the lower worlds, so that in fact he is never forsaken.' [1]
This Zaddik is also called "the firmament of the heaven" (Gen. I, 17). For there are two similar firmaments, one at the beginning and one at the end of the series of eight. [2]
The top one is the eighth firmament, the one in which there are set all the lesser and the greater stars. It is the undisclosed upper firmament which upholds the totality of things and from which all existence flows. This is the eighth firmament counting from below, and is thus the top one and the starting-point from which all things receive their existence. [3]
Correspondingly there is an eighth firmament counting from above, in which also are set all stars and lights and lamps. This firmament supports the whole and forms the end of the whole. Thus the top firmament and the end firmament are of the same pattern, forming together the river that flows on perennially so that the end is already enclosed in the beginning. Hence it says: "And God set them in the firmament of heaven." For what purpose? "To give light upon the earth." [4]
There is, however, a difference between the two firmaments, for while the upper one sustains and nourishes the upper world in which it is set and all those upper sides, the lower firmament sustains and nurtures the lower world and all those lower sides.
It may be asked, what is meant here by the "upper world", seeing that the upper eighth firmament, which is hidden and undiscoverable, is itself the upper world and is so called? But the truth is that while it itself forms the upper world proper, all those that emanate from it are also designated by that name. [5]
It is the same with those that emanate from the lower world, they also being designated by its name. Yet all of them form one unity. Blessed be He for ever and ever!
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My notes...
[1] The "Righteous One" (Zaddik) is a title given to any human-being who has succeeded in attaching him/herself *consciously* to the "upper world" (i.e. to the 'higher Shekinah'). The "upper world" is represented by Binah on the Tree of Life diagram, and we connect ourselves to Binah via the 'interface' that joins the microcosmic Consciousness principle with the macrocosm. This interface is represented by the sefirah Da'at.
When we have attuned ourselves consciously to the 'higher Shekinah' (i.e. Binah) She is always with us in Consciousness. When a Zaddik becomes incarnate in the physical world (i.e. the "lower world") s/he is able to consciously perceive the presence of the 'higher Shekinah' as She moves instinctively forward to embrace him/her in the divine act of Creation.
Thus...
"when the seed flows forward, he [i.e. the Zaddik] does not court the Female [i.e. the Shekinah], since she abides with him and never parts from him, and hence is ever in a state of readiness for him. For the seed does not flow save when the Female is present, and their mutual desires are blended into one indissoluble ecstasy. Hence he has no need to ask for consent." [See the Zohar extract above.]
In other words, there is no need for a Zaddik to consciously evoke the presence of the Shekinah because She constantly embraces him (i.e. whether s/he is incarnate on the physical plane, or not).
The 'divine act of Creation' occurs due to the special relationship that has become established between the Zaddik and the Shekinah principle.
[2] The "series of eight" refers to the series of sefirot from Binah/Da'at to Malkut on the Tree of Life diagram.
[3] The "eighth firmament" (counting from the bottom) refers to Binah/Da'at. It is especially represented by the perfect union of the twelve Simple Hebrew letter archetypes. These twelve archetypes are the primordial source of the twelve-fold circle of the zodiac.
[4] The "eighth firmament" (counting from Binah at the top) is Malkut. The sefirah Malkut represents the 'physical' manifestation of the twelve-fold circle of archetypes. We experience these archetypes, for example, as influences emanating from the twelve signs of the zodiac. As I have mentioned before, Malkut is constructed as a reflection (albeit dim and imperfect) of the divine twelve-fold paragon that is symbolised by Binah.
[5] The "upper world" is a term applied specifically to the sefirah Binah, but it includes within its ambit the six lower sefirot of the Son principle. This is due mainly to the fact that the twelve archetypes of Binah are spread amongst the six lower sefirot, forming thereby, their 'field of influence'. The sefirah Malkut is designated as the "lower world".
Blessings,
Patrick.
Sagittarius-Libra [3/5]
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