The Zohar

Section

12. The three lights
The complete and all-embracing Light proceeds into our world through three stages. These three stages comprise the Right, Left, and Central Columns of spiritual energy. [See "Let there be a Firmament" page 253. The three stages express themselves through the spiritual vessels of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In the first phase, the Light is unknowable and too unimaginably luminous for any single vessel to contain. The second phase produces a diminishing of the Light, and the third phase brings a final diminution, achieving a suitable level of Light for all vessels to safely receive. The Hebrew letters composing this section bring the appropriate measure of Light to the areas of our lives where it is most needed.


137. The endless cannot be known, or be subject to any question or mental formulation. From within this most concealed of all concealed things, with the beginning of the descent of the endless for the purpose of being seen, a thin, almost imperceptible light shone. It was concealed by a fragile imprint, as delicate as a needlepoint. THUS, ALTHOUGH A TINY SLIT WAS OPENED, IT WAS INSUFFICIENT FOR THE LIGHT TO BE GRASPED. This is the secret of the concealed thought. It remained unknown until an illumination extended from it to the place on which the letters imprinted. Everything emerges from there.
138. In the beginning, THE LETTER Aleph, which is the beginning (lit. 'head') and end of all the grades, WAS INSCRIBED. Although it is the imprint on which the upper and lower worlds were imprinted, it is still referred to in the singular as Echad (one), WHICH MEANS THAT THE ALEPH IS ONE IN NUMERICAL VALUE. IT TEACHES US that, although it contains many forms AND INCLUDES ALL THE GRADES, it remains only one. THUS, ALL THE GRADES ARE AS ONE IN IT. Assuredly, THE LETTER Aleph is the letter upon which the upper and the lower beings depend.
139. The upper tip (head) of the letter Aleph, REFERRING TO THE SHAPE OF THE UPPER YUD, represents the secret of the supernal thought. The expansion of the upper firmament IS STILL entirely concealed within the upper tip OF THE LETTER ALEPH IN ITS UPPER YUD. So when the SHAPE OF THE LETTER Aleph emerges from that firmament, it will be in the image of the secret of the beginning (head) of thought. Within that Central Column of THE LETTER Aleph, there are six grades--NAMELY, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD. These contain the secret of all the supernal and concealed living creatures that are connected to the inside of thought, WHICH IS BINAH.
140. One luminary that shone and was concealed is the light of the letter Bet of Beresheet. THIS IS HINTED AT IN THE VERSE: "The heat of the day" (Beresheet 18:1), as Avraham was sitting "in the tent door IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY." This door leads from below to above AND THOSE DOWN BELOW ASCEND THROUGH IT. "The heat of the day" shines through that door FROM BELOW UPWARD. From there, it also shines DOWNWARD.
141. The second LIGHT is the light that gradually fades away before nightfall. THIS IS the secret of the prayer of Yitzchak, to properly amend and establish this grade, as it is written: "And Yitzchak went out to mediate in the field at eventide" (Beresheet 24:63). The vision at "eventide" and all sorts of darkness are related to him, ACCORDING TO THE SECRET OF THE AFTERNOON PRAYER (HEB. MINCHAH). At this eventide, Ya'akov looked at the minister of Esav, ABOUT WHOM IT IS WRITTEN: "AND THERE WRESTLED A MAN WITH HIM" (BERESHEET 32:25).
142. The third LIGHT is the light that combines these two lights, WHICH REPRESENT THE RIGHT AND LEFT COLUMNS. IT IS THE LIGHT that shines for healing. The secret of that which is written about Ya'akov: "And the sun rose upon him" (Beresheet 32:32) IS RELATED TO THIS THIRD LIGHT. AND THE VERSE IS TALKING assuredly after YA'AKOV became included within that eventide, NAMELY THE DARKNESS OF THE LEFT COLUMN, AND WAS IN NEED OF HEALING. THEREFORE, IT IS WRITTEN: "AND THE SUN ROSE UPON HIM" TO HEAL HIM FROM THE DARKNESS OF THE LEFT. From here onward--THAT IS, AFTER YA'AKOV DREW DOWN THE LIGHT OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN--THE VERSE CONTINUES, "And he limped upon his thigh." "HIS THIGH" IS AN ALLUSION TO THE SFIRAH OF Netzach OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS CALLED Yisrael, BECAUSE THE TWO SFIROT--NETZACH AND HOD--ARE CALLED THE TWO THIGHS.
143. Note that it is written "upon his thigh" and not 'upon his thighs'. THIS MEANS THAT this is the fourth grade, NAMELY NETZACH, from where no prophecies were issued until Shmuel arrived. About it, it is written: "And also the Eternal One (Netzach) of Yisrael" (I Shmuel 15:29). NETZACH, which had been weak ever since Ya'akov the patriarch was endangered by the minister of Esav, was thus firmly reestablished.
144. HE EXPLAINED MORE FULLY THE VERSE: "He touched the hollow of his thigh" (Beresheet 32:26). When the minister of Esav came upon Ya'akov, YA'AKOV derived strength from that eventide by the power of judgment. Thus, Ya'akov became included within it--THAT IS, THE LEFT COLUMN--AND he was not able to overcome him. "And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh": hence, YA'AKOV attained strength from there. HE EXPLAINED THE REASON FOR THIS. Because the thigh is an extremity located away from the torso and because Ya'akov IS THE SFIRAH OF TIFERET THAT IS CALLED the torso, his body comprises the secret of two grades, MALE AND FEMALE, according to the secret being called man. As soon as YA'AKOV derived power, WHICH IS LOCATED outside of his body, the minister of Esav struck "and the hollow of Ya'akov's thigh was out of joint."
145. No man prophesied from there until Shmuel, WHO FIRMLY ESTABLISHED THE SFIRAH OF NETZACH. Therefore, it is written: "And also the Eternal One of Yisrael...for he is not a man." Yehoshua received his prophecy from THE SFIRAH OF Hod of Moshe, as it is written: "And you shall put some of your honor (Heb. Hod) upon him" (Bemidbar 27:20). AS YEHOSHUA PRECEDED SHMUEL THE PROPHET, HE COULD NOT RECEIVE HIS PROPHECY FROM NETZACH BECAUSE OF THE WEAKNESS CAUSED BY THE TOUCH OF ESAV'S MINISTERING ANGEL. THIS IS THE REASON WHY HE RECEIVED HIS PROPHECY FROM HOD, which is the fifth grade. Netzach is the left thigh of Ya'akov. David came forth and combined it with the right, as it is written: "At your right hand are pleasures for evermore (Heb. Netzach)" (Tehilim 16:11). It is not written: 'your right,' but rather "at your right", WHICH MEANS THAT BEFORE THE TIME OF DAVID, NETZACH WAS NOT "AT THE RIGHT." DAVID BROUGHT THE NETZACH BACK TO THE ASPECT OF THE RIGHT, FOR FROM THE TIME OF YA'AKOV UNTIL SHMUEL AND DAVID, NETZACH WAS CONSIDERED THE ASPECT OF THE LEFT.
146. HE ASKED: What weakened Ya'akov's thigh? HE REPLIED: The side of impurity approached him and derived strength from him, REVEALING THE DEFECT OF THE LACK OF THE FACE OF MAN. THUS, THE OTHER SIDE CLINGS TO EVERY PLACE WHERE A LACK APPEARS IN HOLINESS. So THE AMENDING was delayed until Shmuel appeared. That is why SHMUEL came, to remind us that this is the thigh of Yisrael, as it is written: "And also the Eternal One (Heb. Netzach) of Yisrael." (I Shmuel 15:29). This is also the reason why all SHMUEL'S words were according to judgment, both in the beginning and in the end.
147. Furthermore, the Holy One, blessed be He, included him with THE SFIRAH of Hod. HE ASKED: When WAS THAT? HE REPLIED, After he had anointed the kings, SHAUL AND DAVID. For this, Shmuel is ranked as Moshe and Aharon. Just as Moshe and Aharon were SEPARATED on two sides above, THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT, so was SHMUEL down below DIVIDED in the two aspects, RIGHT AND LEFT. What are those TWO ASPECTS? THEY ARE Netzach and Hod, the same as Moshe and Aharon on high. All the grades were included within one another BY SHMUEL AND THIS IS HOW HE BECAME RANKED AS MOSHE AND AHARON TOGETHER, as is written: "Moshe and Aharon among his priests, and Shmuel among them that call upon his name" (Tehilim 99:6). Thus, six aspects, THE SIX SFIROT--CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD--were included within one another and combined.