Zohar From Scratch #9 Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Aba and the Donkey Driver

(ח) תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ דִּכְתִיב, (משלי ח׳:ל׳) וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן וָאֶהְיֶה שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים יוֹם יוֹם וְאִיהוּ אִסְתַּכַּל בָּהּ זִמְנָא וּתְרֵין וּתְלָתָא וְאַרְבַּע זִמְנִין, וּלְבָתַר אָמַר לוֹן, וּלְבָתַר עָבִיד בָּהּ עֲבִידְתָּא. לְאוּלְפָא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא דְּלָא יִיִתוֹן לְמִטְעֵי בָּהּ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (איוב כ״ח:כ״ז-כ״ח) אָז רָאָהּ וַיְסַפְּרָהּ הכִינָהּ וְגַם חֲקָרָהּ וַיֹּאמֶר לָאָדָם. וְלָקֳבֵיל אַרְבַּע זִמְנִין אִנּוּן דִּכְתִיב, אָז רָאָהּ, וַיְסַפְּרָהּ, הכִינָהּ, וְגַם חֲקָרָהּ, בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַה דְּבָרָא. וְעַד לָא אַפִּיק עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ, אָעִיל אַרְבַּע תֵּבִין בְּקַדְמִיתָא דִּכְתִיב בְּ'רֵאשִׁית בָּ'רָא אֱ'לֹהִים אֶ'ת, הָא אַרְבַּע. וּלְבָתַר הַשָּׁמַיִם. אִנּוּן לָקֳבֵיל אַרְבַּע זִמְנִין דְּאִסְתַּכַּל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּאוֹרַיְתָא עַד לָא יָפִּיק עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ לְאוּמְנוּתֵיהּ.

(ט) רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה אָזִיל לְמֶחמֵי לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקוֹנְיָא חֲמוֹי

(א) וְרִבִּי אַבָּא בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְהֲוָה טָעִין חַד גַּבְרָא אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא נִפְתַּח פִּתְחִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּהָא שַׁעֲתָא וְעִדָּנָא הוּא לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא בְאָרְחָן.

(ב) פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר (ויקרא י״ט:ל׳) אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי תִּשְׁמוֹרוּ. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשִׁית יוֹמִין בְּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא. וְכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא גָלֵי עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ וְיָהַב חֵילֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא. אֵימָתַי גָּלֵי עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ וְיָהַב חֵילֵיהּ. בְּיוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה. בְּגִין דְּאִנּוּן תְּלַת יוֹמִין קַדְמָאִין כּוּלְהוּ הֲווּ סְתִימִין וְלָא אִתְגָּלוּ, כֵּיוָן דְּאֲתָא יוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה אַפִּיק עֲבִידְתָּא וְחֵילָא דְּכוּלְהוּ. דְּהָא אֶשָׁא וּמַיָא וְרוּחָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִנּוּן תְּלַת יְסוֹדִין עִלָּאִין, כֻּלְהוּ תַּלְיָין, וְלָא אִתְגְּלִי עֲבִידְתָּא דִלְהוֹן, עַד דְּאַרְעָא גָּלֵי לוֹן, כְּדֵין אִתְיְדַע אוּמְנוּתָא דְּכָל חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ.

(ג) וְאִי תֵימָא הָא בְּיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה הֲוָה דִּכְתִיב תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא וּכְתִיב וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ (דשא). אֶלָּא הַאי אַף עַל גַּב דִּכְתִיב בְּיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה, רְבִיעָאָה הֲוָה וְאִתְכְּלִיל בְּיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה לְמֶהֱוֵי חַד בְּלָא פִּירוּדָא. וּלְבָתַר יוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה אִתְגְּלִי עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ לְאַפָּקָא אוֹמָנָא לְאוּמָנוּתֵיהּ דְּכָל חַד וְחַד. בְּגִין דְּיוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה אִיהוּ רַגְלָא רְבִיעָאָה דְּכֻּרְסְיָיא עִלָּאָה.

(ד) וְכָל עֲבִידְתַּיְיהוּ דְּכֻלְהוּ בֵּין יוֹמִין קַדְמָאִין וּבֵין יוֹמִין בַּתְרָאִין הֲווּ תַּלְיָין בְּיוֹמָא דְשַׁבָּתָּא הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ב׳:ב׳) וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, דָּא שַׁבָּת, וְדָא הוּא רַגְלָא רְבִיעָאָה דְּכֻּרְסְיָיא. וְאִי תֵימָא אִי הָכִי, מַהוּ אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי תִּשְׁמוֹרוּ תְּרֵין. אֶלָּא שַׁבָּת (תרומה קל''ה ב) דְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא וְשַׁבַּתָּא דְיוֹמָא מַמָּשׁ לֵית לוֹן פִּירוּדָא.

(ה) אָמַר (להו) הַהוּא טַיְיעָא דְּהֲוָה טָעִין בַּתְרַיְיהוּ, וּמַהוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ דָּא קִדּוּשָׁא דְשַׁבָּת. אָמַר לֵיהּ וּמַהוּ קִדּוּשָׁא דְּשַׁבָּת. אָמַר לֵיהּ דָּא קִדּוּשָׁא דְּאִתְמַשְּׁכָא (עליה) מִלְּעֵילָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ אִי הָכִי עֲבֵידַת לְשַׁבָּת דְּלָאו אִיהוּ קֹדֶשׁ, אֶלָּא קִדּוּשָׁא דְּשַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי מִלְּעֵילָא.

(ו) אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא וְהָכִי הוּא (ישעיהו נ״ח:י״ג) וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עוֹנְג לִקְדוֹשׁ יְיָ מְכוּבָּד, אִדְכַּר שַׁבָּת לְחוּד וּקְדוֹשׁ ה' לְחוּד. אָמַר לֵיהּ אִי הָכִי מַאן קְדוֹשׁ ה'. אָמַר לֵיהּ קְדוּשָׁא דְּנַחֲתָא מִלְּעֵילָא וְשַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ אִי קְדוּשָׁא דְאִתְמַשְּׁכָא מִלְּעֵילָא אִקְרֵי מְכוּבָּד אִתְחַזֵּי דְּשַׁבָּת לָאו אִיהוּ מְכוּבָּד וּכְתִיב וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ.

(ז) אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לְרִבִּי אַבָּא אַנַח לְהַאי גַבְרָא דְּמִלָּה (חדתא) דְחָכְמְתָא אִית בֵּיהּ דְּאֲנַן לָא יְדַעְנָא בָהּ. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ אֵימָא אַנְתְּ. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (ויקרא יט) אֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי. אֶת לְאַסְגָּאָה תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת דְּאִיהוּ תְּרֵין אַלְפִין אַמִּין לְכָל סִטְרָא (ויקהל ר''ז א). וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַסְגֵי אֶת. שַׁבְּתוֹתַי (נ''א דא) שַׁבָּת עִלָּאָה וְשַׁבָּת תַּתָּאָה דְּאִנּוּן תְּרֵין כְּלִילָן כְּחֲדָא וּסְתִימִין כְּחֲדָא.

(ח) אִשְׁתָּאַר שַׁבָּת (יתרו צ''ב א' בר''מ) אָחֳרָא דְּלָא אִדְכַּר וְהֲוָה בְּכִסּוּפָא. אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ מָארֵי דְעָלְמָא מִיּוֹמָא דְּעַבְדַּת לִי שַׁבָּת אִתְקָרֵינָא וְיוֹמָא לָאו אִיהוּ בְּלָא לֵילְיָא. אָמַר לָהּ בְּרַתִּי שַׁבָּת אַנְתְּ וְשַׁבָּת קָרֵינָא לָךְ, אֲבָל הָא אֲנָא מְעַטֵּר לָךְ בְּעִטְרָא עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר. אַעֲבַר כְּרוֹזָא וְאָמַר מִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ.

(ט) וְדָא שַׁבָּת דְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבַּתָּא דְּאִיהִי יִרְאָה, וְשַׁרְיָא בָהּ יִרְאָה. וּמָאן אִיהוּ. דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַכְלִיל וְאָמַר אֲנִי ה'. וְאֲנָא שְׁמַעְנָא מֵאַבָּא דְּאָמַר הָכִי. וְדַיֵּיק אֶת לְאַסְגָּאָה תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת. שַׁבְּתוֹתַי דָּא עִגּוּלָא (רכ''ט א', תצוה ק''פ א', ויקהל ר''ה א) וְרִבּוּעַ דִּלְגוֹ, וְאִנּוּן תְּרֵין. וּלְקֳבֵיל אִנּוּן תְּרֵין אִית תְּרֵי קְדוּשָׁתֵי דְּאִית לָנוּ לְאַדְכָּרָא, חַד וַיְכֻלּוּ, וְחַד קָדוֹשׁ.

(י) וַיְכֻלּוּ אִית בֵּיהּ תְּלָתִין וְחֲמֵשׁ תֵּיבִין. וּבִקְדוּשָׁה (ובקידושא) דְּאֲנַן מְקַדְּשִׁין תְּלָתִין וְחֲמֵשׁ תֵּיבִין. וְסָלִיק כֹּלָּא לְשִׁבְעִין שְׁמָהָן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְעַטַּר בְּהוּ. וּבְגִין דְּעִגּוּלָא וְרִבּוּעָא דָא אִנּוּן שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, כְּלִילָן תַּרְוַיְיהוּ בְּשָׁמוֹר דִּכְתִיב תִּשְׁמוֹרוּ. דְּהָא שַׁבָּת עִלָּאָה הָכָא לָא אִתְכְּלִיל בְּשָׁמוֹר אֶלָּא בְּזָכוֹר, דְּהָא מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה בְּזָכוֹר אִסְתָּיָּים. וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִילֵיהּ, וּשְׁלָמָא דִילֵיהּ זָכוֹר אִיהוּ. וְעַל דָּא לֵית מַחְלוֹקֶת לְעֵילָא.

(יא) בְּגִין דִּתְרֵין שְׁלוֹמוֹת לְתַתָּא חַד יַעֲקֹ''ב וְחַד יוֹסֵ''ף. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי (ישעיהו נ״ז:י״ט) שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב. לָרָחוֹק דָּא יַעֲקֹב,

(א) וְלַקָּרוֹב דָּא יוֹסֵף. לָרָחוֹק כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ירמיהו ל״א:ג׳) מֵרָחוֹק יְיָ נִרְאָה לִי (שמות ב׳:ד׳) וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחוֹתוֹ מֵרָחוֹק. וְלַקָּרוֹב כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (דברים ל״ב:י״ז) חֲדָשִׁים מִקָּרוֹב בָּאוּ. מֵרָחוֹק דָּא נְקוּדָה עִלָּאָה דְקַיְימָא בְּהֵיכָלֵיהּ.

(ב) וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב תִּשְׁמוֹרוּ אִתְכְּלִיל בְּשָׁמוֹר. (ואתחנן ר''ס) וּמִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ דָּא נְקוּדָה דְקַיְימָא בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּאִית לְדַחֲלָא מִנָּהּ יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא דְּעָנְשֵׁיהּ מִיתָה. וְהַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב, (שמות לא) מְחַלֲּלֶיהָ מוֹת יוּמָת. מָאן מְחַלֲּלֶיהָ. מָאן דְּעָאל לְגוֹ חָלָל דְּעִגּוּלָא וְרִבּוּעָא לְאֲתַר דְּהַהוּא דִנְקוּדָה (נקודה) שַׁרְיָא (ביה) וּפָגִים בֵּיהּ מוֹת יוּמָת. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב תִּירָאוּ. וְהַהִיא נְקוּדָה אִקְרֵי אֲנִי, וְעֲלָהּ שַׁרְיָא הַהוּא דְּסָתִים עִלָּאָה דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְּיָא וְהַיְינוּ יְיָ וְכֹלָּא חַד.

(ג) נָחֲתוּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי אַבָּא וּנְשָׁקוּהוּ. אָמְרוּ וּמַה כָּל חָכְמְתָא דָא אִית תְּחוֹת יְדָךְ וְאַתְּ טָעִין אַבַּתְרִין. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ מָאן אַנְתְּ. אָמַר לוֹן לָא תִשְׁאֲלוּן מָאן אֲנָא, אֶלָּא אֲנָא וְאַתּוּן נֵיזֵל וְנִתְעַסֵּק בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְכָל חַד יִיִמָא מִלִּין דְּחָכְמְתָא לְאַנְהָרָא אוֹרְחָא. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ מָאן יָהַב לָךְ לְמֵיזַל הָכָא וּלְמֶהֱוֵי (ולמהוי) טָעוּן (טעין) בְּחַמְרֵי, אָמַר לוֹן יוּ''ד עֲבַד קְרָבָא בִּתְרֵין אַתְוָון בְּכָ''ף וְסַמַ''ךְ לְאִתְקַשְׁרָא בַּהַדָּאי (נ''א כחדא). כָּ''ף לָא בָּעָא לְאִסְתַּלָּקָא וּלְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בָּתַר (נ''א באתר) דְּלָא יָכְלָא לְמֶהֱוֵי רִגְעָא חָדָא אֶלָּא בֵּיהּ. סָמֶ''ךְ לָא בָעָא לְאִסְתַּלָּקָא בְּגִין לְסַעֲדָא לְאִנּוּן דְּנָפְלִין דְּהָא בְּלִי סָמֶ''ךְ לָא יָכְלִין לְמֶהֱוֵי.

(8) Come and see, the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world using the Torah. And this has been explained in the verse, "Then I was by Him as a nurseling, and I was daily all His delight" (Prov. 8:30). He looked at the Torah once, twice, and thrice. The fourth time He addressed them. Eventually, He used the Torah to teach people how not to be misled and to misunderstand it. As it is written, "Then He saw and declared it; He established it and searched it out. And He said to man..." [Job 28:27-28] So according to these four times, expressed as, "Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and searched it out," The Holy One created what He had created. And He did not accomplish His mission until He brought forth four words. Therefore it is written, "In the beginning Elohim created the..." (Gen 1:1) which contains four words [in Hebrew]. After that, "heaven". So these correspond to the four times that the Holy One, blessed be He, looked into the Torah before He brought his works into actuality.

(9) Rabbi Elazar was on his way to visit his father-in-law, Rabbi Yossi, the son of Rabbi Shimon, son of Lakunya,

(1) accompanied by Rabbi Aba. Another man was walking behind them driving their donkeys. Rabbi Aba said, "Let us start a discussion on the Torah, as the time and place are propitious and can help us complete our journey."

(2) Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion with the phrase, "You shall keep My Sabbaths" (Lev. 19:30). Come and see: the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world in six days. And on each day He revealed His actions and gave that day His strength. But when did He actually reveal His actions and give His strength? This happened on the fourth day! Because the first three days were all undisclosed and nothing appeared. But as soon as the fourth day arrived, He revealed His action and shared His strength with all! So Fire, Water and Air [identified as Chesed, Gevurah, and Tiferet], which are the supernal elements, were kept in suspense and the full action of creation was not revealed until the earth, [Malkuth], disclosed them. Only then was the work of each one of them known.

(3) You might say that this was on the third day, as it is written, "Let the earth bring forth grass...And the earth brought forth grass" [Gen 1:11-12] and although it is written that this occurred on the third day, [which is the secret of Tiferet], it actually was on the fourth day, [which is the secret of Malkuth]. The fourth day became part of the third day so that [Tiferet and Malkuth] were joined and inseparable. But afterward, on the fourth day, He revealed His actions and his workmanship of each and every one [of Fire/Chesed, Water/Gevurah, and Air/Tiferet]. The fourth day is the fourth leg of the supernal [Binah's] throne.

(4) So all the actions, whether it be those of the first [three] days, [which are of Fire, Water, and Air] or the last [three] days, [which involved Netzach, Hod, and Chesed] were dependent on the day of the Shabbat, [which is Malkuth]. Therefore, it is written, "And on the seventh day Elohim completed His work which He had done" (Gen 2:2). This refers to the Shabbat and the fourth leg of the throne. And if you ask, If it is so, [that Shabbat is equatable with the fourth leg of the throne, Malkuth], then why does [Lev. 19:30] say, "You shall keep My Sabbaths," plural? [Because,] the evening of Shabbat, the day of Shabbat, [which is Zeir Anpin, as daytime shines on Earth and he shines on Malkuth] are in unison as one. [In other words, it's because Shabbat is one day that takes place over the course of two days, half on Friday, aka the evening, and half on Saturday, aka the day.]

(5) The one who was [driving the donkeys and] following behind said: And what is the meaning of "and reverence My sanctuary?" (Lev. 19:30). Rabbi Aba replied: This applies to the sanctity of the Shabbat. Then he asked: And what is the sanctity of the Shabbat? He said to him: This is the sanctity that is drawn down from above. [from Abba v'Ima/AV"I, "Father and Mother", a.k.a Chokhmah and Binah] He said to him, If that is so, then you have made the Shabbat without any sanctity! Sanctity prevails only when it comes from above! [from AV"I]

(6) Rabbi Aba answered: It is indeed so, as it is written, "And call the Shabbat a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable" (Is. 58:13). So the Shabbat is mentioned separately, as is the holiness of haShem. He then asked him: What then is the "holiness of haShem?" Rabbi Aba replied: This is the holiness that descends from above, and rests upon [Shabbat]. He said, If holiness, which descends from above, is called "honorable," it may seem as though the Shabbat itself is not "honorable." Yet it is written, "and shall honor it"

(7) But Rabbi Elazar said to Rabbi Aba, "Let this man speak, because he has something wise to say, something of which we know nothing." They said to him, "Say what you want to say!" The man began with the verse, "My Sabbaths" (Lev. 19:30). The particle et [is written] to include the Shabbat limits, [the techum Shabbat] which are 2,000 cubits in every direction. For this reason, the verse which added et with "My Sabbaths" refers to both the higher Shabbat and the lower Shabbat, which are joined as one and are both concealed.

(8) Another Shabbat, however, remained unmentioned and felt humiliated. She ['shabbat' is a feminine word] came forward and said, "Master of the Universe, from the day You created me until now, I am called 'the Shabbat,' and there is no day [left for me] without a night!" [as Hebrew days start at sundown, not midnight] He told her: My daughter, you are the Shabbat and I have called you 'the Shabbat,' but now I am adorning you with a more glorious crown. He then sent forth a proclamation stating, "And you shall revere My sanctuary" (Lev. 19:30). And this is the Shabbat of the eve of Shabbat, which is awe, where awe prevails.

(9) But who is this Shabbat? The Donkey Driver [replies]: This is the one that the Holy One, blessed be He, included [with the other], saying: "I am the Lord" (Ibid.). And I heard this from my father, who emphasized [that the word] et symbolizes the Shabbat limits. "My Sabbaths", denotes a circle and with a square within, which are two [different shapes that, yet, are now one]. According to these two, there are two hallowed prayers that we should recite. One starts with Vaychulu [Beresheet 2:1-3], and the other is the Kiddush. The passage of Vaychulu consists of 35 words, and in the Kiddush that we perform there are also 35 words. They add up to seventy names, with which the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Congregation of Israel adorn themselves.

(10) And because this circle and this square are "My Sabbaths", they are both included in [what we must] keep, as it is written, "You shall keep [My Sabbaths]" But the upper Shabbat is not included in [what we must] 'Keep', but only in [what we must] 'Remember', [as in "Remember the Sabbath day", Exodus 20:8] because the supernal King, [Binah] is completed by "Remember". And this is why, [Binah] is called the "King to whom Peace belongs." [Melchizedek] As His Peace is 'Remember'. And so there is no controversy above.

(11) The Donkey Driver said, There are two kinds of peace down below: One is Jacob, [Tiferet] the other is Joseph, [Yesod] And because of this, Peace is written twice in [the verse] "Peace, Peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near" (Is. 57:19). "To him that is far" refers to Jacob;

(1) "to him that is near" refers to Joseph. So "to him that is far" means, as you say, "The LORD has appeared to me from afar" (Jeremiah 31:2), and also, "And his sister stood afar off" (Ex. 2:4). And "to him that is near" means, as you say, "to new [Elohim] that came from nearby" (Deut. 32:17).“You are to guard.” “You shall fear My sanctity” refers to the point standing in the center, which must be feared more than anything, for its punishment is death.

(2) "From afar" (Jer. 31:2), refers to the upper Point in His Palace. And the verse refers to it with the words, "You shall keep" (Lev. 19:30), where it is included [in what we must] 'Keep'. "And reverence My sanctuary" refers to the Point in the center that should be most greatly awed, since the penalty for transgressing it is death. For it is written, "Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death" (Ex. 31:14). And who "profanes it?" Those who penetrate into the space of the circle and the square - into the spot where that Point is situated - and damage it. They "shall surely be put to death!" This is why it is written, "and reverence." And this Point is called "I" [ani] where the Most High and Concealed One, HaVaYaH, prevails. Thus, "I am the LORD" (Lev. 19:30), all is One.

(3) Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba dismounted, and kissed him. They said, "With all this wisdom in your possession you are leading donkeys behind us?!" They asked him: 'who are you?' He answered them, 'Do not ask me who I am, but let us, me and you, walk along and deal in the Torah. Let each of us speak words of wisdom to illuminate the way. They said to him: "Who has put you here to be a donkey driver?" He replies: The letter Yud waged war against the two letters, Kaph and Samekh, [to come and] join me. The letter Kaph did not want to leave and join me because it can only be at rest in [the Throne of Glory], and the Samekh did not want to leave, because it has to support those who fall. And without the Samech, they cannot survive!