Yahel Ohr – GR”A

From the ‘Levnat HaSapir’ (white and pure, completely) and so forth:

And M”T (Meta – tatron מט״ט) is described ‘like the appearance of …’. The rakia (firmament/sky) and the sapphire-stone were already explained earlier in regard to tzitzis: sapphire has two shades, and it resembles in appearance, just as the rakia does. The rakia corresponds to the tallis, and the sapphire to the tzitzis. Now he explains how this is the likeness of the throne through tzitzis.

For she (the Shechina) is twofold on every side in four directions. Meaning: eighteen (חי = 18) together with two on each side — that makes three directions.

And these are Michael … and M”T, six … This is ‘six and argaman (purple) are her clothing of the throne’ — meaning the clothing is like it says at the beginning of Tikkunei Zohar. This is the ‘light of His garment’ as is known, and this is the ‘hei’ (ה) of the throne. The dalet-vav (ד״ו) and the yud (יו״ד) are clothed in it, as explained in the 4th chapter, in the end of Sefer Pitchei DeZohar (מ״ט ב׳ ג׳). The dalet-vav is the feminine (nukva), and the vav of M”T is the masculine, as is known. And he said ‘eighteen knots…’ From here we see that even with thirteen chulyos (wrappings), only five knots are made — which is one knot for every four wrappings. And this final knot is the one called ‘Shem Yud-Beis’ (the Divine Name of 12), in the wrappings: three times four — for the Chayos (Heavenly beings), the Tribes, and the Seasons, and similar. And so it is with every knot in the windings. And therefore it says: ‘and the one who reduces makes two wrappings for every knot of white and techeiles.’ And what it said, that one must tie upon … this is only if reducing. But ideally, one must do like the one who increases, as it says here — and it is going back on the chulyos (wrappings), not on the krichos (windings), unlike the first explanation in Tosafos.

Tzitzis with two yuds: Meaning, M”T is the master (תר, tanna rabbah) of all tzitzis. And the four tzitzis are the four Chayos, as explained. And it is the form of the throne, which is the hei of dalet-vav on four legs and six levels, as explained.

And thirteen, etc.: This is a separate matter, including the 613. Nevertheless, it alludes to M”T, who is the 613 in ratzo v’shov (running and returning). The ‘ratzo’ completes the argaman (purple), and this is the secret of the vav-hei: the dalet of the dalet is made into a hei of argaman, as it says in Sefer HaZohar at the beginning of Bereishis, and there explained. And the 613 is the vav, both in its simple and its full spelling, as explained above — that it is included in M”T. And the vav is in the level of ad d’ata (עד״א), the vav.

And furthermore, six steps… Earlier he said six steps, hinted at in tzitzis, and here he says thirteen chulyos.

Five knots, five, etc.: Meaning, they are argaman, the four Chayos in each tzitzis, each one including four in four directions, as it says in Parshas Beha’aloscha. And the rising of one is the hei. And he said ‘and the fifth completed 18’ — meaning it is vav and hei in the Chayos, called ‘Chaya,’ as it says ‘it is the Chaya, singular,’ including all four, Nuriel, etc. And this is through the hei mentioned, in the secret of M”T, vav, 13, and the hei that completes the five Chayos and includes them. Thus it makes 18. And the hei of the Chaya mentioned above is the throne itself, including four, as explained.

And each Chaya has four, etc.: These are 32 strings — four times eight, in the four Chayos. And the 13 chulyos of M”T complete Adam (the name of 45). And he said: ‘He completes above…’ That is Adam and the Chayos, as it says at the beginning of Tikkunei Zohar Chadash, vav, etc. And it is his vav: 13 complete Adam, as above, the completion of them. And they complete the 18 Chayos, as explained. And this is Adam on the throne. And from the side of Tzaddik, it is called Chaya, chai, tet-tet (ט״ט), as explained. And from the side of Tiferes, it is called Adam, as it says in Zohar, end of Volume I, on ‘and he dreamed, and behold, a ladder…’ And this is tefillin, as explained earlier, 228b. And its completion, above and below, is in the secret of ratzo v’shov, dagesh and rafeh — in rafeh it is the King on vav, and in dagesh, in yud, the feminine.

And he completes below, and it is M”T, who completes above and below, in the manner of ad d’ata: His Name is like his Master’s, etc.

So it must be read. And he said: ‘in His image, in His likeness’ — meaning in male and female, Adam and the Chayos, as explained. And upon this it says: ‘Let us make Adam in our image, in our likeness,’ as it says in Tikkunei Zohar. And this is the brilliance of Adam that he inherits. And he said: he includes all levels from above, that he includes all the Chayos, which are the secret of the four letters of the Divine Name. And he is in the Name called Adam, with 32 faces, etc. And he is from above to below in straight light, the masculine; and from below to above in the secret of Chaya, the feminine. And he is in the sod of Binah and Malchus, which together form a combined level, the two together, as explained earlier 228a, in the sod of the Seraphim. And so he is…

And he said: ‘and he includes, etc.’ — explaining what was said above, that he includes 32 faces and wings. And it is two Merkavos: Chessed, Gevurah, Tiferes with Binah, which include the three Roshim, and Netzach, Hod, Yesod with Malchus, as explained at the beginning of Tikunei Zohar Chadash. And these are the eight threads of tzitzis, which are four doubled, as explained.

And eighteen times, etc.: These are 72 knots and wrappings of tzitzis, as explained: four times 18. And they are included in M”T, in tet-tet (ט״ט), as explained, which is the 18 included in the 18, and ‘Vayechulu,’ etc. And these are the four Chayos that he completed for them in vav, as explained.

And now he explains Adam, that he completes, and said: ‘and in four directions… and thirteen, etc.’ As it says: these 13 are included above and below, as explained.

And he said: ‘and above in the Tree of Life…’ because he wants to explain the klipos that Yechezkel saw, as it says:

‘Tohu, and behold…’ — this is the green wind. ‘Bohu’ — this is a pale cloud.

To receive bran (סובין – leftover rough matter), etc.: The first two (Tohu and Bohu) are in Mikra (Chumash) and Mishnah, but in Gemara one must grind them with kushyos and teirutzim (questions and answers). As it says below: the kushya in its place, etc. And the fourth is kodesh hillulim (holy praises) that Rabbi Akiva entered, descending until the depths.