Ginzay Ramchal — Section 10: Ma'amar Vayhi Miketz

The Ma'amar Vayhi Miketz itself, on the opening of Parshas Miketz ("And it was, at the end of two years of days, and Pharaoh was dreaming"). The Ramchal opens with the grammatical distinction between *cholem* (present participle) and *chalam* (past tense), using it to unfold two distinct modes of mochin — a hidden mode and a revealed mode — mapped to two bechinos of Divine governance.

The Zohar discourse — Vayhi Miketz [spoken by the elder Avraham the pious]: "Rabbi, Rabbi — 'And it came to pass at the end of two years of days — and Pharaoh was dreaming.' It does not write Pharaoh dreamed — or and he dreamed — but: and Pharaoh dreaming [choleim]. Why? — for here there are deep and hidden supernal secrets in the ways of the holy King — secret and concealed ways from human beings — who do not look and do not know in the light of the glory of their Master. For the forces of the other side darkened their eyes — and they think to walk in its ways — but these are not its ways — as it is written: 'For the ways of Hashem are straight' etc. [Hoshea 14:10]." He opened and said: Master of all worlds — One — there is none like You — for You created the world in Your holy Name. And in Your holy Name You guide it — to sustain it according to Your will. And the Torah in this holy Name You gave to Israel Your people with love — for You loved them — to bind them to You in the bond of faith — that they never separate for all time. May it be Your will to arouse upon them now with this love — in the holy unity — to give me strength — to arouse love between You and Israel Your holy people. And from the darkness light will illuminate — and pleasure and ease before You — and may Your Name be blessed for ever and for all eternity. He opened and said [Shir ha-Shirim 8:6]: "Set me as a seal upon your heart" — behold the deepest secrets for the wise of heart — to look and to know the hidden ways of the King. It is written [Iyov 37:12]: "And it turns in its revolutions by His counsels" etc. — revolving specifically — for within the secrets of the levels the ways of the King are separated one from another — paths from within paths — which rise to many sides — changing these from those — a level going forth from a level — all arranged in arrangement — to go against that impure forces of the other side — as it is said [Shmuel II 22:27]: "And with the crooked You show Yourself crooked." Therefore: "And it turns in its revolutions by His counsels" — revolving specifically. See how deep are the secrets of the holy King — within the innermost — a bond is bound — the bond of faith in that middle pillar — there the levels combine in one combination. One supernal Aleph binds a hidden bond within — and there things are arranged in a hidden measure — to stand on their clarity in the world on the holy side — and the levels are separated to other sides in another measure — that appears fitting to go against that crooked impurity — in order to subdue it. And the entire world in this bond is literally signed and sealed. From there onward in the revealed — things are arranged in another measure — this secret is: truth — the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He, is truth — this is the seal with which all creatures are sealed. Since they were sealed in this — things are separated to their ways. Therefore: all worlds are guided thus — the secret of hidden and revealed. Here it is written: "For the ways of Hashem are straight" etc. — straight indeed — from the side of this truth. But the revealed governance is what is known to all — and there things appear without order — but in chaos — the matter of "vanity of vanities" that Koheles said — and therefore: "transgressors stumble in them."

See — Israel here are bound in this bond indeed — and because of it it is said of them: "Israel is one nation" — for here the unity stands to be recognized: "Hear O Israel — Hashem our G-d — Hashem is One." ה׳ — this is the Jubilee — Elokeinu — this is the middle pillar — ה׳ — this is the Shechinah. The middle pillar — the central bolt fastening from end to end — supernal end — lower end. And if you ask: why above and below is הוי״ה — and in the middle is Elokim? Rather — all is a supernal secret — it is the bond of unity that is bound in its levels — הוי״ה stands in the middle — above and below: Elokim. When the levels combine in complete unity — הוי״ה spreads above and below — Elokim stands in the middle — they all combine in one combination. The secret of all: Hashem-Elokim — the complete Name [Bereishis 2:7]: "And Hashem G-d formed the man." And the entire world in this likeness: "G-d made man upright" — and afterward: "and they sought many calculations." And of Israel it is said [Yirmiyahu 2:21]: "And I planted you a noble vine" etc. See — the Vav is bound in three vowel-points: cholam above — chirik below — shurek in the middle. Cholam — it is the crown upon the head of the King. Chirik below — the Shechinah is the throne beneath Him. Shurek in the middle — its secret indeed. There Israel are rooted — and it is said of them [Michah 7:20]: "You will give truth to Yaakov." Therefore: "I planted you a noble vine" — this is the shurek — "an entirely pure seed of truth." And see — the Shechinah from its own side is the flaming turning sword [lahat ha-cherev ha-mithapechet]. But from the side of its being included in Him in the King — it is said of it: "Set me as a seal upon your heart" — this is the seal said of — bound in the heart of the King. About this secret it is written [Yeshayah 55:9]: "For the heavens are higher than the earth" etc. — the Shechinah in its secret is the earth — and there is the flaming turning sword. But from the side of its being included in Him in the King in that bond we mentioned — in the heavens it is — there things are hidden — the revealed below are arranged in the arrangement fitting to them. Therefore: "For the heavens are higher" indeed.