Daily Zohar # 4929 – Beresheet – From the trees of Lebanon

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Hebrew translation:

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Zohar Beresheet
Continued from previous DZ
#294
We have learned: Before the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the world, His Name was concealed within Him, and He and His Name, concealed within Him, were one. ‘His Name’ refers to Malchut. Before creation, she was included and hidden within the Ein Sof without any revelation or recognition. At that time, He and His Name, concealed within Him, were one. (This matter is explained well in Etz Chaim of the Ari) Nothing was revealed until it arose in His will to create the world, and He began forming and building worlds, but they could not endure and were destroyed. These are the worlds that emerged from Malchut during the first contraction (first tzimtzum), called the worlds of chaos (עולמות תוהו, olamot d’tohu), in which there was a breaking of the vessels (שבירת הכלים, shevirat ha-kelim), which is the destruction of those worlds.
Regarding them, our Sages said (Bereishit Rabbah, end of chapter 12), ‘Initially, the world was created with the attribute of judgment, meaning Malchut of the first contraction, which is called the attribute of judgment. He saw that the world could not endure, meaning they were destroyed, so He joined with it the attribute of mercy, as the Zohar states before us. Until the Holy One, Blessed be He, who is Binah, enveloped Himself in a single envelopment of light, meaning He raised Malchut to her (Binah), and her light was diminished to the level of the six levels, called enveloped light. Then, the attribute of judgment, which is Malchut, was joined with the attribute of mercy, which is Binah, through which the world was sustained, as explained.
Notes:
When God willed creation, He formed worlds through Malchut during the first contraction (tzimtzum), a process where Endless light was restricted to allow for finite existence. These initial worlds, called olamot d’tohu (worlds of chaos), were dominated by the attribute of judgment. Their intensity caused shevirat ha-kelim (breaking of the vessels), as the vessels (kelim) could not contain the Endless light, leading to their destruction. 
To sustain creation, God joined judgment (Malchut, lower ה) with Mercy (Binah, the supernal mother, upper ה). This involved raising Malchut to Binah, diminishing Malchut’s light to the level of six sides, Zeir Anpin, called enveloped light. This “sweetening” of Malchut’s judgment by Binah’s mercy allowed the creation of stable worlds (olamot of tikkun), as Binah provided the vessels (kelim) and Mochin to balance Malchut’s judgment.
The first contraction and the breaking of the vessels explain the instability of Malchut’s judgement, resolved by the mercy from Binah.
Malchut’s dependence on Binah for upper lights and vessels underscores her Tikkun process, central to creation and Final Redemption.
#295
And He brought forth from this enveloped light (אור עטוף), the supernal great cedars from that supernal radiance (זֹהַר עֶלְיוֹן). This means that afterward, He again drew down the aspect of Gadlut (greatness, three upper sefirot) to the previously mentioned enveloped light. And there, His chariot was set upon the 22 letters inscribed, which are Zeir Anpin and Nukva. This means that these letters, which are of Binah, during the state of Katnut (smallness), descend from her to Zeir Anpin and Nukva. During the state of Gadlut, Binah returns them to herself. They are considered like a chariot that travels back and forth. And it says, He placed His chariot upon the 22 letters, meaning Zeir Anpin and Nukva during Katnut. During Gadlut, Zeir Anpin and Nukva are inscribed with the ten utterances (commandments), which refer to the Mochin of Gadlut. Then they were established, meaning they came to their desired rectification (tikkun).
This is what is meant by, ‘אַפִּרְיוֹן עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה מֵעֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן’—’ A palanquin the King Solomon made for himself from the trees of Lebanon’ (Song of Songs 3:9), and likewise, ‘אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן’—’ Cedars of Lebanon’ (cf. Psalms 29:5). For Chokhmah is called lavan (white), and Binah is called Levanon. The verse teaches us that the appiryon that Solomon made, which is the Nukva, as mentioned above, was made for him from the vessels of Binah, called Levanon. Likewise, her sefirot are called ‘cedars of Lebanon,’ from which the Nukva is built, as explained.
Notes:
The interplay of Binah, Zeir Anpin, and Malchut via the 22 letters and Mochin ensures creation’s stability and rectification.

#296
‘עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה’—’ Made for himself, the King Solomon’ (Song of Songs 3:9), the word ‘for himself’ (לו) is redundant and is meant for interpretation. It is interpreted: ‘for himself’ (לו), meaning for His own sake, that King Solomon, who is Zeir Anpin with the Mochin of Binah, made the appiryon (palanquin) for Himself. ‘For himself’, for His own tikkun, that He first rectified Himself with the appiryon. ‘For himself’, to show His supernal glory, meaning to bestow His mochin from the supernal glory, which is Binah, to the appiryon, which is Malchut. ‘For himself’, to make known that He is One and His Name is One, meaning to bring about the final tikkun, as it is written, ‘בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְהוָה אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד’—’ On that day, Hashem will be One, and His Name will be One’ (Zechariah 14:9). And regarding that time, it is written, ‘וְיָדְעוּ כִּי אַתָּה שִׁמְךָ יְהוָה לְבַדֶּךָ’—’ And they will know that You, Your Name is Hashem, alone’ (Psalms 83:19).
Notes:
The passage connects the rectification of Zeir Anpin and Malchut to the time of Mashiach, when Holy unity is restored, and all klipot (impurities, erev rav, Amalek) are eradicated (Isaiah 25:8). The appiryon represents Malchut’s perfected state, ready to channel supernal blessings, aligning with the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Third Temple.

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