Daily Zohar # 5118 – Vayikra – The face of the Ancient of Days
Daily Zohar 5118
Hebrew translation:
247. וּכְשֶׁחֲטָאֵי הָעוֹלָם מִתְרַבִּים, נִסְתָּר הָעַתִּיק הַקָּדוֹשׁ, וְאֵין מַשְׁגִּיחִים פָּנִים בְּפָנִים, וְאָז מִתְעוֹרְרִים הַדִּינִים בָּעוֹלָם, וְהַכִּסְאוֹת עוֹלִים, וְעַתִּיק הַיָּמִים סָתוּם וְלֹא מִתְגַּלֶּה. זֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דניאל ז) הָיִיתִי רוֹאֶה עַד שֶׁהַכִּסְאוֹת הוּרְמוּ וְעַתִּיק הַיָּמִים יוֹשֵׁב. עַד שֶׁהַכִּסְאוֹת הוּרְמוּ, שֶׁאוֹתָם הַכְּתָרִים הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, שֶׁמַּשְׁקִים אֶת כָּל הָאֲחֵרִים לְהַעֲמִידָם בְּקִיּוּמָם. וּמִי הֵם? הָאָבוֹת. וְעַתִּיק הַיָּמִים יוֹשֵׁב וְלֹא מִתְגַּלֶּה. וְאָז מְהַפְּכִים הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם רַחֲמִים לְדִין.
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Zohar Vayikra
Continued from previous DZ
#246
We have learned: At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, looks upon the world and sees that the deeds of the children of man below are fitting, Atika Kadisha — which is Keter — is revealed in Zeir Anpin, which is Tiferet. And all these faces of Zeir Anpin gaze upon the concealed faces of Atika, and they are all blessed.
Why are they blessed? It is because they gaze upon one another in a straight way — that is, in the aspect of the middle line, which does not turn to the right nor to the left. This is what is written: “יָשָׁר יֶחֱזוּ פָנֵימוֹ” “the upright shall behold His face.” For the faces of Atika and Zeir Anpin gaze upon one another in a straight way — that is, in the aspect of the middle line. And then they are all blessed, and they water one another until all the worlds are blessed, and all the worlds are found as one. And then “YHVH is One, and His Name is One” is fulfilled.
#247
But when the sins of the world multiply, Atika Kadisha becomes concealed, and they do not gaze face to face. Then judgments awaken in the world, the thrones are cast down, and Atik Yomin — which is Keter — becomes concealed and is not revealed. This is what is written: “חָזֵה הֲוֵית עַד דִּי כָרְסָוָן רְמִיו וְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין יְתִיב” “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days sat” (Daniel 7:9). “Till the thrones were cast down” — this means these supernal crowns that water all the others to establish them in their existence. And who are they? They are the Avot, which are Chessed, Gevurah, and Tiferet of Zeir Anpin. “And the Ancient of Days sat” — meaning He was not revealed. And therefore He is called “sitting,” for one who sits diminishes his stature. And then the wicked of the world turn mercy into judgment.
Notes:
The dynamics behind divine blessing and judgment are explained. When human deeds below are upright, Atika Kadisha (Keter) reveals itself within Zeir Anpin (Tiferet). The faces of Zeir Anpin and Atika then gaze upon each other in perfect straightness — through the balanced middle line — resulting in complete blessing that flows downward until all worlds unite as one, fulfilling “YHVH is One, and His Name is One.”
However, when sins increase, Atika Kadisha conceals itself. The direct face-to-face gaze ceases, judgments awaken, the thrones (the supporting supernal crowns, i.e., the Patriarchs — Chessed- Gevurah- Tiferet) are cast down, and Keter (Atik Yomin) “sits” in a diminished, concealed state. In such times, the wicked succeed in turning mercy into judgment. The teaching shows how the spiritual state of humanity directly affects the harmony between the highest sefirot and determines whether the world receives unified blessing or harsh judgment.
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