How does one dance before the bride? Beis Shammai said: “The bride, as she is.” Beis Hillel said, “A pleasant and gracious bride!” In the future, the Shechinah will be called “bride,” as opposed to now, when she is called “Zos” (“this”).⁸⁹ is a feminine pronoun and refers to the Divine Presence in Kabbalistic texts. How do we dance before the Shechinah now, when she is in exile, before she is called “bride”? For dancing serves to raise up the sparks and the lowest level to a high level, such as in holy dance.⁸⁹ However, in the period of the exile it does not ascend well, for who can do this perfectly, as is explained⁸⁹ in the mystery of nefilas apayim,⁸⁹, recited in the morning and afternoon weekday service, in which the worshipper falls on his face (i.e. places his face on his forearm), in an act of repentance. This represents the “falling” to the lowest level; for once the worshipper has ascended to the highest world of Atzilus during the Amidah, he can now descend to collect the fallen sparks that are in the netherworlds. which uplifts the sparks from the world of Asiyah to the highest level. As Rabbi Chaim Vital said about this, that none of us know how. Therefore, Beis Shammai said “The bride, as she is,” as the Zohar says: “Her husband is known in the gates (she’arim).” That is, “according to what each person approximates (mesha’er) in his mind and ability.” Meaning, in a general way. For if he is unable to unite and adorn the Shechinah in a specific way,⁸⁹ he should still appraise the Bride as she is. But Beis Hillel says “A pleasant and gracious bride!” That is, one must know how to remove the dirty garments from the spark in a specific way and to adorn it, so that the Shechinah should be pleasant and gracious. Tzafnah Paneach, p. 46a

footnotes: ⁸⁹ Zos ⁸⁹ When a person dances within a holy context, such as at a Jewish wedding or on the festivals, his uplifted feet parallel the redemption of the lowest level of creation (Malchus, Asiyah) from its attachment to the impure shells. ⁸⁹ In the writings of the Arizal. ⁸⁹ The prayer immediately following the Amidah ⁸⁹ I.e. to know exactly which sparks of the Shechinah are in exile and the precise Unifications required to free her.