124. “All those who practice it, these are etc.” “All those who practice it [oseihem]” (Psalms 111:10). These are “the faithful mercies of David” (Isaiah 55:3), the preservers of the Torah. Those who preserve the Torah are as if they are the ones who fashion [osim] it. All those who engage in Torah do not practice [it] while they are engaged in it, but those who preserve it do practice [it], and through this strength the verse: “His praise endures forever” is fulfilled, and the throne stands properly established.

Explanation: It was explained above that this gate of the fear of the Lord, which is the last gate, is the first gate to the supernal Ḥokhma. Thus, [with respect to] those who engage in Torah, who have already rectified the last gate and for whom the two points have become two gates (which are “a good understanding” without evil), it is considered that “those who engage in Torah do not practice [it],” which is [referring to] the aspect of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, those who have not yet merited the completion of the rectification, who are called “preservers of the Torah,” do practice [it], which is good and evil, since they have not yet rectified the sin of the tree of knowledge. ¹, which is the same concept as the world of Asiya.

footnotes: ¹ “Practice of the Torah” means the application of Torah concepts in this world, the world in which good and evil are mixed together as a result of the tree of knowledge. “Practice” comes from the Hebrew word asiya

[The Zohar] thus states that “those who preserve the Torah are as if they are the ones who fashion it.” It was explained above at length how all these forces of separation are transformed and become gates, and each lock becomes an opening, and every opening a chamber of Ḥokhma. Through these [openings] all the lofty levels that were incorporated in [God’s initial] intent for the Creation, which is to provide pleasure to His creatures, come forth and are revealed. See there [in greater detail].

Thus, all the wisdom and the whole Torah are fully revealed only by means of those who preserve the Torah, who practice [it], that is, in whom there is good and evil. This is why they are called “preservers of the Torah,” since it is revealed only through them. The verse calls them “those who practice it [oseihem],” since it is as if they fashion [osim] the Torah. Were it not for their concealments, which turn into gates through their prevailing over them, the Torah would not be revealed. This is the meaning of “those who preserve the Torah are as if they are the ones who fashion it,” that is, they are considered as if they fashioned it since they reveal it.

That which [the Zohar] states “as if” is because the Torah preceded the world (Pesaḥim 54a), and it is certainly the case that the Holy One, blessed be He, fashioned it. However, since, without the good deeds of the “preservers of the Torah,” the Torah would not have been revealed, they are considered to have fashioned and made the Torah.

[The Zohar] continues: “Through this strength the verse: ‘His praise endures forever’ [is fulfilled].” That is, through the strength of those who preserve the Torah, “His praise,” which is all of Ḥokhma and all of Torah, **“endures forever.” [**The expression] “forever” serves to include [the stage] after the completion of the rectification. Even then, [people] will require “the fear of the Lord,” and after the rectification of the tree of knowledge [people] will have nowhere from which to take “the fear of the Lord” other than from time past, which is from the “preservers of the Torah” (see section #118#, above). [The preservers of the Torah] thus establish the praise of the Lord forever and ever. [The Zohar] therefore states: “And the throne stands properly established,” since in this manner the throne will be established properly, for all eternity.