219. “The sixth commandment, etc.” The sixth commandment is to engage in procreation. Whoever engages in procreation causes that river, Yesod of Ze’er Anpin, to be constantly flowing. Its waters will not cease and the sea, which is Malkhut, will be filled from all sides. New souls are renewed and emerge from that tree, and many hosts multiply above with those souls, in order to guard them. This is the meaning of the verse: “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures” [Genesis 1:20]. This is the sign of the holy covenant, the river that is drawn out and emerges, whose waters multiply and swarm a swarm, and the multiplication of souls for that creature.

Explanation: Through the awakening from below [a person] awakens [the levels] above, and causes the coupling of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Divine Presence. Then the river, which is Yesod of Ze’er Anpin, will be constantly flowing with masculine waters [from above to below] and its waters will not cease from bestowing upon the Nukba. The sea, which is the Nukba of Ze’er Anpin, will be filled on all sides, i. e., both from the side of the coupling [needed] to animate the worlds [with divine lifeforce], as well as from the side of bearing souls. “New souls are renewed and emerge from that tree,” that is, not actual new souls, but old souls that were already in Adam the first [man] but which fell from him on account of the sin of the Tree of Knowledge. They are renewed once again by that tree, which is Ze’er Anpin, and it is for this reason that they are called “new souls.”

[The Zohar] continues: “New souls are renewed.” Genuinely new souls come to the world only after the completion of the rectification of the sin of the Tree of Knowledge. Many hosts are emanated above with those souls, because several angels emerge with each soul, as stated [in the next section] below. Likewise, angels also emerge through the coupling that is for animating the worlds.

[The Zohar] continues: “the sign of the holy covenant, the river etc.” The meaning is [as follows]: “Swarms of living creatures” alludes to Yesod of Ze’er Anpin, which is called “the sign of the holy covenant.” It is the river that is drawn out and emerges from Ze’er Anpin, enclothing the Abba and Imma called Eden, to water the garden, which is the Nukba [of Ze’er Anpin]. “Whose waters multiply and swarm a swarm,” that is, from the couplings of the aspect of six extremities, which are called “swarms [raḥashin],” which is the Aramaic translation of “Swarm with swarms [yishretzu sheretz].” Regarding the aspect of the couplings of the first three [sefirot] which is for bearing souls, [the Zohar] states “and the multiplication of souls for that creature.” It is this [creature, the ḥaya, ] that is called “living creature” in that verse.