| 4. Then, when Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov came, they began drawing down the Indwelling Presence of _HaShem_-יהו״ה and they repaired three thrones, thus drawing down the Indwelling Presence of _HaShem_-יהו"ה to a degree, by making their bodies into seats for the Indwelling Presence of _HaShem_-יהו״ה, blessed is S/He. However, the Indwelling Presence of _HaShem_-יהו״ה (_Shechinah-_שכינה) was not drawn down to the earth as a permanent dwelling, but only as a temporary dwelling, and it thus hovered above them. This is the meaning of the verse, _Genesis 17:22_ “God-_Elohim_-אלהים ascended from upon Avraham,” meaning, “from upon Avraham” in the most literal sense. Similarly, about Yaakov the verse states, _Genesis 35:13_ “Then God-_Elohim_-אלהים ascended from upon him.” About this, our sages, of blessed memory, stated, (_Midrash Bereishit Rabba 47:6_) “Our forefathers were the Divine Chariot (_Merkavah_).” However, from this we find that, in their times, the _Shechinah-_שכינה hovered in the air and did not finding a resting place for the soles of her feet in the earth, as it was at the beginning of creation. | ד. בָּאוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב עֲלֵיהֶם הַשָּׁלוֹם, הִתְחִילוּ לְהַמְשִׁיכָהּ לְמַטָּה וְתִקְּנוּ לָהּ ג' כִּסְּאוֹת, וְהִמְשִׁיכוּהָ קְצָת הַמְשָׁכָה וְעָשׂוּ גּוּפוֹתֵיהֶם כִּסְּאוֹת לַשְּׁכִינָה, אֲבָל לֹא נִמְשְׁכָה הַשְּׁכִינָה בָּאָרֶץ לְדִירַת קֶבַע, אֶלָּא לְדִירַת עֲרַאי, וְהָיְתָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת עַל גַּבֵּיהֶם. וְהַסּוֹד: וַיַּעַל אֱלֹהִים מֵעַל אַבְרָהָם (בְּרֵאשִׁית יז, כב), רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר מֵעַל אַבְרָהָם מַמָּשׁ. וּבְיַעֲקֹב וַיַּעַל מֵעָלָיו אֱלֹהִים (שָׁם לָהּ, יג) וְעַל זֶה אָמְרוּ: הָאָבוֹת הֵם הַמֶּרְכָּבָה. נִמְצָא הַשְּׁכִינָה בִּימֵיהֶם פּוֹרַחַת בָּאֲוִיר, וְלֹא מָצְאָה מָנוֹחַ לְכַף רַגְלָהּ בָּאָרֶץ כַּאֲשֶׁר בִּתְחִלַּת הַבְּרִיאָה. | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |