And the essential thing is that at every time and hour, in everything that passes over him, he should cling only to the truth and pray and pour out his heart before Hashem, blessed be He, in words of truth of their truest sense, as explained above. For the power of the act of creation is the aspect of twenty-eight times [itos] — fourteen for good and fourteen for the opposite — in which all of a person’s times are included, everything that passes over him. Regarding this, Dovid prayed: “in Your hand are my times” (Tehillim 31:16), etc. And as it is written: “and the times that passed over him” (Divray HaYamim I 29:30). And the essential rectification — to be saved from all evil in the physical and in the spiritual, and to transform all the bad times, G-d forbid, to good — is only through truth, which is the rectification of t’filah, to transform all the times to the aspect of eis ratzon [a time of favor] — the aspect of “may this hour be an hour of mercy and a time of favor”; the aspect of “and as for me, my t’filah is to You, Hashem, at a time of favor” (Tehillim 69:14).

And the essential thing is that at every time, according to what he is, he should look at the truth and not deceive himself. For in truth there is no time or moment when one cannot exit the darkness through the truth, etc.

And this is the aspect of the dream of Par’oh that Yosef interpreted — the seven good cows and the seven bad, the seven good sheaves and the seven bad — all of which total twenty-eight: fourteen good and fourteen bad — the aspect of the twenty-eight times mentioned above, in which are all the many variations. And the essential evil and good within them is the falsehood and the truth, the darkness and the light, etc. And therefore he saw all this through cows and sheaves. For through t’filah one merits his mate — which is the aspect of paros [cows], which are living creatures, the aspect of “ben poras Yosef” (Beraishis 49:22). And the sheaves are grain — the aspect of livelihood [parnasah], which is received through t’filah.

And Par’oh saw seven very good cows drawn from the fitting t’filah, which is the aspect of “seven times a day I praised You” (Tehillim 119:164). But against this he saw seven cows rising after them, “poor and very bad of form, the likes of which I have not seen” (Beraishis 41:19), etc. — “and the bad cows swallowed” them, etc., “and it was not known that they had come into their midst”. For the falsehood intensifies and darkens so greatly that one cannot see the truth at all, as if it never existed in the world. For the blemish of the marital unions, G-d forbid, intensifies so greatly — as if there is no true holiness, G-d forbid, in the matter of unions, when in truth all the holinesses and all the supernal unifications [yichudim] depend on this, as is known, especially in the Zohar HaKadosh and the writings of the Ari z”l.

3 The word ציצית = 90+10+90+10+400 = 600. Together with the 5 knots and 8 threads = 613, corresponding to the 613 mitzvos (Menachos 43b, as cited by Rashi on Bamidbar 15:39).

And because of their blemish, they caused the K'na'ani king of Arad -- who is Amalek -- to hear that Aharon had died and the Clouds of Glory departed. For Amalek is from time immemorial a rod of chastisement for Yisroel. For he is the contamination of the Nachash, the contamination of the Airev Rav of Mitzrayim. Which is the aspect of the contamination of the evil of the m'dameh. Which is the aspect of the false prophets, the aspect of the false leaders in every generation -- who want at every opportunity to conceal and hide the truth of the holiness of the true tzaddik. And especially after his passing, as above.

And the main source of his power, chas v'shalom, is when Yisroel do not search for him properly, as above. And therefore then specifically the K'na'ani came upon them -- which is Amalek, as above.

And they needed then to take to heart all of this -- to search for him now, at the very least, properly. But the Adversary provokes at all times, and he incited them to return backward. And all of this was through the counsel of the heads of the opponents of Mosheh and Aharon -- who are Dasan and Aviram and those like them.

Likutay Halachos · Choshen Mishpat

Hilchos Uraiv 5 — Part 3

Laws of a Guarantor — 5 (§§37–46) · Based on "Teekoo" — Likutay Moharan II:1 · The M'raglim, n'sachim, shisin, Korach, and the ultimate tikkun

Based on the Torah "Teekoo" 1 in Likutay Tinyana, Siman 1. Continuing from Part 2 (§§30–36).

And this is why Parashas N'sachim is juxtaposed to Parashas M'raglim [the Spies]. For the M'raglim blemished and denied all of the above. For they blemished Eretz Yisroel, where is the essential ascent and inclusion — that each one should be included from his place specifically into the aspect of above the Makom, through which is the essential forgiveness of sins, because through this everyone is judged favorably, as above.

And this is the aspect of: "And He will atone for His land and His people" (Deuteronomy 32:43) — "His land" specifically. For through His land — the aspect of Eretz Yisroel, holy ground — through this His people are atoned for. For through this they arouse the mercy of Hashem Yisborach, that He should look to judge each one mercifully according to his place — that He should remember that we are earth and dust, that we descended to such a coarse place, as above. All this we merit through the true Tzadik who grasps the Keesay HaKavod etc. — who is the aspect of Moshe, as above, who was already saved from the jealousy of the angels etc., as above.

And the M'raglim blemished Eretz Yisroel and did not believe in the great power of the holiness of Eretz Yisroel — that one could merit all of this there. For they did not believe in the great power of Moshe. Therefore they said that the land flows with milk and honey, "but the people who dwell there are powerful… Amalek dwells… for he is stronger than us" (Numbers 13:28–31) etc. That is, that it is impossible to conquer and to come to the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, which is the totality of holiness — "for he is stronger than us" — for the battle is very, very fierce. And this was because the aspect of the jealousy of the angels provoked against them — they who are the accusers of man. They are the N'filim that they saw, as it is written there: "And there we saw the N'filim, the sons of Anak" (Numbers 13:33) — who are Shamchazai and Azael, who fell from heaven because they accused man. And they still now are the aspect of evil inclinations that seduce man, which are drawn from the root of jealousy, as is understood in the holy books. And with this the M'raglim greatly frightened Israel, as is understood from the verse, as it is written: "And we were in our own eyes like grasshoppers" etc. For they said that it is impossible to win the war because of the greatness of their provocation, as above.

But all this was because of their coarseness — that they fell to the craving for leadership, rulership, and false appointment. And they brazened their faces against their creditor, who is the great Lender — who is Moshe Rabbeinu — and they did not believe in the greatness of his power. Therefore they fell so greatly. And as it is written in the Holy Zohar — that their downfall was because of the craving for leadership and rulership, as it is written: "In the wilderness we merited to be heads" etc. — see there (Parashas Sh'lach, 158a).

But Yehoshua and Kalaiv strengthened themselves and withstood the trial and said: "We shall surely go up and inherit it" (Numbers 13:30) — even if he tells us "make ladders and ascend to the heavens" etc. For Yehoshua was blessed by Moshe Rabbeinu, alav hashalom, who said to him: "May God save you from the counsel of the M'raglim" etc. — until he merited through this that the entire Torah was transmitted to him, so that he would have the power to transmit it to all of Israel, as above. And Kalaiv overcame by going and prostrating himself upon the graves of the Avos — which is the aspect of the graves of the true Tzadikim that one goes to on Erev Rosh HaShanah, as above.

For the essential purpose of lending is to support the borrower — perhaps he will be able to broaden his means and merit a livelihood through this — as it is written: "And if your brother becomes poor and his hand declines with you, you shall support him." And as Rashi explains there: Do not let him fall, but hold him up before he falls. For poverty, chas v'shalom, results from the overpowering of the liver over the brain. And therefore one who comes to poverty — the overpowering of the liver, chas v'shalom, over the brain — and because of this, poverty drives him beyond the bounds of his da'as, for his da'as becomes confused because the hold of the liver has overpowered, chas v'shalom. And the more poverty intensifies, the more da'as weakens each time — and correspondingly the liver overpowers all the more. And because of this the poor person is constantly in anger — for anger is the aspect of the angry liver, which is the aspect of poverty. And because of this, "after a poor man, poverty follows."

And therefore one who has compassion on the poor person and provides him a livelihood truly revives his soul and can save the poor person from poverty entirely. For by giving to him and reviving his soul and broadening his da'as — through this the da'as overpowers the liver, and the more the da'as overpowers, the more the liver is subdued, and through this the poverty is nullified. And this is the aspect of the mitzvah of g'milus chasadim, which is greater than tz'dakah — for through g'milus chasadim, lending to him and broadening his means temporarily, through this one can save him from poverty forever. For by helping him, lending to him, and broadening his da'as — the liver is subdued, and the more the liver is subdued the more the brain is enlarged, and the more the brain is enlarged the more the liver is subdued — until one can nullify the poverty entirely.

And therefore the Torah warned the lender not to act as a creditor — to rescue him from slavery, from the aspect of "a slave who borrows," to rescue him from the overpowering of the liver — "tichbad ha'avodah" — the aspect of slavery, from which poverty and debts essentially come. Rather, one should conduct oneself with the borrower as if he never borrowed from him at all, and not be as a creditor to him — to rescue him from the aspect of slavery, to subdue "tichbad ha'avodah" — the aspect of the liver full of blood — to nullify poverty from Yisrael. For by not acting as a creditor to the borrower, through this one subdues the aspect of the liver, the aspect of slavery. And through this the borrower can merit to broaden his means and repay the lender and be saved from poverty entirely. And therefore we read this parashah — "If you lend money... do not be as a creditor to him" — during the days of Pesach, which is the time of our freedom. For this is the aspect of the Exodus from Mitzrayim, when we merited to leave from slavery to freedom — all of which was through the subduing of the liver before the brain. And this is the aspect of "do not be as a creditor to him" — to rescue Yisrael from the aspect of slavery, to elevate them from slavery to freedom.

This applies to every person in every era. Sometimes one is aroused toward holiness, the heart aflame with wondrous yearning. It seems certain one will remain devoted. Then an hour later one falls from one's desire, the heart becomes dulled, the mind confused — completely forgetting the first yearning, as if one never had desire for Hashem's service at all. Sometimes the yearning lasts a long time — yet one still falls and forgets everything.

And this is the distinction between the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu and the prophecy of the other prophets etc. For one who performs the mitzvah for the sake of the reward of Olam Haba — this is the aspect of an aspaklaria she'ainah m'irah [a lens that does not illuminate], like a person who sees something from a distance. So too he performs the mitzvah for the sake of its reward that comes at a distant time — that is, after this world — and the payment of reward is called by the name "prophet" etc. But one who performs the mitzvah and has simchah from the mitzvah itself, until he despises all manner of reward etc. — this is the aspect of a prophet in the aspect of aspaklaria ham'irah [the illuminating lens] etc. And then he is able to know the difference between before the g'zar din and after the g'zar din etc.

For the mitzvos are His unity, Yisborach. And one who performs the mitzvah with simchah from the mitzvah itself — it follows that when he enters into the simchah that is in the mitzvah, he enters into the simchah of the Holy One, Blessed is He, Who rejoices in His works etc. And through this he is able to know the difference between before the g'zar din and after the g'zar din, and to rectify the world and fill the deficiency of the world etc. — see there all of this well etc.

It follows that the essential completeness of a person is when he merits to reach this level — that he performs all the mitzvos with such great simchah that he does not desire any reward of Olam Haba on account of the mitzvos; rather, his Olam Haba is in the mitzvah itself. And then he is included in Hashem Yisborach at the time of performing the mitzvah — for the mitzvos are His unity, Yisborach, and he performs the mitzvos solely for the sake of Hashem Yisborach, not for his own sake at all — for he does not desire any reward; rather, he has simchah from the mitzvah itself, which is His unity, Yisborach. It follows that he is included in Hashem Yisborach through performing the mitzvos with such great simchah. And then he knows the difference between before the g'zar din and after the g'zar din etc., as is explained there. And through this he is able to rectify the world and fill the deficiency of the world etc., as is explained there.

And this is the aspect of the payment of the debt of the borrower to the lender — that he is not discharged from his debt until he pays into the hand of the lender himself or into the hand of his agent, who is like him. For all the mitzvos that we perform are the aspect of paying the debt that we owe to Hashem Yisborach. For Hashem Yisborach created the entire creation from beginning to end — all for the sake of Israel and for the sake of the Torah — so that Israel should fulfill the Torah, as it is written: "In the beginning God created" (Genesis 1:1) etc. And our Sages, zichronam livrachah, said: "For the sake of Israel and for the sake of the Torah, which are called 'reishis' [beginning]" etc.

And before Israel received the Torah, the entire creation that Hashem Yisborach created from beginning to end — everything was sustained only in the aspect of a loan of grace and kindness, in the aspect of: "The world is built upon kindness" (Psalms 89:3) — which is said regarding the creation of the world — the aspect of kindness and a loan of grace. For in truth the world has no existence without the Torah, and the world cannot endure even a single moment without the Torah. And the entire existence of the world before Matan Torah was in the aspect of a loan — that Hashem Yisborach in His kindness bestowed kindness upon us and loaned us such a great loan, and created the entire world from beginning to end through His kindness alone, without any is'ar'usa dil'sasa [arousal from below] at all. And all of it was because He foresaw that there would be Tzadikim in the world who would sustain the world — through their good deeds they pay Hashem Yisborach and repay Him, kiv'yachol, everything that He brought from potential to actuality — that is, the totality of the creation that He created as a loan for their sake. For the Tzadikim, through their mitzvos and good deeds, elevate and raise and lift the entire creation to its root, to its place — to the source from which it was hewn. For this is the essential secret of the intention of all the mitzvos — for through the Torah and mitzvos, which are a complete stature corresponding to the stature of World-Year-Soul, for they are the root of the vitality of all the structures, as above — and through fulfilling the mitzvos, through this the world is included in its root, as is known.

It follows that when the Tzadik fulfills the mitzvos of the Torah, and through this he raises and elevates and lifts the entire world and returns it to its original root, to the source from which it was hewn — it follows that he repays and discharges to Hashem Yisborach all the loans that He loaned in creating His world, as above. For now the Tzadik elevates and returns everything to Hashem Yisborach and discharges the entire loan to Hashem Yisborach — for he elevates and returns the entire world and the totality of the creation to Hashem Yisborach, through his mitzvos that he performs, through which everything ascends and returns to Hashem Yisborach, as above.

It follows that all the mitzvos are the aspect of repayment of the loan-debt to Hashem Yisborach. And therefore the mitzvos are called by the language of obligations and debts, as is the common expression regarding all the mitzvos: "A person fulfills his obligation" — regarding matzah, shofar, and sukkah. And likewise regarding all the mitzvos — for as long as one does not merit to perform the mitzvos, he is a debtor who must repay Hashem Yisborach all the expenditures of the creation that He brought from potential to actuality as a loan for his sake. And when he performs the mitzvah in completeness, he fulfills his obligation — for he discharges the loan-debt to Hashem Yisborach, for he returns everything to its root through the mitzvos, as above.

§19

And this is: “five cattle he shall pay in place of the ox, and four sheep in place of the lamb” (Shemos 21:37). Seh [lamb] is the aspect of wealth — “and the flocks of your sheep [v’asht’ros tzonecha]” (D’varim 7:13) — which is the root of the souls. For this reason Ya’akov labored to extract wealth from Lavan through the flocks, in order to sustain the souls from their root, etc. And the ox [shor] is the aspect of the service of the tzaddik — the aspect of “Yosef, the firstborn of His ox” — the aspect of “like an ox bearing its load in His service, blessed be He,” as our Sages of blessed memory said: “A person should always place himself like an ox to the yoke.” The aspect of “much produce through the strength of the ox” (Mishlei 14:4). And from there is the entire root of wealth together with the souls, for everything is rooted in and receives vitality from the service of the tzaddik, which is the root of everything.

And therefore when Rachel gave birth to Yosef — the aspect of the tzaddik of the generation, the aspect of “the firstborn of His ox” — then Ya’akov said: “when shall I also do for my own house?” (Beraishis 30:30) — for now I must draw wealth for my house, for all the souls of the house of Ya’akov, because all their wealth is drawn from the aspect of Yosef the tzaddik — in the aspect of “and Yosef was the ruler, he was the provider” (Beraishis 42:6); the aspect of “and Yosef sustained his father and his brothers” (Beraishis 47:12). For from the tzaddik, the aspect of Yosef, comes all the wealth, which is the root of the souls. And so it was — that afterward he extracted extraordinary wealth through the flocks from the house of Lavan the Aramean.

And the Sitra Achara, the aspect of the thief and the deceiver — when they want to intensify further in their theft and craftiness until they want to steal the aspect of wealth, which is the root of the souls of Yisra’ail, which is the aspect of seh as above; and sometimes they intensify even more, wanting to steal and blemish also the power of the tzaddik himself, who is the root of everything, which is the aspect of the shor, the aspect of Yosef HaTzaddik — and this in several aspects: either they distance from him, or they want to cast down, G-d forbid, the tzaddik himself, as has already occurred several times (may the Merciful One save us from now on), or they want to slaughter or sell the tzaddik — in the aspect of “because they sold a righteous man for silver” (Amos 2:6) — which is the aspect of the ten martyrs [asarah harugay malchus] and all the holy ones who were slaughtered and sold as slaves.

This is: "Banim atem laHashem Elokeichem, lo sisgod'du v'lo sasimu korchah bein eineichem al meis." (Devarim 14) Adjacent to this mitzvah specifically, He calls them by the name of sons — for one depends on the other, and it is the reason for this mitzvah. Hashem says: Yisrael — you are sons, etc. — and therefore it is forbidden to mutilate oneself or make a bald spot for the dead. For one must believe that in truth, death is a very great good — in order to merit through it specifically to reach the aspect of a son, as explained above: that the essential decree of death is in order to nullify and decompose in the earth the contamination of the aspect of the slave, so that we merit in the future to rise in the resurrection in a pure body, and then we merit to be in the aspect of a son — like a son who rummages in the treasuries of his father. For then we will merit to recognize Him through the aspect of the Sheim Ha'Etzem, as above.

— 51 —

And this is the aspect of the intensity of the miracle of Chanukah. For the wicked kingdom wished to make them forget Your Torah, etc. — and to destroy the Beis HaMikdash before its time. For they wished to uproot the holiness of Yisrael entirely, G-d forbid — through which the world would have reverted to chaos and void, for the world cannot endure without the Torah. For the Sitra Achra — the aspect of the wicked kingdom — saw and understood that this Second Temple would not endure and was destined to be destroyed. For even then, during its construction, their hand was strong over Yisrael. Therefore they wished to destroy it immediately, in order to intensify the darkness greatly — to darken, G-d forbid, the eyes of Yisrael, so that they would despair completely of the complete redemption.

For the essential creation of the world was only for the sake of Yisrael, for the sake of the Torah, and for the sake of the Beis HaMikdash, as it is written: "In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth" [Genesis 1:1]. And our Sages of blessed memory said: "For the sake of 'reishis' — which is Yisrael, and the Torah, and the Beis HaMikdash — which are called 'reishis'", etc. But: "And the earth was tohu and vohu, and darkness upon the face of the deep" [Genesis 1:2] — which are the aspects of the four kingdoms, as our Sages of blessed memory expounded. And it is explained in their words, of blessed memory, that the wicked kingdom of Greece is the aspect of "darkness," and the kingdom of Edom — which is the present exile — is the aspect of "the deep" (t'hom).

It emerges that the wicked kingdom of Greece that ruled then is the aspect of "darkness upon the face of the deep" — the darkness that covers the face of the deep, which is this exile that is compared to a deep. And when one falls into a deep in broad daylight, it is already very bitter and difficult to ascend; how much more so when the darkness intensifies over the face of the deep! And this was the intent of the wicked kingdom of Greece then — which is the aspect of the darkness upon the face of the deep — who wished to intensify the darkness greatly, to join the exiles together, that the Temple should be destroyed immediately, so that the darkness would overpower the face of the deep, so that Yisrael would not be able to ascend and emerge, G-d forbid.