חידושים

I Up until here I wrote in the language of prayer. And now — from fear of the one who lies in ambush in secret like a lion in a lair in every corner and in every road — for in this path in which I walk he has set a trap for me — I am obligated to remind the reader in my words of the immensity of the preciousness of this healing remedy, lest the inciter clothe himself before him in a prayer-shawl of commandment to draw him with wine into his flesh. For Admoyr z"l and Moharan"as z"l warned about this matter doubly and repeatedly to the very greatest degree — for it is like a magnetic stone [magnet], this matter — and we say: go, go — we tell the Nazirite — go around, go around — do not come near the vineyard [Shabbos 13]. For although a little drinking is good to broaden the mind — but specifically a little [nayr a bisel — as Admoyr z"l said in this language when he honored Moharan"as z"l and Rabbi Naftali z"l with a little aged wine in a small wide cup the width of a finger — that both should drink from it]. For one must be very careful to minimize the drinking of intoxicating beverages in every way possible — even on Shabbos and Yom Tov and even on Simchas Torah [except on Purim — when it is a commandment to fulfill the saying of our Sages of blessed memory (Megillah 7b) that a person is obligated to become intoxicated etc. — literally (so I heard from my father, may I be his atonement, in the name of Admoyr z"l and in the name of other true Tzadikim — not as the commentators explain this in another matter) — Said the transcriber: I heard in the name of Admoyr z"l that the intoxication on Purim is a rectification for the blemish of the bris — and not as those who err in this]. And all the more so on weekdays — for this is not the joy about which Admoyr z"l warned us. For regarding this it is said: "And of joy — what does it accomplish?" — for this is not joy, only raucousness and foolishness.

II And since this matter of wine-drinking has come to our hands — let us also say a new teaching in it — what Hashem has illuminated my eyes in the first story of the Sipuray Ma'asiyos [Tales] — regarding the second-to-the-king who stumbled through wine-drinking — see there carefully the entire story from beginning to end.

III For I examined the verse — (for one who examines carefully the matter of every verse and saying of our Sages that Admoyr z"l brings in his holy words — it appears most of the time that they are expounded and explained as the supporting texts [asmachtos] of his holy words in several reasons and matters that are not mentioned there — only as one who points with a compass) — "Open your mouth for the mute, for the judgment of all the transient ones" [Mishlei 31:8] — which Admoyr z"l brings in the Torah Pasach Rabbi Shimon section 60 which is the explanation of this story. And I saw that this verse is said in the cry of Bas Sheva [בַּ׳ת שֶׁ׳בַ׳ע — for the Sefira of Malchus is in the secret of bas [daughter] and is the seventh to the Sefiros that precede it which are six in number — and in the secret of ben [son] — all of this brought in the books of truth — and see carefully at the beginning of this story and it will be sweet to your soul] regarding Shlomo [שְׁ׳לֹ׳מֹ׳ה — the sheni lamelech Hashem [second to the King, Hashem] — as brought in the words of our Sages on the verse "And Shlomo sat upon the throne of Hashem" — that he ruled over the upper and the lower worlds] — regarding the fact that he drank of the wine and sank into sleep — and he married the daughter of Pharaoh who is the daughter of the king of the sitra achra (for through this the daughter of the king of holiness was more concealed from him — for when this one rises that one falls, as is known) — and he immediately awoke and repented afterwards and cried out and said: "A woman of valor — who can find?" (for she dwells among the army as is understood in the story — see there — for it is specifically with the army that she traveled and came to the fortified place of pearls [peninim] standing on the mountain etc.) — meaning: for who is this one who can now find her — after "her value is far above pearls [peninim]" (the mem of the word mi'peninim [from pearls] is the acronym of mivtzar [fortified place] — peninim Rashi [Mishlei 8] explains as margaliyos [pearls] — in our tongue: peyril). But through "the heart of her husband trusts in her and plunder he shall not lack" (Said the transcriber: it appears in my humble understanding that this alludes to the vessel that was given to the second-to-the-king — that he may take money from it as much as he wishes — so that he would have no impediment through this from taking her out — see there in the story) — even today there is hope to find her. For this verse alludes to the trust of holiness — as brought there in the above Torah — which is the aspect of the binding to the daughter of Israel whose root flows from the aspect of the princess who is the Shechinah. For also some of the other aspects brought there in the words of Admoyr z"l — all of them are in the aspect of the princess — and therefore through them one merits to find her — just as the first aspect that Admoyr z"l brings at the beginning of the teaching, from the matter of the hisbonenus [contemplation] of Torah, which is in the aspect of the woman of valor. As brought — that Torah is in the aspect of the daughter of Hashem, may He be blessed, with whom He sported two thousand years before the creation of the world — as is explained in the words of our Sages on the verse "and I was beside Him a delight day by day." (And in this you will understand further what is brought there in the Torah, section 4 — that the third share in the ground is parallel to the wealth mentioned regarding Rachel and Leah etc. — for in truth the essence of wealth is only for the sake of hisbonenus [contemplation] — but without this, wealth is only for women and small-minded people etc. — see there. That is to say: from this very thing that in holiness the essence of wealth is for the sake of contemplating the Torah which is in the secret of a woman as above — from this very thing itself, the wealth that is for women etc. also cascades and flows — regarding which they said: "For all the wealth that G-d has taken from our father belongs to us and to our children" etc. — see there.)

IV And similarly — the trait of fear brought there is in the secret of the princess who is the above-mentioned woman of valor — regarding whom it is said: "a woman who fears Hashem" [אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת ה' — the second letters spell ש-ר-ה — and see carefully in section 3 there] — she is in the secret of Chavvah — regarding whom it is said "He made her as a treasury" — which is the aspect of fear — the aspect of "fear of Hashem is His treasury" — as brought there. And in the secret of Sarah — who was taken to the house of the king of the sitra achra and the kelipot from the immensity of their strengthening in the opposite of the trait of fear — in the aspect of "for there is no fear of G-d in this place" — and then, specifically when Avraham strengthened himself "this against that" and drew to there fear and length of days — specifically then was Sarah remembered on Rosh HaShanah in the aspect of "And Hashem remembered Sarah" which is adjacent to this (see there carefully in section 5 and also in the entire teaching from its beginning to its end). And then through this very thing there was completed more fully the perfection of the trait of fear — which is in the aspect of three lines — for previously they had no disciples — and afterwards when they merited such a fitting son — specifically then was the fear completed in the aspect of three lines as brought there.

V And what Moharan"as z"l wrote in the introduction to the Sipuray Ma'asiyos that the mountain of gold and the fortified place of pearls allude to the wealth that is needed for hisbonenus of Torah — see there — it appears in my humble understanding to explain this further: that the essential wealth of holiness of Israel was in the Beis HaMikdash [Holy Temple] (as brought in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Peter Chamor, Halacho 2, section 4) — which was built on the mountain — which is itself the aspect of the mountain of gold and the fortified place of pearls — and therefore in the Holy of Holies which is the aspect of pearls (as understood from the words of our Sages on the verse "it is more precious than pearls") — therefore were placed the Tablets of the Testimony — which is the aspect of the hisbonenus of Torah — as brought there in the above Torah, section 1 — see there.

VI For it is known that every aspect is included in all the aspects — and all of them exist in the general and in the particular and in every generation and in every person. And even at the time of the search for the mountain of gold and the fortified place of pearls — one must be careful and guard from the desire of eating — and all the more so from wine-drinking and from sinking into sleep — as is all understood from his words elsewhere. And each Tzadik according to his aspect — so does he find her. And David — who lived seventy years — from whom Mashiach will issue (who will be the ultimate completion of the finding of her — as brought there in the introduction to the Sipuray Ma'asiyos) — therefore it was he who merited to find the place of the mountain of the House of Hashem — specifically through warding off sleep — in the aspect of "He swore" etc. (see Likutay Halachos, Laws of Vows and Oaths, Halacho 5, section 2, where this verse is brought in relation to this story — that the oath-aspect nullifies sleep) — "if I give sleep to my eyes, to my eyelids slumber, until I find a place for Hashem" etc. — and he also commanded and warned his son Shlomo to build and complete it perfectly. And therefore specifically at the time when Shlomo built the Temple — when the ultimate completion of the finding of her should have occurred — specifically then did the adversary strengthen against him "this against that" — until he married the daughter of Pharaoh then specifically — which caused the destruction of the Temple (as the saying of our Sages [Vayikra Rabbah chapter 12:4] on the verse "for upon My anger and upon My wrath" etc.). (Said the transcriber: and therefore when he married the daughter of Pharaoh, Shlomo slept until four hours of the day — as our Sages said [there] — for then the adversary strengthened to trip him up in sleep specifically.) And therefore also Yaakov our patriarch — when he went after his marriage — "and he encountered this place" — and then said "how awesome is this place" [Bereishis 28] — and afterwards he gazed upon its destruction and said: "this is none other than the House of G-d" (and see in the Midrash [Bereishis Rabbah chapter 69] that these words allude to the Temple that will be built in the future) — where it will be found completely — and concerning it it is said: "The sanctuary of Hashem — Your hands have established" — which will never be destroyed again.

VII And since the essential completion and magnification of joy is through peace and love of fellows (as brought in Likutay Halachos, Laws of the Blessing of Gratitude [Birkas HaHoda'ah], Halacho 6, sections 42 and 61 — see there) — therefore I said to attach to this part several things that I heard from my father, may I be his atonement, regarding the verse in Yeshayahu 9: "And he called his name: Wondrous Counselor, Mighty G-d, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." The interpretation of the verse is that Hashem, may He be blessed — who is "Wondrous Counselor, Mighty G-d, Everlasting Father" — will call the name of the King Mashiach "Prince of Peace." (This is how it is understood in the books of truth — for even according to the interpretation that the words circle around Chizkiyahu — it is because there was in him also something of the aspect of Mashiach — as understood from the words of our Sages and Rashi's commentary there — see there.) And he would speak of this many times. And the general principle that emerges briefly from his words — flowing from the holy words of Moharan"as z"l in the ultimate holiness — is that on the face of it one should wonder: for is it not so that Mashiach Tzidkainu will rectify and introduce not only the matter of peace into every person — but will also introduce into every person the other good traits such as truth and faith etc.? So why will his holy name be called only regarding the matter of peace? But from all of this we see the loftiness of this matter. For in truth all our exiles are only due to baseless hatred [sinas chinam] — and therefore they have lasted and dragged on so long. For the Babylonian exile after the destruction of the First Temple — which was due to idolatry etc. — lasted only until seventy years. But this last exile which came about through baseless hatred has lasted and dragged on in such immense and extraordinary measure beyond all reckoning. For this matter of baseless hatred and similarly other matters between a person and his fellow — even Yom Kippur and the day of death do not atone (until one appeases his fellow) — and all the more so the severe sin of evil speech which is even worse. And as every intelligent person understands from the depth of the meaning of the saying of our Sages [Yerushalmi Peah 1] that they said: evil speech is equivalent to idolatry and licentiousness and bloodshed. But the force and strength of the prevailing [of the evil inclination] over this is immense and lofty beyond all measure — until even the most virtuous of the virtuous and the most righteous of the righteous who truly stood in the trial — and who bent his shoulder to bear the yoke of Torah and the breaking of desires etc. — even in them, regarding this matter, a flame has fallen.

VIII For who among us is greater than the tribes of G-d — Reuven and Shimon etc. — who were such awesome Tzadikim and so strong in the faith — as brought in the books of truth — and yet regarding the matter of jealousy and strife and evil speech and baseless hatred — they too stumbled and were caught — until through this passed what passed.

IX And similarly — who among us is greater than King Shaul — concerning whom it is said at the time of his kingship "a son of a year" etc. — and our Sages interpreted: like a son of a year without sin — and yet regarding the matter of jealousy and anger and accepting evil speech and baseless hatred — he stumbled and was caught to such a degree — until it is brought in the books of truth about the verse: "yet this day [he will halt] at Nob" — until this day that sin stands.

X And to bring examples for this from the books of truth — many sheets would be consumed — but over this our heart is sick, over these our eyes have grown dark — that it [the adversary] still dances among them — until even in our days and in the nearby generations — besides the strife that it multiplied and magnified against the singular ones of the generations themselves — such as against the Baal Shem Tov z"l and all the more so against Admoyr z"l as is known — its mind has still not calmed regarding all of this — for it further strengthened with all its power to magnify strife and division of hearts even among their own people, as is known (for therein it completed its thought and evil will more and more). As Moharan"as z"l related that he heard from his father-in-law Rabbi David Zvi z"l — that his entire distancing from the holy fellowship of the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid, may the memory of the righteous be for blessing, was because he once traveled to two of the great ones among them and saw and beheld the great division of hearts that existed between them: Az der iz ba dem givehn op gepasskit mit ale zayne mentshin, in der iz ba dem givehn op gepasskit mit ale zayne mentshein (That this one was completely ruled out by that one and all his people — and that one was completely ruled out by this one and all his people.) And through this he distanced himself from them entirely — as is known.

XI And similarly among the disciples of Admoyr z"l — as is known to one who is somewhat familiar with this — that Rabbi Shmuel Ayzik z"l was in truth a virtuous and righteous man — and yet nonetheless etc. — and similarly the Rabbi Rabbi Yitzchak etc. And with my own ears I heard from my father, may I be his atonement, who heard from Moharan"as z"l — that he wanted etc. And from all of this he brought us proof regarding the fact that even in his days there were such incidents — as is known to one familiar with this. For this is a great principle: that whoever learns Torah and Prophets etc. and says that only then there were such incidents — and now there are not — he is literally an animal. For all the flaws mentioned in them are found also today in many aspects in the general and in the particular. For even in the immensity of our lowliness in this orphaned generation — in the great and deep ultimate bottom level at which we find ourselves now — the anger of the evil inclination has still not turned away from us — and it still provokes each person with anger and wrath, with jealousy and pursuit of honor, with evil speech and baseless hatred — and each one imagines in himself that he has a true understanding of his fellow: that his fellow destroys worlds and he wishes to build them — that his fellow is all falsehood and he is all truth. And this matter is what entangles us further from the truth more than anything — and it is impossible to elaborate so much on this matter — for in truth we have all strayed like sheep etc. And what is the practical lesson? To beg for mercy. For one who hears all of this should weep and rejoice in weeping and supplications — like a lion he should roar in prayer and outcry and increase joy — perhaps, perhaps, from all of this one will be sheltered. (And therefore also the Men of the Great Assembly established for us regarding this to request and to bless three times daily the blessing of Sim Shalom — even on Shabbos and Yom Tov.)

XII And from this too every person will understand and know how one must judge favorably and not resent — even in one's heart — one's fellow who sinned against him, even if he did to him what he did — since the prevailing over this is so great and immense as above, and as understood from the saying of our Sages: the majority are [guilty] of theft etc. and all of them etc. of the dust of evil speech. And every person must honestly think to himself — without any deception — whether he himself goes against Him, may He be blessed, in all matters and does not listen, G-d forbid, to the counsel of the evil inclination in anything at all. But since every person has what passes over him — how can he then resent and judge his opposite — even if he stumbled also in matters between a person and his fellow — since he has not reached his place? As the saying of Admoyr z"l in Likutay Tinyono section 1: and who is it who can know and reach the place of his fellow? etc. — see there.

XIII And see in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Chovel baChavero [One Who Injures His Fellow], Halacho 3, section 2 — what Moharan"as z"l wrote there — that whoever blemishes the honor of his fellow Israel — through this blemishes the honor of Hashem, may He be blessed — for the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel are all one etc. — see there.

XIV And see there also in section 5 — that whoever is greater in level — when he blemishes the honor of Israel — the damage is greater. See there.

XV And see also in Laws of Nezikin [Damages], Halacho 4, section 32 — regarding the matter that sometimes it seems to a person that his fellow intends in his deeds to provoke him etc. — and in truth his fellow had no intention at all against him — but only does his business for the sake of his livelihood — and one who is irritable and prone to anger, G-d forbid — immediately begins to bear hatred against his fellow etc. — and as water reflects face to face etc. — and then his fellow also stands against him until strife breaks out between them. And in truth it is for nothing — for the strife came about only because each one did not strive to judge his fellow favorably etc. And this is alluded to in the Mishnah etc.: and let not so-and-so claim he will undercut his livelihood — for this one has permission to conduct his business and this one has permission etc. — see there.

XVI And see also in Laws of Shomer Sachar [Paid Guardian], Halacho 2, section 10 — that from the day of the creation of the world there have not yet been two Tzadikim and virtuous men who were completely equal in all their movements etc. — and the essence of the strife is because each one does not believe about his fellow that his intention and will too are for the sake of Heaven — even though his fellow does not conduct himself in his way and his will — for the adversary misleads the heart etc. For in truth it is fitting to know that all the wills of all people etc. flow from the Supernal Will etc. — and one who knows and believes this completely — certainly will not maintain strife — for he will judge his fellow favorably always. For he will say in his heart: although I know myself that my intention is for the sake of Heaven to complete this commandment and my desire is truly for the sake of Heaven — and my fellow is preventing this — yet nonetheless his intention too is for the sake of Heaven — for he has a different knowledge and it seems to him that this is no commandment at all, or that one must engage in another commandment which is greater than this according to his view. And although I am very strong in my view — and I have true evidence and proofs that one must maintain this way and this commandment — nonetheless even if the truth is according to my view — who knows to which root my fellow is drawn etc. — see there — and it will be very sweet to your soul.

XVII Thus far has Hashem aided me to speak and to hint and to explain somewhat that which I saw and heard from their holy words. And even though would that I should understand and know at the very least — ten thousand years after the Resurrection of the Dead — a single word of his awesome words as Admoyr z"l knew it still in this world — yet nonetheless since Admoyr z"l himself warned many that they should strive to innovate in his Torah (as brought in Likutay Tinyono section 105 — and see there what he said to one explicitly: that if he merits to intend toward the content of his intention in his Torah — how good — see there) — from this it is understood that he also had many intentions in his awesome words that we too can know and understand in them somewhat. So may we merit to learn and to teach — to observe and to do and to fulfill all the words of his Torah with love and with joy as befitting his good will — Amen.

It is finished and complete — praise to the Creator of the world.