הלכות הנהגת בית הכסא

And when we recite the passage of the Korbanos , it is as if we have offered them, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Whoever engages in the Torah [study] of the olah -offering, it is as if he offered an olah " (Menachos 110a) — etc. For the essential rectification of the Korbanos is through the aspect of dibur [speech] — to elevate from domem [inanimate], tzomeiach [vegetative], chai [animate] to medaber [speaking]. For the nekudos tovos , when they ascend from where they ascend — from the lowest levels — the essential thing is that they should ascend to the level of dibur . For initially, when the good is not yet clarified and recognized — because the evil covers over it — then one is in the aspect of a mute who has no speech, in the aspect of: "I was mute with silence, I was still, [deprived] of good" (Tehillim 39:3) — etc. And when one reveals the good, as above, then the essential revelation and elevation of the good is the aspect of dibur . And this is the aspect of: "My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the concealment of the cliff" (Song of Songs 2:14) — this is the aspect of the nekudah tovah , which is the aspect of a faithful dove that is devoted to her mate and never abandons him, etc., as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Midrash Shir HaShirim 4) . For the nekudah tovah within each person — even within the most lowly — is always attached to Hashem yisbarach , in every place that she is. And when she falls, G-d forbid, into the depths of the kelipos , which surround her from every side, in the aspect of "my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the concealment of the cliff" — in the ultimate concealment — then Hashem yisbarach says to her: "Show me your countenance, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your countenance is comely" (Song of Songs 2:14) . For even though you are in "the concealment of the cliff," nevertheless, you yourself are exceedingly comely, in the aspect of "I am black but comely," as above. And therefore, reveal yourself and show your countenance, for you are still comely — for the nekudah tovah is always comely. And therefore: "Show me your countenance, let me hear your voice" — that is, reveal and discover the beauty of the nekudah tovah , and through this: "let me hear your voice" — for through this one merits dibur , for then one can speak, to give thanks and to praise Hashem yisbarach . For previously, he could not speak at all, as above. And this is the aspect of: "You who dwell in the gardens, companions listen for your voice — let me hear it!" (Song of Songs 8:13) . And Rashi explained: "You who dwell in the gardens" — among the nations, etc. That is, the aspect of the nekudos tovos that dwell and lie among the nations — which are the evil desires and blemishes, etc. — which are the aspect of the nations of the world, as brought elsewhere (Likutay Moharan I, 36) . And Hashem yisbarach yearns for their voice. And this is: "companions listen for your voice — let me hear it!" — for Hashem yisbarach yearns that the nekudos tovos be revealed and make their voices heard in song and praise to Hashem yisbarach , as above. And this is the aspect of the korban — that one elevates the nekudos tovos to the level of medaber , as above. And therefore, one who engages in the Torah [study] of the olah — it is as if he offered it, etc. For the essential rectification of the korban is through the aspect of dibur , as above.

And this is the aspect of: "the Kohanim at their service, and the Levi'im on their platform, and the Israelites at their post [ ma'amad ]" (Megillah 3a) . For the essential rectification of the korban — which is to find and sift the nekudah tovah from within the pesoles , from the aspect of animality — is through the Kohen , the man of chesed . For through inclining toward chesed and judging to the side of merit, through this one finds nekudos tovos in all the lowest levels — and this is the aspect of the Korbanos , as above. And therefore, all the rectifications of the korban are performed through the Kohen , the man of chesed , who is the aspect of Avraham, as it is written: "You are a Kohen forever" (Tehillim 110:4) — and as above. And through this, nigunim are fashioned, as above. And this is the aspect of: "the Levi'im on their platform" — who would conduct the singing on the platform at the time of the offering of the korban . For through the aspect of the korban performed by the Kohen , the man of chesed — which is the aspect of sifting and finding good through inclining toward chesed — through this, nigunim are fashioned, as above. And: "the Israelites at their post" — who would engage in Torah study — this is the aspect of dibur ; for through this, the good is elevated to dibur , which is the essential elevation, as above. And therefore, the men of the ma'amad would read from Parashas Bereishis (Ta'anis 26a) and from Parashas Ha'azinu . For Ma'aseh Bereishis is essentially [accomplished] through the sifting of the good, in the aspect of: "and in His goodness, He renews each day, constantly, the act of Creation." And this is the aspect of " ki tov " [that it was good] stated throughout each of the six days of Creation. For before the rectification of Ma'aseh Bereishis , it is stated: "and the earth was tohu vavohu and darkness" (Genesis 1:2) — this is the aspect of the overpowering of the evil that covers over the good. And the rectification was through the aspect of: "and the spirit of G-d hovered" (Genesis 1:2) — "this is the spirit of Mashiach " (Bereishis Rabbah 2:4) — which is the aspect of the good. For all the nekudos tovos found in each Jew — this is an aspect of the radiance of Mashiach . For the essential good is Mashiach , the aspect of Moshe, in the aspect of: "And it shall be in the morning: if he will redeem you — good, he shall redeem" (Ruth 3:13) . And through the aspect of the spirit of G-d, the good spirit, the aspect of the spirit of Mashiach — through this is the essential sustenance and building of the world. And through this — through the nekudos tovos found from within tohu vavohu and darkness — through this: "And G-d said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" (Genesis 1:3) . And then: "And G-d separated between the light and the darkness" (Genesis 1:4) — etc. For through the nekudah tovah , one truly enters the side of merit, and then the light is revealed, and the darkness is separated from the light, the evil from the good, etc. — as above. It emerges that the essential Ma'aseh Bereishis is through finding and sifting the nekudah tovah , as above. And this is the aspect of: "the form of the Mishkan corresponds to the form of the act of Creation" (cf. Introduction to Tikkunay Zohar) — for the Mishkan is also from the aspect of the good that is sifted, etc., as above. And therefore, the men of the ma'amad — who stood at the Korbanos — would engage in [reading] Ma'aseh Bereishis . For the korban is in the aspect of Ma'aseh Bereishis — which is the aspect of sifting the good, etc., as above. And therefore, the korban was performed in the Mishkan or in the Beis HaMikdash , for the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash are also built through the sifting of the good, etc., as above. And this is the aspect of: "this good mountain" (Deuteronomy 3:25) — which is said regarding the Beis HaMikdash . And this is the aspect of Parashas Ha'azinu that the men of the ma'amad would read. For Parashas Ha'azinu is the shirah about which Moshe Rabbeinu promised that through this song, the Torah would never be forgotten, as it is written: "And this song shall speak up" (Deuteronomy 31:21) — etc. That even in the ultimate concealment, in the aspect of "and I shall surely hide [ haster astir ]" (Deuteronomy 31:18) , the song shall endure forever. For the song alludes to the fact that even if Israel are very distant from Hashem yisbarach , in the ultimate concealment — nevertheless, they are close to Him, yisbarach . For nekudos tovos are still found within them — even within the most lowly — as above. And this is the aspect of: "for the portion of Hashem is His people, Yaakov… He found him in a desert land" (Deuteronomy 32:9–10) — that even in a desert land and in tohu , one finds "the portion of Hashem is His people" — that is, the aspect of nekudos tovos , which are the aspect of "the portion of Hashem is His people," etc. And therefore, Parashas Ha'azinu is read over the Korbanos , as above. For this is why Parashas Ha'azinu is called a "song," as it is written: "And this song shall speak up" — etc. For from the nekudos tovos mentioned above, which are found in a desert land and in tohu , etc. — from this, a song and melody is fashioned, as above. And after the recitation of the Korbanos and Ketores — which are the aspect of sifting and finding nekudos tovos even in the very lowest levels, as above — afterwards, we recite Pesukay D'Zimrah . For through the nekudos tovos , nigunim are fashioned, the aspect of " Azamrah — I shall sing to my G-d with my odi " — " Azamrah " precisely, as above. And this is the aspect of Pesukay D'Zimrah , which are the aspect of the zemiros and nigunim that are fashioned through sifting and finding nekudos tovos in the lowest levels, as above. And therefore, within Pesukay D'Zimrah we recite the verse " Azamrah — I shall sing to my G-d with my odi " mentioned above — and as above.

And afterwards, we recite Birchos Krias Shema , and we bless Hashem yisbarach for the renewal of Ma'aseh Bereishis — that He renews in His goodness each day, constantly — this is the aspect of the work of the Mishkan , which was built from the good mentioned above, as above. For "the form of the Mishkan corresponds to the form of the act of Creation," as above. And there is the essential rectification of prayer, as it is written: "For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations — declares Hashem, G-d, Who gathers the dispersed of Israel" (Isaiah 56:7–8) — etc. For the essential building of the Beis HaMikdash is through Hashem yisbarach gathering the dispersed of Israel — through finding even in the dispersed and the lost, nekudos tovos , and gathering them into the holiness. And through this good that will be gathered at the time of the coming of the redeemer, speedily in our days — through this will be the building of the Beis HaMikdash , the aspect of "this good mountain," as above. And there is the essential rectification of prayer, as above. For the essential prayer is only through this — through the good that is found, as above. And therefore, before the prayer we recite Korbanos and Pesukay D'Zimrah — that is, we sift the nekudos tovos , etc. — and from this, nigunim and zemiros are fashioned, as above. And afterwards, we build from this a Mishkan , where the essential rectification of prayer takes place. And this is the aspect of Birchos Krias Shema , which are the aspect of the heichalos [celestial chambers] of holiness, the aspect of the Mishkan , the aspect of the Beis HaMikdash — for they are the heichalos of holiness. And therefore we say then: "and in His goodness, He renews each day, constantly, the act of Creation" — for "the form of the Mishkan corresponds to the form of the act of Creation," as above. And from there — from the aspect of the Mishkan — the schoolchildren receive the breath of their mouths that has no sin in it. And this is the aspect of Krias Shema , the aspect of: "And you shall teach them to your children" (Deuteronomy 6:7) — etc. — "and you shall teach them to your children, to speak of them" (Deuteronomy 11:19) — etc. For the essential aspect of Krias Shema is from the aspect of the good that was sifted, as above. And through this, Kudsha Brich Hu and the Shechinah are unified — through the ha'alas ma"n [raising of the feminine waters], that the Shechinah takes pride, as it were: "See with what kind of children I come before You." And all this is through finding nekudos tovos even in the sinners of Israel, for this is the aspect of the ha'alas ma"n — to raise the holiness from the deepest depths of the kelipos . And through this, [the Shechinah ] takes even greater pride, for this is the essential honor of Hashem yisbarach , as our Rebbe, of blessed memory, wrote many times, as it is written in the Zohar ( Yisro 67a) : "When Yisro came — specifically then — the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, was elevated and glorified above and below." For specifically when the nekudos tovos that were lying very low are elevated and raised up, through this specifically the Shechinah takes pride, as it were, even more so. And through this, Kudsha Brich Hu and the Shechinah are unified, the aspect of "Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One" — as is known. And this is the aspect of: "and the Mishkan was one" (Exodus 26:6) — that all the nekudos tovos are subsumed within His unity, yisbarach . And then we begin to pray the Shemoneh Esreh , and we begin: "My L-rd, open my lips" (Tehillim 51:17) — etc. For through all of the above, specifically, one is able to pray — through finding the good and making a Mishkan , etc., as above. And then one can open his mouth to speak, for this is the essential elevation of the good — that it should ascend to the level of dibur . And therefore we beseech for this: "My L-rd, open my lips" — etc.

And this is the aspect of the donning of garments : that one must grasp the garment with the right side and always give precedence to the right over the left. For the essential matter depends upon the aspect of yamin — that is, through inclining toward chesed and finding within himself some nekudos tovos . And through this, one awakens from the sleep, as above. And through this, garments are fashioned — to clothe one's soul, which had been naked until now, throughout the time that the good was not yet revealed, when one was in the aspect of sleep. And this is the aspect of the blessing " Malbish Arumim " — Who clothes the naked — that we bless each morning, as is brought. For through the nekudos tovos that are revealed — which are the aspect of "Israel, in whom I take glory" (Isaiah 49:3) — for through them Hashem yisbarach takes glory, as it were, as above — through this, garments are fashioned, aspects of garments of splendor, garments of honor. And this is the aspect of tzitzis and tefillin , which are aspects of garments of the neshamah , the aspect of " ki hu kesusah levadah, hu simlaso le'oro — this refers to tzitzis and tefillin " (Zohar, Bereishis 23a) — which are fashioned from the nekudos tovos that are sifted during the night, in the aspect of the above, as understood from the sacred writings. It emerges that the essential aspect of garments — garments of splendor, the totality of the colors — is fashioned from the aspect of the nekudos tovos that are sifted, which are the aspect of the totality of the colors, as above. And therefore (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 2:4) , one must give precedence to the right when donning garments, for all of this is drawn from the aspect of yamin — through inclining toward chesed , through which one finds nekudos tovos , etc. — and through this, garments are fashioned, as above.

And all the Birchos HaShachar [Morning Blessings] allude to this: that one praises Hashem yisbarach for having helped him find within himself nekudos tovos , so that he may awaken from his sleep and his fallen state. And this is the aspect of: " HaNosein LaSechvi Vinah " — Who gives the rooster understanding to distinguish between day and night — for the nekudah tovah is the aspect of day, and the evil is the aspect of night and darkness. And through finding the nekudos tovos , the evil is then separated, and then one distinguishes between day and night. And this is the aspect of: " Shelo Asani Goy " — Who has not made me a gentile — etc. For if he had not found within himself the nekudah tovah , he could have fallen completely, G-d forbid, and would have become a gentile, G-d forbid. And now, through having been awakened and strengthened — through the help of Hashem yisbarach to find within himself a nekudah tovah , as above — therefore he gives thanks and praises Hashem yisbarach : "Who has not made me a gentile." And this is the aspect of: " Pokei'ach Ivrim " — Who opens the eyes of the blind; " Matir Asurim " — Who releases the bound; " Zokeif Kefufim " — Who straightens the bent. For initially, during his sleep and his fallen state, he was in the aspect of a blind person groping in the dark, and he was literally in a prison-house, and he was bent over, etc. And now, through the nekudah tovah he found within himself — through Hashem opening his eyes — through this he is released from his bonds and straightened from his stoop, etc. For through this he truly merits to move from the side of guilt to the side of merit, and to return in teshuvah , as above. And similarly, all the other blessings allude to this. And this is why it concludes with: " HaNoisen LaYa'eif Ko'ach " — Who gives strength to the weary — that He gave him strength in the midst of his great weariness, so that he could yet awaken from his sleep. And this is: " HaMa'avir Sheinah Me'einai " — Who removes sleep from my eyes — etc. And all of this is through the chesed , as above. And this is why it concludes: " HaGomel Chasadim Tovim " — Who bestows good kindnesses — for everything is through the chesed , the aspect of "the morning of Avraham" (Zohar, Mikeitz 203a) — through inclining toward chesed , as above.

And this is the aspect of the Four Special Parshiyos . Parashas Shekalim — the aspect of tzedakah , for tzedakah is the aspect of " chesed to Avraham" (Micah 7:20) , who performed charity and kindness with the entire world. For through this, one can find the nekudos tovos , as above. And this is the aspect of: "Righteousness calls him to its feet" (Isaiah 41:2) — that through tzedakah , one can call forth the good that has fallen to the lowest level, the aspect of raglayim [feet] — in the aspect of: "and she uncovered his feet and lay down" (Ruth 3:7) . And similarly it is alluded to in the words of our Rebbe, of blessed memory, in another place (Likutay Moharan I, 17) : that through tzedakah , one arouses the good that is hidden and concealed in places distant from Hashem yisbarach . And this is the aspect of Shekalim — the donations for the Mishkan . For the Mishkan was built from the aspect of the good that was gathered, etc., as above.

And afterwards, we read Parashas Zachor — the aspect of the war against Amalek . For through finding the good, as above, Amalek is subdued — which is the force of the sitra achra that overpowers, G-d forbid, to fell the weak of strength among Israel, as if there is no longer any hope for them, G-d forbid. In the aspect of: "and he cut off all the stragglers at your rear… and you were weary and exhausted" (Deuteronomy 25:18) — etc. That he seeks to cut off the stragglers — that is, the weak of strength — to fell them downward, G-d forbid. But when one merits to find within himself the nekudah tovah even during his fall, G-d forbid — through this, Amalek is subdued. And therefore, after Parashas Shekalim — which is the aspect of the arousal of the good, as above — we read Parashas Zachor , for through this, Amalek is subdued, as above.

And afterwards, we read Parashas Parah , which is the aspect of teshuvah , in the aspect of (Midrash Rabbah, Parashas Chukas ) : "Let the mother come and clean up after her child." For through the nekudos tovos that one finds, through this the evil is subdued — the aspect of Amalek — and through this one truly merits teshuvah , as above. And this is the aspect of (Zohar, Chukas 180b) : "Red heifer — completely red — this is harsh judgment; unblemished — this is softened judgment." That is, when one is in the aspect of harsh judgment, where the evil is overpowering, G-d forbid — which is the aspect of harsh judgment, G-d forbid — then one must soften the judgment through finding within himself some nekudah tovah still. And this is the aspect of: "which has no blemish, upon which no yoke has come" (Numbers 19:2) — for the nekudah tovah is the aspect of a faithful dove that has no blemish, for she is comely and beautiful, in the aspect of "I am black but comely," etc., as above. And this is the aspect of: "it purifies the impure and renders impure the pure." For this quality — that one judges himself to the side of merit and finds within himself nekudos tovos — this quality purifies the impure and renders impure the pure. For one who is in the lowest level must specifically find merit within himself in order that he should not fall completely, G-d forbid, and his essential purification and teshuvah is through this specifically, as above. But one who is pure — if he considers himself to be on the level of good — he is certainly damaged by this, for he will fall into arrogance, G-d forbid. And as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Even if the entire world says to you 'you are a tzadik ,' consider yourself as if you were a rasha ." Therefore they said " as if a rasha " — and not an actual complete rasha , G-d forbid — for it is forbidden to consider oneself a complete rasha , G-d forbid. Rather, on the contrary: when it appears to him that he is a complete rasha , G-d forbid — and even if the truth is actually so, G-d forbid — even so, he must search and seek to find within himself a nekudah tovah , so that he should not be, G-d forbid, a complete rasha , as above. And through this he is purified and merits teshuvah , as above. And this is the aspect of "it purifies the impure and renders impure the pure," as above.

And afterwards, we read Parashas HaChodesh , for this is the aspect of Kiddush HaChodesh [sanctification of the New Moon], the aspect of the filling of the moon from its diminishment. For it is known that when Israel are, G-d forbid, in a diminished state, this is the aspect of the blemish of the moon, the grievance of the moon, from which all the blemishes and sins derive, G-d forbid. And therefore, when a Jew awakens and finds within himself a nekudah tovah , and through this returns in teshuvah , as above — this is the aspect of the filling of the moon from its diminishment, the aspect of Kiddush HaChodesh . For the essential Kiddush HaChodesh is through the above. For at the beginning of the month, when the moon is seen in order to sanctify it in the Beis Din [court], it is then very, very small and thin, and then it is merely in the aspect of a point — that is, the aspect of the nekudah tovah mentioned above, which is the aspect of "I am black but comely," etc., as above. That is, when the moon is at the ultimate state of diminishment at the end of the month, then all of Israel must search and seek it until they find witnesses who have seen some tiny point of the moon, and then they sanctify the month in Beis Din , which is the aspect of the rectification and filling of the moon. For through the aspect of a mere point — the aspect of the nekudah tovah that one merits to find at the ultimate state of diminishment — through this one is rectified and truly enters the side of merit, etc., as above — which is the aspect of the rectification and filling of the moon from its diminishment, etc., as above. And therefore the Beis Din and all of Israel say: " Mekudash, mekudash! [Sanctified, sanctified!]" (Rosh HaShanah 24a) — for through a mere point, one becomes sanctified, etc., as above, through judging to the side of merit. And this is the aspect that they all say " mekudash, mekudash " — that is, through their words they elevate the moon from the aspect of blemish and diminishment to the aspect of rectification and fullness, which is her sanctification — through the mere point of light they saw of the moon. And this is itself the above, for through the grievance of the moon, she was diminished, and then Hashem yisbarach gave her the stars to appease her, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Midrash Rabbah 10) , and as Rashi brought. For the stars allude to the aspect of the nekudos tovos that are found within each and every Jew, through which they truly enter the side of merit when they are judged to the side of merit, as above. In the aspect of: "And those who bring the many to righteousness — like the stars" (Daniel 12:3) — etc. "Those who bring the many to righteousness" — that is, the tzadikim of the generation who judge everyone to the side of merit, and through this, even the sinners of Israel truly enter the side of merit, as above. And this is the aspect of the stars, the aspect of "and those who bring the many to righteousness — like the stars," as above. For the stars are in the aspect of points. For this verse — "and those who bring the many to righteousness" — speaks there, at the end of Daniel, about the above, as explained there: "Many shall be sifted and whitened and refined, and the wicked shall act wickedly" (Daniel 12:10) — etc. — "And the wise shall shine like the radiance of the firmament, and those who bring the many to righteousness — like the stars," etc. That is, in the ikvos d'Meshicha [the footsteps of Mashiach ], at the end of the final era, when the sitra achra will intensify greatly, G-d forbid, as is known — then there will be an immense sifting and refining, in the aspect of "many shall be sifted and whitened and refined," etc. And then the essential rectification will be through the above — through "those who bring the many to righteousness" — that is, through the tzadikim who will judge everyone to the side of merit and find nekudos tovos even in the most lowly of the lowly. For this is the essential task of the tzadikim . And through this specifically, Mashiach will come speedily in our days, for this is the aspect of Mashiach , etc., as above. And this is: "And the wise shall shine… and those who bring the many to righteousness — like the stars," etc. For the essential rectification and redemption at the final end will be through this — through the aspect of the nekudos tovos mentioned above, which are the aspect of stars, etc., as above. And this is the aspect of: "Praise Him, all stars of light" (Tehillim 148:3) — for through the nekudos tovos , which are the aspect of shining stars, through this one can give thanks and praise to Hashem, in the aspect of " Azamrah — I shall sing to my G-d with my odi ," as above. And this is the aspect of what Hashem gave the moon the stars to appease her — for through the aspect of the stars, which are the aspect of the nekudos tovos , as above — through this, the blemish of the moon is rectified, as above.

And this is the aspect of: "At about midnight I go out into the midst of Egypt" (Exodus 11:4) — "at about midnight" specifically. For at midnight, the nekudah tovah is aroused, in the aspect of the north wind that blows upon the harp of David, as above. And therefore the good spirit, the nekudah tovah , is drawn from the tzafon [north] specifically — for "from the north the evil shall open forth" (Jeremiah 1:14) — and from there specifically the good spirit is drawn. The nekudah tovah comes from tzafon specifically, and from there specifically is drawn the north wind, the good spirit, that blows upon the harp of David and makes music. For this is the essential quality of the good that emerges from within the very force of the evil and the sitra achra , as above. And through this specifically, nigunim are fashioned, as above. And as is brought in the sacred writings: that the advantage of the light comes specifically from the darkness , as is known. For at midnight, then the Shechinah , as it were, is at the ultimate state of diminishment, as is known. And then she is in the aspect of a mere point. And then there is the intensification of sleep. And then specifically, each person in whose heart the fear of Hashem stirs must muster very great strength to awaken from the sleep. And this is the aspect of awakening from the very force of the sleep and the sitra achra through a mere nekudah tovah , etc., as above. And then is the aspect of the Exodus from Egypt, as above. And this is the aspect of Pesach — that Hashem yisbarach had mercy and skipped over the houses of the Children of Israel when He smote Egypt. And this is the aspect of Hashem yisbarach , in His mercy, gathering and rescuing the nekudos tovos — which are aspects of Israel, aspects of "My son, My firstborn, Israel" (Exodus 4:22) — from among the firstborn of Egypt, from within the force of the sitra achra . For this was the essential redemption from Egypt, as above. And therefore, the first to reveal the secret of chatzos was our father Avraham, peace be upon him, at the time he waged war against the kings and rescued Lot, as it is written: "And he divided against them at night" (Genesis 14:15) — etc. For the essential aspect of chatzos — that is, to break the force of sleep, to break the night and the darkness through the nekudah tovah , as above — this is accomplished only through the aspect of Avraham, the man of chesed , through inclining toward chesed , as above. For Avraham pursued the kings in order to rescue Lot, on account of the nekudah tovah within Lot. And therefore, even though Lot was wicked, Avraham devoted his very life on his behalf to rescue him — on account of the nekudah tovah within him. For from him came Ruth, from whom came David- Mashiach , who is the root of the nekudah tovah , as above. And therefore the primary intention of the kings was to kill Lot, for the entire intention of the sitra achra is to overpower the aspect of the nekudah tovah , G-d forbid. But Hashem will not abandon her into their hands, and He gave power to the aspect of Avraham, the aspect of chesed , to rescue Lot through the nekudah tovah within him. And through this, he slew the kings — for through judging to the side of merit and finding the nekudah tovah even within the wicked, through this the sitra achra is subdued. For the evil is repelled before the bit of good, as above.

And this is the meaning of what is written in the Zohar Chadash — "You who dwell in the gardens" — etc. — regarding the matter of rising at midnight. See there. And it explains there: "You who dwell in the gardens" — in the disgrace and filth of this lowly world, etc. — see there. That is, as above: that even though a person is in the lowest level, in disgrace and filth — nevertheless, Hashem yisbarach and the angels and the souls of the tzadikim in Gan Eden listen attentively to his voice, in the aspect of "companions listen for your voice." And this is itself the aspect of rising at midnight, as above. And see above, where I brought this verse — "You who dwell in the gardens" — which was said regarding the nekudah that exists within each person, which lies wherever it lies — see there. And now, according to the words of the Zohar Chadash mentioned above, the matter is beautifully explained.

And this is the aspect of how our Sages, of blessed memory, delved deeply into the matter of the knowledge of how to determine exactly when midnight falls , as it is brought in Berachos (3a) : "And David — did he know exactly when midnight was? After all, Moshe did not know!" etc. Rather, David had a harp suspended, etc. That is, for the essential redemption — both in a general sense and in the particular sense of the redemption of the soul of each and every person — depends upon this knowledge and perception: to accurately gauge the point of midnight. That is, when the force of sleep intensifies upon the Jewish soul and seeks to fell him completely, G-d forbid, through the multitude of his sins and his failings — until he is nearly, nearly about to fall completely, may the Merciful One save us — then specifically, Hashem yisbarach will shine upon him in His kindness, so that he will remind himself of the nekudos tovos within him and revive himself, as above. And this is the aspect of rising at midnight, when the Shechinah — which is the collective of the souls of Israel — is at the ultimate state of diminishment. And then she cries out in a bitter voice to Hashem yisbarach , in the aspect of: "As a hart yearns" (Tehillim 42:2) — etc.; in the aspect of: "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping" (Jeremiah 31:14) — etc. And then Hashem yisbarach arouses His mercy and extends a thread of chesed , etc., as is understood from all this in the sacred writings. And all this occurs with every individual Jew at every time — that whenever the aspect of the sleep mentioned above intensifies upon him, until he nearly, nearly [falls], may the Merciful One save us — then specifically, he must search for his nekudah tovah , as above, in the aspect of: "If I said, my foot has slipped — Your chesed , Hashem, supported me. When my troubling thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul" (Tehillim 94:18–19) . For all this is the aspect of the holy teaching of Azamrah mentioned above: that specifically when one reaches in his perception an utter state of diminishment, may the Merciful One save us — to the point where he is about to say "my foot has slipped," G-d forbid — then specifically, the kindness of Hashem will support him, through the above — to awaken him from his sleep and return him. And this is the aspect of literally rising at midnight — that then is the ultimate state of diminishment, and then specifically is the aspect of the awakening from sleep, which is the aspect of awakening from one's fall through the aspect of " Azamrah — I shall sing to my G-d with my odi ," as above. And upon this depends the redemption, both generally and particularly, as above. And therefore, the first redemption was at midnight specifically. And similarly, the final redemption — which we await speedily in our days — will be through the aspect of chatzos , through the upright and G-d-fearing who rise every night at midnight. For through this, they draw upon themselves the aspect of the holiness of midnight, when a great chesed is aroused. And through this, they merit to draw upon themselves always the aspect of the awakening from the sleep of midnight — to draw upon themselves this aspect always. That is, at every time that they seek to cast upon them sleep and a very great diminishment — even if they cast them down as they cast them down, G-d forbid — even if what happened to them happened — even so, he will always awaken specifically from within the force of the diminishment, in the aspect of rising at midnight mentioned above. That is, through the aspect of the "yet a little" bit of good that he finds within himself, etc., as above.