ענין שבועות א

And this is the aspect of “ki yipalai mimcha davar la’mishpat” [“If a matter of judgment shall be hidden from you”] (D’varim 17:8) , etc. — meaning, when one does not know a certain law in the Torah, this is the aspect of not meriting to perceive the hidden from him according to his level, which is the aspect of nishma relative to him. And then, when one does not merit to perceive nishma and na’aseh, the seal is not in completeness, as above, and then one cannot distinguish between blood and blood — one cannot differentiate between pure blood and the blood of nidos — because the seal is blemished, for from it nidas is made, as above. And then the rectification is: “v’kamta v’alisa … el ha’makom ha’hu” [“And you shall arise and go up … to that place”] (D’varim 17:8) . For Tziyon and Yerushalayim are the aspect of seal within seal , as is brought. For from there Torah goes forth — for there sits the Great Bais Din, and they reveal everything that is hidden and concealed from each individual, as is written: “al pi ha’Torah asher yorucha … v’al pi ha’mishpat … ta’aseh” [“According to the Torah they shall teach you … according to the judgment … you shall do”]. It emerges that they repair and make from the nishma a na’aseh. For there is the place of t’fillah, as is written: “ki vaisi bais t’fillah” [“For My house is a house of prayer”] (Y’shayahu 56:7) — and t’fillah is nishma. And therefore the Great Bais Din sits there and makes from the t’fillah Torah, from the nishma na’aseh, and reveals to Yisrael everything hidden from them, the aspect of “ki yipalai … al pi ha’Torah asher yomru l’cha,” etc., as above.

It emerges that the building of the Bais HaMikdash, Tziyon and Yerushalayim, is the aspect of nishma and na’aseh , the aspect of receiving the Torah — for from there Torah goes forth, etc., as above. And because at that time, in the days of Achashveirosh, it was the end of the exile and they needed to return to Yerushalayim and build the Bais HaMikdash — which is the aspect of attaining anew the aspect of the Torah, the aspect of nishma and na’aseh — therefore they were compelled to have a descent before the ascent. And because they needed then a great ascent — to build the Bais HaMikdash anew, which was for the sake of the collective of Yisrael — therefore the descent intensified then greatly, and the sitra achra intensified until they stumbled greatly with the foreign women. And then Haman-Amalaik, may his name be erased, lay in ambush against them and wanted to overpower them then greatly. And therefore they were then in exceedingly great and intense danger, the likes of which had never been, as is brought. For he overpowered them at the time of their great descent, the aspect of “v’atah ayaif v’yagaia,” etc. For they were then weary and exhausted in the ultimate exhaustion, because it was the end of the exile before their return to their place — and then the sitra achra intensifies even more, when it sees that soon they will return to their place. Especially since they were truly caught then in the great sin, as above, Rachmana litzlan. Therefore it was then a time of great trouble for Yaakov, etc.

But “u’Mordechai yada es kol asher na’aseh” [“And Mordechai knew all that had been done”] (Esther 4:1) . For he knew all this and illuminated in Yisrael that they should not despair of mercy . For this is the main thing: when a person, chas v’shalom, falls into any descent, however it may be, even if he stumbled greatly, chas v’shalom — nevertheless, it is forbidden for him to despair of mercy. As Mordechai did then, and all of Yisrael with him: “va’yaitzai b’soch ha’ir va’yiz’ak z’akah g’dolah u’marah” [“He went out into the midst of the city and cried a great and bitter cry”], etc. And likewise all of Yisrael, everywhere that the king’s command and his decree reached, etc. And Hashem, yisbarach, heard the voice of their great outcry and weeping through Mordechai. And then the descent was transformed into a great ascent, and from this Purim was made. And they merited receiving the Torah anew, the aspect of “kimu v’kiblu.” And all this was through Mordechai. For “Mordechai yada es kol asher na’aseh” — he knew and perceived the aspect of na’aseh from beginning to end. For he knew and perceived the aspect of the highest na’aseh. For one must make from nishma a na’aseh each time — meaning, one merits each time a new revelation and knowledge, which is the aspect of a higher na’aseh, as above. And so from level to level, up to the beginning of Atzilus , as is explained in the aforementioned ma’amar. And Mordechai knew all that had been na’aseh, to the highest of the high, to the ultimate height. And because of this he was able to illuminate even below, below, to the ultimate depths of the descent. For this is understood and explained in the words of Rabbainu in another place: that the higher the tzaddik’s perception, the greater the level he merits , he can illuminate in a lower level even further. It emerges that each time the tzaddik merits a higher na’aseh — meaning a greater revelation, as above — he can illuminate further below. And because of this the revealed aspect is called “na’aseh” — for through the revelation from nishma to na’aseh, through the greater perception, he can illuminate in the aspect of asiyah [the lowest world] even more.

And this is: “u’Mordechai yada es kol asher na’aseh” — from beginning to end, from Ein Sof to the furthest extreme. Therefore he was able to illuminate in Yisrael even at the ultimate depth of their descent — that they should not despair of mercy — until they merited through him that everything was reversed from one extreme to the other. And the ultimate descent became the ultimate ascent, the aspect of “v’nahafoch hu,” etc. And they merited then an exceedingly great perception — the receiving of the Torah anew, the aspect of “kimu v’kiblu.” And they merited to establish from this these days of Purim — meaning, that this illumination should be drawn down in every generation, every year. That in every generation and every year, this great illumination of the aspect of Mordechai should shine upon us — through which we should have strength every year to emerge from all the descents in the world and to transform all the descents into the ultimate ascent, the aspect of “v’ha’yamim ha’aileh nizkarim v’na’asim b’chol dor va’dor, mishpachah u’mishpachah,” etc.

For Hashem, yisbarach, in His abundant mercy planned from afar for our ultimate benefit. For Hashem, yisbarach, gazes and looks until the end of all generations, and He saw that in these generations, in the footsteps of Moshiach, at the end of the exile, before we return to Yerushalayim and there is eternal redemption — and before that, the sitra achra would certainly intensify greatly, and there would first be a very great descent, exceedingly. Therefore He benefited us in advance and gave us these days of Purim through Mordechai and Esther, so that this great and mighty illumination of Mordechai should shine upon us every year. For this is an exceedingly great illumination, through which one can transform all descents into ascents. And as is brought in the holy writings, that the illumination of Mordechai shines to the very end of Asiyah , and this illumination of Purim is not found at any other time, etc. And then all the descents are transformed into ascents, for it is the purpose of the ascent, as above.

And this is the aspect of “v’ha’yamim ha’aileh nizkarim v’na’asim b’chol dor va’dor.” “Nizkarim v’na’asim” [“Remembered and observed”] — this is the aspect of nishma and na’aseh . “Nizkarim” [“Remembered”] — this is the aspect of nishma, for memory depends on the heart, as is brought, and there hearing depends — for hearing depends on the heart, as is brought elsewhere. And this is: “v’ha’yamim ha’aileh nizkarim v’na’asim” — for then, in these days, one merits receiving the Torah, the aspect of “kimu v’kiblu,” etc., as above — which is the aspect of “nizkarim v’na’asim,” the aspect of nishma and na’aseh, etc., as above. And this is “b’chol dor va’dor” [“in every generation”] — meaning, this thing occurs in every generation, every time one needs to draw the perception of Torah from nishma to na’aseh — which itself is the aspect of “b’chol dor va’dor” — from father to son, generation to generation — which is the aspect of “milchamah la’Shem ba’Amalaik mi’dor dor,” etc., as above. And then on Purim one merits the perception of nishma and na’aseh, which is the aspect of father and son, the aspect of generation to generation, as above. And then all descents are transformed into ascents, as above.

And this is the aspect of all the types of laughter and jest that are done on Purim , to hint that now, in these days of Purim, all types of descents and smallness are elevated. Everything is now transformed, and from it Torah is made. For the descent is transformed into an ascent, in the aspect of “the descent is the purpose of the ascent,” as above.

For the great tzaddik who has great da’as sometimes intentionally lowers himself to matters of smallness and foolish talk, in the aspect of “the nullification of the Torah is its fulfillment,” as is explained in the words of Rabbainu, of blessed memory, in another place (siman 78, Likutay Tinyana). And this is also the aspect of the descent before the ascent. For because he sees that his mind is weary and he can no longer proceed further in his mind, he is compelled to lower himself to matters of smallness and foolish talk and the like. And as is brought in the Holy Zohar regarding Rav Hamnuna Sava, that they would arrange before him three chapters of foolish talk. And afterward, through this descent, one merits the ultimate ascent — in the aspect of the descent being the purpose of the ascent, the aspect of “the nullification of the Torah is its fulfillment,” as our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded on the verse: “Ais la’asos la’Shem, haifairu Torasecha” [“It is a time to act for Hashem; they have voided Your Torah”] (T’hillim 119:126) .

And this is: “Ais la’asos la’Shem” — specifically the aspect of nishma and na’aseh . And the nishma corresponding to the na’aseh is the aspect of “Toras Hashem,” the aspect of nullification into the Ein Sof, etc., as is explained in the aforementioned ma’amar. And this is: “Ais la’asos” — when the time arrives to make the aspect of na’aseh; “la’Shem” — the aspect of nishma, the aspect of “Toras Hashem,” nullification into the Ein Sof. Then “haifairu Torasecha” [“they have voided Your Torah”] — then one needs, before the ascent, the aspect of “the nullification of the Torah is its fulfillment,” the aspect of “haifairu Torasecha,” as our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded. For the descent is the purpose of the ascent, as above.

And this is the aspect of Purim , as above. And on account of this it is called Purim. For then one does all types of laughter and smallness and foolish talk. For then one merits the ultimate ascent, an exceedingly great perception and illumination — the illumination of Mordechai HaYehudi , whose illumination was exalted beyond measure. And then all the descents, all the nullifications, and all the foolish talk are transformed into the ultimate ascent, as above. And this is the aspect of the name “Purim” — named after the “pur,” related to “haifairu Torasecha.” For the root of the word “Purim” and the root of the word “haifairu” are the same root, as is known to one who has some familiarity with this. For the main subject of Purim is in this aspect — the descent being the purpose of the ascent, the aspect of “v’ha’michshaila ha’zos tachas yadecha — aillu divray Torah she’ain adam omaid alaihem ela im kain nichshal bahem,” etc. See there. Which is the aspect of “Ais la’asos la’Shem, haifairu Torasecha,” as above.