חול המועד ג

Ches

And this is the aspect of Shavu’os , which is the receiving of the Torah. Before this, one offers the Omer of barley , which is the aspect of the totality of the constrictions. For “s’orah” [barley] is the aspect of twice m-n-tz-p-ch , which is the totality of all the constrictions, as is known. Through this, one draws spiritual G-dliness into constrictions. And then one begins to count the counting of the Omer. For afterward, one is involved in this throughout all 49 days of the Omer, drawing spiritual G-dliness into the days and the attributes through the counting of the Omer — all of which is the aspect of drawing spiritual G-dliness into constrictions. And through this, livelihood is drawn, and one merits holy eating, the aspect of “tzaddik ochail l’sova nafsho,” etc. And therefore eating was not permitted until the offering of the Omer, for it is forbidden to eat any bread — which is the main eating — until the offering of the Omer has passed. For the livelihood and eating of Yisrael must be drawn specifically through drawing spiritual G-dliness into constrictions, which is the aspect of the offering of the Omer of barley, so that through this holy livelihood and eating they can polish their n’shamos, in order to merit digging the waters from the deepest depths on Shavu’os — in order to receive the taryag itin d’Oraisa, which is the totality of the Torah, drawn from the deepest depths, the aspect of the aforementioned deep waters. And this is the aspect of the secret of the great holiness of the mikvah of Shavu’os , which is the mikvah of the 50th gate. For the entire Torah, which is the aspect of counsel, the aspect of the taryag itin, is all drawn from the aforementioned waters, which are the aspect of the 50th gate. This is the aspect of a mikvah of water, the aspect of the mikvah of Shavu’os, which is the aspect of “b’air mayim chayim v’nozlim min L’vanon” [“A well of living waters and streams from Levanon”] (Shir HaShirim 4:15) , the aspect of “mayim amukim aitzah,” as above.

And therefore the main manna began to descend for Yisrael during the days of the S’firah. For on the 15th of Iyar the manna descended for them. For the main holy livelihood is drawn through drawing spiritual G-dliness into constrictions, which is the aspect of the counting of the Omer, as above. And this is what we say after the S’firah: “eretz nasnah y’vulah, y’var’chainu Elokim,” etc. (T’hillim 67:7) . For the main blessing and livelihood is drawn from there, as above, through which one merits receiving the Torah on Shavu’os, as above.

And therefore the Omer is offered specifically from barley , which is animal food. And it is brought in the Holy Zohar that the Omer of barley is the aspect of the minchas k’na’os [meal-offering of jealousy], which is the examination of the aishes chayil , etc. — see there. For at the beginning of the rectification, one must offer specifically animal food. For the aforementioned life-force drawn from the external union for the sustenance of the worlds, etc., as above — when it comes to this physical world, it is in the aspect of animal food. For Above, in the upper worlds where there are holy angels and s’rafim, they receive the life-force spiritually, according to their holiness. But in this world, which is very physical, when this life-force comes to this world, at first it is in the aspect of animal food. Only human beings have the power to draw this life-force upon themselves and add illumination to the mochin until they ascend in the secret of mayin nukvin and the inner Upper Unification is made. And from there descends the life-force of the n’shamos of human beings. And then specifically is the main refinement of the foods — that they are refined from the aspect of animal food to human food. For this world of Asiyah, in its totality, is in the aspect of animal — the absence of da’as relative to the upper worlds. And therefore “b’haimah” [animal] has the gematria of “b’n” [52], as is brought, which is the aspect of Asiyah, as is known. And therefore all the exalted life-force, when it is drawn to this world before human beings refine and repair it, is in the aspect of the life-force and food of an animal, as above. And there is the main free choice and test.

For the main free choice is in the aforementioned aspect — that when the exalted life-force descends to this world, from which he receives a spark of G-dliness and hints in his heart from Hashem, yisbarach, to draw close to His emunah, then he has the power to run after Him, yisbarach, as above, or the opposite, chas v’shalom, as above. And one who merits to be immediately aroused and choose life and run after Him, yisbarach, with m’siras nefesh, until one merits to cause the inner unification and draw from there aitzos from which emunah grows, and raises emunah from its fallen state — then one constantly ascends from level to level. For “mitzvah goreres mitzvah” [one mitzvah leads to another], for “all beginnings are difficult.” At first, before one merits to know any counsel or any mitzvah — like the Patriarchs who lived before Matan Torah — when the aforementioned illumination that is constantly drawn without cessation reaches them, one needs great exertions to make constrictions to receive it in holiness and purity, which is the aspect of drawing spiritual G-dliness into constrictions. For then one needs great exertion because one’s mind is still in great smallness, and one has no vessel yet to draw upon oneself the aforementioned illumination. And therefore one truly cannot draw from the inner unification the life-force of the n’shamos from the highest place, but only from a lower place. For according to the illumination one receives in one’s mochin from the external unification, and according to the m’siras nefesh through which one ascends in the secret of mayin nukvin, one accordingly causes a more exalted inner unification, and accordingly draws the life-force of the n’shamos from a higher level. For even though the life-force from the external unification is drawn constantly without cessation, not through our deeds, nevertheless there are great differences on the part of the recipients. For certainly the life-force drawn to a human being is not comparable to the life-force drawn to an animal, nor between an animal and a plant and an inanimate object. And even among human beings themselves, they all differ from one another in their abilities and their minds, etc. And the life-force drawn during the day is not comparable to the life-force drawn at night, for in one there is light and in the other darkness. And so too the changes between all the days of the earth — seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, etc.

And the main thing is the human being who has free choice. And therefore, at first, when one still has no vessels at all to receive the light, one receives only a small illumination with great exertion. And therefore the life-force drawn from the inner unification is also small, as above. But afterward, when one receives aitzos from the inner unification and reveals emunah in greater revelation, then the second time, when the illumination from the external unification is drawn upon him, he has more power and greater vessels to receive the illumination in greater abundance. And then he is aroused to give over his soul with ever greater m’siras nefesh, and then he causes the inner unification at a more exalted level, and draws the life-force of the n’shamos from a higher place. And so each time. And as is explained in the aforementioned kavanos of the Ari, of blessed memory, that the inner unification corresponds to the level and stature of the tzaddik who merits to make the unification. And as is also explained there, that the illumination received in the mochin from the external unification corresponds to the level of the mochin at that time, and accordingly one causes the inner unification — see there regarding the distinctions between the four times one says K’rias Sh’ma each day; see there well.

And therefore the beginning is very difficult , because one still has no vessel to receive the light, etc., as above. All the more so, chas v’shalom, when one has blemished through some blemish or an actual transgression, chas v’shalom — then according to the blemish, one corrupts the vessels and cannot receive the life-force except in the most minimal amount. Because of this, one’s emunah is damaged, and according to the blemish, heresy and false beliefs are intensified, chas v’shalom. And as I wrote above, that for the idolaters and the wicked, from this aforementioned illumination, false beliefs and heresy are made, chas v’shalom. And so too, each person according to his blemish, chas v’shalom. And therefore one must begin the rectification anew, and certainly it is difficult to repair, for even the beginning is very difficult because one still has no vessels. All the more so when one has already somewhat corrupted the vessel that one had, through the blemish and transgression one committed. Especially one who has blemished and corrupted much, chas v’shalom — how then is it possible to repair? Therefore the main rectification is through true tzaddikim who are always involved in repairing and raising emunah from its fallen state — who know how to dig and reveal the waters from which emunah grows, through the aforementioned processes.