Section 20

And this is the aspect of ketores [incense] (as is brought elsewhere). For ketores draws joy, in the aspect of "incense gladdens the heart" . And the essential perfection of holiness and joy that is clarified through the ketores is in the aforementioned aspect — that one transforms the sorrow and sighing, which is the aspect of the Sitra Achara [Other Side], into joy, to the side of holiness. This is the aspect of the chelb'nah [galbanum] with its foul odor that was in the ketores , which alludes to the clarification of holiness from the intensity of the Sitra Achara and the klipos , as is known in the [Kabbalistic] writings. That is, the aforementioned aspect — for ketores clarifies and raises the holiness from the deepest depths of the klipos , as is known, for nothing raises holiness from the depths of the Sitra Achara like the ketores . And therefore one needs to recite the ketores with very great kavanah [intention], as is brought in the kavanos of the Ari z"l, for this is very helpful for teshuvah — to return from the depths of darkness and the Sitra Achara to the Blessed Name, as is explained in the Siddur of the Ari z"l by the section of ketores . That is, as mentioned above. For in the ketores there was chelb'nah with its foul odor, which alludes to the Sitra Achara , which is also included in holiness within the ketores that gladdens the heart. This is the aforementioned aspect — that one transforms the sorrow and sighing, which are the intensity of the Sitra Achara and the klipos , one transforms them into joy, which is the essential perfection of holiness and joy, as mentioned above.

Oas 6

And therefore Nadav and Avihu , who entered to offer ketores and did not marry, were therefore punished with death. For the clarification and unification that is made through the ketores that gladdens the heart is the aforementioned aspect — that one transforms the sorrow and sighing into joy, as mentioned above. This is the aspect of a wedding, the aspect of a holy conjugal union, in order to clarify and transform the sorrow and sighing that grips the woman into joy, as mentioned above. And therefore Nadav and Avihu, who blemished in this — for they did not wish to marry a wife, for they were great men, awesome, holy tzadikim , and they wished to be attached to the Blessed Name in very great joy constantly, and they did not wish to go outside for a moment toward the sorrow and sighing, to bring it into the joy, which is the aspect of the mitzvah to marry a wife as mentioned above. For they did not wish to lower themselves there, to transform the sorrow and sighing into joy. But they blemished in this, for there is no perfection of holiness and joy except through this specifically, as mentioned above.

And therefore they were punished through the ketores . For the ascent of holiness of the ketores is impossible except for one who is married, for through this he has the power to raise the holiness from the depths of the klipos , and to clarify the sorrow and sighing into joy, which is the aspect of the mitzvah of marriage, the aspect of "incense gladdens the heart," as mentioned above. And therefore they were punished with death , for sorrow and sighing is the side of death , as mentioned above. For over the dead, may the Merciful One protect us, one mourns and becomes embittered with sorrow and sighing, may the Merciful One protect us. And because they were not married and did not merit to transform the sorrow and sighing into joy, therefore death took hold of them at the time they entered to offer ketores — for then too one needs to perform this aspect, to raise the sorrow and sighing and transform it into joy. But they did not have the power for this because they did not marry. And therefore they were punished specifically through this. For when one wishes to clarify the holiness from the depths of the klipos and does not have the power for it, because he blemished in this as mentioned above, therefore they [the klipos ] attack and overpower, G-d forbid. And therefore they were punished with death through the ketores , for they did not have the power to transform the sorrow and sighing into joy because they did not marry. And therefore they passed away through this, as mentioned above.

Oas 7

And therefore, even one who is a great and very holy tzadik and could be completely ascetic in great holiness — he is necessarily obligated to marry a wife, for it is the first mitzvah in the Torah, to be fruitful and multiply and to produce offspring. That is, as mentioned above. For the essential holiness is joy, as is explained in the aforementioned Torah[-teaching]. But there is no perfection to the joy except when one clarifies and raises the sorrow and sighing and transforms it into joy, which is the aspect of marriage as mentioned above. And therefore even the holy tzadik who merits joy in its perfection is necessarily [required] to marry a wife in order to transform the sorrow and sighing into joy, as mentioned above. And through this comes the essential begetting, for the essential begetting comes through the clarification that is made through the conjugal union of mitzvah , by which holy sparks are clarified from the depths of the klipos .

And therefore the Sitra Achara grips very much there, because one needs to clarify a very great holiness from the depths of the klipos . And therefore one needs to pray much to the Blessed Name and to be a mighty warrior to merit to fulfill this mitzvah in great holiness, and to sanctify himself properly, as explained in the [holy] books. And one needs to strengthen himself very much then to push away the melancholy and sadness, and to strengthen and invigorate himself with great joy until he transforms the sorrow and sighing into joy — which is the aspect of the ascent of holiness from the depths of the klipos , through which the essential begetting comes. For begetting is drawn through the clarification of holy souls from the depths of the klipos , as is known. And therefore through begetting, joy is drawn, as it is written: "Let your father and mother rejoice, and let she who bore you exult" . And as it is written: "A wise son gladdens the father" . For begetting is drawn through the clarification of holiness from the klipos , which is the aspect of transforming sorrow and sighing into joy, through which comes the essential joy, as mentioned above.

Oas 8

And therefore every man is obligated to beget a son and a daughter, as is explained in the Shulchan Aruch. For the essential mitzvah of procreation — to produce offspring, to sustain the world — is for the sake of the enlargement of joy in the aforementioned aspect (that is, to transform the aspect of sorrow and sighing into joy as mentioned above). For this is why the world was created — to enlarge the joy, in the aspect of "Hashem shall rejoice in His works" . For there is no sadness before the Blessed One, and above, on the very highest level, there is the essential joy in its essence, as it is written: "Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and gladness are in His place" . But the Blessed Name wished to benefit and enlarge the joy even further — for this is the essential true good and delight, when one merits to rejoice in Him, blessed be He, in the aspect of "Let Israel rejoice in its Maker" , etc. Therefore He created all the worlds from beginning to end, so that they would recognize His glory, blessed be He. And through recognizing Him from this lowly, base world — for the sake of which everything was created — through this the joy is enlarged more and more, through the joy ascending from distant places, from this lowly world, from the world of Asiyah where the sorrow and sighing grips. That is, the aforementioned aspect — that the essential enlargement of joy is when one transforms the sorrow and sighing into joy.

And therefore He created all the worlds down to this lowly world, where the sorrow and sighing grips. And when one merits to recognize Him, blessed be He, in this world, and to rejoice in Him in this lowly, material world, in the aspect of "Let Israel rejoice in its Maker" — then the joy is very great also for Him, blessed be He, in the aspect of "Hashem shall rejoice in His works" — "in His works" specifically. For the essential enlargement of joy is when the joy ascends from this material world of Asiyah , where the sorrow and sighing grips. For this is the essential perfection and greatness of joy — when one transforms sorrow and sighing into joy, as mentioned above.