Oatzar HaYeerah – Yeerah & Avodas Hashem §§166–172 (Final)
אוֹצַר הַיִּרְאָה · Oatzar HaYeerah
Source: https://ajew.org/reader/otzar-hayirah/2/21

Segment 1
HE:
כְּשֶׁאַהֲבָתוֹ וַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, אֲזַי הוּא בָּטוּחַ שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי לֹא יָבוֹא לִידֵי שׁוּם פְּגָם אֲפִלּוּ בְּשׁוֹגֵג. וְעַל־כֵּן גַּם הַשּׁוֹגֵג צָרִיךְ כַּפָּרָה (הלכות נזיקין הלכה ד, אות לא).

EN:
The defining quality of the human being is speech [ geder ha'adam hu m'dabeir — the classical philosophical definition: the human being is the "speaking animal"; Aristotle's zōon logikon rendered in medieval Hebrew philosophy ], and this corresponds to the element of Fire [ yesod ha'aish ], as is known. For even though every element contains all four elements within it — even so, the speaking human being is from the aspect of fire within fire — the fire element within the four elements, as is brought [in the Kabbalistic sources]. And in this lies the essential free choice of the human being — for which he was created: to turn away from the evil and impure fire that burns toward all the desires, G‑d spare us — and to merit to recognize and to know Hashem, may He be blessed, which is the aspect of " Aish ochlah — A consuming fire" [ Deuteronomy 4:24 — "For Hashem your G‑d is a consuming fire" — the holy fire of G‑d's presence, which consumes the impure fire of desire ]. But even in the matter of drawing close to Hashem , may He be blessed — one must also be very careful that the holy fire in one's heart not blaze beyond its measure — which is the aspect of the warning: " Pen yeh'ersu — Lest they break through" [ Exodus 19:21 — G‑d's warning to Moshe at Sinai: "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to Hashem to see" — even the most intense longing must not storm the boundary before its time ], with which Israel was warned at the time of the Giving of the Torah. For immediately when one wishes to truly draw close to Hashem, may He be blessed, one must be very careful of destruction [ harisah — breaking through, breaking down; violating the boundary that protects both the person and the holy ] — not to force the moment, G‑d forbid. For the majority of the adventures, falls, and distancing that befall most people comes only from this — for it is known that all wish to fear Your Name [ a paraphrase of the morning prayer — every Jewish soul, however fallen, carries a deep desire to return ] — and even the most degraded of the degraded certainly desires and yearns greatly to return to Hashem, may He be blessed. But the essential obstacle is because each person would very much like to snatch all the good at once and enter and draw close to holiness in ultimate perfection immediately, at once, in the very first moment. And because in truth one must wait a great deal , and multiply prayer and supplications, and strengthen oneself greatly through everything that passes over him — and hope greatly for Hashem's salvation until one merits to draw close to Hashem in completeness — because of this , many cannot stand this trial and become slack about attending to their eternal lives — until they distance themselves completely, as they distance themselves, G‑d spare us. And for this reason one must be very careful to strive to draw close to true Tzadikim — for this is the work of the true Tzadikim: to inflame the heart of the people of Israel so they blaze toward Hashem, may He be blessed, with flaming fire of divine love [ b'rishpei shalheves-Yah — from Song of Songs 8:6: "Its flashes are flashes of fire, a flame of the Divine" ] and with very great yearning — while also being very careful of the aspect of the stormy wind [ ruach s'arah — from Ezekiel 1:4, the first of the three impure husks that precede the Chashmal ; see below ] — that the fire should not blaze beyond measure in the aspect of destruction, G‑d forbid, as is explained elsewhere. For one must be very careful of the aspect of forcing the moment even in the matter of drawing close to holiness — for even though it is certainly true that one must rush and hasten greatly to flee for one's life — and especially one who has already stumbled and been trapped in what he was trapped in, G‑d spare us — even so, one cannot force the moment. And one must wait and wait until " Ad yashkif v'yeireh Hashem min hashomayim — Until Hashem looks forth and sees from Heaven" [ Lamentations 3:50] — which is the aspect of the Counting of the Omer [ Sefiras HaOmer — the forty-nine days counted between Pesach and Shavuos, the period of preparation for receiving the Torah ], which is the preparation for receiving the Torah. For certainly according to the love, will, and yearning of Israel to receive the Torah — certainly they would have been glad to receive it immediately after the first day of the Exodus from Egypt. But one cannot force the moment — and it is necessary to wait until the fiftieth day. And yet even so, it is forbidden to forget and to divert one's mind from this, G‑d forbid — rather, to long and yearn and pine at every moment: when will the day of one's soul's full salvation arrive? And this is the aspect of the counting [ sefirah ] — that one counts the days and longs and pines and awaits for this holy and awesome day, the fiftieth day — the day of receiving the holy Torah. And so must every person individually as well — in the aspect of: " Limnos yameinu kein hoda v'navi levav chochmah — Teach us to number our days, and we shall bring a heart of wisdom" [Psalms 90:12] — for one must count the days and yearn and long and pine at every moment to merit complete salvation — the aspect of a heart of wisdom : to recognize the Creator, may He be blessed, and to serve Him with a whole heart and in truth — which is the essential aspect of receiving the Torah. But even so, one cannot force the moment as above — only wait greatly for Hashem's salvation and multiply prayer and supplications before Him, may He be blessed. And even in this — it is forbidden to force the moment that one's prayer be answered immediately — rather, in the aspect of: " Kaveh el Hashem, chazak v'ya'ametz libbechoh v'kaveh el Hashem — Hope to Hashem, strengthen and embolden your heart, and hope to Hashem" [Psalms 27:14] . And as our Sages of blessed memory taught: "And if your request was not fulfilled — return and hope" [ Berachos 32b ] — and continue to pray and pour out his heart before Him, may He be blessed. And even in the matter of conversation and prayer itself — one cannot force the moment: that one immediately begin to speak burning words like coals of fire with great arousal toward Hashem, may He be blessed — and if not, become completely slack even from prayer and supplications, as is common among most people [ printing artifact in source — ק — handled silently ]. Rather: even if right now he has no words at all and no arousal whatsoever — let him stand before Hashem, may He be blessed, like the poor and destitute, like a mute who does not open his mouth — only wait and yearn and pine that words be bestowed upon him from Heaven, that he merit to pour out his conversation properly before Hashem, may He be blessed. And then specifically through the waiting, the silence, and the longing — one afterward merits to speak before Hashem, may He be blessed, burning words like coals of fire with great holy arousal — which is the aspect of the Chashmal of the holy Chariot [ from Ezekiel 1:4; Chashmal is understood as a combination of chash (silent) and mal (speak): first silence, then speech. This is the mode of the Chashmal — the innermost ring of the holy Chariot, which is reached only after passing through the outer husks ] (see also: Hisbodidus [Seclusion and Personal Prayer], entry 47). For every person must draw upon himself the holiness of the Merkavah [ Merkavah — the Divine Chariot; in Kabbalistic terms, the person who makes himself a vessel for the Divine Presence becomes a "chariot" — a vehicle — for the Shechinah ] — for one must make oneself a Merkavah for the Shechinah . And one cannot enter the inner sanctum of the holiness of the Merkavah except by first passing through the three completely impure husks : the stormy wind , the great cloud , and the flaming fire [ Ezekiel 1:4 — the three outer husks that surround the holy Chariot vision ]. And the stormy wind inflames the flaming fire — which is the aspect of the fire that burns toward all the desires, G‑d spare us. And the great cloud darkens and prevents one from seeing the root-light of the holy fire. And afterward one must pass through the aspect of Nogah [ nogah — radiance; the fourth and intermediate husk, which is mixed good and evil: "And a radiance around it" (Ezekiel 1:4) — this is the realm of the permitted, which can go either way ]: " V'nogah lo saviv — And a radiance around it" . And therefore one must draw upon oneself the light of the Chashmal — which is where the holy Merkavah begins — in the aspect of: " Umitochah k'aïn hachashmal — And from its midst, like the appearance of the Chashmal " [Ezekiel 1:4] . And the essential drawing of the holiness of the Chashmal is through the mode described above [of waiting in silence], as is explained within. And then one merits to draw close to the holy fire — which is the aspect of the holiness of the Merkavah , which is the aspect of fire, as it is written: " K'mar'eh aish, hi mishal'kess bein hachayos — Like the appearance of fire, it moved among the living creatures" [Ezekiel 1:13] — where the revelation of His divinity, may He be blessed, is found — the aspect of: " Ki Hashem Elokecha aish ochlah hu — For Hashem your G‑d is a consuming fire" [Deuteronomy 4:24] . And through this the fire of the Other Side is burned and consumed — in the aspect of: " Ki me'ha'aish yatzu v'ha'aish tochleim — For from the fire they came forth, and the fire shall consume them" [Ezekiel 15:7] . And one merits the aspect of receiving the Torah in its completeness — in the aspect of: " Udvarav shamanu mitoch ha'aish — And we heard His words from within the fire" [Deuteronomy 4:36] . (Source: Likutay Halachos, Laws of Robbery, sub-sections [ osios ] כב, כג, כד, כה, כח; and in the chapter headings.)

Segment 2
HE:
קֹדֶם קִטְרוּג הַיָּרֵחַ הָיוּ שְׁנֵי הַמְּאוֹרוֹת שָׁוִים, כִּי חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה הֵם בְּחִינַת תּוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה, נִגְלֶה וְנִסְתָּר. וּבַתְּחִלָּה הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לְהַשִּׂיג בְּנָקֵל גַּם בְּחִינַת הַנִּסְתָּר, אַךְ אַחַר קִטְרוּג הַיָּרֵחַ אָמַר לָהּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ: לְכִי וּמַעֲטִי עַצְמֵךְ! הַיְנוּ שֶׁעִקַּר הַפְּגָם וְהַמִּעוּט נוֹגֵעַ בְּיוֹתֵר בִּבְחִינַת הַנִּגְלֶה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת לְבָנָה, כִּי הַנִּסְתָּר גַּם מִתְּחִלָּה הָיָה בִּבְחִינַת נִסְתָּר, וְעַל־כֵּן אֵין הַפְּגָם נוֹגֵעַ בּוֹ כָּל־כָּךְ; אַדְּרַבָּא, מִגֹּדֶל הַסְתָּרָתוֹ יְכוֹלִין גַּם עַכְשָׁו לְקַבֵּל מֵאוֹרוֹ, כַּמּוּבָן בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, שֶׁבְּעֵת הַפְּגָם יוֹנְקִין דַּיְקָא מִבְּחִינַת קְדֻשָּׁה הַנֶּעְלֶמֶת וְהַנִּסְתֶּרֶת מְאֹד, כִּי לְשָׁם אֵין מַגִּיעַ הַפְּגָם כָּל־כָּךְ. אֲבָל עִקַּר הַפְּגָם הוּא בִּבְחִינַת הַנִּגְלֶה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַלְּבָנָה, שֶׁנֶּעְלָם וְנֶחֱשָׁךְ אוֹרָהּ מְאֹד, עַד שֶׁכָּל הַנִּגְלוֹת קָשֶׁה לָנוּ לְהָבִין וּלְהַשִּׂיג, וְכָל הַנִּגְלֶה נֶחְשָׁב נִסְתָּר מֵאִתָּנוּ, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַשִּׂיג כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי קטו יְגִיעוֹת רַבּוֹת וַעֲצוּמוֹת, שֶׁזֶּה כְּלַל עֲבוֹדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי עֲבוֹדָתָם הֵם מְמַלְאִים בְּכָל פַּעַם פְּגִימַת הַלְּבָנָה, וְנִתְגַּלֶּה לָהֶם הָאוֹר שֶׁהָיָה נֶעְלָם מֵהֶם. וְעַל־כֵּן אָנוּ צְרִיכִין בְּכָל פַּעַם לְהִתְיַגֵּעַ וְלַחְתֹּר בְּכַמָּה יְגִיעוֹת, וּלְבַטֵּל עַצְמֵנוּ וּלְדַבֵּק עַצְמֵנוּ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּבִטּוּל גָּמוּר, עַד שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְהַשִּׂיג זֹאת הַבְּחִינָה שֶׁהִיא נִסְתֶּרֶת מֵאִתָּנוּ, שֶׁהִיא עַתָּה אֶצְלֵנוּ בִּבְחִינַת 'נִשְׁמָע'. כִּי שְׁמִיעָה בְּלִבָּא תָּלְיָא, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת דְּבֵקוּת וּבִטּוּל אֶל הָאֵין־סוֹף, כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר עַתָּה לְהַשִּׂיג שׁוּם דָּבָר, כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי יְגִיעָה גְדוֹלָה בִּבְחִינַת בִּטּוּל מַמָּשׁ אֶל הָאֵין־סוֹף עַל־יְדֵי רִבּוּי תְּפִלּוֹת וְתַחֲנוּנִים, שֶׁכָּל זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת "נִשְׁמָע", וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה עוֹשִׂין מֵהַ'נִּשְׁמָע' 'נַעֲשֶׂה', דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁהָיָה נִסְתָּר אֶצְלֵנוּ לְפִי בְּחִינָתֵנוּ מַשִּׂיגִין אוֹתוֹ, עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה אֶצְלֵנוּ בְּחִינַת נִגְלֶה, בְּחִינַת 'נַעֲשֶׂה', וְכֵן עוֹלִין אַחַר־כָּךְ מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא וְכוּ', עַד שֶׁזּוֹכִים הַצַּדִּיקִים לְמַה שֶּׁזּוֹכִים וְכוּ'. כִּי עַכְשָׁו יֵשׁ הֶפְסֵק גָּדוֹל וּמָסָךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל הַרְבֵּה בֵּין דַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַחשֶׁךְ שֶׁנִּתְהַוָּה מִמִּעוּט הַיָּרֵחַ, וְעַל־כֵּן צְרִיכִין שֶׁיִּהְיֶה יְרִידָה קֹדֶם לַעֲלִיָּה וּלְהִתְיַגֵּעַ הַרְבֵּה, עַד שֶׁיְּשַׁבֵּר הַקְּלִפָּה וְהַחשֶׁךְ שֶׁבִּבְחִינַת הַיְרִידָה וְלַהֲפֹךְ הַיְרִידָה לַעֲלִיָּה. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ"ל לְעִנְיַן הַשְּׁנֵי כְתָרִים שֶׁל נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע: אִבַּדְתֶּם אֶת הַ'נַּעֲשֶׂה' - שִׁמְרוּ אֶת הַ'נִּשְׁמָע'; הָדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: "שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתָּה עֹבֵר וְכוּ'". הַיְנוּ, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי חֵטְא הָעֵגֶל אִבְּדוּ אֶת הַ'נַּעֲשֶׂה', שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת נִגְלֶה, כִּי גַם הַנִּגְלֶה נַעֲשָׂה נִסְתָּר מֵאִתָּנוּ, עַד שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָנוּ עַתָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת שׁוּם דָּבָר כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת 'נִשְׁמָע', הַיְנוּ לְהִתְיַגֵּעַ הַרְבֵּה וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן הַרְבֵּה לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַד שֶׁנְּבַטֵּל עַצְמֵנוּ בִּבְחִינַת בִּטּוּל אֶל הָאֵין־ סוֹף, וְאָז עוֹשִׂין מֵהַ'נִּשְׁמָע' 'נַעֲשֶׂה', וְנִתְגַּלֶּה לָנוּ מַה שֶּׁהָיָה נִסְתָּר מֵאִתָּנוּ, וְכֵן מִדַּרְגָּא לְדַרְגָּא. וּמִי שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה וּמִתְיַגֵּעַ בְּכָל פַּעַם כָּרָאוּי, אֲזַי אַשְׁרֵי לוֹ, וַאֲזַי אֶצְלוֹ מִעוּט הַיָּרֵחַ הוּא לְטוֹבָה גְדוֹלָה, כִּי דַיְקָא עַל־יְדֵי־ זֶה זוֹכֶה לְמַה שֶּׁזּוֹכֶה, אַשְׁרֵי לוֹ, כִּי הַיְרִידָה הִיא תַּכְלִית הָעֲלִיָּה, וּלְפֻם צַעֲרָא אַגְרָא. וּבְוַדַּאי כָּל מַה שֶּׁהָאָדָם מֻכְרָח לְהִתְיַגֵּעַ יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם מֵחֲמַת מִעוּט הָאוֹר וְהַחְשָׁכָתוֹ - בְּוַדַּאי הוּא זוֹכֶה אַחַר־כָּךְ לְשָׂכָר כָּפוּל וּמְכֻפָּל, לְקַבֵּל אוֹר גָּדוֹל וְנִפְלָא יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר. וְזֶה גַם־כֵּן בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁאָמַר משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ, עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם: "שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד" - 'שְׁמַע' יִשְׂרָאֵל דַּיְקָא, כִּי עַכְשָׁו מֵחֲמַת מִעוּט הָאוֹר אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהִכָּלֵל בֶּאֱמֶת וּבִשְׁלֵמוּת בֶּאֱמוּנַת אַחְדוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת כְּלַל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ, כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הַ'נִּשְׁמָע', שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת 'שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל', דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לִשְׁמֹעַ וּלְהָבִין וּלְדַבֵּק עַצְמֵנוּ הֵיטֵב אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּלְבַטֵּל עַצְמֵנוּ אֶל אוֹר הָאֵין־סוֹף בְּבִטּוּל גָּמוּר, וְאָז יְכוֹלִין לְהַמְשִׁיךְ עַל עַצְמוֹ אַחְדוּתוֹ וְיִחוּדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ (הלכות מעקה ושמירת הנפש הלכה ד, אותיות ו ז).

EN:
When a person's love and service of Hashem, may He be blessed, are complete — then he is assured that he will certainly not come to any flaw even unintentionally [ b'shogeg — inadvertently, without intending to sin ]. And therefore even the inadvertent sinner requires atonement [ the law of inadvertent sin — shogeg — requiring a sin-offering: if one's love and divine service were truly complete, one would not have stumbled even by accident; the very fact that the error occurred indicates that the love was not yet fully whole ]. (Source: Likutay Halachos, Laws of Damages — Hilchos Nizikin , Halachah 4, sub-section [ os ] לא — passage 31 of that Halachah.)

Segment 3
HE:
מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לוֹ חַיִּים בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְהַשִּׂיג כִּי אִם כְּשֶׁמִּסְתַּפֵּק בְּמִעוּט בְּתַכְלִית הַמִּעוּט מִזֶּה הָעוֹלָם, כְּדֵי חִיּוּנוֹ בְּצִמְצוּם, וְגַם זֶה הַמִּעוּט יִהְיֶה כַּוָּנָתוֹ לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם לְבַד וְעַל־פִּי הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה. וְכָל מַה שֶּׁמְּרַחֵק עַצְמוֹ מִתַּאֲווֹת עוֹלָם הַזֶּה וַהֲבָלָיו וּמְקַשֵּׁר עַצְמוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וּלְתוֹרָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְמַעֲטִין חֶסְרוֹנוֹתָיו וְזוֹכֶה לְהִכָּלֵל בִּבְחִינַת שְׁלֵמוּת, וְהָעִקָּר - עַל־יְדֵי שְׁלֵמוּת הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה (הל' פריה ורביה ה"ג אות לד ועי' אמונה וכו' אות קצ).

EN:
Before the diminishment of the moon [ kitrug hay'raiach — the complaint/prosecution of the moon; based on the Talmudic teaching (Chullin 60b) that the moon complained that two kings cannot share a single crown, and G‑d told it to diminish itself. This cosmic event is the root of all spiritual diminishment in our era ], the two luminaries were equal — for the sun and the moon correspond to Torah and prayer , revealed and hidden [ the sun = the revealed, the openly manifest; the moon = the hidden, the inner; or: Torah = the body of revealed law and knowledge; prayer = the hidden, inner, subjective dimension of relationship with G‑d ]. And at the beginning it was possible to attain even the hidden dimension with ease. But after the diminishment of the moon, Hashem, may He be blessed, told it: " L'chi uma'ati atzmech — Go and diminish yourself!" [ Chullin 60b ] That is: the essential damage and diminishment touches most heavily upon the aspect of the revealed [ haniglaih ], which is the aspect of the moon. For the hidden was hidden from the very beginning — and therefore the damage does not touch it as much. On the contrary: from the very greatness of its concealment, one can even now receive from its light, as is understood elsewhere — for at a time of damage one draws specifically from the aspect of deeply concealed and hidden holiness, since the damage cannot reach there. But the essential damage is to the aspect of the revealed — the aspect of the moon — whose light has darkened greatly, so that all the revealed things are hard for us to understand and attain , and everything that is openly revealed has become as though hidden from us. It is impossible to attain anything now except through many and powerful exertions — and this is the totality of Israel's service: through their service they fill up the diminishment of the moon each time, and the light that had been hidden from them is revealed. And therefore we must always toil and strive with many exertions — and nullify ourselves and cleave to Hashem in complete nullification — until we merit to attain that which is hidden from us — which is now in the aspect of "Nishma" [shall be heard/received] for us. For hearing depends on the heart [ shmi'ah b'liba talya — Aramaic: "hearing hangs on the heart"; inward reception is a matter of the heart, not the ears alone ] — and is the aspect of cleaving and nullification toward the Infinite. For nothing can be attained now except through great toil in the aspect of complete nullification toward the Infinite — through many prayers and supplications. And all of this is the aspect of "Nishma" — and through this one transforms the "Nishma" into "Na'aseh" [ Na'aseh v'Nishma — "We will do and we will hear" — Israel's declaration at Sinai (Exodus 24:7); here read as two levels: Na'aseh = the revealed/enacted level; Nishma = the heard/received, inner level. In our era, the Na'aseh has become concealed, and we must work through Nishma to restore it ]: what was hidden from us according to our level, we attain — until it becomes the aspect of revealed for us, the aspect of "Na'aseh" . And so one ascends level by level etc., until the Tzadikim merit what they merit etc. For now there is a great partition and many dividing screens between one level and the next — which is the aspect of the darkness that came about from the diminishment of the moon. And therefore there must be a descent before the ascent — and great toil — until one breaks the husk and the darkness of the aspect of descent, and transforms the descent into ascent. And this is the aspect of what our Sages of blessed memory taught regarding the two crowns of Na'aseh and Nishma : "You have lost the 'Na'aseh' — preserve the 'Nishma' " [ Shabbos 88a — when Israel sinned with the Golden Calf, they lost the crown of Na'aseh ; they were left with Nishma ]. "This is as it is written: Sh'ma Yisrael, attah over — Hear O Israel, you are crossing…" [Deuteronomy 9:1 — Moshe's words before crossing into the Land, which is read here as parallel to the restored state of Nishma ] . That is: through the sin of the Golden Calf they lost the "Na'aseh" — the aspect of the revealed — for even the revealed became hidden from us — so that now we can do nothing except through the aspect of "Nishma" : to toil greatly and to pray and supplicate greatly before Hashem, may He be blessed, until we nullify ourselves in the aspect of nullification toward the Infinite — and then we transform the "Nishma" into "Na'aseh" and what was hidden from us is revealed. And so, level by level. And one who walks in this path and toils properly at every time — then happy is he. And then for him the diminishment of the moon is for a great good — for precisely through this he merits what he merits. Happy is he — for the descent is the ultimate ascent [ hay'ridah tachlis ha'aliyah ] — and according to the pain is the reward [ l'fum tza'ara agra — Aramaic: Avos 5:23 ]. And certainly the more a person is compelled to toil in divine service because of the diminishment and darkening of the light — certainly he merits afterward a double and redoubled reward: to receive a greater and more wondrous light. And this is also the aspect of what Moshe Rabbainu, peace be upon him, said: " Sh'ma Yisrael, Hashem Elokainu Hashem Echad — Hear O Israel, Hashem our G‑d, Hashem is One" — "Sh'ma" [Hear] specifically — for now, because of the diminishment of the light, it is impossible to be truly and completely encompassed in the faith of His oneness, may He be blessed — which is the aspect of the entirety of the Torah — except through the aspect of "Nishma" : the aspect of "Sh'ma Yisrael" — that is, we must hear and understand and cleave ourselves well to Him, may He be blessed, and nullify ourselves to the light of the Infinite in complete nullification — and then one can draw upon oneself His oneness and unity, may He be blessed. (Source: Likutay Halachos, Laws of Fence and Guarding of Life — Hilchos Ma'akeh v'Shmiiras HaNefesh , Halachah 4, sub-sections [ osios ] ו and ז — passages 6 and 7 of that Halachah.) Note of the Copyist and Compiler: See Elul and Rosh Hashonah , entry 168 — and likewise in several other places [in the Oatzar] the matter appears at first glance to be the reverse: that the sun corresponds to Torah / the revealed, and the moon to the hidden. But the Torah has seventy faces, and in truth everything harmonizes in its inner intent for one who understands and examines it carefully.

Segment 4
HE:
הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הוּא מָלֵא חֶסְרוֹנוֹת, וְכָל הַקּוֹלוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הֵם רַק מֵהַחֶסְרוֹנוֹת, מַה שֶּׁכָּל אֶחָד צוֹעֵק עַל חֶסְרוֹנוֹ. וְעִקַּר הַחֶסְרוֹנוֹת שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הוּא מֵחֲמַת עֹצֶם הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַתַּאֲווֹת וְהַחָכְמוֹת שֶׁל הֶבֶל, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת מוֹתָרוֹת, בְּחִינַת עָרְלָה. וְכָל מַה שֶּׁאֵלּוּ הַמּוֹתָרוֹת מִתְגַּבְּרִין בְּיוֹתֵר, אֲזַי הוּא רָחוֹק מֵהַשְּׁלֵמוּת בְּיוֹתֵר וְהוּא בְּחִינַת בַּעַלשׂמוּם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ"ל: "הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים", שֶׁכָּל־זְמַן שֶׁהָעָרְלָה בְּךָ אַתָּה בַּעַל־מוּם לְפָנַי, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת "כָּל הַמּוֹסִיף גּוֹרֵעַ", בְּחִינַת הַקְּלִפּוֹת שֶׁנִּקְרָאִין מוֹתָרוֹת, וְאָז הוּא מָלֵא חֶסְרוֹנוֹת וְחָסֵר לוֹ בְּכָל פַּעַם יוֹתֵר. וּכְשֶׁמַּעֲבִירִין הָעָרְלָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַמּוֹתָרוֹת שֶׁל תַּאֲווֹת עוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְחָכְמוֹתָיו שֶׁל הֶבֶל, אָז דַּיְקָא נִשְׁלָם הַחִסָּרוֹן וְנִקְרָא תָּמִים, כִּי אָז דַּיְקָא יָכוֹל לְדַבֵּק עַצְמוֹ בְּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁשָּׁם כָּל הַשְּׁלֵמוּת (שם אות לה; ועי' מילה אות מה).

EN:
One who wants to have true life in this world — it is impossible for him to attain it except when he is content with the very minimum in the extreme from this world — only what is essential for his sustenance, in strictest measure. And even this minimum should be with the intention for the sake of Heaven alone and according to the holy Torah. And the more one distances oneself from the desires and vanities of this world and connects oneself to Hashem, may He be blessed, and His holy Torah — through this his deficiencies diminish and he merits to be encompassed in the aspect of completeness. And the essential [means] — through the completeness of holy faith. (Source: Likutay Halachos, Laws of Procreation — Hilchos Priyah v'Rivyah , Halachah 3, sub-section [ os ] לד — passage 34 of that Halachah. See also: Emunah [Faith], entry 190.)

Segment 5
HE:
עַל־יְדֵי יִרְאָה דִקְדֻשָּׁה מַעֲלִין אֶת הַיְרָאוֹת הַנְּפוּלוֹת, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִשְׁמָרִין מִן הַמַּזִּיקִין; כִּי יִרְאָה הוּא בְּחִינַת שִׁמּוּר, שֶׁהוּא מִדַּת לַיְלָה, בְּחִינַת יִרְאָה (הל' קדושין ה"ב בהשמטה).

EN:
This world is full of deficiencies — and all the outcry in the world comes only from the deficiencies: each person cries out about his own deficiency. And the essential deficiencies of this world come from the great intensification of the desires and the foolish wisdoms of vanity — which are in the aspect of excesses [ mosoros — surpluses, excesses; things beyond what is truly needed ], the aspect of the foreskin [ orlah — literally: foreskin; in Kabbalistic teaching, the orlah is the symbol of everything that is excess, superfluity, and impurity that covers and blocks the holy core ]. And the more these excesses intensify, the further one is from completeness — and one is in the aspect of a ba'al mum [ ba'al mum — one who has a physical blemish, which disqualifies a Kohen from Temple service; here applied spiritually ], as our Sages of blessed memory taught on the verse: " Hishalech l'fanai v'hiyeh tamim — Walk before Me and be perfect" [Genesis 17:1 — G‑d's command to Avraham before circumcision] : "As long as the foreskin is upon you, you are a ba'al mum before Me" [ Nedarim 31b ]. And this is the aspect of: " Kol hamosif goreia — All who add [beyond what is needed] in fact diminish" [ Sanhedrin 29a — adding excess to something holy actually subtracts from it ] — the aspect of the husks that are called excesses . And then one is full of deficiencies and lacking more and more each time. But when one removes the orlah — which is the aspect of the excesses of the desires of this world and its foolish wisdoms — then specifically the deficiency is completed and one is called tamim [perfect/complete] — for then specifically one can cleave to Hashem, may He be blessed, where all completeness is found. (Source: Likutay Halachos, Laws of Procreation, sub-section [ os ] לה — passage 35 of that Halachah. See also: Milah [Circumcision], entry 45.)

Segment 6
HE:
מַה שֶּׁעַל־יְדֵי הָעֲו?ֹנוֹת וְהַפְּגָמִים נִתְקַלְקְלִין הַצִּנּוֹרוֹת וְהַנְּתִיבוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינוֹת הַשִּׂכְלִיִּים פְּרָטִיִּים שֶׁעַל־יָדָם מְקַבְּלִין מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל הַכּוֹלֵל, וְאָז הַסִּטְרָא־אָחֳרָא וְהַקְּלִפּוֹת מְעַקְּמִין אֶת מֹחוֹ וּמְבַלְבְּלִין דַּעְתּוֹ בְּדֵעוֹת זָרוֹת וְעֵצוֹת שֶׁל שֶׁקֶר, עַד שֶׁמַּתִּיר אֶת הָאָסוּר וְאוֹסֵר אֶת הַמֻּתָּר, וְנִכְנָס בְּחֻמְרוֹת וְדִקְדּוּקִים יְתֵרִים וּמָרוֹת שְׁחֹרוֹת שֶׁל הֶבֶל, וּבְכַמָּה דְבָרִים שֶׁהֵם מִגּוּפֵי וְעִקְּרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הוּא מֵקֵל בְּיוֹתֵר וְכוּ' - עַיֵּן כָּל זֶה 'אֱלוּל רֹאשׁ־הַשָּׁנָה' וְכוּ', אוֹת קצט.

EN:
Through holy fear of G‑d [ yeerah dikdushah ] one elevates the fallen fears [ hayiraos han'fulosthe — fears that have fallen from their holy root into impure expressions: fear of human beings, fear of death, anxiety, dread — all are distorted forms of the one true fear which is fear of G‑d ]. And through this one is guarded from the harmful forces [ mazikin — harmful spiritual forces ] — for fear [ yeerah ] is the aspect of shmirah [guarding/protection], which is the attribute of night [ night is the time of protection and guarding; in Kabbalistic teaching, yeerah / fear of G‑d corresponds to the night-aspect of the divine attributes — the guarding, watchful dimension ] — the aspect of fear. (Source: Likutay Halachos, Laws of Betrothal — Hilchos Kiddushin , Halachah 2, in the addendum [ b'hashmata ].)

Segment 7
HE:
כָּל הַצָּרוֹת וְהַיִּסּוּרִין הֵם רַק מֵהֶעְדֵּר הַדַּעַת, מִבְּחִינַת חָכְמַת הַטֶּבַע, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵין יוֹדְעִין שֶׁהַכֹּל רַק בְּהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ לְבַד, וְזֶה עִקַּר הַטֻּמְאָה. וְעַל־כֵּן הַיְשׁוּעָה מֵהַצָּרָה וְהַטָּהֳרָה מֵהַטֻּמְאָה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי מִקְוֶה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת עָלְמָא דְאָתֵי כַּיָּדוּעַ, בְּחִינַת מֵימֵי הַדַּעַת שֶׁיִּתְגַּלּוּ לֶעָתִיד, כִּי תִמְלָא הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה כַּמַּיִם לַיָּם מְכַסִּים, שֶׁאָז יִתְגַּלֶּה הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בָּעוֹלָם וְתִתְבַּטֵּל הַטֶּבַע לְגַמְרֵי. וְעַל־כֵּן עַל־יְדֵי טְבִילַת מִקְוֶה מַמְשִׁיךְ הַשְׁגָּחָה מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם, מִבְּחִינַת עָלְמָא דְאָתֵי, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בָּא לוֹ יְשׁוּעָה לְכָל מַה שֶּׁצָּרִיךְ, בְּחִינַת "מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשִׁיעוֹ" (הל' נט"י שחרית ה"ב).

EN:
The matter of how through sins and flaws the channels and pathways become corrupted [ niskalk'lin hatzinoros v'han'tivosthe — the specific spiritual conduits through which each person receives from the comprehensive intellect ] — which are the aspects of the particular individual intelligences through which one receives from the comprehensive intellect — and then the forces of impurity and the husks distort one's mind and confuse one's thinking with alien opinions and false advice — until one permits what is forbidden and forbids what is permitted [ a spiritually dangerous inversion: the person becomes overly stringent about matters where leniency is appropriate, and overly lenient about core Torah obligations — a hallmark of spiritually confused thinking driven by the Other Side ], and enters into superfluous stringencies and pointless scrupulosities and black melancholy of vanity — while in many matters that are the very body and foundations of the Torah he is excessively lenient etc. — see all of this in the chapter Elul v'Rosh HaShonah [Elul and the New Year], entry 199. [End of the chapter Yeerah v'Avodas Hashem, v'Shviras Kol HaTa'avos v'Midos Ra'os — Fear of G‑d and Divine Service, and the Breaking of All Desires and Evil Traits — in Oatzar HaYeerah, Volume II.]