סימן ז-ואלה המשפטים

There: "it resembles a calf — which is the aspect of circles — the aspect of faith — and 'Your faithfulness surrounds you'" — one can explain that faith is in what the intellect does not attain [for in what the intellect does attain — faith is not needed — since one understands it with one's intellect. And a matter that the intellect does not attain] — it is like the aspect of a circular thing which has no endpoints. And likewise this matter has no endpoints from any aspect by which to begin entering it — as with an intellectual matter, where the intellect begins to enter through some examination and proceeds from examination to examination until it completes attainment. But in what the intellect does not attain — one enters only through faith — and this is in the aspect of a circle as above. Also: because this type of attainment is the aspect of surrounding lights [makifin] — as is understood elsewhere — and surrounding lights are also in the aspect of circles — as is understood from the discourse on playing dreidel on Chanukah. And this is what is also written in this discourse at its end: socher — from the language of going around and around [sachur sachur] — the aspect of surrounding lights — the aspect of faith.

There — Letter Beis — "but it is impossible to come to faith except through truth." See in Likutay Aitzos, Emunah, Letter Daled — where this matter is elaborated: for the essential faith is in what the intellect does not understand. And if so — when the intellect does not understand — how will one come to believe what one must believe? Therefore: the essential faith depends on truth — for if a person wishes to look at the truth in truth — he will understand on his own that one must believe the holy faith in Hashem and His holy Tzaddikim and His holy Torah — even though it is impossible to understand with our coarsened intellect. For through looking at the truth with the eye of truth — one understands from afar that the truth is so — only it is impossible to understand it with the intellect — and one must only strengthen oneself in complete faith. And see in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Passover, Halacha 7. And see further in Likutay Halachos, Yoreh De'ah, Laws of Interest [Ribbis] — where it is elaborated that the essential perfection of faith comes through truth — which is the aspect of the totality of the holy mochin and Da'as. For without Da'as a simpleton may believe everything — and may believe, G-d forbid, in things that it is forbidden to believe. But through holy Da'as — which is the aspect of truth — one understands from afar what to believe and what not to believe. [And see further below in Siman 255.]

There — Letter Gimmel — "and through receiving their counsel — truth is engraved within him." This means: for the Tzaddik's counsel is entirely the seed of truth — for the holy intellect of the Tzaddik and his holy attainment is the aspect of clear, pure, and lucid truth. And his holy counsels are the aspect of drops of his intellect — for certainly in every counsel there are holy insights and wondrous pathways and deep attainments — the aspect of the very light of truth itself. Therefore: one who merits to receive their holy counsel — even though one does not yet understand the depth of the intellect that the Tzaddik has in this counsel — nonetheless: through this very act of receiving the counsel and walking in the way of his counsel — truth is engraved within one — and faith is completed. And through this the redemption comes. Through the holiness of the counsel — which is entirely the seed of truth flowing from the brain and intellect of the Tzaddik which is entirely truth — truth is engraved within one — so that one merits to feel in one's heart and mind a flash and great illumination from the holiness of truth — and one longs and yearns only for the truth. And through this faith is completed — with the flash and illumination of the holy Da'as as above.

And this is what it concluded at the end of the discourse: "it is possible that the students learn and do not understand — the teaching states: 'arranged before them like a Shulchan Aruch'" — this being the aspect of the future redemption — when all the wisdoms will be revealed like a Shulchan Aruch — as it is written: "the earth shall be filled with Da'as" [Isaiah 11]. At first glance the matter is not understood — what is the relevance of "it is possible the students learn and do not understand" here? But according to the above one can explain: for the counsel that one receives from the Tzaddik is also only through faith — since one has not yet merited to attain the reason and the true intellect the Tzaddik has in this counsel. The student is then in the aspect of "learning and not understanding" — like one who learns some halacha and does not understand its reason and source — one cannot engage dialectically with it or deduce from it elsewhere. But if one knows its root and reason — one can do so. So too: even though the student does not understand the root and reason of the Tzaddik's counsel — one might think one will never come to the root of the reason and truth. The teaching states: Scripture informs us that through this very act of receiving the counsel only through faith — one will merit through this to attain the truth and intellect of the counsel. For through the counsel received — truth is engraved within one — faith is completed — and the redemption comes. And the redemption is the aspect of the revelation of Da'as like a Shulchan Aruch. It follows that through receiving the counsel — one merits afterwards to the revelation of Da'as — until one merits to understand the truth and intellect of the counsel. And through this faith is completed to an even greater degree — and one merits to even greater perfection of the revelation of Da'as. And so on again in a cycle.

[And it is possible to say: therefore the holy counsels are the aspect of fruitfulness and multiplication [priyah u'rivyah] — this being the aspect of "Yosef is a fruitful bough" as is elaborated in the discourse — for they are fruitful and multiply in the one who receives them. From one holy counsel one can merit many things and understand from it many counsels for the service of Hashem — since one merits through this to the aspect of the future revelation of Da'as. And this can be alluded to in: "and I planted you as a sorek" — see Rashi in the name of the Midrash — meaning: the 606 commandments added to the seven commandments. The 613 commandments are the aspect of the holy counsels — the 613 aitin. And sorek is also the aspect of the redemption — as it is written: "I will whistle for them and gather them — for I have redeemed them and they shall multiply" [Zechariah 10]. And see Chullin 63: "the racham — this is the sharkrak — when the racham comes — mercy has come to the world." Rashi explains: rain — the aspect of faith — miracles — which is the aspect of rain [as elaborated in this discourse and in Siman 9]. "If it sits on the ground — Mashiach comes immediately — as it is written: 'I will whistle for them.'" They said to him: but there is this one — and its brain exploded. They answered: that one was a liar. [This is the reading of the Yalkut and Rashi.] Meaning: it was a liar — and the essential completion of faith through which redemption comes depends on truth as above. This needs further elaboration.]

There — Letter Daled — "through the mitzvah of tzitzis a person is saved from the counsel of the serpent and from marriage with a wicked person" — "Yosef is a fruitful bough — over a well — on account of tzitzis" — the language of "peering through the lattices" [metzitz min hacharakim] [as Rashi explains in the portion Shelach] — through this he merited the fruitful bough and the holy union. The author writes: From this is understood the root of the reason for the widespread custom not to wear a tallis of the mitzvah until after marriage. [See Laws of Tzitzis, Siman 8, in the Magen Avraham, subsection 3 — where he writes: it appears from Kiddushin that a young man who had not yet married did not cover his head with a tallis.] And what is brought in the name of the Rokeach — that the custom is to make a canopy [chupah] from a tallis — on account of: "and spread your wings over your handmaid" — for the wings of the mitzvah of tzitzis are the aspect of the holy union — as is elaborated at the end of the discourse.

There — at the end of the discourse — "but when one cleaves to Tzaddikim and receives counsel from them — one will see with one's eyes and hear with one's ears and one's heart will understand." One can explain that this alludes to all the above: when one receives counsel from him — truth is engraved within one. And what the intellect attains is like the aspect of seeing with one's eyes literally — as is known. [This being the aspect of "the body that is hidden and the body that is revealed" — as elaborated in Siman 62, see there.] It follows that what truth is engraved within one = "he will see with his eyes." And "with his ears he will hear" = the aspect of faith — what one does not attain in one's intellect — but only hears from others and believes — the aspect of Shema Yisrael — the kernel-point of faith. And "his heart will understand" = the aspect of the redemption that comes through faith — the revelation of Da'as. And through this one can understand how the three above aspects flow from the three brains — Chuchmah, Binah, and Da'as: "hidden things — wisdom will make known to me" = Chuchmah = seeing with eyes. Binah = "a listening heart" = faith = "within my heart Your faithfulness." Da'as = "the earth shall be filled with Da'as" = the redemption. One can explain also in other manners — and all goes to one place.

And through what we have written you will understand what is written in the kavvanot of tzitzis — and the mitzvah of gazing at them: for Malchus is in the secret of "a beautiful young maiden who has no eyes" [for faith has in itself no reason or intellect — for in what the intellect attains — faith is not applicable. And intellectual attainment is the aspect of eyes as above] — and we intend to illuminate her from the illumination of these mochin — to make eyes for her. [For through the mitzvah of tzitzis one merits to receive the Tzaddikim's counsels — and truth is engraved within one — which is the aspect of vision through eyes — and through this faith is completed as above. And this is what is brought in the kavvanot there on the matter of the ten Names of Haveye'ah that are in Da'as — whose numerical value equals twice ayin [eye] — as above.]

There: "and spread your wings over your handmaid — for tzitzis" — and this is the aspect of holy union. [From this there is support for what is written in the [Kabbalistic] writings that the union should take place while one is clothed in the tallis katan.] And what is written: "for you are a redeemer" — for through tzitzis and so on — the redemption comes as above.

There: "Yishmael is the aspect of prayer" — according to the above it is understood why one prays while wrapped in the tallis. And that the wrapping resembles the wrapping of the Yishmaelites — from what is elaborated in this discourse — it follows automatically: the juxtaposition of the tzitzis portion to the Exodus from Egypt — for through this the redemption from all exiles comes — which are the aspect of Egypt as above. And also because Egypt is the land of the children of Cham. And likewise what is written in the tzitzis portion: "and you shall not follow after your hearts — this is heresy" — the aspect of the damage of faith — "and after your eyes — this is licentiousness" — as the Sages said [see Menachos 44] — for tzitzis is effective to save from both. And what is written: "in order that you remember and perform all My commandments" [Numbers 15] — for through tzitzis one merits to receive the holy counsels which are the totality of the 613 aitin. And through this one merits prayer and faith — which is propitious for memory as is elaborated in the discourse. "And you shall be holy to your G-d" — the aspect of holy marriage — from the language of kiddushin. "I am Hashem your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt" — as above.

"I am Hashem your G-d — truth" — this being the combination of faith and truth as above. And this too is the juxtaposition of the tzitzis portion to the recitation of Shema — for through this faith is completed. And this is what the Sages said: "and you shall see — and you shall remember" — "seeing a mitzvah — remember another mitzvah — this is the recitation of Shema" [Menachos 43b] — as above. And this is what they said there on p. 44: "a story of one person… and four tzitzis came and struck him on the face" — for tzitzis protects from licentiousness as above. And see Ta'anis 8b: "great is the day of rains like the day of the ingathering of the exiles — as it says: 'return our captivity, Hashem, like streams in the south'" — elaborated also according to the above — for rains are the aspect of miracles — the aspect of faith — through which the ingathering of the exiles comes as above.