אות - קז

"Esther was of middle height — neither tall nor short" (Megillah 13a). The matter is what our Sages o.b.m. said there: "Because of the modesty that was in Rachel she merited that Shaul came forth from her, and because of the modesty that was in Shaul he merited that Esther the Queen came forth from him." And about Rachel it is written: "Rachel your daughter, the younger one." And about Shaul it says: "From his shoulder and above." For Shaul was very tall — yet on account of his modesty, in his own eyes he was short and of middle height. And therefore the verse says about him: "From his shoulder and above" — that only from his shoulder and above was he taller than the people, for in his own eyes his head was not above them. And because of this modesty, Esther came forth from him — who was of middle height, for modesty causes one to be of middle height in one's own eyes.

It is known that the study of the Zohar is an immense segulah — very, very great. And know that through the study of the Zohar one develops a longing for all types of Torah study of the Holy Torah.

And the holy language of the Zohar greatly arouses one to the service of Hashem Yisburach — namely the praise that it praises and glorifies the servant of Hashem, that is, the language habitually used in the Zohar to say "Zakaa" [praiseworthy] etc., regarding every mitzvah and service. And to the opposite — the cry it cries out: "Vai" etc. and "Vai for him, vai for his soul" (234) — over one who departs from the service of Hashem. These languages greatly arouse a person to His service blessed He.

234. RAK: Part III, 175b.