Re'eh - Chumash with Likutey Halachos

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Complete Translation — Part 1: §§1–13 From Likutay Halakhos, Yoreh De'ah, by Reb Nosson of Breslov, of blessed memory Translated from the original Hebrew The gravity of the prohibition of interest, regarding which our Sages of blessed memory expressed themselves in the most emphatic terms — going so far as to say that one who takes interest is reckoned as though he denies the entire Torah and denies the Exodus from Egypt. For the essential power of the evil inclination is drawn from the multiplicity of differences. For at the root of all things, there all is one — and there is no difference there whatsoever, God forbid — and there all is good, and there is no evil nor opposition at all. And the essential grip of evil — from which comes the power of the evil inclination, from which comes all opposition — is drawn only from the aspect of multiplicity, where differences exist. As is explained in the Torah discourse "Amar Rabbi Akiva" (Likutay Moharan §51, Part I): when one reaches the pure marble stones and so on, see there carefully what is explained — for before creation, all was one, which is the aspect of "all goodness, all holiness" and so on. And the moment creation emerged from potentiality into actuality, and the aspect of two came into being — that is, before-creation and after-creation — immediately the root-grip of falsehood came into being. Even though there was not yet, God forbid, any actual evil or falsehood, nevertheless, since there were now two aspects, the dimension from which the grip of falsehood — which is evil, which is impurity, from which comes all the power of the evil inclination and all opposition — was to descend had immediately come into being. For where there is oneness, opposition is not applicable, and so on — see there. And from there comes all the power of free choice — see there.

When a person sins, G-d forbid, and falls beneath "place" — he has no place in the world at all, for "place" is cramped for him, as written regarding Kayin: "Hein geirashta osi hayom… v'hayisi na vanad ba'aretz" — "Behold, You have driven me… and I shall be a wanderer and vagabond" (Bereishis 4:14). He falls into tzimtzum — "place" — narrowness and constriction — the exile of Egypt due to Adam HaRishon's sin. His fall is from one extreme to the other: before the sin he was "above place," the "Place of the world" — all places were with him. After sinning, falling beneath "place," he has no place at all. The human being has no [natural] place in this world. All animals have a place. But the human being has no place, for he is "above place." If he merits through good deeds, he is the "Place of the world" — all places subordinate beneath him, all places yearn for him, for he can elevate them to "above place." But when he sins, they all drive him out — "Behold, You have driven me" — he has no place among them. Hashem sustains the person in His mercy until he returns in teshuvah — "above place." This is what our Sages said (Kiddushin 82a): "Have you ever seen a fox as a shopkeeper?… They are sustained without distress. And I who was created to serve my Creator… but I have acted wickedly and ruined my livelihood." All animals have a place of dwelling without distress. But the human being is a wanderer with great distress — because "I have acted wickedly," through which "place" becomes cramped for him. It follows that the essential sacrifice in the Beis HaMikdash elevates from "place" to "above place." This is the waving of the omer in the six directions. Barley is animal feed — absence of Da'as, "place" — the aspect of all tzimtzumim. Through waving the omer of barley in all six directions in the Beis HaMikdash, along with the sacrifices offered then, one elevates all "place" to "above place." Therefore one exits the impurity of Egypt — which was because of the "place," the intensity of Asiyah. Through the waving, one elevates all places to "above place." And this is Sefiras Ha'Omer — counting the days to exit from defilement. All human deeds take place in time and space — the primary grip of the Sitra Achara. But Hashem is, as it were, above place, above time. There — above place, above time — it is entirely good, no grip of the Sitra Achara at all. There everything is sweetened. This is what is written: "Im esak shamayim sham Atah… anah eileich meiruchecha" (Tehillim 139:7–9). David HaMelech said there is no place to flee from Hashem. He is the Place of the world — all places are before Him. In all places and at all the lowest levels, one can find Him. "Place" in its totality is from Hashem, the Place of the world, sustaining all places and levels. Afterward he mentioned above time: "Yamim yutzaru v'lo echad bahem" (Tehillim 139:16) — all days before Him are one. "V'lo echad bahem" — this is Yom HaKippurim (Tanna D'vei Eliyahu Rabbah 81). The day a person does teshuvah is above time; Yom HaKippurim is above time (Alef-Beis HeChadash, letter Tav, Teshuvah 1). Teshuvah is above place — the Kisei HaKavod — and above time. After waving the omer (elevating "place" to "above place"), one begins counting the days. Above time, counting is not applicable.34 When Hashem created the world — space and time — He counted the days: "And there was evening and there was morning, one day" (Bereishis 1:5). Creation requires time and space — the aspect of counting. Above time and space, everything is one. Therefore one counts the days of the omer to elevate time to "above time." The judgment is only sweetened "at its root." Through the omer of barley (all tzimtzumim, "place") one elevates "place"; through the counting (essential aspect of time) one elevates time. The essential thing is to purify "place," binding it to the "Place of the world." Through this, the days also ascend. This is alluded to in the teaching mentioned above, on: "L'veischa na'avah kodesh, Hashem l'orech yamim" — Hashem is the Place of the world.37 He constricted His Shechinah in the Beis HaMikdash only because there were beautiful things there — the form of the Temple was like the form of Creation and Gan Eiden (Hakdamas HaTikkunim).38 But He Himself is the Place of the world. Through this: "Hashem l'orech yamim" — He can judge the world with mercy. He can make Rosh Hashanah, which is yoma arichta. Rosh Hashanah is yoma arichta — above time, "a day entirely long." Therefore Rosh Hashanah is made from two days into one — yoma arichta, above time. On Rosh Hashanah, when He judges with mercy — knowing the place of each one — He elevates each from distress to expansiveness, "above place": "Min hameitzar karasi… anani vamerchav" — recited before shofar. This is the essential mercy — expanding from the place of distress — ascending from "place" to "above place." Then yoma arichta is made — above time — for when "place" ascends, time automatically ascends, since "place" is lower. Therefore one counts 49 days — the aspect of the filling of the moon: "V'hayah or halevanah k'or hachamah, v'or hachamah yih'yeh shiv'asayim" — "The light of the moon shall be like the sun's, the sun's light sevenfold" (Yeshayahu 30:26) — seven times seven, 49. The blemish of the moon — its diminishing and tzimtzum — the opposite of "above place." The accusation: "Impossible for two kings to use one crown." Therefore: "Go and diminish yourself" (Chullin 60b). "Impossible for two kings to use one crown" — the tzimtzum of "place," as if "place" is too cramped. Above place, no constriction — room for each. Therefore: "Go and diminish yourself" — arousing tzimtzum of "place," it must be diminished. Before the accusation, two great luminaries — "above place," where both can be great.

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But when one merits the aspect of Oneg Shabbos, then the brain is nourished first. That is, all one's intent in one's affairs is only for the sake of the brain and the da'as of holiness — for the sake of reaching the true, eternal tachlis. For one merits Emunas Chachamim — true Sages — who separated themselves from the desires of this world completely, with the utmost holiness and separateness. All their wisdom is only true wisdom — the wisdom of the Torah, the wisdoms of the World to Come: how to achieve and attain the eternal life of the World to Come. And all who believe in and draw close to them and their students, etc. — all their intent is for the sake of Heaven alone, in order to achieve through them some eternal hope for the World to Come. Therefore they are in the aspect of "the brain is nourished first," which is the aspect of Oneg Shabbos. For all their intent is only for the sake of the true tachlis, which is the true brain and da'as, as mentioned above. — 5 — And therefore the aspect of Shabbos is a great eitzah [strategy] against all the opposition and the confusions that a person has — both from himself and from others. For in all the desires and the confusions and the evil thoughts that pass over him, one must remember Shabbos, which is the aspect of bitul [self-nullification] toward the tachlis. As it is written: "Remember the day of Shabbos" (Exodus 20:8) — "remember it from the first day of the week". For Shabbos is the aspect of "sit and do not act" — the aspect of cessation and bitul. And this is a great eitzah: that in the midst of whatever passes over him, he should nullify himself for some time and remember the tachlis. For every person in the world can nullify himself and remember the tachlis — which is to be included in the Infinite Light, blessed be He. And it is impossible to explain this in writing, for it is to each person according to what he gauges in his heart. But at any rate, all of Yisrael believe that this is their essential tachlis and their eternal hope. And each one, according to where he is, in whatever passes over him — he can nullify himself in the midst of all the confusions and preoccupations. And this is the aspect of Shabbos, which is the aspect of cessation and bitul. And through this, all the troubling thoughts and all the wisdoms of vanity and falsehood are nullified. And one merits to conduct all one's affairs for the sake of the tachlis — in the aspect of "the brain is nourished first" — so that one's eating and all one's affairs are for the sake of the tachlis, which is the true brain and wisdom, etc.

All Mochin at once (unprecedented!) But NO Keser · Chametz FORBIDDEN SHAVUOS Is'arusah d'l'satah (learning all night) Gradual ascent → Keser at dawn KESER attained · Chametz REQUIRED KESER = M'sader v'haM'yashev Only through practical mitzvos with simchah Sof Ma'aseh b'Machshavah T'chilah: Asiyah → Keser · Man > Angels

And the summary of the matter is that there are three character traits that cause the loss of yirah (fear of G-d), which is the aspect of Yerushalayim. They are: the desires for food, for intimacy, and for money. And they are the aspect of the three watches of the night. And their rectification is through the Yamim Tovim (festivals), which are the three r'galim (pilgrimage festivals). And then one merits n'vuah (prophecy) through the malach (angel) that is made through yirah. And through n'vuah one merits prayer. And then one does not need medicines, for one is healed through the word of Hashem, which is the great Lender. For all the stars borrow one from another — the moon borrows from the sun, etc. And from there all the herbs receive their power. But when one holds fast to the aspect of prayer, the aspect of the word of Hashem, which is the great Lender, then one is healed through the word of Hashem and does not need herbs.

For the power of healing is drawn into bread and water, because all the herbs return their power to their root, which is the word of Hashem, and then the power of healing is drawn into bread and water, etc. And this is the aspect of the glimmering of Moshiach, etc. And then one can make Rosh HaShanah. For Rosh HaShanah is a great chesed that He gave us — Rosh HaShanah, the Day of Judgment, on Rosh Chodesh, when Hashem Yisbarach Himself, as it were, has regret and says, "Bring upon Me an atonement for having diminished the moon." And through this we have an opening of the mouth to have regret and to seek atonement, etc. — see there, all of this well.

And therefore the king is warned: "Vilo yarbeh lo nashim, vilo yarbeh lo susim, vilo yashiv es ha'am Mitzraymah," etc. ["He shall not multiply wives for himself, and he shall not multiply horses for himself, and he shall not bring the people back to Mitzrayim"] (D'varim 17:16-17). For all of this is the aspect of the contamination of the m'dameh, as above. And the king is warned about this more so than others. For the m'dameh, in its root in holiness, is the aspect of the attribute of malchus [kingship], emunah -- from which are all the descriptions and praises to Hashem Yisbarach, the aspect of "Hashem malach gai'us lavaish" ["Hashem reigns, He has clothed Himself with majesty"] (T'hilim 93:1), the aspect of "hod vihadar lavashta" ["You have clothed Yourself with splendor and majesty"] (T'hilim 104:1) -- as is understood above.

Then everything is transformed to good — specifically through the evil eye's overpowering (diminishing and contracting the light greatly), through this very thing great good arrives: the great tzadikim can elevate even those who have descended and fallen very far. Through the light being so concealed through the many contractions (making the hints difficult to perceive), the tzadikim through their immense labor and self-sacrifice merited perceiving the light within the intense concealment. They attained great perceptions — with their essential wisdom, they clothe the light in wondrous contractions so that each person in his own place can receive hints, awakening, and counsel wherever he is, to hold onto Hashem always. The concealment is for the sake of the revelation (as brought in the writings of the holy Arizal zal) — the more the light is concealed and contracted, the more it is transformed to good through the great tzadikim. Specifically through this, they reveal and illuminate for Israel the light of Hashem — so we can know and remember Him everywhere. This is: "diminishment after diminishment — only to increase." Every successive diminishment and contraction of the light is only to increase, magnify, and illuminate the light in Israel's hearts — specifically through this.

Halacha 6 – Part A (§1–7) Based on LM I:8 — "Tik'u Tochachah" Building BHK · Tzerufim · Kavod · Bais HaMidrash · Sefarim Based on the Torah "Tik'u Tochachah" (LM I:8). See there (§6) regarding the wondrous, awesome matter of the great multitude of batim [houses/structures] that the Tzaddik builds through the adding of a neighbor to the holy kibbutz of Yisrael — for the tzerufim [letter-combinations] multiply beyond reckoning. See there well, and in what is brought in our words regarding this — especially in Hilchos Tzitzis Halacha 7 and Hilchos P'riyah uR'viyah Halacha 5. This is the aspect of the mitzvah of building a Bais HaK'nesses and Bais HaMidrash — a very great mitzvah that endures for generations when one's intent is l'shaim Shamayim. In the Bais HaK'nesses all the neshamos of the kibbutz of B'nai Yisrael gather to pray, to say kedushah, bar'chu, etc. There all the sh'chainim [neighbors] who are added each time to the holy kibbutz congregate. As is visibly apparent: in a place with no Bais HaK'nesses or Bais HaMidrash it is hard to gather a minyan — even when there sometimes is one, they pray scattered, many pray alone and do not come to join as neighbors to the holy kibbutz engaged in d'varim shebikdushah (kaddish, bar'chu, etc.). Therefore it is certainly a mitzvah of incalculable greatness to exert oneself in building BHK and BHM l'shaim Shamayim. As Rashi explained on: "Umi ohaiv b'hamon lo s'vuah, gam zeh hevel" (Koheles 5) — even one who does many mitzvos, if none is a mitzvah enduring for generations (like building a BHK or a Sefer Torah) — see there.

The summary that emerges: through tzedakah one repairs the flaw of the elders of the generation who are not as they should be. Then the metzach hanachash [forehead of the serpent] (= the root of natural wisdom, which draws its sustenance from there) is subdued. Then the voice of the call of Yom Tov is heard — the revelation of the Will — through connecting to the root of Will, the metzach haratzon [forehead of Will] (= the aspect of the passing of Moshe, etc.). The voice of the roaring of the evil creatures (= the wise men of nature, etc.) is subdued. See there well. Through the revelation of the Will, awe is achieved; through awe, chesed flows — and then one need not engage in any work or commerce: the world is sustained through His chesed, and "strangers shall stand and tend your flocks."

Why It Is Called "Chanukah"

Why It Is Called "Chanukah"

Why It Is Called "Chanukah"

Therefore immediately after Tisha B'Av, especially on Tu B'Av, one must begin repairing the flawed memory caused by the breaking of the Luchos. Now one must draw upon oneself the illumination of receiving the second Luchos — drawn during the last forty days until Yom Kippur — through which the memory is repaired. Therefore one must then begin rising at midnight — the tikun of memory.

All true mussar books mention the purpose of the World to Come. One must also do hisbodedus [secluded prayer] every day, speaking with full voice about the purpose of the World to Come. Speech has great power to remind a person. This is: "whenever I speak of Him, I surely remember Him" (as explained elsewhere).

Meaning, they were punished measure for measure precisely. For whereas they wanted to make the horse dominant over the rider, as above -- corresponding to this they were punished: He repaid those who do evil according to their evil, making the horse dominant over its riders, toppling them, punishing them, and uprooting them from the world. And see the Midrash on this pasuk "Lisusasi" -- which elaborates there regarding the weightiness of the battle that Hashem Yisbarach fought, as it were, against Paroh, to make His horse, as it were, dominant over Paroh and his rider. See there what is brought there: Paroh went back and rode on a red horse, on a white horse, and a black horse. HaKadosh Baruch Hu, as it were, revealed Himself on a white horse, a red horse, a black horse. As it is written: "Darachta vayam susecha," etc. ["You trampled in the sea with Your horses"] (Chabakuk 3:15). And all of this is in the above-mentioned aspect. For the main battle is in the above-mentioned aspect -- what Hashem Yisbarach needs to fight against the Sitra Achara, which is the aspect of Paroh and Mitzrayim, which are "the nakedness of the land" -- the intensity of the contamination of the m'dameh. That want each time to make dominant, chas v'shalom, the contamination of the m'dameh -- which is the aspect of the contamination of the horse, as above -- over the intellect.

7th Day Pesach = 8th day from Erev Pesach = Meelah on the 8th ▼ Splitting of the Sea • Song • Joy • Shalom • Healing Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

Why It Is Called "Chanukah"

Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan I:51 ("Amar Rabbi Akiva").

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Laws of Agents, Halachah 3 — Part 5 (§§23–27)

Laws of Agents, Halachah 3 — Part 5 (§§23–27)

Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan I:51 ("Amar Rabbi Akiva").

Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan I:51 ("Amar Rabbi Akiva").

It emerges that the rage that was on account of the sin of the Eigel — which is the blemish of the ratzon — on account of which there were the dead of the wilderness — this rage ceased and was nullified on the fifteenth of Av. It emerges that the fifteenth of Av — then the rage ceased. For then it was close to the end of the middle forty days, when Hashem Yisbarach began to become favorably disposed toward Mosheh and to transform the rage into ratzon — until He said to him: "P'sal l'cha," etc. Through which he merited to receive the last Luchos on Yom HaKippurim.

It emerges that the rage that was on account of the sin of the Eigel — which is the blemish of the ratzon — on account of which there were the dead of the wilderness — this rage ceased and was nullified on the fifteenth of Av. It emerges that the fifteenth of Av — then the rage ceased. For then it was close to the end of the middle forty days, when Hashem Yisbarach began to become favorably disposed toward Mosheh and to transform the rage into ratzon — until He said to him: "P'sal l'cha," etc. Through which he merited to receive the last Luchos on Yom HaKippurim.

It emerges that the rage that was on account of the sin of the Eigel — which is the blemish of the ratzon — on account of which there were the dead of the wilderness — this rage ceased and was nullified on the fifteenth of Av. It emerges that the fifteenth of Av — then the rage ceased. For then it was close to the end of the middle forty days, when Hashem Yisbarach began to become favorably disposed toward Mosheh and to transform the rage into ratzon — until He said to him: "P'sal l'cha," etc. Through which he merited to receive the last Luchos on Yom HaKippurim.

And the essential matter is on account of the blemish of the four elements, through the blemish of bad character traits and desires that come from them — which are the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, from which is the essential blemish of the moon, through which comes poverty — in the aspect of: "in sorrow you shall eat of it" (Genesis 3:17) — that is, the lack of parnasah, through which one must fall into the aspect of a servant, the aspect of "the borrower is a servant to the lender," as above. For the essential nature of the servitude — why the moon, which is the aspect of Malchus, is called by the name eved, as above — the essential reason is only on account of its blemish and diminution: that it is unable to ascend and be included in its root, in the aspect of zarka d'izd'rikas etc. For when the moon, the aspect of Malchus, ascends to its root — then the aspect of servitude is entirely nullified.

And the essential matter is on account of the blemish of the four elements, through the blemish of bad character traits and desires that come from them — which are the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, from which is the essential blemish of the moon, through which comes poverty — in the aspect of: "in sorrow you shall eat of it" (Genesis 3:17) — that is, the lack of parnasah, through which one must fall into the aspect of a servant, the aspect of "the borrower is a servant to the lender," as above. For the essential nature of the servitude — why the moon, which is the aspect of Malchus, is called by the name eved, as above — the essential reason is only on account of its blemish and diminution: that it is unable to ascend and be included in its root, in the aspect of zarka d'izd'rikas etc. For when the moon, the aspect of Malchus, ascends to its root — then the aspect of servitude is entirely nullified.

And the essential matter is on account of the blemish of the four elements, through the blemish of bad character traits and desires that come from them — which are the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, from which is the essential blemish of the moon, through which comes poverty — in the aspect of: "in sorrow you shall eat of it" (Genesis 3:17) — that is, the lack of parnasah, through which one must fall into the aspect of a servant, the aspect of "the borrower is a servant to the lender," as above. For the essential nature of the servitude — why the moon, which is the aspect of Malchus, is called by the name eved, as above — the essential reason is only on account of its blemish and diminution: that it is unable to ascend and be included in its root, in the aspect of zarka d'izd'rikas etc. For when the moon, the aspect of Malchus, ascends to its root — then the aspect of servitude is entirely nullified.

And the essential matter is on account of the blemish of the four elements, through the blemish of bad character traits and desires that come from them — which are the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, from which is the essential blemish of the moon, through which comes poverty — in the aspect of: "in sorrow you shall eat of it" (Genesis 3:17) — that is, the lack of parnasah, through which one must fall into the aspect of a servant, the aspect of "the borrower is a servant to the lender," as above. For the essential nature of the servitude — why the moon, which is the aspect of Malchus, is called by the name eved, as above — the essential reason is only on account of its blemish and diminution: that it is unable to ascend and be included in its root, in the aspect of zarka d'izd'rikas etc. For when the moon, the aspect of Malchus, ascends to its root — then the aspect of servitude is entirely nullified.

And the essential matter is on account of the blemish of the four elements, through the blemish of bad character traits and desires that come from them — which are the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, from which is the essential blemish of the moon, through which comes poverty — in the aspect of: "in sorrow you shall eat of it" (Genesis 3:17) — that is, the lack of parnasah, through which one must fall into the aspect of a servant, the aspect of "the borrower is a servant to the lender," as above. For the essential nature of the servitude — why the moon, which is the aspect of Malchus, is called by the name eved, as above — the essential reason is only on account of its blemish and diminution: that it is unable to ascend and be included in its root, in the aspect of zarka d'izd'rikas etc. For when the moon, the aspect of Malchus, ascends to its root — then the aspect of servitude is entirely nullified.

And also in physicality, one who understands a little can see through the senses that there are changes every day, and no day whatsoever is like its fellow — whether in the nature of the day itself, that on this day it is colder and on this day there are clouds and rain, and the like — many changes in the matter of the air and the wind and the rest of the occurrences of time, in which there are many changes each and every day. For Hashem, blessed be He, changes the times in His wisdom. And likewise in the events of a person, and his movements, and his thoughts, and his conduct — there are many changes in them each and every day, for one who looks upon them.

For the slave is the zuhamas ha-nachash [the filth of the serpent],

And also in physicality, one who understands a little can see through the senses that there are changes every day, and no day whatsoever is like its fellow — whether in the nature of the day itself, that on this day it is colder and on this day there are clouds and rain, and the like — many changes in the matter of the air and the wind and the rest of the occurrences of time, in which there are many changes each and every day. For Hashem, blessed be He, changes the times in His wisdom. And likewise in the events of a person, and his movements, and his thoughts, and his conduct — there are many changes in them each and every day, for one who looks upon them.

And also in physicality, one who understands a little can see through the senses that there are changes every day, and no day whatsoever is like its fellow — whether in the nature of the day itself, that on this day it is colder and on this day there are clouds and rain, and the like — many changes in the matter of the air and the wind and the rest of the occurrences of time, in which there are many changes each and every day. For Hashem, blessed be He, changes the times in His wisdom. And likewise in the events of a person, and his movements, and his thoughts, and his conduct — there are many changes in them each and every day, for one who looks upon them.

And also in physicality, one who understands a little can see through the senses that there are changes every day, and no day whatsoever is like its fellow — whether in the nature of the day itself, that on this day it is colder and on this day there are clouds and rain, and the like — many changes in the matter of the air and the wind and the rest of the occurrences of time, in which there are many changes each and every day. For Hashem, blessed be He, changes the times in His wisdom. And likewise in the events of a person, and his movements, and his thoughts, and his conduct — there are many changes in them each and every day, for one who looks upon them.

And also in physicality, one who understands a little can see through the senses that there are changes every day, and no day whatsoever is like its fellow — whether in the nature of the day itself, that on this day it is colder and on this day there are clouds and rain, and the like — many changes in the matter of the air and the wind and the rest of the occurrences of time, in which there are many changes each and every day. For Hashem, blessed be He, changes the times in His wisdom. And likewise in the events of a person, and his movements, and his thoughts, and his conduct — there are many changes in them each and every day, for one who looks upon them.

The essential complete rectification of this is only through Mashiach, who will come speedily in our days. Mashiach will come primarily to rectify this sin, as brought in the sefarim — "U'nefutzos Yehudah yekabetz" — he will gather all the scattered from the four corners of the earth — the rectification of this matter. Mashiach is the aspect of the new Chesed that rectifies everything: "V'oseh Chesed limshicho" — "And does Chesed to His anointed" (Tehillim 18:51).

The essential weapon: by a hairsbreadth one is saved. Since two thoughts cannot coexist — every thought occupies its own channel (like each hair from its own follicle) — the instant one begins even a thread of a different thought, the evil one departs. One must not argue with the evil thought, not look back at it — simply do as Yaakov: "Vayignov Yaakov al b'li higid lo" — he "stole away" without engaging Lavan at all. Lavan pursued Yaakov until Hashem told him not to speak to Yaakov good or bad. Then Yaakov and Lavan made the gal: "Ad haGal hazeh" — this heap is a witness: Lavan will not pass beyond it toward Yaakov and Yaakov will not pass toward Lavan = the partition in the Moach between holy and profane thoughts. This = Lag BaOmer — the 33rd day = "Gal" (Gimel-Lamed = 33).

It emerges that the rage that was on account of the sin of the Eigel — which is the blemish of the ratzon — on account of which there were the dead of the wilderness — this rage ceased and was nullified on the fifteenth of Av. It emerges that the fifteenth of Av — then the rage ceased. For then it was close to the end of the middle forty days, when Hashem Yisbarach began to become favorably disposed toward Mosheh and to transform the rage into ratzon — until He said to him: "P'sal l'cha," etc. Through which he merited to receive the last Luchos on Yom HaKippurim.

It emerges that the rage that was on account of the sin of the Eigel — which is the blemish of the ratzon — on account of which there were the dead of the wilderness — this rage ceased and was nullified on the fifteenth of Av. It emerges that the fifteenth of Av — then the rage ceased. For then it was close to the end of the middle forty days, when Hashem Yisbarach began to become favorably disposed toward Mosheh and to transform the rage into ratzon — until He said to him: "P'sal l'cha," etc. Through which he merited to receive the last Luchos on Yom HaKippurim.

It emerges that the rage that was on account of the sin of the Eigel — which is the blemish of the ratzon — on account of which there were the dead of the wilderness — this rage ceased and was nullified on the fifteenth of Av. It emerges that the fifteenth of Av — then the rage ceased. For then it was close to the end of the middle forty days, when Hashem Yisbarach began to become favorably disposed toward Mosheh and to transform the rage into ratzon — until He said to him: "P'sal l'cha," etc. Through which he merited to receive the last Luchos on Yom HaKippurim.

For the essential power of the evil inclination is drawn from the multiplicity of differences. For at the root of all things, there all is one — and there is no difference there whatsoever, God forbid — and there all is good, and there is no evil nor opposition at all. And the essential grip of evil — from which comes the power of the evil inclination, from which comes all opposition — is drawn only from the aspect of multiplicity, where differences exist. As is explained in the Torah discourse "Amar Rabbi Akiva" (Likutay Moharan §51, Part I): when one reaches the pure marble stones and so on, see there carefully what is explained — for before creation, all was one, which is the aspect of "all goodness, all holiness" and so on. And the moment creation emerged from potentiality into actuality, and the aspect of two came into being — that is, before-creation and after-creation — immediately the root-grip of falsehood came into being. Even though there was not yet, God forbid, any actual evil or falsehood, nevertheless, since there were now two aspects, the dimension from which the grip of falsehood — which is evil, which is impurity, from which comes all the power of the evil inclination and all opposition — was to descend had immediately come into being. For where there is oneness, opposition is not applicable, and so on — see there. And from there comes all the power of free choice — see there. But even after creation, even though the root-grip of falsehood — which is evil, from which comes the power of free choice, for from there comes the power of the evil inclination as above — had already come into being, nevertheless all of this remained in a very great concealment, and the falsehood, which is the evil inclination, still lacked the power to bring its lie out of potentiality into actuality, until the differences multiplied more and more. And since the essential purpose of creation was only for the sake of man — for everything was created only for his sake alone — because only man possesses the power of free choice. For there is no created being in the world that has the power of free choice except for man. For the angel is holy and pure but has no free choice; and conversely, animals and beasts and the like are lacking in mind and are extremely coarse, and they have no free choice; and the essential power of free choice belongs to man. And therefore everything was created for his sake, for free choice is the great wonder and marvel beyond all the formations and works of creation — as is cited in the sacred books and in our own writings many times. And since the essential power of free choice belongs to man, for whose sake everything was created, and the essential free choice operates through there being a good inclination and an evil inclination — therefore the evil inclination had no power to reveal its lie, to seduce and lead astray man, until the multiplicity and difference in the human species began — that is, until two came into being, which occurred when Chavah was created and there were now two people, and then there were two different minds. Only then did it have the power to seduce — for its essential grip is from the multiplicity and difference of minds. And especially when the number of human beings increased — for among them the essential power of free choice resides, as above. As it is said: "God made man upright, but they sought many calculations" (Koheles 7:29). And as Rashi explained there: the moment they became two — called "they" — they sought many calculations to turn away from the Omnipresent and they sinned against Him at the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and so on. For in truth the soul of man is exceedingly great and lofty, and the evil inclination had no power with all its devices to cause him to sin except through first enclothing itself in the woman, whose mind is lighter, and thereafter she seduced him. For the woman was taken through deep sleep and slumber — which is the aspect of the withdrawal of da'as (mind/knowledge), from which comes the essential grip of time. For through true intellect one attains the perception that there is no time whatsoever, and so on — as is explained on the verse "I have begotten you this day" (Tehillim 2:7) — see there. And the essential grip of the differences is in time — for there all the differences reside, as it is said: "With understanding He changes the times and alternates the seasons" (liturgy, from Daniel 2:21). And as is visibly apparent from the many changes that come about through time: cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, and so on. And even within a single day there are many changes — as is cited in our writings regarding what is stated in the Eitz Chayyim at its beginning: that no day resembles its fellow, and no moment resembles its fellow, and so on. And from there all the events of a man's life are drawn — everything that befalls him. For the Blessed Lord watches over His world with mercy and guides it with kindness, "with understanding changing the times and alternating the seasons" — through which all events in the world, generally and particularly, pass in accordance with His supervision, blessed be He — whether for good or, God forbid, otherwise — and upon every individual passes what passes, according to His specific supervision. Likewise, one person's mind differs from another's according to one's nature and root and according to what befalls one — and the essential thing is free choice. For a person must direct his mind every day, at every time, at every hour, and in everything that befalls him, to believe truly that everything is for his good — for everything is a hint from the Blessed Lord to turn him back to Him in truth — as is explained elsewhere. And one who directs his mind to the Blessed Lord in everything that befalls him draws himself near to the Blessed Lord, whether in prosperity or in adversity — as it is said: "In the Lord I will praise His word, in God I will praise His word" (Tehillim 56:11). And as it is said: "And I am always hoping" (Tehillim 71:14) — through this he annuls the entire grip of the evil inclination and the Sitra Achra which is seized in the differences, for he includes all the differences within the Blessed Lord, where all is one, as above.

And because of this, anyone who wants to engage in Torah in truth and to merit the crown of Torah — to merit through the Torah eternal life, to cleave to his Creator, which is the purpose of engagement in the holy Torah — must labor greatly in the engagement with Torah sheb'al peh, to clarify and subdue the aspect of the hold of "transgressors stumble in them." That is, the thoughts of arrogance and ulterior motives and the subterfuges that pursue his thinking and want to incline his heart from the truth, G-d forbid — to engage in the Torah for the sake of honor and arrogance, in order to be called "Rebbe," in order to be a Rav in some community or a moreh hora'ah [halachic decisor], or to be famous and to say Torah at shalosh seudos and to lead the world and increase his honor, as is common nowadays — and similar to these ulterior motives and many foolishnesses and confusions that the learners have during their engagement in Torah sheb'al peh. And all this is drawn from the subtle error that the tzadik had at the time of the revelation of his Torah, which he was compelled to fall into for the purpose of drawing livelihood for the world, as mentioned above. And therefore one needs great exertion — that is, to return in complete teshuvah for all one's evil deeds and to strengthen oneself with all might to subdue and humble all these evil thoughts, and to beg of Hashem, blessed be He, that one should merit that one's learning should be for the Shechinah — that is, that one should engage in the Torah only for the sake of Hashem, blessed be He, Who commanded us to engage in Torah and to bring pleasure before Him, "Who said and His will was done." And this is the primary exertion and toil in Torah sheb'al peh. For in truth, also the exertion and toil of the learners who labor in the Torah to clarify the sugya and the halachah properly, and to bring the discussion in accordance with the final halachah (l'asukei shma'atsa aliba d'hilchisa) — this too is drawn only from this, from the aspect of the aforementioned error, which is the aspect of s'molah, from where is the hold of "transgressors stumble in them" — from where is the hold of the klipos, which are the chaff and straw that cover the halachah. From there are drawn all the kushyos [difficulties] and all the heaviness and all the stringencies in the halachah, that it is difficult to understand it properly and to extract the din to its truth — for all this is drawn from them, which are the aspect of chaff and straw in the halachah, as is understood in the Tikunim and in Ra'aya Mehemna in several places.

This is Purim — the battle against Haman-Amalek. His essential defeat was through Esther being taken to the house of Achashvairosh — the aspect of tefillah b'din of the ba'al koach. For Esther is the aspect of tefillah b'din: tefillah is the aspect of "a woman who fears Hashem." When the tefillah is in the aspect of din, she is called Esther — from the language of concealment (din): "I will surely hide [hastair astir] My face." When the Sitra Achra tries to swallow this tefillah b'din — "Esther was taken to the house of King Achashvairosh" — the tefillah b'din was taken to the Sitra Achra. But she was a great ba'alas koach: not only was she not swallowed — she stood in their gullet until the Sitra Achra was compelled to vomit. Through Esther's being taken, the essential downfall of the Sitra Achra — Haman-Amalek — occurred. Not only did they fail to swallow Israel as they had planned — Israel emerged from darkness to light, from sorrow to joy. All the sanctities the Sitra Achra had swallowed were returned: "the Jews had light" — this is Torah; "and joy"; "and honor" — these are tefillin. All the mitzvos and sanctities the Sitra Achra had sought to swallow were returned to holiness. Moreover, Israel merited the rebuilding of the Bais HaMikdash — built by Koresh, son of Esther, who returned all the vessels. Beyond even that, the Sitra Achra was compelled to disgorge its own essential vitality: many converts converted — "many of the peoples of the land became Jews."

§ 14 — Shofar = Shufra [Beauty] = No'am

§ 14 — Shofar = Shufra [Beauty] = No'am

This is the four halachos that were hidden from Moshe Rabbainu, which he had to ask from Hashem: the law of the blasphemer, the law of the mekoshaish [Shabbos-violator], the law of Pesach Shaini, and the law of Bnos Tzelafchad — as in Targum Yonasan and Yerushalmi on the verse "they placed him in custody, to clarify for them": one of the four laws, etc. As explained at the end of this Torah: the entire matter is comprised in the shape of the Alef — upper point, lower point, and Vav. This is the three mitzvos commanded upon entering Eretz Yisrael: to cut off the seed of Amalek, appoint a king, and build the Bais HaMikdash — which are the lower point, upper point, and Vav.

And this is the meaning of "where shall I go from Your spirit, and where shall I flee from Your presence?" — for the beginning of creation's emergence from potentiality into actuality is the aspect of "going" (halikhah) — for creation had not yet distanced itself greatly from before-creation, and therefore it is the aspect of going: like one who has begun to walk away from his fellow but has not yet distanced himself from him. But afterward, as creation unfolded more and more and distanced itself from before-creation — and then the grip of falsehood intensified more and more, through which comes the essential distancing as above — this is the aspect of "fleeing": through which one distances oneself more and more. And all the distancing of those who are far from the Blessed Lord comes from the aspect of denial (kefirah), from which comes the essential power of the evil inclination — as has been explained already several times. And the essential evil inclination, which is the aspect of denial, comes only from the aspect mentioned above — the aspect of purity, which is from the beginning of creation's emergence from potentiality into actuality, as above. For since this is impossible to understand with human intellect at all — therefore the straying ones went astray and were confounded until they distanced themselves as they distanced themselves. But King Dovid, whose attribute is emunah (faith), the aspect of malkhus (kingship) — as it is said: "My faithfulness and My kindness are with him" (Tehillim 89:25) — marvels and says: in truth I cannot understand "where shall I go from Your spirit" — how I emerged from potentiality into actuality at the beginning of creation, which is the aspect of "going." For certainly this is impossible to understand — but I believe with complete faith that all is from the Blessed Lord, for He in His wonders created all and brought all from potentiality into actuality, and even now He supervises all with specific supervision. And therefore "where shall I flee from Your presence" — which is the aspect of greater distancing, the aspect of fleeing — for certainly it is impossible to flee from You. For I believe that all is one. Even though this is impossible to understand. And this is "where shall I flee from Your presence (panekha)" — "panim" (face/presence) is the aspect of the eyes of His supervision: the aspect of "may the Lord make His face shine upon you" (Bamidbar 6:25), the aspect of "do not hide Your face from me" (Tehillim 27:9), and so on — that is: since I believe that the face of His supervision looks out upon the entire world from one end to the other, and after-creation is as before-creation — therefore "wondrous knowledge too exalted for me" and so on: "where shall I go from Your spirit" — which is the beginning of creation's emergence from potentiality into actuality, the aspect of "going" — "and where shall I flee from Your presence" — for the face of His supervision is everywhere. And through this all is one after-creation as before-creation, as above. And all this is the aspect of Rosh Hashana — when His supervision is most drawn down, as it is said: "The eyes of the Lord your God are upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year" (Devarim 11:12). For the judgment of Rosh Hashana is the aspect of supervision — in that we believe that everything which befalls a person throughout the entire year comes through His supervision, blessed be He, according to the judgment that was decreed upon him on Rosh Hashana. As our Sages of blessed memory expounded on this verse "the eyes of the Lord your God and so on": "on Rosh Hashana it is judged what will be at its end" (Rosh Hashana 8a). And this is the essential aspect of Rosh Hashana — to draw down upon oneself the emunah in His supervision, blessed be He. And this is merited through drawing oneself to the point of emes, which is the true tzaddik. And through this all is included in the One — which is the essential tikun of the teshuvah that we require on Rosh Hashana, the first day of the Ten Days of Repentance, as above. End of Part 1 — §§1–13 Continuing in Part 2: §§14–26

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He saw seven good cows — the seven years of plenty — Eretz Yisrael holiness, source of blessing. All from the Eretz Yisrael mochin/no'am. But immediately after the no'am — "seven other cows came up... evil of appearance... I have not seen their like in all Egypt for ugliness" — the absolute evil, the seven famine years, the evil in the chovlim that destroy everything. Immediately when the no'am flows, the chovlim come for rectification. When the evil grips them too strongly, they overpower the ne'imim and damage even Eretz Yisrael's mochin — the seven good years swallowed and forgotten by the seven bad years. From here the essential Egypt exile and all exiles — all from blemished da'as. Adam ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — machlokes/chovlim — and was expelled from Gan Eden/Eretz Yisrael. The exile began through selling Yosef/no'am through machlokes.

And for this reason we blow T’kiah-Sh’varim-T’ruah-T’kiah, T’kiah-Sh’varim-T’kiah, T’kiah-T’ruah-T’kiah, many times. And we begin with T’kiah and end with T’kiah, and return and begin and end like this many times. All to hint that one needs to begin and return and begin, all the days of his life, through all the paths and counsels, until one merits to return to Him in truth. And all this needs much explanation, and to Hashem belongs the salvation. But one who truly desires can derive even from these words much awakening and very deep, true counsels. And one needs to examine very well all the aforementioned Toros — to examine them for practical application and good counsels. And then one will certainly find a way and trail to begin even now, to strengthen oneself in the seeking and searching “Ayeh” — until mercy is granted from Heaven.

[Appended note:] This is why the Haftarah on Shabbos Chol HaMoed Pesach is the chapter of Techiyas HaMeisim in Yechezkel — for the essential Geulah is in the aspect of Techiyas HaMeisim. This is the aspect of Sefiras HaOmer and Shavuos (= Mattan Torah). Through Ruach Elokim received from the Tzaddik → Torah innovations = receiving the Torah. But one can only merit this through the great Tzaddik who is exceedingly holy in kedushas habris (= Moshe's holiness and abstinence). Each person must draw upon himself from this holiness — especially kedushas hamachshavah [purity of thought], which is the essence of kedushas habris.

§§6-8: Egypt's exile from machlokes with Yosef. Moshe couldn't enter because the chovlim would be too strong. "Little by little." Machlokes = exile; shalom = geulah.

This is why the early authorities gave the mnemonic "PLG" — on whatever day Purim falls, Lag BaOmer will fall on the same day of the week — as recorded in the Shulchan Aruch. This = "Mi falag l'shetef te'alah" (Iyov 38:25). For thoughts = the aspect of hairs = called "shetef" [a torrent]. Rashi: each hair has its own follicle — if two hairs grew from one follicle, they would darken one's sight. So too in the Moach: two thoughts cannot exist simultaneously. This is the essential counsel: the instant even a hairsbreadth of another thought begins, one is saved from the evil thought. Do not engage it, do not look back — simply redirect: "Vayignov Yaakov al b'li higid lo." Through all this one merits Shavuos = Yom HaBikkurim [Day of the Firstfruits], when we read the Viduy Bikkurim: "Arami oveid avi" — "An Aramean sought to destroy my father" = Lavan HaArami, who sought to uproot everything through his evil thoughts. For the essential blemish of the Bris (the foundation of the entire Torah) comes through blemished thoughts. Through defeating Lavan's thoughts we give thanks and praise to Hashem — who brought us into Egypt's exile and took us out through the power of the Tzaddik (= Moshe Rabbeinu), who gives advice and strengthens the heart of Yisrael at every moment to flee and escape, even after whatever has already passed.

And this Akaidah stands for Yisra'ail always, to atone for them every time they become distant from Hashem, blessed be He, G-d forbid, through their sins, G-d forbid. For through the aspect of the Akaidah, the aspect of shelo kasaider, the aspect of Yitzchak, is sweetened and included in kasaider. And through this, no judgment rests upon Yisra'ail, G-d forbid, as above — through the vitality always being drawn from the aspect of kasaider-Mah, the aspect of Avraham, to the aspect of Yitzchak, etc., as above. And therefore through this, the curse is nullified and turned into a blessing, as above. And this is what Rashi explained: "Wicked one! Avraham already preceded you," as it is said "And Avraham rose early," etc. For through the Akaidah, shelo kasaider is sweetened and included in the aspect of kasaider, in the aspect of Mah. And through this, all the blessings are drawn to Yisra'ail forever and ever. Baruch Hashem l'olam, Amain v'Amain. Halacha 3 in Hilchos Sochair, Halacha 3, Os 4. Halacha 4 in Hilchos Umnin, Halacha 4, Os 30. And Halacha 5 in Hilchos Pikadon, Halacha 5, Os 45. נְנַח נַחְמָא נַחְמָן מֵאומָן

For truly the one depends on the other — that is: through attaining na'aseh v'nishma, which is the entirety of Torah, one merits azus [boldness]. And conversely — through azus one merits ascending to a higher level to attain the higher na'aseh v'nishma — for they are dependent on each other — as is explained about this in another place [Likutay Moharan I, §147; Likutay Moharan I, §271] — that one cannot know where the beginning lies. Therefore one must be very careful not to weaken the heart of any one of Israel — and all the more so not to shame him. And this is the essential severity of the grave prohibition against one who humiliates his fellow in public — who has no share in the World to Come [Avos 3:11; Sanhedrin 107a] — for by shaming him, one weakens his resolve, and he may fall from even his small measure of service and his Jewishness, which depends on azus d'kedusha. For the very essence of Jewishness depends on fortification — which is the aspect of azus d'kedusha. For whoever strengthens himself at every time, even by a hairsbreadth — by that very act he enters into the domain of holiness, in the aspect of: "You led them with Your strength to Your holy abode" [Shemos 15:13] — and draws closer to Torah, prayer, and the true tzadikim. And the more one merits Torah and prayer — so too one merits azus d'kedusha yet more. And so it revolves back again — until one can arrive at very high levels, to the highest aspect of na'aseh v'nishma — if one merits to continually fortify and strengthen oneself at all times and at every moment, and to "be bold as a leopard" [Avos 5:23] in all dimensions: both that one should have azus d'kedusha against one's own physical body, which is exceedingly brazen in matters of desires; and also that one should have azus d'kedusha against all the brazen-faced ones of the generation — who are the totality of all those who obstruct, incite, entice, and mislead [people] from the true and truthful path.

Shabbos = total bitul Ra'avah d'Ra'avin 39 Melachos sanctified Weekdays → Tal Oros = Work of the Mishkan Tzedakah / Shekalim Rich gives to poor Daray Ma'alah +

And conversely, the wealthy person must be aroused with the perception of daray ma'alah — which is the aspect of "Where is the place of His glory?" etc. For the abundance of wealth at its root is from a very exalted place — from the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon. And it would truly be fitting that the person who has wealth and all good should be very close to Hashem, blessed be He. But what we see is the opposite — that for the most part, through wealth a person becomes very distant from Hashem, blessed be He. This comes from the aspect of an excess of light — the aspect of "and his eyes grew dim from seeing" (Genesis 27:1) — that he cannot receive such great good from Hashem, blessed be He. And through this he is damaged even more and becomes distant from Hashem, blessed be He, when he does not merit to sanctify and purify himself to properly receive the wealth in holiness, as explained in the words of Rabbeinu of blessed memory elsewhere, in the discourse "Ki seitzei lamilchamah" (Likutay Moharan II, 82) — see there. It emerges that the damage of wealth is through the aspect of an excess of light. And therefore one must draw illumination from the aspect of the perception of daray ma'alah — that is, the aspect of "Where is the place of His glory?", the aspect of "What did you see?" — so that the excess of light should not harm him, etc., as mentioned above. And this is accomplished through tzedakah. For through giving tzedakah from one's money and diminishing one's money — through this one merits that the aspect of the illumination of daray ma'alah is drawn upon him, which is the aspect of Ayeh, etc. — the aspect of diminishment of the light through contraction and measure, so that he can receive it gradually and properly. It emerges that through tzedakah — whereby one diminishes one's money and gives to the poor — through this the aspect of the illumination of daray ma'alah and daray matah is drawn, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of Shekalim, which are the aspect of tzedakah, about which it is stated: "the wealthy shall not give more and the poor shall not give less" (Exodus 30:15). "The wealthy shall not give more" — this is the aspect of the perception of daray ma'alah, the aspect of Ayeh, etc. — that the excess of light should not harm him, etc., as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of "the wealthy shall not give more". "And the poor shall not give less" — this is the aspect of the perception of daray matah, which is the aspect of "the whole earth is full of His glory." And this is "the poor shall not give less" — for there, in the aspect of poverty, in the aspect of daray matah, there is no diminishment or lack, G-d forbid — for "the whole earth is full of His glory." And this is accomplished through tzedakah, as mentioned above — which is the aspect of "this one shall be lowered and this one shall be raised", as brought elsewhere, and as mentioned above. And therefore they are called Shekalim — a language of mishkal [scale/balance]. For through tzedakah — the aspect of Shekalim — through this one illuminates in daray ma'alah and daray matah and places them on the [correct] balance. That is, in daray ma'alah one illuminates that they should not err into thinking that they know His Divinity, etc. And conversely, in daray matah one illuminates that they should not err into thinking they are too distant, and reveals to them that they are close to Hashem, blessed be He. It emerges that one places both of them on the straight balance. And this is the aspect of Shekalim, the aspect of tzedakah, as mentioned above. And through this the Ratzon shines. For through the inclusivity of son and student — which are daray ma'alah and daray matah — the Ratzon shines. And therefore the essence is the aspect of the Ratzon, the aspect of nedivas lev, as mentioned above. And therefore the essence of tzedakah illuminates on Shabbos, as Rabbeinu of blessed memory wrote (Likutay Moharan I, 31) — for this is why the Tanna began at the start of Tractate Shabbos: "the transferrings of Shabbos" etc. — "the poor person extended [his hand]" etc. For the essence of the illumination of tzedakah — which is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, the aspect of the illumination of son and student — this illuminates on Shabbos specifically, as mentioned above. It is revealed that we have the power even during the weekdays to push away the contamination of the Serpent from the 39 melachos even though they are performed during the weekdays — through drawing upon them the holiness of Shabbos, etc., as mentioned above. For on this holy day we see this tangibly — that all the melachos are permitted on it, and nevertheless an exceedingly great and mighty illumination shines on it, the aspect of the sanctity of Shabbos and even more. Through this it is revealed that Hashem, blessed be He, is everywhere — for "the whole earth is full of His glory." And daray matah together with daray ma'alah — all are one. For He, blessed be He, gives life to all of them. And therefore we increase in feasting on Purim and give tzedakah to the poor — for all of this is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon that is drawn from the aspect of the inclusivity of son and student, the aspect of Mordechai and Esther, as mentioned above. · · ·

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@media(max-width:600px){.container{padding:20px 16px 40px}body{font-size:16px}.main-header h1{font-size:26px}} Likutay Halachos · Orach Chaim Hilchos Techumin V’Eruvay Techumin

But in truth, all this is in the aspect of rachamim s’sam [plain mercy]. And in the aspect of [plain] rachamim, it is according to din and mishpat [law and judgment]. And therefore it could be that suffering is considered rachamanus — for Hashem knows that through this the person will have benefit elsewhere. And if he did not have this suffering, it would not be possible for him to have benefit elsewhere. For the rachamim do not obligate doing good for him in everything, in all matters, for it is the aspect of plain rachamim where there is still constriction. But we beseech that Hashem have mercy upon us with rachamim g’dolim, rachamim rabbim [great mercy, abundant mercy] — and there, it is entirely rachamim and chesed. And then Hashem can place the rachamanus in our hands, that we ourselves should have mercy upon ourselves, and it will not harm us in any way, chas v’shalom. For also in that other place He will do good with us through His abundant mercy. Since there it is entirely rachamim. And because of this they are called “rachamim rabbim” [abundant mercy] — for they are abundant mercies that have mercy on the person with many types of rachamanus, in all the places and all the matters where he needs rachamanus. And on holy Shabbos we merit this rachamanus, the aspect of rachamim rabbim. For then all dinim are subdued, and Atika Kadisha reveals His will, which is the aspect of the rachamim of Atika — the aspect of rachamim rabbim, the aspect of ra’ava d’ra’avin [the will of wills]. For then on Shabbos the da’as is revealed, which is the aspect of rachamanus. For the main illumination of da’as is on Shabbos, as is brought. And then the two intellects shine forth — which are the aspect of the two types of rachamanus, the aspect of 2,000 years/2,000 amos. And therefore the t’chum Shabbos is 2,000 amos — for then the two alafin shine, the two intellects, the two rachamanus, the aspect of “Keil Shakai yitein lachem rachamim” — that He places the rachamanus in our hands. For during the weekdays, it is impossible to merit this aspect of “Keil Shakai yitein lachem rachamim” except through journeys and displacements, the aspect of “Eileh mas’ay b’nay Yisrael.” But on Shabbos, on the contrary, it is forbidden to travel and to go out on the road. For then emunah is revealed, through which rachamanus is drawn. And then it is forbidden to go beyond the 2,000 amos — the t’chum Shabbos. For only within those 2,000 amos, which are the aspect of the two types of rachamanus, is it permitted to walk. For there, within the t’chum, it is not displacement and journeying at all. But beyond the 2,000 amos — beyond the two intellects, the two rachamanus — it is forbidden to travel, for on Shabbos there is no birur [clarification] to clarify sparks of emunah. For on Shabbos the emunah shines of itself — which is the aspect of rachamanus, the aspect of 2,000 amos, the two intellects, the two rachamanus. Daled It emerges that through Shabbos one merits the aforementioned rachamanus, the aspect of “Keil Shakai yitein lachem rachamim” — that Hashem places the rachamanus in our hands. For Shabbos is the aspect of Keil Shakai, which is in the world of B’riah, which is the aspect of Shabbos, as is brought. And this is the aspect of “V’his’aneg al Hashem v’yitein l’cha mish’alos libecha” [“And delight in Hashem, and He will give you the desires of your heart”] (T’hillim 37:4). “V’his’aneg al Hashem” — through oneg Shabbos [Shabbos delight], the aspect of “Then you shall delight upon Hashem” (Y’shayahu 58:14) — through this: “And He will give you the desires of your heart” — the aspect of the rachamanus mentioned above, that He places the rachamanus in your hand, that you yourself should have mercy upon yourself — which is the aspect of “And He will give you the desires of your heart,” that everything should be according to your will, the aspect of “May Hashem fulfill all your requests.” And this one merits through oneg Shabbos. And this is: “Then you shall delight upon Hashem … and I will feed you the heritage of Yaakov your father” — the aspect of a heritage without boundaries [nachalah b’li m’tzarim], as our Sages, of blessed memory, said. Meaning, the aspect of the rachamanus mentioned above, which is rachamim rabbim, where there is no constriction or din at all — only entirely rachamim — the aspect of a heritage without boundaries — that He has mercy in all ways and all matters, without any constriction at all. For the main revelation of emunah is through oneg Shabbos. For the clarification of food is through emunah, the aspect of “Tend [u’r’ay] emunah” (T’hillim 37:3), as Rabbainu wrote in another place. And therefore on Shabbos, when emunah is revealed, it is a mitzvah to eat. For then the food is in holiness through the revelation of emunah. And therefore the three meals of Shabbos are called s’udasa di’m’haimnusa [meals of faith] — for they are the aspect of emunah. And this is the aspect of eruvay techumin — that one places the measure of a meal, and from there the 2,000 amos begin. For the main illumination of the 2,000 amos, which are the aspect of the two rachamanus, through which one does not need to be displaced — rather, one walks within the 2,000 amos, within the rachamim rabbim that shine on Shabbos through the revelation of emunah that is revealed on Shabbos — and all this depends on oneg Shabbos. And therefore, from the place of the Shabbos meal, from there begin the aforementioned 2,000 amos, which depend on the emunah that is revealed on Shabbos through the oneg Shabbos. And therefore the eruv is food for two meals, corresponding to the man that descended for two meals, from which we derive techumin, as above.

And then she receives the seven blessings (sheva brachos) and enters the bridal canopy (chuppah). For the seven blessings are the aspect of Chesed comprised of seven, as mentioned. And through them she is cut from them [the impure forces] and rises to the light of the Countenance — through the chuppah, which is the aspect of Binah, olam ha-ba. As the Sages said: "L'asid kol tzaddik nichveh mei-chupaso" etc. And as brought in our Rebbe's words (may his light shine) in the discourse "B'Ha'aloscha" (Siman 21), see there: that through the chuppah one receives the light of the Countenance during the seven days of the wedding feast, see there. And this is what the Sages of blessed memory said: "kallah b'lo berakhah asurah k'niddah" ("a bride without blessing is forbidden like a menstruant") — as mentioned. For as long as she has not received the seven blessings, she has not been cut and separated from them, as mentioned. Therefore she is in the aspect of menstruant, as mentioned. And this is what the Sages specified as the measure of a ketam (stain) [for menstrual impurity]: a stain the size of thirty-six hairs — for Malchus is in the aspect of hairs, as is explained there. And the measure is three by three lentils, each [lentil] with four hairs — see the Shulchan Aruch. For Malchus comprises three by three — which are the nine sefiros — for it is the tenth and comprises them all. And it is the aspect of four (dalet), which comprises four worlds, as is explained there. And in each world it comprises the nine mentioned. Therefore they are thirty-six hairs — for "zeh l'umas zeh asah ha-Elokim" ("God made this corresponding to this") (Koheles 7:14), as is known. And a standard woman's cycle (veset) is thirty days — each month. For she is in the aspect of the moon (levanah), which is the aspect of Malchus that wanes each month. And therefore it is forbidden to consecrate the new month before seven days have passed over it — in the aspect of the seven clean days mentioned. For the waning of the moon is the aspect of their dominion — for the essential power of the [impure forces] comes through the diminishment and blemish of the moon, as is known. And when it begins to wax — this is the aspect of its purification, as is brought: that it renews itself and purifies itself like a woman to her husband. Therefore one must wait seven [days] — in the aspect of seven clean days, as mentioned. Niddah, Halacha 2 "V'hizartem es bnei Yisrael mi-tum'asam" etc. — from here [we learn] that one must separate close to the expected time of her cycle (veset). It is written: "v'el ishah b'nidas tum'asah lo sikrav" etc. Based on the discourse "Rabbi Yochanan Mishta'i" (Siman 16): that it is impossible for a tzaddik to have his mind continuously wandering in the supernal wisdoms, etc. For sometimes the suspension of Torah is itself its fulfillment (betulah shel Torah zohu kiyumah), etc. And it is explained there that the essential reason the tzaddik must sometimes suspend his attachment [to Hashem] is on account of the "clouds that cover the eyes" (ananin d'mechasyin al einin) — which are Eisav and Yishmael — so that these clouds should not overpower his eyes and his wisdom be entirely nullified, God forbid. And then when he suspends his attachment, his eyes shine like the moon, etc. But through the two Mashiachs, who will spread their springs outward, and it will be transformed for all to a clear language — then it will be fulfilled: "v'hayah or ha-levanah k'or ha-chamah" ("and the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun"). And then he will not need to suspend his attachment, see all this there well. For in truth it is certainly fitting to be attached to Hashem the Blessed without any interruption at all — for He is our life and the length of our days. But it is necessary to sometimes be suspended — and this is the essential sustaining of Da'as. For sometimes the suspension of Torah is itself its fulfillment, etc. For it is impossible to attach oneself and draw close to Hashem the Blessed in truth except through Emunah — which is the foundation of the entire Torah. As the Sages said (Makkos 24): "Chavakuk came and established them all on one principle: v'tzaddik be'emunaso yichyeh" ("the righteous shall live by his faith"). And as it is written (Tehillim 119): "kol mitzvosecha emunah" ("all Your commandments are faith"). And all the worlds — all the Emanated, Created, Formed, and Made — all stand only on Emunah, as it is written (Tehillim 33): "v'chol ma'aseihu be-emunah" ("and all His works are with faithfulness"). For when it arose in His will, blessed be He, to create the world, there was no place to create it — for everything was infinite (Ein Sof). And it was necessary, so to speak, to contract and vacate His divinity until the vacated void (chalal ha-panui) came to be, etc. And there He drew all the lights and all the midos until He created all the worlds there, etc. And at first the vessels could not bear the light due to the profusion of light — and because of this came the Breaking of the Vessels, from which comes the grip of the Kelippos and Sitra Achra. And in every generation we labor to clarify and rectify this, etc., as all this is explained in the Etz Chaim at its beginning. And it is known that the beginning of the contraction (tzimtzum) is the aspect of Malchus. For even though Malchus is the last attribute, even so at the highest level, in the ultimate heights, the essential beginning is from the aspect of Malchus concealed in the Ein Sof — as is known to those who understand. From there is the beginning of the contraction for the sake of creation. For "sof ma'aseh b'machashavah techilah" ("the end of the deed is first in thought") — in the aspect of "Ani rishon v'Ani acharon" etc. ("I am first and I am last"). "Ani" is the aspect of Malchus, as is known. And as it is written there in that verse: "Ko amar Hashem Melech Yisrael v'go'alo Ani rishon v'Ani acharon" ("So says Hashem, King of Israel and his Redeemer: I am first and I am last"). That is: the aspect of Malchus, the aspect of "King of Israel" which is called Ani — it is at the beginning and the end, etc. The general principle: the beginning of the contraction is the aspect of Malchus, and Malchus is the aspect of Emunah, as is known. That is: when Hashem the Blessed wished to create the world, He looked with His primordial wisdom and saw that it is impossible to attain Him, blessed be He, through any wisdom or any intellect or any understanding in the world. And therefore it is impossible for the worlds to be sustained through any attribute — for their essential sustaining is through knowing of Him, blessed be He, that He is great and the Master, the root and source of all worlds. This is the essential ultimate purpose of all the worlds, as is stated in the holy Zohar: "bigin d'yishtamoda'in lei" ("in order that they may know Him"). And in truth it is impossible to recognize Him or know of Him, blessed be He, through any attribute or any sefirah — except through Emunah, which is the aspect of Malchus, which is the beginning of the contraction. Through it is the essential revelation of all the midos and all the worlds. For Hashem the Blessed saw that it is impossible to attain Him in any way through any intellect in the world — for "leis machshavah tafisa bei klal" ("no thought can grasp Him at all"). Therefore it was not possible to create the world until He contracted and vacated His divinity, blessed be He — that is, in His wondrous wisdom He contracted His wisdom so much that He entirely removed wisdom and intellect, until the place remained, as it were, vacated of all the intellectuality and wisdoms that are the very essence of His divinity, blessed be He. And only the power of Emunah remained — [for] He created a power in the worlds and beings: that they would have intellect and da'as to believe in Him, blessed be He, without any intellect. And in truth this contraction is a great wonder, as is brought elsewhere — for Emunah is a great wonder, as it is written (Yeshayahu 25): "odeh shimcha ki asisa fele etzos merachok emunah amein" ("I shall thank Your name, for You have made wondrous, far-reaching counsel — faithful Amen"). For Emunah is the wonders of the One Perfect in Knowledge — for regarding a matter that one understands with intellect there is no need to believe and it is not called Emunah. The essential Emunah is in what one does not understand with intellect. And if so — from where will one know to believe in this? But in truth it is the wonders of the One Perfect in Knowledge who created in His great wisdom a power in human intellect: that one should have the power to contract and set aside one's understanding and believe with Emunah alone — through the power of the reshimu (residual impression) that remains in Da'as even after the withdrawal of Da'as. For "af al pi de'ihu lo chazei, mazalei chazei" ("even though he himself does not see, his [higher] aspect sees"). For even though one does not understand the matter with one's intellect, even so one understands from afar that it is proper to believe. For when one wishes to look at the truth, one understands clearly that one must believe — for one understands this by oneself: that it is impossible to understand the matter with any intellect, only one must believe with Emunah alone. And this is the aspect of: "tzedek kad is'chabrat bah emes is'avidas emunah" — that the essential Emunah depends on truth. That is: even though one does not understand the matter with one's intellect at all, even so when one wishes to look at the truth, one will understand from afar that it is proper to believe in Hashem and in the true tzaddikim, and the like. And the general principle is that Emunah is the foundation of all the worlds and the foundation of the entire Torah. For Hashem the Blessed could not, as it were, begin to create any world until He first created the attribute of Emunah — namely, that there would be a power in the intellect to believe in the truth, even without understanding it at all. And this is the essential aspect of the beginning of the contraction — the vacated void that remained. That is: He contracted His divinity, as it were — which is the intellect. For Hashem the Blessed is, as it were, the very essence of wisdom, as is known. And when He vacated the intellect from there, the place remained vacated without intellect — and nothing remained there except the aspect of Emunah. That is: one believes with Emunah alone in the truth without any intellect or wisdom. And as soon as the contraction of the vacated void was made — that is, the aspect of Emunah that there would be a power to believe in Him, blessed be He, without any intellect — immediately He drew His divinity into that vacated void: all the midos in total and all the worlds from the beginning of the point of creation — which is the beginning of Emanation — to the end of the central point of this physical world. And "v'chol ma'aseihu be-emunah" — as mentioned. For afterward, when the attribute of Emunah came into being — which is the beginning of the contraction — then there is power to reveal His divinity, blessed be He, through the contractions of the intellect from cause to effect, from higher intellect to lower intellect — to attain Him thereby. And they all have no power to reveal and give birth to any knowledge or any comprehension of Him, blessed be He, except through Emunah alone. For Emunah is the vessel and contraction of all of them. And this is the aspect of "d'leis reshus l'shum sefirah" etc. "l'arkah berochin bar minah" ("no sefirah has permission to bestow blessings except through it") — that is, except through the attribute of Malchus, which is the aspect of Emunah. For through it specifically comes the essential revelation of the knowledge of attaining His divinity, blessed be He — for at the beginning one must first precede with Emunah, which is the beginning of the contraction, as mentioned. And even afterward — when one merits to have some knowledge and comprehension drawn — it is impossible to receive Da'as except through holy Emunah. For it is forbidden to rely on intellect alone, and there is no sustaining of the intellect without Emunah. For "be'mufla mimcha al sidrosh" etc. ("seek not what is too wondrous for you") — for it is impossible to receive the intellect except through many contractions, and all the contractions are through Emunah, which is the root of all contractions, as mentioned. And therefore it is forbidden to inquire above one's level — the aspect of "be'mufla mimcha al sidrosh" etc. — so that there not be, God forbid, the aspect of profusion of light causing the breaking of vessels. For when one's intellect rushes to gaze at what one has no permission [to gaze at], and one does not wish to rely on Emunah alone — one has thereby blemished Emunah. And then, due to the profusion of the light of the intellect, the vessel of Emunah is broken, and then Emunah is damaged and falls. And then Da'as is nullified entirely — even what it was previously possible to understand — for everything returns to the aspect of Ein Sof, since the vessel and contraction — which is Emunah — is broken, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the sin of Adam the First, who ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. For through this he caused again the aspect of the Breaking of the Vessels, as is brought. For it is stated that Adam the First blemished by gazing at what he had no permission [to gaze at] — namely as mentioned. For he should have first strengthened himself with perfect Emunah, but he wished to know with his knowledge specifically — and this is the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil about which Hashem the Blessed warned him. For the Tree of Knowledge had this power: that whoever would eat of it, the evil inclination would enter him and he would desire to pursue and know and gaze at what he had no permission [to gaze at]. Through this they cause the aspect of Breaking of the Vessels, God forbid. That is: the vessel of Emunah is broken — since one does not wish to rely on Emunah alone, but wishes to know and understand specifically without Emunah. It turns out that one strips Da'as from Emunah. And when one strips Da'as from Emunah — this is the aspect of Breaking of the Vessels, the death of the Kings. For the vessels remain without lights and the lights without vessels. For Emunah is in the aspect of vessels, as mentioned, and Da'as is in the aspect of lights, as mentioned. And because of this the light is entirely nullified — for it returns to Ein Sof since it is without a vessel. And the vessels fell below, etc. And the summary of the matter is that the essential thing is Emunah in simplicity — to believe in Hashem the Blessed without any inquiries and without any wisdoms at all. And when one merits to be strong in one's Emunah for days and years, and serves Hashem the Blessed in simplicity without any wisdoms — only with Emunah and wholeheartedness — then if one merits, Hashem the Blessed will have compassion and open for one the paths of intellect, and one will be able to attain and understand a little of His knowledge, blessed be He. And even afterward, when one merits some knowledge and comprehension, one must set a boundary for one's knowledge not to gaze above at what one has no permission [to gaze at] — for "be'mufla mimcha al sidrosh" etc. — only to rely on Emunah alone. For the Emunah that precedes the comprehension is the aspect of the initial contraction of the vacated void that was before Creation — through which all the vessels and all the midos are made, as is known. These are the essential drawing and revelation of all the midos and sefiros and worlds. And even when the light is drawn into the vessels — that is, when Da'as is drawn into Emunah — one must set a limit to receive the light gradually. That is: not to gaze above one's level — more than what one's vessel can bear, more than in accordance with the strength of one's Emunah, which is one's vessel, as mentioned. For then, God forbid, profusion of light causes Breaking of Vessels — and Da'as is entirely withdrawn, and Emunah is entirely broken, and one can come to heresy (apikorsus), God forbid. For one must always strengthen oneself in Emunah, which is the foundation and sustaining of all the worlds. And Emunah is at the beginning and at the end and in the middle — in the aspect of "Ani rishon v'Ani acharon u-mibil'adai ein Elokim" ("I am first and I am last, and besides Me there is no God"). "Ani" is the aspect of Emunah, which is the aspect of Malchus, as mentioned — which is the aspect of beginning, end, and middle. And without Emunah it is impossible to know Hashem the Blessed — in the aspect of "u-mibil'adai ein Elokim", as mentioned. Now, one who is so strong in Emunah that he afterward merits to understand with intellect and draws the light of the intellect into Emunah — this is the aspect of the union of the Holy One blessed be He and His Shechinah (yichud kudsha brich hu u'Shechintei). For the Holy One blessed be He is the aspect of wisdom and intellect, so to speak, and the Shechinah is the aspect of Malchus and Emunah, as mentioned. And when Emunah unites with the intellect — this is the aspect of the union of the Holy One and His Shechinah. And this is the essential sustaining and completion of all the worlds. And through this are born new intellects in the aspect of conception, suckling, and [mature] intellects (ibur, yenikah u-mochin). That is: through the intellect illuminating into Emunah, one thereby merits to give birth and reveal new comprehensions of knowledge of His exaltedness, blessed be He and blessed be His name.

And then she receives the seven blessings (sheva brachos) and enters the bridal canopy (chuppah). For the seven blessings are the aspect of Chesed comprised of seven, as mentioned. And through them she is cut from them [the impure forces] and rises to the light of the Countenance — through the chuppah, which is the aspect of Binah, olam ha-ba. As the Sages said: "L'asid kol tzaddik nichveh mei-chupaso" etc. And as brought in our Rebbe's words (may his light shine) in the discourse "B'Ha'aloscha" (Siman 21), see there: that through the chuppah one receives the light of the Countenance during the seven days of the wedding feast, see there. And this is what the Sages of blessed memory said: "kallah b'lo berakhah asurah k'niddah" ("a bride without blessing is forbidden like a menstruant") — as mentioned. For as long as she has not received the seven blessings, she has not been cut and separated from them, as mentioned. Therefore she is in the aspect of menstruant, as mentioned. And this is what the Sages specified as the measure of a ketam (stain) [for menstrual impurity]: a stain the size of thirty-six hairs — for Malchus is in the aspect of hairs, as is explained there. And the measure is three by three lentils, each [lentil] with four hairs — see the Shulchan Aruch. For Malchus comprises three by three — which are the nine sefiros — for it is the tenth and comprises them all. And it is the aspect of four (dalet), which comprises four worlds, as is explained there. And in each world it comprises the nine mentioned. Therefore they are thirty-six hairs — for "zeh l'umas zeh asah ha-Elokim" ("God made this corresponding to this") (Koheles 7:14), as is known. And a standard woman's cycle (veset) is thirty days — each month. For she is in the aspect of the moon (levanah), which is the aspect of Malchus that wanes each month. And therefore it is forbidden to consecrate the new month before seven days have passed over it — in the aspect of the seven clean days mentioned. For the waning of the moon is the aspect of their dominion — for the essential power of the [impure forces] comes through the diminishment and blemish of the moon, as is known. And when it begins to wax — this is the aspect of its purification, as is brought: that it renews itself and purifies itself like a woman to her husband. Therefore one must wait seven [days] — in the aspect of seven clean days, as mentioned. Niddah, Halacha 2 "V'hizartem es bnei Yisrael mi-tum'asam" etc. — from here [we learn] that one must separate close to the expected time of her cycle (veset). It is written: "v'el ishah b'nidas tum'asah lo sikrav" etc. Based on the discourse "Rabbi Yochanan Mishta'i" (Siman 16): that it is impossible for a tzaddik to have his mind continuously wandering in the supernal wisdoms, etc. For sometimes the suspension of Torah is itself its fulfillment (betulah shel Torah zohu kiyumah), etc. And it is explained there that the essential reason the tzaddik must sometimes suspend his attachment [to Hashem] is on account of the "clouds that cover the eyes" (ananin d'mechasyin al einin) — which are Eisav and Yishmael — so that these clouds should not overpower his eyes and his wisdom be entirely nullified, God forbid. And then when he suspends his attachment, his eyes shine like the moon, etc. But through the two Mashiachs, who will spread their springs outward, and it will be transformed for all to a clear language — then it will be fulfilled: "v'hayah or ha-levanah k'or ha-chamah" ("and the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun"). And then he will not need to suspend his attachment, see all this there well. For in truth it is certainly fitting to be attached to Hashem the Blessed without any interruption at all — for He is our life and the length of our days. But it is necessary to sometimes be suspended — and this is the essential sustaining of Da'as. For sometimes the suspension of Torah is itself its fulfillment, etc. For it is impossible to attach oneself and draw close to Hashem the Blessed in truth except through Emunah — which is the foundation of the entire Torah. As the Sages said (Makkos 24): "Chavakuk came and established them all on one principle: v'tzaddik be'emunaso yichyeh" ("the righteous shall live by his faith"). And as it is written (Tehillim 119): "kol mitzvosecha emunah" ("all Your commandments are faith"). And all the worlds — all the Emanated, Created, Formed, and Made — all stand only on Emunah, as it is written (Tehillim 33): "v'chol ma'aseihu be-emunah" ("and all His works are with faithfulness"). For when it arose in His will, blessed be He, to create the world, there was no place to create it — for everything was infinite (Ein Sof). And it was necessary, so to speak, to contract and vacate His divinity until the vacated void (chalal ha-panui) came to be, etc. And there He drew all the lights and all the midos until He created all the worlds there, etc. And at first the vessels could not bear the light due to the profusion of light — and because of this came the Breaking of the Vessels, from which comes the grip of the Kelippos and Sitra Achra. And in every generation we labor to clarify and rectify this, etc., as all this is explained in the Etz Chaim at its beginning. And it is known that the beginning of the contraction (tzimtzum) is the aspect of Malchus. For even though Malchus is the last attribute, even so at the highest level, in the ultimate heights, the essential beginning is from the aspect of Malchus concealed in the Ein Sof — as is known to those who understand. From there is the beginning of the contraction for the sake of creation. For "sof ma'aseh b'machashavah techilah" ("the end of the deed is first in thought") — in the aspect of "Ani rishon v'Ani acharon" etc. ("I am first and I am last"). "Ani" is the aspect of Malchus, as is known. And as it is written there in that verse: "Ko amar Hashem Melech Yisrael v'go'alo Ani rishon v'Ani acharon" ("So says Hashem, King of Israel and his Redeemer: I am first and I am last"). That is: the aspect of Malchus, the aspect of "King of Israel" which is called Ani — it is at the beginning and the end, etc. The general principle: the beginning of the contraction is the aspect of Malchus, and Malchus is the aspect of Emunah, as is known. That is: when Hashem the Blessed wished to create the world, He looked with His primordial wisdom and saw that it is impossible to attain Him, blessed be He, through any wisdom or any intellect or any understanding in the world. And therefore it is impossible for the worlds to be sustained through any attribute — for their essential sustaining is through knowing of Him, blessed be He, that He is great and the Master, the root and source of all worlds. This is the essential ultimate purpose of all the worlds, as is stated in the holy Zohar: "bigin d'yishtamoda'in lei" ("in order that they may know Him"). And in truth it is impossible to recognize Him or know of Him, blessed be He, through any attribute or any sefirah — except through Emunah, which is the aspect of Malchus, which is the beginning of the contraction. Through it is the essential revelation of all the midos and all the worlds. For Hashem the Blessed saw that it is impossible to attain Him in any way through any intellect in the world — for "leis machshavah tafisa bei klal" ("no thought can grasp Him at all"). Therefore it was not possible to create the world until He contracted and vacated His divinity, blessed be He — that is, in His wondrous wisdom He contracted His wisdom so much that He entirely removed wisdom and intellect, until the place remained, as it were, vacated of all the intellectuality and wisdoms that are the very essence of His divinity, blessed be He. And only the power of Emunah remained — [for] He created a power in the worlds and beings: that they would have intellect and da'as to believe in Him, blessed be He, without any intellect. And in truth this contraction is a great wonder, as is brought elsewhere — for Emunah is a great wonder, as it is written (Yeshayahu 25): "odeh shimcha ki asisa fele etzos merachok emunah amein" ("I shall thank Your name, for You have made wondrous, far-reaching counsel — faithful Amen"). For Emunah is the wonders of the One Perfect in Knowledge — for regarding a matter that one understands with intellect there is no need to believe and it is not called Emunah. The essential Emunah is in what one does not understand with intellect. And if so — from where will one know to believe in this? But in truth it is the wonders of the One Perfect in Knowledge who created in His great wisdom a power in human intellect: that one should have the power to contract and set aside one's understanding and believe with Emunah alone — through the power of the reshimu (residual impression) that remains in Da'as even after the withdrawal of Da'as. For "af al pi de'ihu lo chazei, mazalei chazei" ("even though he himself does not see, his [higher] aspect sees"). For even though one does not understand the matter with one's intellect, even so one understands from afar that it is proper to believe. For when one wishes to look at the truth, one understands clearly that one must believe — for one understands this by oneself: that it is impossible to understand the matter with any intellect, only one must believe with Emunah alone. And this is the aspect of: "tzedek kad is'chabrat bah emes is'avidas emunah" — that the essential Emunah depends on truth. That is: even though one does not understand the matter with one's intellect at all, even so when one wishes to look at the truth, one will understand from afar that it is proper to believe in Hashem and in the true tzaddikim, and the like. And the general principle is that Emunah is the foundation of all the worlds and the foundation of the entire Torah. For Hashem the Blessed could not, as it were, begin to create any world until He first created the attribute of Emunah — namely, that there would be a power in the intellect to believe in the truth, even without understanding it at all. And this is the essential aspect of the beginning of the contraction — the vacated void that remained. That is: He contracted His divinity, as it were — which is the intellect. For Hashem the Blessed is, as it were, the very essence of wisdom, as is known. And when He vacated the intellect from there, the place remained vacated without intellect — and nothing remained there except the aspect of Emunah. That is: one believes with Emunah alone in the truth without any intellect or wisdom. And as soon as the contraction of the vacated void was made — that is, the aspect of Emunah that there would be a power to believe in Him, blessed be He, without any intellect — immediately He drew His divinity into that vacated void: all the midos in total and all the worlds from the beginning of the point of creation — which is the beginning of Emanation — to the end of the central point of this physical world. And "v'chol ma'aseihu be-emunah" — as mentioned. For afterward, when the attribute of Emunah came into being — which is the beginning of the contraction — then there is power to reveal His divinity, blessed be He, through the contractions of the intellect from cause to effect, from higher intellect to lower intellect — to attain Him thereby. And they all have no power to reveal and give birth to any knowledge or any comprehension of Him, blessed be He, except through Emunah alone. For Emunah is the vessel and contraction of all of them. And this is the aspect of "d'leis reshus l'shum sefirah" etc. "l'arkah berochin bar minah" ("no sefirah has permission to bestow blessings except through it") — that is, except through the attribute of Malchus, which is the aspect of Emunah. For through it specifically comes the essential revelation of the knowledge of attaining His divinity, blessed be He — for at the beginning one must first precede with Emunah, which is the beginning of the contraction, as mentioned. And even afterward — when one merits to have some knowledge and comprehension drawn — it is impossible to receive Da'as except through holy Emunah. For it is forbidden to rely on intellect alone, and there is no sustaining of the intellect without Emunah. For "be'mufla mimcha al sidrosh" etc. ("seek not what is too wondrous for you") — for it is impossible to receive the intellect except through many contractions, and all the contractions are through Emunah, which is the root of all contractions, as mentioned. And therefore it is forbidden to inquire above one's level — the aspect of "be'mufla mimcha al sidrosh" etc. — so that there not be, God forbid, the aspect of profusion of light causing the breaking of vessels. For when one's intellect rushes to gaze at what one has no permission [to gaze at], and one does not wish to rely on Emunah alone — one has thereby blemished Emunah. And then, due to the profusion of the light of the intellect, the vessel of Emunah is broken, and then Emunah is damaged and falls. And then Da'as is nullified entirely — even what it was previously possible to understand — for everything returns to the aspect of Ein Sof, since the vessel and contraction — which is Emunah — is broken, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the sin of Adam the First, who ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. For through this he caused again the aspect of the Breaking of the Vessels, as is brought. For it is stated that Adam the First blemished by gazing at what he had no permission [to gaze at] — namely as mentioned. For he should have first strengthened himself with perfect Emunah, but he wished to know with his knowledge specifically — and this is the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil about which Hashem the Blessed warned him. For the Tree of Knowledge had this power: that whoever would eat of it, the evil inclination would enter him and he would desire to pursue and know and gaze at what he had no permission [to gaze at]. Through this they cause the aspect of Breaking of the Vessels, God forbid. That is: the vessel of Emunah is broken — since one does not wish to rely on Emunah alone, but wishes to know and understand specifically without Emunah. It turns out that one strips Da'as from Emunah. And when one strips Da'as from Emunah — this is the aspect of Breaking of the Vessels, the death of the Kings. For the vessels remain without lights and the lights without vessels. For Emunah is in the aspect of vessels, as mentioned, and Da'as is in the aspect of lights, as mentioned. And because of this the light is entirely nullified — for it returns to Ein Sof since it is without a vessel. And the vessels fell below, etc. And the summary of the matter is that the essential thing is Emunah in simplicity — to believe in Hashem the Blessed without any inquiries and without any wisdoms at all. And when one merits to be strong in one's Emunah for days and years, and serves Hashem the Blessed in simplicity without any wisdoms — only with Emunah and wholeheartedness — then if one merits, Hashem the Blessed will have compassion and open for one the paths of intellect, and one will be able to attain and understand a little of His knowledge, blessed be He. And even afterward, when one merits some knowledge and comprehension, one must set a boundary for one's knowledge not to gaze above at what one has no permission [to gaze at] — for "be'mufla mimcha al sidrosh" etc. — only to rely on Emunah alone. For the Emunah that precedes the comprehension is the aspect of the initial contraction of the vacated void that was before Creation — through which all the vessels and all the midos are made, as is known. These are the essential drawing and revelation of all the midos and sefiros and worlds. And even when the light is drawn into the vessels — that is, when Da'as is drawn into Emunah — one must set a limit to receive the light gradually. That is: not to gaze above one's level — more than what one's vessel can bear, more than in accordance with the strength of one's Emunah, which is one's vessel, as mentioned. For then, God forbid, profusion of light causes Breaking of Vessels — and Da'as is entirely withdrawn, and Emunah is entirely broken, and one can come to heresy (apikorsus), God forbid. For one must always strengthen oneself in Emunah, which is the foundation and sustaining of all the worlds. And Emunah is at the beginning and at the end and in the middle — in the aspect of "Ani rishon v'Ani acharon u-mibil'adai ein Elokim" ("I am first and I am last, and besides Me there is no God"). "Ani" is the aspect of Emunah, which is the aspect of Malchus, as mentioned — which is the aspect of beginning, end, and middle. And without Emunah it is impossible to know Hashem the Blessed — in the aspect of "u-mibil'adai ein Elokim", as mentioned. Now, one who is so strong in Emunah that he afterward merits to understand with intellect and draws the light of the intellect into Emunah — this is the aspect of the union of the Holy One blessed be He and His Shechinah (yichud kudsha brich hu u'Shechintei). For the Holy One blessed be He is the aspect of wisdom and intellect, so to speak, and the Shechinah is the aspect of Malchus and Emunah, as mentioned. And when Emunah unites with the intellect — this is the aspect of the union of the Holy One and His Shechinah. And this is the essential sustaining and completion of all the worlds. And through this are born new intellects in the aspect of conception, suckling, and [mature] intellects (ibur, yenikah u-mochin). That is: through the intellect illuminating into Emunah, one thereby merits to give birth and reveal new comprehensions of knowledge of His exaltedness, blessed be He and blessed be His name.

Mikvaos, Halacha 1 Based on the discourse "Ki Seitzei la-Milchamah" etc. in Likutay Tinyana, Siman 82 — see the entire discourse there in brief. It is written: "achor v'kedem tzartani" ("You have hemmed me in behind and before") — this is the aspect of in-order and out-of-order. "Before" (kedem) is the aspect of in-order, the aspect of aleph-bais in order. "And behind" (v'achor) is the aspect of tav-shin-reish-kuf (Tashrak) — out of order. And this is the aspect of Adam and Chava — in-order and out-of-order — the Tetragrammaton in the spelling of alephs (milui alephin) equals in gematria mah [45] = Adam. And Chava is the aspect of Malchus, etc. And this is what we see: that sometimes things go for a person out of order. For the completeness of all things is only when they are connected and united with Him, blessed be He. For the completeness and fullness is the vitality — for a limb from which vitality has withdrawn is called "deficiency." And the vitality is the brain and the intellect, as it is written: "ha-chochmah techayeh" etc. ("wisdom gives life"). And wisdom (chochmah) is the aspect of mah — koach mah (potential of nothingness), etc. It turns out: this aspect of Malchus — Chava — when she is connected to Adam, to the aspect of mah, meaning to the Holy One blessed be He, then she has completeness, etc. And this is: "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" ("the earth is Hashem's and its fullness"). When the earth — namely the aspect of Chava, Malchus — is connected to Hashem, then she is in her fullness and completeness. And one who detaches the aspect of Chava, Malchus, for himself — who says "ana emloch" ("I will reign") — thereby divides and separates her from the Holy One blessed be He. Then she is not complete — for her essential vitality is mah, namely the intellect, as mentioned. And when one detaches Malchus for oneself, then things go out of order for one. For one is within the aspect of out-of-order, namely Malchus-Chava-Tashrak. But when this aspect of Chava is connected to Adam — to the Holy One blessed be He — then things go in order. For "b'asar d'is dechur, nukbei lo isdakar taman" ("where there is male, the female is not mentioned there"). It turns out: the aspect of Chava out-of-order is nullified through Adam in-order. And the aspect of in-order is called yud, etc. And when one detaches the dalet for oneself, etc., then it becomes out-of-order for one — dalet-vav-yud, etc. One should do teshuvah and humble oneself and be in the aspect of mah, etc. And then Chava returns to the aspect of Adam, to the aspect of mah — and becomes in-order — the aspect of "achor v'kedem", etc. And the essential teshuvah is in the month of Elul — in the forty days when Moshe went up to receive the second Tablets. And he made a trodden path for teshuvah — to return and bring back the aspect of out-of-order to the aspect of in-order. For this is the essential aspect of teshuvah, as is understood from the said discourse. And Moshe connected himself even to the lowest of Israel, etc. Also at each and every ascent he found the Name of Hashem the Blessed there. And this is the aspect of Chirik and Segol, etc., the aspect of "v'sakosi kafi" etc. ("and I will cover you with My hand") and "v'ra'isa es achorai" etc. ("and you shall see My back"), etc. — see the entire discourse there and understand well, for it is very very deep. And this is the aspect of the mikveh that purifies from all impurities. For all kinds of impurity — and especially the impurity of Niddah — are drawn from the impurity of the serpent through the sin of Adam the First. Through this he drew impurity into the world. And the essential sin was that he drew the aspect of Chava, Malchus, for himself and did not connect her to Hashem the Blessed — and said "ana emloch". For this was the essential counsel of the serpent, as it is written: "vi'hiyisem ke-Elokim" etc. ("and you shall be like God") — meaning that if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge they would be like God, as Rashi explained: creators of worlds like Him. And this is the aspect of "ana emloch". For they listened to his evil counsel in order to be like God — namely that they themselves could create worlds and reign and rule — the aspect of "ana emloch". For Elokim is a term of rulership and kingship, as is known. And for this reason the serpent went to Chava first — because Chava is in the aspect of out-of-order, as mentioned. Therefore he gripped her more and incited her to detach the aspect of Malchus out-of-order for herself — namely to separate it from Hashem the Blessed. And afterward she incited Adam as well until he also ate and also separated himself from Hashem the Blessed from the aspect of in-order, and fell to the aspect of out-of-order — because he wanted to be like God, to reign himself, the aspect of "ana emloch", the aspect of "vi'hiyisem ke-Elokim" as mentioned. And because they then fell to the aspect of out-of-order and their vitality was removed from them — the aspect of "ki b'yom achalcha mimenu mos tamus" ("for on the day you eat of it you shall surely die") — because of this all impurities flow, coming from the impurity of the serpent who cast impurity into Chava. For the vitality from Hashem the Blessed is the holiness — for wisdom (chochmah), which is vitality, is called "holy" (kodesh), as is known. And when the vitality — which is wisdom, which is holiness — was withdrawn, impurity flowed in its place. And therefore she was then cursed with the blood of Niddah — which is the strengthening of the impurity through which she is separated from her husband, and the aspect of out-of-order is separated from the aspect of in-order, Chava from Adam. For she brought this upon herself — by saying "ana emloch" and separating the aspect of out-of-order for herself. Therefore it is impossible to become purified from the impurity except through the waters of the mikveh — which are the aspect of the waters of Da'as, the aspect of "ki mala'ah ha-aretz de'ah es Hashem ka-mayim la-yam mechasim". And through this — that a person enters the mikveh and becomes covered and concealed therein — one thereby nullifies oneself in the aspect of mah, in the aspect of ayin (nothingness), as if one is not in the world at all. And one is included in the aspect of mah — which is the aspect of Adam, the aspect of wisdom — which is the aspect of the waters of the mikveh, the aspect of wisdom and Da'as, as mentioned. For the waters are in the aspect of "before" (kedem) — in-order. For the waters preceded the world. And the beginning of the order of creation — which is the aspect of aleph-bais in order — began from them. Therefore when one enters the waters and becomes covered and concealed in the waters — one is included and nullified into the aspect of mah, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of "before," the aspect of in-order. And all the impurities drawn from the aspect of out-of-order — the aspect of "ana emloch" — are nullified into the aspect of in-order, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of holiness. And therefore through the mikveh one is purified from all kinds of impurity in the world. For all kinds of impurity come from the aspect of out-of-order — the withdrawal of vitality of holiness, etc., as mentioned. And through immersion in the mikveh, the out-of-order is included and nullified into the aspect of in-order — which is the waters of the mikveh, as mentioned. And through this one rises from impurity to purity, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the forty se'ah of the mikveh — corresponding to the forty days of receiving the Second Tablets. During which Moshe Rabbeinu made a trodden path for teshuvah — to return and bring the aspect of out-of-order back to the aspect of in-order. This is the essential aspect of teshuvah, as is understood from the said discourse. And this is what is brought in the holy Zohar: that teshuvah is tashuv-heh — to return the lower heh to its place. That is: to return the lower heh, which is the aspect of Malchus-Chava out-of-order, to return and bring it back to its place — to the aspect of the first three letters which are aleph-bais in order, as is known. And therefore the waters of the mikveh only purify when they are on the ground specifically. For the essential [power of] the mikveh is in the aspect of mah, the aspect of lowliness, as mentioned. Therefore they must be within the earth specifically — which is the aspect of lowliness. For "waters only flow to the low" — namely to one who is humble and lowly. For the waters are the aspect of Da'as, as mentioned — and the essential Da'as comes from the aspect of mah, which is the aspect of lowliness. Therefore they only flow to the low. And this is what the Sages of blessed memory compared the Torah — which is Da'as — to waters in regard to lowliness, and said: "mah mayim ein yordin ela el ha-namuch — af divrei Torah" etc. ("just as water only flows to the low — so too words of Torah") etc. — as mentioned. For in truth they are all one. For the waters — which are the aspect of Da'as, the aspect of Torah — only flow and go to the low: to one who is low in one's own eyes, in the aspect of mah. For the essential Da'as is the aspect of mah, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" brought in the said discourse: "la-Hashem ha-aretz" specifically — that is, one who makes himself like dust and earth — it is specifically one who is connected to Hashem, the aspect of mah, Adam, Da'as, as mentioned. Then one is "u-melo'ah" — in fullness and completeness, etc., as explained there. And this is the aspect of "melo kol ha-aretz kevodo" ("the whole earth is full of His glory") — "melo kol ha-aretz" specifically: one who is like earth and dust — it is specifically one who is full of His glory, blessed be He, in the aspect of "eshkon es dach" etc. ("I dwell with the contrite"). For when one has pride, God forbid, Hashem the Blessed is not with one — for "ein ani v'hu yekholin la-dur" ("I and he cannot dwell together"), as the Sages of blessed memory said (Sotah 4). And therefore the waters of the mikveh only purify when on the ground specifically — for the essential purification [comes] through the aspect of mah, the aspect of lowliness, the aspect of earth, as mentioned. And therefore the formation of the mikveh must be by Heaven and not by human hands. For all the works of Hashem the Blessed are in the aspect of in-order. And all the works of the lower beings are in the aspect of out-of-order. For all the worlds, in comparison to Hashem the Blessed, are in the aspect of out-of-order — compared to Him, blessed be He. And because through the mikveh the aspect of out-of-order must be nullified into the aspect of in-order, therefore the formation of the mikveh must be by Heaven specifically — which is the aspect of in-order — so that it should have the power to purify. That is: to nullify through the mikveh the aspect of out-of-order into the aspect of in-order, as mentioned. And therefore spring water (mei ma'yan) is more important than a mikveh of rainwater. For the rain that falls from the sky to the earth — because it has passed through the atmosphere of this world, which is the aspect of out-of-order — therefore: even though when it falls upon the earth into a pool dug in the earth, they are in the aspect of in-order because they have descended to the low place, to the aspect of lowliness and mah, as mentioned — even so, spring water is more important than them. Because spring water issues and flows from its source — from a well of living waters, from the source of Da'as — and is adjacent to the earth from its source and the atmosphere of the world has not dominated it. Therefore it is more connected to the aspect of in-order. For the waters kept within the power of the earth's soil — in every place where one digs and finds water — these waters are the aspect of the drawing of divine vitality, which is the aspect of Da'as, that revives the earth and all within it. And this is the aspect of "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" — for the waters fill, complete, and revive the earth and all upon it. For the waters are the aspect of the drawing of His vitality, blessed be He, as mentioned. And therefore a well of living waters (be'er mayim chaim) is very precious. For wherever living spring water is found — through this a well is opened above, and His divinity, blessed be He, is thereby revealed, as is brought in the sacred writings. For the waters of the wells that are revealed within the earth are the aspect of the drawing of His vitality, blessed be He, as mentioned. And when a well is revealed — His vitality, blessed be He, is revealed, so to speak — for He, blessed be He, revives them all. And therefore the First Fathers — who began to reveal His divinity, blessed be He, in the world — were always engaged in digging wells. For they began to reveal His divinity, blessed be He, in the world. Therefore they dug wells — which are the aspect of the revelation of His divinity, blessed be He, that He revives them all, as mentioned. And therefore the Philistines struggled to block up the wells, as it is written: "v'chol ha-be'eros asher chafru b'yemei Avraham aviv sitmum Pelishtim va-yemale'um afar" etc. ("and all the wells that they dug in the days of his father Avraham, the Philistines stopped up and filled them with earth"). For they wanted to corrupt the rectifications of the revelation of His divinity, blessed be He, that Avraham Avinu had drawn into the world through the digging of the wells. And Yitzchak strengthened and redug them, as it is written: "va-yashav Yitzchak va-yachpor es ha-be'eros" etc. ("and Yitzchak returned and dug the wells"). And therefore the essential beginning of the drawing close of Israel to their Father in Heaven is through immersion in the mikveh. For all who wish to go from impurity to purity must immerse in a mikveh. And likewise Israel before the giving of the Torah was required to immerse in a mikveh — which is the aspect of the mikveh of Shavuos. And likewise a convert who comes to convert and wishes to enter the holiness of Israel must immerse in a mikveh. For the essential drawing close of Israel to Hashem the Blessed is the aspect mentioned above: to connect and bring close the aspect of out-of-order to the aspect of in-order — which is the aspect of the joining of Knesses Yisrael with her Beloved, the aspect of the drawing close of Israel to their Father in Heaven. And this is accomplished through immersion in the mikveh — through which they are concealed and covered from the appearance of this world entirely, and are included in Ein Sof, in the aspect of mah, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of Adam in-order. And therefore the mikveh saves from all troubles, as our Rebbe of blessed memory said elsewhere: the aspect of "mikveh Yisrael Hashem moshi'o b'eis tzarah" ("O hope of Israel, Hashem, His savior in time of distress"). For all troubles, God forbid, come from the aspect of out-of-order — through which things go out of order for one and one has some pain, God forbid. And through immersion in the mikveh — through which the aspect of out-of-order returns to the aspect of in-order — thereby all troubles are nullified. For the aspect of out-of-order is nullified and is included within the aspect of in-order — and everything becomes in-order, as mentioned. And this is "mikveh Yisrael Hashem" — for the mikveh is the aspect of in-order, which is the aspect of Heh, the aspect of the Tetragrammaton in the spelling of alephs (milui alephin), as mentioned. And through this He saves in time of distress, as mentioned. And this is what the Sages of blessed memory said on this verse: "mah mikveh metaher es ha-tamei'm — af ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu metaher es Yisrael" ("just as the mikveh purifies the impure — so too the Holy One blessed be He purifies Israel"). For they are all one — for the waters of the mikveh are the aspect of the waters of Da'as, which are the aspect of the drawing of the vitality of the Holy One blessed be He, so to speak, the aspect of in-order. Through this is the essential purification — for everything becomes in-order, as mentioned. Amen and Amen. [End of Mikvaos, Halacha 1]

Mikvaos, Halacha 1 Based on the discourse "Ki Seitzei la-Milchamah" etc. in Likutay Tinyana, Siman 82 — see the entire discourse there in brief. It is written: "achor v'kedem tzartani" ("You have hemmed me in behind and before") — this is the aspect of in-order and out-of-order. "Before" (kedem) is the aspect of in-order, the aspect of aleph-bais in order. "And behind" (v'achor) is the aspect of tav-shin-reish-kuf (Tashrak) — out of order. And this is the aspect of Adam and Chava — in-order and out-of-order — the Tetragrammaton in the spelling of alephs (milui alephin) equals in gematria mah [45] = Adam. And Chava is the aspect of Malchus, etc. And this is what we see: that sometimes things go for a person out of order. For the completeness of all things is only when they are connected and united with Him, blessed be He. For the completeness and fullness is the vitality — for a limb from which vitality has withdrawn is called "deficiency." And the vitality is the brain and the intellect, as it is written: "ha-chochmah techayeh" etc. ("wisdom gives life"). And wisdom (chochmah) is the aspect of mah — koach mah (potential of nothingness), etc. It turns out: this aspect of Malchus — Chava — when she is connected to Adam, to the aspect of mah, meaning to the Holy One blessed be He, then she has completeness, etc. And this is: "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" ("the earth is Hashem's and its fullness"). When the earth — namely the aspect of Chava, Malchus — is connected to Hashem, then she is in her fullness and completeness. And one who detaches the aspect of Chava, Malchus, for himself — who says "ana emloch" ("I will reign") — thereby divides and separates her from the Holy One blessed be He. Then she is not complete — for her essential vitality is mah, namely the intellect, as mentioned. And when one detaches Malchus for oneself, then things go out of order for one. For one is within the aspect of out-of-order, namely Malchus-Chava-Tashrak. But when this aspect of Chava is connected to Adam — to the Holy One blessed be He — then things go in order. For "b'asar d'is dechur, nukbei lo isdakar taman" ("where there is male, the female is not mentioned there"). It turns out: the aspect of Chava out-of-order is nullified through Adam in-order. And the aspect of in-order is called yud, etc. And when one detaches the dalet for oneself, etc., then it becomes out-of-order for one — dalet-vav-yud, etc. One should do teshuvah and humble oneself and be in the aspect of mah, etc. And then Chava returns to the aspect of Adam, to the aspect of mah — and becomes in-order — the aspect of "achor v'kedem", etc. And the essential teshuvah is in the month of Elul — in the forty days when Moshe went up to receive the second Tablets. And he made a trodden path for teshuvah — to return and bring back the aspect of out-of-order to the aspect of in-order. For this is the essential aspect of teshuvah, as is understood from the said discourse. And Moshe connected himself even to the lowest of Israel, etc. Also at each and every ascent he found the Name of Hashem the Blessed there. And this is the aspect of Chirik and Segol, etc., the aspect of "v'sakosi kafi" etc. ("and I will cover you with My hand") and "v'ra'isa es achorai" etc. ("and you shall see My back"), etc. — see the entire discourse there and understand well, for it is very very deep. And this is the aspect of the mikveh that purifies from all impurities. For all kinds of impurity — and especially the impurity of Niddah — are drawn from the impurity of the serpent through the sin of Adam the First. Through this he drew impurity into the world. And the essential sin was that he drew the aspect of Chava, Malchus, for himself and did not connect her to Hashem the Blessed — and said "ana emloch". For this was the essential counsel of the serpent, as it is written: "vi'hiyisem ke-Elokim" etc. ("and you shall be like God") — meaning that if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge they would be like God, as Rashi explained: creators of worlds like Him. And this is the aspect of "ana emloch". For they listened to his evil counsel in order to be like God — namely that they themselves could create worlds and reign and rule — the aspect of "ana emloch". For Elokim is a term of rulership and kingship, as is known. And for this reason the serpent went to Chava first — because Chava is in the aspect of out-of-order, as mentioned. Therefore he gripped her more and incited her to detach the aspect of Malchus out-of-order for herself — namely to separate it from Hashem the Blessed. And afterward she incited Adam as well until he also ate and also separated himself from Hashem the Blessed from the aspect of in-order, and fell to the aspect of out-of-order — because he wanted to be like God, to reign himself, the aspect of "ana emloch", the aspect of "vi'hiyisem ke-Elokim" as mentioned. And because they then fell to the aspect of out-of-order and their vitality was removed from them — the aspect of "ki b'yom achalcha mimenu mos tamus" ("for on the day you eat of it you shall surely die") — because of this all impurities flow, coming from the impurity of the serpent who cast impurity into Chava. For the vitality from Hashem the Blessed is the holiness — for wisdom (chochmah), which is vitality, is called "holy" (kodesh), as is known. And when the vitality — which is wisdom, which is holiness — was withdrawn, impurity flowed in its place. And therefore she was then cursed with the blood of Niddah — which is the strengthening of the impurity through which she is separated from her husband, and the aspect of out-of-order is separated from the aspect of in-order, Chava from Adam. For she brought this upon herself — by saying "ana emloch" and separating the aspect of out-of-order for herself. Therefore it is impossible to become purified from the impurity except through the waters of the mikveh — which are the aspect of the waters of Da'as, the aspect of "ki mala'ah ha-aretz de'ah es Hashem ka-mayim la-yam mechasim". And through this — that a person enters the mikveh and becomes covered and concealed therein — one thereby nullifies oneself in the aspect of mah, in the aspect of ayin (nothingness), as if one is not in the world at all. And one is included in the aspect of mah — which is the aspect of Adam, the aspect of wisdom — which is the aspect of the waters of the mikveh, the aspect of wisdom and Da'as, as mentioned. For the waters are in the aspect of "before" (kedem) — in-order. For the waters preceded the world. And the beginning of the order of creation — which is the aspect of aleph-bais in order — began from them. Therefore when one enters the waters and becomes covered and concealed in the waters — one is included and nullified into the aspect of mah, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of "before," the aspect of in-order. And all the impurities drawn from the aspect of out-of-order — the aspect of "ana emloch" — are nullified into the aspect of in-order, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of holiness. And therefore through the mikveh one is purified from all kinds of impurity in the world. For all kinds of impurity come from the aspect of out-of-order — the withdrawal of vitality of holiness, etc., as mentioned. And through immersion in the mikveh, the out-of-order is included and nullified into the aspect of in-order — which is the waters of the mikveh, as mentioned. And through this one rises from impurity to purity, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the forty se'ah of the mikveh — corresponding to the forty days of receiving the Second Tablets. During which Moshe Rabbeinu made a trodden path for teshuvah — to return and bring the aspect of out-of-order back to the aspect of in-order. This is the essential aspect of teshuvah, as is understood from the said discourse. And this is what is brought in the holy Zohar: that teshuvah is tashuv-heh — to return the lower heh to its place. That is: to return the lower heh, which is the aspect of Malchus-Chava out-of-order, to return and bring it back to its place — to the aspect of the first three letters which are aleph-bais in order, as is known. And therefore the waters of the mikveh only purify when they are on the ground specifically. For the essential [power of] the mikveh is in the aspect of mah, the aspect of lowliness, as mentioned. Therefore they must be within the earth specifically — which is the aspect of lowliness. For "waters only flow to the low" — namely to one who is humble and lowly. For the waters are the aspect of Da'as, as mentioned — and the essential Da'as comes from the aspect of mah, which is the aspect of lowliness. Therefore they only flow to the low. And this is what the Sages of blessed memory compared the Torah — which is Da'as — to waters in regard to lowliness, and said: "mah mayim ein yordin ela el ha-namuch — af divrei Torah" etc. ("just as water only flows to the low — so too words of Torah") etc. — as mentioned. For in truth they are all one. For the waters — which are the aspect of Da'as, the aspect of Torah — only flow and go to the low: to one who is low in one's own eyes, in the aspect of mah. For the essential Da'as is the aspect of mah, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" brought in the said discourse: "la-Hashem ha-aretz" specifically — that is, one who makes himself like dust and earth — it is specifically one who is connected to Hashem, the aspect of mah, Adam, Da'as, as mentioned. Then one is "u-melo'ah" — in fullness and completeness, etc., as explained there. And this is the aspect of "melo kol ha-aretz kevodo" ("the whole earth is full of His glory") — "melo kol ha-aretz" specifically: one who is like earth and dust — it is specifically one who is full of His glory, blessed be He, in the aspect of "eshkon es dach" etc. ("I dwell with the contrite"). For when one has pride, God forbid, Hashem the Blessed is not with one — for "ein ani v'hu yekholin la-dur" ("I and he cannot dwell together"), as the Sages of blessed memory said (Sotah 4). And therefore the waters of the mikveh only purify when on the ground specifically — for the essential purification [comes] through the aspect of mah, the aspect of lowliness, the aspect of earth, as mentioned. And therefore the formation of the mikveh must be by Heaven and not by human hands. For all the works of Hashem the Blessed are in the aspect of in-order. And all the works of the lower beings are in the aspect of out-of-order. For all the worlds, in comparison to Hashem the Blessed, are in the aspect of out-of-order — compared to Him, blessed be He. And because through the mikveh the aspect of out-of-order must be nullified into the aspect of in-order, therefore the formation of the mikveh must be by Heaven specifically — which is the aspect of in-order — so that it should have the power to purify. That is: to nullify through the mikveh the aspect of out-of-order into the aspect of in-order, as mentioned. And therefore spring water (mei ma'yan) is more important than a mikveh of rainwater. For the rain that falls from the sky to the earth — because it has passed through the atmosphere of this world, which is the aspect of out-of-order — therefore: even though when it falls upon the earth into a pool dug in the earth, they are in the aspect of in-order because they have descended to the low place, to the aspect of lowliness and mah, as mentioned — even so, spring water is more important than them. Because spring water issues and flows from its source — from a well of living waters, from the source of Da'as — and is adjacent to the earth from its source and the atmosphere of the world has not dominated it. Therefore it is more connected to the aspect of in-order. For the waters kept within the power of the earth's soil — in every place where one digs and finds water — these waters are the aspect of the drawing of divine vitality, which is the aspect of Da'as, that revives the earth and all within it. And this is the aspect of "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" — for the waters fill, complete, and revive the earth and all upon it. For the waters are the aspect of the drawing of His vitality, blessed be He, as mentioned. And therefore a well of living waters (be'er mayim chaim) is very precious. For wherever living spring water is found — through this a well is opened above, and His divinity, blessed be He, is thereby revealed, as is brought in the sacred writings. For the waters of the wells that are revealed within the earth are the aspect of the drawing of His vitality, blessed be He, as mentioned. And when a well is revealed — His vitality, blessed be He, is revealed, so to speak — for He, blessed be He, revives them all. And therefore the First Fathers — who began to reveal His divinity, blessed be He, in the world — were always engaged in digging wells. For they began to reveal His divinity, blessed be He, in the world. Therefore they dug wells — which are the aspect of the revelation of His divinity, blessed be He, that He revives them all, as mentioned. And therefore the Philistines struggled to block up the wells, as it is written: "v'chol ha-be'eros asher chafru b'yemei Avraham aviv sitmum Pelishtim va-yemale'um afar" etc. ("and all the wells that they dug in the days of his father Avraham, the Philistines stopped up and filled them with earth"). For they wanted to corrupt the rectifications of the revelation of His divinity, blessed be He, that Avraham Avinu had drawn into the world through the digging of the wells. And Yitzchak strengthened and redug them, as it is written: "va-yashav Yitzchak va-yachpor es ha-be'eros" etc. ("and Yitzchak returned and dug the wells"). And therefore the essential beginning of the drawing close of Israel to their Father in Heaven is through immersion in the mikveh. For all who wish to go from impurity to purity must immerse in a mikveh. And likewise Israel before the giving of the Torah was required to immerse in a mikveh — which is the aspect of the mikveh of Shavuos. And likewise a convert who comes to convert and wishes to enter the holiness of Israel must immerse in a mikveh. For the essential drawing close of Israel to Hashem the Blessed is the aspect mentioned above: to connect and bring close the aspect of out-of-order to the aspect of in-order — which is the aspect of the joining of Knesses Yisrael with her Beloved, the aspect of the drawing close of Israel to their Father in Heaven. And this is accomplished through immersion in the mikveh — through which they are concealed and covered from the appearance of this world entirely, and are included in Ein Sof, in the aspect of mah, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of Adam in-order. And therefore the mikveh saves from all troubles, as our Rebbe of blessed memory said elsewhere: the aspect of "mikveh Yisrael Hashem moshi'o b'eis tzarah" ("O hope of Israel, Hashem, His savior in time of distress"). For all troubles, God forbid, come from the aspect of out-of-order — through which things go out of order for one and one has some pain, God forbid. And through immersion in the mikveh — through which the aspect of out-of-order returns to the aspect of in-order — thereby all troubles are nullified. For the aspect of out-of-order is nullified and is included within the aspect of in-order — and everything becomes in-order, as mentioned. And this is "mikveh Yisrael Hashem" — for the mikveh is the aspect of in-order, which is the aspect of Heh, the aspect of the Tetragrammaton in the spelling of alephs (milui alephin), as mentioned. And through this He saves in time of distress, as mentioned. And this is what the Sages of blessed memory said on this verse: "mah mikveh metaher es ha-tamei'm — af ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu metaher es Yisrael" ("just as the mikveh purifies the impure — so too the Holy One blessed be He purifies Israel"). For they are all one — for the waters of the mikveh are the aspect of the waters of Da'as, which are the aspect of the drawing of the vitality of the Holy One blessed be He, so to speak, the aspect of in-order. Through this is the essential purification — for everything becomes in-order, as mentioned. Amen and Amen. [End of Mikvaos, Halacha 1]

Mikvaos, Halacha 1 Based on the discourse "Ki Seitzei la-Milchamah" etc. in Likutay Tinyana, Siman 82 — see the entire discourse there in brief. It is written: "achor v'kedem tzartani" ("You have hemmed me in behind and before") — this is the aspect of in-order and out-of-order. "Before" (kedem) is the aspect of in-order, the aspect of aleph-bais in order. "And behind" (v'achor) is the aspect of tav-shin-reish-kuf (Tashrak) — out of order. And this is the aspect of Adam and Chava — in-order and out-of-order — the Tetragrammaton in the spelling of alephs (milui alephin) equals in gematria mah [45] = Adam. And Chava is the aspect of Malchus, etc. And this is what we see: that sometimes things go for a person out of order. For the completeness of all things is only when they are connected and united with Him, blessed be He. For the completeness and fullness is the vitality — for a limb from which vitality has withdrawn is called "deficiency." And the vitality is the brain and the intellect, as it is written: "ha-chochmah techayeh" etc. ("wisdom gives life"). And wisdom (chochmah) is the aspect of mah — koach mah (potential of nothingness), etc. It turns out: this aspect of Malchus — Chava — when she is connected to Adam, to the aspect of mah, meaning to the Holy One blessed be He, then she has completeness, etc. And this is: "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" ("the earth is Hashem's and its fullness"). When the earth — namely the aspect of Chava, Malchus — is connected to Hashem, then she is in her fullness and completeness. And one who detaches the aspect of Chava, Malchus, for himself — who says "ana emloch" ("I will reign") — thereby divides and separates her from the Holy One blessed be He. Then she is not complete — for her essential vitality is mah, namely the intellect, as mentioned. And when one detaches Malchus for oneself, then things go out of order for one. For one is within the aspect of out-of-order, namely Malchus-Chava-Tashrak. But when this aspect of Chava is connected to Adam — to the Holy One blessed be He — then things go in order. For "b'asar d'is dechur, nukbei lo isdakar taman" ("where there is male, the female is not mentioned there"). It turns out: the aspect of Chava out-of-order is nullified through Adam in-order. And the aspect of in-order is called yud, etc. And when one detaches the dalet for oneself, etc., then it becomes out-of-order for one — dalet-vav-yud, etc. One should do teshuvah and humble oneself and be in the aspect of mah, etc. And then Chava returns to the aspect of Adam, to the aspect of mah — and becomes in-order — the aspect of "achor v'kedem", etc. And the essential teshuvah is in the month of Elul — in the forty days when Moshe went up to receive the second Tablets. And he made a trodden path for teshuvah — to return and bring back the aspect of out-of-order to the aspect of in-order. For this is the essential aspect of teshuvah, as is understood from the said discourse. And Moshe connected himself even to the lowest of Israel, etc. Also at each and every ascent he found the Name of Hashem the Blessed there. And this is the aspect of Chirik and Segol, etc., the aspect of "v'sakosi kafi" etc. ("and I will cover you with My hand") and "v'ra'isa es achorai" etc. ("and you shall see My back"), etc. — see the entire discourse there and understand well, for it is very very deep. And this is the aspect of the mikveh that purifies from all impurities. For all kinds of impurity — and especially the impurity of Niddah — are drawn from the impurity of the serpent through the sin of Adam the First. Through this he drew impurity into the world. And the essential sin was that he drew the aspect of Chava, Malchus, for himself and did not connect her to Hashem the Blessed — and said "ana emloch". For this was the essential counsel of the serpent, as it is written: "vi'hiyisem ke-Elokim" etc. ("and you shall be like God") — meaning that if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge they would be like God, as Rashi explained: creators of worlds like Him. And this is the aspect of "ana emloch". For they listened to his evil counsel in order to be like God — namely that they themselves could create worlds and reign and rule — the aspect of "ana emloch". For Elokim is a term of rulership and kingship, as is known. And for this reason the serpent went to Chava first — because Chava is in the aspect of out-of-order, as mentioned. Therefore he gripped her more and incited her to detach the aspect of Malchus out-of-order for herself — namely to separate it from Hashem the Blessed. And afterward she incited Adam as well until he also ate and also separated himself from Hashem the Blessed from the aspect of in-order, and fell to the aspect of out-of-order — because he wanted to be like God, to reign himself, the aspect of "ana emloch", the aspect of "vi'hiyisem ke-Elokim" as mentioned. And because they then fell to the aspect of out-of-order and their vitality was removed from them — the aspect of "ki b'yom achalcha mimenu mos tamus" ("for on the day you eat of it you shall surely die") — because of this all impurities flow, coming from the impurity of the serpent who cast impurity into Chava. For the vitality from Hashem the Blessed is the holiness — for wisdom (chochmah), which is vitality, is called "holy" (kodesh), as is known. And when the vitality — which is wisdom, which is holiness — was withdrawn, impurity flowed in its place. And therefore she was then cursed with the blood of Niddah — which is the strengthening of the impurity through which she is separated from her husband, and the aspect of out-of-order is separated from the aspect of in-order, Chava from Adam. For she brought this upon herself — by saying "ana emloch" and separating the aspect of out-of-order for herself. Therefore it is impossible to become purified from the impurity except through the waters of the mikveh — which are the aspect of the waters of Da'as, the aspect of "ki mala'ah ha-aretz de'ah es Hashem ka-mayim la-yam mechasim". And through this — that a person enters the mikveh and becomes covered and concealed therein — one thereby nullifies oneself in the aspect of mah, in the aspect of ayin (nothingness), as if one is not in the world at all. And one is included in the aspect of mah — which is the aspect of Adam, the aspect of wisdom — which is the aspect of the waters of the mikveh, the aspect of wisdom and Da'as, as mentioned. For the waters are in the aspect of "before" (kedem) — in-order. For the waters preceded the world. And the beginning of the order of creation — which is the aspect of aleph-bais in order — began from them. Therefore when one enters the waters and becomes covered and concealed in the waters — one is included and nullified into the aspect of mah, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of "before," the aspect of in-order. And all the impurities drawn from the aspect of out-of-order — the aspect of "ana emloch" — are nullified into the aspect of in-order, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of holiness. And therefore through the mikveh one is purified from all kinds of impurity in the world. For all kinds of impurity come from the aspect of out-of-order — the withdrawal of vitality of holiness, etc., as mentioned. And through immersion in the mikveh, the out-of-order is included and nullified into the aspect of in-order — which is the waters of the mikveh, as mentioned. And through this one rises from impurity to purity, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the forty se'ah of the mikveh — corresponding to the forty days of receiving the Second Tablets. During which Moshe Rabbeinu made a trodden path for teshuvah — to return and bring the aspect of out-of-order back to the aspect of in-order. This is the essential aspect of teshuvah, as is understood from the said discourse. And this is what is brought in the holy Zohar: that teshuvah is tashuv-heh — to return the lower heh to its place. That is: to return the lower heh, which is the aspect of Malchus-Chava out-of-order, to return and bring it back to its place — to the aspect of the first three letters which are aleph-bais in order, as is known. And therefore the waters of the mikveh only purify when they are on the ground specifically. For the essential [power of] the mikveh is in the aspect of mah, the aspect of lowliness, as mentioned. Therefore they must be within the earth specifically — which is the aspect of lowliness. For "waters only flow to the low" — namely to one who is humble and lowly. For the waters are the aspect of Da'as, as mentioned — and the essential Da'as comes from the aspect of mah, which is the aspect of lowliness. Therefore they only flow to the low. And this is what the Sages of blessed memory compared the Torah — which is Da'as — to waters in regard to lowliness, and said: "mah mayim ein yordin ela el ha-namuch — af divrei Torah" etc. ("just as water only flows to the low — so too words of Torah") etc. — as mentioned. For in truth they are all one. For the waters — which are the aspect of Da'as, the aspect of Torah — only flow and go to the low: to one who is low in one's own eyes, in the aspect of mah. For the essential Da'as is the aspect of mah, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" brought in the said discourse: "la-Hashem ha-aretz" specifically — that is, one who makes himself like dust and earth — it is specifically one who is connected to Hashem, the aspect of mah, Adam, Da'as, as mentioned. Then one is "u-melo'ah" — in fullness and completeness, etc., as explained there. And this is the aspect of "melo kol ha-aretz kevodo" ("the whole earth is full of His glory") — "melo kol ha-aretz" specifically: one who is like earth and dust — it is specifically one who is full of His glory, blessed be He, in the aspect of "eshkon es dach" etc. ("I dwell with the contrite"). For when one has pride, God forbid, Hashem the Blessed is not with one — for "ein ani v'hu yekholin la-dur" ("I and he cannot dwell together"), as the Sages of blessed memory said (Sotah 4). And therefore the waters of the mikveh only purify when on the ground specifically — for the essential purification [comes] through the aspect of mah, the aspect of lowliness, the aspect of earth, as mentioned. And therefore the formation of the mikveh must be by Heaven and not by human hands. For all the works of Hashem the Blessed are in the aspect of in-order. And all the works of the lower beings are in the aspect of out-of-order. For all the worlds, in comparison to Hashem the Blessed, are in the aspect of out-of-order — compared to Him, blessed be He. And because through the mikveh the aspect of out-of-order must be nullified into the aspect of in-order, therefore the formation of the mikveh must be by Heaven specifically — which is the aspect of in-order — so that it should have the power to purify. That is: to nullify through the mikveh the aspect of out-of-order into the aspect of in-order, as mentioned. And therefore spring water (mei ma'yan) is more important than a mikveh of rainwater. For the rain that falls from the sky to the earth — because it has passed through the atmosphere of this world, which is the aspect of out-of-order — therefore: even though when it falls upon the earth into a pool dug in the earth, they are in the aspect of in-order because they have descended to the low place, to the aspect of lowliness and mah, as mentioned — even so, spring water is more important than them. Because spring water issues and flows from its source — from a well of living waters, from the source of Da'as — and is adjacent to the earth from its source and the atmosphere of the world has not dominated it. Therefore it is more connected to the aspect of in-order. For the waters kept within the power of the earth's soil — in every place where one digs and finds water — these waters are the aspect of the drawing of divine vitality, which is the aspect of Da'as, that revives the earth and all within it. And this is the aspect of "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" — for the waters fill, complete, and revive the earth and all upon it. For the waters are the aspect of the drawing of His vitality, blessed be He, as mentioned. And therefore a well of living waters (be'er mayim chaim) is very precious. For wherever living spring water is found — through this a well is opened above, and His divinity, blessed be He, is thereby revealed, as is brought in the sacred writings. For the waters of the wells that are revealed within the earth are the aspect of the drawing of His vitality, blessed be He, as mentioned. And when a well is revealed — His vitality, blessed be He, is revealed, so to speak — for He, blessed be He, revives them all. And therefore the First Fathers — who began to reveal His divinity, blessed be He, in the world — were always engaged in digging wells. For they began to reveal His divinity, blessed be He, in the world. Therefore they dug wells — which are the aspect of the revelation of His divinity, blessed be He, that He revives them all, as mentioned. And therefore the Philistines struggled to block up the wells, as it is written: "v'chol ha-be'eros asher chafru b'yemei Avraham aviv sitmum Pelishtim va-yemale'um afar" etc. ("and all the wells that they dug in the days of his father Avraham, the Philistines stopped up and filled them with earth"). For they wanted to corrupt the rectifications of the revelation of His divinity, blessed be He, that Avraham Avinu had drawn into the world through the digging of the wells. And Yitzchak strengthened and redug them, as it is written: "va-yashav Yitzchak va-yachpor es ha-be'eros" etc. ("and Yitzchak returned and dug the wells"). And therefore the essential beginning of the drawing close of Israel to their Father in Heaven is through immersion in the mikveh. For all who wish to go from impurity to purity must immerse in a mikveh. And likewise Israel before the giving of the Torah was required to immerse in a mikveh — which is the aspect of the mikveh of Shavuos. And likewise a convert who comes to convert and wishes to enter the holiness of Israel must immerse in a mikveh. For the essential drawing close of Israel to Hashem the Blessed is the aspect mentioned above: to connect and bring close the aspect of out-of-order to the aspect of in-order — which is the aspect of the joining of Knesses Yisrael with her Beloved, the aspect of the drawing close of Israel to their Father in Heaven. And this is accomplished through immersion in the mikveh — through which they are concealed and covered from the appearance of this world entirely, and are included in Ein Sof, in the aspect of mah, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of Adam in-order. And therefore the mikveh saves from all troubles, as our Rebbe of blessed memory said elsewhere: the aspect of "mikveh Yisrael Hashem moshi'o b'eis tzarah" ("O hope of Israel, Hashem, His savior in time of distress"). For all troubles, God forbid, come from the aspect of out-of-order — through which things go out of order for one and one has some pain, God forbid. And through immersion in the mikveh — through which the aspect of out-of-order returns to the aspect of in-order — thereby all troubles are nullified. For the aspect of out-of-order is nullified and is included within the aspect of in-order — and everything becomes in-order, as mentioned. And this is "mikveh Yisrael Hashem" — for the mikveh is the aspect of in-order, which is the aspect of Heh, the aspect of the Tetragrammaton in the spelling of alephs (milui alephin), as mentioned. And through this He saves in time of distress, as mentioned. And this is what the Sages of blessed memory said on this verse: "mah mikveh metaher es ha-tamei'm — af ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu metaher es Yisrael" ("just as the mikveh purifies the impure — so too the Holy One blessed be He purifies Israel"). For they are all one — for the waters of the mikveh are the aspect of the waters of Da'as, which are the aspect of the drawing of the vitality of the Holy One blessed be He, so to speak, the aspect of in-order. Through this is the essential purification — for everything becomes in-order, as mentioned. Amen and Amen. [End of Mikvaos, Halacha 1]

Mikvaos, Halacha 1 Based on the discourse "Ki Seitzei la-Milchamah" etc. in Likutay Tinyana, Siman 82 — see the entire discourse there in brief. It is written: "achor v'kedem tzartani" ("You have hemmed me in behind and before") — this is the aspect of in-order and out-of-order. "Before" (kedem) is the aspect of in-order, the aspect of aleph-bais in order. "And behind" (v'achor) is the aspect of tav-shin-reish-kuf (Tashrak) — out of order. And this is the aspect of Adam and Chava — in-order and out-of-order — the Tetragrammaton in the spelling of alephs (milui alephin) equals in gematria mah [45] = Adam. And Chava is the aspect of Malchus, etc. And this is what we see: that sometimes things go for a person out of order. For the completeness of all things is only when they are connected and united with Him, blessed be He. For the completeness and fullness is the vitality — for a limb from which vitality has withdrawn is called "deficiency." And the vitality is the brain and the intellect, as it is written: "ha-chochmah techayeh" etc. ("wisdom gives life"). And wisdom (chochmah) is the aspect of mah — koach mah (potential of nothingness), etc. It turns out: this aspect of Malchus — Chava — when she is connected to Adam, to the aspect of mah, meaning to the Holy One blessed be He, then she has completeness, etc. And this is: "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" ("the earth is Hashem's and its fullness"). When the earth — namely the aspect of Chava, Malchus — is connected to Hashem, then she is in her fullness and completeness. And one who detaches the aspect of Chava, Malchus, for himself — who says "ana emloch" ("I will reign") — thereby divides and separates her from the Holy One blessed be He. Then she is not complete — for her essential vitality is mah, namely the intellect, as mentioned. And when one detaches Malchus for oneself, then things go out of order for one. For one is within the aspect of out-of-order, namely Malchus-Chava-Tashrak. But when this aspect of Chava is connected to Adam — to the Holy One blessed be He — then things go in order. For "b'asar d'is dechur, nukbei lo isdakar taman" ("where there is male, the female is not mentioned there"). It turns out: the aspect of Chava out-of-order is nullified through Adam in-order. And the aspect of in-order is called yud, etc. And when one detaches the dalet for oneself, etc., then it becomes out-of-order for one — dalet-vav-yud, etc. One should do teshuvah and humble oneself and be in the aspect of mah, etc. And then Chava returns to the aspect of Adam, to the aspect of mah — and becomes in-order — the aspect of "achor v'kedem", etc. And the essential teshuvah is in the month of Elul — in the forty days when Moshe went up to receive the second Tablets. And he made a trodden path for teshuvah — to return and bring back the aspect of out-of-order to the aspect of in-order. For this is the essential aspect of teshuvah, as is understood from the said discourse. And Moshe connected himself even to the lowest of Israel, etc. Also at each and every ascent he found the Name of Hashem the Blessed there. And this is the aspect of Chirik and Segol, etc., the aspect of "v'sakosi kafi" etc. ("and I will cover you with My hand") and "v'ra'isa es achorai" etc. ("and you shall see My back"), etc. — see the entire discourse there and understand well, for it is very very deep. And this is the aspect of the mikveh that purifies from all impurities. For all kinds of impurity — and especially the impurity of Niddah — are drawn from the impurity of the serpent through the sin of Adam the First. Through this he drew impurity into the world. And the essential sin was that he drew the aspect of Chava, Malchus, for himself and did not connect her to Hashem the Blessed — and said "ana emloch". For this was the essential counsel of the serpent, as it is written: "vi'hiyisem ke-Elokim" etc. ("and you shall be like God") — meaning that if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge they would be like God, as Rashi explained: creators of worlds like Him. And this is the aspect of "ana emloch". For they listened to his evil counsel in order to be like God — namely that they themselves could create worlds and reign and rule — the aspect of "ana emloch". For Elokim is a term of rulership and kingship, as is known. And for this reason the serpent went to Chava first — because Chava is in the aspect of out-of-order, as mentioned. Therefore he gripped her more and incited her to detach the aspect of Malchus out-of-order for herself — namely to separate it from Hashem the Blessed. And afterward she incited Adam as well until he also ate and also separated himself from Hashem the Blessed from the aspect of in-order, and fell to the aspect of out-of-order — because he wanted to be like God, to reign himself, the aspect of "ana emloch", the aspect of "vi'hiyisem ke-Elokim" as mentioned. And because they then fell to the aspect of out-of-order and their vitality was removed from them — the aspect of "ki b'yom achalcha mimenu mos tamus" ("for on the day you eat of it you shall surely die") — because of this all impurities flow, coming from the impurity of the serpent who cast impurity into Chava. For the vitality from Hashem the Blessed is the holiness — for wisdom (chochmah), which is vitality, is called "holy" (kodesh), as is known. And when the vitality — which is wisdom, which is holiness — was withdrawn, impurity flowed in its place. And therefore she was then cursed with the blood of Niddah — which is the strengthening of the impurity through which she is separated from her husband, and the aspect of out-of-order is separated from the aspect of in-order, Chava from Adam. For she brought this upon herself — by saying "ana emloch" and separating the aspect of out-of-order for herself. Therefore it is impossible to become purified from the impurity except through the waters of the mikveh — which are the aspect of the waters of Da'as, the aspect of "ki mala'ah ha-aretz de'ah es Hashem ka-mayim la-yam mechasim". And through this — that a person enters the mikveh and becomes covered and concealed therein — one thereby nullifies oneself in the aspect of mah, in the aspect of ayin (nothingness), as if one is not in the world at all. And one is included in the aspect of mah — which is the aspect of Adam, the aspect of wisdom — which is the aspect of the waters of the mikveh, the aspect of wisdom and Da'as, as mentioned. For the waters are in the aspect of "before" (kedem) — in-order. For the waters preceded the world. And the beginning of the order of creation — which is the aspect of aleph-bais in order — began from them. Therefore when one enters the waters and becomes covered and concealed in the waters — one is included and nullified into the aspect of mah, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of "before," the aspect of in-order. And all the impurities drawn from the aspect of out-of-order — the aspect of "ana emloch" — are nullified into the aspect of in-order, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of holiness. And therefore through the mikveh one is purified from all kinds of impurity in the world. For all kinds of impurity come from the aspect of out-of-order — the withdrawal of vitality of holiness, etc., as mentioned. And through immersion in the mikveh, the out-of-order is included and nullified into the aspect of in-order — which is the waters of the mikveh, as mentioned. And through this one rises from impurity to purity, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the forty se'ah of the mikveh — corresponding to the forty days of receiving the Second Tablets. During which Moshe Rabbeinu made a trodden path for teshuvah — to return and bring the aspect of out-of-order back to the aspect of in-order. This is the essential aspect of teshuvah, as is understood from the said discourse. And this is what is brought in the holy Zohar: that teshuvah is tashuv-heh — to return the lower heh to its place. That is: to return the lower heh, which is the aspect of Malchus-Chava out-of-order, to return and bring it back to its place — to the aspect of the first three letters which are aleph-bais in order, as is known. And therefore the waters of the mikveh only purify when they are on the ground specifically. For the essential [power of] the mikveh is in the aspect of mah, the aspect of lowliness, as mentioned. Therefore they must be within the earth specifically — which is the aspect of lowliness. For "waters only flow to the low" — namely to one who is humble and lowly. For the waters are the aspect of Da'as, as mentioned — and the essential Da'as comes from the aspect of mah, which is the aspect of lowliness. Therefore they only flow to the low. And this is what the Sages of blessed memory compared the Torah — which is Da'as — to waters in regard to lowliness, and said: "mah mayim ein yordin ela el ha-namuch — af divrei Torah" etc. ("just as water only flows to the low — so too words of Torah") etc. — as mentioned. For in truth they are all one. For the waters — which are the aspect of Da'as, the aspect of Torah — only flow and go to the low: to one who is low in one's own eyes, in the aspect of mah. For the essential Da'as is the aspect of mah, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" brought in the said discourse: "la-Hashem ha-aretz" specifically — that is, one who makes himself like dust and earth — it is specifically one who is connected to Hashem, the aspect of mah, Adam, Da'as, as mentioned. Then one is "u-melo'ah" — in fullness and completeness, etc., as explained there. And this is the aspect of "melo kol ha-aretz kevodo" ("the whole earth is full of His glory") — "melo kol ha-aretz" specifically: one who is like earth and dust — it is specifically one who is full of His glory, blessed be He, in the aspect of "eshkon es dach" etc. ("I dwell with the contrite"). For when one has pride, God forbid, Hashem the Blessed is not with one — for "ein ani v'hu yekholin la-dur" ("I and he cannot dwell together"), as the Sages of blessed memory said (Sotah 4). And therefore the waters of the mikveh only purify when on the ground specifically — for the essential purification [comes] through the aspect of mah, the aspect of lowliness, the aspect of earth, as mentioned. And therefore the formation of the mikveh must be by Heaven and not by human hands. For all the works of Hashem the Blessed are in the aspect of in-order. And all the works of the lower beings are in the aspect of out-of-order. For all the worlds, in comparison to Hashem the Blessed, are in the aspect of out-of-order — compared to Him, blessed be He. And because through the mikveh the aspect of out-of-order must be nullified into the aspect of in-order, therefore the formation of the mikveh must be by Heaven specifically — which is the aspect of in-order — so that it should have the power to purify. That is: to nullify through the mikveh the aspect of out-of-order into the aspect of in-order, as mentioned. And therefore spring water (mei ma'yan) is more important than a mikveh of rainwater. For the rain that falls from the sky to the earth — because it has passed through the atmosphere of this world, which is the aspect of out-of-order — therefore: even though when it falls upon the earth into a pool dug in the earth, they are in the aspect of in-order because they have descended to the low place, to the aspect of lowliness and mah, as mentioned — even so, spring water is more important than them. Because spring water issues and flows from its source — from a well of living waters, from the source of Da'as — and is adjacent to the earth from its source and the atmosphere of the world has not dominated it. Therefore it is more connected to the aspect of in-order. For the waters kept within the power of the earth's soil — in every place where one digs and finds water — these waters are the aspect of the drawing of divine vitality, which is the aspect of Da'as, that revives the earth and all within it. And this is the aspect of "la-Hashem ha-aretz u-melo'ah" — for the waters fill, complete, and revive the earth and all upon it. For the waters are the aspect of the drawing of His vitality, blessed be He, as mentioned. And therefore a well of living waters (be'er mayim chaim) is very precious. For wherever living spring water is found — through this a well is opened above, and His divinity, blessed be He, is thereby revealed, as is brought in the sacred writings. For the waters of the wells that are revealed within the earth are the aspect of the drawing of His vitality, blessed be He, as mentioned. And when a well is revealed — His vitality, blessed be He, is revealed, so to speak — for He, blessed be He, revives them all. And therefore the First Fathers — who began to reveal His divinity, blessed be He, in the world — were always engaged in digging wells. For they began to reveal His divinity, blessed be He, in the world. Therefore they dug wells — which are the aspect of the revelation of His divinity, blessed be He, that He revives them all, as mentioned. And therefore the Philistines struggled to block up the wells, as it is written: "v'chol ha-be'eros asher chafru b'yemei Avraham aviv sitmum Pelishtim va-yemale'um afar" etc. ("and all the wells that they dug in the days of his father Avraham, the Philistines stopped up and filled them with earth"). For they wanted to corrupt the rectifications of the revelation of His divinity, blessed be He, that Avraham Avinu had drawn into the world through the digging of the wells. And Yitzchak strengthened and redug them, as it is written: "va-yashav Yitzchak va-yachpor es ha-be'eros" etc. ("and Yitzchak returned and dug the wells"). And therefore the essential beginning of the drawing close of Israel to their Father in Heaven is through immersion in the mikveh. For all who wish to go from impurity to purity must immerse in a mikveh. And likewise Israel before the giving of the Torah was required to immerse in a mikveh — which is the aspect of the mikveh of Shavuos. And likewise a convert who comes to convert and wishes to enter the holiness of Israel must immerse in a mikveh. For the essential drawing close of Israel to Hashem the Blessed is the aspect mentioned above: to connect and bring close the aspect of out-of-order to the aspect of in-order — which is the aspect of the joining of Knesses Yisrael with her Beloved, the aspect of the drawing close of Israel to their Father in Heaven. And this is accomplished through immersion in the mikveh — through which they are concealed and covered from the appearance of this world entirely, and are included in Ein Sof, in the aspect of mah, the aspect of wisdom, the aspect of Adam in-order. And therefore the mikveh saves from all troubles, as our Rebbe of blessed memory said elsewhere: the aspect of "mikveh Yisrael Hashem moshi'o b'eis tzarah" ("O hope of Israel, Hashem, His savior in time of distress"). For all troubles, God forbid, come from the aspect of out-of-order — through which things go out of order for one and one has some pain, God forbid. And through immersion in the mikveh — through which the aspect of out-of-order returns to the aspect of in-order — thereby all troubles are nullified. For the aspect of out-of-order is nullified and is included within the aspect of in-order — and everything becomes in-order, as mentioned. And this is "mikveh Yisrael Hashem" — for the mikveh is the aspect of in-order, which is the aspect of Heh, the aspect of the Tetragrammaton in the spelling of alephs (milui alephin), as mentioned. And through this He saves in time of distress, as mentioned. And this is what the Sages of blessed memory said on this verse: "mah mikveh metaher es ha-tamei'm — af ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu metaher es Yisrael" ("just as the mikveh purifies the impure — so too the Holy One blessed be He purifies Israel"). For they are all one — for the waters of the mikveh are the aspect of the waters of Da'as, which are the aspect of the drawing of the vitality of the Holy One blessed be He, so to speak, the aspect of in-order. Through this is the essential purification — for everything becomes in-order, as mentioned. Amen and Amen. [End of Mikvaos, Halacha 1]

And therefore one must make do with very little in all of one's physical needs, and not to use except what is essential — so that one should not be blemished, chas v'shalom, by the fallen and blemished r'tzonos that are enclothed in this world, which blemish, chas v'shalom, the ratzon of k'dushah, as above. For in these r'tzonos that are enclothed in the physical needs, there is a place of very great danger. And one must distance oneself from them — in the aspect of "harchek min ha'airvonos" [distance yourself from guarantees] — as above. Except for what is very essential according to the Torah. For through the mitzvos of the Torah one sanctifies and purifies all things in the world, and they are all included in the supernal Ratzon — and this is the aspect of the generality of the Torah, as above.