תּוֹרָה לו - בִּקְרֹב עָלַי מְרֵעִים

Torah 810

Every soul of Israel — before it attains revelation in Torah and divine service — is first tested and refined in the exile of the seventy nations — that is, in their desires. For every nation of the seventy nations has its own particular evil trait that none of the others possesses. And because of these traits they are distanced from the seventy faces of Torah. And the husk precedes the fruit — and one who wishes to eat the fruit must first break the husk. Therefore before the revelation of da'as — which is the revelation of Torah — which is the primary da'as and true wisdom — the soul is compelled to come into exile — that is, into the traits and desires of the seventy nations — in order to break them and to afterwards come to revelation in Torah and divine service. And when the soul comes into the above-mentioned exile — he must then cry out many voices to Hashem Yisborach — comprised within seventy voices — just as the woman in labour cries from the bitterness of the pain of labour-pangs — seventy voices — corresponding to the seventy words in the Psalm: ""May Hashem answer you on the day of distress"" [Zohar, Part III, 249a] — without which she cannot give birth. And revelation in Torah and divine service is the aspect of birth — which he merits through the above-mentioned seventy voices — that he cries out until Hashem Yisborach has mercy upon him — and he merits to overpower and break all the desires.

And know: that the primary test and refinement by which a person is tested — they only test him with the desire of immorality [ta'avas ni'uf] — which is comprised of all the desires and evil traits of the seventy nations and tongues. And one who breaks this desire — can then easily break all desires. Therefore when a person comes into the test of this exile — each one according to his aspect — he must then raise his voice and cry seventy voices to Hashem Yisborach — and not fewer. That he cry out many voices until Hashem Yisborach has mercy upon him — and merits to overpower and break this desire together with all desires — which is the comprehensive rectification [tikun ha-k'lali] that comprises them all as above.

And each person — according to his comprehensive rectification and his distance from the desire of immorality — is that much closer to the revelation of Torah. And conversely, G-d forbid. And when he stands firm in the test and breaks the husk that precedes the fruit — the primary being to break this desire — he then merits to give birth to the minds. And then the secrets of Torah that are hidden are revealed to him. And each person according to how he stands firm in this test and breaks this desire — so does he merit great revelation in Torah and divine service. And according to his rectification — so does he merit the seventy faces of Torah.

And the rectification for thoughts of immorality that come to a person is to say: "Shema" etc. "Echad" — and "Baruch Shem k'vod malchuso l'olam va'ed". For the desire of immorality comes from the turbidity of the blood — from the spleen — which is "Lilith" — the evil maidservant — the mother of the "Erev Rav" — which is the wicked kingdom. And its opposite is the Kingdom of Heaven — the aspect of mistress — the woman who fears Hashem — which is the aspect of the Sea of Shlomo — resting upon twelve oxen — which are the twelve tribes of G-d [Zohar Part I, 241a]. And through the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven in the twelve words of the two verses of the recitation of "Shema" — corresponding to the twelve tribes — and in both of them forty-nine letters — corresponding to the forty-nine letters in the names of the tribes (and brought in the book "Ohr Ha-Ganuz": that in the future it will be said: ""Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever"" — that is, fifty letters in both — the numerical value of "yam" [sea]; and likewise there is another count of fifty letters in the names of the holy tribes as brought there — and this is the Sea of Shlomo) — he then includes his soul within the twelve tribes of G-d — and separates his soul from the soul of the "Erev Rav" — who come from a harlot woman — which is the above-mentioned evil maidservant — from whom comes this desire that comprises all the evil traits of the seventy tongues. And therefore one closes the eyes during the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven — to indicate that through this one is in the aspect of: "ulayma shapirta d'lays lah einin" [the beautiful maiden who has no eyes] [Zohar Part II, 95a] — who does not have the desire that comprises the evil traits of the seventy tongues.

And all this is when a person has an incidental thought. Then it is sufficient for him to say the above-mentioned two verses. But if he is habitually afflicted, G-d forbid, with thoughts of the comprehensive desire and cannot separate himself from it — then he must also shed tears at the time of accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. For tears come from the surplus of the black bile [marah sh'chorah] — and black bile is the spleen — the aspect of the wicked kingdom — the above-mentioned harlot woman. And when one sheds tears — the surpluses are then pushed out and go outside — that is, the desires of immorality coming from the turbidity of the blood of the spleen and from surpluses. And one includes his soul in the Kingdom of Heaven. And one must arouse oneself until one weeps and sheds tears at the time of reciting "Shema" and "Baruch Shem k'vod malchuso l'olam va'ed".

And when the true Tzadik reveals some word of Torah — he then brings down new souls [nishmatin chadtin] to each one of the hearers of Torah from his close followers who are bound to his Torah — to each one according to his aspect and his grasp.

And this is a great general principle: that it is impossible for any person to attain and grasp the speech of the Tzadik unless he has first rectified the sign of the holy covenant as is proper. But through the blemishing of the bris his da'as and brain are blemished — until he cannot grasp and attain the Tzadik's words at all. And he can stumble in them if he follows the crookedness of his heart and the foolish difficulties that fall upon his mind about him — ""for the ways of Hashem are straight — the Tzadikim walk in them and the transgressors stumble in them"" [Hosea 14:10]. For the Tzadik's Torah becomes for each person according to his grasp — according to his vessel which is the minds. It is found that when the sign of the holy covenant is properly rectified — then his minds are complete — as brought in the holy Zohar [Part II, 110a]: for "siluka d'yesoda ad abba v'ima" — which are "yud-heh" which are the minds. And then he can understand the Tzadik's speech — and a new soul is formed for him from the revelation of the Torah. And for the other person, G-d forbid, the opposite — as above — in the aspect of: ""and the transgressors stumble in them"" [Hosea 14:10]. For according to the rectification of each one — so is his attainment and his understanding.

And this is a great general principle: for ""from the mouth of the Most High neither evil nor good goes forth"" [Lamentations 3:38] — but only simple light [ohr poshut]. But according to the aspect of the vessel that receives the light — so is the light depicted within it. For the simple light coming from above is the aspect of "kamatz" and concealed [stim]. But according to the aspect of the vessel of those who receive — it is the aspect of "tzairay" — that the light is depicted according to the aspect of the vessel. If it is complete — one receives in the aspect of "me'oros maleh" [lights — full with the "vav"]. And if, G-d forbid, the opposite — then one receives in the aspect of "me'oros chaser vav" [lights — deficient without the "vav"] — as it is written: ""the curse of Hashem is in the house of the wicked"" [Proverbs 3:33]. And for this reason Bil'am advised Balak to cause them to stumble through immorality — in order to corrupt their vessels — for through the desire of immorality the minds are blemished — and one can become actually deranged, G-d forbid. And according to the physicians — castration is a cure for a deranged person. And this is "siluka d'yesoda ad abba v'ima" — in the aspect of "shmi yud-heh" [My Name — yud-heh] — who testify concerning them — the aspect of the minds.