תּוֹרָה נט - הֵיכַל הַקֹּדֶשׁ

Torah 533

One who constantly strives to draw people close to the service of Hashem Yisborach must guard himself so that the husks and the evil of these people do not take hold within him. And the counsel for this is the aspect of judgment [mishpat] — that is, he should see to judge himself constantly regarding everything he has done — whether it is proper or not. And he should reprove and discipline himself regarding everything he has done improperly. And through this aspect of judgment the heart blazes. And the fire of this blazing burns the husks from taking hold within him. And then he subdues them also from taking hold in the souls he has drawn close to the service of Hashem Yisborach.

This person who strives to draw close and make souls — he builds the aspect of the holy palace [Haychal Ha-Kodesh]. And even though there are many many souls who fall from their holiness and do not endure — even so from those who remain attached in fear through him — through this he is called holy. And Hashem Yisborach is greatly honoured through drawing close to His service these distant ones. For this is the primary honour of Hashem Yisborach — when those who are very distant draw close to Him.

Through drawing souls close to Hashem Yisborach — and through the hisbodidus one conducts — conversing between himself and his Creator — and judging and sentencing himself regarding everything he has done — one merits the guarding of Shabbos — which is the nullification of the evil and the husks. And the Prophet said about him: ""and I will give them within My house and within My walls a hand and a name better than sons and daughters"" [Isaiah 56:5]. "Hand" — that is, he will have power to establish students and draw a spirit of wisdom into them. And "name" — that is, he will merit a good name — that all souls will desire and long to be included in his soul and his name — in the aspect of: ""to Your name and to Your remembrance is the desire of the soul"" [Isaiah 26:8]. And this is certainly better for him than sons and daughters — for sons and daughters are few — whereas he who has merited to establish many Torah scholars and has merited that the souls of many be included in his soul — is as if he gave birth to them — and they are many and receive vitality from him. (And this is what Elkana said to Chana: ""am I not better for you than ten sons"" [I Samuel 1:8]. For Elkana gave merit to the multitudes — as our Sages of blessed memory said. And through their love they both became one soul — and those souls he drew close were also included in Chana's soul.)

The primary guarding of the name — which is the guarding of the soul — is through guarding himself from anger. For anger damages his soul. And when he guards himself from anger — and when some anger comes he overpowers his inclination — extends his patience — and suppresses his anger — he merits great wealth. And through this he magnifies his name and his soul. And merits a good name — that all souls desire to be included in his soul. And merits to draw many souls close to Hashem Yisborach — which is the primary honour of Hashem Yisborach.

Anger damages wealth [asirus]. And when the evil inclination entices a person to become angry — let him know that at that very moment a certain sum of money is being influenced to him from above. And the evil inclination wishes to ruin this influence of wealth. And through the corruption of the influence of wealth that comes through anger — he damages his name and his soul as above. But when he guards himself from anger — he merits wealth and magnifies his name and his soul. And merits a good name and to establish many students and to draw many souls close to Hashem Yisborach — as above.

Know: there are several wicked ones who are forbidden to draw close under the wings of His service, may He be blessed. For they bring down those who draw them from their level — and there is no power in the above-mentioned judgment to subdue the evil within them. And then great corruption comes in several aspects — as explained in the main text. Therefore this person who strives to draw souls close must pray much to Hashem Yisborach — that he merit to know whom to distance and whom to draw close.