מוֹעֲדֵי ה' - שַׁבָּת

Washing with hot water on Shabbat eve is in the aspect of rectifying the covenant, and likewise, reading the Torah portion twice in the text and once in translation is also in the aspect of rectifying the covenant (19:5).

Through observing Shabbat, one merits faith. All charity performed lacks the perfection of light except through Shabbat, which is the aspect of faith. All blessings and abundances drawn through charity lack perfection except through Shabbat, which is the aspect of faith, the source of blessings. It is the aspect of the perfection of all things in the world, which are all deficient and lack perfection except through the holy Shabbat, which is the aspect of faith. Likewise, the perfection of understanding and Torah is only through Shabbat, the aspect of faith (30:2).

The primary holiness of Shabbat, which is the aspect of faith, is drawn through guarding the covenant. Therefore, people travel to tzaddikim for Shabbat, for the primary holiness of true tzaddikim is guarding the covenant in complete perfection in all aspects. Thus, people travel to them for Shabbat to receive the holiness of Shabbat, the aspect of faith, which is the perfection of everything, as mentioned above (ibid., 3).

Every person must draw the holiness of Shabbat to sanctify the weekdays. According to the holiness with which they sanctify the weekdays, the impurity of the serpent, the end of all flesh, the stormy spirit, is repelled, and through this, speech is elevated (38:7).

Through a vow, that is, when one makes a vow and fulfills it immediately, through this, they merit the delight of Shabbat, which is the aspect of eating in holiness. One who merits the aspect of the delight of Shabbat does not need to fast, for their eating achieves what fasting achieves, namely, subduing anger and restoring their wisdom, which is the image of G-d that shines in their face. Through this, their enemies fall before them (57:4, 6).

Eating on Shabbat is very precious and holy, for eating on Shabbat becomes complete holiness and divinity without any mixture of dross whatsoever. The Other Side has no share in eating on Shabbat at all, for the eating of the holy Shabbat is entirely divinity, entirely holy. Through eating on Shabbat, anger is subdued and nullified, as mentioned above, and all rulers of wrath flee and are removed, and then all is love and peace (ibid., 5, 6).

Also, one must increase in charity, and then they will merit great peace, namely, peace that has a mouth through the delight of eating on Shabbat with charity. For there is peace that has no mouth, meaning there is peace between people, but they cannot speak to one another. But through eating on Shabbat with charity, one merits peace that has a mouth, meaning the peace is complete, and they speak to one another, for the mouth is perfected with great light at the time of eating on Shabbat (ibid., 7).

On Shabbat, through the tzaddik, the aspect of double bread is drawn, namely, a doubling of Torah. Through this, one merits to innovate Torah insights on Shabbat, one becoming two. Shabbat influences all the worlds, sending its illuminations to all levels, healing the soul and healing the body (58:5).

Through the illumination of Shabbat, the world is aroused to repentance out of love. Then, all the upright of the generation are healed from the sufferings they endured previously, becoming honored in the eyes of people, beautified, and respected in the eyes of all. Each one, according to their uprightness, receives beauty and splendor and is elevated in the eyes of people. According to the greatness and honor they have based on their uprightness, as mentioned above, so too can they receive the renewal of Torah that the tzaddik of the generation imparts on Shabbat (ibid., 7).

Through bringing souls close to the Blessed Name and through hitbodedut, where one secludes themselves, converses with their Creator, and judges and evaluates themselves for all they have done, through this, they merit observing Shabbat, which is the nullification of evil and the husks (59:1, 3).

Eating on Shabbat is very precious and holy, for eating on Shabbat becomes complete holiness and divinity without any mixture of dross whatsoever. The Other Side has no share in eating on Shabbat at all, for the eating of the holy Shabbat is entirely divinity, entirely holy. Through eating on Shabbat, anger is subdued and nullified, as mentioned above, and all rulers of wrath flee and are removed, and then all is love and peace (ibid., 5, 6). Shabbat is the aspect of the World to Come, the aspect of truth. Through this, a downfall is drawn for the wicked, the greatness of true tzaddikim and upright people is revealed, and through this, all return and repent to the Blessed Name, all calling upon Hashem of the Blessed Name. Through this, holy speech is perfected, and through this, prayer is perfected (66:3).

Also, one must increase in charity, and then they will merit great peace, namely, peace that has a mouth through the delight of eating on Shabbat with charity. For there is peace that has no mouth, meaning there is peace between people, but they cannot speak to one another. But through eating on Shabbat with charity, one merits peace that has a mouth, meaning the peace is complete, and they speak to one another, for the mouth is perfected with great light at the time of eating on Shabbat (ibid., 7). Through the holiness of Shabbat, one merits true humility, namely, to see their own lowliness, recognize the importance of Israel, and give their soul for them, like Moses our teacher, peace be upon him (79).

On Shabbat, through the tzaddik, the aspect of double bread is drawn, namely, a doubling of Torah. Through this, one merits to innovate Torah insights on Shabbat, one becoming two. Shabbat influences all the worlds, sending its illuminations to all levels, healing the soul and healing the body (58:5). On Shabbat, understanding is drawn to each person, and through this, the trait of compassion is strengthened in them to have mercy on creatures, for compassion depends on understanding. Through having compassion, compassion is shown to them from Heaven (119).

Through the illumination of Shabbat, the world is aroused to repentance out of love. Then, all the upright of the generation are healed from the sufferings they endured previously, becoming honored in the eyes of people, beautified, and respected in the eyes of all. Each one, according to their uprightness, receives beauty and splendor and is elevated in the eyes of people. According to the greatness and honor they have based on their uprightness, as mentioned above, so too can they receive the renewal of Torah that the tzaddik of the generation imparts on Shabbat (ibid., 7). Eating on Shabbat is not for satiation at all but so that all six weekdays are blessed from it (276).

Through bringing souls close to the Blessed Name and through hitbodedut, where one secludes themselves, converses with their Creator, and judges and evaluates themselves for all they have done, through this, they merit observing Shabbat, which is the nullification of evil and the husks (59:1, 3). The primary honor of Shabbat is eating, for eating on Shabbat is very precious, as it is entirely divinity, entirely holy. Therefore, it is a great mitzvah to increase eating on Shabbat, and it is a rectification for desecrating Shabbat (125, 277).

Shabbat is the aspect of the World to Come, the aspect of truth. Through this, a downfall is drawn for the wicked, the greatness of true tzaddikim and upright people is revealed, and through this, all return and repent to the Blessed Name, all calling upon Hashem of the Blessed Name. Through this, holy speech is perfected, and through this, prayer is perfected (66:3). All the mitzvot performed on weekdays lack the strength to go before the Blessed Name except on Shabbat. Then they ascend and go before the Blessed Name, and the Blessed Name delights in them, even if they are performed by the least of the least, without intention or the proper perfection for the mitzvah. They create a paved and wide path to draw close to the Blessed Name. All this is done through eating on Shabbat, which is the primary honor of Shabbat, as mentioned above (ibid.).

Through the holiness of Shabbat, one merits true humility, namely, to see their own lowliness, recognize the importance of Israel, and give their soul for them, like Moses our teacher, peace be upon him (79). Shabbat is the aspect of a son, the aspect of Noah, the rest of the upper and lower realms, which comforts and gladdens all from sadness. Then, all the mitzvot of the six weekdays are elevated and raised from sadness, and joy is drawn upon them. Through praise and thanksgiving to the Blessed Name and through studying halachot, one merits to draw the holiness and joy of Shabbat to the six weekdays, so that we merit, even on weekdays, the joy of Shabbat, to rejoice in Him, Blessed be He, and perform all mitzvot with joy also on weekdays. Through this, the simple unity is revealed from within varied actions, knowing that all varied actions are drawn from the simple One, Blessed be His Name. This aspect is very precious above in all the worlds, even before Him, Blessed be He (Part II, 2:5, 6).

On Shabbat, understanding is drawn to each person, and through this, the trait of compassion is strengthened in them to have mercy on creatures, for compassion depends on understanding. Through having compassion, compassion is shown to them from Heaven (119). Through the joy of Shabbat, one merits freedom, and then their understanding is complete and not confused. Through this, they merit fear [of G-d] with understanding, without foolishness, and elevate all fallen fears, so they fear nothing, not any prince or lord or the like, but only the Blessed Name alone (17).

Eating on Shabbat is not for satiation at all but so that all six weekdays are blessed from it (276). One must be very, very careful to be only joyful and good-hearted on Shabbat, for the virtues and holiness of Shabbat are very great and precious, as explained in all the books, especially in Reishit Chochmah at the beginning of the Gate of Holiness. It is fitting to study there and set one’s heart well on all the matters stated there about the immense virtue of the holiness of Shabbat, so that their heart is inspired to receive Shabbat with great and immense joy. For the primary mitzvah of honoring the holy Shabbat is joy, to be very joyful on the holy Shabbat and not to show, G-d forbid, any sadness or worry at all on Shabbat. One should increase the delights of Shabbat with all kinds of delights, whether eating and drinking or clothing, according to what they can, for eating on Shabbat is entirely holy, entirely spiritual, entirely divine, and ascends to an entirely different place from weekday eating. Happy is the one who strives to rejoice on Shabbat, for the primary honor of Shabbat is joy, as mentioned above.

The holiness of Shabbat is the ultimate knowledge, namely, the ultimate knowledge that we cannot know [see Covenant, section 66] (83).

כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בִּימֵי הַחֹל אֵין לָהֶם כֹּחַ לֵילֵךְ לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כִּי אִם בְּשַׁבָּת, אָז עוֹלִין וְהוֹלְכִין לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מִשְׁתַּעֲשֵׁעַ בָּהֶם אַף אִם נַעֲשִׂים עַל־יְדֵי קָטָן שֶׁבַּקְּטַנִּים וּבְלִי כַּוָּנָה וּשְׁלֵמוּת הָרָאוּי לְהַמִּצְוָה. וְהֵם עוֹשִׂין דֶּרֶךְ כְּבוּשָׁה וּרְחָבָה לְהִתְקָרֵב לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְכָל זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה עַל־יְדֵי אֲכִילַת שַׁבָּת שֶׁהוּא עִקַּר כְּבוֹד שַׁבָּת כַּנַּ"ל (שָׁם Shabbat is Hashem of the Blessed Holy One and is the aspect of the light of the eyes that illuminates the Temple and the entire world. Therefore, through observing Shabbat, one merits that their eyes are opened, and they see themselves, how they are caught in all traits, and repent for all the blemishes they caused in all traits, and see the greatness of the Blessed Creator and the entire world. They merit to draw close to the point of truth, which is the true tzaddikim, G-d-fearing, and upright people. Their mind and understanding are opened, and it is considered as if they are engaged in building and rectifying the Temple. Also, through Shabbat, the dwellings of Israel are saved from fires, G-d save us (67). When the providers and leaders of the generation become arrogant, the Holy One, Blessed be He, raises people against them who dispute and speak about them, so that they do not become haughty in their minds (95). One must be cautious and fear honor, for honor is a great danger, a danger to souls. Therefore, when some honor comes to a person, they must be very careful to receive it properly solely for the sake of the Blessed Name. For if, G-d forbid, they blemish the honor even by a hair’s breadth and do not receive it properly, they may depart, G-d forbid, through this (131). One who desires honor is a fool [see within, section 194] (194). One who lacks understanding the most is the most particular about honor, like women who are very particular about their honor because their understanding is light and small (200). One who conducts rabbinic leadership with worthiness and sincerity as is proper merits to rise to greatness at the end of their days. Whatever is considered greatness in that generation, they rise to that greatness (236). One must be very careful of appointment, especially one who has fear of Heaven, for they specifically have a greater longing for appointment. But one must be very careful of this, for through appointment, they lose the abundance of prophecy that they could have merited through fear (Part II, 1:7). There are leaders who act with rabbinic authority and dominion, ruling over a poor people for no reason, for they were not given greatness from Heaven at all, but they arrogate themselves over the generation for no reason. They receive the sword of pride through converts who bring pride into Israel, as explained within, to the extent that they have power even to punish those who do not wish to submit to their rule. In truth, this is not called punishing but harming, for they are harmers of the world. Through this pride of these generation’s leaders, the desire for adultery strengthens in the world. To be saved from this is through the shields of the earth, and so forth [see Covenant, section 17] (5:5). The primary true leadership of holiness depends on compassion. It is impossible to be a true leader unless one has true compassion for Israel. But the leader must know how to conduct themselves with compassion, for it is forbidden to have compassion on the wicked, murderers, or robbers. Likewise, one must know how to have compassion on each person to bestow upon them and guide them in what is truly for their eternal good. Therefore, the primary compassion of the true leader is to bring Israel out of their sins, for this is the greatest compassion of all kinds of compassion [see Rebuke] (7:1, 3). It is a great danger to be famous and lead the world, not to mention when one is entirely unworthy and wears a cloak that is not theirs, but even for the great servants of G-d of the generation, there are terrible dangers in leading the world. For in leading the world and teaching Torah publicly, they can literally transgress theft, adultery, and murder at every moment, G-d save us (18). The entire creation was only for the sake of the honor of the Blessed One, therefore everything was created for the sake of humanity. For the magnification of the honor of the Blessed One depends specifically on humanity. Therefore, when some honor comes to a person, they must be very careful not to take any of the honor for themselves, but to strive to return and elevate all the honor to the Blessed Name. Through this, they rectify and sustain the entire world, for the entire world and its fullness were created only for the sake of His honor, Blessed be He, as mentioned above (71).