Laws of Tzitzis — Halacha 7

According to the Torah "Tik'u — Tochachah" (cited in Hilchos Hashkamas HaBoker, Halacha 5):

We have already explained somewhat the matter of tzitzis according to this Torah in Hilchos Tzitzis, Halacha 5, where the matter of awakening from sleep and rising at chatzos is also explained. Here matters are stated and repeated due to new insights that were revealed in them.

As explained there, tzitzis are the aspect of the thread of Chesed drawn through the tefillah in the aspect of din of the ba'al koach, etc. — see there at length. Now I have looked further and found, through His Chesed, several more matters regarding tzitzis according to this Torah:

For it is explained there in the teaching, in paragraph 6, that the rectifications accomplished through tefillah in the aspect of din are the aspect of refuah [healing] drawn through the forgiveness of sins — which one merits through the complete prayer prayed by the holy kibbutz [congregation] of Yisrael with the addition of many neighbors (toasefess shichainim). For when another neighbor from Yisrael is added to the congregation and prays with them, the holy houses of prayer multiply without end — for "three letters build six houses, four build 24, five build 120," and so on until the mouth cannot speak.1 [This refers to the Sefer Yetzirah 's principle of combinatorics (tzirufim): three elements produce 3! = 6 "houses" (combinations), four produce 4! = 24, five produce 5! = 120, etc. Each additional person praying with kavanah multiplies the holy combinations factorially — hence "the mouth cannot speak" the number of combinations of 600,000 souls.] See there well what is written on the verse: "Ooval yoamar shuchain chaleesee" — "And the neighbor shall not say, 'I am sick'" (Yeshayahu 33:24).

It emerges that prayer with the addition of neighbors — through which the houses multiply beyond measure — is one aspect with the tefillah in the aspect of din of the ba'al koach. This can be explained as follows: through tefillah in the aspect of din, the ba'al koach extracts from the Sitra Achara all the Da'as, all the prayers, all the sparks, and all the souls that the Sitra Achara had previously swallowed — "chayil bala va'yikee'enoo." Now we can say: those souls that the ba'al koach extracted from the Sitra Achara — they are the very souls added to the holy congregation as additional neighbors, through whom the holy houses are multiplied immensely. For previously, when these souls were swallowed among the Sitra Achara, they were surely distant from prayer. But now, when the ba'al koach has extracted them, they draw near to holiness and are added to the holy congregation of Yisrael who engage in prayer with kavanah, becoming neighbors to them — through which the houses multiply beyond reckoning. Through this, even other souls — the most distant and far-flung of the scattered — enter and are gathered into these houses, in the aspect of: "Tishtapechnah avnai kodesh biroash kol chootzoas" — "The holy stones are poured out at the head of every street" (Eichah 4:1).

All of this is the aspect of tzitzis. For tzitzis are the aspect of kibbutz nidachim [gathering the scattered], in the aspect of: "U'nefutzos Yehudah yekabetz mai'arba kanfos ha'aretz" — "And the scattered of Yehudah He shall gather from the four corners of the earth" (Yeshayahu 11:12). This is why we gather the tzitzis and take them in our hands at "Vihavee'ainoo l'shalom mai'arba kanfos ha'aretz" [And bring us in peace from the four corners of the earth]. For the holiness of the mitzvah of tzitzis is drawn from the ba'al koach whose tefillah in the aspect of din draws all the rectifications — which is itself the aspect of the prayer with the addition of neighbors. Tzitzis gather the scattered from the four corners of the earth — which is itself the prayer with the addition of many neighbors, through which all the scattered are gathered into the multitude of houses built through these neighbors — in the aspect of: "Bonai Yerushalayim Hashem, nidchai Yisrael yichanais" — "Hashem builds Yerushalayim; He gathers the scattered of Yisrael" (Tehillim 147:2).

For through the gathering of souls to holiness, holy garments are made — in the aspect of: "Si'ee saviv aineye'ich ooree koolum nikbetzu vu'oo lach; chay anee ni'oom Hashem kee choolum ku'adee silbushee" — "Lift up your eyes round about and see: they all gather and come to you. As I live, says Hashem, you shall don them all like an ornament" (Yeshayahu 60:4). This is the aspect of tzitzis, which gather the scattered — they are the essential holy garments. And: "Ooree ooree livshee oozaich Tziyon" — "Awake, awake, don your strength, Tziyon" (Yeshayahu 52:1) — for the holy garments, the aspect of tzitzis, are made through the mateh oz [staff of strength], the tefillah in the aspect of din, which is itself the prayer with the addition of neighbors through which all the scattered are gathered — the aspect of tzitzis.

Indeed our Sages said (Shabbos 32b) on the verse: "V'hecheziku asarah anashim mikol leshonos hagoyim bich'naf ish Yehudi" — "And ten men from all the languages of the nations shall take hold of the corner of a Jewish man" (Zecharyah 8:23) — that through the mitzvah of tzitzis, people from all the 70 nations will grasp onto him to draw close to Hashem. For tzitzis are the aspect of kibbutz nidachim — the souls of ba'alay teshuvah and converts who convert through tefillah in the aspect of din, as written there on: "Meebitnoa yoareeshenoo Ai-l" (Iyov 20:15).

This is why the verse "asher yachaziku asarah anashim… bich'naf" is adjacent to the preceding verses that speak of converts joining the holy congregation to pray with them: "Ad ashehr yuvoa'oo amim... Vihalchoo yoashvay achas el achas laimor, Nailchah huloach kichaloas es pinay Hashem oolivakaish es Hashem Tzeva'os, ailchah gam anee" (Zecharyah 8:20–21) — and then immediately: "Bayamim hahemah asher yachaziku… bich'naf." For the addition of converts as neighbors to the holy congregation to pray and beseech Hashem is the aspect of tzitzis — grasping the corner (kanaf).

See what I wrote in Hilchos Piryah V'Rivyah, Halacha 6, §12–13, where it is explained that through the addition of neighbors to the holy congregation, one can fulfill the vast number of brisos [covenants] that every Jew is obligated in. For there is no mitzvah upon which 48 brisos were not established — "baruch bichlal, baruch bifrat… to learn and to teach, to guard and to do" — as explained in Sotah 37b, where it concludes that each Jew obligated himself through the arvus [mutual guarantee] for 600,000 and more — myriads upon myriads of brisos (see there the enormity of the calculation — arva v'arva d'arva). All this can be fulfilled through bringing a soul close — a neighbor — to the holy congregation, multiplying the houses immeasurably.

All this one merits through tzitzis, the kibbutz nidachim, the addition of neighbors. This is the aspect of the four threads in each tzitzis that are folded to become eight, each thread being twisted — making 162 [Four threads folded to eight; each is twisted (two-ply), yielding 16 — matching the Gemara in Sotah 37b: 4, then 4+4=8, then 8+8=16 brisos . These are tripled (Sinai, Ohel Mo'ed, Arvos Moav) to yield 48 brisos per mitzvah .] — corresponding to the brisos. As the Gemara states: "4, and 4 plus 4 makes 8, and 8 plus 8 makes 16," and these were tripled at Sinai, the plains of Moav, etc. — totaling 48 brisos per mitzvah. And the tzitzis too are tripled in multiple ways: one-third gadil and two-thirds anaf; each chulyah [set of windings] is three windings; they must hang within three finger-breadths.

This is the aspect of "tzitzis" equaling 6003 [The word ציצית = 90+10+90+10+400 = 600. Together with the 5 knots and 8 threads = 613, corresponding to the 613 mitzvos (Menachos 43b, as cited by Rashi on Bamidbar 15:39) .] — corresponding to the 600,000 souls of Yisrael. And with the chulyos and knots they equal 613 (Menachos 43b). For the arvus means each Jew is obligated in myriads of brisos corresponding to 613 mitzvos times 600,000 (plus 3,550), and multiplied by 48, and according to the opinion of "arva d'arva" multiplied again by 600,000. All this is impossible to fulfill except through the addition of holy neighbors — the kibbutz nidachim — accomplished through the holy tzitzis. Therefore tzitzis equal 613 — corresponding to the 613 mitzvos, the totality of the souls of Yisrael — for they are subsumed within all the brisos that are doubled and tripled, etc., corresponding to the gathering from the four corners through the four tzitzis.

This is the aspect of the tallis katan and tallis gadol. At the start of each day, one dons the tallis katan at home — for oneself, to merit through its tzitzis binding himself to Hashem, to His holy Torah, and to all the souls of Yisrael — the essential purpose of tzitzis: "Ooreesem oasoa oozichartem es kol mitzvos Hashem… l'ma'an tizkeru va'asisem es kol mitzvosai" (Bamidbar 15:39–40). Through this one merits to become a neighbor to the holy congregation of Yisrael who gather every day in synagogues and study halls to unify His Name and to pray properly.

Afterward one goes to the synagogue and study hall and merits becoming a neighbor to them. Then one wraps in the tallis gadol in which one prays — for then, as part of the holy congregation, one merits to arouse even those who are very distant to Hashem's service. This is the aspect of kibbutz nidachim from the four corners of the earth — the gathering of the tzitzis in one's hands during prayer at "Vihavee'ainoo l'shalom." First, through the tallis katan, one draws oneself close to the holy congregation, becoming a good neighbor. Then in the synagogue, having become a good neighbor, one merits — together with the congregation — to gather and draw close yet more distant ones, who become neighbors, to fulfill the obligation of the arvus: "to learn and to teach, to guard and to do." All this one merits through the tallis gadol in which one wraps during prayer — the essential kibbutz nidachim at "Vihavee'ainoo l'shalom mai'arba kanfos ha'aretz."

"Leimor: lecha etein es eretz Kena'an chevel nachalaschem" — "Saying: To you I shall give the land of Canaan, the cord of your inheritance" (Tehillim 105:11). For the essential gathering of the scattered is to Eretz Yisrael and Yerushalayim: "Im yih'yeh nidachacha biktzeih hashamayim, misham yekabetzcha… vehevi'acha el ha'aretz hatovah" (Devarim 30:4–5). And we beseech daily: "V'kabetzeinu yachad mai'arba kanfos ha'aretz l'artzeinu." The essential building of Yerushalayim comes from the multiplication of the houses — to which all the scattered are gathered: "Bonai Yerushalayim Hashem, nidchai Yisrael yichanais."

The essential gathering there is through tzitzis, for tzitzis are braided and twisted — they are the aspect of the chevel dikdushah [cord of holiness], the aspect of "Yaakov chevel nachalaso" — "Yaakov is the cord of His inheritance." For tzitzis contain all 613 mitzvos, the totality of the souls of Yisrael. This is: "chevel nachalaschem" — specifically a "cord," for the cord of Eretz Yisrael's inheritance was given to Yaakov through the mitzvah of tzitzis — the holy cords through which all are gathered to Eretz Yisrael: "Vihavee'ainoo l'shalom mai'arba kanfos ha'aretz v'solichainu meheirah komemiyus l'artzeinu" — when we hold the tzitzis.

Therefore Korach, who was an evil neighbor — as our Sages said (Bamidbar Rabbah 18): "Woe to the wicked, woe to his neighbor" — for he disputed Moshe and the holy congregation, wanting to separate from them ("vayikach Korach" — v'isplig Korach — "Korach separated"), greatly damaging the wondrous rectification accomplished through the addition of neighbors. Therefore he damaged the mitzvah of tzitzis specifically — for he dressed them in taleisim of entirely tichailes (Bamidbar Rabbah ibid.). His entire blemish was in this matter of tzitzis — adding good neighbors to the holy congregation and binding together the holy cord of Yisrael. He damaged this — therefore he challenged the mitzvah of tzitzis specifically.

This is the aspect of Parshas Shekalim: "Ki sisa es rosh Bnei Yisrael" — "When you take the count of the Children of Yisrael" (Shemos 30:12). It is puzzling: since counting is dangerous and could cause a plague, as our Sages said, why did He command to count them and give shekalim as atonement for their souls? Why not simply not count them?

The essential purpose of counting Yisrael is in the above-mentioned aspect: to multiply and magnify the tefillah without end through the addition of soul upon soul — multiplying the holy houses each time without limit. Therefore He commanded to count them through the shekalim specifically — not as a simple headcount — so there would be no plague. For Yisrael, the holy nation, are above counting — they are all subsumed in the source of unity: "Atah echad v'shimcha echad umi k'amcha Yisrael goy echad ba'aretz." The essential counting and reckoning belongs to the nations, who are in the aspect of multiplicity — "bikshu cheshbonos rabim" (Koheles 7:29). As Rashi explains: Eisav had six souls and they are called "nefashos" in the plural; Yaakov had seventy and they are called "nefesh" — one soul.

Yet precisely because all the souls of Yisrael are considered one soul — for this very reason Yisrael must multiply greatly, like the sand of the sea. For the more Yisrael multiply, the more His glory and Name are magnified — "B'rov am hadras Melech" (Mishlei 14:28) — and they become more subsumed in His unity. He therefore commanded to count them to reveal their great number — 600,000 and more — to magnify His Name and glory, publicizing to humanity that 600,000 souls unify His Name always.

But as soon as one counts Yisrael, the Sitra Achara can be aroused to prosecute — for its hold is in multiplicity and counting — "bikshu cheshbonos rabim" — saying: "What do you boast of your number? We are far more!" For each nation outnumbers Yisrael: "Ki atem ham'at mikol ha'amim" (Devarim 7:7). Therefore He commanded to count them only through the shekalim given for the Mishkan — the house of prayer: "Kee vaisee bais tefillah" (Yeshayahu 56:7). The shekalim were primarily for the adanim [sockets] — 100 in number, corresponding to the 100 berachos, the totality of prayer. For through counting them via the shekalim given for the Mishkan (the house of prayer), all the souls unite and combine in the holy combinations — each additional soul multiplying the combinations immeasurably. The combinations of 600,000 souls are beyond what the mouth can speak or the heart can fathom. Then surely all the 70 nations are utterly nullified against the multiplicity of houses built through the souls of Yisrael. For the nations are in the realm of separation (alma d'piruda) with no unity or combination — hence called "nefashos rabim" (many souls). But Yisrael, "one nation" — the more they multiply, the more they unite in the holy combinations, becoming more subsumed in the source of unity where the source of life resides: "Ki imcha mekor chaim" (Tehillim 36:10). Through this they are saved from the side of death — "V'lo yih'yeh vahem negef bifkod osam" (Shemos 30:12).

Therefore one must give specifically a half-shekel — not a whole — to show that each Jew needs his fellow to combine with him. Each Jew by himself is only a "half" and has no completeness except through joining his fellow — creating the multiplicity of combinations. Also, the half-shekel is ten gairah, for "twenty gairah is the shekel" — because holiness is never less than ten. Each Jew contains the ten levels of holiness of Eretz Yisrael, the aspect of: "A congregation is not less than ten" (Megillah 23a) — hence no davar shebikdushah with fewer than ten. When another soul (each containing ten) is added, ten combines with ten, creating the immense combinations. All the power of these combinations comes from the ten levels of holiness. This is the half-shekel of ten gairah that must always be combined with its fellow — becoming "twenty gairah the shekel" — the aspect of "ten and ten" in the Kabbalistic writings: ten holies from below upward and ten from above downward.

All this is drawn through the power of the great ba'al koach who prays in the aspect of din — one aspect with the prayer of the multitude of souls. This is alluded to in the word gairah, which has the numerical value of Yitzchak (208), which equals Pinchas — for Yitzchak is the aspect of Gevuros, the tefillah in the aspect of din, principally expressed on Rosh Hashanah, the aspect of "Pachad Yitzchak." This is itself the aspect of Pinchas, for the essential tefillah in the aspect of din is: "Va'ya'amoad Pinchas va'yifalail" — as written in the teaching.

This is what our Sages said (Megillah 13b): through the shekalim, Haman-Amalek is toppled — "their shekalim preceded yours." For the essential downfall of Haman-Amalek is through tefillah in the aspect of din, which is the prayer of the multitude of souls — the rectification of the shekalim. Through the mateh oz, the splitting of the sea (the tefillah in the aspect of din), the war with Amalek was fought. For all of Amalek's aggression was to drive away and distance the weak souls of Yisrael from the holy congregation — "Va'yizanaiv becha kol hanecheshalim acharecha vi'atah uh'yaif vi'yagaya" (Devarim 25:18) — those the protecting cloud expelled, as our Sages say (Tanchuma, Kee Saitzai 10). Therefore his defeat came through tefillah in the aspect of din, extracting souls from the Sitra Achara and adding them to the holy congregation — the aspect of the shekalim.

This is why Esther was precise in saying: "Laich knos es kol haYehudim" — "Go, gather all the Jews" (Esther 4:16) — "knos" specifically. And subsequently, the language of gathering and assembly appears repeatedly: "Liheekahail vila'amoad al nafsham" — "To assemble and stand for their lives" (Esther 8:11); "Nikhalu haYehudim" (Esther 9:2). And our Sages said (Megillah 2a): "z'man kehillah lakol hu" — "it is a time of assembly for all." For the essential miracle of Purim — the downfall of Haman-Amalek — came through the gathering and assembly, multiplying the houses of prayer until all the distant and scattered entered them — the opposite of Haman's evil intention.

This is: "U'Mordechai yatza… bilvush malchus tichailes" — the tichailes of tzitzis, through which comes the kibbutz nidachim and the tefillah that brought Haman's downfall. And when Haman wanted to overpower Yisrael, he said: "Yeshno am echad mefuzar umforad bein ha'amim" — "There is one people, scattered and separated among the nations" (Esther 3:8) — "mefuzar umforad" specifically — that Yisrael are scattered and it is impossible to gather them, and through this he sought to overpower them. For his essential downfall is through the gathering. Therefore Esther said: "Go, knos" — "gather" — specifically.

This is what the Shulchan Aruch writes (Siman 690): it is a mitzvah to seek the largest possible congregation for the reading of the Megillah — even if one already has a hundred men. For the essential strength of the miracle of Purim — the downfall of Haman-Amalek — is through the holy gathering of Yisrael. Therefore, the more people who assemble for the Megillah reading (pirsumei nisa), the more the miracle is magnified and the downfall of Haman-Amalek is drawn even further. For the essential reading of the Megillah, pirsumei nisa, and all the mitzvos of Purim — their purpose is that we merit through them to topple the kelipah of Haman-Amalek in every generation and every year, in every person individually, as it says: "Viha'yamim ha'aileh nizkarim vina'asim bichol dor vador mishpacha oomishpacha mideenah oomideenah vi'eer vu'eer" (Esther 9:28). Therefore it is a great mitzvah to strive to hear the Megillah from the largest possible gathering of Yisrael.