Laws of Tefillin — Halacha 6

Based on the Torah "Chayim Nitzchiyim" (LM II:72). Study the entire Torah there well, from beginning to end.

The general principle: through seeing the face of the Tzadik alone, one's Moach [brain/mind] sparkles. Through this, one receives Gadlus [greatness] - the aspect of Malchus - each person according to his level: captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties, captains of tens (Shemos 18:21). For greatness and Malchus depend on the sparkling of the Mochin: "Melech asur barahatim" - "A king is bound in the channels" (Shir HaShirim 7:6) - biraheetai Mochin - the Malchus is bound and tied within the channels of the Mochin.

The sparkling of the Mochin are the aspect of building the Bais HaMikdash, which is the Da'as, as our Sages said (Berachos 33a). This is the aspect of "Chazis ish mahir bimlachto" - "Have you seen a man skilled in his craft?" (Mishlai 22:29). When each person receives greatness and Malchus according to the level of his Moach - through the true leader of the aspect of Moshe - through "Vi'atah sechezeh... visamta alaihem" - then each person knows how to produce chidushim and explanations of Torah according to his level, through the Ruach Elokim received from Moshe, the inclusive leader, the inclusive sage, the inclusive spirit - "Eesh ashehr Ruach Elokim boa" - who illuminates Ruach Elokim within each one; this is the aspect of the sparkling of the Mochin: "Va'amalai oasoa Ruach Elokim, bichochmah, oovisevunah, oovida'as, oovichol melachah" (Shemos 31:3). Through this they innovate in Torah: "ViRuach Elokim merachefes" (Beraishis 1:2).

But this leader must be greatly holy in the sanctity of the Bris, and must draw this sanctity upon each member of Yisrael. Through this, yir'ah is drawn - which is bushah [shame/awe] - as at the time of Mattan Torah [the Giving of the Torah]. One must be ashamed even to perform a mitzvah. Bushah is the aspect of teshuvah; through teshuvah one merits Chayim - Chayim Nitzchiyim [eternal life]: the anavah [humility] of Moshe Rabbainu that is clothed within each member of Yisrael in every limb comes alive and rises in techiyas hamaisim [resurrection].

This is the essential Techiyas HaMaisim: the humility and lowliness of Moshe Rabbainu - clothed in each person, in every limb - but existing there in a state of "death" (unperceived). Through gazing at the Tzadik's face, the Mochin sparkle; through this, one receives Malchus; through this, innovates in Torah; through this, yeeruh/booshah falls upon him as at Mattan Torah; through this, this booshah is the aspect of teshuvah, the aspect of Chayim; through this, the humility of Moshe is resurrected within him - "Hakeetzoo viranenoo shoachnai afar" - "Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust!" (Yeshayah 26:19).

Chayim Nitzchiyim are all the delight of the World to Come, the aspect of Oneg Shabbos, "Toa'ameha chayim zachoo" - those who taste it merit life - and the aspect of a boundless inheritance. For the delight of the World to Come is beyond boundary, and it cannot be received or pictured within the body, which is bounded, except when a person is truly ayin mamash - literally nothing - meaning that he merits the true humility of Moshe Rabbainu. This is the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim. The humility and lowliness of Moshe Rabbainu are clothed within every Jew in every limb, but in a person they are in the aspect of death, because he does not feel the humility that is clothed within him. Through looking at the face of the Tzadik, his moach sparkles and he merits to receive gadlus, the aspect of malchus. Through this he merits to innovate in Torah according to his level, and through this the awe of shame falls upon him, as at Mattan Torah. That shame is teshuvah, the aspect of life - "Return and live" (Yechezkel 18:32). Through this, the humility and lowliness of Moshe Rabbainu that had been in him in the aspect of death becomes alive and rises in the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim: "Hakeetzoo viranenu shoachnai afar" - "Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust" (Yeshayah 26:19). Study all this there well.

This is the aspect of Tefillin. For Tefillin are the sparkling of the Mochin, as is known and explained elsewhere (LM I:38). Through this one merits Gadlus/Malchus: "Melech asur barahatim" - biraheetai Mochin. This is the entire aspect of Tefillin, as our Sages said: this verse refers to Tefillin - the channels of the Mochin. Malchus is bound and tied there - "Vihaysah nefesh adoanee tzerurah bitzror hachayim" - "My lord's soul shall be bound in the bundle of life" - said about the Malchus of Dovid, tied in the bundle of life is the aspect of Tefillin, the aspect of the knot of Tefillin (see LM I:54).

Hashem in His mercy commanded us to don Tefillin each day - the sparkling of the Mochin are the aspect of the Or HaPanim [light of the face] - in order to draw upon ourselves the holiness of the radiant face of the true Tzadikim, through whose gaze the Mochin sparkle and one merits all the above levels, culminating in Chayim Nitzchiyim (the aspect of true humility, the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim). But not everyone merits to find and gaze upon the Tzadik at all times. Therefore Hashem gave us Tefillin each day - so holy that through them each person can draw upon himself the sparkling of Mochin that flow from gazing at the Tzadik, for Tefillin are the aspect of Or HaPanim.

Therefore our Sages said (Menachos 44a): "One who dons Tefillin merits life": "Hashem alaihem yichyoo" (Yeshayah 38:16) is the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim, the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, the aspect of true humility. This is the joy of Tefillin - as in the Talmud: one was joyful the entire day, saying "I am wearing Tefillin!" (Berachos). For this life is the essential eternal joy: "Toadee'ainee orach chayim, soava semachos es panecha" (Tehillim 16:11) - merited through Tefillin (the aspect of Or HaPanim).

The Yud-knot of the Tefillin: our Sages warned that it must not move far from the Tefillin. Yud is the aspect of the World to Come (Menachos 29b), the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim, the aspect of true humility. Yud is the smallest letter - the aspect of true anavah. Our Sages said: the World to Come was created with Yud because "the Tzadikim there will be few." This seems puzzling - don't all of Yisrael have a share in the World to Come? Rather, "few" is the aspect of "Kee attem hame'at mikol ha'amim" - "You are the fewest" (Devarim 7:7) - Rashi: you make yourselves small. Only those who truly diminish themselves can receive Chayim Nitzchiyim.

This is why our Sages spoke so severely (Rosh HaShanah 17a) about the punishment of one who does not don Tefillin - calling him "poash'ai Yisrael bigoofoa" [a sinner of Yisrael in his body], a "karkafta diloa manach Tefillin" [a skull that never wore Tefillin], judged with eternal death. For it is impossible to merit eternal life except through Tefillin.

Therefore Shabbos is not a time for Tefillin. For Shabbos itself is the aspect of the World to Come, Chayim Nitzchiyim: "Toa'ameha chayim zachoo" - as written in the Torah there at its beginning. Therefore one certainly needs no Tefillin to subdue the side of death or to draw Chayim Nitzchiyim - for Shabbos's own holiness is itself Chayim Nitzchiyim. Similarly Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed - they are themselves an os [sign] (Menachos 36b), receiving their holiness from Shabbos ("Techeelah limikra'ai kodesh").

Yetzias Mitzrayim, which is written many times in the parshiyos of Tefillin. For the essential purpose of Tefillin is to merit Chayim Nitzchiyim, the life of the World to Come, which is the aspect of a boundless inheritance, without confines or boundaries, as explained at the beginning of the Torah cited above. This is the main aspect of Yetzias Mitzrayim: then we merited to receive the Torah, through which we can merit the life of the World to Come, a boundless inheritance, the opposite of Mitzrayim, whose very name connotes maitzarim, constrictions and boundaries. The farther a place is from holiness, the more it is in the aspect of coarse materiality and boundary. Therefore all exiles are called by the name Mitzrayim, because they constrict Yisrael and prevent them, in body and soul, from mitzvos and from the holiness of Yisrael. The farther one is from holiness, the more he is in constriction and limitation. This is "Kol roadfeha hiseegooha bain hametzarim" - all her pursuers overtook her between the straits (Eichah 1:3). But through the mitzvah of Tefillin we draw upon ourselves the holiness of Yetzias Mitzrayim, which is the holiness of the future Geulah, as it says, "Keemai tzaischa mai'eretz Mitzrayim arenoo niflu’oas" - "As in the days of your leaving Egypt, I will show him wonders" (Michah 7:15). For through Tefillin we draw upon ourselves the holy light of the faces of the true Tzadikim, through which one merits a boundless inheritance. This is the aspect of Yetzias Mitzrayim mentioned in Tefillin.

Therefore on all Yamim Tovim, which are themselves a remembrance of Yetzias Mitzrayim, one certainly should not don Tefillin. Through the holiness of the Yamim Tovim themselves, which are themselves an os, one merits the aspect of Yetzias Mitzrayim - a boundless inheritance and the eternal life of the World to Come. Therefore it is forbidden to don Tefillin on them, and the Zohar HaKadosh states that one who dons Tefillin then is liable to death. The essential purpose of Tefillin is to subdue the Sitra d'Mosa that rules during the weekdays, because then the humility of Moshe Rabbainu clothed within each limb is not felt; it is in the aspect of death, due to the hold of the side of death that Adam HaRishon drew down by eating from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. The essence of that blemish was gadlus and arrogance: "Vihiyisem k'Elokim" - the serpent injected envy and self-importance, the desire to become great like the Creator and create worlds like Him. Through this Adam was driven from Gan Eden and death was decreed for the generations. Had he not sinned, he would have merited in his body to live the eternal life mentioned above, meaning true humility in all his limbs, and he would not have had to die at all. But now, after the sin, man cannot completely merit this eternal life except through death: he must return to the dust, the bodily impurity must be worn away in the dust, and only then, according to his deeds, can he rise in Techiyas HaMaisim with his true lowliness made alive, to live eternally. Even the greatest Tzadikim, even Moshe Rabbainu himself, had to die; though he had merited true humility in his lifetime, he had to die for the good of Yisrael, so that he could awaken, arouse, and resurrect all Yisrael, in whom his humility is clothed but is in the aspect of death. Therefore the main mitzvah of Tefillin applies during the weekdays, when the thirty-nine melachos and the contamination of the serpent, the Sitra d'Mosa, have rule. Only the holiness of Tefillin, which are Chayim Nitzchiyim, can subdue them. But on Shabbos, Yom Tov, and Chol HaMoed, which are themselves an os and in which the holiness of Shabbos - the eternal life of the World to Come - shines by itself, it is certainly forbidden to don Tefillin. Doing so would appear as though the side of death had rule there and still needed Tefillin to subdue it. In truth, on those days the Sitra d'Mosa is already subdued by the holiness of the day itself.

Therefore a mourner is forbidden to don Tefillin on the first day. Because of the mourning, the Sitra d'Mosa is then strengthened, Heaven forbid, and at that time it cannot be subdued through donning Tefillin; therefore Tefillin are forbidden then. The mourner must instead sit on the ground, sweetening the judgment at its root by lowering himself all the way to actual dust, in order to draw upon himself Chayim Nitzchiyim, which is true humility - making oneself like dust - the aspect of "Hakeetzu viranenu shoachnai afar." In truth, one who nullifies himself completely and truly merits this life, true humility, does not need to lower himself to actual dust. On the contrary, he can reign, exercise authority, and even speak in self-praise, and nevertheless remain truly humble, as we find among the greatest Tzadikim, such as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and many of the Tannaim and Amoraim who spoke of their own greatness. Though this seems opposite to humility, in truth it is the ultimate perfection of true humility, as I heard and understood from Rabbainu: the essence of humility is that a person can write about himself, "And the man Moshe was exceedingly humble" (Bamidbar 12:3). But ordinary people who have not merited this must humble themselves in practical ways, and especially a mourner on the first day, when the side of death is strong, must sit on the ground and draw humility from the dust itself.

Indeed, one who truly nullifies himself to the point of attaining this anavah does not need to lower himself literally - on the contrary, he can reign and boast, and still be truly humble. As we find with great Tzadikim who boasted - R' Shimon bar Yochai said in the Idra: "I testify upon myself..." and "I have seen the people of ascent - if they are two, it is I and my son" (Sukkah 45b). This seems contrary to humility, yet it is the ultimate perfection of true humility. As I heard and understood from our Rebbe: the essence of humility is to be able to write about oneself: "And the man Moshe was very humble." The perfection of humility is not to be a lazy sluggard. This is the aspect of "Shechorah ani v'na'avah" - "I am dark and beautiful" (Shir HaShirim 1:5): dark as the Yud (the aspect of the ultimate smallness/humility) - yet beautiful! For one achieves such complete nullification of ego that one can boast of one's beauty.

But not everyone merits this in completeness, especially when the side of death prevails (as in mourning). Then the sweetening is through literally sitting on the ground - drawing Chayim Nitzchiyim from the aspect of afar (the aspect of true humility), thereby subduing the side of death. This is the tikun of burial in the earth: "V'yashuv he'afar al ha'aretz k'shehayah" (Koheles 12:7) - and then "V'haruach tashuv el HaElokim." Through Adam's sin, one cannot merit Chayim Nitzchiyim (the aspect of true humility) without first returning to literal dust - the contamination decays there - and afterward rising in Techiyas HaMaisim. The essential thing: according to how much one made himself like dust in his lifetime - "Hakeetzu viranenoo shoachnai afar" - one who became a neighbor to the dust in life.

Therefore the essential light of Tefillin emerges through waking at midnight to study Torah, as explained in the Arizal's writings at length - the light of Tefillin issues from there. For sleep is one-sixtieth of death, and through waking from sleep one subdues the side of death and draws upon oneself the Or HaPanim - by mourning the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash (where the essential Or Pnai Hashem was revealed: "Shalosh pe'amim bashanah yaira'eh chol zechoorcha es Pnai Hashem" (Devarim 16:16)). By mourning the destruction, one merits to draw upon oneself the holiness of its rebuilding (Ta'anis 30b) is the aspect of the sparkling of the Mochin, the aspect of building the Bais HaMikdash. Then one studies Torah - for from there Torah insights are drawn - and through this the light of Tefillin emerges is the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim.

Therefore the essential Tefillin depend on the eyes: "Vihayoo litoatafoas bain ainecha" - "They shall be for frontlets between your eyes" (Devarim 6:8). For the essential Tefillin are drawn through the gazing of the eyes - through meriting to see oneself with the true Tzadikim.

This is the aspect of the Name Shakai on the Tefillin. Shakai - because "there is dai [enough / sufficient] in His G-dliness for every creature", which is the opposite of gadlus (as in the Torah "Ani Hashem hu sh'mi"). The ultimate purpose of man is to reach complete bitul - to be truly ayin mamash - to break gadlus entirely and merit the true humility of Moshe Rabbainu that is clothed in every limb. Then one merits Chayim Nitzchiyim - to be included in Hashem, to delight in Hashem alone - "Ayin lo ra'asah."

This is the aspect of Shakai, that there is dai - enough - in His G-dliness for every creature. You need nothing else at all; you do not need any pleasure or hold in any physicality or yeshus, as though you still needed, Heaven forbid, something besides His G-dliness. Far be such a thought, for in truth there is enough in His G-dliness for every creature. Whoever still has some hold in coarseness, physicality, or yeshus is far from Hashem, for "Toa'avas Hashem kol gevah laiv" - a haughty heart is an abomination to Hashem (Mishlai 16:5). It is as though he were choosing something other than His G-dliness; therefore our Sages said that whoever is arrogant is as though he worshiped idolatry. The opposite is true humility, the aspect of the Name Shakai. When a person has no coarseness and nullifies every self-sensation until he is as ayin mamash, and he has no pleasure or life-force except the life-force of Hashem Himself, that is enough for him and he needs no more. There is enough delight, joy, and true eternal life in His G-dliness alone, and one needs nothing else except to be ayin mamash and delight in Hashem alone. Fortunate is the one who merits this. This is "BaHashem tis'halel nafshee, yishme'oo anavim vi'yismachoo" - "In Hashem my soul will glory; the humble will hear and rejoice" (Tehillim 34:3). Dovid HaMelech gloried only in Hashem: I have no praise or glory except in Hashem alone. The truly humble hear this and rejoice, for they merit Chayim Nitzchiyim, the fullness of joy - "Toadee’ainee oarach chayim, soava semachos es panecha" (Tehillim 16:11) - and this is the aspect of Tefillin, the light of the face and the Name Shakai.

the Shakeye of Tefillin (sheh-there is, deye-enough): there is enough in His G-dliness for every creature, and nothing else is needed at all. The meaning is that the final purpose of every creature in the world is to reach this: to have no desire, pleasure, or life-force other than His G-dliness alone. Every creature has enough delight and life in Hashem's G-dliness alone. This matter is already hinted at at the end of the Torah "Amar Rabbi Akiva" (Likutay Moharan I:51): although the ultimate purpose of the World to Come is to be included in Him, so that after creation one is included in before creation - the aspect of "No eye has seen" because there will be no separate eye to see - nevertheless there will be many distinctions between each person, and each will receive reward according to his avodah, for "according to the pain is the reward." This cannot be understood at all. This is the meaning of there being deye in His G-dliness for every creature: even though there will certainly be great distinctions in this delighting in Hashem alone, even the lowest creature has enough in His G-dliness alone. The delight, life-force, knowledge, and inclusion in Hashem that even the lowest creature will receive contains enough and more than enough to live eternally. Certainly the one of lesser level will not know and live like the great Tzadik, and there will be numberless distinctions between the levels of each one, but even the smallest delight and life-force received from His G-dliness alone, with no other thing mixed in, will be more than sufficient to live forever. The main thing is to strive for this in one's lifetime; whoever desires true life should pray to merit, while alive, that Hashem's G-dliness alone should be enough for him, that he should want nothing but Hashem, His Torah, and His mitzvos, which are His unity. Fortunate is the one who strives until he merits this.

"Vahareekoasee lachem brachah ad bilee deye" - "I will pour out blessing for you until there is no more deye" (Malachi 3:10). Our Sages said (Ta'anis 9a): "Until your lips wear out from saying deye." I have always wondered what kind of blessing this is! Rather: the reward of the Tzadikim rises level upon level without limit. So although ultimately every creature will have deye in Hashem alone, Yisrael will merit an even higher level - so high that they will stop saying deye - for deye is a contraction, and those who reach this height will transcend all contractions. Their lips (the aspect of instruments of speech) will cease and be nullified - they will no longer say deye, for they will rise above all holy contractions. "A’yin loa ra'asah Elokim zoolusecha ya'aseh lamichakeh loa" (Yeshayah 64:3).

This is the aspect of "Kadesh lee chol bechor" - the first parshah of Tefillin. And the second parshah "Vihayah kee yevee'acha" also speaks of the holiness of firstborns. The sanctity of firstborns is the aspect of the sanctity of the Bris - consecrating the first birth and giving it to the Kohen. For all the above - Techiyas HaMaisim, true humility - comes primarily through the sanctity of the Bris of the true Tzadik, who draws his holiness and abstinence upon all Yisrael, as at Mattan Torah.

The essential holiness of the firstborn is to give it to the Kohen - for the Kehunah began with Aharon, who merited it through seeing the face of Moshe his brother - truly, without envy, in genuine humility. Through this he merited the great and awesome distinction of the Keser Kehunah. For through seeing and receiving Moshe's face with joy, the entire Exodus and giving of the Torah depended on this. As explained in the account of Moshe's mission: Moshe refused the mission repeatedly, not wanting to take greatness over his brother Aharon. Until Hashem said: "Haloa Aharon acheecha haLevi... heenai hoo yoatzai likrasecha, vira'acha visamach bileeboa" - "Behold, he comes to meet you, and when he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart" (Shemos 4:14). Through this he merited the Choshen Mishpat placed upon the heart (Shabbos 139a).

"Vira'acha" - "seeing" precisely - for through seeing the face of the Tzadik and receiving him with joy is the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim, the aspect of true humility, the aspect of the source of joy: "Todee'ainee oarach chayim, soava semachos es panecha"; "Yishme'oo anavim vi'yismachoo." Through this: the Exodus (the aspect of nullifying boundaries and gadlus), and thus Aharon merited the Kehunah - to serve in the Bais HaMikdash where the Mochin sparkle is the aspect of the craft of the Mishkan: "Chazis eesh mahir bimlachtoa" - "mahir" precisely, the aspect of the Kohanim, zealous in their service. Therefore the parshiyos of Tefillin speak of the firstborn (the aspect of the Kohen), for the Kehunah emerges from seeing the Tzadik's face - the source of Tefillin's holiness.

Therefore the essential Techiyas HaMaisim will come through the seed of Aharon HaKohen. As our Sages said (end of Sotah): Techiyas HaMaisim comes through Eliyahu, remembered for good - and Eliyahu is Pinchas the son of Elazar the son of Aharon HaKohen. For Techiyas HaMaisim (the aspect of true humility) is drawn through the holiness of Aharon, who merited the Kehunah through truly seeing the Tzadik's face with joy.

This is why the last parshah of Tefillin concludes with Techiyas HaMaisim: "Lima'an yeerboo yemaichem veemai vinaichem al ha'adamah asher nishba Hashem la'avoasaichem lusais luhem" (Devarim 11:21). Our Sages derived (Sanhedrin 90b): it does not say "lachem" [to you] but "luhem" [to them] - a proof of Techiyas HaMaisim from the Torah. For Tefillin (the aspect of Or HaPanim) lead to Techiyas HaMaisim (the aspect of true humility: "Hakeetzoo viranenoo shoachnai afar").

All the parshiyos of Tefillin speak of Eretz Yisrael - for Techiyas HaMaisim will be primarily in Eretz Yisrael (Kesubos 111a). "Al ha'adamah" specifically is the aspect of Eretz Yisrael. For Techiyas HaMaisim is the aspect of true humility, the aspect of making oneself like afar and adamah: "Hakeetzoo viranenoo shoachnai afar" - one who became a neighbor to the dust in his lifetime. This is merited specifically through the dust of Eretz Yisrael.

For Techiyas HaMaisim is true humility: one makes himself like dust and earth, in the aspect of "Hakeetzoo viranenu shoachnai afar" - "Awake and sing, dwellers of dust" (Yeshayah 26:19), which our Sages expound as one who became a neighbor to dust in his lifetime. This is merited specifically through the dust of Eretz Yisrael. For even though the aspect of afar, making oneself like dust, is a very great level - that is, to make oneself like dust and to be truly humble, which is greater than everything, for humility is greater than them all - nevertheless, it is already explained in the above Torah that it is forbidden to be lazy and a shlimaz'l. For humility is the essence of life. There is also the opposite: the aspect of afar of the Sitra Achra, where the essential hold of the Sitra Achra and the bite of the serpent is found, in the aspect of "Vinachash afar lachmoa" - "Dust is the serpent's food" (Yeshayah 65:25). This is the aspect of sadness and laziness, as written elsewhere, the opposite of "Chazis eesh maheer bimlachtoa" - "Have you seen a man swift in his work" (Mishlai 22:29). This is the aspect of the dust of chutz la'aretz, which is impure dust. As our Sages said, when Yisrael dwell on their land, a Kohen may not leave for chutz la'aretz because of the concern for the many dead buried there; for there the Sitra d'Mosa has a greater hold. This is the aspect of sadness and laziness, the aspect of invalid humility, which in truth is the aspect of gaavah. Therefore each person must sanctify himself with the aspect of the holiness of the dust of Eretz Yisrael, for there is the essence of Techiyas HaMaisim, which is true humility, as mentioned above. Therefore the parshiyos of Tefillin speak of Eretz Yisrael, because there is the essence of Techiyas HaMaisim, which is the aspect of Tefillin, as mentioned above. Therefore Eretz Yisrael is called Eretz HaChayim, the Land of Life, because there is the essence of the resurrection, the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim, as mentioned above. This is Eretz HaChayim: there the earth and dust - that is, the aspect of humility and lowliness - are in the aspect of life, meaning true humility, which is the essence of life. But the land of the nations is the aspect of land and impure dust, where the Sitra d'Mosa dwells, meaning the aspect of invalid humility. Such a person does not live true life through the dust, meaning through lowliness; rather through it he falls down to the dust, Heaven forbid, which is the aspect of sadness and laziness, the aspect of "the serpent's food is dust," as mentioned above. For the main virtue of humility is that it should be in the aspect of life, the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, whose essence is in Eretz Yisrael, which is the Land of Life, as mentioned above. Therefore, in truth, one must ask very, very much from Hashem yisburach to merit true humility, which is the essence of the life of every limb, as explained there at the end of the above Torah.

This is the aspect of the mitzvah of eating matzah and the prohibition of chametz on Pesach - mentioned in the parshiyos of Tefillin: "Shiv'as yamim tochal matzos" (Shemos 13:6-7). One must sanctify one's eating greatly, for the essential decree of death came through the sin of eating (the Tree of Knowledge). The essence of death is the dominance of yeshus [ego/substance] and physicality - hiding the anavah in a state of "death." True life is the aspect of the humility of Moshe in every limb; death is the aspect of the concealment of that humility through the dominance of yeshus, the aspect of gay’oos [arrogance].

eating draws life from the Torah, and this is the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim of the World to Come, true humility. Therefore Moshe Rabbainu, who in his lifetime merited ultimate humility in complete perfection, did not need eating at all; on the mountain he spent three periods of forty days without eating bread. His entire life-force was true life, the eternal life of the future, which is true humility. The rest of the world, however, must eat in order to draw life. The essential life drawn through eating comes from the root of life - the eternal life of the future, true humility, the aspect of ayin. In eating, the food is consumed and nullified; through this, the inner life within it, the holy sparks, is clarified. These sparks are entirely spiritual, the aspect of ayin. In truth, a person is not nourished by the physicality of the food at all; the physical part becomes complete waste and is expelled. His main vitality comes only from the life-force of the food, the aspect of ayin and humility, the root of life. One who eats in this aspect without any admixture of waste would certainly live forever, in the aspect of "V'achal vachai l'olam" - "he will eat and live forever" (Beraishis 3:22). This is the level of the true Tzadikim, who are alive and enduring forever and do not truly die, as our Sages said, "Tzadikim, even in their death, are called alive" (Berachos 18a), and as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said before his passing, and as our Sages said, "Yaakov Avinu did not die" (Taanis 5b). But through Adam HaRishon's sin all things became mixed, and because of the mixtures in eating it is impossible to be nourished from the holy life-force within the food except according to the holy Torah, which clarifies all things - "Visoarascha bisoach mai'eye" - "Your Torah is within my innards" - and through blessings before and after. Even with all this, one cannot live forever now; one must die, because the clarification cannot be completed in one's lifetime except by returning to the dust. Nevertheless, there is certainly a great difference between eating in holiness and eating otherwise.

Eating that is in holiness according to the Torah is the essence of life, because it draws the life-force from its root, from the aspect of humility, which is the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim, as mentioned above. This is why Admor, of blessed memory, mentioned the matter of bushah specifically regarding eating; see there what he said on the verse "Misham chafar ochel" - "From there he searches out food" (Iyov 39:29), that it is fitting for a person to have shame to stretch the food to his mouth. For certainly one must draw great shame upon himself at the time of eating, specifically in order to merit then the Chayim Nitzchiyim that are humility, drawn through shame, which is the aspect of teshuvah, as written there; through this one draws holy life, as mentioned above. Therefore the Torah warned very strongly that one should not come to gassus through eating, as it says, "Pen tochal v'savata... v'ram levavecha" - "Lest you eat and be satisfied... and your heart become haughty" (Devarim 8:12-14). For when one does not eat in holiness according to the Torah, then he does not awaken and draw the eternal life mentioned above; rather, his life-force comes from the waste, which is the aspect of gaavah and haughtiness of heart. This is the life-force of the Sitra Achra, which is in truth death, for from there is the root of death, as mentioned above. This is the aspect of "Resha'im, in their lives, are called dead" (Berachos 18b). Of such eating it is said, "Ki b'yom acholcha mimenu mos tamus" - "on the day you eat from it, you shall surely die" (Beraishis 2:17), rachamana litzlan. Therefore at the time of eating one must be exceedingly careful to draw upon himself the bushah mentioned above; through this the lowliness is made alive, which is the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim, as mentioned above, in order to draw through eating these eternal lives, which are true life, which are humility and lowliness, as mentioned above. See also regarding this in Hilchos Orlah, Halacha 2. This is the aspect of eating matzah and the prohibition of chametz at the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim, which is the nullification of boundaries and constrictions, the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim, as mentioned above. For chametz has a very strong hold of gaavah, because...

Chametz is the hold of gaavah, because it rises and swells, and this is the aspect of Mochin diKatnus in which the Sitra Achra has a hold. On Pesach, before the giving of the Torah, it is impossible to clarify and rectify this properly, for the main rectification of the haughty spirit is through the Torah, the aspect of Ruach Elokim and the sparkling of the mochin. Therefore at the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim chametz is forbidden with bal yairaeh and bal yimatzai, and one is commanded to eat matzah. Matzah is baked quickly before the spirit of this world can take hold of the dough and make it rise. It is drawn from a very exalted illumination, the great mochin that shone on Lail Sheemoorim not in the ordinary order, through the light of seeing the face of the Tzadik - Moshe Rabbainu - even before the Torah was received. The Exodus came through this: Aharon saw Moshe and rejoiced in his heart, and all Yisrael saw Moshe's face and believed in him, for true seeing of the Tzadik is with emunah. If a person sees the Tzadik without faith, he has not truly seen him. Through that wondrous illumination Hashem skipped the end and redeemed us at once, even before we were ready for the ordered reception of the Torah. Therefore on Pesach chametz, which belongs to the unrectified spirit and to katnus, must be avoided entirely, while matzah, the bread of faith and humility, is eaten.

After Shevi'i shel Pesach (the aspect of Kri'as Yam Suf), chametz was permitted - for at the splitting of the sea, the aspect of receiving the Torah began to be drawn. Therefore mitzvos and laws were immediately given: "Shum sum loa choak oomishpat" (Shemos 15:25). Kri'as Yam Suf was through "Ruach Elokim merachefes al pnai hamayim" - the Ruach Elokim that hovers over the waters is the aspect of Torah. Through this they merited great perceptions: "A maidservant at the sea saw what [the prophet] Yechezkel did not see" (Mechilta, Beshalach 3). The physical miracle itself was through ruach: "Va’yoalech Hashem es ha’yam biruach kadim" (Shemos 14:21); "Nashafta biroochacha keesaamoa yam" (Shemos 15:10). Once receiving Torah began, one could subdue the haughty spirit and clarify the ruach of this world that grips chametz - so that eating could be in the aspect of true life, the aspect of humility.

But on Pesach (before Torah), one must eat matzah - fleeing completely from the ruach of this world. Therefore matzah is mentioned in Tefillin: Tefillin subdue the side of death (the aspect of chametz) and draw Chayim Nitzchiyim (the aspect of humility is the aspect of matzah). Matzah is the aspect of Mochin diGadlus - for the greatness of the holy Mochin is the essence of humility: "Bimkom gidoolaso shum atah moatzai anvasanoosoa" (Megillah 31a). Therefore matzah is called specifically "lechem oanee" - bread of lowliness is the aspect of humility, the aspect of the essence of life.

This is what our Sages said (Shabbos 49a): "Tefillin require a clean body - that one not pass wind while wearing them." For n'fichah [flatulence/puffing] comes from the pesoless [waste] of food, the aspect of gassus haruach [coarseness of spirit], the aspect of avodah zarah, the aspect of "ki tzo'ah" - filth and waste. From there emerges the ruach of puffing - the very opposite of Tefillin, which are the aspect of true Ruach Chayim, Ruach Elokim is the aspect of Torah explanations, the aspect of true humility.

This is what the prophet rebuked Chiram king of Tzor for his great arrogance: "Ya'an gavah libecha" (Yechezkel 28:2). He said to him: "Meleches tupecha un'kavecha b'yom hibar'acha konanu" - "The workmanship of your drums and your orifices were prepared on the day you were created." Rashi explains: Even though I gave you this honor, I knew you would become haughty, so I made drums and orifices in you that emit wind like the sound of a song - and from them you should have contemplated your lowliness. For the workmanship of "drums and orifices" - from which comes the ruach of puffing - derives from gay’oos is the aspect of haughty spirit, the aspect of filth, the aspect of avodah zarah. Hashem fashioned man with wondrous wisdom that from the yeshus and pesoless should emerge such foul odor - so man would understand his lowliness and consider whether he has anything to be haughty about.

That prophecy against Tzor concludes with the salvation of Yisrael: "V'yashvu al admasam asher nasati l'avdi l'Yaakov" - Rashi: just as it was given to Yaakov - an inheritance without boundaries is the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim, the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, the aspect of humility - the opposite of ga'avah. Therefore these themes are juxtaposed.

This is the aspect of Tefillin shel Rosh. From there the light goes forth through the knot of the Dalet, which is attached to the Tefillin shel Rosh. This is the aspect of "Melech asur barhatim" - the Malchus is bound within the channels of the mochin. Malchus is the aspect of Dalet, and therefore the Dalet-knot behind the head is the aspect of Malchus of Mashiach. It contains all the aspects of gadlus and malchus that every person receives through looking at the Tzadik, who is the aspect of Moshe-Mashiach. From this knot the light descends toward the Tefillin shel Yad, so that the malchus, which is bound in the mochin of the head, should be drawn into the heart and into action.

Through Malchus/Gadlus; through this, one merits Torah chiddushim and explanations, the aspect of the Tefillin shel Yad, which contains parshiyos that are complete Mochin, the aspect of Torah explanations, the aspect of the "Bi'air" [well]: "Bi'air chafurooha sureem" - "A well dug by princes." Therefore Tefillin shel Yad is opposite the heart: "Kashrem al leebecha tamid" - the essential thing is to bind the Da'as to the heart, which is accomplished through Torah explanations - contracting the sparkling of the Mochin with great skill into one drush [discourse].

Therefore shel Yad has one bayis [compartment]. When drawing Torah explanations from the sparkling Mochin, the essential innovation is placing them into a single compartment - a single drush. For "words of Torah are poor in their place and rich in another" - the drush connects wisdoms from many distant places into a single unified explanation is the aspect of one bayis. Initially the Mochin sparkle in many compartments (the aspect of four batim of the shel Rosh) - too great to be contained in one. But when contracted into Malchus; through this, Torah innovations; through this, they are concentrated into one bayis, the aspect of one drush. This is the aspect of "B'vayis echad ye'achel" - "In one house it shall be eaten" - one can only eat and be nourished from Torah wisdoms when the Mochin are brought into one house, the aspect of Tefillin shel Yad.

Through Torah explanations; through this, great bushah is drawn. This is the aspect of the yad kaihah [weak/dimmed hand] where the shel Yad is placed. Kaihah is the aspect of dimming the face from bushah: "V'lo chihah bahem" - he did not rebuke or shame them. And "U'fishtah kaihah lo yichbenah" - said about the Tzadikim called "pishtah kaihah" [dimmed flax] because they carry bushah on their faces. Through bushah; through this, Chayim Nitzchiyim; through this, humility resurrected.

The Yud-knot tied to the shel Yad is the aspect of humility, the aspect of life of the World to Come. It is bound on the left - to subdue the side of death that grips on the left side. This is the essential purpose of Tefillin: to subdue and nullify the side of death, to ascend from death to life - to merit Chayim Nitzchiyim, the aspect of humility.

Therefore Tefillin are the aspect of yir'ah [awe], as our Sages said (Berachos 6a). Through the sparkling Mochin; through this, Gadlus; through this, Torah explanations; through this, great yir'ah as at Mattan Torah. Therefore the entire Torah was compared to Tefillin: "L'ma'an tihyeh Toras Hashem b'ficha" (Shemos 13:9; Kiddushin 35a). Tefillin are the aspect of receiving the Torah anew each day, the aspect of Torah explanations drawn from sparkling Mochin drawn from gazing at the Tzadik.

Therefore the Tzadikim and the upright ones attached to them are the Tefillin of all Yisrael - for they are the pi’air [splendor/glory] of the generation, and Tefillin are called pi’air. As our Rebbe said about the great Tzadik, the Rav of Barditchev: "He is the aspect of Tefillin, for he is the pi’air of the generation." All who draw close to them, their students and students' students - all receive the hispa'arus [glory] from them, the aspect of the light of Tefillin. Through them, all Yisrael receive the holy light of Tefillin each day.

This is the aspect of Tefillin of Rashi and Tefillin of Rabbainu Tam - which exist because of the uncertainty of how to arrange the parshiyos in the batim. In truth, both are correct and both are needed. This corresponds to what our Rebbe said after the Torah (Chayim Nitzchiyim): "In truth, we do not know what humility is. Certainly it does not mean being lazy and a good-for-nothing (shlimaz'lnik)." One must pray greatly to merit true humility. There is much to say about this.

For one who truly wishes to be a Yid in truth must be a mighty warrior - with holy azus [boldness] to stand against all obstacles and enticers, whether from outside (other people, close and distant) or from within (confusing and weakening thoughts daily). One must be very strong to resist them all, following the ways and advice in the Rebbe's holy books that restore the soul with seven kinds of comfort in every kind of descent. One needs great azus and hischazekus never to let oneself fall in any way - not even to weaken one's mind - rather, to be joyful at all times in Hashem's kindnesses. This is the aspect of "Vayigbah leeboa bidarkai Hashem" - "His heart was lifted in the ways of Hashem" (Divrai HaYamim II 17:6).

Yet gay'oos and gassus are a great prohibition - "Toa'avas Hashem kol givah laiv." Therefore one must only pray to merit true humility where humility and holy greatness are completely one: "Bimkoam gidoolasoa shum atah moatzai anvasanoosoa." This is Tefillin of Rashi and Rabbainu Tam: Rashi's is the aspect of the Name Havayah in order, the aspect of Chassadim first; Rabbainu Tam's is the aspect of the first permutation with Hai before Vav, the aspect of Gevuros before Chassadim. Chassadim and Gevuros are the roots of humility and greatness: humility is the aspect of ayin, the aspect of Chassadim; greatness is the aspect of dinim/Gevuros, the aspect of yeshus. At their root in holiness, both are needed - both are one. But below, there is uncertainty which to draw first - it is hard to stand on this matter. Therefore one must don both.

"Makom yaish baroash lihaniach boa shnai Tefillin" - "There is room on the head for two Tefillin" (Eruvin 95b). Meaning: there is room in the head and mind to draw both aspects - to be truly humble with no trace of gai'oos, yet a mighty warrior, not lazy or despised - which is the aspect of Rashi's and Rabbainu Tam's Tefillin. Therefore one must don both.

This is the aspect of Bircas HaShachar [Morning Blessings]. When one arises from sleep, one must wash the hands and bless "Al netilas yadayim." Waking from sleep is the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, as we bless: "HaMachazir neshamos lifgarim maisim" - "Who restores souls to dead bodies." The essential Techiyas HaMaisim is that the humility and lowliness is resurrected - drawn from Torah explanations; through this, sparkling Mochin. The water of netilah is the aspect of the waters of Torah: "V'Ruach Elokim merachefes al pnai hamayim." From there are drawn these waters that wash and purify the hands from the side of death that grips during sleep.

This is the aspect of the blessing "Asher Yatzar" (Who created) - recited in the morning over the body's orifices. Gay’oos of the Sitra Achra is the aspect of avodah zarah, the aspect of filth and waste - drawn from the utter pesoaless of physical Asiyah, the aspect of pure excess. Gay’oos is excess: "Oomeshalem al yesehr oasai ga'avah" (Tehillim 31:24, and He pays for the excess of the doers of haughtiness) is the aspect of "Meleches toopecha oonikavecha" (the work of your drums and your orifices). When waking from sleep (the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim is the aspect of humility), one blesses Asher Yatzar over Hashem's wondrous wisdom in fashioning man with the power to expel waste (pesoaless, the aspect of ga'avah). This power is drawn from the sparkling of the Mochin - subduing the side of death (the aspect of ga'avah). Therefore the blessing begins "Asher yatzar es ha'adam bichochmah" (Who created man with wisdom) - "bichochmah" precisely - for it is a great wisdom to extract the good from the waste. A person too must use true wisdom to extract chiyus (the aspect of true humility) from the gay’oos (the aspect of utter waste), clarifying good from evil - neither falling into false humility nor actual gay’oos.

Therefore Yisro, who said to Moshe "Vi'atah sechezeh" (and you will see)- through which Techiyas HaMaisim is drawn - is alluded to in "Virabim miyeshainai admas afar yakeetzoo" (Daniel 12:2, and many of the sleeper of the earth will awaken), whose final letters spell Yisro. He merited to rectify the aspect of yeser [excess], the aspect of mosros (waste of the excess), the aspect of "yesehr oasai ga'avah" (excess of the doers of haughtiness) - by adding a parshah to the Torah ("Vi'atah sechezeh"), through which the essential Techiyas HaMaisim is accomplished. And the blessing "Elokeye Neshamah" (my G-d the soul…) concludes: "HaMachazeer neshamoas lifgarim maisim" (Who returns the souls to dead corpses) - for waking from sleep is the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim.

This is the aspect of the blessing "HaNoasain laSechvee veenah lihavchin bain yoam oovain leyelah" - "Who gives the rooster understanding to distinguish between day and night." Night is the aspect of the side of death rules (from Adam's sin, the blemish of humility). The light of day is the aspect of waking from sleep, the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, the aspect of humility resurrected. But one needs great discernment - not to confuse day for night, not to reverse the truth. One must guard against false humility (not becoming lazy) and equally against one who lords over Yisrael claiming his intention is for Heaven while actually trapped in gay’oos. One must distinguish between light and darkness, between death and life - to know how to conduct oneself in truth. As our Rebbe said: one must pray much to Hashem about this.

Therefore Korach, who blemished through gay’oos - for his entire rebellion against Moshe and Aharon was only through his great arrogance, envying Aharon's greatness and Elitzafan's appointment - Moshe said to him: "Boker v'yoda Hashem es asher lo" - "Morning, and Hashem will make known who is His" (Bamidbar 16:5). Rashi: HaKadosh Baruch Hu set boundaries in His world - can you turn evening into morning? Meaning: Korach sought to reverse evening for morning. In truth his rebellion was pure gay’oos, but he claimed his intention was for Heaven - he reversed the truth. He said: "Kee chol ha'aidah koolam kedoashim... oomadua sisnasoo al kihal Hashem" - as if he was zealous for Yisrael's honor, claiming that Moshe and Aharon themselves sought power.

Moshe responded that Korach was trying to reverse evening for morning. As Rashi explains: just as Hashem separated light from darkness, so He set Aharon apart - for Aharon's holiness was drawn from true humility ("V'ra'acha v'samach b'libo") is the aspect of the separation of light from darkness, death from life. True humility is the aspect of life, the aspect of the light of day, the aspect of waking from sleep.

For in truth, the essential death came because Adam blemished through gay’oos (the Tree of Knowledge). The essence of the side of death is that the neshamah separates from the body. This comes from not meriting true humility, the aspect of the life of every limb. The essence of perfect humility: being truly ayin mamash - yet strong, courageous, and mighty - gibor chayil - standing against all obstacles: "Vayigbah leeboa bidarkai Hashem." At their root, both are one: holy gay’oos is in truth true humility - "Bimkom gidoolasoa..."

Had Adam not sinned, he would have merited this in his lifetime and lived forever - for the essence of life is the unity of neshamah and body. The root of the neshamah (ayin/humility) and the body (yeshus/gadlus) are in their supernal root one: "Bimkom gidoolasoa..." The neshamah is the aspect of ayin (eye), the aspect of wisdom: "HaChochmah tichayeh" (Koheles 7:12, the wisdom will give life); "Vinishmas Shakai tiveenaim" (Iyov 32:8, and the breath/soul of Hashem will give them understanding); "VihaChochmah mai'ayin timatzai" (and the wisdom from nothing it is found). The body is the aspect of yeshus (entity), which is drawn from gai'us/gadlus. But after the sin, we cannot grasp this unity with our da'as - therefore man must die, the body must return to dust, until he merits Techiyas HaMaisim where the body will be pure and clear, united with the neshamah in ultimate oneness.

But we must draw this aspect upon ourselves daily - for our entire service all our days is to merit Techiyas HaMaisim. This is the entire matter of Bircas HaShachar - blessing in detail each morning for every function: "Poakai'ach ivrim (opens eyes of the blind)," "Mateer asoorim (releases prisoners)," "Zoakaif kefufim (stands erect the bent)" - to awaken the chiyus (life) of every limb through the blessing. The essential chiyus is the humility of Moshe Rabbainu clothed in every limb. All blessings and thanks flow from the true Tzadik, the aspect of the source of blessing. The essential Chayim Nitzchiyim are the aspect of constantly thanking, praising, and blessing His great Name: "Cheye cheye hoo yoadecha" (Yeshayah 38:19, the living the living he will praise You); "Loa hamaisim yehaleloo Kah" (Tehillim 115:17, The dead will not praise G-d) - the wicked in life are called dead - but the living: "Va'anachnoo nevaraich Kah" (but we will bless G-d). Each morning: "Kol zman shehaneshamah b'kirbi modeh ani lefanecha" - as long as the neshamah is within me, I give thanks - for this is the essence of life.

This is the aspect of the blessing "Malbeesh Aroomim" - "Who clothes the naked." The essential Techiyas HaMaisim - when one will live Chayim Nitzchiyim - each person will merit according to the levushim [garments] he rectified in his lifetime through Torah and good deeds, the aspect of the Chalooka diRabbanan [Rabbinic garment (of the World to Come)]. This is the aspect of "Tis'hapech kachoamehr choasam vi'yisyatzvoo kimoa levoosh" (Iyov 38:14) - they will stand in resurrection according to the garments they prepared.

Before the sin, no garments were needed - there was no bushah at all: "Vayihyoo shnaihem aroomim... viloa yisboashashoo" (Beraishis 2:25). After the sin: "Va'eera kee airoam anoachee" - this yiruh is booshah. After sinning, booshah becomes a great virtue is the aspect of the essence of teshuvah: "One who sins and is ashamed of it - all his sins are forgiven" (Berachos 12b). Therefore Hashem mercifully made them garments: "Kasnoas or va’yalbeeshaim." Garments is the aspect of rectification of booshah, for R' Yochanan called his garments "mechabdoosai" [my honorers] (Shabbos 113a).

Now after the sin, the essential tikun for Techiyas HaMaisim - to nullify the side of death - is through booshah, the aspect of teshuvah. Each person will live the World to Come according to the garments rectified in life - garments that cover the bushah. This is the aspect of Tallis and Tefillin: Tefillin, the aspect of sparkling Mochin; through this, booshah; through this, Chayim Nitzchiyim. One first dons the Tallis (a holy garment) to cover the bushah - for one would not have the strength to bear the overwhelming bushah (of being ashamed even to perform a mitzvah). In His mercy, Hashem commanded us to first wrap in the Tallis, which is the aspect of the Chalooka diRabbanan, the aspect of covering the bushah. "Mah yakar chasdecha Elokim, oovnai adam bitzail knafecha yechasa’yoon" (Tehillim 36:8) - how precious is Your kindness! We take shelter beneath the wings of the Tallis from the magnitude of our shame.

This is the aspect of Purim - to subdue and bring down Haman the wicked. Haman is the aspect of gay'oos - he was exceedingly arrogant, wanting all to bow to him, envying Mordechai. He made himself avodah zarah (idolatry), for gai'us is the aspect of avodah zarah. He sought to destroy and kill - for the side of death derives from gay'us is the aspect of Adam's sin. The kelipah of Haman stems from there: "Where is Haman in the Torah? - 'Hamin ha'aitz (was it from the tree – Biraishis 3:11)'" (Chullin 139b).

His power came from the enjoyment of "the feast of that wicked one" (Megillah 12a) - for the blemish of eating is the aspect of the blemish of gay’oos, the aspect of excess and waste. Alsos from bowing to the image (avodah zarah is the aspect of gay’oos) and from marrying foreign women in Bavel (the aspect of blemish of the Bris). The essential power of Haman came from Shaul's false humility: Shaul spared Agag, blemishing through anavah pesoolah - submitting to Do'eg's counsel instead of standing firm as a mighty warrior to fulfill Shmuel's words. Shmuel rebuked him: "Haloa eem katan atah bi'ainecha roash shivtai Yisrael atah!" (Shmuel I 15:17 – Behold if you are small in your eyes, you are the head of the tribes of Israel) - you diminished yourself where you should not have. And from the start of his kingship: "Vayivzoohoo vayihee kimachareesh" (Shmuel I 10:27 – and they shamed him and he was like not hearing) - his false humility before mockers prevented his Malchus from being established (Yoma 22b).

Therefore Mordechai refused to bow to Haman. Mordechai had perfect humility - though he was ayin in his own eyes, he would not submit before the masters of gay’oos. He invoked his ancestor Binyamin who never bowed to Esav. Yaakov himself erred slightly in bowing to Esav - a blemish of anavah pesoolah (false humility). This matter is an extremely delicate scale: one must be deeply humble, truly ayin mamash, yet be a mighty warrior against the wicked.

Therefore Dovid merited kingship after Shaul - he achieved humility in perfection: "Adino ha'Etzni" - when studying Torah he made himself soft as a worm; when going to war he hardened himself like wood (cf. Moed Katan 16b) is the aspect of holy azus and humility together, the aspect of ultimate perfection.

The name Purim is from the pur, which is the goaral [lot]. It is brought that Purim is in the aspect of Yom Kippurim, because Haman wanted to blemish the goaral of Yom Kippur, when the Kohen Gadol enters lifneye vilifnim, into the innermost place, where the essence of bittul (abnegation) is. Therefore the Zohar says, "Vichol adam loa yihyeh bi'Ohel Moa'ed" - "No person shall be in the Tent of Meeting" (Vayikra 16:17), for he enters to the point of the Evven Shiseyah, which is the aspect of "Sela yishkoan vi'yisloanan" - "He dwells and lodges upon a rock" (Iyov 39:28), as our Sages said. This is the aspect of the humility mentioned above, as explained in the above Torah on this verse; see there. But the Kohen Gadol could enter there only through the goral that he placed upon the two goats: one lot for Hashem and one lot for Azazel. For on Yom Kippur one needs teshuvah; through this one merits Chayim Nitzchiyim, which are the aspect of humility, as mentioned above. Through this all sins are atoned, for sins are the aspect of gaavah, the Sitra diMosa (side of death), as our Sages said on "Vi'oavehr al pesha lishi'airis" - He passes over transgression for the remnant: for one who makes himself like remnants. Therefore the Kohen Gadol had to enter lifneye vilifnim, where the essence of bittul is, as mentioned above. But when one wants to merit humility, one must be careful of invalid humility, namely that he should not become lazy and a bad-lucked shlimaz'l, and the like; rather, he must have azus dikedushah (holy brazenness) in the place where azus is needed. Yet there is a very great weight and measure in this, as mentioned above. Therefore one must pray much to Hashem yisburach that in His mercy He should show him the truth to its truth, as explained in the above Torah. This is the aspect of the goral that had to be cast upon the two goats, which are two kinds of azus: azus d'kedushah that rises to Hashem, the aspect of "one lot for Hashem"; and azus of the Sitra Achra, which is the aspect of gaavah and avodah zarah, from which all sins come, which must be driven away and banished to Azazel, the aspect of "one lot for Azazel." For it is impossible to aim at the true point in this except through a goral, which is from Hashem alone, as it says, "Atah toameech goarulee" - "You support my lot" (Tehillim 16:5). Only Hashem yisburach must be his helper to aim in this at the true point to its truth. As explained in the above Torah, Rabbainu, of blessed memory, said that one must only ask Hashem yisburach to merit true humility. And this is what our Sages said (Yoma 62a):

The two goats of Yom Kippur had to be equal in height and so forth. That is, the two kinds of azus mentioned above both appear equal in all aspects; yet this one is for Hashem and this one is for Azazel, because this one's intention in his azus is for Hashem, and this one's intention is the opposite. Therefore one must ask very much from Hashem yisburach to merit to aim at the truth in this. This is the aspect of the goral, which is from Hashem alone. "B'zos yavo Aharon el hakodesh" - "With this Aharon shall enter the holy" (Vayikra 16:3); for then he merited to enter lifnai v'lifnim, where the essence of bittul is, because he merited humility in completeness, which is the essence of life. He was saved from invalid humility through the goral, as mentioned above. Haman, may his name be erased, who is the aspect of gaavah, wanted to blemish this goral; therefore he cast a pur, which is the goral. Because of this it is called Purim, after the pur, for they merited to subdue and cast down Haman and to draw the holiness of Yom Kippur, which is the holy goral; through this one merits true humility, as mentioned above. This is the aspect of needing to fast on Yom Kippur, in order to subdue the blemish of gaavah that is drawn through the excesses of eating, as mentioned above. And because on Yom Kippur all the sins that are drawn from there must be atoned, for they all are drawn from the sin of Adam HaRishon, whose blemish was through eating from the Tree of Knowledge, therefore one must fast on Yom Kippur to rectify this and to merit the ultimate humility and bittul through the Kohen Gadol, who enters lifnai v'lifnim to the point of the Even Sh'siyah, as mentioned above.

This is the aspect of Parshas Shekalim, which we read close to Purim. Through this Haman-Amalek, may his name be erased, was subdued, as our Sages said (Megillah 13b): "Rasha, their shekalim have already preceded your shekalim." For shekalim are the aspect of tzedakah; they were commanded on the morrow of Yom Kippur to give for the needs of the Mishkan, which is the aspect of the Bais HaMikdash, the aspect of the sparkling of the Mochin, the aspect of "Va'amalai oasoa Ruach Elokim bichochmah... oovichol melachah" - "I filled him with the spirit of God, with wisdom... and with every craft" (Shemos 31:3-5), as written there in the Torah mentioned above. For tzedakah of the heart's generosity is the aspect of Or HaPanim, in the aspect of "Ani bitzedek echezeh fanecha" - "As for me, in righteousness/tzedakah I will behold Your face" (Tehillim 17:15). Therefore on Shabbos Parshas Shekalim we ask much for Or HaPanim, as we say several times, "Or panecha ulainoo Adoan neesa" - "Lift the light of Your face upon us, Master." For the essence of the shekalim, which are the aspect of tzedakah for the building of the Mishkan, is to draw Or HaPanim; through this comes the sparkling of the Mochin, which are the aspect of building the Mishkan and the Bais HaMikdash. Therefore the essential Or HaPanim shone in the Bais HaMikdash, and because of this we were commanded to ascend there for the regel in order to receive Or HaPanim, as it says, "Shaloash pi'amim bashanah yairu'eh chul zichoorichuh es pinai Hashem Elokecha bamakoam ashehr yivchar" - "Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the face of Hashem your God in the place that He will choose" (Devarim 16:16). It follows that through the shekalim is drawn the aspect of Or HaPanim, which is the aspect of seeing the face of the Tzadik; through this the Mochin sparkle, which are the aspect of the building of the Bais HaMikdash. Through this one merits all the above aspects, until one merits the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, which is true humility, the essence of the life of all the limbs, as mentioned above. Therefore they are called...

The shekalim also contain the aspect of a mishkal, a scale. A person must hold the proper measure: to be utterly humble and lowly, and yet to strengthen himself with holy azus to do Hashem's will. This is the machatzis hashekel, the half-shekel - like the scale poised at the middle, not tipping to either side. Moshe was perplexed by the shekalim until HaKadosh Baruch Hu showed him a fiery coin and said, "Zeh yitnoo" - "This they shall give." It was difficult to understand how all Yisrael could attain this balance: true humility without falling into brokenness, and holy boldness without becoming arrogant. The shekel teaches the exact middle measure, where both are included in holiness.

This is also the aspect of what is written regarding the shekalim: "He'asheer loa yarbeh vihadal loa yameet" - "The rich shall not increase and the poor shall not diminish" (Shemos 30:15). This is the aspect mentioned above. The rich shall not increase - he must not hold himself with gaavah because of his wealth, for most wealthy people tend toward gaavah, in the aspect of "Asheer ya'aneh azoos" - "The rich answers with brazenness" (Mishlai 18:23), and as it says, "Al yis'hallel chacham bichochmaso... geebor bigvoorasoa... ashir bi'oshroa" - "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom... the mighty man in his might... the rich man in his wealth" (Yirmiyahu 9:22). And the poor shall not diminish - he must not fall because of his poverty into sadness and lazy brokenness, which is invalid humility and Mochin d'Katnus, but must strengthen himself in Hashem. For poverty is the aspect of humility, in the aspect of "Kee aani vi'evyoan anoachee" - "For I am poor and needy" (Tehillim 109:22), but the essence is that it should be true humility, the aspect of life, and not invalid humility, Heaven forbid. The main tzedakah is when the rich person has mercy on the poor person, participates in his pain, and gives him according to what he lacks. This is the aspect of complete humility. For if a rich person does not give tzedakah properly, this is only because of gassus and gaavah. If he would truly think about the pain of the poor person and about the fact that all his wealth is only from Hashem yisburach, and that the poor person may be more fitting than he, he would certainly give him generously with both hands. But because of gassus, the poor person seems to him like someone who comes to rob him or kill him by asking from him, Heaven forbid. Therefore everyone who has wealth must remember his own lowliness and remember that the poor person may be better and more fitting than he, and he must share in his pain and give him tzedakah generously. Through tzedakah one merits humility, as brought in Sefer Alef-Bais. For tzedakah gives life to the poor person, who is the aspect of humility; it lifts the poor person from Mochin d'Katnus and false lowliness, and it lowers the rich person from gaavah. Tzedakah, which is equal to all the Torah, rectifies both of them: the humility of the poor person becomes true humility and life, and the greatness of the rich person is included in holiness. This is what Rabbainu explained elsewhere (LM I:2), that tzedakah is the aspect of "zeh yashpil v'zeh yarim" - this one lowers and this one raises. This is the aspect of the mitzvah of Shekalim: "The rich shall not increase and the poor shall not diminish...

"V'lo yihyeh bahem negef bifkod osam" - "and there shall not be a plague among them when they are counted" (Shemos 30:12). For counting is the aspect of increase and number, where gaavah can have a hold, and from there a plague can be drawn, Heaven forbid, which is the aspect of the Sitra d'Mosa. But through the mitzvah of Shekalim, which is the aspect of true humility, the count can be made without any plague. On the contrary, through the increased number itself they merit more humility, in the aspect of "Bimkoam gidoolasoa, shum atah moatzai anvesanoosoa" - in the place of His greatness, there you find His humility. As explained elsewhere, the way of the humble is that the more they are raised and increased, the more they humble and minimize themselves before Hashem. Therefore it is a mitzvah that Yisrael increase and multiply; their increase does not bring them to gaavah, Heaven forbid, but to more avodah and more humility, in the aspect of "Kee attem hame'at mikol ha'amim" - "for you are the smallest of all the nations" (Devarim 7:7), which our Sages expounded: you make yourselves small. This is the mitzvah of Shekalim at the time of counting, so that no plague should be aroused through the count; rather, "Kee seesa es roash Bnai Yisrael" - "When you lift up the head of the Children of Yisrael" - should be an uplifting and sparkling of the Mochin, the aspect of true humility, life, and Techiyas HaMaisim. Through the shekalim, which are the aspect of tzedakah, Or HaPanim is drawn; and the more Yisrael are counted and increased, the more humility is drawn upon them. This is the aspect of true and eternal life in every limb.

"OoMordechai yatza meeleefnai hamelech beelivoosh malchus tichailess vuchoor..." (Esther 8:15) - through this, "LaYehudim haysah oarah" - "The Jews had light" - which is Torah (Megillah 16b). This is the aspect of the revelation of the radiance of the Tzadik's face in many colors and luminous garments. One must strive to gaze at him at the time of his beauty and glory: "Melech bi'yafyoa techezenah ainecha" (Yeshayah 33:17; cf. LM II:40).

Through this: "Oarah" is the aspect of Torah; "Simchah" is the aspect of Yom Tov - for the essential holiness of Yom Tov comes from the Tzadik, and receiving Yom Tov's holiness, the aspect of receiving the Tzadik's face. Therefore one is obligated to appear before one's Rebbe on the Regel (Sukkah 25a; LM I:135). "Sason" is the aspect of milah (the aspect of guarding the Bris, merited through the Tzadik, the aspect of Moshe who was separated in great holiness). "Vikar" is the aspect of Tefillin - for all these aspects are included in Tefillin, the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim merited through seeing the Tzadik's face.

For the Sitra Achra, which is the contamination of the serpent, the aspect of the kelipah of Haman-Amalek, from which the trait of gaavah in the world is drawn, strengthens itself especially over this: to distance people from the true Tzadik, through whom one merits true humility, which is the essence of Chayim Nitzchiyim, the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim. They always want to make a separation between those who cleave, to separate Malchus - which is always bound and cleaving to the Mochin, in the aspect of "Melech asur barehatim" - "The King is bound in the channels" (Shir HaShirim 7:6) - from the Mochin. This is the essence of the separation between Kudsha Brich Hu and His Shechinah, which is the aspect of Malchus, as is known and understood from the writings. All their strengthening is through the trait of gaavah, from which all dispute against the true Tzadikim is drawn. Through this they distance the souls of Yisrael from drawing close to the true Tzadikim; then the Mochin are in concealment and hiding, because they sparkle only through seeing the face of the Tzadik, as mentioned above. Then Malchus, Heaven forbid, is separated from her Beloved, which are the holy Mochin; through this the Shechinah is in exile, Heaven forbid, and Malchus and rulership are taken from Yisrael and given to the idolaters and the wicked, who receive the rulership and rule over us, Heaven forbid. All this is drawn through dispute against the true Tzadikim, through which their honor is blemished; through this is the essence of exile, as it says, "Vayihyoo maleeveem bimalachai Elokim..." - "They mocked the messengers of God..." (Divrai HaYamim II 36:16). This is the aspect of the taking of Sarah to Pharaoh's house and the taking of Esther to Achashverosh's house.

For Sarah and Esther are one aspect, as our Sages said (Beraishis Rabbah, Parshas Noach): why did Esther merit 127 provinces? Because Sarah lived 127 years. Sarah and Esther are the aspect of Malchus diKedushah. The Sitra Achra strengthened itself and wanted to separate Sarah, the aspect of Malchus d'Kedushah, from Avraham, who is the aspect of the holy Mochin, and to take her to the house of the wicked Pharaoh. But Hashem did not abandon her in his hand. On the contrary: specifically through this she subdued him very greatly, in the aspect of "Eis asher shalat ha'adam ba'adam l'ra lo" - "the time when man rules over man to his own detriment" (Koheles 8:9). For she brought out from him great wealth for Avraham, which is the aspect of the holy sparks, and she greatly subdued and cast down Pharaoh, in the aspect of "Vayinaga Hashem es Pharaoh nega'im gedoalim" - "Hashem struck Pharaoh with great plagues" (Beraishis 12:17). Through this Moshe and Yisrael later had the power to strike Pharaoh and bring Yisrael out from his domain, as brought. And Esther - because then, in the full force of exile, the Sitra Achra had strengthened itself more and more, especially because the kelipah of Haman-Amalek had strengthened itself, which includes all the idolaters, all the Sitra Achra, and all the kelipos - therefore it was necessary for Esther to be taken to the house of the king completely and not to return immediately. For the harder and stronger the kelipah is, the more the higher holiness must necessarily descend there, more and more, and be there in exile more, until it strengthens itself through this specifically, subdues it, and lowers it, just as Esther cast down Haman the wicked, may his name be erased, and his company, specifically through being taken to the house of Achashverosh. All this is the aspect of "the time when man rules..." as mentioned above.

This is the aspect of reading the Megillah - an exceedingly great mitzvah. Our Sages said (Megillah 3a): one suspends Torah study, Kohanim leave their service, Levi'im leave their platform, Yisrael leave their station - all to hear the Megillah. For our Rebbe said (LM I:192): the true speech of the true Tzadik is the aspect of his face, his intellect, his neshamah. In every holy book of a Tzadik is the aspect of his face.

The Megillah is the aspect of the radiance of the faces of Mordechai and Esther - their true words: "Divrai shalom ve'emes." Reading the Megillah, publicizing the miracle wrought through their deeds, their wondrous wisdom, awesome righteousness, and great holiness - this reveals and illuminates the light of their holy faces hidden within the Megillah, their holy book. Through this the light of their faces shines upon us - and this is the essential miracle, renewed each year and for each person: to subdue the kelipah of Haman-Amalek (the aspect of gay’oos is the aspect of side of death) and draw Chayim Nitzchiyim (the aspect of true humility). All this through seeing the Tzadik's face is the aspect of the Megillah.

Therefore we even suspend Talmud Torah for this, because all Torah is drawn only through seeing the face of the Tzadik, as mentioned above. Therefore it is certainly worthwhile to suspend Talmud Torah for this - that is, in order to see the face of the Tzadik, which is the aspect of Mikra Megillah, as mentioned above. Likewise, Kohanim in their service, Levi'im on their platform, and Yisrael in their standing suspend for Mikra Megillah, because all these aspects are drawn from seeing the face of the Tzadik, which is the aspect of Mikra Megillah. For the Kohanim in their service - all their holiness is drawn from Aharon HaKohen, who merited the kehunah only through seeing the face of the Tzadik, in the aspect of "V'ra'acha v'samach b'libo" - "He will see you and rejoice in his heart" (Shemos 4:14), as mentioned above. The Levi'im on their platform are the aspect of yirah, for Levi is the aspect of yirah, as is known; and this is drawn through the aspect of Kabbalas HaTorah that one merits by seeing the face of the Tzadik, in the aspect of "oova'avur tihyeh yeerasoa al pinaichem" - "so that His awe should be upon your faces," as mentioned above. And Yisrael in their standing is the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, for then is the true standing. In this world there is no real standing, since in the end one must lie down and die; but Techiyas HaMaisim is called standing everywhere in the words of our Sages, and as it says, "Hincha shoachaiv eem avoasecha vikam" - "You will lie with your fathers and rise" (Devarim 31:16), which is said of Techiyas HaMaisim. Then is the true enduring and standing forever, since they will not return again to lie in the dust, for the Tzadikim whom HaKadosh Baruch Hu will raise in the future do not return to their dust. This is the aspect of Yisrael in their standing, who would occupy themselves in Torah at the time of the Kohanim's avodah in order to draw the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, which is drawn through drawing the Torah, as mentioned above. And all of them suspend this in order to hear Mikra Megillah, which is the aspect of seeing the face of the Tzadik, from where all this is drawn, as mentioned above.

This is the aspect of the joy of Purim. This is the aspect of "Chayav eenish livsoomai biPuraya ad diloa yada bain uroor Haman livaruch Mordechai" - one is obligated to become fragrant/intoxicated on Purim until he does not know between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai (Megillah 7b). For on Purim, when gaavah is cast down and nullified - which is the aspect of the kelipah of Haman-Amalek - then the lowliness of Moshe Rabbainu, peace upon him, is revived in every limb. This is the aspect of the holiness of Mordechai that was revealed then with a very great and awesome illumination, even in the full force of Asiyah. Through this was the essential force of the miracle, for otherwise there would have been destruction, Heaven forbid, as explained in the writings of the Arizal. That is, it is the aspect of the illumination of the holy light of the face of the Tzadik; through this is drawn the aspect of humility, the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim, which nullifies gaavah, the aspect of Haman, the aspect of the Sitra d'Mosa, as mentioned above. Therefore the joy then is exceedingly great, in the aspect of sova s'machos, fullness of joys: "Todee'ainee oarach chayim, soava s’machos es panecha" - "You make known to me the path of life; fullness of joys is with Your face" (Tehillim 16:11), for the Chayim Nitzchiyim mentioned above are the very essence of wondrous joy, as mentioned above. And the essence of humility is to merit the ultimate bittul in truth --

-- to the aspect of the humility of Moshe, which is the aspect of the life of every limb, until one can lift his heart in the ways of Hashem and nevertheless be truly humble, as mentioned above. For there, everything is one, in the aspect of "Bimkom gidoolasoa, shum atah moatzai anvesanoosoa" - in the place of His greatness, there you find His humility. This is the aspect of "Chayav eenish livisoomai biPuraya ad diloa yada bain uroor Haman livaruch Mordechai," until one reaches such a bittul that there is no distinction there between humility and greatness, because both are one, the aspect of "in the place of His greatness..." as mentioned above. For "arur Haman" is the aspect of nullifying gaavah, which is the aspect of Haman, as mentioned above; and "baruch Mordechai" is the aspect of blessing and illuminating the middah of humility, which is the aspect of Mordechai HaTzadik, who is the aspect of Moshe. On Purim one must become so fragrant/intoxicated that one reaches such joy - the aspect of the Chayim Nitzchiyim mentioned above, the aspect of the ultimate bittul, where greatness and humility are both one, the aspect of "in the place of His greatness..." as mentioned above. One merits this through drinking wine on Purim, which is the aspect of wine that gladdens, the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim; for then we will merit to drink from the wine preserved from the six days of Creation. For wine has two aspects, as our Sages said (Yoma 76b):

When one does not merit to drink it in holiness, then, Heaven forbid, the Sitra d'Mosa (realm of death) is drawn through it, as it says, "Al taireh yayeen kee yisadum..." - "Do not look at wine when it reddens..." and "Achareesoa kinachash yeeshach oochotzifoanee yafreesh" - "Its end bites like a serpent and separates like a viper" (Mishlai 23:31-32). Rashi explains that it separates him from life. Therefore wine brings sleep, which is one-sixtieth of death, because the essential blemish of the Tree of Knowledge was through wine, as our Sages said (Beraishis Rabbah 19): she squeezed grapes and gave him, and through this the contamination of the serpent was drawn and death was decreed upon the world. But every person must rectify the sin of Adam HaRishon and draw the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim. Then the wine is in holiness, in the aspect of awakening from sleep, the aspect of "Vicheekaich ki'yayin hatoav doavaiv sifsai yishainim" - "Your palate is like the good wine... causing the lips of sleepers to speak" (Shir HaShirim 7:10); the aspect of "Chamra vichayai lifoom rabbanan" - wine and life according to the Sages (Shabbos 67b). For through it is drawn the aspect of joy, which is the essence of life, as mentioned above; this is the aspect of "Vi'yayin yisamach levav enoash" - "Wine gladdens the heart of man" (Tehillim 104:15). Therefore on Purim, when the illumination of Mordechai is drawn, and through this the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim is drawn, then wine is in holiness, in the aspect of wine that gladdens, which is the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, the aspect of the ultimate humility and bittul, the aspect of ad diloa yada, as mentioned above.

This is the aspect of the verse "Vayavo Amalek" - "And Amalek came" being placed right next to the verse "Vi'al nasosum es Hashem laimor: hayaish Hashem bikeerbainoo eem ayin" - "and because they tested Hashem, saying: Is Hashem among us or ayin?" (Shemos 17:7-8). For they blemished through gaavah. All the dispute that they made against Moshe was through the gaavah of Dasan and Aviram, who became jealous of Moshe and disputed him, until they drew after themselves several other people. For whoever truly knew his own lowliness and truly nullified himself before Moshe and Aharon would certainly not have disputed him, whatever might have passed over him. Therefore, in the midst of the dispute, Moshe said, "Vinachnoo mah kee saleenoo ulainoo" - "What are we, that you complain against us?" (Shemos 16:7-8). That is, he nullified himself with the ultimate bittul in order to subdue the trait of gaavah, through which they wished to dispute him, because one depends on the other. Through having gaavah, one does not draw close to the true Tzadik, and sometimes the Baal Davar provokes him until he disputes him. And through not being close to the Tzadik - all the more so when, Heaven forbid, he disputes him - the trait of gaavah strengthens in him even more, because the essential nullification of gaavah is merited through drawing close to the Tzadik, through seeing his holy face, as mentioned above. Because they blemished this then, therefore they tested Hashem and fell into doubts: "hayaish Hashem bikeerbam eem ayin." The Zohar HaKadosh (Beshalach 64a) says that they were in doubt whether the aspect called Yesh was in their midst or the aspect called Ayin. That is, their blemish was that they made a separation between holy gaavah/greatness, which is the aspect of Yesh, and humility, which is the aspect of Ayin --

Their blemish: they separated "yaish" (entity) from "ayin" (nothing) - making a division between holy greatness and humility. The Zohar (Beshalach 64a): they were uncertain whether the aspect called yaish or the one called ayin was in their midst. In truth both are one - this is the perfection of humility: "Bimkoam gidoolasoa..." Because they rebelled against Moshe and blemished humility; through this, "Vayavoa (and he came) Amalek" - Amalek whose power derives from the blemish of humility. Therefore his essential defeat was through Yehoshua - Moshe's student who never left the tent, who strove all his days to gaze at Moshe's face, until his Moach sparkled and he received the Torah - through which one merits true humility, the aspect of the defeat of Haman-Amalek.

This is the aspect of the Purim feast and Mishloach Manos. Through all the above, one merits bushah - being ashamed even to bring food to one's mouth: "Misham chafar ochel." But when one merits true bushah; through this, teshuvah; through this, Chayim Nitzchiyim; through this, Hashem pardons sins and removes disgrace: "Ba’yoam hahoo loa saivoashee meekol aleeloasayich" (Tzefaniah 3:11 – On that day you will not be embarrassed from all your deeds). Then Hashem Himself asks Yisrael to eat and drink without shame: "Va'achaltem achol visavoa'a viheelaltem... viloa yaivoashoo amee li'oalam" (Yoel 2:26).

"Basee liganee achosi chalah, ureesee moaree eem bisamee" (Shir HaShirim 5:1 – I came to my garden my sister, bride, I gathered my myrrh with my spice): "moaree" is the aspect of Mordechai (Mor dror); "bisamee" is the aspect of Esther (called Hadassah, myrtle). "Achaltee ya'aree eem divshee" - Rashi: He accepted what is unfit together with the fit. This is the aspect of Purim joy: Hashem accepts lovingly all that Yisrael do from Purim joy - even laughter and seeming foolishness - because it stems from the great Purim joy. Hashem says: "Ichloo rai'eem, shisoo vishichroo doadeem" (eat friends, drink and inebriate beloved ones).

The fast of Esther before Purim draws the aspect of booshah - being ashamed to eat - which is teshuvah, and through teshuvah one merits Chayim Nitzchiyim. Afterwards, when the shame has done its work, Hashem removes the shame from His people: "Viloa yaivoashoo amee li'oalam" - "My people shall never be ashamed" (Yoel 2:27). Therefore the Purim feast, Mishloach Manos, and Matanos La'Evyonim follow the fast. Mishloach Manos means that each person sends food to his fellow and encourages him to eat the Purim meal in holiness and joy, just as Hashem Himself invites Yisrael to eat and drink in holiness after the shame and teshuvah. Matanos La'Evyonim is tzedakah, which is the perfection of humility and Or HaPanim, as explained above regarding Parshas Shekalim. Thus the fast draws shame and teshuvah, and the feast and gifts draw the rectified eating, joy, tzedakah, and life that come after the shame has been sweetened.

This also explains the order of Pesach, Sefiras HaOmer, and Shavuos. Yetzias Mitzrayim was a wondrous illumination not in the regular order. Normally katnus precedes gadlus, and a person grows little by little, first with mochin d'katnus and only afterwards with mochin d'gadlus. But in Mitzrayim, because Yisrael were sunk in the impurity of Mitzrayim, if the matter had proceeded in the regular order, the kelipos would have held on to the mochin d'katnus and the redemption would have been impossible. Therefore Hashem, in His great compassion, illuminated upon them an immense light of gadlus all at once, not by gradual order, and through this they were redeemed immediately.

According to the above Torah, we can explain this a little, through His great kindness, yisburach. For we already explained above that Yetzias Mitzrayim is the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, the aspect of true humility, which is the life of the World to Come, the aspect of without boundary, the aspect of the delight of Shabbos, the aspect of an inheritance without boundaries - the opposite of the exile of Mitzrayim, which is the aspect of maitzarim, boundaries and constriction, as mentioned above. Therefore Pharaoh was exceedingly arrogant, as it says, "Li ye'ori va'ani asisini" - "My river is mine, and I made myself" (Yechezkel 29:3). Therefore he said, "Mi Hashem" - "Who is Hashem?" (Shemos 5:2). For there in Mitzrayim was the strongest hold of gaavah, the aspect of yeshus, the aspect of Mitzrayim, who constrict Yisrael, as mentioned above. Therefore it was impossible for them to be redeemed except through the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, which is the aspect of true humility, the life of the World to Come, the opposite of gaavah, as mentioned above. For the essential purpose of the Geulah is to serve Hashem yisburach and to know Him yisburach; this is the essential purpose of the Geulah, as it says, "B'hotzi'acha es ha'am miMitzrayim ta'avdun es haElokim al hahar hazeh" - "When you bring the people out of Mitzrayim, you will serve God on this mountain" (Shemos 3:12). And it is impossible to know Him yisburach except through true humility, which is the aspect of without boundary; through this one can draw perceptions of Elokus, which are the aspect of the life of the World to Come, the true and eternal life, the aspect of without boundary, as mentioned above. This is what is stated in the Zohar HaKadosh: from the side of Yovla, which is Binah, the World to Come, Yisrael left Mitzrayim. For the essence of the Geulah was from the aspect of the World to Come, which is the aspect of Binah, the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, from where all redemptions come. Exile is the aspect of death, and redemption is the aspect of life, the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, as we say in the blessing of Emes v'Emunah, which speaks of the redemption from Mitzrayim: "Hasam nafshainoo bachayim" - He placed our soul in life. And as it says, "Va'ehr'aich misboasesess bidamayich... va'oamar lach bidamayich chaye’yee" - "I saw you wallowing in your blood... and I said to you: in your blood, live" (Yechezkel 16:6), which is the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim. It follows that the essence of the Geulah is impossible except through the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, which is the aspect of true humility, drawn from the aspect of Mochin d'Gadlus, in the aspect of "Bimkom gidoolasoa, shum atah moatzai anvesanoosoa." But it is impossible to merit true humility, the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, except through Kabbalas HaTorah, as written in the above Torah, specifically through chiddushim and explanations of Torah --

-- for at Mattan Torah one merits this yirah, this bushah, until one is ashamed even to perform a mitzvah, and even to bring food to his mouth. Through the bushah, the aspect of teshuvah, one merits Chayim Nitzchiyim of the World to Come, which is the aspect of true humility, as mentioned above. But then, at the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim, we had not yet merited receiving the Torah, because in Mitzrayim it was impossible for the Torah to be given, because of the force of the impurity of Mitzrayim. Therefore the Geulah was exceedingly difficult, because it is impossible to be redeemed except through the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, and Techiyas HaMaisim is impossible except through Kabbalas HaTorah, and Kabbalas HaTorah is impossible except after Yetzias Mitzrayim. Therefore, in truth, the matter was very difficult and heavy. Only Hashem yisburach, in His mercy, had compassion on us and shone a wondrous illumination not according to the order; they merited a sparkling of very great Mochin only through the aspect of seeing the face of the Tzadik, Moshe Rabbainu, peace be upon him. For at the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim, when they had not yet received the Torah from Moshe, they only received illumination of Da'as and the sparkling of the Mochin through seeing his holy face alone, and through this alone HaKadosh Baruch Hu skipped over the kaitz and redeemed them immediately, even though they had not yet merited to receive the Torah that is drawn from seeing the face of the Tzadik, through which is the essence of the bushah and teshuvah, through which is the essence of Techiyas HaMaisim, through which is the essence of the Geulah, as mentioned above. But then it was impossible to wait for this, as mentioned above. Therefore He shone upon them a wondrous illumination not according to the order; even though they had not yet received the Torah, nevertheless He redeemed them through the greatness of the awesome illumination that was drawn upon them then not according to the order, and through this He drew upon them an illumination from the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, from the aspect of the life of the World to Come, through which the Geulah came, as mentioned above. Therefore chametz is forbidden, with bal yaira'eh and bal yeematzai, and we are obligated to eat matzah. For chametz is the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, and it is impossible to clarify and rectify it except through the aspect of Tikun HaBris, through which is the essence of Kabbalas HaTorah that is drawn from seeing the face of the Tzadik, as explained in the above Torah. Chametz is the aspect of Mochin d'Katnus, as explained in the Kavanos. Therefore now, on Pesach, at the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim, one must guard oneself very much from Mochin d'Katnus, in which the Sitra Achra has a hold, as written there in the Kavanos. According to our path, the matter is that the essential rectification of eating is through Kabbalas HaTorah, in the aspect of "V'Sorascha b'soach me'ai" - "Your Torah is inside my innards"; for through Kabbalas HaTorah one merits bushah, until one is ashamed even to bring food to his mouth, and through this one merits life, as mentioned above. This is the essential rectification of eating, the essential rectification of eating from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, which brought death to the world; for through such eating, Chayim Nitzchiyim are drawn, as mentioned above. Then the chametz is rectified. For chametz is through a delay of time: when water is placed in the dough and the dough waits the measure of chimutz, until the ruach and air of the world take hold in it, then it becomes chametz. Therefore chametz on Pesach is forbidden and its prohibition is very severe, because then the ruach and the air had not yet been rectified and purified from the aspect of the evil spirit, the haughty spirit of Pharaoh and Mitzrayim.

Therefore, when the air and the ruach take hold in the dough after water has been placed upon it, until it becomes chametz, it is forbidden with a severe prohibition; for the coarse ruach of the impurity of Pharaoh and Mitzrayim, the aspect of gassoos haruach (haughty spirit), the aspect of Ail achair (other god), the Sitra d'Mosa (realm of death), the aspect of machmetzes (leaven, chametz, encapsulated with the letters mais, dead; ma’chmetz’es, Zohar) - "there is death there" - takes much hold in it, as mentioned above. Therefore the essential prohibition begins after water has been placed in the dough, because the ruach rests upon the face of the waters. In holiness, the holy ruach rests upon the face of the waters, the aspect of the spirit of Mashiach upon the face of the waters, in the aspect of "ViRuach Elokim merachefes al pnai hamayim" - "the spirit of God hovers over the face of the waters"; this is the spirit of Mashiach that hovers over the face of the Torah, from where come all chidooshim of Torah, the aspect of Kabbalas HaTorah, as explained there in the above Torah. But at Yetzias Mitzrayim, when we had not yet merited Kabbalas HaTorah, then on Pesach, when the spirit that is upon the face of the waters could take hold in the dough until it became chametz, Heaven forbid, the evil spirit had a hold in it - the spirit that rests upon the face of the evil waters, the insolent waters, the impure waters drawn from blemish of the Bris, which is the opposite of Kabbalas HaTorah. For the essence of Kabbalas HaTorah is through separation and holiness of the Bris, which was drawn upon them then through Moshe, as written there. Therefore on Pesach, when chametz is exceedingly blemished as mentioned above, the aspect of Mochin d'Katnus is strengthened through it, Heaven forbid; and in those Mochin the Sitra Achra has much hold. This is the blemish of true humility, which is the essence of life. Therefore chametz is forbidden until Shevi'i shel Pesach, when the aspect of the holiness of Yosef is revealed, the aspect of the holiness of the Bris. Therefore then begins to be drawn upon Yisrael the aspect of the holiness of Kabbalas HaTorah. Afterwards chametz was permitted, because through the aspect of Kabbalas HaTorah, bushah is drawn, until one is ashamed even to bring food to his mouth and even to perform a mitzvah, as mentioned above; from there the rectification of chametz is drawn. For the ruach of the world is rectified through the Torah, which is the aspect of Ruach Elokim hovering over the face of the holy waters, from where came the miracle of Kri'as Yam Suf. Then the ruach that has a hold in the water by which the dough becomes chametz is from the side of holiness, because it has been clarified through the Torah, the aspect of Ruach Elokim hovering over the face of the waters, as mentioned above. For the essential rising of the dough, which gives the dough a better taste, is drawn in its root in holiness from the aspect of the bushah mentioned above, because the essential rectification of eating is through the aspect of Kabbalas HaTorah; through this one merits bushah until one is ashamed even to bring food to his mouth, until one merits the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim, as mentioned above. From there is drawn also in physicality the aspect of the rising of the dough: one does not eat the dough immediately, but waits from kneading the dough until its chimutz. For so it is in holiness: it is impossible to eat immediately; one must wait and be ashamed much before eating. Through this is drawn the aspect of life, the aspect of the spirit of life that rests upon the face of the holy waters; through this the dough becomes chametz in holiness, through holy ruach and holy water that have been clarified through the aspect of Kabbalas HaTorah, as mentioned above. But at the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim, when we had not yet merited Kabbalas HaTorah, the ruach and water that take hold in the dough until it becomes chametz are from the force of the Sitra Achra and the kelipos, from the Sitra d'Mosa, from the aspect of gaavah, which is an evil spirit, a high spirit, as mentioned above. Then the rising of the dough is not drawn from the aspect of holy bushah mentioned above; on the contrary, the aspect of Mochin d'Katnus has a hold there, in which the Sitra Achra has a hold, and then the heart becomes exceedingly crooked from Hashem yisburach. For Mochin d'Katnus are not humility at all; they only bend the heart away from Hashem yisburach. From this one must be very, very careful at the time of Yetzias Mitzrayim, and likewise every person when he wants to draw close to Hashem yisburach, which is the aspect of Yetzias Mitzrayim. For in truth, the essence of the Geulah is only through His great kindness, as mentioned above. Sometimes the Baal Davar and the Sitra Achra scheme against a person and bend his heart with the aspect of katnus drawn from Mochin d'Katnus, and it appears to him as if this is humility, and through this they want to distance him from Hashem yisburach. That is, he says in his heart: Am I worthy that Hashem yisburach should do such miracles for me? I know my many sins and transgressions. Because of this, he does not believe in the words of the Tzadik who wants to redeem him and truly bring him back to Hashem yisburach. We have found many, many people who became distant through this - because they know their filth and dirtiness in sins, rachamana litzlan, they do not believe in the power of the Tzadik that it is possible to redeem them. Especially when some suffering, bitterness, or obstacles in body and soul come upon them, they say in their soul: I see that Hashem yisburach does not want to draw me close, for certainly it is impossible to draw close someone as blemished as I am. It follows that at first the Baal Davar begins with the ways of humility, but it is false humility, the aspect of Mochin d'Katnus (small consciousness) of the Sitra Achra. In truth, one certainly must recognize his deficiency, and nevertheless trust in Hashem and in the true Tzadikim, that Hashem yisburach will help him with His great kindness, as mentioned above. This is also explained in Yalkut Reuveni on the verse "Viloa shamoo el Moshe meekoatzehr ruach" - "They did not listen to Moshe because of shortness of spirit" (Shemos 6:9): that is, because they saw that they did not have fitting and good deeds. This is exactly as mentioned above: their essential blemish of emunah was because of the false humility mentioned above, the aspect of Mochin d'Katnus, and therefore they came to such a great blemish that they did not listen to Moshe.

This is also the matter of the Korban Pesach, which may not be eaten by an arel, one uncircumcised, because the essence of the redemption was through Kedushas HaBris. In Mitzrayim Yisrael circumcised themselves and mixed the blood of the Pesach with the blood of milah, in the aspect of "B'damayich chayi" - "By your blood, live" - two bloods that draw life. The kelipah of Mitzrayim is the opposite: kotzer ruach, constricted spirit, and avodah kashah, hard bondage, which prevented them from listening to Moshe. Through milah, through the blood of the Bris, the ruach and the da'as were opened, and they could receive the wondrous illumination of Yetzias Mitzrayim, which is the beginning of Techiyas HaMaisim and Chayim Nitzchiyim.

This is the aspect of Sefiras HaOmer and Shavuos, which is Mattan Torah. For it is explained there in the above Torah that through the aspect of Ruach Elokim, which one receives by seeing oneself with the Tzadik, one merits through this to draw chiddushim and explanations of Torah, which is the aspect of Kabbalas HaTorah. But it is impossible to merit all this except through the great Tzadik, who is exceedingly holy in the holiness of the Bris, in the aspect of the holiness and separation of Moshe. Each person from Yisrael must draw upon himself from his holiness and separation, just as at the time of Mattan Torah Moshe drew upon all of them the aspect of separation, as it says, "Be ready for three days." Then specifically each person merits to draw the light of the Torah properly, which is the aspect of Kabbalas HaTorah. Through this one merits this fear, which is the aspect of shame, the aspect of "so that His fear shall be upon your faces, so that you not sin." Shame is the aspect of teshuvah, which is the aspect of Chayim Nitzchiyim, meaning that one merits the eternal life of the World to Come, which is the aspect of true humility, so that the aspect of the lowliness and humility of Moshe that is hidden within each person should live, as explained there well. It has already been explained that the essence of the redemption from Mitzrayim, and likewise all redemptions, is impossible except through the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim; and this is impossible except through Kabbalas HaTorah, as above. Since in Mitzrayim it was impossible to receive the Torah because of the abundance of their contamination, the redemption was very difficult. Only Hashem yisburach, in His compassion and great wonders, skipped over the end and shone upon them a tremendous illumination that was not by gradual order and not according to the usual order. Even though they had not yet merited the rectification of the Bris properly, and had not yet been purified from the contamination of Mitzrayim, and had not yet received the Torah, nevertheless He shone upon them very great Mochin, even though they were not worthy of them; through this they were redeemed. This is the aspect of Pesach, which is an expression of skipping and leaping, meaning that the illumination of Da'as came to them with a tremendous illumination, not by gradual level and order. Therefore chametz was then forbidden. After Pesach we immediately begin to draw upon ourselves the Mochin and the Da'as gradually and by measure, from day to day, through the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer, as explained in the Kavanos. The main point is that during the days of Sefirah we purify ourselves from the contamination and impurity of Mitzrayim, and likewise we draw upon ourselves the illumination of Da'as and the holy Mochin each and every day, gradually and by measure according to the count, until through this we merit receiving the Torah on Shavuos; through this fear is drawn. The essence of the contamination of Mitzrayim is blemish of the Bris, for they are from the children of Cham, who heat a person's body in sin, and therefore they were immersed in immorality, as is known. This was the main exile of Mitzrayim, where they were refined like in the iron furnace, as it says, "I took you out from the iron furnace." It was all in order to rectify the sparks of Adam HaRishon's wasted seed, as is known. They had to come into the bitter exile of Mitzrayim and have pass over them what passed over them, where the Sitra Achra and the kelipos wanted to swallow them, Heaven forbid, in their great contamination, and they cried out each time to Hashem until they merited the redemption, even though they were not worthy. The same passes over every person: all the thoughts and the tremendous and great confusions that pass over him and want to swallow him completely, Heaven forbid, are all for his good, so that precisely through this he should be refined, purified, and whitened, as explained in the Torah "Retzitza". Therefore, immediately on the morrow of Pesach, when one must begin to purify himself from the contamination of Mitzrayim and to draw the holy Da'as upon himself in order to merit Kabbalas HaTorah on Shavuos, one must bring the Omer of barley and wave it, and begin the days of Sefirah from that day. For the essence of purification from the contamination of Mitzrayim is to purify ourselves from blemish of the Bris, which is blemish of Da'as, and to draw upon ourselves the holiness and separation of Moshe Rabbainu, which is the holiness of Da'as. This is the aspect of the Omer of barley, because the essence of purification from blemish of the Bris is through purity of thought. Every person, even if he is as he is, must at least guard himself from now on, so that his thought not go outside at all. He must remember very, very well and know that thought is in a person's hand, to turn it according to his will; wherever he wants, he can turn it. Even if his thought has already become very accustomed to going outside, nevertheless it is in his hand each time to turn it to the straight path, like a horse that has gone off the road, which one can seize by the bridle against its will and turn it to the straight path. For it is impossible that two thoughts should be together in any manner. Therefore, if one thinks another thought for good, necessarily the outside thought and all hirhurim are pushed away, because it is impossible for two thoughts to be together in any manner, as all this is explained very well in Rabbainu's words. But one must review this and remember this very, very well, each time, every day and every moment. Many young people are trapped in this and come to what they come to, rachamana litzlan, because it seems to them as if their thought is not in their hand, Heaven forbid. In truth it is not so, for thought is always in a person's hand, as above. This is what the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer hints.

This is the aspect of Sefiras HaOmer, which is to purify the thought in the Moach from blemish of the Bris and to draw upon oneself the holiness of Da'as. For one must bring specifically an Omer of barley, which is animal food, the aspect of the power of the medameh, from which come all the confusions, all the hirhurim, and all the imaginings. Through the mitzvah of the Omer of barley, the medameh is clarified, and holiness is drawn upon a person so that he can strengthen himself against all the hirhurim and imaginings that come from the power of the medameh. In truth, even the force of the confusion of the medameh, even if a person has become very, very confused, rachamana litzlan, can nevertheless be clarified easily through shaiv vi'al ta'aseh, by sitting and not acting. That is, from now on at least he should guard himself and seize his thought so that it not go outside even by a hairbreadth. Even if sometimes it does go outside, Heaven forbid, and even if it goes out however it goes out, he should seize it immediately when he remembers, and return it to its place, to a clean and proper thought. For thought is always in a person's hand, as above, because it is impossible for two thoughts to enter his mind in any manner. This is the aspect of the Omer of barley: the aspect of barley, se'orim, is the aspect of the power of the medameh, from which come all the tests that come upon a person according to the thoughts he thinks. All these thoughts are the aspect of hairs, se'aros, the excesses of the Mochin, as is known. This is the aspect of se'orim, barley, an expression of se'aros, hairs. All these hairs are the excesses of the Mochin, from which come all the hirhurim and confusions that come from the medameh, which is the aspect of barley. All of them are in the aspect of an Omer and a measure. This is the aspect of the Omer of barley: one must know that the Moach has a measure and boundary, and that no more than one thought can enter it in any manner, just as a vessel holds one measure and more than that cannot enter it. So too the Moach is a vessel into which only one hair, which is one thought, can enter; more than this cannot enter it at one time, because it can receive only one thought. It is only because of the running of the Mochin, because the Moach runs very much and never rests, that thoughts chase one another very quickly, thought after thought. Because of this, many people err and imagine that thought is not in their hand. But in truth it is not so, because two thoughts cannot enter the thought together; when he thinks another thought, the first thought will certainly be pushed away without war, only through shaiv vi'al ta'aseh. This is the aspect of the Omer of barley, the measure of the hairs and thoughts, by which one knows that every thought has its measure and channel, and that the main guarding of the Bris is to guard the thought and turn it immediately to a good thought.

The practical way to purify thought is this: when an evil thought enters, one should not fight with it directly, because direct battle gives it a hold. Rather, one should turn away from it and begin thinking another thought. Two thoughts cannot exist in the mind at one time, just as two hairs do not grow from one follicle. Therefore, as soon as one begins even by a hairbreadth to think a different, proper thought, the first thought is pushed away by itself, without war, through shaiv vi'al ta'aseh. This is the counsel for guarding the moach: do not speak with the evil thought, do not argue with it, and do not look back at it; simply pass to another holy or permitted thought. Even if the mind has already gone out as it went out, it can be brought back easily through this hairbreadth beginning of another thought.

This is why the Torah made the mitzvah of Sefirah depend upon Shabbos, as it is written, "U'sfartem lachem mimachoras haShabbos... ad mimachoras haShabbos... sheva Shabbasos temimos" - "You shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the Shabbos... until the morrow of the Shabbos... seven complete Shabbosos" (Vayikra 23:15-16). For the main power of the holiness of Da'as and thought, which is the aspect of the mitzvah of Sefirah, is drawn from Shabbos. The six days of action are days of melachah, as it is written, "Six days you shall do your work, and the seventh day is Shabbos to Hashem" (Shemos 20:9-10). And the main melachah of a person in this world is to clarify clarifications, and the main aspect of all the clarifications is through clarifying the thought, that is, through the above aspect: by guarding the thought like a hairsbreadth from outside thoughts and hirhurim. This is the main clarification of all the holy sparks, in the aspect of, "Kulhu b'machshavah isbareru" - all of them are clarified in thought. This is the aspect of, "Va'amalai oasoa Ruach Elokim b'Chochmah oovisvunah ooviDa'as oovichol melachah" - "I filled him with the spirit of God, with Chochmah, Tevunah, Da'as, and every craft" (Shemos 31:3), for they are the aspect of the four Mochin, as explained in the Torah mentioned above. It emerges that the verse calls the fourth Moach "every craft," because there is the main melachah and the main craftsmanship of a person in this world. For the generality of the Mochin is three - Chochmah, Binah, and Da'as - but sometimes they are called four Mochin because Da'as is comprised of two, which are the aspect of Chassadim and Gevuros. These Mochin are explained in the verse mentioned above: "with Chochmah and Tevunah" - these are Chochmah and Binah; "and with Da'as" - this is the aspect of the Moach of Da'as, which is comprised of two, the aspect of the Chassadim within Da'as, which are the aspect of Da'as plainly, for they are the main Da'as; and "with every craft" is the aspect of the fourth Moach, the Moach of the Gevuros within Da'as, which is the aspect of "every craft." For there is the main craftsmanship and melachah of every person, because it is known that the main hold of the Sitra Achra is in the aspect of Gevuros and judgments. Therefore there, in the aspect of the Moach of the Gevuros, the foreign thoughts of the Sitra Achra take hold; there is the main clarification, and there is the main war. Therefore they are called "every craft," because there is the main melachah and craftsmanship of a person: to be careful with his thought, to cleanse it and purify it from waste, like a craftsman who refines and purifies a vessel and cuts and saws away around the vessel all the excesses and waste in order to bring out a vessel fit for its work. So too one must refine the thought and drive out the excesses and waste in the thought, so that it should be a vessel ready to receive Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah of holiness, as we ask about this in many prayers. This is the aspect of all the work of Ma'aseh Beraishis that was in the six days of action, and likewise all the melachos that a person does on each of the six days of action; for all of them are the aspect of clarifications, to clarify sparks from the depths of the kelipos, as is known. And the main clarification is through the holiness of thought, by guarding the thought like a hairsbreadth. This is the main melachah of a person, the aspect of, "I filled him... and with every craft." This is the aspect of what is written by Yosef HaTzadik when he came to the test: "Vayavo habaysah la'asos melachto" - "He came to the house to do his work" (Beraishis 39:11), for the main melachah and craftsmanship of a person in this world is to stand in the test, and the main thing is in this desire, and the main thing is through guarding the thought like a hairsbreadth every time, as mentioned above. And the main power to succeed in one's melachah, materially and spiritually, through all the six days of action, must be received from Shabbos Kodesh, because from it all six days are blessed. That is, Shabbos is the aspect of cessation and rest, the aspect of rest of thought, the aspect of settled Da'as, the aspect of, "He leads me beside restful waters" (Tehillim 23:2), the aspect of the true Tzadik, the elder in holiness, whose Da'as is always settled and who no longer needs any war with the thoughts, in the aspect of, "with the elders Da'as is quiet and settled." From there every person must draw upon himself the holiness of thought, to stand against all evil thoughts through shaiv vi'al ta'aseh; for one who looks at the true Tzadik - and even if he merits only to look into his holy books with the eye of truth - can bring true understanding into his heart, to draw upon himself the holiness of thought through his holy advice, which he must be careful to fulfill in truth and simplicity, until he merits the aspect of Kabbalas HaTorah on Shavuos, which is to draw explanations of Torah, through which he merits the aspect of Techiyas HaMaisim in his lifetime, as mentioned above. This is, "Oosfartem lachem meemachoras haShabbos" - from the morrow of the Shabbos, which is Pesach, for all its holiness is drawn only from seeing the face of the Tzadik; because then they had not yet received the Torah. Therefore then, on Pesach, the main holiness and the main sparkling of the great Mochin that they received was all only through the aspect of seeing the face of the Tzadik, as mentioned above. And from there the Sefirah begins, which is the refinement and purification of the Mochin, until the morrow of the seventh Shabbos, which is Shavuos, Kabbalas HaTorah; for through this one merits Kabbalas HaTorah on Shavuos, which is the aspect of explanations and chiddushim of Torah that are drawn through the power of the Tzadik, as mentioned above.

This is the aspect of the Omer being sifted through thirteen sieves. The moach must be refined, purified, and sifted through many clarifications until it is well purified. Complete refinement of the moach is called a nafah, a sieve, as in the Mishnah (Avos 5:15): among the four types who sit before the Sages - sponge, funnel, strainer, and sieve - the sieve is the finest, for it lets out the flour and retains the fine meal. The main thing is to retain in the mind the good and pure, the fine flour, and push the rest outside. Therefore the Omer was sifted through thirteen sieves, corresponding to the thirteen middos through which the Torah is expounded, the general root of the Torah that we receive on Shavuos through the Omer. These thirteen middos are needed by every person in every time, because the main thing is action, not study alone, and one needs many true counsels in order to stand where he must stand. All the true and wholesome counsels drawn from the words of the true Tzadikim are included in the thirteen middos of Torah, which are drawn from the thirteen attributes of mercy, the thirteen Tikunay Dikna revealed by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. These are holy hairs of the Dikna, all mercy and chesed, which subdue the dinim that have hold in the other hairs. Through them Hashem sends us holy counsel to drive out and nullify the evil thoughts that cling to the hairs of the mind, and to compel the mind to return to pure and proper thoughts through shaiv vi'al ta'aseh.

This is the aspect of Lag BaOmer, the aspect of "Ad haGal hazeh" - "until this heap" (Beraishis 31:52), as brought in the Kavanos. Yaakov, the holiness of Yisrael, must make a gal and a matzaivah, a boundary and witness, against Lavan HaArami (of Aram/the deceitful), the Sitra Achra that pursues with cleverness and many schemes, chiefly through the thoughts of the mind. The gal is a partition in the moach: until here the evil thought may come, and no farther. Lag - lamed-gimel, thirty-three - hints to gal, the heap that separates Yaakov from Lavan. Through this boundary one guards the moach during the days of Sefirah and merits to approach the Torah.

But in truth it is not so, because the thought is always in a person's hand, and by a hairsbreadth he can be saved, through shaiv vi'al ta'aseh, from all kinds of evil thoughts and heerhoorim, by turning his Da'as to a kosher thought, as mentioned above. This is the aspect of Yaakov, who goes with craftiness against Lavan HaArami, because, "I am his brother in trickery," as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Megillah 13b). That is, the aspect of Yaakov, which is the holiness of Yisrael, flees from Lavan HaArami - that is, from evil thoughts - only through shaiv vi'al ta'aseh, without any war at all. This is the aspect of, "Vayignoav Yaakov es lev Lavan HaArami al blee heegeed loa kee voarai'ach hoo" - "Yaakov stole the heart of Lavan the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing" (Beraishis 31:20). This is the aspect of what Rabbainu, of blessed memory, said: when one flees from evil thoughts, he should go on his way with what he is thinking in kosher thoughts and not look behind him at all, at all, as is written in Likutay Moharan I:72. This is the aspect of, "Vayignov Yaakov... al blee heegeed loa..." For when one argues with the foreign thoughts and enters with them into claim and counterclaim, wanting them to allow him to leave them, this is like a person who tells his pursuer that he wants to flee from him; then he pursues him even more. But in truth, the main advice is to flee from them and go on his way, and not to look behind him at all, and not to argue with them at all. This is the aspect of, "Vayivrach Yaakov... vayignov Yaakov es lev Lavan HaArami" - that is, the evil thoughts - "al blee heegeed loa kee voarai'ach hu," for he does not tell them that he is fleeing from them, but simply flees on his way; and specifically through this he is saved from them. Also, "Vayignov..." hints that sometimes the hirhurim and thoughts overpower so much that it is hard to flee from them into Torah and tefillah and matters of holiness in any way, and one is compelled to engage in meelee dishtusa, foolish matters, in matters of joking and the like, in order to clear his Da'as temporarily until the rage of the torrent of thoughts passes; for the Yetzer HaRa is found only for its hour. Then the Sitra Achra does not understand at all that he is fleeing from them, since he is occupied in foolish matters. This is the aspect of "Vayignov...

"Vayignov... al blee heegeed loa..." - "He stole... by not telling him..." After this the Sitra Achra wants to strengthen itself further and to pursue after the aspect of Yaakov, which is the aspect of, "Va’yeerdoaf acharav" - "and he pursued after him" - that is stated there. Then Hashem yisburach stands in his help and warns the aspect of Lavan: "Heeshamer lichuh meedabair eem Yaakov meetoav..." - "Guard yourself from speaking with Yaakov, from good..." (Beraishis 31:24), because the good of the wicked is evil for the Tzadikim. That is, Hashem yisburach has compassion on him after he has already suffered so much, and He warns the Sitra Achra that they should turn away from him and not speak with him, even from good. This is the aspect of making the gal, the heap, when Yaakov said to his brothers, "Gather stones," and they made a gal. This is the aspect of what I heard from the mouth of Admor z"l: everything by which a person tears himself away from evil thoughts to good thoughts, and every shifting, moving, and motion by which a person shifts, moves, and transfers himself from evil to good - all of it gathers together at a time of trouble and pressure and helps the person, as explained in his words, in Likutay Tinyana 48. This is the aspect of, "Gather stones," the aspect of holy stones, which are the aspect of the holy sparks that are clarified through every shifting and motion by which one tears himself away from evil to good. For the holy sparks that fell are in the aspect of, "The holy stones are poured out," as is known; and their clarification is in the aspect of, "Gather stones." The main clarification and ascent is through guarding the thought in the above aspect, by tearing one's thought away each time from evil to good. And even though a person has great suffering from this, and it seems to him that it is already difficult for him to stand against them because for many days he has had suffering from them and still has not become quiet from them, nevertheless he must know that no good movement is lost, as mentioned above. This is the aspect of what Yaakov said to his brothers, "Gather stones," that they should gather and collect together all the holy stones, which are the holy sparks that were clarified through all that they tore themselves away each time from evil thoughts to good thoughts. Through all the shiftings and movements by which they tore themselves away from evil to good, from evil thoughts to good thoughts, by which the holy sparks were clarified, a gal and a partition is made from them, to separate between him and Lavan, who is the aspect of evil thoughts, as mentioned above. He should only stand in his place and engage in Torah and tefillah, for all of them gather together and help the person in the time of pressure, as mentioned above - that is, at the forceful strengthening of the Baal Davar and the Sitra Achra, Heaven forbid. This is the aspect of the gal that was made between Yaakov and Lavan. And this is the aspect of Lag BaOmer, for throughout all the days of Sefirah one clarifies clarifications through the holiness of thought, in the above aspect. This is the main holiness of the days of Sefirah, which is preparation for Kabbalas HaTorah: to guard one's thought then exceedingly, exceedingly, because the holiness of thought is the main holiness and the main preparation for Kabbalas HaTorah, which depends on Tikun HaBris, which depends on thought, as mentioned above. On Lag BaOmer, Klal Yisrael has already merited to clarify many clarifications, until the aspect of the gal mentioned above is made, the aspect of, "Ad hagal hazeh..." - "until this heap..." which separates between the holiness of Yaakov and the impurity of the evil thoughts of the aspect of Lavan HaArami, as mentioned above. For the main clarification is in the aspect of the seven middos, from which come all the thoughts in the head; they are the aspect of, "sheva machlefos rosho" - "the seven locks of his head" (Shoftim 16:19), because thoughts pass and move over a person according to the middos, as explained at the end of Likutay Moharan I:29. Yet the essence of the middos is five, from Chesed until Hod, while Yesod and Malchus are the aspect of generality and generality of generality, as brought in the Kavanos. It follows that on the fifth day of the fifth week, which is Lag BaOmer, the clarification of the aspect of Hod has already been completed, both in the aspect of the weeks and in the aspect of the days. Therefore then it is Hod sheb'Hod; there it is considered as though the clarification has been completed, since the essence of the middos is until Hod, as mentioned above. Therefore then the aspect of the gal mentioned above is made, which separates in thought between holiness and the Sitra Achra, so that she should no longer draw near with her craftiness and deceit to insert evil thoughts, Heaven forbid, into the Moach. All this is through the power of the great Tzadikim, who are the aspect of the sparkling of Mashiach,

This is also the aspect of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who departed on Lag BaOmer. He began to reveal the Tikunay Dikna, the rectifications of the holy beard, which are the holy hairs from which true counsel is drawn to the heart. Through these holy hairs one stands against the evil hairs and thoughts of the Sitra Achra, the aspect of Esav ish sa'ir, the hairy man. By one thread of holy hair - one tiny beginning of a holy thought - a person can be saved from them. Therefore Rabbi Shimon's day is Lag BaOmer, the day of the gal and boundary, when the counsel of the holy hairs shines.

This is the aspect of the sign PLG [peh-lamed-gimel], which hints to Purim and Lag BaOmer, and to the verse "Mi falag l'shetef te'alah" - "Who split a channel for the torrent?" (Iyov 38:25). Thoughts are the aspect of hairs, and they are called shetef, a torrent, because they rush and flow; yet each hair has its own channel, and two thoughts cannot coexist at one moment. Purim is named for the pur, the goral, because then the rectification of the goral of Yom Kippur is drawn, and Purim is the aspect of Yom Kippurim. Haman-Amalek is the aspect of blemish of the Bris, in the aspect of "asher karcha baderech" - he cooled/defiled you on the way, and his hold is through blemished thought in the head, for "Raishis goyim Amalek" - Amalek is the first of the nations. Therefore on Purim he is subdued through the goral of the two goats: one goat for Hashem and one goat for Azazel. Goats are hairy, in the aspect of "Eisav eesh su'eer" - "Eisav was a hairy man"; this hints that the whole holiness of thought depends on a hairsbreadth. The goat for Hashem is the aspect of good thoughts that must be raised to Hashem, and the goat for Azazel is the aspect of evil thoughts that must be sent away and banished. This is also the aspect of Lag BaOmer, the rectification of thought during Sefirah, the aspect of PLG, a channel and division. Thoughts are called shetef because it can appear to a person that they rush upon him and cannot be stopped. But in truth, each thought has its own pathway and only one thought emerges at a time; as soon as another thought begins, even by a hairsbreadth, he is saved from the first. Therefore one should not argue with the evil thought and should not look back at it; he should only steal himself away from it in the aspect of "Vayignov Yaakov es lev Lavan" - "Yaakov stole the heart of Lavan," as mentioned above.

Through all this one merits Shavuos, the aspect of Yom HaBikurim [Day of the Firstfruits], when we read the Viduy Bikurim: "Arami ovaid avee" - "An Aramean sought to destroy my father", the aspect of 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 Tzadik (the aspect of Moshe Rabbainu), who gives advice and strengthens the heart of Yisrael at every moment to flee and escape, even after whatever has already passed.

Shavuos is the aspect of Yom HaBikurim, the aspect of Mattan Torah. Its essential holiness is through subduing the kelipah of Lavan HaArami. This illumination begins on Lag BaOmer: "Ad haGal hazeh" - the covenant-heap between Yaakov and Lavan - and culminates in the full receiving of the Torah on Shavuos.