Laws of the Morning Blessings — Halacha 3

"Kad shama kol tarnegoala mevaraych: HaNoasain laSechvi veenah l'havchin bain yom u'vain laylah..." — When one hears the call of the rooster, he blesses: "He Who gives the rooster understanding to distinguish between day and night..." And the matter of the blessings of "sheloa asani goy" and "eved" and "eeshah" etc., and the matter of Bircas HaTorah, and the matter of Parshas HaTamid and the other korbanos, and the matter of Pesukay DiZimrah:

Based on the Story (of Ancient Times) of the Prince who was exchanged with the Son of the Maidservant, etc. See there the entire story from beginning to end — it is wondrous. As the Rebbe said after telling this story, in these words: "This story is entirely wondrous..." One should not elaborate here in praise of the greatness of the Stories, for they are beyond our understanding. Only whatever hints we can find in them, we are obligated to strive and find, through Hashem's kindness. For I heard his holy will expressed from his holy mouth — that he wants us to strive to seek and search in them for whatever is possible to find. He also said that one who is expert in and understands holy sefarim can find much of what is explained in the Stories. Only the essential story itself — who and what and when — is impossible to understand. This is not the place to elaborate on this.

The matter of this awesome story of the Prince who was exchanged — through this, the world thought he was the son of the maidservant, and through this the cruel one — the true son of the maidservant — overpowered him and drove him from his place. Through this, the true Prince fell in his mind, until he came to evil, etc. All this is well understood to one who understands even a little: this is the secret of the entire matter of the exile of Yisrael — they are driven from their land and from their place, wandering like a bird from its nest, scattered among the nations. The kingdom and dominion belong to them [the nations], and Yisrael are considered, in our great sins, like slaves and maidservants.

All this is drawn from the aspect of the exchange of the Prince who was switched — this is the secret of Haichalai HaTemooros [the Chambers of Exchanges], where neshamos are sometimes exchanged. As we heard from his holy mouth explicitly, before he told the story, he first spoke about the matter of Haichalai HaTemuros where neshamos are exchanged, chas vishalom (-Heaven forbid). Then, on this subject, he told the story and said: "There was already once such a story" — and began to tell the entire story until he finished it.

Thus, the story of the Prince who was exchanged is drawn from Haichalai HaTemuros. This is the secret of all the exile and suffering of Yisrael collectively and individually — what each person goes through. The essential point is the exile and suffering of the nefesh — that we are exiled among the nations and far from our Father in Heaven. All this is drawn from the exchange of the Prince who was switched, which is the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, which was caused by the sin of Adam HaRishon who ate from the Aitz HaDa'as Tov vaRa.

Through this, the aspect of Lahat HaCherev HaMishapeches [the Flaming, Turning Sword] was empowered — which is the aspect of Haichalai HaTemooros, the aspect of transformation from a staff to a serpent and from a serpent to a staff. This is the aspect of the oppressed neshamos in the tikla [scale or balance], within Klipas Nogah, revolving in gilgul. From there are drawn all the exchanges and substitutions in the world, from which comes the essential grip of the Sitra Achra.

From there is the essential exile of Yisrael collectively and individually. For in truth, the kingship belongs only to Yisrael — all Yisrael are children of kings, for the entire world was created only for Yisrael, as it is written: "Beraishis..." — for the sake of Yisrael who are called "raishis." Everything belongs to and is subject to them, as it was somewhat in the days of Dovid and Shlomo when kingship was primarily with Yisrael, and as it will be in the future when Mashiach Tzidkainu comes and returns the kingship to Yisrael.

But now in exile, in our great sins, the matter has been exchanged — the nations are kings and rulers, and Yisrael are, chas vishalom, like slaves. All this is drawn from the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, caused by the sin of Adam HaRishon and the sins of subsequent generations — which is the aspect of the Prince who was exchanged, as mentioned above. Through this, the Sitra Achra — dimachashich anpai briyasa [that darkens the face of creation] — was empowered, until the kingship was exchanged to them, in our many sins, and it seems as if they are the aspect of the Prince and Yisrael are in exile beneath them as if they were the aspect of the son of a slave, chas vishalom. This is the aspect of: "Tachas shalosh ragzah aretz — tachas eved kee yimloach, vishifchah ki seerash giveertah" — "Under three things the earth trembles — under a slave when he reigns, and a maidservant when she inherits her mistress"; the aspect of (Koheles 10:7): "Ra'eesi avadim al soosim visarim hoalchim ka'avadim..." — "I saw slaves on horses, and princes walking like slaves," etc.

In our many sins, the son of the maidservant overpowered the Prince until he drove him from his land. This is the aspect of the exile of Yisrael from Eretz Yisrael, the land of their fathers which Hashem yisburach gave them. Because they were driven from their land and considered like slaves, and they are a mockery and a scorn, and are counted among the nations like sheep led to slaughter, etc. — Rachmana litzlan — through this they fell in their minds. From there are drawn all the materialism and sins and blemishes of Yisrael, each according to his aspect. This is the essential exile and suffering of Yisrael. For the essential exile and suffering is that because of the force of the exile and the empowerment of the Sitra Achra now, in the time of exile, through this the Sitra Achra overpowers the holy neshamos of Yisrael very greatly and contaminates them with sins and transgressions and other blemishes, chas vishalom. As it is written (Tehillim 106:35): "Va’yisarvu vagoyim va’yilmidoo ma'asaihem" — "They mingled with the nations and learned their ways." For in truth, Yisrael are entirely distant from sin and sin does not pertain to them at all, as explained elsewhere (LM II:7). The essential sins of Yisrael are drawn only from the force of the exile, as mentioned above, which is drawn from the aspect of the exchange mentioned above — the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, as mentioned above.

This is the secret of Yitzchak and Yishmael, Yaakov and Aisav. Because of the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, Avraham was compelled to take a maidservant to first expel the pisoaless [impurity and waste] within him from the sin of Adam HaRishon — he being the main one who began to rectify it. From this pisoaless drawn from zoohamas hanachash [the pollution/filth/contamination of the serpent], Yishmael was born — the son of the maidservant. Because of the exchanges of Haichalai HaTemuros, it was not recognized in the world who was the son of the maidservant and who the son of the Queen, who is the aspect of Sarah, named for malchus, for she ruled over the entire world. Therefore Yishmael boasted that he was the primary seed of Avraham and that the dominion, the aspect of malchus, belonged to him. This is the aspect of the machlokes between Yishmael and Yitzchak, as it is written (Beraishis 21:9-10): "And Sarah saw the son of Hagar... laughing" — and as Rashi explains from Sarah's response, "For the son of the maidservant shall not inherit with my son" — from this you learn that he was quarreling with Yitzchak over the inheritance, saying, "I am the firstborn," etc.

This is also the aspect of Yaakov and Aisav. For there the aspect of the grip of the exchanges of Haichalai HaTemuros was in one womb, in the aspect of (Beraishis 25:23): "Shnai goyim bivitnaich ooshnai li'oomim meemay’eye’ich yeepuraidoo, ooloam meeloam ye'ematz, virav ya'avoad tzu'eer." For the exchanges of Haichalai HaTemuros change constantly in many different aspects without measure. Also within each individual person himself, the changes and substitutions multiply without measure, value, or number. This is the aspect of all the rises and falls that pass over every person all the days of his life, from the day he exists until the day of his death, and all the gilgulim through which his neshamah rolls in whatever place it rolls, from generation to generation until the end. All this is drawn from the secret of Haichalai HaTemuros, from which is drawn the secret of gilgul haneshamos — HaKadosh Baruch Hu troubles Himself to roll the neshamos through many, many different gilgulim in order to refine them from the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, from the sin of Adam HaRishon, from which all sins come, chas vishalom, as mentioned above.

For it is explained in the writings of the Arizal: we see that sometimes a great tzadik and servant of Hashem falls from his service, and sometimes falls into complete transgressions, Rachmana litzlan (-may the Merciful One save us) — some have fallen so far that they became great reshaim who caused the many to sin. At first they were great tzadikim, like Yarav'am ben Nevat and Acher, and similar ones in other generations. All this is drawn from gilgoolai haneshamos — sometimes the neshamah of a wicked person becomes impregnated in a person, and through this he can suddenly, chas vishalom, be transformed into a different person. And conversely, sometimes a holy neshamah becomes impregnated in a rasha, through which he is aroused to teshuvah. This is the secret of (Koheles 8:14): "There is vanity upon the earth — there are tzadikim who receive what the wicked deserve, and reshaim who receive what the tzadikim deserve." As referenced in the Rebbe's words in the Torah of Kisufin (Longing. LM I:31).

In truth, a person has free choice, and everything is according to his choice, his yearnings, and the truth of his strengthening himself and his emunah in Hashem — and accordingly Hashem deals with him in His mercy, for "Hashem is righteous and just are His judgments." Therefore a person must increase greatly in tefillah always — that he merit to be saved from this Lahat HaCherev HaMishapeches, the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, that they should not overpower, chas vishalom, to oppress and steal and exchange the little good of his nefesh that still remains in him.

About this Dovid HaMelech prayed (Tehillim 119:122): "Aroav avdecha litoav — al ya'ashkooni zaidim" — that the wicked ones, who are the Sitra Achra and kelipos that oppress the neshamos in the tikla, should not oppress him. This is the aspect of "the tears of the oppressed — and from the hand of their oppressors there is power, and they have no comforter." This is the aspect of (ibid 119:134.): "Pidaini mai'oashek adam vi'eshmerah peekoodechuh" — as Rashi explains: "Redeem me from the oppression of man" — from the yetzer hara that oppresses people. This is the oppression of the oppressed neshamos in the tikla — the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros that are suspected of exchanging and corrupting — the aspect of the Prince who was exchanged.

This is the aspect of (ibid. 140): "Chaltzaini Hashem mai'adam ra, mai'eesh chamasim tintzeraini." And the aspect of (ibid. 22): "Yechalkoo vegadeye lahem, vi 'al levooshee yapeeloo goaral... hatzeelah maicherev nafshi, meyad kelev yicheedasi." For Dovid greatly multiplied in prayer to Hashem to be saved from the oppression, robbery, and violence of the kelipos — the yetzer hara and its forces that oppress the neshamos through their sins and strip them of their holy garments and clothing, until their faces are changed and the precious glory of their splendor is unrecognizable — exchanging good for evil and evil for good, chas vishalom. All this is the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros.

This is the aspect of (ibid. 31): "Bi'yadcha afkid roochi, padisa oasi Hashem Kel emes" — "Into Your hand I entrust my spirit; You have redeemed me, Hashem, G-d of truth." A person must always deposit his ruach, nefesh, and neshamah in Hashem's hand, so that He will be the guardian of the deposit, to redeem him from the oppression and exchanges. "Padisa" — emes specifically — the opposite of the exchanges and oppression, which are the aspect of sheker that deceives his nefesh and exchanges it for another. "Padisa" specifically — the aspect of (Devarim 13:6): "HaPodcha meebais avadim" — that Hashem redeems his nefesh from the aspect of avdus [slavery], which is the aspect of sheker. For one must always surrender his nefesh with all its movements and vitality to Hashem — through this, Hashem saves him from the enemies who want to steal and oppress and exchange the nefesh in Haichalai HaTemuros. For it is impossible to be saved from all this except through much, much tefillah and supplication. For many souls have sunk through this, Rachmana litzlan, as mentioned above, because they constantly lie in wait for a person's nefesh. One needs abundant mercy and great strengthening to be saved from them, as it is written (Tehillim 10:9-10): "He lies in wait in hiding like a lion in his shelter; he lies in wait to snatch the poor; he snatches the poor by drawing him into his net. He crouches, he bows down, and the helpless fall by his strong ones." This is the aspect of what Dovid prayed (ibid. 7): "In You I have taken refuge; save me from all my pursuers and rescue me, lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it with no rescuer," and many similar verses. This is the aspect of (ibid. 116): "Return, my soul, to your rest" — the opposite of the oppression of the exchanges, where there is the aspect of wandering and exile, chas vishalom. This is the aspect of (ibid. 23): "He restores my soul." For Dovid HaMelech trusted in his abundant true prayers to Hashem, that Hashem would rescue his nefesh from all these exchanges and return his nefesh to its place and to its rest.

Therefore Dovid HaMelech specifically multiplied in prayer about this more than any other tzadik, for the essential tikun of Haichalai HaTemuros is through Dovid, who worked on this tikun more than anyone. He will complete this tikun fully in the days of Mashiach Tzidkainu — who is the aspect of Dovid — when this tikun will be completed in completeness, as is known. For there, in the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, through the sin of Adam HaRishon, exceedingly holy and precious neshamos were caught — the aspect of the nefesh of Avraham, which is why he had to emerge from Terach, and likewise the neshamos of many lofty and awesome tzadikim, etc., as brought in the writings [of the Arizal]. This is the aspect of the nefesh of Dovid, which is the aspect of Mashiach, which was also caught there; and against him they overpowered exceedingly, exceedingly, without measure.

This is the aspect of the nefesh of Dovid — who is the aspect of Mashiach — which was also captured there. Against him they overpowered tremendously, without measure. Therefore, HaKadosh Baruch Hu made many gilgulim until He brought his nefesh out from there by way of theft and cunning, for it is written: "Eem eekaish tispatal" — "With the crooked, You deal crookedly." This secret is explained in the writings of the Ari: because of this, the nefesh of Dovid had to emerge first through the daughters of Lot, through such a strange deed and foreign matter. And likewise the matter of Yehudah and Tamar, etc., etc. — all of this was in order to bring out his nefesh by stealth from the Sitra Achra that oppressed it and did not want to allow it to go out except by way of stealth, as explained in the writings (see Likutay Torah on Iyov, and in several other places). For Dovid was fit to be a stillborn and had no life except what Adam HaRishon and the Avos gave him, as is known. Therefore, in truth, all his days he was in great danger from the Sitra Achra, which overpowered him at every time, as it is written (Tehillim 94:17): "Loolai Hashem ezrasah lee, kimat shachnah doomah nafshi" — "Had Hashem not been my help, my soul would almost have dwelt in silence." This is the secret of: "Kifesha baini oovain hamaves" — "There is but a step between me and death."

From this, every person can take mussar for himself: when he sees that the yetzer hara and the desires, etc., overpower him very, very greatly, and it seems to him that it is difficult to break them, he must know that certainly HaKadosh Baruch Hu does not come with unreasonable demands upon him. Certainly, if he did not have the strength to break them, Hashem would not provoke such a yetzer hara against him. Rather, the opposite: he should know in his nefesh that when he sees that he has such a great yetzer hara, certainly his nefesh is a precious nefesh and very, very holy in its root.

Therefore they overpower him so much, because the more precious and lofty the nefesh is, the more the yetzer hara overpowers it. As our Sages, zichronam livrachah, said (Sukkah 52a): "Kol hagadol maichavairoa yitzroa gadol haimenu" — "Whoever is greater than his fellow, his inclination is greater." And they said further that the yetzer hara leaves all the idolaters and does not provoke anyone except Yisrael; and not only that, but it leaves all Yisrael and provokes only talmidai chachamim, as it is written: "Ki higdil la'asos" — he stretched out his hand specifically against the great ones. This is the aspect of Dovid HaMelech, alav hashalom, who was in great danger all his days, as above, as it is written (Tehillim 116:3): "Afafooni chevlai maves oometzarai She'ol mitza'uni" — "The cords of death surrounded me, and the straits of She'ol found me"; and (ibid. 69): "Tavati bi'yavain metzulah vi'ain ma'amad... hatzeelaini meeteet vi'al etba'ah" — "I sank in deep mire where there is no standing... save me from mud and let me not sink." And so throughout the whole Sefer Tehillim, which was founded from the prayers he multiplied to be saved from the yetzer hara and its forces, so that he would not lose his nefesh, chas vishalom. In this path every person must go, because there is no counsel and no rectification to be saved from all this except through multiplying prayers and supplications without measure all the days of his life, like Dovid HaMelech, alav hashalom (o.b.m.), as above, as we have explained several times.

For this is not the path of true humility — to consider oneself a complete rasha, chas vishalom, and to diminish the greatness of one's holy nefesh. Rather, the opposite: one must know and believe that his nefesh at its root is great and precious and exceedingly lofty, and thousands upon thousands and myriads upon myriads of worlds without measure depend upon it. As the Rebbe said: if one could turn a person inside out, one would see that in every sinew of a person's sinews hang thousands upon thousands and myriads of worlds. Even the nefesh of the lowest of the lowly of Yisrael is also exceedingly lofty — how much more so neshamos of bnai Torah, especially those with great intellect. For the greater the intellect, the loftier the neshamah, as the Rebbe said — for the neshamah is the intellect, as it is written (Iyov 32:8): "Vinishmas Shakai tiveenaim."

Therefore the intelligent person, when he sees that the Adversary overpowers him greatly — he must know that certainly his nefesh is exceedingly lofty, and he must strengthen himself to have compassion on himself, lest he lose such precious treasures and delights that depend upon his nefesh, which "no eye has seen." He must strengthen himself with all his might to save his nefesh from destruction — primarily through abundant tefillos and requests.

This is the aspect of (Divrai HaYamim II 17:6): "Vayigbah leeboa bidarkai Hashem" — "His heart was elevated in the ways of Hashem." One must elevate his heart and his mind in the ways of Hashem and say in his nefesh: "It is not fitting for me to do such things — acts of an animal, chas vishalom! For my nefesh is exceedingly lofty — a nefesh of Yisrael, all of whom are children of kings. It is fitting for me to conduct myself in the customs of the malchus of kedushah, as befits the neshamos of Yisrael who are called: 'Banim atem laHashem Elokaichem' — 'You are children to Hashem your G-d.'" This is the aspect of what is written in the Torah "Vayehi haim maireekim sakaihem" (LM I:17), on the teaching of Chazal (Bava Basra 74a): "Ana b'riyah kalah sheba'yam..." — see there how the good of the nefesh of Yisrael remembers its greatness: that it is drawn from the neshamos of Yisrael that arose in the Divine Thought first, and with them He consulted in the creation of worlds — and now, chas vishalom, it should be sunk in such places?! Rachmana litzlan! Through this he has compassion on himself and returns to his level.

In truth, this very matter — that most people err about themselves and think their nefesh is not holy at its root, and it is hard for them to return to Hashem and be a true tzadik or truly kosher person like other tzadikim and kesherim (kosher people) — as is commonly said: when they hear stories told about some tzadik or truly G-d-fearing person and heerhoorai (-thoughts) teshuvah begin to awaken in them, and they begin wanting to draw close to Hashem — for all Yisrael are always full of thoughts of teshuvah and drawing close to Hashem — but immediately they say: "Who can compare themselves to that tzadik? He had a holy neshamah from his youth!" For they have accustomed themselves to say that the righteousness of the tzadikim and kesherim comes from the holy neshamah they have from birth.

In truth, the Rebbe said explicitly that this is not so — and this is the essential deficiency of the world, that people say this. Because of this they do not awaken and strengthen themselves to emulate the tzadikim. But in truth it is not so — for the essential righteousness of the tzadik and the kosher person is only through his hisga'abrus [strengthening], his hischazekus, his toil and effort in avodas Hashem — that he labored and toiled so many days and years and never allowed himself to fall under any circumstance and increased in tefillah and supplication until he merited what he merited. Every person can be like them, for free choice is open to all, and the Crown of a Good Name is set aside — whoever wants it, merits it. As Chazal said (Yoma 72b): "The Crown of Kehunah — Aharon merited and took it. The Crown of Kingship — Dovid merited and took it. The Crown of a Good Name is set aside — and whoever wants it, merits it."

This very matter — that people err about themselves and think their nefesh is not precious and holy, and because of this they do not strengthen themselves to act like the tzadikim — all this is drawn from Haichalai HaTemuros: from the story of the Prince who was exchanged. From there come these thoughts upon a person — like the Prince who was exchanged and driven from his place, who because of this fell to where he fell and took himself to drunkenness, etc., until he was as if in doubt about himself whether he was the true Prince or the son of the maidservant. As explained in the story: every time hirhurai teshuvah came to him, he would settle himself saying "either way, if I am the Prince..." See there.

He fell so far that he was in doubt about himself whether he was the true Prince. So it is with every person who is far from Hashem — especially now in the severity of the end of this bitter exile, the chevlai Mashiach [birth pangs of Mashiach] that intensify in these times, when the Adversary overpowers the neshamos of Yisrael exceedingly, as is known through direct experience. Until many people give up on themselves as if their nefesh is not suited at all for avodas Hashem. All this is only the deception and thoughts of the yetzer hara that weakens his mind and inserts into his heart weakness and katnus (-smallness) of the Sitra Achra.

But in truth, a person must know and believe that the nefesh of every Jew is exceedingly lofty and precious, and all of them are children of kings, and they can merit exceedingly lofty and holy levels like all the tzadikim and kesherim — for even upon all the tzadikim and kesherim passed such thoughts and weaknesses, but they were wise enough not to let themselves be deceived, and they strengthened themselves greatly until they merited what they merited. This is what Dovid said (Tehillim 86:2): "Shamrah nafshi kee chasid ani" — as Chazal said (Berachos 4a), and as it is written in the Zohar HaKadosh, Parshas Balak: Dovid called himself a chasid "bigin ditztrich lay livar nash diloa lishava'ah garmay rasha" — because a person must not make himself into a rasha. This is the aspect of "Vayigbah leeboa bidarkai Hashem," as brought in the Rebbe's words (LM II:125) — one must know the greatness of his nefesh at its root, the aspect of "ana b'riyah kalah sheba'yam" — to know that he is from the root of the nefesh of the true Prince, so that he will strengthen himself to return to his level.

Therefore Dovid strove at this more than anyone, for he needed to merit malchus of kedushah over Yisrael. Therefore the Ba'al Davar [Adversary] overpowered him more than anyone, for it always wants to exchange the aspect of the Prince for the aspect of the son of the maidservant. And especially regarding the nefesh of the Prince himself — Dovid, the true King over Yisrael — it sought, chas vishalom, to overpower him most intensely. But through his great strength and abundant tefillos, he merited to nullify from his nefesh every aspect of the zuhama (-filth) of the aspect of avdus (-servitude), until he merited the malchus of kedushah of the true Prince — to be king over all Yisrael forever.

Therefore he said many times (Tehillim 86:2): "Hosha avdecha..." — "Save Your servant..."; and (ibid. 116): "Ana Hashem kee ani avdecha, ani avdecha ben amasecha, peetachta limoasaireye" — "Please, Hashem, for I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You opened my bonds." This was in order to subdue and nullify the aspect of avdus at its root. For this is the principle: the din [judgment] is only sweetened at its root. Therefore he made himself like a servant to Hashem yisburach in order to nullify the avdus (-servitude) of the Sitra Achra, the aspect of "I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You opened my bonds." "You opened my bonds" — this is the aspect of the avdus of the Sitra Achra that Hashem yisburach nullified from him. Therefore he merited malchus, which is the aspect of the true Prince, the aspect of "Hashem said to me: You are My son..."

Therefore Yaakov Avinu strove to take the bechoarah [firstborn right] from Aisav, for the bechorah is the aspect of malchus, as the Rebbe said elsewhere (LM I:56): the aspect of (Tehillim 89:28): "Af ani bechor etnaihoo." For Yaakov is the aspect of the true Prince, and Aisav's neshamah is the aspect of the son of the maidservant who wanted to deceive his father and draw the blessings and dominion to himself. But Hashem helped Yaakov and he took the bechorah and the brachah — the aspect of malchus of kedushah.

For the story of the Prince who was exchanged encompasses the entire Torah and everything that has transpired from beginning to end — from the sin of Adam HaRishon who was driven from Gan Eden (alluded to in the story) — until the culmination when Mashiach Tzidkainu comes and takes the kingship and returns it to the true Prince. But in every generation and every place and time, the story manifests differently in many variations: Avraham Avinu — who was the beginning of the tikun — had his battle with Nimrod and his generation who called him a heretic. Yitzchak had his battle with his brother, the son of the maidservant. Yaakov was born in one womb with Aisav whose neshamah was from the aspect of the son of the maidservant — for the exchanges of Haichalai HaTemuros contain countless variations.

Until the changes and exchanges extend even among Yisrael themselves — the world operates in the opposite of truth. As it is written (Yeshayah 3:5): "Yeerhavoo hana'ar bazukain vihaneekleh baneechbad" — "The youth will be insolent to the elder, the base to the honorable." The truly G-d-fearing and kosher people are greatly despised, while the light and lowly ones overpower and rule over them. Countless such reversals operate in the world contrary to truth.

Even in the days of the Tanna'im and Amora'im, the world operated somewhat this way: "Oalam hafooch ra'eesi — elyoanim limatah vitachtoanim lima'alah" (Bava Basra 10b) — "I saw an inverted world — the upper ones below and the lower ones above." How much more so now, when falsehood has overpowered beyond measure: "Vatishlach emes artzah" — "Truth was cast to the ground." As Chazal said (Sotah 49b): "Bi’ikvesa diMesheecha chutzpa yasga, viha'emes tihyeh ne'ederes" — "In the footsteps of Mashiach, brazenness will increase and truth will be absent" — truth becomes flocks upon flocks, and everyone says the truth is with them.

All this is drawn from the exchange of the Prince — the son of the maidservant took the kingship for himself and the Prince was driven out. From there are drawn the exchanges of kingship: collectively — the nations have all kingship and dominion while Yisrael are despised in exile and slavery, driven from their land. Also among Yisrael themselves — the wicked and the heretics have dominion and great wealth, while the faithful children of Yisrael are poor and despised. As the Zohar HaKadosh writes: "Oovigalusa basra'ah eenoon Airev Rav eenoon raisha di'ama, vi'yeer'ai chait yimasu, vichashoovim kichlavim bi'ainaihem" — in the final exile, the Airev Rav are the heads of the people and the G-d-fearing are despised and considered like dogs in their eyes.

Even among the kosher Jews themselves there is great machlokes and confusion, until no one knows where the truth is. As the Rebbe said (LM II:78): the Adversary has devoted himself now greatly to confusing the world — introducing machlokes among the tzadikim, establishing many false mefursamim [famous ones] of falsehood. Even among the true tzadikim he has introduced great machlokes until no one knows where the truth is. Therefore one must plead greatly to Hashem to merit to draw close to true tzadikim. All this is drawn and descends from the exchange — from there come all the exchanges and changes in the world that seek to exchange truth for falsehood, chas vishalom, and falsehood for truth.

This is the aspect of Bircas HaShachar — the blessings of "sheloa asani goy," "eved," and "eeshah" — that we bless every morning that his neshamah was not exchanged for the neshamah of a gentile, a slave, or a woman, as explained in the writings of the Arizal. Thus, the essential purpose of these blessings is gratitude that his nefesh was saved from the aspect of the exchanges drawn from Haichalai HaTemuros — which are the exchanges of the Prince who was switched.

This is the aspect of the blessing "HaNoasain laSechvi veenah l'havchin bain yom u'vain laylah" — to distinguish between day and night, meaning to distinguish between light and darkness, which is the aspect of the discernment between truth and falsehood. For it is taught in the Rebbe's words, in the Sichos near the Stories, that there are two kinds of palaces: in one dwells a king, and in the second dwells a slave, and the two are completely similar to one another, so that it is very difficult to distinguish between them. For there are several neshamos that connect together, etc., until a house and palace is made from them; there dwells emes, which is the aspect of king, and whoever wants to find emes will find it in this house and palace of those neshamos, etc. Corresponding to this, several neshamos connect together and a house is made from them where sheker dwells, which is the aspect of slave, etc.; see there. Thus emes and sheker are the aspects of king and slave mentioned above. Because of the empowerment of sheker, the Prince was exchanged for the son of the slave, until sheker overpowered so much that people thought the son of the slave was truly the Prince.

And about the Prince they thought that he was the son of the slave, chas vishalom. This sheker is the aspect of darkness — dimachashich anpai b'riyasa — that darkens the face of creation. Through sheker, people err and exchange emes for sheker and sheker for emes, exchange and substitute evil for good and good for evil, place darkness for light and light for darkness, place sweet for bitter and bitter for sweet, as it is written (Yeshayah 5:20): "Woe to those who say evil is good and good is evil..." All these exchanges and confusions are drawn from the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, which are the aspect of the exchanges of the Prince who was exchanged, from which all the confusions and exchanges in the world are drawn. So it is now in this generation, when "Vatishlach emes artzah" — truth has been cast to the earth — and "ha'emes ne'ederes" — truth is missing — and it has become flocks upon flocks of truth, until it is very difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

Rather, each person, according to what he perceives in his heart, can distinguish a little of the truth in its truth, if he wants not to deceive himself and to look at the truth truthfully. As Rabbainu z"l said, for every truth that is revealed, there is a corresponding sheker; even those who are far from truth also say such expressions. Therefore it is impossible to clarify the truth except that each person, according to what he perceives in his heart, can distinguish a little the difference between the clear truth and that which is not it. This is the aspect of the discernment between day and night, between light and darkness, as Rabbainu z"l said (LM I:234), that corresponding to every story that is told of tzadikim, there is a corresponding story of reshaim that is also told of them in that way, etc.

Therefore, the one who knows how to distinguish between light and darkness is specifically able to tell stories of tzadikim and thereby purify the mind, etc. This is what our Sages, zichroanam livrachah, said in the Midrash (Beraishis Rabbah 3:8) on the verse "to distinguish between the light and the darkness": "Light" — these are the deeds of tzadikim; "darkness" — these are the deeds of resha’im. For stories that are told about tzadikim are the aspect of light, and stories of resha’im are the aspect of darkness; see there in Likutay I, the above siman.

This is the aspect of the blessing "HaNoasain laSechvi veenah," etc., which we bless in the morning. The essential blessing is upon the discernment, that one merits to distinguish between emes and sheker, which is the aspect of the discernment between light and darkness, as above, the aspect of "to distinguish between day and night." Namely, kosher Yisrael merit to be saved from the aspect of the error and sheker of the exchange of the Prince who was exchanged, mentioned above, from which all the errors and confusions are drawn, as above.

This is: "HaNoasain laSechvi veenah" — "Who gives the sechvi understanding." "Sechvi" is the heart that gazes and perceives, etc., as Chazal said. For the essential discernment between light and darkness — which is the aspect of the discernment between truth and falsehood — is only in the heart, each person according to what he perceives in his heart. For it is impossible to clarify and prove the truth through proofs in any manner, because, through contentious victory-seeking, anyone can contradict and can tell opposing stories and present false proofs in order to contradict and conceal the truth, chas vishalom. But the essential discernment is in the heart. Each person, according to what he perceives in his heart, can distinguish between day and night, between light and darkness — which is the aspect of the discernment between truth and falsehood. These are the aspect of king and slave: to distinguish who is the Prince and who is the son of the slave, who is from this side and who is from that side, in order to clarify and rectify the aspect of the exchanges mentioned above. This is our entire avodah: to clarify our neshamos and all the sparks that depend upon us, to refine them from the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, which are the aspect of the exchanges mentioned above.

The essential blessing of "HaNoasain laSechvi veenah" is for the call of the rooster at Chatzos — at midnight — because through this one distinguishes between the first half of the night, which is the force of the darkness of the night, and the second half of the night, when the aspect of the light of day begins to sparkle and awaken, as is known. For the essential novelty of discernment is specifically at night, at the time of darkness; then the real great matter is to distinguish. During the day, the discernment is not such a novelty.

Meaning: the Geulah that will come speedily through Mashiach Tzidkainu is called the "light of day," as it is written (Tehillim 92:3): "L'hagid baboker chasdecha" — "To tell Your kindness in the morning" — meaning at the time of Geulah. Exile is compared to night, and Geulah to the light of day. When the morning of Yisrael shines, and Mashiach comes and reveals the truth in the world, discernment will no longer be such a novelty, for everyone will know the truth. The essential novelty is one who merits now, in the depth of the darkness of exile that resembles night, to distinguish between truth and falsehood — between day and night, between light and darkness.

For in our servitude, our God has not abandoned us, and He has extended kindness over us in the force of this exile, sending us in every generation true tzadikim to give us life until this day. For no generation is orphaned. They give us life in the force of the darkness of night, which is the aspect of the darkness of this bitter exile; and they fulfill in us the aspect of (Mishlai 31:15): "Vatakam bi'oad leyelah vateetain teref livaisah vichoak lina'aroasehuh" — "She rises while it is still night and gives sustenance to her household and a portion to her maidens." Meaning, the true tzadikim in every generation, in the days of exile, are like one who rises before the light of day and engages in Torah with students, which is very precious in the eyes of Hashem yisburach, as is known. This is the aspect of "Vatakam bi’oad leyelah" — "She rises while it is still night," etc.

Similarly, in the totality of the world, they awaken before the morning light of Yisrael and rise while it is still night — while the darkness of exile, which resembles night, still prevails — and they give sustenance to their household and a portion, etc. Meaning, they learn with their students, reveal to them His blessed Godliness, arouse them to teshuvah, and draw them close to their Father in Heaven. Then, before daylight — meaning before the coming of Mashiach — the essential achievement is one who merits to distinguish now between day and night: that is, between the true tzadikim, who are the aspect of the light of day — for every true tzadik is the aspect of Moshe-Mashiach, the aspect of the light of day, which is the aspect of the light of truth — and falsehood, which is the aspect of the darkness of night, the aspect of a slave, the aspect of sleep. For ten measures of sleep descended to the world, and slaves took nine (Kiddushin 49b). They are the aspect of "Arur Kena'an," the aspect of zoohamas hanachash, the side of death, which is the aspect of sheker. As explained in his words regarding the difficulty of sleeping on Motza'ai Shabbos (LM I:117); see there.

This is what the blessing "HaNoasain laSechvi veenah" hints at: its essence is the discernment at midnight, when the light of day begins to spark but day has not yet come. This is precisely the aspect of the tzadikim in the time of exile — they are the aspect of the sparkling of Mashiach, for every true tzadik is the aspect of Mashiach, as Chazal said many times. But day itself has not yet arrived — Mashiach himself has not yet come. Therefore, now the essential achievement is the discernment between truth and falsehood — in the heart — each person according to what he perceives in his heart: "HaNoasain laSechvi veenah" — "Sechvi" specifically is the aspect of the heart that gazes and perceives. Each person can know and distinguish, if he truly wants, between day and night, light and darkness, truth and falsehood. For the truth testifies for itself.

This is the aspect of the blessing "HaMa'avir shainah mai'aineye" — "Who removes sleep from my eyes," etc. For the nullification of sleep is the aspect of subduing the aspect of the slave, which is the aspect of sleep. For "ten measures of sleep, etc.; nine were taken by slaves," etc., as above. And this is the aspect of the blessing "Mateer asoorim" — "Who frees the bound" — for at the time of sleep one is like someone bound in captivity and servitude, as Rashi explains there on this blessing. That is as above: at the time of sleep and darkness, then it is the aspect of the grip of avdus, which is the aspect of sleep and darkness, as above. Therefore, when one awakens from his sleep — from the aspect of avdus — we bless "Mateer asoorim," as above.

For sleep is one-sixtieth of death. And death is drawn from zuhamas hanachash [the filth/venom of the serpent], which is the aspect of avdus, the aspect of "Arur Kena'an" — "Cursed is Canaan" — which is the aspect of "Arur atah" — "Cursed are you" — said to the primordial serpent, as explained in the Rebbe's words (Likutay Moharan I:7). Therefore, when man was cursed with death, he was also cursed with "B'zai'as apecha tochal lechem" — "By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread" — which is the aspect of avdus, because all is one aspect, as above. From there is the aspect of sleep, which is one-sixtieth of death, as above. Then the aspect of Lahat HaCherev HaMishapeches [the flaming, turning sword] was empowered to guard the way to the Tree of Life. From there come all the changes and exchanges, which are the aspect of the exchange of the Prince mentioned above, as above. Therefore, when one awakens from his sleep, he must bless all the above blessings in order to clarify his nefesh from the aspect of the above exchange, from the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros — to take his nefesh out from the aspect of the slave, from the aspect of sleep and death — and to merit to draw close and be included in the aspect of the true tzadikim, who are the aspect of the true Prince. Through this is the essential tikun of his nefesh, as mentioned above.

This is the aspect of "Malbeesh aroomim" — "He Who clothes the naked." This is the aspect of the garment that the moon receives from the sun at night, at the time of chidooshai disihara [renewal of the moon], from which all garments are drawn, as explained in the story regarding the garment of the moon. See there — all this pertains to the tikun of the Prince, as understood from the story. Therefore we bless this every morning, when one must clarify his nefesh from the exchange.

This is the aspect of Bircas HaTorah. For the Torah is the aspect of the Aron HaAidus [Ark of Testimony] — when it was placed upon the cows, they began to sing. All this pertains to the tikun and clarification of his nefesh from the exchange, as understood from the story. For all the things he was told — about the garment of the moon, and about the wondrous vessel (which is the aspect of the Aron), as explained at the end of the story — all this was the tikun of the Prince, through which he merited to return to his level. See there in the story and understand.

This is the aspect of Ner Chanukah. For Ner Chanukah is to kindle and illuminate the light of truth in the world — that all should merit to know where the truth is, in the aspect of (Tehillim 43:3): "Sh'lach orcha va'ameetecha" — "Send Your light and Your truth." As the Rebbe said in the Torah "Yimai Chanukah haim yimai hoada'ah" (LM II:2), through the mitzvah of Ner Chanukah we draw the illumination of truth into the world, so that we merit to know, recognize, and distinguish between the aspect of the Prince and the aspect of the son of the maidservant, and to clarify our neshamos from the aspect of falsehood of Haichalai HaTemuros. From there come all a person's confusions — what he is usually uncertain about, not knowing the truth, both generally and specifically. Through the mitzvah of Ner Chanukah we merit to draw the illumination of truth, so that each person will merit to distinguish between truth and its opposite, generally and specifically.

Likewise, it is explained in the kavanos of the Ari z"l that through Ner Chanukah [the Chanukah candle] we draw the illumination of truth. This is the aspect of the eight days of Chanukah, which correspond to the eight times that "emes" appears in "Emes ViYatziv." That is as above: the essential revelation of truth is to clarify the truth with complete clarification, until we merit to clarify our neshamos from the aspect of the slave, from the aspect of the son of the maidservant, by meriting to draw close to the true tzadikim, who are the aspect of the Prince. This is the aspect of the eight times "emes" in "Emes ViYatziv," which reveal the truth of His Godliness and His Torah in many expressions, repeating and reiterating to reveal the truth time after time — eight times. As we say: "Emes vi'yatziv vinachon vikayam... Emes Eloakai oalam... Emes vi'emunah..." And afterward, the eighth time, we say: "Emes — meeMitzrayim gu'altanu Hashem Eloakainuoomeebais avadim pideesanu" — "Truly — from Egypt You redeemed us, Hashem our God, and from the house of slaves You redeemed us." That is: we merited to go out from slavery to freedom; we merited to clarify our neshamos from the aspect of the slave, from the aspect of the slavery of Mitzrayim; and we merited to receive the Torah, which is the aspect of Malchus, as it is written (Mishlai 8:15): "Bee melachim yimloachu" — "Through me kings reign." That is, our neshamos returned to their level, to the aspect of the Prince, as above. For this is the essential clarification that one merits through the revelation of truth: to go out from the aspect of the son of the maidservant to the aspect of the Prince. This is the aspect of: "Emes — meeMitzrayim gi'altanu, oomeebais avadim pideesanu" — that we went out from the aspect of the slave, as above.

This is the aspect of the eight days of Chanukah, corresponding to the eight times "emes" mentioned above. For this is the essential miracle of Chanukah: the wicked kingdom, which is the aspect of sheker, the aspect of the slave, which is the zuhamas hanachash, as above, was subdued; and the malchus of kedushah of Yisrael — who are the aspect of the Prince, the aspect of emes — became strengthened and elevated. As explained above, emes is the aspect of the king and sheker is the aspect of the slave, etc., as above.

This is the aspect of the sale of Yosef — the aspect of (Tehillim 105:17) "li'eved nimkar Yosef" — "Yosef was sold as a slave" — which we read in the parshiyos of the sale of Yosef and his subsequent greatness, during the days of Chanukah, when we usually read Parshas Mikaitz and sometimes Parshas Vayaishev, for these parshiyos speak of the matter of Yosef. For the entire matter of the sale of Yosef is drawn from the secret of the Ma'aseh of the Prince who was exchanged — from which come all the confusions and machlokes in the world: where the wicked stand against the tzadikim, and the nations against all of Yisrael. All those who oppose the truth — it seems to them and to the world that they are the essence, and that to them, chas vishalom, belong the kingship and dominion from Heaven. They lord themselves over the humble, kosher people for no reason, and wish to drive them from the world, chas vishalom. But Hashem will not abandon us in their hand.

All this is drawn from the aspect of the exchange — the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros. Through this, the world is inverted: upper ones below, lower ones above. The world has become so confused that even among the true tzadikim and kosher people themselves, machlokes and great confusion have fallen. As it is written (Sanhedrin 97a): "In the generation when Ben Dovid comes, there will be kategoriya [accusation and strife] among talmidai chachamim." This is the aspect of the machlokes between Yosef and his brothers — who were all great tzadikim — and yet there was great machlokes among them, to the point that they sold Yosef as a slave. For they said he was not a man of truth and did not believe his dreams and his words, because they considered it to be falsehood, chas vishalom. Therefore they sold him as a slave — which is the aspect of sheker, as explained above. They exchanged the assessment as if, chas vishalom, his neshamah was from the aspect of a slave, chas vishalom.

Through this, matters were set in motion and our forefathers went down to Mitzrayim, where they were slaves to Pharaoh in Mitzrayim. All this was in order to refine their neshamos from the aspect of avdus that had taken hold of them through the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros — through the aspect of the exchange mentioned above, which took hold of them due to the sin of Adam HaRishon. For the essential exile of Mitzrayim was on account of this, as is known. For the story mentioned above encompasses the entire Torah and all the generations — everything that has transpired from the day God created man upon the earth, and he sinned and ate from the Aitz HaDa'as Tov vaRa, and caused the empowerment of the Lahat HaCherev HaMishapeches — the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, as mentioned above. From there are drawn all the exiles, where the son of the maidservant overpowers the Prince each time, as mentioned above — until even among Yisrael themselves, and even among the talmidai chachamim themselves, machlokes arises. This is the aspect of the machlokes between Yosef and his brothers, and between Shaul and Dovid, and similar cases.

This is the aspect of the machlokes between Yosef and his brothers, and between Shaul and Dovid, and the like. For people do not know clearly where the point of truth lies. In every generation there are a number of true tzadikim; but there is truth above truth — for certainly the levels of all the tzadikim are not equal. The greater the level of the tzadik, the greater and more refined is his truth. For the essential thing is the truth. In every generation there is a tzadik who is the point of truth among the tzadikim. But due to the bitterness of the exile and the empowerment of the Sitra Achra — where the aspect of the exchange and the falsehood of Haichalai HaTemuros prevails — it is exceedingly difficult to know where the point of truth is. The Adversary usually provokes the tzadikim themselves and introduces great machlokes among them, placing in the hearts of other tzadikim the notion that this tzadik of truth, who is the aspect of the point of truth, is veering, chas vishalom, from the way of truth — until it incites them to dispute him for the sake of Heaven.

As we find in several generations — such as Shaul who pursued Dovid for nothing, and likewise the brothers of Yosef who opposed him so strenuously that they permitted his blood — and certainly their intention was for the sake of Heaven, for they thought he was not a man of truth, and that he spoke slander, etc. And so it was in previous generations, and especially in these generations, in ikvesa diMeshicha, where falsehood has overpowered exceedingly — until even among the tzadikim and kosher people themselves, great machlokes has fallen, and no one knows where the point of truth lies.

We must plead before Hashem that we merit to find the truth in its truth. This is what one should have in mind when kindling Ner Chanukah: that through the mitzvah of Ner Chanukah we merit to draw the illumination of truth — the aspect of "Shlach orcha va'amitecha" — that we merit to draw close to the point of truth always.

This is the aspect of why the mother's name specifically is mentioned when praying for a sick person. For all illness of a person is drawn from the aspect of the exchange of the Prince, where the son of the slave overpowers the Prince, chas vishalom. For all illness is an aspect of death — a withdrawal of the vital forces and life-energy. The essential source of death is drawn from zoohamas hanachash, which is the aspect of zuhamas ha'eved [contamination of the slave] that overpowers the Prince through the sin of Adam HaRishon. For the contamination of the serpent and the contamination of the slave are one and the same aspect — the aspect of the curse pronounced upon the serpent, which is the aspect of "Arur Kena'an eved avadim" — as brought above.

From this contamination — the contamination of the slave, which is the contamination of the serpent — death is drawn, as explained in the Torah: when the serpent injected contamination into Chavah, death was decreed upon the world. For the essential decree of death comes through the aspect of the exchange — where the aspect of the son of the slave seeks to overpower the son of the king. For the body and neshamah are the aspects of the son of the slave and the son of the king. The neshamah is a portion of G-d above — the aspect of the Prince, the aspect of (Shemos 4:22) "Binee bechoari Yisrael," the aspect of (Shabbos 111a) "All of Yisrael are children of kings," the aspect of (Tehillim 2:7) "Hashem amar ailai b'ni atah..." — the aspect of a son drawn from the mind of the Father, as is known. As it is written (Yeshayah 46:3) "Hanisoo'im meeni rechem, ha'amoosim meeni veten," and as it is written (Beraishis 2:7) "Vayeepach bi'apav nishmas chaim," and as it says in the Zohar HaKadosh: "One who blows, blows from within himself" — for they are truly a portion of G-d, which is the aspect of a son.

And the body is the aspect of a slave. For the body is the aspect of physical making — asiyah gashmiyis — which is the aspect of a slave, the aspect of work and servitude. Hashem created man in order that he subjugate and subdue the body to the neshamah — the slave to the son. Just as a slave is obligated to serve his master and do his will, so the body is obligated to serve the neshamah, to nullify itself before the neshamah, and to do only the will of the neshamah.

Had man not sinned, the aspect of avdus would have been completely nullified. For the essential avdus is drawn from transgressing the words of the Torah, chas vishalom — in the aspect of (Avos 3:5) "Whoever casts off the yoke of Torah, upon him is placed the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly occupation" — which are the aspect of avdus. But one who accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah — the yoke of government, etc., is removed from him. For "there is no free person except one who engages in Torah," etc. (Avos 6:2).

The principle is: the essential aspect of avdus is from the side of the body, and the essential aspect of chairus [freedom] and malchus is from the side of the neshamah. Man was created in order to nullify the body before the neshamah, and the slave before the son. One must nullify the body so completely that it is transformed into the very nature of the neshamah, transforming from body to soul and from slave to son. For even in the service of Hashem yisburach there are two aspects: there is one who serves Hashem yisburach in the aspect of a servant, and there is one who is in the aspect of a son, as is brought — namely:

For even in the service of Hashem there are two aspects. There are those who serve Hashem in the aspect of a slave, and those who are in the aspect of a son, as is brought. That is: a person must serve Hashem with all his strength so that the body does only the will of the neshamah. But as long as the body still has some scent of its bodily desires — only that the person breaks his desire for the sake of the will of the neshamah, which is the will of Hashem — even though this is very good and praiseworthy, nevertheless, his service is still in the aspect of a slave of kedushah. For certainly it is the aspect of a slave, since the service of Hashem is considered labor and toil for him — because the desire of the body does not incline toward it; he merely breaks the will of the body for the sake of the will of the Creator. Therefore he is still in the aspect of a slave.

But one who merits to break the body completely, in the ultimate nullification, until the body is transformed into neshamah itself — and he fulfills "Vi'ahavta es Hashem Eloakecha bichol livavcha..." — with both your inclinations: so that even the body loves Hashem and does His will out of love, having no other desire, wanting nothing except the will of the Creator — then he is called a son. For all his service of Hashem is not called by the name of avdus at all — for it is not servitude for him at all! He does the will of Hashem in complete love, by the will of both body and soul, since the body has been transformed into neshamah, as above. Therefore it is certainly not fitting to call him by the name of slave at all, for avdus is only what goes against a person's will. What a person does willingly is not called avdus at all. For example: eating and drinking and other bodily desires are not considered labor and toil for a person, since he does them willingly. Only when he must lift a heavy burden and the like is it called work. Similarly, the service of Hashem: because the body is not accustomed to it, it is called work for him. But when he merits to transform the body into neshamah itself, then all service of Hashem is not called work for him at all — on the contrary, this is his essential vitality and his delight and his pleasure, and he has no other delight and joy in body and soul except when he merits to do the will of his Creator.

And in truth, the fact that for most people the matter is the reverse — that eating and drinking and other bodily desires are not considered labor, while mitzvos and good deeds are considered labor and toil — this is itself the aspect of the exchange, where the Prince was exchanged for the son of the maidservant until people thought that the Prince was a slave, chas vishalom, and the son of the maidservant was a king, chas vishalom. So too, the truth has been reversed in the world: mitzvos and good deeds — which are the will of Hashem, the will of the neshamah, the aspect of the son of the king — this is considered avdus for them. And the will of the body — bodily desires — is not considered avdus for them, as if the body were king, chas vishalom, over the neshamah.

But in truth it is the exact opposite: the neshamah is the true king, and the body is a slave. And everything that is the will of the neshamah — Torah and mitzvos and good deeds — this is the aspect of kingship, the aspect of (Mishlai 8:15) "Bi melachim yimlochu" — and this is not called by the name of avdus at all, as above. And what is the will of the body — bodily desires — this is the essential aspect of avdus, the aspect of physical making, where the bodily desires take hold, drawn from the contamination of the slave, which is the contamination of the serpent, as is known.

One must nullify the body before the neshamah, break the bodily desires — which are the aspect of avdus — and nullify them completely, until the body is transformed into neshamah itself, until the body does the will of the neshamah, which is the will of the Creator, willingly — and it is no longer considered work for him at all. Then the aspect of avdus is completely nullified, and he merits to be in the aspect of a son. This is the essential perfection, as is known.

Had Adam HaRishon not sinned, a person would have merited this level in his lifetime — to transform the body into neshamah itself, so that his service of Hashem would not be in the aspect of a slave at all, but only in the aspect of a son, as above. But due to the sin of Adam HaRishon, through which the zuhamas hanachash — the contamination of the slave — took hold in him, the body became so materialized that great labor and toil are required to break the bodily desires. Then, even when he serves Hashem, his service is still in the aspect of a slave, since it is considered labor for him, because he must force himself to break his body that has not yet been refined to the point of transforming into the essence of the neshamah, as above.

Therefore death was decreed — in order to refine and nullify the aspect of avdus. For the essential decree of death is due to the contamination of the serpent, which is the contamination of the slave, as above. That is: now, after the sin of Adam HaRishon, it is impossible to fully attain the aspect of a son — to transform the body into neshamah itself — except after death, when the body decomposes in the earth and rises in the resurrection in a pure and radiant body. Then the body will be in the aspect of neshamah, and the contamination of the slave will be completely nullified. Then one will be in the aspect of a son in body and soul, for the body will be transformed to the aspect of neshamah, and will be incorporated into the Infinite — in body and soul — in ratzoa vashoav, according to each person's merit.

For now, in our present body, it is impossible to fully achieve the aspect of a son and nullify the aspect of avdus. Even exceedingly great tzadikim who merited to completely refine their body — nevertheless, they must die due to the scheme of the serpent, for the sake of the tikun of the world, to repair the sin of Adam HaReeshoan and nullify the aspect of avdus from the world.

It follows that the essential aspect of death is through the overpowering of the slave over the son — the body over the neshamah — which is the aspect of the sin of Adam HaRishon, through which death was decreed on the world. From there is drawn all illness — which is an aspect of death, a withdrawal of the vitality and powers, as above — drawn from the overpowering of the body over the soul. For the essential source of illness and death is the conflict between the neshamah and the body: when they do not conduct themselves in proper balance, the four elements overpower, chas vishalom, until the soul cannot dwell with them together, and begins to withdraw from them. All this is drawn from the aspect of the machlokes of the slave against the son — where they were exchanged, etc., as above. For the four elements are the aspect of slaves, as it is written in the Torah "Anochi" (LM I:4, see there §22).

For this reason, when praying for a sick person, we mention the mother's name specifically. For the essential vitality of a person — and of all creatures, formed beings, and made things — is through the Name, in the aspect of (Beraishis 2:19) "nefesh chayah — hoo shimoa" — "a living soul — that is its name." Through the name of everything, the vitality flows into it from the Life of all lives. Even from the Life of all lives, it is impossible to draw the vitality except through His Name, as it were — as explained in the Torah "Ooviyom HaBikurim, HaStarah," etc. (LM I:56): that it is impossible to draw the vitality from the Life of all lives except by calling upon Him by His Name, which is the Torah — see there. For regarding Hashem — "no thought can grasp Him at all" — and we know of Him only through His Name alone, like a great king who is hidden from the people of his land, and they do not see him, but know him only through the name alone. So too, "there is none who knows You at all" — only we know Him through His Name alone. For Hashem, in His compassion, contracted Himself through many contractions until He made for Himself a Name, in the aspect of "Vata'as licha shaim kahayoam hazeh" — so that we can know of Him through His Name alone: that there is a Master, Ruler, and Conductor — One, Singular, and Unique, etc.

From the aspect of this great and awesome Name, the vitality flows to all creatures in the world — through their name specifically. For everything receives its vitality through its name, from the Name of Hashem Who gives life to all, as above.

It is written (Shemos 3:15) "Zeh Shimee li'oalam vizeh zichri lidor dor," – “This is My Name forever and this is My remembrance for every generation,” and our Sages expound (Pesachim 50a): "Zeh Shimee li'olam" [li’oalam- forever, is read, li’ulam - to conceal] — for His Name is not read as it is written. It is written with the Name Havayah but read as Adnus. But in the future it will be fulfilled: "Bayom hahu yihyeh Hashem echad u'Shmo echad" – “On that day Hashem will be One and His name One,” it will be read with Havayah as it is written. But now, we must conceal the essential Shaim Ha'Etzem [the Essential Name], which is the Name Havayah, and it is read only as Adnus.

From the secret of these two Names derive and descend the aspects of the father's name and the mother's name. From these two Names are drawn the aspects of neshamah and body — which are the aspects of man and woman. For the essential formation of the body is from the mother, and the essential neshamah is from the father — and their supernal root is the aspect of these two Names. They are the aspects of the sun and the moon, day and night, etc., as is known and understood in the sefarim.

Had Adam HaRishon not sinned, and had he merited to transform the body into neshamah — slave into son — he would have merited in his lifetime to perceive the Name Havayah, and would have merited to pronounce it as it is written, as will be in the future. But now, after the sin, where the slave dominates, chas vishalom — the aspect of the contamination of the serpent that has taken hold in the body — we must conceal the Shaim Ha'Etzem [actual Name], for it is impossible to receive it in this body. It is impossible to pronounce it and perceive it now except through the Shaim HaKeenoy [the Name of Appellation], which is the Name Adnus, by which it is pronounced now.

For this reason, man must die — so that the body may be refined in the earth, and then rise in the resurrection in a pure body that will be in the aspect of neshamah, and the contamination of the slave will be completely nullified. Then we will be able to pronounce the Shaim Ha'Etzem. Therefore, death is in truth a great good, as it is written (Beraishis Rabbah 9:5): "'V'hinai tov me'od' — this is death" — so that man will merit through this to perceive Him through the aspect of the Shaim Ha'Etzem, which is now impossible to pronounce, as above.

Therefore, before a person's passing, an additional vitality of the neshamah is added to him, and through this he passes away, as it is written (Tehillim 104:29): "Toseef roocham yigva'oon" — "You add their spirit and they expire." For Hashem shows us in this that death is a great good, for then begins the perfection of his tikun — that he must merit in the future to perceive Him with an additional, new perception through the aspect of the Shaim Ha'Etzem. From there is drawn the aspect of tosif rucham before the passing. And through this itself the person passes away, for now in this body, as soon as the additional vitality drawn from the Shaim Ha'Etzem is drawn, one must depart — for it is impossible to receive the vitality drawn from the Shaim Ha'Etzem in this present body, as above.

Therefore, when a person is ill — which is the beginning of death, where the neshamah begins to withdraw, drawn from the aspect of toasif roocham yigva'oon, so that he will merit in the future to receive the perception of the Shaim Ha'Etzem, etc. — and we wish to pray for him to have his strength restored and continue to live in this world (for he is still needed in this world to refine his body further, since "hayoam la'asoasam" — "today is for doing" — is written, and therefore we need mercy that a person should extend his years in this world to accumulate sufficient good deeds so that afterward, in the future, he will merit what he will merit, for everything is according to how much one has labored on erev Shabbos in this world) — therefore, when we must pray for the sick person, we mention only the mother's name and conceal the father's name.

For the father's name, relative to the mother's name, is in the aspect of the Shaim Ha'Etzem relative to the Shaim HaKeenoy. And now we must conceal the father's name, in the aspect of "Zeh Shimee li'oalam" — so that the person not depart, chas vishalom, through an excess of light, through the aspect of tosif rucham drawn from the Shaim Ha'Etzem, which is the source of the departure, as above. For we wish the light to contract further and for the person to receive the vitality by way of concealment and contraction, gradually and in measure, through the Shaim HaKeenoy — from which the mother's name derives — so that he can continue to live and not depart through the aspect of tosif rucham, etc. Therefore we mention the mother's name specifically.

For as long as a person is healthy and there is peace between the neshamah and the body — which are the aspects of the father's name and the mother's name — the essential one is the father's name, for a son is called by the father's name specifically: "In a place where there is the male, the female is not mentioned" — for the essential vitality is from the father's name specifically.

But now, when the person is sick, chas vishalom — which is the aspect of death, as above, drawn from the aspect of toasif roocham — this aspect of toasif roocham, drawn from the Shaim Ha'Etzem, is drawn and takes hold through the father's name most of all. For the father's name in its supernal root derives and descends from there [the Shaim Ha'Etzem], as above. Therefore now, the father's name should not be mentioned, lest the aspect of tosif rucham be aroused, chas vishalom — from which comes the departure, chas vishalom, as above. Therefore now, we must specifically conceal the father's name and mention only the mother's name — so that the vitality will flow to the body and he will continue to live in this world, receiving the vitality from the concealment of the Shaim Ha'Etzem specifically, as above.

For in truth, the totality of the names of everything in the world — which is their vitality — is drawn only from the aspect of the Shaim HaKeenoy, for from the Shaim Ha'Etzem it is now impossible to receive the vitality openly, but only through great concealment. Therefore both the father's name and the mother's name together receive their vitality from the Shaim HaKeenoy. Only it is known that every aspect is comprised of all the aspects, as explained in the writings of the Arizal many times — that every name, every aspect, every sefirah, etc., is comprised of all the names and all the aspects. Therefore even the Shaim HaKeenoy itself is comprised of both the aspect of Shaim Ha'Etzem and Shaim HaKeenoy. Therefore, the father's name and the mother's name — which both derive from the aspect of Shaim HaKeenoy — are in the aspect of Shaim Ha'Etzem and Shaim HaKeenoy. For the father's name relative to the mother's name is in the aspect of the Shaim Ha'Etzem relative to the Shaim HaKeenoy. Normally the essential one is the father's name, which is the essential vitality, etc., as above.

But at the time of illness, when the aspect of tosif rucham of the future is aroused — and this aspect is drawn most of all through the aspect of the father's name, which constantly receives the vitality from the Shaim Ha'Etzem by way of great concealment and hiddenness, and now an aspect of revelation is being drawn upon it — the aspect of tosif rucham of the future, where the essential vitality will come from there — nevertheless, in this world one must depart through it, because it is impossible to receive this light openly in this world, as mentioned above. Therefore, when we wish to pray for the sick person, we must conceal the father's name completely. For we wish him to continue living in this world, and therefore we must conceal the father's name, whose root is from the Shaim Ha'Etzem, from which comes the aspect of tosif rucham — through which he would depart, chas vishalom. We mention only the mother's name, whose root is from the Shaim HaKeenoy, in order to draw upon him vitality gradually and in measure, without additional spirit, so that he may live and extend his days and years further in this world to repair what still needs to be repaired. Amain v'amain.

This is the aspect of what we find in all of Sefer Melachim: for all the kings of Bais Dovid, the mother's name of the king is always mentioned. For kingship is the aspect of the Name, as it is written (Shmuel II 8:13) "Vaya'as Dovid shaim" — "And Dovid made a name." For the essential kingship of Bais Dovid — from which Mashiach will come — is to reveal the Name of the glory of His kingship. For the kingship of Dovid Mashiach is the kingship of kedushah, which is His kingship, which is the aspect of His Name. For kingship is the aspect of the Name, as above. Therefore, for all these kings, the mother's name specifically is mentioned — for the essential revelation of the Name of the glory of His kingship in this world now is through the aspect of the Shaim HaKeenoy specifically, which is the aspect of the mother's name, as above.

This is the aspect of Parshas HaTamid and the other korbanos that are recited in the morning. For all the korbanos are for the purpose of refining the spirit of man from the spirit of the animal, in the aspect of (Koheles 3:21) "Mee yoadai'a ruach bnai ha'adam ha'oalah hee lima'alah, viruach habehaimah hayoaredes..." — "Who knows the spirit of man that ascends upward, and the spirit of the animal that descends..."

This is the secret of what is written in the Story: the Prince who was exchanged — his punishment and his tikun (-rectification) — was through pursuing the animals that the merchant had given him to drive and to graze. Two animals strayed from him, and he went to seek them until he chased after them deep into the thick of the forest, etc. — until he was compelled to stay there overnight, etc. — until a certain man came to him and said: "Desist from pursuing the sins! For these are not animals at all — rather, your sins are leading you thus," etc. See there.

This is the secret of all the korbanos. For all of a person's sins are the aspect of behaimos [animals] — the aspect of the animal spirit, from which come all the desires — the animal desires — as it is written in Sotah (Sotah 15a): "She acted in the manner of an animal," etc. Therefore one must bring an animal as a korban to atone, for through the sin — where one was bound to the behavior of an animal, to the animal spirit and animal desires — the spirit of man became intermixed with the spirit of the animal. This is the essential aspect of the mixing of good and evil, the aspect of the blemish of the sin of the Aitz HaDa'as Tov vaRa, which encompasses all the sins in the world. Therefore one must bring an animal as a korban, and through the korban, the spirit of man is refined from the spirit of the animal — this is the secret of all the korbanos, as is known.

Therefore it was said to the Prince who was exchanged that his pursuing the animals was his sins, as above — for his sins were clothed in the animals and caused him such suffering. For the sins are the aspect of the animal spirit, as above. For in truth, the exchange of the Prince for the son of the slave is itself the aspect of the intermingling of the spirit of man with the spirit of the animal. For the animal spirit is the aspect of the bodily desires, which is the aspect of the slave, as above — which is the aspect of an animal. As our Sages said: slaves are compared to animals, as they expounded on the verse (Beraishis 22:5) "Sh'vu lachem poh im hachamor" — "Stay here with the donkey" — a nation that resembles a donkey (Kiddushin 68a).

Through sins, chas vishalom, one causes the spirit of man to be intermixed and exchanged with the spirit of the animal — the aspect of the Prince with the son of the slave — which is the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros that are empowered, chas vishalom, through one's sins, as is known. Therefore the punishment of the Prince who was exchanged — who had followed his desires — was to seek and pursue the animals, as above.

This is the secret of all the korbanos: they are to refine from the exchange of Haichalai HaTemuros — to refine the spirit of man from the spirit of the animal, which is the aspect of refining the Prince from the son of the slave, as above. And perhaps this is the aspect of the two lambs brought every day for the Temidim [daily offerings] — corresponding to the two animals of the Prince that strayed from him and which he was compelled to pursue, as written there in the Ma'aseh. Corresponding to those two animals, we must bring two animals every day for the Temidim in order to refine and repair this.

This is the aspect of the Mishnah of "Aizehu Mekoman" [which is recited every day]: through clarifying the places of the korbanos, we refine and reveal the spirit of man that has fallen and become intermixed with the animal spirit — for which the Prince was compelled to seek them. For each person, according to how much he has intermixed — through his sins — the spirit of man with the spirit of the animal: if he does not merit to repair this in his lifetime, he must receive his punishment and be a wanderer in kaf hakela [the catapult of the sling], seeking the sparks and the spirit of man that he lost and cast into the spirit of the animal — which is the aspect of the pursuit of the animals, as above — until he receives his punishment in full, and then he will be repaired, for the punishment is the tikun, as is known.

For this reason we say Parshas HaKorbanos every day — for this refinement, as above. And this is the aspect of the Mishnah of "Aizehu mekoaman shel zevachim" — clarifying the places of all the offerings, the korbanos through which the spirit of man is refined from the spirit of the animal. By clarifying all their places, and by mentioning the korbanos and the places of the offerings, it is considered as if one actually offered those korbanos in those places. Through this, one merits to refine all the aspects of the spirit of man from the spirit of the animal, from all the places where they fell — for if one does not merit to repair through korbanos and teshuvah, then one must seek many places, which is the aspect of the punishment of the Prince, as above — but through the recitation of the korbanos said as teshuvah and atonement, by reciting the Parshas HaKorbanos and clarifying and saying Aizehu mekoman shel zevachim, one refines all the places where the spirit of man and the spirit of the animal fell and were intermixed, and repairs and elevates them from there, as above.

This is the aspect of Pesukay DiZimrah that are recited after Parshas HaKorbanos. This is the secret of the aspect of the man of the forest in the Story, who took the Prince and brought him to his house. There, the Prince heard the voice of the wondrous niggun — of all the wild animals and domestic animals and birds, etc. — who made a wondrous niggun in honor of the moon, etc. Afterward, this man gave him the wondrous vessel [klee]: when it is placed upon any species of wild or domestic animal in the world, that animal immediately begins to play this wondrous niggun, etc. See there.

All this is the aspect of Pesukay DiZimrah recited after Parshas HaKorbanos — the aspect of "Kohanim ba'avoadasam ooLevi'im lisheeram oolizimram" — "the Kohanim in their service, and the Levi'im in their song and their melody." For through the korbanos, the spirit of man is refined from the spirit of the animal. Afterward, one must recite songs, praises, and Pesukay DiZimrah — for the essential completion of the refinement of the spirit of man from the spirit of the animal is through niggun and song, as explained in the words of the Rebbe in several places. See the Torah on the verse "Kichoo meezimras ha'aretz bikhlaichem..." (LM II:63).

Therefore, the essential tikun of the Prince — after he received his punishment through the animals — when it came time to repair him, he merited to hear the voice of the niggun, as above. He was also given the vessel that arouses niggun from all wild and domestic animals when placed upon them. For this vessel has the power that as soon as it is placed on any animal, immediately the spirit of man concealed and intermixed within it begins to be refined and aroused — and through this, the wondrous niggun is made. For the essential source of all niggunim is through the refinement of the spirit of man from the spirit of the animal — this is the aspect of the songs and niggunim of the Levi'im at the time of the korbanos, as above. This is the aspect of Pesukay DIZimrah after Parshas HaKorbanos, for the essential completion of the refinement is through the niggun — the aspect of Pesukay DIZimrah, as above.

Afterward — after receiving the vessel of niggun, corresponding to which we say Pesukay DIZimrah — the Prince became able to understand one thing from another, as explained in the story; see there. This is the aspect of Krias Shma recited afterward, where one receives the hisboanenus [contemplation] of the Mochin, as is known in the kavanos — that the essential reception of the Mochin is during Kreyas shima. This is the aspect of his meriting afterward to understand one thing from another — the aspect of the Mochin received during Kreyas shima, as above.

Afterward, the true Prince received the kingship, as written there. This is the aspect of Tefilas Shmoneh Esrai, where the essential building of the Malchus takes place, as is known. For the essential aspect of Malchus is merited through tefillah, which is the aspect of Malchus, as is known. For through tefillah, one rules over all the worlds and directs all the worlds as one wishes, in the aspect of "Tzadik moashail yiras Elokim." As our Sages said (Mo'ed Katan 16b): "HaKadosh Baruch Hu decrees a decree and the tzadik annuls it" — all through tefillah. Through this is the essential kingship and dominion of the true tzadik — who is the aspect of the true Prince.

This is the aspect of why all the Avos were shepherds of animals — all in order to refine the exchange, which is the aspect of the intermingling and exchange of the spirit of man with the spirit of the animal, etc., as above.

This is the aspect of Dovid HaMelech, who was a shepherd, and it is written of him (Tehillim 78:71) "Mai'achar uloas hevee'oa leeroas biYaakov amoa..." — "From behind the nursing ewes He brought him, to shepherd Yaakov His people." For Dovid was engaged in this more than anyone — to refine the spirit of man from the spirit of the animal, to refine the aspect of the Prince from the son of the maidservant, etc. Therefore Dovid merited the kingship, as above. He shepherded animals with great holiness, and through this he merited to refine the spirit of man from the spirit of the animal — which is the aspect of refining the Prince from the son of the maidservant — and therefore through this specifically he merited the kingship, in the aspect of "Mai'achar uloas hevee'oa leeroas biYaakov amoa..."

This is the aspect of Yaakov who was a shepherd of animals in order to refine the neshamah of his match, as it is written (Hoshea 12:13) "Va'yavaad Yisrael bi'eeshah..." — as it is written (Beraishis 29:18) "E'evudchuh sheva shanim biRachel beetchuh hak'tanah" — "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter." For the essential hold of avdus — the contamination of the serpent — takes hold most of all in the woman. For the serpent injected its contamination into Chavah specifically, as is known. Therefore we bless in the morning "sheloa asani eeshah" — for the contamination of avdus is closer to the woman most of all, and more refinement is needed there. Therefore it was decreed upon the woman: "vihoo yimshal bach" — "and he shall rule over you" — which is the aspect of avdus: she must do for her husband all the tasks that a slave does for his master.

Therefore Yaakov — since he needed to establish the twelve tribes of Y-K, a complete household — was compelled to cast himself into avdus and be a shepherd of animals for Lavan. For judgment is only sweetened at its root. Therefore he said: "E'evadcha sheva shanim biRachel beetcha hak'tanah" — for through his avdus in great holiness, he would merit to refine the good from the evil, subdue the contamination of avdus, and refine the spirit of man from the spirit of the animal through being a shepherd for him. All this in order to refine from Lavan HaArami the neshamah of his match — the neshamah of Rachel — to establish the tribes of Y-K.

Since Yaakov knew that Lavan was a great deceiver, deeply embedded in the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros — from which comes the essential deception of all deceivers, who are suspect of making exchanges — therefore Yaakov doubled his condition and said "E'evadcha sheva shanim biRachel beetcha hak'tanah," as Rashi explains there: that he specified meticulously so that Lavan would not exchange Leah for Rachel. All this Yaakov feared because he knew that the sin of Adam HaRishon had not yet been repaired — from which comes the hold of Haichalai HaTemuros, which causes the neshamos of the Avoas and Eemahoas to be intermixed among such wicked people as Lavan, etc., as above.

He knew that Lavan was the greatest deceiver, deeply embedded in Haichalai HaTemuros — therefore most suspect of making the exchange. Therefore he doubled his condition with him even more, as above, and as Rashi explains there. Yet in the end, it did not help — for Lavan deceived him and exchanged Leah for Rachel. This exchange caused the machlokes among the tribes and the division of the kingship of Bais Dovid and the sale of Yosef. For had he married Rachel first, Yosef would have been born first and would have been the actual firstborn — his brothers would not have been so jealous of him, for all would have recognized his greatness and his truth. But because of the exchange, his brothers erred about him and thought he was not a man of truth, and they were jealous of him because their father favored and drew him close — and the machlokes was so great that they sold him as a slave.

Through this, matters were set in motion and our forefathers went down to Mitzrayim, etc. From this descended the division of the kingship of Bais Dovid, as is known — through which the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed and we were exiled from our land, etc. As is brought in the sefarim (-holy books), what Lavan HaArami caused through this exchange.

The principle: all the sufferings of Yisrael are drawn from the aspect of the exchange of Haichalai HaTemuros — the aspect of the exchange of the Prince — the aspect of all the exchanges and changes in every generation until Mashiach Tzidkainu comes speedily in our days and refines everything, and each one will come to his place in peace. Amain.

Let us return to the matter of Chanukah. For all of this is the aspect of Chanukah. The mitzvah of Chanukah — to draw the light of truth into the world — is all in order to magnify and glorify His Name. For the entire creation from beginning to end was all for the sake of His Name, which is His glory, as it is written (Yeshayah 42:8) "Ani Hashem hoo Shimee ookhvoadi..." And it is written: "Oovaruch Shaim Kvoadoa..." And so extensively. And for this He created the entire world: to reveal His Name and His glory. As our Sages said: "Everything that HaKadosh Baruch Hu created, He created only for His glory, as it says: 'Kol hanikra biShmi viliKhvoadi beraseev yetzarteev af aseeseev' — 'All that is called by My Name and for My glory, I created it, I formed it, I also made it.'" And the glory is the Name, as above — and as is explicit in this very verse that our Sages brought: "Kol hanikra biShmi viliKhvodi," etc.

For Hashem created everything "bigin di'yishtamoodin lay" — "so that they would know Him" — as it is written in the Zohar HaKadosh. That is: to know and recognize His Name, for regarding Him Himself, as it were — "no thought can grasp Him at all" — and it is impossible to know of Him except through His Name, as it were. He contracted Himself through many contractions and created the entire creation from beginning to end, and graced us with knowledge and intellect, so that we have the capacity to know and to believe in His Name — to know and to make known and to be made known that there is a Master and Ruler, root and source of all the worlds, Singular, Primordial, He Who conducts and rules — He is the Former, He is the Creator, etc. All this is the aspect of His Name — that we know Him through His Name alone.

And in truth, Hashem is one and His Name is one. For His Name is His unity. As it is written: "Ani Hashem hoo Shmee..." For even regarding a lower being — a human being — and regarding everything in the world, the name of everything is not something separate from the thing; rather, the name is bound with everything in complete unity all the days of its existence. How much more so, infinitely more, above: His great Name is His unity — the aspect of "Hashem echad u'Shmo echad," the aspect of "Ani Hashem hu Shmi," the aspect of "Kee khiShimcha kain Tiheelasecha." Only the distinction is on the side of the receivers.

For example, in the physical realm, when we call a thing or a person by its name — even though we have not seen it — such as when we speak of a certain king or emperor that we do not see, but only hear his name: this name of the king is the king himself. Yet even so, there is a distinction for us between seeing the king himself and knowing him by his name, even though in truth, in his own place and essence, all is one — for the name is the form of the thing. Only that with created beings, the unity is not in essence, for they are composites, and therefore they can change from name to name according to their state. For example: a piece of silver — when made into a bowl, it is called "a silver bowl"; and at that time the name and the bowl itself are in complete unity, from the side of their composition. But when the bowl is changed into silver spoons, the name changes. So with everything in the world — in all the mineral, vegetable, animal, and human kingdoms — there the unity exists, but it is not essential unity, only from the side of their composition, and therefore there are many changes in them — in the aspect of changing of the name.

But to differentiate by a thousand times a thousand and a myriad times a myriad distinctions — above, regarding Him — it is written: "Hashem Shimcha li'oalam" — for His Name is His essential unity forever and ever, may His Name be blessed forever. Only for us, in this murky body, there is a distinction in our perception: we can grasp in our minds only His Name alone — that we know and believe that there is a Master, Conductor, and Ruler. But the essence of His G-dliness — no thought can grasp Him at all, as above. Yet in truth, all is one, for Hashem is one and His Name is one, as above.

The principle: the essential purpose of creation is to reveal His Name in the world. And all the forms of service in the world through which we serve Him — all are in order to reveal His Name in the world, in the aspect of "Bichol makom mooktar oomugash liShmi" — "liShmi" specifically — that is, to reveal His Name in the world. And all the tefillos and all the berachos and thanksgivings — all are to bless and sanctify and publicize the Name of His glory in the world, in the aspect of "Yehi Shaim Hashem mevoarach mai'atah vi'ad oalam." And it is written: "Oovaruch Shaim Kvoadoa li'oalam"; "Veevarechu Shaim Kvoadecha"; "Hoadoo loa barechu Shmo"; "Lihoadoas liShaim kadshecha," etc. — and many like these are explained in all the verses: that the essential service, blessing, and thanksgiving is to magnify and publicize His Name in the world.

In truth, I am but an ignorant man, and the understanding of a person is not with me. I do not merit to understand what I have seen written in several sefarim of Kabbalah — imprecise language regarding the holy Names of Hashem, and in particular the language of the Siddur of the Maharik z"l, called Kol Yaakov, who wrote in his introduction, in these words: "Therefore, we have nothing with the Ba'al HaRatzon — may His Name be praised in the mouth of all His creatures — except that in all the berachos and thanksgivings, in all the matters and kavanos, it is 'mooktar oomoogash liShmoa' — 'liShmoa' specifically," etc. See there. He wished to correct and instruct us in the path of kavanah — what we should intend in our tefillos and our avodah. But in truth, according to the plain reading of his language, he corrupted much and caused a stumbling-block to those who study his sefarim, touching the very foundation of holy emunah, which is the essence of everything.

For chas vishalom to say such a thing — to make any division, chas vishalom, between Him and His Name. On the contrary: in all our avodah and tefillah and in all our berachos and thanksgivings, etc., we must intend that we are serving and praying to Him alone — to the Ba'al HaRatzon alone, to Him specifically and not to His midoss, which are His Names. As our Sages said in the Sifri: "'Mee kHashem Elokainu bichol koarainu ailav' — 'ailav' — to Him and not to His midoss." For His Name is His unity and His essence, as it were. Our intention in all our service and thanksgiving, etc., is only to Him alone — to the One Who is exalted above all, Who contracted Himself and called Himself by these Names, and gave us permission to call upon Him through them, even though He is exalted and elevated above them.

Yet ultimately, when we call upon Him by His Names, our intention reaches Him Himself, as it were — just as when we call a person by his name and speak of him, we are not speaking of the name itself but our intention is directed toward the person called by that name, only that it is impossible to speak of anyone or anything except through the name by which it is called, through which we know whom we are speaking about — whether about Reuven or Shimon, whether about a person, an animal, or a wild beast, etc.

For in truth, the names of all things in the world are among the wonders of His wonders, as it is written (Tehillim 46:9): "Lichoo chazoo mifaloas Hashem ashehr sam shamoas ba'aretz" — and our Sages expounded (Berachos 7b): Do not read "shamoas" [desolations] but "shaimoas" [names]. For the name of everything is a great wonder — wondrous beyond wonder — for one who has a mind in his head to understand the wonders of the Creator. For only through the names specifically of all things can we speak about all things, tell one another our wishes and desires, conduct business, buy and sell, and all the needs of the world. If not for a name for everything, all would be as mutes and deaf, and no commerce or transaction could be completed between two people. For all transactions completed through speech — in business and wisdom, etc. — are all through the names of things, for all speech is from the names of things, as every thing and every matter in the world has a name in the aspect of a noun. Through this is the essential speech, and through this all actions and transactions in the world are completed, as above. For the essential vitality of all things is through the name, as above.

But the essential point of the name: when we call something by its name, we intend the thing itself — which is impossible to speak about except through the name, as above. Likewise, lihavdil, when we call the Creator by His Name, we intend the Creator of all, Himself alone — none other. He Who is first, and there is no beginning to His beginning — Singular, Primordial, without beginning, without end, etc. — and to Him alone — "to Him" specifically — we serve and pray. Even though He does not need our service and is exalted above all the Names and all berachos and thanksgivings — this matter is truly impossible to perceive and understand with our intellect. We must only believe in Hashem and in Moshe His servant — that in the place of His greatness there we find His humility, that out of His great love for Yisrael He created all the worlds and commanded us to serve Him with these mitzvos, to minister to Him and bless His Name, so that we merit to recognize Him. But in any case, all our intention in our tefillah is to Him alone — to Him and not to His Names and midos. Only that He is called by these Names and they are His unity, for Hashem is one and His Name is one. And whoever in his thought separates His Name from His essence is a "nirgan mafrid aluf" — a gossiper separating the Master — and denies the fundamental principle.

Therefore Moshe Rabbainu, alav hashalom, transmitted to us the holy emunah in simplicity, as it is written: "Shima yisroel, Hashem Elokainu, Hashem echad" — for Hashem is one and His Name is one, as above.

All this is explained and made clear in the words of Eliyahu z"l [the Tikunay Zohar's introduction], for one who has truthful eyes. As it is written there: "Vi'ant lais lach shaim yadoo'a — di'ant hoo mimalai kol shemahan — vi'ant hoo shlaimoo dichulhon. Vichad ant tistalaik minaihu, ishta'arun kulhon shemahan kigoofa biloa nishmasa..." That is, as above: certainly one who in his thought separates, chas vishalom, His essence from the holy Names he mentions — he is a gossiper separating the Master, separating the Lord of the world from His Names. He separates himself from life, for when one does not intend, in pronouncing His Names, toward Him Himself — this is the aspect of "when You depart from them, all the Names remain like a body without a soul." For the essential filling of the Names, their completeness and their vitality, is HaKadosh Baruch Hu Himself, the Ba'al HaRatzon, as it is written there: "You fill all the Names and You are the completeness of all of them."

Yet He Himself has no known name, for He from His own side is exalted above all brachah and tehillah, and has no name at all. For after we have mentioned Him by all the true Names and praises that we received from our holy forefathers, nevertheless, His essence remains concealed from us in the ultimate concealment. He is concealed from His own side and revealed from the side of His actions. From His own side it is said: "You have no known Name," for no thought can grasp His essence at all. But from the side of His actions, He is called by all the Names and praises and glorifications — for all the Names indicate His actions: that He brings all worlds into being, rules and governs all, etc. Yet in truth, all is one, for all His actions are drawn from Him Himself, for He acted and made everything from beginning to end, and sustains and maintains all through His will.

Therefore, through all the Names, we are calling upon Him Himself — for He Himself acted and made everything. Only, the essence of the Doer is impossible to designate or call by any name or appellation. Yet He Himself — Who is sealed and concealed in the ultimate concealment and no thought grasps His essence at all — He Himself acted and made everything. Therefore, when we mention His Names, which are according to His actions, we are calling upon Him Himself through them, for He Himself acted and made everything, as above. For "He fills all the Names," etc.

Even in a physical person we see this: all the body's actions are through the neshamah, for the neshamah shows its actions in the body. Yet the essence of the neshamah is impossible to perceive and understand. Nevertheless, we know that all the actions are from the neshamah, and when we speak of the neshamah, we intend the neshamah itself — even though we do not understand its essence and nature. How much more so, lihavdil — an infinitely incomparable kal vachomer — the Creator Himself, Who certainly is exalted and elevated far above all spirituality, and no thought grasps His essence at all, as it is written there: "Eliyahu — vilais di'yada bach klal — bichinas mah chamis, mah pashpashta, mah yadata" — for from His own side He is exalted above all the Names. Yet nevertheless, through all the Names and berachos and praises, we intend Him Himself — for the One Who is concealed in Himself is the One Who does everything through His will, as above.

In any case, it is explained in the words of Eliyahu that through all the Names, we must intend toward Him Himself, as it is written: "When You depart from them, all the Names remain like a body without a soul," as above. And as our Sages said: "ailav — ailav viloa limeedoasav," as explained above. And this is the aspect of "Livad bicha nazkir Shimecha" — "Only in You do we invoke Your Name" — and understand well.

In truth, I know that the Rav mentioned above, and all the other sefarim in which such language is written — their intention was as I have written. Only, with forgiveness of their honor, in my humble opinion, they corrupted the language, which could cause, chas vishalom, a stumbling-block to the reader of their sefarim. It would have been better for them to have kept silent than to write such language. But since they have already written as above, I was compelled to elaborate a bit to clarify the truth.

Therefore, in truth, ultimately we need only to return to the simple emunah of all Yisrael — without any investigations, even those of the ways of Kabbalah. For the ways of Kabbalah must be received only by way of emunah — to believe that the worlds descended in this manner, and the Names belonging to each sefirah and each midah and each partzuf, etc., and all the rest of the ways of chochmas ha'emes — as transmitted to us by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai z"l and the Ari z"l. The essential thing is to believe that we do not understand their words at all, for certainly above there is no physicality at all, etc., as all the sefarim have elaborated. But whoever wishes to enter into any investigation based on Kabbalah, and to resolve some difficulty of the philosophers based on Kabbalah — nothing comes of it, no resolution at all. And then it could cause an even greater stumbling-block, chas vishalom, for the student who wants the matter settled in his mind — yet in truth it is still not settled at all, and the resolution can easily be overturned, and the difficulty returns to its place with greater force.

Therefore one should not begin to resolve such difficulties at all, for they are far above our understanding, as above. As it is written (Yeshayah 55:8-9): "Kee loa machshevoaseye machshevoasaichem viloa darkaichem diracheye — kee gavhoo shamayim mai'aretz kain gavhoo d’racheye meedarkaichem oomachshevoaseye meemachshevoasaichem."

And in truth, all these stumbling-blocks found by students in many sefarim are because many sefarim attempt to resolve deep difficulties in the ways of His conduct — yet in truth the resolutions amount to nothing for one who understands even a little. Therefore one can stumble through the resolutions even more. But in truth, for all such difficulties in the ways of His conduct, etc., there is no resolution in this world — only in the future will all the resolutions be revealed. In this world it is forbidden to investigate at all — only to rely on emunah alone, as the Rebbe elaborated in many places.

Therefore the Rebbe, in the great depth of his wisdom that rises above all, does not resolve any difficulty. Rather, in his great wisdom he revealed to us wondrous Toros, deep and broad, through which he revealed to us and explained that such difficulties cannot be resolved in any way — only to rely on emunah. He instilled in us the understanding that it is impossible to resolve these difficulties. For in the greatness of his perception, he revealed to us from where and whence these difficulties are drawn — that they are drawn from a place so lofty that it is impossible to resolve them in this world, in this body, in any way whatsoever.

As in the Torah on "Pirka revee'ah (-4th Chapter) diSifra diTznee'oosa" (LM I:21), on the statement of our Sages (Berachos 17a): "In the future, the tzadikim will sit with their crowns on their heads" — where he revealed and explained to us in a wondrous way that such difficulties that perplex people are drawn from sichlee'im hamakifim [surrounding intellects] that are impossible to attain in this world in any way. He said there a wondrous Torah on this with wondrous revelation.

And likewise in the Torah "Boa el (-come to) Pharaoh" (LM I:64), where he revealed that such difficulties are drawn from the secret of the tzimtzum (-constrictions) of the Chalal HaPanoy [the Empty Void], etc. — which is impossible to perceive except in the future. And likewise in the Torah "Kee mirachamum yinahagaym" (LM II:7), where he explained that there are difficulties drawn from makifim that are above time — that time does not suffice to explain the difficulties and resolutions that exist there, etc. See there in all these places and in similar places in the words of the Rebbe.

If you are a person of true intellect, you will see and understand and perceive from the outcome of the matter how exceedingly deep are his thoughts and his true perceptions — that he perceived the truth: that it is impossible to resolve these difficulties at all. Rather, through his deep wisdom and immense perception, he revealed to us in a wondrous and awesome way of intellect that it is impossible for us to resolve them at all — that we should not break through to ascend unto Hashem to seek to investigate this, chas vishalom, for it is impossible to resolve them at all. Only to rely on emunah alone, which is the foundation of everything.

But anyone who wishes to resolve any difficulty from the difficulties of the philosophers, even when wishing to resolve them according to the ways of Kabbalah — nothing comes of his resolution at all. Then it can cause an even greater stumbling-block, chas vishalom, for the student who would want the matter settled — yet in truth it is still not settled at all, and the resolution can easily be overturned, and the difficulty returns to its place with even greater force. Therefore one need not begin to resolve such difficulties at all, for they are far above our understanding, as above. As it is written (Yeshayah 55:8-9): "Kee loa machshevoaseye machshevoasaichem..." etc.

Let us return to our subject: that the essential thing is the Name, and the essential creation was for the sake of His Name, as above — to reveal His Name in the world. And the essential revelation of His Name is through the Torah that Moshe Rabbainu gave us. For "Oraysa shima diKudsha B’rich Hu" — "the Torah is the Name of HaKadosh Baruch Hu." We cannot know of His Name except through the Torah and the mitzvos when we fulfill them in simplicity, as He commanded us through Moshe His servant. For through Yetzeyas Mitzrayim and Mattan Torah, His G-dliness was revealed in the world and His Name was publicized to all who come into the world, as it is written (Nechemyah 9:10): "Vata'as licha shaim kahayom hazeh," and as it is written (Shemos 9:16): "Oolima'an sapair Sh'mi bichol ha'aretz."

The wicked kingdom of Yavan stood against Yisrael to make them forget His Torah and to make them transgress the statutes of His will — to conceal His Name, chas vishalom, from the world. For they wished to overpower specifically the Name — which is the Torah, which is "sh'ma diKudsha B'rich Hu" — because the essential thing is the Name, as above. For they said: "Write upon the horn of the ox that you have no portion in the G-d of Yisrael" — for they wished to overpower specifically to remove from them the Name of Hashem, chas vishalom, which is the Torah, as above.

Therefore the miracle was through the oil of the Menorah — which is the aspect of a Name, as it is written (Koheles 7:1): "Tov shaim meeshemen tov," and as it is written (Shir HaShirim 1): "Lirai'ach shmanechuh toavim, shemen toorak Shimechuh." For the Name is the Glory, as above, and the Glory is the essential illuminating light, as it is written (Yechezkel 43:2): "Viha'aretz hai'eeruh meeKvoadoa." This is the aspect of the light of the miracle of Chanukah — the aspect of the light of the Name and the Glory that we draw and reveal through peersoomai neesa [publicizing the miracle]. For then His Name and His Glory are magnified, as it is written: "Oolicha aseesa shaim gadol vikadosh bi'oalamechuh."

For the essential light of the ner shel mitzvah, which is the aspect of Ner Chanukah, is the light of the Torah — which is the aspect of the holy Name, for the Torah is His Name, as above — in the aspect of "Kee ner mitzvah viTorah or." For the essential light is the Name, which is His Glory, which illuminates in all the worlds, as above. This is what our Sages said about the lights of the Menorah: that it is testimony that the Shechinah rests upon Yisrael, etc. — for the light of the ner shel mitzvah is the aspect of the light of the revelation of His Name and His Glory — which is the aspect of the resting of the Shechinah.

Therefore the miracle of Chanukah was specifically through the lights of the Menorah — all for the sake of magnifying His Name, as above. For the Greeks wished to make His Name forgotten, chas vishalom, by decreeing the nullification of the Torah, which is His Name, as above. Therefore Hashem made the miracle specifically through the lights of the Menorah — which are the aspect of the magnification of His Name and His Glory, as above.

And likewise it is explained at the end of the Story that the Name is the aspect of the light of the ner. As explained there at the end: the moon holds a ner in her hand and says to the sun: "Why is it that when you come, I have no name?" For "shraga biteehara meye mahani" — "of what use is a candle in daylight?" See there. It follows that the ner is the aspect of a name.

For the entire aspect of the exchange of the Prince for the slave — which is the aspect of sheker, the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros, from which are drawn all the exchanges and falsehoods in the world that exchange truth for falsehood and call the tzadik wicked and the wicked righteous, etc. — the entire aspect of this falsehood and exchange is only in the aspect of the Name. They lie about and exchange the name from one to the other.

As in the Story itself: the midwife exchanged the infants and placed the Prince with the maidservant and the son of the maidservant with the queen. Through this, the world erred and thought the son of the maidservant was the Prince and the true Prince was the son of the maidservant. Now, the essential exchange was only in the name. For certainly the infants themselves cannot be exchanged — the Prince, wherever he is, is truly the Prince, and conversely the son of the maidservant, wherever he is, is the son of the maidservant. Only the essential falsehood and exchange is in the name: through the exchange, they called the son of the maidservant a name of falsehood — calling him "son of the king" — and conversely, they called the Prince by the name "son of the maidservant."

So too with all the exchanges and falsehoods in the world: where someone is renowned by the name of "tzadik" falsely, or conversely, where they oppose a true tzadik and say falsehoods about him as if he were wicked — or where both are tzadikim, but one is greater than the other by thousands and myriads of levels beyond measure, yet in the world's eyes it is the reverse: the one of lesser level is great and famous to them, and the one of greater level is small in their eyes — and all similar variations and exchanges in the world, in the world collectively and in each country and each city individually — all these exchanges and variations are only in the aspect of the Name.

For the true tzadik, wherever he is, is a true tzadik — and his actual person certainly cannot be exchanged, chas vishalom. Only the essential exchange is in the name: they call him a name of falsehood, saying lies about him that he is not a tzadik, and the like. And likewise when a wicked person or one of lesser level is renowned by the name of a very great tzadik — in truth, that famous person, wherever he is, is as he is. Only the essential falsehood and exchange is in the name: they call him a name of great tzadik falsely.

All this is explained and well understood in the Torah on "Beraishis — li'ainai kol Yisrael" (LM II:67). There it is explained that there are me'oarai or [luminaries of light] and me'orai aish [luminaries of fire]. See there well. It is explained there that the name of the true tzadikim is the aspect of the Name of Hashem, for "Shmo meshootaf biShmainu" — "His Name is partnered with our name." The more the true tzadik is famous — the greater his name in the world — the more the Name of Hashem is magnified, etc. And conversely, chas vishalom, when the name of the true tzadik is hidden and the names of false mefursamim [famous ones] of falsehood are magnified and publicized in the world — then, chas vishalom, the Name of Hashem is hidden and the name of t00mah prevails, chas vishalom — which is the aspect of me'orai aish, chas vishalom. For the name of the tzadik — which is the aspect of the Name of Hashem — is in the aspect of me'orai or; and conversely, a name of falsehood — the name of tumah — is the aspect of me'orai aish, etc. See there.

It is understood there that the essential exchange, error, and falsehood in the world is in the aspect of the Name specifically. All this is the aspect of lighting the Ner Chanukah: to draw the light of truth into the world, as above — which is itself the aspect of the Name of Hashem, the aspect of the name of Yisrael, the holy nation collectively, the aspect of the name of the true tzadikim — this is the essential truth, the aspect of (Tehillim 117:2) "Ve'emes Hashem li'olam." And "Kudsha B'rich Hu v'Oraysa v'Yisrael kula chad" — "HaKadosh Baruch Hu and the Torah and Yisrael are all one" — for His Name is partnered with our name, as above. For the essential revelation of truth is in the aspect of the Name — that the name should not be exchanged, as above.

Likewise, regarding the essential emunah in Hashem, the essential blemish of the idolaters — which is the aspect of kefiros [heresies] — is only in the aspect of the holy Name. As it is written (Beraishis 4:26): "Az hoochal likroa biShaim Hashem" — and Rashi explains that they began to call the idols by the Name of Hashem, to make idols and call them by the name of G-d. This is the aspect of (Shemos 23:13) "Vishaim eloahim achairim loa sazkeeru," and as it is written (Yeshayah 26:13) "Livad bicha nazkir Shimecha" — Rashi explains: that we should not mention Your Name, chas vishalom, upon the names of idols, chas vishalom — only in You alone do we mention Your Name.

This is the aspect of the sin of the Dor HaHaflagah who said: "Vina'aseh lanoo shaim" — "Let us make for ourselves a name" — for they wished to draw the Name of Hashem upon their matters of avodah zarah. And regarding all the sins drawn from the yetzer hara whose root is from the aspect of ail achair [a foreign god] and kefiros — therefore all sins are called "blemishing His Name," chas vishalom, as it is written in the Zohar HaKadosh many times: "dimeshakair biShma diMalka" — "who lies regarding the Name of the King." As we ask in tefillah: Oosemalai kol hashaimoas shepagamti biShimcha HaGadol" — "Fill all the Names that I blemished in Your great Name."

Through Ner Chanukah, we draw the light of truth into the world, as above — which is the aspect of the truth of the Name of kedushah: not to exchange the Name of Hashem, chas vishalom, for the name of other gods — which are the kefiros and investigations of the philosophers who cover over the Name of Hashem with things that are not so. The essential kefiros are regarding the Name of Hashem specifically — that is, the holy Torah, which is His Name, and the matter of His conduct and His individual providence over everything — all of which is the aspect of the Name of Hashem, for the essential conduct and vitality of all the worlds is drawn through the Name of Hashem Who gives life to all, as above. They wish to lie regarding the Name of the holy King, inventing from their hearts, according to their reasoning, great heresies regarding the ways of His providence and conduct and His awesome wonders, and they deny the Torah, etc. — all of which is the aspect of the Name of Hashem, as above.

This is the aspect of the wicked kingdom of Yavan — which was chochmas Yavan [Greek wisdom], where the essential external wisdoms and heresy were found among them. Therefore they stood against Yisrael to make them forget His Torah and His mitzvos, etc. — which are the aspect of the Name of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, as above. For they wished to overpower specifically the name of Yisrael — which is the Torah, which is His Name partnered with our name, as above. Therefore Hashem made the miracle specifically through the lights of the Menorah — which are the aspect of the light of the holy Name and His Glory — the aspect of the light of truth, as above.

This is the aspect of lighting Ner Chanukah, as above — that Hashem gave us this holy mitzvah to sustain us as on this day, in the depth of this bitter exile where falsehood prevails so greatly. For at the time of the miracle of Chanukah, it was already the aspect of exile — although it was at the beginning of the second Bais HaMikdash, even so, the second redemption was not a complete redemption, for they were subjugated under the kings of Persia and Greece, as explained in the words of our Sages. Therefore Hashem foresaw that the nations would overpower Yisrael, and Yisrael would be in exile for a very long time — with the son of the slave overpowering the Prince, chas vishalom — until even among Yisrael themselves, falsehood overpowers truth, and truth becomes absent, and no one knows where truth is. Therefore He gave us this holy mitzvah of Chanukah, through which we have the power to draw the light of truth every year — to draw and magnify the name of truth in the world, to nullify the contamination of the slave, which is falsehood, and to magnify the name of the aspect of the true Prince — which is the name of Yisrael collectively and the name of the true tzadikim, which are the aspect of the Name of Hashem, as above.

This is the aspect of the Ner Shabbos [Shabbos candle]. For Shabbos is king — the aspect of "Shabbos malchusa" — and the six weekdays are the aspect of avdus, for during them one performs labor and work, the aspect of "Shaishes yamim ta'avod v'asisa," etc. On Shabbos, "yispardu kol po'alai aven" — all evildoers are dispersed — and the aspect of avdus is nullified — which is the aspect of uvdin d'chol [weekday activities], the aspect of the 39 melachos where the zuhamas hanachash takes hold, which is the aspect of avdus, as above, and all of which is the aspect of sheker, as above.

Therefore on Shabbos is the aspect of emes, as our Sages said: even an am ha'aretz is afraid to lie on Shabbos. For Shabbos is "sh'ma d'Kudsha B'rich Hu" — which is the aspect of emes. Therefore the true tzadikim are called Shabbos, as it is written regarding Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Zohar Bamidbar 144a): "Ahnt hoo Shabbos dichulhon yomaya" — "You are the Shabbos of all the days" — as brought in the Torah "Beraishis" above.

Therefore, at the entrance of Shabbos we light the Ner Shabbos, which is the beginning of receiving the holiness of Shabbos. For ner shel mitzvah is the aspect of the light of truth, the aspect of magnifying the light of the Name of kedushah, as above. For the essential hold of sheker — the aspect of the slave, the aspect of a name of falsehood — is in the aspect of me'orai aish, as above. On Shabbos, the kelipos that take hold in me'orai aish are nullified, and then the fire of kedushah is drawn — in the aspect of "Rishufehuh reeshpai aish, shalheves’k’uh" — and from this holy fire we light the Ner Shabbos, and likewise the lights of the Menorah and Ner Chanukah and all the nairoas shel mitzvah. Through this specifically, the aspect of the kelipos that take hold in me'orai aish are subdued and nullified — for judgment is only sweetened at its root: from the fire they emerged and the fire will consume them.

This is the aspect of the Ner Shabbos, as above. But throughout the year, we do not merit to draw the revelation of truth in its fullness except on Shabbos — which alludes to the future, when truth will be fully revealed, as it is written (Mishlai 12:19): "S'fas emes tikon la'ad" — "konanta" is not written, etc. (Zohar Tisa 188a).

But through the power of the miracle of Chanukah, we merit to draw the illumination of truth — the magnification of the Name of Hashem, the Name of kedushah — even during the weekdays, and we subdue and nullify the contamination of the slave in its very place — during the six weekdays, where there is a hold for uvdin dichol, the aspect of the slave. Yet even so, we draw the holiness of Shabbos through kindling Ner Chanukah — to reveal the light of truth in the world, to nullify the exchange where the slave was exchanged for the Prince. So that we merit even now to clarify the truth of the Name — to know who is truly fitting to be called by the name of the son of the slave, and who is truly fitting to be called by the name of the son of the king, as above.

This is the aspect of (Mishlai 31:15) "Vatakam bi'oad leyelah vateetain teref livaisah..." — as explained above in §12: that even in the darkness of night, they reveal the light of truth. This is the aspect of Ner Chanukah, which draws the holy light, the light of truth, even during the weekdays and below ten tefachim — in a manner similar to what is explained in the kavanos. See there and understand well.

This is the aspect of the Keesai [throne] that was arranged properly — through which the tikun of the true Prince was achieved, and he returned to his kingship, as written there in the Story; see there.

For it is written (Shemos 17:16): "Al kais Y-K..." — His Name is not complete and His Throne is not complete until the memory of Amalaik is erased (Pesikta, brought by Rashi). Amalaik is the zoohamas hanachash, the aspect of the slave. For as long as there are these changes and exchanges in the world, the Throne, as it were, is also not complete — which is the aspect of the images of the Throne not being properly arranged. These are the aspect of the roots of the neshamos, all of which are hewn from beneath the Kisai HaKavod, etc.

And His Name also is not complete — for it is not read as it is written, since "Zeh Sh'mi l'olam" is written. Because of the changes and exchanges of Haichalai HaTemuros that seek to prevail through the sin of the Aitz HaDa'as Tov vaRa, through this, as it were, Hashem changes His Name intentionally and clothes Himself, as it were, in many different garments at every time, concealing Himself within them. This is the aspect of all the Names and appellations by which we call upon Him now — which are the aspect of His garments. But the Shaim Ha'Etzem is hidden and concealed now, for His Name is not complete and His Throne is not complete until the memory of Amalaik is erased — which is the zuhamas hanachash, the aspect of the contamination of the slave who was exchanged and wishes to overpower the Prince in falsehood, chas vishalom.

Because of this exchange and falsehood, Hashem Himself, as it were, changes His Name and His Throne — until the memory of Amalaik is erased. For because the zuhamas hanachash has taken hold in the body through the sin of Adam HaRishon — through the exchange of Haichalai HaTemuros, as above — through this, now it is actually a great good that Hashem concealed His Shaim Ha'Etzem, for it is impossible to receive it now because of the excess of light, as above. Therefore now it is impossible for us to know of Him except through the concealment of the Shaim Ha'Etzem specifically.

It follows that we now have no capacity to receive the knowledge of the holy emunah in His Name except through His concealing His Name and clothing Himself in the Names and appellations by which He is called now — which is the aspect of "His Name is not complete," etc. Through this specifically, we have the power to know of His Name, as above — for without this, it would be impossible to receive it now because of the excess of light, as above.

And all that we merit to know of His Name and to believe in Him — to that extent, Amalaik is subdued, uprooted, nullified, and his memory erased from the world. Amalaik is the kefiros and investigations that come from the excess of light — where they investigate what they have no permission to investigate, the aspect of "what is before, what is after, what is above, what is below," etc. All the difficulties and heresies of the investigators are drawn from there, which is the aspect of the zuhamas hanachash — the kelipos and Sitra Achra drawn from the excess of light that caused death and shattering, chas vishalom. For the concealment, diminishment, and contraction of the light — this is the essential tikun, as is known in the writings of the Ari z"l.

It follows that specifically through "His Name not being complete," as it were, the Sitra Achra — the aspect of Amalaik — is subdued and nullified, as above. And then, when his memory is erased through the strengthening of holy emunah — where Yisrael strengthen to believe in Him through emunah alone, specifically through the concealment of the Shaim Ha'Etzem, not wishing to investigate at all the inner knowledge of His will and conduct — but believing in simplicity that He is the Former, He is the Creator, Who conducts and oversees, etc., and in what they have no permission to investigate, they do not investigate at all, for they know it is impossible to perceive now, as above — through the completeness of this emunah, we will merit in the future that the Shaim Ha'Etzem will be revealed to us, for then the Name will be pronounced as it is written.

Then the blemish of the moon will be filled, and the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun. For the entire aspect of the exchange is drawn from the aspect of the blemish of the moon, which said: "It is impossible for two kings to use one crown" — and it blemished the malchus of kedushah. Then Hashem said to it: "Go and diminish yourself" — and this caused the hold of the kelipos, as is known. From there is drawn the power of the malchus of the Sitra Achra — the aspect of (Mishlai 30:21-23) "Tachas eved ki yimloch, v'shifchah ki tirash gvirta," etc., as is known.

Therefore, in the Ma'aseh much is explained regarding chiddusai d'sihara [the renewal of the moon] — the aspect of the tikun of the blemish of the moon. As written there: he heard in the night the niggun made in honor of the moon, that the sun made for it a new garment — the aspect of chidoosai disihara, as alluded to there at the end of the Story. See there. And likewise, the matter of the moon's complaint to the sun: "Why is it that when you come, I have no name?" etc. See there.

For the entire matter of the exchange — the aspect of sheker, as above — is the aspect of the darkness of night, as above, which is drawn from the diminishment of the moon. Therefore the essential tikun is through the aspect of chidusai d'sihara — the filling of the blemish of the moon. For all is one aspect, connected to one another: to the extent that the blemish of the moon is repaired, to that extent the zuhamas hanachash and the slave are driven out, and the falsehood of the exchange is nullified, and the truth is revealed in the world — until we merit that Mashiach Tzidkainu comes, who is the true Prince, and reveals the truth completely in the world, and arranges the Throne properly.

For he will know all the roots of all the neshamos completely — where the place and tikun of each neshamah is — and will repair all the tikunay haShechinah, which are the aspects of meetah [bed], shulchan [table], keesai [seat, throne], and menorah — and will arrange everything properly. Then His Name will be complete and His Throne will be complete, and the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and there will be fulfilled the verse: "Vi'alu moashee'im biHar Tziyon lishpoat es Har Aisav" — to subdue and nullify the dominion of the aspect of the slave, which is the aspect of Aisav-Amalaik. And the kingship will return to its place — in the aspect of "Viheyesa laHashem ham'loocha" — which is the aspect of the kingship of Mashiach, the kingship of kedushah, whose entire kingship will be only to reveal the truth in the world, to make known to all who come into the world that Hashem, He is the G-d — there is none other. And then will be fulfilled: "V'hayah Hashem l'Melech al kol ha'aretz, ba’yoam hahoo yihyeh Hashem echad ooShmoa echad" — speedily in our days, Amain.

Connected to what was said above: therefore there are eight days of Chanukah, corresponding to the eight kings of kedushah of Yisrael, which are in turn corresponding to the eight kings of Edom who reigned before a king reigned for Bnai Yisrael. As Rashi explained in Melachim II chapter 8, on the verse "Kee bi'yamav pasha Edom meetachas yad Yehudah, vayamleechu alaihem melech..." — Rashi explains there: eight kings reigned in Edom, etc., as enumerated in Sefer Beraishis; corresponding to them, eight kings reigned in Yisrael, etc. See there.

For Chanukah is the aspect of drawing the light of truth to repel the falsehood — the aspect of the kingship of the slave that comes through the exchange, the aspect of Haichalai HaTemuros — which are drawn from the aspect of shveeras kailim [the shattering of the vessels], the death of the kings, as is known. From there is the hold of the eight kings who reigned in the land of Edom before a king reigned for Bnai Yisrael, as is known. Through the holiness of the eight days of Chanukah, we draw the light of truth to empower the eight kings of Yisrael over the eight kings of Edom — to subdue the falsehood, which is the slave, and to empower the truth, which is the aspect of the kingship of kedushah of the true Prince — the aspect of the kingship of Yisrael, as above.

This is the aspect of the Hallel recited during the eight days of Chanukah — the aspect of (Tehillim 113:1) "Haliloo avdai Hashem, haliloo es Shaim Hashem." For through serving Hashem — the aspect of avdai Hashem — the contamination of the slave of the Sitra Achra is subdued. For judgment is only sweetened at its root. Therefore now, we must serve Him specifically through avodos [acts of service] — even though in truth this is not truly avdus at all, as above, and the essential perfection is to reach the aspect of a son where the service of Hashem would not be called by the name of avdus at all, as above. Nevertheless, because of the hold of the contamination of the slave, we need avdus specifically — to subdue the din at its root, to nullify the aspect of the avdus of the Sitra Achra through the service of Hashem. Then, when the avdus of the Sitra Achra is subdued, the Name of Hashem is magnified, as above.

This is: "Halilu avdai Hashem, halilu es Shaim Hashem" — for through avdai Hashem, who serve Hashem, the avdus of the Sitra Achra is nullified, and then the Name of Hashem is magnified, as above.

This is (ibid.): "Yehi Shaim Hashem mevoarach mai'atah vi'ad oalam" — for through the nullification of the avdus of the Sitra Achra, which is the aspect of sheker, His Name will be magnified and blessed forever, for we will merit afterward that the Shaim Ha'Etzem will be revealed to us — the Name of the essential eternal life. We will merit to magnify and bless His Name forever and ever.

This is (ibid.): "Meemizrach shemesh ad mevoa'oa mehoolal Shaim Hashem" — for after the setting of the sun, it is the darkness of night, where the essential hold of the slave is — the aspect of darkness, sheker, etc., as above, whose nourishment is from the blemish of the moon, as above. But when we subdue the contamination of the slave through the service of Hashem, as above, then it is the aspect of the filling of the blemish of the moon, and the darkness and falsehood are nullified, as above. Then "leyelah ka’yoam ya'eer, kachashaicha ka'oarah" — night shines like day, and darkness is like light. For even in the aspect of the darkness of night, one recognizes the truth — which is the aspect of the Name of Hashem — and blesses His Name forever, in the aspect of "Baruch Hashem ba’yoam, baruch Hashem baleyelah."

This is: "Meemizrach shemesh ad mevoa'oa" — from one end to the other, from the upper end to the lower end, from day to night, from the ultimate light to the ultimate darkness — "mehulal Shaim Hashem." For through the true avdai Hashem — the true tzadikim — they repel the falsehood and contamination of the aspect of the slave, until the Name of Hashem — which is the aspect of emes — is recognized everywhere, until everyone returns in teshuvah and returns to Him to give thanks and praise the Name of Hashem in truth always.

This is the conclusion of the chapter: "Aim habanim semaichah, Halleloo’y-ah!" It opened with slave — "Halilu avdai Hashem" — and concluded with son — "Aim habanim semaichah." For so the matter is: at first one must serve Him in the aspect of avdus, for because of the materiality of the body it is called by the name of avdus, etc., as above. Through this, the avdus of the Sitra Achra is subdued and nullified. Afterward, one merits to break and nullify the body completely, until one is called in the aspect of a son, as above. This is the aspect of "Aim habanim semaichah, Hallelooy-ah!" — see above regarding the matter of slave and son, and understand.

Therefore, Yisrael are sometimes called by the name of avadim [servants] to Hashem and sometimes by the name of banim [sons]. As it is written (Vayikra 25:42, 25:55): "Kee lee Bnai Yisrael avadim, avadete haim ashehr hoatzaisi oasam mai'eretz Mitzrayim," and (ibid.) "Loa yimachru mimkeres aved." For the aspect of actual slavery has no hold on them — the aspect of "loa yimachru mimkeres aved" — for they are servants of kedushah, servants of Hashem, whom He brought out of the land of Mitzrayim, from the house of slaves — from the aspect of avdus. That was the essential exile — through the overpowering of the avdus of the Sitra Achra, etc., as above.

And sometimes they are called by the name of sons, as it is written (Shemos 4:22): "B'ni bechori Yisrael," and as it is written (Devarim 14:1): "Banim atem laHashem Elokaichem, loa sisgoadidoo..." For both aspects are needed: at first, the avodah must necessarily be in the aspect of avdus, as above, and afterward one merits the aspect of a son, as above.

This is: "Banim atem laHashem Elokaichem, loa sisgoadidoo viloa saseemu korchah bain ainaichem al mais." (Devarim 14:1) Adjacent to this mitzvah specifically, He calls them by the name of sons — for one depends on the other, and it is the reason for this mitzvah. Hashem says: Yisrael — you are sons, etc. — and therefore it is forbidden to mutilate oneself or make a bald spot for the dead. For one must believe that in truth, death is a very great good — in order to merit through it specifically to reach the aspect of a son, as explained above: that the essential decree of death is in order to nullify and decompose in the earth the contamination of the aspect of the slave, so that we merit in the future to rise in the resurrection in a pure body, and then we merit to be in the aspect of a son — like a son who rummages in the treasuries of his father. For then we will merit to recognize Him through the aspect of the Shaim Ha'Etzem, as above.

Therefore this verse is connected in a wondrous bond: specifically because Yisrael are truly called sons — the aspect of "Banim atem laHashem Elokaichem" — therefore "lo sisgod'du," etc. For death is a very great good in order to merit to reach through it the aspect of a son in its fullness, as above.

Therefore it is called Chanukah — after the chanukas [dedication of] the Bais HaMikdash that was dedicated then, as our Sages said. For on Chanukah we draw the aspect of the holiness of the Bais HaMikdash — where all the service of the korbanos took place. This is called "avodah" [service] more than any other mitzvah in the Torah, as it is written: "Vihashaiv es ha'avodah lid'vir baisecha, vihashaiv Kohanim la'avodasam," and so extensively. For the korbanos are from animals, through which we subdue the animal spirit — the aspect of the contamination of the slave, as above. Therefore it is called by the name of avodah [service and labor]. For through avodah of kedushah — the korbanos of animals that subdue the animal spirit — the avdus of the Sitra Achra is subdued, as above. All this is the aspect of Chanukah, as above.

Now, if you go back and study this drush from its beginning to its end, you will understand and perceive well how all the matters explained here are connected and joined well to one another — even though at first it may seem, superficially, that they are not so connected. But if you study well, you will understand their connection and joining well: how all the matters are rooted in and connected to one another in a wondrous bond.

From this you can understand and perceive a little of the greatness of our holy and awesome Rebbe z"l, and the greatness of his Stories that he told. For Hashem knows that I know in myself that in all that I have written, and all that remains in my mind that is impossible to explain in writing — regarding all of this, I have not yet touched even one part of a thousand and a myriad, a drop from the sea, a minimal fraction of one of the awesome secrets hinted at in the awesome Story above.

Incline your ears and hear, open your eyes and see the greatness of Hashem and the greatness of His holy Torah and the greatness of the true tzadikim — what a mortal born of woman can merit in this world. If Hashem wills it, may He illuminate our eyes with the light of His Torah and reveal the truth in the world, speedily in our days, Amain.