תפלה ה

This is "Tov Torah im derech eretz, shey'gi'as sh'naihem mashkachas avon" — "Good is Torah with derech eretz, for the toil of both causes sin to be forgotten." One certainly needs both: Torah and derech eretz (= business or m'lachah) — to draw vitality from the Chesed Chinam (= the path to Eretz Yisrael) → silencing the mouths of all who contest the conquest of Eretz Yisrael (= the totality of kedushah), who say "Listim atem!" "The toil of both causes avon to be forgotten" — the avon = the Sitra Achra and k'lipah contesting whoever approaches kedushah (= conquering Eretz Yisrael). Every person who sanctifies and purifies himself through any mitzvah or holy matter — he conquers a portion of Eretz Yisrael, working on the path to Eretz Yisrael. Therefore the Sitra Achra wages war constantly: "Listim atem — how dare you enter our territory!" But by drawing the Chesed Chinam (= the Asarah Ma'amaros) → their mouths are stopped, their contest nullified.

Based on Likutay Moharan II:67 — "Bereishis — L'einei kol Yisrael"See the entire Torah there, from beginning to end.

This is the aspect of Tefillin. The matter of Tefillin is explained there (LM II:67), on the verse: "Va'amalei oso Ruach Elokim b'chochmah u'visvunah u'veda'as u'vchol melachah" (Shemos 31:3) — these are the aspect of four Mochin that flow from the "Rosh Bayis" [Head of the House]. This = Tefillin: four Mochin filling the batim = the Rosh illuminating into the Bayis.

All the aspects described there are Tefillin: the true Tzaddik = Tzaddik Yesod Olam = the pe'er, the chein, and the yofi [splendor, grace, and beauty] of the entire world. He = Shem Hashem, for "shemo meshutaf bishmenu" — His Name is interwoven with our names. From there flow the four Mochin from the four letters of the Name = the three colors of the eye and the pupil. From there flow the four yesodos [elements], from which all character traits derive. This = Shabbos = "Shin — Bas" = the three colors of the eye and the pupil. Shabbos = the Name of HaKadosh Baruch Hu = the name of the Tzaddik: "Ant Shabbos d'chul'hu yomei" — he illuminates the Beis HaMikdash. All this = Me'orei Or [Luminaries of Light]: when they prevail, the Me'orei Eish [Luminaries of Fire] are subdued — and then there is a "Ba'al HaBayis" for the world = Bereishis = Rosh Bayis = Tefillin. Whoever is included in this Rosh Bayis, included in the holy Name — in the true pe'er, chein, and yofi — his eyes are opened and he begins to examine himself, to see where he stands in all his traits. But when this light (= the Tzaddik's light = Shem Hashem) is concealed → the Me'orei Eish prevail → the Beis HaMikdash is destroyed. What has passed has passed. But now — Hashem yearns every day to return to us. The essential tikun: to return to Him through Kimas Chatzos [rising at midnight]. One must awaken to care for the repair of his soul — to rise at midnight and mourn greatly over the Churban, and especially to mourn and weep over the blemish of one's own deeds that caused the destruction or delay its rebuilding. Through this, the concealed light is revealed: "Lasum la'avelei Tziyon pe'er tachas eifer" — "pe'er instead of ashes" — the very pe'er (= the four Mochin = Shem Hashem) is restored. Apply your heart to this well, until you actually rise at midnight to mourn over your deeds that delay the building of the Beis HaMikdash — until the true light of all these rectifications shines upon you. All this = Tefillin. The Arizal's writings explain that the light of Tefillin emerges through the rectifications accomplished by Kimas Chatzos. Through the Tzaddikim and upright ones who rise at midnight and mourn the Churban → all the above aspects are rectified → the Me'orei Or prevail → the light of the Rosh Bayis (= four Mochin = pe'er = three colors of the eye and the pupil) illuminates. All this = Shem Hashem = Tefillin Mochin: "V'ra'u kol amei ha'aretz ki Shem Hashem nikra alecha" (Devarim 28:10) — our Sages said (Berachos 6a): "These are the Tefillin on the head." Tefillin = pe'er: "Pa'archa chavush alecha" (Yechezkel 24:17; Moed Katan 15a). They are the colors of the eye: "U'l'totafos bein einecha." They are the Rosh Bayis: the parshiyos (= Mochin) filling the batim. All this is merited through Kimas Chatzos. Even one who does not merit to rise at midnight — nevertheless, the light of the holy Tefillin Mochin of all Yisrael flows through the true Tzaddikim, who are the Rosh Bayis — their light reaches all Yisrael through those who rise at midnight, as explained in the Arizal's writings. The essential pe'er, chein, and yofi of Yisrael, collectively and individually, are the holy Tefillin that each person dons every day: the light of Da'as, the sparkling of the true Mochin — to recognize our Creator, to be included in Shem Hashem. We glory in Him and He, as it were, glories in us — this = Hashem's Tefillin, which are aroused when we crown ourselves with the crown of our Tefillin: "Ki mi goy gadol..." (Devarim 4:7-8; Berachos 6a). But in our many sins — through the Churban and the long exile — the Sitra Achra expands greatly to conceal the Tzaddik's light. This = "Kashah silukan shel tzaddikim kiflayim k'churban Beis HaMikdash" — the departure of the Tzaddikim is doubly as harsh as the destruction. "Hin'ni yosif l'hafli es ha'am hazeh... v'avdah chochmas chachamav" (Yeshayah 29:14; Eicha Rabbah 1). The essential tikun: through Kimas Chatzos — weeping over the concealment, the machlokes among scholars (= chevlei Mashiach = kategoria between Talmidei Chachamim (end of Kesubos)), which is the root of the prolonged exile. Through weeping and returning → the light of the Tzaddik (Rosh Bayis = pe'er) is revealed → the light of Tefillin emerges in the morning. This is the aspect of Tefillin shel Rosh and Tefillin shel Yad. The sum of all the rectifications above is to make the Me'orei Or prevail over the Me'orei Eish. Me'orei Or = Shem Hashem = the Tzaddik's name. Me'orei Eish = the opposite: the concealment, the name of the Sitra Achra that fights to hide Shem Hashem. This is the entirety of man's service in this world: man consists of the four yesodos, from which derive all good and bad traits. At their root, all are holy — the four letters of the Name. But below, they are mixed good and evil. One's entire war is to break the desires and evil traits (from the evil in the four yesodos) and strengthen the good — until all four are included in the four letters of the Name = Me'orei Or = Mochin = Tefillin. When the Me'orei Or prevail, the essential tikun is that even the Me'orei Eish themselves are rectified, reversed, and included within the Me'orei Or. The fire of the evil desires of the heart — the burning heat — must be overcome through the Tzaddik's power and converted into holy fire: "Cham libi b'kirbi, bahagigi tiv'ar eish, dibarti vilshoni" (Tehillim 39:4); "Rishafeha rishpei eish, shalheves Kah" (Shir HaShirim 8:6); "Min ha'eish yatz'u v'ha'eish tochleim" (Yechezkel 15:7) — through the Tzaddik's power, one converts the fire of the heart's passions into holy fire and devotion. This is merited through Kimas Chatzos → "pe'er tachas eifer" — the ashes (Me'orei Eish) are transformed into pe'er (Me'orei Or). Tefillin shel Yad is donned first: it represents the rectification of the Me'orei Eish — the aspect of night (when Me'orei Eish rule: "U'va'erev yihyeh... k'mar'eh eish") — until night shines as day, the Me'orei Eish included in Me'orei Or. This is accomplished through weeping at midnight — tears that at first blemish the Me'orei Or ("Rachel mevakah al baneha") but through the weeping itself draw down the holiness of the Beis HaMikdash: "Ra'isi es dimosecha" (Yeshayah 38:5). Tefillin shel Yad is placed opposite the heart — to subjugate desires and thoughts to His service — converting the fire of the heart into holy fire and devotion. This is the Tefillin of K'nesses Yisrael — those still engaged in the war to purify the four yesodos. The yad keihah = Rachel: "Uleimsa shapiresa d'leis lah einayin" — she has no eyes of her own, only what the Me'orei Or illuminate for her. Then Tefillin shel Rosh is donned — the Tzaddik's own light = the essence of the Me'orei Or = the pe'er = the Rosh Bayis. "Bereishis bara Elokim es hashamayim v'es ha'aretz" — Bereishis = Rosh Bayis = Shem Hashem = the root of Tefillin Mochin = Me'orei Or and the rectification of Me'orei Eish (= shel Yad and shel Rosh). Shamayim and Aretz = the Tzaddik and K'nesses Yisrael = the root of day and night = Me'orei Or and Me'orei Eish d'Kedushah = shel Rosh and shel Yad. "V'ha'aretz haysah sohu vavohu v'choshech al pnei s'hom" — Sohu, Vohu, Choshech, and S'hom = the evil in the four yesodos = the evil in Me'orei Eish = all desires and evil traits that embitter life — man wanders as in a wilderness of sohu vavohu, darkness upon the abyss. The four exiles correspond: Sohu = Bavel; Vohu = Madai, etc. (Bereishis Rabbah). Only the Tzaddik Yesod Olam (= the spirit of Mashiach) can rectify this. "V'Ruach Elokim merachefes al pnei hamayim" — our Sages said (Zohar Vayechi 240a): this is the spirit of Mashiach hovering over the waters = over the face of the Torah = the Torah studied by the God-fearing and upright, especially at midnight. "Shifchi chamayim libeich nochach pnei Hashem" (Eicha 2:19) — the abundant tears wept at midnight = the waters over which the spirit of Mashiach hovers. "Ki rachak mimeni menachem" (Eicha 1:16) — the Tzaddik, the true Comforter ("Zeh yenachamenu"), is so far from us in our sins. Through weeping → "Vayomer Elokim yehi or vayhi or" = Me'orei Or. "Vayar Elokim es ha'or ki tov" — Rashi: it was not fitting for light and darkness to serve together — "Vayavdeil Elokim bein ha'or u'vein hachoshech" = the secret of Havdalah. The evil in Me'orei Eish prevails through mixture (nursing too much from Me'orei Or). Through Ruach Elokim → Me'orei Or prevail → separation → Havdalah at Motzaei Shabbos: we bless over fire to separate and elevate the Me'orei Eish, including them in Me'orei Or through the blessing "Borei me'orei ha'eish." "Vayhi erev vayhi voker yom echad" — through Havdalah, night is included in day = shel Yad joined with shel Rosh — which is why one may not interrupt between them. This is the aspect of Tefillin made from or [leather/skin] — to rectify and clarify "kasnos or" [garments of skin], which are the aspect of fingernails. Our Sages said (Bereishis Rabbah 21): "[He] clothed them smooth as a fingernail." This is why one gazes at the fingernails when blessing the fire at Havdalah — for there the essential separation and clarification occurs: extracting the Me'orei Eish (= fingernails = kasnos or [with Ayin]) from the evil and transforming them into kasnos or (with Aleph) = Me'orei Or. All the Tefillin components — parshiyos written on parchment, batim and retzuos of leather — are made from or precisely because the essential tikun of Tefillin is transforming kasnos or into kasnos or. This is why all four parshiyos of Tefillin emphasize telling and making known the holy emunah to our children. Kadeish: "V'higadta l'vincha bayom hahu." V'hayah ki yevi'acha: "V'hayah ki yishalcha bincha machar leimor mah zos..." Shema and V'hayah im shamo'a: "V'shinantam l'vanecha... v'limadtem osam es bneichem l'daber bam b'shivtecha b'veisecha..." The essential holiness of Tefillin = magnifying Shem Hashem = Me'orei Or. And the essential magnification of Shem Hashem is that in every generation, people speak and converse about His wondrous deeds and miracles — and tell all this to their children and grandchildren forever: "Dor l'dor yeshabach ma'asecha u'gevurosecha yagidu" (Tehillim 145:4). In each generation, a person is obligated to see himself as if he left Egypt — and this is the awesome holiness of Tefillin that we don daily on the head and arm: to remember well in mind and heart that Hashem took us out of Egypt with wondrous miracles to reveal His Name and sovereignty in the world. One must tell and make known the wonders Hashem does for each person individually — as we say three times daily: "V'al nisecha sheb'chol yom imanu, v'al nifl'osecha v'tovosecha sheb'chol eis." The pe'er and hidur flows from generation to generation: "Korei hadoros meirosh" (Yeshayah 41:4) — all generations flow from this Rosh Bayis. One cannot know, make known, or magnify Shem Hashem except through the true Tzaddik = Tzaddik Yesod Olam, whose essential greatness is through guarding the Bris in ultimate holiness. The Zohar: "Tzaddik man d'natir bris" — and from there (Bris) all generations emerge. But "es zeh l'umas zeh asah Elokim" — the Sitra Achra fights hardest precisely there. Few merit complete kedushas habris. From there comes all the confusion in the world — not knowing where the true Tzaddikim are. This = the war with Amalek in every generation. Amalek = the contamination of the serpent, encompassing all evils of all four yesodos = "Reishis goyim Amalek" (Bamidbar 24:20). In every generation he ambushes the collective and the individual: first enticing with desires, then pursuing honor and wealth — all jealousy, desire, and honor flow from kelipas Amalek. He creates great confusion and kategoria among scholars, increases falsehood, introduces alien ideas and heresies, and raises up leaders who claim to want Yisrael's welfare. Amalek's essential drive: to conceal the light of the true Tzaddikim = Shem Hashem. Therefore Hashem swore: "Ein shemo shaleim ad sheyimacheh zeicher Amalek" — His Name is incomplete until Amalek's memory is erased. "Milchamah laShem ba'Amalek midor dor" (Shemos 17:16). Amalek seeks to conceal the Tzaddik's light through the blemish of the Bris. But the true Tzaddik sanctified himself in such awesome holiness of the Bris that he drew down a Da'as so exalted and lofty that it can never be truly concealed. The promise to Moshe: "V'gam b'cha ya'aminu l'olam" (Shemos 19:9). All Yisrael are in the category of keepers of the Bris through holy milah — cutting away the orlah (= kelipas Amalek) through chisuch and priah, corresponding to the two clouds covering the eye (Romi Rabbsa and Romi Ze'irsa) from which the Churban came. This is why a name is given at the milah. Through cutting and removing the orlah (= kelipas Amalek = the concealment) → Shem Hashem (= the Tzaddik's light) is revealed → from there the infant receives a Jewish name. All the names of Bnei Yisrael = Shem Hashem = the Tzaddik's name, for "shemo meshutaf bishmenu." Therefore Avraham, the first to be circumcised — at the command of milah, his name was enlarged: "V'lo yikarei od es shimcha Avram, v'hayah shimcha Avraham" (Bereishis 17:5). Milah removes the concealment → the Tzaddik's name (= Shem Hashem) is magnified → the circumcised infant is called by a name of Yisrael. All this = Purim and Parshas Zachor read beforehand — the subduing of kelipas Amalek, the essential kelipah of the orlah covering the holy Bris, from which the concealment always fights to hide the light of Tzaddik Yesod Olam through the blemish of the Bris. "Asher karcha baderech" = the blemish of the Bris. He attacks the weak: "Vayezanev b'cha kol hanecheshalim acharecha" (Devarim 25:18). Haman thought that when Esther was taken to the uncircumcised king, the Me'orei Eish would prevail completely — for all Me'orei Eish nurse from the aspect of "ishah." But through Mordechai's mighty holiness, and Esther's great righteousness (the Tikkunei Zohar: "b'gin d'ach natir lah" — her brother guarded her), she extracted holy sparks from them = including the Me'orei Eish in the root of Me'orei Or. Haman's defeat came through Mordechai crying out in sackcloth and ashes: "Vayilbash sak va'eifer" — eifer specifically — for the weeping was over the Me'orei Eish (= eifer / ashes). Through this = Chatzos mourning → "pe'er tachas eifer" — the Me'orei Eish were included in the root of Me'orei Or. This = "U'Mordechai yatza milifnei hamelech bilvush malchus techeiles vachor" — the pe'er, beauty, and splendor of the true Tzaddik = the inclusive colors (techeiles, chur, butz, argaman) = Me'orei Or. Mordechai = Rosh Bayis: "V'atah kach lecha b'samim rosh, mor dror" (Shemos 30:23) = "Mordechai min haTorah" (Megillah 10b). The Rosh d'Kedushah = spices = rei'ach tov = the vitality of the neshamah = Mochin. "LaYehudim haysah orah v'simchah v'sason vikar" (Esther 8:16) = pe'er, the inclusive colors = the four Mochin from which all joys flow: "B'shimcha yegilun kol hayom... ki siferes uzamo atah" (Tehillim 89:17). "Orah" = Torah = the holy Mochin. "Simchah" = Yom Tov — when Or HaPanim shines, for which we ascend on the Regel: "Shalosh pe'amim bashanah yeira'eh..." "Sason" = milah — nullifying the concealment by removing the orlah (= kelipas Amalek). "Vikar" = Tefillin — for all these aspects are the aspect of Tefillin.