קריאת התורה ג

Therefore it is forbidden to form partnerships with idolaters — lest one transgress "the name of other gods you shall not mention." Although one must engage in business, it is a great danger — a great battle — for through business one makes the path to Eretz Yisrael via Chesed Chinam (which sustains business). Therefore one must be very careful to do business with emunah: "Nasasa v'nasata b'emunah" — "Did you conduct business faithfully?" The essential thing in business = emunah — believing that He created everything: "B'Raishis bara Elokim" — and by His will etc. Therefore one must bind himself to true Tzaddikim who sustain all businesspeople through the Chesed Chinam (= emunah in the Asarah Ma'amaros through which Hashem created the world).

Based on LM I:215 — The Twenty-Four Types of Pidyonos (continued)

This is the aspect of (Pesachim 2a): "Or l'arba'ah asar bodkin es hachametz l'or haner" — "On the night preceding the fourteenth, one searches for chametz by the light of a candle." This is also the aspect of the Siman for the Seder of Pesach: it begins with "Kadesh" and ends with "Nirtzah."

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Likutay Halachos — Hilchos Kri'as Shma

Halacha 3 (§1–10)

The general principle is this: although it is explained in the Torah [LM I:215] that there is an individual pidyon that sweetens the din from some particular beis din among the twenty-four batei dinim, and there is an all-encompassing pidyon that sweetens all the dinim in all twenty-four batei dinim — through the aspect of eis ratzon, the Metzach HaRatzon — nevertheless, one must know that all the pidyonos and sweetenings of dinim in the world — which is the essential avodah of every Yid collectively and individually, as is known and understood in the true sefarim — all have their essential root in the Metzach HaRatzon, which is Ra'ava d'Ra'avin. For if this aspect did not illuminate at every moment, the world could not endure from the force of the dinim in the lower metzach — as brought in the Idra Rabba and other places.

Based on LM II:7

The distinction is only this: the Metzach HaRatzon always illuminates into the lower metzach in a state of great concealment and immense contraction. One who knows how to make a pidyon properly draws an illumination from there downward in greater revelation — nullifying a din from a particular beis din among the twenty-four. If he has greater power, he can nullify din from multiple batei dinim — according to the strength of his pidyon, according to the illumination he draws from the Metzach HaRatzon downward, etc. — through the Names, unifications, and kavanos pertaining to this; according to his power in good deeds (which is the essential); and according to his intensification in tefillah and supplications (which surpasses everything). There is also a distinction between times. For even on weekdays, through the tefillah of Yisrael, some illumination is drawn from the Metzach HaRatzon to the lower metzach, etc. — all according to the power of the tefillah. But on Shabbosos and Yamim Tovim — and primarily on Shabbos at Minchah — then "Atika Kadisha reveals His ratzon," and the Metzach HaRatzon is revealed in wondrous revelation. Then all the worlds and all the neshamos of Yisrael ascend there, etc. And then "Ra'ava d'Ra'avin is found, in which Moshe, Yosef, and Dovid departed." All this is impossible to explain fully; a little of it the wise person will understand on his own. Therefore you must know that all the geulos and yeshuos — both for Klal Yisrael collectively and for each individual — are all through the sweetening of the dinim through the pidyonos of the tzaddikim, who toil and labor on our behalf to sweeten all the dinim from upon us and to redeem us from all the troubles and sufferings at all times — collectively and individually. But certainly there is a great distinction between those who draw close to the tzaddik and those who do not — all the more so, one who opposes him, chas v'shalom. Even though the true tzaddik in his great goodness prays for them as well and sweetens dinim from upon them to redeem them — as Dovid HaMelech said (Tehillim 35): "Va'ani b'chalosam l'vushi sak... u'sfilasi al chaiki sashuv" — "When they were ill, my garment was sackcloth... and my prayer returned upon my own bosom" — nevertheless, the distinction between those who draw close and those who oppose, etc. — everyone can understand on their own. Regarding this the navi cried out (Hoshea 7): "Va'ani efdaim v'haimah dib'ru alai k'zavim" — "I redeem them, yet they speak lies about Me" — meaning: I am constantly engaged in redeeming them through the aspect of the pidyon, yet they, etc. Through this they delay the geulah, for the essential obstruction is through machlokes and accusation among the talmidei chachamim and throughout the world — as our Sages said. Let us return to our subject. On Pesach — at the beginning of the geulah of Yisrael from Mitzrayim, whose essential power was through an illumination from the pidyon, from Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, etc. — but this could not be drawn in completeness until Shavuos, as above. And the contamination of Mitzrayim clung to them greatly. Therefore the essential geulah was through drawing upon them the illumination of all the mochin simultaneously in an immensely powerful illumination, not in the usual order, etc. — which does not occur at any other time, not even on Shabbos or Shavuos. Nevertheless, on Shabbos and Shavuos they ascend to an even higher level — for then they ascend to the Dikna, the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, from which comes the essential upper all-encompassing pidyon — as understood and explained in the Kavanos of the Arizal; see there well. Because on Pesach the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin was not yet revealed as it is on Shabbos and Shavuos — therefore chametz is prohibited, as above: it must be destroyed and nullified completely through the force of the illumination of the great mochin drawn on Pesach. But all the power of the mochin is drawn from Ra'ava d'Ra'avin — for all the sweetenings in the world, which are through drawing some mochin and chochmah according to the person and time, etc. — all are drawn from the Metzach HaRatzon. Therefore, the essential power to destroy the chametz and the se'or on the fourteenth of Nisan is through the illumination drawn in concealment from the Metzach HaRatzon. The essential Metzach HaRatzon will be revealed in wondrous completeness in the future, when Mashiach Tzidkeinu comes — of whom it is said: "V'ad Atik Yomin meta..." — for Mashiach will encompass all three tzaddikim who departed in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin — Yosef, Moshe, and Dovid. In the geulah of Mitzrayim — the aspect of Dovid had not yet been revealed, for he was not yet born. The entire geulah was essentially through Moshe and Yosef — in the aspect of: "Vayikach Moshe es atzmos Yosef imo." Therefore the illumination of Dovid was not yet revealed — and therefore the Metzach HaRatzon did not yet shine properly, as above. Therefore, one must destroy the chametz — the letters of "metzach" — so that the dinim of the lower metzach of Ze'ir Anpin do not prevail, etc. On Shavuos, the aspect of Dovid illuminates more greatly — for Dovid died on Atzeres [Shavuos]. Therefore they read Rus then — from whom Dovid came forth. And she was a giyores [female convert] — for from there is the essential power of geirim, as above: ascending from sh'mad to ratzon through the Metzach HaRatzon, which illuminates more greatly when all three tzaddikim — Moshe, Yosef, and Dovid — are included together. The essential completion of the geulah will be through the aspect of Dovid — the aspect of Mashiach ben Dovid. This is: "Or l'arba'ah asar bodkin es hachametz" — and it is brought in all the holy sefarim that fourteen [arba'ah asar] alludes to the aspect of Dovid, whose name has the numerical value of fourteen [daled=4, vav=6, daled=4], etc. See there where they elaborate on this, though they did not explain well how far the matter reaches. According to our approach, it is easily understood by the wise — for the essential power to destroy chametz before Pesach is through the concealed illumination of Dovid Mashiach. Through him, the illumination of the Metzach HaRatzon is completed, as above. Through this we draw upon ourselves the force of the great and mighty illumination of the mochin drawn on Pesach — through which chametz is destroyed on the fourteenth of Nisan, "kad ismalyah sihara" — when the moon is full — which is the aspect of Dovid. Understand this well. This is why the Siman for the Seder of Pesach begins with "Kadesh" and ends with "Nirtzah." "Kadesh" is the aspect of the force of the abundant mochin drawn on Pesach — all of which are called kodesh, as is known. Then "U'r'chatz," "Karpas," etc. — all the awesome tikkunim accomplished through the entire Seder of Pesach. The essential tachlis and kavanah is to merit Shavuos — when the Metzach HaRatzon illuminates in completeness. And even now, the power to destroy chametz and to receive all the holy mochin is drawn from there. This is why it concludes with "Nirtzah" — Nirtzah specifically — the aspect of the upper Ratzon, through which Moshe grants us merit to ascend there, elevating everything from sh'mad to ratzon. This is the essence of the geulah of Mitzrayim, as above — for the entire geulah from beginning to end is all from the aspect of the Ratzon, until we merit through the tikkunim of Pesach, etc., to ascend there on Shavuos in completeness, when the Metzach HaRatzon is revealed as on Shabbos at Minchah. It follows that the totality of the Seder of Pesach is the aspect of Nirtzah — the aspect of the upper Ratzon. Therefore "Nirtzah" has the numerical value of "Moshe" — for everything is through Moshe, etc., as above. Similarly, it is understood and explained in the words of our Sages in the Midrash: all geulos are drawn from the illumination of the final geulah that will be through Dovid Mashiach. As they said in Midrash Rabbah on Parashas Vayeishev, on the verse (Bereishis 38): "Vayhi ba'ais hahi vayaired Yehudah..." — "It was at that time, and Yehudah went down..." — "Magid mairaishis acharis..." — "He tells from the beginning what the end will be..." Before the first exile even began, the final Redeemer was already created, etc. This means as above: the essential power of all geulos is through Dovid, who is the essential aspect of Mashiach. Similarly it is understood and explained in the words of our Master and Teacher z"l, on the verse (Yechezkel 7): "Kaitz ba hakaitz" (Siman 250) [LM I:250] — that the essential geulos and yeshuos are drawn through an illumination drawn from the final keitz; see there. This means as above. This is the aspect of what was explained above (§15): the essential geulas Mitzrayim was through the power of Shabbos — therefore the Shabbos before Pesach is called Shabbos HaGadol. This is as above: for the essential geulah is through the Metzach HaRatzon that illuminates on Shabbos. This is what is brought in the holy sefarim: the second letters of "se'or" spell "Shabbos" [shin-alef-vav-reish → the second letters being beis-tav-shin = Shabbos]. Through this, the se'or in the dough is nullified — the aspect of "v'lo yaira'eh l'cha se'or." For the essential nullification of chametz and se'or is through the aspect of Shabbos, when Ra'ava d'Ra'avin is revealed — and primarily on Shabbos at Minchah, when Moshe, Yosef, and Dovid departed. Through them are all the geulos. Only, in specifics: the first geulah was essentially through the aspect of Yosef and Moshe, as above — while the aspect of Dovid and Mashiach illuminated in concealment, through which was the essential power to sweeten the din and redeem them, as above. But the final geulah — the keitz is still sealed and hidden — until we merit through Mashiach Tzidkeinu, who will be the aspect of Dovid, who is Mashiach himself, and will encompass Moshe and Yosef and all three Avos and all true tzaddikim. Then will be fulfilled: "V'ad Atik Yomin meta..." — and the illumination of the Metzach HaRatzon will be revealed in a wondrous illumination the likes of which has never existed. Through this He will redeem us with an eternal geulah, a complete geulah with no exile after it — speedily in our days, Amein. This is what the Tanna wrote (Berachos 17a): "Galui v'yadu'a l'fanecha she'r'tzoni la'asos r'tzoncha, u'mi m'akaiv — s'or she'ba'isah..." — "It is revealed and known before You that my will is to do Your will, and what prevents me? The se'or in the dough..." For the se'or in the dough is the opposite of the upper Ratzon, and it cannot be sweetened and nullified except through the illumination of the Metzach HaRatzon, as above. Therefore, in truth, our Master and Teacher z"l warned very, very strongly that a person should strive greatly to always have good retzonos [good desires/yearnings] and strong kisufin [longings] for Hashem — for the essential thing is the ratzon, etc. — as explained in his words in places without number. And even more than this, he spoke with us extensively: as long as a person does not despair of himself — even whatever he may be — and strengthens himself with good retzonos for Hashem and His Torah, etc. — through this he adds more power to the true tzaddikim who are constantly engaged in drawing the Metzach HaRatzon, through which they elevate from sh'mad to ratzon, etc. Understand this well. This itself is what the Tanna engaged in — speaking before Hashem: "It is revealed and known that my ratzon is..." For through this very act of pleading before Hashem, he drew strong retzonos for Hashem upon himself. Through this very act, he illuminated upon himself the illumination of the Ratzon — to nullify the se'or in the dough that prevents him from doing His will. All of this is the matter of hisbodedus — conversation between oneself and one's Creator — regarding which our Master and Teacher z"l warned us immeasurably. For the entire matter of this conversation is the aspect of strengthening the ratzon — through which the illumination of the upper pidyon is drawn upon him. One must be exceedingly, immeasurably strong in this — and then, in the end, he will certainly merit that everything will be sweetened through the power of the tzaddik who is engaged in the all-encompassing pidyon. Then everything will be transformed to good — for there, everything is rectified.