בית הכנסת א

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

This is what our Sages expounded (Tanchuma Vayailech 1), cited by Rashi: "uch'masm'ros n'tu'im" — "like well-fastened nails" — hints at the twenty-four books of the Torah [i.e. Tanach] and the twenty-four priestly and Levite watches. For the abundance of holy sefarim of the Oral Torah that clarify the doubts in the Written Torah (which is contained in the twenty-four books) — all of which is the aspect of the strengthening of the ratzon for all generations forever — all this is the aspect of the tikkun of the upper all-encompassing pidyon that sweetens the din of the twenty-four courts. These correspond to the twenty-four books of the Torah: when one blemishes them through retzonos of the Sitra Achra (from which come all the blemishes) — until some overturn the words of the living God and interpret the Torah improperly, interpreting all the verses of Torah, Nevi'im, and Kesuvim according to their evil and bitter path of the wise men of nature, who are the aspect of the metzach of the nachash. Their evil ways are well known — those who follow the path of the philosophers in the wisdom of nature, especially in these generations. May Hashem have mercy. But through "divrai chachamim kadarvonos uch'masm'ros n'tu'im ba'alai asufos nitnu mairo'eh echad" — "the words of the wise are like goads and like well-fastened nails; the masters of assemblies — all given by one Shepherd" — which are the twenty-four priestly and Levite watches who serve and guard the holy watch in the Beis HaMikdash, and from them Torah goes forth, as it is written (Devarim 33): "Yoru mishpatecha l'Yaakov v'Sorascha l'Yisrael" — "They shall teach Your laws to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael." They explain the twenty-four books of the Torah according to the true interpretations received from person to person back to Moshe Rabbainu, alav hashalom. They clarify His will in every mitzvah in their holy sefarim, according to the thirteen rules by which the Torah is expounded — which are the aspect of the Yud-Gimmel Tikkunai Dikna, etc. All of this is the aspect of the illumination of the upper Ratzon. Through this, the metzach of the nachash — the wise men of nature — is nullified. Therefore adjacent to this is stated: "V'yosair maihaimah b'ni hizahair — asos s'farim harbai ain kaitz" — "And more than these, my son, be cautious: the making of many books is without end." For many sefarim without end are needed to uproot and eradicate their evil da'as from the world, to strengthen emunas haRatzon, and to instill in the heart of every person the strengthening of the ratzon. For it has already been explained above that the essential hold of the deniers who cast doubt upon the Ratzon is through the intensity of the dinim that derive from the chain of dinim of the twenty-four courts, when we do not merit to sweeten them. Therefore, through the words of the wise — like goads and well-fastened nails, the twenty-four priestly and Levite watches who explain the twenty-four books of the Torah at their holy root, explaining everything according to the true interpretations received from Moshe Rabbainu, which are all the strengthening of the ratzon — through this everything is sweetened. Their evil opinions are uprooted from the world, and many holy sefarim are composed that draw and illuminate the strengthening of emunas haRatzon in the world: to know and make known that all of nature is conducted only through His good will, and it is in His power to change nature at any time through the tefillos of Yisrael — as we have already seen with our own eyes through Moshe Rabbainu and through all the tzaddikim who came after him until this very day. This is (Berachos 2a): "Mai'aimasai korin es Shma ba'arvis? Misha'ah shehakohanim nichnasim le'echol bisr'umasan" — "From when does one recite Shma in the evening? From the time the kohanim enter to eat their terumah." They fixed the time of Kri'as Shma to the eating of the terumah by the kohanim. For it has been explained that the essential Kri'as Shma is the aspect of bittul to the upper Ratzon, etc. — through which one merits the aspect of Kohain, a man of chesed, the aspect of (Yeshayahu 61): "V'atem kohanai Hashem tikaraiu" — "You shall be called priests of Hashem," as above. This is the aspect of terumah that the kohanim eat — for terumah is the aspect of tzedakah, a free-willed offering of the heart. Yisrael must separate from the first of their produce to give sustenance to the kohanim of Hashem, the aspect of (Shemos 25): "Mai'ais kol ish asher yidvenu libo tikchu es t'rumasi" — "From every man whose heart moves him, you shall take My offering" (and as understood in the Torah "Chavalim naflu..." [LM I:261], that terumah is the aspect of tzedakah). Through tzedakah one elevates the da'as of the elders, etc., and is included among the elders of kedushah who add kedushah and da'as each day — through which one merits the Ratzon, through which all the dinim in all twenty-four courts are sweetened. This is the aspect of the forty-nine letters in Shma and Baruch Shaim Kevod Malchuso L'Olam Va'ed, as above. Therefore the measure of terumah is one part in fifty [two out of a hundred] — for the upper Ratzon is the aspect of the fiftieth gate, from which all forty-nine gates are drawn. These correspond to the forty-nine letters of Kri'as Shma, whose essential core is the kutz'a of the letter daled — the aspect of the secret nekudah of the true tzaddik, the aspect of the fiftieth gate that is sealed, hidden, and hinted at only through the secret nekudah of the tzaddik: the kutz'a of the daled of "Echad," which is the yud [numerical value 10]. The five words "Shma Yisrael Hashem Elokainu Hashem" are included there — as brought in Tikkunai Zohar, that they are the aspect of the five stones of the sling, the aspect of (Shmuel I 17): the five smooth stones that Dovid took when he fought Golyas — who denied the Ratzon and stood for forty days to prevent them from Kri'as Shma, as Rashi explains there. Dovid subdued him through the five smooth stones, which are the aspect of the five words of Shma, etc. He included them all in "Echad" — the essential thing being the kutz'a of the daled, which is the yud. For five times ten is fifty — the ultimate upper Ratzon. From there the essential drawing of the Ratzon to the forty-nine gates: the twenty-five letters of Shma sweeten the twenty-four courts through Baruch Shaim, etc. — as above. For avanim [stones] is the aspect of ratzon, as explained in the Torah: the aspect of "even sh'laimah r'tzono" — "a whole stone — his will," etc.; see there. This is the aspect of terumah — one part in fifty. For terumah is the aspect of tzedakah, and through this the essential drawing of the Ratzon occurs — the aspect of the upper pidyon. Therefore terumah specifically belongs to the kohanim — for the essential tikkun is to merit the aspect of Kohain: "V'atem kohanai Hashem tikaraiu" — as above. Therefore they linked the time of Kri'as Shma to the eating of terumah by the kohanim — for they are one aspect: to be included in the upper Ratzon and to draw from there the sweetening of the dinim, etc. — until all ascend there and their ratzon is always strong for Hashem. For holy eating — the aspect of the kohanim eating terumah — is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon that shines especially at the time of eating, as explained in the Torah "Ki m'rachamim..." (LM II:7); see there. The essential fixing of the time of Kri'as Shma explained in the Mishnah is: from the time that kohanim who were tamei [ritually impure] and immersed — who are not permitted to eat terumah until the setting of their sun (the beginning of the following night), as it is written (Vayikra 22): "U'va hashemesh v'taher, v'achar yochal min hakodashim" — "The sun shall set and he shall be purified, and afterward he may eat of the holy things" — as explained in the Gemara and in Rashi. Through this our Sages taught us and hinted to us: the essential mitzvah of Kri'as Shma — emunas haRatzon, that everything is conducted through the will of the Creator, the Singular Ancient One, blessed be His Name forever — is to draw upon ourselves this holy emunah anew each and every day. As the Torah warns emphatically in the passage of Kri'as Shma (Devarim 11): "Asher Anochi m'tzav'cha hayom" — "that I command you today." Our Sages expounded (Sifri there): each day they should be in your eyes like new. They elaborated: it should not be in your eyes like an old edict that no one pays attention to, but rather like a new one that everyone runs to hear — new wonders, etc. As it is written (Eichah 3): "Chadashim lab'karim rabah emunasecha" — "New every morning — great is Your faithfulness." For this reason they established Bircas HaMe'oros before Kri'as Shma: "U'v'tuvo m'chadaish b'chol yom tamid ma'asai V'raishis" — "In His goodness He renews each day always the work of Creation" — as explained above. All of this is the aspect of the holiness of the elders of kedushah who add light, kedushah, and da'as each day. They draw the illumination of the Ratzon to all the lower levels, to all the fallen ones in the world, elevating them from sh'mad to ratzon by instilling in them the illumination of the Ratzon. But certainly — even though the holy elder-tzaddikim do what they do to illuminate the Ratzon and elevate them — nevertheless, each person still has free choice. When the Ratzon illuminates upon him from above, he must strengthen himself to draw the ratzon upon himself, to bind all his thoughts, mind, heart, and da'as to this ratzon — that his longing, yearning, and ratzon always be strong only for the true eternal tachlis. He must add each day anew, strengthening himself in the holy ratzon each time, each day, more and more. Even if whatever passes over him passes — nevertheless, he must never weaken the ratzon under any circumstances. (As explained above, and in Hilchos Araiv, and elsewhere.) The essential thing is to believe that each day completely new things are made. Therefore one must wait and wait until the day of his salvation arrives. For Hashem sprouts salvations every day — as we say in Bircas Kri'as Shma each day: "Oseh chadashos... matzmiyach y'shu'os..." — "He makes new things... He sprouts salvations..." But even so, one must wait a great deal until his salvation sprouts and is revealed in completeness. All of this the holy Torah hinted to us in the laws of purification of the impure — for most purifications depend on days and time, according to the degree of impurity. For example: those with greater impurity — a person who became tamei through a corpse, a zav, or a metzora — must wait seven days, etc. A ba'al keri and the like must wait one day until the setting of his sun and the beginning of the following day. All of this is the above aspect: each day, completely new things are made. Therefore, one who became tamei and wishes to become tahor must immerse in a mikveh — to draw upon himself kedushah and taharah from the supernal Mikveh, the Mikveh of Shavuos, the Mikveh of the fiftieth gate, as written in the kavanos of the Arizal and brought in the Torah "U'v'yom habikurim — hastara" (Siman 56) [LM I:56]; see there. For from there taharah is drawn for all who immerse in a mikveh. After one has begun to be purified through the holy mikveh, the purification is still not complete — one must wait until the setting of the sun of that day and the beginning of the following day, as it is written: "U'va hashemesh v'taher, v'achar yochal min hakodashim" — "The sun shall set and he shall be purified, and afterward he may eat of the holy things." This teaches that the drawing of taharah and kedushah depends on days: with each new day that comes, additional kedushah is renewed from above. For only for this reason does Hashem sustain the worlds from the six days of Creation until the end — at every moment He creates day and night, etc. Each and every day of all the days of the world is a completely new creation — for this day has never existed before. Every person must take this to heart and give thanks to His Name with a complete heart for this each day, saying "U'v'tuvo m'chadaish b'chol yom tamid ma'asai V'raishis" with a complete heart each day — as explained above. The essential renewal each day is only in order to draw and illuminate from His supernal kedushah upon us anew — to awaken us to renew ourselves each day with new and strong retzonos for Hashem. Therefore the tamei person who immersed and began to be purified is not permitted to eat terumah until the setting of his sun and the arrival of the following day. For given his impurity — even though he began to purify himself and immersed in a mikveh — he does not fully exit his impurity until he waits for the beginning of the following day, when a new day, new kedushah, and new holy retzonos are drawn. Then specifically he becomes tahor to eat of the holy things. This is the secret of the Sefirah — that Yisrael must count seven weeks, like the counting of the days of niddah to purify from impurity — as explained in the Zohar HaKadosh and the writings of the Arizal. For it is impossible to be fully purified until one merits kabbalas haTorah — only through waiting and counting the seven weeks. The essential thing is to strengthen oneself during all these days when one has not yet merited complete purification (the aspect of kabbalas haTorah) — strengthening oneself each day with strong, new retzonos, etc. He should be very, very strong in this through whatever passes over him — until he merits the day of his salvation, the aspect of his complete purification, when he can eat of the holy things. Understand this well. Therefore our Sages linked the time of Kri'as Shma to the time when the kohanim who became tamei may eat their terumah after the setting of their sun — hinting at all the above: that each and every day one must draw upon himself emunas haRatzon completely anew. For each day completely new things are made, and upon this depends all one's purification and kedushah. All of this is the aspect of Kri'as Shma — the aspect of "Asher Anochi m'tzav'cha hayom" — "each day they should be in your eyes like new," as above. It is also easy for the understanding person to see that this verse — "U'va hashemesh v'taher, v'achar yochal min hakodashim" — "The sun shall set and he shall be purified, and afterward he may eat of the holy things" — hints at the setting of one's sun on one's final day, at the time of one's passing. This is the aspect of the setting of the sun of all the days of one's life. For some, the completion of purification is merited only after the final setting of one's sun. As our Sages said (Yoma Ch. 6): there are many cases where, even though a person did teshuvah and suffered — still, teshuvah and Yom Kippur and suffering only hold matters in abeyance until the day of death, which atones. Therefore, whoever is in this state: if he falls, chas v'shalom, in his spirits because of what passes over him — he will not merit, even after the day of death (after the setting of his sun), to eat of the holy things. For certainly one who is completely tamei and has not immersed at all — the setting of the sun does not help him. Rather, it is the one who toiled all his days through everything that passed over him, who strengthened himself in the ratzon and immersed in the mikveh and began each day to purify himself — even though he did not succeed in purifying himself completely — nevertheless, no good ratzon is ever lost, all the more so good speech and good deeds. He will merit that his purification be completed after the final setting of his sun — the aspect of "U'va hashemesh v'taher, v'achar yochal min hakodashim" — which is his good portion in the World to Come, which he will merit immediately after the setting of his sun. He will not need to be reincarnated or suffer what must be suffered by one who did not prepare himself at all during his lifetime. For on that final day, everything gathers together: all the good he seized in this world each day, and every good ratzon he had each day throughout his life. Only this is his hope and his eternal endurance. Then each person will know and understand the difference between one who strove and pursued the tachlis with strong retzonos each day — even though he did not merit it in completeness — and one who did not strive at all. As it is written (Malachi 3): "V'shavtem ur'isem bain tzaddik l'rasha..." — "You shall return and see the difference between a righteous person and a wicked one..." — that there will be a difference even between one who reviewed his chapter a hundred times and one who reviewed it a hundred and one times (Chagigah 9b) — all the more so between one who strives and one who does not. The essential thing is according to one's closeness to the true tzaddikim who are included among the elders of kedushah, who are engaged in elevating all those who have fallen and are very, very far — from their place to the upper Ratzon, as above. Fortunate is one who takes hold of them! This is the aspect of the three parshiyos of Kri'as Shma: "Shma," "V'hayah im shamo'a," and "Vayomer" — the parshah of tzitzis that was established in Kri'as Shma. These three parshiyos correspond to the three regalim — the Mikra'ai Kodesh — in which the Ratzon is revealed, as explained there in the Torah "V'es ha'orvim" [LM I:215]. In detail: Parshas Shma corresponds to Pesach — the aspect of the revelation of the Ratzon in general. For on Pesach was the essential Yetzias Mitzrayim with exceedingly awesome signs, through which it was revealed to all eyes that everything is conducted by His will alone. This is Parshas Shma — the acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of heaven in general: in Parshas Shma we reveal that Hashem is One and everything is through His will alone, and it is fitting for us to accept upon ourselves the yoke of His kingship — for He alone is the singular King and there is none besides Him. This is the aspect of Pesach, when it was revealed that everything is through His will and He alone rules the world. But His specific retzonos — in what manner we should merit to serve Him and do His will — were not yet revealed in detail until the holy festival of Shavuos, when we received His holy Torah: all the Ten Commandments, in which all 613 mitzvos are contained. Through these He revealed His retzonos in detail — that His will is that we serve Him through these mitzvos: keeping Shabbos and the rest of the mitzvos, which are all His retzonos. "V'hayah im shamo'a" corresponds to Shavuos — the aspect of the acceptance of the yoke of mitzvos. This is the aspect of what is written there [LM I:215]: one must bind all the retzonos to the Ratzon of Hashem — the Ratzon within retzonos. All of this is accomplished through the Torah received on Shavuos through Moshe Rabbainu. Through the Torah and mitzvos, all retzonos are bound to the Ratzon of Hashem (as explained above regarding Bircas Ahavas Olam; see there). All of this is merited through tzedakah, as written there. Therefore on all the regalim one is especially obligated to give tzedakah, as it is written (Devarim 16): "V'samachta lifnai Hashem Elokecha... atah u'vincha... v'hager v'hayasom..." — "You shall rejoice before Hashem your God — you and your son... and the convert and the orphan..." — "If you gladden Mine [the poor], I will gladden yours," etc. (as Rashi explains). Similarly, one is obligated to bring many korbanos, as it is written there: "V'lo yairah'eh es p'nai Hashem raikam, ish k'matnas yado..." — "One shall not appear before Hashem empty-handed; each man according to the gift of his hand..." For korbanos are the aspect of a free-willed offering of the heart — the aspect of tzedakah — as they are included in a single verse (Devarim 23): "Motza s'fasecha tishmor" — "Guard what your lips have uttered," said regarding korbanos, up to "b'ficha" — "with your mouth" — this refers to tzedakah, as our Sages said (Rosh HaShanah 6a). But even though they received the Torah on Shavuos, they returned and corrupted through the Airev Rav with the cheit ha'Aigel — avodah zarah/kefiros drawn from the metzach of the nachash — essentially through the doubts that returned and overpowered to cast doubt upon the ratzon, the aspect of "Ki zeh Moshe ha'ish lo yadanu meh hayah lo" — "For this man Moshe — we do not know what has become of him" (as in §30 above). The essential tikkun was in Elul and Tishrai — the final forty days from Elul until Yom Kippur, which are days of ratzon — until in Sukkos, Hoshana Rabbah, and Sh'mini Atzeres the tikkun is completed each year, as is known. Sukkos is the third regel — the completion of the three regalim — and is the aspect of Parshas Vayomer (Parshas Tzitzis) in Kri'as Shma. Tzitzis are the tikkun of the levushim [garments] — the aspect of Sukkos, the Clouds of Glory, the aspect of (Iyov 38): "B'sumo anan l'vusho" — "When He set a cloud as its garment." This is the aspect of the completion of the tikkun accomplished through abundant tzedakah. Therefore on Sukkos one is especially obligated to bring many korbanos (which are the aspect of tzedakah) — for then the prohibition of bal t'achair [do not delay your vow] takes effect, as our Sages said (Rosh HaShanah 4a). For Sukkos is the aspect of abundant tzedakah — the aspect of korbanos — for one must give tzedakah greatly to worthy poor people, in order to strengthen the ratzon each time so that doubts are no longer cast, as above. All of this is the aspect of tzitzis — the tikkun of the garments, the aspect of tzedakah, the aspect of (Iyov 29): "Tzedek lavashti vayalbishaini" — "I clothed myself in righteousness and it clothed me." Therefore, the Torah generally mentions the distress of the poor person in his clothing and covering when warning about tzedakah, as it is written (Shemos 22): "Ki hi ch'suso l'vado, hi simlaso l'oro..." — "For it is his sole covering, his garment for his skin..."; and (Devarim 24): "V'shachav b'salmaso u'vairachecha..." — "He shall lie down in his garment and bless you..."; and (Yeshayahu 58): "Ki sir'eh arom v'chisiso..." — "When you see the naked and cover him..."; and (Iyov 31): "Im er'eh ovaid mib'li l'vush" — "If I see one perishing without clothing" — and so on in many places. For tzedakah elevates and rectifies the blemish of the fallen da'as of the days that fell through the elders who lack completeness, etc. — as explained there: from there the metzach of the nachash draws the wisdom of nature, etc. The essential blemish of all the evil wisdoms of the nature-philosophers stems from the blemish of the levushim — through blemishing the mitzvos of the Torah, which are all the aspect of levushim, constrictions, and vessels to receive through them the attainment of His will. For in truth His will alone rules the world — but for the sake of free choice and the sustaining of the world, He concealed, hid, and clothed His will in many, many concealments. One must make many holy levushim through the mitzvos of the Torah, in order to attain through them the illumination of the upper Ratzon. For the aspect of the Ratzon itself is impossible to receive directly — the abundance of light causes shattering of the vessels. Too much oil extinguishes the lamp. From there come all the errors and kefiros of the nature-philosophers, who come from the contamination of the primordial serpent, from the metzach of the nachash — who want to attain God's divinity immediately, without holy vessels and levushim. Therefore the initial tikkun for the eitz hada'as tov v'ra was through levushim, as it is written (Bereishis 3): "Vaya'as Hashem Elokim l'adam u'l'ishto kasnos or vayalbishaim" — "Hashem God made for Adam and his wife garments of skin and clothed them." For initially they were both naked and unashamed — they did not need physical garments, only very fine and spiritual ones, the aspect of "kasnos or" [garments of light, with an alef]. They were commanded: "U'mai'aitz hada'as tov v'ra lo sochlu mimenu" — "From the tree of knowledge of good and evil do not eat" — from which come all the evil inquiries of the nature-philosophers, as brought in the holy sefarim. But after the serpent incited them until they came to kefiros (as our Sages said, Sanhedrin 35), through entering the inquiries of the eitz hada'as without levushim — therefore afterward, when Hashem engaged in tikkunim, He made them levushim, the aspect of "kasnos or" [garments of skin, with an ayin]. For now the essential tikkun is through tikkun of the levushim — the aspect of tzitzis and tefillin, which are levushim of the Shechinah who is impoverished in galus, the aspect of: "Ki hi ch'suso l'vadah... da tzitzis..." (Tikkunim 69). Therefore tzitzis is the aspect of tzedakah — the tikkun of the levushim — through which the metzach of the nachash is subdued and the revelation of the Ratzon is strengthened, as above. This is the aspect of Sukkos — the completion of the tikkun of the regalim, the aspect of "B'sumo anan l'vusho" — as above. This is the third parshah of Kri'as Shma — Parshas Tzitzis — in which Yetzias Mitzrayim is mentioned, for then was the essential revelation of the Ratzon and all the three regalim, as above. Therefore the word tzitzis is mentioned three times in Parshas Tzitzis — corresponding to the three regalim. Therefore the fulfillment of the entire Torah is through tzitzis, as it is written (Bamidbar 15): "V'lo sasuru acharai l'vavchem" — "Do not stray after your hearts" — this refers to heresy (Berachos 12b); "L'ma'an tizk'ru va'asisem es kol mitzvosai, vihyisem k'doshim l'Elokaichem..." — "So that you remember and do all My mitzvos, and you shall be holy unto your God..." For the essential fulfillment of the Torah is through tzitzis — the aspect of the tikkun of the levushim, the aspect of tzedakah — which subdues the metzach of the nachash that seeks to nullify the entire Torah, chas v'shalom, through their evil opinions of the nature-philosophers who draw from there. As also explained in the Torah "Mishpatim" (LM I:7): tzitzis is the aspect of emunah, etc., and nullifies the schemes and counsel of the nachash — as explained there on the statement of Rabbah bar bar Chanah: "Come, I will show you Har Sinai — scorpions surround it" — which are the counsel of the nachash — "and white donkeys stand there" — the aspect of tzitzis that subdue them, etc., and sustain the Torah; see there. This is the aspect of (Bamidbar 8): "B'ha'aloscha es hanairos el mul p'nai ham'norah ya'iru shiv'as hanairos" — "When you kindle the lamps, toward the face of the Menorah shall the seven lamps give light." For the neshamah is called a lamp, as it is written (Mishlai 20): "Nair Hashem nishmas adam, chofaish kol chadrai vaten" — "The lamp of Hashem is the soul of man, searching all the chambers of the innards." The essential root of the neshamah is the aspect of ratzon (as brought in Hilchos Araiv). Therefore it is called nefesh — a word meaning ratzon [will, desire]. Therefore it is called a nair [lamp] — for the intensity of the ratzon is like a burning lamp, the aspect of (Shir HaShirim 8): "Ki azah kamaves ahavah..." — "For love is as strong as death..." This is the intensity of the ratzon, love, and yearning for Hashem. And it says there: "R'shafehah rishpai aish shalhevetya — mayim rabim lo yuchlu l'chabos es ha'ahavah..." — "Its sparks are sparks of fire, a flame of God — many waters cannot extinguish the love..." For the intensity of the love and ratzon for Hashem burns like sparks of fire, a flame of God — from which all the holy lamps are kindled, the aspect of "l'anhara butzinin l'adlaka shragin" — "to illuminate the candelabra, to kindle the lamps." This is the light of the neshamah — called the lamp of Hashem — that is kindled and illuminates through the intensity of the holy ratzon that burns for Hashem with sparks of fire, a flame of God. The essential light and lamp of the neshamah must illuminate in every kind of darkness and shadow of death — for only for this purpose did the neshamah descend to this world, to be clothed in such a coarse, physical body. The physicality of the body and this world is called darkness. From the extremity of the darkness it would have been impossible to survive — therefore when the angels descended to this world, they stumbled greatly, as our Sages said. But the neshamah is drawn from a very exalted place — from the upper Ratzon — therefore it has the power, if it so wills, to stand in this battle. For if it strengthens itself to hold onto its root, the aspect of ratzon — meaning: it never abandons the good ratzon no matter what passes over it — through this it can always prevail against the darkness of the body and this world. For the intensity of the ratzon is the aspect of a light and lamp that illuminates for a person in every kind of darkness and shadow of death, the aspect of (Tehillim 18): "Ki atah ta'ir nairi, Hashem Elokai yagi'ah chashki" — "For You illuminate my lamp; Hashem my God brightens my darkness." Through this (ibid.): "Ki v'cha arutz g'dud, u'vElokai adaleg shur" — "For through You I run upon a troop, and through my God I leap over a wall" — I can prevail against all the troops and armies, against the iron wall that seeks to separate, chas v'shalom, between me and my Father in heaven. For however things may be, my heart still burns with sparks of fire, a flame of God for Hashem — which many waters cannot extinguish. This is (Tehillim 139): "Gam choshech lo yachshich mimeka, v'lailah kayom ya'ir..." — "Even darkness does not darken before You, and night shines like day..." And (Michah 7): "Al tism'chi oyvti li, ki nafalti kamti — ki aishaiv bachoshech, Hashem or li" — "Do not rejoice over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I shall arise; though I sit in darkness, Hashem is a light unto me." All through the intensity of the ratzon — the essential kedushah of the neshamah at its root — which is therefore called a lamp, for it illuminates like an actual lamp in every kind of darkness. This is the aspect of the seven lamps — for the neshamah is comprised of all seven middos, as is known. There are seven holy middos that are the totality of everything, and corresponding to them there are seven evil middos — the aspect of the seven good cows and the seven bad cows, etc.; the aspect of seven good days and seven bad days. A person comes to this world to be tested: he will pass through many kinds of darkness comprised of seven. This is the aspect of the seven chambers of Gehinnom in which a person is punished, chas v'shalom, when he does not stand in the test and stumbles. This is the aspect of (Daniel 4): "V'shiv'ah idanin yachlefun aloi" — "Seven seasons shall pass over him." Especially one who wants to begin to enter avodas Hashem and draw close to Hashem in some way — the more one strives and works to detach himself from evil and draw close to good, the more they provoke and overpower him, as our Sages said (Sukkah 52a): "Kol hagadol maichavairo yitzro gadol mimenu" — "Whoever is greater than his fellow, his evil inclination is greater." As it is written (Tehillim 142): "B'orach zu ahalech tamnu fach li" — "In this very path that I walk, they have laid a trap for me." Regarding this Dovid cried out (Tehillim 69): "Tavati biy'vain m'tzulah v'ain ma'amad..." — "I have sunk in deep mire and there is no foothold..." And (Tehillim 88): "Shatani b'vor tachtiyos, b'machashachim bimtzolos..." — "You have placed me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths..." For all of this, the essential counsel and strategy is the overpowering of the holy ratzon: when a person strengthens himself however he can, through whatever passes over him, never to abandon the holy ratzon, and to begin each day anew with strong new retzonos for Hashem — then the holy ratzon, which is the essential kedushah of the neshamah, illuminates for him like an actual lamp in every kind of darkness in the world. Therefore they are the aspect of the seven lamps — for one must illuminate in every kind of darkness comprised of seven, from which come all the falls in the world, chas v'shalom, the aspect of (Mishlai 24): "Ki sheva yipol tzaddik v'kam" — "For the righteous one falls seven times and rises" — for every member of Yisrael is called a tzaddik, as it is written: "V'amaich kulam tzaddikim..." — "Your people are all righteous..." Especially one who wants to draw close to Him — he must inevitably pass through many, many kinds of darkness, virtually without limit. His entire survival through all kinds of falls, chas v'shalom, is through the ratzon — called the lamp of Hashem — comprised of the seven lamps that illuminate in all the middos comprised of seven, to rise from all the falls, from darkness to great light, the aspect of "Ki sheva yipol tzaddik v'kam." But it is impossible to merit this except through binding oneself to the true tzaddikim — the aspect of Moshe — who departed in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, the Ratzon of retzonos. He stands between sh'mad and ratzon, making gairim and ba'alai teshuvah in the world — elevating them from sh'mad to ratzon. For only he illuminates and instills the intensity of the holy ratzon in every single person. Even if one has fallen, chas v'shalom, to whatever place — he instills in him too the ability to overpower himself with the intensity of the good ratzon. Through this he elevates him from sh'mad to ratzon. This is: "B'ha'aloscha es hanairos" — "When you kindle the lamps" — when you wish to kindle and elevate the holy lamps, the nefashos of Yisrael, so that they burn for Hashem and their lamp grows ever brighter in every kind of darkness — "el mul p'nai ham'norah ya'iru shiv'as hanairos" — "toward the face of the Menorah shall the seven lamps give light." "P'nai ham'norah" — "the face of the Menorah" — is the tzaddik, the aspect of Moshe, who is the face of the Menorah, from whom the entire pure Menorah — the totality of the neshamos of Yisrael — draws its light. For he is the root of them all. Therefore he is called "p'nai ham'norah" — for panim means ratzon [face/will], as explained there in the Torah. Therefore the kohanim — the aspect of the elders of kedushah who are engaged in elevating the nefashos of Yisrael to the aspect of "V'atem kohanai Hashem tikaraiu" — are commanded to always intend to elevate and bind the seven lamps (all the neshamos comprised of seven groups, each neshamah comprised of seven middos) toward the face of the Menorah — the tzaddik, the aspect of Moshe — who instills the intensity of the holy ratzon in every heart, that one never abandon the good ratzon. Through this they will ascend and be kindled and illuminate, and no darkness will be able to darken them — for their lamp will not be extinguished, being bound to the tzaddik, the aspect of Moshe, the aspect of Mashiach, of whom it is said: "Ki b'Shaim kodsh'cha nishbata lo shelo sichbeh nairo l'olam va'ed" — "For by Your holy Name You have sworn to him that his lamp shall not be extinguished forever." Therefore Parshas Hadlakas Nairos HaM'norah is juxtaposed to the dedication of the Mishkan in this parshah. So too in Parshas Tetzaveh it is juxtaposed immediately after all the making of the Mishkan and its vessels described in Parshas Terumah — and then immediately begins with the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah lamps, not yet speaking of any korbanos, only of the lamps of the Menorah. As explained in the Midrashim regarding the greatness of the Menorah and its lamps — for the essential purpose of the Mishkan was to rectify the cheit ha'Aigel, which was avodah zarah, as our Sages said. The Mishkan in its entirety is the aspect of tzedakah — the aspect of "Mai'ais kol ish asher yidvenu libo tikchu es t'rumasi" — "From every man whose heart moves him, you shall take My offering." For tzedakah rectifies the blemish of the impaired elders, etc., and strengthens the holy ratzon drawn through the elders of kedushah. For Moshe saw the great provocation of the Satan — who has such power to provoke a person in this world: after taking them out of Mitzrayim with such awesome signs, splitting the sea, giving the Torah with thunder and lightning and such awesome and trembling revelation of Godliness — after all this, he still caused them to stumble through the Airev Rav in the blemish of avodah zarah of the Aigel, the aspect of sh'mad. Therefore, when Hashem was appeased through the final forty days of ratzon from Elul until Yom Kippur, He commanded them to make the Mishkan. The Mishkan in its entirety is the aspect of a free-willed offering of the heart — tzedakah — in order to strengthen the holy ratzon. For in the Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash were all the korbanos that came for the sake of ratzon, as it is written (Vayikra 19): "Lirtzon'chem tizba'chuhu" — "You shall slaughter it for your acceptance." Therefore He mentions first, immediately, Parshas HaM'norah in Parshas Tetzaveh and Parshas B'ha'aloscha — for this is the essential thing: one must strengthen the ratzon with such great intensity that it illuminates forever and is never interrupted through any kind of darkness that passes over every person according to his situation. This is the aspect of the Menorah — the aspect of "l'ha'alos nair tamid" — "to kindle an eternal lamp," as above. This is accomplished in every person and at every time, in every generation. Through whatever passes over a person, his essential tikkun is through the intensity of the ratzon — through which everything is elevated from sh'mad to ratzon. For the essential aspect of avodah zarah and sh'mad is the aspect of the desire for money and the burden and bitterness of earning a livelihood — through which the Satan causes every person to fall in his da'as toward naturalism, wanting to distance him from emunah in hashgachah and the upper Ratzon. Because of this, one constantly worries about money and livelihood — seeing that his sustenance has diminished. And some have much money but desire more and more. All of this is drawn from the kefiros in the Ratzon and hashgachah, which is the aspect of sh'mad and avodah zarah — for all avodah zarah is rooted in money, as written in the Torah "Tzivisa tzedek..." (LM I:23). The tikkun for this is the aspect of the Mishkan — tzedakah to worthy, truly upright poor people. For the thirty-nine forbidden labors of Shabbos are derived from the Mishkan, and all commerce and craftsmanship are included in the thirty-nine labors. Every person must give abundantly in tzedakah and intend to draw upon himself the kedushah of the Mishkan that Moshe made with such tikkunim — to rectify for all generations the cheit ha'Aigel (avodah zarah, the aspect of the desire for money). For the Mishkan contained all the supernal colors clothed in silver, gold, copper, techailes, argaman, etc. — which at their root are very exalted, the essential glory of the Creator. But below they have fallen greatly, until most people's distancing from Hashem is through the burden of money and possessions — all included in silver, gold, copper, etc. One who binds himself to the true tzaddikim of the generation, the aspect of Moshe, and gives abundant tzedakah for the sake of heaven (not for self-glorification) — through this the illumination of the Ratzon shines upon him from the aspect of Moshe, until it illuminates for him in every kind of darkness to rise from there, as above. For the Mishkan was made with such kedushah that even in its destruction it protects Yisrael — the aspect of (Shemos 38): "Aileh f'kudai haMishkan — Mishkan" — "Mishkan" repeated: the Mishkan in its building and in its destruction. The aspect of (Bamidbar 24): "Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishk'nosecha Yisrael" — "How goodly are your tents, Yaakov; your dwelling places, Yisrael" — which our Sages expounded: even when they are destroyed, they protect Yisrael. For this reason they erected the Mishkan each time and dismantled it themselves, and traveled with it from place to place in the wilderness — a place of darkness and gloom, a place of serpent, fiery snake, and scorpion, etc. — and afterward erected it again. This was to teach for all generations: even when the Mishkan is dismantled and destroyed, it protects them. If they constantly bind their ratzon to the kedushah of the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash and its vessels — all through the power of the true tzaddikim who are engaged in building the Mishkan in every generation, as explained in the Torah "Azamrah..." (LM I:282) — through this they can pass through all the wildernesses safely, through every kind of darkness and shadow of death, even when passing, chas v'shalom, through a place of serpent, fiery snake, scorpion, and thirst, etc. One who wishes to approach holiness must inevitably pass through these places — especially one who has already stumbled in what he stumbled, and wishes to return. He must inevitably pass through these places — as the Rebbe z"l said regarding the statement of our Sages: "B'haynu d'a'al..." — "this one who entered..." (see the Torah "R'tzitza," Siman 27 [LM I:27]). From all of them Hashem will save us through the intensity of the holy ratzon — which one merits through binding to the true tzaddikim, as above. Therefore He mentions first the making of the Menorah after the making of the Mishkan — for the Menorah and its lamps are the essential light of the Ratzon that illuminated in the Mishkan and Beis HaMikdash. Through this one rises from every kind of darkness in the world — the aspect of (Tehillim 18): "Ki atah ta'ir nairi..." — "For You illuminate my lamp..." — as above. For this reason Moshe found the making of the Menorah exceedingly difficult, as our Sages said — and it is explained at greater length in Midrash Rabbah, Parshas B'ha'aloscha Ch. 16, and cited in the Yalkut Reuveni, Parshas Terumah. He found it extremely difficult. Even when Hashem revealed it to him, he forgot how to make it when he descended. He went back up and asked, and it was explained to him, and he forgot again — and so on several times. Until HaKadosh Baruch Hu said to him: "Go to Betzalel and he will make it immediately," etc. Betzalel made it at once. Moshe began to marvel and said: "I was shown it by HaKadosh Baruch Hu many times and I could not manage to make it — and you, who never saw it, made it from your own understanding? Betzalel — you must have been standing in the shadow of God when HaKadosh Baruch Hu showed me how to make it!" Every observer is astounded by this: how can it be that Moshe did not know and struggled many times, while Betzalel made it immediately? And if it was because he stood in the shadow of God when Hashem showed Moshe how to make it — surely Moshe himself was standing there, and Hashem Himself taught him and revealed its making to him time after time, and still he struggled so greatly! And Betzalel, who only stood off to the side in the shadow of God, managed to make it at once? But what is possible to understand from afar — for we are obligated to strive and explain the holy, exceedingly profound words of our Sages — is this: Certainly Moshe struggled greatly, many times, with the making of the Menorah — the aspect of making such a holy and awesome vessel that could illuminate the illumination of the holy ratzon in all Yisrael, in every single person through whatever passes over him all the days of his life — that in every kind of darkness and every kind of descent and fall, the intensity of the ratzon would illuminate for him to rise from them all. For certainly it is very difficult to attain the making of such a wondrous vessel. Especially since Moshe had already seen with his own eyes what happened in this world: after all the awesome signs in Yetzias Mitzrayim, Kri'as Yam Suf, and Mattan Torah — they did what they did. He understood and saw how exceedingly difficult it is to help a being with free choice. Therefore he could not grasp and take into his da'as the making of the Menorah — the illumination of the Ratzon through such wondrous tikkunim as are hinted in the seven branches of the Menorah, the eighteen flowers, the nine bulbs, and the twenty-two cups — which all total forty-nine, corresponding to the forty-nine days of the Sefirah after which they received the Torah on the fiftieth day, as explained in the kavanos of the Arizal. It is brought that this is the root of the Torah — the fiftieth gate, the root of the Torah that Moshe did not attain during his lifetime but only at the time of his histalkus. For there is the aspect of the upper Ratzon, the Ratzon of retzonos, that instills the intensity of the holy ratzon in the heart of all Yisrael so that it illuminates for them in every kind of darkness. Therefore he struggled greatly, greatly over this. But Betzalel — the aspect of the worthy student — understood and saw "in the shadow of God": that the reason Moshe struggled so much was precisely because of his great humility. He was exceedingly humble and did not wish to credit himself — as explained elsewhere in the Ra'aya Mehemna, Parshas B'ha'aloscha. Because of his humility he struggled so greatly and could not understand how he could make a Menorah with such tikkunim that the Ratzon would illuminate forever. For he understood that the matter depended on him — that he would need to be so included in the upper Ratzon that he could instill the Ratzon forever in all Yisrael. And in his humility, he could not fathom having such power. Therefore he struggled enormously. But Betzalel, his student, perceived from afar the greatness of his master Moshe — that on the contrary, precisely because of his great humility, he was included in the ultimate bittul in the upper Ratzon. For there one cannot be included in completeness except through the ultimate humility and bittul, like Moshe. Therefore Betzalel — the aspect of the student — was able to grasp how to make it immediately. For he said: "I am confident in the power of the Elder — Moshe Rabbainu — that I will certainly make it and complete it properly. For I believe in the power of my master, who will certainly complete and complete and instill the illumination of the Ratzon in this world, until it illuminates for them in every kind of darkness." For the true tzaddik cannot know his own greatness — from the greatness of his bittul and humility — as well as the aspect of the student can perceive it from afar. For the student understood that precisely because Moshe struggled so much over its making (which was because of his humility) — through this very thing the tikkun of the Menorah would be completed: the illumination of the Ratzon. Therefore specifically Betzalel made it properly — all through the power of Moshe his master, as above. This is the aspect of the vision of the Menorah of Zechariah — the haftarah for Parshas B'ha'aloscha and Shabbos Chanukah. He saw the Menorah, and (Zechariah 4): "U'shnayim zaisim alehah, echad miyamin v'echad mism'ol" — "Two olive trees upon it, one on the right and one on the left." He asked: "Mah aileh adoni?" — "What are these, my lord?" The angel replied: "Halo yadata mah aileh?" — "Do you not know what these are?" He answered: "Lo yadati" — "I do not know." Zechariah too struggled greatly over the matter of the tikkun of the Menorah. For he saw that two olive trees were upon it — two trees, one from the right and one from the left — the aspect of the Tree of Life and the Tree of Death, the side of kedushah and the Sitra Achra that opposes it, which overpowers each time: evil opposite good. Therefore he asked "Mah aileh?" twice — for he could not grasp how one could conquer such a mountain, given that the Sitra Achra overpowers so greatly against every person, each time more and more. The angel answered him (ibid.): "Lo b'chayil v'lo b'choach, ki im b'Ruchi, amar Hashem Tz'vakos" — "Not by might and not by power, but by My spirit, says Hashem of Hosts." This is the aspect of ratzon, which is called the spirit of Hashem, as it is written (Yechezkel 20): "Ha'olah al ruchachem" — "That which arises upon your spirit [i.e. your will]." Through the intensity of the holy ratzon — drawn from the spirit of Hashem through the true tzaddikim, the aspect of Moshe — each person will prevail: not by might and not by power, but through the intensity of the ratzon. This is (Zechariah 4): "Mi atah har hagadol lifnai Z'rubavel l'mishor" — "Who are you, O great mountain, before Zerubavel? [You shall become] a plain!" Even the great mountain — the aspect of the great enemies and obstacles (as Rashi explains there) — before Zerubavel it becomes a plain. For they will all be nullified before the true tzaddik, the aspect of Zerubavel, who is the aspect of Mashiach — through the intensity of the ratzon that will illuminate in Yisrael, as above. This is what our Master and Teacher z"l wrote in the Seifer HaAlef-Bais: through the kindling of the nair tamid [the eternal lamp], one is saved from the decree of sh'mad. For the nair tamid is the aspect of the ratzon — through which the aspect of sh'mad is nullified, for one rises from sh'mad to ratzon, as above. This is the aspect of the greatness of the holiness of Chanukah — when each person draws into his home the kedushah of the lamps of the Menorah. Through this the wicked kingdom is subdued each year — that kingdom which sought to make them forget His Torah and decreed many sh'mados upon Yisrael, as our Sages said (Vayikra Rabbah Ch. 13). All of this is nullified through the kedushah of the Chanukah lamp — the aspect of the kedushah of the lamps of the Menorah, the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon. This is what is brought in the holy sefarim regarding the awesome holiness of Chanukah — the aspect of the kindling of the lamps of the Menorah: even in the days of Noach, immediately after the Flood, the dove came "v'hinai alai zayis teref b'fiha" — "and behold, an olive leaf freshly plucked in her mouth" (Bereishis 8) — hinting at the oil of the Menorah, the aspect of Chanukah that saves from the raging of many waters, from the flood-waters that overpower in every generation, each time threatening to destroy the world, chas v'shalom. But the essential tikkun is through the olive leaf — the aspect of the oil of the Chanukah lamp, the aspect of the oil of the Menorah, the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon that illuminates in every kind of darkness, even in the darkness of the flood-waters, chas v'shalom. For everything is nullified through the illumination of the Ratzon — hinted at by the olive leaf that the dove brought toward evening, hinting at the era of ikvos M'shicha [the heels of Mashiach], the aspect of (Zechariah 14): "V'hayah l'ais erev yihyeh or" — "And it shall be: toward evening there shall be light." Therefore it is indeed explained in the Midrash HaNe'elam on this verse — "V'hinai alai zayis" — that were it not for the lamps of the Menorah, the aspect of the Chanukah lamp, the remnant of Yehudah would have already perished from the world. For our essential survival now is through the illumination of the Ratzon — the aspect of the lamps of the Menorah, as above. — Chapter headings for Hilchos Pesach, connected to Hilchos Bircas HaShachar, follow, based on the Torah that "Moshe stands between sh'mad and ratzon." —